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May31
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The June 2006 edition of Writer's Digest arrived in my mailbox this weekend; they've got plenty for those of you who enjoy writing short stories! There is a large feature about the short story market, including suggestions on how to create a collection of short stories and what's selling these days. The winners of the 6th annual WD Short Short Story Competition are listed in this issue, along with the publication of the grand-prize winner's entry. (For reference, the winning entry is a 1,400 word essay by Jeff McElroy of Moorpark, California, called "Brown Pride".)
Submissions are already being accepted for the 7th Annual Writer's Digest Short Short Story Competition as well. Entries must be under 1,500 words. An entry fee of $12 per story applies, and all submissions must be received by 1 December 2006. You can enter online on their contest page or by mail.
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May31
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Here's a great market for you freelancers who are interested in profiling women who enjoy life in the country, country-style crafts and decorating and other such concepts. From the Country Woman website Contributor Guidelines page:...
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If you're interested in epublishing (blogging, ebooks, and the like), be sure to start visiting ePublishingDaily.com again starting tomorrow, 1 June 2006. Australian writer Martin Neumann always has something fun and interesting to contribute to any conversation (you may have...
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May30
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Looking for ways to carve a home office out of the space in your house? Check out Home Office Solutions: Creating a Space That Works for You by Lisa Kanarek. Kanarek, the founder of HomeOfficeLife.com, is an expert when it...
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May29
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Don't forget, writers: this Wednesday is the deadline for late entries in the 75th annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition. The original entry deadline was 15 May 2006, but late entries are accepted thru 1 June for an additional $2 per...
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Today, the last Monday of May, is the day chosen for observing Memorial Day, a day set aside to remember those who have fallen in service to our country. Originally observed on 30 May, the holiday initially honored those who...
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May25
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Everyone likes to get "something" for free, right? One of the ways I've seen small- and home-based business owners get the attention of potential clients is by participating in gatherings that market to their clientele (and potential clients) or colleagues. ...
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May24
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Ready to do some surfin' for writing resources? Whether you want journaling software and daily writing prompts to get you going, some lessons in getting published or marketing your work, or want to know when the next conferences near you...
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*What accomplishments are you most proud of during your career? Has your business or product won any awards, mentions in the press, garnered praise in reviews or by users, or helped someone overcome a challenge of their own? Tell...
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* What do you enjoy the most about operating your business? What tasks would you perform even if it had nothing to do with the successful operation of your company? Obviously I love the freedom of freelance, but I really...
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* Please tell us about the resources you’ve used thus far and would recommend to others (or steer them away from). Take a moment to share your educational background (both academic and work-based) and point out things that have...
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Today I'd like to introduce you to Natalie Jost, a highly talented web designer I had the pleasure of working with on past marketing projects for a former employer. I can personally vouch for Natalie's willingness to work with a...
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May23
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A new way to run a business has brought a whole new meaning to the term "road warrior". Not just used for those who are constantly on the go for the company's cause, this term can now refer to those...
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May19
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We've all probably heard hundreds of variations on the phrase about the importance of first impressions, especially when it comes to business interactions. With the exponential growth of e-commerce, home-based businesses, telecommuting, and even email communication between people who sit...
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If you are a freelance writer who is trying to figure out the best way to create an online portfolio for potential editors to look over, or you need ideas for marketing yourself in a professional, yet personal, manner, check...
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May18
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As you know the SmallBizMentor would much prefer to see your business well-prepared for any and all emergencies (well, as much as we can be, right?) These two articles popped up on my radar today and are both chock-full of...
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It's that time of year again...into my mailbox arrived the lovely pamphlet for the upcoming Maui Writers Conference and Writers Retreat. This is the "must-do" conference for writers, from what I've been told. The retreat takes place from Sunday, 27...
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One of the nicest parts of dealing with small businesses, and operating one, is a personalized experience. After all, when a client deals with you, the operator of a small business, s/he is dealing with the Big Dog of the...
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May17
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Want to win an all-expenses paid trip to New York this fall? Pull together your best essay about a true personal experience in which faith made the difference and how the experience changed you. Keep it under 2,000 words and...
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May16
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Ever wonder how the Big Boys figure out what market to hit next, or what the "next big thing" will be for their business? Trends. They've got people who watch and analyze fads and trends in their industries. Spotting trends...
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If you're trying to figure out a way to start a small business "on a shoestring", you might want to check out the June 2006 issue of Parents magazine. Author Ellen Parlapiano pulled together interviews with five moms who have...
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This week Karen Klein is addressing a pretty hot topic for small business people over at BusinessWeek Online: "Does your small business need a blog?" According to Technorati, she says, there are more than 39 million blogs out there, with...
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May15
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Looking for some tips on using testimonials to drive up your sales and build your brand? According to this press release, in a couple of weeks entrepreneurs can listen in on an interview with Tina Aldatz of Foot Petals about just...
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Author and executive coach Bud Bilanich has been posting some excellent information over on his blog, CommonSenseGuy.com. He recently discussed how he tried to encourage a young woman who is interested in fashion journalism to get started with a blog,...
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May12
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In honor of Mother's Day (Sunday, 14 May here in the U.S. and in Canada), I've decided to give you links to fourteen franchises that may be of interest to the mompreneurs in the group. These companies offer services or...
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According to this press release, 60 Second Ideas has named their top 10 small business blogs of the first quarter of 2006. I'm passing this along to you, SmallBizMentor visitors, for two reasons. First of all, many of these blogs...
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May11
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Ever wonder about those people who always seem to be ahead of the game, and how they got there? Dr. Henry Cloud apparently did too. His book, 9 Things You Simply MUST DO to Succeed in Love and Life, seeks...
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Anybody here remember Mary Lou Retton? Turns out that perky Olympic gymnast from the days of yore is also a small business owner who has teamed up with the National Association for the Self-Employee to spread the word about a new guidebook....
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Seems like we've all heard the stories by now, like the one about the guy who sold a million bucks worth of product on eBay at only 19 years old. Entrepreneurial souls appear to be hitting the big time with...
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The Toronto Star has an interesting article featuring several home-based business owners who have wisely invested time and money into making sure their home-office technology meets their needs and those of their clients. In "Virtual Improvements to a Home Office",...
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May10
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Two writers are sharing wisdom this week, and I recommend you go check out their thoughts. Let's visit one in print, the other online. The Writer (June 2006) has a great article by Michael Covington that speaks to the freelance...
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Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero over at RedHotCopy has passed on information to her e-news susbscribers about Michael Port's new release, Book Yourself Solid, that I think you'll be interested in. Apparently the release on Friday was a smashing success (you can find...
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Another book on the library list (bless that online catalog!) this week was Samuel Fromartz's debut book, Organic, Inc.: Natural Foods and How They Grew. Fromartz is a business journalist whose name you probably already know from Business Week, Inc.,...
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Sound familiar? It sure did to me. CrazyBusy is a term that I've been applying with friends for a while (usually with a shake of the head implying how crazy I am for being so busy), and I recently discovered...
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Yes, folks, I know that Easton said the next official blogtipping day is 1 June 2006, but I can't help myself. I've held back over a week and by gum, I've just got to do a little more tipping. It's...
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May 9
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So you've drawn the visitor into your small business website and convinced them, via your informative and motivating sales pages, to purchase your product or sign up for your service. Then you got them to fill up their shopping cart...
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About a week ago I received an email from Seventh Generation about an exciting new endeavor president and CEO Jeffrey Hollender is embarking on: The Inspired Protagonist. The Inspired Protagonist is a brand new blog that Hollender expects to open...
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May 8
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Whether you're in the planning stages and have yet to build your site, or are in the process of updating and revamping a current site, it's important to remember that sooner or later you're going to need a shopping cart. ...
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So you've got your small business set up and ready to roll, but you're trying to figure out why you're not closing sales, or you're closing plenty...so many that you think it may be time to hire a full-time salesperson...
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Okay, writers, start your pencils (er, engines). The Writer magazine is sponsoring a memoir contest with a first prize of $1,000. Contestants must supply two copies of " an essay about a meaningful personal experience" along with a $10 entry...
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Since you're visiting SmallBizMentor, I have made the assumption that you're pretty familiar with the concept of a weblog, or "blog". But did you know that you can use one to market your business? Yes, you sure can. I've mentioned...
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Today, in honor of Marketing Monday, I just have to introduce you to three marketing gurus who offer up intelligent commentary and informative posts along with a darn good giggle. I'm afraid I spent a half an hour digressing into...
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May 7
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There's something in the air, and it's not just pollen (although I've felt the brunt of that this week, too). Seems like lots of folks are getting the urge to remodel, redecorate and rearrange. Someone even asked me a few...
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May 6
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I originally planned to make this week's Start-Up Saturday entries full of links to resources and reviews of magazines, but I received a set of "Meet & Greet" responses that so deeply reflect what I consider to be the heart...
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* What was the inspiration, or the catalyst for, the creation of your business endeavor? In 1997 I lost a 10-year position with a major HMO and was pretty devastated. I was looking for something to fill my time...
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* Please tell us about the resources you’ve used thus far and would recommend to others (or steer them away from). Take a moment to share your educational background (both academic and work-based) and point out things that have...
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* What do you enjoy the most about operating your business? What tasks would you perform even if it had nothing to do with the successful operation of your company? Probably like everyone with their own business, my greatest...
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* What challenges have you overcome during your endeavor? Please describe something that impacted you financially or intellectually and how you got past it. The entire endeavor has been a financial challenge. I did not have savings or investments...
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May 5
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But wait, there's more! (So many that I just can't resist giving you another list of links to check out.) Let's see, we've built the house, added on, painted it up, moved folks in...let's do some more repairs, clean the...
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"Alright," you're saying, "enough of the Entrepreneur research stuff. Give me some links to actual franchise opportunities so I can start sniffing around and see what suits my interests, would ya?" Ask and ye shall receive, SmallBizMentor visitors. Here's a...
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As I mentioned earlier today, there's a ton of information out there for those trying to decide if a franchise is the "right" pathway to business ownership. In some cases, it isn't; in others, a franchise can be a stepping stone...
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I've got some interesting resources today for those of you who are considering buying into a franchise operation! Personally, I never realized how many opportunities there really are for folks considering this method of building a business. I'm learning a...
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I just spotted this interesting looking event over at Scoop. It appears there's a doozy of a small business expo scheduled for next week in New Zealand. With 7,000 participants in 2005 and a reported 3,000 tickets already sold for...
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May 4
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Floridians who read the Boca Raton News may have spotted this fun article about the three entrepreneurial founders of Unlimited Dog Tags. Teens Kyle, Colby and Kacie Grossman are all teens who have built a business thanks to a great...
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Alright entrepreneurs, I've got an utterly inspiring Meet & Greet for you today. Diane Ensey has taken the time to share how she's developed not one, not two, but three small businesses. (And we thought we juggled a lot, right? ...
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* What was the inspiration, or the catalyst for, the creation of your business endeavor? Terror. No, really. Since childhood I suffered from anxiety disorder that by 2001 got so severe I had trouble leaving my condo. I could...
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* What do you enjoy the most about operating your business? What tasks would you perform even if it had nothing to do with the successful operation of your company? Blogging. Reading blogs. Helping people set up websites and...
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* What challenges have you overcome during your endeavor? Please describe something that impacted you financially or intellectually and how you got past it. I’ve had a hard time believing I’m worth my hourly rate. I still have this...
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May 3
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How many of you have faith...in something other than the fact that you're going to write the Great American Novel sometime in this lifetime? If you're a writer who professes a certain denomination or is interested in matters of faith...
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I'm very excited to share some "Meet & Greet" responses with you today from my fellow KMM blogher, Noelle Wong. Noelle is the author of Know More Media's ImageAide.com, as well as the founder of iN-IMAGE! Inc. She's graciously taken...
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* Please tell us about the resources you’ve used thus far and would recommend to others (or steer them away from). Take a moment to share your educational background (both academic and work-based) and point out things that have...
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* What do you enjoy the most about operating your business? What tasks would you perform even if it had nothing to do with the successful operation of your company? I love seeing the transformation of each client. Each...
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* What accomplishments are you most proud of during your career? Has your business or product won any awards, mentions in the press, garnered praise in reviews or by users, or helped someone overcome a challenge of their own?...
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May 2
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Delaware small-business owners, you've got an opportunity to shine thanks to the business department over at DelawareOnline. I just finished reading this Spotlight on Small Business (similar to a "Meet & Greet" here at SmallBizMentor) and spotted the following statement: "If...
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Think your business has what it takes to be deemed an "out-of-the-box" small business? Pop over to the UPS website to enter your 500-word essay about your biz and see if they agree. Three winners will be chosen, with their...
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In the past we've discussed how creating a good, solid network with other small business owners can build profits and exposure for your business and brand, and how it can lead to cross-promotion and sales opportunities. We've also touched on...
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So, how many times have you tried to send a large file to a client and had it come back undeliverable because your email provider (or theirs) won't allow it to be transmitted? I know I've had it happen several...
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Are you still in the planning stages of pursuing your entrepreneurial dream, and wondering how plugging away for someone else can possibly benefit your business-to-be? Business 2.0 has a neat article by editor-at-large Erick Schonfeld describing five ways you can...
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May 1
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This week's Marketing Monday tip is for you freelance writers who want to start building your business (and your clips files). Here are some links to websites that will help you learn more about the marketing side of things; some...
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Wow! I just finished reading an incredibly interesting interview in the May 2006 issue of Fast Company. This issue they focused on food (yes, I'm hungry now *sigh*) but the article I turned to first was "A Farming Fairy Tale". ...
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Okay, MasterCard users, you're in for an exciting contest for small business owners. From today until 30 June 2006, each of your purchases made with your MasterCard will gain you an entry toward one of two small business technology makeovers....
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This week I'm blogtipping (and offering a tip of the hat to) the following folks I've met up with while wandering through the blogosphere: Bud Bilanich at CommonSenseGuy.com: Kudos to Bud because: He is kind enough to leave encouraging, astute...
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Easton Ellsworth over at Business Blogwire declared today, 1 May, an official "blogtipping" day. Considering I live in an area where, well, cowtipping has been known to happen (stop looking at me that way, I swear it wasn't me!), this...
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