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I
t’s a fact that everyone has utility and monthly bills: Electric, gas, cell phone, TV, Internet, and the list goes on. And no matter how financially
The way Shane has grown to be one of the top income earners and trainers in this business is by following the system the company offers all of its
challenged or wealthy someone may be, these essential services are needed and can never be paid off; everyone will have to pay for these services for the rest of their lives out of necessity.
independent business owners (IBOs). He says that he tells people they can get the same services from the same major service providers, but get paid. Then, according to Shane, all he does is direct them to his online store, which is included in the companies start up business package.
So when a global company is open in 24 countries worldwide and endorsed by one of the wealthiest people in the world, who features this company on his hit primetime reality TV show not once but twice, says you should find out more, would you want to hear more about it? What if this same company said they’d pay you generously for helping others get paid when they pay their monthly essential bills, would you want to know even more? Shane Douglas did, and it’s paid off in an incredible way for him. It’s been 10 years since this Idaho native living in a town of just 1,500 people
“Our system can be 100% automated for you,” he explains. “Simply direct potential customers to your online store that the company provides for you, and they can sign up for any of these services with many of the major companies that are available in their area. When they sign up on your online store, you receive a residual commission every month when they pay their bills. It’s that simple.” The key to his success, he says, is that he doesn’t complicate his business; he just goes out and shares the company’s program and his personal story. ”Before you join some other company that makes pie in the sky promises,
started his home-based business helping people achieve their financial goals and showing them how they too can get paid every time they pay their own
ask yourself one simple question. Would people I know buy this product/ service even if I wasn’t involved with this company and making money? If the
monthly bills. “I was tired of all the promises from other companies that say you can
answer is NO then you should be prepared to be in sales and the team your going to build better be prepared to be sales people. Because no matter how
become wealthy over night only to find out you have to sell and teach others how to sell products that are either overpriced or only appeal to a small percentage of the population,” says Shane.
much money they say you can make it won’t matter if you or your team of business partners can’t sell. This is where we are different, as I said before we only provide essential
“Our company is different: We only offer services that people pay on
services that people need, want and can’t be paid off. This is an incredible
monthly basis like gas, electricity, TV, internet, cell phones, home security and more. And I don’t sell anything; I just simply show others how to get paid every month for services they were going to use anyway and teach others to
business model with the right services behind it,” says Shane “It might not be sexy—it’s utilities after all—but it is simple to just share the story. Everyone can relate, because everyone pays these bills, because they
do the same.” Shane explains that recent deregulation of Energy providers around the
have to,” he says. “I’ve been fortunate to have had major success with this company by taking
country has opened up a significant opportunity for more people to choose who they get their service with, people like to know they have a choice, Shane says. This, in turn, creates more opportunity for entrepreneurs to grow their
action and so has my team. We’ve expanded all over the world by sharing this simple concept with others. Shane is looking to mentor the right motivated individual this year to the same level of success that he has accomplished,
business with our company.
would you like it to be you? ■
“In this declining economy, home-based businesses are on the rise. People want to supplement their income and possibly replace their incomes while working from home. So the opportunity to get paid every single month when
To see more information about this company go to www.BThe1.com. Their proven leadership, who started out just like you, are here to
someone turns on their lights, heats their home, uses their cellphone watches
answer your questions and help you get started.
TV, logs onto the Internet or arms their security system is a no-brainer,” he says.
www.homebusinessmag.com
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Contents
Home-Based Business & Opportunity Magazine
Magazine Fall 2016
BUSINESSES & OPPORTUNITIES
14
28
Ten CuttingEdge Business Ideas for 2016.
28
Focus on low-cost startup and potential for huge growth.
56
Small Biz Ad Marketplace.
57
Classified Ads.
Low-Cost Startups: New technologies are opening up new possibilities for entrepreneurs.
HOME OFFICE Online Store Profits: Just a few easy steps can help you break
into online sales and gain financial freedom.
FEATURES Online Home Business Start-Up! Get an Online Store Up, Running, and Profitable Quickly!
20
Interview with Bradley Cooper. Actor Comments on His Experience in the Movie Burnt, His Relationships with Co-Stars, Fame, Existential Reflection, and the Gender Pay Gap.
22
2016 U.S. Presidential Election:
42
Cloud Computing Technology. Six things that can radically improve your business.
44,45
Book/Product Reviews. Hot items to help increase your productivity.
48
Learn where the candidates stand on business issues.
20
Election 2016. The Presidential Candidates’ Plans for Business.
Bradley Cooper: “… never before have I worked on a project where it’s felt like I’m coming back to where I was — a very heartening experience.”
NEWS AND REVIEWS
10 12
Five Ways to Improve Your Home Business Environment. Maximize productivity working from home.
MONEY CORNER
© Reuters
14
22
40
these six crowdfunding sites. Crowdfunding: Raise seed capital for your new ventures.
WORK-FROM-HOME SUCCESS STORIES
23
Swipe to Settle Friendly Arguments.
26
Whimsical and Uplifting Pillowcases.
27
Challenging Big Pharma.
32
Online Counseling in a Busy World.
38
Media Maven Mompreneur.
39
Revolutionizing the Art of Communication.
Letters to the Editor & Notice to Readers.
E-commerce Packaging.
45 54
Swimming with Abandon.
E-Therapy Café:
36
Five tips you can’t afford to miss.
36
32
Letter from the Publisher.
MARKETING & SALES
34
48
Raising Funds for Startups. Check out
Increase Your Sales. Incentive marketing is an effective tool.
Incentive Marketing: Maintain the
Military life inspires counselor to start an online counseling/ coaching business.
Entrepreneurial Powerhouse Runs L.A.’s Social Scene.
loyalty of your customers and clients. Fall 2016 | Home Business
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Volume 23 Issue 5, September/October 2016 www.homebusinessmag.com
The Home Business Team ®
Publisher Richard Henderson United Marketing & Research Company, Inc. Editor-in-Chief Stacy Ann Henderson Managing Editor Sherilyn Henderson Experts Editor Shannah Carol Graphic Services Kara Primm, Slice, Inc. Production Manager Ultra Graphics, Theresa Art Direction Richard Rabil Advertising advertise@homebusinessmag.com Phone: 800-734-7042 Shayla Christine http://www.homebusinessmag.com/magazine-advertisng http://www.homebusinessmag.com/online-advertising Distribution Manager Richard Trummer, Curtis Specialized Circulation Bob Kennedy, Cavendish Media Circulation Manager Dennis Porti, Curtis Subscriptions Publication Fulfillment Services Int. Call 888-881-5861 - M - F 8am-4pm PST. For International, call 714-226-9782. Fax: 714-226-9733 Email: homebusinessmag@pfsmag.com Print Manager Kris Hayner, R.R. Donnelley Reprints Betsy White, The Reprint Outsource, bwhite@reprintoutsource.com Mailing Lists www.homebusinessmag.com (Click on “Mailing Lists” to order) Mailing List Manager Paula Dazi, paulad@macromark.com List File Manager Travis McMillian, Lee Coats Newton Digital Media Manager Jim Pappadeas, Epsilon Digital Media Internet Manager Infoswell Media Website/SEO Kevin Hagen Social Media Sherilyn Henderson Customer Service Email: customerservice@homebusinessmag.com Phone: (800) 734-7042 Fax: 714-388-3883
Editorial Eileen Burton, Ferrari Packaging Ltd, Blaine Kelton, David Mercer, and others.
Distribution Curtis Circulation Company 730 River Road New Milford, NJ 07646 Tel: (201) 634-7400 Fax: (201) 634-7499
Home Business® Magazine Home Business Magazine (ISSN 1092-4779) is published by United Marketing and Research Company, Inc., 20664 Jutland Place, Lakeville, MN 55044. 6-issue Subscription Rates: Domestic $19. Canadian $39. Foreign $59. For Subscriptions: 714-693-1866, M–F Periodicals Postage Paid at Lakeville, Minnesota, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Home Business® Magazine, 20664 Jutland Place, Lakeville, MN 55044. Printed in the United States
LETTER FROM PUBLISHER
®
Magazine M i
Online Home-Based Success and the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election Join the Digital Age of e-Commerce and Prepare to Cast Your Business-Minded Vote! As we bid farewell to another season of weekend beach trips, relaxed workdays spent outside on a balcony, and well-deserved tropical vacations, rev into gear for a pivotal change in the business and political atmosphere. It’s the Fall 2016 issue of Home Business Magazine (HBM), so it is time for a home business start-up issue! Due to ever-evolving technology and the increased usage of the Internet and hand-held devices in our society, we chose to offer a cover story on starting and managing an e-commerce business: the new and proven method for achieving prosperity and work-life balance. Sell your products in an online home-based business by following expert advice in this issue of Home Business Magazine. This issue’s cover story covers the basics of: choosing a product(s) to sell online; branding your business; getting a sales tax I.D. (if required in your location); finding trusted suppliers; ordering your products; selecting the best online locations to sell your product(s); setting up your online shop; marketing your product(s) and online business; shipping your products; wrapping up post-sales; and testing your online sales process. Also included in this cover story are additional tips to making revenue online; additional information on kick-starting your company brand; and information on The future of how to pay yourself as an online home America and your business owner. The cover story also offers information relevant for existing online small business store owners that they can use to expand depends upon your and diversify their online businesses. vote in the 2016 U.S. Due to space limitations, the online store start-up cover story just scratches the presidential election. surface of the depth of knowledge needed to survive long-term as an e-commerce business owner. For more information on key subjects such as marketing, online sales, home office technology, raising money, and online business operations, please visit www.homebusinessmag.com. Also check out this issue’s feature articles, which support our cover story’s theme of starting an online store. These articles discuss cutting-edge online business ideas; e-commerce packaging tips for your online store products; and raising funds for your online start-up by utilizing crowdfunding; and much more. Our online store start-up issue lines up with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, and so it also includes our regular presidential candidates’ article that outlines where the Democratic and Republican candidates stand on issues important to small and home-based business owners. It is our hope our presidential candidates’ article will help you to make a decision. Each candidate’s influence will have a direct impact on you and your family’s financial and entrepreneurial well-being. Please keep an open and analytical mind on the two candidates when deciding where you align socially, economically, religiously, and politically. Don’t be a single-issue voter! Study the candidates’ stances on issues that not only impact small and home-based businesses, but also on other issues that directly affect your life. Be informed for the upcoming election for POTUS. And most importantly, make the effort to get out and vote. It is your right and your privilege, and the future of America and your small business depends upon your vote in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
“
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Publisher, Home Business® Magazine 10
Home Business | Fall 2016
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DEAR HOME BUSINESS
H H O O M M E E B B U U S SI NI N E ES S S S
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something to the table that will help you run your company.
225+ D HOME-BASE RT-UPS BUSINESS STA GET STARTED
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EY: START-UP MON s Personal Finance : LING SEL ST BOO ge gua Lan Body Close Sales with SISTER-ACT: lry Boutique on Traveling Jewe Sisters Cash In KETING: NETWORK MAR for “Aces” ting Power Prospec HIT THE ROOF: f Repair Bedros Keuilian, $6 Figures in Roo Don't Sabotage
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Manager versus Leader In a place of work, the terms “leader” and “manager” are often used interchangeably. But in reality, they mean completely different things. For a business to truly succeed, it must be behind a great leader—not just a run-of-themill manager. So, what’s the difference? It’s time to set the record straight.
Transform Failure into Triumph When it comes to the American Dream, we’re told that the world is our oyster. Entrepreneurs are determined to achieve their goals and find ultimate success. But the truth is, there is no certainty. While there are many opportunities to succeed, there are equally as many ways to fail! The key to true success is transforming failure into triumph. My obstacles and failures began early on. I achieved poor grades in school and suffered from severe depression, eventually ending up in a psychiatric hospital. But I learned from each mistake. I moved on to mop floors at a Ramada Inn, and then gained admittance to an Ivy League university. Eventually, I became CEO of a New Jersey Hospital. Dennis C. Miller Author of Moppin’ Floors to CEO: From Hopelessness and Failure to Happiness and Success
Too often what happens is the head of sales keeps the big client happy and manages everyone else. But what if we changed the paradigm altogether? Management screams passivity and status quo. Leaders show people who they are and what they can achieve.
Time Management: It’s All About Energy Many times, I’ve seen business leaders send their employees off on time management courses in the hopes that the training will help increase engagement and productivity. Many times, I’ve seen those same leaders show Dana W. White bewilderment when the training doesn’t seem Leadership consultant and adviser to have any impact—or worse yet, results Author of Leader Designed in employees being less engaged and less productive. Build a Strong Team Why is this happening? Traditionally, When you’re building a business, it’s all organizations have believed that, to create about the team. Whatever the size of your higher-performing workplaces, employees must: company, you’re only as good as your people— ■ Be more committed and dedicated to finding the right talent and making sure the cause; they stay. Now, financial consultants Michele Johnson and Lorraine Kennedy are revealing ■ Stay later and come in earlier; and the ultimate guide to finding and building the best team possible. ■ Make more of an effort — that is, “try It takes a village to raise a family and it takes a good outside support team to run a business. But there is a specific strategy to building a strong team, filled with people who bring
harder” (such as by learning new skills). In other words, organizations seem to think that sheer determination is the key to helping employees perform their absolute best. Now,
We appreciate your feedback and work-from-home success stories for review and consideration. Please send both via e-mail to: editor@homebusinessmag.com, or via postal mail to: HOME BUSINESS® Magazine, 20664 Jutland Place, Lakeville, MN 55044. 12
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I’m not going to lie: Time management courses can be helpful. But when a person is depleted of energy, all the skills and know-how in the world won’t be able to help them, especially when it comes to managing their time. That’s because wherever you see high performance, you will see the efficient management of energy. Brady Wilson Co-founder of Juice Inc. www.bradywilson.com www.juiceinc.com/promo
Notice to Readers HOME BUSINESS® Magazine is sold as information only. The publisher, United Marketing and Research, Inc., considers its sources reliable and verifies as much data as possible, although reporting inaccuracies can occur; consequently, readers using this information do so at their own risk. The publisher has not done a background check on listed companies (which includes advertisers), nor does it know people at all the companies. The publisher cannot assume any responsibility in any manner for the actions of any of the listed companies, and the publisher cannot guarantee the outcome of any correspondence, arrangements, or subsequent transactions the reader may make with any of the listed companies. HOME BUSINESS® Magazine is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering medical, legal, financial, accounting, tax, or other professional service. If medical, legal, or other expert advice and assistance are required, the services of a competent qualified professional person should be sought. The publisher, United Marketing and Research Company, Inc., assumes no responsibility for any changes of offers, nor for any companies/advertisers that may go out of business. All correspondence regarding questions or problems on a company’s (including advertisers) program, products, or services should be directed to the company, not to the publisher. Advertisers and advertising agencies assume liability for all contents of advertising and for any claims arising therefrom. It is up to the user of this publication to investigate the product or service offered, and to make sure the company is reliable and that the product or service meets the user’s requirements. United Marketing and Research Company, Inc., is not responsible for the delivery of merchandise, starter kits, supplies, or other products and services ordered from advertisers. ©1993-2016. Reg. # 4180563 and 4145799. TRADEMARKS: Home Business, Serial Number 74/713646 and Home Business Magazine, Serial Number 75-086596, issued by the United States Department of Commerce, Assistant Commissioner for Trademarks. Mark Type(s): TRADEMARKS: Conform to the minimum requirements set forth in 37 C.F.R. Sec. 2.76 (e); and formal requirements set forth in 37 C.F.R. Sec. 2.76(b) and (c). All rights reserved. No part of HOME BUSINESS® Magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transcribed, in any form or by any means, photocopying, electronic, mechanical recording or otherwise, without prior permission in writing of the publisher, United Marketing and Research Company, Inc., Lakeville, MN 55044. Articles appearing in this publication express the opinions, experience, and research of its authors and not necessarily the opinion of HOME BUSINESS® Magazine. www.homebusinessmag.com
8/10/16 12:38 AM
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Online
Home Business
F E AT U R E
Start-Up!
Get an Online Store Up, Running, and Profitable Quickly! By Simon Slade
O
perating an online store presents an excellent opportunity for a source of passive income, but many people don’t know where to start. Just a few easy steps can get you off the ground and turning a profit quickly. Read on to find out just how to break into online sales and gain financial freedom. Also check out the sidebars on additional tips to making money online, how to kickstart your company brand, and how you should pay yourself as a business owner.
1. Choose an Awesome Product There are a lot of factors to consider when deciding what to sell. Personal interest plays a small role — it’s more fun to sell things you are passionate about — but it’s also important to consider the quality of a product, the profit margin, the demand for a product and how many other sellers provide the product. If you have a lot of competition or a low demand, it will make selling a greater challenge. You can obtain this information from software like the SaleHoo Market Research Lab, which allows you to compare products by sale price, competition, number of listings and bids. 2. Brand Your Business with a Name If you’re just starting a company, it’s unlikely you’ll achieve the name recognition of big brands, such as Apple or Target, so a descriptive company name helps potential customers more quickly understand your purpose. Second, try to choose a company name that is easy to pronounce. Word-ofmouth recommendations are incredibly effective, but your 14
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3. Consider the Logistics (Sales Tax) If your state requires sales tax, you’ll need to get a sales tax ID. Identify your tax percentage so you can include this when calculating the price of your product. Visit your state’s website for this information. 4. Find Trusted Suppliers You have a few options for suppliers. Dropshippers are suppliers that ship purchases to the customer on your behalf. The
customers will have a harder time singing your praises if they aren’t sure how to pronounce your company name.
”
Wholesalers allow you to purchase a
large quantity of products for a lower price. The larger your purchase, the larger the discount. This allows you to save money, but also requires you to have storage space for your inventory. Liquidators are suppliers tthat are trying to make money ffast, so they sell products for lless than their value. This isn’t a rreliable source for the long-term bbut can be a great way to cut ccosts. Be careful, because some lliquidators won’t let you see the iitems before purchase, meaning ssome of them might be faulty or ddamaged.
Great images are just as vital to sales as a solid product description.
Home Business Fall 2016 ®
customers will Just a few easy steps can help you break into online sales and have a harder time gain financial freedom. singing your praises if they aren’t major benefit of dropshippers is that you don’t sure how to pronounce your company name. have to deal with shipping or inventory. This Third, pick a company name that is easy to allows you to offer a lot of different products, spell. Your company name, or at least part but you pay a little more for this luxury — of it, will likely serve as your domain name. generally around $3 or $4 per item. If your domain name is difficult to spell, potential customers are less likely to visit your Word-of-mouth website and even more unlikely to make a purchase. See the sidebar in this article for recommendations are more information on how to kick-start your incredibly effective, but your company brand.
Manufacturers present the oopportunity for you to purchase ddirectly from the producer. They Continued on page 16
www.homebusinessmag.com
8/10/16 12:39 AM
“ I ‘Retired Early’...
Then Made $27,000 Part-time in a Business of My Own.” “$2 000 P “$27,000 Part-time i iisn’t ’ b bad d ffor a guy who h quit i hi his job. I ‘retired early’ from the insurance and securities business, now I make good money part-time with Pace, and have as much work as I care to handle.”
— A true story by a very happy Pace distributor. I’m still amazed how things have “changed since I became a Pace Distributor! Let me tell you how it all started... When the national “economy wasn’t going
The first year I did 15 roof jobs. Almost too well, I decided to double that the second get out of the business year, and had a huge I was in. I had given backlog. Most of these some thought to were big jobs like the retiring, but was really county home, the too young for that. Chevy-Buick garage, Well, it so happened bank building, city my own commercial hall. Big jobs mean big building had a money! leaky roof. Roofing “The business I used to contractors prices be in had been pretty were literally sky high! good to me, but I had Then I remembered to work both nights an article about Pace and days. With Pace, Products and how business just seems with their exclusive to fall into your lap. Seamless Spray process I don’t really do any you could actually promoting or ‘selling’... bypass high priced most of my sales come contractors. I sent for from referrals, and my their literature, saw phone is ringing all the how easy it was to sell, time. and I wound up doing “What I like to tell the roof myself using people is that Pace Pace products and offers a fine income know how. opportunity. You can “Well, word got around start working as little about how much as two hours a week, money I had saved then go full time when and that opened a your income exceeds whole new world of your regular job. opportunity. Ever since What our successful then I’ve been like a Pace distributor is cat on a hot tin roof? too modest to say is
”
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that he actually did over $100,000 worth of roofing business last year, in spite of living in a depressed farming area! And that’s working less than half of the year, leaving the rest of the time for his family and other interests. What makes Pace such a good business is that it costs a fortune for schools, hospitals, plants and other commercial buildings to have roofing companies repair or re-do their roofs. Pace bypasses the roofer — lets the building owner apply Pace Seamless Spray right over the old roof... and the smallest Seamless Spray order earns you over $2,000 in commissions. Pace ships the Seamless Spray equipment on Free Loan. Your customer pays only for the roofing products. His own men apply it (or if you want to make even more money, you can handle the application too). It’s as simple as that.
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Online Home Business Start-Up! Continued from page 14
offer great prices but require massive minimum orders, meaning you have to pay a lot up front. This is a great option for more established sellers who have resources to work with, but can be a challenge for a brand new store.
shipment arrives, do a careful examination of each product. This is tedious but important. If you find any defects, the sooner you can contact your salesperson to have the issue corrected, the better.
Once you have narrowed it down to a type of supplier, you need to find a trustworthy partner to work with. Again, there are many factors to consider: profit margins, recommended selling prices, pricing structure, fees, warranties, shipping policies, and customer service, just to name a few.
Monitor: It’s important to keep detailed records of your inventory so that you have a good supply at all times. If you aren’t keeping your inventory yourself (as with dropshipping), stay in touch with your supplier regularly to check levels of stock.
The major benefit of “ dropshippers is that you don’t have to deal with shipping or inventory.
”
Directories like SaleHoo exist to make this easier. They allow you to compare these qualities to determine which suppliers are legitimate and offer the best deal. 5. Order Those Awesome Products Once you have chosen a supplier, order a sample product. If you are pleased with the quality of the product, identify the highest
The comment section of blogs and forums within your industry are excellent places to find customers.
price you can pay in order to still make a profit reselling the item. Take this number into negotiations with your supplier and don’t pay a cent more! Stay secure: Suppliers that only accept unsecured payments such as wire transfers are probably illegitimate. Always pay with a secure method, including PayPal or a credit card. This way, if your shipment never arrives, you can get your money back. Be thorough: Immediately after your
6. Select the Best Platform You have several choices when deciding where to sell your products. The right choice depends on your individual needs. Amazon: Amazon provides you with access to a wide selection of customers, but has some limitations as far as describing your product and pricing. The marketplace also collects a percentage of each sale. eBay: eBay gives you more flexibility with
are suppliers that “areLiquidators trying to make money fast, so they sell products for less than their value.
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Additional Tips to Making Money Online We can’t all become “dotcom” billionaires, but there are so many nifty and not-too-time-consuming ways to make a few bob on the worldwide web. Explore some top tips below. Content for Cash Increasingly structured and open processes behind monetizing creative content online have made it much easier to find out how to get involved and build an audience. You can set yourself up as a freelance photographer, produce vlogs and video content on YouTube, or build up an audience on Instagram. If you’ve got the ideas and discipline to post well and regularly, there’s huge potential for profit if you can carve out a niche for what you’re producing. Commit to Online Selling If you’ve got something more “offline” to sell, Etsy is a wonderfully simple peerto-peer marketplace for selling handmade or unique arts and crafts items. If you’ve got a flair for designing and creating, there’s no reason not to try and turn that talent into cash. Selling
online can seem like a hassle, but if you can afford to invest some initial time in setting up your account and gaining credibility on whatever selling site suits you, it can be a simple and incredibly profitable way of making money out of your skills and unwanted or unnecessary possessions. Play the Markets Market research is also a huge potential money-spinner for people who are always on the go and in need of additional income. Sites such as Field Agent (https://www.fieldagent.co.uk/ for-agents/) enable users to complete simple “IRL” market research tasks in exchange for fees. These can be as simple as popping into stores to check stock, or even taking photographic evidence of a marketing campaign. Website testing is another lucrative option, while survey sites are also becoming an increasingly popular way of exchanging thoughts and feedback for cash. Fundraising for charity is also a wonderfully rewarding way to do some good on the web.
Irma Hunkeler is the Head of Content at BlueGlass.co.uk, a digital marketing agency. During her career she’s been working for clients from various industries including travel, retail, recruitment, technology and charitable institutions. Her work allows her to meet experts from different industries allowing her to gather insights from various professionals and industries.
marketing your product and how you price it, but it has a smaller customer base. It will also take a cut of your sales. A personal, online store: This option gives you the most control over how your product is priced and marketed. A tool like SaleHoo Stores or Shopify will help you build an online store without any background in web development.
7. Set up Shop Create thorough, detailed descriptions of every item
Your product description is a spectacular marketing opportunity. Use incredible detail, incorporate keywords that you think customers might use to search for the item, and edit for perfect spelling and grammar. Add high-quality images
Great images are just as vital to sales as a solid product description. You might even Continued on page 18
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Online Home Business Start-Up! Continued from page 17
F E AT U R E
want to outsource a professional photographer to take photos of your items, or see whether your supplier has photos that you can use. If not, be sure that you have a clean black or white background, excellent lighting, and a good camera to get a high-resolution shot of your product. Understand the competition
Regardless of whether you choose Amazon as your selling platform, this is where most of your store’s competition will be. This means it’s important that you understand how Amazon works and what it provides to the customer. Amazon’s prices, customer service, and shipping times, among other factors, will be the baseline expectation that you need to exceed in order to be successful. Establish a return policy & customer service
like SaleHoo Stores “orA tool Shopify will help you build an online store without any background in web development.
”
Amazon’s prices, “ customer service, and shipping times, among other factors, will be the baseline expectation that you need to exceed in order to be successful.
”
Create a clear return policy and post it in an obvious spot. Make a commitment to respond to customer service inquiries and stick to that commitment. Never take more than 48 hours to respond to an inquiry, or you could find yourself losing customers left and right. Pricing
A highly competitive price is key to becoming a popular store. Sum up your costs — the price of the item, shipping, storage, listing fees, etc. — and decide what you can sell the item for in order to still make a profit. Remember to include the cost of any software or equipment you use, as well as other business supplies.
How to Kick-Start Your Company Brand Alongside your company name, the next order of priority should be your branding. Getting this right is crucial — it needs to be eye-catching, unique and reflect the market you want to attract. There are certain logos you can think of from companies that you’ve either used or just know from their position in the market. This is the power of branding. So, how do you kick-start your branding? What are the key areas that need to be considered to pack the biggest punch to your audience? In this sidebar, Promotional Plus (http://www.promotionsplus.com/) discusses how branding can impact your business success and how products can help you do this. Reach Your Target Audience via Colors Your branding will speak to your customers, so think about the products you buy and how these are reflected in the colors you choose from. You may not realize it, but colors dictate whether a product is bargain, mid-range, or premium — from your weekly shopping up to big products such as household appliances. Think about what market you’re attracting — inexpensive tends to focus on the blues and reds, whilst up-market, expensive products will focus around silver and black. To set yourself apart from competitors, you need to ensure your brand colors are on point. Know Your Brand Message Understanding the message received by potential customers from your branding is vital for success as you can tailor all of your promotional material to suit. If your message is right then, people will understand your values and be more inclined to trust your business. Your brand message is about what you stand for and finding your voice that will be carried throughout your marketing, strategy, and team. Getting everyone bought into the message you’re portraying will give a higher chance of success. Maintain Consistency It’s too easy to lose the message when you’re thinking about branding and getting swept up by all of the marketing material that goes with it. You need to ensure there is consistency between those who are representing your business and the material promoting your business. Your website, blog, signage, stationery, and promotional products need to be consistent all the time to prevent confusing customers, clients and members of staff.
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SLUGGISH ECONOMY Remember that you can add tracking and insurance as shipping upgrade options that consumers pay for.
8. Market, Market, Market The only way to turn a profit in your store is to make sure people know about it! Return Customers
Return customers present an excellent opportunity for business. You have already proven yourself in terms of reliability and quality, so encourage your existing customers to return. Collect their information at checkout and send emails about discounts, related products, and accessories.
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Social Media
Everyone is on social media these days, which means your online store should be, too. Social media platforms can be high-maintenance, as you have to remain active on your profiles, but the effort is worth it. Post diversified content — images, videos, and articles — that may not relate directly to promoting your business, but still appeals to your customers. Continued on page 52
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Fall 2016 | Home Business
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Interview with
Bradley Cooper On His Experience In The Movie Burnt, His Relationships With Co-Stars, Fame, Existential Reflection, And The Gender Pay Gap
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orking on Burnt posed a significant full circle for Bradley Cooper. Having previously worked as a busboy and a prep cook in his early years in college and trying to get his break in Hollywood, it gave the 40 year-old Pennsylvanian a chance to look back at how far he’s come. “Never before have I worked on a project where it’s felt like I’m coming back to where I was — a very heartening experience.” Cooper may be currently one of Hollywood’s biggest draws, but there remains a pleasant grounded quality afforded to one who didn’t get his big break until well into his mid-30s with The Hangover. Since then, he’s gone on to star in a slew of box office blockbusters, from The A-Team, Limitless,
Guardian’s of the Galaxy and pick up three consecutive Oscar nominations for efforts in Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle and American Sniper. For his performance in Burnt, he plays a hot-tempered chef, struggling to piece together his life after losing his fortune and reputation. Like a phoenix from the ashes, he starts from the bottom again, amassing a crack team of kitchen wizards including Sienna Miller and Alicia Vikander in creating a world-class restaurant and winning the coveted three stars. But at what cost? In friendly humor, Bradley talks of his experience working on the movie in London under the tutelage of famous chef, Marcus
Courte Cou rtesy sy of Reu Reuter te s ter
F E AT U R E
By The Interview Feed
According to actor Bradley Cooper in regard to BURNT, “… never before have I worked on a project where it’s felt like I’m coming back to where I was — a very heartening experience.”
Wareing and why he likes to work repeatedly with the same actors — including good pal, Robert De Niro. There’s also words on fame, existential reflection, and the gender pay gap. Question (Q): I’m guessing to do a film dedicated to food, you have to love food yourself?
FIND YOUR BUSINESS! Worlds Largest Directory of Home-Based Businesses, Franchises and Opportunities.
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Bradley Cooper (BC): I love food — eating it [laughs]. I love all kinds of food. I love pizza. I love pizza too much. I could eat it all day every day [laughs]. Growing up in an Italian household, my grandmother was an amazing cook, and food was highly significant in my family. I love to cook myself, I’m always cooking for friends. Q: Because you did everything didn’t you? No stunt work involved? BC: That’s me, the whole thing. Did it all. There was no shirking responsibility to someone else. Each and every one of us did what we had to do — learned from scratch and got our hands dirty. I got burned a lot, more than the crew realized because I didn’t want to look like a wimp but I kept picking up spoons that were really hot and wincing in the pain through a shoot [laughs]. But it was good. It fed into the character. Q: He’s a great character, but so dislikeable. Is that what drew you in? BC: He’s tremendously complex. I got to go through so many different emotional levels. It was fascinating. Ultimately, it’s a film about second chances — a redemptive, phoenix from the ashes story. This guy is white
knuckling it. He’s tortured. He’s after his second chance, but he has no clue what he’s going to do. He’s inoculated from his emotions, and he spirals further and further down, which was so compelling. It was so humane and honest and frank. He’s fighting the temptation to allow any help in, to allow any assistance. He wants to do it all on his own, but he learns he can’t do that. He can’t achieve what he wants without the help of others.
“I’ve always been someone
who’s had big dreams — always, but there’s never been any intentional planning towards movie stardom.” – Bradley Cooper
Q: What was it like working with Marcus Wareing? BC: Having Marcus watching was a lot of pressure. He is one of the best chefs — two Michelin-starred, he’s one of the greatest. He’s militant in his training, and everything he did and said while on set, was so important to the whole basis of this film. I’d honestly say, 30, 40
“It took me years to get to
where I am today, and I am so unbelievably grateful for the opportunities coming my way.” – Bradley Cooper
percent of the words coming out of my mouth in this movie, he wrote. I would ask him what he thought, what would you say here, what would you do here? I followed his lead all the time. I was basically his parrot [laughs]. Q: And being surrounded by food while working, it was surely the dream job? BC: The food was unbelievable. We were cooking a lot of it. Marcus would set up the menus and the commis would do most of the heavy work, but we got in there and made most of the food you see on screen, and the ton you don’t see, that didn’t go to waste. That went straight to our waistlines [laughs]. Q: You’re one of Hollywood’s biggest stars now. Were you always a big dreamer? BC: I’ve always been someone who’s had big dreams — always, but there’s never been Continued on page 56
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Election 2016 F E AT U R E
The Presidential Candidates’ Plans for Business
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mall businesses all over the country are ready to grow and hire, and entrepreneurs are ready to venture out on their own — if they can just get that next loan, enter a new market, or have one fewer form to fill out. In this time of political change, the livelihood of business-minded Americans must be protected and supported in a nation that fosters growth and prosperity. Citizens have the chance to vote for a candidate that will wield immense authority over the future of American commerce. As we quickly approach the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, it is important to understand where the Democratic and Republican candidates stand on business issues.
or South Korea. Clinton will launch a nationwide effort to cut red tape for small businesses at every level of government. And she will build a regulatory roadmap to help small businesses navigate the regulatory landscape and reduce compliance costs associated with federal, state, and local regulation.
to 50,000 entrepreneurs and smallbusiness owners in underserved communities across the country.” ■
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Unlocking access to capital. Hillary
Cutting red tape. It shouldn’t take lon-
ger to start a small business in the United States than it does in Canada, France, 22
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Providing tax relief. America’s small-
est businesses — those with one to five employees — spend 150 hours and $1,100 per employee to comply with federal taxes. That’s more than 20 times higher than the average for larger firms. Clinton will simplify tax filing and provide targeted tax relief for small businesses — not big corporations that can afford lawyers and lobbyists.
According to https://www.hillaryclinton. com, here’s how Hillary Clinton will make it easier to start and grow a business in America: Clinton is committed to giving small businesses — and in particular, womenand minority-owned small businesses — access to the financing they need to build, grow, and hire. She will ease unnecessary regulatory burdens on community banks, which provide credit to small business owners and families looking to invest in their futures. She will support innovative new financing modes like impact investing. And she will double support for community development financial institutions and the successful State Small Business Credit Initiative, which offer crucial sources of support for small businesses across the country — particularly in underserved communities.
will invest in the roads, bridges, ports, and airports that make it easier for small businesses to reach new customers. She will defend the Export-Import Bank, a crucial financing partner for small businesses across America, and help the bank expand its small business programs. And she will encourage innovations — like Etsy and eBay — that are unlocking new markets through innovative new platforms that let small businesses sell anywhere in America and the world.
Clinton will work to provide “ incubators, mentoring, and training
Hillary Clinton’s Plan for Business
■
As we approach the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, it is important to understand where the Democratic and Republican candidates stand on business issues.
■
Tapping new markets. Every small business across America should be able to enter new markets — whether they’re across town or across the world. Clinton
■
Supporting small-business owners and entrepreneurs. Clinton will
work to provide incubators, mentoring, and training to 50,000 entrepreneurs and small-business owners in underserved communities across the country. And she will support the development of entrepreneurial skills among young people — even kids in high school — so they can increase both their financial and entrepreneurial literacy. These programs will help those with good ideas today become the entrepreneurs and business leaders of tomorrow. Donald Trump’s Plan for Business Per https://www.donaldjtrump.com, too few Americans are working, too many jobs have been shipped overseas, and too many middle class families cannot make ends meet. Donald Trump’s tax plan directly meets these challenges with four simple goals: 1. Tax relief for middle class Americans: In order to achieve the
Hillary Clinton plans to simplify tax filing and provide targeted tax relief for small businesses — not big corporations that can afford lawyers and lobbyists.
American dream, Trump plans to let people keep more money in their pockets and increase after-tax wages. 2. Simplify the tax code to reduce the
headaches Americans face in preparing their taxes and let everyone keep more of their money. www.homebusinessmag.com
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3. Grow the American economy by dis-
You earned and saved that money for your family, not the government. You paid taxes on it when you earned it.
couraging corporate inversions, adding a huge number of new jobs, and making America globally competitive again. 4. Don’t add to our debt and deficit,
which are already both too large. Donald Trump’s tax plan includes the following: 1. If you are single and earn less than $25,000, or married and jointly earn less than $50,000, you will not owe any income tax. That removes nearly 75 million households – over 50% – from the income tax rolls. They get a new one page form to send to the IRS saying, “I win”. Those who would otherwise owe income taxes will save an average of nearly $1,000 each. 2. All other Americans will get a simpler tax code with four brackets – 0%, 10%, 20% and 25% – instead of the current seven. This new tax code eliminates the marriage penalty and the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) while providing the lowest tax rate since before World War II. 3. No business of any size, from a Fortune 500 to a mom and pop shop to a freelancer
In order to achieve the American dream, Donald Trump plans to let people keep more money in their pockets and increase after-tax wages.
“Trump plans to “grow the
American economy by discouraging corporate inversions, adding a huge number of new jobs, and making America globally competitive again.” living job to job, will pay more than 15% of their business income in taxes. This lower rate makes corporate inversions unnecessary by making America’s tax rate one of the best in the world.
Political and social unrest due to disruptive forces around the world terrorizing communities has spurred a heightened engagement with the upcoming Presidential election, seen in all ages and demographics across the nation and world. Social media has become a firestorm as each harrowing event has transpired, and the candidates have been scrutinized and categorized in every facet, with the ultimate goal of the media and Americans: to find the next truly deserving leader. This huge engagement with American politics is widespread across the globe due to an understanding of the power of the American government to affect other countries fiscally, socially, militarily, and commercially. When deciding on who to vote for, take into account each candidate’s stance on business — his or her influence will have a direct impact on you and your family’s financial and entrepreneurial well-being. Make an informed decision that intelligently addresses their stances on every important issue, as the approaching change in political tide will mean all the difference in America’s future.
4. No family will have to pay the death tax.
Swipe to Settle Friendly Arguments Business Associates Invent App That Allows Users to Voice Opinions on Life’s Questions Anonymously By Chelsea Gladden
L
ike so many people, business associates Alanna Markey and Ric Militi got into a friendly squabble during lunch one afternoon. The topic couldn’t be solved by simply googling a resolution. So the two did what most people do when they can’t settle a subjective dispute: they started asking the opinions of as many people as they could. The restaurant server, the bus boy, even people sitting at the next table. Because after all, majority rules. Neither felt satisfied with the outcome, so Militi said, “There has to be an app for this, right?” These two were no ordinary diners. They happened to be key members of “Crazy Raccoons”, a technology think tank in San Diego, Militi being the CEO and Markey the Director of Brand Development. New idea in hand, they consulted with their team and found no other app that simply allows a user to ask a question, enter the two opposing views and get consensus from thousands of other people in real time.
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In fact, it was so novel that they applied for a patent. What makes Zip so unique is the ability users have to: anonymously ask and answer questions, customize settings for categories, ages, push notifications and mature content, track questions of interest to see final opinion results, interact by voicing anonymous opinions with media in real time, and share opinions on popular social networking sites. Zip has primarily been promoted on Facebook, with several news stations also covering the app organically, and it is gaining popularity quickly. Zip gets over 100,000 engagements per day and is outpacing the launch of Twitter! Because of its ability to interact live with audiences, all media outlets are vying to integrate Zip into their formats. iHeart Media has already begun using the app on radio and CBS 8 in San Diego is in the process of integration now. Militi feels Zip’s phenomenal success has
Ric Militi is the co-founder of Zip app, a fun app that settles life’s arguments and subjective questions by tallying votes from other users quickly and anonymously.
become his greatest business achievement as it has been self-funded and is currently gearing up for an investor phase. Militi’s vision for Zip is to have a television and radio partner in every major city within three years, engaging Zip users in thought-provoking topics and gathering data that will also provide media outlets with interesting public opinion. It’s why Militi refers to Zip as a giant ongoing national conversation. Because what’s a better conversation starter than a great question? Visit http://thezipapp.com/. Fall 2016 | Home Business
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AAJudgment JudgmentRecovery Recovery Business Business isis Hot and andininDemand. Demand.Here’s Here’show how to to start start your your own... own...
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ave aveyou youever everwatched watchedJudge JudgeJudy Judy or or any any of of those those mid-afternoon mid-afternoon court courtTV TVshows showswhere wherepeople people sue sue each each other other for for unpaid unpaid rent rent or services? services?InInmany manycases, cases,Judge JudgeJudy Judyslams slamsdown down her her gavel gavel and and barks barks orders ordersatatthe thedefendant defendanttotopay payup, up, but but here's here's aa little little known known fact: fact: the the court courtdoes doesnot notenforce enforcethat thatjudgment. judgment.And And that that goes goes for for non-televised non-televised court courtcases casestoo. too. That's That'sright, right,just justbecause because aa judge judge orders orders someone someone to to pay pay aa debt debt doesn't doesn'tmean meanthat thatperson personisisgoing goingtoto do do it.it. Imagine Imagine ifif someone someone owed owed you youa afew fewthousand thousanddollars dollarsand anddecided decided not not to to pay pay you, you, regardless regardless of what whata acourt courtofoflaw lawordered. ordered.Would Wouldyou youknow knowwhat what to to do? do? Most Most people people don't, don't,sosothey theywait waitininfrustration frustrationfor forthe thedebt debtto tobe bepaid. paid. Christina ChristinaSmiley, Smiley,founder founder ofof Sierra Sierra Judgment Judgment Recovery Recovery and and selfselfproclaimed proclaimedopportunity opportunity junkie, junkie, learned learned how how to to profit profit from from this this little little known knownmarket marketofofunpaid unpaiddebt debtby byhelping helpingjudgment judgment holders holders collect. collect. She She explained explainedthere therewas wasvirtually virtuallyno no one one who who was was providing providing this this service. service. And And that that once once people people had had been been awarded awarded these these judgments... judgments... 80 80 percent percentofofthem themwere werenever neverpaid.” paid.” This Thisdiscovery discoverycouldn’t couldn’thave havecome come atata abetter bettertime; time; Christina Christina and and her her husband husbandTerry Terrywere werepart partowners ownersofofaa carpet carpet store store and and had had amassed amassed aa large largeamount amountofofdebt. debt. They Theyhad hadthree threesmall smallchildren childrenand and thought thoughtthat thatbybyowning owningaastore storethey'd they'd have havemore moremoney moneyand andtime timefor fortheir their family. family.Initially Initiallyit itwas wasan anexciting excitingtime time forfor them, them, but but that that dream dream quickly quickly turned turnedinto intoa anightmare nightmareofofdebt debt and and endless endlesshours hoursatatwork, work,as as Christina Christina remembers, remembers, "We "We accumulated accumulated monstrous monstrousdebt. debt.We Wewere weretruly trulyonly onlyaa few few paychecks paychecks away away from from being being homeless." homeless." And Andthen thenshe shelearned learned about about the the big bigmoney moneyininsmall smallclaims. claims.Christina Christina focused focusedononlearning learninghow how toto recover recover judgments judgmentsfor forpeople. people. She She says, says, "It "It was wastrial trialand anderror errorfor forsix sixmonths monthstotoaa year. year.I buried I buriedmy mynose noseinincivil civilcodes.” codes.” Christina Christinacontacted contacted aa number number ofof small smallbusinesses businessesininher herarea areatotosee seeifif they theycould coulduse useher herservices, services,and andas asitit turned turnedout, out,there therewas wasplenty plentyofofwork work forfor her. her. "These "These people people were were overjoyed overjoyedtotogive giveus usallallofoftheir theircases cases totocollect collectand andwere weremore morethan thanwilling willing toto letlet me me keep keep 50% 50% ofof what what I I collected collectedfor forthem," them,"she shesays. says. InInmost mostcases, cases,they theyhad hadfiled filedaway away their theirjudgments judgmentsaafew fewyears yearsprior priorwith with nonohope hopeofofever evercollecting collectingon on them. them. Christina's Christina's business, business, Sierra Sierra Judgment JudgmentRecovery, Recovery,gets getsthat thatmoney money back. back. These These people people figured figured they'd they'd never neversee seeany anyofofthat thatmoney moneyagain, again, sosothey're they'remore morethan than happy happy toto pay pay Christina's Christina'sfee. fee. Another Anotherattractive attractive aspect aspect ofof this this
service service isis there's there's no no up-front up-front cost to her her customers. customers. Any Any filing filing fees or costs costs incurred incurred by by Christina Christina are reimbursed reimbursed to to her her out out of the judgment judgment once once it's it's collected. collected. The customers customers don't don't have have to pay anything anythingout out of of their their own own pocket. pocket. From From what what she she says, says, this is primarily primarily behind-the-scenes behind-the-scenes work, which which makes makes itit an an entirely entirely nonconfrontational confrontational business. business. She She does everything everything through through the the court court system from from seizing seizing debtor debtor bank bank accounts, accounts, garnishing garnishing wages wages and and other other income, to toplacing placingliens liens on on property. property. One One year year after after starting starting the judgment judgment recovery recovery business, business, Christina Christina and and Terry Terry closed closed the carpet carpet store. store. Finally Finally they they could could work at at home home and and have have money money left over at at the the end end of of the the month. month. They've been been running running Sierra Sierra Judgment Judgment Recovery Recovery for for over over 10 10 years years and are bringing bringing in in aa five-figure five-figure paycheck paycheck each eachmonth. month. And And the the most most important important aspect aspect isis they've they've got got more more time for their their kids. kids. “I“I can can attend attend their their events and and my my husband husband gets gets to to go go on field trips trips now now -- he's he's usually usually the the only dad on onthem.” them.” But But the the story story doesn't doesn't end end there. Christina Christina wants wants to to share share her knowledge knowledge with with others others across across the country country as as aa home-based home-based business opportunity. opportunity. She She has has put put together together aa judgment judgment recovery recoverytraining training course. course. In In addition, students students have have access access to to aa National Network, Network, which which can can be be extremely extremely helpful helpful in in cases cases where where the the debtor has has moved moved out out of of state. state. Christina also alsoincludes includes unlimited unlimited support. support. The The training training course course is is on a home-study home-study basis basis and and itit teaches
Christina Smiley Smiley
contact judgment judgment holders holders how to contact their business, business, the the steps steps to to to get their down aa debtor debtor and andsorting sorting tracking down the paperwork paperwork from from the the through the court. Christina's motivation for Christina's motivation for this business business opportunity opportunity sharing this others isn’t isn’t to to get get money moneyfrom from with others the course course (a (a one-time one-time sales of the of $185.00, $185.00, she she only only flat fee of enough to to cover cover the thecost costof of makes enough producing course course materials): materials): she she producing continue to to develop develop the the wants to continue Network of of judgment judgment National Network specialists. recovery specialists. Anyone interested interested in in aa homehomeAnyone business who who really really likes likesto to based business research could could benefit benefit from from do research training course, course, according according to to this training Christina. "This "This business business isisfilling fillingaa Christina. niche. ItIt provides provides steady, steady, true niche. predictable home-based home-based income income predictable $5,000 -- $8,000 $8,000 per per month month on on of $5,000 There is is no no lack lack of of average. There customers and and no no foreseeable foreseeable customers decrease at at any any time time in in the the decrease says Christina. Christina. future," says you’d like like information information on on If you’d your own own home-based home-based starting your judgment recovery recovery business, business, judgment for their their free free guide guide at at register for www.recoverycourse.com. You You www.recoverycourse.com. also contact Sierra Sierra may also contact Judgment Recovery Recovery directly directly by by Judgment them at at (912) (912) 882-8190 882-8190 calling them email Customer Customer Support Support at at or email Support@recoverycourse.com. Support@recoverycourse.com.
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SUCCESS STORIES
Whimsical and Uplifting Pillowcases Tonsil Removal Inspires Entrepreneur to Launch Heartwarming Company By Sherilyn Colleen
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or Founder of Denver, Colorado-based Flipside, Melanie Avjean just knew she was ultimately meant for more than selling something for someone else. When Avjean was 6, she learned that she had to have her tonsils taken out. She was super excited, ice cream and all! The morning they had to leave, Avjean became so scared that her dad had to carry her out the door. Her mom gave her a pillowcase that said, “We love you!” written in marker, and she signed Avjean’s name and her sisters’ names. “That memory came back to me after talking to a friend who works in a hospital,” Avjean says. “It seemed like a great way to make people smile.” At first she was just going to sell to hospital gift shops, but then someone mentioned airports so parents can bring home something besides a t-shirt. She then thought of Christian bookstores because all of the messages are positive, and her target market has grown significantly since.
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Prior to launching Flipside, Avjean was involved in everything from high end jewelry and watch sales to designing kitchens. At Flipside Pillow, she designs and manufactures fabric with whimsical designs and uplifting messages, which is then cut and sewn into pillowcases. Still in the first year of business, Colorado Lending Source presented her with the 2015 Ice House Entrepreneurship Achievement Award. Flipside Pillow is also a finalist in the SCORE/Sam’s Club Small Business Championship. Avjean truly feels that success has come her way because her focus is on giving gifts that matter and encouraging those who are struggling. Flipside’s brand philosophy is to “bring the joy”! Avjean believes “the joys always come back around.” “It is just amazing how much actual work I can get done by myself,” says Avjean. “Someone said to me that an entrepreneur is a person who will work 80 hours for themselves to avoid working 40 hours for someone else!”
Founder Melanie Avjean’s company Flipside designs fabric with whimsical artwork and uplifting messages, then has the fabric cut and sewn into pillowcases.
Working from home surrounded by nature has allowed her to embrace an authenticity and feel at peace: “Being in my own studio, with the mountains in the distance, is delightful!” As for Flipside in years to come, Avjean would like to find a way to remain a homebased business as the company grows. “Perhaps my home-based business will just end up in a bigger home!” she says. Visit http://www.flipsidepillow.com/.
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Challenging Big Pharma 25-Year-Old Entrepreneur Makes Waves in the Health Industry with Scientifically Designed Supplements By Sherilyn Colleen
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ucas Siegel, 25, is a successful American internet entrepreneur and health tech maverick. Siegel’s father, one of his mentors and a successful entrepreneur, taught him the basics for building a business by starting with the question, “What problem have you seen in the world and how do you plan on solving it?” After graduating from the University of Colorado, Siegel founded AlternaScript with his friend and futurist tech phenom Matthew Piskorz. While building their business, Siegel and Piskorz discovered nootropics, a cognitive enhancement supplement that helped with focus and attentiveness. They had witnessed numerous friends become addicted to amphetamine-based medications and realized many healthy college students were abusing attention enhancement medication, produced by big pharma, simply because there were not safe, over-the-counter options accessible to help improve cognitive function. Their
epiphany was the creation of the premium nootropic supplement OptiMind with clinically studied ingredients approved by the FDA. Siegel’s company AlternaScript is a subscription-based distribution model leveraging technology such as algorithms and data science to modernize the health industry and bring products direct to consumers and supersede traditional distribution channels. AlternaScript makes premium, scientifically designed solutions that are answers for healthy people looking to enhance their lives and optimize their productivity without taking potentially dangerous products intended to treat conditions they do not have. AlternaScript currently offers three cutting-edge products with clinically studied and scientifically backed ingredients: OptiMind, RestUp (a sleep-aid), and NuCulture, a modern probiotic to help Americans overcome digestive problems and enhance immune function.
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BUSINESSES & OPPORTUNITIES
Ten Cutting-Edge Business Ideas For 2016 Focus on Low-Cost Startup and Potential for Huge Growth By David Mercer
E
xploring and sharing new ideas may not give you exactly the right idea for your own unique set of circumstances, but they can help fire your imagination and inspire you to come up with the perfect idea that you can turn into a profitable business. Steven Johnson, the author of “Where Good Ideas Come From”, says that ideas are not often something that appear in a blinding flash of inspiration. They more often than not come to people who expose themselves to new experiences and other ideas. With that in mind, it’s also important to recognize that 2016 is a fantastic time to be an entrepreneur. There are so many exciting new technologies coming online that are, in turn, opening up new possibilities for creative and energetic entrepreneurs. So many new things to be exposed to. What’s more, there has never been a time when starting a new venture is so cheap and easy. Modern website builders make creating cutting-edge responsive eCommerce websites a snap. Cloud-based software services offer all sorts of integrations to streamline new businesses and reduce their administrative burdens. So what’s the downside? There’s lots of competition. And I mean lots. But, marketing and growth are for another day. For now, let’s get excited and motivated about starting something new. Here’s a look at my top ten business ideas (with permission from SME Pal’s small business ideas resource page) for 2016 that focus on low-cost startup and potential for huge growth.
who are wasting money on unwanted subscriptions every day. That’s a big market for a clever little app that scans your bank bills, finds monthly subscriptions or direct debits, and cancels them (if they prove to be unwanted).
Many exciting new technologies have developed in 2016 that are opening up new possibilities for creative and energetic entrepreneurs.
Unfortunately, you already have competition in the form of Truebill. But, there’s room for more than one fish in this sea. Pity I only found this app now. It would have saved me a packet on gym, cable, and other bills that went unnoticed for way too long.
“Customers can mail their drones
mirrors already exists, but no one has jumped on that bandwagon in a commercial way. Use existing tech to create a reflective touchscreen that acts as a mirror, but displays information outside the line of your reflection.
“Instead of making run-of-the-mill garden gnomes, change them up a bit and sell something like Zombie apocalypse garden gnomes.”
to you, have them repaired, and sent back in the post (or potentially delivered back to them via drone — 3. Floating house plants and Amazon style).” bonsai 2. Smart, touchscreen mirrors Wouldn’t it be great to be able to keep track of the time while straightening your hair? Or, catch the latest news and sports headlines while in the shower? The technology to make touchscreen
How awesome would it be to have a bonsai slowly rotating as it floats gracefully above its bowl? Sounds like science fiction? It’s actually very easy to do and looks very striking. Check out this video clip of a Japanese company that has perfected the technique using Bonsai: http://smepals.com/ small-business-ideas#1908.
1. App that cancels unwanted subscriptions
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Once you have some floating plants, start up a website and sell ‘em online, or locally. 4. Hidden sculpture candles
How many of us have joined a gym, eventually stopped going, but continued to pay the subscription fee for months, if not years? I’ve done it, and there are millions of people out there
Design some tasteful magnetic bowls. Wrap the root mass of the tree in a metallic cover and make sure you get the weight and balance right (this is the tricky part).
Wouldn’t it be great to catch the latest news and sports headlines while in the shower?
The humble candle has been around for quite a long time in its standard form. Sure, there are scented candles and plenty of different shapes, Continued on page 30
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How To Make Money With Non-Lethal Self Defense Products? For 29 years, 1000’s of people have made $5000, $10,000 a month and more by selling the 500+ much in demand, non-lethal, self-defense products provided by Safety Technology. Here are 7 WAYS you can make money with our products.
6. SELL TO BUSINESSES - Sell surveillance cameras to convenience stores; stun batons, Tasers or metal detectors to bars and nightclubs; pepper sprays or personal alarms to hospitals for their nurses, etc. All these things have been successfully done by other Authorized Dealers…plus more!
1. SELLING AT GUN SHOWS - There is no better way to sell anything, then face to face. Selling at gun shows allows you to put your products in front of people who are definitely interested in defending themselves, their families and their home.
7. SELLING ON THE INTERNET WITH YOUR OWN WEBSITE – Without a doubt, selling on the Internet is the best way to reach the largest number of customers. We can even build a money making website for you and teach you how to sell on the Internet.
2. HOME PARTY PLAN SELLING - Yes, just like Pampered Chef or Tupperware! Except you get to keep all the money. You don’t have to accept a paltry commission from the mother company…you are the company. All the profit is yours!
There are many other ways to sell these self-defense and surveillance products. How would you sell them?
3. SELL AT FLEA MARKETS AND SWAP MEETS - Another great way to get the products in front of people. The advantage here is costs less and can do it at the same spot every weekend. Some flea markets even allow you to set up permanent displays. 4. SET UP ROUTE OF GUN STORES, PAWN SHOPS, NAIL SALONS, BEAUTY SALONS - We suggest starting with our pepper spray displays as a way to get your foot in the door. Great way to receive residual income...money on a regular basis because the stores reorder. 5. AUCTION SITES, SUCH AS EBAY AND AMAZON - One way to get your products exposed to a very large number of buyers is to sell on eBay and Amazon. Not only are the auction sites good for selling products, but also lead generation.
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BUSINESSES & OPPORTUNITIES
Ten Cutting-Edge Business Ideas For 2016 Continued from page 28
colors and sizes, but the time is right for an update to candle 2.0. Create boutique candles that reveal a sculpture as they burn down. Come up with your own ideas. Be creative. Come in at under $45 per unit cost. Then market and sell ‘em via your local stores and online. This is something that would do great on a platform like Etsy. 5. Online drone repair and maintenance service Something like 45,000 drones were registered within two days of the Federal Drone Registration site going live. Potentially, another 400,000 more drones would have been sold over the past holiday season. That are a lot of drones that are going to be flown into trees, buildings, power lines, people, and even other drones.
How awesome would it be to have a bonsai slowly rotating as it floats gracefully above its bowl?
Set up a professional online repair service specifically for drones. Customers can mail their drones to you, have them repaired, and sent back in the post (or potentially delivered back to them via drone — Amazon style).
No one enjoys sitting in traffic jams. What if you could park your car in a secure, shaded lot on the outskirts of town and catch electric shuttles (that run continuously) into work?
6. Solar powered parking lots for city commuters
Buy a patch of land near a main highway. Set up a solar farm with panels that act as parking lot shade. Use the energy to power a fleet of electric shuttles. The beauty is that people will spend less on fuel and city parking, and traffic congestion will ease up significantly. Plus, you’ll probably get tax and other benefits for reducing emissions and taking cars off the roads. 7. Solar powered air purifiers Consider the problem of smog. No one really likes to breathe it in, but there’s more and more of it.
We are not alone. There’s a wonderful world around us. Full of fascinating places. Interesting people. Amazing cultures. Important challenges. But sadly, our kids are not getting the chance to learn about their world. When surveys show that half of America’s youth cannot locate India or Iraq on a map, then we have to wonder what they do know about their world. That’s why we created MyWonderfulWorld.org. It’s part of a free National Geographic-led campaign to give your kids the power of global knowledge. Go there today and help them succeed tomorrow. Start with our free parent and teacher action kits. And let your kids begin the adventure of a lifetime. It’s a wonderful world. Explore!
A National Geographic-led campaign
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Luckily, all you need in order to take a lot of harmful stuff out of the air is to suck it through water. This could be powered by wind or solar (on the roof), before being fed into the building’s air system. It would also be a great way to combat pollution in cities. People in countries like China are already prepared to pay $20 for a bottle of fresh Canadian air, so there is a “clean air” market. 8. Hip, stylish accessories for shoes People spend a lot of money pimping out their rides. Why should shoes be any different? After all, shoes are a big part of any fashion statement. www.homebusinessmag.com
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food products that come with a bit of added caffeine, so that people’s lunchtime sandwich can also be their lunchtime pick-me-up. 10. ‘Twisted’ store for millennials People, particularly younger generations, are looking for something different and unique that speaks to their diverse lifestyles and senses of humor.
Solar powered parking: What if you could park your car in a secure, shaded lot on the outskirts of town and catch electric shuttles (that run continuously) into work? Design and sell a range of hip accessories that can change the look and feel of a single pair of shoes. This will mean people can dress up or down but only spend big bucks on a single pair of nice shoes. You can do everything from flower clips, to lace-in wings, to stick-on decals, to outrageous bling. There’s lots of money to be made by starting the newest fashion craze. Have fun. Be creative.
9. Caffeinated snacks
There are stacks and stacks of traditional products that could be “twisted” to appeal to a quirky new generation. Instead of making run-of-the-mill garden gnomes, change them up a bit and sell something like Zombie apocalypse garden gnomes. A good way to find or create new products would be to follow trends on sites like 9gag. Get it right and you could connect with a huge, generally untapped market of younger buyers.
Everyone loves a good cup of coffee to wake them up in the morning (generally before having to speak to anyone at the office). But why should coffee be the sole provider of pep?
So there’s my list. What do you think? If you’ve recently started a business based on an idea you found online, tell us about it.
Think about other common, household food and snacks that might benefit from a bit of extra zing.
David Mercer contributes to SME Pals (http://smepals.com), a blog dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and small business owners thrive online. He is a tech entrepreneur and published author with books translated into over 13 languages worldwide and used as recommended reading at places like MIT.
Start an online store and sell a range of
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SUCCESS STORIES
Virtual Healing and Support Military Life Inspires Counselor to Launch E-Therapy Café By Becca Dugan
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r. Jude Black has been in the counseling field for over twenty years and engaged with virtual home-based careers since 2010. As a military spouse, she has always struggled to find a balance between her career and the military life until homebased careers started to thrive. In her almost 25 years of marriage, Dr. Black has moved 17 times, been separated from her husband for military-related activities for over 66 months, and held over 15 different jobs. Her passion for virtual healing began over 20 years ago on a military base in North Carolina. Dr. Black was a young military spouse, her husband was deployed, and she felt alone. The military used Virtual TeleConference to communicate with members stationed all over the world. Her husband’s unit arranged for the family members to speak virtually with their deployed spouse. During that conference, Dr. Black understood the power of technology and connection. For a brief moment, the distance vanished and they were connected.
Dr. Black later worked for a military-focused online therapy platform called Cope Today. She provided real-time online video sessions, instant chats, and virtual journal exchanges with military members across the country and deployed around the world. Her clients were meeting goals, becoming centered, and she knew E-therapy worked. When CopeToday was acquisitioned by Epiphany in 2013, Dr. Black became more active with her private practice and later, the online counseling start-up featured on ABC’s Shark Tank, In Your Corner (now closed). 32
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After a series of disappointments with the company, Dr. Black resigned as Director of Relationships. That opened the door for her to follow her dreams. E-Therapy Cafe was born both out of frustration and passion. Dr. Black’s passion to be a change catalyst and a desire to matter manifested in bootstrapping Dr. Jude Black is the founder of E-Therapy Café, a peoplethe company and launchfocused, innovative online counseling and coaching platform ing it within three weeks for individuals, couples, families and corporations. of inception. With the help of Amanda Rausch, was and is still actively involved in the military E-Therapy Café’s Director of Relationships and Clinical Enrichment, culture. She can often be found speaking at they created a diversified team of licensed and the Pentagon about Toxic Leadership and certified professionals focused on breaking supporting the troops. down barriers and providing support profes“I see E-Therapy Café as a reliable and sionally, ethically, and affordably. They are one ethical option for securing support in today’s of the few, if not the only, virtual “Boutique” busy world,” Dr. Black says. With people less team of Licensed Therapists and Certified connected to family, friends, and other relaLife Coaches leveraging a “more-than-HIP- tionships, her company gives people a chance PA Secured” Platform to support, motivate, to explore their past, consider their future, and and encourage people all over the world in make the changes right now in order to live real-time. authentically and thrive. Based on the traction E-Therapy Café™ is a people-focused, innovative online counseling and coaching platform for individuals, couples, families and corporations. The company’s team are passionate change catalysts, focused on realistic goals in today’s fast-paced world. The headquarters is in Northern VA with a nationwide and global reach. The company’s mission is simple, “Professional, convenient, affordable expert online therapy for all. Anytime. Anywhere.” Prior to creating E-Therapy Café, Dr. Black was providing virtual and in-person counseling sessions through her private practice, Basic Black Inc. and working remotely as the Client Services Executive with Platinum Luxury Auctions, a Miami-based, market-leading auction firm specializing in the non-distressed sale of multi-million-dollar properties within and beyond the United States. Dr. Black
E-Therapy Café is experiencing, the company is on track to grow and continue to provide people with an additional option to deal with stress, seek insight, and facilitate change with a trained expert. “The company is very new, but the impact of our experts ripples throughout our communities, our relationships, and businesses,” Dr. Black says. E-Therapy Café decided to intentionally make the world a better place, one dollar at a time. So, for every therapy session conducted, they place $1 into their foundation to be distributed amongst several charities. “People love to give and feel like they are doing something that matters—bigger than themselves,” Dr. Black says. “Integrating the charity component into E-Therapy Café’s business model was just a good thing.” Visit www.e-therapycafe.com and www.drjudeblack.com. www.homebusinessmag.com
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MARKETING & SALES
E-commerce Packaging Five Tips you Can’t Afford to Miss By Ferrari Packaging Ltd.
T
echnology has been rising at a dramatic rate in recent years, leading to a boom in Internet retailing. 2015 saw a record rise in online purchasing with predictions from experts that this will increase by up to 45% during 2016. With a typical e-commerce package being composed of 40% air, higher shipping costs now penalize those who package inefficiently with methods including excess cushioning products and extreme box size. Shipping fulfilment is necessary for all home e-commerce businesses. This guide will show how start up e-retailers can deliver their items effectively, reducing the risk of damage while avoiding wasting both packaging and money. Go lightweight Wherever possible, lightweight packaging should be used. Not only does this make the package easier to handle, but should decrease the shipping cost. Items like loose-fill chips are extremely lightweight and can be bought in bulk. The chips settle around the product to ensure it cannot move if shaken during transit. Today, most wholesale packaging peanuts are 100% biodegradable and environmentally friendly. Though consumers are used to receiving packages with outer and inner compartments, this is more often than not completely unnecessary and burdens the receiver with the task of disposing of the excess materials. Amazon recently came under fire for overzealously packaging products, which damaged their brand credibility. Opting for one layer of packaging will set your small business on the right track with your customers, will reduce the shipping cost, and not to mention ease the frustration of your customer. Beware, however, that dimensional pricing means that shipping costs are based on the higher of two measurements: package weight or package size. Packaging an unnecessarily large box packed with lightweight cushioning may be less economical than a smaller item that weighs more. Ask yourself Eliminating extravagances will help reduce costs and when running a small business the
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bottom line is always on your periphery. When considering packaging items to sell, ask yourself, “Is this necessary?” You may find that things you thought were a must are not vital. Colour printing can look beautiful but a simple and low-cost black and white Efficient and low-cost shipping fulfilment is necessary design can be equally as for the success of all home e-commerce businesses. striking. Consider printing directly onto a box, rather than spending extra on unnecessary labels shipping would persuade them to buy. If free shipping is not something your small business and ink. can afford, consider offering incentives for Opting for one layer of repeat customers, or free shipping on higher-priced items. packaging will set your small
“
business on the right track with your customers, will reduce the shipping cost, and not to mention ease the frustration of your customer.
”
Be sustainable and savvy Offering environmentally friendly packaging can do wonders for your brand. The eco-friendly trend that has developed in recent years is showing no signs of slowing, and consumers are now looking for their packages to be delivered in sustainable packaging. During a survey (https://www.bulldogreporter.com ) of over 500 online shippers, 55% of consumers consider the carbon footprint of their online retailer and 57% state that green packaging is important to them. Choosing to deliver your products in recycled cardboard is also a low-cost method of packaging, as recycled goods can be up to 40% cheaper than virgin alternatives. Free Delivery Suggesting free shipping may fill you with dread, but offering these deals now may lead to high customer retention and a greater overall spend. A study (http://www.walkersands.com) shows that when consumers were faced with the question of what would make them complete an online purchase, an enormous 80% stated free
Consider the journey Although saving money is the focus of most small businesses, it’s vital you package your items sufficiently to ensure safe delivery. Damaged products leave unhappy customers, and unhappy customers don’t return. Consider changes such as temperature, environment and handling when packaging your items for delivery. If your products are being sold overseas, invest in industrial wrapping tape rather than household Sellotape. These industry-specific tapes are created to endure long distances and changes to temperature without losing their adhesion. 100% recycled double corrugated cardboard can be purchased, ensuring a highly durable material that protects your goods while also safeguarding against handling during transit. Delivering e-commerce goods comes with many challenges that home businesses face. Following these guidelines and asking yourself vital questions will supply you with the knowhow to successfully package your products for maximum impact, safe delivery, and satisfied customers. What can you implement to make sure your business is packaging and delivering to the best of its ability in 2016? Established in 2002, Ferrari Packaging Ltd. has become one of the fastest growing packaging companies in the UK, offering a full range of protective packaging solutions to our customers. For more information on Ferrari Packaging Ltd, visit https://www.ferraripackaging.co.uk/.
www.homebusinessmag.com
8/10/16 12:42 AM
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8/10/16 1:25 AM
MARKETING & SALES
Increase
Your Sales
Incentive Marketing is an Effective Tool By Frank O’Hara
I
ncentive marketing is a specific strategy to persuade people to do what you want them to do by giving them something, an incentive, in exchange for achieving an objective. Often, these people are your customers and clients. Incentive marketing is your way to maintain the loyalty of your customers and clients to you, your brand, company or services. Incentive marketing is also used to dispose inventory or to push slow-moving products. Nonetheless, incentive marketing is an effective tool to increase your sales. Define Your Objective or Goal To set up an incentive marketing strategy, you need to define your objective or goal first — answering “why you need to do it”. One very common incentive marketing goal is increasing the sale of your product. To make sure of this, however, you need to understand the behavior of your target customers and clients. We say “target” because you can never have an incentive marketing strategy that applies to all. “A glove made for everyone, fits to no one.” Further, you should feasibly be able to reach and connect with your target market and achieve your goal, otherwise, it is useless to have such a program and devote your time and money formulating it. Define Your Budget There are incentive marketing programs that do not require you to put out cash since you just have to reduce the price of your product or the cost of your service. But no matter what type of incentive marketing you will be using, it is equally important to make sure that you know how much you can afford. In the end, if you were able to define your budget, you know how much you have gained. Consider Other Factors There are other important factors that you need to consider when executing your incentive marketing strategy. These include promotion, length of the program and timing, reward, and geographic boundaries. In promotion, your clients must have the knowledge of what your incentive marketing
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is all about. You can send it through email, newsletter, monthly fliers, brochures, posters, and other marketing paraphernalia that will effectively inform your customers about the incentive you offer. There is a budget involved here. Make sure that you have calculated it well during your initial planning.
Incentive marketing is your way to maintain the loyalty of your customers and clients to you, your brand, company or services.
The length of the program must be wellplanned. Timing is also crucial. These two factors must go hand in hand and will define if your incentive marketing will work or not. To know when it is the right time to launch this program, study carefully the behavior of your sales during the year. Take note of the highest point and mark the lowest point. Usually, incentive marketing can be implemented during the months where customers purchase your product or take your services the least. Simply put: give them a reason to buy your product or acquire your service when they least need it.
“ Give your incentives a
deadline or expiration date to stress the importance of “ORDER(ing) NOW!
”
Reward is another important factor that determines the success of your incentive marketing. When choosing merchandise for a reward, consider its usefulness, durability, attractiveness, convenience, and uniqueness. Choose also the kind of reward that would appeal to most of your customers and clients. Since it involves investment, take note of the longevity of the product. Do not just buy too many and stack them in your warehouse. Buy within your budget. Give your incentives a deadline or expiration date to stress the
importance of “ORDER(ing) NOW!” Check This Out If you would like a low-cost and high valued incentive to offer your customers and clients, I suggest you check out and visit this website at http://certificateincentives.tripod.com. It offers the following low-cost, high perceived valued incentives: ■
a $1,000 Grocery Coupon Certificate
■
a $1,000 Restaurant Coupon Certificate
■
a 3 Day, 2 Night Vacation Certificate (which includes FREE Hotel Room Accommodations for 2 people)
■
An 8 day, 7 night Vacation Certificate (which includes FREE Hotel Room Accommodations for 2 people)
These certificates can be personalized with your name or business name, your website address and/or your business address. The effectiveness of your incentive marketing will still depend on the response of your customers and clients, but if you take note of these issues, you will surely increase your chances of achieving your goals and pleasing your customers. Frank O’Hara is a freelance business writer, webmaster, publishing editor and C.E.O. of O’Hara Publishing Enterprises. His website features a wide variety of ebooks and software on internet, mobile and social media marketing and many other ways to make money online. Visit his website at http://oharapublishing.tripod.com.
www.homebusinessmag.com
8/10/16 12:43 AM
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8/8/16 8:24 PM
SUCCESS STORIES
Media Maven Mompreneur Award-Winning TV Reporter Launches Public Relations Firm from Home Office By Sherilyn Colleen
C
hristina Nicholson didn’t want to spend her mornings rushing her kids off to daycare, sitting in rush hour traffic, and dealing with a micromanaging boss to make someone else money. After working as an award-winning TV reporter and anchor for 10 years, she left the news business, and started her home-based business, Media Maven. “I stood in hurricanes, toured the Versace Mansion, interviewed David Beckham, and much more,” the Coral Springs, Florida mompreneur says. “I met great people and learned so much more than I ever thought was possible, but it’s very demanding, cut-throat, and not family friendly. I didn’t want to sit outside of a crime scene on Christmas morning anymore.” In July 2015, she launched Media Maven, a full-service public relations firm specializ-ing in media relations, media training, video production, social media marketing, writ-ing and
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blogging. “The part I liked about reporting was the storytelling.” Nicholson says. “Now, I help businesses grow by finding stories to tell that promote their brand.” For Nicholson, promoting her home-based business is easy. What she does for her clients, she does for herself—telling her story and sharing her expertise through the media, videos, blogs and social media. Nicholson shares that her best business achievement is the same as her clients—big media hits, like Today, The Rachael Ray Show, Entrepreneur Magazine, and many others. “I also love creating videos for clients and hearing such a positive reaction after they see what I put together,” she says. “I work mostly on referrals from other clients and that’s the best compliment!” The mompreneur loves that she can take a 10-minute break to do laundry, take her daughter to swimming lessons at 4:30pm, and start working a couple of hours earlier than
Christina Nicholson is the founder of Media Maven, a full-service public relations firm.
if she worked at an office, because at home, pajamas and messy buns are okay! As a small business owner herself, Nicholson understands the task of cutting costs and wearing many hats. For this reason, she has launched Master Your PR. Master Your PR is an online course created just for entrepreneurs who want great public relations for their brand, but can’t afford to hire a firm. In Master Your PR, Nicholson teaches business owners everything she knows, step-by-step, to do exactly what she does for a fraction of the cost. For more information, visit www.mediamavenandmore.com and http://masteryourpr.com/.
www.homebusinessmag.com
8/10/16 12:43 AM
Revolutionizing the Art of Communication Social Networking Entrepreneur Brings Back Verbal Communication with the Parlor.me Vocal Networking App By Sherilyn Colleen
I
t’s not every day that a developer launches an app that truly changes the way people connect with each other, especially with today’s over-reliance on nonverbal communication methods like texting. However, social networking entrepreneur Joel Schwartz did just that. Growing up in the ‘80s and ‘90s, a time when phone calls and in-person meetings were the only ways to connect with each other, Schwartz knew that today’s social media world was in need of verbal communication. He solved this issue in 2013 with Parlor.me, the first social networking app based on vocal conversations! After realizing the interpersonal detriments of nonverbal communication via texting, instant messaging, and social media comments, Schwartz invented and introduced to the market the first and only verbal talking network app to bring back the power of deeper, one-on-one verbal conversations. Since its launch, the Parlor app exploded in popularity
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and now has 2.4 million total downloads and over 450K monthly users! Over the last three years, Schwartz has managed many aspects of Parlor.me from the comfort of his own home. This helps to bridge the gap between his work life and his responsibilities as a dad to young kids. To maximize productivity, growth, and company morale, Schwartz says he maintains positive and personal relationships with all of his core team members. According to Schwartz, working from home also amplifies the efficiency of his business: “With most of our team being developers who prefer to work remotely, the travel time it takes to get to the office isn’t time well spent if you’re the only one showing up,” Schwartz says. Another way Schwartz and the Parlor.me team increase productivity and development is by staying up-to-date with the latest in their industry. “Consistently reading about the
Joel Schwartz is the founder of Parlor.me, the first social networking app based on vocal conversations.
latest tools that startups use and discussing new software and technologies with my team helps us think up new ideas and ways to be more productive,” Schwartz says. “To be truly creative and ahead of the app game, we also focus on making innovations fast, fun, and workable.” With 2.4 million users, the Parlor app has already experienced immense success. However, Schwartz has one clear goal for the next year: “Our biggest achievement has yet to come as we march ahead to our goal of reaching 100 million users in 2017.” Visit www.parlor.me.
Fall 2016 | Home Business
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5 Ways to Improve Your Home Business Environment Maximize Productivity Working from Home
HOME OFFICE
By Blaine Kelton
O
ne of the most difficult things about running a business from home is establishing a suitable working environment at your house or apartment. Sure, it’s easy enough to set up a desk with everything you need to conduct hour-to-hour operations, but eliminating the comforts and distractions in a home is easier said than done. Different solutions work for different people in this regard, and to a great extent it matters what your natural home environment consists of. Is it a large space with room to spare, or a small apartment? Is it just you, or do you have a family and/or pets to consider? There are plenty of different circumstances out there, but these are some general ways that a lot of people running businesses from home can improve their environments to maximize productivity.
“ One account of home
business productivity specifically recommended that people in a work-fromhome situation seek out accountability partners.
”
1. Clear the Space of Personal Distractions If you’re setting up a home office, you can’t get away with making it 90 percent about work and 10 percent about distractions or personal comforts. This list of tips for home office design (http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/ home-office-tips/) probably put it best: just don’t mix your work with your personal life! That means no TVs (unless you need the news for work or something), no gaming consoles, no magazines or books, and possibly even no smartphone while you’re at your desk (you may want to consider using a separate phone for business). 2. Make Your Office Space Nice That sounds like the most obvious tip in the world, right? But when you think about it, the term “office space” isn’t usually synonymous with a pleasant or well-designed area. We think of home offices usually as being tucked away in rooms no one will notice, rather 40
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than built in naturally to the design of a home or done up to look nice and feel comfortable. As these additional tips point out (http://www. hgtv.com/design/rooms/ other-rooms/1/10-tips-forWhen setting up a home office space, it is detrimental to designing-your-home-office productivity to make it 90 percent about work and ), a lot of what goes into 10 percent about distractions or personal comforts. designing a productive home office space has to do with you all to interact as if you’re at work together. design and comfort. You want it to feel like a natural room and part of your home, with 4. Let Tech Watch the Kids a comfortable furniture layout, a good chair, Working from home with kids might just be natural lighting, etc. the ultimate challenge in an adult’s life. But if you’ve ever found yourself craning your neck 3. Find an Accountability Partner to peek over computer screens and out the A lot of people may instinctively think that window making sure they’re still in the yard chatting with someone else over the course or playing the way they’re supposed to, modof the work day would count as a distraction, ern technology has offered up an intriguing but in some ways you may be more likely to solution. According to this account of GPS lapse in productivity if you isolate yourself breaking down barriers (http://www.networktoo much. One account of home business profleet.com/how-gps-is-breaking-down-boardductivity (https://www.americanexpress.com/ ers-and-barriers/), companies are now using us/small-business/openforum/articles/9-prothe Internet of Things to connect sensors in ductivity-tips-for-working-from-home/) shoes to apps or computer programs for trackspecifically recommended that people in a ing purposes. The idea is to keep an eye on work-from-home situation seek out accountelderly family members, but it works just the ability partners. Ideally, this would mean same with your little ones and can allow you a friend or colleague who also works from to relax and focus on work if you happen to home, with whom you can chat a few times have young children at home. Problem solved! a day. It’s just a little something to keep you grounded, keep you on pace, and give you a 5. Let Tech Watch You little bit of human contact while you work. If ... Or at least hold you accountable. When you happen to be running a business involving running a business from home, it’s actually other employees or partners who also work surprisingly easy to mix up your priorities or remotely, you may even consider a full group to spend too much time on one task and not chat or network (consider Slack) that allows enough on another. You may end up working a 12-hour day at your desk but find that you zeroed in on one or two things the whole time and fell behind in other areas. Fortunately, there’s an app for that! Or rather, there are countless apps for that. Programs like Habit List and other scheduling/motivation apps are designed specifically to help you stay on task and organize your production throughout the day. Take advantage of these if you happen to be your own boss working from a home office. They provide a sense of accountability that Without sufficient hydration, your brain just isn’t always there otherwise. will not function properly and you’ll tire more easily.
Blaine Kelton can be reached at BLKelton@outlook.com.
www.homebusinessmag.com
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Cloud Computing Technology HOME OFFICE
Six Things That Can Radically Improve Your Business By Kevin Patel
M
oving your IT capabilities to cloud for a productivity boost? This easy-to-switch, quick-toscale and simple-to-use technology makes a transformational investment that many enterprises today find mandatory. From hardware and maintenance to productivity and capital investment, the cloud makes a smart move in every sense. Today, no business is too small to switch to cloud because every business, regardless of the size and scope, can derive the following benefits from the cloud computing technology: 1. Ease of Collaboration A virtualized hybrid cloud infrastructure gives you the freedom to work from any location at all times. It is an incredible solution for businesses that employ a remote workforce or need their employees to be on the field all day long. It brings agility and scalability that is needed to share data anytime from any device while keeping information away from prying eyes. Industries that can greatly benefit from the flexibility and scalability of cloud computing are finance, emergency services, healthcare, entertainment management, tourism, government contractors, hospitality, real estate, life sciences, banking, and manufacturers of consumer goods in particular. A virtualized hybrid cloud infrastructure leads to improved coordination and greater teamwork, making businesses more connected and productive.
“ Cloud technology can
help you save significantly on every front, from power consumption and server maintenance to system upgrades and software licensing.
”
2. Efficient Resource Management With cloud computing, servers are located off-site, which allows businesses to focus on their core processes without being bogged 42
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down due to unavoidable peaks and troughs in virtual workloads. As all of the resources are being shared on an open source, they can be easily accessed whenever A virtualized hybrid cloud infrastructure gives business required. This reduces the owners the freedom to work from any location and share processing time from hours data at all times. to minutes, which is a big plus for small businesses that need you to invest in hardware that you may or may a competitive edge. With cloud, it becomes not use. Maximize your uptime with fast and extremely easy to extend resources and share resilient cloud connections that can deliver data from anywhere, anytime. From task lists services on-demand even with limited IT and calendars to e-mails and inventories, resources. everything can be accessed without wasting 6. Extreme Productivity time on manual installations and time-conCloud resources are highly scalable so it suming downloads. The cloud empowers businesses to be proactive with their business becomes easy to manage busy periods, which processes and grab growth opportunities more are one of the biggest challenges when running a small business. Cloud brings along enough quickly. flexibility for the cost you invest so you are 3. Reliable Data Retrieving Ability fully-equipped to enhance operational effiWhen business owners opt for the cloud, it ciency when the need arises, without having comes with the assurance of data backup secu- to overspend. When projects demand quick rity in case of unexpected systemic failures, collaboration and improved productivity, you even if your hardware is aging. Cloud vendors can count on the cloud. It is remarkably fast as employ a dedicated IT team that takes care of compared to a conventional setup, which can every technical problem in times of disasters take up weeks of your working time. All you such as flood and fire. With cloud, all of your need is a reliable internet connection and you sensitive data remains stored off-site in a are all set for outright workforce productivity. safe online location. Many cloud vendors also Selecting the right cloud infrastructure provide geo-redundant backup, which can get vendor plays a vital role in determining the your operations up and running within minflexibility you enjoy with your existing appliutes, as your data is stored on multiple centers cations. To enjoy significant returns on your in different locations for improved security. cloud infrastructure, you need to invest in an agentless monitoring tool that provides an 4. Tremendous Savings Cloud technology can help you save sig- end-to-end view of your virtual infrastructure nificantly on every front, from power con- through a single pane of glass. It will monitor sumption and server maintenance to system the performance of your hybrid cloud infraupgrades and software licensing. A virtualized structure and proactively detect the dangers of hybrid cloud infrastructure eliminates the future resource contention storms to keep your need to maintain hardware and pay subscrip- operations up and running at all times while tion fees for software solutions. The cloud delivering a rich end-user experience. comes with the flexibility to scale up as the company continues to grow, and scale down Kevin Patel (@IamKevinpatel on Twitter) is a Service Assurance following a slack, thus saving your business a Technology Analyst at Xangati (http://xangati.com). A self-proclaimed tech geek, with a passion for the ever-changing world of significant amount of money. 5. Supreme Reliability Running your own physical servers requires
virtualized and hybrid-cloud environments. Kevin has a passion for dissecting tech topics such as virtualization, data center migration, storage, networking and cloud. On his days off, he can be found watching sci-fi movies, rock climbing or volunteering.
www.homebusinessmag.com
8/10/16 12:44 AM
TECHNOLOGY SIMPLIFIED – BIGGER AND BETTER
Wow! A Simple to Use Computer Designed Especially for Seniors! Easy to read. Easy to see. Easy to use. Just plug it in!
NEW Now comes with... Larger 22-inch hi-resolution screen – easier to see 16% more viewing area Simple navigation – so you never get lost Intel® processor – lightning fast Computer is in the monitor – No bulky tower Advanced audio, Better speaker configuration – easier to hear Text to Speech translation – it can even read your emails to you! U.S. Based Customer Service
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Have you ever said to yourself “I’d love to get a computer, if only I could figure out how to use it.” Well, you’re not alone. Computers were supposed to make our lives simpler, but they’ve gotten so complicated that they are not worth the trouble. With all of the “pointing and clicking” and “dragging and dropping” you’re lucky if you can figure out where you are. Plus, you are constantly worrying about viruses and freeze-ups. If this sounds familiar, we have great news for you. There is finally a computer that’s designed for simplicity and ease of use. It’s the WOW Computer, and it was designed with you in mind. This computer is easy-to-use, worryfree and literally puts the world at
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your fingertips. From the moment you open the box, you’ll realize how different the WOW Computer is. The components are all connected; all you do is plug it into an outlet and your high-speed Internet connection. Then you’ll see the screen – it’s now 22 inches. This is a completely new touch screen system, without the cluttered look of the normal computer screen. The “buttons” on the screen are easy to see and easy to understand. All you do is touch one of them, from the Web, Email, Calendar to Games– you name it… and a new screen opens up. It’s so easy to use you won’t have to ask your children or grandchildren for help. Until now, the very people who could benefit most from E-mail and the Internet are the ones that have had the hardest time accessing it. Now, thanks to the WOW Computer, countless older Americans are discovering the wonderful world of the Internet every day. Isn’t it time
you took part? Call now, and you’ll find out why tens of thousands of satisfied seniors are now enjoying their WOW Computers, emailing their grandchildren, and experiencing everything the Internet has to offer. Call today! • Send & Receive Emails • Have video chats with family and friends • Surf the Internet: Get current weather and news • Play games Online: Hundreds to choose from!
Call now toll free and find out how you can get the new WOW! Computer. Mention promotional code 103882 for special introductory pricing.
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8/8/16 8:41 PM
HOME OFFICE
Burn Calories at Work and Increase Productivity with an Ergonomic Sequel Lift Desk
S
equel Office set a new standard for efficient and organized workspaces. BDI continues to raise the bar with the Sequel Lift Desk. Home Business Magazine recently received a Sequel Lift Desk in Espresso Stained Oak finish to test out. The set-up of the sturdy standing desk was straightforward with detailed and easy-to-understand instructions. Exceedingly useful in HBM’s home office workspace, the desk combines functionality with design. Its minimal structure takes up little space and its clean design pairs attractively with any room décor. The desks are offered in four finish options: Natural Stained Cherry, Espresso Stained Oak, Chocolate Stained Walnut, and Natural Walnut. The health risks associated with sitting for long stretches of time have come into focus recently, with extended periods of sitting sedentary leading to increased risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and back pain. Meanwhile, studies have also shown that extended periods on your feet can lead to other problems such as swollen ankles, varicose veins and knee & joint pain. However, workers can burn an extra 120 calories a day by standing for 4 hours, versus sitting at a desk! Taking all of the benefits and risks into account, the optimum solution is a sitstand desk — like BDI’s Sequel Lift Desk — that allows you to quickly and easily switch between sitting and standing throughout the day. BDI’s new innovative desks are the best of both worlds. Combining beautiful styling, thoughtful engineering and ergonomic design, the Sequel sit+stand desk provides the versatility and ease of movement that every workday requires. The desk features a beautiful and durable micro-etched black glass top, in addition to an optional storage drawer to stow away your daily office supplies and electronics. These height-adjustable desks
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feature a powered leg system controlled by a digital, programmable user-assigned keypad. With the press of a button, the Sequel Lift Desk will rise to your preferred sitting and standing heights. Thanks to four user-programmable presets, there is no need to overthink or continually fiddle with manual adjustments — your work surface is at just the right height every time! The ergonomic Lift Desk is sure to elevate any workday.
Business owners can burn an extra 120 calories a day by standing for 4 hours with the Sequel Lift Desk.
The Sequel Lift Desk partners beautifully with other components in the Sequel collection (https://www.bdiusa.com/office/sequel-office. shtml) and features such tech-friendly considerations as integrated cable management — which keeps your work space looking neat, tidy and free of wire clutter — in addition to compatibility with most third-party monitor arms. While standing desks are not new, this one is different because it is: ■
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the first lift desk to create a truly collaborative work space, as the wire management feature allows team members to work from both sides, creating a great collaborative space. the first “executive worthy” lift desk that is coordinated with the full Sequel office collection from BDI, so can be coordinated with a matching mobile file pedestal, storage cabinet or desk return for additional workspace.
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a beautifully designed, more thoughtfully engineered, higher-end product that outlasts the typical pre-fabricated models on the market.
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Has a setting panel that allows you to create customized sit / stand settings for up to 4 people / positions.
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Has the most integrated wire management feature among the competition; full featured cable management ledge can incorporate a power strip, so only one single wire is hanging from the desk — and not a mess of wires, like you typically see.
What really sets the Sequel Lift Desk apart from other standing desk solutions on the market is the company’s trademark focus on attractive design, meticulous attention to detail, and versatile functionality. There is no reason why your workspace shouldn’t reflect your personality and style. So take a stand toward healthier work habits today! With the ideal sit-stand desk set up, you can operate at your best all day, while making a significant contribution to your overall health and well-being. For more information on how to order your own Sequel Lift Desk and jumpstart productivity for your home business, visit https://www.bdiusa.com/lift.
The Sequel sit+stand desk provides the versatility and ease of movement that every workday requires.
In 1984, Bill Becker had a vision of making great Design available to everyone. Frustrated by the ‘trade only’ distribution of the best designed contemporary home furnishings, Bill was inspired to build a company that could develop and manufacture Designs that would actually be accessible. Today, BDI has become a force in contemporary home furnishings and an industry leader in home theater furniture. Visit www.bdiusa.com.
www.homebusinessmag.com
8/10/16 12:44 AM
Fellowes Brands Introduces Upscale MobilePro Series Products for Professionals to Work Productively On-the-Go
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ellowes Brands released a new family of folios that addresses the organizational needs of professionals who conduct business on their iPads, work remotely, or are frequent travelers. The new Fellowes MobilePro Series products provide businesspersons with an innovative and upscale mobile office platform that travels well for working on-the-go. Home Business Magazine received a MobilePro Series™ Executive Folio for iPad Air® / Air® 2 to test out, and found it immensely useful. MobilePro Series folios feature two new, patent-pending innovations designed with business use in mind: The SmartConnect Case™ and the SmartConnect System™. The SmartConnect Case has a built-in stand and durable snap-in tray to allow users to view an iPad at three different angles and in portrait or landscape mode, and is detachable from the folio to allow for free-standing or handheld use. The SmartConnect System securely attaches Fellowes’ new MobilePro Series Bluetooth Keyboard to the line’s folio covers via magnets in the keyboard cover.
Designed for Mobile Warriors
Despite research showing that almost half of all work occurs outside the primary workspace, tablet workstations designed to meet the work and lifestyle needs of businesspersons have been limited to date. MobilePro Series products enable professionals to work productively with an iPad and paper, no matter the location whether in offsite meetings, on a crowded airplane or commuter train or in a hotel. MobilePro Series products provide users with superior features and premium protection when they are away from the office. Each folio features a durable, ballistic nylon exterior and plush interior, and includes Fellowes’ removable SmartConnect Case, refillable writing pad pocket (adjustable for right- or left-handed use), storage pocket, business card slots and pen loop to keep needed items within quick reach. The product family includes folios designed to work with the iPad Pro, iPad Air or Air 2, and iPad mini 1, 2, 3 or 4. MobilePro Series Deluxe Folios are slim
MobilePro Series™ Executive Folio for iPad Air® / Air® 2
mobile workstations designed for iPad Pro or iPad Air/Air 2. The MobilePro Series Deluxe mini Folio delivers a complete, compact mobile workstation solution for working with paper and an iPad mini 1/2/3/4. The MobilePro Series Executive Folio is the ultimate mobile workstation, a slim, all-in-one folio that has everything needed to work on-the-go, including integrated MobilePro Series Bluetooth keyboard. Fellowes MobilePro Series products are available at Fellowes.com, in addition to leading retailers including Amazon. com, Office Depot.com, Staples.com and others. For further information, visit http://www.fellowes.com/mobilepro.
Swimming with Abandon Mother-Daughter Trio Bring Modesty & Sun Protection to the Forefront of Swimwear with UnderCover WaterWear By Sherilyn Colleen
I
t all started when entrepreneur Melissa Chehebar had trouble finding swimwear that was both stylish and would provide ample coverage for her trips to the beach and pool. After realizing this major void in the swimwear market, she teamed up with her mom, Susan Esses, (and later her sister Rachel Tabbouche) and brought her idea for UnderCover WaterWear modest swimwear to life. Undercover WaterWear’s fashion-forward swim dresses, swim skirts, swim tops, and swim leggings are worn on top of your own swimsuit so you can cover up. Made in the USA, all of the swimwear features a special Lycra and Spandex swim fabric that is chlorine-proof, non-clingy in water, and has UPF 50+ — it protects your skin from the sun’s strong rays without having to apply sunscreen. “Our mission is to give women the flexibility to wear what they want, do what
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they want, and feel great about it,” says Rachel Tabbouche, CEO and co-founder of UnderCover WaterWear. “Part of empowering women means that if they choose to cover up, for whatever reason, that’s okay and socially acceptable.” UnderCover WaterWear has given women so much more opportunity to live the life they want without compromising on their standards, whether because of modesty or health. According to Tabbouche, UnderCover WaterWear’s primary customers are “women aged 4-104”. To promote to these consumers, their most successful marketing initiative has been email newsletters. “In the beginning, my father told us to always capture the names and contact info of our customers,” Tabbouche says. “Thanks to his advice, we now have a large email list that helps us stay connected and give great discounts to our customers for repeat purchases.”
UnderCover WaterWear founders Melissa Chehebar, Susan Esses, and Rachel Tabbouche (left to right)
Tabbouche loves being able to be there for her kids’ school functions and plays, but working from home makes it harder to create boundaries. “It helps me stay more involved in the kids’ everyday life, but it also infringes on times that I wouldn’t normally have to work if I had a normal 9-5 job,” Tabbouche says. UnderCover WaterWear’s biggest business achievement was landing a feature on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, which was the most popular article for three days straight! “Our families are so proud of what we’ve built, and it’s such a great example for the many young girls in our family.” Visit www.undercoverwaterwear.com. Fall 2016 | Home Business
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SUCCESS STORIES
A Professional Networker’s Legacy 27-Year Veteran Reveals Secrets of the MLM Industry and How to Take Back Your Financial Future By Sherilyn Colleen
I
f you were to lose your main source of income today, how much time would you have left before you’d be financially ruined? The truth is, over 50% of North Americans are less than 2 paychecks away from financial duress. The good news is that you probably already know this, and you’re reading this article looking for hope and solutions to your own life. The fact is, success leaves clues, and Ted Wilson is no stranger to success within the home-based industry. “I can help you — just as I have helped more than 120 people learn how to make a high 6-figure, or even a 7-figure annual income,” notes Wilson. “This income is passive while working from home, and most of these people only ever worked part-time.” Additionally, Wilson has coached thousands of people on how to create multiple 5-figure annual incomes working his systems approach to network marketing part-time from the comfort of their own home. Since 1989, with Wilson’s fateful introduction to the industry, he was able to go full-time in 1993 and he has not looked back. Wilson builds great successes time and time again, because he continues to study this industry as a profession. He has identified key behaviors, strategies and distinctions that separate those that are merely curious from those that are serious and will go on to great success. According to Wilson, “In every instance, I have been able to build traditional, large organization downlines of customers and marketing representatives quickly and repeatedly that has led to great successes for many people within my organization.” He strongly believes in the duplication of sound teaching to those who are truly committed. Wilson is at a stage in his career where he doesn’t just care about the money and growing a large organization. Instead, he wants to
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“reveal my strategies and help as many people as possible, as the legacy I’m giving Ted Wilson is a Professional Networker with Valentus and the back to the industry creator of the 12in24© Lifestyle 3-drink system. that I love, my conunder the brand name “Prevail” (which, in tribution to the next Latin, prae- + valēre means to be strong, to generation of developing leaders.” overcome). The two-year journey for Wilson One of Wilson’s strategies has been to “idenhas been a fascinating one and he believes his tify a consumer product(s) that offers real valgreatest work achievements. ue, which has immediate curb appeal, where a “Nearly 40,000 customers and represengreat relationship with a trusted brand occurs.” tatives strong have joined our team and yet He emphasizes the importance of the prodour brand, our company, is still a secret in the uct being immediately recognizable, one that home-based industry,” Wilson shares. “Yet, spurs an emotional connection to the benefit it we’ve only just begun. With global sales of offers, without the need to have to sell people just US$3.5M/month, the opportunity for treon its magical properties, or become a trained mendous leverage is just around the corner — what industry insiders refer to as the proverbial “sweet spot” of when a company is Nearly 40,000 customers timed perfectly to the market.”
“
and representatives strong have joined our team and yet our brand, our company, is still a secret in the home-based industry. We’ve only just begun.”
”
clinician selling the science trying to convince people why they should purchase a product, or worse — having to rationalize the high cost typically associated with such products. “The product must be immediately recognized as beneficial, it must be affordable without hesitation, and offer hope,” Wilson says. As an industry consultant, Wilson was introduced to a company in mid-2014 called Valentus, who markets a small but focused line of functional beverages in a concentrated, single-serve format. The 2-year old international company markets their nutritional line
Valentus offers a system called 12in24© that Wilson created for their organization. The company launched the product on June 1, 2015. “The results have been nothing short of amazing, and honestly, the products just flat out work!” Wilson says. With the ingenious new product, customers are offered a way to lose 12lbs. or 12” in only 24 days. Wilson asserts, “You’ll look and feel fantastic, and you’ll enjoy a 100% product satisfaction guarantee.”* Valentus’ SlimROAST Italian Dark Roast coffee, a weight management product, kickstarts the body onto a healthy track from cup #1. The instant cup of coffee, to be enjoyed first thing in the morning, acts to suppress an appetite naturally, and will create a natural fat burn in the body called thermogenesis. Ingredients such as garcinia cambogia, phaseolamine, cassiolamine, l-carnitine and chromium are naturally occurring in the product’s formula. Customers find the aromatic instant coffee to be delicious and it burns unwanted www.homebusinessmag.com
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adipose fat as part of Valentus’ simple-to-follow 12in24© Lifestyle 3-drink system.*
Valentus pays out a “healthy 50% commission back to its loyal product consumers” called independent representatives who are responsible for inviting prospects to consider becoming wholesale customers and/or independent representatives themselves through an independent representative’s unique website(s).
One hour before supper, consumers are to enjoy a bottle of water and mix in Valentus’ TRIM powder for a piña colada flavour explosion! TRIM continues the appetite suppression benefits of SlimROAST, with added ingredient benefits of raspberry ketones, and the maqui berry, among other ingredients.* One hour before bedtime, Valentus advises to enjoy one more bottle of water and mix in Valentus’ IMMUNE BALANCE powder for a delicious array of antioxidants and other natural ingredients that are packed with nutrition to encourage a restful sleep. Sleep deprivation is a massive industry in itself and this product strives to address the main reasons why humans have difficulty getting a good night’s rest. With the “heightened sexual function, detoxification and elimination, and mental clarity and focus”, the 12in24© Lifestyle 3-drink system changes lives for the better!* All three of these products are all-natural, 100% safe, non-GMO formulas that all have less than 4gm of naturally occurring sugar. With a low glycemic index, all of Valentus’ products are diabetic-friendly. 12in24© Lifestyle partakers are advised to consume all 3 of these functional beverages every day for 6 days, take the 7th day off, and repeat for 4 weeks. “The lifestyle requires no shakes, no counting calories, no meal plan, no restrictive diet, no medical exercise plan, and no pain,” Wilson shares. “Just 3 delicious
Nearly 40,000 customers and representatives strong have joined the Valentus team and yet the brand is still a secret in the home-based industry. Valentus markets a small but focused line of functional beverages in a concentrated, single-serve format. The company launched the 12in24© Lifestyle 3-drink system on June 1, 2015. Valentus’ SlimROAST Italian Dark Roast coffee, a weight management product, kick-starts the body onto a healthy track from cup #1. The instant cup of coffee, to be enjoyed first thing in the morning, acts to suppress an appetite naturally, and will create a natural fat burn in the body called thermogenesis.
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“I can help you — just as I have helped more than 120 people learn how to make a high 6-figure, or even a 7-figure annual income.” – Ted Wilson, Professional Networker with Valentus
drinks — you don’t change anything else. This is a customer lifestyle movement that is gaining momentum quickly.” From the nearly 40,000 customers, Wilson reveals the positive feedback received. “They no longer crave those sugary sweets late at night, or throughout the day,” he says. “Customers speak of their bodies starting to eliminate correctly and having a natural energy and a jump in their step they haven’t felt for a long time.”
A one-time, lifetime fee of US$20.00 is all it takes to become an independent representative with Valentus, or free to simply become a wholesale-preferred customer. For those who choose to become an independent representative, this fee includes a full suite of replicating websites one receives for marketing purposes. It’s an impressive system that takes out all of the traditional anxiety of self-promotion inside this direct sales industry. Go to www.BuildwithTed.com and watch videos, take a tour, and request a free sample. Valentus invites readers to become a messenger of hope, through being an example of becoming rich, freeing up time, and living a long and healthy life.
* Consult with Valentus’ Policies & Procedures © 12in24, 12in24 Lifestyle System and the 12in24 logos are registered trademarks of CMT Ventures Inc. © 2014-2016. www.12in24.life ©2016 | All Rights Reserved *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. Valentus products are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any malady, disease or illness. Consult an accredited healthcare professional prior to consuming any nutritional regimen or system.
Valentus pays out a “healthy 50% commission back to its loyal product consumers” called independent representatives. A one-time, lifetime fee of US$20.00 is all it takes to become an independent representative with Valentus, or free to simply become a wholesale-preferred customer. “With global sales of just US$3.5M/ month, the opportunity for tremendous leverage is just around the corner — what industry insiders refer to as the proverbial “sweet spot” of when a company is timed perfectly to the market.”
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MONEY CORNER
Funds Can Be Raised for Startups Check Out These 6 Best Crowdfunding Sites By Eileen Burton
O
ne of the great advantages of trying to launch an interesting project today or trying to mobilize a citizen campaign is to have financing methods such as crowdfunding. Crowdfunding is the process of asking the general public to provide seed capital for new ventures. The goal is to convince as many people as possible that the project is worth it, where each person invests an amount. In general, crowdfunding sites offer two forms of financing:
Everything or nothing
In this case, it sets a deadline for the goal to be reached. If the full amount is collected by the stipulated date, the project owner takes the money and has a duty to reward investors with previously set terms. This strategy seeks to encourage donations and creates an urgent basis to donors.
“Kickstarter is one of the pioneers in crowdfunding. It has helped more than 6 million people to consolidate their ideas through fundraising.” All help
Here, the author of the project does not have to collect 100% of the money, but must specify clearly the fate of the amount collected, even partial, as well as establish the rewards provided to investors. The following are the 3 types of crowdfunding platforms: ■
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The donation, called crowd giving. — Platform to collect donations or contributions which may give rise to different counterparties;
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The loan, called crowdfunding lending. — Platform for project financing through loans;
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The stake, called equity crowdfunding.
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— Platform to finance entrepreneurial projects through the purchase of securities. If you need money to fund an idea, project or business, Crowdfunding is the process of asking the general public you must have contemplated to provide seed capital for new ventures. resorting to collective financing systems. To help you in one of the most popular crowdfunding sites this task, there are 6 major crowdfunding due to its flexibility, openness and being an websites in the world. Continue reading and accessible option for campaigns around the discover the best options for your case. world where anyone can raise money for film, music, art and more. If you decide to create a 1. Kickstarter (www.kickstarter.com) Kickstarter is considered to be the larg- campaign and launch on this platform, know est crowdfunding site in the world. Since that Indiegogo charges a fee of 5% on the its launch in April 2009, it has raised more funds you plan to collect. Indiegogo does not than $1.8 billion, engaging more than nine require a formal application and is available in million people. The number of implemented any country. projects already surpassed the mark of 88,000 numbers. Kickstarter is one of the pioneers in crowdfunding. It has helped more than 6 million people to consolidate their ideas through RocketHub uses a rewardfundraising. Without fear, I could say that it based strategy on awards has become the most popular site of collective funding. and badges to help foster
“
2. Idea.me (www.idea.me)
This is the largest crowdfunding site in Latin America. The platform operates in the following countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay and the United States. Ideame primarily stimulates funding through networking (according to the site, 80% of resources come from these people) and accepts collective financing in two modes. 3. Catarse (www.catarse.me)
Catarse is the largest Brazilian crowdfunding platform. Since its launch, the site has helped fund more than 1,800 projects, raising $31 million by 216,000 people. 4. Indiegogo (www.indiegogo.com)
Created a year before Kickstarter, Indiegogo is one of its main competitors worldwide. According to the platform, the performance reaches 224 countries. In addition, 15 million people visit the site monthly. Indiegogo is
interaction between users.”
5. RocketHub (www.rockethub.com)
RocketHub is a platform for collective fund projects including various areas such as art, science, business, and social projects, among others. What differentiates RocketHub from the rest is the great exposure that your project can reach through a strategic partnership. As for the cost of your commission: it’s 4% plus 4% for fees of the transaction if you reach your goal. Otherwise, you will be charged with 8% commission plus 4% fee per transaction. Its interface is intuitive and offers tools for building better projects and businesses. RocketHub uses a reward-based strategy on awards and badges to help foster interaction between users. Continued on page 50
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Would YOU like to earn up to $36,351 (or more) per month inviting just 2 people (or less) into a $14.95 per month program!
Mike G CEO and Founder
Here’s an amazingly true story just as real and effective as it was ‘way back when’ as it will be for you now... ICANGET2
Dear Friend, Years ago a wise man related a story in his endeavor to explain compound interest to his grandson found the effort more difficult than he had imagined. Now through the years this story has been altered many times but the essence of it, the reality of it, the simplicity of it has never changed and is as true today as it was back then. The grandfather in his attempt to explain to his grandson the benefits of investing and receiving compound interest and how the magic of compounding can literally all by itself make anyone with patience and determination wealthy. He first talked about investing just $1k at a very modest return of only 7% and that $1,000 would double and the investment would return compounded interest compounded daily and in just seven short years that 7% compounded daily interest would turn that $1,000 into $2,000 with no effort on behalf of the investor. The young grandson eager to obtain his own fortune like his grandfather had, was struggling with the concept so... The grandfather offered this example... "Son" he said, "If I offered you $1,000 in CASH now or just ONE PENNY that would double in value every day - it's compounding, - which would you rather have from me?" The grandson quickly answered, "Well, of course Grandpa, I'd much rather have the one thousand dollars now! Are you kidding?" To which the grandfather replied, "All right then, let me tell you what you will be giving up." "If you invest just one penny today, and every day it doubles in value, in just 20 days it will be worth..."
Do the math with me... Day 1: 1 penny becomes 2, Day 2: 2 becomes 4, Day 3: 4 becomes 8, Day 4: 8 becomes 16, Day 5: 16 becomes 32, Day 6: 32 becomes 64 cents, Day 7: 64 becomes $1.28, Day 8: $1.28 becomes $2.56, Day 9: $2.56 becomes $5.12, Day 10: $5.12 becomes $10.24, Day 11: $10.24 becomes $20.48, Day 12: $20.48 becomes $40.96, Day 13: $40.96 becomes $81.92, Day 14: $81.92 becomes $163.84, Day 15: $163.84 becomes $327.68, Day 16: $327.68 becomes $655.36, Day 17: $655.36 becomes $1,310.72, Day 18: $1,310.72 becomes $2,621.44 Day 19: $2,621.44 becomes $5,242.88, Day 20: $5,242.88 becomes $10,485.76 $10,485.76! Wow! From just that first penny! And, that my new friend, and hopeful partner, is the very essence that drives the 2x14 matrix offered at this brand new company that is only $14.95 a month to join. It is truly amazing. When you join, you will be joining on my personal team! And get this: I’m the only person in the world who has put more than 11,000 people, direct signups not downline, into a single network marketing program. And I’ve done this all through email marketing. I'm even told that I’m the only person in the world to have ever put more than 5,000 people into a network marketing program - and I’ve done that with TWO other programs. I don't say this to boast, I just want you to know the nature of the people whose team you will be on. Now I don't expect to do it all myself... Once you join make it your mission, make it your goal to put at least two of your own people - contacts, friends, associates, followers, and of the social media contacts you have... Just get two, share this story, tell them about the team that you are on, use this letter, found in your back office, and your own link, it really is that simple. It is an amazing opportunity all about making money in network marketing. I firmly believe in the importance of multiple streams of income and want to show you how you can make this work for you! It has been years since I have been as excited as I am about this - simple but yet eloquent and powerful network
Visit this link to get started immediately!
marketing company and I'm going to get behind it and fold it into all of my sales funnels and marketing activities. You can stand idly by and watch my team grow, or you can get involved now for only $14.95 and be part of it in a significant way. Imagine earning money from me and those folks who I sponsor in the form of spillover automatically - it will happen, it has to happen, the system is built that way. Imagine having $36,351 + change coming in MONTHLY, just as a result in having a full matrix because you read this letter today and sometime and hopefully in the not too distant future you too are there with me. So whatever you do, don't think of this letter as hype, don't think of this program as some pyramid scheme, don't discount it because it's network marketing. Network marketing is a way for the average man and the average woman who sells a service or product such as this program offers - that is worth it's price despite the fact that commissions are being paid out on it through several levels - to make enormous sums of money for every one. The internet is full of such stories, this company, I assure you, will add to that list of people who become independently wealthy just because they took action and joined the right team at the right time for a very small investment. Sincerely,
Mike G
Michael T. Glaspie (Mike G) CEO and Founder, ICANGET2 Net Marketers Call Me Their Secret Weapon
PS: You may also want to attend our next WebinarOfTheYear.com to learn about other things we do!
www.iCANGetTwo.com
Copyright © 2016 The ICANetwork
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Funds Can Be Raised for Startups Continued from page 48
6. FundAnything (www.fundanything. com/en)
FundAnything is another digital platform for crowdfunding addressed to the general public. It can be used to raise money for almost anything. One of FundAnything’s main investors is 2016 presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has promoted it on his personal Twitter account. FundAnything charges a rate of 9% commission of the total contributions you get.
Indiegogo is one of the most popular crowdfunding sites due to its flexibility and being an accessible option for campaigns around the world to raise money for film, music, art and more.
“One of FundAnything’s main investors is 2016 presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has promoted it on his personal Twitter account.” Remember that these sites are all platforms that drive joint financing, therefore are not linked to any of the projects. Visit these sites and if it is within your reach, support projects that you like and potentially start your own project. Eileen Burton is a media and advertising consultant with years of leadership experience. She currently works for a UK-based company that helps clients who request, “Can you do my assignment for me?” Visit www.assignmentvalley.co.uk/do-my-assignment. When not consulting, she loves to immerse in her favorite activity, i.e., blogging on leadership and entrepreneurial topics.
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The Top Four Payroll Myths Debunked By Dr. Chandra Bhansali Myth #1: Your business is too small to outsource payroll. Many business owners often believe that in order to outsource their payroll, they need to meet a minimum number of employees or annual revenue. In reality, a small business is often the least equipped to handle the risks of processing payroll themselves. Even a one-person shop has the same stringent requirements for accuracy of calculations, timely deposit of taxes and filing of payroll tax forms as a 100-person firm. The year-end process of generating W-2, 1099’s and federal and state forms is particularly daunting. Furthermore, the penalties for late filing are very steep. By outsourcing your payroll, you ensure that all payroll compliance requirements are met, taxes are deposited on time and all forms are filed on time with 100 percent accuracy. This peace of mind is invaluable, especially for small businesses. Myth #2: It’s easier to do payroll in-house. By outsourcing your payroll processing, you not only reduce your risk, you also save the significant time and hassle of managing payroll-related tasks. According to a recent study by SCORE.org, nearly a third of business owners who handle their own payroll spend more than six hours each month on payroll—one in ten even reported spending over 10 hours. By working with your accountant, the time you spend on payroll will be minimal, giving you more time to do what matters most: growing your business. If you’re adamant about taking the lead on payroll, accountants working on cloudbased solutions, like AccountantsWorld’s Payroll Relief, can customize your level of involvement so that you work collaboratively. Myth #3: Even if I wanted to outsource payroll, I don’t know anyone who could do it. The best person to handle your payroll may be your closest financial advisor: your accountant. He or she knows the latest laws and rulings, such as the new overtime rule announced in May, that affect your payroll processes, so you don’t have to worry about reading and understanding these complex regulations. Additionally, as your company grows, the rules you need to follow will change. In 2013, the IRS issued penalties to 6.8 million businesses that filed payroll taxes incorrectly, many of which were due to failing to respond to changes in staffing and tax rules. Your CPA can work with you to adjust the process to ensure you’re in compliance with the new statutes. Myth #4: Outsourcing payroll will be costly. Larger payroll providers sometimes demand a minimum retainer, but there are plenty of other options for small business owners. Before you spend hours researching payroll vendors, check with your accountant. Because you’re already working with him or her, it makes sense to add payroll to your accounting services, especially if he or she will be handling your taxes. Accountants using cloud-based solutions can even sync with popular payroll programs like SwipeClock, so you won’t have to change your systems. And at the end of the year, you gain efficiencies and save money because your accountant already has your payroll data readily available.
Dr. Chandra Bhansali is CEO and co-founder of AccountantsWorld (www.accountantsworld.com), the pioneer in cloudbased solutions designed exclusively for accountants. He is a thought leader on best practices for accounting firms, and has been named one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting” by Accounting Today for over 10 years.
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Forums
The comment section of blogs and forums within your industry are excellent places to find customers. Be careful with this strategy and don’t be spammy, but if you see a question that relates directly to your products, answer it and post a link to your store. 9. Get it Shipped Once you have made a sale, make sure that you’re sending the item out no more than 24 hours after the sale. It’s also important to insure your shipment (some providers include insurance and tracking automatically). Remember that you can add tracking and insurance as shipping upgrade options that consumers pay for. And finally, adding your business logo to the shipping materials makes a nice finishing touch.
10. Don’t Forget the Post-Sale Wrap-Up Say thanks
Send a thank you email to your customer (you can automate this) or include a hard-copy thank you note with the customer’s shipment. Ask for feedback
Some platforms, like eBay, offer an opportunity for the seller to leave feedback for
”
11. Know the Importance of Testing Tweak various elements of your online sales process to see if they improve performance. Try different platforms, different items, and even different prices, as well as a variety of listing strategies and keywords. There is always a way to improve. These steps are just a baseline for opening a store. Continue to experiment and expand your presence to ensure you’re getting the most out of your online sales. UP AND RUNNING!
Take and utilize the steps outlined in this article to quickly build a foundation for longterm success in your very own home-based online store. With diligent planning and
Never take more than 48 “ hours to respond to an inquiry, or you could find yourself losing customers left and right.
the customer. Doing this will encourage the customer to leave feedback for you, and good feedback scores are essential to success, as they improve your reputation.
Try different platforms, “different items, and even Tweak and experiment with various elements of your online sales process to see if they improve performance.
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attention to proper branding and marketing of your store, it can become the next favorite seller on Ebay or Etsy! By targeting your ideal market, determining a reasonable price, establishing color schemes, locking down a trusted supplier, and developing an efficient and secure shipping strategy, your community of loyal customers will grow and impressive income will follow. Good luck on your new online venture and remember to log in daily to those social media accounts! Simon Slade is CEO and co-founder of SaleHoo, an online wholesale directory of over 8,000 prescreened suppliers; Affilorama, an affiliate marketing training portal with 300,000 members and over 100 free video lessons; and their parent company Doubledot Media Limited, which provides seven different training and software applications to over 500,000 customers worldwide. Visit https://www.salehoo.com/, https://www.affilorama.com/, and https://www.doubledotmedia.com/.
How Should A Small Business Owner Be Paid? By Simon Jones One of the biggest challenges start-up companies and small business owners face is how much should they pay themselves? How much should they take? And how often should it be done? Here is a list of pointers that can help you make these important decisions for your company.
Pay from Profits The first thing to note here is that any payment you receive should always be done from the profits of a company — that may not be very much initially as the business is starting out, but with a solid strategy in place this will soon grow. By only taking payments from profits, you will help yourself avoid one of the large pitfalls for new businesses – running out of cash. How Much Should You Take? You need to be smart here — pay yourself enough to live on, but not so much that you are preventing your business from reinvesting in itself and growing. How Often Should You Take Money? It can be tempting to only take money when you need it, but this can cause issues with forecasting finances involved in your business. Setting up regular payments, whether that be weekly or monthly, will be viewed in a better light by any employees you may have and any potential investors in the business. Remember, you can increase the amount you get paid over time — just make sure it is all coming from the profit! Remember the Legalities How you structured your business will affect how often and the type of way you
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can withdraw from it. If, for example, you are operating as a sole trader, then you can pay yourself however much you like at whatever intervals you see fit. If your business is structured in a different way and you have stakeholders or shareholders that you are accountable to, then this may not be possible — in any situation it’s always best to check with your accountant first. What to Avoid It is important to avoid withdrawing money from the business when it is going through financial hardship — paying yourself above employees is unlikely to have a positive impact on the business and could damage relationships with creditors if you are taking money over them. Don’t Forget If you are a sole trader, then there are many costs that you can claim back as expenses when owning your own business. A full list can be found on gov.uk. As long as they are legitimate costs connected to the business, then this can invariably help with managing both your personal and professional finances. Simon Jones says, “Writing means sharing. It’s part of the human condition to want to share things — thoughts, ideas, opinions.”
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SUCCESS STORIES
Entrepreneurial Powerhouse Runs L.A.’s Social Scene The h.wood Group Co-Founder John Terzian Owns and Operates Bootsy Bellows, The Nice Guy, and Other Must-Attend Establishments in the Los Angeles Area and Beyond By Shannah Henderson
L
os Angeles is the undisputed top hub for America’s most talked-about celebrities and lifestyle scene, and there is one man at the forefront of it all: John Terzian, co-founder of The h.wood Group. One of the most successful hospitality entrepreneurs of the past decade, John Terzian and The h.wood Group have introduced many über lucrative establishments to the upper echelon of L.A., including The Nice Guy (an extraordinary invite-and-reservation-only dining experience solely for friends and A-listers). The h.wood Group is also the creator of the world-famous Bootsy Bellows flagship brand. Terzian’s list of must-attend lounge and restaurant establishments is long and ever-growing. His first endeavor with The h.wood Group, SHOREbar in Santa Monica, has been open for over five years now and is renowned for its jaw-dropping bar program and architecture (it even received an award from Architectural Digest). The h.wood Group also owns The Blind Dragon karaoke lounge in LA (loved by today’s top stars and socialites), the ‘60s inspired Bootsy Bellows lounges in LA and Aspen, Heart of Omnia lounge in Las Vegas, and Henry’s (formerly
Hooray Henry’s), a sleek hotspot in West Hollywood. The h.wood Group also puts on many red carpet events each year, including a star-studded soiree for Coachella and the MAXIM Super Bowl Party. Before becoming the entrepreneurial sensation he is today, Terzian studied fine art at USC and then attended Pepperdine Law School. During this time, he also ran a successful event promotion business on the side, which fueled his passion for entrepreneurship. He now uses his background in art to help design all of his lifestyle venues. “I don’t think I was ever meant to work for anyone,” Terzian says. “I have a very entrepreneurial mindset and wanted to create things. I basically combined my passion for art with business, which
It’s a balancing game; “ you have to balance when to listen to others, when to take another person’s point of view, and when to stay true to your vision and be headstrong,” Terzian says.
”
Known for its posh bar featuring many corners for high status friends to congregate, The Nice Guy is John’s first food-centered venue. 54
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John Terzian is a co-founder of The h.wood Group, a Los Angeles-based lifestyle company specializing in upscale nightlife, event production, and more.
resulted in designing and creating venues.” Although he is extremely busy running Los Angeles’s upscale social scene, Terzian makes plenty of time to give back to his community and support local charities. He is on the board for Imagine LA, which helps homeless families in Los Angeles find a place to stay, find jobs, and live sustainable lives. He also created the Imagine Ball to help raise money for this charity. Terzian is also active with Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Fxck Cancer, and Give Love, which helps bring clean water to places in need all over the world, starting with Haiti. “My company is all about giving back,” Terzian says. “I encourage other people that are of my mindset to do the same.” Terzian now manages some of the administrative tasks from his home and lives by his father’s greatest business tip: “Don’t be an asshole.” This piece of advice helps Terzian always stay humble and work hard. He also believes that in order to maintain a healthy life balance, entrepreneurs must stay true to their vision. “It’s a balancing game; you have to balance when to listen to others, when to take another person’s point of view, and when to stay true to your vision and be headstrong,” Terzian says. “I have to live and die by my own decisions, so I might as well go with what I believe in.” The h.wood Group is already working on new establishments, including The Blind Dragon in Dubai. Terzian and his company have definitely experienced enormous success, but his aspirations are higher: “My dream has always been to build something that outlives me,” he says. “Long after I’m gone, I hope my entire brand I’ve created lives on.” Visit www.hwoodgroup.com. www.homebusinessmag.com
8/10/16 12:46 AM
Trip to Jamaica Inspires Mechanical Engineer to Design Unconventional Chair By Laurie Graff
J
ason Lutz had just graduated Ohio State University in 2008 when he headed up to Danville, VT to spend time with his mom. The mechanical engineer major was receiving offers from potential employers, but none had the same entrepreneurial appeal he’d experienced the summer before. Helping a friend construct a house in Jamaica, Lutz had become captivated by the locals’ use of natural resources to create products for exports. The idea of creating a fair trade bamboo furniture company lodged in his brain, he designed a traditional chair with an unconventional seat in bamboo. Lutz mom owned a cedar stand, the perfect setting for a contemplative retreat. The loggers hired to thin out her stand mistakenly clearcut the land, leaving behind a trail of trunks and branches of young white cedars. While his mom was devastated by the disaster, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Substituting
the white cedar for the bamboo, Lutz chose to try his hand at his Jamaican design. The project paid off. Lutz had reinvented the wheel ‌ or rather, the chair! Inspired by the idea of a suspended hammock chair, Lutz constructed a traditional chair with an unconventional seat that floated in the frame, attached to the back and suspended from the sides by rope. The result was an uber comfortable outdoor chair that hugs you like a hammock, and conforms to every person’s body type.
world. Fitting family tradition, he and his wife, Sarah Cooke, created the Vermont Cedar Chair Company.
Starting with the New England craft show circuit, Lutz entered and brought his chairs, selling out at the very first one. Elated by his success, his mom revealed that furniture building happened to be in his genes. Pulling out the family photo albums, Lutz learned that generations of his family had owned the Grand Rapids Chair Company (1872-1973), one of the largest furniture companies in the
Operating from a 4,000 square foot facility in Hardwick, VT, all of the white cedar is harvested by hand from stands within a 30-mile radius of Hardwick. As “waste not� is the company’s sustainable mantra, only trees with a trunk diameter of four inches or less are felled. This thinning process allows for the larger trees to fully mature. Visit www.vermontchairs.com.
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Interview with Bradley Cooper Continued from page 20
any of them down, so the good opportunities, I want to do them all and keep working with great actors and directors.�
to someone else. Each and every one of us did what we had to do — learned from scratch and got our hands dirty.� – Bradley Cooper any intentional planning towards movie stardom. For me, it’s just stay healthy, basically, and I know this won’t last so enjoy each and every day. It would be ungrateful not to. Q: You’ve got an insane work schedule with maybe half a dozen films on the go. You’ve come off the West End. Is that simply because like you said, it could all end tomorrow? BC: It’s because I know what it’s like not to work. It’s a struggling industry and you never know what’s around the corner. I think that’s true of any job, so it’s a badge of honor being called a busy actor. I know so many who still struggle, and I know what it’s like. It took me years to get to where I am today, and I am so unbelievably grateful for the opportunities coming my way. It just wouldn’t feel right turning any of them down, so the 56
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Courtesy of Reuters
“There was no shirking responsibility
Says actor Bradley Cooper, “I know what it’s like not to work. It’s a struggling industry and you never know what’s around the corner. I think that’s true of any job...�
good opportunities, I want to do them all and keep working with great actors and directors. Q: You recently spoke out in defense of your pal, Jennifer Lawrence’s stance on the gender pay gap. BC: It was never a position to speaking out, it was just a response to what Jennifer said. Q: But you’ve said you’ll be completely transparent about your salary from now on.
– Bradley Cooper BC: Well it’s such a taboo thing to talk about, but if it helps equality in whatever way, why not? Q: You work with same actors again and again, and Robert De Niro is one who’ve you’ve worked with repeatedly. Does that feel surreal to you? BC: Completely surreal. I see him as a man now, that myth is utterly broken, he is my friend, which is, in itself, a very surreal occurrence. I remember he came to my grad school and I asked him a question and it was the most nerve-wracking experience of my life. It was like a beam of light shot through my stomach when he looked at me and I used that as fuel for years when I would put myself on the line for something. When I would get rejected and getting turned down over and over, I’d think to the reception I got from Robert De Niro that day and keep going. www.homebusinessmag.com
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