Get ahead of the competition! Beat the Christmas rush.Express your thanks for your present customer base during the Thanksgiving season. Watch the short video and look below for a list of ideas you can use to say THANKS to those people helping you build your business today. Here are 10 ways to Say Thanks at Thanksgiving1. Send a turkey - with a note.2. Write a note - by email and more preferably on paper, with a pen and using snail mail: "Thanks for helping our business prosper this ye... Read Full Story

Will I Make Money or Lose My Shirt with Online Home Based Business?There are so many opportunities online shouting out about how much money you can make and how little work it takes.Having been a business consultant for 20+ years, I have some concerns.Recently I posted a couple articles on the subject and found a couple more I think my readers would enjoy.Click on any link below to find the article – Enjoy!How to Determine if the Home Based Opportunity is Legitimate – Harmony Thie... Read Full Story

Get A Fresh Breath Of Inspiration From William Kamkwamba I am forever it seems dreaming dreams beyond myself.  At times, I can get discouraged wondering how to do what I imagine.  Where to get the tools?  The money?  The knowledge, and the right connections?Today I received my newsblast from the Chris Voss Show. I am a subscriber to Chris's material and he included the story (from TED) which I am now including below. If you need a dose of YOU CAN DO IT, you have come ... Read Full Story

My Friends Helped Me Make My PurchaseBusinesses beware!  Gone are the days of the slightly dazed consumers standing at your product counter asking for your help and advice on a product.  Today they know about your products, and most likely you, before they ever enter your store. They are using a wide variety of online mediums to help them make their buying decisions. Social networking better be changing the way you do business, or it will change your business!Here is my story.&... Read Full Story

It's Christmas Retail SeasonFor many small retail businesses, the Christmas season provides the much-needed opportunity for increased sales and wider margins.  It’s common for those precious few weeks to represent 30% or more of the year’s revenues. How can small businesses capitalize on this festive and potentially lucrative season?Here are a few suggestions to keep in mind as you build your seasonal strategy:1.  Plan AheadDon’t’ wait until November to ... Read Full Story

Friday Afternoon and Time to Cut the Payroll ChecksIt’s Friday and you’ve got a pile of bills in the office, 3 employees waiting for their paychecks and leaking tiles in the main warehouse.  Small business challenges are tough, and if you’re waiting for payment from a major customer account, lack of cash flow can put a stranglehold on your optimism and leave you gasping by Friday at 4 pm.Banks. Buds, and blessed family many not have the answers you need.  In this e... Read Full Story

Everyone Wants to be a GOOGLE Star!When it comes to websites, search engines and optimizing your presence on the internet (SEO, Search Marketing), small business owners need to insure they have good page ranks. Page ranking in Google or other Search engines like BING or YAHOO! involve several components, and links from other websites to yours is a key element. Here is the link to a great list of DO NOT DO when it comes to acquiring links.Links are important and it’s worth your time to... Read Full Story

If someone has it in their heart to do what they love, and they are READY to take the consequences for that decision, (perhaps less pay, less glamour, hard work, sacrifice etc.) amazing doors will open.Here are a few examples:Nicole Lander loved outdoor combat. Today she owns Battlefield Sports and recently won the Nokia Business Innovation Award at the 2009 TelstraQueensland Business Women's Awards. Judges referred to her business idea as “revolutionary” and her testimony inspiri... Read Full Story

Business InnovationInnovation is the process that follows creative thought.  Although I love to teach creative thinking in the workplace, I am continually faced with the proverbial issue: Ideas are all dressed up with nowhere to go.In our Friday Business of the Week Awards and our Innovative Business Leaders articles, we will continue to offer stories, examples, problem solving, inspiration and frank talk about the need for and process to enable creative thought and innovative strategies... Read Full Story

Small Business of the Week AwardThis weeks’ prestigious award goes to: Vancore Plastic Packaging.Every successful business has a unique selling proposition: something that sets them apart from their competitors and gives consumers a reason to buy from them.Rarely would I term HONESTY as a USP, but Vancore Plastic Packaging has taught me a lesson.Owned by two new entrepreneurs, Cheryl Marshall and Abbas Rehmanji, Vancore tells the true story about plastic and the damage it can do to our ... Read Full Story