Is accumulating wealth as easy as following a 3-step plan? Yes it is and no it isn't. As with many things in life, accomplishing a goal such as accumulating one million dollars (or even $100,000) depends on your desire, your personal choices and your daily actions. Let's start with one example on how you might miss this goal. One of the first components of successfully meeting any goal is to have the desire (or a compelling reason)....more
Starting up a new venture or business can be one of the most exciting times of your life. It can also be one of the most stressful. In the early months, or even early years of your business, cash flow is often not what you would like it to be. If you're a solo entrepreneur, you're wearing many hats - in fact, you're probably wearing all of them. Not only are you selling your product or service, you're marketing it, doing...more
Passwords have a strange dual nature. The stronger and safer the password the more likely it will be undermined by human weakness.It is widely known that passwords are the most common means of access control. It is also common knowledge that passwords are the easiest way to compromise a system. Passwords have two basic functions. First, they allow initial entry to a system. Next, after access, they grant permission to various levels of information. This access can range from public data to restricted trade secrets and pending patents.The best passwords are a lengthy and complex mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols. The tendency for people when using these formats is to write them down, store them on a hand held device, etc. thus destroying the integrity of the password.The integrity of passwords can be circumvented through "Human Engineering." People can unwittingly make grave errors of judgment in situations that they may view as harmless or even helpful. For example, a password is shared with a forgetful employee and a system can be compromised. In more ominous cases, a con artist or hacker can phone a naïve employee and present themselves as senior...more
Seminars dealing with "special topics" have actually been around for decades, and are an older form of marketing and information exchanges, that have seen quite a resurgence of interest in the past ten years.Seminars are simply a group of people coming together for the discussion and learning of specific techniques and topics. Usually there are...more
The CEO of a worldwide business asked me to help him develop a talk he planned to give to several hundred of his top executives. He said, 'I feel as if I'm Daniel going into the lion's den.' Indeed, it was the business equivalent of a lion's den that he was entering. Hired from a competing firm, he was a stranger to the...more
Is customer service a lost art? Before you answer that question, take a moment and think about the last few times you have gone shopping or out to dinner. Okay, now that you have really thought about it, is your answer any different?Why is it that when we actually DO receive excellent customer service that it makes such an impression on us that we usually choose to go back? Why - because the occurrences are so few and far between!!!As a home business owner, it is imperative to my business that customer service is ALWAYS a top priority. Remember the saying: "If you don't take care of your customer, somebody else will". I'm sure you have read or heard it somewhere before.....and how true it is.Here are a few ways to improve customer service at your business:1) SMILE - Sounds too simple, right? As a customer, would you prefer to be serviced by a smiling face, or a scowl that would befit a guard dog?2) LISTEN - Always be slow to speak and quick to listen. Let customers express themselves without you trying to do it for them. Nobody likes being interrupted.3) DON'T BE TOO PUSHY - Yeah, I know - the bottom line is sales, right?There is a fine line between suggesting...more
This is a question many people have asked themselves, sometimes over and over. Is it possible for the average person to start and run a successful home business? I'm here to say that the answer is a resounding YES!With that said, there are some...more
Do you own your own home business? Is your family involved with your daily business? Yeah, I know at times it seems easier to just do everything yourself. It is an easy trap to get into. Why take the time to explain the job, show them how it should...more
Believe it or not, 2004 is already here. Yeah, I know, where has the time gone? My mom always told me that as I got older, the years would start to fly by. Did anyone ever tell you that? Did you believe them? Well it is happening to me right...more
Do you own a home business? Now I'm not talking about the twice yearly yard sale. I am talking about a legitimate home based business. It doesn't matter what type of business you are running affiliate marketing, ecommerce website, ebay...more
The American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 imposed strict new rules on non-qualified deferred compensation plans. Beginning in 2005, deferred compensation programs that are not in compliance with the new rules may be taxed as wages, slapped with a 20%...more
The N-word! We all know the value of networking and we feel we should be doing more of it. Unfortunately, for too many of us the very thought of attending an event where we have to mix and mingle with total strangers is enough to drive us into hiding...more