August 27, 2016 / como / 0 Comments
Are you still looking for a job? Think about creating your own. There are a lot of business social networks to help you connect with other entrepreneurs and get the business ideas off the ground.
Here are the top 7 business networking sites and apps. Each helps entrepreneurs succeed by providing them with the guidance, tools and resources they need to start a business and gain exposure.
1. StartupNation
Most social networks for business neglect the content aspect that makes StartupNation so useful. With articles, forums, blogs, on-demand seminars, and podcasts, entrepreneurs will be better prepared for their ventures and have the resources required to make better business networking decisions.
There are a wide range of topics being discussed on StartupNation right now, including business planning, marketing and web-based business. The site also offers a series of competitions, such as an elevator pitch business networking competition. If youre an entrepreneur or hope to become one, this site is definitely one you cant miss out on.
2. LinkedIn
Its difficult to leave LinkedIn off of any business social network list because its so useful for anyone whos either searching for a job, is trying to network with like-minded individuals, or starting a business. LinkedIn offers many resources for entrepreneurs, such as groups, including the very popular On Startups group that has over 54,000 members.
Entrepreneurs on LinkedIn should brand themselves properly so they can attract the right kind of business opportunities, and perform searches to find service providers or partners. As an entrepreneur, you should also be looking to participate in LinkedIn Answers, events and business networks to spruce up your profile and become a valuable member to your LinkedIn network.
3. Entrepreneur Connect
Entrepreneur Media, the company that produces Entrepreneur Magazine, started a business social network years ago specifically for small business networking. Like all business social networks, you have the opportunity to create your own profile, explore the community and network. Unlike most social business networks, this one frowns upon too much self-promotion and applauds idea sharing.
You can use this business social network to connect to service providers, suppliers, advisers and colleagues. Just like LinkedIn and Facebook, there are business groups that you can join or create. Another cool feature is that youre able to start your own blog and possibly have it appear on the main page of the business social network.
4. Biznik
This isnt another LinkedIn clone. Instead, Biznik brands itself as a business social network that doesnt suck. The Biznik community is composed of freelancers, CEOs, and the self-employed. Like the other business social networks, this is a place for you to share ideas, instead of posting your resume. It is mandatory for all members to use real names and provide real data, and Biznik editors actually review all profiles to ensure compliance with that policy.
5. Cofoundr
The Cofoundr business social network is made up of idea makers, entrepreneurs, programmers, web designers, investors, freelancers and executives. The primary purpose of joining this network is to start a new web venture. Unlike most of the business networking sites already listed here, Cofoundr is a strictly private network, which means that you cant view member profiles before you register for an account.
Membership requires having a valid university or work email address, which means high schools students and younger arent allowed. The first thing you have to do is sign up, then specify your abilities and the people you are trying to business network with and finally, post your idea on the bulletin board or in the forum.
6. Perfect Business
If you want to meet thousands of serious entrepreneurs, experts and investors from a variety of industries, then Perfect Business might be the business networking site for you. The type of people youll find are potential business partners, potential clients and advisers. Additionally, the site has leading business partners like Entrepreneur and Virgin Money.
From business social networking to a video center where you can learn from successful entrepreneurs, a business plan builder and even an investor center, youll have most of the resources you need to start a business.
7. CityHour
Much more than a contact manager, CityHour social networking app easily syncs with your LinkedIn and Facebook accounts to instantly transform a collection of static digital contacts into an actionable network full of new people and opportunities. So whether you are looking to jumpstart new business efforts, explore career opportunities or create new partnerships,
with CityHour youre just a few taps away from a meeting that could change your life.
Oh, did we mention that its absolutely free?
August 26, 2016 / como / 0 Comments
In November 2004, talk radio host Tom Martino picked up the phone on his consumer-advice show. Unhappy Washington state resident Melissa Feroglia was calling to complain about a jet ski she had purchased in Boring, Oregon at John and Susan Gardner’s Mount Hood Polaris. Unfortunately for the Gardners, Martino’s show was nationally syndicated.
Feroglia told Martino that her jet ski had broken down again and again. According to Feroglia, John Gardner had first promised to refund her money, but had then said that her ski jet was fixed and there would be no refund. Feroglia concluded her woes by telling Martino that at that point the weather was too cold. She would have to wait until spring to try out her jet ski.
Martino, in the flip and annoying way of many talk show hosts who could not be bothered with the facts, then told Feroglia that Gardner was lying to her. Martino and Martino’s producer continued the saga by telling us of a cycle we are all far too familiar with: Calling the shop, being told to contact the manufacturer, contacting the manufacturer, and being told to call the shop again. We don’t know if their tale was true or not.
We do know that Martino said, “Polaris sucks.” The situation further spiraled out of control as Martino encouraged his listeners to contact Mount Hood Polaris and the manufacturer and tell them that they would never again buy any Polaris products.
John and Susan Gardner sued after their phone lines were flooded and they were threatened. The Gardner’s lawsuit stated that people driving by the store for several weeks shouted insults and the store lost approximately $600,000 in business. A judge dismissed their suit and in April a federal appeals court upheld the dismissal. According to the federal appeals court, this was basically not slander because reasonable talk show listeners do not expect facts on talk shows like Martino’s, just opinions. Without facts, there cannot be slander.
In the eyes of the law, any damage to the Gardners’ business and reputation was due to Martino’s opinion, not to any false fact or facts. Given that this damage could not have been caused by reasonable talk show listeners, the Gardners have no recourse. No law protects businesses from talk show hosts who urge unreasonable talk show listeners to damage the business.
Tom Martino has more critics than just the Gardners. His critics are concerned by the “Troubleshooter Referral List,” a list of businesses that Martino endorses. A business can join Martino’s list by paying a $3,000 fee and agreeing to a code of ethics. This code includes agreeing to let Martino decide disputes with consumers and follow his decisions. Martino also personally endorses business products and services on the air for payment. Critics question Tom Martino’s being a creditable consumer advocate due to the very substantial fees he earns from his endorsements.
Martino apparently enjoys both sides of the street. He appears to profit as an entertainer masquerading as a consumer advocate. He also appears to profit as a businessperson selling endorsements that appear to make him a pseudo consumer advocate. Unfortunately, his audience does not appear to notice that he is a pseudo consumer advocate. He is not the real thing.
Perhaps some day we will have a law that holds talk radio hosts liable for inflaming audiences that can reasonably be expected to cause damage. Until then, businesses savaged by Tom Martino will continue to occur damages, both justified and unjustified. In the final analysis, we have no idea if the Gardners were fine upstanding business people or not. We don’t know anything about their business practices. We can definitely state that it would have required some very bad business practices for $600,000.00 in damages to have been a fair penalty. We can conclude two things from this: We need laws to handle situations like this and we need to watch out for Tom Martino and other talk show hosts like him.
August 26, 2016 / como / 0 Comments
Well, here you are. You have taken the first step in owning your own business. Congratulations! I would also like to thank you for purchasing this directory that will catapult your business with the necessary products, that are both fun and functional like fashion cufflink.
Being your own boss is fun. But it is also a lot of hard work. You get to call the shots. You decide how things will be run and when. Starting your own wholesale cufflinks business is a dream come true for a lot of people. You don’t need a big brick and mortar store anymore with the internet being so widely used.
However, a cufflink business plan is still a top priority. It doesn’t have to be real elaborate. Just something that will keep you focused on your goals. Maybe you want to stay home with the kids, and have a little side business that doesn’t require you to go out of your home each day to an office. Maybe selling products for an animal rescue group to get the needed money for the day to day expenses in saving lives, is what you want to do. Or maybe you have a special dog club that needs funds for all those activities.
Whatever it is, a business plan will still help you. Don’t neglect this part of the business. It all starts with an idea. Then keep adding to that. Get help
when you need it. When you feel like you are stagnating, it is probably becausc you arc not sure how to handle something. Remember, you are the boss, and even the boss can ask for help.
When I decided to compile and put these directories into distribution I decided how the layout would be. I wanted the type to be large, as 1 personally hate reading 10 point type, it is just too small. All the details fell to me. Did 1 ask for input when I got stuck? You bet!
I didn”t always follow others advice, but it got me thinking and I stayed on task.
Sometimes just leaving a project for a few hours and coming back to it later can give you a fresh perspective.
Try to think of the whole cufflink idea as fun. Yes, there will be things you don”t know how to do. So what. You can learn to do them. It all takes time. In fact, sometimes, thinking things over can help you eliminate a lot of problems. Don’t feel like you need to have the whole business up and running today. Set yourself some small goals to work toward, and use that as your guide.
Before long, everything will be finished and your business will be ready for its first customer. When that day comes, celebrate!
Getting Organized
The best time to get your office organized is right now, before you even start your business.
It makes your productively so much more efficient when things are organized. So I encourage you to get in the habit and start now.
The directory lists only one vendor per page. The reason is so that all orders and notes pertaining to that vendor can be recorded easily. It has a space for who you talked to at that company.
There is also a chart where you can list your orders with each vendor. How you paid for the order, and when it was received. Plus any special notes that you will find helpful. There is also a Master Copy included, that you can photo copy and continue the process once you fill the original chart. As time goes on, these charts will prove very valuable to you for comparing costs, not only for products but also for shipping costs, delays, back orders, how returns are handled, etc. But only if you take the time to fill them out.
File folders will also prove to be very helpful. Make a folder for each vendor and put your invoices into each one. Although most of these vendors are listed on the internet and have a website, some of them may also have a print catalog. If they do have a catalog, I encourage you to order one. These catalogs are useful in comparing products and you can do that while enjoying the fresh outdoors. No need to stay inside on those wonderful days.
After all, you are now your own boss and can do as you like. Put these catalogs into each folder as well.
This is also a good time to decide if any outsourcing will be done.
If you don’t like to do something, and you find that you put it on the back burner and it never gets done, those are the things to outsource. Maybe it”s taxes. Get an accountant to do that. Maybe it’s web design. Although that can be outsourced as well, you will benefit if you get some knowledge in how your website is set-up and how to make changes on it.
Having a separate checking account for your business is a good idea. Do it right from the start. If you are planning on using a credit or debit card, try to only use one. It makes keeping track of finances so much easier.
Also, be sure to follow all guidelines for resale numbers, wholesale business licenses, etc. Run your business like a professional.
Most of your shipping supplies can be obtained right from the post office. When shipping an order to your customer, putting a delivery confirmation on the box will insure that your package is tracked, right up to delivery.
Be sure to use insurance when shipping breakable products. Even with packaging well, breakage may occur. Follow through with your customer to remedy the situation and your customer will be happy with your “service after the sale”. A happy life-long customer is an asset to your business.
Sending updates to your customers, directing them back to your web-site on new arrivals, special offers, close-outs and upcoming holidays, will increase your bottom line. Make a habit of marketing your business. Set aside some time each week to think about advertising your business. Then do it.
To be successful, you need customers. Happy customers will spread the word about your business. Have a link on your website that they can send an announcement to a friend saying, “I thought you would like this site”. Wholesale Fashion Cufflink
August 24, 2016 / como / 0 Comments
The definition of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) in 90s included finance, human resources, order management and manufacturing. Because of todays high level competition in businesses, customer satisfaction have gained top priority in everyones mind. However, today ERP is referred as a technology strategy that joins a set of business functions, such as finance, HR and purchasing, with operational aspects, such as manufacturing or distribution, through tight linkages from operational business transactions to financial records. Its a widespread idea that executing ERP improves efficiency and provides a transparent view on productivity and growth. An enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution checks your business software that has been designed to record and manage your enterprise data.
Advantages of a well-planned ERP
A good ERP strategy must include potential vendors, business processes, business requirements, business goals, deployment strategy, business and technical architecture. ERP is considered as the backbone of a businesss operations and the primary system-of-record.
1. Combination of all business processes
To understand a well implemented ERP system, it must combine all aspects of your business from customer, to planning and scheduling, till the production and distribution of the products that you make.
2. Increases overall performance
Applying an ERP solution will check that the routine reporting work of employees at all levels are reduced. It also helps your companys management to understand their workforce in a better manner from analyzing individual performance through different business sites to visualizing the overall performance of an entire operating zone. Hence, it helps organizations to take strategic decisions as well.
3. Operational efficiency
If your business is small with less than 50 employees, then it is easier for you to manage, control and track things. But, when the business multiplies and you have an employee strength of more than 1000 employees, it becomes difficult to maintain and control workforce, different processes and procedures. Implementing an ERP solution could help businesses update variety of processes, log them and track them on an hourly basis. In addition, it increases productivity and profitability thereby reducing operating and overhead expenses.
4. Improves accuracy and consistency
In organizations where different departments are not properly integrated, information is inconsistent and sometime inaccurate. The views of every department might vary and hence, the information that they provide the manager will also be different. This hints to confusions and wrong decisions being made. Implementing an ERP solution will make sure that all information is maintained and managed in a consistent manner across the departments.
5. Quality Reports and Performance Analysis
Analysis on ERP will allow you to produce financial and meeting room quality reports, as well as to conduct analysis on the performance of your organization. Overall, ERP solutions work as an excellent information tool especially for medium and large businesses, for better decision making and accomplishing required goals. Hence, its a must for every growing business.
August 23, 2016 / como / 0 Comments
The World Wide Web has created many new industries all by itself and enhanced many others. Think of a business today that does not have an internet presence in some way and I’ll show you a business that will fail.
The internet as big as it is now is only in its’ infancy in terms of growth. Now that is a scary thought. It seems some businesses do better than others in that world.
The self defense products business is one of them. Selling stun guns, pepper sprays, hidden cameras, TASERs, home security devices and personal alarms on the internet is one of the few bright spots in a failing economy.
The demand for these unique, hard to find, easy to sell products has never been higher.
They are not readily available in stores. You can make as much as $100’s to $1000’s a week selling these items that most people have only heard about but not seen. Now is the time.
Self-defense and personal protection wholesale products sell really well these days. Why? Because they have become essential products these days. If you can make them available, people will come in huge numbers to get them. So now is the time to profit and make some fast money with such home business ideas.
So start distributing our wholesale products and become your own boss.
People the world over prefer to opt for their own home business. This is how they can achieve financial freedom quick… by working from the convenience of home.
We will show how you can sell at flea markets, guns shows, through mail order, at house parties and set up retail routes. You don’t even have to stock any products… we will drop ship for you! Now is the time.
Think about this: HOW MANY RETAILERS OR SMALL BUSINESSES IN YOUR TOWN SELL STUN GUNS AND PEPPER SPRAYS? Hmmmmmmm?
Not too many if your town is like most in the country
There is no minimum investment other than $3.00 for a 32 page color catalog that you can use to take orders.
Once you get your catalog you can start ordering right away. How hard is that?
Establish a wholesale account today and be the first to market and sell Self Defense Products to retailers and small businesses in your town. Now is the time!
All it takes to get going is the determination to be successful and $3 for a catalog. It is really that easy to get started. I will help you along the way to be successful.
If you are good at marketing and sales and love helping people especially to defend themselves this could be the opportunity you have been looking for.
The longest journey starts with the first step. What are you waiting for? Now is the time!
Please note: stun guns and pepper sprays have restrictions in some cities and states.