Сентябрь 2010

How to Start a New Business

Copyright (c) 2009 Sherry Tingley

The economy has forced many people to consider alternative lines of income and many are starting their own businesses. There are a lot of ways to make money with your own business, but before you start there are a few things you should learn.

First things first, you must be very clear on the type of business you are to set up. Success begins when you have clear goals and know how to take actions to achieve these. Before starting, you must write down your business idea clearly. This will help you plan strategically. Different types of business have different types of strategic approaches and marketing strategies in order to become successful. You should also set your goals based on your skills. Let’s be realistic here. Being successful in business also depends on your skills and attitude. If you think your expertise is not adequate, then you can ask for help and assistance from business professionals. In order to start your business properly, be sure you have sufficient financing. And one thing more, choose a good spot to start your business. Upon considering all of these, things will go on smoothly.

There are other things you need to get started legally and officially. You cannot just put up a shop and sell products without having some permits. Above all, you need a business permit/license to start. This is a universal truth, whatever state or country you live in, a business permit must be obtained. In the US, business licenses are issued by the state, so expect some differences in requirements and guidelines per state. You can get a business license online or go directly to the county clerk’s office. It is suggested you go directly to the clerk’s office and Occupational License Department to get answers to your questions right away. Sometimes, there are areas or zones where certain business establishments are not allowed.

Another thing you need to do is to register your business name with the Internal Revenue Service. You are required to have either a Federal Tax Identification number or an Employee Information number. This can be obtained online at www.irs.gov. You will want to estimate approximate taxes and business fees that you will need to pay. These things may appear tedious but after getting everything done legally, you won’t be facing any more problems regarding your business.

A resale certificate or a wholesale license is also needed. Any business establishment that sell products need a reseller’s permit. Having this permit allows you to collect sales taxes. For more information on how to get a reseller’s permit, you can go to http://www.businessnameusa.com. You may also want to visit http://www.business.gov for more details on starting a business.

Here are some useful links you might want to visit to help you with your business plan and strategic planning:

http://www.themanager.org/pdf/Businessplan.PDF

http://www.sos.mo.gov/business/corporations/startBusiness.asp

http://www.state.nj.us/njbusiness/starting/

http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/

How to Start your Qwn Business

There are common steps which should be followed when we start our own business. Thus, the general procedure includes choosing your business idea, learning legal requirements, finding financial resource, choosing appropriate location, launching marketing campaign and hiring employees (How to Start your Own Business 1). I believe that the most important tasks in this procedure are choosing the right business idea and finding money for business startup.
Promising start-ups bear a remarkable resemblance to the popular new businesses, both in the ordinariness of their concepts and in the limited experience and credentials of their founders (Acs and Audretsch 88). As we might expect, the many new businesses started every year in cleaning services, real estate brokerage, lawn maintenance, and so on, do not involve any material innovations. The human capital needed to start such businesses is also limited. Starting a beauty salon or acquiring a real estate broker’s license may require a modest amount of prior training or apprenticeship; the skills required for lawn maintenance, home cleaning, or painting can be acquired in days. The limited innovation and investment in human capital needed to start such popular businesses is only to be expected. The ease of entry makes the businesses popularand limits their profitability. It is surprising, however, that most successful businesses also do not start with innovative concepts or founders with much significant prior experience or training (Baumol 97).
There are several examples which prove everything that was mentioned above. Robert Grosshandler and two partners started the Softa Group because they saw opportunities for «a simple software product.» (Baumol 103). Their first product, Total Recall, gave the partners «market knowledge» but was otherwise not a great success. On the side the Softa Group operated another mundane businessselling hardware and peripheralsto generate cash flow.

Philip Cramer founded Compuclassics, a software mail order company, in 1984. In his previous job at a music company, Cramer had telephoned a mail order company to purchase a database package: «It took me about ten calls to get through, so I thought that either they can’t handle the demand or they have a lousy phone system!» (Baumol 89). Cramer had a brother-in-law who was a software distributor. «I was tired of the music business, so I asked him about mail order. He thought it was a good idea, but he couldn’t do it because he didn’t want to compete against the people he was selling to.»(Baumol 90) Cramer then decided to enter the business himself. «We weren’t breaking new groundwe were in the second wave. But, we had examples that told us that if we did it right, we’d be okay. Our philosophy was that we’d charge a little more and go out of our way to service.» (Baumol 93).
Karen Kirsch founded Best Mailing Lists, a broker of mailing lists for the direct mail industry, after working for another company in the same business. «My service and product were not unique, but I offered service to which no one could compare.» (Baumol 134).
The widespread lack of innovative ideas often accompanied by limited business or industry experience, preclude typical entrepreneurs from raising much capital from investors. To issue equity in a start-up that does not have an ongoing stream of cash flow, an entrepreneur has to convince investors that the enterprise has assets that can generate cash flow in the future. Investors have to believe that the start-up merits a positive «pre-money» valuation deriving from some intellectual property or human capital that the entrepreneur has contributed to the venture (Dixit and Pindy 56). Most start-ups, however, don’t have the assets that an objective investor would consider valuable. The founders, therefore, have to rely on their own resources or raise funds from relatives or friends who are willing to overlook the founder’s me-too strategies and inexperience.
Many entrepreneurs don’t have significant personal means (or rich and trusting friends), so ventures that turn out to be out-of-the-ordinary successes often start with the same limited means as the typical lawn care or painting business. As we might expect, most of the hundreds of thousands of businesses launched in the United States every year start with little capital (Kelly 80). Most of the founders of companies started their businesses with meager personal savings and borrowings or funds raised from families and friends (Kelly 98).
In many start-ups the founders have little to offer investors besides their hopes and dreams. The entrepreneurs believe that they can somehow make a profit, but investors do not. Their capital constraint derives from the absence of objective information about their ability to make a profit, rather than their inability to accurately communicate this information. Even with utterly honest entrepreneurs, investors can only discover after the fact who has the innate capacity to succeed. If the average entrepreneur cannot earn a profit, investors will not back any of them.
Access to funding depends on whether the expected returns are large enough to cover the costs of investigation and ongoing oversight (Kirzner 144). These costs can be substantial compared to the magnitude of the expected payoffs. Therefore, very often entrepreneurs with novel ideas cannot raise outside capital to start their ventures.
The other question to be answered while starting a new business is whether to serve the local market or the large well-established market. Generally it is easier to serve local markets or a small number of customers with specialized needs (Kirzner 98). In some cases new businesses are designed to serve customers who were both local and had special needs. The first client for Inter-Ad, a manufacturer of public access computer information systems, was the city of Rochester. InterAd’s founder, James Odorczyk, recalled: «The city was about to celebrate its 150th birthday, and they needed a system to put in City Hall to talk about Rochester. We were offering touch screens and high-resolution graphics, which attracted a lot of people. And the city wanted someone local and they had budgets and timelines, which didn’t allow them to do a lot of shopping. We were the only game in town then, and we did a complete system, with custom programming included, for $25,000.» (Dixit and Pindy 55).
By serving local or specialized customers, new businesses avoid competition from large, well-established companies.
In some cases entrepreneurs pick niche markets where they do not expect large profits because they want to establish a springboard or base for more ambitious subsequent initiatives.
Capital and other constraints, we have seen, usually force the founders of promising ventures to pursue small-scale opportunities. But small-scale by itself cannot explain the unusual profitability of such start-ups; after all, the popular marginal ventures also operate in small, localized markets (Baumol 148). The distinguishing characteristic of promising niches is uncertainty (Kelly 159). Uncertainty does not, of course, assure attractive returns, but it does allow entrepreneurs with small initial resources a better chance of making a profit than the typical popular business with predictably poor returns. Although promising businesses have the same low most likely payoff, they come with a valuable option or lottery ticket attached.
One important source of uncertainty derives from unsettled market conditionsfor example, new technology, regulatory regime, fashion, or other such external change. Starting a profitable business in a stable market, where competitive forces have long shaken out weak technologies and firms, requires a significantly better approach or new «combination» (Kirzner 43). In highly competitive fields such as house painting or lawn care, providing the same products or services as everyone else can yield only low average returns. In businesses where long-standing relationships, reputations, and other such barriers to entry generate high profits for the incumbents, imitation or small modification of existing products and technologies leads to returns that are greater than average (Kirzner 83).
In a new or changing market, however, entrepreneurs often do not require a significant innovation or insight to make a profit. Customers and suppliers lack information about their alternatives, so many firms, all offering the same products and using the same technologies, can make a profit. We commonly attribute such profits to «shortages» or an «excess of demand over supply»; in fact, entrepreneurs do not need the foresight or the luck to acquire a good that later becomes scarce (Kelly 90). They can exploit the lack of information, buying inputs cheap from uninformed suppliers and selling them dear to uninformed customers. They do not even need to discover the opportunity themselves or realize they are engaging in a form of arbitrage. As long as buyers and sellers remain ill-informed, they can simply follow the example of others.
New markets have other attractive features for start-ups. Incentives to compete on price are limited, especially if demand is expanding, because all the players are profitable. Inexperience makes customers more tolerant and trusting. They don’t have well-formed expectations about product quality and knowledge of what could go wrong. The playing field is level. The start-up does not have to displace rivals who have established reputations, and cost advantages deriving from their accumulated experience, and customers locked in because of inertia or switching costs. In mature markets entrants have to take their share away from those businesses which have already entered the market. Some researchers propose to create a database of segments which you consider for starting your business (Finding a Niche 1). This database will help to gather all information about the market and choose the most suitable option.
Therefore, starting your own business involves firmness and strong to desire. As it was already mentioned, it is not necessarily to have original ideas, experience, and capital; it totally depends on the entrepreneur’s personal ability to satisfy fuzzy customer wants. It is, also, important to remember that popular fields for start-ups such as beauty care salons and lawn maintenance, competition between businesses of roughly equal capabilities forces all businesses to subsist at a very similar and low level of profitability. Competing in small, uncertain niches also allows the entrepreneur to avoid competing against well-capitalized rivals.

How to Keep Your Skin Clear Using Black Skin Care Products

Having clear skin is something everything wants. It not only makes you look good, it makes you feel good. Skin is the largest organ in (or on) the human body, so you should be just as concerned with your skins well-being as you would be with your brain, heart, and lungs. However, having clear skin is often challenging for many people. There are many factors, like genetics, that make it harder for some individuals to have healthy skin. But luckily, there are many black skin care products available that can help even the most breakout-prone skin.

If you’ve been struggling with keeping your complexion clean, clean and under control, here is a little guide to help you get the skin you deserve.

1) Wash Your Face. This may seen like a given, but for many people, a regular face-washing regimen isn’t part of their lifestyle. If you don’t wash your face regularly, this can seem a little tiring. Not cleaning your skin properly can really cause some skin problems. The main cause of acne is blocked pores, so establishing a routine face washing schedule can really make a difference in terms of skin clarity. Find a cleanser that works well with your skin type and use it morning and night daily. An evening face washing session is important because it clears out all of the dirt, oil, skin cells, and various toxins collected by your pores though out the day. There are many black skin care products on the market today that can truly give your skin the care it needs.

2) Try Skin Lightening Cream. A big problem for many darker skinned individuals is the black spots acne leaves behind. It’s frustrating because you spend so much time trying to get rid of the actual blemishes, and when you do, they still leave behind their ugly scars. If you are struggling with trying to get rid of unsightly discoloration as a result of acne, skin lightening cream is a great solution. Skin lightening cream is a bleach-free substance that nourishes, tones, and gradually evens out skin complexions. This gradual lightening process works wonders on discolorations and black spots, giving you that velvety complexion you’ve always wanted.

3) Give Yourself a Weekly Facial. Many makers of black skin care products have excellent facial treatments that are specially designed for acne-prone skin. These specially formulated black skin care products are great for drying up acne pimples. If skin dryness is a problem for you, there are also hydrating formulas. You just need to match your skin needs with the type of mask available and ultimately, you will find skin care success.

4) Eat Healthy and Drink Water. It’s no secret that a balanced diet and adequate water intake have positive correlation to clear skin. So if you are using your black skin care products religiously, and still aren’t seeing results, you may want to adjust your diet and water intake. You should be drinking at least 8 glasses a day and eating lots of fruits, veggies, and lean protein.

All in all, with the right combination of black skin care products, a healthy diet, and most importantly, a healthy attitude, clear skin is possible!

Industrial suspended ceilings

Have you ever thought about getting industrial suspended ceilings installed? Are you wondering how to get it done and who to ask for the job? There is some good news for you. Installing your own industrial suspended ceilings can be perfectly done all by yourself. Granted, it will take you quite some time for an average room, but it is well-worth the effort. As a result, the job is best undertaken by at least two people who are somewhat experienced in doing technical jobs around the house . However, one does not really need any specific expertise to do the job, as the tools and techniques that are in the process used aren’t too difficult.

You usually don’t need a permit to work on your industrial suspended ceilings, but it is always a good idea to check the regulations at the local building department, just in case. Better safe than sorry. Regulations may differ for industrial purposes.

Industrial suspended ceilings are supposed to be hung from the ceiling joists with a metal grid. This creates the opening between both the joists and the ceiling where wires, pipes, and ductwork can be installed and worked on. A tile ceiling is either glued directly to an existing ceiling or onto so-called «furring strips» that are glued or nailed to the existing ceiling. This type of ceiling works very well both in covering over any older existing ceilings or where a lack of height is a consideration and a suspended ceiling would drop wat too low for comfort. All you need for an industrial suspended ceiling is sufficient head space. Requirements vary, but most codes insist that you need a minimum 7 1/2- feet ceiling height for a new construction.

Industrial suspended ceilings needn’t just look great in your house, they also hold many great advantages. They are great at muffling all sound, covering up wires and cables, supporting lighting systems and they often have fireproof characteristics. For example, ceilings made of mineral fiber on the other hand are a good option for rooms with a possible fire hazard, which is an important factor for industrial buildings But for most other purposes, a classic industrial suspended ceiling is the best choice.

Always make sure you use the right tools while installing your own industrial suspended ceilings is using the right tools. Fortunately, an industrial suspended ceiling isn’t that difficult to install and requires no expensive equipment. However, since you are most likely covering a medium-size to large room, the metal grid requires at least two people to install it. Many of the tools needed for either suspended or tile ceilings are the same, including  metal tape, straightedge, nails, a ladder, safety goggles and face mask, a pencil, chalkline, a drywall pan, a miter box, a screwdriver, tiles, ganer wire, cross tees, a coping saw and many more.

Integrated Lead Generation – Use Multi-channel Approach for Marketing

No one in the print and mail world is denying the benefits of the internet and online marketing channels.  However, smart marketers who understand their prospects also realize that putting all of their marketing budgets into an online environment can be a costly mistake.  
To truly get the most bang for your marketing dollar, you need to stick with the tried and true approach of an integrated plan.  With the barrage of marketing messages hitting your target audience every day, creating a plan that features different channels – both on- and off-line – will greatly improve your chances for success.
Further, you can use both online and off-line direct mail channels to work together.  For example, if you are launching a new B:B lead generation campaign featuring a limited time offer, you could use a teaser email as a first touch, highlighting some of the key product benefits and features, while encouraging recipients to be on the lookout for a valuable offer in the mail.  Then, when that direct mail piece arrives, the call-to-action could direct the recipient to a personal URL where pre-filled form and data capture would occur.
Obviously, if the recipient takes the time to open and click-through the teaser email, they can go through the same experience and you can eliminate the second direct mail touch, but since email inboxes are so cluttered today, the teaser email often times can act as more of a brand impression and «heads-up» that helps trigger a reminder for the recipient when the direct mail piece arrives.
Again, with the thousands of marketing messages pounding consumers daily, the best way to stand out and get noticed is through the use of an integrated, multi-touch approach.