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Freelancing Writing – A Good Home Based Business Idea

Are you fed up with your long hours of busy office works? Want to get rid of your crazy boss? Then freelancing could give you ample opportunities to be your own boss and find a fortune out of your skills. As it is told that ‘where there is a will, there is a way’, you could find your fortune through this opportunity once you have a willing mind and some time to spend over it.

Freelancing owes you many jobs including writing and translation, computer associated jobs, search engine optimization, web designing and so on. There are also several opportunities for data entry, form filling, internet marketing etc. Here the most important advantage is that the real benefit goes for both the employees as well as the employers. These days people prefer finding good home based business ideas rather than opting for an irritating day job. This may be the reason why more and more of us are attracted to the style of freelance writing.

Here the freelancers could work from home, can choose own hours of working and also could bring good financial benefit as well. If one wants to get to the freelancing style, then you should have a 24 hour internet service that will help you to find and advertise your job and the required skills. One of the essential gifts that any freelancer owns is the World Wide Web that helps to expand small business of freelancing to greater world of marketing and new opportunities.

Initial step that any of you should follow before entering freelancing is to write down your skills and achievements. This will act as a portfolio and will fetch you more orders. Another thing is to search for a good freelancing agency which is web based and that could pay you nicely. If you are confident to guide yourself and do your job well, then you have a long way to go with the help of this home based business idea.

Most of your writing jobs will revolve around writing quality SEO articles which will be used to promote the client’s websites on various article directories. Don’t worry if you don’t know about the topic. You can search on the internet, find ideas and group them and write in your own words.

Once you become a famous writer you will get tons of orders for writing articles, website reviews and product reviews. So, go ahead and start building your freelance writing career.

Business Ideas Make Good Business

Ideas are the genesis of all things, seen and unseen. In the same way, business ideas are the genesis of all things business, service and product.

All things in this universe began with an idea. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, that did not spawn from an idea. Look around you and take note of what you see. If you are in an office, you might see a desk, a computer, a bookshelf, wood flooring, a lamp, some wall texture, a fan…

You may be on your back porch. You might see a fence, a pool, some trees, some shrubs, a pond, a street…

Think of all that you feel. The air, the heat, the cool, the gravitational pull, the soft fur of a cat…

All things were made or created from the source of an idea. For the idea had to be there for the action of making to begin. Just as a burn follows heat or a fall results from gravitation, the existence of all actions or products come forth from ideas.

All are there because of an idea in the mind of someone, somewhere, thought. God “thought” of the created universe before He made it. Humankind “thinks” of products before they make them. Think of anything in all of human experience that has reality and you will discover that the existence thereof resulted from a thought.

The dictionary defines an idea as a thought or aim or purpose, a belief or function of reason… leading to a possible course of action. Note that action is a part of idea. The two abide together.

No idea has meaning outside of action. In other words, to merely think of an idea cannot be qualified unless there is action to follow. In business, this concept finds perfect illustration.

Business ideas lead to business realities. Business ideas are the spring board from which business energy, business inertia, business action and business success come forth.

We find that people who ask questions, who seek the “why” in all things, life and business, become the innovators and the movers and shakers of the world.

Because they think.

For any existing business to succeed and to grow, the individuals behind it must think of business ideas as a way of life. For any new business to find a place in the world, the individuals behind it must think of business ideas as a way of life. Simply copying status quo will never do it. Or at least not do it well. For to succeed, to be cutting edge and effective and powerful, all innovators must think. And they must think with intent, with purpose, with creativity.

This concept may sound a little esoteric, a little abstract, but I assure you it is not. This concept is very, very basic, for without it little can be done. The strategy for building anything of value (yes and it surely applies to business in general) rests upon the ability of the entrepreneur to think and act upon business ideas in a meaningful way.

As a business entrepreneur, to succeed you must go the beginning to discover what this “business” thing is all about, and you will always find it begins with business ideas, produced from the mind of innovative people on a path to create and build something of value. And that’s what good business is all about.

Women & Business Partnership – The Good, the Bad and the Synergy

Team sports prepare boys for the corporate model of business. Girls, however, typically play closely with one or two friends. What great preparation for entrepreneurial partnership! So it is fitting, as women continue to start businesses in record numbers, that many are finding partnership is a comfortable format. In fact, business partnership works for women coming from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences including those tired of hitting the corporate glass ceiling, stay-at-home Moms, and women who want to turn their passions and their social connections into business ideas.

Partnership brings a wide variety of benefits including a sense of connection and someone to cover when you go on vacation. On the other hand, many partnerships end in crisis and conflict. To avoid partnership failure, your partnership needs to possess the following seven components of positive partnership.

Shared Values. Partners need a sense of shared standards regarding what is desirable, undesirable, good, and bad. These values will guide partners’ actions, judgments, and choices. Values, which often carry considerable emotion, may range from valuing family, prosperity, ambition, a work ethic, or a political persuasion. In addition to helping partners make congruent decisions, shared values serve to keep partners united.

Different (Complementary) Skills and Traits. Successful partners will possess different (complementary) skills and traits. The broader the partners’ range of skills, the clearer the division of their labor (and power) can be. It may be easy to distinguish the marketing person from the technical person in a business but other necessary variables are often not as easy to see. Michael Gerber’s classic book “The E-Myth” explains that a business owner needs to play three roles, Entrepreneur – the creative visionary; Manager, the administrator who brings planning, order and predictability; and Technician – the craftsperson. Partnerships have a distinct advantage in that two or more invested people are available to perform the three necessary roles.

Sense of Equity. Equity occurs when the rewards of a relationship are proportional to what each side perceives as his or her contribution. Strangers and casual acquaintances maintain equity by keeping track of the benefits they exchange. However, in long-term and more committed relationships it is not healthy to keep track. Instead, a sense of equity should be established. A perception of inequity (I am giving more then I get) takes a tremendous toll on a partnership.

Growing Together. From the moment we are born until the day we die, we are in the process of growing and changing. Partners and their partnerships are continuously undergoing this process of change. However, we are often not aware of the changes we’re experiencing. And, sometimes change is viewed as a threat to the status quo. Successful partners embrace change and growth, knowing that this attitude benefits both their individual and shared professional identities.

Proactive Conflict Management Strategies. Competing and avoiding are not effective conflict management strategies for partnership. Instead, successful partners will use proactive and strategic approaches to conflict management such as accommodation, compromise and collaboration to resolve their differences.

Shared Vision. Partners need a shared vision or plan for the future. Vision is what determines and expresses where an organization wants to go and how it intends to get there. A shared vision allows partners to focus on their goals and the methods they will use to achieve those goals. When partners hold different visions they become discouraged, overwhelmed, and disconnected. In order to create and effectively benefit from a shared vision, four tasks are necessary: creating the initial vision, translating that vision into the necessary physical actions, articulating and selling the vision to others, and holding true to the essence of the vision when reality changes the plans.

An Exit Strategy. It has been said that a graceful exit is proof of a successful venture. Without an exit strategy in place partners can be faced with making crucial decisions at a time when they were least levelheaded. An exit strategy is a shared sense of when and how an alliance will end and one should be included as the end-point in a business plan. However, while planning for the end may be a critical aspect of owning a business, it is also one of the most neglected. Exits are easy to avoid when the issue is not pressing and raising the issue might sour the deal or suggest a lack of trust. Four questions should be addressed when considering an exit plan: what events might trigger an end to the partnership; how will the business be valued at the end; which options for future ownership are acceptable; and what post-alliance ties and restrictions, such as non-compete clauses, need to be included.

When you enter into a partnership that is strong in these seven components you have the potential to create synergy and reap some amazing benefits. True synergy comes about when two (or more) people work together to create results that would have been unobtainable independently. In a synergistic partnership 2+2>4 and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

10 Good Reasons Why Small Enterprises (Small Businesses) Fail

You’ll agree with me that there are so many small businesses which have contributed a lot to the growth of economy. They have created employment opportunities for many families although some remain to be small throughout their operational life.

It is obvious that those who are starting new ventures have objectives to achieve. And to mention each business has got its own objectives to achieve such as maximization of profits and sales, minimize costs, maintain a certain level of production and labor force etc.

Failing of a business opportunity is what an entrepreneur won’t want to happen. Inasmuch as we agree with the fact that there are firms which have succeeded, we should also accept the fact that a good number of them have failed even before two years lapse after they commence business.

If aspiring entrepreneurs addressed the reasons why small businesses fail, then they will not fall to be victims of the same causes of failure. This is because they’ll be in a position to identify these causes and fix them before it’s too late.

Now you may be asking yourself as to why some businesses remain to be small throughout their operational life despite some of them making profits or are capable of growing.

4 Reasons Why Small Business Remain to be Small

1.) The owners of these businesses prefer not to expand their businesses. Some sole proprietors do not want to be bothered with the challenges of managing a big business. They don’t want to employ people to assist them in running their businesses but instead they prefer to be assisted by their family members.

2.) The nature of the product/service the business is involved in doesn’t allow expansion. There are people offering products/services which make it difficult for their business to grow.

3.) Lack of capital for expansion. There are small businesses which are viable and have the potential of growing but they lack enough capital. Such businesses have the challenge of securing funds from financial institutions. Lack of capital plays a negative role in hindering the growth of small businesses.

4.) Very low demand. If the business has a very low demand for its product or service, then at the end of the fiscal financial year/trading period the business won’t realize profits, and if it does, it’s very low, therefore the chances of it expanding are very minimal. Just to mention, realization of inadequate profits as a result of very low demand hinders the growth of small businesses.

However, there must be a starting point and as such, every business starts as a small entity and it gradually grows to a medium entity and eventually it becomes a big business entity which is either a private limited company or a public limited company. Note that a partnership business can also grow to become a big business.

Reasons Why Small Businesses Fail

1.) Wrong Reasons For Commencing Business: People who start a business for wrong reasons haven’t succeeded. Just because another person is making high profits in a certain line of business doesn’t mean that you will also make the same amounts of profits as him/her if you start the same business.

2.) Poor Business Management: When there is poor management of the business it becomes difficult for such a business to succeed in its operations. Finance, marketing, purchasing and selling, planning, hiring and managing employees is what most new business owners fail to execute effectively thus making their small businesses to fail.

3.) Lack of Commitment: Starting a business requires someone who is committed in ensuring that it succeeds. Neglecting the business will cause the business to fail. Many small businesses have failed because the owners didn’t take their time in monitoring performance and in marketing them. Some business owners leave their businesses to be managed on their behalf by incompetent people who lack book keeping knowledge and the knowledge of managing a business.

4.) Lack of Finances: Small businesses have failed because of lack of adequate finances. Some of the owners underestimated the amount of capital required and as a result of this underestimation some ended up running out of operating capital thus ending the operation of their businesses.

There are those who have no reserves which has led them not to be able to take care of loses and disasters when they occur thus making them to quit business.

5.) Over-Expansion of the Business: This has led to failure of many small businesses. This happens when there is borrowing of too much money beyond what the business requires so as to expand the business. Moving to markets that are not profitable is also over expansion of the small businesses.

An ideal expansion is the one that is driven by customers due to their high demand for the products and services which leads to high sales thus the business experiences good cash flow.

6.) Location: The place where the business is located is critical in determining its success. Small businesses have failed because of them being located in areas that are not ideal for business. They should be located in areas that are accessible, populated with people and has demand for their products and services.

7.) Personal Use of Business Money: This is the biggest challenge facing many small business owners. They withdraw money meant to operate their businesses to meet their personal wants and needs. If they continue to withdraw money from their businesses without returning it, their businesses will eventually run out of finances therefore forcing them to end the operations of their businesses.

8.) Lack of Delegation: Small enterprises have failed due to owners not delegating some of the duties to their employees. They think that if they delegate them, then their employees will not perform these duties as they would personally perform them. When such owners fall sick or are away from their businesses, then the operations of some tasks will be paralyzed till they resume to work.

9.) Not Diversifying: Small enterprises which have only one product/service to offer are prone to fail easily compared to those that have a variety of products/services.

10.) Procrastination and Poor Time Management: Postponements of tasks which the small business owners feel to be unpleasant to perform has made the small businesses to fail. An example of such tasks include following debtors to pay their debts (debt collection).

Time management remains to be a challenge for many people who own small businesses. If important tasks like delivering products to customers, purchasing stock etc are not handled in the appropriate time, then the business will lose its customers.

The above are not all the reasons why small businesses fail, there are more reasons.

Make Your Existence Global With Good Home Based Businesses

Extend the sphere of your activity from home to the world and from regional to international level of globalization. The extensive service of the internet is at your disposal to help you execute this mammoth task with good home based businesses. There is no other opportunity than a home business to earn bread and butter not by running round in circle outside the home but lying back on a couch inside the home.

Doing research work at home for corporate organizations or academic institutes is one of the good home based businesses. Research is a time consuming job. Therefore, private companies to save their valuable time hire the services of freelance workers at a handsome cost to research for them.

You can grab this opportunity to make profit in abundance. To stand out in this field you need internet navigation skills, comprehension skills and knowledge of different disciplines.

Online retailing is a good option to make money online by working from home. You can do it by purchasing a stock and then selling it.

Online retailing requires you to keep clients supplied with quality products from time to time. Make sure to deliver products to clients after assessing their value and quality. An eye for minute inspection ensures long-term profitability of this field.

In the market of good home based businesses, eBay selling is another suitable money making method. eBay is a global platform to display your products for sale.

Visitors to the site purchase your products and pay a hefty amount for them. Selling quality products with customer oriented service at eBay can fire up your home business.

Affiliate selling is also a good internet based home business. Cost-effective nature of this business is the biggest advantage for you. It does not require you to invest for the purchase of a product and bear the stress of selling it.

Recommending the product or service of another person to internet buyers is the only task that you need to carry out.

Freelancing is the most rational and reasonable option among the good home-based businesses. As a copywriter, website designer or a business coach you can make your way to this online home business field.

Freelancing is selling your technical, creative, artistic or theoretical knowledge and skill. There are few other opportunities than freelancing to making money by putting your skills into application.

There are a few things to keep in mind while trying your luck in the tinsel world of home businesses.

Fast and quick access to clients from across the globe
Complete knowledge of using the internet in all possible ways
A perfect sense of professionalism
Grip on marketing techniques to promote your business
Idea of different advertising modes and methods

A home business becomes a moneymaking machine with proper application of knowledge, expertise and effort.

These three things comprise the chief capital to fuel the growth and development of good home based businesses.