First, some fundamentals. Unless you have invented something never before seen in the world, there are only four components to having a profitable business:

1. Have a large enough--and rich enough--market;
2. Have products or services your market wants and is willing to pay for;
3. Have a cost efficient way to obtain (and deliver) the product or service; and,
4. Have a cos
   It Ain't Easy Staying Employed
   Did you know that in one week one percent of you colleagues and associates will change jobs? Look at it another way. In one year, over 50 percent will change jobs or positions. Wow! Those are some staggering numbers. Unfortunately, it’s not likely to change for a while. Now, look around the office. Who won’t be there next year?I didn’t mean to scare you. So, let’s talk about the good news in this state of affairs. There are strategies that you can apply that will keep you a step ahead of your colleagues in terms of job security. Nothing can guarantee that you will keep your job but implementing proactive strategies will keep you ahead of the crowd.Let’s
   Are you planning your business or are you planning your growth?

   If you are like many high-performing business people, you have an annual ritual to set your plans for the coming twelve months. Some people do it in December, others at weird, miscellaneous times of the year, but most -- me included -- tend to do it the beginning part of the New Year.

   It doesn’t matter exactly when you do this, but it is important you do it sometime soon. It has been said all the way back to the time of the ancients: goals and written plans for their attainment are the surest way to speed up your accomplishments. So skipping this step is not an option!

   As you buckle down to this critical task, consider: are you planning for business as usual or are you planning for wonderful, extraordinary, growth? Many people feel kind of beaten down by the past three years of economic mis-performance and think a year in which profits don’t retreat will be a good year.

   Others--most people--will plan to do something very much like they did in 2003; perhaps they will try to do it a bit better. They may look at the surplus resources they have available (if any) and try to figure out how they can eke out a little more performance, profit and revenue -- without taking any big risks or doing anything radical. And for the most part, it will be business as usual.

   Ho hum...

   Don’t be either of these types...

   Plan to do something extraordinary!

   Plan to extend or expand or excel.

   And regardless of the economic forecast--which in the US is good, and in other places not so good--plan to create a breakthrough in your business.

   Sounds good... How?

   First, some fundamentals. Unless you have invented something never before seen in the world, there are only four components to having a profitable business:

   1. Have a large enough--and rich enough--market;
   2. Have products or services your market wants and is willing to pay for;
   3. Have a cost efficient way to obtain (and deliver) the product or service; and,
   4. Have a cost
      Durable Barcode Labels
      One of the prime features of high-quality barcode labels is durability. Durable barcode labels are vital for any industrial application and are integral for equipment marking and security. These are important for cassettes, plates, slides, vials, and laboratory and medical items.Durable barcode labels can withstand abrasion, corrosion, moisture, heat, solvents, and UV light. Accuracy, clarity, consistency, easy identification, flexibility, high quality, legibility retention, and reliability are the major advantages of durable barcode labels. Warehouse barcode labels, work-in-process barcode labels, utility asset labels, barcode labels for industrial use, asset ta
      it is important you do it sometime soon. It has been said all the way back to the time of the ancients: goals and written plans for their attainment are the surest way to speed up your accomplishments. So skipping this step is not an option!

      As you buckle down to this critical task, consider: are you planning for business as usual or are you planning for wonderful, extraordinary, growth? Many people feel kind of beaten down by the past three years of economic mis-performance and think a year in which profits don’t retreat will be a good year.

      Others--most people--will plan to do something very much like they did in 2003; perhaps they will try to do it a bit better. They may look at the surplus resources they have available (if any) and try to figure out how they can eke out a little more performance, profit and revenue -- without taking any big risks or doing anything radical. And for the most part, it will be business as usual.

      Ho hum...

      Don’t be either of these types...

      Plan to do something extraordinary!

      Plan to extend or expand or excel.

      And regardless of the economic forecast--which in the US is good, and in other places not so good--plan to create a breakthrough in your business.

      Sounds good... How?

      First, some fundamentals. Unless you have invented something never before seen in the world, there are only four components to having a profitable business:

      1. Have a large enough--and rich enough--market;
      2. Have products or services your market wants and is willing to pay for;
      3. Have a cost efficient way to obtain (and deliver) the product or service; and,
      4. Have a cos
         Proven Methods To Increase Workplace Productivity... In Less Time and With Less Cost
         This article describes how investments in skill-building training programs are usually wasted, and how to implement the best available options for enhancing learner retention and increasing your organization’s ROI.The ProblemDo any of these challenges sound familiar to you?We spent quite a bit of money to train our staff, and now 6 months later nobody is using it! Everybody liked the program, and they were positive when they walked out the door, but nothing seems to have really changed….Our senior leaders are complaining that we didn't get the results we were after, in spite of the significant in
         eaten down by the past three years of economic mis-performance and think a year in which profits don’t retreat will be a good year.

         Others--most people--will plan to do something very much like they did in 2003; perhaps they will try to do it a bit better. They may look at the surplus resources they have available (if any) and try to figure out how they can eke out a little more performance, profit and revenue -- without taking any big risks or doing anything radical. And for the most part, it will be business as usual.

         Ho hum...

         Don’t be either of these types...

         Plan to do something extraordinary!

         Plan to extend or expand or excel.

         And regardless of the economic forecast--which in the US is good, and in other places not so good--plan to create a breakthrough in your business.

         Sounds good... How?

         First, some fundamentals. Unless you have invented something never before seen in the world, there are only four components to having a profitable business:

         1. Have a large enough--and rich enough--market;
         2. Have products or services your market wants and is willing to pay for;
         3. Have a cost efficient way to obtain (and deliver) the product or service; and,
         4. Have a cos
            Is Freelancing Right For You?
            After spending 20 years in corporate America, I decided it was time for a change. It was time to step down from the long hours of laboring for someone else’s benefit, to say “no” to the business trips and after-hours functions, and to begin a new career as a freelance writer. Finally, I’d be able to enjoy the fruits of my own labor, set my hours, and pick and choose my clients and assignments. For the first time, I would be in control, I would be my own boss, and I would write the rule book by which I would play.Sounds fantastic, doesn’t it? As I’m sure you can guess, becoming a successful freelancer wasn’t as easy as I expected it to be. Instead, it took a lot o
            without taking any big risks or doing anything radical. And for the most part, it will be business as usual.

            Ho hum...

            Don’t be either of these types...

            Plan to do something extraordinary!

            Plan to extend or expand or excel.

            And regardless of the economic forecast--which in the US is good, and in other places not so good--plan to create a breakthrough in your business.

            Sounds good... How?

            First, some fundamentals. Unless you have invented something never before seen in the world, there are only four components to having a profitable business:

            1. Have a large enough--and rich enough--market;
            2. Have products or services your market wants and is willing to pay for;
            3. Have a cost efficient way to obtain (and deliver) the product or service; and,
            4. Have a cos
               Risky Business: Dealing With Poor Payers is a Business Nightmare
               As a business owner, it's rarely possible to completely guard against bad debt; after all, the only way to avoid debt would be not to trade at all. Running a small business is not without risk, but there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of debt. All companies have to get paid somewhere along the line, and it is important to be aware of the nature of your customer at the outset of any trading relationship. It is often advisable to carry out a credit check on any potential client before entering into a trading relationship, especially if you have no prior knowledge of the client. Also, give the client a credit limit which reflects the credit rating of
               w?

               First, some fundamentals. Unless you have invented something never before seen in the world, there are only four components to having a profitable business:

               1. Have a large enough--and rich enough--market;
               2. Have products or services your market wants and is willing to pay for;
               3. Have a cost efficient way to obtain (and deliver) the product or service; and,
               4. Have a cost efficient way to sell your product or service.

               And regardless of what you may have heard in the past, there are only three ways to increase your revenue:

            5. Sell to more customers;
            6. Sell more to the same customers with each transaction; and,
            7. Sell the same customers more often.

            Think about it...

            Because while all of this may seem obvious and trivial, careful consideration of these seven simple statements will provide you some mighty powerful insights into how to have a breakthrough in your business.

            Second, your job is to turn these statements into the right questions.

            Questions like, "How can I sell more customer?" Or, "What services can I add to my product mix to increase the size of an average transaction?" Or even, "Am I selling to the right (large enough and rich enough) market?"

            Asking the right questions will fire off thought processes that can make you money--lots of it--provided you answer the questions and act on your answers.

            Say your business sells software to plumbing supply houses. You expect the pace of building to cool off a bit this year because of global interest rate increases, which will mean that your customers will have less money to upgrade their computer systems this year. "How to sell to more customers" might not be the right question this year. But asking "how can I sell more to my current customers" might lead to an idea to develop a coaching or consulting service that helps them increase their profits--by using your software--even in a down plumbing supply market.

            You could potentially sell this service to every sing