I was watching the news today, something I don't often do, only to discover the high price of gas is causing the supply costs for small business to increase. No surprise, a trip to the grocery store is proof enough, what was a surprise was the price of wheat - it went from $109 per tonne to $450 per tonne. They show cased a small bakery that has had to raise prices to astronomical levels to cover the cost of flour and the fuel surcharges of deliveries.
It got me thinking that if this small business is having to increase prices, how will it entice customers to keep coming back? I don't know about you but I love the smell of a bakery and the taste of fresh made bread. By making a product that is the best and creating an atmosphere which creates a bread buying experience they can't get anywhere else would help. Atmosphere and Decor with the smell of fresh baked bread would entice many to visit often. By getting creative and creating a bakery product they can't get anywhere else would ensure come backs for at least one item.
By adding non-bread but bread related products to diversify instead of putting all their eggs in one bread basket, sorta speak, would help to upsell customers and only add to their experience. Coffee imported from Costa Rica, the best coffee in the world bar none and can't be found in grocery stores or at Starbucks. Knives for cutting bread, plates for serving, or unique pottery bun warmers. How about specialty jams, butters, or gourmet spreads?
If your costs are going up due to high gas prices or prices of other commodities like flour, you need to get creative to increase sales and bring in more business. Many small business owners already have too much on their plate and get stuck because they are too busy to do anything and keep trudging along loosing money.
If this is you - find a consultant that can help you. Someone who can see your business from the outside, someone who asks the hard questions and can provide you with creative solutions. Need help? Email me and start the dialouge.... a creative solution is waiting for you.
High gas prices are effecting the decisions of Americans as they are travelling less.
Showing posts with label support. Show all posts
Showing posts with label support. Show all posts
Friday, May 16, 2008
Friday, March 7, 2008
Buy a Business or Start Up a New Business?
There are so many options for people who want to have their own business, two options are to buy a business or to start from scratch, which is for you? Where you are in life, how much money you have and the type of business will depend a lot on whether you are going to buy a business or start one from scratch.
Either way you will need capital, and I'm not talking about Ottawa, I'm talking the big M, money. To buy a business you will need seed money, an initial investment of your own money that you can put towards a business. Hopefully you buy a business that has a decent cashflow that will enable you to pay your bills and support your family responsibilities.
There are two types of businesses to purchase 1) small business 2)Franchise. Both are a little different, a small business is an idea that has been created from scratch by its owner, this option offers you the flexiblity of doing things your way. A Franchise is a proven business model with brandname recognition. You own the your business but you follow a business model developed by someone else and manage your store. A true entrepreneur will be frustrated with a Franchise as there are too many policies and procedures that he has to follow. A manager type personality will do very well purchasing a Franchise.
If you are a true entrepreneur with a high risk tolerance and an idea that you are passionate about, you will want to start your own business. You will need enough money for start up costs and to live off until your business is able to provide you with a cashflow of its own. Most businesses don't start making money until the 2 year mark, so budget for a very dry income spell. The goal of most start ups is to become successful enough to sell the business or take it public. The payoff isn't so much in the monthly cashflow as it is building something that will have value when you are ready to sell it.
Looking for information on getting into business and where you can get funding? Check out the BDC website for lots of articles, resources and financing opportunities.
Either way you will need capital, and I'm not talking about Ottawa, I'm talking the big M, money. To buy a business you will need seed money, an initial investment of your own money that you can put towards a business. Hopefully you buy a business that has a decent cashflow that will enable you to pay your bills and support your family responsibilities.
There are two types of businesses to purchase 1) small business 2)Franchise. Both are a little different, a small business is an idea that has been created from scratch by its owner, this option offers you the flexiblity of doing things your way. A Franchise is a proven business model with brandname recognition. You own the your business but you follow a business model developed by someone else and manage your store. A true entrepreneur will be frustrated with a Franchise as there are too many policies and procedures that he has to follow. A manager type personality will do very well purchasing a Franchise.
If you are a true entrepreneur with a high risk tolerance and an idea that you are passionate about, you will want to start your own business. You will need enough money for start up costs and to live off until your business is able to provide you with a cashflow of its own. Most businesses don't start making money until the 2 year mark, so budget for a very dry income spell. The goal of most start ups is to become successful enough to sell the business or take it public. The payoff isn't so much in the monthly cashflow as it is building something that will have value when you are ready to sell it.
Looking for information on getting into business and where you can get funding? Check out the BDC website for lots of articles, resources and financing opportunities.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
To Work from Home Ya Gotta have a Positive Attitude
Do you have a positive attitude? Are you always looking on the bright side or see the world as a great place to be? Or do you find fault with everything and make up problems as you go along?
It is hard enough working from home, trying to stay motivated, meet the demands of your children, your family and your house. You need to stay away from those who like to complain just to complain. I mean come on, do you really have time to listen to someone complain who doesn't want a solution? You know the person who complains for complaint sake, just to hear their own voice, don't you ever wonder if anything good happens in their lives?
Turn off the news and start getting RSS feeds instead. Huh RSS feeds? Most blogs, news websites etc have the little orange symbol (shown at the top) that will enable you to get the headlines into your Microsoft feeds or other feed reader. It will provide you with headlines, read the ones that matter to you and your business, ignore the ones that don't. If it bleeds, don't read it.... You have better things to do with your time and your business then to read the negative news.
Watch less TV, skip the reality shows, where's the reality in them anyway? Pick a few of your favorite shows, I admit I love to watch CSI and Without a Trace, not your most uplifting shows. Try to watch a few shows that make you laugh everytime you watch them. Laugh more, smile more, and take your vitamins.
Staying positive when you are on your own in business is difficult because you don't have the rah rah sales meetings or the patcha on the back managers meetings. The only time your spouse is going to give you a high 5 is after you've cashed the 10th big cheque. So to stay positive you will have to find positive places to be. Networking meetings, supportive online forums, and coffee with supportive friends.
Stay on top of the little stuff so the stress won't overwhelm you. Do you have someone who can do your filing? or listen to your voicemail for you? Do you have real support around you, the kind that will lend a helping hand before the cheques arrive? If not, where can you find it?
Other women out there are in the same boat you are, you are not alone. You need to find others who like you work from home and need support, the helping kind. Form your own little positive support network and together create a cooperative to grow your businesses together and offer each other a positive word of encouragement and motivation.
So where do you find them? Sign up for my newsletter for positive support nuggets, email friends and ask them who they know, go to The Work at Home Directory to see if there is anyone in your area. -- While you're there you may think about adding your business to the online directory. Put a notice up at your local coffee shop and create your own little work at home group.
Whatever you do, wherever you find it, be positive. You can only stay self motivated and offer yourself up encouragement if you stay positive.
Do you have some ideas about how to become and stay in a positive frame of mind? Add them here so we can form our own positive attitude in business group.
Monday, February 11, 2008
It takes Commitment to Succeed in Business
Ever wonder why some women excel in direct sales and others flounder? The difference is commitment. They take their business seriously, it is their bread and butter not just a hobby or a side line. To succeed in any small business, especially home based ones, you have to be serious about your business.
Do you have a place to work? An office?
Does your family and friends take you seriously or do they view your business as a hobby?
You cannot be effected by how others view your business, you must have the attitude that this is your business, your livelyhood not a hobby, it is a business. You have to demand the time it will take for you to be successful. How many hours a week do you want to devote to your business? Make sure you devote this time to your business by setting aside the time and then demanding that your family let you have that time. When they see that you are serious about it, then they will start being serious about it too.
You will not succeed if you don't put the time and effort in. The only way you will put the time in is if you commit to a certain time each day and then demand that no one bother you during this time. If it's one hour a day or two hours a day, your children can play by themselves. If they can't then you'll have to start teaching them how... for that check out my blog on raising siblings to be friends. You husband will have to pick up some slack, just as if you worked outside the home.
If you have to take it outside the home, pack it up and go off to your local coffee shop to get work done and leave the kids with your husband. If you have an office then shut the door and put out a sign that says don't disturb, go ask dad. Train your family to understand that when you are in your office, you are not to be disturbed. It'll take awhile for them to get it, but trust me they can survive a couple of hours without you.
A Lesson in Being Nice
Do you have a place to work? An office?
Does your family and friends take you seriously or do they view your business as a hobby?
You cannot be effected by how others view your business, you must have the attitude that this is your business, your livelyhood not a hobby, it is a business. You have to demand the time it will take for you to be successful. How many hours a week do you want to devote to your business? Make sure you devote this time to your business by setting aside the time and then demanding that your family let you have that time. When they see that you are serious about it, then they will start being serious about it too.
You will not succeed if you don't put the time and effort in. The only way you will put the time in is if you commit to a certain time each day and then demand that no one bother you during this time. If it's one hour a day or two hours a day, your children can play by themselves. If they can't then you'll have to start teaching them how... for that check out my blog on raising siblings to be friends. You husband will have to pick up some slack, just as if you worked outside the home.
If you have to take it outside the home, pack it up and go off to your local coffee shop to get work done and leave the kids with your husband. If you have an office then shut the door and put out a sign that says don't disturb, go ask dad. Train your family to understand that when you are in your office, you are not to be disturbed. It'll take awhile for them to get it, but trust me they can survive a couple of hours without you.
A Lesson in Being Nice
Saturday, January 5, 2008
WAHM Know Your Strengths & Weaknesses
For small business resources are limited and you end up having to be everyone, the manager, the CEO, the bookkeeper, the administrator, the salesperson, the receptionist and even the janitor. The problem is no one is good at everything, everyone has strengths and weaknesses. WAHMs have unique obsticals to overcome in order to find solutions to compensate for their weaknesses.
A work at home mom has a million things on her plate and little distractions to compound the problem. Those closest to her may not take her business seriously and as a result she may not take it seriously enough. A work at home mom is isolated and may have a harder time locating resources that are available to her to compensate for her weaknesses in business.
Admitting you can't do it all is the first step, as woman we may think we can do it all and don't need help. Got news for ya chicky, your strengths do not lie in everything that a business person must do and with home and kids it's easy to ignore that which you aren't strong in. Take me for example, I am not strong in administrative details, bookkeeping or keeping details organized. If I was a detail oriented person, I wouldn't be such a strong idea person or problem solver because the details would get in the way. Everyone cannot be good at everything.
WAHMs though are isolated and cannot always find the best solutions to compensate for their weaknesses and as a result business is harder than it needs to be. Many times business falls to the wayside and then dries up completely and she is faced with less money and may have to go back to work. So what can a WAHM do?
1. You need to identify what is holding you back from complete success, what is lacking.
2. You need to put a plan in place to compensate for these weaknesses. There is always a solution even if you can't see it.
3. Find someone that is good at ideas and can help you come up with solutions and compensate for weaknesses.
4. Find a partner, someone who is strong where you are weak and weak where you are strong and work as a team to build a stronger business.
5. If a partner isn't the answer find other resources. There are woman out there who have all types of businesses and are looking for a client like you. Can't afford it? Bartering may be an option or maybe you can negotiate something that will be of benefit to both of you. A longer payment plan or babysitting services in lieu of cash payment. There is always a solution, you just have to be able to look past the detail obsticals.
6. Find other WAHMs in the area, preferably from all sorts of different industries and work together to help each other. This is what Carennedy Solutions is all about, bringing WAHMs from all different types of backgrounds, strengths, and experience together. If you are in the Calgary area you are more than welcome to come by and see what its all about. Even if you are only thinking about becoming a WAHM and not yet in business. For that matter if you are an employed WAHM and not a business owner, you are more than welcome to attend too.
For more information go to http://www.carennedysolutions.com
7. Read, Read, and Read, somemore. There are some great books out there. I have a list of different business books you need in your resource library at my website through the store link.
Hopefully this is enough to get you started on the road to success. If you want to read more that I have written for WAHM check out my other sites:
Finding solutions for Women in Business
Support and ideas for WAHM or those considering on becoming a WAHM
Latasia Jewelry, all about the jewelry and the business
Latasia Jewellery in Calgary Canada
Another Blog from me at ivillage.
Support for WAHMs in Calgary Alberta Canada
Internet Marketing as a business for Women
My Avitar design and more designs for family and friends on shirts, mugs, gifts, cards, and more
buy unique gifts at Zazzle
A work at home mom has a million things on her plate and little distractions to compound the problem. Those closest to her may not take her business seriously and as a result she may not take it seriously enough. A work at home mom is isolated and may have a harder time locating resources that are available to her to compensate for her weaknesses in business.
Admitting you can't do it all is the first step, as woman we may think we can do it all and don't need help. Got news for ya chicky, your strengths do not lie in everything that a business person must do and with home and kids it's easy to ignore that which you aren't strong in. Take me for example, I am not strong in administrative details, bookkeeping or keeping details organized. If I was a detail oriented person, I wouldn't be such a strong idea person or problem solver because the details would get in the way. Everyone cannot be good at everything.
WAHMs though are isolated and cannot always find the best solutions to compensate for their weaknesses and as a result business is harder than it needs to be. Many times business falls to the wayside and then dries up completely and she is faced with less money and may have to go back to work. So what can a WAHM do?
1. You need to identify what is holding you back from complete success, what is lacking.
2. You need to put a plan in place to compensate for these weaknesses. There is always a solution even if you can't see it.
3. Find someone that is good at ideas and can help you come up with solutions and compensate for weaknesses.
4. Find a partner, someone who is strong where you are weak and weak where you are strong and work as a team to build a stronger business.
5. If a partner isn't the answer find other resources. There are woman out there who have all types of businesses and are looking for a client like you. Can't afford it? Bartering may be an option or maybe you can negotiate something that will be of benefit to both of you. A longer payment plan or babysitting services in lieu of cash payment. There is always a solution, you just have to be able to look past the detail obsticals.
6. Find other WAHMs in the area, preferably from all sorts of different industries and work together to help each other. This is what Carennedy Solutions is all about, bringing WAHMs from all different types of backgrounds, strengths, and experience together. If you are in the Calgary area you are more than welcome to come by and see what its all about. Even if you are only thinking about becoming a WAHM and not yet in business. For that matter if you are an employed WAHM and not a business owner, you are more than welcome to attend too.
For more information go to http://www.carennedysolutions.com
7. Read, Read, and Read, somemore. There are some great books out there. I have a list of different business books you need in your resource library at my website through the store link.
Hopefully this is enough to get you started on the road to success. If you want to read more that I have written for WAHM check out my other sites:
Finding solutions for Women in Business
Support and ideas for WAHM or those considering on becoming a WAHM
Latasia Jewelry, all about the jewelry and the business
Latasia Jewellery in Calgary Canada
Another Blog from me at ivillage.
Support for WAHMs in Calgary Alberta Canada
Internet Marketing as a business for Women
My Avitar design and more designs for family and friends on shirts, mugs, gifts, cards, and more
buy unique gifts at Zazzle
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
It's a New Year Time to Evaluate your Business
Christmas is over and now its time to get back to work. So what does that mean for the WAHM? The kids still are out of school and you may want to take an extended break too. This week is a perfect time to plan for 2008. Your business checklist for this week should include:
1. Written Goals - an unwritten goal is just a wish
2. A Written Plan to achieve these goals - this is your road map
3. Review what happened last year - what worked, what didn't
4. What products or services to drop - if they didn't sell in 2007 chances are....
5. What services or products to add in 2008 - did anyone want something you didn't have
6. Books to read list -- I don't mean Harlequin, or Danielle Steel
That should be good for this week.... lol.... Are you feeling a little overwhelmed? Start with number one and see how much you get done, after all there is always next week.
My Week is going to consist of writing my goals, and working on my business plan. I also need to finish up some changes to my online stores and I just opened a store for Cafe Affiliate shops to link to so I need to promote that this week too. I will also be making a list of products and services to add this year and working on my astore list of business books to read this year. So I'll be busy, even with the kids underfoot. I'm not sure how much I'll get done, or how many sleepless nights it will take, but it's better than nothing.
More resorces for WAHM and for those looking at opportunities to become a WAHM.
Information on Direct Sales companies like Latasia Jewelry
Support for WAHMs and those considering WAHM opportunities
Information on Latasia Jewelry
1. Written Goals - an unwritten goal is just a wish
2. A Written Plan to achieve these goals - this is your road map
3. Review what happened last year - what worked, what didn't
4. What products or services to drop - if they didn't sell in 2007 chances are....
5. What services or products to add in 2008 - did anyone want something you didn't have
6. Books to read list -- I don't mean Harlequin, or Danielle Steel
That should be good for this week.... lol.... Are you feeling a little overwhelmed? Start with number one and see how much you get done, after all there is always next week.
My Week is going to consist of writing my goals, and working on my business plan. I also need to finish up some changes to my online stores and I just opened a store for Cafe Affiliate shops to link to so I need to promote that this week too. I will also be making a list of products and services to add this year and working on my astore list of business books to read this year. So I'll be busy, even with the kids underfoot. I'm not sure how much I'll get done, or how many sleepless nights it will take, but it's better than nothing.
More resorces for WAHM and for those looking at opportunities to become a WAHM.
Information on Direct Sales companies like Latasia Jewelry
Support for WAHMs and those considering WAHM opportunities
Information on Latasia Jewelry
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