MIBW
Archives: November 30, 2001
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THIS WEEKS' ISSUE:
1. Top Sponsor
2. Note from the Publisher
3. What's New at http://MyIBizHelper.com
4. Article: Tips on Staying Sane While Working at Home
By Donesia Muhammad
5. Middle Sponsor
6. Weekly Webmaster Tip
7. Guest Article: How to Survive Your First Year in Business
By Brett Krkosska
8. Helpful Ezines, and Freebies
9. Free Ads Section
10. Contact Information/Subscription Info
2. NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER
Welcome to another edition of My IBiz Weekly. I would like to
welcome all the new subscribers, and thanks for sending in your
free ads. In this issue I have included a somewhat humorous
article regarding staying sane while working at home. Hey, it's
not as easy as you may think!! Since I have started a business
directory where you can add your site (details in the What's New
section) I decided to add a word about link popularity and how to
exchange links in the webmaster tips section. Actually I have
added some great new additions to the site so please go on over
and take a look. Let me know how you think. I can and will
appreciate any feedback. There is a great guest article
from Brett Krkosska "How to Survive Your First Year in Business"
Once you've learned to adjust to a home business then you learn
how to survive it. Take care...
TIPS ON STAYING SANE WHILE WORKING AT HOME
By Donesia Muhammad Copyright(c) 2001
Okay, I know you hate your job. They give you no respect. No
benefits, no motivation, you know that if you come back from
lunch ten minutes late, they have already given away your login
i.d. and someone else is already sitting at your desk. You're
sick and tired of it and if you have to hear your boss' mouth one
more time...
So you say that's it I am going to work out of my home and that's
that. It will be easier, I'll have more time with the kids and
you and your spouse no longer have to communicate with cell
phones and pagers just to find each other.
Oh, if only it could be that easy.
Let me say this first because I will have to repeat this again
and again.
If your home life was screwed up before, working at home isn't
going to make it any better.
Yes, I said it. If your marriage was in trouble before, you
better fix what was broken because starting a business at home
starts out with a big adjustment period.
If your kids were unruly before, and made a lot of noise
(depending on their age), you better handle that now because it
will get worse once they realize that you have work to do on a
deadline that needs your attention.
Now I am not going to get into any parenting tips or marriage
tips. Kids will be kids and married life always has its ups and
downs. But get a reality check first.
QUICK TIPS THAT WILL SAVE YOU A LIFETIME OF HEADACHES
You have to put yourself on a schedule, and coordinate this with
your families' schedule so you will know when id the best time to
work and the best time for family activities. Sometimes, it's
best to work in the middle of the night. If you have children
under the age of one years old, you are up in the middle of the
night anyway begging them to go to sleep so you might as well get
an hour or two while you're up.
For me I work right after I put the kids on the school bus, and
straight through until they get home, and one hour before dinner
time.
Set aside a spot just for your business. If you don't have an
extra room, then make a section just for your business and
nothing else. So when you are looking for your notes, it's not in
the toy box or the tool shed.
Learn to cook fast meals. Cook your food ahead of time, if
possible.
Cook while you download,
Wash clothes while you upload.
Fold clothes while you are editing your site.
Scan your email while cleaning.
Designate time just for your kids and spouse.
Stop surfing and spend some time with them. If it's not relevant
to your business, close that browser.
If your email isn't working, or your server is down, relax
because knowing your ISP, it won't work until tomorrow anyway.
How many times do you say 'I'm just going to check my email' and
some offer pops up or some new promotion arrives in your inbox.
Next thing you know you're looking at the site and you get
completely side tracked. An hour has passed, the food is burning,
the kids are outside looking for new parents and your spouse, hey
where did he/she go? Get the picture..
So before you plan on mooning the boss and telling all your
co-workers where they can shove it, think about it before you
pick up your last paycheck. Remember:
If your home life was screwed up before, working at home isn't
going to make it any better.
This is just a brief, humorous overview of the work involved in
working at home. you have to have some humor even in business or
you will burn out quick!!
Copyright (c) KDM Publishing
Donesia has been doing business online for over 5 years.
Let her marketing, advertising and writing experience help
your business grow. Read more of her articles here
http://DonesiaMuhammad.com
This article may be freely distributed as long as the above
byline is included
6. WEEKLY WEBMASTER TIP
How to Exchange Reciprocal Links
Donesia Muhammad Copyright (c) 2001
Reciprocal links is very basic. It is an agreement between two,
or more websites to show each others' links. If done correctly,
it can help promote your site and improve your search engine
rankings. A great in-depth article on link popularity can be
found here
http://MyIBizHelper.com/articles.htm/linkpopularity.htm
How do I approach the webmaster about exchanging link?
" Hey I like your site. Gimme your link" WILL NOT WORK!
That will get your email deleted quicker than junk mail!
Make sure that the site you wish to approach is relevant to your
site. No cigarette ads to baby websites! Include:
Webmasters' first name or just by last name
Site name
URL where there link is located on your site
What you like about their site
Why they should exchange links with you
I put together a form that visitors can add their links and I
approve their links before I add them, so you might want to
consider that option as well as opposed to having anyone
automatically adding their links because you never know where
that links to. So start linking and get your popularity up.
Extra Tip:
Do you know how many site are linking to yours? You can find out
here http://www.linkpopularitycheck.com/
7. Guest Article: HOW TO SURVIVE YOUR FIRST YEAR IN BUSINESS
By Brett Krkosska
What's the best way to create a profitable business?
A business you really love that makes the kind of money
you really want?
Planning, planning, and more planning.
Before jumping head-long into a new business, you must
lay the foundation for long-term success. A good foundation
is rooted in a solid plan.
Many new businesses skip what is perhaps the most
important part of a solid business plan... assessing
individual strengths and weaknesses.
But does a self-assured, go-getter such as yourself really
need to do a self-analysis?
Research has shown that many businesses collapse in
their first year because of inadequate planning. A thorough
self-assessment is the first step in planning a business
which lasts well beyond the first year.
What happens if you skip this first step?
Picture yourself standing on a grassy knoll looking out
upon a desert - a sea of sand. You must cross this desert
to reach the cool, refreshing waters on the other side.
You begin your journey in the brisk, night air. The warm
sand feels good between your toes. But then, you feel
a nip at your feet. It is a creepy creature of the night
which has mistaken your curly little toe for a frisky,
hopping snack.
A thought... should have planned for boots.
It then occurs to you that your little toe will become
quite curly tomorrow when the sand heats up from the
blazing sun.
Not a pretty picture, is it? Ya gotta plan. Bare feet at
first... great for comfort. Boots for later on... that's
thinking ahead.
The questions below will help you to prepare yourself...
for business.
A. Why Do You Want To Start Your Own Business?
Understanding your motivation helps you to see past the
romantic notions of being self-employed. The questions
below have no correct answer. They are different for
everyone. Just look at your answers critically and evaluate
how important they are in choosing to start a business.
1. Do you want better work hours? If so, what hours do
you want to work?
2. Do you want to be your own boss? If so, why do you
want to be your own boss? e.g. creative freedom, current
boss is a Neanderthal, better use of your skills...
3. Do you want to improve your financial condition? If so,
by how much? How much income do you want every week?
Every month? Every year?
4. Does your current job leave you unfulfilled? Why? Can
your desire to be self-employed fill this need? In what ways?
5. Do you have a business idea in mind? If so, why did you
choose this business?
B. Are You Prepared For The Physical and Emotional Demands?
A new business can be very demanding. A business owner
must wear several hats, be able to switch hats in the blink
of an eye, and wear them till the job is done. This can be
stressful to your physical and emotional health. The
following questions will help you gauge your stamina.
1. Are you prepared to put in long hours to succeed? It's
not uncommon for the entrepreneur to work 12 or more
hours per day, including weekends.
2. Do you have the support of your family? Without that
support you are far less likely to succeed. Understand
that they must also shoulder additional hardships and
responsibilities.
3. Are you pursuing a business venture which fills you with
excitement? If not, the highs and lows of doing business
can effect your well-being. A strong passion for your work
is a powerful shield against burn-out, physical illness,
or emotional distress.
C. What Skills Are You Bringing To Your Business?
Every business requires the application of certain skills
to be successful. Without these key skills you run the
risk of failure. The important thing is to recognize the
areas of your business requiring additional support.
These questions will help you identify the skills you
possess and those you need to acquire.
1. Do you have previous experience in a business similar
to the one you're starting? If not, you should research your
chosen industry. It's necessary to understand your market,
your customers, and your competitors.
2. Are you good at planning and organizing? You must stay
on top of things such as your schedule, your promotions,
your accounting and financial records, your inventory, etc.
Educate yourself, or consider hiring outside help if you
feel weak in this area.
3. Are you a good decision-maker? Do you work well
under pressure? Can you take projects through to their
completion? These are essential skills for the small
business owner. If you've never worked in a supervisory
capacity, you may want to take some specialized training
to develop these skills.
Follow through on your answers to all of the above
questions. Take action to strengthen your weaknesses.
Doing so prepares you to move forward into market
analysis and the start-up planning phases of your business.
All this preparation will increase your likelihood of
surviving the first year in business. It's like buying a
great pair of boots for your business.
Brett Krkosska provides 'how-to' advice on family and
home-based work issues. Stop by his site for startup
guidance, home business ideas and inspiration at:
http://homebiztools.com
For a Fresh and Original
perspective on today's home business issues get
Brett's ezine at: mailto:enews@homebiztools.com
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