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Focusing on Finding Your Business Mindset in a Slow Economy

Posted by Rhonda Jai on January 15, 2009 at 6:30pm

Before you started your business, or even started planning one, you were just a regular citizen, and likely a regular employee. You didn’t worry about business plans, hours, hiring services, profit and loss, or any of the business issues that business owners face every day. You probably paid a little attention to marketing and advertising because it’s all over the place, but you never had to worry about getting your name out there. Perhaps the state of the economy crossed your mind, but not for very long. Now, as an entrepreneur, knowing this information and paying attention to these details has become part of your everyday. Fortunately, there are ways to focus on developing a positive business mindset and ignoring the stresses of every day life.....learn moreBrought To You By The Black Business Community Network

President Elect Barack Obama Letter To His Daughters

Posted by Denise Bethune on January 15, 2009 at 6:30pm

'What I Want for You — and Every Child in America'By President-elect Barack Obama Publication Date: 01/14/2009Next Tuesday, Barack Obama will be sworn in as our 44th President. On this historic occasion, PARADE asked the President-elect, who is also a devoted family man, to get personal and tell us what he wants for his children. Here, he shares his letter to them.Dear Malia and Sasha,I know that you've both had a lot of fun these last two years on the campaign trail, going to picnics and parades and state fairs, eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn't have let you have. But I also know that it hasn't always been easy for you and Mom, and that as excited as you both are about that new puppy, it doesn't make up for all the time we've been apart. I know how much I've missed these past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey.When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me-about how I'd make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn't seem so important anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn't count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the end, girls, that's why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation.I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential-schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill in them a sense of wonder about the world around them. I want them to have the chance to go to college-even if their parents aren't rich. And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care, jobs that let them spend time with their own kids and retire with dignity.I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you'll live to see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region, gender and religion that keep us from seeing the best in each other.Sometimes we have to send our young men and women into war and other dangerous situations to protect our country-but when we do, I want to make sure that it is only for a very good reason, that we try our best to settle our differences with others peacefully, and that we do everything possible to keep our servicemen and women safe. And I want every child to understand that the blessings these brave Americans fight for are not free-that with the great privilege of being a citizen of this nation comes great responsibility.That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling me about the men and women who marched for equality because they believed those words put to paper two centuries ago should mean something.She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better-and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. It's a charge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each new generation to what we know America should be.I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs that you see and working to give others the chances you've had. Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has given our family so much-although you do have that obligation. But because you have an obligation to yourself. Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential.These are the things I want for you-to grow up in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and to grow into compassionate, committed women who will help build that world. And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive that you girls have. That's why I've taken our family on this great adventure.I am so proud of both of you. I love you more than you can ever know. And I am grateful every day for your patience, poise, grace, and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House.Love DadCourtesy : Parade Magazine

Be a great mentor

Posted by Kemi Fadojutimi on January 15, 2009 at 5:36pm

Be a great mentor and be dependableIn the times, when aspiration levels are high, a mentor is the most sought after person in any professional situation. This makes it a fundamental prerequisite for the manager, to be a mentor to the team, if he seeks to morph as a leader.In fact, now the trend in most companies is to facilitate the new employee with a mentor, to take care of the emotional needs during the vagaries of induction into the organization and post that.The leader becomes a mentor to every team member, and proactively advises the team mate on a host of professional and personal situations. That means, the leader should be the most approachable to all the team mates, and breaks the shackles of hierarchy with the team. Only this assures the comfort level, and makes each of the team members to open up.To be a mentor, it is also very crucial for the leader to be a great listener, to the stated, and someone who can see the obvious, even if not expressed by the team member. Once the leader perceives the obvious, he needs to initiate a dialogue and make the team member open up. It is also very important to position oneself as someone who is dependable – dependable in all situations. This calls for a great level of perceived level-headedness, and consistency in positive behavior. ‘Perceived’ is the key word, as perception is bigger than reality as far as the team members go.Effective mentoring is indeed a good way to control attrition, as in most cases employee exits are owing to reasons unstated and unseen – owing to a lack of opportunity to open up at the appropriate juncture.

Gynecology Facts All Black Women Should Know

Posted by Black doctor. org on January 15, 2009 at 4:43pm

(BlackDoctor.org) -- In the past few years, self diagnosis has become an internet phenomenon. I can’t tell you the number of times women have written me tearful emails because they’ve read or heard something about gynecology they think applies to them – and it doesn’t. A lot of what you read about gynecology or about caring for your va-jay-jay is either exaggerated or “just plain wrong.” Because of this, we have decided to provide you with the facts.To read the full article, please follow this link: http://blackdoctor.org/articles.aspx?counter=33896Check out the website at: www.blackdoctor.org

Tip of the Day for Business Women and Networking

Posted by Diversity_Woman on January 15, 2009 at 3:00pm

Networking doesn’t often yield immediate results. You should approach networking as a long-term enterprise. It takes time to gain trust and nurture relationships. Be patient.Sheila, publisher of Diversity Woman Magazine.www.diversitywoman.com

Passion to Profit Exercise (Author Unknown)

Posted by Paradise on January 15, 2009 at 2:31pm

This activity is for groups or individuals facing or desiring career change, especially a move into self-employment or starting up their own new business.It's a simple formula - at a glance:your passion or passions + your strengths and your preferred working style + some research + shape it all into something that people want + time to grow and develop = your new career or business, your independence and security1. List your passions. In no particular order or structure - passions are what you love and enjoy, and will tend to be things that you are good at. Everyone loves and is very good at something, and generally two or three things. Keep an open mind when you consider your own passions. It is possible to make a new career or business out of anything. Passions are not necessarily related to conventional work and how we imagine work to be, and yet every passion can be a career or a new business. A hobby is often a passion. A yearning or lifelonging is often a passion. Get feedback from positive friends about your own passions, especially if your confidence is at a low ebb. Everyone is fantasticat something, or potentially so. A passion (or combination of more than one passion) is the root of a truly successful new venture - be it a career change, becoming freelance, or starting a new business.2. List your strengths. Strengths are your preferred working styles, including the way you prefer to connect with people. Measure your Multiple Intelligences and your VAK style, to see your basic strengths and working style preferences (e.g., inter-personal, or numerical, or words and language) which will indicate your most natural and effective type of work and ways you can do and provide the work. Get feedback from positive friends, especially if your confidence is at a low ebb.You experience (including hard knocks and tough times), your knowledge, skills and attitudinal strengths are all part of your strengths3. Combine your of passion(s) and strengths. Look for combinations which could work together to produce an offering that people want or need, in a way that you can provide it enjoyably. Mix and match your passions and strengths to create combinations which would work together as products or services, or a special expertise which others might need. Brainstorming is very useful for this stage of the process. Allow possibilities time and space to emerge. Do not let finance be an obstacle. It is possible to start most things on a small experimental scale with very little money. Time and commitment are far more important than financial investment. If there are some missing pieces (for example a qualification or vital bit of knowledge or training) use the goal planner. Use the goal planner anyway if you like to see organised elements and a timeline. Project management methods are helpful for people who prefer a structured or strongly planned approach. Other people prefer to work more intuitively, which is fine. You probably will not be able to decide and confirm exactly what you will be doing, and for whom and how, at this stage. Aim simply to come up with a shape of a new direction or offering, or set of ideas that excite you.4. Research - investigate the potential for your ideas and possibilities above. Consider the best 'route to market' as well as the demand and values aspects. 'Route to market' includes in this context whether your offering is best provided via an employed position, or as a freelancer, or via a shop or office, or via the web, or other method of delivering what you have to offer, to the people who want it. Ask friends. Look on the web for existing similar offerings, and for demand. Begin to imagine how a product or service could be provided and within what sort of business or financial model - basically how you'd monetise the provision - make money from it - which can be done in very many different ways. This process is just as useful for career change for employed work, as it is for breaking out as a freelancer or starting your own business. Crucially your research must give you confidence that the basic financials are viable: that there is demand for what you will be doing or providing; that the costs of provision do not exceed the price that people will pay or the revenues which can be generated from the activity. Be creative about the ways that revenue can be created. This website, for example gives everything away free, but due to its high traffic levels produces revenues via advertising, which is an effective financial model for many web businesses. Freelancing with several clients is often a much better way to derive income from a specialised personal offering than conventional employment. Some consumer offerings are better supplied via mail order, or door-to-door; other ideas are better suited to a shop, or a rented office. This is all part of the research: exploring and considering the best ways to deliver your offering. And remember that even if you stay within the world of employed work, you will work more enjoyably and profitably if you think and act like a supplier. The most successful employees behave like a business.5. Time to grow and develop. Consider and decide how quickly you need to implement your plans. Any worthwhile change usually takes time. Even if you have a lot of money to invest in a new business start-up, or some working capital to get you started in self-employment of some sort, time is crucial for refining and developing your offering, and for establishing yourself. That's why is useful to start now. A substantial new business can be built in five years easily. Google had achieved world dominance in ten. Self-employment takes two years to get properly established. A shop can open in a matter of days, but it takes many months to become established, no matter how much money is spent on advertising. This website took ten years to build. But it cost me nothing - just time. Think how you will feel if you are still in a job you hate in five years. Five years is enough for virtually any sort of career change. If you have plenty of time, start now, and your costs will be very low. Change costs more when it needs to be rushed. Given time you can start any sort of consumer business from home on a budget less than your weekly bar bill. Give up a holiday or two, and that's easily enough to start a small business. A small business, built on someone's passion(s) and strengths quite soon becomes a big business - enough for your personal security, independence and your pension. Time is no problem if you start now. Time also helps ideas to become polished into real gems. If you have a passion to work for yourself one day, or to start your own business, don't wait until you are forced to do it. Start it now in your spare time. A couple of hours a week would get you started. Then once you are started, your project has a life of its own and will pull you along with it, provided of course that you love and enjoy it. Again refer to the goal planner and if necessary the project management and business planning content, and any other relevant materials and tools here. That's what they are here for.6. Your new business - this is you - working in whatever way is most appropriate and fulfilling for you, specialising in your passion, using your natural strengths - whether employed, self- employed or running your own business.Visualise it and write it here.Believe it and commit to making it happen.Refine it constantly as it develops.Give it time and space to grow.Enjoy building it.Start now.Start very small if you like.But start now.People going through this process will mainly or eventually tend to end up working for themselves or running their own business. That's not to say you will start off like that, especially if you are young, when it is very helpful often to get your experience and establish contacts by working for an employer. The crucial point, whatever your work status, is to carve out a special value and independence for yourself that puts you beyond the whims of the employment market and uncaring employers. Certain people are always in work that they enjoy and are satisfactorily rewarded for. This is because they are doing something that they love and which they are brilliant at, which allows them to behave very independently. This option is available to everyone, and its value to the individual is greater than any pension fund.Author Unknown. Excerpts taken from Businessballs, a free ethical learning and development resource for people and organizations, run by Alan Chapman, in Leicester, England.

Looking for Graphic and Web Designers

Posted by Rikki on January 15, 2009 at 1:30pm

Good day! 2009 has started off very well for me, so I am looking for graphic and web designers to partner with so that I can concentrate on some new ventures and hopefully get some sleep!Here's what I need:* A link to your site* 3-5 samples of your work* info about your skill set and programs you are proficient in.Please send to client@mizz-e.com. If you are selected you will be contacted from that email address to set up a time to talk.Thanks much!Rikki

The Flood Gates Are Open!

Posted by Michelle on January 15, 2009 at 6:30am

The moment we’ve all been waiting for has arrived!WebProsperity is NOW officially launched and tens of thousands of marketers are about to join this amazing tidal wave.To participate, please rush to the link below and lock-in your position. If you signed up during pre-launch, you must activate your membership or you will lose your position!Click Here To Join and Activate Your Membership!You will need to enter your WebProsperity username that you used to sign up in the Pre-Launch phase.Please make sure you have a Visa/Mastercard credit/debit card or an AMEX card. These are the only currently accepted payment methods.With over 100,000 signups (yes, we signed the 100,000th person this morning!) in the Pre-Launch phase, this is guaranteed to be the biggest and best launch in the Internet Marketing history. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this.If you’re sitting on the fence, get off the fence. Don’t wait. Jump in right now.Stay humble. Be aggressive.See you at the top!Michelle

FREE WEBINAR WEDNESDAY: JANUARY 21 from 12-1PM (EST) JOIN US!

Posted by THE CONFIDENCE ARCHITECT on January 15, 2009 at 5:35am

The Subconscious Perspective: What's That All About?

"All power is from within and therefore under our control.
" ~ Robert Collier (1885-1950)How do we go about generating as much information as possible when it comes to controlling the subconscious in major areas of our lives?In this one-hour working webinar, you will begin to nail down the events, items, and behaviors that are classifiied as ABSOLUTE MUSTs within your life.Upon confirmed attendance and participation in this webinar, each participant will receive a copy of the Subconscious Perspective Worksheet and a Free 15 Min Life Coaching Session to assist in walking through this activity.* Note: This Webinar Wednesday is an interactive webinar, both microphones and speakers are needed to share and receive.From the "I AM... Living By Design not by default" series.Reserve your Webinar Seat Today_________________________________________________________________________________________________Your FREE 15 Min Life Empowerment Coaching Session Can Begin Today.Ivana introduces her new book:Confident About Confidence: 30-Days to Growth and EnhancementPURCHASE TODAY

A Change Is Comin'!

Posted by Estelle Combs on January 15, 2009 at 5:00am

HAPPY NEW YEAR!2009 is gonna be mighty fine! Barack Obama will soon usher in a new season of empowerment for us all. As sisterpreneurs, monpreneurs, afropreneurs & entrepreneurs, we have a magnificant opportunity to thrive in the coming years. We are poised on the threshold of a new attitudinal shift that is being felt around the world. Greed is out.....GREEN is in!. Reuse, Redo, Recycle is the new way to do things.I look forward to reconnecting with my ancestral beginnings where we used Natural ingredients to address personal care & skincare challenges. Several of the ingredients used in the Zuri's Pride Naturals Collection of Personal & Skincare products may be used in a variety of ways. Periodically, I will be highlighting these ingredients and answering your questions. I invite you to visit me often at ZURI'S PRIDE I look forward to offering you the best personalized skin & haircare products from Africa. With over 2000 popular scents to choose from, I can make your custom-blended therapeutic body lotions, fragrance oils, body washes and bath salts smell fabulous!SWEETHEART SPECIAL:BODY WASH/BODY LOTION/BODY MIST SETCONVENIENT 3oz Travel Sizes$45ppd.FREGRANCES AVAILABLE:STRAWBERRY/MELONCUCUMBER/MELONLAVENDERMANGO/PEACHPAPAYA

Black Millionaire Summit Tour

Posted by Dana Williams on January 15, 2009 at 3:11am

If you missed the Black Millionaire Summit in Dallas TX Nov 7-9, 2008, like I did. You don't want to miss this.Dr. Fran Harris just announced the 2009 Black Millionare Summit Tour.The event kicks off Thursday, January 15thDallas, TX7:00 - 9:00 pmHoliday Inn4500 Harry Hines Blvd.Dallas, Texas 75219SEATING IS LIMITED! More info at:http://whoisdanawilliams.blogspot.com/2009/01/black-millionaire-summit.html

Need help blogging?

Posted by Christine on January 14, 2009 at 9:38pm

As many of you know, I am the editor of the site http://womenpreneurs.info, a resource site for women entrepreneurs, and of course anyone else who cares to stop by!Right now, for a limited time, I'm offering a Blogging ECourse F.R.E.E. to new signups. Sign up for my mailing list and receive your first day of the eCourse via email within 24 hours! In addition check out the articles and resources there for you.To your continued success,CeeCee

The Presence of God

Posted by Minister Coylette James on January 14, 2009 at 7:14pm

I was blessed to start the new year in consecration to God. The first seven days of this year I shut into a church for a time of prayer, fasting and worship with the Lord. What an incredible experience it was. This was not the first time I have done this, in fact I started 2008 and 2005 the same way and I have done many shut-ins in the course of my walk with Christ, always seeking intimate time with Him.This year was very different. While every time we seek to set aside intimate time with God He always shows up and blesses us with His presence, this time His manifested Glory actually came in and dwelt. In times past there was always a lot of spiritual warfare going forth. This time it was mostly praise and worship.Saints, I believe we have entered into a place of rest in Him. We have been on the battlefield for so long and now He is saying rest in Me for I have given you the victory. No doubt there will be other battles, but I feel deep within my spirit that as long as we yield to God's directives in the midst of the battle, we will not experience the battle fatigue of the past. It is our time for sweat less victory.I encourage you to rest in Him; change your mindset from what you must do to accomplish your objectives, and focus on His way and His timing for things to manifest. Remember it is not about you and your accomplishments, it is about God's manifested Glory in the midst of all you do.Be Blessed and dwell in His presence!

THE NEW EDITION...

Posted by WHO'S THAT GIRL BLESSED BY GOD? on January 14, 2009 at 7:01pm

The New EditionWhen was the last time you purchased or received something new? Maybe it was acell phone, a car, or an outfit. It could've been a new pair of shoes, a job, oreven a relationship.There's just something about the newness of things. You value it more. You takebetter care of it. You can't wait to tell others about it. However, thateagerness doesn't last.Simply think of all the old things you have acquired over the years. Soon, justlike all the old "new things", the newer "new things" becomes a little boring.We settle down into the humdrum of business as usual. Now, it's just a cellphone, a car, or a pair of shoes. Our affection for it fades as we start tofocus on the next new thing.We can upgrade our phones, trade-in our relationships and change jobs when we'rebored. We can just get the new edition. Unfortunately, this same mentalityspills over into our lives with Christ.Have you ever heard someone say?"Before I was saved." or"When I was still in sin."If you're like me, you've said it yourself.As Christians, we like to think of our lives in two categories: Before-Christand After-Christ.If you and I were to finish the sentences above, I'm sure we could fill a book.One of the best things about being a Christian is the new life we have inChrist. It trumps the old life every time.Sometimes and somewhere along the way, we are tempted to exchange the new lifein Christ for the old way of living. Life starts to happen again. It rains onyour parade more than once. Things that you thought you wouldn't experience as aChristian seem to resurface after Christ!How do you handle it when the old life threatens to choke the newness out oflife in Christ? And what does this new life really mean anyway?I love Merriam-Webster's definition of the word new. It means having recentlycome into existence. Is it possible that we never truly existed before coming toChrist? When you accept Christ in your life, you come into an existence that younever knew about.You never really understood the measure of His sacrifice. You never had a Fatherlike God. You didn't think it was possible for someone to know everything aboutyou, and still love you. And yet, He does. You thought you were free, butliberation has taken on a totally different meaning. Life is not the same.I want to challenge you (and myself) to remember that there is no new edition ofthe new life in Christ. There is nothing better. 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds usthat "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away;behold all things have become new."This scripture doesn't simply say that anyone in Christ could or will be a newcreation. It guarantees that he is. You and I are new in Him. The life we nowlive has greater understanding and subsequently, greater responsibility. Weshould never settle for anything routine in our relationship with God.Every single day is new. Every single old thing is just that old. It's uselessand ineffective. After all, it's called the old life for a reason and thisedition is just fine.

January is National Mentoring Month -- Be the Change: Mentor a Child

Posted by Jim Neusom on January 14, 2009 at 5:36pm

Greetings Family,(Contact Information At The Bottom Of The Page)It's your friendly neighborhood "Digital Drummer" again...smileRoger Madison (founder and CEO of iZania.com) is a dynamic brother that is doing great things to enhance the online experience for Blacks in the Diaspora. Below is just a sample of the timely, relevant, and empowering information that you can find at iZania.comMany (or should I say most) of us have profiles on MySpace, BlackPlanet, Facebook, and Ning…all are white owned! These social networks have achieved financial viability based on your participation alone….numbers count to advertisers!If we are to continue to receive quality “Content” that is About Us, For Us, and most importantly From Us, then we must support Black owned social networks such as iZania.com, and ConnectingBlack.com….Join a Black network today!Remember we must Share The Knowledge…To Share The Dollars.***************(Advertisement)*********************Need some great ideas for corporate or personal gift-giving?Then go to City Lights Software(http://www.citylightssoftware.com)and see some of the most unique afrocentric gifts available online!We Deliver ONLINE - Direct To Your Desktop for just $14.95Please take the time to purchase one our afrocentric screen savers TODAY!Don't Just Talk the Talk...Let Your Dollars Walk the WalkIf you have any problems with purchasing online contact me direct at sales@citylightssoftware.comorcall(213) 944-4176***************************************************----- Original Message ----From: iZania Weekly NewsletterTo: Jim Neusom (jneusom@yahoo.com)Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 8:45:17 AMSubject: January is National Mentoring Month -- Be the Change: Mentor a Child"We need your service, right now, in this moment -- our moment -- in history. I'm not going to tell you what your role should be; that's for you to discover. But I am going to ask you to play your part; ask you to stand up; ask you to put your foot firmly into the current of history."Barack Obama, Colorado Springs, July 2, 2008Last year, more than 375,000 individuals responded by seeking information about local mentoring programs that need more volunteers.Research has shown that programs that rely on volunteer mentors can play a powerful role in reducing drug abuse and youth violence while greatly enhancing a young person's prospects for leading a healthy and productive life.National Mentoring Month is spearheaded by the Harvard Mentoring Project of the Harvard School of Public Health, MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership, and the Corporation for National and Community Service. Media partners include: CBS, FOX, NBC, MTV, Comcast, Time Warner, and the National Association of Broadcasters.As a highlight of National Mentoring Month 2009, Thank Your Mentor Day™ will be celebrated on January 22. On that day, many Americans will reach out to thank or honor those individuals who encouraged and guided them, and had a lasting impact on their lives.Thank Your Mentor Day™ promotes "Four Ways to Honor Your Mentor":1) contact your mentor directly to express your appreciation;2) pass on what you received by becoming a mentor to a young person in your community;3) make a financial contribution to a local mentoring program; and,4) write a tribute to your mentor for posting on www.WhoMentoredYou.org.Roger MadisonCEO, iZaniaGo to http://www.izania.com/forums/ to share your personal strategy with the iZania community***************************************************This Online Journal was brought to you by InterServe Networks. Feel Free To Forward To Your Network Of Online FriendsWe Practice Responsible E-Commerce Marketing and Privacy Policies. We do not indulge in or encourage Spamming. We never send unsolicited emails. You are receiving this message as part of our opt-in subscriber mailing list or you are a member of an affiliated newsgroup.For comments or suggestions please contact us at the following;Jim Neusom (jneusom@yahoo.com)Executive Director/PublisherInterServe Networks/City Lights Software, Inc.www.citylightssoftware.comwww.freshfaces2u.comwww.myspace.com/jimneusomwww.myspace.com/freshfaces2uTo subscribe to our opt-in mailing list simply send an email to; The_City_Lights_Reporter-subscribe@yahoogroups.com( on Myspace go to http://blog.myspace.com/jimneusom)

Sistapreneurs, this is vital tax planning info for 2008 returns!

Posted by lorretta a walker on January 14, 2009 at 4:00pm

Tax laws that will help you this filing seasonThanks to various tax laws passed in mid 2008 and extensions of previous provisions at year end, you will see a number of new tax items that will help you get a bigger refund or reduce your liability.1. Taxpayers who live in states with no state income tax will appreciate the two year extension of the sales tax deduction. Those of us who itemize (on Schedule A) can choose to claim the greater of their local/state sales tax paid for the year or their state/local income tax paid for the year.2. College students and their parents will be happy to learn that the qualified tuition and fees deduction has also been extended for two years. Students or their parents can deduct up to $4000 in tuition and fees paid out of pocket to a college or trade school. Schedule A is not required for this deduction.3. Educators will have two more years to use the teacher classroom expense deduction. Teachers can deduct up to $250 for out of pocket expenses for their students. Schedule A is not required.4. Retirees aged 70 1/2 and older can continue to make tax free IRA distributions (either a traditional or Roth IRA) up to $100,000 to the charity of their choice for another two years.Please note: the above extensions expire on Dec 31, 2009. In other words, when you file your 2008 and 2009 returns, these extensions and others not mentioned here will apply.5. A new credit for new homeowners, the First Time Homebuyers Credit, allows taxpayers who bought a new home after April 9, 2008 and before July 1, 2009 a credit of up to $7500 or ten percent of the purchase price, whichever is smaller. It acts more like an interest free loan; the credit must be repaid on your tax return for 15 years starting in 2010.6. Many lower income parents with a qualifying child (go to my website Tax filing FAQs) younger than age 17 will potentially get a bigger refund now that the Additional Child Tax Credit's income threshold dropped from $12,050 to $8,500.7. Taxpayers who did not receive an economic stimulus check last year will have an opportunity to get the Recovery Rebate Credit on their tax return. Taxpayers who did receive a check in 2008 but experienced change in filing status or dependents or income may be able to get an increase in their rebate via the Recovery Rebate Credit. Instead of getting a check, any credit you are entitled to will give you a larger refund or reduce what you owe. The IRS will have a calculator on their website (The Internal Revenue Service Web Site) where you can calculate an estimate of your rebate credit.My website: http://llwe.net

Tip of the Day for Business Women and Networking

Posted by Diversity_Woman on January 14, 2009 at 3:04pm

While networking, when asked about your business or what you do, develop a concise, one-sentence elevator pitch - possibly your slogan. Then develop several versions tailored to different audiences.Sheila, publisher of Diversity Woman Magazine.www.diversitywoman.com

Nominated SuperEMpowering Woman of the Week

Posted by Kara Norman on January 14, 2009 at 6:36am

I'm so excited I was nominated as Super EMWoman of the week one of my favorite social networks!!!Direct Link to article: SuperEMWoman of the Week: Kara NormanFeatured Article

SUPER EMwomen are ordinary women who demonstrate extraordinary boldness or courage in helping others within their community.Introducing: Kara Norman, this week's Super EMwoman of the Week and the new group moderator of EMwomen's new "all girls" group, EMgirls, dedicated to teen and pre-teen girls with a passion to change the world.In here own words, hear why Kara is the perfect fit for EMgirls and Our Super EMwoman of the Week!__________________________________________________________________Hi Everyone,My name is Kara Norman and I was so elated and honored when I was asked to moderate EMGirls. I have such a passion to see young girls empowered and equipped as the leaders of tomorrow and this social network is destined to make that come true in so many lives.My strong desires to empower and enrich the lives of pre-teen and teen girls started mostly as a young girl when I struggled with self-esteem and had deep rooted self-worth issues.Growing up, I lived in a home where accolades, verbal support, hope-filled words, positive thoughts, and a feeling of being loved was not present. The negativity of my childhood and desperate desire to feel loved and appreciated left me with deep rooted pain and a lack of self confidence. I was a good student, but because of struggles at home, I was never encouraged, or told that my life had any real potential. Over time, I began to believe the same.I never chose to participate in extra-curricular activities or try new things growing up, because the thoughts I had of myself were so negative. I took those same struggles into college and ended up dropping out, getting married, and becoming a mother.Somehow, I thought marriage and family would make things better. This new chapter in my life, however, opened up even more wounds, as I was suddenly faced with new responsibilities of marriage and motherhood that only deepened my awareness of how much healing I really needed.As I looked into the faces of my two precious daughters, I realized that I had a choice.I could repeat the patterns of my mother, or I could choose to live a different life. I could choose, in one moment, to redefine my future. With a passion to live, love, and lead differently and give my daughters the inspiration, support, and love I never felt as a child, I decided to do something out of the norm for me. I decided to “learn” how to love again.Like Staci Wallace says, “You can’t change the world around you, until you change the world within you.” I was determined to change from the inside out and education became that key to unlock my greatness.I returned to college and completed my degree, finishing something that, only a few years prior, I quit due to my own lack of confidence. And I didn’t just finish, I received a bachelor’s of science degree in psychology and graduated summa cum laude, all the while managing to sustain a passionate marriage and be mommy to two young girls.During my studies, I chose to focus on women issues and gained valuable knowledge about the many challenges girls and women face today. Our country is in need for social change and my new education was giving me the passion to be a part of the solution.I have served as a volunteer for several women’s organizations including The Women’s Center, a resource center for women and their families in Virginia, Caminar Latino, Inc., a domestic violence research program and agency for Latino families/women, and the Atlanta Women’s Foundation an organization that provides funding for issues concerning girls and women.All of these experiences over my life have fueled a passion to truly inspire, enrich, empower and change the lives of our girls,who will be our future leaders of tomorrow. With today’s cultural and media influences, the exploitation of girls, the unfiltered social networks, and the many temptations bombarding girls today, it has never been a better time or more important time for EMgirls to emerge as an alternative place of influence and leadership for girls and young women.As the co-founder and director of a local empowerment group for pre-teen and teen girls in the Atlanta area, Jewels and G.E.M.S-Girls Empowered By Morals and Standards, I see the tremendous impact that positive supportive environments have on girls everyday.Being exposed to positive role models/peers, enrichment workshops, mentors, cultural and educational programs, girls groups, and online communities like EMGirls, young women and girls have the chance at a better tomorrow.I am so excited to bring my knowledge, ideas, passion, creativity, enthusiasm and experience as a young mother, to EMgirls to help it be an effective place to empower girls to utilize their strengths and improve upon their weaknesses in order to achieve their goals and become ‘EMpowered’ women of tomorrow!

Movers & Shakers

Posted by Gina McGowan Cade on January 14, 2009 at 4:47am

We must become a mover & a shaker and not a procrastinator. Where are you standing, in the forefront or behind the scenes? It’s time for us all to move up closer. We must move out of that old way of thinking that life will not amount to much. “So a man thinketh so is he.” Believe in the Lord our God that He will supply our every need. The bible tells us to delight ourselves in the Lord and He will give us the desires of our heart. Don’t blame the mishaps of your life on anyone else. If you have been turned down, looked over or even mistreated, or if you decide to lie down and cover your head – keep moving; just shake it off. Life will go on – with or without you.Don’t just sit there like a bump on a log – become a mover and a shaker! Let’s get some things done, not just anything - positive things. We must be willing and able to make a change in our life. We must be willing to make a difference in the lives of our family members. Until we get some things right in our life, we will constantly repeat the same mistakes over and over again. The changes begin with us. Ignorance keeps us in bondage and fear opens up the door to a many of things such as legal issues, marital problems, financial heartaches and so much more. We must allow God to be God in our lives. He is our Prince of Peace; He is God all by himself. There is deliverance for us all. When others forsake us, He will be there for us. It’s up to us to acknowledge His presence; speak to Him each day, read His word on a daily basis. His word is a plan, a road map for us to find our way around life and not to bump our head or slip and fall constantly. We must send a message to the Lord telling Him what’s going on with us. He will put everything together for us according to His purpose for our life. Yes, we all have a purpose.Movers & Shakers arise early before the sun rises with a plan in mind and on paper. The bible tells me that Faith without works is dead. The Lord will lift us up out of our wilderness especially when we are helping ourselves, no matter what it is at the time that we may be facing. He will give us the resources needed to come out of the wilderness and every tool that we need so we will not go into that same wilderness again. Don’t look to man for the resources or tools needed to come out of the wilderness because man will let us down time and time again. However, there is no lack in God. Whatever we need He will supply it for us. His desire is for us to prosper and be in health even as our soul prospers. If you haven’t heard we are an heir to our Heavenly Father, meaning whatever our Father has also belongs to us.Movers & Shakers do not wait on a hand out, they make things happen. There must be a turning point in our life; a turn for the better. The Lord has supplied us all with faith and with power. All we need to do is begin to speak positive, speak our needs and desires into existence. The provision has been made through Christ. He suffered and died on the cross just for you and for me. Thank God that the grave could not hold Him. When He rose, He arose with all power.Let’s get busy and make some things happen in our lives for the better and also for so many other lives. He wants us to be happy, healthy and blessed people. Touch others by doing things that are not in their reach. Never assume that your problem(s) outweigh the next person’s problems. There are always others worse off than you are on any given day. We have what we need just for asking. It’s up to us to go out and tell others how to get what they need and desire.For your sincere heart in helping others you will be blessed and not stressed. “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.” The Lord is with us and will not lead us astray. He will place a burden on our heart for us to help our neighbor, our family member and even those we have never seen. We have not begun to live our life until we began helping others. Our daily prayer should be asking the Lord to place those people in our path whom He want us to be a blessing to at His appointed time.We will find that a number of people will talk the talk but are not interested in walking the walk. Some will shake and fake; pretending that their heart is in what they promise to do and have no action behind the words. The Lord is looking for more Movers and Shakers! I declare today that I will be included as a mover and a shaker, how about you? There is faith, power and courage before, during and after the movers and shakers have spoken and performed their duties.By: Gina McGowan Cade

Homeless Advocates of Texas, how you can help...

Posted by Gina McGowan Cade on January 14, 2009 at 4:44am

My husband and I along with others that volunteer with us work a homeless ministry, Homeless Advocates of Texas (HAT) and we go to the downtown Dallas shelter.We also pull up in the parking lot across from the shelter and pop our trunk and men / ladies come over to the car and we hand out clothing, coats, blankets, toiletries and more. All of the items come from people like you.We have luncheons at off site locations at the churches that work with us. We have van drivers that will go to the area shelters or nearby locations where they normally congregate and we will feed up to 300or as many that we can depending on the amount of food we have prepared. Sometimes it may be more and at times a lot less.We also have annual health fairs at Paul Quinn College, a local college in the southern area of Dallas once a year. The event is for the college students that may not have health insurance, the community and all who will come by and take advantage of the many services that are offered. A few vendors that come out: Dallas Police Deparatment for fingerprinting the youth & literature on fraud alerts for the elderly, a local domestic abuse center, Methodist Hospital for mammograms which are free through a grant for those who qualify and low cost for others, Dallas County for immunization shots, Mosaic for AIDS / HIV testing, a local dentist, Girls, Inc. and many others.Last summer we teamed up with our local AmeriGroup to provide back packs for students and we collected school supplies for over 150 students with the help of the City of Seagoville. We were able to provide the elementary students enough to start the year off with and also providing the high school students a few items. This year we aim at having a back 2 school rally, making it a full day's event. Anyone in the Dallas and surrounding areas of Texas that would like to work with us on this event may contact us at HomelessAdvocatesofTexas@yahoo.com. We will start working on the rally in February to get a jump start.My plans are to eventually open a facility to house men, ladies and families to assist with any problem they may have, give counseling, have computer training facilites (on site) and a full service cafeteria along with having jobs for the people on site as well and so much more.You can read my story if you go to www.PurposeDriven.com / Dallas woman finds her purpose (for Purpose Driven Life by Pastor Rick Warren).There is another story you can find on me regarding me and the homeless with The Dallas Morning News in Dallas, Texas. You can place my name in your web browser and find this story.It has been a journey worth traveling. I am enjoying the ride and talking with all of the interesting people.You would be amazed at the stories you hear of how & why.It's a new year, let's all volunteer somewhere no matter what part of the world you may be in.Helping others even when you don't have anything but time to offer will help you in return.Much luv! Gina

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Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.