All Posts - Blogs - Black Business Women Online

The New Family Business

Posted by Donna Maria Coles Johnson on May 16, 2008 at 2:30pm

Nine Reasons Why Home-Based Business Ownership Works For ParentsSo you’re a parent, or thinking about becoming one. No matter what your background or walk of life, you are probably dealing with the question of combining parenting with holding down a job outside the home. If you ponder these things, you are not alone. I wondered the same things as a new bride in 2000.My husband and I wanted a family, yet his job as a camera man on ABC's Nightline required him to work from late in the afternoon to long past midnight. I worked like crazy from morning until after the dinner hour at a Washington, DC law firm. We had a fantastic combined income, yet we knew that it would be impossible to have a child with our schedules and the stress caused by our jobs.I took action by starting a business from home. For the first year, I worked part-time for $500 a month at a small law firm while my husband covered all of our bills, so I could transition out of financial heaven. I delivered our first child in October 2001, and by January 2002, I was sitting in my home office nursing my baby while drafting up my next online newsletter. (Here's one of the more humorous editions, published a few months after she was born.)It's not always easy to simultaneously work from home and manage the home too, but then, parenting is never easy. And neither is making a living. But when you work and parent from the same location, the two tasks are combined in a way that makes it sensible to do both.Here are 7 reasons home-based business ownership can work for you and your family.1. Your Heart In Your HomeIf you're like me, you know that parenthood is not just something we do to populate the world or create little clones of ourselves. Parenthood is a calling. An irresistible leaning that leads to a commitment of your time, talent and resources to accomplish a specific goal.If you are called to parenting, then you want to do everything you can do pursue that calling as successfully as possible. Home-based business ownership allows you to earn a living in a way that acknowledges and facilitates your ability to put your home first.2. AvailabilityWhen you have children, especially when they are young, being at home allows you to put their needs first, not only emotionally but also physically. That's impossible when you are someplace else all day. It's hard to put your home first when you're sitting in rush hour traffic thinking about how someone else is curling up with your infant or watching your toddler take her first steps.3. FlexibilityLets face it, parenting requires flexibility. One minute, everyone is healthy and the next, sniffles abound -- and at midnight no less! Parenting requires you to turn around on a dime, go with the flow and change plans quickly. If you have to check in with a boss and a few co-workers every time your child has a fever or your spouse goes away on a business trip, it's hard to be flexible.Having a business at home allows you to create your schedule based on the needs of everyone in the family, not worrying about the schedule of those outside your home.4. Environmental BenefitsWorking at home facilitates an environmentally friendly lifestyle. Reducing your automobile emissions is a great way to start living a more earth-friendly lifestyle, yet people who work outside the home usually have no control over the distance between home and work. It can take up to an hour during rush hour to travel a distance that would otherwise take 15 or 20 minutes. Being at home for work eliminates your contribution to the toxins caused by so many cars on the road. It also shows your children how your choices are actually helping to care for the environment.5. Economic BenefitsIf you don't drive as much, you save money on gas -- and who doesn't need to do that these days? You also save money in other ways: dry cleaning, suits, fast food and more. Plus, the tax benefits to a family with a business that takes the deductions it is entitled to are too many to name.6. Unlimited Personal PotentialWhen you control the pace of your career advancement, the sky is the limit. Take Indie Beauty Network member Lela Barker, owner of Bella Lucce in South Carolina, for example. Six years ago, she was a single mom with no job and no place to live. She moved into her mother's basement with her daughters and started whipping up sugar scrub.Recently, corporate revenues passed the million dollar mark. The growth has caused her to move production to a facility, but she's still close to both home and her daughter's schools. Lela travels the globe working with some of the world's most luxurious spas and hotel chains to develop upscale products. She schedules everything around her children and husband. Her potential as a business woman is unlimited, yet her heart remains in her home first. This sets an excellent example for her girls and for other young people watching her success.7. Entrepreneurial and Life EducationThis morning, before my husband took our 4-year old son went to school, my son and I took a look at the family business bank statement. I showed him the "plus" and "minus" signs so he could see for himself the connection between money coming in and money going out, and how that translates into food on the dinner table and additional Spiderman paraphernalia.He doesn't understand the details, but he gets the gist of it: mom and dad work together to generate the cash needed to provide for him and his sister. This is just a small sampling of how we use our business to teach our kids crucial life skills they will need in the future.8. RelationalLet's face it, keeping a marriage together is a challenge. When you work with your spouse, the challenges are compounded. Not only do you have to make things work personally, you also have to make them work professionally. When your marriage and your profession are interdependent upon one another in this way, special mountains need to be climbed.But as Indie Beauty Network member Maggie Hanus of a Wild Soap Bar in Texas says, "The family that grinds together also binds together."I have found this to be true, as the business gives me and my husband one more significant reason to work out any personal differences we may have (and we do have them), and this benefits everyone.9. FunIt's fun to work from home and make a living at the same time! We make up our own days. Sometimes, we just get up and go swimming or for a walk. We can pack up the Blackberry or laptop (or not ...) and take the day off at the zoo or to another fun location. We can work all night and play all day if we want to.I sometimes have neighbors, some of whom also work from home, over during the day for a meal. It's a fun way to socialize that doesn't happen in too many neighborhoods any more.What about you?Are you a parent who works from home? How is it working for you? Tips to offer? Or maybe you're a parent trying to figure out how you can make the transition I did, so you can enjoy the benefits of working from home and owning your own brand too. Let me know if you're out there! If there's enough of you, I'll put together a free seminar just for you!

PRODUCT REVIEW: HairZing accessories

Posted by Leanne on May 16, 2008 at 2:12am

I want to thank the folks at Hairzing for this wonderful product. The Hair Zing is the cutest and most sophisticated way to style a wash n' go on relaxed hair. It makes early morning styling so easy and I don't have to fiddle with fifty-million clips, pins and elastics. All in one. But, what makes this accessory so remarkable is the love sent around the world in every HairZing made and purchased.It took me all of five minutes to style my hair with this doodad. Put one comb into your hair and stretch the other to the opposite side for a secure hold that lasts all day. No stray ends, and no frizzing out of the tough resin bands. Perfect for protective styling. You can wear HairZing with braids and twists, thick and curly or thin and straight, short or long hair.Team Zing helps established business around the world for women who need them. These women weave every bead into the strong bands connected to every comb and are paid equal wages so they can help provide for their families in their homes or villages. Every item purchased from the Massai collection supports a Kenyan woman across the ocean in Africa, giving her the support she needs to make her own money without interference.In China,mothers need jobs that don't require them to live in dormitories of factories and miss the most precious moments of their young children's lives. HairZing allots this, by paying them for an activity that can be done right in their home as the little ones hover nearby. Safe and secure.

Source

The System that Impoverished You can never Empower You!

Posted by Beverly Fisher2007 on May 15, 2008 at 11:11pm

The information shared below is to get you to think seriously about your Foundation.( THE BODY)We're living in an exceedingly fast pace world and not taking time to stop and exhale.The first System describes what we are putting into our body and what we are allowing to destroy it.The second System describes what we should be putting into our body to give us a better quality of life.Which System will You Live Under?The Impoverishing System:Simple steps to an Unhealthy Life1. Fast Foods, Processed foods and "white" foods.2. No internal cleanse thus toxic build up.3. Internal toxic environment which diseases grow.4. Drugs to address outward symptoms.5. Side effects from the drugs.6. More drugs to address the side effects.7. Surgeries8. Early death or lack of optimum health.The Empowering System:Simple steps to a Healthy Life1. The Body Foundation to balance the body.2. The Freedom Cleanse.3. Drink 1/2 of your body weight in ounces of purified water.4. Walking.5. Specific mineral (s) in combination with the Body Foundation for a specific condition.6. Minimize meat consumption.7. Maintain proper rest.8. Less processed food and mor fruits and raw vegetables.To find out more about the products mentioned go to:www.waterdivine.com/hfisher click BodyWellness, sign guest book, look and listen to a presentation.You may also call our BodyWellness Hotline 24/7 (618) 355-8303Click Option 2 thru Option 7Contact BeverlyFisher2007 at specann62@gmail.com

Why I wrote "I Need Therapy"

Posted by glenda wallace Greenidge-Blake on May 15, 2008 at 10:30pm

I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself, tell you a little bit about why I'm here, and why after many years of writing, I decided to venture into writing about relationships.Relationship topics are always popular because relationship problems will always exist. Most of us have experienced the hurt, and anguish of a broken heart, but it happens every day. And at many stages in my life, I too have experienced it, but after five marriages and 18 marriage proposals, I have gained the knowledge of certain key elements to maintaining a healthy, happy and fulfilling relationship.I decided to write “I Need Therapy” because at some point in a woman’s life we’ve all silently made this statement, whether we admit it or not.When some of you experience problems within your relationships, you run out and buy our books, or sit at home watching Dr. Phil hoping that you will learn the key to fixing all of your problems. Believe me, I’m not pointing fingers, I used to be that person.I, like most of you, have had my heart broken more times than I can count. I can vividly remember a time back in my early twenties, when a man I was dating told me that he didn't want me anymore. To me, this was unimaginable and it hurt like hell . . . how in the hell could he not want me!From that point, it seemed like the more he showed me that he didn’t want me, the more determined I was to make him love me.I had to learn a hard lesson. I had to learn to love MYSELF and recognize my worth! And once I did, I developed a different attitude toward this man. I realized that he didn’t deserve me.When I learned this powerful lesson, I stopped calling him, hounding him, driving past his apartment or place of business. I stopped my obsessive behavior, because ladies, you know we can develop obsessive behavior. But when I stopped . . . the roles reversed. He started ringing my phone off the hook, driving past my house and coming into my place of business with the pretense of conducting business.He couldn’t understand how he had lost his hold over me. Ladies, sometimes we too freely give up control to a man.There are certain things in life that we can’t change. We can’t change a man, change his mind or his way of thinking.The only thing that you have control over is YOU! You can change your behavior and your way of thinking.I am so happy to know that this book has helped so many women. I receive emails every day from women who say how “I Need Therapy” has literally changed their lives. I also receive emails from men who say that they found the book to be “on point” and helpful in understanding what women want from their relationships.It gives me such pleasure to know that this book that I poured so much of myself into, is actually serving the purpose in which it was written.Fix your relationship problems by starting with YOU!!! I Need Therapy . . . available everywhere books are sold! Or click the link below to go to my order page.
click here to order your copy
Click on the link below to read more interesting blogs posted by Glenda Wallace
click here for additional blogs!

Poetry Contest!

Posted by Dominique on May 15, 2008 at 8:56pm

From A Writers POV will be celebrating it's One Year Anniversay in July 2008! We are working to have a big edition in July. We have started a contest for poem writers. We encourage all writers to check out the details and sign up. We are only allowing 4 people to sign up. So check out the details and see if you or a friend might be interested!http://fromawriterspov.webs.comMay 2008 Articles:http://www.creativewritings-designs.com/tmp/We look forward to hear from you soon!From A Writers POV

Caribbean Cruise Destinations & Ports of Call

Posted by Teresa on May 15, 2008 at 3:59pm

Trying to decide where to explore on your cruise? Let Professional Travel Guide help with that decision with their extensive destination guides.Explore Caribbean cruise destinations with Professional Travel GuideAlways some of the most popular itineraries, trips to the Caribbean have something for everyone. From lounging on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world to snorkeling with the vast array of fish in the sea to just enjoying the sunset on one of the hundreds of ships that cruise the region, the Caribbean is a cruise destination not to be missed.Ships large and small port throughout the region, offering first-timers or experienced cruisers plenty of possibilities. With so many to choose from, let Professional Travel Guide help you narrow the field. Our extensive information on cruise ports, ships and lines will help you decide where to travel. The only question that will remain is when you'll book your next journey.The warmth of the Caribbean awaitsThere's something for everyone in the Caribbean, especially if that something involves warm weather, white sand beaches and clear blue waters. Whether making your way to the eastern, western or southern part of this tropical locale, you are sure to find plenty to do and see.Cruise ships mostly depart from the southern United States and head on their journeys to either one of three regions -- the Eastern Caribbean, the Western Caribbean or the Southern Caribbean.If you're looking for a cruise area with more shopping and beaches and less time on your cruise ship, then the eastern Caribbean might be for you. With more opportunities for shore excursions that are geared to beach or water activities and the islands' relatively close proximity to each other, cruisers heading to the eastern Caribbean will have more time for their pursuits of leisure.If you want to enjoy the warm Caribbean weather on your ship rather than at port, then head west into the Caribbean, even into the Gulf of Mexico, for your itinerary. But don't be fooled; shore activities are more varied because of their mainland locales.With exotic locations and beautiful beaches, the southern Caribbean is making a comeback. Each of these islands offers something different; from relaxing spas to eco-tourism opportunities to diving and snorkeling, the southern Caribbean has it all.Bahamma Cruise Destinations and Ports of Call;

Cruise Guide for BahamasThe white sand beaches and brilliant turquoise waters of the Bahamas didn’t tempt Christopher Columbus to stay long when he first landed in the New World. But modern travelers have discovered these beautiful islands, with their clear water, cooling tradewinds and abundant marine life.Today’s treasures include excellent fishing, golf and watersports, with accommodations that range from swank hotels at world-class resorts to secluded coves.Those making landfall in the islands can choose from several distinct experiences. Visitors looking for the standard resort amenities should head to Nassau (on New Providence Island) or Freeport and Lucaya (on Grand Bahama Island).Splashy Nassau, the biggest city and main port, is awash in pink colonial buildings, bustling street markets, five-star resorts and opulent casinos. In Freeport and Lucaya, the Bahamas' second-largest port, options range from frolicking with dolphins to perusing duty-free goods in ample shopping complexes.Those more interested in deserted beaches, sailing and a generally slower pace will want to visit some of the many Out Islands, most of which are thinly populated or uninhabited.LocationThe Bahamas' main cruise port is in Nassau at Prince George Wharf near Rawson Square, a short stroll from downtown attractions such as the Straw Market, the Pirates of Nassau museum and the shopping on Bay Street. The huge dock is big enough to accommodate as many as a dozen of the largest cruise ships. The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism Information Center at the wharf provides maps and touring advice. Also located there is Festival Place, an indoor shopping arcade catering to cruise-ship crowds with local crafts, food, a tour desk where guided walking tours can be arranged, post office, phones and Internet access. Horse-drawn cabs also depart there for guided tours of colonial Nassau. Taxis park near the end of the dock; you can take one to nearby Paradise Island for about US$5.On Grand Bahama Island, the renovated Lucayan Harbour Cruise Facility is located in Freeport Harbor and can accommodate a pair of large cruise ships. The facility has retail and entertainment facilities as well as taxi service. Phone 350-8000.Shore ExcursionsParadise Island is probably the most popular shore excursion among cruise passengers arriving in Nassau; many make a beeline to the Atlantis resort to try their luck at the lavish casino or make a day of the fun-filled waterpark. Cruise lines typically offer an excursion to The Dig, a mock exploration of the lost city of Atlantis featuring the largest outdoor aquarium in the world. Other popular excursions include Dolphin Encounters, an interactive "swim with the dolphins" experience located on Blue Lagoon Island 3 mi/5 km from Nassau; the interactive Pirates of Nassau museum; snorkeling and scuba diving out of Stuart Cove; and visits to historic Fort Charlotte and the iconic Governor's House in downtown Nassau. Cruise ships also will inevitably offer a rum cruise out of Nassau.On Grand Bahama, typical shore excursions include shopping tours to Port Lucaya Marketplace, a visit to Lucayan National Park, nature trips to Rand Memorial Nature Centre and Parrot Jungle's Garden of the Groves, and interactions with dolphins at Dolphin Encounters.Excursions change frequently and vary by cruise line, so check before you go.Bermuda Cruise Destinations and Ports of Call;

Cruise Guide for BermudaIt’s the colors that visitors to Bermuda see—not just of sky and sea, but also of sand, trees, shrubs and flowers: The beaches are creamy white flecked with pink, the trees are a variety of lush greens, pink oleander lines the roadsides, and riotous vines tumble over limestone walls. Even the houses are colorful—pastel walls topped by stepped, white roofs. When the wind blows, Bermuda’s shores are washed with white-topped, cool-green waves, warmed by the Gulf Stream.There’s history, too. Bermuda was a landfall for Confederate blockade runners during the American Civil War. And some think that an offshore storm in the early 1600s may have inspired Shakespeare’s The Tempest.Add to this a variety of land and water activities (including cricket and afternoon tea), sailing (the biennial Newport-to-Bermuda race first came into port in 1906), excellent restaurants, no cars (but you can rent scooters), reliable sunshine, and excellent shopping buys on European goods.LocationHamilton, the main cruise-ship port, lies in the middle of Bermuda. Cruise ships dock along Front Street, which runs next to the water. Two ships can tie up at a time. There is a cruise terminal at the waterfront, which has public phones, restrooms and a tourist information booth. The city's many sights and shops are within a short walk of Front Street.As many as three cruise ships can tie up at St. George's. There are cruise terminals at the docks, which have public phones, restrooms and a tourist information booth. All of the shops and points of interest are within walking distance—making this a great port for sightseers.Larger cruise ships usually anchor in the Great Sound, the large bay in western Bermuda, or tie up at the Royal Naval Dockyard at the northwestern end of Bermuda. The towering stone buildings that were once part of the early-19th-century British naval installation have been renovated into shops and restaurants. There's a maritime museum and a lagoon, where you can swim with the dolphins. The dock—opposite the main Dockyard buildings—can accommodate one cruise ship at a time. Phones, restrooms and a tourist information table are located on the dock. The ships that anchor in the Great Sound often tender their passengers to the Dockyard in smaller craft.Shore ExcursionsConsider signing up for the excursions offered by your ship. They may not be the least expensive way to see the islands, but you won't have to waste your limited time making arrangements—and you won't have to worry about missing the ship. Shore excursions—and their prices—vary from cruise line to cruise line. Typical tours on Bermuda include exploring Hamilton, St. George's or St. David's Island; visiting National Trust historic sites; snorkeling or helmet diving around coral reefs; playing a round of golf; taking a half-day fishing excursion; or cruising around the islands. Check with your ship's shore-excursion staff or your travel agent for additional information.Eastern Carribean Cruise Destinations and Ports of Call;

Cruise Guide for St Thomas, US Virgin IslandsLively St. Thomas is the duty-free mall of the Caribbean (take along your credit cards and an oversized shopping bag). Aside from nearly 400 duty-free shops and boutiques that sell everything you could possibly want to buy, you'll find spirited nightspots, good restaurants and luxury resorts around St. Thomas' main city and port, Charlotte Amalie (pronounced ah-MAHL-yeh).St. Thomas is the most developed of the U.S. Virgin Islands—in fact, it's one of the most developed in the entire Caribbean. Steep green hills run across the middle of the island, and beautiful beaches ring its shores. Hotels, villas, resorts, small inns and private residences, each on their own piece of paradise, mix with public and commercial structures. Consequently, traffic has become a major problem on St. Thomas.LocationPretty Charlotte Amalie is the busiest port of call in the Caribbean. Cruise ships can tie up at either the West Indian Company Dock at Havensight (2 mi/3 km across the harbor, east of town) or at Crown Bay (1.5 mi/2.4 km west of town). Some of the larger ships anchor in St. Thomas Harbor and tender their passengers in smaller boats to downtown Charlotte Amalie. There's a tourist information center in Havensight (open for ships in port) and another office across from Vendor's Plaza in Charlotte Amalie (open Monday-Saturday 8:30 am-4:30 pm). There are plenty of restaurants within walking distance of all port facilities, as well as access to public phones and the Internet.Shore ExcursionsConsider signing up for the excursions offered by your ship. They may not be the least-expensive way to see the island, but you won't have to waste your limited time making arrangements yourself—and you won't have to worry about missing the ship. Shore excursions—and their prices—vary from cruise line to cruise line. They may include sightseeing in Charlotte Amalie or more active adventures such as biking on the island, scuba tours or helicopter rides over the islands. Check with your ship's shore-excursion staff or your travel agent for additional information.Southern Carribean Cruise Destinations and Ports of Call;Cruise Guide for Aruba

Aruba is among the livelier, more developed islands in the Netherlands Antilles region, with high-rise resorts, great restaurants, glitzy casinos and great shopping, all in a setting of white-sand beaches and crystal blue water.There’s plenty to do, too: sunbathing, world-class windsurfing and waterskiing by day, and discos, cabarets, dinner shows and high-stakes gambling at night.Don’t look for natural attractions, though. Aruba’s sparse vegetation—cacti and aloe vera—and brawny trade winds make it seem more like desert than tropical island. It is, however, outside the hurricane belt, and its reliable weather makes it a favorite choice for honeymoons.LocationAruba's port is at Oranjestad, on the southern coast of the island. Cruise ships tie up at the Aruba Port Authority cruise terminal, which is on L.G. Smith Boulevard (one of the city's main streets). Passengers are greeted with music and by welcome hosts from the Aruba Cruise Tourism Authority (http://www.arubabycruise.com), who hand out booklets called Aruba For You, specially designed for cruise passengers. Inside is complete information on tours, shops, dining, discount coupons and more. The cruise terminal has handicapped-accessible restrooms, stores to purchase stamps, mail cards and other items, and public phones.However, all this could change if the government follows through with plans to replace the current cruise facility with a modern and luxurious cruise terminal, part of a mixed-use project that would include new residences, an artificial island and a marina in downtown Oranjestad. Two piers will allow five to six regular-size ships or four mega-ships to dock simultaneously, with no tendering. The cargo area will become the site for a private yacht marina and condos. These plans are still all on the drawing board, however.Passengers with prearranged taxis, rental cars or tours are met inside the terminal lounge. Desks for those activities are set up outside on the dock for immediate bookings. From the terminal, it's a three-minute walk across the street to a major three-story shopping mall—and a second mall is one block down the street. Several beaches are not too far from town and can be reached by taxi or bus.Shore ExcursionsConsider signing up for the excursions offered by your ship. They may not be the least-expensive way to see the island, but you won't have to waste your limited time making arrangements yourself—and you won't have to worry about missing the ship. Shore excursions—and their prices—vary from cruise line to cruise line. Typical shore excursions offered may include an island tour of Oranjestad and other sites, and you can choose how to get around—by bus or Jeep, by snorkeling, scuba or sailing tours or, for those who don't want to get wet, glass-bottomed boat or submarine.Western Carribean Cruise Guide for Cayman Island;

Cruise Guide for Cayman IslandsIf you've ever had the urge to see beneath the sea, you'll enjoy the Caymans. The underwater scenery is full of exotic fish, coral reefs, even the occasional stingray. The water is warm, clear and often calm—and there are plenty of places to dive or snorkel.Of the three islands that make up the Caymans, Grand Cayman is the largest and the center of the tourism industry. The heavy influx of visitors has had a homogenizing effect on that island, which is also a center for offshore banking. The other islands, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, get fewer visitors.LocationOf the three islands, Grand Cayman is the only one with the capacity to host cruise ships. At present, ships still anchor outside the harbor west of George Town, but a US$17.5 million port facility—just 1,312 ft/400 m north of the current Port Authority dock—opened in 2006. The facility, with a 200-ft/60-m pier, can dock one or two cruise ships, and all passengers filter through a self-contained facility with immigration, tourist information, shops, restaurants, restrooms and a taxi dispatch center. Discussions about building another pier are under way, since on any given day there can be up to six cruise ships in the harbor and some passengers still need to be tendered to the terminal. In rough weather, ships may anchor off the island's southern coast and tender passengers to Spotts, which lies about 4 mi/6 km from George Town. (Cruise ships are banned from anchoring in Spotts Bay.) Taxis or buses then transport passengers to George Town for shopping and to the various attractions.The main tourist information office is at the Regatta Office Park, Leeward 2, West Bay Road (opposite the Westin Hotel). It's open Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5 pm. Phone 345-949-0623. There is also a small information booth at the cruise ship terminal.

May Tasteful Tidbits

Posted by Kimberlee Stevenson on May 15, 2008 at 3:14pm

What's New?Remember When: Returning Favorites5 mystery products will be coming back for a brief visit next month. They will be available from June 1st-July 31st. Stay tuned to see if any of your favorite past Tastefully Simple products will be available for purchase.FREE gifts for your purchases!!!If you purchase $50.00 in products you will get a free Summer Entertaining Recipes Booklet. If you purchase $75.00 worth of products you will get a free dessert of your choice.Product SpotlightsSambra Sangria Slush Drink Mix $9.99*Limited-time product. Available only through September 7, 2008. Simply add your favorite red wine and water! Keep frozen for a warm weather treat anytime. For easy and elegant entertaining, serve with crackers, French bread, Brie cheese and grapes. Makes about 9 (8 oz.) servings.Ingredients Needed: 22 (750ml) bottles red wine or sparklng grape juice1½ cups warm water13.5 oz. bucket (382g)Mango Breeze Margarita Mix $9.99*Limited-time product. Available only through September 7, 2008. Ready to party? Simply add water and tequila! Freeze and scoop into glasses; then garnish with fresh fruit or mint leaves. Makes about 9 (8 oz.) servings.Ingredients Needed: 214 oz. (1¾ cups) tequila6 cups warm waterTIP: For maiden margaritas, just add 4 cups water, pour over ice and enjoy. (Do not freeze.)13.5 oz. bucket (382g)Recipe CornerCrab-Pesto Stuffed MushroomsIngredients4 Tbsp. Dried Tomato & Garlic Pesto Mix7 Tbsp. olive oil, divided4 Tbsp. water4 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese, divided1 lb. large mushrooms3/4 cup dried breadcrumbs , divided1 cup crabmeatDirectionsCombine Dried Tomato & Garlic Pesto Mix with 3 tablespoons olive oil, water and 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese; set aside. Clean and stem mushrooms; mince stems. Combine prepared Dried Tomato & Garlic Pesto Mix with 1/4 cup breadcrumbs. Heat remaining oil in skillet; sauté mushroom stems. Add 1/4 cup breadcrumbs and pesto mixture. Remove from heat; add crabmeat. Stuff mushroom caps with crabmeat mixture; top with remaining breadcrumbs and cheese. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Makes 3-4 servings.Host a Tastefully Simple party in June – celebrate our birthday, and you get the presents!Have a $500 party: get all of our Remember When: Returning Favorites products!Have a $900 party: get our Simply Magnificent™ gift trunk!Have a $1300 party: get the Remember When: Returning Favorites and Simply Magnificent!And in honor of Tastefully Simple's 13th birthday: We'll draw 13 parties per week per region. If you answer the phone, "Happy Birthday, Tastefully Simple," you'll receive $113 in Tastefully Simple products!Party TypesThere are many different ways you can have a Tastefully Simple party:* In home taste-testing party*Gourmet-to-Go ( at work or networking group)*Catalog Party/Online Party (you can host a party without even leaving your computer, invite everybody in your address book)*Fundraisers (schools, organizations, sports teams)Do you need a catalog?Simply reply to this email with your mailing address and I will send you one.Refer a friend and get FREE food!If you refer a friend and they place an order of $25.00 or more you will receive a FREE Bountiful Beer Bread. If your friend hosts a party with me you will receive a $20.00 gift certificate.

Your Money Mindset: Is It Making or Breaking Your Business?

Posted by Donna Maria Coles Johnson on May 15, 2008 at 11:58am

A Frugal Mindset Is Money In the BankFor Indies, financial success is about stretching every penny to cover as much as possible, both on the home front and the business front. Frugal principles are not complicated, but because they intersect with our emotional connection to money, they can be difficult to implement.Growing up, my parents taught me very little about money. In my years as a corporate attorney, money flowed freely from my employer's account to mine, and then on to fabulous vacations, expensive dinners out, trendy clothes and extravagant gifts. Until I became a small business owner, I was never really concerned with the fact that, at some point, money actually runs out.Fast forward to 2000, when I started this business and officially enrolled in my first semester at the School of Financial Hard Knocks. Since then, I have taken small steps every year to keep more of the money I make. I do this by minimizing credit card use, couponing like nobody's business and keeping track of every penny.Every time I get a dollar, I do one of four specific things with it: spend it, save it, invest it or donate it. Whatever I do, I have to fit it into one of those categories and I am very intentional about doing so. I make it a point to improve my financial habits every day so I never return to my oblivious days of spending without thinking.Since I work with lots of people who are trying to make a success of small business, but who have not developed a frugal mindset, I turned to personal financial representative and fellow Indie Chris Buford to tell me 3 things Indie Business owners must do in order to turn from their spendthrift ways.1. Squeeze Out Every Tax Deduction. Chris says that the corporate tax rate is one of the highest tax rates there is, considering that income, property and capital gains are all heavily taxed. "The best way to offset these taxes is to squeeze out every possible business deduction you can find," say Chris.My accountant, Robin Herrick, CPA, PA, agrees. She makes sure every single business expense is properly identified and accounted for. In this way, not even a small deduction slips through the cracks.2. Ditch "Extra Money" Thinking. It's human nature to think that, when we come into some unexpected cash, it's "extra money," and we are free to run out and spend it on some short term fulfillment. This mindset is encouraged by the messages we get daily now, to take our tax rebate checks to the nearest department or home improvement store and spend spend spend.Chris says that's a decidedly bad idea. "Whether it's a stimulus check or a tax refund, any unexpected cash should be used to get a long term return, either by investing the money or using it to pay down debt." This is especially true if the money is a tax refund. "It's already your money, which the government kept all year long and interest free," he says. Debt directly inhibits the creation of wealth, says Chris, so it's especially important to eliminate it.3. Cut Costs. With fuel and food costs rising, people are spending less. "This means that small business owners must cut back without compromising the integrity of goods and services," says Chris.Of course saving wherever and whenever you can should be the goal all year every year, not just in a down economy. "Outsourcing things you don't have to do yourself, cutting down on overnight shipments, cutting down on hours of operation and anything to save resources must be implemented," says Chris.So there you have it, a sort of Indie Business Mantra. Every day, repeat after me.What are my tax deductions today?There's no such thing as "extra money."How can I accomplish this goal for less?What about you?Do you have some savvy small business financial advice to offer, or a money mantra that works for you? If so, please share it in the comments section below.About ChrisChris Buford is a personal financial representative with Allstate. He is a husband, father of 3 and seasoned real estate investor who helps families and small businesses expand their personal and business portfolios by implementing specific strategies to achieve their financial goals.For more small business money tips, subscribe to Indie Business Blog today.Related PostsThe Best Credit CardFive Ways to Recession-Proof Your BusinessAsk Not What the Economy Can Do For You

The Wealth Mindset

Posted by Alecia D. on May 15, 2008 at 10:36am

Greetings Ladies!One of the most common areas that people express dissatisfaction to me is the area of finances. It seems that more and more in these times of recession, black women are feeling "left out" of the circle of wealth. The idea of wealth seems elusive to so many people and in turn causes frustration and feelings of anxiety. While it is normal to want to live a life of abundance, what is becoming less blank is the willingness to develop the mindset of abundance. Too many times, we feel that wealth simply falls into the laps of a few lucky people and that we have no influence on whether or not we are one of the chosen few. This idea could not be further from the truth.In a recent article by Elon Bomani, she clarifys the true interpretation of wealth- "Wealth is the idea of having more than enough. It is an abundance of tangible and intangible assets. You can have a wealth of health, a wealth of knowledge and a wealth of material goods. Accumulating wealth in one area of your life has a domino effect of creating wealth in all other areas of your life according to the law of cause and effect. In other words, within you are all the resources you need, mental, emotional, physical and spiritual to manifest worth in your life." If we accept this definition, we are essentially taking responsibilty and ownership for our own ability to produce wealth.Some of the ways that Bomani advocates producing wealth into our lives and creating a wealth mindset, are thinking wealthy, speaking wealthy and associating with wealthy people. She goes on to say that "by doing so, you will manifest a wealthy outcome. It truly is that simple." I couldn't agree more. Ask yourself the following questions -What is my interpretation of what wealthy people think? If you aren't sure, do some research. Who are the top three people that you admire for their wealth and success? What are their thoughts? What are the daily words I am speaking about wealth in my own life and the lives of others? Are your words mostly negative? How can you turn those words around into positive statements? Who are the people that I surround myself with? Are you taking financial/business advise from broke people?It is important that we begin to realize exactly how important our thoughts are in creating and maintaining a wealthy and abundant lifestyle. The Universe will only give back to us that in which we put fort

119 Ways To Promote Your Business Offline

Posted by Afiya on May 15, 2008 at 6:15am

saw this posted on another forum and though this would helpful here also!#1. Take a small zip close baggie (snack sizes work well) and include the following in it:Your Business Card, Business Oppty Mini Flyer, a Piece of Candy such as hard candy or a lollipop, mini flyer of current host specials, discount coupon (optional) etc.Hand these out to the bank tellers, retail cashiers, at your kids sport events, every where you go!#2. When I stay at hotels & motels I leave a mini catalog, my business card & discount coupon and the mini coin canister for the maid! I put her tip inside the mini coin canister! I have gotten 3 orders by doing this!Be creative when you leave tips for Hotel Maids, Waitresses, Waiters, Hair Dressers, etc. Don't just hand them your business card, make it memorable!You can also buy cute little beaded change purses at your local dollar discount store!#3. Print out flyers with your contact info (not your personal address), your website address & email address along with any current specials you are offering.Then contact local area mobile home park offices, apartment complex rental offices, housing developements etc and ask them if you can leave fliers in their office or hang on their tennants doors. Give the office employees a free gift or discount on their personal orders.#4. Contact local area bridal supply stores, bridal gown stores, caterers, tux rental centers, wedding dj's etc. Ask them if you can leave your business cards & fliers about the great (Company Name) Bridal Gift Registry for them to give to their customers.Offer store owners a free gift or a personal discount for helping you spread the word about your business.#5. Daycare Centers! They are excellent to contact and leave business cards and/or fliers at!I print out a flyer of just a few items from our Tupperware Childrens line and I attach my business card & a discount coupon. I get alot of orders by doing this!So whatever company you represent, find some items that cater to children or to moms and make up a flier!#6. Alot of churches hold a Spring and Fall Fest! Contact them about getting a table or a booth. Alot of times this will cost you under $15.00 for a space!Make sure you take products with you along with business oppty fliers, plenty of catalogs, business cards etc.Do a contest drawing at these types of events. Make up entry blanks that gather the customers info so that you can initiate contact with them again!#7. Join your local area chamber of commerce! They are always holding local business events that you can participate in.#8. College Campuses! Dorms & Housing Students are always looking to spend money! Alot of college students are also looking for an extra income so target them with the Business Oppty too!Drop off fliers and business cards to the College Student Center! They usually have bulletin boards, tables and other things where you can leave your information at for FREE!#9. Contact your local area Welcome Wagon or Welcome to the Neighborhood Group! Ask them about you leaving mini catalogs, fliers, business cards, discount coupons, freebie mini gifts, etc with them.They are always looking for additional items to place in their Welcome Bags!#10. Contact your local area hospitals and ask for Human Resources Dept. The Majority of hospitals hand out New Mommy Diaper Bags filled with products, samples and other stuff for New Moms who just had a baby!It's FREE for you to add in your information! I have gotten party hosts, new customers and new recruits by participating in these types of programs.#11. Contact your local medical offices, particularly Gynecology and OB Offices and Pediatric Offices and inquire about you leaving information with them.This is a way for you to target Parents of Children with both the home party oppty, the business oppty and new customer sales.#12. Donate a Product to your local area Radio Station, they have numerous contests and they are always looking for sponsors!Your donation can be written off as a tax deduction plus you will get FREE Advertising & Business Exposure for your donation!#13. Donate a Product to your local area Bingo Halls! They are always looking for sponsors of their Bingo Prizes! Bingo is BIG in alot of areas!#14. Call your Chamber of Commerce and find out about Local Area Job Fairs. Get a booth and set up info about the fabulous business oppty!#15. Call your Local Area Colleges and find out when their next job/employment fair is. Alot of times you can get a booth or table for less than $35 and you will get alot of GREAT new recruit leads by participating in events like these.#16. Contact local area car dealerships. I have 2 in my local area that hand out a small packet that I made up for FREE to their customers who come in to take a free test drive!#17. Target your local area gyms! You can get a table space for $20 or less in most cases! Make sure you have 3-5 products on display, plenty of catalogs, business cards and fliers.#18. Network with others in your community who are in home business. Find out what events and activities that they participate in. They are usually "in the know" and can help you get started in networking in your community.#19. Contact Companies in your area to see if you can come in and set up a table in the employee lounge or cafeteria for a employee shopping break! These days alot of companies will allow you to do this if you ask them!#20. Does your local area tv cable company have a local information channel? Inquire about advertising! These ads will reach thousands of potential buyers for you! I recommend you only use your website address for these types of advertising and not your personal at home address.#21. Contact local small companies and shops to see if you can offer an exclusive discounts or freebie gift to their employees. Companies are always looking for a way to "treat" their employees to specials from the local surrounding community.#22. Small Home Town Newspapers! I dont get too good of a response when I do big newspaper city ads, however... when I target small town newspapers I usally get a great response. I even had them let me place an ad on their wedding and engagement announcements page which I advertised the Bridal Gift Registry.So if you are going to do any type of newspaper advertising, inquire about getting your ads on specific pages in the newspaper that targets the group of people most likely to buy from you.#23. Get a low cost outdoor banner printed up with your business information on it. You can usually get them done for $55 or less depending on who makes it.You can have these outdoor banners displayed at outdoor music/concert events, outdoor childrens sporting events, outdoor adult sport events, outdoor neighborhood block parties, outdoor community events, carnivals, fairs, etc.#24. Take your business on the road during nice weather. Contact local area parks & community centers to see what their schedule of events are and inquire about setting up a booth or table.This is a great way to network & market your business to those in your community.#25. Community Clipper Coupon Packs & Sales Flyer Mailings. These days alot of communities have mailings such as these, contact them and see how you can participate and advertise your business.#26. Contact small local area businesses such as hair salons, massage parlors, boutiques, banks etc.See if you can set up a table for 1 week with 3 of your best selling products on it along with some catalogs, fliers, coupons and your business card. Keep a basket on the table for any customer orders which you can follow up on after you return back to pick up your display. Offer the store owner or manager a free gift for allowing you to do this.You can also offer to donate a prize for a contest if they let you display the prize donated & get a copy of the contestants entry blanks after the promotion closes.#27. Contact local area pizza shops, diners, deli's and coffee bagel shops to ask them about advertising on their paper placemats! Customers do read those ads!#28. Contact local area restaurants, bars and clubs and see about advertising on their paper beverage coasters!#29. Local Television Stations are always holding on-air contests & website contests for their viewers, contact them about you donating a prize or gift certificate to sponsor one of their contests! Great business exposure for you!#30. Attend Local Area holiday shopping events. Customers who are ready to spend holiday shopping money turn out for these events by the thousands! You can usually get a booth for less than $50.00 so they are economical to participate in!#31. Hold a local area community Block Party at your home or local community center! Families are always looking for something to do during the nice weather seasons!Optional: Attend your neighborhood block party and set up a table with your product offerings or samples. Get out there in your community and get your business seen!#32. Get your business listed in your cities telephone book yellow pages! Alot of them also have a coupon section too!#33. You can take this phone book advertising one step further by finding out what company makes the plastic vinyl phone book covers which have local business ads on them and get your business added to it!#34. Get your business information printed up on pencils and hand them out to local colleges and technical schools for them to hand out to their adult students! This keeps your business information in front of them! (make sure you only donate them to schools with adult students).#35. Get a vehicle banner made for your automobile. I recommend the vinyl window clings or vinyl cling ones that stick to your automobile but dont scratch or remove the paint. You can easily remove them when washing your vehicle!#36. If your city has a travel guide that tourists request, contact that business and find out how you can advertise in it too!#37. Local City Maps! These days even city maps have advertising on them! You can usually get a small business ad printed on them for an economical price. Don't advertise your personal location. If you dont have a business location then advertise your website address or email address.#38. Contact local area hotels, motels and bed & breakfast inns and ask them if you can do up a Lobby Basket and leave it in their Lobby.What is a Lobby Basket? You make up little packs of info about your business & products and put them into the Lobby Basket for their patrons to take.They usually have a pamphlet wall or area too with pamplets from local area attractions etc. If they dont have a lobby basket area, inquire about leaving your business info in their pamphlet area.#39. Get your business info printed up on balloons! This is very economical to do! You then distribute them to local community centers, sporting events and other types of places where parents book their childrens birthday parties!These balloons can be displayed at the birthday party giving you business exposure. You can usually get them done for .3-.8 cents each. Your business name & website address is all you need on them!#40. Find a few other self employeed business owners in your community and team up! You can all sponsor a local parade float, parade clowns etc. Make up signs with your business info imprinted on them so that you can receive some great business exposure during the parade!#41. Get some T-shirts printed up with your business information on it (both front & back sides) and hand them out to some friends, family and co-workers and ask them to wear them out and about in the community. This is their FREE gift for helping you to spread the word about your business!Optional: Get ball caps printed up with your business info!#42. Get some canvas tote bags printed up with your business information printed on it. Find a few ladies who are very active in your community and ask them to use your tote bag and give it to them for FREE under the agreement that they will use it every time they go out in the community for errands & events!#43. Get a license plate made up for your vehicle! If you have your normal license plate on the back of your car, put your business named one on the front of the car!You can get one with just your business name on it for about $20-$30 per plate!#44. Wear a business name tag every time you go out into your community! Get a Catchy Slogan printed on it such as:A. Ask me about (your company name) Products!B. I work from home, you can too!C. Earn some FREE when you party with me!#45. Local Area Magazines! Does your city publish a City Magazine? If so, contact them about advertising or if they hold contests for their readers offer to donate a product or service for their contest!#46. Check out your local area State Fairs & Community Carnivals, there are always alot of them going on during seasonal weather.Ask about getting a booth or table & set it up with your business information! People love to shop at Fairs & Carnivals and they are looking to spend money!#47. Get some Business Card Magnets printed up and hand them out every where you go! Have your friends & family pass them out too!People are more apt to keep a magnetic business card compared to a regular one which gets shoved into a drawer or wallet. By having a magnetized card, your business is kept in front of the potential customer/client.#48. When you give gifts to family, friends, neighbors, co-workers etc. make sure you give them gifts from your own company! This allows other people to see & touch your gift meaning FREE business exposure for you! (plus, you bought the gift from yourself so you are saving money!)#49. Invite your spouses co-workers over to your home for a little mingling party! Serve some refreshments or do a cookout BBQ and make sure you have a table set up with some product displays!If you sell kitchen or food products, make sure you use them!#50. Do a neighborhood childrens shopping party!I do this before Christmas and again before Mother's Day. I invite the neighborhood kids to come by and shop for gifts for their parents and loved ones. They enjoy shopping on their own and parents enjoy a small break from the children!To make this successful make sure the products you are offering are economical, I try to keep them under $25.00 each with most being around $10.00 each. Have a table set up with some inexpensive crafting supplies and let the children make their own greeting cards to go with the gifts they have purchased or have a gift wrapping table set up so they can personally wrap their gifts!#51. Do a joint party with another consultant in a non-competing business. Partying with a friend is always fun! You can hold it at one hosts home, your home or at a local community center. Invite every one you know and have others help you spread the word. Hang up fliers at local centers & businesses too!#52. Put an AD in the back of local high school yearbooks! You can usually get these ads for around $20.00 which makes it affordable advertising for you!#53. Put an AD for your business in local Athletic Sport Programs! You can find these at the High School Level, Minor League Level and at Professional Sporting Events!#54. Contact Local Churches & Religous Groups and see if you can place an AD in their weekly church bulletins & program guides!#55. Do you have a local Community Play House? If so, get your business ad placed in their play programs! You can usually get ads in them for less than $25.00#56. Co-Sponsor a Local Youth Athletic Group! Baseball teams, softball teams, cheerleading squads, gymnastic squads and swim teams, etc. are always looking for sponsors!Co-Sponsoring a team will help get your business noticed in your local area!#57. Get a Yard Sign! If you have a home business consider getting a Yard Sign printed up and proudly display it in your front yard!#58. Does your neighborhood hold local Meet & Greets? If so, make sure you go out and attend them! Get to know your fellow community members!#59. Donate a Raffle Drawing Prize to a Non-Profit Group or Charity in your local community! They are always looking for prize donations for their charitable raffles.Note: Make sure you get a receipt for tax purposes!#60. Do you have a Online Business & Website? Consider getting some computer mouse pads printed up with your website address & business name on them! This will keep your website & business in front of them every time they sign online! This encourages them to check out your website often for new products, updates & features!#61. Local Bus Stops & Bus Sheds! Have you noticed that alot of them have local business advertising on them? Call up the company and see how much it would cost you to advertise there too!#62. Does your local area grocery store allow advertisers to place business ads on the back of their cash register receipts? If so, contact them about getting your business ad on there too!#63. Local baby expo's and baby events/contests! Set up a booth or table with your business info! These events are always very popular and a great way for you to reach new customers!#64. Watch your local newspaper for Wedding, Engagement and New Baby Annoucements! Make a list and then go to:www.searchbug.comto try to track down addresses. You can mail off your business info to them announcing your business, bridal gift registry, baby gift registry, etc.#65. Stamp your business info to the outside of all outgoing postal mail! Include your business card on the inside. Do this for personal mail, business mail and for paying your bills!#66. Contact your local Fire & Ambulance companies and see if you can set up a table at their next BBQ Event or fundraiser event.#67. Contact LOCAL Assisted Living Centers for Senior Citizens (this is different then a nursing home!) and see if you can come in & offer a shopping oppty. to their Senior Residents! Seniors can NOT get out like they used too so they appreciate being able to shop from home and the majority of them don't own computers & if they do, they are not extremely computer savvy...so offer a one on one shopping experience with them! They also appreciate the adult company!#68. Are there local small summer concerts held in your local parks? We have them here during the summer months! Ask about advertising options during these community events!#69. BUY little boxes of Smartie ™ Candies! Put your Business info on one side & on the front side slap on a label that says "Be a Smartie, Earn FREE (Your Company Name) w/a Party!" Hand them out every where you go!#70. Make up candy packs with your business info attached to them and hand out to the Halloween Trick or Treaters!#71. Exchange Business Cards, Fliers or Coupons with another Home Party Consultant in a NON-Competing Business and place her filler in your bags & outgoing packages & have her do the same for you! Sort of "scratching each others backs".#72. The PUBLIC Library! I go in there often and see all kinds of local advertisements for businesses there! See if you can leave a catalog & a few business cards!#73. Do a CATALOG SWAP with another party plan consultant (NON competing business). See if she will swap a few catalogs with you. You hand out a few of her catalogs at the END of your party and have her do the same! Hand them out as guests are LEAVING the party!#74. I have a friend & fellow network member who prints out for me...mint books...she prints a pretty graphic on it, along with my business info...they look like matchbooks and inside is a piece of peppermint hard candy! They are inexpensive too! I think I paid $8.00 for 40+ of them! She includes the candy too! I can refer her to you if you want to try those! Tell Tonya that Shelly sent ya!www.bboopsworld.com/#75. Do a PARTY SWAP with a Consultant in another HOME party business! (NON-COMPETING!) Tell her if she holds a (Your Company) Party for you.....you will hold a XYZ Party for her!#76. Ask about getting your info printed onto golf tee's and golf balls & then donate them to a local golf course or mini golf course!#77. FOAM DRINK COZIES, the foam thingie you wrap around a cold beverage can! See if you can get some of those with your business info on them & hand them out at local sporting events!#78. Indoor Concert Arena's. Have you attended a concert lately? Tons of advertising by local and national merchants at concerts! Check into doing some advertising!#79. Children LOVE Stickers! Buy a slew of stickers with your business name on them....hand them out! Chances are that the kid's parents will see the stickers too!#80. Temporary Employment Agencies...again drop off packets of info about Your Business Oppty to them. The Economy is sluggish in alot of the areas in the USA...ask Temp. Employment Agencies to refer some clients to you who may be interested in a (Your Company Name) Home Business!!! You could offer the staff a discount or free gift for referrals.#81. Print up some flyers and get permission from local shopping centers to see if you can leave them on car windshields! Always ASK permission first!#82. Does your community print up FREE Renters Guides, House Buying Guides Etc? (you can usually find them for FREE at your local supermarket). If so, contact them about placing your business ad inside one!#83. Got a local ice cream man who drives around in his ice cream truck throughout your community? Talk to him about passing out flyers or letting you add a logo onto his truck via a vinyl cling logo banner!#84. Do a web search for you local county, local township and surrounding areas. I found tons of websites for my area with FREE online business directories which I was able to get my website listed in. They also have offline ADS that you can advertise in too! A great way to also find out about upcoming local community events to participate in!#85. Are there any professional moving companies in your area? If so, contact them! They usually give out new business packet info to their customers/clients to welcome them to their new home. See about adding your business information to their "New Move" Packs!#86. Local small town radio stations that are usually found on the AM frequency usually offer very low-cost local area advertising on their small radio station. A great way to get your business info out to those in your local community.#87. Get your business information printed out onto paper text book covers! You can make them yourself! Donate them to local area adult technical schools and colleges!#88. Is there a local business in your area holding a upcoming Grand Opening? If so, contact them! Alot of times they are giving away freebies to the first few hundred customers plus they do heavy advertising announcing their Grand Opening. This is a GREAT way for you to capitalize on that!#89. Get your business info printed up on inexpensive bookmarks! Then give them to local area colleges, adult technical schools, book reading groups, libraries etc. You can usually print up your own bookmarks with your business info on them for less than .8 cents each! This will keep your business info infront of those avid book readers! They are also great to give away for FREE with customer orders!#90. Put your Business Knowledge to Work! Offer to teach classes to adults!Examples: If you are with a kitchen/cooking company offer to teach adults to cook! They are always looking for fast & easy ways to prepare healthy meals!If you are a scrapbooking consultant, offer to teach a class to new moms on how to scrapbook new baby pages!If you are a Bath/Body/Spa consultant offer to teach pampering classes to women & moms!You can find adult programs by contacting: Local Community Centers, Local Civic Groups and alot of High Schools & Community Colleges offer evening classes to adults. (continuing education).This generates leads & sales and only takes a short amount of time!#91. Put the word out to your friends, family & co-workers that you offer freebies to party go'ers. What do I mean?Well, people who are holding baby showers, bridal showers, birthday parties, anniversary parties etc. contact me about my freebies. They make up party goodie bags and are always looking for things to stuff them with. Depending on what type of party it is depends on what I donate!I print out pretty bookmarks, recipe cards, candy wrappers, gift bag tags, shopping lists, chore lists etc. with pretty designs on them along with my business info. I also attach a coupon. I keep my cost down to .15 cents per person. An inexpensive way to reach new potential customers.#92. Print out your own Re-ordering labels! If you sell consumable goods (foods, spices, soaps, bath products, cosmetics etc) make sure you stick on a small re-ordering info sticker with your business info on it so that your customer can easily locate your information for placing reorders! This is also important to do considering some customers purchase items from you to give as a gift, this way the person who received the gift will also know how to contact you and will become a potential new customer for you!#93. Establish a Referral program for your business and print out referral coupons! Offer established customers a free little gift or personal discount if they refer a new customer to you! I like to give out 3 Referral Coupons to every new customer I get so that they know they will be rewarded for referring new customers to me.Established customers are more apt to refer new customers to you if they know they will be rewarded for that referral. Verbal referral programs don't work well, so print up referral coupons or referral promotion cards to hand out to your established customers. I also like to put a "referral reward" sticker in all of my Tupperware catalogs. You can also add a sticker to the backs of your business cards.#94. Print out Coloring Pages with a small section on them advertising your business and donate them to local area restaurants, daycares etc. I was able to find 4pc. crayon sets for ONLY .05 cents a box which I also donated along with the printed out coloring pages! Parents hang them on the front of their refrigerators after the children are done coloring them which keeps your business in front of the parent daily! Cost: About .03 cents for printed out coloring page with your business info located some where on it and .05 cents for the mini box of crayons.Try to find a design that relates to your business for the best effect.#95. Contact your local area Girl Scouts, 4-H Club and other youth groups. Talk to them about you coming in to do a project with the youth's in the group. You can also talk to them about your business fundraiser program if you offer one. During the summer time there are alot of youth camps throughout the community. You can also find youth camps through local churches. Some are seasonal and some are year long programs. The YMCA is also a great resource!For Example: If you are a Kitchen Consultant, come in and teach the youth how to cook or about kitchen safety. If you sell pet products, go in and talk about grooming a pet. If you sell candles, go in and make some mini candles or teach them how to decorate them for gifts. Be creative!#96. If you are crafty with your computer you can print out tea bag wrappers with a pretty design on them along with your business information. I purchased a few boxes of individually wrapped tea bags and then put my printed business tea bag wrapper over it. You can hand them out throughout your community.I like donating them to: Assisted Living Centers, Senior Community Centers, Daycare Centers (to be given to the parents & teachers), School Teacher Lounges, Employee Break Rooms etc.Example of Cost: .03 cents for a printed color wraper and about .03-.05 cents per tea bag.#97 Make sure you leave info about Your Business on your answering machine or voice mail message! Not everyone who phones you knows that you sell or represent a particular company! (especially those pesky bill collectors & telemarketers).#98 Take your outdated catalogs and randomly mail or distribute them thru-out your neighborhood! Make sure you stamp it OUTDATED and provide contact info for yourself so they can contact you if interested to get a current catalog!#99 Get Business Themed Banking Checks! Your bank checks pass thru tons of hands that could become potential customers or party hosts! If possible get your email address or website URL preprinted onto them! I also suggest using preprinted postal address labels too! (try to get checks that have pictures of some of the products you sell on them or at the very least make sure some where on the check it says: Tupperware Consultant, Avon Rep, and so forth.)#100. Get your business info printed onto matchbooks! Donate the matchbooks to candle shops, smoke shops, clubs etc. to help get your business name out in your community!#101. Consider getting some inexpensive mini desk-top sized calendars printed up with your business information on them and hand out to local office workplaces! A great way to keep your business information in front of a potential or repeat customer/client.#102. Take the above idea a step further. Get your business info printed up on pencils, pens, mini note pads, tab stickers and so forth. Contact local office style businesses and donate a few "business" supplies to them!When you go to the doctors or dentists office you see a slew of these types of things from various companies all over the office, so you can do the same thing by donating them to office-style businesses.#103. Contact local groups in your own community. These can be hobby groups, collector groups, new moms, new parents, neighborhood watch groups and so forth.See what their coming up activites will be and offer a fundraiser opportunity to them or offer a party or to teach a class to them. Better yet, get involved in a group as a participient. The more you get out there in your community and make contacts the better your business will be.#104. Local Holiday Events! Does your area hold a childrens christmas party, easter egg hunt, halloween party, etc? If so, get involved! You can donate candy or other holiday items and get yourself some business exposure, besides they are always alot of fun to participate in!#105. Get your business info printed up on some Lanyards and distribute them to local office place environments for employees to use to keep their keys on or give as freebies to your current established customers etc.#106. Get your business info printed up on some employee id tag holders! Hand them out to office environments that have alot of employees to get your business info seen by lots of people!#107. Contact some local small shops in your area. Offer to sponsor a drawing box & prize. Make sure you have an attractive drawing box and have the prize on display. Alot of small shops have in-shop (in-store) drawings that are sponsored by other local merchants. You should also have on hand a few catalogs and a stack of business cards. This is a great way to get business exposure and to collect leads.Make sure your entry form states:Name, phone number and email addressplus a section for:____ more info about hostessing a party____ more info about the consultant opportunity____ request a free catalog____ please subscribe me to your online newsletter#108. Draft up a business press release. Submit it to your local newspapers, local magazines, tv stations and radio stations. Offer to be a guest on one of their live or recorded shows.#109. Do you get alot of magazines to your home? If so, after reading them, print up some labels on your computer that say "Compliments of __________________" and donate them to local doctors offices, dentist offices, local hospitals, libraries, community centers, senior centers, etc. Make sure your label includes your business name & information.#110. Draft up some mini tip booklets, recipe booklets or craft project booklets. Make sure you label them as "Courtesy of ________________" and donate them to local daycare centers, salons, civic and community groups, etc. You can print them out on your home computer inexpensively.#111. If you can afford this idea, its a great one! Remember those little rubbery type of change purses with the key ring attached to them that advertisers use to put their name and advertising info onto them? Well, they are popular again! I got one from our local bank! If you can afford it or co-op it with another consultant that would be a great idea to hand out to BIG office environments where employees carry around alot of change for vending machines, parking meters etc.#112. If your company has a fundraising program the best way to promote it is to locate local area fundraisers. What do I mean? When local groups hold bake sales, sub sales, chicken BBQ's, car washes etc....go visit them and offer them a company fundraiser pack with all of the important fundraising information, catalog and a contact sheet & business card.#113. Contact your local area Home Owners Association. See if you can drop off flyers, catalogs and business cards promoting your business to them or set up a free contest giveaway basket in their offices to promote your business and products.#114. Do you attend alot of outdoor sporting events & concerts? Have you seen those afghan throws that you can get personalized? Instead of getting a family name & date imprinted on one...get your business name on it! I have one that has my website address & my business name. Since we attend alot of outdoor sporting events in the fall, I take it out with me and wrap around myself on the bleachers! Everyone sitting around me gets to see my business info! I even lend it out to friends & family when they attend outdoor events!#115. Take the idea above one step further. Do you spend alot of time out at the neighborhood pool or at the beach? Get your business info printed up on beach towels & beach blankets! You can also get your biz info printed up on a beach umbrella...better yet, get yourself a rain umbrella with your biz info printed on it!#116. Does your city/town have a local taxi cab company? If so, call them up! I recently donated 35 of my mini catalogs to a taxi company who placed one in the back seat magazine holder of 35 of their cars. Since that time, I have gotten 1 new consultant and 2 new customers!Some bus companies will also accept them so check those out too! People are always looking for something to read!#117. When you travel take numerous catalogs, flyers, business cards etc. with you when you pack for your trip. Make up a separate tote bag just for these items. Leave you catalogs, flyers and business cards ever where you go while on your trip.ie. back of train seats, back of airplane seats, hotel lobbies, restaurants, sporting events, etc...where-ever. This is a great way to target non-local customers and interest in your business.#118. Contact other work at home business people and small business owners in your community. It's more economical for a group of you to share costs on community advertisements and mailings.#119. If you have advertising on your vehicle, see if getting a business card holder for your vehicle would be a fit (www.cardcaddie.ca)

Please Check Out My Black is Beautiful

Posted by Darshall Banks on May 15, 2008 at 4:47am

Kudos to Procter & Gamble for celebrating and connecting with African-American women . "My Black is Beautiful" is an opportunity to open the dialogue and positively affect the portrayal of African American women today. This is a movement by, for and about black women."My Black is Beautiful "celebrates the diverse collective beauty of African American women and encourages black women to define and promote their own beauty standard – one that is an authentic reflection of their indomitable spirit. ""Recognizing that beauty and self-confidence are intrinsically linked, My Black is Beautiful is designed to ignite and support a sustained national conversation by, for and about black women; the way they are reflected in popular culture and serve as the catalyst for a movement that affects positive change." from the http://www.myblackisbeautiful.com/

International Business Card Group

Posted by Solutions Now! Radio on May 15, 2008 at 2:34am

Hello and thank you for your interest in the International Business Card Group. This community is to generate a networking opportunity for business owners and people who want to promote themselves.How this works:1. Send me some business or contact cards. No more than 100.Send business cards to:Solutions Now! Radioc/o Solutions Now! Group, Inc.8005 Aber Road, Suite 1100Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 151472. I will then send 5 cards out until the cards are gone.3. Once you receive business cards, your job is to pass out four of the cards along to others (retain one for yourself).4. Send more cards to me to get back on the list and the cycle repeats.Participate now!

B-to-B Database

Posted by Solutions Now! Radio on May 15, 2008 at 2:30am

Hi Everyone,Just a shout out to those business owners (or starting business owners) on the list who own and operate businesses in the Greater Pittsburgh area to be part of the Solutions Now! Group database. This is an initiative of the International Business Card Group. The focus of the database is to compile a networking opportunity for the Southwest PA area. This a B-to-B database. There is no cost for participation and participation is completely voluntary. The for-cost database will be available for distribution in January of 2009.Eligible businesses are:Non-profit organizations and/or for-profit businessesSmall, medium and large businessesStarting, new and established businessesHeadquartered and/or operating in Greater Pittsburgh/Southwestern PA/Southeast Ohio/West Virginia and Maryland PanhandleInterested parties can participate by emailing database@solutionsnowgroup.org with the following information by October 31, 2008:Contact SalutationContact NameCompany NameContact TitleCompany Address (street, city, state, zip)Contact PhoneContact FaxContact EmailCompany WebsiteBusiness CategoryBusiness Description (250 words or less)You can email info@solutionsnowgroup.org if you have questions. Feel free to forward.--Sincerely,Candice L. MasonDirector of Communications, Solutions Now! GroupHostess, Solutions Now! RadioTelephone/Fax: 1 (888) 851-9035eMail: solutionsradio@aol.comWebsite: http://blogtalkradio.com/solutions_now_radioMySpace: http://myspace.com/solutions_nowLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/candicelmason

Sale! I love great sales don't you ?

Posted by Amber Williams on May 15, 2008 at 1:16am

My online accessories boutique Always Accessorize is having a sale !All handbags,wallets, and rings are on sale !www.alwaysaccessorize.comLove,Amber

I NEED A WEBSITE!!

Posted by Rochele Jones on May 15, 2008 at 12:52am

HELLO EVERY1,I'M NEW TO THIS BUT. I WOULD LOVE TO GET SOME FEEDBACK ON WEBSITES WHO HAS THE BEST PRICES ALONG WITH QUALITY WORK..

People, Possessions, Problems and the Real Answer!

Posted by Sylenda on May 14, 2008 at 2:38pm

Hello, to all of my new found friends in the Lord. I would like to 1st give thanks to God for seeing fit to lead me to this great website, and for having the opportunity to meet all of you. God is soooooo Great! You know lately God has been speaking to me, that we( His people) need to take our focus off of people, possessions and problems and renew our relationship with Him. I feel that so many times we allow the distractions of the enemy(Satan) to take up so much of our precious time from God. I don't know if you have noticed but there is a change taking place in our world, and the people of God that are sleeping need to wake up! Our Lord and Saviour is soon to return, and the time to prepare for His return is NOW!!!! We can no longer afford to focus on our little petty issues, problems and circumstances. I am a firm believer that the Word of God is TRUE! The Word of God clearly states that if we seek 1st the kingdom of God and His righteousness all these things shall be added unto us. And I have found this to be true through my own experimentation. I use to focus on how my marriage was, and how my children were behaving, and on my lack of finances. Then God broke that verse down to me and I was staring my solution in the face all of these years. WOW!! Isn't that amazing! All we have to do to get what we need in life is to "seek 1st the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto us". WOW!! But don't take my word for it, try it for yorself. Just for one week take your focus off of people, possessions, and problems and begin to seek God and His righteousness and with that key unlock the door to all of your needs. You will be amazed at how quickly you prosper from that one principle. Always God bless you! Get Ready, Stay Ready, Help others Get Ready, And Wait For the King's Return!!!! Delete Comment

Pre-Paid Legal

Posted by Chiquita Lindsey on May 14, 2008 at 3:03am

A Pre-Paid Legal Life Events Legal Plan SM gives you access to quality law firms for $26 a month or less.Have you ever...•Been overcharged for a repair?•Received a speeding ticket?•Been audited?•Purchased a home?•Tried to return a defective product?•Lost a security deposit?•Signed a contract?•Prepared a will?You only get as much justice as you can afford. If you don't know your rights, you simply don't have any! The top 10% of income earners can afford to have a lawyer on retainer and are accustomed to asking their lawyer for advice before making decisions. What about you?What would you do if you identity was compromised?Call your bank and/or credit card company?•Contact the three major credit repositories?•Go through the helpful but expensive steps recommended by the Federal Trade Commission in its 30-page consumer support publication?•Fill out and submit the affidavit form supplied by the FTC to dispute new, unauthorized accounts?•Spend on average $1,200 in out-of-pocket expenses and an average of 175 hours in your efforts to resolve the many problems caused by identity thieves?OR, with the Identity Theft ShieldSM:Get regular monitoring of your credit report and let the proven leaders in the identity restoration and legal services fields assist you.It's no secret: Identity theft is a major problem in America.Think you're not at risk? Unfortunately you are.•Do you hand your credit card to servers at restaurants?•Do you sign your credit cards?•Do you supply personal information over the Internet?•Do you keep your Social Security number in your wallet or purse?•Do you leave mail at your home or business for the postal carrier to collect?•Do you shred unwanted mail with personal information?Experts recommend that you review your credit report regularly. The Identity Theft ShieldSM makes it easy.You'll receive prompt notice if any new accounts are opened in your name... or if derogatory notations are added to your credit report.For more information visit my website at http://www.prepaidlegal.com/hub/chiquitalindseyor call me at 316-974-0009

Black Love: Food For Thought

Posted by Alecia D. on May 14, 2008 at 2:09am

I was having a conversation with a friend the other day about black relationships and the issues that black men and women have with each other. We were discussing how our preconceived notions about the other gender helps to foster animosity between black men and women whenever we are involved in a romantic relationship with each other.This got me thinking about the past relationships I've had that did not work out and the common themes that could be found in each one of them. While there are so many different reasons why relationships do not work, here are the top three that affect black couples.MiscommunicationIt's important that we try to thoroughly understand the point of view of our partner. Alot of arguments can be avoided if we clear up any inconsistencies in communication and avoid misunderstandings. Of course- easier said than done, but this should definitely be something that black couples are actively working on. Get in the habit of focusing 100% on what your partner is saying. Repeat the main points if you have to and always remain calm and keep your composure- even if you don't agree with what is being said.BaggageDon't bring your baggage into a new relationship. I know we've heard this plenty of times before- but it is very detrimental to a relationship. Whatever happened to you in the past, it's important for you to let it go and move on. No matter how hard you try, if you are still holding on to past hurts it will sub-consciously seep into your new relationship which can cause unnecessary friction. Make a pact with your partner to hash all disagreements out and then move on. If you decide that you will forgive, then you must do that. Don't damage the relationhsip by continuing to reopen old wounds.InsecurityInsecurity leads to mistrust. Mistrust leads to break up. So many times men and women project their own negative feelings onto their partner. We may make up bad situations in our head until they become so real to us. It's important not to jump to conclusions in any relationship. You should strive to work on any issues you have within yourself before connecting with someone else. No man wants to be in a relationship with a woman who is always accusing him of cheating on her, not loving her enough, or not spending enough time with her. Become comfortable in your own skin and it will be easier for you to be more comfortable in your relationship.Check out more blogging here.

Her Hair is Her Crown...Help her take care of it! Start her early in taking care of her hair.

Posted by Eddie on May 13, 2008 at 1:00pm

Have you been contemplating relaxing your little girl’s hair? Is her hair so unmanageable and thick that you are unsure as to what to do with it? Does washing her hair make both of you want to cry? Well before you make that permanent decision to relax her hair please read on. Relaxers contain several known cancer causing ingredients as well as a diploratory, which is the same ingredient used in Nair® hair removal. Relaxers, by nature, weaken each hair strand and causes dryness, which can lead to severe breakage, if the hair is not taken care of properly. If a child gets a relaxer before the age of 12, permanent damage can be caused which may lead to a lifetime of stunted hair growth and other scalp issues. The younger a child is when she receives her first relaxer, the more relaxer she will have over her lifetime, and this means a higher level of cancer causing agents entering the system over her lifetime. If you have already relaxed her hair and are experiencing severe breakage, please read on.I too am a mother with a daughter, not to mention I have a head full of my own very thick, kinky, course hair, so I feel your pain. But, instead of a relaxer, I use my hair care products which will make the hair easy to manage, soft and healthy. My hair care book will guide you to taking care of the hair and growing it as healthy and as long as your hear desires. This book isn’t just for natural hair, but for relaxed hair as well. This month we are having a SUPER DEAL of FREE shipping when you order the entire line along with the guide. This small investment of $41.50 will take you on the path to beautiful and healthy hair.

Big Gyrl of the Month Contest

Posted by Lipstick Killers Collection on May 13, 2008 at 2:55am

Hello Ladies!! Every month BGC crowns a plus size diva as the "Big Gyrl of the Month" and the next deadline is May 31, 2008 1159PM EST. The winner receives bragging rights, myspace.com blast, email blast, your picture posted on biggyrlclothing.net for two months, a free gift, free shipping for the entire month on all orders no matter how big or small, and other fabulous prizes. To enter, submit a full body or at least 3/4 length body picture of yourself in your flyest outfit, via email to biggyrlclothing@yahoo.com. You can send up to 3 pictures at a time. If you do not win, do not fret because your picture is considered every month until you do win! So start your modeling career with us and send us those photos! We will also be featuring very soon, a "how she rocked it" page. It will include our own personal army of plus size models and fashionistas who put their own spin to something they purchased from us. For example if you bought the Camel Swirl shirt from us and we rocked it with jeans, you send us a picture of you rocking it the Camel Swirl top with a dark brown big belt and matching pumps, Fierce! That's showing your inner diva and that is what we want to bring out in the curvy women of the world today. Do you think you have what it takes to be a model for BGC? Well, if you purchased an item from us, you already made the first step towards the new you, confident, sexy, and a model, tell those haters to fall back because a diva is coming through! Dress, Live, and Walk like everyday you are on the runway. Stay beautiful and blessed!

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.