Cradled up in the mountains which traverse Panama more or less east to west, the town of Boquete adds a well deserved page to the Nick Yates Central American travel diary.

Arriving in the neighboring (30 minutes by taxi) lowland town of David’s airstrip, weekend visitors from the capital zigzag their way up into the mountains to find a tropical yet balmy existence that can make two days pass by quickly.  The pleasant surroundings, in fact, have drawn a permanent band of yanqui retirees who’ve lent Boquete a certain cosmopolitan air — if that’s not too strong a depiction of what will greet your senses on your first visit.

Boquete is known for its decidedly pleasant, highland climate in a land that can often swelter.  It is one of the traditional mountain areas used to produce the country’s coffee crop, and the hillsides surrounding this pleasant little town set thousands of feet up are dotted with fincas which produce a pleasing if not famous coffee bean which none the less stands up to those of neighboring Costa Rica.  Tours of several of the biggest plantations can be arraigned, and in season can be enjoyable and very informative.

Horseback riding, kayaking and nature trail hiking are likewise easily available to those visitors so inclined — or you may prefer to simply mark your journay to Panama’s highlands casually strolling Boquete’s flower-filled lanes during the day while drinking in its nighttime sky.  This really is a quite pleasant place, the one which tops the list of favorite Nicholas Yates getaways from the much hotter and more humid beach scene on either of the country’s two coasts.

For a pleasant, highland surprise while in Panama — Boquete is certainly worth a visit.

Bocas del Toro, on Panama’s Caribbean coast, is a delightfully backwater sort of place with beautiful, sandy beaches and a Caribbean flavor that certainly merits a Nick Yates travel write-up.

No five-star tourist developments here.  And that’s a major part of its winning charm for those of us who sometimes prefer the raw flavor of third world travel and the types of fellow travelers it attracts.  Instead of weekenders out of the big cities of the American east coast — you find more backpackers in a variety of nationalities.  And they’re all there to indulge themselves in some inexpensive, laid-back living of the sort only found in this part of the world before the bulldozers move in.

A quick hop by air from the capital, Panama City, Bocas del Toro is otherwise an all-day journey by bus.  And as Central American buses can make an all-day trip seem more like three — do spring for the air ticket if at all possible!

But don’t expect anything luxurious in the way of accommodations on the other end.  As I hope I’ve made clear, this is one of those places that largely pre-dates the world of mass tourism and travel packages.  So expect wooden shacks, dirt roads and minimal air-conditioning.  Also expect mosquito nets over your bed at night and the sounds of reggae music and laughter drifting across on the breeze from the nearest bar until the wee hours.

And expect the beaches to be superb!  The quality of the sand on the Caribbean side is blessed by the just-offshore coral reefs which produce it in abundance.  And the lush, tropical vegetation seen wherever one looks provides both welcome shade and a hint at the nature preserves just inland of Bocas’s seashore location.

In the Nicholas Yates catalogue of preferred beach vacations — Panama’s Bocas del Toro indeed measures up.

Here is another market analysis approvied by Nick Yates: In times of trouble the U.S. dollar retains every bit of its allure as a safe haven, as is being borne out in the financial turmoil we’re now witnessing.

The euro, for instance, has come off a summer high which at one point neared $1.60 and is now a more modest $1.25 in value.  Likewise for many other of the world’s currencies.

World trade remains, to a far greater extent than some might have admitted just months ago, very much subject to the health of the American economy.  Our ongoing economic contraction has therefore dimmed export prospects for a slew of countries and those that do business with them, whether in raw materials for a diminishing manufacturing sector or in component goods for products rolling off greatly slowed assembly lines worldwide.

The old aphorism about the world coming down with pneumonia each time America catches a mere cold still obviously holds some truth, thinks Mr. Yates.

Of course, diminishing need has also resulted in price drops for most commodities.  And this contains the seeds for economic recovery as producers now find their raw material costs lessened.  Labor costs will also react helpfully to a shrinking job market, as will generally those costs linked to government.  Governments worldwide will wish to do all that they can to encourage production by making taxes and regulation less onerous.  Especially for producers employing large numbers of their citizens.

Meanwhile, the dollar along with a very few other currencies has become the repository of choice for foreigners who fear their own currency’s future in a troubling world economy.  As more and more skittish wealth gets converted into safe dollars, the value of the dollar rises in seeming defiance of the economic circumstances.

Maybe the coming months will be opportune ones for that foreign vacation you’ve been too busy to take? Content approved by Nicholas Yates.

Here’s another travel adventure courtesy of Nicholas Yates. Its name comes from a long ago Arabic amalgam, combining the word for mountain with that of its Moorish conqueror who moved on to rule a goodly chunk of the Iberian Peninsula.  He’s long since faded from history; his name lives on.

And he picked this initial peninsular martial prize well, as comes to all visitors as they climb off their airline flights and onto the tarmac of what serves as the colony’s airport.  Hard beside the tarmac the rock itself soars like an imposing grey iceberg, straight up out of the flat coastal plain which hugs Spain’s southern coastine.  The neck of land the airstrip straddles barely affords it the necessary room.  But the daily procession of tourist flights seems hardly to care.

A cluster of two- and three-story buildings come into view as the airport taxi rounds the stone gateway into the town proper. This, with its modest sprawl extending up the nearest bit of slope and along the shoreline beyond, comprises civilian Gibraltar.

It is definitely British:  shops and pubs, restaurants and government buildings bearing Her Majesty’s seal bear witness to the fact that you’re not in Spain.  And there’re enough Brits about the streets to readily confirm that.

The native Gibraltarians themselves are a mixed lot.  Three hundred years of British rule brought in an ethnic mix from seemingly all corners of the British Empire and made loyal subjects of them all.  Or at least most.  It obviously also mixed them into a hybrid population solely distinguishable perhaps by their decidedly non-Spanish appearance.

Centuries of Spanish diplomatic near-quarantine have helped keep it that way.

Gibraltar’s popularity today is as a destination for Brits seeking a little sun and sightseeing.  Spanish beaches once off limits are now a short drive away, as are the sights of Spanish Andalucía’s beautiful mountain towns.  It has also become a trendy place to tie the knot.  A local government office arranges one-day wedding processing that ends in a marriage certificate sure to be a conversation piece.

A sunset drive to Gibraltar’s southernmost point gives a romantic glimpse of north Africa’s distant coast, and a reminder of just how strategically situated this piece of land remains.

Content approved by Nick Yates of Australia.

Director Mel Gibson’s exquisite film “Apocalypto” of a few years back has sparked a mini-boom of travel to the Central America of the old Mayan Empire.  In Honduras, this translates into increased tourism to the extensive Mayan ruins at Copan in that country’s southwest — including to the lovely neighboring town of Copan Ruinas. Mr. Yates would like to take you through this beautiful wonderland…

Set around a quaint colonial square and radiating only a very few blocks out from it, the hill town retains a surprising amount of genuine Honduran ambiance despite the percentage of foreign faces encountered during peak seasons.  Much the same can be said about hotel and restaurant prices.  The basis for such happy circumstance surely lies in the fact that Copan’s visitors are almost exclusively of the backpack variety — a travel segment which leaves a much lighter footprint on local economies than do the matching-luggage set.

Generations of well-publicized guerrilla wars in neighboring countries help insure that this won’t change anytime soon.

Beyond the cobblestones of the town’s commercial area continues a countryside of green hills, rainforest, small farms and large coffee fincas (plantations).  Within all this fine scenery are found the ancient Mayan ruins which lend the town its name.  A trip of minutes by three-wheeled cyclo-cab drops you at the entrance of the main cluster of ruins.  You wander briefly through lush foliage which opens onto a verdant pasture of stone obelisks facing stepped pyramids hundreds of years old; The largest soars perhaps seventy feet high.

Though architecturally impressive in their own right, the richly mottled exteriors of the temples’ stonework seems almost mystically enhanced by the rainforest setting.  Trees of vast size and proportions encircle the site.  Many protrude from the mounds of the ruins themselves, adding their gnarls of twisted roots to the scene and complement perfectly the chiseled stonework.  No Hollywood movie set could hope to improve upon the visual effect of all this shape and color.

Viewing the complex a second time from the surrounding hills only confirms its timeless beauty.  Impromptu horse rides form up every evening just off the Copan Ruinas town square, as a polyglot troupe of travelers trade modest amounts of lempiras for mounts, and are then led up into the sunset to view the ruins from above.

Capping the day by exchanging impressions over cold beers on the verandas of restaurants overlooking the darkening town add a mellow note of closure to your Honduran Mayan adventure. This been Nick Yates with another travel story.

Turns out that the former Yugoslavia, scene of so much ethnic conflict in past years, has developed into a trendy vacation spot with considerable Mediterranean appeal.

The ancient Greeks and Romans were perhaps the first to spot the potential of its Dalmatian coastline.  The ruins of temples and amphitheaters are regular features in some of the oldest inhabited areas, and the bright sunshine, rocky landscapes and glittering seashores are strongly reminiscent of places Hellenic.  The successor Roman Empire followed on with its own architectural statements.

“The fact that you run into fabulous ruins nearly everywhere you go here is a real surprise,” was how one fellow tourist in a local internet cafe summed up the high points of her stopover in Croatia, adding “Why is it I’d never heard of the place, the ruins, the great beaches and the pleasant ‘old town’ areas in its cities?”

Dubrovnik and Split are two such coastal Croatia cities with extensive “old town” sections to wander around in.

But to address her question:  Why indeed?  The answer may lie in the history of the sixties and seventies, when the modern era of affordable plane travel was just “taking off.”  This part of Europe was then under communist rule and largely closed off from international tourism development.  The splitting up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s was the great catalyst to the development of tourism, though the drawn-out struggle between Croatia and Serbia initially delayed even this.

You still sometimes can’t help getting the feeling that the years of ethnic conflict aren’t yet far enough in the past for many residents.  Especially among adults, one senses a disposition toward impatience with tourists finicky over accommodations or service.  People who regard themselves fortunate in simply surviving those years of internecine strife no doubt have trouble sympathizing with those who allow life’s more minor inconveniences to trouble them overly.  The younger Croat generation, highly attuned to all that’s happening in European and American culture but less so with their country’s troubled past, are a refreshingly different breed.

Generally-lower prices are one very good reason to consider Croatia’s Dalmatian coast for your next Mediterranean splurge.  But surely the surroundings will also leave you pleased with your choice.

Nick Yates would like to discuss the current Olympic situation with his readership. Beyond the glitter, the Beijing Olympics have some harrowing lessons for entrepreneurs dreaming of doing business in China.  When it comes to officialdom in the Middle Kingdom, perhaps not so very much has changed since the days of the Confucius-inspired dynasties.

Consider the case of gold medal gymnast He Kexin.  Some years back it was decided to advance the minimum age for competing gymnasts to sixteen, for reasons deemed important to both their physical and psychological development as human beings.  All agreed that this was a good and humane ruling.

Those spending much time at all before their television sets during the Olympic Games couldn’t help noticing however — even without the controversy it engendered in the world press — that one of the top competitors among China’s women gymnasts hardly looks twelve, never mind sixteen!

A brouhaha of global proportions ensued, pitting skeptics (most anyone with eyes) against a Chinese government that, early on, dug itself into a non-negotiable position which held that Miss He was indeed sixteen. And that the topic was closed, as far as they were concerned.  They’d after all issued her a passport that said so.  So end of story.

Now, in most other modern countries — and the Olympics were, if nothing else, China’s lavish attempt to finally be seen by the rest of us as modern — the true facts would quickly have asserted themselves:  old school photos, for instance, would have quickly popped up in the press, lending weight to one side or the other.  Copies of birth and other vital records would have been forthcoming.  Friends and neighbors would have been interviewed, and through it all the rest of us would have reached a conclusion based on something other than an apparent dictate by a bureaucrat.  But not in China.

And the vital lesson in this unseemly affair definitely shouldn’t be lost on the business person hoping to do business in China:  if the government of this yet totalitarian country can so baldly manipulate even the most essential of things — what does that say about the local marketplace and those, especially maybe foreigners, hoping to profit from its orderly running?

Are all the many licenses and permits which govern the life of any business there, as elsewhere, made any more secure and meaningful in the face of an Olympic caper carried on literally before the eyes of billions of television viewers?  Or will justice remain a commodity dispensed in China only after carefully weighing its daily value to the mandarins residing in the halls of power?

Some day that answer may dependably come down on the side of truth and justice.  In today’s China it still doesn’t. This has been another sports  review by Nick Yates.

Author: Olabode Oruku

It is a popular statement that ideas rule the world. That is a fact! Every product that we can see is a manifestation of an idea. It was business ideas that produced all the comfort that makes life worth living today. That includes aero-planes, automobiles, phones, etc. Those large corporations making billions of dollars today are all manifestations of business ideas of one or more people. That little seed of idea floating in your head may be what you need to act on for the fortune you have been dreaming of to start rolling in. What do you need to do?

Act on the business ideas

It is not good enough to keep procrastinating and given thousands of reasons why you cannot act on the idea now. Start something on the business ideas no matter how little. As you work on it, you will discover that you will be attracting help beyond your imagination that will see to its manifestation. From my personal experiences till date, I know it works. Let me motivate you with this quote from an Internet expert: “The common conception is that motivation leads to action, but the reverse is true, action precedes motivation. You have to prime the pump and get the juices flowing, which motivates you to work on your goals. Getting momentum going is the most difficult part of the job, and often taking the first step is enough to prompt you to make the best of your day.”

Value of product generated from your business ideas

A step further is to understand the purpose or value of your product to people. What problem do you intend to solve with it? A product must solve specific problem for people. Will the product be competing with what is already in the market? Or will it affect its marketability? Don’t estimate analyzing the value of your product, it will help you come up with a superior product.

Determine the market

There is always this advice from Internet expert that you first look for a market that there is a need and later look for business ideas product that fit it. Determine first whether there is a demand for your idea. Having business ideas is one thing while having a market to sell the product from the idea is another. Determine who will buy your product. Is there a real market for it? Will it sell easily?

Strategy for your product

Marketing the product from your business idea successfully has to do with strategy. Consider your product in the market place and determine the strategy that will be suitable for you to sell very well.

Decide on your market target

Your market target will affect your pricing and packaging. Will you be selling the product from your business idea on the Internet or offline as well? If you will be selling offline, your market target will determine the location suitable for your product. Will you be using independent distributors or you will be selling directly to retailer? If you will be using independent distributors, will your pricing cover their commissions? If you will be selling in wholesale, can you give discounts off the original price? Can the selling method sustain your business and help it grow?

Determine your price

Here are three simple ways to determine the cost to sell the product from your business ideas. Determine the cost of production including overhead expenses and then put a reasonable markup on the product. You may look at the pricing on the advert of your competitors either on the Internet or offline. You also carry out survey on your target market to know what they are ready to pay. Pricing has been the problem of many entrepreneurs, at times they under price their product below what the consumers are happy to pay, sometimes they over price their product beyond the consumer budget.

Source of products

It is important to know that how long you will be selling product from your business ideas will depend on how long you can continue producing it. Another consideration is supply and demand. Where will the materials be sourced and are there factors that will affect how the product will be produced in the future? Is there real demand for the product or do you have to create it? If your product ideas have been created as a result of another product, do you foresee any modifications that might adversely affect your product sales?

Understand your competitors

When selling the product you generated from your business ideas, you need to keep your eye on your competitors. What they sell, how they sell it, to whom they sell it and for how much will greatly impact your business.

Promoting the product generated from your ideas

Now that you have created your product, it’s time to begin promoting your product in order to sell it. What type of advertising do you need for the product and where will you advertise? Decide whether building a website is enough or if you need to tap other more traditional methods of promotion. You will have to review your advertising efforts from time to time to determine if it benefits your business or takes away from it unnecessarily. Based on my experience in business, when you use a website to promote your product, it will boost your sales, once you are attracting targeted prospects to it.

Author: Diego Banuelos

Starting your own business is not a simple task. On the contrary, it has a series of implications that will completely transform your life and the way you see the world. This is why you truly need to understand the reasons that are driving you to start your own business and if you have developed the skills necessary for this kind of venture.

Discovering the real reasons for starting your own business

When I hear people say, “I can open a small business, hire an employee, and I’ll just receive the money from the sales,” I realize this person has never owned a business. This description is related more to an “investor,” whose work is very different than the one of “business owner.” Having your own business can mean working as you have never worked before and will challenge all your abilities to the maximum extent. Several years can pass before your business “breaks even” and becomes profitable. Nevertheless, once established, by owning your own business you can achieve your personal dreams and generate well-being for others through the creation of jobs and wealth. In addition, your own business could give you independence by allowing you to work for yourself and take the reins of your own destiny. Yes, the rewards are multiple, but the ride is not necessarily smooth. This is why you should research as much as possible before beginning such a task. Many businesses advisors have recommend visiting a business similar to the one you want to start or even work as an employee, observing the personnel, clients, and the distribution of the merchandise or services. Can you picture yourself directing a business like this? What would you do the same? What would you do differently? What could you do to improve it?

Personality traits of the successful entrepreneur

Although it is almost impossible to define who will be successful starting a business and who will not, all successful entrepreneurs share similar traits, abilities, and attitudes. Some of these are listed below:

Creativity and Innovation. These people “think outside the box,” are open to new ways of doing things, and have the ability to recognize opportunities when they see them. They are people who use creativity to solve the problems.

Experts on execution. Successful entrepreneurs are highly motivated individuals who have the ability to make things happen. Their favorite phrase is “let’s do it,” and they are able turn thoughts and ideas into concrete results.

Leaders. Leaders are credible and influential people. They use their influence on others to reach common goals.

Author: Jordan Hanthorn

Deciding what type of Home Business you want to launch is a very important issue. You will want to take into account what you love to do and what strengths you have. You will want to do a little research before you decide on which home business you are going to focus on.

For example, you need to decide on which demographic you wish to target, which product or service you wish to market and which method you want to market it. If your chosen product is or service is health related, for example, you may want to research that particular demographic. In this case, you may find that a high percentage of baby boomers go on the internet for information about health care and supplements. So it would then be logical to conclude that online marketing is a necessity.

You will also need to know what type of home business structure you are gong to choose. For some people, network marketing is the right choice because you gain leverage from building an organization, also known as a sales force or downline. To make this decision you may want to refer to one of the many good home business or network marketing print or online publications that are available as this is a huge subject.

For other people retailing the products is enough to provide an adequate income. You will also need to decide which entity is right for your home business. Generally, you will be deciding between a sole proprietership, partnership, s-corporation, c-corporation and limited-liability corporation. Each one of these entities has inherent strengths and weaknesses and you will want to consult with a qualified attorney and/or accountant before making such an important decision. Besides the product or service, choosing an entity may be the single most important decision you will have to make regarding your home business because it will largely determine the amount of taxes you have to pay, which assets you can buy with before-tax dollars, and which benefit and perks can be written off as a business expense.

….Many people want to start a home business, but do not know where to begin. Often they have trouble coming up with ideas for a home business. The best home based business will take these following factors into account. 1. What skills do you have or can easily learn? 2. What do you have an interest in, and like to do? 3. Can the business be successful? 4. Where and how will you contact potential customers? 5. Do you have the necessary marketing skills?

It is important to realize that any new business venture is a huge change. If you have never done something like this before you may question your own abilities… Don’t! Success and Leadership is not gained over-night! Keep in mind that one will yeild a hundred different capabilities and strengths if given the opportunity to do so!

The difference between a pipe dream and a great idea is simply persistence. Here are few tips to get started on your Home Based Business right away and get on the path to your ultimate goal, beat procrastination and hours of indecision:

(1) Get leverage on yourself - tell enough people what your goal is

(2) Understand your standard excuses and do not listen to them anymore.

(3) Break the goal into bite size chunks and reward yourself on the journey

(4) Take a fork in the road and simply get started. This is according to leading business coach Brad Tonini who has just released his latest book "Make It Happen Now!" Brad says that procrastination is paralyzing to peak performance, and it comes from these key reasons:
(1) The task is just plain overwhelming
(2) You may have a fear of failure or fear of success
(3) You seek perfection and so never get started
(4) You fear a lack of control
(5) You haven't associated sufficient pleasure or pain to the task to get you moving. It is really remarkable how we can talk ourselves right out of things, we create self-doubt in our mind and then we then translate this to negative self-talk. The more we make decisive decisions and get started on a new path or one that we have desired, we begin to feel empowered, excited or enthused about making the goal come to fruition.

But the opposite of procrastination is commitment. According to the esteemed James Womack, commitment unlocks the doors to imagination, allows for vision, and gives us the "right stuff" to turn our dreams into reality. Mack R. Douglas was quoted as saying "The achievement of your goal is guaranteed the moment you commit yourself to it."

Powerful stuff indeed! In that same vein, Pearl Buck said, " don't wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know it has to get down to work."

Albert Einstein once said, "Three rules of work (1) out of clutter, find simplicity, (2) from discord, find harmony and (3) in the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity." Remember to always be persistent, that is truly a key. Just do the work everyday and refuse to ever let up. And when you need help, ask for it.

Then keep the momentum going! Don't give up or take anything personally. And speaking of commitment, to be successful in a Home Business, you have to be nothing less than a fanatic who is completely committed to making your Home Business not only a successful venture, but also a profound commitment for your entire life.

You will only fail if you quit. Keep in mind that this is all about independence from the drudgery of working for someone else your entire life. Work for yourself! Your health may depend on it.

Like any business venture, a home business requires a considerable amount of time and resources if you want it to really take off. If you have chosen to start a Home Business, you have decided control your own destiny and become self employed rather than being dependent on a paycheck and false job security. There are not too many "safe and secure" jobs any more. That way of thinking needs to be updated. The world has changed and globalization has altered the rules. Just as depending exclusively on Social Security and medicare is an idea who's time is past, the playing field betwwen employees and individuals who own their own business has also changed.

To be a truly successful Home Business or Small Business entrepreneur requires professionalism. Whether working from your basement or a home office, you should always work the same way as if you were in an expensive office building in Downtown Manhatten. This work ethic or philosophy will mean a lot to your eventual success and to the respect you recieve. Good habits mean a lot over time. You should set long term goals, take a few risks and remember the old adage, "Early to bed, early to rise, work like a dog and advertise". Always accept personal responsibility for everything in your personal and business life and use all the resources at your disposal to achieve success. It is important to realize that success comes mainly from educating yourself, tenacity, lots of hard work and a good, workable plan. If you really want to take your Home Business venture to the next level, to really see it take off in a big way, you need to ultimately learn some sales basics or perhaps hire or partner with someone who already knows sales. No one is born a salesperson, it is a learned skill just like anything else. Sales is really a profession, and to be successful in any profession you must learn the basics and practice them. Success in sales makes use of all the abilities your born with, as well as some that are acquired through education and experience. Any time spent educationing yourself in this area will be time well spent. Be persistent and success will eventually find you!

I guess we all would like to to get paid for working at something that we would be doing anyway, so starting a Home Business from a hobby or interest is probably ideal. Not only will you be your own boss, you will be doing something you love to do anyway - work is not really work if you truly enjoy what you're doing. In addition, if you happen to be selling your own products or designs there is probably more of a chance that you will work harder and have a stronger belief in your product. When you get started, read about how other entrepreneurs have gotten their start. You can get a great deal of books from the library which will give you information about tax and insurance issues for your Home Business.

Your hobby may involve a very specific product or may be something that relates to a certain locality (editors note:whether it be New York City or Kentucky). In this case, you may want to advertise your product in some of the specialized publications that are available on the news- stands or on the web. For many people, turning their hobbies into a Home Business is the perfect way to work for yourself at something that they are already doing - and get paid for it. They also have the flexibility to be in full charge of their working life while working from home.

Next you want to calculate your niche market and think about calling local businesses that may want to do business with you (or may be interested in using your products). You could also get a booth at a local crafts fair. Offer to give away a prize and take names and addresses on your sign-up forms to set up a future mailing list.

Author: Joseph Devine

Many entrepreneurs dream of making millions of dollars from starting their own business. However, few people make it to this level of wealth. You might ask why this is the case. Is it just pure luck? Are some entrepreneurs smarter than others? These are probably not the right questions to ask.

The fact of the matter is that to succeed one must take risks. A business owner undertakes a huge amount of risk by deciding to “go at it alone.” Depending on his product, service, business idea and zeal, he probably has his reputation, his financial worthiness, and dignity riding on the line. The idea of having your livelihood at stake scares some people to the point on not taking the chance to earn millions.

So what exactly is risk? Risk is a kind of uncertainty in which there are negative, even catastrophic consequences for a supposed action. In the business world, we try our hardest to avoid risk by measuring it. Measuring risks somehow makes us feel better about the future. The hope that comes with this measurement, though, does not remove the risk. Potentialities of disaster are still there, no matter how we view the situation.

So what differentiates the risk taker from the risk avoider? The answer to this question is a matter of attitude. How does the individual choose to view the situation? In other words, what exactly is it that the conscious observer focuses on as a potential outcome? This difference in perception and its relationship to our feelings affects our decision-making process, not only in our everyday lives but also in very big decisions, like starting a business or applying for a loan.

For example, if someone is at a casino and is presented with an offer to bet ½ odds to double his money or lose it all, he has a choice to make. He must decide between betting, and not betting. A risk taker, in this situation, would make the bet, believing that the chance that he could double his money is worth the risk of losing it all. He focuses on the dream, the vision of succeeding. A risk avoider, on the other hand, would choose not to bet, because he would rather keep his money than risk losing it all. He focuses on the fear, which keeps him at bay.

Author: Lynn M. Scheurell

When people ask me what I consider entrepreneurial business, one of the definitions I use most often is that it’s the accelerated path to personal development (on steroids). It is impossible to have a business, much less a soul-driven business that is your purpose manifest in the world, and not grow as a person. Here are five of the milestones of personal development that you may recognize yourself in random order (and if you haven’t had them yet, keep an eye out!).

1. Know what you know. In order to optimize the expression of who you are in the world through your business, you have to “know what you know”. That is, you must access and utilize what your “gut” tell you - no one else can do it for you. It is the only true decision-making process that you need, if you’re doing it right.

2. Speak your truth. What’s true isn’t necessarily a truth… think about that one. For example, while today is nice, it may not be tomorrow, but the sun will rise today and the sun will rise tomorrow - that’s the difference. Truth doesn’t change. Be expressive and compassionate in honestly saying what needs to be said.

3. Personal power. Tapping into and making decisions from your personal power source requires you to develop an inner relationship with that source. If you’re tapped in, you’re tuned in… and that’s the clearest path to showing up more effectively in the world.

4. Master priorities management. There isn’t really such a thing as time management, because time marches on - it doesn’t really respond to commands. But you can, and must, determine what’s urgent (the ‘911′-types), what’s important (essential but patiently waiting for you), and the non-essential (why bother?). If you aren’t working the “critical inch” of your business, your business isn’t working for you.

5. Distill to the essence. Everything you do matters - everything. And the way you do it does as well…make sure that you are focusing on the core activities, relationships and spirit of what’s vital for you to feel good about your work AND your life.

While there are many other milestones for personal development as a result of doing soul-driven business, these five are central themes that I’ve discovered over the course of the last decade in working with entrepreneurs. If you’re doing each of them consistently, your business is showing it… and if not, you’ve got some good accelerated growth opportunities waiting for you!

Author: Sharon Londa

Before a doctor diagnoses a specific disease, his patient must undergo a series of laboratory exams and assessments. He has to know the history of his patient and how lifestyle affected his present health problem. As results come in, that would be an indication of the time when a physician gives specific drugs and therapies for maintenance. This will eventually contribute to the level of optimum health for that individual. If all else fails, the process will be repeated again.

Similar to what the abovementioned situation has stated, an entrepreneur’s responsibility would be pretty much the same. It’s just that, he should see his customers as his patients and what they must have to survive a present predicament or a need. He must follow certain steps before doing anything irrational that could contribute to the downfall of his business. He should have certain characteristics innate in his personality for if he lacks one of these, he’s most probably doomed to fail.

Entrepreneurship is collectively defined as exhibiting one’s vision, taking action, and pursuing that vision as a goal to be achieved in life as service to reality. In the meaningless definition, it’s getting your butt out of that couch and doing something rather than fulfilling your life’s destiny of being a couch potato. Stated below are some of the distinct attitudes an entrepreneur should positively have:

• Optimism - is foreseeing things in a positive way notwithstanding any circumstances that may hinder progress. The assertiveness of an individual depends on his knowledge of how to handle a difficult situation

• Creativity - is thinking outside the box. Expanding one’s mind of what is beyond the ordinary through fine research and collection of data.

• Stability - either physical, mental, social or emotional, a leader must possess a stable life which means he could handle tough situations during tough times

• Charismatic - intelligence of communicating with different walks of life. Who says a charming man is less than an intelligent one? A good entrepreneur must have the certain magic glistening in his eyes and could convey enchanting words to get hold of that convincing power no one dare resist.

• Risk-taker - as someone beginning his own dream, he should be stern and must have the guts and the balls to take the big leap of plunging into his own doom or success. He should not be afraid of taking chances when opportunity strikes.

• Energetic - willing to do whatever it takes to reach to the finish line. His drive must always be at its highest level for being an entrepreneur would make you work overtime. His enthusiasm must prevail the next best thing.

• Time bound - like a written report in a newspaper, an entrepreneur must be on the top of every innovation. By looking at our past, we could predict our future.

Small businesses, in time, would turn out big if the scope of management exceeds what is expected. So it is necessary for a beginner to be positive about his endeavors. He must be very observant of what his environment lacks and needs. He should have sturdy shoulders to put on extra weight of carrying a responsibility that could change his or her life.

One’s greatest failure is sticking with the mentality of being conventional. This would be one of an entrepreneur’s greatest downfalls. Think big. Act. Make your business dreams come true.

Author: Phillip McGough

If you had the choice between doubling a penny over 30 days or receiving one million dollars right up front, which would you choose? Most of us have heard this one already, but just humor me for a moment. Really think about it. A cool million, just sitting there, ripe for the taking, all in one hundred dollar bills. Think what you could do with one million dollars in the span of 30 days. But wait, what IS the value of a penny, doubled each day for 30 days. What a decision. I’ll let you think about it for a bit while we touch on the importance of leverage.

What you do with your time is what constitutes true leverage. It was once said by a great man that your goal in life should not to be benefiting from 100% of your own efforts, but to be benefiting from 1% of 100 people’s efforts. How does a person get to that point? You either have to start a business and employ a bunch of people, write a song or a book that nets you royalties, or you can trick 100 people into giving you 1% of their income. None of those options sound very easy, do they? But stop and think, if you are the only person contributing to your income, what happens if you stop?

Nothing. Well, let’s not say nothing because something does happen, it’s called bankruptcy. But you need your job. You can’t quit for this very reason. You need money. How about a second job, that makes two incomes right? What happens when you slip on the ice and break your leg next winter? Two jobs won’t cut it in that situation either. I know the solution; I like to call it “Plan B.”

A “Plan B” is easy to create; you just have to understand the power of leverage. The easiest way to create leverage in your life is to start a business, but that also goes back to having to keep the job you’ve got. Believe it or not, network marketing, also called multi-level marketing or MLM, is the best answer. It is a prime example of leverage. A network marketing business is founded on the principle that when you market their product, you make money. However, if a person on your ‘team’ markets the product, you make an override. It’s the exact same way that the real estate broker and real estate agent relationship works. For example, there’s you, numero uno. You bring one person into your network marketing business in your first month (it’s really not that hard because you were looking for a “Plan B,” that means that there are other people who are also looking for one, right?). Now there are 2 people in your business. You teach your new ‘team’ member how you recruited them so, the next month they recruit one and you recruit another. Now there are 4 people, just in your second month. By the end of your first year, you will be receiving overrides on a team of 4,096 people! Now that’s leverage!

Let’s go back to the penny. Did you know that a penny, doubled over 30 days is more than five million dollars??? It’s crazy but true! Duplication can be great, when you use leverage (especially when it benefits you) along beside it. You can use duplication in your new network marketing business and it will make you millions.

For duplication to work properly, it has to be something everyone can do. It needs to work for a dud and for a stud. Purchasing leads, which is a very common thing in a network marketing business, is something simple that will duplicate to your entire team, but it is not something that will work for everyone. You must duplicate something that will work no matter if your new team member is a beginner or an expert. A beginner will not have enough experience or enough capital to work a lead campaign. You can, however, duplicate a method of generating free leads. Anybody can do free. Anybody can do simple. Anybody who gets involved with a network marketing company that has a great product and a powerful, duplicable system in place that a beginner can just plug into, will have the best “Plan B” they could ever ask for!

Author: Julie Watson Smith

As a parent-entrepreneur, I have many different roles: wife, mom, coach, boss, speaker, author, writer, coach, volunteer, mentor, homework checker, chauffeur, cheerleader, short-order cook…the list goes on. As a parent-entrepreneur, you understand. Really, what don’t you do, right?

However, a month or so ago, and someone asked me, “What do you do?” And, usually I can roll of a short, sweet pitch, but, oh-no, I bumbled and rambled until this person’s eyes glazed over. It was awful. It really made me realize the power of the 30-second pitch.

Really, what would you do if you were riding on an elevator and Oprah walked in? You have her undivided attention for 30-seconds or less. What would you say? Now, hold that thought for a few minutes before answering.

Let’s take a step back…What do you say when anyone asks you, “What do you do?” Are you are completely tongue tied and stumped? Or worse, you rattle off a five-minute explanation including your services or products from A-Z, your credentials, your education, your clients, etc? By the time you’ve finished, that other person’s eyes are glassy and they are mentally writing their grocery list in their head. Why? Because, they don’t understand what you have said, don’t need what you have, or are just not interested. So, what do you do? You need an effective 30-second pitch that it distinguishes you in a busy, overcrowded, and at times, indistinguishable marketplace. It must set you apart!

Following are seven tips to crafting your 30-second pitch:

1. Make it about them: I think it was Stephen Covey who said, “Be interested to be interesting.” Apply this philosophy be making your pitch about them - it focus on what you can do for them not just what you can do.

2. Be clear on your niche and specialty. Niche is the who and specialty is the what. Often entrepreneurs think, well, everyone is my customer. Yes and no. Yes, because, technically, you can sell to anyone. But, no because, you will not effectively reach your ideal clients if you are trying to market to everyone.

3. Focus on purpose rather than skills - what will the person gain (or in some cases, lose). Too often, an elevator pitch merely describes your skills, as in “Hi, I’m Julie, a coach, speaker and author.” Yes, this is all true info, but, well, ick. It doesn’t set me apart from the thousands of other coaches, speakers and columnists. It is useless info. What’s your purpose for what you do and who you serve - basically, how do you add value. For example, I could say, “Hi, I’m Julie Smith. I inspire solopreneur-parents to align family and business while also designing their million-dollar lifestyle through inspired success.: Better, right

4. Start with a hook - an intriguing story or question to capture their interest. My good friend and colleague, Kelly Paull, owner of Slumber Parties by Kelly, has a great hook. Here it is: “Picture your husband eagerly taking your children out of the house for the evening, your girlfriends arriving giddy with excitement for ninety minutes of side-splitting laughter and adult entertainment with a lady-like twist.” At this point, the listener is intrigued and wants to know more. She’s hooked ‘em. This listener is either her ideal customer or knows her ideal customer (think referrals!) You can also use a question that addresses your target markets challenge and the outcome of that challenge as your hook. “Have you ever noticed the amount of frustration and guilt is placed on juggling the needs of both a family and home-based business?” (This is where you want heads nodding in agreement, maybe someone says, “Oh yeah that’s me or my sister, or my friend”…you get the picture). “I support these parent-entrepreneurs by providing them with 7 fundamental tools to give guilt the boot by aligning family and business.”

5. Share a resource. I love sharing resources. I have so many fabulous resources that I share in my Million Dollar Connections and Contacts. Individually or in a group, share a favorite resource and how it helped you. One of my favorite is Vista Print. I think they have impeccable service, quality and pricing. So, I often share this resource with the added reinforcement of a business card or flyer. It shows the quality of the work from the resource and provides a visual pitch.

6. Prepare and practice. The big secret to your pitch here is constant preparation and practice. Consider your audience and how you can help them (remember, it’s all about them), and what they can gain. Next, write it down, practice it out loud in front of the mirror and with others.

7. Practice more! Nothing sounds worse than a poorly prepared or canned pitch that sounds like you don’t know what you do or aren’t confident in what you do. Keep practicing it!

Your 30-second pitch is your one of your most valuable marketing tools for distinguishing and branding yourself and your business. So, keep practicing and perfecting it so the next time, you are on an elevator and Oprah walks on, you’ll know exactly what to say to set yourself apart!

Author: Cindy Hartman

There are a variety of issues that support both sides of the off-site vs. home-based decision business owners must make. Often it is obvious - a no-brainer, if you will. But just as frequently, a lot of thought, discussion and pencil-to-paper time are devoted to coming to the right conclusion.

HOME-BASED

There are a variety of easy-to-capture reasons for wanting to work at home:

• Location, location, location - the most convenient work address around!

• Travel time - a few steps and you’re there.

• Wardrobe - casual as you please.

• Expenses - no gasoline used driving to work, less eating out and no need for an extensive supply of business attire.

• Flexibility - most often you choose the hours you work, opportunity to go to the kids’ schools programs, babysit the grandkids periodically, etc.

Though all of this sounds great on the surface, there are also just as many reasons to have an office located elsewhere.

OFF-SITE

You might consider buying or renting office space because of the following reasons:

• Location, location, location - convenience to your customers.

• Travel time - sometimes a drive on the way to or home from work is a good time to get your thoughts together to start the day, or to wind down before arriving home.

• Wardrobe - many offices are casual, and depending on your customer base, you can be, too.

• Expenses - if your office is located near retail shops, the gas you spend running errands most likely will make up for some of the gas spent driving to and from work.

• Flexibility - your client base dictates when you work, and unless you have walk-ins, you can easily provide yourself with the flexibility that the home-based business owner enjoys.

Both categories have the same 5 advantages. Often, it’s how you look at each, and what you prefer. When you look at overhead, though, you’ll find a huge difference.

OVERHEAD/MAINTENANCE

When working from home, and you’re an established business, you can receive tax benefits. These include a portion of your household expenses and utilities that can be claimed as business expenses. However, there are many restrictions, so it is imperative to consult with your CPA.

The off-site business owner will have rent or mortgage payments to make. And, of course, utilities and upkeep add to your monthly/annual list of expenditures.

Wear and tear on your home is an expense many people don’t consider. You’ll most likely need to replace carpet more often, repaint or redecorate if you’re home-based just because of the additional hours you spend in your office.

Another area to consider is functionality. Do you have a separate entrance for your clients to use? You might even have to add a bathroom for your customers’ convenience.

If your lifestyle changes, working out of the home might not be the best solution. Is your house large enough to allow you to consider being a home-based business? Many people have expressed that issue. In one instance, what was a small 3-bedroom ranch, perfect for downsizing, is too small because two of the three bedrooms are now offices.

SERVING YOUR CUSTOMER

Service-providers are perfect for home-based businesses, as they usually go to the clients’ homes or offices. But if you have a business that requires people to come to you, the questions to answer are:

• Do you want people coming to your house?

• Do you have a separate entrance?

• Do you have restroom facilities convenient to the office?

• Do you have off-street parking?

• Can you put a sign in your front yard to help identify yourself as a business?

• Does your neighborhood association allow it?

Many changes to accommodate on-site office visits might suggest that you rent or purchase office space.

Lastly, but I believe most importantly, is yourself. If you have discipline to keep home and work separate, a home-based business might be right for you. But if you find that you procrastinate, or just can’t seem to tear yourself away from the office, having that physical barrier of an off-site office might be the better choice.

These are issues that everyone faces when trying to make a decision whether to be home-based or off-site. Each person is different, and each situation has its own deciding factors. Though the conclusion would appear to be an easy one, a great deal of time and consideration should be given to whether it is right for you.

Author: Chetan Walia

This is about the Big Picture.

There is an interesting aspect associated with Breakthroughs. Breakthroughs are always in front of us, staring at us, waiting to be discovered. Unfortunately, we do not see them.

Let me give you ‘The story of the tiny frog.’

There was once a group of tiny frogs who arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower. A big crowd gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer the competition. The race began.

Honestly, no one in the crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower. They kept saying, “Oh! Way too difficult. They will never make it to the top.” “Not a chance, they will not succeed. It’s too high.’

The tiny frogs began collapsing one by one, even while there were those who were climbing higher and higher. The crowd continued to yell, “it’s too difficult, no one will ever make it.” More tiny frogs got tired and gave up.

But one tiny frog continued higher and higher and higher. This one will just not give up! In the end all the others had given up climbing the tower, except for this one tiny frog who after a big effort was the only one to reach the top!

Then all the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one had managed to do it? One of the contestants asked the tiny frog who had won that how he had found the strength to reach the goal. The tiny frog did not answer. The winner was deaf!

Breakthroughs are about seeing opportunities where everyone sees problems, obstacles, limitations or boundaries. Fortunately, we have enough people who see all of this so there in lies the possibility to discover a Breakthrough. However, unfortunately we aren’t deaf or blind. We start seeing them too.

There are some very interesting real life parallels to the Frog Story. I’ll just not down a few..

A gentleman named Frank Howser designs and constructs displays and booths for trade shows. A few years ago, two young guys asked Frank, if he could design something for their little start up company so they would look ‘flashy’ at a trade show. They couldn’t pay him so they offered him stock in their start up business. Advised by people around him (who saw red) Frank declined the offer. Someone else chose to turn deaf to those around him and took it up. The two young men were Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs. The little company was Apple Computer. That someone else made a lot of money.

Richard and Maurice McDonald sold their hamburger stand, concept, and name to a fifty-on year old salesman named Ray Croc. The rest is history.

A man named Lewis Crandal sold half of his tore for a mere $1200 to his partner Mr. Woolworth.

The first group of people in the above examples NEVER saw the opportunities that existed right in from of them. The second group did and acted on them.

Turning DEAF is not to be equated to ‘don’t hear, don’t listen, don’t see’ etc. Rather listen, see, hear, feel the reality and defy the mindset.

One last incident: In 1972, in USA, the Democratic convention nominated George McGovern to run for president against Richard Nixon. During the convention McGovern dumped his vice-presidential candidate Eagleton. A young sixteen year old entrepreneur saw a one time opportunity and bought up five thousand suddenly obsolete McGovern-Eagleton buttons and stickers. He paid about five cents apiece for them. Post Nixon’s victory once the mudslinging began in the Democratic circles, he resold these as historical and rare political memorabilia for $25 per item.

Obviously the young man’s one time windfall profit did not result in any industry breakthrough. But this is an excellent example of an attitude that is needed to see an opportunity where others do not. The young man, by the way, was Bill Gates

Major Breakthroughs are always in front of us and are always discovered with the correct mind-set. It’s an attitude, an attitude to look for opportunities and possibilities. People who generate breakthroughs are opportunity focussed (not problem focused), those who don’t aren’t. It’s no rocket science. It’s really simple.

Author: Dale A Simmons

There are many reasons businesses fail such as lack of direction, impatience, greed, taking action without thinking it through first, poor cost/poor product, insufficient working capital, bad or nonexistent budgeting, inadequate financial records, loss of momentum, failure to anticipate market trends, lack of managerial ability or experience, indecisiveness, bad human relations and diffusion of effort to mention a few. But, you there was a but coming right? But until you have a strong a “Why Statement” you are spinning your wheels to be successful in the entrepreneurial arena.

On average every one is conditioned from birth to go to school, get good grades, graduate from high school, go to college, get a degree, get a job, work for 40 years, and retire on 60% of the wages you couldn’t live on when you were making 100% of your salary. Now here is the kicker; life expectancy upon retirement, depending on the industry, is on average 10 years. Now that’s something to get excited about! There is a trend afoot that is showing that the average age of retirement is going up drastically. You may ask yourself why? Simply, the state of the economy is a mess. Social Security is broke and there is a general fear that the retirement promised through the Social Security Administration will not be there when you plan to retire. Company retirement plans are being reduced or eliminated and in many cases the funds are just not there. This does not paint a rosy picture for the future of the working class.

Here is the problem; people trade hours for dollars all the time. In fact 95% of the population is competing for 5% of the wealth. Whereas 5% of the population controls 95% of the wealth. There is only one way you can personally place yourself into the 5%. You MUST be a business owner! But there is another problem, statistics show 90% of all businesses fail. Now there is a sobering statement. So most, i.e. the 95%, won’t even try or give it a go for a few of months and quit and return to trading hours for dollars. There are a lot of reasons why businesses fail but the main reason is that you don’t have a strong enough “Why Statement”.

Your “Why Statement” is the most critical part of any business start-up and its longevity. Your reason or WHY must be so strong nothing, I mean nothing can stand in your way of success. You must get way outside your comfort zone. It must be your main focus! If you don’t have a strong enough “Why Statement” you will fail. You will fall back into your world of complacency, your comfort zone and your trading hours for dollars. Simply, “if you don’t have a strong enough Why Statement you will keep doing what you’re doing and get what you got!”

As stated at many of my seminars, “A strong Why Statement is the vehicle that will help you get the heck out of your own way!”

Author: Ernsley Denizard

The more success you achieve as an entrepreneur, the more attractive you become to your followers or potential clients. The magnetic impact tends to grow; the law of attraction will also come your way as you get more calls and referrals. How you turn those leads into sales and nurture the business relationships going forward are major factors for the longevity of your business. As those sales and customers come in, you need to nurture and build a solid relationship with those new members of your team. Here are some valuable tips to consider when nurturing, coaching, counseling or mentoring your new business partners:

* Be positive - Always offer an achievable solution to reassure you teammates that it can be done and you are here to help. Hard work and positive results work hand in hand.

* Be specific - When assigning tasks or resolving an issue, break it down to the simplest form and focus on one specific task. This approach compliments the previous tip as well.

* Be Supportive - Use references and manuals to reinforce a concept or belief. Show support on all levels by encouraging the teams to ask questions. As it is commonly said, a closed mouth cannot be fed.

* Encourage consistency and repetition - It is vital in building confidence and improving the knowledge base. This also helps eliminate doubts.

* Emphasize positive mindset - Develop a path to understand why you do what you do.

* Coach valuable skills to overcome objections - Always think of an objection as an opportunity to validate and possibly open the door to other considerations.

* Do frequent meetings, conference calls or webinars to keep your teammates engaged. Always offer maximum efforts in order to achieve maximum results.

By harnessing those key points, you will build a solid foundation for your team and develop a reliable support system that will guarantee sustainable growth. As a new entrepreneur starting a new business venture, you do not want to feel alone. The team and buddy factor can help overcome major hurdles and create lifetime relationships.

Team collaboration with Platinum7 Profits provide the needed support system to ensure your success. If you are interested in joining a business or marketing team that promotes these practices and dedicates resources necessary to create a turnkey system that will enable you and your affiliates to prosper, this is the opportunity you should tap on. this is definitely the marketing system you should consider evaluating since they will guide you through the process of starting a business every step of the way.