Author: Mary Ann

Make the World a Better Place – Ideas for Part-time Entrepreneurs Who Want to Help Others

If you search the Internet looking for ways to make additional money, many sites will point you in the direction of Internet marketing.   It’s a great opportunity for some and totally unappealing for others.   I will not say that Internet marketing does not help people but what if your ideas of helping others fall more into the areas of listening to them, caring for them, etc. What if one of your goals is to make the world a better place? There are plenty of opportunities for part-time entrepreneurs of all ages in the helping fields. And there are lots of ways to make the world a better place.

Coaches, Wellness Experts, Nannies, and Others ……

Coaching ……

Coach

Coaching. Coaching is not counseling or therapy. Coaching helps motivate people, set goals and make moves in their lives they may not have considered without support. This is a career in which life experience and maturity are major assets.

Personal coaching

www.coachville.com       www.coachu.com

www.coachfederation.org      www.fowlerwainwright.com

Career coaching

www.CareerCoachInstitute.com       www.parw.com

Health coaching

http://www.healthcoachtraining.com                 www.integrativenutrition.com

No state as of yet has certification requirements for coaches.   http://www.fabjob.com has guide books on coaching and setting up a coaching practice.

Personal Organizer… Declutter Coach. If you hate clutter and love order, you probably have discovered that some people are clueless when it comes to organizing their belongings and space. Their lack of time or ability could be your next career opportunity. There are organizations for organizers. Visit their sites to discover what a Personal Organizer or Declutter coach does.

National Association of Professional Organizers    www.napo.net

Professional Organizers Web Ring   www.organizerswebring.com

http://dmoz.org/Home/Personal_Organization/Consultants

Personal Concierge … Get paid for doing all the things a wife used to do and more. Run errands to the bank, post office, pharmacy. Wait around for repairmen. Chaffeur children and older relatives. Get tickets for events. Plan dinners and parties…… Except for all the waiting, you can set your own hours. Information atThe National Association of Professional Organizers    www.napo.net

Guide book available at http://www.fabjob.com/

Health Related …..

Doula. Doulas help women through labor, childbirth, and the postpartum period using nonmedical interventions including breathing techniques, massage, aromatherapy, and massive amounts of emotional support. Dona has certified more than 7000 birth and postpartum doulas.

http://www.dona.org

Hypnotherapist. Hypnotherapy is a growing area of the mental-health profession. There are plenty of niches for hypnotherapists: weight loss, smoking cessation, pain management, hypnobirthing, stress relief. For articles and information on training …

http://www.ngh.net     The National Guild of Hypnotherapists

http://aaph.org     American Association of Professional Hypnotists

Personal Trainer. Create a niche for yourself: mature bodies, special needs. Let’s face it; most of us over age 50 don’t have the bodies you see in the fitness ads. Get certified to build, shape, and sculpt. Two sources of training to consider….

http://nfpt.com    Personal Trainer and Certification and Fitness Education

http://www.acefitness.org       Ace Fitness

Yoga Teacher. Yoga is mainstream and for everyone. Start your search with Yoga Journal Magazine or visit yogasite.com and click on the link for teacher training. One of the best and most respected schools in the country is at the KripaluCenter in Lenox, Massachusetts.

www.yogasite.com             www.kripalu.org

Reiki Practitioner. Reiki is healing energy that facilitates balance, healing and personal insight. Many Reiki practitioners are inspired to share their Reiki energy and training by setting up a practice or a business. Reiki practitioners and teachers impart their love and supportive philosophy through classes and therapy sessions. Setting up a formal business or practice for Reiki is relatively easy to accomplish for an experienced Reiki Master or practitioner; it just involves paperwork and preparation to meet requirements of your state and locale, as well as your customers (clients and students).

http://www.ehow.com/how_5120781_set-up-reiki-business.html

http://healing.about.com/od/business/a/reikibusines.htm

http://healing.about.com/od/business/a/reikibusines.htm

http://www.reikibusiness.blogspot.com/

Massage Therapist. A growing profession with much job satisfaction. In most states, you will need 500 hours of training to be licensed. Be sure any program that you select is accredited by the Commission on Massage Training. Physical fitness is essential for this job. Practitioners are on their feet all day and some forms of massage require physical strength.

www.amtamassage.org

“Education” ……

Nanny

Nanny. Love children but no children or grandchildren of your own yet. Look after other people’s children. There are many internet sites on the topic including the International Nanny Association an umbrella association for the in-home child care industry that provides information, education and guidance to the public and to industry professionals. Nannies work part-time as well as full time.

www.nanny.org

English Teacher ESL or EFL. English as a second language (ESL) and English as a foreign language (EFL) are in demand in the U.S. and around the world. You can teach English in your community, on-line or by Skype, or satisfy your wanderlust and take a position in a foreign country if you are looking for a seasonal half-time “career” or are one of the working “retired.”. Housing or a host family is usually provided.

http://eslemployment.com   /   http://www.cal.org/caela/   /   www.esl.cofe.com

Used Book Seller. Sell used books on Amazon.com. If you know what books to sell and the best ways to find them you can develop a profitable business. Some information is available from Thriving Business, but to get the whole story you will need to buy their 28 page special report for $7.00.

http://www.thrivingbusiness.com/products/SpecialReports/AmazonBookReseller.php

Tour Leader. Provide informative and entertaining tours showcasing your areas local attractions. Ghost tours have been popular for years and food tours are beginning to gain popularity. There are restaurant and pub tours, as well as tours to farms that allow picking veggies and fruit. This tour should end with a restaurant meal. Organic!? Garden tours are another option, and recently I met the founder of Boston Pilgrim – tours of some of the most historical religious sites in Boston, MA. www.bostonpilgrim.org   For more information on starting a business as a tour leader, there are courses and informational web sites.

http://www.foodtourpros.com/

http://www.hauntedamericatours.com/ghosts/GHOSTTOURS/

http://www.ehow.com/how_2163620_start-tourism-business.html

http://www.wikihow.com/Develop-a-Tourism-Business

Food and….

Chocolate Maker: Does chocolate make the world a better place? The business of making chocolate candy can improve your bottom line. If you would love to learn how to make chocolate cancy, EcoleChocolat (Chocolate School) offers professional Chocolatier training that consists of an intensive online three month program

http://www.EcoleChocolat.com

Cake Decorating Classes

Cake Decorating Instructor: Teach cake decorating as a free lance instructor. Or learn to decorate cakes first and then become an instructor. Bilingual English/Spanish instructors are in demand.

http://www.wilton.com/classes/instructor

Wine Expert: Even wine experts have accreditations. You can become an accredited wine expert through The International Sommelier Guild which offers a six month diploma program. Their training is conducted in a variety of cities in the U.S. and Canada

http://www.internationalsommelier.com/courses/sommelier_diploma_program

Any helpful jobs that I may have missed you can probably buy the e-book at http://www.fabjob.com/

August 26, 2013
10 Success Tips

Most people want to be successful in life and if you are starting a business, you obviously want to be successful in this venture as well. In life or in business, success can mean different things to different people, but all success shares one component – it takes work to reach.

There are many ways to achieve success, so here are tens tips that you can apply.

1. Dare to Dream but Keep in Mind Your Actual Potential

To succeed, you need to have dreams and aspirations. Be honest with yourself as to what you want out of life and what you want to give of your life. Allow your mind to dream and think big. In order to succeed, however, you need to have the potential to reach your goals. For example, if you want to be a recording artist but have no singing ability, having success in this field is not likely, however you could still work in this field by promoting recording artists. However, if you love working on cars and have a real talent for fixing engines and transmissions, you have the potential to learn more and achieve success in the automobile industry.

2. Focus on Something you Like

To increase your chance of succeeding, you should concentrate your efforts on something you enjoy. When you start out, make a list of everything you find interesting. Then in a second column, write down the skills you have in relation to each of those items. This will help you narrow choices down based on interest and skill, which gets you started in the right direction for success.

3. Have a Plan / Create a Business Plan

Even if it is flimsy to begin with, you should construct a plan to include goal, milestones, deliverables such as contracts, business plans, etc., and accomplishments. This will provide you with a visual as to what you are working for, what milestones you have successfully met, and where you need to do better.

Early in your new business, you may want to create a business plan. You can launch your business without it as long as you are not looking for investors. The value of the business plan, even if you are the only one who reads it, is that it will be the blueprint to your success, because it will consist of market trends, financial planning, competitive analysis, exit strategies, marketing and promotional options, and everything else about your goal. The business plan will allow you to keep track of everything involving your goal.

4. No Shortcuts

An old cliché states, “Anything worth doing is worth doing well.” This should be your motto. When you want to succeed, you cannot afford to take shortcuts. Taking shortcuts leads to imperfection and inadequacies. Always strive for the best, even if it requires a little more time and effort.

5. Don’t Look Back and Don’t Give Up

Everyone has failures or mistakes from the past. To have success, you need to learn from your past and value those difficult lessons but do not every dwell on the past. Simply move forward and make better, more educated decisions from the lessons learned. If you are starting a business, you will make mistakes. Many successful entrepreneurs have failed at least once in earlier businesses. To reach success, you have to persevere. Even Thomas Edison had to learn this. When he was creating the incandescent light bulb, it took him more than 10,000 times to get it right. Keep striving even when it becomes challenging.

6. Getting Past Fear of Failure

Being afraid of failure is a normal emotion for every person on the planet. How you get past that fear is the determining factor between failing and succeeding. You can do that by setting realistic goals and then examining those goals on occasion to do any necessary realignment. Above all, believe in yourself and the desire burning within.

7. Accept Responsibility

You need to accept responsibility if you make a bad decision or fall behind in your plan. Let us say that you have set some firm milestones that need to be accomplished in order for you to move to the next step. However, you got tired of working hard and took some time to play, which is fine as long as it does not affect your goals. Now months have passed and you are way behind schedule. This delay has closed several doors of opportunities. Who is to blame?

8. Have Courage; Don’t Just Settle

Depending on what your specific success is, it may take courage to arrive at your desired destination. For example, if you have a dream of being a writer and to you, that , is success, but according to your long line of family members who have all gone on to be doctors, the only success in their minds is if you follow down the medical path. This means you will have to have courage to stand up for what you believe and desire to do, even if it means disappointing family.

If you have a goal of becoming a world-famous chef with your own restaurant and you know you have both desire and skill, do not just settle to become a short order cook at your local family-style restaurant. While that may be good training ground, do not allow yourself to lose sight of your ultimate goal..

9. Customer Relations

Keep your line of communication open with your customers. If they have a problem, show them the deserved respect and resolve the issue quickly. Make occasional phone calls or send emails to see if they have any needs. This will let your customers know that you are there for them and care about their business. This relationship is what is going to keep you on the road to success. After all, the customer is your link between failure and success.

10. Make Opportunities

Rather than wait for opportunity to find you, you need to find opportunities. This might be watching for business opportunities in the paper regarding small businesses being sold, great real estate opportunities, and investments with stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, taking a talent and turning it into an entrepreneurial adventure. People that have achieved financial success will tell you that they look for ways to seize opportunities, not wait for opportunities to come knocking on their door because it will not happen that way. You must make opportunities or be ready to seize them when they become available.

August 23, 2013
The Name of Your Business Is Important!

The name of your business is important. It can refer to your product or service, but more importantly it should be about an identification with your customers singularly or collectively (i.e. your target market). Ideally your name will be easy to pronounce and have a rhythmic flow of sound.   If your name stirs emotions, it is even better. Do you go to overstock.com because you just know you’ll find a good deal?

If your business has a name and you are working as a “dba” (doing business as), your business needs to be registered with your city or county. Registering your” dba” means no one else in the city/county can use the same name. Of course the name might not be available for your business website. This may not be so bad because on the internet, a business’ reason for being should be apparent in its name. If you intend to do business nationally or internationally on the Internet, you may want to consider trade marking your name.

You can have some fun when trying to come up with your name. Brainstorm, consider a number of names before deciding.

Single Word – Single word business names are easy to remember. (But don’t expect to find a single word domain available) Two words combined also works well. If your consignment shop only sells new, upscale clothing, call it, Upscale. The weekend entrepreneur who tunes pianos can be Intune.

Foreign Words – You can choose a language associated with your business for your name especially if your product is ethnic. Use and Italian or Greek word if you are selling these ethnic foods. In my city, there is a great Italian restaurant called Ciao Bella. If you are importing items from Ecuador you may want a Spanish sounding name.

Play on Words –A business name that is a play on words can be very effective. If your new business is installing home theaters, Sounds Good, Surround In Sound, Vision to Behold plays on sound and meaning, and conveys the idea of home theater.

Some people have come up with very unusual and inventive business names. (not all of these businesses are still in business). Since I promised to do different from usual blogs on Wednesdays, enjoy these business names from http://people.delphiforums.com and other sources.

Many Happy Returns. Tax Preparation, St. Petersburg, Florida
A Den of Antiquity. Ashville, North Carolina
Crapo Appliance Service, Redmond, Washington
Effin Computers. On Site Computer Repair, Connecticut
It’s A Crewel World. Salem, Massachusetts
Amigone Funeral Home.   multiple locations in NY
Cane and Able.   Mobility products   Langhorne PA
Sherrill’s Eat Here and Get Gas. Tipton IN
Leaven and Earth. Bakery, Berkeley, CA
Citizen Canine. Dog Kennel, Oakland, CA
Doggie Style. Dog Grooming North Highlands, CA
Murphy’s Paw. Doggie Gift Store, Pleasanton, CA
Fideaux. Outfitters for Dogs & Cats Napa Valley & Sonoma County
Hades Manufacturing Corporation. Temperature Measuring Equipment, Farmingdale, NY
Hard Wok Cafe. Chinese Take Away, Melbourne Australia
The Yuppy Puppy. Dog Grooming Shop with Velvet Sofas, Melbourne Australia
Dirty Dogs Done Dirt Cheap. A Mobile Dog Grooming Service, Melbourne Australia

Choosing your online name (domain) can involve several different problems. Price and Inappropriateness.

Price: One word names are hard to find. www.uniquebusinessnames.com currently has for sale: Burglr ($1934), Fexy ( $12670), Cazy ($5589)

Inappropriateness: Often the owner never meant to be inappropriate but the letters get misread. www.teacherstalking.org    Are teachers talking or is it “how to” for stalking a teacher? How might the word “therapist” get misread in a url?     Have some grown-up entertainment and visit two collections of inappropriate domains.     http://www.boredpanda.com/worst-domain-names/     and http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Fun:Unfortunate_website_names

August 21, 2013
A Business Plan – Does a Halfpreneur Need One?

My Business Plan

Does a Halfpreneur need a business plan? It is a question that has no right answer. Yes, No, and Maybe are all correct.

YES!

If you will be applying for a business loan, a business plan will be required by the bank.

You will need a business plan if you are seeking business investment. Potential investors invest in people, their ideas, their track record, the market and other factors. Your business plan will define and explain your business and its potential.

If you will work with partners or a team, a business plan defines the agreements between partners. For a management team the business plan establishes where you are starting off and where you intend to take the business.

Last but maybe not least, you will need a business plan to set a value on your business if you sell your business, when you do estate planning, or if you divorce.

NO!

You may not need a business plan if you are running a small business that you are self-funding.

If your business is based on your hours or space and growing it larger is not in your plans, the b plan may not be needed. For instance many coaches do not have business plans. If you are going to walk dogs, board birds when their owners are on vacation, or make and sell custom quilts, the business plan probably is not necessary.

If your plans to be a Halfpreneur are very temporary, such as you will be doing small home repairs until you find full time employment again, a business plan may not be needed.

MAYBE!

If you are a Halfpreneur who wants to sell a product or service, a business plan provides a structure for outlining what will be important for setting up and successfully running your business. It can help with setting reasonable and measurable goals.

If you are starting off part-time as a trial run for full-time entrepreneur or you do not want your profits completely tied to space in your extra room or the 10 hours per week that you have to devote to your business, then a business plan may be useful.

A business plan can start off just a document to guide you and your new business. It may never go any further than your desk, but it gets you off on the right foot, thinking like an entrepreneur of business person.

A business plan generally includes such sections as: Executive Summary, Company Description, Products and Services, Market Analysis, Strategy and Implementation, and Financial Analysis. It might also include sections on Management Team and Web Use. A copy of your resume is often a part of the Executive Summary or just a part of the plan.

If you decide that a business plan is not necessary, you should at least have a plan that contains short and long term goals that you are committed to being accountable for.

The Plan

www.bplan.com offers information on business plans and starting a business, business plans that you can review for free, and business planning software (not free, but reasonably priced).

Need help setting your goals. The Halfpreneur offers coaching. Contact Mary Ann, the Halfpreneur,at 508-752-2600 (Career Development Services) or at thehalfpreneur@gmail.com

August 19, 2013
Entrepreneurial Ideas if You’d Like to Work Outside or with Animals

This post is for the aspiring part-time entrepreneur who does not really like computers and prefers animals and the great outdoors to working closely with other people. Well, you cannot totally avoid the human animals, but there are plenty of opportunities to work with animals and/or be outside.

Pets …..

Dog Groomer: LearnToGroom offers a video training course. Learn how to hold dogs and properly use the tools needed to properly clip Terrier breeds, Spaniel Breeds, Poodles, Mixed breeds and other breeds (Old English Sheep dog, Bichon Frise, Maltese, etc). A second course is available if you want your business to be mobile groomin.

http://learntogroom.com

Pet Sitter: If you love animals Pet Sitters International can prepare you to be a pet sitter or a dog walker. The PSI Accreditation Program is an in-depth educational coursework that has been tailored exclusively for pet sitters. The curriculum includes topics on Pet Care, Health & Nutrition, Additional Services and Business & Office Procedures (37 informative topics in all). The coursework was developed with input from some of the most knowledgeable professionals in the pet-care industry.

www.petsit.com

Pet Massage: Massage therapy for people is now integrated into traditional Western medicine and wellness care. Massage Therapy and Physical Therapy may soon play a similar role in veterinary medicine and home-based animal care. PetMassage offers basic training and materials for both in-house workshops and Distance Learning courses. Additional courses in energy work and water work are also available.

www.petmassage.com

Equine and Canine Massage: Equissage is the oldest and leading trainer of animal massage therapists in the world. Since 1991, Equissage has graduated more than 10,000 Equine & Companion Animal Massage Technicians, from every state in the US and 20 different countries around the world. As of March 2008, Equissage began it’s nationwide and worldwide expansion of satellite teaching locations.

http://www.equissage.com

Equissage offers on-site program for those in the New England and New York area. The five day intensive program provides certification for Equine Sports Massage Therapy. .

http://www.equissage-ne-ny.com/course.html

Dog Trainer: The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) has established a series of standards for professional competence. The site lists the various organizations and links so you can begin working to toward the title of Certified Pet Dog Trainer.

    http://www.apdt.com/

Pooper Scooper / Dog Doo Remover. Yes you can do this professionally. Pest waste is a health problem and many cities and towns have laws mandating that owners pick up after their pets when they are on public property. The Pooper Scooper cleans yards and private property, discarding the wastes in receptacles belonging to the pets’ owners. Generally scooping is scheduled for once a week. This is a business a teen-ager can start. Scoopers charge $12.00 to $25.00 per week depending on the number of dogs. There is even a professional organization. The Association of Professional Animal Waste Specialists

http://www.apaws.org/

National Parks and the Great Outdoors

Seasonal or Year-Round Work in National Parks: CoolWorks.com is the Portal for more than 70,000 seasonal jobs in national parks. http://www.coolworks.com/older-bolder is for you if you consider yourself “Older & Bolder” and are looking for a seasonal job in a great place, the employers listed in this area are interested in older, bolder workers. Each position has varied accommodations; some have RV spaces, some offer private rooms, and others have rentals nearby.

http://www.coolworks.com/older-bolder

http://www.CoolWorks.com

Seasonal, Year-Long, or Volunteer jobs for nature lovers and others. (for example work or volunteer at retreat centers) Back Door Jobs offers jobs and learning experiences in ecology, sustainable agriculture, teaching English as a Second Language and more.

http://www.BackDoorJobs.com

Rancher: If your love of wildlife includes the animal variety, consider alpaca ranching. The Alpaca Owners and Breeding Association can provide information and contacts.

http://www.alpacainfo.com

MISC……

Professional house sitters / property managers get free board and sometimes a salary. Live on estates, mansions, farms, ranches, resort homes, retreat centers, camps, hunting and fishing lodges, vacation homes, and even private islands. Great work is you want to do something seasonal or if you are one of the “working retired.” Caretaker Gazette is published bimonthly and informs member of new caretaking and house sitting jobs via an email update service.

www.caretaker.org

Bee Keeper. You do not need to live in a rural area to keep bees. There are now bee keepers with hives on high rise buildings in major cities.

http://www.sustainlife.org    free coursehttp://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/beekeeping_class/http://www.brooklyngrangefarm.com/bgbees-new-beekeeper-training-program/   a program for urban bee keepers

Organic Farmer, Landscape Company Owner, Winery Owner, Travel Writer, and Archeologist Yes, you can get paid to go on digs. There are E-books telling you how to get started, priced from $15.00 to $30.00 at http://www.fabjob.com/

August 16, 2013
Starting Your Own Business – Obstacles and Solutions

Initially you are excited about starting your own business and then the obstacles to self employment begin to emerge. If you are planning a seasonal or weekend business, some of these obstacles will apply but they may be far more relevant for the potential entrepreneur who is starting out part-time with the hope of pursuing their entrepreneurial venture on a full time basis.

Erroneous Advice and Lack of Support

Avoid Negative People

The erroneous advice is most likely to come from people that you care about and people who care about you. You may get a litany of “90 percent of all businesses fail.”   “Remember your uncle who did Amway and was left with a garage full of soap.”   “You’ll never be able to afford health insurance or save for retirement.” “If you’re no longer making enough money, tighten your belt, downsize your house, move to an area of the country where the economy is better.”   “You don’t have enough experience or knowledge to start a business.” “You’ll never find the time.”

Chances are these people want what is best for you and what is best is, at least, for them is SECURITY. It is quite likely that they are afraid of trying new things and therefore you should be afraid, too. These family members, relatives, and friends can throw a wet blanket on your plans and dreams. If you have any fears or doubts about starting a business they may make your anxieties even worse.

Solutions

Surround Yourself with Entrepreneurs

Do not “go public” with your idea too early. Do your preliminary research and surround yourself with people who have started businesses and believe in you and your business. Begin to seek out people who you may need to consult with about skill sets you lack such as web design or accounting. Although a business plan may not be necessary for a small, self-funded business, having a plan may make you more confident when you have to deal with the naysayers. If one of the chief naysayers is your partner or spouse be direct in your communication. Be clear on why you need to pursue this dream and don’t set your relationship up for future resentment.

Lack of Confidence, Fear of Failure

You realize there are new things to learn, skills that you may lack, or that you may fail. If you lack support, your forward movement may be paralyzed and this may set off a vicious cycle of self-fulfilling prophecy

Solutions

Meditate

Pay attention to your thoughts and engage in practices to help you detach from them: meditation, journaling, yoga. Thoughts are powerful and if you become obsessed with the possible problems and obstacles to your success, you will not launch any of your plans into action. Thus you create the self-fulfilling prophecy.

Again, surround yourself with other who are entrepreneurial and who believe in you and your business. They probably have experience with fear and failure as well as with success.

Lack of Finances and Time

If you are starting a part-time business and keeping your full-time or regular job, you need to finance your business but you do not face the financial anxiety of being totally self-supporting. We cannot create more time! To find the time to start and run your business, you probably will have to make some sacrifices.

Solutions

If you goal is to be a full-time business owner, take time to transition into this role by starting part-time.

TIME – Skip TV viewing and cut down on your computer time, especially FaceBook and surfing the web. Use your weekends for your business. Depending on the type of business, get up earlier in the morning, to work on your information product , write your blogs, or your ezines, or your book before the family gets up.   Sacrifice but don’t be a martyr! Take time to rest and recharge; take vacations. No breaks from work often decreases productivity.

Have a Yard Sale

– raise some money by selling what you don’t need. Reduce some living expenses, if possible, like what you are paying for telephone and cable TV. Cut back on fast food, eating out, and entertainment. When starting your business, keep your overhead low. Work from home, or a coffee shop, or an office co-op, or sublease your office space. Start off with a website that you can do yourself or with minimum assistance. Weebly and WordPress are fairly easy to use. (I use both – one for my blog and one for my website). Vista or moo.com are sources of inexpensive business cards. Use PayPal or Square with your mobile device to accept credit cards and do your marketing on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Yelp.

Self-Sabotage

Self-Sabotage can come from many things: perfectionism, unrealistic attitudes, attitudes about money, lacking a clear business plan, or not thinking like an entrepreneur.

PERFECTIONISM – Don’t wait for things to be perfect. The website, the blog, the information product just has to be good enough.

Solution: Strive for excellence but not perfection.

Easy Money

UNREALISTIC ATTITUDES – If we are looking at self-employment –related websites on the Internet, we are bombarded by sites telling us we can earn a six-figure income and only work four hours a week, just purchase whatever it is that they are offering.   It takes time to grow a business.   Unrealistic attitudes may also take the form of overestimating your market.

Solutions: Research – Talk to people who in similar businesses to yours or to the one you want to start. Read magazines and journals written about this business.

Invest in Yourself

ATTITUDES ABOUT MONEY – Do you have issues with money? Have you been told that it is the root of all evil? Is it more noble to be poor? Does having money mean your selfish? Does starting a business mean that there is no money to invest in yourself? Not charging what your service is worth is another problem that will bring your business down. Finally, back to finances and on to business planning , you must be willing to work on how you will manage your income and expenditures.

Solutions: Daily mindfulness – become aware of what you are telling yourself about money. Get coaching on this issue. Invest in yourself as well as in your business.

LACKING A CLEAR BUSINESS PLAN – Do not begin your business until you are sure what you are in business to do. A lack of focus and vagueness as to who your business will serve is a recipe for disaster.

Solutions: Assess your passions, interests, strengths, talents, and skill sets. What can you offer to a specific niche? Research similar businesses online, what are their strengths and weaknesses. What do they offer. Join a local Chamber of Commerce or meet-up group to develop a professional network of people who share a similar interest. Dream/imagine what you want your business to look like. Creating a vision board might be helpful. Set short and long term goals for your business or use business plan software that will help you develop your ideas.

Learn to Think Like an Entrepreneur

NOT THINKING LIKE AN ENTREPRENEUR   – You are an entrepreneur, even if only a seasonal or weekend entrepreneur. Thinking like an entrepreneur may mean that you will need to give up something called entitlement thinking. No this does not mean that you need to become right-wing and against Social Security and Medicare.

Solutions:   According to Barbara Winter, author of Making a Living Without a Job there are a number of differences between how an entrepreneur thinks and the entitlement thinking common to many who work in corporate/state-funded positions. Entrepreneurial Thinking                                    Entitlement Thinking

How much can I give? How much can I get?

Embrace problem-solving Others should fix my problems

I am responsible It’s not my fault

Instigates Waits

I can create my own benefits I deserve lots of benefits

Let me stretch Let me stay in my comfort zone

Work is endless discovery Work is predictably routine

Most people are trustworthy I don’t trust anyone

Flexible Ideas set in concrete

Welcomes change Fears change

Forward-thinking Clings to the status quo

Capacity to shift gears quickly, not Resentful and complaining during driven by economic ups and downs economic downturns

August 12, 2013
Job Loss After Age 50 – FRET or Start FRETTING

change

Recently at a lay-lead service at a local Unitarian Universalist church, the lay leader, Don Rawding, gave a sermon on “Change”. After discussing some less than adequate ways of dealing with change such as deny it, lash out at every person, situation and event involved with it, ignore it and hope it will go away, get stubborn and refuse to change, he suggested the best thing to do was FRET: Face reality, Reflect, Evolve, and Thrive.

Job loss and “forced retirement” are changes that many older but not old workers must deal with. Many workers need to have income throughout their 50s and 60s and maybe even into their 70s. Others want to work for a variety of reasons: colleagues, they still enjoy their professional work, their job gives their life meaning, structure. If we have a job at this age we’re advised to keep it since we will see more SSI income if we wait and retire at 70!

Hit with job loss, many do take these less than adequate strategies.   “Those higher ups will see their mistake and hire me back in no time.” “It’s all the fault of ______ (fill in the blank).” “I’ll just keep posting resumes on Monster and someone will eventually hire me.” “One of these days my lucky number will come up.”

FRET struck me as a good model for dealing with this change. Face reality. Older workers with great up-to-date, in demand skills do sometimes get new jobs in their fields at pay comparable to their former jobs. But age discrimination is real. Older workers are seen as more expensive, not up-to- date on skills, and 30 and 40 year old managers do not want to hire someone who is the age of their parents! If you want a job, the research suggests that nonprofits are the most likely to hire you, but your skills must still be a good fit.

own your own business

Face Reality – I have a collection of books going back at least 20 years. The advice in almost all these books is that if you lose your job in your late 50s or 60s, start your own business.   A few books published between 2004 and 2007 projected that older workers would be needed and ageism would become a thing of the past within a few years because of the smaller generation that is coming along. The authors of these books did not foresee outsourcing, the potential of computers, or the Great Recession.

accomplishments

Reflect – What have you accomplished thus far in your life? What gives you a sense of pride and accomplishment? It does not have to be what you did in the work force? It may be the family you raised or what you have contributed to a church or some other organization. It may be a hardship or a trauma that you have overcome. What skills have you used? Is it important that you continue to exercise these skills? It may be useful to write down your accomplishment s and skills. There is something about seeing things in writing. Is there anything that is unfinished that is still important to complete?   Are there areas of life that need to be enlarged? Maybe you were a workaholic and have forgotten what leisure and play feel like!

Evolve – Make some changes in your life. Do you need to develop your computer skills, exercise, lose weight, get training or a certification? Is it time to try something new or go back and enjoy some activity that you have not done in years?   You may very well have 20 to 30 years of good health ahead of you.

Thrive – What will happen if you successfully combine the fruits of your reflection and evolving actions.

OOPS – For some individuals, there may be too much of a gap between FRE and T. What if you have no idea what thriving will look like for you?   Keep the idea of thriving in mind and add “TING”. Start FRETTING.

sitting meditation

Take Time (the second T) More reflection. Give yourself the time to figure things out. Don’t rush into any decisions.   What do you want your life to look like at this point?    Where do you want to live? Is it time to downsize to a smaller house? Move to another area of the country or the world. You need or want income, how much do you need or want?   How much work time and leisure time do you want? Is there something that you have always wanted to do? Do you have a passion, expertise, talent that can become a new career?   Are there problems that you see in your community, your region, your country, the world that you can solve?   If you have never figured out what you want to do when you grow up, now is the time!   If this is too much to consider on your own, some career counselors, and many life, career, and retirement coaches can help you with your self-assessment.

Innovate. If you do not want to be underemployed, you probably have to consider starting your own business. Consider the problem that you can solve, the service that you can deliver, the craft that you make. What makes it different from the other solutions, services, crafts that are there?    How can you make yourself standout? Better service, a more targeted niche? Some type of customization?   Check out your competitors on line in and in real time.   It is good to have competitors – it means that people are willing to spend money on what you are offering!

Network. Use your virtual and real time connections. There is FaceBook, LinkedIn, and Twitter as well as Blogs. There are the associations and organizations that you belong to in real time.   Networking can help you market and sell or get any help you may need.

giving

Give.   Give of yourself. Give samples; have a free gift on your website. Let people know who you are. Practice generosity. When you are thriving adopt a charity. Give a percentage of your sales to Trickle Up or a similar organization. According to the psychologist Eric Ericson you are at the psychosocial stage known as generativity, a stage of life characterized by finding meaning through enriching the lives of others. A generative person constantly envisions a better world for themselves, their families, and their society. What do you imagine when you picture the good that will outlive you?

What Do You Imagine?

August 9, 2013
Ideas for Creative, Inventive, or Mechanical Part-time Entrepreneurs

So you want to start a part-time business, but computers and being online or creating informational products is just not your thing. You are creative or like working with mechanical objects. Yes, you should still know how to use a computer, but not all part-time businesses are internet based.

Training and Marketing Ideas for: Artists, Photographers,Speakers, Storytellers, and Writers

artist

Artist or Photographer – ArtShow.com specializes in helping artists and photographers market their work and gain exposure for their art.

www.ArtShow.com

Fine Art, Illustrations, Drawings, Digital Painting, Cartoons/Comics, Anime/Manga, 3D Rendering, Photography. ArtWanted.com and its sister sites promote and sell the work of artists looking to break into the art world. Free and paid memberships are available. Artist Rising gives you an opportunity to show and sell your work.

www.ArtWanted.com     http://artist.artistrising.com/

Aztec inspired mug

Sell your art online. Upload your designs, and then create an online shop that sells t-shirts, posters, skateboards, bumper stickers, mugs, tote bags and more.

www.zazzle.com/sell

Create and sell your own designs, photos and images on a wide variety of products: posters, t-shirts, cards, and more. Also allows you to convert writings into publications.

www.CafePress.com

Buy and sell handmade or vintage items, art and supplies on Etsy, the world’s most vibrant handmade marketplace.   Buy and sell jewelry, art, clothing, vintage, bags and purses.

www.etsy.com

graphic tee

Graphic T-Shirt Designs. Threadless.com is a community-based company that prints awesome graphic designs created and chosen by the community. Members of the Threadless community submit t-shirt designs online; the designs are then put to a public vote. A small percentage of submitted designs are selected for printing and sold through an on-line store. Creators of the winning designs receive a prize of cash and store credit.

www.Threadless.com

Photographers. Online photographer portfolios and stock photography catalog for photo buyers and professional photographers who specialize in nature, travel, outdoor and sports photography.

www.PhotoPortfolios.net

Speaker / Motivational Speaker. Do you have an area of expertise you’d like to share? Find out if public speaking is for you. Join your local Toastmasters group and explore some speaking websites to get a feeling for this career.

http://www.toastmasters.org              http://speaking.com

Story Teller

Storyteller. An old tradition that is finding new purpose. If you can keep a roomful of people spellbound this might be the new career for you. Two resources are:

http://storynet.org       http://www.storytellingfestival.net

Square-dance caller. If you love this traditional form of group dance consider a

Square Dance Caller

caller’s college. Visit Dosado.com and click on the link to “caller’s colleges”.

www.dosado.com

Writers, Ghostwiters. Your name never appears, but if you love to write, can handle deadlines, and are a quick study of other’s interests, this can be a flexible, well-paying opportunity.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2077235_become-ghostwriter.html

http://writersweekly.com/books/49.html

www.newsletters.org

Resume Writer. “Getting” someone down on a sheet or two for a prospective employer is an art form. Making them stand out from the crowd is a marketing skill. If you can do both and are naturally curious about people this is a low-cost business to launch. If you have experience in business, HR, or a particular field like engineering or High Tech, this gives you additional credibility. AWAI provides basic training and certification is available through the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches and the National Resume Writers Association. Resume writers, today, are doing more than resumes and cover letters. Some help clients with their LinkIn profile and other help clients establish a web presence or a better web presence.

       www.parw.com        www.thenrwa.com    http://www.awaionline.com/resume/

  Copywriter. Lucrative free-lance positions can be found. Train through American Writers and Artists Inc.

http://www.awaionline.com/copywriting/

Training and Resources for the Inventive and the Mechanical

Inventor.   The first step to creating/inventing a new product is prototyping. There are many scammers in the world of inventions, so do your homework. You can readings at:

Inventor

http://www.inventorsalliance.org/index.cgi?internet http://inventors.about.com www.inventorspot.com www.inventright.com www.UIAUSA.org

Piano Tuner

Piano Tuner. According to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, piano tuners can earn very good incomes. In fact, in a recently published almanac on career opportunities, piano tuners were listed in the top twenty professions out of a total of two hundred. Probably the best kept secret in the world is that now you can join the small and exclusive list of tuners who earn an average of $80.00 to $100.00 per-hour tuning pianos.

http://www.pianotuning-course.com

If your idea of part-time is seasonal or you are looking for an interesting “retirement” job……

Caretaker

Professional house sitters / property managers get free board and sometimes a salary. Live on estates, mansions, farms, ranches, resort homes, retreat centers, camps, hunting and fishing lodges, vacation homes, and even private islands. Caretaker Gazette is published bimonthly hundreds and informs member of new caretaking and house sitting jobs via an email update service.

www.caretaker.org

Not sure what kind of entrepreneur you want to be when you grow up, click on the Services tab of this Blog or visit http://www.career-development-services.com

August 7, 2013
Passion, Purpose, Problems, People – Starting a Part-Time Business

With the 2008 recession and it’s effects, self-employment, home-based businesses and an entrepreneurial spirit have emerging as an economic trend. This trend is not new, but it has accelerated in recent years with statistics now showing that 61% of all Americans want to start their own business (Parkinomics, 2010).

If you are in this 61%, how do you make the transition from employee to being your own boss? Websites, books, e-books, and magazines may be helpful or they may leave you absolutely confused. Is it as simple as find your purpose and the money will follow? Do you really need to talk to your lawyer, your accountant, the volunteers at SCORE and then develop a business plan, decide on the legal form your business will take, and choose a domain name before getting started?

It is NOT as simple as just find your passion and the money will follow, but with the Internet, businesses are easier to start than ever before. Of course, if you are buying a business or a franchise then your lawyer and accountant definitely should be involved!

“Businesses are easier to start than ever before!” What if you want your own business but you don’t know what you want to do or where to begin? Get started by considering the FIVE Ps: Passion, Purpose, Problems, People, and Part-Time. For many individuals Passion and Purpose go together. Although they are different issues, the Problems you will solve and the People you will target are related. Your business is YOUR business, and it is your choice as to whether to pursue it on a full-time or part-time basis. If you are just starting out, there are good reasons to begin Part-time.

Passion: Yes, you do need to discover your passions or passions. If you feel that you have no passions or that this word seems too strong, what about your interests, skills, abilities or talents? If you won a lottery that would pay you for life with just one stipulation that you had to “work” at something until you were at least 65, what would you do? Dream a little – If you had your own business what would you be doing? If you can’t envision what you would be doing, ask yourself – would I be working by myself or with others? Where would I be working – from my home? In an office? On a stage? Would I be writing, talking, painting, walking dogs, arranging flowers, designing solar homes? Start off dreaming and brainstorming. Don’t be concerned yet as to how this passion will make money. Figuring out how to monetize your passion is a later step.

Purpose: Do your feel that you have a mission in life? A calling? A purpose? Some career coaches and counselors believe that having a purpose is essential, but it may be that a purpose is only discovered after one has had some life experiences. At this point, maybe you just want to make money, and there are plenty of young wealthy Internet marketers who know that they don’t want to work 40 hours per week. Knowing your purpose may make it easier to discover your passion. Purpose is related to the sense that your life is fulfilling and abundant, but a stool can stand very well on three legs or four legs. You can start a business without knowing your purpose or mission in life.

Problems: Businesses exist because they solve problems. Fixing cars, computers, plumbing… providing food, toys, and electronics from other areas of the world… assisting people to heal from sickness, find jobs, train their dog… Successful business continue to exist because they solve problems better than others do. These businesses or individuals make promises and then they over deliver. The solutions they provide are bigger than the promise that they offer so customers repeatedly return. What problem or problems will you solve? What can you offer that no one else is offering? Try dreaming or brainstorming again or look around your community and to see if there are any problems that no one is trying to solve. Do you have the passion or expertise to solve it?

People: Who, what niche or market, has the problems that you will solve? Do they have a common interest or need such as they need to lose weight or they’re technophobic? Are they members of a particular demographic group – working parents, baby boomers, etc. How will you market to this target group? An important aspect of monetizing a passion is to know who needs or wants what you have. This means your target may not be individuals; rather it maybe small or large businesses who need what you are offering.

Part-time: If you still have a job, build your new career on the side. When it is established, you can jump into it full time, or sell it, or keep it part-time. It’s your business! Starting part-time allows you to figure out whether this business really is for you, test the market for demand, master any web based technologies that you need, attend trainings and conferences that will improve your knowledge base.

Originally published by the author of this blog on June 14, 2010. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mary_Ann_Nalbandian

Profiting From Your Passions Coaching is available through http://www.career-development-services.com and this blog http://www.halfpreneur.com/services/

August 5, 2013
Entrepreneurial Ideas for Boomers and Others
In my last post, I mentioned that one thing that the Boomers had not questioned was the concept of work and employment.

This is perhaps because during the last 60 years, we have transitioned from the Industrial or Manufacturing Age into the Post Industrial or Information Age. The industrial world of their parents and the one they might have entered was not the demanding, dangerous Industrial Age but the end of the era when many workers had secure jobs for their entire work lives.

A job in this not so long ago age, was defined as continuous long-term employment with an organization that provided a regular salary, health benefits, a pension plan and the assurance of a continuing need for the worker’s skills. This relationship between employers and individuals was called “the social contract.” Basically it meant that an employer in return for the good service and productivity of an employee, offered lifetime employment with an inherent potential for promotion, regular increases in salary, a good fringe benefit plan and an assured retirement package. It was a given that the organization that offered employment was stable and would be around “forever.”

Since the 1980s corporate America has dramatically altered the context of work and the “social contract” is a relationship of the past. The Information Age (or PostIndustrial Age) is defined by the ease and rapidity of worldwide communication. Wireless communication, computer networks, the World Wide Web make almost instantaneous communication possible.

Manufacturing still occurs even in the US, but it is driven by computer technologies including robotics and nanotechnologies. The stability and long-term endurance of companies is no longer a given. Even profitable, highly regarded organizations can be sold or merged.

If you are over 50, you may remember the “olden days.” If you are over 60, you may have begun your work life expecting the continuance of the “social contract” or a hybrid version of it where employers honored the “social contract” but employees, especially early in their careers, would change jobs several times before settling into a good job and a good company.

So we are now in the 21^st century looking for meaning in our work in a work world characterized by: a reduced workforce due to downsizing, a reduced workforce due to outsourcing, a reduced workforce due to automation and robotization, increased customization, increased hiring of temporary employees, a increasingly diverse workforce, globalization, fewer corporations, long-distance collaboration, an emphasis of skills not job titles, and an increased need for continuing education.

As Stephen R. Covey describes it …..

“We live in a new economy that is moving from the Industrial Age, top-down, command-and-control, hierarchical model to the Knowledge Worker Age of empowerment and courage and creativity. We also live at a difficult recessionary time, but that does not mean we a fundamentally a product of our environment. We are not victims of circumstances. We are the creative force of our own lives.

Unfortunately I do not think most of us were raised to think creatively about the economy and the role that we play in the economy. I sense a longing in many of my clients for the so-called good old days when everyone knew where they fit-in in often paternalistic corporations. In an evolving, creative, empowering, what are we supposed to do era, what are our new roles? Will we hold a job or be an entrepreneur or some combination of both?”

With a job loss after age 50, an individual can wait and hope that they will find employment in their field. Many become underemployed taking jobs in retail and telemarketing, Some cannot find work and live off their savings and spouse’s income. Some enthusiastically become the entrepreneurs they always wanted to be while others reluctantly begin to look at their entrepreneurial options.

By age 50, your employment, your leisure time, and your everyday life have given you a wide variety of skills and expertise. To identify potential areas of self-employments, I would interview a reluctant entrepreneur about their skills and expertise.

Here are some questions I might put to them if they are searching for business ideas and a niche.
1. What opportunities in the market place did you last employer seem to be missing? EG: parts for older models, refurbishing equipment, custom orders
2. What skills can you sell as a freelancer? EG: project management, website design, accounting, computer programming
3. Do you have the knowledge and experience to buy out an existing business? EG: gift shop, home security installation, photography studio, print framing shop
4. Do you have a manual skill that others would pay for? EG: laminate and hardwood floor installation, stained glass design and installation, bricklaying
5. Do you have a hobby product you can offer as a business? EG: knit goods, jewelry, customized wooden signs, Christmas decorations
6. Do you have friends who rave about your cooking or baking? EG: ethnic deserts, chocolate specialties, wedding cakes, catering for small groups, pre-cooked meals
7. Can you sell your talent in a sport? EG: canoeing/kayaking trips, running soccer or tennis camps
8. Do you possess talent in graphic or fine arts design? EG: Designing websites, designing logos, custom painting clothing or shoes.
9. Is there a service you need personally but cannot find? EG: taking children to after school activities, driving elderly relatives to doctor’s appointments, locating pieces of silverware or china
10. Can you provide a product or service your friends can’t find? EG: pet sitter, home delivery of live seafood, genealogical research
11. Do you do something as a volunteer that others would pay for? EG: teach ESL, transport elderly shopping or to medical visits, visit elder who are home-bound
12. Do you have experience in importing or exporting? EG: used machinery to India and other countries, scientific equipment to Eastern Europe, craft items from Africa, Asia, Central and South America
13. What knowledge do you have that you can put into a special report or book? EG: internet marketing, raising a child with ADHD, foreign travel with children
14. Are you experienced and talented in teaching or training? EG: English or foreign languages, music, job social skills, negotiation and mediation
15. Do you have experience in “New Age” disciplines or alternative health practices? EG: Tapping (EFT), Reiki, Reflexology, Fung Shui, card reading, past life regression analysis
August 3, 2013