Stress, stress, stress! Good grief, every which way you turn is to be greeted with more stress. There is no avoiding it with sick kids, overextended credit cards, work deadlines, and life in general making its daily demands. So, we need to find viable solutions to deal with all of these hassles. For me, minimizing some of the pressure as much as possible has been the best alternative. And I’m doing that by trying to simplify and streamline specific areas of my life.

During the past year I have worked on my home one room at a time by decluttering and reorganizing everything to its best possible advantage. My mission is almost accomplished and I can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel. The last room to receive a complete overhaul and makeover is my office, which still looks like something from a disaster photo-op. But even in there I have started implementing small strategies to make this an easier transition than it looks. And it looks bad.

A couple of years ago, I initiated a new filing plan that my longtime friend, Julie Stiles Mills, shared in Bible study. We were discussing the book, Living With Less: The Upside of Downsizing Your Life, by Mark Tabb (Broadman & Holman), and how to get more out of life by choosing to live with less. (This is an excellent book that is scripturally based.) I was complaining about my resident paper monster and how I had several years of filing piled up waiting to be crammed into about a hundred or so folders. Julie’s solution was simple: Don’t do it.

Julie said that folders should only be used for paperwork that will be used actively such as bank statements and medical records, and to segregate other types of business and client materials. But to assign a folder to every single piece of paper that will probably never be touched again is unnecessary and time-consuming. She recommended sorting the filing by year and then pulling out only the pertinent papers that needed folders. The rest could go into a box or expandable file folder with the year marked on it and set aside for easy access, if necessary. If I needed to find something at a later date, I would know exactly where to go and look for it.

I have to tell you that this filing method has been so liberating! Such a simple solution to an overwhelming task.

Shortly after that discussion, Julie wrote a 3-part series entitled, “Don’t file paper at home anymore” at Pragmatic Compendium. In her charming and humorous style, she goes into a lot of detail on how to easily and efficiently tame the resident paper monster, and (this is the best part) teach other family members how to follow it! Here are the links:

Don’t file paper at home anymore: Part 1

Don’t file paper at home anymore: Part 2

Don’t file paper at home anymore: Part 3

Copyright 2008 Charlene Davis. All rights reserved.

Former recruiter, Joe Turner, author of Job Search Secrets Unlocked and Paycheck 911, offers some great tips for “Acing a Job Interview After Age 50.” He gives “older” job hunters (like me) helpful advice about five different areas to work on including finding shared values with the hiring manager, selling your brand (I really loved this one), how to think strategically vs. tactically, effective leadership, and talking about money.

To read the article, go to: http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2009/11/01/acing-a-job-interview/

You’ll find more of Joe’s free tips and advice on landing a job in this tough economy at: http://www.jobchangesecrets.com.

In today’s economy it seems almost every industry has been unfavorably affected by the recession. Nevertheless, new startup ventures continue to pop-up around the country with amazing degrees of success. How is this possible when everyone is cutting back everywhere?

The reality is the economic downturn has thrown wide open the entrepreneurial doors to usher in new business enterprises that recognize and understand people still want and need highly valued products and services, but at more affordable prices.

At the risk of sounding like I drank the Kool-aid, there has never been a better time like the present to become an entrepreneur and start a lucrative, specialized business. Many of these ventures can be kicked off with very little financial investment and expanded as the business grows.

To prove this concept is the Fire Island Beer Company which recently commenced sales in May 2009 and has already seen a huge increase in business. The company pays their team of phenomenal partners (top branding company, legal counsel, photographers, PR, sales consultants) with a piece of the action. “Rather than pay them in cash which would be prohibitive, we made them true partners in the company,” says Co-founder and Head Beer Maestro, Tom Fernandez. In other words, they are compensated in Fire Island Beer Company equity, which is a win-win situation for everyone.

This is the perfect time to strap on your propeller beanie hat and look for opportunities where others do not. “With a sluggish market come many challenges,” says Angela Brooks, Marketing Instructor of CSPI Academy. “Look for challenges clients have because of the economy and adapt your product or service to solve it.”

So where’s the money? Alan Lysaght and Denis Cauvier, PhD, authors of the international bestseller, The ABCs of Making Money (www.theabcguys.com), offer the following suggestions for potential new startup ventures:

·       Second hand clothing stores: people need the cash for unused clothes, while others want designer goods at a fraction of the original cost

·       Companies will always have a need for sales people but may have to outsource this as well. Consider setting up a sales team for sector specific industries.

·       Are you technically savvy? Any software that accomplishes something faster easier and cheaper can become a bestseller overnight.

·       Anything “green” from low phosphate cleaners to zero off-gassing products like beds, pillows and carpets will find an increasing market.

·       With people holding onto their cars longer they will need more maintenance and repairs. This will create more need for fully-equipped self-serve garages

·       Then there are the “vulture” industries. As people lose their jobs and homes, repossession experts prosper, as do auctioneers, junk removal companies, cleaners, bankruptcy specialists and debt consolidators.

The list could continue for pages, but due to limited space I’ll cap it off by squeezing in one more suggestion: With baby boomers entering retirement, this is an excellent time to start or buy a business that caters to the senior population. Travel and concierge services, transportation, estate planning, relocation, and healthcare are all safe bets for new businesses that will grow and prosper despite the economy. (Note: For more information on starting a business for seniors, check out the 2nd edition of Starting Your Own Senior Services Business, by Charlene Davis / Entrepreneur Press, 2009.)

Over the past ten years, small businesses have accounted for more than 70 percent of jobs across the nation. They are the core of America and will be instrumental in bringing us out of these difficult economic times. The next crop of millionaires will be ones who saw the possibilities created by the recession and capitalized on it. Do you want in?

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Copyright 2009 Charlene Davis. All rights reserved. Links to articles on this site are welcome; however, articles may not be used, reproduced, or reprinted without permission.

Echo boomers – a/k/a baby boomer kids or Generation Y’ers – are pretty savvy young folks, especially when it comes to business. This fun loving generation is enthusiastically embracing the notion of free enterprise that has been threatening to bubble over the edge of corporate America for years. Armed with brainpower, optimism, and moxie, these young entrepreneurs are forging ahead in greater numbers by creating jobs that fit around their lifestyles and passions by developing a work-life balance their parents didn’t have.

Young entrepreneurs bring many things to the table including fresh ideas, innovative strategies, and energy – lots of positive, re-vitalizing energy. They are also learning that inexperience is not necessarily a risk factor.

When Foodzie (www.foodzie.com) was just an idea for an online marketplace to help small food producers, co-founder Emily Olson (25) said that a mentor told them they were lucky to be young enough to have no idea how hard getting started was going to be. However, Olson thinks that experience can sometimes get in the way of taking the risks you need to take in business. “Young entrepreneurs often dive in and then innovate along the way to try to make something new work,” she says. Today, Foodzie is successfully continuing their mission to help change the way people eat by connecting consumers with small artisan producers and growers across the country.

Young entrepreneurs also show us how to dust off and breathe new life into old concepts. “We make your ideas SOAR!” is the tagline for Dinosoar Studios (www.dinosoarstudios.com) recently started by Travis Woodward (15). His company makes short videos companies can use to provide customers with information about their businesses and/or products. In addition to using social networking as a way to grow his business, Woodward says that word-of-mouth has been his best marketing strategy. “To get new customers I asked my friends and family for their support – and to refer ten of their friends, family and business people to me,” he says. The results were immediate!

This older-than-dirt form of networking is undoubtedly the most reliable and powerful method of promoting your business. The more you can get people talking about you and your business the better this form of viral or buzz marketing can work. And it doesn’t cost a thing. To prove this over the fence third-party endorsement still reigns supreme, there is even a Word-of-Mouth Marketing Association (www.womma.org) where members can learn how to use this skill more effectively.

Jared O’Toole (23), co-founder of Under30CEO (www.under30ceo.com), created to inspire Gen Y’ers to live their dreams, also believes in buzz marketing and thinks that all press is good – even when it’s bad. He feels entrepreneurs should not only welcome negative publicity, comments, or tweets, but also promote it. “Toss the negativity up in the air and let people engage and join sides,” he advises. “Not everyone will agree with you, but the point is people are talking about your business.” O’Toole believes the key is staying involved and gaining respect by presenting your side of the issue in a professional manner. And the people who end up aligning themselves with you will become more loyal to your brand.

However, if the thought of criticism still sends you in a tailspin, just remember the old adage: “If the dogs are barking at your heels, you know you’re leading the pack.”

Rock on!

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Copyright 2009 Charlene Davis. All rights reserved. Links to articles on this site are welcome; however, articles may not be used, reproduced, or reprinted without permission.

Internet etiquette or “netiquette” has been around since the mid-1980s – even before the World Wide Web exploded onto the scene when people were just using it for interoffice communications. Basically, it’s a set of social rules that have evolved over the years to help facilitate interaction between Internet users who communicate via emails, chat rooms, discussion forums, blogs, etc. As more and people spend a big part of their lives online, using good netiquette skills is more important than ever.

1.     Don’t use ALL CAPS. Understand the significance of lower and upper case letters. DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN? Typing in all caps indicates that you are shouting at the reader. But when typed in lower case letters there is no hint of aggression in the message. Of course there are times where capital letters can be used to emphasize a concept. For example, “His cat was HUGE!” is perfectly acceptable.

2.     Use acronyms sparingly. With texting becoming more prevalent, abbreviations and acronyms in online messages are becoming more common. Standard ones such as LOL and FYI are generally understood by everyone. However, if they are uncommon or unfamiliar such as “thnx,” “ur,” and “pls,” people may wonder if you know how to type. If you habitually use some of these make sure to proofread your messages to ensure that no chat lingo has been included when sending out professional communications.

3.     Watch your “tone.”  Keep in mind that the recipient of your message cannot see your face or hear your tone of voice which sometimes results in miscommunications. If you are unsure how your remarks will be interpreted, you can insert emoticons (i.e., side wink ; ) or <g> for “grin”). However, it’s always safer to adopt a slightly more formal tone rather than risk possibly offending someone by accident.

4.     Identify the subject/topic. Studies show that more than 40 percent of recipients decide whether or not to open an email solely based on the subject line. To increase the chances of having your email opened you need to have an appropriate subject that is short and compelling. And just like the body of the email you should user proper spelling and punctuation – and not all caps. Also, be careful of using common terms abused by spammers so that your message isn’t inadvertently sent to the Trash folder by the recipient’s spam filter.

5.     Know who you are replying to. Using the “To”, “CC”, and “BCC” fields correctly also plays a large role in email netiquette. When responding to emails make sure you don’t accidentally click “reply all” unless you want everyone to see your response. Also, when addressing specific people in the message make sure you include those recipients in the ‘To’ field. Anyone that you’re not directly addressing should be moved to either the CC or BCC field.

While these guidelines don’t cover all of the rules of cyber communications, they do provide a basic overview of how to interconnect more effectively. Perhaps the number one rule when communicating online would be to address people the same way you would want them to address you – whether in person, through the contents of a letter, or behind a computer screen.

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Copyright 2009 Charlene Davis. All rights reserved. Links to articles on this site are welcome; however, articles may not be used, reproduced, or reprinted without permission.

I’m happy to announce the release of my latest book from Entrepreneur’s ClickStart series, Design and Launch an Online Travel Business in a Week. Travel and tourism constitutes the third largest retail industry in the U.S. and there has never been a better time to turn a passion for traveling into a lucrative, professional business – in just a few days!

Click here to read an excerpt from the book on “8 Thriving Travel Markets” posted on Entrepreneur.com.

Times are tough and as more and more people are laid off, many are looking at new and innovative ways to make money by exploring their talents and turning hobbies into businesses. So what does the new competition mean for veteran artisans who have been in the trenches and paid their dues? With the right attitude and creative planning it could be a great turning point. Artisans who want to endure the fluid landscape of our economy can step up their game by teaching workshops and seminars, creating new products, or constructing a new marketing plan.

Christine O’Toole from Stetsonville, Wisconsin, designs custom, handcrafted gifts and teaches group and individual lessons. She feels that artists will find a new avenue of income when they move towards sharing their talent and skills. “Experienced artists who desire to survive will find themselves teaching as well as providing custom, high-quality finished products,” Christine says. “There has been a move towards sharing traditional arts with the start of people taking up knitting and crocheting again. That will continue to grow in these and all other areas.”

Many marketing experts feel that the recession is actually good news for specialists in any industry because individuals are going to spend their free time discovering new trades or learning how to improve their skills. As a knowledgeable and skilled artisan, you can take advantage of the incoming wave of novice artists and crafters by teaching them some of the ropes – for a fee, of course. Jordanna Petkun, CEO and Founder of Emerge Art Center, works with many artisans looking to expand their business and advises artisans not to give away anything – services or work – without compensation. “Even if the clients come referred through friends, or are your friends directly, it’s wise to have a policy of never consulting with or giving away your art or handiwork for free,” she cautions.

Jordanna also feels that to continue making sales in this economy, it’s important for artisans to provide alternatives to all one-of-a-kind or handmade work they do. For every expensive, one-of-a-kind piece for sale, you should always try to have similar versions (that don’t compete with its one-of-a-kind nature) on sale. Make reproductions of originals – such as cards and posters – that people on a tight budget can still afford. This also helps with marketing of your work, as word-of-mouth can work wonders.

What are some other ways artisans can ride out the economic downturn? Almost every type of business has experienced a tangible shift that necessitates the need for a revised game plan – whether it’s a new product, marketing strategy, or business plan. Some artisans are using the slowdown as an opportunity to expand their product line, while others are testing out different marketing strategies. Professional artist, Jordan Mercedes, recommends joining forces in a cross-promotional partnership with someone like a writer, restaurant, or a business that can feature your work while advertising their own. Jordan says the main thing is to remember to be as creative in your business as you are when designing.

Keep in mind that although more amateurs are joining the ranks, they are not always producing quality goods. The talented ones are going to raise the bar, which is not a bad thing. The not-so-good ones will disappear quietly into the night. However, experienced artisans can remain in the forefront by maintaining their core values and high-caliber work, while diversifying by expanding their product line and services.

As a successful artist living the good life, Pablo Solomon has seen his share of economic ups and downs and advises fellow artists and artisans not to worry too much. “In the short run, times will be tough,” he says. “But eventually the old standards for success in art – quality, creativity, and name recognition – will win out.” And that’s good news for all of us.

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Special Note: This feature article was written by Charlene Davis exclusively for the Association of Artisan Businesses, an organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the artisan industry.

Starting and maintaining a business with an online presence can be very challenging in any market, whether you’re an inexperienced novice or seasoned entrepreneur. The key is arming yourself with the best tools available to help streamline and make the process more efficient. Google’s branding of the world’s most powerful search engine have made it synonymous with the word “search,” but there are many other Google web services every entrepreneur should be aware of. It offers a broad spectrum of services for Internet users, including some that are virtually unknown:

1. Google Business Solutions - The best place for a business owner to start. Here you can find recommendations for your specific type of business, as well as identify goals to help promote and improve your website while increasing revenue.

2. Gmail - A free email service that offers unlimited storage space and can be accessed from anywhere – including your mobile device. Gmail takes the clutter out of email with lots of innovative features that help with organizing, filtering, labeling, and threading messages, as well as quickly searching messages to find exactly what you are looking for.

3. Google Calendar - This free online application assists you with keeping track of upcoming meetings and scheduled functions with automatic reminders that can be received via email or cell phone. You can easily create invitations for special events and monitor RSVPs, as well as send follow-up notices. In addition to integrating this service with your Gmail account, another great feature is the ability to use multiple calendars to streamline your business, social, and personal life that can be shared with clients, co-workers, and/or family members, if desired.

4. Google Reader - Another free application from Google featuring a web-based aggregator that allows users to read RSS feeds online or offline via computer or mobile device. Stay up-to-date with current news and events from all of your favorite sites that can be neatly organized and managed from one convenient location.

5. Google Docs - Allows users to upload existing files or create new documents which can then be shared with multiple users in real time. This free service enables documents to be efficiently organized into folders and securely stored online, which eliminates the concern of hard drive crashes and power outages.

6. Google Analytics - An amazing free tool that produces comprehensive data about visitors to your website, including whether they are referred by various marketing campaigns, search engines, links from other sites, etc. This can be extremely useful for identifying low-performing web pages or integrated with AdWords to track landing page conversions.

7. Google’s Blogger - Maintaining a blog for your business is a very necessary tool and Blogger is a great place to start. You can quickly and easily set up a free account that allows you to host multiple blogs under the same account name using a variety of templates and tools to maximize each blog’s potential.

8. Google Sites - An online application for creating a website that has a free version with limited capabilities and a premier (fee-based) version that has additional bells and whistles for higher volume use. Web pages can easily be created with just a few clicks of the mouse and immediately launched for viewing by select individuals or the general public.

9. Google Alerts - This handy, free service sends you email alerts based on your preferences. You can follow news stories, keep an eye on your competitors, and watch for upcoming trends. Perhaps its best feature is the ability to monitor where and when you and your business appear on the Internet.

10. Google AdWords - A widely-used advertising program for text, image, or video ads that offers cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-impression (CPM) marketing campaigns for keyword-generated search requests. It’s quick and easy to get started with a small activation fee and there are no minimum monthly charges.

11. Google AdSense - This revenue generating program is an excellent resource for website and blog owners who want to easily and efficiently monetize their content and earn money. There are a wide range of site-targeted advertisements web owners can select by inserting customized Java script code into a web page. There is no cost to join, but you must have a website or blog.

12. Google Checkout - If you are selling products you need a merchant program that provides a quick and easy checkout process for customers using their credit or debit cards. With Google Checkout there are no setup or monthly fees, but a small processing fee will be charged for each transaction.

There are many other Google services that may be useful to your business including Google Maps, Webmaster Central, Site Search, and the renowned Google Toolbar. Stay abreast of current trends and events regarding Google by signing up for one or more of their blogs . Then add them to your Reader.  Knowledge is power and what you don’t know, your competitors will.

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Copyright 2009 Charlene Davis. All rights reserved. Links to articles on this site are welcome; however, articles may not be used, reproduced, or reprinted without permission.

“The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healty Foods in Kids’ Favorite Meals,” by Missy Chase Lapine (Running Press), is quite possibly one of the best cookbooks for nutritional eating that I have come across in a long time. The secret to its success lies in pureeing many of the “special” ingredients such as orange puree (sweet potato and carrot), purple puree (spinach and blueberries), green puree (broccoli, spinach and peas), and white puree (cauliflower and zucchini). There are other interesting types of vegetable and fruit purees to be used in the preparation of different recipes, but these seem to be the main ones used throughout the book. My son, the quissential picky eater of all time, did not detect the orange puree I slipped into the Crunchy Chicken Tenders and snarfed those chick sticks up like candy. 

As most folks know, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” and that old adage definitely applies to children; a fact keenly recognized by Lapine. She offers great tips on how to make food appear more appealing and fun like serving the Crispy No-Fry Fries in an ice cream parfait glass, cutting the Fortified French Toast into sticks, or adding rainbow sprinkles on top of the Brainy Brownies. In Chapter 5: “The Sneaky Chef’s Bag of Tricks,” Lapine points out parents are battling against food companies who use similar tricks to get kids to try their unwholesome, pre-packaged cuisine. “This method makes us parents into smart marketers,” she says. “Make no mistake about it – you are competing with multimillion dollar ad campaigns that bombard kids into trying their dolled-up junk food.”  

Of course, critics are going to complain that by hiding fruits and vegetables in recipes, kids are not developing a true appreciation for these types of food. My response to that is: whatever. Seriously, I will do whatever it takes to get my son to eat healthy and nutritional food on a daily basis. That includes sneaking in the “icky stuff” like zucchini and carrots that were previously fed to the dogs under the table.  

One of the best things about this book – aside from the nutritional merits – is that the recipes are easy to prepare. And I am all about easy!  Don’t be dissuaded by the thought of having to steam and puree a variety of fruits and vegetables. This type of preparation can be done well in advance to be used at a later time – or you can use the instant supermarket puree recommendations found in the book. And, while preparing recipes from scratch using whole grains and organic produce is the better alternative, a lot of folks who are time-challenged can utilize some of Lapine’s Quick Fix options that incorporate pre-packaged foods like boxed macaroni and cheese, SpaghettiOs, and applesauce. 

With it’s easy to read format, helpful tip boxes and sidebars, and cleverly disguised recipes, it’s easy to see how this book so quickly made New York Times bestseller list! 

Click here for more information about The Sneaky Chef.

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Copyright 2009 Charlene Davis. All rights reserved.

Even before the downturn of the economy severely altered the job market, it’s never been unusual for an individual to change careers for a variety of reasons. Some of those include better opportunities, lifestyle changes, dismal job outlook, or uninformed choices. Although there are no guarantees that switching occupations will be the best decision, there are certain steps you can take to ensure your chances of success.

Before making any type of career change:

1. Know your primary objective: Many people decide to make career changes because they need better financial security, enjoy new challenges, to learn different skills, or have a great hobby they want to turn into a business. Understand your motives before going to the trouble and expense of giving yourself a complete career makeover.

2. Assess your situation: Think about what you are looking for in your new vocation. Do you want more flexibility, less travel, to meet new people? Another consideration is whether you already have the knowledge and skills required to step into your new profession, or will need additional education or certifications before making the transition.

3. Have a plan of action: Following a dream can be very rewarding but to reach your ultimate goal you will need to develop an effective career-change strategy. Your plan of action should include research, education or training, financial assessment, and the amount of time required to accomplish these steps.

4. Develop your network: Start talking to people in your chosen industry by joining professional organizations and associations. Go to trade shows and job fairs for more insight into your field of interest. Attend conferences and seminars to learn more about the business and make new connections. Working with a career management professional can also be advantageous.

5. Learn to be patient. Just because you are ready to take the plunge into a new career doesn’t mean the timing is right. It may be to your benefit to remain in your current job with a steady paycheck while you test the waters in your chosen field by working part-time as freelancer or intern. Another consideration is that you may not begin your new career at the same level of seniority. It takes time to move up the ladder and you will have to pay your dues just like everyone else.

Making good choices about a career change also means making informed ones so as to avoid hidden pitfalls down the road. It’s important to carefully analyze the potential risks before diving into a new career or field, but with dedication and persistence it will be well worth the time and trouble.

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Copyright 2009 Charlene Davis. All rights reserved. Links to articles on this site are welcome; however, articles may not be used, reproduced, or reprinted without permission.