By: r b
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Filed under Small Business by on Sep 2nd, 2010. 
We know women in business are different then men in business, but how different are they and is being different really a bad thing?
Men control the business world, men hold higher and more influential positions than women, and men get paid more. So why do women even bother? I am a woman and I am in business, and I do not worry or even think about what positions men hold, or how much they make. In business my greatest concerns are how to do business well, be ridiculously successful, while also living life on my terms. Don’t get me wrong I am competitive but the competition starts with me and moves to those companies that are in my market place.
In sports if you are a basketball player do you tryout for the football team? You are both athletes but football and basketball are very different and you do not have to be good at one to be good at the other. So why would a women try to be a man, what does one have to do with other? The competition is not between men and women it is between your company and the competing company.
The Author of “What Men Don’t Tell Women About Business,” Chris Flett, believes that women are missing the boat by not studying successful businessmen, learning from them, and conforming to them. Mr. Flett recently appeared on Donny Deutsch’s The Big Idea to plug his new book and to take on some pretty opinionated women. I watched the episode and I must say that Flett didn’t do too well, in fact there were times when he looked downright scared. So much for the “Alpha Male” dominating the “Submissive Females”!
The biggest problem Flett has is that he is naive which makes him seem condescending. I am giving him the benefit of the doubt here, really he could be just clueless or worst case a pompous *** but let’s just go with well meaning in a bungling sort of way. Flett portrays women as being weak in every manner possible, yet the demographic he is targeting are those women who had the strength to get where they are and now just need help getting to the next level. News flash Chris you wrote this book for women to learn from and yet you do not know women at all do you?
Chris contributed to The Big Idea Blog after the show and there a few points that I find interesting so let’s look at them and discuss…shall we?
When a woman says, “It’s us against them, I don’t need to know what men think”, you know that at some point in her past, she has been excluded from the conversation and is not happy about it.
How like a man to think that? I personally do not treat business like a war, where there is war there is turmoil and plenty of casualties, I am not looking for either in my business. I also do not need to know what men think, I need to know what successful entrepreneurs think, and then I need to incorporate that into who I am and how I do things.
One guest said that she couldn’t “get into the board room so she left to form her own company”. Having knowledge like we talked about today IS only available in the board room, but some are so furious about past experiences that they disregard it and refuse to even listen to what is being offered.
Chris, Chris, Chris – you make this sound like a bad thing! A woman who chooses to create her own successful company as opposed to trying to do it on someone else’s terms is inspirational not weak. If I am not wanted in that boardroom then you are damn right I am going to create my own. Work on your weaknesses but play to your strengths, that is how you win the game. Chris did you have this same opinion of Steve Jobs when he wasn’t being listened to in the Apple boardroom and went his own way in 1986? I don’t think so.
There is one area I agree with Mr. Chris Flett and that is knowledge is power, you should keep yourself educated, informed, and never be afraid to learn from others be they men or women. I am not that interested in reading this book and is not that he doesn’t make some good points, rather that there are other books out there that would provide more value for me.
Choosing people to learn from and business acumen to incorporate into your business should be done based on your industry, business style, and ultimately your goals. I will say Flett seems to spread his naivety beyond the female gender and into the corporate domain by insinuating that all boardrooms are equal. Fortunately all men/women are not created the same, Warren Buffet and Donald Trump are two very successful men but I would wager that they are very different in the boardroom. Martha Stewart, Susie Orman, and Oprah all very successful women and how much alike do you think they are in the boardroom?
I know I could learn from all five individuals but what I would choose to take from each would be dependent on who I am and what I want. Business is not about conformity it is about inspiration, innovation and just getting out there and doing it. Mentors are important but they are meant to be learned from not cloned. So by all means go out there and learn from others, there is no reason to recreate the wheel, but don’t forget who you are in the process.
By: Bridget Ayers
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Filed under Business by on Sep 2nd, 2010.
We have already known that vending machine business is the one of the most profitable home based businesses. If you decide to start one, you should have a complete picture of vending business. Basically, vending machine business is just like any other business that need your good attitude and management in order to bring you profit. You may also have to go beyond any obstacles. Don’t expect it to be a piece of cake.
Although start-up cost is low, you should have to calculate the total cost to start your vending business: buying vending machines, stock of products to vend, paying space to place your machine, hire a vending operator, etc. Determine how much you are willing to invest so that you can make a decision whether you choose to purchase, lease or hire vending machines.
In order to choose the best location to place your vending machines, you have to do some research whether the location is well populated, defining the competition, whether there have been similar vending machines ending the same products, what are your competitive advantage in that location, analyzing Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats, etc.
You should understand that when you have involved in the vending machine business, you have to do the maintenance yourself. This includes checking the supply of vended products, making sure that the vending machines are working properly (you are ready to be on spot whenever needed e.g. when your vending machines are broken down), buying stock of products periodically, etc. And are you ready to handle all the money matters efficiently?
Now you have already had a complete vision about vending machine business. If you think that you are willing and ready to go through all of this, you should start right now. I wish you success!
By: Lina Lee
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Filed under Business by on Sep 2nd, 2010.
Maybe you often heard that vending machine business is one of the most profitable home based businesses. Yes, it’s true that vending machine business is an instant home based business. You can earn decent income by running this business part time and may even more when doing it full time! And there are more reasons and advantages of choosing this vending machine business as stated below:
Part time or full time. Even if you still have regular job, you can run vending machine business part time and expand as it grows to full time. Low start-up cost. You only need little investment to start this business. Potential high in profit. If you buy bulk candy of gumball for 2 or 3 cents, you can sell it for a quarter. Think about the profit you may have! Be your own boss. If you run vending business full time, you will be your own boss and never deal with your boss to get paid. No advertising cost. It’s not your job to do the advertising. Let’s the product manufacturers advertise their product for you. Vending machine is an all cash business. No worry about bad debt and check problems because you receive cash right away. Selling when you are sleeping! Make sure that your machines are running smoothly and they will do the selling job 24 hours. Time and costs saving. No need to employ clerk or cashier unless you are in tight competition that may need promotion girls next to the vending machines to help you selling. Variety of choices. You can vend almost anything: cigarettes, alcohol, beverage, snacks, candy, and more. Get the tax advantages. Tax deductions can include a percentage of home mortgage interest, property taxes, insurance, utilities, car expenses, meal expenses, traveling expenses and much more.
By: Lina Lee
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Filed under Business by on Sep 2nd, 2010.
By: thebuffettour
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Filed under United States by on Sep 2nd, 2010.
What kind of small business licence do I need to run my business from home and sell from my website?
By: Stephanie
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Filed under Small Business by on Sep 2nd, 2010.
I would like to start a third business that is in competition with some clients from both of those businesses. I would like to be able to create this corporation with very arm’s length links (I don’t want anyone to be able to “lookup” the owners). I need to be able to open a bank account, receive cheques, etc…
I want it to be completly legal, my worry is that if a client finds out, both businesses are shot. So lots riding on it. Any suggestions?
By: Chuck M
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Filed under Corporations by on Sep 2nd, 2010.
Thank you!
By: Brittany
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Filed under United States by on Sep 2nd, 2010.
A Business to Business selling is a concept of buying and selling between different businesses. If you are interested in this kind of business, then there are multiple ways to set up this business and it can easily help you to finance your B2B investments. If you are holding some kind of assets, then you might consider utilizing business loans. If you are having some or the other kind of assets with you then you can surely utilize this for financing your B2B business.
One of the most popular B2B businesses which are growing nowadays is B2B with e-commerce. It is basically a kind of website which offers your business a marketplace where one can purchase and sell different kind of products, goods or services. These are the websites which are controlled by a single company which offers members to place their advertisements about services and products to other businesses. These are one of the great places where one can perform their business with specific industry where they can share each other’s information and share demands of consumers and also share industry news.
In market we can have two different kinds of B2B exchanges. One is called public exchange that is open to everyone and the private exchange which has got some restriction to join. Those companies who are interested in dealing with commodities or companies which are interested in searching consumers who can buy their inventories, can join the public exchange.
Those companies which are interested in dealing with effective and a controlled atmosphere, they can avail the private exchange. Private exchanges are also used by such companies who want to maintain their profit margin with dealing in contractual relationship with such kind of buyers which always rely on low prices.
By: Kathy Mercado
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Filed under Business by on Sep 2nd, 2010.
The last thing you want to find out after starting your business is that you have failed to conform to the law by not filing for the right permits for your business. Before establishing a small business, you should pay attention to your town, city, and county regulations. In most locations, every business needs a basic license which is sometimes called a tax registration certificate. Apart from this, other permits and licenses may be required as well.
Business licenses and permits are issued at all levels of government – federal, state and local (city, county, or town). Depending upon the kind of business you are running, you may need to apply for licenses at multiple levels. For example, if you decide to open a restaurant in the city of San Francisco, you will need a business license and health permit from the city of San Francisco, sales tax license from the state of California and a federal tax ID number from the U.S. federal government.
Not sure what kind of license or permit you need for your business venture? Well, as usual, we’ve made it simple for you. Below is a quick checklist covering the most common federal, state, and local licenses and permits you may need to acquire before commencing business:
Business License – This is the basic license that you will need to operate a business legally. If the business is located within city limits, a license must be obtained from the city; if outside, it is procured from the county. Contact your city’s business license department to file an application. Also remember that you need to pay an annual fee.
Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) – Also known as a tax identification number, this is required for almost all types of businesses. Depending on where your business is located, you may also need to acquire a similar tax identification number from your state.
Zoning and Land Use Permits – Before you start your business, you have to find out if the space you are going to use is properly zoned for the kind of usage that is planned. You may need a zoning compliance permit. Zoning laws regulate off-street parking, waste disposal, and the size, construction and placement of signs.
Health Department Permits – If your business involves the preparation and/or sale of food, you will need a county health department permit. Note that the health department will inspect your facilities before issuing one.
Sales Tax License – This license is essential before you can sell almost any product or service in any state.
Fire Department Permits – Businesses such as restaurants, day-care centers or any other that attract a large crowd need a permit from the fire department.
Special State-Issued Business Licenses or Permits – You may need special licenses if your business involves the sale of certain types of products including liquor, lottery tickets, gasoline and firearms.
Special State-Issued Occupational / Professional Licenses – In many states, people in certain occupations must have licenses or occupational permits. State licensing is typically required for auto mechanics, plumbers, electricians, building contractors, collection agents, insurance agents, real estate brokers, repossessors and personal service providers (beauticians, cosmetologists, therapists and masseurs). If you are thinking of starting any of these businesses, you will have to pass state examinations in order to get the permit. Contact your state government offices to get a complete list of occupations that require licensing.
Special Federal Business Licenses or Permits – You may also require special business licenses from the federal government if your business involves investment advising, drug manufacturing, preparation of meat products, broadcasting, manufacturing tobacco, alcohol or firearms.
Licensing and permit requirements for small businesses vary from state to state; it is therefore a good idea for you to contact your state and local government to determine the specific obligations for your new business.
By: Akhil Shahani
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Filed under Business by on Sep 2nd, 2010.