Bonny Albo's Blog

Posted by Bonny Albo

Since 1997 I've had an Internet presence of some sort that required online advertising. An online children's clothing store, columnist for several different online magazines, blogging my life stories, and now running my own copywriting business have all required some form of marketing or advertising to gain readers, clients or customers.

I'll admit though: ten years ago online advertising was a lot easier than it is now. Then, all I had to do was carefully target my content, then submit my pages to the search engines and voila! I had 60,000 unique visitors a month. Now, I can spend hours and hours learning search engine algorithms or tweaking keyphrases and still have little to show for it.

As one of my new years resolutions, I've decided that I need to target my online advertising methods more to gain better results for my time. This means learning more about what works, removing the things that don't, and spending as little as I can financially on getting there, while still understanding I'll have to pay something or other to get results (time, money, effort...).

I've decided my first try at free online advertising will be Craigslist, using the ideas suggested in an article by Entrepreneur Magazine writer Shannon Lewis (article reproduced in the Online Advertising discussion group). I'll post soon and let you know just how well Craigslist ads work for the small business owner.

Posted by Bonny Albo

One of the most important parts of becoming a successful entrepreneur, in my view, is learning from others. Whether as a business mentor, networking group or merely reading an article about other small business owners, lifelong learning from those who have walked in your shoes already is important for community building and entrepreneurial success.

With this in mind, I'm looking to meet with and interview (virtually) business owners for the article section of the Entrepreneurs website.

Criteria:

• You must have started your own business and successfully run it for at least one year;
• Be available for two hours in a one week period to answer interview questions;
• Willing to answer reader questions in our discussion forums after the interview has been posted; and
• Have a photo of yourself to post online, along with a link on how to get more information about you or your business.

I am particularly interested in work at home businesses, gay entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs, teen entrepreneurs, Internet entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs who started late in life. However, any entrepreneur who fits the criteria above are more than welcome to email me with the following information to get the ball rolling:

• Your full name, location and any other personal information relevant to an interview;
• A paragraph about your business mission, values or goals;
• A paragraph about how your business found success;
• What your business still struggles with today; and
• Any other information you feel is applicable.

Although I cannot respond to all inquiries, I will do my best to answer each and every interview request.

Posted by Bonny Albo

Winning an business contest provides your small business with many benefits: free publicity and advertising, cash, and prizes related to running your own business. Some contests are a one-click type of event (enter your name and address here), others are more in-depth (with essays, interviews or months-long elimination processes).

This is the most complete list of business contests I could find to assist you in building, growing or creating your own business. If you feel I've missed one, please post it here. All business contests are arranged by deadline date for entry.

Ongoing Deadlines

• Inc's Entrepreneur of the Year
• Make Mine a Million US-based women entrepreneurs looking to make a million dollars with their small business idea. Similar to the Apprentice.

January Business Contests

• 15: Visa Business Contest, for Visa business card holders. One-click entry.
• 31: ideaWins: The Ultimate Challenge, from Microsoft. Retail US establishments only, entry gives you a free download of Microsoft Accounting 2007. Warning: choose the low bandwidth option, as the high one seems to crash a lot of people's computers.
• 31: Federation of Small Businesses' Champions, for UK-based businesses with no more than 50 employees who have been trading for a minimum of five years.

February Business Contests

• Great Ideas for Chattanooga high school students (homeschooled or otherwise).
• 14: High School Business Contest, Nebraska, Iowa, Mississippi and Kansas only.
• 15: My Own Business Contest, US resident, 18 years or older. $100 application fee. Today is the 'early registration' deadline - if the winner registers before this date, they will win an extra $5,000.
• 15: Ace Hardware for US citizens over the age of 21.
• 28: Wildfire, for UK-based youth 14-18 only.

March Business Contests

• 5: Make Mine a $Million for U.S.-based female entrepreneurs.
• 15: Southeast BIO "designed and developed to help promote the creation of new, venture-attractive life science companies based in the Southeast."
• 30: Dell Smart Business Award
• 30: Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards for business owners in the Carolinas.

April Business Contests

• 9: Bronze Quill Business Communications Contest, for all South Texas businesses.
• 30: HP Responsible Business Contest, young entrepreneurs 15-18 years old in participating countries.

May Business Contests

• 15: My Own Business Contest, US resident, 18 years or older. $100 application fee.

June Business Contests

• Anna Maria Arias Memorial Business Fund

July Business Contests

• 31: Planet Out's Entrepreneur of the Year, for gay, lesbian, transgendered or bisexual (LGBT) entrepreneurs in Canada or the US.

August Business Contests

• No listings at this time.

September Business Contests

• No listings at this time.

October Business Contests

• No listings at this time.

November Business Contests

• SBA Small Business of the Year

December Business Contests

• No listings at this time.

Posted by Bonny Albo

Why have I never calculated a break even analysis for my copywriting company? Partially, it's procrastination - a skill which I (and many other entrepreneurs) hold in abundance. Another important factor has been the "what's in it for me?" factor: why do I really need to spend more time on the backside of my business when I need to increase my marketing efforts and, in turn, the bottom line?

Well, as I am learning, in order to increase my bottom line, I need to know what the bottom line actually IS. Calculating my monthly fixed costs is the first step of determining my break even point, so here goes:

• Yearly web hosting cost: $100 USD, which calculates to approx $10/month CDN.
• Phone: $50/month
• Business license: $100 CDN yearly, for $8.33/month.
• Incidentals (computer parts, paper, photocopying): $50/month.
• Living Expenses/Salary: $2500/month.

Therefore, my total monthly fixed costs are $2638.33, rounded up to $3000. Yes, my monthly fixed costs are minimal in comparison to most business owners'.

As well, I need to determine how many hours a month I can actually write. Like all small business owners, there are daily tasks for entrepreneurs required that cannot be billed for. Therefore, I've determined that 20 hours/week, or 80 hours/month is the maximum amount of writing hours I can allocate in a month.

Now comes the break even point calculation:

Fixed monthly costs / (Unit Price - Variable Cost) = Monthly Break Even Point.

We've already determined my fixed monthly costs are approximately $3000/month. My variable costs per unit are 7.5% of the unit price (hourly fee in my case), so I've had to put in an additional calculation to determine my break even point. [As an aside, this type of break even forecasting is called Total Absorption Costing as it absorbs the fixed costs into the calculation.]

So, if I were to sell my copywriting services at a $35/hour rate (very low for the industry), I would calculate my break even point like this:

• Fixed Monthly Costs: $3000
• Hourly Rate: $35
• Cost to Produce One Hour of Work: (35/7.5%) = $32.38
• Hour of Work Divided by Monthly Costs: 92.65 hours needed a month to break even.

Since this is way above my maximum amount of writing hours a month, I obviously have to increase my fees. Let's try $50/hour (getting closer to the industry average):

• Cost to Produce One Hour of Work: (50/7.5%) = $46.25
• Hour of Work Divided by Monthly Costs: 64.86 hours needed a month to break even.

Now that looks a bit more palatable to me, working 65 hours a month instead of 90+.

And now I can play with my break even point to see how I'd manage a six figure writing income:

• Monthly income required to make $100,000: $8333.33

Therefore, monthly fixed income is rounded off to $8500.00, although I think if I want to make this kind of money I'll need a higher budget (marketing and PR), so let's go with $9000.

Hm. What would I have to charge to make this kind of copywriting cash? Let's try for $100/hour:

• Fixed Costs: $9000
• Hourly Rate: $100
• Cost to Produce One Hour of Work: (100/7.5%) = $92.50
• Hour of Work Divided by Monthly Costs: 97.26 hours a month to break even.

That's better than I thought it would be, but not good enough. I can't write that much AND garner new clients. Let's try $125/hour.

• Cost to Produce One Hour of Work: (125/7.5%) = $115.63
• Hour of Work Divided by Monthly Costs: 77.83

Bingo!

Posted by Bonny Albo

Small business startups can be nerve-wracking and difficult to endure in the best of times. When you start to run short of cash, they can be an absolute nightmare. When you're in this situation, false hopes can be especially cruel. Imagine you've reached the end of your financial rope. Then you hear about free government grants for small business. Could it be that easy?

Free government grants for small business is an enduring enticement for entrepreneurs. Many small business owners have pinned their hopes on free cash from the government. The reality is that government cash may be available, but it is rarely free. Free government grants are always meant to accomplish certain goals and encourage certain kinds of development.

There's always the chance that the needs of your small business will align with the goals of the government. If you are building a small business and are looking for free government grants to help out, here are some facts to consider.

If you're looking to make a profit in your small business, then you might have trouble finding free government grants. Most government cash is reserved for non-profit organizations or businesses that can provide new jobs to disadvantaged workers in locations that need development.

On the other hand, if your business is about developing new technology, you might have a good chance at finding free government grants. The government often uses grant programs to support the development of ideas and production of new technologies.

Free government grants have specific timelines and application procedures. Murphy's Law of Grant Writing dictates that you'll usually find the perfect free government grant one day after the proposal deadline. When it comes to grant proposals, don't count on using a note from the doctor. You'll just have to wait until the next grant cycle.

If you don't qualify for free government grants, you may qualify for cheap government loans. But there are stout application rules for these too, and the money has to be spent for the reasons you stated when you borrowed it.

Free government grants are more than a mirage in the desert. But they're not quite the Pacific Ocean over the next hill either. Theoretically, that would make free government grants the oasis, an small zone of plenty that savvy desert travelers can find with ease. With good research, a clear vision of what you want to accomplish, and a little luck, you may find that free government grants are available for your small business or to fund your development of a new idea.

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Find out more about free government grants and online directories for free government grants. Art Turner has been self-employed for over 23 years, working in marketing, strategic planning and grant writing. He is also the creator of SelfEmploymentStation.com, a destination filled with info on business startups, freelancing, consulting, working from home and self-employment.

Posted by Bonny Albo

While researching and learning more about profiting from my mistakes, I read about a young gent that made a tidy sum from writing business plans. No, he's not a professional freelance writer, nor was he a business owner at the time. Instead, he entered a business plan contest that offered large sums of start-up capital and support to the winners. I have to admit the of a business plan contest excited me, but I had little time to review the details. As a copywriter I've written several business plans for clients, assisted with teaching business plan writing courses and even gave advice to local business startups in Calgary while I still lived there. At no point however did I consider writing a business plan for profit, or as a way to garner startup capital or ongoing expense coverage for a fledgling and/or established business.

A quick search on the Internet found numerous business plan contests, which I've listed below for further reference. I was able to discern quite quickly that these contests weren't for the faint of heart, either: prize monies range from a thousand dollars to over a million, with additional perks, support, mentoring, technology and media attention to boot for the winners. Mind you, it would only be the largest of these winning sums that would finance the smallest of 'big businesses' but still - some of us do, and have, done it on a shoestring. I am very interested in hearing more about the successes of those entering (and winning) these types of contests, especially established entrepreneurs who used their prize to further their long-term business goals. Feel free to discuss your experiences or contact me with your story. Note: All business plan contests are listed by their 2007 entry dates or months, where known.

January Business Plan Contests

• Boomer Business Plan Competition open to students, entrepreneurs and current business owners.

February Business Plan Contests

• 12: Harvard Business School Business Plan Contest
• 13: The $100K Innovation Challenge at Case. Seed monies of not more than $100,000 required.
• 21: Big Bang! (affiliated with UC Davis)
• 23: IBK-Ivey Business Plan Competition for MBA of Canadian institutions only.
• 28: VenturePrize for all Albertan (Canada) residents.

March Business Plan Contests

• 11: Gwinnett Innovation Challenge 2007, "open to companies and business plan teams with ties to Gwinnett County and less than two million in annual revenues".
• 15: Melbourne University Entrepreneurs Challenge (30% of team must be registered at a Victorian university)
• 24-27: Rice University Business Plan Competition for "top collegiate" MBA students in the US.
• 26: First Capital Challengefor Kingston-based businesses (Canada).
• 27: Harvard Business School Social Enterprise Business Plan Contest, must have specific affiliation to the MBA school or program to enter.
• 29-31: Stuart Clark Venture Challenge for student teams from around the world. Winners receive a berth to the International MOOT competition in Asia.
• Venture Cup (Nordic countries only: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland)

April Business Plan Contests

• 5: LaunchPad $50K Venture Creation Competition
• 7: Brown University Entrepreneurship Program $50,000 Business Plan Competition
• 12-15: Minority Entrepreneurship Education OFC Venture Challenge
• Oxford University Business Plan Competition (no affiliation required)
• Megabucks (worldwide university students)

May Business Plan Contests

• 15: GSAS Harvard Biotechnology Club Business Plan Competition (no affiliation required)
• Wisconsin Governor's Business Plan Contest WPI Venture Forum Business Plan Contest "is open to technology-based pre-start, startup, and on-going businesses located in New England."
• Primo Intel - Mexico Innavado (Mexico-based students)

June Business Plan Contests

• None listed at this time.

July Business Plan Contests

• Nanochallenge (nanotechnology-related businesses only)

August Business Plan Contests

• Eureka! at IIT Bombay. For entrepreneurs worldwide. Top prize consists of 250 thousand Rupees.
• Global Security Challenge, "to find and select the most promising security technology startup in the world".

September Business Plan Contests

• ASU Technology Entrepreneurship Challenge for ASU students only.
• S.E.E.D. Business Plan Competition

October Business Plan Contests

• Alabama Launchpad for people somehow affiliated with one of the six Alabama-based universities. Top prize is valued at over $100,000.
• Arab Universities Technology Business Plan Contest for 2-5 Arab nationals with at least 2 members of the team registered in an Arab university.

November Business Plan Contests

• None listed at this time.

December Business Plan Contests

• Bioscience Business Plan Competition (UK university-related)
• Enterprize at the University of British Columbia, Canada. For Canadian-based university students only. Prizes in excess of $250,000 CDN.
• Small Business BC (B.C., Canada only)

Posted by Bonny Albo

If you follow my blog at all, you'll quickly notice that I'm the Princess of Procrastinators. Sometimes I'll post regularly, and other times - well, I forget, or am working on other things. It's not that I don't have anything to say [I'm a communicator, I'll admit it freely], and it's not that I don't have the time [I type well over 100 words per minute, so a posting takes minutes, at best], nor the inspiration [I find it often and in the weirdest places; writers block isn't something I've ever suffered from].

What it really comes down to is that I just don't want to. It's it infinitely more fun to get your bookkeeping in order or take the garbage out than it is dealing with a challenging client? Of course it is - or at least, it is for me. I get stuff done when I procrastinate! In fact, I probably get more done than I do when I am focused on the job at hand - more quantitatively at least.

I've noticed a spattering of articles on this exact topic of late [Procrastination Isn't Always a Bad Thing, When Procrastination Can Pay Off, How to Make Procrastination Pay Off]. I agree with these authors, and gleaned some great ideas from them too.

First of all, I find I create a hiearchy of things "to do" when I'm avoiding a certain task. i.e. I'd rather scrub the toilet than deal with my overdue accounts receivables. Usually, the toilet wins and my bathroom sparkles for another week, while my bottom line goes down the drain. Instead, I could try and tackle the "nasty" stuff first, before my day begins, avoiding the procrastination issue altogether. Hm. That might just work.

Then again, I find I do work better under a strict deadline: Chaos is my friend. Maybe I'll procrastinate some more on this research about U.S. diversity legislation and perhaps look for some new clients. Or, is Procrastination Holding Me Back? Too soon to tell.

Posted by Bonny Albo

Ah... Day One. Where all hopes are high and interest is strong. I'm interested to see just how long it takes for me to either skip a day or find success. Which comes first?

I haven't run an online retail-like business for almost 8 years now. Previously, I sold as well-known brand of children's clothing through a sort of home party system, but I chose to use the Internet as my medium instead of in-person shopping. I didn't stick with it (partially because the company restructured its payouts and changed their Internet policy), but I still get occasional emails to this day about product lines. I wonder, can I do it again?

This time around, however, I'm starting more to prove a point than to merely make cash. Several readers commented on my free eBook (the Definitive Guide to Getting Your Local Business Online) as being too much, too challenging, too high of a learning curve for the average entrepreneur who is already swamped with work.

Personally, I say bullocks! I'm a busy woman with a full-time business of my own and a personal life brimming with excuses to play instead of concentrate. If *I* can do it, in less than a month, with no cash but a lot of determination, I think any entrepreneur can. Or at least, I'm going to try and prove it.

Day One started with the decision to go with CafePress as my money-making opportunity; a type of promotional branding website that allows you to place your message onto a variety of mediums and sell it for a no-fee startup. Items can be purchased by visitors in bulk or one-at-a-time. I thought I'd come up with some sort of catchy slogans/pitches for entrepreneurs and pitch the products to non-profit business organizations looking for ways to fundraise or run promotional campaigns.

Sign up was easy (almost too easy). I added a couple of items, but will have to come up with some sort of copy before I can sell anything. I also signed up for the affiliate program and bookmarked their forum and FAQs for future reference. Then I took a peek at the Politics Portal for ideas based on other people's creativity. Hm. I have some brainstorming to do.

Posted by Bonny Albo

Surprisingly, I've had a couple of emails about the Definitive Guide to Local Business a free eBook I self-published several weeks ago after I goofed up a project with a writing client.

It seems that, although the eBook is well-formatted and easy-to-read, some users felt that imy suggestions were unattainable or unrealistic - which I found funny because they are exactly the techniques I've used to grow my own business online. I've never said getting your bricks-and-mortar business online would be quick or simple: it takes hard work or a fair amount of cash. And since I'm the frugal kind...

After talking to a couple of friends, I decided that maybe I should adapt or increase my efforts by branching out and getting some sort of retail operation running that ties in with my work - and then blog about it here on a daily basis for all readers to see, comment upon and suggest ideas and other methods of success.

So with that, I've started my own, personal, 30 day challenge: Can I start an online retail business online that requires no initial financial outlay and can make a profit in less than a month, using the techniques and suggestions provided in the Definitive Guide to Local Business and other free online resources?

Stay tuned!

Posted by Bonny Albo

If you pre-register for this special event in Toronto (I just missed the one in Vancouver last weekend), the trade show, most (but not all) of the seminars, round-table entrepreneur discussions and workshops are free.

Some of the keynote speakers (which unfortunately aren't free) include the gentleman who created the "Roll Up the Rim to Win!" marketing campaign, Ron Buist, and other familiar Canadian names in the small business world like Michael Hepworth (economist and author of "Book Yourself Solid"), Warren Coughlin (business coach) and David Chalk.

Posted by Bonny Albo

I missed the first episode, and the second. I caught a bit of the third, but not enough to whet my appetite. It seems that CBC has had some issues with advertising; I wasn't even sure when the show was playing until the last minute.

However, according to Sean Wise at Inside the Dragon's Den, the show is supposed to air on Newsworld on Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 1 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 p.m., Sundays at 6 a.m. and 4 p.m., and Mondays at 4 a.m. A bit of a motley grouping, but I think Sunday afternoons might just work. Plus, the first airings are scheduled on CBC Wednesdays at 8pm, so as long as the schedule stays that way, I'll be able to report more about the entrepreneurs and how they are faring sooner rather than later.

In the meantime, I think I'll review some of their suggested ways to get business cash in their Pitchers' Bible with the hopes of applying for season two (they aren't taking applications yet, but will shortly, probably depending on the success of season one).

Posted by Bonny Albo

I decided I had to learn some humility a couple of weeks ago when a client of mine denied a project I had toiled over. Instead of being down in the dumps about the loss to my bottom line, I chose to profit from my mistakes. I took the eBook and edited portions to suit my own needs, and am now offering it as a freebie for a limited time to this, the Entrepreneurs site, readers and viewers.

Although it may not seem like I'm going to profit from giving this eBook away, I feel that I am. It will not only drive traffic to my copywriting business, but it will also draw attention to the fact that I'm a blossoming expert in the field. Plus, I can use it as a freebie giveaway to potential clients as well. Everyone wins!

All that I ask is that you do not change or edit any portion of this free eBook for your own personal use. I own the copyright. However, you may redistribute it as you see fit as long as you also provide a link to the Entrepreneurs site (http://entrepreneurs.suite101.com/) in return. I'd appreciate a note letting me know if you are using the eBook, but it's not necessary.

So without further ado, here is the link to download The Definitive Guide to Getting Your Local Business Online (in PDF format). Enjoy!

Posted by Bonny Albo

BBC's version of the Dragon's Den is already doing extremely well, and reality-TV shows are definitely still in the hot spot with viewers around the world. So it isn't surprising then that CTV has decided to throw in their own version of Trump's entrepreneurial show.

Airing five shows in October, the idea runs on the premise that new entrepreneurs will pitch their ideas (and spend their own money) to show experienced entrepreneurs (such as Boston Pizza's Jim Treliving) that they have what it takes. Tension purpotedly have run so high on the show that the producers have begun taping the business deals after the show finished airing as an add-on in case the series becomes a huge hit. And the first business deal from the show is supposedly being signed next week.

If interested, you can read more about the Dragon's Den team members in this month's Profit Magazine here.

Posted by Bonny Albo

A recent client of mine decided, after I had written a full eBook for them, that the content was too specific for their needs. After several weeks of back-and-forth, stressful deliberations, we jointly decided to pitch the whole thing. She went elsewhere, I wasn't paid, and now I've got an essentially useless 60 page document sitting on my laptop.

Normally it takes me four weeks to write an eBook (while still working on other projects). My lost wages? Approximately $700 USD.

Needless to say, this is a larger sum for writers such as myself. How on earth could I profit from this error in judgement AND keep my sanity?

My first tactic was: get down on the floor and breathe. I needed to cleanse myself of this icky energy, and fast. So instead of getting upset and talking to whoever would listen, I practised some newfound breathing techniques from pranayama, an ancient yogic technique for controlling Prana (life force or energy).

I felt more serene and able to think clearly afterwards, so I peeked around the 'Net for what other entrepreneurs had done in similar situations for guidance. To my surprise, both the New York Times and Business Week have written recent stories on the subject. MIS Magazine even discusses how to make "deliberate mistakes that pay off".

After perusing these pieces, I felt a lot better about my predicament. Sure, I was out some money I counted on for bill-paying purposes. But I could still use the eBook and either sell it on my own or use it for another client, since the copyright was never purchased by the intially-intended end user.

Hm. I think I have some writing to do. Stay tuned for my eBook on taking your Local Business online!

Posted by Bonny Albo

If you are anything like me, your email is taking over your life. Whether you are focusing on getting through to the people you need to (customers, clients or suppliers) without being sent immediately to the trash, or rely on archaic junk mail filters to ensure you only get the news you've asked for, most entrepreneurs agree: Email overload is a serious problem.

An insightful article from the Start Up Journal (a subsidiary of the Wall Street Journal's Center for Entrepreneurs) helped me to gain some peace of mind, and it may you, too. Let me know what you think.

Posted by Bonny Albo

Does your company create waste from its manufacturing, retail operations or services? Instead of throwing whatever it is away, try instead to think about how someone else may want (or need) your waste products. This one technique may just tilt the financial picture in a more positive light.

Don't believe me? There are many examples today. One of the easiest is coffee shops. They create pounds and pounds of leftover grounds every day (a fact I distinctly remember after having managed one lovely locale in Calgary, Alberta for almost a year). I always felt guilty about throwing it all away, but I couldn't see another use for it. Then, a customer asked me for some of our used grounds, and I welcomed her request. But why? It seems that coffee grounds are excellent compost material. And thus, our waste was reduced (and the garbage bill as well).

Larger-scale waste-recycling strategies include bat guano (sold for $2 a pound for organic fertilization purposes in Ohio), recycling ink cartridges or old cell phones for cash and using worm waste and reused plastic bottles for organic fertilizer.

Posted by Bonny Albo

A recently released Gallup poll found more than three-quarters of Americans would be happier with exactly $33,000 a year more than what they currently have.

After reading this information, three questions came to mind:

• Why $33,000? Isn't that an awfully precise number?
• What about the other quarter? Are they perfectly happy with the money they are making now? Don't they want even a teensy weensy bit more?
• How do I keep my staff motivated, knowing that statistically most are unhappy with their current wage?

The answer to #1, most likely, is the fact that the data was statistically analyzed, and this was the median answer. I realize that, but it does seem like an awful lot to me.

The answer to #2? I really don't know. How do you feel about the money you earn as an entrepreneur? What about your staff? Do they ask for raises a lot, or have you lost staff to other higher-paying jobs? How do you deal with it?

What I do know however, is that most of these small business staff members (62% to be exact), although making less than desirable, feel that they are happier in the position they are in than going elsewhere (according to the same study). Which is great news for all of us entrepreneurs - motivating factors aren't always money, it seems. Thank goodness.

Technorati Tags: small business staff, wages, Gallup poll, money, SOHO, making money, income, copywriting, entrepreneurs, small business, home business, homebased business.

Posted by Bonny Albo

One of the hardest things for me to deal with as an entrepreneur is the isolation factor. Sure, I can work from almost anywhere - a fact I proved while traveling around the West Kootenay region of BC, Canada all summer. (Although I must admit that WiFi in the bush would have been REALLY helpful).

Even so, when I get down to it (copywriting) I find I work best with some outside distractions to help me focus more inwardly. Television works really well, as does a crowded coffee shop or library common area. Quiet, out-of-the-way places just make me feel out of touch with myself.

I realize I'm a bit of a weirdo in this respect; most people need peace, quiet and some zone-out tunes to get stuff done. Either way, when the times comes to focus, it's time to tune out. And tune out I do. For hours. Days, even.

So how do I make sure I'm not completely isolated from the world while working on a project, a goal, a stubborn issue, etc.?

I'll be honest: I'm still learning. Most work from home days are spent taking frequent walks and chat breaks. Some of the more seriously stressful days need heavy-duty results, and for those days I try my hand at:

EFT

EFT, or Emotional Freedom Techniques, is a form of acupressure and hypnosis rolled into one. Anyone can do it, anytime, and it only takes a couple of seconds once you've mastered the technique. A couple of, "Even though I am fighting isolation, I still love myself completely"-'s and I feel much better. Take a peek at the link above for a free online course on how-to.

Smile at Everyone You See

Gleaned from research I did for an eBook (How to Get 'That' Guy), I learned a great, easy trick to feel more connected to the people around me, even if I wasn't able to spend any time getting to know them or chatting about my day. All I had to do was smile. Lots. At everyone I saw, no matter what. And it couldn't be just a little, half smile. No, no. It had to be a beamer.

By smiling at everyone, I learned a lot about myself. The most striking lesson learned was about judgments. Who was I to determine if someone 'deserved' a smile or not? Just because the man was married, the woman looked homeless, or the family was trying to give me religious paraphernalia shouldn't matter. Should it? And yet, I was doing just that. Well, at first anyway. After a swift kick to the butt (figuratively of course), I started smiling again. Without judgment. Amazingly enough, people responded positively. I even had an attractive young man ask me out for a drink!

Technorati Tags: isolation, home based business, EFT, Kootenays, SOHO, entrepreneur blog, smiling, copywriting, entrepreneurs, small business, home business, homebased business.

Posted by Bonny Albo

The gross majority of the working population is nearing retirement (within the next 10 years, most experts predict, if all in the legislation-game stays the same). Large corporations, smaller businesses and experienced entrepreneurs will be hit equally hard, with few options available to recoup the expertise with other generations (such as my own, 30-something peers).

To deal with the upcoming exodus, Governing Magazine reported in their February 2006 edition that some companies are conducting "knowledge mapping" exercises, where employees state who they go to for specific pieces of information. Supposedly, this is an indicator of what gaps in service will need to be filled in addition to the position responsibilities, although some staff members are concerned instead that this reporting process may unintentionally weed out the people who aren't as gung-ho socially as others.

Although I freely admit that experience is a lovely addition to my business, most of the people I've employed or contract work out to over the years haven't been the boomers. Instead, single moms of my generation have been the largest recipients of work, with the under 25's comprising most of the remainder.

When I have worked positively and professionally with anyone in the boomer generation, it has been in a purely consultative or educational role. In my experience, the ties I've made to my parents' generation (from a business perspective, anyway) are useful and not easily found elsewhere - but - I'm sure that if I poked around the Internet, read a couple more books or took it upon myself to become the "expert" instead that the gaps in knowledge and experience would be covered quite nicely.

Is this somewhat disrespectful? Yes. I should be revering my elders, learning from their mistakes, sopping up their methods of doing business. But in a way, I find the 'retiring after 35 years of good service with a gold watch' world more historically-based than reality. And really, is doing the same thing for 35 years even healthy? I know I'd go crazy if there weren't some variety in my day-to-day activities - but again, this may be more indicative of my generation than me as an individual.

Posted by Bonny Albo

It wasn't until I took an entrepreneurship course that I found out what a Chamber of Commerce was. To be honest, I hadn't even heard of one before. I felt a bit silly, but after doing some research I decided that, in my area, I wasn't able to join at that time. Why?

Good question. At the time I was merely starting up a confectionary business (Chocolate Decadents was the name). My plate was full with start-up work, and with my family commitments and financial resources, I didn't feel the local Chamber really had much to offer me at the time, other than their resources for marketing purposes - which were all available for free. And since most of their information was available online, I didn't even step into their office once.

After moving to Calgary, Alberta, and starting (finally) my own freelance writing business, I looked into the Chamber of Commerce again - but not because I was interested in their membership services. Rather, I felt I needed a home-base in which to run the shop if I were to attract local oil and gas contracts (a substantial part of the work in the area). A friend of a friend advised me that the Chamber had rental offices, so I found their website and took a peek.

To my surprise, for only $200 CDN a month I could rent my own (shared) office, a receptionist, internet access, bookable meeting rooms, an answering service and fax number - all in a convenient downtown location.

The further I looked into the service, the better it felt. By joining I would not only have this rental opportunity, but I'd also have countless networking chances with a myriad of organized lunches, meetings and presentations.

But the clincher was the other, 'extra' fringe benefits the Chamber offered medium-sized, established businesses like my own: health and business insurance, travel vouchers, buying coops for large savings and so forth. I was hooked, and decided that once the financial benefits outweighed the cost, I'd join.

Have you used a Chamber of Commerce before? Was it successful? Did you renew your membership after the first year? What would you do differently? Did it help you politically to garner the business legislation your entrepreneurial venture required?

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