Exit The Corporate World and Enter The Entrepreneurial World

Exit The Corporate World and Enter The Entrepreneurial World - It’s Easier Than You Think

A few years ago I was sitting in my office at the hotel in which I worked wondering why it was 11:00 p.m. and I was still at work and not at home with my family. It was winter in Massachusetts – cold, dark and dreary. The Night Manager arrived about 11:30 p.m. and I drove home on desolate streets and crawled into bed exhausted. I had missed saying goodnight to my young daughter and my husband was peacefully snoring. I realized the best part of my life was happening without me being present – my family.
The next day, I gave my boss four weeks notice and quit. I had no idea what I was going to do, but I knew I was done making business decisions for someone else and making other people (mainly my superiors) successful.

Luckily, an opportunity landed in my lap that I couldn’t pass up and I took the leap into entrepreneurship. I bought an in-home tutoring franchise. I cleared a spot in my hallway, set up a makeshift office and dove into the unknown. I was successful and owned my franchise for three years before I sold it. I gained wonderful experience but disliked being associated with a franchise and paying monthly royalty fees. My family moved to California, I had another child and founded my own tutoring company.

Four years later, after establishing myself in my community and being very successful, I decided to mentor others who wanted to take the plunge and own their own company. I wrote a book, packaged it with a website, customized accounting software and marketing materials, found myself a wonderful publicist and began selling my business packages via the internet. After only five months, I have surpassed my forecast of how many packages I would sell. I have been featured in a major women’s magazine and have five more articles lined up with other publications between now and April. Several years ago, I never thought I would be working from home, making excellent money and mentoring others on how to begin a home-based business.

The transition for me was easy, but it was a difficult decision. I gave up my medical benefits and the security of a full-time job and a regular paycheck. I gained financial independence and the ability to work from home and apply my twenty plus years in Corporate America to establishing two companies. When others call me about buying one of my business packages, these are the questions I tell them to ask themselves:

1) Do you have enough financial security to survive for up to six months if you do not immediately make enough money to pay the mortgage and other expenses?
2) Is your business experience broad enough to enable you to make the best decision as to what skills you have that will make you successful as an entrepreneur?

3) What type of business is the best match with your skill set?

4) Do you have the ability to network and sell yourself and your new company, product, idea, etc?

5) Can you except rejection well and not let it pull you down and discourage you from forging ahead with your business idea or purchase?

6) Do you have a good support system in place, i.e. do you have a good attorney, accountant, and mentor?

7) Are you willing to take chances without the safety net of an employer? Can you think “out of the box” without constant reinforcement from co-workers or a “boss?”

8) Are you self-disciplined? Can you work independently, without set hours and not slip into an unhealthy routine of getting up late, floundering through the day and realizing you got nothing accomplished – are you a goal-setter?

9) Have you carefully thought about the realities of having some lean months and possibility not being able to afford the little luxuries that you once took for granted?

10) Will you miss the social aspects of working in an environment where you could easily interact with others?

Being an entrepreneur has some terrific benefits, but not everyone is well-suited for this type of lifestyle. Sometimes it gets lonely working solo. There is no office gossip or grapevine to share stories about your co-workers. (In the beginning there are no co-workers) There are days when the phone doesn’t ring. That sale you thought was a sure thing falls through. Clients or customers can be difficult and you are the customer service department, complaint department, accounting department and more. Sometimes it’s terrifying to think about what would happen if you failed. On the other hand, when you land a big client or make a big sale, it is euphoric and extremely fulfilling.

I have experienced some very tough days and weeks when I questioned my decision to strike out on my own. However, I have never regretted my decision. I could not report to anyone again. When I feel discouraged, I go and sit in the lobby of a hotel and watch the managers running around like I did. I go on the weekend when I know I don’t have to work, but they do.

A great feeling of satisfaction settles over me, even if I’ve had a bad week. To me, nothing could be worse than having my time scheduled by someone else.
When I am consulting with a prospective buyer of one of my packages, I ask them the ten questions noted above. It is vital for an individual to do some real soul-searching before making a commitment to be an entrepreneur.

Laurie Hurley is the President and Founder of Bright Apple Tutoring, Inc. a tutor referral service in Southern California. She is also the Founder and President of her newest company, Home Tutoring Business, a complete business package that assists others to start their own tutor referral service. Her packages include extensive and on-going mentoring and consulting to assist her clients to begin, grow and maintain their businesses. Laurie is available for media interviews and can be reached at info@hometutoringbusiness.com or by calling 1.888.847.0033

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3 Simple Steps For A Healthier Dog
We all want what is best for our pet. Yet sometimes because of your hectic schedules, we tend to put our dog’s care at the bottom of the list or it just becomes a habit of chores we perform every day without giving it much thought. We stumble out of bed in the morning, let the dog out, fill the water bowl, dump some food in the dish and go on with our daily routine. Let’s face it this can get very boring for you and especially for your dog.

In order to maintain your dog’s health there are really only three simple steps you need to follow:
1.A good diet
2.Plenty of fresh water
3.Exercise

A good diet is essential to your dog’s health. Be careful what you buy! Read the ingredients label not just the name of the dog food. An all natural dog food is what you should be looking for, not one that contains filler and by-products. Remember you get what you pay for. Although an all natural dog food may be more expensive, studies have shown that your dog will in almost all cases eat more of the “bargain brand” than the all natural, nutritious dog food. The “bargain brands” will pass through your dog more quickly because they do not contain as much of the daily nutrients your dog requires. This leads to your dog being hungrier more often and thereby eating more. Your dog will retain more of the nutrients contained in the all natural food which means they will be less hungry, have healthier coats, more energy and better overall health.

Give your dog plenty of fresh water. Change it as often as you can. A good rule to follow is that every time you get yourself something to drink, add new water to your dog’s bowl.

Exercise your dog daily. This is good for you also. Take long walks, throw a ball or stick around the backyard or park. Remember your dog’s cardiovascular system, heart and muscles need exercise just like yours.

About the Author

Jim De Fazio is the successful webmaster of www.natural-pet-supplies.com. A site that offers all natural food and supplies for your dog or cat.

It’s No Joke, Laughter is Awesome Medicine!
You go right ahead! Laugh and cackle to the point of losing your breath! Laughter has enormous amounts of health benefits ranging from affecting diabetes to lowering risks of heart attacks and everything in between!

In this modern world that we live in, full of medicinal remedies and medical breakthroughs, who would ever dream that something as simple as laughter could induce such amazing benefits to your health that could rival highly scientific compounds found in drugs of today?

The idea that laughter may have some serious benefits to our health may have been what spurned on many scientific research projects pertaining to the benefits of laughter on our bodies. Over the years, countless experiments have concluded with scientific data that laughter has one of the most astounding benefits for your health. We have heard about the positive impact animals and clowns have had on nursing home and terminally ill children. Scientists have taken that idea a step further. Experiments have been conducted on such things as type II Diabetes which is an increasing problem for many Americans today. A study done in Japan at the Foundation for Advancement of International Science, Bio-Laboratory, found that laughter helps regulate gene expression to help control type II Diabetes. This is a huge discovery. This means that laughter has such a homeopathic effect on even the gene expression on our DNA that perhaps if we were a happier sort the gene that causes type II Diabetes may possibly never be expressed. Granted, it will likely not take the place of insulin therapy, but it may be key in helping to prevent the disease.

Studies also suggest that laughter positively affects rheumatoid arthritis by affecting the level of the condition as well as psychological benefits in controlling stress and stress related conditions. Perhaps the biggest discovery, published by S. Karger AG, Basel, is that laughter is now being proven to alleviate some of the lasting effects of heart attacks such as less medication and fewer repeat attacks with humor therapy of just thirty minutes per day. Can you imagine the impact?

Go ahead and laugh. Point and giggle, do it with pride and do it for your health. You may be preventing Diabetes when you cackle aloud. You could be keeping yourself from having a heart attack or stroke when you belly laugh to the point of tears. It’s ok! It will be contagious and soon everyone around you will be laughing too. Life can sometimes be serious and tiring, but if you look around and can draw some laughter out of what may seem mundane you could possibly be helping your health. Learn a new joke and tell it to everyone you know no matter if you are a good joke teller or not! Join a Laughter Yoga class at your local ‘Y’ even! Go ahead, laugh! Your health can truly depend on it!

This article was written by Chad Ferguson of www.funnies.com/. Funnies.com is THE place to go for thousands of funny jokes, pictures, greeting cards and more. Laugh it up! Reproductions of this article are encouraged but must include a link back to www.funnies.com/

Still Life Photography In A Home Studio
Still life photography has a long dated history and goes back to ancient times where a camera obscuras where used. This type of still life was done by standing in a dark room and through a pinhole placed in the wall the outside world was projected onto the opposite wall, but it is given that they where shown upside down and in vivid color. So as it stands today, still life photography has the same concept and idea, but done a lot differently and much more hi tech. Still life photography in the home studio is an old and ancient form of art and very prestigious.

The beauty of having to do still life in the comfort of a home studio is that you can capture a certain mood you are looking for and express it on film. All that will be needed is any object or objects that strike you as beautiful, strange or even the most common thing found in or around your home. Add some unique lighting sources at different angles and you are well on your way to take a great still life photograph. It is easy to produce a very creative and beautiful picture because you have the control over all the elements in your studio.

The subjects of still life can convey a classic look and flowers do the perfect job for this look, they are extraordinary and very easy to photograph. This type of still life subject will always be a reminder of a simple but a powerful beauty that we see almost every day in a photo. To create a bold still life that gives off flair try placing your subjects on a white background. This will accentuate the color of the object and create a unison look overall in the photo. Remember - with still life photography - everything has a special beauty.

Albreht Moy offers framed fine art print collections on his website.

Get Free Publicity: Tips From The Experts
How can you get your story picked up by the media? The best answers to that question come from the producers, editors and journalists who decide which stories get coverage. Here are some of the best tips I have gotten from these experts.

Be familiar with the show/publication. Your pitch should be about how your story will work for them. Don't do a general pitch ("A story about dog training.") but suggest the segment the story would be right for, or what makes it right for them.

Don't take "no" personally. It may be that they have just done a similar story, or they can't fit it in, or it just isn't right for them. If you speak with someone, ask if they can suggest another show or publication where the story might work.

If at first you don't succeed, pitch again. But wait at least a month or two, and come back with a different angle, not exactly the same idea that got turned down.

Many now prefer e-mail pitches to fax. It is fast to review, and can be easily forwarded to several others. Faxes often pile up unread, but e-mail gets read.

Keep your e-mail short and to the point. DO NOT send any attachments, as they will be deleted unopened (if they get through at all). You can include a link to your Web site or online media kit where more information is available.

When you e-mail, make your subject line enticing. Using "Hi!" or something else that looks like spam will get it deleted without being read. Start with QUERY: or PITCH: then give a short, punchy headline.

One national TV show producer said that you didn't need to send video with your initial (mail) pitch, another said if you mailed a pitch with no video you wouldn't be considered. In either case, you will need a video of other TV appearances before you get on a national show, so be on the safe side and send it.

Local media are always looking for local experts to interview on a variety of topics. Send them your bio and credentials and they will keep you on file for the next time they need an expert in your field.

Remember that the media do not exist to give you free publicity. They are there to inform, educate and entertain their readers, listeners and viewers. Help them do that, and you will have many publicity opportunities.

Copyright Cathy Stucker. Want to know more about sending press releases? Get advice, resources, and the custom help you need to get free publicity at www.IdeaLady.com/pr.htm