We're in an economic downturn and jobs are getting cut everywhere as businesses tighten their belts and get ready for rough weather ahead. Newspapers are laying off staff, car makers are slowing down SUV and pickup truck production. It's the same wherever you look. But it still seems different somehow when it happens to Starbucks. The company announced that it's going to close 600 company-owned outlets across the United States. (This will eliminate about 12,000 jobs by the way. If you're one of those, you already know what this means to you.)

The news seems to have shocked a nation accustomed to layoffs and soaring food prices and $4.00 gas. The company's explosive growth has become a running joke in America. The Onion ran an article about Starbucks setting up outlets inside other Starbucks. In the dog-show mockumentary Best In Show, a couple relates how they met when she was in one Starbucks and noticed him in the Starbucks across the street. Whether you laughed or gnashed your teeth over it, the expansion of Starbucks into every available open space seemed a given.

Now that the company is seeing sales fall, no doubt some people will applaud the comeuppance of a corporate giant that has ground community coffee shops and culture between its massive corporate gears. These people should keep in mind that the company has more than 15,000 stores worldwide. You're still going to be within line of sight of a Starbucks from pretty much every point on earth.

But people who applaud the decline of Starbucks should consider that Starbucks is no Wal-Mart. Its growth wasn't nearly as destructive to the local small business coffee shop market as people think. In fact, it appears to have been the best thing that ever happened to that market. Last year, Slate ran a piece that examined what effect Starbucks had on mom and pop shops and found that their business actually increased when a Starbucks moved in across the street. Dramatically.

It wasn't that Starbucks wasn't trying to be the 800 lb. corporate gorilla. In the Slate piece the owner of a Los Angeles chain of coffee shops reported that Starbucks showed up one day, tried to buy him out cheap, and said if he didn't take their deal, they'd just come in anyway, put stores right next to all of his, and squash him like a bug.

That'll put the fear of God into pretty much anyone, so the owner called a friend, who happened to run the Seattle's Best Coffee chain. The friend reassured him this was going to be the best thing that ever happened to him, and indeed it was. Sales increased so much that he started following Starbucks around and putting in new stores next to theirs.

Why did this happen? Apparently because Starbucks increases the size of the market for premium coffee. And those new coffee drinkers sooner or later move beyond Starbucks to see what other shops might have to offer.

The key thing to keep in mind about Starbucks is that coffee used to cost a nickel. It came in a chipped white cup served in a diner somewhere by an old lady in a weird pink dress, and she'd keep refilling that cup for you forever. Coffee used to be a loss leader. It was largely Starbucks that took specialty coffees like lattes and espresso out of little ethnic cafes and introduced them to mainstream America. It was Starbucks that created the idea that a cup of coffee came with a bunch of other stuff in it, and was worth three bucks or more.

Once that idea was ingrained, it wasn't just Starbucks that profited from it. The rising tide Starbucks created raised all boats. The restaurant business has always been absurdly risky. Well over half of new restaurants fail in the first three years. The failure rate for coffee shops? Ten percent.

That's because, especially at Starbucks-style pricing, the markup on coffee is so high. It's a simple business to run and it's hard to fail. A lot of people who were squeezed out of the more traditional job market over the last couple decades and went "self-employed" did it by opening up coffee shops.

So if this is the end of the golden age of coffee, we've got a lot more to worry about than Starbucks. If hard times are making Americans rethink the Iced Frappucino, if they're going to go back to a cheap cup of joe to save money, then a lot of small businesses are going to suffer. Next time you're walking through your nearest commercial district, try counting the coffee shops. Then imagine them all closing. It should be pretty sobering, even if you don't like coffee.

Farmer's Markets

This is an ideal environment for selling handmade soap. You can usually rent a table for very little money on a Saturday morning and set up shop. One advantage of selling at a Farmer's market is that you're offering a local, handmade product and many people want to support products made by people in their local community. Plus, you'll get the chance to interact directly with customers and get valuable feedback on how your line can be improved. Be sure to carry a guest book with you for customers to leave their email addresses so you can contact them with special offers on your handmade soaps. This will allow you to build repeat business.

Craft Shows

Local craft shows are another place where handmade soaps sell briskly. This type of outlet will give you one-on-one interaction with your customer which can help you refine your product line. When you attend your first craft show, observe what types of soap customers pick up and comment on. Are they looking for particular scents? Don't be afraid to ask questions and make note of the answers. You'll soon learn which fragrances are most popular and can adapt your line accordingly.

Home Parties

Why not adapt the Tupperware home party concept to your soap business? Simply invite a group of friends to your home for refreshments and to view your collection of handmade soaps. Encourage each guest to bring along another friend and you'll soon have a full house. Serve light refreshments and display your soaps attractively around the room where you'll be meeting. You can even display a pretty glass bowl filled with warm water and let people test the soaps on their hands. There's nothing that sells soap quicker than giving people the opportunity to try it. At the end of the evening, recruit some of your guests to host their own handmade soap party. Emphasize that they'll get a free soap gift basket for doing so.

If you're serious about selling handmade soap, these are three of the best ways to get started. Why not give them a try?

An alternative to PPC advertising is the use of Shopping Portals. Some of the better known paid options here include Shopzilla, PriceGrabber, Nextag, and Shopping.com. There are also free options like Google Base. Below, I have listed three reasons why online shopping portals work great for the small business owner.

1. They Advertise For You

   These shopping portals actually advertise in PPC listings like Google Adwords. If you do a search for a typical product, it is very likely that you will find sites like Nextag or Shopzilla in the “sponsored” listings. While the small business owner may still want to devote some funds to PPC advertising, the fact that shopping portals handle it for advertisers makes things much easier.

2. Higher Quality Traffic

   Shopping portals still charge per click in most cases (SortPrice being one exception); however, the “clicker” who comes to your site through a shopping portal will in many cases be much more likely to buy than the “clicker” coming from a search engine. Shopping portals typically have specific pages for products with a picture and description. They then list the merchants using their service with the price and shipping cost for each merchant. The merchant is only charged if the potential customer clicks through to their online store. It should be obvious that this “clicker” has much more information and is much more likely to by when he makes that paid click than the “clicker” from the PPC search engine.

3. Buyers Like Them

   Who wants to spend all day sorting through all the search results on Google to compare prices on various products? Shopping portals allow potential buyers to find a product and then quickly see a number of merchants selling this product. The potential buyer is able to see the merchant's rating and reviews in addition to price and shipping cost. Few people will spend hours trying to save one more dollar when they have such information readily available.

Actual motivation means confronting and overcoming your doubts before coming to the fulfillment of your dreams. Your motivation has to span before, during & after you have started your business if you are able to accomplish this, you will be on your way to success and far away from the thousands of failed or bankrupt small business owners.

To conquer your doubts, you need not only to be motivated but to possess a realistic business idea before jumping into it.

Sources of Business Ideas

One better way to identify a business opportunity is by observation. Your ability, to observe the environment in which you live, and thinking through what you see, hears, smell, touch or feel, then you will be able to see Business opportunities staring & mocking at your Door. This can not be seen by an untrained eye. A Good Business Target could be an invention, of new product, services, an old idea or solutions. For example.

1. A Business Related to the Work You Do

   Your business idea may be an experience you had, or that which is related to the work you are doing or have done in the past and such experience can give you opportunity to Launch into an existing market.
   
   This is one easy way of getting into a Business since you already know you're Customers, Clients and how to locate them.

2. You Can Fill a Gap in the Market

   The word gap means a need or wants not satisfied in the market or service when ever there is such a need or wants then business opportunity exists, and unless a business fills a gap it can never succeed and I want to let you know that there are lots of Gaps waiting to be filled in the labour market. So, once you have identified a market gap, formulate a plan of action to acquire the opportunity with better timing.

3. Poor Delivery of Services or Products

   Your own business idea may be your ability to improve the quality of a product or service in the labour market. If you can find a solution people will be willing to pay for it. Try to find out what people dislike and complain about. For example, problem of business people, house wives, working wives, professionals, in relative to the existing Goods & Services.

4. Taking an Interest or a Hobby as a Business

   Talents or hobbies can serve as a Better source of a business idea. Take a look on what you enjoy doing and how it can satisfy human needs or want. An interest in entertainment, academics or sport etc can be a very Good Business Opportunity.

5. Technological Advancement

   As a result of introduction of new Technology such as internet, GSM and other service provider, you can then provide services that can fill this gaps created by the advancement of this Technological Business Opportunities.

6. High Price On Products and Services

   By observation and research you can find out whether a particular product or service is being over priced. And if you can provide such products or services to the market at a reduced price with a Good Quality, then you have a business opportunity.

7. Monopoly

   Your ability to discover a Monopoly in a market if not protected by law, you can establish a competitive products or services, as your business opportunity.

8. Adaptation or Imitation

   You may Borrow an idea from an existing products or services that already have a market, and then create a competitive products and services for them.

9. Invention of Product or Service

   Your Good Business Idea may be creating unexisting products or services to fill market gaps by using a new method that no one has ever implemented.

10. Failure of a Product or Service

    Failure of products and services may be as a result of so many reasons. But if you can identify why they failed irrespective of its available market. If you can provide a solution to that, then you are already setting up a business opportunity. Which ever idea one may have, insure that it fits your needs as an individual but it should not be far from Business proposals.

Questions You Need to Ask Yourself

Am I Ready?

Am I ready to be self-employed? Every one will likely answer yes, but insure that your yes is an honest ''yes'' before beginning your journey to entrepreneurship.It may be better for you to say that you are not ready, that starting a business that is too big for you to handle , at a certain stage. But if you know that you are not ready, take time & analyse it and take creative measure, you may need to do more research and planning or if you lack finance you find a way to look for money. In sure that you confront whatever situation on ground in Time. Avoiding, an External and Internal distraction which prevents you from devoting time to your business.

Your friends & family members may complain of not seeing progress at the initial stage, you must be prepared for this particular challenger more then others because it is a natural problem.

Do I Have the Starting Power?

Initially, you will have very hectic & frustrating time starting your own business since selling of your products and services, with delivery to your customers' satisfaction and maintaining the momentum of your start-up is concern.

So you might be required to put in twelve to Fourteen hours a day, seven days a week and such self sacrifice must be endured for any period it takes you to be successful. And must strive for more success, this is all about starting power.

Any one who can change, adapt and work hand will be successful, while those who can not will work for others for the rest of their life time.

Am I Prepared to Compete and Stand Out in the Market?

Different kinds of business fail from the first stage or few years after starting because of ignorance inexperience and carelessness, it is better to know the odds and planning against them is the some way to compete.

You should be using Handwork and persistence, timing, initiative, pricing product marketing, Economic situation, Favour and Luck are some of the factors that keeps every business. However, a failing economy, poor product or service, a saturated market place, lack of finance inexperience, or lack of demand, even personal problems any threaten the survival of a Business.

With this you should reveal whether you are ready to think about your own business structure or not.

1. I'm too old to get rich

   Ray Kroc, creator of the McDonald's franchise was over 50 years old when he earned his first millions. He was a simple food machineries salesman when he bought the small burger house from the McDonaldbrothers in New York City, the brothers incurred huge debt that they decided to give up their burger store and venture in another business. Ray Croc reinvented the food store into franchising and began expanding his territory all over the US and then-to the world. Now Mc Donald is one of the most admired companies in the world with more than 200,000 outlets. Dr. William Welch, the founder of Welch 100% Grape Juice was a rural health physician who switched to dentistry. He was 60 years old when he realized that he can earn huge money by extracting juice rather than pulling teeth. At first, while maintaining a dental clinic in Baltimore, USA, Welch utilized his time in reading books about fermentation process (introduced by French Bacteriologist Louis Pasteur) with his wife. Then he started the draining process of extracting Grapes in their kitchen.
   
   He first introduced his product to their Methodist Church to use as a ceremonial drink, the words spread to neighboring towns about the goodness of pure Grape Juice. Eventually it flourished and Dr. Welch decided to leave his profession to devote more time in his juice business. He then bought a piece of land to plant Grapes, now the plantation is well known as Concord. Today, the product boasted recognition when American Heart Association endorses the Welch 100% Grape Juice as an ideal drink which helps prevent heart problem because of Resveratrol (an antioxidant known for the prevention of cardiovascular disorder present in the Grapes).
   
   John Grisham, Hollywood's blockbuster writer became multimillionaire when he was 45 years old, that's when he left his job as a criminal lawyer and concentrated on writing suspense books. His published paperbacks managed to be included in the best-sellers record of New York Time Magazine and became instant hits among Hollywood producers. Grisham's first movie blockbuster hit was “The Pelican Brief” starring Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington followed by “The Firm” which starred Tom Cruise. Grisham used his expertise in legal profession to make his writing works a truly believable plot.

2. I'm too young to get rich

   Bill Gates, the second richest man in the world (for a record of 10 years, Gates, hold the distinction as World's richest man, until fortune Magazine published in March 2008 that the number one spot was dominated by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim Helu, a telecommunication moguls in Latin America), was only 23 years old when he started his Microsoft business. By the time he dropped out from the prestigious Harvard University where he took up Commerce, William Henry Gates Jr. already made up his mind to concentrate in his information technology empire. He first teamed up with another computer wizard Paul Allen, but later on decided to establish his own business. Paul Allen, however, remained his partner and became a self-made billionaire; he is currently in the top 30 list of richest people in the world.
   
   Lee Ka Shing, Hongkong's wealthiest man was 21 years old when he began making money. His family moved to Hong Kong when the civil war in China broke up in 1930's. When he was 14 years old his father died living his younger siblings under his care, he accepted different odd jobs, when he turned 20 he joined a direct selling business, it prospered and the boy who once did door to door selling to earn a living became a millionaire at 21. He did not go to college but his eagerness to leave a mark in the business industry fueled his desire to compete against well-educated individuals in the business world. Presently, he is the richest man in South East Asia and ranked number 9 in the world, based in the 2008 listing of Forbes Magazine (note: he is the only person from South East Asia who is in the top 10 ranking of world's richest people in Forbes).

3. I have no capital

   Did you know that Lucio Tan, the Philippines richest man was a poor boy from China? His family migrated in the Philippines when he was 4 years old. He was a working student at Far Eastern University, Manila, where he took up Chemical Engineering and part timed as janitor in nearby oil company. He was diligent and industrious who valued time, after passing the chemical board exam he worked full time as a chemist, then he started his own company. According to Panorama Magazine (1994 issue), Mr. Tan's secret ingredient to success is hard work. He personally worked in his business until wee hours. He is a simple person who wears only barong during important business functions even after he transferred to the glitzy subdivision-Forbes Park. His business empire includes Allied Bank, PNB, PAL, Asia Brewery, La Tondeña Distillery, Pentagon Electronics, Virginia Tobacco, among others. He is listed as the 415th richest man in the world by US based business magazine Forbes and ranked 12th in South East Asia.
   
   Philippine's second richest man Henry Sy (14th richest man in South East Asia), is a son of a poor Chinese immigrant, so poor that when he first set foot in the Philippine soil he was Shoeless, when he became of age he went to Manila and lived with Chinese traders. He first worked as assistant in a shoe factory then put his own shoe shop, with perseverance, his shoe shop prospered, later became Shoe Mart which known SM CITY today. His business empire grew so fast that he competed with Asia's traditional businessmen in establishing shopping malls, the latest addition; SM mall of Asia is the 3rd largest mall in the world thrilling behind West Edmonton Mall in Alberta, Canada and Golden Resources Mall in Beijing, China.
   
   Another poor man who captured the world's imagination was Benjamin Franklin, American statesman, writer and inventor. He was the youngest child in the brood of 16. Though his parents owned a candle shop in Boston, Massachusetts, the mean income could not support comfortably with the whole family. Young Benjamin did not think much of food and what to eat because he had been told not to do so, he hardly eat delicious food. His older siblings had large appetite and would jam the table even before Ben could occupy his chair. When he realized that his father could no longer afford to send him to school, he decided to work in his brother's printing shop. Much of his earnings went to books. He adored poetry and short stories. Amidst poverty, young Ben dreamed big things; he practiced writing, though he did not know the very basic of that profession. Then his brother started beating him cruelly, this prompted Ben to run away, with little bucks left in his pocket, he stole down to Boston harbor and went to New York City. Ben had nothing except clean t-shirt and the pants he wore. In New York, he was not accepted for any work, so he went to Philadelphia, because he had no money to pay for the transportation, he endured the long miles walking the rocky roads and sleeping at the fields at night, by the time he reached Philadelphia he was tired, dirty and hungry.
   
   Benjamin accepted odd jobs and work day and night until he earned enough money to support his schooling. Later in his colorful journey, he founded his own printing shop, invented the first gas stove, published stories and became America's most celebrated statesman.(trivia: When Benjamin owned a company, he noticed a young man, 14 years his junior, who was prone to failures despite his aggressiveness in work, though this young man armed with undisputed talent, intellect and strengths, he was easily intimidated and discouraged with slightest mistakes. Benjamin decided to train this man and making his own struggles in life as example, he taught him how to conquer odds, the result was remarkable, this man became an asset of the company which later on made him a successful professional, he later on quit his job and joined politics, but the great lesson Benjamin Franklin taught him never fade in his mind and he used it as his springboard as he soared high in his career. That young man was none other than James Madison, who became the fourth US President. It's amazing to know that his great teacher in life was a poor stow away boy from Boston who once endured walking a rocky road, tired and dirty just to reach his dreams.
   
   J.K. Rowling, Blockbuster writer of The Harry Potter series, made her humble beginning as a college secretary then a French language professor at the Edinburgh University in Scotland. By the time she was divorced from her first husband she had lost her job, she and her only child, a daughter, lived in a small cottage in Edinburgh City and would often ate in a charity kitchen. One time she traveled to Manchester City in England through a rail way transit and saw young children playing in the suburb area, this inspired her to write the initial plot of Harry Potter. Her manuscript rejected 12 times until Bloomsbury, a small publishing company in suburb England accepted it with one condition-that she will changed her name from Joanne to J.K(stands for Joanne Kathleen-Kathleen is her grandmother's name) to camouflage her gender.
   
   In a male dominated society like Britain, women usually endure a painful discrimination getting youngsters market. The publication feared that the target market of Harry Potter might not patronize the book if they'll find out that it's written by a female. Jo Rowling created such impact that it became an instant hit, by the time the reading public knew the true identity of the writer it had gone a long way to the best-selling list of the international poll for new generation books and signed up to a British major movie outfit. Presently, J.K Rowling is listed in Forbes Magazine as the wealthiest author in the Entertainment Industry (she currently ranked 700th richest person in the world). She is considered also as the richest woman in Great Britain (Queen Elizabeth II had been excluded in the poll, because her wealth is tied up to her position as the current ruling monarch). Money does not count in the beginning, what matter most is one's ability to pursue specific goals.

4. I'm not educated

   Great American inventor Thomas Alva Edison did not go to college and so Alfred Nobel, a Swedish born scientist who invented dynamite, in fact Nobel had no orthodox training in chemistry when he started experimenting home-made bombs. He was a son of a Swedish Engineer who maintained a laboratory for explosives. The Late Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis who almost owned the world in mid 60's with his vast fortunes, had no formal college education. South Asia's richest man Li Ka Sing was a high school drop out. Though they were not educated in the real sense of the word, they were personally knowledgeable on the field they excelled.

5. I'm not gutsy

   Alfred Nobel was often described by his family as a shy, grown up man who is afraid of meeting people. He didn't marry, however, there was one legend that tells that Alfred Nobel once proposed to a sweet Swedish girl but was turned down because she preferred another man, a Swedish great Mathematician, Nobel took the rejection terribly that he decided not to propose to any woman again (the story remained a legend). He won't join the group and would confine in his father's laboratory for the rest of the day (his father, an Engineer, owned a laboratory who experimented explosives), before his death in December 10, 1896 he instructed his most trusted secretary to split his millions to various charity and founded Nobel Prize, the highest award giving body for human achievement in the world.
   
   (Trivia: Alfred Nobel's hatred for that mathematician rival lasted for a life time. When he drafted his last will testament, he strongly pointed out that no mathematics field shall be included in the Nobel Prize Award. The 20th century great mathematician, Albert Einstein won the Nobel Prize in 1921, because there was no mathematics category, he was awarded in the Physics division for his resilient work in photo electric effect. It made controversies however, because at that time his famous work was the Law of Relativity, but the Nobel Prize Award committee doubted this theory because of insufficient evidence, he was advised to prove more work on Relativity [which he perfected many years later]. The committee played safe by giving Einstein recognition in Photo Electric Effect instead.)
   
   King George VI of England was tremendously shy, he suffered nervousness and often stammered in public which irritated his father George V. The timid monarch, who was known to his family as Bertie and The Duke of York before his surprise accession in 1936, never attended parties except for important royal functions. He once confided to his wife how much he hated social gatherings. When his older brother, David, told him that he planned to abdicate, Prince Bertie, who dreaded the idea of becoming King and carry the weight of the crown under his fragile shoulder, rushed to his mother's room Queen Mary and broke in tears, which he recorded in his diary as “I cried in my mother's lap for an hour like a poor child” (source: The Royal Sisters by Anne Edwards)
   
   He became king on the abdication of his brother King Edward VIII on December 11, 1936. Edward, who was known to his family as Prince David, chooses to marry the twice divorced American woman Wallis Simpson. The British constitution prohibited the monarch from taking a divorce woman as consort. Edward VIII voluntarily rendered his unforgettable abdication sending his shy brother to the throne. King George VI (he died in his sleep on February 1952 from coronary thrombosis) reign for 16 years and with the help of his gallant Prime Minister William Churchill and his Queen consort Elizabeth Bowes Lyon (known as the Queen Mother after her daughter's accession in 1952), surpassed World War II with amazing victory. Great Britain became known as one of the most powerful and richest nations in the world. The British subjects adored and praised George VI honesty and leadership over his stammering habits and shy nature.
   
   Even the world's most adored fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen was a shy man who had inferiority complex. His inferior nature was rooted in his childhood. When he was a little boy growing up in a Danish village, he suffered many rejections among his playmates who sometimes bet themselves if Hans was a male or a female. Even his own family had little hopes for him. Hans would hide among trees and barns to write stories and eat alone. Amidst the rejection, Hans determined to become famous.
   
   When he was 19 he went to Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, he auditioned to become an actor, but the theater owner rejected him for not being good looking, he didn't lose hope and tried several times but the result was the same. Thinking he would never qualify as a performer, he switched to another passion: writing. His effort paid off, one of the playwrights gave him a chance and accepted his plays. During Hans' time playwrights were valued more than ministers and businessmen and they were often invited to royal palaces to entertain aristocracy and royalty. This paved the way for Hans's greatness, in one of his plays; the King's counselor offered him a scholarship and a place in the palace. Many years later Hans Christian Andersen became famous through out the world. His very popular fairytale story “The Ugly Duckling” many said, was the fairytale of his life. His fairytale books are known today as “stories that never grow old”.

6. It's too late

   According to a Psychology expert, the phrase “too late” is the most terrible concept that ever landed in every human's brain. There's no such thing as too late, he said, because you can start at any point in your life, after all, success does not depend on the chronological age of a person; it is based on one's perspective and ability to create a concrete goal. Hollywood Actress Jane Fonda once said, “Never too late to start, never too late to begin”, she was 52 then and had just married CNN Tycoon Ted Turner. Italian astronomer Galileo, the father of modern physics who discovered the law of pendulum and falling bodies, published his last book at the age of 70 four years before he contacted blindness (important note: Galileo died in the birth year of another great physicist Isaac Newton, known to the world as the father of modern science).
   
   Hollywood actor Paul Newman leads his team to victory in a car racing event in Italy when he was 82 years old. American writer Steve Berry; became a best-selling author at the age of 45. His first published book “The Amber Room” suffered 80 rejections before it was finally accepted on his 81st submission. The book became a best-seller. Yes, it is possible…and we don't need to rob a bank, kidnap a millionaire, or be slave abroad just to earn money. What we need is the ability to learn and adopt new things and be equipped with 2 basic business functions-marketing and innovation, plus the principle of US President Theodore Roosevelt-Determination and Persistence.
   
   But if these things fail despite your effort to succeed, don't you ever think that wealth is everything. While aiming big money is fine there are still best things in life that cannot be reciprocated by any amount: true friends, love ones, family, satisfaction, happiness, fulfillment and peace of mind. All these things operate outside the world of money. Some of the loneliest people in the universe are those who have billions in their accounts. While money plays an important role in our survival, self-belongingness and genuine happiness always count most in the over-all sense. Wisdom often leads us to greatness.

Iran has threatened to cut off the Straits of Harmuz if Israel attacks them.

That would drive a barrel of oil over $300.

What the hell is going on?

You've heard all the story, we're running out of gas, the Chinese and Indian markets are buying cars and need gas for their millions of automobiles that are coming on line. Our SUVs are burning gas on the road by the tons.

Whatever reason you want to believe in, it doesn't really matter to you. You've got to reach into your pocket and pay for that gas at the pump.

If you're a small business person, it's going to hurt your bottom line really bad.

What can you do?

You can do a lot and start you, your company and your employees get ready for it now.

First of all, do a little audit of your situation.

Do you have company vehicles?

How much of your sales depend on traveling to see your customers?

Do you have employees that travel more than thirteen miles to work?

What can you do?

Company Vehicles

Okay, let's say you have five or more vehicles in your organization.

1. Consider putting computer systems into your vehicles in order to follow using GPS systems where your vehicles are going. This way you can keep and control where the vehicles are doing.
2. Plan out routes for your vehicles in order to save distance and gas usage. Planning the routes will show you the best and quickest way of getting to your customers and
   
3. Make sure that your drivers are driving within the speed limit. Remember that any miles over the speed limit can burn needed car fuel. Keep it 55 or under and save fuel.
4. Control the drag on your company vehicles. Eliminate the drag if you've got pickups and other open vehicles make sure that the items they carry are not creating drag on the vehicle.
5. Keep your tires inflated to the right amount. It sounds corny but it works and helps you save.

Employees

You can help your employees by holding meetings and teaching them way of saving gas for their own vehicles.

1. You can teach them to keep their tires properly inflated.

   Again, it sounds corny but it works.

2. Car Pool.

   It's simple and can be done immediately.

3. Teach Employees how to save gas in their driving methods.

   Keep the lead foot off the pedals and don't hit the brakes too much.

4. Help them plan out their days.

   If they have errands to run before and after work, help them design the routes that will save them gas and waste.

5. Digitize your office.

   Can you have your employees do the same work from home by computers? If so think about going Digitizing your office. Help Employees set up offices at their homes. Assist them in getting the needed material; internet hook ups, computers, cameras and so forth.

6. Four Day Work Week.

   Cutting back the time that your employees need to drive to and from work will save them money and give them an extra day to accomplish other things.

These are just a few things that can be done to make that $5 a Gallon bite not be that big and help you and your employees survive. You don't need this to become a negative and possibly destroy your business and your employees. You can continue to work and keep your employees surviving this new era that we are entering. This is not going to be just a few months and then poof! We go back to where we were before. We're never going back. It's a new era, a new life style.

We need our government and leaders to get into a new mindset when it comes to our fuel and energy sources.

Detroit needs to start changing its ways and develop cars that we need today that will get forty miles or more to the gallon.

You the small to medium size business person needs to adapt. It's just part of the new evolution in business. You need to have an energy policy ready to go.

 

I am sure we have all been there and that scenario is nerve racking enough. Now imagine if I had walked into that office with a wrinkled suit, messed up hair, and completely unshaven. The chances of getting a second interview, let alone a job offer would have been near zero.

Well years later I was on the other side of the interview process. For three years I was responsible for interviewing potential candidates to fill positions in my department. Much to my surprise I was flabbergasted to see the number of candidates that would walk through the door as if no one ever showed them how to dress.

It was simply amazing. Candidates that walked through the door wore wrinkled suits, to some not even wearing suits, to sporting nice new sneakers, yes I said sneakers, to one person who walked in wearing shorts and sandals. Maybe they had our job interview mixed up with something else. And after quizzing them on what we did, they probably did come in for the wrong job.

Needless to say, ladies and gentlemen, that although the days are long gone of your father's type of company where everyone wears suits and works a nine to five shift, there is not a quicker way to be disqualified from a job position (short of lying on your application) then to dress inappropriately for the interview.

Here are a couple of quick tips that I recommend. Dress as if you are going to a funeral. Yes I know it sounds morbid but it is true. Would you disrespect a friend or relative by showing up in bad clothing? No of course you wouldn't. You would dress in a nice dark suit, cleanly pressed, with a nice tie and shoes. You would be clean shaven and of course well groomed.

It might not be the nicest way of putting it but sometimes when people just do not get it, you have to put it in terms they will understand.

 

And for crying out loud, men trim those fingernails!

What type of hair accessories are easiest to sell to hair salons? Good sellers are decorated hair sticks and forks as well as unusual pony tail holders and beaded combs. These accessories are usually quick and easy to make and if they differ from what's found at local department stores and other outlets they should sell very quickly in a salon setting.

The best way to test the market for handmade hair accessories in your area is to purchase a few combs or hair sticks from your local craft or bead store and make up some samples. Print out a professional looking price sheet on your computer and make an appointment at local salons to show your merchandise. To sell hair accessories, approach retailers like a professional with a carrying case and a display board to present your handmade items in their most attractive light. Presentation is critical to getting the order. If the salons don't want to order your hair accessories outright, you may want to offer to sell to them on a consignment basis where you would pay them a certain percentage after each item sells.

Once you have your first order, search the internet for “wholesale hair accessories” and purchase the necessary supplies in larger quantities at the best wholesale prices you can get. If you use beads in your designs, you can also find a variety of wholesale bead resources online. Once you have an order, deliver the goods on time to show you're a professional and not just an amateur dabbling in hair accessory design.

To expand your business, approach more hair salons and consider setting up a website to display your goods. You can also sell hair accessories in an online gallery such as beadiest.com as well as display your hair accessories at craft shows, festivals, and farmer's markets. You could even rent space at a local mall on a busy Saturday and demonstrate your hair accessories at a kiosk.

When you sell hair accessories, you have lots of outlets for your creations with less competition than you'll encounter in the handmade jewelry market. Why not give this fun business idea a try?