Lessons Learned From The Gambler

With all the jamming that we've been doing, I was listening to Kenny Rogers' The Gambler. Inspiration comes in strange places. I bet you never thought there would be business lessons learned from The Gambler. OK some people think gambling is a business. The Gambler set out to make a lot of money. Whether you want to make money online or offline, the bottom line is the same. The bottom line is to earn money and lots of money!

First thing is to build your capital. Do whatever it takes to make enough money that you can successfully start a business. Just like the Gambler, you don't want to go to the table with 12 cents. You are looking for failure. Take on a job just to make enough money that you can put away for starting your business. Or if you are already in business, put enough in savings before you expand. Like I've said here before, you need to divide the money you have coming in or that you make online into five sections. Then you have the money you need without risking anything. It will be slow at first, but it will pay off. Make a plan.

Let's say you start off with $500. Not a lot of money but possible to start an online business. You keep reinvesting your money into the business until you reach 20 times that amount. In this case, that would be $10,000. Now you have enough money to make an expansion of your business or move to the next step in your business without risking your initial investment. If you start off with more money multiply it by 20 to get your target for the next phase.

Test your plan. If it is successful, repeat the test. Continue testing and repeating your plan as you build your income. If the test is unsuccessful, adjust your plan. It is easier to make adjustment while the business is small. The refinement of your plan makes for a smoother running business. The worst thing that could happen is that you end up spending a few hours of your time and end up with no profit. It's better than risking lots of money and losing everything. Track your progress. Sure it takes time to track, but it's better to know where you are than realizing too late that you've lost everything.

If you end up with no profit after you have made your plan, tested it and adjusted it. Quit! You still have your original investment. In the words of Warren Buffet about the stock market, "Never lose money." His second rule is "Never forget Rule #1." As Kenny Rogers said, "If you''re gonna play the game, boy, ya gotta learn to play it right. You got to know when to hold em, know when to fold em, Know when to walk away and know when to run." So take your money and move on to the next business opportunity. Make your plan, test, adjust and repeat. Never give up as long as you retain your initial investment, you're ahead of the game.

Every business is a winner and every business is a loser. Just like the Gambler, you have to learn what part of your plan is the part that is working and what part to throw away and adjust. That is the secret to surviving in business.

If you're doing good and making a profit, stick with it. If you have the advantage, know when it's time to pull the money out. You are always using some of your capital or profit toward building your business. Never forget, the road to success is always under construction. Building a business and making money online requires patience. Keep it low key until you're flushed with money and you have the advantage. Sieze the day!

When the dealing is done, it's time to count the money. Hope you find an Ace that you can keep.

Google Move Over?

Well as soon as one business is built another rises up under to try to outs the other businesses. So goes it with online technology and business.

I have to tell you about a new search engine that launched today claiming to be better than Google? Cuil launched today. The Cuil founders, former wizards at Google, IBM, and other techs took $33 million from venture capitalists to form Cuil. Cuil is an old Irish Celtic word for knowledge. Looking for knowledge, ask Cuil.

Check them out. They have a different format which is cool. Not all sites are in there yet so if you are looking for something it may not be there. I tried a couple and didn't find them. They say they search for and rank pages based on their content and relevance. When they find a page with your keywords, they stay on that page and analyze the rest of its content, its concepts, their inter-relationships and the page’s coherency. Then they offer you helpful choices and suggestions until you find the page you want and that you know is out there. I found this search engine lacking but it is the first day. Sites that I knew were out there, it couldn't find even when I gave it the exact site. It is the first day and may take a little while to get it going.

If you have a website, get out there and submit to their search engine.

CPR On Yourself

What are you to do if you have a heart attack while you are alone.

If you've already received this, It means people care about you.

The Johnson City Medical Center staff actually discovered this and did an in-depth study
on it in our ICU.

The two individuals that discovered this then did an article on it, had it published and have had it incorporated into ACLS and CPR classes.

It is very true and has and does work. It is called cough CPR.

A cardiologist says it's the truth. My cardiologist said it saved my life!

If everyone who gets this sends it to 10 people, you can bet that we'll save at least one life.

It could save your life!

Let's say it's 6:15 p.m. And you're driving home (alone of course), after an usually hard day on the job.

You're really tired, upset and frustrated.

Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out to your arm and into your jaw.

You are only about five miles from the hospital nearest your home.

Unfortunately you don't know if you'll be able to make it that far.

What can you do?

You've been trained in CPR but the guy that taught the course didn't tell You what to do if it happened to yourself.

Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, this article seemed to be in order.
Without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint,

Has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness.

However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously.

A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest.

A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again.

Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and
keep the blood circulating.

The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital.

Tell as many other people as possible about this, it could save their lives!

From Health Cares, Rochester General Hospital via Chapter 240s newsletter 'AND THE BEAT GOES ON ' (reprint from The Mended Hearts, Inc. Publication, Heart Response)

BE A FRIEND AND PLEASE SEND THIS ARTICLE TO AS MANY FRIENDS AS POSSIBLE

Turn Back Time

Since the beginning of time, we have been looking for the fountain of youth. Have you noticed those crows feet starting to appear? Wrinkles under your eyes?

Now our products are for both men and women. They make you look and feel up to 10 years younger within minutes of your first application.

It's a bitter pill to swallow, but experts now believe that a lifetime of overeating sugar can make skin dull and wrinkled plus the natural process of aging. Aging is a fact of life. Why not age with grace? Grow old gracefully. We can be the best we can be without harming ourselves with face lifts and eye tucks.

According to Fredric Brandt, MD, a dermatologist in private practice in Miami and New York City, most vulnerable to damage: collagen and elastin, the protein fibers that keep skin firm and elastic. In fact, collagen is the most prevalent protein in the body. Once damaged, springy and resilient collagen and elastin become dry and brittle, leading to wrinkles and sagging. These aging effects start at about age 35 and increase rapidly after that. Those suffering from diabetes, over exposure to the sun and alcohol may notice these effects sooner because they deplete our body's natural antioxidant enzymes. There is good news, now something can be done about it. It's never too late to turn back the hands of time.

Here, five steps to a natural glow from the inside-outside to keep your skin looking its youngest:
1. Curb your sweet tooth. I know it's hard to eliminate all sweets. Even whole grains, fruits, and vegetables turn to glucose but it's the added sugar that is worse.

Try to limit your sugar to no more than 10% of your diet. That's about 160 calories or a one 12 oz. can of Coca-Cola or six Hersey's Kisses for the average woman. To find out exactly for you you can go to http://fitday.com/

Watch for hidden sugar in food. Many prepared foods contain hefty amounts of sugar—but it's hidden under aliases—including barley malt, corn syrup, dextrose, fruit juice concentrate, maltose, maple syrup, molasses, and turbinado—on ingredient panels. The key is determining how many teaspoons of sugar each serving contains. Doing this is easy: Check the nutrition label for sugars, which are listed in grams under total carbohydrates, and then divide that number by 4 (each teaspoon of sugar is equal to 4 g) to convert it to teaspoons. For example, if sugars are listed as 12 g, you're getting 3 teaspoons of sugar per serving.

Avoid high fructose corn syrup. This type of sweetener, which is made by changing the sugar in cornstarch to fructose (another form of sugar), is believed to produce more age damaging than other types. Because high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) extends the shelf life of foods and is sweeter and cheaper than other sugars, it's a popular ingredient in soda, fruit- flavored drinks, and packaged foods such as breads, crackers, and other snacks. You can spot it in ingredient lists on nutrition labels.

2. Adding a supplemental vitamin of B1 and B6 which are plentiful in food, however taking a multivitamin—most of which deliver at least 1 mg of both Bs—ensures you're getting the daily value of 1.1 mg for B1 and 1.3 mg for B6 (1.5 mg after age 50).

3. Wear SPF 30 sunscreen every day. It adds protection from the sun to your skin. Some moisturizers and mineral makeup provide this. A good mineral makeup can be had from Empower Me Team or Prosper From Home.

4. Employ an inside-outside approach to antioxidants. These free-radical fighters help keep sugar from attaching to proteins, by replenishing their supply—both by eating more antioxidant-rich fruits such as cranberries, nuts such as walnuts, almonds, cashews and macadamias, and vegetables such as Asparagus, Avocado (limit use per week because of high good fat), Beets, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celery Chard, Chicory Chile Peppers Chinese Cabbage Chives Collards Cucumbers, Eggplant, Fennel, Garlic, Greens, Kale, Kelp, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Okra, Onions, Parsley, Radishes, Red Bell Peppers, Scallions, Sea Vegetables, Spinach, Squash and Tomatoes, and by applying topical antioxidants such as green tea and vitamins C and E are a real skin saver.

5. Use new products like Ageless that stop, repair, and disguise signs of ageing. See and feel the rejuvenating effects of Glycosaminoglycans, Elastin, and Collagen as they firm and tighten your skin. These key ingredients also help to moisturize your skin by increasing your skin's hydration levels, essentially "plumping" the skin to help fill in wrinkles and make you look younger. Experience the immediate results as you look and feel up to 10 years younger within minutes.

You can reverse the aging process and revitalize your skin back to its youthful radiance and beauty. These ingredients condition the renewal and production of new cells, while helping to improve and eliminate skin imperfections including discoloration, age spots, and rough texture to reveal clearer, more radiant looking skin that continues to improve with each application.

My Mother started using this and people are asking her, "How do you keep looking so young?"

Are you ready to start turning back the hands of time and defying your age? Ageless to Rejuvenate your lifestyle as a SWAT Mom. or looking to earn additional money online, go here. Swat-Mom's Ageless

Lessons Learned from Johnny Cash

We've been jamming tonight and listening to JC - no other than the late great Johnny Cash. Inspiration comes from strange places. Here's what I've learned for new swats.

1) Understand Your Man ...er, your product (your biz)! Huh hum Do you know it's strengths and weakness? Do you know all it can do? Do you have a passion for your biz - the needs, the target market, the hopes and desires your biz and products have? You have about 10 seconds to capture the attention of the audience that comes your way. Then they are gone to the next site they can find. Learn your biz/products. The key to understanding your audience is to know and be committed to your biz/products. People are more willing to try your products if you know them inside and out. Remember your man stands beside you because you made the commitment to understand your man. It's the same with business.

2) A Boy Named Sue - Life isn't always easy for a swats. You gotta be prepared. Don't let anyone steal your dream from you or steal your thunder. Many will try to sway you away from your dream or target, you have to stand your ground and know when it's time to fight for your products and biz. Having goals and a plan for your business, ensures that you will make it. Like the song says, "This world is rough, and if you're gonna make it, you've gotta be tough." Your business requires you to get tough about your biz. Not in a forceful way but with gentle strength. My Tae Kwon Do Grandmaster said, "Train tough!" It's the same with business. Mom's we know how to do this, it's like when you have to be firm with the kids. Who wins out if you don't?

3) The Man In Black could be called Branding 101 JC - Johnny Cash wore all black because it was his trademark. He had a reason for dressing in black. When you saw him in black, you knew or quickly knew what it was. How do you separate your business from the sea of businesses that flood the market place? What is the reason for people to do business with you vs. the other guys? You just have to have a way to connect with your audience. What is your connection?

4) The Legend of John Henry's Hammer - John Henry's Daddy told him to: "Learn to a turn a jack, learn to lay a track, learn to pick and shovel too." Same with your business. Learn everything you can about your business. If you are trying to make money online, then make sure you learn all you can about Internet Marketing. What's the point in having a business online if you don't know how to market online? Computers and the Internet are great, but it can't take the place of the human touch. The movie "Wall-e" makes this point. See how Walle and Eve interact. Learn to use technology to increase your business but know that it needs a human touch. Here is a summary on YouTube.


5) One Piece at a Time - Stealing one piece at a time from the assembly line to build a Cadillac without costing him a dime didn't turn exactly how it should look. I know there are gurus that say they steal from other sites to create their site and make money. 9 times out of 10, the website looks like a piece of crap. Does your website look like it's pieced together site or does it look smooth and working like a well oiled machine? Read your website, does it flow? KISS = keep it simple swat!

6) In The Jailhouse Now - Don't forget to keep records and pay your taxes. No Spamming. No Cut and Paste other's content. It's one thing to get inspiration from others, it's another to steal their site. No stealing graphics. No clicking on your Adsense ads to increase your income. None of these are worth it. It's better to just Walk The Line.

7) Ring of Fire - If you find that your business is not right for you, don't be afraid to cut it lose and start over. Making money online doesn't have to put you in a Ring of Fire, it's better that you leave a burning path to your site. Better to find your soul mate in making money online and spend 40 years making beautiful music than to keep hitting your head and money against a brick wall. Your business is just like another person - it becomes a living breathing creature. As such, it deserves to have it's best life. So do both a favor and give life to both of you.

What kind of music are you creating with your making money online? Hope it tops the charts!

If you need a little help to Walk The Line along the way, check out
Empower Me Team or Prosper From Home

When all else fails, you can be like Kenny Roger's in The Gambler check out the Forex Market listed below.

Making Money From Hobbies

Did you ever think that you could make money online from your hobbies? What kind of hobbies do you have? What kind of hobbies would you be willing to learn to make money online? How much time would you spend on your hobbies?

I spend about 20 minutes a week on mine and it has a six figure income. Of course, it didn't start out that way. Now I just manage it.

The first thing you need to decide is what kind of hobbies do you like. You may have several but not all hobbies will make you money. Of course, some can.

Do like to paint? Do you like to sing? You don't have to travel all over the place to make money online in the art/music world. Enya became well known for just selling her CD's without making public appearances. You can even have an electronic piano with all the digital background instruments playing your music so you don't have to higher a band. Wow! The sky is the limit. Art and music are good ways to make money online. Determine which type of art or music you like and how good you are at it will determine or partially determine how much money you will be making online. You never know you might be the next big artist!

One lady I know collects things that others give away and then turns around and sells them on EBay. Doesn't cost her much, so she can sell them cheap and it gives her a little spending money.

Stocks and the forex market are good ways of making money online but in today's market you better get your education first. Know what you are doing or you will lose your shirt. Know what you are doing and you could be the next millionaire. One of my friends used to be a beach bum. Now he owns his section on the beach! His lifestyle has completely changed within a few short years. It's all in knowing how to look at things.

What other things can you think of that you could make money online? What can you do?

Dedicated to your success!

Cashflow 101

Sometimes the hustle and bustle of everyday life has got us pulling our hair out. The chaos, the grind, the aches and pains, trying to stretch a dollar to make the end of the month, the stress just seems to fill all of our nooks and crannies until it seems like their is no room for anything else. Sound familiar?

The past month or so, I have had my 11 year old nephew staying with me. It was his first time to be away from home. Living so far from me, he hasn't had much time with me. It has been a real treat and eye opener. I get use to hearing what my kids say and think that all kids think the same. ha ha!

In some ways, my brother and I are alike and some ways we are very different. I've been teaching my nephew new things apparently. One of the games we like to play is called Cashflow by Robert Kiyosaki. I enjoy teaching and coaching others how to empower themselves. The best thing we can do is teach our children financial security. Everyone has a job, with expenses and it's how much you have left that is your cashflow. Of course, it teaches little ways to increase your cashflow. He says this is "Amazing!" He is constantly asking if this is really like real life. I said yes. He says, "Amazing! I have to teach my Dad and Mom this. I hear them talking about bills all the time." lol

I've even had him go with me to pay bills, etc. so he can see the real life cashflow. We do the same with his allowance. Sometimes he says, "But I'm just a kid." I remind him that in seven years he will be 18 and this will be real life. Then he says, "Amazing, I've got to learn it now!"

When I'm on the computer looking at the stock market, he's right there beside me. When I read Wall Street Journal, he right there. When I'm looking at the Forex Index, he's right there.

If I'm looking at Investments, he's right there. Asking questions and sometimes giving me his 2 cents worth of advice. When I'm taking care of my home based businesses, he's right there. The best teacher is by showing by example and that's where he is.

It is wonderful to see things from the eyes of a child. Everything is "Amazing!" It is as through the eyes of love, everything becomes amazing. If you haven't been around a child lately, try spending time with one. They take things that we think of as ordinary to be "Amazing!" They pick our ordinary life to be an "Amazing Life." What better teacher do we have? Don't let your troubles drive you to despair. Let them drive you to the realization of your abundant life - your amazing life! No wonder they call it amazing!

How To Make Life's Changes Effortlessly

Have you ever been at the cross roads of a major decision? What do you do? The panic sets in, the pressure builds, the nerves are all on edge waiting for the decision. Your friends and family anxiously await your decision. With every breath, they ask "What if..." or "Have you ..." Sound familiar. You are not alone.

But major decision in life do not have to be approached with such baited attention. This I heard from my father-in-law. He told my husband on the day we wed, "Son, the rule to a long happy marriage is simple. Your Mother and I have followed this and it has worked for us so it will work for you." He said, "Let the wife make all the daily decisions, and you make all the major decisions." My husband raised his eyebrows thinking this would be difficult for me. His father then said, "In fifty years of marriage, we have never had a major decision come up." And he smiled.

What he said can also be applied to business or working at home. If you take care of the little day to day decision, the big decisions take care of themselves. It makes life's changes effortlessly. It's like eating an elephant - one bite at a time. You don't have to make major decisions because all along the way you have been building and making those step up little ones. By the time you reach what would be a major decision for many people, will be a little day to day decision. People will say, "How did she do that?" or "How did he do that?" You want even have to think twice.

Just smile as you cross the threshold of the next stage.

Need Online Customers For Your Biz?

If you are trying to make money online, then you know that you are targeting traffic to reach your website. It's just like an offline business, if you don't have enough traffic, you have to go out and attract more customers to enter your online business. What are you doing to attract more customers? Forums? Bulletin Boards? Emails? (No spamming) Are you utilizing any offline marketing channels? Newspaper ads, TV ads, etc.

According to a Nielsen Company survey, "Two hundred twenty million Americans have Internet access at home and/or work and 73%, or 162 million went online in May." And that number keeps growing. Just this past year, Nielsen found that the average American is spending nearly 26.5 more hours online than last year. More people are trying to leave the rat race and become a rich dad or rich women. Are you ready to be a rich woman or rich dad.

There's no better time than now to ramp up your Internet marketing efforts.
[Source: Nielsen-Net Ratings.com]

What's Holding You BacK?

Are you trying to make money on the Internet? Everything you try doesn't make money for you like it sounded when you signed up? So what's holding you back?

I learnt it the hard way. 90 percent of online money makers are sabotaging their efforts to make money online or work from home.

They start off with no business plan and are easily swayed by promising "gurus" to make huge money online with little effort. Then they hop from one "big opportunity" to the next never really making a commitment to anything. They join one group, tell a few friends and then run to the next opportunity they see flying in the wind. I call them fly by night seekers.

Making money online is just like being in business offline. You first have to have a plan or goal. What do you want? What is your goal? How do you want to do with it? How are you going to promote? Are you passionate about it? Are you committed? Is it something you really want? What's your one month goal? Three month goal? Six month goal? One year goal? Five year goal?
At each milestone, ask yourself if you have reached your goal. If not, why not? Do you need more promotions? Etc. Analyze it, make adjustments.

Don't chase every opportunity out there. Pick one, after it starts making money online, then add another. If you have ten sites bringing in $200 a month, that's $2,000 a month income. Twenty sites, maybe $4,000 a month. You decide what you want. You got the picture?

If you have ever read Stephen Covey’s The 7 habits of Highly Effective People, one of the most important habits is the attitude of your mind.

When you think like an entrepreneur online, you become what you think. Think rich, become rich. Making money online doesn't have to be complicated. Just break it down into easy 1-2-3 steps and you will be making money online.

Tried Losing Weight

Several women have asked me about losing weight. Since I have lost over 100 pounds in the past year. Each person is different and you have to be ready. It is possible to lose the weight without losing your mind. lol

This is what I did. First you need to do a cleanse to get ready to release all the stored fat and toxins in your body that blocks the pathway to losing weight. A good source is found here. Go here to be fat or fit.

Then I started a six week at a time diet that was only 500 calories. I drank six cups of Wu-Wi Tea a day and two liters of water with lemon a day. Breakfast was basically fruit and three walnuts. Lunch was usually a salad with 4 oz. of fish or chicken protein. For a mid afternoon snack, I had three strawberries and then for supper, I usually had a soy protein drink or 4 oz. of protein and a vegetable such as eggplant, tomatoes, broccoli, onions, kale, spinach, etc. No pastas, no rice, no breads. I did it for six weeks at a time because I thought I could handle being off of all the rich foods for six weeks. I kept telling myself that I was not giving up these foods forever it was just for six weeks. I could handle that. Little by little I did. If you want the complete list, email me, and I will send it to you. If I can do it, you can do it. I'll give you support.

There is Attain Bars and Shakes.* Powered by patent-pending CraveBlocker,™ Attain addresses the root cause of failure—hunger cravings—and fights them naturally, helping you control your appetite. Help fight hunger cravings with CraveBlocker—found exclusively in Attain. You can order them from Prosper From Home or the Dream Team

Stop Violence Against Women

Did you know that one out of every three women in the world will be sexually or physically abused in her lifetime? It's not just a problem in war-torn areas, but also in stable places like America and El Salvador.

Abuse can happen at any economic level. Some of these women, if they are already poor, can experience a perverse double impact: the initial violence can push them deeper into poverty. That's because the effects of the abuse, both physical and emotional, can make it difficult for them to provide for their families. Some of them are shunned from their families. We have an obligation to do everything in our power to make sure abuse against women is reduced and ultimately eliminated. It's not just a woman's issue, it's human rights.

It's time to end the most endemic forms of violence against women:

• Domestic Violence


• Sexual Assault


• Sexual Harassment


• Trafficking in Women

Domestic violence is directed against women by their family members or someone very close to them is an epidemic of global proportions that has devastating physical, emotional, financial and social effects on women, children, families and communities around the world.

Women are sexually assaulted by state officials while in police or other forms of state custody; they are raped during armed conflict and as refugees; they are sexually assaulted and abused by their spouses and intimate partners.

Sexually harassing conduct causes devastating physical and psychological injuries to a large percentage of women in workplaces internationally. Harassment directed against women in the workplace by their supervisors, fellow employees or third parties interferes with the integration of women in the workforce, reinforces the subordination of women to men in society, violates women's dignity and creates a health and safety hazard at work.


Both men and women may be victims of trafficking, but the primary victims worldwide are women and girls, the majority of whom are trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Traffickers target primarily females because they are disproportionately affected by poverty and discrimination, factors that impede their access to employment, educational opportunities and other resources. Many of our missing children are targeted for this purpose. I was shocked to find out some of the biggest sources of trafficking are right here in America.


These victims face a range of needs including physical and mental health care, job training and employment issues, housing issues and, possibly, childcare.


Thank you for standing with survivors of violence around the world. Voice your opinion! I know this is not a popular topic but one must voice it in the wind when we hear of such tragedies.


We must give these women and children hope.

Help Make A Difference

Reflections Of The Heart

A beautiful life to a man who forever changed the field of cardiovascular medicine was had by the late great Dr. DeBakey. Regardless if you ever met Dr. DeBakey, his ingenious inventions and visionary procedures have saved countless lives and may impact your life and those you love for generations. He was the first to successfully use an artificial heart. In World War II, he developed MASH Units and Dacron artificial grafts. He was the first doctor to perform Aorta-Coronary Bypass Surgery, etc, etc, etc.

We can learn valuable lessons in business from him. He was associated with The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas for nearly 60 years. He treated everyone from kings to common man according to Dr. Marc Boom, Executive Vice President of The Methodist Hospital.

A first-hand witness of his nonprejudicial compassion was friend and former Baylor administrator, Dr. Antonio M. Gotto. "Not a single time not once did Dr. DeBakey ask, 'Can this patient pay? Does this patient have insurance? Is he covered by Medicare? Is he a VIP?' On the contrary, he treated his patients equally, never turning away someone in need of his healing. Following Dr. DeBakey's example," Dr. Boom said, "we will save and improve lives for many generations to come. I cannot think of a more fitting legacy for this great man."

As I was once told, "Follow your heart [your passion] and the money will follow!" What we do in life should not be based on how much money we can make. It should be based on that we make a difference. Making a difference isn't a cookie cutter. If we love what we do, somehow there is enough money. Together we can make a difference each doing what they love and do best.

Dr. DeBakey had a jazz funeral sendoff with a rousing rendition of "When the Saints Go Marching In," ushering in a celebratory mood. This is way to be remembered!

Economy Getting you Down?

With the economy the way it is, would and extra $500 or more a month help you out with groceries, or just catching up on bills or maybe helping with the extra cost of gas? I can show you an innovative home based business opportunity that has No Inventory, No Deliveries, No Risk.

We work with you, and just by showing others a better less expensive way of shopping using healthier green products, naturally derived organic products that are chemical free, you can start to build a business to last a lifetime.

With Consumer Direct Buying, you are getting the best of both worlds - healthier products at wholesale discount pricing and not only does it give you the extra income to help cover rising costs, but the tax advantages of having a HBB helps save money also!You can visit my profile and request more information or www.EmpowerMeTeam.com or www.Prosperfromhome.org

Are You Better Than Your Parents?

Playing the game Cashflow with my nephew this past month has caught me on more than one occasion telling him that we want you to be better off than your parents.

If you will look back in history, everything goes up and down. But lately, I've heard more and more statements saying, "lowest in 40 years" or "lowest in 50 years". That means that prices have risen. Inflation has risen. And the average person is poorer now than he was say 30 years ago. Where's the progress? I thought we lived in a society that had us getting better and better.

The cost of living for many people has stalled or getting worse. The price of gas is up, food cost is up, housing market it down, and people getting laid off. How do we get better? In the mist of all of this, you will find some people will flourish in spite of the market. It's like a little plant growing in the desert. It has found root.

Sure, there are roadblocks and barriers in our way; however some are going to prosper. Why shouldn't one of those be you? If you are willing to take hold of an opportunity, you can cautiously plodded forward. You can start a business or make money from home, while you keep your own job. Only after you have the business going well enough would you leave the security of your job. And it doesn't have to take years to do it.

Once the business is making a profit, you just reinvested some of your profits to fund the business growth like I've mentioned in some of my previous discussions. You can start making money online from home now. You can succeed in one thing to make money to build another or expand what you are doing. It doesn't have to take a lot of money.

Systems help small businesses grow. You put your system in place and the business will grow. Anyone can beat the odds and get ahead even in today's market.

The happy ending is that in less than a year, you can build a business up to such a large size that you can take that money and invested it in a different and even more profitable business. However the most important thing is you will never again have to worry about a boss firing or insulting you or have any worries about being able to pay your bills.

Are you ready for that? Are you prepared to be the one person in 10 who gets wealthier while your friends, colleagues, and neighbors sit back and do nothing? Yes things are different than they were 40 years ago. There is a brand new world full of opportunity awaiting. We are blessed to be living in this day and time with the greatest opportunity to build our wealth and be better off than our parents no matter what our age.

You can do something about it. You can begin where you are with what you have to work with.
Empower Me Dream Team or Prosper From Home or SWAT-Mom

The Music of Your Heart

I often say to my depression group, "Music is to the soul like a Bandaid is to a cut", but it is true for all mankind. Music levels the playing field in the business world. Music speaks to the heart. Music can transport you to another time and place, it can lift you up whether you're a working Joe or the top dog. Music speaks a language that transcends barriers and obstacles.

If you need to get away and can't afford to get away or you just need to unwind from a hectic and chaotic day, put on music from the tropical islands. The exotic music carries you away, even if it is for a little while. The music of your heartsong empowers you. You close your eyes and you feel the rhythm, the chanting, and harmonies. When you return you feel energized and empowered.

Take an evening off and go to the symphony or a concert. How do you feel? Even if you don't consider yourself a fan of the "Music World," I encourage you to experience some time with the different genres of music. It will speak volumes to your soul. Sometimes it's the high energy of the music and sometimes it's the lyrics. Don't be surprised if you listen to music that you wouldn't normally listen to and you heart jumps for joy?

You may not travel, but through music you can travel the airwaves. Each music speaks differently to each of us. Pick out the best, you are worth it.

What is your favorite music of your heart? How does music make you feel?

Food Prices Too High? Try This

Food prices are climbing, and some might be looking to fast foods and packaged foods as a way to save money in the food department. You don't have to have low quality. Some inexpensive things are the best things for you. Since I'm teaching my nephew to play Cashflow, I'm also taking him to the grocery store to learn about real life cashflow. Getting the best nutrition for the least amount of money means eating more fruits and veggies than meat and dairy, and mixed with a little grains and fiber. You will find you are eating better and your wallet won’t be empty.

1. Oats or bran flakes are high in fiber and complex carbohydrates and have also been shown to lower cholesterol. Toss in a few nuts and fresh fruits and you have a wonderful meal.

2. Eggs are an excellent sources of protein, antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which may ward off age-related eye problems. You can have them for breakfast, lunch or dinner in various ways.

3. Kale is dark, leafy green loaded with vitamin C, carotene's, and calcium. Like spinach, it is usually a dollar a bunch.

4. Apple are inexpensive, easy to find, easy to control on portion, and taste good. They are a good source of pectin — a fiber that may help reduce cholesterol and have the antioxidant Vitamin C, which keeps your blood vessels healthy.

5. Nuts have a high fat content with the good-for-you fats—unsaturated and monounsaturated. They’re also good sources of essential fatty acids, Vitamin E, and protein. You only need to eat a handful a day to get the nutritional benefits. Nuts, like macadamias, cashews, walnuts, and almonds are especially good for you and when eating only a handful a day, the cost doesn't seem to mean that much. You can mix them in your cereal, salad or eat by the handful.

6. Broccoli and Brussels Sprouts contain tons of nice nutrients—calcium, vitamins A and C, potassium, folate, and fiber plus it has phytonutrients, compounds that may help prevent heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.

7. Fresh fruit, your per serving cost isn’t more than a few dimes. Choose the fruit that is in season, makes it an easy way to hydrate, and gives a healthy dose of Vitamin C, potassium, and lycopene, an antioxidant that may ward off cancer. Strawberries are especially low cost as well as low calorie. Adding them to cereal and salads sweetens any meal naturally. My nephew was surprised how sweet a meal was without the added sugar.

8. Beets are sweet to the palate while their rich flavor and color make them nutritious for the body. They’re powerhouses of folate, iron, and antioxidants.

9. Squash adds color as well as fiber and has Vitamin C. Butternut squash and related gourds are usually less than a dollar a pound when in season.

10. Sardines come with big benefits for a relative low cost: calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins. And, because they’re low on the food chain, they don’t accumulate mercury. I prefer the ones packed in olive oil.

11. Spinach has lots of Vitamin C, iron, and trace minerals. Plus, you can usually find it year round for less than a dollar.

12. Tofu, an inexpensive protein, is not just for vegetarians anymore. It’s high in B vitamins and iron, but low in fat and sodium, making it a healthful addition including Tofu Cheesecake

13. Coffee, which is derived from a bean, contains beneficial antioxidants that protect against free radicals and may actually help thwart heart disease and cancer. While it’s not going to fill you up like the other items on this list, it might make you feel a little better. I like a Hawaiian Chocolate Macadamia Nut flavor. It helps me get my Mojo going in the morning and unwind during the day. When made at home, coffee runs less than 50¢ cents a cup.

14. Soy protein is a good source of protein that is good for the heart, weight control and other health issues. You can eat them or drink them. It's a good meal replacement.

Although that that fast food burger for 99¢ may look like a bargain, you will find eating healthy for the same price or less is better. You might just stretch that dollar from a snack into a meal.

Try making money online Empower Me Dream Team or Prosper From Home

Going Green With Mineral Makeup

Mineral makeup with skin-revitalizing botanicals not only helps going green, you will look better also. Being beautiful isn't about being the same—it's about creating a personal style that brings out the best in you. That's why a general understanding of the beauty basics is so important to achieving the look you want. If you’re taking the time to put healthy food in your body and take care of the world around you, doesn’t it make sense to only allow all natural ingredients to touch your face? Your face won't get clogged with oily greasy stuff.

Mineral makeup will hide a multitude of little imperfections like dark circles and uneven skin tone. Your face will feel lighter an healthier. Many people will wonder what you have done because "you look so good."

Then also use natural cleansers to keep the body with a healthy glow and natural cleansers for your clothes. These terrific little numbers are made without heavy metals or toxic substances and are very resistant to bacteria. They’re even 100% biodegradable. A sweatshop-free product, you’ll feel good about what it does for you and the world.

To find more information on mineral makeup and other products to help the world check out.
Empower Me Team or Prosper From Home

Sisters

Sisters

A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day, drinking iced tea and visiting with her Mother. As they talked about life, about marriage, about the responsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance upon her daughter 'Don't forget your Sisters,' she advised, swirling the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass. 'They'll be more important as you get older. No matter how much you love your husband, no matter how much you love the children you may have, you are still going to need Sisters. Remember to go places with them now and then; do things with them.'

'Remember that 'Sisters' means ALL the women... your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other women relatives too. 'You'll need other women. Women always do.'

What a funny piece of advice the young woman thought. Haven't I just gotten married? Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely my husband and the family we may start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!'

But she listened to her Mother. She kept contact with her Sisters and made more women friends each year. As the years tumbled by, one after another, she gradually came to understand that her Mom really knew what she was talking about. As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman, Sisters are the mainstays of her life.

After more than 50 years of living in this world, here is what I've learned: THIS SAYS IT ALL: Time passes. Life happens. Distance separates. Children grow up. Jobs come and go. Love waxes and wanes. Men don't do what they're supposed to do. Hearts break. Parents die. Colleagues forget favors. Careers end. BUT......... Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you. A girl friend is never farther away than needing her can reach.

When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end. Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you...Or come in and carry you out.

Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers, Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended family, all bless our life! The world wouldn't be the same without women, and neither would I. When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other. Every day, we need each other still.

Pass this on to all the women who help make your life meaningful. I just did. Short and very sweet: There are more than twenty angels in this world. Ten are peacefully sleeping on clouds. Nine are playing. And one is reading her email at this moment. Happy days!

I Need Your Help

I wonder if I may ask for your help? I am in the process of expanding my business and need your help. No, I’m not asking you to buy anything.

Maybe you know someone who is interested in the environment, healthier green products? Someone who would be interested in naturally derived organic products that are chemical free? With the economy the way it is, maybe someone needing some extra income ($500 or more each month) to help meet the rising cost of gas, food and bills? Someone looking for a new challenge in their career field?

There a lots of people you may talk to on a daily basis that may come to mind. I would just ask you give me a referral. If you can think of someone interested in those things or some more ideas below, just forward this email so they can contact me. No harassing phone calls or emails, just this one interest seeking email and they can respond if they want more details.

If you don’t know of anyone thanks for taking the time to read this and feel free to delete. May the Lord increase your blessings today and everyday.

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO…..
Who is health-conscious
Pregnant
Has small children or grandchildren in the home
Shops at health food stores
Cares about the environment
Takes vitamins or goes to the gym
Are worried about a health problem
Loves to catalogue shop
NEEDS MORE INCOME
Is not making ends meet
Needs a new car, home or something specific
Wants extra income so their spouse can stay home
Are currently working 2 jobs and are tired
Talks about burdens of debt or credit card balances
Needs a vacation but cannot afford one
Has no money tucked away for their child’s education
Has no retirement fund or one that is inadequate

BUSINESS INTEREST
Who is successful, but discontented
Loves their job, but feels they deserve more out of life
Makes good money but has no time to enjoy it
Owns a business that also owns them
Wants a career change but can’t due to educational restraints
Are entrepreneurial – always looking for a good business idea
Always seems to succeed in anything they try
Loves people and smiles easily & is fun to be around
Is now or has been involved in fund-raising
Is over the age of 65

I am currently seeking Forward Thinking Women (and men). Whether it be someone interested in purchasing better green products at a wholesale price*, to improve health (better product, better price) that are 100% risk free, no questions asked empty bottle return. *all new customers receive $100 in free products.

OR

Someone looking to bring in some extra income without negative features – we have the perfect opportunity. No Inventory, No Order Taking, No Deliveries, None of the risk!

Our Empower Me Team partners with you, we “hold your hand” train, and provide support while we show you the innovative way to increase your wellness: Financial, Physical, Nutritional and Personal Wellness all via the Internet.

Our TEAM is seeking Ambitious Candidates
I challenge you to find me a more recognized and reputable company to work for that allows you to stay at home and become a better mother, wife, and friend… not to mention your own boss!
I challenge you to work at home and work for yourself, but not by yourself. Whether you want to kick that boss to the curb or just work part-time and earn extra income from home, with our revolutionary company you can.

We need women like you, ones that can stand up to a challenge and add their own special skills and abilities to our team!

Will you accept my challenge? Email me to schedule a time to review the facts and see if you are up to our challenge. I look forward to showing you your future!

To find out more information, you can visit Empower Me Dream Team or Prosper From Home. We have informational online webcasts four times daily to give you all the details, in a no harassment, no obligation, no cost way. We provide the facts, you make the decision if we would fit your life. That simple.

Thanks for this opportunity!

New Service To Help You Make Money Online

I just heard about an exciting new program that has just launched to help you make money online. Many of you do affiliate marketing such as this guy does. He earns over a million dollars a year in affiliate marketing and now he's developed his own program to show you how you can do it too. He feels there is plenty of business to spread the wealth around. If you haven't heard of Google Nemesis, you will it will be the # 1 affiliate marketing training tool.

I tested it and the results are amazing! I just couldn't wait to tell you about it Today! ! !

Reveal those hidden niches by the wealthiest of the wealthy super affiliates.

How to avoid danger zones, the scams, the traps.

Discover how to be profitable and make money online.

I don't have time to go into more details, but you can see exactly why it's so powerful here before the price goes up:

Check it out! Here's to your success!

Escape The Rat Race

Tired of working nine to five? Probably you are putting in more hours than that. Many of us Americans end up spending more time at work than we do with our loved ones, our precious little ones or even our closest friend. It's sad that we work to have money to take care of our family and be able to do things with our friends, but most of us don't actually get to enjoy those luxuries. Ironic! We hate our job and love our family. But where do we spend most of our time.

Maybe the company values are too different from your own or if you are stuck in a job that doesn’t utilize your abilities, it’s probably time to escape the rat race. Many times jobs revolve around meetings and bureaucracy and don’t offer you enough opportunities to do work that you can truly feel good about. Maybe you are like I was, had spent years in colleges learning a trade only to finally land my dream job that was killed by the bureaucracy. I spent years working 16 hour days stressed out and never getting time to enjoy my life. Therefore you end up hating a job that otherwise you may have loved or worked hard to get. Over time, the stress of staying in a job you hate can lead to burnout, depression, anxiety, ulcers, chronic back pain, high blood pressure, and even serious heart conditions or heart attack.

Start making a plan to make money online. Then when you get enough cashflow coming in from your online business, you will feel comfortable about leaving the rat race. Make sure you have enough to cover your expense and a little cushion. Have at least six months nest egg in the bank.

You may think that this is the price you have to pay for loyalty and a steady paycheck. But make no mistake, whatever job loyalty you think you enjoy, is an illusion. It's like my Dad said, you can feed a person a fish and you feed him once or you can teach them to fish and feed them for a lifetime. Layoffs are standard operating procedure for companies - even blue chip and long standing companies these days are laying people off. No one is completely stable and risk free anymore. So if you’re going to take a risk anyway, shouldn't’t you at least do it in pursuit of your own passion? Plan to escape the rat race and don't let the rat race drain you of your time, energy, and life. Life is too short not to enjoy your life.

Empower Me Dream Team or Prosper From Home or SWAT-Mom

Are You An Optimist?

People are making emotional, knee-jerk decisions, then standing by them, sometimes fighting to the death to defend their position. And yet, we're optimists. Are you an optimist?

Optimists donʼt believe it has to be this way. We donʼt believe humans evolved to be so bad at making decisions, so poor at changing our minds, so violent in arguing our point of view. Weʼre well aware of how split our country and our world have become, but we donʼt think the current state of affairs is built into our very nature.

THE PROBLEM LIES IN THE MEDIA. In the old days, we had the time and inclination to consider the implications of a decision. Everyone wasnʼt in quite so much of a hurry. At the same time, most conversations (and most arguments) were local ones, conducted between people who knew each other. Today, itʼs very different. Television demands a sound bite. A one hundred word letter to the editor is a long one. The same old story is replayed over and over until you are sick of it.

Radio has become a jingoistic wasteland, a series of thoughtless mantras, repeated over and over and designed to fit into a typical commute. Even magazines have lost their ability to present complex arguments that take more than a minute or two to digest. BusinessWeek would rather put another picture of Jack Welch or Bill Gates on the cover than actually teach its readers something new.

Obviously, this creates winners and losers. The winners are the media companies (that exist to sell ads and attract the maximum audience size) and the demagogues and fundamentalist leaders that gain in power when large numbers support them— regardless of the accuracy or usefulness of their position.

In the Internet (and especially blogging), we see the glimpse of an alternative. Taken over time, many create a thoughtful, useful argument that actually teaches readers something. Challenging people to think in a new ways is what is being in business is all about.

Have you ever read something or heard something or seen something and felt the switch flip? Sometimes this happens if youʼre reading a particularly good business book (the way quality and excellence spread through our business culture.) Sometimes it occurs in a bar, in the middle of a thoughtful discussion about politics. Sometimes it just takes one photo on the cover of a magazine. Weʼre unique in our ability to consider thoughtful arguments and change long-held beliefs. This flexibility is at the core of our democratic ideals.

Itʼs so easy for CEOs and entrepreneurs to embrace the flavor of the day, to stick with the pack, to keep their heads down. Far better, it seems, if you would make decisions based on reality, not tradition. So, we fail when we call people names. We fail when we invoke tradition or a higher power or superstition to explain our decisions. (I'm not saying we don't need to call on our higher power, I'm just saying sometimes we make irrational decisions and blame our higher power.) We fail when we decide that the ends justify the means, and when we take callow shortcuts to achieve our ends.

If the thought process is right, if the arguments are sound, if the facts are correct but you are bothered, perhaps you feel challenged to change. Think about and discuss ideas in a civil manner. Galileo was right—the earth does move. You don't change processes overnight. It takes time. Embracing thoughtful and empowering discussion is still the very best way to find the truth. Don't be afraid to use new ideas. If you are an entrepreneur and have a new idea, don't expect everyone to accept your idea overnight. Use respect. It's the only way to reach your destination. Focus on being rational and thoughtful and you will be more productive.

Remember you are the difference. Your goal is to make a difference. Stay calm and peaceful and you will make a difference with your passion. Have a problem? Something can be done about it.

Taking Care Of Business

They don't teach you to be an entrepreneur and "seize the day" in Harvard Business School or any other college for that matter. They teach you to run a big company but not how to start small and grow your business. Small companies need something different in the beginning. Small company are required to taking care of business with creativity.

What areas are most important to focus on: accounting, finance, marketing, management, strategy, organizational behavior, information technology, operations management, or something else? Yes you need the traditional information. However, you need more practical approaches to marketing - how do you do evaluate wants without a million dollar market research budget - how do you communicate with customers on a dime? Are you taking care of business?

As an entrepreneur you are going to be asked to do something that might go against your nature. You see, most people are terrified of anything "New." And they're afraid of anything they haven't done before. Plus they're leery of taking any kind of "leap of faith."That's why so many people are STUCK right where they are. They're STUCK in a job they hate, driving a car they don't like, living in a neighborhood they don't care for. They might not like their way of life, but change is SCARY! Being an entrepreneur is testing new ground; taking care of business on uncharted ground.

What if you make a mistake? What if you screw up? What if someone (God forbid) LAUGHS at you? Best to just put your head down and resign yourself to the life you have now, because ANYTHING else is scary, right? And what if...What if you DO try something new, and you LIKE it, and you're GOOD at it......now you're going to be KICKING yourselves for not having taken the chance SOONER! WOW! Is any of this stuff holding you back?

If you want to be an entrepreneur and run your own business it's time to get serious about making money online and offline. Follow these daily routines and watch your business and income skyrocket. You have to think outside the box everyday. You have to think creatively.
How can I do it on your budget? You can't outspend the competition but the difference in you and your competition is You! The little things you do to make your business spell excellence and that is what makes you stand out.

1. If you're working at home, leave your problems outside your work area. Stuff happens to everyone, but you have to leave it outside of work or you won't be effective and then everything gets worse. In a small business, you can't afford to let personal problems affect your work environment. It's OK in a large company because they have so many employees that take up the slack when one is not up to par.

I once had an employee that I had while running a small business and she was always bringing her problems to work. Her problems affected me. There was no buffer. I finally had to let her go and suggested she go to work for a large company. She did and it worked out much better for her. See being a small company is not for everybody. Being in business for yourself means you can be flexible but you still have to accomplish your work. Nobody is going to do it for you.

2. When you get to your designated area, do your "good morning" routine. It's important if you are working at home to designate an area that is "work". When I go to work and close the door, everyone in the family knows that I'm at work. So they don't bother me unless it's an emergency just like if I was working at a job. If the door is open, I have an open door policy. That's the time that I've finished the major stuff and now I'm finishing followup stuff or work plans, etc. The pets and family know they can come and sit on my lap or something while I finish. And sometimes it's a good reminder to me that my work is done and time to take a break. I've been working too long. After all, they are the reason I want to make money online. So I can spend time with them.

3. Daily know your inventory and your specials. Depending upon what you are doing to make money online, you need to know if you have product on hand. You need to know if you have a special running on one of your products. If there is a problem with any aspect of your business, you need to know. If your business is all online, check your links. Make sure all are working fine. It's better you find the problem quickly than it be broken for months and you have no idea why business is down. It takes just a few minutes each day to test and check it out!

4. Check your to do list. Your "to do's" and priorities you need to get done. Google has an online to do list that you can use. They have several different ones listed in Google gadgets. Choose the one that is best for you.

5. Review your goals, all of them. The quickest way to get what you want is to maintain your focus and work your plan. Goals get you there quick!

6. Next, go through your prospect file. Look through every list you have and set aside the people you need to follow up. If you check, it ensures a customer doesn't slip through the cracks and you miss out. Online prospects don't wait. That's the advantage of being online. Get back with the information that they wanted. Keep a list of them on file so you can followup even when the computer is down.

7. Follow-up with your sold customers. If you follow-up 5 a day x 25 working days in a month, you'll contact 125 a month. Plan how often you want to stay in touch with them. Don't spam but do keep in contact with them. You have to do the math with your business to know how many you need to contact daily. Five is a good start.

8. Look for new prospects. You should have a leads page that helps you capture new leads for your business. If you're not getting enough people in the "online door" if just like being offline. You have to go out and find them and point the way to your business. You do the math, how many do you need to get where you want to be. Be realistic. Start small like five or ten a day new leads and grow. If you have 5 new leads a day x 25 working days, that's 125 new prospects a month. If 10% convert, then that's 12 new customers a month. If you only convert 1% of the 125 then that is 1 new customer a month. You figure out your profit and multiply it by the number of new customers, is that the amount you want to make? Work smart.

9. Make sure you track everything you do each day. How many phone calls, how many actual contacts, how many emails, how many appointments, how many conversions, etc. If you are doing the activity to make your company grow, you will be making money online. If you are not doing the activity it will show and you'll be crying why aren't you making money online. Keep a graph of your daily activities so you can see a daily, weekly, monthly, yearly progress. In the beginning when funds are low it will help keep you on track of what you need to focus on. Later, if you slip off doing things, it will show you so you can get back on track.

10. Make sure you are doing the most productive thing possible right now. Or are you doing busy work to avoid doing productive work? Are you in business to work or to play? Remember work hard, play hard. Even if your work day is only two hours a day, make the most productive use of your time. No business is only 15 minutes a day. I've heard gurus say it "only takes me 15 minutes a day" Hogwash! It may take only 15 minutes to check on your business but it takes longer than that to run. Depending upon how much you want to make online, you will need to spend time promoting your business. You may spend 15 minutes eight times a day and it may be flexible but you have to take care of your business and part of that is doing the time to take care of your business.

11. Write the on a card and carry it with you. Read it often . . . "Am I doing the most productive thing possible right now? Am I taking care of business?"

I've tried to keep it simple. Simple makes it real. The goal is that you start making money online. Take care of business and you will be making money online. The secret is learning anything and everything you can about your business and the way you WANT it to run from those that are doing what you want to do and then just setting out and doing it.

Check it out!

Increasing Cashflow In A Tough Market

With the price of gas hitting an all time record, talks of gas going to $8.00 a gallon, the global stock market is down, food prices are soaring, the housing market is weakening further, and over 80 million employees have lost their jobs so far this year and more on the way. A recession would affect us negatively. Since business may soon be tougher, it's critical for entrepreneurs to take steps to up-end any damage that could happen as a result of a recession. If energy prices press upward and the housing market continues to cave, businesses that rely on consumers' discretionary spending will likely face the greatest risk. There are some bright spots. Having a presence on the Internet, saves gas. Doing your business on the Internet, really saves gas.

Yesterday, I was playing the game of Cashflow with my 11 year old nephew. He loves this game and it won't be long before he'll actually be on his own making money. Sigh! They grow up so fast! It's fun to watch him get excited over increasing his cashflow. He's done very well with buying and selling houses and starting businesses. He's still struggling with stocks because it's paper and it doesn't increase his monthly cashflow unless the stocks go up. Just wait until he gets real life options. Lol. Since he's learned when to buy houses and when to sell houses, I'm sure he will learn to transfer that to stocks. I set him up an Internet practice account so he can watch the stock market and the forex market. There are ways of making money in the stock market and the forex market even in times like this, however, I advise you know what you are doing before you invest. In the words of Warren Buffet, "The number one rule in playing the stock market is don't lose money. Number two rule is never forget rule number one." I told him that if he did well, for his birthday I would put $100 in a real account for him and let him work with it with me. So he's real excited about it.

My 12 year niece is doing very well on it and plans to not use any of the money until she's old enough to buy a car and then just enough to buy the car. Back to my nephew, he even saw the advantage of paying off all his debt when he was able to based on the principles that I have talked here previously. Sometimes you don't realize they are watching you and learning. I didn't say anything about paying off debt yesterday and on his own, when he reached that point, he said, "I want to pay off all my debt now and that will increase my cashflow." Wow!

The secret to weathering a particularly nasty economy is to diversify your customer base, free up cash flow and cut costs where you can. Some business will flourish during a tough market. You could be one. Here are some steps for recession-proofing your business:

Cut costs. Have a look at your business and figure out where you could save. When times are tough, it's best to focus on core markets and spend money in those areas, not in areas that haven't been more profitable. When a recession hits, the last thing you'll want to do is get stuck with shelves of needless inventory. For a better idea of what you'll need as the year progresses, keep an eye on leading consumer indicators such as those offered by the National Retail Federation and the Conference Board. Also, establish inventory targets and make sure the sales and purchasing departments are talking.

Maintain prices. You may be tempted to slash prices to free up cash flow. That's a mistake. Sure, you'll sell products but you'll also cut your profit margins and likely dilute your brand in the process. Plus, if customers decide to buy again from you in the future they may expect similar discounts.

Reserve discounts. Since you don't want to dilute your brand's value and you especially don't want to start competing on price with discounters such as Wal-Mart Stores and Target, tread lightly when it comes to offering discounts. Be sure to reserve them only for current, repeat customers. You're trying to breed loyalty without diminishing your brand's value.

Focus on service. While expanding your business into markets abroad may be avenues for growth, many small-business owners should focus on their existing customers and clients for a boost in revenue. With this in mind, focus on service. It is one of the best ways to add value without costing money.

Invest in employees. When the going gets tough, the employees you have will be your productivity all-stars. Make boosting productivity, within reason, of course, a focal point. For those that rise to the top, be sure to reward them accordingly. You don't want to lose your most productive people at this time. Consider offering vacations or time off, which can be cheap incentives.

Free up cash flow. While you're attempting to cut costs and grow sales, now is the time to call in favors. Be sure to free up your business's cash flow by asking to have payments to suppliers extended. Also, if you have old debts, call them in. Having a good amount of cash on hand, especially in light of the credit crunch, will help you do everything from make payments to employees and vendors to spend on marketing campaigns that may grow future business. If you can pay off your debt, do so. Otherwise, use the plan that I have outlaid here previously and as your money increases, you are paying off your debt which will increase your cash flow. If your money increases and you have no debt, effectively you are making more and can weather the storm of a tough market.

Renegotiate contracts. If a contract, a lease or other obligation will soon be up for renewal, try to negotiate lower prices. If you don't need 50,000 square feet of office space, consider paring down. It is really a reality check that requires a tough look at your expenses.

Look to expand your business. If, on the other hand, you're sitting pretty give the competition a gander. Look for weaknesses and instability in your competition. If they've been having trouble, you may be in a good position to pick up their business at bargain-basement prices. Obviously, make sure you can afford it but their loss may be your gain.

You may be working from home or making money online as a business. Some of these ideas still apply. Look at each service or product that you do and make sure they are profitable to you. One lady, I talked with was in a MLM company where she had to pay $350 a month and was only making $50. If you're in a business for more than 60 days and it's not making a profit for you, then you're in the wrong business. Within 6o days, any online business should at least be clearing it's expense and hopefully making a little for you if you are truly working on the business. If you're not working on the business, why are you doing it? Now if you're buying a product with online shopping and you were buying a similar product offline, then all you've done is transfer expenses and that doesn't count. I'm talking about where you have to pay so much each month to be with an organization.

If you haven't started an online business, now is the time to start one. No obligation. I'll help you grow it and empower yourself to an executive income. Email me and I'll help you figure out where to start. E-mail me

God Bless America!

Today, America celebrates the 232nd Year of our Independence as a people and a nation. I'm proud to be an American. Are you? Sure I don't like everything, but I'd rather be here than any place on earth. This country was built on freedom. And freedom to be in our own business and work from home is one of those freedoms. I never liked history much until I realized some of those dead guys were my ancestors. Patrick Henry was one of them. Several of my ancestors died in the American Revolution and I'm sure some of yours did too. God bless America!

Contrary to popular belief, the traditional parades, speeches and fireworks each July 4th actually do not commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Instead, we're celebrating the first announcement in Philadelphia that the Second Continental Congress was adopting the Declaration of Independence.

Actually, most of the delegates did not sign an engrossed copy of the Declaration until August 2, 1776. This Declaration is now on display in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Make a point of going to see this document if you can. Reading each of those 56 signatures on the original parchment makes the global revolution for human liberty really come alive. It's a revolution we have a duty to sustain.

In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Drafted by a distinguished committee headed by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration is one of the most memorable freedom documents of all time, proclaiming as it does, every human being's right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

As Thomas Jefferson lay dying at his Virginia hilltop estate, Monticello, in late June 1826, he wrote a letter to the citizens in Washington, D.C. saying he was too ill to join them for their 50th anniversary celebrations of the Declaration of Independence.

It was the last letter Jefferson ever wrote. He died 10 days later on July 4, 1826, within hours of his old friend, fellow Founder, and fellow former President of the United States, John Adams.
In this last letter Jefferson expressed his wish that "the annual return of this day" would "forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them." You can read the full letter here.

Jefferson was speaking to us too. Is that what this day means to you?

56 signers with 56 different hardships Pause today and ask yourself what you would be willing to sacrifice for our country?

The brave Americans who signed the Declaration of Independence risked their lives and fortunes. But they also indelibly enhanced their "sacred honor" by their resolute act of defiance of King George III. Many of those men lost everything and some died as a result.

Among the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence, five signers were captured by the British and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Their families were scattered and their wives and children died.

Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army, another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.

And subsequently in these 232 years, nearly 1,300,000 Americans have died defending that independence and the new freedoms it produced for all Americans who have ever lived.

In my view America, as a nation and as a people, needs to reaffirm and reassert our hard won liberty and freedom. And when we intone "God Bless America" we must mean and deserve it.
We truly need to understand and to apply the fundamentals of limited government, individual freedom, equal protection under the law and due process. We're all now called to question the limitless and at times perverse "war on terrorism."

If Jefferson's dream of the future is fading in America, our ultimate task is to restore that dream and exalt America's true purpose. We must build that "shining city on a hill" about which Massachusetts Bay Colony's governor John Winthrop, and later President Ronald Reagan, spoke so eloquently.

When our own American house is in order, the world again will look to America for example - just as the world did on that hot July day in Philadelphia way back in 1776.

This task of renewal should be our personal task - yours and mine on this 4th of July - as America begins the 233rd Year of our Independence. And if you haven't started a business from home, start one today. Take a stand for your rights as an American.

Annie



Free Comments & Graphics

5 New Services For Small Business

Thanks to our regular readers for bringing to our attention their newest tools to help small businesses work more efficiently.

Here are 5 new services you’ve emailed us about, for other readers to check out:
Email Center Pro — If you could pick one daily task that never seems to go away, what would that be? How many said EMAIL? Dina let us know about an email management solution called Email Center Pro, designed for the entrepreneur managing a number of email addresses. It funnels all designated email accounts into one place, where multiple team members in the company can see and manage the responses to the email messages. There is a free version and the for-a-fee option. If you have set up multiple company email address like: info@, yourname@, contactus@ …. then Email Center Pro can help manage those without internal duplication of effort.

WORKetc — Sean tells us about a software program that accommodates small biz document creation and management needs above and beyond Word and Excel. The WORKetc software website explains what it will do for small biz owners:

“… you can record billable time, create invoices, help your customers with support issues, generate quotes, manage projects, track sales leads, share documents, run an email marketing campaign, schedule meetings, create online forms, write a blog, generate detailed reports and more.”

Rather than piece together a series of software packages or online services to run aspects of your business operations, it sounds like WORKetc takes the place of a lot of those. It appears to be mainly a CRM application and a form creation software, with some document management functions thrown in.

Track My Shipments — Do you send or receive a lot of shipments using a variety of carriers? Andrew Bennett told us about his service that allows you to track all your shipments that use UPS, FEDEX, DHL or USPS. Track up to nine shipments at a time for free. There’s also a for-fee version. Sounds like it saves time and keeps you on top of your shipments. Andrews says they also offer an additional service:

“We also offer a White Label service for online retailers which keeps their customers up to date with the location of their orders. This really helps keep customers from contacting our clients during the 2 or 3 days of shipping time.”

actiTIME — Time is our most precious commodity — a rare and finite thing. Anastasia of actiTIME let us know about a service her company provides. ActiTIME is a project management service that tracks the time by customer project, by employee and helps you management expenses. Anastasia says:

“ActiTIME allows you to track the time spent on each task, project and client and make reports on the work performed. Being really easy-to-use and not overloaded with complicated functionality, actiTIME is great for small and mid-sized companies.”

ActiTIME is free and there is a demo that helps you see how to navigate the system.

Protus — Last but not least, a service that has already been helping entrepreneurs manage their fax and phone services has acquired an automatic email marketing solution. Ken of Protus filled us in on the latest operational and marketing service available from his company, that can help entrepreneurs save time and money:

“Entrepreneurs have been able to use MyFax to send and receive faxes when they’re out of the office, and my1voice allows them to set up phone extensions, obtain professional voice mail services, and even forward their phones. Now, with the acquisition, they can send targeted e-mails to help them generate more business and cause their phones to rings."

Thanks for letting us know about these new tools designed to help small business personnel operate our business more effectively and efficiently.

Try them out. And share your experiences, too — let the community know what you like about these and how you use these services. Empower yourself with these tools to help you with making money online as you work from home.

What To Do With Your IRS Stimulus Check

By now you should have your tax refund and stimulus check. What are you going to do with it? Hopefully, you haven't spent it all. Yes it's a lot of money, but it's extra money that you haven't needed all year so there is no scense in spending it all quickly.

Things you could do with it:

You could invest it in yourself. Something you and the family have needed or wanted. Something for healthier living such as a threadmill. If you make payments the APR will be high. If you pay cash, your money has been devoured. Ask yourself if you wanting something is more important than devouring your money.

You could divide it into four parts. Let's say your check is $1200.00 Four parts would make each part $300.00 So put $300. into an emergency fund, $300. into paying off debt fund, $300 for investment fund and $300 for cashflow savings fund. Whatever you do, don't leave it in your checking account.

Part one: If you stash away $300 now into an emergency fund and add to it. You will have the needed money when emergencies come up and not have to charge it. Thereby saving you more money! I had a friend that kept doing this until he had enough money to cover any emergency for 21 years without a single dime income. Wow! That's security!

Part two: Stashing $300 into a paying off debt fund can be rewarding. Picture yourself debt free.
Debt free is owning your cars out right and your home and no credit card bills. Just think how much freedom you would have. Have a nice nest egg in the bank for your retirement! Your cup runth over with abundance. Think how awesome it would be to go out from time to time and pay cash. . .no credit card bill coming in to gobble up your hard earned money. Did you know that if you had your house paid, your cars paid, no credit card bills and an income of just $2000 a month, you would have about the same spendable money as many millionaires? How would you like to be living like a millionaire?

Part three: $300 investment fund. Haven't had one? Why not start one now? Learn how you can make your $300 turn into $2400 or more. Before you invest, learn what to do. Many a person has lost a fortune because he didn't know how to invest. Experience the exciting world of currency trading with a free 30-day practice account before you invest. Make money online.

Part four: $300 cashflow fund. This is your money that you put away for a rainy day. You can put into an interest bearing account and let it make a little money. Could you say wow to having money left at the end of the month? This is the money that let's you be your own boss or the freedom to be your own boss. Make it grow little by little.

You have the power and control of money in your hands! That would be a huge step in the right direction for your financial life. It's up to you, you're the boss. Now that's empowering.

What will you DO with your IRS stimulus check and refund?

How To Kiss The Boss Goodbye!

It’s no secret. If you’re blessed to have a great boss, you are indeed fortunate. Unfortunately, good bosses find greener pastures and move on or sometimes it's time for you to move on and become the boss.

If you have been putting in your time to build your business and it is growing to the point that you feel secure enough to leave, why not write a personalized thank you to your boss for showing you how to be a good boss. Don't rush it. Make sure of your plan. You never know when your paths will cross again and no sense in burning bridges. It doesn’t have to be fancy or complicated. (It’s as easy as writing a thank-you card or note.) We’ve all done that before. It will take just a few minutes of your time.

Keep it simple, you can write your letter by hand. Write it on stationery for a special touch. Or why not write it on a boss's goodbye card?

Using this guide below, you’ll be creating your own letter of goodbye to your boss in no time.

“Dear Boss…

Have you heard the good news? I'm leaving!

While it has been great here, it will leave an empty space in my heart. It's time to move on. I’m sure you realize that.

You know, not every boss is as great as you. Which got me thinking… What is it that makes one boss more special than the others?

Although I can only speak for myself, here are a few of the reasons I appreciate you…You saw me as a person, in an age where so many employees are viewed as ‘pawns.’ I can’t even describe what a difference that has made for me. I can tell you this much. It kept me getting out of bed to show up at work each morning.

You treated me fairly and allowed for a true working relationship between us. I’ve worked long work weeks when needed. And not once did you hesitate to send me home when my young daughter was sick at day. You are an inspiration to the workforce.

You took the time to ask about my children. You remembered that I work to support them. You even asked how young Emily’s birthday went. And you asked me if I needed a few extra days off work to care for her when she was sick. You helped me get back on track when I returned to work from maternity leave. You recognized my challenge after my accident and you helped me deal with it without calling attention to it. You moved me forward until I had my mojo back. You never said a word about it, but you knew I still wanted to be a stay at home Mom with my newborn baby. It's not easy being a SWAT Mom.

For these special moments and others too numerous to mention, I thank you for being there for me. I feel honored to have been one of your employees. You have inspired me.

I wish you and yours the best, Boss. Who knows? It’s a small world. One day soon, we may just meet up again.

Until then…”