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Ambitiously Pursuing Your Own Self-Direction

(Excerpted from The Power of Ambition series)
by Jim Rohn

What is the origin of true ambition? There exists really only one place to find true ambition and that is within you – in every thought, in every movement, in every motivation. Your ambition is an expression of who you truly are, your own self-expression.

Self-expression. Isn't self-expression really self-direction? How you think, how you move, how you motivate yourself. Ambition is a result of self-direction and self-direction is one of the six key principles necessary for building ambition. Positive self-direction says, "I know who I am and I know where I want to go. I'm accumulating knowledge and experiences and feelings and philosophies that will help prepare me for opportunities that I know will show up without notice or any help on my part." Because you know where you want to go, you have already been working on the parts of your personality that will make you better. Working on your attitude, working on your health, working on your time management skills. Putting it all down on paper. And you constantly see yourself in the place you want to be, going in the direction you want to go.

Direction determines destination. So here is a question you must ask yourself, "Are all the disciplines that I'm currently engaged in taking me where I want to go?" What an important question to ask yourself at the beginning of the month, the beginning of the week, the beginning of the day. Because here is what you don't ever want to do - kid yourself. Kid your neighbor, kid me and kid the marketplace, but don't kid yourself - fingers crossed - hoping you will arrive at a good destination when you're not even headed that way. You have to ask yourself often, Am I? Am I doing the disciplines that are taking me in the direction I want to go? Don't neglect to ask these important questions, questions that help determine your direction, the set of your sail, your destination.

Is this the direction I want for my life?

Is this someone else's direction?

Is this a goal I have been ingrained with since my childhood?

Is this goal my parent's, my spouse's, my boss', my children's or is it Mine?
Ask yourself these questions and then debate them. After you have answered these questions within yourself, then take it one step further and ask, "What am I doing that is working or not working?" Debate it all. Work with your mind to figure out the best possible direction for you - your self-direction. And then ambitiously pursue your own self-direction. Let the power of your own ambition take you where you want to go, to do what you want to do, to create the life you want to live!

This article was submitted by Jim Rohn, America's Foremost Business Philosopher. To subscribe to the Free Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine go to www.jimrohn.com or send a blank email to subscribe@jimrohn.com - Copyright © 2005 Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved worldwide.

How to Maximize the Value of Your Time

How to Maximize the Value of Your Time
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
http://testedtough.com/pips.html

How is your business doing? Is it growing?
Stagnating or losing ground? If your business is
not growing, it could be the result of a poor
business idea or plan, a lack of advertising, or
the mismanagement of your business’ resources.

Let’s face it. Running a successful business
enterprise is not the easiest thing to accomplish.

Your struggles could be the result of factors
beyond your own control or factors within your
control --- your own actions and decisions.

FACTORS OUTSIDE YOUR OWN CURRENT CONTROL

If your business is stagnating or dying, there
are several factors that could be the cause of
your current financial discomfort:

• Your local economy could be suffering
stagnation or negative growth.
• Your competition might be fiercely competing
for your customer base.
• The building, into which you have signed a
lease, might be seen by local residents as the
home of businesses that fail, so they will not
support you until you have proven your long term
viability.
• You could be in a terrible location and trapped
by your lease.

FACTORS WITHIN YOUR OWN CONTROL

On the other side of the coin, there are several
more factors that could be causing you pain that
are well within your control:

• You are not spending enough time planning for
the future of your business.
• You are not spending enough time or resources on
developing and distributing good advertising.
• You do not have enough staff available to fill
incoming orders or to serve interested customers.
• You are simply mismanaging your financial or
human resources.

THE MOST ABUSED HUMAN RESOURCE IN MOST BUSINESSES

By watching the activities of many small business
owners, one has to ask themselves if the business
owners are masochistic?

Source: www.dictionary.reference.com
MASOCHISTIC - adj : 2. The deriving of pleasure,
or the tendency to derive pleasure, from being
humiliated or mistreated, either by another or by
oneself.
3. A willingness or tendency to subject oneself
to unpleasant or trying experiences.

How is it that I can even venture to suggest this
definition fits the behavior of many small
business owners?

Simple. Small business owners often submit
themselves and their families to the demands of
their business. Sometimes to the detriment of
those involved in their lives.

Of course, one could argue that the small
business owner is sacrificing his or herself for
the long-term benefit of their families and
themselves.

Well, one could argue that. And in some cases,
the argument would be true. In other cases, the
argument would not even remotely be true.

THE DANGER IN FAILING TO UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF
YOUR OWN TIME

The deadliest consequence in any business is the
owner’s failure to understand the value of his or
her own time. Even a thriving business can die
under the weight of an owner who does not place
the proper value on his or her own time.

Some owners work long hours for little return
because they do not understand their own value.
Some of these owners will eventually quit their
business for a job that could provide a higher
living wage. Others, while thriving, may keep
themselves doing tasks that can be and should be
done by others. Sometimes, the business owner
wants to believe that he or she alone can do
the task, or they want to do the things they most
enjoy.

In the end, these folks fail because the
important tasks that should have been done for
the purpose of growing the business or meeting
the demands of the business have gone undone. The
business collapses because they did not take care
of the most important facets of their business.

PLANNING, GOAL SETTING AND MEASURING COULD CHANGE
YOUR FUTURE

PLANNING will permit you to see where you want to
go and how you hope to get there.

GOAL SETTING permits you to make certain specific
determinations about your business. One such goal
that should be set early and regularly is the
level of income that you want to derive from
your business.

MEASURING lets you see the true state of your
business at any one point in time. Measuring at
regular intervals lets you see a moving slide
show that will deliver an honest picture of the
continuing state of your business.

Additional measuring will permit you to see how
much your time could be worth and how much you
are really paying yourself. Your measurements
should also permit you to put a cost on the
specific tasks and functions that are required in
the operation of your business.

MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS

If the amount that you want to be paid and could
be paid is higher than the cost of doing the task
that you are doing, then you should wisely
consider having someone in your employment handle
the task.

Properly managing tasks and delegating the work
at hand can make or break your business. Make the
correct decisions and you will be treating
yourself better than the average small
businessperson.

I wish you and your business the very best.

About The Author:
--------------------------------------------------
Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making
Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take
Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today!
Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At:
http://testedtough.com/pips.html
--------------------------------------------------

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this
article within your website or newsletter as long
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Forgiven and Forgotten

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Romans 3:23-24
Justified—there is a word we could read right over in the Bible and miss. It is a word that is used often in the New Testament to describe one major aspect of what salvation is all about. The Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Rome,
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)
This teaching of justification by faith is of supreme importance. The entire Protestant Reformation took place as a result of the belief that we are justified by faith, as opposed to being justified by works or religious activity. To be justified means to be forgiven of all our sins. If you have turned from your sins, if you have repented of them, then God has forgiven you. God has released you from the guilt and penalty of every sin you have ever committed, just as if it never had happened.The Old Testament prophet Micah understood this truth when he wrote, "He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea" (Micah 7:19). Think about it. Let it sink in. It's incredible, but true. God has taken our sin, thrown it into the sea of forgetfulness, and has posted a sign that says, "No fishing allowed." It is paid for. It is forgiven. It is forgotten. Accept it from God. God does not want us to remember what He is willing to forget.

Copyright © 2005 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright ©1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible text from the New King James Version is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000

Ordinary People

Take heed to yourself, . . . lest you forget the things your eyes have seen . . . . And teach them to your children. —Deuteronomy 4:9 Deuteronomy 4:5-14

David Isay, a radio producer, says that in a culture inundated with the stories of celebrities, we need to hear the recorded voices of ordinary people, because their lives and contributions are no less important. Isay is a driving force behind StoryCorps, "a national project to instruct and inspire people to record each other's stories in sound."
It's a great concept, especially for Christians. Think what it would mean for your great-great-grandchildren to hear and see you telling the story of your life—describing the people and events that shaped you and sharing what Christ means to you.
Just before God's people entered the Promised Land, Moses told them: "Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren" (Deuteronomy 4:9).
That same responsibility of face-to-face communication is still ours. Yet we have the unusual opportunity of leaving a message for future generations. Begin recording your own uniquely important story. Or help a friend or relative record theirs. There is great value in the stories of ordinary people who know and love the Lord. —David McCasland
Life's truest heroes never carve their nameOn marble columns built for their acclaim;They build instead a legacy that springsFrom faithful service to the King of kings. —Gustafson
A life lived for God leaves a lasting legacy.

How to Measure Advertising Success Online

http://www.leadersclub.com/29860/secrets/

How to Measure Advertising Success Online
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
http://www.testedtough.com/pips.html

It is easy for me to tell you that you need to
track the success of your online advertising. It
is also easy for me to tell you that you must do
so in order to know which of your advertising
is helping you to make a profit, to break even,
or to break the bank. Far too many advertisers
get caught in the online money pits in an effort
to develop their online business.

DON’T BE AFRAID

I also know that when I say these things, some
people get spooked. People get spooked because
although they might run an online business, they
may not understand the technology that keeps
their business running.

Let’s face it.

More people are learning how to design and
develop their own web pages. In fact, software has
been created to help them do so rather easily.

But when it comes down to the more complex
technologies such as web logs, database
technology, and web programming, most people
just freeze up and fail to make an informed
decision.

Some will turn to a programmer with hopes that a
programmer could save their online business, and
many will get burned by their personal
programmers. When a programmer burns a webmaster,
the cost can be very high. And at the end of the
day, the programmer may leave the webmaster with
a broken web site.

The only real choices left to most webmasters is
to learn how to install pre-made scripts on their
own, or to keep their websites technologically
simple. *Technologically simple* often fails to
help the webmaster find the success that he or
she so fervently desires.

UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE OF PRE-MADE SCRIPTS

Web software is often very simple in its
installation, so the webmaster really should not
fear it.

All one needs to install their own pre-made web
scripts (software) is an online web site file
manager or optional FTP software. They will also
need the ability to change the *permissions* on
the files on their web server.

When downloading scripts for installation on your
server, the file may come in .zip, .tar, or .gz
format. Each of these are variations on the
compressed / zipped file format. There are
many utilities available for unzipping files. One
such utility is WinZip which can be found at:
http://www.winzip.com

Most scripts, once downloaded and unzipped, may
appear in text format with extensions such as
.php, .cgi, .pl or .cfg.

Most of these files can be read as plain text in
an application like NotePad. Occasionally, the
file will be in a binary format which cannot be
read with a text editor.

The files which can be read in a text editor are
often written in the Perl or PHP programming
languages.

While most of the scripting will seem like
Chinese to you, you will be able to pick out
certain sections that can be read and understood
easily.

If the application also contains a .cfg file,
this is your configuration file that can usually
be changed to reflect your own personal needs or
desires for the operation of the software.

NEXT STEP, UPLOAD THE FILES TO YOUR SERVER

Most of these web applications will have a
readme.txt file included with it. If it does,
please read it. If it does not, don’t worry, this
section is for you.

You must upload the files to your server as plain
text. If you are using FTP to upload the files,
then you must tell your software to upload the
files in ASCII format. If you are using your web
file manager, then the files will automatically
upload correctly.

Once the file is on your server, then you must
change the file permissions.

Files with the extensions .php, .cgi, or .pl are
executable files and there permissions must be
set to 755. Files with the extensions .cfg, .txt,
or .html must have their permissions set to 644.
Files and folders that will be written to must
have their permissions set to 777. Files with no
extensions can be classified as any of the above,
so check the readme.txt file.

755 defines an executable file. 644 defines a
read-only file. And 777 defines a writable file.

Once the files are on your server and the
permissions are set correctly, the application
you have placed on your server should work for
you just fine.

LOCATING PRE-MADE SITE TRACKING SCRIPTS

Probably one of the best resources for locating
pre-made scripts is: http://www.cgi-resources.com

If after reading this article you still fear the
task of installing a pre-made script on your
server, then you might seriously consider
remotely hosted site tracking software. If
you opt for this route, be sure to buy the pro
version of the software offered. If you don’t
choose the paid version, you might find your own
competitors having access to your site tracking
data! That should not be an acceptable option to
you.

THE PURPOSE OF SITE TRACKING

With site tracking software running on your
server, you can review how many people came to
your website and what URL’s they might have used
to find your website. You can also see where your
visitors have come from, when they came, how long
they were on your site, at what page they entered
and left your site, and much more.

This is the kind of information that will help
you to determine with some certainty how
effective your advertising is and how profitable
your advertising can be.

Operating without tracking data is tantamount to
operating a business with the intent purpose of
failing.

I truly want you to succeed with your online
business. I know deep down in my heart that the
more people who find success online, the greater
my own chances for remaining profitable over
the long haul. *A rising tide floats all ships.*

About The Author:
--------------------------------------------------
Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making
Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take
Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today!
Get All The Exciting Details And Now Today At:
http://www.testedtough.com/pips.html
--------------------------------------------------

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this
article within your website or newsletter as long
as you leave the article fully intact and include
the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)

How to Calculate ROI (Return on Investment)

How to Calculate ROI (Return on Investment)
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
http://www.testedtough.com/pips.html

ROI (Return on Investment) is probably the most
important calculation one needs to make to ensure
the long-term viability of their business. It is
not enough to build in a profit margin on the
product or service being offered. One must track
with proficiency the amount of dollars being
invested into attracting sales and how much ROI
those dollars put back into the business. If the
investment meets too little return, a product
line is doomed to fail in the long-term.

THE BASIC ROI PERCENTAGE CALCULATION

Many experts seem to agree, “calculating an
accurate return on investment (ROI) is not an
easy thing to do.”

I do not intend to give you a thorough analysis
of the ROI calculation process. Calculating an
accurate ROI is hard to do, but explaining the
full scope of ROI calculations in less than
1000 words is far more difficult.

As such, this article is only intended to
introduce you to the basic concepts behind ROI
calculations. Here is a very basic equation for
calculating the ROI:

ROI = [(Payback - Investment)/Investment)]*100

Your payback is actually the total amount of
money earned from your investment in your
company. Investment relates to the amount of
resources put into generating the given payback.

You should run ROI calculations on both monthly
and yearly timelines.

IMPROPER CALCULATIONS BY MANY SMALL BUSINESS
OWNERS

The actual amount of investment into a business
is often misunderstood by the business owner. As
a result, true ROI calculations for most small
businesses are skewed.

Most small business owners make their mistake in
this most necessary calculation, because they do
not properly value their own time. Please note
that when I previously defined “investment”, I
stated that it relates to the “amount of
resources put into generating the payback.”

Indeed, “resources” includes cash money. But, it
also includes “human resources” or “time”.

If most small business owners would value their
hours at the minimum wage, and calculate their
time into the investment equation, they would
soon realize that their small business is
running in the red!

Some small business owners will finally run ROI
calculations including the human resources, and
suddenly realize that they could make more money
working a job. If the small business owner has
been running their business for a really long
time, struggling to make ends meet, they might
see this calculation and close their doors once
and for all.

PLEASE DON’T LET ME DISCOURAGE YOU

I do not share this revelation with you so that
you will close your business down. Quite to the
contrary. I share this with you so that you can
see the big picture and start running your
business in a way that will actually generate a
real profit for you and your business.

If you are within the first two years or five
years of the start of your business, then running
in the red should not be thought of as a bad
thing. However, if you are ten years into your
business and earning less than minimum wage from
your business, there is a serious problem afoot
that needs to be addressed immediately.

STARTING OUT

When you are just beginning your own business,
you have plenty of time on your hands. This is
the reason why most small business owners do not
properly count their time in the ROI equation.
They just look at cash expenditures and incoming
monies, and they are satisfied with that
calculation.

It is often said that people generate the kind of
results that they believe they can achieve or the
kind that they want to achieve. Seeing the goal
is the first step to achieving the goal.
Expectations will always bring results equal to
the expectation.

Having been down the business startup path before
myself, I too understand the desire to calculate
ROI without consideration to the time invested in
the enterprise.

However, I also understand the importance of
placing a value on my time and working that into
my final numbers.

In the beginning, I ran two types of ROI
calculations: all resources exempting my time,
AND all resources including my time.

Of course, I actually set a higher expectation
for my own income level. First, I had decided on
ten dollars an hour for my time. Later, I
adjusted that amount upward.

Starting out, even though I ran two versions of
my ROI calculations, I relied first on my
resource excluding my own time. Once I had
achieved this goal, then I refocused my attention
to reaching the ROI which took into account my own
time.

Now, that time has passed, I can go back and look
at my yearly ROI and see that I have earned
enough cash to pay for those early days of famine.

THE SECRET OF TURNING ROI CALCULATIONS INTO
SUCCESS

Every step in your business startup is a
calculated guess as to what you believe you can
achieve.

Measuring your results is essential to making
your business profitable. ROI measurements are
imperative to measuring and understanding the
results you are achieving with your new or
existing business.

Take into account all factors relating to the
profitability of your business and don’t smudge
on the facts to make it seem more profitable than
it really is. It is important to approach your
business and your business results with absolute
honesty. Be honest with yourself and face the
facts of your task.

An honest examination of your business at regular
intervals will help you get on and stay on track
to keep the doors of your business open. You will
thank yourself later.

About The Author:
--------------------------------------------------
Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making
Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take
Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today!
Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At:
http://www.testedtough.com/pips.html
--------------------------------------------------

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this
article within your website or newsletter as long
as you leave the article fully intact and include
the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)

Finding Your Home Business Niche

Finding Your Home Business Niche
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-5401

When some folks begin to think about a business
of their own, they know in that very moment what
kind they are going to start. Then, there are the
rest of us...

Knowing that we want to have a business of our
own is not enough. Many of us have struggled with
the important question of what type of enterprise
we would like to start.

Franchises offer a simple pre-packaged money
making idea, but the cost of a franchise often
makes it a prohibitive option to most folks who
contemplate going out on their own.

For those who do not have a million dollars to
buy a McDonalds franchise, we must look to other
ideas for our own business.

There are literally hundreds of lucrative home
business ideas for you to choose from, which will
suit every type of personality and all levels of
financing. From selling information on the
Internet as a infopreneur, to growing delicious
gourmet mushrooms for sale to restaurants and
catering companies; there is a pile of money to
be made by filling a need, for these and a host
of other necessary services.

Of course, actually liking what you do, will have
a lot to do with the success of your new venture,
so be sure to pick a home business that you'll
enjoy running and that will keep you motivated.

For example, if you're a math whiz, an accounting
or income tax service might be the ideal home
business for you to start. Perhaps writing is
your forte and you'd like to start your own
home based copywriting service or advertising
agency. Each of these businesses can be run
successfully--and profitably from the comfort of
your own home.

Academia might not be your cup of tea, but maybe
you are good with your hands --- having a
creative genius where crafts are concerned. Craft
items are red-hot sellers at swap meets, country
fairs and world wide over the Internet, and they
can provide you with solid profits. If crafts
don't interest you, then why not start a laundry
service with pick-up and delivery, or a shopping
service for shut-in's--even a companion service or
granny sitter or a doctor shuttle service; any of
which, could be much in demand, in and around
your neighborhood or community.

When brainstorming new ideas for your future home
business, keep in mind the soul of any successful
endeavor is providing a product or service that
others will actually purchase in quantities.
Satisfy the needs of your target market, and your
target market will keep you and your home based
business healthy, happy and profitable.

Below are some suggestions for home business
ideas that might help you decide on a suitable
venture in which to invest.

Multi-level-marketing (mlm), floral/plant service
for offices and hospitals, pooper-scooper
service, dog walking service, answering service,
vending machine service, gift basket service,
homemade soap maker, mobile windshield repair
service, mobile tire repair service, income tax
specialist, researcher, freelance writer,
business card and letterhead designer, courier,
shut-in/shuttle service, landscaping service, tree
trimming service, wood crafter, carpenter, crafts
and crafting supplies, pool cleaning service,
plants/nursery starts, growing herbs, growing
mushrooms, garage sale and swap meet vendor,
proofreader, private investigator, typing
service, interior decorator/designer, website
design, wedding consultant, hot lunch/snack
vendor at local courthouses, pet sitting service,
pet grooming service, Internet entrepreneur,
paralegal, gourmet catering service, new media
production, mobile cosmetic technician, mobile
nail technician, mobile hair stylist, aerobics
instructor, personal fitness trainer, advertising
consultant, companion service, small printing
service.

Ideas, ideas; hopefully the above ideas will give
you some fresh ideas of your own to mull over. A
spring board if you will, on which to dive into
your own chosen home business.

When you work from home, any business you start
has the potential to explode into a perpetual
gold mine! It just depends on how much your home
business is in demand around your community or on
the Internet. Your home business might start
slow and steady, regularly picking up clients as
you become more established. On the other hand,
your chosen home business may take off like
wildfire, quickly becoming too hot for you to
handle by yourself (well done!). This is the time
to enlist the help of willing family members to
help you out in your time of need, which will
make your business into a friendly, family
concern. This will also help family members
better understand your business and get a grasp
on the mechanics of profit.

Good luck in all your decisions and have fun with
your home business, which ever one you choose,
and don't forget to enjoy your newfound freedom!

About The Author:
--------------------------------------------------
Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making
Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take
Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today!
Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At:
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-5401
--------------------------------------------------

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this
article within your website or newsletter as long
as you leave the article fully intact and include
the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)

Fast-Track Your Journey To Online Success

Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-5401

No one has ever logged onto the Internet for the
first time and started pocketing dollars in a
really short period of time. As with all things
in life, there is a learning curve.

SOME PERSONAL HISTORY

Just a few short years ago, I was a working stiff
just like you.

One day, I bought and read a book called
"Multiple Streams of Income" by bestselling
author, Robert Allen. Immediately, I began my
journey.

Every night after work and after my wife and
children went to sleep, I would get online and
explore different ways of using the Internet to
make money.

In the 2 years that followed, I spent over
$10,000.00 racking up credit card debt buying
eBooks, membership sites, special reports, opt-in
leads, and joining every "guru" recommended
business opportunity that flew into my email
inbox...

I stayed up learning, working and drinking coffee
until 5:00 in the morning month after month
filled with the hope of making money online.

In my 3rd year of working part-time to build an
home based income, I finally broke through and
earned over $100,000.00 in just 12 months from
the Internet.

BECOME THE MASTER OF YOUR LEARNING CURVE

Research the lives of all of the guru's. The one
thing that you will learn is that my own
experience is not unique. Most of the high
earners on the Internet experienced a learning
curve very similar to my own.

Chances are that your curve will also be similar
to mine, but it is my hope that you can get to
the top faster than even I did. Three years was a
long time to struggle, but every ounce of
struggle was worth the reward I have finally
received.

In order to shorten your own learning curve, you
must do a few things differently than the rest of
us did. You must become themaster of your
learning curve.

THE SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO POINTS IS A
STRAIGHT LINE

There is only one way to shorten the curve on the
Internet, "you must plan to succeed."

Here is the deal. Most people put up a freebie
website and select a few affiliate programs to
add to their website. Right out of the gate, most
people are running for the finish line without
any real plan in mind.

After a few short weeks, people begin to see the
writing on the wall that says, "This is going to
be a long hard road."

People check their hit counters daily for six
weeks before they realize that getting traffic to
their free site is going to be tough.

At this point, they begin developing their first
batch of advertising. Then they spend countless
months finding places to show their
advertisements for free. Some make an even more
drastic mistake by blowing thousands of hard
earned dollars on their new and untested ads.

These are the people who will learn the facts of
life the hard way.

In time, they will learn how to make their
advertising work for them. But most will earn
very little money from their affiliate programs.

At this point in the learning curve, most people
throw up their hands and walk away from their
dreams in utter disgust. Instead of a walking
away point, this should have convinced the
struggling online entrepreneur that they were
simply traveling the wrong road.

YOU MUST PLAN TO SUCCEED

From day one, you must begin to learn about the
nuances of web promotion. Read everything you can
get your hands on. Don't just read the hype, back
it up with the opinions of others who have
reviewed the same programs before you came along.
Learn from their mistakes and successes.

As you begin to learn, you must also look to make
a decision. Do you want to step into a pre-built
program that is designed to help you to succeed,
OR do you want to create a completely new program
of which you are the sole owner?

If you decide to step into a pre-designed and
complete turn-key online money making venture,
then you must select the right venture to step
into. If this is your decision, then please
examine my program along with the others. You can
review my Plug In Profit Site program at:
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-5401

If you decide to go the journey on your own, then
do all of the necessary research, planning and
preparation that is needed for your success.

PREPARE TO SUCCEED

Decide upon what you think you would want to do,
and then figure out how your planned site will
generate a real income.

Internet old-timers know about hundreds of
corporation domains that existed with IPO
millions, but did not have an actual money
plan that could sustain their business model.
Most of these companies were among the hundreds
of companies that bellied up in the 2000 dot bomb
experience.

Don't blindly believe in your plan. Research
others on the web who have undertaken similar
business models and see if they have survived.
Study your competitors in depth to learn what is
working for them and what did not work for them.
To better understand what has or has not worked
for competitor websites, check out their time
lapsed progressions using the Wayback Machine:
http://www.archive.org

Once you have determined your money plan, then
you should undertake the development of a
business plan and a marketing plan. Utilize
professional assistance if you need to do so.
While creating your plans, make a determination
as to which domain name you think would be best,
then use the domain name wizard at Host4Profit to
find the perfect domain for your business:
http://www.host4profit.com/cgi-bin/home.cgi?56839

Once you have developed your business plan and
marketing plan and have run them through several
revisions, then it will be time to buy your
domain name and to begin work with a site
designer and developer. You may need to have your
domain sitting on a web host for your site
developer, but this is not always necessary.
While they are doing their work, enlist a
copywriter to help you with your site sales copy.

When your site designer and developer have your
site working, you should then undertake
significant testing to make sure everything works
as planned. It is much harder to fix problems
on a operational site than it is to fix problems
on a site that is yet to be launched.

When testing is done, then you should fill in
your sales copy and then shoot for launch. Of
course, you already have a marketing plan in
place, so your preparation here will be simply
a matter of putting the pieces of the puzzle into
place.

You are finally ready to open for business. Don't
be afraid to spend the money to bring your dream
alive. Time can replace money in the goal of
starting a profitable online business, but money
invested can shave years off of your company's
growth.

If you want to save a lot of time and get your
very own money making website setup within the
next 24 hours, review and sign up for my Plug-In
Profit Site service today at:
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-5401

About The Author:
--------------------------------------------------
Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making
Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take
Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today!
Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At:
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-5401
--------------------------------------------------

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this
article within your website or newsletter as long
as you leave the article fully intact and include
the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)

Children in the Home Business Environment

Children in the Home Business Environment
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-5401

Operating a home business is seldom easy and
interruptions come in all shapes, sizes and forms.

Between the family, friends and neighbors who
call or come by, and the telemarketers who insist
on ringing your number off the hook, getting
through the workday can be a real challenge.

When you introduce children into the home office
environment, your productivity and patience can
be seriously tested.

For example, right now my three-year old daughter
is pulling on my shirt and begging me to read her
a story. Clearly, Im in the middle of something
important here, but how can I say no to those
eyes? I'll be right back...

Ok, that wasn't so bad was it? She's happy, Im
happy (having bonded with my daughter) and now
I'm back to continue my conversation with you! :-)

What's the lesson here? Flexibility is a major
key to balancing your home business priorities
with your family's needs.

I can tell you from first-hand experience that
maintaining a deep level of concentration on work
in a home business for long periods of time is
next to impossible. Naptime does offer some
reprieve, but any break from the kids is usually
short lived.

Even with older children, summertime introduces
new challenges with kids running in and out of
the house all throughout the day.

I would like to share with you some of the tips I
have discovered to help manage your home office
with children in your midst. Since children of
different ages pose different challenges, I will
present my tips in terms of age groups.

OLDER CHILDREN AND TEENS

We will look at older children first since they
pose the least challenge to our work productivity.

Children, who are old enough to understand the
idea of schedules and chores, are old enough to
understand the needs of your home business.
Explain to your children that you do your work at
home so that you can be near them when they need
you. But also be sure they understand that you
must do your work so that you will have the money
necessary to keep your house, feed the family and
to provide them with money for entertainment.

Once your children understand the necessity of
your work, then outline a work schedule and
explain it to them. Do make sure they understand
that emergencies are definitely an acceptable
reason to interrupt your work. Then make sure
they understand that between hours x and y, you
will be doing work --- and then hold them to
respecting your schedule.

INFANTS

Infants will never understand your needs for
work. But fortunately, babies do well under a
schedule or routine. Instead of expecting your
child to work around your schedule, schedule
your work around the needs of your baby.

It is simple. Babies eat, sleep and poop.
Sometimes they play. Fortunately, babies sleep
more than they do anything else.

Naptime offers the best advantage for getting
your work done. Get your baby into a routine of
eat, sleep and play, and you will experience
unexpected levels of productivity.

TODDLERS

If you have a toddler running around the house
while you are operating your home business, then
you may find that your hair turning gray or
disappearing altogether. But, gray hair is a
sign of character, right. ;-)

I am venturing to guess that the person who
devised the door lock for the inside of the house
did so because he had toddlers in his own home.
Inside door locks should only be utilized when
you are making that important phone call and your
toddler is screaming for your attention. At all
other times, your door should remain unlocked
with your door open.

Develop a routine with your children for meal
times, naptimes, and play times. Work these times
into your work schedule and adhere to them. If
you fail to keep appointments with your children,
your children will have less respect for your
work and do more to prevent you from the
completion of your work.

Don't be afraid to let your children sit in your
lap while you are working. It helps them to feel
wanted and it helps them to be a part of your
daily life. There are times when it is okay
for them to be sitting in your lap while you
work, and at other times you need them out of
your lap. Don't be afraid to tell them to get
down and go play or read a book so that you can
resume your work.

Permit your children to have their toys in your
office. Often they will sit contently and play
while you work. Just knowing you are near is
enough to keep them happy.

Be prepared to take an hourly break to deal with
your toddler. Try to do potty breaks at your
hourly break and to do drink refills. This can
help your child grow into a routine that will
work well with your home business. At each break,
spend a few minutes with your child giving hugs
and kisses and talking with your child about what
he or she wants to talk about.

Toddlers don't always do well with the routine,
so be prepared to take a few minutes when needed
to give the attention that your child so
desperately needs in the moment.

IN CONCLUSION

I hope these tips serve to help you in the
challenge of operating a successful home business.

My home business permits me to fulfill my
financial obligations *AND* see my children grow
up. I would never contemplate trading my home
business for another kind of business. Even with
the added challenges of dealing with toddlers in
my home office, the upsides far outweigh the
downsides.

Growing my own home business with children around
has definitely given me a new respect for all
people who successfully run a home business with
kids in the work environment. I tip my hat to
you... You deserve it!

About The Author:
--------------------------------------------------
Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making
Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take
Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today!
Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At:
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-5401
--------------------------------------------------

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this
article within your website or newsletter as long
as you leave the article fully intact and include
the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)

Advertising Your Home Business on a Budget

Advertising Your Home Business on a Budget
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-5401

When you are starting out in a new home business
and no one knows who you are, one of the greatest
challenges you will face is how to drum up new
business.

If there were not people in your community or
marketplace that you knew who needed your
products or services, you probably would not have
started your business to begin with. But, once
you have talked to those who you personally knew
who needed your what you offer, then your next
task is to find others who will help keep your
doors open.

Many people know that they must turn to
advertising at some point in the future, but they
hope that day will be long down the road. For
some, this utopian concept will come to fruition.
But for the rest of us in the real world, we must
come up with creative solutions for meeting our
home business advertising needs while working
within our budget.

Most people have a misconception about having to
spend lots of money in order to advertise their
home business. When you start out, you honestly
will not have much money available for
advertising, and if you do, you should still
spend it wisely.

Before you jump headfirst into the world of
advertising, let me share some of the lessons I
have learned concerning this most important topic.

LESSON #1

It does not have to cost an arm and a leg to
advertise your home business, unless you fail to
plan and fail to test.

As much as is possible, you should always test
your advertising. If you jump in and start
dumping tons of money in to advertising without
first testing your advertising, you might find
yourself broke and without sales at the end of
the road. Most people who commit this error write
off their failure on the home business they chose
or the economy or any of a hundred other excuses.
But, if they are unwilling to take responsibility
for their mistake, they will never learn from
their mistake. Don't let this be you.

LESSON #2

All testing should be done in blocks. If you
begin to advertise simultaneously in newspapers,
radio and television, how will you know which
advertising is bringing people to your cash
register? You won't. All you will know that
something might be working, but you will not know
what is actually doing the trick.

Even if you tell people in your advertising to
tell you how they found you, my experience shows
that fewer than 10% of the people ever will tell
you anything --- and those people who do may not
even get the facts straight! You cannot rely on
your customers to tell you what advertising is
working for your home business. You must put in
the extra effort to know for yourself.

LESSON #3

Only when you have a proven and solid advertising
portfolio should you venture to drop big bucks in
an advertising campaign. Even then, you should be
careful to keep further measurements to determine
how much the maximum advantage of an ad would be.
Sometimes you might be able to reach ten times as
many people, but depending on the kind of media
and other factors, the additional exposure will
only generate twice as many sales. Keep your eye
attuned to situations like this to get the most
from your advertising dollars.

LESSON #4

As Lesson #3 illustrates, sometimes your best
advertising investment may actually cost you less
money. When you are first starting out, whether
you are running a home business or a business
outside of your home, you need to be able to get
people talking and thinking about your business.

If you are busy testing ads in media's such as
the newspaper, magazines, radio, and television,
you need to learn ways of promoting your business
that do not require large cash expenditures. A
few examples are:

· Word of Mouth
· Business Cards
· Press Releases
· Non-Primetime Ads on Radio and Television

Here is more information about each type of
low-cost advertising:

WORD OF MOUTH

This of course is the cheapest kind of
advertising on the planet --- it does not cost
you anything. Ask your customers if they know
anyone who could also use your products or
services. When they are happy with your offerings
and service, they will be willing to tell you
whom you can contact, and they will pass the
word for you.

BUSINESS CARDS

You can usually pick up 500 business cards for
about $20. When you do, hand them out. Do not
give more than a couple of cards to each person.
If they need more cards from you, they will ask.

Some people are known to network with others on a
regular basis. Some of these people are also
known to be always looking for an extra few
bucks. With these people, you can suggest to them
that if they write their name on the back of one
of your business cards and the card is presented
to you, then you will pay a referral fee to them.
You do not have to offer much --- sometimes one
dollar is enough. Look at your home business and
your offerings and decide how much would be a
good referral fee.

PRESS RELEASES

Press Releases are a good source for generating
news about your home business. The business
editor at your local newspaper is always on the
lookout for a good business story to fill the
business news section of the newspaper.

Of course, the business editor understands the
economics of running a paper and is more inclined
to run your story if you buy advertising in
his/her publication, but will still print
stories for special events and openings.

The important thing to remember about Press
Releases is that it must be constructed in the
form of a news story. Even if you are a sole
proprietorship, quotes from you should be written
in a third person format: John Doe said, "Your
quote here."

A Press Release should pack the most important
information at the beginning of the copy, and
leave extra details towards the end.

You should always provide the reporter who gets
the task a simple and easy way for him/her to
contact you directly. Often the reporter will
want to contact you to get details that will
enhance their take on your story.

NON-PRIMETIME ADS ON RADIO AND TELEVISION

Believe it or not, some of the best rates for
radio and television are on the overnight and
non-primetime venues. These target times are not
a total waste as they can easily keep the
infomercial people in business.

These off-hours are just less populated than the
primetime hours.

Don't be afraid to check your local radio and
television rates for non-primetime hours to see
what bargains may exist. With television,
primetime is 7pm to 10pm. With radio, primetime is
8am to 5pm. This sure leaves a whole lot of hours
available to advertise your home business at
discount rates!

IN CONCLUSION

When it comes down to it, there is a lot to
understand about advertising, but when you have
the basic knowledge down pat, everything will
fall into place and bring more dollars to your
bank account.

About The Author:
--------------------------------------------------
Stone Evans Will Personally Build A Money Making
Website Just For You That's 100% Ready To Take
Orders And Pull In Massive Residual Profits Today!
Get All The Exciting Details And Signup Now At:
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-5401
--------------------------------------------------

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this
article within your website or newsletter as long
as you leave the article fully intact and include
the "About The Author" resource box. Thanks! :-)