OutOfYourRut FAITH FORUM



A Successful Online Business Requires Realistic Expectations

Guest post by Clair Schwan

Working a business in the online environment can be exciting. After all, it’s cyberspace – a new frontier. And, there is little doubt that many sources of information, ways of interacting with one another, and doing business will continue to expand in popularity and effectiveness on the web. Many wanna-be business owners have jumped onto the bandwagon of the Internet and gotten themselves immersed in an online business or two. And many have been very disappointed with the results, simply because they weren’t realistic in terms of expectations.

It’s commonly known that most online businesses fail. It’s largely because those involved pull the plug and abandon their efforts. Much of this retreat in the online marketplace is attributable to inadequate planning that fails to temper expectations. The Internet works at the speed of light, but revenue and profit doesn’t necessarily follow at the same pace. Let’s look at some of the areas in which we need to be much more realistic when it comes to our expectations for success in an online business.

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Starting a Side Business – Why Now is the Time

Kevin M

Unstable employment may be here to stay. 10% of the work force is now unemployed, and millions more are under-employed, working at temporary or part-time jobs. By some indicators the economy is showing signs of recovery, but globalization, advances in technology and rising healthcare costs have been gradually cutting away at employment long before onset of the Great Recession.

In Multiple Income Streams to replace One Man-One Job?, we discussed different options to deal with the increasing unreliability of permanent, full-time, fully benefited jobs. Starting a side business is at the center of that discussion.

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Cultivate Multiple Income Sources

STRATEGY #5 TO SURVIVE A DOWN ECONOMY

By Kevin M

In the dreary job market of the moment, people are having difficulty with two major areas in particular: keeping a steady income flow and increasing that flow. The increasing level of unemployment is not only eliminating jobs, but it’s also putting a lid on raises and promotion opportunities. This is in large part, the driving force behind the credit crisis and the epidemic of foreclosures and bankruptcies. Is there a way to deal with it without taking unnecessary risks?

In 10 Ways To Survive a Down Economy (published on Christianpf.com June 1) we listed ten strategies to help us deal with the bad economy. Our topic for today, Strategy #5:

Be prepared to cultivate and balance multiple income sources. You may have a full time job and a part time business, or vice versa. Think of your work in terms of an investment portfolio, in which diversification adds strength. There are probably several jobs you are potentially good at; always be on the lookout for new opportunities.

Why increasing income or broadening the income base matter

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Selling Your Skills on the Open Market

By Kevin M

This is a weekly open forum dedicated to increasing income, cash flow and customer base, for anybody who needs to increase business or supplement a paycheck. Salaried employees, homemakers, small business owners, commissioned sales people, entrepreneurs, retirees—this is FOR you, and we’d like to hear FROM you. What works in one household or business may not work in another, but then again it might. Or it might be modified and adapted to different situations.

In Can You Barter For What You Need? we discussed using your skills and services to barter for products and services you need. You can take the same principle however, selling your skills and services direct for a cash income, and nearly everyone has one or more skills to do this. You can do this as a side business, and eventually make it full time.

”What skills could I possible sell?”

Most of us don’t think that the skills we do at work would be of much value to people on the street. Think again. Right now a lot of small businesses either can’t afford to hire someone or have had to let people go. Even though staff is reduced, the work is often still there and needs to be done.

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Day Trading: Investment Program or Career?

By Kevin M

A few weeks back a comment was placed on this site by a visitor who’s url address included the letters “tv”. Since I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting career and business ideas, I had to follow up on this profile. If he was involved in television in any way, that might be a career profile worth looking for a story in. But upon following up through his website, I found out he certainly does have a most interesting career, but one that has absolutely nothing to do with television.

His career? Day trading.

It never crossed my mind to consider day trading to be a career of any sort. I’ve mostly tended to think of it as an investment scheme of some type, and not one for the faint of heart. (That part is most definitely true—see the “Disclaimer” from his website below if you have any doubts.)

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You can do this!

By Dave Kelly

You can.

You have infinite power and ability that was placed in you the moment you were conceived.

You must choose to make use of those God-given talents and abilities.

Most people don’t, or won’t.

What’s holding you back? Fear of failure? Lack of money? No road map? The moment is not perfect? Get over it!

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Cashing in on Seasonal Jobs and Business Opportunities

FRIDAY INCOME & CASH FLOW FORUM

Kevin M

Working a part time job or side business in combination with a full time situation can be a tough juggling act, especially over the long haul. Some people can manage it, but probably most can’t, at least not for extended periods. It’s called having a life!

But sometimes you just need a little bit of extra money. Maybe you need to build up some cash in your emergency fund, clean up some bills, cover some repairs or a major purchase, or maybe for an upcoming holiday or special event. You aren’t looking for a lifetime arrangement, just a short term burst of extra income to clean up your finances.

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Become a “Call Center” for Small Businesses

By Kevin M

Friday Income & Cash Flow ForumThis is a weekly open forum dedicated to increasing income, cash flow and customer base, for anybody who needs to increase business or supplement a paycheck. Salaried employees, homemakers, small business owners, commissioned sales people, entrepreneurs, retirees—this is FOR you, and we’d like to hear FROM you. What works in one household or business may not work in another, but then again it might. Or it might be modified and adapted to different situations.

Nothing contained in today’s post is likely to make you rich, but it can put some extra cash in your pocket if you’re a homemaker, retiree, currently unemployed or already working from home and looking for an additional revenue stream. It doesn’t even require you to leave your home.

Even as weak as the economy and job market are, businesses are often in need of all kinds of services. Finding out what those services are, how you can provide them and how you can market your business are all that you need.

Note to small business owners: you might consider taking someone on in this capacity as a way of freeing up your time and improving your sales process without spending a lot of money.

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