Small Biz Sanity

Working from home? Staying organized

As a stay-at-home mom, one of the most-asked questions out there (and heck, one I'm still asking myself!) is how to best stay organized and keep the home & work stuff fairly separate. 

Here are some ideas from the posters of a popular work-at-home online forum I frequent (note--I'm pasting much of their comments as-is, so you might see some typos & grammatical errors, lol. But all in all, there's some good advice!):

"The biggest thing is to not try and work in a room with a tv! Otherwise, you have to be flexible to meet your family needs. I tend now to work alongside my daughter whilst she is doing homeschool. When I'm working on articles I do it on paper so that there is not temptation to browse."

"Make a folder for each day of the week and place it on your desktop. Forr each day, put in there your todays list of to do's for that particular day. Then when you go to your computer everyday, just open the file for that day and there is what you do for the day..."

"I just started with a direct selling business, but I've been working from home doing freelance writing and mystery shopping (get jobs from home and submit reports from home, but obviously have to leave to complete them...I'm pretty sure that still counts) for a couple of years. My advice would be to try to find your family's schedule and then schedule your work time in where it fits and STICK TO IT. It can be so tempting to just take that naptime and see what's on tv or call a friend or whatever, but if you've set that as your work time then do work.

You also need to realize that your schedule may not be the same day to day if you have family activities or other commitments and it may fluctuate as your child grows depending on their age (naps change and/or disappear for example) so you need to plan as far out as you can and only book yourself as much work as you can handle. I went through a period of serious overscheduling because I kept thinking that I could do more and trying to stay up all night to finish it. That's not good for you or your family. Good luck!! "

"I have been working from home for about 6 months now and have struggled with the same issues.
Here is what I do:

I make a list today for what I need to accomplish tomorrow.
As soon as I get up, I get to work. If I have an appt. then I work before or after.
I set aside at least 4 hours each day and stick to it.
I also work hard to keep up with housework so I don't have alot of that to do in any 1 day. If I do get backlogged, I take my weekend days a get caught up.
I also have an away place in my house with my computer so I can stay focused. "

Tips for a Successful Trade Show...

As a small business owner, you've probably looked into attending a trade show or two.  But since many of us are on tight budgets, you might have been daunted by not just some trade shows' admission fees, but also how you'd display your business info & takeaways.

Well, there are some inexpensive, creative ways you can do this--and this article that I've posted below from About.com (written by virtual assistant Janice Byer) tells you how.

Tips for a Successful Trade Show by Janice Byer

As small business owners, especially those in the start up phase, preparing for a trade show can be a very scary and frustrating time. What do we take for our trade show display and how do we present it?

You first need to find out the specifics of the trade show you are registered for or considering exhibiting in. If necessary, contact the organizers of the event and get details on the type of visitors that the show attracts and the layout of the area you will have to display your business.

Be sure to find out the size of the trade show display table you will have, whether there is wall space for your company sign, if there are electrical outlets available, and anything else that may or may not be included (i.e. a table cloth, etc.).

Once the show space specifics have been established, then you can move on to deciding what to take and how you can ‘show your stuff’. The following are just a few ideas to help you get ready for that all important trade show. (Note: most of these trade show display ideas are based on being in the service industry but will work for products industry companies as well.)

1) If the trade show display table you have does not include a tablecloth, be sure to get one that complements your display and represents your company’s image and colour scheme (without being overpowering). Even if a tablecloth is supplied, bring your own or something to add some depth to your table (i.e. a table runner). Your table will definitely stand out in a crowd.

2) If your trade show display space will allow, erect a stand-alone presentation board. On the board, you can show how clients can benefit by using your services. Be creative and make it stand out. Include pictures, if possible, and be sure your company name and logo are more than obvious.

3) If there is wall space, but your budget is minimal, use your trusty desktop publishing software to create a template of your company name. Use the template, along with bristle board, cardboard, or foam core to make a sign that you can put up on the wall behind your trade show display.

4) Arrange your trade show display table in levels. Put the larger items at the rear, shorter items in front of those, and even shorter items in front of those.

5) Develop a PowerPoint presentation to display on your table (if an electrical outlet is within reach of your booth). You can make it on your desktop computer and transfer it to a laptop, which you can rent or borrow if you don’t already have one. Your visitors will find this visually appealing and it will draw in their attention.

Continue on to the next page to read more trade show tips, including ideas for trade show giveaways that are sure to make yours one of the most popular trade show booths at the show.

Here are more trade show tips to help your trade show booth draw attention at the show and help people remember you afterwards.

Have plenty of trade show giveaways, such as business cards, brochures, pens, magnets, and anything else that has your company name and/or logo on it. Most people who attend trade shows are expecting to take home some goodies. And be sure to use display racks for showing your flyers, specials, brochures, and such.

Offer something a little different as a trade show giveaway… FOOD. I displayed at the "Bridges to Better Business" trade show in Brampton and included a basket of Girl Guide cookies on my table. They were a big hit; I wish I had brought more. If you can, package your food in a way that will allow you to have your company contact information on it.

Offer Gift Certificates for some of your services as a trade show giveaway. There’s nothing better than getting a deal and when they ‘cash in’ their certificate, they will see how valuable your services are and will come back for more.

Have a draw for a prize. Offer a prize that in some way complements your business if possible, and appeals to anyone. Have visitors and entrants sign a guestbook, fill in a ticket, or drop their business cards into a fish bowl or gift bag. The great thing about this trade show giveaway is that you can then use this information at a later date to make a follow up contact.

Have a portfolio of your work available as part of your trade show display. Print off some of your best projects, put them into plastic sheet protectors, and arrange them in a binder. Then lay out the binder where visitors can flip through the pages.

If the trade show will be on for an extended length of time, be sure to have assistance in manning your trade show booth so you can take a break. If you don’t have the option of having someone take over for a bit, be sure to put up a note that tells people how long you will be gone or when you will be back.

Most importantly, be friendly and inviting. Say "Hi" to those that turn and look toward you or your trade show booth. Strike up a conversation and be sure to have a short introductory speech ready. And… have fun!

Janice Byer is a certified Master Virtual Assistant and owner of Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design Services.

“How-To-Start” Spotlight: Home-Based Daycare

Since I work from home, I’m all about home-based business (HBB) resources, and I’m interested in all types. So I’ve decided to start spotlighting different HBBs periodically, and how to start them.  If whatever I’m featuring at the time happens to be the type you’re interested in—great, read on!  But also, feel free to contact me with HBB suggestions of your own—and they just might be featured in an upcoming spotlight.

 

So this time around, I’m featuring tips on starting a home-based daycare.  Of course, this is probably a no-brainer for those who are great with kids (and might already be stay-at-home parents). 

Quote of the day...

I was checking out the blog of Internet marketing diva Sharon Odom, and I just luuuuvvved a quote from her brother...great for when you get into that occasional funk when you're left feeling a little beat-down by challenges & circumstances:

"Build a bridge and get over it."

Don't you just love that?

Another income stream: A speaking career?

Here's something I've been thinking of myself, and I wanted to pass the thought on to you fine folks. Speaking engagHere's something I've been thinking of myself, and I wanted to pass the thought on to you fine folks. Speaking engagements. Ever done them? If not (and I know how many of us loathe public speaking), it might be something to consider.

If you're reading this blog, you're probably interested in small business info in some way or another--you're either a small biz owner, or trying to become one. But if you're good at what you do, why not share your expertise and get paid for it? Speaking engagements are a great option, because you can set your own speaking schedule to work around whatever else you have going on. I could go on, but instead I'll give you this article by Mike Moore on how to get started in a speaking career.

Don't hate...investigate!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to run that phrase into the ground.  But where did it come from? 

The thing is, wherever I go I see folks doing their thing when it comes to small businesses both online and brick 'n mortar.  Now, I love it--it inspires me, and I feel that being around intelligent, motivated, creative folk only pushes me to step my game up, in turn.  But from time to time, I hear others looking at these types and picking them apart.  They may say things like, "Oh--he or she thinks they're all that," or find any kind of way imaginable to nitpick and tear apart what they're doing.  "Oh, that's cute," the haters will say--"but I see that they didn't include XY & Z in their offerings. Hmph!"  Meanwhile, these naysayers are sitting around doing what?  Yep, you guessed it--absolutely nada. 

This cracks me up.  I mean, what's the point in tearing down someone else who chooses to make moves and do positive things?  If anything, why not look at these success stories and study what they're doing?  Better yet, have a conversation with one of them.  How did they get there? What motivates them?  More often than not, they're "regular" folk with bills, struggles, etc. just like you--so if they can do it, shouldn't that tell you that you can do the same? 

Another thing that I try to keep in mind--even if it seems like they have the world on a platter now, you don't know what they've gone through to get there.  That's another reason to not "hate...investigate!"  If you're feeling like you don't have jack right now & they have everything, that person might have a story to tell that can inspire you & remind you that adversity doesn't last always. 

Okay...I'm going to climb down off of my soapbox now, lol.  But I say all that to say this:  There are so many more jewels in talking to & being inspired by success stories--instead of wasting energy hating on them.  Study how they did it, and you can be next!

Saving for retirement when you're self-employed

Sure, the perks of working for yourself are flexibility and not having to deal with long commutes & annoying co-workers.  The downside?  Let's admit it, our full-time friends' matching 401k plans often look pretty good when you're out there on your own, lol. 

We might not work for big corporations that handsomely match our retirement contributions, but there are savvy ways to save if you're a small business owner.  Here's a helpful article I came across on eHow.com that offers some tips. 

How to Plan for Retirement When You're Self-Employed

If you're self-employed, you're on your own when it comes to planning for retirement. But you can still retire comfortably by implementing smart investment and savings strategies.

Overall Things You'll Need:

• Financial Calculator

• Brokerage Accounts

• Paper And Pencil 

Step One: Project your retirement expenses and income and determine how much additional income you will need. Take income from pensions and Social Security into consideration, as well as expenses for things such as increased travel and medical care.

Step Two: Budget for your savings. Treat contributions to retirement savings as you would any other weekly or monthly expense.    

Step Three: Set up and contribute to a tax-deferred savings plan. You're probably familiar with Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), but Simplified Employee Pension plans (SEPs), Keogh Plans and Savings Incentive Match Plans for Employees (SIMPLEs) are specifically designed for the self-employed.

Step Four: Invest in stocks and bonds, particularly if you start planning for retirement early. Decide which combination of potentially volatile, higher growth stocks and more stable, lower growth bonds is best for you.

Step Five: Purchase an annuity. In the simplest terms, an annuity is an investment contract that guarantees you a set income in return for your investment.

Step Six: Consider working after you retire. Start a small business or consult on a part-time basis to keep your mind active and to reduce the amount of money you need to withdraw from your savings.

Tips & Warnings:

• Take inflation into consideration when calculating the income you'll need during retirement.

• Although it's not designed specifically for the self-employed, consider an Individual Retirement Account (IRA).

• Contribute the maximum amount to your tax-deferred plans each year. The more tax-deferred savings you amass, the faster your nest egg will grow.

• Evaluate your stock/bond combination as the market and your tolerance for risk change.

• If you're new to investing in the stock market, participate in an investment club before you start investing on your own.

• Reduce your retirement expenses by planning to purchase a smaller home or to retire in a less expensive area of the country.

• The tax-deferred savings plan you choose might require you to set up the same plan for your employees.

• Navigating your financial future can be a bit harrowing on your own. Before leaping into an investment strategy, consult a financial planner or accountant who can explain the tax implications and risks of your retirement plan.

What's Tyler Perry's "The Family That Preys" got to do with entrepreneurship? A lot!

So, this weekend I got a chance to catch one of my favorite Tyler Perry flicks, The Family That Preys.  , on DVD. of his movies I've liked more than others--but I had to give this one five stars, two thumbs up & a snap--all of that.  Suspense, intrigue, life lessons with a touch of humor here & there--by the movie's climax, I was shouting at the screen and everything, lol.

Although it was a film about two families and their inner tribulations, secrets, etc., there were a few things in it that small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs can apply to their situations.