A.investing money.
B.speeding the flow of wealth.
C.eliminating competition.
D.reducing commercial risks.

By the 1500s, powerful banking families such as the Fuggers were able to

A.control new colonies in the Americas.
B.eliminate high interest rates.
C.support their own armies.
D.transfer funds over large distances.

An entrepreneur would be likely to do all of the following EXCEPT

A.purchase raw materials.
B.lend money.
C.come up with new ideas.
D.invest profits.

Mercantilism encouraged nations to

A.increase mining at home and overseas.
B.import more goods than they exported.
C.eliminate joint-stock companies.
D.train more skilled artisans.

During the 1600s, the quality of life of European peasants could be characterized as

A.miserable and rough.
B.better than before the age of exploration.
C.worse than before the age of exploration.
D.peaceful and relaxed.

Often switching instantly from one role to another to yet another throughout the day, female entrepreneurs must become adept at managing their distinctly separate relationships – from one moment to the next, sometimes instantaneously. While this ongoing Clark-Kent-becomes-Superman evolution may seem difficult at times, strategies exist for handling it well.   

A recent study from Jane Out of the Box, an authority on female entrepreneurs, reveals there are five distinct types of women in business. Based on professional market research of more than 2,500 women in business, this study shows that each type of business owner has a unique approach to running a business and to handling the other details of her life – and therefore each one has a unique combination of needs. This article outlines two of the five types and provides tips for making the most of their relationships.

Tenacity Jane is an entrepreneur with an undeniable passion for her business, and one who tends to be struggling with cash flow. As a result, she’s working longer hours, and making less money than she’d like. Nevertheless, Tenacity Jane is bound and determined to make her business a success. At 31% of women in business, Tenacity Janes make up the largest group of female entrepreneurs.

While Tenacity Jane’s passion is what will lead to her business’ strength and growth over time, it also may get in the way of her forming healthy relationships while she is working so hard at the business.

In business: Tenacity Jane wants so badly for her business to succeed that she sometimes ends up bending over backwards for difficult clients, putting her own needs on the backburner. Not only will this habit drain her business resources (as she pours time and therefore money into clients that will take as much as they can get), but it also will drain her emotional reserves as she struggles to satisfy clients who simply will not be satisfied – to the point of her own exhaustion. Therefore, Tenacity Jane must set limits for herself with her clients. If she feels like a relationship with a client or colleague is draining, and she cannot satisfy the client or colleague, she must consider ending that professional relationship. Ending a draining relationship will provide Tenacity Jane with more energy and time resources to seek new, healthy clients that are beneficial for both parties.  
At home: Again, because Tenacity Jane has so much passion for her business, she runs the risk of neglecting her personal relationships. In addition, because Tenacity Jane often lacks focus and is working on several ideas or projects at once, she may believe she doesn’t have time for rest or relaxation – and that can be frustrating for the people who love her. By finding focus in her business, Tenacity Jane can better manage her time – and she can then challenge herself to make more time for the important relationships in her life.

Go Jane Go is passionate about her work and provides excellent service, so she has plenty of clients – so much so, she’s struggling to keep up with demand. At 14% of women in business, she may be a classic overachiever, taking on volunteer opportunities as well, because she’s eager to make an impact on the world and she often struggles to say no. Because she wants to say yes to so many people, she may even be in denial about how many hours she actually works during the course of a week. As a result, she may be running herself ragged and feeling guilty about neglecting herself and others who are important to her.

Go Jane Go, the epitome of a people person, is as generous as anyone could possibly be – whether it’s by offering her time as a volunteer or running a business designed to help people. So while it may seem like relationships should come easily to this fantastically people-oriented entrepreneur, her generosity may cause a few challenges.

·         In business: Go Jane Go takes business very personally, which results in a double-sided relationship coin. The positive side: her employees and team members often feel valued, appreciated and listened to. The challenges: She may hire someone she really likes even if that individual is underqualified for the job. She also may work unceasingly to provide opportunities for an employee who always claims to be interested but never follows through. In cases such as these, Go Jane Go must work to think of business as business, so she doesn’t drain her own resources trying to help others.    
·         At home: Go Jane Go is committed to everything she does. She is committed to her business, her volunteer opportunities, and her friends and family. She undoubtedly will put others before herself, every time. Although this may work for a while, she eventually will end up feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. Plus, if one person in a relationship is always giving, the relationship is not built on a strong, two-way foundation, and will eventually risk crumbling. To remedy this, Go Jane Go must carefully examine her own needs – and then make sure they are met. She should schedule time for herself into her calendar (and honor it), and she also should take turns with her spouse, children and friends when choosing restaurants, movies or other leisure-time activities – and when making more important decisions. 

Each type of female entrepreneur exhibits her own natural tendencies as she participates in relationships, just as she does in running her business. While some of those tendencies may result in relationship challenges, the good news is that with a little extra work, every entrepreneur can learn to create a balance that leads to harmonious, healthy relationships.  

Interested in learning more about the five Jane types and which Jane you are? Check out www.janeoutofthebox.com

This article examines whether entrepreneurship is a skill that can be learned or an inherent talent which appears to be built into your DNA.

When you think about a high profile entrepreneur who springs to mind?

What character profile, family background, educational profile and work experience is formed in your mind?

What sectors do you immediately think of?

Many people still predominantly associate the word ‘entrepreneur’ with a fairly typical stereotype. That is a young single American, techno-savvy internet literate male immersed in Silicon Valley who is highly educated, privileged, creative, and inventive working all hours and driven by a burning desire and passion. They likely got started with their first business venture whilst still at school and have quickly realised multiple streams of revenue. They’ve probably never worked for a company or, if so, certainly not for long due to an overriding drive and passion to make their first million before hitting twenty-five. They’re self confident, obsessive and highly educated and brought up in a positive entrepreneurial family environment. They are independent thinkers who follow their own path and are unlikely to be able to work for others.

Ask for an immediate role model or brand and Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Face book, Google, Twitter tend to be the most common answers re-enforcing this stereotype. Whilst these characters dropped out of the education system to pursue their dreams they do re-enforce many of the aspects of the stereotypical profile and a belief that entrepreneurs are born.

The reality is that this could not be more further from the truth. Whilst these high profile characters have made it the majority of entrepreneurs fit a much broader profile of the population and this is evolving all the time with economic and societal change which brings about the conditions which will increase entrepreneurial activity.

Whilst America is still considered to be the land of opportunity where entrepreneurial behaviour is positively encouraged and revered , programmes like ‘The Apprentice’ and Dragons Den’ are becoming increasingly popular in the UK and giving rise to a new generation of people who believe that becoming their own boss and capitalising on their business ideas is the way forward.

The Kauffman foundation in their research ”the Anatomy of an Entrepreneur” interviewed 549 company founders across a range of industry sectors and their findings dispel many of the misconceptions regarding the typical entrepreneurial stereotype. Here are the key points;

The average age of the founders was 40 years old.

95.1% of the respondents had bachelor’s degrees and 47% had more advanced degrees.

Less than 1% came from extremely rich or poor backgrounds but instead was mainly middle class or upper lower class.

The entrepreneurs were usually better educated than their parents.

69.9% indicated they were married when they launched their first business.

It doesn’t always run in the family as more than half the respondents were the first in the family to launch a business.

The majority of respondents, 75.4% had worked as employees at other companies for more than six years before.

74.8% indicated a desire to build wealth as an important motivation in becoming an entrepreneur.

So entrepreneurial behaviour can indeed be learned and past work experience and a good education can actually be advantageous. Hands on experience of practical business knowledge as well as the wisdom and insight learned from making mistakes and experiencing setbacks is invaluable. The ability to work effectively with others is an essential component of being your own boss or an employee in today’s collaborative environment. Entrepreneurs come in all shapes and sizes and from an array of diverse sectors.

Whilst entrepreneurs are more overtly creators of ideas who will inspire themselves and others to action by a clear vision of a better future, managers, by comparison, are more geared to the execution of ideas and are more firmly rooted to the present. Both categories demand masses of action to realise goals. One of the most important ingredients for both groups to succeed, however, is the belief and the desire as well as the ability to develop and grow oneself. Having clarity of life purpose as well as a driving passion for what and why you are doing it drives action.

1. Know Your Market
Many entrepreneurs have no clue who their customers are and why they really buy their product. If you say, “Everyone is my market,” unfortunately no one will be your market. The more specific you get about the kind of person who buys your products or services – the more you can zero in on the perfect message and venue for that message that will make those people stand up and take notice.

2. Create Your Product or Service Around Their Needs
Some people come up with something they believe is a great product but they never take the time to determine what needs it fills and what problems their product solves. They talk about features and gizmos no one really cares about. That’s an expensive mistake. Find out what problems your customers have that are in need of a solution. Not the other way around.

3. Offer Real Value
Ask yourself, “Would you buy it?” And, “Would you recommend it to your best friend?” Make it a value that’s too good to pass up. Don’t undercut yourself. You deserve to cover your costs and make a fair profit. If people aren’t biting, don’t assume the price is too high. Instead assume you’re not doing an effective job of communicating the value.

4. Be Passionate
Your enthusiasm, positive energy and problem-solving skills are sometimes exactly what it takes to save the day and the deal. Also, chances are what you offer is something you’ll be offering for a long time. Be passionate first about serving the customer, not just from a customer service standpoint but also in the marketing message you create.

5. Love Your Customer Not Your Product
It’s easy to love your product. Perhaps you use it personally. Maybe you enjoy the features and benefits. But, cash flow doesn’t come from the product. Your product can’t love you back. It also can’t reject you the way you might feel a customer can, either. Learn everything you can about customers and potential customers. Ask questions. Let that caring reflect back to your customers in your marketing. They will “get it” and want to do business with you.

6. Don’t Rely on Word-of-Mouth Advertising
When I ask new entrepreneurs how they plan to market their business they frequently reply, “word-of-mouth.” Yes, it’s one of the strongest forms of “advertising”, but you could starve waiting along the way. To me it means they have no marketing budget and no clue. There are free and inexpensive options out there. Create joint venture partnerships, network online, get articles in ezines. Do something!

7. Build a Clear Marketing Message
A confused mind always says, “no.” As you create your marketing message ask several people to read through what you’ve written to see if it’s clear. Listen with an open mind. If they have to ask you questions, your message is unclear. If you must explain something, that’s information that should go in your sales letter. If they’re ready to buy, you’ve got a winner.

8. Make Cause and Effect Links
Don’t just tell them a feature or benefit about the product. Tell them how that feature or benefit will make their life better. People are busy and stressed these days. They often don’t have time to make the connection. If you don’t show them how your product or service will improve their life in a real way, who will? Don’t expect them to sell themselves.

9. Create Joint Venture Partners
Team up with people who have something you want and you can offer value to them. Look for ways that you can help each other building BOTH of your businesses and customer base. Always look for joint venture partners who provide products or services that are complimentary and not competitive. You can help your customer or client more by pointing them to people who have things they need but you don’t offer.

10. Test, Test, and Test some More
Find out in a small way if people will nibble at your idea before you spend a lot of time or money on it. Talk up your idea. Many people will give you surprisingly good input. Gauge their reactions. Post clues about your idea on a message board in an appropriate way with people who you think might be your customers. Ask, ask, ask and then listen openly.

If you have even a slight interest in fashion, the industry may offer what you need to have an engaging, exciting career. This industry caters to a range of interests, including fashion photography, merchandising, marketing, buying, fashion stylists, and fashion design.

Some have what it takes to survive in the fashion industry. Some don’t. Some say success in fashion depends on talent, others sure will power. One thing is for sure- very few make it to the top echelon of fame and fortune to design fashion couture. But one may succeed in the fashion industry on a smaller scale.

Merchandising, marketing, and buying skills will most likely be the part of the same job description, unless you work for a large company that can afford to employ specialists in each area. A fashion merchandiser makes sure a storefront puts on a strong front. They are in charge of the presentation of items- the placement of clothing on mannequins- what jewelry highlights which outfit, for example. A fashion merchandiser is a trend spotter in a sense- they keep up on latest trends so they may know what to stock the store with.

Fashion merchandising requires more than a knowledge of what’s hot in fashion. A merchandiser must also be business savvy- they have to make sure the clothing bought by the store is in the target customer’s price range, that the store itself can afford to purchase the clothing at a certain price, and how much of the clothing will sell. And a merchandiser will need a few marketing tricks up his or her sleeve. A fashion merchandiser must also know how to negotiate with the suppliers of the clothing. Negotiating skills involve excellent communication and possibly ability to wheel and deal.

Fashion photographers must have the best job in the photography business. The high end photographers get to meet famous people. Fashion photographers must go where the shoot is, so they may take many expenses paid vacations.

A fashion stylist is the bridge between fashion and psychology. Stylists match clothing to people’s personalities. A good stylist is able to ensemble an outfit that will list the spirits of the wearer. A fashion stylist may work for individuals and prepare outfits for special events and occasions, or they may work for television shows or on a movie set.

Fashion styling requires pure talent. A stylist must choose clothing that is a flattering color as well as the right fit and shape to flatter the individual’s body type.

An entrepreneurial nature is a bonus in the fashion industry. Many jobs require you to work for yourself and your success will depend on your ability to market yourself. An entrepreneur must be self-motivated and able to network socially.

The fashion industry is always changing. This makes for a lot of work for someone working in this field, albeit a perfect field for anyone who becomes bored easily! Competitiveness and creativity are perfect personality matches in fashion related occupations. If you have what it takes the fashion industry has a lot to offer.

I began selling my own college textbooks online and pretty much by accident discovered that my profits could actually result in a business opportunity.

Find Massage Training in the United States and Canada. While massage therapy has an age-old history, massage training today has taken this healing art to a whole new level by integrating a variety of bodywork modalities to meet growing health demands of people from all walks of life.

In addition to basic massage training, students enrolled in one of several massage therapy schools gain essential skills and knowledge to compete in the increasingly growing job market. Today, it is not unusual for students to learn fundamental theories and principles of the art, in addition to hands-on training in sports massage, Swedish massage and deep tissue massage. Likewise, students enrolled in a massage training program will begin to comprehend kinesiology and the application, thereof. Advanced massage training courses often include natural health concepts, herbology, aromatherapy, nutrition, and progressive massage techniques.

Though a great number of massage training programs involve at least 300 class and clinical hours, more and more healing arts schools are beginning to present more in-depth training options, entailing upwards of 1,000 hours or more. In cases such as these, students will qualify for state certification and national certification as well.

One can expect to encounter a vast assortment of practical massage training classes as diverse as their names imply. For example, Tuina is a Chinese medical massage that integrates meridian therapy into bodywork. This massage training is commonly taught at Oriental medicine schools, as well at a number of massage schools.

It is no longer uncommon for major sports teams to have a sports massage therapist at the ready, so if you’re interested in helping athletes, specialized massage training in sports massage may be ideal for this career goal. Other fascinating massage training options that may be of interest include animal and equine massage. Since public opinion for natural healing techniques has favorably shifted in recent years, more pet and horse owners are turning to animal/equine massage as a non-invasive alternative for common musculoskeletal disorders and conditions.

The growing trend of combining mind, body and spirit medicine has become quite the phenomenon. For instance, students wanting to become entrepreneurs in the field will find that many massage training programs now carry extra education in spa and salon management. Common massage training classes in these programs entail aromatherapy and aromatherapy massage, spa and salon management fundamentals, essential oils, body wraps, facials, holistic skin care treatments; and an assortment of bodywork methods including facial massage, craniosacral therapy, hand massage, Swedish and Thai massage, as well as other related practices.

Overall, massage training is the modern complement to both conventional and alternative medicine and is quickly gaining leeway in the educational industry. In many cases, students who qualify may apply for financial aid programs and other scholarship options that are now afforded through a number of accredited massage colleges and schools. Once candidates have successfully completed all massage training and education, they have an assortment of work settings from which to choose – whether on the playing field, on the horse track, in a primary care clinic or on a sea-faring cruiser, massage therapists can enjoy both professional and personal rewards of the trade.

If you (or someone you know) are interested in finding massage training, let career training within fast-growing industries like massage therapy, cosmetology, acupuncture, oriental medicine, Reiki, and others get you started! Explore career school programs near you.

Massage Training in the 21st Century

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What causes an individual to take all the social, psychological, and financial risks involved in starting a new venture? at first there was limited research on this aspect of entrepreneurship, but since 1995 there has been an increased interest in entrepreneurial careers and education. This increased interest has been fostered by such factors as the recognition that small forms play a major role in job creation and innovation; an increase in media coverage of entrepreneurs; the awareness that there are more entrepreneurs than those heralded in the media, as thousands upon thousands of small cottage companies are formed; the view that most large organizational structures do not provide an environment for self-actualization; the shift in employment, as women become increasingly more active in the workforce and the number of families earning two incomes growls and the formation of new ventures by female entrepreneurs at three times the rate of their male counterparts.

In spite of this increase, many people, still, do not consider entrepreneurship as a career. A conceptual model for understanding entrepreneurial careers, views the career stages as dynamic ones, with each stage reflecting and interacting with other stages and events in the individual’s life – past, present, and future. This life cycle approach conceptualizes entrepreneurial careers in nine major categories; educational environment, the individual’s personality, childhood family environment, employment history, adult development history, adult non work history, current work situation, the individual’s current perspective, and the current family situation. Although there exists a common perception that entrepreneurs are less educated than the general population, this opinion has proved to be more myth than reality. Studies have found entrepreneurs overall, and female entrepreneurs in particular, to be far more educated than the general populace. However, the types and quality of the education received sometimes do not develop the specific skills needed in the venture creation and management process. For example, some female entrepreneurs are at more of a disadvantage than their male counterparts in this respect, as they frequently do not take significant business or engineering courses. Childhood influences have also been explored, particularly in terms of values and the individual’s personality.

The most frequently researched personality traits are the need for achievement, focus of control, risk taking, and gender identity. The research on the childhood family environment of the entrepreneur has had more definitive results. Entrepreneurs tend to have self-employed fathers, many of whom are also entrepreneurs. Many also have entrepreneurial mothers. The family, particularly the father or mother, plays an important role in establishing the desirability and credibility of entrepreneurship as a career path. As one entrepreneur said: “My Father and mother always encouraged me to try new things and do everything very professionally.

They wanted me to be the vary best and have the freedom and independence of being my own boss.” Employment history also has an impact on entrepreneurial careers, in both a positive and a negative sense. On the positive side, entrepreneurs tend to have a higher probability of success when the venture created is in their field of work experience. This increased success rate makes the providers of risk capital particularly concerned when this work experience is not present. Negative displacement (such as dissatisfaction with various aspects of one’s job. being fired or demoted, being transferred to an undesirable location, or having one’s spouse take a new position in a new geographic area) encourages entrepreneurship and new venture formation. Although no definitive research has been done on the adult development history of entrepreneurs, it appears to also affect entrepreneurial careers. Development history has somewhat more of an impact on women, since they tend to start businesses at a later stage in life than men, usually after having experienced significantly more job frustration.

There is a similar lack of data on adult family/ non work history. Although there is some information on entrepreneurs’ marital and family situations, the available data add little to our understanding of entrepreneurial career paths.

I’m looking for advice from entrepreneurs or people who know enough about starting a small business to give advice. What is a good way to advertise and get things started? If you started your own business, tell me about it, what did you do to start it, and if there anything you’d do differently.

Any advice, stories, helpful tips and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

How does DIUS benefits Entrepreneurs??

Thank u in advance

I’m doing A-level(business). We have to find out about DIUS. My teacher asked, how does DIUS benefits (or help. I’m not sure) Entrepreneurs?

I will ask my teacher tomorrow.
Thank u

Home Work Is Not Staying At Home

When all is said and done, working from home means self employment. Many people including financial institutions and government agencies see self employment as unemployment. In their eyes, an unemployed person is unfit, untrustworthy and incapable. Even though many successful businesses started in a garage or from a kitchen table, the view of joblessness reflects a negative perception. Because of this stigma it requires more effort on your part as a budding entrepreneur. An entrepreneur is usually not recognized as such until after the fact. A successful person is an entrepreneur while a struggling person is simply incompetent.

Let’s face it, no one what’s to see you self employed. Not even your family, they see you the same as they always saw you. Limited, dependent and a wage earner. Many people don’t want to see you raise above them. Even the government doesn’t want you to work for yourself. Why? Simply because they have more difficulty in tracking and collecting taxes. It’s much easer to collect tax for many people from one source. That’s why you have to get a license or permit to do any kind of business. It’s a form of tax and getting you to establish an identity before them .

Self-employment is like wearing a coat of many colors.

As a self employed person you will have to wear many hats because in the beginning your are all things to all people. You are responsible for planning, laboring, book keeping, sales, marketing, and all the other little things necessary to make a business work.

Are there any viable work and home opportunities? Take note, working from home is not a job, it is a self-employment opportunity. There are more opportunities than jobs. Opportunities are boundless, challenging and very rewarding. They encompass everything from dog walking to manufacturing from masseur to RV washing and waxing.

What To Do?

There are literally thousands of things you can do from your home. There are:

Home workplace. Work from a computer, bookkeeper, billing, telemarketing, assembling, day care, perform a service.

Home base. Work from a vehicle while based at home where the books are kept. This would include carpet cleaning, painting, plumbing, delivery, trash pickup, commercial cleaning and a whole host of other services.

Home manufacturing. Make a product, refinish furniture, make silk flower arrangements, knit bedspreads, as well as many other opportunities.

You don’t have to rely on someone to supply you with an opportunity, you can supply yourself. When someone supplies you it is called a franchise, licensing or turn-key opportunity and all to often, a scam. This is where someone grants you rights to their product or service for a monthly fee. The best scenario is to devise a project that you feel comfortable in.

Before attempting your new venture, make sure there is a need for it. Don’t settle on being a carpet cleaner or doing trash removal if there are fifteen dozen other people doing the same thing in your area. You won’t make enough of a splash to keep from drowning. Your spouse and kids might think you’re great but John or Jane Doe down the street doesn’t know you from Adam. He/she won’t place their trust in you just because you walked through their door. You must break the confidence barrier before coming in for a landing.

What kind of vocation is right for you?

For low cost, with good return involving physical labor would be to offer a service to customers. Carpet care can be started with minimum outlay. Using the rotary method, or dry type cleaning, a person can be in business for under five thousand dollars. If you don’t have the money, rent a machine for fifty or so dollars per day.

Like in any business, finding customers is the most difficult part. You must let people know you are in business before they will consider you to fill their need. Let’s face it, you are filling a need not selling a product or service but it doesn’t make any difference how good your service or product is if you don’t know how to find customers. The only difference between your business and the guy down the street is you. People choose who to do business with based on their perceptions. You must become a master prospector by defining yourself, first and foremost.

Your service or product is secondary to your success. Your primary goal is the presentation, not of your product or service, but you. You must become proficient in projecting honesty, dependable as well ability. People don’t care who is doing their carpet cleaning, plumbing or painting, they want peace of mind in the trust you provide. That’s why people get certified for certain positions, to establish creditability. If you sell a product it probably is no different than a dozen or more products of the same class, the only difference between you and them is, you.

Don’t settle for a job when you can have an opportunity.

Don’t make the mistake of believing you are looking for a. Job, you are not. You are a need or desire filler. Many people have the misconception that they must pay someone for a pie-in-the-sky, get-rich-quick, six-figure income, home employment and end up being scammed. The only one making money is the person selling the job.

Happy Trails

The cost is a bit high @ $800 per person double occupancy per day but I didn’t find that offensive. What I found encouraging and enlightened is that the cruise is encouraging people to bring their ‘High powered weapons’ along on the cruise. If you don’t have your own weapons you can rent them right there on the boat. They claim to have a master gunsmith on board and will have reloading parties every afternoon as well as optional marksmanship training.

The cruise lasts from 4-8 days and nights and costs a maximum of $3200 per person double occupancy (4 days). All the boat does is sail up and down the coast of Somalia waiting to get hijacked by pirates. Here are some of the costs and claims associated with the package;

* $800.00 US/per day double occupancy (4 day max billing)

* M-16 full auto rental $ 25.00/day ammo at 100 rounds of 5.56 armor piercing ammo at 15.95

* AK-47 riffle @ No charge. ammo at 100 rounds of 7.62 com block ball ammo at 14.95

* Barrett M-107 .50 cal sniper riffle rental 55.00/day ammo at 25 rounds 50 cal armor piercing at 9.95

* Crew members can double as spotters for 30.00 per hour (spotting scope included).

* Wow – they even offer RPG’s at 75 bucks and 200 dollars for 3 standard loads

* “Everyone gets use of free complimentary night vision equipment and coffee and snacks on the top deck from 7pm-6am.”

* Meals are not included but costs seem reasonable.

* Most cruises offer a mini-bar… these gung ho entrepreneurs offer……… get this…..

* “MOUNTED MINIGUN AVAILABLE @ 450.00 per 30 seconds of sustained fire”

* (Sign me up for that!)

They advertise group rates and corporate discounts……and even claim “FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY”

They even have a partial money back offer if not satisfied….here’s some text from the ad.

“We guarantee that you will experience at least two hijacking attempts by pirates or we will refund half your money back including gun rental charges and any unused ammo (mini-gun charges not included). How can we guarantee you will experience a hijacking? We operate at 5 knots within 12 miles of the coast of Somalia. If an attempted Hijacking does not occur we will turn the boat around and cruise by at 4 knots. We will repeat this for up to 8 days making three passes a day along the entire length of Somalia. At night the boat is fully lit and bottle rockets are shot off at intervals and loud disco music beamed shore side to attract attention. Cabin space is limited so respond quickly. Reserve your package before the end of May and get 100 rounds of free tracer ammo in the caliber of your choice.”

As if all that isn’t enough to whet your appetite, there were a few testimonials;

* “I got three confirmed kills on my last trip. I’ll never hunt big game in Africa again. I felt like the Komandant in Schindlers list!”—- Lars, Hamburg, Germany

* “Six attacks in 4 days were more than I expected. I bagged three pirates and my 12yr old son sank two rowboats with the mini-gun. PIRATES 0 – PASSENGERS-32! Well worth the trip. Just make sure your spotter speaks English” – Ned, Salt Lake city, Utah USA

* “I haven’t had this much fun since flying choppers in NAM. Don’t worry about getting shot by pirates as they never even got close to the ship with those weapons they use and their squirrelly aim-reminds me of a drunken ‘juicer’ door gunner we picked up from the motor pool back in Nam”-”chopper’ Dan —-Toledo USA.

* “Like ducks in a barrel. This is must do! – Zeke, Minnahaw Springs, Kentucky, USA

Finally, someone had the common sense to cash in AND solve a major problem. These folks deserve a medal!

So what is the problem? We try not to put guns in the hands of dangerous individuals, and we would like to do the same with knives. But we don’t limit these things to all people.

Why republicans want to put the dangerous weapon of crapitalism in the hands of only a few individuals we know to be dangerous perplexes me. Businesses that start and grow their business here (the only place they can) and then move overseas to exploit cheap labor. Confusing and abstracting ‘financial instruments’ beyond comprehension, then piecing them out and losing track of them. Deifying the Born-into-wealth Almighty Entrepreneur™ at all costs and having blind faith in unfettered laissiez faire ‘markets’. Concentrating wealth and resources of planet earth (and thus, political power). These are all EXTREMELY DANGEROUS uses of crapitalism. Yet republicans not only can’t see this, but actually think they are *good* uses of it.

Socialism is not much different but it may be easier to see it’s evil uses. In the hands of a corrupt dicktater, very dangerous. But what about representative, democratic socialism? There is no concentration of power here. If socialism *requires* a dicktater, then why has most of Europe failed to produce this dicktater in the last half-century under their democratic socialism?

You people need to get your political philosophies straight and stop behaving like a ‘spooked herd’.
BTW, I am not sure I can see the benefits of ‘spooked herds’, can you? Your psychological projections are part of your ‘spooked herd’ syndrome BTW. As a true free thinker and libertarian, I feel no such mysticism as 2012 end-times, America is losing its prowess because of evil ideas, or anti-christism/christism et al. I invite you all to throw off you intellectual chains and rebel against your slavery to 20th century ‘good vs. evil ideologies’.
People with guns run crapitalism numbnutzes. what is your point?
See how easy it is to ‘spook’ you herd-animal tards?
Pfo, my use of the word crapitalism implies corporatism. Here we arrive at another interesting point. Which is more likely to happen? that capitalism will fall into corporatism (aka crapitalism), or that socialism will fall into ‘dicktatership’ ?

Is Education needed to be an Entrepreneur?

Is there really an education needed to be an entrepreneur? This is a question often asked by aspiring entrepreneurs.

Well, it all depends on the individual. There are times even when those that have no educational business background are still able to make it big in the business world. Some say that they owe it all to patience, hard work, and dedication. Most of the successful entrepreneurs on the other hand claim that it would take good education to become an entrepreneur.

So what will it be? Well, if you can afford to study a business degree, then don’t let that chance pass you by. You’re quite lucky if you can attend college especially for a business degree. You have to dedicate your time studying all your lessons because in due time, you will be able to use such information to the advantage of your business.

You can choose to study in a local university or college or those individuals with more money to spend can study abroad if they want to. The important thing is to take your education seriously because you can use them when the right time comes. And while you’re studying, you have to develop all the needed skills and characteristics of being an entrepreneur.

You have to participate actively in all school activities especially those that require you to exercise your skills in business planning, controlling, directing, etc.

There are many business degrees that you can choose from like commerce, business administration, economics, and many others. Make sure that you choose a course that you like and one that you can afford so that you can finish your way to college. Remember, passing alone is not important. You have to learn every step of the way and don’t forget the things that you’ve learned.

Some entrepreneurs didn’t have the proper educational background and yet they’ve become successful in their chosen field. The fact is, there are many successful entrepreneurs without the proper business education. How many times have you heard of an entrepreneur who started from scratch and yet ended up having a high-profit earning business? Perhaps there’s more to just education.

You see, aside from education, you have to possess the right qualities and characteristics of being an entrepreneur like leadership, innovativeness, creativeness, risk taker, and many others. Even if you have the proper educational background, you can’t become a successful entrepreneur if you don’t have these qualities and characteristics.

It seems that education and the right characteristics go hand in hand in producing an effective and successful entrepreneur. If you can have them both, take advantage of it right away. Education is something that money can’t buy in an instant and besides, you can use your knowledge for the best interests of your business.

This is not to discourage those that can’t afford to earn a business degree in college. If you want, you can use the resources available on the internet and learn everything you can about being an entrepreneur. You must also develop the right attitude and characteristics as early as possible. If you can pull it off, then no one can stop you from entering the business world.

Is there an education needed to be an entrepreneur? This question can only be answered by you. If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, try to assess your qualities, skills, and educational background. After that, you can already determine if you’re fit to become an entrepreneur.

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It’s HARD! Most entrepreneurs agree balancing a business and family can be a challenge. I know, I’ve been working at home since 1985.

Here are tips for finding balance. They have helped me considerably. I hope they help you as well.

1. Keep in mind that it’s a learning process. No one is perfect. One of the greatest gifts I did learn was to no longer beat myself up so much. So what if I didn’t do it all today. So what if my house didn’t pass a white glove test today (or ever). I really enjoy my business. I really enjoy my family. I feel as long as I do the best I can do, I’m a winner today.

2. To be able to get it all done and enjoy your family, create boundaries, both work-related and personal. You don’t want to have to do it all and once you start saying no, you’ll be amazed how truly awesome it feels. When you keep in control, things run better. Plus, I believe both your family and clients appreciate knowing what is expected of them.

3. Have a schedule to follow and stick to it as much as possible. Avoid unnecessary interruptions, including constant e-mail checking. Set a timer for checking emails, message boards, routine tasks. Think of time as money. Avoid time robbers such as friends that IM all day just to chat. This isn’t to say you can’t have fun and friends, you want that, just keep control and don’t let it interrupt your day.

4. Get out of the office and do your work whenever possible. I do a lot of writing as a virtual assistant and publicist. Instead of sitting in the office, I go outside and work. It feels great to have a change of pace. A good cup of java and I’m good to go. Plus, find out if you can take your kids places and work. I will often go places that my kids can play, while I work.

5. Multitask whenever possible. When I prepare dinner, I will often do a crock-pot meal with the meat designated and also prepare a meal in the oven as well so I’ll get two meals out of it. You feel like Day 2 is a day off. Also, I’ll prepare lunch for tomorrow at dinner. That way I can prepare a healthy lunch and snack the night before for both of us. When I’m not in a rush in the morning, I have more time to devote to putting healthy things together. You’d be amazed how good it feels to stop and eat a pre-made salad or sandwich while working instead of grabbing for something else.

6. Take small vacations to get away. Plan a Friday, Saturday, Sunday vacation. This helps because we don’t feel overworked. Also, when you’re busy, don’t let exercise and going to the gym be the things you give up. You need those for energy.

7. Take weekends and evenings off. It’s so easy to get caught up working 24/7. But when you take this time off, you feel so much more energized. And you get to connect more with your children.

Working at home can be a challenge, but it can also be the most rewarding journey ever. I believe that not only I benefit from the experience, but my children as well. They get to see a confident positive mom who loves going to work every day. And that’s priceless

In the heat of recession – the world is a fast paced place, and change is coming thick and fast. If you want your child to be able weather storms and stand on their own two feet in this competitive and dynamic world – you need to ensure they have Leadership skills.

Looking back at when we were children, it’s easy to remember who were the ‘leaders’ and who were the ‘followers’ in school. Its safe to say that only a tiny percentage led, and the rest gladly followed. These ‘leaders’ may have had flocks of sheep behind them, but they were not any happier than the average schoolchild, and nor did they achieve any greater success.

What’s important to realise is that your child does not have to be the class clown, the trendsetter or the ‘it’ girl to demonstrate leadership. This article isn’t about getting your child to become the ‘Prom Queen’ or top of the social ladder. Getting ahead in life requires true leadership skills that you will help your child to discover. Here are some tips on getting you started on that path.

1. Assess what your child thinks of their leadership potential. Do they feel like a shy wallflower whom nobody ever listens to? Or do they feel confident and would be up for anything? The responses to your questions will help guide you in creating an action plan as to how you can start building your Childs ability to lead. Confidence is a great trait, but not necessary of all leaders. I have known a successful entrepreneur who still sound positively petrified when talking to clients. It actually helps them, because their client sees him as an open and honest book as a result of his nervousness.

2. Take time to applaud and praise your child for showing leadership qualities. Examples of this could be:

- Asking about how their relatives are doing
- Showing the desire to get the big picture of how their day is going to go, rather than simply sitting in the back seat and letting you plan their day.
- Trying to delegate tasks that they actually enjoy doing, in order to be able to be ‘boss’.
- Giving praise and constructive criticism to others
- Going against the grain and taking a step torwards doing something because they want to, and not because their peer group wants to
- Being positive and upbeat about their own troubles.

3. And that’s really all that’s required. The right praise for the right behaviours, once you know where your child thinks they are, is all you need to be doing to help your child thrive as a leader as they progress through their teen years and into adulthood. You don’t want to be ‘too’ hands on when it comes to character building, because if a child thinks you’re trying to mould or shape them – they will instinctively start behaving in the opposite manner simply to be able to feel independent.

Leave a comment below with your thoughts!

An online home business opportunity is the use of the internet to conduct business while being in the comfort of your own home. This is becoming a more widely used form of business in the world today. Many entrepreneurs have decided to start working from home as it makes their time more flexible and gives them the advantage of being their own boss. This is also a win situation for traditional businesses as well, because studies show that having employees or Independent Contractors working from home can save them money.

There are many businesses that can be conducted online. Some of these online home business opportunities include data entry, online sales and marketing, conducting of polls and surveys, web designing and many others. In data entry, one gets work from clients in any part of the world to input information in a database. This information can either be provided or researched upon. This is an ideal online home business opportunity for someone with children as it doesn’t require a phone to do it.

Another proposal for a great online home business opportunity is web designing. Nowadays, creating a website has become easy as there are many companies that offer free web hosting. After creating their own personal website, a home entrepreneur can also get in the business of creating websites for other people or companies. The easiest way to do this would be to make use of the many site builder tools. These site builders make it so that anyone can design a website.

The advantages of doing business online are numerous. Since it involves use of the internet, a business person has the advantage of easy marketing. One can post entries on blogs, get into discussion forums or start a review of one’s own product. It also gives the entrepreneur the option of anonymity. One can have multiple identities and can post more product reviews on their product drawing other internet users to that particular product.

Another entertaining way that one can make money through online home business opportunity is the use of blogs. By creating a blog account, one can post various comments on sports, politics or any other interesting topics. Other users will then post their comments and therefore generate web traffic. With that, a user can then approach any prominent search engine company and request for them to advertise on the blog page. The user therefore makes money every time an advertisement is posted on their blog page. This will gradually earn the business person more money.

It is easy to find an online home business opportunity that can suit the needs of just about anyone. Another group that can profit is people who are unemployed or laid off. Online work can also be used by new mothers who want to spend time with their children and still make money. This is especially possible because they get to share ideas on their products or services and hence find greater ways to improve. Retired persons can also use the internet for business as they go through their retirement. In other words, anyone who wishes to earn extra money can use it.