The Chief Thinker

Posted

How to Start a Business For Under $100

Keys to success

Plan, plan, plan

Don’t worry about reinventing the wheel

Create a marketing plan-Think free an inexpensive

Website = As low as Free, $12.95/mo to host

www.Register.com

Free Domain Name $9.99 value

Free Web Template

No technical skills required

5Gb Web Hosting

24/7 live tech support

www.Godaddy.com

5 page website

1 GB Disk Space

150 GB Bandwith

Free Hosting and 1 email account

For $8.99 mo. can get 10 pages and 500 email accounts

120 pre-built websites

www.Weebly.com

Free

100 + Professional Themes

Drag and Drop Feature for design

Free Domain Hosting

Photo Galery & Slide Shows

Quote from website ( to support Powerful Hosting)

With Weebly, your website is served across our entire server infrastructure that powers millions of websites and pageviews per day. If your website is featured on the homepage of CNN.com, it won’t cause as much as a hiccup in the performance of your website, or the other websites hosted by Weebly.

Free Blog Option

www.Wordpress.com www.Blooger.com www.Posterous.com

Tools

Google ad words Free, can decide amount of traffic ($5 set up CPC/Cost per impressions https://adwords.google.com/select/AfpoFinder?countryCode=US)

Google Analytics http://www.google.com/analytics/

Google Analytics is the enterprise-class web analytics solution that gives you rich insights into your website traffic and marketing effectiveness

ECommerce

Paypal may be best for single products also a recognized brand

If selling multiple products may need a shopping cart feature

Free www.Paypal.com

With Website Payments Standard, you can add a payment button to your site and accept credit card orders securely.

Accept

VISA MASTERCARD AMEX DISCOVER PAYPAL

Your customers don't even need a PayPal account

Easy setup, no programming skills required

No setup or monthly charges (See Pricing)

Collect funds for your goods or services

YOUR MONTHLY SALES	YOUR FEE PER TRANSACTION	EXAMPLES


$0 to $3,000	2.9% + $0.30	$3.20 fee on a $100 sale
$3,000+ to $10,000	2.5% + $0.30*	$2.80 fee on a $100 sale
$10,000+	2.2% + $0.30*	$2.50 fee on a $100 sale
$100,000+	Call 1-888-818-3928

www.webappears.com

15 Best Free Open Source ECommerece Platforms

Each one has its own set of pros and cons and has been designed with a slightly different user in mind. Uploading products and customising your store can be very time consuming, so make sure you have given several platforms a try before you make that final decision and integrate one into your site.

Social Websites

Don’t spam, but invite to participate

Be intentional

Build relationships

Offer discounts

Give it away

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

Phone system

www.ringcentral.com

$9.99/mo Virtual phone system

Phone systems simplified.

Instant activation

One system, multiple locations

Total mobile integration

All-inclusive pricing

Access free 24/7 live support

www.phone.com

$9.98/mo.

Virtual Office

Direct to several phones

800# option

Business Cards

www.vistaprint.com

All you pay is shipping

Free Business Cards 250 Full Color

42 Design templates

Pens

Bumper Stickers

Invitations and Announcement

www.overnightprints.com

Starting at $4.95/mo

Free Online designer

Thickest paper/no upcharge

QTY

SINGLE

DOUBLE

50

$4.95

$4.25

$7.95

$7.15

100

$9.95

$6.95

$14.95

$12.15

Marketing

Spend your money where most businesses fail

Video Marketing

www.animoto.com

www.masher.com

Email Marketing

Create email marketing messages to supply your database

www.constantcontact.com

60 day free trail

Starts at $15/mo

http://www.verticalresponse.com/

Network, Network, Network

Strategic Partnerships

Offer mutually beneficial partnerships

partner with businesses or organizations in your area

Free Media

http://www.helpareporter.com/

enables anyone to sign up for a free e-mail alert, delivered three times daily, listing the immediate needs of writers and producers from major TV and print outlets to blogs and books. By registering for the daily e-mails, you can respond to queries from journalists that relate to your business and your expertise -- without hiring a publicist to do the work for you.

Staff

www.elance.com

Check with local colleges for interns

Tap free expert resources. Contact the Chamber of Commerce in your area, Small Business Association or SCORE, which provides free and low-cost advice on every aspect of your business, including the licenses you may need to operate and the tax and insurance considerations.

Among my favorite resources for small-business owners: Make Mine a Million, StartupNation, Small Business Television, and Collective-E.

Do I need a license?

Many people choose to operate small home businesses without getting a business license, because technically it is possible to do so in some cases without penalty. But if the business falls under special state requirements and regulations or you need to bring the small company public with common business services, like banking, you are going to have to apply for a license.

Fictitious Name

In some cases you may be able to simply register your business name, assuming that your business does not have specific permit or licensing requirements. When you have a fictitious name (also called a DBA---"doing business as" name) filing as a sole proprietorship, the business name is made to be officially synonymous with your personal name.

Posted

How Electronic Pick-Pocketing Works

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The New PickPockets! Cyber Crimes on the Rise!

Did you know that a criminal can steal your credit card information standing 10 feet away? It's true the new technology RFID ("Radio Frequency Identification")

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is a technology that uses communication through the use of radio waves to exchange data between a reader and an electronic tag attached to an object, for the purpose of identification and tracking.

RDID is used in many other things we use daily uses radio waves to swipe your card information right out of the air. The technology was credit to make life easier, but it may be causing more harm than good...

The days of pickpockets bumbing you to swipe your wallet is over. Welcome to the age of technology where all crooks have to do is purchase a RFID card reader online for about $40 and they can grap the frequency from the air up to feet away and download your credit card information to begin making purchases. The technology was created to "protect" you the consumer, but with technological advances come an opportunity for people with not so good intentions to use it for their own gain instaed of the intended reason. You may have seen it at the gas pump with the "easy pay" pad that allows you to swipe your card and keep going or even on a toll road that allows you to take the express lane to avoid long lines of traffic, all of which are using RFID to make your life easier. This little chip inside of your credit card allow you to keep your card in your possession instead of handing it over to a waiter or service person who have the ability to take it out of your sight and litterally swipe you dry.

Who else uses RFID Technology?

Passports
Zipcars
Payment by mobile phone
Toll road payment
Product Tracking
Casino Chips
Animal Idendification
Inventory Tracking

These are just a few uses for this technology, but the use in credit/debit cards seems to be the one that have crooks working overtime to rip you off a consumer is to be aware of the technology. The goal for you as a consumer is to beware, but also know how to protect yourself from theft. There are many options out on the market that keep your credit/debit card information safe.

From wraping your card in aluminum foil to high end digital wallets such as the new icache that uses thumbrint technology to keep your data safe.

Click here for some additional sources to keep you protected.

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Bad Credit, No Job?!

Did you know that your credit score may affect your employment? Employers are using your credit to determine if you are the ideal candidate for the job. Sure you may have all the qualifications, but have a few blemishes on your credit report and now you may be denied employment. Should workers be judged on their creditworthiness? Check out the video as I explain your rights.

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Clyde on PowerTalk w/ Lorraine Jacques White

Today, on POWERTALK w/ Lorraine Jacques White, we concluded our series on STATE OF THE BLACK DOLLAR, but only a few words can embody the experience: EDUCATION…. INFORMATION…. EMPOWERMENT…. CHANGE!!!

Michael T. Hill, president of the Atlanta Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce (AMBCC), and Clyde Anderson, CNN expert financial analyst, stopped by to drop a WEALTH of information on the economic condition of the Black community and why we need to pursue GREEN jobs and opportunities!

This was one of those shows where you not only listened intently, but LEARNED! Matter of fact, it was so good that we’re not going to even waste your time in having you read about it! We’ve got it all right here and we want you to LISTEN and TAKE NOTES!!

LISTEN TO THE SHOW HERE!

Posted

Bankruptcy: To File or Not to File..

To some the big “B” word is seen as taboo, it’s the nasty word that many don’t want to hear, let alone deal with. But first to understand what bankruptcy is now we must look at the two different types of bankruptcy that apply to consumers.

Chapter 7 Title 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code is subdivided into nine chapters, but chapter 7 and 13 are the ways that many of us know because those are the two that apply to individuals. Chapter 7 is also known as a "fresh start" bankruptcy, or "liquidation". Your debts are discharged (canceled), but you are required to give up any nonexempt property to the trustee to pay to your creditors. That nonexempt property can include items such as stamp collections, expensive musical instruments, second homes, second vehicles etc.

Chapter 13 is also called "reorganization", "Wage earner plan." Chapter 13 allows you to keep things such as your home or car, which you might otherwise lose due to past due payments. With this plan you can establish a new payment plan to pay one amount to a Trustee who will in turn pay your creditors monthly.

Now the questions still at hand is to file or not to file? I think we have to govern ourselves as if we are small corporations. Would a corporation have a problem filing bankruptcy? If it was a good biz decision they would do it in a heartbeat. I'm the CEO of My Family Inc. and my shareholders who live in my home are expecting me to make the right decision to lead them to success.

I must be clear there are several downsides to filing the big B. A Chapter 7 can stay on your report for up to 10 years and have a negative impact on your credit, but if you’re at a place where bankruptcy is becomes an option 9 times out of 10 the credit has already suffered. The whole idea is to understand that this is a big decision so get educated about it before you do decide to file. Also make sure you know the right option for you, something a good Attorney can assist you.