About Pet Business

imageWhat Better Way to Earn a Living Than Sharing Your Love of Pets? Browse our Directory of Pet Business Opportunities to Find the Right Choice for You.

According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, pets outnumber people in the US and 1 in 3 households include a dog or cat. Nearly half of all households own more than one pet.*

Not Only Are There Plenty of Pets, Their Owners Love
to Spend Money on Them Too

Pet owners definitely spend money on their pets.... in 2006 they spent more than $38 billion in the U.S. alone.* And they're not just buying necessities like food and veterinary care. With pet owners pampering their pets by buying everything from designer collars and pet attire to faux fur coats and fragrances, pets are stepping out in style. Canine toothbrushes, self-cleaning litter boxes, and disposable cleaning cloths help keep pets groomed better than ever. To top it all off, more and more speciality items like computerized identification tags and fashionable pet carriers are continually added to the market.

Read More..

Freelance Writer Business

You may write articles for magazines, advertising copy for brochures, technical manuals and other literary products on weekends. If you are a new bride, you can write articles for wedding and women magazines about the process of preparing for a wedding. If your day job is a computer programmer, you can write articles on the programs that you are using. Some writing projects will pay you by the hour - about $20 to $75 depending on your writing and marketing skills. Most, however, will pay you by the number of words (if articles, op-eds, short stories) or by a percentage of the selling price (if book). There are a number of resources out there listing potential markets for various kinds of writing, be it poetry, screenplays, articles, books, or web. Start with "Writers Market" published yearly to get a list of all publishers and literary agents, and their writing requirements.

Read More..

Starting a Florist Shop Business

If you love flowers and have innate artistic ability in creating wonderful floral arrangements, you may consider starting a florist shop business. Learn how to start and operate a florist business from home.

by Jenny Fulbright

coverFlowers are a big part of people’s lives. Their beauty and color allows us to convey our messages perfectly ­ get-well soon for our sick friends and family, congratulatory messages to a newly promoted colleague, condolences to a grieving family, and to express our love to another person. Every occasion is celebrated with flowers.

Or even without an occasion. Recent trends indicate that majority of those who buy flowers buy it for themselves. The American Floral Endowment Consumer Tracking Study conducted in 2000 showed that about 67 percent buy flowers for themselves, and only 33 percent buy it as a gift.  

It is thus no wonder that flowers have become big business. The Society of American Florists estimates that the floriculture industry will sell $19 billion in flowers, plants, and floral supplies for 2001. There are about 26,200 retail florist shops in the United States today making an average of $250,191 in annual sales.  

If you love flowers and have innate artistic ability in creating wonderful floral arrangements, you may consider starting a florist shop.   

Kinds of Service 

The first step to starting a florist business is to determine what kind of service you want to provide. There are three major kinds of a florist business:  

1. Wholesale florist service ­ supplies retailers with fresh-cut flowers and potted plants. They may sell and deliver directly to flower and flower shops or they may sell through wholesale produce and flower markets. Some wholesale florists are growers as well. This kind of business requires extensive knowledge, experience and funding; and thus, is not suitable for start-up entrepreneurs.  

2. Retail florist service -- ranges in size and function from a hospital flower kiosks to large flower shops in the mall serving different customer needs. A flower shop may focus on providing arrangements for weddings, funerals, gifts, and other occasions and deliveries. A business floral service caters to business people where floral designs tend to be more conservative and longer-lasting.  A hospital flower kiosk offer primarily bright and cheerful flowers that need little maintenance as possible. You can also choose to create a niche. There are some online stores that sell roses primarily.  

3. Floral supplier ­ sell the various non-growing components that floral designers use in making arrangements: ribbons, vases, baskets, floral foam, wreath, frames, stands and other supplies. This kind of business requires extensive inventory and an efficient distribution system.  

What You Need 

A florist business goes beyond selling flowers. Rather, what you are selling is a service of providing skillfully-arranged flowers.  To succeed in this business, you would need to have all the elements in the process of providing a service: knowledge, materials and labor.

The key element needed in the florist business is the knowledge and skills in floral design. You must have basic knowledge of flowers and plants. Customers will ask questions and want advice, so an extensive knowledge of soils, plant nutrition, and light and temperature control will be handy. You should also know the proper methods of handling cut flowers. Of course, you must possess creative and artistic flair to come up with innovative flower arrangements.   

It would greatly help if you get some formal education in floriculture. If not, try to gain experience in the business by working in another floral shop before venturing on your own. Experts even recommend that a prospective retail florist must gain at least three years of practical experience before starting their own business.  

Like any other business, you also need to have a solid understanding of business and economics.  The flower business is more than arranging flowers. You need to know how a business runs ­ from buying, selling, record keeping, planning profits, managing costs, marketing and attracting customers. You need to balance the creative side of the florist business with the business management side.   

It is also important that you know how to deal with customers. This is a customer-oriented business and you will be facing the public all the time. A pleasant personality is a must. Repeat business normally accounts for a high percentage of a florist’s sales, so it is imperative that you know how to cultivate customer relationships.   

The materials you will need for florist services include: a store or sales location, a refrigeration system, flowers, plants, floral supplies, and secondary products you want to sell.  

The location of your shop can make or break your florist business. Your shop must be situated in an area conveniently located for your customers. The location you choose must have sufficient drive-by and walk-by traffic. Check your budget, and try to find the best possible location that you can afford.   

Aside from cost, other factors that you must consider in finding the best location for your florist business are: proximity to primary customers, availability of parking facilities, opportunities for future expansion, neighborhood quality, and personal convenience.  

If you plan to use your home as your place of business, your home should be in a well-traveled street in an area nearby retail businesses. Otherwise, you must seek out venues to increase your exposure to your targeted market, perhaps by launching a web site or increasing your marketing and advertising budgets.  

And of course, you need labor to run this business. At the start, you may decide to run your florist business from home, with you doing the entire process of designing, selling, delivering and ordering new supplies.   

Income Potential 

The income of a florist business depends on local need, competition, skills, and oftentimes, the location. Dan Ramsey, in his book “Owning and Managing a Florist Business” estimates that an established florist operating full time from a good location, without employees, can sell about $100,000 to $150,000 in floral services annually. This level of income is usually achieved when you have developed repeat and referral business, have developed a target market, and has in place all your equipment and supplies.   

First year sales can reach as high as $75,000 although you should expect your overhead to eat up most of your profits. The key is, Ramsey advises, “don’t plan on getting rich the first year and you won’t be disappointed.”  

From : www.powerhomebiz.com

Read More..

Small Business Accounting Software

Without a doubt, small businesses are the lifeblood of the American economy. Currently, small businesses account for the largest employment sector, as well as the most profit per capita among all of the companies in America. That's an important point, especially considering the glamour and prestige lump upon Fortune 500 companies.

But small businesses do have some limitations. Capital is typically not as available to them. Often, their ability to compete is strained by lack of this capital. Yet on the other hand, small business in America consists of some of the most agile entrepreneurs the world has ever seen.

At the core of every successful small business however, is good accounting. With the right financial accounting software, taxes can be reduced, in investors can be attracted, and the bottom line is kept completely in focus. Adopting a truly dynamic small business accounting software is critical to keeping the bottom line in check. The CYMA Financial Management System (FMS) is just that - a high-end system developed with the small business budget in mind.

High-end features, attractive price

Although there a wide variety of small business accounting software products available on the Web today, many of these are far from customized. In fact, the out of box nature of most small business accounting software systems available today is often their biggest weakness - especially when any form of specialization is required. Frankly, for many midsize companies, the systems are far from useful. In fact, if your financial accounting features even a small amount of complexity, nine out of 10 of these small business accounting software products fail.

What you may need is a solution with real high-end features, ones that can be customized to your business is financial needs including enterprise resource planning, payroll solutions, and accounts payable and receivable functions. The CYMA Financial Management System (FMS) is that product.

The difference is clear: the CYMA Financial Management System (FMS) is a small business ready accounting software with high-end features at a very competitive price. Making the jump from small business accounting software to a mid range software typically includes a massive difference in cost. For the small to midsized growing business, these high-end accounting software applications are often out of reach. If your small business is one which cannot afford a $25,000 application fee plus maintenance costs often three times that amount over a period of five years, you may be considering one of these high-end accounting software products.

But why contribute to the profit margins of a Fortune 500 company when you can get the same features, dynamic benefits, and the ability to customize which you would not get from these large companies simply by choosing the CYMA Financial Management System (FMS). With module costs starting at $595, you receive all the high-end features of these expensive small business accounting software applications without the incredible price.

Choosing a small business accounting software to keep track of your financials is important financial decision in itself. This is why Accounting Software Group offers a free downloadable demo of the CYMA Financial Management System (FMS). The system is easy to use, and can be quickly downloaded and installed on a Microsoft Windows PC. In fact, you can be using the CYMA Financial Management System (FMS) often within five minutes of download. How many Fortune 500 accounting software products can claim that?

Read More..

Top 7 Small Business Investor Turn-offs

| 0 komentar

small business

In any region of the country, the competition for funding from wealthy patrons called "angel investors" and venture capital funds is intensive. Not only are entrepreneurs developing impressive business opportunities but they are also boosting their funding potential by packaging their deals in ways that reduce perceived investor risks.

Whenever entrepreneurs can strengthen a company's strategic position, fundraising becomes easier. As such, they are taking extra time to demonstrate the workability of a new technology, identify first customers, or line up high traffic Web sites as partners for new Internet technologies. First-time entrepreneurs are also stacking their startup management teams with individuals who have succeeded in other entrepreneurial settings.

Another factor that influences investor decisions is their own investment track record. You can imagine that the big money losing deals are always a sore point in their memories. Just last week, I spoke with a particularly agitated angel investor who swore "never again." I'm sure this investor will be forever wary of any new deal that sort of looks like, sounds like or acts like another goose egg investment.

Here are some areas that investors say are on their lists of never again investments.

* Product feature emphasis. First-time angel investors all eventually learn the painful lesson that cool products by themselves don't necessarily lead to investment success. Product features can be copied by competitors or become obsolete in fast changing markets. Lasting investment gains are made in companies with smart branding, ongoing customer relationship building, profitable sales, reliable distribution -- not just innovative features.

* Husband and wife teams. Investors need to count on board members and top managers to put the needs of organization before personal loyalties. It's hard enough when stress-filled startup or early stage companies have to replace founding board members or executives or cut back salaries when money is tight. But when spouses are tied up in troubled companies, investors say the troubles and resentments magnify. Equally, no one wins when young, vulnerable companies are tied up in troubled marriages.

* Off-site CEO. Startup organizations require a high level of constant collaboration. While certain functions can be outsourced anywhere on the globe, there is no replacement for onsite leadership.

* Bad recordkeeping. Angel investors are more likely to be exposed to entrepreneurs who don't yet understand the importance of thorough recordkeeping than venture capital funds. There is a long list of troubles that can come out of the woodwork of poorly administered companies including unrecorded shareholders, liabilities or litigation; questionable intellectual property ownership; unpaid payroll taxes; and more.

* Lack of management financial expertise. Should an accomplished technologist run a company? Not if the technologist has no understanding of basic accounting, financial statement elements, pricing decisions and no desire to learn.

* No competition. It's wishful thinking to believe that a new business will face no competition or resistance in the marketplace. Smart investors don't believe the hyperbole; soon-to-be-sorry investors do.

* Investing in common stock. When businesses don't grow according to plan, it's better for investors to own preferred stock than common stock.

"Work around" is an expression software code writers say when they are confronted by a problem or recurring bug. Now that you know what can scare off investors, make sure you don't make it easy for investors to give you the fast no. Be flexible and creative. You can do it.

http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com

Read More..

Determining Where to Sell Online

By John Tozzi
From : www.businessweek.com

Whether you're unloading collectibles from your attic or taking your thriving brick-and-mortar store online, there's a surfeit of Internet marketplaces where you can set up shop. From giants like eBay (EBAY) to niche sites like Etsy to listing services like Craigslist, the choices can overwhelm a small business owner venturing into e-commerce. How do you decide which marketplaces best fit your business? For small retailers facing what some economists are predicting to be the toughest holiday season since 1991 (BusinessWeek.com, 9/23/08), it's a particularly compelling question.

There's no one-size-fits-all answer, though e-commerce experts tend to agree it's worth listing on multiple sites. The e-commerce market is huge, with $60 billion worth of goods traded on eBay alone in 2007, according to the company. More than 85,000 businesses primarily operated as electronic or mail-order retailers in 2006, according to the latest U.S. Census data, and 77,000 of them had no employees. Finding the best platforms for your company depends on what you sell.

You also need to consider how today's Web has changed since the early days of e-commerce: It's much more social (BusinessWeek.com, 2/20/08). Setting up a storefront alone and listing on marketplaces may not be the most effective way to generate sales. Instead, Amy Joyner, a former eBay seller and author of The Online Millionaire, an e-commerce guide, suggests that those serious about selling online write blogs and comment on others, join social networks, and participate in online communities. "If you're out there and you're delivering content and interesting information, there's no way it can hurt," she says.
Shoppers Want Speed

Online auctions, which eBay pioneered in the 1990s, may be a good choice for selling unique or hard-to-find items. But with the novelty of auctions gone (BusinessWeek,com, 8/19/08), and shoppers looking for faster transactions, the auction format won't work for commodity-priced items, says Joyner. Identical products that buyers can get from multiple vendors should be sold at fixed prices, she says.

EBay sellers can choose to auction or list "buy it now" prices, while on Amazon (AMZN) all sales are at fixed prices. Joyner says Amazon also has a reputation for "easier transactions" than online auction houses, with fewer customer service problems, because buyers pay at the time of the sale. On auction sites, sometimes winning bidders don't pay, and disputes can lead to negative feedback or other headaches. EBay, for its part, says the scale and control it offers sellers makes it a unique e-commerce destination. "Only eBay provides sellers with the ability to brand themselves and own the customer relationship once the transaction has closed, all while delivering sellers unbeatable traffic and an unprecedented ability to quickly turn assets into cash," spokesman Usher Lieberman says in an e-mail.

Some say businesses should list on both Amazon and eBay because of their sheer size—the sites combined had nearly 100 million unique visitors in September, according to Nielsen Online. What platforms sellers use is less important than how many people they reach, says Kurt Krake, founder of e-commerce consulting firm Search-Werks in Glendale, Ariz. "At the end of the day…it's how many eyeballs get there and how much it costs you to get the eyeballs there, and whether they're good, qualified traffic," he says.

Read More..

Salesforce Opens Platform To Web, Social Networking

By Kevin McLaughlin, ChannelWeb

Salesforce.com on Monday unveiled a new service that lets customers run their own Web applications on its software as a service platform, as well as a partnership with Facebook that lets developers weave social networking features into enterprise apps.

Speaking at the opening of the DreamForce 2008 conference in San Francisco, Salesforce.com Chairman and CEO Marc Benioff announced Force.com Sites, an offering that lets customers run their Web sites, intranets, portals, and Web applications in Salesforce's cloud.

Benioff described Force.com Sites as "a great extension to our platform," and noted that Salesforce customers have developed around 85,000 custom built applications on the Salesforce platform to date.

"This should be as much of a transformation for your company as Salesforce.com was when you initially brought it in," Benioff said. Force.com Sites is now available as a developer preview, and Salesforce plans to make it generally available sometime in 2009.

Despite the popularity of social networking, the technology has yet to be embraced by businesses, and some companies even view Facebook as a drain on productivity. But that, too, is changing, according to Benioff, who brought Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg onstage to explain the details of the new Salesforce-Facebook partnership.

Salesforce developers will have expanded access to Facebook APIs, giving them the ability to create on demand apps to reach Facebook's rapidly growing audience, which has swelled to 120 million users, including 30 million users since July, according to Sandberg.

As more businesses look to find ways to use Facebook within the scope of their operations, opportunities for developers to build customized productivity and enterprise applications are on the rise, said Sandberg. "We believe there's a real need for this," she said.

Benioff hailed Microsoft's announcement last week of its own cloud based operating system, Windows Azure, as proof of the trend toward platforms moving to the cloud. However, in a move that was about as surprising as the sun rising in the east, Benioff couldn't resist taking a few shots at the software giant.

"Somehow [Windows Azure is] going to work better than Vista, we don't exactly know," Benioff joked.

Later, Benioff said Force.com Sites provides a much needed alternative for developers building custom applications using Microsoft's budding collaboration platform. "A lot of you are building Sharepoint and other apps, and all kinds of other terrible stuff I don't want to mention. Honestly, I was worried for you," Benioff said.

Salesforce is on track to pull in $1 billion in revenue for the first time in its history, but Salesforce CFO Graham Smith last month alluded to a possible looming price war in the SaaS space. NetSuite last month launched a campaign to attract Salesforce customers with discounts in exchange for dumping Salesforce.

www.crn.com

Read More..