Finding Opportunity

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Are you TOO BUSY working IN your business instead of ON it?

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It’s the curse of many entrepreneurs and contractors. While spending too much time working “heads down” in your business, you may not realize that your business has actually become just a job in disguise. Trading your time/hours for dollars is NOT the same as building a solid business for the future.

Learn how to build a true business that will help you realize your dreams and financial goals, give you more freedom and flexibility in your life and help others at the same time. Enjoy taking some time away while your business is still working FOR you!

How?

Read these timeless classic books based on solid business principles, E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What To Do About It and The E-Myth Contractor by Michael Gerber, to learn more.

Need help in defining your vision, mission and goals and actually putting these practices into place? Please contact us to learn how we can help you build out your business into one you will truly enjoy!

PLEASE NOTE: The graphics above are affiliate links. No cost to you if you decide to order through these links, but it does give us the opportunity to put these principles into practice and helps provide a little bit of income to keep our business running, too. 🙂 We appreciate your help!

Top 10 Tips For Job Hunters Over 50

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Do you have a belief that it is very difficult or next to impossible to find a new job because of your age?

While there may be some truth to age bias in the marketplace, actually there are many great opportunities to explore for those over 50 who choose to think differently, who keep up with technology and who are willing to continually learn and improve themselves and their knowledge, skills and abilities. Whether searching for your next opportunity as an employee or entrepreneur, there are more choices than ever before…you just have to know how to position yourself and how to look for them.

Read this excellent post Top 10 Tips article by personal finance expert, journalist and author Kerry Hannon for some very practical ideas on what to do next to help you stand out if you are looking for a job.

Eight Great Ideas For Finding a New Job

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Many people ask for career advice, saying they have been unable to find a job after a very long period of searching. They are simply convinced that there are no jobs out there. However, there ARE employers hiring in various industries and businesses. It really depends on how willing they are to work to find those jobs and in some cases, may need to completely rethink and re-tool what they are doing to find something new.

Well-meaning job seekers often use what recruiters call the “post and pray” method: sitting on the computer day after day, searching on the large job boards to see what jobs are available and just posting for them (apply by sending in their resume), praying someone will call back with a job offer. Unfortunately, the “post and pray method” is like playing the lottery. The odds are very much against someone actually seeing and selecting that particular resume out of the hundreds and hundreds they receive and actually making a call.

Sadly, in most cases, the company never calls back. It is not because the company or recruiters are insensitive and don’t want to help. They are literally swamped with hundreds or even thousands of resumes of people just like you applying for those jobs. Due to the sheer volume of resume submissions they receive coupled with numerous other business responsibilities vying for their attention, recruiters and hiring managers simply cannot review or respond to every single inquiry. Which is why you most often receive an automated response to your submission or inquiry.

However, you CAN do quite a few things to help greatly increase your chances of finding a new job. I won’t promise that it will be easy (it IS work) or that you will find a job quickly. But if you will start today and work at it like a job every day, go out and meet people face to face, and do constructive things to help build your skills, experience and knowledge, you will begin to find opportunities you didn’t even know existed (and some of them may find you).

Interesting statistic: Did you know that approximately 85% of all jobs are obtained by job seekers as a result of networking through someone they know or have met? Did you know that many jobs are never advertised? The hiring managers simply network with people they know who know others that they recommend for the job openings. Guess what? YOU can be that person!

Here are some things you can do right now:

1. Find one or more local jobs ministries and GO THERE on a regular to network live for leads, hear great speakers and meet others. (HINT: You will likely find your next job through someone you know.) For example, Roswell United Methodist Church has one of the biggest jobs networking programs in Atlanta, GA, for example, but there are many others. They offer free programs, resume reviews, LinkedIn Profile coaching, franchise information and much more. But the best part is the opportunity to do one-on-one networking with professionals that can help you with leads and carer advice.

2. Visit the Crossroads Career Network website, and download their free guide, Maximizing Your Career, which provides excellent advice on how to write your resume, how to review your skills and accomplishments and determine what you really want to do next, how to get through the tough time of job searching, how to present yourself properly and how to network, and tons of other great advice. You can also search for jobs there and find Crossroads Career Network meetings local to your area, too. It is a great resource!

3. Make a list of every acquaintance, friend, and colleague you know (make a list of names at least twice your age). Utillize social media to help you in making your lists to call (Facebook and Twitter friends lists). Then start calling them (do NOT email or leave a voice message…you must talk to them live), telling them in 30 seconds or less what you are looking for and ask them who they may know that they could refer you to for advice, information, and referrals. Do NOT ask them for a job. If they have a job for you they will tell you. Call through the entire list. Don’t forget to network even when you are at your church social, in the doctor’s office, at your child’s PTA meeting, at the grocery store in line, or wherever you may happen to be. This is now your job…

4. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is 100% complete with a great headshot of you in business attire. Also, make sure your profile is loaded with as many keywords of your industry and position as possible. Don’t have a LinkedIn profile? Sign up for one today on LinkedIn and start building your online network immediately! (HINT: Many recruiters go there to search for candidates for jobs). Make sure you are there to be included. You can also search for groups specific to your job or industry and sign up to get weekly emails and network with the people in that particular group.

5. Continue working on your education and keep your skills updated while you are looking. If you haven’t been doing this, start today. Do not put it off. Take courses, attend seminars, join a related organization and go to the meetings, etc. (Hint) Employers look more favorably at people who have taken the initiative to do something to help improve themselves and also help others while they are looking for employment. It can help give you an advantage over others they may be considering.

6. Become a volunteer leader in a church, ministry or other organization related to your industry (many of those on the leadership team or staff likely already have jobs and may know of other jobs or leads that they could help you network into). Helping others also gets you out of the house, takes the focus off yourself and your problems and will make you feel good about what you are doing to help someone else.

7. Consider becoming a consultant or starting your own business. If you are the self-starter type and enjoy being an entrepreneur, have strong sales skills, great initiative and the willingness to go out and find business that you can service, then maybe starting a business is right for you. There are many great, free resources for help and advice on starting businesses including the U.S. Small Business Administration and SCORE. Just Google it!

8. Ask for help. Realize that you cannot do this on your own; you will need others who can help you to find that new opportunity. Pray daily and ask for God’s help in bringing the right people and opportunities across your path.

Why Start an Online Business Anyway?

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You may be reading this because you read or heard about online business and something intrigued you about it. Thinking it’s not a “real” business? Want to know more?

The first step is to identify your BIG WHY…ask yourself, “What is the main reason you would consider changing what you are doing now to start something new?

See if you can identify with one or more of these situations that may be causing you to take a look at doing something different in your career or work:


  • Laid off, downsized, fired, quit, voluntarily or involuntarily (pick one): Your work situation changed…suddenly.

  • Searching: You are looking for a job; in fact, you have been looking for a job for a very long time and just haven’t been able to find one. You need to get to work right away and make money…fast.

  • Underemployed: At work, you feel your talents and skills are under appreciated, under utilized. You sit and daydream at your computer, watch the clock and draw doodles while staring out the window longing for the day when you can do what you always wanted to do, to have more control over your time and your destiny.

  • Misemployed: You are in the wrong job, are completely miserable and want to do something else…NOW.

  • OR maybe you’re just Curious: You have friends who keep telling you how they are starting to make some serious online money in their pajamas and bunny slippers. You are intrigued but cautiously curious and would like to know how you could do that, too.


Whatever it is, you need to know YOUR BIG WHY. It is the main reason you are considering starting an online business. Your BIG WHY will be unique to you, because you have different wants, needs, dreams and situations than anyone else.


If you don’t have a compelling reason that is big enough to motivate you to jump out of bed and get you excited enough to want to work at it for many hours every day, the odds are not in your favor for success in the long run.


Why? Because to build a successful, thriving online (or any other) business is hard work…no matter what anyone else may tell you. But the rewards can be SO great!


So, Why start an online business, anyway?


Here is my BIG WHY:

The overwhelming desire to serve others, to have flexibility and freedom of lifestyle, to earn increased income to help others in need, to have ultimate autonomy and no limit on my ability to earn and grow my business.


Other important reasons are:

  • Ability to spend more time with and help my family and friends

  • Ability to work from wherever I choose, whenever I want.

  • Ability to increase my income to pay off all debt, help fund retirement years, and help friends and family and those in need

  • Ability to have more time in my life to volunteer for important ministry work and fund worthy charitable organizations


So, what is your BIG WHY? Take some time and think about what is most important to you and your family, and what you want from your life going forward.

Once you have identified your BIG WHY, write it down and put it somewhere in front of you where you will see it every day. Refer to it often as you move toward the next big step in your life: your own online business. Then you can move forward to build a viable online business for the long term, because you will have the foundation and motivation you need to build on for success!


THE NEXT STEP: Start learning all you can about online business, what you need to know and what you need to do. You will find that information here.

OK, LET’S GET STARTED!!!

Social Media Marketing Experts Share Secrets

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We have spent a lot of time, dollars and frustration over time trying to figure out what we could do to help you in your quest to find a new opportunity. What we learned is that regardless of whether you are building a business or trying to find a new job or career, being involved in and effectively utilizing social media is the key to finding your next opportunity!

So we decided it was important enough to suspend EVERYTHING we had on our plate and go attend the NAMS 3 three-day event in Atlanta.  The presenters are numerous successful online entrepreneurs (local and international) at various stages of their online businesses and careers.  They are sharing their most closely-held secrets and tips about using social media in business.

It has been a jam packed weekend and there is so much information, we are on overload!  Although WE invested hundreds of dollars to attend, you have an opportunity to hear some of what these successful Internet entrepreneurs said about social media marketing for a fraction of that cost.

Listen to this 60 minute audio of 5 social media experts talking about their social media marketing tips, including a BONUS download link to an amazing set of over 700 webmaster video instructional video tutorials. Click here.

Then, please post your comments about the material and any questions or comments you may have here.

Unprecedented Economic Challenges Bring Unprecendented Opportunity

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Yes, these are challenging times.  But, worrying changes absolutely nothing and it can actually make you physically sick!   You cannot change anything that has already happened, even one second ago, so don’t focus on the past.

You DO have an opportunity to change and influence your future, starting NOW!

  • Turn off your TV, computer, Blackberry, iPhone, iPod (whatever takes your attention away from your priorities). Start making a plan for what you want to do next and how you will implement.  Then DO IT!
  • Stop sending out massive emails and resumes to on-line job ads. That tactic doesn’t work anymore.  Since approximately 85% of  jobs are found through networking, your chances are less than 15% in getting a job just by posting to ads online.  Start calling your contacts and getting out to meet and network with people live.
  • Don’t call your friends to commiserate. Instead, when you do call them, set a timer for 15 to 20 minutes, max.  Ask them how you may help them or call just to give encouragement.  Take turns talking about positive steps that each of you can take toward fulfilling your work, career, and business goals.  Make a list of how you can help hold each other accountable (in love).
  • DO Limit your time on social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Set a timer for 15 to 30 minutes once early during the day and once in the evening for personal scanning and posting time.  Use 30 minutes to 1 hour of daily work time to search those sites for jobs or work opportunities or to promote your business and services.   Be careful not to get pulled into other links and sites that can take you off focus and into “never-never land” exploration on the web!

It is time to be pro-active and take massive action.  FOCUS on what you CAN do and “press on” to what lies ahead.

The wise person knows they cannot find new opportunity alone and that they need the help and advice of others professionally, financially and especially spiritually during a difficult time.  They also know that part of their purpose is to reach out to “pay it forward” to help others in need during this time.

Remember that even if the unemployment rate reaches 10%, 90%  are STILL employed!!!

THERE IS OPPORTUNITY OUT THERE FOR YOU! But you must be flexible, adaptable and willing to change how, where, and what you are doing to earn a living like never before.

Get moving immediately to put your “Plan B” into action!


Yikes! 75% of all people are unhappy with their jobs!!!

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Frustrated?  Constantly seeking something to give you more time, money and satisfaction in your work, but just can’t seem to find it?  Maybe it’s time to lift and shift your thinking…

Paradigm Shift:

The game has changed! This book will change your paradigm about the difference between owning a job and owning a business and how to find financial freedom!

The Cash Flow Quadrant: Rich Dad’s Guide to Financial Freedom

Cash Flow Quadrant - by Robert Kiyosaki