http://vypersonalassistants.com/blog We have a passion for small business. Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:23:41 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en In order to create a successful business, you need to have funding, office space, and a staff, right? Wrong! Here's an inspirational story about a stay-at-home mom who, along with her three kids, launched a business in their basement that grew from a small craft operation into a multimillion dollar success. Jibbitz Know other basement or ... http://vypersonalassistants.com/blog/2008/07/15/inspiration-from-the-basement/ Seems the cost of everything is rising. If your business involves delivery of a product or on-site service, the cost of gas becomes a factor. If you sell a product, the cost of your materials is rising.  Unlike larger businesses that can sell off a division or layoff staff and still ... http://vypersonalassistants.com/blog/2008/06/05/surviving-a-looming-recession/ Though it doesn't grow on trees, there are many ways that you can find money to fund your startup. Here are a few tried and true methods:  Use credit cards - Over 2/3 of small businesses use credit cards to pay expenses. If you already have trouble managing your personal credit ... http://vypersonalassistants.com/blog/2008/04/15/need-a-few-bucks/ In the mood to brush up on your entrepreneurial skills? Here's an awesome post that lists 99 FREE online courses in the areas of marketing, management, leadership, technology, and legal aspects of business.     Now go! LEARN! http://vypersonalassistants.com/blog/2008/03/19/become-a-smarty-pants-in-your-spare-time/ When I was younger I said I'd tell my kids to pick a career that best met the following criteria: Something you're good at Something you enjoy Makes great money I did that. I'm good at math. I enjoy working alone and solving problems. I liked engineering, that made good money. I did it. I chose engineering and ... http://vypersonalassistants.com/blog/2008/03/10/what-advice-will-you-give-your-kids-about-choosing-a-career/ While no one can deny the value of education, one should never use a lack of education as an excuse to defer a dream. Here's an inspirational list of folks who didn't receive their parchment but are still making paper! Dave Thomas - High School Dropout, 15 - Thomas's first job in the restaurant industry was at ... http://vypersonalassistants.com/blog/2008/02/24/inspiration-from-a-dropout/ The home business owner - or the business owner who has not yet secured a bricks and mortar location - is often hesitant about using their home address on business correspondence. Whether your address is very ordinary (142 Family Circle) or elite (1600 Pennsylvania Avenue) , most business owners would like to avoid ... http://vypersonalassistants.com/blog/2008/02/11/mailboxes-etc/ Business cards to brochures, sales letters to business forms, budgets to invoices. As a business owner, there are a number of standard documents you know you'll need to have on hand and a few you may have never thought about.  Save yourself some time and effort by starting with a template. Here are a few resources: HP - This ... http://vypersonalassistants.com/blog/2008/02/05/why-reinvent-the-wheel/ I have lots of friends in their thirties who are trying to figure out what they want to be when they grow up. These aren't people who have been backpacking around the world since high school either. They went to college, interned, got their degree, their first job, and were ready ... http://vypersonalassistants.com/blog/2008/01/28/what-do-you-want-to-be-when-you-grow-up/ Warren Brown is the owner of CakeLove, a bakery with locations in the DC metro area that specializes in creating scratch cakes and pastries. A few years ago, a friend and fellow dessert lover sent me a link to his website and I was instantly smitten. Not so much by ... http://vypersonalassistants.com/blog/2008/01/23/inspiration-from-warren-brown/