The ‘Land of the Free’ is teaming with individual rights for citizens. We have the right to say what we want, do what we want, be who we want.

Or do we?

One need only to pick up a news publication or turn on the television news to find that these freedoms are constantly being challenged, and that our freedoms terminate when they impose upon the rights of others.

The word “lawsuit” was seldom used in the speech of your grandparents, but lawsuits in today’s America are common enough that most of us can name someone who has been involved in a civil case. These disputes arise from a situation where one person or group of people feel that they have been oppressed or offended by another person or group. So they enact a lawsuit for the purpose of being compensated. Usually the suit involves a legal attempt of one to extract money from the other, but may include other penalties such as fines or jail times. Motivations range far and wide, from those who have truly been victims, to those who are seeking pain for the offender, to those who are just looking for a quick buck.

American courts are swamped with a backlog of cases, where people are just waiting to get their day in court…..or better yet, to intimidate the opposing side to the point that “out of court settlements” are offered. For many civil lawsuits, the primary objective is to extract money. One websearch for the word lawsuit turned up over 19 million webpages that can be viewed for lawsuits. 13 million of these websites have been documented or updated in the last 3 months. Bill O-Reilly’s alleged harassment charges, Wal-Mart vs. employees concerning discrimination, and the A.C.L.U.’s court case in Tennessee to remove the Ten Commandments monument are 3 of many. Mega-businesses sue mega-businesses, arguing that certain business practices of the other has infringed upon the “rights” of that business bringing the suit.

At more local levels, lawsuits for assault, fraudulent business, or just cutting tree limbs that fell on the neighbor’s property enter the list of pending cases. Charges of sexual harassment, racial harassment, and employee abuse can also be viewed from time to time in news segments around the country.

Government agencies are left with the enormous task of sorting out these differences among people…..and issuing a ruling. They are left with the responsibility of making some type of decision to bring settlement; usually a blessing to the winner, and sadness or anger for the loser.

Since the founding of our nation, the planners of the U.S. Constitution were concerned about the rights of individuals, and that the people in the United States could carry on free and productive lives. Would they be pleased to witness the caseload in this country if they were able to return to 2005? Did “being free” mean the right to place monetary values on ones hardship and extract it by law from the other?

The enormous number of case files of the offended keeps lawmakers scrambling to design new laws to bring relief. Laws are developed to deal with future scenarios, to the point that so many laws overlap one another in government’s attempt to imagine the nearly impossible. Our country moves to a more and more socialistic viewpoint as governments mandate more and more of daily living. Such action is often requested by the voters who “want the government to do something about this”.

Some examples of offenses and reactions:

* Martha Stewart, a millionaire and icon figure, is convicted of insider trading. Many people have done similar actions, but Martha is targeted as high profile, and by punishing her it will set an example to others. Upon her release from prison, consideration has been given to installing a leg band on her person so as to track her whereabouts. Yet sexual offenders who are released are typically re-entered into the public with only limited availability to their records or location. An infringement of their privacy, perhaps?

* The second amendment of our constitution states that “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” In the District of Columbia, law-abiding citizens are deprived of their national right to own handguns, rifles, or shotguns (because of local laws in D.C.). Yet the District of Columbia has the highest per capita murder rate in the nation. (American Hunter magazine, Feb. 2005)

* The prevalence of class-action lawsuits, such as a lawsuit against a credit card company, because of a loophole in their contract. The lawyer takes home a couple million, and each cardholder gets a check in the mail for less than $5.00.

* A Pennsylvania farmer is fined a hefty sum because his cow manure reaches the stream, yet DEP-approved municipal waste systems are engineer-designed with “emergency overflows” that flush sewage water into streams during 100 year flood periods. (The center region has had two of those in the last 10 years)

And the list goes on. In addition to extracting the last dollar from our neighbor in court, American citizens form a wide variety of watchdog groups to observe and monitor the actions of others, insuring that they play by the rules. Those “rules” are evolving to be the eventual and relentless will of the surrounding public to place restrictions and controls on that parcel or business which is not theirs. It is a migration toward a public policy that favors socialism. Different from communism, private American businesses will still be allowed to own the tools of production, and to make a profit. It isn’t likely that this will be hindered, because the public holds shares of business stock, and hence the public profits as well. But the government and supporting agencies will be the guardians and “policemen” for the businesses. Stiff fines will fund government agencies and provide grant money to support agencies and volunteer groups. The laws of business operation will be defined and redefined…….and redefined……by the government, through a petitioning general public.

An editorial statement in April 14th’s Centre Daily Times reads, “…..we have lost our way and no longer understand that ideas are more important than money and that shared ideals of a community are more significant than the greed of an individual company.” Wow. At first reading, this appears to be a very noble statement. But it fosters the slippery slope of socialism, where the “ideals of a community” supercede the protection of landowners under the law. This is a reasoning that is already subscribed to by many, and has stronger support in areas with higher population density. People are offended by looking at someone else’s clothesline, junk cars, or their limestone mine. Aesthetics, decreasing land values, and liability are often cited as reasons to levy control on neighbors.

The danger here is in creating a set of circumstances that so bind a person or business that activity becomes expensive or impossible. As controls curtail production, the decrease of available goods can cause prices to soar, and inflation to run rampant. Case in point: on the April 25th edition of the CBS Evening News, the newsman reported that President Bush had just met with a Saudi Arabian leader and requested the Saudis to pump crude oil out of the ground at a faster rate for sale to the United States to increase supplies, and thereby reduce the price (now there’s a short term solution!) The news clip pointed out the problem with this is that U.S. refineries are already working at near-capacity. And the real clinker: CBS reported it is approaching impossible to build a new refinery in the United States to produce petroleum products because of U.S. law with regard to environmental controls, inspections, and building codes to construct a sizable operation. As alternative fuels gain momentum, the same restrictions will most likely curtail the development of ethanol/methanol plants and hydrogen fuel cells. We’ve already been pointing out the difficulties being faced for the construction of windmill farms and hydroelectric dams. Any type of land development of the necessary size to make a difference in America will face similar opposition.

The outcry of the people to be funded and facilitated will continue to take its toll, creating bigger government and less local controls. Fear of liability claims causes paralysis on local government officials, especially those who operate in a volunteer capacity. They attempt to shift responsibility upward. Individual rights will be squashed, and many more issues will be resolved by the enactment of groups and councils, rather than sovereign citizens. It is our belief that only by recognizing and respecting rights of soverign citizenship and by passing legislation to seriously curtail frivolous lawsuits can these trends be slowed. If the public continues making demands with concern to legal affairs and greater regulatory control, they will get just what they are asking for……and perhaps much more.

Tom Clouser is a 38 year old farmer in Pennsylvania. In addition to farming, he and his father publish a monthly 16-page newspaper called “Trees ‘n’ Turf”, which targets subjects of interest to those in land use industries and activities. View their website at http://www.clouserfarm.net

When you think of the word “marketing”, most people automatically associate the term with a business, however, in this article it will be associated with you, the virtual business owner.

Now picture this, Zipgirl is attending a network gathering and someone walks up to her and says “Hi there, my name is ABC and I represent XYZ company” Zipgirl responds, pleased to meet you, my name is Zipgirl and I work from home. Well, ABC simply nodded and walked away. Would you have done the same as ABC? Did Zipgirl say enough to attract your attention or enough to make you want to stay and listen? I think we both agree in a resounding NO.

To often times when we are asked who we are and what we do, we short change ourselves by not marketing the best in ourselves. How can I do it better you ask? Below are some questions that will help you to identify your marketing strengths as well as your challenges: – Can you describe your personality in just five words? – Are you totally committed as well as passionate about what you do? – Are you always optimistic about what you do in spite of the challenges you face? – Are you happy doing what you do? – What’s unique about your service or product? – What type of energy do you release when you talk about your business? Do you leave people fascinated and wanting to learn more or bored and uninterested? – When out promoting your business, what does your outward appearance say about you? Do you walk with your head down? Do stay cooped in the corner of the room or are you out in the crowd taking charge, meeting people with a smile, standing tall and bringing out the best in those you meet?

Next, I’ll share with you some tips on how to market the best in you:

- Always present a pleasant smile, whether on the telephone, in person, in email or even in a fax (SMILE) – Do what you love (you’ll be more fulfilled) – Don’t try to be the jack-of-all-trades (you do everything and anything) rather, specialize (promote the one thing or area you do best) – Be unique (original) – Always be professional – Always be yourself – Always express a sense of passion in what it is you do – Always explore ways to enhance yourself (personally, professionally, and/or spiritually)

As you can see, marketing the best you is more than just selling or promoting your business and it’s products or services. As a business owner, you are in most cases the business (when people meet you, they are immediately exposed to the quality of your service or product). In the virtual world however, people won’t necessarily meet you face-to-face but they too are exposed to the quality of your service or product. How? Through your website, telephone conversation, and/or via email responses.

In closing, remember this, first impressions are everlasting, so when given the opportunity always remember to market the best in You…

To learn more about the Virtual Business Owners Initiative go to: www.vsscyberoffice.com.

Washing clothes is very important for personal hygiene. Yet it is also a chore that some tend to ignore. One, which may not be our favorite household obligation to have to do, sure we love to have clean clothes, bed sheets and towels, but washing the clothes is a time consuming hassle. Soon you will not have to worry about this anymore. No, I am not suggesting you go out and get an illegal alien domestic maid to help, as that would pretty much rule out your possible confirmation to the Supreme Court wouldn’t it and make your appointer look silly too no doubt. Well then you ask, how can I get my clothes to wash themselves?

You see your clothes washer and dryer already do this, but you have to monitor theses appliances, load them, switch the clothes and then fold them all, as you smell each one for that freshness you are looking for? Don’t deny it! You may as well call Tide to do their next commercial the way you smell all your clean clothes.

What you need is a household robot to take your clothes separate them by color, fabric and take them to the wash room and load them and hang out there playing some really cool music, while it monitors the washer and dryer for you. You see creating a robot, which can go to a clothes hamper and collect the clothes and sort them and then throw them into a washing machine is not a difficult task considering all the robotic achievements of our present period. Think on all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

INTERNET MESSAGE BOARDS – CAN THEY BE TRUSTED?

While posting on a vacation message board for St. John, Virgin Islands yesterday, I was referred to as a “troll” and compared to looters in Louisiana. Being called names in The Virgin Islands, especially from someone from St. John is par for the course. Even when the topic and postings disappeared, from the VI Now Message Board, I was not surprised.

The VI Now Message board seems not to be intended for just anyone’s comments. Like most communications in The Virgin Islands, they are censored. In anticipation of the message board being erased, I copied both pages, viewable now from my web site.

Past and future USVI Vacationers come to the VI Now Message Board for the truth about what is happening in The Virgin Islands, not propaganda from condo owners looking for guest. There is a communications monopoly in The Virgin Islands. When the people with access to outgoing news control the outgoing news, it’s censorship.

I was not surprised to find the pages had been erased, the topic was “Racial Tension On St. John. I shared the missing pages with a woman who was also reading the postings on the VI Now Message Board, she sent E-Mail, and she wasn’t the only person I sent the missing pages to.

The Wall Street Journal calls corruption in The Virgin Islands the major problem. Now the FBI and the U.S. Justice Department are investigating hate crimes on “The Love Island” St. John.

This was not the first message board with advertisers disguised as common folk. My name and one of my books is mentioned on a Skincare Rx Message Board, but I was not allowed to post. It seems you have to be an advertiser to post on a message board for people trying to get rid of melasma and acne.

I say that I’m not surprised, but I am afraid. I’m afraid we are losing our access to the true news because advertisers and corporations own our communications outlets, even the one’s on the Internet.

When my father visited me here in St. Thomas he asked me, “Where are the Polynesians I saw in the travel magazines about The Virgin Islands? I said dad, The Virgin Islands is 85% African Descendants, there are no Polynesians.

The people that control the Message Boards in The Virgin Islands don’t want prospective vacationers to St. John to know that the FBI and the Justice Department are investigating hate crimes. And the cosmetic companies don’t want you to know that you can get rid of melasma for less than $10.00 a month, instead of several hundred dollars a year.

Message Boards, can they be trusted?

Nanci Holloway-Prince is the author of “Corruption In America’s Paradise and Secrets Skin Care Companies & Dermatologists Don’t Want You To Know”. Holloway-Prince also own http://www.thevitimes.com, www.worlddome.com and shrevporbossier.com. Hollway-Prince has been online longer than AOL. Certified as in Instructor by New Horizons Computer Learing Center, Holloway-Prince is an Internet Historian.

Prior to setting any eBay auction to go live, it is critical that you put in as much relevant data as possible about the items you are listing. This is just common sense.

In the rush to move on to other things, it is too easy to neglect to put in some of the information that is pertinent to the sale, and you will still encounter an occasional eBay sale in which a customer would like to return an item. From my past experience, it is best to simply take the item back and refund the buyer’s payment promptly. There are several key reasons I recommend that eBay sellers implement this policy.

1. If a customer feels you are wrong, even though your ad states clearly “No Returns” “Customer needs to do his/her own research” or “As Is”, that person will most likely leave negative feedback even if you are not at fault.

2. When a customer does not adhere to the “Terms and Conditions” in your eBay ad, it normally escalates into an eBay email battle. No one wins on this one – it drains your emotional state and wastes time.

3. Ninety-five percent of the time when I relisted that same item for sale on eBay, it sold for at least what the previous buyer had paid.

4. When you refund the item, you are credited all eBay and Paypal fees.

I will explain how I turned an eBay return or ‘Lemon’ as I call it, into delicious, profitable lemonade.

I had a client who purchased an LCD laptop replacement screen. I clearly listed on the offering “No Returns” and typed in the listing that anyone interested should check the compatibility of their laptop prior to bidding.

The client stated that she ordered the wrong screen. I called her attention to the terms and conditions of sale. I didn’t want to accept the return and the emails became heated. Not willing to give up, she then located my contact information and called me. After we talked for awhile, I decided it would just be easier to accept her return.

During our discussion she mentioned that her husband sold used books on Amazon. I am always looking for new opportunities, so I was curious. She explained that they were located on the east coast and she didn’t feel it harm their existing business, so she gave me all the data I would need to start a used book division.

A partner and I decided to give it a try. I do not actively
participate in the operation any more, but my share in this used book venture nets me over $1500/month in profit.

At first it may seem unfair to take a return on an eBay sale, but you can learn from my experience. It will save you time, frustration and negative feedback and you never know what you might learn from a grateful customer.

Tim Gilberg is able to provide information and insight from a unique
perspective – that of someone who is actually doing what others just
talk about. Ebay Power Seller Platinum Status was Attained by Tim Gilberg, which is one of the highest sales levels attained selling on eBay. Tim is active on Ebay and liquidation.com as well as consulting
and working with other Top ebay Power Seller’s to give you real life
in use insight, not theories.Visit Tim Gilberg at his website Make Money on eBay

Gambling is popular amongst the young as well as the old. For many individuals gambling is a source of earning while for others it is a means to perfect entertainment. Today gambling is not just confined to the four walls of a casino. It has made its way to houses by virtue of computers (online gambling) and other gambling equipments. While many people are enticed by online gambling, those who desire to have a real feel of the game get gambling set up at their home only.

The gambling set ups are more or less same for all the games though there are some variations. For instance the tables of different games are different. A poker table is unlike a blackjack one. But some of the common gaming equipments are dice, cards, coins etc.

Dice is perhaps the foremost requirement of any gambling sport. It also can be the cheapest of all gambling equipments. This is because of the myriad variety of dice available today. A plastic dice will be significantly less expensive in comparison to an ivory made dice. In ancient times stones, pebbles, chalks etc. personified dice. Since people were not very particular regarding the equipments of the game, they would mark the holes on any tiny handy nugget and commence their game. Gradually dice came to acquire a proper cubical structure with pierced holes on all the sides. However in comparison to a dice used in household games, a casino dice has more precision. Casino dice is also known as ‘perfect dice’ as it is carved in a way that each side weighs equal after the holes have been pierced on each side. This provides an equal probability of either side being the outcome.

The other essential ingredient of gambling is ‘cards’. Usually cards are exclusive to every casino. This is because the backside of the card bears the logo of the casino. The casino cards are primarily of two types- bridge size and poker wide. Initially cards were made out of hard paper and different paintings were made on them. The suits and faces of contemporary cards are a gift of France.

Casino tables have their own charm. These tables are designed differently for different types of games and are quite expensive. For instance a single poker table can cost its buyer several thousand dollars. But here too prices vary with the quality of the table. The table face has a woolen felt surface with the games name on it. Along with it the odds and the areas for placing bets are also specified. However with the help of blueprints people often make gambling tables on their own. This is the most cost effective way to play the game.

Besides these assortments nowadays kits are available for different games. For instance a bingo kit has in it everything (such as bingo balls, markers, hand cranked ball cage etc.) that is required to play bingo. These kits make children too quite familiar with the game.

Mansi aggarwal writes about gambling equipment. Learn more at http://www.buygamblingequipment.com.

I recently saw the film, Million Dollar Baby, the story of a woman whose biggest goal in life is to become a professional boxer. Clint Eastwood plays the part of her manager and trainer, and tries to impress Boxing’s #1 rule upon his fighter – PROTECT YOURSELF AT ALL TIMES.

We should all try to apply this rule to ourselves as it only takes an instant for our lives to change drastically. Whether it is a slip on the ice, such as the one that happened to Dr. Robert Atkins, the founder of the Atkins Diet, that eventually claimed his life when he hit his head, or some other life altering event. We should be ready.

I spent 20 years as a member of the New York State Police and we were trained in driving defensively. Simply stated, that means being alter to your situation and the people around you, while anticipating what someone might do that could result in an accident. Things like people failing to stop for STOP signs or passing red lights. It happens and you can be in the right, but you might end up – DEAD RIGHT.

Don’t live in a vacuum, be aware of the situation around you and be mindful that people do dumb things- try to be ready for them. This rule also applies to your health and in particular to your medical records.

One of the largest causes of death in the country is medical errors. If doctors do not have vital information about you, they may make assumptions that are incorrect. For most people having an allergic reaction, they are given Benadryl. In my case, I am allergic to Benadryl! So, making sure that this information is in the hands of the EMS people is crucial.

Remember: You are in charge of your life – take charge – today!!!

Jim Hogan co-founded My Medical CD (http://www.MyMedicalCD.com). This life-saver contains your medical history and information in a portable CD format. Allowing medical staff to give you the proper treatment.

It would be wonderful to be able to make a stack of money, with the minimum effort possible, working from your own home wouldn’t it? Absolutely! I would certainly love to see my bank account steadily and consistently increasing while I only worked a bare few hours a week, giving me more time to do the things I enjoy in life, especially without having to report back to a boss all the time.

No matter what area of business, be it investing in the stock markets, real estate, internet marketing, direct mail, affiliate schemes, or all manner of others, I’m sure everyone has received the mail shots from people claiming they have made a bomb, and how it’s just as easy for you to follow in their footsteps. If you hadn’t already figured it out, I can let you into a small secret: 99% of these schemes are scams, and the people behind them completely fraudulent! If you have fallen for one of these, don’t think you’re the only one. I have too. I’ve lost count of the amount of these things I’ve subscribed to, covering every different possible facet of money-making. Even having already been scammed, I still kept being reeled in by the marketing spiel in new mail shots I received, and buying more. However, eventually, when it was truly starting to get ridiculous, I figured enough was enough, and decided to try to find out why we like these schemes, and whether there were indeed any that actually lived up to their claims.

Basically, I got in touch with every money-making scheme I could find that had a money-back guarantee, and bought it, to research which, if any, would actually make me any money. All those that didn’t I simply returned for a refund. Unfortunately, I have to say that nearly every scheme I tested was complete rubbish including, links to non-existent websites or to sites that requested more money before allowing entry, old & out-of-date information, extremely unhelpful ‘help’ staff or no support at all. Most annoyingly of all, for me trying to research was that some of them even refused to give me a refund when I requested it, even though they were blatantly useless and wrongly described in their sales letters.

So I came to the obvious conclusion that most of these get-rich-quick schemes do nothing of the sort. In fact many of them leave you with less money than you started with!

However, on the plus side, in the midst of all this fraudulent garbage, I did actually find one or two sites that actually fulfilled their promises, to a greater or lesser extent, supplying accurate, high-quality information on how to supplement your income, for example from the internet.

If you want to find sites like these, it is inevitably going to take time. My advice would be to go for schemes that advertise little or not at all–if they can make sales without paying for fancy advertising, they must be doing something right! Also, examine each site’s sales letter carefully; a lot of them will show very similar traits which would suggest that they may not be as uniquely profitable as they claim. Also, if you come across a site that you think might be legitimate and worht investing in, just try conducting a simple background search: ie. find the name of the scheme/site or whoever is running it, and just type it into Google to find out what other people are saying about them (I found this very useful). If you can’t be bothered with that, my site, shown below in my Author Bio, has links to these sites and it might be worth your while checking them out, especially as some of the prices have been reduced recently.

Good luck!

Timothy Hall.
I am a university student, and former avid subscriber to every Get-Rich-Quick scheme I could find. The site I mentioned above is here: http://www.levoyageuroriginal.com (it is being refurbished at the moment, but should hopefully still be accessible).

Riding in a car is a treat for most dogs, especially if they are driven to an enjoyable destination. Even if you only take your dog to the local shopping center, they outing will add a little variety to his daily life and widen his horizons.

All pet dogs should be car-trained as puppies. Many of them ride in a car the first time when they are taken to their new home, which leaves and uncertain impression that is partly pleasant and partly scary, since it involves an upheaval in their lives. So make your new puppy’s next drive reassuring, like a short trip to some pleasant playground, or simply a 5 or 10 minute spin around the neighborhood before returning to the security of home.

Always wait several hours after a full meal before taking your dog for a drive. Make him ride in the back seat, never on your lap when you are driving. You might cover the seat with an old blanket, well tucked in. Plastic is good protection for the upholstery, but is too slippery a footing for a dog. Many dogs enjoy looking out of the window, and if you lower it a few inches they can also enjoy the passing scents.

Small dogs get less pleasure from drives because they seldom see anything but the interior of the car. Many of them simply curl up and go to sleep. Small dogs are also more prone to car sicknesses, probably because they don’t have the visual distractions of larger dogs. Some owners find that if you keep the dog’s enthusiasm high, they won’t be bothered by the cars movement.

You should never leave your dog alone in the car. But if you have to in a emergency, (hopefully for only a few minutes), be sure to:

- Lock the cars doors and leave two windows open a few inches.
- Park your car in a shady place, remembering the sun moves and that your shady spot may turn into a furnace later.
- Never leave your dog in the car in an underground parking place or in a closed garage, and again, never anywhere for a long time.

Old dogs that have trouble moving around, like elderly people benefit the most from going for a drive, as it helps to keep them alert and interested in the outside world when their daily lives have become more restricted. If your dog is one of the youngsters who gets a thrill from riding in the car, dashes to your side as soon as he hears the tinkle of the car keys, and sometimes even tries to stow away, try to give him this simple treat whenever possible. But remember that it is a passing diversion, and not a substitute for exercise and play.

Randy Jones and his partner Brent Jones have been in the pet industry for a long time. Recently they formed Joncopets.com. On the site, customers can read articles about anything pets as well as shop for the latest trends in fancy dog collars, dog beds, pet strollers , and more for their best friend. Feel free to check out the site at www.joncopets.com

Submitted with Article Distributor.

You CAN start with empty pockets and piles of bills and build a steady income, even wealth, via the internet. It’s a long, hard road though, so it’s best to prepare and take along a good map.

First, a comparison to building an offline, bricks-and-mortar business, just for perspective. If you’re young, you might educate yourself in your field, go to work for someone else, and build your experience, reputation and equity. Then you could take out a business start-up loan, rent a storefront, buy all the necessary equipment, tools, furniture and merchandise, buy advertising — and wait years to work your way out of debt and make a profit.

If you aren’t young, have a family and all the expenses and debts that go with that,and are not making enough money working for someone else to get ahead, you don’t have the same options. Night school, years of part-time education and training, with your creditors hounding you every step of the way…sound familiar?

So you turn on your computer and wonder…wish…that one of those promises of quick riches could be true for you. I wouldn’t go there if I were you.

Here are some first steps to getting started as an internet entrepreneur:

1. Honest self-assessment: There are certain qualities necessary to being self-employed. If you can honestly say that you are self-disciplined, self-motivated, determined, self-confident, patient, persevering and maybe even a bit stubborn, you have what it takes.

2. Research: You need to spend some time researching the company, the products, and the people already working the business. Is the company solid and dependable, are the company executives accessible and responsive, are the products of high desirability and quality, and maybe most importantly, is there experienced, successful, and friendly team support?

3. Support: Surround yourself with cheerleaders, mentors, knowledge, and inspiration, both on- and offline. Your family, the company, and others who have succeeded where you are treading for the first time, should all be available to you. You should never feel that you’re all alone.

4. Infrastructure: Decide what you need: computer,printer, fax, phone; whatever your chosen business requires. Create an office space that suits your lifestyle and work needs. A corner of the living room can function well if you can work while the kids are at school or if their noise doesn’t bother you, but evening work may require a separate room. Don’t put your office in the bedroom if you work evenings and your spouse goes to bed early. You need your family’s support, not their animosity!

5. Realism: It’s tempting to try a business that makes promises it can’t keep. Many tell you that one person or a few make thousands of dollars a week and so can you. None of them will point out that maybe you will be one of thousands who quit before they make a cent. “Put money in your pocket today!” Yes, but will any go in tomorrow?

Accept the fact that any business worth its salt can take time. Maybe you can begin making money in a couple months, or maybe a year. You have to be able to maintain life as you know it for however long it takes. Understand that it won’t be a steady climb to the top from where you are today; the path will go up and down.

6. Selling someone else’s product or your own: Obviously, the big money is in selling your own product. Selling for another company is a great way to get your feet wet in internet commerce, however. At first you may feel like you’re floundering in an unfathomable sea of information, but at some point will come the knowledge that you’re “getting it.” Working for a good company will leave you knowing that you have what it takes to do it on your own, if you choose.

7. Business plan: This keeps you focused, helps you develop goals, strategies and work plans; and aids in evaluating your results. It can include contingency plans, and is never written in stone. As you learn and your business develops, the plan will evolve too.

Now that you’ve got the road map…take that first step! Your future begins today!

Glenn Beach is a poet, writer and home business entrepreneur in Nova Scotia, Canada. Free newsletter, more articles, and business start-up info at: http://www.work-at-home-business-opportunity-canada.com