I still remember the days before the computer. But now, everyone and everything’s on the internet so I’ve adapted to the fast growing market. I’ve made myself available online to customers, promoted services and keep my clients informed.
Now, how do I keep track of all this “net” work? It’s hard to imagine where to begin when gathering data -or- just how to go about finding the legit info. ‘Small Business Tips For Reporting Web Metrics’ is exactly the answer. Even the acronyms and web lingo are explained! no stressin’ about who, what, where are the important facts and what everything means.

Source of the article:

http://www.toprankblog.com/2010/02/web-analytics-reporting/

‘Do You Have What it Takes to Become a Successful Woman Entrepreneur?’- This article’s title asks the question I ask myself. Being a women in a man’s world is still an issue in this modern day. We have laws in place to ensure equal rights but it’s not the same ball game for us gals as it is guys. I’m not saying it’s harder OR easier, just different.. That’s why reading this helped me understand the short-comings and advantages to being a women entrepreneur and if I got what it takes! Here’s some tips I thought I should share:
- Adopt the Right Business Attitude to Succeed in Business
- Develop the Most Important Skill for Women in Business – Networking!
- Have thick skin!

Source of the article:
http://womeninbusiness.about.com/od/startingasmallbusiness/a/3traitsofentrep.htm

I find it funny that women are less likely to be entrepreneurs than men but are way more flexible and ideal business owners (according to a study done by the U.S. Small Business Administration in February 2009). ‘Female Business Owners Benefit From Flexibility’ describes how the report made on small businesses in the U.S. is applied to the everyday women and the benefits of being self-employed. Things like “Self-employed women work about 10 fewer hours a week…” not only is encouraging but surprising!

Source of the article:
http://workingmoms.about.com/od/workingmomsresearch/a/Femaleowner.htm

Lately I’ve been posting a lot about how to save $$$ but when it comes to owning your own small business, when is it not?! I use all the FREE tools I can but when it comes to employee training, it’s definitely something that you don’t want to cut corners. I know how hard it is to find good help let alone good and educated help on a budget I can afford. Thank goodness I read ‘Get Growing For Business’ where you get cost effective options for training employees. Phew!

Source of the article:
http://getgrowingforbusiness.scotiabank.com/blog/are-there-cost-effective-options-training-employees-my-small-business

Here’s an excellent tip to saving money after the holidays:
As a small business owner, I’m always looking for a cheaper way to get things done but hopefully that doesn’t come at the expense of looking professional or getting my company seen. That’s why posting online and making friends on social networking sites is an awesome and FREE way to get known. ‘Put your business online today at no cost with Google Places’ describes how Google can help organize your online encounters and get you seen!

Source of the article:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/your-business/business-categories/web-strategy/advgoogle/put-your-business-online-today-at-no-cost-with-google-places/article1748328/?cid=google+-+small+business+portal&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theglobeandmail%2FFaHj+%28Google+Advertorial%29&utm_content=Google+International

After the holidays, we all need extra income. Why not start your own biz? It can be expensive but in ‘Business Ideas on a Budget’, there are a few fields where a $20 start-up is all you need:
Webpreneur
Consultant
Housesitter / Petsitter
Professional Organizer
Avon Independent Sales Representative
Personal Services – Shopping & Errands
Desktop Publishing
Tutoring
eBay Seller
Secretarial Service – Typing / Transcription / Proofreading
Mind you they won’t generate a full-time income for a few months (with a start-up of only $20) but it’s a great side income, for students or if you’re unemployed looking for legitimate work now! This article describes exactly what you need to purchase and how to use your twenty bucks.

Source of the article:
http://entrepreneurs.about.com/cs/businessideas/a/10startupideas.htm

Our society’s not perfect or necessarily equal no matter which way you look at it (for guys or gals, no matter who you are). It doesn’t mean our government isn’t trying. The U.S. has made some improvements in recognizing women in business this year. Here’s some highlights that ‘Support for Women’s Enterprise in the United States: Lessons Learned’ points out from the start of commerce to now:

“1) increased public awareness of the contributions and challenges of women business owners and their enterprises;
2) significantly greater public and private sector support for women’s enterprise development;
3) a proliferation of non-governmental organizations supporting women’s enterprises, and
4) growth in the number, diversity and impact of women’s business associations. “

As a female running my own company, I am pleased that our country is taking action for bettering our future. Since the number of women-owned businesses continues to grow at twice the rate of all U.S, I am proud to know that the current state of women’s business ownership in the United States is tenacious.

Source for this article:

http://www.nawbo.org/content_7845.cfm

Eleanor Blayney wrote this fantastic article explaining that, despite it’s initial scariness, investing is one of the best things a women can do for herself and her family!

In 2001, two California professors of behavioral finance, Terence Odean and Brad Barber, did a study of the investment activities of men and women and found that men traded 50 percent more frequently than women. They also were less apt to learn the lessons of former investment mistakes. Though no one has dubbed it so, it sounds to me like a form of investment hyperactivity attention deficit disorder. The professors more kindly called it male “overconfidence.” Whatever the official diagnosis, it costs money. As a result of this affliction, the returns to men’s portfolios trailed those of women’s by 1.4 percent. When the men’s returns were compared to what unmarried women earned on their investments, the gender gap widens further—underperformance of 2.3 percent. If that doesn’t sound significant, let me assure you that the separation between the best and the worst mutual fund managers is often much less.

With a really interesting section to close it off called, “The EMH (efficient market hypothesis) of Investing“,

Since you cannot pick investment losers or winners before the fact, don’t bother. Go for the “averages,” or market indexes. Choose index mutual funds or ETFs that simply replicate what the broad markets—the S&P, the non-U.S. stock markets, the U.S. bond markets—are doing. Just be sure to diversify among the averages, or indexes. Don’t bother yourself with stock picks, technical analysis, or ratios. These belong more appropriately in the sandbox of overconfident (and did someone mention underperforming?) investors.

Rebalance your investments once a year, not with every hiccup or screaming talking head on the evening market report. The key to investment success is buying low and selling high, which as already argued no one can reliably do. However, if you rebalance by cutting back your outperforming investments and adding to your underperforming investments, you are in fact doing just that—and all without a computer or stock charts.

Keep your investing expenses low. You’ll do this automatically if you stick to indexes. Management expenses are, in fact, the one investment variable you can control, and they can make a significant difference to your returns over time.

Eleanor’s research could easily change your mind about investing casually or as a serious venture…or amp you up even higher if it’s already your thing.

I’ve already discovered and discussed the awesomeness of saving green while being green in: Eco Friendly Ways 2 Save $ 4 Ur Biz It’s that easy to save $$$ but how can I stay eco-friendly?!

‘The New Generation of Eco-Friendly Business Women’ states that “The longer a woman has been in business, the less likely she is to be concerned with making business purchases and choices that are environmentally-friendly.”
Is it because we find ourselves with more to-do once our business grows? Maybe it’s just that us, career-driven women, think we’ve done our part to help the environment at the beginning and that those practices will just carry-on to the future of our companies. I think, the more time goes by, the more we CAN DO for our planet AND business. In this article, there’s a “How green is your business?” quiz http://forums.about.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ab-womeninbiz&tid=186
^-^-^ TAKE THE SURVEY TO SEE HOW GREEN UR BIZ IS ^-^-^

Source of the article:

http://womeninbusiness.about.com/od/wibtrendsandstatistics/a/green-wib.htm

Sadly, working isn’t always super fun and awesome. This nice little article titled “A Self Start Guide To Self Improvement” has some great adive on how to deal with and overcome some of the not-so-great aspects of being a working woman:

A Negative Work Environment

Other Peoples Behavior

A Changing Environment

Past Experience

Negative World View

Determination Theory

These are all things that, if allowed, can seriously hinder your work performance, and your personal mood. But the article is very specific on just why theese thigns affect so many people (not just women), the contributing factors, and how to overcome them and remain at your top level even when you feel you might be surrounded by negativity. Rise above despite the odds and you’ll never feel prouder!