Articles

by Dana Layon, ERYT www.zenflowyoga.com

 

As a busy mom with two busy kids, I understand the importance of good health for myself.  It’s important to not only set an example for our kids but to also maintain our physical, mental and emotional health so we can be the best we can be.

 

We have to be honest with ourselves and put our health – mental, emotional and physical – first.  So what to do?  First step:  start yoga.  Some of you already have an exercise regime and I’m not suggesting you give it up.  I’m only suggesting that you try yoga at least twice a week.  Why?  Because it’s the cornerstone to all fitness programs; incorporating body, mind and spirit.  Affording you that space to stop, breathe and experience clarity, if for only an hour a day.  I know running or weight lifting seemingly has the same effect but until you try yoga, you cannot possibly experience the difference.

 

Clarity is what we crave on busy days, during chaotic moments and in the midst of change or perceived turmoil.  Yoga births clarity and clarity shines on our best Self.  Once you have a disciplined practice of yoga, or even just 5 minutes of yoga breathing plus a few moves you can do at home, you begin to easily fit YOU into YOUR life.  You begin to make changes, time opens up for you, you make better choices about what to eat, when to go to bed and how to parent your children. 

 

I’ve listed here, examples of a few simple things you can begin incorporating into your life right now and see changes immediately. 

 

·       Go to a yoga class at least twice a week.  If you can’t go to yoga, schedule 30 minutes, twice a week to do some breathing exercises, 4 rounds of Cat/Cow and Sun Salutations. Click on this link for more information on how to perform these poses properly.

 

·       Cut (or limit drastically) sugar, caffeine, alcohol, white bread and processed foods out of your diet. Increase your vegetable intake; drink at least half your weight in ounces of water a day.  (150 pounds: drink 75 ounces of water)

 

·       Purchase a notebook that is appealing to you and begin journaling at least twice a week about your dreams, your life, and your interests.  Taking the time to remind yourself of these things feeds your soul.

 

We all are busy trying to be the best for everyone else, a good example to our kids, an exemplary business owner, an attentive wife…what about YOU?  If you can begin incorporating even one of these things into your daily life, I guarantee you will see a drastic change in who you are and the time you have available each day.

by Marlynn Jayme Schotland
President, The Power MOB and Chief Creative, Urban Bliss

Do you believe you are born with certain smarts and talents? Or do you make an effort to take risks in order to develop your intelligence and talents? According to Dr. Carol Dweck, these different perspectives are known as growth and fixed mindsets. I find that as mom business owners, having a growth mindset proves to be extremely valuable to both our business and to our own children's development. 

According to Dr. Karen Reivich, a leader in Positive Psychology and partner with the Pepperidge Farm Fishful Thinking positive parenting program, the growth mindset is the belief that through effort and learning we can develop our strengths, skills, and intelligence. The fixed mindset is the belief that our personalities, intelligence, and strengths are unchangeable. Dr. Reivich says that those with a growth mindset take risks; they love learning, thrive on challenges and are not swayed by setbacks. Meanwhile, those with a fixed mindset shy away from challenges, focus on "looking smart" over learning, and often feel shame when they do not succeed at a task. 

I grew up in a household based on the growth mindset; "it can't be done" was never an option. My parents came to the States with very little when I was two-years-old, ready to live the American dream. Despite language, money and cultural barriers, they persevered, and though we were by no means wealthy, my childhood was one rich with optimism, determined spirit, and the glorious freedom of unlimited possibilities. I spent my adolescence pursuing a multitude of passions; while teachers constantly told me to focus on areas they believed I had shown talent and intelligence, I had a strong foundation in understanding that my intelligence or born talents had little to do with my success -- my true success had to do with hard work, passion, making mistakes and learning from them.

In my professional life, I have morphed titles from broadcast journalist to director of public relations to designer to business consultant. People often ask me for tips on how to reinvent themselves, but I am a firm believer in that it is not about reinvention: it's about simply following your dreams. I have a huge passion for communication in all forms: verbal, written, visual. It never occurred to me that I could not be a designer. By showing my kids that I can thrive in an industry I am fiercely passionate about but had to work hard at by learning the ropes on my own, making mistakes, and constantly seeking out educational opportunities to become better at the things I love to do, I hope they too will grow up knowing a world where they are not limited by labels or titles.

"Parents can encourage a growth mindset (in children) by modeling a growth mindset," Dr. Reivich says. "Show your children that you are willing to stretch yourself and that you believe effort matters! Model resilience by calling a "Do Over" when you hit a road block or don't like the way you handled something. Finally, reinforce your children when they take risks, even if the outcome is not what they hoped. The more you praise the process and strategies your child uses when they do well, the more likely they will be to develop a growth mindset."

As mothers, we weren't born knowing how to parent, and we are learning how to be better mothers every day. We should translate that same growth mindset toward our businesses: whether we're in a new industry or not, we take on challenges and risks that are new to us all the time. Our success lies not in how much as already know but inthe steps we take to rise above those challenges.

So mom business owners, I'd like you to take stock in where you are now: are you really where you want to be, or are you holding yourself back with your own labels of yourself? I already know that you can do it, whatever "it" may be...the trick is that you must know you can do it, and be willing to take the risks, make the mistakes, to succeed.

by Sarah Adams, Attorney at Law
Adams Law Office

Here's a hypothetical.  You've operated your business for three years.  During those three years you contracted with a variety of vendors and clients as to provide your goods or service.  You enjoy your work, in fact you love it, it is your passion.  Just this morning however, you were served with a summons and complaint by one of your clients claiming your product or service was faulty and caused damages to their business totaling more than $100,000.  Outrageous?  Perhaps.  Unusual?  No.  If you're found liable, where will that money come from?  The answer depends on the type of business structure you are operating under.

If you have been operating as a sole proprietor your risks are extensive.  As a sole proprietor you are personally liable for business debts and liabilities.  This means the plaintiff can pursue not only your business and all its assets but your personal assets as well, including your home.  The good news is there is a relatively easy and simple way to protect your most important assets.

If you organize as either a Limited Liability Company (LLC) or a Corporation (C or S) you immediately form a protective wall around your personal assets.  This means your home, car, boat, etc. are protected from business creditors.  To decide which form is right for you and your company there are many factors to consider, including: tax treatment, potential investors, and your preferred management structure.

One of the first considerations for many business owners is tax treatment.  C-Corporations are subject to double taxation; first the company pays tax on money as it comes into the corporation and the shareholders pay tax again when they receive their dividends.  S-Corporations and LLCs on the other hand, have what is known as pass-through taxation; there is no company-level tax, instead tax is paid only once when the shareholders or owners receive the money.  (Note that due to the passage of Measure 67, S-Corporations and LLCs will now incur a company-level minimum tax of $150 that did not exist before.)  In addition, benefits such as cafeteria plans, life insurance, and disability insurance receive different tax treatment depending on the business structure.  These are just a few of the tax differences between a C-Corporation, S-Corporation, and an LLC.

A second consideration involves whether and what type of investors your company plans to pursue.  Some investors prefer to receive stock in exchange for their investment.  Stock however, is only available from corporations and not LLCs.  Furthermore, the investor may require preferred stock in place of common stock.  Because S-Corporations are restricted to a single class of stock a C-Corporation may be more appropriate. 
Thus, your financial plans may dictate the type of business structure that is best for your company.

Finally, you want to consider the management structure.  S and C-Corporations retain the traditional structure of shareholders, a board of directors, and officers such as president, secretary, and treasurer.  Each title has its own duties and powers.  An LLC on the other hand, will be either member-managed or manager-managed.  This allows you flexibility for any number of governing structures to run you business.  Thus, consider your vision for management in considering the type of structure you prefer.

Once you've weighed your options and acted on your choice, you can focus on running your business and relax knowing your home is protected from business creditors.

by Savannah Mayfield
Nurture Life Coaching

I’m sure many of you are now considering business goals and intentions for the New Year: thinking about how to increase your sales, reach a new market or launch an exciting product or service. But before you get too far into planning your business, I am going to challenge you to take some time to think about yourself and your life.

 

As the owner of a small business, you are your business. How fulfilled you are, how you feel about your life and how you express your talents and gifts are all key to the success of your business.

 

Most of us get so caught up in the madness of just managing our lives and running our businesses that we forget to reflect on how we actually feel about both of them.

 

That can lead to ambivalence, disappointing results and a general feeling of being stuck.

 

To gain some clarity before moving into 2010, try this visioning exercise:

 

Set aside some time (at least two hours) to be alone in a space that is inspiring and feels safe to you. It might be a room in your house or office, it might be out in nature, at the coast, or your favorite tea shop, for example.

 

Take your journal or a notebook and some items that encourage you: your favorite music on your ipod, a magazine or book that you love, or even a photo of yourself doing something that really captures the best in you.

 

Ask yourself the following questions:

 

1.     What did you enjoy most about 2009? What was most meaningful about that experience? What can you take from it into your life for the New Year?

2.     How did you use your strengths/gifts last year? What challenges did you face, what fears did you overcome, what accomplishments surprised you? Consider how these strengths can support your goals for 2010.

3.     Where did you feel stuck or unfulfilled? What was missing for you? How can you meet that need in the coming year?

4.     What would you have loved to do or experience last year, but didn’t? What would have really made a difference for you? How can you create that for yourself in 2010?

5.     Take some real time to listen to your inner voice. You might close your eyes and notice your breath or body sensations. Slow down and pay close attention to yourself.  What feels really important to you right now?

 

This past year was a journey and things happened to get you to this very moment. You might feel like you have grown or changed, and how you relate to your business might be different now as well. How can the New Year reflect the “new you”?

by Rebecca Kaykas-Wolff
Founder and President, Petit Couture, LLC
 
Last fall I had just been offered an AVP of online customer experience role with Liberty Mutual and would be spending my time between Seattle, WA and Boston, MA in the near term. To me, I had started the path to arriving (again) professionally.  I was also 9 months pregnant with my son Julien – the third of my three children (Sofie and Simone being my daughters).

My husband, in the same month, had been offered a tremendous opportunity in Portland, Oregon. We had some soul-searching to do. Both of us were executives in our respective fields but our family was growing and very young. Like so many significant life changing moments the searching period was relatively short and I made the decision to take time off, reflect, focus on family, etc. and my husband accepted the role in Portland.

We put our house on the market and for eight months, my husband commuted back and forth between Portland and Seattle each week. We visited him in Portland periodically and I stayed with our young children in Seattle

Although my life was anything but predictable or calm I needed more intellectual stimulation and believed there was no time like the present to finally begin the business I had hoped to years before. I had started/stopped my business concept in the past due to the sheer volume of work that came with my prior career. Each child was born when I was working at a different company and with each birth, I felt as if I was continually reinventing myself once I went back to the office after maternity leave. I’m sure many women have experienced the same thing!

So, when on a play-date with my neighbor and her daughters, we discovered we had both come up with the same name for a children’s clothing line – Petit Couture. I couldn’t help but see the kismet and feel the opportunity. I didn’t need more cosmic wisdom to entice me to start the business concept behind Petit Couture, LLC. I had decided many years prior that the market was missing luxury and sophistication in infant and toddler layette and separates: both blingy and comfortable with an equally important focus on being ethically made.

Fashion is in my DNA. I remember when I was a little girl sketching dresses with bustles in the back. I love fashion. That said, I don’t have a technical or business background in apparel. So, the process of reinvention once again took place for me. I asked my neighbor if she wanted to help start Petit Couture. Within a week I had the Web domain, business license and a PPT deck outlining the brand strategy for Petit Couture.

Petit Couture is what saved my sanity during the last year and continues to drive me professionally. I needed a beacon to focus on when the kids would go to bed and my husband was in another state. I continue to need that focus and forward-thinking to fufill a part of my life. The process of reinvention was a necessary ingredient for me to remain me. Petit Couture is an extension of me. For me, I’m motivated by the excitement that I have and for the possibilities of Petit Couture.

I believe that motivation is what differentiates anyone. To be truly motivated you have to love what you’re putting your time into. I like the Confucius saying: “find the job you love and never go to work another day the rest of your life.” I don’t think I’m the smartest woman in the room, but I do think that I’m resourceful and resilient. I also love what I do.

I believe that when opportunities present themselves, you need to take them. Opportunities have led me to start my dream business in Petit Couture, they’ve lead me to Portland, to Mamapreneurs, to the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network and so many other kismet opportunities that continue to provide me the insights and tools to help me move Petit Couture forward. To me, that is necessary for reinvention – regardless of the reason behind it.

Staying Sane during the Holiday Season
by Chelsea Harper, MA, BC-DMT, NCC

No Mamapreneur is untouched by change during the holidays, whether your business is a service that slows down in the winter, or a product that funds the business for the next 10 months.  Even if your business carries on as usual, the changes in your personal routine are enough to stress anyone out! 
 
One of the models of change I use in my transition counseling work is the concept of the neutral zone from the organizational development work of William Bridges.  During transitions, when you’ve let go of the old way, and you are not yet operating in a new way, you are experiencing the chaos, confusion, and creativity of the neutral zone.  This model is useful for the American cultural “holiday season” that affects us all, regardless of our individual choices about shopping, eating, visiting, etc. Here are a few tips to manage the neutral zone of the holiday season successfully:
 
1. Schedule a few days during the holidays to catch up, review your plans, put out fires, or do anything else unexpected that you couldn’t see coming beforehand.  Block out this time now and you’ll be much more confident when surprises happen, since you’ll know you have time to deal with them.
 
2. Take an objective look at any guests coming to visit.  Are they a resource in any way?  Can they provide support by making meals, doing child care, or helping you package your product?  Or will they require just as much time and attention as your business or your kids?  If that’s the case, better to realize it now and not be overwhelmed by planning extra work hours the same weekend the in-laws are in town.  Perhaps this is the time to call on extra babysitters or support staff at work. 
 
3. Don’t make unnecessary changes in your business.  While you’re in the neutral zone you may have new ideas, creative inspirations, and unexpected flashes of insight.  You don’t need to take action right away!  Keep your fabulous ideas (and even the ones that are slightly less fabulous) somewhere safe to revisit when the hubbub dies down. 
 
4. Consider scheduling a business retreat to mark the end of the holiday neutral zone and the start of the new year.  Maybe a day or two, maybe just a few concentrated hours, but find a block of time to sift through any new ideas, revisit your mission, rework your vision, etc.  Channel the power of the seasonal change by using the outward darkness and cold weather to focus inward on your business and recharge your batteries. 
 
Being proactive about the holiday season and understanding the impact that changes have on your life will help you to stay sane during the holidays while you continue to balance business and family.

Chelsea Harper can be reached at www.movingtobalance.com

Communication Tips When Your Business Partner is your Life Partner
by Janet Allison

Working together can be frustrating and puzzling, and no wonder, scientists have found over 100 differences between the male and female brain! Our brains were shaped by the needs of our hunting and gathering ancestors, with male and female tasks clearly defined. While our society has changed over time, our brains haven’t.
Become more ‘gender intelligent’ and increase your understanding of your business and life partner...

1. His brain is still a Hunter - Her brain is still a Gatherer
As the Hunter, he was aggressive, single-focused and willing to take risks. His priority is still the end result, why waste time on relating?
As the Gatherer, multi-tasking and her ability to relate meant her survival. Now, the deal is important but so is checking in with everyone before it is signed.

2. His stress - Her stress
Testosterone feeds his aggression and one-upsmanship (who’s winning?). Under stress, his brain screams, “Fight! Be the aggressor! Win, no matter what!” Water dilutes this cortisol/adrenaline cocktail in just 5 minutes. Oxytocin, the ‘tend and befriend’ hormone, gives her the desire to deepen her relationships. Under stress, her brain hums, “Stay calm. Stay connected.”

3. He is External - She is Internal
He processes and relates externally. High-fives and back slaps. His anger is expressed in quick, external bursts. Physical activity helps him sort out his dilemmas. She processes (and processes) internally. Self-talk gets her through sticky situations. She considers problems that aren’t even problems yet! She prefers to talk when angry or confused.

4. His Words - Her Words
He uses fewer words to express himself - spoken and written. He wants the facts and prefers data to narrative. Mirror his succinct style when appropriate. She uses twice as many words as he does. When his eyes glaze over, it is time to be concise.

5. His Brain Needs Rest - Her Brain Never Stops
His brain is like a series of boxes, the biggest is the ‘Nothing Box’. His brain likes to rest there.  To prevent this, he clicks his pen, swivels in his chair, or interrupts your conversation.
Her brain is like the internet super-highway. It is always on, connecting one event to another at lightning speed.

6. He Thinks - She Feels
He goes for the solution. Ask what he THINKS rather than what he FEELS. She connects her experiences to feelings and can easily put words to them.

7. His Body Language - Her Body Language
He prefers to relate shoulder-to-shoulder.  He misses subtle body and facial cues. She prefers eye contact. She notices subtle body and facial cues and interprets them accurately.

8. Separate Your Business Conversations from Your Life Conversations
Agree to a code word or move to a different location, so you both know you are shifting topics. Neither of you will fit any of these categories perfectly, however, when you begin to notice differences between genders, your business and personal relationships are enhanced.

Resource: Michael Gurian & Barbara Annis: Leadership and the Sexes, Using Gender Science to Create Success in Business. ISBN 978-0-7879-9703-8

Janet Allison is a parent educator and Waldorf consultant.  She is passionate about helping everyone understand gender differences. She is releasing her next book, “More Boys Alive! Bring Out Their Best!” in November. 503.493.7404 http://www.parenting-advice-from-mom.com

by Candice Aiston, attorney at law

Mamapreneurs usually take legal steps to set up their businesses properly, but often ignore personal estate planning. Now that the kids are in school, it's a great time to think about getting something in place. Here are 5 things that every parent needs to include in an estate plan:

#1: Kids Protection Plan
If you've got a child at home, you need to have a Kids Protection Plan® (KPP) to ensure his or her care in case you can't be there. A KPP names legal guardians; names local friends or family as temporary guardians; provides an ID card listing names and addresses of your immediate guardians and instructions to the people who care for your children; and confidentially excludes anyone you would never want to serve as guardian.

#2: Durable Power of Attorney
A durable power of attorney is something every adult needs.  This document will let your family access bank accounts, pay bills, and make financial and legal decisions for you if you are incapacitated. This document is important for business owners, so that business operations can continue during incapacity without court involvement.

#3:  Health Care Directive
A Health Care Directive is another document that every adult needs. Healthcare directives appoint the person you want to make health care decisions for you and tell your appointed decision-maker how you want those decisions to be made.

#4:  Will:
When it comes to estate planning, most people think of having a Will.  Unfortunately, having a Will often provides a false sense of security to people who think "I have a Will, therefore, I've taken care of everything."  That's a myth. A Will alone is only appropriate for parents who have no (or very limited) assets titled in their name. 

#5:  Trust
If you have financial assets or real estate, you want to consider a Living Trust.  A Living Trust is the single best way to make things as easy as possible for the people you love by saving time and money and preserving privacy after your death.

These 5 documents are absolutely vital because they will make life as easy as possible for your family, keep your loved ones out of court and get them easy access to your assets in the midst of a crisis, but only if they are kept up to date and your assets are owned properly. There's nothing more important to you than your family.  It's far easier for you to take care of things now, while you are living than it will be for them to take care of after you are gone.  Legal planning is not about the money; it's about making life as easy as possible for the people you love.

To read Candice's FREE report, "The 9 Planning Mistakes Parents Make," please visit www.candiceaistonlaw.com.

Tips for Taming the Tech Time Traps
by Marlynn Jayme Schotland, Founder, Mamapreneurs Inc & Owner, Urban Bliss

In the early days of e-mail, people used to complain about how much time they wasted writing, reading, filing, and analyzing emails. In today's tech-infused world, we now have e-mail, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs, Flickr, and hundreds of other online options that can either be powerful work tools or dangerous distractions. Here are some tips to help keep you from getting sucked into the top tech time traps.

1. Track your time. Sit down with a stopwatch and actually find out how much time it honestly takes you to do what you need to do (or want to do) online. Only then can you plan appropriately; without an accurate picture, you are setting yourself up for failure when scheduling your time.

2. Plan ahead. Now that you know how much time you truly spend on each task, schedule appropriate blocks of time for each item based on your business needs. Some people like to schedule one morning & one afternoon online session, while others like to spread it out throughout the day.

3. For blog articles, write when the mood strikes you. Sometimes you may not want to write that blog post when you've got time scheduled in your calendar, and that's ok. Use that time to work instead on a list of possible topics, and then when the mood does strike you to write, sit down and write up a storm: one, two, three blog posts all at once. Post-date them in your blog or write them in Word and save them for later.

4. Ask yourself why you are using social media and whether you truly enjoy it or not. If you are spending hours on Facebook interacting with faraway friends and taking quizzes, and that's something you enjoy as down time, then go for it. If, however, it's making you angry and you find your work is suffering because of the time you waste on social media, then you need to cut yourself off. Set a timer and shut it down when time's up.

5. Stop trying to read all of the Facebook and Twitter updates. You can't and shouldn't waste your time doing this. Subscribe to the RSS feeds of the folks whose updates you truly don't want to miss, and then just read a few before and a few after your own updates.

6. You don't have to use every social media tool available. If research shows your audience isn't using Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, and you really hate using that particular social media tool, then don't use it, or set up a profile and use it sparingly.

7. Write shorter emails. Mom business owners especially are famous for writing lengthy, friendly emails. Stop wasting your time and cut to the chase.

8. Set boundaries and make your clients aware of them. For instance, I don't answer emails after 6pm during the week or on the weekend, unless it's urgent and time sensitive.

9. Turn off email notifications on your phone or stop receiving emails on your phone. Ask yourself if it is truly necessary for your business success to receive emails on your phone. Sometimes, the convenience of checking emails on your phone turns into an intrusion on your personal life that is completely unnecessary.

10.Delegate. Forward emails to appropriate employees and don't try to answer every single one if someone else can. Hire or have one of your staff familiar with the voice of the company be the voice of the company by managing your social media.

In addition to running her two businesses and raising her two kids, Marlynn Jayme Schotland is an avid online geek and can be found on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and will be teaching the Social Media 201 Workshop.

by Jackie B. Peterson

With the US economy in recession, you may think this is a time to lay low and wait for the economy to improve.  After all, the airwaves are full of stories about layoffs and down-sizings, bank failures and foreclosures. It would seem that starting a business now would be a much too risky and foolish undertaking.  However, the truth is that now may be exactly the right time to start your business.  There are more opportunities now for the small business over than ever before. As a small business consultant, I’ve watched my clients thrive in this economy and you can do the same.

Always Start with the Basics

Before you begin any enterprise, there are many traditional steps necessary to be certain that you are taking on something that is viable and sustainable.  You must have a solid business plan based on a good idea that is financially feasible. It’s important that there is growth in the market you want to pursue and most of all, it has to be a business you believe in. But there are some extra benefits that may be available to you right now because of the current economic situation that can help you start and grow a business much easier than you would expect.  Here are eight reasons why now is a good time to get started with your entrepreneurial adventure:

1. It’s a good time to find great people. Because so many people have been laid off or downsized, there is a lot of talent out there looking for work. And, you can probably find that good talent at a reasonable price. AS a result, you can be selective about who you hire and what you pay them.  Right now you can get the best for better prices than ever before.

2. There might be private money available- more than you think.  Remember many of those who have been “downsized” left with severance packages or “golden parachutes” which means they have money in their pockets.   If you have a great idea and a good plan, you may be able to attract someone laid off as an investor or a lender.  There are lots of professionals and executives with lots of talent and experience who may be interested in helping your business get off the ground.  They can come with advice, connections, resources or even capital.

3. Microloan programs are going strong. Just as traditional sources for money have dried up, many microloan programs have sprouted up offering small loans to entrepreneurs.  More and more organizations have found that just a small loan, under $50,000, will help someone start or build a business that will provide several jobs.  Check with your local SBDC, your business advisor or the economic development department of your local government; they know who is doing what.

4. Rent is negotiable: Lots of landlords have big empty spaces they are trying to rent.  Right now they are willing to negotiate as never before.   You may be able to negotiate rents and rental agreements that would have been unheard of even last year.  Sharpen your pencil and go for that space.  Often you can win the space of your dreams for a price you never imagined.

5. Vendors will negotiate on price: Many vendors are willing to negotiate their prices especially to beat the competition.  Bargains can be found for advertising, for supplies or for other services.  When sales go down, vendors are very interested in securing any business at all, and because of that you may be able to make a deal.

6. Business turnaround is timelier: Because work is scarce, you can get your work done more quickly.  Service people show up on time and deliveries may be made early.  You are welcomed as a customer and can expect better customer service for the goods and services your business is buying.   In some areas, permissions you need from your local governments, city licenses and permits are much faster to obtain.  Everyone is eager to work and serve a “live” customer.

7. Government small business loans are less restrictive. See if your business qualifies for any of the stimulus funds or any of the newer, less restrictive SBA funding that has come forth from the Federal stimulus plan.  If so, plug in and get your share.  Your local government offices can help you find a loan that is right for you.

8. Niche products are doing well: Lots of products and services are still selling well such as businesses related to pets or children.  Also, if you have a product that is a small, affordable luxury this is a good time to come to market.  For instance high end chocolates or spas seem to be doing well.  This is a good time for businesses that offer a special treat that is affordable, and makes a customer feel better.   This is also a good time to start a business teaching a special skill such as how to take advantage of social networking or on line marketing.  Many people are starting e-bay stores and on-line businesses to sell items that have a special following.  These are often small enterprises that can do well because they are virtual and have almost zero overhead.  

Don’t Wait!

So, if you have always had the urge to be an entrepreneur, this may be the right time for you to launch your venture.  It is not nearly as foolish as it may sound and your prospects can be quite bright.  Don’t assume you have to wait until the economy improves. This may be the time to start your own business and improve your own personal economy yourself.  

Jackie B Peterson is a small business consultant and counselor with the Small Business Development center. www.jackiebpeterson.com