Jewelry, Business and You

Azurite, Semi-precious Stone

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 26 May 2008 04:46:00 +0000

Designer: Jan McClellan

Azurite is a soft, deep blue semi-precious stone, also known as chessylite.

Azurite is found in many areas all over the globe including Namibia, New Mexico, Arizona, Mexico, Australia, France, Greece, China, Sardinia and in the Ural Mountains of Russia.

Azurite is credited with many holistic properties:
the ability to open the third eye and to stimulate one's psychic powers.
It can also assist in recalling or remembering past life as well as for bringing an increased and deeper sense of connection to Divine beings.
It has been said to give the power of sensing the truth and allowing an individual to understand other people's motives.

Crazy About Jewelry!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 00:20:00 +0000

Susan Eisen, gemologist and jewelry designer recently published a great book for those of us who love jewelry. Crazy About Jewelry covers everything from how to assess fine watches, appraisal secrets, recycling old pieces to how to travel with jewelry. Susan owns a store in the El Paso area.

Yahoo! Sponsoring Grant Competition for Female Entrepreneurs

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 00:14:00 +0000

Yahoo! Small Business has teamed up with Carolyn Kepcher, to empower women. They are seeking women to apply for the Yahoo! Seeds for Success promotion, a competition that offers the opportunity for three women entrepreneurs to each win a $20,000 cash grant to help boost their existing business or start one. If you think your idea or business is the next breakthrough, check out the details here.

Lockets by Pictures on Gold

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 14:14:00 +0000

Here's an new take on custom engraved jewelry. Pictures on Gold produces custom lockets using any photo you provide. You can upload, e-mail, or snail mail your photos to Photos on Gold and they will LASER your photos inside the lockets of your choice. This is a unique process that is 100% waterproof and Pictures on Gold guarantees that it will last a lifetime.

Your photo is permanently lasered onto your 14K gold locket in full color. They also offer sterling silver lockets.

The laser process produces a quality, sharp image. These custom lockets are 100% waterproof.

Musuem of Modern Arts & Design Coming to Columbus Circle

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 20:38:00 +0000

Scheduled to open in the Spring of 2008, a new museum, the Museum of Arts and Design will showcase contemporary jewelry. The Tiffany & Company Foundation is supporting this new museum with a $2 million grant.

The center will be in the heart of Columbus Circle, in New York City. The Museum of Arts & Design will include the museum's permanent collect, scheduled programs, artist residencies, as well as a study center where visitors can learn about jewelry making techniques and processes.

Finally jewelry will be seen as art rather than a craft!

Military Spouses Can Get a Patriot Express Loan Too

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 23:23:00 +0000

The Small Business Administration recently started a new pilot program aimed at getting members of the military community approved quickly for small business loans.

Interestingly, members of all military branches and the reserves can take advantage of this program but so can the spouses of these service members! The details of the Patriot Express Loan program can be found here or on the SBA's website. Here's yet another source of start-up capital to get your jewelry business off the ground or expanded if you qualify.

Own Tanzanite Jewelry With Confidence

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 08:15:00 +0000

by Amanda M. Gladden

Tanzanite jewelry has been increasing in popularity in many parts of the world and here in the Unites States especially.

In an effort to increase consumer confidence when buying jewelry made with the unique gem, the Tanzanite Foundation in conjunction with the International Gemological Institute (IGI), has come up with a grading system called the Tanzanite Quality Scale.

The scale looks at hue, intensity, clarity and cut of the stones. The organizations expect that this new scale will also increase price consistency. An IGI certificate issued with a tanzanite gem is supposed to prove that the tanzanite has been inspected, is authentic and natural and from the only source of tanzanite in the world, Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, East Africa.

Celebrities getting into the Tanzanite act...

Terry Hatcher wears tanzanite

........and so does rapper 50 Cent. :)

For more news on tanzanite, visit the Tanzanite Foundation's Tanzanite Report

India Top Exporter of Jewelry to the U.S.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 20:27:00 +0000

According to the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council of India, $17.1 billion in gems and jewelry was exported from India last year. Gold jewelry lead the sector with $5.2 billion in exports while colored gemstones accounted for $246.48million.

The United States was the largest importer, followed by the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong and Belgium.

The Real Secret to Earning More and Working Less

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 01:22:00 +0000

by: Robert Greenshields

There's one way that you can quickly and easily start earning more and working less in your business; by getting someone else to do most of the work.

Maybe you've heard all about the power of outsourcing. Certainly many people tried to convince me of its value when I first set up my business. But, like many business owners, I resisted it.

All the reasons seemed good at the time – I didn't know how to find people, I thought I could do it better myself and I was reluctant to spend money that didn't seem necessary.

Yet at the same time, there were not enough hours in the day to do everything that was needed. I gradually realized that I didn't even know how to do many of the things that were essential for running a business. It was only when I simply ran out of time to do everything needed that I began to see the true value of outsourcing and boy do I regret not doing it sooner.

Why outsource? Here are some of the advantages I've discovered:

It allows you to focus on your priority tasks
You cut the learning curve by employing an expert
They can probably do the job faster than you
It frees you up to do things you enjoy
Outsourcing can help you get projects making money faster
The outsourcing providers take on some of the risks involved
You get a fresh injection of thinking and creativity into your business.

What can you outsource? You can outsource just about anything you can think of, including: Customer support; Website design and programming; Graphic design; Copywriting for websites, scripts, advertising and eBooks; Accounting; Search engine optimization.

How to outsource? Via the Internet. Somebody in another part of the world is in a position to help you - probably at a fraction of the cost you'd pay someone around the corner.

The best way to find vendors is to get recommendations from other people. If you can't get recommendations, try them out yourself with small tasks before you give them anything big or important to do.

There are also several websites such as elance.com, rentacoder.com and scriptlance.com that provide access to outsourcing services.

Here's how the freelance sites generally work:

You post details of the project or service you need help with. Vendors or freelancers post responses or bids. You select the vendor most suited to your needs, based on their proposals and on your view of their portfolio of past work.

These services are usually free to buyers with the vendor paying a fee to the site when they are awarded the work. You agree to the payment terms. You keep in touch with the freelancer until the project or task is completed.

I certainly recommend the value of outsourcing and the power it can add to your business and your life.

About The Author

Robert Greenshields is a marketing success coach who helps entrepreneurs and independent professionals develop the success mindset and marketing strategies for a better lifestyle. Sign up for his 7 secrets of earning more and working less at http://www.mindpowermarketing.com/
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For fantastic ideas and more in depth explanations and examples of how to put this into practice, check out the book, The 4-hour Work Week
by Timothy Ferris.

Join Tim Ferriss as he teaches you:

How to outsource your life to overseas virtual assistants for $5 per hour and do whatever you want
How blue-chip escape artists travel the world without quitting their jobs
How to eliminate 50% of your work in 48 hours using the principles of a forgotten Italian economist
How to trade a long-haul career for short work bursts and freuent "mini-retirements"
What the crucial difference is between absolute and relative income
How to train your boss to value performance over presence, or kill your job (or company) if it’s beyond repair
What automated cash-flow “muses” are and how to create one in 2 to 4 weeks
How to cultivate selective ignorance—and create time—with a low-information diet
What the management secrets of Remote Control CEOs are
How to get free housing worldwide and airfare at 50–80% off
How to fill the void and create a meaningful life after removing work and the office

If you don't start your business soon, you'll hate yourself later!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 01:14:00 +0000

Many people have dreams of starting their own small business but get discouraged when they think about their lack of start up capital.

While traditional banks in the United States often will not underwrite loans for under $35,000 to a new business owner with little capital of his or her own to invest in the small business start up, there are many other sources of funds to get your business started.

Microloans are one such source. These are loans made by micro-lenders typically under $35,000. Some micro-finance organizations write business loans for as little as $500US, an amount large banks would not waste their time processing. Many of these organizations consider non-traditional forms of credit rather than depend solely on your credit report.

Business plan competitions are another source of funding. Many of these competitions are offered by business schools. You do not need to be attending the particular university but someone on your team has to be a current student or alumni. Private companies sometimes sponsor these contests where the prize is start up funding. Recent examples that come to mind include the Visa Breakthrough Challenge. American Express has also sponsored similar competitions in the past.

Finally, business start up grants are another option to consider. Contrary to infomercials broadcast late at night claiming there's thousands of dollars in grant money just waiting to be claimed by us to start businesses, the Small Business Administration's website clearly states that the US government does not provide grants to individuals. Don't despair however, many private organizations and local/state governments offer some types of grant assistance to prospective business owners.

Though it requires careful research and planning, you too can locate various sources to help fund your startup.

Choosing Your Business Website Name

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 03:02:00 +0000

by: Jim Degerstrom

I disagree with the comment made by some web developers that all the good domain names are taken. Search engine optimization, or seo, does not depend heavily on the www name you select. For my clients just starting out the decision choosing small business website names has never been an issue. It is a fact that all the 3 character and 4 character domain names with the key extensions are taken. Furthermore, I agree that a vast number of choice domain names are no longer available; however, the selection of a suitable www domain for your small business is possible if you remain flexible.

The real value in the name you choose from a search perspective is how easy it is to spell and remember. Of the two types of visitors to your site, the human visitors and search engines, the ability of a person to remember your domain name and spell it correctly to pass it on to others outweighs any SEO value. Search engines are robots and don't care.

Using words like "greatest", "best", or other exaggerated terms in your domain name is thought by some to be a disadvantage and penalized by search engines. Search algorithms change often and likewise that theory, and although you may not be penalized for using such words, consider the reaction of your human visitors. They may not stick around if they feel you boast without the content to back it up. For a serious small business commercial enterprise, my advice is avoiding adjectives in the domain name entirely.

In some cases new clients approach me to redesign an existing website, and it surprises me that some of the basics are overlooked. For example, a commercial enterprise in business for profit should not select a dot ORG domain simply because the dot COM was taken. This was the case from a conversation with a client interested in a site makeover. Their ORG version was online for two years with little or no backlinks or serious indexing from search engines. The mindset of getting one particular name should be reconsidered especially if it's your first online venture.

Here's a breakdown of the most desirable domain extensions and the usual purpose of each:

COM - Commercial for profit enterprise
INFO - Information only related website
NET - Companies providing internet services
ORG - Non-profit organizations

Certainly there are many more like BIZ, US, WS, and others which are all reasonable choices, but for your commercial small business my recommendation is always acquire a dot COM www domain name. The client mentioned earlier did not realize a dot ORG was intended for a non-commercial enterprise, and they decided the poor website SEO performance was something that justified getting a new dot COM. We easily found an available www domain using their company initials and one key word about their target market which is medical. Despite my advice that they keep the existing site and simply change the theme, they decided to just let it go when it expired.

My commercial site choice was my first and last name, and very unique at that. Using your name is okay, and expected if you're famous. There is, however, little or no value as far as keywords in my www domain to attract visitors, so is that a mistake for search engine optimization? Certainly not. The fact that I have collected more than 100 screenshots of generic phrases relative to my business that made Google page one is evidence the content, not the domain, is key.

Here's some advice to help you when choosing a new dot COM small business website domain name.

Start out with a list of about 10 domain names that you would like to have. Next, make a list of market related single word terms about what you do and the customer base you service. If your market is localized, consider geographical terms that relate to where you sell or provide services. Spend 30 minutes brainstorming to come up with the initial names and additional lists of single word terms. You may want another list of significant initials.

Next, search for "WhoIs" in Google to find free online services that keep a database of available domain names, and follow the link in the search results. Each database has a search box which allows you to input the domain name and extension. Begin with your first choice and work down the list and keep track of available names for review later. It may not be easy, so try combinations of the key terms as you continue to search, and keep in mind you want a domain name that is easy to spell and remember. By the time you're done you should have a half dozen or more available names, so take your time and select the best one, and then register the name immediately.

Tip: The domain name may not be significant for search engine optimization, but the length of your registration can be. My advice is registering domains for 2 years minimum, and 5 to 10 years if that's in your budget. Search engines consider that the length of your registration reflects your commitment to be online long term, so at today's prices 5 years is practical and should cost less than $50 USD.

There's nothing wrong with getting the dot COM domain name you want, and then registering the other major extensions that are available for the same name. If you are highly successful in your online venture, having the other extensions registered in your name prevents others from attempting to take advantage of your reputation by association. In conclusion, the concept that all the good domain names are taken is a myth. You may not get exactly what you want, but practical options are available with a little research and due diligence.

About The Author

Jim Degerstrom writes small business advice based on 30 years in management, sales, and marketing, including GM or President of small companies in 5 states. He is proficient in website and graphic art design, and runs his online Small Business Resource Center http://www.jimdegerstrom.com and offers advice on his Small Business Advice Blog http://www.jimdegerstrom.com/blog from Kissimmee, Florida USA.

Great Sites

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 23:05:00 +0000

http://www.marvas-jewelry-box.com
Still being worked on, but it looks good so far, this site will be selling handcrafted gemstone jewelry for the woman with discriminating taste.

http://www.womanstartyourbusinessnow.com/blog

A blog covering business planning, seed money options such as micro-lenders, business plan competitions, and business grants available to women who are starting or expanding their businesses.