The Loft

How to Start a Small Business

2017-09-29T06:33:00.000-07:00

Starting your own business provides many opportunities, including the chance to explore your passion; however, it also often brings many questions regarding the process of entrepreneurship, which this ultimate guide on how to start a business will assist you with.

Part 1

When to Start a Business of Your Own

There are many situations that provide the perfect opportunity to start your own business. Some of the most common include:

You Always Wanted to Own Your Own Business

Some people know from the beginning that they want to start their own business; therefore, they will take the journey into entrepreneurship early on. In fact, there are kids as young as five who have started their own business. However, no matter when the bug hits you, it may be a good time to take a chance and start your own business.

You Lost Your Job

Another great opportunity for starting your own business is when you become laid off or fired from your job. Sometimes your 9 to 5 can get in the way of pursuing your dream of starting your own business; however, losing your job provides the perfect opportunity to take a leap into entrepreneurship.

You Feel Unfulfilled

Many entrepreneurs created their own business as a result of being unhappy or dissatisfied with their job. If your current position leaves you feeling unfilled and loathing your job, then it might be a good time to look into starting your own business.

Your Field Lacks Jobs

If there is a shortage of jobs in your field, instead of taking a job with incompatible skills, you may consider starting your own business.

You Like to Help People

If you like helping people, then it could provide the perfect opportunity to start your own business. In fact, one of the main characteristics of an entrepreneur is an intense desire to help people.

Or, if you would like to help people simply by creating more jobs, it may also provide a great opportunity to start your own business, especially if there is a pool of talented people around you.

You Think You can Create a Better Company

If you are unsatisfied with the way your company does things and you feel confident that you can build a better company, then it might be a good time to start your own business.

You Have a Nagging Concept or Idea

If you have an idea or concept that keeps you up at night or just simply won't go away, then it could provide the inspiration you need to start your own business.

You Need to Express Yourself

If you are fed up with working for others, you feel you're not growing in your job, or you're just plain tired of seeing your creative ideas fall by the wayside, then this might provide the perfect opportunity to branch out and start your business. Likewise, if you are a person with professional skills as well as street smarts, starting your own business can provide the catalyst you need to put your knowledge to work.

You Crave Job Security

When you work for someone else, the threat of maybe the company shutting down or you being replaced looms over you, especially as you get older, which can create job anxiety. However, starting your own business can provide the job security you need because you are your own boss. Furthermore, some people also want to provide job security for their family; therefore, they may start their own business as part of their family legacy.

Your Values Clash

Sometimes your values can clash with traditional principles, which can make it difficult to find or hold down a job; thus, it provides the perfect opportunity to start your own business.

You Want to Feel More Successful

Doing something you enjoy helps increase efficiency, productivity, and job satisfaction, which in turn makes you feel more successful. Therefore, if want to feel more successful at your job, then you might consider starting your own business devoted to doing something you enjoy.

You Need a More Flexible Schedule

Perhaps you are a person who's at their peak during night hours as opposed to during regular business hours. Rather than struggling to find a job that fits your schedule, you could simply start your own business, which will allow you to create a more flexible work schedule, so you can get the job done when you're feeling your best.

Identify Your Strengths and Weaknesses

Entrepreneurship includes its share of challenges; therefore, it is important to know your strengths and weaknesses before you begin in order to determine if setting up a business may be right for you.

The people closest to you, such as your parents, teachers, friends, spouses, colleagues, classmates etc., are usually the first to notice your strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, to learn about yourself, you might consider asking the people who you spend the most time with to weigh in. You could also take a personality test to help identify your strengths and talents.

Some strengths of entrepreneurs include:

They are Risk Takers

Starting your own business involves taking risks, which can be too much for some people to handle. However, entrepreneurs tend to have an uncanny ability to handle risks. So, if you find that you handle risks well, then starting your own business may be right for you. The key is to study and understand the pros and cons of what you are pursuing before you jump in, also known as calculated risks, to help ensure your success.

They are Resilient

Entrepreneurs often encounter many failures before finally becoming successful; however, they have resilience in order to survive the pitfalls of business as well as the discouraging people they come across. In fact, many prominent entrepreneurs, such as Bill Gates, Walt Disney, J.K. Rowling, Jay Z and more, encountered failures and rejections before becoming who they are today.

They are Self Motivated

Entrepreneurs don't need anyone to get them moving, they wake up each day ready to face their tasks. So if you are a self starter who doesn't need anyone to get you motivated to do what's needed, then entrepreneurship might be for you.

They are Passionate

Most business owners and entrepreneurs are not in it to become rich; they're just extremely passionate about what they do and will go the heights to turn their dream into a reality.

They Don't Mind Working Long Hours

To be an entrepreneur requires great work ethics. In fact, many people put in long hour days, multiple days per week, working at their business.

They are Organized

Entrepreneurs have great organizational skills, meaning they are great at managing their resources. In fact, as an entrepreneur, in the beginning, you will need to depend on your self to manage your own finances, investments, taxes, marketing and more; therefore, you will need to have good organizational skills.

They are Always Thinking

Entrepreneurs are continual thinkers, meaning they never stop thinking, and they never stop seeing the possibility in making improvements in an effort to enhance their business as well as the lives of others.

They are Okay With Little or No Pay

Entrepreneurship differs from corporate jobs in that it is measured by output, which means there is no weekly paycheck. Therefore, when business is slow, you have to be okay with making little or no money.

How to Come up with a Business Idea

Now that you have a general idea of reasons to start your own business as well as the strengths needed to become a successful entrepreneur, it has most likely inspired you to conjure up a list of ideas for your business. Now it's time to narrow down your list to a single business idea.

Narrow Down Your List

To begin, ask yourself, of the list of ideas, what's realistic, and what can you honestly see yourself committing to for the next 20 years or until retirement. Keep in mind, you will also need to convince investors of your idea in your business plan.

Anything that doesn't fit your vision, simply cross it off the list.

Talk with Family and Friends

Next, talk to your family, friends, and colleagues etc. about what they think about your ideas. However, be warned, it is extremely important at this stage of your project that you only share your idea and seek advice from those whom you know will not steal your idea or envy your courage to start a business. You should also beware that some people will try to discourage you, and they may even have good intentions; however, if you truly believe in your vision, then this is where your resilience will come into play.

Talk with Potential Customers

You could also talk with potential customers to see what they think of your ideas. Ask questions like, would you buy this service or product, and how much would you would pay for it etc. You should also become attuned to the frustrations of your family and friends to see which of your ideas addresses their issue.

What is a Good Business Idea?

Now that you have narrowed down your list to a single business idea, you will need to conduct market research, which we will go into more detail later, in order to determine if it's a good business idea. In fact, many businesses fail due to their lack of in-depth market research and planning.

Market research enables you to collect valuable information from various sources, including state and federal agencies, web searches, industry associations and more, which can then be used to determine the potential of your business idea.

By utilizing market research, you can gauge if there is a market for your product or service as well as who will be using your offerings, including their location, gender, ethnicity, and more, so you can market your product or service accordingly to help increase your chances of success.

Small Business vs. Franchise

Once you have determined there is indeed a need for your product or service, you will next need to determine if you would like to start an independent business or simply invest in a franchise. In order to determine which is best for you, let's look at some key differences between the two.

The Difference in Brand Recognition

When you open a franchise business, you have the benefit of operating under a brand that has been proven and established, which means you already have a loyal customer base, so you don't have to work so hard to attract customers.

On the other hand, as an independent business, you are new to the market; therefore, you have to build your brand and reputation in order to gain a strong customer following.

The Difference in Ownership

A franchise means the parent company grants the owner permission to operate a business using their name and products; however, they retain the right to make decisions about the product and service offerings in an effort to maintain their reputation and brand. Therefore, the franchise owner forfeits the freedom to operate the business according to their own personal preferences in exchange for the reliability of an established brand.

However, as an independent business owner, you retain the right to make all ownership decisions; therefore, you can develop services and products however you like, but since your products and services are new, they have not yet been proven in the marketplace; therefore, you will have to work towards establishing your brand.

The Difference in Costs

When it comes to investment costs, independent business owners tend to pay more to purchase and maintain their business; however, they also have the benefit of making their own investment decisions, including which improvements to make and the timing; thus, they can also make delays during the project if need be.

As a franchise owner, however, when it comes to making improvements to your business, you must abide by the restrictions set by the parent company, meaning the parent company has the right to control the scope as well as the timing of the project. However, franchise owners tend to enjoy lower investment costs, but they may also be required to pay an upfront franchise fee in addition to ongoing royalties.

The Difference in Operational Resources

Though independent owners retain total control over their companies, they do not have access to the support provided by a parent company, such as marketing, supply chain management, operations, human resources and more. Therefore, owning an independent business may be a bit challenging for first time business owners because they have to do everything on their own.

Franchise business owners, on the other hand, are provided access to a wide range of corporate support and services, which makes it a bit easier for first time business owners.

Deciding Between an Independent Business and a Franchise

When it comes to choosing between opening an independent business or a franchise, you should know that there is no definite evidence that shows that either type of business increases your chances of success. In fact, both independent businesses and franchises fail at about the same rate. Therefore, you will need to conduct thorough research before investing in either type of business.

In the end, the decision to buy an independent business or a franchise generally comes down to your nature. If you prefer the stability of an established company, then opening your own franchise may be for you. However, if you enjoy retaining control over operational and other activities, then opening an independent business may be for you.

How to Manage Risk as a Business Owner

There are various risks involved with starting a new business from financial risks, which can make or break your ability to succeed, to market risks, which constantly threatens the popularity of your product or service as trends change, and even management risks, which can occur as a result of hiring managers with little or no experience, and more.

However, the following tips will help you manage your risks, so you get the most out of your business and a good night's sleep.

Do Your Homework

The best way to manage financial risks associated with starting a new business is to do your homework. This means, before you begin, be sure there is a market for your business in order to avoid closure of your business later, which can lead to a huge financial loss.

Only Operate in Areas You are Good At

Another way to safeguard against financial risks is to only operate in areas that you are good at or are passionate about.

Operating in areas that you are experienced in or are knowledgeable about helps ensure that your customers receive superior service or products, which in turn helps ensure your longevity. Furthermore, in the event that you need to convince outsiders that you know your market, such as with your business plan, you will have the confidence and knowledge that you need in order to seal the deal.

Consider Bringing in a Business Partner

Bringing in a business partner not only helps safeguard against financial risks because they put up part of the proceeds too, but they also offer a different perspective that can add to or help improve your vision, which helps increase your chances of success. Furthermore, because it is part of their business as well, it also provides someone to talk to who understands your work.

Go Public

Sometimes the founders, their families, and their friends may not provide enough financial support to get your business up and running as you envisioned. Therefore, you may consider offering stock for sale to the public in order to reach your financial goals.

When a company goes public, or sells stock to the public for the first time, it is referred to as an initial public offering,or IPO, which means shares of your business can now be traded on the stock exchange for members of the public to invest in your business.

Obviously, going public also means that you have to disclose financial information about your business, and you may also be held to strict regulations and rules set forth by the stock exchange on which you are listed; however, being listed on the stock exchange carries credibility, which can in turn help your company raise the capital it needs in order to expand and grow.

Select the Proper Business Set Up

How you set up your business, which we will go into in more detail later, can also help manage your risks by providing various levels of asset protection, limited business debt liability, and more.

Consider Hiring a Lawyer

As your business expands and your income increases, you may consider hiring a business lawyer to help safeguard against various operational risks. In fact, a good business lawyer can not only advise you on your business dealings so you avoid making costly business decisions, but they can also defend you against lawsuits that may arise as a result of your business operations.

Furthermore, as a business owner, you will encounter your share of contracts from supplier contracts to signing a new lease, in which case your lawyer can help you sift through the fine print to understand your obligations. Also, in the event that you yourself need a contract for your employees, your lawyer can assist with creating a contract that is thorough and legally binding so you are protected against misunderstandings.

Also, as a business owner, if you decide that you would like to leave your business to your family as part of your legacy, a lawyer can incorporate your business into a trust, so it is safeguarded from your debtors and thereby reserved as part of your legacy.

And, in the event that a larger company offers to buy your business, also known as an acquisition, a good lawyer can assist you with the acquisition or merger of your business and negotiate terms that are in your best interests.

Consider Hiring a Financial Advisor

A financial advisor is highly knowledgeable in all areas of finance and can help you manage your money by helping you select the best investments and other financial decisions for you, including which types of retirement, mortgage loans and other accounts you need, the type of insurance you need, such as long term care and disability, estate and tax planning, and how much money you need to save so you are still able to meet your operational costs when business is slow, and more.

Consider Hiring a Marketing Team

There is always a risk of changing conditions in the marketplace for businesses, which can cause your product or service to become obsolete. Marketers stay on top of what's happening in your industry and can help you keep up with the changing marketplace so you can make the necessary improvements in order to help ensure that your product or service continues to experience growth.

Part 2

How to Perform Market Research

Market research enables you to learn more about your target market as well as your industry, and it can be done at your local library or in the comfort of your own home.

Your Local Library

Your local library contains a wealth of information at your fingertips, including periodicals, books, online databases and more, for free, that can be used to perform market research. If your library has a main branch, it is even better because it offers the largest collection of materials, otherwise, check to see if the library in your area can order materials from the main branch.

When conducting your research, simply develop a research plan that outlines your product or service, your objectives, and the subject that you would like to research, which will help you ask the right questions. Once you are at the library, simply consult a librarian who can help you locate the materials you need as well as answer any questions you may have concerning your topic. In some cases, they can even recommend the type of research which is most appropriate for your topic.

Online Market Research

You could also conduct market research online using keyword searches, online surveys, your competitors websites and more to learn more about your target market.

Keyword Searches

Just like keyword searches enable customers to learn about your business, you can also use keyword searches to find about your customers.

When you perform a real-time keyword search related to your service or product, it will return useful information, such as customers perspective on how they want to connect with a business like yours, new phrases or keywords to use, innovative features or services to create and more, simply by analyzing the search results for your keywords.

To take your keyword search a bit further, tools like Googles's Keyword Search Tool, provide you with a more in-depth view into how competitive the market is, so you can generate fresh ideas and advertising for content marketing. Furthermore, you can also use your social media platform to perform keyword searches.

Online Surveys

One of the most effective ways of collecting customer insight is by creating online surveys and providing customers with various incentives for completing the survey. As a business owner, you can then use these surveys to gain answers to questions that require extensive thought, gather opinions on existing and new offerings, discover and update demographic information, gauge overall customer satisfaction, and more. Online surveys can even be used in popular social networking platforms.

To perform a keyword search, simply go to the search engine of your choice and enter keywords related to the subject you are researching. For social networking applications, simply go to the search field on your chosen social media site and enter phrases related to your subject and then review the search results.

Your Competitors Websites

Though your competitors websites do not provide direct consumer research data, it does provide a great way to understand what's important to your target market. Simply look for common threads found in the content across your competitors sites, which will give you a general idea of what your customers care about.

Market Research Tools

Market research tools enable you to collect various information about your market, including U.S Census data, demographic and lifestyle habits, social media usage, and more.

Some free online market research tools and resources include:

American Fact Finder- enables you to search U.S. Census data by location, age, race, income, gender, and more, which can then be used to understand your target market.

Nielsen's MyBestSegments-provides users with tools to understand a segment's lifestyle habits and demographics, which can be used to follow trends in a specific location, determine which areas might be most receptive to your offerings, and which competitors are in the area and more.

Google's Marketing Almanac-provides information on consumer behavior, including how they browse and buy during the holidays and other special events.

County Business Patterns-provides information on which areas of the country are heavily populated with certain types of businesses.

Pew Research Center - provides various free research, such as economic conditions, social media usage, political attitudes and more, which can be used to better understand your target market.

Hire a Market Research Company

If conducting long hours of research and sorting through large amounts of data just isn't for you, then if you have the finances, consider hiring a market research firm to do it for you. Furthermore, they have access to the people who will be qualified to answer your questionnaire, they know how to ask the right questions, and they have the proper tools and resources to properly analyze the results, and more.

Determining the Type of Research Needed

The type of research you will be conducting will depend on the kind of service or product you would like to provide as well as your objectives. For instance, you can research a potential market, test the usefulness of your particular service or product, or even check up on the competition, and more.

When conducting market research, it doesn't matter which research method you use; either way, you will walk away with a greater understanding and confidence in your idea as well as what customers your business will serve. However, for greater results it is recommended that you use a combination of research methods in order to gain a more thorough idea of your target market.

How to Define Your Target Market

Defining your target market enables you to understand who is most likely to buy your product or service, so you can market your offerings accordingly for maximum results.

There are various ways to define your target market, including:

Check out Your Competition

If your business provides a product or service similar to other businesses already in service, simply research what demographic groups are buying their services or products. You should also observe when they buy them and which line of products are the most popular etc.

Or, for a simpler approach, simply go spend a day at a business similar to yours, and take notes of what products they purchased or what orders they placed. Also note, their age, their gender, their ethnicity, what products are most popular, and what time of day they are most busiest and so on, until you begin to gain a general idea of the type of customers in the market for your product or service.

In doing so, you may also discover a specialty they haven't found.

Understand the Problems that You Solve

Ask yourself, who will gain the most from your product or service as well as who will have the most to lose if you don't address these issues. By asking yourself these questions, you have not only helped define your target market, but you have also made a great case for the need for your product or service. Just be sure there are enough people who fit your criteria.

Analyze Your Service or Product

Make a list of the specific benefits of your product or service, then next to each feature, list the benefits it provides. Once you have your benefits listed, make a list of people who have a need for those benefits.

Are You Uniquely Placed to Solve the Problem?

Ask yourself if you are uniquely positioned to solve a problem in certain sectors or geographical locations. If the answer is yes, then this will help define your target market.

Look at Your Own Family

The next time you are with your family and friends, casually observe what type of products and services they buy, what products or services they are into, and if they would be most likely to buy your product or service. Or, you could simply just ask them if they would be likely to purchase your product or service, or know anyone who would, to help identify your target market.

In the end, your ability to continually identify your target market will help you achieve success and in turn increase your return on your investment.

How to Define Your Ideal Customer

You can't be all things to all people; therefore, you need to define your ideal customer in order to effectively market, advertise, and sell your product or service.

There are various ways to help define your ideal customers, including:

Clarify Your Niche

To define your ideal customer, you should first know your niche. Your niche is your area of expertise or specialization and should naturally arise from your interests and experiences.

To find your niche, make a list of skills and things that you are good at, including your achievements. Next, identify the most important lessons you've learned in life, and then look for patterns that reveal your style or approach to solving problems.

Paint a Picture of Your Ideal Customer

Make a list of customers who suffer from the problems you solve, which will help you gain a clearer picture of your ideal customer. Ask yourself, what is your prospective customer's financial situation, age, education, occupation, marital status, family status, and life like etc.

Describe the Customers World View

When you look at the world from your prospective customers point of view, you can identify their needs and wants. Ask yourself question like, what problem your product solves for the customer, what needs of your customer does your product satisfy, and how does your product help improve your customer's work or life etc. You could also talk to your ideal customers to help identify their main concerns.

Make a Wish List

Ask yourself with whom you would like to do business. For instance, do you want to work with particular types of people, such as high net worth individuals, such as professional athletes etc., in certain market sectors, such as doctors, accountants, manufacturers etc., or in certain geographical locations, such as the Midwest, etc.

You must recognize that you cannot do business with everybody, otherwise, you may confuse your customers, not to mention, wear yourself out, so be as specific as possible when defining your ideal customer in order to provide the most benefits.

Part 3

Choose a Name for Your Business

The name that you choose for your business needs to express your business's values as well as your distinguishing characteristics. It also needs to be long lasting. In fact, the better you are at naming your business, the more it speaks for itself, which means the less you have to take time out to explain it.

There are various ways to select a name for your business, including:

Use Real Words

Using real words to name your business helps makes your name more relate-able and easy to understand as opposed to using a string of fabricated words, numbers, or initials, which can make it more difficult to understand, relate to, and remember your name.

Be Creative

The odds of the business name you want already being trademarked or in use is fairly high; therefore you need to be creative as possible when creating your business name.

However, don't be so creative that your business name is complicated, which not only makes it hard to remember, but also gives the perception that your business, service, or product is also complicated. Instead, simply try using new spellings or forms of general words to come up with a name that is less common but unique.

Some other things to keep in mind when choosing a business name include:

Choose a name that appeals to the type of customers you want to attract.

Stick with short and meaningful words.

Choose a friendly name that invokes warm and pleasant memories that inspires

customers to respond to your business on an emotional level.

Steer clear of innuendos that only you understand.

Only use names with the word Inc. if your business is actually incorporated.

Once you have compiled a list of names, narrow down your list to about four or five names that are expressive and memorable. Next, you will need to conduct a trademark search to be sure you are not infringing on anyone else's trade name. You may also consider having your name trademarked to be sure no one else's infringes on your trade name as well.

How to Register Your Business Name

Once you are sure that your chosen name is safe from trademark infringement, you will next to register your name to make your business legitimate.

There are three main ways to register your business name, which include:

Get a Trademark

To apply for a trademark that protects your name throughout the U.S., you will need to apply for a trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Though you are not required to trademark your business, it does provide strong protection against someone else using your name.

File a Fictitious Business Name

The easiest way to register your business is to file a Doing Business As, or DBA, with your state. It is also known as a Fictitious Business Name. A Fictitious Business Name enables a business to create a public record of the business without creating a formal entity, such as an LLC.

Create an Official Business Stucture

When you form a formal entity, such as a corporation, which we will go into more detail about later, it instantly registers your business name with the state.

When you file as a formal entity, as an added precaution, the state will first make sure that no one else in the state is using the same name or a similar name. Hence, once your application has been approved, no one else will be able to use your business name in the state.

Ultimately, which type of business registration you choose, typically depends on the level of protection you want.

How to Register a Domain Name That Matches Your Business Name

Having a matching business domain name helps make it easier for people to visit your business online as well as makes it easier to identify your location. Therefore, when registering your business name, you should also register the same domain name as well.

However, if the domain name that want already exists, then simply consider registering a similar domain name, such as yourcompanynameinc.com, yourcompanynamecorp.com, or yourcompanynamecorporation.com etc.

For added protection, you may even consider registering all domain names similar to yours in order to ensure that your company will be found no matter which combination of your business name the customer keys in. You can also purchase a free URL forwarding feature that will redirect your ancillary names to your primary domain name.

How to Create a Logo for Your Brand

Your logo, which serves as the basis for all your promotional materials, reflects the overall image you want your business to express. In other words, it should give people a feel for what your company is all about.

There are three basic forms of logos: logotypes, or the stylized rendition of your company's name, abstract symbols, like the Nike swoosh, or a combination of both, which links your logo to your name and makes it easier to remember.

Select a Logo That Conveys Your Message

To create your logo, first decide the message you want your it to express. To get a feel for effective logos in action, simply refer to the logos of other businesses in your industry.

Select a Logo That is Unique

Next, determine what makes your business's message unique as compared to other businesses in your industry and if you want your message to be serious of lighthearted.

Select a Logo That's Distinctive, Memorable, and Easy to Read

Additionally, your logo should display well on the side of a van as well as on a brochure. In other words, a good logo is distinctive, memorable, can still be readable even if it is reduced or enlarged, and it can be reproduced effectively in black and white color, so it can be faxed, photocopied, and used in black and white ads.

Select a Logo That Illustrates Your Key Benefits

Lastly, your logo should illustrate your business's key benefits. A good logo makes an immediate statement using an illustration or picture. However, steer clear of photographs, which can become distorted when resized.

You can design your own logo on your computer using Photoshop or a similar program, or if you have the finances, simply hire a professional design firm. There are a number of freelance and independent designers who charge affordable prices. Just be sure to hire a designer who is experienced with your field as well as your competitors. Furthermore, a professional designer will know if a logo design will transfer easily into other configurations or not.

Decide on Your “Brand Message”

Your brand message creates the advantage you want to remain in the mind of your customers. To create a good brand message, it should be relative to 3 essential views: the marketplace view, the customer view, and the internal view.

The Marketplace View

Your advantage needs to be distinct in the marketplace. Therefore, you need to consider how your competitors position themselves. Observe their details, such as their "about us" page as well as their tag lines to be sure your advantage is unique.

The Customer View

Think about what your customers appreciate most. Pay attention to them on social media, interview them, and survey them etc. to learn firsthand what is most important to them. By doing so, it will help you create a brand promise that is meaningful.

The Internal View

In order for your brand promise to be effective, it must be true. Therefore, ask yourself, where do you create value, what is it about your service or product that makes it unique, and what is your vision etc., which will help you create a brand promise that is built on honesty.

In the end, simply observe where your three separate insights overlap and how. This overlapping of insights is where your brand message lies.

Choosing Your Business Structure

Your business structure refers to the legal structure of your company, which ultimately dictates the personal liability you face, the amount of taxes you pay, your ability to raise money, and of course, the amount of paperwork your business is required to do. Therefore, when selecting a business structure, you want to choose a structure that highly relates to your business's needs.

The most common business structures include:

B Corps

B Corps, which are verified by the nonprofit organization B Lab, are businesses that use their power to affect environmental and social change.

Certain businesses choose to become B Corporations because they want to use their operations beyond just simply increasing shareholder earnings. For instance, some leaders priority is on the reorganization of the planet and the people as opposed to long-term income.

However, the main goal of businesses choosing to identify with a B Corp tends to be to display their values to customers.

Corporations and LLCs

Corporations and LLCs are the same in various aspects; however, a corporation is its own tax and legal entity, meaning it pays it own taxes on any revenues that it keeps, and the owners only pay income taxes on money they withdraw from the corporation in the form of bonuses, dividends, and salaries.

On the other hand, an LLC is not its own individual tax entity; therefore, the owners of the LLC must pay income taxes on the part of the revenue that the LLC keeps during the year.

However, just like a Corporation, an LLC provides limited liability to the owners of the LLC for the business's judgments, debts, and other liabilities. Therefore, structuring your business as an LLC or corporation is usually a good idea if you have large amounts of debt, or your business is engaged in risky activities that increases its chances of being sued, because it protects the owners from personal liabilities.

These two structures also shield owners with high amounts of personal assets in the business from possible liability associated with the business.

S Corps

S corps have appealing tax incentives yet provide business owners with the liability protection of a corporation, which makes them more attractive to small business owners.

With an S Corp, shareholders incur deficiencies and earnings, which are included on their individual tax return; hence, there's just one level of federal tax to pay. However, similar to corporations, S Corps are subject to many of the same rules and increased tax and legal service charges. In addition, S Corps are also required to allow shareholders to vote on major corporate decisions, file articles of incorporation, and hold shareholder and director meetings.

The legal and accounting fees to set up an S Corp are also similar to a corporation. However, owners of S Corps who do not own inventory can use the cash method of accounting. Under the cash method, earnings are taxable when received and expenses are deductible when paid.

Sole Proprietorships and Partnerships

A sole proprietorship means that you are the single owner of your business, and all you have to do is simply start business and you have created a sole proprietorship.

It is the easiest of all the types of business structures because it involves no fees and no papers to file to set up a sole proprietorship. As a sole proprietorship, you are required to pay taxes on any profit from your business as income on your personal taxes. Additionally, if your business has any liabilities, like overdue debt etc., then you are held personally responsible for them.

A partnership, which is simply a business owned by one or two people, is similar to a sole proprietorship in that it does not require any papers to be filed or fees to be paid to set up a partnership. Also, just like a sole proprietorship, each partner must report their share of the profit from business on their personal taxes as income.

Furthermore, each partner is also personally responsible for any claims, debt, and other liabilities that the business is accountable for.

Limited Partnerships

A limited partnership differs from a general partnership in that you have to pay in order to set it up. It it also a bit more complex than a general partnership.

Limited partnerships are normally organized by general partners that are responsible for getting others to become members of the partnership as limited partners. The general partners manage the daily operations of the limited partnership and are responsible for any judgments, debt, and other liabilities that the partnership has, except in the event that the general partner is an LLC or a corporation.

On the other hand, the limited partners are not included in many of the daily operations of the limited partnership, nor are they held personally responsible for any of the liabilities of the limited partnership.

The general partners in a limited partnership also share in the earnings from the business and report this income as personal income taxes.

How to Obtain Your Federal Business Tax ID Number

A Federal Business Tax ID Number, also known as an Employer Identification Number (EIN), is used to identify your business entity.

To apply for a Federal Business Tax ID Number, you will need to complete the Form SS-4 and then mail or fax the completed form to the appropriate office. You can also apply for a Federal Business Tax ID Number online.

Part 4

How to Open a Business Bank Account

Opening a business bank account for your business serves various purposes, including makes you a legitimate business, makes it easier to keep track of your expenses and income, separates your personal income from your business, enables you to deposit and receive payment, and enables you to manage employee pay, and more.

Opening a business bank account is fairly simple and can be done in the following steps:

Decide What Accounts You Need

Depending on the complexity of your business, you may require separate accounts for separate finances. For instance, having a separate bank account for activities, such as income and taxes and a separate account for payroll etc. makes it easier to manage your finances.

Select a Bank

There are many banks out there that offer great account servicing options that relate to your business, and they provide valuable expertise in the event that you need cash management, a line of credit, a balance transfer credit card, and more, so don't be afraid to visit different banks and compare bank offerings until you find the best fit for your industry and that offers costs that you can afford.

Before you begin your search, simply make a list of all your business needs, and make sure the bank you select can meet your needs both now and in the future as your business grows.

Some business accounts may offer incentives, such as waiving monthly fees for maintaining your balance, so be sure to inquire about what incentives the bank offers for business owners. Some banks may even allow you to open an account online, so if you are interested in opening an account online, simply inquire about their online services as well.

Have Your Paperwork Ready

Different accounts have different requirements, depending on your business structure; therefore, prior to setting up an account, find out the bank's requirements, so that you can supply the proper paperwork.

In most cases, you will also need your Tax ID number when opening your business bank account in addition to a business name filing record or your business license with the name of the business owner on it.

Set up a Merchant Account

Now that you have successfully opened your business bank account, you can set up a merchant account to enable your business to accept credit card payments.

If your business plans to accept e-commerce transactions, simply seek an online payment system or a point-of-sale application for in-store purchases.

How to Estimate Your Basic Expenses

As a start up, understanding your expenses will help you attract investors and request funding, which in turn will help ensure that your launch is successful. It will also help you estimate your profits and save money with tax deductions, and more.

To estimate your start up expenses, simply determine your business type, such as a service provider, a brick-and-mortar business, or an online business.

Some common start up costs for most businesses typically include:

Supplies and equipment

Permits and licenses

Communications

Insurance

Lawyer and accountant

Marketing and advertising

Utilities

Website costs

Printing marketing materials

When making your expense list, simply add any other expenses that pertain to your business.

Estimate The Cost of Each Expense

Once you have listed your expenses, simply estimate the actual cost of each.

When calculating your expenses, you may find that some costs are a bit harder to estimate, while others are more defined. To get a more accurate number for less certain costs, simply talk to others or research online to learn what similar businesses pay for expenses.

Total Your Expenses

Add up all of your costs, then categorize them by monthly costs, such as rent and utilities, one-time costs, such as paying for licenses and permits and hiring a professional logo designer, and other costs associated with starting the business.

To get a good idea of how much capital you will need and when, you should estimate at least one to five years of one-time and monthly expenses. Furthermore, for tax purposes, you can usually deduct one-time expenses, which can save you on the amount of taxes you owe. Simply talk to your account when it's time to file your taxes.

You can use your start up cost calculations to obtain start up funding. Simply, create a formal report of your estimated start up costs. Investors and lenders will contrast your expected costs to projected revenue to determine the potential for your business profit.

How to get Financing

Finding financing for your start up can be challenging because as a new business, you are often considered a high risk, which means you may have a hard time qualifying for traditional loans. However, there are other places to look for start up funds, including:

Ask Your Friends and Family

The simplest way to finance your start up is to ask friends and family to help fund your business. However, just like you would approach a bank or other formal entity, you should approach your loved ones with a business plan to show your seriousness.

Be sure your plan includes evidence based assessments of financial projections as well as when they will receive a return on their investment. You should also discuss the structure of your agreement, such as if it will be a loan or if you will be offering equity etc. in order to avoid misunderstandings later. Also, be honest about the risks involved, so they understand their undertaking.

Get an SBA Loan

Though the U.S. Small Business Administration does not provide loans directly, it does guarantee loans to any small business provided they meet the following guidelines:

Your business meets the government's definition for a small business in your field.

You have applied for a loan on your own from a financial institution or bank and was turned down.

Your business meets the other criteria for the specific type of loan.

Seek an Angel Investor

An angel investor invests in startups. When pitching an angel investor, know your stuff, have a solid marketing and sales plan, avoid jargon, add experience, and have an exit strategy to increase your chances of winning them over.

Pricing Your Products or Services

Setting a price for your service or product is one of the most crucial business decisions you will make because if it is priced too low, it can hinder your cash flow, and if it is priced too high, it could affect your sales. Therefore, you must carefully consider your pricing strategy before you begin.

The following tips will help you with pricing your products or services so your business can make a profit.

Calculate the True Cost of Your Product

Begin by making a list of all the costs that went into producing your product or service, including labor, materials, and overhead costs, such as transportation, marketing, rent, taxes, insurance and any other cost associated with the product or service. You also need to factor in hidden costs, such as return on investment capital, borrowing money, replacement of fixed assets, and your salary etc.

Analyze Your Competitors

Analyze your competitors, and think about how you want to position yourself. Do you want to go low end? High end? View their strategies, and use this information to help determine how you see yourself.

Conduct Market Research on Potential Customers

Conduct market research, using surveys or questionnaires, on potential customers to try to find out how they would pay for your products as compared to your competitors. You could also just simply ask potential customers specific questions like, would you pay $10 for this, and so on.

Furthermore, you should also determine what advantages your customers gain from using your product or service as well as the criteria they use to make their purchasing decisions, such as convenience or low price etc., which will enable you to select a price based on value as well as cost.

Consider Using Pricing Tiers

To meet the needs of different customers and to increase your market share, consider breaking your pricing up into different levels, or tiers. For instance, you could offer premium options for those who can afford it and basic options for those on a budget.

Use Different Pricing Tactics

Different pricing tactics can also help you attract more customers, which in turn can help increase your profits.

Some different pricing tactics include:

Odd Value Pricing-using the tactic of selling a product for $7.99 instead of $8.00, can be effective if price is part of the customer's consideration.

Loss Leader-is a strategy of selling a product at a low cost in an effort to attract other customers who will also buy other more costly products.

Discounting-offering specially reduced pricing, such as clearance discounts, a discount for multiple purchases, and bulk discounts etc., can help make your products more profitable through lower costs.

Skimming-if what you are selling is unique, then you can offer it at a higher price because it is rare.

Also, there will be times when you may have to raise your prices; however, before you do, be sure to analyze how this change will affect your profitability. Furthermore, price increases should be done gradually, such as after some years, in order to avoid startling your customers.

How to get Loyal Customers/Build Your Brand

Building your brand is the process of developing a symbol around your name that expresses your skills, values, and personality, which helps draw people to your products and makes them loyal customers.

Some ways to help build your brand as well as customer loyalty include:

Craft Your Brand Persona

When creating your brand, you should identify your business's emotional appeal. In other words, ask yourself why you think people are attracted to your brand and why they enjoy working with you. You should also identify your specialty, or what it is that you do for customers and what customers want you to do for them.

By creating your brand persona, you can use it on all of your materials to fortify your brand.

Communicate with Your Customers

Regular communication with your customers not only helps you relay messages to your customers, which helps build your brand, but it also helps keep you fresh in their minds, which helps build customer loyalty.

Social media is a great way to communicate with your customers on a regular basis. However, be sure to use messages that are useful, and try to limit your advertisements so that it is thoughtful.

You could also set up a database with your customers contact information, such as their email, then you can use it to send friendly newsletters and holiday greetings, etc.

Share Your Knowledge

When you appear on guest blog posts and other authoritative articles as well as when you conduct interviews and appear at speaking engagements, it provides a reliable way to show that you know what you are talking about, which helps establish your credibility and builds a connection with your brand.

Provide Extra Incentives for Your Loyal Customers

Whether its immediate seating or getting to meet the chef etc., customers enjoy getting a little something special.

Therefore, one of the best ways to reward customer loyalty is to give them something extra. Additionally, by setting up a reward program for your loyal customers, not only do you inspire them to remain loyal, but you also motivate other customers to become loyal too.

Provide Great Customer Service

Customers remember when they were treated well as well as when they weren't, which studies show has even prompted some customers to cease doing business with a company.

However, whether a customer is treated well or badly, they will still most likely share their experiences with their family and friends, which can affect your brand. Meaning, if the experience was positive, it can lead to more customers for your business and vice versa.

Part 5

How to Choose a Business Location

The success of your business often depends on your location; therefore, you need to choose your location wisely. There are many factors to consider when selecting the proper location for your building.

Some main factors include:

Foot Traffic vs. Automobile Traffic

Different types of businesses attract customers in different ways. For instance, some businesses attract more customers based on foot traffic, such a local ice cream shop, while other businesses, such as a tire shop, depends more on automobile traffic. Therefore, you should consider how customers will access your business when selecting your locale.

Being positioned near other businesses that are similar to yours, will also help play a role in attracting your ideal customer.

In the end, simply understand the routines and practices of the customers you want to attract and then select a location accordingly.

Is the Proposed Location Appropriate for Your Business?

When choosing a location for your business, you need to be sure the building amenities are right for your type of business. The more suitable the space is, the less it will cost you to renovate it. Therefore, if a space lacks important amenities that are crucial to your business, then you should probably look elsewhere.

If a large number of customers will access your business by car, then you should also consider a space with adequate parking.

Furthermore, the space that you choose also needs to be zoned for what you plan to do, so be sure you are permitted to operate your business in that space in order to avoid problems later.

How Much Rent Can You Afford?

One of the most important factors when looking for a building to lease is finding an affordable space. Your business plan should include an estimate of how much rent your business would be able to afford to pay monthly. Simply refer to this number when shopping for a lease.

How to Hire Your Team

It takes a great team to build a successful startup; therefore, you need to select your team wisely.

Begin by considering your own strengths and shortcomings, and select members of your team who are skilled where you fall short. This way you'll be able to accomplish all things essential to the growth of your business.

From there, to build a successful startup team, simply incorporate the following four steps:

Determine the skills your business needs.

Hire people who are more proficient than you in the positions you need filled.

Build a strong culture based on values that are important to your team.

Rely on those values to promote, manage, and hire those who become employees of the business.

Know Your Exit Strategy

Just as you planned how to fund your startup, you also need to have an exit strategy for how you will get funds back out, and it should be clarified early on in order to help ensure you get what you want out of the deal.

There are various exit strategies, the three the most common include:

Continue to Own the Business

Instead of selecting an exit strategy, you could simply choose to continue to own the business, also known as a "No Exit Strategy". Many people choose to retain their business as part of their exit strategy in order to ensure they have something to pass onto their kids.

Acquisition

An acquisition is when another company wants to buy yours.

In an acquisition, there's no perceived limit on the worth of your business; therefore, you can negotiate any price you want. However, the key to a successful acquisition is to look for a strategic fit, or an acquirer who can purchase your business to expand into a new market, because it provides them with a greater value, which can net you a greater price.

Therefore, if you are selecting acquisition as part of your exit strategy, you want to make your business is appealing to acquisition applicants.

IPO

If your business is funded by professional investors who are experienced in taking businesses public, you might consider an IPO as part of your exit strategy, especially if you are a founding owner who has managed your equity well, then you can make an impressive amount of money; your investors as well. However, IPOs can be a bit a bit complex, so you may want to consider it as just one of your exit strategies.

How to Make Banannas Foster French Toast

2014-08-28T14:21:00.000-07:00

Bananas Foster is great poured over ice cream, but did you know it's also great over french toast? Try this french toast recipe that is the perfect compliment to a lazy weekend in bed, Sunday brunch or just a fantastic way to say "I love you."

What You Will Need

4 slices thick whole grain bread
2 cups half and half
2 egg yolks
Salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean
3-4 chopped bananas
1/4 cup dark rum
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup hazelnuts

Directions

1. In a pan over medium high heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add the brown sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Stir. Cook until bubbly.

2. Add the rum. Stir. Add the chopped bananas and hazelnuts. Cook on low heat, until the bananas are soft, about 1-2 minutes.

3. In a medium sauce pot, add the half and half, 1 tablespoon of butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Split the vanilla bean in half. Scrape the seeds from the inside of the bean with the side of the knife. Add the seeds to the mixture. Whisk. Bring mixture to a boil.

4. In a bowl, add the egg yolks. Add about 1 tablespoon of the hot cream mixture to the egg yolks to temper the eggs. Slowly whisk the remainder of the cream into the eggs. Place the mixture on low heat. Let cook until thickened.

5. In a pan, melt 1 pat of butter. Dip the bread slices into the thickened cream. Place in pan and let cook on both sides until golden brown.

6. Place the cooked french toast on a plate. Top with warm Bananas Foster.

7. Serve on a breakfast tray with a side of sausage links, a bowl of fresh strawberries, a glass of orange juice, a glass of milk and the latest issue of Money Magazine or other business publication.

Enjoy!

Bananas Foster French Toast pairs nicely with sauterne wines.

McCormick & Schmick's-Cincinnati Restaurant Review

2014-07-24T22:41:00.000-07:00

McCormick & Schmick's

Seafood and Steak Restaurant

21 East 5^th Street

Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Imagine…great food, friendly service, gentle breezes and a beautiful, outdoor view of downtown Cincinnati; and what you have is nothing short of a blessing. Let's just say, I was having a bad day and really needed something to remind me that there was still good in this city….and on that day I got an epitome…we have great 5 star restaurants and occasional good people you meet along the way. So, strolling down 5th Street in search of the perfect place to soothe my pain-if you’re a fellow foodie, then you understand the comfort of a great meal on your soul, when I looked over and spotted McCormick and Schmick’s. I knew at first sight that it was the place I wanted to be. The elegant, outdoor dining area along with the beautiful view of Fountain Square was calling me.

We were greeted by a friendly hostess situated behind a podium, which felt refined, like the “reservation only” restaurants you see in the movies. As we walked through the lobby, on our way to the outside dining area, I almost felt guilty about dining outside because the inside was just as inviting. Once outside, we were seated (my son and I) and the ordering frenzy began. The menu was large and filled with a wide array of fresh seafood and fine steak items. As I glanced through it, my eyes immediately stopped at “The Oyster Bar,” a section filled with various types of raw oysters-something I had wrote about in a vacation article once, and thought I would love to try. So imagine my delight when I saw that they, too, offered a raw oyster bar, and that I didn’t have to travel to foreign lands to try it! I relaxed in my seat, knowing I had chosen the right place to enjoy my city. It wasn’t long before Amber, our very pleasant and knowledgeable server, arrived and took our order. I settled on the Chesapeake Bay Oyster from the raw oyster bar, lobster tail, sweet potato couscous and Prosecco Sangria, and my son settled on the cheeseburger and fries-I know, not quite a risk-taker like me.

The meal began with fresh, warm bread with a side of butter, followed by the Prosecco Sangria, which didn’t disappoint. It was the right combination of sweet, cool and sparkling, and a great way to enjoy the great outdoors. Next was the Chesapeake Bay Oyster, followed by the sweet potato couscous, and the bright, beautiful red lobster tail with butter. I started with the Chesapeake Bay Oyster. It was amazing; nothing like I’d imagined raw oysters to taste. It was clean and fresh, except for the dab of cocktail sauce and horseradish I added to the top, not to mention, they were fun to swallow. I liked it so much, I tried another, and another before finally moving onto the lobster tail and couscous.

The couscous was nutty, light and airy with hints of buttery-sweet, sweet potatoes to surprise the pallet every now and then. It was the perfect complement to my exotic meal, because it didn’t overpower the delicate flavors of the oysters or the lobster, so I was able to savor the taste long after it was gone. I could hardly wait to devour the lobster tail, which waited so patiently for me to get around to it. It was perfect. The meat was tender and juicy, and dipped in butter… it was heaven. I ended the meal with the crème brulee-I had, had custard before, from a box that, well shall I say, had convinced me that I was not a fan of custard...until now. The carmely, sweet custard was the perfect ending to my meal. It had a slight crunch from the caramelized sugar topping, and the creamy, warm center melted in my mouth, then oozed through my body and made my eyes roll in the back of my head. I even went so far as to learn to make it at home, so I could enjoy it whenever I’d like. As of now, let's just say, it’s still in the works for perfection, but something tells me it will never match the art of my first love.

If you are looking for an amazing fresh seafood experience with great outdoor views or a mini vacation in your own backyard, then McCormick & Schmick’s is the place. It features fresh, seafood from around the world, and is conveniently located right next to the Westin Hotel and within walking distance of many of Cincinnati’s shopping, theater and sports venues.

Beauty is Power!

2013-07-15T17:21:00.001-07:00

Beauty...why is it that some people have it and some people don't? What is it about beauty that's so intimidating? How do you know when you've reached the beauty mark? What does it take to reach the beauty mark? Why is it the older you get, the farther away beauty gets?

It's clear that beauty is power, but to get what...other people's mate..a lot of mates...trinkets, riches, fortune, fame, glam our..? Would it anger you to know that I was beautiful..beautiful within, and that instead of using it to obtain trinkets, fame, fortune, to tear down, and riches, I chose to use it to spread love, to uplift, to build, to heal, to inspire, to nurture, to protect, to honor, to respect, to cherish, and to bless? Would you think that I was beautiful? Would I still have to be so perfect? Would you say that I reached the mark? Would you say that I was powerful? Would I still have to compete for your attention? Would I still have to fight for your love? What if I told you that real beauty is how you choose to use it? Would you agree?

How to Look Hollywood Glam While You're Running Errands

2013-06-14T20:40:00.000-07:00

history.com

If you're anything like most people, you want to know how to look fab while running simple, everyday errands, because let's face it, those are the times you run into your ex, a rival, old high school buddies, or that guy or girl you have a crush on and want desperately, to impress.

Looking fab, like a Hollywood star, doesn't have to be expensive, or even complicated for that matter. All you have to do is know the basics. So, here's a list of the essentials for the fab guy or girl, to get you well on your way to Hollywood fabulous!

For the ladies, fab essentials include: wavy beach hair, or a sleek ponytail, a signature lipstick, or lip gloss like one of NYC's fabulous lip plumping lip gloss, a signature scent like Bath and Body Works Malibu Heat body spray, freshly manicured hands and feet, a good bronzer, tinted moisturizer or BB cream like, Maybeline's BB Cream Dream Fresh Tinted Moisturizer 8 in 1 Beauty Balm, a good pair of sunglasses, a good pair of jeans, shorts, beach pants or a sexy pair of sweats, like Victoria Secret Supermodel essentials, or Pink logo sweats, a fab bag, like Michael Kors signature logo bag, a couture tee, a pair of wedge sneakers, flip flops, strappy heels, or flat sandals.

victoriasecret.com

Kelly Rowland zimbio.com

Katie Holmes pacificcoastnews.com

Katie Holmes pacificcoastnews.com

For the gents, fab essentials include: nice hair, a good pair of aviator sunglasses, like Dolce and Gabbana's aviator sunglasses ,a signature scent, like Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue for men, a sporty wrist watch, a nice pair of jeans, a pair of kakis, or a pair of long shorts,a signature belt, a simple tee, polo or button down, depending on the weather, and a nice pair of

Photo by Denise Truscello

Justin Timberlake Pacificoastnews.com

Usher pacificcoastnews.com

And, of course, no fab person is ever caught dead without a signature ride... the ride that fits your style and compliments your personality.

Ford Mustang GTO findfreegraphics.com

Baci Italian Chocolate

2013-04-25T09:23:00.000-07:00

Ciao (hello in Italian), Everyone!

With Mother's Day coming up, I thought this would be the perfect time to introduce you to my new favorite chocolate! This chocolate is my favorite, not only because it blends three of my most favorite ingredients in the whole world: Italian, dark chocolate, and hazelnuts (pine nuts and dark chocolate would've been great too), but because it's the most creamiest, richest, sensual, melt in your mouth chocolate I have ever tasted in my life! And, on top of that, if you've ever wanted to learn the romantic, Italian language of love, to speak to your sweetie :), each kiss contains a secret love note written in Italian, and then translated into English, to help you with that!

Baci, which means kisses in Italian, originated from the story of a maiden confectioner from Perugina, who fell in love with a heir. Legend has it that she would make her delicious, sweet treats and send them to him, wrapped in a love note. Now, you can create your own romantic, love affair by sending your sweetie these silky, sweet, chocolate kisses, each wrapped in an Italian love note. And, I must say, if their chemistry was anything like the sweet, tender, comfort of this chocolate; I'd look forward to it, everyday! I can't wait to get my mother some for Mother's Day, hopefully you'll do the same!

Enjoy!

Solange's "True" Album

2013-03-26T18:28:00.003-07:00

Solange's new album "True" is a refreshing collection of ballots with a feminine feel, sultry vocals, oh so sexy beats, and a few tracks with a flare for the wild side. It doesn't get any sexier than that!

My favorite ballot is entitled "Locked in Closets'" where she talks of locking herself away, feeling sad and alone, still wanting to live out her childhood dreams of love, and sad from not being able to share her special treasures. :) My second favorite ballot is entitled, "Don't Let Me Down," where she talks about lovers "representin" for each other. My third favorite track from the album is entitled "Look Good with Trouble," where she melody's about, no doubt, a crush on a "bad boy," who makes her want to give into her "bad" side with him. Who hasn't been there? And, my fourth favorite ballot from the album entitled "Some Things Never Seem to Fu**ing Work," is about when you think you've finally found love, but it doesn't work out. LOL. The realness of this song, just makes you laugh, because it's so...true, that all you can do is laugh.

Though these four tracks are my most favorite, her other three ballots are not without merit. For instance, her track entitled, "Losing You" shows the vulnerable side of being in love, when you feel like the person you love is slowly fading away...and there's nothing you can do about it... In the sexy ballot "Bad Girl," she grieves about the bad ways of dealing with her pain, and pulling her lover into her hurricane of hurt, along with her. Rather you can relate to this track, or not, you will definitely find yourself dancing to its hypnotic beat. And, lastly, the track entitled, "Lovers in The Parking Lot" is my least favorite, not because the vocals aren't great and the beat isn't good; it just hits too close to home. :(

In this album, Solange beautifully displays her feminine wiles, while staying true to her "true" nature, and allowing us to relax into hearty bass beats. Listening to the ballots, while watching YouTube's collection of the artists live performances only adds to the sexy, as we get to take a firsthand look at the artist's sexy, fun swagger! "True" is an album that you can throw in the player and listen to whenever you need to recapture or reinforce your "true" femininity. I can't wait to prepare candlelight gourmet meals to it!

None of her previous albums have left Solange without her own identity, setting her apart as a woman all her own, but this one definitely shows a sexier, more mature side of her. In this album, the artist showcases a beautiful range of talent and vocals, letting us know she is definitely winning for the team too!

Love it!

Parliamo Italiano! (Let's Talk Italian!)

2013-03-10T16:40:00.000-07:00

BRock

So...I've been watching my share of cooking shows lately, and the last couple of shows I've watched, showed various different cooks dumping various different Italian herbs into their Italian dishes. As I sat and watched, I couldn't help but wonder what each herb tastes like, what its contribution was to the dish, and why the chef chose that particular combination?

Today I made my favorite homemade marinara sauce, and as I added the basil, I couldn't help but be reminded of the various Italian herbs I'd seen the other cooks use. It was at that moment, I decided that those other herbs don't matter; I love basil! It is the herb for me! Basil is a warm, heady, sensuous herb, with just the right touch of Italian flavor, and it pairs great with tomatoes and fresh tomato sauce. It's even great in gelato! Lemon basil is great too; It's good for chicken and seafood, and it smells great! I use basil as my sole herb in all my Italian recipes, even if the recipe calls for other herbs. So, now that I've come to the conclusion that basil is my favorite Italian herb (followed by rosemary, and then parsley), I was wondering, what's your favorite Italian herb/s/, and why?

*Watch next, for what's your favorite Italian cheese?!

A Day in the Life of Vee

2012-08-08T12:27:00.001-07:00

topfer

Okay, so I have this new obsession. What started as a basic search for information on YouTube, has now turned into a full blown, daily habit. I even signed up for a YouTube account, something I said I'd never do, because I never intended to leave comments. But, now I have an account, and have successfully subscribed to my favorite authors channels. Who knew?!

So, one of the things I like about my favorite vloggers, are their posts on a day in the life of themselves. I like it because you get to connect with the author, and see what their life is like on any given day. So, I thought I'd give you guys a glimpse into a day in the life of Vee, so that we could connect. So, here we go...

I don't know what got into me today, but I was up very early this morning, about 5:30am, so I decided to make my son breakfast before he went to school. I made him breakfast: bacon, cheese eggs, grape jelly toast, and orange juice. He ate it, then headed out the door. Since it was still early, I decided to take advantage of the solitude and begin working on a new blog post, since it's been a while since I last checked in ;). So, in the middle of sitting down to write, and pondering up ideas on what to write about, I decided I could take a much needed shower, which would refresh my mind and get my ideas flowing.

So, I took a shower... and nothing. Then I decided maybe I should have breakfast first, and that would surely get the juices flowing. But while in the kitchen, I looked at the floor, and decided it needed mopping, so I went about making my cheese eggs, deciding that I would clean the floor afterwards, and have lots of ideas by the time I was done. So, while I made breakfast, the phone rang; it was my sister. I thought good, surely our conversation would strike up some interesting ideas to write about. So, as I talked to her, I finished making my breakfast, ate it, then went about sud-sing up the kitchen floor.

We had an interesting conversation, but nothing I thought I could write about. So, when we hung up the phone, I decided to mop the bathroom floor, thinking the more I did, the more it would help me come up with ideas... but, nothing. So, I went back to the kitchen, and as I grabbed a bottled water to head back upstairs, I looked at the cans of crushed tomatoes that I'd been putting off making marinara sauce with, still sitting on the kitchen cabinet. So, I decided to acquire yet, another task, in hopes that it would get , my ideas flowing. I sauteed my garlic, carrots, and celery, in olive oil, until they were soft, then threw in the cans of crushed tomatoes. I turned on the pot, and left it to simmer for about an hour, thinking the smell, would definitely get my juices flowing. And it did....

As I smelled the cozy, comforting smell of authentic Italian sauce cooking, I thought about how proud I was to have finally learned to make marinara sauce. At that point, I thought to myself, what an interesting day! And so, like my favorite YouTube vloggers, here I am sharing a day in the life with Vee, with you! Until next time, Salud! Hope you've enjoyed!

Kisses

2012-02-04T09:13:00.000-08:00

mobilefun0.blogspot.com

Like the eyes, a kiss is a window to the soul, as is any portal of the body. You can tell a lot about a person through their kiss. For instance, a person with a soft, gentle kiss can signal that he or she is a caring, loving person, while a person with a deep, urgent kiss can signal they are a passionate person. Researchers say pheromones in the tongue also play a role in a good kiss. Pheromones are the natural chemicals in the body that attracts you to another person, and can signal cues about a person's sexual passion. In the ancient art of Kama Sutra, kisses are a very important part of bonding. According to the Kama Sutra doctrine, kisses placed on the brow, eyelashes, eyes, cheeks, lips, and neck can signal passion to your lover.

A person with an impressionable kiss is sure to be memorable. For example, a person with a sweet, candy filled kiss can make you want to kiss them for hours, signaling sweet treasures to come, and leave you with a sweet taste in your mouth long after they've gone. According to experts, some things you can do to ensure a sweet, memorable kiss are: brush and floss, regularly along with developing regular habits such as limiting sugar, smoking, and alcohol, and eating sweet herbs such as parsley, after each meal.

My own personal favorite for a sweet kiss is flossing, followed by a luscious, sweet flavored lip gloss such as Victoria Secret's Beauty Rush Lip Gloss. This gloss not only softens the lips for an airy light feel, but also sweetens the pallet of both kissers. Also, opting for cinnamon flavored floss beforehand, will enhance the kiss even more, because cinnamon is known as a natural aphrodisiac.

Happy February! What's your secret to a sweet kiss?

Beyonce's "4" Album

2011-12-28T15:30:00.000-08:00

B has done it again! With her latest album entitled "4", the multitalented singer has managed to capture the sexy, sultry, love ballets of her debut CD "Dangerously in Love", which she shares the fairy tale love she shared with, then boyfriend, rap star Jay Z. Now married, and together for 10 years, and still counting, "4", I assume, shares the ups and downs and undying love she has weathered through with her longtime love, husband, best friend and soon to be, child's father.

"4" , the superstar's "special" number, symbolizes the special things in her life. When asked about #4's meaning, Beyonce states, "We all have special numbers in our lives, and 4 is that for me”. It's the day I was born. My mother's birthday and a lot of my friends' birthdays are on the fourth; April 4 is my wedding date. Her hubby Jay-Z's birthday also falls on a 4, December 4" (MTV Newsroom, 2011). The sexy power couple also have the Roman numeral 4 tattooed on their wedding finger.

Rightfully titled, Beyonce's "4" album is truly something special! Mrs Carter not only showcases a more powerful voice, and higher pitched vocals (i'm guessing this can be attributed to her turning 30), but she also manages to capture love in such a way that is real, and heartfelt. Ballots such as "1 + 1", "I miss you", "Rather die young", and "Start Over", all attest to the power of love, while ballots such as "Party", "Countdown", "Love on Top", and "End of Time", all celebrate love to a hip shaking, booty popping beat that is sure to have you dancing all night. Yes, those of you who fell in love with Beyonce for her dance tunes and hard hitting bass, Mrs Carter didn't forget about you!

Beyonce's "4" deluxe album contains the original 12 ballots, plus 6 extra ballots. The sexy ballots "Lay up Under Me" and "Dance for You" show off Beyonce's sexy, feminine "wifey" side, and is probably one reason for the longevity of her relationship. The ballot "Schoolin Life" pays tribute to the mature crowd, her age and older, and the remaining 3 tracks contain 3 remixes to the hit "Run the World."

This album shows the that the lovely and talented Beyonce has truly grown into a grown woman. In this album we get a glimpse of some of the things that are most important to the superstar things such as, besides the obvious, singing, pleasing and representing her man, dancing, and paying tribute to the great people in her life. Her song entitled "Love on Top" seems to be an ode to Michael Jackson, whom the mega star credits for her dreams of becoming a star. The ballot seems to reinvent the pop king's catchy, soulful love hits from the 80's. Beyonce has a song entitled, "I was here" where she talks about her desire to leave her mark on the world by positively affecting people's lives, let me be the first to say, Beyonce, you have truly touched my life with this album.

In closing, I would like to say thank you to Beyonce for such fine, inspirational work. I would also like to bid congratulations to The Carters on their long lasting gansta love, and to their bundle of joy on the way!

Reference

MTV Newsroom. (2011). Taylor Swifts "13" vs. Beyonce's "4" : Why do they love those numbers. Retrieved
December 28, 2011 from, http://newsroom.mtv.com/2011/06/30/beyonce-taylor-swift-birthday-numbers/

"Dan's Hiking Blog"

2011-11-20T16:34:00.000-08:00

dudek25

It's fall time, so naturally, I think about hiking! I can't help but feel nostalgic at the thought of a good autumn's hike. Now, I've never been on an "official' hike, meaning I've never hiked on a designated hiking trail, but I have been known to pack up my North Face backpack and hike my parent's suburb's leisurely traisl to the nearby park reserve, and the nearby lake.

I've always wanted to embark on an "official" trail hike, but have just never found the time, or the company (I wouldn't want to hike alone, in case I see a bear, or a snake, yikes!) I must admit though, I have found comfort, a sort of "official hiking" guilty pleasure, in the adventurous blog of one of our fellow bloggers, Hiker Dan.

Dan's blog entitled, "Dan's Hiking Blog," shares his hiking adventures in the beautiful hills of California. Dan's Hiking Blog is the perfect bliss of seasonal beauty, rugged adventure and primitive wit; all from the comfort of your own home. Dan's blog brings you all the treasures of hiking such as waterfalls, Bighorn sheep, and exotic flowers. He manages to capture each find, so vibrantly, in his photographic array of pictures.

In his blog, Dan is able to share a slight history of each trail he endures, leaving you with an overwhelming appreciation for both the history and the beauty of the environment. Dan even entails the "hiker lover's" aspects of hiking such as getting up at five in the morning to hike at dawn, and he even includes his nutrition breaks. By the time you are done reading, you feel just as refreshed as he does, ready to hit the shower then tackle the day.

Dan's Hiking Blog, is a must read, for all hikers, and non-hikers alike. Dan's blog contains enough adventure for everyone. After reading it, you're sure to walk away with a greater appreciation of nature, and yourself!

Outdoor Markets with Wine Tastings!

2011-09-02T21:33:00.000-07:00

squash-5672.jpg

It's been a longtime dream of mine to attend an outdoor market, and up until recently, I thought I had to travel all the way to New York or Italy just to get the true feel of it. I guess part of my obsession comes from watching television cooking shows as they travel across the world to acquire the freshest, most authentic of ingredients, to prepare their entrees with. Well, I'm happy to say that this past summer I was fortunate enough to attend the Farmer's Fair. It was everything I dreamed it would be! It was just quaint enough to be coined a family affair, yet effective enough to be a life time memory! It contained all the exotic delicacies of a farmer's hustle and bustle, along with a few more staple ingredients: the local connoisseur at Daveed's restaurant, in Cincinnati's Mt. Adam's district; equipped with plenty of free samples, Dolce Vita's Gelato stand and the Generation Hill Winery in Alexandria, Kentucky. There was also a fresh bread loaf stand and a stand to purchase fresh plants.

I began at the Dolce Vita Gelato stand, where I could hardly contain myself. You see, I had long awaited the opportunity to savor the thrilling taste of gelato. I ordered a pint of the strawberry basil treat, which I must say, was heavenly. I finished the whole pint in just about one sitting! It was refreshing as the mist of the cool cream quenched my throat, and sweet and savory from the fresh, sweet strawberries and warm, tingly basil. It was the perfect concoction of exotic, summer bliss!

I then stopped at a local produce spot, where I purchased a pound of round zucchini at just $3. I'm still amazed at the amount of produce I got for that amount! Next, another local produce spot, where I purchased a clove of fresh, artichoke garlic (anything artichoke, I'm buying!), and a bundle of two different varieties of squash, all reasonably priced!

Next, there was the Daveed's restaurant stand, where fresh samples of a crisp, chilled vegetable medley were given out. It was dressed in one of the restaurant's own exotic, mango vinaigrette blends, that awakened my taste buds as it danced on my tongue. Needless to say, I purchased it and I can't wait to make my own vegetable medley with the signature sauce!

Lastly, there was the Generation Hill Winery stand, where samples of about five different varieties of wine were given out for only a buck! After tasting each variety (one that tastes just like grape jelly!), I opted for a bottle of a tender, yet boldly fruity Cabernet Sauvignon, making it the perfect compliment to that evening's healthy feast. The only thing that would have made it greater was to be able to purchase a fresh loaf of Italian bread from the bread stand and a beautiful, horticulturist grown plant from the plant stand. Unfortunately, I went full steam early on and ran out of cash before I got to them, and they didn't accept credit cards. :(

Overall, this will go down in my history as one of the best days of my life. There's just something about going to an outdoors farmer's market, and supporting local vendors, then coming home and preparing hearty, healthy meals from the fresh ingredients! It was like I imagined a beautiful, romantic day in Italy or New York to be like, and the wine stand at the end far exceeded all my expectations, making it the perfect ending to the perfect day!

I must say that I am sold on farmer's market's everywhere, so please, support yours today!

La Familia

2011-08-08T21:40:00.000-07:00

productioncars.com

Just like a pet, my car has become part of the family. And just like the family pet, I try to feed her the best gasoline, keep her up to date on her check ups, look forward to her comfort when I've had a bad day, hope to one day be able to enter her into a car show, and when she hurts; I hurt. She is my pride and joy and my place of comfort when I need a little unconditional love. She is also a symbol of where I have been, and where I have yet to go.

So, I guess all of this comes down to just what does your car mean to you? Is it just another heap of scrap metal just waiting to be replaced by the next year's model? Or, perhaps a status symbol? For those of you whose car has a history and has become a part of your family, I'd like to hear your stories!

Wrong Number Etiquette

2011-06-29T14:37:00.000-07:00

siewlian

I don't know if you're anything like me, but I receive a lot of "wrong number" phone calls; on my home phone, on my cell phone, it doesn't matter. Usually, if I'm fortunate enough to answer (LOL), I simply go through the usual ritual of me: "you have the wrong number," and then them: "I'm sorry." I even receive wrong number texts, of which the same back-and-forth ritual usually applies.

My problem is, what do you do when a wrong number leaves a voice mail? Are you obligated to dial the number back and inform them that they have the wrong number? What if it sounds like important news? I can accept the simple etiquette of putting a misplaced mail envelope out on the mailbox to be redelivered by the mail person to the correct person, but I mean really, isn't it too much to go through to phone every single person who leaves a "wrong number" message on your phone (Like I said, I get a lot of them)? And, if you don't and the real person never receives the message, is it your fault?

So I'd like to know, just what is the proper "wrong number voice mail" etiquette?

Guilty Pleasures

2011-05-06T19:23:00.000-07:00

My Teddy Bear-GiniMiniGi

Whenever I've had a long, hard day, am in a "blah" mood, it's the weekend, or I'm out and about running errands, I can't wait to take a bubble bath, get into a pair of cozy, comfy pajamas, and get in bed with my teddy bear and watch movies all day. While in bed, I love snacking on pizza (Larosa's delivery is preferred!), or a bowl of macaroni and cheese or popcorn, and candy! My beverage of choice is usually a cup of hot tea, or a soda with a Twizzlers licorice as a straw, or red wine.

I especially love to watch children's movies, they take me back to a time when things were simple and fun! When innocence was alive, and love was real--When it was okay to dream, and believe in miracles-- When the good guy, or girl, always won, and the bullies or monsters were always defeated!

I guess doing this, kind of helps renew my faith in "good" things, or at least I hope it will, and gets me through another day. Guilty pleasures serve to make us feel better in times of need, what are yours?

My Secret Talent

2011-04-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

Chillin3-sebraex

Hello everybody,

So, I was in the bathtub today shaving my legs in the dark and it just hit me that this must be one of those "secret" or "hidden" talents that talk show hosts often ask their guest about.

I usually take a bath with an eye gel mask on, to soothe my eyes as I soak, and one day, I didn't feel like taking it off to shave so I just kept it on and kinda felt my way through the motions. This has since become a regular habit of mine and suffice it to say, I've gotten pretty good at it! I can now shave my legs, removing all traces of hair, blindfolded. This is my secret talent, now I wanna know, what's yours!?

Healthy Weekend Comfort Food Dinner Recipes

2011-04-09T18:30:00.000-07:00


Penne Pasta-Yenhoon

If you're anything like me, the weekend's often bring about a craving for comfort foods. I believe the weekends are for pigging out, but I don't want to sabotage my diets or my workouts. So, I'm always looking for healthy, hearty alternatives to my favorite foods.

I've comprised a list of my favorite alternatives to Panera Bread's panini and soup combo, Chipolte's Mexican Grill's burrito bowl, and I've included one of my own hearty, healthy recipes straight from my own kitchen. Enjoy!

Alternative Panera Bread's tomato, basil and mozzarella pannini and soup.

Ingredients:

1 package Arnold Select multigrain sandwich thins
1 package reduced fat provolone cheese
1-2 Roma tomatoes (sliced)
1 7oz package Buitoni All Natural Pesto with Basil
1 box of your favorite Campbell's V8 flavored soup *

Instructions:

1. Heat panini press or skillet.*
2. Heat soup in pot on medium low.
3. Spread both sides of sandwich thin with pesto basil.
4. Add slice of provolone cheese to one side of sandwich.
5. Add slices or Roma tomatoes on top of provolone cheese. Top with other bun.
6. Place sandwich in panini press or skillet, press til golden brown or grill marks appear.
7. Remove, serve with bowl of soup or chips.

*fat free, or reduced fat chips or salad can be substituted for soup
* if using skillet, use another large skillet or pot to press panini on both sides.

Alternative Chipotle Mexican Grill's Burrito Bowl

Ingredients:

1 10 count package Tumaro's Multi Grain Low Carb Gourmet Tortillas
1-2 packages brown rice boil in the bag (cooked according to package)
1-2 chicken breasts (cooked and sliced)
1 15 oz can black beans (heated)
1 15 oz can pinto beans (heated)
1 15 oz can of corn (heated)
1 TBsp cilantro
1 med. green pepper (Julianne sliced and sauteed)
1 med. red pepper (Julianne sliced and sauteed)
1 med. sweet onion ( Julianned sliced and sauteed)
1 11. 5 oz Mission Guacamole flavored dip
1 24 oz Chipoltle flavored salsa
1 package fat free, or reduced fat sour cream
1/2 lime
1 head of iceberg lettuce (chopped)
1 -2 large tomatoes (chopped)
1 package reduced fat cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1. Squeeze lime juice into rice. Add cilantro to rice. Mix in bowl and set aside.
2. Add chipotle salsa to corn, mix in bowl and set aside.
3. Set remainder of ingredients in bowls or serving dishes.
4. In medium bowl, layer ingredients for burrito.
Serve with tortilla.

Venus's Vegetable Medley

Ingredients:

1/2 lb low carb pasta
1 can great northern beans (strained)
1 bag fresh spinach
2 medium sized zuchinni (cut in half circles)
2 medium sized squash (cut in half circles)
1 container cherry tomatoes
1/2 sweet onion (peeled and cut in half circles)
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 container basil pesto
1 lb mozzarella cheese
extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tbs butter
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In large pot, bring water to a boil. Add low carb pasta, cook according to box directions. Drain, add pesto and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, drizzle olive oil, coating bottom of pan. Add 1Tb butter, garlic and onions.
3. Add zucchini. Saute until soft.
4. Add squash. Saute until soft.
5. Add beans and cherry tomatoes. Stir. Add vegetable mixture to pasta.
6. In large skillet, drizzle with olive oil, add 1Tbs butter and garlic. Saute until soft. Add to vegetable mixture.
7. Salt and pepper to taste.
8. Top with cheese and serve.

This concludes my list of my favorite weekend comfort dinner recipes. I hope you enjoy them! Please feel free to drop me a comment on what you think about them.

Be sure to check back for a list of my favorite healthy weekend comfort food desert recipes and my favorite healthy weekend comfort food breakfast recipes!

Vee's Favorite Things

2011-03-19T22:34:00.000-07:00

Fire Place 1- Marvilis

You've heard of Oprah's Favorite Things, now I'd like to share a few of my favorite things with you! And I apologize, but unlike Oprah's show, I won't be giving them away. However, I will list the cheapest places to go and purchase them!

1.Dreamfields Healthy Low Carb Pasta

This low carb pasta is the best! It tastes great, is low in carbs and allows me to enjoy my favorite pasta recipes, without the guilt!

2. Crest Classic Whitestrips Teeth White 56 Strips 14 Day

These white strips are an alternative to the more advanced, expensive ones on the market. They're affordable, easy to use and they work!

3. Cheesecake Factory Low Carb Cheesecake

It's cheesecake, and it's low carb. What else is there to say?

4. Netflix

Watch your favorite movies and shows without expensive cable fees.

5.Haier Professional Panini Press

This panini makes the best, even cooked, crisp on the outside, warm and gooey on the inside, panini sandwiches! It's also fashionable on your kitchen counter-top, and easy to clean!

6. Egyptian Cotton Bed in a Bag Set

This bed set is not only fashionable, but soft, wash after wash and they retain their robust color! These sheets feel so good, you'll feel like royalty when sleeping on them!

7. The Millionaire Next Door: Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy

This is the best book on wealth management and understanding what it takes to become financially independent, and it's straight from the horses mouth!

7. Tracey Anderson's 30 Day Method

Her philosophy is like none I've ever seen!

8. ebay

This is, by far, the best place to find the discount products you need.

9. Toshiba Satellite

This is the most reasonably priced, name brand, refurbished lap top on the market! It's great as a starter component for doing homework and basic computing activities.

10. Quest Bar 2.12 oz. Low Carb, Gluten Free, High Fiber Protein Bars (Box of 12 Bars)

These are the best, low-carb, high protein bars on the market and, they don't taste like cardboard!

So, these are just a few of my favorite things that I thought I'd share with you. To find out more about the products listed, just click on the link above the picture to be redirected to the product information page. Until then, happy shopping and be sure to check back for part II of my favorite things! Also, I'd like to know what are some of your favorite things, so be sure to share them in the comment box!

The Perfect Weekend

2011-03-14T22:04:00.000-07:00

shore-stefan G81

I'm always looking for a good excuse to lounge and relax or, just get away. And what better excuse is there, than it's the weekend? So, I've decided to come up with what my perfect weekend would be like. It would be something short of a movie!

First, I would surround myself in a peaceful, quiet and beautiful scenery; perhaps a cabin in the fall, or beach house. I would drive to my destination so I could free my mind, on the way. I would arrive early on Thursday or Friday in the morning, so I could enjoy the entire day as part of my weekend. I would pull up to the house, park my car or SUV very close, just in case I had to escape in an emergency. We all know there are all kinds of lions and tigers and bears, and Jason's, oh my..in the woods.

I would then go inside and look around. I would make sure everything is working fine, the water, the toilets, the electricity and the kitchen appliances. Then, I would set up shop. I'd unpack my bags, which would consist of: my favorite pajamas, "Old Navy" flip flops , my pillow, my favorite blanket, my favorite t shirts and sweats or yoga pants, my teddy bear, lip gloss, my favorite mystery book, scary movies, my journal, fitness magazine, my laptop, cell phone, Aveeno face wash and moisturizer, nail polish, toothpaste and toothbrush, teeth whitening strips, firming lotion, vitamins and supplements, workout gear, deodorant, a knife, a gun and perhaps a dog or two ;)

My groceries would consist of: a half case of my favorite red wine, low carb spaghetti, chunky vegetable spaghetti sauce, Parmesan cheese, salad, olives, fat free ranch dressing, garlic bread, refrigerator-dough
oatmeal raisin cookies, popcorn with fat-free butter, sugar free dark chocolate, soup, oatmeal with blueberries and veggie sausage for breakfast, sugar free chocolate mint gum, tootsie pops, espresso-to make sugar free vanilla soy lattes, tea and bottled water.

I would begin my weekend by changing into my lounge clothes, doing yoga then making my breakfast. I would then sit on the front porch, with my breakfast and journal, and eat and write whatever was on my mind. I would enjoy the view, in between writing and eating, while breathing in the fresh air. I would stay there until dinner time, then go back in, lock up the house and make dinner. I'd then enjoy dinner, desert and wine on the couch, in front of the television. I'd watch scary movies all night until I dozed off.

I would arise early the next morning, have a cup of coffee, then go jogging outdoors or on the treadmill. I would shower then enjoy breakfast on the front porch as I wrote in my journal. Then I'd get on my laptop, check my email for messages and amazon.com for great deals. I'd then prepare my blog or document for writing. If I was really lucky, I'd write an award winning script! I would then enjoy the rest of the day writing and taking in the view until dinner time. Dinner would be leftovers from the night before and I'd enjoy it, on the couch, in front of the television again. I would watch movies again until I dozed off.

I would sleep late the next day, because it's Sunday. I would then, get up, make a soy latte and sit on the front porch and write in my journal. I'd get dressed, grab another soy latte, then pack. I'd load up my car and lock up, then leave. I'd stop by the local family owned restaurant for some small town gossip, buttery pancakes, greasy cheese eggs, greasy hash-browns and orange juice, before I hit the road. I would take the rest of my meal in a doggy bag, to enjoy on the drive home. I'd then drive home listening to my favorite music and taking in the relaxing scenery as I basked in the after glow of my much-needed get-a-way!

Now, it's your turn. What would be your perfect weekend?

Blogging 101

2011-03-14T15:49:00.000-07:00

Red Lady-alicja sto

“Blog is short for Web log, an online personal essay. Blogs are informal, informative and often entertaining. They sometimes resemble newspaper columns: Both provide individual responses to current news stories as well as to other issues-everything from favorite recipes to terrible first dates to product evaluations” (Marsh, Guth & Short, 2009).

Blogs are your very own space, intended for your unique voice and audience. In order to get the most out of your blog, or to make your blog most effective, four factors should be taken into consideration when designing your space: Purpose, design, content and audience. These four factors blended together help make each level of your blog more appealing, thus insuring your intention or purpose of the blog while captivating your audience.

Purpose/Audience

According to Marsh, Guth & Short (2009), the purpose of a blog is to communicate with individuals who avoid traditional media and/or who seek the less formal, more personal relationships that successful blogs can build. Blogs actively invite written responses, offering a Comments link to allow readers to agree, disagree or extend the discussion (Marsh, Guth & Short, 2009).

In other words, blogs are personal spaces designed to interact on a more intimate level. When choosing subjects, content, and words, the author should be sure to use items that illicit a response from their readers. This draws your reader in and allows them get involved. A good blog provokes the reader to respond and get involved with your topic.

Design

According to Marsh, Guth & Short (2009), when producing a blog, the entries usually begin with a headline in large type. Beneath the heading, in smaller type, is the date and time of posting. The text of the blog is single-spaced, with extra spaces between paragraphs. The text type is often sans-serif typeface such as Lucida Grande. Blogs contain highlighted links to earlier posts, other blogs, online documents, videos, or Web sites and/or similar information sources. Many blogs include previous entries beneath the current entry, which readers can access simply by scrolling down the web page. Many blogs also include an RSS link; this allows your readers to automatically receive new posts from your site.

When designing your blog, your blog should be designed with your audience in mind. You should not only write your subject, but also include as many other informational sources as possible. Your blog should be designed with your audience’s ease in mind. In other words, all posts, informational links, and feeds should be viewable and easily accessible to your audience. This will allow your audience the opportunity to become as informed as possible on your subject and maneuver around your site as easy as possible.

Content

Marsh, Guth & Short (2009) state that blogs must be updated frequently; many are updated daily. Successful blogs generally address different aspects of broad topic such as, politics, product development or the stock market. In other words establish an area of expertise, make it interesting and keep your audience coming back for more.

Blog posts can range from one paragraph to several paragraphs. Be informal: Use the first-person pronouns I and we. Sentence fragments and nonstandard grammar are fine. However, deviations from standard grammar should be intentional, non standard grammar should not appear to be the result of sloppiness or ignorance. Bloggers must frequently review readers’ comments and respond when possible. You may delete threatening comments but not comments that simply disagree with your post. According to Marsh, Guth & Short (2009) the best way to learn how to blog is by looking at other blogs. Websites such as Technorati.com can help steer you to blogs that might interest you.

In other words, blogs should be designed using an interesting or controversial topic; one that can be multi-topical, or spread out in a number of different posts. The content of your blog should be intimate and appealing. Your posts should encourage interaction with your audience through the Comments box. This not only encourages a following but helps you develop a target audience.

Conclusion

Blogs are a personal way to communicate. The main purpose of a blog is to gain an audience or following of your topic. This can be done by choosing interesting subjects; ones that encourage interaction, feedback and repeat visits from your audience. These posts should be updated frequently, to keep your audience engaged. Another way to encourage an audience is by making links, posts, and RSS feeds easily accessible. And lastly, a blog should be fun!

Reference

Marsh, C., Guth, D. W., & Short, B. P. (2009). Strategic Writing: Multimedia writing for public

relations and more. USA: Pearson

Godiva Chocolate Truffle Review

2011-03-11T17:16:00.000-08:00

Bakery Desert Truffles-Godiva

I am an avid chocolate lover so I never pass up the chance to sample different chocolates. One day while visiting the mall, I passed the Godiva chocolates store. I had a taste for some white chocolate so I went in, in search of some. I cased the store, looking for my delectable treasures and as I got to the back of the store, I was presented to the truffle case. As I viewed the different tempting visuals and names in the huge array of chocolate balls, I knew I had to have some. I opted for the Southern Red Velvet Cake truffle and a white chocolate Tiramasu flavored truffle.

When I first heard the price for just one chocolate morsel, I thought, wow, but the names of the treats sounded so promising, I couldn't pass it up. Then, as I got to the register, the sales associate informed me of a rewards program they have. Under this program, I simply give them my email address and one of my truffles, were free! I also get one free piece of chocolate every month! I was already set to make my expensive purchase but the rewards program just made it even sweeter!

I didn't want to eat my delectable sweets while at the mall, so I decided to take them home, where I could savor them. I got home, put away my items then changed into my pajamas. I took a seat in my favorite comfy spot and took my first bite. I tried the white chocolate Southern Red Velvet Cake truffle, first. When I bit into it, I was expecting to see a red center, but it wasn't. None the less, it really tastes like red velvet cake, but smooth and creamier. The morsel was soft white chocolate on the outside but creamy and rich on the inside. I finished my treat in about 3-4 bites, trying to savor the flavor and texture as long as I could. I couldn't wait to try the other one. I waited a while between tastings, like a wine tasting, because I didn't want to mix the flavors, so I cleared my pallet first, then moved onto the next one.

I saved the white chocolate Tiramasu for last because Tiramasu is my favorite. Being that it's my favorite, my tongue couldn't wait to dissect the flavors to see if it really taste like Tiramasu. I bit into the delectable mouth-sized sphere and held my breath as I let the morsel melt in my mouth; waiting for my taste buds to record the flavors. And, sure enough, it really does taste like Tiramasu, but more rich and creamier!

I have had tried chocolate truffles before but was not a huge fan of them. I'm not sure if it is Godiva's innovative way of infusing bakery flavors into their masterpieces, or their great art of making chocolate but I love it! Not only were they worth the $2.30 a piece, they charge, but I am now ready to spend $25.00 for a whole box of them! Godiva's chocolate truffles are the kind of truffles that really take you away! I would definitely recommend Godiva's chocolate truffles to anyone who's looking for the perfect escape or end to the day!

Super Models

2011-03-09T20:31:00.000-08:00

friends-duchesssa

Female mentors and female positive role models, the women who take that extra step to do the right thing in order to make a positive impact on young girls lives, are the most beautiful people in the world to me!

Growing up as a young girl, and even now, I always wanted a positive female role model in my life. I was bombarded by negative influences, but I knew I didn't want my life to be like that. I craved for the guidance and support of a positive female in my life to help me be a better person. There were lots of older girls and women all around me, but they never actually took the time to teach me or encourage me in life. The only thing I had gathered from them was what I didn't want to be like. Feeling the gap in my life and knowing that I could have been a better person, had I had a positive female influence in my life, I knew I wanted to set a positive example for younger girls. According to 13 year old, Imani Stevens (2010) "A good positive role model can show a girl how to be positive and feel good about herself. They also help us to believe that we can do anything in the world if we work for it and really put our minds to it." In other words, positive role models enrich our lives!

And now, to all those women who have made a positive impact in my life, I'd like to say "thank you:"

To Mrs Jackson, for always having a kind word to say to me and who did wonders for my self esteem, thank you, you're beautiful. To Beyonce Knowles, for waiting until you were married to start a family and for the song "Me, Myself and I," thank you, you're beautiful. To Mrs Gwen, for always having a nice word to say whenever I see you, and for understanding, thank you, you're beautiful. To Paula Abdul, for helping people of all ages live out their dreams in dance, thank you, you're beautiful. To Joyce Meyers who never judges and always knows what to say, thank you, you're beautiful. To Miss Pat (RIP) for always taking me in when I was in a bad relationship, for always understanding, and never judging me, thank you, you're beautiful. To Nellie Wright, this little article could not begin to sum up the thanks I have for you, but thank you for everything! You're beautiful. To Charli Baltimore, for having such a strong voice for us women in the struggle, thank you, you're beautiful. To Foxy Brown for being a female "Don," thank you, you're beautiful. To Oprah Winfrey, for showing me that a black woman could make it big! Thank you, you're beautiful! To Michelle Obama, for showing me what a real female positive role model looks like, thank you, you're beautiful. To TLC, for the song "Unpretty," which I still listen to to this day, to help my self esteem, thank you, you're beautiful. To Little Kim for making "Ladies Night," thank you, you're beautiful. To Halle Berry, Jennifer Anniston, Janet Jackson, Demi Moore, Toni Braxton, Pamela Anderson, and Trudy for showing me that you can still be sexy even when you get older, thank you, you're beautiful. To Halle Berry, Celine Dionne, Kelly Preston, and Mariah Carey for showing me "you didn't wait too long," and that you can still have a family after 40, thank you, you're beautiful. To Christina Aguilera for the song "Beautiful," thank you, you're beautiful. To Nicole Kidman and Lisa Ling, for sharing your heartbreaking stories about your miscarraiges, thank you, you're beautiful. To Whoopie Goldberg, for sharing your story about your periodontal disease, thank you, you're beautiful. To Angela Winbush for producing so many Isley Brother's hits, thank you, you're beautiful. To Shakira for showing me what beautiful, sexy, talented and smart looks like, thank you, you're beautiful. To Demi Moore and Mariah Carey for showing us that we can find unconditional love, thank you, you're beautiful. To Mariah Carey for making the song "Make it Happen," which keeps me from giving up on my dreams, to this day, thank you, you're beautiful. To Tyra Banks for "America's Next Top Model" and for sharing your supermodel/beauty secrets, thank you, you're beautiful.

This list in no way excludes other positive female role models. It just means that these are the women who have most impacted my life.

Reference

Williams, M. (2010). Young Gifted and Black. Essence.com.

               Retrieved March 9, 2011, from

              http://blogs.essence.com/fastforward_to_fabulous/2010/10/young-

              gifted-and-black.php

First Comes Love, Then Comes Marraige, Then Comes the Wife with a Baby Carraige..

2011-03-01T23:16:00.000-08:00

ring-francog

..Or maybe not. Now a days it seems to be "first comes the baby carriage, then maybe love, and you're lucky if you get the marriage." Lately I've been wondering if I've been a little too harsh or brutal in my judgment towards unwed mothers. I guess because I regret that I was one, I've been sulking in my own pond of guilt and frustration from my choices and now, I'm wondering if It's starting to make me bitter and too judgmental.

Being a female myself, I've always assumed that all women wanted to be respected and loved, find their prince charming, be married to him, have children and live in a big house with a white picket fence. I just assumed this was the "American Dream!" But lately, it seems that more and more women are being promiscuous, having child after child out of wedlock, not really standing for anything but this, and being proud of it. I've always felt it was wrong or shameful for women to be promiscuous and have children on "accident" or out of wedlock and society used to shun it too but today, the high amount of sympathy, help and praise that teenage and unwed mothers are generating, causes me to wonder.

Lately I've been feeling a bit judged, ridiculed and teased because I only have one child (I did so, with a combination of the depo provera shot and abstinence), while others, some married, some not, have more. I had my first child out of wedlock and the amount of shame I felt from doing so along with the hard work it took to take care of him (his father and I split, so he never really helped) was enough to make me stop there. I vowed to never have kids again, until I found my prince charming and got married.

In today's culture it's become a "fashion" to be pregnant, with or without a husband. And as I look around at the females who have multiple children, without husbands, they seem to make it look "hip" or cool. I look at them, with stress, sadness, and pain in my eyes, from raising my own child alone, and I simply can't understand why they're not feeling it too. Heck, I even look at married women in two parent homes,with children, thinking how hard and expensive it is to raise kids. Yet, some single women still continue to have child after child. I fear that they are making it appear too easy and glamorous that very young girls and teenagers are starting to have and want children without being married. Today I overheard a 12 year old girl tell her friends that she wanted her first child when she was about 16. Apparently she was influenced by another young girl ,16 or 19, who had a child or was already pregnant. All I could think about was my own experience and how so..sorry I felt for her thinking it was gonna be so.. easy.

So, I wonder is it just me who's had a rough experience with childbearing and that it's easier for others? Is it because I have a conscience or religion that I feel bad for having a child out of wedlock and other people don't? Is it just part of our instinct to procreate, without a husband, like animals, just for the sole purpose of continuing our species? And for those of us who do wait, and for those who've waited too long for love and marriage before procreating, are we just torturing ourselves? I mean, it's not like a huge lightening bolt comes out of the sky and strikes down those of us who don't wait. If it does, they never share this story with other people, especially younger kids and maybe they should, in order to help them or save them from thinking it's just a game!

Case Study

2011-02-28T15:53:00.000-08:00

“You are a department manager in a mid-sized company that provides technology support services. You have ten employees who are required to maintain a high level of technical expertise and deliver excellent customer service. One of your employees, who has been with the company for two years, is performing at a substandard level and you have received numerous complaints from customers and coworkers. In addition, this employee has displayed confrontational behavior which has created a hostile environment. You must now meet with this employee and deliver an ultimatum regarding the need for immediate improvement or dismissal.”

1.) As the department manager, I would first pull the employee aside. I would remind the employee of our company‘s goals and objectives either by reading them out loud or asking the employee to recite them back to me.

2.) I would then ask the employee if he or she agreed with the objectives and felt that they were living up to them. If the answer is “yes,” I would ask them to explain to me how, and if the answer is “no,” the same thing.

3.) I would then let them know that I have noticed lately that their performance has slacked a bit and that they’ve become a bit hostile towards the customers and other employees. I would ask what they were going through and let them know that I am interested in helping with the problem as much as I can.

4.) I would then offer help with retraining, or reassigning the employee to a different position, or whatever problem the employee stated for their behavior.

5.) I would then end by letting the employee know how good it is that they have been with the company for so long and that they are valued and appreciated and in the future, come to me if there’s a problem.

According to Cahn & Abigail (2007) you should follow these six steps for successful conflict resolution:

Preparation: Identify your problem/need/issues.
Tell the person “We need to talk.”
Interpersonal confrontation: Talk to the other person about your problem.
Consider the other person’s point of view: Listen, empathize, and respond with understanding.
Resolve the problem- Make a mutually satisfying agreement.
Follow up on the solution: Set a time limit for reevaluation.

These steps helps us reach a mutual collaboration on the problem. It also forces us to accept responsibility for our own actions. It also identifies the problems that each of has. According to Cahn & Abigail (2007) the final step, the re-evaluation is the most important, but often most forgotten, step to resolving a problem. This final step is important because it ensures a mutual agreement and re-examines the effectiveness of the agreement at a later date. In other words, it helps remind each party of the agreement in tact and it is a time to change what’s not working.

Also, according to Blanchard Ph.D & Lorber Ph. D., author and co-author of Putting the One Minute Manager to Work (1984) you should always end your reprimand, or confrontation with a praising. This way you are letting the other person know that they are not a bad person but their behavior is. I guess the underlying key here is “respect.” It all goes back to the old age adage “do unto others as you would want done to you.”

Now, it's your turn. Using this case study, what would you do to resolve a peaceful confortation with an employee?

References

Blanchard, K. Ph. D., & Lorber, R. Ph.D. (1984). Putting the One Minute Manager to

Work. NY: Berkley

Cahn, D. D., & Abigail, R. A. (2007). Managing Conflict Through Communication.

USA: Pearson Education

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