Leasing a TV may sound like the type of scheme cooked up by college students and others suffering from cash-strapped fever.
But renting to own ordinary household items is expanding to more mainstream consumers. Just ask the folks at Aaron’s, the Atlanta-based company with $1.56 billion in sales that leases new and used appliances and furniture to the credit-unworthy.
Add this retailer, with 1,575 stores, and its competitor Rent-A-Center to the list of companies that do well in a recession. First-quarter earnings at Aaron’s jumped 57%; sales rose 15%.
A cheaper way to buy the TV would be at a retailer like Best Buy, which might charge $1,500. Aaron’s customers, however, don’t have the cash to pay upfront and can’t get financing, so they end up paying nearly double. About half of Aaron’s customers make all their payments and wind up owning the product - the outcome in which Aaron’s makes the most money. When merchandise is repossessed, it goes back into stock and is marked accordingly.
Photo by merfam.
From Business Opportunities Weblog.
Source: Rent-To-Own Makes A Comeback
Presented here with permission by the very gracious Dane Carlson from the Business Opportunities Weblog.
]]>
You need money to start up; you need money to operate; and you need money to grow.
Throw the dismal economy into the equation–when people are spending less and it’s taking longer for small businesses to get paid (according to the “Economic Pulse” survey)–and money is even harder to come by.
Most important, you have to figure out if there is truly a consumer need. “You know you have a great product, but you don’t know if it fits a need,” Jim Koch, founder and brewer, The Boston Beer Company, says. “Ask yourself if what you’re offering is better or cheaper.”
And if you find that for a certain segment it is, those are your customers; find out what matters to them. “The customer will give you cues,” he adds. “You can learn everything you need to know from them.”
Colleen Long, founder and creative director, FreudTV, discovered the need for her services when she saw a lack of resources for doctors looking to share their expertise. In a sense, she was her customer, and she understood where the need resided.
Koch emphasizes the importance of putting yourself out there tirelessly. As an entrepreneur, you’re often the salesperson, so you have to master the art of selling, he says, reflecting on the early years when he traveled from bar to bar with chilled bottles of Samuel Adams for bartenders to taste. “I had to go into a bar 10 times before I even got to see the bar manager.”
Photo by batintherain.
From Business Opportunities Weblog.
Source: Fear No.5: Staying Afloat
Presented here with permission by the very gracious Dane Carlson from the Business Opportunities Weblog.
]]>
Contrary to the stereotype of 20-somethings starting Web-based businesses in their basements, it’s actually the baby boomers who best embody the entrepreneurial spirit. Over the past decade, the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity was among people between the ages of 55 and 64, according to a recent study by the Kauffman Foundation.
Luckily, many people age 50 and older may be particularly well suited to entrepreneurship. “The more experience you have, the more likely you are going to be successful. You’re also more secure financially,” says Vivek Wadhwa, a Duke University professor who previously started two businesses and now studies entrepreneurs. “The average entrepreneur starts a company because they want to build wealth, they are tired of working for other people, and they have ideas.”
Check out these 10 Great Places for Entrepreneurs to Retire:
Arlington, Va.; Columbia, Md.; Fargo, N.D.; Fayetteville, Ark.; Fort Collins, Colo.; Knoxville, Tenn.;Lincoln, Neb.; Madison, Wis.; Round Rock, Texas; West Des Moines, Iowa.
Photo by TheSeafarer.
From Business Opportunities Weblog.
Source: 10 Best Places For Boomers To Start Bizs
Presented here with permission by the very gracious Dane Carlson from the Business Opportunities Weblog.
]]>
If a Twitter user tweets, but no one is following them, do they really tweet at all?
Aiming to make such philosophical gymnastics less necessary, Tweet My Bumper helps Twitterers recruit new followers by targeting one of life’s few remaining captive audiences: drivers in traffic.
Twitterers seeking followers need only visit Tweet My Bumper, enter their Twitter user name along with the usual other basic information, and Tweet My Bumper will print and ship them a bumper sticker that shows their Twitter name along with the tag line, “Follow me in traffic. Follow me on Twitter.”
Photo by Tweet My Bumper.
From Business Opportunities Weblog.
Source: Bumper Stickers Recruit Twitter Followers
Presented here with permission by the very gracious Dane Carlson from the Business Opportunities Weblog.
]]>Much like a photo, jewelry has a voice of its own. While it might not say something directly, it still represents a feeling, a thought, or event a special moment in time. All of which is very true for Stephanie White’s button bracelet collection,
a design that was inspired by a negative time in her life.
Now with her own personal button to push, SWCreations continues to expand. Beyond the button collection is a wide range of pieces to choose from. Within the 900 or so pieces of jewelry that Stephanie has listed, you’re likely to find something that will inspire you.
What inspired you to create SWCreations?
The initial inspiration for creating SWCreations was to find a creative outlet for all my extra mental energy after sleepless nights with a baby, and later running around all day after my toddler (I was a stay at home mother). I decided to call my company SW, which were are my initials. I decided on Creations because that left me open to create other things besides jewelry if the mood struck.
How many pieces do you generally have listed on your website at one time?
My store typically has about 900 pieces listed at one time. Every item is handcrafted, and most pieces are one of a kind, so when sales are brisk it is not always easy to keep my store stocked up with new items.
Tell us a little about your button collection.
I found my first jar of buttons at a local antique store. Inside this jar I found my first pendant sewn together with antique shell buttons and Swarovski crystals. My second purchase of buttons was on eBay. At that time, I was talking to a friend about how a particular competitor was really trying to “push my buttons”, and I came up with the idea of using these buttons as a symbol of my mental resolve to not allow people to “push my buttons”. Ironically, the eBay seller I was purchasing buttons from at the time had the type of personality that gave me another opportunity to practice what I had decided - to not allow “other people to push my buttons” Some people with whom I have shared my story that frequent estate sells began to gather even more buttons, and now I believe I may have a lifetime supply of buttons!
What inspired it?
The jewelry button design collection, ‘My BeadLoved Buttons’, was inspired by a really horrific event in the recent past. A competitor copied my web design and my jewelry designs, and then turned around and filed a false claim saying I had actually copied from HIM! I am sure you can imagine my emotional response to such a betrayal, and that greatly interfered with my creative “muse”. The entire situation was so unbelievably stressful that I found it was sabotaging my ability to be as creative. A long time friend, Shirley from www.GemstoneGifts.com suggested I find something creative to put all this extra energy into, and I found myself telling her over and over…this guy REALLY pushes my buttons!!!! So I began creating these new very intricate designs (translate that as something that required my full attention) and these darling little artistic creations were born from all that turmoil. I am a big believer in trying to make something positive come out of a negative situation.
Did you ever imagine your business would grow like it has?
I never imagined my business would thrive like it has, but I hoped! This company has given me the ability to raise my daughter while staying home as a single mother. Spending my day doing the two things I love most, taking care of my daughter, and creating things with my own hands, has been quite a blessing.
How has your business expanded/changed since it launched 10 years ago?
As my business grew and evolved I had to grow right along with it. I learned many different software programs, editing techniques, image processing shortcuts, SEO, HTML programming, etc, that have saved me a lot of time and money.
What goals do you hope to accomplish over the next year? Any long term goals?
I would love to have more time to be creative and design some new art pieces. I think one of my long term goals for my business is to hire some employees, and possibly a business manager.
What lessons have you learned from your business?
I believe, now more than ever, that I can truly do accomplish anything my heart desires.
Do you have any advice for anyone that might be interested in getting into the handmade jewelry business?
Do what you love, be yourself, and discover what you can create with your own imagination.
From Business Opportunities Weblog.
Source: SWCreations Inspires Others With Push Your Own Button Bracelets
Presented here with permission by the very gracious Dane Carlson from the Business Opportunities Weblog.
]]>
Shaving knowledge and technique is not instinctive, all men need to learn the art and unfortunately many learn it badly”.
A passionate statement from London-based grooming shop Geo F. Trumper, which now offers classes on how to shave properly.
Customer demand led to the introduction of the one-to-one sessions, in which a barber shows a customer the best techniques for shaving and how to avoid unsightly problems such as ingrown hairs and razor burn. Other shaving tips are offered according to skin type.
Two types of class are on offer from the Soho branch, depending on the skills sought: there’s the Mach 3 Shaving School at GBP 50, or the 90-minute Open Razor Shaving School at GBP 75.
Founded in 1875, the Trumpers chain is drawing on the power of status skills to expose modern men to its traditional craft while showing customers the advantages of its high-end range—something entrepreneurs in most industries should think of doing, if they aren’t already.
Which skills can you help your customers master?
Photo by saintbob.
From Business Opportunities Weblog.
Source: Barber Launches Shaving School
Presented here with permission by the very gracious Dane Carlson from the Business Opportunities Weblog.
]]>
Sometimes success can be found only after changing career directions.
Candace Nelson was a former investment banker who realized, after losing her job in the dot-com bust, that her life’s passion is baking. Candace then traded her suits to a baker’s uniform and found culinary success with her cupcakes.
In 2005, Candace first opened her cupcake bakery that she called Sprinkles in Beverly Hills, California. Her cupcakes, based on her own recipes, were an immediate hit. During their first few days of operation, her bakery sold out its inventory hours before the scheduled closing time. Soon Sprinkles was selling 1,000 cupcakes a day, with lines going around the block.
Her cupcakes have since been featured in shows like Oprah, Good Morning America, Today Show, even in Entourage. She has since opened 7 other Sprinkles bakeries in CA, TX and AZ areas, Plans are afoot to expand and open more stores in areas such as Washington DC, Miami, New York, and even Tokyo.
Photo by Entrepreneur Success Stories.
From Business Opportunities Weblog.
Source: Candace Nelson: Sweet Success with Sprinkles Cupcakes
Presented here with permission by the very gracious Dane Carlson from the Business Opportunities Weblog.
]]>
The idea of not having any time for yourself, neglecting your family and giving up your social life can be terrifying.
“A lot of entrepreneurs think, ‘If I own my own business, then I have to eat, breathe and sleep this business,’” Long says. “There’s a lot of guilt where they think any downtime should be spent on the business.”
This isn’t to say you shouldn’t always be thinking about how to better your business and that you shouldn’t jump into action whenever duty calls. Being an entrepreneur will consume a lot of your waking hours, but there are ways to manage the workload, ease the stress and still have time to live your life–and maintain the passion you started with.
“You have to do something you love,” Koch says. “Ask yourself, ‘Is this going to make me happy?’ If you can imagine yourself being happy, you can handle the trade-off and the sacrifices.”
Long advises practicing meditation. “You have to give your mind a break,” she says, recommending 15 to 20 minutes of silence, deep breathing and relaxation every day. “It helps you to refocus.”
And lastly, don’t be afraid to ask for help–whether it means hiring people to do the tasks you don’t have the time or know-how for, forming a discussion group or advisory board, reaching out to peers, or taking advantage of the small-business resources available.
Photo by Geoff Marshall.
From Business Opportunities Weblog.
Source: Fear No.4: Consuming Your Life
Presented here with permission by the very gracious Dane Carlson from the Business Opportunities Weblog.
]]>
1. Make meaning, not money.
2. Make a mantra, not a mission statement.
3. Jump curves.
4. In product design, “roll the DICEE.”
5. Don’t worry, be “crappy.”
6. Polarize people.
7. Let 100 flowers blossom.
8. Churn, baby, churn.
9. Niche yourself.
10. Follow the 10-20-30 rule.
Go here for more details on each commandment.
Photo by wikimedia.org.
From Business Opportunities Weblog.
Source: Entrepreneurship’s 10 Commandments
Presented here with permission by the very gracious Dane Carlson from the Business Opportunities Weblog.
]]>
Lyn Nielsen of web development company Desktop Solutions sent me these great tips in how and why to consider making your web site “mobile friendly” so that it more easily displays on web sites of cell phone browsers and I’d thought to share them with you.
• Review your competition.
• Think about how users will be using your site while on a mobile device.
• Consider the case of a high-end manufacturer whose products are sold through high-end department stores like Nordstrom’s, Neiman Marcus and Sak’s Fifth Avenue.
• Test your site.
• Consider mobile uses when you design your site.
• Consider registering a mobile version of your domain.
Photo by victorsween.
From Business Opportunities Weblog.
Source: Is Your Website Mobile Friendly?
Presented here with permission by the very gracious Dane Carlson from the Business Opportunities Weblog.
]]>