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	<title>TheMiddleShelf.com</title>
	
	<link>http://themiddleshelf.com</link>
	<description>Tips and Musings on Business, Career, Life</description>
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		<title>Managing Sales Taxes</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/themiddleshelf/~3/gZr4TSLbtug/</link>
		<comments>http://themiddleshelf.com/2012/05/16/managing-sales-taxes/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2012 16:07:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Maria Helm</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Online Sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://themiddleshelf.com/?p=1155</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you&#8217;re in the business of selling products, it&#8217;s likely you must collect a tax on each transaction.  For small business owners, managing sales taxes can be a big headache. For starters, the debate over online sales taxation is growing.  Last year at least nine states pushed bills that would require online retailers to collect [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Steering Life’s Speed Bumps</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/themiddleshelf/~3/SqdLDdbVf0M/</link>
		<comments>http://themiddleshelf.com/2012/05/07/steering-lifes-speed-bumps/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 07 May 2012 16:46:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Maria Helm</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Attitude]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Resolving conflic]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://themiddleshelf.com/?p=1148</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Resolving personal and professional issues quickly is ideal but not always possible.  Here are quick tips to help you focus on what you can control if conflict arises and/or persists: Your role.  Ask yourself, &#8220;What have I said or done or not said or done, that has kept this going?  Be honest with  your answers [...]]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Carve Out Time for Pursuits That Bring Happiness</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/themiddleshelf/~3/1yqwPvM4P0M/</link>
		<comments>http://themiddleshelf.com/2012/03/21/carve-out-time-for-pursuits-that-bring-happiness/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Mar 2012 23:04:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Maria Helm</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Motivation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Attitude]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fear]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Happiness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Self-help]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://themiddleshelf.com/?p=1139</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Katherine Hepburn whiled away the long stretches on movie sets by knitting.  After putting down her pen, novelist Marjorie Rawlings cooked up plots as she baked pies.  Queen Victoria filled dozens of sketchbooks with charming watercolors of her children when not ruling an empire. But the children call to us.  The house calls to us.  [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Marketing On A Budget</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/themiddleshelf/~3/SRrTaEnVNQA/</link>
		<comments>http://themiddleshelf.com/2012/02/23/marketing-on-a-budget/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Feb 2012 17:09:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Maria Helm</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://themiddleshelf.com/?p=1126</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You too can drive sales without furthering your expenses. Consider the following tips to marketing on a budget: Internet sales tools - spread the word. Keep costs down by using Internet sales tools like ClickBank, Facebook or Google. Consider commission only sales staff. If you have a proven product or service, a bold brand and [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Think Big, Start Small</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/themiddleshelf/~3/vIH1o-om2PA/</link>
		<comments>http://themiddleshelf.com/2012/01/26/think-big-start-small/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:05:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Maria Helm</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Goal-setting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://themiddleshelf.com/?p=1119</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We have learned to dream big and to go for our dreams.  These are important messages for a successful venture, but sometimes we get carried away and don&#8217;t give our dreams time to firmly take root. I remember a colleague of mine dreamed of launching an annual online marketing conference.  He had a great concept [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Ithaka by Constantine Cavafy</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/themiddleshelf/~3/xIbJuFWwtUY/</link>
		<comments>http://themiddleshelf.com/2012/01/02/ithaka-by-constantine-cavafy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:20:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Maria Helm</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Goal-setting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motivation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Attitude]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Goals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ithaka]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Journey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Success]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://themiddleshelf.com/?p=1095</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I first heard of the poem Ithaka by the Greek poet C. P. Cavafy at the funeral of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.  I was moved when I heard it not only because it was used as an elegy, but how meaningful it is to our modern lives. When someone reads the Odyssey he/she should pay close [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Contagious Joy</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/themiddleshelf/~3/NHpAbgvGRmQ/</link>
		<comments>http://themiddleshelf.com/2011/12/08/contagious-joy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:08:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Maria Helm</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motivation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Attitude]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Joy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://themiddleshelf.com/?p=1082</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As the days get shorter and colder, my thoughts turn to cozy nights in front of the fire, hot cocoa, and of course, meals shared with loved ones.  The air practically vibrates with good feelings&#8211;and not just figuratively. A study conducted by UC San Diego found that positive emotions&#8211;such as happiness felt during the holidays&#8211;are [...]]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Leverage your website to improve your sales</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/themiddleshelf/~3/Up3tBiDGc9g/</link>
		<comments>http://themiddleshelf.com/2011/11/02/leverage-your-website-to-improve-your-sales/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:28:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Maria Helm</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Customer Service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Entrepreneurship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[website]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://themiddleshelf.com/?p=1071</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Regardless of your industry or the size of your business, you can leverage you website to find more new customers, serve your existing customers and convert more leads to sales. Here are some answers to some of our customers questions that will help you put the web to work for your business. I’m a local [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Online Video For Your Small Business</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/themiddleshelf/~3/3_3M_9fSFiY/</link>
		<comments>http://themiddleshelf.com/2011/09/14/video-as-a-marketing-tool-for-your-business/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:30:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Maria Helm</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[brand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Online video]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://themiddleshelf.com/?p=1054</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Online video is a great tool for building brand awareness.  It a great tool to reach new customers and increase sales.  You can spend a lot of money on a sophisticated video marketing campaign, or you can pick up your camcorder and do it yourself.  In fact, an unpretentious and honest-looking video  may be more [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>How To Motivate Employees To Do The Right Thing</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/themiddleshelf/~3/OvtISUyCYC8/</link>
		<comments>http://themiddleshelf.com/2011/09/06/how-to-motivate-employees-to-do-the-right-thing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Sep 2011 00:07:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Maria Helm</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Attitude]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[productivity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stay motivated]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Values]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://themiddleshelf.com/?p=1061</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As a follow-up to my previous post &#8220;How to Motivate Clients To Do The Right Thing,&#8221; I thought that it will be beneficial for small business owners to motivate their employees to do the same.  After all, employees are considered your business&#8217; most valuable asset, right?  You want your employees to put in a good [...]]]></description>
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