Archive for March 2010
Home Business Entrepreneur – 9 Proven Criteria to Get Started
March 30, 2010
After having interviewed literally hundreds of potential entrepreneurs I have found that there are three categories:
Wannabees
People who choose something more or less randomly with a very low financial investment not really committing themselves.
They typically buy a book they can resell, or they will start typing ads or surveys from home. Programs typically costing less than $50 to get them going. If it doesn’t work, they will try something else. It’s hard to believe they will become successful but at the other end, they didn’t risk anything.
Scared
The sheer amount of possibilities and the enormous amounts of money apparently available in this market makes them scared. They give up before they even try because they believe everything is a scam anyway. They simply don’t want to make any changes to their current situation or life.
Committed Entrepreneurs
People who understand that there are indeed ultra smart ways of making a very good living online provided you do your homework and stay committed. Provided they are able to protect themselves from negative circles of influence, they are ready to investigate a serious opportunity as it presents itself. Existing home based entrepreneurs are happy to help these people as it will allow them to coach serious, next generation leaders building the foundation for a strong and dedicated community of entrepreneurs.
The information in this article is for the latter group of entrepreneurs.
New to Home Business?
If you plan to start a home based business for the first time, criteria 1-6 are most applicable to you. Your main concern is the level of support and training. Becoming your own boss for the next period in your life means that you have to start to think a little different about business. Be prepared to take personal responsibility for your actions and learn multiple tasks. Even some personal development might be required to become more effective and self-reliant.
Experienced in Home Business?
If you have been working out of your home once before but are in the process of changing, focus on criteria 7-9. You want to make sure that your efforts will pay off this time… You have a big advantage in terms of a much shorter learning curve and your developed sense for business working from home.
1-Company
Always select a company that really exists, with real people and that has been in business for at least 5 years:
- They have proven themselves in time and are likely to stay alive successfully.
- Most likely, they have been scrutinized and investigated by different bureaus and administrations and survived different levels of allegations. This is a natural filtering process that happens to any company with a certain size and functions like a filter. This filter always works and weeds out the illegitimate schemes and unsuccessful businesses. So use it to your advantage!
2-Products
These should be real and marketable. Pyramid schemes where only money is passed around are 100% illegal and cannot exist for a long time. Just be aware of them and avoid them. More over, make sure you are excited about the products yourself. Believe me it helps when talking to others and when overcoming obstacles…
Training
Step-by-step program works best with personal contact to your coach. This allows you to learn from the professionals and make corrections as you go. Make sure the business plan has been proven to work and is generating results for those following the steps. Ideally, the training system should help you to become a problem solver who can handle small obstacles with confidence.
4-Slightly Challenging
Important: if you select an extremely simple business like typing ads or filling questionnaires working from home, you cannot expect any great rewards. Anyone in the world can do this and most of it can be automated anyway at lowest cost. How motivated will you be after 3 weeks typing the same ads over and over again…
5-Longevity
You want to do something for a longer time, become a specialist and this way you make sure the opportunity remains challenging and motivating enough for you to stay involved and focused. There is nothing worse than having to restart your learning curve over and over again and not make any progress…
6-Team
You learn faster and stay motivated if you can interact with an enthusiastic team. Make sure the team works professionally and is ready to help. There is nothing worse than to work at home without any one to interact with for support.
7-Investment
Common question of many people: ‘how much should I invest’. Difficult to answer. Some of us invest in powerful computers and large desks while others use the kitchen table and a simple laptop. What is important here is the level of flexibility to be able to make your own business decisions. Being your own boss means that you make your own decisions.
8-MLM?
You decide! Multi-level marketing business has created successful companies and I do know people who have become extremely successful in this business. The fact is that for this type of business you need to be a very good sales guy. If, like myself, you are not, then keep your eyes open. Because there are opportunities out there that don’t require you to change somebody’s brains around…
9-Compensation
Last but not least, how do you get paid? In many cases there is a balance between profits on products sold and a rewards for building teams in the organization (creating some kind of leverage). Compensation plans can be very sophisticated. Bottom line: spend enough time to check it out and ensure that the compensation plan has been proven to work already over a period of at least 5 years. Also remember, these is no value in getting compensated solely for enrolling other people in a program. These plans cannot be sustained for a long time and they might be illegal as well in certain states.
Once you have chosen your business, congratulations! The groundwork is done. Treat your new venture as an aeroplane on the runway. Load it with fuel and go full throttle. Don’t hold back so you don’t crash at the end of the runway…
Marius
http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/home-business-entrepreneur-9-proven-criteria-to-get-started-101734.html
The How-To’s of Hardwood Floor Refinishing
March 30, 2010
Many of the old houses employ hardwood flooring. The use of hardwood for floors was popularized in the circa 1960s. Today, there is a resurgence of hardwood floors because people find these floors to be very relaxing to the eye. Hardwood floors are very attractive because of their natural look.
For people who purchased an old house with withered hardwood flooring, they would probably want to look into refinishing the flooring. Carpets cannot hide the hideous truth forever, and at some point, these homeowners need to refinish the flooring. A bad hardwood floor can literally ruin the whole theme of the house therefore lowering its value.
Refinishing a hardwood flooring is a great idea. Yes, it is a great idea indeed and that is why professional refinishers of hardwood floors charge exorbitant fees to their clients. These clients can’t do anything but to succumb to the demands of the contractors because they don’t have the know-how of proper hardwood refinishing.
Given the proper know-how and techniques for hardwood refinishing, homeowners can be liberated from the financial burden of paying professional contractors to refinish their hardwood flooring. If one is able-bodied and can follow simple instructions, then there would be no reason at all why he can’t refinish the flooring himself.
Let’s take a look at the pertinent steps that one needs to do to be able to successfully refinish his hardwood flooring.
1) Do the preparatory stuff
Before engaging into sanding the floor or being too excited and buying all the necessary equipment and tools for the refinishing process, one needs to lay down the foundations and do the preparatory steps in the process.
First, one needs to decide what look he would want to give his hardwood floor. There should be a design and color scheme plan that should be laid out before one starts to sand. Knowing what one really wants is as important as doing the process properly. This is to ensure that he knows what he would want to do so that he knows how he can achieve his desired look.
After the plans have been laid out, make sure that all the furniture and other things in the room are taken out and stored properly.
2) Take out the nails
Sanding is perhaps one of the most important steps in the whole process of refinishing a hardwood floor, but don’t get too excited yet. Before sanding, make sure that all the nails in the hardwood. The nails need to be taken out because they will eventually damage the sand paper or the sanding discs and perhaps one’s hands if they are not taken out. The holes that are left by the nails should be filled with wood fillers that are of the same color as that of the wood.
3) Sand, sand, sand!
If the area of the flooring is not too big, then one can actually sand the floor manually (by hand). But if one deems that there is a need to use an electric sander, then he has two options: one is to buy a new one, the other is to rent. One can buy a pretty decent hardwood floor sander for under 100 US dollars. This can be seen as a good investment, but it really depends on how frequently it will be used. One can also choose to rent a sander from the local home depot or borrow from his neighbor.
One should sand the floor at least 3 times. The first should be made with a heavier grit and the grit level goes down each time. This will ensure that the wax and the coating will be removed thoroughly.
4) Stain the floor
Try to get the correct color that you would want to apply to your hardwood floor and test it in a small wood plank that is similar to the wood that is used in the flooring. Make sure that the stain is applied equally to the floor.
5) Refinish
Refinish with a polyurethane finish. Make sure that the container is stirred and not shaken to prevent bubbles from forming. Apply the solution equally throughout the flooring and wait for it to dry. It usually takes about 3 hours for the solution to dry.
Refinishing your own hardwood flooring is not an impossible task. One only needs the right materials and the right implementation of his plans to be able to successfully refinish such floors.
Lee Dobbins
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/the-howtos-of-hardwood-floor-refinishing-80305.html
New House Plans Construction Drawings, Part 1
March 29, 2010
Lynn Taylor of Taylor Made Plans discusses what sheets are provided to you in set of new house construction drawings. www.taylormadeplans.com
What You Get When You Order Plans
A set of Home Plans includes:
•Detailed floor plans, including wall placement and room, door, window, and stairway dimensions; door and window sizes are located on the floor plans
•Electrical layout plan, showing location of fixtures, outlets, and switches
•All exterior elevations, including exterior materials, details, and measurements
•Building sections (if necessitated by complex design)
•Wall sections and details
•Porch details
•Foundation and floor framing plans
•Framing details
•Ceiling and roof framing plans
Duration : 0:5:49
Avalon Log Home Log Home Raising Montana bldg 1 NM 434
March 29, 2010
This is a Avalon Log Homes handcrafted lodge built in Montana
Duration : 0:4:34
12×24 Tiny House Plans Video
March 29, 2010
This is a walk-through of a tiny house I’ve been working on for some time. The plans will be available soon and will cost $9.99 at TinyHouseDesign.com.
Duration : 0:4:22
Creative Home Concepts: sample 3D walk-through
March 29, 2010
Don’t take chances with the design of your dream home. We are a residential design firm and highly recommend using a designer that uses 3D modeling in the design process. The problem with traditional 2D home design is that owners really don’t get a feel for what their home will look like in “real life” until the house is framed. And often that is the point when the owner finds out their dream home is becoming a nightmare: Some key rooms may be too small, the layout does not flow well, or parts of the home look just look awkward. The owner is faced with either living in a home they are not delighted with, or else paying thousands of dollars in construction change orders.
Our clients have been absolutely delighted with our 3D virtual walk-through capability. They get to see” their home, inside and out, before its built and can make changes to their heart’s content, until the home has just the right look and feel. If you would like more information, please visit us at www.chcvisions.com
Duration : 0:1:27
Website’s with floor plans/home design plans?
March 27, 2010
I’m looking for some websites which contain some kind of home design plans or floor plans. Also anything with interior design pictures showing materials used and things. I’m just looking for some ideas while I design my own house. Thanks!
Hope this one may help you also.
http://www.homelement.com/room_planner.html
Recommendations for companies that sell Log Home kits?
March 27, 2010
I live in Vermont and planning to build a log home. Nothing huge or elaborate but i need reccomendations for companies that sell the kits. pleas respond if you’ve acutally bought one or knew someone who bought a kit. Ive already used search engines to find random companies.
I’ve seen that bass pro shops sells them . They look really nice and they don’t cost a fortune. Hope I helped!
Where can I find home plans/Blueprints stamped AIBD certified……?
March 27, 2010
Im trying to build a home but lender says plan/blueprints have to be stamped
AIBD certified…im not having any luck finding it.
A certified/licensed architect and or engineer stamps it.
does 3D work on home tv?
March 27, 2010
Im planning on buying My Bloody Valentine in 3D, but all i have is a dinky 24" glass screen tv to watch it on. Does anyone know if it will still have the 3D effect for sure or does it need to be flat screen or an LCD tv? And I know that even if it does work it wont be anyhting special cuz its so small.
What a coincedence! I got My Bloody Valentine in 3D yesterday! It works on my 32" tv, just make sure u have your 3D glasses.