| For anyone who has wanted to start a business and | | | | the computer and the other machines. |
| says "I can't" thisarticle is the solution to all of your | | | | Always watch your timing on the computers because |
| woes. For anyone thinking she doesn't know what | | | | you could run out of money and have to refill your |
| she's talking about and she is full of it. Let me give | | | | card in the middle of a project. I know because it has |
| you my own personal testimony. | | | | happened to me on several occasions. You will have |
| Many, many, many moons ago in 1985 I had become | | | | to jump up run to the machine, refill your card and |
| quite bored and disgruntledas a city government | | | | pray to the Almighty no one jumps on the computer |
| employee. It was unfulfilling and I knew there had to | | | | you're using and terminate your session. |
| bemore to life than this. I discovered in 1997 that I | | | | Also make sure you have change in increments of |
| was an unconventional personality type. (Before that | | | | one, five or ten dollar bills because trying to get a |
| I couldn't tell you what my problem was. No job ever | | | | hold of an employee is a project. Especially if they |
| satisfied me.) I became fascinated with computers | | | | are working on a print job or something else that |
| and information. I collected all kinds of what I | | | | commands their undivided attention. |
| considered useful information. My passion for | | | | Kinko’s is a place where you can take care of |
| knowledge and information kept me in libraries and | | | | your business needs. For the patrons they have |
| bookstores. (Barnes & Noble and Borders) | | | | paper cutters, three whole punches, rubber bands, |
| Fast forward it's 2002 and I am unemployed with | | | | staplers, and paperclips. Some office supplies can be |
| little to no income. I have discovered my passion and | | | | purchased there also along with printing your own |
| it is information. Also along my path I discovered I | | | | digital photos. Now when you go into Kinko’s |
| am an Entrepreneur. So with this information I move | | | | you are totally on your own and bring your common |
| forward in starting a business. | | | | sense with you when you go:) |
| There is only one problem, I have no computer, listed | | | | SET UP YOUR E-MAIL ACCOUNT-This is very critical |
| below are the steps that I took to get to where I | | | | and important to the success of your business. |
| am today. | | | | People need a way to contact you for whatever |
| GET A LIBRARY CARD-The library is your best | | | | reasons and you need a form of communication for |
| resource and, you can take care of all of your | | | | yourself. Plus this is also a way to build your list up |
| research and informational needs at one time. Now | | | | for contacts once you get the business rolling and |
| let me give you a word of caution! This library thing is | | | | you probably won't need to purchase a list of names |
| deep and if you don't know how to work it you | | | | to mail out your promo information and your |
| could get in a jam. | | | | products for sale. |
| I live in a suburb of Philadelphia, so the library situation | | | | For example as a result of my accumulation of |
| has gotten better for me. Be forewarned that in | | | | names and addresses I have close to 100 names on |
| Philadelphia it's every man for himself. Whomever | | | | my list. Now with that I can contact everyone with |
| gets there first and makes their reservation that's | | | | my information and if they are not interested the |
| the person who goes first but, be on the look out | | | | people on my list know how I operate. Forward it to |
| because the person may have changed their mind | | | | someone who can use it. I can't tell you the number |
| (They get a five minute grace period after their sign | | | | of email messages that I get with at least 30 to 50 |
| on time.) and forfeited their reservation, that's when | | | | addresses attached to it! I can't begin to imagine the |
| you move in and ask the librarian if they can put you | | | | number of people that one of my messages reaches. |
| on that computer. If you're lucky and you go to the | | | | Let's just put this in perspective a minute so you can |
| right library you will have one full hour to use the | | | | visualize this. |
| computer. | | | | Ex: Person A (That's me) sends a message out to 30 |
| REGISTER FOR CLASSES-This one really worked out | | | | people. Those 30 people send a message out to 30 |
| for me in | | | | people. Those 30 people send a message to 30 |
| 2002 because I was taking one free class at the | | | | people. |
| Community College and a paid class at the University | | | | Now we do the math: |
| so I had the best of both worlds. I was able to go | | | | 30 x 30 = 900 |
| to the University library 7 days a week and during | | | | 900 x 30 = 27,000 |
| mid-terms and finals week the library was open until | | | | 27,000 x 30 = 810,000 |
| 12 midnight. So I got a whole heap of work | | | | 810,000 x 30 = 24,300,000 |
| accomplished. It was okay because all of the workers | | | | Total reached 24,300,000 |
| and my classmates got to know me as the one who | | | | Now let's just say you are selling a product at $29.00 |
| stays in the library until midnight. | | | | and just 1% of those people purchase your product |
| FAMILY MEMBERS-Now when I couldn't get to a | | | | which would be 24,300,000. You will have made |
| computer and the library was closed. I would use my | | | | $7,047,000.00. |
| mother's computer, of course there were limitations | | | | Now this is possible because Forbes just added 120 |
| and I couldn't get all of the things done that I | | | | billionaires to its billionaires list ([ from last year so |
| wanted. I also on occasion would go to my father's | | | | people are making money. |
| house and use the computer but, I would have to | | | | Now you will want to do a search for free email |
| make sure none of the nieces and nephew were on | | | | sites, I presently use Hotmail and Yahoo. Also you will |
| it, or had any pressing projects. | | | | want to look into a list managing outfit, because |
| FRIENDS-Now this is a tough one because when you | | | | AOL, MSN, and CompuServe have a limit. Some |
| go to a friend’s house there are interruptions. | | | | options are Spark list, Topica.com, just to name a |
| They might start talking to you, asking questions, | | | | few. |
| invite you out to eat, or "I am heating up such and | | | | START YOUR OWN SITE- Use the least cost |
| such do you want some?" Of course who can pass | | | | effective way to do this. There are promos for |
| up a good home cooked meal? Maybe you can but I | | | | cheap Domain names but by the time you add |
| do admit I love to eat. Especially a well prepared | | | | everything up if you don't have a lot of resources |
| mouth-watering meal. If you have a friend who | | | | this can be kind of costly. There are other options |
| leaves the house or room and let's you do your | | | | out there also for instance one woman I know |
| thing, then GO FOR IT! | | | | started one on a Christian site, but she couldn't sell |
| KINKOS-This can be very, very, very, costly. I usually | | | | anything. |
| use them as my very, very, very last resort. I am | | | | Also watch out for the rip off sites that take your |
| sure you get the message about cost by now with | | | | money and you get nothing for your trouble. I got |
| the emphasis on the word "very." Now with | | | | suckered into one of these deals. (SO BEWARE!) |
| Kinko’s you will have to get a plastic card | | | | Then there is the blog site which I use and it is free. |
| which is free, but you must put money on the card. | | | | You can do a search for free blogsites, and I |
| You can put as much or as little as you like. They | | | | recommend they seem to be pretty reliable. |
| also have the credit card option that you can use in | | | | |