Before we talk about resources for finding a business broker, let us first understand who is a business broker. Business broker resembles very much to the real estate agent. The job of the business broker is to bridge the gap between the buyer of the business and the seller of the business. If you wisely choose the right business broker, you can save a lot of money in the business transactions taking place through him. Here are some resources for finding a business broker for you.

Ask the People Whom You Already Know For Referrals: Whenever we look for something that is new to us and we are not familiar with it, we try to gather information from the people we already know, and have faith in them that they would not misguide us. Same procedure we can apply when we look for the resources for finding a business broker. Take the advice of your business associates, accountants, lawyer and other associations of the industry to get the names of business brokers. If a reliable person gives the reference of any business broker then there is no harm in considering him for hiring his services.

IBBA: Another very good resource for finding a business broker is the International Business Brokers Association or IBBA. This is an institute of business brokers working on non-profit basis. There are approximately one thousand three hundred members of this association.

Go Through the Advertisements in Newspapers: One very good resource for finding a business broker is newspaper. Look for the advertisements under the business opportunities. You should check local, regional and national all types of newspapers for this purpose. You will observe several businesses for sell in these advertisements. Although, these advertisements are intended to attract prospective buyers yet you can check them to find out the names of the people who are managing these deals.

Yellow Pages: Another resource for finding a business broker is to look in the yellow pages. However, do not get confused with the real estate agents and look specifically for the brokers who have experience in the selling of businesses. Any broker who just lists the name of your business on the multiple listing services is of no use to you. These kinds of brokers do not give required time to make such business deals.

Sign an Agreement After You Have Selected the Business Broker: After your search for finding a business broker ends and you succeed in finding the right business broker, sign an agreement with him. State clearly in the agreement that what type of marketing strategy the business broker will adopt to sell your business. Do not forget to mention that any such advertisement must not carry the name of your business.

Every body wishes that he should have a business of his own. However, the main hurdle in making this dream a reality is the shortage of money. The federal government understands this problem of the people who want to start a new venture but do not have required amount of money to start the business. That is why government has made several grants available for small businesses. Grants are available particularly for the small businesses under several schemes. Government believes that small businesses have the capability of making a great contribution to the growth of the economy of the nation.

Several Agencies, Many Schemes and Billions of Dollars: Availability of grants under several schemes has made the job much easier for the small business entrepreneurs. All they have to do is just select the right grant. The US government is providing billions of dollars as federal grants to the small businesses with the aim of making already strong economy better. An addition to this, several state development agencies, local governments, intermediary lending organizations and other non-profit organizations are making grants available for small businesses. There is no restriction on any type of business when it comes to availing the grants provided by these institutes.

Easy to Qualify: The eligibility norms for getting the grants available for small businesses are also very easy to fulfill. You do not have to provide any type of collateral security, security deposits or credit checks. Only requirement is that you must be a citizen of the United States of America and have completed the eighteen years of the age to avail the grants from federal government, state government or any other institution.

How to Start: How to begin the process of availing grants for your small business? First, locate the source from which you can avail grant in your locality or state. For this purpose, you can get a list of the agencies from the government offices. Next step in this process is choosing the right scheme that suits most to your business.

Website grants.gov: One more source of getting further information regarding the availability of grants for small businesses is the government website grants.gov. This website is capable of providing any information you require for applying for the grants. According to the website, 26 agencies can help you in this regard. The number of schemes offered by these 26 agencies is more than one thousand. Furthermore, when you choose this website for applying, you skip several tedious tasks that you need to do when you apply offline. However, a formal business plan is required that tells the lending institute about your plans that how would you utilize the money you are availing as grant for your business.

Modern age companies, unlike the traditional firms, are spending colossal amount of resources in two key areas i.e. a) undertaking research and b) training manpower. These resources contribute to firm’s hard earned intellectual property pool. Another key distinction among the firms of then and now is the growing decentralization wherein firms are no longer trying to stay in a cocoon and avoid any outsiders. This era is marked by growth through expansion and external investment. However any such growth or transition not only implies external investment but also is indicative of involvement of more players, of which many could not be trustworthy. But to succeed it is imperative to open out. Than what is the way out to prevent miss-use of such information spread among associates, colleagues and employees?

Enables Spread of Information in the Desired Form: A nondisclosure agreement with the information sharers proves to be a handy tool in such situations. This vital instrument helps prevention of flow of key research outputs and other such information to any undesired sources, while at the same time keeping the requisite details available for all concerned. Such an understanding among associates not only substantiates as a legal document in any eventual legal proceedings but the only existence of the same de-motivates all concerned to take any action against the company’s interest.

Keeps a Check on Competition: A nondisclosure agreement therefore acts as a preventive tool and at the same time curbs internal competition by preventing those involved from opening up their own individual initiatives in the same field of work in a specified area for a particular period. This is your information and therefore does not deserve to be used by others for personal use.

Acts As an Employee Retention Tool: A clearly defined nondisclosure agreement between the employer and employees also acts as an important instrument against increasing instances of employee fraud. A limiting factor, which discourages employee to join direct competition for better packages, is like magical wand to the disturbed employees who spend enormous amounts just to recruit, train and retain employees. Nobody wants to be training school, especially for competition, than why not prevent loss of such crucial intellectual property resources.

Various Non- Disclosure Agreements (NDA) are posted online and cane be referred to for making an NDA. However to ascertain if the same fulfills the desired guidelines and covers the loopholes depending upon the company’s functioning within the legal framework it is advised to get the same made form the professional. This would though entail a one time fee, yet this cost could save those enormous losses arising out of miss-management on account of information and resources i.e. company’s valuable intellectual property.

The environment of the office bundled with other crucial factor acts as a determining tool in the overall thinking process and eventual reactions at any specified time. The overall environment plays a fundamental role in shaping up the outcome and thereby could result in desired or deviate from otherwise possible outcome if not paid appropriate attention.

A normal working individual spends at least 8 – 10 hrs. / day in the office (excluding the travel time) and the rest passes unnoticed in the other daily chores of life. In this stated duration if we add the travel time (accounting for the increasing traffic in cities) and the time spent in dressing for the office or preparing for the next day, the time dedicated towards office could well increase to 12 – 15 hrs. / day. Now consider a situation wherein you are spending the chunk of your day at a place that literally stinks. The environment is stuffed and managing office politics is more crucial than any other day’s work. Such occurrences only have negative impact and do not leave a scope for positive attitude towards the regular day-to-day work, leave aside innovation.

This problem in different variants is being faced by all organizations irrespective of size or nature of work performed. The environment tends to demoralize even the most creative ones. The one time high performers over a time subside in their own caves and restrict them to the typical 9 to 5 routine without any impelling force to gear up and strive towards new avenues. The only option that remains is: looking for a new job.

This challenge has been continually haunting HR managers who, considering the stiff competition are anyways facing enormous problems in hiring the right candidate. Complementary are the huge training cost. Then what is the right solution?

Way Out: The solution is to create an environment inducing to work and prompting rapid innovations. An environment that allows one to experiment and renders the requisite space and resources is the perfect remedy to work struck illness.

Employees must be internally motivated to research and create the required extra in addition to their daily work requirements. Few means to achieve such open environment could be:

• Create an effective communication channel. Make sure that you as a boss are accessible. The channel should be two ways.

• Create an effective reward system. The worthy must be honored.

• Do not be afraid of experiments. They are the roads to inventions.

• Promote a horizontal structure to the extent possible instead of various layers.

• Impart individuality. Recognition is an effective motivation tool.

• Organize one off cultural activities.

• Eliminate unhealthy competition among the team members or employees in the same department.

Human beings have witnessed enormous transition overtime in every aspect of life. From being an ape to the present modern, civilized versions, this species seems to have a greater tendency to change than any other species of life. There is no section of the society that has stayed untouched from the brisk changes covering almost every sphere.

The employment patterns and relationships have also tremendously altered since the conventional times. Moving from a slave-master relationship to the present employee – employer chemistry, the complete outlook has transformed. Employees are no longer working on commands; rather they are working for their own desires and their planned career graphs. It therefore becomes a challenge for the organization to involve employees on a long-term basis. The smarter category would soon drift away to better available opportunities (in spite best pay packages and other associated benefits) and the otherwise average would stick but even they would perform for the heck of it.

Moreover, the only one who is concerned is you because you own this firm. The losses directly affect you and more than that; the inherent emotional attachment strikes right inside, thus making the pain even bitter. However, the so-called professional family moves on. Increasing job-hopping and absenteeism are a norm. A massive proportion of earning goes into nursing the desired ones but then, is there a better solution? How can one make the employees fell the way owner does.

Let Employees Own Their Work:

Well the answer lies in the question itself. Make employees fell that they own the work. Create an environment where they work because they want to work and see their “own” company grow. Let them believe that it is they who will eventually gain out of it. Make it an attachment rather than a professional understanding. Few crucial factors that could result in the said culture are:

• Let employees feel that they are a part of the organization. Include them while taking important decisions, for attending conferences, crucial meetings and seek advice before taking smaller or bigger changes.

• Refer to their key suggestions and contributions in public.

• Divulge in small one-off chitchats, not related to the scope of responsibility.

• It is important to recognize the effort so ensure to give positive feedback and chalk out realistic bonus schemes.

• Introduce ESOP, i.e., Employee Stock Option Schemes, however with limited buying-out rights. This is a direct way to share holding rights, but, due consideration must be given to company’s market position.

Hiring or rather right hiring, acts as the performance enabler for any organization. Unlike earlier times, firms now have dedicated human resource wings or rather even more specific recruitment wings responsible for identification and subsequent gathering of the right resources.

This era has witnessed the changing yardsticks in the employment market and has affected the traditional modes of hiring. Employing the right candidate for the right job is now a tedious task and outlays various predicaments. The hiring costs considering the associated issues and vital requirements have also seen an enormous increase.

These continual challenges have motivated HR managers to look out for new ways to hire. In the same strive hiring through referrals has earned itself quite a chunk. Though this means of hiring was prevalent earlier as well in few hidden forms, however has now been acknowledged as an important enabler of recruitment.

Hiring Through Referrals: Pros and Cons.

Hiring through referrals refers to hiring candidates introduced or recommended by the already existing employees of an organization.

This system of hiring is considered as quite beneficial to the organization. Candidates introduced through employee referrals are already tested on their technical aspect of the skills and in this case, existing employees have their own image at stake, which prompts better results.

Another motivating factor in this arrangement is the increasing employee engagement and their positive perceptions, which improve the overall working environment. This mode of hiring also substantially reduces the hiring costs spent in advertising, organizing interviews or consultant commissions and the hiring time.

Employee referral programs are also considered as good filter in terms of judging a candidate’s background for any personal or job related issues before hiring. After all, who would like to refer an alcoholic?

However, a major concern hovering around this mode of hiring is the fear of favoritism. A school of thought fears that such hiring could lead to creation of smaller informal groups within the overall organizations and might lead to unnecessary politics or unionism, thereby negatively affecting the working climate.

Considering the positives this problem could be catered to by not referring to direct relatives. Another way out could be to ensure appointment of such candidates in different departments, as the employee who referred them. In any eventuality, make sure that even the referred candidates are screened thoroughly and have to appear for the normal selection process. The only advantage is that they secure themselves an interview slot.

Hiring thorough referrals is certainly a helpful tool, especially if compared with other modes that encompass huge hiring costs and time, however to cover up the associated threats like nepotism it must be ensured to administer the entire process closely. Any mismanagement or relaxation on the part of ineffective managers, while hiring, could certainly far surpass the positives and lead to huge losses.

Warehouse is the heart of wholesale distribution system. It is the place where the goods first arrive, stored, packed, and then transported to various outlets for sale. Keeping track of the inventory in constant motion can make or break the entire business. Errors in warehouse operation can undermine operations resulting in customer dissatisfaction and financial disaster, a sure death knell for business.

Improving Warehouse Productivity:

Efficient warehousing operations are vital to a firm competitiveness in today’s global environment. Industrial operations management techniques can be gainfully employed to optimize your operations and maintain high productivity levels.

• Process Optimization: As businesses evolve, a number of inefficiencies get embedded in the processes and systems of the firm. Make a deliberate effort to constantly review the processes involved in your operations and carry out optimization. Focus on efficiency and eliminate delays and bottlenecks that hamper workflow and increase processing time. This helps in reducing operating costs, improved capacity utilization and improved quality and service levels.

• Training: It is very important to train employees for achieving and sustaining productivity levels. It yields consistent results and improves the product quality. Trained employees follow proper methods and procedures while doing their tasks. This leads to higher productivity levels. More importantly, these levels are then sustained over time. In addition, it provides management with an effective tool to evaluate associates who have been brought up to common level by training.

• Labor Standards: Measuring multiple variable work functions evolves these standards. Working with operators who perform these tasks on a daily basis, engineers carry out time studies and workload information to calculate completion rates of various tasks. Productivity standards for various work functions are then compiled. This is much better than having standards based on theoretical calculations. It is a good performance measurement tool and forms a valid basis for feedback and implementation of incentive programs.

• Productivity Reporting: This is an essential part of any operation and provides managers with essential quantifiable data about the efficiencies of the system. It forms the basis of all activities to sustain productivity over time. A productivity tracking system is generally put in place, it generates reports, and data that are used to evaluate performance, implement incentive programs and monitor productivity. The software has the capability to provide operational performance data across various departments/ functions down to individual employees. It is particularly useful as the charts and graphs outputted by the system give a graphic view of the health of the operation.

Warehouse management involves physical warehouse infrastructure dealing with receipt, storage and movement of goods within an operation and then process the associated transactions. Knowledge about inventory control and warehousing systems, transport management, order management, mathematical calculations for optimum storage, risky goods management and entire accounting system.

A Warehouse Management System (WMS) is an important part of an effective Supply Chain Management system. Implementation of WMS along with data collection will increase accuracy, efficient labor utilization to save costs without affecting goods movement cycle.

Implementation of a WMS:

The basic logic of any WMS software is combination of items, location, quantity, unit of measure, order information, where to stock, to pick up from and in what sequence to perform these operations. It is all about directed movement before you set up the extensive warehouse system by assigning specific logic to the various combinations of item/order/quantity/location and information in correct sequence.

• Location Sequence: Define the pick up flow through the warehouse and assign a sequence number to each location.

• Zone Logic: It designates an area; combine this with exact location logic within the zone to direct picking, put away, replenishment to and from specific areas of the warehouse.

• Fixed Location. It uses pre-determined fixed locations per item piece picking, case-pick operation, put away and replenishment.

• Random Location: It generally refers to areas where products are not stored in fixed locations. With combination with other logic, exact location can be determined.

• FIFO: Directs picking from the oldest inventory first. First-In-First-Out.

• LIFO: Last-In-First-Out is very relevant for overseas customers because of longer transit time. Especially useful for distribution of perishable goods for both domestic as well as overseas customers.

• Quantity or Unit of Measure: Allows you to pick directly the same item based upon the quantity or unit-of-measured order from different primary picking or reserve storage locations.

• Few Locations: This logic is primarily used for productivity. It determines least number of locations needed to pick the entire quantity or to stock the entire quantity. The only drawback of this logic is poor space utilization.

• Pick-to Clear: Great for space utilization as it directs pickings to the locations with the smallest quantities on hand.

• Reserved Location: It predetermines specific location to move inbound or outbound shipments, even to an awaiting outbound trailer.

• Nearest Location: This directs goods for picking/put away to the closest available location to that of previous set up.

• Maximize Cube: Slightly impractical, but uses unit dimensions to calculate cubic inches per unit to cube capacity of the location. Units can then be stacked in a manner that it fills every cubic inch of available space.

• Consolidate. It creates additional moves to consolidate, such as, products stored in multiple locations.

• Lot Sequence: This logic uses lot number or lot date to determine locations to pick from or replenish.

Other Functions/Considerations of WMS:

• Activity-based costing/billing for shipment, storage or transaction
• Labor tracking/ Capacity planning in manufacturing
• Yard management for cross docking of trailers
• Slotting of packages in best locations
• Pick cartons is best for similar size and weight cartons
• Cycle counting for operational functionality
• Advanced shipment notification to automate receiving process
• Automated data collection with bar codes
• Task interleaving and order picking to obtain maximum productivity
• Combine multiple logic methods to determine best location for pick up, put away to optimize space utilization and productivity.

Disasters can happen any time and anywhere. Chemical spillage from overturned truck, power outages, brownouts or surges, windstorms, tornadoes and earthquakes can affect your business adversely. Prepare your employees and clients to respond to any possible disaster in advance by providing training and safety information. No business should operate without a disaster plan or back-up systems. Develop risk or contingency management plans, considering, human resources, physical resources and business continuity.

Building a Plan:

• Keep phone lists of key employees and customers handy with copies of the same to key staff members.

• Designate and provide one remote number on your office voice mail system to record messages for employees.

• Have programmed call forwarding for main business lines. If you cannot get to office, call in and reprogram phones to ring elsewhere.

• Install emergency lights that turn on in case of power outage.

• Make sure the employees can leave the premises without a key and do not get locked in.

• Use UL-listed surge protectors and battery back-up systems to protect sensitive equipment and help prevent computer crash due to power blackout.

• Keep NOAA Weather Radio with a tone alert feature for early severe weather warning so protective actions can be taken.

• Stock a minimum supply of goods, material or equipment for business continuity, even through disaster.

• Protect valuable property and equipments with insurance.

• In case of unexpected confinement at your business, keep emergency supplies like first aid kit, tools, flashlights, food and water to tide over crisis.

Reducing Potential Damage to Property:

• Prevent or reduce damage in your work area by taking a few precautions.
• Bolt tall bookcases or display cases to wall studs.
• Keep large objects secured on lower shelves to prevent fall and resulting injury.
• Fasten breakable objects with hook and loop fasteners on stands.
• Keep drawers and cabinets latched to prevent flying open and spilling contents.
• Secure framed pictures and mirrors to the wall with closed screw eyes.
• Install flexible connectors to appliances fuelled by natural gas.
• Have shutters to close windows against severe storms or hurricanes.
• Install automatic fire sprinklers.

Protecting the Business, Employees and Customers – A Business Continuation Plan A disaster plan for your business should aim to achieve the minimum dislocation and have the business up and running with a minimum loss of time and resources. Some suggested measures are:

• Appoint a second in command who has full authority to take decisions in your absence.
• All members of should be clear about their responsibilities.
• Have “hot” standby for your main computer. Back-up copies of data should be kept at a different site. Critical paper records should be well protected.
• Designate and train one staff member in each work shift as safety coordinator. He should contact owner and operator in times of emergency.
• Contact your local Red Cross Chapter to teach preparation against disaster.

Being prepared at all times for an event that cannot be predicted requires careful forethought and detailed planning. You will reap handsome dividends if you map out and implement a disaster recovery plan for your business. Do take all employees on board about details of the plan and the various roles they are required to perform. Rehearsals or mock drills should also be carried out to test the efficacy of your plan.

Whether you run a brick and mortar store front,(off-line store), or you are an internet marketer, everyone knows that profits are what it’s all about. If your business is not producing profits then you are not going to be in business for very long. That is unless you are independently filthy rich and have nothing better to do with your money. How do we increase profits, well the two basic ways come to mind. We could increase the selling price or we could increase the number of sales. It is my opinion that the second choice is the best and more acceptable method to choose. Selling your product or service for a fair market value as opposed to an over inflated price will draw more attention, therefore raising the opportunity for increased sales. The marketer that over inflates the selling price stands a better chance of driving away the market wise shopper. See if the following thoughts are not fuel for that blazing inferno.

When constructing your website or community image, establish the image that you are a real person not just another website, or corner store. Start by creating a profile page or an about us page where you can write a short informational paragraph about yourself and or your family, include a picture of yourself, and a history of your experience in your field of business. This could also be done with a press release as well.

Everyone loves to gain more knowledge, even about things they already know so you could publish your own e-book and give it away for free on your site as well as in your free e-zine or free news-letter. This should increase your site traffic, subscribers, and sales, which as we said, more sales equals more profits.

Really stoke those flames with multiple streams of income on your site by promoting affiliate programs, selling your own products and you could even sell advertising space, and have a Google AdSense program on your site.

When you are selling your own products remember to research the market first before creating those products. Without any demand for your product you will not have sales.

Do not overwhelm your customers by having too many products or services on your site at one time. In many cases too many choices drives customers away do to confusion of which item to buy, instead of making a sale. If you have a large variety of items to offer try displaying them on your site in a rotating fashion.

Also remember you can place items on your “Thank Page”, which will become your immediate backend sales. Make these high profit impulse items, items that your customer will feel they can not do without.

Establish your credibility by always having a “Contact Page”, the more ways of contacting you that you give your customers the more apt they will come to trust you and continue to return to your site and buy from you.

You should always promote what you are selling in all the content and free give a-ways on your site . Should visitors to your site not read your sales pitch they will most often read your free offerings. Any downloadable written informational item that you give a-way should always be branded with link backs to your site and products.

Along with the idea of creating your image as a person keep in mind that even customers like to be complimented from time to time. Therefore in the construction of your sales page and within the content of your website be sure to strategically place general compliments to your customers, this will place them in a good mood and you will win their trust, thus inspiring them to buy from “you”.

Be sure not to forget to always use the “P.S.” in your ad copy. This serves as a multifunctional tool for any ad copy, where you will have your “call to action” phrase, your “major Free Bonus”, and or repeating a very “strong benefit” of doing business with you.

Logistics includes all the process involved right from purchasing the raw materials until the product is delivered to the customers. It includes processes, such as, purchasing, inventory management, warehousing, production, storing, shipping etc. Improvements in logistic management would benefit any company from large corporations to small businesses significantly.

Advantages of Logistics Management:

Logistics improvements can effectively reduce the cost of doing business as well as improve profits greatly. It also improves efficiency, reduces inventory, improves delivery time and customer satisfaction, as well as giving your business a competitive edge. You can manage and improve the logistics or outsource if you cannot do it yourself. When you opt for out sourcing, you get a professional to help improve your logistics, as well as to reduce costs, which may take some time if you plan to do your own logistics improvements. Businesses have to keep their logistics in order; if they want to succeed Careful planning as well as incorporating the plans will help achieve that.

Different Areas of Logistics:

Several service providers, such as, accountants, attorneys, bankers insurance agents, information technology experts, website developers, e-commerce gurus, travel service providers and real estate service providers keep logistics for small businesses in order. If the advice of these people is sought and used, small business will definitely see improvements in all aspects of the business. They have to be consulted when a small business is to be started, as they will help your business take the right steps to ensure success. Since their help in keeping logistics for small businesses in order is tremendous, they have to be selected with care.

Consider choosing reputable, ethical and experienced service providers to ensure they help improve logistics for small businesses. Make sure you are clear about how they will help your business, what you expect from them and to make sure you are able to work within your budget. These people will help logistics for small businesses by helping set goals to be achieved within certain period of time. Carefully choose people who understand the nature of your business and are trust worthy.

Your businesses will definitely grow, when all logistics operations are carefully planned and in harmony with each other. Failure to coordinate logistics will result in loss of time, money as well as effort and will be a step towards failure of the business. When you are not sure how to improve the logistics, consider professional help as these experts can improve logistics for small businesses without much ado at reasonable costs. There are consultants; large as well as small firms offering logistics help for all kinds of businesses. Choose wisely keeping in mind if they are suitable as well as economical.

A service mark identifies and distinguishes the source of a service. It is any word, name, symbol, device, or any combination of some or all of them used or intended to be used in commerce. These service marks are used in advertisements for a service. It is better to register the service marks and safeguard your company and the usage of your service marks.

Service Marks: How to File.

The application for registering service marks can be filed only by the owner of the mark. The owner is the person who uses or controls the use of the mark as well as controls the nature and quality of the services offered. Make sure your service mark is not a copy of any other mark as well as that it is uniquely yours, before filing registration forms.

Before registering the service marks make sure you have a scanned copy of the service marks to be used as well as being sure what class your service come under and your basis for filing. The application for registering service marks may be filed electronically over the Internet using TEAS. While visiting the TEAS website, look for application forms and select the appropriate form. The site is user-friendly, and hence navigation is easy.

You will be asked to give the name, address, phone number and the email address of yours as well as to indicate what kind of entity it is.

The nature of the mark has to be indicated, whether standard format where you have to type in the mark, or if it is a special form, you have to scan in a copy of the intended service mark. The form asks you complete a list of services and assigned international class codes for each service listed and you have to pay fees for each class listed. You will also be asked to file a specific filing basis if you are currently using the mark or intending to use the mark, foreign application and registration exists for same services etc. if you choose the ‘in use’ option, you will be required to provide an exact copy of the service mark exactly as it is used.

The total fee depends on the number of classes the service associated with the service mark are classified. Credit card, automated deposit account, and electronic funds transfer are the three kinds of payment options available. The fee will be computed and presented to you.

These are a few of the procedures involved in filing service marks in order to register them. Registering gives you the sole right to use the service mark as well as control over the way it are to be used. Registering service marks is recommended to protect your business. There are firms that offer their services as well as products to help filing service marks.

Employee development is crucial for the growth and prosperity of any business as employees are one of the determining factors for the success of the company. The more capable and qualified the employees the better the performance of the company. When they are well trained, they can easily handle situations, please customers ensuring customer retention as well as resolve any glitches easily without much ado.

Employee development programs are essential to improve morale as well as to motivate the employees to perform well. Employees like to learn new skills and meet challenges and they are more motivated when they feel there is great potential for personal growth. When the company shows interest in employee development, the employee naturally has a greater interest in the company’s development too.

Training Program for Employees:

Training programs are essential and companies provide either initial training to help the employee learn about how to perform their duties or ongoing training where employees meet regularly to discuss how to improve work performance.

Some companies sponsor employees to learn the latest training need for them to perform their jobs well. Care should be taken to see to it that the training is relevant as well as that it has a positive impact on the employee’s performance as well as benefit the company. Companies should carefully analyze and determine if their employees need training, if so select appropriate courses as well as monitor that the training has effected a change in the company’s performance. Good training programs will greatly diminish the need for hiring specialist to perform certain tasks, improve work efficiency as well as help our employees know the latest techniques to adopt and help better the company.

Employee development training has to be regularly scrutinized, goals have to be set, and achieved within a certain period of time as well as assigning employees correctly to perform their duties is essential. Initiating rewards such as raises, promotion etc. and tuition reimbursement, will motivate employees as well as make them eager to participate in the employee development programs.

Companies have to analyze carefully if they need to enroll their employees in specific development programs. If so what courses are best suited for their company, what target results they want from their employees on account of the training etc. they can achieve this using a needs analysis, find out which areas need extra training for employees etc. Usually managers need training to help perform better as well as manage more efficiently. Make sure the employees are up to date with the latest technology available to ensure they perform better. Convey to the employees all about the program, what are the outcomes you expect and how important are they to do their jobs better by using the opportunity the company has provided them. Hence, employee development programs are essential for any business to thrive and succeed.

Businesses have begun to realize the importance and the benefits of employee training and development. When employees are trained properly and assessed periodically, a business definitely improves. Training makes the employees up to date on the latest techniques used as well as helps the business achieve customer satisfaction and retention. They are better equipped to deal with problems and reduce outsourcing or calling specialists to deal with certain problems. Proper training is necessary for the growth of the employees as well as the business, hence a needs analysis will be helpful in determining what kind of training best suits your employees as well as in Getting the Most out of Employee Training.

Some companies give a lot of importance to the training as well as determining what the result of the training should be such as increase in profits, better performance of employees, reduced costs as well as fewer chances of mistakes due to employee errors. They even provide new employee orientation for a period of few to ensure the get familiar with the business, its policies, its products and their duties etc.

Things to Consider In Order Getting the Most Out Of Employee Training:

The key to getting the most out of employee training is to do a careful analysis of what sectors of the business needs extra guidance, what kind of training to give, what the expected end results are, such as, improved job performance. They have to determine the costs involved in training employees, monitoring the personnel periodically to see if they have implemented any changes due to the training and if there is an improvement in the business.

They have to have a need for the training as well as opt for training that will be best suited to meet their needs. The cost of the training should be reasonable and not too heavy on the pocket. Training employees is essential, as it will equip them to do their duties efficiently and improve business significantly. Businesses have realized that employee training is vital for the efficient functioning of the business and that they are a good return on investments.

Planning carefully and getting the most out of employee training will greatly increase job satisfaction, morale, motivation and efficiency resulting in financial gain and reducing employee turn over. Training equips new employees with the capacity to adapt to new technologies and methods, to help implement new strategies and products confidently and successfully.

Getting the most out of employee training is done by understanding in which areas you need training, what kind of training suits your needs, how much you are willing to spend, how you monitor employees and assess their performance and how the employees use their training to improve business significantly.

WHAT IS FLOW?

Flow is the state that we naturally enter when we are completely engaged in the moment. It is a state of complete attention/ease/involvement/focus. Flow is the state of timelessness and effortlessness. Questions allow you to enter the flow state by becoming totally immersed in what is passionate for you.

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX-CREATIVITY AND THE FLOW STATE

Creative ideas spring from a combination of circumstances. When you ask for guidance, answers appear. When you allow TIME to turn inward and listen to your deepest longings, you tap into a wellspring of inspiration. When you ask heart-filled questions you begin to receive answers. I like to think of creativity as asking questions and then clearing a space for the divine to work through me.

I want you to think about your creative ideas. Think of a time when you came up with a great idea! It may have been an invention, an educational tool, a book idea, a song lyric or a business idea. Then ask yourself how many times that idea flowed through your mind. People usually say they thought about the new idea between five times to as many as hundreds of times. Next, ask yourself if you actually took the new creative idea, pursued it and created something from it. I see only about 10% of people who received a creative idea actually see it through from beginning to end.

Now, ask yourself if you saw YOUR same idea IN ACTION (being sold, used, sung, written about) within a 5 year period of time. Typically all my clients answer a resounding... "Yes!!!" Someone had take your idea and became rich or famous from the idea.

God gives us divine ideas. Spirit will continue to plant that idea in your mind several times. Only when He’s certain that YOU won’t follow through with this gift does God/Spirit give the gift to someone else who WILL create and make it real!!!! Let’s get the message the first time, or at least the second or third. If we don’t create it, someone else will.

A few weeks ago I participated in a seminar on exit strategies – preparing for the sale of a business or succession to following generations. After the program, one of the people in the audience asked me why there are so many books, seminars, and other programs to help people start a business and so few to help guide people when they are at the other side of the business-owning process because, in many ways, it is easier going into business than getting out.

To get into business you need some capital to invest, an idea, and the time it takes to plan and put all the pieces together. While I’m not suggesting it, one can open a small business in a relatively short period of time – as little as a few weeks or months. To get out, unless one is very lucky, it takes much longer as there are many complex tax and estate planning considerations and valuation issues. Additionally you need motivated people who want to either purchase or carry on the business. The process can take a great deal of time, often it takes years.

An exit strategy needs to be planned carefully in order to accomplish the owner’s goals. At the seminar the speakers gave a general, “tip of the iceberg” overview of the many options and considerations available to the business owner(s) since each situation is specific, unique to each business and owner. The most important kernel of knowledge I came away with is to talk to your accountant, attorney, and estate planner very early in the process to discover the multitude of overlapping considerations and to start making decisions about them.

My portion of the seminar discussed the importance of having well documented systems and processes in place. This documentation will add substantial value to the sales price Training manuals, customer and supplier lists to hiring guidelines and office procedures will make your business more attractive to a potential buyer because they can learn the business faster and make it easier to manage.

Businesses have spent a lot on employee training and their development in order to improve sales, customer satisfaction, and customer retention and accelerated growth of the business. While it is no big deal for huge corporations to organize and implement these training programs without a second thought, it is not so easy for small business that operates on a tight budget. It is an acknowledged fact that training and development of employees is necessary for any business even those that have just a few employees too. These small businesses benefit from quick, effective, short duration training at economical rates, as training employees on a budget can be hard.

Tips to Train Employees within a Budget:

Businesses can conduct a needs analysis to correctly ascertain which areas their employees need training as well as try to shop for the most economical training available in that area. They have to have a clear perception of how they will benefit from the training, how to make sure that the employees implement the new techniques they have learnt and to make sure that with constant monitoring the employees significantly improve the businesses growth and sales.

Opt for individual training if only one employee needs brushing up on certain aspects such as leadership qualities etc.

Try web-based training, browsing sites that deal with the relevant topic, using CDs that can be economical as well as used to teach many employees. Several sites help teach people free of cost too, providing relevant information as well as guidelines regarding your area of work.

Try tele-classes, where in employees need not go physically to attend the classes and need not hinder the daily activities of the business as these classes are usually of just an hour’s duration. Groups can be taught using this method and the employees need to invest just a few hours a day to learn.

Conducting mini workshops can be also economical, where instructors teach them for a few hours a day for a short duration of time.

Try organizing a weekly session where teams can discuss topics relating their work such as latest books and new techniques and workout a plan to implement the new ideas effectively.

Try to make it fun as well as informal by getting to appoint those who have been trained to teach others where by they will both benefit as well as the company.

The U.S. Federal Government is the nation’s largest provider of financial or monetary assistance for small businesses. Since 1953, the Small Business Administration (SBA) branch of the Federal government has helped many small ventures that have become household names today. The government considers small businesses very seriously. They realize their obligation to promote and develop these firms for the integrated development of the whole nation.

Small Business Administration:

The SBA does not directly offer grants to individuals for business expansion or start-up. For individual set-up’s, it provides a wide variety of loan programs on easy pay back terms. However, the SBA does offer many types of grants programs indirectly to benefit small business entrepreneurs. SBA grants programs are specifically designed to expand and enhance those organizations that provide small businesses with technical or financial assistance. These monetary grants generally support state and local governments, non-profit organizations and intermediary lending institutions.

Small businesses can in turn avail the grants from these institutions. The entrepreneurs need to have a workable business plan and meet the required basic criteria to avail the loan or grant from SBA supported institutions. These funds can be then utilized to either set-up or expand the existing businesses. SBA has very special and easy terms to offer business grants to women entrepreneurs and members of the ethnic minority groups to help them become economically independent. This leads to numerous co-related activities and finally development of underdeveloped regions of the vast country. It brings about a social change and societal uplift.

Benefits of Grants from SBA:

A grant is a direct financial contribution made without any expectation of a repayment but with very specific expectations of the required outcome. These programs are designed to encourage and assist entrepreneurs in starting their own ventures. This promotes an economic development and integrates the individuals into the mainstream of American economic society. Organizations that give grants exclude for-profit businesses, but encourage small businesses to take their grants. The grants are readily provided after meeting certain basic criteria.

Women entrepreneurs are the largest beneficiary’s of government’s generosity for special encouragement. Federal grants are extended to those non-profit organizations that provide counseling, training and other technical support to women groups. The SBA runs special help centers and women’s business centers to train the women technically. They give access to credit and capital, provide with government contracts etc as well.

Ethnic minority groups too are special beneficiaries of federal government’s financial grants on easy terms. SBA runs a Minority Enterprise Development Program known as the 8(a) program. This helps the minority entrepreneurs to bag the government contracts for the utilization of their products.

Small business people or groups are very hard working and enthusiastic about their business. They spend quality time to develop it and stay in touch with their work, as they do not have too many people to help. Their businesses take precedence over their family, friends or even vacation plans. They stay in constant touch to avoid failure or any unprecedented disaster. This helps in successful maturation of their businesses after an initial set-up time.

The US Federal Government recognizes the issue of improving disadvantaged people’s lives. Their constituents have voted congressmen and senators to power. Their primary election campaigns are based on the promise to minorities for their economic empowerment. t is these promises, which drive the politics of grant giving by Federal and local State governments.

Grants for Small Business:

A grant is a direct financial contribution made by certain organizations to the needy. It is made for very specific outcomes with no expectations of repayment. These grants are based on certain criteria and are designed to encourage entrepreneurs to start or expand their small business ventures. Millions of dollars in the form of small business grants are available for any minority group of Americans. They may be African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics, Indian Americans or any other minority.

Minority Grant Programs:

Government minority business grants are listed on all the government grants assistance programs. They allocate funds for lending to minority entrepreneurs, student business training, unemployed, community-based business opportunities, real-estate ventures and investment, research work and inventors, amongst others. A woman entrepreneur or an ethnic minority is entitled to funds specially earmarked for their business development.

Any entrepreneur seeking the fund for any type of business or any personal project must have a viable business plan. They should focus on how well their business would survive independent of these programs. Eventually, your aim should be to build a successful business. Have some sort of maturation plan in place to succeed without minority funds within three to five years. A lot of far-sightedness, hard work and perception of market need of your business are very important. If your business maturation plan is not in place, you are in a great risk of either business failure or being bought out. A good financial opportunity goes waste. So apply for these minority business grants and funding for a great opportunity to start your own venture and improve your social and financial status.

Types of Grants:

Ever since the Federal government has launched this minority grant for small businesses, the minority business has grown four times faster as overall US firms. Since 1992, the increase has been from 2.1 million to 2.8 million firms. These grants can be availed for: • For initial business start-up, you can avail up to one billion dollars from minority business grants.

• Grants in millions available for expanding the existing business

• Receive $9,000 in minority grants for free legal advice.

• Millions available for purchase of your first home

• Up to $75,000 available from minority grants to remodel your home

• Receive $6,000 in minority grants for college tuition.

• Receive free monthly grant finances for emergency assistance.

• Receive special assistance for woman entrepreneurship program. There are many more listed priorities to receive these grants.

Businesses have to carefully plan and implement strategies to tackle new markets, garner new customers and improve sales. They must have the acumen to select the right growth strategy to make an impact and have an adequate hold on the new market. The key to success is to know how to tackle new markets and build new customer bases.

Market Analysis: Analyzing the current trends and determining what changes are necessary to be implemented in order to capture the market is the first step. Study the market and determine your competitors, make a competitive analysis, determine ways to better your competitors, understand what your customers need and develop your products accordingly. Instead of targeting a general market try targeting specific markets and develop adequate marketing and advertising strategies so that customers are familiar with your brand name. Make sure there are value added benefits to entice customers to try your new range of products, make sure that the new range does not eclipse existing product line and both are given equal prominence.

Growth: In order to tackle new markets, you may target new customers with a new line of products as well as to improve existing products adding new features to grab the attention of existing customers. Changes can be made to the product introducing variety to the existing line of products there by targeting a slightly different market. Change and growth is necessary to prevent the company from stagnating or even worse suffer loses due to monotony. Some companies tackle new markets by developing a new niche. Study your target market and determine what your customers need and try to develop products that will suit their needs. Make sure the quality of your products is consistent and that it is never compromised.

Developing Your Sales Channels: Getting your existing distributors to distribute your new lines, as well as, carefully selecting, recruiting and establishing good relationships with new distributors is essential. Develop an in-depth marketing strategy and implement it carefully to make sure your products are popular with the customers is essential.

The Internet has become a boon as products can be advertised and broken into new markets easily using permission based e-mail marketing strategies. Manufacturers can dedicate websites to their products and help customers learn more about the products from the comfort of their homes. Offer free newsletters services whereby you can acquire a list of potentially interested candidates who you can follow up periodically through e-mails too. When carefully drafted strategic business plans are used, a business is sure to succeed in tackling new markets.

Many companies offer their services as well as products to ensure businesses are run efficiently and without any hitches.

Businesses have learnt that employee orientation plays a very important role in the development and performance of an employee. Like they say first impression are unforgettable, hence the orientation process has to be carefully planned and executed to ensure that the ends up knowing all about your company, the company profile and its policies, the target goals, his duties as well as the role he plays in helping the company achieve its objectives. Once the initial orientation is complete, training is provided to ensure that the new recruit does his best to accomplish the tasks assigned to him. The objective of the orientation is to make the employees completely familiar with all aspects of their duties; as well as to be clear about the goals of the company and how they must help the company achieves its targets.

Some companies require that the HR manager who recruits the employees need to follow up the orientation program for certain duration of time till the employees are completely familiar with their duties as well as all relevant aspects of the business. This process makes the recruit feel welcome as well as be sure what is expected of him and how best to assist the company.

Tips for Good Employee Orientation:

Make sure they feel welcome and are familiar with their duties.

Assign a mentor to guide them when they have doubts. Make sure the mentor assigned as time to guide him and not in a hurry to catch up to deadlines etc.

Make them feel part of a team. Introduce him to his team members and colleagues.

Make sure that you are totally prepared to train and guide him, making sure he is ven all that is necessary for him to perform his duties well such as computers, email ids, passwords etc. get his work area ready and do not keep him waiting.

Do not keep him waiting in the lobby until you figure out what to do with him, be prepared for his arrival and make sure he is assigned duties after initiation and orientation.

Make sure the orientation last for at least the first two months.

Make the orientation fun, interesting as well as productive. They should not be saturated with unnecessary information as well as not miss out essential information.

Monitor his performance regularly and make sure he is doing the duties assigned to him correctly.

Good employee orientation will ensure that the employee feels motivated, part of the team and will make an effort to do his best to help the business achieve its goals. Employee development is crucial for customer satisfaction, retention as well as the growth of the company.

There are companies that offer services as well as products that help manage and run a business successfully.

Businesses have begun to realize the importance and the benefits of employee training and development. When employees are trained properly and assessed periodically, a business definitely improves. Training makes the employees up to date on the latest techniques used as well as helps the business achieve customer satisfaction and retention. They are better equipped to deal with problems and reduce outsourcing or calling specialists to deal with certain problems. Proper training is necessary for the growth of the employees as well as the business, hence a needs analysis will be helpful in determining what kind of training best suits your employees as well as in Getting the Most out of Employee Training.

Some companies give a lot of importance to the training as well as determining what the result of the training should be such as increase in profits, better performance of employees, reduced costs as well as fewer chances of mistakes due to employee errors. They even provide new employee orientation for a period of few to ensure the get familiar with the business, its policies, its products and their duties etc.

Things to Consider In Order Getting the Most Out Of Employee Training:

The key to getting the most out of employee training is to do a careful analysis of what sectors of the business needs extra guidance, what kind of training to give, what the expected end results are, such as, improved job performance. They have to determine the costs involved in training employees, monitoring the personnel periodically to see if they have implemented any changes due to the training and if there is an improvement in the business.

They have to have a need for the training as well as opt for training that will be best suited to meet their needs. The cost of the training should be reasonable and not too heavy on the pocket. Training employees is essential, as it will equip them to do their duties efficiently and improve business significantly. Businesses have realized that employee training is vital for the efficient functioning of the business and that they are a good return on investments.

Planning carefully and getting the most out of employee training will greatly increase job satisfaction, morale, motivation and efficiency resulting in financial gain and reducing employee turn over. Training equips new employees with the capacity to adapt to new technologies and methods, to help implement new strategies and products confidently and successfully.

Getting the most out of employee training is done by understanding in which areas you need training, what kind of training suits your needs, how much you are willing to spend, how you monitor employees and assess their performance and how the employees use their training to improve business significantly.

Employee development is crucial for the growth and prosperity of any business as employees are one of the determining factors for the success of the company. The more capable and qualified the employees the better the performance of the company. When they are well trained, they can easily handle situations, please customers ensuring customer retention as well as resolve any glitches easily without much ado.

Employee development programs are essential to improve morale as well as to motivate the employees to perform well. Employees like to learn new skills and meet challenges and they are more motivated when they feel there is great potential for personal growth. When the company shows interest in employee development, the employee naturally has a greater interest in the company’s development too.

Training Program for Employees:

Training programs are essential and companies provide either initial training to help the employee learn about how to perform their duties or ongoing training where employees meet regularly to discuss how to improve work performance.

Some companies sponsor employees to learn the latest training need for them to perform their jobs well. Care should be taken to see to it that the training is relevant as well as that it has a positive impact on the employee’s performance as well as benefit the company. Companies should carefully analyze and determine if their employees need training, if so select appropriate courses as well as monitor that the training has effected a change in the company’s performance. Good training programs will greatly diminish the need for hiring specialist to perform certain tasks, improve work efficiency as well as help our employees know the latest techniques to adopt and help better the company.

Employee development training has to be regularly scrutinized, goals have to be set, and achieved within a certain period of time as well as assigning employees correctly to perform their duties is essential. Initiating rewards such as raises, promotion etc. and tuition reimbursement, will motivate employees as well as make them eager to participate in the employee development programs.

Companies have to analyze carefully if they need to enroll their employees in specific development programs. If so what courses are best suited for their company, what target results they want from their employees on account of the training etc. they can achieve this using a needs analysis, find out which areas need extra training for employees etc. Usually managers need training to help perform better as well as manage more efficiently. Make sure the employees are up to date with the latest technology available to ensure they perform better. Convey to the employees all about the program, what are the outcomes you expect and how important are they to do their jobs better by using the opportunity the company has provided them. Hence, employee development programs are essential for any business to thrive and succeed.