The Executive Think Tank

Good Small Business Ideas For Instant Cash

Admin — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 23:06:44 +0000

The landscape of potential opportunities for budding entrepreneurs is loaded with good small business ideas, but not all of them can produce instant positive cash flow. In fact, many kinds of businesses and services often take months or even years before they start turning a profit. For people with large cash reserves this isn’t so problematic, but what about the entrepreneur who isn’t so fortunate and needs to start making money right away? The good news is that there are plenty of ideas for a person in this position, and I’ll detail a few.

I can think of no other type of service that can more quickly deliver instant positive cash flow than the ever-reliable lawn care and landscaping business. If you have a lawn mower, a trimmer, and a broom then you’re ready to start earning cash on day one. There is no shortage of homeowners who need this service every single year, no matter how bad the economy is. Many people simply do not have the time or desire to maintain their yard, and will gladly part with $25-$50 a week to let someone else worry about it. You can start this in your own neighborhood by going door to door and striking up conversations with neighbors. If you do quality work and price fairly word will spread more rapidly than you could possibly imagine, and the long-term growth potential is nearly limitless. The best part is that you’d be putting money in the bank from the very first day.

Another good idea for generating near-instant income would be to start a house painting service. Now, this one isn’t for everybody because you have to have a patient personality to put up with demanding homeowners, and you absolutely must have a steady hand in order to deliver quality work. That said, the potential for quick money with this idea is really big. Your upfront costs would be relatively cheap as you’d only need to purchase brushes, rollers, and drop cloths, and this would only help in your ability to take home a lot of cash on a daily or weekly basis. It is not uncommon for small-time house painters to earn $50,000 or more every year, and the best part is that they can begin to bring in substantial earnings immediately.

There are literally hundreds of other good ideas for small business available that have the potential for almost instant earnings. It’s really just a matter of finding something that you’re already skilled at and can tolerate doing for the long run. Though these businesses spit off significant cash in their startup phase, keep in mind that if you can reinvest some of the profits back into the business then the growth of your company will accelerate more quickly.

Reverse Mortgages Not New, Can They Explode Your Business?

Admin — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:44:36 +0000

A reverse mortgage is something fairly new to the market. The ability has been around for years, but with the housing crunch coupled with aging baby boomers who need cash, the reverse mortgage has gained some sincere followers. However, where do you get reverse mortgage leads?

As with anything, you can get it for a price. Many companies that sell leads are online. Some are reputable, others are scammers. Still others sell ‘leads’ that are nothing more than names and addresses from public sources that you can contact on your own.

A few companies online actually sell you ‘appointments’ ‘ leads that have actually scheduled appointments to have a licensed mortgage broker talk to them about the pros and cons of getting a reverse mortgage. Not every mortgage broker is familiar with the ins and outs of a reverse mortgage, and it would behoove anyone interested to make certain the person they are talking to actually knows what he’s talking about.

To buy leads that supposedly have appointments already set up is a bit scary. These companies offer no guarantee of success. They don’t guarantee the phone numbers or any information provided in the lead ‘ which is a red flag since they would most likely have recently needed to make the alleged appointment which should not be too distant in the future. A company that refuses to guarantee information they just sold you should be taken at face value.

Before buying mortgage leads for any reason at all, double check to see if they are indeed a real company. Have they posted their company name and address on their website? Are they appropriately registered with their state to do business?

Next, check with the Better Business Bureau for any consumer complaints. Any company that sells leads with or without a guarantee is certain to have some consumer issues to deal with.

Using a Key Cabinet to Keep Your Keys Secure

admin — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:09:18 +0000

If you have your own business, and you have a lot of keys, then limiting access to those keys is very important. There are many ways to do that, and one of the ways is to allow all of the employees that you want to have access to a certain area, to have a key. The problem is, especially if they can take their keys home, is that they could make copies of the key at any point. Also, if the employee is getting out of hand, then trying to regain possession of the key may lead to trouble. And when someone loses a key, it can also be a bad thing ,causing you to have to get the area re-keyed and new keys issued. Another way to secure your keys is to use a key cabinet as a central place for all of your keys.

When using a key cabinet, you will be able to control access to the key cabinet so only authorized personnel are able to access the key cabinet. Another way to control access is to have one person in charge of the key cabinet. Whether it is a secretary, or you as the boss, no matter who it is, everyoe will have to go through them to get the keys. They would probably have to log which keys were checked out, the time they were checked out, and to whom they were checked out. Then, upon return of the keys, their information will be noted that the keys had, in fact, been turned in.

There are different styles of key cabinets, one which uses a key to access it, and one that is an electronic passcode key cabinet . Make sure you that you find a style that works best for you and your company’s needs for securing keys.

The Ins and Outs of Starting a Mobile Kitchen Business

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:21:39 +0000

One of the most common business ideas that people have is starting their own food related enterprise. The reason for this is that many people love the social aspects of a restaurant. Another reason is that many people love to cook and prepare food. If this sounds familiar to you, you might be thinking that this might be a great idea for your own business as well. Although this may sound like a great idea to you, you might be surprised to know that the restaurant business has one of the highest levels of failure among businesses.

Despite this gloomy news, a unique way to start a venture like this exists that has a lot less risk. The answer is to start out small, with little overhead, going into business with a mobile kitchen instead of a brick and mortar restaurant. The same business skills are required with a mobile kitchen as a normal restaurant, but the work involved is a lot less complicated, since you won’t be dealing with so many employees. What’s more, one of the best advantages of mobile kitchen trucks is that you can simply take your business anywhere you want, even if it is hundreds of miles away. What this means is that you can place your truck in the middle of a crowded area selling people exactly what they want. This might be ice cream and cold drinks on a hot summer day, or hot coffee and snacks in the winter. If you are wondering what the up front fees will be, you should be happy to know that it isn’t a whole lot, as business start up costs go.

You can find yourself a used mobile kitchen trailer that is designed for a set task such as milkshakes or cotton candy. These are good for fast-selling, low priced items, but for actual meals, you will need to find one with a kitchen capable of cooking real food. One thing to remember is that you don’t need a lot of skill to get started. There are entrepreneurs out there that are raking in the dough selling simple things people want that moment. It mostly comes down to putting yourself in front of the right people and having the right product when they want it. If you need some ideas, take a look at an event and see which mobile kitchen trucks are busy. You can do the same as them by setting up a similar business after finding a used mobile kitchen for sale.

In The Eye Shadow Market

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:23:20 +0000

The contemporary beauty industry is a multibillion dollar business. Eyeshadow products are only one part of a conglomeration of skin care and beauty enhancing products. Beauty products have a rich history. In ancient Egypt, minerals of copper and lead were some of the first cosmetics. History brings to light dangerous practices that women desperate to define themselves as beautiful have endured. Burnt matchstick carbon was applied around the eyes, wild berries painted colors on lips and cheeks, and a male child’s urine is said to fade freckles. Some women even used leeches to phlebotomize themselves to create a pale colored skin, or drank oxblood trying to tone down their skin color to elevate their perceived position in society. With such a controversial history of practices, it should be no surprise that the industry is still booming.

Eyeshadow is a popular cosmetic tool that can create dramatic effect. Calling attention to the eyes can catch the attention of a suitor. Two basic shapes are used when applying powder or cream eyeshadow. There is the rounded shape that contours the eye socket and there is the winged shape for a dramatic flair. Mineral eyeshadow is a popular series of products that attract women with sensitive skin. Naturalists and “green” enthusiasts enjoy the direct from nature aspect of the product. These products claim to allow the skin to breathe naturally and are not comedogenic. Eyeshadow shades come in such a variety that any skin tone will have a match. Elizabeth Arden eyeshadow is a fine example of quality cosmetics. This Canadian born entrepreneur studied French cosmetic products in salons while visiting France, to develop her state of the art products. Many pioneering achievements are attributed to Elizabeth Arden. A sense of style, skin tone matching, quality skin treatments combined with the makeup product and the marketing of makeup are a few examples.

There are also many other different kinds of eye shadows like, violet eyeshadow and these along with much more can be found at this site: the eye shadow.

Branding a construction business

admin — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:27:55 +0000

Many people go into the construction business because they are skilled in the craft. It is very common for people in the construction business to gain work from word-of-mouth referrals, and other methods. This is a great way to build your construction business, but if you truly want to be successful, you should think of your construction business, as a business that must be marketed. And you should make sure that it is branded properly so that it receives attention from customers.

In order to get the proper branding, you will need to employ the services of a graphic designer. When branding a construction business, you will need to have a designer create a logo, letterhead and business card for you to use. Your branding should also carry over to your website as well.

Your logo will be the foundation of your branding, so you want to make sure that inspires the right ideas in your customers’ minds. Your logo should have a professional and clean look. It should be somewhat unique, so that you look different, yet equal to, or greater than your competition. If you have some ideas of your own, your graphic designer can expand on your thoughts, and concepts. Keep in mind that this logo will be the first impression that people will get from your business. So you want it to say something about the services you have to offer, and how you handle business. Your construction business cards are the first and best method of branding you have, so use them wisely.

A good graphic designer will have training in the symbols and images that are used, in effective forms of advertising, and can help to guide you in the right direction. It might be tempting to just use a picture of a house, a hammer or a nail, but you should also allow your graphic designer to take you in a safe, and creative direction.

How can you get into entry level finance?

admin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:31:54 +0000

For recent college graduates who majored in Finance, finding a job due to the current economy could be difficult, but is certainly possible. Finance jobs are quite broad and often refer to positions on Wall Street, working for an investment bank, working for a commercial lender, or working for an insurance company.

The first step in finding an entry level finance job is to narrow your focus. Hopefully, your education provided you with a broad understanding of what careers are available for finance majors. Entry level finance jobs are available for a variety of career fields, but selecting the right field to go into is very important as it will begin your career and point your career in a certain direction.

Once you have a better understanding of what field of finance you want to go into, the next step is to research available companies in that field. You should get an understanding of who the market leaders are, where they are located, how strong they are financially, and where there organization is headed. After completing this research, you should then develop a list of organization that have operations near where you live and sound like good career options.

Once you have a list of companies compiled, it is now time to apply for a job. Applying blindly for a job on the company’s website is helpful, but it is highly unlikely that you will even get an interview. Instead, you should research what positions they are hiring for and if they have any career fairs coming up. It would also be a good idea to find out who the human resources representative is and contact that person directly. If you have a friend or relative who works for the company or is in the industry, ask them to submit your resume for you.

Once you obtain an interview for an entry level finance job, you should prepare thoroughly for the interview by further researching the company and the position.

A Guide for How to Earn Money Online

admin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:30:41 +0000

Many people are always wondering how to earn money online. Maybe they have seen those scams that say “Learn how I made $4000 by posting a link on Google.” Maybe they have heard of their friends or other people they know who are making money online. No matter how they heard about making money online, they definitely want a piece of the money. well, there are definitely a few options of ways for someone to make some money online and I will go through a few of them.

The first one is by selling some stuff online. You find sell stuff on Craigslist or eBay that you have around your home that other people might want to pay less than retail for, and don’t mind if it is used. If you take the money that you earn from initially selling stuff from around your house, and reinvest it into buying some stuff in bulk or at wholesale prices, then you can continue making more and more profits and reinvesting that money. eBay is good for collectibles and antiques (as well as many other things) and Craigslist is good for larger things that are harder to ship. If you like to make crafts you can make some money by selling them on Etsy.

Also, if you like to write, then you can make some good money by doing freelance writing. Many people have blogs and websites that need content on them, but they don’t want to write it themselves. They hire out through freelance websites to get writers to write the content for them. If you can get a good job through the freelance websites then you can be writing all day long for other people on various interesting topics, and make some good money on the side doing that. Even if you can write a few articles per night after work, and a few more on weekends, you can make some solid money.

How To Turn a Job Into A Career

admin — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 01:20:43 +0000

Even though the pundits say that the economy is getting back on track, everyday people are still not seeing it in their daily lives. Of course, after layoffs, many people took matters into their own hands to pick up the pieces of their financial lives. Some took unconventional jobs they would never have imagined doing but it looks like these jobs could well turn out to be a lucrative business career.

In any type of successful business, you need to provide a service or product that people cannot live without. For a lot of people, they cannot live without a clean house. And fortunately for those who supply house cleaning services, it’s not a chore that most people like doing. For many people who were out of jobs in the recession, they turned to cleaning houses to make ends meet. However, now they realize that housekeeping can be a viable career. If you’re working independently, you can choose your clients and your own hours which is a luxury that most people working traditional jobs do not have.

Of course, in order to have this ideal scenario, you need to establish yourself in the cleaning business. While the actual cleaning jobs require physical effort, the marketing aspect of the job requires other skills you might be importing from things you learned in school or previous work experiences. This is the true trick of how to turn a cleaning job into a career – the way you market yourself. Perhaps it’s house cleaning using green friendly products or heavy cleaning for landlords to ready rental properties. Whatever it is, the cleaning industry is a multi billion dollar business to tap into.

While the loss of a job is a very traumatic experience for people to experience, it’s the way you deal with the situations that count. Like the saying goes, if life hands you lemons, you make lemonade. For some, they were able to turn a temporary job situation into a career option with skills they learned elsewhere. Can you put a spin on a job that you can do to achieve the same result?

What am I Good At? Can I Match it to Work From Home Jobs Listings?

admin — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 02:13:12 +0000

We must identify what skills and abilities you have that can match your passions with your list of home based jobs.

So what are your skills, or as they say in business school, what are your core competencies? What is it that you do that is above average that can give you an edge over others searching for home based jobs or careers? Are you go with Word, Excel, Publisher, PowerPoint, Access and other software packages? Are you a great strategist, creative, an organizer, hard worker? Make a list of all your strong points. Don’t worry about those areas you are weak in as you can outsource them later (hire someone to do the work for you) or find information online or identify software applications to perform the difficult work.

Matching Passions with Skills

Now develop your list of passions. Lay your lists of skills and passions side-by-side. Are there passions and skills that naturally go together that could help you determine a short list of home based jobs? Do you have a passion for children and strong writing skills that would be advantageous in writing children’s books? Do you have a passion for hunting treasure and a skill for organizing that could lead you to an Internet business of arranging trips for panning gold or searching for gems? Are you a great organizer and good at Microsoft Office products that could lead you to an enjoyable career as an independent executive assistance to corporate staff? Do you have a passion for teaching and have excellent computer skills, which can lead to an exciting career in the expanding industry of online teaching? Match your passions with your skills and create a list of home based jobs that can be pursued. Again, you owe it to yourself and your family to pursue your passions and realize the potential that you have.

Do You Have the Courage?

Once you have a list matching your passion with your skills, you are on the path to an exciting adventure IF you have the courage to take action. Of course, action doesn’t ignore prudence, and you must not quit your current employment before finding your ideal job or work at home opportunity. Start small, learn all you can about the job or industry that your are passionate about. If there is not peace and joy in your musings about the new path you are going to take, it probably is not the right path for you.

Success requires hard work, but even hard work can be joyous if it is in pursuit of your dreams. Help can be found at The Biz Hunter and many other good sites across the Internet.