http://www.LegitimateHomeBusinessIdeas.com Legitimate Home Business Ideas For the Middle-Aged Women.

According to a 2009 Kauffman Foundation Study: "Contrary to popular held assumptions, it turns out that over the past decade or so, the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity belongs to the 45-64 age group.  The 20-34 age bracket, meanwhile, which we usually identify with swashbuckling and risk-taking youth (think Facebook and Google), has the lowest rate."  This massive trend has raised concerns regarding legitimate home business start ups.

Unfortunately, most middle-aged female entrepreneurs wanting to start a legitimate home business make the mistake of using their savings, maxing out credit cards or borrowing from family, friends or banks to get started. The reason they fall into this trap is because mistakenly they believe this is the only way they can become home business owners.

In the old Industrial Age business model, starting a small business required a large initial investment. Items such as desks, furniture, equipment, supplies, phones, credit card processing machines, long term leases, employees, utility deposits,  filing cabinets, space for supplies, printing and copying, faxing, paper, toner, storage, payroll taxes, employee benefits and on and on and on.

It is important to understand that starting a business in this new Information Age and Knowledge Era, does not require the large funding previously needed in the old, traditional Industrial Age business model.  This means, the middle-aged female entrepreneur has the ability to start a profitable and reputable business with little to no money out of pocket.

So, when it comes to finding a "legitimate home business", a middle-aged female entrepreneur is probably better off starting one on her own.  Why?  Well, it is no longer expensive to start a business.  With the right tools, business startup upfront costs are at an all time minimum.
 
Besides, most established businesses will most likely want lots of upfront cash.  Not to mention the credibility issue.  There are many unscrupulous individuals out there that call themselves "legitimate", but…what is more legitimate, than starting a business yourself?

You may say, "But Jackie, I don’t know where to start, I don’t have a business idea".  Believe it or not, there are many free market research tools out there.  Middle-aged female entrepreneurs are probably better off getting into a business they know for a fact, will have a greater chance of success based on credible, real time research.  This is certainly better than taking someone’s word, especially if it’s an unknown company or individual.  

How do I know?  I have been there.  After a decade in business, back in 2003 I decided to grow my business to the next level.  I did my due diligence, I did my homework, and guess what…I still ended up victim of dishonest people, masqueraded behind a "big name" company. 

So in a nutshell, I suggest you take the time to learn how to do market research with free online tools, pinpoint a potential profitable business; start mostly with free or low cost online tools, test the market and only then get your business going.  By the time you have completed this process, you will know for a fact, it is a 100% legitimate home business.

Visit http://www.LegitimateHomeBusinessIdeas.com to get the "Top 7 Business Startup Tips for Middle-Aged Women" FREE Report!

Just visit http://www.LegitimateHomeBusinessIdeas.com

Couple of days ago I posted in Twitter an article published on May 14, 2010 by the New York Times, Technology Section: “Do Web Entrepreneurs Still Need Venture Capitalists?

In the article, Robert Hendershott, a professor of private equity and entrepreneurship at the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University, states: “As the cost of starting a Web company decreases, thanks to cloud computing services and technology that entrepreneurs can rent instead of buy, many founders can finance a new company without the help of venture capitalists, using their savings, money from family and friends and credit card debt, Mr. Hendershott writes. More often, they are choosing to sell small, immature companies instead of taking the longer, riskier path of developing a business that could one day go public. That makes venture capital less relevant, he concludes.”

For small business owners and entrepreneur wannabes, the most important part of this paragraph is: “…thanks to cloud computing services and technology that entrepreneurs can rent instead of buy…”

==> Virtual Business

What does that have to do with getting your business up and running by the end of the month?

Well, you can have a full-blown customer service, sales, marketing, accounting and even human resources department fully operational in less than a month, or even in less than a week…all using sophisticated, inexpensive and sometime free cloud computing.

Cloud computing, is internet technology that can be rented at a minimum monthly fee. In certain cases, if the technology is open source, it can be downloaded into your own hosting service for free. That is right, sophisticated, and ready to use technology for FREE!

I mean ladies and gents; this is stuff that major corporations used to pay hundreds, if not thousands of dollars and it is now available for your very own use at very little or absolutely no cost.

==> Virtual Business

So realistically speaking, how much do you need to invest to start up a virtual business?

In my free guide “20 Insider Secrets For Starting Your Own Virtual Business on a Shoestring” found in my http://VirtualBusinessDashboard.com site, I discuss the many benefits of a virtual business. The one that relates the closest to this article is the question: “How Much Do I Need to Invest to Start up My Virtual Business?”

Here is the synopsis:

You may be wondering…how much money would it cost you to start a sophisticated virtual business?

…TOTAL COST: approximately $165 per month…it does not get any cheaper than that!

So, as you can see, there are no more excuses as of why you can’t start, grow and manage a sophisticated business. It’s a matter of taking a little time to learn, and just do it.

Visit Virtual Business Dashboard to get the “20 Insider Secrets for Starting Your Own Virtual Business on a Shoestring” and a video of “The Best Business to Start in This New Economy”

… visit the Virtual Business Dashboard and get your FREE insider secrets.

Most entrepreneurs wanting to start a business make the mistake of using their savings, maxing out their credit cards or borrowing from family, friends or banks to get started. The reason they fall into this trap is because mistakenly they believe this is the only way they can become business owners.

It is important to understand that starting a business in this new Information Age and Knowledge Era, does not require the large funding previously needed in the old, traditional Industrial Age business model. This means the entrepreneur has the ability to start a profitable and reputable business with little to no money out of pocket.

==> Virtual Business

If you are currently planning to start a business, consider the following 7 tips to start a virtual business instead of an offline one. Even if you already started a brick-and-mortar business, you can still apply these tips to your back-office operations:

1. Use cloud technology for all your back-office systems. In other words, use all internet applications rather than technology hosted in your PC
2. Set up your entire communication channels using cloud technology
3. Set up your entire accounting department using cloud technology
4. Set up your entire customer support using cloud technology
5. Set up your entire human resources using cloud technology
6. Set up your entire marketing department using cloud technology
7. Set up your entire sales department using cloud technology

==> Virtual Business

Don’t delay starting your business because of lack of funds. Hundreds, if not thousands of highly successful virtual businesses get started everyday. In the next 5 to 10 years, all if not most businesses will be run this way. By the simple act of implementing new business model strategies from the start, you have puts yourself miles ahead of the competition.

In cases where the business owner fails to adapt to this new information age business model, the speed to business failure greatly accelerates. If you talked in today’s terms, it would be like using telex machines and telegraphs to conduct day-to-day operations.

A virtual business allows a company to be geographically dispersed. It allows it to meet and support its customers wherever they are located. Employees can work from anywhere, at any time, at any pace; all accessible, networked and coordinated via internet applications.

You can see an example of a real sustainable, successful virtual business (100% virtual and paperless) at http://groupbenefitagency.com

==> Virtual Business

As you can see, with a virtual business, all you need is a computer and internet access to get you going. Anyone can start a virtual business in minutes. You don’t need major start up capital. You don’t need investors. You don’t need to risk months or years trying to break even. You don’t even have to gamble your savings. You can implement sophisticated systems. You can hire the most qualified personnel from anywhere in the world. Most importantly, a virtual business allows you the free time to have a personal life too!

Visit Virtual Business Dashboard to get the “20 Insider Secrets for Starting Your Own Virtual Business on a Shoestring” and a video of “The Best Business to Start in This New Economy”

… visit the Virtual Business Dashboard and get your FREE insider secrets.

http://virtualbusinessdashboard.com A step-by-step video describing the best business to start according to Entrepreneur.com – and a virtual business back-office.

How Can a Virtual Business Help Me Survive the Recession?

Another question I get all the time is “How Can a Virtual Business Help Me Survive the Recession?"

Unemployment is not letting up, businesses are not hiring. The best way to survive the recession is to take advantage of the economic turmoil and start a business. Not just any business but a virtual business.

The benefits of a virtual business are endless. To mention a few:

1. Low cost to entry
2. Speed to market
3. You can work from home
4. You can run your business remotely
5. You can hire virtual employees

Therefore the answer is, start a virtual business!

According to Entrepreneur.com, these are the 10 hottest trends to watch for 2010.  Not all of them can be set up as 100% percent virtual businesses, but their entire back-office operations can. 

Here is the list:

1. Economic Turmoil:  Results from Challenger, Gray & Christmas’ job market index revealed that 8.7 percent of job seekers gained employment by starting their own businesses in second quarter 2009
    
2. Green Power:  Thanks to government incentives and changing public sentiment, clean energy is the most popular kid on the green movement block. The stimulus plan poured billions into renewable energy.
    
3. The Senior Market:  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the aging-services industry composed of home healthcare, elderly and disabled services and community care facilities for the elderly make up three of the top 10 industries with the fastest employment growth.
    
4. Discount Retail:  In 2009, secondhand shops increased revenue by $223.3 million, according to Ibis World.
    
5. Local Businesses:  Demand is exploding for locally grown and made a product–which means more support for mom-and-pop stores. The dividend: For every $100 spent at a locally owned business, $68 comes back to the community. Only $43 re-circulates from national chain stores
    
6. Education:  Huge numbers of people are going back to school–ducking the bad economy, retraining for new jobs, even reinventing themselves completely
    
7. Parental Outsourcing:  Taking care of the kids, scrubbing the toilets, checking in on Mom, helping with homework, coaching Little League–more people than ever are paying professionals to do their domestic chores.  The trend even has a name: Parental outsourcing.
    
8. Health and Wellness:  Home care was the No. 1 growing industry from 2004 to 2009, averaging yearly increases of more than 7 percent, according to Ibis World. In-home care already employs a staggering 1.33 million people, and revenue is expected to grow beyond $72 billion by 2011.
    
9. Texas:  Texas dominated 2009’s lists of best relocation destinations, home-building markets and job-creation cities. This very magazine also named Austin one of its own Best Cities for Small Businesses.
    
10. Affordable Alcohol:  The alcoholic beverage industry has been growing steadily for the past three years and is expected to reach a record $455 billion in 2009

You can see an example of a real sustainable, successful virtual business (100% virtual and paperless) at groupbenefitagency.com

Anyone can start a virtual business in minutes!  You don’t need major start up capital.  You don’t need investors.  You don’t need to risk months or years trying to break even.  You don’t even have to gamble your savings.  

Visit Virtual Business Dashboard to get the “20 Insider Secrets for Starting Your Own Virtual Business on a Shoestring” and a video of “The Best Business to Start in This New Economy”

Just visit Virtual Business Dashboard

There are numerous studies regarding small-business failure rates. Unfortunately, the findings are often vague because, unlike publicly held corporations, most private companies do not report their financial results. One thing is for sure, businesses fail in large numbers, especially small ones:

According to a September 2009 “U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy Report” in 2008; there were 627,200 new businesses, 595,600 business closures and 43,546 bankruptcies.

A major culprit as of why businesses fail, covered in detail in the book E-Myth by Michael E. Gerber, is because business owners neglect to put systems in place. The owner-manager has a tendency to work IN her business, rather than ON her business. With the advent of technology, this trend has increased exponentially, especially for those companies who do not adapt to the rapid changes taking place in the business world.

To put it succinctly, business owners who fail to adapt, still run their companies based on the Industrial Age business model, rather than the new the Information Age and Knowledge Era. This is a major conflict and speeds up the business failure because if you talked in today’s terms, it would be like using telex machines and telegraphs to conduct day-to-day operations.

==> http://virtualbusinessdashboard.com/

The solution is then to bring these existing businesses, or create new startups using new age solutions. This means building a business using efficient and inexpensive, sometimes even free, cutting-edge technology readily available for the savvy business owners who is ready to adapt and move their existing or new business ventures into the Information Age and Knowledge Era.

Without a doubt, businesses who have adapted have seen huge leaps in progress and efficiencies based on technology. Over the past decade, technology has helped entrepreneurs leverage their time, create process efficiencies, reduce costs massively, and allowed them to maximize business profits to levels never seen before.

To date, most of these major technological overhauls have taken place in big corporations with deep pockets. What better proof than to see how their stock values keep raising, even though the rest of the population is seeing one of the worst economic crisis this country has ever seen.

The question is then, how do we get small business owners, home based business and new incoming entrepreneurs embrace and take advantage of the endless benefits technology offers? The answer lies in converting these small business ventures, into virtual businesses. Technology, without a doubt, has changed the playing field and has allowed smaller companies to compete with larger corporations on the same level.

==> http://virtualbusinessdashboard.com/

In this new economy, it is no longer the big one, but the fast one, that wins!

A virtual business allows a company to be geographically dispersed. It allows it to meet and support its customers wherever they are located. Employees are no longer constrained to a physical office, but instead, they can work from anywhere, at any time at any pace; all accessible, networked and coordinated via internet applications.

As you can see, with a virtual business, all you need is a computer and internet access to get you going. You can implement sophisticated systems. You can hire the most qualified personnel from anywhere in the world. Most importantly, a virtual business allows you the free time to have a personal life too!

==> http://virtualbusinessdashboard.com/

You can see an example of a real sustainable, successful virtual business (100% virtual and paperless) at groupbenefitagency.com

Anyone can start a virtual business in minutes! You don’t need major start up capital. You don’t need investors. You don’t need to risk months or years trying to break even. You don’t even have to gamble your savings.

Visit Virtual Business Dashboard to get the “20 Insider Secrets for Starting Your Own Virtual Business on a Shoestring” and a video of “The Best Business to Start in This New Economy”

Starting a business without proper planning and a clear roadmap might be a trap. Not having a clear course of action, knowing if there is a need for your market, or not having enough cash reserves; can lead to bankruptcy and financial disaster.

You often hear about the entrepreneurial millionaires traveling the world in their personal jets, the fancy clothes, expensive homes and the ski trips to glitzy resorts. Unfortunately, you don’t hear about the hundreds if not thousands of entrepreneurs that did not make it and lost everything in the process.

==> http://virtualbusinessdashboard.com

You are not alone. According to the Small Business Administration, only 44% of new businesses last more than 4 years. In addition, 60% of businesses are either losing money or breaking even. Many of these entrepreneurs have fallen into this trap for the following 7 reasons:

1. They start a business without enough cash reserves
2. They don’t do proper market research
3. They don’t have a clear niche market and try to be everything to everyone
4. They don’t provide outstanding customer service
5. They get too caught up in they daily tasks and fail to delegate
6. They fail to implement systems
7. They hire the wrong people

==> http://virtualbusinessdashboard.com

If you find yourself in this situation, you can make immediate changes to turn things around.

In this new economy, the answer is going virtual. The reason is because we are now connecting everything to everything. If you don’t take your company virtual, and continue the old way of doing business, you may as well close shop.

The reason virtual businesses are here to stay is because the internet has impacted the way we do business forever:

1. The cost of running a virtual business is low. This will reduce your costs, allow you to preserve cash reserves, increase profits and leave enough cash so you can invest in things that will bring more revenues into your business
2. You can narrow; service and dominate a niche market at a pace, professionalism and profits unheard of before the raise of the internet. Remember, in this new economy, “the riches is in the niches”
3. You can do business globally almost instantaneously. Nothing, absolutely nothing has leveled the playing field as the internet has. You can hire the best of the best, anywhere in the planet. You are no longer constrained to just hiring employees in your local market
4. With a click of a mouse, you can now be competing with the largest corporations on the planet and thrive. If your business is not virtual; you have just taken yourself out of the competition
5. At little to no cost, you can provide the most outstanding customer service, available 24/7 and in a multitude of channels. Chat, support desk, mail, web, email, phone, fax to name a few
6. You can have sophisticated systems that in most cases can cost you zero, zilch, nothing, nada. You don’t even need to be a programmer or a geek to get them going
7. Most importantly, by setting up a virtual business, you can now work ON your business, not IN your business…the dream of becoming the next millionaire may not be too far after all

==> http://virtualbusinessdashboard.com

As you can see, with a virtual business, all you need is a computer and internet access to get you going. Anyone can start a virtual business in minutes. You don’t need major start up capital. You don’t need investors. You don’t need to risk months or years trying to break even. You don’t even have to gamble your savings. You can implement sophisticated systems. You can hire the most qualified personnel from anywhere in the world. Most importantly, a virtual business allows you the free time to have a personal life too!

Visit Virtual Business Dashboard to get the “20 Insider Secrets for Starting Your Own Virtual Business on a Shoestring” and a video of “The Best Business to Start in This New Economy”

… visit the Virtual Business Dashboard and get your FREE insider secrets.

http://virtualbusinessdashboard.com A step-by-step video describing the pros and cons between starting a small business and a virtual business.

What’s the Difference Between Starting a Small Business and a Virtual Business?

Another question I get all the time is “What’s the Difference between Starting a Small Business and a Virtual Business?"

The answer is starting a small business requires a large initial investment.   For a virtual business all you need is a computer and internet access. 

The main reason small businesses requires a large initial investment is because they need items such as desks, furniture, equipment, supplies, phones, credit card processing machines, long term leases, employees, utility deposits,  filing cabinets, space for supplies, printing and copying, faxing , paper, toner, storage, payroll taxes, employee benefits and on and on and on.

It is expensive, cumbersome and time consuming to build and maintain a business with a physical setting. Most people who start a brick-and-mortar business need financial backing, either by selling equity to a partner or borrowing funds themselves.

On the other hand, to start a virtual business all you need is a computer and internet access.  By creating a virtual business, you can create a professional image.  You can operate effectively and efficiently.  Most importantly, because the overhead expenses are so low and you do not have the large initial investment; with a virtual business, you will be able to be profitably sooner than your typical brick-and-mortar business.

The benefits of starting, managing and growing a virtual business are endless:

1.    You can launch an entire business with little to no money

2.    You can convert your brick and mortar into a virtual business and reduce your costs massively. In my case I went from about $25,000 in back office expenses per month, to about $600.

3.    You can work from the comfort of your home. I went from working 60-70 hours a week in my physical business, to about 2-hours a day managing my virtual business.

4.    You can manage your virtual business remotely. I missed so many field trips! Now, I volunteer at my kid’s school

5.    You can have employees scattered all over the world. You can find the best of the best and they don’t have to live in your town

6.    You can digitize and automate. This allows you to build processes and systems at very little cost

7.    You can hire virtual assistants and not have to deal with the daily business minutia

By taking your company virtual or starting up a virtual business, you can grow your company as big as you want to.  You don’t even need a physical location.  In today’s new economy, more and more big corporations are downsizing their workforce to work from home.  Having an office in a major corporate park, or a major city is totally and completely irrelevant!

You can see an example of a real sustainable, successful virtual business (100% virtual and paperless) at groupbenefitagency.com

Anyone can start a virtual business in minutes!  You don’t need major start up capital.  You don’t need investors.  You don’t need to risk months or years trying to break even.  You don’t even have to gamble your savings.  

Visit Virtual Business Dashboard to get the “20 Insider Secrets for Starting Your Own Virtual Business on a Shoestring” and a video of “The Best Business to Start in This New Economy”

Just visit Virtual Business Dashboard

http://virtualbusinessdashboard.com A step-by-step video that describes how to find the best niche for your virtual business and dominate your market!

How Do I Know If I Have a Great Product Idea for a Virtual Business?

The biggest question I get all the time is “How Do I Know If I Have a Great Product Idea for a Virtual Business?"

The answer is:  Do a FREE online market research that can pinpoint if you have a credible, sustainable and profitable product or service idea.  The same market research can help you re-position an existing product or service in a different profitable niche market.  Once you have identified a profitable niche, start selling it through a virtual business, even if you have a physical office.  It is difficult to succeed in today’s market without a web presence.

The beauty of starting a virtual business, if implemented properly, is that you do not have to guess if your product or idea will fly.  Thanks to the advance of technology, there are analytical tools out there that will allow you to do extremely sophisticated market research in little time.  You can do today, in just a couple of hours, what big corporations used to spend months and thousands of dollars getting the same results that today takes you only a few minutes at zero cost.

The great thing about these tools is that most of them are free or have free trials. This gives you enough time to do proper research and see if your product will be profitable for you.  If after you completed the research, you see your product is not a feasible idea, then the same analytical tools can show what other products or services you should start concentrating your efforts on to increase your chances of success.

Additional reasons I prefer a virtual business are:

1. You don’t need to set up a storefront to succeed
2. You will save time by streamlining your business systems
3. You will save money by digitizing all your back office processes

This means you can wok from any place, at any time, at any pace.  All you need is a computer and internet access to get you going.

The benefits of starting, managing and growing a virtual business are endless:

1. You can take advantage of cutting edge technology, readily available for free
2. You can reap mega profits just like big corporations do. 
3. Your competition will not stand a chance.  While they are trying to figure out what happened, you will have already dominated your niche market.

You can see an example of a real sustainable, successful virtual business (100% virtual and paperless) at groupbenefitagency.com

Anyone can start a virtual business in minutes!  You don’t need major start up capital. You don’t need investors.  You don’t need to risk months or years trying to break even. You don’t even have to gamble your savings.  

Visit Virtual Business Dashboard to get the “20 Insider Secrets for Starting Your Own Virtual Business on a Shoestring” and a video of “The Best Business to Start in This New Economy”

Just visit Virtual Business Dashboard