Business Opportunities, Entrepreneur Resources and Tools, Business Reviews

With the highly possible increase in downsizing trends, more and more people are made redundant.

The next logical step for those people are: looking for another job and starting a business.

The former is more desirable for those who place income security high in their list, but the latter is more desirable for those who are being fed up with all the corporate politics and seemingly unfair downsizing.

Whatever step you want to choose, I recommend you to consider the latter for two reasons:

1. Throughout the history of small business, being downsized is one of the most successful life changing experience in born new, thriving, entrepreneurs.
2. Getting back into the workforce with the standard you had before is not as easy as you think - businesses cut costs, and one of the area that are being heavily cut is payroll - bottom line, businesses want more for less these days.

Without further adieu, the following is the top 10 small business ideas for 2009 that might entice you to plunge into entrepreneurship:

1. Do-It-Yourself business
   Most of the case, DIY reduce costs. If you can provide products and services that allow people to DIY something, such as creating your own home cleaning products, you are on a roll.
2. Energy saving business
   This idea is definitely hot in the past few years, and in 2009 the emphasis on energy cost-cutting regimes will push any energy saving businesses even further. Producing or distributing LED lightings will be the right business this year.
3. Online business
   Ah, my favourite small business idea. The wonder of the Internet is this: For as low as $50 (a domain name + web hosting fee) or even for free, you can start a lucrative online business and shoot for a chance to create a six figure business before this 2009 ends! Of course, one key factor: your competitiveness in a low-cost, high-competition market.

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2009 - New years, renewed hope and renewed optimism.

Observing on human behaviour, this year is probably the tipping point of economic situation.

Tipping Point: Q2 2009?

I’m not an economist or a finance expert. But as an entrepreneur, I predict mid-2009 will be the tipping point - things will ’suddenly’ turn from bad to better.

Why mid-2009?

Q1 2009 is not the time - business is still slow, and budget has been exhausted in late 2008.

Q2 2009 is likely to be THE quarter to watch, as businesses are ready to roll with the replenished budget. Having thousands of businesses ready to go all out with the replenished budget will oil the economy’s rusty wheels, and will eventually bring better business to most entrepreneurs - this, as how the recession itself started, is contagious.

You will see yourself end up raking more business than before. You will see that economic outlook and sentiments are suddenly changed for the better.

The butterfly effect kicks in.

The butterfly effect - the one which begins and ends recession

What is butterfly effect?

Basically, the theory is explained as this: one, single, flap of a butterfly’s wing located in, say, South America can create a climate change in, say, Asia Pacific region.

In layman’s term, the butterfly effect describes an event started in one part of the world that will affect another event in other parts of the world, regardless the geographical boundaries.

The a.k.a - the chaos theory.

Perhaps my explanation is not accurate - However, for whatever explanations and details we might have, the recession was, undeniable, started as a butterfly effect.

The sentiments and outlook are transmitted virally - it’s highly contagious and caught people off-guard.

However, what goes down must goes up - once again, the butterfly effect will eventually better the economy, almost unnoticed, initiated by the tipping point I mentioned above.

Now, get ready to recover

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First of all, I would like to apologise for not posting in this past few days.

I’m not being lazy, but actually I spend more time with my family and ‘trying hard’ to cut myself from the Internet, including blogging.

In my free time, instead of blogging, I create mini plans that will guide me throughout 2009.

If you haven’t got any plan for 2009, I urge you to start right now, as planning is very, very important.

My 2009 focus - ready to surf the big wave of economic recovery!

Why planning is essential

To me, planning is like setting up your own carrot to chase.

What’s amazing about human being is, that we are adaptable in every situation and in each of us, there is a always an urge to get more with less effort.

Some of you wouldn’t agree with me. “No! I like to earn what I receive - so I’ll work hard for better result,” you say. I’ll say, “Yes, but wouldn’t it be wonderful if you get more with less effort, and focus the extra free energy to achieve more in life?”

‘More’ is not all about money. ‘More’ is all about your vision, desire and goals in life. ‘More’ could mean giving back more to the community - Like Oprah’s Big Gift, for example. ‘More’ could also mean more time for your family. And so on - There are many other things in life NOT related to making more money.

Eventually, planning makes your effort more focused on what’s important. Master your planning will bring you to business opportunities and many more!

The best bet is to create mini plans

I love mini plans - they are more achievable and reward you in every small achievement you make.

You can start with mini plans of many, if not every, facets of your life - your personal finance mini plan, your relationship mini plan, your business mini plan, your investment mini plan, your personal endeavour mini plan, and so on.

The possibilities are limitless, really.

Here’s some of my plans… ‘Care to share yours?

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For those of you who are not the startup-type of entrepreneur, looking for established businesses to acquire is a more logical decision to make.

Looking for such information from the Internet has always been a better option, as you can DIY your search and cut broker or intermediary fees.

The problem is, with literally thousands of websites offering business for sale listings, it would be a difficult task picking the ones that are more ‘legitimate’ and trustworthy.

Sure, many could offer you a list of thousands of businesses for sale, but considering the number of scams recently, finding a legitimate buyer or seller is challenging.

One of the natural ways to go to cut the chase of bad-listing-good-listing issues is by look for Business For Sale in a premium listing website.

Businesses for sale premium listing website

The benefit of searching for Businesses For Sale in such website is clearly listing quality.

By nature, premium listing website eliminates potential scammers and questionable listings often found in free classified sites.

But those websites do offer free membership!

Most, if not all, business for sale websites do offer free membership. However, certain perks are attached to paid members, in such a way that a ‘circle of trust’ is created between paid buyer and seller - benefiting paid members over the free ones.

As a seller, you wouldn’t want to receive inquiries from questionable buyers. As a buyer, you wouldn’t want to acquire a business from an unknown seller. It’s basically a win-win situation :)

How to choose a business for sale listing website

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For those of you who dream to own and run a location-independent business like I do, there are certain tools that are must-have.

By location-independent, I refer to businesses that don’t require your presence to run the business - even, you can bring your business(es) with you wherever you go. One example of location-independent business is online business.

Of all tools that are essential, the most important is, in my opinion, Online Storage.

Today’s online file storage features

Online file storages today are not your typical websites a decade ago.

Today, An online storage website is offering services that ranges from, obviously, Online File Storage, Internet backup, file sharing, web folders and online document viewer - to name a few.

The idea of online storage is location-independent file storage that allow you to access your files and share them among your colleagues.

As long as you have access to the Internet, you can store your files online.

I don’t get it - an example, please

One of the most prominent examples of online storage business is FilesAnywhere.com, one of the oldest online storage companies founded back in 1999.

You can sign up for a free account, but with limited features. For an advanced plan starting from $8.95 for 5GB of storage, not only you can store your files, but you can share them with your partner securely, synchronise your local and remote folders, and automate data backup.

What’s more, you can have your files faxed directly to the recipient from your account. Moreover, you can access your account from your mobile phone, as well as fax a document directly from it.

How online storage can benefit your small business

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E-Procurement is not widely talk about on the Internet. Businesses rely on web directories, online catalogues, and online yellow pages to look for buyers or suppliers.

Well, you should consider e-Procurement.

What is e-Procurement?

Despite the powerful application of E-Procurement, it is, unfortunately, often considered as an obscure way to enhance your business’ supply chain management.

Not only the resource-intensive implementation of e-Procurement, but also the jargons related to it.

CEOs speak in business language and a bit of Internet-related language. Therefore, everything started with the letter ‘e’ is often confusing and time consuming to learn - e-commerce, e-auction, e-procurement, e-learning, even e-mail - all is so obscure :)

However, take heed. There’s always a way to help you better your business.

First things first - the jargon-buster

I understand a bit about e-Procurement, and have ‘invented’ layman’s terms for e-Procurement and the related processes.

What is E-Procurement?
Also known as supplier exchange, it usually comes in a form of website. E-Procurement (electronic procurement) is basically the purchase and sale of products and/or services through the use of Internet Technology, aiming to streamline processes and reduce costs. It is highly related to and integrated with supply chain management

You mention Supply Chain Management. What is it?
Supply Chain Management is the management of everything involved in bringing products and/or services from a supplier to a customer. The aim is obviously to add value in everything you do in the management process.

What is Strategic Sourcing?
Strategic Sourcing involves processes done by an organisation to ensure businesses’ purchasing activities (such as those in e-Procurement) are done in more efficient and effective manners, including assessments on the market, the business and the suppliers, as well as the negotiation with suppliers.

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The keyword to ace today’s competitive business arena is community-driven.

Relevant to online and off line business, community-driven business generates much-needed buzz that will almost always translated into profit.

One of the recession-proof small business idea is free essay and coursework resource for high school and college students.

Every student could use a free resource or two

Everything free is always interesting, and this business idea could get teachers upset ;)

The idea behind this small business idea is offering free resources that consist of term papers, book reports, and Research Papers to high school and college students, while offering premium or custom services, such as custom College Essays writing.

The better business model: Have students share their essays and courseworks. If this business model works well, teachers should be careful and more resourceful in giving assignments to students, as students now have more edges to get good or better grades.

How to start a free student essay and coursework resource business

The best way to start this business is online.

Why?

Because information is better leveraged, distributed and accessed through the Internet.

Here’s how to start a free student essay and coursework resource business:
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