creases in fixed costs as you determine whether you have the capital you need to get started. If you're already in business, you can still do this research and incorporate the results into your planning. Go to the library and read up the specificLet's start with the good news. You've no doubt heard the statistics: that 9 out of 10 new businesses fail. Well, it turns out that census data show that about 65% of new businesses were still in operation after 4 years. As we dig a little bit deeper, though, the news is more sobering for solo entrepreneurs: Successful businesses tended to be employer firms rather than solo enterprises. And several studies don't even take into account sole proprietorships. A look at the factors contributing to success or failure in these studies, though, can still offer valuable lessons to those determined to succeed.

Here are a few do's and don'ts:

1. Do your homework before opening your new business. The most common reason for failure cited in recent studies was "outside business conditions" having to do with increased costs (such as rent and insurance)and new competition. You should study the existing and potential competition and factor in increases in fixed costs as you determine whether you have the capital you need to get started. If you're already in business, you can still do this research and incorporate the results into your planning. Go to the library and read up the specific
   Looking for a New Career - Are the Skills You Have suitable?
   As you will soon find out when looking for a position in a new field is to quantify the skills (tasks that you are particularly good at) and then communicating them in either written or verbal form to a new employer.By matching your skills to those that are used in a variety of different works settings may be able to help you match your skills which would result in you finding the right position for you.Firstly you need to actually determine what skills you have and will help in ensuring that you become the candidate who will get the job that you have applied for. However the skills that you are talking about do not necessarily have to be ones that have come from a work environment even if your are applying fo
   deeper, though, the news is more sobering for solo entrepreneurs: Successful businesses tended to be employer firms rather than solo enterprises. And several studies don't even take into account sole proprietorships. A look at the factors contributing to success or failure in these studies, though, can still offer valuable lessons to those determined to succeed.
   
   

   Here are a few do's and don'ts:
   
   

   1. Do your homework before opening your new business. The most common reason for failure cited in recent studies was "outside business conditions" having to do with increased costs (such as rent and insurance)and new competition. You should study the existing and potential competition and factor in increases in fixed costs as you determine whether you have the capital you need to get started. If you're already in business, you can still do this research and incorporate the results into your planning. Go to the library and read up the specific
      Hot Buttered Customer Service
      "Sixteen squirts."I didn't know what my wife was talking about. I was busy counting out money for my popcorn at the AMC refreshment stand. "He put sixteen squirts of butter in your popcorn," she answered my confused expression.I looked over as the movie attendant filled my small bag of popcorn with more popcorn and then squirted in more butter. I had asked for "lots of butter." I don't usually get it. This time, I got it.I received the bag and carried it like a bag of gold dust. It was almost that heavy. The bag was warm and a wonderful smell drifted up to my face.I entered the darkened theatre and walked down the aisle lifting the bag to my mouth so my tongue could pick up the fluffy popped kerne
      uting to success or failure in these studies, though, can still offer valuable lessons to those determined to succeed.
      
      

      Here are a few do's and don'ts:
      
      

      1. Do your homework before opening your new business. The most common reason for failure cited in recent studies was "outside business conditions" having to do with increased costs (such as rent and insurance)and new competition. You should study the existing and potential competition and factor in increases in fixed costs as you determine whether you have the capital you need to get started. If you're already in business, you can still do this research and incorporate the results into your planning. Go to the library and read up the specific
         Success By Doing It - Don't Wait Till Your Advertisement Is Perfect
         The importance of immediate, massive, daily action has been written about many times already but it is so important that it is worth writing about again and again. The examples in this article come from the world of business but they could apply to any other walk of life as well.Marketing is the life blood of business but sometimes businessmen will wait until they have written the perfect advertisement or sales message before they send out even one ad. They also spend weeks making sure their website is beautifully designed with all the latest refinements.Meanwhile good selling time is passing them by. Their product may even be out of date before they are happy with the advertisements. By the time they have ever
         e most common reason for failure cited in recent studies was "outside business conditions" having to do with increased costs (such as rent and insurance)and new competition. You should study the existing and potential competition and factor in increases in fixed costs as you determine whether you have the capital you need to get started. If you're already in business, you can still do this research and incorporate the results into your planning. Go to the library and read up the specific
         5 Simple Tips for Dealing with Nasty Customers
         If you’ve been in business very long, you’ve likely heard it all! You know, the irate customer who is going to sue you over the nineteen dollar product that they claim is bogus; the one that’s going to “shut your business down” because they conjure up in their minds that you might have breeched your privacy policy, or the one that takes complete advantage of your money-back guaranty. My favorite has to be the one that calls and screams vulgarities into the phone for apparently no reason.It doesn’t happen often, but if you’re going to be in business, you will run across some nut cases from time to time. Some can be diffused, some can’t. That’s just the way things go in business.There are some simple techniqu
         creases in fixed costs as you determine whether you have the capital you need to get started. If you're already in business, you can still do this research and incorporate the results into your planning. Go to the library and read up the specific costs and hazards associated with your industry. Get training or work in a successful business that is already doing what you plan to do so you can see from the inside how common problems are resolved and success is achieved.
      
      
      
      2. Do eliminate or reduce existing debt as much as possible and clean up your credit reports before you open your doors for business. A 1998 study showed that difficulties obtaining financing and excessive debt were the second leading cause of business failures. Businesses started with at least $50,000 in capital had the best chance of success. This doesn't have to be your own personal capital, of course; but if you don't have it, you need to be in a position to borrow it, and that's difficult to do if you already have high levels of debt when you get started. Before applying for funding, be sure to get your credit reports, which you can do easily and cheaply at MyFico.com. The site has terrific tools you can use to get