By Kimberly Rae

I have lived in several different countries, traveled the world, attempted with varying degrees of success to learn a few languages, and loved my big life plans for doing significant things.

But I was sick, and over the years, the sickness got worse until finally I had to admit that I could not keep up with my own goals. I got diagnosed with Addison’s disease, along with a few other health conditions including asthma and hypoglycemia. We came back to the US where I could get the medicine that keeps me alive and keeps me going, though at a much slower rate than I ever expected to live. Read the rest of this entry »

By Matthew Yohe at en.wikipedia from Wikimedia Commons

Steve Jobs was a marketing genius that took a mediocre company and made it into what it is today. Apple hasn’t always been such a success, but as almost everyone knows, it is a massive and very profitable company now. Although Steve Jobs has done many different marketing strategies in his time, let’s take a look at a few tips we can learn from him.

Inbound Marketing:

Inbound marketing can also be considered as content marketing, it’s a very effective method that has proved to be a major factor for Apple and plenty of other businesses’ success. By submitting content such as blogs, videos, e-books, pod casts as well as mastering search engine optimization, social media marketing, and other forms of inbound marketing. Apple draws people into their site, allowing them to present what they offer and converting people into sales. Although there are a lot of different ways inbound marketing can be done, any business would highly benefit by starting a marketing campaign around some of these ideas.

It is very cost effective when in comparison to other ways of marketing and much more efficient. When a customer is willing to go to a business’s site by choice, they are more willing to buy from them, instead of being forced to watch an advertisement on TV or having pop up ads coming on their screens. Read the rest of this entry »

By Kirsten Hendrich

Starting a business from home may seem like a daunting task. While it certainly isn’t effortless, becoming self-employed is often much easier than most imagine. Of course, it takes careful planning, persistence, a unique skill, and a large time investment, but when you can find a way to turn a passion into a creative business, the work hardly seems like work at all. Plus, the Internet has made starting a home business easier than ever. It can now be done with limited capital, few resources, and no inventory. But perhaps best of all, small business owners today have the opportunity to reach out to customers across the globe without ever leaving the comfort of their homes.

Here’s how to start a creative home business:

Find Your Niche

Success in the business world depends upon the ability to carve out a unique niche in the marketplace.  To do this, you need to narrow in on a particular customer demographic, and offer them something they can’t find elsewhere.  This can be a matter of style, of the particular product or service you sell, or even the attitude with which you market yourself.  In any case, the first step in starting a business is determining what makes you special and locating the customers who value that uniqueness. Read the rest of this entry »

By Barbara Seifert, Ph. D., CPC

Getting ahead in one’s career, which is not just if you work in an organization, should be the aim for all of us. Whether you own your own business, are a contractor, a stay-at-home-parent, or work a 9-5 job, your focus should be on moving up and getting ahead. Basically, this just means that you are not content with staying where you are and are continuously making improvements in your interests, skills and abilities. This is how you will have more fulfillment and satisfaction, which then leads to higher levels of satisfaction and performance.

But why is it that some people, when faced with the possibility of a promotion or some type of advancement, suddenly become fearful and falter in making a move? Read the rest of this entry »

Being an entrepreneur is all about empowering yourself to create a business that’s right for you. It’s about facing up and rising to different challenges, overcoming the day-to-day demands, learning and planning for the future.

In a new campaign e-commerce specialists Alibaba are celebrating female entrepreneurs. They want to encourage women to realize their vision and head down the path of creating a thriving and successful business.

Starting your own company can be a daunting prospect, but listening to the stories of some of Alibaba’s successful customers can help show you how achievable it is. These stories show how, by overcoming the various challenges and with dedication, hard work, belief and ambition, you can reach your goals and realize any dream you want.

And now Alibaba wants to hear your inspirational stories too. If you’re a female entrepreneur they want you to submit your story and you could be in with the chance to win a mentorship from one of five successful businesswomen. Read the rest of this entry »