Today is supposed to be my regular Fri-dea post, but I have a ha-ha that I MUST share with you. Women are some amazing people when it comes to being creative, spontaneous and worker-bees. I am all-supportive of women who start their own business, climb that corporate ladder, find/make/pave their own way and just generally do whatever it (ethically) takes to get where they want to be. Remember: ethical.

This article that I found over at Mental Floss highlights some things schemes people have tried in search of the “get-rich-quick” life. Read #2. Now read it again. Want to go in together and order some? You know, to offset our shipping costs?

Lydia Pickham had to have been one of those business women that men dreaded to see coming. Calculating and fierce, the old girl was bringing in over $400,000/yearly with this compound. Here is the excerpt:

Touted as one of the world’s first successful businesswomen, Lydia Pickham exploited her reputation as a local medicine woman to propel her herbal remedy into a commercial success, eventually grossing almost $400,000 yearly. The remedy claimed to cure all womanly ailments and weaknesses and sold for $1 a bottle. What was in the herbal remedy? Turns out, it contained less than 1% solid substance from vegetable extracts and almost 20% alcohol. If a woman took the suggested 1 tablespoon, every 2-4 hours, she will have consumed 5 ounces of 13.5% or higher alcohol by the end of the day- more than enough for a healthy buzz that made life seem a bit more cheery to boozy housewives. When the Federal Trade Commission tightened its laws on claims made by medicines, Lydia Pickham’s Vegetable Compound had to swallow the restrictions with a spoonful of sugar.

I know it’s not (ethically) right, but who can’t see the shrewdness in those business deals? I mean, guys do it all of the time and get away with it. Anyway, I must say that I am a **little** impressed with Lydia’s way of doing business. Just a little. Why? Because it touches on a little of what we tout here at Biz Chicks Rule:

Find your market
Research your market and
Deliver to your market

Keep the customer’s happy! (and how)

Well done, Lydia. Well done!

Post from: EveryJoe

Amazing Business Women – The Things Those Gals Will Do!

If you’re interested, you can pick the series up here and follow them, or start at the beginning and come forward to see where they are in the series. Either way, you will gain a ton of information and insight into the wonderful world of blogging.

I’ve been blogging now for about two years and have found it to be quite addicting. I love the interaction (especially the interaction) with the readers and the chance to project my own business opinion on topics of interest in the business world and community. I love it and wouldn’t trade it for anything. Well, almost anything.

I encourage you to follow Mary Emma’s and Yvonne’s blog postings on the blogging business. It’s easy to get started in and if you like hearing your own voice, you’re a shoe-in. Let me know how it goes for you!

_______________________________________________

Copyright 2008 – Bridget Wright

Post from: EveryJoe

Fri-Deas: The Blogging Business

Suzanne is our new eBay guru here at the b5media network. She will be blogging about the eBay life over at E-Shop Owner and giving excellent tips on the eBay seller’s life. Suzanne works from home and has been in business for herself for quite some time. I don’t know if you saw it, but I did this interview with her last month.

Suzanne is a pretty cool business woman and manages several verticals of her entrepreneurial empire. Go on over and visit her. For any of you who are thinking about doing the eBay thing, she’s definitely the go-to person. I thought about it for a while once, but was really only interested in it to see if I could find some designer handbags at stealer prices.

Welcome to b5 Suzanne. Biz Chicks Rule…again!!

Post from: EveryJoe

Welcome to the New Biz-Chicker at eshopowner.com!

For instance, I tried to do several things when I was searching for that “perfect” work at home job, shortly after I had my first child. I tried almost everything imaginable (well, not everything), but never stopped to think about tapping into what I already knew and could do well. Sometimes, it’s not always about making the most money. But, it’s about finding what you love, doing that thing consistently and being satisfied. Then, the money will follow.

Writing is something that I found to be not only flexible for me, but a way to release my expressive side. I enjoy the way I can make words flow, come together and change perceptions and beliefs of the reader. Yes, it’s my niche, but I never fully realized it until I stopped to really give it a try.

Search your skills database and test things out. You never know what may work out for you.

Post from: EveryJoe

Fri-Deas: What Skills do You Have?

[photo: google.com images]

While I perused which table I wanted to get my lunch from, I noticed a food vendor table that said “Our Daily Bread”, a hot meals-to-go type of establishment that prepare homemade meals for you to pick up and carryout. It all sounded so convenient and so exciting…a place where you can get hot meals for your family in convenient, ready-to-serve, disposable containers. I was excited…I didn’t have to cook anymore!

I became even more excited when I met the owner. Our Daily Bread is owned by a woman named Shannon, and was started as an answer to a need for hot meals for busy baseball and soccer families here in Alabaster, AL. Then, I became even more excited while talking to Shannon and discovering that she started her business with just an idea and a dream. She said she saw where this type of business would be great for the local community and also how she has had to do NO newspaper or magazine advertising to get her business off of the ground. She was so inspiring that I simply had to share her news with you.

All families are busy and could benefit from this type of service that Shannon is providing. She says she also goes to the baseball fields and networks with those families and lets them know about her meals-to-go service. On Saturdays, she also takes cake samples to the soccer field and passes them out to the parents to let them know about her place. A networking genius!

If you have a business idea, don’t hesitate and wait for the time to be right. The time is now. I’m sure that whatever idea you may have perhaps has been done before or some variation of it has been done. If Shannon can do it, so can you.

Just do it!

Post from: EveryJoe

Fri-Deas: Business Ideas For Women – Pre-Packaged Meal Delivery Services

Let me first start by saying that yes, I am a Melaleuca memeber, but not an active sponsor. Meaning, I do purchase and use their amazing products, but I am not an active program sponsor signing people on under me. I do however use their products religiously and without reservation, but my income-making interests are just not in marketing and selling this opportunity.

Melaleuca is a wellness company who boasts healing and cleaning products derived from the Melaleuca plant. I started using the detergent from Melalecua when my 2nd child was born. I was trying to cut costs and use quality products and needed something that would be cost-effective yet gentle to my child’s skin. I found a friend who sold this “wonder” product and immediatley fell in love with its convenience and practicality of using one detergent for my entire household. Since I ordererd every single month like clockwork, my friend asked if I’d be interested in marketing the opportunity since I loved it so much. Although I was impressed, I just didn’t have the time or interest, but I am still using the Melaleuca products eight years later.

This is a great opportunity for stay-at-home moms or women who are interested in multi-level marketing. It’s also great for those who have excellent people skills and can communicate and convince customers of the need for
these 100% pure products. The products are made with 100% natural ingredients and are shipped right to you and your customer’s front door.

In order to take advantage of the company’s savings, they require membership to take advantage of their steep savings, although some of the products in the product list can be somewhat overpriced.

The joining fees are currently a one time fee of $35. This was as of February 2008. The products easy to convince customers to buy since they are 100% natural and the business can be done 100% working-from-home and marketed online.

Melaleuca began as a multi-level marketing company in 1985. Its main product is the Melaleuca oil (derived from the Melaleuca tree) that goes into just about every product they make from soaps, detergents, vitamins and lotions.
The company boasts that its products are 100% natural harmful in any way. The Melaleuca oil can actually be ingested which attests to its safety also as a natural product.

The business opportunity involves signing up other members to sell the Melaleuca products and opportunity. The member is compensated with a percentage of the new member’s purchases. What keeps the integrity of this
multi-level marketing business is the products which are top-quality and in demand by their customers. The products are all items that they typical household uses so with that obvious statement to potential customers, most
of the convincing has already been done for the business person.

What also sets Melaleuca aside as an outstanding opportunity is their quality customer service and their no-hassle refunds. If you are ever dissatisfied with any part of your buying experience, they will gladly refund your money or replace the product, no questions asked, no hassle.

Another Melaleuca review

Post from: EveryJoe

Today’s Fri-Dea – Business Ideas For Women – Review of the Melaleuca Business Opportunity

Consider professional advice services. Accountants, Tax Lawyers, Clergy, Financial Planners, Real Estate Brokers, Nurses, Doctors, Psychotherapists, etc., etc. The list is endless. If you are a licensed professional in your field, you should consider marketing your expertise and advice for a fee.

Post from: EveryJoe

Today’s Fri-Dea – Business Ideas For Women – Professional Advice

Now before I fantasize about having my salads made custom for me when I want and how I want, and the exact way that I want my potatoes julienned, personal chefs are in high demand and carry a hefty price tag.

Personal chefs do exactly what their names imply: they cook for you, personally, adjusted to suit your taste and preferences for meals. Since most moms are already cooks, by default, the business of being a personal chef comes pretty easily for them. Or should.

Personal chefs get all of the clients personal information and preferred tastes, does all of the shopping, cooking, preparing and sometimes even serving of the food.

(insert: I know I’m blogging about this, but OH what I wouldn’t give to have such a wonderful luxury!)

Since laws vary by state, food preparation is typically done at the preparer’s home and then taken to the client’s home. Preparation done at the client’s home would require a business permit to handle food, reviews by food inspectors, etc.

When setting prices for this service, ask pertinent information like family size, what bowls or containers they prefer to use and fresh or frozen ingredients. You would also need to find out things like food allergies, preference of mild or strong herbs and spices or even what preferred ethnic culture the food is to be prepared in (i.e., Kosher prep, Mediterranean fare, etc.)

Personal chefs or cooks are enjoyed by families on most any budget but are usually used by higher income bracket families. This is not to say that you cannot or should not market to other segments of the population. Also in your marketing, you should offer gift certificate services, work trade shows and new mom clubs, community fairs, give out free samples when at all possible and talk, talk, talk up your business whenever you can. Just because someone doesn’t use your service immediately doesn’t mean they won’t in the future.

For other resources on personal chef services, visit these links:

The Business of Personal Chef Services

American Personal Chef Association

Peronal Chef Insurance

Post from: EveryJoe

Today’s Fri-Dea – Business Ideas For Women – Personal Chef Services

When families have to go out of town or be away from their pets for extended periods of time, they want peace of mind knowing that their pet is well taken care of. Enter, the pet sitter.

Your services as a pet sitter can involve, of course, pet sitting, pet walking, grooming, transportation and exercise. Perhaps as a “pet nanny”, you can market yourself to homes with multiples pets by placing your business cards and brochures in veterinarian offices, pet grooming salons, pet supply stores and other places like bulletin boards at grocery stores and book stores.

You may also consider a pet grooming mobile service for clients who cannot take their pets to the groomer themselves, due to the size of the animal or the client’s limited flexibility in getting around. Pet grooming mobile services can be marketed exceptionally by word-of-mouth.

Post from: EveryJoe

Today’s Fri-Dea – Business Ideas for Women – Pet Sitter Services

What about clean lines, neat shelves and all-purpose baskets …do you goose-bump out thinking about that?

If the idea of those things appeal to you and your personality likes things to be “in order” the business of professionally organizing may be just the thing for you. Professionally organizing is a business that is catching hold pretty quickly with women doing what they love, what they do best, making a living at it and making other folks live’s easier in the meantime. Now I am not a very “organized” person, so to speak, but I welcome tips, advice and any input from someone who IS an organizer and know what to do to make systems work.

I took a peek over at our new b5media blog with Jennifer, our resident guru on organizing a business, to see what advice she could offer on what a person should do when considering going into this type of business. Take a look also at her main website of helping business professionals get organized and see what ideas she has to offer on that as well. Here are also some links to professional organizer websites and information on the industry.

Professional Organizers

NAPO

Careers in Professional Organizing

Professional Organizers Organization

Bridget

Post from: EveryJoe

Today’s Fri-Dea – Business Ideas For Women – Professional Organizer