How to start an internet business

Are you thinking about starting an internet business? This could entail hard work but the fruits of your labor can be rewarding. Anytime could be a good time when it comes to starting business online.
There are thousands new internet users being logged on everyday. Some of them are upgrading dial up connection into a DSL broadband. You might be wondering how to start an internet business.
Actually it applies the same concept just like starting any kind of business. The best way to start any kind of business is having lots of information about it.

How to deal with heartbreak

Heartbreak is a terrible heart-wrenching experience. When you see the man you love tell oh-so-blatantly “it’s over. I can’t do this anymore!” just two weeks or months to the wedding (or no wedding) and watch him walk majestically out of your life, then you know what heartbreak is. Your world is completely

Deliciously Ageless

Can your food make you look younger and fabulicious with glowing skin, silky hair and taut, toned muscles? Absolutely! Just follow these 4 simple rules to have beautiful skin that looks ten years younger, amazing energy and a never-felt-this-good level of health.

     Eat colourful produce every 4 to 5 hours

As you age, your skin’s natural glow diminishes due to a drop in the skin’s natural antioxidant. To ensure an adequate provision of antioxidants for the skin, your diet should be rich in colourful fruits and vegetables. The most important antioxidant is

    a)  vitamin C (found in citrus fruits, tomates. )

    b)  Vitamin E, (found in mustard greens, chard,sunflower seeds, and turnip greens. Very good sources include almonds and spinach.)

What can high-vitamin E foods do for you

•  Protect your skin from ultraviolet light
•  Prevent cell damage from free radicals
• Allow your cells to communicate effectively
• Help protect against prostate cancer and Alzheimer's disease

c) Polyphenols, (found in vegetables such as red cabbage, yellow onion, leeks, broccoli, artichokes, celery, parsley, kale, soy milk, tofu, miso)

 Polyphenols take on the role of antioxidants, acting as a protector against damage caused by free radicals. Polyphenols can also deactivate substances that cause cancer growth. Polyphenols that protect your body have a variety of sources.

d) Quercetin

e)  and carotenoids

 
Drink more fluids

One of the effects of reduced water levels in the body is loss of skin elasticity, a major contributor to fine lines. To prevent this, a minimum of eight glasses of water a day is recommended. Fruits and vegetables are also very good sources of fluids too. It’s because they are naturally packed with fluids that fresh fruits and vegetables are crisp.

 Get 30% of calories from protein

After age 30, your muscle mass dwindles by approximately 3 to 8% per decade, causing you to lose strength not to mention calorie-burning power. The antidote? A regular strength-training regime and dietary protein. Protein is key to warding of fatigue, maintaining a steady blood sugar level and promoting cellular repair and growth.

Make every grain count.

Whole grains are packed with fiber and anti-aging nutrients. The key to looking younger is increasing the whole grain ratio in your diet plan and decreasing the carbs. 

there you have it. the healthy path to looking younger. have any questions? please let us know by sending an email to inspiretosuccess@gmail.com. till then rock a fabulous you!

Finances can cause problems in even a picture-perfect Marriage

First come heart-racing, feels-right love , then the perfect, what-wishes-are-made-of wedding and then marriage. Yeah your handsome, dashing, tall, blue-eyed, rosy-lipped, bronze-skinned man still looks the same but a few months in and you aint feeling so lovey-dowey anymore. Instead you both are facing tough financial issues like: how to spend money, who decides what to spend it on, and who has better claim on the money.

Your love starts feeling even more sore if you find yourself in any of the following situations: you are a complete housewife and depend on your husband’s salary totally for everything from food, beauty care to your mother’s allowance; your husband just got sacked and you earn peanuts, you both work but you earn like three times his salary.

These are delicate situations and need to be handled properly. Aso, when times get tight, financial troubles can have a devastating effect on marriages. According to John Phillips, executive director of Evansville nonprofit Community Marriage Builders. "Finances are certainly one of the top five, if not top three, problems that marriage faces,"

To ensure your marriage doesn’t end up in the divorce waste-bin, Miranda Marquit , a relationship adviser, advises the  following steps should be taken:

1. Look for underlying issues. Sometimes finances are only one part of the equation. Perhaps security and control are problems. Many couples find that money is tight at some point in their marriages. It is important to realize that this is a security issue as much as a money issue. Rather than become irritated, recognize that fights over money originate in other problems as well.

2. Realize the contributions each partner makes to the home, and recognize his or her part in the money decision making. Many women  especially in African homes find themselves browbeaten into silence in money matters because they may not work, or they may have a part time job that earns less than the main breadwinner. This attitude is poison to a marriage. It is important to realize that in a home, what happens is very important, and whoever stays home has an important role, even if society does not reward it with a paycheck. Recognize that your partner's unique contributions to the family's overall wellbeing qualifies him or her equal say in money decisions.

3. Understand that you may have different money styles. Listen to your partner and understand where he or she is coming from. Realize that part of your problem is how you may view money differently. Talk about your finances openly, and talk about how you view money and how it should be spent. And listen to your spouse. This is the foundation for developing a financial plan that has a bit of you both.

4. Make some money ground rules. After you make progress through the first three tips, it is time to set some boundaries. Compromise is necessary. Neither of you will get everything you want, but both of you will get some of what you want. It's what marriage is about. Decide on rules like "if something costs more than "x" amount, we have to consult before buying" and allotting an amount that is discrentionary for each person. This should be an equal amount.

5. Set financial goals together. Rather than viewing finances as something that you disagree on in marriage, set goals to work toward. Working together to save for retirement or for a new house, or even to save up for a fancy night out, will bring you closer together over your finances.

6. Specially for ladies: Respect your man no matter how low his salary is compared to yours. Men crave respect and have highly sensitive egos. The fact that you earn more can be an ego-bruiser for some and can affect negatively the way they treat their women. As a woman, you need to be more understanding and submissive at this point to assure him that his control in the household is not jeopardized by your higher salary figure.

Office Style: Classic and Chic

In business, poise is everything. it determines if your potential customer will trust you instantly or not. Dressing the part of a successful entrepreneur is part of being a successful entrepreneur.

Above are my Favourite styles for the week. simple, elegant, classic and chic, these styles are very appropriate for mondays and portray femininity and power. Accessories are kept minimal and bold pieces can be used by the fashion-daring as shown in the creme-cordinated outfit. the emphasis is in celebrating your femininity whilst looking extremely official.

Simply highly recommended for all fashionistas out there.

Problems faced by new small businesses- and how to tackle them

Problems faced by new small businesses- and how to tackle them

1.       Poor market research:

You have been looking for a job for donkey years and decided to jump into business out of frustration. You see your neigbour’s sachet water business flourishing and you decide to eat your own national cake by opening a sachet water business. Your best friend and family give you the thumbs up but wait! Not so fast dear. Before you invest every single penny you have into this sachet water business or any business idea for that matter you need to conduct a good market research

You need to answer questions like: who are my potential customers? Who are my potential competitors? How much do I need as initial or setup capital? What running costs is my business likely to incur? ( for example a business that requires constant electricity requires a generator and those machines don’t run on sawdust you know) how do I reach my target market? Etc

A common problem for new businesses is that they overestimate the size of their potential market. All products and services have one or more target demographics. A Christian Louboutin shoe wouldn’t sell well in low-income areas. Another costly mistake is to underestimate the competition.

2.       Bad business plan

     Your business plan should touch the following areas:

1.       Problem statement

2.       Business Description

3.       Resume of business accomplishments

4.       Marketing plan

5.       Financial projections

6.       Personnel plan

7.       Specific business goals

8.       Plan summary

Too many entrepreneurs subscribe to the "paper napkin" fantasy; all you need is an ingenious idea scribbled on a napkin, and the millions start rolling in. The truth is that no new business has ever succeeded without a detailed and thorough business plan

Writing a business plan will help you focus the mission and scope of your business, figure out exactly how the business will run and realistically project how much money the business will make

A common problem for new businesses is that they rush a product or service to market without a clear focus. The result is that the business owner ends up chasing too many potential markets and new products thereby investing a lot of money and getting little returns. For example you plan to and open a boutique for working class females, then suddenly add a few more casual student pieces because a few students tickled in, then add a few male pieces because you think male wears are good money spinners. Before long you have a wild variety in male, working female, students and granny wears but they lack taste and focus that’s why customers come in and go out without picking anything or finding a single thing they like.

At the beginning, it's much more important to have a single focus with a proven client base. If your boutique is for the working class female, stick with that and get lovely pieces. Build a reputation in that niche so everyone knows that the one place to get killer working outfits for females is at your boutique. Then after building a strong reputation and customer base expand into relating niches/areas like accessories, casual wears for a working woman, and corporate wears for the working man.

All good business plans should include honest sales projections based on solid market research and competitive analysis. If there's another assorted meals fastfood joint in town, don't expect your sales to be much higher. In fact, they'll probably be significantly lower at the beginning.

Think of your business plan as an investment in your future. If you consider every detail now, there will be fewer surprises later.

3.       Not enough start-up capital

The entepeurers of 19 out of 25 failed businesses cite too little capital as the major cause of their failure. A common and deadly mistake is to assume instant profitability. I spoke to a young man whose sachet water business capsized a few months after startup and he said that he had spent a most of his money procuring machines and didnt plan for consistent running costs like generator fueling costs, transportation costs, security costs but instead looked forward to instant sales and hot profits. Problem is he had very few sales as most retailers already had sachet water distributors and definitely no profits till his business went under.

 The experts recommend planning for the worst, meaning at least two years before turning a profit. In your business plan, write up a detailed budget that will sustain you through those lean times. Once you've figured out how much startup captital you'll need in the bank, add 50 percent just to be safe.

4.       Charging too little 

Now unless you are Shoprite, this doesn’t work for a brand new business. Why? Larger, more established companies save money by purchasing on scale. They've learned how to cut costs through longstanding relationships with suppliers and through careful logistical planning. Shoprite, for example, can offer low prices because it has exclusive contracts with suppliers. Suppliers give Shoprite rock-bottom wholesale rates because they know the store giant is going to buy 100 million units.
You on the other hand probably can’t buy 100 million units yet. So instead of trying to beat the competition with rock-bottom prices that won’t earn you any profits, try to price your goods or services at a fair market value and beat the competition on high quality, customer service and your "unique selling proposition," also known as marketing

5.       Poor marketing strategy

One of the most important determiners of a successful business is its marketing strategy. Once you have a clearly defined target customer, you need to design a marketing campaign that turns him or her into a paying customer.

A common problem for new businesses is to rush into newspaper ads, glossy brochures, billboards and radio commercials. The first consideration should be the budget. You need to figure out how much each type of advertising costs and how many of your potential customers it will reach. Opt for the marketing strategy that gives you the most bang for your money.

I would advice promoting your business freely on facebook, twitter, linkedIn, youtube and using email marketing at first as extremely cost-effective and productive ventures. Companies like collectibles, namywedding have used social media extensively to boost their customer base. Progress to newspapers, billboards and radio as your capital base increases and you now desire to create a household image/ brand name of your business.

6.       Trying to do too much by yourself

You are the manager, the accountant, legal advisor, business development executive, customer relationship officer and the cleaner. This "one-man band" strategy might be a great way to keep costs low at first, but it's not the smartest way to ensure long-term success.

As your business grows you might need a sales girl, a dedicated customer care officer, one or two artisans or technicians etc. be sure to employ only exactly what you need and not more. In fact employ people that can multitask due to the number of skills they possess. Example, a friend of mine that has been running an IT firm has a junior staff that does customer care, attends to most technical issues like fueling and servicing the generator and still does some IT duties. Good employees are one of the most important investments you can make in your business.

Another mistake is to employ relatives. That is a big no-no. Sentiments should always be separated from business. Its hard enough to query, sanction or fire a stranger let alone your favorite aunt’s daughter or your own brother. Though there are exceptions to this rule, its better not to hire relatives while still a startup.

7.       Starting big?

    We all want our businesses to have office complexes in high-income area, official cars, uniformed drivers, in fact the works. But in reality, only established businesses can afford these luxuries. Not all startup businesses need an office to begin with. Most can take off from the home. Example a dry cleaning service, boutiques, a plumbing service etc. minimize your start-up costs and use your residential house till you are buoyant and established enough to expand to an office space. I know a furniture maker that started his workshop at his backyard. There he built even his showroom and his business is really growing to a point that he is beginning to think of expanding and having showrooms in another city. But he first started small- at his backyard.

8.       Spending too much time prospecting/ not enough time in a day.

This is common among many small scale businesspeople. You want to do this and that, you prospect and groan that there is not enough time to carry out all your business plans. Why not start with something- one thing and dedicate time to that one thing. it might take lots of time and effort but a dedicated time of like 8 hrs each day to a single prospect will reap results over time ( in as short as 3 months in fact)

Then as you see success in one venture, move on to another prospect. It’s a gradual process. You cant do twenty things at the same time. You will find that you will be confused and reap discouraging results.

9.       Most callers are price shoppers

That’s normal. But at least your phone is ringing off the hook. Your email is jammed full of questions about your product/services from people. These people are potential customers. Your manner of response to them and your prompt response to their mails determine if you can turn them to paying customers.

Build credibility with these leads by giving compelling reviews of your product/services, tell them why you are better than the competition, and be courteous and nice even if you receive rude comments from a very grumpy customer. You want to swindle the money in his pocket off him and not win a law suit on fairness and how people should talk to others.

10.   Off-season periods

Most small businesses go through dry spells called off-season periods. A way to tackle this is to advertise heavily on facebook, twitter and use email marketing to let people know about products you can sell during off-peak periods. For example, you are an exclusive school outfits tailor. During peak season let parents know of our 30% discount on church wears, party wears for kids you intend to start sewing during off-peak periods like March, April or August. You will definitely be busy during that period.

So that’s it. If you have any problems as a business start-up let us know by sending an email to inspiredtosuccess@gmail.com. It will be our joy to help you on the path to financial success by solving little challenges you encounter today.

Cancer prevention: foods to eat and foods to avoid

According to the American Cancer Society’s Global Cancer Facts and Figures, there were an estimated 7.5 million people who died from cancer in 2007. In Western Africa alone, 69,992 women lost their lives to cancer. Many researchers and cancer specialists believe that up to 60% of those deaths can be prevented if people adopt healthier lifestyles. According to Rachael Stolzenberg-Solomon, a researcher at the National Cancer Institute,                           “The easiest and least expensive way to reduce your risk for cancer is just by eating a healthy diet.”

1. Garlic	Garlic is known to fight bacterial, fungal and viral infections. It also reduces inflammation and benefits the heart and circulatory system. The sulfur compounds in garlic are thought to be the main source of its immune system-boosting effect, because they support the action of killer cells - cells designed to fight off foreign bodies. Anyone prone to recurring infection should eat garlic regularly, as it is thought to be an effective antibacterial treatment.
2. Dark leafy greens and vegetables	Dark greens are rich sources of antioxidants called carotenoids.  These scavenge dangerous free radicals from the body before they can promote cancer growth. Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts contain strong antioxidants that may help decrease cancer risk.
3.   Green tea	Green tea (drunk without milk) is attracting an increasing amount of attention as a healthy alternative to caffeinated drinks such as coffee, black tea and colas. Caffeinated drinks - if drunk on a regular basis - can cause sleep disturbance, breast tenderness, recurrent headaches and increased blood pressure. This is because the effects of caffeine can over-stimulate the nervous system. Green tea containing relatively low levels of caffeine, also contains a high level immunity-boosting antioxidants - which help the body fight bacterial and viral infections which can lead to more serious diseases such as cancer
4.   Grapes	Grapes have been shown to play an important role in protecting against cancer. This is because of important phytochemicals - plant-based chemicals which produce 'antioxidant' activity. This is our body's defence mechanism against free radicals - highly-reactive molecules that may lead to premature ageing and disease. Eating grapes can also lower cholesterol levels, reduce incidence of allergies and help promote an efficient circulatory system. For maximum benefits, choose red or purple grapes - as they contain higher levels of antioxidants compared to green grapes.
5.   Tomatoes	Tomatoes, watermelons, guavas and grapefruit are rich in carotenoid lycopene. This is a fat-soluble nutrient which appears to have a powerful action on the immune system by producing antioxidant activity in the body. More and more evidence is stacking up to suggest that lycopene might be a useful tool in the fight against a wide range of life-threatening conditions, including cancer.
6.   yoghurt	Probiotics - or friendly bacteria found in live yoghurt and other cultured or fermented foods - are being seen as essential allies in our efforts to enhance immunity. Yoghurts containing friendly bacteria appear to inhibit the reproduction of viruses, while also reducing inflammation in the gut.
7.   Whole grains	Whole grains contain a variety of anti-cancer compounds including antioxidants, fiber, and phytoestrogens.  These can help decrease the risk of developing most types of cancer. Remember, along with a healthy diet, a physically active lifestyle is important for cancer prevention as well.

In summary to prevent cancer you eat unprocessed foods and base your diet largely on plants. Consume foods that have omega-3 fats and other essential fatty acids. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables; many common ones have known cancer-fighting properties. Get regular vigorous exercise, since tumors cannot thrive in highly oxygenated environments. Keep your blood sugar stable to avoid being an all-you-can-eat buffet for cancer cells.

Eat foods high in natural vitamin C, a nutrient that deters the conversion of nitrite into nitrosamine and promotes healthy immune function. Make sure you get adequate amounts of cancer-fighting vitamin D through exposure to sunlight-- about 10 to 15 minutes each day if you have fairskin, or ten times as long if you have dark skin pigmentation. Stay well hydrated to ensure that your body rids itself of toxins. Avoid smoking and don't use conventional fragrance, cosmetics and personal care products-- virtually all of them contain cancer-causing chemicals.

SOME CANCER CAUSING MEALS INCLUDE:

• Any processed foods that are dehydrated, preserved with chemicals, 


canned or vacuum-packed. In other words, most 'instant' snacks or meals that suggest all you have to do is add water and stir. Why? These foods contain sodium nitrate. During the digestion process, sodium nitrite is converted to nitrosamine, and that's where the cancer problems begin. Nitrosamine is a carcinogen, but since it is not technically an ingredient, its presence can be easily overlooked on the packaging. Nitrosamines are also found in food items that are pickled, fried, or smoked; in things such as beer, cheese, fish byproducts, and tobacco smoke.











• Items that are very high in fat such as sausages, smoked meat or salami.

 Apart from their generous fat content, such foods also tend to be high in salt and additives. WHY? These foods contain Acrylamides. Acrylamides are not added into food; they are created during the frying process. When starchy foods are subjected to high heat, acrylamides form. A Swedish study found that acrylamides cause cancer in rats, and more studies are under way to confirm the understanding that acrylamides also cause cancer in humans.





• Convenience foods made from refined (white) flour and sugar,

 especially if they also contain saturated fat - high intakes of some saturated fatty acids can increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, and therefore increase the risk of heart disease. .Also Besides being a cancer factor, trans fats (or processed fatty acids) promote heart disease, interrupt metabolic processes, and cause belly fat that crowd the organs and strain the heart. The essential fatty acids that the hydrogenation process removes are responsible for a number of processes in your body. When trans fats replace these essential fatty acids, they occupy the same space without doing the same job. The "anchor" portion of the fatty acid is in place (which is how the body recognizes the fatty acid and puts it to work) but the chemically active part of the fatty acid is twisted, distorted, and missing vital parts.

After the hydrogenation process, the fatty acid can't biochemically function in the same way. Things like brain cell function, hormones, gland function, oxygen transport, cell wall function (keeping things in or out of your cells) and digestive tract operation (putting together nutrients and blocking allergens) are adversely affected.

Food manufacturers don't tell you this on the product label, of course. Your body needs essential fatty acids and you are programmed to keep eating until you get them. If you're only eating trans fats, you'll never feel fully satiated, because your body will never get the fatty acids it needs for essential function. Since cancer needs high blood sugar and low oxygen levels, a person with lots of belly fat who just can't seem to put down those trans fat cookies or crackers (also loaded with flour and simple sugars) presents the ideal environment for the development of cancer.

• Indian or Chinese take-away meals. 

samosa and chili bites

Although fine as a rare treat, Indian dishes tend to contain high amounts of saturated fats, and Chinese food tends to contain chemicals and colourings. Instead, try making healthy stir-fries, using olive oil and chopped vegetables, seafood, poultry or fish.

Get Organized, Get Up and Get Started(if you seriously need a job)

Here is a list of simple ways we can help ourselves remain open to change to positively impact the results of our efforts.

A job search can be frustrating, paralyzing and enough to make you want to go back to bed. A job search can also be exciting, validating and a way to develop opportunities you never imagined. There are a lot of factors in play, but the biggest factor is you. How you feed your mind during this time of transition can make a huge difference in your results.

Change is difficult, yet we all know it's inevitable. We have to find the power over our mind and emotions to not resist it. If we remain open, we may even find we can embrace it. Here is a list of simple ways we can help ourselves remain open to change to positively impact the results of our efforts:

- Find a designated place to conduct your job search. We are creatures of habit, so find a place that is designed to conduct business. Maybe it's your office, the library or a coffee shop.

- Develop a schedule. Just like you have a time when you show up to work, set up a specific time to regularly work on your job search. In your personal life, if you have to get something done, you block time on your calendar to do it. A job search is no different.

- Make sure you have a calendar to plan your activities, and a way to organize your notes and contacts. Keeping all of your job search information in one place is important. Think about how you can leverage your mobile technology to help you so you have access to everything you need even when you're on the run.

- Do three events or business meetings a week if you are unemployed, and two to three meetings a month if you have a job. You need to try new things and meet new people in order to increase the odds of your success. It's important to get out and be with people in order to build relationships that will lead to your next position. This could be through an industry event, a lecture, a job fair or simply a coffee meeting. The more activities you schedule for your job search, the faster you will find the right job.

- Reach out to your network. Make sure you can concisely share what you are looking for so that when people hear about something they'll recognize whether it may be of interest to you.

- Try anything once. Do something that is outside your comfort zone. This is a good exercise to build self-confidence. Ask a friend to do it with you if you feel like you might be tempted to back out.

- Follow up on your activities. If you meet with someone, send him or her a thank-you. If you promised to call on a certain day, then call on that day.

- Don't hide behind your computer all day. Get out and surround yourself with people. Go to the park or the library.

- Read the local business newspaper, industry news or trade journals. Brush up on the trends in your space. This gives you something interesting to talk about when you meet new people. Consider who might also find such information valuable and pass it on. Research gives you a great excuse to reach out to someone in your network.

- Volunteer. Give back to your community, because nothing does more to keep things in perspective. Try to find ways to use your professional skills in a volunteer setting. For example, if you're an accountant, try to find an organization that needs bookkeeping assistance. If you're a receptionist, try to find an opportunity that puts you on the phone. You never know whom you might meet because of what you are doing.

Whether or not you have a strong sense of urgency for finding a new job, you can still design the best work for yourself and move your career in a positive direction. Sometimes all you have to do is get organized, get up and get started. You may even find yourself enjoying the journey. Do things that inspire you and allow you to shine when you discover the right opportunity.