live
life on purpose
work at what you love
follow your own road
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There
are costs and risks to a program of action, but they are far less than the
long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction.
~ John F.
Kennedy
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Opportunity Knocks:
Creative Ways to Make a Living Without A Job
Turning Problems Into
Opportunities
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Valerie and her rescue dog,
"Cokie Roberts" |
By Valerie Young
"In the middle of difficulty," observed Albert Einstein, "lies opportunity." Some of the best opportunities often originate from problems – either yours or someone else's.
For example, like a lot of parents, Deb Cohen's problem was that after her first child was born she wanted to find a way to be a stay-at-home Mom.
Around that same time, Deb became aware of a real problem for most homeowners – namely, finding someone reputable to do home repairs or improvements. By putting these two problems together, she came up with the perfect solution for both her problem and that of her neighbors.
Since 1997 Deb has been owner of a highly successful company called Home Remedies of NY, Inc.
(HRN), an organized referral company that matches homeowners with skilled, pre-screened independent home-repair workers.
HRN offers homeowners referrals to reputable home improvement contractors free of charge; the contractors represented in the network pay a commission to HRN for any work secured. If you've seen any of NBC's Dateline segments on unscrupulous home repair men (I would say home repair "people" but I've never seen a segment that featured a woman) then you can imagine what a relief it would be to homeowners to be able to easily find trustworthy and competent contractors.
In fact, a few years back I remember picking up a brochure at my local hardware store about a service that sounded a lot like this one. I only wish I'd looked into it before I hired the fly-by-night guy who replaced my roof last summer. What a NIGHTMARE!
I first learned about Deb when the Work from Home channel at iVillage.com featured her as their
"Mompreneur
of the Month." I was very pleasantly surprised to learn that Deb's business
has become so successful that she has expanded to offer others the chance to
launch a Homeowner Referral Network in their community. I felt instantly reassured when I read that, to date, there are more than
400 Homeowner Referral Networks operating in the U.S., Canada and abroad.
What's nice, too, is that aspiring entrepreneurs can choose from a range of business start-up kits at different price points. The kits offer step-by-step procedures on how to start a network in your area
and include contractor
commission structures, liability information, a complete direct mail and
advertising campaign, and how to locate, screen and represent a comprehensive
network of home improvement contractors.
All kits include The Complete Guide to Owning and Operating a Successful Homeowner Referral Network and unlimited leads from the
HRN Web site. Kits range in cost from $1,995 – $6,495 with the higher priced kits including options ranging from business forms to individual phone consultations with
Deb to a turnkey website
and an online marketing tool designed for HRN owners to stay in touch with their
clients.
This also seems like a good opportunity for someone who wants to start their own home repair/improvement business because HRN takes care of all of the marketing and you are instantly affiliated with a company that is known for referring only quality professionals. If you've had a good experience with a home repair person, HRN is actively seeking referrals from satisfied homeowners.
Deb’s business
is just one of an infinite number of ways to turn a problem, complaint or threat
into a money-making business opportunity. For example, when the news was filled
with horror stories of tainted pet food from China, enterprising people leapt on
the opportunity to make and sell organic pet food.
The key to
being a successful entrepreneur is to become adept at being what I call an
"Opportunity Analyst." The easiest place to begin is to consciously stay on the
lookout for examples of problems, complaints or threats and see if you can come
up with interesting income-generating ways that you – or someone – could solve
them. Look around you. What kinds of things do you, your co-workers, friends or
family complain about? Study news sources. Drive through your local
neighborhoods or commercial areas.
If you would like to learn
more about this interesting business, visit Deb online at
ChangingCourse.com/recommends/hrn and you can read Deb's Top 10
Misconceptions About the HRN Business at
ChangingCourse.com/hrntopten.htm
Trust me –
there are plenty of problems out there for an enterprising person to turn into a
great small business opportunity! If you’d like a little help developing your
"opportunity muscles," join me for my monthly Teleclass, "Turning Interests into
Income Opportunity Hour." Learn more at
ChangingCourse.com/courses.htm
About the Author
"Profiting From Your Passions" expert Valerie Young abandoned her corporate cubicle to become the Dreamer in Residence at ChangingCourse.com offering resources to help you discover your life mission and live it. Her career change tips have been cited in Kiplinger's, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today Weekend, Woman's Day, and elsewhere and on-line at MSN, CareerBuilder, and iVillage.com. An expert on the Impostor Syndrome, Valerie has spoken on the topic of How to Feel as Bright and Capable as Everyone Seems to Think You Are to such diverse organizations as Daimler Chrysler, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Harvard, and American Women in Radio and Television.
To read more
articles about how to work at what you love without a job go to
ChangingCourse.com/articles
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Go for it
now. The future is promised to no one.
~ Wayne Dyer |
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Featured Resource
If You’re Organized – and Love to Get Things Done – You Can Start Your Own
Business as A Personal Concierge
We all do a
balancing act every day, and since most of us don’t have a personal assistant to
make the phone calls and run the errands for us, we try and cram them into the
weekend and on our lunch hour during the week. In fact, many people feel that
there are simply not enough hours in the day to get everything done. Right?
Well, for those individuals and businesses that can afford to hire an organized
person to jump in and handle the details, help has arrived!
 Although the
personal concierge industry is fairly new, the number of entrepreneurs who are
catering to time-starved people is skyrocketing, as is the customer demand for
such businesses. Why? Simple. People are trying to squeeze 36 hours into a
24-hour day.
As a personal
concierge you can set your business up any way you like. For example, you could
help your clients to do things like:
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Search for tickets to
concerts and special events
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Arrange for
transportation services
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Make restaurant
recommendations and reservations
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Pick-up/deliver dry
cleaning
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Grocery shopping
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Offer pet services
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Care for seniors
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Modified house sitting
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Secure tickets to
concerts and special events
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Travel and vacation
planning
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Meeting and event
planning
These are only a
few of the many services a concierge can offer. There are dozens and dozens of
things you can do. In fact, one of the best things about this business is that
there are so many revenue streams you can attach to it.
That’s because
in addition to – or, if you prefer, instead of – serving busy parents and
professionals, you can also work with larger business clients. For example, a
growing number of corporations are offering concierge services as a work/life
benefit for their employees and clients. Real estate management companies are
setting up lobby concierge services in their apartment and office buildings and
neighborhoods. Concierges are being added to hospitals, universities, shopping
malls, airports and more. Travel Agencies and Meeting Planners are also adding
them to their list of services. As you can see, personal concierges are the wave
of the future.
The biggest
challenge to starting any new business is knowing where and how to begin. A
client of mine raved about the training she received from Triangle Concierge, so
I did a little investigating. I learned that the company was founded in 1998.
Since then Triangle Concierge has been providing concierge training and services
to thousands of
clients from both small and large companies including corporations from the
United States, across Canada and over 40 countries from around the world.
I was pleased
to see that they offer a range of educational options for different budgets and
learning styles. You can get a "how to" manual for under $30, attend a two-day
live training, get a home-study system, sign up for individual mentoring from
co-owner Katharine Giovanni … just to name a few.
In addition to being
an author, speaker, consultant and International Concierge Training Expert,
Katherine
is also
Board Chair and Co-Founder of the International Concierge and Errand
Association (ICEA).
Naturally this
business isn't for everyone (owners Ron and Katharine
Giovanni
will attest to that). But if
you love helping people, are organized, and are the kind of person who likes
getting things done, this may a wonderful opportunity for you. Learn more at
ChangingCourse.com/recommends/triangleconcierge
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Your life
will be no better than the plans you make and the action you take. You are the
architect and builder of your own life, fortune, destiny.
~ Alfred A.
Montapert |
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Life is a great big
canvas, and you should throw all the paint you can on it.
~ Danny Kaye |
Be a Part of Valerie’s New
Book
Do you secretly worry
that others will find out you’re not as intelligent and competent as they
seem to think you are? Do you
often dismiss your accomplishments as a "fluke" or "no big deal?" Do you
sometimes shy away from or obsess about taking on greater challenges because
of nagging self-doubt? Are you crushed by even constructive criticism,
taking it as evidence of your ineptness? Are you waiting to be exposed as an
impostor, fake, or fraud?
If so, join the club!
It’s estimated
that 70 percent of people have experienced these feelings of intellectual
fraudulence which are especially common among first generation
professionals, creative types (Mike Myers says he’s always waiting for the
"no talent police" to show up at his door), students, and others. Fearing
that we have somehow managed to fool others "impostors" live in fear that
sooner or later we are going to be "found out."
In March I
signed a *big* book deal with
Crown Publishing Group to write a self-help book on the so-called Impostor
Syndrome. And I am committed to including as many voices and experiences as
I can. Simply said, I need your help.
For the next few
months I’ll be posing a different question designed to help me better
understand how impostor feelings manifest in the lives of my readers. I hope
you will take a moment to share your thoughts, stories, fears, and solutions
with me so that I may in turn, help more people to feel as smart and
competent as they truly are.
Question of the Week
What does
"competence" mean to you? For instance, what goes through your mind as you
think about starting your own business or promoting yourself as an "expert,"
going after a new job or a big promotion, or taking on a new and unfamiliar
project, or perhaps writing a book of your own? In these situations or
others, what do you think it takes to be competent? How do you define
competence? How will you know when you are "there"? Is there a story that
reflects an experience where you or someone you know struggled to feel
competent?
Please include
as much information as you feel comfortable sharing – first name, current
occupation, age, race, state/province/country. Share as much or as little as
you like. No matter what you share, I think just reading other people
stories will be enlightening to all.
Thank you in
advance for your input and support. I couldn’t do this without you!
Share Your Response
Click here to
share your answer to this Question of the Week
Valerie Young
Recovering Impostor
ImpostorSyndrome.com
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In order to
discover new lands, one must be willing to lose sight of the shore for a very
long time. ~ Andre Gide |
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Guest
Article
10
Steps Towards Thriving as an Entrepreneur
By
Bill Lampton
Twelve years ago, I
left the administrative career I had built for
twenty-three years, and started my own business.
Why? For some of the same reasons that attract other
pioneers, such as you..
You want to be your
own boss.
You want to unleash
your creativity, which your current job stifles. You
expect to double or triple your income. You are
eager to implement your lifelong fantasy. You lost a
previous job, and you don't want to face being
downsized again.
Yet, whether you have
taken that step or merely intend to, you're afraid.
You know former business colleagues whose new
businesses failed.
Fear no more. I offer
these guidelines for success, which I have used
since launching my company in 1996.
One: Involve Your Family
Entrepreneurship will bring family changes, for
sure. Your home office takes away the guest bedroom,
and startup expenses strain the family budget.
From the outset, let
every family member know what you are doing, why,
and how it will impact them. Then listen. Solicit,
and respond to, their advice. Welcome their
objectivity, which you're lacking in your euphoria.
Talk candidly about these changes before they
happen, and you'll gain valuable teammates.
Two: Network, and Keep On
Networking
In Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty,
Harvey Mackay wrote: "If I had to name the single
characteristic shared by all the truly successful
people I've met over a lifetime, I'd say it is the
ability to create and nurture a network of
contacts."
Mistakenly, during the
first six months, I tried going it alone. The
results were dismal.
Then I sought
advisors, who helped me immensely, giving
constructive feedback about my Web site, company
name, motto, logo - practically every significant
component. I still meet monthly with a group of my
peers. We share
marketing strategies, and even a few leads.
I encourage you to
join civic groups and your professional association,
and start your own informal group.
Three: Master the Clock and
the Calendar
Time will become your most valuable commodity.
Treasure it, protect it, use it wisely. Decline
politely when your Thursday afternoon golf buddy
calls on a warm, sunny day.
Use time-savers like
these:
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Organize your work
area, so you can find information quickly.
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Rely on a contact
management program, such as ACT, to keep track
of prospects/clients.
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Start each day
with a to-do list, arranged in priority order.
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Limit the length
of phone calls and meal breaks.
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Outsource work
that others will perform well at a reasonable
price.
Four: Get Physical
To endure your long work hours, you must remain
in top physical shape. Exercise regularly, eat
nutritious foods, reserve adequate sleep time, take
short stretch breaks, and schedule your annual
physician's exam.
I start each day with
a one-hour workout at a fitness center. Rather than
tiring me, the session ignites me.
Establish your own
health-supporting routines. Stick with them five or
six days a week, and you will enjoy feeling better,
thinking more clearly, and having more energy.
Five: Nurture Your Spiritual
and Emotional Needs
Remember to nourish the needs that go beyond the
physical realm. Daily, you will require exceptional
motivation, reinforcement, rededication, resilience,
and sheer courage. Many successful entrepreneurs
rely on sources not seen and touched.
For me, memorizing and
repeating inspirational passages boosts my morale.
Select whatever method uplifts you - meditation,
reading, attending religious services, walking down
a nature trail, or others.
Six: Get Technical
Most entrepreneurs don't start out with
administrative assistants. We are SOHOs - single
owners, home offices. Then who does the
correspondence, records, research, and filing? You
do.
So if you are
technologically impaired, or you're somewhat
competent but lack proficiency in programs like
PowerPoint and Desktop Publisher, enroll in a
nearby computer course. Fortunately, even small
community colleges offer them as noncredit evening
courses, modestly priced.
Take another
step - learn how to produce audios and videos. You'll
need that skill to keep pace with your competitors.
Seven: Become - and Remain - an
Expert
Will prospects return your calls? Will
appointments turn into contracts? They will when you
demonstrate that you have mastered your field.
Expertise doesn't
happen by accident. Successful entrepreneurs read
voraciously, attend conferences, interview leading
authorities, explore their topic on the Internet,
pursue advanced degrees, and earn special
accreditation.
And we don't stop
learning. "Continuing education" is a redundant
phrase. To be educated means that we keep learning
the latest advancements in our profession.
Eight: Hire a Coach
Tiger Woods, possibly the greatest golfer ever,
wasn't reluctant about hiring a coach. Presidents,
actors, and industry leaders rely on coaches.
Almost two years ago,
I hired a coach to jet propel my marketing efforts.
We worked together for three intensive months. With
his help, I revolutionized the way I seek business.
I consider his fee one of my wisest professional
investments.
Nine: Spend Wisely
Friends told me the writer's conference in Maui
was one I must attend. I considered the cost, and
went to a regional conference instead, where I
learned plenty and kept my creditors happy.
Spending wisely
becomes especially essential when we understand that
an entrepreneur's income, typically, is cyclical. We
can't let a highly lucrative month or quarter lull
us into lavish life styles. Soon we'll face months
with less income - possibly even no income. Set aside
cash reserves for those non-revenue periods.
Ten: Reject Rejection
Yes, turndowns will happen, when you just
knew your proposal was powerful, and your
presentation flawless. How could they have chosen
someone else, you ask in bewilderment?
In the words of Thomas
Paine, "These are the times that try men's souls."
The more you are rejected, the more you question
your ability. Your confidence drops.
I suggest that you
reject rejection. Realize that losing a contract
doesn't mean that you are inferior or your work is
substandard. Somehow, there wasn't a fit between you
and the organization. Really, the company paid you a
high compliment by selecting you for an on-site
interview. That alone affirmed your credentials,
programs, and product.
Think of the rejection
as a rehearsal for your next potential client. Learn
what you can from it, and then go find someone who
embraces the value your services will bring.
About the Author
Bill Lampton,
Ph.D. - author of The Complete Communicator:
Change Your Communication, Change Your Life!
- helps individuals "Learn More... Earn
More," through his expertise in
communication, motivation, customer service,
and sales. His speeches, seminars, and
communication coaching have benefited
top-tier clients, including the Ritz-Carlton
Cancun, Gillette, Duracell, Procter &
Gamble, Missouri Bar, CenturyTel, British
Columbia Legal Management Association, and
the Environmental Protection Agency. Visit
his Web site to sign up for his
complimentary monthly E-mail newsletter:
ChampionshipCommunication.com Call Dr.
Lampton to discuss how his services will
benefit your organization: 678/316-4300 or
email him at
DrBill@ChampionshipCommunication.com
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People take
different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on
your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost.
~ H. Jackson Brown Jr. |
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Upcoming Workshops and Teleclasses
Turning Your Interests into
Income:
The Opportunity Hour Teleclass With
"Opportunity Analyst" Valerie Young
There
really is no shortage of creative ways to get paid to do work you truly love.
The problem is most people don't know how to profit from their passions.
Viable and
fascinating business ideas are literally all around you. You just need to
know where to look!
Listen in
as serial "Opportunity Analyst" Valerie Young delves into her vast
Opportunity Files to reveal some fascinating ways that regular people – just
like you – have turned their interests into income!
You don't
even need a lot of money. All it takes is a little creative thinking, which
is a good thing because
Real Success Without a Real Job
author Ernie Zelinski calls creative thinking "the poor man's
wealth." Ernie was spot on when he said, "There is nothing quite as
exhilarating as coming up with a brilliant
idea, putting it to good use, and eventually being rewarded
handsomely for my efforts by the marketplace."
So join a
community of dreamers and dream doers for an exhilarating hour of creative
thinking, opportunity angling, and possibility-provoking fun! The rewards
could be enormous!
Millionaire
Entrepreneur Agrees to
Business Idea Brainstorming Session and Open Q & A
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Ryan Lee |
On Thursday, July 24
we’ll be joined by a very special guest – author of the Millionaire
Workout and entrepreneur extraordinaire - Ryan Lee.
Ryan knows all about
what it takes to change course. After struggling to support his family
from his teaching job, he put together a membership site for fitness
trainers. This led to other fitness related membership sites and
ultimately to a seven figure business.
But this is NOT a
Teleclass JUST for people who are intrigued by the potential membership
sites have for bringing in recurring monthly income AND how they can
make a difference in the lives of your members. It is for anyone who
wants to get better at coming up with ways to turn their interests into
income.
 Ryan
is ALSO an expert on list building, becoming an expert, writing a book,
developing your own information product… the list goes on and on. And
fortunately for us, he’ll be on hand to brainstorm business ideas and
let you tap his entrepreneurial expertise.
Ryan will definitely
be on the MORNING class. Right now he and his wife are knee-deep in
packing boxes fresh from their move from Florida to Connecticut. Ryan
says if he can get his two young kids into bed okay (parents understand
how this goes!) he’ll drop in for at least a portion of the EVENING
session. Knowing Ryan I have a feeling he’ll try to be there.
Again, even
if you have ZERO interest in starting your own membership site, I know
you’ll benefit from Ryan’s and vast experience and creative
entrepreneurial mind.
Plus I’ve asked
some of my
Outside the Job Box Experts to be on hand to chime in with ideas as
well. Know of some cool business ideas yourself? Bring them to share!
Thursday, July 24,
2008
Morning
Session
12:00-1:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Free for Fast Track Members*
$19.00 for Non Members**
Click Here to Register |
Evening
session
7:00-8:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Free
for Fast Track Members*
$19.00 for Non Members**
Click Here to Register |
Monday,
August 11,
2008
Morning
Session
10:30-11:30 a.m. Eastern Time
Free for Fast Track Members*
$19.00 for Non Members**
Click Here to Register |
Evening
session
7:00-8:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Free
for Fast Track Members*
$19.00 for Non Members**
Click Here to Register |
*This
series is free to current members of the
Fast Track Your Dream
Community.
**100 percent of Non-Members registration fees go to the non-profit
micro-grant organization
TrickleUp.org
Travel to Ecuador this Summer and Learn How Easy it Can
Be to Turn Your Vacation Snapshots into Cash… Plus Master
Spanish in Just a Week!
Join the American Writers and
Artists Institute for this amazing journey and you’ll:
-
Learn how to take
beautiful photographs in a dream setting with professional
photographer, Rich Wagner as your guide...
-
Explore and photograph
colorful leather and craft markets...
-
Try out a Spanish
immersion + "Super Thinking" program, geared to teach you
Spanish in just days...
-
Capture breathtaking
views of the Andes and local villages...
-
Plus, enjoy a
relaxing soak in a healing thermal spa...
Hotel, some meals, and
all adventure included.
Get the details here:
ChangingCourse.com/recommends/ecuador
NEW DATES!
August 30-September 6, 2008
Cotacachi, Ecuador
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It takes a touch of
genius--and a lot of courage--to move in the opposite direction.
~ Albert Einstein |
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The View From
the
Other Side
"Don’t ever let anyone tell you
that something is too competitive. Once you subtract the people who don’t
work very hard, or the people who aren’t as good as you, your competition
shrinks dramatically."
~ Maggie Mason, founder of
Mighty Goods
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Resources for
a Change
Train Women To Do Their Own Home Repair This
woman-owned business seeks to educate women to become confident, competent
homeowners by offering workshops and a range of lighter-weight tools
designed to fit a woman's grip. They're actively seeking entrepreneurial
women to learn how to become trainers and earn money on the sale of the
tools. Think of it as being an Avon rep but with tools. The Problem: A
friend tried it and discovered that it's not easy finding other women who
have the time to host an in-home party. My Work-Around Idea: Hold your
workshop at a local tile, furniture, window treatment, or other store where
home-owners shop. The store gets the traffic and
you get free advertising and meeting space. (TomboyTools.com)
Mindset: A New Psychology of Success
How you
think about intelligence, achievement, failure, and what it takes to
succeed has everything to do with whether you achieve your dreams
or watch them slowly whither on the vine of life. Next to the
War of Art, this book by
highly-regarded Stanford psychology professor Dr. Carol S. Dweck is my
new favorite book! Dweck masterfully makes the leap from academic to
self-help author offering example after powerful example of how everyone
from well-known sports figures, artists, business leaders and to young
children labeled as non-achievers have flourished or stumbled depending
on which of two mindsets they embrace. If you are an aspiring
entrepreneur, a parent, a teacher, a coach (sports or life) or just a
human being eager to make the most of their life you must read this
book. Can you tell I’m excited?!
ChangingCourse.com/bookstore.htm
Last Chance
If you love the idea of building an online community with like-minded
people, creating or gathering information, and having a business
designed to bring in a steady revenue stream, then take a few moments to
watch these short case studies of successful membership sites in some
unusual niches:
ChangingCourse.com/recommends/membershipcasestudy.
Or, learn about the nearly sold-out 2008 Membership Site Bootcamp before
the doors close late this week at
ChangingCourse.com/recommends/membershipbootcamp
And if you have no idea what I’m talking
about, but are curious about why I am so gun-ho on this business model,
read my article "A Little Knowledge Can Go a Long Way: How to
Generate a Steady Cash Flow Using What You Already Know" available at
ChangingCourse.com/articles/generate-steady-cash-1.htm
Note: Changing Course does not accept
paid advertisements from any of the resources listed here. This list is
provided to expand your thinking about just how many interesting ways there
are to make a living without a job!
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