Hi All,

Bear and I have been working hard to make improvements that will HELP you promote YOUR business.  To that end, we have added the ability to forward your posts to your Twitter Account.

How does this work?

A plug-in we use uses your title as the tweet text, and uses a url shortening service (cli.gs) to include a link to your article.

Twitter is a proven (FREE) way to drive more web traffic to your website.  In addition to being index by Google, your Tweets are searchable with-in Twitters network such that people looking for what you do will find your tweet and a LINK to your website.

To add your twitter account info, log into the community and go to your profile.  Add your twitter account user name and password and you are all set!

If you have any questions, please drop me an eMail or give me a call (503) 709-1454.

Happy Blogging and Thank you for being a part of PortlandBusinessCommunity.com.  Together, Small Business can thrive during this recession!

Ed Bejarana
BusinessBlogging.net
a division of Zenith Exhibits, Inc.

Thomas J. Leonard, founder of Coach University, quoted a mentor friend of his who once told him, “Our lives are spent doing what we are incomplete about.”    Leondard went on to say that “until we are complete, we do the same things over and over again in a futile attempt to get complete so that we can move on and express our values.” 

What does this have to do with you or even me?  Well, to be incomplete is to have in “on your mind”.  We have all met those who are struggling with this, heavy hearted and sad contenanced, but trying.  Look at these:

• Pang of _______(fill in the blanks – guilt, remorse, regret)
• Shame, strong feeling of embarrassment, unable to look yourself or anyone else in the eye.
• Anger
• Denial
• Sadness
• Etc.

The real meaning of incomplete is that it is unresolved.  Unresolved things in our lives sap our energy, deprive us of companionship, purpose and happiness.

So, what’s a person to do?  Incompletions sow discord, discomfort, unhappiness and misery.  Getting rid of them, that is finishing them, frees you to live and love.

Several things can help, but getting your critical needs met and focusing on things that fulfill you can be of immense help.  If it doesn’t help, then go get help, but for goodness sake, get it done with.

Coach   http://coach-charles.com

The essential thing here is that the IRS is going to look at your intent. Did you intendto make money? You must intend to make a profit or it’s just a hobby. Here are some of the tangible indications that you have really embarked on a business enterprise.

1. Register your business name by filing a “doing business as” (DBA) statement with your local county clerk.

2. Use business cards and stationery.

3. Take out a company listing in the Yellow Pages.

4. Keep a log of the business contacts you’ve seen during the year.

5. Advertise in local papers.

6. Send promotional mailings to prospective customers.

7. Set up a business bank account.

8. Get a business telephone.

9. Buy a postage meter and a copy machine.

10. Hire at least some part-time help.

Copyright 1998-2002 by Charles Powell, Personal and Business Coach who can be reached at

http://www.coach-charles.com.

The original source is: Randy B. Blaustein, a former IRS agent. Used with permission.

It seems like the news is worse with each passing day…More layoffs, plants going idol for three or more months, unemployment hitting all time highs in our state–what is a small business owner to do?  To quote the great philosopher, Bobby McFerrin, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”

Bobby said, “In every life we have some trouble, when you worry you make it double.”

Time to focus on tomorrow and assume ALL responsibility for your success (or failure).  Relying on Uncle Sam is not a good business strategy.  If you are unemployed, consider starting your own business.  If your business is slacking, increase your marketing effort.  If you are under staffed, accept reality (for a while) and work more hours.

The message is work smarter AND harder.  There are many FREE or low cost opportunities for you to market yourself and your business.  Twitter, does not cost a dime and (with a large enough following) does help bring more traffic to your website.

If you are a job seeker, being on Twitter or writing a blog can get your name higher on the search engines and when a prospective employer does a search for what you’ve written or done online, your unique ideas and positive attitude shows up HIGH on the list.

If you are over worked, then bring in a consultant or personal assistant.  Freeing your time from less productive tasks allows you to focus on more profitable activities.

Remove the following words from your vocabulary:  Can’t and Impossible

Stop watching the daily news.  Spend time each week with someone who has a positive attitude.  The cost of coffee and time with such a person will pay off in spades!

Ed Bejarana
BusinessBlogging.net
a division of Zenith Exhibits, Inc.

The TV show The Walton’s was based upon a real family surviving the depression. They all decided to live together in a large home. They pooled resources to survive and prosper.

My family has done the same. There are 4 generations living in our 2460 sq. ft. home in Portland, Oregon. My 83 year old mother, who can not live on her own, moved in with us three years ago. With dementia, there a whole set of interesting issues. For the most part, she mainly stays in her room and watches TV. If anything goes wrong, it’s my fault.

Our son-in-law lost his job last year and decided to return to college. So He, our Daughter and Granddaughter moved into the basement. We remodeled an area for our Granddaughter so they all their own space.

All in all, it works out rather well. We get to see our Granddaughter every day. We are able to give our daughter and son-in-law some relief in the challenges of child rearing. My daughter prepares most meals and my son-in-law is the chief dishwasher. The kids pay what they can during this time. It’s about helping each other.

What makes it work is the ability for all of us to have our own space. It simply would not work for us in a smaller house. Yes, there have been some conflicts, but we talk and it gets resolve. We recognize and respect our daughter ans son-in-law as setting rules for our granddaughter. We still have the privilidge of sending her back to her parents when we are full of ,”grandbabby time.”

Ken B ear Cole

Fishing with Bear LLC

A hotel is kind of a home.  Yes, it is not where you want to really be, but you are there or are going there.  So how do you get the best deal?  Here are a few ideas:

1. Call the hotel.  That’s right call the hotel using their number rather than the 800 number.  And for goodness sake don’t believe the website rate.

2. Ask for a discount.  Everytime I’ve asked I received one.  Ask to split the difference.

3. How about phone calls, ask for a lower rate, if you are going to be calling a lot.

4. The “No Vacancies” is usually untrue.  With few exceptions I have always gotten a room.  The have “out of order” rooms which may be okay for you.  Ask.

5. Guaranteed rooms are not guaranteed.  Giving them your credit card information merely give the illusion that they will hold the room. 

6. Tip the housekeeper every day.  Even talking to them will improve service.  $2-3 a day is fine.  Also reduces possibility of burglarizing.

7. Your bags are not necessily safe with the bellhop.  Losses are not usually secured by the hotel.

8. Hotel rooms are not sanitized.  Some things never get cleaned, TV remotes, telephones, clock radios, etc.

9. Take your cell-phone recharging cord home with you, when you leave.

10 The concierge may really be only an employee, who is assigned this responsibility.

Coach     http://coach-charles.com

Adapted from an article by Bottom-Line/Personal,  November 1, 2007

Websites fail for a number of correctable reasons, all ow which are fixable.  Here are a few/

1.People put up a web site and then abandon it.

Advice: Make your web a source of information and wisdom, an expanding resource center.  Give away everything you know.

2.They make it a second or third class web site

Advice: It doesn’t cost much more to make a first class Web Site.

3.They expect it to be a revenue machine during the first month or year.

Advice: Few enterprises not on the  Web earn lots of money in their first year.  Why should enterprises on the Web, be any different?

4.Expecting people to just find your site.

There are an incredible number of websites out there. Yes, even in your are of expertise. So your site gets lost. If people don’t know you exist, they will never even look for you.

Advice: first choose a domain name that is easy to remember. Second, make your front page easy to read, with concise content and promotability.

Coach                http://coach-charles.com

1. Be intentional:  realize that everything you do to and in your business is marketing. Being intentional give you more surety, confidence and success.

2. Realize that being at the top, means it is down hill from here.  Success is a measure of how high you bounce when you fall.  Get ready, set….

3.  Look for those clients who are looking for you.  Now that may take some doing, but it is better than firing in all directions hoping that something will develop.

4. Know who you are and tell others.   You’re the expert on you, so sell yourself, and people will buy your product.

5. Give away everything you can. Give people what they need and they will buy what they want.  And that’s what you are in business for.

6.  Know where your money goes.  Even if you don’t know, it will go anyway.  It is nice to plan that.  So do you have a marketing plan?

Coach             http://coach-charles.com

Hello everyone…  We have ALL heard the hype about Twitter.  If your friends are not already talking about it, then your friends probably don’t use the internet.

In the spirit of helping local business.  Share with us how Twitter helps you and your business.  If you are a Twitter Pro, please chime in with ideas for other business folks on HOW they can use Twitter to find more customers.

Ed Bejarana

How much energy do you have for living?  At the end of your energy, do you still have more day left.  We have all noticed how easy it is to get day to day things on our plate.  What we are not expecting and that take up vital energy is unfinished things in our life.  These ignored and perhaps unconscious intruders eat up our energies and thus our lives.  One of the most serious and often the most subtle is keeping up with what bugs you.   Pause for a moment and consider what it is that you put up with.  Maybe it’s your car, or your neighbors, or your spouse or kids.  Maybe it’s your job, or  what you do on your job.  Maybe it’s the traffic, or whatever.  Make a list of all these things that get next to you and eat up your life.  You might not have more than a half dozen, but I’m betting that if you really look and think, it is more than a hundred things you are tolerating.  What this will do for you is to make what you are tolerating conscious.  Remember that:

AWARENESS + ATTENTION + INTENTION  = A MIRACLE

Coach Charles

http://coach-charles.com