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Pete Williams’ Press Release Printed in Express Telegraph in 2003

Melbourne, Australia (PRWEB) February 29, 2012

Ready to create buzz for your business but don’t know where to start? In its latest episode, PreneurCast host Pete explains why writing a press release is still important, how it makes the writer a better sales person, and what effect it can have on an entrepreneur’s business.

During the podcast, Pete states, “A press release must have the same core elements as a good sales letter. The key thing is having a good structured headline and hook. Once the headline is formed, individuals must formulate the supporting evidence to reinforce why the headline is so interesting and sum it up for the journalist reading it”.

Pete talks with Dom Goucher, the other host of the marketing podcast, about his blueprint for writing press releases and gives some tips for ways to make them stand out. Listeners are also taught about how every press release should have a call-to-action at the end whether it’s for media or inquiries, and to make sure it’s clear.

One lesson that Pete and Dom are encouraging their listeners to get from this episode is press releases are easy to write and can get an entrepreneur a lot of free publicity locally, nationally and internationally.

To listen to the complete podcast and find out about all the resources Pete has compiled regarding press release writing and submissions, be sure to tune in – http://www.preneurmedia.tv/PreneurCast/PreneurCast040-getting-publicity-with-press-releases/.

Listeners can subscribe to the podcast in iTunes or PreneurMedia.tv. PreneurCast airs every week.

About PreneurCast Hosts

Pete Williams

Pete is an entrepreneur, internet marketer, speaker and author. At 21, he sold Australia’s version of the Yankee Stadium, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, for under $500. He went on to write a number of books (How to Turn Your Million-Dollar Idea Into a Reality, Media Strategies for Internet Marketers, The Ultimate Press Release Swipe File and It’s Not About the Product) and create a bunch of companies (Infiniti Telecommunications, On Hold Advertising, Simply Headsets and Preneur Group to name a few). He’s also an avid outdoor adventurer. He completed this year’s Ironman Western Australia in under 12 hours.

About Dom Goucher

Dom currently lives in a small holiday town on the east coast of Spain with his partner, Keavy, and their three kittens: Meg, Mog and Blue. He’s self-employed and has been a Technical Solutions Consultant for Xerox. He has a background in print production and online media production, and has been a photographer and technical trainer for creative software such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Flash and FinalCut. Somewhere in a box, he has a degree in Computer Science too. He specializes in ScreenFlow and screencasting, and also does transcription, ebook creation, training course design and implementation.

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Article source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/2/prweb9229326.htm

Entrepreneurs’ spouses can wear many hats, but small-business owners shouldn’t rely on them too much.

Most spouses aren’t officially on the payroll, but they can play a huge role in the work life of their entrepreneurial partners.

After all, it’s often your spouse who knows you best. He or she can provide perspective for your overly optimistic projections, support you through a gutsy decision or help develop your communication and leadership skills. “Spouses can be invaluable coaches or counselors because they are not absorbed into the same universe and speak from a more balanced perspective,” says Marion McCollom Hampton, senior partner at Cambridge Advisors to Family Enterprise.

But it’s important to nurture the spouse-entrepreneur relationship and to avoid making too many demands, McCollum Hampton adds. “The spouse often experiences the entrepreneur’s business as a rival for his or her time and attention.”

…to read this article in full, visit leading US entrepreneurial resource, Entrepreneur.com.

Got something to say? Join the small business forum here at DynamicBusiness.com.au.

Article source: http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/entrepreneur_mag/dos-and-donts-of-seeking-business-advice-from-a-spouse-29022012.html

Tim Berry

• What’s In It For You from The Startup America Partnership
• Is Objective Journalism Doomed?
• 5 Hard Lessons Related to Firing Somebody

So how cool is this? The Startup America Partnership is offering a collection of real business tools and resources, mostly web-based, to help startups and small businesses do better.

This is the White-House-sponsored small business program announced a year ago. Here’s what I wrote then on this blog:

the Obama White House [Feb. 1, 2011] announced its Startup America Partnership yesterday with some very slick online video streaming, some serious financial commitments, and the good sense to lead with real entrepreneurs including Steve Case and Brad Feld, and real information provided by the Small Business Administration and the Kauffman Foundation. That was a great start.

The announcement now is that the partnership has come out with actual resources people can use. We’re talking about software tools like web apps, analytics tools, accounting, legal forms helps, and of course business planning, things people can use, made available to people who need it. If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, or in the process of starting, you can join the program for free and take advantage of different tools and resources, depending on your stage of business.

You can use this link to register your business, started or about to start.

And I’m proud to say, by the way, that my company, Palo Alto Software, is one of the participating companies. I like to see us doing our part.

And another note, just because it should be said: I don’t like the sentiment that says this is like “at last” the federal government is helping small business. I’ve posted on this blog often about how much I respect the government’s Small Business Administration (SBA) programs to help small business. I cooperate with the SBA whenever I can, and I blog for the SBA community site, and I have business plan tutorials on that site too. I also work often with the SBA-funded Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), which offer help to small businesses in 1,000 locations; they are excellent. And I am a member of SCORE, a mentorship program, sponsored by the SBA. The difference between these and Startup America is that Startup America isn’t using tax dollars at all.

Read more posts on Palo Alto Software »

Article source: http://www.businessinsider.com/whats-in-it-for-you-from-the-startup-america-partnership-2012-2

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Karen Rhodes, Knoxville TN Women’s Networking Chapter Leader

The Heart Link Network provides the perfect opportunity to not only grow in business but also to build lasting friendships and share in each other’s success.

Knoxville, TN (PRWEB) February 28, 2012

As women in Knoxville and the surrounding communities face significant changes in the world of business, they are discovering networking with other women to be one of the most valuable marketing tools for strengthening business contacts and connections.

The Heart Link Network® is happy to bring networking for women in Knoxville. Founded by Dawn Billings, entitlement and personality expert, and author of over 20 books. In 2008 Dawn was selected as one of the nation’s 80 emerging women leaders by Oprah magazine and The White House Project. In addition to her role as CEO of The Heart Link Network®, Dawn is also an executive coach and highly sought-after speaker.

Dawn explains, “I created a networking model on the female endocrine system,” The Heart Link Network’s founder Dawn L Billings said. “My background is in psychology, personality and neurophysiology. I love learning how our neurotransmitters and hormones effect our attitudes and actions. I wanted to create a networking environment that could help make women feel stronger and more capable and certainly more connected.”

The Heart Link Network® Knoxville chapter leader, Karen Rhodes, is a Marketing Distributor for SendOutCards. Karen is dedicated to helping female business professionals connect, create meaningful relationships, grow and succeed. Karen states, “I love to encourage women to believe in themselves and their ability to succeed in any role they play in life. Networking with other business women allows all of us to grow together. The Heart Link Network provides the perfect opportunity to not only grow in business but also to build lasting friendships and share in each other’s success.”

Heart Link Network gatherings are held monthly. There is no upfront membership fee to impede women small business professionals. Women mingle over an informal lunch or dinner as they share their hearts, products, and services with one another. There is no guest speaker as the attendees get all of the attention as they each showcase their business for 3 minutes.

Where many networking meetings are about numbers, The Heart Link Network® is about creating intimate, quality, meaningful relationships so they limited each meeting to no more than 30 women and prefer the meetings to have between 15-25 women attending.

Described as the heart of this organization by the founder Dawn Billings, are the President, Laura Wells, the creative director Yan Hughes, and the marketing and social media director Sherry Roden. “We would be nothing without our wonderful leaders who are served so well by this great leadership team,” says Billings.

The Heart Link Network® was selected as a 2011 winner of the Women Entrepreneur Business Award of Excellence in the “best women networking” category. “We will continue to do all we can to live up to our excellent reputation,” states Laura Wells, The Heart Link Network’s president.

“The Heart Link Network is so much more than business women networking with other business women. We have an Honoree program where each month we invite and publicly honor women professionals who are traditionally excluded from networking like female military, fire fighters, Police officers, Nurses, Teachers and of course, the wonderful women professionals called “Moms”. We feed them, honor them, publicly recognize them for their incredible contributions within our communities. No other women’s networking organization does anything like this,” says founder, Dawn Billings.

The diverse mix of success-oriented women small business professionals linking their talents, insights, contacts and encouragement is a site to behold,” insists Dawn Billings with enthusiasm. “The mission of The Heart Link Women’s Network is to support, encourage and challenge other women to strive for continued growth and strength in every facet of our professional and personal lives through creating meaningful relationships within their community and online. It is our commitment to be an organization that offers connections, resource and inspiration with uncompromising integrity.”

Women may go to the website http://www.37931.theheartlinknetwork.com to check their business’ availability and to register for the next gathering.

To see a full list of women networking locations, or to submit an application to lead a chapter of The Heart Link Network®, visit http://www.theheartlinknetwork.com.

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Article source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/2/prweb9233461.htm

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By Barry Moltz

“The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers” – William Shakespeare

There are days when small-business owners feel this way. Whether it’s all the legal complexities of running a business boiling over or being sued by a customer, dealing with lawyers can be frustrating. But lawyers serve many valuable purposes for entrepreneurs. Even with all the valuable resources on the web, there are five key areas where lawyers still need to be included in your management mix:

1. Incorporating a company. This can be done online through Incorporate (www.incorporate.com) or Legal Zoom (www.legalzoom.com) if something very simple is required. Multiple classes of stock will require an attorney.

2. Shareholder, partnership and employment agreements. It is critical to understand that good fences (agreements) make good neighbors (partners). When the company becomes valuable, these will be referred to often.

3. Seeking investors. This is a complicated area with many trap doors. Employ an excellent attorney for this type of work.

4. Valuable adviser. Lawyers work with a lot of businesses. They can be an important source of advice with their ability to make connections.

5. Selling the company. Lawyers need to construct a contract that provides an insurance policy for the business owner when things go right and wrong with the transaction.

In fact, the Entrepreneurship Law Center at Northwestern University helps to educate entrepreneurs and wannabe-entrepreneurs about the legal challenges that business owners and lawyers face while running their businesses. The center is holding a special seminar on March 3 that will cover the key areas.

How have you effectively used your attorney?

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Barry Moltz is a Chicago-based serial entrepreneur, business consultant, marketing expert, mediator, speaker and author of several books on small-business success. Look for his advice on Crain’s blog for entrepreneurs every Monday. Barry is also a regular contributor to the American Express Open Forum.

Follow Barry on Twitter: @BarryMoltz.

Listen to podcasts of Barry’s “Business Insanity” radio show here.

Join Crain’s LinkedIn group for Chicago entrepreneurs. And stay on top of Chicago business with Crain’s free daily e-newsletters.

Follow Ann on Twitter at @AnnDwyer_Crains.

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What do you think?

 

(Note: Your first name and last initial will appear with your remarks.)

Article source: http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20120227/BLOGS06/120229846/-1/takes-names

The Minister for Research and Innovation, Sean Sherlock, will launch a new entrepreneur recruitment campaign later today.

The programme is aimed at giving individuals the skills needed to run successful companies, which it is hoped will generate employment.

The “New Frontiers” programme is a six month intensive course, which will focus on giving individuals the entrepreneurial skills needed to set up and run a business.

The course – which was outlined in the Government’s “Action Plan for Jobs” – will be rolled out in 13 Institutes of technology and is being funded by Enterprise Ireland.

250 applicants will be accepted on to the first phase of the programme and their business ideas and capabililities as a potential entrepreneur will be tested.

Of those candidates 150 will qualify for a six-month core element of the course where they will be eqipped with the key skills needed to run a successful company.

Participants will receive €15,000 from Enterprise Ireland as they focus their efforts on developing a sustainable business.

Article source: http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0227/entrepreneur-business.html

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Tricia Yocum, Peoria Women’s Networking Chapter Leader

It is like no other business networking group I have ever attended!

Peoria, IL (PRWEB) February 08, 2012

The Heart Link Women’s Network®, winner of the Women Entrepreneur Business Award of Excellence in 2010 and 2011, opens a new networking location in Peoria. Tricia Yocum, Independent Consultant with Miche Handbags a home based business sharing fashionable interchangeable handbags and accessories, loves being able to create an environment where women small business professionals can connect, help one another grow, expand their circle of influence, and market their business in a fun and effective way.

“I had been involved with the HLN as an attendee for quite some time in my Native California and have received both great business opportunities as a result and also amazing friendships. When my husband was transferred to Peoria, IL, where I didn’t know a soul, the perfect thing for me to do was to start a new chapter of the HLN. I have been blown away at how even after my first HLN chapter meeting in Peoria, I feel like I have a whole new group of friends and wonderful business women who are working together to lift each other up personally and professionally. Being in the HLN has given me countless gifts and I can’t imagine my life without this amazing organization. It is like no other business networking group I have ever attended!”

The Heart Link Women’s Network®, 2011 and 2012 award winning networking organization for women is intimate and welcoming. The Heart Link Network® was designed by a woman for women. It was created to showcase women and their businesses for 3 minutes versus other networking groups who only share for 30 seconds to a minute. The Heart Link Women’s Network® was created by visionary Dawn L Billings, author of over 20 books who has dedicated her life to finding ways to benefit the lives of women and children. Dawn was selected as one of 15 Women of Achievement by the YWCA in Cobb County, GA., and one of the nation’s 80 emerging women leaders by Oprah magazine and The White House Project.

The networking meeting fee is a nominal $25.00 which includes the cost of the meal and reserves the attendee’s business-exclusive spot at the networking event. There is no membership fee required. Visit the Peoria, IL women’s networking chapter website at http://www.61615.theheartlinknetwork.com to register to network with professional women in your community. To see a full list of women networking locations, or to submit an application to lead a chapter of The Heart Link Network®, visit http://www.womens-networking.com

THE HEART LINK Women’s NETWORK® was founded by Dawn L Billings, creator of the Primary Colors Personality Test, and CEO and Founder of Heart to Heart Media, Find-Success.CO, and CharitableHeart.org

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Article source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/2/prweb9179931.htm

No business is said to be done without finance. Good ideas, yes! Perfect planning accepted! But without money, no business! All you need to make that dream a reality is in the availability of currency no matter how small. All things being equal, the business is not completed until money has exchanged hands.

On the other hand, the truth is that no boss is ever established into self-reliance and productivity without being financially independent. The need for money to start, maintain and expand business ideas cannot be over-emphasised.

Raising money for either business expansion or starting a new idea is never an easy task except where the entrepreneur has inherited a fortune that he can easily tap into. Among the reasons why investment capital or expansion money is hard to come by include:

•The fear of losing the money,
•The inability of borrowers to pay back (i.e. loan defaulters), and
•Lack of clear vision of what the money will be spent on.
No matter how colourful and brilliant your idea may be, no matter how promising your products and services acceptance may be, without the sourcing for your investment capital, the dream remains an up-hill task. Until you are able to get capital into the business, your dream of financial independence and of course, being a boss remains impossible.
However, don’t give up because the needed financial miracle may be on your way. Very essential as it may be, you must of necessity embrace the following elements that will enable you raise the needed capital against all odds:
Character
•Your Character: D.L Moody said: “If I take care of my character, my reputation will take care of itself.” He also avers that character is what you are in the dark.
Character means two things to any source from which you must raise your capital. One – you are a man of your word, that is, you will repay in the manner agreed upon. Second – you’ll do everything possible to conserve the assets of the business and achieve the success you expect. In summary, I can put it that character means:
•Integrity – keeping your word as and when due. Without it, forget about business!       
•Conservativeness – not being extravagant, that is, not wasting resources on things not relevant to the business. Consequently, there must be:
•Evidence of your reliability and honesty
•Evidence of how carefully you can manage money
•Concrete demonstration that you are a man of integrity
•Trust.
Therefore, the way you present yourself and your business increases the chances of your getting capital from any source, as long as it is believed you are trustworthy.
•Managerial capacity

It is good to sound much earlier that a rascal may not do too well in business. The reason is that your managerial ability and business acumen will always be called for as long as you remain in the business. A lot of brain work is needed in which case you have to be more than well organised to enable you discharge your duties skillfully and professionally.

Knowledge
You cannot raise finances for a business you don’t know anything about. It is your sole responsibility to study the business you want to do and get the nitty-gritty at your fingertips.

·       Coverage

In circumstances where the capital is to be from a source which is direct as in banking or finance houses, how do you propose to cover the risks? You have to get ready and be fully prepared for the worse outcome. What arrangements can you make? Can the lender still get his money? I tell you the truth, these are the main factors that the lender is keen to know and there is no way a dime can be raised without satisfactorily dealing with these matters.

·       In-flow arrangements

Every business is like a flowing river with several sources of supply or “in-flow.” These sources include income from sales, bank loans, subvention (in government companies). The “in-flows” are converted into fixed capital (machines, buildings, plants, fixtures, etc); working capital (materials, various inputs, services and other purchases) and into scraps/wastes (money to girl friends, burial ceremonies, tips, bribes etc). One key element of success is to minimise the flow of money into wastes/scraps. To increase the success of a business, your in-flow of resources must be managed in such a way as to show a net added value over time.

Joe C. David is author of the following books: Be Your Own Boss and Be Super Rich. He is a consultant and the host of The Money Making Summit. You can reach him through. Contact: www.joecdavid.com. Email:
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or 01-8938379, 08034740126.

Article source: http://www.businessdayonline.com/NG/index.php/entrepreneur/business-opportunity/33334-how-to-finance-your-business-indirectly-1

This workshop instructor will be James Macomber, microenterprise consultant and 2008 SBA home based business champion for Maine and New England. To register for the Business 101 workshop, visit www.mainestreamfinance.org, click on Workshops and Trainings and complete the registration form, call 1-800-215-4942 extension 2476 or email
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.

This class is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Visit on Facebook at IWW – Incubator Without Walls of Eastern Maine.

Cianbro Corp. signs on as premier sponsor of Building Bridges

BANGOR – Cianbro Corporation has agreed to be the premier sponsor of Building Bridges, a program of the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce that works to connect the education and business communities.

One of the oldest programs of its kind in the region, Building Bridges offers educators a five-month course in which participants tour different business and organizations in the Bangor region. This offers them a firsthand look at workforce development and hiring trends, as well as what skills are required for certain positions. It also fosters connections between teachers and businesspeople, allowing administrators to better match what’s taught and discussed in the classroom with the demands of the real world.

Cianbro’s sponsorship shows their commitment to the vitality of the Bangor region, according to Chamber President and CEO John Porter. “Cooperation between the Bangor Region’s educational institutions and businesses helps to ensure our community’s growth and strength,” he said. “By sponsoring Building Bridges, Cianbro has illustrated they care about the region and, like the Chamber, wants to see connections between our teachers and our workforce.”

The 2012 Building Bridges program began on Jan. 10 and runs through May 29. It includes tours of 19 different business and organizations throughout the state. To find out more about the program or to sign up for next year’s session, please contact Matt McLaughlin, program coordinator, by emailing
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.

Maine Dental Association welcomes new executive director

AUGUSTA – After an extensive four-month search, the Maine Dental Association Executive Board has announced that Cindy Sullivan of Minot, Maine has been hired as the new executive director to replace the retiring Frances Miliano.

Sullivan is currently the PAC, party and lobbyist registrar for the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices. Her prior experience includes work with the Maine Judicial Branch/Administrative Office of the Courts as a domestic violence coordinator, executive director of the YWCA of Central Maine in Lewiston and executive director of the Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter in Waterville, resulting in over 20 years of combined experience in public and community relations, budgeting, grant writing, board/committee development and strategic planning.

Sullivan also holds a bachelor of science degree in communications from Emerson College and a master of public administration from the University of Maine, Orono.

Sullivan begins work on March 5. Miliano will retire on March 30.

The Maine Dental Association (MDA) is a professional membership organization representing 700 dentists in Maine headquartered in Manchester, Maine.

The object of the Association is to provide representation, information, and other services for the dentist members and through the dentist members promote the health and welfare of the people of the State of Maine. Membership services include legislative advocacy, continuing dental education, group insurance benefits (health and professional liability), endorsement of practice-enhancing services and products and peer review mediation services.

In addition to services and benefits offered to its members, the MDA is also involved with a variety of services to the public, including information on dental-related careers; scholarships for Maine students attending dental school; low-interest loans for dental students and dental hygiene students; public awareness/education campaigns, such as National Children’s Dental Health Month; access programs such as Senior-Dent, and Donated Dental Services; support of activities/legislation related to public health issues (i.e. fluoridation, anti-tobacco); and voluntary participation in local public service programs by individual members.

Article source: http://www.themaineedge.com/biz/biz-briefs-02/22/12