Web 2.0 Careers: Making Money by the Click by yahooHotJobs

… “ From writing and graphic design to software development and social media marketing, countless creative types are hanging their own virtual shingle, often with a minimum of overhead, sometimes even surpassing the salary they made as an employee.

Seven successful web workers share how they did it, how you can follow in their footsteps, and what pitfalls to watch out for:…”

 

Click Here for the article.

“10 Tips for the First-Time Business Owner” entrepreneur.com

“… 10 pieces of advice that I wish someone had given to me before I launched my first venture. 

1. Focus. Focus. Focus.
   Many first-time entrepreneurs feel the need to jump at every “opportunity” they come across. Opportunities are often wolves in sheep’s clothing. Avoid getting side-tracked. Juggling multiple ventures will spread you thin and limit both your effectiveness and productivity. Do one thing perfectly, not 10 things poorly. If you feel the need to jump onto another project, that might mean something about your original concept.  
   
2. Know what you do. Do what you know.
   Don’t start a business simply because it seems sexy or boasts large hypothetical profit margins and returns. Do….”

Click Here for the article.

101 Essential Freelancing Resources by freelanceswitch.com

I found this web site while doing research online. it seems to be very useful. 

“The web is such a big and wonderful place, packed with tools and resources which you all too often don’t know about. So to help all you freelancers out there we have compiled a gigantic list of resources, categorized up for your benefit. If you know a resource that we’ve missed, let us know as we’re always looking to grow this list!

Timing
These are tools to help you time and track your work. Some of them plug into invoicing programs and some even come with them built in:

 

1. SlimTimer – A Start/Stop little timer that tracks jobs on a main web interface
2. Tick – Timetracking application focused on keeping track of your budgets
3. Time Assistant – Professional timesheet …”

Click Here for the article.

Lessons from ‘Brand Obama’ by Entrepreneur.com

“Politics aside, most people would agree thatPresident Obama is a masterful communicator. Obama is really our nation’s first public figure to adeptly embrace the full power of the new media buffet. This president is seizing both traditional and new media opportunities to deploy his messages in both an expeditious and ubiquitous manner.

True, Obama’s not perfect and he’s made several misstatements (as has his gaffe-prone vice president), but his errors are actually quite small when measured against the enormous volume of his communications activities. According to a recent story in New York Magazine, Obama “has hosted 15 town-hall meetings; appeared in more than…”

Click Here for the article.

“Generation Success” by Entrepreneur.com

“The goal of most entrepreneurs is to make it big–after putting in a decade or two of sweat and sacrifice, and riding out a few bumpy patches before hopping on the gravy train. But some business owners come out of the gates running–hitting their stride before earning their first gray hairs. Timing, luck and hard work all play a role, but the business prodigies we profile all have one thing in common: Smart ideas. Meet …”

Click Here for the article.

[pic: entrepreneur.com]

“Million-Dollar Businesses You’ve Never Heard Of” by yahoo.com

“Seven-figure top lines abound — if not in the most obvious places.

Best friends Adrian Salamunovic and Nazim Ahmed weren’t looking for the next million-dollar idea. They were just two guys hanging out on a Friday night, enjoying a good bottle of wine, when the light bulb went on.

Ahmed worked for Bio-Rad, which markets DNA-imaging equipment. Salamunovic noticed Bio-Rad’s brochure on the table and …”

Click Here for the article.

Entrepreneurs: build a successful niche, gain customer loyalty, start without going broke by Entrepreneur.com

Here are articles that i found interesting! Enjoy! (click on the title) 

5 Steps to Building a Successful Niche Business

Abstract: “From aquatic sporting goods for dogs to Michelle Obama-inspired fashion websites, niche products and services have the potential to generate big bucks if they capture the hearts, minds and wallets of a dedicated consumer base. Unlike conglomerates that …”

4 Ways to Gain Customer Loyalty

“1.Ensure you have the right people. If you’ve been tolerating an unenthusiastic service representative, get them out of that role ASAP. They’re hurting your business. Remember, there is plenty of talent to choose from right now.

2.Offer a customer service refresher course. Get your employees focused on your customers. …”

Start a Business Without Going Broke

“Starting a business is difficult enough when the economy is strong but when you decide to start a business amid a 9.7 percent unemployment rate–while foreclosures are at an all-time high and bankruptcies are reaching epic proportions–the odds for success seem hopeless.

For startups willing to defy the odds, there are many advantages to starting a small business during a recession, and it can even be done without burring yourself in debt. Experts will tell you that the absolute best time to start a business is during a recession…”

Boston’s Young Entrepreneur Roy Afrique: President – Boston Young Professionals

Thank you Roy, for taking the time to answer our questions. 

• Hi Roy, tell us about yourself? What is your background?
  

Hello, I was born and raised in Rwanda (East Africa) 25yrs ago. I moved to Boston in 1999.

• What is Boston Young Professionals (BYP) and why did you start it?

I started Boston Young Professionals (B.Y.P) 2yrs ago. The group was started to attract young professionals within Boston and beyond.

• What does BYP offer to young professionals in Boston?

B.Y.P creates a network that unites all young professionals. B.Y.P also offers quality, social engagements for Boston professionals. We have a wide range of activities that go from annual boat cruises, to fashion shows, concerts, Club nights and more…

• What does it take to start an enterprise like yours in Boston?

To start an enterprise like mine in Boston you have to have a goal, target group, respect among peers, be creative, and most importantly very social.

• Where can anyone get more information about BYP and get involved?

We are always looking for quality people to join our team. To get more info about BYP you can look us up on facebook under Boston Young Pros and facebook group Boston Young Professionals (B.Y.P). E-mail Bostonyoungpros@live.com.

I almost forgot to add that BYP will be hosting weekly events starting next month (September 2009) every SATURDAY at the luxurious and very upscale Blu Lounge. It is located on Avery Street off Tremont Street in the Theater District. Blu Lounge is on the 4th floor with an amazing view of Boston. You have got to check this out. There is no other hang out spot better than this one. The Ultimate hang out spot for Boston Young Professionals.

{pic: Roy Afrique and Boston’s Mayor: Thomas Menino}

Entrepreneurs: “Baby food biz takes off ” by cnn.com

Thanks Amina!!!

check this out:

She left her six-fig. corporate job to start her organic baby food business. Inspiring!!

the founder says:

 

1. “do it for the passion, not the money,
2. start small think big!
3. connect with your audience”

 

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/living/2009/07/03/nr.harris.baby.food.business.cnn

“These shoes help others get a step up” by CNN

Inspiring!!

“Step into Blake Mycoskie’s shoes for a day, and you might wind up feeling enlightened. Not just because the shoes he wears are incredibly lightweight, but because they transport him to regions of the globe where footwear is a rare, precious commodity.

So what are these magical slippers? They’re called TOMS, and they’re the foundation of Mycoskie’s one-for-one business principle: for every pair of TOMS sold, the 32-year-old gives a pair to a child in need.

The idea came to Mycoskie — who calls himself a “serial entrepreneur” whose first company was a laundry business he started in college — while he was vacationing in Argentina. He says he was overwhelmed by the sight of children living without shoes. But instead of simply starting a charity, he decided he could better serve by launching a for-profit business.

In the 2½ years since its inception, TOMS Shoes has distributed 150,000 pairs of shoes toimpoverished children in Argentina, Ethiopia, South Africa and the U.S. via a series of “shoe drops.”…”

article @

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/homestyle/03/26/blake.mycoskie.toms.shoes/

His Web site: http://www.tomsshoes.com/

[pic: http://www.fashiontime.hu/content_files/toms%20shoes.jpg]