Every minute, five women become self-employed across the United States. That’s seven thousand new ventures every day. According to the Center for Women’s Business, female-owned businesses grew at twice the rate of all business. The Small Business Administration reports that 28 percent of all privately owned businesses are owned by women.

People who choose to go into business for themselves are a trend that just won’t quit. This small-business trend appears to be driven by three distinct groups: those 50 and older, women and immigrants.

According to the Kauffman Foundation, an organization that encourages entrepreneurs, those in the 50 - 64 age group are more likely than anyone else to start businesses. According to the Department of Labor nearly half of those working for themselves fall in the 50-plus category.

The Kaufman Foundation also found increased entrepreneurial activity among immigrants and Latinos. Did you know immigrants run one-fourth of Silicon Valley high-tech businesses.

Why are baby boomers, women and immigrants leading the way of American entrepreneurs?

For many of the boomers, it has become a matter of necessity. Although retirement may be on the horizon, they still need income.

For women, it’s serves as an opportunity to spend more time with family as a work-at-home-mom and to establish independence from a demanding, stressful 9 to 5 job in Corporate America. It also gives women the chance to turn their hobbies or passions into a worthwhile living. It’s no secret that people are happier and do a better job at doing something they truly love.

Last weekend I was preparing to take my daughter back to college when she felt the need to comment on what I was wearing. She candidly stated, “You’re not matching!”

Now, I don’t know why she felt I had to be matching from head to toe just to drive her back to campus. I wasn’t planning to get out of the car. I was just DRIVING.

After dropping her off, I got to thinking about her statement. What she said can actually be attributed to your business. Therefore, let me ask you: Are YOU matching? What is your business attire?

Do your head and your heart match up when it comes to dealing with others in your business? Are you the kind of person who would go the extra miles to satisfy a client or do you give them what they paid for—kind of like a “slam bam—thank you ma’am!” and move on looking for the next client?

Are you BETTER than advertised or full of hype and hot air? The Godfather of Soul (James Brown) had a popular song in the 1960’s called “Talkin’ Loud & Saying Nothin”

Is that how someone might describe you? Or would they say you could easily be charging more than you do because you give them the Full Monty.

Has the shaky economy got you adding some extra padding to your prices or are you maintaining your integrity and maybe even going so far as to giving your clients a little discount?

What are your principles? Are you trustworthy?

I’ve often heard people say when you’re in business you shouldn’t let your emotions get the best of you. While I agree with that, I also believe you must have a genuine sense of caring for what is in the best interest of your client. That means matching up for walk with your talk.

The internet has made it possible for small business owners, like me, to reach a massive clientele. The majority of the people we do business with we may never meet. So what kind of business outfit are you wearing? Are you matching from head to toe?

As an author, one of the questions I’m asked most often is how did I get renowned poet and author Nikki Giovanni to endorse my book. My response is, “I just asked.”

I knew I wanted a well-respected, well-known name in the literary field and since Ms. Giovanni and I are members of the same sorority, I thought I would take a chance and ask her to not only read my manuscript—but to also give it her blessing. In return, she wrote a glowing review which is prominently placed on the back of my book, Whatever! A Baby Boomer’s Journey Into Middle Age.

Was her endorsement the reason my book became a best seller on Amazon.com? I can’t say that for sure but it certainly added to prestige of being a first-time author.

So how does one go about getting a celebrity endorsement? Here are my tips:

Find a connection: As I mentioned, Ms. Giovanni and I are members of the same sorority. I made reference to that fact when I called and wrote her. Research your celebrity and find out what things you share in common and then make your appeal on an emotional level.

Send free samples of your product. My good friend, Jean Newell, invented a wearable organizer called The PUP. She sent one to Kelly Ripka from the Regis & Kelly Show and got a very nice response back along with Kelly’s picture. Kelly’s words are an endorsement. Jean also donated bags to the Montel Williams Show, which he turned around and gave to his studio audience—and gave a big plug to her on National TV.

Being in the right place: This is a lesson about always having your product with you. You never know who you might run into. For example, I was at a gas station in Virginia last year when I ran into Harvey Walden IV from TV’s Celebrity Fit Club. You know him. The tough, “I don’t take no mess!” Drill Sgt. He was pumping gas and I recognized him and took the opportunity to give him a copy of my book. He even asked me to sign it.

Just Ask: After you’ve searched and found no possible connection, just ASK. With social media being the way it is today, there are some celebrities who are really involved. When I met R&B Singer Natalie Cole and invited her to become a part of the baby Boomer Diva Web of Fame (now known as Boomer Diva Nation), I had no idea she would say OK but she did.

Find Celebrities Looking for Publicity: You’d be surprised at the number of celebrities who aren’t in the limelight anymore that would welcome the opportunity to get some positive exposure. Start with older actors/actresses who haven’t done much lately. Connect with them on MySpace/FaceBook, etc—establish a relationship and then JUST ASK.

At last count, I was a member of MySpace, Ryze, FaceBook, Ning, Fabulously40, Inside919, Tagged, Gathers, Black Writers with Purpose, LinkedIn, Eons, Vibrant Nation, Women Etc., and Boomer Diva Nation (Founder/Moderator). Oh, and let’s not forget about the time consuming site known as Twitter.

I want to be connected. I want people to know who I am and what I do and I want to know them. I’ve read plenty of articles that say you have to develop “relationships” BEFORE you jump into the “buy my product” business. While I agree with that, I also believe there comes a time in everyone’s life when you have to say, “The buck stops here!”

Social networking definitely has its advantages. I became a best selling author on Amazon.com because of some wonderful women on the Ryze Network. My media consulting business has also done very well. But somewhere in the course of being connected online, I have lost part of myself. I would rather be on the computer spending idle time than be out in my own community making new contacts and even visiting old friends.

If you find yourself in a similar situation, here’s what I suggest:

Practice Time Management: Allocate certain times of the day that you will spend on the computer for social networking and stick to it. It may be hard at first but once you develop a routine, you will find it’ll get easier.

Learn to Walk Away: One of my favorite songs by Kenny Rogers is “The Gambler.” He says, “You gotta know when to hold ‘em—know when to fold ‘em—know when to walk away…”

Out of all of the networks I mentioned above, I’m really only active on three. Sure I contribute from time to time of all of the networks but there is no consistency on the majority of them. I’m sure you know people who only pop onto the site when they want to promote their business or product. That’s a non-no. If your friends on MySpace haven’t seen you in months and then all of a sudden you show up to promote your book, how do you think they will respond?

Do some Research on Social Media: Not every site is necessarily for everybody. Do your homework and find out which sites will serve your best interest. If you’re a baby boomer, why would you want to be connected to women who are all twenty-something? If you’re strictly about business, find like-minded sites, instead of wasting valuable time doing social networking.

Cultivate Real Relationships: I have never understood why some people insist on boasting about having thousands of friends in their “inner circle.” Use part of your networking time to get to know people. Twitter is a one of those places where people will chat about almost anything. Follow their conversation and chime in from time to time. Show others you are more than just your business.

Too much social networking can have you spinning your wheels and failing to meet your overall objectives. But, of course, you must know what that objective is.

By Guest Writer:  nancy jons

It is becoming more and more popular to start your own business and women are going into business just as much as men. There is much to know about starting a business, and here there are five important things women should know before starting their business.

First you are going to want to speak with some business professionals. First, a good accountant can show you how to set up proper book keeping as well as record keeping for taxes. A lawyer who specializes in small business can legalize your business name and counsel you on how to protect yourself from possible business related lawsuits. A casualty or licensed property agent can help you to evaluate your insurance needs. They can better narrow down specific areas that you may need additional insurance coverage. Lastly you will want to speak to a business coach who can help you find start up money, as well as help in areas of bookkeeping and possible future business expansion. There are some places you can find more helpful information. Your local chamber of commerce is a great location to start. Also local women’s business clubs can steer you in the direction. Be sure to check you library for county business directories.

Second be sure to know exactly what type of business insurance you need. It’s best to first check your homeowner’s policy to look for possible personal business coverage. If this is included you can have your policy extended for this coverage. If your policy does not allow this you may find better luck speaking to an independent insurance agent.

Third piece of knowledge is to know ahead of time if you will go into business on your own or with a partner. You will want to decide on either a sole proprietorship or a partnership. If you go solo you are the owner and take on full responsibility for the business. If you choose to take on a co-owner be sure to discuss this with your attorney to discuss any preventive maintenance when it comes to your financial set up.

Fourth, be sure to have a solid idea of the cost of your business. Create a thorough business plan. This will allow you to know if you will need financial assistance such as a bank loan or if you will want to look for other outside investors. You can also search for government grants that are specifically created for women in business.

Fifth and final choose if your business will be run in home or out of home. This choice also includes insurance coverage and grant information.

Be sure to speak to business personnel, and do some research. Knowledge is power when it comes to creating your own business. Arm yourself with all the business knowledge you can. Take some business courses or seminars. Once you have a good understanding of how your business is to be set up and run you will be well on your way to a successful business.

The Blog Directory known as Technorati has issued its State of the Blogosphere 2008 report. It’s an annual study on the trends and themes of blogging.

According to the report, three out of four U.S. bloggers are college graduates, and 42% have attended graduate school. Thirty-four percent of bloggers in the U.S. are female and are more likely than men to be personal bloggers. The report also says women blog to make connections and stay connected.

Some of the other facts revealed about women bloggers:

• More likely to have affiliate links
• More sophisticated about advertising
• Savvy when it comes to driving traffic to their blogs
• More likely than male bloggers to participate in a blogroll, get listed in a blog directory, link to other blogs, produce content for other blogs
• 36% have converted business leads from their blogs—vs 27% for men

What this says, in essence, is women are continuing to master the art of blending social with business networking.

So with that being said, my question to you is why do you blog and have you figured out how to capitalize on it financially?

Special Guest Post by Christine “CeeCee” Woolard

It’s nice to have a website, but if no one can find you on the Internet, you’ve wasted your time. The following ten tips don’t need to be implemented all at once – take one per week (or day, depending on your time) and tweak the pages of your website until you’re satisfied. In time, you should see your search engine rankings go up!.

1. Research and use the right keywords/phrases to attract your target customers.

2. Use keywords to give the search engine spiders something to “hold on to”. Place your keywords within the first 25 words in the page’s content and spread them evenly throughout the document. Do not overuse keywords! A concentration of 2-4% is advisable.

3. Study your competitors’ websites as well as the top ranked websites in your field to get ideas on design, navigation, content and keywords.

4. Make good use of the free online tools and utilities to monitor your visitors to your websites. Try Google Analytics or StatCounter.

5. Keep your site design simple. Cut down on the videos and flash graphics. Often these are distracting to visitors.

6. Be sure that your navigation bar(s) are not cluttered with too many options. This allows your customers to easily navigate between the pages of your site.

7. Submit more than just the home page to the various search engines. It is a good idea to submit your main product or service page to the search engines also.

8. Treat your customer well! Make their visits easy and confusion free and make sure you give them a “souvenir” such as a newsletter (using a sign-up form), free report or coupons/discounts.

9. If you sell products, use an easy checkout services. When things become too complicated, customers tend to simply walk away from the purchase.

10. Your website should be dynamic. While this does not mean change it every week, do not allow it to be come stale. Remember, it’s your main sales tool on the Internet, so keep it fresh by adding new content.

Special Guest Post by:  Melodieann Whiteley

If you have been in any kind of business of your own then you know what it means to hit a “slump.”   You will go through stages while you get things up and running and then find your equilibrium. There are typically four stages to the life of any business and what you do during each of them can dramatically impact the life of your business.

The first is the “new business excitement” stage. You have just joined a great opportunity or launched your first product or put up your first site and you are jazzed! You are have the best deal out there and you are going to whip the world. You are going to make so much money that no one will even believe you when you tell them. You are full of energy and new ideas and can’t wait to do them all. Unfortunately, that’s the problem at this stage. You may have a tendency to scatter your time and resources among so many different things that nothing gets accomplished and you get discouraged. You are so busy building your business that you forget about the rest of your life. As resources dwindle and energy drops, you begin to worry more and more about your decisions until - you quit, thinking your business idea was a bad one or the network marketing opportunity was just a scam.

How to you make it through this stage? Focus. If you have joined a network marketing business, concentrate on finding customers for your products and team members for your downline. Decide how many prospects you can talk to effectively each day. That’s your goal. If you don’t gain a customer or recruit a team member that day, don’t keep pushing out of desperation. Panic shows! Just set it aside and start fresh tomorrow. And don’t spend all your money buying the videos or trying the products or going to the meetings. You will need to budget for these things while you grow your business. When I first joined Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing, it was just a few months before the annual meeting. Everyone was talking about it and asking me if I was planning to attend. I almost got caught up in all of the excitement and was just about to spend LOTS of money on plane fare and hotel rooms when someone in my upline stopped me. He asked me how much money I was making and I told him I had just started. Then he said if I wasn’t making enough from my business to pay for my trip, I should reconsider. There were probably other more important uses for that money and my time could probably be better spent at home building my business. It made sense, so while everyone else was in Las Vegas, I stayed home and recruited enough people to promote myself to the next level.

Stage two is the “dry spell.” You have been working as hard as you can and yet you just aren’t growing like you did in the beginning. You have run out of people to tell about your business opportunity. The initial excitement for your product has worn off. Your site just isn’t getting the hits it used to. You’re wondering “does this thing really work?” Don’t panic. This just means it may be time for some changes. If you are in network marketing, it may be time to stop concentrate on building your own downline and focus on helping your team build their businesses. After all, if they are successful, it impacts you as well. Or perhaps it’s time to look at some new marketing techniques or different markets for your products. Now is the time to learn some new ways to do things. Talk to your mentor. Read some of the books and newsletters published by the experts in your field. Brainstorm. And then make the changes necessary to move you past this stage.

Stage three is the “Wow - maybe this REALLY does work stage.” You made it through stages one and two and you are seeing your business gain some new life. You feel a sense of hope that perhaps you can make this happen after all. You have new energy and a new outlook and a new optimism. Keep it going by concentrating on doing the things that helped you make it this far to begin with. This is where you want to really take a look at what held you back and what moved you forward. Discard the actions that limited you and focus on those that help you grow.

The last stage is the “I DID it!” stage. Your business is flourishing. You are making money. You have learned to balance your business life with your personal life. Don’t lose it by becoming complacent. Always keep learning. No matter how long you been in business, there is still something you can learn. Always stick to the basic plan that got you here in the first place. When things slow down, take a good look at what’s happening and don’t be afraid to make changes if necessary.

You can do this. Look at me. Just when I was thinking about retirement and wondering how I was going to afford it, a whole new world opened up for me! I’m doing things with my business now that just a few months ago I would not have dreamed of. And it’s all because I refocused my resources, listened to the experts, made some changes to my business plan, and DID it!

Did you know October is Peanut Butter Lovers Month? You’re probably saying, “So what? How does that affect me?” Well, if you love peanut butter or sell a peanut butter product, you have a holiday you can promote for potential sales.

One of the coolest ways to promote your business and give yourself a greater chance of getting media attention is to come up with a holiday surrounding your business or product. For example, let’s say you sell jewelry. Why not create a Show me your Bling! Bling! Day and offer a nice discount or free offer with purchase to everyone who visits your site or comes to your store.

Then write your press release announcing the holiday to the media.

There are all kinds of creative holiday ideas you can come up with. Or if you want MY complete list of holidays from January to December, just send me an email and say, “Beverly, send me that list!” Send your email to: Beverly@talk2bev.com

Here’s a partial listing for September:

Baby Safety Month
-Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month
-Classical Music Month
Library Card Sign-Up Month
-Read-A-New Book Month
-Emergency Care Month
-Youth Month
-Be Kind to Sewing Month
-National Chicken Month
-Latino Heritage Month
-National Honey Month
-National Literary Month
-National Piano Month
-National Rice month
-Organic Harvest Month
-National Courtesy Month
-National School Success Month
-Pleasure Your Mate Month
-Women of Achievement Month
-International Gay Square Dance Month

As a journalist who spent more than 25 years in Corporate America, one of the topics that drew some of the most heated discussions and debates was politics. Sure, we were supposed to be objective when we hit the airwaves but behind the scenes we were highly opinionated.

This is the season where political views are hot and heavy all over the place—especially in the workplace. Everyone feels they have a stake in this election and some people are doing their best to persuade others to their political side. According to the American Management Association, nearly 40 percent of companies have written policies prohibiting workers from handing out literature endorsing political parties or candidates. But that certainly doesn’t stop folks from huddling together in their cubbies or gathering around the water cooler to express their opinions.

As a business woman who is active in online business and social networking, I have seen many comments of late about the upcoming presidential election. Some people I have had the utmost respect for in the social and business community have suddenly turned into vicious supporters of one candidate over another.

Now I’ll admit that I have added my own two cents on the subject of Sarah Palin and her pregnant teenage daughter. Why? Because she and I share that fact in common.

Bringing your political thoughts into the business arena can be risky, especially if others have strong opposing views. Certainly no one can stop you from making your political thoughts known, but you could lose friends and valuable business contacts because of your beliefs.

How many times have you heard someone say they want to network with “like-minded people?” So now what does that really mean? Is it important for you to know the politics of a fellow business networker? If you say no, then what happens when you find out and discover their views are radically opposed to yours? Do you stop socializing with them? Can you do business with someone who doesn’t share your political views?

Just where do you draw the line?

It takes a lot to run a business and I’m talking about more than just money.  You’ve got to have a plan and the right mental attitude before you even get started.

Please enjoy this article from my guru, Dr. Stan Fine, author of Business Boot Camp for Women.

So you have a new business and you are worried. It all begins with you and how you think. I am sure many of you have heard about the Secret, a book and video on “The Law of Attraction. The Video and book don’t really tell us anything new it just reconfirms what we should have been thinking So let’s start our column with your mindset and what it take to be successful:

First let’s talk about how you think:

o A positive attitude is not accidental. Successful entrepreneurs know how to create a positive attitude and positive motivation for themselves. They don’t just wait for it to happen. That would be like wanting a drink of milk, then sitting in a pasture, waiting for a cow to back up to you.

o By the way, having a positive attitude is not the same as blind optimism. I am not suggesting that you ignore the challenges in your life. I AM suggesting that you just not dwell there. What do successful entrepreneurs do to develop and maintain their positive attitude?

o First, they know what’s important. They have carefully determined what counts in their business and personal life. Highly successful people have clearly articulated values for your business in the areas of: customer service, employee relationships, cash flow, productivity, image and growth.

I also believe that there are good business tips a person must have, which I am sure you do, in order to be successful:

o Being aware of what you say to yourself inside your head (self-talk) will help you adjust your attitude. Many people beat themselves up when things go awry. When you berate yourself and tell yourself that you are “stupid” or “useless” or “an idiot”, naturally you begin to feel negative about yourself, your business, the people around you and even life itself.

o Mistakes are the fuel of creativity. Everyone makes mistakes. Smart entrepreneurs LEARN from their mistakes and move on.

o Try positive affirmations in place of negative self talk. When things get a little tense, just say to yourself “I can do this” or “We’ll find a way to make this work” or “Let’s concentrate on a solution, not who caused the problem”.

Please join us for the first in a series of Business Boot Camps for Women on October 11, 2008 in Durham, NC.

Your credit score can have a major impact on your ability to secure a loan if you’re a woman in business.  Banks and just about every other major credit card company uses that score to determine your creditworthiness, as well as your ability to pay back any loans you might receive.

Anyone who has checked into their credit score has probably found the rating scale to be somewhat confusing. There are a bunch of numbers, each meaning something different. Understanding how this rating works will help you to read your credit score effectively.

There are several pieces of information reviewed by companies when they build your credit score. These factors include the following:

- Your past payment history
- When you pay your bills
- The amount of outstanding debt you have
- The length of your credit history

If you have a great deal of debt or you don’t have a very long credit history, you will receive a lower credit score even if there are no “black marks” against you.

Recent credit applications also factor into your score. If you have made too many applications recently, this will cause you to receive a lower score. As will too much debt at high interest rates, such as high rate credit cards.

A score of 700 or higher is considered a good credit score. At this level, you shouldn’t have any problems getting credit, and at a low rate of interest.

If your score is between 450 and 650, it indicates that your credit needs some work to improve it. At this level you’ll likely have a harder time finding a loan or qualifying for a credit card without some type of security. You will also likely be paying a higher interest rate because you are considered a higher risk.

If your score is below 450, your credit is in need of some serious help. At this level you likely won’t be able to qualify for a loan or credit card until you pursue some form of credit counseling to improve your score.

If your credit score needs improvement, there are a number of sources that can help. There are many credit counseling services available, many of which are free to use. They will be able to assess your financial situation and offer advice as to the best route to improving it - and your credit score along with it.

At midlife, the transition from Corporate America entrepreneurship can be challenging. Basically it means you’re starting all over again. But the good part of it is you at least you are doing something you really want to do. After all, that’s why you took the leap of faith right?

In order to put your business front and center during the second half of your life, there are some things you need to do to drum up some publicity.

The first thing you have to determine is how you want to market yourself.  TV News always likes a “hook.”  If you’ve got one, you should present it WITHOUT HESITATION.  For example, let’s say there was a bomb scare on a plane you were on or if you were in the airport at the time of the scare/evacuation, don’t hesitate to contact the nearest TV/radio/newspaper station (all of them, in fact) and let them know your connection to the NEWS OF THE DAY.  Chances are, they will want to interview you and that’s your in road to throw in why you were in the airport/on the plane in the first place (something hopefully tied to your business, which you can casually throw in).  It not only gives you some FACE TIME but exposure for what you do and best of all—it’s FREE.  You can’t pay for that kind of advertising.  Then you can turn around and put out a press release saying you were interviewed on such and such a station about your business venture.

If you have an upcoming event you’d like coverage on, that can be harder.  Once again, TV likes a “hook”  If you’re doing a seminar on marketing your business (for example), you should try to find a way to make it involve public service somehow.  TV stations frown upon promoting business ventures for FREE but if it fulfills a community service or need, they will bite because they have an obligation to the FCC to provide so much airtime to that kind of coverage.  So let’s say you’re doing a seminar on marketing your business.  Bring in a representative from the local homeless shelter or boy scouts or women’s domestic violence hotline to demonstrate how they can get greater exposure and benefit monetarily.  Then tailor your release so that the emphasis is on the Public Service vs. your “self” venture.  Once again, you get a little FACE TIME and back door publicity for your business.  Ask the station for a news clip of what they did and once you get it, you’ve got a video testimonial of news coverage for your event.

As always, be sure to thank the station (get a specific name).  Journalists aren’t supposed to accept gifts—but if you send some sort of token to a specific name, they will accept it (on the down low) and be more inclined to interview you again the next time you have a particular project.

Attention-grabbing press releases should go out at least three weeks in advance of your event, with follow-up phone calls.  You can never make too many follow-up calls.  We don’t like it on our end—but persistence and personality could make the difference on a SLOW NEWS DAY.