Starting up your own business can be an extremely daunting task. Getting it up and running is a huge gamble as if the business fails the lcost to you is often high in terms of lost investment of your time and money. Twenty per cent of businesses fail in their first year, and an additional thirty per cent will fold before they reach three years old. Make sure you know what the biggest pit falls are so you can avoid your own business becoming part of this statistic.

Be realistic about the potential profit your business will make in its early stages. Optimism is a good quality, and often necessary if you are to have the determination needed to see you business idea through. But over optimism about the size of your market or popularity of your new product can tempt you to overspend on materials, manpower and other expenditures which may not be necessary until your business has become more established.

Do not become so introspective about setting up your business that you take your eye off the competition. Check advertising, press releases, websites and trade fairs to see how your new business can compare to existing competitors and discover where you can find a niche. Remember, it is not just companies similar to your own which you need to keep an eye on. It is essential to also look at businesses or opportunities that offer new and exciting services which could make the need for your products or services obsolete or, at the very least, decrease your market.

It should be one of your first considerations when setting up a business, but many entrepreneurs fail each year because of lack of capital. Make sure you have a top notch business plan so you can secure sufficient funding from investors. It is also extremely important that you have a contingency plan and money set aside for the unforeseen costs which nearly always arise.

If you are selling a product, one of your priorities should be to assess the quality and reliability of your supplier. Run a credit check on them so you can be certain they are not about to go into liquidation. It should also go without saying that you should thoroughly research other potential suppliers to ensure they are giving you a good deal – the higher the cost of your supplier, the less profit your business is going to make.

If you have taken heed of all the above, your next big consideration is how to employ the right staff. You may have a watertight budget, a successful business plan and a high quality supplier, but if you have incompetent staff then your business may never get off the ground. Not only will ‘behind the scenes’ operations suffer from poor staffing, customers will be turned off by inadequate staff.

If you start your own business, you are likely to be in for an extremely stressful and exhausting first year, but it will pay dividends financially and in your personal satisfaction in the long term. With a willingness to show the dedication needed and the knowledge of what makes a good business, you will be much more likely to be a great success in your new venture.

Globalization has put forth India’s business community in the international market. Various foreign trade policies and investment policies have been framed to facilitate foreign trade and increase the profitability of the Indian garment manufacturers. The advent of liberal trade policies in textile and garments sector have made it possible of usage of modern technologies and international methods of manufacturing clothes. This sector of garments is one of the most successful and important in terms of foreign exchange generation and employment generating field. It provides employment to lakhs of people and is the most sort out and booming industry of India.

The Indian textile and garment industry is completely independent on itself i.e. from fibre manufacturing to the finished garments without sourcing it from other countries. India is becoming the most preferred destination for sourcing readymade garments for the international market. Various garment export companies are coming up with clothes that are fashionable keeping international trend in mind and also of good quality. Many international brands also source readymade garments from Indian market.

The capitalization in various garment manufacturing arenas is increasing like- manpower, cotton production, multi-fiber production, etc. The Indian garment export graph is witnessing a steep rise since last few years which is a positive reinforcement for Indian exporters and foreign buyers. India is being seen as the next pioneer country in readymade garment export business. Foreseeing the present booming fashion industry, the foreign buyers are showing interest in doing business with Indian exporters. Therefore it becomes mandatory for exporters to constantly present variation in designs and patterns in garments with quality maintenance.

Free trade scenario has been created in the Indian market, which has resulted cut throat competition among the manufactures and exporters for various things like quality, raw material base, manpower, cost of inputs, etc. required for garment making. To sustain the competition various steps are to be taken, the foremost one is to imbibe the latest manufacturing and production technologies. The importance of merchandising has increased as it helps in generating high dividends. Branding and presenting diversified products is a value addition for the companies in order to conquer the global market.

The pre-set properties associated with various types of garments are being combined with each other to produce enhanced product of high quality. Like the amalgamation of artistry of traditional clothes with the high performance of technical textiles is one such innovation. For e.g.- wrinkle-free trousers with anti microbial finish, low maintenance, stain resistant is an example of combination of technical textiles with traditional clothes. This is a value addition to the garment. Special technologies are used to add such added attribute to a particular garment.

Many value additions can enhance the garments exports and profitability:

Effect of the vision

The first and foremost thing which attracts to a garment is its look. Apart from the prints and accessories used on the garment there are many other things which make the look of the garment appealing to the eyes. The finishing of the garment, dyes used, its weave, its shine, yarn patterns, etc effect the overall appearance. For instance- simple cotton shirt in comparison to wrinkle-free cotton shirt would be having less visual appeal.

Effect of the senses

The clothes that have comforting effect on human senses are a value added benefit. Certain properties are the fragrances of the garment, the energy boosting quality, smoothness, compression, etc are a few technological value additions that can be added to the garment.

Wearer’s comfort

One of the most important factor while choosing a garment is its comfort level experienced by the wearer. The warmth effect, softness, moisture absorbing quality, clinging minimization, durability, etc affects the wearers comfort level.

Easy maintenance

The garments which are easy to maintain gets more preference. Some of the easy care properties are minimum iron, easy wash, stain resistant, anti soiling, moth proofed, etc. These are certain characteristics of the garment which makes them easy to maintain.

Garment Formation

The procedure for garment manufacturing has become easier due to advanced finishing technologies. Such advancement makes the overall garment making process simpler, the garment stays in its initial shape which increases customer contentment and sales too.

When you are starting a new business in Florida, you can set it up under sole proprietorship, a cooperative, or as a corporation. If you go with incorporating, it is the process of forming a new corporation, which can be set up as a business, a non-profit organization, or a new government of a new city or town.

Setting up your business as a corporation in Florida reaps several legal benefits.

A corporation is separate from your personal assets, meaning in the event of a lawsuit or filing for bankruptcy, creditors cannot go after you and claim your personal assets as compensation for the debt of your corporation. Your stockholders, directors, and officers are also protected from being held liable for the debts and obligations of the corporation. The maximum amount you or the other investors can lose is the amount you invested in the company and nothing more.

The corporation is also protected from the investor?s losses as well. In the event that a stockholder incurs debt or goes bankrupt, corporate properties cannot be seized as compensation. Only his shares can be used as compensation.

In a corporation, your shares of ownership can be transferred to others either as a whole or partially. It is also easier for you to set up a retirement fund under a corporation.

Under a corporation, your tax rate is lower than it would be for you as an individual, and you are legally allowed to own shares in other companies and receive corporate dividends of up to 80% tax-free.

If your corporation is in a financial bind, it is easier for you to raise funds if you sell stocks and open it to the market.

A corporation can last for a very long time. Even with the changing of stockholders, the corporation can continue to exist.

A corporation has its own credit line. Even if the stockholders? or personnel?s credit records are not so wonderful, the corporation can retain a clean slate.

Investing for a business can have varied meanings. You have probably heard the term investing in your future. Investing in your future to businesses may pertain to the amount of investments necessary to keep the business running and headed towards a profit.

Often businesses need to invest in products for their company to help insure proper growth of the company. For instance, upgrading computer systems may cost a lot of funds however having access to better computer programs is an investment. Computer programs that are current can allow the company to track spending, manage inventory and process information. By upgrading the computer systems the company is improving and therefore investing in their future.

Investing for a business can also mean investing in the customer. Every day the business strives to please their customers. By striving to gain and keep customers companies are using a form of investment. Investing in your customer is a key to a successful business. Without care and effort customers can easily leave and find another business to fit their needs. It is one of the challenging aspects of running a business, knowing when and how to properly invest in your customers. Some of the ways a business may invest in customers may be to strive hard through advertising.

Advertising aggressively is a way to try and bring in more customers for a business. Another way companies invest in customers is by aiming to have the best service available. Businesses must try hard to create a service environment for their customers. Through insuring customers feel well cared for within the company regardless of the product or service sold can go a long ways towards pleasing the customer and therefore your investments.

Another key to investments in a company refers to capital versus dept. Like many individuals companies often have to borrow money in order to buy products or services to keep their business running well. Borrowing funds is a common practice for a business. The key however is insuring that the debt is kept well under the amount of capital a business has or produces. By reducing dept you are investing back into the business. Financing from banks is to be determined as short term or long term depending on the length of time need to repay the banking institution.

Investing in your company is the only way your business can grow and profit. Through the investments in time, labor, customers or funds businesses are able to determine the amount of involvement and value of a company. Whether you are investing in your future is completely within the businesses control. Finding the best way to invest in the future of your business or company will insure long term success.

There was never such demand for making a strong M&A deal. However, recently, we have witnessed a sharp rise in the number of mergers and acquisitions, both domestic as well as international. This resurgence has created a great pressure on the people involved in development of business, accountants, investment bankers and attorneys to find the innovative ways of making a strong M&A deal as early as possible.

Resurgence in Improving Economy; A study performed in this regard indicated that according to most of the people, growing economy is the key element behind this resurgence of M&A deals. Most top executives believe that if you need to grow, you have to adopt acquisitions. This is because companies has performed their best and reached the saturation point. Now for further growth, making a strong M&A deal has become inevitable, so that the company can found new opportunities for complementing products and more sales. Many businesses that are the target of these acquisition hunger companies are witnessing a significant rise in their valuations taking the average purchase price to 7.5 times higher than the EBITDA of acquired company.

Company Making Deal Vs Company Breaking Deal; Importance of making a strong M&A deal is going to further increase in the market where deals are taking place at a very fast pace. Significance of strong deal can be understood by the fact that in absence of an efficient and skillfully coordinated deal that carries lower costs of transactions, a company making deal may well become a company breaking deal.

Two Critical Questions; Making a strong M&A deal requires answers to two very important questions. First is regarding the type of currency the company should use to make the payments. You have three options. Either you can use stocks or you can pay cash. Alternatively, you can also use a combination of both. Choosing the currency is not at all easy. Basic difference is that cash is certain while stocks may fluctuate. Second question is regarding what exactly you wish to purchase. Here you have two options. Either aim at the assets of the company or buy its stock.

For making a strong M&A deal, you must consider few more points also carefully. For example, open communication is necessary for the success of such deals. Every single person involved in making the deal must be able to understand the clearly point of view of others. Moreover, they should know about the roles, need to perform. Information sharing is also very critical point in making a strong M&A deal.

Business incorporation is a form of legal arrangement open to any business. There are advantages and disadvantages to the corporate form of business which is why you need to consult with your lawyer and accountant to determine if incorporation is the form that you require. The differences refer to liability and taxes. The profits of a corporation are taxed at the corporate profits tax rate. The part of corporate profits that the stockholder, or owner, receives is called dividends. The stockholder pays taxes on the dividends at the individual tax rate. Therefore, dividends are a part of corporate profits that are subject to double taxation. This is one of the disadvantages of the corporation.

A corporation is a legal entity in its own right. It has all of the legal rights and responsibilities of a legal person. It is responsible for its own debts. This means that the corporation’s credits can not file against the assets of the stockholder, only against the assets of the corporation. The most the stockholder can lose is the cost of his stock. He cannot lose more than what he paid for the stock because he cannot be held personally responsible for the debts of the corporation.

Incorporation of a business take place in accordance with the rules and laws of the state the incorporation is in. You don’t have to incorporate in the state in which you live. Most big corporation incorporated in Delaware because Delaware used to have the most favorable laws for corporations. Today, Nevada and Delaware offer the most favorable incorporation laws. Nevada is a friendly state for incorporating in because it doesn’t tax corporate profits or franchises. It also affords corporate stockholder privacy and liability protection because the stockholders do not have to be on public record. Delaware offers low incorporation fees, low franchise taxes and no state tax on the profits on the corporation. In addition, Delaware provides a separate court system for businesses which offers speedy decisions. You can also establish an international business corporation that is registered off-shore. There are various rules and advantages that apply to this form of business.

You need to check the laws of incorporation in the state you plan to incorporate in. Usually you will want the services of a law firm when you incorporate although you can fill out the forms yourself. There are fees involved in using a law firm but it is usually worth it to have their advice.

So you are looking to build passive income. We all would like to work from home, and live the high life. However most of us fail to do just that. That’s why we spend countless hours searching online looking for that perfect business or program that claims to be “The One”.

The truth is nothing is going to work for you in less YOU put some type of work into it. I would like to just point out that there is no easy way to make money online, and there is NO such program out there that will make you money while you sleep! Sure you can make money while your sleeping but it WON’T be from some program. It will be because you put hard long hours in building up your new business, so that is runs while you sleep.

So is it at all possible to earn passive income online? Yes it really is. Again though YOU must be willing to work at it. Sure you will have to spend money, and work a few hours a day. That goes with any job you will ever get. Its just a matter of how much money you can afford to get things rolling, and how much “serious time” you can put into working your new business.

So how does someone start to build passive income then? Simple, you have to find a business that you can trust, and that you know for sure will work. I know it sounds hard, but trust me they are out there. I run a few of them myself.

Once you find this business you must then build it in such away that it continues to grow so that in the long run you have to ALMOST and I stress ALMOST do nothing.

I have been running a few programs, and business’s for a year now, and I still need to work each one of them for a couple of hours each day. However when I first started I had to do a lot more work, and it was a lot harder. If you can just get over the bump in the road you will find your self well on your way to building passive income online.

In a major policy change, Wal-Mart reversed last year's decision to eliminate the word “Christmas” from their stores. News of their 2005 policy to have all store signage say, “Happy Holidays” and forbidding store associates from saying, “Merry Christmas” caused a backlash in the form of boycotts from Christian shoppers. Learning from their mistake, Wal-Mart has reversed this policy by allowing religion-specific holiday greetings at their stores for the holiday season of 2006.

Media reports immediately declared that Wal-Mart had shifted their focus to the Christmas holiday. This was not, however, what Wal-Mart has done. To the contrary Wal-Mart has expanded their holiday greeting program to include people of all religions wherever possible.

Wal-Mart has long shown tremendous expertise in dealing with controversial consumer issues. A policy reversal is one of the most delicate of all controversial issues with which a business must deal. For example, when Kmart determined it was no longer politically correct to sell guns in their stores it made an announcement condemning the usage of guns. They pulled guns from stores in all 50 states. In Alaska, where the right to bear arms is exercised by an overwhelming percentage of residents, several groups decided to boycott Kmart. Management restocked guns in the Alaskan stores, however never dealt with the way they had insulted the Alaskan populous. This was a contributing factor in destroying customer loyalty and the northernmost state -- a state that would ultimately see all Kmart stores close.

There are four main lessons for us to learn from the skillful handling of the situation by Wal-Mart:

1. Do not let the media define your business decisions. When the media reported that Wal-Mart had changed from “Happy Holidays” to “Merry Christmas” Wal-Mart took charge of the message by dispatching spokespeople to all major broadcast media outlets. They had to clarify the message that Wal-Mart was not favoring Christian customers by this policy change. They spelled out that the new policy was to greet customers with the appropriate greeting. For example, Muslim customers will be wished "Blessed Eid!" for the Muslim holiday at the end of December. Similar greetings will be used for Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.

2. Listen to your customers. Although most business owners listen to consumer groups, Wal-Mart listens to the cash registers. When consumer groups began complaining last year about the Happy Holidays policy they held judgment until the cash registers told them they had made a mistake. Unfortunately too late to react for the 2005 season.

3. Keep your reaction proportionate. Wal-Mart was also wise in knowing that non-Christians make up an important part of their customer base. Therefore they needed a policy that addressed as many demographics as possible within their customer base.

4. Communicate with employees. Knowing that this policy reversal would get tremendous attention, Wal-Mart took the time to ensure associates were well aware of the new policy. This is not an easy task for an employer with more than one million employees, but Wal-Mart recognized the need to make this important investment.

According to Multicultural Business Council (MBC) spokesperson and retail expert Rick Weaver, “the number of choices consumers have in satisfying their needs dictates that the savvy retailer must address the individual demographics of their customers. No longer can businesses whitewash its product assortment, marketing plan, or visual displays to a generic consumer if they want to be successful.”

MBC works with companies and organizations to address the cultures of their customer and support bases. It has been their experience that shifting the focus from the traditional broad-paintbrush generic approach to an highly targeted programs will net excellent results in both sales and profits.

"Business opportunities are like buses, there's always another one coming." - Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Enterprises

If business opportunities are like bus, then be sure that there will be many who will want to board the buses. They will also face the eternal question ‘What next’? The next step is to choose the type of business. The choices are many and the decision, well, as usual, always difficult to make. Before opting for any type of business, it will augur well, if you understand the difference between each of the options.

Sole trader:

Sole trader is a person who carries out the trade/ business single handedly. He is the whole and soul of the business. Usually, there is no one to assist him; though in some cases he might keep an assistant or a helper.

The following are the distinguishing features of a sole trader:

1) He is responsible for the entire business. He is responsible for all the affairs pertaining to the business.

2) The law does not make any distinction between the owner and his business. In the eyes of the law, both the owner and his business are the same.

3) Since the law does not distinguish between the owner and his business, his liability is unlimited. For e.g. if the business goes bankrupt, the owner will have to cough money from his own assets and financial reserves to pay to the creditors and lenders.

4) The sole trader is also liable to pay for any legal compensation that might arise in the course of running the business. He cannot shrug his responsibilities. He will not be able to defend himself by saying that the act was committed by his business and not by him.

5) The sole trader has the final say as far as decision-making is concerned. He is not legally bound to listen to anyone. He may do whatever he deems to be fit.

6) Since he has the freedom to take all the decisions, he is also responsible for them. For e.g., There is a bread manufacturer, [who is also a sole trader], who introduces a new variety of bread, thinking that there is demand for this particular variety. If the product succeeds, he can take the credit. If the product fails and as a consequence he suffers losses, then he will be held for the losses. The buck starts as well as stops with him.

7) He keeps the entire profit earned by him. Similarly he also has to shoulder the entire burden of loss.

8) A sole trader has to maintain financial records that distinguish between money used for personal and business purpose. For e.g. if he sends a letter to his wife, the postal expenditure will be treated as personal. But if a letter is sent to a prospective customer, it will be treated as expenditure incurred for business purpose.

9) A sole entity might come to an end if the owner becomes bankrupt or has an untimely demise, with no one to look after the business.

Limited company:

A limited company is a separate entity and is also either registered or incorporated under the laws of the country in which it is situated. It is a separate person in the eyes of the law.

The following are the distinguishing features of a limited company:

1) Since a limited company is a separate person, it can hire ‘employees’. These employees are responsible for running of the company. These employees can be the directors of the company, the secretary as well as the staff including the receptionist!

2) For setting up a limited company, most of the countries require registration. Some countries also specify the minimum number of people that are required to start a limited company.

3) The laws of almost all the countries specify the use of the word ‘limited ‘ or ‘ltd’ after the name of the company.

4) The finance for starting a limited company is raised by issuing shares. The people to whom the shares are issued are termed as shareholders. The shares cannot be issued to the general public unless it is a public limited company.

5) The liability of the shareholders is limited to the amount paid by them during the purchase of the shares. For e.g. if the company goes into debts, they are not liable to pay to the lenders and creditors from their own personal finance.

6) Similarly even the directors and other staffs are not responsible to pay. This is because the company is a separate entity.

7) The directors are responsible for the health of the company as well as its day-to-day affairs.

8) But if the company is held for any wrongdoing, the case will be filed against the company and not the directors. However, the directors are responsible for the way the company is run. If evidence of wrong- doings is found against the directors, cases can be field against them in the court of law.

9) The directors, in consultation with the shareholders, take the decisions pertaining to the company. Meetings such as AGMs [Annual General Meeting] are held to discuss about future strategies and growth plans.

10) The profits earned by the company can be distributed among shareholders as dividend. Alternatively, it can be also used for the expansion plans of the company.

11) No single person owns the company. It has a perpetual existence, which is not affected by the death of any shareholder or director.

Though there are many distinguishing factors the main difference between a sole trader and a limited company is that the law makes no distinction between a sole trader and his business, whereas a limited company is a separate entity in itself which can function very much like humans i.e. it can hire people, sue and get sued etc.

Make sure you have solid foundations.

Have you ever seen a skyscraper being built?

The first thing they do to build it is to dig down.

It’s a little strange to see, but it makes sense if you think about it.

By digging down and making sure all the foundations are in place, and making sure they are rock solid… the building can then reach up towards the sky.

Without the rock solid foundations the building could topple and crash to the ground.

Unfortunately that’s what happens to some businesses.

Some owners neglect, ignore or are ignorant of some of the ‘foundations’ that MUST be in place to allow the business safe and secure business growth.

The things we are covering aren’t as exciting or as ‘glamorous’ as the topics that most business owners want to delve into like marketing, or team training… yet the areas are fundamental to the success of your business.

And they are topics that all multi-million dollar business owners are great at… and follow religiously.

Although they aren’t as glamorous – they are still fundamental to the successful growth and in some cases – the existence of your business.

So please don’t fall into the trap of ignoring these areas like some business owners do – because you can find yourself in serious trouble.

Insurances - Go over the kind of insurances that you need, and your business needs in case of any form of mishap, act of god and/or litigation. There are some critical ones that you need to be aware of. And there’s some that you may not have thought of that are fundamental to your business. So check them out and put them into place.

Contracts - How good are the contracts you have in place? Do you have any? Do you have them with your team and suppliers?

Make sure you’re working with a good contract lawyer to make sure you’re adequately protected in your contracts. Don’t just copy other people contracts; get them done specifically for your business.

Disclaimers - With the increasing rate of litigation make sure you are working with your lawyer to protect yourself from any type of litigation that may occur.

Technology - Find the appropriate levels of technology for your business so you can become more effective and efficient with your current workloads… and make sure you’re continually taking care of your current technology and updating regularly before the need arises.

Technology is only a cost if you don’t use it. When you use it, it’s an investment.

Software - When you start off in business you can get away with rip off versions of software. Yet when you’re aiming to grow – get the real versions.

I recommend it.

As you start to grow and you’re producing data that’s becoming more and more valuable you need to protect it and have constant support and access to it.

If you don’t have the ‘real McCoy’ you can say goodbye to sometimes years of hard work.

Back ups Virus Protections - Make sure you’re following the guidelines of backing up your data and keeping up-to-date virus software as well.

The data on your computer has taken you and your business literally thousands of hours at around $20 per hour. So you’ve probably got $100K or more worth of data on your system. Back it up, and store it off site.

If you’re online – you’ll know how many viruses are around. So get yourself a great system and update it daily.

I use Vet and I update it daily.

Correct Asset Protection - There’s no point making great money and building wealth if – seemingly at the drop of a hat – you lose it all. It happens because of poor asset protection. Make sure your assets are protected.

Get yourself a good asset protection lawyer and accountant.

Statutory Obligations - Be aware of all the statutory obligations that you have of running and owning a business – and comply with them. It’s the law.

Taxation - Make contact and work with the tax office often to understand all the different forms or taxation that you and your business are subject to. Know when payments are due, budget for them and make sure you get everything in on time.

Rateable Remuneration - As your business grows and you employ more and more people make sure you’re updating your rateable remuneration with WorkCover. Otherwise you can be stuck with an unpleasant bill or even be fined.

Time Off - Like the axe man that cuts wood. You’ve got to take time off to sharpen your saw. Otherwise it just becomes blunt and ineffective.

Time off helps charge up your batteries – and it also makes your team step up when you’re away.

Regular time off will have you feeling fresh and ‘on-the-ball’.

There may be many more things that you can do for your business to make sure you have nice strong foundations in place for growing your business.

The fact that nearly every application requiring a conveyor system is unique, it is important to have a basic understanding of the various types of conveyors and the way these conveyors or lift systems work. Some of the applications requiring special lifting solutions include access to and from balconies, mezzanines, basements and in-between levels in multiple story buildings. Other uses include specific exterior and interior applications, high speed production lines and in replacing inclined belt conveyors. The moving of pallets of various items from one area to another is an example of a type of conveyor system that can be very productive. Companies can benefit greatly in cost, safety and efficiency when the proper method of transporting things up, down or sideways is utilized.

We will begin with mechanical vertical lifts. These are usually vertical platform lifts designed to handle heavy (30,000 lbs or more) and many times bulky, oversized loads. The carriage (compartment area where the actual items being transported sit) is lifted and lowered by heavy roller chain attached to a mechanical lifting mechanism. Vertical lifts are ideal for transporting large, heavy loads two or more levels and also high volume automated systems or frequent-use applications. The benefit of loading and unloading items from all four sides on the better designed vertical lifts is very appealing.

Hydraulic conveyors, as the name implies, lifts the material on the carriage via hydraulic cylinders instead of mechanical lifting mechanisms. Therefore a hydraulic lift is often more quiet and smooth during operation. Hydraulic lifts are quite adaptable for mezzanines, balconies, through floor and inside and outside applications. Depending on their intended use, many hydraulic lifts are designed smaller and more compact than mechanical lifts. The benefit these units provide is they can be often delivered as a complete product ready for fast, easy, one-day installation, thus keeping downtime to a minimum.

Many businesses, large, small and in between, often require the need for what is referred to as a high-speed material handling conveyor. These are specifically designed for the light duty lifting of boxes, cartons, packages, totes, cases, containers, etc. These type lifts provide non stop transportation to or from balconies and mezzanines, over aisles or machinery, between floors or conveyor belt levels. A big advantage to one of these lifts is the fact that they are completely self contained, self supporting and economical. Also, by meeting the proper ANSI/ASME code, you can be assured of the product providing all the safety benefits you would expect.

Whether you need to reach a balcony, a mezzanine or a certain level of multiple levels, a Vertical Reciprocating Conveyor may be the product of choice. Even though a VRC moves products and supplies from one level to another, they are not elevators. A VRC and an elevator each have their own national safety code assigned. A VRC is generally more cost effective than an elevator and also an easier means of transporting materials from one elevation to another and above all is very safe.

These are some of the more popular lifts or conveyors used in various applications today. Yes, there are others, but having a somewhat decent understanding of these I discussed will provide you a basic understanding of other varieties of conveyors.

The Internet has made it very easy to find information about almost any topic. It is therefore very easy to use the Internet to help in finding businesses for sale. By just using a simple search option or any of the powerful search engines like Google or Yahoo, Ask, or MSN, you can get results instantly.

Businesses are usually put up for sale for various reasons, including mounting debts, the ill health or death of the owner, heavy competition, a lack of sufficient cash flow management, or a series of changes that didn’t work. Be very sure to find out exactly why the business is being sold and analyze carefully if those reasons would not affect you. Nothing can beat word-of-mouth advertisements. Therefore, talk to people related to the business you are interested in and seek their help in finding businesses for sale.

You can inform the manager of your bank that you are interested in buying a particular kind of business and can ask him to inform you if he has any information regarding the sale of such a business.

Finding Businesses For Sale Using The Internet

Finding businesses for sale by using the Internet requires specific keywords such as the type of businesses you are seeking and the geographic location such as for example “hardware stores for sale in California.” Within seconds, you could have a list of all hardware stores in California that are for sale. Be very specific and mention any locality you desire to check for any businesses for sale in those areas.

Another method of finding businesses for sale is going through the classified section as well as the business section of the newspaper regularly. You can look for businesses that are on sale because they were delinquent in paying their taxes on time; this list is usually published in the local newspapers.

You can be a bit more creative and start a blog by joining popular groups such as Yahoo, asking people to inform you about the sale of the particular kind of business you are interested. You may gain valuable insight as well get some misleading information from pranksters, so be sure to verify all details thoroughly.

You can advertise in your local newspaper as well as radio that you are interested in buying businesses, asking interested individuals to contact you by giving your contact number, which has to be easy to remember. You can distribute leaflets at busy shopping malls and multiplexes advertising your intent to buy a particular business. These are just a few tips for finding business for sale.

Researcher, Nancy Adler conducted a monumental study in the mid 1980’s to address myths about women and international business. Her study investigated if commonly held myths about women in international business were true including: women are not interested in International business, women were not willing to travel overseas for a variety of reasons namely family responsibilities and women would not be viewed as credible in overseas business due to the local perception of women. Her study results revealed that many of these false perceptions were indeed myths often held by male managers and HR personnel, and that women were interested and willing to conduct business overseas.

Today many of these same myths still exist despite the dramatic increase of women in business and women owned businesses and women traveling overseas.

Here are some facts published by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) (www.dol.gov), The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) (www.nawbo.org), and the Small Business Administration (SBA) (www.sba.gov), on women in the work force:

• Women account for over 46% of the work force in America and this is expected to increase to 48% by the year 2005.

• Women comprised 43% of employees in American executive, administrative, and managerial occupations in 1995 and this number is growing.

• Businesses owned by women number 8 million in the U.S., and they employ one out of every four workers. They are growing at double the rate of all businesses.

• 33% of women business owners report that they exported in their first or second year of operation and the majority reported that they were successful on their first transaction.

• In 1998 over 23 million Americans traveled overseas and the primary areas of travel were Europe, Asia, Japan and Latin America.

It is no longer just a rumor that women have become major players in the U.S. workforce and in the global business environment. More and more women are traveling overseas to conduct business for their corporations or for their own business ventures.

Despite these significant advances of women in International business we still find commercial guidebooks that suggest that women should not be in International business. Most books in this genre were written by men and either do not address women’s particular issues in international business or, worse, they suggest that women should not even be sent on foreign business assignments due to role differences which these men perceive to be unconquerable obstacles. In contrast, my own research (1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998) indicates that women can and are successful in international business, despite the variety of viewpoints they encounter around the world. Specifically, my research has demonstrated that establishing credibility during the initial stages of business is one area that businesswomen find critical to their success.

Establishing Your Credibility

For men, credibility is often derived from their gender and their status in the company. For women, credibility is more often derived from their individual skills. Women report that they often have to work extra hard to establish credibility because of their gender.

Some women explain:

When I conduct business in most countries I am consciously aware that my male colleagues have more credibility than I do, just because of gender differences. In most countries women are not expected to have significant positions of authority, so I am frequently viewed in the same way. I am first assumed to be an administrator, not the decision-maker in the group, whereas my male colleague is first viewed as the manager or decision-maker. I feel I have to work doubly hard to establish my credibility before I can effectively conduct business and I’m aware that I need to do this immediately so that the business can start. (Chicago)

When I travel outside the U.S. for the corporate office, I am viewed as foreign first, and female second. However, I feel I am still met with some degree of skepticism as to what my role is and how much authority I have for the corporate office. Due to this, I take extra steps to make sure that the proper introductions are made in advance to limit concerns that men might have about my credibility. (Los Angeles)

As a woman business owner I realize that I am not the norm in many countries. Therefore I have to develop methods by which to establish my self and my company as credible for my foreign business associates. This requires preparation and advance communication about my firm, our success and our viability -- perhaps more than is required for men who run their own firms. (New York)

Here are some pointers for establishing credibility:

• Be visible. Attend and host meetings between your company and your international counterparts whenever possible. International travel is often associated with decision-makers in a firm, so being present adds to your credibility.

• Introductions are important, particularly for women. If you are doing business with a firm for the first time, have yourself introduced by a higher-ranking person in your company who already knows the people with whom you will be dealing.

• If you cannot have someone introduce you, ask a higher-ranking person in your company to send a fax or written correspondence in advance, outlining your title, responsibilities and background.

• Make sure your business card indicates a distinctive title such as “Manager” or “Director” so that your position can be clearly understood. If there is any doubt about your title, it may be automatically assumed that you have a lesser role than other members on your team.

• Some women wear a school ring or a graduate school pendant to subtly advertise their background. Others wear corporate pins designating tenure, thus demonstrating their level of experience.

• In general, foreigners will often look and respond more to the men on your team than the women. This is because there are fewer women in executive positions outside of the U.S. Prepare for this by advising your colleagues of tactics that will help you and the other female members, including making seating arrangements that will place you in a position of authority.

• If someone appears confused about your name and rank, offer him another business card, even if you have already given him one. This is a subtle way of reinforcing your title and ensuring acknowledgment of your participation as an active member at the meeting.

• Women should lead business discussions where possible. If there is only one woman and everyone is of equal rank, let the woman take the lead to help establish her credibility.

• A female team leader may experience a problem establishing her credibility unless team members defer to her as the authority figure on the team. American men need to be aware that their tendency to jump in and answer questions, especially when a woman is speaking, undermines her authority and the team’s effectiveness. Women should advise team members not to answer questions directed to her and to otherwise defer to her whenever appropriate. A good response when asked a question that should be directed to a female colleague is: “Jane is the best person to answer that question.”

• Be professional. Present yourself in a sincere, confident, professional manner, both in appearance and speech, to create a good first impression. Be yourself. Do not come on too strong, but don’t defer when it is appropriate for you to respond. Deferring to age and position is, however, always acceptable for both sexes.

• Be aware of women’s roles in other countries. If you understand where women are in their own corporate environment it will give you insight into how the culture may perceive you.

The Role of the Manager

Managers can be very effective in international business by helping to enhance their team’s credibility. The manager can introduce the staff members by title and outline their areas of expertise, act as moderator to refer questions to the appropriate team member, and highlight the staff’s achievements.

In particular, managers can help in the following ways:

• It is important that all team members, including management, understand their roles at the meeting and, more importantly, that they do not act out of role. If one of your colleagues is acting out of role, call for a break to explain how the group loses effectiveness when it is not cohesive.

• As a woman, you should advise management that your personal credibility may be jeopardized if your role is undermined, and that this could hinder the success of the team at any follow-up meetings.

• Managers can help enhance the credibility of female teammates by reinforcing their authority during the meeting. For example, if a woman is not receiving the appropriate respect, the manager may once again bring attention to her role and authority.

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