Let's learn how to save our businesses, or, the very worse, find out what business we can have that will support us. We are a "new age" of women who are risk takers because "we can." Let's now work on being risk takers because "it's possible!"

 Let's analyze our business.

 What business are you in?

 How did you get in this business?

 What qualifications do you have to be in this business. 

What are the benefits to the user of your business. 

Is your business seasonal? 

Do you have competition from other businesses in your area? 

How is your service different from your competition. 

Do you make 10 new calls a day to introduce your business? 

Do you have a written introduction of your company. 

Can you tell someone the 5 key points of your business which can benefit them. 

Are you repeat selling to regular customers?

 What do others say about your product, services and/or business? 

If you worked for a company providing the same services you offer, and had to report to work for them everyday, what would you be expected to do during the workday? 

Do you do the same for your business? 

When you meet with a potential customer, do you ask the potential customer the above questions?

 How can you sell to anyone, if you don't know them?

 How can you develop your own business, if you don't know your business?

 I notice new businesses popping up in the directory at a rate of 13-25 a day. Everytime I put in a new listing, I wonder the above questions. If you found yourself downsized in your company, or that the child care situation was getting too expensive for you to work out, or situations occurred which forced you to "go into business" at home, then you first must understand that whatever you begin to do "at home" is not your expertise. Going into business under these circumstances throws you into chaos immediately.

 Under normal circumstances, if you had lost a job, the first thing you would do is to find another job. However, today's opportunities do not always lend us that choice.

 Having said that, please evaluate your individual situation. Be honest with yourself. You could never jump from the parts department of a company, into building the part overnight.

 You need to look at your talents very carefully. What is it that you truly have talent in. Just because you are presently in business "doing something in business" does not mean that it is the business you would be most suited in.

 Ask yourself if someone else benefited from you going into your existing business? Many times you can be "sold" on an idea, only to be used by someone else in the end. Make sure you are, in fact, doing what you "can" do....

 Business has to be "needed" or the "business fails." If you have a headache once a month, all you need is 2 asprin...you don't need to buy the pharmacy's stock of asprin. Evaluate your business. Answer these questions, throw your answers to the group of other women in business. Let us all work on building the businesses of women in business.

 Realize that you are a valuable commodity in life. As women we expect to be able to do "all things"...to wear a woman's hat we must be child specialists, plumbers, domestic engineers, mechanics, wallpaper hangers, purchasing offices, financial wizards, etc. Why don't you stop and consider doing one of your many talents full-time, become very successful, and pay others to do the other things you already know you can do, but don't make money. Then, after you have made a successful home-based business/small business, you can look at how you accomplished this success by utilizing the talents of other women in business.

 Good Luck, I look forward to seeing a bunch of interaction on this subject in the group. Let the group help make you successful! Let's have a "think tank!"