Starting It
Dec
29
The Best Web Host
Ok, I know this is blatant advertising, but I just had to do this after everything that has happened.
You may have noticed a while back if you visited my blog that there was this horribly ominous red warning blocking you from entering this site-and posted by no other than the all powerful OZ, uh, I mean, Google. You were given the option to ignore this warning, at risk of harming your computer . . . but really now - I was afraid to go into my OWN website!
Well, I won’t go into all the morbid details of what it took to dig out of that mess, but long story short – it ended up being a combination of problems, one of which was a security breach in my previous (note- previous) hosting company.
Years ago I bounced around hosting companies, finding out the hard way which ones did what better than another. Being a research maniac, I spent WAY too much time on the subject, and after seriously deliberating over my ‘top 3′ for a few years…I ended up settling for what was my previous host for reasons I refuse to tell at the risk of identifying the bad guy in this story. (I’m not writing this to sling mud, but to give flowers to the good guy 
)
Well, a few years down the pike I knew I had made the wrong decision but by that time I was in too deep to make a change without investing a great deal of time into transferring multiple (45-50 at one time) domains and websites and blogs, and….. Sure, a few times I said I was just going to bite the bullet and make the change, but when I actually started to make the plan…well…I chickened out because of how much time it would take.
Lesson learned!
Well, it took much more time to clean up the mess than it would have if I had just done it when I first knew I should have. I’m sure there is a Proverb in there somewhere! So, who is this wonderful hosting company that I finally switched to? Hostgator. I really don’t want to sound like a commercial, but I also want to share some of what I have learned the REALLY hard way. The main thing I love about Hostgator is their support. Sure, the mechanics AND certainly the security of a host company is critical, but the main difference I have found that makes ALL the difference in the world between all the host companies out there is their tech support. When I called my previous host about the problem I had, they (basically) said I was on my own. “What? You are kidding, right?” Well, I guess they are really big and really busy…oh-wait-Hostgator is quickly becoming one of the biggest companies, too…yet offered to help me with this HUGE problem I had.
Anyway, I have suggested them before to new bloggers because they are one of the few companies that offers a monthly fee that isn’t outrageous-while most of the more economical choices want you to pay at least 3 months at a time. Hostgator also has an enormous selection of one click programs…like a one click WordPress installation. No more lessons on how to self install WordPress, I guess…
There are many more advantages, but you can read them in a list on their website, Hostgator.com. All of those perks and programs are great, and you will find that many web hosts offer much the same, not usually as inexpensive as Hostgator, but perhaps. What I am saying is what really makes HG stand out is the integrity and quality of support they offer. THAT is hard to find in a company their size. Smaller, new companies might offer great support-they have more time-for now…but I’m a little squimish about new companies after seeing so many fold after a year or two. THAT is something you don’t want either! (After all those hurricanes I would also avoid small Florida and coastal based companies…sorry).
Well, I just had to sing my praises to Hostgator, and recommend them heartily-and maybe lend some insight into why it is SO important to choose your hosting carefully. Hopefully, you’re in it for the long haul, and your hosting company is like a close partner.
Yes, I confess, I do receive an affiliate commission if you order your hosting through one of my links, but if you send me your receipt (please don’t include any passwords or access info, please!) I’ll give you free access to my e-course, Entrepreneurship 101 as a thank you. I’m also happy to share what I have learned if you have a similar problem (God forbid!) attack you. Just email me.
Who wants a coupon code?
Check out Hostgator.com and get your first month for just a penny with the coupon code, “1CENT” . Right now they are offering hosting for as low as $3.96/month.
More From HomeschoolEntrepreneur
Aug
09
These Kids Mean Business!
These Kids Mean Business is a website spawned out of a documentary aired on August 31, 2007. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a place that it can be viewed online, but maybe YOU can! The website has many useful resources, and practical lesson plans for teachers. Watch the videos, and check out the lesson plans here >>
Did anyone out there happen to watch this documentary when it aired?
More From HomeschoolEntrepreneur
Jun
11
7 Ways To Know How To Choose The Right Home Business
Choosing a business is by far the most difficult decision you will face in your entrepreneurial journey. You may have that idea for a business that is stuck in your head that you dream about daily, but will it succeed? You may need to adapt your idea a little differently to suit what the market will bear. It’s absolutely essential that you are passionate about the field that you want to start a business in, but thinking long and hard about the factors that will make it succeed is a sub-category you really need to consider carefully.
So, HOW do you know if a business will succeed? There are many ways to do this, and is certainly a lengthier subject than a simple blog post can support. All the signs can point to inevitable success, and it still may not go like you hoped. There are so many variables in this equation, but the biggest one is YOU.
Are YOU passionate about what you want to do?
Are YOU ready to work hard, long hours to start with? (that’s why you need to be passionate about this!)
Are YOU ready to turn a deaf ear to those negative comments that are sure to come at you?
Are YOU ready to look at all your customers as friends, even the ones that are grumbling, complaining, and making your life, well….less than enjoyable?
Are YOU ready to allow your business to flow into the direction that the market seems to be taking it?
Are YOU willing to learn everything you can about your business, and humbly seek advice from experienced entrepreneurs?
These are really the most important factors in any new business. If you are willing to put your all into it and watch what works and sells and move your business in that direction, then it would be difficult to fail.
Here are some other places to find advice on deciding on a business:
http://www.ahbbo.com/starting-business-articles.html
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/chrisfie/archive/2011/03/02/great-read-how-to-choose-the-right-business-intelligence-technology-to-suit-your-style-microsoft-bi.aspx
Choosing a business is by far the most difficult decision you will face in your entrepreneurial journey. You may have that idea for a business that is stuck in your head that you dream about daily, but will it succeed?
You may need to adapt your idea a little differently to suit what the market will bear. It’s absolutely essential that you are passionate about the field that you want to start a business in, but thinking long and hard about the factors that will make it succeed is a sub-category you really need to consider carefully. You may need to adapt your idea a little differently to suit what the market will bear.
So, HOW do you know if a business will succeed?
There are many ways to determine this, and its certainly a lengthier subject than this simple blog post can support. Even if we could, all the signs can point to inevitable success, and it still may not succeed like you hoped. I’m somewhat of a business bio nut. I love to read, watch and hear about how anyone has found some element of entrepreneurial success. One thing I have noticed is that is isn’t always the IDEA….but it’s the person behind the idea.
There are so many variables in the success equation, but what it boils down to is the biggest factor is YOU. Here are the six, no, seven, common denominators in 99% of successful entrepreneurs:
- Are YOU passionate about what you want to do?
- Are YOU ready to work hard, long hours to start with? (that’s why you need to be passionate about this!)
- Are YOU ready to turn a deaf ear to those negative comments that are sure to come at you?
- Are YOU ready to look at all your customers as friends, even the ones that are grumbling, complaining, and making your life, well….less than enjoyable?
- Are YOU ready to allow your business to flow into the direction that the market seems to be taking it?
- Are YOU willing to learn everything you can about your business, and humbly seek advice from experienced entrepreneurs?
- Are YOU willing to surround yourself with motivated, intelligent, hard-working partners/employees….and let go the dear friends and/or relatives that are NOT?
These are really the most important factors in any new business. If you are willing to put your all into it and watch what works and sells and move your business in that direction, then it would be difficult to fail.
Here are some other places to find advice and do some old-fashioned research on deciding on a business to start:
http://www.ahbbo.com/starting-business-articles.html
May
26
Living Their Dream
Forest Graves was laid off unexpectedly from his job, and didn’t know what to do. Together with his wife they decided to do what they had always wanted to do: start a coffee business. As coffee lovers, they were always on the search for the perfect cup of coffee – to no avail. They bought a roaster and now they have a very successful coffee business.
When I checked out his webpage, JumpingGoat.com, I noticed that one of his blog categories (on the right) was ‘Coffee Shop Business’. He writes his blog in a very transparent, down-to-earth way and I think anyone considering opening a shop like this could glean a great deal of wisdom from someone that has done so well.
Watch the video if you haven’t already. He gives some good advice and three good tips in this interview:
- Just begin
- Embrace technology
- Start with a Facebook page
Start a Coffee Business and Learn Entrepreneurship: For 8-14 year olds:
A curriculum written for older elementary students that are interested in selling quality coffee while learning how to run a business is FatBrainCoffee.com. It’s an excellent program that takes you step by step through everything you need to run your own coffee business. I think they have added tea, also.
So…have you thought of what business you would start if given the opportunity?
.
Apr
15
How To Create a Profitable Blog
There are so many tools out there online anymore that just about anyone can create a good looking blog. In fact, blogging is becoming the national past time – and a very popular way to make a little extra money. While many are still doing it just for fun, there are those that aspire to that “6 figure blogging” reputation. Why not? Its start up cost is almost nothing and all it takes is your time. Or is it?
It looks to me that blogging for income will soon mirror the 2 out of 3 failure rate of new businesses. Actually, I don’t think the majority of new blogs will succeed for the same reason: Poor planning and lack of focus on how it will make money.
This is just one reason that teaching the basics of business to your teens is so important. The common mindset is “Just Do It”. It looks so fun, doing what you want, when you want, how you want. Why wouldn’t anyone want to have their own business or blog?
What happens when they have spent hours and hours buried online, pouring their heart and soul into what inevitable becomes a source of deep discouragement and frustration with no monetary return. Was it really so free? How much could they have had in the bank if those hours had even just paid him minimum wage? The “Build It and They Will Come” attitude doesn’t work any better with blogs than it does with a new business.
There are many that are very public with their opinion that you can’t make money blogging because they tried it and didn’t work, like Daniel Lyons, a talented blogger known for two years as “Fake Steve Jobs” (until Newsweek revealed his identity). In an excellent post by CopyBlogger, Daniel Lyons tell how he only made a little over $1,000 after a traffic spike of 250,000. If you can’t make money with that kind of traffic, he rationalizes, no one can succeed with a blog.
On the other side of the coin, there are many very successful bloggers that share their so called “secrets” and became successful doing just that. But that’s not the only way to succeed. Top bloggers like Darren Rowse with his photography blog will tell you he makes far more with helping those with their camera than he ever did helping beginner bloggers. I’m not sure it’s a secret or not, but there are some essential factors to actually making money with your blog.
CopyBlogger, in that same post referred to above, gives the cornerstone of any successful, profitable blog:
If you want to make money in the real world, solve real problems.
It’s sounds simple, and it really is-but most new bloggers don’t realize this. They jump into creating a blog on whatever suits their fancy. This is a sure recipe for failure. That is, unless what suits your fancy includes helping others suit their fancy. You must have a plan and direct the purpose of your blog to something that will solve real world problem for your intended readers.
If you would like to transform your blog into a profitable blog, study other great bloggers. CopyBlogger is a must read. Of course you must apply the principles, and work at it like a job, but to make money online you have to make yourself useful. Make sure your vision includes a purpose that has income potential.
I agree and personally need to take CopyBlogger’s hard hitting command to heart:
It’s time for online business to grow up
I love that. When blogging first started, most blogs were personal diaries and people loved (and still do!) seeing inside other people’s lives. Now that Facebook takes care of that in a big way, personal blogs have gone back stage. Everyone wants information that will help them in some part of their life that bothers them, and there are a multitude of ways to serve that up. What can YOU do to help someone else?
CopyBlogger is one of my absolute favorite blogs because it is intensely useful. Take a look at his headlines and you will find yourself wanting to read every single one. (at least I do..) He knows what bloggers need (goes beyond want) and gives practical advice that works. Learn from one of the best, go to http://www.copyblogger.com/no-money-blogging/ . Another excellent place to gain a full blogging education is http://www.problogger.net/.
Do you have a favorite blog or one that has useful information on how to blog? Please share with us in the comments. I’d like to compile a list of great bloggers that share it all and we can all learn from – who do you think makes it to that list?
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