Friday, July 31, 2009

Opening a Day Care Business - Applying For a Grant

Money is always a problem when it comes to opening a new business. When you so not have enough money, you are often left with one choice and it is to forgo your plans of opening a day care business. Since the world is already slowly recognizing the importance of having a child care facility, you are in luck. You will now be able to open you own day care center even if you lack funds.

The US government has already provided an option which will enable you to start you day care center. They are giving out grant to people who wish to open a day care business but is unable to do so because they lack capital. This is different from a loan because a grant does not require you to pay back the money that they gave you.

Since this involves free money, the government is not willing to give this to everyone. This requires applying for a grant. Sounds simple? Well it is not. Imagine how many grant applications are being passed each day. This is free money and anyone will not let this opportunity pass them by. So what you need to do is to pass an application what will outshine the rest. You need to convince them that they grant should be given to you and not to anybody else.

The first thing you need to do is to read the guidelines for the application carefully. It is recommended that you read these before you pass the application because the guidelines provide you with the requirements for applying for the grant. If you fail to read the guidelines and pass the application immediately, it will no use because it might even get denied.

It is important that you make an impression in your application. People who are approving these grants would like to have a little introduction about your company. Make sure to include only the most important details. Part of these are your goals and aspirations for opening a day care business. You need to show that you are sincere in your intentions to open your day care business.

Since this involves a huge sum of money, the people who are granting these loans would want to know if their money is used properly. If you are giving away money, would want that the person you have given this to will spend it on nonsense things, Of course not! This is why they ask for a financial plan when you pass your application. You need make everything clear in tallying your expenses. Each dollar that you spend must be accountable for something. This is also an indicator of a good business plan, if you are able to come up with a realistic and exact financial plan. It means that you have really done your research well.

You can now open your own childcare center. With government grants, this has become a possible thing for you. Just complete the application and pass the requirements. It is that simple. Even if you do not have enough money for capital, do not get discouraged because government grants are now available for aspiring entrepreneurs.


Thursday, July 16, 2009

The Company Secretary's Duties & Liabilities

A few days ago, I received an inquiry from a few working girls who wanted to venture into some business. They wanted to find out about information about setting up a private limited company or Sdn Bhd. One very interesting question from them was "Why do we need a Company Secretary?"

From that moment on, I am pretty sure many people out there are very curious about the same question and here, I would like to share with you, the duties and responsibilities.

The Corporate Secretary

Every limited company must have a minimum of one Company Secretary, according to Section 139 of the Companies Act, 1965. The its appointment is decided by the directors of the company.

To qualify as a Company Secretary, he or she must be either a member of a professional body approved by the Ministry, or a licensed secretary granted by the SSM. Further, the person must not be a bankrupt and is not convicted of any offence under Section 130 (1) of the Companies Act.

Statutory duties of a Company Secretary

His/her statutory duties as required by the Companies Act are generally as follows:-

1. Has to be present at all company meetings and recording minutes of the meeting. In this context, company meetings are mainly referred to directors' and shareholders' meetings. Operational meetings do not require a company secretary's attendance.
2. Keep and maintain all the statutory books and records of the company, ie. Minutes book, register book, share register etc.
3. Ensure proper filing of all necessary returns with SSM such as annual return, forms etc.
4. Issue notices of meetings to shareholders as directed by the board of directors.
5. Process share transfers documentations and recordings.
6. Countersign essential company documents and certifying documents for certain matters such as banking matters etc.
7. Ensure safe custody of company seal.

Liabilities of a Company Secretary

Given the fact that a company secretary is an officer of a company, same as the directors, he or she has fiduciary duties to perform for the company. He or she is requires to act honestly and in good faith.

He/she is personally liable to criminal charges is he or she commits wrongful acts, and can also be penalized with a fine. Wrongful act is as simple as failure to lodge the annual return to SSM.

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Company-Secretarys-Duties-and-Liabilities&id=2585259

Saturday, June 06, 2009

Expanding Your Small Business

If you own a business, chances are you've already considered expansion in some respect - whether in terms of product and service offerings, marketing operations, or the number of staff you employ. What's more, the size of your business has likely had great influence on your ideas of expansion. For instance, small businesses often start with a base set of products or services, limited marketing, and a modest number of staff - ultimately working towards expansion in all of these areas.

There are a number of ways to expand your small business, and countless tools that can help you do it. And interestingly enough, one prominent business expansion tool also happens to be one of the world's most widely used resources: the Internet. The Internet holds a wealth of information, resources, contacts and more to help you expand your small business in a way that's right for you.

For example, if you're looking to expand your business in terms of product or service offerings, you're likely to need an additional base of suppliers. And what better place to source those suppliers than through the Internet? The Internet can return countless results via a search for specialised suppliers, enabling you to sort through your options and choose the most suitable suppliers based on your business goals.

Alternatively, you might want to expand your small business with regard to product and service promotion - something which can be achieved via online videos, blogs, news articles, or email updates to your clients. The online world happens to be one of the most powerful promotional tools available to business owners, quite simply because it's so widely used the world over.

However, what if you simply want to increase your number of staff? Once again, the Internet can be one of the most useful resources available for staff recruitment. It's a fact: countless people search for jobs online, everyday. So if you place job postings online, you'll get the most exposure - and the highest number of applicants - for your post. The higher the number of applicants, the higher the chances you'll find the staff you're looking for.

However, in utilising the Internet for your business expansion operations, it's worth remembering that certain types of Internet services adhere better to businesses. For instance, you can find specialised business broadband deals which offer higher - and often unlimited - broadband usage, increased speeds, mobile broadband services and more, ultimately giving you better access to the tools you need to help you operate and expand your business.

Therefore, it could prove worthwhile to enquire about business broadband in your area, and discover what this dedicated service can do for your business.

Adam Singleton writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Expanding-Your-Small-Business&id=2438337

Sunday, May 03, 2009

Owning an Airbrush Tattoo Business in Today's Economy

The Airbrush Tattoo industry is one of the fastest growing new industries right now. Right now, even in developed countries such as the US where airbrush tattoo businesses have been going on for quite a while, only 1 in 10 have heard about it. The information about this business is spreading word of mouth with more and more people hearing about it. As the business gets more and more popular, more and more people are seeing its attractions. One of the advantages of getting into this business is the fact that the initial investment required is pretty small. The equipment does not cost a lot and even high quality ones come at a pretty reasonable price. Another advantage is that the business can be operated from home itself. Therefore, there is no wasting of time on unnecessary travelling. This in turn is good for the community as it reduces pollution while still generating an additional income source. The reaction for this business has been overwhelmingly positive as it allows people from all ages and financial conditions to make use of this opportunity.

Getting into the airbrush tattoo industry is no walk in the park. Some people think that this scheme is really as simple as buying a couple of equipment and then spreading word about it. This business is way more complicated than that. This does not allow the user to make a lot of money immediately but does have a high potential to generate a high income. The business has a high potential and it requires both hard work and commitment. Consumer service is the key to making this business successful. The artist should be willing to understand how to provide the best service he can.

The first step is to buy high quality equipment which is especially important when you plan to run the business for a long time. Some people first buy cheap systems and then expect to upgrade it after they have made some amount of money. But these cheap equipment deliver poor results, making the business a failure. This equipment is the most important part of the business. It is also important to have a good idea of what you want to do and how much you desire to make the money. It is important to turn up on time after booking for an event. Not doing so not only ruins the present deal but also ruins any chance of future contracts with the same clients.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Owning-an-Airbrush-Tattoo-Business-in-Todays-Economy&id=2293575

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

The Portable Office

With technology getting smaller and more portable, the office is on the go, with people taking their work to coffee shops, restaurants, libraries, and even the occasional bar. Locations such have Starbucks have sprung up based on the business model of providing people with a place to work, outside of the home and the office.

It is not uncommon to see someone walking down the street with an entire office slung over their shoulder. You may not see the desks, office chairs, filing cabinets or copy machines; those are housed in other locations or are provided by the destination, but they do have everything they need to perform a full and productive day's work.

The centerpiece of portable office essentials is the laptop. If your work is computer intensive, then you have to make sure that you have the highest powered machine possible. However if you don't require a super computer there are a number of rather tiny machines out there that can make portable computing extremely easy.

Backing up the computer, many people will have a blackberry, or web enabled phone, which can act as a backup player for the computer. A cell phone can be used to research things on the web, pull up notes, keep records, or as a way of staying productive when your computer is busy "thinking". Oh yeah, you can also make business calls on them.

A kindle is another portable device that can be used to help your portable office. Not only can you store paper documents in a convenient digital form, but you can also use it to download current publications such as newspapers and magazines. The constantly on internet connection also allows you to access blogs, wikipedia, and other online information from almost anywhere in the world.

Aside from technology, a good portable office will also be very organized. This will involve folders, files, and a neat and orderly briefcase, with everything in its proper place. You should always carry pens, a paper pad, business cards, and any reference materials which you frequently require.

With technology getting smaller, lighter, and more powerful, people are doing their work in many different locations. Where someone working out of their home might have been rare 10 years ago, now you will find people working out of coffee shops, books stores, and libraries. This trend will only continue, and will get easier with each leap forward in technology.
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Portable-Office&id=2193287

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Consolidating Your Business Debt and Lowering Your Capital Outflow

During these tough times, almost everyone is struggling to keep their business in shape, productive, worthwhile and most importantly, away from bankruptcy. However, increasingly we hear of business closures, retrenchments and withdrawal of investments.

For some who are able to keep off filing for bankruptcy, their struggle is how to keep their costumers in patronizing their business and keep a steady flow of income. Fortunately, in saving a business there are a handy formulas, one of which is business debt consolidation.

Consolidating your debts entails negotiating with your creditors and working out a viable repayment plan that is agreeable to them. Once they are satisfied, this will loosen up collection efforts and drop plans for any lawsuits. This will allow you to have more time to pay your debts, increase your money flow and best of all, keep your business moving until sales improve with the economy.

If your small business still has money coming in but sales are declining due to the recession, you may need to start looking into consolidating your business debts so you can avoid collection calls from your creditors or worst, join the bandwagon of bankruptcy, layoff your employees and not be able to rebound back to business.

There are several companies that are available to work with small businesses to consolidate their business debts and create a solution to their temporary financial problems. Corporate Turnaround is among the three of the bigger ones that advertise on TV. They have a staff of over a hundred (100+) that develops distinctive solutions for each client they help. You can do a search on Google for their web-site.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Get-Small-Business-Debt-Relief-by-Consolidating-Your-
Business-Debt-and-Lowering-Your-Capital-Outflow&id=2130980

Friday, February 27, 2009

Web Hosting Sales and Promos Roundup

(WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) -- There were many web hosting promotions announced in the last week of February, including Host Department's 20 percent off St.Patrick's Day discount, Easyspace's "Indefinite Reduction" on domain name prices and C I Host giving a website makeover to the construction company responsible for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Host Department Provides St.Patrick's Day 20 Percent Discount

Web hosting and domain provider Host Department (www.hostdepartment.com) is giving its shared hosting customers a 20 percent discount for premium and no limit web hosting plans with coupon code "SAINTPAT09." Host Department's "Premium Hosting" package provides a robust web hosting environment using IBM XSeries Blade-servers, the Acronis disaster recovery system, and a multi-tiered OC48 network backbone.

Webfusion Offers Website Re-launch Discount

Reportedly the largest web hosting organisation in the UK, Webfusion (www.webfusion.co.uk), has unveiled a new promotion, in which it offers Windows-based dedicated servers for £1 for the first two months of a customer's annual contract. The promotion will be in effect for the next three months. The promotion coincided with the launch of its new corporate website.

Easyspace launch "Indefinite Reduction" on domain names

UK web hosting and domain name provider Easyspace (www.easyspace.com) has launched an "Indefinite Reduction" on the prices of more than 30 extensions, including some of the most popular currently available such as .com for £9.99, .co.uk for £7.50, .net for £9.99, .org for £9.99, .mobi for £14.99 and .eu for £9.99.

C I Host Gives Wall Homes Website Extreme Makeover In Anticipation of ABC Broadcast

Local builder Wall Homes, which provided the nuts and bolts to ABC's house renovation show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, will be relying on Dallas, Texas-based C I Host (www.cihost.com) to construct a website for Wall Homes that will survive the deluge of online visitors following the broadcast. Expecting 300,000 daily website visitors to extreme.wall.com following the show's March 1st broadcast, C I Host has provided two load-balanced servers with a direct connection to the core network.

The Planet Announces Hosting Reseller Promos

IT hosting provider The Planet (www.theplanet.com) launched a promotion this week to help resellers who purchase five or more select un-metered servers increase hosting revenues by giving them per-server discounts of up to 68 percent. Now until the end of March, reseller customers can use these bulk servers to provide an upgrade path for their larger customers who require a dedicated platform. With five to nine servers, pricing ranges from $69 to $119 per month per server; with 10 to 19 servers, prices are further reduced from $59 to $109 per month; and with 20 or more servers, prices drop to $49 to $99 per month.

Aplus.net Offers Google Webmaster Tools to Boost Search Engine Visibility

Web hosting company and Internet solutions provider Aplus.net (www.aplus.net) has now made direct access to Google Webmaster Tools available of all its web hosting plans, including web crawl, mobile crawl and content analysis capabilities to make sites more Google friendly. Also, detailed reports, indexing tools, search queries and analysis are among the free resources available through the Aplus.net control panel, designed to improve a website's visibility in Google search results.
http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/022709_Web_Hosting_Sales_and_Promos_Roundup