From Idea to Business – SCORE Success Story

Learn how with the assistance of a SCORE mentor, this woman turned her wall art idea into a viable business.

This post is part of a network of sites interested with the intersection of small business, the philanthropic sector and government in creating healthy and sustainable communities.

For more information on small business grant and home ownership programs visit TopGovernmentGrants.com.

Grants From The Department of Agriculture

United States Department of Agriculture was established to provide leadership on food, natural resources, agriculture, and other associated issues that are all based on sound public policy, the best available technology, and efficient and effective management.

This post is part of a network of sites interested with the intersection of small business, the philanthropic sector and government in creating healthy and sustainable communities.

Find additional information and resources on small business grants and loans, home buyer programs and Community Foundation programs from around the world.

Get Your Leadership Skills On The Right Track By Using These Tips!

There are quite a few things that it takes to be an effective leader. To be a great leader you need to acknowledge that there is always room for growth. Read on to find out what qualities a good leader needs.

Keep things simple as a leader. Focus on the most important goals as a leader. When you know what the big picture is, you can focus on the details. You have to make the work as simple as possible. And set aside real creative thinking moment for you and you team.

TIP! Do what you can to keep things simple while you’re a leader. Focus on the things that are important.

Honesty is key to being a great leader. You, as a leader, should lead people in the right direction. When you remain honest, people will notice and appreciate you. By employing honestly will all colleagues, you will inspire them to do the same.

If you lead, or manage, a group of people, let them know how much you appreciate them. It does not take long to write a note of thanks, but it might mean the world to someone who’s working for you. That brief acknowledgment can turn a whole day around, boosting a mood, and is absolutely free.

TIP! If you’re leading other people you should take the time to let them know what they mean to you. It takes little time to write a note saying “thank you” or “good job” and it may mean quite a bit to a person that’s worked hard the whole day.

Ensure your team feels that you are approachable. Intimidation is a tactic too many leaders use today. However, this is not a good approach to take and will lose your respect. An effective leader is accessible and supports subordinates so they can be successful in their tasks.

Don’t act like you know it all when you want to improve your skills. You may think your ideas are the best, but it is important to listen to what others have to say. These people can help make suggestions that fix issues, execute plans and improve strategies.

TIP! Don’t be a know it all. While your ideas might be perfect in your mind, others may have advice to offer that is good.

A good leader will never compromise their morals in order to compete with others. If your competitors are sinking to moral lows, do not follow along. Remain competitive and use alternative methods for competing. Just figure out what you can do which is morally acceptable.

Prepare yourself thoroughly prior to meeting with the team. Try to anticipate likely questions. Sit down and think of a good response to each question. If you have the right answers, your team will admire you. It also will save you significant amounts of time.

TIP! Prepare yourself before addressing your team. Think of questions they may ask you.

Being a good leader means that you shouldn’t do deceitful things that can’t be trusted. Keep your promises if you want others to trust you. If you make a claim about having the best service available, you need to back it up with actual results.

Set goals for everyone under you. People need to be motivated, and goals do just that. Do not create them and then forget about them the rest of the year. Have monthly meetings to see what the status is on your goals, and hold your employees accountable for getting things accomplished.

TIP! Set goals for your whole business. People need to be motivated, and goals do just that.

Prior to chatting with the team, make sure you’re prepared. Consider any questions they might have. Know in advance how you are going to answer them. Providing the right answers will earn you respect. It’ll also be a major time saver over the course of the meeting.

Learn to listen. Good leaders need to learn to hear. Listen to what your workers are saying. This will probably involve listening to good things, such as praise, but also to bad things, such as complaints. Learn about their thoughts on the products too, and even about the buyers of the products. You might be amazed at how much you learn by listening.

TIP! Try listening more than talking. Being a good leader requires you to listen to what other people have to say.

Now you know what it takes to become a better leader. Now you have the information to help you lead the right way. This information will help guide you in your efforts. Leading people is something that people have to keep working at, so start working on this.

Synergy is key here. Understand what your goals in your personal life are. Have your business goals clearly defined, too. You should be sure that these things are aligned well and perhaps even overlap. You always want to be able to work on both at the same time. If you aren’t able to, it will show.

TIP! Frequently keep synergy in mind. You must set goals for your personal life.

Tips And Tricks On Starting A Fitness Plan For You And Your Spouse

There are many different things under the umbrella of fitness. Things under the umbrella of fitness include workout systems, nutritious foods and exercise regimens. Exercising for fitness is best approached individually. Each person will do better with a program customized to their taste. The following article offers advice on how you can make fitness work for you.

Do not worry. You can always give bicycle riding a shot. Biking is an inexpensive, fun, and fit way to get to and from work. If you have a relatively short commute, you make significant fitness gains by biking to work, especially when you take round-trip mileage into consideration.

TIP! That’s okay; everyone has different preferences. Cycling is also a great fitness option.

Are you short on time for exercising? Break your workout into two sessions. All you need to do is divide your time in half; expanding the total time you spend working out isn’t necessary. For example, rather than jog for one continuous hour, try jogging half an hour early in the day, then jog for half an hour in the evening hours. If you would rather not go to the gym twice in a day, try doing just one workout at the gym and then a later session outside or at home.

A few different exercises are recommended if you want to spice up a workout routine. That way, your sessions will never be boring, and your motivation will remain high. Also, it’s important to switch exercises to get more muscle groups involved to get the maximum benefits from working out.

TIP! Change up the exercises you do on a regular basis. You can help your body workout to its maximum potential, rather than get used to the same exercises over and over again.

Weight Lifting

Your strength training goals will determine how often you need to work out. To get bigger, you want to limit the amount of strength training exercises you complete on a regular basis. Ripped, clearly defined muscles will require more frequent trips to the gym.

TIP! You can do some as much strength training as needed to meet your goals. If larger, more powerful muscles are desired, you need to strength train less frequently.

Make sure that your weight lifting routine lasts no longer than one hour. In addition to that, your muscles begin to weaken after one hour of continuous weight lifting. Keep your weight lifting regime under an hour.

You will benefit in many ways from keeping a fitness plan. Your emotional health and outlook on life can also benefit from a fitness program. Euphoria is caused when you work out because it releases your endorphins. When you get fit, you help yourself feel better about the way you look and improve your overall self-esteem. Therefore, a couple of workouts can make you happy.

TIP! The benefits of getting fit don’t stop at your physical body. By starting a regular exercise routine, you may enhance your emotional health, too.

Try these tips that were offered by tennis player on how to workout your forearms. Spread out a big section of newspaper over a table or similar flat surface. Use the hand you write with to crumple the paper with as much force as you can muster for 30 seconds. Repeat the exercise two times with one hand, then switch to your other ahnd and do the exercise once, Switch back to your dominant hand and repeat two more times.

Keep your back and front balanced. If you just focus on one or the other, you will probably have some back pain. Exercising both of these places every time can prevent pain in your back that can ruin your routine.

TIP! Keep your back and front balanced. Working just the lower back or the ab muscles is a recipe for back pain.

If you are looking to speed up your strength building, try exercising the same amount but cutting your exercise time by 10%. This results in muscles working harder and gaining greater endurance. For instance, if you do a 30 minute workout, attempt to shave three minutes off that time next time you do it.

Aim past the hole if you are trying to get better at putting. You will not have divets in the grass from people walking in this area. This means that the blades of grass are thicker, which will cause your putts to drastically slow down.

TIP! If you are aiming to become a better putter you should aim to hit the hole 17 inches past it. The reason for this is because the 17 inches surrounding the cup will not have any footprints.

The preceding article makes it clear that fitness encompasses a wide variety of products, services and methods. Learning the correct and wrong way to do exercises is vital and learning which things you can switch up to fit your needs is important, too. Hopefully, this article provided some guidance so you can become fitter.

Invest in rollerblades as a way of staying fit. Although using rollerblades isn’t as trendy as was in years past, nothing has reduced the great calorie-burning effect rollerblading has. Rollerblades are still available at many stores.

TIP! Invest in rollerblades as a way of staying fit. Rollerblading isn’t popular like it was a couple decades ago, but it’s great for burning off calories now.

Business Loans From GovLoans

Interested businesses that are looking to procure a loan from the federal government can visit the GovLoans website, as it serves as the public’s gateway to government loan information.

This post is aligned with a network of sites interested with the intersection of small business, the philanthropic sector and government in creating healthy and sustainable communities.

For more information on small business grant and home ownership programs visit TopGovernmentGrants.com.

Public Speaking Tips And Techniques For Success

Have you always wanted to be able to give a public speech comfortably? Would you like to be confident with any speaking situation? You are in the right place. The following paragraphs are full of great ideas you can use to accomplish these things. Practice these tips as much as you can.

After writing a speech, time yourself. This way, you can remain within the time you are allotted. If you find that your speech is very short, consider beefing it up with a little research. In addition, make sure that you don’t speak too quickly when delivering your speech.

TIP! Utilize a timer so that you know the true length of the speech. That way, you can make edits to stay within the allotted time.

You can’t speak before an audience and think that others will automatically know what you’re saying. You need to fight for their attention and respect. You really are performing, so you need to put lots of effort into it.

It is very important to prepare well so that you can make a positive impression on your audience. Know exactly what you are going to say. Conduct additional research so you are able to back up your points. Write down everything you are going to say. Practice daily until you know your speech by heart. Good preparation permits you to enjoy a feeling of confidence when you deliver your speech.

TIP! If you want to speak and public and make a good impression, then preparation is essential. Get everything you want to share in your speech down well.

After writing a speech, time yourself. This gives you the opportunity to make edits so you can fit within your allotted speaking time. If you find your presentation is short, get some more material by doing more research. Don’t rush during the speech.

You should know the speech you are giving. Even when you commit your speech to memory, knowing jokes, facts and figures with regard to the topic is always helpful. Gauge how your audience is reacting to your speech and use these things in a good way. It’s also good to use them to help reinforce your points in your speech by offering a question and answer session as a follow up.

TIP! Be as familiar as possible with your materials. While memorizing your speech is important, it’s just as important to know other facts and figures or even stories and jokes as they relate to your subject matter Work them in where you think they fit and will engage your current audience.

You should know your speech by heart. When you get to the point where you can give your speech at any moment, then you are ready to practice your overall delivery. Memorize it and you will feel more comfortable with it.

Practice your speech as much as you can. Practice as often as you need to in order to perfect the speech. Consider your pace and breathing. Make time for any interruptions that may happen. When you can, practice using your speech equipment.

TIP! Once your speech is memorized, practice it over and over again. Try practicing tweaking your speech when you can.

Know as much about your material as possible. Regardless of whether you have the words memorized, it is still important to know random facts about the material. Use them when needed to bolster your persuasiveness. Be prepared for more questions on the subject.

Learn your audience. If you can, learn who is going to be in attendance. If you are able to. try greeting some of them and learning some names. Having a personal familiarity with a few people in the crowd can make it a lot more friendly feeling.

TIP! Make sure you are acquainted with your audience. If you can, learn who is going to be in attendance.

Pay Attention

Tell a story that is true to your audience. Make sure to outline your speech. Knowing how to speak your ideas clearly in the right order will help you better communicate your ideas. Base your story off of real life so your speech is natural and authentic.

TIP! You can become better at public speaking by telling a story that is true. Outline your story before your speaking engagement.

Face you audience at all times when you are giving a speech. Keep your focus on what you are doing and not allow yourself to get distracted. You want your audience to pay attention to you, so you need to pay attention to them as well.

Practice your speech as much as you possibly can. Do this near a mirror so you can see yourself. However, also make sure you practice in front of a live audience to get constructive feedback.

TIP! Practicing your speech is a great way to become confident. Try giving your speech while looking in a mirror, or record it and play it back to find out how to make it better.

After you have committed the speech to memory, make sure you keep practicing. Speaking it out loud often will allow you to make tweaks as you see the need. In addition, practice breathing and controlling the pace of the speech. Leave time for interruptions like laughter and applause. When you can, rehearse in the actual space where you will speak.

Stay away from alcoholic beverages before making your speech. While it may appear to be a solution for low self-confidence, it will most likely backfire on you. You’ll regret it when you’re standing there and forget your speech because your brain is too fuzzy.

TIP! Avoid alcohol before you deliver your speech. You might think it will make you bolder, but it is a terrible idea.

Now you have some great tools to help you speak with confidence. Try to use the tips you have read here. You will gain confidence if you do it more. The more practice you have under your belt, the less fear you will deal with.

Each day, get out your speech and run through it. You will start to know the material very well, which should help you feel better about the speech as a whole. While having your speech memorized is positive, also make sure to keep your notes nearby at the podium. Thus, if you lose your way, you will be able to quickly take a look and get on the right track.

TIP! Rehearse your speech every day. This will help build your confidence when it comes time to deliver your speech.

Turn Back The Clock On The Aging Process With These Amazing Tips

There are many stereotypes and myths about aging, mostly about not being able to see or hear. There is little truth to that, as people are aging gracefully and living wonderful and satisfying lives. Following is some advice to help you be among those who enjoys life to its fullest as you age.

When you contort your face, you use muscles and increase the appearance of wrinkles. It sounds silly, but it really is true. Every time you feel that you begin to frown give yourself a tiny pinch so that you stop. You can eventually break the habit.

TIP! When you contort your face, you use muscles and increase the appearance of wrinkles. It seems silly, but it is true.

Ensure that your sleeping habits are in sync with the amount of sleep you need, based upon your age. Sleeping seven or nine hours can both relax you and help you retain a healthy hormonal balance. If you do not get enough sleep, you will find that you are more irritable and having a hard time enjoying life.

Never stop learning. As you age they say you are the most knowledgeable, so continue to always learn new things. Find something you enjoy learning about and look into different possibilities for learning, such as a college class or books.

TIP! Always learn new information to keep an active mind. They say the older you get the wiser you become, so learning is essential as you age.

Increase the intensity of your workout regimen. As you get older, your body requires more time and energy to maintain its strength and flexibility. Try to do a half hour walk, five days a week. Do strength exercises on some days and cardio activities on alternate days. Your body will stay fit, helping you to avoid a myriad of other issues associated with getting older.

To have a healthy aging process, never stop teaching yourself new things. Learning is essential throughout your life.

TIP! To keep the aging process healthy, continuously teach yourself new skills. It is a must to continually learn in your life.

You should try and pass on joy and happiness, no matter who you are with or where you are at. You can feel great by helping others feel happy. Happiness is a gift that is worth so much, yet it is free to give.

Go to the next level when you are exercising. Growing older means that the benefits of regular exercise only get more valuable to you. Try walking quickly for 30 minutes, five days per week. Try adding in strength exercises about two times a week. This will help you stay in great shape and avoid early aging issues so many people deal with.

TIP! Boost your exercise routines, and commit more time to fitness overall. You actually need more activity as you age, in order to maintain your capacities.

Home improvement is a great way to personalize your house. Perhaps this residence is not a long-term one, not the house you once owned and expected to stay in. If so, it is important to do the little things that will make your new place feel like it is where you belong. When moving to a new home, make sure you decorate your place with items that give you comfort and make you feel welcome.

Home improvement is a great way to personalize your house. Sometimes we find ourselves living in less than ideal circumstances. If you have downsized into a smaller living space, be sure to decorate it in a way that makes it your own.

TIP! Personalize your home to make it your own. Perhaps this residence is not a long-term one, not the house you once owned and expected to stay in.

Make it a point to get enough sleep each night. It is said that each person needs an average of eight hours daily. Depression and heart-related problems have been connected to people not getting enough sleep every night.

Live your life as a journey that must be explored and truly cherished. Utilize the same goal-setting skills you used with your kids when they were young. Achieving these goals will help keep you feeling young and proud.

TIP! Life needs to be explored and savored. Much like you did with your children, it is important to set goals and benchmarks as you age.

You can have more fun with life than you ever have. Use these tips to change your life and health so that you may make your later years great.

Make sure you give your eyes attention as you age. Some loss of eyesight is inevitable as you grow older, but you can be proactive in preventing damaging eye disease with regular eye exams and screenings.

TIP! As you age, you need to take greater care of your eyesight. Some eyesight is lost naturally over time, but you do need to have regular checkups; this may help diagnose a disease that can influence your sight, as well as stop any further deterioration.

Effective Tips For Being The Most Effective Leader

Just what goes into being the best leader possible? You probably know a few of them, but there’s always more you can learn. Make sure you have an open mind when presented with opportunities to learn. Read these tips to find out what you need to know to become a respected leader.

Do not assume that your team are mind-readers. Use precision in your communications and let people ask follow-up questions about assignments. If they don’t understand the instructions you give, they don’t need to hesitate about coming to you for help.

TIP! Do not assume that workers are able to read your mind. Clearly communicate expectations if you want tasks to be carried out correctly.

Honesty is one of the most important character traits of a leader. As a leader, you should be trying to lead people in a good direction. Honesty will be appreciated by those under your charge. You being honest also encourages others to be honest, too.

All leaders that are good need to focus on days to come. You have to know what’s next and how to prepare for it. Of course, you’re not always going to be right about the future, but over time you’ll get better at predicting things. Constantly reevaluate your goals and know where you are headed next.

TIP! Keep one eye on the future. You must look ahead to see what’s coming and plan accordingly.

Keep it simple, leader! Focus on the things that are important. It is only after focusing on these goals that you can adjust their priorities. The work needs to be as simplified as possible. Also, you should give yourself and others time to think things through.

You must be able to spot the talent that is hiding in your other workers. You should always surround yourselves with talented people who can help you meet your objectives. This includes contractors as well as employees.

TIP! Recognizing talent is important as a leader. You should always surround yourselves with talented people who can help you meet your objectives.

Honesty is vitally important to a leader. You cannot be an effective leader if you cannot be trusted. When you work on your leadership skills, try to set a standard of trustworthiness and honesty. Show people that you are there to help and support them.

Keep your morals in mind. Only make decisions you can live with. If a decision will upset you, don’t do it. There are plenty of other people who make immoral decisions. That doesn’t mean you should ever stoop to the same level.

TIP! When you’re working on leading effectively, you have to keep your morals in mind. Only make decisions you can live with.

Always handle emerging issues with transparency. A while back people used to just hide what was going on, but these days leaders don’t do that any longer. Why the change? It’s largely because information spreads like wildfire regardless. People will find out regardless of whether you want them to. You should control whatever the message is instead of always being forced to react. Great leaders make sure to do this.

Be strong and decisive as a leader. Because you the one leading, you have to make a lot of decisions. If your employees have differing opinions about how something should be done, consider using their ideas if it will benefit the team as a whole.

TIP! A good way to better your leadership skills is to be confident in your decision-making. You’re going to be responsible for making many of them.

You now know the needed steps required before becoming a truly effectiveleader. Making some progress to be better at leading can really help people that work with you. There are more leaders needed in this world, so take this as an opportunity for you to show others what you have to offer. Use what you’ve read to better your leadership skills.

Being a great leader means focusing on building a great team. Inspire and encourage your workers. Rather than focusing so much on making sure every single task gets done, put your energy into motivating your team to do their best.

TIP! If you focus on your team, the work will get done as expected. Encourage and inspire coworkers.

SBA Portable Assistance Program

The Portable Assistance Program seeks to provide grants to Small Business Development Lead Centers that provide services to small businesses in an effort to increase the success of small business establishments and their viability in certain communities where economic hardship is apparent and is attributable to the impact of a major disaster.

This post is aligned with a network of sites interested with the intersection of small business, the philanthropic sector and government in creating healthy and sustainable communities.

Find additional information and resources on small business grants and loans, home buyer programs and impact investment programs from around the world.