Top 10 Reasons to Start a Business now

Do you have one good reason to start your business right now?

How about 10?

Regardless of what people around you (including the media) may say, right now is the best time to get into business. Just go back and look at the economic slowdowns throughout history. Most recessions in the post-World War II era last an average of 10 months, followed by growth cycles that last an average of 50 months.

What this means for the startup is there's no better time than right now to get going and start pursuing your business dreams--in anticipation of the next period of growth.

So with a nod to David Letterman, here are my top 10 reasons you should start your business now--despite the current downturn:

   1. Everything is cheaper.

   2. You can hire more and better-qualified people.

   3. People are looking to change suppliers.

   4. Ownership equals tax incentives.

   5. Family and friends don't want to (or can't) invest more money into the stock or real estate markets.

   6. Suppliers are giving better credit.

   7. You can get good PR by showing you are going against the trend.

   8. You can buy everything you need at auction.

   9. You can find great "low money" or "no money" down deals.

      And finally . . .

  10. You've lost your job, and you have to do something.

Sometimes, the best business decision is the one you are forced into, and the incentive (as well as need) for income is often enough to push those previously "on the fence" to strike out on their own. There's nothing wrong with being in this position; it simply means there is greater urgency to do something that will start to generate income as quickly as possible.

There you have it: my top 10 reasons to start your business in a recession. After all, the odds are on your side that the expansion will be many times more robust than the present slowdown.

There's no better time to start than the present, especially if people around you are more comfortable with their own list of reasons why they shouldn't start pursuing their own business dreams right now. It only means you'll be facing a lot less competition.

Quoted from: entrepreneur.com

5 Reasons Why You Should Start A Blog Before Doing A Startup

Undecided whether you should follow the blogging trend? Or have you already blindly jumped onto the blogging bandwagon but unsure as to why you should continue? Read on for some tips from our resident contributor, Aaron Chua.

Aaron writes:

Here is what I always tell first time entrepreneurs: start a blog in your area first and aim to attract xxx number of readers before attempting the startup. To me, blogging is the best way to test your idea as well as is the ideal training ground for your subsequent entrepreneurial journey. Here are five reasons why:

Blogging tests your commitment and fosters discipline

Blogging forces you to gain domain expertise

Blogging forces you to be customer centric from day one

Blogging teaches you about how online marketing works

Blogging builds your connections

So, if you are a first time entrepreneur, do start a blog first. It is the cheapest test bed for your business. If you cannot make a blog work, you probably cannot make your startup work as well. Have fun blogging!

For more details, refer to this link >>> sgentrepreneurs.com

Petisi untuk Ratifikasi Konvensi Pengendalian Tembakau

Laporan Badan Kesehatan Dunia (WHO) 2008 menyatakan bahwa Indonesia saat ini adalah negara terbesar ketiga pengguna rokok.
Lebih dari 60 juta penduduk Indonesia tidak berdaya karena terjajah kecanduan nikotin. Kematian akibat konsumsi rokok tercatat lebih dari 400 ribu orang per tahun. Konsumsi rokok di kalangan remaja meningkat 144% antara 1995-2004.

Rokok telah menggerogoti sumber keuangan rumah tangga miskin.
Data menunjukkan, keluarga miskin membelanjakan 12,4% pendapatannya untuk membeli rokok, dengan mengorbankan gizi keluarga, kesehatan dan pendidikan.

Lebih dari 70% anak Indonesia terpapar asap rokok, dan menanggung risiko penyakit akibat rokok. Saat ini rokok menjadi musuh utama bagi semua negara beradab.

WHO menetapkan Kerangka Konvensi Pengendalian Tembakau (Framework Convention on Tobacco Control - FCTC) yang telah diratifikasi oleh 160 negara.

Walaupun Pemerintah Indonesia turut menyusun FCTC, namun sampai saat ini belum meratifikasi.

Kami mendesak Presiden dan Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Republik Indonesia segera meratifikasi/mengaksesi FCTC dan membuat Undang-Undang Pengendalian Dampak Tembakau untuk melindungi rakyat Indonesia, khususnya generasi muda.

Jakarta, 12 November 2008
Masyarakat Peduli Bahaya Tembakau

Anda ingin memberikan dukungan >>> http://www.lindungikami.org/

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