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Fri, 19 Feb 2010 04:26:26 GMT

Can your vendors scale with you?

© squarepants2004j/auntyhuiaScaling is on the minds of most bootstrappers at least some of the time; you have dreams, you're working hard on them, what happens when the inevitable wild success strikes you and your company? Surely you have given some consideration not just to how you would spend the piles of money you will be raking in but to how you will serve the demands of all those customers shoveling that money toward you?

Working with small businesses that are finding success lately has left me considering this question, at least with respect to website hosting providers. The fact is, it can be very difficult to find a vendor that can satisfy the needs of a boostrapping business as well as the massive success that business may eventually become.

The importance of doing so should not be under-rated, however. The traditional approach to scaling is to switch suppliers when demand exceeds the ability of the existing vendor to keep up, but this is complicated and inefficient in most circumstances and in the worst cases, can dramatically check the growth of your own company as time and energy is devoted to making the transition instead of into improving and marketing your own products.

Unfortunately, there are few vendors that are structured to serve both the low end and the high end of their lines adequately. In fact, many are proud of specializing. But with today's technologies and social networking capabilities, it may be a false choice they are making. Few entrepreneurs get into their respective businesses without some dream of success. Why would you fail to serve them when they are just starting out and gain their loyalty for the long term, and at the other end of the scale, why would you let them move on to someone else just when they are starting to gain their greatest success?

Maybe there is an opportunity there for some other bootstrapper to make a success out of! Posted by: Mattew      Read more     Source

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 04:23:06 GMT

A Whisper of Romance

If there's one thing I don't like it's the beige dress for spring (or the grey dress for winter). Clothes should evoke a certain je ne sais quoi, not just cover us. This year I'm seeing lots of big floral prints that are fun and beautiful at the same time. What a relief from the doldrums of winter.

As a practical shopper, prints aren't always a great choice - you can't wear them over and over (people tend to notice), but when the styles are classic, you can wear them over the years. So it shouldn't be surprising to hear that it was love at first sight when I saw this dress by Giorgio Armani. So classic and classy, it would look great at a cocktail party or just thrown on for a dinner date.

For a less dressy occasion, Armani also makes this cute floral-print tank dress, which I thought was adorable until I saw the $1,285.00 price tag. This Carolina Herrera sundress is in a similar genre (but with a friendlier price). It's a classic style, but the print is completely fresh.

Basically, everyone has prints out right now, but it's the big floral prints that I'm most drawn to. They never go out of style, and are pretty and feminine. They whisper to me of spring weddings, summer nights, cocktails on the balcony.... in short, they whisper of romance.

The image above is from NeimanMarcus.com.
Posted by: Doreen      Read more     Source

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:02:29 GMT

Men's Cotton Shirts: An All-Time Favorite Men's Wear

Cotton shirts are all time favorite for every man. The enormous variety and the plethora of benefits associated with men's cotton shirts make it the first choice whenever anyone wants to buy a formal or an informal wear. Since this fabric is widely used for men's wear, dress designers are coming up with more and more new styles each year. Presently, non-iron men's cotton shirts happen to be the hottest trend. This has been found out through a survey which has been conducted on approximately two thousand men in UK.

You will enjoy plenty of advantages if you buy cotton shirts. This is the reason that despite several other shirts (made of silk and synthetic fibers) available in the market today, men tend to buy cotton shirts only.

• Strength of cotton shirts is the primary factor that makes it so popular. Even sportsmen who need to perform rigorous body movements prefer wearing cotton jerseys.
• When we look for a formal shirt, we try to find the one that can give us a feeling of comfort throughout the time we wear it. Since we spend long hours in office, it is very essential that the shirt we wear is comfortable. All men's cotton shirts are invariably very soft and thus you can feel the soft fabric when you are at work. Moreover, this outfit is perfect for wearing in summer as it can absorb sweat.
• Many men have sensitive skin which is allergic to certain fibers. Synthetic fibers like terry cotton though have attractive designs can readily produce rashes on sensitive skins. But when you use cotton shirts, no such problem occurs.
• The care and maintenance of cotton shirts is also very easy. These are highly durable and the color stays same even after several washes. You can also iron them quite easily.
• The informal men's cotton shirts also come in plenty of designs and attractive colors. In fact most of the time men prefer this fabric for tailor made shirts.

While purchasing men's cotton shirts you must go for a quality dealer so that you are not duped regarding the fabric. There are many fake cotton fabrics available in the market today. Benson & Brown is a quality dealer in men's wear. Visit their official website to see their stock of numerous designs of men's shirts. The company also offers tailoring service at affordable price. You can indeed find amazing collection of men's accessories in their website! Posted by: Joslyn      Read more     Source

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 05:29:23 GMT

Take Better Candid Digital Photos

I've always been a fan of "candid" photography for taking pictures of people because you can catch them looking more "natural" than in posed photos.

My method to capture people unawares is to use short focal length, e.g. 75-120mm prime lenses, which used to be referred to as "portrait lenses", appropriately enough.

Of course these days, with nearly every digital camera having a zoom lens, you can just zoom in and out between those two focal lengths until you are satisfied with the field of view.

By using this focal length range you can stand back from your subjects as they go about their business, say at a party, and snap away when they aren't looking in your direction.

Now, be forewarned that not everyone appreciates being captured in a candid state. What you or I consider a good or humorous photo others may not.

So we're using digital cameras for this so shoot away and take plenty of photos because you only pay for what you print.

Check out this article with helpful tips on taking candid photos.

Take a camera with you whenever possible, and look around, you'll find a picture somewhere.

Photo Source:www.farm1.static.flickr.com Posted by: Karen      Read more     Source

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 05:19:26 GMT

Add Captions to Your YouTube Videos

Mashable has a great piece at the moment if you've ever thought about adding captions to your YouTube videos.

Evidently there are two easy options at the moment. You can use Google's CaptionTube app or you can upload a transcript and have Google's speech recognition software put it into the video automatically. CaptionTube is especially useful if you want to translate your video into another language and create subtitle.

The Mashable article has a good step-by-step walk through on how to use CaptionTube. Posted by: Paul      Read more     Source

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 04:29:15 GMT

24 Modern And Creative Cutting Boards

If you had enough with the old, regular, and conventional cutting boards, we have here an interesting collection of cutting board designs which we are sure will make your food preparation more enjoyable.

Cutting Board Plus Bowl: An interesting concept by designer Kenneth; once you are done with the cutting, then you can make the board into a bowl for cleaning, serving or storage.

LCD Cutting Board: This board comes with a flexible LCD display and wireless connectivity that displays cooking instructions for you to prepare a perfect meal.

Chop & Rinse Cutting Board: A compact and clever design that combines several bulky items into a single sleek design. The hinged chopping board allows you to cut your vegetables, and later can be transformed into a triangular chute. It also acts as a colander as you wash your food and then can be transformed into a bowl after the washing process.

Corner Cutting Board: If you are among those who have limited space in the kitchen like us, then this is something which is sure to get your attention. It"s a space saver design with clips that fasten the oval cutting board to your counter giving your more space for food preparation.

D"Alessandro"s Cutting Board: An interesting solution to keep unwanted mixing of inedible and edible parts. It has two magnetic trays on either side of the wooden board: one to collect the edible parts and other for inedible parts.

Encanal Carving Board: So what makes this cutting board designed by Ernest Perera special? The channel in the board makes sure that nothing falls out of the frying pan when you use the board to drop the vegetables into it.

Cutting Board With Measurements: If you are among those who needs precision when it comes to cutting slice puff pastry sheets into even sized portions or want sandwich halves of the same size, this is for you.

Ventiquattro Cutting Board: What we have here is actually a "Ventiquattro food bag" with the main focus on cutting board and knife. The interesting part is "the bag itself is reduced to a cutting board that doubles as the container for the food you carry."

Cardboard Cutting Board: This stylish black cutting board is made from cardboard.

Cut and Store Cutting Board: It"s equipped with a special niche on the side for knife, and is available in many colors.

ES Cutting Board: Unlike the conventional boards, this one has a slope that allows the liquids to flow to a collection drain from where they can be poured easily away.

Bamboo Appetito Cutting Board: Made from bamboo and stainless steel, it"s a combination of form and function. The board has slides that gives quick access to the tray and slides close to conceal inedible food during use.

Cut and Collect Cutting Board: A clever way to keep it all together when you"re cooking. Once you are done with the cutting, inedible part can be brushed into the drawer underneath the board.

Index Cutting Board: These cutting boards are supposed to make food preparation simple; the board also features tabs that are staggered for visual ease.

Cutting Board Scale: If you are among those who always wanted to have the precise measurement for your cooking then this is something which should definitely get you interested. This cutting board design concept has an integrated scale within a defined area on its surface for precise measurement.

Folding Cutting Board: If you want something simple, uncluttered that does its job then this is something for you. Its small, compact and perfectly fits in the bill.

Elvis Cutting Board: This elegant and stylish cutting board is part of their award-winning glass worktop savers.

Diva Cutting Board: This glass worktop saver features a cool design made from broccoli, bright red chillies and star shaped cookie cutters. Sure to appeal to the Diva in you.

Mosaic Cutting Board:

Her Majesty Cutting Board: This colorful glass worktop saver has an image of the Queen made from fruits and vegetables.

Oak Cutting Boards: These boards features a notched surface that prevents the items from slipping or twisting as you cut. The large groove around the edge of the board makes it easy to lift up.

Olive Wood Cutting Board: These boards are hand-made out of a single piece of wood, which makes each of them unique, as no two can be same.

Foldable Cutting Board: The central hinge in this folding board makes it easy to remove chopped food. Once you cut your ingredients, take it over to the pan, slightly fold the chopping board and this acts like a funnel. Posted by: Venus      Read more     Source

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:47:15 GMT

Governments Are Making It Difficult To Set Up an Offshore Company: Consult Experts to Avoid Legal Complications

Any company that is incorporated outside the jurisdiction in which it primarily operates may be referred to as an offshore company. There are usually several reasons why businesses prefer to register themselves in offshore locations. One reason is that considerable savings are possible because of the different taxing policies of those jurisdictions. In some cases even local taxes besides a standard fee do not have to be paid if the firm does not do business in that jurisdiction.

It is actually possible for individuals and firms of high-tax countries to reduce the taxation burden by structuring the offshore company in a certain way. This is especially helpful for small companies that do not stand to make enough profits to keep them going if they have to keep giving up a sizeable part of their earnings to the government. Since many companies are using this as a means to cut expenses, firms that do not save money by taking advantage of the lower tax rates in certain countries, expose themselves to the risk of losing out to competitors who will be able to provide goods and services to customers at considerably lower prices.

However, taxation authorities have become hungry for more revenue because of the recession and are finding new ways to ensure that companies keep paying taxes at the high rates. It may be a good idea to seek assistance from experts who specialize in the formation of offshore companies to ensure that you do not end up breaking any rules. Another advantage of consulting experts is that they will be able to give advice about the pros and cons of forming a company in different locations. This will enable you to choose the location that suits you best.

Another reason is that there are fewer compliance related issues in these locations. Many firms find the task of complying with the numerous regulations of authorities rather cumbersome. To ensure that they can focus on actually conducting business, firms use offshore company model so that the burden of complying with certain regulations is reduced.

Sometimes it is necessary to maintain a certain degree of confidentiality while conducting certain businesses. If a country do not allow the desired degree of confidentiality, then companies are forced to move to register in another country where the government is does also want to know everything about a business.

Good offshore company formation firms can help you save those much needed dollars by telling you how you may make certain changes to the way your firm is registered.
Posted by: Heather      Read more     Source

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 04:06:17 GMT

Toronto Through the Eyes of Rocco Rossi

Rocco Rossi was the first in line to file his papers to run for mayor of Toronto. In his subsequent press conference, he billed himself as the "big, bald" mayoral candidate who wanted to cut the mayor"s salary and sell off Toronto Hydro. Despite the splashy debut, many Torontonians don"t know much about the east end-raised Rossi, who once kayaked 490 km from Toronto to Ottawa to raise money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, of which he was formerly the CEO. Here he takes me through what parts of the city he once lived in, his favourite parts of the city, and, of course, what he would do for the city of Toronto. Posted by: Kelly Anderson      Read more     Source

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 05:01:25 GMT

Making the Most of LinkedIn

Mashable's Sharlyn Lauby had a piece a while back on how to maximize your potential on LinkedIn.

If you're not familiar with LinkedIn is a social networking site designed for professionals to use in promoting their careers. It recently crossed the 50 million member mark. It's free.

Lauby covers the basic fundamentals of LinkedIn - making connections, getting recommendations, using updates, and optimizing your profile.Your LinkedIn profile should not just be an online version of your resume, optimizing for search engines is key. The format of your LinkedIn profile might depend on whether you are currently employed and whether or not you are seeking new opportunities, says Koutsis. "If you are looking for a new position then you might want your profile to look more like a resume, but maybe not so much if I am currently employed."The article looks in come detail at how you can get the most out of your LinkedIn profile.
Posted by: FinanceMan      Read more     Source

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 04:54:05 GMT

Uber Bluetooth for motorcyclists

The BlueAnt Interphone F4 is a Bluetooth communications system for motorcyclists. It pairs with up to 8 devices and connects to 2 phones at once. You can hear voice directions from your bike GPS, stream stereo via A2DP and control the player, voice answer and dialing from suitable phones and it works up to 180kph (110mph). It also acts as an intercom, allowing you to communicate with another unit up to 500m (1600′) away. The controller unit sits outside on the helmet and is easily removable, has large glove-friendly controls and is weather resistant. US$225

The innovative Stereo F4 Interphone Motorcycle Kit is a fully fledged wireless entertainment and communication system for bikers on the go. Wireless, water-resistant, windproof and world class, the removable and rechargeable BlueAnt Interphone F4 Stereo Motorcycle Kit can be used at up to 180 KM/h and is compatible with all Bluetooth mobile phones.

Posted by: Redferret      Read more     Source

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 06:02:44 GMT

Tiny LaCie Rikiki Lives up to Its Name

The USB 2.0 device is decked out in brushed aluminum and has a transfer speed of 60MB/s. According to the website, the included USB Boost software enhances speed and performance up to 33%. Unfortunately, this is software is a Windows-only deal. Other software includes the LaCie Backup Assistant and the LaCie Setup Assistant.

The Windows and Mac-friendly Rikiki is on sale on LaCie"s site starting at $74.99 for the 250GB version, $109.99 for 500GB, and $149.99 for 640GB. I wonder if they"re throwing in that cute little monkey with the deal? Posted by: Sarah      Read more     Source