Follow along as I help Donna Long from Nebraska build a FileMaker Pro database system to run her small organic farm operation. I thought this project would be a great case study on what’s involved in developing software using FileMaker Pro. I plan to provide guidance and help Donna get started building her database. Together we are going to follow the steps necessary to build a database system. The case study, Getting Down and Dirty - Part 1, is published on my Everything FileMaker site, … [Read more...]
Be a Polished Professional
By Tina Arnold, M.A. Melinda, my former college roommate, came to visit last week. To celebrate, we spent a full day shopping, browsing and, truth be told, enjoying forbidden foods. We had pastries for breakfast, we ordered nachos for lunch, and we capped the afternoon with the ultimate treat: hot fudge sundaes. For eight hours, we blissfully ignored the healthful eating habits we’d worked so hard to develop after we graduated from college. At the frozen yogurt counter, it was I who took … [Read more...]
The Importance of Good Credit
by Kimberly Lebron When an individual applies for credit, either personally or to guarantee a loan, the lending institution will evaluate that person’s credit history. This is done by pulling a credit bureau report. A credit report is a snapshot of your credit history and will determine if a lender will extend credit based on your past performance. The credit reports also calculates a credit score using factors such as promptness in paying bills, total available credit, amount owed on … [Read more...]
TOP TEN Proven Ways To Promote Your Small Business
By Betty vonLiebermann Believe in Yourself & Remember you are Always On Duty Be prepared with 30 second commercial Take advantage of Print & Broadcast Media Opportunities Network: Attend Networking Functions as Often As Possible Speaking Engagements Press Release: Who? What? Where? When? Why? & How? Have Pet Organizations & Chair Events Write Articles: Set Yourself Up As The Expert In Your Field Ask For Referrals: Word of Mouth Is The Best Form of … [Read more...]
Learn to Write Clearly and Concisely for Business
By Tina Arnold, M.A. Do you remember having to write 3-5-page papers when you were in junior high? When you became a high school student, your teachers probably asked you to write 10-15-page papers. By the time you were in college, your professors required 20-page, 30-page, or even 100-page papers! If you were like most academic writers, you learned to write long, elaborate sentences as you struggled to meet minimum page requirements. The more words you could string together, the better your … [Read more...]
Coaching Works!
by Carole Jacoby, M.Ed., M.S. Give up the struggle! Imagine a relationship where the total focus is on you, on what you want in your life and work, and on what will help you achieve it. The coaching relationship is like that. It’s unique. Coaching is like having your own personal navigator for the journey you are on; someone who will help you find your way as well as stay on course. Imagine someone listening, not only to your words, but also to the tone, the nuances of your voice, your … [Read more...]
Press Releases
An inexpensive way to promote your business. Just recently, I was featured on Fox 5 Good Morning NY early edition. The topic was "How A Small Business Owner Can Promote their Web Site". After 2 hours worth of tape I was surprise to see my 15 minutes of fame down to 2 minutes worth of TV time. But in those 2 hours of video tape, I discussed some inexpensive ways a small business owner could promote their web site. Some examples included; Making sure your web site address is on all … [Read more...]
Microsoft Access
Q. We are looking to upgrade our Access database to include all departments and remote offices. However, this means Macs and PCs will now need to use the database. Can we continue to use Access? A. The short answer is no, not directly. I recommend researching the cost to move your database to FileMaker Pro. This database integrates well with Microsoft Office and is cross platform compatible. Ask the Expert is a column which helps provide solutions for the small business owner. Our Expert … [Read more...]
The Broadcast Media an Excellent Way To Promote Your Business
By Betty vonLiebermann Give up the struggle! One of the best ways to gain valuable publicity for your business is to be a guest on local radio and television talk show programs. Appearances on radio and television programs help to set you up as the "Expert" in your field. Many of the shows are call-in programs and quite often listeners will call-in with questions. This gives you the opportunity to make the listeners more knowledgeable about your area of expertise and you may gain a … [Read more...]