Starting a new business isn’t hard—thousands upon thousands of people do it every year. Every one of these new companies expects success. Their owners certainly wouldn’t start with the intention of failing. However, the Small Business Administration says that two years after startup, one-third of all new businesses are out of business. At the five-year mark 56% of them are gone. So, starting isn’t hard—succeeding is what is hard. Before you start a business you need to decide that you are going to be part of that 44%, learn why and how they succeed, and take the necessary steps to be sure that your success happens. A major reason many new businesses fail is unrealistic expectations about what the business will produce. Their owners dream that they will “make a ton of money,” work fewer hours per week, and have to answer to no one (besides their customers).

The important point is that thousands of people have started their own successful small businesses, enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle, supported their families, and given good jobs to the people who worked for them. But, as the anvil salesman in The Music Man said, “You gotta know the territory.” Do you know your territory and market? You must know how to make and install quality seamless gutters. You must know how to estimate and price your product in a competitive market. You must be able to hire and supervise other people who will work for you. You must be able to market your company and sell contractors or homeowners on buying your services. You must be able to manage a business. These are all things you can learn, if you are willing to work at it. Often regional junior colleges offer courses specifically aimed at people who want to learn how to start and run their own business. The seamless gutter industry is not a new technology just being introduced into the housing market. It is a mature product with a mature market. In virtually every region there are already people doing this kind of work. How are you going to find a place for your company in the market? How are you going to differentiate your company? Lower prices (and lower profits), better quality, some specialized market niche? What? And how?

A common route is to acquire the necessary equipment and tools and set yourself up in business on a small scale. A good way to start is to sit down, think about what you want to do, and develop a business plan. This will force you to think about various business issues and make some very specific decisions instead of just having vague ideas in your head.These include: • What is your business concept? What is the market you are going to try to serve? How will you structure your business? What is your strategy for success? Who will do the marketing and the scheduling? Who will do the work? Will you work alone, or hire employees to assist with the work? Who will pay the bills, keep the books, write the checks, and file the tax reports? Who will handle these chores if you get sick or injured? • What is the current marketplace, how big is it? Who are the customers and your competition? How much of the market do you think you can win? How will you do it? • How much money will it take? What equipment do you have to buy (trucks, trailers, gutter machine, other machines, hand tools, handling equipment, office equipment, supplies, gutter coil, other inventory, etc.)? How rapidly can you capture jobs and start earning income? How rapidly can you grow your customer base and income? How will you pay yourself—and your employees—during the startup period? Are your assumptions realistic? Who do you see as your customers? General contractors? Roofing contractors? Homeowners? How are you going to make them aware of your company and get their business? How will you publicize your company? Advertising, flyers, signs, radio, TV, direct contact selling?

Realistically, it will take a while to capture business for your new company. You must have the capital available to cover expenses (including your payroll and your own living expenses) during this ramp-up period. If the housing industry is currently on the rise, and existing gutter production capacity in your area is unable to meet the growing demand, you may rapidly capture business and achieve a good cash flow. What happens if the housing market slows down? How will it affect you? You might want to ask your financial adviser to perform a sensitivity analysis to forecast how a downturn in the building market might affect your business income and your ability to pay the monthly bills. You will need the help of a lawyer to determine the business structure (sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation) and handle the legal issues of setting up the business. An accountant or tax adviser will be needed to help you make decisions regarding accounting procedures and the federal, state, and local tax issues. What about Workmen’s Compensation and general business insurance? What about licenses? And then there is a finance company to obtain the loans required to support your purchase of equipment and your business operations during the startup period and beyond. And, if you are married, you will undoubtedly need the strong support of your spouse. Starting a business is a complex process, but thousands of other entrepreneurs have done it and are part of the 44% living a comfortable life running their own businesses and making their contribution to the economy of these United States. Before you jump in, do your Homework—but come on in, the water’s fine.

Sock Woodruff is founder and partner of GutterSupply.com, the leading manufacturer and distributor of gutter supplies, gutter machine, and related tools and equipment.

Paul Collins
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/getting-started-in-the-seamless-gutter-business-755869.html

I’m sure that you’ve seen it before. One or more people posing together in front of a camera to make a heart shape or a star, or the very common pyramid. What is this kind of Photography called? I want to do a google search for these images for inspiration, but I’m not successful with my keywords, thus far.
Deus, no señor. But thanks for trying. Imagine five people standing together hand holding hands with ever person angling their arms to make a star. That’s a sample of what I’m talking about.

Like human silhouette ?

My brother and his family are having a huge bonfire in a couple weeks. They are supplying soda, chips, hot dog, and hamburgers along with a few other Foods. No one is obligated to bring foods but everybody does. I just don’t know what to bring. My Husband is getting alcohol, but I would also like to bring food too. (I am not a chef but I am a very good cook, and baker.)
okay enough s’mores suggestions and why put something not even remotely helpful?

a meat/vegetable cassorole (stew) with your home made bread. its the perfect to warm people up on them cold nights! you could quite easily warm it up in the microwave at your brothers?

I can’t stand to see a woman wear a huge belt around her bulbous gut. Then you have some dark skin women with white make-up around their eyes. I don’t know that’s part of a Fashion or not but it’s terrible looking. I hate seeing some women wearing that junk. What are some fashion styles or statement, you find unattractive on the opposite sex?

I consider myself open-minded but those male purse things annoy me. I don’t mind if a transwoman wears a purse but any other man looks strange to me with one. Sorry.

Those low sagging pants infuriate me. It was one thing when only a few guys did it, and not so low, and not all the time, like Tupac. I could say, "ah…just a little thing". Seeing lots of men dress this way and having the pants near their ankles is disgusting, to me.

Men in those "skinny jeans" tended to look like chickens or something, to me. The rock band guys looked cool and some junior high boys. But most of the rest of the male population looked like they ought to be out on the farm picking up corn kernels and crowing in the morning.

Only a few skateboarders and hip hop emcees looked good with turned around caps. Most of the rest remind me of Bazooka Joe or some other cartoon character.

***I recognize that as I am not paying for the clothes of all these people that my opinion doesn’t really count.****

My Home theatre sound system has a 1/4′ jack plug in. What would happen to the sound if i get a headphone like Sennheiser HD555 which has 1/4′ jack and plug it in and play some music/movie?
Does my home theatre system improve the sound quality of my headphone if its plugged in??

Nothing, The jack is the same as if you were pluging into a radio.

Which gardener would not sit inside in winter with some plant catalogues on their lap as they sip their tea and dream of the next year’s garden? This is simply a good fun especially to get indoor gardening supply and have a little winter gardening fun. You may use it for starting seedlings or simply raise indoor plants; however either way with right indoor gardening supply, one need not wait for the summer to get his fingers dirty again.

Light- let that remain

Perhaps, the most vital thing to address about indoor gardening is regarding the level of light. During the winters, days are shorter which means less light. When the house does not have suitable windows facing south to capture good light, you would continually have to append the light quotient by adjusting the plants around for capturing better sun. It is not optimal solution though. For the winter indoor gardening, apt light sources are among the essential indoor gardening supply stuff. Few people rely upon fluorescent lights, and some others use halogen lights and high intensity discharge lamps. Few even try growing them with the incandescent light, but it doesn’t work very well for every plant.

Any way for that matter, one must be aware about the light requirements of indoor plants which is being grown and should pick the lighting suitable for them.

Earth or Water

There is varied number of ways you could grow plants inside, few are based on the nutrients rich water-based system, and some others rely upon the good Mother Earth. Type of garden chosen would determine indoor gardening supplies one needs. The soil-less systems, generally called the hydroponics are considered as optimal indoor growing system. It reduces damage to the crops from pests and weeds. It is a little more complex to comprehend, but could be learned quite quickly. The indoor gardening supplies often have assortments of hydroponics kits which are available to average consumer.

When you are rooting the cuttings or growing the seeds for transplanting outdoor, then the jiffy peat cups and seedling starter kits become available in the indoor gardening supplies. It would allow you to plant the seeds indoors with minimum mess via soil. They are compact, very easily transported, and peat pots could be planted outside pot!

Indoor Gardening is indeed a rewarding hobby. Most people focus on specific plant types. Few like cactuses, while others like tropical. Some other people grow the herbs indoors. Whichever plant you choose, it would have its very own unique growing needs and other optimal environments. Cactuses, apparently, would need a very dry and hot environment whereas the herbs love the hydroponic setups. Hence when you choose the indoor gardening supplies, always ensure about the plants you would grow and try mimicking the environment in which they essentially grow naturally for best results.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/indoor-gardening-supplies-in-winter-celebrate-christmas-with-your-plants-753633.html

Teak, a mixed yellow-brown wood that is well known for its radiance, durability, and strength, is used in gorgeous furniture. Especially high-grade furniture like teak patio furniture. The reason why teak is used for patio furniture is because teak is highly resistant to bugs and because teak is such a hard wood, it is also extremely resistant to warping over time or because of the weather. If you don’t believe that teak patio furniture is durable enough, here is a well-known fact – teak has been used for decks, railings, even seating on boats. That’s right, on ships for years! Things that are in constant contact with the weather. Getting a teak patio furniture piece is one way to ensure you’ll have something to pass on to future generations.

Teak patio furniture, despite the durability of the wood itself, still need to be properly cared for and maintained with this in mind. When you purchase your teak patio furniture, ask whether there is a warranty against things the wood should be naturally resistant to. If your patio is covered, you probably don’t pay much attention to the care and maintenance of your teak patio furniture.

After all, your patio is covered, so for the most part your teak patio Furniture is protected from the most of the weather. However, if your patio is not covered and exposed full time to the elements, it might be a good idea to cover your teak patio furniture in order to protect it. This is more important if your teak patio furniture is something that you use only rarely. Your teak patio furniture is an important piece of furniture and can be just as expensive as your regular dining room table.

There is a point in time when not taking care of your teak patio furniture is more appropriate than proper care and that is when you want your teak patio furniture to take on the weathered silver-gray look that is especially stunning on a patio. However, if you choose not to go with the silver-gray, a patio furniture cover might be what you’re looking for in the way of protection.

The choice of material is important, so be sure to do your research on your teak patio furniture cover. You’ll want a heavy material that’s weather resistant and is going to offer padding against bumps and other things hitting your teak patio furniture. No matter what you choose, picking a teak patio furniture piece is one way to have a lasting piece of fine furniture for generations.

John Stidolph
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/teak-patio-furniture-the-finer-things-in-life-180963.html

Reading Pet Food Labels
or
What to run away from at the pet store

With all the pet food recalls and more and more ingredients coming out of China that are contaminated, we need to learn to read the ingredients on our pet foods just like we read the labels on our own food.

You should read the label every time you purchase pet food.  Manufacturers will change ingredients on a whim if they can make the product cheaper and reap a bigger profit.  Very few companies are as concerned about the health of your dog as much as they are about their bottom line.

Pet food is not highly regulated.  Dead, diseased, dying and drugged animals are allowed in pet food.  Many pet food ingredients are leftovers from meat processing for the human food supply and consist of ingredients not fit for human consumption.  Here’s what you should be looking for on each label.

Look for the Ingredient Statement on the label.  Read the first five ingredients as these first five ingredients make up 90% or more of the total quantity of what’s in the dog food.

1. Does the food contain a quality protein?  Look for an identifiable animal source such as chicken meal or beef meal.  This is a concentrated protein source wherein the water has been removed from the meat.  “Chicken meal” is better to find on the label than simply “chicken” as the latter can contain a large quantity of water.  It may be the first ingredient on the list, but doesn’t necessarily make up the larger portion of the food due to the water content.  Wheat gluten or corn gluten are protein sources, but they are not meat.  Dogs and cats must have meat to live a healthy life.  If your dog were on the loose in the wild, would you find him eating an ear of corn?  

2. Look at the packaging.  Does it contain a picture of a healthy dog or cat and then say things like “natural” or “wholesome grains” or “vegetables?”  The term natural is meaningless as it is not regulated.  There can be some natural ingredients in the food, but there can also be chemical preservatives that can cause cancer such as BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquine.  There are some pet treats on the market that are labeled natural, but contain propylene glycol, a form of antifreeze!

3. Wholesome grains are not whole grains.  The term wholesome grains can simply mean the addition of wheat gluten which was the source of the largest pet food recall in history.  Whole grains are excellent sources of protein, fiber, B vitamins, iron, and other essential minerals.  They also provide carbohydrates that a dog (not a cat) needs to provide energy.  Look for ingredients like ground brown rice or oats in a dog food.   Soy, corn, corn gluten, wheat, wheat gluten and rice gluten are cheap sources of protein.  These grains are also prone to molds which can be toxic.

4. Look for the term “by products.”  If it says by products, don’t buy the products!   These are inferior protein sources and can be difficult for your dog to digest.  These can be all the parts of an animal unfit for human consumption such as hooves, feathers, intestines, etc.  By products contain ingredients you would never knowingly give to your dog. 

5. What are the sources of fat?  The fats in dog food should be animal based.  This is what your dog evolved to eat.  Your dog cannot be a vegetarian or vegan and maintain health.  Fats should also be identifiable such as “chicken fat” or “beef fat.”  If the ingredients state “animal fat,” it should not be fed.  It could (and probably does) contain road kill, spoiled grocery store meats, euthanized Pets, or zoo animals.

6. Check for vitamins and minerals.  A list of added vitamins and minerals should be on the label, but avoid the ingredients menadione and sodium selenite.  These are cheap and non-bioavailable sources of vitamin K and selenium respectively. 

7. Your dog food should contain fruits and vegetables, but not as the primary source of nutrition.  The first ingredient should be meat and everything else should follow.
While this short article does not cover every single detail of purchasing pet food and reading labels, it provides the consumer with some guidelines for a happier and healthier dog.  Go beyond the fancy packages and read the ingredients.  Your dog deserves you and he certainly deserves a good diet. 
Just remember that what you find on a dog food packaging isn’t necessarily what you’ll find on the ingredient label.  Packaging is advertising and is meant to entire you into buying that particular product.  The packaging is irrelevant-read the ingredients.  You’ll soon find that even so called premium dog foods contain junk that you would never feed your dog.
Randy Walden
http://www.castlehillsoaps.com
Full reprint rights are given for this article as long as it is reprinted in its entirety.  Author credit must be given and the URL must remain on the article.  This article cannot be sold or altered without the author’s permission.  The author may be contacted via the URL at the end of this article. 

Randy Walden
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/reading-pet-food-labels-738493.html

Equipment finance is one of several options available to businesses seeking start up or growth capital. It is a highly attractive finance option because it can provide exactly what a business needs in order to survive. This could include machinery, software, computers, or even office Furniture. Businesses will also find that equipment financing tends to not tie up cash, receivables, or credit cards. Overall it can reduce the amount of cash a business will need, and the best part is that it can be written off at tax time.

One particular form of equipment finance is a general equipment loan. This option can be valuable because the majority of equipment that is acquired is not likely to become obsolete as fast. The technology and medical industries would have to worry about the equipment becoming outdated. In general an equipment loan is a wise choice because there is low obsolescence. Ownership and equity are other reasons why equipment loans are a good choice. You get the same benefits as if you owned the piece of equipment, and it also allows you to use equity to go after more working capital down the road if needed. The main benefit to an equipment loan is that a business can expense up to $25,000 worth of new equipment for the first year it is purchased. This adds up to decrease the final purchase cost. Any amount of equipment loaned over $25,000 would be depreciated over the next several years for an ongoing tax deduction.

Equipment leasing allows a business to get the most tax benefits possible while saving cash at the same time when compared to other forms of equipment finance which are available. The lease of course must be returned at the end, but often times the lessor will give a business the opportunity to buy the item for “Fair Market Value” at the end of the lease. That final total is often determined after the lease has already expired. The monthly rental payments can be tax deductible, but it is advised to speak with your accountant before taking out an equipment lease. With the lease you are simply paying a straight rental payment with no interest on the item. It can be difficult to locate equipment leasing companies, but researching the top search engine results from the phrase “funding directory” will return a valuable, free option for getting in touch with equipment leasing companies.

A relatively new concept for businesses trying to raise quick capital is through an equipment sale and leaseback. With this option a business can obtain up to 70% of the original purchase price against equipment they own. This money earned through the sale can be used for startup funding and business expansion needs with no restrictions. After being sold the item would remain on the seller’s property, and they would lease back the item from the source purchasing the asset. Businesses really like this option because there are no restrictions on how the money is used and of course no collateral is needed. Other lines of credit are also not affected by a business doing an equipment sale and leaseback. The other aspect is that the monthly payments are 100% deductible.

Equipment finance is just one of many methods available for obtaining business financing. There is commercial finance, small business loans, venture capital, equity investments, and more. It is also good to work on establishing your business credit, ensuring that you separate your personal credit from your business credit. With good business credit scores obtaining large loans and other forms of capital is very simple, and you won’t be one of the 97 percent that actually have a loan application denied. One other strategy that is easy to do and beneficial to a businesses quest for business capital is to use a free business capital search engine to locate potential lenders.

Corey Pierce
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/equipment-finance-provides-what-your-business-cant-survive-without-77242.html

Before you make the big decision about whether to go to fashion merchandising school, it is a good idea to know exactly what is involved, what the curriculum is, how long it runs for and whether this type of career is really the best thing for you to focus on.

If you love fashion, you are probably a creative individual with your own ideas and inspirations. The whole fashion industry thrives on new ideas but with the best fashion designs in the world, if you do not know how to market them, no one will see your creations and this will ultimately lead to frustration.

The world of fashion design incorporates much more than simply design and production and it is a tough world to break into. There are thousands of aspiring designers and knowing what looks stylish is only a part of the battle for recognition. Willingness on your part to accept new ideas and study hard is absolutely essential.

In a fashion merchandising school, you will be taught how to promote your designs and arouse interest in potential consumers. You will learn how to recognise new trends and how to fine tune and improve your own designs.

There are many such schools to choose from so it depends what exactly you wish to learn. The most important things are to hone your merchandising skills to an art form and learn other relevant skills to help you attain success. When you are comparing schools, check their facilities, scholarship plans and the staff.

Unless you have plenty of money to spare, a scholarship can be crucial in covering your expenses. Nearly every fashion designer school can provide some kind of scholarship to help you out.

Before enrolment it is prudent to find out what sort of equipment and facilities the school in question has on offer. You can use your own equipment if you prefer (and if you can afford it) but you need to know what to expect when you get there. Do some research on the teachers available at your chosen school. Find out if you can their qualifications and credibility. A great teacher can make the difference between a struggling student and a successful one.

Another very important factor is the student to teacher ratio. How many students is each teacher responsible for? Obviously, in a very large class, each individual student receives less attention from the teacher. If the classes are very large, you have to wonder why the school is economising on staffing. On the other hand, if the classes are very small, you should question why so few students have wanted to enrol there. Hands-on teaching methods would suffer if the class was enormous and this could result in a great deal of frustration for the student. Try to strike a happy medium – an average sized class is your safest bet.

Fashion merchandising school graduates ought to receive sufficient guidance after their training to enable them to reach the next step of their career. When you leave the school, it is very important to know what you will be doing next. If it is not the school policy to give you some kind of assistance in finding a job when you have completed the course, this should sound alarm bells. It can be difficult to get your first placement without the school’s help.

Steven Henderson
http://www.articlesbase.com/Careers-articles/how-fashion-merchandising-school-can-get-you-a-fashion-career-103434.html