Real simple concept here-- Networking is reaching out to your contacts and your contact's contacts to reach out for:

• Jobs

• Business opportunities
• Sales
• Referrals
• Connections of any sort

Networking pays dividends today, tomorrow, and well into the future.

If you haven't networked lately-- you should.

All of us have thought about what we could do as a sideline business . . .

While I have covered this before  . . . it never hurts to revisit this concept. To answer the question, ask yourself-- what do I have to offer?

• Skills
• Talents
• Experiences
• Services
• Products

Only you can answer this question, but we can all do more than one thing. Sit down and brainstorm-- list ideas on paper. Play with different ideas. Ultimately, you will find the solution.

Like this post? Check out the related posts for more information.  You can also get email notification of new posts in your email by subscribing.  Your email address won't be used for any other purpose than to send you notification of a new post.



Related posts:
What is Defensive Entrepreneurship?  
Why Defensive Entrepreneurship?

One of the smartest things a defensive entrepreneur can do is to make their customer's experience as easy as possible.

• Streamline paperwork
• Simplify the process
• Always update and deliver good news

Remember, your customers aren't buying the "how" the are buying the result. That said, why not make the "how" as easy as possible for them-- your competitors won't be able to keep up.

Like this post? Check out the related posts for more information.  You can also get email notification of new posts in your email by subscribing.  Your email address won't be used for any other purpose than to send you notification of a new post.



Related posts:
What is Defensive Entrepreneurship?  
Why Defensive Entrepreneurship?

An important question to the IRS is, "Is it a business or a hobby?  If you want write-offs, it had better be provable as a business.

However, I am also thinking that you should also be asking that question yourself.  At the end of the day, you want an entrepreneurial venture to make you money.  With that in mind, let's consider a few questions:

• Have you made any sales?
• Are there sales on the short-term horizon?
• Do you market and advertise the business?
• Have your expenses been necessary?
• Do you think in terms of return on investment?

These are a few questions that should help you get a handle on what your venture really is . . . a business or a hobby.

Like this post? Check out the related posts for more information.  You can also get email notification of new posts in your email by subscribing.  Your email address won't be used for any other purpose than to send you notification of a new post.



Related posts:
What is Defensive Entrepreneurship?  
Why Defensive Entrepreneurship?

I think the fastest business to start is an on-line business.  Effectively you can start them in a matter of hours.

Starting an on-line business steps are as follows:

• Get a unique web address
• Secure hosting and site development software
• Start building and populating the site with content
• Get Google Adsense running (Helps to already have an account)

Easy-- huh? I have accomplished this in as little as two hours.

The real trick comes down to:

• Picking the business/topic
• Attracting people to the site

This is where the real work comes . . .

Like this post? Check out the related posts for more information.  You can also get email notification of new posts in your email by subscribing.  Your email address won't be used for any other purpose than to send you notification of a new post.



Related posts:
What is Defensive Entrepreneurship?  
Why Defensive Entrepreneurship?

I get so tired of hearing people say they can't think of any ideas.  I think they just aren't trying or they haven't been trained to develop ideas.  Idea generation is a great skill for defensive entrepreneurs . . .

Developing ideas is easy:

• Study people, places, things
• Read
• Watch TV
• Listen to the radio
• Surf the web
• Keep a notebook
• Start opening your eyes
• Look for good, bad, and ugly
• Think about improving things
• Form opinions about things
• Listen to the complaints of others
• Look at failures and disasters
• Think about how it could have been better handled

Ideas are everywhere-- I find some of my best ideas by looking back at my old ideas.  Most ideas are really new combinations of old ideas.

Think!  Remember, practice makes better.

We should all learn entrepreneurship in some form or another-- I advocate defensive entrepreneurship building a business on the side for protection against job loss and to make extra cash.

Regardless of the type of entrepreneurship you learn or practice, the skills one acquires are invaluable in life or business.  Those skills include:

• Risk taking
• Planning
• Supply and demand
• Marketing
• Selling
• Creativity
• Imagination
• Negotiation
• Personal responsibility

These are just a few of the skills you pick up from entrepreneurial endeavors.  The best time to learn them is when you are young and can more easily afford to make mistakes.  However, many entrepreneurs started or found success later in life (Col. Saunders and Ray Kroc come to mind).

Want these skills-- start today!

Like this post? Check out the related posts for more information.  You can also get email notification of new posts in your email by subscribing.  Your email address won't be used for any other purpose than to send you notification of a new post.



Related posts:
What is Defensive Entrepreneurship?  
Why Defensive Entrepreneurship?

What would you do if you couldn't get a job ever again?  Assume for one second that you somehow got a big mark next to your name . . .

• Major scandal
• Felony conviction
• Whistle blower

What would you do to earn money?  Probably go into business for yourself-- defensive entrepreneurship could be the answer.

So what could you do?  Depends upon:

• Skills
• Capital and resources
• Location

Do a quick survey of your situation . . . could you become a:

• Contractor?
• Consultant?
• Salesperson?
• Small manufacturer?
• Farmer?
• Tutor?
• Artist or author?
• Store owner?
• Flipper of assets?

These are just a few quick ideas that come to mind in responding to a career crisis.

What are your ideas?

Like this post? Check out the related posts for more information.  You can also get email notification of new posts in your email by subscribing.  Your email address won't be used for any other purpose than to send you notification of a new post.

Related posts:
What is Defensive Entrepreneurship?  
Why Defensive Entrepreneurship?

Opportunity for Defensive Entrepreneurs is all around.  The simple answer is that it is in the same place it has always been--faster, better, and cheaper.  The opportunity for any entrepreneur, defensive or otherwise, always lurks in those three ideas-- regardless of the economy.

• Fast service, delivery, or results always sells
• Better service, product, taste, look, or feel will almost always win the customer's attention
• Cheaper price and or cost of ownership appeals to a base human characteristic-- greed for more at a lower price

Hit one or more of these points with your product or service and you have a winner.

Like this post? Check out the related posts for more information.  You can also get email notification of new posts in your email by subscribing.  Your email address won't be used for any other purpose than to send you notification of a new post.

Related posts:
What is Defensive Entrepreneurship?  
Why Defensive Entrepreneurship?

Want to be paid in cash?  Give cash discounts.  Give cash discounts especially if your customers or clients pay a deposit to start the job.

This approach can help any business owner, but is very important to contractors that need to buy materials and pay labor as the job progresses.

Does giving a cash discount hurt your revenues?  I would vote "No".  Here's why:

• Cash discounts encourage people to do business with you
• Uncollected invoices don't happen with cash discounts for paying in advance

This is a policy can be implemented immediately and will provide quick benefits.

Like this post? Check out the related posts for more information.  You can also get email notification of new posts in your email by subscribing.  Your email address won't be used for any other purpose than to send you notification of a new post.

Related posts:
What is Defensive Entrepreneurship?  
Why Defensive Entrepreneurship?