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So you want to become a Florist? The Pro and Cons of Flower Shops and Florists

You've always liked flowers and you think the idea of turning emotions into floral expressions sounds like tremendous fun. You are between careers and have been investigating business opportunities in your community. Yesterday, while perusing a business for sale paper in your local town, you notice that a family owned flower shop is up for sale. The ad says it's a turnkey operation. This is your lucky day. Or is it?

Let's look before we leap, OK? Here are some issues to be considered:

1. What is the current status of the Florist business and it's accounting?

You should be able to see the financial records and consult professional help if needed.

2. Does the business have a good reputation?

If there are negative opinions about the business, you may need to consider a name change and making a big show of the change in management. Factor in the cost of a face-lift on the faзade of the physical facility.

3. What assets are included in the selling price?

If you are buying the building, equipment, and inventory, you need to carefully assess the age, condition and viability of these items. For example, there may be Ј20,000 worth of inventory in the store, and the seller may be able to provide the monetary value by showing invoices. However, if the inventory is out of date or not in keeping with your business plan, the value of that inventory to you may be quite a bit lower than that the Ј20,000 it is valued at.

Are you also buying the Accounts Receivable as an asset? If this is the case, you should do some serious research into the exact state of these accounts. Many traditional florists have struggled with in-house accounting. They have extended credit as a matter of tradition, rather than good business sense and have found themselves in cash flow trouble.

4. What liabilities are you purchasing?

You'll need to be very clear about any outstanding debts or unpaid bills you will be taking over. Be sure that you hire professional help to highlight any such debt in your sales agreement. Because of seasonality of the flower and florist UK business and the existence of house accounts, many retail florists have difficulty with cash flow; you should avoid any situation where you will be paying bills run up by the previous owner.

Also, you should take time to consult with the flower Wholesalers that you will be buying from. Discuss payment terms and lay the way for a healthy business relationship with a reputable Wholesaler or perhaps more than one.

5. What about the business name and goodwill associated with that?

What value does the existing business Name have in the marketplace? , If it has good value, you probably won't want to change the name of the business. In any case, consider a clause in the bill of sale limiting the use of the name by the previous owner in the future. This can be very sticky in the case of an owner's own name, for example "Green and Co. Florist, Florist UK, Florist Scotland etc ".

6. Will you need to hire new staff, or will the existing staff stay with the business?

Sometimes a previous owner chooses to stay on and work for the new owner in a period of hand-over. This can pose tremendous difficulties for all involved, so tread lightly on this territory. It's an extreme analogy, but think about the difficulties in open adoptions between birth and adoptive parents. Everyone has their own style in the florist business and it can be difficult to accept change or let go of something you have worked very hard to build up over the years.

That said, many valuable members of staff at successful florists have weathered the change in ownership of their place of employment. You should always make every effort to retain good people, as they may make your integration into the management of the business much easier. Of course, it's all about relationships.

7. What is the best time to buy the business and start running?

Take the holidays into account when you plan your purchase of a flower shop. Valentine's day is the single largest day, but Christmas is more of a marathon. Mother's Day, weddings, proms, graduations and anniversaries team up to make the spring months a nice busy time. Depending upon your market, the summer can be a difficult time to make ends meet.  Ideally, you would take over a shop with enough time to get your feet wet before a holiday, but not with so much down time that your funds dry up before you can get going.

8. What other opportunities exist, and at what cost?

Here's the acid test. Take the time to sort out the options. Let's work on the assumption that you WILL own a flower shop in the next year. Take a big sheet of paper and draw a line down the center. At the top of the left column, write "Buy a Flower Shop". In the Right column, write "Open a New Flower Shop". Now draw a line through the middle of the paper, so you have a top and bottom. The top left if for Strength's. Top right for weaknesses. Bottom left for opportunities, and bottom right for threats. Fill in the grid with as many items as you can figure out.

Ask your trusted business friends and floral professionals for help. You'll be considering such items as the finances and the marketing plan of your business. When you have completed this exercise, you should have two things. One is a good tool to help you make a decision. The second is the beginnings of a business plan.

Whatever your decision, a business plan is essential. It is your roadmap for success and will be necessary for a business loan. It is worth the extra time at the onset of this journey to compare the options and make the best decision you can.

Gail Michie is a Floral Industry Professional with many years of experience in the retail and wholesale sectors of the industry. She believes the common goal should be to sell more flowers to more people, more often.

For reasons out with her business and its successful operation, Gail is looking to sell the business soon.

5 Key Elements of a Successful Home Based Business

Who wouldn't want to work from home? You can make your own hours, forget ever having to commute, and never have to answer to a boss. Plus, as a home based business owner, you have the potential to earn exponentially more than you ever will by punching a time clock.

Yet, there are so many home based business opportunities available that it's often difficult to choose the one that is a good fit for you and that has the income potential that you need. To help you make your choice, here are five key elements to look for in a home based business.

1. Go with Network Marketing

While it's true that not everyone succeeds at network marketing, the principles behind it are sound. After all, network marketing is essentially using and selling products through word of mouth. This approach allows you to reach out to an ever-growing number of people and reap the financial rewards of building your own downline. Because network marketing cuts out the middleman, your earning potential increases. In the process, you create the potential for residual income while enjoying low overhead and the opportunity to work when and where you want. Furthermore, when you take advantage of Internet-based network marketing, you are not bound by geographic boundaries; your customers and downline can reach global proportions.

2. Choose a Company that Offers Multiple Products

Every day, you use dozens of products. Some home based business opportunities focus on one product, while others focus on many. When you do the math, it's easy to see why it's preferable to choose a company that allows you to become a member and have access to a wide variety of products, as well as to sell those products.

3. Find Cutting Edge Products to Use and Sell

Few people need more candles, kitchenware, or knick-knacks. What they really need and want are information and mobile technology products, such as DSL, VOIP, and broadband. Baby boomers in particular are looking for values in discount shopping, travel, and professional services such as legal services and health services. Companies and entrepreneurs are always on the lookout for cutting edge business software, conference calling, SEO services, marketing products, and video production services.

4. Look for a Solid Compensation Plan

Compensation plans vary from company to company, so be sure to find one that gives you the greatest earning potential. A single paid matrix is an excellent approach, as is a 3 x 9 monthly matrix commission.

5. Gain Access to Business Building Tools

One of the premises of network marketing is that you don't need to reinvent the wheel; the infrastructure for a successful business model already exists. When reviewing home based business opportunities, especially those that are Internet based, find one that allows you to grow your business through duplication, so that you can immediately get up and running. The company you work with should also have a support system that includes mechanisms to capture leads, create ads, and develop solid marketing strategies. Moreover, there should be a sense of community, camaraderie, and mutual support.

Launching your own home based business can not only lead you to a debt free life, but can also enable you to travel the path of true financial freedom.

Receipt-label thermal paper launched

Since it does not require ink, a thermal printer is also more economical. The only thing you have to spend on is the paper itself. ThatЎ¦s why a thermal printer is perfect for business use.

Plain paper faxes now have saturated the market and the prices have dropped so low that anyone can afford one. With rebates you may even get one for free. The only problem may be that you may not be able to afford the supplies that go into them. Laser, inkjet, and thermal transfer rolls are the options that you have. The cost per page varies but believe me when I say that the money is not in selling machines, it is in selling supplies. You can shop smart though and look at the cost per page. This is the price of the toner or supply divided by the supply yield. Spending a little more on the machine for a lower CPP can save you a bundle of money.

Thermal fax machines were the ones with the long roll of paper and each fax would be cut to the size that is transmitted. You could make some cool banners with those things because you could set them to not cut and it would continue to spit out the paper! They were pretty much bullet proof. The major problem was the paper. It would curl and you had a hard time working with it. If it was exposed to the sun or heat it would turn a dark black and all of the information was lost. They were very economical compared to laser or ink jet fax machines. The only supply that you were required to purchase was rolls of paper.

For simple printing tasks (as in printing receipts), you might want to try using a thermal printer. A thermal printer is economical because it produces image or documents by selectively heating coated thermal paper. Once the thermal paper passes over the thermal print head, it is then impressed onto the paper and produces images or texts.

Credit – Over the Limit

Imagine you had a credit card was a $500 limit, and in the run-up to Christmas, you nearly maxed out your card. Before taking that last shopping trip of the season, you went online to check your balance and saw that you had $19 of available credit. "No matter," you say to yourself, "I'll pay the balance in full when I get my Christmas bonus from the office." The only other charge you made was for a couple of mochachinos at the local coffee house, but two days later you were shocked to learn that you somehow went over your credit limit! Worse yet, your card company hit you with a $29 fee! The Mochachino That Broke the Camel's Back

This can happen a lot easier than you might expect. In the above example, you may have recently "paid at the pump." Oftentimes a gas station charges your card only $1 at the point-of-purchase and applies the remainder of the charge to your card later that day (or the next day). Let's say you had $17 in gas that you forgot about. That would reduce your available credit to $3 ($19 - $17 + $1 for the refunding of the temporary charge). Then when you bought two $2.50 drinks, you pushed your balance to $502, exceeding your credit limit by $2, and receiving a whopping $29 fine. It happens all the time.

The real question should be, "Why do credit card companies let this happen?" After all, couldn't they just reject your card at the coffeehouse? The gas station reserves the funds on your card even before it charges them, so shouldn't you not be able to buy the coffee and go over your credit limit? It depends. Some people would find this embarrassing fate more horrible than the $29 over-limit fee, particularly if the second coffee was for a romantic interest or client. But the reality is that credit card companies exist in the world to make money. There's nothing wrong with that, but you need to be aware of the fees and expenses associated with your card and do your best to avoid them. Tips for Avoiding Over-Limit Fees

1. Use a separate card for your gas purchases. Since "pay at the pump" can distort your true balance, it is wise to use one card exclusively for gas. This can be an actual gas card or just a regular card card that you designate as your own gas card. It might be okay to have some recurring charges (cable bill, subscription charges, etc.) also on the card, but don't use it to make "discretionary" purchases. If you have $200 of recurring charges on your card and you typically spend $80 a month on gas, this means you'll only need a card with a $300 limit. Then again, $500 would be better for a little cushion in case you spend more on gas - either because you take a trip or because gas prices to through the roof!

2. Check your balance on a daily basis. If you maximize the benefits of your credit cards by nearly maxing them out each month and then paying off the balance in full, then you need to spend a little more time making sure managing your cards. Check your balance online every day and look at the itemized charges. Sometimes charges don't show up right away, so be on the lookout for anything that's missing. And if you do use your card for gas, make sure you keep your gas receipts so you know how much you really spent when your statement still says "$1."

The Real Cost of Exceeding Your Limit

No one likes paying $29 extra for a couple of coffees, but the even greater cost of going over your credit limit is the damage it does to your credit. Many card companies begin charging you the maximum interest after just one overage - and not the card you went over on. An entirely unrelated company might also jack up your interest rate, even though you've always paid your bills on time with them, so do everything you can to avoid going over.

Credit cards are wonderful tools, but they come with serious responsibilities. You should be using a credit card to your advantage - whether that means getting an interest-free loan every month by paying your balance off in full, or just the simple security and satisfaction that having extra buying power at your fingertips can bring. But when you start paying $29 fees and higher interest, you are letting the powerful tool wield itself against you. Be a smart consumer, but also check the over-limit fees and practices of cards before you sign up for them. No one intends on exceeding their credit limit, but it does happen to most people, so be aware!

Sincerely,

James

Mia Bella Candles: Work from Home with Your Own Candle Business

You may have wanted to start your own business at home but didn't know what kind of business would be successful. Mia Bella candles offer quality products that allow you to work from home. To have a thriving business you need a product or service that is in great demand. That is why Mia Bella candles have been profitable for many people who work from home.

Candles are very popular in American homes. The candle business in the US is a $2 billion plus a year industry. Seven out of ten homes use candles and many people use them for relaxation. At one time, candles were used only for light. But now, they are used for home dГ©cor and to add scent to the home.

Selling Mia Bella Candles

Mia Bella candles started out to help with fundraisers. Their unique formulas and exceptional scents were very well received by customers. This was just the beginning! They wanted to make this available as a retail business to provide income for their distributors.  They wanted to get the products on the market and allow more people to realize their dream of working at home.

Enjoy High Profits

There are three ways to earn money with Mia Bella candles. The first one is retail sales through home parties, craft shows and office sales. Many people are selling them along with other crafts and making a large profit. The second way to earn money is through fundraising. This program has been very successful for distributors and could lead to a full-time income. The third way to earn money is through residual income. By recommending five people to the Candle of the Month club, you can move to a higher income level.

The company provides you with ideas and guidelines to get started. The start-up cost is low and the profits on your sales are very high. The products sell themselves, and you do not have to use high-pressure sales tactics. You can earn a full-time income by getting the products distributed, and then word of mouth will spread it.

Unique Mia Bella Candles

The Mia Bella candles are made with natural ingredients such as vegetables, soy and plants. They burn practically soot-free and are non-toxic. And very importantly, their fragrances smell more natural and stronger than most other candles. The gourmet scents will impress new customers and will keep them coming back. There are candles and melts to choose from in dozens of delightful fragrances!

Selling Mia Bella candles is a legit business that can help you work from home. Whether you want a full - or part-time business is up to you. You can keep another job and just sell to friends if you want. Or, you can earn more income by doing it full time through fundraisers, parties or shows. With Mia Bella candles, you can realize your dreams of earning money through your own home business!

Boxer Briefs – Drawing More Values

Boxer briefs, they are a type of men’s underwear. Boxer briefs are the production that denotes the compromising character between boxer shorts and briefs. In the other word we can mention it as the perfect blend of boxer shorts and briefs. These are comfortable to wear and affordable and available in wide range in the market. This particular segment of underwear cut like tapered boxers, but it fits likely briefs.

Boxer briefs have got a good advantage of providing support and coverage in a way that also supports the lower abdomen. Boxer briefs can be worn under all type of clothes. But these are just perfect under tight pants. Athletes are using boxer briefs in a large amount due to its above qualities. You can found good boxer briefs in stores right now. Many websites are dealing with boxer briefs are now online and you can browse through their segment to select one for your purpose.

Men’s are using (http://www.1underwearstore.com/-boxer briefs)

to redefine their looks. This can certainly add more sex appeal to your personality. For anyone who thought that sexy ends at 40, boxer briefs are the ultimate for him. Wear one of those and feel the difference. Boxer briefs are coming in various ranges. Companies are offering their product that are made of high quality fibers and can last long.

If you really need a comfortable one then you cam buy ribbed cotton boxer briefs. These are available in all shapes and sizes and can offer you more satisfactory result on a long run. Athletes that are using boxer briefs, drawing more good results in their professional career. Now it’s your turn to draw good values into your account. Wear boxer briefs to feel relaxed. The comfort zone you are searching for is right there. All you need to browse and purchase.

Financial Printing Services

When you are dealing with time sensitive and highly confidential or otherwise sensitive materials, it is important to find and use a company that you trust to take care of the printing of these documents for you. Financial printing services are a vital service to any company, but it takes a business that you trust to really be able to work well with your own business. The security of your documents is of the utmost importance, and a good financial printing service will always treat your private documents with the utmost care.

Your financial printing services company should be able to help you with all of your financial printing needs without compromising the security of your most vital documents. A trusted financial printing service can print your annual and quarterly financial reports, your billing statements, and your stock certificates. They should be able to print important financial forms, prospectuses, business forms, and checks for your company, possibly including paychecks.

A good financial printing services company can also help you print things like envelopes and stationary, that might require less security but just as much attention to detail. You should also be able to get your EDGAR filing services printed by your printing agent, ensuring that your documents are in the proper form to be filed by your company in addition to having the paperwork in the correct form for filing.

You can potentially print all of these things yourself, however if you are planning on creating your own financial documents, then you will need a skilled operator to create them as well as the right equipment for the printing process. If you are creating checks, then you will want some sort of special watermark or other security method, and the same goes for certain other secure documents.

Instead of trying to recreate these methods, which are designed to be difficult to counterfeit anyway, it is more economically sound to outsource this printing to a company that works with financial printing on a regular basis and can guarantee you the work that you need done in a timely and secure fashion. This will help you to save the money on an attempt to create such documents in-house, and as long as the security measures of the financial printing services company is good, you have nothing to worry about in terms of the safekeeping of your vital documents.

This article is originally published here: (http://www.vfilings.com/financial-printing-services.aspfinancial) printing services.

The Causes Of Vaginal Yeast Infection

Vaginal Yeast infections are uncomfortable, embarrassing, and have an adverse effect on the quality of a woman’s life. Yeast infections are caused by a fungus called “candida albcans”. Yeast infections are overgrowths of normally growing fungi in the vagina. When this fungus grows out of control for many reasons including those described below, the vagina becomes inflamed, and a white cheesy discharge results. There is a strong odor, irritation and itching. Naturally occuring bacteria in the body usually control the yeast fungi. Sometimes this balance is upset. At least 75% of women experience a yeast infection at some point in their life. Disruption of this natural balance may occur with any of the following:

Excessive use of antibiotics, Diabetes, A weakened immune system (for example from HIV/AIDS, steroid use, pregnancy, cancer chemotherapy or other drugs that weaken the immune system), Use of douches or feminine hygiene sprays, Tight or non cotton underwear, Hormonal changes, Ovulation, Menopause, Pregnancy, Use of birth control pills, Use of hormone therapy. When the levels of this fungus exceed the bodies ability to destroy the invader, the fungus grows out of control. Vaginal yeast infection can be spread to the male urethra through sexual intercourse.

Generally speaking, the same things that lower our immunity and make it possible to contract other ailments, also make it possible to contract yeast infections. Stress is a major contributing factor. When we are is a stressful situation, or living a stress filled life, our bodies concentrate on dealing with the stress. When this occurs, our ability to fight disease, any disease, is lessened.

Some women experience an increase in yeast infections at menopause due to the tremendous hormonal changes that are occurring. Taking excessive antibiotics is a contributing factor. Antibiotics kill not only disease causing bacteria, but helpful bacteria that help our bodies fight disease.

Other contributing factors are excessive douching and use of scented feminine hygiene products. Any external product poses a risk for an individual who is susceptible to infection. Tight fitting clothes that don’t allow adequate blood and air circulation at the infected area are a problem. Its much easier to prevent a yeast infection than to cure one, so remembering all of these potential causes is the first step to preventing the problem in the first place.

Now I know this sounds like just a list of causes, but remember that we said the important thing was prevention. If you are susceptible to yeast infection, avoid bubble baths, irritating soaps and perfumed toilet paper. Avoid harsh detergents used to wash undergarments. Rinse your laundry thoroughly so that there is no detergent residue.

Diet has a big impact on candida yeast infections. Dairy products can lead to infection in some women as can most grain products, nuts and high sugar foods. Knowing the cause of the infection is important to prevention.

If you have taken every possible precaution to prevent infection, and you still suffer recurrent yeast infection problems, then its time to start looking at remedies. There are several antifungal drugs that are used in treatment, as well as a cornucopia of herbal and holistic treatments. If prevention was unsuccessful, and the holistic remedies failed, see your doctor. There is a great deal of long term damage that can be cause by long term and recurrent yeast infection. Take heart yeast infections are preventable and curable.

Five Considerations for Point of Sale Hardware and Software

Whether you own an apparel boutique, gift shop, sporting goods store, or any other consumer merchandise outlet, deciding upon a point of sale (POS) system implementation can become a crucial factor that affects whether you store succeeds or fails. Here are five elements to consider before you buy:

1. Getting the Right Implementation Team

Out-of-the-box solutions may work for some enterprises, but most will benefit from a professional analysis and implementation. Companies that are experienced in, for example, Microsoft point of sale implementations can help guide you toward selecting the right hardware, as well as installing the underlying network and customizing the software.

2. Choosing the Software that Fits Your Needs

If you own a boutique, your software needs are different from those of a restaurant owner. Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System (also known as Microsoft RMS or Microsoft Dynamics-RMS), for example, is tailored to small - to medium-sized retailers. It can automate inventory, automate purchasing management, and streamline transaction processing, while being scalable to meet your needs as your business grows.

3. Minimizing Disruptions

Implementing new hardware and software necessitates a certain level of disruption, but you should choose a solution that is specifically designed for easy implementation and adoption. In other words, your store should stay open for business and your employees should be able to quickly learn the system. Microsoft POS solutions, for example, utilize build-in wizards and intuitive user interfaces to make learning the system quick and painless.

4. Integrating with Other Software Solutions

Even if the software you select streamlines POS transactions, unless it's integrated with your other systems you won't get the most out of your investment. Ideally, your point of sale software should connect to your business information and processes and be able to communicate with, for example, Microsoft Office programs like Word and Excel.

5. Enhancing Marketing Efforts

The best point of sale software can become an important component of your marketing toolkit. Thanks to tracking features, POS software can enable you to launch highly targeted marketing to select customers, such as those who have purchased certain items in the past or those who have indicated a preference for certain merchandise. In addition, it should allow you to set up promotions and discounts, as well as suggest up-sells at the register so your employees can talk about the products to your customers.

Keep in mind that, when you select a point of sale software solution, you should be able to get all of the features you need. For example, you may want to quickly add new items to your database, or enable a matrix that allows you to differentiate between similar items (such as the same dress style) by attribute (such as size and color). Likewise, you may wish to print out customized labels for your price tags. Perhaps you need software that will work for multiple stores, or maybe customized reporting and metrics are critical to your business. The bottom line is that, with the right implementation team, point of sale software and hardware can catapult your retail business to the heights of growth and success.