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- EPnews -- from The Entrepreneurial
Parent
a work-family resource for home-based entrepreneurs
@ www.en-parent.com
- Volume 2, Issue 1
December 2, 1998
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Do you find EPnews useful?
Please forward to a friend, or recommend it to your favorite
Web site or
e-zine. Thanks for your support!
For easy reading, simply print
out this newsletter.
- _______________CONTENTS_______________
The Funny Things EP Kids Say!
EP Times -- An Editorial
- EP Q&A
- Making Money Matters
What's It Worth?
EP Member Profile
- We Recommend
What's Happening at EP
Volunteers in Action
_________________________________________
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EP DADS UNITE
This issue is dedicated to all our "EP Dads" in celebration
of our new
"WAHD (Work-At-Home Dad) Central" at:
http://www.en-parent.com/WAHD-Central.htm
As many of you know, there are
tons of resources and organizations devoted
to the WAHMs of this world, but WAHD resources are hard to come
by. We're
excited to provide this new mini-site to you! Please remember,
as with all
of EP, this feature is a work-in-progress, so feel free to submit
your
ideas and comments so that we can build a strong Dad presence
at this site.
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Note to New Subscribers: EPnews
is published and distributed on the second
and fourth Wednesday of every month-- except during this holiday
season (our
schedule for this month is Dec. 2 & 16). The Entrepreneurial
Parent at
http://www.en-parent.com
is updated every weekend; look for new content on
Mondays.
___________________________________
THE FUNNY THINGS EP KIDS SAY!
Submitted by EPnews subscriber,
Jeff Zbar (also our feature guest columnist
this issue):
=====
It was a defining moment in the career of this work-at-home dad.
Miss Shiela, my daughter Nicole's
preschool teacher, had asked what each
pupil's parents do for work. Innocent enough question, and the
4-year olds'
answers came forth with a preschooler's simplicity. Some Daddies
were
doctors, some Mommies were lawyers. Some were realtors, some
worked in
offices, and some stayed at home.
Then there was Nicole.
"My Mommy is a nurse,"
declared Nicole, "and my Daddy goes to work in his
underwear."
=====
Share with the EP Community something your child said or did
recently that
made you smirk, giggle, or LOL. Send your submission via e-mail
to:
[email protected] with the subject heading "A Funny
Thing My EP Kid
Said (or Did)". And if you need a stockpile of smiles to
get you through
your EP day, pick up your own heartwarming copy of Grace Housholder's
"The
Funny Things Kids Say" @ http://en-parent.com/familybooks.htm.
On those
stressed-out EP days, you'll be glad you did!
______________________________________
EP TIMES -- AN EDITORIAL (Guest
Column)
"Work@Home Dads Make Their
Stand"
© 1998 by Jeff Zbar
Hey you! Mr. Mom! Soccer Dad!
What are you doing at home? Catching up on
re-runs, avoiding a day job, sending your wife out to do a man's
job?
Those of us men who've worked
from home have heard the chiding. We've
fielded the barbs. People think we're slackers, hackers and looking
for an
easy way out.
But we know differently. We've
been trying to do our jobs and raise our
children -- all while convincing potential clients and others
in Corporate
America that we can be, no, ARE every bit as professional as
some drone
from the corporate tower downtown.
That's what this gig is all about.
Being a professional, delivering a
project on time and on budget, with the style and grace due any
pro -- just
that we happen to work from home.
How do I know about the concerns
of the work@home dad? February will mark
10 years as an EP, working as a journalist, independent writer,
author and
speaker from my home office in Fort Lauderdale. Married with
three young
children, I've juggled interviews with baby feedings and diaper
changes,
and scheduled meetings between kids' carpools and naps -- all
with the help
of my supportive wife, Robbie.
My book, Home Office Know-How
(Upstart Publishing, 1998), is a tips book on
working from home and teleworking, and my web site
(http://www.goinsoho.com)
provides regular content and features on the
emerging small office / home office (SOHO) genre. My work and
words have
appeared on the web sites of Office Depot and BellSouth -- always
in an
friendly, informal and informational format.
Now I hope to bring that style
to The Entrepreneurial Parent! As an EP for
the past 10 years, I'm excited to be part of a growing community
of parents
who are ditching the traditional job route for alternative work
options. I
encourage the Dads on this list to step up, speak out and become
active
participants of the Entrepreneurial Parent Community. If you
have
questions, send them along. If you have comments, or wish to
share your
skills and talents with the EP Community, let's hear from you!
From the
10-year work@home veteran, to corporate dwellers first looking
to break out
on their own, we can all learn from one another.
So speak up, listen in, and as
always, Keep Goin' SOHO!
=====
The Entrepreneurial Parent welcomes Jeff Zbar, a veteran EP Dad,
as our
resident "EP Dad Expert." Jeff will take questions
on a wide range of "EP"
issues from any Dads on the list. Jeff is a journalist who specializes
in
SOHO topics, particularly the psychological aspects of working
at home. You
can read more about Jeff at http://en-parent.com/Experts/exp-zbar.htm
and
pick up a copy of his new book at: http://en-parent.com/bizbooks2.htm.
Welcome aboard, Jeff!
______________________________________
EP Q&As
Have a question? It may already
be answered in 1 of the 16 EP Expert Q&A
pages now up and running! Check them out at
http://en-parent.com/experts.com
(follow the "Q&A" links). If your question
isn't answered there, then send it to: [email protected].
We'll be glad
to help you out if we can!
=====
Q. Dear Sir/Madam,
First of all, I'd like to introduce
myself. My name is Steve Christian, I
live in Indonesia and own a small business specializing in Typing
and
Database Inputting Service.
Currently, I'd like to open an
Internet site to market my service to the
Internet community, especially the U.S. Internet community. Our
typing and
data inputting services are offered at a very low rate per hour
because of
inexpensive labor in Indonesia. We usually charge under $7 an
hour.
I think I need professional help
to set up the site and some advice before
starting this business online. I don't understand how to start
this kind of
thing and I don't even know anything about doing business in
the US.
I am looking forward to hearing
from you soon.
Thank You.
Best Regards,
Steve Christian
A. Dear Steve,
I see that you have two key issues
here:
1. How to set up a web site.
There are countless books on
the subject, and many web sites giving
information on the subject. But you might be better off speaking
with
someone who already has a site up and running. The man who developed
my
site at http://www.mrfire.com
is Daniel Kehoe. He's at [email protected].
Whenever you go to any site, look at the bottom of the first
page and you
should see the name of the web site developer. Email that person
and you'll
get some answers right away.
2. How to get business to your
site.
This is the current "64,000
question" of the online world. I wouldn't worry
about focusing on getting American customers so much as getting
customers
period. After all, the net is a global community. You'll get
business from
every country you can think of -- if you heavily promote your
site. I
suggest that once your site is up, you start looking for the
people who
will need your services. Authors are one group. Editors may be
another.
Publishers may be a third. Students might be yet another. Go
to
http://www.liszt.com and
do a search for the groups these people subscribe
to; then promote yourself in legitmate ways on these groups.
There aren't any snappy answers
to your questions, so I hope my answers can
at least get you off and running. You might also go to
http://www.amazon.com and
do a search for books to help you create an
international Internet business.
All the best,
Joe Vitale, author of CyberWriting:
How to Promote Your Product or Service
Online -- Without Being Flamed (AMACOM, 1998), There's A Customer
Born
Every Minute: P.T. Barnum's Secrets for Business Success (AMACOM,
1998),
The AMA Complete Guide to Small Business Advertising (NTC, 1996),
The Seven
Lost Secrets of Success (VistaTron, 1995), Turbocharge Your Writing
(Awareness Publications, 1988)" -- all available at Joe's
EP Expert Profile
Page, http://en-parent.com/Experts/exp-vitale.htm
____________________________________________
MAKING MONEY MATTERS
Being available to your kids
and managing a career under one roof sounds to
many like the best of both worlds, but without pulling in some
kind of
income what's all the effort for? Making Money Matters! This
week Michael
Borgia, who is also featured this issue under "Member Profiles,"
shares his
marketing tips with us (you can reach Mike at "[email protected]").
If
you'd like to share your money-making tips with the EP Community,
email
"[email protected]"
w/the Subject: "Making $$," and we'll send you our
survey.
1. What is your home business?
Michael Borgia, CPA is a New
Jersey certified public accounting firm
providing accounting, auditing, tax, financial planning, and
information
systems services to individuals amd small businesses in the New
Jersey, New
York & Connecticut area, who are specifically involved in
an at-home
business.
2. What are the most popular
services (or products) you sell? Do you charge
by the hour or by the project, and how did you find the right
fee schedule?
The most popular services are
in the field of Taxation and the compilation
or review of business data from which financial statements are
prepared for
the client's business. The fee schedule is based on the volume
of
transactions entered into by the client. For example, the number
of sales
entries, purchase entries, and the number of employees on the
payroll
reports. All these transactions must be reviewed and corrected
if needed
before a correct report can be developed or tax returns filed.
My past
experience in charging fees ranged from $75 to $125 per month,
depending
upon the volume of transactions and the sophistification of the
accounting
system required. I have never had to raise these fees once a
client is
on-board. My clients have been with me for years and many long-term
friendships have evolved.
3. What are *your* favorite services
(or products)? Why do you like to sell
them?
My favorite services are those
that allow me to act as a mentor or business
coach to assist in growing my client's business.
4. Tell us a bit about your marketing
campaign. When did you start noticing
your first sales (after which marketing technique), what marketing
efforts
have you noticed yield the greatest results, and how do you make
your first
contact and subsequent sale (via online, phone, fax, mail, face-to-face)?
My first clients came by word-of-mouth
references from the executive staff
of the multi-national corporation which employed me as the Assistant
Treasurer and Tax Director. Additionally, I was employed by one
of the
"Big-Six" accounting firms dealing with high-income
taxpayers.
_____________________________________
WHAT'S
IT WORTH?
- "The Value of Organization"
- by deB Sechrist
Organizing yourself and your
household just once more before the end of the
year can be well worth your time. Go through your closets and
files, even
your car and you'll be amazed. This is a great week to tackle
this kind of
project, especially if you need the tax breaks of receipts dated
before
12/31/98.
In one afternoon cleaning and
organizing closets only, I was able to recover:
---> $25.68 in small change
and bills left in pockets, especially outerwear
pockets.
---> $52 worth of small gifts
I had purchased earlier in the year when I
found bargains and hid them away.
---> $150 worth of tax-deductible
clothing, shoe and toy donations (Write
down a brief description of what you give as you fill the bags
- i.e. 5
dresses, 2 pair shoes, etc. Get a signed receipt from the organization
you
give it to, staple your list to their receipt).
---> about $100 worth of "out
of service" items: a purse, 2 pair of casual
shoes, a nightgown and 4 blouses. All required only brief repair,
such as
replacing a button or buckle, and are now each back in service.
---> about $30 worth of gift-wrapping
supplies (ribbon, tape, paper, boxes)
that I won't have to go out and buy this year.
---> about $100 worth of kids'
clothing to pass on down to my nieces and
nephews.
---> priceless gain of 3 square
feet of space in which to store my steam
cleaner and get it out of the garage/office floorspace!
Spend just an hour or two a day
and you'll be done in a week. And it's a
much- appreciated boon to the charity organizations, more so
if your
donations are in good condition. You can involve the older kids
by inviting
them to clean their own closets (with your help) and choose what
can be
donated, what needs to be repaired, and what needs to be thrown
away.
And while you have the camcorder
or cameras out this holiday season, open
your closet doors and take a quick shot of the freshly organized
contents.
This is a great way to supplement your home inventory records
for your
insurance company!
=====
deBorah Sechrist is the mother of three, Co-Founder of The Entrepreneurial
Parent and owner of deBweB, a web design business. Find out more
about deB
at http://www.en-parent.com/webdsn.htm.
_____________________________________
EP MEMBER PROFILE
Fresh from our newly-updated
"EP Showcase." If you'd like to purchase your
own EP Profile Page and spread the word about your home career
on our web
site and in EPnews, read how to do so at: http://en-parent.com/faq.htm
EP: Michael Borgia, father to
4 children
=====
HOME CAREER:
CPA, Financial Planner & Business Coach
=====
MISSION STATEMENT:
To offer the At Home Business Person professional services needed
to
monitor and comply with constantly changing business conditions
and
governmental requirements, at a reasonable cost. Since I have
a small
overhead in operating my business out of my home, I can pass
the savings
along to my clients.
=====
TOP SERVICES:
Accounting
Compilation & Reviews
Personal & Business Tax Returns
IRS Assistance
Business set-up and assistance in capital placement
Bookkeeping
Miscellaneous financial services
=====
TOP CLIENTS:
International Dioxide
Serendipity Travel Agency
Celtic Industries
Colleen Shapario Graphic Arts
A.J. Bonocore Agency, Inc.
ABA Associates, Inc.
Doris Kelly Trust
E O Storz Estate & Else Storz Trust
numerous individual tax returns
=====
EP DISCOUNT:
Mention the "EP Profiles" and you'll receive a 15%
discount on all
services. Just send a message of inquiry to Mike at "[email protected]"
with the subject heading "EP Profile Discount" and
your preferred contact
info, and he'll be in touch soon!
=====
EP MUSINGS:
One of the positive traits that I feel I am handing down to my
children as
an EP is that if and when all else fails, their belief in their
own
abilities to overcome a problem will see them through a difficult
period.
=====
EP ADVICE:
Leave a sad yesterday far behind ñ for a happy future!
=====
FULL CONTACT INFO:
Michael Borgia, CPA
3 Kurt Drive
Flanders, NJ 07836
Phone: 973-584-0628
Email: [email protected]
URL: http://pages.prodigy.com/NAHY24D
=====
To learn more about what Michael has to say, visit his full profile
at:
http://en-parent.com/Profiles/Borgia.htm
_____________________________________
WE RECOMMEND
Father's World @ http://www.fathersworld.com
Father's World is a virtual community
for men who value fathering and their
families. Our mission is to promote and celebrate fatherhood
and family as
the leading source of information, resources, support and education
for all
types of fathers and their families. Subject categories at our
site
include: The Boards, The Den (chat area), Fatherhood, Goofing
Off, Health &
Fitness, Legal, News, Recipes, Resources and The Store.
Our aspirations for this site?
---> Support and Dialog. First
and foremost, we hope our site will be a
place where we connect fathers across the globe with each other
and with
the various support agencies and associations available to them.
We hope to
achieve this goal by: 1) Creating a newsletter. 2) Creating dialog
and chat
forums so that users can contribute ideas and share experiences
with each
other; and 3) Providing useful, informative, and always new reading
material.
---> To be open to all Parents.
We strongly aim to be an open environment,
a place where many sides of an issue can be viewed. It is important
for us
to focus on fathering issues, whether that is for the family
or nuclear
father, the at home father or the single father, fathers with
babies or
fathers with older children, fathers of children with disabilities.
As you
see, we try to cover all aspects of fatherhood and fathering
issues. At the
same time we also focus on men's issues such as health, diet,
and exercise.
If you need to contact us by
phone our number is 1-888-316-8400.
_____________________________________
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT EP
With two holidays down (Halloween
& Thanksgiving), and two more to go
(Christmas/Chanukah, New Year's), Lisa and deB decided to alter
the
publication dates of EPnews for the holidays. Only one issue
went out in
November and the two in December are coming a week earlier than
usual. Look
for things back to normal in January!
As for publicity happenings,
The Entrepreneurial Parent was featured in the
November issues of Cleveland/Akron Family and Washington Family
Magazines,
and will appear in February's issue of Family PC Magazine. Lisa's
book,
"How to Raise A Family & A Career Under One Roof: A
Parent's Guide to Home
Business" also made it recently in a recommended reading
list for the Los
Angeles Times.
Also, a few weeks ago we were
able to share some publicity leads with our
mailing list. Congratulations to EPnews Subscriber Wendy Schreiber,
whose
parenting tip will be featured in First for Women -- along with
a photo of
her and her son! Wendy describes herself as an "EP in Waiting"
and is very
excited to be featured in a national woman's magazine before
her business
even gets started.
Meanwhile, what's new at the
EP web site?
"WAHD Central (at http://en-parent.com/WAHD-Central.htm),
and some new EP Q&As
(at http://en-parent.com/experts.htm
)."
_____________________________________
A CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS:
We are always looking for members
at all skill levels to play an active
role in building our EP Community, whether it be contributing
your "EP"
stories (essays on work-family struggles, or how you started
your home
career) and other regular column features in EPnews, offering
your
technical skills to the web site, forwarding useful new resources,
or
working "behind the scenes" to create new mini-sites
for EP. Please send a
message to "[email protected]"
with the subject heading "EP Volunteer,"
and let's work together to reach our personal and professional
goals as a
strong virtual community.
___________________________
CONTACT/SUBSCRIPTION INFO
The Entrepreneurial Parent, LLC
is not engaged in rendering legal or
financial advice. If expert assistance is required, the services
of a
licensed professional should be sought.
This newsletter may be redistributed
freely via the Internet. Re-publishing
of separate articles for your print publication needs approval
first; write
to: [email protected] for permission.
© 2000, The Entrepreneurial
Parent, LLC
Editor: Lisa M. Roberts
EP Webmaster: Deborah Sechrist
POB 320722, Fairfield, CT 06432; http://en-parent.com
Ph:/Fax: (203) 371-6212, Email: [email protected]
Community email addresses:
Subscribe: [email protected]
Unsubscribe: [email protected]
List owner: [email protected]
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