Latest Blog Posts

Are You A Father Or A Daddy?

I have come to realize that there is a huge difference between a father and a daddy.  I had a father, I’m trying to be a daddy.  So just for fun, here are a few differences between a father and a daddy:

A father changes a diaper by yelling, “Hon, the baby needs to be changed!”
A daddy can change a diaper while talking on the phone, and go right back to eating a sandwich.

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Five Cheap and Easy Ideas for You To Make Halloween Special and Have Some Fun With Your Kids

Tomorrow is Halloween, and at our house that is a pretty big deal. My oldest daughter (who would be proud to tell you she is five and three quarters) is totally into it. That makes it a lot more fun for my wife and me. She decided what she wanted to be months ago, and has been wearing her witch costume around the house for weeks now. They say that the money Americans spend on Halloween is second only to Christmas. Are you kidding me?! Let me say that again for the entrepreneurs- In America, Halloween is the second largest retail holiday-  It is second only to Christmas.

This isn’t going to be about making money on Halloween, but the business coach in me couldn’t resist passing that little hint along to anyone who is looking for ideas. This is going to be about the opposite.  This is going to be about things you can do to make tomorrow special, without spending a lot of money.

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Using the US Patent and Trademark Office Website to Search If A Trademark Is Available

This video tutorial teaches you how to use the US Patent and Trademark Office website to search if a trademark is available. Before you finalize the name for your new business and file the paperwork for your LLC or corporation, you need to make sure the name is not being used by another business. One of things you can do to make sure your name is available, is search the USPTO database using their website.

The website is pretty confusing but this tutorial shows you how to find the search form and easily conduct the search to make sure your name is is not already registered as a trademark by another company. After watching the tutorial, go to The United States Patent and Trademark Office Website to conduct your search.

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Should You Start a New Business In A Recession? Definitely!

Okay, I gave away the answer in the title, but I just couldn’t wait to tell you.  There is a lot of talk about the recession lately.  The world economy is on magic mushrooms, and stock markets go up and down by 10% in a given day.  All you hear on the news are stories about people loosing their homes, businesses going bankrupt putting thousands out of work, Armageddon.  Are we in a recession or aren’t we?  The media is selling fear, worry and panic, and the general public can’t buy enough.  The candidates for President of the US keep saying that the country is facing the biggest economic crisis since the Great Depression.  They wouldn’t be setting themselves up to be a huge hero when things turn around, or have a good excuse if they don’t, would they?

Let’s assume we ARE in a recession, and we are facing this huge economic downturn.  So What?!  That may seem cold, or uncaring to people facing hard times right now.  It’s not.  I’m just saying that worrying about it isn’t the answer.  You may have already been affected by the economy in some way, or maybe you haven’t. If you have, make a plan.  If you haven’t, MAKE A PLAN.  Don’t get sucked into the vacuum of panic and paralysis that is sure to grip so many small business owners.  Change your tactics.  Adapt to the market- like you always should. If you don’t think a business can survive hard times, and the great Depression wiped out everything, think again.

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10 Things You Can Do To Get To Know Your Young Kids Today- And Get Them To Know You

If you’re worried that you don’t spend enough time with your children, you’re not alone. If your worried that starting a new business will take up the little free time you have, and you won’t have any time left over to be a good dad, you’re not alone. Let’s face it. It isn’t easy being a successful business owner, or a successful anything, and a good dad.  If you’re like most dads I know, you leave for the office early in the morning and by the time you come home, the kids are either already asleep or almost there.  Even if they’re wake, you’re so tired you just want to go to a quiet room and chill.  I know this, because once upon a time, this was me.  That is why I can promise you that it doesn’t have to be that way.  This about me confronting the reality that my baby girl didn’t know me, and what I did to fix it.

When my oldest daughter was about a year and a half old, I was going through a difficult time with my business.  I had grown my business to the point where I needed help to get all of the work done, and I hired an assistant.  I spent a lot of time and money training this person, and just as I was entering into my busiest time of the year, they up and left me.  No notice, just didn’t show up. There was no time to get anyone else up to speed, so it was early to the office and late nights for couple months.  I’m talking in the office by 7 am, and there until after 10 pm.  I was hating life, and to make things worse, I suddenly realized that my daughter couldn’t possibly know who I was.

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