Name:  Ruth Martin
Company Name:   Maplewood Virtual Assistance  and U Write Santa
Website Address:   http://www.MaplewoodVA.com and  http://www.UWriteSanta.com
Tell us a little about yourself and your business:
I am Ruth Martin, owner of Maplewood Virtual Assistance (aka MaplewoodVA). MaplewoodVA provides online business support services to small to mid-size businesses and entrepreneurs with an emphasis on business and project management, marketing [...]

by Melissa McCreery PhD,ACC
Are you looking for more ease in your life? Do you wish things flowed better? I don’t have a magic solution for you, but I do know a simple tool that, when leveraged, makes life smoother and more pleasant—and it’s free and at your fingertips. How about serving up a bit more [...]

by Diana Ennen
Setting up a virtual assistant business is relatively easy, but it’s important to have a complete plan of action set out in advance. I’m a firm believer that the initial planning phase of a business is crucial to its success. This ensures that you don’t leave any vital steps unaddressed and [...]

by Lori R. Bell
Did you know your idea for that awesome gadget/product/service you’ve been sitting on for the past 5 years is worth a million dollars? Well maybe. The point is you will never know what you know that’s worth so much to someone else. Here’s a great example. For about a week last spring [...]

Because I run a website dedicated to work-at-home moms, I get a considerable amount of email filled with questions about working from home. Without a doubt the question that I get asked most often is, “Do you know of any companies that I can work for from home?” The exciting thing is that yes, I [...]

Administrative assistants are moving from the office back into their homes as the opportunities for working in a home-based environment are growing daily. As modern  technology allows for the transfer of information quickly and easily, administrative professionals are finding it has never been easier to do the office work at home.  Letters, memos and reports [...]

by Jill Hart
“Mom”
“What?” (Said with my eyes on the computer or chore I happen to be doing)
“Mom”
“What?” (Said while my attention is still on said chore)
“Mom”
“WHAT!?!” (Said with full attention….and frustration)
Sadly, that’s been the typical conversation around my house lately. One (or both) of my kids trying to get my attention and me trying to [...]

by Muriel Larson
My husband was gone–and now I would have to determine how I would support myself and my five-year-old younger daughter.  I was offered a full-time job in the downtown office where I had done some part-time work. “Oh, Lord,” I prayed, “what should I do?  I hate the [...]

By: Michelle Shaeffer
Whether it’s print ads in the newspaper or the matching programs online, personal ads are a popular way to find a person to share your life with.
A personal ad is designed to be a short, attention grabbing description of who you are and what you’re looking for. To work well, they’ve got to [...]

by Cathy Spracklin
It is very exciting to start a work at home business. There are hundreds of attractive offers on the internet but which one do you choose.
Unfortunately, some offers are not what they say they are. Have you heard “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”? You should always beware [...]

Blogging. The word evokes different emotions in business owners. Some see blogging as a waste of time – something they neither understand or think can improve their business. Others believe in the power of blogging and it’s ability to connect them with their clients. So, what exactly is a blog and how can a business [...]

We’ve all seen the figures. Right now in our country we’re facing a 10.2% unemployment rate.
That number speaks volumes. What happens when income that you had coming in every week suddenly stops? Sure, we all know we should have saved for such an event, but many Americans are barely getting by. And experts say that [...]

The holidays are upon us. For most business owners that means an increase in sales – or at least it used to. In today’s frustrating economy, small and large businesses alike are facing record lows when it comes to sales. Even those in the service industry are seeing less and less clients. So what’s [...]

by Shelly Hill
When it comes to marketing your Direct Sales business online, I am seeing way too many consultants using desperation or begging tactics for business. When you beg for business…it comes across as being unprofessional.
I am not sure if these consultants realize the damage they are doing to their professional reputation or to their [...]

by Corrie Petersen
Without some form of advertising, your business will not do very well. Advertising your business is the best way to tell people you are open and this is what you offer. No matter what type of business you run, advertising is something you should always do. There are ways to advertise every type [...]