There’s nothing like working harder at a business to make it a success, except working harder at being smarter.

Getting more done with less is an art,
It’s a quality requiring much heart,
But I must confess
How I turned failure to success
Was to work both hard and work smart.

I’ve heard two schools of thought when it comes to achieving maximum success in a minimum of time. The first school is to work hard, long hours; nose to the grindstone and burning the midnight oil. I’ve heard many people say that is the only sure way to achieve lasting success.

But I am sure you know many people who have worked hard for years and have yet to achieve what most people would call success. In fact, you may be one of them. I was one of those people. I discovered many years ago that hard work alone is not a guarantee of success. If it was you’d see more millionaires.

The other school of thought says to work smart - not hard. The work smart philosophy says “less is better.” Delegate, use other people’s time, money, and hands as much as you can. They say this is the quickest way to success.

With so much talk about working smart, many people especially people new to running a business and young people are starting to get the impression that good old fashion hard work went out with the horse- and-buggy. They feel hard work is no longer required to achieve success. After all we computers, e-mail and cell phones. Boy, are they in for a rude awakening.

I must admit they both have their benefits and their limits. Through experience I’ve discovered the best way to achieve maximum success in a minimum of time is to work hard at working smart!

Yes, working hard at working smart will give you the best of both worlds - without the limits each one has by itself. When you work hard at working smart you’re maximizing your potential to the fullest. You have your pedal to the medal and your going full speed ahead - but you’re doing it in the most efficient way possible.

Here are 7 quick and easy ways to help you work hard at working smart everyday. If you take the time make these tips a habit you’ll find yourself achieving your goals much quicker.

1. Work hard at being more adaptable to changes.

Remember that every change that comes your way gives you an opportunity to move ahead of those that won’t or can’t adapt to sudden change. In life they say the only guarantees are death and taxes. I would like to add a third item and that is CHANGE. Try to be the first to learn and adapt to new changes in your industry, in new technologies and new techniques.

2. Work hard at looking for shortcuts in everything you do.

Always be alert to easier more efficient ways of doing your routine task. Can you cut out, reduce, speed-up or combine steps - without sacrificing effectiveness? Don’t fall in the habit of doing routine task with a routine attitude. Stay alert to the possibility of doing it in a different way. Think outside the box if it can save you time, money or frustration .

3. Work hard at thinking ahead as much as possible.

The best chess players always think one move ahead. You should always try to do the same. Prepare yourself mentally before you act physically. This alone will help you avoid wasting time and making costly mistakes. The best athletes establish the habit of anticipating there next move ahead of time. The best quarterbacks know what they’ll do if they’re primary receiver falls down.

4. Work hard at finding working hard at working smart role models.

Always be on the look out for people who work hard at working smart. Here’s a hint; they’ll usually be the people who do more in less time and with fewer sources of money, time or people to help them than others.

5. Work hard at learning quickly from your mistakes and the mistakes of others.

You’re smart if you can learn from your mistakes, you’re intelligent if you can learn from others mistakes - but you’re wise if you can do both. Learn how to fail constructively. You learn constructively when you ask who , what , when , why and how questions. For example, next time who will I consult with first, what did I do wrong, when did I do it, why did I do it and how can I do better next time.

6. Work hard at finding ways to wisely multi-task.

What’s most important about multitasking (doing 2 or more tasks at once)? Is knowing when to multitask and when not to. Routine task is perfect for multitasking. But detailed, risky, and dangerous projects should not be.

7. Work hard at keeping current on the latest technology related to your task.

Allow technology to help you work harder at working smarter. Whatever your task, their is a gadget, software program or tool that can help you do it more efficiently.

It is my hope that these 7 tips will inspire you to think of more ways you can work hard at working smart. The benefits and satisfaction will be well worth your time and effort.

Our guest author, Roy Primm, is a freelance writer who has written hundreds of articles showing how to make money by creating small niche products and services. To learn more about the power of niches go to http://www.NicheBrain.com

The Money Blog has no connection with the author or the website.

Building an online business can be a complicated process unless you know the right way to go about it. Here Daega Smith shows us his way :

Online business has now been a trend in the modern day of doing business. It is an effective way to make product selling and responding to client orders or comments. With this trend, all of us are hooked to do it. In order for us to build an online business, here are the following tips that we need to know:

1. Register a domain. It is important to have this item because you needed a contact to host the website you are planning. Of course, you must make bargains with different sectors having business like this.

2. Hosting account setup. Having a private account for your website will truly help.

3. Create a simple web site. As we all know it, your website will say all about your business. It will be your window to potential clients. So when you make it, be read and be able to attract huge number of purchases.

4. Upload files to the designated website. All information needs to be placed in the website for all customers to know what you are selling or marketing. Give them all the needed data. These items will now serve as proofs that your product is good enough to be patronized.

5. Auto-responding component setup. Customers make an inquiry about a product or service is a nice start up business. For this reason, an online form that will convince them to make inputs related to orders, etc. is surely a hit. It is more effective if you can provide an auto-responder because customers need not to wait long for your answer.

6. Order process automation. The faster you transact business, the more you win great number of clients. It is effective to do it online because majority of the people are hooked on the internet’s light.

Formulating a Plan
To build any online business, begin with its concept. Online business is more powerful than the method of doing business before. Imagine, everyone has to personally go to a store to buy items but now you can just do it in a single click. After clicking the desired item, you will be prompted to confirm payment details. Before payment was only done in cash, but now, you need to have an ATM or credit card. If everything is already done, then that’s it. You will just have to wait for your ordered item to come in front of your door. As simple as that!

If you plan to make an online business from the beginning, it is vital to make sure you are starting with nice ideas for your business. You must think what you can do best and start from it. Widen your horizons by doing researches related to your weaknesses. Make those liabilities of yours into great assets. By doing these things, you will be a surefire winner of your endeavor.

What are the in-demand products online? Based from surveys, the following are the products commonly being bought via internet:

1. Computer products and accessories. It is high-tech world nowadays and the need for computers and other devices are increasing. This is a big source of possible sales because it is will be noticed by the public.

2. Books and other references. Majority of the people loves to read books of all sorts - it can be fiction or non-fictions, biographies, academic subjects, fashion magazines, etc.

3. Travel packages. To advertise the latest tour packages and cool discounts!

4. Clothes. What’s in and what’s hot in the fashion industry is the usual content of this advertising.

5. Music (audio CDs). We all love music so it is another mine to make business.

6. Gifts for all occasions. The many occasions we celebrate can be a good source of income to all aspring online businessmen.

7. Investments. Investing money or capitalizing on a business is one sure method to attract people. It has big impact because you are proposing to them a way to make money.

The most important thing when you setup online business or all businesses is to make a detailed plan. Plans for all the expenses, the activities involved, the strategies that you will be doing in your business and other constructive factors. If you do this, it will keep you motivated throughout your business from start to end — a successful way on top!

Our guest author, Daegan Smith, is the leader of the fastest growing team of successful home business enterpernuers on the net. His website is at : http://www.comlev.net.

The Money Blog has no connections with this business or website.

You can make money from a business in two ways : by running it for income, and by selling it. Today we look at the selling option.

This year, some 700,000 American businesses will be sold. Most will be small and mid-sized businesses like yours. If you, too, are thinking of selling, consider these practical steps for making the process go smoothly.

* Determine a Realistic Price Range
* Understand the Tax Consequences
* Prepare for a Sale
* Seek Potential Buyers
* Negotiate Your Deal
* Sign a Sales Agreement
* Plan for the Closing
* File Paperwork With the IRS

Getting the Cash Out of your Business Note
Business notes, known more specifically as seller carryback business notes, are created when the buyer of a business can not or will not pay all cash. Frequently, banks and similar lending institutions are hesitant to loan money to new business owners who have minimal track records and where hard assets make up a small percentage of the total purchase price.

In the case where a buyer cannot obtain a loan, the seller is left with two choices (1) hold off until he/she find a buyer who can pay all cash or (2) carry back a note in order to collect future payments. The first option is often not realistic. In the second case, the seller is hopefully able to at least extract a large down payment to make extra sure that the buyer has some “skin in the game”. However, even then the seller is usually in a position that he prefers not to be in – he has no lump sum of money to either invest in other opportunities or to retire. Unlike a real estate note, where is there is a hard asset that is fairly easy to appraise; the business note is relatively risky to hold.

So, what is a business seller to do when he didn’t want to be in the lending business to start with and now has a need for immediate cash? What many people don’t realize is that the business note can be sold. The former owner can sell all or part of the note to get a lump sum of cash. In this way, both the goals of selling the business and getting the cash out of it are met.

In summary, selling a business note is an excellent way for the former owner of a business to get his cash out of the business. Whether the reason for selling the note is that the seller would have preferred all cash all along, that he now has large debts to pay, or that he has the opportunity to pursue other investments, the sale of a business note is a tool of which you should always be aware.

Our guest author, Afra AmirSanjari, is the Principal for Peacock Capital. Peacock Capital specializes in solving the cash flow challenges of Small/Medium Businesses, Government Vendors and Individuals with innovative financial solutions by providing a network for securing operating capital.

http://www.peacockcapital.com

The Money Blog has no financial holdings in Peacock Capital, nor knowledge of its affairs.

Commercial blogging is not necessarily the same as business blogging. The latter means working for a corporation and blogging its products and services.

Commercial blogging is what this blog is doing. The Money Blog is part of a Web Network Magazine, called Syntagma. It lives, like its print counterparts, by selling advertising around useful content.

There are many types of commercial blogging. If you work alone, you are a “problogger” by one definition. If you work as part of a group, a commercial blogger.

Basically, we are what H.G. Wells called, Originative Intellectual Workers. In one sense, we securitize our talents and put them on a global market to sell to the highest bidder.

Originative Intellectual Workers (OIWs) face many challenges and opportunities in the new world of independent publishing. The opportunities come mainly from relatively cheap, universally-available means of publishing content. A short-list would include, print-on-demand books, ebooks, P2P file distribution, blogs, RSS, content management systems, Wi-Fi, and podcasting.

The challenges arise from the commoditization of information and the inevitability of supply overeaching demand. As Bill French put it: “… information nears the point of zero-price (not zero-cost).” In other words, how does one get paid? Many OIWs simply give away their content and rely on name-brand consultancy and speaking engagements to drive cash flow. Many writers are uncomfortable with that. Showbiz and the pen are not natural bedfellows.

Blogs have come into their own quite quickly. Although business blogging is still in its infancy (less than 1pc are business blogs), all the top OIWs are blogging. But why have blogs taken off in the world of business? Because, says Joyce Wycoff, they are

“Creating an environment where ’serendipitous types of conversations’ occur, a place where people from various disciplines bump into each other and start talking about possibilities.”

So we’re talking innovation here. In an uncertain world situation where educated Indians and Chinese are taking intellectual and software jobs from the West, OIWs are right to be on their guard. They are also right to think innovatively. The East may be good at playing catch-up but, as Tom Peters clearly believes, through innovation we can ensure that they’re always chasing the game.

Blogs play an enormous role in this process. By capturing new ideas and keeping them alive. And by chasing new uses for ideas and testing them in a fluid, receptive environment, they cut the mustard in unpredictable ways.

Blogs can build and drive an innovation factory with the slenderest of tools. Robin Good’s “RSS NewsMaster’s Toolkit” follows up his recognition of NewsMastering as the latest job chrysalis for emerging OIWs.

In Robin Good’s terms, RSS channels — even those originating from simple blogs — are “News Radars” for a new breed of independent publisher and content provider. A News Radar is “a constantly updated thematic channel of highly relevant web references that are gathered in accordance with specific, persistent search criteria.” In simpler terms they are a new means of publishing our work, which may be on “topics, people, opinions, products, news items, events or passions.”

Whichever role you wish to play online, you have to do it very well, because competition is fierce and growing and is not restricted now to the English-speaking world. The whole world is now the English-speaking world.