United States Charity

Jonathan Cooper asked:


Copyright (c) 2008 Law Offices of Jonathan Cooper

Unlike large corporations, who have in-house counsel, a small business is confronted by difficult choices when faced with the need for legal counsel – which firm do you hire? Do you look for a big firm or a small firm? In order to assist the small business owner in making these decisions, I have compiled the following list which clarifies some of the advantages and disadvantages of the big and small firms.

Big Firms:

In general, there are four (4) reasons why you may want to hire a big law firm to represent your small business:

(1) Resources.

You need sufficient support staff to manage an antitrust matter, a complex merger and acquisition, or a litigation matter with documentary discovery that would fill a large conference room or two.

(2) Interdisciplinary Expertise.

You require the in-depth knowledge of counsel on a broad range of legal services to collaborate on matters requiring expertise spanning several disciplines, such as corporate and securities, mergers and acquisitions, securitization, intellectual property, funds and other pooled investments, bankruptcy and corporate reorganization, bank and commercial lending, public finance, real estate, tax and employee benefits, as well as trusts and estates.

(3) Global Presence.

You need a global network of law offices to provide integrated multi-jurisdictional and cross-jurisdictional legal services.

(4) Big Firm Stature.

You need the prestige of a big firm’s name on an opinion letter to support the actions your company intends to take.

Small Firms:

Conversely, if your needs do not fit into one of these categories, your money would probably be better-spent on a small law firm specializing in your business’s needs. The reasons for specifically choosing a small law firm are several:

(1) Client Satisfaction is Critical to a Small Firm’s Survival.

Since, by definition, small law firms lack the “big name” distinction of a large law firm, the distinguishing characteristic for any small firm is its reputation for excellence in its particular areas of practice, and the personal attention the firm offers each client. Since each attorney’s performance is judged on client satisfaction and results obtained rather than on the attorneys’ annual billable hours that are charged to the firm’s clients (including you), the small firms have a vested interest in assuring that the resolution of your litigation or other assignment is as expeditious and inexpensive as possible.

(2) Seeing the “Big Picture”

The day-to-day handling of your case is carried out by the partner in charge of the case, and therefore will always remain mindful and positioned to recognize the most cost-effective manner to achieve your goals.

(3) No Duplication of Work Effort

You should never be billed for meetings between the partners and associates on your case, will rarely, if ever, be billed for more than one attorney appearing at a Court conference or deposition. Why should you pay to assure that the “head” knows what each “hand” is doing, or pay for two or more attorneys appearing when often only one of the attorneys will be allowed to speak on your behalf?

(4) Learning on your Nickel

Since your case is being handled directly by the partner in charge, you will only pay your lawyer to complete the requested task; you will not incur the additional time and expense for educating a new attorney.

In sum, selecting the right law firm is not always simple; one size does not fit all. The key is to choose wisely based upon the factors that are set forth above. It will save you a lot of time and aggravation (and probably money) in both the short and long term.

There’s plenty of advice out there for job candidates who are submitting resumes to big corporations, recruiters, or even mid-sized companies that have HR departments handling the whole hiring process. I work for a small, healthy and growing business which currently employs about 12 people. Most of these employees are specialists, a couple are management, and we have two support staff members. We have a multi-functioning office manager (myself) who handles IT support, HR and hiring initiatives, as well as administrative, marketing and public relations support. It’s a pretty typical small business set up.

I read through information published to help job seekers sometimes and am alarmed at how many tips and techniques do not translate from being effective for big businesses to working when contacting a small business. For instance, I read an article on Yahoo yesterday about 12 Tips to Get Your Resume Noticed. I was totally on board with Ms. Johnson’s advice until I got to tip #9. And #10. And #11 and 12 as well. I sat there imagining what would happen to my productivity level if all of the sudden even a percentage of the 75+ candidates who email resumes to me every day for our current open position decided to – gasp – call me!

So, I put together a list of things to do, and not to do, when applying for a job at a small company:

Remember that the person reading resumes in a small company probably wasn’t hired for that sole purpose. He or she has plenty of other job responsibilities that are waiting until all these resumes are reviewed. Be clear, concise and on-point. Include any and all information that was asked for in the job ad. Stand out by preparing a short, detailed cover note about why, exactly, you are the perfect candidate for the position advertised. Don’t call. Please, please, please don’t call. I guarantee that it will only serve to annoy the already overworked employee who has spent the morning reviewing resumes and is trying desperately to catch up with his or her normal workload. Be extremely diligent in reviewing your resume for errors and be sure that it is written in a formal tone. If you give a reviewer any reason to toss your resume into the “Do Not Contact” file, that’s a great excuse to move on to the next applicant in that growing stack of resumes left to review. Don’t follow up unless you have been contacted. While larger companies may have the bandwidth and/or technical capabilities to respond to each and every applicant, small companies cannot always do so. If you haven’t heard back, send your resume again, but don’t call or send emails asking for an update. If you didn’t read anything about the job or don’t really have any relevant experience but are just applying to everything you find on Craigslist.com “just in case”, don’t expect a response. Big companies and recruiters have tools to identify candidates with the right background and skill sets without reading each resume that comes in. Small businesses do not, and I’m sure the person tasked with reading your resume does not appreciate the waste of time.

Really, the number one thing to remember when applying for a job at a small company is to be respectful of the hiring manager’s time. Show that you are by providing exactly what’s asked for and by making it easy for the hiring manager to quickly see how your specific skills and experience translate into the perfect candidate for the job you’re applying for.

Vikram kuamr asked:


Internet has proved itself a blessing for mankind. It has made work easy and convenient. In addition, it has also become best place for marketing or for business. Several large and small businesses are running on internet. There are thousands of sites on the internet which can help you in getting answer of any question. Almost everything can be done through internet and that too in an easy and convenient manner. There are several small businesses that are running on internet but because of poor networking they are unable to gain much profit. As we all know that there are several website links on the internet, so how can one manage to mark up his website links presence on the internet. If you are engaged in any small business and not gaining much profit, then I can suggest you a company which can help you in gaining much profit. All you have to do is to visit blissent and join them.

 

This company is among the best choices one can get for promoting his website links. This company is not new to the market and is very reputed for its quality services. This company has loads of experience and can surely benefit your small business. All you have to do is to provide your website links to them and they will turn traffic to your site. Your website links will be promoted to the top page so that visitors can mark up your presence on the internet. This will not only promote your websites links but will also promote your small business and your products.

 

There are several other benefits which you will get by visiting blissent, let us discuss some of them:

 

1)      Increased visitors: the first benefit which you will get is that you can increase the traffic to your website links. By joining them you can increase the number of visitors to your website links. This will surely help your small business in achieving great heights. You can develop a better networking which will ultimately increase the website links traffic and the small business. You can also add logos and traffic add banners so that one can easily mark your internet presence. All you have to do is to submit your links in the provided categories and you will be provided with real targeted traffic so that your online small business can flourish in a better way.

 

2)      Excellent services: the other benefit which you will get is that you can avail their excellent services. First of all you can join them free by submitting your links in the below stated category. They provide wide range of categories so that you can easily choose a category which can suit your small business in the best manner. If still you do not find a suitable category you can mail them about your website links and the desired category. In just a matter of time you will be provided with a new category so that you can submit your website links easily. This added facility will surely help in promoting the website links and the small business in a proper way. They also charge very low amount for promoting your website links so that you may not feel any stress on your budget.

M Lesko asked:


Why Will the Government Offer Grants for Small Business?

Are you an entrepreneur that needs a business or small business grant? Are you motivated and skilled enough to begin your own small business? Do you need free money to start a small business but haven’t got a clue as to where to start? Look no further; there’s hope for your small business. As an enticement to small business owners, the government earmarks several million dollars in government grant money to assist small and personal businesses to flourish. There are millions that are unclaimed each year resulting from the lack of knowledge in regard to government grants. Thanks to Matthew Lesko, more knowledge has gotten out about how to get free government grants for small businesses, paying bills, college, etc. Matthew Lesko has written several books that educate individuals exactly like you on the way to receive a small business grant from the U.S. government. An average person may feel a little skeptical of any opportunity to get free money and may ask at least some of these questions: Is there really a catch to getting a small business grant? What exactly does the government get out of making an investment in small businesses? What can I do in order to obtain more general information and tips about small business grants?

It has been said that about 50% of all small businesses don’t make it beyond their first year. Why don’t small businesses succeed? Not enough funding and a lack of experience are a couple of the more customary reasons that small businesses aren’t going to make it beyond their first year. Why does the government give out small business grants to help entrepreneurs with startup costs if there is so much failure in small businesses? Why exactly does the government have such a high interest in small businesses? Small businesses likely represent ninety five percent of all employers in the United States. In addition, they contribute 50 percent of the gross domestic product of the country. Grants for small businesses are offered to business owners to promote economic improvement or growth. Three of four new American jobs are offered by small businesses.

The United States government doesn’t actually give out federal grant money to begin a small business. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is a Federal government agency that supports, protects the interests of, advocates, and provides resources small business concerns. The federal government has left it up to each individual state to appropriate funding by way of state grants to assist small businesses to thrive and grow. Small businesses are critical to the economic security of the U.S.. Keeping this in mind, the SBA has a mission to put money and time into helping entrepreneurs so they can start, grow, and develop their small businesses. Giving a support system to new businesses by awarding a small business grant is a small gesture when the economic development of the United States plays a role.

If you’re an entrepreneur, the U.S. government has small business grants so they can help your business to succeed. If you would like help finding more information about these small business grants, it would be a benefit to hear what Matthew Lesko has got to say about free money that might be available that could help your business to grow. His research shows that more than 1 million business owners receive small business grants each and every year. Grants like these may be available by way of the local government of your specific state. Keep in mind, that through assisting small businesses to develop and grow, the United States economy is going to grow and flourish as well. Small business grants are an incentive to business owners and to the economy of the nation as a whole. The more small businesses that are started, the more employment will also be created. In order to secure the advancement of small businesses, the government can help by providing small business grants as well as other resources that are necessary for small businesses to flourish.

About the Author: Find out about the best ways to get Small Business Grants! Matthew Lesko.com will show you ways to get available funding, regardless of your business’ income amount, credit rating or age! Look at this web site for a completely free preview: http://www.MatthewLesko.com now! For more information and tips about Small Business Grants, click here.

Karen Scharf asked:


Entrepreneurs often find it difficult to grow their small businesses. They struggle with the effort and expense involved in traditional marketing methods, and the limited budgets they have to work with. However, there are four extremely powerful and practically free marketing tools that we all have at our disposal, but we often over look.

Let’s take a look at one of the easiest techniques for growing a small business on a shoestring budget:

Take Advantage Of Customer Testimonials

The next best thing to customer referrals is customer testimonials. Testimonials help put your customers at ease. They break down doubt and buying resistance. Plus, the customer who gave the testimonial becomes more loyal (just like the customer who gave a referral).

We all know that testimonials are extremely powerful, but it still amazes me how few small businesses actually use them. Every single bit of marketing you do should include customer testimonials. Every sales letter, every display ad, every radio spot. Even your brochures and business cards will be more effective if they contain testimonials. So, from here on out, get in the habit of including testimonials on everything!

What’s that you said? You don’t have any testimonials? Well, start collecting them NOW by using the following tips:

1. Create a mechanism for collecting testimonials. A fill-in-the-blanks form works great in most circumstances. Be sure to ask for your client’s full name and permission to publish the testimonial.

2. Ask for a testimonial right away. This strategy has two benefits. First, the details of your service will still be fresh in your customer’s mind. Second, buyer’s remorse and refund requests will be reduced once the client has “taken a stand” for your service.

3. Ask for a specific testimonial. For instance, you can say, “Kathy can you jot down a brief description of how we took care of your squeaky brakes?”

4. Ask your customer to describe the problem she was having before using your product or service. This helps your prospect identify with the customer giving a testimonial, and also helps aggravate the pain the prospect is experiencing (aggravation is part of the selling process).

5. Try to get a picture of your customer to use along with the testimonial. Keep a Polaroid or digital camera handy for this purpose.

So, what should you do with all these testimonials once you’ve collected them? First and foremost, use them in every single bit of marketing that you generate. Here are a few more ideas:

1. Compile your testimonials into an “Important Tips” free report and use it as a lead generator.

2. Create a CD of audio testimonials that you can send to prospects.

3. Play a DVD of video testimonials on a loop in your waiting room. This is especially effective if you have testimonials about products or services that many of your customers aren’t aware that you offer. This makes great covert “advertising”.

4. Plaster your written, audio and video testimonials all over your website.

5. Post your testimonials on a huge bulletin board in your lobby and include photos of your customers if you have them.

6. Use corresponding testimonials in your advertising. Are you creating a coupon for a coolant flush? Include testimonials about how great your coolant flush service is.

7. Use complimentary testimonials in your advertising. Running an oil change special? Include testimonials about your tire rotation service.

And just like referrals, it is absolutely imperative that you come up with a special way to thank the customers who gave you testimonials. More than likely, the clients who give referrals and testimonials are your best and most loyal customers – and you want to keep it that way!

Barbara Tremblay Cipak asked:


Today, improving the image of the small business, or rather creating the appearance of a larger corporation, can be achieved by many small businesses through the implementation of a Virtual PBX System. The features of such a system are numerous, including the ability of the Small Business to connect to employee teams across the country, or create virtual departments within their business.

Easy and affordable to implement, the Small Business can readily compete today with the larger functionality of the Fortune 500 phone system used by larger corporations.According to a report written by Derek Leebaert, in Journal USA dated January 2006, on “How Small Businesses Contribute to U.S. Economic Expansion”, he outlines several interesting factors including, how “firms of 100 to 1,000 workers are spending money eight times faster on technology than are big corporations”. He also points out how “small businesses act as a shock absorber for fluctuations in employment caused by globalization and downsizing” by highlighting the fact that 53 percent of small businesses are operating out of an individual’s home. These businesses range from Hair Styling to Business Consulting Services, and more.

The Virtual Switchboard is the perfect example of the Small Business Owner jumping on the technology bandwagon to stay ahead of, or just compete effectively with larger companies. Useable features in these online systems can paint a professional image of a small company being larger than it physically is. Some features of the Virtual PBX include:

Multiple Extensions and Greetings;

Dial-by-Name Directory;

Customizable Music-on-Hold;

Answering Rules;

Flexible Call Forwarding;

Total control over Managing Incoming Calls.The Small Business Owner Can also set-up fax and voice mailboxes for employees, and can select a toll free number that is right for them. One of the more obvious benefits to the small business owner is their ability to live and work in one city and acquire a local number from another city.

Again, according to statistics provided from the above article, Fortune 500 companies now employ 9 percent of the workforce in the USA, versus the 20 percent employment ratio they provided in 1980. In the last decade, an average of 9.36 of the American population started their own business. Contrary to what many people think — ‘that new businesses are likely to fail’ — two thirds of all businesses started are still open after two years.

By implementing innovative production techniques from technologies such as the Virtual PBX, and generally stream lining operations, the small business can adapt faster to shifting economic conditions, and can, in most cases, successfully compete with the image of their larger business counterpart.

David Ogden asked:


One benefit the Internet offers you when starting a small business is your ability to customize it the way you want. You can also keep in the back of your mind that any mistakes that you make can quickly be overcome online.

One of the best small businesses to start is in affiliate marketing business. You can run this on the Internet and you can be set up to go with your own small business very quickly.

Let’s take a look at the two things you should keep in mind when starting a small business on the Internet as an affiliate marketer.

1. First of all you need to be aware of the various programs and products that are available to you. It really is to your benefit to spend some time doing some research on the market that you want to be in before you choose the products themselves.

You are looking for a market that has a lot of interest in it and then find a program that has a number of quality products to sell in that market. Of course you’re going to be looking at the commission structure to determine how much money you make as well.

2. From the very beginning put the emphasis in your small business on building an email list of names and email addresses. If you did nothing other than build a list and mail offers to it you can make an excellent income with the small business online.

There are several ways to go about doing this and you certainly want to give away free things in exchange for their contact information. Ebooks and reports work extremely well for this.

You’re much better off as an affiliate marketer to get the names of your prospects before you pass them through to your affiliate website. For this reason, you’ll want to use landing pages as well as have sign-up forms on your own personal website or blog.

The other thing to keep in mind when you’re building your email list of names is to develop that list into people who know you and respect you. This takes away the coldness of the Internet because it’s so easy to be nothing more than a stranger when you are working through email marketing.

These are two things to keep in mind when starting a small business online. Affiliate marketing is the best way to make money and building an email list is an excellent way to do affiliate marketing.

Gen Wright asked:


As the Internet continues to evolve it is presenting tremendous opportunities for the average person to make money. One opportunity that is not being totally capitalized on is the small business sector. Here are a few reasons why we think small businesses offer you a tremendous money making business opportunity if you will learn how to do it correctly.

It is somewhat astounding that many small businesses today still do not have a website of their own. They continue to operate in the old fashion way. This would include having an ad in the Yellow Pages, doing weekly advertising in their local newspaper, and relying on word of mouth for new business.

Even in rural areas people are becoming more accustomed to using the Internet to find what they need. Every small business that does not have an online presence is missing out on potential new customers.

Another fact is that small businesses who do have a website on the Internet are not marketing it in any way. There are several reasons for this including the fact that most small business owners have no idea how to market a business online.

This presents a tremendous money making business opportunity for a person who wants to develop it. You can start by contacting small businesses right in the very area where you live.

If they do not have a website offered to build one for them. If you are concerned that you do not have the skill to build it yourself, relax because you can outsource all of the work.

There are people all around the world who are willing to do things that you may not know how to do yourself. You can hire these people at websites such as eLance.com and pay them to build a website for your customer.

Your job is to find out what the customer wants, and then make the sale. Small business people are willing to pay as long as they see a value and trust the person that they are dealing with.

Another way you can make money with small businesses is to offer to market their business on the Internet. One way you can do this is to offer article marketing as a way to develop their online presence.

If you do not like to write articles, again you can outsource this by hiring an article writer. You can even develop a keyword list that is relevant to the type of small business that you are dealing with.

In summary these are a couple of ways that small businesses offer you a great money making business opportunity. You are only limited by your imagination and drive to go out and do it.

Gen Wright asked:


This report presents a comprehensive picture of the contribution of small enterprises in Ireland. The report contains data on the contribution of small businesses in industry, services and construction, as well as statistics on the labor, the knowledge-based economy and workforce. It also includes international comparisons.

In the report, a small business is defined as an enterprise which employs fewer than 50 people. Statistics on medium (50-249 persons) and large enterprises (250 or more people) are included for comparison.

Highlights of the report are:

Industry: Production and employment dominated by medium and large enterprises

* In 2005, four of the five industrial companies (81%) were small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. This company employs 50,000 people, slightly more than one fifth of total industrial employment. * The larger companies (50 or more persons) employed 181,100 people in 2005 and generated 93% of the total turnover in the industry. * The vast majority of small industrial firms were Irish owned (95%). Nearly 42% of larger companies are foreign-owned.

Services: More than 380,000 employees of small businesses in the service sector

* In the service sector, almost all companies (98%) were small. There were 82,100 small businesses, employing over 380,000 people in the service sector in 2005. That was more than half of total employment in this sector. * Small businesses account for nearly half (49%) of total turnover in the services sector, and generates a turnover of nearly ? 81.6bn in 2005. * Nearly half of small businesses in the service sector are the property of the family (47%). The vast majority of these family businesses employed fewer than 10 people.

Construction: Small businesses occupied two thirds of all people who work in construction

* According to the Quarterly National Household Survey, there were 253,200 employed in construction in the fourth quarter of 2005. Of these, 211,000 have indicated that they worked in small businesses (fewer than 50 employees), while 24,500 have indicated that they worked in large enterprises (50 or more employees). A further 17,600 not specify the number of employees to their jobs.

* Among the 253,200 people employed in the construction industry, more than 65% worked for very small concerns employing less tha ten people.

Salaries and wages: 54% of private sector employees in small firms earned between ? 10 – ? 20 per hour in 2006

* The average hourly wage in small businesses were ? 15.22 in 2006 compared to ? 19.38 in companies with 50 or more workers in 2006.

* The average annual salary for employees in a small business amounted to ? 32,453 in 2006. The average wage in large enterprises was ? 44,794 per year.

Knowledge-based economy: the larger companies have shown higher levels of e-government activities

* Small businesses generally not more modern information and communication technology than larger companies.

* Almost all companies with 10 or more employees were connected to the Internet that two-thirds of businesses with fewer than 10 employees to use the Internet.

Size of work: almost 56% of employment in small workplaces

* In all areas, 56% of jobs in workplaces where fewer than 50 persons were employed in the second quarter of 2007. A total of 1175800 people worked in small workplaces. Of these, 839,300 were employees, 216,600 are self-employed and 107,900 are self-employed with employees. These figures include agriculture and the public sector and the economy.

* Among the 316,300 non-Irish nationals in employment in the second quarter of 2007, less than half (47%) worked in small workplaces.

EU comparison, the value added in small construction firms in Ireland was three times the EU average in 2005

* Almost three-quarters of production in Ireland turnover was generated by large companies, while the EU average was 60%.

* In 2005, Ireland is recorded but the gross value added per employee of ? 51,600 in the distribution of services. The EU average was ? 33,000 per employee. * The gross value added per employee in the construction industry in Ireland was significantly higher than the EU average for all types of employment dimension.

Charity. Faith. Hope. asked:


HERE ARE DETAILS OF A GREAT WEBSITE. WHERE EVERY TIME YOU CLICK A LINK THEY WILL DONATE MONEY TO A ****** CANCER CHARITY.THERE IS A LINK TO THE SITE AT THE FOOT OF THE PAGE.

 

www.TheBreastCancerSite.com

 

The ****** Cancer Site was founded to help fund free mammograms for women in need – women for whom early detection would not otherwise be possible. Since its launch in October 2000, the site has established itself as a leader in online activism and in the fight to prevent ****** cancer deaths.

 

The issue of ****** cancer is painfully close to many people’s hearts. Each year, 211,000 women are diagnosed with ****** cancer and 43,300 die. Almost everyone knows someone whose life has been affected by a ****** cancer diagnosis or that of a loved one. The ****** Cancer Site provides a feel-good way to help promote awareness and prevent ****** cancer deaths every day – through easy online activities.

 

With a simple daily click of the pink button at The ****** Cancer Site, visitors help provide mammograms to those in need. Visitors pay nothing. Mammograms are paid for by the site’s sponsors and distributed by the National ****** Cancer Foundation, Inc.

 

Access to mammography is a critical issue. ****** cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women ages 40 – 55. Early detection is the key to survival and better treatment options, and mammography is among the best-known methods of early detection, yet 13 million women in the U.S. over 40 have never had a mammogram.

 

In addition to clicking the pink “Click Here to Give – it’s FREE” button, visitors can make early detection and survival of ****** cancer possible by shopping in The ****** Cancer Site store. With each item purchased, shoppers generate funds for free mammograms for women in need. The store offers a wide array of items to show your support, including pink ribbon jewelry and apparel.

 

About GreaterGood.org

 

GreaterGood.org is an independent charitable organization devoted to addressing the health and well-being of people (particularly women and children), animals, and the planet. GreaterGood.org distributes funds generated through the GreaterGood Network of websites to the many charitable organizations responsible for implementing programs named on these sites. 100% of the funds generated through the GreaterGood Network pass through GreaterGood.org to our partner charities. GreaterGood.org has ultimate authority and discretion with regard to the distribution of its funds. All expenditures made are consistent with the exempt purposes of GreaterGood.org.

About the Owners of The ****** Cancer Site

 

Long-time environmental activists Tim Kunin and Greg Hesterberg met at the University of Michigan while working on the Michigan Bottle Bill ballot campaign in 1976. As enthusiastic supporters of The Hunger Site, they realized the power of providing busy Internet users with a fast, free and easy way to make a difference and launched EcologyFund.com to give people the means to support wilderness preservation efforts worldwide. They are particularly excited about The ****** Cancer Site, as both are sons of ****** cancer survivors.

 

Tim Kunin has traveled extensively to visit charity partners and purchase some of the fair-trade products available on our sites. He is convinced that providing a market for products made by rural women artisans is the best method of reducing inter-generational poverty. Travels have taken Tim to Canada, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Sweden, England, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Morocco, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Mozambique, South Africa, Israel, India, and Afghanistan. Tim has purchased unique products in each of these countries which can in turn be purchased from the web stores here.

 

Greg Hesterberg was chairman of two statewide consumer and environmental organizations (MaryPIRG and PIRGIM) while in college. After 20 years running a successful publishing firm, Greg delights in finding innovative ways to make the world a better place.