Small Business Boomers

The theme for this week seems to be “take a chance.” I have been thinking a lot about taking chances. And the photo for “Fun Friday” seems to fit right in.

Take a chance! All life is a chance. The person who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. Dale Carnegie
Do you want to be safe and good, or do you want to take a chance and be great? Jimmie Johnson (football coach and broadcaster)
Housework can’t kill you, but why take a chance? Phyllis Diller
(Quotes from ThinkExist.com)

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Baby Boomer Sharon Stone (born in 1958) put her foot in her mouth with her remarks about “karma” and the recent Chinese earthquake. Did she mean to? Probably not. But someone in the public eye has to be very careful what she says.
We all do. But celebrities especially. Once spoken, even if she apologized, the words can never be un-spoken.
Was she the “public enemy of all mankind,” as the Chinese news agency stated? Or did she just speak too quickly?
What do you think?
Sharon, my suggestion would be to avoid Chinese restaurants for a while. …read more

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A lot of younger workers are standing around wondering if we baby boomers are ever going to retire. After all, they can do the jobs so much better and faster, and youth trumps experience, right?
But it looks like the recession, tight housing market, and health care concerns are keeping baby boomers from retiring. A recent Business Week article focuses on why baby boomers aren’t retiring as expected.
The biggest reason:  We can’t afford it.  With higher prices, falling retirement fund values, higher costs of health care, it just doesn’t make economic sense for a lot of people.
We should all …read more

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Are you ready to take a chance? Are you ready to quit your job and start a small business?

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This month’s contest on the Business Channel at b5media is about “taking chances.” I’m ready to take the chance, to “retire” and work full-time from home.
Have you thought about “retiring” and starting a new business, at home or elsewhere?
There is a lot of fear associated with big life changes, like changing jobs, starting a business, being at home (with your spouse!). What is stopping you? What are you waiting for? Being terrified is not an excuse.
What is the FIRST STEP you need to take – the “throw your hat over the fence so you have …read more

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Memorial Day signals the “official” start of the “vacation season.” So what are your vacation plans this year? Will you be taking a vacation? Where are you going? How long will you take? How will you keep your business going when you’re gone?
According to a recent American Express survey, 59% of small business owners are taking a vacation this year, the same percentage as last year, but many are taking a less expensive vacation. Many feel a little guilty, and 81% say they plan to check in frequently on their business while they’re …read more

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We all get ideas. You know, the ones that sound like good ideas at the time. But we forget to think them through.
And business owners do the same thing. Business people get caught up in an idea that sounds fantastic, that can improve their business, bring publicity, help others. But we sometimes stop to think that our idea may not be the best for the people we are trying to help.
Case in point:
I saw a news story about a business group called “One Laptop Per Child” that wants to donate laptops to children in …read more

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Warren Buffett on children: “…a very rich person should leave his kids enough to do anything but not enough to do nothing.”
You don’t have to be very rich to believe that. Have you ever wondered why children of rich people don’t do as well as their parents? I believe it’s because they didn’t have to work to get things, so they don’t appreciate them.
As you may know from reading my past posts, I greatly admire Mr. Buffett. He lives in a modest house in Omaha, Nebraska, works hard, and is concerned about others. And he …read more

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In my attempt to help you find that great second (or third) career,  I’m continuing to look at businesses that baby boomers can start. Today it’s businesses in the beer-wine-alcohol industry, specifically microbreweries.
By the way, American Craft Beer Week was just a couple of weeks ago.  Craft Brewers are “small, independent” breweries. A micro-brewer produces less than 15,000 barrels a year.   The New Brewer, a publication of the Association of Brewers, says that over 2 billion (not a misprint!) pints of craft beer were enjoyed last year.  That’s a lot of beer!
Another reason to start a beer-making business: …read more

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Sean Kelly, over at Franchise Pick, did some more investigating and found more wine franchises that you might be interested in. He comments on:
The Grape
Rosevine Winery (formerly “Let’s Make Wine”)
Vino 100, and
Winestyles

Image: www.newscom.com 

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