Knowing Where to Look

Fortunately, there are several ways to get the capital you need to start your dream business; you just have to know where to look. While many people try to use their own personal credit to secure a loan for their business, there is a lesser known but often much wiser method: Use business credit to secure a loan or to establish a line of credit with various vendors. What is so great about business credit is that even if you have a poor personal credit history, that isn’t an issue when trying to secure funding for your small business.

Using business credit to secure funds is not only much easier than using your personal credit, it’s also much safer because your personal credit is protected if your business should ever fail. This is why someone like Donald Trump is able to declare bankruptcy multiple times and is still able to secure millions of dollars for his next project. The reason more entrepreneurs don’t use business credit to get funding is because they either don’t know it exists or they don’t know how to establish it.

Another important piece of information to have when you’re looking to obtain financing for starting a business concerns vendor credit. There are a number of vendors that extend lines of credit to businesses and then report your good payment history to the business credit bureaus, thus raising your business credit. Other methods of securing financing are through venture capitalists and angel investors. These people have money at their disposal and they tend to lend large amounts to businesses, both small and large. Knowing where to find these investors is the key to getting these loans.

Great Resources

There are a number of great resources available that will teach you how to establish business credit and use it to your advantage to get small business loans.  Some of them also explore obtaining financing through venture capitalists and vendor credit. Several experts have gathered all of their knowledge on how to obtain small business financing into easy to follow, step-by-step plans so that you can learn all you need to know.

Below are reviews of three of these products. Each one has its strengths, and we’ve highlighted what each course does best so that you can choose the right product for getting your small business out of the dreaming stage and into reality. We encourage you to read through these reviews and discover what each one has to offer.

Editor’s Pick

Editor’s Pick: Of the three products we reviewed, our top choice is Business Credit Insiders Circle. One of the main reasons we highly recommend this product is because of the unlimited email support they offer. If you want access to someone who will answer your questions as you pursue financing for your business, this is the best product. Not only is the training extremely thorough, but the wide variety of bonuses that they offer combined with the email support make this product our #1 choice.

The other products we reviewed also have their strengths. If you’re looking for straightforward training material without any email support, just the facts you need to know, you could consider Build Business Credit Fast.

Finally, if you want access to a free weekly phone call where you can ask the author questions, The Definitive Guide To Raising Capital is another good choice.

All three products have something valuable to offer, but we have found that many people need ongoing support in order to be successful in securing the capital they need for their business. For that reason, Business Credit Insiders Circle is our #1 pick.

Read on for details about each of these three products.

Product Reviews

#1 Business Credit Insiders Circle

Marco Carbajo has built two multimillion-dollar companies, and the capital for both came from business credit. He is also an author who has been featured in American Express Small Business, The Washington Post, The San Francisco Tribune, The Scotsman Guide, Alltop, and Entrepreneur Connect.

His course is the most thorough of the three products we reviewed. He offers weekly updates, access to many resources and tutorials not found anywhere else, step-by-step tasks, vendor and cash credit sources, and online tracking data.

He also gives you access to his business credit directory. For many, though, the best part of his course is the unlimited access to email support. You can email any questions you may have about getting the financing you need to start your business and get one-on-one answers.

This course is a subscription-based course. Each month Carbajo makes new content available via audio and video on his website, including step-by-step instructions. The online format ensures that all the content is up to date. You can also download the MP3s if you’d like to listen to them in your car or on your MP3 player.

He also offers webinars featuring interviews with business experts, which are recorded for later viewing if you can’t attend the live webinar.

In addition to information on vendor credit and which business credit cards to apply for, this course also helps you find venture capital and angel investors. These investors with deep pockets are hard to track down if you don’t know where to look, but are very helpful when you’re looking for large sums of cash for your small business. Depending on what type of business you have, sometimes cash works better than credit so you need to know where to find cash sources as well as credit sources.

To see all that the material includes, head over to Business Credit Insiders Circle for complete details. This course offers a highly affordable 7-day trial, so if you want to take a look at all it has to offer without any long-term commitment, this is a great option.

#2 Build Business Credit Fast

Author Monica Main originally learned about business credit when her personal credit was ruined by her ex-husband. Because of that she had no way to get the money she needed to start the real estate business she’d always dreamed of. With the help of her father, a corporate lawyer who specializes in setting up businesses and trusts, Main built up her business credit very quickly and soon realized her dream of owning her own business.

In Build Business Credit Fast she explains how business credit works and why it’s crucial in order to protect your personal credit in case your business fails. She does this by providing a variety of teaching materials including:

• A Manual
• A Quick Start Guide, which contains step-by-step instructions on EXACTLY what to do
• Audio Seminar: 2 hours packed with information
• Resource Guide that will tell you exactly where to apply for business credit
• Video: How to Navigate the DNB Website.
• Video: How to Set Up a Corporation Online.
• Video: How to Find a Virtual Office Address.

Her course also covers techniques on building credit with all credit agencies and includes resources to help you get business credit instantly. Finally, she also includes a list of banks and lenders who are looking for small businesses to lend money to.

You can get an instantly downloadable copy of Build Business Credit Fast here. If you’d rather have the physical version of this course sent to you via USPS Priority Mail, she also gives you that option.

On her website she also offers a free audio segment that you can listen to online or download. It gives a good taste of her teaching style and it’s well worth listening to.

#3 The Definitive Guide To Raising Capital—How To Fund Your Business in 30 Days or Less

Bob Ryan has been featured in USA Today Print Edition, Home Business Magazine, Business Week Online, Investors Business Daily, The Wall Street Journal, Money Magazine, Kiplinger’s and Small Business Opportunities Online.

In Ryan’s material, he offers over 290 pages of easy-to-follow strategies, resources, letters, worksheets, checklists, and action guides. He also gives you 5 audio seminars with interviews from some of the nation’s top business funding experts.

His course explores more than 35 overlooked sources of funding. It includes an application for a loan or line of credit that the course operators will submit to five funding sources, if you’d like to use that resource. He offers contact letters and business plans, which many budding entrepreneurs need to secure funding. In addition, he holds monthly teleseminars that are free to anyone who purchases his course.

One of the most valuable features of The Definitive Guide To Raising Capital is that Ryan offers access to a free weekly call with him where you can call him directly and ask any questions you may have about securing the capital you need to start your business.

Summary and Our Recommendation

Business credit is key to securing funding for your business without having to put your personal credit at risk. It’s also a method that the majority of entrepreneurs are unaware of, or if they do know it exists, they have no idea how to go about establishing business credit. All of the above products deal in one way or another with this concept, with each one having its own unique point of view:

Build Business Credit Fast gives you straight talk and facts, without any extraneous information that isn’t vital to you moving forward. There’s enough information in this course to equip you to go after the financing that you need to start your small business.

If you know you want to be able to speak on the phone to someone on a regular basis as you go about obtaining the funding you need to start your business, consider The Definitive Guide To Raising Capital—How To Fund Your Business In 30 Days or Less.

Editor’s pick: Our recommendation would be that you join the Business Credit Insiders Circle. Not only is this is an extremely thorough course–covering nearly every topic related to financing your business–but it also offers unlimited email support. For many people that support is just what they need to see them through to successfully obtaining the funds they’re looking for to start their business. Head on over to their site now to see all that this training has to offer.

Each of these products has a 60-day moneyback guarantee, so you can feel comfortable purchasing the best product for your needs—and you’ll have time to review them at no risk.

Mark Zuckerberg

This kid created Facebook (ever heard of it?) when he was 19. The social media wunderkind may be mired in controversy, but he’s also buried in money. Forbes ranks the now 25 year old #158 on the list of richest Americans, estimating his net worth in the neighborhood of $2 billion.

Sean Belnick

Belnick was 14 years old when he launched BizChair.com. Now that he’s old enough to drink, his company is bringing in nearly $50 million a year and is ranked by Inc. 500 as #37 in its list of top retail companies. The business model was straightforward: buy office chairs from China and sell them. By negotiating exclusive rights with his manufacturers and providing top-notch customer service, he carved out a niche that landed him prominent clients like Google and Microsoft. Proof that successful business ideas can (and probably should) be simple. (Interview with Belnik)

Juliette Brindak

Who said doodling in class was a waste of time? Juliette’s drawings of “Miss O” were fun when she was 10, but by the time she was 19 and put her characters online, they were big money, part of a $15 million enterprise at missoandfriends.com. The bread and butter of her brilliant business idea is simply to stick with what interests you.

Cameron Johnson

To be fair, Johnson went into business well before his teenage years—the dude was 9 when he launched a greeting card business. And he was only 12 when he started raking in the cash as a beanie baby eBay salesman. But Cameron Johnson started pulling in the big money—six-figure checks on a monthly basis—when he and some friends launched his Surfingprizes.com business, which paid both advertisers and users who added scrolling advertisements into their browsers. He sold that business, made his first million before high school was over, and then kept on going in college. His student venture, Certificateswap.com, sold gift cards online, and he sold that business for another big payoff. Johnson’s brilliant business ideas revolved around the middle-man principle, and they paid off big time.

Martina Butler

At the ripe old age of 15, the podcaster behind Emo Girl Talk had become the first teenager to draw major corporate sponsorship for a podcast. It didn’t hurt that emo music was surging in popularity in 2005, but by incorporating her own personal take and teen drama into the mix, she connected with an eager audience, lured in big sponsors, and watched her net worth break the million-dollar barrier. It’s, like, awesome. The lesson for all of us is, there’s a lot of money to be made in being you.

Matt Wegrzyn

Not many 17 year olds become master of their domains quite as successfully as Wegrzyn, whose domain investment business has developed into a million-dollar hit at Bodis.com. It’s a domain parking service that also buys and sells domains as well. The secret to his success has been being realistic, patient, and determined. By building gradually using a tried and true method of flipping domains (and a lot of them) he’s put a lot of older, more experienced entrepreneurs to shame.

Adam Hildreth

At 14, Hildreth started Dubit Limited, a UK social network for teens—it went on to become one of the biggest sites of its kind and the de facto resource for researching the teenage market. By the time he turned 20 he had launched another business in an entirely new realm—online child protection technology and was worth nearly $4 million. Sometimes it just pays to be an enterprising tech wizard.

Ephren Taylor

Taylor’s success is all over the map. He achieved success at age 12 creating video games. Then he went on to web design, and by the time he reached 17, his job-posting company, GoFerretGo.com, had grown to multi-million-dollar status. Now he runs City Capital Corporation, making him the youngest African-American CEO of any publicly traded company in history. His focus is now on alternative energy and church/nonprofit financial consultation. His business ideas are diverse and motivated by a belief that he could do it all.

Olivia Bennett

Starving artist? Not so much. Bennett sold her first painting at eight years old and has been doing very well for herself ever since. But she didn’t just conquer the business world—she also battled childhood leukemia, as told in her book, A Life in Full Bloom. It doesn’t hurt that she is immensely talented, but Bennett’s success also depends on her persistence and determination. No business idea ever succeeded without confidence.

Catherine and Dave Cook

The Cooks created MyYearbook.com, essentially Facebook junior, or MySpace for high school. Their site is a huge success, although one of their best business ideas was getting a quarter-million investment from their big brother. The real stroke of genius, though, was partnering with another site, Zenhex.com, bringing in user-generated quizzes and twice the Web traffic. Nevertheless, the younger Cooks started at ages 15 and 17, and their net worth has shot past the million-dollar mark faster than you can say, “Teens don’t tweet.”

There you have it. Now share with the rest of us what you were doing during your teen years

Successful con-artists are loaded with business skills—they know their market, they’re expert communicators and advertisers, they can close any deal, and they know how to maintain customer loyalty . . . for awhile. They just lack scruples, a soul, and an actual product or service.

So if you’re a former confidence man (or if you think you have what it takes to be one) here are five business ideas you could launch or implement right away to gain a fortune without losing any sleep.

1. Start a Con Protection Service

Anyone who thought they were too smart to get conned found out just how wrong they were last winter. Bernie Madoff scared the hell out of everyone when the world learned that he conned some of the Wall St. and Hollywood elite out of $50 billion. Everyone is (or should) think twice about making investments. Offer your expertise at sniffing out a confidence game to anyone who wants some added assurance that their money is going into good hands. Charge a lot for major investments. Charge a little to verify online services. Create an index of the schemes you’ve uncovered, and you’ll never have to work a dishonest day again.

2. Join the Tourism Industry

People who “aren’t from around here” make for classic targets of a con, because they don’t know who to trust, they’re unfamiliar with their surroundings, and they’re often in the mood to try things they’ve never done before. If you’re a con-artist, you can spot a tourist from a mile away. So start a tourism outfit that directs out-of-towners to real adventure, pleasure, and escapism they’re looking for. Instead of going for one big score, you can genuinely serve a lot of customers and make big money.

3. Launch a Business Network Community

Con-artists rarely work alone. They know how to use accomplices (shills) to play on people’s fears and passions, their needs and strengths, and how they all work together. Who better to forge connections between colleagues and business partners than an expert in con(tact) management? A con artist is an expert at understanding what drives people. You can use that for mutual benefit just as easily as for manipulation and trickery. Put yourself at the center of business activity, and you’ll gain access to more power and influence than you know what to do with.

4. Become a Professional Fundraiser

You’ve got your ethical issues straightened out right? Good. Then take your skills to the opposite extreme and start raising money for legitimate causes.

If you understand the psyche of an individual so well that you can swindle $200 for a bogus “my car was impounded” story, you certainly have what it takes to drive people to give and help people truly in need. Turn you con skills into doing good by becoming a professinal fund raiser and boost your karma points.

5. Become a Marketing and Advertising Guru

Okay, so a lot of people would call this switch a lateral move—but from a legal perspective, you’re in the clear. The big difference between marketing and swindling is that marketing has the potential to connect people with other people or products and services that really can benefit them. Your firm grasp of the reality that people make decisions based on emotion, well, that can earn you an honest living, even if it does earn you the nickname, “liar for hire.”

Anything else you can suggest for an ex-con artist to do as far as ethical business goes?

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Tried and true business principles go a long way toward building success. But if you want cutting edge business ideas in a tech era that is being redefined on a monthly basis, you have to keep your eye on the start-ups. So here are 50 fresh start-ups that are rocking 2009 (including a few from past years that have surged through the down economy).

1. Bing : The first two “startups” are new ventures from the Internet’s biggest players. Microsoft’s latest brainchild attempts to bring practicality and power to the search engine market (and maybe to exact a little revenge for the Yahoo! sale that wasn’t to be).

2. Google Wave : Your Google Account has not yet been activated for Google Wave—if it had, you wouldn’t be reading this, you’d be feeding your newfound Wave addiction. At least that’s what we’ve been led to believe with the hype over the newest big development in the social network universe.

3. Anyclip : Post any clip from any movie ever made. Legally. Yeah, “whoa,” is right.

4. Zillow : In a short period of time it has become the default choice for real-estate searches, packed with features and overflowing with cool. When the housing market lagged, Zillow’s popularity and relevance skyrocketed.

5. Muttr : All the things you aren’t supposed to tweet are destined to be muttered anonymously and shared gratuitously on Twitter’s evil twin.

6. SpawnLabs : Essentially Sling Box for gamers, allowing users to access an HD gaming console over the Internet using a Sling HD Pro device.

7. Story Something : Parents can have bedtime stories—based on direct contact with the authors—custom written for their children and sent straight to their mobiles or web browsers.

8. Rackup : Priceline meets eBay meets the gift card rack at the supermarket. It offers customers the chance to get gift cards for less than they’re worth—and retailers get the benefit of prepaid revenue from loyal customers.

9. Beterz : An online sports betting community—but for free and without the broken kneecaps. Users can connect with friends, boost their cred, and even earn prizes.

10. Kukoo : This email client aims to make electronic communication work for the user and not the other way around. It helps users schedule the times they’ll check email and prioritize important messages over junk. It also informs senders when to expect a reply.

11. Plagium : Are you being plagiarized? Is plagiarized material being submitted to you? A simple cut and paste in this customizable search will let you know if the truth that’s out there is a ripoff.

12. CoTweet : Already a leader in facilitating corporate twitter accounts that retain a personal feel, this platform is an excellent tool for brand management and CRM.

13. BuddyTV : TV watching with schedules, summaries, show highlights, and snarky reviews all organized into neat little compartments. The more diverse the TV industry gets, the greater the hold BuddyTV takes on the market.

14. Picnik : Online photo editing site that makes image correction easy and file organization across social networks a snap.

15. CarDomain : Car and racing enthusiasts converge on this social network designed for motorheads and the vehicles they love.

16. Localbacon : The model sounds as strange as the name: job seekers, not their prospective employers, pay for the service, making the listing space more attractive to the hiring company—and lowering the chance a good resume will get lost amidst thousands of frivolous applicants.

17. Wetpaint : A service that makes it easy to create a fan site or social network built around any area of interest.

18. LearnVest : Financial Management software with the content of an economic adviser and the personality of a specialist social network. Offers users tools and support at any juncture of their financial journey.

19. Udorse : Turns users into their own advertising/PR agency, allowing them to promote the products, services, places, people, and brands they love using their own photographs and descriptions—and with the chance to make their own money.

20. Mailmyweb : Stuck behind a company firewall (or policy) that won’t let your browse past your corporate site? Mailmyweb allows users to send in url’s of interest and receive the full content by email.

21. Twitres : Anyone with a Twitter account can tweet a link to their resume, hosted by the ResumePark service. Excellent supplement to an existing business idea.

22. The Swop : This is a startup for the startups. Based in London, this service encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to promote, share, and utilize the services of other up-and-coming businesses.

23. Healthywage : How do employers save money on their employee health insurance coverage? Reward healthy lifestyle improvements with monetary bonuses tracked and implemented by Healthywage.

24. RefMob : Referral programs are annoying—who wants to accost their friends for the chance at $15 off your next bill? RefMob users do, with all their available referral programs in one easy-to-use location that does away with the awkward coupons.

25. 5to1 : A needlepoint blogger doesn’t want S&M dating service ads popping up on her blog’s sidebar overnight—but if she did, 5to1 could make it happen. They coordinate advertisers and content owners for peak relevancy and pinpoint timing.

26. ToonsTunes : Online community for kids that doubles as a recording studio where kids can create and share their own MP3s.

27. Red Beacon : It’s essentially OnStar without the satellite or the car—it’s the Yellow Pages on steroids. Redbeacon brings local service providers to the user, complete with price comparisons, bids, and urgent requests with ETA notification.

28. iTwin : Remote file sharing with no setup, no complicated downloads, and no real tech knowledge required. Plug one USB drive into one computer. Plug its twin into a second. They’re connected by a “cableless cable” and ready to file share instantly.

29. ClaseMovil : Web-based education taken to an internationally connected level. It’s a mobile classroom that customizes and integrates the learning process beyond pre-conceived boundaries.

30. Hark : This cross-network link-sharing service promises to make our current understanding of “real time” look slow as molasses. Enables users to see true real-time links to what every contact on any social network is discovering.

31. iMo : Want to use your iPhone or iPod Touch as a PC gaming controller. There’s an app for that: iMo.

32. Clicker : Old school TV remote controls used audible clicks—but this ain’t your grandpa’s clicker. This service organizes the billions of TV-quality Internet watching options that could have many couch potatoes kissing their satellite dishes goodbye.

33. Insttant : This news aggregator turns the public Twitter stream into an online news service, complete with headlines, photos, and graphics. 140 characters meets the New York Times.

34. The Whuffie Bank : Can you convert your social networking cred into currency? The Whuffie Bank wants to do just that in their attempt to make generosity and goodwill profitable.

35. Toybots : Webkinz gave online identities to stuffed animals. Toybots Woozees complete the circle with online control of real-world toys. Before long, your kid’s teddy bear could have more apps than your iPhone.

36. Lissn : What if Twitter were nothing but conversations? That’s the premise of Lissn, where the discussions are organized by geography, by topic, and with no need to trace the back and forth of @ mentions.

37. Trollim : Some warriors use swords. Others use artillery. The real geeky ones use code and do battle on Trollim. Finally an arena where their skills can be appreciated.

38. Mota : Sell your car on your own with the full-featured services of a dealer (a reputable one)—warranties, driver history, financing offers, and expansive sales listings. Good carma, indeed.

39. Stribe : In five minutes, site owners can equip their content with Stribe social networking software that engages users and, with additional paid services, enriches the owner’s customer usage data and site profitability.

40. Clixtr : This iPhone/smartphone app uses photo uploads with event tags and location data to create a geo-social network that make anyone a virtual bystander to hot happenings around the world.

41. Yellowbird : How do you describe an innovation that captures images and portrays them in a three-dimensional likeness on your flat computer monitor? With a really, really long url.

42. Yext : Yext takes the business model of pay-per-click advertising and applies it to phone calls in a pay-per-call model in a revolutionary, results-based take on the Yellow Pages.

43. OptiSolar : A manufacturer of PV (photovoltaic) solar panels with ambitious plans for providing traditional energy companies and their customers with renewable energy.

44. Cocodot : Event-planning, guest coordination and communication, and celebration branding that takes eVite style technology, adds the touch of a professional coordinator, and places it in a do-it-yourself context.

45. Crowd Flower : When a temp or two just won’t cut it: an outsourcing company that hires and trains its own staff and can provide Web solutions, content moderation services, and even project management to the business in need of efficient, short-term solutions.

46. Sungevity : This solar-powered startup markets to individual consumers, providing free quotes and affordable solar panel installation.

47. Affective Interfaces : Imagine: a market research panel where participants tell you exactly how they feel about every aspect of your product—without answering a single question. Affective Interfaces uses facial expression recognition software on Web cam images to gauge emotional reaction to images, messaging, and the overall brand.

48. FHTML, Inc. : It’s not an abbreviated curse—it stands for FluidHTML, a new scripting language that puts Flash capabilities into a more manageable dialect, especially for novice programmers.

49. Perpetually : A shocking Web development can span the globe in an instant—and it can disappear just as fast. This Web archiving service is a corporation’s, lawyer’s, or politician’s dream, preserving entire Web sites in a click be it for helpful posterity . . . or damning evidence.

50. This spot is reserved for your start-up.

Please take a moment and share some of the impressive new tech business ideas with the rest of us.

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Small businesses are everywhere, but only a few actually have made it to the top. Obviously, if you are like me, you look at a small business as a huge investment because no matter how small it is, there is still a start-up cost to pay. In this day and age, people are looking to save as much money as they can. Unfortunately, the economy isn’t what it used to be and people have had to downsize. But yet, even in these hectic times, time is till moving forward, and everyone is looking to become an entrepreneur.

Given below are the top 10 small business ideas for 2010 that are likely to grow and become very popular over the coming years:

1. Organic Cloth Diapers

The thing about this is that it is simple. You can find organic cloth almost anywhere, and if you own a sewing machine and know how to create a diaper, you are all set. Right now, people are struggling just to pay the power bill, much less pay for diapers. Another great thing is that people will never stop having kids, and they will also never want to stop saving money! To boot, they are contributing to a healthier environment – which is something that has become very crucial…and even trendy!

2. Working From Home On The Internet

A business that allows you to promote products, such as affiliate marketing is expected to grow enormously over the next few years. The great thing about it is that the start up cost is small, and all you need is your computer to work!

3. Offer Services From Your Own Home

If you have a designated space in your home that you could call your office, then this would be the perfect idea. Since you are into saving money, a home office is just the thing to have. Most entrepreneurs rent out office space, which can really cut into their expenses.

4. Organic Produce

As you may have noticed, everyone is very concerned with the whole concept of “going green”. There have been more discoveries made about health and the benefits of living a healthy, “green” lifestyle in the past five years more than ever before. People are always looking for a way to save, and be safe as well. Organic produce isn’t grown using harsh chemicals, and that is what separates it from the rest.

5. Trash Treasures

Do you have an accumulation of cans, cardboard, old clothing, etc? Instead of throwing it out, find something to create with it. There are a number of websites that freely give out ideas on simple arts and crafts. You could start by creating a few things, get your own website, and operate your business right from the comfort of your own home.

6. Outsourcing

Something else that is becoming more popular as time passes by. The pay is good, and it also gives you a chance to become highly recognized without having to do a lot of advertising.

7. Online Home Business

There are literally thousands of small business ideas to choose from. You could choose to make or sell soy candles, makeup, household cleaner, t-shirts, office equipment, greeting cards, etc. Either way, it’s something to think about that could potentially create a very lucrative profit.

8. Seasonal Businesses

And I’m not talking about just for one season. Something that you could do (and I promise it would be profitable) would be to buy and sell products from distributors that are put out just for the season. Make sure that other stores such as Wal-mart and Target do not carry the same products. Make your products 100% unique. For example, in spring, sell “spring-cleaning” products. In February, sell chocolates, and other Valentines day gifts. In summer, sell school supplies, etc. People will want to buy your products because they are unique and the ideas keep changing, so it’s also very interesting!

9. Traveling Businesses

This idea is similar to that of a lemonade stand. You carry your products with you and advertise your business by selling at different locations. This will help tremendously with bringing the customers to you.

10. Freelancing Business Ideas

This involves staying at home and providing your professional writing and blogging services to various clients. A good way to advertise is to create a website as well as write for other websites at discount prices to attract more clientele.

Feel free to add more to the list.

Winding up before a judge in court is never a good sign for your business . . . unless you’re in the legal profession. It can happen to anyone: the underdog, the top cat, the genius, the idiot, the slimy or the squeaky clean. Sometimes you can get sued just for being successful. Here are 10 business ideas (along with real life examples) across the spectrum of possibilities that can pretty much guarantee to land your ass in court.

1. Copy someone else’s idea and name it after them.

This is quite possibly the biggest “duh” in the history of business, but even commercial giants fall prey to the trap. In an effort to capitalize on the success of Pixar, Disney thought it would be a novel idea to sell a lamp that looked just like the famous Luxo lamp that serves as the I in the Pixar logo. They copied the design of the Norwegian company’s lamp and even named it the Luxo, Jr.

Gee, you’d think someone at Disney would have given the people at Luxo the heads up. But they didn’t, and instead they got sued for trademark violation.

• Read Disney/Luxo suit.

2. Innovate

As several items in this list will show, some of the most successful business ideas and entrepreneurs become instant targets for frivolous lawsuits. One of the surest ways to get sued is to come up with an idea with broad appeal and wild success—there’s only so much money to be gained from suing poor people.

Facebook and Twitter have both been sued in separate cases by business claiming to hold patents over the technology and procedures that make the social networks successful. The suit against Facebook is far flimsier than the one against Twitter, but the problem plaguing both defendants is the same: the world of patents is so overwhelmingly flooded, it’s virtually impossible to know if your entrepreneurial genius overlaps with someone else’s half-baked plans.

The lesson: as long as you do your due diligence and don’t steal anyone else’s ideas, you’re probably safe.

• Read Patent troll lopes after Facebook and Twitter sued over patent infringement.

3. Ride the coattails of someone else’s success.

When someone makes it colossally big, there are always thousands of underlings who bathe in the excess fame and fortune trickling down. So when J. K. Rowling began selling millions upon millions of books (and raking in millions more in film and merchandising deals) there was plenty of attention to share between fan sites like The Leaky Cauldron. But after the final showdown between Harry Potter and He-Who Must Not Be Named hit bookshelves, She Who Must Not Be Plagiarized filed an injunction to stop The Leaky Cauldron authors from publishing a printed version of their site.

Ms. Rowling had no qualms about the extra promotion and anticipation drummed up by Potter-obsessed sites, but the book that served essentially as a Who’s Who in the Potterverse put a hex on Rowling’s patience. Her counter jinx attempting to block publication of the book, which she viewed as a “regurgitation” of her own work, ultimately won out as RDR Books revised the content drastically under the title, The Lexicon.

Be careful when you ride Ms. Rowling’s coattails (or that of any creative mind). If you come too close to stealing the whole coat, you might get turned into a newt.

• Read J.K. Rowling sues to stop “Harry Potter Lexicon.”

4. Burn Someone’s Flesh Off

If your business model results in blistering, it’s time to adjust your approach. But the ruling in a landmark case against McDonald’s showed that a jury found the fast-food giant at fault for failing to make the necessary adjustments and endangering their customers. The most damning evidence was the simple fact that McDonald’s heats its coffee to a temperature 20 degrees higher than its competitors. And as the 81-year-old plaintiff can attest, it’s not a dry heat.

Don’t injure your customers. They’ll get their pound of flesh in court.

• Read McFacts about the McDonald’s Coffee Lawsuit

5. Use Words and Be Famous

Have you ever heard of Abercrombie & Fitch’s new scent, Fierce? Until she and her Sasha Fierce label were served with court documents, neither had Beyonce. But apparently those scantily clad male models are wearing little more than the scent that shares a name with the diva’s alter ego, and the mere use of that word in eaux de Beyonce’s version constitutes a trade mark violation.

Far less subtle than Disney’s Luxo case, Beyonce is simply using the last name of a character she created. Does an entrepreneur really need to get permission to use their own name on its merchandise? A&F hopes so. But even if they don’t, they’re stealing publicity from Beyonce’s good name. Do we smell counter-suit?

• Read Abercrombie & Fitch sue Beyonce over Sasha Fierce Fragrance

6. Namejacking

For some Internet entrepreneurs, the best way to steal someone’s thunder is to swipe it before lightning strikes. Cybersquatting would-be popular domains attached to celebs, businesses, and misspelled monikers has become an industry of its own. One slight problem: it’s illegal.

Michael Doughney learned the hard way that even a site poking fun at the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals didn’t have the right to steal the PETA.org domain. Doughney’s version was decidedly non-vegan: People Eating Tasty Animals. In a strange twist of fate, Doughney’s defense (that his site was a parody of PETA) fell through on the grounds that it wasn’t imitating PETA enough.

The verdict in this case: choose ethics over taste.

• Read PETA sues over mock site, cybersquatting

7. Online insults

Poor Amanda Bonnen had no idea her seemingly harmless tweet about mold could cost her upwards of $50,000. But, in the case that launched an raging online legal/PR debate, Bonnen’s mild accusation that Horizon Group Management didn’t care about earned her a brand new lawsuit. Despite the fact that she had just 20 followers, she aroused Horizon’s wrath in under 140 characters.

Imagine what may have happened if she had been a corporate employee? While the real estate developers took the brunt of the negative press, the tables could have easily been turned in the realm of public opinion had the insult been made by a big dog instead of an underdog.

• Read Horizon Group Management sues tenant for negative tweet

8. Rat on your customers

Same story, different day. The infamous case of Rosemary Port and her skankified rant against Model Liskula Cohen feeds off the momentum of number 7. The courts ruled that Port’s rights to anonymity were outweighed by the guilt of her online libel against Cohen. The enormity of the case, however, was not the judgment that her words were libelous but in Google’s agreement to fork over her identity. Now Port, a blogger who claimed to have an audience of one (one who just happened to be a supermodel), planned to sue the Internet giant for $15 million.

The case has huge implications for the blogging community, but the possible legislation against Google will send shockwaves through the business community as well. If you want to avoid lawsuits, you’ll need to be careful not to promise more legal protection to your customers than you can provide.

• Read Rosemary Port plans to sue Google for releasing her identity

9. Change the World with Photo Shop

One of the most indelible images of Obama’s ascent to the White House was, according to the Associated Press, a blatant example of copyright theft. The notorious lawsuits—the artist Shepard Fairey filed a preemptive suit of his own—raised an important legal issue in the age of Photo Shop: what exactly constitutes fair use of an image?

The AP believes the work of art, adapted from an AP photo of Obama, amounts to little more than a glorified “paint-by-number,” a complete rip-off. Shepard, who credited Mannie Garcia the photographer, thinks he was well within the bounds of free expression.

But graphic departments around the world took notice: if you plan on putting your art at the center of the free world, it better be completely original.

• Read AP Blasts Obama ‘Hope’ Artist in Copyright Flap

10. Eliminate the Competition

A lot of people have business goals. Becoming the richest person in the world would be the pinnacle for just about anyone. Bill Gates obviously was doing something right, which put a lot of less-wealthy folks on edge. The bottom line: Microsoft all but eliminated the competition from the Internet browser game, bringing anti-trust lawsuits in the US and in Europe. Say what you want about Microsoft’s software or even their business ethics—the industry leader consistently put themselves at the forefront of the industry to the point that for years most customers couldn’t even see the competition.

If you’re that good at what you do, the biggest lawsuit in the world can’t even put a dent in your pile of gold. Even if they do sue your ass off, you can afford a new one.

• Read Microsoft Fights Antitrust Charge Over Its Browser

Well, those were some of the ways you can gets your ass sued off while running a business. If you got anything else that you would like to add, feel free to drop a comment.

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1. Scams

If you’re like me, then you have fallen for quite a few of these. Newbies tend to want to believe everything they read. I mean really, who doesn’t want to believe that they will be making $250.00 an hour within their first three days? Try to stay away from businesses that sound too good to be true and you might still have a chance to succeed.

2. Too Much Work, Not Enough Pay

Sure, you’re working from home, but is it worth it? If you are an independent contractor who works for practically nothing, you’re bound to end up quitting eventually because you’ll be exhausted from the effort you put into what you do, and disappointed with what you get out of it.

3. People Don’t Want What You’re Selling

We’ve all went into a business venture with great gusto only to find that what we signed up to sell was something that people have no interest in. It pays off in the end to examine your product and to ask yourself if what you are selling would be something that you would find very useful as well. If not, then it is better to move on to something else.

4. Many Are Recruiting Programs

I for one, am very familiar with this. If only the business itself was as exciting as the opening web page. The advertisements claim that their top earners are millionaires. Some even display photos of the actual people. They tell you that they will offer you free training and be there for you 24/7. After you have completed the training, what you are left with is a bunch of uninterested people and a monthly fee of about $40.00 to $60.00. You might be lucky if you recruit two people within the year. It’s just simply too hard to get people to sign up to programs like these.

These are just a few of the reasons why home business ideas do not work. My advice to you is to recognize the difference between something good and something rotten. When in doubt, do your research and always follow your true instincts!

Given below is a list of the 10 best resources for finding good business ideas:

1. Online Job Forums

Many of the work-at-home-mom forum websites give out hundreds of good business ideas. They give information and provide ideas on everything from medical coding to selling cleaning supplies. Most of them also provide links to different websites that provide even more information about what you are interested in.

2. Classifieds

Never underestimate the power of classified ads. Chances are that if you look hard enough, you’ll find the perfect opportunity. Just steer clear of the scams and you should do just find. Online classifieds are also good resources. You might want to try Monster.com and Craigslist.org just to name a few.

3. Friend and Family

If you have any friends or family who currently work from home, they could help you out with some ideas, especially if they are already very familiar with several work from home opportunities.

4. Billboards

Believe it or not, some billboards can actually provide a good bit of information about certain work at home opportunities. Try glancing at them every now and again, you never know, you might find what you are looking for.

5. Job Fairs

What many people do not realize is that job fairs not only focus on hiring employees, but they also provide ideas and opportunities for entrepreneurs. The next time that there is one in your town, take a second to stop and check it out! You may come out very surprised!

6. Your Own Ideas

Is there something that you have been thinking about trying, but just haven’t put it into action? Some of the most successful business people have came up with their own original ideas and have made a full-time living off of them.

7. The News

Yes, even your local news station talks of good business ideas from time to time. I recently discovered a couple of new ways to make money myself, all by watching the news. Remember that television is not only entertaining, but also very educational.

8. Magazines

Have you ever noticed those little ads in glamor and health magazines that talk about the perfect business opportunity? Well, I am here to let you know that some of those business opportunities are actually legit. Don’t just look over them, look into them.

9. Your Local Unemployment Office

Although you may not be interested in working for someone else, the point is that you are looking for good business ideas, and what better place to find them than in a place that is all about work?

10. Look at What You Currently Do

If you are currently a business owner, think in terms of branching out. For example, if all you currently do is sell candles, think about what else you can sell that is similar to that so you can become even more successful.

So you see, good business ideas are literally everywhere. Obviously, the best ideas begin with you. Just remember to maintain positive attitude, and you will in no doubt, go very far and excel above and beyond what you had originally planned.

We’ve combed the tabloid trash heap to uncover 6 so-called PR disasters that generated widespread negative buzz—but they all ultimately proved there really is no such thing as negative publicity. All of these 6 examples carry business lessons tailor-made for the savvy entrepreneur.

1. Kanye West, “Imma Let You Finish”

The Setting

The very first award at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, Best Female Video. When country ingénue Taylor Swift got the nod over sultry R&B icon Beyonce, the audience could almost hear the moon man trophy calling out to the VMA’s favorite bad boy: “Here, Kanye, Kanye, Kanye. Here, Kanye, Kanye.”

The Disaster

Out of the shadows, Kanye West entered the spotlight, stole the microphone from Swift, and uttered the words tweeted round the world: “Imma let you finish, but Beyonce made one of the greatest music videos of all time. Of all time!” The show’s producers didn’t let Miss Swift finish, however, cutting her mic before the dazed starlet could utter a word.

The Benefit

MTV.com was extra prepared in 2009 to capture the VMA experience with reactions, clips, a running blog, and more—and oh, mama, was there more. News of Kanye’s interruption stormed social media, driving millions of people to the broadcast and the site, which was quickly stacked with the hottest online footage money couldn’t buy. Over the previous year, the 2009 VMA’s witnessed a 21% jump in total viewers (27 million), a 20% increase in unique visitors to MTV.com (2.7 million), and a 24% surge in viewers of VMA exclusive online content (1.7 million).

The Takeaway

Nothing creates friends like a common enemy. Kanye played the villain everybody loved to hate. You might not be able to stage a public scene (though many suggest MTV did just that) but you can create an environment sure to provoke a volatile opposition. Make sure you’re ready to capitalize at any moment by being the exclusive source of the updates everyone is sure to want.

2. The American Family Association Boycotts NYPD Blue

The Setting

In the fall of 1993, ABC was set to premiere the brainchild of Steven Bochco and David Milch, a gritty cop show that would break the age-old laws of network TV: no nudity and no swearing.

The Disaster

The American Family Association, based in Mississippi in the heart of the Bible Belt, called for a national boycott of the show, taking out ads in major newspapers, and encouraging concerned citizens to beg their local affiliates not to air the show. By the time NYPD Blue premiered, over 50 local affiliates had buckled to the pressure.

The Benefit

Thanks to the free exposure (and the fact that the affiliates in question were all in small markets), NYPD Blue quickly became a top-20 ratings hit. It went on to run for 12 seasons, rake in 20 Emmys and 4 Golden Globes, and exposing America to more shots of Dennis Franz’s ass than we really care to count.

The Takeaway

If you’re prepared to challenge the vocal minority, they can do you a lot of favors once they get offended. Just make sure you aren’t alienating your primary customer base. There’s a fine line between generating intrigue and breeding disgust.

3. KFC Grilled by Oprah Overload

The Setting

In the spring of 2009, KFC launches its new menu line, Kentucky Grilled Chicken, by offering printable coupons for free meals. To make sure the new lower-fat finger-licking caught headlines, the Colonel brought in the Oprah. The talk-show goddess directed fans to her Web site for the free coupons, sending public interest skyward.

The Disaster

Difficulty plagued every stage of the promotion. The coupons were difficult to print. The Web site was overwhelmed. The lines at KFC’s around the country extended for blocks (sometimes even blocking traffic). And what was the reward awaiting the majority of hungry Oprah watchers: no more chicken. The publicity scheme ran out of control, making headlines for weeks about KFC’s inability to deliver on their promises.

The Benefit

KFC offered a milder, gentler rain check offer that soothed the ire of their ravenous customers—but not all the chicken was free. After a disappointing first quarter and a 7% decline in profits, KFC’s parent company Yum! Brands saw a 35% increase in 2nd quarter profits. KFC had been lost in the fast-food trend of offering healthier menu options. But after the embarrassment waned, there wasn’t a single American who didn’t know about Kentucky Grilled Chicken.

The Takeaway

If you over-promise to the point that the offer (and its under-delivery) makes headlines, your PR might take a hit, but overall business should soar. Who wouldn’t want a scenario where supply is exceeded by demand? If you’re introducing a game-changing revision to your business model, it might not hurt to make a free offer you can’t hope to fulfill. If the next big thing is big enough, the money in your pockets will make up for the egg on your face.

4. New Coke Dethrones a Classic

The Setting

In 1985, Pepsi threatened to overtake Coca-Cola as “America’s Cola.” In an effort to win the “Pepsi Challenge,” Coca-Cola created a new formula that outperformed Pepsi and the original Coke in taste tests. In June, the company announced it was replacing its old product with a new look, a new name (just Coke) and a new taste. According to their research, the new Coke would be a huge success if taste was all that mattered.

The Disaster

Taste wasn’t all that mattered. Public reaction was overwhelmingly negative. Sales suffered, and the general consensus among the American audience was a feeling of betrayal. Contrary to the sales figures, many consumers viewed Coca-Cola as part of the American experience, an icon of modern culture. They were robbed of their cherished Coca-Cola without ever being asked for their opinion. Before the year was through, Pepsi held the market share in the Cola Wars.

The Benefit

By July of 1985, the executives at Coke knew they had made a mistake and announced plans to reissue the older, beloved formula of Coca-Cola, this time with the name “Coca-Cola Classic,” the name it has retained to this day. After Pepsi’s initial surge in popularity, Coca-Cola Classic overtook the new Coke and Pepsi to reclaim its crown in 1986—a title it has yet to relinquish.

The Takeaway

Is there more to your brand than the product or service itself? If you have forged an emotional connection with your customer base, find a way to remind them of how much you mean to them. (Twitter unintentionally employs this tactic every time the Fail Whale takes flight or the entire service goes down for an hour or so.) A move as drastic as reinventing your product is probably too risky, but a short holiday can allow customers’ hearts to grow fonder in your absence.

5. Oprah’s Cred Shattered into a Million Little Pieces

The Setting

James Frey publishes his memoir, A Million Little Pieces, and lands a nice publicity boost when, in 2005, Oprah decides to take her book club into more contemporary, edgy territory than Steinbeck or Tolstoy. Frey’s already successful hit secures a spot atop the bestseller lists. Only one problem: his story isn’t his story.

The Disaster

In early 2006, the Web site “The Smoking Gun” publishes a story of their own: A Million Little Lies, revealing James Frey as a fraud whose life is nowhere near as sordid, thrilling, and edgy as his memoir made him out to be. His lies embarrassed his publisher, Random House, and Oprah herself. After initially supporting Frey and feeling the wrath of her fans, Winfrey brought the fictionizer back on her show for a stern tongue lashing. Random House refunded money to angry readers who complained, and Frey lost a pending book deal in shame.

The Benefit

James Frey is a millionaire, and a lot of the money he made came after his lie was exposed. Copies of Little Pieces continued to fly off shelves and through Internet orders, and Frey wasn’t required to forfeit a penny. He did publish a follow-up book, Bright Shiny Morning, and it debuted at number 9 on New York Times’ bestseller list. Oprah’s empire wasn’t exactly destroyed, either. In fact, the Frey incident did more to publicize Oprah’s book club outside of her daily viewership than any other factor. If you doubt it, try naming a selection from her book club from before the incident.

The Takeaway

Don’t engage in fraud, and don’t trust those who do. But the simple fact of the matter is, if you stay in business long enough, someone is probably going to burn you publicly. Don’t ever try to bury the story. Engage in the public conversation, do the interviews, and remind the public of what happened at strategic moments. As bad as the publicity may seem, the advertising is free, and the impression you leave will last.

6. John & Kate Plus An Affair

The Setting

Jon and Kate Gosselin have eight children and a TLC reality show to match, John &Kate Plus Eight. Cute kids, a bickering couple, and the sheer numbers of it all (if all the kids’ friends watch the show, ratings will stay afloat) combine to make the show a cult favorite.

The Disaster

The show’s 2009 offseason didn’t keep the family from creating hours of fresh television footage as rumors of Jon’s infidelity made tabloid headlines. The program’s premise of a family that “keeps it all together” despite their crazy circumstances is threatened by the merciless rumor mill.

The Benefit

For the family, the event was nothing but a tragedy, but for TLC, it was a gold mine. The 2009 season premiere became the top-rated telecast in its time slot, beating even the broadcast networks with 9.8 million viewers (more than double the 4.6 million audience from the previous season finale).

The Takeaway

The so-called success of the sensational turn in the Gosselin’s marriage was short lived, especially after the couple announced plans to divorce. Ratings have declined steadily since—and the family is hurting, too. It goes to show that any positive effects of a tragedy can be sustained only by a rebound from tragedy. If things go from bad to worse, the titillating twists just turn plain sad. The show was defined by its family and lost its identity in the divorce. You shouldn’t be afraid to use a pitfall to your advantage in business—but you’ll be lost if it redefines you.

What do you think? Is there such a thing as negative publicity or it all depends on how you turn it around? Share your thoughts and any other PR disasters that you know of.

Located below are four new business ideas that didn’t exist one year ago:

1. Green Consultant

If you haven’t noticed, the entire world is very concerned with going green. If more people do not stop polluting the atmosphere and living healthier lifestyles, the human species is literally going to cease to exist. Really – it is, it’s all over the news. The poles are shifting and global warming is getting worse. It’s only a matter of time until we are goners. That is why it is important to try to persuade and educate as many people as possible about how they can easily live greener, healthier lifestyles that will contribute not only to their health and their wallet, but the prolonging of our time here on this planet, as well as lengthening the time our planet can thrive.

2. Organic Goods Sales Person

This is another one of the business ideas that costs very little to get started. Some things you might be able to sale are organic t-shirts, diapers, blankets, pillows, etc. You might also want to think about reusing a lot of the things you have to create unique arts and crafts. You could sale your good’s online or at a local market, or even directly out of your home if you would like. You might even want to consider traveling with your organic goods business on the road and hand out small, informational manuals on how organic living is the best way to go.

3. Creating Solar Panels

By learning all that you can about solar energy and solar panels, you could become an expert on the subject. There are plenty of people who would love to have solar panels in their homes, but cannot afford the expensive installation and also do not know how to make them. You had better believe that if more people knew how to do it themselves, they would jump right on it. No one wants to continue paying an expensive monthly utility bill. Chances are, the only reasons why more people have not switched to solar panels is because they do not have the money to install them, and obviously as stated, do not know how to do it themselves. Learn how to make them yourself, and sell them at discount prices. You might also want to offer local courses on how to make them and charge a small fee for your services.

4. Garden Specialist

This is one of the simplest business ideas because all it requires is that you learn about how to garden. It is best if you learn how to garden the organic and natural way, because that is obviously what everyone is interested in. Learn about organic pesticides, pH levels, etc. Create business cards and put up a blog hosting your services. Let people know that you can come out to their area to talk about how to garden, as well as talk about how it can save them a lot of money this year. If you would like, offer to plant their garden for them. Give out your business number just in case they need to you to come out and check something for them.

It’s not hard to see that the world is going green, and the green market is where the green is! But on a more serious note, people really are a lot more interested in living healthier lifestyles than they have ever been before. We should really all work to push this envelope because not only does it involve helping to save our planet and put food on the table, the green market also offers tons of job security – so it really is very good investment with a real future.

It’s your turn to share.