This is a special guest post from the pros at VerifyProtect.com that I thought would be interesting to you:
There’s a strong movement afoot to push for background checks at online dating sites. But what are the real pros of providing this kind of service?
Below, we look at five of the biggest advantages for sites who are willing to take this measure:
5 Pros to Offering Background Checks at Online Dating Sites:
Protection. It’s nice to know that if you’re using a particular dating site, people with nefarious backgrounds or criminal records have been screened.
Convenience. It’s one less thing that an online dater needs to do him- or herself.
Marketing. Being able to tout your dating site as being one of the only to offer background checks on registrants is a great selling point.
Value. A site can actually command higher rates from members if they’re able to offer this kind of security.
PR. The public relations benefit is tough to quantify, but let’s just say that “no news is good news”. What dating site wants to court the possibility of a media circus if one of their members hurts another in some way?
In the end, we’re all for background checks at online dating locales. What do you think?
[Ben] Hedblom has been wearing the same pair of shoes for four years. How many teenagers these days can make that boast?
It started off as a bet… the senior at Land O’ Lakes High School in Florida tells the St. Petersburg Times it was all about keeping his word…
The bet began four years ago when Hedblom was a freshman in Land O’ Lakes, a town of 21,000 located just north of Tampa Bay . He had a bet with Spanish teacher Adrian Antonini that he would begin and end high school in the same pair of shoes.
The loser of the bet would have to shave his hair and eyebrows. The Times reports Antonini left the school the following year and promptly forgot about the wager. Hedblom did not.
Now 17, captain of the football team and getting ready to graduate, he’s still wearing the same shoes.
Would that all companies had the same passion for keeping their word!
Don’t be afraid to be different from everyone else.
I’m guessing that Ben is going to be a company’s dream when he gets into the workforce full time thanks to his obvious level of personal commitment. Much success to him!
It’s a fact of life — every one of us has 24 hours in a day. That’s it. No more, no less.
So why do some people seem like they’re able to do TONS during 24 hours while others can’t?
Really, it’s not a secret. It’s that they have developed the ability to prioritize, delegate and maximize. Let’s look at each of these key factors:
PRIORITIZING
When you are able to prioritize, you can clearly say that one item on your “to do” list is more important than another. Thus, you do that priority first. It seems so simple, right? But a lot of people become distracted by non-priority goals (is checking Facebook for 15 minutes every hour or two REALLY a necessity?) Don’t fall into that trap — start structuring your day and you’ll be amazed at the results!
DELEGATING
Delegating is the key to making your 24 hours stretch farther and farther. However, you have to be willing to give up control of the reins, which can be tough, especially for entrepreneurs. Start with something small and build your way up. Outsource your marketing, your writing, your sales planning… whatever it takes. Once you realize the freedom that delegation can bring, you’ll be hooked.
MAXIMIZING
Do you find that you’re making too many trips to the same place in a week or a day? For instance, are you headed to the post office every day? Do you spend too much time traveling for short meetings? If so, you’re not maximizing your hours. It’s time to evaluate how you’re spending your time and maximize each task you do. Double-up if possible, such as visiting two clients who are close to one another in a single trip rather than making two trips. It sounds like such a little thing, but it can seriously increase your productivity!
So… what will your next 24 hours look like? Will they be fruitful or wasted? It’s up to you!
You even outsource your housecleaning! (If you’re lucky enough to find someone who can meet your standards of what a clean floor looks like, that is!)
And why not? Outsourcing makes “CENTS”!
So why do people get so doggone squeamish about outsourcing their writing?
I have seen entrepreneurs struggle to write memos, spend HOURS composing emails and waste copious amounts of time desperately attempting a do-it-yourself book project. Not only is it unnecessarily energy-consuming, but it’s downright confidence-shattering if you’re just not a “natural” writer.
Certainly, you can learn how to string some phrases together. And that’s a skill you probably should hone. But if you really want your words to be clear, grammatically-correct and topical, you need to consider outsourcing your writing.
The benefits of assigning all those written projects to a third party (or several third parties if you know of a cadre of good writers) are many:
You’ll have time to do what you do best (e.g., leading, selling, inventing, managing.)
You’ll know that your written items always make sense.
You’ll finally be able to publish the book you know you want to share with the public.
You’ll free up opportunities to make money in other ways.
You’ll lose ZERO sleep because a writing assignment is languishing on your “to do” list.
If you don’t enjoy the act of writing, outsource it. No one but you and your ghostwriter have to know!
I must say that the USPS is in a difficult situation right now. To save money, they might have to eliminate Saturday mail, which will affect millions upon millions of consumers and businesses.
My question is whether you’ve given any thought about how such a decision could affect your organization?
Obviously, if you operate an entirely (or almost entirely) online company where everything is handled through email and fax, your first inclination will probably be to say “no”. However, you might want to look a little closer.
For instance, do you pay all your bills without the use of the USPS? (Even if you bank online, the banks often mail checks to vendors rather than directly depositing the amount you authorize into the vendors’ accounts.) Do you send anything through “snail mail” channels, such as thank you notes, sales proposals or marketing paraphernalia? If so, having one fewer day per week when your messages could hit their intended audiences could have repercussions.
Though the USPS hasn’t made a decision yet, it would behoove you to do a little bit of thinking about the ways in which you can combat any concerns caused by a “no Saturday mail” reality. That way, you’ll be ready — just in case!
You’ll have the money to attend educational seminars and networking events. These will increase your knowledge base and your sphere of influence.
You’ll stress less. Being able to sleep at night will absolutely make you a better business professional!
You’ll be able to plan for the future. No more wondering if you’ll be around in six months or a year!
You can invest in new technology. Been putting off buying a Blackberry or wireless printer? You can finally make some purchases.
You can try some advertising and marketing ventures. If you have cash coming in, you can budget to publicize your business in new ways.
You can update your website. You’ve known it was important — now is the chance to do it.
Of course, you have to evaluate your current flow of cashin order to improve it, and that can only happen if you start planning. Contact me today at julie(at)jadcc(dot)com to discuss ways to get your money working for you!
It’s mid-February. Do you know where your resolutions are?
Yep, THOSE resolutions. The ones you made so earnestly on January 1st. The ones you swore were going to change 2010. The ones that would electrify your marketing and make your cash flow!
The ones that are getting put on the backburner again and again and again and…
Okay, it’s time to ‘fess up. If you’re human, you probably have reverted to your old ways on some level. Maybe you had the best of intentions, but somewhere you got sidetracked. It’s not uncommon. After all, it’s tough to turn the Titanic around when it’s barreling along at a comfortable clip. HOWEVER, you don’t want to make the mistake of not steering it away from the iceberg until it’s too late!
If you’ve allowed your excitement for your business resolutions to wane, don’t penalize yourself further by glumly saying: “I blew it. Better try again next year.” Instead, dust yourself off and start holding yourself accountable… better yet, hire a coach to help you stick with the plans you know are going to make the difference between having a so-so year and having a spectacular one!
It’s time for round two of those 2010 resolutions… You have ten-and-a-half more months… get that virtual “cash register” ringing!
We all have days where we get down in the dumps. Fortunately, those times usually pass. However, for some entrepreneurs, clinical depression can take a huge toll on their business successes.
How do you know if you are depressed? When it comes to entrepreneurs, the signs and symptoms of depression can vary, including:
Inability to complete projects. “Why should I start today? It’s already 4:00 p.m. I’ll start tomorrow instead.”
Days spent staring at the computer, unable to force even an email or a phone call. “It’s just too tough to decide where to begin.”
Inability to get out of bed to go to work. “I got twelve hours of sleep, but I’m still exhausted.”
A sense of pessimism surrounding everything. “Why bother to do anything? That guy will never become a client.”
A lack of focus. “Why can’t I remember anything?”
Slacking in performance. “I feel so stupid, but I just can’t seem to do work that’s good anymore.”
I’ve worked with depressed entrepreneurs before, and I can tell you that this isn’t something to ignore because it doesn’t magically disappear.
If you’re battling depression, it’s imperative that you find a way to combat it, such as with medications, therapy, diet, exercise and/or homeopathic remedies. Don’t delay. Make this one of your top entrepreneurial resolutions for 2010. That way, you’ll be able to give it your all next year.
You deserve nothing less than the chance to shine.
