Business Ideas for Beginners

There are millions of people who are eager to start their own business and more than half of them would actually take the initiative in creating one. In initiating a small business, it is wise to venture on something you are already familiar and gifted to do well. Skills, hobbies and interests are an easy inspiration in determining which enterprise you can get on with while your educational background, professional experience and training are plus points. It is never a practical idea to embark on with something totally new to you since you cannot afford to spend time figuring out how that stuff really works considering the tough competition out there. Besides, you will be having difficulty maintaining that venture as you will become bored and unproductive simply because you entered into something not within your interest. You cannot run a pet shop if you hate animals, and you can’t deal cars if you know less about cars. If you barely have the passion in the enterprise itself because you were only interested in it because a friend was successful or a neighbor said it was a high-earning project, no matter how much you spend most of your waking time going through the details and every aspect of it, sooner or later, you will realize that the gamble is not worth it. Your friend possibly was successful in that field because it was something that she always wanted. However, it doesn’t mean that whatever worked for her will work for you.

When you consider businesses exerting dominance in your neighborhood, it can be intimidating in putting up your own venture though; it doesn’t mean giving up your goal of opening your own. You can start with small ones before entering into big businesses because anyway, big entrepreneurs started with small businesses. Shelling out a great deal of money doesn’t have to be the case in launching every business as there are some, which can be set up without needing a huge sum of capital.

If you would like to control your own time, how much you want to earn, and make yourself the boss, you might as well try self-employment businesses such as turning a certain skill to your advantage. This means that the type of business depends on what you can do. If you are good in cooking, you can bake cookies or brownies. If you are a technically-inclined individual, you can probably manage a computer shop. If you love to craft you can sell something like knitting or crocheting, needlework, or jewelry making. If you are knowledgeable in a subject that you think is in demand, you can offer tutoring services. If your passion is writing, you can write for other people.

When people are on holidays, there are things that are left home that they cannot do while they are away. Looking after their plants, pets and house sitting are some of the easy ways to earn extra cash.
If you want to earn at the comforts of your own home, then you are looking for online jobs. All you need to have is a reliable computer and an internet connection. Online jobs include ghostwriting, link building and website creation services. Blogging, for instance, can be a good online business opportunity for creative writers as well as building membership sites. If you have a good eye for products that will surely hit the market, E-commerce stores are considered to be a break. You can start with eBay auction selling too or be an affiliate marketer wherein you get paid for promoting and selling other people’s products. You can also bump into websites that pay you for answering their surveys. The internet is constantly growing and more and more talented individual is part of it. You can be a part too.

This is just some interesting and exciting money making ideas that might suit you and there are still many opportunities out there. The end point is, if you’re eyeing on starting your own business and for as long as you are ready to learn and put your talent to the test, there’s nothing wrong with testing the waters by gambling for the minor ones first.

Getting to Know Neville Jordan

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned about this business its people. Can we trust these people with our money? There can be amazing science and technology, great products, but if you can’t get on with or there’s no trust with the people then it’s best not to do the deal.”

-Neville Jordan

Name: Neville Jordan CNZM (Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit)
Year Born: 1943
Education: Canterbury University – Electrical Engineer graduate (1967)
Leisure interests: ocean yachting, scuba diving, motorcycling, horse riding, doing charity work and the performing arts.

Secret to his success: Complete confidence in your abilities, recognizing and accepting your shortfalls and having the desire to achieve.

What people say about Neville Jordan:

- John Manning, businessman and former manager of Technology New Zealand, said: “Neville’s a natural innovator but he is not just that. He has the combination of being an innovator [along with] strong business and management skills.

- “I have a lot of respect for him. He may be successful, but he’s also someone who is just another bloke who has time to help anyone. New Zealand needs more Neville Jordan around.”

Working Experience:

1. IBM and civil aviation (air traffic control engineer)
2. Headed to the United States on a six-week Rotary scholarship (age 25).Neville Jordan said that Rotary scholarship effectively changed his life. That was since the day he saw that there are people who enjoys in technology when he went to Houston NASA mission control. That made Neville Jordan motivated on having his own company.”
3. Multinational company in Europe – vice president

Awards, Achievements and Recognitions:

1. Leading investor and contributor to technological and scientific venture
2. President of the Royal Society of New Zealand (early 2006 to June 2009)
3. Chair of the Trustees of the Rutherford Foundation
4. Chair of the National Information and Communications Technology Australia (NICTA) Review Panel by the Australian Government
5. The Second Flying Kiwi recipient (2004)
6. He founded MAS Technology Ltd. in 1975 (telecommunications Microwave Company). He was able to make this company successful in the NASDAQ stock exchange. (1996 – 240 staffs, 15 offices worldwide). In 1997, in a highly successful float, MAS became the first and still the only New Zealand Company to list on the NASDAQ.
7. Founder of telecommunications microwave Equipment Company Marine Air Systems (MAS) Technology.
8. First New Zealand Company to list on the NASDAQ – tied forces with US company Digital Microwave Services proceeding to Jordan selling his interest in 1998.
9. Over 250 staffs are already with MAS, exports to 60 countries; making more than $100 Million in foreign exchange earnings.
10. Neville Jordan went on to establish Endeavor Capital a venture capital business investing in exciting New Zealand-based science, research and technology enterprises.
11. Diabetes research company “Protemix” (based at the University of Auckland and the DNA reagents company, ZyGEM) – founding Chair and Chief Executive.
12. He has been a Well-known Fellow of the Institute of Professional Engineers New Zealand and has been given an award by the United Kingdom IEE Kirby medal for “outstanding eminence and distinction in advanced technology”.
13. Neville Jordan was recognized by the Governor General of New Zealand’s Supreme Award for Exporting in 1996 and was honored by the Queen in 1999 as a Companion of New Zealand Order of Merit.
14. Neville is also one of only three living New Zealander’s to be a Laureate of both the Hi Tech Hall of Fame (2005) and NZ Business Hall of Fame (2006).
15. He continues to back our young talent in their growth of New Zealand’s hi-tech future.
16. Neville Jordan was able to serve six years (1993 – 1998) on the board of the Crown Research Institute, AgResearch, and three years each on the boards of the Foundation of Research Science & Technology as well as the Prime Minister’s Growth and Innovation Advisory Board.
17. An honorary Doctor of Engineering degree in Canterbury University

Understanding Debt

What is debt? Debt means what you owe. It is something you borrow from a person, lending institution or a company, particularly a bank, for whatever purpose.  Mostly, we borrow money from another person because we badly need it – like paying our electric bills, water bills and others. In terms of a bigger amount needed, we borrow money from a lending company at a certain interest and is payable either daily or monthly.  We can also lend money from banks through their personal and commercial loans. Today, most banks already offer credit cards – these are facilities that allow a person to purchase items based on credit, with repayments ranging from one month to a couple of years.

All of us come face to face with the allure of debt, particularly consumer debt like credit card debt, salary loan, car loan, housing loan and other personal loans. Credit though, is good at times, especially when used as leverage to earn more assets. However, when misused or abused, debt will surely cause trouble and is a death to those who mismanage it.

Debt problems, as in the case of credit cards, seem harmless at first.  This is because, credit card companies give a pre-approved credit and annual membership fees for the first year waived.  Primarily, we think of subscribing for a credit card for “emergency” purchases. However, this does not what happens most. Like for example, you wander through the mall and find out that they are having a sale to most of their items. And here you are, bringing the credit card with you, and so you are tempted to buy many items using your credit card. This comes with the thought of paying off the whole amount as soon as the bill arrives. However, before you know it, you would have racked up so many charges that you can only afford to pay the minimum amount. And here, the debt problem arises because aside from your purchased amount, you are being charged a very high interest for not paying the full amount.

If you are already encountering this debt problem, it is already time for you to think of better solutions to pay off your bill. You may borrow from your relatives or friends at concessional rates, if not, without interest at all.  You may sell some of your assets that you no longer need or use and pay the proceeds to your debts. If not, you may also consolidate your debt in one lender that charges the lowest interest. After you’ve zeroed your debt, stay debt free. The best way for this is to avoid temptations and occasions of spending. Like for example, visit malls frequently, and if not, leave your credit cards at home.

Managing debt is therefore, very important. You should take it as trying to lose weight. The first step is to see how much you currently weigh – that is, you should know how much you owe and what kind of debt you need to pay. The simple reason for this is that you need to know if you have enough cash to pay for a certain debt when it falls due. In addition to classifying your debt according to maturity, you should also take a good look at them to identify, which are necessary and, which are not.  Moreover, you should “cost” your debt to see, which have very high interest rates.