Would you like to get more done in less time with your work-at-home business so you can spend more time with your family doing the things that you enjoy most in life? Do you often dream of a balanced lifestyle that brings you success in wealth, health, and your relationships?

It’s time to make those dreams a reality so you can get on living the life that you deserve. The best part… it’s easier than you may think.

The key to increased productivity is to optimize your brain function. The more focused, alert, and efficient your brain operates, the quicker you will be able to get through your daily tasks.

The most effective tool that you can use to optimize your brain is exercise. But you don’t need to spend hours in the gym in order to boost your brain-power and increase your productivity. You only need 10 minutes.

Let’s put it to the test. I challenge you to take a 10-minute quickie break from the computer. Come on now… I know that you’ve got 10-minutes. Trust me, it’ll be worth it.

Here’s a fast and fun home office cardio workout that you can do right now. No excuses! It doesn’t require any equipment, it doesn’t require much space, and it doesn’t require much time.

OK, so how did it feel? Were your legs burning? Was your heart racing? Awesome!

Now it’s time to get back to work, feeling more energized and focused. You needed that break didn’t you? You feel pretty darn good about yourself to… right?

Please do me a favor and take mental notes on how this quickie 10-minute cardio session impacts the rest of your day. How it improves your productivity, quality of work, and time management.

Aside from your home business, I would love for you to share how the quickie home office cardio impacts your family. Did you have more energy to play with your kids or grandchildren?

The benefits of incorporating home office fitness into your workday are nearly limitless. This is a balanced lifestyle approach. You are using quick fitness to improve your business and quality time with your family. You really can have it all, and you deserve it! Begin today and experience a transformation in your business, fitness, and life.

You ROCK! Enjoy the experience!

Scott Tousignant, BHK has been helping busy work-at-home-moms and dads improve their #1 asset (HEALTH) for over a decade. Scott’s balanced and practical approach to fitness helps busy homepreneurs get more done in less time so you can spend more time doing what you enjoy most in life.

Backed by years of experience and the application of his education in human kinetics, Scott created Fat Loss Quickie, the fast fun home office fitness experience that will quickly transform you into the super-focused, highly productive, beautiful person you really are!

Now it doesn’t matter how busy you are… You’ll never have to neglect your health again!

The program is my 42 Day Launch Incubator.  I created the curriculum last year, led my first group to great success and then made the whole thing available as a self study course.  The group coaching option is only available two or three times a year and I would love to have you join me for this session.

I know that there are literally hundreds of you reading this who have been thinking hard about creating an info product.  I don’t normally put a lot of pressure on you – but I want to apply some right now – fall is a great time to create a new product.

Maybe you want to create something like…

• A Beginner’s Guide to a Frugal Holiday Season
• Ten Simple Steps to Total Computer Security
• Sixteen Homeschool Science Projects Under $10 Each
• Top Blogging Secrets: How The Pros Get More Readers
• Five Videos You Should Star In This Fall And How It Will Help You Promote Your ________.
• Common Social Media Blunders And How To Come Back From Them
• Web Time Wasters: Tips for Getting More Done Online
• Turning a Wipeout into a Win!
• Top Guest Blogging Strategies For Traffic & Profits

Whatever it is that you’ve been thinking about sharing with others, I can help you chunk up the process and get it done at last.

Come check it out.

First, I do have an iMac on my desk – used mostly for media consumption.  I watch internet television and web video as well as listen to hours and hours of podcasts each week.  The iMac wins it’s space because it doesn’t take up much and it runs like a horse, never giving me a moments trouble.

I’ve always used a Microsoft keyboard with the Mac because I hate hate hate the Apple keyboard and mouse that came with it.  But today, Apple won a little more desktop space with this awesome little bluetooth keyboard:

Look at how little space it takes up!  Since I don’t need to use a keyboard on the Mac often – it is easy to slip out of the way and pull out when I need it.

And come on – it is seriously a sexy little thing

Next up – I’ve just become a giddy new iPhone user.

I honestly didn’t plan to use an iPhone.  I’ve been happy with my BlackBerry Curve over the last two years – but then my son introduced me to surfing on his iPod Touch and I had what he calls a ‘nerd-gasm’.  It’s truly amazing.

I’ll miss the ‘real’ qwerty keyboard that the BlackBerry offers.  Thumbing the iPhone’s touch screen is taking some getting used to – but I have already fallen in love with it and the ever enticing AppStore.

Look at how the big screened iPhone in a pink wave case mocks the little BB…

Poor little BB.

What can I say?  I’ve being tempted by the Apple.

I’ve got a line up of really interesting moms who are all doing something to earn an income online.  You’ll get to meet them and you’ll have access to a bundle of really terrific freebies.

Welcome the the WAH World

All the details are here: Totally Free Tuesday

Bartering your valuable skills is a fantastic way to get the products and services you need to move forward with your business goals.  It’s especially attractive with your business budget is tight!

Get What You Need!

Since this is Labor Day Weekend, and since last year’s swap meet was so successful, I think this is a perfect time to revive the fun and open up the comments for you to share what you have to offer and what you’re looking for in return.

Are you a skilled writer in need of a new blog header graphic?  Offer to write a couple of killer articles for a graphic designer in need of content.  Are you a virtual assistant in need of a gift for your best friend’s birthday?  Offer to provide your services in exchange for personal care products.

The options are endless – just make your pitch and see what happens!

Let’s Swap!

Leave a comment below that shares what you have to offer for barter in enough detail that someone can make a decision about it.  If you know exactly what you’d like to barter for, lay that out to.  If you’re not sure, you can say that you’re open to creative offers.

Be sure to include contact information!  Your Twitter user name would be good.

Who knows what sort of swap connections we’ll make this weekend   Let’s go for it!

Yeah, you heard me right.  I’m working hard through the holiday break.  (I’m HUNGRY remember?)

Don’t worry, I’ve got my vacation planned for the following weekend.  I’ll be settling into my lake house with lots of relaxation on the calendar.  (My trusty VA is guarding my calendar to keep it clear.)

I was visiting with my friend and life coach, Aurelia Williams earlier today and shared something pretty exciting.  I’ve already met my goal of earning an extra $1000!  Actually, I made an extra $1200 in just nine days.   That took all of the pressure off of my budget this month and puts me well on the path to my long term goal of doubling my income in nine months.

Some new pressure came to light right on the heels of that as I realized how much I’ll need to put aside for my trip to NAMS in January.  I see that as a good thing – I need to feel the burn to keep my motivated.

I have got a LOT done this past week.  I finished up all of the lessons for my Blog Internship course and got a new group coaching program ready to launch, that’s the 42 Day Launch Incubator.  I’m super geeked about the Incubator.  I’m going to be working with other hungry internet marketers as they create their first (or next) information product in just 42 days.

I interviewed 25+ and selected 12 new interns for the Mom’s Talk Network blogs.  This new group will be getting started after my vacation and I can hardly wait!

It’s been a great week and I plan to make this weekend even more productive.

So you go enjoy your weekend!  I’ll be here if you need me

This week’s Spark an Idea Thursday is About Something You Want So Bad You Can Taste It.

I’ve got a big list myself right now… I want a new laptop, an iphone, a new car and twice the income   (Easy peasie, right?!)

• Susan wants a new Nikon.
• Laurie wants a laptop.
• Traci wants to get published.
• Jenn wants to come home full time again.

And elsewhere on the web:

• Tiffany wants the freedom to travel!

If you’d like to chime in on next week’s Spark an Idea topic – “Spark an Idea About Purging” , we’d love to have you join in.

Do you ever just feel the urge to purge?  Feel free to take this topic anywhere you like!

Grab our image and make your post by 9am EST on Thursday the 10th of September, then tweet me to let me know and I’ll include you in the round up post here on Sparkplug CEO.

Small business owner, entrepreneur, freelancer, or solopreneur. Regardless of what you call yourself, you’re busy managing your business and you don’t have time to maintain your online presence.  You need qualified, experienced professionals to help you with your Internet marketing. When you have a question, or need advice, you need knowledgeable people whom you can trust to guide you in the right direction.

As a side note, I’m a big fan of Sparkplugging. Wendy, Kelly, and the rest of the team provide immense value to the small business community and I’ve learned a lot from watching them and working with them as a Sparkplugging Intern.

Since our inception, our Internet Marketing Specialists have helped thousands of small business owners and we’re confident that you, Sparkplugging readers, know what it takes to make a business successful.  You’re dedicated, resourceful and motivated, and we want to help you expand your business.  I’m excited to announce this giveaway to the Sparkplugging readers.

Have a question about Internet marketing?  Ask NetBiz.com. We’ll work hard to give you the best answer possible, as fast as possible.

What Can You Ask NetBiz.com?

We have over 200 employees with experience in Search Engine Placement (SEP, also called Pay Per Click or PPC), Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Web Design, and other forms of Internet marketing. We have extensive experience dealing with industries as diverse as real estate, construction, publishing, consumer goods, consulting, and more.  What’s more, if we don’t know the answer right away, we will find it for you and show you the way.

Where Can You Ask NetBiz.com Your Questions?

• Twitter – Follow us @Ask_NetBiz, then send us an @ or DM and we’ll respond as quickly as possible.
• Facebook -  Become a fan of Ask NetBiz on Facebook and submit questions related to your small business.
• The NetBiz.com Blog – Visit Blog.NetBiz.com to get news and tons of useful information on Internet marketing, search engine news, and get in-depth answers to your most pressing questions.  You can ask questions via the comments section.

Why Is NetBiz.com Doing This?

We want to give back to the small business community.  In business since 2002, we currently have over 15,000 small business owners that we are happy to call our clients.  We recognize the great potential that is small business and we want to do what we can to help it grow.  This question-and-answer service is totally free and is something we plan to implement as an integral part of our business.

How Do I Get The Free Advertising?

All you have to do to win the free Search Engine Placement is follow us on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook and then submit a question about Internet marketing.  It’s that simple.  If you want additional chances at winning, ask multiple questions, or share our Twitter & Facebook pages with others.  Every retweet and Facebook share counts as an additional entry.

The free advertising consists of two months, $500 per month, of Search Engine Placement on Google or Yahoo, customized and targeted to your business and clients.

Deadline to enter: Midnight,  September 20th

If you have any questions, feel free to email us! Ask [at] NetBiz.com

Cory Huff is the Social Media and Blogging Specialist at NetBiz.com, a search engine marketing company based in Portland, OR.  Cory was also one of the original group of Sparkplugging interns.

Many new entrepreneurs make the mistake of choosing based on price alone.  I was guilty of this and it burned me bad in my first year of business.  Fortunately a fellow work at home mom rescued me from ‘closed down web host’ hell and helped me get set up on more reliable web server.  That was the year I met Scott.

Scott, who would from then on forever be known as ‘the awesome Scott‘ for his unending patience and reliable, skillful support to me and my friends.

I trusted Scott so much that I eventually went into business with him, launching Mom Webs as an affordable, mom friendly, web hosting option.  That went so well, we went on to launch Reliable Webs in 2008.  Reliable Webs is branded for small business owners and entreprenuers and has enjoyed quite steady growth so far – something I’d like to boost to be up front about it!

I’d like to know what you look for in a web host.  If you’ll leave a comment below telling us what you care about most when it comes to choosing a quality web host and you’ll be entered for 12 months of free multi-domain web hosting from Reliable Webs.

You can transfer an existing website over or use it as an opportunity to launch something new!  This prize is worth $300 – a nice chunk of savings for you if you win.  A winner will be chosen at random on the morning of Tuesday, September 8th, 2009.  You can comment anytime between now and then to be entered.

I look forward to reading your comments!

How has blogging changed in the years since you started?

I believe that around four years ago blogging had more close relationships. That is, you would create a blog on a certain niche, and within weeks you would already know everyone inside that niche. They would come to comment on your posts, you would comment on theirs and so on. Obviously this was only possible because you didn’t have thousands of blogs on every niche.

As the blogging phenomenon grew we lost some of that closeness.

I don’t think that this is necessarily bad though. It is just how things evolve.

What traffic building strategies would you suggest for a new blogger?

Focus on writing posts that are insanely useful. I call those “killer posts.”

There are thousands of blogs and websites on every single niche these days, so if you want to stand out from the crowd and attract readers you need to make your content top notch.

Once you have that, work on the promotion, as a killer post is only good if people are actually reading and sharing it.

Who’s blog is on your must read list?

There are many. Here are some that I read daily:

• Pro Blogger
• Copy Blogger
• Entrepreneurs Journey
• Quicksprout

What are some mistakes you see newbie bloggers making?

There are a couple that people make over and over again. The first one is to choose a niche just because you see someone else making good money inside it. Instead you should choose a niche where you believe you will be able to create value.

The second one is trying to make money too early in the game. Some bloggers pack their blogs with ads even before they reach a significant audience. As a consequence, new visitors will go away as fast as they came, and the blog will never grow enough to become an authority.

Do you have any tips for coming up with fresh ideas all the time?

I can share what works for me.

First of all you need to have a system to store all your ideas. Some people will use a voice recorder, others a notebook, others yet will just save drafts on their blogging software. It does not matter what you use, as long as you can store all your ideas.

With this step alone you should already have enough ideas to keep going for a while.

If despite using it you find yourself with a shortage of ideas, take a look on websites and blogs on different niches and check what of their ideas could be adapted into your own niche.

Can you explain duplicate content? Is it something bloggers should be worried about?

According to Google itself duplicate content “generally refers to substantive blocks of content within or across domains that either completely match other content or are appreciably similar.”

This is something that bloggers need to worry about because it can affect how many of their posts will get indexed by Google.

There are two things to worry about: internal duplicate content and external duplicate content. Internal refers to having the same content displayed in two or more locations of your blog (e.g., the single post page and the monthly archive). This can be solved by using excerpts on your homepage, category and archive pages.

To avoid external duplicate content problems just make sure that you are not submitting your own posts to other blogs or article directories, and don’t allow other people to republish them. Scrapers might still do it against your will, but Google knows how to handle those most of the times.

Are RSS subscriber counts a valid measure of a blog’s popularity, or is RSS still too underused in the general population to be useful as a measuring device?

I believe RSS subscriber base is a good measure of the reach of a blog. If a certain blog has 10,000 RSS readers, for example, you know that around 10,000 people will be exposed to a post published on that blog.

What the RSS count can not predict, though, is the traffic levels of the blog.

Do you recommend bloggers have an opt-in list?

Yes. Email marketing is one of the most effective communication forms, and it should be used by anyone who is trying to make money online or to build a popular website.

How should  bloggers approach other blog owners about guest posting?

First of all take some time to analyze what kind of content is popular with the audience of that blog. Then write a top notch article around one of those topics. Finally, email the blogger, and make sure to attach your guest post in the very first email you will send. Writing a preliminary email just asking permission to send a guest post for consideration is a waste of time for everyone, and could get you rejected even before you got your shot.

Is it more important to post often, or to post really informative “pillar” content, when trying to build traffic?

It is much more important to post killer posts. These are the ones who will build the authority of your site and attract new readers.

What is the most effective way to monetize a blog?

It depends. Some blogs will do better with Google AdSense, while others will do really well with affiliate marketing deals. The key to finding the most effective way is testing, testing and some more testing.

What do bloggers need to know about SEO? Is it really that important for a blog? Or should they concentrate on other marketing methods?

It depends on the objectives of the blogger. If he wants to generate substantial money with his blog and possibly turn into a business, then he will need to learn at least the core SEO principles.

If he is blogging as a hobby, though, then it is better to focus his time on content creating and promotion.

There are all kinds of great events going on all over the world and I could give a fig about most of them.   But NAMS is proving to be an animal of a different breed and my curiosity is piqued.  After reading comments from many I know and respect, I’ve decided that I just can’t let another NAMS go by.

I can’t sit at home reading tweets from friends who are there – networking, learning and JVing without me!

The next NAMS event is set at the end of January 2010.  It’s located in Atlanta and I’ve just registered to attend so that I could take advantage of the early bird discount. (I saved $500!)

If you’ve been thinking about attending an internet marketing event in 2010, I invite you to consider coming to NAMS.  We can meet and learn together!

And hey, if your seriously considering – seriously consider acting before the end of the month cuz that’s when the early bird price expires.

I’ve been using FIVE instant message systems for a long time.  Well, six if you count Twitter.  (I know Twitter isn’t for IM, but it often gets used the way.)

I started out with ICQ way back in the old days but didn’t stick with it.  I moved onto Yahoo and somewhere along the way I started using AOL and MSN messengers because some friend or family member was using it.  Add Gtalk and Skype and I’m a mess.

Yes, I know there are tools that mesh them all together but I don’t think that’s my answer. I just want to be in one place, you know?

I’ve chosen Skype for my primary contact client.  I use SkypeIn for my business telephone line and SkypeOut for the calls I need to make.  I’ve got a lot of my near and dears as Skype contacts and all of the most important numbers saved as well.   I’ve even got a tool on my BlackBerry to keep me in touch when I’m away.

Confession: Gtalk is still on my Gmail screen but I think of it more as ‘extra speedy email’ than instant messaging

This week’s Spark an Idea Thursday is About Being a Lifetime Learner. Since our awesome Sparkplugging Authors are definitely leading by example on this point, they’ve got some great advice for us:

• Susan learns from several books at a time.
• Leslie says to make learning part of your daily routine.
• Traci learned to keep on learning from her grandparents.
• Jenn keeps her mind open and makes more money with eBay.
• Brandie says to listen more, talk less.
• Lynette says that learning is not all about degrees.

If you’d like to chime in on next week’s Spark an Idea topic – “Spark an Idea About Something You Want So Bad You Can Taste It “ , we’d love to have you join in.

Share something from deep inside that you have a huge will to accomplish – and what you’re doing to prepare for it!

Grab our image and make your post by 9am EST on Thursday the 3rd of September, then tweet me to let me know and I’ll include you in the round up post here on Sparkplug CEO.

I’m thrilled to come back and report that I went for it!

I paid a deposit and signed a lease for this great three bedroom house on Otsego Lake.  It’s way cute and sits right on the east shore where it will enjoy all the afternoon sunshine.

The lake house will add significant financial pressure on my monthly budget – so now is where I get ‘Hungry’!

I’m Not The Only Hungry One

On Monday mornings I meet with Mom Masterminds members and other internet marketing women (our meeting is open to the public) for a regular ‘Breakthrough’ session.  This week I declared the theme to be ‘Double the Trouble’ and we talked about wanting to double our incomes.

In Friday’s post I said:

“I know I can make everything I want happen if I want it bad enough. With the right projects and focused attention, anything really is possible.”

After a season of bring pretty laid back about things, I’m working up a sense of urgency and tackling all of my projects with renewed passion.  I’m determined to make every dollar I can, ensuring that I’ll get to enjoy the lake house as much as possible.

In the breakthrough session it became clear that I’m not alone in dreaming bigger dreams and feeling increased levels of pressure about earning a more substantial income.   Again and again, participating members voiced their agreement and excitement about reaching for higher levels.

Our new goals make us remember what it felt like to be new and hungry for success, sparking the idea to claim the title:  ‘The Hungry Women of Internet Marketing‘.  We’re going to be holding each other accountable to our new goals and taking regular action on them over on the Mom Masterminds forum of course.

Several of us have joined Jimmy’s Affiliatenaire course to ramp up our efforts in affiliate marketing and we’re starting up an MMer accountability group right after Labor Day.  We’ll be meeting in my conference room one evening a week to talk over our lessons and brainstorm ways to apply the information.  I’m so excited about that!

You Work Harder When You’re Hungry And When Someone Else Is Watching!

When Mom Masterminds launched back in 2004, we noticed right away that sharing goals and being held accountable for them helped many members to take more action.  That and being able to mastermind with other smart marketers helps you take smarter action

If you’re hungry like we’re hungry, I invite you to join us there!

This after I received an affiliate sale notification from her program.  There’s something pretty inspiring about earning $150 in commission, wouldn’t you agree?

There’s no doubt I love what I do and make a good living at it. One of the greatest things about being an internet business entrepreneur is that there are no limits – and right now, I’m focusing in on that because I’ve decided it’s time to make more money. (And I know I can do it!)

I remember when I first started my online business.  I just wanted to make a couple hundred dollars a month.   Time and experience certainly raised my expectations.  I paid off my debts, left my day job and have enjoyed freedoms I once only dreamed of. 

If that sounds like a sales letter testimonial, I apologize   It’s not meant to – it’s what really happened for me.

What you need to understand though is that the ‘freedoms’ I’ve enjoyed – are pretty relative.  For a single mom who struggled paying the bills for more than fourteen years, just being able to pay them and not worry is a big freedom.  Add in some gadgets and fun and I felt rich!  What can I say?  I’m easy to please.

At least I have been.

Talking in real numbers, I’ve earned between $30,000 and $45,000 a year over the last three.  Less when I was focused on helping family out and more when I was more focused on building my business.  I’m not talking these numbers down – I’m proud of them!  But I know I can do better.

And now I want to.

That’s the key isn’t it?  Being an entrepreneur is about pursuing your goals and dreams. Some people dream perfectly wonderful small dreams and when they are achieved, feel fabulous.  I’ve felt great about my accomplishments so far and quite satisfied with the resulting income.

But lately, I’ve been dreaming about more.

I want to do some more things for me. I want to travel more and drive a nicer car. I want to do more to secure my financial future.

I’m driving up to Gaylord this weekend to look at a vacation house to rent for the next nine months because I’d like to split my schedule between here and there and enjoy more down time.

It sounds dreamy, doesn’t it?

I know I can make everything I want happen if I want it bad enough. With the right projects and focused attention, anything really is possible.

The only problem is that I almost seem to be dreaming at cross purposes with myself.  On one hand, I want to have more great down time in a furnished lake house on Otsego Lake.  On the other hand, to get that, I have to work harder and make more money.

Rethink that… I don’t have to work harder – I have to work smarter.

(Something @aliceseba has taught me a lot about over the years.)

Again, with an internet business – there are no limits.  My websites work for me 24 hours a day.  I wake up every morning to sales notices, both from my own products and from my recommendations for others – most of it is now very passive in nature. (I created some projects years ago and continue to earn well from them.)  If I want to make more money – I just have to create smart new projects and give older projects an artful nudge.

With my years of experience, and a mind open to how our industry is constantly changing, I know I can make my new dreams come true.

I’ve decided that between now and the end of the year I’ll put a lot of focus on affiliate marketing. Why?  Because as an affiliate, I can earn money from products I don’t have to take the time to create.

Like today, when I earned $150 from Alice.  She created the product, I just had to recommend it to my list and voila: one fourth of the cash I need for a deposit on my lake house   Now to do that again and again and again, right?

Time to Amp It Up!

I’m taking Jimmy D. Brown’s Affiliatenaire course.  I signed up a few months back when it first launched and have been tucking the lessons away in my gmail account – sounds like now is the perfect time to pull them out and put them to good use.  Jimmy always inspires me and his learning programs are easy to follow.  I’ve taken his Membernaire course in the past to learn more about running paid membership programs and have since launched two successful fixed term membership programs.

My first goal is to add $1000 to my monthly income.  Then, to reach a regular goal of $10,000 per month.

Anybody want to join me in boosting their affiliate income?  Would love to hear from those who are focusing on the same things right now.

This week’s Spark an Idea Thursday is About Following Your Gut. I invited our authors to share something they’ve learned either by lesson or observation from a favorite blogger.

• Laurie says HALT!
• Traci says your gut may know better than  your head.
• Jenn says a happy heart makes for a happy business.
• Brandie says to follow your inner compass.
• Lynette says just go already!

If you’d like to chime in on next week’s Spark an Idea topic – “Spark an Idea About Being a Lifetime Learner “ , we’d love to have you join in.

Share how you keep your mind and heart open to learn new things.

Grab our image and make your post by 9am EST on Thursday the 27th of August, then tweet me to let me know and I’ll include you in the round up post here on Sparkplug CEO.

I can’t imagine commuting such distances for work.   It’s not that I hate driving, it’s more that I resent the time spent doing nothing else.

I’m a late bird and that’s putting it mildly.  Lately I’ve been keeping very odd hours.  I’m incredibly alert and productive in the middle of the night so I’ve been staying up several days a week until dawn. It’s quiet.  Distractions are few and far between.  Temperatures are cooler.

I often make late night munchie runs.  A girl needs brain food, right? Most of the time I’m the only car on the road between my place and the all night gas station – or McDonalds

Tonight though, (this morning) I made my trip right at 5:00am and I was definitely not the only car on the road.  Apparently, five o’clock in the morning is beginning of our community’s commuter rush.

The people look tired, almost like they’re still switched off for the night.

After picking out my power snacks, I paid and drove back to my apartment, kicked of my sandals and un-paused the episode of KyleXY I was watching on Hulu when the urge to snack struck – and felt sort of sorry for all those hitting the highway instead.

Working at home really rocks sometimes, you know?

What is the Actual Cost of Your Blogging – Great post by J. Angelo Racoma about what it costs to be a blogger.  I found it interesting to consider, especially when she compares what is earned from blog ad income to what could be earned doing other work.

ProBlogger is launching a Community – This is exciting news from Darren Rouse and I can’t wait to see what shape it takes.

The Get Started Now Guide to Becoming Self Employed – Excellent post from Zen Habits I found in my Google Reader tonight thanks to my friend Christie. (She’s great about sharing good posts!)  If you’re thinking about being self employed, definitely give it a read.

Free Event for new Work at Home Moms – We’re putting together an incredible one day orientation for new work at home moms, featuring speakers, free learning resources and some really terrific giveaways.  I’ll be sure to tell you more about it as the date draws near but right now I’m actually still looking for a few interesting WAHMs to come and share their story during the event so if you’re interested in being a speaker, shout out to me by email. (kelly@sparkplugging.com)

NAMS (Niche Affiliate Marketing System) is a bi-yearly event hosted by founder, David Perdew. The NAMS event was created for the newbie, intermediate and advanced internet marketer seeking to find out in-depth information on how to profit as an affiliate marketer. One of the things that impressed me about David is his integrity and passion for inspiring others to reach their goals by providing a step-by-step system for anyone with a desire to LEARN, COMMIT and (apply) ACTION.

This past weekend included the above and more. I opted for Intermediate classes, however found myself in the newbie classes as well because I wanted to hear what each speaker had to say on both levels.

I chose to attend NAMS for the opportunity to gain additional insight into affiliate marketing as well as to meet people ‘in person’. Having been online for over 10 years, it was time to see people in person, to get a feel for who they really are ‘off’ the computer. Seeing people for the first time was truly an experience that I’ll treasure for a very long time. Everyone was so friendly, hugs were exchanged, private conversations took place, getting to know each other on a more personal level happened all weekend!

Nothing Beats a Live Event

Live events offer the opportunity to talk in a way that’s somewhat challenging via instant messaging or emails and sometimes the phone. I have this thing about looking people in their eyes to see who’s really in there (LOL!), what they’re REALLY all about and I have to say, out of all the people I met there, I saw authenticity and passion along with a sincere warmth towards others.

All attendees were required to sign a NDA (non-disclosure agreement), we aren’t able to discuss the specifics about the event outside of the event. But I will say that the speakers who stood out most for *me* were, Lynn Terry, Willie Crawford, Cindy Dawson, Traci Knoppe (breakout session) and David Perdew because they speak from the heart, not to say that others weren’t good, it’s just that these are the ones who made a lasting impression for me. In other words, they don’t hold back like at some events that you attend that are only designed to tease you and then attempt to sell you various packages from the back of the room. The majority of the speakers were all about (sincerely) helping the attendees understand the topics they were covering and a few setup assignments to be completed before the end of the sessions.

On Friday evening, I had the awesome opportunity to chat with Nicole Dean. Her conversations provide substance. In other words, she’s inspiring, encouraging, motivating and a beautiful person to be around. She helped me realize some things about my business by providing tips and ideas that when applied will produce awesome results. I’m thoroughly grateful for the time spent with her.

The highlight of the event was the video that was created “How to Create Products In Less Than 90 Minutes Using Recordings” that was done right there at the event! It was so cool watching it come together. I think sometimes we make things more complicated than they should be by being analytical, wasting time and procrastinating. Anyway, I’m in the video but the funny thing is that I was talking so fast that I didn’t get a chance to finish my sentence. This is an example of what NOT to do when asked to do a video off the cuff! You can see me in the video, meant to say ‘do teleseminars the right way’!  (I’ve done several teleseminars before), it was a hoot, I couldn’t stop laughing.

A couple of my friends were getting on me about the bluetooth that I kept in my ear all weekend, (I’m ALWAYS available for my customers) but one of the things I learned is how to trust your team to handle things while you’re away… I’m working on it

If you’re wondering if you should attend an event, I encourage you to seriously think about it. What’s your reason for going? What are you looking to walk away with? What can you contribute? What do you need to brush up on? What new things do you need to learn to better your business?

I left NAMS with my mind racing at 100mph! Now to put those ideas into action. Whether you’re a newbie or an advanced business owner, there is always room for networking and higher learning. Willie Crawford spoke a message that I’ll place on my office wall and that is after planning: “The Speed of Execution Is Very Important.”

Regina Baker is the co-creator of Wahmcart and an Ecommerce Solutions Advisor. Wahmcart is a full ecommerce software solution for work at home moms without the huge price tag. She’s dedicated to educating the small business individual (sole proprietors) and companies with ecommerce solutions that will allow them to work smarter, not harder while at the same time providing an affordable solution that the “average” person can afford.

Coming up with ideas is great, but not all ideas are all that they seem cracked up to be.

Some business ideas are Good.

They involve a specific target market and a much needed product, service or resouce that the market is willing to pay for (or someone else is willing to pay to support – ie: advertise on.)

Some business ideas are Bad.

These ideas are usually too fuzzy on the issue of target market or involve a product that fails to inspire interest.

Some business ideas are Just Plain Ugly.

I’ve come to realize over the last year that there are business ideas that can be made to work by sheer force of will, but that doesn’t mean that they should. Some business projects are just too labor intensive for so little net profit that you end up working for peanuts. I call that Ugly.

Which is Which?

It can be hard to say which ideas are good and which bad. It depends a great deal on who has the idea.

Someone can have a really good idea but lack the skills and experience to make it work. And on the flip side, I’ve seen someone with skills and experience take what looks like a bad idea, sell the heck out of it and make a lot of money.

What about the Ugly ideas? Couldn’t a skilled entrepreneur make anything work? Maybe they could. But they likely won’t since they know there will never be enough profit to be worth their effort.

How do I decide if my idea is good?

You could just run with it and see what happens. There is a lot to be said for learning in the trenches, still – I’m in favor of skipping hard knocks when possible so I’m going to recommend that you seek out other more experienced marketers to bounce your ideas off of before you invest too much time and resources.

I know from experience that I can develop what I think is a brilliant idea on paper. We want our ideas to work and look for ways to make them work. An outsider can usually see the holes in our theories and that’s a good thing. Be open to their constructive criticism. (They’re critiquing the idea – not you.)

Do some quick market research. Hit up Google to see if there are other people doing what you’re thinking about. Don’t be put off by the existence of competition. That should be a positive sign that there is a market for your ideas. If there is a LOT of competition, check out the top sites and ask yourself, “Can I do this at least 10% better than these guys?”

What if I just realized I have a Bad/Ugly Business?

Pat yourself on the back. You’re in good company. I’ve had more than my fair share of ideas gone bad. Some of the richest, most esteemed entrepreneurs in the world have had ideas that crashed and burned. Having a bad idea isn’t the end of the world and having acted on one isn’t the end of your WAH dreams.

Take your bad ideas (or business) back to the drawing board and see how they can be improved. Drop kick any truly ugly ideas to the curb and move on.

It’s called Failing Forward and it works for me