​Starting a business can be both an investment and a risky adventure. Success depends upon a number of factors, such as:  Type of product or service, demand, economy and YOU! 

Interpreting grant guidelines can be tedious, time consuming and exhausting; however, it's extremely important to read them thoroughly. Some guidelines are simple and some are not. Guidelines, particularly with Federal Grant applications, can be extremely detailed and include specifics such as weight and color of paper stock for attachments, labeling of exhibits, format to be used, grantor specific budget spreadsheets and so forth.   

When the deadline clock is ticking, an easy to access organization history and information checklist can help the application process move faster.     HISTORY Of Organization Founded/Formation Date Background and Name of Founder Reason Need Organization founded Purpose Description Geographical Footprint Date of Incorporation   GENERAL ORGANIZATION INFORMATION Office Locations/Addresses Phone Number Website Address Email Executive Director Name, Title, Phone and Email Target Audience Number of Volunteers Number of Staff PROJECT/PROGRAMS   Description Target Audience Ages Purpose Duration (Start Date/End Date) Geographic Area Serviced Demographics Budget New project/program: Describe the need and how your organization will educate the target audience about the availability, purpose and goals of the project/program.   Continued/existing project/program: List data (attendance, measurement of success, outcomes, inputs/outputs, percentages), along with anticipated success rates going forward.   DATA AND GENERAL STATISTICS Demographics served by the organization as a whole, and for the specific proposed project or program are often requested. Having this information readily available is valuable when completing an application, particularly with fast approaching deadlines. The best data and statistics are organization specific; however, when not available, general data can be used.    DATA NEEDED Total population of County Total population of State Total population of geographic footprint Number of persons served or benefiting Target Audience​ Number of persons below poverty level ​Number of homeless in the community Ethnicity Ages School Data-Grades/Number of Students   Tip:  Never develop a project/program around a grant opportunity. Always define and outline your organization projects/programs BEFORE searching for funding opportunities.         

Scammers are everywhere, including grant funding. Below are a few tips to help you recognize and avoid getting scammed.

Social media has changed the way we live, connect and work. Whether you love or loathe it, social media for business is no longer an option, but a necessity. Consumers, employers and yes, even competitors view social media pages for information and validation. There are many different platforms these days and it is mandatory to know which platforms are followed by your target audience.  

Labor Day is a federal holiday, originated in the 19th century to recognize and show appreciation for American Laborers Movement. Ironic this day has turned into a celebration for some and an extremely busy workday for others such as, restaurants, shopping and entertainment. Ah, but I digress.  

Traveling the yellow brick road of business communication can be akin to walking a tight rope. Emails, phone calls and social media, oh my! 

Burning down deep inside, you sense a great idea just beckoning to be brought to life. You know you were born to be a writer. You have the passion, eagerness and determination to get started, so what is holding you back? For most ambitious writers, fear of the unknown, rejection or bad reviews are most often cited. Although these fears are not unfounded, recognize they are just part of the writing process.   Writing isn't about fame and fortune (although it would be nice), writing is literally part of your being. Rest assured, with time, the power of the unknown will be replaced by motivation and pursuit. With every set-back, you will learn more and grow stronger. Regardless of your talent, you will never please everyone. While some may not like your writing style, genre or ideas, many, many will! So brush off the negative and keep pursuing your writing passion.    For years, you have been telling everyone that you are going to write a book; so again, I ask "What is holding you back?" Now is the time. The checklist below may help.    Identify your Audience A writer must first understand his/her target audience. (Side note: EVERYONE is not your target audience) What is the age, description, and language of your target audience? Your audience must relate to the tone, words and style     Writing Goal Why do want to write a book What do you hope to accomplish What is the take home for your readers A story that provokes a reaction, produces an emotion, enhances knowledge, or educates the reader strikes writing gold and achieves the ultimate in writing success   Non-Fiction or Fiction Non-Fiction books should flow, be easy to read, and concise. Non-Fiction books average 50,000 words Fiction books must be engaging, capturing the readers interest while driving anticipation to read more. Fiction books average 100,000 words  Avoid running down a proverbial rabbit hole that can distract the reader and lead to disinterest and the dreaded "I'll read it later" decision   Genre Action/Adventure Biography Children Drama/Plays Geography History Humor Mystery/Horror​ Science Fiction Self Help Special Interest Religion Romance Youth​​ Special Interest   Obtain an ISBN/Copyright An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) has 13 numbers and is used to identify a book for retailers, libraries and so-forth Some self-publishing houses include an ISBN in the cost; some don't e-Books require a separate ISBN Always copyright your work - To obtain a legal copyright visit U.S. Copyright Office | U.S. Copyright Office    Point of View First person - Main character tells the story -  (I can, I did, I ran)  Second person - The story is told using pronouns - (You can write this paper.  Your book is great!) Third person - The story is told referring to people, the writer is not in the story - (He is a good writer. She is a good author) Narrative - Although narrative writing does not fall into the Point of View definition, it is a writing style - (The reader is aware of the person telling the story)   Traditional Publishing Selective Extremely competitive Usually involves hiring an agent Typically prefers name recognition Difficult to break-in   Self Publishing Self-Publishing can be expensive Review publishing houses and choose one that fits your needs and budget Self-publishing houses rarely promote or market a book, that falls on you​ Self-publishing houses typically charge by page and an average page is around 250 words with a 12 -point font. Most self-published books are P.O.D. (print on demand), meaning you order when you need them. Consider of entire cost of printing, shipping and so-forth, when pricing your book Read contracts carefully - Are you agreeing to First Rights (leaves you the right to publish elsewhere afterward) or All Rights (self-explanatory)       Marketing Bookstores Book signings Online Retail outlets Personal website Speaking engagements Social media   Self-Publishing  Self-Publishing can be expensive Anyone can potentially publish a book; therefore, it is important to review publishing houses and choose one that fits your needs and budget Self-publishing houses rarely promote or market a book​ Self-publishing houses typically charge by page and an average page is around 250 words with a 12-point font. Most self-published books are P.O.D. (print on demand), meaning you order when you need them. Consider of entire cost of printing, shipping and so-forth, when pricing your book Read contracts carefully      Stay positive and check back often for more writing tips.