Of course, what you know and how you use it is not a new paradigm. Man struggled with these questions since the dawn of time since the answers have either ensured his survival or guaranteed his demise. Now, in a universe of change at the speed of light and the geometric growth of new ideas and models, how companies deal with their intellectual assets is a primary driver of corporate survival.

This is why getting a handle on global trends affecting corporate knowledge is what will allow a company to make accurate market and financial predictions that will separate it from less able competitors. Right now there are three major global business trends affecting corporate knowledge and they are based on one idea-that business and technology are no longer separate areas, they are one and the same entity.

•Centralized and compartmentalized data storage of information with search and retrieval-

Up until now businesses relied on the brains of their key employees to store all of the key knowledge related to its operations. Thus, when these individuals left the company all of these precious intellectual resources went with them. Corporations then had to pay to rebuild this mental database all over again. Now there is a way to preserve this valuable information so that a foundation for corporate knowledge can be maintained, added to and built upon. More importantly such information can be transferred to new employees. Databases are set up containing all of the major work done by workers. This mental capital can then be kept as company property.

Then, for a relatively minimal cost, a private search engine can be purchased from Google which will allow any needed item in the database to be made available as needed. It works just like the major search engine provided by Google for the internet.

•The move from static data storage to interactive user interfaces-

Once you have installed the necessary data storage and retrieval systems described above, the next big move in business trends affecting corporate knowledge should be implemented, namely interactive software designed to allow the employee to think. This way, new and useful information gets created and distributed. This software works by means of thought provoking dialogues which help the user focus in on problem solving.

•The future is in global franchising

All of the corporate information gathered and analyzed has to be put out into the world in order that it may be tested, relied upon and built upon. The current global trend in this respect is what has come to be known as “open source-open content” information sharing. This means that while a central corporate entity develops important knowledge that can be used to create successful business models, it also means that sharing that information in the proper manner is essential to ultimate success. That information must be made available to others so that they can spread the message and its results.

This is where global franchising becomes the ultimate answer. Through global franchising the benefits of information sharing can be controlled by allowing for open source-open content to the various franchisees. They gain the benefit of getting a whole knowledge base which is already tried and tested and can be used worldwide. They have the benefit of a success winning trademark that symbolizes the businesses’ strength and integrity. Indeed these days one can even purchase a franchise in a consulting business that provides just the knowledge of how to be successful.

It is through tools of knowledge such as these that mans reach is indeed exceeding his grasp, and that’s the meaning of successful business. And remember, franchising is the best kept secret of the 21st Century!

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1. Buy your cleaning supplies at a wholesale or discount club. You can get much better deals on bulk cleaning supplies at a warehouse club like Costco, and they’ll last longer because they come in bigger sizes.

2. Print flyers and hand them out in your neighborhood, to friends, and at businesses in your area. You can buy professional looking stationery online or at office supply stores, and print your own flyers on your computer’s printer, keeping the costs down.

3. You don’t need a vacuum to get started. If you can’t afford one, offer a small discount to the customer if you use their vacuum.

4. Here’s one of the most important tips on starting a cleaning business. Research other cleaning services in your area, and find out what they are charging for homes and businesses. Keep your price competitive when you give quotes for a job. If you’re too cheap, people may not trust the quality of your cleaning, and they may not use you if you’re too expensive.

5. Learn how to clean professionally. If you do a shoddy job, you won’t keep your customers for long. Consider working for a cleaning service for a while to see how they do it. You can always use at least some of the wages you earn as your start-up cash for your own cleaning business.

6. Any tips for starting a cleaning business should include organization. You need to be organized to clean effectively and make sure you clean each room thoroughly. Many professional cleaners recommend starting at one corner of each room and working your way around it. That way, when you get back to your starting point you’ll know you cleaned the entire room and didn’t miss anything.

7. Listen to your clients. Some of them may be picky about what cleaning products you use, or how you clean their homes. They may have precious antiques or mementos. If they have special requirements, write them down in a small notebook and keep it with your cleaning supplies. Listen to their concerns and likes and dislikes to keep them satisfied customers.

8. Be on time, and always be professional. You may develop friendships with some of your clients, but always act professionally anyway. Don’t be late, and if you have to cancel or change an appointment, give them plenty of notice.

9. Look for the details. Don’t be in such a rush that you leave a client’s home “half” clean. Check for cobwebs, dusty baseboards, dirty lamps and light fixtures, and clean them on a rotating basis. Your client will thank you and tell others about your good work, too.

10. Keep good records and pay your taxes! Keep good business records, and claim your income on your tax return. You can take off the cost of expenses and other items related to your business, but always check with an accountant before you file your taxes.

These tips for starting a cleaning service should help get you on the way to owning your own business in no time.

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While using a service that costs less may save you money in the short run, in the long run it may cost you in employee dissatisfaction with stolen items, spaces that aren’t properly cleaned, and papers that get thrown away when they should not be. Professional cleaning staff understands that a stack of papers may have been placed on a trash can, not to be thrown away, but to be set out of the way of a busy, harried employee.

When you retain a professional maintenance company, there is also the very real consideration of liability. A professional janitorial company will have employees who are bonded, whose backgrounds have been checked. Using a professional cleaning company also ensures that professional strength cleaning supplies will be used, and your building will be as clean as it can possibly be. There are many different professional janitorial companies to choose one, and doing research on the possible ones is easy to do. Using the internet, you can shop around and get several names to compare. Starting on line also increases the possibility that you will find coupons or other special promotional items that will reduce the amount you have to pay for the service.

It is also very possible that using a cleaning company that is not professional and not bonded, they will employ people with questionable backgrounds. In today’s environment, data security and access are of great importance, and it is dangerous to take chances with whom you are letting in your building when you are not there. Professional janitorial maintenance people can be trusted in your building, will usually do a good job, and can be held accountable for everything they do and don’t do as far as the cleaning. Companies that use whatever people show up to work can be a dangerous security breach that can jeopardize employees and customers alike.

The other thing to remember about professional cleaning companies is that they will likely be able to obtain better discounts on the supplies needed for cleaning and maintaining your building. Whether it’s trash bags or cleaners, rags or mop heads, there are a great many things it may be difficult for you to obtain discounts on, but which professional cleaning companies can buy in bulk or from suppliers who give them discounts, and thereby save you money.

Professional janitorial maintenance can create an environment you, your employees, and your customers will enjoy. A clean, safe, building which appears to be a secure place for customers to transact their business will help create for you a profitable business with absolutely unmatched earnings potential. Keep in mind that using a professional maintenance company will give you unmatched peace of mind.

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Now based in Memphis, Tennessee, the Merry Maids Franchisor is a publicly held company with 60 employees. There are over 900 Merry Maids franchises in the U.S. and Canada, as well as franchises in the United Kingdom, Japan and Denmark and other countries worldwide, with more opening each year.

Merry Maids employs a unique system, combining 2-person cleaning teams and efficient management procedures, and effective marketing strategies. Anyone who wishes to open a Merry Maids franchise will have access to myriad tools for success, including highly effective training in all aspects of the residential cleaning industry, superior office management techniques, and strategies for increasing the customer base. In addition to these tools, the Merry Maids name, backed by 25 years of experience, offers other industry leading benefits, such as:

• franchisor support
• protected territories
• marketing and advertising resources

To fully understand the benefits of maintaining a Merry Maids franchise, a closer look at these tools for success is needed:

Franchisor Support

A strategically placed network of Regional Coordinators and Home Office personnel are constantly available, online, by phone or in person. In addition, regional meetings, specialized seminars, and an annual national convention provide franchise owners with countless opportunities to learn, ask questions, and build a successful Merry Maids franchise.

Protected Territories

With the Merry Maids Protected Territory System, franchise owners rarely have to compete with each other for a valuable customer base. Detailed market studies, performed on each newly proposed territory, determine size, and franchise fees.

Marketing and Advertising Resources

Merry Maids leads the home cleaning industry in brand awareness. Created to provide maximum return, Merry Maids employs a wide array of marketing, advertising and public relations programs. Designed to attract the best potential clients, national advertising campaigns generate thousands of leads per week. Along with television and radio marketing, Merry Maids also provides a state of the art web presence. Franchisees can create customized home pages which are fully SEO-optimized and hosted on the Merry Maids main server.

Merry Maids provides not only exceptional support of its franchisees, but also motivational elements that are constantly moving owners towards increasing success. Programs such as the annual Dallen Peterson Awards honor franchisees for overall excellence. The President’s Achievement and Merit Achievement awards reward franchise owners with free trips to conferences at popular travel destinations. In addition to these rewards, the Merry Maids Mentoring Program allows franchise owners to interact with other owners close to them to gain personal perspective and hand-on learning opportunities from those who have gone before.

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However, you will need to check with your city licensing board to ascertain whether setting up hot dog carts are permitted, and in what areas. It is best to develop a business plan for the economic model you desire before starting the business. You might also need to check other hot dog cart vendors to know how many hot dogs they manage to sell and how much profit they made at the end of day. Setup and initial costs, along with your fixed costs; such as gas, electricity, permits and equipment are major concerns of your new business. Here, you will need to calculate the final profit you are expected to earn every day to determine if the business is viable.

Generally, the health department of your district will inspect your business for cleanliness and safety of the foods you serve. The most important key when you are planning to set up a hot dog cart business is to decide which location is most strategic. For example, you can set up your cart at a street corner with high traffic areas that has less food choices. But you will be lucky if you can get the best areas just because you want that location.

The hardest challenge in opening a hot dog cart business is to get your business permit for your local community. Next is determining the politics of the business culture in your area. These types of businesses are often controlled by the restaurant and beverage control board and the best areas are leased to consortium businesses with multiple concerns. This means you may buy your cart and even get a permit to sell your products in a good area but you must buy your “supplies” from the controlling consortium. This could mean high supply cost and very low profits.

However, if you cannot get the area you want, you still can run your business on a private owned property or functions like fun fairs, baseball games, auctions and flea markets. One of the best ways to keep your start up cost for your cart low is to purchase a used hot dog cart, which is much cheaper than a new one. Normally, you can get a used hot dog cart in the range of $1500 to $3500.

Hot dog cart businesses are an excellent business to start for either, part time or full time, and setup cost are lower than any brick and mortar business. Next to the vending machine business this is one of the easiest and least expensive methods to become an independent business owner.

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There were 4.6 million commercial buildings in the United States in the year 1995, 4.7 million commercial buildings in the year 1999 and 4.9 million commercial buildings in the year 2003. This unambiguously indicates that commercial buildings are increasing at a progressive rate every year and that the commercial area of the world is expanding, and will keep expanding for quite some time in the future.

Surveys and human studies show us that businesses are willing to invest in making the presentation of their services look better to the clients. The two facts mentioned above, combined, make it a “thumbs up” sign for every business person looking to invest in a commercial cleaning franchise as a business.

The first reason for commercial cleaning franchises to be a great business opportunity is that the initial investment required for the business is much lower compared to other franchise options. A commercial cleaning franchise would cost you around $25,000 initially. Instead, if you opt to start your own commercial cleaning business, you would need an initial investment of not more than $100,000 in startup cost.

This is why investors are buying brands that have an established reputation in the field. Another advantage of opting for a commercial cleaning franchise is the training and marketing support your franchisors would provide you.

Commercial cleaning franchises require a very low running cost. Labor is very cheap, and so is the equipment needed for cleaning. You can ask your franchisor if you can run your business from home, which could save you additional costs. However, running your commercial cleaning franchise from a commercial warehouse office is more attractive and gainful.

The rates for a commercial cleaning business vary by product and services rendered. Once your franchise is up and running, you can include more services, such as carpet cleaning, wooden floor cleaning, drapery cleaning, etc.

As is the case with every other business, a commercial cleaning franchise would demand that you do all the research the business requires before starting. Start looking for franchisors in your area on the internet. Look up the biggest names in the business in your area, and the incentives and benefits they are offering to their franchises. See if the initial investment they require is worth the brand name, calculate the profits you expect to make through each franchisor and the capital you need for the initial franchise fee. Once you are sure you have found the right franchisor, your business can be up and running within a matter of months, and so will your profits.

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College-$2k- $4k
You will need to take a few college courses before you even begin the process of getting a loan and opening a bar. You should first take a class on bartending. This will teach you the proper way to make drinks and all the tricks of the trade. Then you will need to take a few different business courses. You should be very knowledgeable about your business and this is the best way to get there. Once you have finished this, you can then move onto how much money it will cost to open a bar.

Structure- $80k-$120k
You will need to either find an empty building or purchase a rundown bar to start with. Either way you choose, you will need to gut the entire place and start from scratch. Have the inside and outside completely redone. The walls, floors, roof if needed, bathrooms, kitchen area and anything else that you may want.

Equipment- $40k-$60k
You can always start off with the cheaper versions, and upgrade as your business grows. Anyone starting from scratch does this. To get going you will need your basic bar equipment such as glasses, cocktail shakers, blenders, plates, sanitary items and everything else in this area. Along with that, you will need bar stools, tables, counters, bar sets and items of this nature.

First 2 months of liquor $10k-$20k
You should purchase at least two months worth of soda, liquor and beer. This is because you have no clue how well you will do in the beginning. These things all have long expiring dates, so it’s better to have more of something then telling your new costumers you have ran out.

Electronics $2k-$10k
You will need some sort of music for your bar. It can be your own karaoke center or maybe you would like a jukebox. You will need to purchase the main source of music and then you will need speakers throughout the bar. Again, you can start off cheaper and upgrade as time progresses.

Employees- $4k- $7k
You will need to have a few months of money set aside to pay your employees. Its rule to have 5-6 months of pay set aside. Just hire enough to get things going, as you can always add more people later. Having a few months money set aside for their paychecks is a smart thing to do. If you can’t pay your employees, they won’t stay and work for free, there for your business will be closed very fast.

License $11k-$15k
You will need to purchase a business license along with a liquor license for your first time. Both of these will need to be renewed each year as well. Along with that you will need to have high paying insurance.

As you can see there is a lot of time and money involved in opening a bar for the first time. So how much money does it cost to open a bar? You should have around $150k to $240k just to get you going for your first few months.

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How many restaurants do you pass on your way home? With the variety and convenience, restaurant franchising is a guaranteed and lucrative investment.

Did you know that in 2007 McDonald’s had 390,000 employees? They also made over 22 million dollars that year. With 31,000 restaurants in almost 120 countries, no wonder they say “Billions served”!

Franchising is a nearly 125 billion dollar a year industry. While requiring a lot of hard work, the payoff can be outstanding. This is because of exactly how many people eat fast food.

So, how many people eat fast food? Over 50,000,000 people daily in the U.S. alone. That’s a lot of burgers and fries! When you have to manage work, school, and soccer practice, fast food restaurants are more convenient than cooking at home. It’s also an inexpensive way to feed the whole family. Plus, the choices are mind blowing!

KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN- For the chicken lovers in the family

MCDONALD’S, BURGER KING- For those who prefer burgers and fries

PIZZA HUT- For the Italian side

TACO BELL- When you’re feeling a little south of the border

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There is a fast food restaurant for just about any taste, so even the pickiest eaters can find somewhere even they can enjoy a fast, convenient meal. Americans will spend over 110 billion dollars this year on fast food, that’s over a quarter of Americans. Most of them have even worked in a fast food establishment at some point in their lives.

Some people dispute the benefits of eating at fast food franchises, they say it is unhealthy, high calorie, and fat filled. But there are some good points to eating fast food as well. If you’re looking for a more healthy place to grab dinner, there are some restaurants that serve low-fat and sugar-free meals. Don’t be put off by claims made by nay-sayers. You can find everything you’re looking for in one easy, convenient, and inexpensive restaurant. And with so many to choose from, you’re guaranteed to find what you want, close to home.

A person looking to invest in a business opportunity should really consider restaurant franchising. With more and more people dining in fast food restaurants, and restaurant franchises popping up all over the world, this is an industry that shows no signs of slowing down.

With food for every taste and budget the speed, convenience, and options of meal planning are as simple as a short drive to your favorite restaurant. Based on how many people eat fast food, franchising is one of the most lucrative business ventures available. Remember, franchising is the best kept secret of the 21st Century!

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The truth is, there actually is money to be made in this profession. Like any job, it is time consuming and can have its ups and downs. Some people find this career rewarding and gratifying, whereas others regret ever thinking about it. If you have the time, patience and general understanding of what you are getting into, it could be a great opportunity. Here are some things to keep in mind when getting into this business.

*Nobody gets something for nothing.
*There is no get rich quick scheme. If there really was, everyone would be millionaires.
*It takes time, dedication and persistence to make money.
*Sometimes, you will lose some money before you see a gain.

Most of these companies require some sort of startup funding to get you on your way. After all, you will need the instructions and materials from the supplier to actually make money stuffing envelopes. Usually the amount asked for is not a significant amount, but do not expect to make it back overnight. You will be getting paid based on the number of people that respond to your mailings, not the actual number of envelopes sent out.

Often times you are trying to get people to join in on the same exact thing you are doing. You are advertising how to make money stuffing envelopes from home. There will be something to identify you on the information sent out, and every person that sends their money in will be credited to you. There are, of course, other ways in which you can help boost your sales and advertise what you are doing.

A lot of people utilize search engines to get information and about how to make money stuffing envelopes, and that could be one the best tools you have to market what you are doing. One of the newest tools used today in marketing is online blogging. It is free and if done correctly can generate a lot of traffic to your cause utilizing SEO, (search engine optimization). There are plenty of ways to get the word out there. Another great way is by word of mouth. You can also purchase mailing lists using your targeted demographic audience.

Probably the best thing to do before getting into this industry is to research exactly what you are going to be doing and come up with and prepare a plan of action before you start. Once you decide how you want to spread the word, you can focus most of your time and attention on doing just that.

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There is so much that goes into creating a business but some of us lack the knowledge, patience, or persistent to get it completed. There are licenses, loans, location problems, business plans, hiring policies, benefits, and much more to consider. With that said, don’t get discouraged, if you seek to start a business but don’t want to begin from scratch, why not look into a franchise?

The master franchise has already done the lead work. They have researched and created a successful company. They have the proven trademark and formula of operating. The master franchise offers a well-run business that provides assistance with site selection, lease negation, training, mentoring, as well as support.

The master franchise also provides the statutory requirements and troubleshooting needed to create, maintain, and operate a franchise. Secondly, master franchise offers a well thought and well designed formula for a franchise. This specially created proven formula that each master franchise has used provides individually operated franchises the opportunity to greatly increase in the local, state, national, and even global markets.

This master formula provides an already proven method of earning income that is equal or above and beyond their contribution to the communities in which they are located. All the experience of the master franchise offers each individual franchisee the chance to take their companies to a higher level than they ever planned with great guidance and experience.

Lastly, a master franchise offers adequate and intense training to each franchise. This training provides each franchise an opportunity to learn various aspects of business. If this training were purchased, or attended in a formal setting could cost the business owner upwards of thousands of dollars and countess hours. Hours that would keep from the production, creation, and success of the company.

In conclusion, owning and operating your own franchise can be a great financial reward as well as a great personal achievement, only without the “work” involved in developing a startup business. The master franchise has already done all the work and then passed it on to individual franchise owners. Allowing them the opportunity to be business owners and succeed in reaching their goals and the American Dream. Furthermore, the master franchise provides training, guidance, and support to each franchise owner, support staff, and employee.

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