Archive for the ‘Entrepreneurship’ Category

Foamed Plastics Construction will remain largest market

Saturday, November 7th, 2009

Demand for foamed plastics in the US is forecast to grow 2.9 percent annually to 8.6 billion pounds in 2013, valued at $27 billion. Rebounds are anticipated after the 1.2 percent annual decline experienced between 2003 and 2008. Construction markets will lead advances, particularly for insulation and carpet underlay. Most rapid advances are expected for RIM and foamed vinyl, fueled by rebounds in motor vehicle production and construction uses. Overall foamed plastics growth will be driven by demands for durable, comfortable and lower-cost materials, as well as needs for heightened energy .

Foamed urethane demand will grow 2.8 percent per annum through 2013 to 4.3 billion pounds based on cushioning opportunities for foamed flexible urethane in furniture, bedding, carpet backing and other areas. Slightly slower growth is expected for foamed rigid urethane with good construction market opportunities. Rigid urethane is a highly efficient thermal insulating material with widespread building, tank, pipe and appliance uses. The material may also be foamedinplace or used as the core insulating material in structural panels.

Demand for foamed polystyrene demand is expected to exhibit below average growth through 2013 to 2.5 billion pounds. Advances will be restrained by maturing applications and average growth in the large packaging segment. Best packaging growth is expected for hinged containers and cups. Foamed vinyl demand will be stimulated by expanding construction uses such as flooring, pipe, and windows and doors. Foamed vinyl has cost, performance and other advantages over wood, metal and other materials in many uses.

Construction will remain largest market

Construction, the largest foamed plastic market, will be stimulated by opportunities in insulation, flooring, carpet padding and other areas. Insulation growth will be fueled by the superior insulating qualities of urethane and polystyrene foams compared to fiberglass, coupled with their competitive costs, ease of installation and ability to be added to existing structures through foamed-in-place techniques. below average growth in the household product market will be driven by rising consumer spending patterns and increased purchases of foamed flexible urethane in mattress, furniture and bedding products.

Becoming a Better Entrepreneur in 30 Minutes or Less

Friday, November 6th, 2009

Do you want to be a better entrepreneur?   Do you want to make more money? Here’s how you can achieve these in 5 easy steps.

1. Change Your Perspective

What you may see as faulty might look perfect to your customers. It doesn’t matter what you want, it matters what your customers want.  This is why you don’t want to make any big decisions because if something goes wrong you’ll end up wasting a lot of time. Break that big decision into a few small decisions. Then survey your customers or potential customers to get their opinion; this should help you determine what route to take.

Even after you talk to your customers you are still going to make mistakes. Just make sure you are agile enough to adapt quickly. It is all about testing small things instead of taking months to roll out changes in your business.

2. Work hard, play hard

Working 12-hour days will eventually lead to burnout.  It doesn’t matter if you love what you are doing you need to take breaks.

  • Don’t work longer than a few hours without taking a break. Taking small breaks throughout your day will make you more efficient and cause you to accomplish more.
  • Every week you should do something that is out of the ordinary.  Focus on something that will take your mind away from work and reduce your stress level.
  • Create a work environment that you want to be in. Small things like having plants in your workspace, putting up motivational posters, and having a window to look out of can do wonders for you.

3. Stop deviating

New business opportunities are going to come your way and you will want to jump on them. But all of these things are going to be distractions that will cause you to deviate from your initial path to success.  This requires the mental toughness to resist temptation, however, your long-term results will show fewer failures.  Plus, the more things you do, the more spread out you will be, thus limiting the sufficient time necessary for goal accomplishment.

4. Stop innovating and start copying

A good way to find one of these businesses is by observing the most productive business models and industries.  Creating your own target market is possibly the fastest way to failure before you start.  Innovation is important, however, launching your innovations from an established framework increases your chances for success.  In essence you are saving time and money by avoiding some of the beginning trial and error stages .  If you already have a business analyze how you are currently doing and see what tweaks you can make to it, so that it fits your key objectives.

5. Never stop learning

The most important and last thing you should know is that you should never stop learning. No matter how successful you are, there is going to be someone out there who has accomplished more than you.  Whether it is from an experienced entrepreneur who has been around the block, or a 16-year-old kid, everyone can teach you something. You just have to learn what to take away from a conversation because there are going to be some things that are going to benefit you and others that won’t.

Simple 6-Figure Business Checklist

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

One thing I’m passionate about is helping women entrepreneurs create 6-figure businesses, whether that means breaking into 6-figures for the first time, creating a multiple 6-figure year or achieving 6-figure months like I now routinely have (yes, I did say “months!”). I’ve focused on this topic long enough to know what it takes, the mistakes women make getting there and how easy it really can be to achieve once you know a few simple secrets.

Problem is, if you’re struggling or just getting started then the idea of making a 6-figure breakthrough can seem like just a dream.

So, to help you out, I’ve created a simple checklist of what you need to not only make this breakthrough happen for you, but to experience it in your business…fast!

Here’s a simple checklist of what every business owner must put into place to quickly create 6-figures. Remember what I always say: it’s easier to make MORE money than it is to make less, once you know the secrets!

6-Figure Checklist

* Passion
Do you have undying passion for the transformation you create for your clients? Passion will give you energy on the days when you feel like nothing’s working. Tip: remind yourself every day WHY you’re doing what you do.

* Plan
First I read success stories about entrepreneurs who spent months creating their plan, then I read stories about others who “just winged” their way to success. Which is true? They both are!

What I did to first create a 6-figure business, and now a 7-figure business, is design a business MODEL that clearly outlines each product or program I’m going to offer for the next 1-2 years. It’s really a blueprint because it tells me which program or product to offer first, second and so on. By removing the guesswork I’m free to take action.

If you’re only offering 1-on-1 services, or you’re offering a hodgepodge of different programs or products without clearly knowing how each one leads to the next, then you’re likely working too hard and most definitely missing out on opportunities to make more money.

This is why re-designing their business model is one of the first things I do with my Platinum clients. They love it because it transforms chaos and confusion into clarity and simplicity.

* Clarity
Most entrepreneurs have a billion ideas but struggle with creating enough focus to actually implement even a small fraction of them. My recommendation? Get crystal clear on WHO you help, then get just as clear on the situation they find themselves in that you can help transform for them.

For example: while I’m interested in many aspects of marketing, it wasn’t until I focused my passion, energy and attention on the topic of money and pricing that my business took off. Interviews, JV opportunities, speaking offers and clients flowed in.

The same can happen for you. If you need help getting this clear I recommend seeking out a coach who can help you discover your niche. Good news is that the more topic specific you are, the faster and easier your business is likely to grow.

* Courage
If you want a leap in your income then you need to take a leap somewhere else in your business (maybe even in your life, too!). Most women hang back, wanting to know “how it’s all going to work out” before they leap. Sorry, ladies, that’s cheating and it doesn’t work.

But take heart! The more frequently you make a leap such as joining a coaching program, attending an event, learning something new or hiring more team, the more you strengthen your courage muscle. Remember, courage doesn’t mean being fearless. Far from it! What it DOES mean is acting from your heart, even in the face of fear

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