Successful Blog

Is Your Small Business Dialed Into T1 Lines?

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As technology continues to evolve, the small businessman or woman should know how to most effectively run their business with the right technological products and services in place.

The simple truth is that a number of programs and processes can not only make things easier for the person who owns a business, but it can also help increase their revenue stream if implemented properly.

One such option is a T1 line, something that has been around for more than two decades, yet still remains a mystery to some business owners.

In the simplest terms, T1 lines (T is an abbreviation for trunk, 1 stands for a particular level within the trunk) offer reliable bandwith when it comes to accessing the Internet, using multiple telephone lines, or data communications. Unlike high-speed cable, T1 lines are focused business Internet connections that are not shared by a number of companies.

For the business owner who runs an operation where multiple lines of communication are needed such as a customer service center, T1 lines (offering 24/7/365 service) can be very beneficial to performing a multitude of operations. They help the company dealing with large call volumes, proving less expensive and more efficient than those that have regular old phone service in place. Given the fact that numerous services can be mixed together on a single T1 line, business owners can actually end up saving money over time.

When shopping for a T1 line for one’s small business, take note that an integrated T1 line is one of the top selling T1 solutions, due primarily to the fact that it offers local phone service, long distance, and bandwith all on a lone connection and one bill. Business owners also have the option of bonded T1 lines, consisting of up to four 1.5 Mbps T1 circuits that in reality act as a lone circuit, providing speeds up to 12 Mpbs.

As you shop for a T1 line, consider:

1. Location – This is the major factor as to what you pay for a T1 or greater bandwidth line. The further distance your operation is from the carrier, the more you pay. Places further away from sizable metropolitan areas oftentimes pay more;

2. Hardware – Look at the expense for hardware that includes routers, PBX boxes, switches, and any installation fees among other items

3. Contract – The terms (length) of the contract can have a big impact on what you will end up paying.  Typically, it will cost more on a per month basis for a one-year contract than you would for say a three-year deal;

While newer technologies have hit the market over the years, decreases in price for T1 lines, along with the reliability of such circuits, has permitted the volume of T1 lines in use nationwide to keep growing at a solid rate.

For those small business owners who need the Internet, telecommunications and data connectivity now and going forward, T1 lines are definitely something to dial into.

Photo credit: ehow.com

With 23 years of experience as a writer, Dave Thomas covers a wide array of small business topics.

Are Your Customers Giving You Anxiety?

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They are the backbone of being a successful small business person.

Yes, you may get irritated with them at times, you may wonder why they are so particular, and you may go home at night shaking your head as to why you deal with them in the first place. Yet, they (other than your employees) are the reason that you have a small business in the first place.

For the man or woman who runs their own small business, their customers can be their greatest joy or their biggest nightmare. And why can they be the latter at times?

Among the reasons:

* The customer who undoubtedly complains about their service or product. No matter what you and your staff do for them, they are never fully satisfied;

* The customer who comes to your store at the last minute. Let’s say your store closes at 9 p.m. and you are tallying up the receipts and other bookkeeping for the day. Then, much to your chagrin, here he or she comes at 8:59 p.m. and wanting to make a purchase. You or your employee put on the fake smile and tell them of course it is okay that they waited all day to come in;

* The customer who takes to online forums and social media sites to chastise you and your business. Unlike the “old days” when customers would call or write a letter to complain, many now take to the web to vent their feelings. Instead of possibly a few people finding out, they literally tell hundreds and thousands of people about your company. The end result is you could lose out on potential customers who find the comments less than flattering;

* The customer who you have to bill over and over again. While many consumers are good about paying off their bills either right away or in a prompt manner, there are always the stragglers that make life miserable for you or your accounting folks. Several invoices and reminders about their payment being late can take up valuable time that can be spent elsewhere. While some customers may truly be in a tight financial situation, others undoubtedly decide to make paying you less of a priority. As a result, your books are never up to speed.

Yes, many customers are the kind of folks you would like for neighbors, work to promote your business by telling their family and friends about it, and make you want to get up each day to go to work.

Others, however, can make your business life downright miserable.

At the end of the day, is there a certain way that you handle your customers? Is there any advice you would offer the new businessman or woman who is just about to launch their own company? Finally, what would be one thing you would change about your customers if you could?

As mentioned earlier, your customers are as important to the survival of your business as anything else.

Without them, you might as well find another line of work.

Photo credit: invistics.com

About the author: With 23 years of experience as a writer, Dave Thomas covers a wide array of items from cleaning your home gutter for winter to starting a home business.

Just How Secure is Your Business?

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For the small business owner that has to deal on a daily basis with making a profit, keeping up with the latest in products and/or services in their industry and taking care of his or her customers, worrying about security should be the last thing on their mind.

That being said, many small business owners do just that, wondering if their business is susceptible to a number of forms of theft.

From a physical break in to stolen data, business owners are finding more and more that security needs to be one of if not their top priority. But can internal threats be just as dangerous if not more than external ones, especially given today’s troubled economy?

Just as you would want the best home security system to protect your family and possessions, having a security system in place on the job is critical too.

So, for the small business owner who is not sure where to start, what should they look for in order to protect all they have worked hard for over time?

The first order of business should be to complete a Threat and Risk Assessment (TARA), allowing you to decide the best security route to travel. Take the time to look at your company’s assets and decide what their value loss impact is. Next, look to see what possible threats are facing your business, be they from the outside or possibly within. Lastly, put in place the needed procedures to make your business as secure as possible.

If you are wondering just who may be a threat to your small business, consider the following:

* Outside threats – The most common threat comes from the outside. Many thieves will scope out a small business first before striking, so look for any unusual activity with people who come to your place of work. Are they there for actual business, or are they there asking questions and trying to get a feel for your operation? If you have customers coming into your business on a regular basis, it makes sense to have security in place such as cameras and detectors at entrance and exit points to curtail shoplifting. Proper office security should also be a priority to protect your employees while they come and go, meaning the proper lighting and locks for the building space you own or rent.;

* Inside threats – Especially given today’s challenging economy, it is not unheard of to find small business owners finding criminals right under their noses. Whether it is someone stealing funds or property from the company, in-house theft can cause major financial repercussions for the small business owner. In some cases, the theft/s may go unnoticed for some period of time, meaning the company’s financial stability can be greatly impacted by the time the crimes are discovered. Make sure employees with access to company funds, computers and other items are properly screened before hiring. Consider using tools such as performance review software from Halogen” to track employee performance and ensure that no suspicious behavior arises. Only give out office keys to those who truly need them to enter and leave the building;

* Threats from competitors – You may think your business is immune from threats from the competition, but guess again. Whether it is spreading untrue rumors about your company or actually doing something physically to tarnish your business like stealing your property, you can be financially impacted from actions by your rivals. Let’s say you run a weekly newspaper and you fill the local vending machines with your product each Friday. After filling up the machines, readers call to report they can’t find your newspaper in the machines. It may not be a case of the product was so desirable, but rather your competition had someone go around and empty the machines minutes after you filled them. As a result, readers can’t get the news they want, the coupons you supplied in the publication, while advertisers are upset people are not seeing their ads. The trickle down effect can harm you before you know it;

* Cyber threats – As more and more business finds it way onto computers, is your small business properly protected? According to a 2011 survey from Symantec and the National Cyber Security Alliance, 85 percent of small business owners thought their company was safe from hackers, viruses or a cyber-security attack. That being said, a whopping 77 percent did not have a formal Internet security policy for their workers, while 49 percent failed to have an informal policy together. Data theft can be a major problem for the small business owner who does not have the proper firewalls in place. Not only can company information be compromised, but customer data can be stolen. When the latter happens, customers are not only upset, but are more apt to take their business elsewhere. Make sure that not only are you protecting in-house business information, but also have security in place when it comes to online customer transactions and more.

Given you would not leave your home susceptible to theft, can you say the same for your small business?

Photo credit: Stealbreaker.com

About the author: With 23 years of experience as a writer, Dave Thomas covers a wide array of items from starting a small business to hiring the right employees.

Blogging on the Road: How to Keep Up When You Travel a Lot

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how to blog series

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Ann Smarty

Understanding Online Business

When people ask about me, I usually have two main descriptions I go to: I am a travel-lover and a blogger. These two things make up so much of who I am and my life that they are the very first details that spring into my mind. Which is great, because they are two parts about my life that I truly love and would never change.

You would think the two would naturally intertwine, and in a way they do. I have plenty to say after each journey, and love showing pictures and videos taken along the way as I speak of my experiences. As I started out backpacking around the world in my earlier days, I have some serious stories about it. Which I am always eager to tell.

The problem is finding time to blog while I am traveling. This is something I have always wanted to be able to do, as my impressions and details would be much clearer and more accurate when it had only just happened.

It took me years to develop this skill properly, rather than relying on guest bloggers or hiatuses to get me through. It all comes down to a few tricks of the trade.


ImageCredit: Alex E. Proimos Learn the tricks.

Have Backups At The Ready

No matter how good your intentions are to blog while on the road, it won’t always happen. Your best bet is to have a small collection or prewritten articles in draft. That way you can publish on those scheduled days where you don’t have the time, ability or just energy to write.

Install Apps

Here’s a detailed guide on how to stay connected with your iPhone. Here’s another one for Android. It all comes down to which apps you choose to stick with as there are plenty!
Rely On Photo Or Video Posts

You don’t always have to tell about your day with words. Instead, you can post a vlog or collection of photos. It gives you a post, will update your viewers and also engage them visually.

Have A Blog Day

You know those days that you can’t bring yourself to go out and do anything? Even the most experienced travelers in the most beautiful and exciting destinations feel like this once during their trip. Take that day to lay low in your hotel room or hostel, and take advantage of the available internet connection. If they don’t have one, spend an hour or two at an Internet cafe or business with free WiFi. Knock out a few blog posts so they are ready and scheduled to go out. Then you won’t have to worry about it. If you are fast and determined, you will actually be surprized how much you are able to do in ten minites!

Fall Back On The Guest Bloggers

I mentioned before that I don’t like to rely on guest bloggers when I travel, and that was true. But that doesn’t mean I don’t like them at all. I love guest bloggers, and they have saved my butt more than once. I always have one on hand when I travel, who knows they will be called on to write at specific times. Or will just be expecting an email if I need them. MyBlogGuest is also always there to rescue!


This is one of my favorite ideas. Ask readers who are interested in writing for the site submit their ideas or blog posts on a relevant topic. Hold it like a contest with the winners having their posts published while you are traveling. You would be surprised by how many responses this tactic can get, especially from other writers looking for some exposure.

It isn’t always easy to keep up with a blog when you are a frequent traveler. But that doesn’t mean it is an impossible feat. In fact, it is quite simple to do if you just spend some time preparing for it. The tips above should help you out.

Author’s Bio:
Ann Smarty Ann Smarty is the blogger and social media gig launching Viral Content Buzz, the free social media promotion platform focusing on high-quality.


Thank you, Ann! Great information, Great guest post! Great birthday present to include SOBCon among them! 🙂

–ME “Liz” Strauss

How Working Abroad Helped Me Start My Dream Business

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by Kelly Dunning

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I Wanted to Do Something Amazing with My Life

Three years ago I left my home country of Canada to go work abroad. I had just graduated university with a pretty useless art degree and I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life.

The only thing I knew was that I was creative, loved to write and daydreamed about traveling the world. I wanted to do something amazing with my life, but I just wasn’t sure what it would be. So, instead of settling down into a “career” I applied for a work visa and bought a flight to New Zealand just to roll the dice and see what would happen.

Now I make a living as a full time freelance travel writer, which allows me to wander the world and work from anywhere I choose. In the past couple of years I have traveled and lived in New Zealand, England, Portugal, Italy, Scotland, the USA and Thailand and I am writing this from a hostel in Malaysia with many more Southeast Asian destinations in my near future.

How did the decision to work abroad allow me to create my dream business?

Being Penniless in New Zealand gave me the Idea

I had a job when I first arrived in New Zealand, as a tour guide in a creepy old prison on the North Island. It was there that I met Lee, a gregarious English guy who completely won me over with his down-to-earth charm. After a couple months of working on the North Island I wanted to see the South Island so I headed down to Christchurch where Lee happened to be working, having left the prison a few weeks before me.

My plan was to find a job in Christchurch as well, but things didn’t go as planned. I struggled to find full time work even though I was sending in applications every day. I found a part time job as a pub crawl host but that was only one night per week and my travel savings were quickly disappearing. I started to get more and more desperate and I began to think of any possible way that I could make some cash, including offering my gardening and babysitting skills on the local classifieds.

I remembered that my parents had mentioned a freelance writing website and I started to look around on the internet for places that I could find paid writing jobs. I was getting nowhere with my job search and writing random articles for a few extra dollars would be better than having to look under the couch cushions for enough change to buy lunch.

Sometimes it is only when you are in a situation where things start to get desperate that you are forced to think outside the box and try something unconventional.

I did a few little articles here and there and earned a few bucks. I started to like the idea of online writing, but I didn’t really take it seriously until the next stage of my working abroad adventure.

Working My Butt Off in England Gave Me the Drive

After we had lived in Christchurch together for a few months, Lee and I realized that our travel romance had the potential to be something more and he asked me to come back to England with him. I said, “why the hell not?” and I jumped on the plane to Manchester.

When I arrived, the first thing I did was take the first job I could find (I was penniless, remember?). I soon went from being unemployed to working 45 hours per week at a daycare facility plus Saturdays at the local football club. Although I enjoyed it and I was glad to have money again, it was hard work.

Meanwhile the little bit of writing work that I had done in New Zealand was beginning to grow into the odd article here and there. I kept at it, working on my writing during evenings and weekends. Between my two jobs and my writing projects on the side, I sometimes worked around 50-60 hours per week.

I started to realize that the conventional full time 9-5 job wasn’t for me but if I was going to be able to make a living on my own terms I would have to put in the work first to earn that freedom. I invested hours and hours into building up my freelance writing portfolio.

I worked more on my writing when I had to squeeze it in around a full time job than when I was unemployed and had all of the time in the world. That seems backwards, but it is true. Do you know the saying “if you want something to get done, give it to a busy person?” When I had all that time, I was lazy and stretched everything out so it took longer. When I was super busy, I needed to make every second count and I was more motivated to get stuff done.

When you fill up your plate with a lot of new challenges, sometimes you can surprise yourself with how energized you are to succeed.

Teaming up With a Fellow Adventurer Gave Me the Techniques

One of the most important parts of building up my dream business was not what I did while working abroad but who I met. I wouldn’t have been nearly as successful as I am now without my amazing partner Lee.

Our skills complement each other out because although I love writing I am not so good at the organizational and planning side of things. Lee’s logical business minded brain has helped me take my raw talent for writing and turn it into a business model that actually works. He helped me with solutions for time management, ways of organizing my work and my invoices, strategies for increasing my productivity, tools for recording my progress and so much more. My writing business grew in leaps and bounds and it started to actually look like a feasible source of income!

When you go take your business on the road and work abroad you end up meeting people who share the same goals as you and are able to offer you fresh insight that is vital to your success.

It took me just over a year from those first writing assignments in New Zealand to the day when I was able to quit my “day job” and start writing full time. That was over 18 months ago and we are still going strong as we travel around the world.

The experiences during my time working abroad were the essential catalyst to my success as a world traveling freelance writer, a dream job that I would never have created if I had stayed in one place.

Author’s Bio:
Kelly Dunning writes for Global Visas, the world’s leading authority on immigration and working holiday visas.