CONTEST Jumpstart Your Business CONTEST

September 3, 2007 by Liz

People often forget that Successful blog is a proud member of the b5media family. But I’m here to tell you that I’ve been part of the fold for long enough to know that I like the folks, especially as I meet more and more of them in person. So, it gives great pleasure to announce a contest that is sponsored by the b5 business channel of blogs.

The Prizes Are Fabulous!

A Package Valued at Over $2K for the Winner!

Are you a small business ready to soar?

Don’t just sit there! Enter and win!!

Here’s how you enter (rules and requirements follow).

To Enter

To enter, send us your abbreviated business plan for a your new or fledgling business with the following information:
1. Whatâ€™s your business idea?
2. Who is on your business team – in other words, who is going to make this idea work?
3. When did you start your business? Or when do you plan to start your business? What is your time frame for success?
4. Why is this business going to be a success?
5. Why should we pick you as the winner?
Your abbreviated business plan should be no longer than 1000 words.

Rules

Entries:
Entries must be sent via email with â€œJump Start Your Businessâ€ in the subject line to businesscontest@mac.com by 11:59 PM EST on September 25, 2007.

Requirements:

Plain Text or PDF Only. No other attachments or formats will be accepted.

You must be at least 18 years old to participate.

Contest is open to new businesses or fledgling businesses which have been in existence for less than one year.

By entering the contest, you agree that b5media may post any part or all of your submission, as a part of the contest announcements or promotions, with the exception of your email address.

To be considered, entries must also include the following:

1. Name of applicant (either team or individual)
2. Where you live (city and state or country is sufficient)
3. Email address. We wonâ€™t publish your email address, but we do need contact information for the winning entries. We respect your privacy, and we will not send you anything unrelated to your entry in this contest.

Our Disclaimers

The winning entries will be determined by a panel of judges from b5media at our sole discretion. Our decision is final. Prizes cannot be redeemed for cash or cash equivalent. Donated prizes cannot be guaranteed; we reserve the right to make substitutions of equal or greater value if necessary.

Jumpstart Your Business Prizes

The Grand Prize winner receives a Prize Package that includes:

A subscription to Entrepreneur magazine, courtesy of Entrepreneur.com
A Web Developer host package for one year (consists of 5 domains, 600 subdomains and 200 host external domains; 300 GB web space 3,000 monthly transfer volume and 50 ftp accounts; 4,000 email accounts and 2 GB mailbox space; $475 of vouchers to get you started with Microsoft adCenter, Google AdWords, Yahoo Search marketing and Citisearch; 10 free blogs and more), courtesy of 1and1.com
A Private Jet billing package for one year (up to 500 clients, unlimited invoicing and customer support), courtesy of Freshbooks.com
A b5media tee shirt, courtesy of b5media
*Your choice of a taxgirl organic tee or long sleeve tee and $25 gift card to amazon.com, courtesy of taxgirl.com
Wireless mouse, wireless keyboard and keyboard riser, courtesy of InterviewChatter.com
A twelve month subscription to the Sales Leadership Zone, a place where sales leaders and small business owners can find everything they need to increase sales and drive business, courtesy of thesalespractitioners.com
A copy of the book, 10 Ways to Make it Great, courtesy of SlackerManager.com
$50 in Pecunix Digital Gold Currency, courtesy of digitalmoneyworld.com
Jason Albaâ€™s new book, â€œIâ€™m on LinkedInâ€¦Now What???â€, courtesy of LinkedIntelligence.com
Over $1000 of free business advice (in the form of email, phone or Skype) from our experts to get you started!

The first runner up will receive:

A subscription to Entrepreneur magazine, courtesy of Entrepreneur.com
A Business Developer host package for one year (consists of 3 domains, 200 subdomains and 100 host external domains; 250 GB web space 2,500 monthly transfer volume and 25 ftp accounts; 2,500 email accounts and 2 GB mailbox space; $250 of vouchers to get you started with Microsoft adCenter, Google AdWords, Yahoo Search marketing and Citisearch; 10 free blogs and more), courtesy of 1and1.com
A Shuttle Jet billing package for six months (up to 25 clients, unlimited invoicing and customer support), courtesy of Freshbooks.com
A copy of the book, 10 Ways to Make it Great, courtesy of SlackerManager.com
and free consulting advice from two of our experts of your choosing.

The second runner up will receive:

A subscription to Entrepreneur magazine, courtesy of Entrepreneur.com
*A Business Developer host package for one year (consists of 3 domains, 200 subdomains and 100 host external domains; 250 GB web space 2,500 monthly transfer volume and 25 ftp accounts; 2,500 email accounts and 2 GB mailbox space; $250 of vouchers to get you started with Microsoft adCenter, Google AdWords, Yahoo Search marketing and Citisearch; 10 free blogs and more), courtesy of 1and1.com
A copy of the book, 10 Ways to Make it Great, courtesy of SlackerManager.com
and free consulting advice from two of our experts of your choosing.

Our Experts

Tax tips from Kelly Phillips Erb of taxgirl.com
Consulting and marketing advice from Jim Norton of smallbusinessboomers.com

Marketing direction from Rico Masterson of contract-worker.com
Personal finance and blogging information from Miranda Marquit of yieldingwealth.com

Using a range of social media tools in marketing and connecting with a community from Rachel Clarke of behindthebuzz.com
Hiring practices and creating core competencies for positions from Darlene McDaniel of interviewchatter.com

Identifying business purpose and strategy for a blog from Des Walsh of deswalsh.com
Coaching from Miki Saxon, courtesy of rampupsolutions.com

Linked In makeover from Scott Allen of LinkedIntelligence.com
Marketing and brand identity critique from Sean Kelly of franchisepick.com

Copywriting tips from Brian Clark of copyblogger.com
Home business advice from Mary Emma Allen of homebiznotes.com

Copy editing, writing, or website usability advice from Eric Eggertson of CommonsensePR.com
Customer service and community relations advice from Douglas Hanna of ServiceUntitled.com
Tech marketing advice from Sunir Shah of Freshbooks, Inc.

Our Sponsors

A big THANK YOU to our sponsors! Please let them know that they are appreciated!

1 & 1 Internet, Inc.
Entrepreneur Magazine
Freshbooks, Inc.
The entire B5media Business Channel community:

Behind the Buzz
Brandcurve
Business and Blogging
Buzz Networker
Common Sense PR
Contract Worker
Copyblogger
Digital Money World
Franchise Pick
Home Biz Notes
Interview Chatter
Just Make Money Online
Leadership Turn
Life Dev
Linked Intelligence
Pimp Your Work
Property Crossroads
Slacker Manager
Small Business Boomers
Start Up Spark
Successful Blog
Taxgirl
Work Boxers
Yielding Wealth

Special Thanks to Don at Archetype Digital Solutions for designing our promotional badge!

How silly would you have to be to pass this up? Only 1000 words to tell your story . . . what have you got to lose?

C’mon go for it! This is just what we’ve been working for. Are you going to do it?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

The Value of Life: According to Douglas Adams and Jeremy Wright

February 4, 2007 by Liz

Do the Math

I’ve been meaning to share this, because it explained a whole lot to in a single blog post.

You might be familiar with Douglas Adams’ book, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, or the radio show, television series or film that was made from it. You might also know about the ultimate question regarding life, the universe, and everything to which the answer is revealed to be 42.

A conversation started on the b5media forum about the value of life. Jeremy Wright answered the question with the number 42 from Adams’ book. Another blogger pointed out that Jeremy had not considered the universe and everything in his response. At that point, professor Wright got serious and did the math. You can find his calculations and proofs in a post called What’s the Value of Life?

It is one exquisite, brilliant explanation of why the value of life is actually just more than 10, which higher than the value of the universe, but less than half of the value of everything.

Go on. I don’t call just anything brilliant.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Congratulations b5media on the New Website!

November 5, 2006 by Liz

Would You Look at That!

The old b5media digs was getting a little tight. We’re 150 blogs strong with 14 channels and 2 million unique visitors every month. That many people, that many places meant it was time to get roomier — so that folks wouldn’t bump into each other and fall down.

Open the door to the next level — many rooms, plenty of spaces and new places to get folks where they’re going with the latest architecture. . . . simply elegant, well executed, and well, just excellent and just right!

The new b5media home page and the new blog — click to see them larger.

Congratulations to b5media — to the founders: Jeremy, Darren, Duncan, and Shai. Kudos and wow to Ben Bleikamp, the man who designed the classy website and to Aaron Brazell, the technology architect who brought it life.

Go on over. Do some exploring. Be sure to check out the elegant comment box Ben designed just for you. While you’re there, leave a word for Ben and Aaron — a toast or congratulations. Here’s a link to get you to the new b5media website.

I’ll wait here. I’m still nervous about getting lost in space again.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article,
Two Blogs in One: A Good Hack Gone Bad

b5media Announces Co-Branded Blogs

June 19, 2006 by Liz

24 Is My Favorite TV Show

Jeremy Wright announced today that b5media joined in partnership with VIP Fan Clubs to produce four co-branded blogs for Fox Media TV shows. The first four blogs will be for 24, Prison Break, Stewie’s Playground and Searching Bones. Click the logos to see the blogs and what they’re about.

Congratulations, b5media, VIP Fan Clubs, and Fox Media!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Jeremy Wright, SOB Coming and Going

May 28, 2006 by Liz

What Jeremy Has

Jeremy Wright has plenty to do.
He has his own blog, a whole blog network to run, and THE book on blog marketing.
He has plenty of email.
He has plenty of jobs.
He has plenty of people who need plenty of things from him — even on weekends and holidays.

Yet he manages to have plenty of patience, spirit, and competence.

He helps move mountains and then says what he did was simple. Maybe it is sometimes, but that is always his attitude. It’s hard to find a better guy than Jeremy Wright. Don’t bother trying. I know.

I left for last, this other things he has . . .

He has the respect of everyone who knows him.

To Jeremy, the SOB

Jeremy,

It’s about time I called you an SOB. You truly are a Successful and Outstanding Blogger and a Successful and Outstanding Human Being. I guess that makes you an SOB coming and going.

You make us all better. I’ve learned so much just by watching you.

Thanks, Jeremy, for everything.

Liz

Successful Blog Moves Back to the City–b5media

February 6, 2006 by Liz

Sometimes Success means Failing Faster. For sure it means knowing when to make things right.

Two Personal Heroes

I don’t have many personal heroes or maybe I have too many personal heroes. I guess that depends on how you define them. I do know this–two of them are my dad and business giant Tom Peters who taught me the principle above.

I’ve been talking and listening to all of you since we left 9rules/Fine Fools about where we might focus Successful-Blog. You’ve had great suggestions, given me super advice. You’ve loved some of the changes. Others, well, you’ve not liked so much. In the end, I have to admit that when all of the ideas are thought through and filtered, the answer is that Successful-Blog doesn’t belong in the Wild, Wild West.

We’re moving back to the city where we belong.

That’s why when you clicked in this morning you see some changes, the ads are gone . . . there might just be a few bumps here and there. Last night we moved servers and this morning we are are with

b5 media.

I want to thank everyone at Erati and Blog Media for all they have done for Successful-Blog to make us feel part of the family. You were heroes in how you saw Successful-Blog’s need to move. I really appreciate that.

More Personal Heroes

I want the world to know that I went to b5media, not the other way around. You already know that Jeremy, Darren, Shai, and Duncan are personal heroes. This move has only shown me what good reason I had for having those feelings. They made things happen quickly, painlessly, and I look forward to learning and growing with them. I also look forward to learning more from you.

Isn’t that what success is all about?

–ME “Liz” Strauss