Last month’s “book of the month” here at Home Biz Notes was David Allen’s book Getting Things Done.  I finally got to interview David Allen about organizing your home business office.  Here are my questions and his answers:
How do you organize a home office where you have to keep home and business separate (for the home office tax deduction)?
I don’t know that you have to keep things separate as long as you keep the percentages straight (what percentage of your office is for home and what percentage is for business).  You could keep two alphabetical files in separate places, too.  …read more

Dawn Goldberg is a Virtual Angel (that’s a special kind of Virtual Assistant), and she is successfully balancing work and family in her home business. A former English teacher, Dawn also writes well, and she has lots of enthusiasm for her job. I interviewed Dawn to ask her about being a VA and how she manages to do the work/family balancing act. I hope you enjoy my interview with Dawn:
1. Why did you decide to become a VA? Tell us about the process – what did you do to prepare?
A few years ago, …read more

A couple of weeks ago, I interviewed Stacy Brice, founder and chief visionary officer of AssistU, a company which trains and supports Virtual Assistants. Today, I’m interviewing Cindy Gaffen, a VA who owns Virtually Fantastic. If you are considering becoming a VA, Cindy is a great model for you to follow. Here is what she had to say:
1. Why did you decide to become a VA? Tell us about the process – what did you do to prepare?
For years, I thought about what I wanted to do for a living and how I …read more

In response to questions about Virtual Assisting as a home business opportunity, I am interviewing several people.  The first is Stacy Brice, founder, President and Chief Visionary Officer of AssistU.  (I can see why she is successful – what great positive enthusiasm!)  Stacy founded AssistU in March 1997 as a way to help people create the business and life they wanted.  Read more about Stacy’s journey to founding AssistU on her bio.
Questions for Stacy Brice:
1.  How did you get into the VA business?  What motivated you to start AssistU?
I got started as a VA, working for myself, because I was …read more

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During August, we’ve had a theme of travel and related home businesses.  So I’m rounding out the month by discussing Kathleen (Katy) Walls’ travel books with her. Katy has producted them through her Florida home based publishing business.  We also learn from Katy that you can write books about the places close to home without traveling to exotic locals.
Her most recent book is Wild About Florida: South Florida, one of a series.  
Mary Emma: What made you think of writing a book on Florida’s natural places?
Katy: Nature and wildlife are things I have always loved. I do a lot of camping and some …read more

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For more than a decade, since I met Kathleen (Katy) Walls, I’ve seen her move from author to self-publisher to forming a publishing business, Global Authors Publications (GAP).  I thought some suggestions from Katy would help writers understand the publishing business from the perspective of an author/publisher. 
Katy founded GAP in 2004 to publish her books from her Florida home.  She has written the popular books:  Georgia’s Ghostly Getaways, Finding  Florida’s Phantoms, Last Step, Man Hunt- The Eric Rudolph Story, Kudzu, Tax Sale Tactics, and Hosts With Ghosts: Haunted Historic Hotels in the Southeast.
She is currently at work on a series of books about natural …read more

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While we’re on the topic of Harry Potter (see the post about Susan Gunelius and her book on the Harry Potter global phenomenon), why not take a look at a related book by J.R. Rowling?  This is just another example of the expert marketing and branding that Susan mentions. Harry Potter fans are intrigued by any reference to a new book.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.R. Rowling, is a book of fairy tales written to supplement the Harry Potter series.  It will be published in two new editions, the Standard and Collector’s, on December 4, 2008.   (However, it’s available for pre-order now at …read more

HomeBizNotes.com
The Harry Potter Phenomenon has captured young and older in its web with books, movies, and paraphernalia.  What has made these books so popular that this became a brand in itself and skyrocketed to fame?
Susan Gunelius explores this in her book, Harry Potter – The Story of a Global Business Phenomenon.
I interviewed Susan, since I’ve been fascinated by the marketing strategy that created such success, and learned how she became involved in researching this topic.  (Also, as you read Susan’s answers, you’ll discover how blogging and social media can activate one’s business.  And yours doesn’t have to be a Harry Potter …read more

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Susan Gunelius, author of Harry Potter, The Story of a Global Business Phenomenon, will visit Home Biz Notes, on Tuesday, August 19, the day her book is launched in the United States.
You won’t want to miss this upcoming interview with Susan, also a b5 blogger at Brand Curve.  We learn how and why she wrote the story concerning the phenomenal marketing strategy that made Harry Potter a brand name and fantastic success. 
We shall be featuring a giveaway of the book later in the day of August 19.  (Susan’s book also is available for pre-order at the above link.)
So…..Keep Tuned!
(Amazon image; click …read more

Emma Jones is the editor of Enterprise Nation, the UK’s premier home business site and the author of Spare Room Startup: How To Start A Business From Home
Emma has written a wonderful book chock full of useful information, but also beautifully presented and styled. As a lot of business owners are keen to write a book as a marketing tool for their business, we’ve been asking Emma some questions over a series of articles.
Just reading this shows you the power of having a vision, believing in your vision and going for it. It also shows the power of a …read more