“On the Ball,” a sports related Promo Day at the Business Channel features posts from the various blogs that connect to this topic and the recently revived b5media Sports Channel.  Editor Kelly Erb compiled the round-up of articles.
Home Biz Notes participated with Mary Emma’s Working Successfully as a Home Business Team.  “When husbands and wives develop a home business, they may never have worked together as a team.”  Here I give several tips for a successful business team relationship.

Do you operate a jewelry making or similar business from home?  Have you been thinking of doing something like this?
Check out Laura Spencer’s interview of Barbara Giordano , owner of SunfleursJewelryDesigns.  This is the fifth in a series of interviews of women who work from home that Laura has conducted at her Work From Home Momma blog.
An adoptive parent, Barbara developed a line of jewelry reflecting this theme for her online business.  In doing so, Barbara discovered a niche that no one else appeared to be filling at the time.

  A friend, for a number of years, did billing and transcription for a doctor’s office.  Then situations changed in her life, and she went on to other work.  However, for someone trained in the medical field (she was an LPN), this was an ideal way for her to work at home and care for a family member with Parkinson’s disease.
Before you leap into this field, however, research the possibilities, decide if you’re capable or need further training, and talk with people in the field.  There’s also some information on the topic at About.com: Home Business that will present pros and …read more

When her boys were pre-schoolers, my neighbor was having challenges find a reliable and convenient babysitter or day care while she worked.  Finally she wondered, “Why not stay home [she wanted to anyway] and take in some other children?”
She proceeded to do this and was a stay-at-home mom until her boys attended school.  Then she gave up the day care and took a job with the town.  Another friend has operated a day care (often called child care) in her home for more than 20 years.  She has a waiting list of parents who want their children admitted to her day …read more

If you’re constantly attuned to promotion of your home business, you’ll come up with some unique ideas.  Alyson B. Stanfield, who writes the Art Biz Blog, tells about Barbara Rush and her very unique “ad” on the tire cover of her SUV.  There’s even a photo of Barbara’s tire cover at Art Biz Blog.
In addition to the art work on the tire cover, Barbara has her web site URL.  Barbara is an artist.  However, you could use similar promotion for any home business, with web site link or phone number, if you don’t have a web site or blog.
This is …read more

“Mary, I appreciate you responding to my comments on your blog by e-mail, as well as on the blog,” a viewer mentioned.  “I feel as though I know you.”
I hadn’t thought much about it before this.  However, I wasn’t sure whether my viewers who leave comments stop back to see if I have responded.  So I thought I should let them know I appreciate their stopping by.  Also, it’s important to get back to them, I feel,  if they are asking questions. 
(I’ve also noticed that bloggers who have a many comments on their blog usually try to respond to everyone.  …read more

Selecting a name for your home business often becomes a challenge.  Of course, what you call your business depends somewhat on the type of business.  Sometimes, too, your location determines the business name.
Rico at Contract Worker has some insightful advice in his post, Use Your Real Name to Make Life Simpler.  “Many names are confusing, “ Rico says.  “Freelancers should use their real names when promoting themselves because it simplifies their lives.”
In one example, he tells about a friend who couldn’t cash/deposit a large check from a client because it was made out in her nickname, when her account was under her real …read more

Laurie, at the Home Business blog, reviews three businesses operated from or at home and gives information that could help you decide whether any of these are of interest to you.
*Tips to Help You Become a Life Coach
*Getting Started in a Cleaning Service Business
*Getting Started as a Virtual Assistant
Laurie is a Home Business Selection Advisor and researches various home businesses for their possibilities and to see whether they’re legitimate and what they involve.  She also has a web site, The Christian Home Business Connection.   There you can register for her free e-newsletter which contains valuable home business tips.

Denise Grier, blogger for Leadership Turn, has written a very informative round-up of the b5media Business Channel blogs as she made a tour recently. Visit her blog and see the posts she’s chosen to feature about the business world as represented by this channel.
For Home Biz Notes, Denise mentioned  Listening to Your Home Business Customers.
Denise recently joined the channel and we all welcome her.

This Week in the Business Channel features favorite posts from various b5media bloggers.  There’s a wide array of business advice that you’ll find of interest.
The post from Home Biz Notes  advises you to listen to your customers when deciding how to please them and increase sales.  There are various ways you can learn what customers are looking for.