Subject: MSDS^2 Upgraded to Full Web Capability
From: Bill Fernihough
Date: Sat, 04 Jan 1997 22:57:48 +0000
B.C.Hydro, the creators of one of the most advanced MSDS management
systems has gone even further to upgrade its web version of the
program. Now the program provides the capability to address external
MSDS files on the web maintained by others, to store and Address
scanned MSDS as Adobe Acrobat files, GIF or JPEG files. These files
stored outside the database fields do not add to the database size, so
delivery is very fast. And of course, the ability to store text MSDS
files in the Oracle database itself has been maintained. The other
objectived was to include as a seperate database, Transportation of
Dangerous Goods Regulations, shipping data, shipping labels,
placarding information, sample shipping document storage, and more.
And of course, all the functionality which makes this a complete
managment system for an MSDS administrator still remains intact, in
fact, even improved in funtionality and features.
So if you have never considered before, having a complete computerized
management system for your MSDS, transportation information, storage
locations, and so on, now is the time. The program remains at its low
reasonable price of $2,000 US funds, and updates to present users are
without charge. Contact B.C.Hydro at bill.fernihough@bchydro.bc.ca.
If you are a user of MSDS with the need to distribute to your
workforce, this is the program for you. If your are a manufacturer
seeking a web ready delivery system, this is the program for you.
Subject: .
From: pscot@internetmci.com (ARTICLE. starting a business)
Date: Sun, 05 Jan 1997 20:40:25 GMT
How to Grow a Business and get RICH Slowly.
Philip E Scott 1/4/97
Pscot@internetMCI.com
Copyright 1997 Permission granted for copy and distribution
complete article in its entirely with all footers, headers
and credits for non commercial use only.
Summary:
One seldom has a clue what he will run into in starting a
business, all too often borrowed money is misspent or wasted
in some other fashion. This article will provide an
outline to starting your own services business.
Today salary and wage rates have hit an all time low, often
it takes two wager earners in a family to survive, one
wonders how many families with children manage at all.
As a self employed person you can charge about 3 times what
you would be paid by an employer. One must really take a
close look at this issue. With 3 times the rate, one can
work about ½ as much after the cost of doing business is
subtracted.
This means that a person can work a 20 hour week and
generally equal his current salary. As business grows and
he works a maximum 30 hour week, he exceeds his salary as
an employee. And as he hires staff he greatly exceeds his
old rate of compensation.
Further more, of one is smart, he or she has multiple
customers, the more the better. That way if there is a
downturn in the economy and you loose a few customers you
will still have a good income and with a little promotion
you can gain new customers to fill the space left by the old
ones.
What to do first.
Keep your current job, or get one to keep you solvent while
you start your business. That’s what jobs are for after
all. God did not make You to be a wage slave, unless you
like doing that. In that case, its a wonderful occupation,
helping someone else get rich. Make sure your boss
appreciates the favor.
· Survey all of your skills…. Get a notebook and list them
all on page.
· Next, put a rating next to each one. 1-10 , score the
stuff you like to do, a 10.
· Now you have a list of what you like to do. Circle those
that are common occupations, that others are very profitably
employed in doing…. Such things as electrician, gardening
and landscape, paralegal, engineering, sales rep firm,
various repair services … etc.
· Select the one that offers the most income and enjoyment,
and promise for growth.
· Decide on a name for the company. Keep it very simple.
Chose a 3 word name. Such as Professional Garden
Development, for example.
· Go to the closest quick printing place immediately and
order some business cards that list just The company name,
and a slogan underneath the name, such as ‘Let us turn your
backyard into a garden’. Then list your name and address
and phone number. Have the phone number in extra large
type, some people have poor eyesight. Order two thousand
cards for starters. Do it with the idea that you will
revise the card later, but now you need to get 2,000 cards
out right away.
· While the cards are being printed get signed up with the
phone company’s answering service or buy a tapeless
answering machine, and have it announce your company name
and take messages.
· Go to the stationary store and buy some stock quote and
estimate forms, and some billing forms, and some phone
message forms. And a rubber stamp that has the name of
your company and phone number on it in large block letters
about 1/8" tall.
· In most states you do not need a franchise tax permit to
do work on residential real estate. If that’s the case you
just pay sales tax on the material as you buy it, and quote
the customer a flat rate for the entire job and there are no
reporting requirements for sales tax, just for income tax
etc.
· Buy Quick Books accounting package and learn how to use
it. Enter each customer as they call, and use it to log
your materials costs, phone bill, utilities, truck expenses
etc. Every quarter have it figure your net income and pay
any taxes required. ( you should arrange as many purchases
in your life as possible to be useful in the business so
that you can write at least part of them off.)
· Go pick up your business cards, they are ready now.
Start handing them out liberally to anyone who will take
one.
· After a while it will become clear who buys your services
and who doesn’t. Make a list of those that buy, or areas
of town that buy and spend 2 days a week, 6 hours a day for
at least 6 weeks handing out your business cards and giving
quotes.
· In this 6 weeks you will have learned a lot, you will have
found new services to add to your gig, and what the
competition charges etc. and what kind of work you wish to
avoid.
· With all this in mind go to your computer and use your
graphics program or word processor to do a very professional
looking flier. Print it out on a laser printer.
· Take the laser copy to the quick print shop and have it
printed up about 2,000 sheets on both sides, on the
brightest colored stock he has, choose about 4 different
colors. Now you have a brochure/flier.
· Spend the next few weeks going back to the same people you
originally saw and give them all a flier.
· By now you should be making about ½ what your salary is
and working pretty hard on weekends and evenings.
· When you get up to ½ your salary, ask for 2 weeks off,
and spend that 2 weeks working 10 hour days, ½ promoting and
½ doing the work.
· If business picks up to 2/3 your salary and your bills are
in good shape and the hot season is coming for your
specialty, give your employer 2 weeks notice, thank him for
the job, and leave at an agreed point.
· You are now in business for yourself. You cannot get
fired. And you will be able to grow the business and maybe
get rich.
Now that’s the advice. Key things to know are as follows:
· Your plan will almost NEVER work. One cannot ever predict
what’s workable before he actually tries it. When you
just start, then you discover what’s workable right away.
Do not spend much time in planning.
· You will always find a way in the end. Keep pushing for
more profit per hour of time spent, and more enjoyable and
sustainable tactics…. Do not push something that is a killer
or unpleasant thing to do…. Find a pleasant way to promote
and work…. Then only do any of it in a way that’s enjoyable.
If you get an unenjoyable customer, dump him as gracefully
and quickly as possible.
· An employee will seldom work ½ as hard as you will, if you
find one that does, treat the person very well and pay them
as much as you can, usually 40% of the labor billing rate if
they are on a percentage of the job. If they are on salary
you pay them about 1/3 of the hourly billing rate and make
sure you are billing at least 6 or 7 hours for every 8 hours
you pay them.
· Start reading business books and magazines.
· Plow your income back into equipment, promo and facilities
and eat beans. That cuts your income tax to zero in most
cases. Buy nice things ONLY after you are fully set up and
have a going concern.
This above program was for illustrative purposes only,
industrial start ups are done much the same way in many
respects. What follows is a list of additional tactics for
industrial start ups.
· Buy ONLY tools and equipment that you intend to carry
every day and use every day on the job. This is to
demonstrate to clients that you are equipped primarily.
· Rent all other equipment until enough business is
established to afford to purchase or lease and the storage
space required.
· Find the local trade journals or news letters of the
particular industry in your local area. Keep your job until
you can afford one years advertising in at least 3 major
journals.
· when you have the money, buy the adds, at least one column
inch in the classified or display ads section of the
magazine, ideally 2" ads. Have the graphics professionally
done.
· Then get a mailing list of all the client industries and
have enough promo made to mail each one 4 fliers. Print up
4 fliers each on different colored paper and each featuring
a different service but listing all services in the body of
the flier. Make sure these are totally professional fliers.
· Get the proper insurance, permits and licensing.
· Then mail one batch of fliers each month until all the
fliers are used up.
· Save at least 3 months living expenses.
· Quit your job when business picks up to 1/3 your current
income.
· Then immediately repeat the flier mailing program to the
original list.
· ***It is better to mail repeatedly to a short list of say
200 potential clients that once to a much larger list of say
1000 potential clients.***** Its like this, the first
mailing they throw it away. The second mailing they think
is a mistake, the third mailing they start to think you
might be real, the fourth mailing they know you are for real
and might call. Your print ads add extra credibility.
· CREDIBILITY is the whole game in the commercial/industrial
or professional arena’s… dress the part, drive the proper
vehicle… and behave professionally and you will be a big
success.
Keep mentally fit:
· Make a big wall chart showing how much money you made each
day.
· Each day make a list of what you learned or accomplished.
· Each week look at the chart and decide what it would take
to make more the current week.
· As soon as you get a new promo idea, make a flier and mail
em out.
Odds and ends:
· Do not spend much on yellow page advertising, the returns
are often disappointing and it puts your phone at risk if
you can’t pay the add each month.
· Have a menu of services with a few low cost or freebie
offers to get your foot in the door.
· Seek monthly or annually contracted business, not one shot
one time business.
· Seek quality customers and make it very clear that bills
will arrive on the first and you really do have to be paid
by the tenth in order to keep solvent and able to serve
them.
· When you start your business work 20% below the going
rate.
· When business picks up, keep raising the rates.
· Raise the rates until in the end you are about 10% higher
than the going rate, then begin hiring staff as required.
Philip Scott 1/5/97
Pscot@internetMCI.com
Mr. Scott is a mechanical engineer and contractor who has
started and operated several small businesses, and has been
consulting industrial clients for the last 10 years,
including start ups in the effective use of capitol, surplus
equipment and other leveraged strategies that help insure
the success of the new company. Graphics, business plans
and packages and start up or turnaround consulting.
Ph. (210) 361-1888 job site (214) 888-8853 msg
·
· Half the stuff you try will flop.
· If you try 10 things some will be very successful.
· After you have about 10 successful programs you will get
rich, or at least make a good living.
