Showing posts with label Inspirational. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Inspirational. Show all posts
7:30 AM

Observing Martin Luther King Day - Events in South Florida

Martin Luther King, Jr.Image via Wikipedia
Observing Martin Luther King Day. Events in South Florida

SATURDAY, JAN. 15

8:00 AM
MLK DAY OF SERVICE: The Miami-Dade Park and Recreation Department (MDPR) and the Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade have teamed up with Miami-Dade County’s D - 3 Commissioner Audrey Edmonson; D - 2 Commissioner Jean Monestime;  AARP, the Service for Peace Miami Chapter, and the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center (AHCAC) Coalition-Board of Directors to enlist local citizens to help rejuvenate public spaces at County parks in the Model City area and participate in a food drive for Feeding South Florida, during their annual MLK Day of Service volunteer workday, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Sites for the MLK Day of Service include Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park, 6101 N.W. 32nd Ct., the AHCAC, 6161 NW 22nd Ave., and Arcola Lakes Park, 1301 NW 83rd St.  The event concludes with a luncheon for registered volunteers at the AHCAC, from noon-1:00 p.m., featuring performances by the Voices of Heritage Ensemble and Rhythm City Heritage Drum Line. For more information, call Angie Gomez at 305-961-2781 or e-mail angieg@miamidade.gov.This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

8:00 AM
KING INTERGENERATIONAL HOLIDAY COMMUNITY CLEAN UP: The Urban League of Broward and MLKCC are partnering for a Community Clean-Up of Broward Estates/St. George’s communities, sponsored by the Community Foundation of Broward. Meet at 8:00 AM in the Urban League parking lot, 11 NW 36th Ave., Fort Lauderdale.

8:30 AM
HANDS ON MIAMI: Participate in ninth annual MLK Day of Service as Miami Northwestern High School from 8:30 a.m. to noon.  Miami Northwestern Senior High School, located at 1100 NW 71st St in Liberty City, continues to undergo
painting and landscaping. With the help of volunteers the school will become less institutional and more inspirational. Register online to select a task: www.handsonmiami.org.

10:00 AM
KING HOLIDAY BIRTHDAY PARTY: African-American Research Library and Cultural Center, 2650 Sistrunk Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, hosts a real birthday party celebrating Dr. King. There will be cultural performances, storytelling, hands-on arts and crafts, birthday cake and refreshments. 10 AM to noon. Call 954-625-2810 for more information.

10:30 AM
2011 MLK PARADE IN HOMESTEAD AND FLORIDA CITY: Everyone is invited to march and ride in this parade including school marching bands. A school need not have an official band to march. Civic organizations and others are welcome. Lineup begins at 10:30 a.m. at the open field located at NW 3rd Ave. and Lucy Street in Florida City. Kickoff is at noon heading to Loren Roberts Park, 627 NW 6th Ave. in Florida City. The parade is sponsored by New Visions For South Dade, Inc. and is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Jeffrey Brown at 786-286 - 8783 or email mlkfest@yahoo.com.This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

11:30AM
7th ANNUAL UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY: Dr. King created a legacy that serves to preserve the life, rights and liberties of all citizens. The City of Miami Gardens' MLK celebration is an example of the people who share in that legacy. From 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Miami Carol City Park, 3201 NW 185th St. in Miami Gardens. This family event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.miamigardens-fl.gov.

1:00 PM
CHANGE YOURSELF BEFORE YOU CHANGE ME YOUTH SUMMIT: The MLKCC Youth Committee invites all youth to a summit that will use music, cultural and dramatic presentations and panel discussions to address important issues affecting black youth. The event takes place at the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center, 2650 Sistrunk Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale from 1:00 to 3:30 PM. An important feature of the program will include the youth collectively coming up with solutions to the issues. Highlights will include special invited guest celebrities, Greek Letter Step Show, and honoring youth who have made an impact within their school, community or organization.

SUNDAY, JAN. 16
   
9:00 AM
LT. GOV. AT CHURCH OF INCARNATION: Florida Lieutenant Governor Jennifer Carroll, Florida’s first black to hold that office, will be the guest speaker for the annual service in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Jan. 16th at the Church of the Incarnation, 1835 NW 54th Street in Miami. Beyond the keynote speaker, The “I Have a Dream” speech will be recited by members of Alpha Phi Alpha.  Dr. Martin Luther King was a member of the Fraternity. Attendees are invited to remain for a reception following the service.

11 AM
UCC PRESIDENT AT CHURCH OF OPEN DOOR: Rev. Geoffrey A. Black, who was elected General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ in June 2009, will be the guest speaker at the Church of the Open Door, 6001 NW 8th Ave. in Miami.  Black previously served as a Minister for Church Life and Leadership with the then-Office for Church Life and Leadership (currently Parish Life and Leadership), a national agency of the United Church of Christ housed at the UCC's national offices in Cleveland, Ohio.  For more information, 305-759-0373.

MONDAY, JAN. 17

7:30 AM
KING HOLIDAY PARADE AND MENTORS MARCH:
Join the county’s largest King Holiday Parade featuring local high school bands, drum lines, floats and thousands of school children and representatives from social, civic, cultural and religious organizations. This year’s parade will have special focus on mentoring. We are extending a special invitation to organizations that mentor to lead this year’s parade. Line-up begins at 7:30 AM at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School (Sistrunk & MLK Boulevards). Parade starts at 9:00 AM. To register your group, band, or organization call 954-828-8945 or register online at www.kingholidaycelebration.com.

IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING PARADE: “RE-CLAIMING THE DREAM” KING HOLIDAY TRIBUTE PROGRAM
A King Holiday Tribute Program will be held at Dillard High School, featuring cultural performances and keynote speaker -- education entrepreneur, Tim King, founder of the Urban Prep Academies of Chicago. This all-male, charter school in the heart of South Side of Chicago has gained national attention for its 100 percent graduation rate and high academic achievement, despite the under-privileged backgrounds of their students. For more information on the King Holiday Celebration and MLKCC organization visit us online at www.kingholidaycelebration.com.

8 AM
MLK BREAKFAST: Michael Blake, the associate director of Inter-Governmental Affairs for the Obama Administration will speak at the breakfast. The event takes place at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, Okeechobee Blvd. West Palm Beach, and costs $40 for adults and $20 for students. For tickets, call 561-832-4682.

10:30 AM
34th ANNUAL MLK PARADE IN LIBERTY CITY: This year’s annual parade celebrating the slain civil rights leader kicks off at 10:30 a.m. in the Winn-Dixie parking lot, 1100 NW 54th St. in Liberty City. For more information, call 305-835-2464.

11 AM
DAY OF SERVICE: Volunteers will spend the 25th Anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. Day helping to serve and entertain the formerly homeless residents of the Miami Rescue Mission/Broward Outreach Centers, which will have a variety of volunteer groups and schools on all three campuses in Miami, Hollywood and Pompano Beach to honor Dr. King’s vision of uniting humanity and service to others. The centers are located at Miami Rescue Mission: Miami Rescue Mission: Center for Men at 2020 NW 1st Ave. in Miami; Broward Outreach Center: 2056 Scott St. in Hollywood; and the Broward Outreach Center: 1700 Blount Rd. in Pompano Beach.

TUESDAY, JAN. 18 THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 29

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI MLK CELEBRATION: UM is hosting a series of day-long events, including a civil rights exhibit, forum, movie night and church service. The Celebration is coordinated by United Black Students and held in the Student Services Bldg., 5604 Merrick Drive in Coral Gables. If you are interested in being a part of the committee and would like to help plan one of the events, or you would like information on becoming a sponsor, please contact MSA at 305.284.2855. For more information and event schedule, visit the Multicultural Student Affairs website: http://www.sarc.miami.edu/msa/mainsite/public/studOrgs/drMartinLutherK.aspx.

THURSDAY, JAN. 20

12:00 PM
MLK SENIOR CITIZENS LUNCHEON: Julius Garvey, son of Marcus Garvey, will be the guest speaker at the event taking place at Newcomb Hall, 180 E. 13th Street, Riviera Beach. The event is free, however, attendees must register in advance by calling 561-840-4880. 

NOW THROUGH SUNDAY, JAN. 30

MLK: WORLDS AHEAD @ THE FROST ART MUSEUM: The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum presents a series of exhibits including MLK Legacy, Wall of Hope, Wall of Fame, MLK March on FIU and FIU-MLK Videos. The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, Florida International University, 10975 SW 17th St. in Miami. Museum hours: Tuesday- Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, call 305-348-2890 or visit http://thefrost.fiu.edu/event.htm.

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10:27 PM

Remembering Martin Luther King

Martin Luther King, Jr.Image via Wikipedia
Martin Luther King Legacy

On the eve of his murder, Martin Luther King Jr.'s Dream was turning dark. Worried about poverty and Vietnam, he was growing more radical--and that, his family says, is why he was killed. Was the real King a saint, a subversive--or both?

The sun was about to set. On Thursday, April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. had retreated to room 306 of the Lorraine Motel, worrying about a sanitation strike in Memphis and working on his sermon for Sunday, Its Title: "Why America May Go to Hell." For King, whose focus had shifted from civil rights to antiwar agitation and populist economics, the Dream was turning dark. He had been depressed, sleeping little and suffering from migraines.

In Washington, his plans for a massive Poor People's Campaign were in disarray. In Memphis, King's first march with striking garbage men had degenerated into riot when young black radicals--not, as in the glory days, angry state troopers--broke King's nonviolent ranks. By 5 p.m. he was hungry and looked forward to a soul-food supper. Always fastidious-a prince of the church--King shaved, splashed on cologne and stepped onto the balcony. He paused; a .30-06 rifle shot slammed King back against the wall, his arms stretched out to his sides as if he were being crucified.
The Passion was complete.

As he lay dying, the popular beatification was already underway: Martin Luther King Jr., general and martyr to the greatest moral crusade on the nation's racial battlefield. For most Americans the story seems so straightforward. He was a prophet, our own Gandhi, who led the nation out of the darkness of Jim Crow. His Promised Land was the one he conjured on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963, a place where his "four little children... will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
Now, 30 years after his assassination, that legend is under fresh assault--from King's own family and many of his aging lieutenants. His widow, Coretta, and his heirs are on the front lines of a quiet but pitched battle over the manner of his death and the meaning of his life. They believe James Earl Ray, King's convicted assassin, is innocent and that history has forgotten the real Martin Luther King.

To his family, King was murdered because he was no longer the King of the March on Washington, simply asking for the whites only signs to come down. He had grown radical: the King of 1968 was trying to build an interracial coalition to end the war in Vietnam and force major economic reforms--starting with guaranteed annual incomes for all. They charge that the government, probably with Lyndon Johnson's knowledge, feared King might topple the "power structure" and had him assassinated. "The economic movement was why he was killed, frankly," Martin Luther King III told NEWSWEEK. "That was frightening to the powers that be." They allege there were political reasons, too. "RFK was considering him as a vice presidential candidate," says Dexter, King's third child. "It's not widely known or discussed, [but] obviously those watching him knew of it. They [Kennedy and King] were both considered powerful and influential in terms of bringing together a multiracial coalition."

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2:44 PM

Family Traditions can Start with You!!

How to Start Family Fall Traditions

Family traditions are wonderful. We all have certain memories of growing up. Each family has their own unique family tradition. Now that you have a family of your own, it is time to start your own family traditions. Children love to have a yearly tradition to look forward to . This fall, find ways in which you can create your very own fall traditions. This article will give you some ideas at what you can do for fall family traditions!

1. Attend a yearly festival held in the fall. Many communities offer fall festivities. These events are enjoyable for all ages. Most communities will hold the same event year after year. As your children get older, they will come to look forward to the event. Be sure to take pictures of your family each year at the event, so they will be able to remember it more clearly as they grow up.






  • 2 Cider mills open in the fall. Take your children to visit a cider mill in a nearby town. This is not only a family event, it is also educational. They can witness how apple cider is made. It is a fun and inexpensive tradition that can be attended each year with your family.






  • 3 Visit a pumpkin farm. Children, and adults, love walking through pumpkin patches. It is fun to bundle up and let each child pick out their very own pumpkin. Don't forget to bring the camera with you!






  • 4 Decorate the front porch together in fall theme. Have each child display their own pumpkin on the front porch. Add in a scarecrow, and some hay for a more fall festive look. You children will enjoy it, especially with Halloween approaching, when they will be able to carve their pumpkins with you! Happy Fall!

    Read more: How to Start Family Fall Traditions | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5482689_start-family-fall-traditions.html#ixzz0yxu2mHzw



  • 9:00 AM

    Celebrate Grandparents Day with Activities and Crafts

    The first Sunday following Labor Day is fast approaching. Do you already know how you will celebrate Grandparents Day? Try some of these fun and educational Grandparents Day crafts and activities:

    - Put grandparents on the map! Did you know that kids call their grandmothers "Nonno" in Italy and "dziadek" in Poland? Visit MyGrandPlace.com to see the names that kids around the world use for their grandparents. Next, print off a free world map from Eduplace and color it. Write the grandparent names that you have learned inside the outline of the appropriate country. Mount the map and give it to grandparents to let them know that they are the best grandparents in the entire world.

    - Learn to say "grandmother" and "grandfather" in American Sign Language. Have children prepare a video for grandparents with a special message.

    - Write a note in braille for the grandparents. You can find the braille alphabet and numbers on the AFB website. Use dots of glue and sprinkle with sand or salt to create texture. If your grandparents don't read braille, be sure to provide a written version of the message that they can understand.

    - Have kids learn a special Grandparents Day song to perform. The Holiday Zone has songs to choose from.

    See More: Grandparents Day with Activities and Crafts

    9:02 AM

    5 Ways to Use Your Professional Skills to Give Back

    Do you feel the call to service but don't know where—or how to find the time—to start giving back? Jonathan Tisch, Loews Corporation executive and author of three books, including Citizen You: Doing Your Part to Change the World, says you can start by putting the skills you've learned in your job to good use. Unlock your volunteering potential with his five tips for "citizen professionals."



    1. Apply Your Talents to a Social Cause

    Whatever you do for a living, from accounting to cooking to teaching, there's a community organization that can use those skills to help make the world a better place. Why just be a nurse when you can become a citizen nurse? You may think you are too busy with your job to do good. You also may think making a difference is better left to saintly, self-sacrificing heroes like Mother Teresa and Florence Nightingale. But think again.


    You have valuable talents that can be harnessed for a cause, even if it's just for a few minutes a day. Careers today are being reinvented in ways that benefit both the individuals who practice them and the society in which they live. There's a new way of thinking about work that satisfies the desire for self-advancement and personal benefit, as well as the latent idealism so many people have learned to suppress or ignore. That's what being an engaged professional is all about.


    2. Find Ways to Get Your Workplace Involved in Social Activism

    More and more companies are now practicing good citizenship. How can yours provide support to worthy causes through donations of time, talent, goods or services? Start by re-examining your occupation's ethical code or professional standards, or your employer's mission statement or professional standards. Think about a small way you can help lead fellow employees to follow these standards more proactively. Consider how you can help everyone in your profession to start thinking like citizen professionals and applying their professional skills to address social problems that could benefit from those skills.

    If your line of work doesn't already have a recognized code of conduct or ethical standards, consider writing one. It should embody your personal ethical values and encapsulate how those values are expressed in the work you do. Share your effort with a couple of like-minded colleagues. It may stimulate some lively discussion about what you can do to incorporate social benefits into your daily work.

    3. Become a Mentor


    Offer your hard-earned wisdom to benefit young people in need of guidance and encouragement, from school kids in your neighborhood to new graduates just entering the workforce. Everyone is qualified to be a mentor, and the experience is just as rewarding for the mentor as the mentee. You can do this informally with someone you know or through an organized program such as Mentoring USA, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Experience Corps and New York City's Middle School Mentors program. Students, children and younger people in your industry could all benefit from your mentoring.

    4. Act 2: Devote Yourself to Citizenship

    As baby boomers begin retiring, some are looking back on the turbulent yet promising days of their youth, wondering what happened to their dreams of reshaping the world. Instead of winding down in retirement, today's active citizenship movement offers retirees the opportunity to apply their restless energies to the pressing needs of society. For many, the new activism may hold the answer. They can join the thousands of retirees who are shifting from the business world into the non-profit sector. They are using their talents and skills to help young people and the disadvantaged, as well as programs that support culture and the arts.

    5. Become a Digital Citizen

    If you are searching for ways to connect, there are thousands of worthy organizations that use the Internet to engage supporters, mobilize resources and solicit ideas. You can discover projects in your own community and around the world that excite you. You could participate in a digital forum about a public issue you care about, donate electronically to support a charity you believe in or share information about a topic you're an expert on—all for the benefit of thousands of other citizens like you.

    Many not-profit organizations, citizens' networks and community groups already use the Internet to leverage their knowledge, connections and power—but many are not doing so. Take a look at the groups and causes you support, and evaluate how effective their digital presence is. If they don't have one, or if you can see ways in which their digital activities could be made more appealing, engaging and impactful, why not volunteer to research and develop those improvements? You don't need to be an expert in programming or web design. Volunteers or paid professionals with those skills can be recruited later. As long as you have imagination and a passion for the cause you're serving, you can contribute something meaningful to the project.

    Jonathan Tisch is the author of Citizen You: Doing Your Part to Change the World, The Power of We and Chocolates on the Pillow Aren't Enough. He is co-chairman of the board and a member of the office of the president of Loews Corporation, and chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels. Tisch has appeared on The Today Show, The Early Show, Larry King Live, Charlie Rose, CNN, CNBC and Fox News Channel. He is also the host of the Emmy-nominated Bloomberg TV and Plum TV show Beyond the Boardroom.

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    6:55 PM

    Overcoming Stress, Anxiety through Self Hypnosis

    2:19 PM

    God Bless the U.S.A. by Lee Greenwood

    1:30 PM

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!!!!

    7:28 PM

    De-stress Your Life Instantly

    Between work, raising children, managing household chores and taking time for yourself, your everyday life can easily leave you overwhelmed and exhausted. Leo Babauta, author of The Power of Less, offers seven steps to quickly de-stress your life.

    Breathe Deeply
    Concentrate on your breathing for five breaths, Leo says. "If you're feeling stressed, close your eyes and focus on each breath as it comes in and then goes out," he says. "Focus on the breathing and let any other thoughts drift away."

    Take a Walk
    Getting up and moving around gets your blood flowing and calms you, Leo says. Try walking around your office building or going outside for 10 minutes to get some fresh air.
    Focus on One Thing
    Instead of trying to do everything at once and multitasking, learn to do one task at a time, Leo says. "It's less stressful and more effective," he says.
     
    Choose 3 Tasks
    Instead of trying to tackle a laundry list of tasks and projects, pick the three very important tasks that you want to accomplish today, Leo says. "Focus on doing those before anything else," he says.
     
    Simplify Your Schedule
    If your schedule is packed with appointments, meetings and tasks, it's stressful, Leo says. "Try to schedule less, which means getting out of less important commitments," he says. "Leave space to breathe."
     
    Live in the Moment
    Worrying about what might happen or replaying things that have already happened are stressful ways of thinking, Leo says. "Instead, focus on what is happening now," he says. Practice in five- to 10-minute intervals at first, and you'll begin to improve, Leo says.

    Read Original Article: De-stress Your Life Instantly

    3:26 PM

    Balancing Act: One Woman's Story About Having It All


    For years Towanna Freeman put her daughter, Jenesis, first. After being sideswiped by a divorce more than a decade ago, the 39-year-old management consultant and author (Purposeful Action: 7 Steps to Fulfillment) cut back on her hours--reducing her income by 50 percent, so she could focus on motherhood.
    There were a few lean years, but disaster never struck, in fact things got better. Freeman revamped her career to suit her needs and even found time to pursue her passion, life-coaching. Despite all of her success, there was one things missing: a man. That all changed three years ago when she met Byron Freeman, a Colonel in the US Army. Freeman talks to ESSENCE.com about her transition from life as a single lady to being "the Mrs."


    ESSENCE.COM: You weren't always a single mother. Tell us how your life changed when you split from your ex-husband?

    TOWANNA FREEMAN: My daughter Jenesis was 3-years-old when I divorced my first husband. I had to make a lot of changes going from two incomes to one, but I was motivated because I knew I had a mouth to feed. I didn't want my daughter to come in second. I was a project manager for the CIA but I downsized--everything. My shopping had to change, vacationing, even getting a new car, were now all luxuries that I couldn't afford. My priority was making sure my daughter was in school and I could pay for aftercare.

    ESSENCE.COM: After raising your daughter alone for 10 years you recently got married. How did you know he was the one for you?

    FREEMAN: My husband had to woo two women, my daughter and myself. Once our relationship got serious--and I knew I could trust him--I let him spend alone time with Jenesis so they could bond. For example, we'd all go to the arcade, but I'd let them go off and play games while I watched from afar. I'd check in with her to see how he treated her when I wasn't around. I believe it's important for parents to listen to their kids-- because they see things we don't--and not just focus on what our mates say. Lastly, I made sure to talk to him about his views on parenting because I knew integrating families would require a lot of a man who didn't have children.

    ESSENCE.COM: Many women who've been single for a long time find it challenging to open their hearts and minds to co-existing, though they want a mate. Did you find it difficult?

    FREEMAN: As a woman I'm naturally a nurturer, but after being single for so long I was used to bringing home the bacon and frying it. My challenge was allowing someone to take care of me. I had to learn to relax; I had to drop my defenses. It was like a changing of the guard. I had to acknowledge that my husband is capable. He's a man whose decisions I can trust, so I had to learn how to stop asking for details. I don't always need to be in control.


    ESSENCE.COM: Money is a big issue for couples, especially since many Black women are also the primary breadwinners or may be entering into a relationship after already amassing significant savings. Are you and your spouse co-mingling funds?

    FREEMAN: Yes, my husband has a successful career but I make more money then he does. Communication is important. All of our income is combined because we are working towards a common goal. I don't taut the fact that I make more than him and he's not competitive. We both respect our contributions to the household.


    It's important to get rid of that individualistic mentality the day you take your vows. Respect your mate. Most importantly, let the person who is naturally better at handling money manage your household's finances. My last tip is don't keep money secrets.If you have funds that you plan to keep aside, be upfront about it.

    Source: Essence.com

    9:07 PM

    Focus, Focus, Focus - This is a Good Time to Start Your Own Business

    Truisms for Starting a Business


    Here are a few truisms can help guide you in starting your small business. (In a second column, we'll take a look at truisms that can help guide you in running your small business.) They represent lessons learned by entrepreneurs like yourself. The road to success will be much smoother by being aware of the messages they represent.


    It takes a leader to successfully start, run and grow a business. The difference between managers and leaders is sometimes subtle, but when the going gets tough, it's easy to tell the difference. While consulting for a large manufacturing company, I met with the founder and owner. It was easy to see he was an excellent manager and organizer. He had effectively set up his company, found satisfactory help, and was quickly manufacturing small runs of high quality product.

    When he called me, the company was in trouble. . .poor sales, decreasing order backlog, etc. The problem was determined to be that the market had been slowly moving toward a similar, more effective product type. In overlooking (or not being aware of) this fact, the owner, although a good manager, was not leading the company in a successful direction.

    A business is likely to operate at a loss for the first year of operation. Make sure you have adequate resources! Plan for the unexpected. Remember that most businesses fail due to lack of capital! If possible, keep your regular job during startup.


    In order for a business to be successful, it must provide a service or product that people want to buy. Pretty obvious you say? Well, it is forgotten by many. Times change and your business must change with them.

    Dave, a good friend and fellow amateur radio operator, started a radio equipment and accessory retail store. Certainly not a new idea, since there are hundreds of such stores throughout the country and, in fact, there were three within 50 miles of Dave's location. However, in less than a year, he was outselling the other two stores and had acquired a good share of their former customers. Why? Dave knew he needed to provide something unique that would make his store more useful than his competitors. Knowing that communications was "going digital" and there was high interest in combining computers and radio equipment, Dave provided custom software to marry the customer's computer with the radio equipment he sold. He's still going strong.

    A really good idea will not last long before someone else runs with it. If you are confident of an idea, move off dead center and get on with it! Plan carefully but get going. If you wait, someone will beat you to the market!

    Business success will be directly proportional to how much you love what you are doing. Don't get involved with any business activity for the money only! This is usually a recipe for failure.

    6:56 PM

    "The Mortgage Apple Cake"