"If at first you don't succeed, try and try again."

Though there's some debate as to who first coined this expression, no doubt we've all heard it. Nowhere may this terse saying be more appropriate than when it comes to owning and operating a small business.

In 2006, I took a gamble and opened a martial arts studio in my hometown. The idea was simple enough: Create a family-friendly karate school that parents would feel comfortable taking their children to. The idea was fantastic. The only problem was I jumped in with almost no cash and zero business sense.

I was so enamored with the idea of having my own place that I threw caution to the wind. I took a few thousand out of savings and borrowed the rest. I applied for and received a $15,000 personal loan which I nearly exhausted before the place had even opened.

To make matters worse, I put myself on the payroll from day one. Big mistake. By the end of my first year I was losing money hand over fist, though I kept using whatever I took in to satisfy my personal expenses. I used income from the studio to pay down my credit cards, pay off my auto loan, my phone bills, and even bought myself a new wardrobe. I managed to do all this while having trouble paying the electric bill and the rent on my business.

Not surprisingly, things continued to get worse and exactly 21 months after I opened the studio, I was forced to close the doors for good. I had bled the business dry and was now staring at a checkbook with a zero balance.

So what went wrong? Well, a few things as I see it. First, I had no financial backing, no business acumen and no contingency plan. Second, I did not seek, nor receive, any input from my friends and family. I tried to do everything on my own. Also, I got selfish. In the beginning, cash was pouring in. I got used to putting that cash in my pocket and when it stopped coming in, I was reluctant to change my habits.

It wasn't all bad though. I learned some valuable lessons on how to manage money from this experience and I'm proud to say that in 2010 I launched another startup. I now own a personal training business that is doing remarkably well.

What's different this time? To start with, I've got a solid financial plan in place. I'm not leveraged at all. That means no loans, no line of credit and no debt of any kind. Also, I have separate business and personal accounts. There is no crossover between monies. Whatever the business generates now gets reinvested or saved. No more skimming to cover personal expenses. This time around my business is on a slow growth path because I spend only what I have. Still, it's a great feeling to be above water every month. I'm confident that I now have the right plan in place to help me avoid the failures of my past.

*Note: This was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Do you have a small business story that you'd like to share? Sign up with the Yahoo! Contributor Network to start publishing your own finance articles.

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First Person: How Failure Ensured the Success of My Latest Startup

LOS ANGELES, April 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- An accident can't be predicted. It can't be planned for. In these tumultuous economic times, ordinary Americans are already living paycheck to paycheck. They don't have money set aside for a rainy day, let alone a devastating injury sustained through no fault of their own. So what can such people do when they sustain an injury as a result of someone else's negligence, but the insurance companies refuse to pony up for their treatment? Too often people back down from the fight, assuming they have no chance of prevailing against the resources of the insurance companies. However, there is recourse for people in these situations. You can find a personal injury attorney in Los Angeles who works on a contingency, or NO RECOVERY, NO FEE basis. Essentially what this means is that if they don't succeed in garnering you a verdict or settlement in your favor, then you don't pay for their services.

There is an assumption that the best personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles must necessarily charge $300 per hour and up. But think about the confidence a personal injury lawyer must have to take on a case and not ask for compensation unless and until he delivers. That is the confidence on display every day at the Law Offices of Burg and Brock, Inc., a prestigious personal injury law firm in Los Angeles. This firm was founded in 1996 by Cameron Brock, a personal injury attorney with vast experience in personal injury cases that range from product liability to motorcycle and car accidents, dog bites, burns, wrongful death claims, and much more.

The team of experienced and talented personal injury lawyers who work at the Law Offices of Burg and Brock, Inc. has racked up an astounding 98% success rate, with over 5,000 personal injury cases won and over $100 million won against even the biggest insurance companies. That's exactly the kind of track record that instills the necessary confidence to offer legal representation on a contingency basis. That is the kind of track record that average Americans need to even the playing field when the insurance companies deny their claims.

If you are interested in learning more the Law Offices of Burg and Brock, Inc., visit online at http://www.legaldefenders.com.

PR submitted by http://www.Cyberset.com

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A Personal Injury Law Firm with a Proven Track Record Against the Insurance Companies

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5_8mPHKme4

22-04-2012 22:31 "The California Kid," Mixed Martial Arts pioneer and former featherweight champ in World Extreme Cagefighting, Urijah Faber offers an unconventional and enlightening guide to mental dominance and personal success. Available wherever books are sold May 22nd, 2012.

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"Laws of the Ring" by Urijah Faber

FOSTER CITY, CA--(Marketwire -04/23/12)- Funambol, the leading provider of white-label personal cloud solutions for mobile providers, today announced that it was recently named the winner of the 2012 Mobile Merit Award in the Mobile Apps category for overall enabler. The Mobile Merit Awards recognize companies and technologies that shape the way the world communicates today. They connote the excellence achieved in the global mobile industry. Mobile Merit Award winners were determined based on industry impact, innovation, technologies, social importance, implementation and overall success.

"Funambol is thrilled to be recognized by the Mobile Merit Awards for best overall mobile apps enabler," said Amit Chawla, Funambol CEO. "The personal cloud market is exploding worldwide and our white-label solution for mobile providers is truly having a profound impact on the industry and users. The award is external validation of this and all of the hard work by the people of Funambol who are making it happen."

Funambol's white-label personal cloud solution, OneMediaHub, is similar to Apple iCloud except it works with all major smartphones, tablets and computers, including iPhone/iPad, Android, BlackBerry, Symbian, Windows and Mac. OneMediaHub differs as it enables mobile providers to go to market with their own brand, and to act as the digital locker for all of their users' digital assets, to reinforce customer loyalty. Funambol's solution is based on open source, allowing its customers to completely customize it for their needs and to provide differentiated cloud services for multiple market segments. For more information, visit http://www.funambol.com. OneMediaHub is available for demo use at https://onemediahub.com. For more on the 2012 Mobile Merit Awards, visit http://www.mobilemeritawards.com/.

About Funambol

Funambol is the leading provider of white-label personal cloud solutions for mobile providers. Funambol solutions have been deployed by many of the top companies in mobile, including operators, device makers, Internet portals and software companies. For more information, visit http://www.funambol.com.

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Funambol Named Recipient of 2012 Mobile Merit Award

Croda's new chief executive, Steve Foots, is focued on evolution not revolution.

You know the advert. The one with the pretty girl and the perfect lipstick. She (SNP: ^SHEY - news) flashes a naughty smile into the camera before flicking her sleek, glossy hair in a perfect swoosh.

Then the advertiser stakes its claim its shampoo, the one the pretty girl uses every day, makes a womans hair bouncier and glossier than ever. Its just about then that we all roll our eyes and quietly mutter under our breath.

Well, its time to stop being quite so cynical. Unless Ive been horribly hoodwinked, that claim hasnt just been made up by a bunch of sharp suited mad men.

You see, in a laboratory 20 miles from Doncaster, theres a man in a white coat. In front of him a false head of hair hangs on a metal wire attached to a rudimentary engine and a video camera. Hes filming that swoosh. Flicking the hair from side to side, treating it with the shampoos 'active ingredient and flicking it again. And there really is a difference.

This, to use the Croda vernacular, is claim substantiation. Thats what were about. Our job is to find the next big claim: to meet unknown needs, says Steve Foots, a relaxed 43-year old who is Crodas new chief executive. We dont really think about chemicals, we think about effect.

Its hardly what comes to mind when you think of a chemicals company with 3,200 staff and 17 factories that has just joined the FTSE 100 (Euronext: VFTSE.NX - news) . But at Croda HQ theres no sign of industrial sized tanks or hoses. The companys 1bn of annual revenues, Foots is keen to make clear, are built on value not volume. Some of its products are shipped to clients in test-tubes, others make up just 0.1pc of your average shampoo bottle. This is the world of speciality chemicals.

The companys customers across consumer care, healthcare and cropcare range from Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG - news) and Unilever (Other OTC: UNLNF.PK - news) to fertiliser makers and engine manufacturers. The focus is on providing chemicals to make products work better. Anything from face cream to engine oil lubricant.

Croda makes the building blocks for health and personal care items such as lipstick

Crodas strategy has seen it hone in on such niche areas, allowing it to raise profit margins with each new product iteration. A product tweak, a new hair straightening claim and the customer pays up. That approach has allowed Croda to increase margins in consumer care to an eye-watering 32pc, provoking consternation among analysts. They have all of these boffins working away, continually improving products and were all left rubbing our eyes in wonder, says Charles Pick, an analyst at Numis. The big question around Croda is where the margin ceiling is.

Original post:
Croda's Steve Foots: a man with the right chemistry for success

Croda's new chief executive, Steve Foots, is focused on evolution not revolution at the speciality chemicals group.

You know the advert. The one with the pretty girl and the perfect lipstick. She (SNP: ^SHEY - news) flashes a naughty smile into the camera before flicking her sleek, glossy hair in a perfect swoosh.

Then the advertiser stakes its claim its shampoo, the one the pretty girl uses every day, makes a womans hair bouncier and glossier than ever. Its just about then that we all roll our eyes and quietly mutter under our breath.

Well, its time to stop being quite so cynical. Unless Ive been horribly hoodwinked, that claim hasnt just been made up by a bunch of sharp suited mad men.

You see, in a laboratory 20 miles from Doncaster, theres a man in a white coat. In front of him a false head of hair hangs on a metal wire attached to a rudimentary engine and a video camera. Hes filming that swoosh. Flicking the hair from side to side, treating it with the shampoos 'active ingredient and flicking it again. And there really is a difference.

This, to use the Croda vernacular, is claim substantiation. Thats what were about. Our job is to find the next big claim: to meet unknown needs, says Steve Foots, a relaxed 43-year old who is Crodas new chief executive. We dont really think about chemicals, we think about effect.

Its hardly what comes to mind when you think of a chemicals company with 3,200 staff and 17 factories that has just joined the FTSE 100 (Euronext: VFTSE.NX - news) . But at Croda HQ theres no sign of industrial sized tanks or hoses. The companys 1bn of annual revenues, Foots is keen to make clear, are built on value not volume. Some of its products are shipped to clients in test-tubes, others make up just 0.1pc of your average shampoo bottle. This is the world of speciality chemicals.

The companys customers across consumer care, healthcare and cropcare range from Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG - news) and Unilever (Other OTC: UNLNF.PK - news) to fertiliser makers and engine manufacturers. The focus is on providing chemicals to make products work better. Anything from face cream to engine oil lubricant.

Croda makes the building blocks for health and personal care items such as lipstick

Crodas strategy has seen it hone in on such niche areas, allowing it to raise profit margins with each new product iteration. A product tweak, a new hair straightening claim and the customer pays up. That approach has allowed Croda to increase margins in consumer care to an eye-watering 32pc, provoking consternation among analysts. They have all of these boffins working away, continually improving products and were all left rubbing our eyes in wonder, says Charles Pick, an analyst at Numis. The big question around Croda is where the margin ceiling is.

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Steve Foots: Croda's man with the chemistry for success

Results, results, results.

Amidst a world of less expensive, all-in-one big-box gyms, and coming out of a recession that knocked many small businesses out for the count, the key to success for small gyms and personal training facilities in the East Valley, their owners say, is just that the personalized results they can offer their clients.

John Allen, owner of John Allens Arizona Body Sculpting and Personal Training, and Tammi Jacobs, owner of Results Health and Fitness, are examples of small gym owners succeeding in a tough economy.

Allen has been doing business in the Valley for almost 30 years and points out the reason his company has been so successful: We have that personal touch with the client that the big gyms dont.

Jacobs, also a longtime personal trainer, says the attention and structured workouts really are effective in helping members achieve tailored results. For Jacobs, dedication to one-on-one time spent with a client is paying off in a big way.

Our general memberships have doubled in the last four months and we are located across the street from a 24 Hour Fitness and two miles away from a Mountainside Fitness, Jacobs said.

The increase in memberships can partially be linked to the new facility that Results Health and Fitness moved into across the street from its old locationin Chandler. Its now at 930 E. Pecos Road.

But the ability to speak knowledgeably to an individual about what it takes to get in shape and, more importantly, stay in shape, is another key component to the success of a small gym.

We guide the member through whatever their fitness levels are, through a lot of personalized attention and a lot of activities, Jacobs said. Theyre (personalized workouts) always evolving and changing.

Allen is a former football player who had his career cut short due to injury, but made the most of his talents by becoming a personal trainer more than 35 years ago. He does a lot of corporate training and has trained star athletes, such as the Major League Baseball all-time homerun leader Barry Bonds, and the Cardinals all-time leader in receiving yards, Larry Fitzgerald.

Link:
Owners cite client ‘results’ as key to small gyms’ success

The world of marketing is changing, and companies are no longer targeting demographics based solely upon their age or level of personal income. Instead, contemporary marketers are taking stock of their consumers' behavior, aspirations and values, while also evaluating exactly how much of their capital can be classified as disposable. It is this shift that has made tweens one of the most influential social demographics in 2012, and one which is worth $43 billion annually. So, which modern franchises have managed to exploit this market and how have they achieved their success?

The Twilight SagaOf course, while the tween demographic has become increasingly influential in the worlds of film, literature and music, marketers must remember that it is parents who are the real buyers. Boasting an average weekly allowance of $12, young consumers in the U.S. are reliant on their elders for the vast majority of their disposable income. Parents also have a significant influence in dictating exactly what their children buy. Any franchise aimed at the tween market must appeal to the interests of young consumers while appeasing the potential concerns of guardians.

One franchise to ultimately achieve this balance was "The Twilight Saga," which has generated more than $1 billion in book sales and film revenue since the first book was published in 2005. The franchise had sold more than 100 million copies of its four-book series by the end of 2011, and its latest film release "Breaking Dawn: Part 1" earned a staggering $283.5 million during its run. With the final film of the franchise set for release in November of this year, it will add significantly to its box office haul.

Harry Potter"Harry Potter" remains one of the few film and literature franchises to generate a higher revenue than "The Twilight Saga," although it has benefited from a greater exposure and a more prolonged period within the marketplace. While the "Harry Potter" franchise came to life 15 years ago in 1997, "Twilight" has only been generating revenue since 2005 and can therefore claim to have achieved a more instant market impact. That said, the "Harry Potter" films and series of books are more suited to the younger members of the tween demographic, guaranteeing it an increased share of the market.

This is certainly reflected in the franchise's level of popularity, with its series of seven books having sold more than 450 million copies worldwide. The final volume, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," became the fastest selling book of all time after more than 11 million copies were purchased within 24 hours of its initial release. Before the release of its eighth and final film in July 2011, the franchise had also achieved worldwide box office takings of $6.4 billion. The final installment subsequently earned $476 million in global ticket sales during its opening weekend.

The Hunger GamesThe latest franchise of this type to hit the market is "The Hunger Games," although this slightly bucks the trend as a tween marketing prospect. To begin with, the first film had several scenes cut in a bid to appeal to the tween demographic. Despite this, it has still courted controversy due to its bloody content and apocalyptic nature, which has divided guardians and parental experts on whether it is suitable for younger viewers.

Such publicity and controversy appears to have had no adverse effect on the burgeoning franchise, however, as the opening film made the third best cinema debut in history. It earned $155 million during its opening weekend in North America, which also established a record for a non-sequel film. Despite less impressive ticket sales in countries such as Great Britain, Germany and Russia, "The Hunger Games" still managed to earn $214.3 million worldwide in just a few days. This success on the big screen has also had a dramatic effect on the franchise's book sales, with the number of copies sold soaring from 23.5 million to 36.5 million thanks to the additional publicity.

The Bottom LineThese franchises prove the lucrative nature of the tween market, and how the right concept can generate billions of dollars through book sales and big screen releases. Not only this, but the diverse nature of these three franchises shows that there are several ways to tap into this market and secure a significant share of the tween demographic.

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Franchises That Have Tweens To Thank For Financial Success

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17-04-2012 20:40 In this video blog I talk about my finances and getting a job. Please join the conversation with a comment or a video response. It may be featured in my next video. Facebook, Twitter: PaulRobinett

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And Now For Something... - Video

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_D1VwtAxf0

18-04-2012 09:08 Visit for over 450 more CCNA tutorials, and to watch an hour of my CCNA Video Boot Camp for free! In today's CCNA and CCENT Video Pop Quiz and Lab, we'll tackle a Frame Relay practice exam question, and then verify the answer on live Cisco routers - and I'll throw in a quick lab on top of that, all in about three minutes! Thanks for making TBA a part of your day - and of your personal success story! Chris Bryant CCIE #12933 "The Computer Certification Bulldog" Website: Twitter: Facebook: Blog: YouTube:

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CCNA And CCENT 3:00 Lab: Frame Relay - Video