Seven Advantages to Starting Your Own Online Handicapping Service

If you're passionate about sports and are thinking about starting a business of your own then the sports handicapping business is definitely one to consider. It has several advantages compared to a lot of other businesses. Here are just seven of them.

#1: Potential Earnings

The earning potential for competent handicappers is excellent, to say the least. While there are no guarantees in this or any other business, it is not uncommon for paid, professional handicappers to make five-figure annual, or seasonal, incomes. Of course, the more successful ones can certainly make six or even seven-figure incomes.

As in any other business, the handicapper's degree of success will depend on several factors (marketing, promotion, management, etc.) in addition to his handicapping skills. But, overall, there is very good money to be made if you're willing to devote yourself to the success of your business, whether you specialize in one sport or work several.

#2: Tax Advantages

The tax advantages to the handicapping business owner can be pretty nice, especially for those who already spend a good bit of money on sports entertainment anyway. For instance, premium sports television packages, game tickets, and sports information services might all be claimed as legitimate business expenses by the professional handicapper. In general, just about anything that helps the handicapper in his game research and analysis could be a potential business tax deduction.

#3: Low Entry Barriers

Unlike many professions, the entry barriers to the handicapping trade are virtually non-existent. There are no degrees, certifications or any formal training required whatsoever. There aren't even any special license requirements for those in the handicapping business. It's pretty much open to anybody who has the confidence to pit his analysis against the sports books and public opinion.

#4: Low Startup Costs

You'll find that the typical startup costs involved in the handicapping business are relatively low compared to most other businesses. It really doesn't require a large cash investment to get up and running in this business. After all, your product is nothing more than your opinion on sporting events. A pretty simple business model, really. There's no inventory to buy and nothing to manufacture. Your opinion is your product and your service, period.

#5: Seasonal or Full time

One of the really nice things about the handicapping trade is that you can choose which sports and seasons you want to work. You may want to specialize in college football, for example, then take the rest of the year off. Of course, there's always the option of working full time throughout the year analyzing several sports. It's totally up to your discretion as dictated by your personal circumstances.

#6: Work Anywhere

Thanks to the great advances in technology over the last several years the handicapper can pretty much work wherever he wants. Armed with nothing more than a laptop computer, wireless internet access, and perhaps a cell phone you can operate your business from just about anywhere. Want to work at home? No problem. Sit by the pool if you like. Or, you might even want to turn your favorite sports bar into your office once in awhile. Why not? The technology is definitely there to make it possible.

#7: Live Anywhere

You'll find professional handicappers living in just about every region of the United States. While some do prefer to work out of Vegas, it is by no means necessary. To be honest, most of your prospective clients won't give a damn where you live as long as you can give them winners. The state or town you operate out of is really pretty insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Basically, the handicapper is free to live and run his business from wherever he wants. So, why not take full advantage of the situation? Most people only wish they had that kind of flexibility.

A New Era in Bathroom Technology - Bathroom Home Improvements

Spa treatments in your own home? Sounds to good to be true?

In everyday life we are all continually faced with stress, aches, pains or just plain fatigue. In response to this modern day problem, , the largest product distributor in the United States, is pleased to offer the greatest collection of computerized multi-functioning luxurious and , all in one unit for your . These ergonomically designed, user friendly, attractive, efficient, and affordable, bathing systems are the answer to today's overstressed and limited personal time world. For years people all over the world have benefited from the invigorating effects of steam, and the therapeutic effects of massage. Today's are more than just about bathing and showering. It's all about escaping from the daily grind, relaxation, tranquility, quiet time and pampering oneself.

The products that Acquinox offers, makes it possible for even the smallest bathroom to have a place for rejuvenation and relaxation. These free standing, plug in, self contained units which can be placed anywhere in the home, backyard, office of even your boat, can be installed in place of your existing tubs and showers without the added expense of remodeling the entire bathroom. What makes these units so unique is that your bathroom will transform into a in a matter of hours.

The Product

Made out of the best acrylic the industry offers, reinforced with hand laid fiberglass for stiffness and durability, incorporating all metal framing and tempered glass, in an exquisite Italian design, placing great attention to ergonomics and details, these units offer not only style but so many features such as whirlpool massage, acupressure body massage jets, , height adjustable hand held showers, all controlled by a state of the art computerized digital panel, that also incorporates an FM radio with station memory, hands free telephones with programmable numbers, LCD TV's, and a home stereo hook up port. All units are supported by tubular steel undercarriage with leveling feet for ease of installation right over your finish floor. Being of a modular design they are easy to transport, fit through just about any door and can be installed in any location that could provide a drain, hot and cold water and 110V, 20 amp dedicated circuit. Once installed these units offer the luxury of very low maintenance having an Ozone disinfectant system that keeps the unit odors free by eliminating the mold and bacteria that usually thrive in a wet and warm environments. Occasional cleaning with mild detergent is all that is needed to keep these units sparkling. The upscale look and the escape to another world in your own home, is just one of the benefits Acquinox offers with these . is just one more feature that these units offer. By adding a few drops of essential oils to the steam outlet, you can turn your steam bath into a holistic and therapeutic oasis that will leave you invigorated and stress free. Many of Acquinox units also offer , which although ancient in use, as a therapeutic practice, has seen a renewed interest in modern day upscale day spas. By selecting one of the seven color spectrum lights within the unit, you can benefit from mood uplifting, relaxation, stress reduction, and a number of other overall health improvements possible by consulting the chart provided with each unit. These affordable units come in many shapes and sizes to accommodate just about any size requirements.

Product#: (59.04 x 59.04 x 84.84 in)

(1500x1500x2150 mm)

This beautifully designed unit can be installed in a corner of your bathroom. The 6 back massage jets with seating for 1, height adjustable hand shower with different massage settings, thermostatic mixer, for continuous water temperature, steam generator for invigorating steam, LCD TV, FM radio, CD player hook up, Hands free telephone, Speaker, fresh air circulating Fan, Blue LED background lighting, Foot massager, Ozone sanitizing system, to keep unit free of mold and bacteria, Control panel, both internal and external, for one touch programmable features, fog free Mirror and accessory Shelves are all integrated into the back panels of this elegant unit. The shower enclosure which rests on top of a whirlpool massage tub, is spacious and cozy, while the curved contours of the tempered glass doors comfortably leaves room for you to move around. The invigorating rain fall top shower and circular accent light gently trickles over your body leaving you refreshed. The 2 person whirlpool massage tub has been designed to offer a vigorous body massage that can be enjoyed while listening to music or watching your favorite show on the LCD TV. The anti-slip accent marble step makes it comfortable when entering and exiting this home spa. Escape to your own oasis and enjoy an Acquinox experience.

Live Communication Server

If you are new to the business world or you are not techno savvy then it is wise to know more about live communication servers. A Live communication server is the latest technology delivering instant messaging. Its presence as part of a scalable, enterprise-grade solution live communication server offers enhanced security, and seamless integration with other Microsoft products. In all it is an extensible, industry-standard development platform.

Through equipping a live communication server you can easily enjoy cost savings and improved business efficiencies equally teamed with an increased individual productivity, and enhanced intellectual property protection. In short this easy-to-manage, highly available solution is best for your business. Live communication servers generally work to ensure that customers can expand current infrastructure investments. In other words a live communication server is an indispensable part of the Microsoft Windows Server System and adheres to the common engineering criteria. Seeing its popularity and growing demand, various companies started to offer this technology but it's Servelogic that has utilised this technology to the fullest extent. Servelogic's live communication server is coupled with various benefits such as:

o Servelogic 's live communication server improves the security of your collaboration infrastructure. Also it allows users to share Microsoft Office and other applications from work or home with encrypted IM and voice- and video-enhanced collaborative sessions.

o Live communication server also allow users to find and communicate with people. This communication is well supported by un-interrupting workflow. Moreover live communication server is also accelerates team collaboration dramatically.

o Live communication server offers instant access to team members, partners, suppliers, and customers across multiple geographies, time zones, and organizational boundaries.

o Above all it improves your business efficiency. This usually happens as a live communication server enables information workers to find and communicate with people in a security-enhanced, enterprise-grade, real-time communication environment.

o Also a live communication server provides presence awareness from your familiar Microsoft Office and line-of-business applications. This certainly eliminates all the delays in locating and communicating with co-workers and business partners.

Utilising a live communication server service from Servelogic will surely deliver business grade encrypted instant messaging (IM) and presence whilst seamlessly integrating with other Microsoft products, and Voice over IP systems. Above all Servelogic provides various benefits such as:

1. Integration with Microsoft Office to allow application sharing

2. Public IM connectivity providing full auditing and logging of text conversations

3. Full TLS encryption of text, voice, and file transfers to stop eavesdropping.

4. Real-time communications with Video, Voice and Text using Office Communicator

5. Optional integration with external Voice over IP systems

6. Includes Microsoft Communicator Client with MS Office integration.

Thus, what you are waiting for if you want to boost your business then Servelogic's live communication server is there for you. For more information on live communication server, server hosting, live communication server, shared hosting and windows hosting please visit http://www.servelogic.com

The Project Go / No-Go Checklist

The Go/No-Go decision

Many projects have failed at the last hurdle due to poor implementation planning or inadequate analysis immediately prior to go-live. It is the Project Manager's responsibility to ensure that the implementation has been planned out and communicated to stakeholders, and that sufficient due diligence is undertaken before the project proceeds. This second point is often overlooked. Many project managers put together some form of implementation or cutover plan yet fail to carry out the necessary rigorous analysis to determine whether they should proceed. This article focuses on this analysis - what is termed the 'go-live decision'.

The decision to go-live or not should not be taken lightly; it is without doubt one of the most important decisions in the Project lifecycle and getting it wrong can jeopardise the success of the entire project.

Going-live without everything in place may result in:

- unresolved defects

- inadequate testing

- insufficient training

- business processes not understood

- procedures not written

- stakeholders missed

- lack of communications

- data migration failure

- interfaces not working

- system administration & support not in place

- business areas not ready for the changes

- no contingencies in place

- workflows and exceptions not mapped out

- no backups and disaster recovery in place

- inadequate system security

- unclear responsibilities, accountabilities and ownership

- inadequate implementation strategy

And ultimately...

- system / application failure

- impact to the business / organisation

- project failure

Whilst the Project Manager is always under pressure to deliver within schedule, sometimes it is prudent for them to step back and delay go-live rather than risk the consequences of steaming ahead.

What due diligence needs to be done?

Ideally the Project should secure an independent resource to perform the readiness assessment. If the analysis is undertaken by the Project Manager, or people closely associated with the project, there is a risk of bias or influence from the pressure to implement on time. Using an independent resource provides a level of impartiality and therefore credibility to the decision making process. It is also useful to get an outsider's perspective, especially if it's from someone with years of project experience and knowledge. Well funded projects often employ outside consultants to perform audits and healthchecks throughout the project lifecycle, including the go-live readiness assessments.

Unfortunately not all projects have the means or desire to employ consultants, and therefore need to utilise internal staff. In this case it's best to use a resource with prior project experience (e.g. another project manager), but with no vested interest in the outcome of the project. This improves the chances of an objective outcome & recommendations. Remember it is in the project manager's interests to get an honest assessment of where the project is really at, as any major deficiencies must be either addressed or mitigated against before go-live. If the outcome of the assessment is pre-determined or intentionally slanted, there is little point in doing the assessment!

If it's not possible to secure an independent internal resource to carry out the readiness assessment, the Project Manager can do it themselves. However they need to make sure that they give an honest account of the situation, ask searching questions of people and don't hide issues. These assessments should never be conducted without extensive consultation, as it's vital to speak to as many project people as possible to find out the true state of play. Some people may hide issues or only tell you the positives. It's important to get the 'warts and all' view, as any major issues and roadblocks must be uncovered and addressed before a decision is made.

Go/No-Go Checklist

What should the assessment cover? Rather than starting from scratch, it's easier to use a Go/No-Go checklist. This provides a starting place, based upon common best practice, and ensures that you won't miss any key areas in your review. Use what's in the checklist to prompt other questions and checks that may be relevant to the project.

The project does not have to tick all of the boxes to proceed, and there is no required score or pass/fail mark. However, if there are several glaring gaps the decision becomes fairly obvious. The checklist helps to identify serious gaps and deficiencies to be addressed before go-live. It may also provide support for further funds or resources if a particular area needs addressing. The checklist should support the decision making process, rather than form the basis of a decision. Whoever makes the decision (normally a steering committee) must also consider the bigger picture and include other factors such as external pressures, urgency to proceed, appetite for risk, consequences of delays...etc.

If significant gaps are identified, it is usually far better for all concerned to delay implementation until these gaps have been addressed / mitigated. The implications and costs of a failed or troublesome go-live are often far worse than a minor delay in the schedule. The only exception to this is if there is a non-negotiable implementation date (e.g. a response to legislation changes that have to be in by a certain date). In this case the gaps on the checklist should be prioritised and addressed in order of importance and ability to resolve. In this case by going-live the steering committee would essentially be accepting the risks identified in the assessment, on the basis that meeting the implementation date is more important than mitigating the risks and having a smooth go-live.

Start a Business You Can Live From With Less Than $200

Starting a business usually poses the challenge of putting together a significant amount of money, as often the idea of a new business involves a heavy investment.

This challenge can be greater if you are setting out to start a traditional business, due to the fact that within the traditional business model you will usually need not only money to start, but also a location, employees, equipment, know how, you name it.

What usually happens in the end is that people retreat to the "safety" of their job and hope for that lottery ticket to come up this time.

The way to overcome this challenge is not to have a lot of money to spare, because in fact, the way around this problem is not even about money, it is about being resourceful.

This means that you have to move away from the traditional business model and dedicate yourself to exploring decisively other business options which are smarter and often more profitable than those usually regarded as "the best business ideas".

These business options will not empty your pockets with start-up expenses, and will not make you lose your hair nor will they break your neck before you see a decent $5,000 in monthly profits, because unlike a traditional business, these options will not have you working for your employees or for the IRS.

Therefore, the answer to the question: "how can I start a business with little or no money and actually make a living out of it", is stepping away from the same old ideas of doing business and concentrate your efforts and resources in developing a new kind of venture that relies on your brain power and dedication rather than the ability to cope with heavy expenses.

The Right Virtual Receptionist For Your Small Business

I had been trying to get my own company off the ground for about a year and I was very frustrated. I now realize that my frustration was as a result of not having a virtual receptionist for my small business. Time was precious and I was spending all of my time answering phone calls instead of focusing on the tasks that were going to grow my company and make me money. Luckily I shared my concerns with a friend and he suggested that I speak with one of the many virtual assistant agencies. As soon as I got home I followed his advice and I now have an amazing assistant who answers all of my calls for me!

Here are the fastest steps that you can take to get your own virtual receptionist for your small business:

1.      Get online and read some reviews about the different agencies.

2.      Once you find a site that you like, call or email them and set up a consultation. This will give you a chance to talk to your future assistant and get a sense of their personality and how experienced they are.

3.      Reach out to any references that your potential assistant gives you so that you can confirm that they are the best one for the job.

4.      All of these agencies offer many services, but double check to make sure that there isn't something missing that you will need for your company. If there is a service missing, just ask if they can provide it for you... most of them will.

5.      Last, but not least, make sure that you work with a company that is reasonably priced. I recommend looking for the ones that charge between $10-$30 per hour because anything more or less might not match your expectations.

There you have it, the easiest way to relieve stress and hire your very own virtual receptionist for your small business!

Prepaid Legal Business Opportunity Review

Before we begin, yes there are already numerous Prepaid Legal business opportunity reviews all over the Internet. This is the reason why I've decided to write this for you in order filter all biased opinions and give you a "balanced" review instead.

At least for your sake, it will be less confusing. Yet you will still be at a higher level of understanding about the Prepaid Legal business opportunity. As we continue on there are three section to this report. Each represents a unique overview numbered just for your convenience.

1) How Prepaid Legal Services Got Started?

We go back to 1972. A gentleman by the name of Harland Stonecipher (a life insurance salesperson), had a serious car accident that changed his life. Stonecipher found out that he was insured for his car and medical expenses but not for his legal expenses of several thousand dollars.

He thought why not have legal insurance and that marked the very beginning of the "seed" of the Prepaid Legal business opportunity. In 1979 Prepaid Legal became a public corporation when its stock was traded on the NASDAQ exchange. You now see a company which offers legal expense reimbursement services selling plans through independent associates.

2) Selling Legal Plans

As a matter of fact the Prepaid Legal business opportunity means you will be selling plans often described as legal insurance plans. A typical plan provides your customers with certain specific legal services at no cost. Plus, reduced rates for other services in exchange for a membership fee, premium, or some other sort of prepayment.

You have the chance to offer individual or family plans, employee benefits plans and business plans. Individuals and families join for a minimal monthly or annual fee, usually through a credit card company. If you take a look at their website (the official Prepaid Legal business opportunity page), you will see that a minimal fee of $49 is all it takes to be a prepaid legal independent associate.

3) Your Compensation Potential And Weakness

With your Prepaid Legal business opportunity you will get the chance to earn a direct, linear and leveraged income. You're paid an advanced commission of $69 to over $250 every time you help enroll someone into the Prepaid Legal business opportunity. You initially start off as a Certified Field Trainee.

You should know by now that the Prepaid Legal compensation plan is focused on a network marketing concept. This is why your great wealth arrives when you have targeted prospects who are also willing to work the system with you. You will need to a good marketing strategy to do this.

Your Ultimate Strategy

If you are considering to save some money on legal expenses, the Prepaid Legal business opportunity is a nice fit to your interest. However, you still need a good marketing plan to do it successfully. Your first step is to invest in a good online marketing package for your income advancement.