Attend any trade show, and you’ll come home with hundreds of business cards. And if you’re like me, you’ll eventually lose them.

We’d like to think that wireless technology, Microsoft Outlook, and the Internet are making much of the old-school paper pushing obsolete. Yet when we meet a new business acquaintance, the first thing we do is exchange business cards.

CardScan’s Executive V7 is perfect for mobile users who understand this reality. With its three-second operation, a powerful OCR reader that correctly identifies contact data, and standalone contact management software that supports the most popular contact managers, CardScan deserves a place in your laptop bag.

The CardScan is certainly portable; it weighs only seven ounces and measures a mere 5.8 x 3.3 x 1.5 inches. Your laptop supplies the power through USB. The included software helps you find duplicate contacts, supports online backups, and syncs perfectly with contacts on a Palm or Windows Mobile device.

Once you use one, you’ll wonder how you lived this long without it! They’re running a special on refurbished units this month, so why wait? Get one now!!

If you’re a one-man show, you’ve probably got a daunting list of tasks that need to get done. It’s easy to feel defeated even before getting started. The trick is simple - Break down large projects into smaller components, and chip away at them a piece at a time. This way, you get the satisfaction of completing an item from your list, while working towards a greater goal.

That said, it’s important that you don’t put off an important task and focus instead of the easier ones.. I know I’m guilty of that, and that’s why my May Newsletter still hasn’t been sent out.. (as we now enter July. )

Spend 10 minutes today, and look through your to-do list. Are there entries on there that have been ignored for months on end? Why are you avoiding them? Can you break them down into smaller pieces and chip away at the problem?

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* New .COM, .NET, or .ORG domains given away each hour are good for 1 year registration, are limited to 1 domain per customer and are not valid with existing domains. Free domain coupons are valid through midnight, 7/02/2008.

Tyler Cruz made an interesting post about his work sessions, and how he only works 4 hours per day, 1-hour at a time. It was a well thought out post, but what really surprised me were the comments he received. Most people were more excited with his computer desk setup, rather than the advice given!

Here’s my work area. It’s not the neatest place in the world, but it’s got the essentials. Rocking the dual-screens, cordless phone, laser printer, digital camera, web cam, sound system, etc.

If you want to be serious about this business, you’ve got to treat it like a JOB. Get your lazy ass out of bed, get dressed, and head over to your “office”. It’s a mind-set thing. You need to setup a dedicated work space, and act as you would in a regular work environment.

Use the proper equipment. A laptop isn’t the right tool for the job. Sure, I’ve got one, but it’s only used when I’m traveling. Otherwise, I have a beast of a desktop that handles my day-to-day activities. Also, a dual-screen setup is a MUST! You really have no idea what you’re missing out on. People will argue that you can be just as productive on a large widescreen monitor, but try a dual-setup for a week, and you’ll see.

Once you’ve got the right work environment, it’s all about working smarter. Tyler’s got the right idea with his schedule. Everyone’s different, so experiment and see what works for you. Studies have proven that we’re most productive in the morning. I choose to work uninterupted from 9am-1pm. After that, I take a MANDATORY lunch break!

You need a break. Sometimes I’ll go out and get some lunch.. Other times, I’ll run some errands. Or I might just heat up some leftovers and watch some TV. (Yesterday I ended up watching Redline on Starz, and took an “extended lunch”).. The perks of working from home!

I work hard during those 4 hours.. I could probably end my day right there, and all would be good. But I’d probably get bored. So in the afternoon, I’ll work on little odds and ends, and catch up on my e-mail. Then when the wife gets home from work, I end my workday. I’ll check my e-mail a few times during the night, but nothing more than that..

You don’t need to work 16-hour days in order to make money in this business. You just need to re-evaluate how you’re doing things right now. You’ll probably find that you’re wasting a LOT of time, and making your day a lot longer than it needs to be!

Identity theft is more prevalent than most people think. Over 200 million personal data records were lost or exposed in the United States in the last two years. Chances are your identity is already compromised.

You’d think that if you’re careful with your personal information, you shouldn’t be at risk. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.

A few months ago, my wife received an e-mail at work from her company’s healthcare provider. Apparently, one of their computers was stolen, and a number of employees social security numbers and other personal information might have been compromised. Ugh!

Just last week, one of my employees received a call from his credit card company about the $6000 worth of wine he was trying to purchase in Napa Valley. The only problem? He’s in Ohio, and he doesn’t drink.

The interesting thing about this case was that he’s NEVER used the card in question, it was strictly used for a balance transfer. That means that there was an internal breach somewhere along the line.

Quick Facts About Identity Theft

• Identity theft hits 1 in 4 US households
• Over 79 million identities were lost in the past 12 months
• Over 3 million social security numbers are illegally traded online
• Identity theft costs people an estimated $6.4 billion/year

IdentityTruth is the leading provider of a new breed of service to help consumers safeguard their Privacy and Identity. Through innovative technology, individuals receive the earliest possible notification in advance of potential misuses of their identities so they can take better control. Early detection is the best protection.

Sometimes a simple story from the past can help to change our future. Consider this wonderful story about a man who sold hot dogs, and then apply the lesson to what’s taking place today.

The Hot Dog Story

A man lived by the side of the road and sold hot dogs.

He was hard of hearing, so he had no radio. He had trouble with his eyes, so he had no newspaper. But he sold good hot dogs.

He put up a sign on the highway telling how good they were. He stood by the side of the road and cried, “Buy a hot dog mister” - And people bought.

He increased his meat and bun order, and he bought a bigger stove to take care of his trade. He got his son home from college to help him. But then something happened. His son said, “Father, haven’t you been listening to the radio? There is a big Depression on. The international situation is terrible, and the domestic situation is even worse.”

Whereupon, the father thought, ‘Well, my son has gone to college. He listens to the radio and reads the newspapers, so he ought to know.” So, the father cut down on the bun order, took down his advertising signs and no longer bothered to stand on the highway to sell his hot dogs.

His hot dog sales fell almost overnight. “You were right son”, the father said to the boy. “We are certainly in the middle of a Great Depression.”

The fable appeared in American Metal Marketing, January 15, 1958

Right now, the voices of the media are bombarding us with market news, most of which is disturbing. You wouldn’t be normal if the news didn’t make you nervous. At times like this, the risk of making decisions based on emotion is high.

This is the time to get ahead of your competition. You can fold like the little hot dog stand, or you can choose to put your business ahead of the rest. Many businesses succeed when times are good and only a handful of individuals strive to succeed when the economy is not cooperating!

Start Preparing Your Business For Success - You’ll Be Amazed At What You Can Achieve With The Right Attitude and a Little Planning!