Joan Blades & Nanette Fondas: The Custom-fit Workplace - Author interview

Co-founder of MomsRising.org Joan Blades and award winning writer and blogger Nanette Fondas, were kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions about their insightful and eye opening book The Custom-Fit Workplace: Choose When, Where, and How to Work and Boost Your Bottom Line.

Nanette Fondas and Joan Blades utilize the latest in workplace research to describe how the traditional place of employment no longer works for people and their lives. In place of the outmoded workplace environment, the authors provide the revolutionary and practical twenty-first century solution of the custom-fit workplace.

Thanks to Joan Blades and Nanette Fondas for their time, and for their interesting and informative responses to the questions. They are greatly appreciated.

What was the background to writing this book The Custom-Fit Workplace: Choose When, Where, and How to Work and Boost Your Bottom Line?

Joan Blades and Nanette Fondas: From work with MomsRising.org we are painfully aware that vast numbers of parents are struggling to do right by their kids and be great workers. Fact is everyone needs a job that fits, and when jobs fit workers it is good for an employer's bottom line. There is an ever-expanding menu of best practices for management to draw from. Not every custom-fit practice works for every job but every job can benefit from some of these practices. We are working to expand the discussion beyond just flexibility because flexibility tends to be too narrowly defined. Custom-fit work opens the door to outside-the-box thinking.

It asks leaders and organizations to shed the constraints of traditional management approaches and ways of organizing work to focus on two questions:

1. What does it take to accomplish the job at hand?

2. How can we best accomplish that task while respecting and valuing the worker doing the job?

The modern workplace is in a time of rapid transition and change. What are a few of the important changes taking place in workplaces today?

Joan Blades and Nanette Fondas: Recent Brigham Young University research revealed that IBM workers who had the ability to work virtually and flexibly worked 57 hours a week before reporting work/life conflict while workers without this kind of control over their work reported conflict at 38 hours. There is now extensive research underscoring the value of giving workers more control over their work lives, workers are happier, and employers get better work outcomes. Also antiquated expectations of a linear career path are being replaced by career paths that better suit the realities of the modern work force. This is stemming the loss of talent for businesses and that is a good thing.



Joan Blades (photo left)

Today’s workplace is a 24/7 part of peoples' lives. How has this always available for contact technology affected people, families, and communities?

Joan Blades and Nanette Fondas: 24/7 connectivity can be used for good or evil. It is supposed to free us and make us more effective as well as spend more time with our families and participate in our communities. That said some employees don't feel able to set limits and even when they do some employers don't respect those limits. Ultimately that is bad for everyone. Technology has created a new way for us to connect; now we need to establish norms that are good for everyone.

Are people seeking a deeper alignment and balance between their working life and their personal life, despite the demands of modern employment?

Joan Blades and Nanette Fondas: Yes. We are using the term “custom fit” because balance sounds precarious to some people or it implies that you must take from one to give to the other. We believe work that fits is a win/win.

What are some of the innovations being made in workplaces to become more friendly to working women and their families?

Joan Blades and Nanette Fondas: Accounting firms like Deloitte and Universities like University of California, Berkeley recognized that they were losing valuable employees due to rigid career tracks. Deloitte introduced the ability for employees to customize their career track and choose a 40 hour work week, or choose not to travel for some period of time. University of California, Berkeley made it possible for faculty to take longer than 7 years to attain tenure. Careers may be slower but they fit the realities of workers’ lives. Some companies have even implemented formal babies-at-work programs where parents are able to bring infants to work until they are 6 months old or crawling.



Nanette Fondas (photo left)

Many business people argue that concepts like work-from-home, telecommuting, on site child care cost too much money. You disagree with that thinking, and consider these changes to be financially beneficial for everyone, including the employer. Why do you say that?

Joan Blades and Nanette Fondas: There is a great deal of evidence that enabling employees to work from home can save companies a great deal of money. In New Jersey, AT&T saved 5 million dollars in real estate costs alone when they went virtual. Companies typically benefit from higher productivity and lower turnover as well when they take advantage of virtual work opportunities. As for on-site child care costs, companies that do this typically see that they benefit in terms of worker productivity and retention. Child care facilities can also be powerful for recruitment.

What tactics can employers and employees consider to enhance their flexibility in today's changing work environment, for a win-win outcome?

Joan Blades and Nanette Fondas: Bottom line: there is a rich menu of opportunities for work to better fit employees now. Our book includes descriptions of the basics of flexibility (scheduling, job sharing, compressed weeks, and part-time), virtual working, job and career lane changes, contract work, babies-at-work programs, results-only work environments, and also thoughts about implementing all these in union and low-wage jobs.

Research shows that workers who are empowered to meet their responsibilities both at work and outside work are going to be contributing most effectively to a company’s bottom line. The evidence is so persuasive ­and we document it extensively in Chapter 2­that the case is essentially closed.

You also have a new website CustomFitWorkplace.org. What features and benefits does that site provide?

Joan Blades and Nanette Fondas: CustomFitWorkplace.org is a rich resource for anyone who wants to explore the menu of workplace practices we describe in the book. We also have a blog and growing body of stories about how these work practices are changing work culture.

Are the rapid changes in the workplace only going to continue to accelerate in the future?

Joan Blades and Nanette Fondas: Yes, because for American business to remain competitive we need to embrace these opportunities to improve our work models.

What is next for Joan Blades and Nanette Fondas?

Joan Blades and Nanette Fondas: We've got a lot of work to do. Work culture change does not come about without some serious effort, ideas, and participants. We welcome stories and suggestions from individuals and companies. We are looking forward to increasing the understanding that the custom-fit workplace is an opportunity that businesses can't afford to ignore.

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My book review of The Custom-Fit Workplace: Choose When, Where, and How to Work and Boost Your Bottom Line by Joan Blades and Nanette Fondas.

Tags: The Custom-Fit Workplace: Choose When, Where, and How to Work and Boost Your Bottom Line, Joan Blades, Nanette Fondas, innovative personnel management, business author interviews.

The Custom-Fit Workplace by Joan Blades & Nanette Fondas - Book review

The Custom-Fit Workplace

Choose When, Where, and How to Work and Boost Your Bottom Line

By: Joan Blades, Nanette Fondas

Published: August 9, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 240 pages
ISBN-10: 0470633530
ISBN-13: 978-0470633533
Publisher: Jossey-Bass







"The simple truth is that workplace demands often are not compatible with the realities of modern life", write co-founder of MomsRising.org Joan Blades and award winning writer and blogger Nanette Fondas, in their insightful and eye opening book The Custom-Fit Workplace: Choose When, Where, and How to Work and Boost Your Bottom Line. The authors utilize the latest in workplace research to describe how the traditional place of employment no longer works for people and their lives. In place of the outmoded workplace environment, the authors provide the revolutionary and practical twenty-first century solution of the custom-fit workplace.



Joan Blades (photo left) and Nanette Fondas recognize that the needs of people, and the demands of their off hours lives, are not meshing with the demands of the workplace. The pressures of family, activities, and other commitments are causing undue stress on the employees. As a result, both the people and the organization suffer in both the short and the longer term. For the authors, these pressures are not just issues for women, although female employees suffer much stress as a result, but that these are problems facing everyone including employers. There is hope, however, for those seeking a balance between work and private lives. For the authors, that concept is the custom-fit workplace. Almost any job can be made better to accommodate the employee. What is essential for the custom-fit workplace is flexibility and understanding from the employer. The change in employer attitude is taking place, but at a slower pace than the rate of change in society as a whole.



Nanette Fondas (photo left) and Joan Blades present an effective and manageable process for developing workplaces that is compatible with the real world needs of employees. At the same time, the concepts are also innovations that enhance employee job performance for the benefit of employers. The authors share the most recent trends in workplace changing innovations, that range from flexible work hours, to on site baby and child care, to work at home arrangements. These and other win-win concepts are transforming the modern work environment into one that is more employee and family friendly. The new style workplaces are also helping to create a balance between working life and personal time. The result has been beneficial to employers as well. The new flexibility within what constitutes jobs and employment options makes available an entirely new and productive workforce. Existing employees are also more productive and more engaged in the organization as their stress levels are lowered and the nagging pressures of home life are no longer creating distractions.

For me, the power of the book is how Joan Blades and Nanette Fondas describe the quiet, but massive changes taking place in the modern workplace. This revolution is occurring because work no longer works as it did in the past. With the arrival of women and more visible diversity in organizations of all types, forward thinking managers have realized that the previous system of employment is not functional when faced with today's realities. Employees are actively searching for more balance in their lives. Management recognizes that staff members who are not fully engaged, under stress, facing health challenges, and distracted by events at home, are not peak performers. To counter those problems, enlightened executives devised much more flexible and individualized schedules and styles of work. The authors back their recommendation, that this wave of change turn into a much more powerful tide, with solid research demonstrating the effectiveness of positive change. The authors make their case for reshaping the workplace to fit the needs of today and tomorrow.

I highly recommend the leading edge idea packed book The Custom-Fit Workplace: Choose When, Where, and How to Work and Boost Your Bottom Line by Nanette Fondas and Joan Blades, to anyone seeking a convincing, research backed case for developing a more flexible workplace that fits the individual needs of the employees. This book contains not only theory for why the change is necessary, but the practical advice to make a customized employment experience possible, and more profitable for the organization.

Read the important and essential book The Custom-Fit Workplace: Choose When, Where, and How to Work and Boost Your Bottom Line by Joan Blades and Nanette Fondas, and create a company that provides balance between work and personal lives. Your employees will be more engaged and more productive. Along with your staff members, your business bottom line will be much healthier as well.

Tags: The Custom-Fit Workplace: Choose When, Where, and How to Work and Boost Your Bottom Line, Joan Blades, Nanette Fondas, innovative personnel management, business book reviews.

Bob Mersereau: The Top 100 Canadian Singles - Author interview

Music reporter, long time columnist for CBC Television in New Brunswick, Bob Mersereau, was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions about his delightful and sure to provoke debate book The Top 100 Canadian Singles.

Bob Mersereau shares the results of a national Canadian survey that compiled the top 100 singles in Canadian music history.

Thanks to Bob Mersereau for his time, and for the very comprehensive and informative responses to the questions. They are greatly appreciated.

What was the background to writing this book The Top 100 Canadian Singles?

Bob Mersereau: Four years ago, Goose Lane Editions, which is Canada's oldest independent publisher, got in touch with me to see if I was interested in writing a music book. I was interested, but not in the idea they first had. Instead, I thought long about another project. As a music fan, writer and broadcaster, I had spent many hours in book stores looking for good reference books. I could find lots about American and British music, but barely any about Canada's music world. Specifically, I was looking for something akin to publications such as Rolling Stone's Top 500 Albums, a critical ranking of the best popular music recordings. So, I suggested to Goose Lane a Canadian book could be done, a list book that chose the best Canadian-only releases.

The book that resulted, The Top 100 Canadian Albums, was published in 2007, and became a national best-seller. At the time of publication, I truly had not thought about another project, as I was so heavily involved in the first one still, in promotion. But on my national promotional trip, almost every interviewer asked me when the next book would come out, and would it be the top Canadian songs? I realized this sequel was pretty much inevitable.

How many people were involved in the judging process and how did they vote on the singles?

Bob Mersereau: About 800 people were involved. They include musicians, broadcasters, writers, reviewers, music industry employees, managers, agents, retailers, roadies, instrument makers, and just about every other kind of job related to music. Also, I included a healthy number of just plain fans, to also add the element of popularity to the vote. I didn't want the list to be one for music nerds (of which I am one), but rather something for everyone. I also paid attention to regional and linguistic balances in the country as much as possible. For instance, you'll find approximately 20 per cent of the people who voted are Francophones from Quebec, which is pretty close to the accurate population numbers.

People were asked to choose their top ten favourite singles, and to use their own criteria to select them. They didn't have to be Top 40 hits, just what they really liked. The songs did however have to be released in some form as a single, whether it was a 78, 45, cassingle, CD single, a video, or some sort of promotional release to a broadcaster that indicated a separate release to the public on its own, not part of an album.

What musical genres were included in the poll?

Bob Mersereau: All musical genres were eligible, but I believe such a poll is frozen in the time it is compiled. We live in the rock and roll era; country sounds like rock these days, jazz and classical are now popular with a small percentage of people. If such a poll were taken in 1960 rather than 2010, the results would have shown many more country, jazz, perhaps even polka numbers in the Top 100. Instrumentals would have been high on people's lists. Instead, this list is largely rock, some hip-hop, and it took huge landmark songs such as "I'm Movin' On" and Stompin' Tom's "The Hockey Song" to represent country.

Also, people tend to vote for the songs that trigger nostalgia; so radio hits from their youth received lots of votes. Also, classic rock radio has kept alive anthems from such groups as Trooper and The Guess Who, 30 and 40-year old songs which still receive airplay everyday across the country. It's not hard for the youngest voters to know what the great Canadian rock songs from the past are when they hear them currently, and even are now introduced to them in hockey rinks or by playing Rock Band or Guitar Hero.



Bob Mersereau (photo left)

Were there some surprises that made the Top 100 that you didn't expect?

Bob Mersereau: I think the biggest surprise was Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". Of course, it's a hugely popular song now, but don't forget that it was first released on an album that was a huge flop for Cohen 25 years ago, Various Positions. CBS wouldn't even release it in the U.S. The song was a b-side in Europe, but to no success. Slowly but surely other musicians discovered it, and in the 90's Jeff Buckley did a version that struck home with tastemakers and fellow musicians. Soon, others, such as k.d. lang were doing the soon. By 2008, it had become so popular that it was a single in England, with three different versions of the song, including Cohen's and Buckley's, in the U.K. Top 30, Buckley at #1.

This poll was taken before k.d. sang it at the Olympics, but that is proof the song has become one of the country's anthems now. But to see it move into similar status as "Four Strong Winds", "Big Yellow Taxi", "Heart Of Gold", "Snowbird", these other songs that make up the Top Ten in this book, that did surprise me. It has supplanted, at least for now, "Suzanne", as Cohen's most popular song.

The Guess Who's classic "American Woman/No Sugar Tonight" claimed the Number One spot. Was that expected, or a bit of a surprise?

Bob Mersereau: It didn't surprise me at all. In fact, before I saw the first votes, I assumed it would win the poll and that "Heart Of Gold" would be #2. After that, I figured it would be a toss-up among the other songs that did eventually show up in the Top 20 or so (aside from "Hallelujah"). I really just figured it had everything going for it, including continued popularity, timelessness, mega-hit status, nostalgia, and the fact it's a great, great song. I know my kids love it, from Guitar Hero, I know The Guess Who reunion tour was a huge success, Lenny Kravitz had a hit cover with it, the song has never gone out of style, and keeps coming back every year.

Did any one performer or band dominate the list, and was that a surprise?

Bob Mersereau: Randy Bachman dominates the book, and that's because he's featured with three different bands, in three different ways. First, with The Guess Who, he claims the number one spot in the book, and three others, as guitar player and songwriter. Then, as the clear leader, writer and singer with Bachman-Turner Overdrive, he gets another Top Ten finisher, "Takin' Care Of Business", and a further entry in the book, "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet." To top it off, as a producer, he gets some credit for both of Trooper's entries in the Top 100 list. So that's eight positions in total, and no, it didn't surprise me. I didn't think anyone else would take that many spots, not even Neil Young, who did well, but he's never really dominated the singles scene like Bachman did in the 60's and 70's in Canada. I pretty much have to crown him the king of Canadian Top 40.

Was one of the purposes of the book to spur debate and to generate discussion of Canadian music?

Bob Mersereau: Absolutely. In the end, a survey is a survey, you can argue the merits of it to death. It's impossible to rank the quality of art, but it sure is fun! And given the continued media saturation we get in Canada from the U.S. and British music industries, I really like that these books, both the albums and singles, can increase people's interest. And after the The Top 100 Canadian Albums book came out, I found out that's exactly what was happening. First the media started the debate, with mostly positive but some negative reviews. But also, several critics, including ones who voted in the poll, published their own lists, saying "here's what I think". Fair comment! Then people who bought the book started telling me stories about discussions they were having. I've had people tell me the albums book has stayed on their coffee table for three years now, and every guest picks it up and comments.

I've heard about dinner party arguments. One woman told me she has used it on first dates, bringing it along in case they couldn't find something to talk about. And if the guy didn't want to talk about music, she knew she wouldn't be interested! Both the albums and singles lists are being reprinted in a new university text book. I hope for exactly the same reaction this time, for people to remember or discover great songs from the likes of A Foot In Coldwater, The Demics, Mashmakhan, and all the others.

For anyone who may be unfamiliar with the rich heritage of Canadian music, how would you suggest they discover the songs on the list?

Bob Mersereau: My editor for these books, Barry Norris, came up with a brilliant idea. Barry was unfamiliar with some of the newer songs, as he is a fan of 60's and earlier music. So while he was reading the chapters to edit them, he would search out the songs on YouTube and listen along. I thought that was a great idea. Now, I had them all in my collection, but you could do what I did, by buying as many as you can on-line, and dropping them onto your mp-3 player, thereby creating your own CD collection of the Top 100. It's on my Ipod.

How can we find the book on the internet?

Bob Mersereau: I know it's available at chapters.ca, amazon.ca, mcnallyrobinson.com, and you can purchase directly from the publisher at the Goose Lane Editions website. No doubt there are other on-line retailers as well.

What is next for Bob Mersereau?

Bob Mersereau: Well, I am mulling this over now. Is there another Top 100 book? I think Top 100 Bands or performers might be too subjective, and I don't know if it grabs me. There are a couple of music biographies that I'm considering. I'll hopefully get a chance to write another book, I'm just waiting for the right project to become clear.

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My book review of The Top 100 Canadian Singles by Bob Mersereau.

Tags: The Top 100 Canadian Singles, Bob Mersereau, Canadian music industry, music author interviews.

The Top 100 Canadian Singles by Bob Mersereau - Book review

The Top 100 Canadian Singles

By: Bob Mersereau

Published: September 30, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 218 pages
ISBN-13: 9780864925374
ISBN-10: 0864925379
Publisher: Goose Lane Editions









"In the digital age, does the single still exist?", writes music reporter, long time columnist for CBC Television in New Brunswick, and author of the delightful and sure to provoke debate book The Top 100 Canadian Singles. The author shares the results of a national Canadian survey that compiled the top 100 singles in Canadian music history.

Bob Mersereau recognizes that his list is certain to spark controversy among music fans. He even invites feedback from his readers, as to their favourite songs, that may have been overlooked or failed to garner enough support to sneak onto the compilation. Even the possibility of causing arguments over included and omitted Canadian singles speaks volumes for the strong, world class legacy of Canadian music. The only stipulation that the author provided for his jurors, who ranged from media people, to musicians, to celebrities, to average Canadians, was that the songs had to have been released as singles. For many voters, according to the author, the real challenge was to select only their favourite ten Canadian songs for the list. Thanks to the internet, and music downloads, the single isn't dead either.



Bob Mersereau (photo left) shares the compilation lists of the contributors, along with fascinating exclusive interviews with the performers. The Top 100 list that resulted from the survey is intriguing for its six decade inclusion, and for the range of musical genres and styles included by the jurists. Not surprisingly, The Guess Who topped the list with their classic mega-hit "American Woman". As a staple of Classic Rock stations, the song receives heavy airplay to new and receptive audiences. Making the list were music icons including Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Bryan Adams, Gordon Lightfoot, Rush, The Tragically Hip, and Ian and Sylvia. The champion of the anthology was Randy Bachman, who appears on six different songs, not including his additional listing as a producer. Newer musicians, including The Arcade Fire, Feist, K-OS, and Wintersleep also made the list. While rock music dominated the selections, country and folk music found space as well. Interestingly enough, many of the Top 100 songs could be classified easily into several different musical genres.

For me, the power of the book is how Bob Mersereau developed the concept of a 100 song list, oversaw the survey of hundreds of Canadians from all walks of life, and then placed the songs within the context of the Canadian musical legacy. The book crosses what many people perceive as musical boundaries, making the entire history of Canadian music accessible to everyone. The author avoided the conflict of anglophone and francophone music through the inclusion of songs by francophone artists. The book also contains a separate list of the top 100 French-Canadian singles to share that rich musical heritage with all readers.

Each song on the book's main list is backed up with interviews with the artists, a history of the song itself, and a few remembrances of that were invoked by the single. Another wonderful inclusion in the book are the top ten lists as contributed by some well known Canadians, providing some interesting insight into how the jurors reached their decisions. Their lists contain some great songs that fell short of being included in the book as well.

I highly recommend the fascinating and memory invoking book The Top 100 Canadian Singles by Bob Mersereau, to anyone who loves Canadian music. It's not necessary to be a Canadian to enjoy these classic singles over and over again. Great music is wonderful regardless of its geographical origin. This book deserves a wide audience, not only in Canada, but everywhere that music lovers are found, and enjoy the best in music listening.

Read the tremendous book The Top 100 Canadian Singles by Bob Mersereau, and fall in love with Canadian music, whether for the first time, or all over again. Is this book the last word in Canadian singles? Of course not, but it's a brilliant starting point. The author intended it to spark debate, and to create further interest in the rich heritage that is Canadian music. In that sense, this book is an outstanding success.

Tags: The Top 100 Canadian Singles, Bob Mersereau, Canadian music industry, music book reviews.

Mark Levy: Accidental Genius - Using Writing To Generate Ideas - Blog Business Success Radio

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio



Marketer and founder of Levy Innovation, and author of the revolutionary and idea generating book Accidental Genius, Second Edition: Using Writing to Generate Your Best Ideas, Insight, and Content, Mark Levy, describes how his system of freewriting can unlock your creativity and lead to innovative and effective solutions. Not only can freewriting help overcome major business problems, but it is also effective for discovering new ideas for books, articles and blog posts. Mark Levy shares six freewriting secrets that will unlock your hidden creativity. Not only is freewriting suitable for private problems, but is equally effective for necoming a thought leader in your area of interest and industry.Learn how to get unstuck and develop innovative ideas by simply writing.

Mark Levy is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Thursday, September 30, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Marketer and founder of Levy Innovation, and author of the revolutionary and idea generating book Accidental Genius, Second Edition: Using Writing to Generate Your Best Ideas, Insight, and Content, Mark Levy, describes how his system of freewriting can unlock your creativity and lead to innovative and effective solutions. You will learn:

* How the freewriting tool can stimulate creative ideas to solve any problem

* How to begin using the freewriting technique to generate ideas

* How the freewriting concept is very useful of writers and bloggers seeking ideas

* How to become unstuck and escape your usual thought processes for a breakthrough



Mark Levy (photo left) was born in Flushing, Queens in 1962, and lived in spitting distance of Shea Stadium. He was frightened of public school, loved playing baseball and football, ran home to watch ape films on the 4:30 Movie, listened to The Jam and The Buzzcocks, and read magic trick books.

At 18, he went to Queens College –- a school whose most notable scholar is Jerry Seinfeld. Mark enjoyed college, because he got to pick his own subjects. Instead of Math, he took a course in which he analyzed monster pictures. Not surprisingly, Mark received excellent grades, and graduated with a Magna Cum Laude writing degree in 1985.

Outside of college, no one cared that he could analyze monster pictures, so he became a bookstore clerk. That started his long affiliation with the book industry. He moved from retail to publishing, and from publishing to wholesaling.

Along the way, he was steadily promoted, and became a sales manager, a director of special projects, and helped his companies sell over one billion dollars worth of books. He was nominated three times for The Publishers Weekly Rep of the Year Award.

Why was Mark so successful at selling? One of his colleagues said it best (and she didn’t mean it as a compliment): “When you think a particular book is important, you’re messianic about it. You won’t stop.”

In 1997, Mark was having dinner with his friend David Pogue, author of Macs for Dummies, when David said it might be fun to work on a book together. Since Mark knew nothing about computers, they settled on writing a book about the only subject they had in common: magic. Both Mark and David were amateur magicians. They created Magic for Dummies, and Mark got the bug for bookwriting.

Mark’s next effort was solo: Accidental Genius: Revolutionize Your Thinking Through Private Writing. Lots of luminaries loved it: Tom Peters, Ray Bradbury, Al Ries, Jay Conrad Levinson, and Ace Greenberg. Mark did a publicity stunt for the book, which did wonders for its sales. To date, it’s been translated into six languages: Spanish, German, Korean, Chinese, Indonesian, and Japanese.

(Did you know that certain American phrases don’t translate well into other languages? It’s true. None of the translators could make sense of the phrase “Accidental Genius.” The Spanish changed the book’s title to “Writing and Creativity.” The Germans called it “Genius Moments.” But the Japanese version is Mark’s favorite: “Everything Will Go Well As You Write And Think.”)

Mark started writing for magazines and newspapers (including The New York Times). One such gig led to his next co-authored book. He was interviewing NBC-TV magician Mac King for an article about Las Vegas magic. During a break, Mac reached into his desk drawer, pulled out a dozen stapled sheets, and handed them to Mark. Those sheets were the beginnings of what would eventually become, Tricks With Your Head –- a book in which the human head is the central prop in each trick. Readers learn how to safely stab a fork in their eye, suck a French Fry up their nose, and read a person’s mind with a drinking straw.

About this time, Mark started pursuing other business interests, particularly on the magic front. A New York City magician, Steve Cohen, met Mark, appreciated his business savvy, and hired him to do positioning work. The upshot of their association? Steve became “The Millionaires’ Magician,” began staring in his own off-Broadway show, Chamber Magic, and made Mark the show’s Creative Director. Mark began to see life outside the book industry.

In February of 2002, Mark made the decision to leave books, and use his business, writing, and magic talents to make companies memorable. He started his positioning and branding firm, Levy Innovation. Even early on, Mark’s marketing solutions were unconventional. An example? Says Mark:

“A famous e-book author phoned me and said, ‘One of my old paperback books went out of print. I bought the final 2,000 copies for a buck a piece. How do I sell them?’

“I said, ‘Selling them is a waste of time. Here’s what you do. Take 1,800 copies, shred them, put them in a bathtub, sit in the tub so that just your head sticks out, have a photo taken, and put it on a news release that says, ‘Author Takes A Bath In His Own Books.’ Use the body of the release to talk about how you went from a near-destitute paperback author, to a six figure a year e-book author. That way, the white elephant of your paperbacks supports the profitable side of your business, e-books.

“‘What do I do with the 200 copies I didn’t shred?’ he asked.

“They become valuable collectibles. Sell them at triple the cover price.”

Mark’s book, How to Persuade People Who Don’t Want To Be Persuaded, was published by Wiley in June of 2004. He wrote it with legendary tradeshow pitchman, Joel Bauer. The book has been as high as #6 on BN.com and #71 on Amazon.

He has also contributed chapters to two other books:

The E-Code: 33 Internet Superstars Reveal 43 Ways to Make Money Online Almost Instantly – Using Only E-Mail!, by Joe Vitale and Jo Han Mok (Wiley, 2005)

Positively M.A.D.: Making a Difference in Your Organizations, Communities, & the World. Stories and Ideas From 50 of Today’s Leading Experts, Edited by Bill Treasurer (Berrett-Koehler, 2004)

Recently, Mark returned to school; this time, as an instructor. He now teaches “Writing for Businesses and Professionals” at Rutgers University.

He lives in Clinton, New Jersey with his lovely wife, Stella; his Shiba Inus, Jofu and Bea; his cats,Tiger and Jinx; and Betsy the parakeet.

My book review of Accidental Genius, Second Edition: Using Writing to Generate Your Best Ideas, Insight, and Content by Mark Levy.

My book review of Accidental Genius: Revolutionize Your Thinking Through Private Writing by Mark Levy.

Listen live on Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.



If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.



To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with marketer, founder of Levy Innovation, and author of the revolutionary and idea generating book Accidental Genius, Second Edition: Using Writing to Generate Your Best Ideas, Insight, and Content, Mark Levy, as he describes how his system of freewriting can unlock your creativity and lead to innovative and effective solutions. Not only can freewriting help overcome major business problems, but it is also effective for discovering new ideas for books, articles and blog posts. Mark Levy shares six freewriting secrets that will unlock your hidden creativity. Not only is freewriting suitable for private problems, but is equally effective for necoming a thought leader in your area of interest and industry.Learn how to get unstuck and develop innovative ideas by simply writing on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Accidental Genius, Second Edition: Using Writing to Generate Your Best Ideas, Insight, and Content, Mark Levy, creative thinking techniques, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

Big business idea: private museum

Together with what comes business? Surely, the people at what time or in the depths of the soul set, or asked yourself seya # but the question ... And also very often seeing as though their neighbors bent, call them abnormal and they say, what a waste of time, nerves and money. But their neighbors are gradually cobble together a fortune.

Not so long ago I traveled to Yaroslavl - the town, which is part of the "Golden Ring" of our country.
Was then, at the Museum "Music and Time." Director of this museum D. Masty, just a beautiful circus actor, along with most childhood collecting bells. Above it all laughed, called him a fool, idiot and so on Nobody does not want to understand human passions. Even his wife as well as in this case is not shared his views. Thus and said: "Do not hope to people, what they laugh at you because of the bells, they're just not know what you are by birth a fool."

Time passed, an assortment of bells grow - it is as well podduzhnye bells along with the words "Take me Give me", as well as bells, along with which went triple and so on.

Simultaneously with the collection of bells is to appear little by little assortment of hours ...
Clock, I must say, unusual. For example, to outdoor clock the German company Sauer available in 30 different tunes. The restoration of each instance of moving away from three up to five years. Each clock - this time, every time - this is a second, every second - this moment of history, of course, besides, even as the share holder.

Some hours translating Odnako.P.Chehov himself, other times translated FA takzhe.Shalyapin. Individual who remained in retirement after his discharge from the Circus Maximus, began to ponder over, as if to live on and his head had to think about creating a private museum in no way subservient to the state. He is also grabbed her and started to implement.

The first thing he did today, it has become even poluzapuschenny building local merchant, placed on three floors of its collection.

Him no one does not expect that he will be able to rouse tekuschiya # only the building, all said "Yes, for what it is you - well do not go there." Contrary to all the exclamations he still bought it, restored. And also gets together with his income. But, as well as everywhere he has to sell junk, souvenirs - this is its main income.

But the most interesting, what exactly he's the master, it's goodbye before leaving the group plays the hurdy gurdy, as well as people leave him as much as you can. Its profits are so great that now the moment he bought in Germany, the Authority and restores specifically to separate him from his nearby construction of the museum. Through five years, people will walk according to the park and listen And takzhe.Vmeste Bach.

To date, most businessmen, Vladimir, Tula, and Yaroslavl. reveal their private museums, because that is now a profitable and very pay back the investment of money. For example, in the Thule one businessman has opened a museum and the museum Dummies irons. What is fascinating people go there.
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commerce idea: how to be private detective

If you have some wealthy life experience (which is a detective in addition to knowledge of human vices!), If you're observant, able to extract information, and - most importantly - its study, you direct way to detective stories. In my opinion, option to earn as a private investigator is very real for many men, having the availability of legal education or special training for working as a private detective, or work experience in operational and investigative units of law enforcement agencies not less than three years.

Having all of the above listed may be cool, if they have not reached 21 years, registered at the dispensaries, as well as having a criminal record, etc. and etc. Above all, it is desirable to have those. Facilities: car; communications; black cloak, black glasses and black hat with impressive margins:).

Once if you dare and then submit the necessary documents were licensed (in the internal affairs bodies are exactly the place of residence), we can start to work as a private detective in the unincorporated business.

I want to note, the best professionals - is former MVD, FSB and the GRU, retired for long service or leave home offices looking for more high-earning.

The detective is forced to think very well, have excellent physical shape and work experience. Private detective - it's all pre-head. Good detective story - is an artist. He has to be able to play any role - as well as a drug addict, and Lovelace, as well as representatives of high society.

As for the types of detective work:

1.
collecting data according to civil cases on a contractual basis with the stakeholders;
2.
market research, collecting information for business negotiations, identifying insolvent or untrustworthy business partners;
3.
establish the circumstances to demonstrate how the misuse of business logos and names, unfair competition, is similar to the disclosure of information constituting a commercial secret;
4.
elucidation of the biographical and other data describing the identity of individual citizens (along with their written consent) at the conclusion of their work as well as other contracts;
5.
tracing missing persons besides;
6.
search for the lost citizens or enterprises, institutions and organizations of the property;
7.
collecting data according to criminal cases on a contractual basis with the stakeholders.

Of course, the important lesson of the private detective - the collection of information exactly in civil matters, for what is not taken over the police: surveillance of unfaithful wives (husbands), checking cleanliness partner, his strength and creditworthiness, to identify cases of unfair competition. Often serves as a detective Virgil in Dante, at which time he traveled exactly unearthly paradise and the kingdom of shadows. In other words, the detective-leader clients in the business world, and often so he is forced to take the only right decision and give the client recommendations.

Schedule determines the detective himself. He will probably work around the clock. At night time, for instance, it is easier to find the person and to hold talks with him.

Cost of services - from $ 30 (for consultation) up to several thousand dollars (observation). For the verification of other companies, there are fixed rates. In observing the wrong wives hourly pay, the value of negotiated and depends on the customer's wallet. But less than $ 20 an hour detectives not agree. Wages and remuneration of the private detective entirely depends on the client. But it is also likely to be from $ 500 up to $ 10,000 in the moon.

Well, it seems, the detectives?

Business idea: Video courses for drivers

This version came from America, in what place, as though certainly there, about everything. Option help motorists to drive as well as the operation of the vehicle.

Every year in Russia grows the number of motorists and car owners. However, their education and information support behind the growth. Specialized magazines, TV programs and websites to motorists - are the same type more than it seems, despite the different covers. Therefore, they did not cope at the same market segment, at which time the machine has bought the right to receive, only that it proceed further is unknown. But certainly as well as some in Russia there is a variety of computer programs, which offer support in driving and operation of the vehicle, but not such a stage as if in options.

The essence of the options is simple - step up to produce video courses to drivers, and this district very well as very extensive.

For example, all the data currently allowed to operate in three directions!

1. Video courses to novice drivers.
Suitable for drivers, which only just-completed driving school. In these courses, presumably, allowed to disintegrate the following questions:

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Proper use of car in winter, summer, autumn and spring seasons;
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technically correct: check the tire pressure, battery charging, changing of oil, gas station and the like;
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little tricks of driving in certain situations;
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orientation on unfamiliar roads;
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and so on.

2. Video courses for the sake of repairing the vehicle.
Here are invited to gather video encyclopaedia of repair of different vehicles, which allowed the pile with his own hands. Allowed to increase along with famous brands like home, so as well as foreign automotive industry. Graphically depict:

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as if to pluck one or the other elements of the engine;
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Rules for the Treatment, along with the jack and change the wheel;
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washing and flushing the carburetor (if it exists);
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change the belt of the generator;
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and much more.

So as video courses - is a live performance, it is much clearer than the pictures as well as Speshnev remembered. Just in case there of course, so is described below is not very great addition.

3. Video courses to motorists operating in extreme situations.
Everything is simple. Every motorist to take at least the time was in extreme situations. In the video-data allowed easy and clearly explain, in particular:

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that now operate in the case in the field struck Coleco;
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that the act now, if generator belt broke;
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what action, if flooded with candles;
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that the act now, if the machine enter appearance on slippery roads;
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what action, if the car caught fire;
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that the act now, then failure (emergency call Commisary, traffic police (GAI) and so on)
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and much more.

Here, briefly described three recent trends that are allowed to move and act. Cinematics are allowed to combine with computer modeling, textual descriptions.

Of course, the impressive downside is that now the videotape (CD) did not take along with you on the road, so, like a small addition to them, are allowed with each cassette (disc) to produce a small booklet, in which place will be a description (in two words) as well as illustrations of what is shown in the video course. Thus, say, memo, which is convenient to carry along with him as well which will help you remember, so that now seen in the video course.

Naturally, the establishment of such courses will go a very imposing costs, and, in view of the fact that now the data is time for such products demand is impressive, but the niche is about free, so all expenses will be paid back very quickly.

For example, these video courses in America cost about $ 200 for one little hour video course. They are also in demand.

And about us in Russia such courses will use violent popular that way as if craving to "dig in a car in Russia is much stronger than in any place or. Stronger than the demand for this kind of product has initially difficult to driving schools and similar foundations.
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Ideas for home business - learn mail foreign language

If you have a foreign language, have the opportunity to publish abroad the announcement read: "Foreigners wishing to learn Russian accent, exactly give lessons by correspondence."

Response to this announcement will be very many. Announcement have the opportunity to publish in foreign donations the message boards or try sending e-mail.

After you cook the prototype of the letter that you send all the foreigners who have sent a request exactly on your ad. In a letter to specify the rates for one lesson in dollars or the equivalent of saying that the main lesson is send free of charge. In a letter to ask seems to be to your students pointed out in his own room response letters received by them a lesson, then so far there was no misunderstanding.

Next, prepare lessons, clearly numbered them. Provided that if pupils are set appropriate to use the Xerox machine. On average, one lesson, printed on two sheets together on the one hand, allowed to boldly ask for $ 10 or equivalent. But it happens, what foreigners pay less, but the holidays even do gifts. Very wealthy foreigners are invited to visit me for a personal account. In his first letter to write briefly about yourself, to your graduate know with whom to exercise, in which case there is, write the name, age, marital arrangement and ask the same about his student. Your contact was not forced to wear only only only business nature. Let soon, and warm letter will accompany your every lesson.

With regard to the first lesson, in which case the study of any language comes, as if the position, along with the alphabet, writing, printed and written letters with their pronunciation. Be sure to include all spellings of the letters, in particular, is now a sign of "Dr" is written as well as together with the bottom, as well as with the upper tail, the works have the right to be made very sensitive. In the words bear an accent, not forget as well as transcription. Will be very helpful if you strike sharply to his students a letter in duplicate, so there is one instance of writing in Russian, some - in his own language.

For one moon to write and send 300 letters - more than possible. That's 10 letters a day. But as said this is not the limit! It all depends on you.

With regard to lessons according to pronunciation, use a microphone to a computer. Sound files are allowed to send exactly by email.

Ideas for home business - to collect any furniture.

Option does not claim to originality, but very effective and truly "live" and working.

Everyone, at least one point in his life faced with the purchase of large (and not very much) furniture. Excellent at what time in the store you will collect the furniture and deliver up to the house assembled, the same condition unless there? At the time necessary to recruit furniture himself. Empirically proven that a small cabinet now allowed to collect for the little hours (subject to availability of tools, glue and so on), the same subject, if you bought a wardrobe, bed, 2 bedside tables and a couple of shelves, as it would take? Yet if you work 6 days a week, exactly 12 hours - you take a vacation in order to build furniture? Invite to a single output friends and relatives? Only if you have some friends in a busy weekend (collect furniture), only relatives live in another city?

In this situation, turn on my version. To organize public services according to the assembly of furniture. Expenses for the organization - are minimal.

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To distribute a few ads in the districts of large furniture stores, along with sample text - "to collect any furniture. Qualitatively as well as cheap! Tel.: .... "
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Small transportation cost.
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A set of simple tools: a screwdriver, hammer, nails, screws, a good sealer.
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Gather some like-minded people.
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The ability to quickly and qualitatively to recruit furniture.

Price you will have the option to install up to 10% on the cheap cost of a similar service the store.

That and all, you are ready to provide service according to the assembly of furniture.

Of course, to earn this case the first million is not allowed (an impressive competition), and, if correct approach to the idea allowed a great deal.

For example, to connect several collectors into a gang, do help as well as taking too corporate orders: furniture assembly for the sake of furniture stores.

Or do you seem to have the opportunity to remove old furniture (along with the hosts happy to part with it and even pay extra for garbage). Same on all up to you, or repairing old furniture and sell cottagers, or landfilled (removing hardware) - denyuzhku you have received.

That is, in principle, and all. Think, go for it - given the option!

Business idea: vending seats

We suggest you do is complete the new business to Ukraine, to develop its own network of vending massage chairs. Danae niche in the Ukraine is free and offers you a possibility to start first in the region get the best seats. The essence of the business completely straightforward.

1. Description of business idea
The idea is then to massage chairs fitted with bill acceptor to place in public places.

2. Place an effective arrangement of seats
Baths
Hotels
Large shopping centers
Cinema

3. The sequence of the implementation of business ideas
Purchase a minimum number of seats (1-2 pieces)
At 2-3 months to experiment with the installation site
Register a legal person
Conclude the necessary number of contracts
Establish accounting
Buy both, the number of massage chairs, which will need for business expansion

4. Minimum investment $ 1500, the maximum investment limit only you.

5. Payback from six months up to one and a half years

6. Risks
Poorly chosen spot (always allowed to be rearranged)
Favor little-known in the market (but the market is not busy)
It is difficult to agree about how to install chair (experience shows that now it is quite possible)

Business version of the vending massage chairs vending business version of massage chairs

Advantages of this business - vending seats:
1. There is no competition.
2. The relatively small initial investment ($ 2000)
3. Minimum time, to combine with other activities.
4. No need to buy supplies.
5. High speed payback 7-12 months.
6. 100% no risk. If you return the chair does not suit you simply must change the place of accommodation. Well, only if when everything is completely wrong, so we all will buy you around a chair.

Disadvantages of this business:
They simply do not

Potential installation site massage chairs
Shopping centers, business centers, train stations, airports, fitness, hotels, resorts, beauty parlors, sauna, car wash and garages, entertainment centers. Criteria for site selection are simple: an impressive accumulation of tired and wanting a break people. Geography of places in which we all establish the chair, you have the opportunity to see the materials on our Internet portal, just like calling us.

Business Plan vending seats
Revenue in the activity calculated on the basis of two parameters: the number of landings per seat per day and cost per landing (about us, it is - 10 USD .. = 5 minutes, 20 grn .. = 10 minutes). Provided that if all we will tell you that it is the normal number of landings per day - 10, you certainly believe it or not? Therefore, all we offer you a number he called himself. To calculate income based on the minimum probably Coy currently show a random event, as rumored mathematics. As well as the risk of loss of basic, but it seems profitability, return on the proposed project would you rate your own.

Ceansov on Day 2 June 8, 1910
Revenue per day 80g. 120gr. 160g. 200gr.
Revenue in the moon (30 days) 2400gr. 3600gr. 4800gr. 6000gr.
Income (- 20% of rent) 2000gr. 3000gr. 4000gr. 5000gr.
Payback (months) 12 2.5 3 April


Think. But so far that you think others will occupy the best vending seats!

Business idea: open bowling club part 4

Pins in addition to beer - money the wind

Assessment of market professionals, one track usually is loaded with 6.5 hours a day in Moscow and 7,5-8,5 hours - in the regions. For a year she is able to bring from $ 50 thousand up to $ 60 thousand Sego very well, in order to recoup its cost, together with all costs.
But this is far not all denyuzhku which is able to bring a bowling alley.
According to Paul Primak, good bar with alcohol provides no less than 40% of the profits to the club. After all, until 70% of players in the bowling - men, whom the invitation "to urge the balls" is directly associated with the proposal "to drink beer."
But pool tables set in many clubs, substantial gains are not brought by performing more functions extra entertainment: visitors bowling clubs chase the "small ball" as soon as the pending queue to the "big".
- Benign table for Russian billiards will cost $ 10 thousand reward for the same hour of his lease - only 150-400 rubles - Paul says Primack. - A couple that it will pay a similar table is not good. Billiard Fans gather in other places. All we prefer priminyat area for placing the maximum number of tracks or for the sake bar. Also, if only inadvertently, is that in this case the corner - set the pool table.
Many clubs offer in its territory are small shops with brand attributes to the special judges of games: balls (some of which cost $ 200), means in accordance with their care, special shoes, various accessories, T-shirts, souvenirs ... Of course, the income from such a highly specialized trade is not very large (up to 5%), only the store is able to attract the very appreciative audience game. They, as if determined not to any lavish spending.
- On average, the discovery of one of the club, along with twenty tracks to us costs $ 1-3 million - says Paul Primak.
A small club with 6 lanes, exactly according to George Riabokon, allowed to open and $ 300 thousand, of which half will be spent on the installation of specialized equipment, the rest - for repair as well as training facilities. In the latter case, the owners of the bowling clubs are often no less a fantasy than the organizers of the night clubs. For example, a well-known Moscow bowling COSMIK install the 32 tracks on two floors, including the chief - a bright and colorful, as the second - half-dark, with ultraviolet light. On each floor there by 2-va bar, big screens with live sporting events and other "freaks". According to the most approximate estimates for such "delights" It took not more than two million dollars.
All the club owners did not advise not to open the bowling for more than 10-ty tracks.
- How much larger number of tracks, the less the unit cost for each. For example, in our club in 3 shifts of 14 tracks running 18 individual, only the same number of workers would be required as well as, for example, for the sake of the seven tracks bowling club - says Andrew Sheetlin.
In Russia, the bulk of visitors to the bowling club falls on those who consider bowling as a form of entertainment or a family holiday. The share of players who think bowling sport is not more than 10%. In the U.S. the situation is quite the opposite. The bulk of the visitors bowling clubs - people, united in a team (that way called "League"), which compete Intermedia is almost year round. They purchase the ticket to visit the Club immediately for a few months in advance, thereby bringing its owner a guaranteed profit. Of course, that now sell tickets more profitable than the realization of "one-off" tickets.
Specialists believe that in our country today is over and probably find my own way improvements. After all, the desire too strong contenders built into each player, regardless of sport. Even in the data point in many Russian club holds local tournaments, to which all interested persons are thrown off exactly one or two thousand rubles. 70% of the prize pool gets the winner, only 30% as commission - the owner of the bowling club.

Business idea: open bowling club part 3 - bowling placement

Sublime example of a successful arrangement - our club, which opened six months back and just ten meters from the metro station "Kolomna". Driving or walking past, it is simply impossible not to notice - Paul says Primack.
The question of "promotion" of the club - the second according to the complexity of the later rooms. All owners of bowling unanimous: advertising in newspapers and magazines is ineffective, according to the radio - too expensive. Bowling placement according to Paul Primak, the main customers of the club - the inhabitants of the surrounding area or passing by. The most effective advertising - on the ground.
According to Andrew Sheetlin, then that like last year they ordered constriction through the streets against the club, which cost $ 3.5 thousand for the moon, and the number immediately increased by 10%.
It is much easier to find a place in regions which so far remain to bowling "untilled field." For example, immediately Planet Bowling builds sets of five clubs in Volgograd, Novosibirsk and Rostov-on-Don.
It is in the region, exactly forecast Paul Primak and George Riabokon, bowling clubs will soon appear most active. Although the cost of opening a club in the province still close to the city.
- All recent wiser, for a penny, as before, none of the impressive city square does not acquire, - says Paul Primak. - But it's equally at 30-40% cheaply than in Moscow. For example, in Rostov for his club all we rearrange the last battle factory on 3,5 thousand square meters. meters which will place more than 20 tracks bowling placement.
The motion of the bowling industry in the region is in direct proportion to the improvement of the chain supermarkets as well as construction of shopping malls: to have a bowling club is one of the major landlords. Club owners in the regions expect the same return as if as well as in Moscow.
By some estimates, now in Russia only at the stage of design, construction and installation is stronger than 500 tracks. Only in the next few years is expected to boom in the real sharp on opening the bowling centers, according to the country.
Special Requirements

The standard length for bowling lanes - 25.41 m (including the takeoff zone, a track per se as well as a machine for setting pins - pinspotter). Plus, once again 1-1,5 m will pass for service pinspotter only similar 3-5 m - recreation area for the players. Additional area of "eating" like technical passages place for a bar and billiards.
The width of the hall seems determined based on the number of tracks. For the sake of the two required 3.46 m, for 3 - 5,25 m, for 4 - 6,85 m, to 6 - 10.23 meters and etc. All in all, one track has about 55 square meters. m (this is according to a minimum), but the ceiling height in any way is not likely to be lower than 4 m (with a view to comfort players).
As recommended by George Riabokon, reduce the temptation to let as well as a few centimeters, the standard length of the track is better to abstain. Indeed, a significant particle profit clubs receive through professional players, with the aim of which is very important standards.
Full-length bowling club - it's not just a few tracks, a set of balls and slippers, just as well as the entire infrastructure in order to rest as to where the visitor will probably spend the whole evening. Therefore, so when choosing a suitable premises or the construction of the new must provide convenient access to the side of highways as well as a place for parking cars.
Main piece of equipment - pinspotter - a specialized and very tricky mechanism to collect and placement of pins knocked down. Pending his invention this tedious and very dangerous operation had to perform a special person. The system pinspotter at least three thousand different parts, and therefore important to ask for it - the strength and longevity. A complete set of plugs in a similar system of automated ball return (its pipeline is almost under the flooring area) a system of automatic scoring (paramount component of it - display, which against the names of all players appear glasses); track. For the sake of covering the tracks used logs or synthetic materials - and also provided if the former looks more "expensive", in this case, experts recommend choosing according to durability because of the latter.
In Russia, the equipment of three world producers - the two U.S. companies, AMF and Brunswick, but it seems the Chinese Zhonglu. According to George Riabokon, tracks made in China almost does not concede to the U.S. according to the quality, are essentially the same on the cheap - $ 25-27 thousand bowling placement
Set of American equipment would cost the owner of the club in the $ 38-40 thousand spite of not less than the high cost of equipment from the United States (precisely as compared with Chinese), in Russia it is being bought more frequently. According to statistics, 165 of the 233 Russian bowling clubs are equipped with American equipment. Experts explain this by saying that it is the club owners prefer to spend some much more money just to be sure that it is the hardware will last a long time.
If desired, save up to one third of the cost is allowed to buy so-called "reconditioned" equipment. But it does not guaranteed bowling placement

Business idea: open bowling club part 2

- Monthly fourteen tracks in our club provides us with about 2 million rubles Islands, - says Andrey Sheetlin. - And about all metropolitan clubs are about the same amount.
It turns out that now, Muscovites and visitors to the city annually spend at a bowling alley about $ 57 million
In order numbers agree well as other market participants - as well as together with the fact that it was his capacity again in the distance, far from being exhausted even in Moscow, not to mention the province.
As recognized experts, the improvement of the bowling alley is directly connected with the growth of well-being of Aboriginal people, because the main consumer of such entertainment is the middle class. Under the condition, considering that now the Russians are growing revenues Speshnev GDP growth, bowling allowed to predict the brightest future.
So far, almost all of Moscow clubs in the evening, even on weekdays, the track is desirable to book in advance, like a table at a prestigious restaurant. According to Michael Chizhikov, vice-president of Federation of Sports Bowling Russia, the world according to the bowling industry profitability among legitimate businesses in third place later gambling as well as oil.
Regional expansion

If at first the construction of a bowling club, as relatively expensive establishments, was conducted exclusively in the center of Moscow, later in 1998, at which time prices have dropped in a 3-4-D twice, clubs began to open as well as in sleeping areas. As a result - it's immediately something in what place on the outskirts of the capital of bowling are almost against one another buddy. According to George Riabokon, CEO of the company "VPSProgress - supplier of equipment for bowling company Zhonglu, - provided that if the throw look at a map of the city, immediately striking disparity in the distribution of clubs:" For example, on one square kilometer in area Belosrusskaya account five clubs, but in the northeast of them perhaps not. "
- The Marino on one street was opened four schools, and therefore about a number of them still have problems with occupancy - Paul says Primack. - At the same time, remain areas where in the club did not have enough. In our business, so the location is not less than half provides a commercial success - in the case before the people were ready to roll at least have a different end of town, in this case, now all to relax according to their place of residence.
As recognized by all market participants, the lack of space - one of the main problems hindering the improvement of the business. And for the sake of bowling to find a suitable area is much more problematic than for the same supermarket or disco - precisely because of stringent standards to the overall dimensions of the tracks.
- With the aim of opening the club on the 10-Tb tracks should be 1,5 thousand square meters. meters, except for columns as well as other jumpers - says Paul Primak. - Why the "old" solution - remake of old shops of enterprises - still does not work. Suitable premises in good locations davnenko dismantled. We all continue to look for only so long that in addition to much success.
Build the same place together from scratch is too expensive and not every owner of the club will be decided on such costs.
One of the few ways to find a place almost at the club is to rent (or purchase) in major shopping malls (or malls). It seems justified placement of bowling at the hotel, a hotel or casino (as if, for example, in the Golden Palace), now always provide the influx of customers but without additional advertising. Stand-alone club unleash always much harder and more expensive. But why this approach was that "Planet Bowling.

Commerce idea: open bowling halls part 1

Despite in this case, what the costs of opening the bowling club are great - from 300,000 to continue up to 3 million dollars - with the best of circumstances and competent management of their likely "discourage" for one year. In the large cities of Russia there is too many players who are ready to part easily with 300-700 rubles per hour for rental of a single track
Past and present

According to experts, 20 years-ty five back in our country there were only two bowling halls - one in a greedy up to the luxury of Central Asia, the other - in an advanced Baltics. In the year of the Moscow Olympics to them to add 3, which appeared in the Metropolitan Hotel "Cosmos". The first real commercial bowling was "Alex", opened in 1997 and, by the way, up until now working in the Central House of the tourist.
From this moment "the dam burst": the bowling like a business "flowed" decent denyuzhku. In the pre-crisis times the recipe for commercial success was very simple: it was important to choose the appropriate size of the space, install a new (but mostly restored) equipment, as well as for the year were allowed to "recapture" all means. After hour rental track behaved client at least $ 50. Immediately, of course, profitability on the regime, however, but all the same, as if Paul says Primack, managing a network of bowling clubs "Planet Bowling," remains a very decent - not less than 25%. In Moscow, the time in 2-3 months according to still appears under one new club.
According to Andrew Sheetlin, manager of the club XL, now operates in the capital of not less than 70 clubs. This is just only clubs that are open for all. And also there is again the mass of corporate scattered evenly in the offices as well as country estates "new Russian". In general, the total number of tracks that are traditionally measured market size of bowling, in Moscow, close to a thousand (exactly across the country - to two thousand). Set it or not? According to statistics, every track in the U.S. has 2,000 individual, in Europe - 10000 individual. The same about us - as much as 72,000! Thus, the market is already very far from saturation.
How much money annually Muscovites leave in a bowling club, it is easy to calculate. The average rent per hour track is from 300 rubles per day up to 700 rubles, then 18 pm.

Business idea: Organization recruiter

I want to tell you about the absolutely real and really existing within many cities, recruiting business - based business for recruitment to commercial organizations.

Erroneous idea that it is not profitable skill, yes, the more at small towns, customers are not met, razveivaetsya familiarity with the facts. In our city lives near 800,000 husband and recruitment agencies (not serious as much) on it 14. In the nearby town where a live hand in hand 300,000 workers temporarily only one agency, but has recently opened equally successful with receiving income.

A substance of this business is within three things are:

1. selection of personnel for the sake of whom companies - customers;
2. own work constantly complement the database of candidates, ie those seeking work;
3. spread in the argument itself known among the business organizations - simply put, to attract customers.

By the way, just with respect to clients. Customers in this area are commercial organizations which do errand staffing agency to meet their specific worker (specialist), these organizations are likewise paid the agency to follow the service. From this income.

Now, however, no more details on the stage of the employment agency. Algorithm is similar:

1. register your unincorporated business il LLC, the rights of anyone still looking comfortable around someone who Accountant;
2. shoot store with the phone, just equip it with furniture, in case it itself is not of course;
3. inventing (developing with the mind) a little bit of ads for the newspapers regarding admission to work within different companies of various professionals - to this particular need to teach fair personnel within your city, with the intention of knowing what the specialists most in demand. At this stage, your puzzle to attract the right people for you within the agency to let them within its own database;
4. designing a questionnaire for the sake of someone of your candidates - candidates in future vacancies of your agency;

5. in parallel with the previous actions come up (developed together with the mind) a letter to your potential customers together with a narrative in discussing your agency and its services;
6. compile a database of your potential customers. Better only provided if the database will have the following information: Company name, address, telephone, fax and patronymic of the head;
7. place for your newspapers bogus ads for those searching il other specialists. In the first stage bogus ads - the maximum simple manners helluva lot to gain traction, but the moral side of the case is not completely lost, according to how much in the near future you will be able to offer to confess to tell people to take part in the competition in a different job that il;
8. a week later for the newspaper along with your ad for you to start calling people so treated, you stated professions. You put them on the information within your database, performing with them
interview so letting them fill out questionnaires. Your dispute with them likewise completed questionnaires - a matter in favor of someone forming a summary of the candidates in the types of follow-sending them to the company - customers. Based on these summaries davalschik fairly select, along with someone with the candidates to happen, it is understandable but it would worry so your opinion is equal to the recommendation of people with past jobs;
9. if near you on the database will appear a little bit of good specialists, only need to say that 70% who came for you at the agency, little will be repaying the professional requirements of the customer, are not forbidden to have a frank mailing your letters to potential clients. It is better to fabricate through a delivery service that can provide you with a report on work done together with the names of persons who have been notified. In the future, this information is useful. Will be fine if you're sending letters to duplicate sending a fax to it but the company of your presentation sheet, thereby increasing the rate of recognition behalf of your agency. Plus, at tsedulka need to invest far at least two - three pages with text, the greater the amount of starts really nothing at all "stretch" the addressee has received tsedulka through an unknown agency. The letter should be your order - the apogee of a two-page questionnaire is yes - Plans to feedback. Here is the way the questionnaire, which contains within itself a question, which is responsible for the company bigwig being sent was a fax for your agency, it is equally fair to regale quibbling begin within a company to take your order for the initiator of choice of candidate.

That's also all a short image of the initial stage of business development for personnel selection. I want to add much over this matter should pay particular interest to the following documents:

1. CVs
2. treatise in the selection of personnel
3. candidate's resume
4. image of the customer
5. action in the argument for work done
It is necessary to create a good shell to a database of candidates, which you will cause the attention of all people visited your agency. And vestimo of documentation - no small task in this case.

Now, regarding the financial side of things. Expenditures:
1. office - almost $ 200 over the moon
2. phone - $ 10 for the moon
3. Ads for newspapers - near 1500 rubles moon.

Gains are added to your fees as may be in your circle equated odinehonoy, one and a half, two or more monthly wage specialist, arranged to work with your agency. In this case, the agency fee paid for the course of the week from the date of exit rights in the work.

For example, an employed, according to sales manager for a wholesale company in our city brings on board 15000-20000 rubles.

After six months of your active customers will begin to define themselves against you likewise will call you the same unjustly deprived of something to assist in the form of letters, and if the past is sometimes all really should be sending. In addition to all around you certainly zavedutsya patrons.

Here is a brief still all relative odinehonoy to form a recruitment business.

Business Ideas: Service mail delivery, cargo and mail

He hired a 4.3 strong young men with their bikes, are allowed to earn a courier delivery.

If a virtual World Wide Web, all occupied against time e-mail, in this case in real life has remained a free place for archaic courier - in the urban environment on the background of everyday traffic congestion is likely to work successfully deliver the mail service as well as small cargo bikes. Efficiency contributes to low cost labor force.

Start-up costs miserable: Manager, On the phone in a private apartment and a little advertising. Fixed assets in the form of a bike will bring themselves taken in hiring workers.

Lviv businessman in April 1999 moved to their native roads common in the West veloopyte.

Now, call up to the "Courier velopochty, you can order a messenger, which in one hour for $ 0.5-2 fulfill customer's order precisely to deliver within the city.
Wolf fed feet, but the courier - the wheels

When personal Lviv businessman Taras Gorb filed in a newspaper announcement about the recruitment of couriers, bikers, responded to dozens of little faces. I had to hold the competition, whose conditions were very stringent. Pass it as soon as strong fresh people aged 18-25 years with home phone, their own means of transportation as well as good "driving" skills. Operate two-wheeled carriers under contract insufficient working day. In addition to patrols in accordance with the delivery, either has a major place of work or study.
Order for delivery velokurery get exactly call from the dispatcher. Using a detailed map on which all pointed up to the house number, couriers by the shortest route to continue to get the customer, collect the goods, issue a receipt for services, receive account and sent to the addressee. Messengers similar may acquire and deliver food, medicine and consumer goods - anything that is capable of imagination of the customer as well as what is now placed in the trunk of the bike. Weight of the load is limited - 8 kg.

Control point is deployed in a private apartment one hundred thousandth "sleeping" in the array. Such Address "database" is selected for reasons of communication: telephone number dispatcher easily memorized and belongs to a new PBX that now provides high-quality original context, moreover, in the heart of the city office would have to remove that now would make the tariffs "unfeasible" for the sake of customer.

The phone call the client messenger primchitsya not later than 15 minutes. Velopochta operates under the principle of taxi: Manager directs the customer to the nearest free messenger. The value of bicycle facilities is directly proportional to the distance. Taking an order, the controller immediately calculates the price exactly your map as well as reports to the customer. Minimum charge - $ 0.5 Max - $ 2. According to the rate of a large courier cross the whole town (about 25 km), invested in 1 hour. Originally, the limit was 2 times impressive, but the runners in the branded green vests and caps almost coordinated their own standards. They are unpretentious, "Horses," which does not need fuel, overtaking in traffic jams, road junctions and narrow streets of their own motorized "elder brothers".
A full-time courier - a more expensive

Courier velopochta, taking its market niche, meant to its owner as a readily accessible and cheap service in accordance with the delivery.

Today, too many firms, calculating its value and comfort, started saving to established carriers, the essence of which is more expensive, but the execution of their missions takes longer.

For example, during the working day courier staff time to perform a maximum of 3 passing, assignment.

If he uses the most rapid urban car - taxi or on a voyage to the end of February, regardless of distance, he spends $ 0.8. During the day have to pay 3 times much more - $ 2.4.

For transport costs must be added to pay the messenger. As an outsider velokurer receives a reward only for the actual service. By the same 10 as well as more concurrent client orders cost only $ 0.3 every.
It is important as well as the strength of the courier service

If the sender wants to obtain written confirmation of delivery of important correspondence or cargo velokurer, handing the message back to him with the receipt have been stamped by the recipient. For this additional service will have to pay 40% of order price.

In the usual case, in order to ensure delivery of the package or letter, the customer, as if the position, the master control call according to the phone. Telephone the recipient usually enjoys and velokurer, to report to duty on the quest, and at the same time find a new outfit. For the sake of the experiment acquired cellular mobile phone with the card Sim-Sim. Its got a "powerful" of cyclists, some on their own continue to perform up to 60% of orders. The first 12 seconds of conversation - at no cost. Therefore, data for a second time to pass once the courier or the associated address. During the first 2 months velobiznes went to zero profitability, at which time the earned enough money for salaries. When will increase the number of clients and there will be real profit will be allowed to worry about the least-quality mobile communication and personal BikePark.
Auto parts bike

Today is a new service constantly uses a dozen regular clients. Every day velogontsy perform exactly the average of 10-15 orders. Range of customers the company is expanding, as if the situation due to the "voice" mail: "fresh" subscribers begin to appear later recommendations of those who already experienced the extraordinary service.

Velosvyaz previously only exploited the firm, which sent the correspondence to a wide range of recipients. Saving stick velopochta is for those businesses which convenes people at public events - exhibitions, presentations, seminars and etc. - And have a tight schedule to deliver the notice or invitation exactly for several tens of addresses (not nearly all there is a fax). Classical mail will require this in the city limits to 2 days, only pay for every message, which will bring to a snail's pace, will have $ 0.25-$ 0.3.

But lately, more and more popular two-wheeled express union about trading enterprises, which tend rapidly to serve their own clients.

Especially liked this innovative trend shops, which sell spare parts to cars. If, in particular, the store certainly is not now necessary spare parts (refers to small parts), the owner of the counter is velokurera as well as one for a few minutes brings a warehouse order. Well before the customer would have to act in a request and return a product through some time. Not disdain velopochty services as well as individuals.

The optimal organizational form for velopochty - private entrepreneur without a legal entity. " At the level of becoming a work permit in addition to extra costs for accounting and tax reporting as simple as possible.
Entrepreneurs to note:

1.
Velopochta suitable mainly for medium-sized cities with narrow streets of the central elements in what place the cyclist moves Speshnev car.
2.
In a small town will probably not be enough customers only in the impressive city of impressive range - then the profitable motorcyclists.
3.
At the primary level is not allowed to spend on vehicles. Instead of this the employment of persons which have their own bikes.