Dee Power Expert Guru

Dee Power was born on the East Coast and grew up on the West Coast. She holds a Master of Business Administration. She started her writing career in the second grade by writing a Thanksgiving Day play which debuted before many appreciative parents. Dee has been engaged to do consulting projects for a myriad of different companies giving her a broad base of knowledge working in the various industries. Accomplishments Dee founded Profit Dynamics Inc., a management consulting firm specializing in writing business plans (which investors often consider works of fiction). Clients included large well-known companies as well as entrepreneurial start-ups. The experience gained from this work provided the inspiration and material for two books she has co-authored "Inside Secrets To Venture Capital," and "Attracting Capital From Angels," both published by John Wiley & Sons. Her current nonfiction book is "The Making of a Bestseller: Success Stories from Authors and the Editors, Agents and Booksellers Behind Them," Dearborn Trade, 2005. Her original website, http://www.capital-connection.com was established in 1998 and is still going strong today. Dee has recently established www.BrianHillAndDeePower.com for readers to get to know her and her co-author better as authors.

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Will a Business Plan Help Me Obtain Financing?

If you’re looking for credit from a vendor or service provider, probably not. But, and it’s a huge but, if you’re looking for a bank loan, absolutely yes.

Bankers can be nervous little critters and need to be assured of two things:

1. Your company is stable and has enough cash flow to pay back the loan with interest.

2. The owners of the company, that’s you, have the intention to pay back the loan.

A business plan demonstrates that the company has the assets in place to secure the loan if all else fails. It also shows that you, as the owner, has the foresight to plan ahead. The business plan gives the banker just about everything they need to know about your company.

What should be included in a business plan? It’s not a complicated document to put together. You’ll need an executive summary which should be about two pages long and is just, as the title says, a summary of your plan. Also included should be an overview of the history of your company, its industry, the market, competitors, the products, and marketing strategies. The business plan doesn’t have to be 300 pages long. As long as all the required information is included it can be 10 to 15 pages in addition to the financial statements.

The business plan also includes the historical financials for the last three years and projected profit and loss statements, balance sheet and cash flow projections for the next three years. If the historical statements can be put together by your accountant so much the better.

How to Choose a Fitness Center: Choosing a Fitness Center That Fits You.

Joining a fitness center is the first step to a healthier you. But there are so many to choose from, how can you narrow down the field?

Determine what your goals are for your fitness program.
Do you want to lose weight, get in shape for an athletic event, improve your chosen sport or establish a life long fitness routine? Knowing what you want from a center will help you choose the right center. Take a few minutes and think about your goals.

Friendly or firm -- philosophy counts
Do you want a congenial atmosphere where the trainers are your friends and gently motivate you towards a fitter and firmer body? Or do you need the no nonsense 'let's get going' approach? Or perhaps you prefer the camaraderie of your peer group pushing you to greater fitness. The atmosphere of the center will influence your enjoyment of the program and if you enjoy the program you'll be more consistent in your attendance.

Visiting the center's website will give you some insight into the center's philosophy. Better yet visit the center itself. While you're there take a moment and look at the members and the interaction between the members and the instructors.

Location, location, location
It's important in real estate and it's important for your fitness center. Choose a center that offers what you want and what you need, but also consider its location. If you have to travel out of your way, the odds are you won't. Pick a center that is either close to home or close to work. That way you can work in your work out without spending as much time traveling to it as you spend using it.

Make sure the fitness center you choose meets your requirements.

How to get a book published can be a daunting question for any writer.

Should you use an Online Matching Services or Email Blast Programs?

Online matching services, for a fee, put your query letter, synopsis and first chapter online. Acquisition editors and literary agents then have the opportunity to peruse the offerings. You have to ask yourself if you truly believe that the average literary agent, who receives 1100 unsolicited queries a year, has the time to look at these websites. Don't be surprised if you're contacted by an editor that works at a vanity/subsidy publisher.

The reverse, or maybe it’s the inverse, are services that have searchable databases of agents and publishers. You specify the genre of your book and up pops agents/publishers who have said they are interested in your genre. Sometimes the agents/publishers have provided their acquisition specs and sometimes the owner of the database has just input the information from other sources.

Finally there are services who will email blast your query letter to agents/publishers. If the participants have agreed to receive the query letters there is a higher probability you will be successful. But, again you have to wonder, with all the unpublished manuscripts out there looking for a publishing home, -- some say close to six million at any one time, -- why would an agent/publisher feel it necessary to sign up for these types of services. Agents who require an upfront fee (never pay an agent upfront) are members of these services. If an agent requests your manuscript before you get all excited do a brief search on the agent prior to sending them your manuscript or book proposal.

Every author asks the question "How to get a book published?" If you're considering using one of these services ask for references. You can also ask about the success rate of the program.

Money for Small Businesses – Four Ways to Get Money for Small Businesses

Every business needs cash and loans for small businesses can be one of the ways to get that cash. Here are a four ways tips to make the process a little easier and less painful.

1. Start thinking about money for your small business now, don't wait until the last minute. Plan ahead. Forecast a cash flow statement for the upcoming six months and revise it at the end of every month. If it looks like you'll need a cash infusion three months down the road, start applying for the loan now and you won't run into a cash crunch.

2. Get your business's financial records in order even if you don't need a small business loan right now. Small businesses lenders will want to see your basic financial statements: accounts receivable, accounts payable, revenues and profits and loss statements. If you keep these records organized it won't be a huge undertaking to get them together for the loan officer.

3. Establish some credit for your business immediately. The credit can simply be a store account, delivery service account or even a business credit card. Use the credit and make prompt payments. After six months or so you will have established a track record. lenders will look at your firm as a more reliable loan risk.

4.. Establish a relationship with a bank that offers small business loans. Open a company checking account. After a few months see if the bank will offer overdraft protection for your account. It's a small step in the right direction towards getting a loan.

If you follow these tips it will be less difficult to get a loan for your small business without a problem.

Wedding Dresses on a Shoestring Budget

Wedding dresses can cost thousands of dollars, just look at the latest celebrity bride. But your dress doesn’t have to. You can be beautiful and stay on a shoestring budget. There are alternatives to spending a small fortune on your wedding attire.

Don’t shop in the wedding department. It seems there is a surcharge on any dress once it’s labeled as a bride’s dress. Shop in the formal evening wear department or even prom dress.

There are wedding outlet stores you can find online. If you know the manufacturer and style of the gown of your dreams you may be able to find it at a huge discount. Just take your measurements and ask if the gown that they have will fit you. Do NOT rely on the sizes. Wedding gowns for some bizarre reason are often sized 2 sizes smaller than regular dress sizes. So if you normally take a 10 in street wear, you may have to wear a size 14 wedding gown. The gown will arrive scrunched in a box but a quick trip to the dry cleaners for steaming and pressing and it should look fresh.

Rent your wedding dress. Men rent tuxedos, so why not? You can expect to pay about 1/10 the cost of the gown to rent it. So you can wear a $1500.00 dress for $150.

Visit consignment shops or high fashion/couture wear second hand shops. Every major city has at least a few. A relatively new trend is wedding consignment shops which deal only with wedding attire and accessories.

Consider having the dress made, especially if you want a sleek, elegant look. The silk you buy at a fabric shop is the same silk used in the designer dresses. You can achieve the same look at a lesser cost.

Consider lingerie. No, you don't want a teddy with lace thigh highs. An ivory satin halter style night gown could very easily be a wedding dress with the right underpinnings and accessories. Some of these night gowns come embroidered with lace, have beading and appliqués.

Use these tips and you can have a gorgeous wedding dress on a shoestring budget.

So Many Choices So Many Business Credit Cards: How Do You Choose?

You need to ask yourself several questions to decide what kind of card is best for you.

What will you use the card for?
If it's for every day purchases and conveniences then a card that has rewards might be more attractive to you. Some cards offer a yearly summarization of purchases by category which can help you budget as well.

Will you pay off the card every month?
If so, a high interest rate isn't as important since there won't be a balance. Try to get a card that doesn't charge an annual fee. You also want a card that doesn't charge interest from the date of purchase, or one that has a grace period of up to 30 days before interest charges begin. If you carry a balance every month or plan on transferring another card's balance to your new card, then low interest rates are important.

Will you be using the cash advance feature a lot?
Then obviously you want a card that doesn't have restrictions on how much or how often you can get cash. You also want a card that doesn't have additional fees associated with cash advances, or a per transaction fee. Some credit cards also charge a higher interest rate on the cash advances to compensate for missing the merchant fees from purchases. Many cards apply payments to those charges that have the least amount of interest being generated first and don't apply the payments to the cash advance portion until everything else is paid.

Do you travel?
If your schedule includes a lot of travel you might want to consider a card that has a cash back feature. Hotels, restaurant meals and airline tickets can add up fast. Of course keep in mind the interest rate as well, unless you pay off the balance every month. Some airlines offer their own branded credit card under the Visa or Mastercard logo and then offer bonus mileage whenever you use their card.

When you apply for any credit card, you need to look carefully at and understand the terms for the credit card. Make sure you know what the interest rate is, the annual fees, transaction fees, and any balance transfer fee. It's also important to know when the interest charges start, how a late fee is calculated and the penalties for late payment.

Finding Your Inner Spa Sanctuary

A spa is as much a state of mind, as a treatment, or a place. Your spa space should be clean, warm, and relaxing. Most likely you'll pick the master bathroom, but you could choose a lesser used guest bathroom. Pick your favorite colors for your spa experience. Find a lovely basket, or fabric covered box, and fill it with luxurious over-sized bath towels, face clothes, and hand towels. Add a silky robe, loose fitting cotton exercise clothes and slippers.

Find candles with scents that relax you and others that energize you. You'll also need to add cotton gloves, latex gloves, cotton socks, and a wooden rolling foot massager. Music is a nice touch to the spa experience.

Your home spa is a reflection of your favorite colors, scents, and experiences. Here are a few themes to spark your imagination.

Tropical Paradise
Bright yellows, corals and blues are the basis for a tropical paradise spa. Think lush plants and brilliantly colored flowers. The scents of orchids, pineapple, and fresh sea breezes fill the air. Bring the feeling of the ocean into your spa experience with sea shells, natural sea sponges, and sand filled candle holders.

Scandinavian Simplicity
The colors are natural wood tones accented by black and steel grey. Scents are clean and gender neutral. Place your spa accessories on sophisticated wooden trays and stainless steel storage containers. Candles reflected in mirrors leave a soft glow.

Zen Garden
Soft greens, sand beige and the charcoal of river rocks polished by running water are your colors. Place a few bonsai plants on the counter by the windows. Include the elements of earth, fire, wind and water in your scheme. Earth can be reflected in the river rocks, fire in your candles, a mellow wind chime, and a table top fountain to provide the essence of water. Your scents are woodsy and fresh, floral scents are very light.

Match your spa to your mood and you'll have a luxurious home spa.

Dog Friendly Hotels 5 Tips for You and Your Dog at Dog Friendly Hotels

Whether your plans include a beach resort, downtown hotel, or a mountain lake retreat here are 5 tips to keep you and your dog happy at dog friendly hotels.

1. After checking in, take your dog for a short walk around the grounds, going back to your room several times. Your dog will leave a scent trail and feel more comfortable in the strange surroundings. Go down the hall, up the stairs, out the front entrance of the hotel and down to the pool. Your dog is curious about its environment just like you are.

2. Whenever you take your dog outside your room carry a small spray bottle of cleaner, a few paper towels and of course plastic bags for cleanup. You can pack this in a fanny pack to be less conspicuous. Always take it with you. If you don't, you can be sure that's the one time your puppy pal will go potty.

3. Never leave your dog in the hotel room alone, even if he's crated, or otherwise restrained. The dog may not be able to destroy anything in the room if he's confined but he can bark and howl. And that's exactly what the dog will do when separated from his family. Most dog friendly hotels insist that dogs are not left in the room alone. Don't be tempted to run out even for five minutes.

4. Even if your dog is trained to walk with you off leash, keep him/her on the leash at all times. Most cities have leash laws. And just as importantly it's common courtesy to the other guests. It's hard to believe but not everyone loves dogs. Small children can be easily frightened by dogs. Even if your dog has the sweetest nature, the child doesn't know that.

5. Pack an extra leash. If it's time for a potty break it's not the time to go frantically looking for Rover's leash.

There are many great dog friendly hotels. You and your dog can have a memorable and fun dog friendly vacation.

Seven Critical Mistakes That Can Kill Your Business Plan

Lack of Clarity
Entrepreneurs are often not clear in explaining the opportunity. Why the business made sense, why the business model would be successful. Entrepreneurs can avoid this mistake by simply asking several people who aren't familiar with their company to read the business plan. If they don't "get it," it's unlikely an investor or banker will.

Unrealistic Projections
Here's a mistake that is difficult for entrepreneurs to avoid: unrealistic projections. While it's true that the company must produce enough revenue to be able to generate the 30% to 40% yearly returns that investors expect, those projections have to be reasonable and achievable. Apply common sense. You can get an idea of whether your projections are in the ballpark by looking at the annual reports of public companies in your industry.

Simplistic Assumptions
Simplistic assumptions are closely related to unrealistic projections. Avoid the 'all the tea in China' syndrome. You know the logic of 'there are 80 billion Chinese people, so if we sell just one tea bag to only 10% of them we'll make a lot of money'. Justify your assumptions. Base them on as much research as you can.

Competition Analysis
The analysis of competition and the failure to describe a sustainable competitive advantage are killer mistakes in business and business plans. Many entrepreneurs do not make the effort, or find it too difficult, to research their competitors. Entrepreneurs often say there is no competition, or underestimate the strength of competitors. Their business plans do not describe a competitive advantage for the company, or how to achieve a competitive advantage.

Mistakes and Errors
These appear frequently in business plans. Rely on more than just the spell checker in your word processing software. If you aren't very good at spotting grammatical errors or incorrect spelling, hire someone to act as a copy editor.

Incompleteness
This includes leaving sections out of the plan, or not including sufficient support data. One surprising mistake is the entrepreneur not providing the name of anyone in the company to contact. He or she must have been in quite a hurry to get the plan in the mail!

Tired Tomatoes, Cranky Cucumbers and Balky Beans.

No, this isn’t a salad gone bad, it’s a vegetable garden in July. Phoenix, Arizona is a terrific place for all sorts of things, but not for growing vegetables in the middle of summer. No matter how much water they receive the plants are pooped. The tomatoes won’t set when the temperature is above 100 degrees because the pollen dries out before it gets to fertilize the flower stamen. The cucumbers are in a permanent state of wilt. They might perk up around 4:00 in the morning but I am not going out there with a flashlight to find out. The green beans should be renamed the yellowish brownish beans.

The lantana looks lousy and refuses to bloom. The lawn, once a cooling emerald sea of grass, is pockmarked by brown spots where the sprinklers don’t quite reach and a permanent sludge of mud where it gets over-watered to compensate for the soaring temperature.

The plants aren’t the only sufferers in the summer heat. The swimming pool, even if aerated by sprays and fountains, is bath water warm. The cement is blistering and results in an odd little dance of shuffling and hopping in at attempt to have the feet make as little contact as possible with the pool deck on the way to the water.

The car is always hot. A trip to the Post Office or grocery store isn’t long enough for the car's air conditioner to get going full blast. Opening the door and climbing in is like getting into an oven.

The dogs, Rose our Irish Setter and Kate, our Springer Spaniel, refuse to go outside, except for the necessary potty trips. Kate actually sits under the sprinkler when it’s on. And then of course runs through the decomposed granite and the mulch, so when she comes back in the house, one knows where she’s been and where she’s going by the paw print trail.

Both girls love their walks in the morning, but now the paraphernalia required resembles that of going on safari. Besides the requisite plastic baggies, and hand sanitizer, and emergency treats, there is their water bottle which attaches to your belt and a water bottle for each of us. At the half way point of the walk Rose gulps down her water. Kate on the other hand refuses to drink, she wants the water poured on her nose. That’s what she does to stay cool, puts her entire head in her water dish with her nose under water. Sometimes she even blows bubbles.

Then we have our hats and they have their little hats. You know, the doggy kind that are terry cloth lined and you wet down the lining before you put them on? I don’t know if the hats actually keep the puppies any cooler but they look just darling. We have our bandannas and they have theirs. Well they did, until Rose ate hers. I suppose the bandanna just didn’t make the right fashion statement.

That’s just how it is in Arizona in July. No matter how early you get up or how late you go to bed, it’s just too hot. But somehow we survive.