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Diet pills and saving pocket money for cosmetic surgery

Eating disorders at eight, cosmetic surgery at 14 – today’s teenagers are riddled with insecurities. In painfully honest interviews, these four girls talk about a shocking world of group starvation, diet pills and saving pocket money for cosmetic surgery

By Natasha Holt & Eimear O’Hagan, 17/01/2010

'I can't wait to have surgery'

Misha Patterson, 14, is from Gloucester. She's 5ft 3in and weighs 8st. She says: "When I turn 18, the first thing I'm going to do is have a nose job. I hate my nose - it's just too big for my face. People make nasty comments about it and I always feel like strangers are staring at it.

I'm already saving £15 a week from my paper round to make sure I can afford to have cosmetic surgery as soon as I'm old enough. I dream about having a little button nose like Lily Allen's, but until then all I can do is use make-up to try to disguise it. Every day, I spend half an hour applying blusher in a bid to make it look thinner.

My mum doesn't think I need surgery, but I've made up my mind. These days, cosmetic surgery is no big deal. What's worse is having flaws. I'm a size 8, but I've got chunky legs and my face is too chubby. I'm not interested in finding a boyfriend yet, but I worry that when the time does eventually come, all the boys will think I'm ugly. They see the same airbrushed photos of celebrities that girls do and they expect us to look just like them.

"I'm sure boys think I'm ugly"

We did a project on body image at school recently and a group of boys were asked whether they prefer natural or fake-looking girls. All of them admitted that they would rather have a fake-looking girlfriend, because at least then she would be 'perfect'. The girls in my class were really shocked at this. We like the fake look, but none of us thought the boys would, too. How are any of us supposed to feel body-confident when we hear horrible things like that?"

Misha's mum, Dawn, 51, says: "I wish Misha felt happy whenever she looked at herself in the mirror. She's such a gorgeous girl and she doesn't need any cosmetic surgery. I hate the thought of her having any procedures. I hope the self-loathing is just a phase she's going through and that she'll grow out of her insecurities sometime very soon."

Bethan Pool saves her money for tooth veneer

'All my friends are prettier than me'

Bethan Pool, 15, is from Horsforth, Leeds. She is 5ft 4in and weighs 8st 5lb. She says: "I believe you have to be beautiful and slim to be successful. Most famous people are known for their looks first and talent second. Even at school it's the pretty girls who are always the most popular.

Mum says I'm being ridiculous and that no one's perfect - but Cheryl Cole and Lily Cole are.

I'd also like to get hair extensions, a nose job and liposuction on my fat tummy, as well as cosmetic surgery to get rid of my chubby cheeks. My friends and I constantly talk about the way we look. I usually moan to them about my teeth, eczema and my short legs. The worse thing is, my friends are all taller, slimmer and more attractive than I am, so if they're criticising themselves for being fat and ugly, what does that make me?

We won't eat in front of each other. If someone has an apple or a cereal bar at lunch, then says: 'I shouldn't have eaten that,' we all think: 'She's thinner than me, so that means I shouldn't eat at all.' The only time we eat properly is at home. We could never go out for dinner at a restaurant together because we'd all end up just ordering plates of carrots.

My main problem is my teeth. They're yellow and wonky. I try not to smile in front of people or for photos, and I hide my mouth with my hand as much as possible whenever I'm speaking.

I don't have a boyfriend at the moment - I'm far too self-conscious to even talk to a boy, let alone date one! My mum's always telling me I'm being silly, and that I've got nothing to worry about, but I don't believe her.

I get £10 a week pocket money and I'm trying to save most of it so that I can afford to have veneers on my teeth. I've read that celebrities have them to make their smiles beautiful. As soon as I'm old enough, I'm getting some. I can't wait to start making myself look perfect."

Bethan's mum, Sian, 46, says: "I would much rather that Bethan was saving up her pocket money to be able to afford something like a trip around the world or her first car than veneers for her teeth. I hope she'll soon start to realise that there are more important things to spend your money on than having a smile like Cheryl Cole. Bethan needs to start believing how beautiful she is and begin enjoying life, instead of dwelling on these unhealthy hang-ups."

Leanne Harvey hates her hips

'I want to chisel my hips off'

Leanne Harvey (below), 15, from Chelmsford, is 5ft 5in and weighs 9st 7lb. She says: "If someone asked me which bit of my body I dislike, I'd say: 'All of it!' I've got a long list of things I'd love to change, including the flabby bits at the tops of my arms, my short legs and my nose. But the thing that bothers me the most is my hips.

I'm a size 10 on the bottom, but my hips are wide and, although I've tried dieting and exercising, I can't lose my pear shape. I'm convinced people stare at me because of it.

I used to skip PE at school because I didn't want to wear shorts. Then the school called my parents and I had to explain myself. It was embarrassing, but nothing compared to how I felt in my shorts.

My body worries have affected my social life, too. While friends go to parties, I stay at home or see my boyfriend. He says I'm pretty and have a good body, but I don't believe him.

Seeing pictures of celebrities sparked off my body issues. I can't help but compare myself and feel jealous that I don't look as good. I know they're often airbrushed, but even when you see them photographed in bikinis on holiday they look lovely.

I often wish I could chisel my hips off. When I'm 18, I'm going to have liposuction and once I get wrinkly, I'll try Botox. I'm convinced my life will be better after surgery - I'll be happier and more confident. I know things can go wrong with cosmetic surgery, but everything comes with a risk. The only thing that would hold me back is the cost. But I'm so desperate for Jennifer Aniston's body, I won't be happy until I have it."

Leanne's mum, Marion, 53, says: "Leanne has unrealistic expectations about how she should look. She compares herself to celebrities and I think she's very influenced by them. She's often late for school because she's doing her make-up. I don't want her education to suffer because of the time she's spending on her appearance. For now, I can say 'no' when she says she wants surgery. But I'm worried about what's going to happen when she's 18."

Emma Burns won Miss Teen Sunderland

'I get bullied for being fat'

Emma Burns, 14, is from Sunderland. She's 5ft 6in and weighs 9st. She says: "I've always loved dressing up and putting make-up on. Last year, I entered the Miss Teen Sunderland beauty pageant. But while I loved the catwalk, behind the scenes I was really self-conscious.

I'm a size 12, but I felt like the fattest girl in the competition. When the other contestants looked me up and down I wanted to cry. All I could think about was how everyone was probably talking about how ugly I was.

I've been teased about my weight for the last year. I was really skinny until the age of 11, when I gradually started putting on weight. A few months ago, a boy told me I was obese, which really upset me.

I've tried eating healthily, counting calories, detox regimes and even herbal diet pills, but none of it's worked. I went to the gym three times a week, but only lost about 5lb, and I put it back on as soon as I stopped going.

My friends and I believe looks and fame go hand in hand. We love Kate Moss and Cheryl Cole and want lives like theirs. I know I'd be happier if I was a size 8.

Amazingly, I won Miss Teen Sunderland, and now I'm through to the finals of Mini Miss UK. I entered in the hope it would give me confidence, and those few minutes on stage were the only time I've ever felt happy about the way I look."

Emma's mum, Michelle, 40, says: "I hoped winning Miss Teen Sunderland would make Emma realise how lovely she is and stop her worrying about her weight. It hasn't. She sees size-zero celebrities and thinks you have to be like that to be beautiful and successful. But you should just be yourself."

Why are our children so worried about how they look?

Clinical psychologist Dr Helen Nightingale helps teens with body-image issues. She says: "These days, there are many factors affecting teenagers' body image, including adverts and celebrities. And because they identify with their peers, they won't listen to reassurance from Mum. Kids today also set unrealistically high standards. So when they see people 'fixing' their bodies, they want to as well. If parents are worried that their children are becoming obsessed with their looks, they should find ways to help redirect their thoughts. Encourage them to help others worse off than them to gain perspective. Life isn't all about looking like a celebrity. Being individual, and healthy, should be celebrated."

3 Ways to Boost Your Compensation

Who can say no to a fat paycheck? We are all waiting for that raise which can pay all our monthly dues and still leave enough extra for weekend shopping. As a matter of fact, a higher salary is one of the biggest considerations every time we’re looking to transfer to another job. Problem is, employers want to save up on everything, even on employees’ salaries. So what do you do if you’re offered less than what you deserve?

Research what others in the same field as yours are getting. It is important that you know so you can determine which job offer is not being fair and which one is the jackpot. When you’re offered a low salary, simply state that from what you know about present salary rates, a person with your experience and skills should be able to earn this much. Know your worth.

Is there a long list of benefits and perks? The salary may be low, but the benefits could be very generous. Ask about allowances, paid leaves, and other bonuses. Summing them up could add up to very good compensation package.

Earn a higher degree. Going back to school doesn’t have to be time-consuming. You can get an online degree or certificates from institutions and other organizations. The goal is to make your resume more impressive and kick-ass. People who have more degrees and certificates usually get the higher job offers.

It’s pretty hard to actually ask for a raise nowadays with all cut-offs in this horrific economic crunch. Still, some employers will be more than happy to incentivize good people. Just make sure your timing is right when you ask for additional compensation.

Aid to business startups: Kiva’s microfinancing for the masses

Going back to the article I wrote about starting a small business, third point. Startups can really benefit from outside help.

Kiva, a San Francisco-based startup has created a way for small-lenders to network together to reach a wider audience. Here’s what Computerworld wrote about Kiva’s work:

Kiva’s approach is straightforward. Entrepreneurs working with established local microfinancing institutions, or MFIs, put their business plans, financing needs and photos on Kiva’s Web site. Investors from the U.S. and other affluent countries visit Kiva.org, choose which entrepreneurs to back and then finance the loans.

My take? It’s great knowing that non-profit organizations such as Kiva is trying to bridge the world together. Startups from all over the world could definitely benefit from a lending network rather than just dealing with lending firms all by themselves. At least, here’s an organized network that builds both credibility for lenders and confidence and security for the startup. Good news, indeed!

Seven Mistakes You Might Be Making When You Network

If you own a small business, or are part of a larger network marketing company, you have probably heard about networking, and you may even have been encouraged to go to networking groups. However, very few people receive advance training, and when they go to networking events, they end up making mistakes that they later regret. So take a look at these very common errors, and learn what to do instead. That way, when you run into the people you met the next time, they will be pleased to see you, and even better, to help you!

Understanding the Purpose of Networking

You might have heard the adage that people do business with those they know, like and trust. Certainly that is the first reason to network. But there's a better reason, and that is because if people know you and know your business, you don't have to sell anyone; other people will sell for you. As an example, if your neighbor's car breaks down, and you happen to have an excellent mechanic, it's natural for you to recommend your mechanic. Now if you happen to also know a fabulous plumber, a great math tutor, an amazing insurance agent, and a lawyer better than Perry Mason, well, it's natural for you to recommend them also. And, in a nutshell, that is what networking is: to build up a list of business associates to whom you can refer business.
Now you're thinking, "But that benefits them. How does that benefit me?" The answer is simple: at the same time that you are building your list, everyone else is building theirs, too. You want to make sure you are on everyone else's list. However, too many people end up not being on those lists, because of the mistakes they make.

Mistake #1

Selling

The point is not to sell one-on-one. After all, unless you are a salesman, that isn't your job (and yes, all small business owners are salesmen to some degree). Remember, you are not after one client; you are after a stream of clients originating from the person you are talking to. You shouldn't care if the person you are talking to becomes your client.
Think about it from the other person's perspective. No-one likes to be sold to, especially the hard sell. If you sell to the person you're talking to, you're almost sure never to get a referral from them.

Mistake #2

Pigeonholing

Too many people at networking events meet someone and immediately categorize the person they meet: "Oh, another __________ (choose one: insurance agent, realtor, financial planner, mortgage lender, piano teacher, etc.)." People are not cookie cutters, and don't come into their professions in the same ways. All lawyers are not alike, and that goes for every single profession out there. Instead, find out what is different about the person with whom you are talking. Every profession has its specialties, and you don't want to refer a divorce case to a criminal lawyer (at least we hope not). You'll find some people who are at the top of their field, and have a very narrow specialization; others will be somewhere in the middle, and others will be just starting out.

Mistake #3

Don't Differentiate Yourself

When you go to a networking meeting, especially if you are part of a larger network marketing organization, the probability is that the experienced networkers there may already know twenty or even fifty people who work for the same company. They may even have married someone who works for the same company or is in the same profession as yours. So how do you get referrals from that person?
The answer is that you must have a specialty. Rather than a cosmetics company representative saying, "I can help anyone with a face," figure out what your own specialty is. The more you can stand out, the more likely it is that people will remember you and refer business to you. And even if the person you meet is married to someone who works for the same company or profession, if you have an unusual specialization, you might get business from them because their spouse doesn't want to deal with that particular kind of client. Learn to stand out!

Mistake #4

Focus on Yourself

Too many people at networking events go around passing out their business cards, and pointedly ignore the other person's card, or don't even bother to ask what someone does. This creates the wrong impression, because in addition to doing business with someone we know, like, and trust, there is another factor to consider. Someone in business is going to refer a client with whom they have a relationship: friend, neighbor, relative, or business colleague. If you appear to be focused only on yourself, you will give the impression that you won't be focused on your clients, either.
The problem is that the person who refers business to you still has to deal with their friend, neighbor, relative, or business colleague long after your business with them is finished. So they are going to be very careful in their recommendations, because they will have to live with the consequences of their referrals.
Focus instead on the other person, and how you can send business to them. Why? Because if you send business to someone, they are more likely to send business to you. And the more business you can send them, the more likely they are to send business to you.

Mistake #5

Don't Go Back

Too many people go to networking event, hand out their cards to everyone, disappear, and then complain they are not getting any business. Remember, people do business with people they know, like, and trust. If all someone does is hand their business card to you and disappear, how likely are you to trust them?
Most networking groups meet at least once a month; some meet every week. Usually, it will take several months of attendance before you get your first referral. Keep going back, and eventually people will start to feel that you are dependable enough to refer someone to you.

Mistake #6

Don't Learn About Others

Let's face it, would you hire someone you met in a grocery store line wearing a company shirt? No? People won't send business to you, either, unless they know you and feel they can trust you. And one of the best ways to get to know someone is to invite them out for coffee or lunch, and learn all you can about them and their business. Experienced networkers will also want to know you.
In addition to knowing about someone enough to send referrals to them, this meeting (often called a one-on-one), is a great way for you to find commonalities. Perhaps your two businesses are synergistic (that is, they are businesses that people often use together, such as an insurance agent and some kind of home repair). Perhaps you have a similar client base, such as families with children. Or maybe you have connections that can work together.
The formula for one-on-ones is usually 1/3 about me, 1/3 about you, and 1/3 about how to help each other. Allow at least an hour and be sure to follow up afterwards with an email, a quick note, or a small gift.

Mistake #7

Don't Give Anything Away

Would you invest in an expensive product without sampling it or reading reviews? Probably not! By the same reasoning, people are going to be hesitant to recommend you unless you let them have an experience of your work. You should be prepared to give something away for free: a sample, advice, or something. Sure, you can give someone a brochure, and they will file it either in their filing cabinet, or the wastebasket. But giving someone an exciting experience will give them something to talk about to potential clients, resulting in more business for you.

Putting it All into Practice

Before your next event, figure out your specialization. Who is your ideal client and how do they find you? The next time you go to a networking event, ask the other person first: "What do you do?" Then ask more questions. Get their business card (you don't care if they get yours) and set up a one-on-one. Then find out when the next event for that group is, and go back and do it again!
In your one-on-one meetings, get to understand the other person's specialty. Put your heads together and figure out how your customer base or your specialties overlap (sometimes you might have to think about it for a while, but it's almost always there). Then offer the other person something for free. Not a discount, not a coupon, but really free, with no strings attached.
Try this approach, and you'll be amazed at the results you'll see in just a few months. Here's to your business!

What does dreaming of money?

Dreaming of money is not necessarily synonymous with wealth or poverty. We have listed the interpretations. 

Dreaming of money, like losing his teeth, is one of the most common dreams. However, this type of dream is it necessarily synonymous with wealth? And he did not even often no relation to our bank account. But it can give us insight to reach a better understanding of ourselves. The dreams convey messages from our unconscious and can help us to open our eyes to something we already know without us admit. So that reveal the dreams of money?

The dream of money, a sign of trust and security

Naturally, we tend to associate money with something positive. And sometimes it's true. It can be synonymous with prosperity and success in what we do: a success in work , a special time in our personal lives. Sometimes it can also be associated with the trust, security or power according to the form it takes. Ingots, it portends economies. Find the money and the count is satisfied sign of hope, even if it must however be careful thereafter to avoid financial trouble. Finally, give money is a sign of prosperity.

The dream of money, a bad omen?

Money does not always bring happiness ! Dreaming of blackened silver can spell bad omen and suggests a lack of financial returns for some time. In notes that one loses, it indicates a future fortunes. But do not be discouraged if: a flow of money could announce later. Burn tickets indicates a big loss (or no money). We must therefore be careful and be prepared. Being robbed of money dream warns of a loss of investment. And cons-intuitively, make lots of money is not necessarily a good omen and indicates rather the trials ahead. Bury money symbolizes that one has something to hide. Finally, cash is a sign of marital problems .


Money as a sex symbol

According to Freudian psychologists, dreams reflect above all our desires, our fantasies and our sexual frustrations. Spend lots of money may mean that we have an overflow of sexual energy . Running out of money may be a sign that you lack of love and affection. Finding silver dream may suggest a pretty unexpected encounter. Losing is, however, rather negative: this reflects a vis-à-vis fear of impotence or loss of desire .

Filmmakers and Managing Time

As an independent/underground filmmaker, it can be very difficult to try and make time for your films. Not only do you try to live a successful life; having a job, keeping a girlfriend/wife, raising children, going to school, etc., but, you also have an insane passion for your film work that can very difficult to invest all of your time in.

Think about all you need to do to make a film. You need to research; figure out exactly what you’re film will be about and look up information that will help you develop your idea. You have to write your film; construct scenes, characters, dialogue, and plot structure. You need to finance your film; it takes a lot money to make a film; you may need anywhere from 3,000 to 50,000 dollars. You need to cast your film; you’re not in Hollywood so you may have difficulty finding actors committed to an independent/underground project. You need to plan your film; figure out how, where, and when you’re going to shoot. You need to actually shoot your film; not everyone will be as committed as you; you’re not in Hollywood so you don’t have 10 hour days, six days a week to shoot your film. You need to edit your film; depending on how you’re shooting this thing, you’re going to need to figure out how you’re going to edit it; editing takes a lot of time, software, and hardrive space. You need to market your film; who’s going to see it? Why will they see it? What will they like about it?

There are countless more steps in between the ones I mentioned. Making a film is very hard work. However, if there’s one thing independent/underground filmmakers wish they had more of is time. If you have the time, you can do pretty much everything you need to get done. But, as we all know, time is difficult to manage. You have to look at your life and figure out what time you can use for your film and what time you can’t use. You need to figure out what you can cut, and what can’t be cut. Yes, your film does need a lot of your attention, but you shouldn’t overwhelm yourself with things you don’t need.

Use Managerial Skills
You can’t do everything. Try to remember that, because, it’s the most important thing. Try not to get too caught up in things you can’t control. And, remember, one of the best things you can do is outsource. If you’re not the producer, then you may not have to worry about that so much. But, if you are the producer AND the director, chances are, you may get a little greedy because it is YOUR film. The best thing you can do as producer OR director is make sure you use the managerial skills.

Make sure you have a good understanding of everyone else’s job and make sure you know exactly what you want. Too many filmmakers have the mindset of, “If I want it done right, I have to do it myself”. That’s really not true. If you’re able to articulate your ideas and explain how you want them reached, then you don’t have to do them yourself. That’s what having managerial skills is about.

It works in any context. If you’re running a business, you can’t do every job. You have to be able to tell people what you want them to do so they can understand you. That’s how you run a successful business. Too many filmmakers say: “no one understands me. I have a vision… blah blah blah”. You can’t be that way. If you can’t articulate your ideas, then you can’t expect people to understand them.

That’s what this is all about. If you’re able to explain to people exactly what you want in a way they can understand, everyone will be happy; especially you. You have to be a people person. From a producer standpoint; you need to be this way to ensure that everything runs smoothly, everyone’s taken care of, and the finished product will be the best it can be. From a director’s standpoint; you need to be this way to ensure that everything is exactly how you pictured it. Remember, a director isn’t as notable for his vision, but, rather, the ability to express his vision.

The point is this. You have to be the type of person people can understand. Whether they understand your art is a different issue. But, if they can understand you, then they’ll be able to make you happy. And if you can outsource jobs, than that saves you time.

Stay Calm at All Times
The smoother everything runs, the less time is wasted. If anything will destroy your project, the first is time issues. The second, of course, is money. However, if you manage your time properly, money can be saved.

Working in to what I’ve stated earlier; you have to be a people person. You have to understand that mistakes will be made and people may just not “get it” sometimes. The best thing to do is to stay calm. You need to figure out what’s most important to you and make sure it gets accomplished without getting angry or upset over the process. It’s very very difficult but it can be done.

Remember, time complaining, time arguing, and time fighting is time wasted.

Have a Plan “B” or “Cut-off” Point
The worst thing you can do is become too involved in a project that’s failing. You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where your out of money, out of hope, and out of time. Just like any business plan, you need to have a plan for your film. Set a point in time in which, if you haven’t made “X” amount of progress, you “cut-off” the project before you get too deep and spend too much of your time and money. Also, have a plan “B” so, if, you’re at a point in which things are failing, you can still salvage the material without completely dropping the project.

These two elements are very important in your project. You need to plan ahead and set these points early in the production. That’s why it’s very important to make due dates for everything you’re working on. Many people will not get things done unless there’s a certain point in time in which it needs to be done. A lot of artists and a lot of people are procrastinators. This can be a bad thing or a good thing depending on how you look at it. It’s a bad thing if you don’t set a due date on something; because then it would never get done.

What’s Most Important to You?
It’s very easy to get caught up in your project. It happens all the time. You need to sit down and analyze your life before you just jump into a film. You need to figure out what your priorities are. Most filmmakers will think that their film is the most important thing to them. And it may see that way but it usually isn’t. Look at everything around you; your school, your work, your hobbies, your family, etc. Would you really want to sacrifice everything for your film.

Remember, film, just like any art, reflects life. You don’t want to destroy your life for your film. Film is about embracing life; in its best and its worst. You need to look at your life surrounding you and realize what you’re willing to sacrifice and what you can’t sacrifice. If you understand that, then you can take out the things you don’t need to make time for your film. And, you won’t get too ahead of yourself with the film. You’ll be able to look at a script and say, “I can make this given the time I have” or, “I couldn’t possibly make this without sacrificing my life for it”. You won’t know any of that unless you sit down and analyze it. But, if you know what you want to do, and you know how much time you have to do it, then, you’ll be able to take that time and manage it properly.

Cost Cutting Tips For Your Wedding

Weddings are suppose to be a happy time, but for some people getting the bill can be all it takes to turn a wedding into more of a negative experience. The following are some tips anyone can use to help cut the costs of their wedding.

The Dress
Besides the couple getting married, the dress is the centerpiece of the wedding. If you want to cut costs and still have your dress look nice, try buying it off the Internet instead of at a salon. Sure you won’t know how it fits, but you will most likely have to make alterations to any dress you buy anyway. Also remember extra lace and beads up the price, as do yards and yards of fabric.

The Invitations
Avoid using large or odd shaped invitations to cut down on the postage costs. Also, opting for a simple, elegant card and font instead of custom ink or embellished cards will save money. When it comes to invitations, keeping it simple will always cost less.

Flowers
If you want roses you will be paying the most for flowers. You can by Dahlias for $3-$4 less a stem. Other flowers like lilies, orchids and daisies look nice at wedding and cost much less.

Photo/Video
If you want to hire photographers and videographers, try and only hire them for the ceremony. Also try and avoid opting for special finishes on the photos. As for the video, only hire one camera and think twice before getting it over-edited. Some editing it usually necessary (no one wants to see a three hour long wedding video) but try and keep it at a minimum. Lastly, if you have to hire someone, take from your local area, as you can save a great deal of money by using an independant filmmaker over a professional wedding filmmaker.

Turn Your Bright Ideas to Action

Isn’t it true that most of your brilliant ideas don’t live long enough to evolve into something tangible? When you think of something promising, don’t let it slip away by putting it on hold because tendency is you’ll either forget about it, or lose interest.

The moment a bright idea strikes you, like for example, an idea for a good business, write it down and explore it so you can discover if you can gain from it. One way you can explore the possibilities of your idea is to hold an FGD (focus group discussion) where you can have a brainstorming session. Get intelligent people from various professions to discuss the feasibility of your idea. Use their comments, insights, criticism, and recommendations to turn your idea into something improved. If you want to study how effective a new marketing strategy is, you can conduct research and surveys which can give you feedback about the idea you’re nurturing.

Develop a comprehensive database. If you need to develop your idea, you will need the help of powerful people which can give you funding and other kinds of support to promote your idea. This is where a precise and organized database can help you. You have to maximize your connections and make your networks beneficial to your ventures.

Choose efficient people to help you. There is a disturbing rate of human resource inefficiency today that you might be led into thinking that hiring someone below your standard set of qualifications is OK. But think again. Hiring someone who’s incompetent will only waste your resources. As much as you want to believe that training can fix an employee’s shortcomings, remember that every employee is an investment so choose only those who can deliver.

Small Business Tip: More on Marketing

Marketing has a very crucial function in any sales business. It is the source of creative and innovative ideas which does the positioning of your products in the market. This is why belonging to your company’s marketing department is both exciting, challenging, and a little scary. But don’t worry. Take a look at these suggestions on how you’re work can be easier from now on.

Secure market statistics. The key to any marketing endeavor is to target your client base properly and nothing can clearly help you to do that other than solid numbers. Statistics would help you to optimize your selling process so that you can focus your attention and effort to people who need your product and could buy it. No use in pitching a bum to buy a Rolls Royce.

Create a client database. If you don’t know who you’re selling to, then you have some serious problems. Having a database would help you touch base with these people whether by phone call, e-mail or even a personal visit from one of your people. Making them feel valued is a plus for your customer-caring image.

Make regular announcements. Consult with your boss on what’s your scope of resource when it comes to making press releases. Your scope is your domain. Master it. Be the first person to know when there’s a new development in your company and in the business. Keep a designated notebook where you’ll be keeping all these new data. After knowing the development, explore the potential of it getting turned into a press release.

Make a write-up about it and discuss with your boss if you can turn it over to themedia for release. Never forget to always give out critical business information like the products you sell and the contact details for interested customers.

Invite a select few media partners during corporate events. Press cons are different from corporate events. But you have to consider the possibilities of getting another free publicity. The key here is to invite only those you’re sure will write good things about the event and the company.

Choose only good tie-ups. Working in the marketing department means you get a lot of proposals regarding tie-ups and sponsorship. Don’t just trash them all yet, thinking they’re just costs. Some of these proposals are actually very good avenues for publicity. Compare the cost with the return of that investment.

For example, participating in a school exhibit could be a very powerful strategy to reach out to your target market if your target market is the student population. You can even use these exhibits to promote ongoing promos. One way you can maximize exhibits is to bring a hefty number of brochures and flyers so you can really push your products.

12 Things I Will Never Spend A Dime On

Here is a list of 12 random things (popular or not) that will never find a place on my shopping list.

1. Neon Lights Under the Car: Yeah, what?$199.95 for lighting up the underside of the car? Now, as frivolous as it may sound to me, I have seen more than a dozen cars in our small town with these lights. You seriously need to have an absolute dearth of ideas about where to waste your excess money in order to buy this stuff.

Sometime in the past, we were driving behind a Camaro that had some neon lights underneath it. My wife noticed it and asked me:

Why does that car have lights under it?

I still don’t have a good answer for that question, except “to show-off to people who care about lights under a car“.

2. Gillette Fusion Power: I wrote about this a long time ago, but it fits this list so let me mention it here. I haven’t understood why anyone needs an “onboard microchip” in a shaving razor. The razor body in itself is not very expensive (about $12 on Amazon), but the cartridges are a rip-off ($18 - listed as $29.99 on Amazon - for a pack of 8). It has some pretty useless features like this one:

Enhanced indicator Lubrastrip signals when it’s time to change the blade.

The time to change the blade is when it doesn’t shave properly - that shouldn’t need “enhanced indicator signals”.

3. Electric Toothbrush: I think people are going nuts in trying to make everything “electric” and automatic - either that, or we are forgetting how to do things manually - simple things like brushing our teeth. Here is some information on how to brush your teeth properly:

Generally, most dentists recommend a circular technique for brushing. This includes brushing only a small group of teeth at a time and gradually covering the entire mouth. To properly brush your teeth, use short, gentle strokes, paying extra attention to the gum line, hard-to-reach back teeth and areas around fillings, crowns or other restoration. (source: How to Brush Teeth Properly)

Now, why does anyone require a $129 $119 electric toothbrush to do that? Is this 2-minute activity becoming so laborious for us?

4. Color Inkjet Printer: These things are .. well, horrible. In general, printers must be holding some kind of a record for being the least reliable of all electronic products. “PC load letter” must be the most hated term in the office world (remember those guys in the movie Office Space? - I seriously feel like giving that kind of treatment to many printers).

Regarding inkjet printers, if you use them too much, the replacement cartridges will cost you an arm (and a leg) and if don’t use them regularly, the ink is going to dry up in a while and you will eventually end up replacing the cartridges. It’s a loss-loss situation with these printers.

Also, in the last 4~5 years, I have probably “needed” color printouts for like 2 times (totaling about 10 pages). Heading over to Kinko’s works out pretty economical for such needs.

For printed photographs, now-a-days you can get them delivered to your home for about $0.11 to $0.15 each (regular 4″ x 6″ photos). You can useany of such numerous websites for that purpose.

5. iPhone: $499 (4 GB) and $599 (8 GB)? Give me a break - it’s supposed to be a phone. I don’t want the internet in my pocket, and I don’t want the talk to my friends while I am listening to Aerosmith, and I don’t want to type a boatload of text with my thumb. The only free time I have to indulge in activities like watch movies, surf the net, etc., is when I am at home - and have access to other time-wasting products (like a TV and a computer) to do those things, so I don’t see the utility of a $599 gadget for doing that.

Plus, from my personal experience, I won’t hesitate to say that AT&T sucks - big time. I must have spent 238536 hours of my life trying to get due credit on billing errors on our AT&T phone bills in the past. A 2-year contract with these people is just out of question.

I just need something that allows me talk with the person on the other end without any distractions (like dropped calls, horrible receptions, etc) and I don’t need $499 to pay for that. Come to think of it, you can get two Wii consoles in that kind of money!

In fact, with the availability of some good free phones (or phones with negative price), any cell phone deal that costs more than $10 ~$15 for the instrument seems like a bad deal to me.

6. GPS Navigation Unit: It’s not like I drive regularly in the tropical rain forest region or the Siberian wilderness - the places where I drive to are well documented on all paper maps and there are easy to read directions on roads all over the country (except in New Jersey). So yeah, I won’t be spending a few hundred dollars on this electronic doodad as long as $6 paper maps are doing the job.

Also, I have a theory (based on observing a few people) - those who have a hard time finding roads using maps also have a hard time using the GPS technology effectively. Technology cannot solve problems created by lack of attention, lack of planning, and general panic.

7. “Memory Foam” Mattresses: Take a look atthis price for a queen sized memory foam mattress. $5,799! are you kidding me? How can people get peaceful sleep after spending so much money on a mattress? (of course, there are cheaper ones available - I am just giving an example)Here is a typical sales pitch for such ridiculously expensive products:

By purchasing a memory foam mattress, you aren’t paying money for a mattress. You’re paying money for your health. You’re investing money into your better sleep and less back pain in the morning. So tell me, is it worth risking your health by purchasing a cheap crap in this case? Definitely not.

I love these sleazy marketing tactics: create buzzwords –> make up stories –> create unnecessary health concerns –> rope in suckers.

There must be a few genuine products in this memory foam business, but now-a-days, every Tom, Dick, and Harry is using that term “memory foam” and it’s becoming difficult to spot the good from the bad.

8. Regular Incandescent Bulbs: Done with those filament light bulbs already. Will never buy one in future. These bulbs are not very economical in the long run - neither for your wallet nor for the environment.

Plus, I am not a great fan of the yellow “soft white” light.

9. Cell Phone Signal Booster Stickers: The concept sounds like scam and probably is a scam. Read more about it here. If it were so easy, cell phones would have come with these stickers built-in.I have paid money for this stuff, and hence it must be working” type of mindset.

If you search Google for these things, you will come across a lot of “positive” reviews. Seems to me like the signal booster sticker interferes with psychology in certain instances - “

10. Radar Detectors: Fancy detectors ones can lighten your wallet by as much as $400+. How about driving within speed limits instead? that doesn’t cost a penny and it is completely stress free. If you think you will save a lot of time by driving fast, read thisand think again.

11. Services by Best Buy’s GeekSquad: Take a look at these prices and services. I am pretty sure these guys target some old people (or the absolutely ignorant) who hit the monitor when their computer slows down. Come on, $249 for installing Windows?

Operating System Upgrade
Professional installation of the latest version of Microsoft Windows that best suits your needs. Software not included.
In store: $129
In home: $249

A couple of hundred more bucks and you will be able to buy a brand new computer.

12. Two Way Pet Communication Device: This $199+ gadget is not a conventional item, but I found it pretty funny, so I included it in this list. Just read this list of “features”:

 Speak to Your Pet up to 12 Miles*

Collar & Harness available for Cats & Dogs

Control up to 14 Pets with one Radio

“Call Owner” Button

LED Lights with 2 Mile visibility

Lol.. things are out of control here. 

By the way, this whole SkyMall shop is full of such fancy stuff. Does anyone ever buy products from these people?

There are many other funny/interesting (and pretty much useless) things (for example) out there, but for now this is enough from my side. Feel free to share things on your must-not-buy list.

How To Go Freelance and Survive

Thinking of striking it out on your own? Wendy Boswell from Lifehacker looks at her own experience and provides some useful tips to would-be freelancers who want to be their own boss.

Put money away

Always have a safety net of spare cash to sustain your for at least 6 months before you venture off on your own. Settle all your credit card debts so you have piece of mind, or the interest rates will hang over your head.

Get insured

Because you are no longer going to be under the care of your company, make sure you look into insurance plans that will get you the most for your money. If personal agents don’t get you what you want, try trade associations for group insurance plans.

Manage yourself

Being on your own means you get to work how you want to work. You decide everything, so discipline is key. This also means learning to make sure you take time for yourself. This can be a problem when there is little separation between work and the office life, so learn to take some time off completely unrelated to work. Do something different, and challenge yourself with new projects to keep it interesting.

With all this in mind, you can take that next step feeling just that little bit more confident of your decision.

Can You Be a Leader?

Some of us are born leaders; while some of us are not. There’s an ocean of possibilities for people who have leadership skills. They do better in the office and they’re more likely to succeed. If all your life you have always been the follower, you’re probably sick of taking orders. Tired of it? Then it’s time for you to be an initiator, a self-made leader.

A leader has vision. A person cannot be a leader if he doesn’t have a target or a goal. The target is what will drive you to always move forward. A person who doesn’t know what he wants and where he wants to go cannot possibly lead because he is also lost.

A leader should be strategic. Just like in every battle, it takes a good strategy to overcome obstacles. All problems have a solution. You just have to either discover it or scheme it out.

The leader has a sense of accountability and responsibility. When bad things happen, the leader steps up to take responsibility for his actions. A person in charge is always in charge — and that means that he is in charge even when shit happens. Especially when shit happens.

A leader is open to other opinions. Just as important as making big decisions, a leader listens to the opinions of others. Opening your mind to other people’s suggestions will help you acknowledge your options. A leader is not perfect in values, but is continuously advancing towards it.