Pagan Packs | Helping Pagan Businesses Prosper…one pack at a time!

March 7, 2012
by Mary Caelsto
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Positive Proprietor: What Are You Investing?

There’s an old saying: you have to spend money to make money. And it’s true. If you’re not spending money, then you’re going to be spending time. Either way you have to spend something in order to make your business grow. So I ask, what are you investing in your business?

You can invest time, that is the time for market research, actual day to day operations, and for promotion and marketing. You can invest money in new inventory, advertising, new sales venues and routine maintenance. You can invest both. Or, you can invest nothing at all.

But if you do the later, then another saying comes to mind: you get what you give.

Look, I know times are tough. I know that margins are lower and we have to work twice as hard to keep the same number of customers. But I also know that we make our own reality and I know that if you don’t invest something in your business, then you’re not going to receive very much.

So what are you investing? What are you doing to ensure your business has a better tomorrow than it had today? What are you doing to make sure that you are growing your business as much as you can and as much as you want?

If you can’t name at least five things you’re doing to invest in your business, then I want you to stop and make a list of the five things you can do now to make your business grow.

Can’t think of five things? Then invest some time and research them.

March 4, 2012
by Mary Caelsto
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Positive Proprietor: Act As If You’re Living Your Dream

Are you living your dream? Come on. Be honest. It’s just you and me, and I won’t tell. So are you really living your dream? Is this the life you wanted for yourself?

If you answer no, and frankly most of us probably will, then you need to live as if you’re living your dream. But, you say, I have a job and a family and I just don’t have the time for my business that I want. How can I act as if I’m living my dream when my life is crazy and I’m nowhere near where I thought I’d be by now.

So how do you take that life that you have and act as if you’re living your dream?

First, don’t come from a mindset of “lack”. If you need more time, instead of saying “I wish I had more time” say “I have the time I need to complete my work.” Phrase things as if they’re happening and the universe will answer.

Second, make the changes you need to live the way you want. You might not be able to quit your job today, but I bet you can identify a few things you need to do in order to quit that job. You might still have to juggle family duties, but you can discuss with your other family members ways to free up your time or share duties.

Third, stay positive. Getting down doesn’t help and can only hurt your momentum and your sense of accomplishment.

You might not be able to live the way you want, but you can make steps to ensure that happens. Taking small steps will lead to larger ones and move you forward. So come on, until you make it…fake it!

February 27, 2012
by Mary Caelsto
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Positive Proprietor: Is Your Business Coasting?

Sure you’re doing all right. You are making sales, bringing in money, maybe not as much as you think you ought to be, but you’re doing okay. Sure, you say, you’d like to grow your business…someday. But you don’t have the time, the energy, the money, fill in the blank with whatever you feel you’re lacking. Your website has looked the same for many years and you’re still using the same software you did at the start of your business. That’s all right. Isn’t it?

The truth is, you’re coasting.

It’s comfortable to coast. You have the wind at your back, you’re pushing downhill, not expending much energy. It really makes sense to work this way, right?

Well, it might be easier, but it isn’t the best for your business. Continue Reading →

February 25, 2012
by Mary Caelsto
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Positive Proprietor: Tangent or New Business Opportunity?

We all have ideas that cross our minds, things we’d like to do, opportunities we’d like to pursue. But how do we tell if we’re going off on a tangent or following a new business opportunity? Sometimes it’s hard to tell. The energy around a new idea might be refreshing, exciting, and feel so much better, so different from the energy around our current work. We might get lost in thoughts about our new venture, crowding out and forgetting about our old. That doesn’t sound good for the business person.

So how do you tell if you’re chasing a tangent or a bonafide business opportunity? Continue Reading →

February 22, 2012
by Mary Caelsto
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UPDATE: Planning Your Business Webinar

Please use this link to register for the webinar.

Our apologies. We have updated the post with the correct link to register for the webinar.

### Copied From The Original Post ###

As we gather up documents to complete our taxes (in the US), it’s a great time to look at our business and make plans for 2012. This hour-long webinar will walk you through what figures to include in your plan and provides some basic workheets to create a quarterly or a yearly plan.

Date: March 6, 2012
Time: 6pm CST (4pm PST, 5pm MST, 7pm EST
Duration: 1 hour or a bit longer
Cost $10 (proceeds to go to pagan packs)

About the presenter: Mary Wilson is the owner and admin of Pagan Packs and runs Jupiter Gardens, LLC. She is a big believer in planning and goals and finds using these methods help her in her own business. Planning can take your business from “hobby” to “business” status, and can help you achieve your dreams. She hopes that those who attend will find her methods easy to understand, helpful, and a way to help all attendees achieve their goals!

Please click this link to go to paypal and register for the webinar. Thank you!

Paypal registration link.

February 21, 2012
by Gypsy
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Blogging w/ Gypsy: Why I Use WordPress

Hello Everyone! I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Kimberly LoSavio ~ aka Gypsy Rose. I’ve been a member of the Pagan Packs yahoo group since July of 2006 and I’ve been part of the moderating staff since 2008. I’ve been blogging since 2007, starting with Blogger, than discovering WordPress. I’ve not used any other blogging platform since. And I would like to tell you why I use WordPress.

The WordPress blogging platform officially began December 26th, 2003! And, to date, it’s been installed over 22 MILLION times … 22,000,000 — that’s a big number. HUGE! I’m biased and subjective, but this easily shows that WP is more popular than all the other blogging platforms. Continue Reading →

February 21, 2012
by Mary Caelsto
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Positive Proprietor: What Are You Doing To Build Your Business?

Talk to many different business owners and you’ll hear most of them say that they want to build their business. Very few people are happy where things are in their business, and if they are, then they still should probably look and see if there are ways to grow. We should always be moving, always be growing because stagnation leads to a lack of forward movement and eventually a slow decline.

But what are you doing to build your business? What educational opportunities are you taking advantage of? Continue Reading →

February 19, 2012
by Mary Caelsto
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Positive Proprietor: Doing What Makes Us Happy

A question was posed to me last week and it made me stop and think. It probably shouldn’t have, but I bet if someone asked you that you’d have to stop and think too.

If you could do anything in the world, what would you do to make you happy?

Think about it…. make a list if you have to….but then cross off all those things on the list that you do for others or to sell to others and make sure you’re left with what you do for you….

Do you still have a list? Continue Reading →

February 13, 2012
by Mary Caelsto
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Positive Proprietor: Putting It In Writing

Since our community can be such a close-knit one there are times when we will do work for those close to us. If we’re a trades-person, then perhaps we’ll do work for a family or a friend. We might seal the deal with a handshake or trust that the other person’s word is good. And most times everything happens without a problem. But, sometimes, such as during a construction project, unforeseen things happen. Projects get more involved, or life interferes, or the lines of what should happen get blurred, and what then? As any good business person knows, it’s always good to put things in writing.

One of my “guilty” pleasures is watching Holmes on Homes on the DIY network. One of the reasons why I love his show is because he goes in and “makes it right.” He fixes an oftentimes horrible situation with contractors and work not done properly (or safely) and makes a beautiful resolution, generally ending the show with much appreciation and hugs. I’m a home improvement show junkie anyway, and something like this, where there is always a happy, positive ending thanks to the generosity of Mike Holmes and is crew–well it’s just feel good TV. One of the things he says is “did you have a contract?” “was it in writing?” Continue Reading →

February 9, 2012
by Mary Caelsto
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Planning Your Business for 2012 Webinar

Date: March 6, 2012
Time: 6pm CST (4pm PST, 5pm MST, 7pm EST
Duration: 1 hour or a bit longer
Cost $10 (proceeds to go to pagan packs)

Please click this link to go to paypal and register for the webinar. Thank you!

Paypal registration link.