Archive for the ‘Moving Materials’ Category
What’s Hiding in your Bathroom – Part 3 – Toxic Free Skin Care Solutions
DISCOVER WHAT IS HIDING IN YOUR BATHROOM!
(Part 3)
REVIEW FROM OUR LAST ARTICLE
In our last article we discussed how our skin works as a protective barrier and how it functions to absorb the ingredients that we put on it. We discussed the harms of synthetic products on the skin and touched on a few ingredients commonly found in skin care that are damaging to our skin and health. Seven Arrows Color Connection and the Toxic Truth Website (http://www.toxictruth.com ) will now conclude their series of “Discover what is hiding in your bathroom” articles by addressing specific ingredients found in most bathrooms and the damaging effects that they have on our bodies.
WHICH INGREDIENTS ARE HARMFUL?
There are thousands of ingredients that could be labeled as “harmful” if they are not used in the right way and for the right purposes. For example, the three main ingredients in anti-freeze are: Water, ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol. Now, used in the cooling system of your car these ingredients are fantastic and keep your car running in tip, top shape. However, have you ever taken the time to read the warning labels on the back of an anti freeze jug? Here’s one of them (the particular jug that I looked at had a total of four (4) warning or pre-cautionary labels on the back of it).
Here are warnings that can be found on some of these products: “WARNING: Do not drink antifreeze or solution. Do not inhale mist or hot vapors. Avoid prolonged exposure. Avoid skin and eye contact”. Another warning says: “Wash exposed skin thoroughly with soap and water after use”. These are just a couple of the warnings found on the back label.
Why would we mention anti freeze. After all, we don’t put anti freeze on your skin. Everyone knows we put anti freeze in a car. Two of the three ingredients in antifreeze are glycol based. Glycol and its derivatives are everywhere in skin care and personal care products. If you don’t believe it, just grab a bottle of shampoo, cleanser, or lotion. Many of them have glycol in them, particularly the cleansers. You see, that’s what Propylene Glycol is – a garage floor cleaner!
Here is a more scientific explanation of Propylene Glycol (PG). PG along with Butylene Glycol (BG), Polyethylene Glycol (PEG), and Ethylene Glycol (EG) are petroleum derivatives that act as solvents, surfactants, and setting agents. They can easily penetrate the skin, and can weaken protein and cellular structure. In fact, PG penetrates the skin so quickly that the EPA warns factory workers to avoid skin contact, to prevent brain, liver, and kidney abnormalities. PG is present in many stick deodorants, often in heavier concentrations than in most industrial applications. 50 And Propylene Glycol is what is used to carry the “active” ingredients in those trans dermal patches INTO YOUR BODY. (“Toxicological Profile for Ethylene Glycol and Propylene Glycol (UPDATE).” Agency for Toxic Substances and disease Registry (ATSDR). Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, 1996).
Some of the worst offenders in our personal care products are: Ethyl Paraben (linked to hormone disruption, possible birth defects), DEA, MEA, TEA. These are emulsifiers and deep foaming agents in soaps, shampoos, etc. that have been linked to (memory gaps, foggy thinking and cancer). Sodium Laureth Sulfate, possible dioxin contamination. A 1992 FDA survey found 54 ethoxylated raw materials used in cosmetics were tested; all 54 contained 1,4 dioxane. Also, the highly toxic 1,4 dioxane was in 27 out of 30 children’s bubble bath and shampoo products. “Nontoxic, Natural & Earthwise”, Debra Lynn Dadd, Jeremy P. Tarcher, Inc., Los Angeles, CA, 1990.
You will never see the ingredient dioxane listed on an ingredient label because it is a by product of many of the other ingredients. Dioxins are a class of chlorine-containing chemicals widely recognized as some of the most toxic chemicals ever made by humans. A 1992 FDA survey found the highly toxic 1,4 dioxane in 27 out of 30 children’s bubble bath and shampoo products. In addition, 54 ethoxylated raw materials used in cosmetics were tested; all 54 contained 1,4 dioxane. (Toxic Alarm™ Guide, Linda Chae and “A Healthe House”, www.checnet.org/healthehouse/chemicals.
Some of the other worst offenders you will find on most labels are:
• SLS,
• BHA & BHT (linked to behavior problems),
• Parabens (linked as hormone disrupters)
• PABA and PABA esters (linked to playing a role in genetic damage),
• Phthalates (linked to causing birth defects in animals, and are present in a high percentage of pregnant and child-bearing-aged women). Phthalates have been banned in Europe.
Let’s not forget Fluoride. Have you ever read the warning label on the back of a tube of toothpaste? Here’s one: “Warnings Keep out of reach of children under 6 yrs. of age. If more than used for brushing is accidentally swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control
Center right away.”
Are you scared yet? We should be, but don’t take my word for it. Look for yourselves. That’s the purpose of this article. Look at the labels. Become educated. Take a stand and do something about it. Until we do, we will continue to be at the mercy of these ingredients and these manufacturers.
I’ve listed a few of the “side affects” of some of these ingredients. Here are a few more “alarming” facts.
• Premature Birth,
• Depression and Moodiness,
• Male Genital Defects,
• Emotional Disturbances,
• Brain Development,
• Obesity,
• Learning Disorders,
• Low Sperm Count,
• Reduces I.Q. and Memory,
• Cancer,
• Sexual Identity Confusion
• Early Puberty (breast development in girls and boys). “ToxicAlarm™ Guide”. Linda Chae.
This is a partial list of some of the “prices” we pay, particularly our children, for the things we put on our skin to make us look and smell good.
WHERE IS THE HOPE?
There is hope and it comes from within. The first shred of hope comes from individuals such as you who are ready to take a stand. Hope comes from education. Hope comes from information. Hope comes when all of us take that first step.
LOOK FOR THE SEAL.
There are several companies out there that are moving in the direction of good health. It shouldn’t make us sick to look healthy. We should look and feel good on the inside and the outside. Now you can.
The ToxicFree™ Foundation has put together a stringent guideline to ensure that anyone using their seal has met all of the requirements for Toxic Free products. If it doesn’t carry the seal, it has not been certified as Toxic Free.
Seven Arrows Color Connection has taken a stand. We have created a complete line of body friendly Toxic Free skin care products that will take care of all of your skin care needs. We have exceptional cleansers, gentle but effective exfoliators, ph balancing toners and astringents, and ceremide nourishing moisturizers. To learn how you can replace the toxins hiding in your bathroom with a better Toxic Free solution, visit our site at a http://www.toxictruth.com. You will also see a complete listing of our Toxic Free products and the ingredients in our products. If you do not notice a substantial difference in the look and feel of your skin and if you are not completely satisfied with our products in the first 30 days, we will refund your money 100% … no questions asked.
The last in a series of 3 articles provided by Seven Arrows Color Connection and The Toxic Truth Website (http://www.toxictruth.com ).
Susan Stucki
http://www.articlesbase.com/cosmetics-articles/whats-hiding-in-your-bathroom-part-3-toxic-free-skin-care-solutions-102832.html
Find Success With MLM Opportunity
Internet marketing has come a long way in just a few short years allowing numerous multilevel marketing opportunities to spring up and grow. This has also made finding an mlm opportunity easier, and yet more confusing than ever. Finding one that is not just after your money is the first step, then finding an mlm opportunity you can believe in is the next step.
As multilevel marketing matures it slowly roots out more unscrupulous operators who are only interested in scamming an unsuspecting public. However, they have also given a jaded view of legitimate multilevel marketing programs as people relate to them as pyramid schemes and believe they are only after their money.
Despite the numerous multilevel marketing offers promising gold and usually only delivering coal dust, many are finding an mlm opportunity to help them turn their financial world around. While their income may not be instantaneous riches, they typically find it growing month-by-month eventually reaching a point at which they can devote their energies on multilevel marketing efforts, keeping their cycle of growth moving.
An mlm opportunity exists when a company has found a successful formula for sales, advertising and marketing and finds its growth potential limited only by the number of distributors available to perform the functions. They will usually offer the chance to grow with the company by teaching its methods with others, usually setting up an internet website for them and supplying all the tools needed to grow. Typically there is a small fee for all the education, training and materials they supply which is usually more than offset by the commission structure paid for sharing that information with others.
You now have your own internet business operated by you with the site, the knowledge and materials provided by a company hoping you do well. If you succeed the company continues to grow and it is in their best interest to help you in your effort. While they want you to help sell their product or service, they also encourage you to bring in new people to train to do what you are doing so, not only will their business prosper even more, but you can also increase your earnings as the newest member of their multilevel marketing family also succeeds.
With a solid mlm opportunity you not only receive commissions on your sales, but you also receive commissions on the sales made by the people you brought into the business. In most cases if that person brings in additional distributors you also get a part of their sales as well. With many companies the mlm commission structure may end at two or three distributors under you while others have no limit, although the commission amounts will be considerably less the further down the line you travel.
Diep Tran
http://www.articlesbase.com/internet-articles/find-success-with-mlm-opportunity-100951.html
10 Step-by-step Business Startup Guide: Step 10
STEP 10: Sales and Marketing
Read any autobiography or business success story, you’ll notice one common denominator for success – sales. You need to take whatever action possible to ensure that sales are consistently growing to allow you to gain profit.
Again, a word of caution; do not target everyone! In today’s competitive environment, consumers are becoming more demanding and many would seek out products/services that meet their specific need or want.
First and foremost, I need to identify (and do some in-depth research) my specific target market. Next, I would develop sales and marketing blueprint ( similar to the one shown in DAY 8 ) to attract the kind of customers I wanted and meantime, to retain existing customers.
No matter how I intend to plan and execute these strategies, I must understand the formula – executing these plans is like playing a game. What game…? Yes, you are correct – the number game. The higher the number of sales agents/staffs, or the higher is the amount of advertisement posted, or the higher the amount of distribution channels, or the more attempts I personally made to seal a deal, the bigger chances I have in winning. I know for sure, a prospect or a client may say “no” to my product/service today. But, it doesn’t mean a “no” forever! According to LIMRA (a research center for financial planners and financial advisors in America) findings, a potential buyer usually says “no” seven times before making the actual purchase!
Before we move on, let’s understand first the relationship between sales and marketing. Marketing is the process of bringing awareness to the product/service, while sales is the process of making the customer buy the product/service.
Therefore, I am going to analyze eight sales and marketing strategies to increase my probability of winning:
1. Myself
2. Network marketing
3. Affiliate marketing
4. Online sales
5. Marketing materials
6. Direct mail
7. Advertisement
8. Outsourcing
Myself
The first approach is the most affordable yet effective strategy. It is made up of all the possible resources that I already have to generate sales and create awareness. These are some ideas that I would usually work on:
* Preparing a list of 200 or 300 list of target prospects, call them up, present to them how the product/service could benefit them and seal the deal
* Getting referrals from existing customers and reward them once the deal is closed
* Designing, printing marketing materials (i.e. brochure, flyer, discount card) and distributing them at local businesses, schools, community centers, newsstands, cafes and fitness centers
* Writing an article and pitch it to local publications as well as posting it online to newsgroup/newsletter
* Giving out trial services or free product samples
* Talking about the business to everyone that I come to interact. To do this I must place my business passion before my ego. If not, I’ll have difficulty in opening his mouth
Networking Marketing
The sky is the limit when it comes to marketing and selling the benefits of the product/service. Networking is a great, super low in cost to connect with potential customers as well as strategic business associates and spread the news about the business.
The chamber of commerce, local business association or elite business club are great venues for networking. They can connect me to an ecosystem of members who are all looking for business opportunity in addition to getting the right sources of product/service. Often times these associations hold events, offer industry-specific education and message boards online, and provide an opportunity for members to list their businesses on their Website.
Affiliate Marketing
This is not a new jargon. It means engaging freelance agent to do the promotion and sales, online. It is a popular marketing approach where E-commerce Website owners engage existing customers, visitors or even organizations that are willing to promote and sell the product/service for a stipulated commission. The role of a freelance agent (known as affiliate), is to direct traffic to the Website and ultimately when a sale is made, commission is credited into the affiliate’s account.
Website owners usually recruit affiliates by simply advertising online (usually through Google Adwords; a per-per-click search engine advertisement), and placing interesting ads (with bombastic headlines) or sending out recruitment announcement to thousands of bulk emails (purchased from database provider). This is a powerful yet cost effective method of generating sales if owners are involved in Internet-based business.
Online Sales
Regardless of the kind of business these days, I always find a Website is essential. And depending upon the business niche and objectives, it can be a major part of the company’s sales and marketing initiatives. Designing a Website can be made fairly simple by working with a company that specializes in helping small businesses create their Website or get Website DIY software available online.
It’s vital to own a Website that is effective in content. It’s not what the contents say, but how the contents say it that makes all the difference online. Establishing credibility is the formula – attach as many testimonials as you could. Usually, I would give out my product/service to people that I already know, get them test it and immediately get their testimonials. I never wait till I launch the product/service in the market to get testimonial – too time consuming!
Customers expect the world and are suspicious of almost everything. The content (words) must be crisp and intelligent. What the Website says should grab visitors’ attention, pique their interest and motivate them to action – to click the “buy now” button.
Search engine optimization and search engine advertising are two ways to get the business marketing message out on the Internet, and there is a big difference between the two in terms of cost. Banner ads are another way to do online marketing, although the opinion on their effectiveness is very subjective. If owners lack Internet knowledge, it is highly recommended to employ a company or a freelance Website designer to get the job done.
Marketing Materials
This may sound a little basic but it is vital to have all the basic marketing tools. Printed materials like business cards, letterhead and brochures should be a staple in any business. It’s essential for business communication and networking. The key to developing good marketing materials without breaking the bank is to identify an affordable graphic designer and low-cost printer. I normally engage a freelance designer to get all of them done.
Direct Mail
For many fresh entrepreneurs, there is no better way to reach their target market, than mailing literature directly to homes. Based on effective market research, entrepreneurs can identify their core market, assign them certain codes and obtain mailing lists to directly send them literature on the company profile, discount, coupons or other information. To optimize any direct mail strategy, entrepreneurs should consider retaining a direct mailer or bulk mail house company.
Alternatively, entrepreneurs can collect the information themselves by:
* Getting customers sign a guest book
* Obtaining customer feedback
* Purchasing mailing lists from community newspapers, chambers or other associations
* Retaining a list broker to customize a list
Advertisement
Advertising is one of the fastest ways to create awareness of the company, product or service. However, it can be relatively expensive for many startup owners. Before anyone spend money on advertising, however, it’s crucial to understand what advertising can and cannot do for the business, and draw up a blueprint for moving ahead. Here are four main functions of advertising:
* Triggering the curiosity of the public and attract new customers
* Persuading existing customers to spend more or keep coming back
* Establishing credibility, elevate branding status and creating unique business identity
* Reinforcing customers and prospects on the benefits of the brand, product or service
Advertisement cannot do one thing for sure – guarantee sales. Hence, placing up an advertisement campaign doesn’t mean a surge in sales or revenue.
Assuming budget is not an issue, I would definitely invest in an effective advertisement campaign. Therefore, I would create an advertising plan that fit into my budget plan in advance before committing to it.
Outsourcing
One simple and straight forward method that I would not miss out is outsourcing the sales of my product/service to an outsider. It’s easy, get the yellow pages (online or offline), search for marketing agencies, call them up and propose a joint venture (JV) with them in selling my product/service for a commission in return. The JV works perfectly as I am in charge of promoting and marketing the product/service as well as providing after sales service, and the agencies are only responsible for selling them. Most marketing agencies just want to focus on selling.
I would discuss with these agencies to attain a win-win joint venture – a remuneration system that allows them profit from each sale, while I could earn a healthy margin from each sale made. When it comes to negotiating an agreement, the rule is, the higher the commission I offer, the more excited these agencies are in taking up the JV.
In the ten-step process, I spend most of my time in preparation. Preparation is more important than rushing to getting the business open. Thus, if you are already in the process of starting up your business, stop whatever you are doing and put on your thinking cap. Sort out all the preparations you need to do for your business to ensure an effective startup.
I hope the journal could be of helpful to you in many ways. I have also taken an extra effort to include a SAMPLE BUSINESS PLAN (in the following pages) on how to startup an E-commerce business for your further understanding.
*Note: Unproven teories to not be shown to my readers! If you need any small business startup help, feel free to visit my Website 
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Disclaimer – This article may be freely reprinted in its entirety in any e-zine, newsletter, blog or website. The author’s name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.
Dave J
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/10-stepbystep-business-startup-guide-step-10-130318.html
Improving Profit Through Better Cash Management
A colleague of mine used to say that there were 3 reasons that companies went bankrupt:
Companies go bust because they run out of CASH, yet many managers and business owners do not give this enough attention.
Two areas of the business that can tie up cash are Receivables/Debtors and your Inventories/Stock.
How well are you managing these two areas? Try these questions for a start.
1. Do you have an objective for the management of Receivables?
Do you calculate your Receivable days and how does it compare to your terms and conditions?( E.g. if your Receivable Days ( formerly Debtor Days) comes to 90 days and your terms say 30 days – you have problems!!
How can you get paid if you do not issue the invoice? This is even more vital if you run a service business because peoples’ memories can be unreliable and the longer the delay in issuing the invoice, the more queries you will probably receive.
3. Do you clear disputed items promptly?
How many times have customers or clients used a query on a small part of the invoice as an excuse to delay payment of the whole amount? Ask them if they are in agreement with the rest of the invoice and get them to pay the non-disputed amount while you investigate their query.
4. When did you last review your credit terms?
They are not set in stone, so shorten them but ensure you inform your customers. Often small business is at the mercy of big business’ payment terms. Do you know by what date your key customers need to receive your invoice in order to get it processed for payment in that month?
5. What follow up do you undertake?
If you do not chase, some will take advantage. Good customer relationships can play a big part but for the slow payers you may need to be persistent. You could always try some different approaches – apparently there was one collection agency that used to send smelly tramps to sit in customers’ reception areas until payment was forthcoming! An alternative? A rumoured approach from Germany in the 90’s where collection agency staff were employed to dress up in pink bunny suits and Ray Bans and stick by targeted slow- payers until they cracked! One target apparently ignored the rabbit for 3 days!
Remember – a customer who does not pay cannot be your best Customer!
1. Do you have an objective for the management of Inventory?
How many days stock do you need to hold? What are your current inventory levels of raw materials, WIP and finished goods and do you closely monitor their levels in relation to your sales?
2. Do you have a clear strategy?
Are you holding one of everything or do you have a limited number of fast moving lines? If you are a FMCG company, remind yourself of what the “F” is supposed to stand for! Do you know the “stockturns” for each line?
3. How big is your warehouse?
How much is it costing you? Imagine moving to a warehouse one eighth of the size of your present one – as one company did. It would save you an enormous amount of money and whilst it would be hard at first – your business will adapt and manage if forced to do so.
4. Are you guilty of keeping JIC inventories – rather than JIT?
Most of you will have heard of “Just in Time” – where you do not hold inventory but get your suppliers to deliver it JIT straight onto the production line. This requires an efficient production process and reliable suppliers. What about all the stocks you are holding JIC – “Just In Case”? Challenge yourself as to the real probability of them being required. Be strong and get rid of them – they are taking up costly space.
5. Are you holding any obsolete inventories?
Again, if they are obsolete, cut your losses, clear them out and free up the space.
This is not an exhaustive list but a start. Remember that money tied up in these two areas is dead money. Recognise the importance of cash to run your business and positively manage it.
However if I spot any pink rabbits in Ray Bans, I will know what they are up to. I just hope they are not following me!
Cherry Birch
http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/improving-profit-through-better-cash-management-727328.html
Wall Beds and What They’re Made of
In today’s wall bed market there are a number of wood materials that wall beds are constructed out of. Four of the main materials used in constructing a wall bed are Particle Board, MDF Board, Ply Wood, and Solid Wood. Each material has unique qualities that lend themselves to the operation and structure of your wall bed. Each material type is outlined below to give you a better understanding of why it is used, what it is best used for, and what to look for when choosing your perfect wall bed.
Particle Board
Particle Board is an engineered material used primarily for exterior furniture surfaces. It is composed of highly compressed wood pieces, or particles, which gives the material its name. In wall beds, particle board’s chief use is for exterior surfaces, because its guarantees a smooth surface and is less likely to warp or crack over time. Particle board strength is measured by its PSI, which gauges the compression of the particles together, and therefore the overall quality and strength of the board as a whole. A cheaper product will be composed of cheaper particles, and therefore have a lower PSI. Industrial strength particle board is much stronger, and has a much higher PSI rating. One thing to note is that particle board may contain amounts of formaldehyde, and it is important to be aware of this when furniture will be used in nurseries, or other highly sensitive spaces. Newer age particle board does not utilize formaldehyde in its construction so be sure to ask when purchasing a wall bed that has particle board components.
MDF
MDF is a material similar to particle board and has the same usage as an exterior surface wood since it results in a smoother surface and is less likely to warp and crack. MDF, however, is a much more refined product than particle board. It is also composed of wood particles, but they are much, much smaller than those that particle board is comprised of. Because of this, MDF has a slightly smoother texture than particle board. Consequently, this decrease in particle size makes MDF a much heavier product than particle board. This increases its structural use, but also makes your wall bed much heavier, which can be a hindrance when installing or moving your wall bed.
Plywood
Plywood is a material that is generally stronger as a structural material than particle board or MDF. Plywood is constructed of several thin layers of wood, and can also be called layered board. The wood used to create the layers in plywood is generally B grade wood, which individually would not be strong enough for use, but when layered together creates a much stronger material. Use of plywood minimizes the chances of warping, which makes it desirable for exterior surfaces of a wall bed, as well as interior. Be cautious when selecting a wall bed that utilizes plywood as a main structural component, however, as knots in the wood layers can create instability. If one layer of the ply wood has a knot, it creates a point of weakness that can be transferred throughout the wood.
Solid Wood
Solid Wood is the material that is most used in wall beds for structural composition. This is the strongest material available, and is consequently the material used most often for the most important part of the wall bed: the structure. Solid wood is generally not used as an exterior material for several reasons. Solid wood can naturally warp, leading to visual imperfections which decrease the overall appearance and structural performance of your wall bed. It is also difficult to guarantee and align specific grain patterns when using solid wood, creating greater difficulty when used for exterior purposes. Solid wood is also very expensive, and unnecessary use is wasteful in our limited eco-system. wall beds that utilize solid wood as their main structural material will be extremely strong, but for aesthetic purposes solid wood is not recommended as an exterior surface.
Deciding what you want your wall bed to be made of brings you one step closer to knowing which wall bed is perfect for you. Once you know the materials, the next step is to choose how your wall bed looks.
Old Creek Wall Bed Factory
http://www.articlesbase.com/furniture-articles/wall-beds-and-what-theyre-made-of-688597.html