The Internet Entrepreneur Diary

Image Source: Closed Courtesy of: Jasoon

Just got an email from AIM Phoneline team saying they are closing the FREE service on January 13th, 2009 (Black Friday). It’s too bad to see a great service closing their door.

I have been trying everything to lower the cost of operating a small business or home based business. It makes no sense to operate your small business with huge cost. Keeping your cash flow positive is always my priority.

Popularity: 16% [?]

If you were reading my blog few days ago, you know that I went on a cruise trip to Mexico and visited one of the best vacation heaven- Cabo San Lucas (photos) - The land’s end where the journey begins!

My wife was set free after her company went under.  We decided to take a week break to the place we visited 2 years ago in 2006. Why we decided to visit the same place again? Cabo San Lucas is the place that inspired me to quit my job two years ago. Now, I want to get more inspiration and continue my journey at the same place.

Popularity: 14% [?]

Image Source: 13000 Feet by Me

Yesterday, I post a thought about my entrepreneur journey at “Are you ready to take off or to land? Be the pilot of your business plane!” I believe that my life is just taking off the ground and heading to my destination. I would like to look at my life from the 13000 feet above the ground. This photo was taken on the way back home from Taiwan. The cloud was so beautiful and so weird. I almost felt that I can walk on the cloud.

Nothing can stop me now!

Popularity: 17% [?]

Image Source: never to be seen again - This image has been cropped, and fixed.

Just few days ago, I post “Who is reading your blog? Why do you care“? It’s a great finding who exactly was reading your blog. The post was inspired by one of my blogging friend at BloggingMix. It’s about why you need to network with non-Probloggers.

I took it further. I want to communicate non-blogger.

In the past few weeks, I have closely watched my visitors and track down where they came from. My finding was not a surprise. I can pretty much claim that 80% of my readers are from search engine and almost 100% of them are no bloggers. They find the page, read it and left. In my early blogging days, I post a lot of stuff related to GPS, IE bugs, and many other non-entrepreneur related posts on the blog. This blog was a mixed blog on everything I see, I heard, I like and I think. It’s not much about blogging and being an Internet Entrepreneur.

What’s wrong with that?

Popularity: 21% [?]

Image Source: Gambling man

Neil Patel from Quick Sprout recently posts a great topic about “Online Gambling: Are you willing to roll the dice?” It got me thinking how I was doing in the past two years as a self-motivated entrepreneur. Nell list three signs. If you happen to have anyone of them representing to you, you need to re-brand yourself.

There is nothing that differentiates you from the competition.
Within the last 2 years you have not been able to achieve your professional goals.
You are not well known in your industry.

I cannot agree him more. Personally, I don’t have problem to take risk. The tough part is to decide which game to pick. Do you know what game to pick and take on the risk to be a successful example like Neil Patel?

Popularity: 9% [?]

Image Source: Telephone Line

A while back I post “10 Google programs to operate your small business for FREE.” Running a business requires a lot of attention to the business operation. Saving your business operation cost is equally important to make profit. Make your customer’s life easier and save their money will bring you more business. It’s also important to make your customer trusting your business. Providing great products is not enough. Give your customer a great customer services is also important.

I have tried many ways to lower the cost of my business operation. I found reliable web hosting from ANHosting.com. I use Google’s free calendar, gmail, and alert for my day to day business operation. I use free AOL pictures to store my huge photo collections.

What’s next money saving add-on for my business operation?

Popularity: 15% [?]

Image Source: Relationship

Many my readers are seriously about making money on the Internet with their own business strategies. So do I. I have been involved in online e-commerce stores for sometime. I run my own business for few years now. As an online retailer and moving forward to a drop shipper, building a closer relationship with my business partners becomes one of the most important tasks in my business plan.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Image Source: smoky forest

Were you away from blogging in the past few days due to the holiday and with any other excuses? I have been busy in the past few days for my brother’s wedding and other stuff. I have not post anything since Dec 21st. I have just received an email from my reader at Steve’s Blog of the Web asking me why I have not post anything in the past few days.

I admit that I am not doing a good job keeping my editorial calendar. I have been very busy preparing my brother’s wedding and dealt with fashion jewelry manufactures. It’s been busy weeks before the end of year 2007. Keep blog schedule is not an easy job. Especially, it’s not your primary job and income source.

Popularity: 11% [?]