I have been self employeed for several years now and I have learned some very valuable lessons along the way. I hope that by sharing with you some of my knowledge, I can help you with your home business and save your valuable time by learning by my mistakes. Every thing is this article applies to any home business from internet marketing to baking brownies wholesale.

I think the first lesson I learned was that I needed to take my self and my business seriously. When I first began my own home business, I didn't structure my time at all. I thought that I could do what I wanted when I wanted. Because of my slacker ways, I let myself take off from work early , take too many sick days, personal days and generally goof off too much. I was too nice of a boss to myself. That is fine to do that once you get going and are making some money, which is one of the ultimate goals of self employment but at that time I wasn't making much money and it was not a good idea for me to be so relaxed. I wasn't making much money. Soon, I realized that I had to take my business seriously or I would end up broke.

It dawned on me one day that I had never been such a slacker working for someone else. I wouldn't have dared for fear of losing my job. If I didn't work, I wouldn't have money. Why wasn't I doing the same thing for my business? I had to apply the same work ethic to my business that I had shown to other employees that I had worked for. I had to show myself and my business the same kind of respect. I asked myself, why would I be such a diligent employee to someone else's company and not to my own business? It didn't make any sense for me. When I asked myself those questions, I began to see things in a different light and I made a decision then and there that to work as hard as I knew I could plus more. My business is worth a stellar effort on my part. I had to split my personality into a boss and an employee and I had to lead my employee self by my boss self and expect good hard work. When I began doing that, my life began to change. I took my business seriously, made a commitment to both selves and soon I started making a good living. Finally, I was gainging my respect.

One of the most helpful things that I did for me and my business was that I wrote out a schedule for myself and stuck to it. I wrote out a schedule as if I was an employeer, and then I expected myself to be present on the job. Not half way present but all that I could give present.I began reflecting on my past job experiences and what I had done to be successful with other companies. I took those experiences with other jobs and realized that for me, if I had been given a guideline, clear expectations for my job and goals, that I would jump through hoops to get it done. Didn't my business deserve that same respect? Wasn't it worth the same kind of dedication that I had given to other companies? When I worked for someone who wasn't as demanding, well, I didn't give my all. It was the same thing in school, too. I always did better for the teacher that expected the most from me since they knew I could do it. I had to expect that same work standard from myself and once I did, things did change. Not overnight but steadily.It took me to realize that my business is just as important if not more, as any other business and I needed to treat it that way.

The critical factor for me was writing out a schedule for myself. I report to work in the morning (which is my downstairs) dressed and ready to go. By dressed I don't mean a suit but something other that my pj's. Some people can work in their pj's but not me since I need structure. It is too relaxed for my personality.

I shut the door behind me and do not answer any personal calls (unless REALLY urgent) only work related calls and the same goes for email. I take an hour for lunch and that hour is for me to get lunch and run errands like going to the post office or bank. I do not use my work hours to do personal errands like I used to. Since often what would occur would be that I would go to the bank in the morning and in transit would decide to go to the grocery and then maybe I could go work out and then on the way home I could stop by a friend's house and visit. Next thing I knew, I was telling myself that I could start work later but then too often though, by the time I got home I wasn't motivated to work and and would tell myself that I would be super good tomorrow and work twice as hard to make up for lost time. That very rarely happend. Kind of sounds like some of my attempts at dieting!

After my one hour lunch, I go back downstairs, shut the door and beging work again until it is time to home. Before I leave though, I clean my desk and get organized for the next day so I won't waste time first thing the next morning.

To tie all this together, the easiest, least expensive way to increase your productivity is to act like a boss and write out a schedule and expect your self to stick to it. Doing this will really help you obtain the kind of business and lifestyle you want.Don't you think that you and your business are worth it? I think so! Now is the time to put this simple action into practice.

Before you do anything more today, write out a schedule for yourself and post it where you can see it. Start following it right away, stick to it and I assure you, you and your home business will benifit from this. The good thing about this advice is that it is free and it can do no harm. If anything, it will help improve your business and your life.

Thank you so much for reading my article and I hope you find it useful and sign up for my next article!

Next weeks article is about how to focus on your home business and not being distracted by so many unimportant things.

Please look forward to more informative articles about my experiences working from home!

Sara Remberthttp://www.AllNeedMoney.com

Songkhran is a festival of three days and celebrated on April 13, 14 and 15 . However, the Thai consider 15th as the most auspicious day and they celebrate it as New Year. The festival commences on April 13 with fireworks. People believe that burning firecrackers will help them drive away evil forces. They give utmost importance to cleaning on this particular day. They clean their houses, clothes, and all their belongings. People also take care of their personal appearances by having a head bath.

April 14 is considered as a day between old year and New Year, as this day does not belong to any year they consider it as an odd day. On this day people will not perform any sort rituals. They also advise their children not to quarrel with others.

On the 15th, people visit temples early in the morning. Later, they offer food to Buddhists monks. On this day all family members try to be together. The younger members of the family visit homes of elders to seek their blessings. The younger members also ask for forgiveness for the mistakes they have done. The elders forgive them by giving them their blessings and offer words of guidance. After this, people enjoy themselves by throwing water on each other. They also mix some color in the water and splash it on each other.

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The debate probably arises because of differences in what networking is. Staying in touch with past customers, for example, is undoubtedly a highly effective and important small business marketing tool. Regularly attending networking functions may or may not be as effective a small business marketing tool.

So let?s consider those two types of networking separately:

Networking type 1: Staying in touch with past and current customers as well as those who have inquired about your services

This type of networking is probably one of the most important small business marketing tools you have. Past and current customers, as well as those who have inquired about your services make up the ideal small business marketing list: people for whom you have complete contact information and who, you know, are interested in your products or services.

To successfully network with these customers and prospective customers, set up a way to contact them on a regular basis. One way to do that is through a monthly (or quarterly) newsletter in which you offer relevant information (newsletters have the added benefit of positioning you as the expert). Another is to send out promotional offers that will entice those customers to return and do business with you again. Yet another is to send holiday cards (try sending cards on holidays that aren?t traditionally celebrated with cards, such as the Fourth of July or Thanksgiving to really stand out from your competition).

Networking type 2: Attending networking functions with other business owners

Attending networking association functions is no doubt less effective than the first type of networking. Some small business owners consider this second type of small business marketing to be a complete waste of time, while others find that they make contacts that turn in to business customers.

Perhaps the best argument against attending networking association functions as a means of small business marketing is that your network association is made up of other small business owners just like you who are anxious for customers, not looking to make friends with other small business owners.

The flip side of that argument is that networking associations, when run well, offer you a chance to network with other small business owners selling different kinds of products or services from whom you may get referrals or with whom you may start a joint venture.

If network associations are going to help your small business marketing efforts, though, they should meet a few conditions:

1. They should limit members to one business in each market sector, so that you?re not ?networking? with your competition

2. They should require each member to meet a leads quota ? to ensure that no one is trying to free ride

Whichever type networking fits well within your small business marketing strategy, the key point to remember is that staying at the forefront of your contacts? minds is critical to getting the referral (or the repeat business, in the case of current and past customers). There are a number of software programs that will help you establish a list of contacts and remind you when it?s time to follow up.

Brandt Stohr, The Small Business Marketing Genius has brought startup one man operations to billion dollar corporations by using creative marketing techniques rather then investors and capital. Brandt Stohr has been helped hundreds of entrepreneurs to get their small businesses exploding with sales without the use of expensive traditional marketing techniques. For more information and a free report on the ten deadly mistakes most small businesses are still making visit Brandt Stohr's site at http://www.smallbusinessmktng.com or http://www.brandtstohr.com

Some of the well known ingredients that are commonly used in Thai food are lemon grass and lemon juice, garlic, and chilies. Seasonings such as black pepper, ginger, tamarind, and coconut milk are used to add a touch of spice and flavor to the food.

Being the largest exporter of rice, the staple food of Thailand is none other than rice. They have this particular variety of rice, the jasmine variety and is known as Hom Mali rice in their local language. You would be amazed if you came to know that there is actually a rice gene bank in Thailand. An approximate range of 5000 varieties of rice is stored in this bank.

Some of the well known food of Thailand are fried rice served with non-vegetarian dish such as beef, chicken or shrimp, a delicious soup containing a blend of pork and vegetables, coconut custard, fried banana, rice noodles with meat and vegetables and so on. Coconut and tamarind based cuisine are mostly found in the southern region of Thailand.

The food list is actually endless and one can go on and on about the mouth-watering delicacies of Thailand.

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Is that really all it takes? If you listen to some of the so-called experts, yes. They think handing out your business card to everyone you meet is your most important networking tool. What a shame. And pity the poor fools who believe that.

Networking isn?t a numbers game ? a contest to see who gives away the biggest stack of cards. Networking in its purest form is a system for sharing information among individuals having a common interest. The key components are ?sharing? and ?common interest?. Everyone involved is interested in a similar outcome ? generating new prospects.

Networking success won?t happen for you unless you have a give-and-take attitude. You have a responsibility to talk with the people you meet and make yourself available to them, just as much as you have personally to gather information from them. Certainly you can hope each is a prospect but treat them like a person, with courtesy and respect.

Follow these simple steps and the networking process will be an effective strategy for you.

1. Know Your Value

This is critical for any marketing activity, especially for networking. You have about 8-10 seconds to make an impression. You must, without hesitation, know how you add value and be able to clearly communicate it. No one will care what you do if they don?t know how you can help them. A roomful of hungry prospects are only valuable if you can simply and plainly express your value.

2. Learn and Practice the Art of Listening

Networking events are demanding because most of us attempt to meet a large number people in a limited amount of time. We want to rapid-fire our introduction and elevator speech and then move on to the next person. That?s not effective networking. You will only get results when you take the time to listen to an individual, learning a bit about her and showing genuine interest in what she has to say. Great networkers are great listeners first.

3. Understand Networking is Not a Sales Pitch

Networking is only a first step in the marketing process. Is a sales pitch an appropriate step before you get to know someone? Of course not, and yet it happens over and over again at networking events. Your goal should be to build a relationship with a prospect and networking events can be a valuable vehicle to jumpstart that process.

4. Master the Business Card Exchange

Passing out your business card to everyone you meet isn?t an effective strategy. More importantly, focus on gathering cards from those you have met. When you have their contact information, you now are in control of the follow-up phase. If your only interest is in handing out cards, the relationships can only be continued and strengthened if they choose to follow-up with you.

5. Dedicate Yourself to Timely and Consistent Follow-up

Once you have their cards, determine who the key prospects are for you. Let?s face it, your time is limited. Only follow-up with those you can stay in touch with on a regular and consistent basis. As soon as possible after the event, make initial contact with them. The opportunity to build a relationship will grow cold quickly and you can easily lose the momentum gained at the networking event.

Networking can be a demanding and time-consuming process. But if you follow a few simple guidelines, it can also produce a rewarding and prospect-building outcome.

Larry Baltz runs a company called More Sales ? More Profits. He works with small business owners who want to get more clients and sell more products and services. Larry is a Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach and small business marketing expert. For his free report, ?Knock-Their-Socks-Off? Promotion and Marketing, go to http://www.moresales-moreprofits.com for your copy.

The construction started in October 1942. During the construction of the bridge, there were no sophisticated machines to aid the construction. The workers building the bridge used dynamite to break rocks and boulders leading to accidental deaths of many. Once the bridge was built, the railway played a major role in opening the area for cultivation. Before the bridge was constructed the area was a forest and people were afraid to enter it.

However, today the bridge is a famous tourist spot. There are many places to look around and enjoy a day around river Kwai. In Tambon Tha Sao, a place near river Kwai, visitors can hire a boat which can carry a maximum of 10 to 12 to visit the Lawa Cave and Sai Yok Yai Waterfall. The trip takes a total of 4 hours to go and return and is well worth the time spent traveling.

There is also a war museum located near the river Kwai bridge. The museum houses a collection of weapons, tools, and utensils used by the prisoners of war and the Japanese army during the construction of the bridge and World War II.

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Networking is an event to attend and sell my product/service/self.

- Networking is a part of a system a system by design. Networking is a part of selling. It?s process within selling. On it?s own networking can be anywhere in the process of selling ? it could be the beginning, a continuation or the final event that leads someone to believe you have the best solution for their problem. Selling as an event does not usually happen in networking unless other ?parts? in the relationship have come before.

All I need to do is network and my business will grow.

-Networking is one part of marketing! A newsletter, direct mail, an online website presence, a signature file at the end of an email, testimonials, a mailing list, press releases, being on a radio or talk show, taking a prospect to lunch, writing articles, asking for referrals, attending a trade show, giving seminars ? all of these and a hundred more are marketing activities. Networking is one way to gain attention of those who can buy your product or service to solve a problem they have and help you grow your business.

I networked once and it got me nothing.

-Yes it's an exaggeration. Networking gets you something every time. The mistake is in the idea that networking is an event where the sale happens. The reality is that networking as a process gives many opportunities to help take a product and service to market. Networking is a significant event in a series of events adding up to a marketing plan.

Take off the glasses and bring the true value of networking into sight. You will reduce your frustration and increase your sales along the way.

Sign up at Pat?s website at http://www.prostrategies.com for her free teleclasses! And a free monthly ezine.

Pat Weber - coach, certified telelcass leader, and corporate trainer, America's #1 Coach for Introverts. Working with small business owners, independent professionals and salespeople to get as successful as you want to be, with more fun and more energy.

1) The Oriental, Bangkok

The Oriental is considered one of the most beautiful spas in the world from the suites all the way down to the standard room. The spa marks a breakthrough in Asia, which is considered one of the first of its kind. Popular options include the Oriental Massage, as well as the Jet Lag Recovery Treatment. The spa also features a Revitalizing Seaweed Treatment, Essential Oil Massage, Oriental Mud Wrap and the Oriental Herbal Wrap. Average Price: $330-$2200

2) Natural Wing Health Spa

Located a couple minutes from the Bang Por Beach, visitors will find themselves situated about a tropical oasis, surrounded by white sands and lovely views. If you are interested in staying at this location, you will find a satisfying selection of deluxe Thai villas. The resort offers access to a refreshing swimming pool, as well as a top-notch health spa with authentic Thai massage. Additional services offered include yoga, meditation, colonic cleansing, as well as acupuncture. Average Price: $40-90 per day

3) St. Carlos Medical Spa

For those who wish to experience the uplifting properties of traditional Thai medicine, this is the place to seek out. The spa treatment and other therapies have earned a reputation for providing a small slice of heaven to visitors. Once you check into deluxe accommodations, you may explore the open terrace, evening cruise, or delicious international cuisine. One of the most popular packages at this location includes the Honeymoon Package, offering five treatments per day (three primary and two mini options). Average Price: $100-$1500

4) Evason Hua Hin Resort &amp Six Senses Spa

There are close to 150 luxury, lodging options featured at this resort and spa, which places you in the midst of a breathtaking tropical garden. The private pool villas here provide great views of the Gulf of Siam. Many tourists boast of the superb level of service and amenities offered at this resort, from the lotus pool to the romantic balconies. A popular package option to be on the lookout for is called the Exotic Flower Bath, which includes two hours of a full body, face and scalp massage. Average Price: $125-$425

5) Patong Villa Hote

The Chaidee Spa at this hotel offers traditional Thai surroundings, as well as a satisfying location to let all worries float away. Situated on the tropical destination of Phuket, accommodations are located rather close to the beach. At the onsite beauty salon, you may enjoy facial and foot massages, as well as traditional Thai and Swedish massage. Average Price: $27-$40

6)Pimalai Resort &amp Spa

There are close to 1000 meters of sand-filled beach land to experience when staying at this resort and spa. Placing tourists in the southern part of Thailand, within the province of Kabi, you will be able to enjoy the breathtaking coastline. Available spa selections include the Pimalai Pampering Package (flower bath and massage) Ultimate Detox Package (flower bath, body wrap, massage) ?Koo Rak? Package (body scrub and massage) and Royal ?Koo Rak? Package (herbal steam, flower bath, body scrub and massage). Average Price: $250-$2000.

As you can tell, in recent years Thailand has emerged as a spa destination with some of the world's best spas in idyllic locations at affordable prices.

You can learn more about Thailand Health Spas at Rex's handmade handbag site, Siam Sensibilities. He sells handbags and accessories made from Thailand's indigenous materials–silk, hyacinth, leather or hemp–at budget friendly prices.

Anyone that has been to Thailand will tell you 2 things to watch out for the cute ?Tuk Tuks? that for the most part have screwed themselves out of a decent living from the tourist by their antics of taking you to every jeweler and tailor that they are even remotely related to

The 2nd thing they will tell you with the taxis always use the meter. I love to share the story where Joe New Guy (not his real name to protect the gullible) and I were heading to Pattaya and a taxi pulled up and offered to take us for only 350 baht. I said no we want the meter and Joe New-Guy said, that sounds like a deal let?s take it, I said no we want the meter or I am catching the next cab by myself. So based on my persuasive logic we went using the meter, well the fare was 150, so Joe being a good sport picked up the whole fare as a way of thanking me to enlightening him to the realities of Bangkok taxis.

So back to the robbing hoods they lurk near the western hotels and they refuse to take anything that is under 400 baht and they will not use the meter. The other place that you run into them is in the airport at the arrivals gate they will offer you a limo and then you will negotiate down from a BMW to a Camry and you will pay usually 5 times more than if you went to the taxi stand.

If you look in the front of the cab on the passenger side there is a sign that they are required by law to have, if you don?t see it don?t take the cab. If the driver insists on a flat rate say no, get out of the car, and leave the doors open and walk away, which makes the driver lose face as all the Thai?s know that he just did something slippery enough for you to make him knowingly lose face. Maybe we will all get lucky and a cop will see it and see what the problem was and he will take some the money back in the form of a stiff penalty.

Fred Tittle has lived and worked in holiday vacation resorts his entire life, from Lake Geneva?s Playboy Club, as a rock jock for KSPN FM in Aspen Colorado, he became a PADI Pro Scuba Diver in Hawaii, diving on Maui, Kauai, Kona on the big island, and Waikiki on Oahu. He now owns EcoSea Dive in Sihanoukville Cambodia where he teaches SSI and PADI scuba diving courses and runs liveaboards in the gulf of Thailand and Asia adventure tours, http://www.ecosea.com/eco/HTM/Bangkok%20Hotels%20&%20Travel.htm

Fred?s new project http://www.CheapCharliesHotels.com where he reviews cheap hotels, budget guesthouses, discount accommodations and cheap international flights, but is really an excuse to go scuba diving on vacation more, Fred is in Phnom Penh Cambodia thinking about where to travel to next.

Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden

Located in Mae Sa Valley, a popular mountain resort area just 45 minutes - 1 hour drive from Chiang Mai, Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden at 960 hectares (2,372 acres) is by far the largest and most important Botanical Garden in Thailand. If you?re a botanical enthusiast, no trip to Thailand is complete unless you schedule at last a day or two visiting this fascinating facility. As there is so much ground to cover here, I suggest you stay at one of the fine mountain lodges near the Garden in Mae Sa Valley as opposed to staying in Chiang Mai.

Opened in 1993, this garden were created as a botanical research center and for visitors who wanted learn more about the plants and flowers of Thailand. Believe me, QSBG is huge. When I visited these gardens about 2 years ago, I did not have enough time to thoroughly tour the property, maybe next time. There are a number of interesting botanical walking trails that crisscross and circle the hilly property featuring prominent displays of tropical plants and flowers. One route will introduce you to Thai plants and local medicinal herbs, another route features climbers and vines. Or perhaps, you would like to take a hike to a small waterfall, on the way you?ll pass by the Thai Rock garden. This trail ends up at the Thai Orchid Nursery, which is home to over 350 native orchid species. Although, I did not have enough time to explore any of these trails, I am told each trail takes 40-60 minutes to complete.

While I was there, I visited the glasshouse conservatory, which houses the rainforest exhibit. Complete with an electrically powered artificial waterfall, this exhibit features many of the plants that thrive in the rainforest ? gingers, anthuriums, ferns, cycads, impatiens, begonias and other species. There are a series of temperature-controlled greenhouses located on the hillside, each featuring a different grouping or category of plants and flowers. One of the greenhouses features an amazing collection of begonias another one features mostly Thai medicinal plants and herbs. The most unusual and exotic plant that I encountered there was the Bat Plant (Tacca chantrieri), which is indigenous to Southeast Asia. The greenhouse exhibit featuring an eclectic variety of water lilies and lotuses was most impressive. Check out the stark contrast between the very unique and austere marble planters and the large black pots (see picture). Factoid - The water lotus is a sacred plant in the Buddhist religion.

Bhubing Palace and Gardens

Bhubing Palace and Garden is the winter residence for the Royal family. When her Royal Highness, Queen Sirikit, makes her seasonal visits to Northern Thailand to work on any number of community projects, she always returns to Bhubing Place to rest up. In addition, the Royal Family often entertain visiting dignitaries on this huge estate, which is located in very close proximity to the magnificent Doi Suthep Temple and Pagoda.

The Gardens on this estate are absolutely breathtaking and you can tell a lot of attention to minutiae was involved in the overall design and concept. The landscaping and design will definitely knock you out! Queen Sirikit is a real horticultural enthusiast and her favorite flowers are roses you?ll definitely want to check out the Queen?s Royal Rose Garden, which features many exotic cultivars. In addition, there?s a lovely Fern Garden and a small Water Reservoir, which is surrounded with landscaped beds of temperate flowering plants. I?ll say one thing about the Royal Family (especially the King and the Queen), they truly are very cultured people and have very refined tastes. The traditional architecture and d?cor on this royal estate reflects their genuine appreciation of Thai history and culture. Of course, it helps to be very wealthy to be able to build such a beautiful estate as the Bhubing Palace. A wonderful place for photography, Bhubing Palace and Gardens is open to the public from April to December.

Bus Goldberg is a seasoned world traveler and the director of Calypso Island Tours, a travel company that specializes in botanical adventures and nature tours to such diverse destinations as Costa Rica, Thailand and the Caribbean. He also maintains his own travel blog, Calypso Island Chronicles