ad 4) lack of proper communication - a couple of examples to get feeling: a) you receive a reasonable email offer, you reply and that's it - no response b) you come across an interesting service or product on a website, you contact webmaster for more info, and again, no response c) or you receive a response but it's clear that person just replies without reading your mail at all d) correspondence containing bad language, no structure, no names, no facts, you don't know why person writes you, just advertising.

ad 5) misleading information - eg if someone promises something free to you but you've got to pay a membership fee or any other cost to get it.

ad 6) hype advertising - as soon as you see an ad or receive an email promoting hype or scam you know that you're not dealing with a proper business professional, so it's a waste of time for you to start a co-operation.

ad 7) fraudulent conduct - a completely different category is a person intentionally trying to get your money ie a person who knows he's promoting hype or scam or behaves fraudulently on purpose, trying to rob you of money or time and credibility - just a little example: companies trying to make you promote them, work for them or offering a service or product but knowing that you wouldn't for a reason, so they don't tell you but they (=the better ones) state this in their terms of use, knowingly expecting that you won't read it, others (=the worse) don't tell you at all until you sign up a contract and learn yourself on way, companies not paying out your earned money within an acceptable period though cashing their commissions and using your money to finance their business.

The above are just little examples occurring in thousands every day. And now you're asking how to cope, what to do to avoid it and to protect yourself, your time and your business.

The only way to go is to develop your sense to know at once, as soon as you come across such an item.

How to learn: experience is answer. Learn, read, apply, test, take your time to study, listen to others, learn from others, stop your chaotic run from one opportunity to another, don't think you miss something if you stop for a day, a week, a couple of months and study and grow. The vital point is to read, and to learn how to read: once you utter you have no time to read, you're finished. The real start is to grow yourself into a true entrepreneur, and you can't without reading and studying. It needs a complete change in thinking, in attitudes, in life values, responsibilities, discipline.

An entrepreneur is not a person making a few bucks for a couple of months without working, but who is able to work hard, to accept risks, to be responsible for himself, for his business in good and bad, for people dependent on him, to develop and accept lifestyle he imagines, and support it and retain it not for a couple of years but for a couple of generations. An entrepreurship is not a seasonal job, it's not a job at all, it's not a business opportunity, it's a lifestyle, a specific way of thinking, it's ability to accept obligations, hard work, discipline - bigger and tougher, higher lifestyle you want to have for yourself and your people, not only your family.

The good news is that it's not necessary to be born an entrepreneur (though it's much easier if you are) but you can grow yourself into one. And other good news is that good, real opportunities will always be around because true entrepreneurs invent them all time, and as soon as you grow into a real, professional, a true entrepreneur, you will discover your own inventiveness, you will be able to develop your own ideas into opportunities for yourself and people you want to help to achieve what they imagine for themselves.

Delineate responsibilities according to likes and dislikes and who will do best job. We all have our little niches, and if it is something we like and do well, we can accomplish it better and more efficiently. Once responsibilities have been delineated, make up a schedule for each item you both need to deal with. Again, you must be able to act as each others back up.

Marketing is a major obstacle. Most individuals do not like to use cold calling as a medium to promote their business. Be sure both of you are involved. Do not let one person handle this. In addition, develop a marketing strategy. Will you market daily, weekly, monthly? What kind of marketing will you do-advertising, cold calls, direct mail, etc. Again, be sure you both are involved. This is important because money and marketing are tied together. The more you market, more aware marketplace will be of services you offer. If only one individual is marketing and monies are fluctuating, there is more tension between partners to make business successful. No one individual should have to carry this on their shoulders, or perceive that they do. In addition, with both spouses marketing, one person cannot blame other for success or failure of business.

The Most Important Tool

Remember, most important tool you both have is communication. Don't expect your spouse to read your mind. Keep marriage and business separate. It's difficult, especially if you are home-based, but it can be done. If you have a problem with way your spouse is accomplishing a task in business environment, discuss it immediately. Do not wait. Do not let this build into anger that is transferred to your personal relationship. Remember that keeping your business and personal relationships separate is very important to survival of both your business and your marriage.

In Part II of this article we will discuss how to implement this strategy.

Copyright 2000, DeFiore Enterprises.