People become freelancers for all sorts of reasons. Very few do it to get into business – that’s just a side effect. To be successful freelancers, we need to be savvy business people.

Understanding business takes work – some light reading, some heavy ploughing though your government’s forms and requirements, maybe some serious study, and keeping up with business news and events. Material for small businesses and entrepreneurs will be especially helpful.

Here is a reading list for you to pick and choose from: 40 Places Where Freelancers Can Learn More About Business. This list is a starting point. Please add to it in the comments.

Websites and Blogs

We freelancers seem to spend a great amount of time online, so that’s where we’ll start our reading list.

1. If you want to get straight to the main points without too much reading,Sitepoint.com has two very helpful articles which summarize business for freelancers: Best Practices for Freelance Business Part 1 and Best Practices for Freelance Business Part 2.
2. If you prefer the “encyclopedic” version, Wikipedia’s business article has many subtopics, and links to useful external resources.
3. Business Pundit is full of tips and articles covering a wide range of business topics. Some are especially useful to freelancers, including Freelancers Make More Money by Firing Clients.
4. Businessballs.com contains “free career help, business training, organizational development – inspirational, innovative ideas, materials, exercises, tools, templates – free and fun.”
5. Freelanceuk.com has a useful section on running your business.
6. Newbusiness.co.uk also contains business advice from a UK perspective.

Many news sites have great business information, including:

1. Fox Business is a great source of business news, and has a Small Business section.
2. The BBC News business section is a similar news source from the UK.

Your government has probably published some useful information about running a business. For example:

1. US: Business.gov is the official business link to the US Government.
2. Australia: Businesslink.gov.au is a practical guide to business from the Australian Federal Government.

Magazines

If you prefer to read from paper, a great place to start is with business magazines – though many of them can be read online too.

1. Businessweek.com contains top business news stories, and has a Small Biz section.
2. Inc. is a daily resource for entrepreneurs.
3. Entrepreneur is another magazine and online resource for entrepreneurs.
4. America’s Best is a magazine for small business owners.
5. Family Business Magazine is a guide for starting and running family businesses.
6. Home Business Magazine is aimed at “home-based entrepreneurs and business owners; people who work from home; and telecommuters”. It is an online magazine.
7. In Business Magazine is helpful, and humorously includes a section calledSuck it Up! – “Business days from heck: If they can prevail, so can you!”
8. My Business is “the leading magazine for small-to-medium enterprises, the dominant sector – 92 per cent – of all business in Australia. Its credible, information packed and easy-to-read format speaks directly to the key business decision makers.”
9. Opportunity World & Money ‘N Profits is “the magazine for small business opportunities.”

Newspapers

And while newspapers are still around, make the most of the business section – in print or online.

1. The New York Times business section
2. The Chicago Tribune business section
3. Los Angeles Times business section
4. The Sydney Morning Herald BusinessDay
5. The Age BusinessDay
6. NZ Herald business section
7. Business Report contains many business articles published in South African newspapers.

Books

Books – paperback, hardback and electronic – teach you about business in a more linear fashion. Here are some books and lists of books to get you started.

1. Small Business Kit for Dummies is a “reference for the rest of us.”
2. The Bootstrappers Bible by Seth Godin is a free ebook for “…entrepreneurs who are working their butts off to start a great business from scratch with no (or almost no) money.”
3. Getting Rich In Your Underwear: How To Start And Run A Profitable Home-Based Business
   by Peter I. Hupalo is primarily written for those just starting a home business.
4. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki – “What the Rich Teach Their Kids about Money – That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!” This book explains how to make your money work hard for you instead of you working hard for money.
5. Wikibooks have a detailed ebook called Getting Started as an Entrepeneur.
6. Smallbizbooks.com have published Startup Guides for Businesses. Each book focuses on a different type of business, including books on Consulting Service, Freelance Writing Business, Graphic Design Business, Online Business, Coaching Business and Personal Trainer Business.
7. Amazon.com’s Must Read List for Small Business Owners contains a list of 39 recommended books relevant to business.
8. Bainvestor.com have a long list of recommended books called “Entrepreneur Books: Entrepreneurship and Small Business Books”, with an emphasis on what is important to know when starting your business.
9. DailyLit email good books to you in daily digestible chunks. They have 43 books in their Business category, many of which are free.

Courses

There are plenty of business courses you can do online. Here are some that will cost you your time, but not your money.

1. My Own Business.org has a free online course which is presented by successful business owners who point out the common, avoidable mistakes.
2. SBA (US Small Business Administration) offer free online business courses including Starting a Business, Business Management, Business Planning, and Marketing & Advertising, and more.
3. Suite101.com provide free online business courses, including Business Planning, Business Law and Business Management, and more.
4. About.com’s Small Business Startup Course is a free Canadian course covering a wide range of topics.
5. About.com’s: Online Small Business Success Course is designed to teach you how to market yourself and your business more effectively

via: FreelanceSwitch

http://www.60-minutes.info/

Watch full episodes on the link above

October 4, 2009 5:00 PM
Marc Dreier: The Swindler
To understand how Bernie Madoff could have done what he did, listen to so-called “mini-Madoff” Ponzi schemer Marc Dreier tell Steve Kroft in his first TV interview how he scammed $400 million.

Looxcie’s over-the-ear bluetooth camcorder can capture up to 5 hours of footage and is designed to capture video from your eye perspective.  It’s only $199.

Never miss a moment again with the revolutionary Looxcie. This innovative hands-free camcorder lets you continuously capture real-time video without needing to press a record button. Looxcie connects with your smartphone via Bluetooth, so you can monitor your video and share it instantly with friends via Facebook, YouTube, email, and more. With its lightweight, over-ear design, Looxcie gives you the freedom to be both director and participant. Looxcie captures everything you see, so you can join the action.

Product Description

Looxcie is the first small, light, easy-to-wear camcorder system that videos everything the user sees. Optimized for mobile use, the device fits comfortably over the ear and points where you look. Looxcie is always on, always videoing-there’s no record button. When users want to capture a moment, they can simply press the instant clip button to save a clip of the last thirty seconds. With the smartphone application and Bluetooth connection, users can view, edit, and share Looxcie moments via email, text, or online by posting to Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and more. Getting started is simple and only takes a few minutes:. Connect Looxcie to your smartphone as you would a Bluetooth headset. Load the smartphone application in order to use your phone to view and share Looxcie moments. Turn on the camera and start capturing Looxcie moments instantly. Share your Looxcie moments, edit and take phone calls, too Looxcie utilizes a dual processor system for video and Bluetooth communication. The device incorporates Bluetooth technology which allows for the fluid connection between the handset and Looxcie. Looxcie seamlessly transfers video clips directly to leading smartphone operating systems. Additional Product Features & Specs:. Adjustable boom for comfort and view refinement. Lightweight: less than 28g (1 oz.). Always on battery life allows up to 4 hrs of continuous use. Clips are time stamped and stored in your clip register as MP4 files. On board storage of up to 4 hrs of video and hundreds of instant clips (3 hrs of clips). Looxcie video processor includes automatic high color and light resolution adaptation. ½ VGA full resolution camera.

You can buy it here.

Ah, New York City. My favorite place to eat. You have so many AUTHENTIC places with good food, what is a guy to do except try to eat as much of it as possible?

For those of you who haven’t heard about Vodka Pizza [Pizza with Vodka Sauce], please allow me to put you on. It doesn’t exist in many places and the few places that do have it are bad knockoffs. The place that made is famous is Pomodoro in Litttle Italy. Check it out for yourself.

[Images: Courtesy of WanderingFoodie.com]

Pomodoro
51 Spring Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 966-9229

Compilation of Reporters Getting Owned – Watch more Funny Videos

Monday, September 13th, 2010

Jay-Z Opening Performance x Dynasty “Intro” & “Run This Town”

Eminem Opening Performance x “Won’t Back Down”

This was one of, if not THE greatest experiences I’ve ever had. Since I can’t think of a close second at this moment in time, I’m gonna say this concert was it. To be in center field of Yankee Stadium, in the middle of New York City, the capital of the world, the birth place of Hip-Hop, rockin out with 53,000 fans – the most passionate fans in sports, submerged in all that history, witnessing the first concert ever performed at the Stadium, headlined by 2 of the best of all time (Jay-Z and Eminem), and inviting some of the best to ever do it to perform as guest stars (Kanye West, Dr. Dre, Drake, Nicki Minaj, 50 Cent, G-Unit, Swizz Beatz, Chris Martin, and Beyonce) was just a once in a lifetime experience.

The greatest part about my night is that none of the artists or fans in attendance had an ego. Everyone that was at Yankee Stadium knew that this night was bigger than any individual. To see the most “hardcore” people in the industry do nothin but SMILE the whole night from excitement and disbelief was the icing on the cake. As much as these artists have accomplished and witnessed in their lives, you could tell that THIS moment was their greatest experience of their life, as it was mine. I’m just glad I got to witness.

Funniest Moment: Watching a the po-lice singin and dancin while in uniform, in the middle of the crowd like they were in a nightclub.

Most LIVE Moment: Nicki Minaj comin out and performing Monster. (That song just sounds insane in a stadium.)

Most Historic Moment: JAY-Z perform Renegade with Eminem and Light Up with Drake.

Most Chilling Moment: Eminem performing Lose Yourself with the lights low and Yankee Stadium glowing.

Most Gangsta Moment: G-Unit comin out in fireman suits with glow in the dark piping, performing I Get Money in the dark!!!

Oh Shit Moment: The ATMOSPHERE! The energy was insane!!! Sitting in floor seats, center field, Yankee Stadium, New York City, the Capital of the World, listening to the best artists in Hip-Hop and seeing how amazed and happy their faces were on the big screen.

People in Our Section: Diddy, LeBron James, Alexander Ovechkin, Will Smith, Amber Rose, Slaughterhouse, Asher Roth, The Real Rick Ross, Fabolous, DJ Clue, Gale (Oprah’s Chic)

Eminem Performs “Lose Yourself”

Jay-Z Performs “Public Service Announcement”

Allow me to re-introDUCE MYselfffff!

Jay-Z Performs “Big Pimpin”

Jay-Z Performs “Hard Knock Life”

Jay-Z Performs “Biggie Tribute”

Jay-Z x Swizz Beats Perform “On to the Next One”

Jay-Z Performs “Empire State of Mind”

Jay-Z Performs ”Jigga My Nigga” x ”H To The Izzo” x ”Best of Me” x ”Where I’m From” x ”Dirt Off My Shoulder”

Jay-Z x Drake “Light Up” Yankee Stadium

Jay-Z waited until the sun went down at Yankee Stadium to bring out Drake. And for the first time, they performed “Light Up” off the compact disc, Thank Me Later. Celebrate with a toast.

Jay-Z x Kanye West x Nicki Minaj “Power (Remix)” x “Monster” (BEST OF THE NIGHT)

Jay-Z brought out the big guns last night at Yankee Stadium. Early into his set, he and Kanye West performed “Power (Remix)” and then ushered in Nicki Minaj for “Monster”.

Jay-Z x Eminem Perform “Renegade”

50 cent x G-Unit Perform “I Get Money”

Eminem Brings Dr. Dre To Yankee Stadium

Along with Eminem, the Doc made a house call in the Bronx last night at Yankee Stadium. After Dre performed “Still D.R.E.”, Em recited Snoop’s verse for “Nuthin’ But A G Thang”. Some ‘ol funky shit!

Jay-Z x Coldplay’s Chris Martin Perform “Heart of the CIty”

Jay-Z’s got a long list of friends. And one of them includes Coldplay lead singer, Chris Martin. He sang the chorus to “Heart Of The City” and then played the keys to “Clocks” as Jay recited the lyrics to “Lost”. Afterward, they took it up a notch with “Viva La Vida”. Stadium status, indeed.

Jay-Z x Beyoncé Perform “Forever Yong”

Jay-Z brought the missus to work last night at Yankee Stadium and for a second time performed the final track on the Blueprint 3. That girl bad. That girl tough!

Check out Willow Smith’s new promo photo from Roc Nation in support of her new single “Whip My Hair.” The 9-year old went up to Ryan Seacrest’s radio show to talk about the single and showcase her incredible personality. Jay-Z calls into the show as well. Check it out below.

Listen to the track here:
Willow – Whip My Hair

What do you think?