Choosing unique business name is no piece of cake. Usually just coming up with good business names ideas is already a big task in itself. I think by now it is obvious that catchy business names will benefit you as a new home business owner. You need something which is catchy and good enough to remember in order to stand out from your big, established competitors.

Once you have selected the best name for your business, you need to check to see if that business name has been taken. So the question is “How can I find if a business name is taken?”

You can check with your local business license department or local business bureau to see if the business name you chose is still available. Some states allow you to have similar business names within the same state or even the same city.

In some cases, the law does not even require your business name to be registered with the local business license department. However, always be cautious and check with your respective authorities before proceeding with a business name.

Another alternative way is to check through your local Yellow Pages directory or website to see if the business name has already been taken up by someone else.

Next, you can review your state’s website. As far as I know, many states have real-time Corporate and LLC searches where you can do a preliminary search of a particular business name’s availability. Sometimes you can also reserve a name for a certain amount/fee.

You can also check out online sites dedicated to helping business newbies, such as this one called My Own Business which is a non-profit organization which can give you some good business tips. Just make sure your business name is unique!

I hope these tips will be able to give you some guidance!

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These days, a computer is more of a need than a luxury and it is not hard to understand why it has become so. With a computer, it is so much easier to run the operations of a business. It is much easier to organize your home office documents with a desktop or laptop in today’s business world. Important details regarding customers, suppliers and even financial aspects of a business can be stored in computers for easy reference and it also increases productivity as all the information can be found just by a few clicks of a mouse. It is even more useful for a home business owner to have a computer as usually, home based businesses have very few employees, sometimes only the owner herself. When it comes down to how to organize your home office files, there are really only two options to choose from; a desktop or a laptop. The question is which one is better? In this post, I will try to help you decide on that.

Benefits of Desktop To Organize Your Home Office Stuffs:

• Cheaper in cost - Usually desktops cost less compared to laptops for similar specifications. Therefore if you are on a low budget or would like to save cost, then a desktop is more suitable for you. You can visit the DELL website for pricing on desktops configured the way you want.
• Lower possibility of getting stolen - It is not so easy to steal a desktop as it is big and heavy! Furthermore, desktops rarely leave your desk so it is definitely more unlikely for you to lose one. I think I have never heard of a desktop getting stolen. Have you?
• Easier to upgrade hardware - It is easier to upgrade items such as storage capacity and memory on a desktop compared to a laptop.

Benefits of Laptop To Organize Your Home Office Stuffs:

• Portable and lightweight - If you have to meet clients to discuss over a work project, you can bring your lightweight laptop to the meeting and key in all the details discussed straight away into the laptop. Otherwise, you will need to jot it down a notebook then transfer it over to the computer when you get home which means wasting precious time and energy. Also, if you use a laptop then you can choose to work anywhere; in your bedroom, in the kitchen, out on the patio.
• Presentations - With a laptop, you can bring it to meetings and do presentations on it. This will give you a more professional outlook and it is also easier for you because everything is stored in the laptop itself. You do not have to carry stacks of paper with you.
• Space saving - Normally for home businesses, space is a concern. A laptop only needs very minimal space whereas a desktop takes up a whole lot of space as it includes a monitor, a separate keyboard and a tower.

There are also other factors which you need to consider before making your decision on which will be best suited for you to organize your home office with. First is how much is your budget? Secondly, how many people will be using the computer? Is it only for your work tasks or is it going to be used for personal things as well? Will your kids also be using the computer for their entertainment and academic purposes? Realistically, how long do you want the computer to last you? Are you a klutz normally? These questions are all important in order to determine what sort of specifications you require on your computer.

My Recommendations For A Home Business:

***This is my recommended specifications for a laptop used only by 1 user for general business purposes only. You can use this just as a guideline and ask for more detailed recommendations from your sales agent.

• Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo Processor T5750
• Genuine Windows Vista(R) Ultimate 32 bit SP1 Edition (English)
• 3GB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM
• 320GB SATA Hard Drive
• 8X DVD Writer
• NVIDIA(R) GeForce(TM) 8400M GS with 128MB GDDR3 dedicated graphic memory
• Intel wireless card
• Bluetooth module
• Extended warranty
• Pendrive
• Laptop bag
• Anti-virus protection
• Microsoft Office Small Business Editon

I prefer a laptop personally because I find it really useful when I have to travel and it saves space on my desk, not to mention I can organize home office documents and important receipts in an orderly manner. If you are worried that it might get stolen, you can purchase cable locks in any computer store or hardware store for a low price. Some people say that laptops do not have a big enough storage space but these days you can easily get 250GB on a laptop. If that is not enough then you can always purchase an external hard drive as well. You can also check out review sites such as PCMag.com or the popular site called Tom’s Hardware. Happy shopping!

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I was thinking about how to organize a home office. I was wondering where can I set up a nice little work space when my home business is finally up and going. Our apartment isn’t that big and most of the things in it are actually mine. I have two tall racks just for my shoes and then some in boxes piled up beside them! So space is a big concern for me.

Anyway, we sleep in the master bedroom and the second room we use it as a closet. As for the third room which is really tiny, we store our junk (boxes, comic books, golf clubs, mahjong set, vacuum, etc) in it. Jake suggested I convert that room into my home office. Not a bad idea for now, I must say. Although I will need to sort out where to store away our junk.

I looked around and started jotting down things I will need in order to transform it into an appropriate work space. Here are the items I think I will need and I hope it will give you some sort of idea on how to organize your home office:

• Desk or workcenter

I prefer a big desk actually but maybe for the size of my work space, I can only afford to get a medium sized one. I prefer one without the extra tools. Just a plain and simple one with a couple of drawers. It needs to be big enough to fit my laptop and have extra space at the sides for my paperwork.

• Chair

It must be leather and very comfortable so that I do not get any back pains. I prefer those with the roller wheels and armrests. It should also have a seat-height adjustment function to fit my posture correctly.

• Computer

If you do not already have one, then you may wonder; desktop or laptop? I will give some opinions on this subject in future entries. As for me, I will use my existing personal laptop for my business too since I am just starting out and I do not have the luxury of a big budget. If you are not used to a computer, then you better start learning. A computer is a necessity in today’s world.



• Printer/Scanner/Photocopier/Fax Machine

Get yourself one of these multifunction machines especially if your work space is limited, like mine. It saves space and has all the functions you need to run a business. There are plenty in the market so you have numerous options. If you are buying a new computer for your business, then ask if they also sell multifunction printers. Most likely they can offer you a better deal when you purchase it together with the computer.

• Folders/Binders

How to organize your home office files? Get a few folders or binders, whichever you may prefer because even in this age of technology, you will still need to file your bills, invoices and important contracts. If you organize and keep them safely in folders/binders then they are less likely to disappear when you need to use them.

• Post-it notes

I think a genius invented these! Use it to jot down important tasks and post it on the wall or on the side of your computer monitor to serve as a reminder.

• Trashcan

Keep one beside your desk in your home office so that you don’t have to waste time walking to the kitchen to throw away your trash.

• Phone line

If you want to use your home phone line as your business line as well, it should be fine. But I think if you can afford it, then it is better to get a separate phone line, one just for your business calls. This allows you to easily track the costs of your business calls and you will project a more professional image when your clients or suppliers call you. Alternatively, you can get an additional mobile phone and a mobile line for your business instead of a land line.

• Whiteboard

I am going to get one so that I can plan out my daily schedule on it. That way I will know what I need to get done each day and the time limit for it. Also, if Jake needs to locate me, then by looking at my work schedule, he will be able to guess my whereabouts for the day.

• Alarm clock

I believe this is something you may not consider when you are thinking about how to organize your home office. I will place this on my desk and set a time for it. Let’s say 3PM so everyday when the alarm goes off at 3PM, I will stop whatever I am doing and leave my work space for the day. This allows me to separate my time clearly between work and family. It is easier said than done, yes I know but my fingers are crossed! Try it out and let me know if it works.

• Office supplies such as pens, markers, paper, envelopes, etc

I will purchase some of these and store it in my work space as I believe it will come in handy when my business gets going.

I am sure I will need more things to sustain my business as it grows but for now, I think the list above is adequate to get me started on my home business. Follow these tips on how to organize your home office and you should be fine (fingers crossed!)

By the way, did I mention that I have decided on an ECOMMERCE STORE as my home business? I am so excited! I will definitely keep you posted on it

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In my opinion, unique business names are very important for any sort of business. Just have a look at the world today. Everybody knows that Nike sells sportswear, McDonald’s sells hamburgers and fries and BMW sells expensive cars. A lot of people purchase a product out of mere brand loyalty, so if you as a work at home mum can achieve such a status with your business name then you will be very successful so remember to pick catchy business names.

Here are some things to remember when you are considering your business names ideas:

• The name should represent the product you are selling or the image you want it to portray.

• Your target market must be able to identify and relate to the name. For example, if your target market is trendy young adults but your business name is old-fashioned, then it might not fit well.

• Think of catchy business names. Something easy to remember and easy to spell. If the name is too difficult to pronounce, then your business will have a hard time getting promoted through word of mouth.

• Use unique business names to show originality and for it to stand out in the crowd. Try not to use cliches or copy someone else’s business name! I once saw a coffee place with the name StarBean and it had me wondering, did they combine STARbucks and CoffeeBEAN to get the name?

• Stick with your name. Do not come up with a name which you will regret later on and want to change. You would want to keep the name for a long time as it is not wise to change the business name often. Your customers will have trouble keeping up with the name changes and might not be able to locate you for future purchases.

• Do not ridicule your product with a silly business name. Even though the idea is to select catchy business names but remember that you want to emphasize the positive aspects of your product so people will be keen to purchase it.

Lastly, do have fun with it! Work at home mothers can actually have a brainstorming session with their family and friends to come up with some catchy business names ideas. For a work at home mum, I think it is really like naming your first born. Just that in this case, it is not a child but your first home business

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