February 28, 2010 marked the last date that unemployed Michigan residents were able to receive federally funded unemployment insurance benefits. What does this mean for Michigan Unemployment? Contrary to some news reports, unemployed residents still have several options.

Options

To begin with, if you have not exhausted your regular unemployment benefits, you will still be able to receive Michigan unemployment insurance; however, if you have exhausted the regular benefits, then the above date does apply to you.

Next, you can file for an extension that will allow you to receive benefits through March 27, 2010, but no further benefits will be available after that, and one has to qualify in order to receive the extended benefits. If you are currently on extended benefits, they will stop on March 27, 2010 as well.

If you are currently on one of the four different unemployment compensation tiers that are available through Michigan unemployment services, you will be able to receive benefits until you have diminished the funds available to you through that tier.

The Fight in the Senate

All of this means that the unemployed workers of Michigan may find themselves in worse financial conditions by the end of March; however, there is still time for things to turn around. If the U.S. Senate determines to continue to fund the unemployment benefits this week, residents will continue to be able to receive their federally funded unemployment benefits, as if nothing happened.

If you happen to be one of the many Michigan residents who are unemployed and are receiving unemployment benefits and you now have questions, call your local unemployment office. They will better be able to explain what you will qualify for and what you will not be receiving at this point. Rumors do fly in situations like this; however, find out the facts before taking everything that you hear to heart.

Today’s job market is bleak, but responding slightly to the stimulus funds of the Recovery Act.  As jobs slowly trickle towards families in Michiana and Chicagoland, unemployment benefits slowly trickle away.  These benefits include health insurance and are designed to help families and individuals who are temporarily unable to find work.  However, unemployment trends have lingered far longer than these benefits can last. Individuals are then “cut off’ from the benefits after a certain period of time, but in some cases, extended unemployment is available.

If you happen to be one of the many who have found out that you may be losing your unemployment benefits even though you still can’t find work, it’s time to act. Ask about the extended unemployment options that are available to you and see what you need to do to qualify for these extended benefits in your state.

Remember all Those Taxes?

Remember how many taxes were taken out of each of your paychecks over the years? That monthly annoyance can pay off dividends now.  Take advantage of this reservoir of funds until you can get back in the workplace. Unemployment insurance is there to help you in times like this where jobs are few and far between and workers are being laid off or losing their jobs completely.

The Federal Unemployment Act

The Federal Unemployment Act was put in place during a similarly volatile time in our nation’s job history.  The Act was put in place in 1939 to stave off the lingering affects of the Great Depression. In 1932, 25% of America’s workforce was unemployed. President Franklin Roosevelt felt American’s needed “some safeguard against misfortunes which cannot be wholly eliminated in this man-made world of ours.”  Many features of the Unemployment Act do just that, protecting Americans from tough economic times like we are currently experiencing. You can find some additional information on the Act and tax benefits here.

Extended Unemployment

Extended unemployment options are available because finding a job in a necessary time frame in proving to be harder to do than what one realizes. Many Americans are unaware that these extended benefits exist, much less how to take advantage of them.

In many cases, this means that you will have to ask your unemployment office about the services and options. The more you are informed, the better decisions you will be able to make and the better off that you will be in the end. The spirit that pulled us from the Great Depression still runs through this country, but it will take hard work and togetherness to make sure we respond to this current economic climate.

Accessing this unemployment database is like accessing this blog post — all you need is the internet.  So, save yourself some time and simply fill out a few forms and answer some questions for your Illinois unemployment benefits right over the Internet. You could potentially save yourself a couple of hours by applying for unemployment benefits in this manner.

Continued Applications Online – No Hassle!

Once you have applied for the initial Unemployment benefits from Illinois, you can keep filling out the necessary forms every week on the Internet. This means that you will not have to go to the unemployment office, saving you time and energy to be spent elsewhere.  This strategy is especially advantageous to those without jobs. When you were employed, taxes were taken out of your check each pay period for Unemployment.  Now that the economy is down and you lost your job, you can take advantage of those built up finances.  Applying for these funds is your right.  After all, your employer has paid in money for you in the event that this every happened.

Save yourself a lot of time by applying for your unemployment benefits from the comfort of your own home (in your pajamas if you want!) through utilizing the online filing service that the Illinois Unemployment office now offers.

You should never have to fear losing your job.  In an ideal world, everyone is gainfully employed at a job that motivates them and encourages productivity from within. In this occupational Utopia, employees work hard everyday and are never cut loose or laid off.

But today’s economy is far from ideal, and many people are working under the constant threat of unemployment due to budget cuts and shrinking revenue streams.  Sometimes, unemployment happens to even the best, hardest-working employees out there through no fault of their own.  Even David Wallace was released from Dunder Mifflin!

As the unemployment rate continues to rise and jobs seem to be fewer and far between, questions start to mount. How do I manage my remaining finances? How will my family get by? How do I pay for my car?  Managing the resources that you currently have is a must if you want to survive during economic crisis.

Trudging through unemployment isn’t something everyone is prepared for, but when if the time comes, be sure you and your family are prepared to act.  The ultimate goal: Make sure that you take the necessary steps in order to protect you, your family, and your assets until you are able to find another job.  Here are some helpful tips to keep you motivated and in control of your destiny:

5 Tips to Get Through Unemployment

1. Maintain high spirits. Although this may be difficult, you have to stay strong for not only yourself but your family as well.  Do realize that eventually you will be able to find another job and until that point in time comes, you must maintain a positive attitude.
2. Continue to search for a job. If you have to, enlist the help of job search boards and other job hunting specialists.  They know what’s available and when it becomes available; they can help in your job search.  You can also look for work on Craigslist.com or Monster.com. They are simple and direct job searching websites.
3. Apply for unemployment benefits. These are taken out of the paycheck that you have worked so hard for in the past, and now, you need them. The homepage of the unemployment website is easy to navigate and can help you find the best benefits for you.
4. Set a budget. Keep track of your spending and keep your priorities straight.  Only spend money on necessities as you don’t have the extra cash right now to enjoy luxuries.
5. Contact your lien holders. Sometimes you can get a bank to refinance your mortgages or loans.  By lowering your interest rates and your monthly payments, you will be able to save even more money per month until being unemployed is no longer a problem.

Everyone goes through a time of unemployment at some point in their lives, but like so many before you, they survived, and you will too!

Major companies provide online portals for customers to easily purchase goods and services. But what if your business cannot afford a $10,000 website for your company with an online shop? With this in mind, FindItLocal411 has launched the E-Commerce solution for small businesses.

We are proud to announce the launch of two features on FindItLocal411.com that will drastically improve the way you attract customers. “The Marketplace” and “The Blast” are designed to help you and your customers conduct better business.

The Marketplace

The Marketplace is structured to function as a “web mall” or “online store” that features the products of businesses from across town or across the nation!

The concept is simple: If you are a business owner, you can list your products (like Pet Detangler show on the right) on The Marketplace site for customers to peruse. Once products are bought, you will receive orders via email with purchases deposited directly into your bank prior to shipping. You ship the purchased product to the customer and the sale is complete! It’s like opening a new store online for minimal cost.

The Blast

To complement your Marketplace presence, we will be instituting an “Email Marketing Blast” to promote your products. Emails can also be utilized to highlight special services, sales or special announcements. These messages reach thousands of consumers directly once they express interest in this “deals” notification.

The emails are designed to increase exposure and sales at the same time. The schedule of emails works like this: Twice a month we will deliver a customized message about some feature you wish to have known about your business to a list of your current and past customers “only”. And twice a month we will deliver another message (or the same message if you choose) to “our entire list” of subscribers driving new customers to your business. That’s four times per month your message is delivered directly to many thousands of known customers!

Increased Business

These two features are intended to enhance the standard Business Listing Directory we already have in place. As many readers know, companies and organizations listed on our site enjoy significant boosts in page views and hits/month. Even if your business model will not benefit from “The Blast” or “The Marketplace”, our Business Listing is sure to provide value.

Since our launch in the spring of 2009 FindItLocal411.com has become a resource for small business. We focus on day-to-day business issues on our blog and offer many ways to leverage your business through online marketing, advertising and social media. The addition of E-Commerce options, our latest addition to FindItLocal411.com, may prove to be our biggest evolution yet. Home businesses can now compete in the same market space as Wal-Mart or Target.

Online Purchases Going Up

Shoppers are turning to the Internet with greater frequency these days as the chart to the right shows. Granted, the spending referred to occurred in 2006, but it is safe to assume that online sales have only increased in the three years since. With this new FindItLocal411.com program, businesses of any size in any part of the country can jump on board and earn their share of the industry spending.

Table Courtesy of Wikipedia.org.

Business analysis incorporates many different factors and can be somewhat difficult; therefore, one must know what they are doing in order to take advantage of such an analysis.

Analysts

Seek out a Business Analyst if you seek someone who can properly perform an analysis.  Like many professionals deemed, “Analysts”, they are trained to use a variety of different methods and to discover and fix the problems that may result and appear as a result of the analysis.  Analysts can provide you and your company valuable and well-documented data on your company as you move forward on many problem-correcting decisions.

Make sure your business analyst covers the following concepts:

1. PESTLE: This is a technique that is used to perform an external environmental analysis through looking at external factors such as: Political, Economical, Sociological, Technological, Legal and Environmental aspects; hence the name.
2. MOST: This technique is used to perform an internal environmental analysis through looking at factors such as: Mission, Objectives, Strategies, and Tactics; hence the name.
3. SWOT: This technique is used to help the business determine and focus on their strengths and weaknesses. SWOT stands for: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.
4. CATWOE: This technique is used to help understand what the business is trying to achieve. It stands for: Customers, Actors, Transformation Process, World View, Owner, and Environmental Restraints.

There are several more techniques that a Business analyst uses in order to provide an accurate business analysis, and if performed properly, problems will be discovered, as well as the solutions for the problems. And, in the end, by using this technique, a business can better increase their bottom line by fixing the problems, even though they might have not known they ever existed without the use of such an analysis.

Ready…Set…Business!

It is for that reason why we have put together 5 tips to help you with your dream to start a small business.  The internet provides many people the opportunity to open a their own business nowadays.  Renting office space and holding grand openings aren’t requirements anymore, but there are a few crucial steps that you must waddle through.  When you go to start a small business, take these considerations into mind:

1. Capital.  Starting a business requires money.  Whether you are renting a building (if that is your business model), entering deposits on utilities, or purchasing  necessary office supplies, a fixed startup account is needed.  You can always borrow the money from a lender; however, you will want to make sure that you save money for the start up costs as well.  This will help show the lender that you are serious about the business.  Even in some cases (depending upon the business) you may be able to save all of the financing that you need; therefore, allowing you to stay out of debt from the beginning.
2. Start small.  Don’t get carried away in the beginning.  There is always room for growth later.
3. Protect your personal assets.  Make sure that you file the proper documentation to keep your business and your personal assets separate.
4. Make sure you have a business plan.  You must know how and if you will make a profit and know the route that you must take in order for that to be possible.
5. Be competitive.  You must be competitive in the business world in order to survive.  Maintain your competitive edge at all times.

These are just the beginnings of a successful business. We have documented each step thoroughly in previous posts, but these 5 steps are important to keep in mind as you prepare to construct your new business.

Two Places at Once

Surprisingly, you can live in Wisconsin and be incorporated in Florida.  Your business operations could be in California and be recognized in New York!  At one point in time, business owners didn’t have this choice, however, that is no longer a problem.

Basically, a business can become incorporated and registered in any state in which they choose.  Different states offer different laws on the topic and are governed by different statutes.  So, just because you have a business in Nevada you may be able to receive better benefits by becoming a corporate business in another state.

Proper Paperwork

With all this displacement and jumping around between states, it’s easy to lose track of which licenses, permits and registrations you have completed according to the state’s business codes.  We at FindItLocal411 implore you to organize this process as efficiently as possible. Not having the proper licenses and permits can result in fines, the inability to conduct business and more.

Locating and understanding the different licenses and permits that is required for your business can be time consuming result in many headaches.  There are businesses out there who offer services in this area.  For a small fee, they will locate the different licenses and permits that you need for your particular business, and if you have more than one location for your business, they will handle the paperwork for all of the locations.

Make the Leap

Becoming a corporate business can be beneficial and can also provide you and your business with additional tax benefits at the end of the year.  Also, it helps protect you, as the owner, from having your assets combined in with the business; therefore, if the business is named in a lawsuit or files bankruptcy, your personal assets will not be affected.

Incorporating your Business is a scary step, but it’s not a point of no return.  Stay relaxed and keep focusing on your goals.  Your hard work and strong product as carried you this far. Grow with wisdom and dedication and don’t let the details get in the way.

Key aspects to planning your business start up:

1. Develop a business plan.
2. Secure a budget for all key areas, such as marketing, employee compensation, and more.
3. Obtain a date for opening the doors.
4. Start an advertising campaign prior to opening the doors to let consumers know that your business will soon be opening.
5. Use a press release in order to announce the opening.

Planning

These 5 elements will ensure a solid foundation for the start of your new business.  Planning, consideration, and more allow you to go into the endeavor with your eyes open and in a professional manner.  Not doing things mentioned above can hinder the path that your business may take and can possibly set your business up for failure before you even open the doors.

Like in any business, research and well-guided preparation are strong indicators for success.  If you are unable to do any of the above mentioned tasks, there are other businesses out there that specialize in those areas.

There are businesses that can help you develop a business plan, a marketing campaign, write press releases for you, and more.  By no means are you expected to have all these things on your to-do list.  Handling all these tasks can be very stressful.  Obtaining outside help in these key areas can prove to be beneficial in a variety of different ways.

The financial support of one’s family remains atop the list for many in business, so revenues are always a major factor in business ownership; however, by buying a business that already exists you can help to relieve some of the stress.

Buying the Business – What to Consider

Buying a pre-established business will give you a foundation to determine whether the business is profitable enough for you to invest in. Years/months of financial records and market-shares are already functioning, allowing for a more exact assessment of the business’ success.

When purchasing an existing business, make sure that you cover these three elements:

1. Consult an Accountant

Present an accountant with the financial reports in order for you to figure out two main objectives:

A) Can the business be considered a sound investment?
B) Are the financial reports that you have been granted real or forged?

2. Hire a lawyer

In order to make the acquisition as smooth as possible, bring a lawyer to answer your big picture questions.  You may even want to consider making your newly purchased business a limited liability company; therefore, you do not personally assume all of the responsibilities that the business will assume. In this case, if the business happens to fail, your personal assets will not be affected. Talk to your lawyer to help weigh the other options that you may have as well. Nolo.com offers several easy-to-read web resources filled with legal advice for small businesses.

3. Consider a contract

A contract that would keep the former owner from opening a competing business within the local area for a determined period of time could also be beneficial.
Buying a business can help take some of the stress out of owning your own business. At least you will know whether or not the business is profitable before taking such a risk; however, that does not mean that the business will stay profitable; therefore, you need to try to run the business in the same manner as it had been before. After all, it was successful, so the former owners must have been doing something right.

Keeping these three objectives in mind will keep you safe from unforseen damages while you can focus on aquiring a great business.