"Time to Regroup?"

I wonder if it's time for us to look at ourselves and figure out who we are. We have been our jobs - our homes - our cars - our electronics. We have also been easily pushed around, led like sheep by our politicians to a downfall of our way of life.

Why? Maybe because we were too busy being involved with our jobs - our home - our cars - and our electronics. We weren't paying attention until it was too late!

I would like to suggest to online business owners (especially) it may be time to take stock. I sense a lot of confusion out there. Understandable.

Things have happened, the world over, and we've had little control. New situations tend to put us into a panic. The world's economy has affected most of our incomes.

Of course, then, we hear it'll get worse before it gets better! Scary stuff. So what do we do?

I suggest we buckle down and keep on keepin' on. It's the only logical, positive thing to do.

Many - dare I say most - online small business owners have other jobs. Or, did. Those jobs may now be gone. Not the time to give up online.

Rather than panic and decide they can't keep it up, these folks should be doubling (at least) their efforts online. Keep as much income flowing as possible. And, build!

Maybe it's time to stop measuring ourselves by our jobs - our homes - our cars - our electronics. Of course, we need incomes. But, money is money and doesn't necessarily have to come from high-status jobs.

We don't really need hundred thousand dollar remodels on our homes. We don't really need to drive luxury SUV gas hogs. We definitely don't need every new electronic device that comes down the pike - much less buy them for children!

What we do need is to remember what it's like to be human. We do need to wake up and pay attention to what brought us here. We need to get over ourselves and learn a little humility. We do need to pay more attention to our neighbors than to our "stuff."

We've been so involved in our "things," we've forgotten we're human beings. Stripped of our stuff, we have to learn to deal with ourselves - and others.

Although it may take a while (I honestly don't know) like everything else, this, too, will pass. Our lessons are to realize what brought us here and how we're going to handle it. Then, use those lessons to bring about more lasting change.

You know ... One of the things that helps people more than anything else is to help others who have it worse. It creates that attitude of gratitude that allows us to keep on going - and succeed!

So, don't give up on your business - no matter how much your income may be down. If all you have left is a trickle, take that trickle and make it work for you. Don't blow it off because it "isn't enough."

"Enough" is a lot less than what we think!

Let us know what you think in the "Comments."

"Watch Your Step!"

A Chamber member alerted me to a new product in the internet marketing field. This piece of software collects all the email addresses it picks up on each page of Google pulled by the email service you enter in the software.

Then, it saves those addresses so you can send all of them unrequested email - i.e., spam! This bozo is very careful to tell you on his video to be careful what you say in the email.

Nevertheless, he's selling a tool for spam!

On one page I found a link to aWeber's anti-spam page. He's obviously using them as his email service. I sent a message to aWeber alerting them to this situation since they have such strong anti-spam rules.

We'll see if aWeber does anything about it.

Meanwhile, as tempting as it may be to jump on this bandwagon, I seriously suggest you leave it alone. It isn't worth the problems it could cause you - right down to losing your main internet connection!

So, if you receive notice of this product - be forewarned!

Let us know what you think in the "Comments."