Free information, resources, tools and an active community of small and home business owners throughout New Zealand. Find information, help and support when you need it. Network with others and promote your business. Come join our hive! Register. Selling services - a fine art

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Free information, resources, tools and an active community of small and home business owners throughout New Zealand. Find information, help and support when you need it. Network with others and promote your business. Come join our hive! Register.

Selling services - a fine art

It's often easier to sell something you can see and feel - a product - than it is to sell a service, especially a B2B service. Stuart Ayling has some advice on turning warm leads into eager clients.

Putting yourself in the limelight

Publicity can be as valuable to a business as it is to a performer. Comedian and business owner Terry Williams gives some pointers on how to go about getting it.

9 keys to growing your business this year

Have you returned to work feeling refreshed and energized about what you can achieve this year? Even if you didn’t have a break, Sue Hirst suggests now is a great opportunity to start afresh and take the opportunity to review things for better financial performance in 2014.
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Opening for business - your initial marketing tools

In the excitement of starting a business it's easy to forget the basics and mistakes are expensive to fix. Jan Bierman oulines some sensible business card and logo basics. How does yours match up?

How much do you need to earn per hour to achieve your financial goals?

John Assaraf shows you how to take a long, hard look at how you spend your time in order to give your earning ability a significant boost

Thriving or surviving 2014

With the holiday season over, Richard O'Biren advises that it is a good time to reflect on the past year and start planning to make 2014 your most successful year yet.

Beestings: Festive season tips, giveaways and greetings

Many business owners will be taking time out of the business, putting their feet up and enjoying some hard-earned downtime with the family - while for others, summer or the silly season mean they are working at peak capacity. We've got tips and tricks to steer you through either scenario.

Using numbers to grow sales, profit and cash

You can do a lot of different things to grow your business, but at the end of the day, Sue Hirst says you need to look at the numbers as they are concrete evidence of what works and what doesn't.

Taking a break - without having a breakdown

Will the festive season provide a refreshing rest from your small or home business, will it be business as usual, or will you suffer a double whammy with a blow to your back pocket following hard on the heels of a stressful juggling act? Relax! A little planning goes a long way ...

Don't use yourself as your pricing yardstick

Many home business fall into the trap of thinking their customers make buying decisions exactly the same way they do. Marcia Yudkin reckons you could surprise yourself - and become a lot more profitable in the process

Latest Headlines: Striking South African miners meet with platinum firms


Rebel fighters take position during what they said was an offensive against them by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in the village of Azizeh in Aleppo January 22, 2014. REUTERS/Abdalrhman Ismail

Syria talks near collapse

GENEVA - Syria's first peace talks were on the verge of collapsing before they began, with the opposition refusing to meet President Bashar al-Assad's delegation.  Full Article

Emerging market sell-off spills over to Europe, U.S. 7:43am EST

LONDON - A global flight from emerging market assets gathered pace on Friday, sending the Turkish lira to a record low and setting global shares on course for their worst week this year.

An Ebay logo is displayed on a monitor in this photo illustration in Encinitas, California, April 16, 2013. Ebay will report their earnings on Wednesday.      REUTERS/Mike Blake

EBay reliance on PayPal lowers spinoff chances

NEW YORK - EBay is fighting the proposal by activist investor Carl Icahn to spin off PayPal because it views the payments service as crucial to long-term growth prospects of the e-commerce company.  Full Article
Mohamed A. El-Erian, CEO and co-CIO of PIMCO, takes part in a panel discussion titled "Global Markets in Uncertain Times" at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California April 29, 2013.  REUTERS/Fred Prouser

Does Pimco have a Plan B?

BOSTON - When Pimco co-founder Bill Gross' heir apparent abruptly stepped down this week, the news illustrated just how reliant the company is on its star manager, as investors worry the 69-year-old has not done enough to find a replacement.   Full Article
Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to a journalist's question during a televised news conference in Sochi January 19, 2014.  REUTERS/Alexei Nikolsky/RIA Novosti/Kremlin

Putin’s crackdown reveals weakness: Soros

Russian President Vladimir Putin's crackdown on opponents reveals his weakness, not his strength, says investor George Soros.  Video
An old 'graphic sign of Windows, Microsoft operating system,' key from a computer keyboard is placed on plate of integrated circuit is seen in this illustration picture taken in Warsaw, December 13, 2013.  REUTERS/Kacper Pempel

Microsoft beats forecasts, no word on new CEO

SEATTLE - Microsoft posted a bigger-than-expected quarterly profit, boosted by strong sales of its software and services for businesses, a solid holiday season for its new Xbox game console and Surface tablets, and a slightly lower tax bill.  Full Article | Video
Technician Richie Beanan irons the United States flag on the back of the stage before the Iowa Caucus night rally of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in Des Moines, Iowa, January 3, 2012. REUTERS/Rick Wilking

For Republicans, a makeover has few changes

WASHINGTON - A year after Republican leaders vowed to "rebrand" their party to broaden its appeal in light of a dispiriting election loss to Democratic President Barack Obama, the Republican strategy for 2014 is looking a lot like the one from 2012.  Full Article
The supersonic Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter, piloted by Graham Tomlinson, lands vertically for the first time at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland on March 18, 2010.  REUTERS/Andy Wolfe/Lockheed Martin/Handout

Pentagon faults F-35 on software, reliability

WASHINGTON - A new U.S. Defense Department report warns that ongoing software, maintenance and reliability problems with Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 stealth fighter could delay the Marine Corps' plans to start using its F-35 jets by mid-2015.  Full Article
A view of anti-government protesters camping at the Independence Square in central Kiev January 24, 2014. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

Ukraine protesters seize building, fuel tension

KIEV - Ukrainian protesters erected more street barricades and occupied a government ministry building, fuelling tension after the failure of crisis talks with President Viktor Yanukovich.  Full Article

Business news

Jairam Ramesh Jairam Ramesh Part of our problems stems from judicial interventions The Economic Times

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Personal Finance

Understand your health policy to avoid claim-related woes
Understand your health policy to avoid claim-related woes
Claim-related grievances often corner the largest share when it comes to health insurance complaints lodged with the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority.FinMin approves Rs 1K minimum monthly pension plan
FinMin approves Rs 1K minimum monthly pension plan
The Finance Ministry has approved a proposal for providing a minimum monthly pension of Rs 1,000 to workers in the organised sector.
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Advantages of online insuranceadvantages-of-online-insuranceWith click of a mouse you can buy any policy from any corner of the world at any point of time.

IN FOCUS

Economy

Oil min plans to take 19 crucial decisions: Moily
Oil min plans to take 19 crucial decisions: Moily
Oil ministry plans to take 19 crucial policy decisions, which include seeking bank guarantees from RIL for a sharp fall in gas output.Wheat sowing up by 6% to 31.4 mn hectares so far
Wheat sowing up by 6% to 31.4 mn hectares so far
Area under wheat cultivation has risen by 6% to an all-time high of 31.4 million hectares so far in the ongoing rabi season.
» More from Economy

Infotech

EBay reliance on PayPal lowers chances of spin-off
EBay reliance on PayPal lowers chances of spin-off
Hot startups like Square and Stripe have raised hundreds of millions of dollars and are beginning to challenge PayPal in mobile payments.Hitachi and SAP sign OEM agreement for HANA
Hitachi and SAP sign OEM agreement for HANA
Hitachi Data Systems Corporation and SAP AG have announced an expansion of their worldwide strategic alliance by signing a global original equipment manufacturer (global OEM) agreement.Genpact to offer BPO services to Delphi in China
Genpact to offer BPO services to Delphi in China
Genpact today said it will set up an operation centre in Suzhou, China, for Delphi Automotive and provide finance and accounting (F&A) business process services to the global auto parts supplier firm.
» More from Infotech

Personal Technology

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Jobs/Careers

Hiring at non-IIMs better than expectations
Hiring at non-IIMs better than expectations
Goldman Sachs is offering Rs 30 –Rs 34 lakh in some non-IIM colleges, while Flipkart, one of the regulars now is rolling out Rs 16-Rs 18 lakh packages.
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Emerging Enterprise

Aspiring for a start-up? Golden rules of money management
Aspiring for a start-up? Golden rules of money management
If you are planning to begin with your own start-up, here are some golden rules to manage your financials.Debt and EMIs: Major hurdle for aspiring entrepreneurs
Debt and EMIs: Major hurdle for aspiring entrepreneurs
At debt’s doorstep is where the dreams of thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs in India are stuck, caught in a grip of loans, EMIs and other financial commitments.Nexus Venture to invest Rs 30 crore in  Uniken
Nexus Venture to invest Rs 30 crore in Uniken
“We expect to further leverage the massive market opportunity,” said Sanjay Deshpande, 42, chief executive of Uniken.
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Emerging Enterprise

Opinion

Gopinath: AAP's tactics have brought it limited gains, more losses
Gopinath: AAP's tactics have brought it limited gains, more losses
The flashpoint that led to the protest and blockading of an important nerve centre of Delhi was the demand by Arvind Kejriwal for suspension of four police officers.
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INTERVIEWS

We will look at both organic and inorganic growth in IndiaWe will look at both organic and inorganic growth in India
Our focus is to make voice service affordable to people and later on translate that into internet. You will see a lot more from us in the frame of internet for all.Part of our problems stems from judicial interventionsPart of our problems stems from judicial interventions
The party has become a victim of negative perception, but says that they have a performance track record which they have to sell effectively.

BLOGS

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Features

Does your spouse have diabetes? You may be at risk tooDoes your spouse have diabetes? You may be at risk tooResearchers found that a person is at 26 per cent increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes if their spouse also has the condition.
Trierweiler heading to India to back charity
Trierweiler heading to India to back charity
French First Lady Valerie Trierweiler will be in India on Sunday to back a charity after a two-week rest.NASA rover Opportunity finds signs Mars once had fresh water
NASA rover Opportunity finds signs Mars once had fresh water
NASA's decade-old Mars rover, Opportunity, has found evidence that life-friendly fresh water once pooled on the red planet's surface.Temple's revenue in TN touches Rs 2.30 cr in cash offering
Temple's revenue in TN touches Rs 2.30 cr in cash offering
Revenue from the Dhandayuthpaniswamy Temple hundis touched a record of Rs 2.30 crore in cash offering in the last fortnight, a temple official said.