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Read · 10 (More) Reasons Why Your Business is Tanking

ThomasPowell — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 03:02:17 +0000

· 10 (More) Reasons Why Your Business is Tanking.

1. You’re scared to charge what you’re worth.

Number 1 is the biggest failure point that I’ve seen otherwise good business owners make. Think about it. Your plumber won’t show up for less than $70. Neither will your electrician. They’ve perfected their craft, licensed, and insured themselves. How many hours of you screwing up the job is a one-hour, $70+ visit worth?

Playing music for weddings is similar. I haven’t played one in a while, but my rate was 2-3 times the going rate for a church service. I always showed up for the rehearsal (to lower the risk of surprises), and often ended up buying additional music for the service.

I’ll make an exception for charging less than the going rate. I will provide my services for free. That means that I know you well enough to give you my services as a gift, or you represent a charity that I would like to donate my time to.

Don’t muddy the waters by doing a “favor” and charging less. The recipient will still have had to pay you, and won’t see the benefit that you provided as you do. At the same time, you will have received less than your normal rate and not necessarily receive the amount of goodwill you expected.

Charge what you’re worth. If you’re not worth a reasonable rate, then you probably shouldn’t be in that line of business, at least for yourself.

1000 Times

ThomasPowell — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 01:04:44 +0000

The truth about Wall Street and bank bonuses

xkcd – A Webcomic – 1000 Times.

McDonald’s, the well-oiled machine

ThomasPowell — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:34:40 +0000

I have to admit, while McDonald’s offers international customizations, a Big Mac and fries is a pretty predictable offering no matter where you go. I also find that while McDonald’s doesn’t deliver the highest quality food items, I’ve never experienced unacceptable service or quality.

Say What You Want | chrisbrogan.com.

Chinese Character Dictionary

ThomasPowell — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:20:12 +0000

Chinese Character Dictionary – Sinograms. Includes search by pinyin and search by radical.

State Individual Income Tax Rates, 2009

ThomasPowell — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:20:43 +0000

The Tax Foundation – State Individual Income Tax Rates, 2000-2009.

This seems so wrong… NIT bracket

ThomasPowell — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:54:11 +0000

And for you Kentucky fans, here is a printable NIT bracket (pdf format)

via Scott Brown’s SportsBytes on WKDZ: Here is a printable NIT Backet.

What does one TRILLION dollars look like?

ThomasPowell — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:33:21 +0000

What does one TRILLION dollars look like?. An interesting look at the figures being thrown around, in terms of what it would look like in the form of $100 bills.

All this talk about “stimulus packages” and “bailouts”…

A billion dollars…

A hundred billion dollars…

Eight hundred billion dollars…

One TRILLION dollars…

What does that look like?

A statement on the mortgage bailouts.

ThomasPowell — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 20:07:12 +0000

Credit: Michelle Malkin » “HONK if you’re paying my mortgage”. If you’re tired of the bailouts going on forever, there is now a public way to make a statement:

You can buy the bumper sticker here.

Mind Games

ThomasPowell — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 04:42:19 +0000

Glia Society.

Top 100+ Personal Finance Blogs

ThomasPowell — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:55:58 +0000

Top 100+ Personal Finance Blogs -

I don’t know of #1 – Consumerist as a Personal Finance blog, so that limits this lists’ reputation. I frequent #4, #11, #12, #13. I notice that Dave Ramsey does not have an offering on this list.