After a recent move, I’ve had to re-evaluate the way I connect to the Internet. Before the move, I had DSL. It was pretty dreamy for a couple of years. It was especially nice after having survived with a satellite ISP for three years prior to the DSL connection.

The satellite was much faster than the old back-roads country dial up that I had – which topped out at 24K and often refused to work at all if there was a heavy dew. Rain didn’t affect it much, but dew and heavy humidity would knock it out completely.

Now I’m back looking at ISP options and was appalled to learn that my new city has a single ISP provider with a monopoly – and that provider sells out the service to other ISP providers – which keeps the prices inflated. In the first month on the “city” DSL I had two days of complete outage and other times of extreme creeping-slow service. My “country” DSL was bullet-proof. It was a much better product. With the latest move, I started looking for other options.

Satellite ISP: It’s Not All “Dishy”
I was seriously considering getting a satellite again – just so I can stay mobile. I could get it attached to my RV and pumping it out wirelessly from there for use inside the house or outside in my mobile office. I could take it with me when I moved back to the farm or stay connected while I did some traveling. It would be a final solution. It would be perfect!

Then I did a bit of research…

My former satellite service (on the farm) had stared to slow noticeably just before I moved to the location where DSL was available. I thought it was just me… that I’d become even more impatient than usual. But my favorite online speed test (http://performance.toast.net/) proved that wasn’t the case. It really WAS slower.

Now, according to user groups and forums web-wide, the continued overselling of satellite bandwidth without adding any additional infrastructure has created a “slower than dial up” status for many subscribers. (Slower than dial up at broadband prices? No thank you.) And the equipment is not cheap. Incidentally, the satellite dish I had two years ago is no longer “supported” by the ISP, so I’ll have to reinvest over $1200 to get what I already have replaced to hook up to satellite again – if I don’t want it mounted on the RV. Mobile mounting really shoots the cost up.

Cable is Constricted
Cable, the other local option, is experiencing the same issues as satellite – at least in my market. Although not as dramatic as what’s happening with the Satellite ISPs, cable is being speed-throttled because all users in a geographic area share a common bandwidth. The bigger the subdivision, the more pronounced the problem, but even the less populated areas are noticing a speed and service lull according to my techie sources in town.

Maybe, since I work primarily during the day, my cable wouldn’t be too choked. The children would be at school and the majority of adults would be at work – using their company’s ISP – so maybe I could rearrange my work schedule a bit to facilitate better upload and download speeds for client work.

But, the fact is… I don’t want to. I want to have full and unfettered access to the Internet any time I get the urge. I’m spoiled. I’m demanding. I want fast Internet access!

Wringing Out the (Cell Phone) Waves
I used my wireless 3G cell phone SIM card in my computer during the transition period while DSL was being hooked up two months ago. It wasn’t a pleasant option. It was better than no option, but only marginally. I could work, but the speed was frustratingly sluggish and I had to abandon any attempts to perform multi-media downloads (which I do often — when I have the capacity). And the cost per month for this sub-standard data option? $60 over and above my cell phone plan, the cost of the “aircard” and let’s not forget taxes.

Wireless Webs Aren’t Woven in Kentucky
Here, there’s no news of the in-town wireless LAN options that I read about in other, more progressive, communities. It is my understanding that they also get throttled, but at least the cost is commensurate with the service. Many areas are offering community wireless LAN access for free or at an extremely low cost. A few of those available worldwide are listed here: http://wiki.personaltelco.net/index.cgi/WirelessCommunities.

Informationweek.com offers a glimpse into where the wireless web options are now, and where things are headed.

Alternative Options… It Costs HOW Much?!?!
The only other option I’ve investigated is a pricey one. There is a business-quality dedicated satellite ISP that doesn’t get “choked down” via overselling – at least that’s what the company representative tells me. But the snag is the cost.

I called a “business satellite specialist” and was told that my bill will come in at $13,000 for the installation I’d need to run a business quality dish on my RV. And then there is the monthly fee, ranging from $179 per month up to $599 per month. PER MONTH! This is not a viable option for most small business owners, IMHO. It’s not viable for me right now.

If you are interested in learning more about mobile (read expensive) options for business, visit: http://www.mobilsat.com/ or http://www.groundcontrol.com.

In conclusion, I see no real options other than DSL (which currently has me on the back end of a 12-day wait for service) or taking my chances with the bandwidth available through cable. Even DSL is subject to dramatic fluctuations in quality of service, depending on where you live.

I live in Kentucky, a state ranked 32 in the line-up for ISP onramp and download speeds. Rhode Island, the top ranked state, is over five times faster than South Dakota, nearly ten times as fast as Alaska and is over three times as fast as my own state. Check out the broadband statistics on your own state.

With the current lack of viable options and an ever-increasing demand for Internet access I can only imagine what it will be like in a few more years as the lag in the infrastructure and broadband service in the USA becomes even more evident.

According to current reports, the median download speed in the USA is just under 2 megabits per second, whereas in Japan, the median is over 60 megabits. Discouraging isn’t it? How will those of us who work on the web in the states compete online with substandard broadband?

It’s a serious concern for those who live and work online. It’s time to push for real alternatives. Not later, but now.

I was talking with a client this morning, and got the best chuckle of the past two weeks. He informed me that he was recently told that he could use his mouth to amplify the signal from his car remote.

He said that he gave it a try this morning and holding the device on his chin, and with an open mouth, the range was dramatically extended. I nearly had a stitch in my side I laughed so hard. (I think he was offended.)

So, in an effort to find something, ANYTHING on the web about this… I did a search. And I found this little video. I’ve quit laughing at my client now, but I’m still not sure I’m ready to stick a remote to my chin and let my mouth gape open in public. I mean, SERIOUSLY, as if it isn’t difficult enough to appear to be a normal human being on a daily basis without this demonstration!

Boost Car Remote With Skull – video powered by Metacafe

As remote professionals, we are required to maintain a rather “high-tech” office with leading edge tech tools, programs and equipment. Often, we get “caught up” in our technology. If we are bitten by the tech bug, we can end up with a bundle of these tools that cost us more time than they save. Something as simple as buying a new cell phone requires research, time and sometimes hours of programming. Ditto for a new “land-line” phone system for a business.

How do you determine what’s “just enough” and what is “too much” where office and technology tools are concerned?

Needs Assessment

Once a year, you should assess your current “mission critical” programs and hardware to determine if you need to upgrade or replace them. It’s a good idea to do this before the end of your fiscal year, to expense out what you need on the old year, or to know that you need to hold it for the upcoming business year.

Remember that if you upgrade or replace, there will be a learning curve. Even what appear to be “simple” upgrades will impact your productivity and the amount of time required to turn around projects in the immediate future. Don’t replace mission critical software and hardware during your busy season. Schedule these changes when you will have time to acquaint yourself with your new gadgets and gizmos.

Software Purchase Considerations

First, you should only buy software (and hardware) you actually need to provide the services you offer. For example, don’t buy the latest version of “Dreamweaver” unless you already are a web designer/web programmer or you plan in the IMMEDIATE future to learn this new, complex software program.

Our industry is filled with the best intentions to learn new skills which require new tools. Don’t purchase until you have the time, the money and the desire to take on a big new educational leap and can honestly sacrifice the billable hours to do so. If you buy it now and it’s a few months before you can muster up the strength to begin learning it, your program will be the “old” version.

Alternative: Online Options

Consider lowering your investment in software by utilizing online alternatives like Google Docs, Backpackit, or Zoho rather than purchasing and installing all the software you need.

• Lower cost (usually free)
• No installation or upgrades needed
• Uses most common file formats
• Most allow you to save your personal documents on your own computer
• Storing them online means you can access your files from anywhere

Warning: Read the privacy policy carefully for any online service providers and beware of storing sensitive information online on someone else’s server.

Alternative: Open Source Options

Consider the plethora of open source options for paid software programs you currently use. I’ve found several extremely useful and high-performance open source programs: Gimp for image manipulation and Open Office for basic productivity programs and WordPress for my blogging engine. (These actually crash less often than the “big name” programs I used before.)

• Cost is either low or free
• Updates are also low or no-cost
• Security on these “group effort” program are pretty good
• Programs tend to be stable once they are listed as non-alpha/non-beta versions

Warning: Regular updates will have to be done on open source options and some (but not all) require a higher level of technical expertise than the commercial versions.

Hardware Purchase Considerations

When purchasing a new computer, resist the temptation to buy the “latest and greatest” model. Unless you are in a high-tech niche where the clients or the industry requires cutting edge equipment, you will save hundreds of dollars and many hours of your time each year if you drop back one (or more) steps from the top of the line.

Personally, I find the pricing “sweet spot” for a new computer at one or two generations back. This is usually a machine that has been on the market for a few weeks or even a few months and has been recently “trumped” by the next shiny model. The prices are cut to clear out the old and make way for the new and the only sacrifice is usually a tiny bit of CPU speed (which you probably won’t notice unless you are handling multimedia projects) and maybe a new flashy feature or two.

Going one or two steps back also retains the value of the computer for you as a user and prevents the need for a near-future replacement. I would not buy a computer model that is more than 7-8 months old, however. Technology becomes outdated too quickly to invest your time and energy into tweaking a new system with all your software and your personalized settings if you are going to be replacing it in less than a year or two.

Recognize that “one device to do it all” options are great, but are usually more expensive and will require more time to learn than simpler options. So, if you don’t need all of the extra bells and whistles, avoid the fancy stuff.

Maintain What You Use

Do not update your software to the latest version immediately. Do so only as you must to keep your security levels high and to stay in step with the version the majority of your clients are using. Deciding NOT to be on the cutting edge will save you money and it will save you time. It will also ensure that you don’t become one of the many unsuspecting and unpaid beta-testers for newly released (and usually extremely buggy) software.

• Run regular diagnostics and maintenance programs on your computer
• Update your adware/spyware/anti-virus programs and run full-system scans religiously
• Create regular, timely backups (at least once a week — preferably daily)
• Get critical security updates for your software and operating system
• Use a firewall, use strong passwords, don’t share your business machine with family members

When working in our industry, a solid working system that’s a little older is much better than the latest and greatest that crashes in the middle of a project or makes you burn the midnight oil to figure it out before you can begin your next workday. Keep your perspective and remember that technology is supposed to serve you and simplify the way you work. If that’s not happening, you may want to re-evaluate your tech tools.

Technology is great fun for the geeks among us, but it can absorb big chunks of what SHOULD be billable time during your workday… so proceed with caution, consideration, and care.

If you have a problem with a particular product or gadget and you can’t find the information you need on the manufacturer’s site, you now have a resource to help you troubleshoot.

www.FixYa.com is an Israeli website and how-to community with the desire to be the world’s largest support community and online knowledgebase. FixYa hopes to bridge the gap between an increasing lack in manufacturer support and customer demand for technical assistance.

Personally, I’ve already bookmarked this resource and may even hop over there later and write a few “how-to” articles to help support the community myself! In the meantime, check it out for your own techie/geek quandaries.

Ok, Thunderbird is up and running. As I go through and trick it out to make it nicer and add all the little personalized extras, I thought I’d keep a running list here and share it with my blog readers. I hope it will help anyone else who is attempting to do the Microsoft to opensource journey. (more…)

I lost a bet. I almost NEVER lose bets. Main reason? I don’t bet unless it’s a “sure thing” or something really close to a sure thing. I’m not much of a gambler. (more…)

If you are planning a move from Outlook 2007, or if you just want to “soup-up” your open-source Mozilla Thunderbird product, I’ll share some tips, some links and some add-ons that I found particularly useful during my own MS to open-source migration.

(more…)

I wanted to convert my use of Outlook 2007 to an open source option. The problem was determining which one to select.

Problems with Outlook 2007

Outlook 2007 is so blasted slow, I nearly pulled my hair out nearly every day. My “trial” version expires Saturday, so I’m busy converting my stuff over to an open source alternative that will easily follow me when I discard the Windows operating system for a Linux model.

I’m tired of using Microsoft products. I despise what they have decided to do with Vista and the more I read, the more determined I become not just to avoid Vista, but to avoid all Microsoft products as much as possible.

Rather than buying a program to do the conversion from OL2007 to opensource, I was convinced I could find a way (even if it’s a multi-step process) to make this conversion myself. I wanted to share my findings with those of you interested in going on the same path, and hope that I save you time, research effort and frustration in the process.

(more…)

It’s a new year, and I’ve just rebuilt my computer. Running a Tablet PC as a primary machine is an exercise in restraint. I don’t want to have anything that isn’t absolutely necessary, but, one of the things that IS necessary is security. Why? I’m so glad you asked!

Because “stuff” happens. Think it won’t happen to you? Tell that to my clients who have experienced:

• Virus attacks that have wiped out the business machine.
• Worm/back door trojan that unleashed delete sequences on their main hard drive.
• A pipe that broke in the ceiling over a desk and literally flooded and shorted out the machine.
• Hard drive failure (mechanical) – replaced by the computer manufacturer, but that didn’t help with the data.
• Fire that did enough smoke damage to render the computer useless.
• Power surge that wiped out a computer with all the data it contained.
• A laptop stolen when on a business trip.

And you also have the possibility of major disasters that are weather-related, floods, fires, etc.

When you are looking at your own computer security and data security, you should ensure:

• A user that uses a strong password (letters AND numbers).
• A computer that doesn’t run an administrator account as a default.
• A business machine that isn’t used by other members of the family (in particular teenagers, IMHO).
• An anti-virus that works flawlessly.
• A firewall that protects you from the outside without making you crazy when you are networking inside.
• A selection of spyware detection/removal tools that work well together.

Be sure that your maintenance is done on a regular basis and that you also do a weekly backup (at a minimum). You should also secure your critical data (no less often than once a month) on a removable drive and store it offsite. Then, if something happens to your home office or your computer, you will still be able to serve your clients!

As I mentioned the other day on WickedBlog, I broke my precious little, ultra portable (and great-picture-taking) Canon SD 500 Power Shot. I broke the little LCD screen. Now, although it still takes photos — I can’t see them, preview them, or sort them until I plug the sd card into my Tablet PC. So, it’s really cramping my style.

With that said, I called a client of mine (photo buff and Georgia Realtor Jeff Aughey) and asked if he knew anything about replacement of the screen — was it possible, or did I need to budget for a whole new camera? He went on his favorite forums and did some legwork for me and found the following forum post… (Thanks, Jeff!)…

Photography on the Net Forum on LCD Camera Screen Repair. These forums require a log in — but I must admit that I didn’t find them to be extremely helpful, other than learning that it could be done — and of course the phone number for ordering the part. So, I decided to write my own “how-to” to help anyone who would like a cheaper solution for a heart-breaking gadget problem.

Since the guy that posted said he hadn’t actually DONE the replacement himself, but had pulled it from another post, I thought I’d give a blow-by-blow on how this goes for me… and, just maybe, my hands will be steady enough to do the deed.

(more…)

Ok, I don’t know who NAMES the versions of Microsoft Betas… but “Technical Refresh” sounds odd to me. I do, however, finally have the little sucker installed.

After spending the last two days in email hell… due to a problem with the new version of McAfee’s Security Center — which did NOT “play nice” with the MS Office Beta 2 at all… I can now get my emails again. And, my computer is no longer at a slow crawl with constant crashing symptoms. (And this is my baby… my TABLET PC!!!) * The horror!*

I was about to go nuts. NUTS, I say!

(more…)

I had a client with an interesting problem this week. Their T1 connection had gone down for a few hours and suddenly their emails were bouncing, being delivered to their webmail instead of siphoning through their onsite router, and life was just generally difficult for them. They were also no longer receiving their web-based forms email.

It took a bit of research (and calling in favors from some of my most talented fellow techies) to resolve the issue. These things are never as simple as they should be, are they?

In case it’s of any assistance to anyone else, I wanted to deconstruct the problem here… and share the solution.

(more…)

Following a lawsuit by Adobe, Microsoft agreed to remove the “save as PDF” feature from the upcoming Office 2007 (also called Office 12) as delivered.

But, Microsoft is providing this option as an “add-in” which can be downloaded for free by users from the Microsoft download site. Recently, that “add-in” was made available.

If you want yours (and the ability to also save as XPS format) …
Download your copy of the “Save as PDF” and “Save as XPS” add-in for eight MS Office program formats here.

Enjoy!

Real estate agents, coaches, speakers, authors, artists, small businesses and other entrepreneurs are using outsourcing more and more every day. What troubles some is how to go about selecting the best in the business.

It’s not always easy to pan for gold online.

With that in mind, I’ve compiled this checklist list of things you should consider when you are seeking a specialist to help move your own business ahead.

When Seeking Individual Offsite Providers:

• Always require and check references. Check every single one.
• Don’t hire a generalist. Outsourcing specialists are a benefit to your company only if they bring the specific skills you need. You can hire generalists for onsite work or use temp agencies as needed for general or clerical work.
• Does your potential specialist do outsourced work full-time? Part timers only dedicate a few hours a day or a week to your needs and you will split that with any other clients they may have.
• Get information. Ask about background and real-life experience in the areas you need and a history of delivering those services via digital means. Consider and weigh formal education, professional experience, longevity in business and client references.
• Investigate. Check into the certification requirements if you seek certified individuals. If everyone passes the “tests” — do the tests indicate skill?
• Rates will vary, but your end cost is what matters. Recognize that specialists may accomplish in 15 minutes what it could take two hours or more for a beginner to accomplish – and the pros will deliver a better end product.
• You get what you pay for. If a VA is charging less than $25 per hour, they probably aren’t seasoned. If they do not yet know the costs associated with running their own business, do you want them helping you run yours?
• Do they seem too eager? If so, you may not want them. Hungry often = new or less than experienced. Sometimes you strike gold with a wonderfully experienced newcomer, but often your projects are merely their training ground.
• Do they interview YOU? Most professional providers will. If they aren’t asking questions to help you define how you see their role in your business, you should be concerned. Excellent outsourcing providers ask excellent questions.
• Do they educate you about this way of working? If you are new to outsourcing, most professionals will take a few minutes to ascertain your level of comfort and will help to explain to you how it works, and how they (or someone they recommend) may help you.
• Are they busy? Most professional providers of a certain caliber have a full client load. You know the old saying, “If you want something done, ask the person who is busy” — not the one just standing there. They accept only the “cream-of-the-crop” new clients — and only those they believe they can help.
• Don’t be offended if you are referred on. Most professionals will send you to another provider if they don’t have the time in their schedule or if they don’t have the specialized services they feel you need.
• Professional referrals will help you find a good match. Someone in this business is careful about referring work to others. It puts their own reputation on the line. Not every referral is a perfect match, but your chances are improved when a professional outsourcing specialists makes a recommendation.

So, you have decided to launch (or are considering starting) your own outsourcing or virtual assistant business. Maybe you aren’t sure if you are “on track” or you don’t quite know what to expect. The following list of “common phases” of creating a successful independent, entrepreneurial business may help. After working with many virtual assistants and service providers as they have set up their businesses over the past several years, I’ve determined that few (if any) of these “steps” are usually skipped.

If you are preparing to open a business, if you are in the middle of the process — or even if you feel you have “hit a brick wall” — the following phase “timeline” may help you to determine where you are and what you need to do (or to endure) next.

PS: Don’t forget to take the time to actually enjoy the journey!

Typical Phases of an Outsourcing Services or Virtual Assistant Practice:

The First Phase:

• Introduction to the concept of outsourcing or virtual assistance.
• Hours of research and growing excitement.
• Realization that providing specific skilled services is something you could do/have done/am doing!
• More excitement and search for a “how to” outline for becoming a virtual assistant, offsite provider or outsourcer.
• Getting a clearer concept of what is involved in running an outsourcing business, so you can effectively explain it to others.
• Discussion with family, friends and respected peers.

The Second Phase:

• You talk about little else and those close to you mention that fact.
• Decision to launch a practice.
• Announcement to family and friends of intentions to open your business.
• Overwhelming, immobilizing FEAR!

The Third Phase:

• Discovery that even with all the things you know, there are so many more you don’t know that you NEED to know to excel as an outsourcing services provider and small business owner.
• Doubts that you can learn everything you need to know.
• Realization that you have painted yourself into this corner by announcing and you either have to move forward or quit now (and pray no one remembers your grand announcement.)
• Your nose meets the grindstone and they become quick friends.

The Fourth Phase:

• More determination and a business plan is fleshed out. (This should have come earlier in the process, but seldom does.) Following the business plan your website is built, equipment is purchased or updated, decisions are made on Internet connectivity, fax access (freestanding, computer based/virtual, or combination with printer and phone — an all in one), determination on need for separate phone line, determination on hosting options, and an enormous number of other decisions (both tiny and huge) on how to run your business and what you need in terms of software and hardware and any classes you need for specific skills you don’t currently have to run a business, aside from the skill you have for the services you plan to offer for hire.
• Website launches, announcements are sent out, and your excitement peaks.

The Fifth Phase:

• You wait… and wait… and wait… and the customers seem to be a myth.
• And you doubt your decisions, your abilities, even yourself.
• Then… you get a client or two and nearly fall all over them trying to be the best possible independent contractor they have EVER met. You don’t bill for all your time, you lose your shirt financially — all in an attempt to impress them, make yourself invaluable to them, and get their signature on the “all important” contract. Simultaneously, you seriously frighten the customers with your exuberance.
• You survive but you don’t prosper.

The Sixth Phase:

• You are disenchanted. You have gained 20 pounds from sitting in front of the computer day in and day out. Your family asks you to introduce yourself at the dinner table because they remember the face, but can’t recall the name — or they offer you a plate “to go” so you can eat at your desk, as has become your habit. Your wrists ache, your mouse finger actually clicks through your REM cycles each night, you have dark circles under your eyes and you are pretty sure that you need glasses from the eye strain of non-stop monitor viewing.
• Suddenly you realize you aren’t having any fun.

The Seventh Phase:

• It’s been months. You are running a business, but it’s not what you had dreamed it would be. Your projects aren’t exciting, your clients aren’t what you imagined and your income just plain sucks.
• You decide something has got to give. (THIS is the turning point for most service providers that make it this far and leap the hurdles to arrive in this uncertain position).

The Eighth Phase:

• At this point, most individuals either decide to niche their services or they give up their practice in disgust, convinced that working from home, a real outsourcing career and actually “making it” in this industry is some cruel hoax or joke.

The Ninth Phase:

• You niche your services and get picky about your clients.

Why niching matters:

1. You don’t buy as much unnecessary software if you know your target clients, and with a little research you can get copies of the most common software and hardware needed in that particular industry.
2. You can “drill down” and develop and hone skills that are valuable to your specific market, rather than trying to be all things to all people.
3. You find your own direction as a business owner, as a service provider and as an entrepreneurial individual.

The Tenth Phase:

• You begin to taste real success and you realize… “So THIS is why I stuck it out!”
• You work with people you truly enjoy and only accept the most appealing projects
• You do only what you do best and you hire out what you need that you don’t enjoy and do well for your own business
• You seek a professional network that supports you and you learn to refer business to others and keep only the best fits for yourself
• You learn to take time for you — away from work and “the business” — and start to explore the concept of balance in your business and in your life.

I’ve been able to get online with my laptop, while here on retreat. My father, on the other hand, … not so much. I’ve been a bit frustrated with the download speeds (read this as “impossible to download large files at all”) and I always am amazed/shocked to learn how dependent I am on the Internet. Five minutes doesn’t expire here at the camper without me having the urge to look something up, jot something down, send something out, or check on something on the Internet.

So, I was doing ok and had decent signal strength… until the RV slot next to us (and between us and the office where the wi-fi lives) filled up with our neighbor. Then, signal strength plummeted. We are lucky to get one or two bars (for those of you that know wi-fi meters).

Pops and I looked online for an antenna to help draw in the signal. We ordered one — one that was going to cost nearly $200, including the shipping and handling, but I was desperate. So I ordered it and paid extra for fast delivery. Today marked the SIXTH day since the order was placed, and still no antennae. So I called the company (radiolabs.com) and they informed me that my antenna had not yet been sent!! It was on back order and they really couldn’t tell me when they would get the part they needed back in, nor did they bother to inform me of this at any time within the six days since I ordered it.

ARRUUUGGHHH!!!

So Pop and I drove into town and he got a little creative. We ended up making our own for a fraction of the cost. Want to know how? Read on…

We went to the local computer store and purchased a USB Wi-Fi dongle. We got a 10′ USB extension. Pops got up on top of the camper (I really shoulda had my camera, but alas, I didn’t think of it), He took the USB dongle plugged up to the USB extension. I’d double wrapped it in a heavy gauge zip lock baggie plastic. (Hey, I had zip lock baggies and a pair of scissors… nuff said). And he borrowed some electrical tape from a neighbor (the one next door, no less!).

Then he taped the baggie-covered USB dongle to the FM antennae and taped the extension cord down the length of the FM antenna and we then snaked it into window and it plugged into the USB on the back of his desktop. Thankfully, the measurements were right… otherwise it wouldn’t have worked. The 10′ on the USB is about maxed — beyond that you start losing signal strength.

However, if you are looking for this type of booster for a camper, RV or even a Van or vehicle… it just might work for you. It works great for us.

Since we were searching the Internet for a solution to this problem… and couldn’t find one… I figured I’d share it to help out the next guy.

Price? About $60.

Have fun!

A short list of basic considerations and needs to help any new or emerging Virtual Assistant project the best possible image.

Becoming a Virtual Assistant is a big step in anyone’s career path. Following through to progress from a new VA to a professional, successful VA requires you to juggle many of your own business details. The following are a few suggestions to help you make that transition:

Get a website
Even if your target clients are primarily in your local market, being a VA with no web presence places you at a disadvantage.

Use a matching e-mail address
Using an ISP, Hotmail, or Yahoo address looks less professional than you need to be. Use your .com address on business e-mail.

Be sure your marketing materials coordinate with your website
Your printed materials should urge potential clients to visit your website – where they will learn more about your services. Be sure that the colors, shapes, graphics, and logo are the same in all marketing pieces. If they look completely different, you will appear disorganized and less professional. Image matters.

Do not use call waiting
If you are on the line with a client, you should never stop to answer the other line. It’s rude. And most clients will hear the “click” of the beep in, even if you don’t answer it.

Get a dedicated phone line
And once you have it, use it only for your business. Don’t allow family members to tie up that line or answer your business phone.

Get voice mail
When you have stepped out of the office, or you are on the phone, your clients should never get a phone that rings endlessly or that offers a busy signal.

Become a member of a professional organization
Joining an industry-leading professional organization will increase your knowledge base and improve your networking while keeping you informed on technology and methodologies in your industry. Staying informed is a requirement in this business.

Despite my desire to get to a single hourly rate system, I still offer a discount to my those long-standing clients who have been with me for years.

In my new Microsoft Office SBA program, I figured I’d handle this with a % discount under the Price Level functionality.

So…

I get the invoice template all customized and pull in my first client’s billing to test the invoice. He’s one that gets the “longevity” discount. And, there’s my standard rate. And it STAYS there.

So I begin research…I went to the Microsoft site, which was sadly lacking in “tech support” type info for this new package.

I Googled it. Nothing.

I thought maybe it was me, so I went back to double check my price level settings. I even pulled up a new client invoice and had the same problem.

After quite a bit of time, I gave up and used the discount option on the invoice… but it haunted me. I didn’t want a bunch of “discounts” showing up in my books. I wanted to keep the new system clean and streamlined. Afterall, making things clean and integrated is why I undertook this mess at the beginning of this year, right? And it’s still not tweaked to suit me…

After revisiting all my searches and struggling with it, I went down and switched it to a tester Price Level I had created initially… and it WENT to that price level.

When I switched it back to the preloaded price level for the long-term client, Voila! It then registered the new price level.

MS Small Business Accounting will pre-load a specific price level for a given client (something you set in the details tab of the individual client) — but it won’t apply that price level until you click OFF of the price level at the invoicing level (it’s in the lower right hand corner) and then re-select the right price level.

As I go through this hair-jerking-out process, I figured I’d share with others. After all, maybe someone else trying to Google this, will hit on my blog.

I wish someone had written about this when I was looking!

Now, it’s time to get back to setting up my banking online… sigh.

*Am a word person… and am hating life while I’m forced to be a bean counter!* Grrrrr.

After another unwelcome trip into the land of Microsoft … I had difficulty finding BCM V2 for download. I’m not sure why my BRAND NEW copy of Business Contact Manager (which is a part of Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2003) was shipped with version 1, but that’s beside the point.

Searching on MS’s site did little to help me find the update, but I did find a link to it after searching around the user groups a bit.

With all the issues that BCM has, it’s amazing that the upgrade (reportedly effective for fixing many of those bugs) isn’t easier to find.

It also permits the “integration” of BCM with Small Business Accounting 6.0 (SBA 6). I’ve not managed to get that far quite yet, but I’m hoping it will work.

Download the BCM V2.0 here.

Hope this helps shorten your search time.

And here’s a link to the FAQ page about this update:

http://www.microsoft.com/office/outlook/contactmanager/prodinfo/faq.mspx

While working to get my Outlook 2003, my Business Contact Manager and my Microsoft Office Small Business Accounting 2006 programs all chummy and happy with each other (without pulling out the few sprigs of hair that remain in my head)…

a terrible thing happened.

I closed the Business Contact Manager add-in for Outlook 2003 and couldn’t figure out how to reopen it…

By right clicking on the Business Contact Manager Mail Folder Icon under “All Mail Folders” in the option to Close the Business Contact Manager appears. I, of course, must test this option. So BCM closes. Now, I just try to reopen it. Sounds simple, eh? To reopen something you closed? Simple. Intuitive… especially for someone as familiar with the MS suite of products as I am.

It’s not simple. It probably took me 10 minutes of poking around before I found out how to reopen it. And, since I “fell” into the answer, I had to close it again and go back and search a second time to be able to document it for anyone else out there that’s similarly stuck.

I have the Microsoft Outlook “bible” called Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Inside Out (which I’m reading at the same speed a turtle would achieve while attempting to sprint through an inch-deep lake of peanut butter) but couldn’t find the answer there.

I also searched online in the MS Knowledge Base and Googled it. No luck.

So, if you had a moment of sanity lapse wherein you turned off your BCM and now need to turn yours back on…

Go to File->New->Outlook Data File

and then select “Use an existing database” and select your Business Contact Manager (be sure NOT to select the “Create a New Database”).

There. NOW it’s simple!