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Stephanie Woolford-Bales

Brought to you in partnership with Rod Beckwith - http://mrjv.com

Highest Education: Sophmore year of high school

Year Started Business: 2004

Type Of Business: e-Publishing/Internet Marketing/Home Mortgage (all done online)

Target Market: Other marketers, particularly the Internet marketing novice, and home owners/buyers

Number of Employees: Two

Best Month (Gross Revenues): $32,500

Hours Worked Per Week During Startup Phase: 75 hours

Hours Worked Per Week Now: 25 to 40 hours

Favorite Business Magazines: Business 2.0, Success and Forbes

Favorite Business Books Or Authors: The 8th Habit, Stephen R. Covey; Rich Dad, Poor Dad and The Cash Flow Quadrant, Robert Kiyosaki; and Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill

Relaxes By: Camping, skiing (both water and snow), watching motor sports, and playing with his kids and one-year-old grandson

Keeps In Shape By: "Walking and riding my quad takes a lot of physical energy! My fingers are in top shape—I type 85 WPM!?"

Favorite Part Of The Job: "My first passion is derived from my domestic violence Website, as it is a topic very close to my heart. I greatly enjoy assisting victims of domestic abuse to leave behind their horrible circumstances and rebuild their lives. I also thoroughly enjoy coaching the Internet novice in the creation of his or her own product and watching them make their first sales. Sometimes I think I enjoy it more than they do!"

Least Favorite Part Of The Job: "Although I don’t encounter them often, I would have to say negative people (dream-stealers) with JOB mentality who refuse to see the vision of financial freedom as reality. They are an energy drain, so I don’t spend a whole lot of time allowing them to drag me down."

Companies Admired: "I can’t say that I admire 'companies.' I can say that I admire the people who built the companies, particularly those who started with zero. Those I admire most on a personal level are my own business mentor, Howard L. Moreland, Mike Filsaime, and Rosalind Gardner."

Favorite Quotes:

Sometimes it is not enough to do our best; we must do what is required.—Sir Winston Churchill,
Take time to gather up the past so that you will be able to draw from your experience and invest them in the future.—Jim Rohn
Show me the money!—Cuba Gooding, Jr.
People Admired: "My ex-husband, who forced me to fight for my life and the lives of my children, even when it meant standing up to the law. It was he who influenced my determination to rebuild a life free from abuse, the birth of my Internet business through my creation of my first digital information product, I’m Still Standing – A Comprehensive Survival Guide for Victims of Domestic Abuse, and my dedication to victims of domestic violence worldwide. It was through that experience I learned what I am truly capable of, reclaimed my own life and identity, discovered and extracted the positive from tragedy, and committed to never letting anything hinder me from achieving my dreams and goals. Although it was a negative influence, in the end, it proved to have a profoundly positive impact upon my life. Today, I can only say 'Thank you.'"

Heroes: "My father, for teaching me that I can do whatever I set my mind to; my current husband, for supporting everything I do and loving me and my children unconditionally; Mr. Howard L. Moreland, for taking me by the hand and leading me to financial freedom."

Accomplishments: "I would say that tripling your combined household income in less than one year’s time is most definitely a business achievement to be proud of! When I made my first dollar online, I knew that I was hooked and in it for the long haul. I’ve always been a ladder climber, and if I can do it once, I can do it better the next time...to infinity!"

Number Of Months Before Achieving A Profit: "I achieved a profit within the first two weeks."

Books/Tapes/Reports Authored:

http://www.nojobneeded.com/ezGaffurl.php?offer=jvsecrets&pid=1

http://www.affiliatemarketingmuscle.com/ezGaffurl.php?offer=jvsecrets&pid=1

http://www.yourincometaxsavingssecret.com/ezGaffurl.php?offer=jvsecrets&pid=1

http://www.settleyourowninjuryclaim.com/ezGaffurl.php?offer=jvsecrets&pid=1

http://www.DomesticViolenceSurvivor.com

http://www.infinitewebtraffic.com/affh/mrjv1/

https://paydotcom.com/r/1347/mrjv/13126/

https://paydotcom.com/r/1343/mrjv/13124/

http://www.supercashflowsecrets.com/affh/mrjv1/

http://www.infinitewebtraffic.com/affh/mrjv1/
Contact Stephanie At: Phone - 360-896-8204 or E-Mail - nojobneeded@comcast.net

GETTING STARTED TIPS:

I'm starting a home business next month. I have a maximum of $3,000 in start-up capital. Where should I invest it?

This would depend entirely upon what kind of home business you are starting. For the sake of this question, I will answer as if I were writing my first digital information product (eBook.) and the tools that I wish I would have bought from the very start.

You can write your own ebook in MS Word. If you don’t have it already, invest in a copy of Adobe Acrobat, full version, 6.0 works great for this purpose. You can get a copy of version 6.0 at http://www.buycheapsoftware.com/ for $159.00 There are cheaper PDF programs on the market, but I’m partial to Adobe.

Since you are creating your own product, you will need a Website (or more than one if writing multiple ebooks.) Get Steve Tanner’s Sites That Influence Web Site Generator! at http://www.eBookCosmos.com/SitesThatInfluence.html for $97. This way, you can make as many Websites as you need – and you will eventually create more!

Sign up for Web hosting with DreamHost! at http://www.eBookCosmos.com/DreamHost.html. I personally recommend their My Code Monster! package, as you can have up to 15 full domains hosted under this package. If you pay for two years of hosting at the time of sign up, you will receive a substantial discount. Total cost (2 years hosting for multiple domains) = $382.80. This cost includes registration of your first domain name for free.

Download the keyword search tool at http://www.goodkeywords.com/ – FREE.

Buy Jeff Alderson’s Traffic Equalizer for $147.00 to optimize your Web pages (http://www.eBookCosmos.com/TrafficEqualizer.html).

Buy Jim Edwards’ Affiliate Link Cloaker (http://www.eBookCosmos.com/AffiliateLinkCloaker.html) for $59.

Buy a one-year membership to Instant Attention for $97 (http://www.eBookCosmos.com/InstantAttention.html).

Buy a copy of Brad Callen’s Seo Elite (http://www.eBookCosmos.com/SEOElite.html) for $167.

Register your site with PayDotCom.com for free ($29 if you are creating more than one eBook) and offer a two-tier affiliate program with a 40/10 split. Price your eBook between $47 and $97.

Buy a copy of Traffic Seeker Platinum (http://www.eBookCosmos.com/TrafficSeeker.html) for $199.90.

Buy a copy of Frenchie Sano’s Keyword Locator Tool for $87.

Total investment so far: $1,424.70.

But, instead of buying all of these tools through my affiliate links, you would first sign up for each affiliate program and buy them through your own, so that you receive the price discount on each item. You can’t do this with the Web hosting, Pay Dot Com or the Adobe software, so you will have to put out the full price for those items. But the rest of these items provide for commissions anywhere between 40% and 67%. Assuming you get a 50% (average) discount, your current investment is now back down to $997.75, and you have all the tools you need to create your own ePublishing business and cash-cranking Websites, optimize your Web pages, upsell affiliate products using your cloaked affiliate links (Instant Attention and Affiliate Link Cloaker), submit your URLs to the search engines, seek out and contact high PR link partners, and uncover niche keywords with low bids (Keyword Locator). You can also sign up for a Google Adsense account for free, and create another stream of income from each of your Websites by placing the Adsense code in your Web page.

As soon as you have finished your ebook(s), your Website will be up, moving, and making an income for you.

You still have $2,002.25 left over (assuming the discounts I mention in the paragraphs above) in your budget, so put that away for security purposes and advertising expenses. I suggest that you make the most of it by using only advertising resources that will pay you commissions, as I have outlined in my own eBook, Infinite Web Traffic! (http://www.infinitewebtraffic.com/affh/mrjv1/) and with Google Adsense. This will help you to generate additional income streams and replenish your operating capital for next month!

You need to focus on building your list, so be sure and place a pop-up banner you generate with Instant Attention to remind your Website visitors to sign up for your announcement list—you can have unlimited announcement lists with DreamHost, which will be a chief source of your ongoing income, so build that list! You might need a little boost to get your opt-in list growing, so team up with another established merchant who will promote your product to their list. That will help you get your list moving and build your affiliate force.

Now repeat the process, using the tools that you have purchased. In a matter of a few short weeks (depending upon how fast you type) you can have all 15 of those domains filled up and receiving a nice income from each of your Websites!

Place the rest of your money into your advertising budget and use only as needed! Leverage your time, efforts, and money on the growth of your affiliate force, and you won’t have to do a whole lot of your own advertising. Focus on building your list and recommending affiliate products to them. This will provide you with affiliate commission income, in addition to the sales of your eBooks, backend income from affiliate products wrapped inside your book, two-tier commissions you will make on branding fees for giving away my free eBook as a bonus gift at your site, the Adsense income you will make from each of your Websites, and the commissions you will be making from each of the trafficking programs inside of my Infinite Web Traffic! eBook. Following this plan, you have started your own Internet enterprise business, generating multiple streams of income, and are in a profit position immediately. Plus, you still haven’t spent your entire original start-up budget!

I've just started a home business. My spouse has given me six months to make it work. Any advice?

She won’t be too worried after seeing the profit that you have brought in already by following the plan I have outlined above. You are already generating income from multiple streams, and your business continues to grow each month.

They say it takes money to make money. Should I try to get a small business loan for my startup capital or just try to get by with my own limited finances?

If you have the $3,000, NO. Why pay the bank interest, when you can make less than half of that $3,000 pay you?

TECHNOLOGY & TOOLS:

How quickly do you adopt new technology for your business?

Very quickly.

How do you use e-mail in your business?

I use e-mail to process support requests and to do a great deal of my advertising campaigns.

How do you utilize the Internet?

It is the LIFE of my business; 100% of my marketing is done online.

How many of your own Website(s) do you have?

12 in all – including my ebooks, JV site with Steve Tanner, and my Master-Blaster Pro! service.

Do you use autoresponders?

Yes. My autoresponders handle many of my customer service issues, welcoming new subscribers, follow up e-mails and special product offers.

Describe your computer system and how you use computers in your business.

I’m operating Windows XP on both my desktop and laptop.

What software do you consider in the "must-have" category?

Because I write ebooks, I would say a word processing program, like MS Word, and Adobe Acrobat. Also, an e-mail client, such as Outlook, antivirus protection, and MS Front Page.

What other technology do you use in your business?

My laptop and I also use my handheld when away for short periods of time.

Name up to five personal favorite business URL's our readers can benefit from:

Google.com
Clickbank.com
PayDotCom.com

Of all the technology you use, rank the top three. Why do you consider these to be the top three?

My PC, Internet connection, and a printer. With these three things, I can run a multiple income-stream enterprise.

MARKETING & ADVERTISING:

How do you market on the Internet?

At this point, I market primarily to and through my own affiliate force and subscribers. I do this primarily through e-mail (broadcasts, autoresponders, etc.) I also use the trafficking program I outline in two of my ebooks, through “reverse” marketing.

Approximately what percentage of your sales originate from Internet marketing?

;99.9% - I do, periodically, make a sale through an offline referral.

What other marketing techniques do you use?

Traffic exchanges, occasional ezine ad, search engines, and through my affiliate force.

Where do you market (locally, nationally, internationally, all three?).

All three.

THE HOME OFFICE:

How should someone set up his/her home office to maximize its effectiveness?

Keep clutter and personal items off your desk. That will only distract you. We arranged our office to use a large percentage of our home’s square footage so that we can receive the maximum tax relief offered by the US Tax code. Keep your business area organized and exclusive to business.

What, if any, ground rules have you established for yourself and family in order to operate a successful home business?

We have had to establish specific “Do not interrupt Mom” hours so that I can get my work done, but we also have established family time. My kids are old enough that they understand and respect what I am doing, and they make a special point to not be disruptive during my designated work time.

What are some of the advantages to working at home? What are some of the disadvantages?

Advantages – I can work in my P.J.s if I want to! My office is just down the stairs from my bedroom and right next to the kitchen. I’m here for my kids whenever they need me and can drop everything and run out to do errands or spend personal time if I choose. The only disadvantage that I can think of is that I have to really work at disciplining myself not to overwork. My business is always here, waiting for me to work it and make money. It would be real easy for me to be chained to my computer 22 hours per day if I allowed it to happen.

MANAGEMENT STYLE:

What part(s) of your work do you farm out?

All of the tech work. I know very little html, and couldn’t build a functional Website to save my own life. I can build a Web page with Front Page, but making it functional is a whole different story!

What part(s) do you feel should never be farmed out?

Customer service because I like to know my customers are happy, and want them to know that there is a real person behind the Website.

Do you encourage or discourage Partnerships?

I encourage them, particularly where it applies to Joint Ventures. I think that JVs are one of the strongest forms of leverage you will find with Internet business and a fantastic way to build mutually beneficial and lasting business relationships and friendships.

Do you encourage or discourage hiring family members?

DISCOURAGE!! Because your mother will always be your mother. This means she has a natural right to argue with you and ignore you!

When legal issues arise, what's your usual response?

Being a former legal professional, my first response is to conduct legal research and establish liability. My second response is to make sure that I am fully compliant and have met all of my responsibilities under the law. The rest I don’t sweat. Whenever in doubt, I call my attorney.

MONEY & INVESTMENTS:

What are the advantages of earning a lot of money. What are some disadvantages?

The financial security and not wanting for anything. Not having to struggle and worry about how the mortgage will be paid. Disadvantages are that a lot of people will take advantage of you because you have it and they want it. They forget that you WORKED hard for your money. Also, having a lot of money can make you lose sight of where you came from if you let it. My motto is to always remember my past and take it with me into my future as a learning experience and to be of service to others.

Best general tax advice?

Save your receipts and keep a tax log! You will bullet-proof yourself from an IRS audit. I wrote an ebook about this—http://www.yourincometaxsavingssecret.com/, which is primarily directed to the home-based business owner.

Best general investment advice?

Find a reputable broker, or you could end up losing big time! Always know where your money is and where you stand financially.

You're in business already, and you've just received a windfall of $20,000. What would you do with it?

I would put half into an investment account where I could earn compound interest, and the rest I would reinvest into my business to create more income sources.

THE ROAD AHEAD:

In five years, I'll be...

A millionaire (multi-millionaire, that is!).

In 10 years, I'll be...

Retired someplace tropical!

POWERFUL IDEAS:

What was the motivating factor that drove you to start your own business?

My children were being raised by a day care provider. I wanted to be able to earn a living and be a mother. I also wanted to help others to achieve a better lifestyle, particuarly victims of domestic abuse.

What role, if any, did your family play when you were getting your business off the ground?

My family was my support network. From housework to grocery shopping to running kids to school…my family was an awesome team!

What motivates you now to continue building your business?

The success that I have enjoyed this far, as well as watching others who I have mentored reach their goals.

What's the best thing about being self-employed?

Being in control of my own destiny. There are no glass celiengs when you are your own employer. You can take it as far as you are willing to go, and the sky is the limit. I don’t have anyone pre-determining my personal boundaries and limitations.

The most underrated activity in business is…

The power which comes from personal interaction with your customers. I take the time to answer my prospects and customers personally, and have heard repeatedly how much that is appreciated.

The most overrated activity in business is…

The fact that people actually think they need a formal education in order to succeed and become financially independent.

What was the biggest obstacle you had to face when you were launching your own business? What's your biggest obstacle now?

My lack of belief in my own ability. That is something I have had to work very hard on. My self-esteem was at ground zero when I started, and I still have a tendency to self-limit if I don’t stay disciplined about it. My biggest obstacle now would be the same. I learned to step back, analyze, really think things through and eliminate the words “I can’t” from my vocabulary.

If you had to start your business all over again, what would you do differently?

I would NOT throw my credit card after every “how to” product on the market! If I would have only known then what I know now…

What was your worst business decision?

Refusing to delegate! I have really had to let go of some of my control issues to get the job done on time and effectively. Coming from a background where I ran a very successful attorney’s litigation practice all on my own, I was used to being in control of and responsible for every little detail. I have had to work very hard to break that habit.

What was your best business decision?

Deciding to go for it! The decision to go into business for myself was, undoubtedly, the best business decision I have ever made.

What do you consider to be the main keys of your success?

Constantly challenging myself, keeping my eye on the goal, always striving for improvement, and never forgettng where I came from just a few short years ago. Maintaining my sense of compassion for others has been paramount to the level of success that I have enjoyed this far. It gives my readers a sense of encouragement to see that I am just a normal human being who has also walked a pretty rough road, and if I can do it, so can they.

What's your success philosophy?

Provide good service and the customer is yours for life. You have got to give if you want to receive.

What about you has changed the most since finding success in business?

My level of self-esteem and belief in my own abilities. I have learned how to get out of my own way, and let myself succeed.

What is the legacy you hope to leave?

I am teaching my children about creating financial independence and the importance of a strong work ethic. I wish for my children never to know the limitations of one’s personal success pre-defined by corporate America.