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	<title>Working Moms Blog &#187; Start Business</title>
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	<description>taking a time out for mom</description>
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		<title>How to Start a Party Rental Business</title>
		<link>http://www.workingmomsblog.com/2011/05/how-to-start-a-party-rental-business/</link>
		<comments>http://www.workingmomsblog.com/2011/05/how-to-start-a-party-rental-business/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 May 2011 02:59:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>workingmom</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entrepreneurship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rental Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Start Business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://workingmomsblog.com/2011/05/how-to-start-a-party-rental-business/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;m sure you&#8217;ve seen moonbounces at various parties &#038; events. Perhaps you&#8217;ve even rented one. But have you ever thought about the financial windfall that can come with owning a couple of the units?Moonbounces rent for anywhere from $85.00/day on the west coast to $250.00 &#038; up in other parts of the country. Here in [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="float:left; padding: 12px"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/wahm5.jpg"><img src="/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/wahm5.jpg" title='' alt='' /></a></div>
<div><br/><br/>I&#8217;m sure you&#8217;ve seen moonbounces at various parties &#038; events. Perhaps you&#8217;ve even rented one. But have you ever thought about the financial windfall that can come with owning a couple of the units?<br/><br/>Moonbounces rent for anywhere from $85.00/day on the west coast to $250.00 &#038; up in other parts of the country. Here in Indianapolis, we rent ours for around $225.00 for four to six hours. So&#8230;if you charge $150.00 for your rental, you can make an extra $300.00 per week in income.<br/><br/>Of course, there are some expenses that come with the rental. You&#8217;ll need a truck or a small trailer. A good dolly, extension cords, business cards, insurance and other small business items. Most people who start up a rental company do the deliveries and bookings themselves. That&#8217;s the joy of it. You work when you want to&#8230;.not when you&#8217;re told to. On the other hand&#8230;the downside is that if you want the income you might as well accept that it&#8217;s going to be there on the weekend and that&#8217;s when you&#8217;ll be working.<br/><br/>The most expensive part of inflatables is the insurance. Insurance tends to get cheaper as you insure more units but the start up can be a bit tough. The average moonbounce costs around $1500.00 with the insurance running another $750.00. So&#8230;you can start up with one bounce for around $2500.00. At a rental rate of $150.00 you&#8217;ll have your expenses and covered in less than twenty rentals. Of course&#8230;if you charge what we do, you&#8217;re unit &#038; costs will be paid for in about ten to twelve rentals.<br/><br/>Moonbounces aren&#8217;t the only thing you can rent. We started five years ago with two moonbounces and now have over fifty interactive games. Jousts, Giant Slides, Obstacle courses, video games, casino equipment and fun foods. So, as you can see the business will grow as large as you want it to. About the only way to fail is to purchase the equipment and leave it in your garage. Inflatable moonbounces and other inflatables are their own best advertisement.<br/><br/>To get going on your new business you just need to follow these simple steps.<br/><br/>1) Talk to your state and local boards to find out what is necessary to open your own inflatable rental business. Some states have restrictions on what you can do. 2) Start talking to suppliers. Search the web for &#8220;moonbounce&#8221; or &#8220;interactive games&#8221; 3) Ask the suppliers to give you insurance info. Do NOT make a purchase until you&#8217;ve secured insurance. 4) Once you have insurance locked up, place your order. 5) While you&#8217;re waiting for your equipment, get some fliers made up, business cards and a dedicated phone number. Tell EVERYONE about your new business. 6) Although you&#8217;re starting to advertise, it&#8217;s not recommended to book your units before they arrive. That&#8217;s just asking for trouble. 7) As soon as your equipment arrives, inspect it for damage before the delivery truck leaves. Make sure it&#8217;s all there (most units are sold with a blower). <img src='http://www.workingmomsblog.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_cool.gif' alt='8)' class='wp-smiley' /> Blow up your equipment and get familiar with it. Sit it in your yard or a friends yard and let the kids play. The more it&#8217;s seen the more people will want it.<br/><br/>Pretty simple, isn&#8217;t it? Of course I just touched on the steps but it&#8217;s not much more complicated than that. If you join the Party Rental Industry you&#8217;ll be sharing fun with everyone. And that&#8217;s a great way to make an income<br/><br/><br/><a href='http://www.momentsofelegance.com/catalog/spring-wedding-favors-c-137.html'>spring wedding favors</a></div>
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		<title>How to Start your Own Baby Food Business Part #7: Marketing &amp; Promotion</title>
		<link>http://www.workingmomsblog.com/2010/04/how-to-start-your-own-baby-food-business-part-7-marketing-promotion/</link>
		<comments>http://www.workingmomsblog.com/2010/04/how-to-start-your-own-baby-food-business-part-7-marketing-promotion/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 03 Apr 2010 08:19:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>workingmom</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Start Business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://workingmomsblog.com/2010/04/how-to-start-your-own-baby-food-business-part-7-marketing-promotion/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Marketing is critical to the success of your baby food business. Here are some of the highpoints of the various marketing programs that we used during the initial launch of Sprouts Baby Food Inc. back in early 2006.Public Relations Campaign&#8211;Vehicle: Email press release; hand-deliver of media kits; phone calls to key targets.&#8211;Media Kit: Cool box, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><br/><br/><br/>Marketing is critical to the success of your baby food business. Here are some of the highpoints of the various marketing programs that we used during the initial launch of Sprouts Baby Food Inc. back in early 2006.<br/><br/>Public Relations Campaign<br/><br/>&#8211;Vehicle: Email press release; hand-deliver of media kits; phone calls to key targets.<br/><br/>&#8211;Media Kit: Cool box, birth announcement, press release, profiles, menus, etc.<br/><br/>&#8211;Goal: Awareness; Feature stories<br/><br/>&#8211;Target: Local newspapers (food editors, business editors), local TV, local radio.<br/><br/>Doctor Direct Mail Campaign<br/><br/>&#8211;Vehicle: Direct mail<br/><br/>&#8211;Letter, Brochure, Prescription pad w/ Sprouts info for patient<br/><br/>&#8211;Goal: Awareness; Get docs to refer patients to Sprouts<br/><br/>&#8211;Target: Pediatricians and Naturopaths<br/><br/>Midwife/Doula Awareness Campaign<br/><br/>&#8211;Vehicle: Email<br/><br/>&#8211;Goal: Awareness; Get midwives and doulas to refer patients to Sprouts<br/><br/>&#8211;Target: Area midwives and doulas.<br/><br/>Mommy Network Campaign<br/><br/>&#8211;Vehicle: Email<br/><br/>&#8211;Goal: Awareness; Drive people to our website; New orders<br/><br/>&#8211;Target: Area mommy lists/online communities on Yahoo Groups.<br/><br/>Baby Diaper Service Bundle<br/><br/>&#8211;Vehicle: Flyer inserted into diaper delivery service bundles<br/><br/>&#8211;Goal: Awareness; New orders<br/><br/>&#8211;Offer: 20% discount on initial order<br/><br/>&#8211;Target: Select zip codes; 500+ individuals<br/><br/>Poster/Flyer Campaign<br/><br/>&#8211;Vehicle: Posters, flyers, tear-sheets, etc.<br/><br/>&#8211;Goal: Awareness; New orders<br/><br/>&#8211;Offer: 20% discount on initial order<br/><br/>&#8211;Target: Area parks, playgrounds, community centers, birth centers, toy stores, libraries, and mommy hangouts.<br/><br/>Summer Festival Campaign<br/><br/>&#8211;Vehicle: Flyers &#038; imprinted baby spoon give-a-way<br/><br/>&#8211;Goal: Awareness; New orders<br/><br/>&#8211;Offer: 20% discount on initial order<br/><br/>&#8211;Target: People with babies who attend the target summer events, street fairs, etc.<br/><br/>Launch Advertising Campaign<br/><br/>&#8211;Vehicle: Area Baby/Mommy/Parenting Magazines<br/><br/>&#8211;Quarter-page ad<br/><br/>&#8211;Goal: Awareness; New orders<br/><br/>&#8211;Offer: 20% discount on initial order<br/><br/>Make Your Own Baby Food Classes<br/><br/>&#8211;Vehicle: Classes offered at local grocery stores, in mommy groups, etc.<br/><br/>&#8211;Goal: Community Outreach; Awareness<br/><br/>&#8211;Offer: n/a<br/><br/>&#8211;Timeframe: Starting September<br/><br/>Website Subscriber Campaign<br/><br/>&#8211;Vehicle: Our own website<br/><br/>&#8211;Goal: Capture email addresses and general interest categories of people who visit our website so we can market to them in the future.<br/><br/>&#8211;Offer: Sign up for newsletter, promos, gift reminders, refer-a-friend, forward a page, etc.<br/><br/>Web Directory Advertising<br/><br/>&#8211;Vehicle: Google Adwords, Yellowpages.com; Superpages.com; etc.<br/><br/>&#8211;Goal: Drive people to our website<br/><br/>&#8211;Offer: n/a<br/><br/>&#8211;Timeframe: September<br/><br/>Farmer&#8217;s Market Campaign<br/><br/>&#8211;Vehicle: Area farmer&#8217;s markets<br/><br/>&#8211;Goal: Awareness; small single-unit sales during pre-launch period<br/><br/>Special Offers/Promotions<br/><br/>Baby Shower Gift Set<br/><br/>&#8211;Description: Special gift set for those wanting to give Sprouts as a shower gift.<br/><br/>&#8211;Package: Gift basket containing logo spoon, logo sippy-cup, logo shirt, mock food containers, and a gift certificate for X weeks of service.<br/><br/>&#8211;Price: $20 + cost of service<br/><br/>Pooper Parties<br/><br/>&#8211;Description: At home sales parties (ala Tupperware)<br/><br/>&#8211;Details:<br/><br/>oHostess orders party kit which contains 1oz samples of all products &#8216; one kit per guest.<br/><br/>oHostess takes orders<br/><br/>oHostess gets free food, discounted service, etc. for subscriptions she secures.<br/><br/>Corporate Mommy Program<br/><br/>&#8211;Description: Discounted service for mommies at locally headquartered corporations. We will deliver their food to their office.<br/><br/>Register To Win<br/><br/>&#8211;Description: Sign up on our website to enter monthly drawing for one free month of baby food.<br/><br/>Photo Contest<br/><br/>&#8211;Description: Monthly contest. People email us photos of their little cutie eating or in a kitchen setting. Winner receives 12 4oz containers of baby food.<br/><br/>Customer Referral Program<br/><br/>&#8211;Description: A referral (someone who becomes a customer) earns free food in your next shipment.<br/><br/><br/><a href='http://www.blushingbridezilla.com'>wedding blog</a></p>
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		<title>How to Start your Own Baby Food Business Part #6: Manufacturing Vs. Catering</title>
		<link>http://www.workingmomsblog.com/2009/11/how-to-start-your-own-baby-food-business-part-6-manufacturing-vs-catering/</link>
		<comments>http://www.workingmomsblog.com/2009/11/how-to-start-your-own-baby-food-business-part-6-manufacturing-vs-catering/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Nov 2009 04:08:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>workingmom</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Baby Store]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food Catering]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Start Business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://workingmomsblog.com/2009/11/how-to-start-your-own-baby-food-business-part-6-manufacturing-vs-catering/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Handmade Baby Food vs. Commercially Produced, Store Bought Baby FoodFood from your baby food catering business will be differentiated from commercial, factory produced baby food in the following ways:People &#038; ProductionYour baby food is made-by-hand by individuals who are committed to the quality of the baby food. At least one certified chef is on duty [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><br/><br/><br/>Handmade Baby Food vs. Commercially Produced, Store Bought Baby Food<br/><br/>Food from your baby food catering business will be differentiated from commercial, factory produced baby food in the following ways:<br/><br/>People &#038; Production<br/><br/>Your baby food is made-by-hand by individuals who are committed to the quality of the baby food. At least one certified chef is on duty at all times supervising the process and ensuring that ingredient and cooking standards are met. The food is made in a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen like the ones used by top chefs.<br/><br/>Commercial baby food is produced in mass in a factory or co-packing facility. More often than not, baby food is not the only food product produced in the facility. Typically baby food is made by workers that do not have culinary training and do not have a passion or commitment to high quality baby food.<br/><br/>Hand Selection of Ingredients<br/><br/>Each and every ingredient in your baby food, down to the smallest berry, is hand selected to ensure that it is of the highest quality and to make sure that it is completely ripe.<br/><br/>Commercial baby food is made from massive deliveries of bulk produce that arrive on loading docks. Food quickly passes by workers on conveyer beltsthere is little time for manual inspection.<br/><br/>Source &#038; Quality<br/><br/>The majority of the ingredients in your baby food are locally grown. They are picked only when fully ripe and go from the field to our kitchen within a matter of days, sometimes hours.<br/><br/>Produce used to make commercial baby food comes from multiple sources and multiple countries. It is often picked before fully ripened, to withstand the long transport from the field to the factory. Sometimes produce becomes over-ripe or rotten as it sits on trucks, in warehouses, or on loading docks for days or weeks.<br/><br/>Organic<br/><br/>You use only 100% organic ingredients that are never stored near other non-organic ingredients or produced alongside non-organic foods.<br/><br/>Even foods that are made with organic ingredients can be contaminated with pesticides when they are transported or stored with or near non-organic ingredients or produced in a facility that also makes non-organic food products. Commercial baby food is often made in large factories or by co-packers that also produce non-organic foods.<br/><br/>Washing<br/><br/>All of produce used in the production of your baby food is individually washed or scrubbed by hand.<br/><br/>In commercial baby food factories, produce is either rinsed as it passes under a sprayer on a conveyer belt or it may be allowed to sit in a vat of water to be cleaned. Often the process involves cleaning agents or chemicals.<br/><br/>Preparation<br/><br/>All the produce used in the production of your baby food is peeled, cored, or diced by hand. This provides a second inspection of the ingredient before cooking.<br/><br/>Produce used to make commercial baby food is peeled, processed, and cut by machines in large batches. Seeds, stems, rotten spots, etc. can easily go over looked and may be included in the final product.<br/><br/>Cooking<br/><br/>The majority of your baby food made using produce that has been gently steamed to ensure that the vitamins and nutrients are not &#8220;cooked out&#8221; of the food. This process also helps the food to retain its natural color. Some foods are baked or roasted whole to ensure that the natural juices are retained.<br/><br/>Commercial baby food is boiled in large vats or cooked quickly in giant, super heated ovens. Both processes are designed to cook the food as quickly as possible so large amounts can be produced at once. The food must be cooked at high enough temperatures to be sterilized in order for it to sit in a warehouse or on a store shelf for long periods of time. Essential nutrients and natural colors are lost. Vitamins and color must be added back into the food. This is accomplished using either synthetic materials or fruit/vegetable concentrates or dyes. Some food dyes are made using ground insects.<br/><br/>Processing<br/><br/>Your baby food is pureed in small batches which are weighed and measured by hand. Each batch is checked and rechecked to ensure a smooth or creamy texture.<br/><br/>Commercial baby food is ground in large, industrial vats. Sometimes tons of food is processed at once.<br/><br/>Texture<br/><br/>You add only a small amount of distilled water to your foodjust enough to allow for a smooth puree. Because we add such a small amount of water, there is no need to add thickening agents.<br/><br/>Large amounts of water are added to commercial baby food to &#8220;thin it out&#8221;. This allows the company to get more baby food out of each pound of produce (water is cheap) thus increasing company profits while nutritionally cheating babies. Thickening agents, such as starch, are then added (starch is cheap too). Thickening agents also &#8220;stabilize&#8221; factory-made foods by keeping the complex mixtures of oils, water, acids, and solids well mixed.<br/><br/>Quality Control<br/><br/>At every point in the cooking and pureeing process the temperature of the food is checked and rechecked to ensure that the correct temperature and consistency is being met. Temperature is monitored during the cooking process to make certain that vital vitamins and minerals are not &#8220;cooked out&#8221;, and as food is cooled to avoid pathogen growth.<br/><br/>Most of the production is often monitored by computers rather than humans.<br/><br/>Packaging<br/><br/>Your baby food is packaged by a person, giving it one final quality check.<br/><br/>Commercial baby food is packaged by big machines that squirt food into jars or containers with no one overseeing the process.<br/><br/>Freshness, No preservatives<br/><br/>Your stores/kitchen/etc.make fresh baby food daily. You only make enough food to fulfill the needs of for the current week. Your baby food is sold or delivered to customers within 24 to 48 hours of being made. There is no need to add preservatives and no food is wasted.<br/><br/>Commercial baby food is made in mass. Tens of thousands of &#8220;units&#8221; of baby food are produced each day. Commercial baby food can sit in a warehouse or on a store shelf for up to 2 years. The companies must add chemical or natural preservatives to keep the food from degrading. Even frozen baby food in the grocery store can sit in the freezer for months before it is sold.<br/><br/><br/></p>
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