If you have a fiber cement roof (e.g. Hardishake©, Maxishake©, Cemwood©, etc.) in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, you should read every word of this report. Find out why filing a Hardishake lawsuit claim is a waste of time for almost everyone.

Although HardiShake©, MaxiShake©, and Cemwood© were originally sold as lifetime roofing they now reveal their *alleged fatal flaw. In fact, your Hardi Shake roof may already be showing signs of failure: breaking, cracking, delamination, discoloration, or softening.

Layers of Trouble

In 1996, the marketing representative for HardiShake© trained a small handful of my colleagues to sell their product. As he explained it, the fiber cement shingles were made by rolling a wire mesh wheel through a mixture of sand, wood “cellulose” fibers, and cement. As the wheel turned, it picked up another layer of the mixture. When the collected layers reached 1/4″ thickness, they were stamped into shingles with either a “shake” or “slate” imprint. The shingles were laminated creating a moisture barrier.

Common Complaints

Within a few years of installation, customers in Colleyville reported chips of shingles falling from their roof. I’ve recently inspected homes in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Arlington where the shingles are cracked in two. Another common complaint is that it is impossible to hang Christmas lights without damaging the roof further. You may have noticed that your roof has changed color, become “dirty”, or possibly has started to grow algae.

Asbestos

In the past, concrete shingles were made with asbestos fibers that served to increase their strength and durability. Due to serious health concerns caused by asbestos, manufacturers were forced to find an alternate way to simulate these benefits. The alternative became wood “cellulose” fibers. While wood fibers initially did a good job of adding strength and durability to concrete shingles, many soon revealed their alleged fatal flaw. When it rains, unprotected wood fibers attract and hold water. As the temperature changes, the fibers expand and contract separating the shingle back into thin brittle layers.

Capillary Suction

One of the important dynamics to look at when studying premature shingle failure is “capillary suction”. Moisture can get into and behind the shingles because they sit tightly on top of each other. Water appears to defy gravity when it is drawn backwards (wicking) into the overlapping above fiber cement shingle. The way to defeat capillary suction is to perfectly seal each shingle (yeah right!). Another method is to ventilate the space between each shingle by creating a gap. Unfortunately, shingles work best at shedding rain water when you eliminate the gaps! It seems to be a proverbial Catch 22.

Bigger In Texas

Our damp climate causes the shingles to fail at a much faster rate than in other parts of the country. Each change in season reveals further damage… eventually leading to extensive interior water damage in your home. Unfortunately, most insurance companies will hold you responsible for those costly repairs due to your faulty roof. They will rightly claim that your policy does not cover manufacture defects. It will cost you thousands & thousands of dollars to replace your roof… not to mention what it will cost to repair your water damaged interior.

Forth Worth is a city in Texas is well known for its experienced and reputed attorneys, for a long time now. The best Fort Worth attorneys provide their clients with a complete range of legal services. They are spread across geographical regions like Dallas and Austin. Many of them have branches in all the key locations of Fort Worth. To make legal matters simple, Fort Worth has attorneys who can offer clients an entire gamut of services.

The best Fort Worth attorneys are spread throughout the region. They are as diverse as their clients. Most of the best Fort Worth attorneys are graduates from law schools in Texas and even other states. These bright graduates are found together with seasoned professionals, expert legal professionals, specialists and generalists. One thing, which all these best Fort Worth attorneys share in common, is their enthusiasm for serving their clients and the community. Fort Worth is lucky to have exceptional legal services.

The collective rich experience of the best Fort Worth attorneys has helped the entire population in a lot of ways. Even though most of the best Fort Worth’s attorneys are in demand, the specialists are the busiest. As the name suggests, they focus on certain areas of law. They could be specialists in areas of divorce, personal injury, medical malpractice and the like.

Individuals can find extensive information about the best Fort Worth attorneys online. In order to find out about their reputation or competency, individuals can get in touch with their friends, family members, or even their general practitioners. To find the best Fort Worth attorneys, individuals have to do a lot of research. Before choosing one of the best Fort Worth attorneys, individuals have to check into their credibility and experiences, even though their fees may be high. It is advisable to ask for a referral before employing the services of Fort Worth attorneys. A referral will definitely help an individual’s decision-making process easier.

When you make a budget for your home there are only two ways to save more money. You can either make more money or you can spend less money. Making more money often isn’t something you can change. You get paid whatever your job pays you and there’s usually only one opportunity a year to ask for a raise. The spending side of your finances however is much more in your control. Almost everyone can cut back on their spending. For most people one of the easiest ways to reduce expenses is to trade in their expensive auto insurance plans for a cheap automobile insurance rate.

Some people might not think of the process of changing insurance companies as being easy, but it’s a lot easier than you think. If you’re from the pre-internet days you probably remember calling up each insurance agency individually to get a rate quote and then comparing them. These days you can compare several insurance agencies by filling out just one form online.

This process takes just a few minutes and you can end up savings hundreds of dollars by doing it. Think about that. What job wouldn’t you do that only lasts a few minutes and pays you hundreds of dollars for your work?

Just comparing rates can save you money, but if you’re looking to save even more consider raising your deductible. Your deductible is what you have to pay out of pocket if you get into a car accident. The more you’re willing to pay the cheaper your car insurance will be. If you compare rates online and raise your deductible, you should end up getting quite a cheap car insurance rate indeed.

The spark plug is one important component of the engine. Its purpose is to ignite the air or fuel mixture inside the engine cylinder. An electrical energy is transmitted into the spark plug and ignites the fuel and air mixture in the engine combustion chamber. Another function of the spark plug is to help remove heat from the combustion chamber or the engine’s cylinder.

Like all other parts found on a certain vehicle, spark plugs can also eventually wear out and won’t work properly. As an owner, you should check and maintain your spark plugs or replace it if necessary. According to the Car Care Council, spark plugs are commonly replaced between driving range of about 30,000 and 100,000 miles, depending on the vehicle and spark plug type (Volkswagen spark plug for instance). Knowledge about spark plug operation, maintenance, and service can increase engine performance, resulting to an improved driving performance. This article will help you out maintain and replace your spark plugs, assuming that you have a Volkswagen vehicle.

Damage spark plugs will activate the SERVICE ENGINE SOON or CHECK ENGINE light to appear on your vehicle’s information panel. This is a sign that you should check your engine spark plugs and other engine parts for damages. When removing the spark plug, use a compressed air to blow out all foreign materials like dust or smoke leftovers around the base of the spark plug. Do not pull the Volkswagen spark plug wires. Instead, remove the spark plug from the terminal boot. You can do this by using a numbered clothespin to clip the wire.

Next, identify the correct cylinder with the spark plug and check for spark plug and cylinder malfunctions. Start cleaning the spark plug with a typical solvent. Make sure to clean the paint insulation, and other dirt particles including carbon and oxides left by fuels. After doing this, you can now eliminate other unwanted particles like dust (if ever) in the cylinder head thread as well as plug thread using a steel brush. This will ensure a clean contact between the new spark plug and the cylinder. Lastly, you should adjust the gap between the ground and electrode to the manufacturer’s specifications.

Now in installing a new spark plug, always make sure cylinder head threads and spark plug threads are thoroughly clean. You should also make sure to set the correct gap on the new spark plug and install new gaskets. However, if you have tapered spark plug, you are not required to install a new gasket. Next, tighten the plug using your hand as tight as possible. Using a wrench, further tighten the plug to Volkswagen’s torque specs, about 20 lb.-ft.

Finally, make sure that the spark plug cable is perfectly fitted into the plug terminal. Now that you have a brand new spark plug installed, you should regularly check it for maintenance.

“If you use Emotion and Love to drive your sales and your business, you will create Loyalty Beyond Reason. And I promise you, you will build relationships and enjoy a business that exceeds beyond your wildest expectations”

First of all, before you decide to start your cleaning business, make sure this kind of work is right for you. You will need to be in good physical condition. Cleaning is very hard strenuous work. You will need to have good customer relation skills. You will need to have basic office skills and some accounting skills.

If you are planning on leaving your full time position to start a cleaning business, make sure you have at least six months of savings. Or keep your full time job and start out part time.

Research all the aspects of the cleaning service business. From customer service to advertising, taxes, employees, insurance and bonding, what to charge and how to clean a home professionally. Cleaning your own home and cleaning professionally is totally different. Learning how to clean professionally takes a lot of time. When a client pays for your services they expect to come home and find their home spotless.

Getting those first clients takes time, persistence and patience. You will not get a hundred clients overnight.

Obtaining Those First Clients The hardest part of starting your own cleaning service is obtaining those first clients. Most clients want to know how long you have been in business and want references. The best thing to do is let clients know that, yes, you are new to the business but that you have thoroughly researched all aspects of the cleaning business and assure them that you know what you are doing and that you are quit capable of cleaning their home to their specifications. Be confident. I can’t stress this enough. Clients love to see confidence. It relieves their worries and lets them know that their home is in good hands.

References: To get a few good references when starting out, ask some friends or family members if you can clean their home for free or at a discounted rate. The sound of working for free may not be appealing but it will be worth it to get some good testimonials.

When cleaning those first homes, go for quality, not how fast you can clean the home. Cleaning efficiently takes a long time, but you will get to the point where you can do a thorough cleaning in a short time. After cleaning make sure you go back and double check all rooms to make sure you didn’t miss anything. Impress those first clients and word of mouth will spread soon.

Advertising Your company image is everything. Before you start advertising, decide what image you want to portray on your advertising material. Your image is very important. Be consistent with all your advertising. If you have a logo be sure to use it on all your advertising materials. I think it is best to have a website developed before you start advertising. When advertising, stick with the same logo and colors.

Advertise in Local Paper: Start by running a text ad in your local newspaper. Try to come up with an eye catching ad. Do not sell your services on low rates, sell your services on your quality of work and what you can do for the client that other companies don’t. There is a lot of competition in the cleaning service. You have to stand out from the rest.

Magnetic Signs or Lettering for your Vehicle: Having your business name and contact information on your vehicle is a great way to advertise. We use the vinyl lettering. The lettering looks much more professional than the magnetic signs.

Flyers: You can print nice flyers on your home computer, but I would suggest investing in some professional flyers. Hang flyers at Hair Dressers, Laundromats, Restaurants, Bakeries, Grocery Stores, etc. Put flyers on car windows at local groceries stores and businesses. You can even go door to door in neighborhoods you would like to work in. You cannot put them in mailboxes. but you can put them in the front door.

Door Hangers: Door hangers are a great way to get new clients. Pick the neighborhood you would like to work in and hang the door hangers on the doors. When people get flyers or ads in their mailbox they usually throw them away with the junk mail. But if there is a door hanger on the door they will take the time to look at it.

Business Cards: Start passing out your business cards to friends and family members. You can also ask your local businesses if you can leave some cards on their counters.

Referral Program: A great way to obtain new clients is through a referral program. Offer existing clients a discount when they refer a friend. You can give your existing clients a discount when the friend uses your services three times.

Website: These days people live very busy lives so they use the convenience of the internet to shop for the services they need. A lot of working women will shop for services while at work.  Everyone that has a business should have a website. It shows clients that you are serious about your business and allows them research your business in their own time.

Cleaning Products: By using all natrual products, you can offer your clients a healthy cleaning experience and protect ourselves against harsh chemicals. Clients love the natural cleaning products with essential oils. They come home to a healthy clean home filled with the wonderful scents of aromatherapy essential oils.

Tip: Always carry hand sanitizer and wash your hands often while cleaning homes. Wear gloves when cleaning bathrooms. You will be exposed to a lot of different germs in clients homes.

Remember most customers prefer that you bring your own cleaning supplies. That way they do not have to worry about going to the store for cleaning supplies before you clean. Some customers have special cleaners for certain appliances or floors in their houses. These customers usually will have these cleaners on hand for you to use. We almost always use the customers vacuum cleaner. That way you do not have to carry a heavy vacuum from house to house.

What to Charge I mentioned earlier that you should sell your services on your quality of work and not your low rates. If your rates are too low, clients will think that your work is sub-standard and that you are not experienced. Also you want to attract the clients that can afford your services. I made the mistake of pricing my work too low when I first started out. Cleaning is hard work, charge what you are worth. As the old saying goes “You get what you pay for.”

Some companies charge by the hour, some charge by the room, some charge a flat rate per home and some charge by the square foot.  I think it is better to charge by the home, not by the hour. If a client knows they have to pay one set fee, they don’t care if you take 2 hours or 5 hours. Also your clients will know what they are paying up front and won’t have to worry about added expenses.

No two houses are the same. And there is no set charge for all homes. You have to clean for awhile yourself to get some experience and to work out a system to clean efficiently. Only you know what you want and need to make. Decide what you need to make hourly to cover all expenses and still make a good profit.

A word of advise: Make sure when you start your company that you charge what you would charge if you had employees. Some people make the mistake of under charging when they start out just to get customers and then later on when they grow and need to hire help they aren’t making enough money on their houses to pay help. Don’t under price your work. Cleaning homes is very hard physical work and you didn’t get into this business to work for nothing.

New Construction Cleaning If you decide to do this type of work you will need more equipment. You will need ladders, window cleaning kits with long extensions, a shop vac, etc. These types of jobs are usually 2 to 3 person jobs. New construction cleaning requires a lot more cleaning. You may have to remove stickers and labels from windows and bathroom showers, sinks and toilets. Some require that you clean the vents to remove dust from construction work. There will be ceiling fans to clean, scrubbing floors, and cleaning woodwork to remove dust. New construction cleaning rates depend on the area you live in. Normally they run from .12 cents per sq .ft. to .25 cents per sq .ft. depending on where you are located. Insurance and Bonding

Insurance and Bonding. You need to be an honest person and somewhat personable. People will need to trust you to be in their homes. Most clients are concerned about having someone new in their house, with good reason. You should be bonded and fully insured. Liability insurance rates depend on your insurance carrier and where you are located. Each person you hire will increase your liability insurance. It’s well worth the cost. You can pay quarterly or yearly. You can purchase your bond through your local insurance company. You will need to renew the bond every year. *Note: if you hire employees and cover them under your insurance, they must be an employee on payroll and not a sub-contractor. If you employ them as a sub-contractor your insurance will not cover them. If they are a sub-contractor they are required to carry their own insurance. You

Hiring Help If you start out cleaning the homes by yourself, you will eventually get to the point where you need to expand your business. Start out with one part time employee. Train her and let her take your place one day a week. Then have her take your place 2 days a week and so on. This will give you the free time that you need to market your business and obtain more clients. After you get more clients you will be able to hire more part time help. Eventually you will be able to stop doing the cleaning yourself and just run the business end, which is the only way you will be able to grow your business. When training new employees, always, either train them yourself or have a lead person train them. Make sure there is a lead person on each and every cleaning job. Employees have a tendency to slack off when they are on their own.

Growing Your Business You will eventually get to the point where you have enough employees and lead people and you will be able to stop working in your business and start running your business. You will find that after awhile it will get to be too much trying to clean everyday and at the same time giving estimates, answering calls, scheduling, doing book work, obtaining new clients, etc.

Remember one of the most important qualifications for a cleaning service is TRUST. A client has to know they can trust you alone in their home. After you acquire a few cleaning positions ask the clients if you can use them for a reference. Most of the time they are more than willing to let you use them for a reference. This is how you build your business and acquire new clients is through referrals. Be dependable. Most clients will want to be set up on an every week or every other week schedule on the same day of the week. Try to always keep this same schedule unless the client asks you to switch to another day. If you have to cancel a cleaning date, make sure you try to reschedule at the earliest possible date to make up the cleaning.

Forget all those slow outdated ideas about how black people can become wealthy by working hard and climbing the corporate ladder, investing in stocks, bonds and mutual funds, and owning a home. While those are safe investments for retirement and can help you increase your net worth, who wants to wait until they’re 60 years or older old to receive the earnings from those turtle-like investments? Of course, you should keep contributing the maximum to your 401(k) to the point where your company stops matching, as well as maintain your planned contributions to your Roth IRA. But if your like me you want the what I call, “Now Money!”

If you analyze the Forbes Richest Americans and The Black Economy’s Wealthiest Blacks lists you may be disappointed to find out none of those included became wealthy simply by contributing to their Roth IRA or 401(k). You can become a millionaire if you can find a way to save $2,000 a month for forty years, but more than likely you will be too old to enjoy it all. The typical black family net worth is only $6,166 and the majority of that amount was due to owning a house. So simply buying a house is not the key to wealth! The question becomes how can I make money and accumulate wealth now? The answer: It’s no secret that 75% of American Millionaires are business owners or “Ballers!”

When I was 26 years old, my net worth was approaching $75,000 and this did not include owning a home. Instead, I owned a quarter million dollar enterprise, which operated from the trunk of my car. How does a young black male create this kind of wealth without taking out loans, working a “9 to 5″ or engaging in illegal activity? The keys to accomplishing this are as straightforward as:

* Becoming financially educated by studying business and wealth

* Developing a business model or simply “a way to make money”

* Adding leverage to your business model

* Repeating the process

You may not realize it, but in 2007, being black places you in a favorable position to capitalize on unique financial opportunities in Capitalist America. The hip-hop industry, mainly music and clothing, is a \$5 billion business that is creating millionaires almost overnight. The hip-hop economic impact has created numerous wealth opportunities in the black community. Money is generated from the selling of Cds, clothing, radio, clubs, recording studios, marketing websites, promotional teams, models and the list goes on.

If you have not recognized how you can get your piece of the hip-hop wealth pie, then you better start rethinking and jump in before the window of opportunity closes. Think about it! You probably know more about this hip-hop market than 84 year old Caucasian Sumner Murray Redstone, who is majority owner of Viacom, which now owns B.E.T. Since you are a consumer in the hip-hop market, you just have to think, focus and create a financial plan of action. Now lets get it started!

1. Find a product to sell or “flip”:

In this 21st century globalized economy, Ebay and Myspace have demonstrated that the marketplace for buying and selling almost anything is profitable. Is Ebay anything more than an on-line garage sale? With over 200 million people selling over 600 million items valued at over $50 billion in 2006, I bet you would have never thought having a garage sale could be so profitable. First things first, read and get financially educated. Then you must find a product to flip. In the beginning, I suggest products over a service because a service will require more labor and time, if not yours then someone else’s and that equals employee expenses which will eat into your profits and give you administrative headaches. Also, the products can make money faster than the service, which is crucial to accumulating new capital or extra cash to expand your business.

Find a product you are familiar with because it will be easier for you to sell and most importantly, you will know its market value. I started out in retail clothing because I loved clothes, but I hated paying the high cost for the designer brands. So I would buy clothing at a discount and resell it to people I knew would either match the price I paid for it or pay at least 30% markup above my cost. Once you’ve found a product, try to monopolize it and control the supply in your market or hood. Once you are able to control the supply, you have a better chance at successfully influencing the demand and prices for your product.

2. Study your market or “the buyers in your hood”:

I started out five years ago selling hip-hop clothing from the trunk of my car. I carefully studied my market of black consumers in North Dallas and South Dallas and assessed how much they spent on clothing and how much I could profit. Being black, I also studied my personal spending habits and the spending patterns of my peers. The biggest expense I found was apartment or house rent, then car notes and finally food and clothing. However, house rent and food were survival purchases and they cost about the same amount each month, but I discovered that my market was made up of many extremely impulsive buyers for clothing.

You see most people have to make a conscious decision to go shopping, they say to themselves, “I’m going to the mall today to buy some shoes.” However, since I was selling from my vehicle not only was I convenient for consumers and saved them a trip to the mall, I could show up every week with something new and if they liked it they would purchase it. So someone who only went to the mall 3 or 4 times and spent $200 a month, was now purchasing from me weekly and spending about $400 a month. I remember having one customer tell me, “you are here every week and I can’t help but stop to see what you got because I feel like I may be missing out.”

3. Add leverage or “use someone else’s time, money or efforts to benefit you”:

Making $250,000 in a year sounds like an unattainable amount for some people. But if you posses the Michael Jordan mentality then it becomes achievable. Michael Jordan is arguably the greatest basketball player ever to play the game. And I remember NBA TV analyst, Ahmad Rashad asking Jordan in an interview how he consistently scores 30 plus points per game? Jordan simply replied “I don’t look at it as scoring 30 or 40 points a game, my game-plan is to just make 4 layups per quarter, plus the free-throws when I get fouled.” Looking at it that way, four layups in twelve minutes seems pretty achievable and once completed totals 32 points a game and once you add in the free throws you can see how Jordan scored 40 or 50 points easily.

Now let us analyze how you can make $250,000 in a year using the Michael Jordan mentality. Now $250,000 a year is about $20,000 per month or $5,000 per week. Let’s start with an item (a Polo Shirt) that I sold for $35. To make $5,000 in a week I had to sell about 140 of those items. Selling 140 of the same item was difficult for me at first and since I got tired of driving all over Dallas/Fort Worth to sell them, I used the familiar concept called divide and conquer. I agreed to let three others sell the items for me in return for a portion of the profits.

Now 140 items divided by three people is about 47 items per week or only 10 polo shirts per day (and that’s only a 5 day work-week). Now that was a cakewalk for me and it became so easy that I advertised on Craig’s List and got two more people selling items for me in Houston and then the small towns (Tyler, Longview, etc.) and on and on. And it gets extremely easier once you add various items like Sean John Jeans, NBA hats etc. to your inventory.

4. Stay loyal to your sales area or “the blocks in your hood”:

I remember after I had North Dallas and South Dallas saturated I began to expand to Fort Worth,TX and setup shop on a busy street in a burgeoning black suburb. I like black suburbs because they are consumers with more income and higher spending capacity and there was less risk of me being robbed for my inventory. When I first started, a few customers would come by, but not purchase anything from me, I was actually operating at a loss because driving to Fort Worth cost me more in gas than I made in profit. As I think back they were just getting to know me and after seeing me week after week, they became comfortable, and like any comfortable customer they did not mind spending their money every time they saw me. Believe it or not, I was the one of the only self-employed hustlers offering exchanges and store credit on the streets.

5. Re-invest the profits or “stacks”:

I would like to emphasize this so repeat after me; re-invest the profits or stacks! I have known several past self-employed hustlers who became broke because they could not resist spending the profits generated from their businesses on “hood rich” items like new car rims that are valued more than the car itself, “gold grillz” without dental insurance, and excessive jewelry. If they had only known that they could’ve eventually had all those “bling things” and more if they only waited just a little longer to make sure their money machines were stable and consistently created cash-flow. Before you get that new BMW 7 series please prove to yourself that you deserve it by creating another income stream to pay the note. And since you are calling yourself CEO on your business cards, don’t front and actually setup a traditional C corporation or L.L.C. business structure so you can write off the note on your taxes.

6. Repeat the process or “double up”:

Once you master the art of product flipping with small items like clothing, Cd’s, DVDs, etc. you can finally move onto big ticket items like houses, small businesses and commercial real estate. At this point you have graduated to a deal making entrepreneur and don’t have an inventory, but simply your cell phone and computer are making thousands for you. For now, get financially educated by consistently studying money, finance, and business. Then develop a business model or a way to make money and determine how you can add leverage to that business model. It may take you some time in the beginning, but take baby steps, and soon you will be making extra money and hopefully creating wealth in no time. Remember, the main difference between the rich and the poor is ACTION!

Create Wealth, Enjoy Life!

James “Bird” Guess

President & Founder

The Black Economy.com

Cruising is such a great thing to do. Shoot, what’s not to love about it? All that wonderful leisure fun, getting taken care of by all those people, going to cool places. Damn skippy!

One of the things I really like about cruising is telling people neat stuff to make their cruising experience better. Now, I know, it’s pretty hard to improve on something that is so intrinsically great to begin with, but, I do what I can. And, it’s not a bad lifestyle (giggle).

So, here’s another installment of my life’s work – sharing the fun and delight of cruising to the Caribbean. In this instance, I’m sharing a few tips about how to smooth the process of cruising, and get a bit more bang for your buck. In the interest of space and the amount of time you have to read online articles, I’ve only included 11 cruising tips here. The criteria used for which tips to present in this article were 1) how easy the information was to explain in a few short paragraphs; 2) how useful it is to someone who doesn’t know much about the art and science of cruising; and, 3) tips that pay off (you’ll know what I mean after you’ve used these little jewels on board a ship).

Tip #1:Take Care Of Your Cabin Steward.

One of your best friends on the cruise will be the person that picks up your dirty clothes, hangs up your wet towels, straightens up you messy vanity and turns down your bed every night – your Cabin Steward He, or she, will do an excellent job of making up your cabin twice a day, and sometimes more often if needed. This is the person who will also handle any special requests you have, like if you need an extra pillow. I make it a point to get to know my steward and on the very first day, make sure I tip him (or her) an extra $20. Yes, I know the daily gratuity that gets added to my account does cover the cabin staff, but, make no mistake. These guys, who do an excellent job anyway, can add a nice extra dimension to your journey. For example, I like to keep my ice buckets full and sometimes I even dedicate my sink or a cooler to holding our beer, which a happy Cabin Steward will keep covered in ice for all day long.

My generosity is always understood and rewarded. I’ve been delighted to find extra towels, robes, chocolate hors d’oeuvres and even a bottle of wine. One other point, my favorite way to communicate with my steward (if I don’t bump into him/her in the hallway) is to place a Post-It note on the mirror over the vanity. It always works.

Tip #2: Copies Are A Good Thing

Make copies of all the important travel documents that you take (driver’s license, passport, credit card, etc.) and keep them in a safe place on your person while you are traveling and in your cabin once you get on board. If anything happens, you will have all information you need, and the purser’s office will be better able to help you.

While you’re at it, print out the cruise info you expect to use the most (such as directions, phone numbers, etc), on a colored piece of paper. That way it stands out from the various other pieces of paper you’ll have in your cruise documents.

Tip #3: Electricity Is A Really Good Thing.

Each cabin has only one electrical outlet, which is located right next to the desk/vanity.

And it has only two plugs. If you’re like us and you want to use your computer, charge your camera, listen to music and use a hair dryer while someone is taking a shower… well, you get the picture. Bring a power strip or surge protector. You may also find it useful to being an 8-ft extension cord, that way, you have electricity anywhere you want it in the cabin.

Tip #4: Prepare Your Stomach.

For about a week before leaving, eat at least one serving of yogurt every day, or take acidophilus supplements. It helps to build up the good bacteria that your digestive track needs to deal with any little bugs or impurities that you pick up. Some of the best food you’ll find will be in small local establishments, or even roadside venues. The chow is really good in these places, and authentically spiced. But, the sanitation requirements in the Caribbean are not the same as in the US. Also, the normal diet for locals is different than what you may be used to. Your stomach may not be used to it all. The yogurt is an easy and effective way to build up your digestive balance and immunity.

Tip #5: Freshen Your Luggage

If your travel time to the ship is more than 24 hours, put fabric softener sheets between your garments to keep everything in your suite case smelling fresh. This is particularly nice with garments or accessories that are not regularly laundered, such as sweaters or jackets. You may want to cut one in half and place each half in your shoes. You’ll be even more appreciative on your return home, since your luggage will be packed with soiled clothes, some of which may even be damp.

Tip #6: Bring Bungee Cords

Bungee cords are one of the most useful items you can take and for reasons other than you might first think. They are easy to pack, take up virtually no room at all, and can even be useful in keeping your bags lashed together as you maneuver onto the ship.

But here’s the really cool part. One thing you’ll find when you get to your cabin is that there are never enough places to hang things – like a shirt, or hat, or camera case. Most cabins have two or three hooks and that’s about it. While a hook is only big enough to hold one hat or other similar item, it is big enough to hold two or three bungee cords. What’s more, there are lots of places through out the cabin that can accommodate one end of a bungee cord but would never work as a hanging place, such as a lamp or the edge of your mirror. Just hang the bungee cord from any suitable place and – voila! – you have a hook that is sturdy enough to hold anything you’ve got.

They also make a great clothesline. Some bathrooms have a retractable clothes line in the shower, but not all. Your bungee cord can be strung across the opening of your shower, or between a couple of towel bars. Be creative, you’ll find several places that work.

And finally, one of the main irritations of being up on the deck when the ship is underway (as is the case with Sea Days) is the 20 knot winds that you have to deal with. When you get up from your seat to hit the bar or take a break, It’s not unusual at all to see a pool towel or shirt or hat go sailing over the edge of the ship. If you have a bungee cord with you, you can easily strap everything to your chair.

Tip #7: Bring Extra Clothes Hangers

There are often not enough clothes hangers in your cabin, and those that are there can be a pain in the butt to use. They’re usually the kind that has a little peg which slips into a metal ring which is permanently attached to the clothes bar in the closet. So be sure to pack enough extras to handle all of your important hang-up clothes, so you have enough and you don’t have to mess around with the ones in the closet.

And speaking of clothes hangers, you can buy INFLATABLE clothes hangers (that’s right, inflatable coat hangers. Who’da thunk it?) from Amazon.com (click the “Apparel” tag” on the website). They take up no space at all, are totally easy to inflate and are sturdy enough to hold shirts and coats. They are also great for eliminating those pesky bulges that you get on the shoulders of your shirts. You might need to get a couple of sets so you can keep one set for traveling and use the other in your home closet.

Tip #8: Check With Your Insurance Company (auto and medical)

If something happens and you are required to get any kind of medical treatment while you are cruising, there is a really good chance that you will have to pay for the treatment and get reimbursed later. So, find out before you go if your health insurance will pay for such treatments, and what kind of documentation you’ll need to file a claim with your company. This is one of those times where you may want to inquire into travel insurance, especially if you are traveling with a condition that elevates the risk (such as older travelers, pregnancy, or some other pre-existing condition). Get very clear information from your company about the documentation you need from the ship or port, because once you leave where the treatment is delivered, there is virtually no chance you will ever get medical records sent to you without hiring an attorney. If you have a pre-existing condition, you’ll get better treatment if you provide the medical staff with your medical history.

In the same vein, check your coverage with your auto insurance company. You may find that you don’t need any additional coverage, which can save you a lot if you decide to rent a car or scooter. Keep in mind, however, many rental companies require you to make good on any damages when you return the vehicle, so if you are using your personal insurance you will have to pay for the damages and get reimbursed. That little fact is one of the major incentives the rental companies use to sell you the insurance. Unfortunately, even though they are blood-suckers for trying to manipulate you, it is often less hassle to go ahead and buy the local insurance. But, get a professional opinion from your agent.

Tip #9: A Can Of Air Freshener

Especially if you are traveling on one of the older ships, it’s a really good idea to pack a can of your favorite air freshener. I prefer the types that kill odors as opposed to those that just scent the air (i.e., Lysol, because it not only deodorizes the room if needed but also sanitizes surfaces). In the small confines of a standard cabin, any unpleasant odor can be stifling and the room ventilation system can take a while work.

Tip #10: Stay Out Of The Steam Baths.

Yes, we know, there isn’t anything quite like the soothing and cleansing feeling of a steam bath to relax you or rid you of the after effects of a late night partying. Even so, we NEVER use public steam baths. This isn’t a knock on any particular cruise line, it’s a knock on public steam baths. A steam room is the absolute perfect environment for all kinds of airborne germs and bacteria – hot, moist, subdued lighting. Oh yeah, perfect for that little cold bug or other mischievous virus that gets sneezed out of people. STAY AWAY FROM STEAM BATHS!

Tip # 11: Use Porters When You Leave The Terminal.

There are two really good reasons to use porters.

They carry your bags, in exchange for which you should tip them about $2 per bag with a minimum of $5. This is especially good if you have several bags and if you have a ways to go to get to your transportation.

They have a special desk they go through at Customs and so you don’t have to wait in the line. That alone is worth $5!

Alrighty, gang. That’s all you get here. Check out my resource box for how to get more tips if you’re interested.

See ya in the Caribbean. Aaaaaarghh!!

“If you use Emotion and Love to drive your sales and your business, you will create Loyalty Beyond Reason. And I promise you, you will build relationships and enjoy a business that exceeds beyond your wildest expectations”

First of all, before you decide to start your cleaning business, make sure this kind of work is right for you. You will need to be in good physical condition. Cleaning is very hard strenuous work. You will need to have good customer relation skills. You will need to have basic office skills and some accounting skills.

If you are planning on leaving your full time position to start a cleaning business, make sure you have at least six months of savings. Or keep your full time job and start out part time.

Research all the aspects of the cleaning service business. From customer service to advertising, taxes, employees, insurance and bonding, what to charge and how to clean a home professionally. Cleaning your own home and cleaning professionally is totally different. Learning how to clean professionally takes a lot of time. When a client pays for your services they expect to come home and find their home spotless.

Getting those first clients takes time, persistence and patience. You will not get a hundred clients overnight.

Obtaining Those First Clients The hardest part of starting your own cleaning service is obtaining those first clients. Most clients want to know how long you have been in business and want references. The best thing to do is let clients know that, yes, you are new to the business but that you have thoroughly researched all aspects of the cleaning business and assure them that you know what you are doing and that you are quit capable of cleaning their home to their specifications. Be confident. I can’t stress this enough. Clients love to see confidence. It relieves their worries and lets them know that their home is in good hands.

References: To get a few good references when starting out, ask some friends or family members if you can clean their home for free or at a discounted rate. The sound of working for free may not be appealing but it will be worth it to get some good testimonials.

When cleaning those first homes, go for quality, not how fast you can clean the home. Cleaning efficiently takes a long time, but you will get to the point where you can do a thorough cleaning in a short time. After cleaning make sure you go back and double check all rooms to make sure you didn’t miss anything. Impress those first clients and word of mouth will spread soon.

Advertising Your company image is everything. Before you start advertising, decide what image you want to portray on your advertising material. Your image is very important. Be consistent with all your advertising. If you have a logo be sure to use it on all your advertising materials. I think it is best to have a website developed before you start advertising. When advertising, stick with the same logo and colors.

Advertise in Local Paper: Start by running a text ad in your local newspaper. Try to come up with an eye catching ad. Do not sell your services on low rates, sell your services on your quality of work and what you can do for the client that other companies don’t. There is a lot of competition in the cleaning service. You have to stand out from the rest.

Magnetic Signs or Lettering for your Vehicle: Having your business name and contact information on your vehicle is a great way to advertise. We use the vinyl lettering. The lettering looks much more professional than the magnetic signs.

Flyers: You can print nice flyers on your home computer, but I would suggest investing in some professional flyers. Hang flyers at Hair Dressers, Laundromats, Restaurants, Bakeries, Grocery Stores, etc. Put flyers on car windows at local groceries stores and businesses. You can even go door to door in neighborhoods you would like to work in. You cannot put them in mailboxes. but you can put them in the front door.

Door Hangers: Door hangers are a great way to get new clients. Pick the neighborhood you would like to work in and hang the door hangers on the doors. When people get flyers or ads in their mailbox they usually throw them away with the junk mail. But if there is a door hanger on the door they will take the time to look at it.

Business Cards: Start passing out your business cards to friends and family members. You can also ask your local businesses if you can leave some cards on their counters.

Referral Program: A great way to obtain new clients is through a referral program. Offer existing clients a discount when they refer a friend. You can give your existing clients a discount when the friend uses your services three times.

Website: These days people live very busy lives so they use the convenience of the internet to shop for the services they need. A lot of working women will shop for services while at work.  Everyone that has a business should have a website. It shows clients that you are serious about your business and allows them research your business in their own time.

Cleaning Products: By using all natrual products, you can offer your clients a healthy cleaning experience and protect ourselves against harsh chemicals. Clients love the natural cleaning products with essential oils. They come home to a healthy clean home filled with the wonderful scents of aromatherapy essential oils.

Tip: Always carry hand sanitizer and wash your hands often while cleaning homes. Wear gloves when cleaning bathrooms. You will be exposed to a lot of different germs in clients homes.

Remember most customers prefer that you bring your own cleaning supplies. That way they do not have to worry about going to the store for cleaning supplies before you clean. Some customers have special cleaners for certain appliances or floors in their houses. These customers usually will have these cleaners on hand for you to use. We almost always use the customers vacuum cleaner. That way you do not have to carry a heavy vacuum from house to house.

What to Charge I mentioned earlier that you should sell your services on your quality of work and not your low rates. If your rates are too low, clients will think that your work is sub-standard and that you are not experienced. Also you want to attract the clients that can afford your services. I made the mistake of pricing my work too low when I first started out. Cleaning is hard work, charge what you are worth. As the old saying goes “You get what you pay for.”

Some companies charge by the hour, some charge by the room, some charge a flat rate per home and some charge by the square foot.  I think it is better to charge by the home, not by the hour. If a client knows they have to pay one set fee, they don’t care if you take 2 hours or 5 hours. Also your clients will know what they are paying up front and won’t have to worry about added expenses.

No two houses are the same. And there is no set charge for all homes. You have to clean for awhile yourself to get some experience and to work out a system to clean efficiently. Only you know what you want and need to make. Decide what you need to make hourly to cover all expenses and still make a good profit.

A word of advise: Make sure when you start your company that you charge what you would charge if you had employees. Some people make the mistake of under charging when they start out just to get customers and then later on when they grow and need to hire help they aren’t making enough money on their houses to pay help. Don’t under price your work. Cleaning homes is very hard physical work and you didn’t get into this business to work for nothing.

New Construction Cleaning If you decide to do this type of work you will need more equipment. You will need ladders, window cleaning kits with long extensions, a shop vac, etc. These types of jobs are usually 2 to 3 person jobs. New construction cleaning requires a lot more cleaning. You may have to remove stickers and labels from windows and bathroom showers, sinks and toilets. Some require that you clean the vents to remove dust from construction work. There will be ceiling fans to clean, scrubbing floors, and cleaning woodwork to remove dust. New construction cleaning rates depend on the area you live in. Normally they run from .12 cents per sq .ft. to .25 cents per sq .ft. depending on where you are located. Insurance and Bonding

Insurance and Bonding. You need to be an honest person and somewhat personable. People will need to trust you to be in their homes. Most clients are concerned about having someone new in their house, with good reason. You should be bonded and fully insured. Liability insurance rates depend on your insurance carrier and where you are located. Each person you hire will increase your liability insurance. It’s well worth the cost. You can pay quarterly or yearly. You can purchase your bond through your local insurance company. You will need to renew the bond every year. *Note: if you hire employees and cover them under your insurance, they must be an employee on payroll and not a sub-contractor. If you employ them as a sub-contractor your insurance will not cover them. If they are a sub-contractor they are required to carry their own insurance. You

Hiring Help If you start out cleaning the homes by yourself, you will eventually get to the point where you need to expand your business. Start out with one part time employee. Train her and let her take your place one day a week. Then have her take your place 2 days a week and so on. This will give you the free time that you need to market your business and obtain more clients. After you get more clients you will be able to hire more part time help. Eventually you will be able to stop doing the cleaning yourself and just run the business end, which is the only way you will be able to grow your business. When training new employees, always, either train them yourself or have a lead person train them. Make sure there is a lead person on each and every cleaning job. Employees have a tendency to slack off when they are on their own.

Growing Your Business You will eventually get to the point where you have enough employees and lead people and you will be able to stop working in your business and start running your business. You will find that after awhile it will get to be too much trying to clean everyday and at the same time giving estimates, answering calls, scheduling, doing book work, obtaining new clients, etc.

Remember one of the most important qualifications for a cleaning service is TRUST. A client has to know they can trust you alone in their home. After you acquire a few cleaning positions ask the clients if you can use them for a reference. Most of the time they are more than willing to let you use them for a reference. This is how you build your business and acquire new clients is through referrals. Be dependable. Most clients will want to be set up on an every week or every other week schedule on the same day of the week. Try to always keep this same schedule unless the client asks you to switch to another day. If you have to cancel a cleaning date, make sure you try to reschedule at the earliest possible date to make up the cleaning.

Nowadays, with the raises in the petroleum prices it seems almost impossible to make all those trips you always wanted to make and not make your pocket suffer.

Unfortunately, things do not seem to be getting any brighter and most probably in the near future prices will continue to go up. With this kind of news, almost anybody is trying to look for a serious alternative to petroleum products, some people take a look at those electric cars (hybrid cars in most cases, which are great if you drive mostly within your city) and some people thought about water fuel rather than using any gas at all.

In order to keep petroleum prices from going up and everybody still having their precious cars it is very important that once a way of beating the system (meaning, once you found a way to go around the gas situation) it should be marketed and used as much as it can be used. Another unfortunate part is that petroleum reserves are beginning to be at low levels, and in just a few years, we will be facing a real crisis, and that is never good.

This is another reason for which water powered cars (for example) can be a real solution to these problems. Yet, as impressive as it may sound, using water to power your car is not even by far a completely new idea.

Actually, water energy has been used for the past 100 years with no problems at all, and I mean in the automotive sector. The device works rather easy in theory. You see, thanks to your car’s electricity you can take a small amount of water (H2O) and transform it into a thing called Brown Gas, or HHO.

This conversion it is known to be a very efficient one because it provides a lot of energy and it is environment healthy because the result is nothing else but water, rather than the old-fashion petroleum result that releases a very unpleasant smoke that pollutes the whole atmosphere each and every day.

Alternative energy has been a problem on everybody’s mind ever since petroleum products have gotten more and more expensive.

Actually, more and more people wondered if there is any way through which they can build an alternative combustion system, and the answer is yes, but with a lot of time, research, and not to mention useless expenses that you may not be willing to pay.

Yet, the solution with this Brown Gas (HHO) is that it will provide the hydrogen’s atomic power but in the same time helps maintain the chemical stability of the water component.

The great part here is that, in a very amazing way a pound of brown gas is 2.7 times more powerful than one pound of gasoline. With converted vehicles HHO is a great solution for those interested in boosting their performance and also their MPG ratings.

Remember that it is very important for all of us to reduce or dependence of gasoline, because it will not only deplete the natural reserves but it will also create great economical crisis that will only lead to more and more conflicts between different countries.