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Welcome to Niagara Biz Blog…. hello my name is Don Udell and I am the creator of this web site.
During my 60 years of living in Niagara Falls, I have like many of you, witnessed the slow demise of our regions large manufacturing base as well as the death of retail business in our down town cores. The days of working as my father did at one company for 38 years, are all but gone. Times have changed and the good old days of mom at home and dad at work with a steady life long job are nothing but a memory.
Today, life is complicated, fast paced and stressful. Good jobs are scarce and there are no certainties for tomorrow. The global economy has become a reality and today’s fiscal situation shows how fragile and finicky it can be.
As a result of losing a job, frustration on the job or the need for a better income, many turn to self employment as their way of getting out from under. Unfortunately, statistics depict a gloomy future for many who try their hand as an entrepreneur. Some number crunchers say, that your chances of making money are better gambling on the slots or the roulette wheel than investing in a new business venture. In fact, one recent study I ran across says that your chances of failure within your first 5 years is 62.8%. Not very good odds.
Being self employed (for almost 20 years) I can sure share the ups and downs many you have experienced as business owners. And during my tenure I have also noticed a significant change in the types of challenges we face as business owners, whether large or small. The marriage of our computer with high speed internet service has created a paradigm shift which rewrites the rules and landscape of how we need to manage our business. New tools, knowledge and skills are required if you expect succeed as an entrepreneur in this new global economy.
Whether your just starting out or have been in business for a number of years the pressure to keep up with these changes is immense. In fact, this hunger for information, new software and alike has created a whole new industry on the web called internet marketing. This industry came out of nowhere and thrives on selling information and digital products to those looking for an edge to succeed, whatever their niche or endeavour. Unfortunately, as in the dot com boom many are lured into this type of enterprise by claims of overnight wealth and success. Sadly, many are disappointed with the outcome of their efforts. In fact, the failure rate of all on-line business start-ups within the first year comes in at about 95%. Scary isn’t it.
That being said, if you want to compete and grow your business, regardless of the type of business your in, you must have a web presence. Surfing the web is no longer a past time…it is becoming a way of life. A business web site is a virtual store and salesperson, linking you to your neighbour next door or a potential customer on the other side of the planet. Did you know that over 80% of purchasers search the web for product information before they buy. This applies to commercial as well as the retail shoppers.
But it doesn’t end there. Social networking and video has complicated things even more with its viral capability. A written forum, blog post or video can catapult your business into the stars or kill it like a bug, sometimes in a matter of hours. This recent social phenomena joins individuals around the world to share their likes, dislikes and passions. Treat someone poorly or sell an inferior product… “word gets around…around the world”.
Since I’m a big believer in helping others and “paying it forward“, I have created this site to share my research, knowledge and links with you. I hope you find the content beneficial…your comments are welcomed.
Please read the disclaimer page before using information contained on this site.