New Years resolutions are always tough for people, including me, to decide on what resolutions to make. They’re even harder for many of us to keep. Part of the reason for this is that we tend to over reach on our resolutions. I think this year there are some simple things to which we can aspire that will make a positive impact on others and ourselves.

In general, the world just seems a whole lot tougher than it was even 10 years ago. We’re dealing with a global recession (hopefully not for much longer), several wars, joblessness and lots of bitterness. We seem to have forgotten the things that we learned while we were growing up; things like decency and respect.

New Years resolutions come in a lot of different flavors. Some people want to stop smoking, others look to lose weight and still some want to be more fiscally responsible. Good alternative New Years resolutions could be to help make our world a more pleasant place in which to live, even if it’s a simple act of politeness.

Barney and Friends (remember them?) use to sing the magic words “Please and Thank You.” Do you remember the last time you said “thank you” to the grocery clerk? Or, said “please” when asking for something at the store?

I’m as guilty as the next person. Sometimes in my hurried day I’ll run into the store and rush out with my item, without so much as saying “boo” to anyone. But, try it out one day and you’ll see the clerk’s face light up when you say “thank you.” In return, you’ll get a very pleasant “you’re welcome! And, “please come back.” This response will likely put a smile on your face, too.

New Years resolutions don’t have to be about lofty weight loss goals or better eating habits. In fact, I believe that these simple “Please and Thank You” words would help to “de-stress” our world. Less stress could lead to better eating habits and better eating habits … well, you get the picture.

And, what about the word “Yes?” Too often these days I hear people say “No” or “But” or “Can’t.” Times are tough for everyone. There are foreclosures on practically every block, unemployment is above 10% in many parts of the country, and we live in uncertain times.

And, “Yes” is surely a much more positive word than “No!” Try it out and see how it stimulates you to action. “Yes, I can have a more positive attitude.” “Yes, I can start my own business (see my post Small Business Opportunities.” “Yes, I can achieve my goals.”

Let’s make our New Years resolutions about making a difference for the better, even if it’s as simple as a smile or a “Thank you.” And, while you’re at it, say “Yes” to a new resolution to clean out the garage!”

Read more articles from David Chan.

Small business opportunities are really shaping the new American economy. Small businesses have always been a driving force in America, but it seems to be even more so today. Perhaps I’m more keenly aware of small businesses, since I’ve owned and operated a number of them over the last 20 years. But, I sense a sea change in both sentiment and desire.

According to the US Census Bureau, there are now roughly 28 million small businesses in the US. A small business is defined as a company that has less than 500 employees. Of these small businesses, the bulk of them, about 22 million, are identified as single person businesses with no employees. And, the total gross receipts are staggering … $992 Billion in 2007.

I believe small business opportunities are growing because of several factors: the state of the economic recession, obvious unemployment issues and the fact that there are many more resources available to the small business than ever before. Much of this is driven by the ubiquity and availability of downright cheap technology.

For example, when I bought my first computer, many “generations ago” …, it cost me $6,000. Forget about Internet connectivity, think dial up (barely), and 16 KB, not GB, of RAM. These are dinosaur terms to emphasize a point. Today, a Dell Net Book can be had for $184 after rebate, Internet connection for 20 bucks a month, and a phone service with unlimited calling for as little as $19 / year.

How can you beat this type of setup when it comes to building small business opportunities, especially out of your home? My company is the epitome of a small virtual business. We are 10 people small and we all work out of our homes. The technology that we’ve implemented allows us to be linked together through a virtual PBX system, project management software, instant messaging, online meetings and much more.

Many of the tools that we use are free, some are unbelievably cheap. For example, a virtual PBX with unlimited minutes for $49.99 a month! This system gives us 10 extensions, so that our clients only need to call one 800 number to access any one of our team members. In the “old days” this would have cost us thousands of dollars and would have needed to be installed in a physical location. There’s nothing to install or download here, baby!

So, what are the top 10 online small business opportunities fueling my imagination? If you can wrap your arms around the term virtual, the ideas are limitless. My top 10:

1. Virtual Assistants – So much work, so little time. Virtual Assistants “free up your day,” as one of my colleagues in the business likes to say.
2. Internet Marketing – Think Google search and you’ll know what I mean. Companies are moving their marketing dollars in DROVES to the Internet. Print, Radio and TV are dying breeds.
3. Answering Services – You can’t always be in two places at the same time. Set up your own Virtual PBX, cultivate some clients and answer their calls for them.
4. Online Researcher – The Internet is a wealth of information. But, you still need time to sift through the dirt to find the gold. Turn your curious nature into a saleable asset.
5. Internet Broker – This business is as old as eBay. People want to buy and others want to sell. But, some are technology “challenged.” They just don’t know how to sell anything, let alone on eBay.
6. Stock Up! – The Internet’s appetite for online “stock” content is voracious. Think 300 million websites. They all need some type of photo, video or graphic. And, there are plenty of sites to sell your passion.
7. Creative Services – If you’re a photographer, videographer, graphic artist, hobbyist or professional, move your attention to Internet. Linked with #6, the need for QUALITY work is exploding.
8. Freelance Writing – Coupled with the explosive nature of the Internet, blogging is as hot as it gets. No, not about your kids’ latest soccer game, but serious ghost writing for individuals and companies.
9. Expense Reduction Manager – Everybody’s looking for a deal these days. And, they’re everywhere. Some people just don’t know where to look.
10. And, my all time favorite – Personal Shopper – I threw this one in for fun. “Back in the day”, people paid good money for others to shop for them.

Let’s just hope that legislation on AFFORDABLE health care, doesn’t rain on our parade!

Read more articles from David Chan.

Joint ventures used to be a term that caused a lot of confusion over who, what and why. The “who” related to the parties working together; the “what” referred to the goals of the joint venture; and the “why” was really about the decision to partner rather than to go it alone. These days, creating joint ventures make a lot of sense both offline and increasingly online.

In my most recent blog about the California governor candidates, I pointed out that there is an inverse relationship between marketing spend and Internet “success.” Witness Meg Whitman’s $900,000 investment in Internet marketing and the poor results she’s garnered with Facebook “Fans” and Twitter “Followers” compared to her rivals, Gavin Newsom and Jerry Brown.

Joint ventures in this case made a lot of sense. From an offline perspective, it certainly did not hurt Gavin Newsom to get an endorsement from the hugely popular Bill Clinton. Mr. Clinton likely pushed Mr. Newsom’s acceptance level in this political battle by several percentage points.

In fact, Mr. Newsom has some 58,000 fans to Ms. Whitman’s 4,500. What is not so obvious, though, are the online joint ventures he created to drive his popularity into the stratosphere … including his one million plus Twitter followers. While it’s possible to grow ones followers and fans organically, it generally takes a lot of time to create that many followers.

Let’s flip the analysis. Over the last several months, I’ve been fortunate to work with a number of celebrity personalities. A common theme always seems to pop up, “doing great, but would like to do better.” This, by the way, is what makes America great … striving for improvement … not just sitting around being happy with the status quo.

When evaluating joint ventures it’s always a great idea to create win / win / win scenarios. Make sure you understand what each party gets out of a relationship. In addition, since these days everyone has limited financial resources and are time constrained, creating a joint venture makes a lot of sense for a very simple reason – shared risk, shared reward.

Let’s take a real example. In creating a new online marketing campaign, we have several requirements for success: testimonials, saleable products, exclusive content, a well known brand, and much more. With limited time and financial resources, the decision to build vs. buy vs. joint venture becomes glaringly obvious – joint venture for those areas where you lack resources or talent and build or buy those pieces which you can control.

Joint ventures don’t have to be complicated. In fact, the simpler they are the more likely they are to succeed. Another simple example of this is obtaining content. Imagine that you are selling timeshares. You can try to create content on your own, but it would be much easier to joint venture with a real estate company. In return for their support, you promote their timeshare inventory.

The possibilities for joint ventures are limited only by your imagination. These days the blueprint for success is to think WAY outside the box. Don’t let naysayers say that it’s never been done before. President Obama didn’t!

Read more articles from David Chan.