2012 - The Year of the Breach

A recent study conducted by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and McAfee Inc. revealed that 400,000 Yahoo! accounts and 6.5 million LinkedIn passwords and millions more at other major sites suffered Identity Theft breaches in the first half of 2012. 

Too many people believe that unless they have credit cards, they do not need ID Theft Protection.  More than 25% of Americans received alerts advising them that their personal information was lost, stolen or compromised.  These breaches included online passwords, email addresses, credit card numbers and more.  And, since many ID thefts are never reported, it is likely that far more actually suffered a breach.

There are numerous companies now offering identity theft protection products, and all of them provide a measure of security.  Xpress Healthcare offers LifeLock® ID Theft Protection.  Everyone who has ever seen a LifeLock commercial on TV knows that they are the biggest and the best proactive program available. 

With Xpress Healthcare, we actually offer LifeLock® at only $19.95/month/family. That’s right, per family!  You’ll pay more at LifeLock’s® own website!  To make this offer even more inviting, this ID Theft Protection is offered as only one of several benefits included in this particular plan.  At the same price, in addition to LifeLock, members receive discounts on pet care products and services, roadside assistance, legal services and cash back rewards mall. 

Whether you purchase your ID Theft Protection through Xpress or not, do not wait!  Get yourself protected before you become a victim!

Meanwhile, here are some steps you can take to avoid becoming an identity theft victim.

Change online passwords regularly.  The above-referenced study found that 28% of people never change their online bank account passwords. This is a major mistake.  Do not make your passwords your birthday or anniversary or other dates or words that are easy to figure out.  Mix lower case and upper case letters, and use numbers in your password.  Longer passwords are easier to hack than short ones.

Keep a close eye on your computer.  About ¼ of Americans store sensitive information on their computers.  Whether laptop or desktop, this is not a good idea.

Only access private sites while connected to a secure wireless network. The chances of someone hacking into your personal online accounts are reduced if you only access private sites when you are connected to a secure wireless network.

Be sure you have security software on your smartphone. With so many of us accessing the Internet using our smartphones, the NCSA study found that 64% have never protected their mobile devices from viruses. The bottom line is that whether or not you have credit cards, you should have identity theft protection. PERIOD.  And I highly recommend that you get the program everyone knows, LifeLock®, through Xpress Healthcare to protect yourself at the lowest cost. To learn more about LifeLock, visit http://julie.joinxpress.com/lifestyle-select.html

I Never Did Like Roller Coasters

I Never Did Like Roller Coasters

When I was a child, I may have liked roller coasters.  But I don’t remember it if I did.  I know I do not like them now.  That terrible feeling of my stomach seeming to drop is not what I call fun.

Now that I’ve been in network marketing for several years, I have discovered an entirely different kind of roller coaster.  I’ve discovered that our excitement level, our motivation, and our businesses can reach the same kind of highs and fall to the lowest of lows.

I have experienced it, and still do on occasion.  I don’t believe that anyone who is really honest with themselves can say they never lose their motivation or that they never have a bad week or month with their business.  Early on in the industry, I rode some of the worst roller coasters I could imagine.  As time went on and my skills and experience grew, the ups and downs leveled off a great deal. 

Today, after about eight years in network marketing and two of them with my Xpress Healthcare business, once in a while I feel unmotivated.  I lose my focus.  Although I write business fairly consistently, occasionally I don’t get new business for few days.  However, I bounce back quickly now when I feel unmotivated.  It will last a few hours at most.  Usually, I just take a break from my desk, and my focus returns when I get back to work.

In this industry, there are many people who simply do not stay around long enough for those high-highs and low-lows to level off.  They never reach the point where their lack of motivation is brief and infrequent.  It is a shame, because if they were more patient, they may turn out to be a great leader in their company.

I try my best to “ride in the car” with my new team members on that roller coaster.  I will help them in any way I can and offer training and mentoring.   When it comes right down to it though, everyone must learn to ride themselves and allow those huge climbs to the top and steep falls to the bottom smooth out over time.  Those who are successful do.hose huge climbs to the top and steep falls to the bottom smooth out over time.  Those who are successful do.

***************************

To learn about Xpress Healthcare, visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com

What's Up Doc?

I live in a fairly small city with a population of about 40,000.  The nearest large city is 90 miles away, a 90 minute drive.  Between my city and that large city, it is mostly wide open spaces. 

We have many doctors, but not many specialists.  We have one hospital – or as they call it, a Regional Medical Center.  As I and thousands of others in the “baby boomer” generation grow older, we will likely have more need for Cardiologists, Gastroenterologists, Orthopedic Surgeons, and more.

I just learned that my Pulmonologist, the only one in the city, is leaving the state next month.  My OB/GYN left the city a couple years ago.  Now we have only one remaining.  We have two gastroenterologists, one of whom is near retirement age.       

Many physicians do not want to practice in cities with a poor economy.  While many rural areas are in economic decline, because we have a large military base, our city has not suffered quite as much as most small cities or the rest of the nation.  So the economy is not really a factor here.

A survey conducted a few years ago revealed that only 4 percent of medical residents ranked communities with fewer than 25,000 residents as their top choice of where to practice. More than half chose to practice in areas less than 10 miles from their residency programs, which are overwhelmingly located in big cities.  While our population is higher than 25,000, it certainly cannot be called a big city.

I recently learned that in many specialties, the highest earners are found in towns of 50,000 to 250,000 in size, not in the largest metropolitan areas.  There is less competition; insurance company reimbursements are actually higher in small to mid-sized cities; and the cost of practicing is lower in these cities.  Fewer malpractice law suits are generally filed in smaller cities, making the cost of malpractice insurance lower as well.

Sub-specialized physicians – those who need to be part of a major medical center with advanced equipment and every specialty at their fingertips – do not fit into this higher-income category.  With those specialists, their patients travel to them, and income and competition are not affected the same as most primary specialties.

I have taken that 90-mile drive to the “big city” to see various specialists over the years I have lived here.  As I get older, I have become more concerned about this lack of specialists.   Since they could actually earn more, or at least spend less to practice here, why do we have fewer physician specialists?  From everything I have read, it may be less about money, and more about proximity to family, fine dining, cultural availability (the arts) and various other reasons unrelated to the economy.

So for those of us living in my city and many other rural communities, we have a choice of moving to a bigger city or continuing to drive great distances for medical care.  For many, neither option is possible, making it a frightening situation for many poor and elderly residents.

*************************

To learn more about Julie Klein and Xpress Healthcare, please visit http://LearnMoreAndApply.com

Join the Party!

It seems all we see on television and on the Internet these days are political ads and posts.  I have seen way too many “discussions” about politics online.

Like most people, I have my opinion about politics and my preference about who I hope will win the Presidential, Congressional and Senatorial races, but I keep it mostly to myself.  Most people I know belong to the opposing party.  What possible reason would there be for me to discuss politics with them?  I will never change their opinion nor will they change mine.

Working in Internet marketing as I do, discussing politics publicly could be detrimental to my business.  Some people feel so strongly about their political beliefs, they may not want to do business with me if I do not agree with them.

I am even a member of a group that represents my party.  So, yes, I have strong political beliefs.  I share them with other group members, but not with those who disagree.  I believe that it simply serves no purpose.

With my Xpress Healthcare business, I have a large team.  I believe only one person on my team knows to which party I belong, and that person is a member of the other party.  We simply do not discuss politics.  We have a great deal in common, and we are close friends.  Why ruin our relationship by arguing about politics.   

Many people in business feel very differently about the matter.  Brick and mortar business often have signs announcing their endorsement for a particular person or bumper stickers all over their cars.  (I would never put any bumper stickers on my car – political or otherwise, because they can be very difficult to remove.)

I see people that I know are Internet marketers post about their favorite candidate all the time, often saying rather ugly things about their opponent. It is their right to do so, just as it is my right not to advertise my political affiliation.

Every Presidential election has negative ads.  This year I am seeing far more negative, obnoxious posts made by individuals.  Of course, with each passing year, the Internet becomes more widespread and more people participate on it.  So, I guess that is to be expected.

I will continue to keep my political views mostly to myself.  Others can do as I do or publicize to the world what they believe.  That is one of the many benefits, privileges and rights of living in the United States of America.    

*****************************

To learn about Julie Klein and Xpress Healthcare

visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com

I Am NOT an Advertising Guru

I am far from being an advertising guru.  I believe that participating on forums, writing blogs and social networking sites are the best way to promote your network marketing business.  However, I also think that using online ads can reach a very different audience, and those ads may bring you a different group of prospects.  So, I will share some tips I have learned about advertising along the way.

Nearly everyone has heard of craigslist.org, the largest free classified ad site available.  It can be challenging for network marketers to use the site since it discourages MLM ads.  There are thousands of other advertising sites.  Some charge a fee, while many are free to post.  (There are also advertising agencies that you can pay to place your ads, which I will not address here.)  Which ad sites to use is pretty much trial and error for your particular business. 

The first thing you should do is define who your target market is.  If you are advertising a business opportunity, you have a very different market than if you’re advertising a product or service.  Every website has different categories from which to choose, so find one that best fits your type of ad.

Many network marketers write ads that sound good to themselves.  You are not selling the ads to yourself.  Your ads have to work for the people to whom you are selling.  What are their problems, fears and desires? This will help you target your ads.

Next you need a headline that will catch attention.  People will move on to the next ad if the headline doesn’t interest them.  Your headline should arouse curiosity or grab attention.  You can use questions, intrigue, or an announcement.  Some examples could be:  Are You a Motivated Team Leader?  - Are you Tired of Selling Baskets, Lotions and Potions?  - I am building a team of leaders?  Do you qualify?  - Now Offering a FREE Trial! - Announcing New $30 Recruiting Bonus! - Everyone needs this product!  (Readers will wonder what the product is.)

When writing effective ads, write down several headlines, and then pick the one you like the best.  If you use the first one you come up with, odds are it won’t be the best one you could have used.

Write your ad concisely, but truthfully. Don’t exaggerate your business opportunity or your products, but you can use adjectives such as "best," "great," "excellent," and "effective."

According to an article I recently read, it seems the more hoops people have to jump through to get to you, the more serious they will be. The article suggested that you let your copy do the funneling for you, and you will spend less time weeding through people who aren't serious.  The way I interpret this is to NOT include a phone number, for instance. If you include a number, the prospect will just pick up the phone without going to your website and expect you to provide a full presentation.  I only include a website on my ads. 

Another thing I read in that same article is that they recommend that we keep the price out of our copy. The author suggests that you will receive fewer responses if you include the price.  Focus instead on the problem your prospect has that will make them want to contact you to try your product. Create a picture of how it will make their life easier and more enjoyable. Marketing is about solving specific consumer problems.

What are the benefits of your business opportunity or products?  The more specific you are in the ad, the better.  Your ad should make it clear how your target audience is going to benefit from joining your business or purchasing your products.  All the reader wants to know is "what's in it for me?"  Your goal is to make customers feel they "NEED" your product!  If possible, offer something for FREE!  A sample of your product, an e-book or coupon may attract additional prospects.  

Always include a plan of action.  Studies have shown that when people are told what they need to do in an ad, they are more likely to do it than if you just leave it up to them.  You can put something as simple as writing, “Click Here”

I have written ads for my Xpress Healthcare business that bring no responses whatsoever, and I have posted ads that drove many people to my websites.  I change my ads frequently, always testing new and different ads to see which are the most effective.  There is really only one way to be certain that you have a good ad.  Run an ad for a week, then change the headline and run that one for a week, and see which does better.  Then change the body and let that run for a week.  There is no way to know exactly how well your ad will do until you test it.

To learn more about Julie Klein and Xpress Healthcare, visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com

Bizarre and Unique Holidays

I have always known that there are some odd holidays and days of “observation” of a person, place or thing.  I decided to learn more about those that occur during the month of October.  What I found was both amusing and interesting.

If you’re wondering how one goes about creating a “day” or “month,” it varies.  Those days that are actually recognized throughout the country requires an act of Congress and is a long process and takes a great deal of work. Other “Days,”  were created by special interest groups, sports teams, companies, local government agencies. For some “days,” someone simply declares it so.  Greeting card and ecard companies sometimes do this. 

Nearly every day has been designated a day, so there are far too many to put on a single page. There are also many full-month and week-long observances, which I will not address here. 

World Vegetarian Day was observed on October 1st.  On the 2nd, you may have missed a great opportunity on Name Your Car Day.

Virus Appreciation Day was recognized on the 3rd of October.  I guess we should have shown some respect for nasty viruses. Instead, I’d rather give them a dose of penicillin.

World Teacher’s Day was on the 5th, but I think we should be praising and acknowledging teachers every day. 

On October 6th, I hope you were silly and celebrated silliness on Mad Hatter Day.  October 7th was the last day of Oktoberfest in Germany and World Smile Day.

Tag, you’re it!  I am certain many people played outside on American Touch Tag Day.  Did you know that Columbus Day was created by Franklin Delano Roosevelt to capture the Italian vote?

What do you suppose we were supposed to do on Moldy Cheese Day? I may have just waited to eat until the following day, since October 10th was National Angel Food Cake Day.  Prepare yourself for Evaluate Your Life Day on October 19th.

What’s all the chatter about Babbling Day on the 21st of this month? You quiet types better stay away from the party. On the last Friday in October, we can have fun on Frankenstein Friday, a holiday created by Ron MacCloskey so he could award “The Franky” to someone who made a significant contribution to the promotion of the lovely Frankenstein.

You just may want to stay home on the 29th, since it is Hermit Day.  Or, look into the future on the 31st for Increase Your Psychic Powers Day. 

There are far more “days” than I have shared with you here, but this is a pretty good sampling.  I find it rather amusing to think people actually took time to think up these “days.”  They don’t need a day, they really need a life!  Then again, I took the time to look them up.

*******************

For information about Julie Klein and Xpress Healthcare, visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com

The Last Presidential Campaign is Always the Worst

I read this very interesting article on the Internet and want to share it with you.  This includes a couple of sentences that expose the author’s political leanings.  I do not want to start a political debate here.  Please do NOT post any comments as to whom you support in the upcoming election.  I am not even saying whether I agree or disagree with the author.  Removing the sentence, however, would take away from the article.

You can read the article in its entirety here:  http://www.usnews.com/debate-club/has-the-dishonesty-in-the-2012-campaign-reached-unprecedented-lows/the-last-presidential-campaign-is-always-the-worst

By BRAD BANNON

******************

As the natives of a relatively young nation, Americans don't have an especially strong sense of history. Recently I saw a list of players that baseball fans considered the best of all time. Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Cal Ripken, Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax, and Bob Gibson deservedly made the list. The recent steroid all stars were also well represented. Conspicuous by their absence were stars like Walter "Big Train" Johnson, Hank Greenberg, Satchel Page, Josh Gibson, and other luminaries from the golden age of baseball. They are gone and forgotten by current fans.

The same lack of historical perspective extends to politics. The last presidential campaign is always the worst presidential campaign. The President Obama's and Mitt Romney's campaigns and their surrogates have given Americans many good reasons to be unhappy about the tone of the 2012 campaign. But is the 2012 presidential campaign any worse than the mud fest in 1800 between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson? Probably not.

Jefferson's allies suggested that Adams, who was the political leader of our War of Independence, was a "monarchist," which was a fighting word in those days. Adams was arrogant and pretentious, but he certainly wasn't a "royalist." Describing Adams as a "monarchist" was as stupid as calling Barack Obama a socialist. A friend of mind once said to me, "I am a socialist, and believe me, Barack Obama is no socialist."

The allies of Adams weren't much better. They apparently missed the many references to God in the Declaration of Independence and branded Jefferson an atheist, which he clearly wasn't. Jefferson believed in God, he just didn't believe in churches. Adams's supporters went even further than that to say that Jefferson would close churches and burn Bibles if he became president. Well Jefferson served as president for eight years and there is no record of Jefferson or any member of his administration shutting down a place of worship or burning any book, much less the Bible.

Get a grip. The 2012 contest for the White House is a nasty and negative campaign. But it certainly isn't the worst. But you can bet, people will say that the 2016 race is.

*************************

To learn more about Julie Klein and Xpress Healthcare, visit http://joinxpresshealthcare 

Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover

“The English idiom ‘don't judge a book by its cover’ is a metaphorical phrase which means "you shouldn't prejudge the worth or value of something, by its outward appearance alone’.”  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don't_judge_a_book_by_its_cover#Origin

My niece, Jenn, joined the Goth subculture as a teenager.  She began dying her hair black, wearing very dramatic makeup, wearing black nail polish and all black clothing.  To fully understand, here is the explanation from Wikipedia:  

“The Goth subculture is a contemporary subculture found in many countries. It began in England during the early 1980s in the Gothic rock scene, an offshoot of the post-punk genre. The Goth subculture has survived much longer than others of the same era, and has continued to diversify. Its imagery and cultural proclivities indicate influences from the 19th century Gothic literature…

"The Goth subculture has associated tastes in music, aesthetics, and fashion. The music of the Goth subculture encompasses a number of different styles including Gothic rock, deathrock, post-punk, darkwave, Ethereal, and neoclassical. Styles of dress within the subculture range from deathrock, punk and Victorian style attire, or combinations of the above, most often with dark attire, makeup and hair.”  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goth_subculture

My mother was very close with Jenn, and she found it disturbing at first to see her dressed the way she did.  She always said, “She’ll grow out of it.”

Jenn is now 40 years old, and still a Goth.  In fact, she is well known throughout the world among other Goths.  She goes to a Goth “gathering” in Germany every year.

She has been with Dave for 17 years, a terrific guy, also a Goth, who holds a good job making decent money.  Jenn is an assistant manager at a retail clothing store.  She takes a bus to work, because she never learned or wanted to drive.

Jenn is absolutely beautiful!  Truly, even with the “interesting” makeup and hair, she is gorgeous.  On top of her physical beauty, however, she is a lovely, kind and warm woman.  Jenn is very family-oriented.  When my mother was near death, Jenn went to her house and climbed fully clothed (including her black boots) into bed with her.  They held one another for about 30 minutes, both crying softly.  They didn’t speak (my mother could not at that point), and yet they said so much to one another.  (As I write this part, I too am crying.)

This is my niece Jenn.  I love her not in spite of her appearance, but because of it.  She is who she is, and will not change to please others.  The outside is what others see, and I am sure some think poorly of her because of her style. 

The next time you see someone dressing differently than most, wearing unique makeup, perhaps even someone living on the street, please remember Jenn.  What you see doesn’t tell the whole story.  Like Jenn, there is likely great beauty inside.  

To learn more about Julie Klein and Xpress Healthcare, please visit http://ibourl.netJoinXpressHealthcare

Genetic Mutations

We hear it all the time.  We should all have our teeth cleaned and examined a couple times a year.  Colonoscopies are recommended to catch any cancers early.  Women should get regular mammograms after the age of 40. 

I try to follow the suggested medical guidelines, which led me to my annual mammogram last year.  When my doctor discovered a “spot” that did not appear on earlier mammograms, he ordered a biopsy.  The test was benign, and I was relieved.  My grandmother and an aunt died of breast cancer, so I have reason to adhere to the regular checkups. 

I saw my doctor again this week and received a good report on my latest mammogram.  He pointed out that I have two more “spots” that he will be watching, but for now, no biopsy is necessary.  He then proceeded to ask me about my ancestry.  When I responded that I am of Eastern European descent, he asked whether the family was of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, to which I responded “yes.”

He went on to explain that those of Ashkenazi Jewish descent had a higher incidence of breast and ovarian cancer than the general population.  He suggested that I have BracAnalysis Testing for the mutated gene that is sometimes inherited by those in this group, both women and men.

Those who test positive for the mutated gene have an 88% chance of getting breast and/or ovarian cancer at some time in their lives.  So knowing whether I carry that gene will determine my current and future treatment.  For instance, he said if I test positive, he would perform a biopsy on those two suspicious abnormalities that appeared on my most recent mammogram.

I had never heard of this type of testing, nor did I realize that Ashkenazi Jews had a greater risk of breast and ovarian cancer.  This made me wonder what other diseases or disorders were common in certain ethnic or racial groups.

A brief Internet search informed me that Tay-Sachs disease is also more likely to occur among people of Ashkenazi (eastern and central European) Jewish descent and those of French Canadian ancestry. 

Sickle cell anemia is another genetic condition that is more common in particular groups, people of African, African-American or Mediterranean heritage.  I knew more African-Americans had sickle cell anemia, but I did not know that people of Mediterranean heritage also are more likely to develop the condition.

About one in 2500 Europeans develop cystic fibrosis, but only in one in 90,000 Asians do. I had no idea that disease was more common in a certain group than others.

Common diseases and conditions not connected to gene mutation also vary in frequency among certain populations.  Although millions suffer from hypertension, it occurs more frequently in African-Americans than European-Americans; and type 2 diabetes is especially common in Hispanic and Native-American populations.

I imagine further research would reveal far more medical conditions affecting one group more than others.  My lack of time to perform the research outweighs my curiosity to know about them.  I did, however, find it interesting to learn about the BracAnalysis Testing and about how various groups are more prone to specific health issues than others.

************************

To learn more about Julie Klein and Xpress Healthcare, visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com.

I Want it, and I Want it Now!

If you join a network marketing company with a product and comp plan you love, the potential to earn that oft-cited six-figure income is yours for the taking.  However, I will be so bold as to say that the vast majority of these people will not do so.

I am approaching the two-year mark working my business.  I have made observations along the way of some things that, unfortunately, a large percentage of Affiliates with my company – and reps with most network marketing companies – have in common.

They want to earn a lot of money to improve their life – NOW, not in months or years.  And, they do not want to actually work, but expect the money to fall in their lap.

Those in network marketing who expect to earn money without putting in the effort might just as well buy a lottery ticket.  Sorry folks, but no one is going to hand you a pile of money.  From the time we were children, we have been told that if we want something, we must earn it. 

My company, Xpress Healthcare, sells discount savings plans.  Our plans offer discounts on health and dental care, pet care, legal services, prescriptions, roadside assistance and much more.  You noticed I said we “sell” these plans.  We do not give them away, and people do not come looking for us to beg us to allow them to purchase the plans.  There are many ways of selling them, but it does all come down to sales.

The best way for Xpress Healthcare affiliates to earn a great deal of money is by 1) growing a large team; and 2) selling our plans to large groups and businesses.  I have had too many team members to count say they are joining to sell to businesses – Business to Business, B to B. 

Our founders built our company to sell our memberships in mass quantities.  They have provided us with myriad tools and resources to enable us to do so.  However, no matter how many tools and resources are available, no one can sell to large organizations or companies without dedicating lots of time, building relationships, talking to people about what we have to offer them, and just plain hard work - lots of it.

There is a lot of money to be made for someone interested in selling memberships to groups, but
no matter what, it is based on hard work.  There is nothing stopping anyone from becoming an affiliate with us and earning six figures a year by selling to groups.  It comes down to how much time someone is willing to put in – and for how long they are willing to work for it. 

Even those who start earning money quickly often give up, because their income is not growing as fast as they think it should.  I believe that two to five years is not a long time to work a business with the potential to earn enough money to retire.

I am using Xpress Healthcare only as an example.  Nearly every company has a product or service they are selling, and every single one of them requires long-term effort.  All businesses in network marketing have the same challenge when it comes to finding good quality team members. 

To earn a six-figure income, all anyone needs to do is work hard and stick with it for as long as it takes.  I’ll repeat that last part – for as long as it takes!  I am willing.  Are you?

To learn more about Julie Klein and Xpress Healthcare, visit our website.

More Than Just Stay at Home Moms

I have several articles recently about the increased number of people who are working from home.  I found it interesting to note that the number of home businesses AND the number of telecommuting jobs has increased a great deal over the past decade or so.  About four million more people telecommute to work from home today compared to 1999. 

At one time, working at home was the realm of stay-at-home moms, with companies such as Avon, Mary Kay and Tupperware well represented.  Start-up companies then arrived on the scene, bringing more people home to work. Since the turn of the 21^st century, however, the number of individuals working at home has increased by tens of millions. 

Many people who once had small store-front businesses have moved those businesses to their homes, and their clients come to them there.  Their clientele may be smaller, but their overhead is as well.

Many larger companies and even major corporations now allow more of their full-time employees to work remotely.  This flexibility on the part of employers makes for happier employees.  They save on gas and commuting expenses, and many companies have even seen an increase in productivity for their remote workers.

The increase in work from home employees has grown particularly high in the computer, science and engineering industries.  Jobs performed in front of a computer can readily be moved to employee’s homes.  With high-speed Internet and services like Skype, companies can even hold virtual meetings.  Due to the challenging economy, employers have also been cutting back on costs, and letting people work remotely can reduce their expenses. They require less office space, and their utility bills are cut, for example.

Self-employed individuals and small business owners make up a large percentage of home workers.  During the past several years, along with the increase in unemployment, the work-at-home trend as grown. 

With the huge advances in communications and technology, millions are choosing to start and work their own home businesses.  This has subsequently led to the creation of thousands more business opportunities in a relatively brief period of time.

We have also seen a dramatic rise in those who work full or part-time jobs away from home while they are working a home business.  For most, their goal is to grow their home business enough to enable them to work at home full time at some point in the future.

My own story is similar to many others.  I began working my first home business, a typing service, about 15 years ago.  Both my husband and I worked jobs, and my business supplemented our income.  I was subsequently laid off my job with the County, and started a new job with the DEA.  A couple years later, I was laid off that job as well. 

Since my husband was still working full time, I started my search for a better-paying home business.  I found one (a party-plan company) that I worked for a year, with no success whatsoever.  I then started with another company where I operated my business for six years, earning a supplemental income.  While nearing the end of those six years, my husband’s employer went out of business.  Being at retirement age, he qualified for Social Security, so he decided not to search for another job when most companies were cutting their staff, not hiring.

Shortly thereafter, I found a business opportunity with a competing company.  I am now approaching my second year with Xpress Healthcare, and for the first time since working at home, I am earning a living.

There is no reason to believe that the huge growth in telecommuting jobs and home business opportunities will not continue at a rapid pace.  Even as the economy is improving, albeit slowly, I anticipate that millions more will be seeking business opportunities as opposed to a job.          

*******************

 To learn more about Julie Klein and Xpress Healthcare, visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com