Persian Kebab by Chef Emz

I love travelling and eating different cuisines and one of these favorites of mine are Korean food since their food is so flavorful. Today's article is about the Persian Food Kebab which is popular here in the Philippines. I have tried a few Kebab and Pita wraps here in Manila yet I was never satisfied with the taste. Yesterday despite our busy schedule from the office my husband and I decided to visit a former client of ours who manage a Kebab Food Kiosk located in Starmall Food Court Shaw Boulevard Mandaluyong City.

 I ordered my favorite Beef Pita Wrap it was truly flavorful and delicious compared to other kebabs, not only that it's also affordable. If you are craving for something new better try this and you won't regret it! Believe me it was soooo delicious.

Beef Pita Wrap by Chef Emz of Persian Kebab

Beef Keema with Rice by Chef Emz of Persian Kebab

For orders you may call 0915.532.3687

Home Based Business Ideas for Stay at Home Moms

Being a stay-at-home mom or full time housewife is no longer fashionable in this present age. The reason is because the economy is getting tougher. Nowadays both parents needs to work to sustain the needs of their growing family. But who should look after the kids? As a mother of four it was too difficult balancing my time for my family and business since we are having a hard time getting a reliable baby sitter. I was just lucky to have a supportive husband not just as a partner in raising our kids but in managing our business as well. 

"Two are better than one, for they may well enioy the profit of their labour." Ecclesiastes, 4:9,

Having been through a lot of hardship, "I realized that when there is extreme difficulty it also comes with extreme opportunity." So now let me show you some business ideas that are suitable for moms who want to spend more time with their family while working.

1.  Start a daycare center

A daycare center is one of the best businesses you can start from home, especially if you love being around children. Operating a day care center allows you to spend a great deal of time with your own children while taking care of other people’s children as well. This business is a good choice for moms and women who are already experienced in caring for children.

2.   Start making novelty gifts and party favors from home

If you are a creative individual, and you have an eye for good art designs; then you can start making party favors from home. With proper marketing, you are sure to make a lot of money on Christmas, Baptismal, Wedding, Birthday, etc.

3.  Start selling home baked goods

If you are skilled in baking and making snacks, you can as well consider going into the business of selling home baked snacks. This business is lucrative especially when you become a known brand within your neighborhood. You can start by baking cupcakes, pies, cookies, homemade bread, etc.

4.  Become a freelance contractor

Doing freelance jobs is another great way to earn money from home. In fact, this business is very profitable. If you reside in countries such as Philippines, Nigeria, Ghana, China, India, etc; then this is an opportunity for you to earn an extra income because jobs are now been shipped out of the U.S. Example of jobs you can do online from home include writing, typing, editing, script writing, animated video production, etc.

5.  Offline and Online Tutoring

This field no longer only caters to struggling children or those people with learning disabilities. Rather, parents are now flocking to tutors to help their children get ahead and learn much faster. Times are changing indeed. Another tactical approach to this business is to take your teaching skills online. Do you know that there are a lot of people online willing to pay to learn English language? Do you know that the educational trend is now moving towards online learning? Well, I leave you to your thoughts.

6.  Start a business coaching service

Do you have administrative or management experience? Have you been through trying times and overcame? Then you can become a business coach. When the economy gets tough, business owners need all the help they can get to move ahead. As a business coach, your duty is to empower these business owners and managers, and help them improve their work performance; through personal development and change.

7.  Start an elderly care service

A growing population of elderly citizens means big opportunity for non-medical home care service providers. Your task in this business is to help the elderly people go through their daily lives. Examples of services you can offer include house cleaning, transportation, dietary assistance, bathing, etc.

8. Start a web designing business

In today’s technology driven world, business owners are realizing the importance of having their businesses on the internet. In fact, running a web based business is a trend that has come to stay. So, if you have got the technical know-how and the skills, you can build a career as a web designer right out of your closet.

9. Start a candle and craft production

Making and selling these handicrafts is a great way to make good money. If you are good at making attractive crafts, you can have your children help you create these items while you market them easily from your home. You can also venture into small scale candle production as candles are always in demand throughout the year.

10.  Start a catering service

Catering can be a good idea for that mom who loves cooking and entertainment. Most of the work can be done in your home while looking after your children. You don’t need to rent a space and you can only spend a minimal time out of the house; that is if you plan adequately and have a competent staff.

11.  Start offering nanny services

Another business you can do from home is a babysitting business. You can fulfill your dream of working from home by rendering nanny services to busy mothers who do not have enough time for their babies, as a result of their job or other things.

12. Publish your own book

Yes. You can become a publish author without even leaving your home. Instead of spending your free time gossiping with other jobless housewives or chatting online, why not write a book. You can either publish through a traditional publishing company or you can self publish online through Amazon and Kindle. J. K. Rowling, author of Harry Potter series became a billionaire right from home. If she can do it, you too can.

13.  Start an event planning business

Do you possess good organizational skills? Do you thrive under pressure? Do you have a flair for putting together beautiful events? If yes, then you will succeed as a event planner. You can even take your business further by putting it on the web.

14.  Start a carpet cleaning business

Only but a few people are willing to let their carpets get dirty but unfortunately, they don’t have time to clean their carpet. This is where you come in. You can help people clean their carpet and you get paid for the service that you have rendered.

15. Start a housekeeping service

Housekeeping services is all about helping people maintain and keep their houses in order. You can start around your neighborhood and with time, you will get to extend your services to other areas. Extra services you can do alongside your housekeeping service include housecleaning, lawn care, etc.

16. Start a buy and sell business

You can start your buy and sell business by selling the stuffs you don’t need found in your home. I used to sell unused items and turn it to cash then used this to purchase an item which is in demand. “All i do is supply a demand” like diapers which will i buy in bulk then unsold items can be used by my kids, detergents soaps, big bikes which my husband trade for cash, furniture, gadgets and more.

16. Start a laundry business at home

You can start your laundry business at home. I started my own laundry shop from home with a little capital because everything i needed to run this business was found in my own laundry room. Starting a home laundry service is a great way to make money without having to sacrifice a lot of your time. 

Raspberry Laundry Capri Oasis Renovation

From the typical blue and white interior paint now Raspberry Laundry in Capri Oasis has its new look.

We paint the walls in ocean blue, rose pink and green semi-gloss finish. 

                                          
  We retain the counter in blue and white laminated finish with blue cove lighting.

 The laundry cabinet is painted in white ducco finish.

Donardo's Chili Garlic Sauce Anghang Sarap!!!

Chili sauce is an incredible condiment that adds spice and flavor to a wide range of dishes, from Asian recipes to Western favorites. It can be used as a wonderful dip for finger foods of all kinds, a side condiment to add more spice to your food (just as you might add salt & pepper), or even as a handy cooking ingredient (a great substitution for fresh or dried chili!). In most Asian countries like China and Korea, no table setting is complete without a bottle or jar of spicy chili sauce!

The Advantage of Asian chili sauce is that it can be used with nearly anything you might be eating or cooking, including western dishes like hot wings or spicy pasta dishes. I cook a wide variety of international foods at my home, but keep only one or two chili sauces on hand which work wonders with all types of cuisines. Try our very own Donardo's Chili Sauce Proudly Philippine Made!Donardo's Chili Sauce is available at all leading supermarkets nationwide like Puregold, The Landmark, Shopwise and more.

For more details you may call (+632) 366.23.81

Entrepreneur's Guide to Hiring Employees

Hiring staff can be time-consuming, but if you cut corners, there's a good chance you won't get the right employee. Today I want to share with you some vital tips to recruiting a good employee which I learned from the book "The Mafia Manager". If you have not read the book “The Mafia Manager”; then you are definitely missing some unconventional business lessons. If you are ready to learn, then please read on.

1.            It is not necessary to have a large family with many soldiers and button men. In fact, the fewer employees you have, the fewer betrayals or disappointments you will experience. Many employees, many betrayals, many disappointments and also higher overhead.

2.            Your staff must be of the highest possible quality in critical positions. One good man is, of course, better than a hundred fools.

3.            For a truly responsible job involving others in its performance; don’t hire someone just out of school, no matter how impressive his record. Hire the person who already has demonstrated an ability to work with others.

4.            For jobs less critical to the success of your organization, you will want to hire a good attitude before experience. Attitude reveals itself in a number of ways. For example, if an applicant asks about salary early on in his first interview; his is a bad attitude and moreover, he is stupid.

5.            For a truly vital job, don’t hire a high powered expert; no matter how impressive his credentials. Experts care only about their credentials and their fees; and their caring never stops.

6.            Don’t hire more than two members of a household (except possibly your own) and never hire lovers or husband and wife; no matter how necessary their individual skills may be to your organization.

7.            Before you hire, you will interview. Knowing what skills and performance you want from the person you will hire give applicants time to think about your questions on those matters.

8.            Be specific in your questioning. Generalities begat general (thus useless) responses. Require applicants to be specific in their answers. Use the questions “why” and “how” to follow up responses.

9.            As for the interview strategy itself, seat applicants beside you if possible; rather than across the desk from you, in order for you to better gauge his reactions. Pick up his/her resume, frowning every now and then as if pondering on something. When this bit of play acting is finished; and the applicant suitably is unsettled by it, begin by asking the applicant why he wants the vacant job and why he feels qualified to do it. Let him sell himself as much as he wants to; interrupting only with specific questions. Finally, if the applicant is presently working, ask him why he wants to change jobs.

10.          If the applicant should frown, squirm or stroke his cheek with apparent concern while you are outlining the job difficulties; you should begin kissing him off. In polite language, let your feelings be known to the applicant. Unless the applicant tries to sell himself back into contention, do kiss him off. Tell him you have others to interview and you will let him know, one way or the other in a day or two.

11.          Also kiss off any applicant who is full of questions about his career’s future with you.

12.          In any case, close interviews when you have found out all you need to know; whether this takes five minutes or fifty.

13.          When an applicant seems worth another look, check out his business references and employment history. Forget about personal references; he’s not going to list someone who will bum rap him. If you happen to know one or more of his personal refs, a call or two may get you some useful inside info.

14.          Bring in the most likely candidate for a second interview, preferably at lunch and at this meeting; zap him with whatever you may have turned up bogus in his business references or employment history. If those doubts; real or imagined are resolved to your satisfaction, sell the job to the applicant.

15.          Sell the job; make no promises of future raises, promotions or broadening of responsibilities. What the applicant gets is what he gets; nobody, not even you have the crystal ball that works. Let him do the job applied for and we’ll see what happens.

16.          Following your selling of the job, pose a few hypothetical problems the applicant may encounter on the job and ask him how he might go about meeting them. If the applicant passes muster; make an offer and hire him. If not, back to the office to schedule a second interview with the next most likely candidate.

And lastly, never you hire someone of the opposite sex in hopes of future erotic reward. It might be the beginning of the end for your business. 

Food Cart Business

Food is one thing that will never cease to be in demand as long as life is in existence. Food is needed at every point in time or country and food cart is one of the easiest way to make food readily available. It is also one of the affordable ways to enter into the food business.

One of the greatest advantage of this business is that it is mobile and you tend to sell faster because you are taking the food right to the door step of your customers. Another advantage is that if you find yourself in a poor location, you can easily move your cart to a better location where you will be able to make better sales. From an entrepreneurial standpoint, kiosks and food cart have a lower overhead than restaurants and can be moved if one location does not generate enough business. Rather than having to determine where to open a restaurant and worry about the old real-estate adage "location, location, location," the owner can actually drive to a new location if business is poor.

The third advantage is that the start-up cost for this business is cheaper than a restaurant. So, if you are planning to start a small business but don’t actually know which business to start, you can as well give food cart business a trial. But before you start, you have to start off on a good note, here’s how to start a food cart business.

1. Conduct a feasibility research

The first thing to do before starting a food cart business is to conduct a research. The research should include your start-up cost, projected expenses, revenue projection, marketing strategies, human resources and a list of the challenges the business will have to overcome to achieve success.

2. Decide on your business location

Areas of high traffic such as schools, malls, large commercial areas, busy intersections, terminals and supermarkets are good locations to operate your food cart business. But make sure you carry out a thorough research in the area of your location because it is your location that determines the level of sales that you will make.

3. Register your business

In other to ensure an easy and undisturbed running of your food cart business, you have to register the business with certain government bodies like DTI for sole proprietorship or SEC for partnership, bureau of internal revenue, food regulatory authorities, etc. You have to also get a clearance from the department of health.

4. Construct your cart

For a start, go for an affordable but admirable cart but before constructing your cart, you need to consider the type of food you want to sell. If you intend to sell burger or other foods that requires you prepare it on set, you might require a larger cart.

5. Brand yourself

After getting your cart ready, the next step is to brand your food cart with your business logo or business name. Consult a graphic designer to help you in designing your logo or color scheme on your cart.

6. Get Connected

Running a food cart business is not all about vending food on a mobile cart during lunch hours in a crowded area. You may need to advertise yourself both online and otherwise. By so doing, you get to connect your business to vast corners of the world. So many food cart business owners make their money by catering special event and cooperate functions.

7. Hire highly motivated personnel

Great care must be taken when hiring the right employees to help run your food cart business. You need to hire a hardworking and trustworthy person with a good hygiene. You must ensure the applicant is good in simple arithmetic. Lastly, a cheerful attitude and a presentable appearance is important to draw customers.

A food cart business is an easy business venture and it is advisable for young entrepreneurs. This is because it requires little capital and it is easy to run. 

How to Open your own Tattoo Shop Business?

Are you an artist or have artistic tendencies? Are you interested in taking your art to the most versatile canvas available, which is the skin? Tattooing is popular in many areas of the world and is found in many different cultures. You can capitalize on the popularity of tattooing by setting up a tattoo shop. If you have ever wanted to run your own business as a tattoo artist, read on to learn how to set up a tattoo shop.

Enroll in a tattoo artist apprenticeship program. 

This program can take you 12 to 24 months to complete, but it could also be very expensive. You will gain the experience you need to become a tattoo artist, which can come in handy because you typically need to have experience in a hands-on program before you can start your own tattoo business. You won't be tattooing right away, but the program is vital to your experience.

Find a location for your shop. 

Set up a tattoo shop in a place where there is a lot of automotive and pedestrian traffic to help increase your potential for walk-ins. When people can see your business from the road or as they are walking past, they may be more likely to remember it and visit later.

Follow all laws involving tattoos in your local area. 

The requirements for starting a tattoo business will vary based on where you want to run it. There are health and safety concerns with the art of tattooing, and you will likely be subject to inspections. You also may need to have special permits to operate. Your local health department can help you determine what licensing is needed for tattooing.

Purchase all the tattooing equipment you need. 

You won't need to buy everything at once, and you don't have to buy everything brand new. Look in classified papers and online to find used equipment. You will need things such as a tattoo gun, needles, ink, transfers, furniture for the lobby, and a cash register.

Advertise your shop through numerous outlets. 

You can advertise online through paid campaigns and a business website or through social media. You can advertise locally with business cards and flyers. If your budget allows, you can also try radio or TV advertising. 

Tatoo by: Monjay Dela Paz you may call 0916.490.6976

Eight Reasons Why You Should Open a Daycare Center Business

Times are changing, the economy is getting tougher and parents are getting wiser. Back in the good old days, the father works to provide the daily needs of the family while the mother sit at home to raise the kids and take care of the family. However, in this present time; being a stay at home mother is no longer feasible. Current economic trend now demands that both parents need to work and jointly contribute financially to the welfare of their kids. Now who takes care of the kids while mom and dad is away? Well, a housemaid or babysitter can take care of the children just fine; but getting a good and trustworthy nanny is quite difficult and risky. As a mother of four i really find it hard getting a babysitter myself so i was thinking of putting up my own day care business.

Apart from the fact that running a daycare business is very lucrative, there are still other reasons why setting up a daycare business is the right business idea for you as an entrepreneur or stay-at-home mom who is in search of a good business to invest your money and time.

1.  You are in control

As a daycare business owner, you are in control of how much money you make on a daily or monthly basis; you are in control of your time and you also decide what kind of client to take in. If you are looking for a business where you will truly be your own boss, then this business is the right one for you.

2.  Opening a daycare center require low overhead

The best businesses are known to generate profit while running on a moderate overhead and low operating cost. Daycare centers can be started with very little overhead and you can also start this business from home to cut start-up cost. The major expenses involved in starting an in-home daycare center are licensing, insurance, advertising, and food.

3.   There is a growing trend towards Specialized Childcare

The high demand for specialty daycare services like drop-in care, 24 hour daycare, vacation care, sick daycare, and daycare for kids with special needs is growing daily. As a potential daycare owner, you now have the opportunity to map out a niche for yourself by providing unique services and increasing your rate per child.

4.  Daycare Business can be lucrative if done right

Now despite the current economy, daycare businesses can be very lucrative. This is because both parents in the household must now work to make ends meet. More than a quarter of stay-at-home nursing mothers or parents plan to go back to work because of the economy and as a result, they need a quality daycare center for their kids.

5.  The resource for setting up a daycare is readily available

Setting up a childcare center is definitely one of the easiest things to do because there is a lot of information at your disposal and it does not require any special skill. The internet is filled with websites dedicated to helping potential daycare business owners open their businesses and run them successfully. The equipment you need is readily available anywhere.

6.  You will have fun running a daycare business

Passion is the name of the game in this business. What this means in essence is that if you love and enjoy being around children, then this business is for you. Nothing beats being passionate about what you do because when people turn what they love doing into a business opportunity, success flows.

7.  You will spend quality time with your own children

For those who are already parents, daycare business is perfect for you because it makes it possible for you to stay home with your own children and still earn an income. A daycare business allow parents to manage their own children upbringing and increases the quality time they spend with their children.

8.  You provide job opportunities for people. 

As your daycare business grows, you will need to hire employees that will help you in running the business. By so doing, you have created a source of livelihood for someone out there.

Effective Time Management Tips for Entrepreneurs

Time management is very crucial to success in life and its importance is more visible in the lives of entrepreneurs. How do successful entrepreneurs like Larry Ellison, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett manage their time? How can entrepreneurs manage time effectively so that they can have more time to spend with their family? You will find the answers you seek with respect to effective time manage in this article.

As a mom entrepreneur I sometimes wonder how I still make out time to write on this blog. Managing my business and my family keeps me up 18 hours a day; yet I still find time to write. How do I make out time for this blog despite my tight schedule? How do I achieve more in less time? The answer can be found in these three keywords: “Effective Time Management.”

"Work smarter, not harder" 

"Time is the scarcest resource and unless it is managed, nothing else will be managed." – Peter F. Drucker

"Waste your money and you are only out of money. But waste your time and you have lost part of your life." – Michael Lebeouf

Time is a gift of nature given freely and equally to all humans but no matter your level of success or status in life; you still get the same allocation of time. Do you know that the richest man and poorest man in the world have the same allocation of time; 24 hours? The difference comes in what they do with their time and how they both manage time. You can never build a successful business without effectively managing your time.

               
"Time is a versatile performer. It flies, marches on, heals all wounds, runs out and will tell." – Franklin. P. Jones

"In the world of business and investing, time and information are your greatest asset."

Today, I will be sharing with you some effective time management tips. I employ to manage my time. Below are effective time management tips for entrepreneurs.            

1.            Never allow days or weeks at work to just happen. Always think ahead and make out daily, weekly and even monthly schedules.

2.            Don't engage in too many meetings, they are great time wasters. Better still, you can send representatives or delegates on your behalf.

3.            Don't let your appointments and meetings over run.

4.            Allow your staffs filter out and attend to not too important calls, emails and letters. The important ones can be forwarded to you.

5.            Allocate your time daily to perform the following:

- Uninterrupted personal work.

- Discussion with your staff.

- Receiving and replying calls, emails and letters.

- Meeting with clients or senior managers.

- Reading business related documents.

- Attending external appointments with customers and so on.

6.            “If your neighbor gets up early, get up earlier.” – The Mafia Manager

7.            “Choose the time of day or night when your energies are highest and conduct business at that time.” – The Mafia Manager

8.            "If you see a snake, just kill it. Don't appoint a committee on snakes." – Henry Ross Perot

9.            "The rich invest in time, the poor invest in money." – Warren Buffett

10.          “Effective time management means making the most of every minute you work and making certain that you have hours every day and days every week, weeks and weeks every year when you do not have to work.” – The Mafia Manager

11.          "It has been my observation that most people get ahead during the time that others waste." – Henry Ford

12.          “The best thing to invest in your business is your time. To schedule, plan and use time effectively, know your turf and know your objectives. Assess the obstacles and opportunities, then devise your strategies.” – The Mafia Manager

13.          “To everything, there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.  A time to plant and a time to harvest that; which is planted.  A time to break down and a time to build up” – Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

14.          “The law of forced efficiency states that there is never enough time to do everything but there’s always enough time to do the most important thing.” – Anonymous

In conclusion, successful entrepreneurs create more free time for themselves by delegating most of their duties to reliable and trusted staff or professionals. When you delegate, you create more free time to attend to pressing business and family needs. Always remember that:

"Time is your greatest asset."

Advantages of Marketing your Business Online

If you are not already marketing your business online, it is time to start. Although there are a few exceptions, almost every business can benefit from online marketing. There are so many advantages to this type of marketing and I will be briefly explaining each of these advantages.

It is cheaper than marketing through traditional media

First of all, it is extremely affordable to market your business online. Other advantages to marketing your business online include the ability to reach a large target audience, the ability to reach potential customers all over the world and the ability to customize the marketing for different sectors of the target audience.

The affordability of Internet marketing is one of many reasons why many business owners are turning to the Internet for advertising. Advertising online is incredibly affordable especially when you consider how many potential customers a business owner can reach with an online marketing campaign. Most methods of online advertising are quite affordable and some of them do not have any direct costs.

For example, you may choose to market your business online for free by participating in industry forums and posting links to your website whenever it is appropriate to do so. In this case the cost of creating and maintaining the website is insignificant in comparison to the number of potential clients you could reach through online marketing. Additionally, the costs associated with posting links to your website are incidental. You could consider the cost of having access to the Internet as part of the cost but you most likely require Internet access for other reasons as well so it is completely worthwhile.

§  You will reach a wider audience when you market your business online

Reaching a large target audience is the second reason why you should market your business online. You may have spent a great deal of time and energy doing market research and determine who your target audience is. You may have also spent a great deal of time trying to figure out the best way to reach this audience.

This is a very sound marketing principle but as it applies to marketing on local television, radio and print media it only allows you to reach a limited audience. However, when you take your marketing to the Internet you automatically and drastically increase your potential target audience because you now have the ability to reach members of your target audience around the world.

§  You are not limited by border or territory; the world is your customer

This ability to reach customers around the world is the third major reason to market your business online. Regardless of where you live and operate your business, you have the ability to reach those who have an interest in the products you sell or the services you provide no matter where they live. This makes it possible for you to do business with customers around the world.

§  You can market your business online 24/7

Another important fact is that the Internet is available 24 hours a day. This is very beneficial to those who choose to market their products or services online. Shopping for products and services in person can be very difficult especially for individuals who work long hours or those who work unusual hours. These working conditions make it difficult for these individuals to do business and make purchases of products and services they need during regular business hours.

However, business owners who have an online presence are much more convenient because unlike stores and calling centers, the website never closes. This convenience gives potential customers the ability to view products and services, compare these products and services to the ones offered by competitors and make a purchase at any hour of any day.

If you are a business owner reading this article and you do not already have a strong online presence, you need to immediately start learning more about the world of Internet marketing. This is so important because if your competitors are marketing online, you may find they are gaining a steady advantage and are becoming more appealing to potential customers. Before too many of your potential customers become loyal customers to your competitor, it is time to start figuring out how you can market your business online and keep up with the competition.