Karen’s Opinion

here in Indiana. It makes the mums more beautiful than ever. I used to have mums growing around my light pole but they died out. Those mums looked like something you would see at Disney World. I was amazed at how perfect they were. I bought new pots of mums this year, rust and yellow colored mums. They take a lot of water so I was glad to see the rain.

I visited my sister in Tennessee this weekend. I thought I would see more color in the leaves there but our leaves in Indiana have more of the reds and yellows that make up the beautiful scenery of fall. We did see Cherokee Lake and it was gorgeous. I don’t know why but we had never visited the lake before and it is very close to her house. We stopped at an overlook to see out over the land where Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone once walked. I am amazed every time I think of the settlers crossing such rugged country. I don’t know how they made it in the winter months. Of course, some of them didn’t make it. I appreciate the highways on which we drive.

I ate horribly all weekend and it was heavenly! I had strawberry shortcake made with real shortcake and real whip cream. That same day, a few hours later, I had mint chocolate chip ice cream in a waffle cone. I felt almost sick later but it was worth it! Back to the real world now.

Not willing to incur additional costs, most entrepreneurs run their business from the comfort of their own home. Doing so allows them to work their own hours and affords them increased scheduling flexibility. However, just because work-at-home business owners aren’t leasing office space, doesn’t mean that owning and operating a small business isn’t a costly and often risky venture.

Before starting your own business, it is imperative that you research the costs associated with running operations out of your home. For one, the average start-up company will at some point need to hire additional employees. These employees can’t exactly move into your home, and thus will most likely be working remotely. The problem is that it’s difficult to track the amount of time an employee spends working from a remote location. You run the risk that certain employees will fabricate the amount of time spent on a project.

One way to counter this is to place all employees on salary. Another is to operate a franchise, like A Buyer’s Choice. Franchisees are typically not responsible for hiring additional employees, and therefore do not have to spend the time and energy keeping detailed time-tracking records.

Security is another issue. Since so much of today’s business is conducted online, home business owners run the risk of getting computer viruses and even having their work stolen by rival companies. These issues are big problems in most offices, let alone businesses where the employees may or may not be working from the same room. In order to ensure the safety of your work, all of your employees must be safeguarded against viruses and be provided with work-only laptops. It’s an expensive solution to a problem most startups fail to address.

As a small home business owner, either you or someone you hire will be responsible for raising seed capital. If you’re handling it yourself, it will require that you leave work to visit venture capitalists and private equity firms. In the process, you will incur travel, meal and opportunity costs. You’ll also probably have to hire someone to cover for you while you’re away from the office.

Of course, if you choose to follow a franchise-based model, raising money won’t be a problem. For instance, by becoming a franchisee for A Buyer’s Choice, you’ll only be required to pay a one-time fee. You won’t be asked to raise a dime. Instead, all marketing materials, training and support will be provided for you. entrepreneur

Most entrepreneurs underestimate the miscellaneous costs associated with running a home-based business. Internet connections, bookkeeping programs, business cards: these are all things you’ll have to purchase yourself. And don’t forget the price of public relations.

Again, most of these costs can be avoided by operating an A Buyer’s Choice, or equivalent, franchise. Not only do franchises bring you up to speed on how to save money, they also provide discounts on essential tools and web space.

So yes, while running a startup home-based business can be a lucrative opportunity, it can also be a costly one. If you’re on a limited budget, consider either starting off slowly or purchasing the rights to a franchise.

This is what I am working on now.

Florence, Italy, draws world travelers like William Mulrow and other visitors to its fine art and exquisite cuisine. In fact, historians designated Florence as the birthplace of the Renaissance in Italy. The city was the cultural, political and economic center of Europe from the 14th to the early 16th centuries with Renaissance and neoclassical styles of architecture originating Florence.

A businessman like William Mulrow can appreciate the history of how the bankers of Florence financed exploration to the Far East and Africa. Christopher Columbus is reported to have used a map drawn by a Florentine to persuade the Spanish royal family to finance his explorations. Other notable Florentines include Galileo, Machiavelli, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.

Today, Florence is a city of museums, galleries, architecturally unique churches and buildings, restaurants and cafes, shops and fine hotels.

Getting Around

The Amerigo Vespucci International Airport is only 15 minutes from the heart of the city by taxi or bus. Buses run every half hour for most of the day before switching to hourly service between 8 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. Rail service from most Italian and European cities stop in Florence.

Most people elect to walk when seeing the sights of Florence. Popular tourist sights are within walking distance of the city center and of each other. The historic district can be walked from end to end in about 30 minutes. Some streets in Florence are so narrow that walking or motor scooters are the only means of traversing them. Bicycles offer a good alternative to walking, and they are readily available through a city-operated rental service.

Top Attractions

Attractions to see while in Florence include the Galleria degli Uffizi. Perhaps one of the world’s most famous art museums, the collections housed and exhibited by the Uffizi include “The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli. The National Museum of Bargello contains works from some of the finest Renaissance sculptors including Michelangelo, Donatello and Rossellino. Michelangelo’s David and Slaves are two of the works on display at the Accademia Gallery.

Science played an important role in the history of Florence with such notable citizens as Galileo Galilei and Leonardo da Vinci. The Institute and Museum of the History of Science has scientific instruments on display from math, physics, astronomy, biology and chemistry. Some of Galileo’s original instruments are displayed in the museum’s exhibits.

Besides its museums, William Mulrow and other tourists often visit some of the churches in and around the city. The tombs of historically significant Florentine notables as Galileo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli and Dante can be viewed in the Santa Croce church. Some churches, such as the Santa Maria Novella and San Marco Convent, house works of art from the Renaissance that rival the art displayed at museums and galleries throughout the city.

Tourists will never be lacking for activities while in Florence. Enterprising visitors can take classes in art, photography, glass making and cooking. Guests staying in the city who want to improve their language skills can take Italian lessons at the Istituto il David.

My husband was lucky enough to borrow a Terra Trike bicycle. We are hoping and saving to buy one so he can exercise with me and our daughter. I was running behind in this picture of hubby on the trike and daughter riding a skateboard being “pulled” by our dog, Elsie.

I was not compensated to mention Terra Trike. It is an awesome bike and I enjoyed having hubby along with me as I ran the Nickle Plate Trail.

On Saturday, my daughter and I participated in the Cole Porter Classic 5k. All monies raised by the walk/run are being donated to the upkeep of the Nickle Plate Trail. We are so lucky to have the trail near our home. It gives us a beautiful place to exercise.