2009 was a very hard year for many of us and the New Year is just around the corner. It is sure to be one of the best years yet to come. I’m very excited about 2010! A new decade filled with room for personal growth, while also helping those in need.

I wish everyone a great holiday, and hope that you enjoy yourself and your time with your loved ones. keep your head up, and keep on pushing forward! Remember, we only live once, so live life to the fullest and rock on!

Happy holidays everyone!

I would like to ask the community for some feedback? We are in the process of doing some changes to the HOME page and would like to get the community involved. We will be posting some designs that our team came up with and would love to get your two cents? I will leave you with one question to start the process.

If you could add or change anything on the home page what would it be?

We are working hard to bring you an easier way for you to help your local community when searching for local services.

You could also contact me with your ideas and  also we could get together and chat over some coffee.

(Keven Dones)

(Founder and CEO, www.labortopia.com)

( 857 574-0069 )

Friend me on: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Keven.Dones

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/KevenDones

Read my blog: http://labortopia.com/blog

Join our Facebook fan page: http://bit.ly/RQWys

Before you can even begin to think about hiring a web developer, you have extensive homework to do. These steps will save you endless headaches in the coming days.

Map project.

Get the scope of what you want as specific as possible. Decide exactly what you want built, where, why, and how. Once you have a developer on board, their time is money. By getting your plan straight now, you can save hundreds or thousands of dollars later by not losing time.

Determine what resources you are going to need. [ie. Heavy PHP built on a LAMP stack etc.]

You are going to have to look for a specific developer, so you must know what specific building blocks are going to be part of your project. If you truly do not know, you should probably scrap the project. I would recommended going over what languages/architectures that you think you need with an experienced friend. Usually half of them are cut out at this point. You may think that you need action script, but I doubt it.

Consider scale, what you might want to skimp on.

If there is an area of your project that you think might be open to scaling back, always keep that in mind. This is the place you can cut down on to make deadlines. Developers are always happy when you lower their work load and do not move the deadline.

Determine the budget that you have for the project, and for the developer.

You should already know this, but after you do the previous steps, you may have to change your numbers. If it is too expensive, stop. Development projects rarely end up under budget. You do not want to open a second mortgage sized can of worms.

Decide if you are willing to work with offshore development teams.

Before you can look, you need to know where you are looking. This is crucial. Offshore teams managed well can be money savers, but will require more of your time.

Check general market prices for the types of development you think you want to use.

As part of your continuing cost analysis, you need to keep your numbers correct. PHP work might have gone up 10% in the last month. Check all your inputs again.

Now that you know what you need, that you can afford it, and your project scope is in hand, you can get the talent that you need.

Start by looking for talent in your phone’s address book.

I always recommend working with people that you have before. It takes all the fun little surprises out of life.

Ask around if anyone knows of a good developer that is looking for work at the moment.

Second best to knowing someone is to get a referral. A well trusted cohort or friend my know just the jQuery help that you so need.

When that fails, get on Twitter.

Hit up your network and find someone. There is always someone looking for work, or knows someone that is. Fire some tweets with well hash tagged keywords. People following you will see them along with people that are searching Twitter for those keywords.

If that fails then get on Craigslist:

It is not ideal, but a Craigslist post will get your work noticed. Especially if you include compensation and length of project information.

Finally, if nothing works at all consider ODesk or eLance.

Although I personally tend to avoid the services, and paying a third part, these two websites are jam packed with developers that have time and expertise. However, you might have a harder time doing your homework on the team before you hire them on these websites.

Vet the person vigorously, get a good look at their portfolio, educational background, work exp, etc. The whole bit. Get 100% of everything that you want, nothing less.

Never hire someone until you have given the complete and thorough drubbing. It might work to skimp here on the occasion, but this hour of your time will repay itself twenty fold over the coming projects.

Bring the person on with a one month contract, that is, they can be let go after one month for poor performance. Make it clear that if following the one month if everything is going well, then they will be given an extended contract of XXXX dollars for X months.

Unless they are so qualified, that it would seem disrespectful to do this, I nearly always recommend not putting a new developer on contract from the get go. This is for the benefit of both you, and the coder. Until you know how that developer works (coders are very individualistic, which is great), you do not want to lock them down. They might find you to be annoying as hell, or vice versa. Do you both a favor, and work together for a month, and then decide if you want to proceed.

Other advice:

Listen to developers. If you already have a developer on staff, get them involved in the hiring process. They might not want to, but their input, expertise, and the like is absolutely crucial. They are going to be coding with the new guy, so they had best like him/her.

]]> http://labortopia.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=138 0 http://labortopia.com/blog/?p=127 http://labortopia.com/blog/?p=127#comments Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:34:29 +0000 TNMS http://labortopia.com/blog/?p=127 This post can also be found at technewsmadesimple.com: here.

So you need help with your computer but you don’t know how to fix it. And you start thinking to yourself:

1. What’s wrong with it?
2. Is it under warranty?
3. Where do I go?
4. How much is this going to cost me?
5. How long will it take to fix?

Let’s start by going through the thought process and figuring out the best possible option you have to get your computer up and running again.

What’s wrong with it? What’s the problem?
Did you spill something on your keyboard or computer? Did it just stop working? Will it turn on again?

Identifying the problem and writing down exactly what happened makes diagnosis much easier and quicker which in turn cuts down on labor time and actual time away from your computer. Be as specific as you can and be honest. The last thing a technician wants to hear is “Well, I clicked this box somewhere over here and then it went away and then this funky thing happened to the mouse before it died.” What we (and I use the term we liberally to not just professional technicians) prefer is “I clicked on this box that said ________ and the window closed. Then the mouse cursor turned into the hourglass and wouldn’t move if I moved the mouse. After that, the screen went black and the computer shut down and won’t start back up.” We aren’t mind readers and in severe cases, we can only rely on what you tell us. If your computer is running “too slow,” please explain whether it is too slow starting up, or taking a longer than normal time starting programs.

Remember, the more you help us, the better we can help you. And be patient with us, we are here to help you.

Is it under warranty?
If it is, you are only part way there… Let’s say you did something stupid like I did this past weekend and dropped your super expensive MacBook Pro, which first hit your leg, left a huge bruise (click for pic) for a week and dented the awesome hardwood floor at your parents’ house. It didn’t seem like there was major physical damage but upon further inspection…

But I have the extended AppleCare warranty. I’m all good!

WRONG!

AppleCare doesn’t cover any accidental damage. You really need to read the fine print to see what is and isn’t covered. So my now bump on the MBP will be there for a very long time…

But that doesn’t mean you aren’t covered. Dell has an awesome accidental damage/hardware warranty which means if there is a crack on the screen because you sat on your laptop, you’re covered! To emphasize the point, this is only for hardware…

Generally, software issues aren’t covered by any warranty and you need to check with each software’s manufacturer for support. There are of course many forums and discussion boards out there that have support as well… you just need to find the right one.

When all else fails, you need to bring it in to someone…

Where do I go? Who do I consult?
That all depends on who you know. Just like everything else in this world… it is who you know.

Realistically, you should always consult a techie friend first. Most of my friends come to me first before consulting a more professional technician. And the best part about friends? They are usually free! Or at least they should be… they are your friends… Explain your problems and hopefully they will be able to fix it if it is minor. If it is a minor hardware issue, they might have you buy some parts so that he/she can fix it for you. If it is a software issue, be patient as this might take a while. Software answers aren’t always intuitive.

If for some reason your friend can’t fix your computing problems, it is time to bring it in. The first place to contact would be the manufacturer of your computer. If it is a Mac, bring it to the Genius Bar at an Apple store. If it is a Dell, IBM or any other PC maker, call their customer support or the place where you purchased your PC for more information. If it is under warranty, a couple of things can happen.

Are you brave enough to try and fix it yourself? Search online and spend an hour researching. The answer might be easier than you thought and could save you a lot of time and hassle, not to mention money. Otherwise…

If you have a Mac, and it is under warranty, you will need to schedule an appointment with a Genius to discuss your problem and options on how your problem can be resolved. If you need to bring in your Mac, you will need to leave it there for usually a week, if not more.

If you have a PC, and it is under warranty, the manufacturer might send a technician out to your house. Or, they may need you to ship your laptop/PC back to their warehouse to be fixed. Or, you might need to bring your laptop/PC back to the store from where you bought it from.

Lastly, if you have a Mac or a PC that is not under warranty, you can still follow the steps above, but will need to pay (prices will vary). Alternatively, you could find a local PC/Mac repair person through a search engine of your choice or YellowPages, Yelp or Labortopia (if you are in Boston… for now). Support the small business and build relationships. The final, OMG I’m desperate to get this fixed, option is to bring your Mac/PC to a pay for service like BestBuy’s Geek Squad.

How much is this going to cost me?
If your friends aren’t free, find out why! Prices do vary from technician to technician and is usually on a per hour charge. Some even charge a fee just to look at it before fixing it. If you aren’t in Boston, call around and ask. If you are in Boston, Labortopia.com has a listing of technicians and rates.

How long will it take to fix?
Depends on how severe your problem is. Could take 10 minutes, could take days if parts need to be ordered. The best plan is to always keep an external hard drive and back up your important documents, pictures and music weekly or monthly. That way, if you are subject to hard drive failure or repair issues, you still have all your files.

If there is anything that I have left out, please feel free to ask me via email, Twitter, FaceBook or my free tech help site TechNewsMadeSimple.

Today, we’re announcing the much anticipated multiple services category feature. Which allows you to add your service profile to multiple categories without creating a new account. After listening to the community, we agree this service is needed. All you have to do is login, go into your profile, and then go to profile settings and start adding extra services you would like to provide. Here is a little tutorial we put for you:

Go into (Edit profile)

Under Services click on “Add Another” Then select the service category you would like to provide. You could also remove a service category just by clicking on “Remove Last”.

We always welcome new ideas. If you have any ideas that might help you better promote your services please lets us know. Our goal is to create a better experience for all of you. We welcome everything.

]]> http://labortopia.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=118 0 http://labortopia.com/blog/?p=119 http://labortopia.com/blog/?p=119#comments Sun, 21 Jun 2009 05:12:42 +0000 Darcee http://labortopia.com/blog/?p=119 Forms of Ownership

One of the first decisions that you will have to make as a business owner is how the company should be structured. This decision will have long-term implications, so consult with an accountant and attorney to help you select the form of ownership that is right for you. In making a choice, you will want to take into account the following:

• Your vision regarding the size and nature of your business.
• The level of control you wish to have.
• The level of structure you are willing to deal with.
• The business’ vulnerability to lawsuits.
• Tax implications of the different ownership structures.
• Expected profit (or loss) of the business.
• Whether or not you need to reinvest earnings into the business.
• Your need for access to cash out of the business for yourself.

Compliments of  http://www.sba.gov

There are 5 different business structures to choose from.  Stay tuned!  I will be posting about each of these structures in the upcoming weeks.

Until next time!

Darcee

http://yoursavvyva.com

Ask questions!  For instance if you are looking for a virtual assistant that is going to perform the work themselves don’t just assume that is the case.  Always ask as a lot of va’s do outsource/subcontract their work to other va’s so that they may provide their clients with a wider range of services that they may not be able to normally on their own.  Is this a bad thing “no”  but in my own opinion I feel that they need to let folks know right from the start that they will indeed be outsourcing the work to someone else.  Ask if they have the subcontractor’s sign a non disclosure/compete agreement for your privacy.  Working with a virtual assistant is all about trust!

Partnering with a Virtual Assistant can be a wonderful thing!  They can not only save you time but money and of course sanity!  We all offer our clients a unique skill set and I believe that no two are the same.

I am truly blessed and thankful for the clients that I provide services for as each one is the same but different in some many ways to.  I consider myself not only a “partner” but a friend as well.

Thanks for allowing me to have the best job ever!

Darcee Sellers

http://yoursavvyva.com

* raisins & grapes
* chocolate
* macadamia nuts
* onions
* alchoholic beverages
* avocado
* garlic
* mushrooms
* yeast dough

Some of these foods may cause only mild digestive upsets, whereas, others can cause severe illness, or even death. If your dog should ingest any of the above foods please call your Veterinarian or poison control center.

*Please note that these are only a few of many foods that can cause toxicity. For more information Google “foods toxic to dogs”.

So humans please don’t feed us these foods!

Labortopia would like to contribute just a little in your success. By providing 5 ways to better promote yourself or business by using Labortopia.

1. Create a detailed profile of yourself or  business; upload a picture of yourself or your business. Write a detail description of your business or services. Here is a great example of a complete profile describing what Liz offers and what she knows. Having a complete detailed profile will increace your chances of people calling you for business. 

2. Add all the ways people can contact you. Labortopia provides you with different way your customers can contact you. Like phone number, email, Build in Message system, web site, and twitter. You can also make your email or phone number private incase you feel insecure at first. 

3. Labortopia also provides you with widget to place on your site when people click on it, it will direct them to your Labortopia profile.

4. Last but not least don’t be afraid to ask your customers to leave a detailed review about how great your services was. Let’s face it people like seeing what other people think about your services and it will allow them to make a better choice. People like to spend their money wisely especially right now with the bad economy. 

We always welcome new ideas. If you have any ideas that might help you better promote your services please lets us know. We welcome everything.

Help Spread The Word