There are numerous credit card business opportunities that will allow consumers to make a profit working either full time or part time. Some of these opportunities actually involve selling cards to friends and associates. There are companies that will provide an individual with all the information needed to set up the credit card business opportunity and sign friends up. If doesn't matter what a persons financial history is; good or bad records do not matter. If someone is approved to receive a credit card through the individual, the company will pay a 'referral' fee. As those friends in turn refer more people, the entrepreneur will also make money through this credit card business opportunity. The more people that sign up, and the more people they refer, the more money a person can make. The idea is to be the first person to start this venture in a community or circle of influence. The potential for making a profit grows as more people are known and contacted. Eventually, a person won't even have to do anything; the others will be doing all the work and the original program member will reap the benefits.

The other option for an individual working with this opportunity involves selling prepaid credit cards to local business. With the advent of other prepaid businesses such as prepaid calling cards and cell phones, the idea of prepaid accounts was not far behind. Most businesses will find these very appealing because they do not have to worry about being paid. They are just like cash for the merchant. This credit card business opportunity might be just what they are looking for. To the consumer, a prepaid account is more secure than cash and easier to keep track of. The consumer can add money to it as necessary and it's accepted at almost any retailer. Using these benefits as selling points to market the credit cards to local retailers makes the individuals job easy with these credit card business opportunities.

Whatever route a person chooses to go, setup and maintenance is fast and easy. A quick search of the Internet will result in thousands of different credit card business opportunities. Most ventures can be started online by filling out a form and contacting the company. Putting forth a little concerted effort will allow an individual to be on the way to earning the extra money they are looking for with your credit card business opportunities. Very little, if any, money is required to get started in this exciting career. "The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build."

A medical billing degree is an excellent step toward a fulfilling career in the ever-growing field of health care. As the population of America continues to age, the necessity of professionals who work in various health care services continues to grow. The number of new patients and insurance claims that need to be processed continues to rise, so the job outlook for people with these degrees is extremely bright. Those who are detail-oriented, conscientious, and interested in a job with long-term security, a regular work week, and the chance to help others could find that a medical billing degree would be a perfect fit.

Without properly trained billers on staff, health care practitioners are likely to lose time and, therefore, money due to inaccurate coding procedures or faulty patient information. Through their intensive education, individuals with medical billing degrees have the ability to accurately complete the time-consuming paperwork that allows the practitioner to be paid by the insurance company.

Accredited colleges as well as vocational and career schools offer programs that lead to an associates, bachelor's or master's in this field. A typical program will include theory and practice on how to prepare various health claims forms and how to maintain patient records. This requires learning medical terminology, how to interpret records, and how to properly document and code diagnoses and procedures. The programs will place a heavy emphasis on attention to detail, accuracy, and confidentiality–all necessary competencies for success in this field. In addition, to earn a medical billing degree, most institutions require classes in keyboarding and computer applications.

Such a program can open the door for employment in many different types of health care offices, including hospitals, clinics, specialty medical offices, dental offices, as well as in the offices of independent billing companies. Every medical and dental office needs to maintain financial records on their patients and collect payments from them, and people with medical billing degrees are natural fits for these positions. Although a degree is not absolutely necessary for entry-level employment in the field, completing a program is certainly more impressive to an employer than a simple certificate or an interest in learning on the job. Also, having the medical billing degree makes it easier to advance to management positions in the future.

As people research schools that offer these programs, they should ask some key questions to evaluate each program. For example, individuals must ask about the accreditation of the school. They also need to inquire about the school's job placement rate (if they keep such statistics). It's good to know if the internships are a part of the program and if the students are trained using the latest coding materials and software. If possible, it's best to talk to people who graduated with medical billing degrees from each school of interest and ask for feedback. Pursuing higher education will require time, effort, and money, but the rewards are likely to be well worth the investment. "The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips" (Proverbs 16:23).

by: Phillip A. Ross

Outside The Box

Thinking "outside the box" or as it is sometimes called, "coloring outside the lines" is a popular idea in the business world today. People and organizations are told to think outside the box or color outside the lines as a way to stimulate creativity when they need to solve problems like streamlining production, establishing a new product, or developing a new process. And it's true that creativity and innovation often arise from unexpected and unconventional thinking.

But there is a serious problem with trying to apply such thinking too broadly.

For instance, creativity is valued in art and advertising, but not in banking and accounting. An accounting firm recently ran an ad suggesting that it could think "outside the box." Do you really want your business to be associated with creative accounting? Aren't accountants supposed to put the numbers in the right box? Wasn't creative accounting a serious problem for Enron?

In reality, clear thinking and the creativity that it produces are rarely a matter of thinking outside the box. And coloring outside the lines is for the most part just sloppy workmanship. The art of clear thinking is a matter of putting thoughts in to the right boxes or categories. Clear thinking is a matter of mental organization. Conversely, sloppy thinking involves the confusion of categories, of putting ideas into the wrong boxes or not putting them in order at all. Is a child who will not straighten his or her room creative or just sloppy? There is a significant difference. While creativity sometimes looks sloppy to an outside observer, it does not issue from sloppiness.

Picasso was a creative artist.

But his creativity was not a matter of the art he produced. In reality his abstract work is technically sloppy. It looks like the work of a child. Picasso could sell his abstract art only because he had previously established himself as an artist who could color inside the lines very well. Had he not first proven his artistic talent in the traditional way, his abstract art would have been worth much less. He used his reputation as a traditional artist to establish a new direction in art. He didn't so much color outside the box, as he expanded the boundaries and definition of the box. But the point is that his abstract creations were valuable only because of his proven abilities in the traditional arts.

Contrast my own efforts to establish myself as an abstract artist. My art has gone unnoticed because I have not been able to prove myself as a traditional artist. Not that I actually tried to do so, but I am using myself as an example to make the point. The creativity of a novel idea requires the discipline of order and structure to be valuable. Picasso's art is valuable because he was an accomplished painter who intentionally colored outside the lines. My art is not valuable because I am not an accomplished painter and I accidentally color outside the lines. While the two products may look similar, the difference is critical.

Creativity is more than breaking the rules.

Similarly, Joseph Heller was able to break the rules of English grammar in his book, Something Happened (Scribner, 1974), only because he was intimately familiar with them. Having taught English at the University of South Carolina, he was a master of grammar. And only out of his expertise could he creatively exploit, expand and redefine the boundaries of grammar. And so it is with regard to thinking outside the box.

Thinking outside the box apart from being able to think inside the box is worthless.

Such thought is just plain sloppy. Thus, the suggestion that creativity lies in the ability to think outside the box is mostly nonsense. Creativity issues from talent, ability and discipline. Talent must be forged and shaped on the anvil of discipline in order to develop ability. Great ability is always the result of study, discipline and practice.

Creativity is more a matter of seeing that the boxes themselves are inadequate and suggesting a better arrangement or a better definition. Creativity doesn't simply discard the boxes, it redefines and/or rearranges them after becoming intimately familiar with them. Real creativity is always the fruit of discipline and order. Creativity, in order to be genuinely creative and not simply sloppy disorganization, must emerge out of discipline and order as an intentional effort.

While a creative idea often comes unbidden out of unexpected places, it requires discipline, study and order to make something of it. Apart from discipline and order, what passes for creativity is nonsense, and to suggest otherwise actually undermines and/or weakens the creative process.

What does this mean for our industry? Distributors and suppliers should apply themselves to mastering the basics before attempting to break the rules in the name of creativity. Don't start outside the box. First, establish your ability to think within the box. Master the rules before you suggest breaking them. For example, before a distributorship presents a wild, innovative concept to a client for a campaign, it should first establish its expertise with campaigns and/or ideas that have a track record of yielding good ROI. Designers, artists, and copy writers should establish their mastery of basics before experimenting outside the box. For the most part the important stuff is inside the box.

?2002 Phillip A. Ross

Online graduate education degrees offer convenient courses and instruction to individuals who are currently working or have finished an undergraduate program. There are many different programs and avenues a person can pursue through this type of educational program. Though those who have an online graduate education degree tend to make their first choice working with children, there are many things that can be done when working within the arena of education. Anyone considering this field should review their qualifications, desire, and knowledge in this area before making the decision to pursue a masters or doctorate in this field.

Before someone can choose a college or courses to take, they must know where to begin the search for information on this course of study. Finding an institution of higher learning that will challenge the individual and help them to become the best in their field is important. Researching different colleges and universities who offer the training in online graduate education degrees will definitely be worthwhile. When the individual is able to sit down and compare one school with another, they are better able to determine which is best for them when they choose to seek an online graduate education degree. The length of time necessary to complete the program, costs and fees, accreditation, instructors, and many other areas must be explored before making this decision.

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:2). No matter what choice is made concerning the online graduate education degree, Christians must bring their desires before the Lord and ask Him what they should do in this situation. Including God in this decision of striving toward a higher level of knowledge and education will be a smart move on the part of the Christian individual, because He wants to show them what the best path to take will be. Also, if the student is married, they must sit down and consult their spouse. This is a great time to discuss the pros and cons of online graduate education degrees. Talking with advisers from the chosen schools will also be important to review what positive aspects one school can offer over the others. As with any major decision, the individual will need to take many points into consideration. With education matters, cost, time, effort, and dedication should be reviewed because these are the factors that will determine the students ability to succeed.

Cartoon education schools can be found anywhere in the United States with majors listed as animation, illustration, and digital art, for the purpose of attracting the student who would like to focus their goals on the art of cartooning. These programs are most commonly found in art schools and institutes. The average time frame for completing a program in this field is two years, although depending on the specific cartoons education desired (for example digital art) it can be up to 4 years. The job outlook for a student is good with many avenues that can be pursued in the art of cartooning.

When most people think of cartooning, the comic strips in the newspaper come to mind. While this type of art and employment can certainly begin through a good cartoons education program, it is not the main career path of most cartoonists. The opportunities are endless in this arena. With a cartoon education, a student not only learns how to expertly draw, but how to market themselves to prospective employers and to discover which types of cartooning best suits their skills. Some artists may prefer digital animation, while others may prefer creating caricatures.

Freelancing is the most popular type of cartooning for a student with experience and a broad based education. Freelancing involves creating a portfolio of the best work done, and distributing it to employers looking for cartoonists for special projects. There are opportunities in editorials, comic strips, comic books, animations, caricatures, educational cartoons, and video games. A cartoon education will allow a talented artist to pursue a job that is fun and rewarding. This is an excellent way for a person to use the talent that they have been given by God to give some joy and happiness to the world. "Neglect not the gift that is in thee." (1 Timothy 4:14)

The largest growing type of cartooning noted by schools is in the field of digital art and animation. With video games and films using computer technology to produce miraculous works of art, it is no wonder cartoonists are jumping on the cartoons education band wagon in order to brush up on their computer design and technology skills. Cartoon education programs offer more to the student that basic drawing instruction. These programs also offer the serious cartooning student the ability to create a career for himself or herself that is exciting, rewarding, lucrative, and most of all fun.

Having a Christian homebased business can be worthwhile for the entrepreneur with a desire to make money from the convenience of home. This is a great opportunity for someone with a passion to have a business, where Christianity is represented through products or services. Individuals can also spread the love and message of Jesus Christ through selling apparel that represents Christ-honoring messages. Having a Christian organization can help ensure the products an individual sells are reputable and worthy of purchase.

Home based businesses can encompass a variety of products. Many different styles of clothing can be represented and marketed through a Christian homebased business. The difference with these shirts is that they are created to express a Christian message. The Christian t-shirts being sold can have music groups on the front of them and can cater to people who are interested in that particular group. Having these t-shirts can help promote the sale of that group and/or style of music as well.

Not only can t-shirts promote music, but they can also promote movies as well. If there are well-known Christian movies or sayings, an organization can sell t-shirts that display those messages. The Christian homebased business can invest in logos that show parts or scenes from the movie and have them embedded on the t-shirts, too. When people wear the shirts, this can be the way they share their faith. Others might comment on the shirt they are wearing and ask questions, allowing the wearer the opportunity to share the Gospel. Retailers tend to invest in Christian t-shirts for this very reason. They want to see the Gospel of Jesus Christ go forth and be displayed in many different ways. If that means promoting Bible verses on Christian clothing, than more power to the retailers in sharing the message of Christ. Moreover, more people are exposed to the love that Jesus has for them.

Another way an organization makes t-shirts a great witnessing tool is because of the crowds that they cater to. The styles that the shirts are designed for have an impact on different crowds that can hear the Gospel of Christ in a way that pertains to them. It is important to remember that the designs and logos of the clothing that is being sold will target specific groups that will wear and determine the popularity mark for a Christian homebased business. "And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men." (Mark 1:17)

by: Rhiannon Williamson

When it comes to the term ?offshore? used in conjunction with company incorporation, the term ?offshore? generally refers to any jurisdiction other than one in which the company incorporated will conduct the majority of its activities.

Usually such a jurisdiction has some degree of taxation or reporting benefit attached that makes it attractive to the company owner, and the concept of incorporating a company offshore will bring at least one of the following five benefits to a business owner: -

1) Ease of Operations ? depending on the jurisdiction and the type of business activity to be conducted under the company name to be incorporated, the operating restrictions, auditing and accounting requirements and standards to which the business and its employees and directors must adhere are often far less restrictive offshore than onshore.

Exceptions to this rule are financial services based companies in many jurisdictions for example, who have to comply with extra regulatory legislation for the protection of the company?s clientele.

The advantage of easing operations particularly for a small or start up company is a reduction in operating costs and in the amount of time a company?s directors have to dedicate to form filling and report filing.

2) Reporting Simplification ? this ties in with the first benefit; in the majority of offshore jurisdictions favoured for company incorporation the company activity reporting requirements are often far fewer and simpler as the business activities entered into by the company are conducted outside of the jurisdiction in which it is incorporated.

Furthermore personal information relating to the company?s directors and shareholders need not be declared in all cases or the extent to which personal information is required is far less intrusive.

3) Taxation Reduction/Negation ? the reduction in taxation liability is one of the main benefits associated with investing offshore, opening an offshore bank account or incorporating a company offshore.

If you set up your company in a low or no tax jurisdiction you could potentially save yourself substantial amounts of money legally. Often the rules are that if the company incorporated in a particular jurisdiction never derives an income from the local economy it can operate tax free.

It?s therefore possible to use an offshore company in an overall international business structure and ensure profits are posted in the offshore jurisdiction and so no tax is liable! Many international corporations operate in this way and actually negate their tax liability fully.

4) Asset Protection ? by operating a company offshore, i.e., outside the jurisdiction in which the company operates, it is sometimes possible to position assets away from the reach of any potential litigious action and also to shield business transactions from the eyes? of the competition.

5) Personal Privacy Protection ? the level to which a director or shareholder?s personal information is required, held, visible or investigated offshore is likely to be far less invasive and intrusive than onshore. It is also possible to appoint nominee directors and secretaries for offshore companies in many jurisdictions thus keeping the true company owner?s identity shielded.

The information contained in this article cannot constitute advice. Each individual?s circumstances are unique and whether or not offshore company incorporation is something that could benefit your business can only be determined with personal advice.

A College degrees correspondence helps people who do not live near a campus, or who don't have the time or ability to attend a traditional school to be able to get their degree in a variety of academic fields. Getting a degree via distance learning removes the barriers of time and place allowing anyone at anytime to pursue a degree providing they have Internet access. In most cases, this method of getting a degree is easier, faster and cheaper than attending on-campus classes.

This can be a good option for many people. For those whose schedule is already full of activities involving work and family, college degrees correspondence may be a viable way to continue education. Furthermore, people who live in a rural location or have a disability that hinders them from attending class in a traditional college setting, might consider checking into correspondence courses. Not only can they be easier to fit into a schedule than having to attend a class on-campus would be, but people also won't have to deal with traveling to or around a school campus.

Oftentimes, getting a college degrees using distance education methods can be a faster avenue to completing a it, than would be completing a program in a traditional college setting. First, students register online, and begin courses as soon as the school receives a tuition payment. Students work at their own pace within certain time parameters. In addition, people won't have to compete with other students to get into a class that is needed to complete a degree. Lastly, college degrees correspondence can be less expensive than getting a degree in the traditional way. Mostly, the cheaper fees are because students don't have to pay additional fees the schools often include to cover the use of on-campus facilities.

When considering this educational option, people need to think about the provisions they will need to make in their lives. Because there are no class meetings, students will be in charge of setting their own learning pace at home. People should consider if they are disciplined enough to set and meet their own deadlines. Then, they should think about how they will be able to set time aside to complete the work. This can be a convenient way of earning a degree if a person can make the time for it.

With college degrees correspondence anyone potentially can work around an already busy life, using free time to complete class work. Furthermore, course work can be completed at one's own pace. If someone is a disciplined person that can set and meet goals on their own, then this may be the perfect option for. After all, the Bible encourages people to "Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth" (Proverbs 4:5).

by: Jeff Schuman
There comes a point in time when every small business person
contemplates on whether to incorporate their business or not. A
lot of times small businesses start out sole proprietorships,
and then become incorporated as the business expands and
develops. Small business incorporating can be a difficult
decision, and with this article you?ll gain a little bit of
knowledge on the advantages and disadvantages.

There are many advantages to incorporating your small business,
but limited liability is one of the biggest advantages. When
you have sole proprietorship to the company all the liability of
the company is on the owner. When incorporating the business,
your only liability is to however much you invest in the company.

With sole proprietorship, all of your personal belongings, such
as car and home, can be turned over to help pay the debt of the
business. As a shareholder in the business, you have no
responsibility whatsoever for the debts of the business, that is
of course unless you give a guarantee.

Another advantage to incorporating a small business is the
ability to raise money so much easier. With the ability to
raise money much easier, this increases the odds of the
corporation growing and expanding. Yes, you?re saying any sole
proprietorship can borrow money and incur debt like any
corporation. However, with a corporation you can sell shares
and raise equity capital, which is a big advantage in that you
generally don?t have to repay equity capital and it has no
interest.

There are many tax advantages with becoming a corporation that
you can take a look at as well. Some of these advantages
include income splitting, potential tax deferral and more.
Along with the reasons above, a corporation can have an
unlimited life. The life of a corporation is not dependent on
particular individuals, but the company as a whole. With this,
the company has the opportunity of lasting forever just as long
merges with another company or goes bankrupt.

Now that I?ve buttered up the idea of incorporating your small
business, let?s take a look at some of the possible negatives.

As you incorporate your small business, there now will be two
tax returns to file each year, one for your personal income and
one for the corporation. This may not be a huge deal, but
unlike a sole proprietorship a corporation cannot deduct its
losses from the personal income of the owner. Plus, having
another tax return is the last thing another business owner
wants to deal with.

As a corporation is much larger and more complex then a small
business, therefore the cost to create one is much higher. Just
to set up the corporation will cost a lot more, then you have to
tack on the increased maintenance fees, accounting fees, and
more.

As with everything else, a larger business means more paperwork
that must be taken care of. Corporations must keep a minute
book, which contains the corporate bylaws and minutes from
corporate meetings. Reports and tax returns must be completed
neatly and in a timely fashion. All of the business bank
accounts and records have to be kept separate from personal
accounts and assets. That may sound like a load, but that is
just the start of the increased paperwork that comes with the
territory of incorporating your small business.

While there are many advantages and disadvantages to
incorporating your small business, the decision ultimately goes
to you. It is a decision that could make or break your
business, therefore much more research is recommended. However,
small business incorporating should be a thing that suites you
and others associated with you best.

An MBA degree can bring skills, experience, and knowledge a person needs to compete in the information age job markets of today. Achieving this objective is now much more convenient with the new online colleges and universities that offer them over the Internet. Certainly, getting higher education is attainable the traditional way, with full time school and campus life, but the Internet is quickly changing the way those advancing their educations are studying, and the Internet is allowing thousands of workers to return to school to further their experience and knowledge. There are many different schools that offer MBA degrees, and each school has a different course of studies and requirement for completion. Those seeking these courses should investigate the limitless options in advancing their studies in their applied disciplines.

As the job market is evolving with new technology, so is the need for employees to be well trained, skilled, and informed in specialized areas. Students graduating from colleges are flooding the job markets every year, and workers must prove themselves worthy to hang on to the jobs they have. Furthering an education and receiving an MBA degree can help anyone stay on top of the job market and gain more knowledge in the latest information in their professional fields. They can also help those already in the work place to receive promotions or increases in salary.

No longer must a student commit to another four full years of campus life and classrooms. With the Internet, getting a higher degree has now become attainable while a student is working or raising a family, or both. The Internet has brought the world of information into our living rooms. E-mail, e-classes, and virtual teaching, discussion boards are all a part of the online education. Now, students can apply, sign up for courses, take the courses, and complete the MBA degrees, all in their own time and from the conveniences of home.

The Internet is a great place to start researching these opportunities. With the many different schools offering an MBA degree, getting the right program for a person's goals can be confusing. Take time to thoroughly research schools, the course work, and the timetables. Also, request information about accreditation and class requirements. Though receiving MBA degrees online is certainly more convenient, it will not be easier. Only God can develop the self-control that we need to accomplish all that He has set before us. Peter writes, "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue" (2 Peter 1:3). Self -discipline and hard work are still required to complete an MBA degree, and we have an abundance of these qualities through our spiritual walk with God.