In the musical "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," an average young man named J. Pierrepont Finch schemes to move up the corporate ladder through a combination of brown-nosing and sabotage. In the end, Finch secures a top position in the company. Finch understood that business success was less a matter of talent and more a matter of striking the right chords in a world ruled by social dynamics. Cynical as that may seem, there is some truth in it. Crowdfunding is a bit like that, but not entirely. Crowdfunding is a way to raise money for a business, project or cause by building an online crowdfunding profile and promoting it in your social circles. To succeed in crowdfunding without really trying, you will need a combination of social skills, time management strategies and, alas, talent. Other People Are Reading How to Raise Money for Filmmaking How to Raise Barriers to Market Entrants Instructions 1 Have a project that has broad appeal and a focused mission. The most successful crowdfunding projects are simple enough for anyone to understand, directly improve the lives of others and have either an artistic or a social responsibility aspect. Complicated business models with purely selfish motives are a tough sell in crowdfunding. Never fundraise for "general expenses" either. Tell your potential backers exactly what their donation dollars will buy and how it will make the world a better place. Observing this step will reduce friction between potential backers and your project coffers.

• Have a project that has broad appeal and a focused mission. The most successful crowdfunding projects are simple enough for anyone to understand, directly improve the lives of others and have either an artistic or a social responsibility aspect. Complicated business models with purely selfish motives are a tough sell in crowdfunding. Never fundraise for "general expenses" either. Tell your potential backers exactly what their donation dollars will buy and how it will make the world a better place. Observing this step will reduce friction between potential backers and your project coffers.


• Get someone else to manage your crowdfunding profile. A crowdfunding profile is a place on the Internet (Web page, website or profile on an established crowdfunding platform) where an individual or organization can publish a project description, interact with backers and potential backers and collect donations towards a fundraising goal. The crowdfunding profile must present the project fully and clearly in words, images and video. It must also be updated and maintained as the life of the fundraise draws nearer to the deadline. Finally, when the fundraise draws to a close, you will have to follow up wit...

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The history of Coach handbags dates back to 1956 and began in a Manhattan loft. It was a family run leather goods shop in a loft in Manhattan, New York. The popularity of Coach products, particularly their purses, has soared since 2000. Based on affordable product lines and reputation for quality and style, Coach products are in demand. But or Coach to maintain its reputation, Coach is very selective about where its purses are distributed and sold. Other People Are Reading How to Become a Handbag Dealer How to Buy Coach Bags Wholesale Things You'll Need Boutique, specialty shop or specialty catalog Show More Instructions 1 Understand who can and can't become an authorized Coach retailer. Coach does not allow their products to be sold by independent distributors or through home party sales, arts and craft shows, fair shows or street fairs. Coach also does not allow their products to be sold at discount or wholesale stores. Coach looks for distributors who have the same business philosophy as Coach. Coach looks for stores that have respect for the products they are selling. Aside from official Coach stores, cataloges and website, the company looks for specialty stores and boutiques, specialty catalogues, department stores and duty free locations.

• Understand who can and can't become an authorized Coach retailer. Coach does not allow their products to be sold by independent distributors or through home party sales, arts and craft shows, fair shows or street fairs. Coach also does not allow their products to be sold at discount or wholesale stores. Coach looks for distributors who have the same business philosophy as Coach. Coach looks for stores that have respect for the products they are selling. Aside from official Coach stores, cataloges and website, the company looks for specialty stores and boutiques, specialty catalogues, department stores and duty free locations.


• If you feel you meet the qualifications for what Coach is looking for, call Coach toll free at 888-262-6224 and inquire as to whether you may become an authorized Coach dealer. If Coach feels you may meet their qualifications, they will set up an in-store interview and a visit from a Coach representative.


• Prepare for your interview and in-store visit. You want your store or boutique to be clean and clutter free. Showcase your store and products, and show the pride you take in your products and caring for your business. Also research Coach. During your interview, you will want to sound as informed as possible about its products and company. Be honest, sincere and respectful.

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The key to a healthy lifestyle is to maintain an appropriate weight and consume a balanced diet. Being incredibly slim will leave you wanting those alluring hourglass curves, so finding a middle ground between diet and exercise is crucial. An hourglass shape will leave you some room for an occasional sweet treat while still maintaining a balanced lifestyle. Other People Are Reading How to Get an Hourglass Figure How to Get a Small Waist Things You'll Need Exercise ball Water Show More Instructions 1 Visit the gym four to five days a week to do a half-hour of cardio exercise. Cardio will burn unnecessary calories as well as increase your stamina, and will become easier over time. Treadmills, ellipticals and stationary bicycles are readily available at all gyms. You can divide your time among the machines any way you choose.

• Visit the gym four to five days a week to do a half-hour of cardio exercise. Cardio will burn unnecessary calories as well as increase your stamina, and will become easier over time. Treadmills, ellipticals and stationary bicycles are readily available at all gyms. You can divide your time among the machines any way you choose.


• Spend 15 minutes each day you are at the gym working on your upper thigh and buttock area. It is best to do varied exercises and focus on different areas every other day. Squats and leg lifts are basic motions that will yield certain results over time. Slow squats will provide a stronger "burn" sensation and work your muscles harder. Ask the physical trainers at the gym which machines they recommend to work on your thighs and buttocks for firming and lifting.


• Do 5 minutes of push-ups each day that you go to the gym. It may be easier to start out doing "girl" push-ups on your knees and work your way up to being fully extended. Push yourself to do at least one more push-up each day to work up enough strength. Strengthening your upper body will straighten your posture and help show off those hourglass curves.


• Do abdominal crunches at home on the exercise ball. Find a balance on the ball away from any large furniture. If you lose your balance on the ball and fall off, you want to be away from furniture to avoid hurting yourself. Crunch straight up and work your middle abdominal area for three repetitions of eight. Crunch your abdominal area to the right by holding your hands behind your head and bringing your left elbow toward the right side of your body. Do not over-extend this movement; do small movements until you find a range of motion that works for you. Repeat this motion for the left side of your abs, doing three repetitions of eight daily. Having a smaller abdominal area is the key to showing off that hourglass shape.


• Cut out all sodas and sweet drinks. Sticking to drinking mostly water will reduce your waistline and increase that seductive hourglass shape. Carry a reusable water bottle with you at all times to...

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Considering the Body for Life Diet, but perhaps you are unsure whether it will work for you. If that is the case, here is how to determine whether it is right for you by weighing the pros and cons of this diet plan. Other People Are Reading Pros & Cons of Body Wraps Pros and Cons of Life Support Instructions 1 Think about your goals. The Body for Life Diet works best when you've got a specific time line in which you'd like to achieve your goals.

• Think about your goals. The Body for Life Diet works best when you've got a specific time line in which you'd like to achieve your goals.


• Think about the positive aspects of the Body for Life Diet. Founder Bill Phillips promises that, if you follow his plan for 12 weeks, you'll have the best body of your life. The program is focused on quick results. Also, it features a list of approved foods, which is useful for those who don't want to (or have time to) decide on the healthiest choice for themselves. The approved foods are relatively varied, and selecting from the list makes meal planning much easier. The Body for Life Diet lets you eat frequently, a definite positive for many dieters; it requires six small meals a day.


• Look at one of best parts of this diet. It gives you a free day to eat as you normally do. Six days a week, you eat approved foods and follow an exercise regimen. On Day 7, you can eat whatever you want. You don't even have to work out on the free day if you don't want to.


• Consider the negatives. For one, the program's exercise regimen is very strenuous. It requires 45 minutes of weight training three days a week and at least 20 minutes of aerobic exercise three days a week. The list of approved foods is not tiny, but it's not huge, and this could be a problem for people who get bored with the same meals quickly. The diet breaks down to mostly protein and carbohydrates with very little fat, which might make it difficult to feel satisfied. Even with six meals a day, smaller portions and fewer calories will mean hunger for some.


• Weigh your desire for results against your willpower, and make your decision accordingly. If you follow this diet religiously, it's virtually guaranteed that you'll lose weight; eating less and exercising more is a surefire recipe for that. The level of exercise required is strenuous and could be difficult for some people to make time for. However, the "free" seventh day ensures you won't be deprived of your favorite foods entirely, and the restricted eating plan could be helpful for some people who don't enjoy meal planning. This isn't a regimen that would be easy to follow for a lifetime, but if you have a big event you'd like...

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Medifast is a diet plan that consists of pre-planned meals that can be bought through the company's website. The company offers three plans: men, women and diabetics. Other People Are Reading Medifast Facts How to Create Your Own Diet Similar to Medifast Physical Side Effects People on a Medifast plan may experience low energy, dizziness and weakness, especially at the beginning of the diet and during times of high stress, because of the minimal amount of calories.

• People on a Medifast plan may experience low energy, dizziness and weakness, especially at the beginning of the diet and during times of high stress, because of the minimal amount of calories.


• Medifast is an expensive program. As of 2009, a month supply of shakes and meals costs $275. Since you need to buy their pre-packaged meals and cannot cook your own, there's no way to cut costs and save money.


• You will need to eat six times a day, at specific times. This may prove difficult if you work and need to carry the meals with you and then interrupt whatever it is you're doing in order to eat.


• The lack of options when it comes to foods can turn some people away. Not everybody likes the taste of the meals and if you have a particular food allergy or are a vegetarian, your options are even more limited.


• The diet provides you with only 800 to 1,000 calories per day. Eating anything less than 1,200 calories starves your body, slowing down your metabolism and eventually making it harder to burn fat.

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Medifast offers a several opportunities to distribute Medifast products directly to the public. Licensed doctors can purchase Medifast products at wholesale prices and sell the Medifast products to patients under their care. Medifast also offers a program called "Take Shape for Life" (TSFL) that trains qualified health care professionals to advise and motivate others about best weight-loss practices and to sell Medifast products. Franchises for Medifast Weight Control Clinics are also available for purchase from Medifast. Other People Are Reading What Are the Dangers of Medifast? How to Become an At-Home Independent Distributor Things You'll Need Proof of medical license, if applicable Funding to purchase a franchise Funding to purchase a career kit from TSFL Show More Instructions 1 Read about Medifast and decide which option you are qualified or interested in. The choices include joining the Take Shape for Life program, distributing Medifast products as a physician or doctor, or purchasing a Medifast clinic franchise.

• Read about Medifast and decide which option you are qualified or interested in. The choices include joining the Take Shape for Life program, distributing Medifast products as a physician or doctor, or purchasing a Medifast clinic franchise.


• Join Medifast as a medical provider. Only licensed medical providers can apply to purchase Medifast products at wholesale prices through this program. Doctors joining this program agree not to re-sell or auction Medifast products on the Internet or through any other means without the consent of Medifast. Physicians also have the option of operating a Medifast Clinic.


• Join the "Take Shape for Life" program and become a health coach with the ability to sell Medifast products. You need to take a competency exam to become eligible as a health adviser. The cost of joining "Take Shape for Life" will vary upon the choices made when joining. Marketing and training materials may cost extra.


• Purchase a franchise from Medifast. Begin by requesting more information from Medifast and filling out an application. You will be asked your reasons for wanting to start a Medifast Clinic, the locations you prefer and the amount of money you have to invest. Medifast claims to protect franchise territories, provide operation and staff training, marketing support and wholesale pricing of its products.

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Medifast's Take Shape for Life is a very low calorie, liquid meal replacement diet program. Initially, dieters are permitted five meals per day of Medifast's soy- and whey-based shakes, pudding, oatmeal, and other food substitutes, as well as one conventional meal, though this is severely restricted to low calorie, healthy components such as 5-7 ounces of fish or lean meat, vegetables and salad. After this 800-1,000 calories per day period of weight loss, the restrictions taper off gradually to a level appropriate for long-term maintenance. In addition to the substitute food products, the Take Shape for Life program includes exercise guides, advice from dieticians and personal trainers, an online community, and other support services. Other People Are Reading Alternative to Medifast GNC Lean Shake Vs. Medifast Health Risks of Rapid Weight Loss Any diet allowing so few calories per day is a crash diet, and crash diets carry certain inherent risks. They can lead to low blood sugar, low blood pressure, ketoacidosis (dangerously high levels of acidic ketones in the blood), weakness and dizziness. Because they tend to result in greater weight loss over a shorter period of time, they leave dieters prone to the "yo-yo diet" phenomenon, where the body lowers its metabolism to stave off starvation, and then adds the weight back when the diet is discontinued.

• Any diet allowing so few calories per day is a crash diet, and crash diets carry certain inherent risks. They can lead to low blood sugar, low blood pressure, ketoacidosis (dangerously high levels of acidic ketones in the blood), weakness and dizziness. Because they tend to result in greater weight loss over a shorter period of time, they leave dieters prone to the "yo-yo diet" phenomenon, where the body lowers its metabolism to stave off starvation, and then adds the weight back when the diet is discontinued. A crash diet should only be undertaken under the supervision of a physician. Take Shape for Life is based on a diet designed by a Johns Hopkins physician for obese patients facing surgery and needing to reduce their weight significantly in a short time period, but that doesn't mean it's safe; it means it's safer than undergoing certain forms of surgery at certain levels of obesity.


• Medifast has designed its food substitutes to be more filling than would typically be the case for something of so few calories. That helps, but only to a limited degree. Expect to be hungry, indeed very hungry, during that initial 800-1,000 calories per day period. You'll be eating a lot less than you're used to, and you'll likely be eating little or none of most of your favorite foods. An allowable "snack" is a stalk of celery, a sugar-free popsicle or...

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Following a no-carb diet can be difficult if you do not normally watch your carbohydrate intake. Furthermore, questions regarding the health benefits of the no-carb diet must be considered as well. Some people take the idea of the no-carb diet to the extreme by taking license with types of foods they eat. Eating too many of the wrong foods while on a no-carb or a low-carb diet can have long-term, negative consequences. Other People Are Reading The Best Vegetables to Eat on a Low Carb Diet No Carb Diet Tips Which Foods Contain Carbohydrates? If you must go on a no-carb diet, the foods you should avoid are easy to identify. These include all forms of breads, grains, and pastas. The basic rule of thumb is to cut out any food containing flour, but the list does not stop there. Many other foods contain carbs as well. Beans, milk, fruit, and all forms of sweets contain carbohydrates also. If you want to lose weight on a no-carb diet, basically avoid eating just about everything except meat, cheese, and certain types of condiments.

• If you must go on a no-carb diet, the foods you should avoid are easy to identify. These include all forms of breads, grains, and pastas. The basic rule of thumb is to cut out any food containing flour, but the list does not stop there. Many other foods contain carbs as well. Beans, milk, fruit, and all forms of sweets contain carbohydrates also. If you want to lose weight on a no-carb diet, basically avoid eating just about everything except meat, cheese, and certain types of condiments.


• You will be better off avoid certain types of meats, or at least eating them in moderation. Fatty meats like ground beef, bacon, and pork sausage fit into that category. All of these meats are high in saturated fats, which can raise your blood cholesterol levels and increase your risk for heart disease. Instead, eat a variety of fish, chicken, and turkey, which are all lower in fat and more heart-healthy. Of these, fish is probably the most important because it contains Omega-3 fatty acids -- good fats necessary for proper cell function.


• If you want to diet for long-term health and sustained weight loss, consider the fact that carbohydrates are necessary for proper metabolic function. You can still benefit from a low-carb lifestyle by avoiding high-glycemic carbohydrates like those in breads and potatoes. These are starchy carbs that are easily converted from starch to sugar in the body and cause spikes in insulin levels. These spikes often lead to increased hunger and the excess calories are easily stored as fat. Instead, eat low-glycemic carbohydrates like those in oats, nuts, and green leafy vegetables like broccoli. Eaten in moderation, these too can contribute to the weight-loss benefits of a reduced carbohydrate diet. By eating these types of foods, you will also be contributing to your long-term health by providing the body with much-needed energy and nutrients it cannot get by simply eating ...

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Navigating the low-carb world can be difficult, especially because seemingly healthy foods like yogurt can end up being disastrous. Let us fill you in on how to pick the best yogurt for your diet. Other People Are Reading Carb Free Foods to Eat How to Use a Low Carb Food Pyramid Things You'll Need Grocery store Show More Instructions 1 Head to the dairy aisle in your local grocery store.

• Head to the dairy aisle in your local grocery store.


• The best yogurts for low-carb diets are low-fat yogurts with no added sugars. Ideally, they should contain live cultures, which are "good bacteria." Most yogurts with live cultures contain 7 or 8 grams of carbohydrates to begin with. The general belief (particularly according to the GO-Diet, which allows 8 oz of yogurt per day) is that bacteria continue to eat away at the lactose in yogurt over time, thereby decreasing the yogurt's lactose content. Since lactose is a form of sugar, there will be fewer carbohydrates in the yogurt as they are eaten away by the bacteria.


• If you absolutely must have your yogurt sweet, add a low- or no-carb sweetener like sucralose or low-carb syrup.


• You can also choose a yogurt that's already been sweetened with a no-carb sweetener. Most grocery stores contain yogurts that have been sweetened with sucralose or aspartame. This is really the worst of all the low-carb yogurt options. Plain, unprocessed yogurt is best.


• Each low-carb diet has a different take on how much yogurt is allowed, so be sure to follow the amounts as described in literature on the diet. Atkins, for example, doesn't allow dairy in the first phase because of sugar alcohols that are present in dairy products. However, low-carb yogurt can be added in later. The South Beach Diet allows for one-half cup of plain yogurt per day.

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There are many different types of low carb diets, which have different levels and amounts of carbohydrates allowed. In general, however, low carb diets all agree that there are certain types of foods that should be avoided at all times. While there are no food groups that are forbidden altogether, there are types of fruit, bread, grains, sweeteners and vegetables that should not be eaten on a low carb diet. Other People Are Reading What Can You Eat With a Low Carb Diet? Types of Bread That Are Not Carb Loaded Fruit Fruits tend to have a high sugar content, so many types of fruit should be avoided while on a low carb diet. Cherries, tangerines, figs and grapes are all fruits that are very high in sugar. Bananas are acceptable when they are slightly under ripe, but an overripe banana is not allowed on a low carb diet. Dried fruit, of any kind, cannot be eaten on a low carb diet, since it is so high in sugar.

• Fruits tend to have a high sugar content, so many types of fruit should be avoided while on a low carb diet. Cherries, tangerines, figs and grapes are all fruits that are very high in sugar. Bananas are acceptable when they are slightly under ripe, but an overripe banana is not allowed on a low carb diet. Dried fruit, of any kind, cannot be eaten on a low carb diet, since it is so high in sugar.


• Bread that is made from refined flour cannot be eaten on a low carb diet. White bread, or any type of bread with refined wheat flour in the ingredients, should be avoided. In addition, many types of bread, including whole grain bread, have sugar or honey in the ingredients, which is off-limits for the low carb dieter.


• Grains are not entirely off limits for the low-carb dieter, but they must be chosen carefully. Any grains eaten, such as wheat or oats, should be whole-grains, and should be eaten in small quantities. Instant oatmeal, even if it contains no sugar, is too processed, and cannot be eaten in a low carb diet.


• There are many sweeteners that cannot be eaten when on a low carb diet. Sugar, in all its forms, is out of place in a low carb diet. Other names for sugar include honey, dextrose, glucose, sucrose, fructose and corn syrup. Cane syrup should also be avoided when on a low carb diet.


• For the most part, vegetables are allowed on low carb diets, with the exception of starchy vegetables, such as potatoes. Peas, parsnips, beets and corn are other vegetables that cannot be eaten while on a low carb diet. Most types of squash, including acorn and butternut squashes, are also not allowed for low carb dieters.

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