Giveaway: The Home Office Organizer “Small Business Startup Kit”, Sponsored by Office Depot

I’ve been making jewelry and doing local craft shows for about a year now. I’d like to take my business to the next level through offering wholesale orders, and even taking credit card payments at shows. A laptop would allow me the flexibility of running credit card orders on the go without having to invest in all of the machines, connections, etc. I could also better manage my mailing list, custom orders, and more! Maybe I could even use that gift card to purchase a good accounting software! Because Excel just isn’t cutting it anymore!

I have to say though, if I don’t win, I will be thrilled for whomever does, because there are lots of great ideas, and opportunities that have been posted in the comments. Each one is very deserving and I think this giveaway will change the way any of us does business. So if it’s not me, I’m absolutely THRILLED for any of these ladies that does win!

P.S. Following your feed via Google reader and iPhone RSS Reader.

Heather B.s last blog post..Our Scare

I totally need to win this fabulous prize package!!!! First of all, I teach 7th grade….and I need to do a lot of work from home. I teach at a Technology Academy, where everything is done pretty much online. With 3 kids to take care of on a not so big salary, I can’t afford much of the technology I need. My current laptop is borrowed from my school, but it’s very old and doesn’t run very well…plus I have to give it back soon!! I am in need of a printer too!! What an awesome contest!!!

3boyzmom(tangie)s last blog post..Win Free Books!

I am a homeschooling, business-owning, in the process of adopting – mom.

I homeschool my 8 year old daughter, I also do all of the book-keeping for our business at home (in between math, spelling, and piano lessons). I fill in as receptionist, appointment maker, and janitor at our shop when my husband is too busy to get around to those things. In addition to spending all of our spare time *working* we are currently adopting a little girl from Ethiopia… We are blessed beyond measure – but our *office* could use a bit of help. Really – I’m lucky if my laptop turns on every morning and with all of our business stuff saved on there – SCARY! I can’t even tell you what winning this give-away would mean to our family, our business, and our lives!

Thanks for the opportunity.

Christall

christalls last blog post..Of course you look alike…

Wow a friend just told me about your site and I love it!
I am a stay at home mom type and have been for 11 yrs now. I have a long time before I can really find something full time for me to do outside the home but until then, I have just started selling Scentsy. I have only done 1 party so far and absolutely love it! I’m not really out there to make the money, I am excited to meet new friends and socialize to my hearts content. As for why I should win your “small business start up kit”, well it would give me the great start any new business deserves. It will allow me to set up and keep track of clients and any other business thing that comes up.

Tresa McCormicks last blog post..Has it really been 3 months?

I have been wanting to start my own home based business for a long time. I finally found the opportunity this past February to really start working on it. I am turing my passion and favorite hobby into a small business. I have small children and am so grateful that I can finally stay home and be a mom to them, and at the same time work from home. I am very excited to get it up and going and a new computer and office supplies would be a wonderful help.

I’ve been an avid scrapbooker since the age of 10–don’t really remember how it started, but I do know it’s always been rejuvenating for me to create things using paper, photos and color.

Over the past twenty years, my love of all things “scrapbook” has evolved into a love of all things digital, as well. I have taken classes and studies the art of graphic design. I have used my love of design, color and photos to help others create useful things to promote their own businesses and such–usually for the churches we have attended (always for free). My father was after me for years to start my own business creating scrapbooks for other people–using my graphic design skills. I told him I couldn’t–didn’t have the time, didn’t have the money, didn’t have…you name it, I didn’t have it. But really I think I was just chicken! But I always felt like I was letting him down–I often felt that my parents didn’t think that highly of my creative skills and aspirations, and it was so emotionally freeing to have him support me the way he did…despite my fears!

Before my dad died late last February, I told him that I would create a business, like he wanted me to–I wouldn’t be a chicken anymore. I have been slowly building the pieces I need to get my new business running, as my husband and I have a few extra dollars to spend (which doesn’t happen often, with 4 half-grown boys eating their way through our income!) A laptop computer would make my job so much easier, as I could continue to create new designs while on the go, chauffeuring my gorgeous sons to and from all their events. But that is one of the items that has been unreachable with our financial constraints. Thanks for sponsoring this contest and offering us the opportunity to help our dreams soar!

My friend, Erika, alerted me to this contest. I already told her I think SHE is more than worthy, but she sent me here, to throw my name in the hat.

I’m a aspiring writer, working on my first novel and trying to get published in small literary magazines. I spend most days on my computer, playing admin for myself and trying to get my foot in the door.

This Office Depot giveaway would be a Godsend. Thanks for hosting the contest.

Lisa Miltons last blog post..taking cover

This is an unbelievable giveaway! I am sure that there are many people out there who would be much more qualified to win this prize, but I wanted to share with you why I would like it
When we got married, I had planned to be a stay at home mom but we hadn’t anticipated a drop in my husbands income as well. Between his income drop and the income drop we will experience this summer when my maternity leave expires – we’ll be down 50% of what we were. It is a huge and scary step but we have determined that I will be a stay at home mommy. I’ve started a blog and hope to turn that into some sort of income. I also bake 150+/- cupcakes a month for a local company, baby sit a toddler and am in the process of starting up Yummy Bunwiches! (It’s a fabulous gourmet sandwich on a bun). We make all the meats at home. Right now I am just doing lunch platters for meetings for one company here in town. Anyway, using the Proverbs 31 woman as an example – I am striving to set up a multi-faceted home business at home while raising my two little ones (and Lord-willing, a third or fourth at some point?) and caring for the toddler I watch. As I slowly expand our Yummy Bunwiches, I am hoping that our dream will eventually turn into a reality: a family-run Yummy Bunwich Sandwich Shop which my husband, children and I will run.
Anyway, regardless of whether or not we win the prize, this is where my family and I are heading.
And yes, if I won, I would be happy to tell you all the details of our plan and how much the prize has helped us move forward.
Thanks for reading!

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First let me say from the above comments it is obvious many of us would cut off our husband left ear for this computer hahah. Like so many of the rest of group I am typing this on my Christmas present computer from 1997….other than the monitor and printer which got hit by lightening just a few months ago. My husband came up with an old makeshift monitor that works and we had an extra $19 printer I had got on sale several years ago in case of emergencies. I work part time plus I have 4 contract jobs on the side…all of which are totally dependent on my computer. I add new contracts as they come along. I just finished working today for a company that ‘wanted it yesterday’ and will be out early in the morning attempting to get finished. The money I have made on my contracts was saved and paid for a patent for a green, attachable hybrid device that has been paid for and should be finalized next week. Sometimes we have to take risks in life and this patent was one of them. My husband and I, being empty nesters, decided to take this risk and hope it works out.
These days my computer is running slower and slower and my husband says I need more memory but it has to wait….
whether I win this great prize or not I am totally thrilled for the person that does!!!

Just retweeted your giveaway under sgibbs58

For my bonus point, I follow on twitter and re-tweeted: http://twitter.com/JanelleKC/status/1295161843

Thanks so much!!

Janelles last blog post..Leftover Pork and Country Soup

Call me Ms. Practical, but this contest suits my basic needs as a small and home-based business owner! After four years of countless hours building my business, things are really taking off. With growth, comes expansion in all areas of the business, this means more expenses in almost every category: staff, legal, business services, marketing, and of course, technology purchases. As of April 1, 2009 we will launch a brand new look on our website http://www.springfieldmoms.org. We serve thousands of area families every week providing the latest information, local events, business referrals and coupons for families in the greater Springfield Illinois area. It would be so helpful to have another laptop, shredder and printer in my home office so I don’t have to be in panic mode when my family wants to use my work computer for homework or online playtime. I would also be able to loan the laptop to various staff members who need to work offsite. You can get to know me better by browsing Kim’s Blog. Looking forward to your e-newsletters and tips. Cheers!

Tweeted: http://twitter.com/cdziuba/status/1295773651

Wow, what an amazing opportunity you are providing to a small business owner. I’m currently in the process of starting my own small business, so you could say that I’m the perfect candidate for a “small business start up kit”!

My background :

I’m a full time university student majoring in biology and am enrolled part time in several other study programs (including paralegal studies & fashion construction) which I do to broaden and diversify my knowledge base and employment opportunities in the future. I feel like I can never learn enough! I really enjoy taking these extra courses, but as a result I spend an average of 8 to 11 hours a day on campus. This schedule has made it extremely difficult to coordinate business related activities since I‘m away from home during most of the day and often arrive home at around 11 PM. I think this is a HUGE pity because a lot of the time I spend on campus is idle time between classes (sometimes up to 4 hour stretches)! I currently use the computers provided on campus but they have so many limitations (no .exe downloads, no photoshop, etc.) that its been very frustrating to work with them. One of the other downsides to spending so much time on campus is that it makes it nearly impossible to find a part time job. My tuition is quite hefty, so having a small business would be great way to generate a little bit of income to help pay those hefty college fees.

My business plan:

I’m currently in the process of building a website/blog with my business partner (a good friend of mine) which we plan to launch in a few months. The general idea for the website is a unique trendspotting blog aimed at 20 and 30 somethings with a few unique twists (which I can’t disclose just quite yet ). We both have a keen eye for good design, moderate art skills, and most importantly, work amazing together on a creative level. We are taking our endeavors very seriously. On an individual level I would like to start my own small business from home dealing in selling my artwork and handmade clothing & accessories. I have wanted to launch a webstore for some time, but have lacked some of the resources to do so up until recently. I just purchased some new equipment for my workspace (sewing machine, fabric, tools, etc.) so I am ready to get things happening and am so excited about it!

Why this package would help me:

One of the major difficulties I have had so far with planning the new website is geographics – I live on the West Coast, my business partner lives on the East Coast. Not only can we not meeting in person, but both of us are full time students with very different schedules leading to huge coordinating difficulties. We are both very resourceful and are able to manage, but owning a laptop would be an HUGE advantage to the progression of the business! I have a PC at home, but would love to finally own a laptop to I use with the WiFi available on campus. That way I could accommodate to my friend’s schedule (she is usually available during daylight hours when I’m on campus), rather than her having to accommodate to me. Also, in the rare chance that I do win, I would also love to share some of the items in this package with my business partner. I think it would be great if I could send her the Office Depot card to purchase supplies of her choosing and also the Fellowes® PS 79ci 100% Jam Proof Cross-Cut Shredder. I didn’t tell her that I’m entering this contest, so if I win it will be a nice surprise!

Wrapping up an entry that is way too long (!):

Despite some of the problems we encounter in the planning of our website, my friend and I remain highly motivated, excited and optimistic about our future endeavors. I’m happy to have found I’ve a business partner in a friend who is reliable and trustworthy and that my business partner ended up to be someone I’ve known for years! Likewise, Office Depot has been a company that I’ve trusted and relied on for nearly all my life, I know they endorse quality products and wonderful customer service and would love to document the progression of my business endeavors with both you & them. I love to write so it will be an absolute pleasure to do so!

I understand the struggles of small business owners and entrepreneurs and know that having a resources like Office Depot and your blog make owning and running a small business so much less scary and stressful. Even if I don’t win this, I know that whoever does will benefit SO much from these great tools & am so excited and happy for the joy & helpfulness that these products will bring!

I’m a single mom by choice of one amazing 9 month old son. So of course I have to work and I’m lucky enough to work from home. My *office* doubles as a guest bedroom and soon will be turned into a nanny share room. So my *office* will need to be as mobile as possible and this package will certainly help with that. I am so inspired by all the women I’ve found blogging and offering this type of service that I’m currently looking at my own skills and interests to see how I can turn them into an online business as well. Stay tuned on that.

I’ve added you to my google reader, am now following you on twitter and am about to retweet you. Thanks for this amazing opportunity.

Part 2: Just like kids, the Baby Bonanza Expo keeps growing and growing… This is a good problem to have but with growth, come expenses. Not only do I need to hire a part-time staff member but I also need to have office equipment to help us expand. I would like to produce the event in Cleveland, Ohio in 2010 but since I live in Central Ohio, a 2-hour drive away, a laptop would be especially helpful as I approach potential sponsors. A laptop would enable me to present photos, videos and statistics from past shows as well as proposals for our upcoming events.

The cross-shredder would be extremely useful as I shred old invoices, credit card numbers and other confidential information. And the printer would be especially wonderful to have to help me create professional looking exhibitor packets and press releases. I currently do not have a fax machine and I am asked almost daily by exhibitors, if they can fax their contract to me. Every small business owner should have one and I am desperate for one! The data back up and storage service would be invaluable as I try to manage documents and files for 2 shows in 2 different cities.

My children have watched me start a new business and they are learning that anyone can do anything if they put their mind to it. I love what I am doing and I’m having a lot of fun! My goal is to make the Baby Bonanza Expo an anticipated yearly event not only in Columbus but also in Cleveland. Winning this great prize package from Office Depot would help make that a reality.

Thank you for offering such a wonderful prize! I subscribed to your blog too!
-Kendra

First of all, I love your blog!

I’ve been doing some video editing for the past 3 years, but I’ve only been doing it as a volunteer/helping effort. My boyfriend and I are looking into starting our own videography business, however, being 1200 miles apart and with little to begin with, we really can’t afford to do videography professionally. We do enjoy helping out with creating and editing video for the volunteer organizations, as well as for family reunions and occasions. If we do become lucky enough to win this Office Depot Small Business Startup Kit, we could have a computer more powerful than ours (at the moment) to help us render our video a lot faster! We could also utilize the shredder to ensure that our client’s info won’t get stolen; and being that it’s cross-cut, that’s even better than using a pair of scissors and cutting each page into pieces (very time-consuming, trust me). The Lexmark All-In-One would be so helpful for us to get our ideas and storyboarding on paper when communicating with clients. And lastly, the $100 certificate would be such a huge help towards a video camera purchase that’s better than our old miniDV.

The reason my boyfriend (of 8 years) and I really want to do videography is because it’s fun for us to edit videos, but we noticed that a lot of wedding videos we see are all templated and we want to help couples (at a low cost) to capture moments that are meaningful to them through a storyboard. We want our videos to be personalized and we are not looking to just make money, but we want them to have the ability to share their love with the people that watch their video. We haven’t tied the knot because we feel our love story is special and we haven’t found the right videographers who can help depict our story…

Thanks!

Fascinating. Thanks for making this opportunity available!

We’re developing an online resource for connecting people with purpose called Project Stand. We interview people who’ve made a difference, find out what inspired them to action and put those interviews online. We’re currently working with people and organizations at reach from Seattle to places like Mali and Vietnam.

You can check out one of our videos at: http://snurl.com/df58t

The uses of this office equipment would be of great benefit. Among other things it would allow us to dedicate a machine to video editing. To edit video well, and to deliver the strongest message takes many hours of computer time. There is a lot more to this project than meets the eye at our small blog at projectstand.com. We have a team of 6 people who have donated many, many(!) hours to editing video, design work for the new site coming out in a couple weeks, working with non-profits and different community leaders to help them acheive their various goals.

It’s been an inspiring journey, and a journey we invite you to be a part of. The equipment benefits anyone associated with Project Stand. We would be glad to provide all sorts of promotions and “props” back to Office Depot and your blog.

Gratefully-

Val

This contest is sponsored by Office Depot and Brandie
For the winner, the prizes will come in handy

My coaching practice will open in May
And the name I’ve selected is Cachet

The HP Upline storage would bring lots of smiles
For storing all of my documents, presentations, and files

The Lexmark machine can print, scan, copy, and fax
About the only thing it can’t do is make a plate of snacks

This would help me in working with clients old and new
It would be useful when marketing my new business too

The Fellows shredder keeps your discarded documents confidential
When working with coaching clients, this is something essential

I’d use the Toshiba Notebook to communicate, create, and record
It would be the ultimate small-business working-hard reward

My practice will help clients achieve greatness in their lives
And experience regular wins that are worthy of high fives

If I’m the winner, I’ll feel extremely blessed
Thanks Brandie, for this cool contest!

OMG…I really really need this giveaway. I am a stay at home mom of 2. My husband works alot to make this happen and i feel bad having to ask for the money to help make my in home Stampin Up busniess make money so he can cut back on his hours to spend more time with our 2 kids, whom he loves more than working extra overtime. I could also be more mobile and get more work planning done when I take my son to the park or am on the road. Thanks for listening, Rebecca.