In this book you will discover how to teach yourself interior decorating (includes step-by-step decorating instructions), how to get discounts of up to 20-50% on furniture and materials, how to create an impressive portfolio even if you have no previous paid decorating experience, how to get a job with a home retailer, home builder, or other interior industry employer, how to start an interior decorating business, price your services, and get clients.

It's show time! Home staging transforms rooms from that everyday lived-in look to ready-to-be sold for top dollar. This step-by-step guide offers the tactics used by home stagers - from de-cluttering and cleaning up to arranging and remodeling - that will often yield a quicker sale and higher selling price. --Decorating tips to make a house appeal to the widest range of buyers --Cost-effective techniques to highlight the home's selling points, whether it's the floor plan, the high ceilings, or a newly renovated bathroom --Suggestions on how to downplay or eliminate features that might be considered negatives. such as smaller rooms, minimal storage space, or ghastly wall colors

"This book will help you have your dream career ... ; ... if you know what your dream career is ; ... if you are having difficulty choosing among several careers, or ; ... if you have no idea which career you should choose. You will identify a career that's ideal for you through fun and insightful exercises, quizzes, and advice. You will discover 101+ dream careers that are rarely advertised and get specific strategies to help you break in. You will learn how to make your application stand out, how to find a job through word of mouth, and even how to create your dream job. You will also get helpful advice on goal-setting and motivating yourself to take action"--Publisher website (September 2007).

Wedding Planning and Management: Consultancy for Diverse Clients, 2nd Edition provides students, consultants, vendors, scholars and engaged couples with a comprehensive introduction to the business of weddings. Looking through an event management lens, this is the only book to thoroughly explore the fundamentals of weddings, including historical and cultural foundations, practice, and the business of wedding planning in one volume. An emphasis on diversity, traditions from cultures around the globe are integrated throughout with over 80 international case studies that inspire and set standards for best practice. Since the first edition, there have been many changes in the business of weddings and this second edition has been updated in the following ways: Updated content to reflect recent issues and trends in areas such as family dynamics, media influences, impacts of technology, legislation and the global economy. Every chapter is updated with the most recent research, statistics, vendor information and consultant guidelines. New international case studies explore current research, cultural traditions, vendor relations and consulting best practice. New companion website for instructors that includes PowerPoint slides, case study solutions, additional discussion ideas and assignments. The book is illustrated in full color and contains over 150 images by top wedding photojournalist Rodney Bailey end-of-chapter checklists, practical scenarios and review questions to test readers' knowledge as they progress. Maggie Daniels and Carrie Loveless bring a combination of over 40 years of industry practice and teaching experience, and have written a book that is the ideal guide to successful wedding planning and management.

Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned retail entrepreneur, Retail Business Kit For Dummies shows you how to start and run your business in today’s retail marketplace—from your original dream and the day-to-day operation to establishing a connection with customers and increasing your sales, both on the Web and at a brick-and-mortar shop. In this practical, how-to guide, retail expert Rick Segel shares his expertise and reveals what it takes to be successful. You’ll get a handle of the basics of launching and growing your business, from writing a business plan and finding a great location to hiring and keeping great staff. Find out how to meet and exceed customer expectations, create a positive shopping experience, provide top-notch customer service, and earn customer loyalty. Discover how to: Launch a successful independent retail business Create a Web site that shines Connect with customers and increase sales Handle legal and accounting issues Design stores that really work Practice the 10 keys to retail selling Use management practices proven in the trenches Make visual merchandising work for you Make your new venture succeed beyond your wildest dreams with a little help from Retail Business Kit For Dummies! Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials found in the print version of this title are not included as part of eBook file.

Ignite the bidding wars when you sell your house with showcasing secrets from the New York City–based home staging expert. In Feel at Home, Tori Toth pulls back the curtains on the home staging industry and walks you through a simple ten-step plan for making an impact on your housing market. The place you’ve called home is about to become your greatest asset. In a perfect world you wouldn’t need to be living in your home while it’s on the market. The experience can be grueling for sellers whose personal lives become public displays to strangers and open to their criticisms. If you’re going to be living in your home when selling you have to willingly be inconvenienced—emotionally and physically. So, what’s the best way to get out from under the microscope? Sell fast. Preparing your home for sale is more than just cleaning and decluttering, learn insider home staging secrets on how to make your space feel like home to potential buyers. When buyers feel at home, they’re more comfortable and can relate to the space, which ultimately leads to an offer. How fast can you sell your home? See for yourself. In this game-changing book by Tori Toth, founder of the Stage 2 Sell Strategy and Stylish Stagers, Inc. you’ll discover how home staging can change habits and emotions that will benefit your bottom line—and ultimately put a sold sign on your property.