D.C.-based Web biz offers gifts for people who want more experience

Interesting things doing...

A few months ago, Christina Anderson was looking for a unique birthday present for her husband, perhaps race car lessons like a friend's husband received.

That search for an out-of-the-ordinary item piqued Anderson's interest in "experiential gifts," where shoppers buy things to do instead of things to have. The growing trend in the $2.8 trillion retail market might account for as much as $282 billion of that business.

Read more on suburbanchicagonews.com.

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Want to Be an eBay Millionaire? Consider Moving to New Jersey, Tennessee

Meet Ms. Fix-It

The online marketplace recently ranked its most active communities for buying and selling.

An estimated 750,000 Americans now make all or part of their living on eBay -- and many of those online entrepreneurs hail from smaller towns, according to eBay's "Community Counts" project, which identified the site's most active communities.

Read more on www.inc.com.
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Selling Computers and Accessories on eBay

Simple Truth About Million Dollar Business Ideas

Computers and computer accessories are some of the best-selling and most reliably profitable items on eBay. Thousands of people visit eBay every day to browse and shop for new PCs, printers, networking components, cables, monitors and many other computer-related items. Many savvy eBay sellers have already recognized and capitalized on eBay's large and hungry market for everything computer related. With some research, foresight and careful planning, you can join their ranks.

Though selling on eBay is a great way to earn money, it is not a get-rich-quick miracle. Care must be taken when conducting all your transactions and dealing with bidders. eBay’s feedback system is a double-edged sword. It will, at once, boast to the world how great a seller you are, while revealing to the world exactly where you are lagging behind. It takes a lot of work to make and keep buyers happy. If you’ve ever had a job that deals directly with the public, then you know this already. If you do not have the time or interest to devote to taking care of the details of doing business, such as getting packages to the shipping store on time in the middle of a snowstorm, or answering buyer e-mails after a long day of crunching numbers in your cubicle, then selling on eBay is not for you. Your feedback score will suffer, and soon buyers will shy away from your listings. However, if you’re ready and excited for the possibilities eBay presents, then you will have a rewarding and profitable experience.

PowerSelling vs. Selling as a Hobby
The first step in selling on eBay is to decide your commitment level to this endeavor. There are two levels of commitment when discussing selling on eBay: hobby seller and PowerSeller. The hobby seller sells casually for extra cash when she finds time in her schedule. The PowerSeller has made selling online her career. The tips found in How to Sell Computers and Accessories on eBay will help both the hobby seller and PowerSeller become more successful, but the initial planning for these two commitment levels is decidedly different. The differences are discussed throughout the book, but for now just think carefully about whether you want to depend on selling computers on eBay as your only income, or if you’d like for it to supplement what you’re already earning elsewhere.

Both hobby selling and PowerSelling can be fun, exciting and lucrative. If you’re not sure where to begin, plan to start small and grow over time. It’s much easier to start selling as a hobby to supplement your job than it is to start selling full time and then grovel for your job back if you decide this career isn’t for you.

Assessing the Competition
Of all the possible items to sell, selling computers is a smart choice. Technology is growing and evolving at such a rapid rate that there is near constant demand for more products. However, because these items are immensely popular with bidders, they are also immensely popular with eBay sellers, which means you'll find plenty of competition in this category. Be aware that if you plan to reach the coveted PowerSeller status, you have your work cut out for you. Many PowerSellers are busy not only keeping a careful eye on their own businesses, but they also have learned to keep a strict eye on their competition—you.

The bright side of having a lot of competition is that it provides a lot of opportunities for market research. This is where you begin your journey to becoming a successful eBay computer seller. Know your competition, both on eBay and off, including brick-and-mortar retailers like Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Apple, online stores and local computer shops. What are their strengths? More importantly, what are their weaknesses? If your competition sells on eBay, find and study their product listings. Are they attractive, complete, and clear? Read their customer feedback comments. Are buyers complaining about slow shipping, inaccurate descriptions, or poor customer service? Find these faults, and make it your goal to provide better service in these areas.

You’ll find when researching your competition that buyers have countless options for where to buy their computers and computer accessories. It is often impossible to compete with all these sellers on price alone. There are sure to be larger sellers out there who can buy in such large bulk quantities that their per-item price drops significantly. One day, you will be able to do the same, but when you’re starting out, you should focus on competing on customer service, attractive and com¬plete eBay listings, and reliable shipping. You will soon build a feedback score that will attract the buyers you need to begin buying and selling items on par with the PowerSellers. Before you know it, you’ll be a PowerSeller yourself.

The Tech-Trickle-Down
The computer market is still in its infancy. New, or first-generation, technology is being introduced nearly every day. Companies like Apple, Intel, and Sony are redefining the “cutting-edge” with seemingly every press conference they hold. This rapid development rate of new technologies and the premium price on those new technologies create a trickle-down effect. Large companies and power users buy the first-generation technology as soon as it becomes available to the public. This technology could be anything from new CPUs to faster hard drives to biometric scanners. Upon introduction, these new items fetch too high a price for the average user to buy and therefore comprise a limited segment of the market. But, inevitably, new technology is introduced that improves upon, and replaces, the previously latest and greatest technology, making it the new second generation. This second-generation equipment is now cheaper and more accessible to the average user. So the number of units sold actually increases to fill the large demand created by buyers who waited for the price to come down. Then, when new technologies are again introduced, this now third generation equipment is moved down the chain to users who don’t mind, or are oblivious to, old hardware. Think of third-generation hardware as the old ThinkPad sitting on your mother’s desk, or grandpop’s Apple IIe.

You have an opportunity to sell at every step in the tech¬nology trickle-down process. Pre-order new technology before launch to capitalize on the high, post-launch demand. Watch the hot technology companies to find out when they are set to launch a new product and buy up the inventories of retailers selling off soon-to-be second-generation equipment to make room for the new first generation. Finally, sell off third-generation items at high-volume and rock-bottom prices to turn a profit. Seek new markets for old hardware, such as collectors, hobbyists, and young businesses.

Meet a PowerSeller
John Kreutzer is a Mac-fanatic. His history of using, fixing and teaching Apple computers dates back to their very first models in the late 1970s. In 2001, John decided to capitalize on his expertise by starting a business buying and selling his favorite computers. But you won't find only computers in his eBay store, Jack's Mack Shop. You'll also find the Macintosh operating system, Apple's various applications, and all sorts of Apple computer peripherals.

The items he sells range from brand new to over 25 years old. John enjoys finding his Macs new homes with collectors, bargain hunters and other Mac-fanatics. One of the parts of the business that he enjoys most, John says, is working with his customers to help them find the right products and solve any problems that emerge. Owning the business allows John to work with the products and systems that he finds exciting.

John's customers respond well to his enthusiasm for his products. They have awarded him a 99.6 percent positive feedback rating on more than 3,800 transactions. He is credited with being a fast shipper, very helpful during transactions, and having a profound grasp of all Apple and Apple-related products. John is a good example of creating a successful business out of doing what you love.

Learn more about selling computers on eBay from the book How to Sell Computers and Accessories on eBay from EntrepreneurPress.com.

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Credit Cards: A Small-Business Financing Tool

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In 1997, I broke away from the existing partnership of professional technicians with whom I had worked for several years. At the time, I was the firm's leading partner, responsible for more than $3 million in annual consulting revenues. When I launched my own firm, Adaptive Consulting Partners LLC, or ACP, a systems-integration and professional-services company, I immediately did what many entrepreneurs do to secure financing: I approached local commercial banks for the $50,000 needed to cover costs during the first year.

Just as typically, perhaps, I was turned down. While commercial banks say they want to assist startup companies, in fact, what they really want is to loan money to businesses with assets. Although I had built a track record at my previous firm, now I had only myself as collateral, albeit a self with a good idea, a huge amount of resolve and enthusiasm, and a ready set of clients eager to follow me to my new endeavor.

Where to turn? I briefly considered-but discarded-the idea of a loan against my house. I didn't want to put my single largest personal asset at risk. Although I could have borrowed from the assets my wife has in her own name, I would not ask that of her.

So there was only one source remaining: plastic. In deciding to use this form of debt-during those first eighteen months, I had up to $20,000 on cards at any one time-I discovered credit cards have become today's startup business financing tool. If used judiciously, they have more to offer the entrepreneur than even a commercial bank loan. However, credit-card debt is still debt and must be repaid.

Time Is of the Essence

In shunning commercial loans despite their hallowed reputation for respectability, an entrepreneur is making the best use of his or her most valuable asset: time. I, for one, was fired up with passion for ACP, which I differentiated from the consulting pack. In contrast to the methods often followed by my competition, I planned to adapt my staff, my approach, and my recommendations to the needs of each client.

In that critical first year, my most important job was to make my clients love me, and I knew that time was of the essence. I had to spend my time working with clients, rather than negotiating with a bank to process either a commercial loan or an equity line on my house. In fact, realizing that I had to get past the task of securing financing as quickly as possible, I said to myself: What are my resources? With what am I comfortable? Only plastic debt matched my need for time-sensitive financing. With lenders willing to make cards available to anyone willing to pay a premium-indeed, some even send checks-credit cards are always there in the heat of the entrepreneurial moment. Whether buying office equipment or advertising space, I knew I would have precious little time to react. Managing my business meant managing my existing clients' trust as well as stretching for the next opportunity. All of my clients need to believe ACP has the substance to survive, and everything from my presentation materials to the way I equip my consultants contributes to that judgment. The immediacy of card debt made it easier to make that happen.

Keep Emotion out of Financing

Another advantage of plastic is that it is a neutral financing tool, which fits my business philosophy: never let the business get personal. In shying away from a home-equity line, my wife's resources, or even our savings from a joint account, I was saying that I preferred to keep my business separate.

As a financing tool, credit cards are tailor-made for keeping anxiety attacks in check. Securing and servicing the plastic, after all, doesn't involve meeting with or dealing with a person as would bank financing. Given the worst possible outcome of a business failure, any erstwhile business owner with marketable skills can land a job and eventually repay. Since I was pegging expenditures to forecasted accounts receivable at all times, I also knew I could probably repay even without a salary.

Manage Your Credit-Card Debt

Credit-card debt is still debt and must be repaid. It is also personal debt, so at some level I was risking personal assets. Beyond convincing myself that it was right for my business, I knew I had to manage it wisely. Here were the three steps I decided to follow:

• Think Installment Debt. In using credit cards, I treated the debt as an installment loan with fixed payback terms, rather than as an open-ended loan from family or friends. I made it my business to repay card debt in a lump sum pegged to cash flow. Specifically, I wouldn't borrow any more than what I knew could be repaid within a ninety days, based on projected receipts. Credit-card companies usually bill after a thirty-day grace period, allowing two weeks for payment to arrive. Since I was on top of the amount of cash coming into ACP over the forthcoming sixty days, I always knew that, at most, I'd be out sixty days.
• Shop Around. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I took advantage of the lenders' penchant for offering some of the best gift horses around: credit cards with permanent rates as low as 9 percent and introductory offers that sometimes dipped below 4 percent. Throughout my first year and a half, I moved my balance from card to card three times, each time securing a lower rate.
• Be Frugal. Frugality also enabled me to use credit cards as my business financing tool. With payments for equipment, rent, advertising, attorney's services, and the like going directly onto the plastic and appearing on the following month's statement, I had an incentive for weighing every purchase.

When managed wisely, plastic debt enables entrepreneurs to secure the time and peace of mind necessary to focus on the business.

300 by Frank Miller, Lynn VarleyManaging a Satellite Staff
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Is Web 2.0 A Bubble?

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Hundreds of Internet companies have emerged since the dot-com crash, looking to capitalize on a resurgent online advertising market. Companies in this new wave -- known as Web 2.0 -- have focused on online collaboration and sharing among users. They hope to attract millions of users and become the next YouTube, which was acquired by Google Inc. earlier this year for $1.65 billion.

Venture capitalists, who fueled the previous Internet bubble, are pumping money into the new crop of Web startups. In the first nine months of 2006, VCs sunk $455 million into Web 2.0 companies, according to research firm VentureOne. (VentureOne is a unit of Dow Jones & Co., publisher of this Web site.) That's three times as much money as such startups received in the same period last year.

There were no blockbuster Internet IPOs and just one Web deal (Google's purchase of YouTube) valued at more than $1 billion in the past year. But the flood of money and flurry of activity prompts the question: Is Web 2.0 another bubble or are the startups getting funded today more sound than ones created in the run-up to the last bust?

The Wall Street Journal Online invited two technology venture capitalists, who were active in the dot-com days and have invested in the current crop of startups, to debate the topic. Todd Dagres spent nearly a decade at Battery Ventures before starting Spark Capital last year. David Hornik, a partner at August Capital and a former Silicon Valley attorney, writes the popular VentureBlog. Their conversation, carried out over email, is below.

Mr. Dagres begins: Web 2.0 is a bubble for 3 reasons: 1) There is far too much money chasing Web 2.0 deals. Too much money means too many companies getting funded at higher valuations. 2) There are virtually no barriers to entry in Web 2.0 and therefore the ability to develop a unique solution and sustain a competitive advantage is virtually nil. Therefore, it's difficult for Web 2.0 companies to build long term value. 3) There is very little liquidity in the market for Web 2.0 companies. The Dow was recently at a high and still no liquidity. Without liquidity, Web 2.0 companies must rely on acquisitions to achieve liquidity and this will put a lid on the potential exit options and ultimate valuations of these companies. In short, they will be playing a musical chairs game in which there are far too many players and too few chairs.

There are some similarities between the current "bubble" and the last one that burst in 2000: Lots of incomplete and under-experienced teams, business models based more on eyeballs than cash flow, and a rash of incremental and "me too" deals.

Mr. Hornik responds: I do not believe that the existence of too much venture capital money chasing too few interesting ideas constitutes a bubble. The Web 1.0 bubble inflated because the public markets were willing to bet on unproven ideas. Public markets are ill suited to evaluating such risks. On the other hand, the venture capital community exists precisely to take on that risk. While many Web 2.0 companies will fail, they will not likely fail in significantly greater proportions than has been the case with other venture investments historically. So it is hard to imagine how this so-called bubble will over-inflate. Venture capitalists will rationally stop investing in ideas that don't bear fruit. Those that do bear fruit will gain traction and either be acquired or go public. Those are the traits of a rational market in my mind.

Mr. Dagres: Not really. Private markets are far less efficient than public markets. Private companies don't publish results, trade on exchanges or comply with a number of SEC rules that protect the individual investor. They are inherently illiquid and risky. Of course, where there's more risk, there is often more reward. I see irrational pricing occurring right now in the venture market with private companies receiving venture money at valuations of over $200 million (Spot Runner, LinkedIn) and $500 million (Facebook). I have seen private Web 2.0 companies with negative cash flow and little revenue valued above public companies with stronger operating results. There's a reason why the average American doesn't have access to venture capital and it's not because it's more rational.

Mr. Hornik: I was not suggesting that private markets are necessarily more efficient or more rational than public markets. Merely that private market investors are trained to assess the risks involved with speculative and illiquid investments. While I am not on the boards of Spot Runner, LinkedIn or Facebook, my understanding is that each is cash flow positive and making real money. They are each excellent examples of real businesses that are being built in this Web 2.0 era. Whether $200 million or $500 million is the appropriate price tag for those investments isn't important. What is important is that each of those businesses appears to be on track to be strong, stand-alone entities that will likely get public or be acquired. Those sound like good investments to me.

It isn't surprising that we aren't seeing a whole lot of Web 2.0 companies going public yet. The public markets have appropriately adjusted to the irrationality of the Web 1.0 ascendancy and are looking for companies that have operating histories with quarters of profitability, large top-line revenue, and predictability going forward. That takes time. But I have no doubt in my mind that there are interesting businesses being built that will meet those criteria in the coming years.

Mr. Dagres: I agree that there will be interesting companies coming out of the Web 2.0 wave. Every wave has its winners and losers. The notion of a bubble, however, is that a particular market gets overdone, i.e. over-hyped, over-invested, and ultimately experiences a high mortality rate. I think the Web 2.0 space will have a higher mortality rate than other segments of the overall media and technology industries. There are far too many MySpace and YouTube genetically challenged clones. All but a few will fail. The winners are generally the ones that get in early and out before the bubble bursts. There are rare examples of bubble companies making it through the bust and going on to become successful and valuable companies. By the way, the combined cash flow of Spot Runner, LinkedIn and Facebook is less than that of one Costco store.

Mr. Hornik: I would reckon that the margins of Facebook, LinkedIn and Spot Runner are a whole lot better than that of a Costco store.

Even assuming that the vast majority of the Web 2.0 companies fail, the amount of capital that is going into all of them combined is a pittance compared to the Web 1.0 bubble. In fact, it is even a relatively small portion of the overall capital being invested by the VC community on an annualized basis. How many Web 2.0 companies do you think you can build for the same amount of capital it takes to build a single medical device company? And unlike a medical device company, the power of the Web 2.0 model is that investors get very quick feedback about how well the company is doing. So the likelihood that investors pour tens of millions of dollars into Web 2.0 companies that will never be self-sustaining is very low. VCs may lose their capital invested early in Web startups, but the amount of capital sunk into failed businesses will never snowball the way it did in the late 90s.

Mr. Dagres: I'll take cash flow over gross margin -- I can eat cash flow. I think there will be billions lost on Web 2.0 companies when all is said and done. The real money hasn't even gone in yet. The hedge fund, corporate and family offices are coming in as we speak. The good news is you can generally only lose 1.0 times your money. I agree that medical device and drug companies consume much more capital than a Web 2.0 company but they can build advantages based on patents and substantial R&D, which limits the competitive threat. R&D in a Web 2.0 company = rummage & duplicate.

That said, the life sciences venture environment has its own issues.

Mr. Hornik: I think that you aren't giving Web 2.0 entrepreneurs enough credit. Sure, there are some "me too" sites out there. There always are. But the amount of rapid innovation in online services has been staggering -- from Skype to Digg to Six Apart to YouTube to Flickr to Facebook... The list goes on. They aren't microprocessor companies with years of patent-protected intellectual property. On the other hand, they are innovating around things that matter to consumers today. And I believe they are being appropriately valued, not just by potential acquirers but by the consumers themselves.

You say that billions are going to be lost. I think that overstates the potential problem. Certainly billions haven't been invested to date. It takes a whole lot of companies to get to billions when investing a few million dollars at a time. On the other hand, if a few billion dollars are lost in the face of exits like Skype and YouTube, and others that I see making hundreds of millions in the future, then the market is doing well and investors and entrepreneurs alike will emerge decidedly net positive. That doesn't sound like a bubble to me. That sounds like a vibrant market for innovation.

Mr. Dagres: Aha! We agree on what may be the most important point -- great entrepreneurs are the key to building valuable companies. If you invest in great people, you have a good chance of making money. In the current market there are gifted entrepreneurs that will benefit and thrive. These people will start disruptive companies that look for what will be hot rather than what is hot. They won't be lumped into the Web 2.0 category; they will define their own categories. This is what will separate the few winners from the many losers. So in closing, I am leery of Web 2.0 but I am always going to invest in great people pursuing big ideas.

Mr. Hornik concludes: I was recently asked by an entrepreneur what I thought would be the next great technology in the coming year. I told him I thought it would be the Internet. We have just started scratching the surface of the enabling power of the Internet. Whether it is called "Web 2.0" or "New Media" or "Enterprise 2.0," Internet services are going to drive the world's economies for the foreseeable future. To me that doesn't spell bubble, that spells opportunity.

StartupJournal.Com

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105 Service Businesses to Start Today

Is Your Ego Hurting Your Business?

At your service: Convenience-craving consumers are always looking for a way to do things better, faster and cheaper. Often, that means turning to a specialty-services entrepreneur who knows how to get the job done right. Here, we provide some inspiration for aspiring service providers-from adventure-tour leaders to window washers. With 105 ideas to choose from, you have no excuse not to get started today with your own service business.

Personal Services
Mobile Pet Grooming
Snip, clip and brush your way to success as a mobile pet groomer. Fido and his owner will both appreciate the convenience of a "doorstep" doggie-grooming service. With the proper training and experience, a van and some grooming tools, start barking up the right tree by marketing your business in your neighborhood and others.

Collectibles Search
Collectibles searchers, who carefully canvas swap meets, thrift stores and garage sales, can collect a bundle locating objets d'art for clients. Once you've found your niche--be it antique lunch boxes, dolls or grandfather clocks--advertise your services in hobbyist publications, at collectibles stores, in specialty forums on the internet, or on eBay. Soon you'll be taking up a collection of your own.

Diaper Delivery
Whoever said cloth diapers couldn't be convenient--and user-friendly? Velcro diaper "wraps" replace awkward pins, and pickup and delivery take the dirty work out of diapering. Equipped with a "clean," propane-fueled delivery truck and some washing machines, you can provide an environmentally friendly alternative to disposables. Talk about a change for the better!

Dry-Cleaning Pickup & Delivery
Are you clothes-minded? Then try on the dry-cleaning pickup-and-delivery business for size. Provide pickup and drop-off at a place that's convenient for busy professionals, then follow suit by arranging with a local dry cleaner to do the actual cleaning.

Mobile Locksmith
You hold the keys to success as a mobile locksmith. For best results, be ready for 24-hour action with a cell phone and van. With some training and basic equipment, you'll have this business mastered--lock, stock and barrel.

Graffiti Removal & Abatement
Equipped with some paint and other preventive treatments, you're set to serve residential as well as commercial clients with your own graffiti-removal-and-abatement business. City governments and schools can also benefit from the removal of unsightly "tagging" in their districts.

Golf-Club Cleaning
Take your best shot with a golf-club cleaning service. Not only will you be offering golfers a clean edge to improve their game, but you'll be offering a way to protect their investment from the rusting, pitting and discoloration of dirty clubs.

Self-Defense Instructor
You can never feel too safe or secure. People of all ages and backgrounds can benefit from the self-defense skills you can teach them. Get your business jump-started by training others in the disciplines you've learned--Aikido, Karate, or simply basic safety-awareness skills.

Adventure Tours
Got a taste for adventure? Whether it's exploring South American caves or touring English teahouses, you're sure to find a fanatic following . . . so long as you do all the footwork first. Put your service on the road to success by coordinating transportation, food and lodging. Your clients only need to worry about one thing: having fun.

Pet Sitting
When it comes to creature comforts, most canines would choose their own backyard over a kennel any day. Thanks to pet sitters--who take care of pets while their owners are out of town or busy--Fido can have his kibble at home. This business isn't just for the dogs, however; gear your services toward all creatures great and small for maximum profits.

Mobile Massage
Success is close at hand for mobile massage providers. Advertise your stress-relieving services at local workout clubs, spas and physical therapists' offices. Then bring your trained hands--and a portable massage table--to clients' homes or places of work.

Personal Chef
Cook up tasty profits as a personal chef. Those with culinary competence can likely find a hungry clientele among the ranks of America's busy working families. Or, market your business to clients for those special occasions when they prefer to dine in--complete with restaurant-quality food and service.

Mobile Mechanic
As a mobile mechanic, a good knowledge of automobile repair techniques and a list of referrals help you rev up sales. Put your business in the fast lane by bringing your service directly to clients' homes or places of business.

Seamstress/Tailor
As a seamstress or tailor, sew your way to success altering clothing and/or creating new apparel from scratch. Spread the word about your service at local boutiques and dry cleaners, plug in your sewing machine, and start stitching.

Court-Paper Serving
You can't beat the legal system . . . as a great resource for business, that is. Private attorneys, who lack the time to do much footwork themselves, often turn to registered court-paper processors to serve their summonses. Come judgment day, you'll be courting success.

Porcelain Repair
Rub a dub, dub, a porcelain-repair entrepreneur in the tub: Fixing unsightly chips and cracks in tubs and other porcelain accessories puts entrepreneurs in business. With a porcelain-repair kit in hand, sinks and tubs are made like new again.

Cover Letter/Resume Service
Not everyone knows how to look good on paper. With your editing and basic layout skills, a laser printer, and some high-quality stationery, you're set to start showing clients how to put their best foot forward in their resumes and cover letters--and how to get in the door of potential employers' businesses for an interview.

Mystery Shopping
Now, you can shop till you drop . . . and get paid for it! Just put on your shopping shoes and put service personnel to the test as a "mystery" shopper. Rate local retail stores' employees on attitude, friendliness, and overall quality of service, then report back to your store-owner clients, helping them to ensure their service really is number one.

Tax-Form Preparer
One thing is certain: There will always be a need for tax preparers. Come tax season, businesses and individuals alike need help preparing numerous tax forms and understanding the latest tax regulations. Equipped with some specialized computer software, start scheduling your career as a tax preparer this fiscal year-and get ready for some returns on your time and investment.

Wedding-Guide Publishing
For photographers, bakers, caterers and florists, wedding bells mean big business. Help them get a piece of the action by publishing a wedding guide with space for local advertisers. Include some basic wedding-planning articles, and you'll find June brides aren't the only ones to benefit from your premarital publication.

Mobile Car-Wash and Detailing
Take your business on the road, and clean up on profits as a mobile car-wash and detailing pro. Let a little soap and water do wonders . . . along with a few rags, brushes, and elbow grease; then drive home sales by marketing your services to car dealers, rental fleet owners, and corporations.

Used-Car Inspection
Sometimes, it takes a little more than a kick of the tires to evaluate a used car. With some basic diagnostic equipment and mechanical know-how, however, used-car inspectors can help steer clients away from "lemons." Developing a roster of appreciative customers puts you on the road to referrals--and success.

Professional Organizer
Neatniks need apply: If you're got a knack for neatness, why not help the organizationally challenged? Messy closets, home offices and commercial offices alike could benefit from a more efficient setup. Put some order into others' lives, and arrange yourself some pretty profits.

Tutoring
Thought your proficiency in high school algebra was all for naught? Think again: As a tutor, you could help others bone up on their studies. Whether it's reading, writing or arithmetic, help your students reach the top of their class with a little experienced guidance and support.

Power Washing
Oily driveways, mud-caked semi trucks, or barnacle-ridden boats . . . You name it, and entrepreneurs equipped with specialized power-washing equipment can probably clean it. For spotless results, target commercial as well as residential customers.

Windshield Repair
To find potential clients for your windshield-repair business, simply canvas local parking and used-car lots for cars with cracked, chipped windshields. A basic repair kit enables you to offer clients what is clearly a better alternative to costly glass replacement.

Private Investigation
Blaze your own entrepreneurial trail while following others' footsteps-literally. As a private investigator, make your mark in the industry by keeping a keen "eye" on other people's activities. Clients include attorneys gathering evidence for a case, or individuals seeking information about a significant other.

Business-Plan Consulting
Not only is a business plan crucial in obtaining bank financing, but it's an invaluable tool for anticipating--and tackling--a business's inevitable ups and downs. With your writing skills, spreadsheet know-how, and general business savvy, show clients how to present their best-laid plans . . . while accomplishing your own.

Packing and Unpacking Service
Packing up to move to a new home or office--not to mention unpacking on the other end--is enough to leave one feeling upended. Thank goodness for packing and unpacking entrepreneurs who, with their hassle- and time-saving services, make moving seem like magic.

Business-Travel Management
Make the skies even friendlier for business travelers--and less costly for business owners--as a business--travel manager. Help book low-price tickets, keep expense records, manage frequent-flier miles . . . and reap the high-flying rewards.

Carpet Dyeing
For a fraction of the cost of replacing unsightly or stained carpeting, carpet-dyeing professionals provide hotels, community centers, nursing homes and other businesses an attractive alternative. So go ahead, lay the options at your clients' feet . . . and start making wall-to-wall profits.

Hospital-Bill Auditing
There's nothing worse than being laid up in the hospital for a few days . . . except maybe the pile of often confusing bills that follow. The remedy: hospital-bill auditors, who--thanks to their billing savvy and attention to detail--make way for their clients' smooth recovery.

Specialized Staffing
Helping clients meet their workforce needs is a matter of finding a niche and filling it--and keeping up with human resources trends. Work your way up in the industry by developing a roster of specially skilled workers, then use your "people skills" to build your business.

Bookkeeping
Though today's software makes keeping your own books easier, it doesn't make it much less time-consuming. That's why, for business owners with little time to spare, a bookkeeping service is not only a time-saver, but an asset.

Computer Repair
In today's computer-based society, computer "downtime" can be both costly and aggravating. As a repair professional--equipped with some basic diagnostic equipment and technological savvy--you can get clients' computers back up and humming again.

Referral Service
For referral-service entrepreneurs--who act as a "welcome wagon" to newcomers--getting to know new as well as existing businesses pays off in more ways than one. Local companies pay to get their services introduced to newcomers, while these new customers pay for a little friendly advice.

Video Brochure
Make record profits taping corporate video brochures. Just get your video recorder handy, and zoom in on the action. Video-editing skills and special-effects techniques help you pull together the big picture--and reel in the profits.

Executive Search
Take your business to a "hire" level: As an executive-search specialist, help busy clients find the right man--or woman--for the job. Your job involves placing ads and conducting interviews to screen potential employees for clients. Put on your best interviewing suit, and get down to business.

Freight Brokerage
One sack of flour for a dozen eggs . . . Gone are the days of such no-frills, local trade. In their place: a sophisticated global commerce system requiring a thorough knowledge of land, sea, air and rail shipping rates and regulations. Knowledgeable freight brokers are indispensable to this burgeoning scene.

Long-Distance Reselling
By buying time in bulk from wholesalers, long-distance resellers ring up sales by servicing long-distance consumers--often at significant savings. You make the call: Either purchase the telecommunications equipment you'll need now, or rent it and simply focus on the marketing of your service.

Computer Consulting
Tap into a surging market as a computer consultant. Whether you're an expert at Linux, putting together hardware components, or networking, a growing number of computer "newbies" will surely benefit from your services.

Limousine Service
With a limo and some insurance, you could be the driving force behind a new business venture. Stretch your market by adding more drivers and cars to your fleet. Then, once you've established a reliable reputation, start driving home your limousine-service sales.

Language Translation
Falling foreign-trade barriers and improved communication technology translate into success for language translators and interpreters. An ear for multiple languages puts you at the forefront of this global movement.

Office-Relocation Service
Helping businesses get plugged in to a new neighborhood comes easy for office-relocation-service entrepreneurs who, as "locals," know who's who in providing such services as printing, restaurant delivery and equipment repair.

Office Plant Maintenance
Set your roots in a growing business as an office-plant-maintenance entrepreneur. Regular watering, light pruning, and fertilizing are all in a day's work. Though a green thumb is helpful, some clients may also request maintenance of their silk plants. Either way, your business is sure to grow.

Professional Office Consultant
It's one thing to spend a day at the office, and another altogether to run the office. As a professional office consultant, you'll oversee such responsibilities as marketing, insurance and daily operations for professional lawyers, doctors or other specialists--while leaving the rest to the "pros."

Miniblind Cleaning
Put an end to dusty miniblinds in offices, homes and other buildings with your miniblind-cleaning service. Immerse blinds in tanks of gentle, yet effective, cleansing solution . . . and give clients a squeaky-clean new perspective on the world outside their windows.

Office-Support Service
Typing, filing, sorting mail, entering data, and answering phones are just a few tasks an office-support service can perform to help out harried business owners. Hand out business cards to every businessperson you know--and get ready to spend a productive day at the office!

Apartment-Prepping
Move in on the housing market with some basic plumbing, painting, caulking and scrubbing skills. Busy landlords and leasing offices can both benefit from your handyman skills, while you, in turn, make some handy profits repairing vacated units for clients' new tenants.

Debt-Collection Service
Money makes the world go 'round: You get paid when your clients get paid by the people who you get to pay them. Sound complicated? It doesn't have to be: As a debt collector, it pays in more ways than one to have some persistence in tracking down clients' delinquent debtors.

Restaurant Delivery Service
When "Let's do lunch" means eating at the office, an ordinary sack lunch doesn't have to suffice. Thanks to restaurant deliverers, busy professionals can order their meals from local restaurants. By collecting a delivery charge and tip, operators get a good taste of entrepreneurial success.

Catering
A caterer's place is in the kitchen . . . cooking up hot profits, that is. So long as your kitchen is commercially approved--and you've got a knack for stirring up some "dough"--you've got the makings for savory success. Service weddings, holiday parties, and other festive gatherings; if you're lucky, clients will have your cake and eat it, too!

Seminar Promotion
If there's one thing consumers can never seem to get enough of, it's information. Give 'em an earful by planning and promoting informational seminars. You don't need to be an expert yourself; just schedule the speakers, reserve a location, promote the event, and get ready to collect the profits at the door.

Window Washing
Business has never been clearer for window washers. Grab your bucket, squeegee, and glass-cleaning solution, and rap at the dirty windows of local businesses and residences alike. Add repeat customers, and you'll soon be on a winning streak.

Valet Parking
Drive right up to entrepreneurship as the owner of a valet-parking service. Restaurants, hotels and convention centers can all use the services of a well-dressed, bonded parking staff. The key is having your own team of drivers to keep clients' customers--and their cars--on the move.

Professional Organizer
Neatniks need apply: If you've got a knack for neatness, why not help the organizationally challenged? Messy closets, home offices and commercial offices alike could benefit from a more efficient setup. Put some order into others' lives, and arrange yourself some pretty profits.

Power Washing
Oily driveways, mud-caked semi trucks, or barnacle-ridden boats . . . You name it, and entrepreneurs equipped with specialized power-washing equipment can probably clean it. For spotless results, target commercial as well as residential customers.

Marketing and Sales
Sales-Lead Generating
Streamline salespeople's efforts by identifying prospects and generating sales leads. Some footwork, market research, and a phone set you on the path to compiling a list of potential customers for your clients.

Public-Relations Agency
A way with words, enthusiasm and persistence are all necessary in this competitive business. Networking--by developing contacts with reporters and other media--is also crucial to helping your clients go public with press releases and more.

Copywriting and Proofreading Service
Wanted: creative writer with a knack for finding typos and misteaks . . . er, mistakes. Writers who help ensure clients' advertising copy is both catchy and fault-free may not win a Pulitzer, but they will have some profits to write home about.

Direct Mail/Coupon
Cash in on consumers' coupon-cutting craze with a direct-mail coupon service. Get started by selling ad space in a direct-mail coupon package to local businesses. When you mail coupons to local residents, your clients will benefit from the exposure and you'll benefit from a first-class business of your own.

Public-Relations Agency
A way with words, enthusiasm and persistence are all necessary in this competitive business. Networking--by developing contacts with reporters and other media--is also crucial to helping your clients go public with press releases and more.

Mailing Services
Post record profits fulfilling clients' envelope-stuffing and bulk-mail-processing needs. Advertise in the business section of your local newspaper, and start looking for your check in the mail.

Sales Training
Don't sell yourself short: With some self-promotion and marketing know-how, you could have what it takes to build your own business as a sales trainer. By sharing your sales savvy with other busy business owners, you not only help boost clients' bottom line, but yours, too.

Welcoming Service
Welcoming-service entrepreneurs--who greet newcomers to town with a package of coupons, samples from local businesses, and other community information--not only provide a welcome service to newcomers, but to local businesses, as well.

Home Services
Packing and Unpacking Service
Packing up to move to a new home or office--not to mention unpacking on the other end--is enough to leave one feeling upended. Thank goodness for packing and unpacking entrepreneurs who, with their hassle- and time-saving services, make moving seem like magic.

Handyman Services
If it's broke, you can fix it. Advertise in local newspapers and bulletin boards, then get busy repairing everything from leaky pipes and stopped-up toilets to jammed cabinet drawers and broken windows.

Carpet Dyeing
For a fraction of the cost of replacing unsightly or stained carpeting, carpet-dyeing professionals provide hotels, community centers, nursing homes and other businesses an attractive alternative. So go ahead, lay the options at your clients' feet . . . and start making wall-to-wall profits.

Home-Entertainment Installation
Just watch a novice attempt to connect the wires, cables and other components of their new or relocated stereo and television equipment, and you're likely to view consumer impatience at its finest. But with your sound electrical and wiring expertise, you'll have all systems buzzing in no time.

Mortgage/Debt-Reduction Service
By explaining alternative payment structures to clients (which can result in a smaller total payment in a shorter period of time), mortgage and debt-reduction-service professionals are helping to relieve America's debt--one citizen at a time.

Pool Services
Make a splash in the pool-services business with little more than some cleaning equipment and a water-test kit. Just load up your tools in your car and make the rounds in your neighborhood. Then dive right into business by marketing your service to homeowners' associations, apartment complexes and individual residences.

Lawn Care
When push comes to shove, you've probably got what it takes to make some "green." Just roll up your sleeves and start mowing, clipping and fertilizing lawns for office complexes and residential clients alike.

Home-Inspection Service
A keen eye for structural detail paves the way to success in your home-inspection service. Start by assessing clients' homes for problems such as structural damage and foundation abnormalities, then refer customers to contractors who can ensure their homes are in good repair.

House Painting
Brush up on your painting skills, and get ready to paint the town red--or white, blue or beige, for that matter. Just load up your truck with brushes, rollers and ladders, and get primed for business!

Local Moving Service
Be a mover and shaker with your own local moving service. This is no business for the faint of heart, however: Make sure you're equipped with some upstanding leveraging techniques . . . as well as brawn.

House-Sitting
Is there a sitter in the house? If so, homeowners can rest assured that, while they're away, their plants and pets will be tended to. Don't wait for opportunity to come knocking; a reliable set of references get you in the door.

Home Decorating
Home in on the decorating business with your flair for design. Work with local furniture and accessory stores, paint shops, and carpet and drapery outlets to coordinate clients' interiors. And remember: The key to getting in the door of this business is decorating your own home, first.

Miniblind Cleaning
Put an end to dusty miniblinds in offices, homes and other buildings with your miniblind-cleaning service. Immerse blinds in tanks of gentle, yet effective, cleansing solution . . . and give clients a squeaky-clean new perspective on the world outside their windows.

Pet-Food and Supplies Home Delivery
Lugging pounds of pet food and supplies from the store each week or so can be a burden on pet owners, but it's certainly not too much for pet-delivery entrepreneurs. Once you've sniffed out some leads, start serving up success by delivering pet supplies directly to customers' doors.

Custom Closet Systems
Calling all closet-organizing fanatics: It's time to come out and show your stuff! With a few hooks and shelves, and a lot of creativity (but checking any fear of small spaces at the door), you've got the makings of a custom closet-systems pro . . . with plenty of room to grow. New homeowners and long-time closet accumulators alike make up your potential clientele.

Window Washing
Business has never been clearer for window washers. Grab your bucket, squeegee, and glass-cleaning solution, and rap at the dirty windows of local businesses and residences alike. Add repeat customers, and you'll soon be on a winning streak.

Residential Cleaning
Not only is residential cleaning a good way to keep a body busy, but it's also a way to clean up some profits while you're at it. Start on the ground floor by mopping, sweeping and dusting one house, and work your way up from there!

Computers and Technology
Computer Repair
In today's computer-based society, computer "downtime" can be both costly and aggravating. As a repair professional-equipped with some basic diagnostic equipment and technological savvy-you can get clients' computers back up and humming again.

Computer Consulting
Tap into a surging market as a computer consultant. Whether you're an expert at Windows 95, putting together hardware components, or networking, a growing number of computer "newbies" will surely benefit from your services.

Internet Research
Practice makes perfect when it comes to surfing the internet. With some search-engine and self-marketing savvy, put information at clients' fingertips--and "net" profits at yours.

Web-Site Designer
With specialized software, creating websites comes easy, so long as you have some basic technical and graphic savvy. Home in on business by helping businesses establish a site; existing clients will need help keeping their websites up-to-date, as well.

Children's Services
Children's Party Planning
Do parents a favor and plan their next children's party. From hiring Sesame Street character look-alikes to coordinating games, decorations and food, you're sure to be the life of the party by allowing parents to relax and have fun, too. Plan birthday, holiday, and religious-ceremony celebrations . . . and let the festivities begin!

Child Care
As a child-care provider, you'll need a state license, plenty of baby-sitting experience, and a lot of patience and TLC. Whether you "sit" at your place or theirs, you'll find busy parents aren't your only clients; many office complexes, gyms and other businesses need quality child care, too.

Child-Identification Program
Safety first: When it comes to keeping tabs on children, there's no excuse for kidding around. By offering parents a complete child-identification program, including information files, fingerprinting, identification tags and photos, you not only set parents' minds more at ease, but provide a safety net for our next generation.

Children's Fitness
If there's one thing that never seems to run out, it's a kid's supply of energy. Tap into that vast resource with a children's fitness program. Put your knowledge of children's education and physical fitness to the test by renting a location, then coordinate activities such as tumbling, dance, gymnastics and karate. And hop to it!

Children's Transportation Service
For working and nonworking parents alike, transporting junior to and from school (as well as to after-school activities) can become, well, taxi-ing. By providing a reliable children's transportation service, you give busy parents a break-and keep their busy kids on schedule.

Baby-Proofing
Stairs, cabinets, electrical cords and outlets-they're all potential baby hazards. New parents, grandparents, and even baby sitters could all benefit from a more kid-friendly house. So grab your tools and be prepared to get down on your hands and knees (it helps to view things from a baby's perspective).

Computer Training for Kids
Reading, writing, arithmetic . . . and computers. Though it seems like kids today are born speaking computerese, they've got to start learning somewhere. Teaching them the basics early on is sure to put kids at the head of their class . . . and you at the head of your own business.

Nanny Placement
For busy parents, finding a good nanny isn't child's play. Nanny-placement agents-who screen applicants, check references, match personalities, and set schedules-provide clients an invaluable service by saving them considerable time and worry.

New Mother/Infant Home Care
Make new babies' homecomings from the hospital less tiresome for parents by providing the in-home care and support they need. Preparing meals, diapering the baby, and providing light housekeeping are all a great relief to proud-but occasionally exhausted-new parents.

Tutoring
Thought your proficiency in high school algebra was all for naught? Think again: As a tutor, you could help others bone up on their studies. Whether it's reading, writing or arithmetic, help your students reach the top of their class with a little experienced guidance and support.

Event Services
Photography
With your eye for photo opportunities-at weddings, parties, special events and more-you could be zooming in on profits as a freelance photographer. Be prepared to work weekends and evenings (when many clients will need your services) and to hire an assistant to help you juggle your photo paraphernalia.

Errand Runner/Personal Shopper
Calling all shopaholics: Here's one business where you can truly shop till you drop . . . without spending a penny of your own! Personal shoppers-who may also perform other errands, such as picking up prescriptions or buying groceries-can never complain about a lack of things to do.

Family-History Video
Money can grow on trees . . . family trees, that is. Family-history videographers are hitting home by filming personalized accounts of weddings, births and other memorable occasions. Should a customer's other family members give the film a thumbs up, you may be looking at future generations of customers.

Mobile Disc Jockey
As a mobile disc jockey, weddings, parties and other events are all music to your ears. Start jammin' with a collection of compact discs, a CD player, and a speaker system, then pass on the word about your services to wedding and event planners.

Wedding-Planning Service
Getting married isn't always as simple as saying, "I do." There's a caterer to be contracted, a location to be rented, and flowers to be ordered. So when it comes to making matrimony a more harmonious event for the new couple and their families, wedding planners take the cake.

Event Planning
If your life has been, well, uneventful until now, we have a solution: Be an event planner! Whether it's a party, wedding or convention, you're sure to be at the center of all the action when you coordinate everything from room rentals and speakers to decorations and food.

Limousine Service
With a limo and some insurance, you could be the driving force behind a new business venture. Stretch your market by adding more drivers and cars to your fleet. Then, once you've established a reliable reputation, start-driving home your limousine-service sales.

Photo Birth Announcements
For birth-announcement producers, business is booming as fast as the population! Some basic desktop-publishing software, scanning equipment, and the names of new parents put you in the starting blocks; from there, create fanciful photo-cards, including those all-important details: name, birth date, time and weight.

Videotaping Service
You may not win a producer-of-the-year award, but you'll win the appreciation of your clients when you capture their weddings, bar mitzvahs, birthdays and more on videotape. Keep the film rolling at special events, then edit a final version for clients' own special screenings.

Reunion Organizing
Reunite 'em 'cause it pays so good: Whether it's one big happy family or one big high school class, reunions can be a joyful-and lucrative-occasion for reunion organizers. Schedule the accommodations, coordinate the catering and entertainment, send out the invitations, then sit back and let it all "come together."

Guen Sublette runs her writing-and-editing-services business from her home in Redondo Beach, California.

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What is Google's Supplemental Search Result and How to Deal with It.

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Have you have ever checked to see how much of your site Google has indexed by using the site:www.domain.com command? If so you may have been puzzled to see results that said 'Supplemental Result' after the website URL.

What is a Supplemental Result? Well, briefly it is an index of web pages that Google has determined do not belong in the regular search index. Wait a minute, not showing in the regular Google search results? That is a lot of potential visitors to your site just lost because your pages are no longer showing up in regular Google searches. What can be done to get yourself out of Supplemental Hell?

Site Age:First of all things to consider is whether or not your site is new and does not have many inbound links. If that is the case, don't worry too much, just get out there and try to get some incoming links to your pages. Be sure to do this as 'naturally' as possible avoiding web spammers or 'bad neighborhoods'.

Duplicate Content?: Are your pages lacking original content and just contain copies of information taken from other sites or do multiple pages contain similar content? Original and informative content is king and Google is very loyal to it. Get rid of copied content and write your own or pay someone to help.

URL's with extensive variables: Avoid URL's that contain multiple variables. If possible avoid variables longer than 2 characters and keep the amount to a minimum. For example, www.domain.com/file.php?itemnumber=2344 would be better served by shortening the variable to something like file.php?in=2344.

Link, Links, Links: I mentioned too few links earlier in the article and suggested increasing links. Well, remember to get good links, avoiding bad neighborhoods. Fewer quality links are better than a lot of low quality links. Too many low quality incoming and outgoing links will lessen Google's trust in your page. Get quality links from quality sites, preferably from pages not already in the supplemental index.

Lastly, remember that Google seems to be constantly changing its algorithms and tweaking them. If your site is genuine and following Google's webmaster guidelines, then your site has a good change of returning to the regular index.

Aiden O'Neill is an editor for Consumerwebhostreview.com. where visitors can take advantage of savings on webhosting packages and utilize webtools like the Instant Domain Name Lookup Tool to dynamically search for a domain name.
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How Sigmund Freud Helped A Man Sell Couches Worth Thousands Of Dollars

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Psychoanalysis, the treatment originated by Sigmund Freud more than a century ago that requires patients to lie on a couch and say whatever comes to mind, has been battered in recent years by everything from antidepressants to skepticism to managed care that doesn't pay for such long-term therapy.

So who in his right mind would want to launch a company that makes psychoanalytic couches?

It takes an entrepreneur who believes that businesses considered antiquated are underserved niches with perhaps more staying power than trendier enterprises. Randall Scott Thomas, a Seattle furniture maker, knows psychoanalysts are a minority among mental health counselors these days. But thousands are either in training or in practice, and many have trouble finding the appropriate couch.

Mr. Thomas, who makes contemporary home and office furniture, has never undergone analysis himself and didn't know what a classic analytic couch looked like until a few years ago. He was approached by Doene Rising, a Seattle analyst who was starting a private practice and couldn't find a couch to her liking at any furniture store. She was familiar with his work and showed him a picture of one that she had found in a magazine -- an armless, backless, chaise-like bench, with a built-in headrest, designed for reclining, not sitting. She told him she wanted something similar. Instead of traditional leather, she wanted cloth upholstery, and chose a deep blue fabric.

"Leather can be cold, and I wanted something inviting, but something classic that said to my patients, 'This isn't for sleeping on, it's for reflecting on,' " Dr. Rising says. She and other analysts believe that when their patients recline and the therapist is sitting out of sight behind them, patients feel freer to explore their fantasies and talk about their deepest, darkest desires and fears. (The technique, of course, has sparked numerous cartoons of analysts asleep in their chairs, while their patients drone on.)

For the 47-year-old Mr. Thomas, the biggest design challenge was refining the angle of the headrest. "You don't need lumbar support when you're lying down, but you do need your shoulders and head supported well," he says. "And you need to be propped up enough that you don't fall asleep or roll over -- or sink into a too-soft cushion."

The completed couch was a hit with Dr. Rising as well as several of her analyst colleagues, who placed orders with Mr. Thomas. Since then, he has designed five styles, ranging in price from $1,550 to $3,080. Most have the same measurement (29 inches wide by 80 inches long) but different upholstery and leg styles.

The recent launch of his Analytic Couch Co. coincides with the biannual meeting of the American Psychoanalytic Association, which starts tomorrow in Seattle. Recognizing a sales and marketing opportunity, Mr. Thomas persuaded the association, which expects about one-third of its 3,300 members to attend, to allow him to exhibit his couches. Until now the association has limited displays at its meetings to books for purchase, "but I thought we should tell our members about more products and services they need, so it seemed like a good idea," says Dean Stein, the group's new executive director.

Mr. Thomas faces some competition. Prestige Furniture & Design Group in New York City's Queens borough, for one, has been making analytic couches for more than 50 years. During the heyday of psychoanalysis in the 1960s and 1970s, when most residents in psychiatry received some analytic training, Prestige sold thousands of couches to medical-supply companies, which in turn sold them to hospitals and psychiatrists. "We had a factory devoted just to this," says 75-year-old Fred Brafman, one of the company's founders.

Prestige still makes six analytic couch models, some of which have been used as props in theater productions and movies. They range in price from $900 to about $6,000, and must be custom ordered. "The demand isn't what it used to be," Mr. Brafman says.

He also has a list of what design features to avoid. Loud or busily designed upholstery, he notes, can distract patients. "One analyst returned a couch once because a patient was seeing faces of animals in the upholstery," Mr. Brafman says. Prestige also no longer makes couches with buttons, "because anxious patients rip them out," he says, or an adjustable headrest model, because the up-and-down lever mechanism broke frequently.

Unlike Analytic Couch, whose designs are more contemporary, Prestige doesn't have a Web site for online orders and it doesn't advertise much. Many analysts say they haven't known where to shop for a couch when furnishing their offices. "We can help analysts find office space and even patients, but it's hard to know where to send them for a couch -- and we get inquiries about this all the time," says Matthew von Umwerth, the librarian at the New York Psychoanalytic Institute who is in training to become an analyst.

Sigmund Freud's famous leather couch, which he draped in colorful Persian carpets, remains the standard bearer -- and it is on display at the Freud Museum in London. He didn't have to shop for it, however, since it was a gift from a patient. His use of it stemmed from his early method of hypnotizing patients. While he thought patients who reclined on a couch would more readily confront their repressed anxieties, he admitted he had a "personal motive....I cannot put up with being stared at by other people for eight hours a day (or more)," he wrote. "Since while I am listening to the patient, I, too, give myself over to...unconscious thoughts, I do not wish my expressions...to influence what the patient tells me."

A couch is just a couch for some analysts, who say they would rather use an ordinary living-room model. When Prudy Gourguechon, a Northfield, Ill., analyst, purchased a custom-designed analytic couch a few years ago, "my patients wouldn't go near it," she says. "It was way too formal, and they missed my ratty old sofa that had a back and made them feel enclosed." She ultimately gave away the classic couch and purchased a standard living-room leather sofa at a department store.

However much they mull what couch to purchase, a bigger decision involves the chair analysts themselves sit in. Anticipating this need, Mr. Thomas has designed a leather armchair that retails for $1,899 and offers, he says, solid back and neck support. "You're sitting all day long, so you better find something very comfortable," says Leon Hoffman, a New York analyst.
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