Hi Lisa! Tell us about your businesses.

Hi! I'm the owner of Be Still & Knit, a learning program for women who do to much! I teach knitting and crochet using a method that emphasizes the peace and stillness you can get from doing hand-work. My approach is definitely focused on the process of creating something beautiful rather than on the final product. I teach my classes in the Denver metro area, but I'm getting started on publishing them as video downloads through my website. I began my company in June 2005 and have loved every minute of it!

I also offer beautiful hand-knit items through craft fairs and through my website at http://www.bestillandknit.com

Do you have any recent news, products, a new launch, freebies, etc.

I'm very excited about my upcoming podcast! Starting March 1, I'll be launching “Musings of a Peaceful Knitter” that will include some wonderful things to think about while you knit and feature messages from fellow knitters on how they use knitting and crochet to develop that sense of inner peace and stillness that we all crave. Watch my website to learn more!

What are your absolute favorite products or resources you can't live without in your business (or have helped you the most)?

I am a huge fan of Macromedia Dreamweaver for building sites. I love to program and test things out, and Dreamweaver offers that capability. I wouldn't recommend it for someone who doesn't do much with web programming, but I think it's great for anyone who is familiar with HTML.

I also love VerticalResponse.com for handing my mailings. They just charge per email, not per month, which means you can get professional mailing list handling without the huge cost of many of the other sites out there.

What's your best advice for someone just starting out in online business?

I think the most important thing to realize is that most online businesses can get started for free. You don't have to pay a bunch of money for advertising or getting listed in a directory. Take advantage of programs like LadyPens and MomMasterminds to get you all the resources you need, and then pick what works for you. There's no sense doing it all at once. Try something and see how it works. Then try something else.

Read Lisa Akers' free reprint articles on LadyPens