Information Station – Your Resource Center

When setting up your business online there is a few things you need that are essential to your online success. I thought it would be helpful to create a  resource page that you can always come to for all of your business needs. A  Information Station you can reference often. Most of  this information is for anyone starting a business, not just for nurses. As I learn more and feel it’s relevant to what you need as a business owner, I”ll add to this page  so be sure to bookmark it for your reference and easy access. Enjoy!

Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links that will earn me a commission. These are products or services that I have experience with and trust. I am recommending them because I feel they are relevant and very helpful to your online business, not because of the commissions that I may earn from you using these products or services.

Web Hosting

Host Gator- This web hosting is what I use here for Small Business nurse. They have several different plans you can choose from, very affordable for any budget.

Fat Cow - This web hosting site is great for small business owners or individuals. Also very affordable.

Both sites are now powered by 100% wind energy and both have unlimited disk space, unlimited bandwidth and a free domain name when you sign up.

Tip - Using your own web hosting or “self hosting” as it is called, will give you more control over your site. Free web hosting sites don’t allow you to use your own domain name and may put advertisements on your site that aren’t relevant.

Domain Name

Name.com - I use this site the most because it’s user friendly and I can store all of my domain names in one place. I can also easily transfer them to my web hosting account for free.

- I’ve used GoDaddy  in the past, but for me the site is very busy and they’re always trying to sell you more than what you need, so beware when using this site. Buy only what you need. They do have the best prices around.

Tip - Both sites allow you to search for your perfect domain name to see if it is available. Remember, try to pick a domain name that is as close to your business name or what your business is about, as you can so people can easily find you online.

Auto-Responder

What is an Auto-responder? Quite simply, it’s a software program that enables you to send emails to people automatically. You set up a sequence of pre written emails beforehand and when someone signs up for your email list a respond is sent out welcoming them to your newsletter, weekly tips or an ecourse, whatever you are offering through email, without you having to manually respond to every email that comes in. 

This is an invaluable, must have tool for all online business owners.

Aweber- This is the most popular auto-responder with a free trial plan. Aweber offers many features such as customizing your own sign up form, unlimited email lists and much more. Check out there site for more information on what you can do with an auto-responder.

Tip - Get your mailing list started by using an auto-responder. Have a sign up form on your website to capture email addresses of your target audience. This will make it easy for you to keep in touch with them before, during and after the sale.

Nursing Business Sites

Nurse Entrepreneur Network - This is a membership site that is just for nurses who want to start and grow their business. Tons of articles to choose from, a discussion form where you can ask questions, mastermind group to bounce ideas off of and much more. I belong to this site and it’s helped me to become more focused in my business and has given me the tools to develop a plan and strategy for what I want to accomplish here at this site.

National Nurses in Business Association - This is a national organization made of and run by nurses in business. It’s a yearly membership site that gives you free access to the president, Pat Bemis, on anything to do with starting or running a nursing business. Actually you don’t even have to be a member of this organization to have access to Pat. Check out her comment she made on a recent post where I wrote a book review for her book Self Employed RN. I belong to this site as well.

Tip – The nurse entrepreneur network lets you pay by the month, every three months or yearly so if you want just one month’s membership at $15 (at the time of this writing) than sign up for one month, get the information you need than cancel. Unlike with NNBA where you have to pay up front $99 for the entire year. Both are great resources sites. Try the Drive and Learn CDs for sale at the NNIB site, there my favorite.

Book Recommendations

Small Business Nurse Store - Visit the Amazon book store where I’ve put together all your nursing business books, software and even nursing magazines, in every nursing specialities I could find. Keep checking back as I am always adding to the mix.

TIp - Start out by reading up on what it is you want to do as a nurse in business, stop by your local library for current information on nursing specialities. If you find something you want to keep, buy it used from Amazon to save yourself some money. It’s how I buy most of my books.

Insurance

NSO - This is the Nurses Service Organization, providing Professional liability and health insurance for nurses whether you are self employed or doing bedside nursing, whatever your speciality is, they have been “meeting the insurance needs of nursing professionals for over 30 years now.”  This is the only insurance I would recommend for nurses, because it’s that good.

Tip - If you are working as a self employed nurse and providing services please purchase some kind of liability insurance to protect yourself from a law suit, especially if you are a sole proprietor.

Business Information

Small Business Association - Starting a business is the same for everyone, whether your starting a nursing business or an online business doing marketing, the steps are the same. To start learning about business, head on over to find information on how to get started in your business journey. Lots of information and resources for free.

SCORE - This is another business information website worth checking out. Here they offer workshops, webinars and will even connect you with a mentor online or in person to help you turn that business idea into a business plan.

Tip – Learn all you can about the business aspects of being self employed. The more you know the more successful you will be.

Nursing Forums

Allnurses.com - Many different forums to get involved with depending on your nursing specialty. I like the Entrepreneur in Nursing forum. They also share nursing news, articles and more…A nursing community for nurses.

Nurse Together - Offers unique articles, forums, job search, career tools and resources for the global community of nurses. They even have a marketplace forum where you can list nursing items you want to sell like nursing books, nursing equipment, etc. 

Tip – I belong to both sites which are free to sign up for. Nursing forums are a great place to connect with other like minded people. Join the discussion, I’m sure you have something to say.

Nursing Directory

NurseFriendly - This is a site that lists all the different nursing specialties you can think of. If you have a business you will want to list your name on this site to help get noticed by nurses and possible clients. Just email the owner Andrew Lopez with your information and he will do this for free. Get your business listed in as many places as you can to help with exposure, the Internet is a vast place and the more places you are the better.

Tip – The National Nurses in Business Association (listed above) also has a directory where you can have your business listed as one of the benefits of being a member.