HIGHLANDER CLUB

January 2003, Volume 8 – Issue 1 “Great fortunes are made through Fellowship, Knowledge and an Abundance of Opportunities”

The Building Blocks of Business

You don’t need me to tell you that America is the greatest country in the world. Here in the United
States, we have the chance to work diligently and earn as much money as we want, or, as some prefer,
we can choose to sit on the sidewalk begging for dimes. The choice is ours, and it’s this freedom of
choice that gives Americans an exceptional sense of pride. In other words, we really do live in the
land of opportunity where choice abounds!
Michael Newman
The trouble is, with infinite choice, we can also feel overwhelmed, particularly when it comes to New Chairman
deciding what kind of business we want to develop. Many people fantasize about starting their Highlander Club
own business, but never think seriously about doing it. It may be because the process seems both
complicated and intimidating. Yet, running a business from home doesn’t have to be as complex as say, building a
factory where a million widgets are produced each month. You can start off very small, planning and growing your ideas,
conserving your cash, and working part-time or freelance before relying on your own business to pay all the bills. Growing
your customer base one customer at a time is better than not building any customer base at all.

Time is Money
Time, as we know too well in these hectic times, is precious. We’re always on the run these days. If you had
extra time on your hands and a resource or skill or workable idea, you could use your free time to start off
small and grow something bigger. We don’t always realize it, but sometimes, the ability to make money is
right under our noses. In other words, we can use our homestead, as well as our time, to earn us a supple-
mental income, that could, one day, blossom into full time. Maybe you own a van or pick-up truck. Could you
use it to operate a small moving business in your free time? Often, apartment dwellers are looking for small
trucks to move their furniture and cartons—nothing that would require a large tractor-trailer. Eventually,
such a small home business could develop into something full time where you could contract the movers.
Maybe you live on a property with enough land to start a Christmas tree plantation or herb farm or other
type of nursery, but it might take years to wait for the harvest after planting the seeds. What about grow-
ing organic vegetables for local restaurants? If you start now, it could take a few years to make real money,
but your purchase of seeds and equipment now could make it well worth your while later. Are you good at
operating heavy machinery? Do you currently own any equipment or machinery that you can use for busi-
ness purposes? By owning a bulldozer or tow-truck, people would come to you. Skills that don’t necessitate
intensive training are always in demand.
Ken Karnof worked split shift for a local bus company. He was always noticing vehicles that had a burnt
out headlight. He also knew the hassle involved in changing a headlight. Ken, who had changed many
headlights along the way, decided to open his own business where he would change motorists’ headlights
at their own convenience. Ken would drive out to their home or office parking lot, and quickly do the job
between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. He advertised his headlight replacement business in the local paper and
ended up making some extra cash. After getting stiffed with an NSF check, he started to accept just cash or
credit cards. He got himself a business number and opened a business bank account.
continues on page 2
 Grocery shopping is another chore. Imagine tak-
ing the orders over the phone, doing the shopping,
and then delivering the items. Grocery.com is all
over the place now doing just that. People with little
free time don’t mind hiring people to take care of
jobs they would rather avoid. That includes washing
cars or windows. Dog-walking services are cropping
up all over as well. Dog walkers take four to six dogs
to dog-friendly parks for a romp, and make decent
part-time money. If you are good around the house,
then a part-time home maintenance job may work
for you. This is how people use time to their advan-
tage. Creativity and skill aren’t necessary ingredients
for many jobs. Yet, you may need to be creative to
CHIEF COUNCIL
Michael Newman Chairman
Nina Walters Executive Director
EDITORIAL
Pam Clavir Editor
Moving? Missed an issue? Please let us know within 90 days
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Contact Us
If you have a question or comment about the monthly
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6163, USA, Fax (905)264-9619.
Subscription rate for the Highlander Club newsletter is $80
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© 2003 by Highlander Club, 777 S. Flagler Drive, Ste. 800W,
West Palm Beach, FL 33401-6163, USA. All rights reserved.
The Club is not promising or guaranteeing that you will be-
come wealthy because of the information in this newsletter
or our special reports and programs. There is no guarantee
of future profits. Copying any of the Club’s published infor-
mation is strictly prohibited. The ideas expressed herein are
the opinions of Highlander Club only. That said, we believe
you’ll discover vital money secrets and wealth angles not
available anywhere else.
The Executive Staff, Research Department and the
Editors of Highlander Club are proud of the reputation
we’ve built since our inception in 1991. Simply, we believe
the advice presented to you in our published resources and
seminars is the best and most useful available to you, the
global entrepreneur.
2
come up with something. You just need to explore
your community and try to imagine what it is that
people can use in terms of a service.
What works in one place at one time won’t neces-
sarily work elsewhere at another time. Jumping into
something blindfolded because your entrepreneur-
ial battery happens to be highly charged is the wrong
approach. It takes a ton of research to see how much
money you really need to take the plunge. After all,
raw materials aren’t free. Cheap materials can ruin
your business. What is your overhead going to be?
You can avoid future financial chaos if you sit down
and learn the prices of supplies.
In the early days of a home-business start-up, some
people wonder how they are going to pay their bills.
The best way is not to quit work. Actually, there’s no
reason to quit your job when you are in the plan-
ning stage of a new business, and you can use your
off-hours to hatch new ideas. Simple promotional
ideas for a home-based business would include
getting an article written in the local newspaper,
passing out flyers at community events and school
functions, and donating some time or products to a
local charity. Try to utilize contacts you already have.
Friends and family may introduce you to people
who can help you with supplies, property, funding,
etc. Maybe you have a few acquaintances with home
businesses themselves. Find out what they are do-
ing and see if they will mentor you along the way.
At the very least, ask them to explain to you the ins
and outs of the realities of working from home.
But, most importantly, it’s best to hang on to your
current job until your own business climbs from a
supplemental income source to the main one.
Don’t Start a Home-Business
for the Wrong Reasons!
Think you need a lifestyle change? Maybe you are
tired of the same old grind, and have arrived at the
point where you must milk your passions. Whatever
the case, a home-based business is not for you unless
you believe in your abilities and welcome new chal-
lenges. Starting a home-based business is great, but
only if you are doing it for the right reasons. The truth
is, anybody with the mindset to work for themselves
can make it happen. But the kind of people who en-
joy working from home are the kind who are eager
to live a balanced life—a life where family, peace of
mind, and earnings all come together in one neat
package. In other words, attaining “wealth beyond
one’s wildest imagination” is rarely anyone’s sole
purpose behind opening a home business.
If you believe in yourself and are truly passionate
about your prospective line of work and the fact that
there is a market for it (no matter how small), then
that’s one thing. However, if you want to start work-
ing from home only because you hate your boss, or
have co-workers you can’t get along with, then that
is quite another. Remember that the majority of em-
ployees would rather see their boss go “elsewhere,”
so you’re not alone.
Do you feel like plunging into a home business
because it will give you more quality time (i.e. more
time to relax)? You can forget that. When you work
from home, you need discipline to be able to stop
working. Somehow, you never feel totally relaxed,
and when you are relaxing, you feel guilt-ridden for
doing something else.
Many home-based businesses generate a decent in-
come after a while, but many more produce only pock-
et money in the beginning. Certain high-tech products
will eventually yield massive returns, especially when
these small high-tech firms are sold to corporate giants.
Is the cost of daycare too much to handle? If sav-
ing money on daycare is your motivating factor for
wanting to start your own business from home, then
you should think again. Just when you sit down to
work, the kids will demand your attention.
If you have one product and one product only to
sell, you may be barking up the wrong tree. A line of
products would make more sense.
Did someone leave you an inheritance or did you win
the lottery? Just because you have some financial backing
doesn’t mean you’re going to be a national success story.
Did you read an advertisement somewhere that
promised you $5,000 in five hours working from
home? Tremendous wealth overnight is not pos-
sible. A promise like that is like a five-day weather
forecast—not worth the paper it’s printed on.
And, if you think that operating your own business
from home is going to be less demanding than work-
ing elsewhere, you are wrong again. When you work
from home, you must wear many hats—accountant,
marketing and promotion, secretary, salesperson,
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writer, researcher, and more. Remember that there is
a big difference from working at home for someone else
and working from home for yourself. When you work
from home for someone else, you have fewer respon-
sibilities, but you also have to abide by their rules.
It does take a certain personality type to work
from home and separate one’s work life from their
home life. You need to be a whiz at organizing your
time, and you should have that competitive edge
instinctively. Are you good on the computer? If not,
learn how to become computer literate very quickly.
Can you deal with isolation? Unless there is com-
munication with the outside world (and let’s hope
there will be lots of communication with your cus-
tomers), then you risk feelings of isolation.
Think Twice, It’s All Right
The mere thought of controlling our own destiny and
doing things our own way is something we all crave,
and since a home-business means we don’t have to
commute to work, that is a definite plus in itself. Does
running your own home-based business sound like a
challenge you’d like to accept? Find out for sure. To
work from home, you basically need to be a self-starter,
a good decision maker, have an amiable personality so
you can get along with others, have strong motivational
drive, be able to handle some physical and emotional
stress, and, if you plan on making it your sole source
of income, you have to consider the financial impact
it will have on your family. Don’t forget that borrowing
money for a business start-up could add strain to the
household, as can sudden loss of steady income. If you
are in doubt, take a few minutes to participate in an
Entrepreneurial Skill quiz. You’ll quickly see if you are
made of the right stuff: www.onlinewbc.gov/docs/starting.
Work on an Idea
Like most everything in life, a home-based business
generally starts with a good idea. Yet, a good idea is one
that will serve a particular market. If you live in a fairly
new subdivision that is home to many young families,
you may want to consider starting a before- and after-
school daycare program for young children. If howev-
er, you live in a middle-class or upscale neighborhood
where pets outnumber young children, a “doggy
daycare” would be a much better idea. Your idea
must work in conjunction with a very specific market.
Very often, people who start their own home busi-
ness already possess a skill that is marketable. For
instance, if you are a handy person who does reno-
vation work that is consistently admired, then milk
your talents as a renovations specialist. Are you a
wonderful baker who can bake cookies in every sin-
gle shape and design under the sun? If so, your best
bet may be to start a “cookie-by-design” business that
can be operated right from your kitchen. Naturally,
you’ll need to do a top-notch job—one that is better
than your competition. Your renovations, cookies,
or widget business must outshine the rest, or repeat
business simply won’t happen. But, there is more to
it than building a better mousetrap.
You say you are passionate about working for your-
self because you have a product that you love which you
are convinced you can sell? Just remember that pas-
sion and planning are two separate entities. Even if you
absolutely love what you do and what you sell, you still
need to pay the bills, which means that making money
should clearly be part of the plan. You may love your
pet-friendly sunglasses, but will everyone else want their
pets wearing shades too? And, if so, will you make mon-
ey? More specifically, will you be able to turn a profit?
If you are great at something, it doesn’t mean you can
automatically turn it into a profitable business. After
all, you may be a wizard with a yo-yo, but unless you can
market your skills and talents in a way that will produce
a profit, you are wasting your time. Suffice to say, you
can’t be afraid to undertake some additional training,
while remaining disciplined and determined. Just be-
cause you love something, doesn’t mean it can be mar-
keted and turned into an income-generating endeavor.
First Things First
• If you don’t have a really good one already, buy
a new desk chair, and don’t think about cutting
your expenses in this area. You need an ergonom-
ically correct chair, since that is where you will be
spending most of your time.
• Make sure your computer and all its related
equipment is up-to-date and fast. You’ll need
an external fax machine even if you have a fax
modem in your computer. You may need a photo-
4
copier, although a copy shop may serve your pur-
poses nicely in the beginning. An e-mail address
is essential, and a web page will bring customers
from far and wide to you.
• Be on the lookout for extra courses that you can
take to increase your skills. You’re never too old
to go back to school.
• Notify your family of your work hours, and stick to
those hours as closely as you can.
• By the same token, be sure that your customers
know that you are available both evenings and
weekends, if need be. They need to know that
you are always there for them.
• Prepare a flyer or brochure that you can hand out
at community events and school functions.
• Develop and use a database, which is very impor-
tant for home-based workers. Insert all the cus-
tomer information you can.
• You’ll need a desktop publishing program to
create mailers and newsletters. Direct mail is an
effective promotional method for home-based
business owners.
• You’ll need two phone lines so you can make and
receive calls while on-line (think about getting
Internet on cable), and you’ll also require voice mail.
Make the Most of an On-line
Shopping Cart
Now, let’s turn our attention to on-line shopping.
You are likely familiar with those virtual shopping
carts that most of the Internet stores feature—the
ones you fill up and then dump out before punch-
ing in your credit card number. If you’re like most
on-line shoppers, you likely empty your cart at the
checkout counter more often than not because the
shipping charges were impossible to digest! On-line
shopping, it has been proven, needs to be as close
to real life shopping as possible. Store windows
(home pages on the web) must be as inviting as any
physical storefront in the mall. They must entice
the viewer into wanting to explore the exciting trea-
sures inside. The trouble is, many shoppers don’t
go through with their on-line purchases. Basically,
they ditch their cyberspace-shopping cart before
they reach the checkout counter. The reason that
most people don’t go through with their purchase
is the high cost of shipping and handling. If you
were a cabinetmaker, you could sell your goods over
the Net, but would the price of shipping be worth
it? Yes, if you were a giant corporation. The answer,
however, might be “no,” if you are on your own. The
shipping costs alone could turn off potential buyers.
If you yourself were hand-delivering your products,
shipping costs wouldn’t be a major obstacle. But
let’s say you make garden art. Garden art isn’t always
made of wrought iron, which is heavy to ship. You
might be terrific at designing garden plaques made
of lightweight wood—products that are relatively
inexpensive to ship. Shipping charges then won’t
necessarily turn off the potential buyer.
Studies show that well over half of all on-line
shopping carts are discarded before the sale is
complete. That spells bad news for on-line retail-
ers (“e-tailers”). Basically, on-line shoppers want
low shipping charges and a shopping cart that is
easy enough for the average person to maneuver.
Transaction speed is a big factor as well. If the order-
ing process is too lengthy and loaded with questions,
then the customer will abandon their cart.
Many firms that specialize in e-commerce software
do exist, but you have to think about what kind of pack-
age you want. Most on-line merchants want a package
that builds the cart and on-line store too. At the same
time, it needs to handle credit card transactions. One-
stop or one-click express shopping is easiest for the on-
line shopper, and you can order e-commerce packages
that include the shipping charges right in the initial
price of the item. That way, the consumer can know
the total price right away, without having to endure a
nasty surprise. On-line retailer Amazon patented its
one-click shopping feature, which lets repeat custom-
ers buy a product with just one click of the mouse.
Credit card and shipping information is taken from
Amazon’ s database of stored information. In 1999,
Amazon sued Barnesandnoble.com for using a very
similar system. That’s not to say that companies that
deal in e-commerce software aren’t selling the one-
click shopping cart systems. Systems are available in
all price ranges with all kinds of features. Here are few
companies that specialize in e-commerce packages:
www.webmastercart.com www.mal’s-e.com
www.shopfactory.com www.vcart.com
www.ecommercesolutions.net www.salescart.com
www.paypal.com www.intheq.com
www.valueweb.net www.make-a-store.com
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Make Sure You Get Paid!
What a great world it would be if everyone paid us
on time via certified check! But, could you imag-
ine certifying a check each and every time you
made a purchase? The flow of goods would surely
cease if we had to live like that. Today’s custom-
ers like a variety of payment options. Becoming
a vendor merchant, therefore, is something you
ought to consider. It isn’t such a difficult endeavor.
Become a Vendor Merchant
Depending on your operation as well as its scope,
you may need to be able to accept Visa, MasterCard,
and/or American Express from your customers. One
day, you have no choice but to offer these forms of
payment. American Express is now very popular in
the United States, so you’ll want to be able to accept
this card. First, think about which credit card com-
panies you would like to deal with. Visa alone works
with 30,000 banks, so you will have lots of choice (in
Visa’s case, it is the bank that issues the card; not the
Visa Corporation itself). MasterCard, Amex, and
Diner’s Club are also popular credit cards. To ap-
proach the bank that offers that credit card, you’d
be wise to phone the bank of your choice ahead of
time to set up an appointment with a representative
of Merchant Services. You’ll have to establish a busi-
ness checking account and present your business
plan to the bank. Your business plan must show the
bank what you are selling, your anticipated annual
sales figures, whether your business is brand new
or an Internet venture from an existing business
(you may already have a bricks and mortar store),
and your projected average ticket size. The rate
your bank will charge you is processed after your
average ticket size has been anticipated. If you sell
porcelain dolls, for example, you might assume that
the “China” doll would be the hottest seller. The
China doll sells for $500 each, so your average ticket
size would be $500. Depending on your ticket size
and other variables, the bank will then quote you a
processing rate (you’ll also be asked to speculate on
how many orders will be paid by Visa, MasterCard,
etc.). You’ll have to specify your one-year, three-
year, and five-year goals. We’ll focus on a business
plan more specifically in an upcoming issue of The
Highlander Club.
Accepting credit card payments for a nomi-
nal fee is a small price to pay for peace of mind.
Normally, you can expect to pay approximately
1.75% to 3% of each credit card payment you ac-
cept. You must also prove to the bank that you
have the technical capability to process the pay-
ments (cyber cash, if your business entails selling
over the Net). The bank can set you up with any
number of companies that specialize in setting up
credit card payment systems. Bear in mind that
different banks have different interest rates and
charges, so shopping around will prove helpful.
Conserve your Money with Credit
Cards and the Barter System
Hanging on to your cash is not easily done, but one
way to avoid a huge cash layout is to use the barter
system. Can you trade your product or service for an-
other? If you are in the business of selling fruit, could
you trade a few baskets for some promotional work
or other service? Many web sites deal with barter ex-
changes, and swapping can save you a lot of money.
Another way to save money is to use a credit card,
but in a very disciplined manner. You can float your mon-
ey by purchasing on credit and paying the balance
in full when due. Your cash flow will be smoother,
and you can also rack up “points” in the meantime.
On-The-Job Training Provided
Have you ever noticed that you can’t find a plumber,
electrician, carpenter, or other type of tradesper-
son when you need one the most? If you have the
knack to learn a good paying trade, call the U.S.
Department of Training, Bureau of Apprenticeship
& Training, Washington at (202) 724-7246. Request
their free books on subjects ranging from careers
in apprenticeship, to apprenticeship programs,
planned training, and needing a job.
Location, Location, Location!
Economics deals with the simple laws of supply and
demand. People will pay market value, which is
determined by what someone will pay for a certain
6
product at a certain time in a particular location. Even
if you offer a service, as opposed to a product, your
trade is also linked to the laws of supply and de-
mand. It doesn’t matter whether you are a giant cor-
poration or a one-person show. If you build canoes,
wouldn’t it be best to set up shop in cottage country
as opposed to somewhere in suburbia? Let’s look at
another scenario. Mr. and Mrs. Spotless open up a
dry cleaning store in the neighborhood in which
they live. Slowly but surely, they build their business
to the point where they are making a tidy sum of
money. So, they decide, that since they now have
expertise, they will open up a second dry cleaning
store 30 minutes away. Well, unfortunately, even with
direct mail advertising and cut-rate deals, they don’t
get much customer action. After a few weeks, they
realize the problem. Here’s what it is: Their store
was off the main drag, so people going to and from
work had to literally go out of their way to get there.
Mr. and Mrs. Spotless should have realized what
segment of the market they were trying to capture.
They were hoping to service working people driving
back and forth. These working people are also busy
people with busy lives, so convenience is the name of
their game. Mr. and Mrs. Spotless should also have
realized that their new location, invisible from the
main street, was not a “neighborhood attraction.”
There were no other decent services around, such
as a convenience store, post office, or gas station,
so one-stop shopping—which is what busy people
prefer nowadays—was non-existent.
When you set up shop from your own home, you
want your location to be in sync with the target mar-
ket. If you were a piano teacher, would you want live
in a sparsely populated rural area where the instru-
ment of choice is a fiddle? Of course not! Thus, you
can’t always take what you are good at and market
those skills locally, from your home. Perhaps you live
on a main street that people can easily swing by to
drop off their pets. If that’s the case, you can keep
the dogs all day, if your living situation permits it, of
course. Here, you’d be using your location to your
advantage. If you were selling toys over the Internet,
well, that’s a different story. The world is your cus-
tomer. But, are you going to travel half way across
the continent to give a piano lesson?
Pardon Me?
Whenever you speak to someone, you are actually
marketing yourself. Since you won’t have a second
chance to make a good impression, you need to
sound professional right from the onset. Although
we all strive to sound professional at the workplace,
we especially need professionalism in our voice when
we are self-employed. An effective speaking voice
is one in which a listener doesn’t have to strain to
hear. You shouldn’t have to waste your valuable time
repeating yourself. A good, clear voice comes in
handy. After all, the average person speaks about
5000 words per day or 2 1⁄2 words per second. That
works out to 150 words per minute. With all that
yapping going on, we don’t want to have to repeat
ourselves constantly because we weren’t understood
the first time.
Match Your Speed to the Person at the Other End
Here is one trick that works extremely well when
“cold-calling.” If the person who answers the phone
sounds as though they are in a hurry, then quicken
the pace of your speech. If the person speaks slowly
and talks in a very relaxed fashion, then match your
speed to theirs. By matching your pacing to the speed
of the person at the other end, your call will be more
readily accepted right off the bat.
Don’t Be Shy—Tape Yourself
If you have access to a tape recorder, plug it in and
start speaking in your normal telephone voice.
Play the tape back, and, while it’s playing, ask
yourself the following questions:
1. Is there any characteristic in my voice that would
strike me as irritating if I heard it in someone
else?
2. Does it sound like I’m whining when I’m not?
3. Do I sound as though I’m complaining when I’m
merely trying to state a fact?
4. Do I sound poised and full of confidence or do I
sound combative or unfriendly?
5. Does my voice sound pleasant overall?
6. Does my voice really portray (in both thought
and feeling) what I wanted to communicate?
7. Were the changes in pitch, loudness, and quality
in accordance with the contents of what I am talk-
ing about?
8. Does my voice suit the words I am saying? If you
7
have a husky, gruff-type voice, maybe it’s best not
to try to sell Tupperware or baby products over
the phone.
9. Does my voice give the perception that I really
have a nice personality?
The Small Business
Administration Can Help
Since 1953, Uncle Sam has been assisting small busi-
ness owners in building and expanding their busi-
nesses. Why? Because Small Business gives a major
shot in the arm to U.S. economic growth. For one
thing, it plays a central role in U.S. technological
development. During the 1990s, small business led
to the creation of more than 5.5 million new jobs in
this country.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
is a federal agency that provides contracts, loans,
advice, and more to small businesses nationwide. It
is dedicated to helping both current and aspiring
entrepreneurs. Willing to assist you with most facets
of small business ownership, the SBA generally guar-
antees loans based upon the SBA Loan Guaranty
program (through which banks lend the money, but
the SBA will repay up to 90% of the loan loss should
you default). In some cases, loan guarantees come
from private lenders. The SBA only lends money
to those who are unable to obtain financing from
other lenders.
For more information, call the SBA National
Answer Desk Main Number (800) 827-5722 (1-800
U ASK SBA) or TDD 704-344-6640, or visit the SBA’s
web site at www.sba.gov/onestop/index/html.
Now, here’s an example of how the SBA can help
your business: Let’s assume that you have found a
business you wish to purchase. You proceed to your
local bank for an acquisition loan, and you’re told
that your covenant is not strong enough. If you qual-
ify, however, the SBA will guarantee the bank loan.
Bankers love this, because an SBA guarantee is basi-
cally a guarantee of the United States Government.
You’ll find your local SBA office in the blue pages of
your phone book (plus, we’ll provide a list of phone
numbers at the end of this article). The key to an
SBA guarantee is a professionally prepared appli-
cation for a guarantee on a loan to buy a business
that employs Americans and serves as a service to
the economy (the buying and selling of goods or
services). In addition, the SBA manages the State-
run Small Business Development Center Program
(SBDC), which provides management and technical
support to aspiring and established small business
owners who don’t have scads of money.
Below is a list of SBDC and SBA District Offices.
Numbers to Economic Development State Offices/
Commerce Department (under the heading of
Main) have also been listed. These Departments
provide information on small business execution
and local phone numbers. n

State Main Number SBDC Office SBA District Office In addition to the
Alabama (334) 242-0400 ...................... (205) 934-6760 ..............................(205) 731-1344 SBA, here are three
Alaska (907) 465-2500 ...................... (907) 274-7232 ..............................(907) 271-4022
Arizona (800) 264-3377 ...................... (480) 731-8720 ..............................(602) 745-7200
other organizations
Arkansas (501) 682-1121 ...................... (501) 324-9043 ..............................(501) 324-5871 that can help:
California (916) 322-1394 ...................... (916) 324-5068 ..............................(415) 744-2118
Colorado (303) 892-3840 ...................... (303) 333-7798 ..............................(303) 844-3984 Small Office Home
Connecticut (860) 270-8000 ...................... (860) 486-4135 ..............................(860) 240-4700
Delaware (302) 739-4271 ...................... (302) 571-1555 ..............................(302) 573-6294 Office America
Dis of Columbia (202) 727-6365 ...................... (202) 806-1550 ..............................(202) 606-4000 Hurst, Texas
Florida (407) 316-4600 ...................... (904) 443-1900 ..............................(305) 536-5521 Fax: 800-841-4445
Georgia (404) 656-3573 ...................... (706) 542-6762 ..............................(404) 331-0100
www.soho.org
Hawaii (808) 521-3611 ...................... (808) 974-7515 ..............................(808) 541-2990
Idaho (208) 334-2470 ...................... (208) 426-1839 ..............................(208) 334-1696
Illinois (217) 524-5856 ...................... (800) 252-2923 ..............................(217) 492-4416 Home Office
Indiana (317) 233-0800 ...................... (317) 264-2820 ..............................(317) 226-7272 Association of
Iowa (515) 242-4700 ...................... (515) 292-6351 ..............................(319) 362-6405
Kansas (785) 296-5298 ...................... (316) 978-3193 ..............................(316) 269-6273
America
Kentucky (502) 564-7140 ...................... (606) 257-7668 ..............................(502) 582-5971 New York City
Louisiana (225) 342-6711 ...................... (225) 922-0998 ..............................(504) 589-6685 Ph: 800-809-4622
Maine (207) 287-2656 ...................... (207) 780-4420 ..............................(207) 622-8378 www.hoaa.com
Maryland (410) 767-6300 ...................... (301) 403-8300 ..............................(800) 457-7732
Massachusetts (617) 727-8380 ...................... (413) 737-6712 ..............................(617) 565-5590
Michigan (517) 373-9808 ...................... (313) 964-1798 ..............................(313) 226-6075 FHA stands for
Minnesota (651) 297-1291 ...................... (612) 297-5770 ..............................(612) 370-2324 Farmers Home
Mississippi (601) 359-3449 ...................... (800) 269-2678 ..............................(601) 965-4378
Administration.
Missouri (573) 751-4962 ...................... (573) 882-0344 ..............................(314) 539-6600
Montana (406) 444-4780 ...................... (406) 444-4780 ..............................(406) 441-1081 Originally set up to
Nebraska (402) 471-3747 ...................... (402) 554-2521 ..............................(402) 221-4691 loan against agricul-
Nevada (702) 641-5822 ...................... (702) 734-7575 ..............................(702) 388-6611 tural related busi-
New Hampshire (603) 271-2391 ...................... (603) 862-2200 ..............................(603) 225-1400
New Jersey (609) 292-2444 ...................... (973) 353-5950 ..............................(800) 827-5722
ness, the FHA now
New Mexico (505) 827-0300 ...................... (505) 272-7980 ..............................(505) 346-6756 makes other loans
New York (518) 283-1010 ...................... (518) 443-5398 ..............................(212) 264-4355 as well. You can find
North Carolina (919) 733-4960 ...................... (919) 715-7272 ..............................(704) 344-6563 them listed in the
North Dakota (701) 328-5300 ...................... (701) 777-3700 ..............................(701) 239-5131
Ohio (614) 466-2317 ...................... (614) 466-2711 ..............................(513) 684-2814 blue pages. The
Oklahoma (405) 297-8937 ...................... (405) 232-1968 ..............................(405) 231-5521 agency works much
Oregon (503) 986-0123 ...................... (541) 726-2250 ..............................(503) 326-2682 like the SBA.
Pennsylvania (717) 783-8950 ...................... (215) 898-1219 ..............................(215) 580-2722
Rhode Island (401) 222-2601 ...................... (401) 232-6111 ..............................(401) 528-4561
South Carolina (843) 724-3796 ...................... (803) 777-4907 ..............................(803) 765-5376
South Dakota (605) 773-5032 ...................... (605) 665-4408 ..............................(605) 330-4231
Tennessee (615) 862-4700 ...................... (901) 678-2500 ..............................(615) 736-5881
Texas (512) 936-0100 ...................... (713) 752-8400 ..............................(713) 773-6500
Utah (801) 538-8700 ...................... (801) 957-5200 ..............................(801) 524-3209
Vermont (802) 828-5243 ...................... (802) 728-9101 ..............................(802) 828-4422
Virginia (804) 371-8253 ...................... (804) 371-8253 ..............................(804) 771-2400
Washington (202) 606-4000 ...................... (425) 774-2277 ..............................(206) 553-7310
West Virginia (304) 558-2960 ...................... (304) 558-2960 ..............................(304) 347-5220
Wisconsin (608) 266-1018 ...................... (608) 263-7794 ..............................(608) 264-5261
Wyoming (307) 638-6000 ...................... (307) 766-3505 ..............................(307) 261-6500
(numbers are subject to change)