Happy holidays and best wishes for personal freedom.

Further issues are on the way, on subjects like effective web strategy, balanced work, green marketing and more.

Today I got my first check from Google Adsense. Early next year, I will be able to get monthly income from simply writing about the things I love.

For me, the check is like a holiday greeting, a sign of the shape of things to come, the end of one journey and the start of another.

It all started one day, several years ago, when my last boss greeted us for the new year. All thirty employees of our little startup were gathering together in the main company hall. The boss was joking, telling us all - "I am the employer, you are the slaves".

Sometimes truth is the best joke. And indeed I realized the truth inside his words. After careful planning, I quit my job. I've become and independent contractor, working for one project at a time, seeking the lost freedom and the higher fees possible.

On one hand, the situation was much better then before. My computer, software, and training expenses become deductible. My fees were indeed higher. I've learned lots of new skills. And my work was more flexible.

On the other hand, the situation become worse. Fewer companies needed consulting, and those companies were farther away, located in the main city. I had to invest more time doing accounting, and I had less time for the family.

What I really wanted was to work from home, free myself from the long daily travel to work. But working from home for one project at a time won't make me really independent. I would still depend on the same employer. What I really need is to diversify my income sources.

I've noticed, that I have a lot of knowledge to share. A lot of conclusions from my work as an independent consultant were only used by me, or by my client. So I have decided to create a web site, to share this knowledge with you.

On my spare time, I have started to practice Internet marketing, then building an Israeli website which defined a new trend - 'natural lifestyle'. The site included photos, songs, articles, forums and recipes, with subjects from raw food, ecological building, voluntary simplicity and the Torah. People got updates each time the site was changed.

Even though I've built it on my spare time with few resources, the site was a big success. For the few hours I've invested each month, the site got a stable traffic of very motivated visitors, around 800 per day, each visiting around 6 page per visit. About five people per day phoned us and lots more used the resources on the site. They loved the site! I learned: today it's fun and easy to use the web to create your own trend. I wanted to expend it to help other people and communities.

Few things bothered me, though. For one, the scope of the site was huge. For two: I had no automatic mechanisms to deal with success. The site was essentially defeated by it's own success. I stopped updating it and started to search automatic tools to handle the technical issues for me.

To make the site go high, I realized, good foundations are needed. That's how I started my search for effective web tools. I looked at content management strategies, web marketing tools, search engine positioning tools, link exchange tools, site building tools, and more.

Most tools were focused on the professional web master - their integration was too complex for the average person. There was so little time - and so much to learn. And how could I possible experience them all?

I asked: Is there an integrated mechanism which is simple to operate for the non-technical man, yet powerful enough?

There were lots of building mechanisms around, but most mechanisms were only helpful at the site building phase.

Then, I've found out about Site-Build-It, I knew it's going to make my web presence a much simpler. I could simply focus on writing content and building my business, and leave the technical tasks behind. This will allow me to finally produce results, without constantly chasing technology. Later, I was proved correct. Large percentage of Site Build-it sites do produce results and compete with much larger sites successfully.

Lot of words have been written on how to build an effective web business today. But the actual action wins the day. Other people will tell you how they did it. But to really succeed, you will have to learn what work. To learn what work, you will have to take action, to create your own unique model. Learn from others - but dare to be original! This way your success is much bigger. Remember - the most important aspect of success is persistence.

To create a really succeed, you will have to create your own trend. Today, with the help of the Internet, it is much easier then before. Still, you will have to separate the hype from the facts and use effective Internet tools.

Hitech-dolphin is built with Site-Build-It. It has saved me a tremendous amount of time, and allowed me to focus on the really important things. I now realize - in a hitech world, freedom depends on creating your own trend, using your own words to reach the world, sharing your experience.

How to build an effective website strategy? Details will come in one of the next issues. For the meanwhile, start thinking on which trend do you want to create.

If you are serious about building your own website, here are important tips and advice:

Google Adsense Tips
Learn more about the new revolution which allows you to focus on writing good content, and let the profits take care for themselves.

Top-ranking sites produced by individuals
With the help of Site-Build-it, people like you and me are actually producing sites which are winning top places. Here are the statistics.

Effective Consulting
My tips on how to profit from what You Already Know.

The service sellers masters course
Take this course and learn how to effectively use the web to build your client base.

Are you too booked to accept new clients?
If you sell a service, or plan on starting your own service business, here are tips on what to do.

How to build *your* site to work
Do you think about starting a new small-small business? Do you have an existing one? You need a web site that works. Here are the tips you need.

Get two sites for the price of one
Holiday smile: If you decide until January 5, this is a great one time opportunity you will want to check.

Consulting academy
Great tips on effective consulting.

Read and enjoy ...
    Act and experience ...
        Breath and feel ...
            Persist and succeed!

Blessings of Joy,

Amnon Levav
e-Collaboration Architect
www.hitech-dolphin.com - inspirational life in a hitech world