Entries tagged " entrepreneur "
Stuck in the same old routine and dying to break out? Hold on there slugger. You might want to rethink your strategy.
Many of the worlds top entrepreneurs use daily routines to keep on track and make sure you continue to make progress. The idea is so simple but it is difficult to get settled into a new routine.
Let's look at an example. 2009 is right around the corner and when that comes a whole list of new year resolutions will be right behind it. A good chunk of those resolutions will be involved with getting in shape, losing weight, etc.
It happens every year without fail. Jan 2nd I'll see a whole new group of people in the gym every morning. Two weeks later about 75% of those new people are still showing up. Another two weeks later were down to about 25% of them left. After six weeks I'd guess that around 10% of those people are still at it. It's those 10% that will continue on and likely meet their goals.
Why? Because they got "set" in their routine. The first 6 weeks are the hardest but after that it's so routine that it's done without thinking about it. As a result you hit your goal of getting in shape.
Running your business or managing your tasks is no different. Try to give yourself a routine to follow and watch your productivity rise.
Set aside a time to do your writing, handle your email, take and make phone calls, work on your marketing, write your code, whatever.
This is an example of of a routine for "How To Write Better Copy, Faster!" from the The Gary Halbert Letter website. Perfect example for setting a routine for your tasks to get better results in less time.
I'd be lying if I said I was on a daily routine like this... But it is on my resolution list for next year :)
The internet is full of so many sources of quality information. One of my favorite sources are blogs. One of my favorite blogs is Mark Cubans - Blog Maverick. The man has a true passion for business and the entrepreneurial "spirit" and his writing screams that at you.. but in a subtle way (if that makes any sense).
Yesterday he wrote an awesome post about the state of our economy and how to "cure" it. Here is a small snippet from the article.
"The cure for what ails is us the Entrepreneurial Spirit of this country. We are a nation of people who encourage , support and invest in those of any and all age, race and gender who will use their ingenuity and come up with a new idea.
Its always the new idea that re energizes this country. Industry, manufacturing, transportation, technology, digital communications, etc, each changed how we lived and ignited our economy and standard of living. Tax policy has never done that. The American People have."
It's no secret that Mark is known to speak with his heart on sleeve. He's a truly passionate person and he's not afraid to let you know exactly what he's thinking. Like him or not, you can't argue with his results.
His post is not only motivating and inspiring, but it's also an eye opener. He's right! NOW is the time to start planning and executing your dreams of being you're own boss. Having your own business. Calling your own shots. You get the idea.
There are several ways to get started in your own business. Leverage the internet to get started. The costs are low and the rewards are high! Check out Mom and Pop Money (shameless plug) for an idea of how to get started. There are countless other ideas that can earn you a ton of cash if you think outside the box, plan, and execute.
Thanks again Mark. Your post has inspired a lot of people and you have done more for your readership than I think you realize.
Technorati Tags: business, economy, entrepreneur, mark cuban, taxes
The wife and I decided to spend the weekend in Pismo Beach this Memorial Day weekend. I've been super busy with work lately and I really needed this break! That has also been the reason I haven't been posting as much as I would like.
Even though I am out of town, I still will spend an hour or so each day working. That's the great thing about running businesses that operates online. You can work from basically anywhere. With a laptop and an internet connection, you're office is wherever you are. Right now I am writing this from my hotel room. We are preparing to go explore the shore and sand dunes on the coast that Pismo Beach is famous for.
The internet has completely changed the landscape for entrepreneurs. While I still need to show up to the office most days it's totally fine if I want to escape for a few days and take a breather. Since my businesses are all run online, they continue whether I am there or not. As long as I can make sure things are still operating fine, then things continue to run and I continue to make money. Even while riding dune buggies along the awesome California coast line ;)
That's what being you're own boss is all about!
Technorati Tags: being your own boss, business, entrepreneur, independence, internet
Everyone knows that networking is a huge part of success in business. With the right contacts, practically anyone can seem like a superstar businessman. In reality, they just have a deep rolodex. The ability to network is a skill that everyone has to be able to get the hang of (if you want to be in business online).
Not everyone has the money to attend those expensive seminars that are held all around the country, many times per year. It might not be a financial setback either. A lot of people, especially "noob's", lack the confidence to get any real networking done at those events. Confidence in ones self, and their knowledge of their particular industry, speaks volumes.
So if you can't make it to the next big conference what are your options? Believe it or not, you can do a lot of networking online. Sure, we all know of the big social networks like MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn but there are much more specific methods of networking online.
Specifically in the internet marketing industry, here are a few spots that you may not know about but are absolute gold mines.
Warrior Forum - Most big internet marketers hang out on Warrior Forum. Aside from that, there is tons and tons of information in the posts. The community is geared towards newbies and you are free to ask any question you like.
Digital Point Forums - Like the Warrior Forum above this is an excellent resource. The community here is more geared towards marketers and internet entrepreneurs with a little more experience under their belt. That's not to say that newbies aren't welcome there, but the "hand holding" will be kept to a minimum here.
Both of the forums above are the perfect place to meet people who are successful in the internet marketing business. Best part, they are completely free to join! It's not hard to spot the veterans from the rookies at these places, so why not send some of these people a message and try to get to know them.
If you decide to send them a message you have to keep in mind that they probably receive several messages per day from people like you. Make sure you send a message that will catch, and hold, their attention. Be bold, unique and a little witty (if possible heh). There have been many successful partnerships formed over forums like these so don't knock it until you try it!
Technorati Tags: business, entrepreneur, forums, internet marketing, networking, social network
For the longest time I was afraid to jump into business. I thought that there was a "formula" that I hadn't learned yet or some techniques I needed to brush up on. I always second guessed myself due to my lack of a formal, college, education (I'm sure you can tell that from my horrible grammar).
While I am still wet behind the ears when it comes to running a business, or multiple businesses, successfully I have learned quite a lot in the last 6 months while actually building and running multiple businesses. It got me thinking tonight, what is the makeup of an entrepreneur? What is it that motivates people to take huge risks while chasing their dreams?
What have I learned?
The most important thing I learned, and I suppose I always knew, was that "Fortune favors the bold." Sure you need a little savvy to you and you should be able to talk, and understand, shop (business lingo, etc.) but the real secret is being bold. Get out there and do it!
The "formula" that I have learned is that building relationships is key. How deep your contact list is can define how successful you will become. Aside from being bold, this is absolutely the most important aspect of business. I am not just talking the gazillionaire angel investor, but all relationships are very important. Down to the people you buy your hardware from or the company you pay to clean your office. A solid foundation is built on strong relationships. Seminars and "meetups" have a whole new meaning to me now. (Quick note: I'll be attending the TechCrunch meetup on April 10th in Hollywood if any local folk want to come meet and say hello! update: I wrote this post earlier in the week and didn't get around to posting it. I was at the meet up last night and met a lot of cool people!)
While the two items above seem obvious, I never truly "understood" them until recently. I have a whole new appreciation for them. There are other aspects I have learned, or am starting to learn, as well but none are as important as those two.
So what makes up an entrepreneur?
Here are some qualities that I think all serial entrepreneurs have:
Boldness - I really can't stress this enough. Don't let your fears or insecurities get in your way. Jump into the game or go home. Period!
Networking Ability - Except for the lucky few of us, we all have trouble striking up conversation with random people at events. It is important how ever to branch out a bit and start meeting people. Like I said above, building relationships is key to virtually any new business!
Patience - All good things come to those who wait...
Impatience - But come on.. we can't be waiting around all day! Find the right balance and decide based on the situation when you have waited long enough.
Management - Of people, projects, time and todo's. Something I am still adjusting to is being someone's boss and, at least partly, responsible for their livelihood. You have to learn to manage a lot of different tasks when you are running a business.
Confidence - Be strong, confident and even a bit cocky. You may come off as a little arrogant but you will be respected for it. You will be required to make decisions and quickly, so be sure of yourself. If you don't believe in yourself, then no one else will!
Determination / Motivation - Find whatever it is that motivates you and use that to push you to that next level. Fortune, Fame, Recognition, "I told you so's", etc. Whatever it is that is fueling your desire, use it to your advantage.
Well there you have it. My list of qualities that I seem to notice in all the serial entrepreneurs I know. While I am on my way to becoming a serial entrepreneur myself, I don't consider myself there just yet. But hey, I just got started.. Give me another 12 months ;)
Technorati Tags: bold, business, entrepreneur, gut check, guts
Word on the street is that I have been slacking off and that is why I haven't been posting much on my blog lately. I wish that was the case but the truth is I have been super busy with work. My partner and I are launching our new company/service this weekend at a seminar here in Los Angeles this weekend. I will announce it next week to the world via this blog, of course!
Launching 2 companies in 4 months is not an easy task. It's been a lot of work and a lot of slow progress but we are very positive it will all pay off, and soon!
As you can imagine it is serious crunch time right now. Days away from the launch of our new service and still putting the finishing touches on small design changes, etc. Oh, and the mixup with our servers hasn't helped either. We were shipped the wrong servers, built to the wrong specs, and have been running ourselves ragged trying to resolve this and get these machines provisioned in time.
Anyways, hang in there. I will post more frequently soon enough. I need to get past this weekend and take a few days to decompress... Wish me luck!
Technorati Tags: marketing, business, tired, entrepreneur, internet
