Enterpeneuralism | Enterpeneur businessess

Entrepreneurship As Your Passion

2009-10-18T22:06:00.000-07:00

Entrepreneurship has been my passion for as long as I can commit to memory to learning how to type, and that started in 5th grade! Strangely enough, I wasn't raised around lots of business owners growing up in New Jersey nor surrounded by many business-minded individuals.

Initially, my passion was expressed through the notion that extra money can be made while working a corporate job. There are several reasons why people become entrepreneurs: to be able to save up for their children's college education, pay off bills, buy a house, to have the flexibility of setting their own hours, and more importantly to become the boss of their destiny.

Entrepreneurship as your passion truly opens doors to numerous areas of interests. In my mind, being an entrepreneur is like flying a plane without a destination; meaning, it's endless in terms of what you accomplish, how successful you become, and what truly makes you blissful on a day-to-day basis.

Whether your passion is crocheting sweaters, selling ice cream from a truck to running a corporation, it's all about feeling great at what you're doing and reaching your personal success. Your passion is something that you feel comfortable, secure and knowledgeable with and it's the excitement that keeps you working a 50-hour workweek with a smile on your face. It's the fulfillment of dodging all the office drama that comes with working the traditional 9 to 5.

If you've had thoughts of becoming your own boss, but nervous with taking steps towards entrepreneurship, research your passion first by logging on the Internet or go directly to your local library or Barnes & Noble. Don't quit your day job just yet; however, never allow the unknown to intimidate your dreams. Hire a coach to guide you through the process. It's worth your time, money and energy.

5 Strengths of a Good Home Business Leader

2009-03-31T03:12:00.001-07:00

You just recruited your first person into your work from home company. You're excited, she's excited and you both want to hit the streets running. Awesome! But, how do you know if you're a good leader or not?
There are 5 strengths every good leader possesses. If you don't have these strengths I strongly suggest you learn them. Yes, leadership can be learned. You don't have to be a natural born leader to be a good leader. As a matter of fact, I know some natural born leaders who aren't good leaders at all. (That brings up the question of whether or not they are really leaders then. We will leave that for another discussion however.) I know, I know, get on to the 5 strengths already. Okay, here they are and you need them to be a good IPC Program leader.
A Good Leader is a Leader I've heard the saying: "If you're leading but no one is following, you are just taking a walk." That is so true. Have you ever seen someone who is in a leadership position but no one is following them? I'm willing to bet you have.
Even some of the best leaders are not natural born. They've had to learn certain skills and what it takes to be a leader. You can do the same. When you lead people in the IPC Program, you are actually teaching them, standing by their side and serving them. Yes, I said serving them. They will grow because of your example. This work from home business is all about team work.
It's like teaching your kids. You can't teach your son to do the dishes if you don't ever do them. You need to stand with him the first few times and do the dishes with him. Then when he is ready to do it by himself, the dishes will be all nice and clean, rinsed, dried and put away properly.
The same applies when you are in a leadership position in direct sales. Show your recruits how to do it and then do it with them. Next, help them when they first step out on their own. Yes, it takes time and energy, but there is no place better to invest your time and energy than in helping someone else. Trust me. It will come back to your ten fold. Your work from home business will excel beyond your wildest dreams if you take this approach.
A Good Leader is a Good Listener A good leader isn't one who thinks they know everything or who acts like she doesn't have time to hear what her recruits or clients have to say. A good leader is one team members can go to when they need help with something or assistance in fixing a problem. With the IPC Program and any work from home business for that matter, learning is part of the game. If you quit learning you quit earning.
A good leader also knows what to listen to and what not to listen to. As a leader of the IPC Program, you should not encourage gossip or negative talk about another person. You don't have the time or energy to listen to someone who is a constant whiner and complainer. You'll need some discernment and will also need to know how to politely turn away from this type of talk.
A Good Leader is Available A good work from home leader will make time for their recruits and clients. Some leaders have a set schedule for seeing recruits, but they also know emergencies arise and don't get disgruntled when they do.
Set your own schedule, but be aware that your recruits will need you at times other than those you specifically set every once in awhile. Open your door and help them when they need it most.
A Good Leader is Organized and Knows How to Prioritize This is not only true in a work from home business, but it is also true in a leader's personal life. You'll need to realize your family is most important and how to balance family and business. If you do not know how to organize and prioritize your business and personal life, don't worry. There are tons of materials out there that can help you with this part. Look on the Internet or in your local bookstore for starters.
A Good Leader Doesn't Let Obstacles Stand in the Way of Goals In other words, you'll need to know how to overcome obstacles or work around them. Also, don't let negative people stand in your way. You should know how to block the negative and absorb the positive. Believe me, when you are in a work from home leadership position, you will hear it all. Some of which you don't want to hear, but have to just because you're the leader. Filter out the bad and keep the good. Don't let these obstacles stop you from reaching your goals.

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Business Marketing - The Power of Questions?

2009-03-26T06:24:00.000-07:00

"Who we are and what we will become is determined by the questions that animate us, and by those we refuse to ask."
-- Sam Keen
Questions have the power to direct our thoughts and reveal interesting answers.
One day I asked myself a random question and was surprised at the answer I got.
I asked myself, what is my least favorite smell?
The answer I got was:
The smell of peanut butter being washed off of a knife in the kitchen sink. It reminds me of the smell of a dead hamster.
When I was a kid my pet hamster Rosie died and it was my job to bury her. Well, I kind of procrastinated and the rich pungent smell of her decaying body was my reward for procrastinating.
I then asked myself another question, what is my second least favorite smell?
The answer I got was:
The smell of a dead hamster. It reminds me of the smell of peanut butter being washed off of a knife in the kitchen sink.
That's an example of using questions to entertain yourself on a slow day.
You can also use questions to empower yourself and others. You can use questions to help set new goals and enhance your understanding of a situation.
We are actually asking ourselves questions all the time.
There are question we ask ourselves, there are questions we are afraid to ask, and there are questions we need to ask. But out habit or ignorance or whatever, those questions never get asked. I'm talking about questions that can lead to answers, that can motivate actions, that can improve the quality of your life and the lives of those around you.
Questions such as:
=> Where do I want to be a year from now (personally and professionally)?
=> What can I do this week to get me closer to that goal/dream?
=> What can I do before I go to sleep tonight to get me one step closer to that goal/dream?
=> Do I spend more time working IN my business or ON my business?
=> How much time do I spend marketing my business?
=> What can I do to increase the conversion rate of my website?
=> Do I know who my ideal customer is?
=> How can I find the good in this situation?
=> Do I know how to create sales copy that will get my prospects and customers to take action?
=> Do I have a way to measure the impact of each dollar I spend on a marketing campaign?
=> Do I have a system for finding, keeping and growing new customers?
=> Do I know what my customers and prospects want the most?

Why Buy a Business in This Economy

2009-03-20T01:29:00.000-07:00

2008 is not going to be remembered as a banner year in the financial realm for most people. Many are opening up their year end investment reports or looking at the real estate values with dismay. I myself think how hard I worked to save and invest, only to have a large chunk of my investment portfolio vaporize. I thought I was on track for a happy and secure retirement, but now wonder how I will regain my net worth.
So what can be done to recoup the losses and get back on track financially? What investment typically provides both a high return and control? The answer is business ownership!
Investments are priced based upon their perceived level of risk and expected rate of return. This is why your FDIC insured passbook savings account pays you a sub-1% return. It's the most risk sheltered place to put your money.
As you ascend the perceived risk ladder, you'll find better expected rates for CDs, bonds, real estate and stocks. Business ownership is seen as the highest risk and therefore highest return investment commonly available. Rates of return for small businesses tend to range between 20% to 50%, simplistically stated that you expect your money back in two to five years. What better way to regain net worth than to get returns that are double to quintuple the average performance of your other investments!
So how do you live with this higher level of risk? First, find a business that you have the skill sets to maintain or improve. Don't be lured by high returns in businesses in which you have no expertise. Business earnings are not cast in concrete, but tend to be very connected to the quality of management. You're better to find an underperforming business which you can grow than to invest in a highly profitable endeavor in which you have no background.
Next, analyze what makes the target business work and identify the risk factors. All businesses have some risk, but make sure that there are no fatal flaws. Every question you ask should relate to likelihood of future income and the replicability of future income in your target business.
Remember the pet rock, a popular holiday gift of a number of years ago? That entrepreneur made a killing one season, but there was no demand for the product the next, thus no likelihood of future income. Replicability of income falls into the same category. Are the business earnings based upon the skill sets or personal connections of the current owner? A good business broker can advise you on ways to manage this risk.
One of the most appealing aspects of business ownership is your ability to control your investment. You are the captain at the helm of your ship. You are making the important decisions which determine how the business performs and are constantly on the alert for dangerous conditions. You do not have to wait until the next month to open an envelope and see how others handled your money. You also can't be laid off from your own business, giving you an added level of security not found in the job market. More good news is that many businesses are selling at lower prices, so much of the risk has already been removed and you're getting in at what is hopefully the bottom of the market.
For those who already own their own companies, the acquisition of an add-on business can be a fantastic way to see immediate growth in sales and profits with a small investment in relation to the benefits. It makes sense to find a business which can be effectively and profitably added to the existing endeavor. This is especially true if the business adds sales, new product lines, capacity, personnel or reduces expenses.
More good news exists with financing. Small business has always been one of the primary sources of growth in the American economy, so the government is committed to keeping the Small Business Administration (SBA) funded. SBA loans are government insured, so there is not a problem in finding investors for the loans as has plagued other lending markets.
Buyers are able to finance a business purchase and obtain working capital via the SBA for as little as 20% of the total costs. This is often less than the acquisition costs of the tangible assets! If you've heard that the SBA loan process is burdensome or time consuming, don't play into the rumor mill. A good business broker can connect you with the right lenders who will efficiently obtain your loan.
Sellers who do not have businesses which qualify for SBA loans are often acting as the bank and helping buyers to finance their business acquisitions. Do not, however, expect a seller to willingly turn over his precious business to you with no strings attached. You must prove that you are both creditworthy and have the ability to continue to run the business he has spent a lifetime building. Expect to have skin in the game, with a good down payment and even some outside collateral.
The bottom line is that it is an excellent time to pursue that dream you've always had of owning your own business. The returns and rewards can be great when you find the business that's right for you. You'll be controlling your financial future and getting returns not typically available in passive investments.

Why Should I Start My Own Business

2009-03-16T02:01:00.000-07:00

Maybe you want to start your own business for the most generic reasons like more money, more time, nice car, pretty clothes, and show to other people that you succeeded.
Or maybe it's more than that. Donating to charity, making a name for yourself, building an empire for the future generations whatever the case may be. What would you personally do if you had more time and a lot more money to do whatever you wanted and whenever you wanted? Write it out think about it, how does it sound? How would you feel if everything you ever wanted suddenly became your reality?
As you know there are always pros and cons of starting and owning a business. It is why most people won't even approach the idea. Most people are comfortable going to a job every day, having a set schedule, being told what to do and knowing exactly how much they will make. It's their comfort zone, how they were raised.
What is sad about that is, most of them will never live any differently for the rest of their lives because they are in the mindset that they don't deserve more then what they have and if they ever do want more they need to go to college and get a degree.
Other people are frightened about how they would start a business, what they would start, where the capital would come from, or if it would work out in the end or would they fail?
It is scary at first but if you get over the biggest hurdle of fear then you will be confident enough to follow through and ultimately succeed. Most business' fail and it's not because the business or idea's were bad but because the owner lacked knowledge and self confidence.
So don't let the little things get you down think about the bigger picture and what your life would be like, how your kids life would be,where would you go what would you do? Keep all things positive written down on a mental note and tucked away for all the hard times, let it drive you to succeed.

Entrepreneur Advice and Help

2009-03-13T06:39:00.000-07:00

Entrepreneurship forces "creative destruction" across markets and industries, simultaneously creating new products and business models. In this way, creative destruction is largely responsible for the dynamism of industries and long-run economic growth. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to the type of personality who is willing to take upon herself or himself a new venture or enterprise and accepts full responsibility for the outcome. In common understanding it is taken as describing a dynamic personality. Entrepreneurs are natural leaders and are usually the first to identify a problem to be overcome. If it is pointed out to them that their solution to a problem will not work for some valid reason, they will quickly identify an alternative problem-solving approach.
Entrepreneurs who utter this lie look at best naive. You think it's bravado, but venture capitalists think it's stupidity. Entrepreneurs progress by growing their businesses, usually by finding new customers or increasing the range of products and services they offer. Networking with other entrepreneurs can be a good way of discussing ideas and finding new opportunities. Entrepreneurship is the art of finding profitable solutions to problems. Every successful entrepreneur, every successful businessperson has been a person who has been able to identify a problem and come up with a solution to it before somebody else did.
Entrepreneur Media (EMI) has a history of stopping many types of businesses, that help entrepreneurs, from using the word entrepreneur. Attacks include magazines, PR companies, websites, computer games, University newsletters, domain owners . Entrepreneurs are essential drivers of innovation and progress. In the business world, they act as engines of growth, harnessing opportunity and innovation to fuel economic advancement. Entrepreneurship is often difficult and tricky, as many new ventures fail. The word entrepreneur is often synonymous with founder.
Success once "achieved" must be started all over again - for achieve is an action. Successful entrepreneurs seem to have a number of similar qualities. First, they know business, either from their own experience or through extensive research. Success has been achieved for our first initiative but our mission is not yet complete. Through the elegant partnership of Social Entrepreneur Corps and CE Solutions, we continue to create concrete benefits for tens of thousands of Guatemalans every year.
Companies will get orders whether or not they innovate. But in a bad economy, lowering the water level will expose new opportunities to our corporations. Companies that continue to advertise come out ahead after a recession, according to studies by McGraw-Hill Research. And that makes sense: If your competitors are in retreat, you can build your market presence.

Reflections on a Year in Business

2009-03-12T00:55:00.000-07:00

Starting you own popcorn business has a lot of advantages. It allows you to set your own working pace. You can start out full time or part time or work when you can. There are many ways to operate your own business.
Now is a good time to start your own popcorn business. You can start on a small scale at home or you can open your own brick and mortar store. There are many different ways to market popcorn you are selling. You may want to travel the country working county and state fairs with a kettle corn pot or with a popcorn popper in a concession trailer selling fresh popcorn and popcorn balls. Maybe you prefer to market your own brand of gourmet popcorn flavors to sell over the Internet or in local stores. If your a people person you may want a mobile popcorn cart that they push through the crowds at ballgames and street fairs or carnivals.
If you want a business and you don't want to process snack foods you can always do the marketing and have orders drop shipped from other suppliers. There are many companies available on the Internet that offer this for you.
Have you ever bought popcorn at a ballpark, fair grounds, amusement park or mall? When you see the volume of people and the number of sales, did you ever wonder how good their business is? That fact is, this is a very profitable business. Were talking up to a 80-90% profit margin! Just think of the cost of popcorn kernels, popping oil, some caramel glaze and cheese powder. Now think back to how much you paid for a bag of some fresh kettle corn or caramel corn. Compare the cost and what you paid, and it's clear to see that there are serious profits being made.
If this business is so good than why isn't everybody doing it?
The people in the industry DON'T want you to know!
What you need to get started is a successful business formula. This formula should include a compilation of seven packages comprised of tools, resources, research and materials that have been used for starting a popcorn business through the years. The contents of the gourmet popcorn business success formula are the following:
Business Planning
Financial Planning
Marketing
Wholesale Supplier
Gourmet Popcorn Recipes
Software
Tools & Materials
The business planning package will give you the foundation and direction to start your new business. It should include a business start up check list, a self evaluation checklist, a business template and a retail planning book.
The financial planning package will show you how to write loan proposal that you may use to obtain a loan. Marketing package will help you present your self as a professional business owner right after starting your new popcorn business.
Wholesale supplier package will give you a list of good reliable popcorn suppliers you can work with. Gourmet popcorn recipes package will give you at least 100 great gourmet popcorn recipes.
Software package should give you inventory management software. This will help you manage inventory and track your profits. You will need graphics software for your ads and website. Tools and materials package will give you some guides, checklists and formula information you will need to keep your business on track.

Home Businesses and Your Family

2009-03-10T23:53:00.000-07:00

A home business is a good way to be able to spend time with your family, but is it the best way? Home businesses have their disadvantages because it is impossible to leave your work at home, since your work is at your home. It is very temping to just sit down at the computer for ½ hour and get some work done, before you know it you have been sitting there for 4 hours and your kids have been waiting for you to sit down with popcorn and a movie.
Home businesses are great for your family, but you need to be disciplined to set a time period to when you are going to work. On a normal office job with a regular commute if you think you would work 9-5 than work 9-5 at home and once you leave the officer for the night don't come back until the morning. If you really feel you need more time to work on a project get up early in the morning before everyone is awake? Make extra needed time at work in the morning and not at night. Everyone has to stay at work late once in a while no matter what type of job it is, but try to limit it. A home business is meant to be home so you can spend more time with your family so remember that and spend more time with your family.
Don't get addicted to your job. There is nothing worse than having a parent who is always gone, than having a parent who is right there in front of you, but won't do anything with you because he is to busy at work. It is important that even if your business is at your home to separate your home from your business. Don't make your home the business. Try to do most of your work when the house is quite so you are not yelling at your kids to be quit when they might just be playing and doing something that in any other circumstance you would probably be taking pictures of.

How to Promote Your Business With a Customer Welcome Kit

2009-03-06T22:51:00.000-08:00

This is a great way to make new customers feel special. Put together a "welcome kit" to send to each new customer that includes customer service resources, helpful information, and promotional details about other products or services you offer.
The "Printable" Customer Welcome Kit
Here are some ideas of what you might include in a printable customer welcome kit:
* A welcome or thank you note
* A brochure about your products or services
* Care instructions for the products purchased
* Additional resources about the topics your customers are interested in
* Business cards
* Referral cards
* A coupon for a special deal on their next order
* A copy of your most recent (or favorite) eZine, with information on how they can subscribe
Package it all nicely in an envelope or similar. Put together a dozen or more at a time and they'll be ready to go when you ship out your orders.
The "Digital" Customer Welcome Kit
If your products are digital (ebooks, software, or similar) you can create your own version of a customer welcome kit. Just put the items into PDF format for documents and JPG for coupons, then zip it all up.
* A welcome or thank you note
* A brochure about your products or services
* Customer support information (for example, your FAQ on digital downloads and support contact information)
* Additional resources about the topics your customers are interested in
* A coupon for a special deal on their next order
* A copy of your most recent (or favorite) eZine, with information on how they can subscribe
Remember, it's easier to KEEP a customer you've already got, then to FIND a new customer! So keep those customers happy by showing them how much you value their business.

The Business Money Process

2009-03-05T23:30:00.000-08:00

If you are struggling to make money right now as a business person, you have to ask yourself where are your strengths along the cash flow business process.
The cash flow business process has 4 parts. The first part is the market, this is the demand for your products or services. If there is no marketplace, this could be why your business is not profitable.
The second part, is your marketing. How effectively are you getting the word out about your products or services? People have to know about your product or services for you to have any chance of getting sales.
The third part is your sales system. How are you converting prospects into customers? How is your sales page, or sales team doing? Is this your roadblock to profits? Sales is the most crucial skill an entrepreneur needs in their arsenal.
The fourth part is your product or service. This actually comes last in our cash flow business process, because it is the least important. A lot of people think this is the most important however.
You have to take a look at yourself, and ask yourself where are you lacking in this process? Do you lack a product or service to sell? Do you lack demand for your products or service? Do you have marketing skills, and a marketing strategy? How is your sales process converting?
If you have all four parts you will have sales. If one or two is missing, you are in trouble. Take some time to reconfigure your business activities and take care of your missing parts.

Analysis Paralysis - The Enemy of Your Success

2009-03-04T22:04:00.000-08:00

You have probably heard of this phrase before. What is it and do you have it?
In my opinion Analysis Paralysis is the biggest enemy of the poor and the major obstacle to actually making money online or off. There are other big obstacles like excuses or lack of education, but these fall far behind Analysis Paralysis. This one "disease" affects a lot of people and most likely you are infected with it, too.
What is Analysis Paralysis?
Analysis Paralysis is the condition of over-thinking a course of action to the point you actually never take action. It's when you try to think of all of the reasons you might fail, and allow those reasons to paralyze you from taking positive action. You actually over-analyze to the point where succeeding is overshadowed by these negative thoughts.
Properly thinking about and preparing for possible pitfalls BEFORE taking action is a good thing. It is always good to think about the costs and the risks of a course of action before you act so as to minimize those costs. As I said, this is a good thing.
However, what most people do, even when they are given detailed, step-by-step instructions, is over-think and over-analyze the goal they are trying to reach and they become overwhelmed by the weight of just thinking about it. After so much thought, they just give up and never take action towards their goal.
What I have discovered in business and in other important matters of life is that some things can't be learned by just thinking about it. A lot of learning comes by actually doing it.
For example, if a young boy wants to become a professional quarterback when he is older, he could study or go to a science class and learn about the physics of velocity, trajectory, lift and gravity in order to throw the perfect football pass. He may even get a high grade on his physics exam. But this way of learning can only take him so far. Somewhere along the line he has to get on that football field and actually throw the ball to learn how to throw the perfect pass.
"There's learning by theory but there is a greater learning by doing."
What Analysis Paralysis does is have that young boy sitting on the sidelines of the football field, watching the other boys playing the game while he sits there and THINKS about the physics of the football rather than actually PLAYING the game.
That's not fun at all!
If you want to make money online, you have to get into the game. You have to take action and sometimes with action there comes failure. But as someone famous said long ago, "failure is a good teacher."
And if you learn (by taking action) you will succeed.
So don't let Analysis Paralysis rob you of your dreams. You can succeed in life. You can reach the goals you set for yourself. You can make the money you want to make if you take action doing the right thing today.

PowerPoint Tip - Create Soft Shadows

2009-03-03T01:10:00.000-08:00

Shadows create the illusion that an object is hovering above the slide. They can make shapes look more realistic. In PowerPoint 2007, it's easy to create soft shadows, but in PowerPoint 2003, you need to use a trick. Here are instructions for both.

*PowerPoint 2003*

1. Insert an AutoShape by choosing AutoShapes from the Drawing toolbar and then choosing the one that you want. I chose a heart. Format it as desired.

2. Duplicate the AutoShape by selecting it, and pressing Ctrl + D or copying and pasting. You now have one in front of the other. We'll turn the copy, which is on top, into the shadow, and place it behind the original at the end.

Tip: The shadow looks more realistic on shapes without sharp edges. For rectangles, create the copy, select the copy, and choose Change AutoShape from the Draw button of the Drawing toolbar. Then choose Basic Shapes> Rounded Rectangle.

3. Double-click the copy to open the Format AutoShape dialog box. On the Colors and Lines tab, in the Fill section, click the Color drop-down list and choose Fill Effects. The Gradient tab should be on top.

4. Click the Two Colors option. For Color 1, choose black. For Color 2, choose your background's color.

Tip: If your background is not solid, choose the nearest color. Then, in the Transparency section, set the To value to 100%.

5. In the Shading Styles section, choose the From Center option. In the Variants section, choose the option that shows black in the center. Click OK.

6. Back in the Format AutoShape dialog box, in the Line section, click the Color drop-down list, and choose No Line. Click OK to return to your slide.

7. Drag the bottom-right handle to make your shadow larger, about 1-1/2 times the size of the original.

8. Select the copy, right-click, and choose Order> Send to Back. Adjust the shadow's size and position for the most realistic look.

9. Compare this to the standard shadow, which you create by choosing from the Shadow Style button on the Drawing toolbar.

*PowerPoint 2007*

In PowerPoint 2007, soft shadows are easier.

1. Double-click the shape to display the Drawing Tools Format tab. Click Shape Effects> Shadow> Shadow Options.

Change the following settings:

Transparency: By default, shadows are partially transparent, but you can increase the transparency if you want.

Size: You can make the shadow larger.

Blur: This is main the setting that creates a soft shadow. Drag until you like what you see.

Angle: Drag the angle slider to get the angle that you want.

Distance: To emphasize the shadow, drag its distance (from the shape) upward.

Why 90 % Enterpeneure Fails

2008-05-11T12:10:00.001-07:00

These reasons are in not particular order by the way. I am going to ask that you take a look at each one and really ask yourself if any applies to you. Not just ask the question but decide what you are going to do about it to create success for yourself, your business, or your business idea:

1. Not believing in your own ability to succeed

If you struggle to believe that you can be successful, that, to me, is the greatest failure point of all. When you do not believe in yourself, your abilities, your human potential, you tend to sabotage your own success. You remain stuck in self-limiting beliefs. When you think about becoming hugely successful, are you shrouded in doubt or positive expectation? What will you do this week to move in the direction of positive expectation? There is no shortage of books, audio, etc for embarking on a transformation in your mindset and beliefs regarding the limitless success you can most definitely have.

2. Allowing fear to stop you

Of all the successful entrepreneurs I've studied, they all experience fear at some level. The hugely successful entrepreneurs are the ones who feel the fear and do it anyway. Think about the acronym F.E.A.R. False Experiences Appearing Real. Often what goes on in our mind is FAR greater than reality. What fear is stopping you? What will you do this week to move past it?

3. Allowing failure to stop you

If you are living and breathing, failure is inevitable. Some people live their lives avoiding failure, while others allow failure to become a teacher and instructor. Which category are you in? The learners of failure rise up with greater strength and knowledge for the next challenge or opportunity ahead. You can shift your thoughts from the failure itself and instead focus on what you can learn from the failure and how you can put that learning to good use going forward. Where is your focus when failure happens -- on the failure or on the learning? What will you choose to focus on next time failure hits?

4. Going it alone

This is huge. With regard to the business that you are in or the one that you hope to start, who are your mentors and like-minded people you can gather with weekly or monthly. I'd highly recommend that you begin to meet regularly with like-minded people. Find groups that can hold you accountable and groups that become a source of ideas for your business as well. Our Inner Circle was created with that need in mind. If you cannot join ours, find something in your community. I belong to at least 3 different groups of entrepreneurs that I meet with regularly and I attribute a great deal of my success to that kind of interaction and involvement. Do not ever go into business alone. Figure out what groups or associations you will join and get into conversation with successful people on a regular basis.

5. Not investing in your learning and growth

I never stop learning. I am usually reading 2-3 books at a time and I'm in 2-4 teleseminars for my own learning every week. You don't need to do exactly what I'm doing. However, my question for you is "What are you pouring into your mind weekly regarding your business or business idea?" If your business is to succeed, you must have a source of continued learning regarding business success. There is no shortage of material in that category. Start feeding your mind with a steady diet of what it takes to be successful. Go to the bookstore or the library and get what you need. Never stop learning. To stop learning is to stop growing. I've never met a successful entrepreneur who wasn't constantly investing in their own growth and learning.

6. Talk vs Action

This is one criteria for remarkable success that I cannot stress enough. I meet so many people who receive countless opportunities and ideas to create success in their businesses. And they choose do nothing. It's a choice. And it's often a choice because of #1 above. When opportunity crosses my desk, I jump on it. It may fail, but that doesn't matter, at least I tried. I took action. Massive action is a success ingredient that I picked up from hugely successful entrepreneurs. They don't sit around analyzing for very long. They are always in action--daily, weekly, monthly. What business ideas have you acted upon in the last week? Set a goal for yourself to move your business forward by specific daily or weekly actions that will do precisely that for you--move you forward. And that movement forward will spurn you into even more action and therefore more success.

PS: Pssssssst, the limited-time unprecedented Holiday Sale above is something you can take action on immediately. You could be consulting with me one-on-one for a mere twenty seven bucks not to mention you get the information-packed E-book! It's a gift, a rare opportunity, and it's knocking. So whatcha waitin' for? Massive action.

How to deal with stress?

2008-05-11T12:08:00.000-07:00

Starting and running your own business can be exciting and rewarding, but it can also be very stressful. For most of our almost 40 year marriage my husband has been an entrepreneur and I have sometimes worked with him. Having built my own business as a Stress Reduction Coach I have been reflecting on the stresses of being an entrepreneur.

Signs and sources of stress

Some of the signs of stress overload include irritability, anxiety about the sustainability of the business, and/or high business debt. Relationships within the family can suffer if they do not understand the entrepreneurial drive or the time and effort it takes to start and run a business. For women entrepreneurs, the job of running the household and balancing work and home can create enormous stressors. When you work from home, all the household tasks that need to be done can pull you away from your business. People who are drawn to be entrepreneurs are sometimes idea people who don’t like detail and repetitive tasks. Having to work on those things can create stress as well. And when you’re stressed it’s harder to concentrate and focus.
Organize your environment

One of the solutions is to reduce the stress and create an environment that discourages stress. Have a place where you can keep everything together and organized. A written plan of action for the business posted where you can see it along with a daily plan can help you focus the time you have available.

A system that works for me

I am not a person who comes to organization easily and I have struggled to find a way that works. Daytimers and lists help for a short while, but I have never been able to keep up with them. One thing I have found that works is to have a "big picture overview" of what needs to be done where I can see it.

I have a poster board size piece of "static cling" presentation sheet that adheres to my door. It can be easily rolled up and removed if needed. I have several categories that I’ve posted at the top of the sheet, such as "website," "presentation," etc.

These are written on standard sized post-it notes so they can be easily removed and changed. I brainstorm everything I need to do on small post-it notes. After I brainstorm, I then organize the notes in the appropriate columns. I also have a category that says TODAY for the urgent and important things. I can glance at the poster while I am working and see what else I might need to do and when I finish what I need to do, I can throw the post-it away. If something comes up that is not posted, I can put it on a post-it note and put it where it needs to be.

This "system" helped me write many graduate papers and I used it when I planned and wrote my dissertation. Now it helps me as I plan and work my business. This is just one technique that helps me reduce the stress of being an entrepreneur.

Successfull Enterpeneure Traits

2008-05-11T12:06:00.000-07:00

Want to know why certain people succeed and others don’t. Well successful people have certain traits? Do you have them?

Business has changed a great deal over the years. We now have computers, the internet and because of the internet - web pages, email and everything else that comes with it. Our telephone system has changed dramatically with the advent of cell phones and voice mail. However, even with all the technological advancements the traits that make a person successful in business can be traced way back when to our grandfather’s day. So before you decide you want to go into business for yourself, check and see if these traits are part of your make up.

Are you a person who sets goals? Most successful people have always set goals. They started at a very early age. They might have set the goal to be the best in a certain sport, or in a specific subject in school. Or if they wanted something, and knew that their parents couldn’t afford it, or wouldn’t spend the money for something, they earned the money themselves. They did this by setting up the lemonade stand, mowing lawns for neighbors, or delivering newspapers.

This is the same person, who as they got older, developed other goals and worked for them. Maybe they haven’t reached all of their goals, but they have always known what they wanted out of life. They have a vision for their future and they never lose sight of it. They keep revising and setting new goals for themselves. It is incomprehensible to them that everyone doesn’t do the same. They wonder how other people can live without striving for certain things.

The next trait is that the successful entrepreneur knows their strengths and weaknesses. They also face up to their fears. This means that they don’t let their egos get in the way. They know when they need to learn new skills or take other steps to make their business or themselves better. Due to the technological advances over the years, the skills and steps they need to take might be different; but the attitude has not. So do you have the attitude of a successful business person. To have this attitude you must realize that you are never done with the learning process, and you have to welcome any chance to improve your skills and knowledge.

Another trait is that they are always looking for opportunities. They could be in business or just getting started. In either case they know there are opportunities out there waiting for them. They also know that they need to find the opportunity that will work for them. Even those already running a business, are still open to possibilities.

Successful people will see opportunities other people miss. They also look at things objectively and ask the following questions: 1. Is this really as good as it sounds? 2. Is this something I really want to be doing? 3. Do I have the required skills or can I develop them? 4.Will this help me to reach the financial goals I have set for myself? 4. What impact will this have on my family?

A particularly important trait of the successful person is they will grab at an opportunity and take advantage of it, however they do not act impulsively. They take advantage of opportunities that come their way because they don’t want to be a shoulda, coulda, woulda type person. They don’t want to look back later in life and say I wish I had.

The next trait successful people have is that they like to know where they stand. They know their own business inside and out. However, they also know about their competition. They also know how well their own business measures up. And since they set goals they know exactly where they are in regards to reaching the financial goals they have set for themselves.

Successful people know how to handle budgets and finances. This is a very important trait. They are very cognizant of all phases of their finances. How much they owe, how much they have borrowed, interest rates, and anything else that can effect them. They always save for a rainy day. They are very much aware that they need to spend money to make money, and will put off expenditures for themselves (house, car, vacation) until they can afford it.

Another trait that successful people have in common is that they also don’t settle for second best. They like things done in a certain manner. They have standards that must be met for themselves and their product. If they work with an outside company and that company sends them something that is not up to their standards, they will return it. They look for the best products and the best workmanship in the price category they are working within. They would never put out a half hearted effort for a customer. If they realize they haven’t done a good job or haven’t done it right, they will do it again or set things right with the customer. This is why their customers are loyal to them and want to continue to do business with them again and again. Remember repeat business is why you are in business. If you don’t make a good impression the first time, you won’t get a second chance.

The successful entrepreneur has fun doing what they do. While they might not enjoy every aspect of their business, they enjoy the work that they do. One common theme you will find among them is that they enjoy it because its theirs, and they know they are building something for the future.

They also don’t mind putting in long hours because they know that this time is necessary in order for them to move forward. The owner wears many hats: sales calls, bookkeeping, and making sure that customers are satisfied and happy with their product and/or service. They also need to set up appointments, meet deadlines. However, they also know when playtime is over and it’s time to get down to business.

Another trait they all have in common is they get help when they need it. They will contact other professionals when warranted. They would rather be safe than sorry. They realize they are not experts in everything. They also realize at some point in their business that they can’t do it all, and that they have to delegate responsibility to either an outside source, independent contractor, or that they might have to hire an employee.

So, do you have the traits to become a successful entrepreneur?

7 Rules of Enterpeneurship

2008-05-11T12:04:00.000-07:00

The following laws will provide guidance on how to act,think and work in a lean way. You can apply these laws toall areas of your life, work and business to get biggerresults from the time you invest.

1. Multiple Rewards

Aim to be rewarded multiple times for a single effort. Moneycan be recovered but time cannot. Time gets spent. You can'tput it in a bank and you can't earn more of it. Whereverpossible, you should look for ways to get paid/rewardedmultiple times for each hour you invest. You will neverbe truly independent if your income comes from your owntime and labour so package your knowledge as a product.Once you have aproduct you can sell your packagedtime again and again.

2. Mistakes Are Gifts

Mistakes are nothing more than "Learning Opportunities". The best way to learn more and grow more is to make moremistakes. Mistakes are unavoidable when you're learning soadopt a ready, fire, aim approach to decisions and learn asyou take action. If it doesn't work you can easily makeanotherdecision to put things right again.

3. Know When To Stop

Be prepared to stop what you're doing. Take stock and trysomething different. Don't let pride, fear of ridicule orego get in the way of good judgement. When a mission isover, learn from it and move on.

4. Use Your Levers

Do the little things that make the biggest difference.Aim for maximum impact with minimum effort. Focus will helpbut there are other forms of leverage too. Here are justtwo.
OPT - Other People's Time. Don't be afraid to ask for help.You don't have to do it all yourself. Use your network. Askand you shall receive. Give and you shall get.
Recycle - Learn to recognise value in everything you do.Turn your ezine into a book and sell it. Write your wordsof wisdom down and share them.

5. Don't Be Busy -

Be EffectiveDon't waste your hours simply being "busy". Being busy doesnot cause you to be wealthy. So don't be busy - beeffective.Remember the 80:20 rule. Typically 20 per cent of the thingsyou do will be responsible for 80 per cent of the resultsyou get. So focus on the 20 per cent that gets the result.

6. Always Look For The Easy Route

If there's an easy way to do something and a hard way - takethe easy way first. I call this "inspired laziness"

7. Measure Progress

By What You ReapThe only truth is the result. Doing lots of things is notthe same as achieving lots of things. Measure progress byyour outcomes not your inputs.s

7 usefull tips

2008-05-11T12:02:00.000-07:00

Are you in business with your life partner and can't tell the difference between your bedroom and the boardroom? Welcome to the world of Couplepreneurs!

What are "Couplepreneurs"? This term describes any two persons living together in a committed relationship and also owning and managing a business together. Couplepreneurship is a growing phenomenon for several reasons, including: corporate downsizing; more women entering the workforce; early retirees looking for another venture; and technology that allows a small business to become a viable option for earning a family income.

Statistics are not specifically kept on the number of small businesses jointly owned by couples. However, according to the Small Business Administration (SBA), the number of "jointly owned sole proprietorships" is increasing steadily at greater than 5% a year. Since "jointly owned sole proprietorship" is a tax term for a business where two individuals share ownership, this information could indicate a rise in Couplepreneurship. The actual increase in businesses owned by couples may be higher, as the SBA does not keep statistics on corporations or partnerships run by couples.

Being partners at home and in business is not only doubly challenging, but exponentially more complicated than being partners in only one of these endeavors. I congratulate all of those brave and adventurous souls who are doing both successfully. The following tips have been gleaned from my own experiences living and owning businesses with my entrepreneurial husband over the past twenty years; extensive reading; and interviews with several other successful Couplepreneurs.

So, for couples encountering some bumps while traveling the Couplepreneur road; Couplepreneurs who want more from either their personal or business partnership; and those considering embarking on the Couplepreneur adventure, I offer the following success secrets.

1. A shared, clear vision of your ideal business and relationship, with an integrated plan to enjoy both. To be successful as Couplepreneurs requires planning a life-with a vision that includes personal and relationship goals as well as business goals. If both partners are not moving in the same direction toward common goals, they will grow apart. Ideally, partners will always be in synch. Realistically, they may start out with different goals and desires regarding the business, and/or as the business and family circumstances change, their dreams may diverge, or even change. Successful Couplepreneurs look for creative options that embrace both partners' visions.

2. Respect for each other's values.

Since values are the principles and beliefs that guide decisions, attitudes and behaviors; each partner's values must be acceptable to the other. If partners are forced to act contrary to their core values, frustration and struggle will result. Assumedly, partners have similar values since they are a couple sharing a life. However, when partners team up in business, they may become aware of some aspects of their partner's value system of which they were previously unaware. Values related to money, commitment, work ethic, integrity, authority, and responsibility may become much more important when a couple shares both personal and business lives. Successful Couplepreneurs honor each other's values at home and in business.

3. Effective communication system to resolve conflicts.

Perfect communication between any two human beings is not realistic. However, when partners learn to manage their preferred communication styles, their relationship and business will both benefit. When they embrace each other's usual problem-solving process, conflicts are resolved more quickly. Through experience, they have learned what works for each partner i.e., whether one person needs to retreat, be reassured, blow off steam, etc. They know that it is important not to judge each other for reacting differently to problems, and it is most important to not take their partner's reactions personally. They deliberately focus the anger and frustration on the problem, and not on each other. Successful Couplepreneurs solve conflicts together by creatively implementing a joint solution.

4. Agreements on levels of financial risk.

This relates to respecting each other's values, as one's perception of money is integral to a person's value system. Risk tolerance is based on beliefs about money. Successful Couplepreneurs have examined their money beliefs, including the following:

• Is each partner basically optimistic or pessimistic when it comes to his or her relationship to money?
• Do they have the abundance mentality, believing that there is enough for everyone?
• Do they have the scarcity mentality, believing their gain means someone else's loss?
• What is each partner willing to risk to make the business grow?
• What is the line each will not cross? (For example: not losing the house, keeping medical insurance, etc.)
For success, the more risk-tolerant partner must agree not to exceed the level of risk acceptable to the more conservative partner. When the less risk-tolerant partner feels that his or her boundary is being respected, they will likely then become more flexible regarding accepting greater risks.

5. Capitalize on the differences.

Successful Couplepreneurs know that a major reason to team up in business with their life partner is to bring in a different perspective, a perspective from someone trusted. Couplepreneurs who make it work not only tolerate their differences but make the most of them. It is said that in love, opposites attract. It applies in business, too. Differing skills and ideas often make for the best business partnerships.

Successful Couplepreneurs assign business roles according to strengths, skills and styles. They figure out right at the start who is going to be in charge of what--and then stay out of each other's way.

G.J., a Couplepreneur from Worcester, Massachusetts, states in Couples at Work,"You must be best friends and allow your partner creativity and not be overly critical of qualities you don't particularly like. One of the best things about being different from your partner is that there is so much to learn from better understanding and appreciating your and your partner's styles. If nothing else, you will learn that your way of doing things is certainly not the only one. Your differences can be your greatest strengths, when you understand, accept, grow from, and build on them."

6. Present a unified front to all: employees, vendors, customers, etc.

Sometimes, differences in style and philosophy can cause "horns to lock" at the very moment teamwork is most needed. However, successful Couplepreneurs resolve conflicts in private and do not allow others to play one of them against the other. In public, they collaborate and support each other's positions.
In their book Working Together, Frank and Sharan Barnett introduced the concept of "wegos" instead of egos. A wego combines the individual egos into a force that focuses on the relationship and the enterprise instead of one's self. It evolves from each partner's confidence that together they possess the capabilities to achieve their goals. They realize that without "ourselves", the concept of "myself" is meaningless. Successful Couplepreneurs leave their egos at the door to their business and happily assume their wegos.

7. The relationship comes before the business.

A strong partnership and a happy home are an absolute necessity: they act as a kind of insurance policy against the "slings and arrows" of business life. Successful Couplepreneurs are firm about where and when talking about business is off-limits. They understand that this is vitally important in maintaining the couple's relationship, as well as their sanity.

They don't wait until they have spare time to spend quality time with their partner. Instead of waiting until there is time, they make the time. Even a few moments of focused attention can make all the difference. When time and money are scarce, that's when the relationship is the most stressed and vulnerable. They establish necessary boundaries around work and kids to ensure that they keep their relationship healthy and strong. They do not allow the business to become a round-the-clock obsession. They carve out separate and distinct times to relax and have fun together (and with the kids, if any), even if it's only a few hours a week.

These secrets apply to all levels of Couplepreneurs, from the small part-time home-based venture, to the global large-scale enterprise. As noted in Departures magazine (November, 2003), in an article about global real estate tycoons B(eng) S(eng) and Christina Ong, "The interplay between husband and wife is the genius behind their story. They complement each other perfectly. She is restrained, he's outgoing. Her wit is quiet, his warm and lively." B.S. states, "We've been married thirty years. For the first ten years she inspired me. For the next ten years, she drove me. Now, she is challenging me." Christina sees it a little differently and says, "My husband's work is the bigger picture, I notice detail."

The bottom line is that who you are as individuals and as a team, and how you relate to each other and the outside world, will largely determine how successful you are as Couplepreneurs.

What makes a successfull Enterpeneure?

2008-05-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

It is only natural that when you start a business, you are doing something different than most people. They not only will look at you because you stick out like a sore thumb _ but human nature will cause people to naturally ridicule what you are doing. They will tell you all types of things like: "You're not business material." "You can't make a living working for yourself." "You'll fail because nobody can ever make any money that way."

Entrepreneurship is not just about having a lot of ideas or business sense. It is also about having a lot of guts. You have to build self-confidence in yourself. You have to only be concerned with pleasing yourself and your Creator (God) _ not mankind.

Then, when (and if) you should fail with this particular venture, you'll just dust yourself off and start again. It doesn't matter if people "think" you're nuts! They aren't paying your rent and running your life. Don't be concerned with what people "think" you should be. Just please yourself and do what you feel is right. People are too busy competing with society and "keeping up with the Jones's" that they do things they are not comfortable with just to appease them and look "normal" (whatever that is.)

And if you have to start out small in building your self-confidence. I used to be so self-conscious that I would never eat at a restaurant alone because I thought people would believe I was lonely and had no friends.

Unbelievable, but true. But, everyday I worked on walking into a restaurant, taking a magazine to read and eating alone. I would glance around, and to my amazement, no one ever looked at me. No one cared that I was eating alone. Then _ it dawned on me; "Who cares what these people think? I'll never see them again." Besides, there were a lot of other people eating alone also and I could absorb myself in the magazine I had took to read. Now, I can eat in restaurants and not give any thought to the people around me.

But back to business _ when most people do fail in business they try to "save face" by telling everyone they are "just in a slump" and everything will be back to normal soon. Besides, they don't want people to say: "I told you so" and destroy any pride they are still hanging onto. Unfortunately, this only delays the problem and creates even more false hope for the people in your life as well as yourself.

The best thing to do for anybody in this catastrophe is to swallow their pride and admit they screwed up. Just face it head on! Admit that you were so proud of your accomplishments that your mind became diluted with "visions of sugar plums and fantasyland."

If your small business is beyond repair, go out and find a job and begin working on your next small business in the near future. Keep your family fed and your financial obligations met but look forward to the day when you WILL succeed with your new business venture.

And why should you try again? Simply because you won't make the same mistakes you made this time. If you built something successful before (but failed), you are certain to build the next business stronger and wiser.

Even if you fail the second time, it won't be because of mistakes you made the first time. You'll learn more and more _ and eventually be successful. It's inevitable!
With Internet's help, you can get a lot of ideas by searching from google.com and overture.com, yahoo.com. In today's information world, you are in a much better position to be successful if you really want to succeed.

6 Things any Enterpeneure should know

2008-05-11T11:55:00.000-07:00

Start your own business, and soon enough, you find yourself in a situation where there are many things you want to say, all of them unprintable. It happens to every entrepreneur - a moment of extreme challenge that causes you to wonder why you started the (expletive) business in the first place. I've had my share of those moments since starting our public relations firm in March 2002.

But while trading notes with a fellow entrepreneur recently, I started to think about all the moments of extreme challenge I left behind when I decided I no longer wanted to be somebody else's employee. That got me thinking about what really matters to me as an entrepreneur. As I
shared my thoughts with my friend, a new list developed - the "F" words I believe every entrepreneur should know. They've done the job for me so far, keeping me rooted, married and talking to my kids while we build a successful business. I hope they have the same effect for you.

1. Faith:

I'm not a street corner preacher, but I have a deep and abiding faith that starting my business is what I was meant to do in life. I also have a strong faith that I've been given the tools to do the job - even in a moment of extreme challenge. Without faith in yourself, in your business and in your purpose, how can you succeed as an entrepreneur?

2. Family:

My wife and daughters are the most important people in my life. Starting my business has enabled me to put them at the center of my life, where they belong. Oh yes, I work long and hard, but today, it's with a clear purpose. The generations of entrepreneurs who built this country understood this principle. Their businesses often bore the family name, and generations of people who were born, lived and died together managed to build great businesses together.

3. Friends:

Fortune 500 companies have boards of directors. Entrepreneurs have friends. When no one else will listen, friends will. When others fail to see the beauty of the product or solution, friends will. And when no one else will talk straight to you about a dumb business move, friends will. And they won't send you a bill.

4. Focus:

It's nice to say you're an entrepreneur, that you are your own boss. But do you have the commitment to turn that idea into true success? The ultimate measure is your ability not only to set a goal, but stick with it, despite those moments of extreme challenge. You may have to change course along the way, but like a good sailor, you focus, keeping your business pointed to the right shore.

5. Finances:

Let's face it - most of us strike out as entrepreneurs because we believe we can improve our financial situation. I know I have not missed the constraining limits and miniscule salary increases of corporate America. How much do I want to make this year? There is only one answer: How hard am I willing to work? And there is only one reason to ask that question: to make good on my commitment to all the "F" words that rank ahead of money on my list.

6. Freedom:

This may be the greatest gift of entrepreneurship. But it is the one that comes only after you can act on all the other "F" words in your entrepreneurial vocabulary. So many entrepreneurs strike out to find success, which they define as freedom from all the things they hated about working or someone else. Unfortunately for these folks, they lack a true entrepreneurial vision - they're merely running away from something. True entrepreneurial freedom comes from a vision that encompasses what's really important to you. Are these the only "F" words an entrepreneur needs to know? Obviously not. But in moments of extreme challenge, remembering these "F" words may help you weather a moment of extreme challenge without resorting to the unprintable variety. And if you're like me, they may also help you rememberwhy you started the business in the first place.

Tips for To be Enterpeneures

2008-05-11T11:42:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard that only a small part (5%) of 'all' Home-Based Business entrepreneurs achieve success?

Do an online research on your favorite Search Engine and you will understand what I mean. In this article I'm going to show you the KEY to Home-Based Business entrepreneurs success; you'll find out what makes an entrepreneur succesful in the home-based business field.
Below are 5 TIPS for Home-Based Business Entrepreneurs:

1. It's their mindset that brings success

Serious entrepreneurs have 'programmed' their mind to succeed no matter what. They don't lack focus on their home-based business and let nobody stop their plans in achieving what they want. They know what they want and they have the DESIRE to succeed. If you don't know exactly what you want when it comes your home-based business, think about it again and re-consider your plans, what you want to achieve, a get-rick-quick or a profitable, long term business.

2. It's their start-up plan that brings success

Smart entrepreneurs know that it takes time to set-up and grow a profitable home-based business. They plan to succeed. They have a start-up plan that might fail but they never give up and start again with a better plan. Serious entrepreneurs know that it takes discipline and time to build a strong and solid home-based business, which delivers ongoing income through many years to come.

3. It's their initial RESEARCH that brings success

Smart and serious entrepreneurs know the importance of market research. They know that in order, for a home-based business to succeed, they have to research their target market (their potential customers) and study their competitors. Research your target market and study your competitors in order to have a long-term, profitable home-based business. Know what your customers want and give it to them. Keep an eye on your competitors, study their offer(s) and make sure you come up with a better deal than them.

4. It's their marketing strategy that brings success

Study each successful entrepreneur in your marketing field and you'll notice how they market online / offline. Each of them have their own 'unique' marketing strategy but they use the same basic principles. Don't re-invent the wheel. Use the main marketing concepts that are proven to work but try to improve and adjust them to your own situation. Make them work for your home-based business. Make your offer better and unique than your competitiors if you want to WIN in this business, or simply quit (I know that's no what you really want!)

5. It's their investment that brings success

Smart entrepreneurs know that the KEY is to work SMART, not hard. If you don't have the required skills to develop a NEW marketing tactic for your home-based business why not hire a consultant who knows his stuff? If you have 'enough' money why not invest in someone who can help you grow your home-based business and give me something to work at too?What is more aluable to you, your time or your money? A serious entrepreneur is ready to invest (both time and money). He knows that he will build a long-term successful business for him and the one he loves (friends, family, children, etc.) The final (or first?) STEP you need to take in order to succeed s to act (take ACTION!). Yes, put into practice what I have told you above (the 5 TIPS for Home-Based Business Entrepreneurs) and you'll succeed, no matter what. Trust me! STOP! Perry Gage publishes a NEW, Special *free* Ezine. It comes loaded with an eclectic Collection of Tips and Suggestions on Health, Finance, Goodies for you to Have

The F-5 for Enterpeneures

2008-04-29T15:29:00.000-07:00

Start your own business, and soon enough, you find yourself in a situation where there are many things you want to say, all of them unprintable.

It happens to every entrepreneur - a moment of extreme challenge that causes you to wonder why you started the (expletive) business in the first place. I've had my share of those moments since starting our public relations firm in March 2002.

That got me thinking about what really matters to me as an entrepreneur. As I shared my thoughts with my friend, a new list developed - the "F" words I believe every entrepreneur should know. They've done the job for me so far, keeping me rooted, married and talking to my kids while we build a successful business. I hope they have the same effect for you.

1. Faith: I'm not a street corner preacher, but I have a deep and abiding faith that starting my business is what I was meant to do in life. I also have a strong faith that I've been given the tools to do the job - even in a moment of extreme challenge. Without faith in yourself, in your business and in your purpose, how can you succeed as an entrepreneur?

2. Family: My wife and daughters are the most important people in my life. Starting my business has enabled me to put them at the center of my life, where they belong. Oh yes, I work long and hard, but today, it's with a clear purpose. The generations of entrepreneurs who built this country understood this principle. Their businesses often bore the family name, and generations of people who

were born, lived and died together managed to build great businesses together.

3. Friends: Fortune 500 companies have boards of directors. Entrepreneurs have friends. When no one else will listen, friends will. When others fail to see the beauty of the product or solution, friends will. And when no one else will talk straight to you about a dumb business move, friends will. And they won't send you a bill.

4. Focus: It's nice to say you're an entrepreneur, that you are your own boss. But do you have the commitment to turn that idea into true success? The ultimate measure is your ability not only to set a goal, but stick with it, despite those moments of extreme challenge. You may have to change course along the way, but like a good sailor, you focus, keeping your business pointed to the right shore.

5. Finances: Let's face it - most of us strike out as entrepreneurs because we believe we can improve our financial situation. I know I have not missed the constraining limits and miniscule salary increases of corporate America. How much do I want to make this year? There is only one answer: How hard am I willing to work? And there is only one reason to ask that question: to make good on my commitment to all the "F" words that rank ahead of money on my list.

6. Freedom: This may be the greatest gift of entrepreneurship. But it is the one that comes only after you can act on all the other "F" words in your entrepreneurial vocabulary. So many entrepreneurs strike out to find success, which they define as freedom from all the things they hated about working for someone else. Unfortunately for these folks, they lack a true entrepreneurial vision - they're merely running away from something. True entrepreneurial freedom comes from a vision that encompasses what's really important to you.

Are these the only "F" words an entrepreneur needs to know? Obviously not. But in moments of extreme challenge, remembering these "F" words may help you weather a moment of extreme challenge without resorting to the unprintable variety. And if you're like me, they may also help you remember why you started the business in the first place.

Paul Furiga is president of WordWrite Communications LLC, a Pittsburgh-based public relations agency that harnesses the timeless power of storytelling to share its clients' great untold stories. He is the former editor of the Pittsburgh Business Times, and has also covered Congress, the White House, edited magazines and written for publications ranging from Congressional Quarterly to Frequent Flyer magazine.