I did not always have an entrepreneurial mind; as a matter of fact, when I graduated college, I was very lost. I was working at a software company and for a few more thousand dollars, took a job at a large public company (you would laugh if I told you the name). I was doing account management for their financial clients. Because it was a work from home position, the only thing I managed was the couch and DVR. After trying to ruffle a few feathers and really make a difference in the company, I was gradually ousted from “the group” and was eventually pushed out. I wasn’t fired, but I was put in a situation where it was either / or.
Though, at this firm, I learned the true definition of the word “complacent.” This brings me to the first question which I will put forth to get your brain in gear. Please keep in mind that these questions are here to help you as they will give you some guidance as to whether owning your own business would be right for you.
1. In twenty years, one day your son or daughter will be asked about you. More likely than not, the first thing that will come up is your career. How do you think they will describe your career and your job? Does that answer resonate well with you?
If the answer is fine with you, there are two presumed scenarios. The first is that you were very successful and enjoy reading about entrepreneurs on the web. Thus, I am flattered you are reading my article. The second is that you, more likely than not, do not have an entrepreneurial frame of mind.
2. How much would you invest in yourself? If you had to put a net worth on your brain, would it be more or less than what someone else is paying for it? Also, is that someone even using your brain?
If you’re like many and are in this situation, you have to work harder to become an entrepreneur for a few reasons. The first is that your brain is not being put to work on a daily basis, so you have to get that going. Additionally, because of the economy, it is very scary to go off on your own. So choose your time wisely, but don’t put it off too long.
3. If somebody put you out on the street and gave you $10,000 – everything else is gone. How much of that money would you spend on books?
If the answer is less than $1,000, you probably are good where you are at. This is a great test as entrepreneurs don’t create something out of nothing, they create something out of learning. Books are such an important factor of business success. Remember, in this case, you do not have the internet which shouldn’t be relied upon too heavily anyway.
4. If somebody offered you a million dollars to never work again, …
How To Start A Business
Ever dream of being your own boss? Believe you might have what it takes to set up on your own? Don’t dream on!
There’s a reason why you have been looking for information on How To Start A Business. Maybe there’s an idea you’ve been kicking around for a while. It could be anything from running a corner shop or setting up a small community enterprise with a friend – to spotting a brand new business opportunity with a product or service no-one else is providing. You can!
The very first step towards starting your own business needs to start with you. You and your business are intertwined. Your business reflects you and your personality, skills and approach to life; your own personal objectives drive your business objectives. For success you need to be confident, focused, those attributes of entrepreneurs that you read about.
But you can’t just jump right in and launch any old business. The market these days are so saturated with everyone trying to make some extra money. Redundancies being made left, right and centre, so people are using their skills to set up small businesses and offer their service to the targeted market which means that competition is going to be fierce and there is not much room for error.
More and more entrepreneurs are being born out of necessity and not out of choice. Petrol prices are going up, food is going up, everything just seems to be increasing yet our salaries are staying the same. So we are now pushed into making it on our own, calling out own shots and putting 110% effort into making our lives successful.
To make it out there in the business world you need to understand that when it comes to starting a business, the starting line is you! No matter what resources, products, services your business has, without you it doesn’t exist. You can’t win a race if you don’t compete; you can’t win the lottery without a ticket; you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs; just like you can’t have a business without you.
You are the starting point for anything in your business – whatever your stage of business, whether you are starting, growing or diversifying. The starting point will always be you. So let’s look at what you is and just exactly what you do bring to your business.
You and your personality are made up of your good points and your bad points. For your business to succeed, you need to make the most of your good points: your strengths; and minimise the effects of your bad points: your weaknesses. So you need to recognise what these good and bad points are. You need to develop your self-awareness; identify your good and your bad points so you can make the most of the good and develop coping strategies for the bad. You need to brutally honest with yourself. Be brave and find out how others see you.…
One of the most frequently asked questions we receive is, “How can I be sure my new business will succeed?” There is no crystal ball that can accurately answer that question. However, if you are serious about starting a business there are five steps you can take that will begin to give you a clearer picture. By following these steps you will gain tremendous insight into what lies ahead. Whether this reality-check convinces you to dive in, or hold back, you’ll be well served by what you learn. While we are huge proponents of founders developing a well written business plan, the steps below can be followed even before you start your small business plan.
Step 1: Write a simple elevator pitch to see if your business idea is compelling to others. If you haven’t created an elevator pitch before, you can stitch together the essentials very easily. Write a one sentence answer to each of the following questions. What problem will your company solve for its customers? Who has this problem and how large is that group? What will make your business unique so that customers will buy from you instead of a competitor? Finally, what are your qualifications to run the business? If you force yourself to write and re-write the very best one sentence answers to each of these questions, you will have the elevator pitch you need for this purpose. Now, try out your elevator pitch on 10 people you trust and respect to get their feedback and reaction to your well-formed business concept. This is the warm up for steps two and three.
Step 2: Talk to would-be customers to find out if there is a true need for your product or service. When you are thinking about starting a business, you obviously feel there is a void in the marketplace. Don’t wait until you open your business to find out if the need for another business is real or imagined. Armed with your elevator pitch, go have face-to-face discussions with future customers. You are not going to them to sell, or pre-sell. You are doing market research. After describing your business by generally following your elevator pitch, go into “ask and listen” mode. To get the information you are seeking, ask questions like, “How are you currently meeting your needs for (insert the products or services your company will provide)?” Listen carefully-this is the voice of the customer. In step one, you spoke to friends and respected colleagues. In step two, you are talking to people who currently buy products or services like those you will be selling. Select individuals who will be focused on the content of your ideas and less concerned about simply wanting to be encouraging.
Step 3: Become an expert on the competition. Identify 5 other companies that are already doing what you plan to do. Learn as much about them as you can. One of the best things to learn is if they expanding or shrinking. You want to …
The official definitions of entrepreneur generally come down to an individual who takes on the initiative and risk of organizing and managing any business. This is a pretty basic description, perhaps better suited to the definition of business owner. Successful entrepreneurs bring something more to the table than the average guy who works for himself. They are innovators, they are independent, and they are willing to live like most people won’t in order to live like most people can’t.
Article directories and business magazines are full of advice for would-be entrepreneurs that doesn’t really fit with that title. Some experts recommend that you outsource all “non-core” tasks related to your business idea. The argument is that you should reserve your efforts for the core operations of the venture and leave all other tasks (accounting, marketing, legal issues, IT) to other professionals to handle. On the surface, this sounds great – you get to do the “fun” part and leave the boring business stuff to someone else.
The problems come when you are faced with critical business decisions – should we expand? Change direction? Are there opportunities to exploit? Threats to counter? If you do not have a solid grasp of every aspect of your business, you will not only have trouble making these decisions, but may not even know the decisions need to be made! There are hundreds (if not more) of horror stories about business owners turning over control of one aspect or another to an outside source, trusting them to do things right, and paying dearly for not taking complete responsibility for every part of their venture. Of course, there is a time and place for outsourcing time-consuming tasks, but a true entrepreneur needs to retain control over how and when the work is done, and have the knowledge and an established procedure for understanding what it all means.
The business of entrepreneurship is business – many of the most successful entrepreneurs will tell you that the product or service you are offering doesn’t matter nearly as much as the fundamental business skills you apply to the venture. The basics of running a business are the same no matter what you sell, who you well it to, or where you are located. Accounting systems must be coherent and accurate in order to tell you where the business has been. The operations procedures must be well-established, consistent, and efficient to ensure the day-to-day is being run correctly. The financial and strategic planning must be based on a balance of knowledge of the past, present, and future of the business as well as fundamental business principles. Whatever field your company is in, you success or failure will all come down to business.
Nearly every definition of entrepreneur includes a reference to risk-taking. Actually, the most successful entrepreneurs avoid risk like the plague. They do so by working hard to learn the details of every aspect of their business, identifying areas of potential risk, and doing everything they can to mitigate …
All too often online entrepreneurs start their business intent on learning as they go. They have a mindset that if they are going to be successful online then they have to learn everything themselves from scratch – Wrong Mindset:
There is a right way and a wrong way to develop and grow an online business. The right way is to find out who in your niche is currently successful and mirror what they are doing.
You must not copy what they are doing word for word but you must firstly:
1. Adopt their mindset – what do they focus on, who do they focus on? how much time do they invest in their business? who are they in business with? what are the names of the people that you associate with and who can really challenge you and help you?
2. Work on your own mindset – Be focused on achieving your success and you must be specific in order to do this,. Make sure you have committed yourself to the success of the business. You must be committed to working on your online business every day for an extended period of time – Are you prepared to make the necessary sacrifices. Make sure you understand the time it will take.
Many of the online scam businesses claim that you can make thousands of dollars from your first day in business by working only 1-2 hours per day. Most of the truly successful online entrepreneurs who have built sustainable, ethical, online businesses for themselves will have invested their time, their efforts and 100% of their focus to ensure success in their online venture.
If you are serious you will treat your business seriously.
On each of the Online Business Training courses that I have given and attended over the past few years, Mindset features on each and every one of them.
Being an online entrepreneur can be difficult to explain to people who have never operated online. They will however be experts in online scamming and will have heard all the stories!
Its important for both you and your own mindset to be very clear to these people that you are working on a serious business and that you are committed to its success and that you are working on yourself all the time.
You must make sure that you are spending as much of your time as possible speaking with and mixing with like minded success orientated people. This works if you want it to work.
Watching the news and TV and reading the daily newspapers will not help you to become successful online. Cut the time you spend on these activities to a minimum.
3. Find a proven system that works online and that has worked online for for many people. Speak to these people and understand what they have done to make it a success. Its the quickest way to becoming successful online.…
If you are looking for financial independence, there is no better and low cost, sometimes free, way than starting an internet business. However, without the right plan and approach, you may not realize the financial freedom you are looking for. The plan below will help you be successful with your online business.
What type of internet business should you undertake?
There are many types of online business you can undertake. You can either sell your own product or sell someone’s. Selling your own product will take you some time as you will have to identify the product, have it developed, develop the shipping mechanism and initiate a marketing campaign.
On the other hand, when starting an internet business, you can decide to sell someone’s products as an affiliate. Here, you will only have to get customers to buy the products and for each sale, you will be given a commission. Starting and internet business as an affiliate is much easier than starting to sell your own products.
Is there a market available for the product or service you are offering?
When starting an internet business, find out whether there is demand for the product or service you want to offer. You can use various tools to know whether your offer has a demand in the market. Also, find out trends in the media on what people are looking for. The best way to get a winning product or service is to offer a solution to problems many people are facing.
Do you have the necessary equipment to carry out the business?
When starting an internet business, you will need an internet enabled computer. Apart from this, you will also need things like a phone for live support, different computer application software, a printer, web hosting company, domain name among others. Unlike traditional business models, you do not require an office as you can work from home. You will save a lot on things like taxes, rent, electricity and other overheads associated with traditional business models.
What is your marketing plan?
Starting an internet business also required you to think of your target customers. Your business will not survive if customers cannot find you on the web. You have to come up with a marketing campaign for your products or services. You can use a combination of free and paid marketing strategies to reduce your cost and increase your leverage.
Before starting an internet business, you should understand the importance of search engine optimization (SEO) to your online business. Adopt different SEO to ensure your target customers get to your website.
When starting an internet business, have the above plan at hand and you will be on your way to a long term recurring income and will be able to achieve financial independence.…
There are a few things you need to consider before hiring a locksmith. Get prepared in advance. In this article, you will find advice that will help you find the best contractor for the job. Keep reading and keep this information in mind.
Before you hire a locksmith, research his background. It’s important that the locksmith you hire has your best interests at heart. Some locksmiths are scammers and will make copies of your keys.
Even if a locksmith is something you will never have need for, it is good to be prepared. Do some homework in advance to know a trustworthy professional you can rely on in an emergency situation. You can save their number in your phone, putting it at your fingertips in case of emergency.
Try getting a locksmith who stays up to date with the locksmith community. While it’s not a necessity, knowing that your locksmith is up to date on current trends and technological developments can be very reassuring. It also assures you that you won’t get scammed.
Check the locksmiths credentials before they enter your home. Once he does give them, take the initiative to call them. You surely want the best possible services from someone you know to be trustworthy.
Check that the locksmith is who they claim to be prior to allowing them entry to your home. Double check the address listed is real and connects with the phone number you were given. With easy online access, you can double check anyone you want to hire.
While it’s cool to look for a low price on locksmith services, be wary if it’s too low. They may not have a lot of experience, or may be desperate for work. Try to pick a locksmith that does not charge at the high or low end of your quotes.
Find a locksmith before you actually require one. You won’t have many choices if you put it off until you have been locked out of the car or house. You also risk someone shady having your keys.
Don’t hire locksmiths after you only consider one. Calling from three to as many as five individual locksmiths is a good way to get a range of prices. You will know what the rates are with various companies. After you have determined the going rate, you will be able to make a better decision in hiring a locksmith.
Before trusting a locksmith with your keys, ask for a referral list of their customers. Most businesses are happy to provides references, and it is important to actually call the referred customers. Find out how trustworthy and reliable locksmiths are and the amount they charge for off-hours and emergencies.
It is not logical to wait until you find that you cannot unlock the door to your car or home in order to locate an good locksmith. Locksmith companies should be thoroughly checked out prior to using their services. Hopefully you have learned some valuable tips from this article to hire the …
Make sure your source is reliable so you don’t get sucked in to scams and gimmicks. Here are some timely, accurate, helpful network marketing tips that will send you successfully on your way!
In network marketing, it is easy to get pulled into the numbers game and focus on the quantity of prospects when in truth your success depends on the quality of your leads. In order to earn a profit, you must have dedicated hard-working people in your network that are actively developing their own set of business contacts.
As with many things, being a successful network marketer can be a matter of visualizing your success. This may not seem very complicated, but you really need to envision the future to make your networking business a success. Anyone can benefit from positive visualization, and network marketing is no different.
One way to progress in your field is to learn as much as possible from your failures. Analyze how you failed and take the information learned to heart. Knowing your weaknesses is the only way to correct them. Always learn from your failures, and apply that knowledge to avoid the same mistakes in the future. Likewise, repeat those things that are successful.
If your offerings are different, there may be people interested. It is alright to give people a choice as long as you let them make the final decision.
A vision board helps to make your goals clear so that your network marketing strategies can stay on track to meet those fixed goals. What exactly would you like to achieve through the business? Is it a yacht, fast car or mansion, or something else?
Having an e-mail list, and using it consistently is a fundamental part of successful network marketing. It does not matter if you derive this list from feedback on your site or if you purchase it, having a lengthy list you can use will aid you in increasing your business.
Become the leader of your network marketing campaigns. Be creative with unique offerings from your company. A great approach can generate a wealth of traffic. Consider it flattering if your success leads competitors to try to copy you. Try to refrain from copying other sites, as you should always be as original as possible when marketing.
It is important to be knowledgeable about the product you are marketing. Really believing in your own product, helps to build confidence in your potential consumers. If they see what a true believer you are, they will be motivated to sign up with you to support your product too. Your knowledge of the product is key to being able to answer any questions. This also shows your potential clients you are an expert and qualified to lead them with marketing the products.
Let your networking contacts determine the course of the conversation. Your promotions will be more successful when you use what you learn about your contacts. Take advantage of the information you can glean from social media outlets. When …
Many people believe that the promise of making money with article marketing is just another get-rich-quick scheme, but they are mistaken. It is very competitive, but simple to do. Just avoid misleading gimmicks. Be Honest. In order to succeed with article marketing, you need some awesome tips to make it happen, and that’s where this article comes in.
What kinds of ads interest your audience? Adding new content and ads periodically will keep things interesting. Don’t be reluctant to show your creativity with different fonts, colors and graphics to focus attention where you want it. Trial and error is the best way for you to find out what works regarding technique.
Think about outsourcing. If you are not a talented writer or don’t have the time needed to write your own content, hiring a professional to write for you may be your best option. In the end, you will save time and help your website, so the extra cost will be worth it.
Make sure your articles reflect you as a writer. Personal touches make your articles more appealing than if they are dry and impersonal. Always be honest in your articles and allow your style to become evident. Your readers will appreciate the effort and are more likely to return.
Use social media. Using your Twitter and Facebook accounts is a good way of attracting new readers. All you have to do is post some kind of update whenever you put out a new piece of writing to get peoples’ attention. You can also ask your followers to share your articles with their friends for an even higher boost in traffic.
Maximize the benefit of your articles by including at least one keyword or keyword phrase. For the best results, try incorporating keywords into headings and the URL. You should pepper the keyword throughout the article. By placing your keyword throughout your page, you increase the chance that a search engine will find your article.
Learn all that you can about your target audience. If your target is casual blog sites, make sure your content is short and personable. If you want to look professional, aim for longer content that is well-researched.
Add bullets and numbers in your articles. Bullets and numbered lists help the reader to better understand and remember the content. Bulleted text helps the reader to categorize and retain the information, because it is viewed as more important.
The articles you write must be original and filled with unique content. People do not want to look through the same old stuff over and over again. In addition, if the topic of your article is something many people have not heard of, you will reduce your readership.
Your opener is extremely important. Make sure that you present any opening paragraph in a way that will grab your reader’s attention. Give your readers statistics or questions that will make them more attentive to what you are trying to tell them. Most visitors will form an opinion after reading …
Do you desire to replace a lock on your own? Think about the value of the things you want to secure. Is not using a qualified locksmith worth the risk? If you end up deciding it’s not, the following advice will help.
Be wary of locksmiths who provide you with one price on the phone and another in person. Some try this kind of ploy so they can get you to pay more money. If you’re told that it will be more expensive than you were quoted, hire a different person.
It is advisable to be prepared even if you never think you will need a locksmith’s service. Research before you need one and find someone that you can trust. Keep a locksmith’s phone number in a cell phone or written down so you can call then if the worst happens.
If you have doubts about a locksmith’s reputation, research with the BBB. This can help you identify any person trying to scam you. Also, ALOA.org is another great organization that you can check to verify any locksmith you wish to use.
Choose a tradesman who is an active participant of his professional community. A locksmith that keeps himself current with the latest trends and developments will do a better job. This will also help ensure that he isn’t some moonlighter who isn’t concerned about the job.
Always ask locksmiths for professional references before hiring. You should do this in advance, before you actually need them. You need to find a trustworthy, quality pro, so start searching today.
Ask about what credentials the locksmith has when you are making the call. Tell them over the phone and ensure they agree. If the company is professional, they will have the right ID on them and be well presented.
While it’s cool to look for a low price on locksmith services, be wary if it’s too low. They may not have a lot of experience, or may be desperate for work. Get a few different quotes and get rid of the lowest and highest. Then you should hire one that’s the most modest.
Be prepared and find a locksmith before you require their services. Your choices won’t be as good if you wait. You do not want a disreputable person having access to your belongs and your family.
Before hiring locksmiths, be sure to find out how long they’ve been in the business. If they’ve been around for a long time, it’s a fair bet that they are worthy of your trust. Though new locksmiths are not necessarily unworthy of your business, experience can be an important factor.
Some locksmiths charge a lot more if you call outside of business hours. Some contractors use this to their advantage and charge unnecessarily high rates. You can stay away from this kind of price-raising by getting a quote from a couple of different locksmiths.
There are good and bad locksmith out there. You want a professional. The advice above is sure to be useful …