achieving success


Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

Achieving Success – Keeping Your Money and Making it Work for You

A lot of people have made and lost millions. Some don’t seem to mind – it’s their game. But others, having made a few million, would rather keep it. To do that, you need to be financially literate. True, you need a certain amount of financial literacy to simply take on an entrepreneur opportunity and have any chance of achieving success, but to keep that money may require you to boost your financial literacy up a notch.

How does one become financially literate? When I looked at the number of people that have fallen prey to the country’s recent economic woes, it would seem that controlling your finances and making them somewhat predictable is a challenging task. So, I went searching for basic and uncomplicated guidelines that apply to everyone.

There is a lot of advice out there, however, I found a list of basics which, if followed, should help your finances stay under control as you work on achieving success.

It does take a little work, study really, but that’s no different than any other subject you want to master. The info I found was offered on basicallymoney.com in response to a question from a reader: “How does one become “Financially Literate?”

Understanding finances enables you to reap the full rewards of any entrepreneur opportunity. I hope this information helps!

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Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

Achieving Success When You Don’t Have the Get Up and Go

Achieving successYou may have seen me mention that I think it’s important to stay in good physical shape. There’s nothing more difficult than pushing through physical aches, pains, and fatigue when you’re working on achieving success. Except, perhaps, pushing through emotional aches, pains, and fatigue.

These types of symptoms can be a primary barrier to achieving success. But sometimes they’re easier to address than you might think.

I’ve already written a blog post about compiling a list of things that help you stay in the zone. That list is definitely a high priority when it comes to giving yourself a boost.

But there are other things you can do as well:

– Exercise. It’s not just for staying in shape. Exercise also releases endorphins, the body’s ‘feel good’ chemicals, and helps lower cortisol, the ‘stress hormone.’ Experts say cardiovascular and aerobic activities work best. Sometimes just 10 minutes is enough, although 30 minutes a day is generally recommended for those who are physically up to it.

– Call your business associates. You’ve got a team, use them. Team members help each other.

– Review your goals and the reasons why you’re working on achieving success. Getting your attention back on the goals gives you a lift and helps take your mind off any problems you might be running into.

– Watch an inspirational DVD; it’s amazing how they can help give you the boost you need.

Life is full of ups and downs. Sometimes the downs have to be directly addressed, but sometimes it’s enough to just remove yourself from them and get your eye back on your goals. The steps above can help get you back on track with your entrepreneurial opportunity and get your attention back on achieving success.

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Thursday, December 10th, 2009

Will Your Entrepreneur Opportunity Be Successful? Only Research Will Tell.

researchThere’s a lot to be said for doing business in a way that earns people’s trust and respect. Here’s the story of a guy who failed at his first entrepreneur opportunity, but developed such good relationships with his contacts and employees that the same employees came to work for him in his new business – despite the fact that he hadn’t been able to pay them when his first business closed down.

I’m generally not a big fan of the idea that you have to fail in order to succeed. Nor am I in agreement with the statement made in the article that you have to go into business thinking there’s a 50% chance it will fail.

That said, what does it take to have something closer to a guarantee of success? What it basically comes down to is research.

Here’s a good example: The person featured in the article said he couldn’t find a way to make his business viable. He was selling used moving boxes, a great entrepreneur opportunity since this is definitely the right time to open a ‘green’ business. But he found he could not carry the business for the price at which he could sell the boxes, even though sales were very good.

A little research at the beginning – cost of employees, cost of acquiring the boxes, cost of storing and shipping the boxes, business taxes, other business expenses, and so on, would have given him this information in the beginning.

Achieving success takes good planning – market research, projected expenses, income, and so on. There are no guarantees, life is full of unexpected twists and turns, but if you do it, you have a much better than 50% chance of success.

By the way, the fellow in the article now has a new business model, and it is working. Check him out here.

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Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

Five Key Elements of Achieving Success

CommunicateNo matter what business you’re in, achieving success depends on your relationship with your customers. Even if you have a monopoly, unhappy customers will go elsewhere as soon as there’s somewhere to go. So, what are the most important points in taking care of customers?

A recent article in Entrepreneur.com more or less lays out the five most important elements:

-    Be proactive
-    Communicate
-    Have a positive attitude
-    Understand the client’s business
-    Follow-up.

You can read the article for more details.

However, there is one more thing I would add, something I’ve found to be a real issue in many companies – letting management and product development people know about the feedback front line people get from customers.

Years ago a study was done regarding the support desk industry – the people you call when you have a problem with a product or service you’ve purchased. These individuals make a big contribution to a company achieving success. However, it was found that often the support desk people heard about the same problems over and over again – but they didn’t let anyone else know about it. The information never got to management or product development so nothing was ever done to make the necessary changes in the product or service.

Everyone likes to feel like they’re being listened to. It’s a vital part of achieving success in any activity, and a vital entrepreneurial skill.

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Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

Achieving Success Despite Obstacles – Check Out Kids With Cameras

Achieving successYou may have heard about the film Kids With Cameras. This is a new project for Polaris Media Group, part of the documentary film series about people achieving success despite obstacles. And it’s already having an impact even though it hasn’t been released yet.

Check out the Twitter action to the left.

I have to say this documentary series is destined to be one of the things I’m most proud to be associated with. Anyone achieving success is a good thing, but when you see it happen for these kids, it’s miraculous.

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Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

Entrepreneur Opportunity is Obvious When You’re in the Zone

Entrepreneur opportunitySome people wait around for others to present a good idea – an entrepreneur opportunity. But have you ever noticed that when you’re alert and ‘switched on’ ideas come to you a mile a minute? And they’ve been there all along, you just didn’t see them.

Likewise, you can have a problem that plagues you for ages and suddenly, when you’re in the zone, the solution is right there staring you in the face. It’s also been there all along, just waiting for you to see it.

There’s no question that staying in the zone opens the doors to entrepreneur opportunity. So, observing what gets you in the zone is a worthwhile activity. It could be anything from hanging out with your spouse to gardening or playing with your cat. It might be stimulating conversation with associates or going to the gym.

Whatever those activities are, put them on a list and keep it handy. Sometimes, when you’re not in the zone, you won’t remember these little things. All you have to do is pull out your ‘in the zone’ list and start doing whatever strikes your fancy.

Life is rough when you’re pushing uphill. Achieving success is much easier when you’re in the zone.

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Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Teaching Entrepreneurial Skills at Home

entrepreneur skillsI recently read an article that argued against stay-at-home moms, with some very convincing reasons. I nearly bought it, until I remembered something a friend said to me many years ago.

One of the best arguments raised in the article is that kids who spend all their time with mom have a social circle of one – mom. In a daycare, their social circle is 20, maybe more.

Good point; how do kids learn to get along with others when they’re home with mom?

Then I remembered my friend. He and his family, wife and two kids, lived in a rural environment. Mom home-schooled the kids and, because their home was so isolated, they rarely got to interact with other kids.

When I remarked about how time consuming it must be to get their kids together with other kids, my friend’s reply made me laugh. “Have you ever seen kids interact?!” He reminded me of birthday parties where out of control kids were running around screaming.

He said he would much rather his kids emulate the manners, interaction and habits practiced at home. Then they could go out in the world more prepared.

One of the great things about using entrepreneurial skills to work from home is you get to spend more time with your kids, and in turn, more time to provide education in life skills such as how to get along with others. A solid education in this entrepreneurial skill will give any child the greatest chance of achieving success.

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Monday, November 30th, 2009

Achieving Success with Franchises

Achieving success

Some people consider buying a franchise when they want to start their own business. The advantage is, obviously, that the franchisee has a formula that works. Theoretically, if you follow the formula, you shouldn’t have a problem achieving success.

However, even though there’s a good chance of achieving success with a franchise, some franchises do fail. Fortunately, why they fail is no mystery and there are lessons that can be learned from this. Check out Five Reasons Franchises Fail for some answers.

The article lists the obvious:

-   The business model isn’t easily duplicated
-   Location is bad
-   Poor marketing or advertising – including not being able to sell.
-   Competition
-   Unrealistic expectations

But there are two other important factors that, although touched on in the article, are not given the weight they deserve. These are:

-   Liking people and having the ability to work with different personalities
-   The ability to manage employees

It’s the ‘liking people’ issue I feel is pivotal, and it’s really an understatement. You have to be downright gregarious to achieve success in many franchises. You have to welcome every person that comes your way, and be sincere about it – you really have to want people there.

In fact, when it comes to achieving success with an independent business or a franchise, if it involves servicing people, any inkling of, “Not another customer, I just don’t feel like it right now’ will make achieving success next to impossible.

People instinctively know when you don’t really want them there. If that describes you, go home and let someone else run the place. Otherwise, you will be the biggest barrier to achieving success. Knowing when to stand down and let someone else cover the front lines is also a vital entrepreneurial skill.

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Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

Achieving Success with Complaint Free Wednesday

Complaint free wednesdayIn June of this year, Missouri democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver proposed legislation to set aside the day before Thanksgiving as “Complaint Free Wednesday.” It wasn’t his idea, but he encouraged it and said it was intended to help people “look forward, not backward”; an important factor in achieving success. Unfortunately, he was shot down in flames.

Many of those who shot him down saw complaining as a basic right; even a duty. “I thought dissent and complaining were patriotic” said one commenter.

Do they have a point? Sure. But at the same time, they’re also missing the point. And the point they’re missing has a lot to do with achieving success.

There’s nothing wrong with disagreeing, nothing wrong with dissent, nothing wrong with making it known to the appropriate people that you don’t like something. In fact, growth does not occur without looking at how something could be better.

But simply complaining – especially if you do it all the time – is a bore, non-productive, and sometimes even counter-productive. Achieving success in a certain direction – which the complainer will say is his goal – is done by doing, not by simply complaining. The people who actually create the change are the doers, those who spend more time working out solutions and bringing them to the table than they do complaining.

By the way, do check out the Complaint Free Blog where you can get and stay involved in the ‘complaint free lifestyle’. Someone’s turned this into a real entrepreneurial opportunity – personally, I think it’s great. Just think how much more pleasant and productive life would be.

Not everyone thought badly of Emanuel Cleaver’s suggestion. An Australian radio show asked to interview him. They think ‘Complaint Free Wednesday’ is a great idea.

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Monday, November 23rd, 2009

Entrepreneurial Skills Help Moms Further Their Careers

Entrepreneur skillsOne of the reasons I’m excited about people learning entrepreneurial skills is the freedom those skills allow. Take the choice mothers often feel forced to make, for example: On one hand, they have the desire to be with their child, teach them some of life’s basics, witness milestone events, and generally just kind of hang out and adore them. On the other hand, there’s that drive or purpose, that burning desire to follow your ‘career bliss’; very tough choice.

But if you learn entrepreneurial skills and play your cards right, you don’t have to make really tough decisions like ‘child or career.’ You may have to decide whether to work or be with your kid for a few hours, or a day or two – but that’s not so bad. It’s when you have to decide whether to spend time with your kids or have a career for the next five or twenty years that it really becomes a dilemma!

Just about every time I turn around I see an entrepreneurial opportunity. Really, there’s no shortage of exciting careers that also allow you to be a mom.

If you feel torn between the two, realize that it’s a solvable problem. Once you really know that, finding a solution will be much easier. And once you find that solution, you’ll be on your way to achieving success with both your family and your career.

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