Do What THEY Love!
By · CommentsThere’s so much talk about “Do What You Love” these days. It’s time to make an important correction.
As a way of having fun, “do what you love” is a good philosophy. As a way of building a business, it’s not.
People don’t give you money because you love doing it. They pay you because it solves a problem in their life.
Think back to the last ten purchases you made. Last 100. How many did you make because the person who made it or sold it was doing what they loved? Probably none.
The reality is that 99% of the time, you only give up your money because it is somehow making your life better, either by solving a problem or by giving you pleasure. Why would your customers be any different?
A more powerful philosophy is “Do What THEY Love! … Read More→
What “YOU” Want Is A Clue … Not Proof!
By · CommentsSo you have a great product idea. Great!
Should you build it? … Maybe.
There’s something to be said about scratching your own itch. Many great businesses have been started that way. BUT …
The problem with scratching your own itch is you really don’t know if others have the same itch. (This is such a bad analogy.)
So here’s the deal … there’s only one person who pays you and that’s the customer. If your product doesn’t solve their problem or make their life better, they’re not going to pay you no matter how much you love your product.
Almost every creator is in love with their product or idea. You’re no different, I get that. I am too. Loving your product is important. But it’s not enough. … Read More→
Invest First, THEN Get Results
By · CommentsI hear it all the time …
“I’ll get a coach or mentor WHEN I can afford it.”
“I’ll hire an assistant or team member WHEN I can afford it.”
“I’ll get that course WHEN I can afford it.”
“I can’t afford it now.”
All of those statements (and anything like it) have one underlying presumption and false-belief … that you will get the results before you need to invest. Hogwash!
The world doesn’t work that way … Read More→
What People Want
By · CommentsOne of the challenges that creators and helpers in the world face is that the people they are trying to help just don’t respond! (What’s up with that?)
Have you ever created something or tried to help someone who really needs it, and yet they just don’t want your help. Or maybe they do, but they don’t want to pay for it. If you’re in business, that’s a challenge!
So, part of the solution is to swallow our pride, our ego, our self-focus, and learn to figure out what people really want by putting the spotlight on them for a while.
A Little Understanding Goes A Long Way … Read More→
Book Review: Built To Sell – by John Warrillow
By · Comments
Built To Sell – by John Warrillow
Creating A Business That Can Thrive Without You
ISBN: 1591843979 READ: 20101206 Rating: 10/10
Every once in a while, a book comes along that is simple but profound. Profound in the sense that it changes the way you look at things and think about your future. If you want to get back to freedom, growth, and fun in your business, then Built To Sell will provide you with the formula. Easy read, but filled with counter-intuitive ideas.
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Get John’s book “Built To Sell: Creating A Business That Can Thrive Without You”
Get more John at www.BuiltToSell.com
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MY REVIEW … Read More→
Book Review: Anything You Want – by Derek Sivers
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Anything You Want – by Derek Sivers
ISBN: 1936719118 READ: 2011-06-28 RATING: 10/10
I loved this book so much, I renamed my business because of it. Derek’s book embodies a great philosophy of experimentation, excellence and avid customer focus. Having sold CD Baby for $22 million, you’d think he had a grand master plan. Instead, his very duplicatable philosophy is what got him there. Filled with great contrarian lessons and stories that can transform your business and life.
Discover Your 1%
By · CommentsGood news! … You CAN do it all.
The bad news … You just can’t do it ALL!
If you’re an entrepreneur, then deep down there’s a belief that you can do pretty much anything you want to do (Ok, maybe you don’t always feel that way, but that’s another discussion).
The truth is that as entrepreneurs we are always operating under constrained resources. A limited amount of time, money, energy, focus and anything else you can think of.
So the goal is to have the biggest impact on the world with the least resources needed, because that’s all we’ve got.
How do we have the biggest impact? … Read More→
Have you noticed that a lot of the things you do just seem to drag on forever?
That big success you want so badly never really happens, and eventually you drop it.
You know how it goes … You know something is important and you want to have some success with it … Maybe it’s blogging, maybe it’s building your list, maybe it’s getting customers … so, you keep slugging away at it week after week, month after month, making incremental progress but never really getting anywhere.
Eventually, you get tired of it and drop it. Maybe you weren’t meant to succeed in that way.
HOGWASH! The reason you didn’t get the results is because … Read More→
How to Dominate a Niche – Go Bowling!
By · CommentsHave you ever wondered why they don’t put the pins straight across the lane in bowling? …
They don’t because it’s hard to knock the pins down when they are straight across.
But what happens when you arrange them in the bowling pin format you’ve seen, with one pin in the front, two behind it, and three behind that? …
With that set up, you can knock them all down quickly if you hit the first pin right.
So, what about your business? … Read More→
Fear And The Meaning of Entrepreneurship
By · Comments“Everyone should become a millionaire. Not for the money,
but for who you become in the process.”
Jim Rohn
Today I’m doing something I’ve never done before.
A few weeks ago my daughter asked me “Hey Dad, would you be willing to speak to my Career class about being an Entrepreneur?” I said “Sure!” I’m always willing to support my daughter and talk about entrepreneurship to teenagers.
“But you gotta do it in French,” she said.
My gut instantly tied itself into a knot.
