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Thanks,
V. Gold

What's the Price Tag on Your Time, Talent and Knowledge?

I recently witnessed a multi-million dollar deal unfold after two years.  Two years of time, talent and knowledge put in and no deal!  Not to mention at least $100,000 spent on analysis, studies and reports determining the feasibility of the project.  The principals/key players that were a part of this team didn't get paid for the hundreds of hours that they put into this project.  Why would they work for free?  When you look at the potential of the opportunity, that would ultimately return several millions of dollars in revenue the question then becomes, why would they not work for free?

What are you willing to put in to "the Project" to reap the rewards that you ultimately dream about?  The projects, ventures and opportunities with the highest payouts tend to require a commitment that most people are unwilling to make.  This commitment that most won't make is what keeps most people working for other people as opposed to working for themselves!  This commitment that most won't make contributes to the growing gap between the rich and the poor!

The investment of time, talent and knowledge is the commitment that I am referring to.  Most people feel that if they aren't being paid upfront, it isn't worth their time.  Most people feel that if they aren't being paid up front, they have no reason to waste their talent.  Most people feel that if they aren't being paid upfront, they aren't giving anyone else their knowledge.

The difference between people that achieve and maintain a high degree of life long success and prosperity realize the value of investing in the right opportunities which require a great deal of time, talent and knowledge and no compensation up front but have end results that are immeasurable.  When you put a set price tag on your time, talent and knowledge you can potentially miss out immensely.  It isn't always about how you can benefit today.  What about how you can benefit in the future?  Make it about how you can retire at 40…or before!  Don't limit yourself!

Don't Get Around to It…Just do It…or Not!

How many times do you find yourself saying things such as the following?

1. I'm getting there
2. I'm going to do it
3. I'm going to get to it
4. Remind me to do that later
5. I will, as soon as I get paid
6. I will, as soon as I find some time
7. I will, as soon as I save up the money
8. I will, as soon as I put the kids to sleep

Do these phrases sound familiar to you?  These are phrases that you should make a conscious effort to get rid of, or quite frankly, you will miss out! 

When it comes to business, these lines simply don't work!  When it comes to customer service, what customer will think that it is acceptable for you to constantly be working on it, or getting to it as opposed to having it?  When it comes to a partnership, what motivated business partner is going to think that it is acceptable for you to constantly need to be given reminders to do your work as opposed to having your work done?  The above 8 lines impact your credibility and each time that you say one of these lines to the same individual especially, your seriousness meter is being chipped away at.  People do remember and they are counting, especially when they care!

When it comes to business, if you don't have plans on ever doing something or if quite frankly you are not interested in doing something, than say it!  People will respect you for giving a flat out NO as opposed to giving the run around.  When you give rationale as to why you haven't started something or why you haven't completed something, the only thing that people will remember is that you failed to come through or stick to your word.

Don't be a "Gonna Doer" just simply get to it and be a "Doer" or learn to give people a respectful and professional NO!

The Power of Partnerships!

In business there is a simple truth...

• Like it or not, when we work together more is achieved, more efficiently, and to a much greater effect! 
• Like it or not, the only way to achieve success and prosperity is by working with other people, partnering, collaborating. 
• Like it or not, partnerships will enable you to expand your reach, tap into new resources and gain new strengths and insight.

Partnerships are a key component to growth, wealth, to ultimate business and financial success.  Eliminate the word ME and start focusing on the power of the word WE!

It's Your Business and so Of Course…It's All About You! Right?

I had a discussion with an individual that was interested in utilizing my services to assist them with growing their business.  Since they were relatively new to the world of entrepreneurism I started with some basic questions to help me get a better feel for what the client was hoping to achieve.  The interview went something like this:

• My question: What made you select this industry? Answer: I love the industry.  I love everything about it. 
• My question: Who is your target market? Answer: Everyone, I'm going to target everyone because I have something for everybody.
• My question: How do you plan to market your products and services? Answer:  I'm going to put the word out and my customers are going to spread the word.
• My question: Who is going to help you run and build the business?  Answer: I'm going to do it all.

I'm sure that you get the tone of the entire interview and so there is no need to for me to go on.  A few things that new business owners often forget is that 1) you cannot do everything, be everywhere, or please everyone and 2) business is not about you, it's about other people - other people known as customers! 

If you decided to go into business without the expectation of making any real money, then great, it can be all about you!  However, if you are like most people and you want to turn a significant profit, your level of thinking has got to be centered around what your targeted market of customers want and less on what you think, feel and want!  It's not about you!

For more on costly mistakes to avoid when starting a business, read my E-Book, "Make Money Not Mistakes."

Assets Worth More Than Money!

You are probably asking yourself, what on earth could I possibly be referring to?  What could possibly be worth more than the almighty dollar?  Could it be gold or silver?  Want to keep guessing?  Three Assets Worth More than Money and Why:

1. Knowledge:  I could give you $5 million today to do with it as you wish.  If you aren't a very smart person, what are the odds that you would have more than $5million in your bank account 6 months from now?  A person with a lot of money and zero knowledge will quickly equal a broke fool!  Think about some of the famous athletes, actresses and musicians who went from having it all to practical homelessness.  No need for me to site names.  A person with knowledge will take that $5 million and turn it into $10 million dollars plus.  Simply from seeking additional knowledge and making smart, informed decisions before spending a dime!
2. Motivation:  If someone lacks the motivation to actually make things happen, their future probably isn't very promising is it?  Let's use the same example from above.  Say you have got $5million in the bank but have zero motivation to do anything other than spend money? What are the odds that you will be able to keep money?  Slim to none right.  You might even have the money today to hire people to do all of the things that you have been told that need to be done to make things happen, but if you lack the self motivation to validate that what you've been told is true and to jump in and become involved to ensure that things are truly on track, the odds are that you'll probably end up being yet another riches to rags statistic.  A motivated person is typically great at making more money than they have today while an unmotivated person is a prime candidate for having a million in the bank today and a negative balance tomorrow!
3. Faith: If you are lacking in your faith this presents an all together different set of problems than knowledge and motivation.  If someone doesn't have faith in themselves, in their partner, in their business, in their products, in their services, or in the case of a believer like me, in God the future will probably not look to bright.  A person with no faith is an empty and typically confused person for the most part.  To put it into another perspective, if you have faith in something, you typically have a strong conviction and belief in what you are doing.  If you lack faith in the $5 million dollar investment that you are contemplating making, the odds are that you probably shouldn't be making that investment and you shouldn't have any real expectations of a return off of that investment.  If you are without faith, it will be extremely hard to move forward and make smart business, financial and life decisions.

You have got to have knowledge, motivation and faith.  These three elements are powerful and worth so much more than a dollar today. As the late Jim Rohn once said "the real value of building a million dollar business is NOT the million dollars.  It’s the learning and knowledge we acquire earning that fortune.  Take a million away from a millionaire, who made that money themselves, and they can make another million."

What Does an Education Equal These Days?

While attending a training seminar earlier this month in San Diego, one of the speakers said something that spoke volumes!  Something that many people often fail to realize!  I cannot recall his name off hand right now, but his quote went something like this…"education equals education…education does not equal income."

These words rang significant to me because over the past few months I cannot count how many individuals I have spoken to, who have lost their jobs, some who remain unemployed and are returning to college or attending for the first time in hopes of finding a higher paid and more stable job in the future.  This made me think….but I didn't want to discourage any of these individuals from furthering their education as I am a firm believer and supporter of higher education and continuous learning.  At any rate, the question that pops into my head is, after you get the education, what's next?  After you walk across the stage and receive that diploma, what's next? 

Education  equals education, period!  Education doesn't come with guarantees, though it does come with many statistics and possibilities.  Education does not equal Income which is what many people fail to realize!  If you are going to school to make more money, I challenge you to research the percentage of college graduates who remain unemployed and/or are working at places such as Starbucks in this economy!

My point is this, if you want to further your education, that is great - I encourage that BUT don't go through life putting your destiny in the hands of someone else's business (your employer) when you could be building your own business and legacy!  There is nothing wrong with working for someone else as long as your remember that nothing lasts forever.  While you may be employed and making a great salary today, there are no guarantees for that salary tomorrow.  Start working on a B Plan, C Plan and even a D, E and F Plan!  Not sure about how to get started?  Ask me how today!

It's Not an Excuse; It's a Flat Out LIE!

Over the past week or so, I have encountered countless excuses from several people on why they either were not, could not, or had not done something or other!  Let us examine what an excuse really is….it is a reason…justification….explanation…..a defensive mechanism……for NOT doing something.  But the truth be told, an excuse is basically a flat out LIE!  As Steve Pavlina put it, "Excuses are lies we tell ourselves to avoid dealing with unpleasant truths."  In Steve's article "Feeble Excuses," he makes some very valid points about excuses.  Read the article below.

Feeble Excuses

February 10th, 2006 by Steve Pavlina

Excuses are lies we tell ourselves to avoid dealing with unpleasant truths.  But as long as we buy into those excuses, we can never move past them.  Instead of addressing the underlying problem, we merely hide the symptoms.  One of the most important steps in personal growth is to uproot excuse-making and confront the real issues behind the excuses with consciousness and courage.

Here are some of the most common excuses and their underlying truths:
I don’t have enough time.
Whenever you hear yourself making this statement, you know deep down it isn’t the truth.  The real truth is that you haven’t made that which you supposedly lack time for important enough.  You’re really saying, “That just isn’t important enough to me.”  I don’t have time to exercise.  I don’t have time for a relationship.  I don’t have time to start my own business.  Of course you have time.  You have as much time as anyone else does, and other people are already doing these same things.  The difference is that they make it more of a priority in their lives than you do.  You aren’t a victim of circumstances.  If you don’t like your circumstances, change them. It’s amazing that people who say they don’t have time somehow find plenty of time for marginal activities like watching TV.  If you don’t have time to exercise, then surely you don’t have time to watch any TV at all.  Such people are really saying that exercise simply isn’t important enough to them. It’s easier to blame the problem on a lack of time, but the real problem is a lack of will.

I don’t know how.
This is one of the feeblest excuses of all.  I don’t know how to make a web site.  I don’t know how to write well.  I don’t know how to get a better job.  Are you capable of learning?  Did you stop after learning to crawl, complaining, “I don’t know how to walk?”  The truth behind “I don’t know how” is “I’m unwilling to learn.”  In other words, you have to admit that you’re lazy.

I don’t have the money.
If there’s something you want, “I don’t have the money” is no excuse for not getting it.  You can always earn the money or find a way to get the item at reduced cost.  The truth behind “I don’t have the money” is “I don’t want it badly enough.”  Earning the money you need is only a matter of time, and we already know that not having enough time is no valid reason for giving up, nor is not knowing how to earn the money.  If you want to buy something out of your price range, you’re fully capable of setting it as a top priority and then putting in the time to learn how to earn enough to acquire the item.

Don’t let excuses run your life.  If you catch yourself using one of these lines, immediately replace it with a statement of the real truth.  At first that truth may seem uncomfortable.  It’s easier to say, “I don’t know how” than it is to say, “I’m unwilling to learn.”  But when you admit your unwillingness, laziness, or lack of motivation, then you’re finally facing the truth, and from that point you’ll have the opportunity to grow.  For example, if you face your unwillingness to learn, you may decide that even though it would be a lot of work to learn a new skill, you could do it if you wanted it badly enough and really applied yourself.

It’s easier on our egos to blame failure on external, uncontrollable factors such as lack of time, information, or resources.  But as long as we use such excuses, we can never solve the underlying problems because those factors aren’t under our direct control.  We need to invert our excuses and look beneath them to find the internal causes that we can control.  What we can control, we can improve.
We can’t control time, but we can control how we prioritize the actions that fill that time.  We can’t control information, but we can control what we choose to learn as well as how much effort we devote to learning.  We can’t control money, but we can choose to undertake more effective income-producing activities.  So by controlling the factors that are within our control, we can create as much time, information, and resources as we desire.
Don’t let your ego get in the way of your growth.  Muster the courage to face the truth instead of making excuses.  Only when you admit the truth do you gain the power to do something about it.  If you admit your laziness, you can work on that.  If you admit your lack of motivation or skill, you can work on those too.  But you’re powerless to work on time, information, or money directly.  Don’t give away this power and doom yourself to perpetual mediocrity.  Shoot down your excuses, face the bitter truth, and start taking the steps necessary to change in the direction you want to go.

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/02/feeble-excuses/

Successful People DUPLICATE!

You've probably noticed that I haven't posted in over a week or so right?  We'll, I took somewhat of a vacation, though that isn't an excuse to not post…..I simply didn't post because I didn't want to….I'm practicing "doing absolutely nothing unless I want to do it" because frankly, I am blessed to have that freedom!  This month anyway that is!!!

In all seriousness now, while I was vacationing I thought a lot about DUPLICATION and the power and importance of it and how it really works!  It also became apparent to me that most people seem to have a problem with duplication.  Why is this?  I would say that most people have a problem with duplication because 1) they are poor listeners 2) they believe that they have all of the answers and 3) they think it is bad to "copy" because they are "creative." 

The fact of the matter is that while creativity is great and is definitely a requirement in some areas, when it comes down business and business success, there is absolutely no need to reinvent the wheel.  We rely on methods and systems because they work!  Things will always need to be refined and enhanced but typically never recreated! 

Tips of the Day to Help you Become a Better Duplicator & a Successful Business Person:

1. "Find out what successful people are doing and start doing it" - go out and do it, study it, learn it, become it. Duplicate it.
2. Become a better listener and observer.  The odds are, you are looking for a better way and hoping to one day become financially free, successful, powerful.  Change your mindset.  Get rid of the "know-it-all" mentality.  Start listening. Start Duplicating.
3. Open up your mind.  You may need to change your mindset - become open and realize your possibilities.  Rich, successful people admire other rich, successful people!  Be jealous and envious of NO ONE.  Be inspired!
4. Change the way you think and live.  There is a strong possibility that you are stuck and that you are where you are because you need to flat out make some changes.  You may need to change your circle of friends, change your lifestyle, etc.  Add some successful people to your circle.  Enrich your surroundings and the places that you frequent.

Are You a Facebook Mass Adder?

Are you a Facebook Mass Adder or Do You Only Add Those that Add Value?  Do you have a few hundred Facebook friends? Are you hitting a thousand, or several thousand? 

What does your level of social media friendship mean to you and to your business and what if anything is it doing or has it done for your business?  Are you just adding people because it is the thing to do and everyone is your "potential" customer or do you actually have a rhyme and reason behind your adds and requests? 

3 Things to Remember About Your Facebook Friendships:

1. People Don't Want to Be Overloaded with Your Sales Pitches. Sometimes less is   more, especially if you don't want to be blocked or better yet deleted!
2. Don't Spam Strangers & Flood In-Boxes. Sometimes it is better to be selective in who you message on Facebook.  Do you know the person directly?  Do they know of you?  The "Send to All" feature isn't always a good one.  Use it wisely!
3. Contrary to Popular Belief; Just Because They Friended You Doesn't Mean They Want to Patronize You.  As I always say and though many disagree with me; you cannot look at everyone as a customer or potential.  Plain and simply put, there are some people who are not and will never be interested in what you have to say or sell, unfortunately!

Ultimately, when it comes to your business, you should seek to add value to your Facebook friends lives and you should seek friendships that add value.  Practice good Facebook Etiquette.  Don't befriend people and immediately start spamming them with your sales pitch.  Don't be the pushy, obnoxious, used-car salesman!

Connect with Me on Facebook!

Release Your Inner Loser!

I'm still on one of my reading rants as learning something new each and every day and reading is simply a part of my everyday life and a natural habit!  Not to mention that there are a lot of people in the world who have great, insightful things to say that can be applied to anyone's business or life in general.  I was reading a post by Chris Owen today who went from a farm boy, to a soldier, to a business man!  I don't personally know him, nor am I able to endorse him, but he did write a great inspirational article called "Release Your Inner Loser" which I think is a must read for everyone.  For whatever reasons, we have all given excuses at some point in time; some people are full of excuses everyday, all day.  The article is cute yet motivational so I'm posting it!

Release Your Inner Loser

by Chris Owen on September 20, 2010

Excuses…Excuses…Excuses

We all have ‘em. The loser in us just trying to break free to the surface.

• I just don’t have the time to work a business…
• I don’t know enough about computers to be successful online…
• I’m not good at talking to people…
• I don’t think I can learn this stuff…

This list can go on for miles. These are just a few of the excuses people use to justify not being successful with online business.
Robert Kiyosaki said it best…

“Excuses are the words coming from the loser in you”

Problem is, excuses are a part of all our lives. I’d be willing to bet, if I counted, I’d use at least 30 excuses throughout my day to justify my inner loser.
Today, I say let’s kick our inner loser in the pants and drop the excuses.
I have a friend that was telling me one day he wished he could make the money I do online. Obviously my response was “Why don’t you?” His reply was one that I’ve heard too many times. “I just don’t have the time”.
I dropped the subject and took a look around. His yard was a masterpiece. It’s like a freak’n 3 acre golf course manicured piece of art. From the tree’s that I don’t know the name of, to the custom landscaped goldfish ponds, it is immaculate.
I asked him how long it takes him to keep this thing up. “Oh about an hour or two a day, and then 4 hours every Saturday”.
“Really” I said. “How much money does it make you?”

How much money you make is more about priority than anything else

If you truly desire to make more money you will. If you just “wish you could” the loser in you is holding you down. Now I’m not saying you should lose your car in the grass, but really, if your spending more than 10 hours a week making your yard immaculate but you can barely afford the fertilizer, your priorities are out of whack.

Put that time and focus into making a better, stronger income stream and when you quit your day job spend all the time you want turning your front yard into a golf course.
It really is that simple. I know plenty of people come online and join a sponsor that is totally useless, leaving them to fend for themselves and try and learn everything on their own. Even with that, you can find enough info digging through my old blog posts to get off to a great start.

The Point Is, Do Something!

There simply is too much information out there to not be successful. My first online marketing sponsor forgot my name the second I payed my sign-up fee. I still went on to make thousands with that company before moving on to something that fit me better. I did so by not quitting, taking a few risks and stepping out of my comfort zone.
Think about this…
This was my pastors message Sunday: Imagine you are driving down the highway in the pouring rain. You pass by a woman trying to change a flat tire. You feel a concern for her, but you are already running late and can’t show up for your meeting soaked from the storm.
Now, what if you feel more than concern for this woman. What if you feel a burden to help her. Do you know the difference? If you feel a burden you will stop, change the tire and hope they understand at the meeting.
That is the mindset you need to be successful with your business. If you are just concerned about making more money, the loser in you will most likely prevail and you’ll never take action. But if you set your mindset to be burdened by your lack of security, uncertain retirement or whatever your money troubles or desires may be… You will take action.
If you don’t believe something is possible, you’ll never take action. Only make excuses. You’ll bask in the light of the dream while you live in the misery of the moment.
Believe in yourself, take action and work today for a better tomorrow.
Chris Owen

How To Ask For Referrals

Do you have a strategy in place for asking for business referrals, or do you just ask anyone, at any time no matter what?  I came across a really great article by Louis Yates that provides keen insight for going about asking for referrals for your business:

How To Ask For Referrals

Author: Louise Yates

To make the most of business networking as a marketing strategy for your business it's important to master the art of generating referrals. Before I go further into picking the right time to ask for referrals let me make one thing clear; referrals do not come on a plate and do not come immediately. It's important when thinking about networking and as part of your referral marketing strategy to be patient, get to know like and trust your fellow networking colleagues, they will do the same about you and then the referrals will start to flow naturally and sometimes you'll wonder where they're all coming from.

Having said that there's still a right time and a wrong time to ask for sales referrals and get it wrong at your peril. Get it right and you'll be wondering why more people don't network, a wealth of free sales leads already warmed up and all for the relatively small cost of joining a business networking group.

So how do you know when it's the right time to ask? Read on and all will be revealed and for the sake of repetition, the first point is when you feel you trust your contact because it's most likely that when you arrive at this point, so have they.

Another good time is when someone has just experienced excellent service from you. They will thank you and praise your service, you've helped them so what better time is there to ask them to help you?

Another variation on this point is when you've helped someone. For sure they may ask how they can help you in return – do not waste this opportunity! To hammer the nail home make sure that you have your patter short, sharp and to the point.

A third variation on this same point is when you know someone is about to ask for help from you – how relieved they will be if you ask for help from them first knowing they then can freely ask you for help.

Great opportunities come at funny moments and one to be ready for is when someone is really happy or has just had some good news. Sometimes good news doesn't come often and here's the rub about being patient again so be prepared to wait for the right moment. Conversely, the absolute worst time to ask for a referral is when someone has just had bad news, clearly they are going to be focused on themselves and certainly not you.

Furthering this point about ensuring that someone is in the right frame of mind to be receptive to your needs think about this when making phone calls. Have you ever received a phone call from someone when you're in the middle of something urgent or when you are just clearing the desk for the weekend? How receptive are your to someone asking you for a favor?...exactly. I know that when it happens to me I'm really short with the caller and will focus on getting rid of them rather than understanding why they've called. If you're going to ask for something over the phone, take the time to find out a convenient time when you can have a good conversation.

Special offers are always a good one. It doesn't have to be much and if you're well established in a network then this is a great way to make it easy for people to refer you and your services.

 

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/networking-articles/how-to-ask-for-referrals-3564700.html

About the AuthorLouise Yates shares business networking advice and business networking tips and tricks for generating referrals and sales leads. Louise runs a life coaching information website and values based coaching business.

PART 2 - Killer Profit Mistakes - What You Don't Know Will Hurt You!

Earlier in the month I posted the "What You Don't Know Will Hurt You" article and after an interesting interaction with an individual, now just happened to be the time to follow up with a Part 2 Post!  

Yes, what you don't know will hurt you and can kill your business, but at the same time, it's alright to not know as long as you take constant action to get in the know and stay there! In a nutshell, you have got to maintain your relevancy - especially in your industry!  You don't have to know about the latest fashions, video games and i-Phone applications, if that isn't your "business" but whatever "your business" is, it is your business to know about it!  Customers are really smart these days, they do their research, they comparison shop and it has become increasingly difficult to B.S. today's consumer.

Today's Top 3 Tips for Staying in the Know:

1. Maintain Your Relevancy - you have to have social significance if you want to compete.  Think about it this way….there was BETA, then VHS, then DVD, now BluRay….constantly evolving…socially significant…relevant to today….or you'll get left behind - put out of business.
2. If You Don't Know Be Honest About It - If you don't have the answer to something, don't make up an answer or give incorrect information.  Simply say, you are not exactly sure, you cannot recall, or better yet, you don't know and then go promptly figure out the answer.  As I said before, customers are intelligent these days.  The last thing that you want to do is insult someone's intelligence by not communicating the truth.
3. Shoot to Become an Expert - ultimately I suggest that everyone be on a mission to learn everything under the sun about a given area.  Be on a constant quest for information and in turn educate others on what you know.  When you become an expert, the net worth of your business/your brand increases.  You become a magnet and your profit potential is properly positioned for growth.  Get in the know and stay there!

Connect with me on Facebook!

Remember to Return the Favor!

It is an everyday practice for pretty much everyone in social networking to request new friends, request that someone "like" your page, suggest you befriend someone else, suggest that you "like" someone else's page, follow a blog, etc.  What happens after you do these things?

The odds are, if you are an entrepreneur, you are not requesting Facebook friends and requesting and suggesting that people Like your page just for old time sake right?  When it comes down to business, understand that these things are done for a reason that typically goes beyond you, Facebook marketing, networking, and making friends!

If you are an entrepreneur and you rely on social media to build your business and communicate with your customers and prospects remember today's key Social Media Etiquette Tips!

1. Remember to Return the Favor: Do not request that someone become a fan of your business and when they do, you don't return the favor to them in some form or fashion.  Even if you are not yet a customer of theirs, or perhaps you feel that you never will be, unless they are pushing something that goes against your values, why not?  Don't take every request personally because the odds are it isn't about you!  Like I always say, you never know who your future customers, clients and/or business partners may be.  So as long as it's tasteful, why not Like it!  The odds are, no one will judge you for doing so.
2. Remember it is Done for a Reason: In many cases, people have a need to have their page liked and their blog followed because they are "building a business."  They are building credibility.  They are building a base….a brand…just as a brick-and-mortar business would do to get to the next phase of growth and development.

Remember….if it's tasteful, professional and doesn't go against your grain…Like it!  It's about building business and building relationships!  Liking a page and/or following a blog can be a stepping stone to great things that will increase your power, potential and ultimately your profit!  Connect with me on Facebook!

Women Entrepreneurs - Are You Hitting the Mark!

I was doing my daily business reading and overview and came across a rather startling statistic!  According to a study by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the typical business owned by a woman in the United States generates less than $50,000 in revenue per year.  What does this number dwindle down to when you subtract the expenses?  Geesh!

Taking the analysis a step further, the average salary in California is just over $68,000 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and note that I reference California because it has the highest average salary of all States!  I believe the national average is around $44,000 but don't quote me on that.

So what's my point!  The question is, how do you feel about these statistics and how do you rank? In my opinion, there is a definite need for women to get on the fast track to reaching their fullest potential financially as well as personally.  So how does one get there and what is it that might be holding you back?

1) Are you setting goals?

2) Do you have an action plan?

3) Are you too worried about defending and defaming as opposed to doing?

According to Nell Merlino of countmein.org, less than five percent of women actually write down goals or even have an action plan!  And we wonder why the failure rates of small businesses are so high!  Women, how about raising the bar and surpassing the mark?  Start goal setting, action planning, partnering and doing today to begin recognizing and increasing your ultimate profit potential!

More Money Will Solve All Your Problems!

If only you had more money you could buy more inventory, buy more advertising, move to a better location, hire more staff and poof business would be better and your problems would all disappear!

Many business owners make the mistake of thinking that having greater access to capital will solve all of their business problems!  While money can make things better, it will by no means fix what's broken.  In reality most entrepreneurs would create greater financial difficulty if they had more money because they would still be missing the critical and essential ingredients for business success. 

Key Ingredients for Business Success that Money Won't Change

1. A Sustainable Business Model - what you are doing must be proven, viable, scalable.  It has to work!  Business has to be about more than your gut, your instinct and your faith.  If it isn't sustainable it will never work.
2. Experienced Principals & Managers - those at the forefront of your business must be experienced in the business.  Experience is the best teacher and experience is a prerequisite to growth.
3. Financial Fundamentals - being well versed in the financial aspect of business is a must.  Cash Flow Statements, Income Statements, Balance Sheets, ROI - should be common terms to you or to whoever is handling your financials.  You need to know how you are doing financially at all times!

More money will not change the need for the above!  More money will require an even greater capacity to run a viable business.  Running a viable business requires experienced individuals that understand both the business aspect and the financial aspect of building a business!

Social Media Doesn't Matter!

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The title of this blog post is probably somewhat startling isn't it?  While many of us are rather passionate about Social Media and cannot go a day without checking our Facebook and Twitter, the fact of the matter is that to many people, social media is to a great degree meaningless!  This is a point that many people often don't think about - but this is something that business owners and entrepreneurs especially need to remember.

I am amazed at how many people I encounter on a regular basis that rely solely on Facebook to "promote their products and services." Never mind the fact that one can only have so many friends on Facebook and need I mention the fact that most of what is posted will be ignored!

In the big scheme of things, the point I am making today is that if one has high expectations for building and growing business and profit, the level of thinking needs to surpass that of social media.  Yes, social media is definitely a critical component in today's world and will continue to be, but it would be naïve to forget about the millions of people in the world (potential customers and prospects) who could give a darn about social media.  Contrary to popular belief, people still appreciate face to face communication and interaction, especially when they have no idea who the individual really is behind the tweet or post!

Think about how many emails, texts and tweets that you personally ignore and delete on a daily basis!  Ultimately, business building is about problem solving and acting and serving in the best interest of clients and customers.  Business building is about establishing relationships. Business building goes way beyond jumping on the social media band wagon in hopes of making a quick buck. 

Take Your Business To The Next Level

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You thought about what you wanted to do and then you went into business for yourself.  You let everyone know that you were "officially a business owner," you ordered your business cards, set up your office, set up your website and boom…nothing…you are now stuck!  What's next?  Where do you go from here?  Have you ever felt ‘Stuck’ before?  Have you ever felt like there was an invisible wall that was keeping you from getting to the next step?  Maybe you feel like that now.  Trust me, you are not alone.  I have been there plenty of times myself. When you hit blocks in the road like this it can be extremely difficult to get past it; to get your engine started again.  But it actually doesn't have to be so difficult. 
Here are some Steps to Refocus and get your business on to the next level:

1. Whip out your plan and evaluate your "Where Am I Now."  If you never did a plan, do one
2. Determine your "Where I Will Be in 30 Days" or "Where You Would Like to Be in 30 Days" remembering to be realistic.
3. Ask yourself "What Will I Need to Get Me There" and write it down
4. How I Will Acquire Everything I Need remembering to be realistic; especially if your how will involve other people
5. Act on it!  You just developed your Plan of Action for the next 30 Days

Remember to always be REALISTIC!!  It is so much easier to reach your goals when you take baby steps.  The more that you achieve and the better that you become at attaining your goals, the higher that you can set the bar. Make goal setting a habit and as you constantly reach your goals your business and your profits will be growing right before your eyes.

Connecting Your Business is Key!

The difference between the businesses that are struggling and failing and the ones who are effective tends to be pretty obvious.  One of the keys to financial success is seeking assistance in areas that are lacking as well as in areas that you know nothing about.  It is a very smart move to utilize expert training and effective tools and services.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with needing help!  In fact, if you don't think that you need help in any areas, you are probably in denial. 

3 Tips for Connecting Your Business:

1.) Join Networking Groups and/or Meet-up Groups.  Many powerful relationships and partnerships can be formed by gathering with other business owners and entrepreneurs to discuss business, challenges and ideas.  Start meeting up; it adds value.  But make sure that you can also be a valuable contributor.  No one respects or appreciates a freeloader or one that simply engages with the hopes of gaining a customer!

2) Utilize Your Social Networking Connects.  Many if not all social networking sites also have groups and forums.  These are valuable resources to connect with others in your industry.  Join the forums, read the forum postings and interact with other like minded individuals in these environments.  There is nothing to lose here.

3) Utilize Your Local Small Business Resource Centers.  There are many resources in your local community that are centered around the small business owner such as the local SBA and SCORE.  Organizations such as these can be critical contributors to key information for business building and more importantly; business education.

Take advantage of the many resources that are readily available that so often go unused!  Remember that what you don't know, can and will hurt you.  Start asking questions today, start building relationships and forming partnerships today, seek help - as you are only 1 person and can only do so much.  Successful businesses typically have a team of instrumental people behind them.  Successful people realize that while it only takes one to get it started, it takes a team to take it over!

Do What You Love and the Money Will Follow - Yay or Nay!

How does one decide what industry to position oneself in when becoming a business owner/entrepreneur?  Is it done for passion, ease and convenience, for the money or for a combination of reasons? 

You've heard the expression, "Do what you love and the money will follow."  But for many people, it takes years upon years of "finding oneself" and career hopping and opportunity hopping before settling on one thing and so how much validity could this saying hold in today's world of opportunities and opportunists?  A majority of the people that I know are doing what they are doing because it pays the bills and not because they love it at all!  If they had their choice, they'd be doing something completely different.  Key word in the former sentence is choice!  I've posted all week about your action and your accountability.  Likewise, if you are not doing what you love and getting paid for it, the odds are that you have something to do with that fact.  If you are not working on a plan to eventually be doing what you love in efforts of eventually getting paid for it, the odds are that you have something to do with that fact also.

I do believe that people should do what they are passionate about and that they can get paid for doing what they love IF and only IF they are dedicated to putting in the hard work, commitment, dedication and effort that will be required to reap the financial rewards!  I like to put it this way; you should definitely have a passion about your business, but you must always remember that when you convert your passion into a business idea, it must be approached in a strategic and business minded fashion!  Your passionate idea must be an economically feasible one, as well as a realistic one!  Passion alone will not guarantee financial success!  Understand the distinction and realize your profit potential in the process!

Differentiation for Profits

What is it that you do that makes you different?  What is it about you that makes you stand out in the forefront and at the same time add value to your business? 

The bottom line is that you are always going to have competition!  The important question then becomes what are you going to do that sets you apart from your competition all the while increasing the value of your business - your brand. 

What is it that will make people want to utilize you as opposed to utilizing someone else?

Has someone ever gotten mad at you and said something like, "you think you are so much better than everybody else?"  Well contrary to what you might have been told in the past, you not only have to think you are better, but you have no choice but to be better than everybody else in terms of your competition.  Or as the saying goes, if you can't beat them, join them!!! 

Tip of the Day for Differentiating Your Business for Profits:

1) Evaluate your competition (as well as your own business) and then come up with an additional product, service or opportunity that you can offer to your customers and potential customers that others are not offering, or offer something that is even better than what others are offering.

You are probably scratching your head thinking…what more is there to offer?  I can assure you that there are mounds of things that you could be doing that you are currently not doing!  Differentiate for profits…it works!  Can't think of anything…let me know…I'll bet you that I can!

To Whom Much is Granted…Much More is Expected!

My past 3 days of posting have been highly focused on YOU and what YOU put into your business.  Your action, your accountability, your ambition.

Again, I am continuously hearing about the many frustrations that many are up against in business.  Entrepreneurship and business ownership are no easy tasks and take a great deal of work, commitment and dedication.  You've probably heard the phrase that to whom much is given, much is expected!  This applies to all realms of life and is especially true in business as well; in particular, the development and growth stages of a business.  It takes a lot to build a successful and profitable business, but the results and benefits of the hard work are well worth it in the end. 3 bits of advice:

1) Don't let your lack of results limit your initiatives.  You may not receive an immediate income off of your initiatives but that isn't a reason to quit.  Often times it takes countless hours of effort and no financial return before results are realized.  It isn't very smart to expect to see immediate results on most things, but through it all, you have got to maintain your initiative.

2) Give generously without having to receive.  Often times people have the attitude that if they are going to give something to someone, they need to immediately receive something in return - even exchange.  This doesn't always work in business.  You might receive a return on what you gave 3 months or 3 years down the line.  Your return might come in the form of a referral or several referrals from the individual that you gave to.  You never know and so you should always be generous in your giving.

3) You don't have to lower your expectations, but you also don't want to limit yourself by them.  There is absolutely nothing wrong having expectations, but when your expectations are not met, you can't quit.  Maybe adjust your expectations or adjust your train of thought.

If you aren't willing to put in the hard work that it takes to build and grow a thriving business, you should not expect to receive a successful and thriving business.  To whom much is granted, much more is expected. It takes a lot of work!

Everything starts with you!

You must take action, you must take initiative, you must make a commitment to take control and do a lot of something.  Building a business, building a team, building an empire is all about action and it starts with you! 

You must make a decision about what you want and you must make a decision about how you are going to get what you want and take the appropriate action.  You won't get much by staying home on the couch in front of your television set.  You probably also won't get much by simply logging on to Facebook each day and taking a look at what others are up to.  You must be out exposing others about you, what you do, about your product, your service your opportunities.  Literally, not a day should go by that you aren't talking to someone new or communicating and connecting in some form or fashion to and/or with someone new - that is if you are serious about building a lucrative business and becoming financially free.

• You must be accountable. 
• You must set goals and achieve the goals that are being set. 
• You must be active! 

The only way that your business will grow is if you take responsibility for your business and for the growth of your business.  There is no room for finger pointing and there is no room to blame others for your failures and for your lack of growth, lack of sales, lack of profits, or whatever the case may be.  In your business, it all starts and ends with YOU.   Your business will only amount to what you put into it and to what you make of it.  Be accountable and take action.  Stay in a constant state of action to increase your profit potential!

Practice What You Preach for Profits

If you don't do what you say, support what you sell, practice what you preach; it makes it that much more difficult to get much further than you already are. Day in and day out I read emails from individuals that are frustrated with their lack of results. My first question is what are you doing to generate results? My second question is tell me how you articulate what you do and sell to prospects and potential customers. This question is always the hangup!

I cannot emphasize the importance to 3 things enough!
1) Be an Expert in your field
2) Be a Customer of your own products and opportunities
3) Be Professional in all of your interactions

As I often say, you are a walking advertisement for your business. If you aren't practicing what you're preaching why should others be convinced? I don't believe that anyone is perfect, but practice will get you pretty close. Practice brings consistency and confidence. Where there is consistency and confidence results often follow. Make a point of learning something new about your product, opportunity or industry each day. The more that you learn, the more comfortable that you will become and the easier the words will roll off of your tongue and be articulated in a way that will make people want to know more. The more that you hold an individuals interest, the higher the odds are of converting them into a customer.

Practice! Practice in the mirror. Record yourself on tape or video. Take a public speaking and/or communications class or some type of course that will make you better at what you do. The more that you practice the greater that your results will become. Practice what you preach to increase your profit potential!

Attraction Networking for Profits

In order to generate business, prospects, and opportunities you need to be where the people are right?  You need to socialize.  You need to network.  Of course!  Well you have been doing just this, but you still aren't generating any business, still haven't gained any new prospects, and still haven't generated any new opportunities.  So what's the problem?  Hhmmmm, could there be the slight possibility that you are tooting your own horn a bit too loudly?  Could you be going a bit over board with the self promotion?

This is a common mistake that many people make and so you are not alone if you are in fact guilty of this.  The key in socializing for business is to take a step back and avoid going in heavy with promoting yourself and your opportunity.  Put your business on the back burner for a moment and be yourself - your genuine self!  Let other people make the introduction for you on occasion.  Let others do the horn tooting.  Let others ask the questions for a change.

The key is to become a familiar face and recognized voice.  Sometimes it is better to be seen and not heard (initially) and when you are looking good and confident, it makes you that much more intriguing!  It makes people "want to know."  Learn to go with the flow of the conversations around you.  Be an active listener!  People are nosy by nature!  The common first question when networking and socializing in general typically is "sooo, what do you do?" This question then opens the floor for you to make a brief introduction about yourself and possibly your business and/or opportunity.  If the listener is interested, they will want to know more!  Them wanting to know more then opens the door for you to indulge more.

It is a much more enjoyable experience when your potential customers and prospects are coming to you, as opposed to you chasing after them!  Don't be the desperate, over-exaggerated and animated obnoxious person at the Happy Hour or Chamber Event.  Relax and attract.  It's all about the law of attraction - it works!  The more people that you attract, the greater your profit potential becomes!

Creating Multiple Streams of Income for Profit!

With so few hours in the day as it is, one might ask how in the world does one find the time to do anything more than one is already doing.  The answer is quite simple; you simply make the time.  Making the time to do something that will add value to your life could very well be the difference between becoming financially free versus living paycheck to paycheck which I would imagine would probably suck! 

What I am not suggesting you do is go out and get another part time, laborious job!  I am suggesting that you look into creating additional income generating opportunities that don't require much labor at all!  In fact, with some opportunities, after the initial leg work is done up front, there isn't much work to do in the future aside from cashing the checks that come in from that particular income opportunity!

I don't think there is a need to devote paragraphs to writing about different ways to generate additional income in this post; rather the point of this post is to get you thinking on a more robust level.  Affiliate Marketing - Leveraging - MLM Opportunities - Blogging - Partnerships.  Just think about it.  All of these things go hand-in-hand with creating multiple streams of income.  Furthermore; have multiple income streams is a critical component to building wealth.  Put your creative hat on today and increase your profit potential.

Affiliate for Profits

You are probably familiar with the term Affiliate Marketing so the real question is are you affiliating in efforts of generating more and maximizing your profits!  If you are like many, you probably aren't, so why not get started?

Affiliate marketing is a marketing practice in which a business rewards others for their efforts in bringing about new customers/new traffic.  You are in essence rewarded for your affiliation with another business.  I speak all of the time about the importance of building teams, creating partnerships, establishing networks; and affiliating with other businesses via affiliate marketing goes hand in hand with all of the above!

It's best to form affiliate marketing alliances with companies that offer products and services that are complimentary to what you may be offering as opposed to direct competitors of what you are offering.  For instance, if you have an online website that is geared towards hair care products, why not affiliate with a cosmetics company - as those that have an interest in hair care products may have a similar interest in cosmetics.  Get the drift?  Start affiliating today and maximizing your profit potential.

Website for Profit

Website is Up - Now What?

You worked so hard for the past several months to get your website up and running.  It looks amazing!  Great flash intro, great pictures, shopping cart is integrated, you accept Visa, Master Card, American Express and even Discover.  But wait, there is only one thing missing!  Where are the customers?  Where is the traffic?  Getting your website up is only half the battle and is actually the easy part.  Kind of like opening an actual store front….purchasing the products and displaying them fashionably is the easy task.  The challenge is getting the customers through the door and on the Internet, the challenge is getting them to your site.

Now that the site is fabulous and up and running and since you didn't develop the site with SEO in mind (obviously), it is time to get the ball rolling and tackle your next challenge.  Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the visibility of a website or a webpage in search engines.  Your site needs to be highly ranked and visible otherwise your site will be similar to a needle in a haystack; practically impossible to find!  More importantly, if your customers can't find you, they will definitely find your competition!

3 Tips to Optimize Your Site:

1. Keywords and Phrases - your site should be built around keywords and phrases.  The key here is keywords!  If your site is about Exotic Cars - the words exotic cars should be referenced countless times in countless ways.

2. Text - the text that you use in your site is also critical to optimization as it plays a role in determining your site ranking.  Additionally, your text should contain your key words and phrases from above - several times.

3. Meta Tags and Title Tags - need to be very specific and again should contain your keywords.  If you have no idea of what meta tags and title tags are, google it!  If you hired a web developer to create your site, you might want to have a conversation with him or her!

All of these tips revolve around your keywords!  Keywords and specificity are what generate traffic.  What are people on the internet looking for?  Do a keyword search estimator to get an idea of what keywords you should be using on your site. 

Optimize your site or forget about optimizing your online earnings!

Killer Profit Mistakes - What You Don't Know Will Hurt You!

Contrary to what you have been told; what you don't know WILL hurt you!  This is especially true when building a business.  In business, not only will what you don't know hurt you, what you don't know WILL kill you.  Many small business owners and new business owners in particular often make the deadly mistake of entering into business with blinders on.  Often times, new business owners are so caught up in ones own passion for wanting to open up a business that they miss all of the critical must-know and must-do signs around them!

If you are operating in the dark, or operating in denial you can best believe that your end is near!  It is not ok to be ignorant or make excuses for lack of business while doing nothing to change your circumstances.  What is happening today is a good indicator of what will be happening in the future and so if you are not satisfied with what is taking place in your business today, you might want to get on the fast track to changing some things.  Problems won't fix themselves!  Customers won't magically appear.  If you are doing what you've been doing and getting the same results, you might want to consider changing some things - that might include evaluating other business opportunities.