The 7 Traits of an Exceptional & Successful Entrepreneur

How often have you either referred to or considered the expression, "Success is a journey and not a Destination?" Probably many times, yet often being in a hurry to get there, we forget that success is not an end unto itself, but is instead an ongoing process.

Though some people seem to have the Midas touch and easily turn everything to gold, most of us have to give our endeavors lots of time, effort and the sweat of our brow before seeing things come to fruition. The simple truth is that the majority of us are simply not born leaders, but become leaders by who we are and the actions we take. Consequently, whether or not you're an established entrepreneur or just starting out on your journey, there are particular traits you'll usually find operating within the exceptional entrepreneur. In fact there are 7 particular traits you'll generally discover deeply embedded within the exceptional and successful businessperson.

If you've already taken the plunge as an entrepreneur, you know that it takes a great deal of planning, development and strategic marketing to succeed. At any given time, there are changes to be considered and new directions to examine. In which case, whether you're the CEO, CFO, Chief Marketer or Chief Solutions Officer of your company, your journey to success is probably full of trials and tribulations.

To support you in your journey to success, be willing to open your mind and sense of reasoning as you consider whether these traits are part of your driving force. If they are not yet ingrained within you, I recommend that you give them some thought.

THE 7 TRAITS TO SUCCESS

1) Successful Entrepreneurs Gain the Respect of their Peers

One of the first and most obvious characteristics you'll see operating in an exceptional entrepreneur is an equitable and unbiased disposition . Plain and simple the successful entrepreneur recognizes that no one is above or below. With an attitude of respect for others, the successful entrepreneur gains the respect from everyone they encounter. Strategies, attitudes and methods filter down to each person and reflect on all actions and activities. A successful entrepreneur gives everyone the space to be great. No matter how effective or beneficial your expertise, becoming a successful entrepreneur requires building up of your character muscles, traits and habits, which correspondingly make your dreams a reality.

2) Successful Entrepreneurs Believe and Trust in Themselves

The savvy entrepreneur is good at trusting his or her own ideas and instincts. Starting out as an entrepreneur requires persistence, determination and a high level of self-discipline. Continuing as a successful entrepreneur requires even more persistence, determination and self-discipline. The wise and successful entrepreneur knows this and works hard at developing their level of confidence. If you have a strong code of ethics and believe in yourself, then your ideas can work. Having the desire and passion are the first steps on your journey; getting there requires believing in yourself.

3) Successful Entrepreneurs Follow a Plan

The successful entrepreneur follows a plan. Haphazard or trial and error have no place for the triumphant entrepreneur, for no one gets to his or her destination without a map or a guide to follow. That doesn't mean you won't go off course if another road seems better, but it's still more effective to have a plan in place. Most successful entrepreneurs start out by writing a basic business plan that acts as the impetus and guide for their endeavors. It doesn't have to be fancy or lengthy but it should include marketing strategies, goals, intentions, ideas and why you can do better than your competition. A business plan should be reviewed and updated periodically for each new idea stirs and inspires other ideas.

4) Successful Entrepreneurs Think Creatively

Successful entrepreneurs are not afraid of thinking creatively. Whether a business idea has already been tried makes no difference to the exceptional entrepreneur. He or she sees better ways of doing things and knows that every idea can be expanded upon, made better, enhanced or broadened . The successful entrepreneur is willing to think outside or the proverbial box, which means using imagination, trying new things and expanding on a vision. The savvy entrepreneur pays careful attention as to whether a particular strategy is working. If after giving it his or her best shot the entrepreneur realizes the particular strategy isn't working, they know there's no point in continuing to invest energy, time and effort in the strategy. They move on to another approach and idea.

5)Successful Entrepreneurs Explore Their Exceptional Skills

Successful entrepreneurs realize that we each have our strengths and weaknesses as well as a multitude of skills and talents. Successful people ask themselves often what skills they have that no one shares in quite the same way. An exceptional and successful entrepreneur explores their particular skills until they find the ones that match most closely with their ideal. They don't try to be and do everything. If the successful entrepreneur needs help, they're willing to find someone who can do it better, and allows in the support. The successful entrepreneur stays open to change for they recognize that as they move forward, doors open in unexpected places that carry them to their next level of success.

6) Successful Entrepreneurs Envision Their Success

The successful entrepreneur gives time to envisioning how they want their business to look and how they want it to be. Intention is a powerful and dynamic tool. For those who are not inclined towards intention and visualization, talk to a successful athlete and you'll discover that before each sporting event, the successful athlete envisions exactly how he or she wants things to turn out. Imagine what it will feel like when you've reached a particular set of goals. Get in touch with the feelings, you'd have as a successful entrepreneur. Practice and conceive of the sense of empowerment and the joy of having succeeded. The successful entrepreneur knows they have the power to live life the way they want, but to make it a reality, they know it has to be seen first.

7) Successful Entrepreneurs Never Give Up

Giving up is never in the vocabulary of the successful entrepreneur. Of course there may be days when a successful entrepreneur feels discouraged or disappointed, but giving up is not an option. Having faith, trust, confidence and determination are the qualities needed for the successful entrepreneur. To keep their focus on track, they seek out the support of those that know them, encourage them and bring out their natural enthusiasm. The smart and successful entrepreneur realizes that there will be good days and not so good days. Being a successful entrepreneur requires accepting the ebbs and flows of business for it is in fact what separates the exceptional and successful entrepreneur from the one who gives up far too soon.

© 2004

Robert Moment

Raising Entrepreneurs: What to Do When Your Kid is Born to Think Differently

Adolescence brings with it many challenges ? for both parents and kids. Young people, still new to the world, are embarking on a journey to discover their passions, joys, and authentic self-images. More often than not, however, their journey more closely resembles an elongated stampede of enraged elephants than it does an innocent soul-searching endeavor. But no one said growing up would be easy.

And there are young entrepreneurs out there who see the world in a truly positive light. Sure, they have their ups and downs like most teenagers, but they are motivated, focused, and want to make a difference.

Who are these kids? How were they raised? What do they have in common with one another? At the risk of making some sweeping generalizations, I will paint the picture of the young, confident entrepreneur ? with the knowledge that this over-idealized portrait often comes in many colors and hues.

While entrepreneurship was never common in my family, many young entrepreneurs had experiences early on in life that lead them towards an entrepreneurial path. In general, there are two possible ways young people feel compelled towards entrepreneurship: inspiration and avoidance. Both can act as powerful catalysts for taking action.

In the case of inspired action, the young entrepreneur most likely grew up in an environment where individuality, responsibility, and financial literacy were encouraged. Even if the parent made little money to support his or her child, the underlying message often centered around taking initiative and following one's own path.

On the other hand, in the instances where avoidance is the primary motivator, the child usually wants to avoid becoming like their primary caregiver, who was most likely a negative influence. Friends of mind who have exhibited this type of motivation often have a very strong drive to succeed, yet, in part, base their motivation on what they don't want to become ? and must overcome even greater adversity in life.

In order to facilitate the spirit of entrepreneurship in your family, there are many steps you can take. While these steps are particularly geared towards entrepreneurship, they apply toward creating any harmonious relationship between parent and child:

-Teach your child in creative, 'outside-the-box' ways. In a recent article with 19 year-old CEO Cameron Johnson, he told a story about how his parents gave him stocks ? literally, shares in a company ? in his stockings for Christmas. There are many ways you can teach your child about financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and individuality.

-Make self-awareness and wealth consciousness the highest priorities. This entails a significant amount of soul-searching. And while many adults are adverse to the concept of change, often letting go of fear and facing your demons can be the most inspirational model for your child. I have a friend who, after years of living in a fear-based reality, she learned to let go and allow herself to forgive and love others. She has never enjoyed better relationships with her children.

-If your kid acts up, stand in your truth. Don't beat around the bush or overreact. Of course, you want to be sensitive to your child's feelings and come from a place of authentic compassion. But when it comes down to it, tell it like it is ? they'll appreciate it in the end.

-Give your child ample opportunity to discover independence for him or herself. It's critically important that your child learns the process of creating one's own experience of reality from a first-hand perspective. Sometimes this requires being more firm or lenient than one would like. Yet remember that you grew through making mistakes, and so will your child.

If you see your child exhibiting entrepreneurial behaviors, make sure you show your support throughout his or her growth process. And if your kid is struggling to find motivation, don't worry ? as long as you follow the guidelines above, you will instill the characteristics of greatness and, in due time, inspire the leader within.

Sam Rosen is a full-time college student at the University of Pennsylvania, entrepreneur, and author of the Succeed Young Total Success System, available at sam@succeedyoung.com.

What Makes An Entrepreneur Tick?

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

Entrepreneurship is not just about having a lot of ideas or business sense. It is also about having a lot of guts. You have to build self-confidence in yourself. You have to only be concerned with pleasing yourself and your Creator (God) _ not mankind. Then, when (and if) you should fail with this particular venture, you'll just dust yourself off and start again. It doesn't matter if people "think" you're nuts! They aren't paying your rent and running your life. Don't be concerned with what people "think" you should be. Just please yourself and do what you feel is right. People are too busy competing with society and "keeping up with the Jones's" that they do things they are not comfortable with just to appease them and look "normal" (whatever that is.)

And if you have to start out small in building your self-confidence. I used to be so self-conscious that I would never eat at a restaurant alone because I thought people would believe I was lonely and had no friends. Unbelievable, but true. But, everyday I worked on walking into a restaurant, taking a magazine to read and eating alone. I would glance around, and to my amazement, no one ever looked at me. No one cared that I was eating alone. Then _ it dawned on me; "Who cares what these people think? I'll never see them again." Besides, there were a lot of other people eating alone also and I could absorb myself in the magazine I had took to read. Now, I can eat in restaurants and not give any thought to the people around me.

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

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

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

And why should you try again? Simply because you won't make the same mistakes you made this time. If you built something successful before (but failed), you are certain to build the next business stronger and wiser. Even if you fail the second time, it won't be because of mistakes you made the first time. You'll learn more and more _ and eventually be successful. It's inevitable!

With Internet's help, you can get a lot of ideas by searching from google.com and overture.com, yahoo.com. In today's information world, you are in a much better position to be successful if you really want to succeed.

 

by Julia Tang

Compensating for Your Entrepreneurial Style-or Lack of Style

I recently took an entrepreneurial quiz which evaluated my answers and informed me I would do best as a hired hand! So why am I a successful home business owner? Because I've learned to fill the holes in my entrepreneurial style, and compensate for my deficiencies.

Let's start with a list of qualities that might benefit someone working for him/herself:

1. Ability to see the big picture and plan accordingly;.

2. Self-discipline;

3. Ability to use time wisely;

4. At minimum, a moderate drive to achieve;

5. Adaptability;

6. Autonomy;

7. Decisiveness;

8. A feeling of control over your own destiny;

9. Having (energy) drive and enterprise;

10. Motivation to grow;

11. Sense of intuition;

12. Ability to spot opportunities;

13. Perseverance;

14. Problem-solving abilities;

15. Risk-tolerance;

16. Self-confidence;

17. Social skills.

As an example, let's look at John Doe. John has an excellent nose for a good opportunity; he drives his wife crazy with always turning everything into a new business idea. He's not afraid to make a decision and take the risk. He has a huge drive to achieve; he wants to be rich! John is confident that he can accomplish everything he sets out to do.

Then the reality of the rest of John sets in. He's not real good in the follow-through; as a matter of fact, he starts one business only to come up with another, and yet another, idea over and over. He writes up proposal after proposal, and always stumbles over the concrete details, such as turning goals and visions into action plans, and projecting budgets. He starts and stops, never stopping long enough to evaluate and plan ahead for the success of the next venture.

John could benefit from postponing his next decision until he hones his problem-solving skills a bit. He needs to understand where he's gone wrong and plan for success the next time. John also could put his vision for his work and his life down on paper, and learn to use this vision to help choose opportunities that are in sync with his financial and career goals.

John is confusing working hard with getting ahead. He needs to continually evaluate the tasks he is engaged in to determine if he is, indeed, using his time wisely.

And lastly, John would learn a lot from finding a business opportunity that would combine teamwork, successful strategies and skill building to encourage him to apply his abundant perseverance to ONE business until he succeeds.

John can look at this list and see how one strength could compensate for another weakness. If he wasn't very decisive, he could be spared many a bad quick decision, and strong problem solving skills could bring an eventual understanding of the right path for HIM. What he lacked in self-confidence could be made up for with social skills that enabled him to work well with a mentor or a knowledgeable team. Lack of enterprise or drive could mean he isn't cut out for over-the-counter or door-to-door retail sales. But he might shine in the backroom day-in-day-out details of getting a job done, or in website-based business.

Oh yeah...and John could also listen to his wife, and just give it all a rest at least one day a week...
 

 

by Glenn Beach

The Six ?F? Words Every Entrepreneur Should Know

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

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

But while trading notes with a fellow entrepreneur recently, I started to think about all the moments of extreme challenge I left behind when I decided I no longer wanted to be somebody else's employee.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Paul Furiga is president of WordWrite Communications LLC, a Pittsburgh-based virtual agency. He is the former editor of the Pittsburgh Business Times, and has also covered Congress, the White House, edited magazines and written for publications ranging from Congressional Quarterly to Frequent Flyer magazine.

5 TIPS for Home-Based Business Entrepreneurs

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

Do an online research on your favorite Search Engine and you will understand what I mean.

In this article I'm going to show you the KEY to Home-Based Business entrepreneurs success; you'll find out what makes an entrepreneur succesful in the home-based business field.

Below are 5 TIPS for Home-Based Business Entrepreneurs:

1. It's their mindset that brings success

Serious entrepreneurs have 'programmed' their mind to succeed no matter what. They don't lack focus on their home-based business and let nobody stop their plans in achieving what they want.

They know what they want and they have the DESIRE to succeed. If you don't know exactly what you want when it comes your home-based business, think about it again and re-consider your plans, what you want to achieve, a get-rick-quick or a profitable, long term business.

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

Smart entrepreneurs know that it takes time to set-up and grow a profitable home-based business. They plan to succeed. They have a start-up plan that might fail but they never give up and start again with a better plan.

Serious entrepreneurs know that it takes discipline and time to build a strong and solid home-based business, which delivers ongoing income through many years to come.

3. It's their initial RESEARCH that brings success

Smart and serious entrepreneurs know the importance of market research. They know that in order, for a home-based business to succeed, they have to research their target market (their potential customers) and study their competitors.

Research your target market and study your competitors in order to have a long-term, profitable home-based business.

Know what your customers want and give it to them. Keep an eye on your competitors, study their offer(s) and make sure you come up with a better deal than them.

4. It's their marketing strategy that brings success

Study each successful entrepreneur in your marketing field and you'll notice how they market online / offline.

Each of them have their own 'unique' marketing strategy but they use the same basic principles.

Don't re-invent the wheel. Use the main marketing concepts that are proven to work but try to improve and adjust them to your own situation. Make them work for your home-based business. Make your offer better and unique than your competitiors if you want to WIN in this business, or simply quit (I know that's no what you really want!)

5. It's their investment that brings success

Smart entrepreneurs know that the KEY is to work SMART, not hard. If you don't have the required skills to develop a NEW marketing tactic for your home-based business why not hire a consultant who knows his stuff?

If you have 'enough' money why not invest in someone who can help you grow your home-based business and give me something to work at too?

What is more valuable to you, your time or your money?

A serious entrepreneur is ready to invest (both time and money). He knows that he will build a long-term successful business for him and the one he loves (friends, family, children, etc.)

The final (or first?) STEP you need to take in order to succeed is to act (take ACTION!). Yes, put into practice what I have told you above (the 5 TIPS for Home-Based Business Entrepreneurs) and you'll succeed, no matter what. Trust me!

Traits of The Successful Entrepreneur

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Copyright 2003 DeFiore Enterprises

Electronic Tools for Entrepreneurial Success

"Half of any job is having the right tool" was one of the earliest lessons I learned from my father growing up on a farm in Nebraska. As an organizing and productivity consultant, it continues to serve me well.

As a business owner for over 20 years, one of the principles it took me too long to learn was that the reason for owning a business is ? or should be ? to develop something of value that you can one day sell to someone else for a profit.

Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs have a service or product that is, or could be, of great value to others, but their lack of business skills is a huge stumbling block to success. Fortunately, technology is solving much of that challenge. In my experience, there are three electronic tools that are essential to creating a business you can someday sell: (1) a contact management program, (2) a financial management program, and (3) a filing system management program. These three programs will manage all the aspects of the administration of your business ? and provide a method for you to get out from under the mounds of paper that harass most entrepreneurs!

Contact Management Program

My tool of choice in this area is ACT! Because of ACT! I can eliminate all those elusive business cards I collect, and be confident that I will give the right person the right information at the right time. Scraps of papers, Post-it Notes, and reminders scribbled on napkins can be transformed from annoyances in action ? at exactly the right time. Now, don't get me wrong! I can't imagine living without Post-it Notes, but they were designed to be a temporary tool ? not a permanent faded reminder paper stuck to you computer monitor, which you don't even notice anymore! Another favorite tool of mine in this arena is Card Scan, which enables you to scan business cards into ACT! without having to type in the info. If you collect 10 or more business cards in a week, it's well worth the investment. (It's a not a perfect system, for sure ? but a major time and frustration saver.)

With ACT, not only can I be sure that I am doing the right thing at the right time, but because we are networked, I can easily check to see what my support staff has done as well. For example, let's say I answer the phone and the person on the other end is someone whose name I don't recognize. I can quickly do an ACT! search, and know that my assistant talked to this person last week about a potential presentation. I note in ACT! what I said to the prospect, and set an ACT! alarm for my assistant to send the appropriate additional information. Another example: Frequently I receive e-mail newsletters from experts in various fields. I put their contact information in ACT! so that I can access their expertise in a matter of seconds.

It makes me sad now when I think of all the people with whom I have lost contact from the early days of my business. I prided myself that I did a good job of organizing people ? and they didn't need me any more. What I failed to realize was that I would be developing other products and services in the future that would be of interest ? but I lost the opportunity.

Financial Management Program

In my experience, one of the biggest nagging worries in the back of many entrepreneurial mind is "I sure hope I don't get audited." Using a financial program, such as QuickBooks, eliminates that worry. While QuickBooks won't reduce the possibility of an audit, it will increase one's comfort with the ability to easily produce accurate information if needed.

QuickBooks (or QuickBooks Pro for time-billing companies) lets the business owner easily keep a finger on the fiscal pulse of the company. And remember ? if there is no fiscal health, there is no health at all. It is critical to the success of any business that the owner has a working knowledge of the financial management routine, and that he/she develops a system of frequent checks on the growth and health of the business.

While QuickBooks has remarkably vast capability, the real secret to successful money management is simplicity. By designing the QuickBooks accounting system to match the flow and style of the business, one can easily enter day-to-day transactions including customer and vendor invoices, bank account transactions, payroll and inventory. While most business owners are naturally inclined to "over classify" in terms of the number of accounts available, a better strategy is to use fewer accounts. Those that roughly correspond to the tax return (perhaps restated in the language of the user's business), with a few additions specific to the enterprise should be sufficient. Then, when it is time to do those infrequent analyses of rare events, QuickBooks' comprehensive sub sort capability ( i.e. Payee, date, transaction type, etc.) comes into play.

Once the data entry system is reutilized, the owner will want to develop a few regular reports ? "snapshots" of the business that allow him/her to see both the trigger points of the financial profile as well as the big picture, all at a glance. In this way the entrepreneur can remain in control of the direction of the business ? past, present and future - avoiding unseen potholes along the way.

And guess what? The new version of QuickBooks interfaces with ACT to make it easy when time to convert all those contacts into customers!

A Filing System Program

Research shows that the average entrepreneur spends 150 hours per years looking for misplaced information ? much of it on paper. Spending those same hours on making a sales call or creating a new product or service will do a lot more for your bottom line ? to say nothing of eliminating a major source of frustration.

There are three components to an effective filing system: (1) Mechanics, (2) Management and (3) Maintenance. If any of the components is weak, your filing system will be am on-going frustration instead of a valuable resource.

1. Filing Mechanics One of the major reasons we procrastinate about filing is that it is simply too time-consuming. Here are some tips to make it quick and easy:

? Make sure there is always adequate room in a file cabinet to add papers.

? File papers directly into hanging files. If you take individual papers directly from the file, you do not need a manila file inside.

? If you need to take the entire file out of the file cabinet, create a hanging file and a manila file with the same label.

? Put the plastic file tabs on the front of the file folder.

? Keep color systems simple.

? Use staples instead of paper clips.

2. File Management One of the major frustration sources of frustration about filing is deciding what to call a file. The solution to this frustration is a File Index ? a list of the names of your files. Before you make a new file, you can check the File Index to see if an appropriate file already exists. You can use a word processing or spread sheet program to create this index. A revolutionary new option for managing your files is also now available: Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger ( www.thepapertiger.com). This software program allows you to keep your information in paper form in your filing cabinet, automatically cross-reference the information, and use the incredible search power of the computer to find anything in your files in five seconds or less ? regardless of who filed it! The software will also print file labels and a File Index automatically.

3. File Maintenance Regardless of the management or mechanics techniques you use, all filing systems have to be maintained. But there is good news! There are only two steps required to maintain any filing system indefinitely: (1) make sure that the File Index is a living document ? a perfect reflection of the names of the files in your cabinet. If you add a new file, add it to the File Index, and when you remove a file, delete it. (2) Clean out your files when the cabinet gets too full for easy filing.

Of course there will undoubtedly be other programs you need related to your particular expertise, but in my experience, these three programs are crucial to every entrepreneur's success!

© Barbara Hemphill is the author of Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger at Work and Taming the Paper Tiger at Home and co-author of Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever. The mission of Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help individuals and organizations create and sustain a productive environment so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives.

7 Lean Marketing Laws For The Inspired Entrepreneur

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

1. Multiple Rewards
Aim to be rewarded multiple times for a single effort. Money
can be recovered but time cannot. Time gets spent. You can't
put it in a bank and you can't earn more of it. Wherever
possible, you should look for ways to get paid/rewarded
multiple times for each hour you invest. You will never
be truly independent if your income comes from your own
time and labour so package your knowledge as a product.
Once you have aproduct you can sell your packaged
time again and again.

2. Mistakes Are Gifts
Mistakes are nothing more than "Learning Opportunities".
The best way to learn more and grow more is to make more
mistakes. Mistakes are unavoidable when you're learning so
adopt a ready, fire, aim approach to decisions and learn as
you take action. If it doesn't work you can easily make
another
decision to put things right again.

3. Know When To Stop
Be prepared to stop what you're doing. Take stock and try
something different. Don't let pride, fear of ridicule or
ego get in the way of good judgement. When a mission is
over, learn from it and move on.

4. Use Your Levers
Do the little things that make the biggest difference.
Aim for maximum impact with minimum effort. Focus will help
but there are other forms of leverage too. Here are just
two.

OPT - Other People's Time. Don't be afraid to ask for help.
You don't have to do it all yourself. Use your network. Ask
and you shall receive. Give and you shall get.

Recycle - Learn to recognise value in everything you do.
Turn your ezine into a book and sell it. Write your words
of wisdom down and share them.

5. Don't Be Busy - Be Effective
Don't waste your hours simply being "busy". Being busy does
not cause you to be wealthy. So don't be busy - be
effective.
Remember the 80:20 rule. Typically 20 per cent of the things
you do will be responsible for 80 per cent of the results
you get. So focus on the 20 per cent that gets the result.

6. Always Look For The Easy Route
If there's an easy way to do something and a hard way - take
the easy way first. I call this "inspired laziness"

7. Measure Progress By What You Reap
The only truth is the result. Doing lots of things is not
the same as achieving lots of things. Measure progress by
your outcomes not your inputs.

Lessons Learned from Successful Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are a special breed of high achievers. They create things, get things started: businesses, clubs, churches, associations, even nations. Their motivations vary. Not all want to be rich. Not all want to produce a Fortune 500 company. Some are motivated by pleasure or civic pride or the desire for fame. Mary Madden, president of Information America, told me she and Burton Goldstein started their company because it gave them freedom and flexibility.

Entrepreneurs see a world that is incomplete. It probably does not yet have what they intend to create. If it does, it needs something else they just thought of.

They differ markedly from one another. But there are similarities. One of the most prominent similarities is the ability to perceive clearly. The ability to perceive clearly is important to many high achievers, but essential for the entrepreneur. Here is what the entrepreneur perceives:

Voids. A college student, Frederick Wallace Smith, conceived of a dependable overnight delivery system for letters and small packages. It would require a vast network of planes, trucks, messengers and electronics that did not then exist. That perception led to Federal Express.

Defects. A cartoonist perceived that most amusement parks of his day were shabby and boring. Why not create something that was improved ? a theme part that was sparkling clean and exciting? That perception led to Disneyland.

Opportune time. Ted Turner was watching Home Box Office one evening and realized that time had come for his small Atlanta-based station to go on satellite too. That perception led to the SuperStation and later to CNN.

Syntheses. Parker H. Petit, CEO of Healthdyne, say his success as an entrepreneur comes from his ability to synthesize data. Petit believes he "can look at a set of circumstances, the market, a product or whatever and see order and opportunities in those variables that other people seem to see and just don't piece together."

Continuing education. When Burton B. Goldstein, chairman of Information America started the company, one of his board members told him: "If you are still in business three years from now, you'll be in a different business." Goldstein says that observation has turned out to be true. "You have to be comfortable with the fact that you are on a road, a learning curve and you are going to learn stuff and you are going to change."

Continuing education is really is an extension of the process that brought about the entrepreneurial venture in the first place. That first vision may be 20/20, but it is more likely that the first vision is only a rough approximation or the "shape of the answer," as author Horace Freeland Judson puts it.

Continuing education is essential because of changing technology. A group of managers recently told me that the technological competence of the average college graduate today will be obsolete within three years or less. What they said is true in most fields because of the pervasive impact of the information revolution. If you don't keep on learning, somebody else will, and put you out of business.

Continuing education is essential because the target audience is changing. No creative activity is more audience-driven than entrepreneurship. If people do not buy the new product or patronize the new store or join the new organization, the venture dies. The target may be a moving one or a fickle one. Tastes may change. People may move physically. So, the entrepreneur must keep on learning about the target audience.

Still another similarity: the ability to do mundane tasks well.

What separates entrepreneurial activity from other creative acts is its emphasis on the practical. Entrepreneurial activity is a creative act, and, as such, is cerebral. It may even grow out of pure research. But entrepreneurs must do the thousand-and-one tasks involved in transforming an insight into something tangible.

Xavier Roberts of Cabbage Patch fame told me that people continually approach him with ideas they believe will make a fortune. "I don't need more ideas," he said. "I need people who can implement ideas." He knows from experience, Roberts was selling his loveably ugly little creatures at flea markets and financing his business on credit cards long before the idea became a national craze.

"Think small," an entrepreneur by the name of Fred P. Burke once told me, "Many people who have these grand visions never can take their eyes from the sky and put them down to the little-bitty takes that have to be done right here, right now, this minute."

 

by Gene Griessman, PhD

10 Ways Entrepreneurs Shoot Themselves In The Foot

Entrepreneurs and their businesses have a tendency to ambush themselves when they aren't looking. This affects how much revenue they can generate, how fast their business rises, and even if they survive after the first few years. If you feel there is a possibility you are getting in your way to success, review these elements to see if any of these items might apply.

1. Imagine investing time and money into a product or services, only to find that it isn't selling. Or at least it doesn't have the results that you expected. Now, I'm talking realistic here, and not some grandiose vision. It's hard to give up something when you have invested your resources into something, more importantly, you have spout off to the world (okay, friends and family) that you were doing it.

Gluing yourself to an idea, product, or service that isn't making any money or enough money to support the business isn't smart. Ego and pride don't make money. Getting hitched to any one idea, or even two, that isn't profitable isn't smart. Every product climbs and falls -- even McDonalds drops a product when it doesn't test strong. Ideas are the currency of entrepreneurs, make money with them or let them go.

2. Be proud of being an entrepreneur. DFor some reason, the title entrepreneur seems to have caught a disease, but that shouldn't be the case. Be proud of being an entrepreneur. when someone asks you, don't mumble, and don't call it by another name, as if being an entrepreneur was somehow unprofessional. The same applies to the title of independent professional -- which is another name for entrepreneur. Stand tall and proud.

When I ask people at networking events if they're an entrepreneur, they often respond with strange body language. Some shift their stance uncomfortably, sometimes their hand goes over their mouth and they let out a barely audible, "yes," and sometimes they even correct me, using some other title.

3. No bologna (or b.s.). Entrepreneurs can be naturally excited and optimistic about what they are doing. Don't let the excitement sound like hype. Because of this people don't trust you. Don't just tell the pros, add the cons. Let people know, who is the best person for this service ? not everyone, or what circumstances are best for the product. People aren't stupid but if they have to figure the cons of the product or service, you will most likely lose the sale.

4. Being in denial of your cash position. Not balancing the checkbook, not knowing what your accounts receivables, payables, or what the break even cost is for a product or service, isn't smart business. If you don't know what it is, get a book on the topic or talk to an accountant. Denial creates fear, and fear creates denial. It's a vicious circle that creates stress and ulcers. Short term projects turn around short term dollars. Long term projects never turn around short term dollars. Be realistic with all your resources.

5. Accepting weak any bodies. Whether its weak staff, weak clients, weak strategic alliances, or anyone else in your support realm. If you are attracting weak people, you are giving weak signals. Change your signals and you will change what you attract. To attract strong people, you need strong signals.

6. Confusing possibility with reality. One of the main characteristics of an entrepreneur, and this could be one of the reasons people may not like using the name, is their gift to see everything in possibilities, yet spend money in the world of reality. Money is always reality.

7. Selling or trying too hard to explain what you sell. If you find yourself pushing what you're product or service does, it is time to change your "success formula." Common causes are: (1) You are trying to sell to someone who isn't your target, or (2) If you have the right target and you don't know what you are selling. You can only handle this in two ways, know what the customers are buying, or know the benefits of what you are selling. Benefits in the terms customers need to hear and understand, not what you choose to say.

8. Lack of any or adequate support structures. If it takes a village to raise a child, what do you think it takes to raise a business. Surely, not a lone ranger. Work with others to help handle your many business and personal needs. Entrepreneurs need support, even if it's only a feeling. Arrange to have a support structure for every part of your business. Keep in mind tip number five above for this as well.

9. Over or under delegating. It is so hard for entrepreneurs to begin to delegate. Yet once they do they seem to swing the pendulum completely to the opposite side and over delegate. Over delegating is "dumping" on people. Even paid people, don't like being dumped on. Feeling in control is a need of most people, entrepreneurs aren't any different. They look at it as a money or trust issue, when in actuality it's usually a control issue. Delegate appropriately and with people that think you can trust. Let the trust build over time.

10. Stop giving up so easily. Successful entrepreneurs don't see failure. They see learning lessons. They pick themselves up, dust themselves off, change and adjust, and keep moving. Being an entrepreneur, during the early years of a business -- that is under five years for most professionals, takes more work than being an employee. Even if you are a graduate with an MBA in business. Don't include your learning curve time in with the rest of your time. Everyone has a learning curve of some kind.

 

by Catherine Franz

Reducing the Stress of Being an Entrepreneur

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

Signs and sources of stress

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

Organize your environment

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

A system that works for me

I am not a person who comes to organization easily and I have struggled to find a way that works. Daytimers and lists help for a short while, but I have never been able to keep up with them. One thing I have found that works is to have a "big picture overview" of what needs to be done where I can see it. I have a poster board size piece of "static cling" presentation sheet that adheres to my door. It can be easily rolled up and removed if needed. I have several categories that I've posted at the top of the sheet, such as "website," "presentation," etc. These are written on standard sized post-it notes so they can be easily removed and changed. I brainstorm everything I need to do on small post-it notes. After I brainstorm, I then organize the notes in the appropriate columns. I also have a category that says TODAY for the urgent and important things. I can glance at the poster while I am working and see what else I might need to do and when I finish what I need to do, I can throw the post-it away. If something comes up that is not posted, I can put it on a post-it note and put it where it needs to be.

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

 

by Lorna Minewiser, Ph.D

10 Essential Tips for Starting Entrepreneurs - Ignore these at your Peril!

1. Do What You LOVE: If you've chosen your business because you read that this niche was the next hot one, or because your favorite uncle (or your best friend) thinks you'd be well-suited for this business, you may as well pack up now and save yourself some time and money. If you don't love what you do, it will show...potential customers will know it and will go elsewhere. Is it possible to be successful anyway? Sure -- but it won't be easy and it won't be fun...and isn't that why you want to be in business for yourself anyway?

Instead, choose what you love. You'll know what that is when you find yourself being incredibly productive, forgetting the time passing by, and not being able to wait to get up in the morning to do more! At Solo-E we call that being juiced...but whether you call it being in the flow, or the zone, or whatever, FIND IT!

2. WRITE DOWN Your Business Plan: As a small or solo business owner, you still need a business plan. Even if you aren't getting a loan! Would you invest thousands of dollars of your own money buying stock in a company that didn't have a written prospectus? (I hope not!) Then why would you spend thousands of dollars AND hours of your precious time on a business that doesn't have a written plan?

Write your plan, get it critiqued by professionals, and most important, BE READY TO CHANGE IT. This may seem counterintuitive...why bother writing it down if it's just going to change? Because writing it down makes it more clear...and helps you get to the next stage of learning and planning and revising. It's critical--67% of businesses that failed had no written business plan. Want to play the odds?

3. Multiply Your Expected Startup Costs by Two--or Maybe Three: When I started my business, an honors MBA grad with 15 years of solid business experience behind me, I figured I was smart enough to estimate my startup costs accurately. I knew all the things I needed and made conservative estimates and I was still WRONG! That's right, I was still off by a factor of almost three. Don't make this mistake! One of the biggest reasons small businesses fail is because of lack of capital. Give yourself the best possible start by saving or acquiring sufficient startup funds NOW. Before you start!

4. Make Your Market Niche as Small as Possible: Again, this is counterintuitive--shouldn't you try to appeal to as many people as possible? The paradox is that the more you try to appeal to EVERYONE, the less you will appeal to ANYONE. Let's say you are selling your house...would you rather list it with the agent who operates in 14 counties, sells both commercial and residential real estate, and sells everything from cottages to estates? Or would you pick the agent who specializes in your community, selling only houses in a well-defined price range that she knows extremely well? Ruthlessly define your niche, make it as small as possible, and stay true to it. You'll thank me later!

5. Do Marketing Your Way: The temptation is to choose all the marketing methods that the competition uses. To stay with tried-and-true marketing channels. To place advertisements that you know nothing about creating, or make cold calls that give you heartburn. Why? Because (all together now) "that's how it's always been done."

It's difficult to stand out among your competitors when you are doing the same kind of marketing! So instead, look to your strengths. What do you like to do? What are you good at? Then choose three marketing methods that play to those strengths. If you need ideas, check out 136 Ways to Market Your Solo Business, another article at www.Solo-E.com.

6. Remember the Most Important Ingredient in Your Business--YOU: Business-owner: know thyself. Spend some time learning about who you are and how you are unique. Then let that uniqueness shine through in your marketing, in how you run your business, in everything you do. Don't hide your quirks--celebrate them!

Customers go to small and solo businesses primarily because they are looking for a personalized experience. They want a relationship with you as the owner of your business. If you try to come off as who you think they want, they'll smell right through that and not come back. Be who you are, and trust that who YOU are is going to be attractive to the right people.

7. Build Your Business by Building Relationships: Being a small or solo business owner isn't about sitting in the corner alone. Actually it can be--and that isolation is what drives many out of business and back into a "job". Build relationships to survive! Start with your colleagues--others you know who are at the same stage of business as you, or are farther along and willing to mentor you.

Next, build relationships with potential customers. Ask them what they want! Then create products and services based on their input and come back and show them what you have done. Get feedback, tweak, and maybe make your first sale. Stay in touch with your customers even after they leave you.

Last but not least, build relationships with your competitors. You might be able to do this right at the beginning, simply by asking them for their advice. Surprisingly, many ARE willing to share their secrets if you just ask. Later on, build cross-referral relationships, co-marketing alliances, and other relationships that are win-win for you, your competitors, and your customers.

8. Don't Accept a Customer Just For the Money: This is probably the hardest advice for new business owners to apply. Especially when there is a job, a project, a potential client, just outside your niche, that could keep your business solvent for the next six months. Don't do it! Taking on a client outside your niche inevitably results in frustration for you, dissatisfaction on the part of the client, and in the end, usually costs you more than you make. Ask any successful business owner and they'll tell you this is true!

9.. Don't Do Everything Yourself: It's so tempting to fall into the self-deception that "it's cheaper for me to do it myself." IT"S NOT! If you aren't good at something, for instance bookkeeping, it will probably take you 2-3 times as long--time you could be spending doing things that are essential for you to be doing personally, like writing your business plan or deciding your marketing strategy. Put sufficient capital into your business upfront so you CAN hire help right from the start. Your business will get off to a quicker start because you aren't distracted by time-consuming tasks that drain your energy.

10. Assemble Your Support Team: Start with the people who will help you do the things you aren't good at. Some examples: bookkeeper, marketing writer, web designer. Then add the people who give you professional business advice: a lawyer, an accountant, a business coach. Finally, include the people who support you personally: your family, friends, and colleagues.

Don't forget to be part of other's support teams, too. Share your expertise at Solo-E, start a networking group where business owners support each other, share a referral with a colleague. Solo Entrepreneurs supporting other Solo Entrepreneurs is what will make us all successful!

Copyright 2004, Terri Zwierzynski, Accel Innovation, Inc.

The 9 Key Distinctions of Successful Solo-Entrepreneurs!

SUCCESSFUL Solo-Entrepreneurs approach life and business from a perspective that is new, fresh, and rather unorthodox. The differences are subtle, yet significant. These distinctions are more than just fads or interesting tips; they are direct, measurable SHIFTS in how you will approach your business, your personal life, your relationships, etc. - for the rest of your life! They are direct from the experience of hundreds of successful solo-entrepreneurs!

First, one pre-distinction. We are not talking about "habits" in this article. There's really nothing wrong with habits, except that you are still looking at habits. And, you probably already knew the habits before you even read about them?you just weren't getting them to stick.

The problem with habits is that it's easy to backslide because they aren't really YOURS. You haven't really owned them. Just when you are about to decide they are valuable and working, something comes up that throws a twist in the whole thing and there you are back again, living your same old habits.

A distinction, on the other hand, is not a habit or a secret, or even the latest tip of the day. A distinction is often a subtle difference in language, but it brings powerful new insight, meaning and perspective to the situation at hand. Once you grasp the distinction, and begin acting on it, you will notice distinct, measurable changes in the way you run yourself and your business, and in the successes you experience.

As you incorporate these 9 key distinctions into your life and business, you will create a key shift in how you think, how you evaluate, and how you approach any situation. You can never go back to the old way again ? unlike the old paradigm of "habits".

What are the 9 Key Distinctions of Successful Solo- Entrepreneurs?

1. Force vs. Power

When you are forcing something, you are pushing and shoving to get things to work out the way you want. There is a great deal of effort involved, and usually struggle.

Power, on the other hand, implies a strength that goes beyond what you might be able to exert. You experience power when you align your inner energies, beliefs, and emotions with your outer actions. This will propel you forward toward your goals, with much less effort and fewer toes being stepped on.

Some people talk about this as flow, but it is really much more than that. It is a sense of energy and multiple dimensions working in tandem so that with each step you actually move ahead many paces.

For solo-entrepreneurs, who don't have a large corporate machine backing them, this distinction becomes even more important. Power, rather than force, becomes the name of the game.

Remember a time when you felt confident, in flow, and successes seemed to just come to you. What were you focused on? How were you being? What actions were you taking? Use these answers as a self-prescription for tapping into this power state so that you no longer have to rely on force.

2. Accomplish vs. Attain

Accomplishment has a sense of finality, an end point, and refers more to a task. Accomplishments often feel meaningless once you've accomplished them. Have you ever worked hard in order to get something, and then once you had it, it didn't seem so important or meaningful any more? There was a bit of a letdown.

Attainment, on the other hand, has no end. It is based in a spiritual or inspired knowing that what you are doing is meaningful at a level that goes far beyond just you or your company. A sense of attainment provides inspiration and comfort.

Successful Solo-Entrepreneurs indicate that when they were in "accomplish" mode, they got a lot done, but it didn't always move them closer to their grander vision or mission. When they made the shift to attainment, it expanded their capacity to create the life they wanted.

Do you focus more on accomplishing or attaining? When you finish or complete something, does it inspire your forward and connect you with your reason for doing what you do, or does it feel exciting briefly and then go flat?

3. Gaining Information vs. Using What You Learn

While it might seem obvious that to simply gain information is not sufficient for producing incredible, solo-e success, there are a lot of business people out there reading and acquiring information without really putting it into practice. Until you use what you learn, you haven't really learned it. You've just expanded your storehouse of information.

By putting it into practice, applying what you learn, you are able to distinguish useful information from irrelevant, and tweak approaches or systems so that they work for you.

What have you learned about today/this week that you can put into action now?

4. Segmented vs. Integrated

Successful Solo-Entrepreneurs say that before they became incredibly successful, they thought of their lives in compartmentalized segments. Even within their businesses they had a segmented approach to their services, products, and even their efforts.

The shift for them came when they created a synergy by integrating their work and their lives. When you have an integrated approach, activity in one area directly benefits goals in another area. This is part of how you can move three paces ahead with only one step.

Write out all the different projects or components of your business. Then identify the patterns or themes that emerge. Where can you leverage your efforts so that work in one part directly improves the work in another?

5. Working Hard vs. Working Joyfully

Working hard brings with it all the "must do's" and "to do's", plus all the heaviness that those lists entail. Working joyfully, on the other hand, brings with it ease, fun, inspiration, and a light, powerful sense. When you work joyfully, you are working in tandem with spirit, in tandem with your true desires, whereas when you work hard you are usually pushing against something. (See Force vs. Power.)

Successful Solo-Entrepreneurs often learned this the hard way. They spent years working hard, only to see their goals slipping away ? along with their health and their energy. Often they "hit bottom" before they decided to try it a different way. When they did make the shift to working joyfully, they found themselves thinking, "Is it really this easy?" or "Wow, this is great! I can have fun, make money, and make a difference!"

What is it that you absolutely love doing in your business? When was the last time that time seemed to just disappear (in a good way)? How could you create more of that in your business?

6. Structure vs. Environments

Structure is a good thing. You need some structure in order to get things done ? even if your structure looks vastly different from someone else's. Structure is focused on tasks and specific outcomes.

Environments, on the other hand, go beyond structure to setting up entire systems of support that enable you to continue making progress without even "working" at it.

The distinction is that an environment works for you, while a structure requires you to do the work. An environment makes the structure YOURS.

Successful Solo-Entrepreneurs say this is one of the most important distinctions. When they could transform their structures ? or lack of structure ? into environmental supports, they were able to consistently move ahead with far less effort.

Where are your environment(s) currently supporting you to be your best, do your best, and experience your best? Where are the drains or stumbling blocks that slow you down? What can you change so that you automatically do the right thing without having to overcome inertia?

7. Behavior Change vs. Shift

A behavior change is just what it sounds like. You either stop doing or start doing something. It can be simple, and may or may not be lasting.

A shift, on the other hand, is powerful. It usually comes as the result of an experience of some sort (perhaps from the behavior change), and results in a deep, cellular change in how you approach things. It is often accompanied by an identify shift as well.

Think of those "aha!" moments and epiphanies you have had ? the times when you all of a sudden "got it". That is a shift. You can try to go back to the old way of doing things, but there is a part of you that always knows you're not participating at your full potential.

For example, once you realize that what you think about and focus on affects your results, you cannot pretend it isn't so. You might temporarily think less than helpful thoughts, but your internal set point has changed and you will be inspired back to what you know to be the truth.

In order to get to this shift point however, you might have to practice it as behavior change until you get the evidence of how it works.

Successful Solo-Entrepreneurs make key, internal shifts, not just behavior changes. They are constantly looking for what shifts are needed in order to make their businesses ? and their lives ? even more successful.

If you were already as successful as you want to be, what shifts would you have made? Now that you know what they are, what can you do to begin making these today?

8. Pessimism vs. Optimism

This distinction probably seems obvious. What's not always so obvious to people is WHEN they are being pessimistic. People who are struggling with their businesses often describe themselves as being "realistic", seeing what's really going on. The truth is, they are only looking at a portion of what's going on, and chances are they are making that worse than it really is.

Optimism is not just a state of mind or an approach. It is a commitment to looking for what's working, looking for the good in a situation, and building on that. It is based on spiritual and scientific principles that when we focus on what's working and looking with vision and passion toward what we want, that we are actually more resourceful and creative.

Successful Solo-Entrepreneurs have MASTERED this distinction!

When you evaluate your business, your decisions, or even yourself as your own solo-CEO, what do you focus on more ? what's working, or how much is going wrong? What would happen if you committed to looking for what's working for the next 72 hours? Just three days. Try it!

9. Focusing on the Gap vs. Honoring Where You Are

While wanting more is not a bad thing, when most people talk about what they want, what they are really doing is focusing on the gap between what they want and what they have. By doing this, they actually activate the "not having" more than the "having", so it sets up a bit of a catch-22.

Honoring where you are is being fully present, loving each moment, knowing that each moment is already full and perfect, regardless of whether you have accomplished or attained. It is tapping in to the power of NOW.

Honoring where you are doesn't discount that you might have dreams and desires, but in really honoring, you activate trust, celebration, and good feelings that allows in more of what you are wanting.

As you've noticed, these key distinctions of Successful Solo-Entrepreneurs are grounded in inner and outer attitudes, beliefs, and actions. They require an inner mindset shift, as well as an external, or action, shift.

What shifts or distinctions are you noticing in yourself already?

What will be your next actions toward becoming a Successful Solo-Entrepreneurs?

Copyright 2003, Nina East, The Follow-Through Coach

Herb Filled Pillows Make Over a Million Dollars

Lauren Rosenstadt was a single mom working at a herb
company in Bethesda, Maryland. A herb (pronounced "erb") is
a plant that has medicinal, savory, or aromic qualities. One
day while at lunch with a friend whose daughter suffered
from insomnia, Lauren thought, "If I could fill a pillow
with herbs, that would be soothing and help my friend's
daughter sleep."

A few days later, Sydney Greensheep, a pillow shaped like
a sheep and filled with dried herbs, was completed. Lauren
gave Sydney to her friend to try with her daughter. The
next morning her friend reported, "It's unbelievable, she
slept like a baby!"

Insomnia is epidemic in our fast-pased American lifestyle.
40-50% of Americans complain of occasional bouts with
insomnia. 10-15 percent of the US population suffers from
chronic insomnia. Every year, as many as 10 million
Americans seek a physician's help for sleep disorders. As
many as 10,000 automobile accident deaths each year are the
result of someone falling asleep at the wheel.

Lauren showed Sydney to her boss, who was impressed enough
to provide her with space in the company's booth at a trade
show. Many trade show visitors liked the herb stuffed
pillow idea, and by the end of the show, Lauren had orders
for over 100 pillows.

Lauren hired a seamstress to sew the sheep-shaped pillows.
Then, she stuffed them herself. The trade show buyers put
the pillows on display in their shops, and within days they
all sold for between $18.00 and $22.00 each.

Encouraged by these results, Lauren sent samples to
department stores and specialty shops. Orders started
rolling in. To sew the pillows, she enlisted small home
business sewers. It was hard work to deliver bolts of
fabric and 40 pound bags of filling to their homes. Within
the first year, she grossed over half a million dollars.

Now, Lauren's Herbal Animals can be found in over 750 body
care, gift and natural living shops worldwide. Lauren's
company employs 13 people and has revenue of over a million
dollars a year.

It's interesting to note that Lauren Rosenstadt didn't
start out as a hobby seamstress or craft person. She was a
person who used her insight to help a friend confort her
daughter. After recognizing an opportunity, Lauren didn't
let up. She did the thinking and the work necessary to
achieve success.

 

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