Peace, Love & Harmony
This Holiday Season!
Leave a comment!
24 December 2008
Merry Christmas & Holiday Greetings!
Peace, Love & Harmony
This Holiday Season!
Leave a comment!
21 December 2008
Solo Entrepreneur - 2009 Fresh Start
Hope all of you are doing well. It's been some year, huh? Auto
industry shake-outs and corporate begging, a new era in the US
political stream and the rest of us trying to remain calm.
Did I get that about right?! But you want to know something - I'm
grateful! It could have been worse for all of us and for some, it
has been a very bad year.
It's meant for you to keep things in perspective. What you may take
as a disaster, for someone else it may be a challenge.
This next to the last post of 2008, I'm going to do something a bit different.
Here's a list of a couple 'good reads' for you and let's call
it 2009 Fresh Start Reading List
BUSINESS SHELF
Ten Commandments for Business Failure
A bit of lessons learned insight from Don Keough, retired
president of Coca-Cola that actually has some meat to it. The
most relevant commandment we faced in 2008 is wrapped up in #10 -
Be afraid of the future.
What Color Is Your Parachute - 2009
Yes, this is a Business Book and especially relevant to Solo
Entrepreneurs begins on page 183!
Some of you used older versions of 'Parachute' and leafed
through that dog-eared copy when you went on your own.
Anyone who missed it, grab the current edition and start with page
183...this time next year, you'll be glad you did!
Micro Trends
This one was a sleeper for all but the most avid reader (or
hard-core marketer) when it first came out.
Watching trends is not high on most solo entrepreneurs radar for
a number of reasons. You're busy working on right now to worry
about later on!
Not a quick read by any stretch, it can at least give you a
heads-up on what may impact the direction you're headed with
your business now and what adjustments you may want to make
to survive later.
This next list will give you food for reflection, a pat on the back and my
hope is to get a laugh or two! Enjoy...
PERSONAL SHELF
The Filthy Rich Handbook
You will recognize some of these 'likely suspects' by their
descriptions and wonder how the author got away with it! Who do
you think 'The HeirHead' is? Unless you follow the latest,
you'll never guess.
The Healthy Skeptic
This one had me shaking my head, laughing and scared all at the
same time...and it's not even Stephen King!
The stories of medical foul-ups and quack cures is legendary,
but what do we really know when it comes to our own choices on
who to believe? Before your next check up or visit to the
herbalist, read this one.
Why Is God Laughing?
Before you get your panties in a twist, read the book! Learning
to laugh at ourselves and realize we really are doing just fine
takes practice.
It's far easier to accept what we hear from others about who we
are, what we should think and how we should live.
That's it for today and I leave you with this -
Leave a comment!
industry shake-outs and corporate begging, a new era in the US
political stream and the rest of us trying to remain calm.
Did I get that about right?! But you want to know something - I'm
grateful! It could have been worse for all of us and for some, it
has been a very bad year.
It's meant for you to keep things in perspective. What you may take
as a disaster, for someone else it may be a challenge.
This next to the last post of 2008, I'm going to do something a bit different.
Here's a list of a couple 'good reads' for you and let's call
it 2009 Fresh Start Reading List
BUSINESS SHELF
A bit of lessons learned insight from Don Keough, retired
president of Coca-Cola that actually has some meat to it. The
most relevant commandment we faced in 2008 is wrapped up in #10 -
Be afraid of the future.
Yes, this is a Business Book and especially relevant to Solo
Entrepreneurs begins on page 183!
Some of you used older versions of 'Parachute' and leafed
through that dog-eared copy when you went on your own.
Anyone who missed it, grab the current edition and start with page
183...this time next year, you'll be glad you did!
This one was a sleeper for all but the most avid reader (or
hard-core marketer) when it first came out.
Watching trends is not high on most solo entrepreneurs radar for
a number of reasons. You're busy working on right now to worry
about later on!
Not a quick read by any stretch, it can at least give you a
heads-up on what may impact the direction you're headed with
your business now and what adjustments you may want to make
to survive later.
This next list will give you food for reflection, a pat on the back and my
hope is to get a laugh or two! Enjoy...
PERSONAL SHELF
You will recognize some of these 'likely suspects' by their
descriptions and wonder how the author got away with it! Who do
you think 'The HeirHead' is? Unless you follow the latest,
you'll never guess.
This one had me shaking my head, laughing and scared all at the
same time...and it's not even Stephen King!
The stories of medical foul-ups and quack cures is legendary,
but what do we really know when it comes to our own choices on
who to believe? Before your next check up or visit to the
herbalist, read this one.
Before you get your panties in a twist, read the book! Learning
to laugh at ourselves and realize we really are doing just fine
takes practice.
It's far easier to accept what we hear from others about who we
are, what we should think and how we should live.
That's it for today and I leave you with this -
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will
annoy enough people to make it worth the effort! ~ Herm Albright
Leave a comment!
15 December 2008
Solo Entrepreneurs: Do We Mean Business?
Jean wrote an article in her series for Small Business Boomers that hits close to the post I made yesterday - it takes more than passion to make your business succeed.
When I first got started, the internet marketing information
(including the scams) were much less than you have to deal with
today. It wasn't any easier then to make a decision on what
business to start than it is today, though there are hundreds of
sites telling you different.
Or as Jean so eloquently puts it
My mini sites that have been producing no more than extra costs
have been deleted, it took me all of 3 hours from my post
yesterday to cut the cord.
Some of you are still holding onto sites that are eating through
your credit card but not making enough to cover your hosting.
Then there are those of you who are 'wishing and hoping' for a
sign that will guarantee you will make money with your current
business idea. Here's a reality check: There are no guarantees!
Nada. Zip. Zilch. Ain't Happenin' Bub!
Look, I don't mean to preach because you are an adult and yes,
it's hard to make a leap into the unknown. But no matter how
many books you buy, courses you have, advice you get - you have
to take the next step at some point.
Starting a business is only the first decision, there will be
others for as long as you remain in business - not all of them
will be easy.
Do you cut your flagship product because the market isn't
buying it anymore?
Do you move out of your home office into leased office space
because you need the room?
Will that new project fold because the client refuses to make a
decision right now?
Are you going to have to cut expenses when you're stretched to
the limit because sales have been slow?
All are major decisions business owners make everyday, and when
you make one there are 3 more ready to take it's place on your
list.
Just some food for thought and before I forget to mention this:
for those of you considering a site overhaul for the new year,
Site Build It is having their famous 2-for-1 sale running through
the end of December. Check it out!
Remember my last post, if it's not going to help you make money
and help you build a real business - please, don't do this.
Yes, there are people making pretty good money using SBI (I'm
one of them) but it's not going to do any good getting the
tools if you're not going to use them.
I'm recommending this for those of you who have a site or
online presence and want to take it to the next level.
It will work for those of you who are new and just getting
started, too but....understand it will take you some time
visiting the member forum to really get the most use out of it.
That's it for today and I leave you with this -
Leave a comment!
When I first got started, the internet marketing information
(including the scams) were much less than you have to deal with
today. It wasn't any easier then to make a decision on what
business to start than it is today, though there are hundreds of
sites telling you different.
Or as Jean so eloquently puts it
.
"Don’t be fooled into thinking that all you need for a
successful business is an “Extreme Makeover.”
My mini sites that have been producing no more than extra costs
have been deleted, it took me all of 3 hours from my post
yesterday to cut the cord.
Some of you are still holding onto sites that are eating through
your credit card but not making enough to cover your hosting.
Then there are those of you who are 'wishing and hoping' for a
sign that will guarantee you will make money with your current
business idea. Here's a reality check: There are no guarantees!
Nada. Zip. Zilch. Ain't Happenin' Bub!
Look, I don't mean to preach because you are an adult and yes,
it's hard to make a leap into the unknown. But no matter how
many books you buy, courses you have, advice you get - you have
to take the next step at some point.
Starting a business is only the first decision, there will be
others for as long as you remain in business - not all of them
will be easy.
buying it anymore?
because you need the room?
decision right now?
the limit because sales have been slow?
All are major decisions business owners make everyday, and when
you make one there are 3 more ready to take it's place on your
list.
Just some food for thought and before I forget to mention this:
for those of you considering a site overhaul for the new year,
Site Build It is having their famous 2-for-1 sale running through
the end of December. Check it out!
Remember my last post, if it's not going to help you make money
and help you build a real business - please, don't do this.
Yes, there are people making pretty good money using SBI (I'm
one of them) but it's not going to do any good getting the
tools if you're not going to use them.
I'm recommending this for those of you who have a site or
online presence and want to take it to the next level.
It will work for those of you who are new and just getting
started, too but....understand it will take you some time
visiting the member forum to really get the most use out of it.
That's it for today and I leave you with this -
"A real decision is measured by the fact that
you've taken a new action. If there's no action, you haven't
truly decided."~ Anthony Robbins
Leave a comment!
13 December 2008
Head Start On That New Year Resolution List
A bit late (holiday shoppers are crazy people!), so let's get right into it.
Can you imagine operating your business in crisis mode - for 15
years?! From his book, Work the System, Sam Carpenter did just that.
Sam suggests asking 2 primary questions about how
you currently operate your business:
1. If the business you now operate is to survive the down-times, and
even become tremendously profitable, must it become
hyper-efficient? and
2. If you are to have personal control and freedom, is it true
that your business must be able to operate without your
moment-to-moment input?
Around here we call it being organized and not rapid response
fire fighters. Do overs sucks rocks, eats into time better spent
doing other things and creates a stress level you can't imagine.
The great thing about being organized you can spot time wasters a
mile off. So, if you find yourself constantly putting out fires,
now may be as good a time as any to take a look at your systems.
2009 is right around the corner, so why not put a few systems in
place to make it worthwhile for progress in your business.
Here's a few questions to ask yourself that might help in
planning what will take you through any downturns or upswings
outside your control......
Answering these questions for yourself, without others opinion on
what is right for you must be a decision you can live with in the
morning.
Bottom line, your decision will come down to only three options:
Stick, Quit, or Reinvent.
Reading Pam's blog this morning on striking a balance between
being a mensch and paying the bills, it became clear that something
isn't working in my business systems.
I had to ask myself a hard question: Would I continue to do
something 15 years (except for raising kids) when it was
obviously not working?
Thinking about this since my last post, I've noticed that the
'tag description line' for this blog has changed 4 times since
it's beginning in 2005. That's a long time to not know where
the hell you're going!
My intent was to share little known resources and information
available online to help solo entrepreneurs keep their sanity
while operating a business.
With so much free information online, what I didn't consider
during the planning was how to make money from my efforts?
Passion got me started and kept me going, but it's making money
that makes it a business!
Ultimately, I blinked. What that means is when it came time to
target who this information was for and really make this a money
making proposition, I froze.
It should have been the #1 thing on my list before I started this
blog and at least 2 of my other ventures.
What does this have to do with you and your business? Maybe
nothing but I'm still seeing many solo entrepreneurs running on
passion and working two jobs to pay living expenses.
So I'm asking for your honest feedback. What do you think the
primary focus of The Solo Gazette should be going forward?
A. Just a list of resources for operating a home-based business?
B. Motivation on operating a solo business?
C. Success stories of real solo entrepreneurs?
D. Something different? Be specific please.
As a Working Solo Entrepreneur, tell me your thoughts and what
you think would make this blog more useful for you in the coming
year. I really want your feedback.
That's it for today and I leave you with this -
Leave a comment!
Can you imagine operating your business in crisis mode - for 15
years?! From his book, Work the System, Sam Carpenter did just that.
Sam suggests asking 2 primary questions about how
you currently operate your business:
1. If the business you now operate is to survive the down-times, and
even become tremendously profitable, must it become
hyper-efficient? and
2. If you are to have personal control and freedom, is it true
that your business must be able to operate without your
moment-to-moment input?
Around here we call it being organized and not rapid response
fire fighters. Do overs sucks rocks, eats into time better spent
doing other things and creates a stress level you can't imagine.
The great thing about being organized you can spot time wasters a
mile off. So, if you find yourself constantly putting out fires,
now may be as good a time as any to take a look at your systems.
2009 is right around the corner, so why not put a few systems in
place to make it worthwhile for progress in your business.
Here's a few questions to ask yourself that might help in
planning what will take you through any downturns or upswings
outside your control......
- 1. If I stick with this, can I be among the best at it?
- 2. If I commit for the long haul, will the time and effort it
involves be worth it? - 3. Should I decide to quit, are there better things I could focus
on that are more profitable? - 4. If I decide to quit this (whatever it is) right now, will I
regret it for the rest of my life? - 5. Finally, other than the time and money I've already put into
this - What is preventing me from quitting?
Answering these questions for yourself, without others opinion on
what is right for you must be a decision you can live with in the
morning.
Bottom line, your decision will come down to only three options:
Stick, Quit, or Reinvent.
Reading Pam's blog this morning on striking a balance between
being a mensch and paying the bills, it became clear that something
isn't working in my business systems.
I had to ask myself a hard question: Would I continue to do
something 15 years (except for raising kids) when it was
obviously not working?
Thinking about this since my last post, I've noticed that the
'tag description line' for this blog has changed 4 times since
it's beginning in 2005. That's a long time to not know where
the hell you're going!
My intent was to share little known resources and information
available online to help solo entrepreneurs keep their sanity
while operating a business.
With so much free information online, what I didn't consider
during the planning was how to make money from my efforts?
Passion got me started and kept me going, but it's making money
that makes it a business!
Ultimately, I blinked. What that means is when it came time to
target who this information was for and really make this a money
making proposition, I froze.
It should have been the #1 thing on my list before I started this
blog and at least 2 of my other ventures.
What does this have to do with you and your business? Maybe
nothing but I'm still seeing many solo entrepreneurs running on
passion and working two jobs to pay living expenses.
So I'm asking for your honest feedback. What do you think the
primary focus of The Solo Gazette should be going forward?
A. Just a list of resources for operating a home-based business?
B. Motivation on operating a solo business?
C. Success stories of real solo entrepreneurs?
D. Something different? Be specific please.
As a Working Solo Entrepreneur, tell me your thoughts and what
you think would make this blog more useful for you in the coming
year. I really want your feedback.
That's it for today and I leave you with this -
A year from now you may wish you had started today~ Karen Lamb
Leave a comment!
04 December 2008
Solo Entrepreneur Blogging Minutes
I was reading through a list of new articles from Ezine Articles
and came across one that nearly made me puke. Ok, it's too
close to Thanksgiving dinner to use that term but it reads like
so much other 'wanna-be' advice that runs rampant online.
Someone has a brain fart and thinks, Wow! This is great. Let me
post it somewhere.
Here's the gist of the article on 'You Are An Entrepreneur
If...'
1. You are creative.
2. You are courageous.
3. You are extremely resourceful.
4. You possess a specific talent, or
specialized knowledge of some kind.
5. You are very disciplined, determined and highly
motivated most of the time.
6. You have a strong desire to help others.
7. You not only have a daily plan; you have a life plan
Some of you are going to think, it's not too bad and that's
what everyone says an entrepreneur is, right? Wrong!
Here's what bothers me about this article list. First its a
list of generalities that reads like a plan for a serial killer
and second it's 500 words of gibberish.
You're a working solo entrepreneur, do you think if you were
more creative, courageous, resourceful, had a specific talent or
special knowledge, were more disciplined, determined or highly
motivated your business would make more money?
How about if you had a stronger desire to help others with your
daily plan or your 'life' plan?
This is the kind of Miss Information slung around the internet as
reality by many people who have never owned or have just started
a business. All the creativity in the universe will not add one
more cent to your bottom line!
My mechanics are certified, talented and specialized to the max
but they still work for Rolf's European Auto! Think about your
own venture, it takes more than discipline and determination to
make your business work.
I'm not saying that discipline, determination and being
resourceful doesn't help because it does. But, there is more to
being an entrepreneur and those of us in the trenches everyday
know it.
Interesting that persistent didn't make the list and
neither did taking action nor focus. Reads like B.S. to me!
I've been putting together my plans for 2009 and part of that
plan is to dump some of my marginal activities that are not
producing the results set for 2008.
Part of my plan is do more blogging and implement more marketing
related actions. In order to implement this plan, I've decided
to join a program to more effectively use my blogs.
I'm not going to lie, money is tight for me as it is for many
people and to spend hundreds of dollars on a 'might work'
proposition of any kind isn't going to happen (even if I had it
to throw away).
With that said, here's 2 programs I'm considering:
One by Mark Joyner is starting on December 8th. It may be a bit
more basic than it seems reading the marketing page but who
knows. I'm familiar with Mark from being a member of
Simple-ology and this may become the push I need to get my online
publishing on a more solid footing.
If you already have a blog, he's offering anyone who blogs about
this new no-cost multi-media blog course -No Name Yet free entry.
The catch is you post about it on your blog...seems fair enough.
The second one I'll be joining too (if for nothing more than to
make TSG better) is going to start December 4th and for the first
week you can join for $27 a month before it takes a leap to $47 a
month.
Yaro Starak is partnering with Gideon Shalwick (no idea who he
is) on this one, but if you know Yaro - it's going to be 'hit
the ground running' intense.
Get more Blogger Roadmap info ebook and audio download. See if
this is something you can add to your own marketing mix. I
have mine and yes, it appears to be worth the investment when it
opens.
That's it for today and I leave you with this -
Leave a comment!
and came across one that nearly made me puke. Ok, it's too
close to Thanksgiving dinner to use that term but it reads like
so much other 'wanna-be' advice that runs rampant online.
Someone has a brain fart and thinks, Wow! This is great. Let me
post it somewhere.
Here's the gist of the article on 'You Are An Entrepreneur
If...'
1. You are creative.
2. You are courageous.
3. You are extremely resourceful.
4. You possess a specific talent, or
specialized knowledge of some kind.
5. You are very disciplined, determined and highly
motivated most of the time.
6. You have a strong desire to help others.
7. You not only have a daily plan; you have a life plan
Some of you are going to think, it's not too bad and that's
what everyone says an entrepreneur is, right? Wrong!
Here's what bothers me about this article list. First its a
list of generalities that reads like a plan for a serial killer
and second it's 500 words of gibberish.
You're a working solo entrepreneur, do you think if you were
more creative, courageous, resourceful, had a specific talent or
special knowledge, were more disciplined, determined or highly
motivated your business would make more money?
How about if you had a stronger desire to help others with your
daily plan or your 'life' plan?
This is the kind of Miss Information slung around the internet as
reality by many people who have never owned or have just started
a business. All the creativity in the universe will not add one
more cent to your bottom line!
My mechanics are certified, talented and specialized to the max
but they still work for Rolf's European Auto! Think about your
own venture, it takes more than discipline and determination to
make your business work.
I'm not saying that discipline, determination and being
resourceful doesn't help because it does. But, there is more to
being an entrepreneur and those of us in the trenches everyday
know it.
Interesting that persistent didn't make the list and
neither did taking action nor focus. Reads like B.S. to me!
I've been putting together my plans for 2009 and part of that
plan is to dump some of my marginal activities that are not
producing the results set for 2008.
Part of my plan is do more blogging and implement more marketing
related actions. In order to implement this plan, I've decided
to join a program to more effectively use my blogs.
I'm not going to lie, money is tight for me as it is for many
people and to spend hundreds of dollars on a 'might work'
proposition of any kind isn't going to happen (even if I had it
to throw away).
With that said, here's 2 programs I'm considering:
One by Mark Joyner is starting on December 8th. It may be a bit
more basic than it seems reading the marketing page but who
knows. I'm familiar with Mark from being a member of
Simple-ology and this may become the push I need to get my online
publishing on a more solid footing.
If you already have a blog, he's offering anyone who blogs about
this new no-cost multi-media blog course -No Name Yet free entry.
The catch is you post about it on your blog...seems fair enough.
The second one I'll be joining too (if for nothing more than to
make TSG better) is going to start December 4th and for the first
week you can join for $27 a month before it takes a leap to $47 a
month.
Yaro Starak is partnering with Gideon Shalwick (no idea who he
is) on this one, but if you know Yaro - it's going to be 'hit
the ground running' intense.
Get more Blogger Roadmap info ebook and audio download. See if
this is something you can add to your own marketing mix. I
have mine and yes, it appears to be worth the investment when it
opens.
That's it for today and I leave you with this -
“An entrepreneur assumes the risk and is dedicated and
committed to the success of whatever he or she undertakes.” ~ Victor Kiam
Leave a comment!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
