There is one thing that will absolutely kill the growth of most
businesses at one point or another. Although it is intended to
make sure that you are properly prepared for the journey ahead, it
often stunts the growth of your business.

The funny thing about this is that every business class I’ve ever
taken during my coursework absolutely glorifies the importance of
this one factor. The factor that I am speaking of is “planning”.
Although, a theoretically sound plan is helpful in attaining your
business goals, it’s frequently a stumbling block for growth. Why? You
ask….

THE EXPLANATION

Well,it’s simple. Often times business owners and entrepreneurs
will spend the majority of their time preparing and not enough of
time actually implementing. We usually use planning time as a
cover for procrastination, which we all know will cause failure.

If a cook spends most of his time planning the meal and not much
time cooking, there would be a disaster on every plate (not to
mention a plethora of food borne illnesses:)). This is the disaster
that a lot of entrepreneurs create within their businesses.

We often over analyze, over plan, overreact, over…you get the
point. We, as entrepreneurs, have to learn to K.i.s.s.(Keep It
Super Simple) our business. This way you will not waste countless
hours planning to avoid some imaginary disaster; or perfecting a
secondary function while neglecting a primary one.

WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING

Spend your time producing the basic functions of your business.
These are the functions that are essential for growth. If you are
a blogger…write posts. You can work on templates later. If you
are a speaker…better your speech. Don’t waste time becoming
familiar with the audio system.

If you concentrate on your primary functions, your business will
naturally develop some “icing” as it grows. But if you don’t do
this, years will have gone by and you will still be “getting ready”
for action.

Many millionaires state that their successes in life did not
necessarily come from there most meticulously planned actions.
Nothing you plan will turn out exactly as you plan it
anyway. Success usually comes from taking actions toward a goal
and adjusting to obstacles as they come.

CLARIFICATION

Now I’m not saying you should just make thoughtless, uninformed
business decisions. But I am saying that, during the growth
stages, you should ensure that your time is being spent taking
actions that directly effect your primary functions.

Because Scrutinization breeds Procrastination and Action breeds
Growth. I will be discussing the difference between proactive
action and progressive actions in a future posts. Leave your
comments…

Benjamin T. Jones
http://www.ben-means-business.com
http://www.donewithjobs.com

Entrepreneurs understand how important it is to surround oneself with strong, dependable, loyal and able people. It’s been said that, in the heat of battle, the soldiers who stand by you are not the college kids and the pretty boys, but rather the ex cons, thugs, drifters and pimps. When the bullets are flying, somehow a PhD or MBA doesn’t make much of a difference.

If you were about to trek across the ice to the North Pole, whom would you choose to be on your team? Whom would you trust with your life? Would you choose someone from Greenpeace or someone from the Marines? A “peacekeeper” or a warrior? I want the toughest character can find on my side, not some politically correct wimp who’s scared of hurting a tree or upsetting an owl’s nest. I want people who are serious about success, hungry, fearless, determined and very, very disciplined. How about you?

The team you build will mirror, or at least strongly aspire to, your level of integrity, motivation, professionalism and drive. Your “Inner Circle” should be very carefully selected, vetted and constantly trained and tested. And when you see cracks in their veneer, you should remove them from your orbit – fast. Sincerity, grit and focus should be a requirement, not an optional extra. Your team members will either carry you or drop you. They will either be the wind beneath your wings or the quicksand under your feet. And it all depends on your leadership ability.

Have you ever heard of a “Cult Manager”? Probably not – it’s Cult Leader. And the best people will follow the best leaders. So, instead of bewailing your fate and complaining about the losers in your team, go to the bathroom and take a good, hard look in the mirror. You are a magnet. You either attract Eagles or ducks. If you behave like a loser, that’s exactly what you’ll attract. If you accept mediocrity and compromise, that’s the team you’ll soon be scraping off your shoe. But if you set a high standard and strive for a magnificent vision, you’ll find strong people joining you, and the sky’s the limit. Together, we can do amazing things.

Sales Tip

Just as a leader must carefully choose his team, so must a salesperson carefully select his clients. Surround yourself with excellent people at all times. Don’t suffer fools lightly. Good people will lead you to more good people. Invest in your clients and the ROI is great.

Management Tip

A few good salespeople with serious commitment and very specific goals is far better than a big bunch of wanna be’s and has-beens. Spend your time carefully. Invest in good stock. If you’re a lifelong learner, so will your team be. Set the pace, set the standard, set the example. Be selective and demand excellence.

“Leadership can be thought of as a capacity to define oneself to others in a way that clarifies and expands a vision of the future.” ~ Edwin H. Friedman

About Robin J. Elliott

For more than 19 years, Robin J. Elliott has worked with thousands of businesses in over 49 industries across the United States, Canada, and Africa. He specializes in helping small business entrepreneurs build wealth and gain access to new markets and profit centers through Joint Ventures. Through his Joint venture Seminars across North America he has thought thousands how to create increasing, multiple streams of income without cost or risk and very little time.

Get Robin J. Elliott’s FREE: “How To Grow Serious Wealth Using Joint Ventures” Mini-Course, and The Prophet of Profit e-Zine along with video blogs, world class articles, free video, and access to top Joint Venture Partners at http://www.jvwisdom.com

One summer night more than forty years after the sinking of the Titanic, the world was stunned as the impossible repeated itself. Unlike the Titanic however, the Andrea Doria sank due to human error, causing a whirlwind of rumors about sunken treasure and crew negligence. Was the treasure real? Why did she sink? The answers to these questions seemed forever-locked in mystery as the doomed liner settled in her watery grave. The day after her sinking though, young millionaire adventurer Peter Gimbel became the first person to dive to the wreck and returned to the site often over the next two decades to probe for answers.

Rika and I watched the Discovery Channel’s presentation of Gimbel’s final trip to the site in 1981 as he and his team explored submerged passageways and attempted to salvage the liner’s safes. His 25-year obsession with the Andrea Doria unlocked the riddles surrounding its sinking and solve once and for all the mystery surrounding this tragedy. Gimble was a treasure hunter.

Hidden treasure has always captured our imagination. As a child, I would walk along the beach, fully expecting to the tip of a treasure chest sticking out of the hot sand at any moment, or to find a diamond ring. To my mind, finding a diamond ring would make me and my family instant millionaires and I would be like Richie Rich. Who of us hasn’t read Treasure Island? It’s a fascinating idea, isn’t it?

“Somewhere over the rainbow” and Hidden Treasure are exciting, yet elusive, triggers to our imagination. We don’t really believe we will find it. Many people buy lottery tickets yet most don’t really believe they will win the lottery. What about finding out about REAL treasure, and then creating a way to discover it? Dreams are stories are great, but then Monday morning comes around and many of us slink reluctantly back to our boring jobs, grudgingly chain ourselves to our desks and wish it was home time. Like the manager of my building, a wonderful guy with massive potential. He freely admits that Monday is the worst day of his week, every week, and it gets progressively better as the weekend gets closer. Friday is his best day, and there is a visible transformation. He is happy, singing, excited and energetic. That lasts the whole day. And after two days, Monday finds him morose and dejected again.

I love working on my business. I look forward to Mondays. That’s because my business is a treasure hunt! I know the treasure is out there, in the form of people who join our DollarMakers Joint Venture Forum. We discover a treasure regularly! We know it’s there, and there’s no risking of lives, decompression chambers, millions of dollars of costs or man-eating sharks. Unlike Mr. Gimble, we won’t dredge up a safe with no treasure in it. That’s why my business is so exciting. As we discover wonderful entrepreneurs, we discover treasure. We can make an unlimited amount of money using Joint Ventures. If you’d like to join my treasure hunting team, visit our website.

About Robin J. Elliott

For more than 19 years, Robin J. Elliott has worked with thousands of businesses in over 49 industries across the United States, Canada, and Africa. He specializes in helping small business entrepreneurs build wealth and gain access to new markets and profit centers through Joint Ventures. Through his Joint venture Seminars across North America he has thought thousands how to create increasing, multiple streams of income without cost or risk and very little time.

Get Robin J. Elliott’s FREE: “How To Grow Serious Wealth Using Joint Ventures” Mini-Course, and The Prophet of Profit e-Zine along with video blogs, world class articles, free video, and access to top Joint Venture Partners at http://www.jvwisdom.com

Reaching millionaire status used to seem like an incomparable task reserved only for the intellectually gifted or the insanely lucky. However, these days obtaining a million is becoming less and less of a feat. I was shocked by the number of millionaire’s that actually exist in the U.S. today.
It is estimated that over 2,770 new millionaire’s are created per day (in the U.S. alone!). How insane is that? That number was almost impossible to believe until I found several sources that reported about the same estimate.

It is also reported that the ways in which these people achieve millionaire status varies greatly. There is no direct connection between millionaire’s and a particular industry. What does this mean to us?…. Well, actually quite a bit.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO US?

Firstly, the fact that so many people become millionaire’s everyday let’s us know that the feat is attainable. The question, however, is “what is stopping you from doing it?” Well, throughout my research of entrepreneurship, I have found one constant attribute among millionaire’s that separates them from everybody else.

It is their willingness to do what others won’t do. Consider this: Investing, for example, is one of the more popular forms of gaining wealth. However, only the investors who take risks on “ground floor” opportunities reap the major benefits.

Millionaire’s are usually the people who either see an opportunity before it is a sure thing and take a risk on it or who labor tirelessly in pursuit of their goals. Which one are you?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

If I was to pose the question, “What would you do for a million dollars?”, I would receive some rather outrageous responses. A lot of people would wrestle sharks for a million dollars but won’t stay up late to make that extra call, finish that last report, or complete that extra research. They also won’t risk $1,000 in order to make a $1,000,000. Hence, the reason they won’t be a part of tomorrow’s “2,770″. But what about you?

Close your eyes and think of what a million dollars would do for you and your family. Then think of the craziest thing you would do for a million…..Guess what? You don’t even have to do what you were thinking(thank God!). All you have to do is everything that you know you’re not doing right now.

Numbers…Don’t…Lie (2,770 new millionaire’s per day!). Your million is waiting on you. You just have to decide what you are willing to do for it.

As a business coach, I work with my entrepreneur clients to identify and remediate their blindspots. If you don’t do this, your blindspots will hold you back. You will never achieve your full potential. You will not experience the success you are capable of experiencing.

Knowing your blindspots is critical. Knowing what to do to address your blindspots is even more critical.

There are a number of blindspots entrepreneurs may have. I would love to share all of them with you, but that would not be the most effective use of your time. Instead, I will share one of the most common and most destructive blindspots entrepreneur’s have.

Entrepreneur’s are known for their creativity. Creativity can be your greatest asset. It also can be your greatest downfall.

Most entrepreneurs are wildly creative people who have one great idea after another. With so many good ideas, it becomes difficult to focus.

As an entrepreneur, you probably have an amazing ability to think of unique solutions to address any problem you encounter. You have lots of great ideas. You wake up one day, excited and fired up about a new idea. You start to flesh it out. The problem is, you wake up the next day, excited and fired up about another idea.

Focusing long enough to develop your good idea into a solid business is difficult. It is so much more fun to go from idea to idea. Yet, it is frustrating when the ideas fail to develop into the successful businesses you know they should be.

Entrepreneurs benefit tremendously from coaching because finally, they have someone to hold them accountable for seeing an idea through from start to finish. Yet, for the entrepreneur, this also can be one of the most frustrating aspects of working with a coach.

A well-trained coach, who understands the entrepreneur’s dilemma, will bypass this dilemma by assisting you to use your creativity strategically to launch a business and take it all the way to the top.

Do you know your blindspots? Probably not. But, your blindspots are affecting every aspect of how you do business. Work with a well-trained coach to identify your blindspots and move beyond them.

Small business and life coach, Sabrina Schleicher, Ph.D., helps you work smarter, experience more success, and have more fun! Get her FREE e-course: 7 SECRETS OF ELITE PERFORMERS at http://www.tapthepotential.com

I’m ready to come clean. I’ve been feeling guilty for quite a while, but I’m ready to tell the world. I work from home. And I am a mom. But I am not a work-from-home-mom. My son goes to daycare while I work. There. I said it.

In this world of accessibility, a trend has developed of mothers working from home so that they can spend time with their children. It may work for some, but not for me. My son is two, which means that he is the center of his world, and doesn’t let me get anything done if he is at home with me. It’s hard to run a marketing firm when Elmo and Dora are my biggest (non-paying) clients. So I send him to school. We’re both happier for it. He’s learning three languages and developing social skills I couldn’t provide him, and I am able to focus 100% on growing my business. The perk comes when I am able to quit work at 3 and pick him up for a fun afternoon, or attend his school parties. I don’t have to ask off work when he has unidentified bumps all over his body for a week.

But I don’t keep him at home, which is a common misconception to people I meet. When I say I run a marketing firm out of my home, the inevitable response is, “Oh, that’s great! So you get to stay home with your son?” And this question has made me feel guilty every time. Until now. I am certain there are other mothers out there, for whom being a parent and running a business are mutually exclusive. It’s time to be proud of your situation and stop cowering from mothers who choose to work and keep their children at home. Your situation is unique, and there is nothing to be ashamed of. If you are able to devote all of your energy to one project at a time, everyone will be happier.

Find the situation that works for you. If you have an infant, you will probably find it easier to get work done, as they tend to be in immobile mode most of the time. If you have a toddler as I do, don’t feel guilty if you send them off to school. They will learn more than you can teach them there, and you can make your schedule fit around their activities so that you can be more involved. My situation works for me, and yours should work for you. Be at peace with the decision you make, and know that your child is happy too.

Susan Payton is Managing Partner of Egg Marketing & Public Relations. She assists small businesses with marketing strategy and corporate communications. She is also the author of 101 Entrepreneur Tips, a handy guide that helps entrepreneurs make repeat customers, close the sale, and delegate work. For more information on Susan and Egg Marketing, visit http://www.eggmarketingpr.com or email her at smpayton@eggmarketingpr.com.

Many of the people who write blogs today simply want to share their opinion on something. But then there are the business-minded folks, who have found a way to use blogs, or Web logs, to bring in a little extra cash too.

I recently wrote a column detailing how to get a blog up and running to boost your small business.

If you’re interested in taking it further — blogging for bucks, if you will — here are five strategies that could turn your blog into a moneymaker.

1. Sell advertising. This is likely the most common means of leveraging a blog to generate income. If yours happens to become a well-known blog, or one that is well-received in a particular niche, it’s always possible to sell ad space on your own. For lesser-known blogs, services such as Google’s AdSense or BlogAds enable bloggers to establish ad programs.

AdSense’s — which lets you select several ads that are consistent with the content of your blog — pays you based on how many readers click on the ads for further information. Even better, it’s free. BlogAds, on the other hand, hooks bloggers up with would-be advertisers and levies a commission in return for any ad placements that result. “The nice thing, too, is that the ads are relatively unobtrusive,” says Scott Allen, co-author of “The Virtual Handshake: Opening Doors and Closing Deals Online.”

2. Help sell others’ products. Here is another click-through opportunity. Affiliate programs enable your blog to serve as a conduit between readers and online sites offering various goods and services. One popular choice is Amazon.com. If, for instance, you offer book reviews or even just mention a book in passing in your blog, an affiliate program provides a means for your readers to click directly from your blog to Amazon to obtain further information about the book. If they break out the checkbook or charge card, you get paid as well.

3. Solicit contributions. Not every blog-related income opportunity involves hawking goods or services. As Blanche DuBois did in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” consider relying on the kindness of strangers. Ask for contributions. If, for instance, your small-business blog supports a cause or issue in some fashion — say you repeatedly mention tax reform, health care or some other topic — you can always ask for reader support.

Even if you’ve attracted a group of regular followers who simply enjoy reading what you have to say, they may be willing to underwrite their loyalty with a little financial help. Programs such as PayPal make it easy to establish a simple on-site contribution collection button. “There are lots of worthy ’cause’ blogs that would qualify for donations from grateful members of the blog community,” says Las Vegas communications consultant Ned Barnett.

4. Market your services in your blog. Many people associate blogs exclusively with a cyberspace-based soapbox — a place to shout your opinions and little more than that. Granted, blogs are an ideal venue to share your thoughts with others, but don’t overlook their capacity to generate new business as well. When appropriate, work in references to what you do and, in turn, what you may be able to offer any would-be client or customer who may be reading your blog. That can spread your opinion and your business moxie at the same time.

“Instead of short commentaries that begin a dialogue with readers, as many blogs do, I write the equivalent of journal articles that demonstrate my abilities, strategies and perspectives on specific issues,” Barnett says. “When it resonates, it means money. Since starting this approach, I have generated three new paying clients and brought in about $10,000 on revenue — directly attributable to specific blogs.”

5. Use a blog to deepen your existing customer relationships. Nor does any marketing material inserted in blog content have to be limited to bringing in completely new business. By using a blog to regularly communicate with existing clients as well as other readers, you can take advantage of the opportunity to fully inform them about everything your business does. That may expand your readers’ understanding of the full scope of your products or services.

“My blog has helped existing clients determine the range of my skills and services,” says Ted Demopoulos of Demopoulos Associates, a Durham, N.H. consulting and training concern. “One client who had only used me for training in the past was surprised at my range of expertise and is now using me for a consulting project. Another who only used me on technical projects is now considering me for a more business-oriented project.”

Recent studies show that some 10 million plus home based businesses exist in the U.S alone. Within the top three are wholesale and retail trading, so creating and selling gift baskets would certainly be included in this group. This type of business would be especially attractive to an entrepreneur who would enjoy the freedom to express their creativity by assembling beautiful and unique gift baskets, in fact, this may be just the type of business that could work for you! There are already thousands of people providing this service, however, there are literally millions of busy people who rely on this kind of service, so there’s plenty of room for you in the gift basket business. Here are a few tips to help you get started!

The first step is to create your Business Objective by clearly outlining the ideal situation for your gift basket business. What is your vision? Brainstorming is helpful at this point, and once this is accomplished, break it all down and define it from there. Use all or your ideas to inspire you to really do it! To get started with your own home based business, it’s always wise to start small and create a short term plan for success, and develop this further with a long term plan? This helps to give you direction to take the required steps to actualize your dream of being a home based entrepreneur.

Next you’ll want to try to understand your client base. Who are your target clients? Will it be working moms between the ages of 30-45, or maybe single executive types with lots of money and little time, or maybe a combination of the two. If you keep your offerings stylish and classic, you’ll attract a wide array of clients who are drawn to the quality your products offer.

You’ll want to also know your competition. There’s a lot of them out there, but narrow it down to researching gift basket assembler websites with a similar vision as yours. Try to figure out how they’re successful, how they present themselves and learn from your research. Take what you admire, and bring it up to the next level of uniqueness and quality. It will help your business grow if you can add something that set’s you apart from the rest!

Think about the importance of marketing your product. Just because it’s a home based business it doesn’t mean you don’t need creative advertising ideas. This is an area that pays to invest time and money into since a large portion of your capital needs to be used for advertising and promotion! Direct mailing in your area is an excellent place to start, as is donating a couple of finished baskets, with business card attached, to local charities for raffles. For a wider client base, you might consider developing a website to show off your samples to a potential world wide audience. This will also help your business grow if you want to expand your client base and have the facilities to ship your product throughout the U.S. and Canada or even further if you’re really ambitious.

Always plan for ongoing client support. Your clients should still feel like you care, even after they’ve paid you. Be available for feedback which will help you figure out ways to ensure repeat business! People love a personal touch in a world that is increasingly impersonal.

These ideas should help to get you started being your own boss as a Gift Basket entrepreneur. Have confidence in yourself, have fun, and you’ll soon begin to earn your own income from home!

Glenn Cutforth is a writer, graphic designer and publisher of quality eBooks at

Maxx Publishing http://www.MaxxPublishing.com

Becoming an entrepreneur is one of the best ways to create wealth and freedom for yourself. If you’re interested in learning more about how to be an entrepreneur, visit

CreatingWealth4Life.com at http://www.CreatingWealth4Life.com

Many people dream of starting their own business but too few actually take the necessary steps to make their dream a reality. The most common reason is fear of failure.

If you are wrestling with the fear of failure think about these two quotes from The Great Big Book of Wisdom by Brian Tracy:

“Most people achieved their greatest successes one step beyond what looked like their greatest failure.”

“Failure is an absolute prerequisite for success. You learn to succeed by failing.”

Chances are if you’re currently employed your employer has lived through and experienced the sacrifices, inconveniences, and uncertainties involved in starting and growing a business. The owner of the company you work for probably had reservations and fears about starting their business but instead of being paralyzed by fear they stepped out on faith facing their fears while making their dreams come true. During the business start up stages risks were involved. At some point your employer faced quitting a job to invest time and money in their business. If they had to do it over, I’m sure that they would gladly do it again.

Here’s something to think about, if your employer allowed fear to keep them from starting their business you wouldn’t have a job (at least not at the company you currently work for).

What is the difference between you and the person that started the company you work for? Why were they able to start their business and live out their dreams? Why do you dream of starting your own business but continue to work for them and further delay the manifestation of your dream?

Are you concerned with job security and a steady paycheck? Reality check: when you work for someone else there is no such thing as job security and a steady paycheck. Sadly, many people find out the hard way that their fancy job titles, years of service, and hard work mean little in times of corporate changes such as downsizing.

Are you worried about maintaining your lifestyle? Reality check number 2:
Your lifestyle is already suffering if you’re trading your time, energy and dreams for employment.

Are you questioning if you have what it takes to be a successful business owner? Reality check number 3: Your mind is your greatest creative tool. Your thoughts create your reality. If your thoughts are tainted with doubt, fear, and disbelief your behavior and life will reflect those thoughts.

Not everyone is cut out to be a business owner. If everyone was a business owner there would be no employees to help run and operate businesses. The question is do you have what it takes to successfully run and operate the business you dream of starting. If the answer is yes, prepare to start your business and face your fears.

Success is doing what you love and loving what you do. Success is being happy and living life with no regrets. Success is about doing the best that you can with what you have. Success is being you with no pretenses or pressures to conform to someone else’s idea of success.

If you work some where that sucks the life out of you and causes you to put your dreams and goals on the back burner…no need to fear failure you’re already failing.

If you spend your time and energy toiling for a company that over works you, under pays you, keeps you away from your family, doesn’t respect its customers or employees and only cares about cutting corners and costs, and can at any given moment decide to lay you off…you have already failed and have nothing to lose by taking a chance on experiencing success.

Stop talking yourself out of the pursuit of happiness. Conquer your fears. Start the business you dream of. Take an active role in making your dreams come true. Your employer did and they turned out just fine, so much so, you’re living their dream and not your own.

About the author: Marenda Hughes Taylor is a living life abundantly motivator, an internet business owner and mentor. You can visit her websites at http://marenda.biz and http://paidinfulldaily.com

You’ve been working with a potential client and you think that you finally have the future project all worked out – then they ask you for a proposal. You’ve seen this great potential project but you need to bid for it. So how do you write that proposal that is going to win you the business?

Well first of all let’s look at what the proposal should do. Win of course, but before that you have to:

* Make your company stand out from the others as well as reflect the values and brand of your company.

* Offer the solution that is required in a format that is easily understood.

* Be well priced so as to attract the client, provide a profit for your company as well as opportunities for you both to work together in the future.

* Be well structured, well written and well presented.

Bearing in mind the above, your proposal should look something like this:

1) Thanks for the opportunity.

2) Your understanding of the job that needs to be done.

3) How you would complete the job, how long it will take and who will do it.

4) Why your company is the best for the job.

5) Your price – with subject breakdowns if appropriate.

6) Any “must haves” assumptions made etc in getting to the price.

7) Last thanks and way forward.

Item 5 and 6 should be on their own page so that they can be removed if necessary.

Remember to put your company details and contact details on the header of each page and your copyrights, date and page number of number of pages on each footer.

When you send off the proposal, on time of course, include a brief cover letter, with:

* Your contact details.

* The name of the person who is their contact for this bid.

* Your thanks for the opportunity.

* A very brief overview of bid - no price.

* A time frame that bid is current.

* Your thanks and hope to hear from them soon.

Now sit back and pride yourself on a job well done. Good luck

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© Copyright 2007 Biz Guru Services Ltd

Lee Lister, writes as The Biz Guru, for a number of web sites including her http://www.clikks.com where she sells her informational products. With over 20 year’s management and business consultancy experience with businesses large and small as well as being a serial entrepreneur, she now helps others set up, develop and market their businesses.

If you would like a professionally designed Bid Management training course in CD format – allowing you to train at your own desk in your won time then http://www.CDTtrain.com

This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.
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