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RELATED ARTICLES
Entrepreneurial Ongoing Education Advice I would like to give some advice to all the up and coming entrepreneurs; if you really want to be a superstar not only do you have to work harder and smarter than the competition, but you must always keep learning. I built a company from a bucket of water and a sponge into a National Car Wash Franchise System in 23 states. To do this you need to know more than what they taught you in school and you can never turn off your brain. Every person is different and has different interests. But I would like you to read thru my recommended reading list. This is a list I hand out to MBA and Entrepreneurial Students when I give speeches. It is a list of recommended book, biography, audio tapes and movies. Chairman Greenspan and the FED, learn more you will be glad you did So many people work their whole life to make money, but they know so little about out monetary system. They know so little about the Federal Reserve Bank and so very little about the brilliant minds, which make it all work. To get a better insight to the behind the scenes strategic planning and the intense thought which goes into making it all work I recommend you read a few books on the subject. Let's start on an easy one for your on-going education as an Entrepreneur; I recommend you first read: Abstract Business Marketing Strategy for the Entrepreneur If you look at those Corporations in franchising today you see the great companies that use these systems to move markets and deliver products and services to America. Franchising is obviously a power play in the marketing strategy game book. General Motors uses the franchise system or special teams, dealerships, to move their products in each market. Now take your mind to the "Family and friends Program" in Telecom, that is still being done by all those selling mobile communications. Think of some of the ways hyper type marketing has been done in so many areas and market sectors with so many different niches or market segments. Think of the new term appropriately named as viral marketing thru the use of ezines, forwarding emails and adhoc networks of friends and acquaintances within one's email box. Look at the organic evolution of a real virus and how it gets what it needs within your body; virus vector modeling is fascinating as it is so close to grass roots political campaigns, referral marketing or Internet link exchanges. Time Management Tips for Solo Entrepreneurs Does it seem like everyone and everything is vying for your attention all at once? It can be hard for solo entrepreneurs to know what to do first, let alone try to find the time to get caught up. Here are some time management tips that will help you to stay on top of it all: Business Is No Guarantee of Riches Q: I'm thinking about starting a business since that seems to be how most rich people get rich. I don't have any business experience or much money, but I'm a fast learner and have lots of energy. Any free advice? Peter J. Playing Hookey Can Help! A Surprising Secret To Small Business Success! Would you like to increase your chances of business success by 350%? The good news is that you can! How To Get More Clients and Customers; Dont Sell Be of Service Whether you are just starting your business or focusing on growing it, I'm sure you are like most small business owners you are looking for ways to get more clients and customers. There is a lot of information out there on selling, persuasion tactics, and gimmicks to get people to buy. I am suggesting a radical shift in perspective when thinking about the question: How do you get more clients and customers? The Entrepreneurial Difference Who would ever have imagined that going door-to-door in my neighborhood selling figs from a bright orange shopping cart would have been my entrepreneurial beginnings? I surely did not. But, now that I look back and also look around me at other business owners, I see clearly that so many of the traits common to entrepreneurs are present at a very early age. Why Every Student Should Start a Business With the economic downturn, students in all the major business schools have been dropping out of their entrepreneurship classes and transferring back to classes where they think they have a secure future. Students and professionals who were once planning to start businesses now have decided to go back to their cushy jobs. Everything is going back to normal. Or at least that is how it looks. Below are nine reasons why any student should start a business:You gain experience. Owning and running your own business is an incredible way to gain experience and credentials regardless of whether you decide to stay in business once you graduate. Jaime Gonzalez of Oklahoma State University received the highest job offer in his entire graduating class. Now, there are two kickers: First, he was the founder of an IT consulting company, and second, he had a 2.4 GPA. Hmmm...I wonder if starting a business helps in getting a better job when you graduate? You have nothing to lose. I think it's safe to say that most students dip into their parents' checkbook when it comes time to pay the bills. In general, students aren't paying child support, rent, utilities and many other expenses. The worst thing that could happen if your business fails is that you get a job, have an incredible credential on your resume, and have experience that will increase your chances of success in the future. The best thing that can happen is that you'll become the next Microsoft. I don't know about you, but I think that is better than choosing between no job and jobs that you're in just for the money. Two-thirds of millionaires are entrepreneurs, according to Thomas Stanley and William Dank, authors of The Millionaire Mind. If it's the money you want, then consider entrepreneurship. You receive not only a salary, but also a lot of money if you're lucky enough to sell your company or take it public. Michael Furdyk, a successful young entrepreneur, was able to sell his business, MyDesktop.com, for $1 million when he was 16 years old! You develop networking skills. You've likely heard that your network increases your net worth. Consider the fact that by running a business and constantly being in a business community, you will develop excellent contacts. If you choose to get a job after you graduate, you will have a great pool of people who will be more than happy to hire you or send your resume to somebody who wants to. You increase your value. Put simply, starting a business in college increases the value of "the brand called you" and gives you more options. For example, an entrepreneur with a large brand value can publish a book, star in a documentary movie (i.e., Startup.com), or go straight to the top of another company. I recently met one of the founders of Diversity Planet, a job site for minorities. He spent a year working very hard on the company and has since left to take a reporting job with Dateline NBC at the ripe age of 20! People don't often don't get an opportunity like that until they are much older. Operating a profitable business in the long term is less risky than being an employee in the long term. For example, just look at the recent economic downturn. Tens of thousands of people have been laid off. I can guarantee the owners of profitable businesses are still with the business. They will be the last people to go down with a ship. Business owners can have multiple streams of incomes from different customers. If you're an employee, you only have one stream of income and therefore are bearing more risk. You will learn more about yourself and what they don't teach or prepare you for in school. Furthermore, entrepreneurship is the combination of all the disciplines of business. It includes knowledge of marketing, accounting, management and operations. Already having knowledge of these topics before you take classes on them allows you to see more clearly how everything applies. Also, you will be able to learn early-on what subjects you like so you can make better decisions on what to major in and what industries to target. It is yours. You make the rules, create your own hours, work from wherever you want and choose who you want to work with. You can also pick what interests you the most in the world and then start a business that is related to that topic in some way. If you like art, you can start a design business. If you like marketing, you can create or choose a product and then market it. If you like writing, you can write a book and do your own public relations and marketing. If you like the Internet, you can start a Web development business. You'll grow. I personally have grown a lot from owning a business. I used to be terrified to speak in front of others. Now I look forward to it. Before owning a business, I had probably read a total of five books outside of school, and I only read them because my mom made me. Since starting my business, I've probably read more than 100 books. The business has also allowed me to learn more about myself. I know that I will be an entrepreneur forever in some way, shape or form! Four Steps to Entrepreneurship As more and more people start or consider starting their own business, it is important that they understand the core steps that are required to launch successful ventures. These steps include spotting, assessing, selecting and executing upon opportunities. Answering Why You, Why Now Critical in a Winning Business Plan Business plans continue to be an essential element of the capital-raising process. They must convince investors to take notice ? investors that are shrewder today due to the ups-and-downs they have experienced over the past few years. Youve Found Your Guru, Now What? In my last article, "Follow That Guru", I told you about the one (1) simple technique I used when starting my home business, "A Name". How To Find Focus And Turn Your Talent Into A Thriving Professional Business There are tons of books and articles available to help professionals start up their business, but few that give practical insights on how to nurture your business once it's out of its infancy. At some point, every self-employed professional reaches the same dilemma: how to build a strong brand and grow their business without taking on too many clients, undervaluing their expertise, or sacrificing their lifestyle. Innovation incubator: Build it and keep it running If your company is like the one I work for, your people are talking about the need for innovation. Mine has just announced a new program "that will bring a standardized approach to gathering and evaluating your ideas for generating new revenue and improving our business." An Innovation Team has just formed, with a new electronic mailbox and a contest offering cash prizes for the year's best ideas. Two Types of Business Plan Executive Summaries Companies seeking capital often ask how long the Executive Summary of their business plan should be. The answer depends upon the use of the summary, mainly determining if 1) it precedes the full business plan, or 2) it will be used as a stand-alone document. 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? The Fear Factor I recently conducted a lil' survey asking my colleagues what were their biggest fears when thinking about starting a business or running their business. The following are the top three fears that resulted from my survey and some ways to combat them. Walt Disneys Failures Could Inspire Entrepreneurs You are a struggling entrepreneur and sometimes it feels like you are pushing a 3 ton boulder up a steep hill. Costs keep mounting and you are considering giving up. Well before you do, check out these 10 setbacks that Walt Disney had, some were financial nightmares that put him millions of dollars in the red: Near-death Experience is the Mother of Invention for Two Dallas Electricians To morning commuters, the hulking truck encircled with barricades and traffic cones may be nothing more than a road-clogging nuisance. Success Secrets - What I, Mike Litman Learned From This Old Book Yesterday was a beautiful, sunny day in New York and yes, I spent it alone :}.
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