Posts Tagged ‘entrepreneur’

Mlm Is A Scam To Avoid! Posted By: Slim Albertson

December 7th, 2009

MLM is a Scam to Avoid! by Slim Albertson

“Not only is multi-level marketing a scam, it’s also an embarrassing business to be in. Oh, yes, there are people who have been very, very successful in network marketing, but in order to do so, they had to get into the company at an early stage, and they had to completely annoy absolutely everyone they encountered, including friends, family, and strangers in the grocery store. Who on earth would want to be successful that way?”

These are all quotes I’ve either said or heard over the years. I’ve recently revisited my prejudices against network marketing, and I’ve come to a very different conclusion. Here’s why:

First, Multi-level marketing, or network marketing, or direct selling (depending on what euphemism you want to use) has been used successfully in many professions for many years. The insurance industry was perhaps the first industry to use network marketing. Sales agents sell the life products, and their managers get a percentage of their sales, and the general manager gets a percentage of their sales. That’s network marketing. It has also been used successfully in real estate sales and several other industries. So, network marketing is tried and true, and is a successful business model.

Second, yes, getting in early in a business certainly gives you an advantage over the others. If there are three people selling your product versus 3,000 people selling your product, you definitely have an advantage. Yet look at so many industries, such as financial planning (a network marketing model). New people enter the profession all the time who are even more successful than people who were involved early on. Why? Because they learned the techniques of effective sales, and they implemented those techniques successfully. So, like any other industry, network marketing requires the new representative to learn how others have become successful, and use those lessons effectively. This is not unlike any other business.

Finally, with the world’s greatest marketplace in your grasp (the internet) it’s no longer necessary to annoy all of your friends and relatives. You can effectively market to millions of people interested in starting their own businesses or purchasing your products from your laptop in your living room, and you can only market to people who want to know about your product or service. It simply requires you to learn how to effectively market on the internet. Your friends and relatives don’t even need to know what you’re doing (although they might get curious when they see how successful you’ve become).

If you’ve rejected the possibility of getting involved in network marketing, you might just want to take a good look again. Find a company whose products you can believe in, that gives great mentoring and support, and you may be very pleasantly surprise at the results.

Copyright (c) 2009 Slim Albertson

Mark “Slim” Albertson is a classic “serial” entrepreneur, who has built and sold several successful businesses. Now “semi” retired, Mark has dedicated his working hours to helping people start and run successful internet businesses. Subscribe for free to Slim’s Internet Business Marketing blog at http://smallbiznewz.blogspot.com/

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Can Anyone Build A Successful Business Online? Posted By: Slim Albertson

December 7th, 2009

Can Anyone Build A Successful Business Online? by Slim Albertson

It’s easy to make the mistake to think that you don’t have to have skills or work hard to succeed on the internet. The truth is, business … any business, requires hard work, skills and knowledge. Don’t make the mistake of thinking internet business equals no work.

The exasperation many of the people I work with feel is completely understandable. My job is to explain to them the realities of an “internet” business. My purpose in writing this article is to help some of you, who are in the same or a similar situation, to understand the realities of internet business, and to encourage you that there is a paycheck, if not a pot of gold, at the end of the internet rainbow.

So, here are a couple of principles regarding starting and running an internet business.

1. Don’t believe the people who say it’s easy!

Running an internet business, running a multi-level marketing business, or running a brick and mortar business all have something in common: It takes work, skill and knowledge to be successful. You never, never, never get something for nothing. And running a successful business requires hard work and dedication. One of the reasons that “brick and mortar” business are successful is that the owners have a huge financial commitment upfront. Much of the time, because it doesn’t cost a great deal of money to start an internet business or an MLM business, the level of commitment required to succeed just isn’t there. You have to treat your MLM business or your internet business just the same as though you had mortgaged your house to start your business.

2. Running a Successful Internet Business Requires knowledge and skill

Twitter, Facebook, Articles, Blogs, Craigs List … the list is almost endless. And because social networking is so new, the rules, and the way to be successful change almost daily. In order to find success on the internet, you must be dedicated to learning as much as possible. Subscribe to blogs. With a little digging, you can find thousands of free sites and free blogs you can subscribe to to learn what!) available to you to learn. It’s easy to get sucked into buying people’s “programs” for success, when, in truth, there’s a lot of great, free information availabe if you want to learn. But you absolutely must learn!

3. Work Hard

It sounds cliche, but the truth is that you can’t be successful if you’re not willing to put in the time and effort required to be successful. Anyone who tells you that all you need to do is put up a website and deposit your checks, is dead wrong. It doesn’t matter whether you are opening a running store on main street or an internet business, you have got to put in the hours required to be successful.

Copyright (c) 2009 Slim Albertson

Having started his first business at 13, Slim Albertson has bought and sold several successful businesses. Slim writes a no-nonsense blog, teaching budding entrepreneurs the nuts and bolts of running an internet business. http://smallbiznewz.blogspot.com

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Serious About Starting A Business? Do It Right Before You Launch! Posted By: K. MacKillop

November 22nd, 2009

Serious about Starting a Business? Do it Right Before You Launch! by K. MacKillop

Starting a business with plans to grow a company is not a cake walk. You must know every aspect of your business in detail, from marketing to operations to financial management. If you don’t, you will end up turning over critical tasks of your venture to an outsider who is far less interested in seeing your business thrive. Successful entrepreneurs have a driving thirst for learning all they need to know to reduce risk and increase their chance of great success. If you are serious about taking control of your work and financial future, it is critical to put in the time, effort and money to launch your startup the right way.

There are too many books, articles, and advertisements claiming that anyone can make millions doing nothing, knowing nothing, and paying (next to) nothing. So, thousands of Americans drop their hard-earned cash on MLMs and “work from home” programs that provide no legitimate opportunity to even recoup the purchase price. Serious about taking control of your work and financial future? Don’t waste your time and money on get-rich-quick schemes. Instead, start saving your pennies and prepare yourself to dive headfirst into the crazy, unpredictable, and enormously rewarding world of true entrepreneurship.

Start With an Idea (or Two)

Your first order of business is to come up with a viable business idea. Consider your skills and interests, and look to fill a need within your target market. Think through the business model that best fits your personality and goals. If you can’t imagine dealing with strangers all day, every day, then brick-and-mortar retail isn’t for you. If you don’t want to spend day after day in front of a computer screen, an online-only venture is not for you. Be realistic in your expectations and limits, and select a business idea that will hold your interest for years to come.

Plan Your Idea

Once you have a business idea or two in mind, the hard work begins. Thorough, detailed planning of every aspect of your startup is required if you want to succeed. You cannot leave critical tasks to someone else to handle — it is your business and you must understand every aspect from the beginning. As an entrepreneur, you fill the roles of accountant, lawyer, salesman, marketing department and secretary, and all other staff positions during the early stages, so you must gain sufficient knowledge of each area to make the best decisions.

Guard Against Failure

The failure rate of startup businesses is quite high overall, with about two-thirds of all new businesses expected to never turn an actual profit. The most common reasons for failure come down to one thing — lack of preparation. If you don’t develop a road map for your venture before you start, you won’t be able to make the right decisions to survive and thrive. If you ignore or overlook critical business management tasks because they don’t interest you, you will crash and burn. Entrepreneurship is about stretching your abilities, constantly expanding your skills, and becoming an expert at the business of your business.

Plan to Start Your Business Right

If you are planning to start a business, plan to start it right. Find and use the best tools to turn your idea into a plan, and then put your plan into action. Set realistic expectations — you are not going to find success overnight — but keep your ultimate goal, whatever it is, at the forefront of your thoughts. Work hard, work smart, and persevere. Entrepreneurial success is reachable for anyone willing to put in the time and effort to do it right.

About the Author-K. MacKillop, a serial entrepreneur, is founder of LaunchX and authors a small business startup blog. The LaunchX System is designed to help entrepreneurs start a business the right way. Visit LaunchX.com for a free workbook to help you choose a business idea.

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Deciding Whether To Start A Business? Take Stock Of Your Life First Posted By: K. MacKillop

November 22nd, 2009

Deciding Whether to Start a Business? Take Stock of Your Life First by K. MacKillop

The current recession has had an enormous impact on American workers. Job security is quickly becoming obsolete and many are looking to make major changes in both their work and home lives. Entrepreneurship is enticing. Working for yourself means taking more control over your time, your finances, and your activities. Starting a business and making it successful is a tough but rewarding road, and it is important to take stock of your life and your future before you decide whether entrepreneurship is the right option for you.

Where You Are Now

Before you can decide where you want to go, you must figure out where you are now. Different life stages come with different responsibilities, different priorities, and different abilities. While there is no “right” answer for where you should be to launch a business, these factors can have an enormous effect on how you go about the process.

Start by taking a look at how you currently spend your time and money. Consider your absolute responsibilities and those areas you might be able and willing to sacrifice for a startup. Evaluate your financial position — how much you have on hand and how much you can gather toward your startup. While you’re at it, jot down some details about yourself. Consider what you like to do and what you are good at doing. List your strengths and experience, both in and out of work. Often, this exercise will reveal business ideas that are well-suited to you and your work style…and important factor in entrepreneurial success!

Where You Want to Be

Once you have a good idea of where you are, develop a picture of where you want to be. Think about how you hope to spend your time — not just in terms of work, but also family, hobbies, and other goals. Consider the resources you need to live the life you want and how entrepreneurship will help you attain those goals.

No matter what type of business you plan to launch, there are certain business fundamentals you will need to master. In addition, you will need to know the operations side of your venture inside and out. Evaluate any gaps in your skills and experience. What will you need to reach the life you want?

Make a Plan

Now that you can see where you are now compared with where you want to be, make a plan to get you from here to there. Evaluate the role that business ownership will play in your plan. You will likely have less free time as an entrepreneur, but often the time you do have is more flexible. You may have to tighten your budget considerably to go out on your own, but you will have more control over your financial future in the long run. Develop a step-by-step list of what you need to do to move forward on your plan.

Get Organized

Every good plan needs the right tolls to be effectively implemented. Develop and use a planning system that will keep you on track. Set appointments for yourself to review your progress. If you have a family or significant other, involve them in the process. Big change requires big support — don’t expect to rely only on yourself.

If entrepreneurship is a part of your life plan, being work now on preparing yourself for the adventure. Set aside as much cash as possible and hone your business skills. Organize your schedule and responsibilities and set aside time to begin developing your business idea.

Take Action

No matter where you are now, you can make your dreams of business ownership come true. Take stock of your current situation, decide where you want to go, make a plan (complete with deadlines), and get organized.

About the Author-K. MacKillop, a serial entrepreneur, is founder of LaunchX and authors a small business startup blog. If you decide to be an entrepreneur, the LaunchX System will help you start a business based on your ideas. Read more about becoming an entrepreneur at LaunchX.com.

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Are You The Block That Keeps Your Business From Succeeding? Posted By: Sue Painter

November 20th, 2009

Are You The Block That Keeps Your Business From Succeeding? by Sue Painter

To make your business profitable, you must have two critical things in place. The first is a business model that adds up. In other words, what you offer and how you offer it will generate the amount of money you need, minus all your expenses. Your business plan and projected financial statements prove that your plan will take you where you want to go.

The second critical thing you must have is a creative marketing strategy that is comprehensive and hits your target market. As Ali Brown and many others have said, you can be the best at what you do in the whole wide world, but if you can’t market yourself you will go broke. You have to master marketing even more than you master your expertise.

If you have these two in place and you are faithfully working them, wonderful things are sure to happen. And when they don’t happen, a third thing is coming into play, something I often see in the bright, capable solo professionals I work with. That third thing is you – the resistances, denials, limiting beliefs and energetic blocks you hold that keep you from fully implementing your biz model and your marketing strategy. These are the inner blocks that are keeping you from being profitable. In other words, if it isn’t a bad business plan or a weak marketing strategy, the problem is right within you!

I often tell budding entrepreneurs and solo professionals that the best way to engage in a rigorous path of self-growth is to open your own business. It will push every button you have, and challenge you to develop yourself both personally and in business skills. It takes a courageous combination of inner work and outer work (skill building) to support fantastic success in business.

A mathematician might say that my formula for success is P + BP + MS + RIB = DCT. That translates to passion plus business planning, plus marketing strategy plus removing inner blocks equals dreams come true. It is a formula that works every time. Find the weak link, fix it, and you are on your way.

Solo professionals must have a true passion for what they offer. Working on your own requires high energy, so if you are not enthusiastic about what you do, forget about it! You will more than likely burn out before you get where you want to go. So, that P in the formula is critical.

However, you can’t build a business on passion alone – you have to know and work your business plan. What is your model of doing business? How much income is it realistic to think you will generate? How do you measure that? What is your overhead, or operating cost? If you don’t watch the money in and money out, your overhead costs can go out the roof very quickly.

Marketing strategy is the formula’s next part. Are your actions gaining you top of mind awareness with your target market? Are you getting a return on investment with marketing, publicity, events, social media, and advertising? A plan will keep you on track, marketing in a consistent manner rather than piecemeal.

If you have those pieces done well and in place and your business is not creating DCT (dreams come true) then the place to look is RIB (removing inner blocks). Blocks show up in dozens of ways, but the bottom line is fear. Fear is behind every excuse and every failure to implement. Fear creates dark and murky underplaces, which show up as resistance, avoidance, passivity, or denial. How do these show up? Here are a few things to check. 1) Look at your to-do list, and put a star beside anything that has been on your list longer than a week. You are avoiding the starred items, and that’s a good sign of an inner block. 2) Look at your calendar and find the last time you carved out at least two days for a personal retreat. Never? Three months or longer? You have an inner block about working on your business versus in your business. There’s probably also a block about control and delegating.

There are dozens of others ways to look for blocks. The point is, a willingness to look combined with a willingness to change will serve you over and over again, both in business and personal life. I have a great deal of respect for solo professionals who are willing to do that. They grow both inside and out, and they take off in their businesses.

(c) Sue Painter

Sue Painter is a marketing therapist whose expertise is finding the dark and murky underplaces that keep your business from succeeding. She can develop business plans that work, along with strategic marketing plans that are cost effective and take dead aim at your target market. You can subscribe to her Marketing Tips e-zine at http://www.confidentmarketer.com .

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You As An Entrepreneur Posted By: Kuhl Lifestyle

November 8th, 2009

YOU as an Entrepreneur by Kuhl Lifestyle

Sales people and entrepreneurs are generally the highest paid professionals. Why is that? Because they have taken risks to get rewards. Most people shy away from these professions. Why, if they offer the greatest rewards do people not want to participate and have the same rewards for themselves? Because the reward isn”

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Tips For New Home Based Business Owners

October 13th, 2009

The reality of the current economy is that the only way many people can stay afloat, and prosper, is to start and manage their own business. In order to be profitable, however, it is going to take focus and dedication. Here are a few tips to help you achieve success in your new endeavor.

Set a Daily Schedule — discipline is a big part of running a home based business and the best way to get started is to have a set work schedule. Pick your own hours and stick to them every day. If you want to sleep late, that’s fine, but put in a full day from 12p-8p (for example) and make it routine.

Create a Permanent Office Space — because you are going to be working from your home, you may get a little too distracted in the main living areas. Take the time to build a small office in an area where you will not be disturbed. Make sure everyone in the house respects this as your place of work. This will also help you to stay focused on daily tasks and keep your materials organized.

Work Time Means You Work — this is probably the one key behavior that people who are starting their own home based business need to learn. If instead of focusing on the tasks at hand you choose to take time out to watch TV, walk the dog or share some thoughts with friends on Facebook, you will not accomplish what you set out to do that day. It is not the actual workload that is the problem – it is the lack of time spent working.

Stay Busy — early in your new venture you are going to find times when you will have little to no business. Just because there isn’t much money coming in does not mean that you get the day off. You need to be out there promoting yourself, building a solid foundation and working on the things that will ultimately ensure your success. Think of your business in the terms of a marathon, not a sprint. Staying busy will keep you sharp and keep your mind focused on your business and your ultimate goals.

Having a home based business gives you the opportunity to finally be your own boss. You should display the same professionalism that you would in the outside business world. Stay focused, put in the required time and effort, and you will find your resulting achievements both profitable and personally rewarding.

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Recession Proof Yourself – A Success Guide For Your Home Based Business

October 12th, 2009

Internet marketing is one of the surest ways to recession proof yourself and your family. You can sell most anything in the world today. Then why does your home based business fail? It is because they lack a sound marketing program. With so many plans available, how do you choose the right one?

You are probably distressed about the repeated failure of past home business opportunities you have participated in. Have they resulted in a chain of broken promises & failures? Do you wonder if you will ever be able to find a legitimate opportunity that will empower you to recession proof yourself? You are rightfully concerned about rip-offs and scams that promise free money with very little effort. You need to find a real mentoring program product that will teach you to market any product online, how to develop a real no-cost marketing plan, and how to create a plan of action so simple to follow that you can finally succeed.

Getting rich overnight is not realistic. Run from those that promise you this. It’s the old adage – if it sounds too good, then it probably is. Instead, first learn internet marketing so that you can become successful.

The best marketing plan utilizes experts that will guide you along the way. Some plans come with a pass up program. I do not advise getting into these programs. Why should you pass up your profits to someone else? You worked for them and you should have them. A great marketing plan provides a monetary reward that includes you and your sponsor. That ensures you that your mentor will do all that is possible to help you succeed. If you succeed, your mentors do too!

The plan you select should provide you with any type of training you may need, including but not limited to:

* Outsourcing

* Free marketing techniques

* Paid marketing programs

* Personal growth training

* Blogging strategies

* Social networking tactics

* Article writing

* POD casting and RSS feeds

* Use of an automated response system

* Video marketing

* Keyword research

* List building techniques

The most important goal for you is to team up with experts. They will train you, support you, and guide you on your way to success. Without this team your chances of succeeding are dim. After your training, you will become an expert yourself. Then you can help others to achieve their goals. That in itself is a true reward. Find the program that gives you top zero costs and proven marketing methods, and you will be a winner!

Sharon Clarcq is a top internet marketer who has a passion for helping others achieve their goals, dreams and aspirations. Don’t you deserve to recession proof yourself, to be able to stay at home, and to attain success now? Learn how to take control and be a member of an awesome team at: http://www.recessionproofonline.com
Sharon Clarcq - Expert Author

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Qualities of a Good Online Entrepreneur

October 3rd, 2009

Not all people have what it takes to make so much money online. Online entrepreneurship is at times tricky and difficult, resulting in several new ventures failing. Leadership, team building and management ability are the essential qualities that an online entrepreneur must hold in order to succeed in online business.

The capability to effectively lead is an important quality in order to succeed in online entrepreneurial ventures. A good online entrepreneur knows how to build trust as well as confidence among his employees or team members and is capable of communicating effectively with them. Trust can be built in many ways and it can be achieved by working hard, keeping a constant message or being able to solve employees or team members’ problems among others. Effective communications are always essential to successful leadership.

Good online entrepreneurs often seek self-improvement to become even better. They accept responsibilities for actions and often guide their subordinates to excel. Good online entrepreneurs are also motivated by an overpowering need for accomplishment and they have strong desire to build. They have an enthusiastic vision that is typically supported by an intertwined collection of certain ideas that are not yet available to the marketplace.

These days, teamwork is utilized as an everyday factor to accomplish a variety of tasks. Having a team building skill is essential for one’s effectiveness as an online entrepreneur. Even though an online entrepreneur is not in a leadership or management role yet, better knowledge of team work can make him a more effective online entrepreneur. A good online entrepreneur knows how to direct all his team’s efforts towards clear goals, which relies heavily on skillful team communication and the conformity in member relationships.

Online entrepreneurs with good management skills often attain more knowledge about markets, products, customers, and technologies. This knowledge enables them to recognize opportunities. A good online entrepreneur with management ability knows how to give out tasks to his employees or team members to carry out. He has the ability to prioritize ideas over data. He knows how to empower his self to achieve growth and how to utilize negotiation and persuasion to attain better upshots from conflicts.

By embodying what it abides to lead, communicate with team members or staffs and manage effectively, online entrepreneurs can elevate their chances of success.

Jezicah runs the blog Jezicah Makes Money Online where she shares to the public how she is making money online.

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Tips For New Home Based Business Owners

October 3rd, 2009

The reality of the current economy is that the only way many people can stay afloat, and prosper, is to start and manage their own business. In order to be profitable, however, it is going to take focus and dedication. Here are a few tips to help you achieve success in your new endeavor.

Set a Daily Schedule — discipline is a big part of running a home based business and the best way to get started is to have a set work schedule. Pick your own hours and stick to them every day. If you want to sleep late, that’s fine, but put in a full day from 12p-8p (for example) and make it routine.

Create a Permanent Office Space — because you are going to be working from your home, you may get a little too distracted in the main living areas. Take the time to build a small office in an area where you will not be disturbed. Make sure everyone in the house respects this as your place of work. This will also help you to stay focused on daily tasks and keep your materials organized.

Work Time Means You Work — this is probably the one key behavior that people who are starting their own home based business need to learn. If instead of focusing on the tasks at hand you choose to take time out to watch TV, walk the dog or share some thoughts with friends on Facebook, you will not accomplish what you set out to do that day. It is not the actual workload that is the problem – it is the lack of time spent working.

Stay Busy — early in your new venture you are going to find times when you will have little to no business. Just because there isn’t much money coming in does not mean that you get the day off. You need to be out there promoting yourself, building a solid foundation and working on the things that will ultimately ensure your success. Think of your business in the terms of a marathon, not a sprint. Staying busy will keep you sharp and keep your mind focused on your business and your ultimate goals.

Having a home based business gives you the opportunity to finally be your own boss. You should display the same professionalism that you would in the outside business world. Stay focused, put in the required time and effort, and you will find your resulting achievements both profitable and personally rewarding.

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