How Successful People Spend Their Mornings

In this article, I shared how successful people spend their mornings. From surveying various success stories in different niches, I learned a lot about how they spend their mornings.

 

Everyone gets 168 hours a week. Nobody gets a minute more or less, but the results each person delivers is vastly different.

 

 

One of the most important times of the day are right after you wake up. The way you spend your time immediately after waking up is extremely crucial to your success in life and as an entrepreneur.

 

 

I didn’t realize this for years. After tons of people began talking about the importance of being productive during the morning, I decided to find out why. I went out and talked to various people who are extremely successful in their craft.

 

 

I talked to successful entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians, and even actors/actresses. The results that I got were not what I was expecting.

 

 

The Survey

 

Before I share the results of the survey, I’m going to start by sharing exactly how this was done. I reached out to people I know or friends of friends who fit the profiles mentioned above and asked them 3 questions.

 

 

1. Do you believe it’s extremely important to wake up early (be an early riser)?

 

2. Seeing that you are quite successful in what you do, how do you spend your mornings?

 

3. Has this routine impacted your success in any way?

 

 

I asked these 3 questions to about 40 people and got some pretty interesting answers. The most interesting thing of all was the repetition in the answers I saw even though these interviews ranged across actors, musicians and entrepreneurs.

 

 

The Results

 

For question #1, I got a mix of answers. Some people felt that getting up early was extremely important while others found it unrelated to your success.
The most interesting answer I heard was: It doesn’t matter when you get up as long as you get your shit done. With that said, I realized that different professions require you to get up at certain times while others don’t. Coders usually stay up all night so they definitely aren’t early risers while a salesperson has to wake up early in order to close deals.

 

 

For question #2, I got a pretty common set of answers from everyone. The most popular answers I received from people were the following:

 

– I don’t focus on anything work related and do things such as exercising or meditation.

 

– Before I get my day started, I need to remind myself why I’m doing it. I spend the first hour of my day finding the motivation to keep myself going throughout the day.

 

– I visualize the life I want to live and then ask myself why I’m not living it yet.

 

– I organize and plan out everything that needs to get done in my day. I start with the most difficult tasks and move from there.

 

 

As you can see from the answers above, nobody said they check their emails or fiddle through their social media notifications. Most people are doing things that will either get them in the zone to start their work day or are trying to find motivation from inside.

 

 

For question #3, I got one answer from everyone. They all said that if they hadn’t changed their morning routine to what it is today, they wouldn’t have been successful/where they are at today.

 

 

The Lesson

 

Every morning when I woke up, I fiddled through my social media notifications and tried to clear my inbox out before I began my day. While that seemed useful, it didn’t seem like it was doing much to really move my day forward.

 

 

After learning about the successful routines of so many people, I have decided to change my morning routine completely. I now spend my mornings doing the following:

 

 

– 30 minutes of reminding myself of my WHY as an entrepreneur and motivating myself so that I can push through the day like a champion.

 

– 30 minutes of figuring out exactly what I need to get done so I can get the hardest tasks done at the peak of my motivation.

 

 

I just started this new routine this week so I will keep you guys posted on how it goes and how much of an impact it has on me as an entrepreneur.

 

 

Conclusion

 

In this article, I shared how successful people spend their mornings. From surveying various success stories in different niches, I learned a lot about how they spend their mornings.

 

 

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5 Tips For Youngsters To Manage Their Money Smarter

In this article, guest author Benjamin Beckwith shares 5 tips for youngsters to manage their money smarter. Often times young people mismanage their money which causes them problems later on, but this article will hopefully help you avoid that.

 

The youngsters are suffering from enormous debt. This is mainly happening because they do not have a good budget and most of them don’t know how to handle finance wisely. As such, the young people often swipe their credit cards carelessly and forget to make the payments within the due date.

 

 

They also don’t stay within their planned budget and make expenses beyond their capability. If this happens, then the youngsters are surely going to get entrapped into huge debt. They need to find a way to solve their debt problems. If required, they can also opt for debt relief options such as consolidation or settlement to become free from debt.

 

 

Check out the 5 ways for the young people to manage money in the most efficient way.

 

 

1. Stay away from credit card debt – Almost everyone in the United States are facing credit card debt problems these days. When this debt goes beyond your limit, you are forced to use your savings to get rid of them. If you’ve used the plastic money earlier, you should repay the dues within the specific time period. Thus, you will not accumulate high interest on them. It’s advised that the youngsters learn to use the plastic money sensibly. Once they understand this, they will be able to stay away from falling into credit card debt.

 

 

2. Purchase the second-hand items – The youngsters should make the practice of purchasing the used and inexpensive items. If you want to purchase a vehicle, why don’t you look for the old and used ones? This way, you will be able to save some money and at the same time, buy your necessity. Thus, the earlier you may realize the importance of dollars, the better it will be for you to manage money efficiently.

 

 

3. Create a personal savings account – Just like getting a good job is a necessity, similarly it is also important that the youngsters create a savings account. It is here where they will be depositing at least some money from their income every month. Savings is essential for everyone and the youngsters need to understand its importance soon. This will enable them to stop spending unnecessarily and also handle their money responsibly.

 

 

4. Set up a retirement plan soon – You never know what is going to happen in the future. As such, the earlier you may set up a retirement plan, the better it is going to be for you. However, the youngsters will want to spend their salary lavishly as soon as they get a job. They just don’t think about the future. It’s important to know if your company will offer you 401k retirement plan. You should try to save at least some money every month. This way, you’ll be able to accumulate a lumpsum amount with time.

 

 

5. Make extra money with part time jobs – Weekends are a great time for the young people to earn some extra money. You too can make good bucks by doing some part-time job during the leisure hours. Well, if your job doesn’t give you a good salary, you should try to earn more by some other ways. Money is extremely important for a standard life. As such, you should earn enough and at the same time, deal with it in the most efficient way.

 

 

Conclusion 

 

It is important that the youngsters spend money only on their necessities. This way, they will learn to manage their money in the most responsible manner. Also, they will be able to build a secured financial life.

 

 

Author Bio: Guest Author Benjamin Beckwith has been sharing his ideas and knowledge on financial issues for the past few years. He has tried to analyse the various aspects that can ensure a better financial life. He is also the authorised writer of Debt Consolidation Care community, which helps people erase debt out of their lives.

 

 

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5 Reasons To Work For A Startup

In this article, I share 5 reasons to work for a startup. Whether you’re graduating college or looking for a change in your jobbing situation, it’s great to consider the benefits of working at a startup.

 

 

The last few months have been a very exciting period for my startup company. Aside from potentially having the opportunity to hire some employees, we’ve been growing quite rapidly.

 

 

I recently had the opportunity to have discussions with numerous people who have had jobs in big companies and are looking to join a small startup. I asked them why they wanted to escape a big company like JP Morgan or Microsoft and I got some interesting answers.

 

 

Then, I realized that I had to create an environment at my startup that future employees would be interested in. I began doing a lot of research and figuring out the reasons why people want to work for a startup.

 

 

In this article, I share 5 reasons to work for a startup:

 

 

1. You Make A Difference

 

When you work at a big company, your input and feedback doesn’t always get valued as you wish it would. When there are hundreds of other employees, you may not feel as important or make as big of a difference as you wish you did.

 

 

However, it’s completely different in a startup. Your input, decisions, and work are valued very highly. The first hires at a startup are extremely crucial to their long-term success thus you are valued highly.

 

 

You were brought in as one of the first few employees because the startup needs you to grow to the next level. If you want to serve a purpose and feel valuable, a startup company is ideal for you.

 

 

2. You Don’t Work For Just A Paycheck

 

The great part about working at a startup is that you won’t always be working for a paycheck if you come in early enough. Many startup companies offer their first few employees a salary and equity.

 

 

Not only that, but if the startup does grow and become very successful, it’s quite an impressive feat to say that you were one of the very first employees at the company.

 

 

3. You Get To Work In A Relaxed Environment

 

Startup environments are definitely not for everyone. At our startup company, we’re making bets, playing paper basketball, and really loud. Some people may look at that and feel like they’d have a huge headache every day.

 

 

However, compared to a corporate environment, startup environments are great. You get to wear a t-shirt and jeans, work flexible hours, and join a family. Startups allow you to be a part of something bigger.

 

 

4. Learn From Innovators

 

When you work at a startup company, you get to learn directly from the founders/innovators. It’s not like a corporate job where you work with your colleagues and just imagine what it’s like working with your bosses/managers.

 

 

By working directly with the founding team, you get to learn a lot. Some of our interns have thanked my partner and I for the extremely valuable experiences they had working with us. They told us that they truly understood what it meant to run a business because they got to see us working together each day.

 

 

5. The Challenge

 

If you want a challenging job, working for a startup is perfect. Corporate jobs take individuals and turn them into a cog in the machine. However, working for a startup gives you the opportunity to do so many different things that you will be constantly challenged.

 

 

If you want more than the money that comes with a job, working for a startup is ideal. You not only get to constantly take on new tasks, but you’re going to do things that are outside of your comfort zone. If you want to grow individually as a person, getting a job at a startup might help.

 

 

Conclusion

 

If you’re just getting ready to graduate you from college or are simply looking for a new job, consider working for a startup. It’s not always the glamorous job when you first take it, but it can surely be a lot better than a corporate job.

 

 

 

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How To Achieve Financial Freedom In Less Than 10 Years

In this article, I will share tips on how to achieve financial freedom in less than 10 years. By applying many different lessons and experiences, I share my plans on how to achieve financial freedom.

Photo Credit 401 (K) 2012.

 

 

Before blowing out the candles on my 20th birthday, I made a promise to myself. Most people believing in making wishes on your birthday, but I believe in setting goals.

 

 

Goals require you to take action while wishes just hope for the best. I set a goal to achieve financial freedom before my 25th birthday. That gave me exactly 5 years to achieve financial freedom no matter what.

 

 

I’ve seen far too many times how money has torn up relationships and restricted people from doing what they want that I didn’t want to live my life that way. Thus, I set a big goal without much direction on how I would achieve this.

 

 

Fast-forward to today (8 months later) and I still have not achieved financial freedom, but I’ve made quite a bit of progress towards my goal. Since I haven’t achieved my goal yet, I don’t consider this guide a full-proof way to achieve financial freedom.

 

 

However, I do feel that if you listen to what I have to share from my experiences and what I have learned, you will dramatically increase your chances of achieving financial freedom in less than 10 years.

 

 

In this blog article, I will share a comprehensive guide on how to achieve financial freedom in less than 10 years:

 

 

1. Turn Yourself Into A Brand

 

Early on as an entrepreneur, I hid behind my businesses. There was no Jeet Banerjee, it was all JB Media Force or StatFuse. After selling my first company, I quickly realized that all the hard work I had put in was instantly wiped out.

 

 

Even though I made some money from the transaction, I lost a lot more than I had expected. From that experience, I learned that you must create a brand out of yourself. People buy from people, not from business entities.

 

 

It is crucial to turn yourself into a catalyst for your projects. No matter what happens in your businesses, your name will carry on forever.

 

 

2. Diversify Quickly 

 

A lot of people say that focus is extremely crucial to success, but I believe you can be focused on numerous things at the same time. For me, I saw how hard recessions hit people because they had all their eggs in one basket.

 

 

You never know what can happen. Don’t count on one business or opportunity. Create numerous opportunities for yourself so that if one does hit a snag, you’re not completely screwed.

 

 

3. Stop Saving, Start Investing

 

If you make money, your natural reaction is to probably stuff it under your mattress or in your bank account. However, I learned that saving your money does absolutely nothing.

 

 

Instead, create a savings account that can protect you for a few months, but not forever. It may be risky, but the only real way to create massive wealth is to invest as much money as you can.

 

 

If you want to be financially free in less than 10 years, you have to diversify your investments. Find different things that you’re passionate about that don’t require a ton of time and invest in them.

 

 

I’ve lost quite a bit of money from investing in different things but it’s all part of the learning experience. You have to try and fail before you really know what works and doesn’t work.

 

 

4. Stop Exchanging Time For Money

 

I love building businesses online because I don’t have to exchange time for money. Investments are even better because I can invest even less time to make a good chunk of money.

 

 

If you have to directly trade your time for dollars, you will never be able to achieve financial freedom. Your money, investments, and time should be working for you.

 

 

By creating passive income streams, you have the ability to continuously build new things that can increase the amount of money you make. It’s trouble the moment your income stops growing because you don’t have enough time.

 

 

5. Learn To Say No

 

In order to really obtain financial freedom, you need to learn how to master your time. The biggest mistake I made early on was saying yes to every opportunity that came by.

 

 

I never weighed the long-term effects that each of these Yes’s had and I quickly found out that many of these decisions were hurting me instead of helping me. Think about each opportunity that comes by and see how much time you are trading in exchange for it.

 

 

From there, think about what the potential ROI is and divide by the amount of time you are spending. You should get a value that represents how much you are making per hour/per month.

 

 

Time / Potential Return On Investment = $$$$$/Hour or Month

 

 

If that number is lower than how much money you need to be making daily in order to achieve financial freedom in 5-10 years, you should pass on the opportunity.

 

 

6. Commit To Your Goals/Success

 

When I made myself this promise to achieve financial freedom on my 20th birthday, there was no going back. I convinced myself that this was going to happen regardless of how much effort it took.

 

 

If you set a goal or commitment to achieve financial freedom, make sure you love what you’re doing and are willing to see it through until the end. The word ‘quit’ should not exist in your vocabulary once you make this vow.

 

 

7. Educate Yourself

 

The first thing I knew I had to do was to create a plan. Even though my plan isn’t finished, I have a foundation. I was able to develop this foundation by simple studying the secrets of self-made millionaires.

 

 

Whether you need to educate yourself on your market or other successful people, constantly read and learn about what others are doing. Invest in your own education because that will be key to long-term growth.

 

 

8. Network Like Hell

 

It only takes one person to change your life forever. I’ve always heard the statement, “Business is all about who you know.”

 

 

While that isn’t 100% true, it can definitely have a huge impact on your success. The more people you know, the more potential doors you can open. In order to achieve financial freedom, you want to constantly network with people and develop positive relationships that may be helpful in the future.

 

 

9. Take Calculated Risks

 

Most people who have achieved financial freedom will tell you that they took some gamble that paid off big for them. I don’t recommend taking any risk, I recommend taking a calculated risk.

 

 

Life is all about playing the odds in your favor. Figure out the ROI in every risk and compare it to the possibility of failure. If you find out an investment has a 50% chance to fail but can make 3x the original investment, it’s a risk but calculations show it’s worthwhile. 

 

 

10. Hard Work Will Compensate Your Mistakes

 

At the end of the day, hard work prevails over everything else. The stupidest people in the world can make a ton of money just because they work harder than others.

 

 

It’s true that talent alone cannot get you to the top. It’s okay to make mistakes and hit roadblocks (because everyone does), but hard work will eventually get you where you need to be. When you commit to a goal as large as this, you need to be working your ass off. 

 

 

11. Spend Less Than You Earn

 

This is a no-brainer. You’re not trying to go bankrupt in the next 10 years, you’re trying to make enough money to live the rest of your life on.

 

 

If you start seeing a good chunk of money in, this isn’t a sign that you should start spending and upgrading your life. Live your life as you would if you were broke and stick to your plan. Your plan has worked thus far and continue focusing on it until you have achieved your end goal.

 

 

12. Patience Pays 

 

Lastly, you have to be patient. When I set that goal on my 20th birthday, I wanted to achieve financial freedom right away!

 

 

However, my mentors quickly taught me that great plans take a long time to unravel. As long as you are consistent and stick to your plan, you will eventually get where you want to be. Don’t let failures, mistakes, and slow progress derail you from your big plans.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Achieving financial freedom is an amazing goal that everyone should set for themselves. In this article, I shared 12 tips on how you can be financially free in less than 10 years.

 

How To Network With Investors

In this article, I share tips and strategies on how to network with investors and what to say to them. Many people go after investors completely wrong and never end up getting funding. However, I will share my secrets to networking with investors so that you can build meaningful relationships with them.

 

Often times, entrepreneurs need to develop strong relationships with investors in order to be successful in the long run. Having venture capitalists and angel investors as friends can be a great asset for you.

 

 

However, many people don’t know how to network with investors so they’re never really able to build these relationships. In this article, I’m going to share my tips on how to network with investors:

 

 

Social Networking

 

Social Media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and AngelList can help you find various investors. These sites are great because you get to learn a lot about potential investors to see if they would be a good match for your business.

 

 

There is a lot of money out there if you’re willing to be patient and look for it. Many people value investor money very highly, but I’ve realized that you have to be patient and find the right investor. 

 

 

Conferences 

 

Many conferences in different spaces will showcase a variety of different speakers who have many different talents. Attending conferences is a great place to network with industry experts, other business owners, and potential investors.

 

 

Quite often, you will find that investors attend these types of events to keep their eyes on new technologies and upcoming entrepreneurs. Just by attending conferences, you can develop relationships with many different investors.

 

 

Follow Their Blogs

 

Another great way to get in touch with an investor is through his/her blog. Many people have personal blogs like mine and share their insight on various topics.

 

 

If you find investors that may be a really good fit for what you’re doing, spend a few weeks to follow their blogs and show a genuine interest in what they’re doing. You can break the ice when you email them by sharing something you enjoyed on their blog.

 

 

Have Friends Help You

 

If you have a friend or family member that has a relationship with an investor, you can always ask them to introduce you. Introductions are a great way to get connected with others who can help you.

 

 

Ask your friend or family to politely ask their investor friend if they would be interested in what you’re doing and talking to you. If they say yes, you may have a very strong connection to an investor.

 

 

Be Human

 

When you see an investor, don’t look at them like they have dollar signs on top of their head. Be human and make a normal introduction to them like you would to anyone else.

 

 

Start off by introducing yourself, ask a little about what they do (even if you know they’re an investor), and who they are. From there, share your own projects and see what they have to say.

 

 

That’s it. Most entrepreneurs make the mistake of asking for funding the moment they meet an investor. The key is to build relationships with people and whatever happens from there, happens.

 

 

Walk A Mile In Their Shoes

 

People think making investments is an easy thing to do. However, the investors usually have it the hardest. Recently, I started potentially looking into making investments into various startups and I’ve learned a lot.

 

 

From being on both sides of the table, I quickly learned that making investments is extremely difficult because there are so many variables that have to be considered.

 

 

Always ask yourself one question: If I was in the investors shoes right now, would I invest in my company for the same deal I am offering him?

 

 

If you have to think about your answer to that question for more than a second, you’ve probably got some kind of flaw in your deal. Investors hear thousands of pitches but have to choose just a few.

 

 

Be Different

 

Everyone comes up to an investor and says, “I’m working on XYZ, I’m going to conquer 50% of my market, and here’s a business plan to prove it.” The moment you say this to an investor, they mentally check out.

 

 

In order to win an investor over, you have to do something substantially different from everyone else. They receive tons and tons of pitches, why is yours any better than the others?

 

 

Investors love results and proof. It’s one thing to say you’re going to do it, but it’s a whole another thing to actually do it. If you can show investors a small sample size or proof, your chances of winning them over just increased dramatically.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Building relationships and finding the right investor is something that takes a long time. While most people want to fund their businesses right away, you want to make sure that both sides are making a wise choice.

 

 

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How To Set Goals & Crush Them

As an entrepreneur, goal-setting has been something that I have been able to master over time. Setting goals are easy, but sticking to them are the hard part. In this article, I’m going to share my secrets on how to set goals & crush them.

 

As an entrepreneur, goal-setting has been something that I have been able to master over time. The sooner you master setting goals, the quicker you will find yourself growing.

 

 

Most people think goals are something that should be looked at as long-term. However, I set goals every single day, week, month, and year that holds me accountable while ensuring no time goes wasted.

 

 

Setting goals are easy, but sticking to them are the hard part. In this article, I’m going to share my secrets on how to set goals & crush them:

 

 

Put Money On It

 

When I had a tough time staying focused and completing my goals, I decided to increase the stakes. I had my friends, colleagues, and mentors bet against me.

 

 

I’m one of the most competitive people alive and I hate losing. Turns out, losing a bet meant so much to me that I stepped up and began crushing my goals and earning some extra cash on the go.

 

 

If you feel like you’re in a slump and just don’t have the motivation to accomplish your goals, find an external way to increase the stakes for yourself.

 

 

Find Your Weaknesses

 

The key to success is conquering your weaknesses. Think about all the reasons why you may not be able to fulfill a specific goal and write those issues down.

 

 

If you don’t think you will be able to fulfill a goal because you have trouble getting up in the morning, you have just found your weakness. You must conquer your weakness by setting numerous obnoxious alarms or having someone else wake you up.

 

 

Every time a goal isn’t completed, there’s a reason why. Finding out what those reasons are before you start and finding a way to avoid them are extremely important.

 

 

Think About The Why

 

Why are you setting these goals? Thinking about why you’re doing something is the most powerful motivator you can have.

 

 

If you’re saving extra money for a trip, think about where you’re going and why it means so much. If you’re working extra late on your business, think about how you want to change the world through innovation.

 

 

Everyone has a purpose for everything that they do. Think about what your purpose behind each goal is and keep that close to you.

 

 

Reward Yourself

 

When I struggled to achieve my goals, I decided to start rewarding myself. For me, I would reward myself on daily goals that I achieved with something as small as treating myself out to a nice meal.

 

 

I would tell myself what I had to accomplish and once I was able to do it, I would go out and reward myself. The rewards need to be personal, but can give you some exra motivation that can push you to finish what needs to get done.

 

 

Let Someone Hold You Accountable

 

Growing up, my mother would be on my case about doing my homework properly. If I didn’t finish it or even did one question wrong, she would grab me by the ear (figuratively of course) and make sure it was done right.

 

 

If you don’t want to bring your mother back into your life that closely, find a friend or loved one who is willing to hold you accountable. Make sure that they really care about your success and are willing to raise hell on you if you don’t complete your goals.

 

 

Remember, don’t assign this role to the person who’s always willing to tell you what you want to hear. Give this role to the person who’s willing to tell you what you need to hear. 

 

 

Conclusion

 

Setting goals and crushing them are extremely important to the success of any entrepreneur. These tips mentioned in the article above can not only help you set goals, but also crush them.

 

 

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5 Poker Lessons That Apply To Entrepreneurship

If you’ve played poker, you know the thrill and risks involved with the game. I share 5 poker lessons that apply to entrepreneurship in this article.

 

A little known fact about me is that I’m a huge fan of Poker. I not only watch it on television, but I play it as a hobby when I’m not working.

 

 

I learned how to play poker around the age of 12-13 and fell in love with the game ever since. I guess the entrepreneur in me kicked in because poker is one of the most exciting games you can play.

 

 

Not only is it risky, but there is so much mind-games involved that it gives you a great adrenaline rush. From playing online to playing in casinos from an early age (yes they have 18+ casinos in California), I learned a lot about the game of poker.
Ever since I became an entrepreneur, I saw many things that relate between poker and business. In this article, I share 5 poker lessons that apply to entrepreneurship:

 

 

1. Don’t Get Caught Bluffing

 

The first lesson I learned early on in poker was to never get caught bluffing. If you get caught bluffing, you lose a lot of chips and you get humiliated in front of the whole table.

 

 

Business is very similar. It’s okay to make bluffs, but you simply cannot get caught. During negotiations, make sure that you do everything possible to protect your best interest.

 

 

You don’t want to lose out on a negotiation because your bluff gets caught or simply because you cannot deliver the promised goods to a client or vendor. Harvey Spector has taught us that it’s okay to play the man as long as we know what we’re doing.

 

 

2. Shut Up & Listen

 

The moment you sit down on the poker table, you meet 8-9 new people you didn’t know before. The interesting thing about poker is that each of these people have very different personalities.

 

 

Depending on what your personality is, you try to fit in as best as possible with the other players on the table. One thing I learned is to never speak unless spoken to during the beginning of your poker game.

 

 

As an entrepreneur, we all want to talk and gloat about all of our amazing accomplishments. However, sometimes taking the backseat gets us farther than we would have ever gotten.

 

 

By shutting up and listening to what others have to say, you can learn a lot. Use that knowledge that you gain by listening to others and apply it. In poker, by listening to others you can learn how other people play and use it to your advantage.

 

 

3. Don’t Gamble What You Can’t Afford To Lose 

 

Every professional poker lives by this rule. If you’re using your rent or car payment money on a game of poker, you’re going to regret it terribly.

 

 

In business, you must make smart decisions. Taking risks are okay, but you should be taking calculated risks. Don’t pull out a second mortgage on your house for a game of poker, but rather use extra cash you have lying around.

 

 

No matter what decision you make, you want to make sure you’re not gambling something that can be really damaging to your business. Whether it’s deciding to quit your job to become a full-time entrepreneur or simply deciding which route to take, always understand the consequences of your action.

 

 

4. You Have To Know When To Fold

 

The toughest part about poker is knowing when to call and fold. Making the wrong decision only takes an instant, but it can cost you hundreds of dollars.

 

 

As an entrepreneur, you have to know when to fold. If things aren’t working, you have to look for ways to pivot or to simply fold the business and start over.

 

 

If poker teaches us anything, it’s that there are always new cards coming. In business, laying one business down does not mean it is the end of the road for you. It simply means that many more opportunities will come and you just have to patiently wait.

 

 

5. Sometimes The Odds Beat You

 

You can do everything right, but still lose in a game of poker. In poker, emotions play key just like it would in business. If luck isn’t on your side, you go into tilt and let your emotions dictate your play.

 

 

As an entrepreneur, you’re constantly riding the roller coaster. Some days you are on top of the world while you can’t catch a break on other days. Being a smart entrepreneur is all about understanding that hard work isn’t always rewarded.

 

 

Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don’t. Never let your emotions make business decisions for you because they will almost always end up costing you.

 

 

Conclusion

 

The thrill of playing poker is something I have enjoyed for many years and I continue to play this game. In this article, I shared 5 poker lessons that apply to entrepreneurship.

 

 

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5 Experiences That Led Me To Entrepreneurship

Everyone who is an entrepreneur has a reason that pushed them to do what they do. For me, I didn’t just have one experience or reason that pushed me to entrepreneurship. After a collection of events, lessons, and experiences took place in my life, I decided to try entrepreneurship.

 

Everyone who is an entrepreneur has a reason that pushed them to do what they do. For me, I didn’t just have one experience or reason that pushed me to entrepreneurship.

 

 

After a collection of events, lessons, and experiences took place in my life, I decided to try entrepreneurship. Luckily for me, I found entrepreneurship to be the perfect career for me and haven’t looked back since.

 

 

In this blog article, I’m going to share 5 experiences that led me to entrepreneurship:

 

 

1. Meeting a young millionaire at the Target parking lot

 

I was in high school walking down to the Target a quarter mile away from the campus. School had just ended and we were looking to go to Target to pick up some candy.

 

 

As I got closer to Target, I suddenly noticed the most beautiful Lamborghini I have ever seen shinning in the parking lot. My friends & I decided to approach the vehicle and observe it closely.

 

 

It was beautiful and as we started walking back to Target, I saw a young guy in a suit walking towards the Lamborghini. No way, could that have been his car? He didn’t look any older than 30 and was probably 25-26 years old.

 

 

I had to find out what he did because that car is NOT cheap. I approached him and said, “Excuse me, I really like your car. Do you mind if I ask you what your job is?”

 

 

He quickly replied, “Thanks kid. Unfortunately, I have a meeting I’m late too but just remember this one thing: Don’t ever get a job, work for yourself.”

 

 

That was all he said. At that time, I had little idea about what that meant because I had no clue what entrepreneurship was. However, these words make all the sense in the world to me today.

 

 

2. Getting jobs that pissed me off

 

My parents wanted to show me the value of a dollar at an early age. They sent me to get a job at the age of 15, which was a time when I got to try many different jobs.

 

 

I worked as a project manager, assistant, secretary, receptionist, tutor, coach, salesperson, and much more. There was a common trend among every single job I picked up during this 2 year period.

 

 

I hated every single job. They all sucked in their own ways. The fact that these jobs all sucked made me want to find something I would like.

 

 

I found a common trend in all my jobs. I was listening to someone else and obeying their commands. I decided to change that and find a situation where I would be in charge of everything.

 

 

3. Studying the wealthy 

 

When I became distraught with my jobs, I wanted to find a ‘get rich quick scheme’. I decided to search online, but my searches didn’t do much good.

 

 

Then, I decided to search how people similar to me were getting wealthy. It really came down to 3 main things: music, sports, & business.

 

 

I couldn’t sing for my life and I wasn’t that amazing at basketball so it came down to business. I began reading endless amounts of books on successful entrepreneurs, business owners, and moguls.

 

 

I quickly learned that business was something anyone could do as long as they put some effort in. I started with wanting to get into business solely to be filthy rich, but thankfully I found a deeper purpose since then.

 

 

4. Watching money tear up relationships 

 

From family and others, I quickly learned that money is a common problem that can tear many relationships apart. Everyone wants money, but it’s not always so easy to get it.

 

 

I learned that money gives you freedom to live life on your terms. Nobody wants to be a slave to the dollar, but so many of us are. From looking at so many relationships torn apart because of money, I decided to make sure that money wouldn’t affect my life negatively.

 

 

The money problems others faced made me confident that I wanted to be financially free as early in life as possible so that I can enjoy the pleasures of life. I don’t want money to be the reason for stress in my family’s life.

 

 

5. Finding others who started young

 

When I was questioning whether to pursue entrepreneurship or not, I began searching deeply to see if anyone else had accomplished what I was planning to do. I quickly came across many young entrepreneurs, but one of them stood out to me the most.

 

 

His name was Neil Patel. He had not only started at the same age as me, but he shared numerous other similarities with me. I began studying him relentlessly to figure out how he was able to achieve massive success.

 

 

I wasn’t envious of him, but rather motivated and inspired. I’ve always had a competitive mindset. I said to myself, “If others have been able to do this at my age, there is nothing in the world that can stop me from doing the same.”

 

 

By finding people who I could relate to, it gave me the confidence and motivation I needed to really put my dreams into action.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Everyone has various things that happen in their own lives that push them to become entrepreneurs. For me, it was a collection of the experiences mentioned above that put me  where I am today.

 

 

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4 Networking Strategies to Boost Your Online Presence

In this article, guest author – Bernardo de la Vega shares his top 4 networking strategies to boost your online presence. If you’re looking to build a brand online, these tips are very important to know.

 

This is a guest post by Bernardo de la Vega. 

 

 

What is the one secret to success when networking in business? In order to be successful in building relationships that will lead to business referrals and opportunities, there are four things you need to focus on:

 

 

1. Continuously add people to your network.

 

Use Facebook and Twitter strategies to add people to your networks. On twitter, find a leader in your niche and follow around 300 of his/her followers. After a couple of days you will get about a 25% follow back, then you can just unfollow the rest.

 

 

On Facebook, find people who are doing well and are well connected and send a friend request to their friends. The bottom line is that the greater the number of connections you have (based on quality relationships of course), the more referrals you can generate. The math is pretty easy.

 

 

2. Seek engagement.

 

This is the most Important thing you need to do. I run into fan pages all the time with several hundred likes or nicely designed blogs that have no engagement . Don’t expect people to come to you, you must go to them. Go out and comment on other people’s fan pages, blogs, twitter updates.

 

 

Posting smart and relevant comments will get people interested in you. Remember having a lot of likes and followers means nothing if you don’t engage people.

 

 

3. Help others

 

Approach people with a genuine mindset of helping them, people can sense right away when you just want to get something from them. Think of ways you can provide value to people as you approach them. It can be something as simple as sharing a website, a tip or a technique that you use that will help them. For example you can tell them about:

 

• http://www.similarweb.com/ – a free site to find out what your competition is doing about traffic

 

• http://www.fanpagekarma.com/ – a great site that gives you amazing stats and ways to improve your following for your FB fan page.

 

 

4. Share stories.

 

If you want to build your network in order to generate more referrals, place story-telling at the top of your efforts. Facts tell, but stories sell. Tell a story about things you are doing right and things you did wrong and what you learned from that experience. Being honest is the best way to go.

 

 

Using stories is a great way to connect with other people as well. When someone has a very powerful story you can share their story as well. I always hear the top leaders say something like “ someone I know had a terrible thing happened to them and then they had a breakthrough”. People love stories so even if you don’t have the best story you can always find one by talking to people.

 

 

Conclusion

 

It’s crucial to connect with others beyond the superficial meet and greet! Numbers alone don’t really do much. In order to be good at engaging people, lead with value and really try to help others. Finally use stories to really connect with people.

 

 

Bernardo de la Vega is the Creator and Founder of Creative Growth Marketing. He specializes in traffic strategies, improving conversions and copywriting. He has an email open rate of about 40% because of the value he provides.

 

 

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5 Harsh Truths About Entrepreneurship

From the outside, entrepreneurship looks great. In this blog article, I’m going to share 5 harsh truths about entrepreneurship that will give you a better understanding of what life is like.

 

Entrepreneurship always seems to receive a ton of glory for the successes it has produced throughout the years. People who aren’t entrepreneurs don’t really know what they’re getting themselves into.

 

 

When I first started out, I remember reading about tons of self-made millionaires. I thought being an entrepreneur almost entitled me to the luxuries and pleasures of life. From the outside, entrepreneurship looks great!

 

 

It was only months later that I realized the hardships of being an entrepreneur. Don’t get me wrong, I love being an entrepreneur but there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye.

 

 

In this blog article, I’m going to share 5 harsh truths about entrepreneurship:

 

 

1. There is no such thing as a paycheck

 

The toughest part about entrepreneurship is that there is no guarantee your business venture will ever make any money. Especially when you initially launch your business, you cannot expect a paycheck of any sort.

 

 

The most successful entrepreneurs sacrifice paychecks and put all the money they can back into the company. It’s sad, but true. As an entrepreneur, you’re going to work for free for quite a while.

 

 

2. Your social life will suffer

 

As an entrepreneur, you cannot expect to live the same life you had before. Your business is now your priority so you can’t just get up and go to the beach with your friends whenever you feel the urge.

 

 

You will be so busy with your business that you will have trouble finding time for your friends and loved ones. You will probably end up spending less time with them and this is something that takes time for everyone to get used to.

 

 

3. You’re on a roller coaster with never-ending loops 

 

Here’s a quote that explains the entrepreneurial journey very well, “Entrepreneurship is crazy. One day you feel like you’re on top of the world and the next day you want to die.”

 

 

As an entrepreneur, we go through these roller coaster of emotions every single day. One day you’re feeling amazing about your business and the next your worried. It takes a really strong person to make it to the end of the ride.

 

 

4. You’re going to fail 

 

The toughest thing about entrepreneurship is understanding that you will most likely fail your first time. There are resources out there such as my course on How To Build A Startup or other books that can increase your odds of success, but almost all entrepreneurs fail at some point.

 

 

The journey to success isn’t always as great as it looks. Most entrepreneurs have failed numerous times and are successfully only because of their determination and persistence.

 

 

5. You’re going to have to do it all 

 

As an entrepreneur, you’re going to be responsible for doing everything in your business. The biggest mistake you can make as an entrepreneur is to rely on others to get things done in the early periods of your business.

 

 

When your business hasn’t proved much, it’s hard to form a team around you that will really believe in your vision. The harsh reality is that if you want your business to go anywhere, you’re going to have to literally do it all yourself.

 

 

Conclusion

 

These are 5 harsh truths about entrepreneurship that I have shared in this blog article. While these realities may be a bit harsh, entrepreneurship is still a more lucrative career option than anything else out there.

 

 

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