5 Signs You Should Give Up On Your Business Idea

In this article, I share my own experiences and insight on the 5 signs you should give up on your business idea. If you’re experiencing one of more of these things, it might be time to throw in the towel.

 

Giving up is a word that no entrepreneur should ever use. However, there is this period of time where entrepreneurs think they have the next big idea, but things just don’t up working out no matter how hard they try.

 

 

Even though this means you should give up on your business idea, it does NOT mean that you should give up on your entrepreneurial journey. I started a business in August of 2012 that I thought was a great idea.

 

 

Turns out, it was a great idea. My third startup Vintelli.com had customers, traction and support from people. We ran the company for 1 year, but we eventually knew this company wasn’t going to be successful.

 

 

No matter how much revenue we generated, we spent 1.5x that in customer service/expenses. We quickly realized this business model was flawed and we began trying a few things. After those things failed, it became evident to us that this idea wasn’t the one.

 

 

We dropped the business altogether and decided to move on to bigger and better ideas. In this article, I’m going to share 5 signs you should give up on your business idea:

 

 

1. Your Debt To Asset Ratio Constantly Increases

 

With my startup Vintelli, this was a huge problem. No matter how many assets the company brought in, our debt would exponentially increase with it. That was a huge problem that we were lucky to figure out within the first 12 months of being in business.

 

 

If your business is suffering from subtraction with each addition, there is a flaw in the model. You can try fixing it, but you’ve got to do something quick. Eventually, you’ll burn out of all your cash and be broke.

 

 

2. You Lost The Love For Your Business

 

This is something that is completely normal. I’ve come across numerous entrepreneurs who’ve lost passion for their business after a few years because of the struggles they have had to deal with.

 

 

If you don’t love what you do, don’t continue doing it. Find something you do love. Giving up on a single idea is absolutely okay as long as you don’t give up on the whole journey. It’s all about having career happiness in life.

 

 

3. You’re Shoving Instead of Selling

 

There are times where you think you have a great idea, but your target market doesn’t agree with you. If you find yourself having to shove your products or services down peoples throats, that’s unnatural.

 

 

Great businesses attract customers without doing much work. Good businesses acquire customers by selling. Horrible businesses are forced to shove their ideas, products and services down peoples throats.

 

 

4. A Competitor Is Doing It Better

 

Unfortunately, there are some times that another company or competitor in a space just does better than you can. They may have more money or resources that is enabling them to have that kind of success.

 

 

I had a friend who had a startup that was trying to compete with Uber. With the amount of funding, publicity and resources that Uber had, he knew he didn’t stand a chance. He quickly closed that business down, created another startup and just raised $250,000 in seed funding.

 

 

5. If You Don’t Believe Anymore

 

With Vintelli, I had this gut feeling kicking me inside telling me that this wasn’t going to work. I tried ignoring it for a couple weeks, but it eventually began overwhelming me. As an entrepreneur, it’s crucial to listen to your gut feelings.

 

 

If you don’t believe in the success or vision of your business anymore, there is NO point of trying to save a sinking ship. Ask friends, family members and even your customers for valuable feedback on what direction you should take.

 

 

Conclusion

 

I think a winning quality that successful entrepreneurs share is knowing exactly when to quit. If you are experiencing one or more of the signs mentioned above in this article, it may be time for you to give up on your business idea.

 

Is Your Blog Idiot Proof?

In this article, I ask a very important question to bloggers everywhere. Is your blog idiot proof? If not, I discuss how you can make it idiot proof.

 

When I first built my blog out, I went through a specific process to figure out how I would design and develop my site. After the first few versions were done, I realized that I could barely navigate through my own blog.

 

 

I knew it was time to take a couple steps back. I decided to completely redo my blog from that day forward. I have learned a valuable lesson about building websites over the last few years.

 

 

If a 5 year old can’t figure it out, it’s too complicated. Luckily for me, I have a younger brother who I can use as a testing dummy to figure out various aspects of my website.

 

 

From numerous iterations and specific tests, I am officially able to say that my blog is idiot proof. In this article, I plan on helping you answer the question ‘Is your blog idiot proof’?

 

 

The Blog Itself

 

When I first designed my site, I had too many items I wanted to list on my navigation bar. For some reason, I decided to omit the blog completely from my navigation bar, which made it hard to find.

 

 

Instead, I had it shown on my homepage towards the bottom where I featured a couple of articles and had a click through. I had a couple people test it and the results were NOT promising at all.

 

 

It took 3 people an average of 1 minute and 25 seconds to find my blog. They were my friends so they were willing to look for a long time. A random visitor usually commits 5 seconds before deciding to stay or leave.

 

 

If you have a blog, make sure it is VERY easy to find. Even though my home page isn’t the blog itself, it’s very easy to FIND. I have it displayed at 3 different places.

 

 

I have a blog text shown in my navigation and footer menu as well as leaving the placement towards the bottom of my homepage where I showcase some of my most popular articles. If people cannot find your blog in 5 seconds or less by visiting a web link, you need to make some dramatic changes to your website.

 

 

Organization

 

When you go to the blog page itself, are your articles well-organized? People come to a blog for a very specific reason. They are either looking for an article specifically, enjoy your writing in general or are browsing to see if your style of writing will peak their interest.

 

 

For each of those three reasons, you need to give them a simple solution. My blog specifically caters to all three of those visitors.

 

 

For the person looking for a specific article, they can use the search bar to find it quickly. For the loyal readers of mine, I have my articles organized by the date they were published through the stream running down the middle. Lastly, for the completely new visitor just browsing, I break down my articles in various ways. They can check out the most recent articles, view my personal favorites or look at the most popular articles through the side bar.

 

 

The key to every blog is understanding what your vision is and what people expect from you. When you write a blog article, you’re taking some content and contextualizing it for your audience. When it comes to your blog itself, you must do the exact same thing for your various visitors.

 

 

The Article Itself

 

This is extremely easy to do, but I have seen it messed up far too often. When you click through to an article, it needs to be easy for people to understand. If it’s not, people aren’t going to read it.

 

 

Running through the basics, my articles are displayed in a way that even a kindergartener can figure out what it is about. Every article features a huge title at the top, relevant picture below it and lastly the content underneath all of that.

 

 

Instead of writing 500 words without any spaces or line breaks, I choose to write chunks of 50-100 words per paragraph. Not only that, but I utilize bold fonts to highlight the main topic of each section.

 

 

Believe it or not, most people often just read the title of your article followed by the bolded items. Not only that, but you want to display the content to your audience in a manner where they do not feel overwhelmed. They’re not trying to pick up a chapter book, they’re simply looking for some information within a couple of minutes.

 

 

The Shareability

 

How easy is your blog to share? Again, you must ask yourself whether or not a 5 year old can figure out how to share the articles on your website. The fastest way to spread content is through social media.

 

 

For my blog, I try to make it easy for my readers to share my posts. I have a sharing bar on the left side that follows the reader as they read. It doesn’t block the content, however it presents itself in a way that they can share my content easily.

 

 

If someone is sharing your content, they’re really helping you. Don’t make it difficult on them! Make it easy for people to share your content.

 

 

Discussion

 

Blog articles are a great tool for generating conversation. However, people are less likely to  engage in discussion if it’s a pain in the ass for them to do so.

 

 

You need to ask yourself who your target market is. What kind of platforms do they feel most comfortable with engaging in discussion? My audience is entrepreneurs and I realized a lot of them use a platform called Disqus.

 

 

On the other hand, if I had a blog targeting teenagers, I would NEVER use Disqus. Why? It’s for the simple fact that most teenagers have never heard of Disqus. Instead, I would use the Facebook discussion plug-in.

 

 

Creating conversation is a very important tool for your blog. However, making it easy for your audience is just as important. Survey your readers to figure out what the best platforms for starting discussions are.

 

 

Conclusion

 

In this article, I discuss different techniques bloggers should utilize to make their sites idiot proof.

 

 

photo credit: Éole via photopin cc

 

 

6 Bad Reasons To Choose A Career Path

In this article, I share 6 bad reasons to choose a new career path. If you’re guilty of picking a career based on any of these factors, it might be time to reconsider.

 

When I was younger, I was constantly asked what I wanted to do when I grew up. Each time, I had a more creative and elaborate response for the person who asked me.

 

 

However, out of all honesty, I had no clue what I wanted to do. I thought I knew, but boy was I wrong. At a young age, I wanted to be a professional athlete, engineer, lawyer, businessman, astronaut, and race car driver.

 

 

From talking with people and learning from my own experiences, I quickly saw that many people selected a career path for all the wrong reasons.

 

 

In this article, I share 6 bad reasons to choose a career path:

 

 

1. Money

 

When I was in high school, I was pretty oblivious to the world. As you can imagine, I was very money hungry. Every single career path I wanted to pursue had to primarily do with money. I wanted a job that would make me a ton of cash so that I could buy fancy cars and a gigantic house.

 

 

Unfortunately, I’m not the only who thinks with their wallets instead of their hearts. Choosing a career path solely for the money is a terrible idea. Years from now, you’ll be sick of the money and the life you’re living every single day.

 

 

2. Status

 

The only thing that came close to money for me was status. I decided in high school I wanted to become a lawyer because it had amazing status. I remember watching television shows with lawyers sitting in beautiful Manhattan offices with glass windows.

 

 

If you’re pursuing a career just for the status or the money, it’s going to be really hard to be successful at it. Do what you love and the rest is easy. Do what you don’t like and it’ll be a tough task.

 

 

3. Social Acceptance

 

If you’re taking a job or career path in life for social validation, you’re making a big mistake. I have spoken at schools before where I’ve heard a group of friends say they all want to pursue the same career in life.

 

 

I became curious to know why that was the case. Turns out, everyone was doing it because the other person was. I even had a scenario where a girl burst out into tears because she thought she would lose friendships if she didn’t do what her friends were doing.

 

 

4. For Your Parents

 

This is definitely a tough one. For some reason, many parents think that your career path in life is also passed on through DNA. I know my parents had different dreams for me than a life of entrepreneurship.

 

 

However, my passion for becoming an entrepreneur was so great that I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I told them this was my dream and that I was going to pursue it no matter what. Eventually, you’ll realize that your parents will be accepting of your life choices and will support you. Just give them some time!

 

 

5. The Perks

 

Another reason I really had an interest in becoming a lawyer was because of the perks. I heard they got huge bonuses, tons of vacation days and got to enjoy the luxuries of life.

 

 

However, you cannot choose a career path based on the material factors. When those things fade, you still have to go to work every single day. The material items are ‘very cool’ for the first few years, but what are you going to do after that?

 

 

6. Job Security

 

If you’ve read articles online or been told by people around you that a specific career path is best because of its job security, that isn’t a good enough reason to take a job in that space.

 

 

Your job will be secure in any space if you’re an asset that people can’t live without. In any industry, your job can be taken away from you with the snap of a finger if you lose that value. Pursue interests, not other factors.

 

 

Conclusion

 

In this article, I shared 6 bad reasons to choose a career path. If you’re guilty of choosing a career path based on one or more of these factors, it might be time to reconsider.

 

 

photo credit: Linh H. Nguyen via photopin cc

 

 

5 Signs You Should Drop Out From College

Drawing from my own experiences, I provide an insightful perspective on why college isn’t for everyone. Not only that, but I share 5 signs you should drop out from college.

 

Approximately 1 year ago, I made a bold decision. I decided to drop out of college and pursue the entrepreneurial dream full-time. While I knew it was the right decision at the time, I still had some doubts.

 

 

Teachers, parents and the media have branded this idea of success being a direct correlation to attending college ever since I can remember. I learned early on that success wasn’t connected to a degree whatsoever.

 

 

With that in mind, I decided to drop out and pursue a non-traditional path in life. Even though I went to college for a little over 2 years, I should have dropped out way earlier.

 

 

I had many signs that gave me enough hints that I shouldn’t pursue a college degree. In this article, I share 5 signs you should drop out from college:

 

 

1. You ALREADY Make More Than You Would With A College Degree

 

The average person out of college with the business degree I would have made around $35,000. After working for 3-5 years, they would go on to get a bump up to $50,000. Fast-forward another 5 years and that salary could see a $60,000 to $75,000 value.

 

 

When I put those numbers into perspective compared to the income I was making while attending college, it made no sense to continue pursuing a college degree. College is simply another way to learn. If you’re able to educate yourself outside of college, what is the real value of college?

 

 

If you’re making more money while attending college than the ‘average’ student with your degree does, it’s a pretty big sign that college isn’t probably for you.

 

 

2. You’re Uninspired In The Classroom

 

Ever since high school, I really felt uninspired and unmotivated inside of the classroom. At first, I felt like I was stupid. However, I soon realized that it was completely natural to feel that way.

 

 

Learning in a traditional format inside of a classroom isn’t for everyone. Unfortunately, that’s a big flaw in our education system. If you feel that you can learn better on your own, don’t be afraid to try.

 

 

3. You Know People Doing What You Want To Do Without College Degrees

 

When I decided to pursue entrepreneurship as a high school student, I quickly found out that most of my counterparts didn’t have college degrees. The ones that have did college degrees attributed very little of their success to college.

 

 

This was a glaring sign that I didn’t really need to college to be successful given the career path I was choosing. If you know people who have pursued a similar path as the one you wish to take without college degrees, chances are you don’t even need a degree.

 

 

On the other hand, professions such as lawyers or doctors require a degree. No matter how much you hate school, you have to put the time in at a University if you want to live the dream.

 

 

4. You Have An Opportunity Right Now

 

My parents are extremely traditional when it comes to their thoughts of education. As you can imagine, they were extremely dissatisfied to hear that I was taking time off from college. However, I provided them with a perspective that was hard to argue with.

 

 

Opportunities are really once in a lifetime. However, my college education was something that would always be there. I already had the units/credits I had completed and I could enroll back into school anytime I wanted. I would simply have to re-apply and I’d be able to continue my education from where I left off.

 

 

If you have an opportunity that is once in a lifetime, realize that if it doesn’t work out, you can always come back to school. Sure you’ll be a bit older, but you’ll have stories to tell that most others won’t.

 

 

5. Your Heart Just Isn’t There

 

When I went to class, I’d be doing one of two things. I’d either be daydreaming about something or I’d be running my business out of the classroom. As you can see, I was physically in the classroom but my mind was elsewhere.

 

 

I really dislike how society tells us that you HAVE to go to college. I’ve learned the hard way that college isn’t for everyone and that’s perfectly fine. Some amazing people have achieved some incredible things without the help of a college degree.

 

 

If you don’t love it, you should leave it. Life is too short to be doing shit that you don’t enjoy anyway.

 

 

Conclusion

 

In this article, I shared 5 signs you should drop out from college. Have you been successful without college or know of someone who has? Feel free to share more about it in the comments below.

 

 

photo credit: Solipsism Prism via photopin cc

 

 

How To Deal With Stress As An Entrepreneur

In this article, I share my top tricks and tips for dealing with stress as an entrepreneur. It’s natural to have stress in your life, but there are many ways you can get rid of it.

 

Lets be honest, entrepreneurs do what they love but they also deal with a lot of stress simultaneously. I’d be lying if I told you that entrepreneurship was all about fancy cars, tons of wealth and working in the sand.

 

 

In reality, entrepreneurship has a lot of stress associated with it. You’re not only in charge of a company of your own, but your success is dependent on your own actions.

 

 

Each day presents a new challenge for entrepreneurs. This results in a lot of frustration and stress that entrepreneurs have to deal with. Early on, I was curious to see how other successful entrepreneurs managed stress in their lives.

 

 

From there, I applied what I learned from others and found a handful of techniques that worked extremely well for me. In this article, I share how to deal with stress as an entrepreneur:

 

 

Think Positive

 

As an entrepreneur, you have to be extremely positive. If the people around you are spreading negative vibes, you need to cut them out of your life. The happier vibes you surround yourself with, the better you perform as an entrepreneur.

 

 

When you’re feeling stressed, it’s easy to get caught up in all the negativity. However, it’s crucial that you find the positive in every situation.

 

 

Laugh

 

One of my best friends always told me, laughter is the key to success. As ridiculous as it sounds, keeping things humorous can go a long way. It can help you deal with stress and maneuver through a tough situation.

 

 

Again, you should surround yourself with people who can make you laugh and make you feel good. During times where you are stressed out, a little laughter will reenergize you later on.

 

 

Exercise

 

Even if exercising isn’t your thing, it can really help you get out of a funk. Whether it’s playing a sport you enjoy or simply hitting the gym hard, exercise is a great stress reliever.

 

 

Take some time out of your day to take your mind off work. Hit the gym, get your blood pumping and allow your body to release toxins. By doing some physical activity, you’ll be able to think a lot more clearly.

 

 

Ask Friends & Family

 

In my most stressful moments, my friends and family are always there to help me get back on track. It makes me feel a lot better when I’m able to discuss my problems with someone I can trust who then gives me advice.

 

 

Sometimes the advice sucks while other times it’s extremely useful. It’s great to see other peoples perspectives on how they would handle a situation. Not only can they help you with your dilemma, but you may find inspiration from their words of wisdom.

 

 

Go Out

 

Sometimes, the best stress reliever is simply going out with friends. What is it that you love to do? Whether it’s hitting the closest bar or going out to dinner, do something that will help you take your mind off of your problems.

 

 

Leave all your stress and problems at work when you do decide to go out. Use this time to enjoy yourself so that you can come back with a free mind. This has been a great solution for me during my most stressful moments.

 

 

Take A Vacation

 

If you’re having stress issues that are lasting for a lot longer than few days or a week, it might be time to take a big break. The best way to take a big break is by taking a relaxing vacation.

 

 

During this time, unplug yourself from your work and enjoy yourself. Find a place you’ve always wanted to vacation to and reward yourself for all the hard work you do. Vacations are great because you get to enjoy new experiences and see new places while taking your mind off of the stressful things in life.

 

 

Conclusion

 

As you can see from the list above, there are many ways to deal with stress as an entrepreneur. In this article, I shared some of my top tips on how to deal with stress as an entrepreneur.

 

 

Do you have some tips that have worked well for you? Please feel free to share them in the comments below.

 

 

photo credit: Victoria Nevland via photopin cc

 

5 of the Best New Business Ideas for 2014

In this article, I share 5 of the best new business ideas for 2014 from my own experiences, observations and thoughts. Take a look to see what I think will be emerging this year!

 

Each year brings about tons of new opportunities and new industries that entrepreneurs can capitalize on. 2014 has been just the same as other years creating numerous markets for others to enter.

 

 

From my own observations, experiences and knowledge, I have to come notice a lot of growing trends that are here to stay. These new markets have the opportunity to explode, which can make some entrepreneurs very wealthy.

 

 

In this article, I share 5 of the best new business ideas for 2014:

 

 

1. Wearable Technology

 

The big companies such as Samsung, Google, Apple, and others have all engaged in a race to put out the best wearable technology in the market. With that said, it seems as if wearable technology really is the future.

 

 

Just because the competition in this space involves some massive players doesn’t mean that there isn’t tons of opportunity for entrepreneurs to capitalize on. Many Kickstarter campaigns have found massive success with campaigns on wearable technology over the last few months.

 

 

The possibilities with wearable technology are endless. This not only excites consumers, but this should have entrepreneurs jumping for joy. With tons of niches and markets to explore, entrepreneurs can make a KILLING by capitalizing on wearable technology.

 

 

2. Cryptocurrency

 

Another market that gained a lot of traction in 2013 was Cryptocurrency. Bitcoins, Dogecoins, Litecoins, and numerous other virtual currencies exploded on to the scene.

 

 

Regardless, the idea of cryptocurrency is becoming extremely popular. Not only that, but this market is just starting to take off. Entrepreneurs don’t necessarily have to create their own currency or buy/sell existing currencies to make money.

 

 

Any types of products or services that can ease the pain or solve problems that come with cryptocurrency can do very well. Cryptocurrencies seem to be here to stay so it’s just a matter of creating products/services that create value for others.

 

 

3. Apps

 

Mobile applications have been popularized for the last few years. However, apps are still a growing market and there is a TON of opportunity for entrepreneurs.

 

 

Not only that, but new devices such as Google Glass are inviting developers to build new apps for their platform. The barrier to entry is definitely a challenge, but the reward for those who try is worthwhile.

 

 

4. Facial Recognition

 

In Finland, there was a new platform that allowed customers to pay using their faces. It seems as if people are getting lazier and lazier, which is a great thing for those seeking new opportunities.

 

 

Facial recognition seems to be a very popular area of emphasis amongst consumer needs. Finding various uses for facial recognition that can make things faster or solve a problem can create a massive opportunity for an entrepreneur willing to journey through that path.

 

 

5. 3D Printing

 

In 2013, we heard a lot about 3D printing. However, I still believe there was just a lot of buzz and hype surrounding it. I still think the market is very untapped leaving tons of opportunity for others to capitalize on.

 

 

While very few businesses and homes currently have 3D printers, this trend can change in 2014. With that said, there are tons of opportunities that entrepreneurs can capitalize on knowing these facts.

 

 

Conclusion

 

In this article, I shared 5 of the best new business ideas for 2014. Feel free to share your thoughts on what the big new ideas for 2014 are in the comments section below.

 

 

photo credit: Cayusa via photopin cc

 

 

How Successful People Spend Their Evenings

In this article, I share how successful people spend their evenings. I decided to do a survey talking to successful people who have mastered many different crafts to see how they utilize their time at night.

 

Everyone gets 168 hours a week. No matter how badly you need more or less time, you’re stuck with the same amount as everyone else.

 

 

A very important time in the day are the evenings after you have finished a long day of work. The way you spend your evenings can have a huge impact on your life and how productive you are with it.

 

 

I myself have experimented with various ways of spending my evenings and I still haven’t found the right answer. However, I was curious to see how other successful individuals spent their evenings. I decided to go out and talk to various people who are super successful in their craft.

 

 

After talking to these individuals, I was surprised at the answers I got. In this article, I share how successful people spend their evenings:

 

 

Unwinding With A Nice Book

 

Many people spent their evenings just unwinding. They would grab some dinner, pour themselves a glass of wine and pick up a good book. The book would have nothing to do with their work life, but it was rather something they enjoyed reading.

 

 

Reading before bed not only helped them relax, but it also helped them get a better night of sleep. Many people that I talked to enjoyed having some peace and quiet to wrap up a long day.

 

 

Going Out 

 

I have spent my evenings for quite a while going out with friends, catching a game or grabbing dinner with a buddy. Turns out, many other people also use their evenings to go out as well.

 

 

Many of the younger entrepreneurs said they would go out for a couple hours to the bar and grab some drinks or go watch some sports games. They felt that going out took their minds completely off work allowing them to relax.

 

 

Working Out

 

A few people also said that they would hit the gym and work out after completing a long day of work. Many people looked at the gym as a sanctuary where they could release all their stress.

 

 

I have also spent many of my evenings at the gym working out or playing basketball. Although working out after a long day at the office can get tiring, it’s a great way to wrap up your day. Not only that, but working out is also very good for your body.

 

 

Continue Working

 

Turns out, a lot of the people that I surveyed are night-owls. Many of them prefer coming home, grabbing a quick bite to eat and going right back to work.

 

 

Many people enjoy working through the evenings and nights because of the peace and quiet that they can find. They are usually able to get the most done and they utilize that time to their advantage.

 

 

Plan For The Following Day

 

Lastly, many successful people said they spent their evenings preparing for the following day. They created an agenda list and prioritized their tasks so that they would be ready when they woke up the next morning.

 

 

However, most people did plan their days in a very relaxed manner by watching some television or jamming out to some tunes. Nevertheless, these individuals found their time best spent when they planned for the upcoming day.

 

 

Conclusion

 

In this article, I shared how successful people spend their evenings in various ways. How do you spend your evenings?

 

 

photo credit: jamelah via photopin cc

 

 

5 Signs You’re A Young Hustler

In this article, I share 5 signs that you’re a young hustler. I officially became an entrepreneur at the age of 9 when I launched my first website. From there, I would go on to do many other small things to make money at a young age.

 

The word ‘hustler’ has a negative connotation to many mostly because of the way media conveys that word. However, to me ‘hustler’ is a very positive word. It represents an individual who goes after what they want regardless of what it takes.

 

 

I officially became a businessman at 17 when I started my first company. However, I had signs that I was a young hustler well before that. I sought out various opportunities and capitalized on them starting from the age of 13.

 

 

At 13, I found a way to earn coins easily on a game and decided to make a business out of it. The game was selling these coins at $40 for every 1 million coins, so I decided to start my own ‘underground’ business of selling coins at $30 for every 1 million coins.

 

 

In high school, I would sell candy and other random items to make a little bit of cash. Both of these ventures only worked for so long, but it was an eye-opener for me.

 

 

In this article, I’m going to share 5 signs you’re a young hustler.

 

 

1. You’re A Rule Breaker

 

Ever since I can remember, I hated rules. I would do whatever it took to break the rules so that I would have the upper hand in everything I did. Young hustlers typically do NOT care for the rules.

 

 

If you’re frustrated with the rules and are constantly finding ways to get around them, that’s a big sign. Self-starters are usually people who would rather create their own rules instead of following them.

 

 

2. You Love Taking Risks

 

Creating your own venture or starting your own business is a huge risk on its own. If you have always lived for taking risks, it might be a strong sign that you’re a young hustler.

 

 

You cannot be successful as an entrepreneur unless you take a couple of risks. It doesn’t matter what the risk is, but you must live a little on the dangerous side in order to capitalize on things.

 

 

3. You Create Your Own Opportunities

 

Growing up, I hated being patient. Adults used to dislike that a lot, but I realized it help me a lot with who I am today. Entrepreneurs are people who create their own opportunities instead of sitting around waiting for one to come.

 

 

If you’re constantly looking for angles to make money or to capitalize on a specific opportunity, that’s a huge sign that you’re a young hustler. The more creative and innovative you are, the better your chances for success will be.

 

 

4. You’re Very Curious

 

Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back. I remember being extremely inquisitive growing up. I always had questions and wanted to know the answer to something always.

 

 

Curiosity is a great trait for entrepreneurs. It shows a desire to learn and investigate, which is something successful individuals must do. Don’t let people criticize you if you end up asking a lot of question because that’s a great thing. 

 

 

5. You’re Extremely Competitive

 

Most people who know me know that I’m extremely competitive in whatever I do. I hate losing. Being competitive is a big sign that you’re a young hustler.

 

 

Being competitive means trying to be the best at whatever it is that you do. As an entrepreneur, your competitive attitude can be the difference between success or failure.

 

 

Conclusion

 

In this article, I shared the 5 signs you’re a young hustler. Feel free to share some signs you saw in the comments below.

 

 

photo credit: Exotic Car Life via photopin cc

 

5 Signs You Really Need To Quit Your Job

In this article, I share 5 signs you really need to quit you job. I draw from my personal experiences and the discoveries I have by talking with others to write this post.

 

At the ripe age of 15, my father walked into my room one day and told me you have to get a job. I put down my headphones, paused the game I was playing and gave him a perplexed look.

 

 

He said, “All those games I’ve been buying for you and all that money I’ve given you to go out with friends isn’t going to come from me anymore. It’s time you learned the value of a dollar.” That was it.

 

 

The next couple weeks were followed by me looking for a job. Between the ages of 15 to 17, I worked more jobs than the usual teenager did. I did sales, project management, customer service, tutoring, coaching, billing, telemarketing, and just about any other odd job that would hire me.

 

 

I would last a month or two at each of these jobs before quitting. This pattern continued throughout those two years and I finally realized that something wasn’t right. I couldn’t possibly try every single job in numerous different fields only to hate every single one of them equally.

 

 

It was at this moment I realized that I hated the whole idea of working a job. It wasn’t for me and I had to find a new career path. From there, I jumped into entrepreneurship and found a career I love.

 

 

In this article, I share 5 signs you really need to quit your job:

 

 

1. The Whole Experience Is Toxic

 

When I worked jobs, I dreaded the commute to the establishment and I counted down every single minute until I was free. I felt like a prisoner and these were some really toxic conditions.

 

 

If you totally dislike going to work, being at work and cannot wait to get out, it’s a sign that you really should quit your job. Your quality of life can be improved dramatically if you decide to work on something that will actually make you feel good.

 

 

2. Your Heart Is Somewhere Else

 

You may physically be at the place of work, but your heart and mind are really somewhere else. If this is the case, working a job isn’t for you. When I worked those mundane jobs, I was constantly daydreaming about other things.

 

 

Listen to your instincts. If you do what you love, money will always come. It’s worth taking the risk to do something meaningful that will make you happy for the rest of your life. Don’t force yourself to work a job that isn’t right for you.

 

 

3. You Don’t Feel Appreciated

 

Being appreciated and getting respect from your co-workers and bosses is extremely crucial for a healthy relationship in the workplace. If people do not appreciate the services and work you do for their organization, you have no reason being there.

 

 

I remember coming up with really creative ideas at a specific job, but not getting my voice heard. I would try sharing it with my bosses or managers and they would simply ignore me as if I didn’t exist. If you don’t have an active voice and role in the organization, it’s a sign you should move on.

 

 

4. You Think You Can Do Better

 

Do not EVER limit yourself. If you feel that you can get a better job or do something superior, do it!

 

 

Do not let fear hold you down from achieving your full potential. Not only must you think limitless thoughts, but you must act on these thoughts limitlessly as well. If you think you can do better, you’ll never know unless you try.

 

 

5. You Don’t Learn Anything

 

Every day is successful one if I go to bed knowing a little bit more than I did the day before. If you’re working at a job where you do not learn anything new, it’s really time for a change. Let me explain why.

 

 

A relationship between an employee and a company goes far beyond just a paycheck being exchanged for time. Employers are expected to create strong culture, help their employees learn and to foster growth in the workplace. If you aren’t constantly evolving with your job, you’re going to be screwed 10 years from now.

 

 

Conclusion

 

For all the dreamers out there, this article is targeted to you. I recently delivered a TEDx talk asking the important question – If not now, when? In this article, I shared 5 signs you really need to quit you job!

 

 

photo credit: katiew via photopin cc

 

 

How To Learn A New Skill Quickly

I have truly learned that the best skill is the one where you master your ability to learn. In this article, I share how to learn a new skill quickly.

 

When I decided to start my first business, I was 17 years old and still in high school. I went to a public school and I never really had any formal experience with starting a business.

 

 

As you can imagine, I had to learn a bunch of new things really quickly if I wanted to be successful. Lucky for me, I had two things going for me. I was a really good self-educator and I could pick up things fast.

 

 

Many people have wondered how I’ve been able to learn so many different things in such a short period of time. I never realized it, but one of the best skills I have mastered is learning to learn.

 

 

In this article, I share my tips on how to learn a new skill quickly:

 

 

Break It Down

 

In 3 months, I had taught myself how to do search engine optimization for Google, Yahoo & Bing. I had no prior background to this, but realized that this was a service my customers really wanted.

 

 

Before you can master any skill, you must break it all down. Categorize the various elements of your learning into different jars. You’ll want to have various jars for each level of learning you must do. For example, level one may be fundamentals/basics for something.

 

 

You need to have a clear understanding of what you must learn in order to successfully master a skill. You want to categorize each of the skills into different jars based on difficulty and level of importance.

 

 

You need to ask yourself what the very minimum you must learn before you can start implementing or taking action. Once you’ve engulfed all the knowledge from those jars and created a segmented plan of what goes into mastering this skill, you’re ready to move on to the next step.

 

 

Apply It

 

It’s one thing to memorize something, but it’s a whole another thing to implement it. One of the biggest issues I have with college is that curriculums and classes are focused around memorization instead of implementation.

 

 

Once you have the fundamentals down, you’re ready to take action. As you apply your skills, you’ll quickly hit a bunch of roadblocks. Each obstacle may require you to learn something new about this skill in order to get past it.

 

 

Do not look at this as a negative thing, but rather as a positive thing. I have found this to be the quickest way of learning. It’s hard to learn about something from A to Z when you don’t know exactly what you’re going to need to know.

 

 

By applying your skill, you quickly figure out the lessons that are more important than others. You get to learn on the fly, but you’re guaranteed to actually learn something since you won’t be able to get past the roadblock until you implement it.

 

 

Sequence It

 

Once you start applying your skills, you quickly learn what items are of greater importance to you. Everyone uses skills differently and must learn various areas of a craft. Instead of learning everything from A to Z, you get to sample the playing field a bit by applying yourself.

 

 

Now you have a better idea of what things you really need to learn and in what order. Sequence your jars so you can create a lesson plan for yourself on what you need to learn.

 

 

Do not stop implementing or taking action to just learn. You learn by doing and that’s the quickest way to master a craft. Continue trying your best to apply the skill and only stop when you’ve hit a roadblock.

 

 

Practice It

 

Just like anything, the more you practice something, the better you will become. You can’t expect to be renowned at a skill immediately after picking it up. You need to constantly practice and improve yourself.

 

 

When I started learning SEO, I began working on my own sites. However, I knew I had to raise the stakes if I really wanted to master this skill while getting some practice. I started offering SEO as a service to my clients at a heavily discounted rate.

 

 

The stakes were officially raised. I was now responsible for delivering a service to my clients while I had the opportunity to practice and sharpen up my skills along the way. I believe that pressure is the greatest teacher because failure doesn’t become an option at that point.

 

 

Conclusion

 

By applying this simple 4-step process, I have been able to master a handful of new skills over the years. In this article, I shared my tips for how to learn a new skill quickly!

 

 

photo credit: Jan Tik via photopin cc