Category: Entrepreneurship

What Every Entrepreneur Must Know Before Taking The Leap of Faith

In this article, I share lessons every entrepreneur must know before they take a leap of faith. Before starting a business, there are numerous things you should consider.

 

When I decided to take a leap into entrepreneurship, I had no idea what to expect. Turns out, becoming an entrepreneur wasn’t anything I thought it would have been. From 4 years of twists and turns as an entrepreneur, I’ve learned quite a lot.

 

 

In this article, I’m going to share what every entrepreneur must know before taking the leap of faith:

 

 

Balancing work and life is very tough

 

I became an entrepreneur at the age of 17. While my friends were out partying and enjoying their teenage years, I was meeting with clients and working through the night to make my business successful.

 

 

I often did wish that I could go out and do all the fun things my friends were doing, but I couldn’t always be there. Turns out entrepreneurship isn’t a job, it’s a lifestyle. Everyone believes they’ll have enough time for both, but reality sets in after just a few months.

 

 

If you want to be truly successful as an entrepreneur, it’s going to be very tough balancing life and work simultaneously. If you had a lot of free time before, expect that to be cut down dramatically if you plan to start a business.

 

 

Fancy cars and fame don’t come with the title 

 

I learned about entrepreneurship when I became extremely frustrated with the various odd jobs I had taken. They made me miserable and I knew there had to be a better way to make some cash.

 

 

I came across this idea of entrepreneurship and read stories of people who were rich and famous. They had fancy cars, tons of cash and were looked up to by people of all ages. I thought by starting my own business, I would be entitled to the same thing.

 

 

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. The perks of entrepreneurship only come to you after you work your ass off and achieve results. Success is attainable, but don’t think it just comes with the title.

 

 

Action trumps everything

 

It’s one thing to talk about your ideas, but it’s something else to put them into action. You’re a wantrepreneur until you implement your thoughts.

 

 

When I became an entrepreneur, I was able to find success so quickly simply because I took action. I wasn’t scared of making mistakes or failing. I hit tons of barriers and made mistakes, but I learned quickly because I took action.

 

 

Test, test, test

 

When I first started my business, I was very foolish with the way I launched products. Instead of testing things or asking potential customers about it, I pushed out what I thought was right. This was a very poor approach.

 

 

Don’t waste a ton of money and resources until you’ve tested everything. Test the market, the product and the need before you go all in. Many principles such as the lean startup and my course share these tactics in much more depth. Instead of doing what you think is best, collect feedback and use those metrics to make decisions.

 

 

4 hour workweeks aren’t enough

 

I hadn’t heard about Tim Ferris until last year, but I was really disappointed to see how many entrepreneurs believed they only had to work 4 hours a week to be successful. If you’re just starting a business, expecting to work a few hours a week is simply insane.

 

 

If you really want to be a successful entrepreneur and build something worth millions or billions of dollars, you’re going to have work way more than 4 hours a week. A 4 hour workweek is possible when you’ve made a lot of money and can substitute your effort by hiring others.

 

 

It’s not about how much money your business makes

 

When I started out as an entrepreneur, the only metrics I focused on revolved around the amount of money the business was making. I ran my multimedia agency for a few years only to realize I was just a businessman. I was disgusted by that thought and decided I wanted to become an entrepreneur.

 

 

I put my business up for sale and focused on creating startups that had a purpose deeper than money. I’ve always said that money is the prize, but not the purpose. If you’re ONLY focused on making money, it’ll never come to you.

 

 

Money is an illusive object. Instead of chasing it, focus on a deeper purpose and the money will find you. What drives you and makes you want to become an entrepreneur? My ‘why’ was that I had the opportunity to be happy, do something I loved and create change in the world with my startups.

 

 

Conclusion

 

These are just a handful of lessons entrepreneurs should know before they take the leap of faith. Starting a business is very rewarding, but you have to be well-prepared for the journey ahead.

 

 

photo credit: Frankenspotter Photography via photopin cc

 

 

5 Things Holding You Back From Being Successful

Achieving success on your own terms is a goal many people have. However, success is often limited by many different things. In this article, I share 5 things holding you back from being successful.

 

Success has no clear cut definition. Every individual defines and thinks of success in their own way. That’s absolutely fine. Regardless of what your definition of success may be, there are actions that must be taken to make that a reality.

 

 

Many actions propel you forward while others bring you right back as you strive towards your goals. Over time, I’ve seen a handful of things that have truly held me back from being successful while others have accelerated me.

 

 

In this article, I share 5 things holding you back from being successful:

 

 

1. Needing To Always Be “Right”

 

Growing up, I was one of the most competitive people out there. I always had to win and I always had to be right. As an entrepreneur, I learned really fast that I wasn’t going to be always right.

 

 

However, I had two choices. I could sit there and force my way until I was right or I could learn from it and fix things until they became right. The first few months, I was my stubborn self. I refused to accept being wrong.

 

 

I quickly noticed that mentality wasn’t going to take me far. Not only was I not getting closer towards my goals, but I was going backwards. I decided to keep an open mind. If I was wrong, I would gladly accept my faults and try to fix them. No matter what it is you do in life, don’t let your ego get in the way of your success.

 

 

2. Believing In Limits Set By People No Smarter Than You

 

I’m publishing a book in the next 5 days that will be available for sale. The title of this book is – Limitless Thinking: How one young entrepreneur found success with no experience, degree or money. Throughout this book, I share one of the most important principles I have learned as an entrepreneur.

 

 

It isn’t what we have as an individual but rather how we think and perceive things that directly affects whether or not we are successful. Many people believe in the limits that are set forth by others in the world to be true. The moment you give faith to these factors, your chances of being successful diminish greatly.

 

 

Limitations only exist in our minds. If we believe something, our actions carry it out that way. In order to be successful, wipe out everything you know to be true. Start fresh without any limitations and reach for the moon. If you don’t make it, you’ll still end up in the stars.

 

 

3. Focusing On The Past Instead Of The Present & The Future 

 

Success can be derailed very quickly if you let your past determine your future. It doesn’t matter who you were or what has happened in the past. As long as you’re driven by your goals and working on amazing things in the present, you have to believe your future will be different.

 

 

If I looked back on the past to see how ‘bad’ of a student I was and how that can potentially affect my success as an entrepreneur, I probably wouldn’t be successful today. It’s important to learn from the past, but make sure you’re not dwelling on it.

 

 

4. Your Friends

 

Surround yourself with the people you want to become. It’s great to have friends, but you want people who are going to help you not hurt you. As an entrepreneur, I quickly saw my levels of success increasing the moment I surrounded myself with like-minded individuals.

 

 

Join groups that have people who think like you and have similar goals. Set up masterminding sessions and hangouts so you can embrace their ideas. Most of my friends from college love to party and pick up girls.

 

 

However, my priorities were very different. I wanted to start successful businesses and change the world. I spent less time with them so I could spend more time with others leading a similar path as me. Remember, your income is the average of your 5 closest friends.

 

 

5. Fear & Doubt

 

Fear and doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will. It’s hard to believe, but it’s very true. Our own thoughts have so much power that it often kills our wildest dreams and adventures.

 

 

No matter what it is you’re going to want to do in life, some part of your brain is going to bring up the bad. You’re going to be scared and doubt your abilities. Nobody has been able to find success without overcoming the demons inside their own heads.

 

 

A billion dollar idea is worth nothing unless that thought is turned into an action. Your grandest goals and dreams have the ability to come true if you simply try. There is no substitute to hard work and action if you really want to be successful.

 

 

Conclusion

 

In this article, I shared 5 things holding you back from being successful. Share in the comments below what things you believe hold people back from being successful as well.

 

 

photo credit: nromagna via photopin cc

 

Why Bad Students Make Good Entrepreneurs

From my own experiences and meeting others, I share numerous points on why great students don’t always make great entrepreneurs. This article is my perspective on why bad students make good entrepreneurs.

 

School and a formal education hasn’t always been my thing. As I entered high school, I began slacking off more and that could clearly be seen through the grades I was earning.

 

 

As I come across entrepreneurs through networking, volunteering and mentoring, I’ve seen a fairly consistent trend. I’ve noticed that the best students don’t always make the best entrepreneurs. In fact, I’ve noticed much of the opposite.

 

 

More often than not, most entrepreneurs I come in contact with say that they weren’t very good at school. Bill Gates famously says, “I failed in some subjects in exam, but my friend passed in all. Now he is an engineer in Microsoft and I am the owner of Microsoft.”

 

 

Here are some reasons why bad students make good entrepreneurs:

 

 

Disruptive Behavior

 

In school, I was often cited by my teachers for my disruptive behavior. I didn’t really know what it meant growing up aside from the fact that I was doing something wrong and I got in trouble for it. As an entrepreneur now, it makes all the sense in the world.

 

 

I wasn’t always disrupting for the better in school, but I was doing something out of the norm. As an entrepreneur, you’re goal is to disrupt a market or industry for the better through your innovations. Students who are naturally used to going up against the norm have a head start as entrepreneurs.

 

 

In order to disrupt, you have to take risks and do things out of the ordinary. 90% of kids in my class weren’t disruptive or breaking the rules. The best part about entrepreneurship is that you get to break the rules.

 

 

Thinking Outside The Box

 

In school, I had a tough time following directions. My teacher would tell me to do ABC, but I’d do DEF. It wasn’t that I was stupid, I just thought my way was better. If I could be creative and do things on my own, why shouldn’t I?

 

 

As entrepreneurs, this behavior is highly promoted. You’re constantly challenged to think outside the box and deviate from the plans others have. Great employees are ones who can carry out orders, but great entrepreneurs create their own plans.

 

 

If you’re creative or have an innate ability to think outside the box, you definitely have one of the stronger attributes necessary to be successful as an entrepreneur. Forget what your teachers told you about following the directions, create your own direction.

 

 

Risks Come Natural

 

Ditching class or breaking the rules almost always involves some kind of risk. The reward is a good time, but the risk is a consequence or punishment. Entrepreneurship is much of the same.

 

 

With every risk comes an equally great reward. Many people never end up getting out of the wantrepreneur phase because they are too fearful of taking a risk. Students who are causing mayhem in school are accustomed to taking risks.

 

 

It may not always be the best risk, but they have the courage to do it anyway. As an entrepreneur, you’re going to have to take many risks. I’ve taken a year off from college while taking numerous risks throughout the process. Some have paid off, while others haven’t.

 

 

However, what’s important is that I took these risks. Without taking these risks I wouldn’t be where I am today. By taking risks progressively throughout my life, it wasn’t a skill I had to acquire. I had been doing it for quite some time, I was now going to do it in a better way.

 

 

Ability To Adapt

 

School doesn’t teach you how to adapt to change. Charles Darwin said it best, “It’s not the strongest or most intelligent that survives. It is the one who is most adaptable to change.” Schools are structured in a way where the individuals who respect order tend to thrive and succeed.

 

 

Entrepreneurship isn’t about reading a book and implementing from it. Knowledge is great to have, but you have to use that wisdom to create your own path. With entrepreneurship, shit changes fast and very often.

 

 

By being an “A” student, you’re only prepared for scheduled tests. What happens in the event of a pop quiz? Those “A” students become “C”, “D” or “F” students. When life throws lemons at you, you make lemonade and get 5 other people to operate a lemonade stand under you.

 

 

After you graduate from school, people aren’t going to respect you based on your college GPA. It’s all about drive and persistence to be successful in the world. Your report card becomes irrelevant the moment you step into the real world.

 

 

Conclusion

 

As an entrepreneur, I can truly say that my bad habits as a student has a had a positive impact on my life. This article was talking about some of the reasons why bad students make good entrepreneurs.

 

 

10 Tips On How To Inspire People Around You

In this article, I share 10 tips on how to inspire people around you. Through my books, blog and work, I have been able to inspire millions!

 

As of late, I’ve been very passionate about inspiring people and changing lives of others. Since this is something I never aimed to do, it’s been hard to figure out what works and doesn’t work.

 

 

However, I finally feel that I have been able to master this skill. Through my experiences in the last 6 months, I have quickly found many more people reaching out to me and thanking me for the inspiration I have provided them.

 

 

In this article, I’m going to share 10 tips on how to inspire people around you:

 

 

1. Be You

 

People aren’t inspired by fakers. I quickly realized that people were inspired by me and what I did on a regular basis. I didn’t have to put on a fake persona or go out of my way to inspire others. As long as you are the best you, people will automatically be attracted to you.

 

 

2. Care About People

 

When people reach out to me, I always give them a response. I do admit I wish I could get on the phone or give people the ultimate value when they reach out to me, but it sometimes isn’t possible with my time commitments. Regardless, people know I care about them by the effort I put in which helps inspire others.

 

 

3. Have A Passion That’s Contagious 

 

Anyone who meets me immediately sees my passion for the things I do. When you are enthusiastic, that energy is contagious. Others see it and believe it themselves as well. A lot of people have been inspired simply by me being passionate about changing the world. Be passionate and others will follow in your footsteps.

 

 

4. Be Cool, Calm and Confident

 

I’m very realistic about everything. If sh*t is going bad, I’ll be the first one to admit it. However, I am not easily rocked by some negativity. I am always cool, calm and confident. If you want to inspire others, you need to be confident in your abilities through thick and thin. Nobody likes to follow the example of someone who is shaky.

 

 

5. Shoot for the Moon

 

Anyone who knows me can tell you that I’m always shooting for the moon. I don’t always get to the moon, but I’m guaranteed to land in the stars. Role models don’t aim for mediocrity, they aim to be the best. You can inspire people when you set your goals above their expectations.

 

 

6. Be Humble

 

Nobody likes to feel as if they are worse than anyone else. Treat everyone equally and remember that money doesn’t necessarily mean you are better than someone else. Keep your head down and work hard in silence so that success can make the noise. People will automatically notice you.

 

 

7. Keep Your Promises

 

No matter how big or small the promise may be, people respect you based on how honest you are. I’ve made numerous appearances at volunteer events and conferences even if it’s been tough on my schedule. I value the opportunity to inspire others so highly that I will go above and beyond to show up even when things are rough.

 

 

8. Listen Well

 

I learned as much as I did as quickly as I did because I listened to others. It doesn’t matter if you’re giving help or seeking help, listen to others. I’ve been able to inspire and help others because I take the time to truly understand their wants and needs.

 

 

9. Accept Your Flaws/Weaknesses

 

Nobody likes to look up to Superman because they feel as if they can never become a super-power like that. People like to be inspired by other humans who have done great things. Part of being human is making mistakes and having flaws. Share your and flaws and weaknesses with the world so that they can truly get to know you.

 

 

10. Don’t Preach

 

Nobody wants to hear someone preach about their successes or ideas. Instead, find a unique way to get your points across to your audience. I’ve been able to inspire so many people not because I beg them to come to me, but rather because I share my thoughts and ideas and people are naturally attracted to it.

 

 

Conclusion

 

I’m very fortunate to have the ability to inspire and motivate people with their dreams. I’m very thankful for this opportunity and if you are in a position similar to me, I truly hope you capitalize on the opportunity as well.

 

 

photo credit: JD Hancock via photopin cc

 

How I Closed My Biggest Deal Using A Burrito Analogy

In this article, I share a story from years ago where I used a burrito analogy to close my biggest deal. It’s a valuable lesson I learned that I share with you through this article about sales.

 

When I started my first multimedia business in high school, we mainly sold websites. However, I was intrigued by the idea of search engine optimization and how it could help my customers since so many of them inquired about it.

 

 

I spent some time learning how to do SEO myself and eventually got really good at it. Even though I didn’t do the actual SEO myself, I knew a lot about it. I really wanted to integrate search engine optimization as a service within my business because we would have the opportunity to charge our customers on a monthly basis.

 

 

In this article, I’m going to share some mistakes I made selling SEO, how I overcame it with one simple trick and the valuable lesson I learned through this experience.

 

 

The Mistakes 

 

As a note, I do not run this multimedia agency anymore. I sold it over a year and a half ago so this story and lesson comes directly from my past.

 

 

After learning SEO, I was eager to acquire clients. I could easily make anywhere from $500-$2,500 a month by offering these services to my customers. I was great at selling websites, but I quickly found out that I was terrible at selling SEO.

 

 

I didn’t know what it was. I could close website deals left and right, but I couldn’t get a single customers to sign up for our search engine optimization services. I tried different pitches, prices and plans but nothing seemed to work.

 

 

One day, I was in my room practicing my pitch when my little brother walked in. He was only 5 or 6 at the time. I told him to sit and listen in on my pitch so he could tell me what he thought. After about 45 seconds, he got up and said he was bored.

 

 

My younger brother finally made me realize why every single pitch had gone so horribly wrong. My clients just like my brother didn’t understand anything I was saying. What did my pitch consist of?

 

 

Well a bunch of mumbo jumbo technical stuff. I would start by sharing a bit about our SEO team before jumping into our optimization plan. I would tell our customers about how we increase their page rank, create a high authority back links, article submissions and everything else that goes into ranking a keyword.

 

 

My clients didn’t care about all this. They wanted to pay me to get their keywords on the top of the search engines. As long as that happened and they got a ROI, they would be satisfied.

 

 

The Burrito

 

I knew clients wanted to know how we did SEO, but they didn’t want to hear about it from a technical standpoint. They really wanted to know what we would be doing in words they could understand.

 

 

The best example I could think of was a burrito. I had a mortgage company that was highly interested in our SEO services so I decided to try the burrito analogy. If you’re wondering how SEO and the making of a burrito are similar, let me explain.

 

 

In order to rank a keyword on the search engines, you need to do a ton of different on-page and off-page optimization techniques to make things happen. You optimize the code, add tags, re-write content, and do a lot of other stuff inside their website. On the outside of the website, you create back-links, press-releases, article submissions, forum posts and other things.

 

 

I told them that SEO was just like making a burrito. There are a ton of elements that go into a successful campaign. If you want to make a good burrito, you need to have all the following ingredients:

 

– Cheese

 

– Rice

 

– Sour Cream

 

– Salsa

 

– Lettuce

 

– Corn

 

– Meat

 

– Beans

 

– Guacamole

 

– Peppers

 

– Tortilla

 

 

SEO was just the same way. If we took just 1 of the many things crucial to a campaign, it would fail. If we just grabbed a piece of tortilla and stuffed it with some corn, you’d have a really shitty burrito.

 

 

The owner laughed at the analogy and said to me, “I don’t get why all the other guys confused the hell out of me and you come in and make it so crystal clear.” As you can imagine, I got him as a client.

 

 

Not only that, but that deal would be the biggest one I closed throughout my tenure with my multimedia company.

 

 

The Lesson

 

It’s amazing how making my pitch simple allowed me to achieve better results. Turns out, I learned a valuable lesson in sales. It doesn’t matter what you sell, it matters how you sell it.

 

 

From that experience, I learned two very important things. Look for the benefits of your customers and explain it in terms that a five-year old can understand.

 

 

The benefits of doing SEO with me was that I would get them on the top of the search engines quickly and provide them with a ROI each month. In terms of simplifying what SEO was, well even my five-year old brother knows how to make a burrito, which made that analogy the perfect one to use.

 

 

People don’t want to be confused and overwhelmed by technicalities. Keep things simple and show people how your products or services fulfill their needs and wants. As long as you do that, you’ll have the ability to sell just about anything!

 

 

photo credit: barron via photopin cc

 

5 Negative Thoughts That Are Killing Your Dreams

More dreams are killed by negative thoughts than anything else. In this article, I share 5 negative thoughts that are killing your dreams along with tips to overcome them.

 

Dreams. Something we all have somewhere in our minds. However, not all of us end up pursuing our dreams. They start as thoughts and remain as thoughts in our mind.

 

 

There are many reasons why are dreams do not become goals. One of the biggest reasons why is because of the way we think. We all have negative thoughts from time to time, but many of these thoughts can truly kill your dreams forever.

 

 

In this blog article, I’m going to share 5 negative thoughts that are killing your dreams and how you can overcome them:

 

 

1. “Tomorrow will be easier…”

 

Growing up, I used the word tomorrow as much as I could. Clean my room? I can do it tomorrow. Finish my homework? I’ll do it tomorrow. Study for that big final? I’ll wait until tomorrow. I procrastinated everything that required a lot of work or wasn’t interesting to me.

 

 

These thoughts carry on with you for the rest of your life. We prolong our dreams day after day, but nothing changes. Our environments change but our circumstances stay the same. I thought life was tough when I was in elementary school but boy is it a lot harder today.

 

 

You’re not buying yourself time, you’re simply killing your dreams. The longer you wait on those dreams, the more distant they become. I overcame this negative thought pattern by simply putting my dreams into action. I put my foot down and decided that there was no better time to start than now.

 

 

If your negative thoughts are kicking in right now, perhaps my TED talk can help.

 

 

 

 

2. “It’s just too risky for me…” 

 

Every decision comes with a risk. No matter how much we try to minimize the risk, there is always a risk involved. As an entrepreneur, I have taken many gut-wrenching risks. Some have paid off while others have cost me dearly.

 

 

Chasing your dreams is a big risk. I do not say this to scare you, but rather to motivate you. The bigger the risk is, the bigger the reward is. Every day that you live life, you’re taking a risk. Why not take a risk towards something meaningful?

 

 

I knew quitting my job at 17 to become an entrepreneur was risky. However, I quickly began thinking of the rewards. I could control my own destiny, be my own boss and work on something that mattered. Before you weigh the risks, look at the rewards. Prove to yourself that the leap of faith can and will be worthwhile.

 

 

3. “I don’t want to be a failure…”

 

It is true that you may chase your dreams and fail. However, failure doesn’t define you or your dreams unless you allow it to. We as humans have a very negative perspective of what failure really is.

 

 

Throughout our lives, the idea of failing has been antagonized. As I have progressed an entrepreneur, I quickly learned that failure was my best friend. I fail all the time and I’m proud to say it. I’m even prouder to say that I may have failed, but I’m not a failure.

 

 

Let me explain. Failure is an event – something that happens on a given day at a certain time. If you quit without learning from it, you are truly a failure. However, I’m not a failure because I embrace it, get back up and try again. Remember: you can only be a failure if you allow yourself to give up.

 

 

4. “I’m not as talented as those other successful people.”

 

Negative thoughts really start to take over when you start comparing yourself to others. I quickly realized that the only person you should be in competition with is yourself. Use other successful individuals as motivation, not as dream-killers.

 

 

Stop focusing on all the negatives about yourself. If you really want to compare yourself with someone else, find the common ground. See what skills and assets they have that you possess as well.

 

 

To be a successful dream-chaser, you need to find the positive in every situation. Our minds are trained to seek the negative in every moment, but you must be the master of your own mind. Challenge yourself to think positively and believe in your own abilities.

 

 

5. “I don’t know what others will say….”

 

The worse thing in life is living a life that isn’t your own. What I mean by that is actually really simple. If you’re making life changing decisions based on how others may think or act, you’re not living your own life.

 

 

I am sick and tired of people wondering what their friends, families, co-workers, and other influences in their lives may say. It’s great to weigh their opinions from time to time, but don’t let them run your life.

 

 

Drake says it best, start doing you. Focus on yourself and do what makes you happy in life because that’s what really matters. Good friends and family stay with you no matter what decision you make in life.

 

 

Conclusion

 

What you believe is truly what you can achieve. When you constantly begin to manifest negative thoughts, they begin to run your life. This article features 5 negative thoughts that are killing your dreams along with tips to overcome them.

 

 

photo credit: Ed Callow [ torquespeak ] via photopin cc

 

 

5 Things I Learned About Public Speaking From Delivering A TEDx Talk (Video Inside)

In this article, I share the 5 things I learned about public speaking from delivering a TEDx talk. Through this talk, my perception on speaking to audiences was changed forever and I want to take this time to share the lessons I learned.

 

Note: If you’re looking for the video to my TEDx talk, you can find it embedded at the bottom of this article.

 

 

In October of 2013, I had the amazing opportunity of delivering my first ever TEDx talk. From the months of preparation to the delivery of my speech, it was an unforgettable experience.

 

 

I had done many public speeches before, but speaking at TED was completely different. There was a lot of hype around the event and there was good reason for it. The process from preparing and delivering my talk taught me a lot about public speaking I didn’t know before.

 

 

In this article, I share 5 things I learned about public speaking from delivering a TEDx talk:

 

 

1. Do It For The Message, Not The Money

 

The world of public speaking has been tremendously saturated by individuals who want fat pay checks for a few hours of their time. I too was in this fairytale land and collected a few great checks for speaking to people.

 

 

I spent over 200 hours planning, practicing and perfecting my pitch before delivering my talk in October. Most normal speeches are too focused around you, which ends up causing people to preach to their audience.

 

 

After seeing a handful of individuals get cut from our lineup, I quickly realized that I couldn’t rely on my traditional speaking skills to get me through my TED talk. I had to quickly adapt. After spending 200 hours, I didn’t get a single dollar in return. The whole focus for my talk was my message, which is why I went out of my way to run focus groups to gather data to back up my ideas.

 

 

This lesson was really simple and I plan to implement this in all future speeches I deliver. Focus on your message and what people can take away from it. Only a few people get the opportunity to talk to an audience, give them something to remember.

 

 

2. Don’t Make Everything Serious

 

Throughout schooling and my first few public speaking gigs, I had always been taught to deliver a speech. The format of speeches were supposed to be serious and formal sessions where I could convey a message, idea or information to others.

 

 

The hardest adjustment I made for TED was figuring out a proper way to be conversational during my speech. If you’re constantly serious with your audience, they feel like they’re listening to a superhero and have a really tough time relating with you.

 

 

I quickly figured out that the best speeches are ones where the speaker keeps things informal and conversational. Make your audience feel relevant and help them relate to your story and message. That’s what truly makes a great speech.

 

 

3. Work The Crowd

 

At the end of the day, remember that your audience is investing money, time or sometimes a combination of the two. Teachers teach and preachers preach. However, a speech is all about getting your audience involved.

 

 

Make them laugh and engage with you during your speech. While TED isn’t fond of allowing your audience to answer questions or join you on stage, a great speech gets the crowd hyped up for what is to come. Understand who your audience is and what they’re looking for so you can better deliver on their expectations.

 

 

Before I delivered my speech, I made conversation with the attendees so they could get a better understanding of me. I wanted to introduce myself to everyone and chat with people to build a positive relationship with them long before I got on stage.

 

 

4. It’s Not All About You

 

Many speakers convert their speech into a self-interview session. What I mean by that is people often talk about themselves and their story without paying any attention to the needs of the audience.

 

 

While my TED talk does share a lot of experiences from my life, it’s not about that. My background helps to build up the story and the message to provide more of an impact on the idea I’m trying to share.

 

 

When you watch my video, you’ll clearly notice that my message has nothing to do with me. It’s all about showing people that there is no better time to chase their dreams than now.

 

 

5. Maximize Your Time

 

I went through all the major moments from my business career, shared data from my focus groups and showed people how I overcame the barriers others faced in less than 10 minutes. Before TED, this type of speech may have taken me around 45 minutes to deliver.

 

 

TED isn’t about wasting other peoples time and no speech should be like that. Just because you have 1 hour to deliver a speech doesn’t mean you should use all of it. Maximize your time on stage because you only have the attention of your audience for so long.

 

 

Focus on the main points and hit on them. Don’t beat around the bush and add a ton of pointless fluff to your story if it is irrelevant. I had a clear focus of what I wanted to achieve through my talk and I was able to do that!

 

 

Conclusion

 

If you are a public speaker or have dreams of becoming one someday, I hope you take these tips into consideration. Furthermore, I would love for you to watch my TED talk and share it with the world if it inspires you in any way (TEDx video from my speech can be found at the very bottom of this article).

 

 

9 Common Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs

In this article, guest author – Scott Simson shares 9 common traits of successful entrepreneurs from his own experiences and through his work with others.

 

Note: This is a guest post authored by Scott Simson that you are about to read. 

 

 

The entrepreneur mind is fascinating. I have been an entrepreneur my entire life and have worked with entrepreneurs for some time now, and am still amazed at how the entrepreneur mind solves problems, commits to solutions, and persists through pain and fatigue. I have seen entrepreneurs tread there way to success despite the immense pressure of having risked every thing they had to pursue their dreams.

 

 

I have seen entrepreneurs ignore the advice of every person surrounding them and persist on to accomplish what they set out to do. I have seen entrepreneurs accomplish remarkable things even when the odds were 100 to 1 against them. The entrepreneur is remarkable when it is given the opportunity and environment to operate at full capacity.

 

 

I have come to realize that while not every entrepreneur’s mind is the same, there are certain common thinking traits and habits that most entrepreneurs exhibit. It is also important to note that while these traits and habits occur naturally in most entrepreneurs they are all thought processes and habits that can be learned through practice and persistence.

 

 

Here are 9 common traits of successful entrepreneurs.

 

 

  1. Creative Problem Solvers

 

Maybe not a Leonardo da Vinci expert inventor or an Albert Einstein level genius, but when it comes to spotting and solving problems simply with limited tools, entrepreneurs will come up with a solution.

 

 

  1. Risk Takers

 

A comment that commonly surfaces in conversations that I have regarding entrepreneurship is that entrepreneurs are risk takers. The way that I respond most often is that the entrepreneur mind sees and responds to opportunity. Most successful entrepreneurs are likely to take risk when they see an opportunity, but rather than a gamble, it is most often an educated risk with favorable odds.

 

 

  1. May Not See Problems

 

One fascinating trait of the entrepreneur mind is that when most people see a circumstance as a problem, the entrepreneur is more likely to see it as a positive opportunity. Entrepreneurs are not limited by the thoughts others place on problems, they are motivated to create solutions.

 

 

  1. See Opportunity Everywhere

 

Entrepreneurs see opportunity multiple times throughout the day. Whether it is when they are sitting at lunch thinking about how to provide a restaurant with fresher fish, or creating a solution to the lack of storage space in their home, entrepreneurs have a problem solving mind and they are going to use it. This trait can also be a problem for some entrepreneurs, because they have what I call Entrepreneur ADD,when they try to jump on every opportunity that they see and fall short of seeing a solution through to the end.

 

 

  1. Rules Don’t Apply

 

The entrepreneur mind is a free mind that has a hard time conforming to rules and parameters. Entrepreneurs do what makes logical sense and what is conducive to completing a project. This may be apparent in an entrepreneur’s driving habits.

 

 

  1. Have a naysayer ‘off switch’

 

Entrepreneurs have a strong ability to ignore criticism and not be fazed by oppositions. The entrepreneur mind is fueled by the naysayer mentality and will work extra hard to prove that they were right.

 

 

  1. Persistent

 

The entrepreneur mind is a stubborn one. Entrepreneurs don’t see failure as an acceptable solution to a problem, so they persist until they reach their results. It is ‘win or die’ in the mind of the entrepreneur, and if they are forced into a failure, they see it as a learning experience.

 

 

  1. Don’t Acknowledge Authority

 

Entrepreneurs have their own way of working out problems and have a hard time when micromanaged or forced to work under close scrutiny. Entrepreneurs see solutions to problems and most entrepreneurs see authority as a problem that needs to be solved. This can be a problem when an entrepreneur is pulled over for their bad driving habits.

 

 

  1. Prefer the Pursuit of Freedom over Promised Comfort

 

Entrepreneurs would rather work every day for the rest of their life doing something they love at their own pace, than to work for someone else doing something they dislike, even if it means greater comfort and security.

 

 

These are 9 of the common traits of the entrepreneur share. It is important to note, that these traits are not necessarily what make a good entrepreneur. If you exhibit these characteristics and are a struggling entrepreneur, activate your mind persistence and keep drudging forward. If you are not an entrepreneur and exhibit these habits, you may want to rethink your career path, because you just might make a good entrepreneur.

 

 

Author Biography: Scott Simson is a best-selling author, entrepreneur and achievement coach that has transformed the lives of many through his work. You can read his blog and connect with him through his website at – www.ScottSimson.com/blog/.

 

photo credit: Tom Wolf | Photography via photopin cc

6 Things Successful Entrepreneurs Don’t Do

Finding success as an entrepreneur is extremely tough. From coaching and mentoring other entrepreneurs, I quickly realized many people have some of the same characteristics that are detrimental to their success. In this article, I share 6 things successful entrepreneurs don’t do.

 

No matter how successful an entrepreneur is, they can quickly thing back to the beginning when they struggled. Entrepreneurship is very tough. It truly takes a lot to be successful with your own business.

 

 

From mentoring and coaching various entrepreneurs, I quickly started pin-pointing characteristics that were detrimental to their success. These qualities are very common and even I fell prey to some of these things when I had started.

 

 

In this article, I’m going to share the 6 things successful entrepreneurs don’t do:

 

 

1. They Don’t Do It For The Money

 

When I started my first business, I was seeking freedom from crappy minimum wage jobs by finding something I loved. I was happy with what I did, but the motivating factor for me was the money.

 

 

It took me almost two years to figure that out, which resulted in me selling my business and moving on to startups that had more purpose behind them. To be truly successful as an entrepreneur, money can’t be your primary motivator. You need to have a purpose that goes deeper than just the financial gains.

 

 

2. They Don’t Let Fear Run Their Lives

 

Doubt and fear kills more dreams than failure ever will. Successful entrepreneurs understand that taking action is the most crucial decision in their journey.

 

 

Many people prolong their dreams by making excuses, but successful entrepreneurs take massive action. The action they take doesn’t always immediately result in success, but by staying persistent, they eventually accomplish their goals.

 

 

3. They Don’t Allow Greed To Take Over

 

The toughest realization an entrepreneur has to make is that he himself can make his startup successful. Great teams behind good ideas result in success, but it can often be hard to share your prized possessions with others.

 

 

When starting my first business, I was the only one who held equity. My business did well, but it could have done a lot better if I had more resources and individuals behind it. When launching my next businesses, I’ve always been generous about giving out equity to those individuals who can create value for my company. The path to success is a lot easier if you have great people behind you and your ideas.

 

 

4. They Don’t Play It Safe

 

While successful entrepreneurs don’t play it safe, they sure don’t take stupid risks. There is a nice balance between the two that great entrepreneurs find. In order to be successful, you have to make sacrifices and take risks.

 

 

The art of making good decisions is to calculate the risks vs the rewards. If the rewards outweigh the risk, it’s a no-brainer to take a gamble. When taking risks, be sure that you’re taking calculated risks that always have a backup plan. Entrepreneurship is unpredictable, but you have to take a leap of faith sometimes.

 

 

5. They Don’t Lose Focus 

 

As an entrepreneur, it’s really easy to get distracted. A few small successes or a lucrative job offer can easy derail you from your journey. Great entrepreneurs understand that distractions will always exist, but they cannot lose focus of their dreams.

 

 

I am constantly distracted by outside influences and things going on in my life. Being an entrepreneur while all my friends attend college is a pretty tough thing to get accustomed to. However, I constantly remind myself of my long-term vision which keeps me grounded.

 

 

6. They Don’t Just Work 

 

Whatever it is you do in life, you need to find a proper balance. Work is the same way. You cannot be caught working 24/7 because it will exhaust you completely. As an entrepreneur, I’ve struggled with escaping my work.

 

 

It’s a tough challenge, but great entrepreneurs are able to find that balance. Make time for family, friends and going out. You don’t want to lose out on the important things in life. As Wiz Khalifa says, work hard and play hard.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Above all, remember that entrepreneurship isn’t easy. It takes a lot of patience and persistence to be successful. In this article, I shared 6 things successful entrepreneurs don’t do.

 

 

5 Signs You’re A Wantrepreneur

In this article, I share 5 signs you’re a wantrepreneur. There is nothing wrong with being a wantrepreneur, but you must change your ways to be successful with your ideas.

 

Wantrepreneurs are individuals that desire to be an entrepreneur, but aren’t one yet. Don’t be embarrassed if you are in the wantrepreneur stage because it’s a place where many individuals find themselves stuck at.

 

 

A terrible thing would be to a wantrepreneur without even knowing so. You must first figure out the problem before you can find the solution.

 

 

Here are 5 signs you’re a wantrepreneur instead of an entrepreneur:

 

 

1. You Talk, But Never Act

 

We all know that one person who tells us that they have the next million dollar idea, but they never do anything about it. Ideas are 1% while execution is 99% of the game. A billion dollar idea is worth nothing if it’s still an idea.

 

 

Work hard in silence and let success make the noise. Nobody will take you serious as an entrepreneur until you put your thoughts and ideas into action. If you’re going to talk the talk, you have to walk the walk.

 

 

How To Overcome: Stop talking about your ideas with people and start showing them. You’ll never know how great your ideas and thoughts are until you put them into action. 

 

 

2. You Make Excuses

 

I’ve got a bunch of friends that have big entrepreneurial dreams, but they never get started. I ask them why and they shoot out a variety of different excuses. It seems like they put more thought behind their excuses than they do their business ideas.

 

 

School, money, time, responsibilities, family, activities, and all other excuses are just obstacles. You can’t expect to find time, you have to make time if you really want to become an entrepreneur.

 

 

How To Overcome: Instead of making excuses, take action. You can prolong your business ideas as much as you want, but tomorrow will still have similar barriers. 

 

3. You Keep Asking People To Read Over Your Business Plan

 

I’m going to say this publicly, business plans don’t mean shit. They’re an overrated document hyped up by colleges so that they have something to teach you about at business school. I’ve never written a formal business plan in the last 4 years.

 

 

If you’re putting your ideas into writing hoping for someone to read over it, you’re a wantrepreneur. Your business plan just like your idea doesn’t mean shit until it’s put into action. See the common theme? You have to take action to be an entrepreneur.

 

 

How To Overcome: Stop pestering people about your business plan because it’s just a waste of paper. Certain parts of a business plan are good for organizing your thoughts, but they should be for your use only.

 

 

4. You Goal List Has Nothing Crossed Off

 

New Years resolutions are the funniest things. Most people make an amazing list of goals and resolutions only to forget about them by the middle of January. Just because you set goals doesn’t mean you’re an entrepreneur.

 

 

If you have a large list of goals that aren’t getting done, you aren’t progressing forward. You must be getting ahead in order to progress in life. Entrepreneurs make goals and crush them!

 

 

How To Overcome: Don’t set goals unless you plan to actually get them done. Get friends and family to hold you accountable with consequences if you don’t accomplish your goals.

 

 

5. You’ll Do Anything But Sell 

 

There is another type of wantrepreneur that actually innovates and builds things out, but refuses to get sales. We call this person the wantrepreneur because they’re purely an innovator and not an entrepreneur.

 

 

Entrepreneur’s make business decisions to fuel their innovations. Sales is tough, but it’s the foundation of your companies success. You cannot avoid doing sales if you truly want to become an entrepreneur.

 

 

How To Overcome: There is nothing wrong with not enjoying sales. If you don’t like it, you can find other smart people to take over the business side of your company and generate the sales that you need. 

 

 

Conclusion

 

This article isn’t about putting people down, but rather about to help them discover that they’re a wantrepreneur. You must know what’s holding you back before you can propel yourself forward.

 

 

 

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