Category: Entrepreneurship

How To Achieve Financial Freedom In Less Than 10 Years

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

Photo Credit 401 (K) 2012.

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

1. Turn Yourself Into A Brand

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

2. Diversify Quickly 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

3. Stop Saving, Start Investing

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

4. Stop Exchanging Time For Money

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

5. Learn To Say No

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

6. Commit To Your Goals/Success

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

7. Educate Yourself

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

8. Network Like Hell

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

9. Take Calculated Risks

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

10. Hard Work Will Compensate Your Mistakes

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

11. Spend Less Than You Earn

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

12. Patience Pays 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Conclusion

 

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

 

How To Network With Investors

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Social Networking

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Conferences 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Follow Their Blogs

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Have Friends Help You

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Be Human

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Walk A Mile In Their Shoes

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Be Different

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Conclusion

 

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

 

 

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How To Set Goals & Crush Them

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Put Money On It

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Find Your Weaknesses

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Think About The Why

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Reward Yourself

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Let Someone Hold You Accountable

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Conclusion

 

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

 

 

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5 Poker Lessons That Apply To Entrepreneurship

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

1. Don’t Get Caught Bluffing

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

2. Shut Up & Listen

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

4. You Have To Know When To Fold

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

5. Sometimes The Odds Beat You

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Conclusion

 

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

 

 

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5 Experiences That Led Me To Entrepreneurship

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

1. Meeting a young millionaire at the Target parking lot

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

2. Getting jobs that pissed me off

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

3. Studying the wealthy 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

4. Watching money tear up relationships 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

5. Finding others who started young

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Conclusion

 

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

 

 

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5 Harsh Truths About Entrepreneurship

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

1. There is no such thing as a paycheck

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

2. Your social life will suffer

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

4. You’re going to fail 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

5. You’re going to have to do it all 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Conclusion

 

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

 

 

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How To Take Over A New Market: Jay Z Style

In this blog article, I share a piece on how to take over a new market: Jay-Z style. Jay-Z came to the sports agency world and took it by storm, which is something anyone can do in a new industry.

 

Lately, all the buzz in the sports world has been about Jay Z. He has started a new sports agency, Roc Nation, which has made quite a splash in the sports world.

 

 

After signing Robinson Cano, one of the biggest baseball superstars in the game right now, Jay Z and company made many crucial signings for their agency.

 

 

Roc Nation sports was founded in early 2013. From there, Jay Z & company have been able to sign the following superstars:

 

 

– Kevin Durant

 

– Robinson Cano

 

– Victor Cruz

 

– Geno Smith

 

– Skylar Diggins

 

 

That’s quite an impressive entrance to a new market if you ask me. In this blog article, I’m going to talk about how to take over a new market: Jay Z style.

 

 

Create a brand people can’t say “NO” to

 

Jay Z has one of the biggest brands in the world. Compared to the other sports agents in the industry, his background and brand left others in the dust.

 

 

If you’re trying to conquer a new market fast, you need to build up your credibility. By having credibility and a brand around you, people are more open to buy into what you have in the early stages.

 

Remember, people buy into you more than they buy into the product or service that you’re offering. 

 

 

 

Leverage your connections

 

Jay Z didn’t just wake up one morning and build relationships with all these superstars. The music industry and sports industry connect very closely with one another. Jay Z built relationships with these athletes years before he ever created his sports agency.

 

 

When entering a new market, you must plan & prepare very carefully. Start building connections in the industry long before you get started. Not only that, but you should partner up with people that know the industry well enough.

 

 

Put the competition on blast 

 

Jay Z stepped into the sports agency world and immediately put his competitors on blast. He said that the other agents were lazy and did half-assed work that didn’t always look out for the best interest of their clients.

 

 

Athletes would be getting the same experience by going with the other agents instead of Jay Z. By saying this, Jay Z exposed a problem of his competitors that he was solving. He quickly began delivering his value proposition that made many athletes intrigued by his offerings.

 

 

If you want to take over a new market quickly, you have to separate yourself from the competitors quickly. Give your customers a reason to choose you over the competitors who’ve been there for years.

 

 

Hustle your ass off 

 

Jay Z is one of the hardest working individuals in the business and that is why we has been able to take over this market so well. You can’t just jump into a new market and expect things to fall in your lap.

 

 

You have to get up and take what you want. Jay Z hustled to get meetings with athletes who were looking re-negotiate contracts with their existing sports agents. He wooed them by creating amazing sales pitches and using himself as a negotiation piece.

 

 

If you’re entering a new market, you have to do something to get known. Create unique sales pitches that your competitors don’t use (even if it’s more costly at first). People buy because they have a great experience during the selling process.

 

 

Conclusion

 

As you can see, Jay Z did ample things to slowly begin his take-over in the sports agency world. These are a few tips you can learn from Jay Z to take over a new market.

 

 

 

How To Raise A Kid Entrepreneur

In this article, I’m going to share 5 things parents can do to raise kid entrepreneurs. In how to raise a kid entrepreneur, you will learn ideas to foster entrepreneurship at your house.

 

As I grew up, I never realized that my parents raised me to be an entrepreneur. At times, I was frustrated and frowned upon some of the ways that my parents raised me.

 

 

Looking back now, I’m extremely happy about the way they raised me because it allowed me to dive into entrepreneurship a lot earlier than I probably would have. As a parent, there are many different things that you can do to foster entrepreneurship.

 

 

In this article, I’m going to discuss how to raise a kid entrepreneur:

 

 

1. Encourage Problem Solving

 

Entrepreneurs all solve problems in some way. As a parent fostering entrepreneurship, you should promote your children to solve problems as much as they can.

 

 

Challenge your children to solve problems from an early age. Ask them to solve everyday problems they face or to increase their problem solving skills by participating in various activities.

 

 

2. Give Them Creative Freedom

 

Entrepreneurs have two very important assets that enable them to be successful. They have a broad imagination that allows them to be creative and they have the freedom to implement their creativity.

 

 

As a parent, you have to give your children the creative freedom necessary to brainstorm and have fun. By doing this, your children will begin to implement new ideas from a young age which will eventually translate into something spectacular later on.

 

 

3. Don’t Give Your Kids Everything

 

I know many parents out there love spoiling their kids, but that’s not the best way to raise an entrepreneurial-minded kid. Instead, make your kids earn some of the luxuries they want in life.

 

 

By making a kid earn what they want, they will learn the value of a dollar at an early age. Growing up, I wasn’t given everything that I wanted which really unleashed the hustler in me.

 

 

4. Invest In Your Kids

 

If your kids do begin to show signs of promise in entrepreneurship, you should really invest in them. Whether it’s money or time, your kid can benefit greatly by seeing that his/her parents support their entrepreneurial drive.

 

 

By investing in your kids and supporting their plans, you will give them the motivation to continue building.

 

 

5. Lead By Example

 

Often times, people fall into entrepreneurship when their role models (the parents) are also entrepreneurs. If you want your kids to be entrepreneurs, give them an inside look into your life.

 

 

Show them how a business works, why you’re an entrepreneur, and help them discover their passions in life. By allowing your kids to learn more about you, they may see the value of being an entrepreneur and attempt to follow in your footsteps.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Sometimes individuals are just not meant to be entrepreneurs. While it’s great to foster these habits among your kid, you must also be very careful to allow your children to follow their passions in life.

 

 

photo credit: thejbird via photopin cc

5 Ways To Say “NO” Nicely

As entrepreneurs and business people, we get tons of opportunities, offers, and requests. In this article, I share 5 ways to say “NO” nicely to others.

 

Recently, I’ve jumped into the world of startup consulting/advising. It’s an extremely fun role and it gives me numerous opportunities to work with different startups in different industries.

 

 

When I first started off, I said yes to every startup that came my way. I quickly realized that this was a bad idea. Even though I wanted to help everyone, I really couldn’t.

 

 

My own businesses would suffer and the other startups wouldn’t get the ultimate value they deserved from me. I quickly had to learn to say “NO” without hurting other peoples feelings.

 

 

I realized that if I wanted to make the best decisions for myself and for others, I had to learn to say “NO” nicely. In this article, I share 5 ways to say “NO” nicely.

 

 

1. “I’d love to help, but my other time commitments just don’t allow me to at this time.” 

 

This was probably the number one reason why I couldn’t help out startups even though I really wanted to. I had other commitments to projects, startups, and my own businesses that really took up a lot of my time.

 

 

By saying it in this way, you express the fact that you would work with them only if you could. Let the other person know that your plate is full, but this person can make future requests to see if anything changes.

 

 

2. “I’m currently involved in XYZ, but it might better to re-connect at X time when I’m less tied up.” 

 

I’ve had to pass up consulting deals and many other opportunities by saying this same exact thing. While I wanted to take up new tasks and things to do, I simply couldn’t do it without going insane.

 

 

So, I decided to leave these opportunities open if people wanted to wait. I nicely let people know what’s keeping me extremely busy right now, when that commitment will end, and how I’d still be willing to help them after I’m done.

 

 

3. “I’m not the best person to help you with this. However, you can try XYZ or reach out to XYZ people.”

 

This is something I’ve had to say a lot of times. I’ve had people who have approached me with business opportunities in the alcohol industry before. I tell them that I’m not really the best person for this job since I’m not even 21 yet.

 

 

When I do say “NO” this way, I try to see if there is anything I can do to help these individuals out regardless. I’ll refer them to people I know or give them suggestions that shows that I care about their project, but just don’t feel like I’m the right fit.

 

 

4. “I appreciate the opportunity or request, but I’m not interested.”

 

As any business person or entrepreneur knows, many people are going to approach you at some point to join networking companies. I’ve received many of those requests and I’ve rejected all of those.

 

 

I don’t undermine their business model or anything, I simply just don’t like that route for myself. Whenever I get a request like this, I typically thank them for the opportunity but respectfully decline. The key to saying “NO” this way is to ensure that you don’t comment negatively towards what is being pitched.

 

 

5. “No, thank you.”

 

The easiest and most simple way to say “NO” is by doing it this way. All it takes is 3 words and it’s a polite way to decline an invite or opportunity to do something.

 

 

However, often times you will get people who will try to continue asking you or pushing you to say “YES” to them. The key to saying “NO” this way is to stay true to your answer and refuse to give into pressure.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Saying “NO” was a skill that took me a while to learn. I only figured out the art of saying “NO” once things started to get crazy for me. I highly recommend other entrepreneurs to also understand the value of saying “NO”.

 

 

photo credit: Daniel*1977 via photopin cc

A Day In The Life of Jeet Banerjee

In this blog article, I share what it’s like to live a day in the life of Jeet Banerjee. Due to popular request, I share my daily schedule with people!

 

So I’ve had quite a few requests to post an article sharing a day in my life or what my schedule looks like on a daily basis. Today, I finally decided to write on this topic.

 

 

So while most people have a fixed set of things to do on a daily basis, my schedule changes from day to day given the priorities I have. However, I’m going to share with you typically what a day in my life looks like.

 

 

I Live, Sleep, and Breath Around My Businesses

 

Many people notice that I’m a consultant, author, public speaker, startup consultant/adviser, and investor and really get confused about where I spend my time the most.

 

 

However, for me it’s really simple. My business ventures always come first. I’m usually doing everything that revolves around my business venture and thus most of my day is taken up working towards my business.

 

 

With that in mind, below I’m going to share with you a detailed entry of what a day in my life looks like. Beware: My days change dramatically so this is the best example of a typical day in my life.

 

 

Life as Jeet Banerjee

 

6:45 AM: Rise & Grind – I groggily open up my eyes and wake up to a whiteboard full of goals and things to do. Before I even get out of bed, I grab my cellphone and begin checking my emails (usually have 200+ emails when I wake up every morning). I also grab my laptop and sit in bed for 45 minutes emailing people back, checking social media updates, and preparing for the day ahead of me.

 

7:30 AM: The 2 Foot Walk – I literally take two steps from my bed to my desk. I hop onto my desk and continue working. Typically, I write my blog articles around this time or take care of some work that is not related to my business at all. Usually this work revolves around some of the startups I consult, my personal brand, or anything else that may come up.

 

8:30 AM: Time To Get Dolled Up – This is my queue to get up and get out of bed. I take a shower, grab a small bite to eat, and head out for the office.

 

9:15 AM: Communicate With The World – I usually make it into the office by now. From there, I typically jump into meetings with my team or business meetings on the phone with other companies that can somehow benefit my businesses. These meetings usually range and last about 1-2 hours.

 

11:00 AM: Team Meetings – The team and I usually get together and really figure out what goals we want to accomplish by the end of the day. Each day is different, but it somehow ties into the common vision of our businesses. We work on things that need to get done or will help us continue pushing forward towards our goals.

 

12:30 PM: Nom, Nom, Nom – It’s lunchtime! My team & I head out for lunch – we value our meals together highly so we typically find a real nice place to eat.

 

1:30 PM: Communicate With The World – From there, it’s back to the grind. Typically, I jump into more phone calls & meetings that are for my business. These meetings can range from a wide variety of things depending on who’s calling and what’s required.

 

3:00 PM: Attempt #1 For Inbox Zero  – It’s time to get back to the desk and start working. I go through my email box one more time as I’ve probably piled up quite a few emails throughout the day so I spend that time replying to it. I also reply to social media posts, etc.

 

3:30 PM: Family Time – This is the part of the day where I really get engaged with the other key members of our team. I work with interns, employees, developers, and other partners to continue getting things done that will help our business move forward.

 

 

4:30 PM: Fun & Games – The day is usually wrapping up for other people around this time, but it’s just a checkpoint for us. We usually take a little break by playing some ping pong, shooting some hoops in a trashcan, etc.

 

 

5:00 PM: Me Time – I wrap up any other work that is left for my businesses at this point and typically start preparing for other things I plan to get done for the day that are outside of my businesses.

 

 

5:30 PM: Communicate With The World – I usually take phone calls/meetings about other non-business related things, do work for my personal brand, consult/advise with startups, write guest blogs, etc.

 

 

7:00 PM: Attempt #2 At Inbox Zero – I get back to the computer to check my emails and social media updates one more time. This is a never-ending process for me just because I get so many emails, sometimes more than I can handle.

 

7:30 PM: Work Hard, Play Hard – I wrap up the final things I need to get done. From there, I usually head out with my business partner to a night of fun. We’ll typically go out and spend some time with friends and just escape the business world for a few hours since we’ve worked almost 12 hours.

 

11:00 PM: Attempt At Inbox Zero #3 – Check back in to my house. I usually get back on the computer one last time for the night to check my emails and get as caught up as possible so the next morning isn’t as bad. I’ll also do a little bit of work that may carry over from the day at this time.

 

11:30 PM: See What’s Happening In The World – I use this time to either read, look up news in the world, or to catch up on all the sports action I missed.

 

12:15 AM: Beauty Sleep – I’m finally in bed and ready to call it a night!

 

 

Conclusion

 

As mentioned above, my days vary heavily each day which isn’t always a good thing. However, this is what a typical day in the life of Jeet Banerjee looks like!