Category: Entrepreneurship

What I Learned From Cold Calling 300 People Out of a Directory

Entrepreneurs have to hustle at all costs. Yesterday, the hustle got real. Here’s what I learned from cold calling 300 people out of a directory selling my products and services.

 

Many people think the art of cold calling is dead. I still think cold calling is alive, but there are just a lack of people willing to give it a shot.

 

 

When the hustle gets serious enough in entrepreneurship, you should try cold calling. Cold calling is an easy way to test your market, validate a product, and generate sales for your business.

 

 

Yesterday, I picked up the yellow pages and started calling random individuals who I felt would be prospective customers for my product.

 

 

This was the first time I had really ever cold called a mass group of people, but I learned a lot from the experience. Here’s what I learned from cold calling 300 people out of a directory:

 

 

1. Write Your Pitch Down

 

Before I began pitching, I took some time to craft a well-writen pitch. Every time I picked up the phone, I had my pitch sitting right in front of me to limit any mistakes I could be making.

 

 

If you write your pitch down, you’re much more organized and calm on the phone. Being organized and prepared are extremely important to successfully cold call.

 

 

2. They Just Hang Up…..

 

If people weren’t into my pitch or the product I was selling, they would simply hang up. It’s really not as bad as people think!

 

 

The worst thing someone can do is just hang up on the phone or say a few mean words. Once I realized that, I was far more confident.

 

 

3. Don’t Stop Calling

 

I got a lot of voicemails when I started, but that didn’t stop me from continuing. I left voicemails and kept calling. I spent over 4 hours cold calling person after person through the directory.

 

 

Cold calling is truly a numbers game. The more numbers you call, the higher chances of conversion you have for your product or service. Never stop calling!

 

 

4. Experiment 

 

Test and experiment pitches with different people. See which pitches have the highest success rates and which ones don’t.

 

 

Once you figure that out, you can consistently use one pitch that you know has the best chance of working.

 

 

5. Analyze Your Audience 

 

I quickly found out that a certain ethnic group wasn’t going for the product. I was also able to isolate an ethnic group that was far more interested in the product and decided to focus on them.

 

 

Before cold calling, it’s very important to analyze who you’re calling and how they’re reacting. If you can figure out a more targeted audience to call, your closure rate dramatically increases.

 

 

Conclusion

 

No matter what anyone says, cold calling is not dead! It just takes the right mindset and attitude to successfully cold call individuals. Share your best tips for cold calling success below.

 

 

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How to Hack Time and Get More Out of Your Days

Are you always pressed against time? Don’t worry, that’s a common feeling most people have. Entrepreneurs especially see time fly right by. How many of you have looked at the time and said, “I wish there were more hours in a day.” I used to say that all the time! In this blog article, I’m going to share with you how to hack time and get more out of your days.

 

Are you always pressed against time? Don’t worry, that’s a common feeling most people have. Entrepreneurs especially see time fly right by.

 

 

How many of you have looked at the time and said, “I wish there were more hours in a day.” I used to say that all the time!

 

 

In this blog article, I’m going to share with you how to hack time and get more out of your days.

 

 

1. Some “You” Time 

 

Each day, you need to keep some time open for things you like to do. Whether it’s a hobby, going to the gym, or going out and getting drinks with friends, set aside some time each day for yourself.

 

 

When you have some time for relaxing or fun each day, it’s a lot easier to work harder and faster.

 

 

2. Learn To Say “No”

 

Productive people know when to say no. If you have lots of things to do and people are trying to pile more tasks on your desk, you need to step up and say NO.

 

 

You know how much work you can handle and how you manage your time. It might not be easy to say no, but it can make the biggest difference on how productive your days are.

 

 

3. Start With The Tedious Stuff First

 

Mornings are when you are the most refreshed. Instead of saving the things you hate for the end, start with the tough stuff first.

 

 

Not only will you be able to do a better job on it, but you’ll be able to look forward to something you may enjoy doing. Productivity has a direct correlation with your attitude. Always find ways to increase positivity so that you can increase your productivity.

 

 

4. Work Smarter, Not Harder

 

Are the things you’re doing everyday worth your time? Is this someone else can do? Does this really need your attention?

 

 

These are some very crucial questions that you should be asking yourself. You always want to work smarter, not harder. When I say that, I mean that you should be doing the work that really requires your expertise and knowledge and hire assistants or others who can manage the things that really don’t need much skills and insight.

 

 

5. Value Your Time

 

How much is your time worth? Can you delegate some tasks to other people so that your net income increases?

 

 

If your time is worth $100 an hour, it would clearly be a poor choice to mow your lawn or clean your house. Instead of doing that work yourself, you can hire someone to mow your lawn and clean your house while you are able to focus on the tasks that make you more money.

 

 

6. Stop Trying To Do It All

 

If you have a bunch of tasks to do, focus on one item at a time. Multi-tasking can be disastrous and usually ends up taking more of your time.

 

 

Get one thing done at a time before moving to the next. You will be far more productive because your work will be solid and you will probably end up finishing a lot quicker anyway.

 

 

7. Maximize Your Meetings

 

A lot of time is spent on phone calls and meetings talking about nothing. An easy way to save more time and get done with meetings quicker is to get to the point.

 

 

Every meeting has an agenda and the quicker you get to it, the quicker you get to leave. Meetings and phone calls can take up a large portion of your day so it’s extremely crucial that you maximize your time during those moments.

 

 

8. Wake Up Early

 

Instead of staying up late to finish work, try waking up early. You’re the most productive in the mornings and that’s typically the time when most other people in the world are awake as well.

 

 

The difference between waking up at 8 AM and 6 AM is unbelievable. Those extra 2 hours can help you get done more than you can ever imagine.

 

 

9. Automate Things

 

Are there things that you’re doing everyday? If so, find a way to automate things that always require your attention. For example: If you always have to submit reports to your team, find a way to automate those reports.

 

 

10. Stay Organized

 

Searching for things can take up a lot of your time. It may take a few minutes extra to stay organized, but you’ll be glad you did it.

 

 

Many people waste a ton of time because they are unorganized. Personally, I’ve lost many hours due to a lack of organization in my office.

 

 

Conclusion 

 

Increasing productivity in your daily life takes a lot of practice and hard work. However, with the right amount of patient and practice, you can eventually get the most out of your days!

 

 

photo credit: Βethan via photopin cc

My Narrow Escape From a Life of Corporate Hell

Growing up, I had big dreams of what I wanted to be once I had grown up. I wanted to be a professional basketball player, computer engineer, lawyer, and a corporate employee. When it all came down to it, I chose to be a corporate employee. I will share with you how I barely escaped a life of Corporate America.

 

As a little kid, I had big dreams of what I wanted to be once I had grown up. I wanted to be a professional basketball player, computer engineer, lawyer, and a corporate employee.

 

 

Basketball didn’t work out since I was too short and skinny. Computer engineer sounded good on paper, but was way too tedious for me. Law still is one of my passions, but I could never make it out alive through all the school.

 

 

All that was left on the table was a profession as a corporate employee. Funny thing is, even after starting my first company, I was still poised for a path that would see me working for a big corporation.

 

 

Why I Wanted To Be A Corporate Employee

 

After all my other possible career professions seemingly didn’t work out, I decided I would attend business school and do whatever it took to get a high position job in a well-known corporation.

 

 

I wanted to be a corporate employee because business degrees didn’t require much school, corporate employees got flashy titles, and I thought they made decent money.

 

 

It was only after a year of pursuing entrepreneurship that I realized I would be setting myself up for a life of drudgery by pursuing a corporate job.

 

 

Why I Changed My Mind

 

Once I became an entrepreneur, the world around me opened up. I finally understood why people were as wealthy and successful as they were.

 

 

I became an entrepreneur at the age of 17 when I launched my first business. I didn’t know much about entrepreneurship at the time, but I was balancing high school classes and clients.

 

 

I quickly fell in love with creating and operating a business. I was able to grow my business to over 15 virtual employees and did upwards of $80,000 in revenue in my first year. For a high school senior just starting his first business, those numbers were great for me.

 

 

As I was graduating, I quickly began questioning the path I was taking in life. I was attending business school hoping to working at a company like Microsoft or a JP Morgan.

 

 

But why?

 

 

The Mind Shift

 

I began coming across tons of successful individuals. None of these people said they worked for a company or held a small position in a large business.

 

 

They all built fascinating technology, multi-million dollar businesses, top rated mobile apps, and other types of businesses. I quickly began watching this grow into a trend.

 

 

The most talented individuals would never make more than a yearly salary working at a corporate job. Their skills wouldn’t shine bright, they would just be another cog in the system.

 

 

On their own, these individuals were making millions of dollars from their own business. At a corporate job, they would have been lucky to make anything more than $80,000 a year.

 

 

Only the people at the top thrive in corporations. Whether you build your own business or work for one, you will quickly see that only a select few thrive at the top.

 

 

In the entrepreneurial community, there’s a saying that goes a little like, “Always hire people who are better than you.” 

 

 

This is exactly the model the big corporations take. They benefit tremendously by picking up talented individuals and offering them a salary.

 

 

They limit the competition that they could possibly be exposing themselves too and add another piece to their company. That piece can increase their profits or revenue by millions of dollars, but he/she would still get the same salary at the end of the month.

 

 

I quickly realized that corporate jobs have no meaning. What are you really working for in a corporate job? There is no passion, excitement, or reason for you to succeed.

 

 

You’re just another puzzle piece filling the holes necessary. You’re easily replaceable, undervalued, and underpaid. I could have wasted my whole life by accepting a 9 to 5, but I wouldn’t do that job justice.

 

 

I refuse to work for something where my talent and skills aren’t appreciated.

 

 

I refuse to work for just a paycheck.

 

 

I refuse to do work that isn’t passionate or meaningful.

 

 

I refuse to be another piece of the puzzle.

 

 

The Leap To Entrepreneurship

 

Entrepreneurship is truly my savior. I’m glad I found it at a young age so that I didn’t have to suffer through the treachery of a corporate job like many entrepreneurs have.

 

 

I got a job at the age of 15 working at my Dad’s company. I truly understood why working a job can be so bad. My job had decent pay and wasn’t tough, but I just hated everything about the idea of a job.

 

 

It took me 2 years of struggling to finally quit, but quitting was the best decision I have ever made. After I jumped into entrepreneurship, I haven’t looked back.

 

 

When I wake up in the morning, I open my computer up and everything I’m building is mine. I’m not a puzzle piece or some cog in the system.

 

 

Every day I am working on things that I am passionate about. I have a reason to get up early in the morning, work when I’m sick, and not take vacations.

 

 

It’s because everything I do, I do it for my OWN business and for my OWN beliefs. The harder I work, the more I make. The better I use my skills and talents, the more it benefits my business.

 

 

In a corporate job, I would take all my sick days, run at the opportunity of a vacation, and have a tough time waking up each morning. At the end of the day, who wants to be just another robot?

 

 

Conclusion

 

Thankfully, I have been able to escape a life of corporate hell. If you are on the fence about entrepreneurship or a corporate job, I highly recommend reaching out to me. I will be happy to share my thoughts and opinions on this topic even further.

 

 

photo credit: Ciorra Photography via photopin cc

3 Rules For Sales Success In A Startup

As a startup, sales is everything. It defines whether or not you have a market for your business and it gets your business off the ground. In this article, I will share 3 rules for sales success in a startup.

 

As a startup, sales is everything. It defines whether or not you have a market for your business and it gets you off the ground.

 

 

Getting sales as a startup is probably the most challenging thing you will ever go through. It takes a lot of hustle and determination to make things happen in the early-going.

 

 

The biggest challenge for all of my startups has been validating my product through customer acquisition and selling products. After months of struggling, I made huge breakthroughs by learning a few key rules of startup sales.

 

 

In this article, I will share 3 rules for sales success in a startup.

 

 

1. Stop Selling, Start Educating

 

It’s amazing how much of a difference it made once I stopped ‘selling’ people. Selling is the act of jazzing up and pitching your product to others.

 

 

Educating is explaining a problem or necessity and fulfilling that by sharing a product or service that you offer. When doing startup sales, your goal is to teach people about the need of your product (not sell them on it).

 

 

Once you teach people that they need your product (assuming you do a good job), they will come to your door asking for it. I’ll share an example with you below:

 

 

For StatFuse, we offer a virtual platform that helps students and parents with college admissions. Instead of talking about our product initially, here’s what our pitch traditionally looks like:

 

 

“With college admissions more competitive than ever, public schools really don’t have very many resources available to students. Parents really need to know that their kids are getting zero to no help from their counselors. Generally, 1 counselor is responsible for the academic guidance of 500-600 students. There just isn’t enough time and help available for students and parents from the schools anymore.”

 

 

If you look at the pitch above, I never mention anything about StatFuse or what our product does. I simply explain the problem that students are dealing with to parents and let them decide whether or not they agree.

 

 

Typically a response to something like this is, “Oh no! That’s awful to hear, is there anything we can do for our kids to avoid this?”

 

 

This is generally when I jump in and share what my product can do for them. The key point to get out of this is that you can only sell something to someone who is educated about the need of your product/service.

 

 

It starts with educating the person. Once that happens, you can share what you have to sell once they truly understand the issue or problem that they are facing.

 

 

2. Don’t Build It If You’re Scared To Share It

 

If you’re scared of telling people about the awesome products you’re building, you shouldn’t build it. While building a product is important, telling people about it is just as important.

 

 

Many startups can’t sell their product because they make 2 mistakes:

 

 

A. They are scared to tell people about it.

 

 

B. They don’t know how to tell people about it.

 

 

Whatever the reason is, you have to find a solution to your own problems to find sales success within your startup. If you’re scared to tell people about it, you have to either get over your fear or find a ‘business’ person to join your startup to help you out.

 

 

If you don’t know how to tell people about it and don’t have a lot of money to do so, you have to hustle. Hustling isn’t always the most attractive method of sales, but it’s the only way to get traction for your idea.

 

 

Hustling can mean cold calling, guerrilla marketing, and just about any other method of sales that requires you to get your hands dirty. Whatever the method, it’s extremely crucial to step up and share your products.

 

 

3. If You Don’t Know How It Happened, It Doesn’t Matter

 

Startup sales is all about creating a sales process and learning from it. During this period, you need to measure everything you do. Data is truly king at this stage and you need to get all this information:

 

 

– Who are my customers? Know everything about your customer, who they are, what they do, and how you can approach them.

 

 

– Successful methods of acquiring customers. If someone gives you $500, how many customers can you get? Where will they come from? How long will they take? How much resources will you have to utilize?

 

 

– How can you scale this model of customer acquisition? Is it cost-effective? Is it something that will last for a long time to come? Is this a business or just a product?

 

 

The only way you can answer these questions is by tracking everything that happens within your startup from a sales side. You need to have data and analytics on everything you do.

 

 

Conclusion

 

These 3 steps alone is not enough to give you sales success. However, these tips and strategies will greatly help you achieve the sales goals you have for your startup.

 

 

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The Secret To Massive Influence

When you think of influential people, who comes to mind? Are they gurus in your industries? Are they icons in their respective sports? Are they highly powerful individuals running countries or organizations?

Regardless of who you consider as an influential person, the power of influence does not come easy. In this blog article, I will share the secret to massive influence.

 

When you think of influential people, who comes to mind? Are they gurus in your industries? Are they icons in their respective sports? Are they highly powerful individuals running countries or organizations?

 

 

Regardless of who you consider as an influential person, the power of influence does not come easy. In this blog article, I will share the secret to massive influence.

 

 

It’s Never About You

 

Influencers never make anything about themselves. It’s always about pleasing others and making others feel invincible.

 

 

Some of the greatest motivational speakers come into a room and suddenly make everyone in the room feel like all-stars. Give them 5 minutes and you will see a room full of people jumping in joy.

 

 

How does this happen? What does this influential person have that others do NOT have?

 

 

Bring Out The Best In Others


Influential people have this uncanny ability of bringing out the best in others. Whether you’re working at an $8/hour job or a millionaire, influential people do not care.

 

 

They will find one common trait of greatness among the both of you no matter what. Influencing people really starts with making feel people good.

 

 

There are celebrities out there that are loved by the people and others who are hated. The celebrities who are loved, live life thinking they are better than nobody. The celebrities who are hated often do things to put themselves on a higher pedestal than others.

 

 

The first step to massive influence is to know how to genuinely make people feel good. Care about people regardless of where they come from or who they are. Here are things influential people do to others:

 

 

– Remember people’s name.

 

– Show a genuine interest in what someone else does and how they do it.

 

– Listen.

 

– Make people feel important and useful.

 

– Help people.

 

 

Influence goes a long way. If you want to be influential, you have to forget about being influential. Focus on what you can do to help others.

 

 

If you can have someone smiling after having a conversation with you, they will remember you. Influential people are not individuals who do great things, they are individuals who make others feel good.

 

 

If you make someone feel good once, they will come back to you. You have created influence and a system of loyalty.

 

 

When you bring out the best in people, people tend to listen a lot more carefully to everything you have to say!

 

 

Conclusion 

 

With great influence, comes great responsibility. For those of you interested in increasing your influence, PLEASE REMEMBER that these techniques are not to be misused. Always be honest with all your dealings.

 

 

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5 Tips To Stand Out As A Young Entrepreneur

Being a young entrepreneur comes with many challenges. In a world crowded with experienced professionals, young entrepreneurs have a hard time standing out. As a young entrepreneur, I have had a lot of trouble standing out as a young entrepreneur. It took a lot of hard work and strategizing to separate myself from the crowd. In this blog article, I will discuss 5 tips to stand out as a young entrepreneur.

 

Being a young entrepreneur comes with many challenges. In a world crowded with experienced professionals, young entrepreneurs have a hard time standing out.

 

 

As a young entrepreneur, I had a lot of trouble standing out when I got started. It took a lot of hard work and strategizing to separate myself from the crowd.

 

 

In this blog article, I will discuss 5 tips to stand out as a young entrepreneur.

 

 

1. Establish Yourself As An Expert

 

Regardless of what industry you are in, you must establish yourself as an expert. When people look at you as an expert, your level of credibility goes up and you have something to fight the competition with.

 

 

Competitors usually have lots of experience and a large portfolio of work they can showcase. However, many of them have not established themselves as an expert in their industry.

 

 

There are many ways to establish yourself as an expert. You can write a book, guide, or pamphlet filled with tips and advice for your customers. You can even sign up for sites like HARO or PitchRate and present yourself as an expert to journalists and media outlets.

 

 

Anything that showcases your extensive knowledge base is a great way to start. As long as your customers can see some credibility behind what you say, your chances of standing out will dramatically increase.

 

 

2. Stay Professional At All Times

 

Many young entrepreneurs have a tough time staying professional and let their emotions get to them. Business and emotions never mix!

 

 

As a young entrepreneur, you will work with tons of customers and clients. They often pass on the opportunity to work with young entrepreneurs because they want to avoid the unnecessary drama.

 

 

In tense situations, young entrepreneurs must always keep their composure and stay professional with clients and customers. Never lose your temper or control.

 

 

3. Develop A Presence Online

 

As young entrepreneurs, we need to leverage ‘new’ technology to our advantages. Young entrepreneurs have to develop a strong online presence through social media, search engines, and blogging.

 

 

9/10 people google the name of a person before working with them. When people Google your name, they expect to see nothing bad. Not only that, but they expect to see some good.

 

 

If you can build a social media presence, write a blog, and get your name out there on the search engines in a positive light, it will greatly help your chances.

 

 

4. Go Above And Beyond Expectations

 

When customers or clients hire you, they have a set of expectations. While most professionals manage to fulfill those expectations, very few of them are actually able to exceed them.

 

 

As a young entrepreneur, great work goes a long way. If you are able to provide services and products that exceed customer expectations, you may open up a lot of doors.

 

 

Great work leads to customer loyalty, referrals, and even positive reviews. As a young entrepreneur, you only need 1 person to take a chance on you. If they love what you do, they can open you up to a huge network of people.

 

 

5. Be Everywhere 

 

When I first started out as an entrepreneur, I knew it wouldn’t be easy acquiring customers. I knew I had to stand out, but the road to differentiating myself wasn’t easy.

 

 

One of the best ways I stood out as a young entrepreneur was through my ambition to succeed. Any time there was an industry-related event taking place in my area, I was always there. My constant appearance did 2 things:

 

 

1. It gave me the ability to impress people who could potentially be my customers and clients by giving me 1 on 1 time with them.

 

 

2. People remembered who I was and what I did. Being the only 17 year old at a mixer or conference had huge value for me. People not only remembered me, but they went above and beyond to find ways to help me.

 

 

Opportunity can strike at any point of time. By placing yourself everywhere, you begin to brand yourself. By branding yourself through repetition, you begin to stand out as a young entrepreneur and find more opportunities.

 

 

Conclusion 

 

Standing out as a young entrepreneur isn’t easy. However, it’s extremely worthwhile. Some of the most successful young entrepreneurs stood out early and have ridden that success with them decades letter.

 

 

photo credit: Philipp Lücke via photopin cc

So, You Want To Be An Entrepreneur?

So you think you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? This blog post will ask some tough questions that will test how ready you are to be an entrepreneur.

 

So you think you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? This blog post will ask some tough questions that will test how ready you are to be an entrepreneur.

 

 

Entrepreneurship is traditionally defined as the individual who pursues opportunity without regard to the resources currently controlled. That definition is vague and doesn’t even cover 1% of what entrepreneurship is about.

 

 

Here is the ultimate test to see if you’re ready to become an entrepreneur:

 

 

How risky are you willing to get?

 

Entrepreneurs take risks. Whether they are financial, physical, or career risks, they are generally big risks. Before you venture into entrepreneurship, you need to be willing to take risks as they come.

 

 

Do you have thick skin?

 

Entrepreneurship isn’t for people who are soft. You will get your ass kicked repeatedly. Entrepreneurs need thick skin to get past what people say. Not only that, but you need to accept the fact that you will not succeed immediately. Are you willing to bounce back until you do succeed?

 

 

Can you live without your lifestyle for a while?

 

Successful entrepreneurs have a great life. However, entrepreneurs who are still working towards their own success don’t have it so easy. Entrepreneurship is about putting in long hours, sleeping less, and doing whatever it takes to succeed. Chances are, you won’t be able to live the same lifestyle when you jump into entrepreneurship.

 

 

Forget about vacations……

 

Any entrepreneur looking to take a vacation in the early-going won’t get very far. Entrepreneurs cannot afford to take vacations especially when they are just starting out. Your one and only focus in life needs to be the business you are creating.

 

 

Is your significant other on board?

 

Entrepreneurs have to make stiff commitments to their projects. One thing that is often overlooked is how big of a commitment your significant other must give as well. Success doesn’t come easy. If your significant other isn’t on board with you starting a new business, you may seriously need to reconsider your options.

 

 

Are you just a honeymooner?

 

Honeymooner’s in business are individuals who love one aspect of a business. Most often, it’s creating the website or idea for your business. However, entrepreneurs need to be in love with every aspect of their business. If you just like one part of the business process, you may be better off joining another startup.

 

 

Can you go with the flow?

 

Entrepreneurs don’t often have the answer to every question. Entrepreneurs have the uncanny ability of worrying less and going with the flow. They are quick to understand when change is imminent, but they can also go forth without worrying about things.

 

 

Are you self-motivated?

 

Entrepreneurs need to be motivated by themselves. This isn’t a classroom setting where your teachers and peers will push you to get good grades. Life is your classroom and you are your own teacher. You need to motivate yourself and find ways to stay focused even when the going gets tough.

 

 

Can you work without a paycheck?

 

Entrepreneurs do not get paid by the hour. They do a ton of work and sometimes don’t get paid anything for it. As an entrepreneur, you have to be willing to accept the fact that you will no longer be getting paid a “fixed” salary and your success is dependent on you.

 

 

Do you work well with others?

 

Entrepreneurs have to work well with others. Whether it’s the team you bring on to execute your ideas or sales pitches to customers, you are constantly around people. Entrepreneurs are great with people and have the ability to leverage everything around them.

 

 

Conclusion

 

This blog article is not to scare people away from entrepreneurship, but rather identify the key components of becoming an entrepreneur. Remember, nothing worthwhile in life is ever easy.

 

 

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5 Things I Learned About Decision Making The Hard Way

As an entrepreneur, making decisions is something you will run across frequently. I quickly learned that successful entrepreneurs are great at making decisions. As I have gone through the different stages of entrepreneurship, I haven’t always been the best decision maker. The way you make decisions in entrepreneurship varies greatly from the way you make decisions in real life. Making the right decisions can save you tons of money, time, and even further your growth. Here are 5 things I learned about decision making the hard way.

 

As an entrepreneur, making decisions is something you will run across frequently. I quickly learned that successful entrepreneurs are great at making decisions.

 

 

As I have gone through the different stages of entrepreneurship, I haven’t always been the best decision maker. The way you make decisions in entrepreneurship varies greatly from the way you make decisions in real life.

 

 

Making the right decisions can save you tons of money, time, and even further your growth.  Here are 5 things I learned about decision making the hard way:

 

 

1. I’m Almost Always Wrong

 

When it’s time to make decisions, many entrepreneurs fall prey to the same mistakes I did. They have a big decision on their plate and they make the decision based on what they feel is best.

 

 

Every time I did that, I somehow ended up being WRONG. No matter what the decision may be, one person should NOT be making it.

 

 

If it’s decisions about what to price your product as or how to design your website, ask your customers (the people who matter). If it’s decisions about business operations; ask partners, employees, or other successful people who have experience.

 

 

2. Things Change Very Fast

 

Decision makers can never be fixated on one idea or decision. When I first started out, I was pretty stubborn. I often made decisions and said that I will stick with it no matter what.

 

 

However, things change really fast in entrepreneurship. The best decision makers are the ones who understand their decision is the best choice now, but may not be the best choice tomorrow.

 

 

Decision makers need to be willing to pivot very quickly. Making the right change at the right time can be the difference between success and failure.

 

 

3. Self-Sacrifice is Inevitable

 

Great decision makers never worry about how their decisions may affect them. As a decision maker, your job is to follow through with the choice that will have a positive impact on the majority.

 

 

While decision makers often take big hits from their decisions, great ones have always made the right choice. As a decision maker, be ready to sacrifice yourself for the greater good of others.

 

 

4. Data Rules All Decisions

 

Ask any successful business owner and they will tell you how important data is. Data is something every entrepreneur should be using when making decisions.

 

 

When I started off as an entrepreneur, I collected no data. My decisions were poor and they could be seen through the mediocre results I was getting.

 

 

After realizing how important data is to a business, I began collecting information about everything. It never hurts to have too much data when making decisions.

 

 

5. Have No Regrets

 

Making decisions is never an easy thing. The bigger the decision, the more scrutiny you will probably take. The biggest thing I’ve learned from decision making is to never regret your decision.

 

 

As long as you have enough logical information to make the decisions you make, you have nothing to regret. The biggest thing entrepreneurs must know about decision making is that you will make bad decisions from time to time.

 

 

Good decision makers make more good decisions than bad ones and that is truly how you can impact the success of your business.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Decision making has been a crucial part of my business and entrepreneurial success. As I continue to grow through entrepreneurship, I’m still learning many valuable lessons about decision making.

 

 

Do you have any tips or lessons you’ve learned about decision making? Feel free to share below by commenting.

 

 

photo credit: Photo Extremist via photopin cc

5 Success Stories Who Didn’t Let Their Youth Stop Them

As a young entrepreneur, it’s always good to hear stories about others who have succeed at a young age. It’s not only inspirational, but it gives us motivation to push forward with our goals. In this blog article, I will share 5 success stories who didn’t let their youth stop them from achieving greatness.

 

As a young entrepreneur, it’s always good to hear stories about others who have succeeded at a young age. It’s not only inspirational, but it gives us motivation to push forward with our goals.

 

 

In this blog article, I will share 5 success stories who didn’t let their youth stop them from achieving greatness:

 

 

1. Justin Bieber

 

Most people who know Justin Bieber either love him or hate him for their own reasons. Regardless of your taste of Justin, this kid accomplished a ton before he was even legal.

 

 

Ever since his career took off at the age of 14, Justin Bieber has been able to earn over $110 million. Currently 19, Justin Bieber is living the life thanks to hard work and the willingness to pursue his dreams even when he was very young.

 

 

2. Nick D’Aloisio 

 

This young entrepreneur developed a mobile app known as Summly that shortened articles as a 17 year old. This masterful entrepreneur was full of hustle and drive.

 

 

His hustle and drive lead him to do whatever it took (even spamming the mailboxes of reporters) to succeed. Huge investors such as Ashton Kutcher began to back this British entrepreneur and he recently sold his company to Yahoo.

 

 

He sold his mobile app to Yahoo for $30 million. It took this entrepreneur two years of serious hustling to cash out and get a job at Yahoo!

 

 

3. Mark Zuckerburg

 

Leaving Mark off this list would be a crime. This young entrepreneur is one of five co-founders of the social media giant, Facebook.

 

 

The whole social networking idea began in his Harvard college dorm room and it exploded to become the biggest social network the world has ever seen. When Facebook was founded in 2004, Mark Zuckerburg was only 21 years old.

 

 

Since then, Mark Zuckerburg has been able to take Facebook public. In addition to that, he’s one of the youngest billionaires in the United States.

 

 

4. Gurbaksh Chahal

 

Gurbaksh Chahah is a greatest inspiration for entrepreneurs out there. He grew up struggling with life as he was a target to bullies at school.

 

 

However, he decided to leave the hate he was getting at school and began pursuing entrepreneurship. He dropped out at 16 and it would only take him 9 years to achieve mass success.

 

 

By the time he turned 25, Gurbaksh had founded and sold two advertising companies for a total of $340 million.

 

 

5. Farrah Gray

 

Farrah Gray was born and raised in the projects. He had a tough life from an early age and he wanted to find a way to change his circumstances. He turned to entrepreneurship before he was a teenager and was extremely successful.

 

 

By the time he turned 14 years old, Farrah had already earned his first million dollars. I had the great opportunity of meeting Farrah Gray at a speaking event in Fresno earlier this year and he is an amazing individual.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Regardless of how old or young you may be, age is nothing but a number. Don’t let a small number on your ID stop you from achieving great things. These 5 individuals have shown that achieving greatness doesn’t require any specific age.

 

How To Wake Up Motivated Every Morning

As an entrepreneur or business owner, it’s not always easy to wake up motivated. Regardless of how passionate you may be about your project, everyone has mornings or rough patches. Here’s an article that will show you how to wake up motivated every morning using a few simple tips and tricks.

 

Even entrepreneurs, those who chase their dreams and enjoy their work have some mornings when motivation is hard to find. Rather than working unmotivated for the rest of the day, you should be figuring out how to motivate yourself.

 

 

In the last few years of being an entrepreneur, I almost always woke up motivated and excited. However, there were times when things just weren’t going all too well and motivation was hard to find each morning.

 

 

Instead of continuing to work unmotivated, I decided to figure out a successful method of waking up motivated every morning. After a bunch of different experiments, I finally came up with the solution on how to wake up motivated every morning.

 

 

1. Remind Yourself Why You Do What You Do

 

As entrepreneurs, we all have a deeper reason for why we do what we do. Often times, when we’re unmotivated and unenthusiastic, it’s easy to forget why we started.

 

 

I have a whiteboard in my room that has a quote explaining why I do what I do. Every morning, I see “Build a successful startup or die trying” on the whiteboard right in front of me.

 

 

This immediately reminds me why I’m doing what I’m doing and it helps me get out of bed really quick.

 

 

2. Put Your Goals Where You Can See Them

 

On the same whiteboard, I have a list of all my goals written out as well. That way, each morning I am reminded of what my work needs to accomplish.

 

 

It helps me stay motivated knowing that I have such high goals set for myself and that I cannot achieve them unless I work towards them. While motivation should come from the inside, sometimes it takes a little extra push to stay focused.

 

 

Write your goals out where you can see them clearly everyday. Share your goals with others so your friends and family can hold you accountable when you don’t reach your milestones.

 

 

3. Seek Out Motivation

 

One of the best ways to wake up motivated is to seek out motivation on your own. Every morning, I love to post a quote on my Facebook page that helps motivate me and others around me.

 

 

If you’re lacking motivation or need an extra push, look up motivational quotes that help you stay focused. If anything, it’s even great to look up your favorite quotes that act as a constant reminder to why you want to be successful.

 

 

4. Ask Family or Friends For Help

 

Entrepreneurs need a strong support system to succeed. If you lack motivation or need a pep talk, ask your family or friends for help.

 

 

Mom’s and Dad’s are really good people for this role. We are so used to them always pushing us to be our best that their words can have the strongest message.

 

 

If you’re ever feeling unmotivated, give your friends/family a call and talk about it with them. Help them inspire you back on the right track.

 

 

5. Go To Bed Satisfied

 

The way you feel before going to bed has a huge impact on how you feel when you wake up. Try to avoid calling it a night if you feel frustrated or down about something in your life.

 

 

When you wake up, often times your feelings don’t go away and it may cause for an unproductive morning. The way you work during the day also has a huge impact on your mood when you wake up the next morning.

 

 

If you work hard and feel satisfied with the results achieved, you will be far more driven and motivated the next day. Try to have as many good days as possible, so you can continue waking up motivated.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Waking up motivated every morning is hard regardless of how passionate about your project you may be. However, these simple tips and tricks can help you wake up more motivated each day. Here’s one of my favorite motivational videos ever:

 

 

 

 

photo credit: Βethan via photopin cc