Category: Uncategorized

6 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Write A Business Plan

Do you have a new business idea or startup? Instead of writing a business plan, you should be putting it into action. In this article, I will discuss 6 reasons why you shouldn’t write a business plan for your new startup or idea.

 

In recent months, I’ve taken an active role in the startup community. I’ve joined the board of numerous startups as consultants/advisers with hopes of guiding them to a more successful path.

 

 

The first thing almost every entrepreneur brings me is a business plan. These business plans have ranged from 1 to 85 pages. Some business plans did projections for 3 to 30 years while I even got a business plan that predicted an acquisition by Facebook.

 

 

I only look through these business plans for fun, but I never make a decision based off of the business plan. In fact, I tell entrepreneurs to throw their business plans away because you simply can’t build a startup based off of a document.

 

 

I used to write business plans when I first got started in business, but I quickly found out that they were a waste of time and have never written one since. In this article, I’m going to share 6 reasons why you shouldn’t write a business plan:

 

 

1. Investors Buy Into You & The Business

 

Investors could care less about a paper that claims how many millions you will make. I’ve had tons of friends who have raised funding, but I don’t know a single one who ever used their business plan once throughout the whole process.

 

 

They made presentations with important figures and executive summaries, but the business plan was never included. Investors could care less about what your papers say, they’re interested in seeing what your business can do.

 

 

2. Adapt or Die

 

Business plans make it very tough on entrepreneurs to adapt. Once you have a plan in writing, many startup founders argue about the direction that a business should take.

 

 

In business, you can adapt to what your customers or market demands otherwise you will die. It’s sad, but it’s the truth. Business plans can never predict what your customers or market will want in the future.

 

 

3. Spend That Time Doing Something More Valuable

 

On average, entrepreneurs have told me that they have spent around 40-50 man hours creating a business plan. To me, that is an EPIC waste of time!

 

 

Instead of spending all that time creating a business plan, you can utilize that time trying to prove your concept or doing something that will help your business now.

 

 

4. Business Plans Don’t Account For Emotions

 

Creating a successful business requires a team of individuals who are on the same page. Often times, startups struggle to have their team agree and believe in a common vision.

 

 

Emotions and attitudes play a huge role in whether or not you will be successful. The situations of people vary from time to time and this is something no business plan in the world can predict.

 

 

5. They Set Limitations For You Before You Begin

 

Often times, business plans dictate the success you have planned for yourself. If your projections are to make $1 million in 3 years, then your fixated on meeting that goal.

 

 

When you create a business, you shouldn’t have any limitations on how far and how fast you can grow. Instead of creating a quota that you have to meet, try to achieve as much as possible.

 

 

6. Speed To Market Is Essential 

 

If 2 people have the same startup idea and decide to launch a business, who will win? Is it the guy who writes his ideas down on paper or the guy who goes out and launches something to the market?

 

 

Most likely the guy who goes out and launches something to the market. From launching his startup, he will be quicker to market and will learn far more about his industry, customers, and idea than the guy who spends his time writing it all out.

 

 

Conclusion 

 

From my personal experiences, business plans haven’t been as important as they have been portrayed in the business world. Work on a business plan only when there’s a reason to do so!

 

 

photo credit: internetsense via photopin cc

10 Celebrities Passionate About Entrepreneurship

What do Victoria Beckham, Justin Timberlake, and Kanye West have in common? In this article, I will share 10 celebrities passionate about entrepreneurship that have been quite successful with their business ventures.

 

There are many celebrities out there who in recent years have shown a strong liking for entrepreneurship. Whether they have invested in others or started their own ventures, they are all passionate about entrepreneurship.

 

 

In this article, I will share 10 celebrities passionate about entrepreneurship:

 

 

1. Kanye West

 

 

With Yeezus coming to the world very soon, Kanye West is making quite a splash as of late. After calling himself the Steve Jobs of culture, it is evident that Kanye West is a genius marketeer.

 

 

On the entrepreneurial side, Kanye West has designed numerous fashion lines for companies like Nike and Louis Vuitton. In addition to that, he has bought the franchising rights in Chicago for Fat Burger and plans to open over 10 chains throughout the area.

 

 

2. Ashton Kutcher

 

Ashton Kutcher is currently one of the most successful celebrity investors and entrepreneurs. He is an adviser and investor for numerous internet and social media startups.

 

 

Ashton got in early in companies like Air BnB and Skype and cashed in big since these companies are worth over $1 billion. He continues to find more startups interested in investments and helps elevate them to the next level.

 

 

3. Justin Timberlake

 

Justin Timberlake is personally one of my favorite celebrities. He’s a successful actor, musician, entrepreneur, and investor.

 

 

The social network actor has done quite a bit of investing and entrepreneurial ventures himself. He has invested in a few mobile development platforms, applications, and companies. On the entrepreneurial side, he has launched his own record label, clothing line, and restaurant to name a few.

 

 

4. Jessica Alba

 

 

Jessica Alba hasn’t done much investing, but she did catch the entrepreneurial bug very recently. Instead of investing in other entrepreneurs, she decided to go all out and launch her own business.

 

 

Her newly launched business is called The Honest Company. They provide an array of products that are infant-safe, which is a topic she is extremely passionate about after having children of her own. In March, the company raised over $27 million in venture capital.

 

 

5. Will.i.am

 

Best known for being one of the founders of The Black Eyed Peas, Will.i.am is working on numerous projects that will be beneficial to the greater half of society.

 

 

In his latest project, he teams up with Bill Gates to bring coding to everyone. He’s working on a platform that will help kids as early as 8 years old learn to read and write code. His project can be seen at Code.org!

 

 

6. Lady Gaga

 

 

Lady Gaga has been revolutionizing the music industry with her unique styles and musical talents. She was the first artist to garner 1 billion YouTube views and continues to grow her “empire”.

 

 

Most recently, she has dived into entrepreneurship head on by launching perfume lines, headphones, comic books, and a cosmetic line. As crazy at it seems, she’s had a lot of success to date with her venture.

 

 

7. Jessica Simpson

 

 

Many people have forgotten about how big Jessica Simpson really was during the peak of her career. Even though she isn’t performing singles or on the screen as much, she’s found a way to keep herself busy.

 

 

Her clothing and beauty ventures have been extremely successful with reports saying she generated over $750 million of sales in 2010. Her empire consists of denim, swimsuits, maternity wear, fragrance lines, shoes, purses, and more.

 

 

 8. Robert De Niro

 

 

Many people say that Robert De Niro does not really fit the ‘entrepreneur’ profile so to speak. However, his actions definitely show otherwise.

 

 

Robert De Niro is the co-owner of the sushi giant Nobu, which has more than 24 locations across the world. He is also the co-owner of an Italian eatery and continues to grow his empire around his passion of restaurants.

 

 

9. Sandra Bullock

 

This one came as a real surprise to me! The natural funny-woman on television has a very high business acumen.

 

 

Sandra Bullock owns restaurants, bakeries, and flower shops in her hometown of Austin, Texas. She has also mentioned that she plans to add more businesses to her portfolio once she retires from the screen.

 

 

10. Victoria Beckham

 

 

Victoria Beckham is an international style icon and has done a lot to escape the shadow of her soccer superstar husband, David Beckham. Many people even remember her as one of the members of The Spice Girls, the popular British group from the 90’s.

 

 

On the entrepreneurial side, Victoria Beckham is working hard on her fashionable clothing line. Her fashion line has received praise from celebrities, large publications, and department stores.

 

 

Conclusion

 

While most celebrities are most notably known for their successes as actors/actresses, athletes and musicians, many of them have been just as successful launching businesses of their own.

 

Stop Doing These 7 Things Every Day

In this blog article, I share 7 things we must stop doing every day to be happier and more productive in our lives each day.

 

Habits are defined as tendencies that are hard to give up or break. We have good habits that we don’t need to give up and we also have bad habits that we need to break.

 

 

I myself have a fair share of bad habits that I’m constantly working on improving. Ever since diving into the world of entrepreneurship, I’ve learned a lot about business but I’ve also grown as a person.

 

 

This growth has come in many different forms. One of the best ways I’ve grown is that I’ve been able to break a lot of bad habits.

 

 

Stop doing these 7 things and you will find yourself more productive than ever before:

 

 

1. Being In Meetings All Day

 

When I got my first ever meeting, I was very excited. I walked into that meeting at 12 PM and walked out at 2:30 PM. Not only that, but it took me 1 hour to get there and 1 hour to get back to my house.

 

 

My first ever meeting took 4 hours and 30 minutes and led to nothing. That was one of the first lessons I learned about time management. Any time you take a meeting, make sure you let the other person know how long you want to spend. I try not to take any meetings longer than 1 hour.

 

 

2. Checking Your Phone While Someone Is Talking To You

 

With technology beeping all over the place, it’s really hard to stay focused on one thing or person. However, it’s extremely rude and disrespectful when someone looks at their phone or seems distracted amidst a conversation.

 

 

Unless it’s an emergency, you can live without your phone for 5 minutes. Learn the value of a good conversation and check your phone later. The other person will be grateful for your undivided attention.

 

 

3. Multitasking 

 

I used to be a huge fan of multitasking because it felt like I was getting a lot done. I would have a huge list of things to do so I thought if I did them all simultaneously, I’d be more efficient.

 

 

Boy, was I wrong! Multitasking actually made me spend more time completing everything while I made more mistakes because I wasn’t focused. Stop multitasking and focus on each task individually, even if you have a long list of things to do.

 

 

4. Say Yes Because You Have To 

 

How often do we get asked something by someone that we don’t really want to do? I know this happens to me very often. However, I’ve learned that you must value your own time by making the best decision for YOU.

 

 

If someone asks you to do something that you don’t want to do, don’t do it. You don’t have to be mean about it, but you can nicely tell someone that you’re not interested in what they’re offering you. Saying NO can feel really good.

 

 

5. Being Dishonest

 

Honesty is the best policy in every situation. As someone who used to have a knack for lying, I really understood the damage and negativity lying had on other people.

 

 

Whether you’re being dishonest for your business or yourself, stop lying to people. You’ll feel a lot better about yourself while doing the right thing for others.

 

 

6. Doing Work That Doesn’t Make You Happy

 

Are you stuck in a job that you really hate? In a recent survey, only 30% of employees actually liked their job. That number is extremely low to me.

 

 

When asked why they didn’t like their job, most of them said that they didn’t feel like they were adding any value to society. If you really hate the job you have, change it.

 

 

7. Hitting The Snooze Button On Your Alarm Clock 

 

I never hit the snooze button on my alarm clock. I’m so experienced at it that I just sleep right through all the alarms in my room. However, it’s a really bad habit.

 

 

If you need to wake up at 7 AM to get work done, you NEED to wake up at 7 AM. Every precious minute you waste in the morning sleeping in bed can be used productively doing something else. Stop hitting the snooze button and start jumping right out of bed.

 

 

Conclusion

 

These are 7 simple things that anyone can stop doing to become a better person while increasing productivity. Share any things you recommend people to stop every day below in the comments. 

Meet The Musician With A Big Dream – Scotty James

Scotty James is a musician with a big dream. After being featured on the billboard top charts, he did not get the deal he needed to take his career to the next level. This blog article interview Scotty, shares why he didn’t get the deal, and what he’s going to do to change his fate.

 

Today, I’m doing an inspirational interview with a musician named Scotty James. Entrepreneurs and musicians have a lot in common, mainly that they have to hustle to achieve success in their industries. After hearing Scotty’s struggles and story, I knew I had to interview him to share his perspective with the world.

 

 

Without further ado, here is the interview:

 

 

1. Tell us a little about yourself, who you are, and what you do.

 

So my name is Scotty James and I am an unsigned musician from Waterloo, ON. My music is pop/acoustic/rnb somewhere along the lines of Justin Timberlake meets Rihanna, meets John Mayer.

 

 

2. You told me you made it on the billboard charts, which is an amazing accomplishment! Tell us more about how you achieved that and what the experience was like.

 

Getting on the Billboard charts was no easy task. In fact it is a goal that seems almost impossible for most unsigned artists. But I wasn’t about to let that get in the way of me achieving this goal. I had no money, no fans. Just a beat up old guitar and a dream. I knew I had to get money somehow to work with a producer and release my first album.

 

 

So I thought of this random idea to go serenading people door to door. I would arrive on their porch with my guitar and sing them a song or two for 10 bucks per song. People loved it and I was making money doing this. It was hard work but I knew that If i kept going I would find some kind of opportunity that would launch my career. After going door to door pounding the pavements for weeks and weeks, I happened to knock on the door of a music manager. I played him my song “Wanna be loved” he paid me the 10 bucks and after talking, we signed a management agreement and he funded my first release. So I then set out with my Manager Johnny to achieve or first goal which was to hit the billboard charts unsigned.

 

 

We promised ourselves that there would be no possibility of failure. If you want something bad enough you will make it happen one way or another. So we thought, if we can concentrate on getting one major radio station playing my song “Wanna be loved” then everyone else will see that and they will also start to pick up the song. So that’s the first thing we did. We did whatever we possibly could to get onto that first station (91.5 The Beat Kitchener). We called them, e-mailed them multiple times, we physically went into the station to play them our song. They said yeah It’s a great song, but on one wants to take the risk of playing a new song that nobody has heard of yet. So we said ok… back to the drawing board. We knew we had to show them this song had potential in order for them to start playing it. So we decided that we would ask 91.5 The beat if we could shoot the music video for the song at their station and use one of their DJs (Mike Devine) to be the main character. They agreed and we shot the music video there. A couple weeks later we released the video onto youtube and the first day of its release we got somewhere around 5 thousand views. The radio station saw this and finally agreed to start playing the song.

 

 

After that other stations slowly started to pick up the song and in the process I ended up winning the “Bell Emerging Artists Initiative” which is a program in Canada that supports great new songs and if you win it you get launched over night onto Bell stations all across the country. Soon after winning that I hit the billboard charts nationally. It felt unreal to have finally achieved that goal that most thought I couldn’t achieve without a label.

 


3. With all this great success, what is your current goal and what are you trying to do next?

 

So just because we hit the billboard charts doesn’t mean we are financially successful just yet. In fact our team is tapped out. We have no more money to make another album or for marketing and we have met with every major record label in the US and in Canada. They all say I have great marketability, great songs, but not enough traction yet.

 

 

They basically want you to do all the work, create the army of fans on your own before they sign any deal with you. It’s just too big of a risk for them in todays world where no one is buying CDs anymore. So we decided that we aren’t going to let that stop us. So we are going to create our own marketing machine using no money. We are going to set out to gain 1 million true fans in only 99 days using zero dollars and with the very little resources that we have. We are going to prove that this is possible and people are going to be able to watch my trial and error towards this goal from scratch.
Having a fan base of that size will then allow us to work with major producers, tour the world, continue to release songs to radio, hit the top of the iTunes charts and then if there happens to be a great offer from a record label then at that point we will consider that avenue.

 

 

4. What motivates you to continue pushing forward even when you struggle or are met with obstacles?

 

I am met with many, many struggles and obstacles. I just have to remind myself during those times that everything I am doing now is a sacrifice for what I will become. I may be working out of my moms basement now with barely any money to even get a coffee, and myself and my team are putting endless amounts of effort and all nighters in to make this a reality and it’s not easy. It’s a constant battle with our minds. But at the end of the day you have to want this so bad that you are willing to die for it. You have to be willing to sacrifice everything to be able to live the life of your dreams.

 

 

5. Tell us some of the lessons you have learned on your journey thus far.

 

One of the biggest things I have learned is how to take constant rejection. If you can learn how to take rejection on a daily basis and still be able to keep getting back up and fighting, then you will be ok in this business.

 

 

6. What is your proudest accomplishment to date?

 

I would say my proudest accomplishment would be winning a CRMA (canadian radio music award).

 

 

7. How have haters or people who have brought you down fueled your success?

 

I have learned to love haters. I have realized that most people will tell you that you can’t accomplish something even though they haven’t tried it themselves. Or they have tried and they gave up, and because of the fact that they gave up they don’t believe anyone else can do it. That doesn’t make sense to me. So I just laugh it off and do everything I can to prove them wrong.

 

 

8. As an entrepreneur myself, I know all about chasing the dream. Share your perspective of chasing dreams and what it means. Why are you pursuing a career in the music industry?

 

Chasing your dream is so important. If you aren’t chasing your passion then what are you doing? Why live a life stuck in a situation you don’t want to be in. It makes absolutely no sense. You should be spending ALL of your time trying to figure out how you can make a living doing what you love to do. I am pursuing music because that’s my passion, it has always been in my heart and every morning I get up excited to do what I do. I barely sleep because that’s how excited I am about what I am doing. That’s how it should be. That’s what i am put on this earth for.

 

 

9. How many hours a day do you work?

 

Right now myself and my team are working about 18-20 hours/day on our campaign.

 

 

10. I know you mentioned you went door to door serenading people, tell us about other things you have done to really go out and hustle. How successful was the door to door serenading?

 

Other then the door to door serenades I would go in public and randomly serenade people. On the bus, at a restaurant, poolside, wherever. You really never know who you are going to run into. I have also gone door to door selling my cds and have sold close to 4000 copies door to door. The door to door serenading was very successful. Hard work but it was actually a lot of fun. People would invite me into their homes all the time. I met a a lot of cool, amazing people along the way!

 

 

11. Any advice or last words for other dream chasers out there?

 

I would say just to decide what you want as soon as possible. Then do whatever it takes to get it. You will have to try and fail maybe 100 times before you get it. But eventually you will achieve your success.

 

 

12. Share links to your social networks, websites, and anywhere else people can hear your music/find out more about you.

 

So to follow my challenge we are directing everyone to my Facebook page Facebook.com/scottyjamesmusic from there you will find my website, YouTube and twitter links.

 

 

Lastly, I will share a YouTube video showcasing Scotty’s music and just how talented he is.

 

 

10 Motivational Tips to Get What You Want

Have goals of losing weight, building big businesses, and traveling the world? In this article, I will share 10 motivational tips to get what you want in life.

 

Do you have big things you’ve wanted to accomplish? Have you struggled in accomplishing these things because you lacked the motivation necessary to get them done?

 

 

Sometimes, a lack of motivation and a lack of belief can be result in you not getting what you want. Whether you want to lose some weight, build the next million-dollar company, or travel the world…it’s all possible as long as you take the right steps necessary!

 

 

I journeyed into the entrepreneurial world at the age of 17. I had no experience, no degree, and no cash when I got started. The one thing I did have was the motivation and commitment to succeed.

 

 

Using that motivation, I navigated my way through obstacles, mistakes, and failures to find my own successes in the entrepreneurial world. I was 19 years old when I saw my first company get acquired and this was all possible because of my drive.

 

 

In this blog article, I’m going to share with you 10 motivational tips to get what you want.

 

 

Tip #1: Believe to Achieve

 

Knowing what you want is the easy part, but believing that you will have it no matter what is the tough part. A very famous documentary (available on Netflix) known as “The Secret” shares interviews from successful people who illustrate the importance of strong belief.

 

Before you can accomplish anything, you need to believe that you will get the job done no matter what. Having a consistent belief is extremely important to be successful.

 

 

Tip #2: Do What Others Aren’t Willing To Do

 

Earning things in life are not easy. If they were easy, then everyone would achieve those things. Before trying to get what you want, think about if you’re willing to do what most others won’t do.

 

Successful people have often attributed their success to pushing past all known limits. Are you willing to go on a strict diet? Are you willing to work 18 hours a day? Are you willing to stay in the gym even after everyone else leaves? These are all questions you should ask yourself before getting started.

 

 

Tip #3: Failure Isn’t An Option

 

To get what you want in life, you must know that failure isn’t an option. The only way you can fail is if you give up on your goals. Early on, I learned that embracing failure and using it to work harder is the only way to truly achieve success.

 

Failure does not define you or what you’re doing, unless you let it. By giving up, you let failure be the last man standing. To succeed and accomplish anything, you must be willing to get back up and try again no matter what happens.

 

 

Tip #4: Start Starting

 

Many people begin fantasizing about the outcome, but never actually get started. Just thinking about the outcome alone will not help you reach your goals. You have to get started and the sooner you do, the faster you will succeed.

 

 

Tip #5: Go For It All

 

Aim for the moon because even if you fail, you’ll end up in the stars. If you have a goal of losing 25 pounds of weight by the end of the year, push yourself to the limit. Tell yourself that you will lose 30 pounds of weight in 6 months because even if you don’t make your initial goal happen, you will still be way ahead of your original plan.

 

 

Tip #6: Work Smarter, Not Harder

 

When trying to achieve great things, you don’t always need to work harder than the rest of the world. Sometimes, you can just work smarter and achieve just as much or more than others. Always map out your goals and create a plan to see what the most efficient way of achieving it is.

 

 

Tip #7: Surround Yourself With Motivators

 

A popular saying goes that if you can’t change your friends, you should change your friends. In order to be successful at anything, you need a group of people who are willing to support you and motivate you towards your goals. There is no better source of motivation than your friends and family pushing you to success.

 

 

Tip #8: Enjoy The Challenge

 

Life is all about enjoying all the things you do. If you’re not passionate or excited about achieving your goals, it’s going to be a long and treacherous journey. Whether it’s the outcome or the progression that excites you, find some way of making the whole experience fun.

 

 

Tip #9: Find Great Mentors

 

Sometimes you need an extra push from a great mentor. If you have plans of achieving big things, find someone who you wouldn’t mind being. If you’re looking to lose weight, find personal trainers that have accomplished a similar feat. If you want to build a multi-million dollar business, find successful entrepreneurs who have already done that.

 

 

Tip #10: Do It For You

 

Don’t take on a challenge that isn’t for you. When achieving goals, always do things that you want to do. Don’t let a friend who constantly makes fat jokes be the only reason why you want to hit the gym. Be sure that you yourself want to do this.

 

 

Conclusion

 

These 10 tips and strategies should help you get one step closer to your goals. These motivational tips work best when practiced regularly, so be sure to look back to this list as much as possible!

 

 

photo credit: billsoPHOTO via photopin cc

8 Things You Should Know Before Starting A Blog

Starting a blog has been the most popular thing on the internet recently. In this article, I share 8 things you should know before starting a blog that will save you headaches later.

 

With more bloggers than ever producing content on the internet, blogging has become extremely popular. While blogging may seem like an attractive thing to do, there are a lot of things you should know about it before getting started.

 

 

Many bloggers think that success and traffic will come easy, but they’re in for something else. While blogging is easy to set up, it’s extremely difficult to consistently write great content while bringing relevant traffic to your site.

 

 

In this blog article, I will share with you 8 things you should know before starting a blog.

 

 

1. Focus Your Content

 

Before writing your content, you need to focus on one specific topic. Typically, your topic choice should reflect your skills, expertise, and passions.

 

 

Once you have focused in on the type of content you want to write, make sure all your articles somehow revolve around the general topic you choose. The quickest way to lose traffic and readership is to write about things that your audience doesn’t care about.

 

 

2. Consistency Is Key

 

Bloggers rarely know the huge responsibility they’re getting themselves into. By blogging, you vow to write great content on a consistent basis. If you promise your readers that you will post every 3 days, you HAVE to post every 3 days.

 

 

Many blogs disintegrate quickly because the blogger loses interest or cannot keep up with the posting schedule he/she started with. It seems like lots of fun when you get started, but you HAVE to be consistent.

 

 

3. Traffic Has To Come From Somewhere

 

Many bloggers start a blog and get extremely frustrated when they cannot bring in much traffic. On paper, bringing in traffic to a blog seems easy since most people don’t know what struggles bloggers go through.

 

 

Just opening up a blog alone will not get you much (if any) traffic. You need to spend 25% of your time writing great content and the other 75% of your time finding ways to bring free or paid traffic to your website.

 

 

4. Don’t Lie In Your Titles

 

Many people think a great way to promote their articles and get a lot of readers is to write amazing titles. Typically, these amazing titles end up being fake or cannot deliver on the promise.

 

 

When you write a title and someone sees it, they are expecting you to deliver on the title that you have promised them. Always make sure your title backs up the content in your article!

 

 

5. 6 Figure Incomes, 4 Hour Work Days, and Vacations Don’t Come Easy

 

The blogging world has been corrupted by many individuals who have sold people on false hopes and dreams. While it’s definitely possible to live a great life by making passive income from running a blog, the chances of it happening are very low.

 

 

Even more than that, most of the successful bloggers who make 6 figure incomes and take vacations all around the world entered the blogging sphere in the early 2000’s. Don’t start a blog thinking this will happen to you in a few months because it takes years of hard work and great content to be on this path.

 

 

6. Quality Outweighs Quantity

 

Marketing a blog can be very challenging. You can spend $100 on a PPC campaign, bring 500 visitors, and get zero positive value out of it.

 

 

Bringing in a shit ton of traffic to your blog won’t make your website popular. Blogs need to have a community of loyal readers who return to the website on a regular basis. Instead of looking for ways to bring large amounts of visitors, find ways to bring a few visitors who you know will convert to long-term readers.

 

 

7. You’re On Your Own 

 

Unless you have a budget to outsource design, development, or online marketing work to third party companies, you’re truly on your own with your blog.

 

 

You’re in charge of uploading pictures, editing/cleaning up the website, adding new information/content, and running your own marketing campaigns. Blogging isn’t for slackers and you have to be committed to your craft.

 

 

8. Do It For Anything But The Money

 

If you’re starting a blog, do it because you love writing about a specific topic. Don’t start a blog because you see someone living an amazing life as a professional blogger.

 

 

If you do it for the money, your content stinks and your judgment is clouded by your desire to make some cash. It’s great to make money off any website, but it shouldn’t be the main reason why you’re starting.

 

 

Conclusion 

 

Blogging is a very exciting, but challenging thing for people to take on. It’s extremely fun and rewarding, but be sure to know these 8 things before starting a blog.

 

 

photo credit: Telstar Logistics via photopin cc

10 Reasons To Launch A Startup In College

This article will discuss 10 reasons to launch a startup in college. Entrepreneurship is something fun, exciting, and difficult that everyone should experience at some point. See why I think it’s wisest to create a startup during college.

 

I launched my first business at the age of 17 while I was still a senior in high school. It was the final semester of high school and I was extremely motivated to do something big.

 

 

I was lucky to find this motivation at an early age, which is something that other people don’t find till later on in their lives. While most entrepreneurs debate whether a college degree is important or not, I want to discuss 10 reasons why students should build a startup during college.

 

 

1. Professors Are Helpful Resources

 

Many professors or faculty members at colleges can be valuable resources for students who are creating a new startup. I’ve met tons of business professors who have businesses on the side or built successful companies in the past.

 

 

Not only that, but you have access to professors who have expertise in all different fields. It’s an easy, but effective way to reach out to faculty members to get additional help for your startup.

 

 

2. It’s The Easiest Life Will Ever Be 

 

While your college classes may seem hard, life could be a lot tougher. Launching a startup in college is the best timing for many students since it’s the easiest life will ever be.

 

 

As a college student, your expenses are low, frugal living is part of your DNA, and hopefully you don’t have any overwhelming responsibilities. This is the perfect recipe for building a successful startup.

 

 

3. Testers Everywhere

 

One of the greatest parts about starting a business in college is that you have beta testers and potential customers everywhere.

 

 

It’s as easy as reaching out to a professor or a club and asking them if they’d be willing to help you test your product or startup with a large group of students. This gives you a cost-effective way to get feedback and quality output from your classmates.

 

 

4. Endless Energy

 

Your 20’s are generally your prime years for getting things done. Even though most of us spend this time partying and having a blast with friends, it’s the time when you can be the most productive.

 

 

Utilizing your 20’s to build a startup company is great because you have the energy and drive to succeed. When your life has no direction, it’s the best time to create a startup because you can find that direction quickly.

 

 

5. History Repeats Itself

 

Popular startups that went on to become billion dollar companies have often times originated during college. Facebook, Microsoft, Dell, Apple, and many other successful businesses were started by entrepreneurs in college.

 

 

6. You Have A Backup Plan 

 

You’re in college for a reason. You’ve created a plan on what you will do once you graduate from college. If your startup doesn’t go well and fails, nothing changes.

 

 

By creating a startup in college, you literally lose nothing besides some sleep. If everything fails, you get back to the grind in class and start working towards your degree or fall back plan.

 

 

7. Networking For Life

 

In business, it’s all about the people you know more than what you know yourself. Connections can have life-long implications that can be extremely beneficial to your business.

 

 

By starting a business in college, you can have many doors opened to you. Not only that, but you may end up meeting people who may change your life forever.

 

 

8. Get Access To Tools

 

Many colleges provide tools to students to utilize for free at a library or computer science building. Tools like Adobe Master Suite, Prezi, or Dreamspark can be acquired for free simply because you have a .edu email address.

 

 

9. Your Story Sells

 

Students that show a passion for building startups while in college tend to sell a lot more in the media/press. It’s always great to see someone young chasing their dreams and succeeding.

 

 

If all these reasons aren’t enough, just know that your startup will get more media coverage because you’re still in college.

 

 

10. College Is All About The Experiences

 

You attend college because you want to experience new things and moments that will last you a lifetime. What better way to experiment in college than to create a startup to learn more about what it takes to build a successful company.

 

 

Conclusion 

 

Entrepreneurship is something that everyone should try at some point in their life. It’s fun, exciting, and can teach you a lot about business and life. These are 10 reasons why you should launch a startup while you’re in college.

 

 

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7 Reasons Why You Should Read A New Book Every Week

From reading numerous books in the last year and a half, I quickly learned that reading has been one of the most instrumental pieces in my progression and growth as an entrepreneur and human. Here are 7 reasons why you should read a new book every week.

 

Growing up, I hated reading mainly because I never got to pick the books I wanted to read. My teachers gave me books that fit the school curriculum and my parents gave me books that would improve my vocabulary.

 

 

Combined with the two of them, I quickly began to grow a strong dislike for reading. This distaste towards reading stuck with me all these years.

 

 

It wasn’t until a year and a half ago that I really got a new perspective on reading. Since then, I’ve fallen in love with it and read very often.

 

 

From reading numerous books in the last year and a half, I quickly learned that reading has been one of the most instrumental pieces in my progression and growth as an entrepreneur and human.

 

 

Here are 7 reasons why you should read a new book every week:

 

 

1. Knowledge Is Power

 

The obvious reason people read is to acquire a wealth of knowledge. From reading, I’ve been able to go from clueless to expert on numerous topics. Using my new found expertise, I’ve been able to achieve great things.

 

 

The more you know, the more powerful you become. The knowledge I have gained from books has allowed me to become far more successful in my businesses and in life.

 

 

2. Your Brain Needs A Workout Too

 

We go to the gym to lift weights and work out our body, but we never really do anything for our brains. Reading is the ultimate workout for our brains.

 

 

Reading is a type of brain-exercise that keeps our mind healthier and more fluid. Many studies have shown that reading dramatically decreases the chances of getting many different diseases.

 

 

3. Expands Your Vocabulary

 

Turns out, my parents were right. Reading books in general can really expand your vocabulary. After reading books, I’ve been caught using new words that I didn’t know before.

 

 

It’s great because I learn new words and phrases which makes my writing a lot better. Reading can expand your vocabulary, just make sure you find books that you’re interested in reading.

 

 

4. Improve Your Writing

 

Since I’m an avid blogger, writing is very important to me. On top of that, I have to write a lot of content for my websites, verbiage for my marketing campaigns, and communicate with others.

 

 

Reading really helps improve my writing without making it tedious. I just read books, gain knowledge, and slowly notice that my writing has improved. If you’re a blogger or even involved in the marketing field, reading is a very simple way of improving your writing skills.

 

 

5. Remember More

 

A friend of mine recently told me that reading can improve your memory. I was surprised and decided to do some research on my own. I quickly found out that reading really does improve your memory.

 

 

The way you remember more is because your brain is being worked out. When your brain gets worked out, it tends to perform at its healthiest.

 

 

6. Great Hobby

 

Reading is a great hobby that can be a lot of fun. Not only does reading have a lot of tangible benefits for you that have been mentioned above, but it can also be extremely fun.

 

 

I love reading books that have great stories that I simply get immersed in. Reading is a great way to relax and have a good time.

 

 

7. Stronger Analytical Thinking Skills

 

Have you ever caught yourself reading a book and trying to guess the outcome of the story before it’s over? This is a natural response that most of us have when we read books.

 

 

We all want to prove ourselves right by guessing the outcome of the book long before it ever takes place. The time spent trying to predict the outcome of the book slowly improves our analytical thinking skills.

 

 

Conclusion 

 

Learning to enjoy reading is a crucial skill everyone should develop at some point in their lives. I hope this article has motivated you to pick up a new book every week.

 

 

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How To Build A Tech Startup Without Writing Any Code

One of the most common questions I get asked by other aspiring entrepreneur is, “How do I build my tech idea if I don’t know how to code?” As long as you have the ability to hustle, I will share with you how you can successfully build a tech company without writing any code.

 

One of the most common questions I get asked by other aspiring entrepreneurs is, “How do I build my tech idea if I don’t know how to code?”

 

 

When I tell people I have a tech company, they automatically assume I know how to hustle,  design, and code. However, I really only know how to hustle.

 

 

With all my tech startups, I’ve never really written one line of code or done any of the major design work. I’ve been the business side and I’ve used my skills to get ideas put together.

 

 

The crazy thing is, my first company was a web design & web development firm that I ran for 2 years, but I still didn’t do any of the dirty work.

 

 

In this blog article, I’m going to share tips and strategies on how to build a tech startup without writing any code:

 

 

Hustle Hard

 

If you can’t be the technical side of the business, you have to really hustle hard. I know I use the word hustle a lot, but that’s just because there’s no better way to describe this action.

 

 

You have to leverage resources like you have never imagined. If you don’t have money, but you still want to execute your idea you need to get others to believe in your vision. You have to recruit independent developers to join your team for the long haul.

 

 

Go to hackathons, meetups, startup events, computer science classes, and just about anywhere else coders may be at. Once you get the interest of developers, you have to capture their attention.

 

 

Show them what experience you have with startups, where you see your vision in a few years, and how much you expect from them. These are key things any coder, designer, or development team will ever ask for.

 

 

Hire Well

 

If you have some capital or are somehow able to raise money on just a concept, you can always look to development companies. There are many companies out there that have experience working with startups and can really help you put together a killer project.

 

 

Look for small development firms that have experience working with startups. If they know a little bit about startups, they’ll probably understand your financial situation and be willing to give you the best price possible.

 

 

One thing to keep in mind: Never sacrifice quality for affordability when developing your idea. 

 

 

Outsource Strategically

 

Outsourcing is something I have done since I started my first company. I acquired customers here and I had all the design/development work done in countries like India, Philippines, Brazil, and Sweden.

 

 

I learned many lessons from outsourcing hundreds of projects, but the biggest one was that you can’t trust someone right away.

 

 

If you plan to outsource, give them 10% of your project or another small project to test their skills. If they are able to execute a smaller project to your satisfaction, you can begin contracting them for your bigger idea.

 

 

Outsourcing can be very stressful because people begin to trust companies in other countries too quickly. Look through their portfolio, use platforms like Odesk or Elance that protect your interest, and start small.

 

 

The best way to successfully outsource projects and build solid startups is to communicate effectively. When conveying information, specifications, wireframes, and just about anything else pertaining to your project, always remember to explain things as you would to a 5 year old.

 

 

Conclusion

 

If you are really committed to see your idea in fruition, there are many ways to get a tech company started without learning to code. I personally haven’t been a big fan of coding and have leveraged all these strategies to successfully launch numerous tech startups.

 

 

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10 Things Young People Should Know About Life

This article shares 10 things young people should know about life at an early age. Success and living a great life requires work from an early age and this article will help teach you everything you need to know.

 

Our youth is a time of creating experiences, getting an education, and living our lives care-free. Most people think of their lives being this way until they turn 30.

 

 

On their 30th birthday, most people officially change their perspective and begin living quite a different life than they were accustomed to.

 

 

While everyone should enjoy their youth to the fullest, there are a lot of things young people should know about life. Here they are:

 

 

1. Rage Hard But Never Forget Your Responsibilities

 

It’s great to party hard and have a great time when you’re young. However, even party animals have responsibilities.

 

 

Your day-time activities should consist of things that fulfill your day to day responsibilities. Whether you have a job, a business, or a degree to work towards, never let your partying take over your priorities.

 

 

It’s not the most popular kid in high school that goes the farthest in life, but rather the kid who knew their responsibilities and priorities. Popularity and partying only lasts a few years, but a dedication to your career lasts forever.

 

 

2. Credit Cards Kill

 

The first day I stepped foot on a college campus was for my Freshman orientation. After we finished a few lame activities and a tour of the campus, my university tried hard to convince everyone to get a credit card.

 

 

They tried so hard that my ID card also worked as a credit card. Young people often forget how credit cards work and ruin their credit for years to come.

 

 

Be very careful with credit cards. You must have great self-control and you must understand that the money you spend on a credit card has to be paid back eventually.

 

 

3. Health > Wealth

 

As young people, we should be concerned about physical exercise of course, and at the same time, we need to be conscious of the things we are eating. Health is truly extremely crucial to your long-term success and do not let the idea of chasing money turn you away from staying healthy.

 

 

Set aside a few hours a week where you plan to lift some weights, run, play some sports, or do something that will require physical activity. The older you will be happy you took care of yourself.

 

 

4. Education Never Stops

 

If you want to be extremely successful throughout your life, you must understand that your college degree is not the end of your education.

 

 

Education never stops and you must continue learning as you get older to stay on top of things. Develop a healthy reading habit at a young age and it will carry on throughout the future.

 

 

5. Stand On Your Own Feet

 

 

As appealing as it may seem to live off other people, it’s not that great when you get thrown out on your ass. Learn to support yourself and stand on your own feet as soon as you can.

 

 

The feeling of independency is great and people will appreciate you more for that. Don’t take advantage of your family and learn the value of being independent.

 

 

6. Work On Something Bigger Than you

 

When I was growing up, I always wanted to work for a big corporation or be a lawyer, but I quickly realized that I would be selling my soul away to another company.

 

 

I wouldn’t be working for something bigger, I would just be slaving myself away to help someone else work for something bigger.

 

 

Create a goal to achieve something that’s bigger than you, but accomplished by you. For me, my bigger project is working on innovation that solves problems, simplifies lives, and changes the world.

 

 

7. Make Your Money Work For You All The Time

 

Personally, I want to make 5 million dollars by the time I’m 25. Then, I want to make 100 million dollars by the time I’m 30 and 1 billion dollars by the time I’m 40.

 

 

After being around multimillionaires and successful entrepreneurs, I quickly understood that the wealthy don’t usually make their money all from one source. They make their money work for them through careful investments, strategizing, and planning.

 

 

If you plan to create a large fortune for yourself, make sure your money is always working for you at all times. Diversify your investments (don’t put all your eggs in one basket) and be patient.

 

 

8. Learn To Adapt

 

When the world shifts, you’re either with the change or you’re left behind. Many people hold strong values and refuse to shift their business or ideals when they get left behind, but those are the same people who typically file for bankruptcy years later.

 

 

It’s good to learn early on that pivoting, having an open mind, and being willing to adapt to whatever life hands you is extremely important to be successful long-term.

 

 

9. Let Love Find You

 

You aren’t against some clock racing to find the love of your life. Love is something natural and it should come to you on its own. Don’t let society define when or how you should find love because love doesn’t work like that.

 

 

You might be lucky to find love in high school or it may take you till your late 20’s to find love. The key is to stay open-minded and to put yourself out there. From there, love will take its own course on you.

 

 

10. Surround Yourself With Who You Want To Become

 

Being young, it’s easy to get caught up with the wrong crowd. However, as you grow older and start to develop goals, it’s very important to be around people who you want to become.

 

 

There’s a saying that goes: “If you can’t change your friends, change your friends.”

 

 

It’s hard, but sometimes you have to do what is best for you and your future. Don’t change who you want to become, change who your friends are so you can become who you want to be.

 

 

Conclusion

 

The list of 10 things above are just a few of many things younger people should learn at an early age. I’ve been fortunate enough to learn these things from my own experiences, successful mentors, and my careful study of successful people. Share any other things you think are important for young people to know below. 

 

 

 

photo credit: Ed Callow [ torquespeak ] via photopin cc