Here’s the continuation (Part 2 of 2) of how to assess your skill set and whether you are best as an entrepreneur or as an employee…..

You will need an Understanding of Basic Technology or the basic understanding of the process of producing goods and services is a necessary skill. Combined with creative thinking skills entrepreneurs will then have the ability to use that information with purpose and develop a business concept that motivates them.

Lastly, an obvious skill is Basic Accounting and the Ability to Make Financial Decisions. No matter how much you hate it, working with numbers is going to be part of the whole “taking responsibility thing.” Entrepreneurs definitely need to know how to track numbers and then use that information to evaluate the direction their company will move in. If there is a lack of basic accounting knowledge, consider enrolling in some none credit college classes, continuing education classes or, better yet, locate a self-study course. But this is one area that cannot be compromised. It is essential if a reasonable amount of success is to be attained.

Evaluate Your Skills – 10 Questions

1.    Are you able to motivate yourself? Yes      No
2.    Do you like dealing with people? Yes      No
3.    Are you a leader? Yes      No
4.    Are you a “take charge” person? Yes      No
5.    Are you organized? Yes      No
6.    Do you have “stick-to-it”tiveness? Yes      No
7.    Can you make decision without hesitancy? Yes      No
8.    Are you a hard worker? Yes      No
9.    Do you tend to keep good records? Yes      No
10.    Are you trustworthy? Yes      No

Your Score and What They Mean

If you scored “Yes” for at least eight to ten questions, congratulations! You are considered predisposed to running your own business! Get started immediately.

If you scored “Yes” for five to seven questions, then you have some qualities but you must develop a stronger skill set in areas that resulted in  “No” answers.

If you scored “Yes” for less then five questions, don’t consider trying your hand at being an entrepreneur. At least not just yet. It’s just not in you. And don’t consider quitting your job anytime soon, after all, there is nothing wrong with working for someone else. In the meantime, work on your weaknesses if the ‘drive’ is still there and reevaluate in the future.

For those that scored “Yes” for five to ten questions, seriously consider what opportunities present themselves as a possible business model. Once this is established then reach for the stars, pursue your dreams, set goals and achieve them!

After taking this step you will never want to turn back. You will soon reap the rewards of being an entrepreneur and begin to visualize a world of possibilities and opportunities that you may have never dreamed of before. And by using your creative thinking these will be limitless. So enjoy being an entrepreneur!

Until next time,  J.

“Take control of your destiny or someone else will”

I have recently been introduced to Basecamphq.com, and as a project manager who has used a variety of tools, I’ve got to tell you – I LOVE this site, so wanted to share it with you!  (No it’s not a typo – the “hq” does belong.)

If you are working with a team and particularly if you’re collaborating with a team remotely, this is probably one of the easiest systems I’ve seen to stay connected and keep everyone in the loop without getting buried in emails.  I was thrilled when one of the web design teams I’m working with asked me to submit all of my project tasks to them using this site.

Here are some of the basic features on the dashboard:

• An overview of the entire project that you can sort by who is responsible for a task
• A message board, so your questions don’t get stuck under a pile
• To-Do section that you actually enter your project scope in – high level down to specific task detail
• Set up milestones to keep everyone on track with knowing the expectations
• You can set up notifications to be sent to you or anyone on your team when changes/updates have been made to the project
• Web based and can be accessed from anywhere

Although the site is fairly “intuitive”, it does have some great tutorials as well.  Check it out and let me know your thoughts.

Until next time, J.
“Take control of your destiny or someone else will”

If every time you turn around there’s a new technology, a new sales tool, a new program ~ and you just don’t have time to take it all in and digest it ~ you don’t want to miss this!

Really ~ check out how to eliminate information overload once and for all by visiting:  EasyMarketingInfo.com

One of the industries best has outdone himself.  Save time and money by checking this out….you might find that time to play an extra round of golf, or go on a road trip!

Until next time, J.
“Take control of your destiny or someone else will”

This weeks ABC is Q for Questions (and Answers) ~ Where do you ask your questions when they come up?  Well, Yahoo! Answers has started gaining importance on the search results and a good way to implement organic SEO for a web site or keyword is to answer relevant questions on Yahoo! Answers. In fact, some businesses spend significant resources answering responses on the site as a way to connect to their customer. A peer review system of answers results in high quality output and encourages users to rely on Yahoo! Answers.

What are your thoughts about it?  Can you see this as a useful strategy for your business?

Come back again for more ABC’s of Online Marketing!

I have been on a number of calls, webinars, teleseminars…. you name it, over the last month where the discussions loop back around to whether affiliate marketing is going to survive the “new way” Google is allowing adwords to be used within their system. There are many who think it’s going to be incredibly tough going, including Perry Marshall and Amit Mehta.

However, I just read a terrific rebuttal by Ben Moskel.  A couple of things he points out are:

• Most affiliates that are being banned have been promoting biz-opps that have “Google” in the name of the product
• The lawyers of Google have told the company to crack down or they will lose the foothold of protecting their brand
• Google still sells adspace to affiliate marketers who are selling a product or service other than a “biz-opp”, and he provides examples of who some of them are
• He also discusses the approaches that he’s used effectively – so go take a look at www.perrymarshall.com/

Then, please come back and tell me what you think!  I’d love to hear your perspective….

If you’re reading this, is it fair to guess you have some interest in starting your own business? You may not know what business, you just know that you were created to be more, do more, and that includes owning your own business. It’s quite exciting just thinking about the possibilities of owning a business, having flexibility and autonomy are advantages that top the list when dreaming of being an entrepreneur. It’s very easy to get caught up in the idea of it all, but what are the realities of owning your own business? What should be considered before starting? And how do you fit it in with your current full-time job? All of these are very important questions and I’ll take you through step- by-step so you can make the right decision for both you and your family.

1.    What is your passion?
As a new business owner, you’re going to spend lots of time thinking, planning, and dreaming about your business. Pick something you are passionate about and have a very strong interest in seeing through to the end. Let your passion be the driver and not the need or want for more cash. I learned many years ago that when you’re passionate about your work, money follows. My experience in corporate America, and possibly yours as well, is a demonstration of this very philosophy. For employees who loved their jobs, promotions followed because they didn’t mind staying late, learning new skills and technologies, or going above and beyond to help team members and clients. These are the employees who thrived at work and reaped financial benefits as a result. The same applies for your business. Future clients will feed off of how you feel about your business. If you’re not passionate, they’ll know. If you’re in it for the money, they’ll know. So choose what you’re passionate about. If you’re unsure or have been jaded by the financial outlook of today’s economy, think back to when you were a child. When the main concerns were school work and friends, this is when you were at your purest self. What did you enjoy doing as a child? Could that be applied to a business? For some of you, going back that far may not be necessary. In fact you may be sitting on that great idea right now. It may be something that friends and family have said for years, “you should sell that” or “that’s a great idea, you should market that”.

I have a friend who is super organized. She loves containerizing, planning, and putting things together. For many years she’s talked about helping others get organized as a side business, but has been hesitant to get started. At the end of 2008 she got laid-off from her job despite having recently completed her master’s degree. Imagine if she had started that organizing business before her layoff, just think of how much more she could have accepted of her fate. Most recently I received a message from her on Facebook and she’s currently working with a relative and a friend to get them organized, and they’re paying her to do so! I’m very excited for her and hope this will give her the boost she needs to move forward in her organizing business. Are you like my friend, depending on your current job to get you through? Please don’t. Nothing is guaranteed and you must be responsible for your own financial outcome. What better way than to own your own business doing something you love? Let’s say you know what you’re passionate about, but are not sure of the time that will be required working a full-time job and starting a new business.

2.    Be realistic about your time.

Anyone in business will tell you it takes more than 40 hours a week to grow a business. You’ll find yourself thinking about it even when you’re not trying to. A new business is like a baby. It must be nurtured and cared for, requiring your time and attention even when it’s not convenient. This again is why it’s so important to have a business that you are passionate about. I don’t mind eating, sleeping, and drinking my business because of the great joy I feel when I’m working. I don’t even like to call it work because it’s so pleasurable. If you know your time is limited because of other obligations, choose a business that can work and function without you. Yes, this is possible! Thanks to the advancement of technology you can have a business where you earn money in your sleep. Businesses such as network marketing, affiliate marketing, and more are all businesses that work continuously for you. Once you’ve developed a core target market you can develop a strategy that puts your business in front of them regularly whether it’s through emails, blogs, websites and more. In the mean time, I want you to think realistically about the time you have to commit to your business.

I wish you much success in determining what your new venture may be, and if I can be of any assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Come back again for Part 2!!

“Take control of your destiny or someone else will”

This weeks ABC is D for Deep Linking – This means pointing  to the exact page within a web site such as http://www.theabundantallianceblog.com/articles/starting-an-internet-business-home-based-businesses-can-build-you-residual-income-streams-and-passive-wealth, (an example of deep linking.)

Of course you may want to name it something else with a hyper-link or create a TinyURL since the example is so outrageously long! When deep linking the specific page is populated and one can get to the information right away rather than navigating through a series of pages to access it.  While there is still controversy by some sites whether it should be allowed, I personally like linking.  It’s often used when referencing a particular article or content within a site other than your own.  Search engines like sites with links because the spiders can find the searched info quicker.  Just be sure you’re linking to something relevant and not trying any black hat techniques.

Come back next week for more ABC’s of Online Marketing!

One of the hardest parts of any home-based business is learning to negotiate. After all, you set up your business finally expecting to do the things you want to do; perhaps even love to do. And then you are called upon to negotiate; space for your home office, a better deal at the printers, municipality permission to set up your home-storage facilities etc.

Negotiating can be tricky and you may find it hard to figure out where to start. Yet, as a home-business owner, you’ll find negotiations very much a part of your daily set up. Given today’s competitive climate, you can learn something simply by sharpening your negotiation skills.

1. Be conscious of an agenda: Everyone has an agenda. You have one and so does your client, your supplier and even your spouse! The trick to successfully closing a deal is to make sure that all agendas are on a win-win page. Know what each party wants and you’ll be halfway through making the deal.

2. Be creative: It’s not only about the money. If both parties are on a tight and limited budget, you can still make the most of the deal by getting creative with it. Think about what you want the most. Perhaps you can negotiate on your services, payment deals or delivery policies. If the client feels he’s getting a good deal from you, he’ll always be willing to compromise on certain issues. Likewise, by making certain ’special offers’, for example, a discount for early payment or delivery fees waived for local drop-offs, you’ll be in the position to drum up more business even quicker.

3. Anticipate moves and read between the lines: Learn to distinguish between what the client actually says and what he really means. Very often, clients push buttons to try and see how much they can get away with.

4. Consider working relationships before making a decision: How much to push and how hard to push often depends not only on what you are receiving out of the deal, but on the person you are dealing with. Sometimes, it’s better to set aside negotiations and look toward compromises, especially if the person you are dealing with is going to be a long term client or supplier.

5. Always go in prepared: Doing your homework is the key to emerging successful. You need to be completely prepared and know all the strengths and weaknesses of the person you are negotiating with.

6. Have a plan B, but don’t compromise immediately: Just because you have a contingency plan, doesn’t mean you need to use it. Stick with what you want for as long as possible and give up only what you don’t want, need or can manage without. By compromising right at the start, you are doomed to fail at this negotiation and future ones to come.

With a little bit of give and take, it’s possible for you and your negotiating partners to emerge winners, no matter the subject you’re negotiating on.

Do you have any negotiating tips you’d like to share?

Until next time,  J.

“Take control of your destiny or someone else will”

Who hasn’t heard of Tony Robbins and his ability to coach his students to accomplish their visions?  Pair that up with two self made internet marketing millionaires, Frank Kern and John Reese, and you get a very high energy discussion!

Here’s the three of them discussing the common denominator and traits that successful people have in common, and what you can do to accomplish the same.

If you have any dreams and visions you are absolutely sure you want to achieve, set aside 38 minutes to watch this video.  You’ll not regret taking the time.

Quit settling and take action to be all you can be!

Until next time, J.

“Take control of your destiny or someone else will”

Having followed the first two steps in beginning your contingency plan; you have created a company profile, recorded the company history and disclosed website domain and hosting information. Now you need to document three more areas:

• Establishing Your Website’s Value
• Listing Your Intellectual Property
• Listing Your Relationships

Your website is your asset and you should not only estimate its value, but also relate how it should be dissolved if that need be. If you have someone in mind to handle this task, then by all means, suggest that person in your contingency plan. Consider, too, recommending an appropriate person or persons that can provide a legitimate appraisal in the event that such direction is taken.

Recording your intellectual property includes making a list of all your assets and liabilities. Be sure to describe all property of value that may be licensed to others or has a potential to become income and don’t forget to include any obligations or limitations that you may have for intellectual property (example: software, articles, images) for which you own a license.

A relationship inventory involves simply making a list of full names, titles, and companies of all the people that you deal with and that are involved in your business in some way. Start with employees and business partners and move on to contractors, suppliers and associates.  Don’t forget to include your attorney, accountant and insurance agent(s).

What next? Meet with those that are most important to you, those that will take over some of the tasks outlined in the plan, and have them read the document. Make changes to add or clarify information and then give a copy of your contingency plan to a trusted person, place a copy with your will / living trust and other pertinent papers and be sure to update the document annually. Your contingency plan will save massive frustration and money in the event that something happens to you and will assure that your business is cared for and continues on in your absence.

There will be additional steps, so be sure to check back for them!

Until next time,  J.
“Take control of your destiny or someone else will”