Entrepreneurship: The Path to Prosperity

It is a path well-traveled, but not without peril. Being an entrepreneur is risky business and the odds are stacked against you. You’ve seen the statistics, 50% to 75% of all new business starts fail within the first 3-5 years.

So, why do so many people choose entrepreneurship as the path to prosperity?

The reasons ‘why’ are numerous and whether entrepreneurship was thrust upon you due to a job loss, or born out of a desire for change, we all share a common goal. All of us are seeking a better life and to build something special that we can take pride in.

Prosperity

Although the path to prosperity can’t be assured, here are some things to keep in front of you that will help you reach your destination. Continue reading…

If It Sounds Like Crap …

Don’t put it in your mouth! Discard it, don’t share it.

How often have we been guilty of saying or doing things that we have regretted later? Far too often I would guess. Yet, I still see numerous personal attacks in Tweets, Facebook posts and articles every day, not to mention the constant barrage of negative (and fake) news reports. This leads me to believe we’re not learning anything from our missteps.

So why do we do it?“People seldom improve when they have no other model but themselves to copy.” – Oliver Goldsmith

Why do we feel so compelled to hurt others through our words and our actions? Let me set the record straight, it is not a result of genetic programming. It’s learned behavior and as such, we can all do better. Continue reading…

10 Life Lessons from Holiday Cooking

This year ‘The Boys’, my son Daniel and I, decided to do most of the Christmas holiday cooking. It was our way of giving ‘The Girls’, my wife Laura and daughter Melanie, a much needed break to relax and enjoy the holiday. My crazy idea!!

Sweets & Treats All Done

We had no idea what we were getting ourselves in for when we started, but 11 recipes and 12+ hours of meal preparation, cooking and cleaning up our messes later, we had learned a lot from this experience. Here are some of the life lessons we took away from our holiday cooking adventure: Continue reading…

What Does a ‘No’ Response Really Mean?

What does a ‘no’ response really mean? The previous article addressed some of the common language, communication and media challenges we encounter when attempting to connect with the market. Now let’s shift gears and discuss what a no response really means and more importantly, what to do about it to improve response rates and sales results.

No Response

Regardless of the method of communication – i.e. direct mail, email, social media, text, etc. your goal should always be twofold. First, to grab the prospective buyer’s attention and second, to move them to an eventual sale.

In doing so, it helps to work the industry averages in your favor. For example, the typical open rates for email campaigns vary from 15% to 30%, and the response (click) rates from 2.5% to 3.5%, based on factors such as industry and company size. For direct mail, the response rates average between 1.5% and 4.5%. And improving on the industry averages should translate to better close rates, if you have a compelling value proposition and offer.

So, what are some of the steps you should take to improve response rates? Continue reading…

Sprechen Sie (They Speak) What?

Sprechen sie (they speak) what? Do you find it more challenging these days to connect with people and engage in meaningful conversation? Or for that matter, to just get a response from the other party! It sometimes seems like we are speaking a foreign language, or that the communication link has been severed.

At no time in mankind’s history, since the Lord scattered the twelve tribes, has our language and basic communication been so complex and confusing. This can represent a big challenge for many businesses attempting to enter new markets either regionally or globally that are unfamiliar with the local customs, languages and preferences.

World Languages

How can you communicate effectively and ensure your message is heard by the target audience when there are so many language and communication variables to consider? Continue reading…

Whose Normal Are You Challenging?

Whose normal are you challenging? Or better yet, what is normal? Interesting questions, let us explore further.

What is normal or the definition of normal that you are living by today?

According to Dictionary.com, normal is defined as, “conforming to a standard, usual, typical or expected”. However, the Urban dictionary has a totally different viewpoint. It defines normal as, “a word made up by this corrupt society so they can single out and attack those who are different”.

Legacy of Hope

Be careful with stereotypes, judging others, or attempting to live by someone else’s definition of normal. Remember this, “People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they are not on your road doesn’t mean they’ve gotten lost.” Continue reading…

Make Continuous Improvement a Priority

Where does continuous improvement rank on your list of priorities? If it is not at or near the top, then it should be.

Continuous improvement is essential to growth in all of the critical ‘Five F’ areas of life – faith, family, finances, fitness and fun. However, for this article, let’s focus on continuous improvement within the context of the business community.

Start out by asking yourself this question, “What would your business look like if Jack Welch, or Warren Buffett, or Bill Gates were running it?” Continue reading…

Marketing Secrets for the New Economy – Part 1

Marketing Secrets for the New Economy – Part 1 overviews the opportunities we have as entrepreneurs and business owners to dramatically increase revenues and profits in the ‘new economy’. Part 2 will address the importance of globalizing your business for sustainable long-term growth.

We have all heard many times over that most millionaires have a total of seven income sources. In the first part of the article, you will see examples of how you too can systematically create multiple income streams for a business around your greatest asset – YOU.

The image below reflects what these multiple income sources might include for a typical emerging business. I refer to this chart as the “Circle of Life” because it also provides an evolutionary path for scaling a growth business through the various life-cycle stages.

YOU

Now let’s explore each of these potential revenue streams in a little more detail, so you have a better idea of how applicable they may be for your particular situation. Continue reading…

If You Want to Be Heard, Be Real

Social networking platforms like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn have been a boon to both individuals and businesses that are seeking ways to strengthen their brand image and expand their market reach. However, the challenge for most is how to be heard above the noise.

When you consider that we’re bombarded by 3,500 to 4,000 messages per day from a variety of media sources, including social networking sites, how can we realistically hope to connect with the intended audience in meaningful ways so our message is heard?

In my opinion, there are three important ingredients to include if you want to develop a stronger online reputation and expand your target audience: Continue reading…

Want to Win a New Ferrari?

Want to win a new Ferrari? Guess what, me too, but this blog article has absolutely nothing to do with winning a new Ferrari. It does, however, have everything to do with driving more business to your front door!

This article is about the “power of the pen” or more to the point, the power of a well written headline and/or subject line to attract the reader’s attention and help improve your business results. In order to capture the reader’s attention the headline and related sub-text needs to draw them to the copy, so a connection is made that will motivate prospective buyers to purchase your product or service offer.

Ferrari Image

One of the most effective ways to do this is through the use of what I commonly refer to as “magic” or trigger words and phrases that grab the prospective buyer’s attention. Continue reading…