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…

Special Gift Offer Expires October 31st

I need your help.

As you may know, for the entire month of October I am offering my new online course, Discover YOUR Formula for Success, for only $20 (normally $37). All proceeds from this special gift offer will go to Build International Ministries to help support their extraordinary mission work abroad.

Give Her Hope

Discover YOUR Formula for Success is a journey of self-discovery. It provides the overall framework and resources needed to create a comprehensive personal plan for success. The course includes 21 lectures and 2+ hours of video content, in addition to e-books, articles, exercises, templates and tools. (Would also make a great gift for a loved one this upcoming holiday season).

Sandy Anderson, president of Build International Ministries, and his daughter Sabrina returned last week from Nepal and India on their latest mission trip. Please help me surprise Sandy and his team with our donations to help support the continuing work of his ministry.

Click on the link to register for the course: https://www.udemy.com/discover-your-formula-for-success and include the gift coupon code BDAYGIFT.

This special offer expires on October 31st, so please register today! By doing so, you will be making a global difference in the lives of many others.

Thank you for your support.

John Carroll

 

COPYRIGHT © 2013 John Carroll

My Birthday Gift to You – Pay It Forward

Well, I have finally put the bow around my surprise birthday gift to you. Last week was great fun. We traveled to Saint Louis for some much needed R&R to celebrate my big day with family and friends, and to attend Laura’s (my wife) high school reunion.

Now this week, we’ve planned a family outing with our adult children for the second leg of the birthday activities. I know, I know. That’s not why you are here. You want to know what your surprise birthday gift is, don’t you? Well, I can tell you this – it’s something out of the ordinary. But before I tell you any more, you must agree to pay it forward. Okay?

So, what exactly is my surprise birthday gift to you? 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…

Marketing Secrets for the New Economy – Part 2

In Marketing Secrets for the New Economy – Part 2 we will explore why globalization has become a key strategic imperative for sustainable business growth and survival in the new economy.

Yeah, yeah, I know what you’re thinking. There he goes again, beating that globalization drum. Doesn’t he understand that I own a small local business and have no plans to expand globally?

Yes, I get it … but that is today’s reality. We are talking about the future opportunities for growth in the new global economy. Your opinion may change after you have read Part 2 of the article and had time to consider the following chart in more detail.

Global Wealth Distribution Chart

Let us start the globalization discussion by acknowledging the fact that there is no such thing as a local business in today’s rapidly changing economy. Millions of “eyeballs” around the world can gain access to your business from your web site, social media, email lists and other sources, and vice versa. As such, our world has become interconnected, interdependent and open. 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…

Life is a Matter of Inches

Life is a matter of inches. Here in America, we saw this tragically displayed this past week in the streets of Boston, the small town of West, Texas, and remotely in the Sichuan province of China where a deadly earthquake claimed the lives of 180 people and injured more than 5,700 others.

Al Pacino’s famous line from his half-time speech in the movie Any Given Sunday repeated over and over in my head as I sat glued to the news reports as last week’s events unfolded in real-time. “The inches we need are everywhere around us” was being played out on every news channel around the globe and in the lives of those affected by these tragic events.

Boston Marathon Bombing

Each day we see examples of how the inches around us can impact lives. A 4.82 second time in the 40 yard dash versus a 4.71 time at the NFL Combine can mean the difference between being selected #32 or #17 in the upcoming NFL draft. A few inches (or seconds) in your finish time in the Boston Marathon or travel time around West, Texas could make the difference between being in the blast zone or not – between life or death. Just ask Joe Berti.

Continue reading…

May Irish Eyes Smile Upon You

“When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, sure ’tis like a morn in spring.

In the lilt of Irish laughter, you can hear the angels sing.

When Irish hearts are happy, all the world seems bright and gay,

And When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, sure, they steal your heart away.”

Is the chorus to “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling”, a song first published in 1912 at a time when songs paying tribute to a romanticized Ireland were numerous and popular both in Great Britain and the United States.

“There are only two kinds of people in the world, The Irish and those who wish they were.” Continue reading…

Stand FOR Something or Take a Seat

The past several weeks have been a busy time for Americans. We have provided aid and support to those affected by super storm Sandy, re-elected our President and Vice-President and honored our veterans this past Monday on Veterans Day.

Now with the holidays looming on the horizon, our schedules should get even crazier with holiday parties, shopping and family gatherings. It should be a time for celebration, a time for renewal, and a time for thanks giving, joy and hope. However, I just don’t sense the traditional holiday spirit this year.

Maybe it is the hangover from the presidential campaign, or the growing unrest with the direction of the country that may have taken the air out of the holiday balloon. Speaking of the election, there were more than 207 million U.S. citizens eligible to vote in the 2012 presidential election. However, only 150 million were registered to vote, and roughly 118 million people actually voted. Continue reading…