Discover YOUR Formula for Success

Wanted to share some exciting news with everyone. I published my first course on Udemy this week!

Discover YOUR Formula for Success, is a journey of self-discovery. It provides the framework, resources and a step-by-step approach to help participants create a comprehensive personal plan for success and achieve their goals in a balanced way. The new course includes 21 lectures and lots of great content.

Discover YOUR Formula for Success

Much of the content is derived from my work with business owners in our coaching practice and business leaders in our 12-month strategic mastermind program. The course resources include e-books, articles, exercises, templates and tools designed to help participants discover what they really want out of life, and how to get it.

NOW for the really exciting news …

If you’re one of the first 50 people to register, you can order my first course for only $10 (normally $37)!!! Just click the link to register: https://www.udemy.com/discover-your-formula-for-success and include the coupon code BLSLIVE. Please feel free to share this information with others who would benefit from the course content.

Thank you in advance for your support. I look forward to your future success and to helping you Discover YOUR Formula for Success.

Enjoy the journey!

John

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 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…

Shut Up and Push

Shut up and push. Oddly enough, these four words hold a great deal of significance for me and I hope they will help you overcome obstacles to your success as well in the future. Let me explain.

My wife, Laura, and I will be celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary this next month. As our special date approaches each year, a lot of cherished memories always come rushing to the surface. A couple of my fondest memories are the births of our children.

Shut Up and Push Image

Laura was in labor for more than 33 hours with each of our children, Melanie and Daniel. You might say that she liked to “savor the labor”. However, I would never repeat that within earshot of my wife, for fear of being whacked upside the head. Melanie was the more difficult of the two deliveries. Continue reading…

No One Said It Would Be Easy

No one said it would be easy. Even in the best of times, starting a new business can be risky business. However, despite a volatile economy and job market, more and more people have ventured out into the entrepreneurial world.

We have all seen reports that suggest 50% – 75% of new businesses fail within the first three years. Why do so many fail?

  1. Limited resources – time, people, capital and expertise.
  2. Lack of focus and planning.
  3. No formal sales and marketing system.

These are a few of the primary reasons most new business starts fail to make it. So, what can you do differently to tilt the odds of success in your favor and build a profitable and sustainable new business?

Cliff Climbing Image

There are no absolutes, but there are some fundamental things you should do as a new business owner to make it easier to achieve your goals: 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…

What Is On Your Wish List for 2013?

The countdown to December 21, 2012 has begun. One of my social networking friends, Chanda Gunter, summed up the end of the world predictions best, “Soooo are we suppose to party today because the world ends at midnight OR do we get to enjoy all day tomorrow and then deal with the zombies? I’m so confused.”

Daniel New Year Photo

Let’s assume that the Mayan calendar predictions are incorrect and there will be a New Year to celebrate. What is on your wish list for 2013? Continue reading…

Your Business Really Does Suck

Now what??

Being an entrepreneur and a business owner presents its own set of unique challenges. Some of those daily challenges are good, some bad and some downright suck! However, when you have reached a point where it is not the daily grind, but the business itself that sucks, then it’s time for a reality check.

Hey, we have all been there. There are those days you just want to stay in bed and pull the covers over your head. But you can’t. However, if you have moved beyond this point and your business really does suck — now what? Then it’s time for you to step back and seriously explore your options.

Continue reading…