August 30, 2010

Making the leap

People ask me all the time.
How do I become an entrepreneur?
How do I start my own business?
How can I transform my art, my hobby, my passion into a successful venture?

People ask me, and they then…
Frown at the reply.

It’s because their expectations aren’t met.
It’s because they’re asking—so they think—a business question.
And they expect—of course—a business answer.

But believe it or not, the secret to success,
Isn’t found in business textbooks.
There is, in business, no textbook definition—no textbook strategy—for success.
How do I know this?
Well, for what it’s worth, I studied management and accounting, and I worked as an accountant and business adviser for more than 20 years.
I know business (that’s why people keep asking me that question in the first place).
And I know when textbook business advice is useful,
And when it’s of no help at all.

That’s why I say success isn’t ensured via a business strategy.
If it were, Yvon Chouinard’s business would have failed—a long time ago.
If it were, Scrivener wouldn’t be a Mac-only app.
I can go on, but,
I’ll get to the point.

You want to make that leap—cross that divide—from employee to entrepreneur?
You want to be a successful business owner?

Then do this:
Stand before a mirror,
Do you see a successful entrepreneur?
Gaze into your eyes, and ask yourself this,
What are the odds of me being successful?
Now ask yourself,
Do I believe I can be successful at business?

Measure mightily the answer.
Because it all starts with belief.
At the end of the day there’s more value in that tired, old expression, “You gotta believe!”
Than there is in a hundred business textbooks.

And, at the end of the day, understand that science is beginning to prove,
What Henry Ford said a hundred years ago,
Whether you believe you will succeed, or believe you will fail.
You’re right.

Ideas? Suggestions? Questions? Please leave a comment.

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August 24, 2010

It’s you times two

What does it mean, to Make the Leap?
For many people, it means continuing in their chosen profession or trade, with the exception that they’re doing it for themselves, rather than for a boss or employer.
If that definition describes you, it’s important to remember this;
You’re worth at least twice what you’re currently earning.
Whether you earn $10 an hour, $20 an hour, or more.
You’re easily worth twice that.

Think about it.
If you’re an employee, whatever it is you do,
Whether it’s programming things, administering things, building things or fixing things,
Your employer is selling your productivity to someone else.
And, when your employer sells your productivity to someone else, he or she makes a profit off the amount you’re getting paid.
In other words, there’s a customer in that equation who’s paying your employer a whole bunch more than the amount you’re getting.

And that’s why you’re worth twice what you’re earning.
It’s because there’s an intermediary between you and the customer.
Your employer is the  intermediary who brokers your talent, who finds the customers, and who then profits from the arrangement.
All you need to do, then, is cut out the intermediary, find your own customers and keep the extra amount for yourself.

So, why would a customer pay you double what your employer pays you?

  1. Because a customer’s already paying someone else more or less the same amount already
  2. Because when a customer hires you, it’s for a specific job or contract. In such a situation there’s often no ongoing commitment, and customers are willing to pay more for that flexibility (even though, if you provide good work, they’ll end up being a long-term customer).

What are the advantages of working for customers? Here are just a few examples:

  1. You can choose to work the same amount of hours and double your income.
  2. You can choose to work half as much and still earn the same income.
  3. You can choose who you’ll work for, and when you’ll work for them.
  4. You can choose to add services, discontinue services, or make no changes at all.
  5. You can choose to have as many customers as you want. Did you know there’s less of a risk to your your income if you work for five or ten customers (rather than just one employer)? If your employer lays you off, you lose 100% of your income. If one customer lets you go, you might lose only 10% of your income.
  6. You can choose to hire someone else and you, yourself, become the intermediary.

Whatever you choose to do, just remember, if you do make the leap, it’s you times two


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August 17, 2010

Reminders from a god

First steps.
In previous posts, I mentioned two first steps toward a Net Present Value lifestyle.
Those first steps included suggestions for Living at Cause, and for avoiding Three Common Regrets.
I’d like to take a minute to describe another first step—an important one. This one about reminders.

You probably know all about the power of positive affirmations, and the importance of setting goals
You probably know all that.
But, just as a recap, allow me this brief explanation…
Many experts say that seeing or hearing an ongoing motivational message is crucial for your success.

Even a simple positive statement such as I’m a winner,  if seen repeatedly, can have a lasting impact.
In addition, experts will advise you to establish, and keep track of, your goals.
Write your goals and affirmations down, and make sure you see them every day.
Put them on sticky notes, they’ll say,
Paste one to your dresser mirror, and another on your breakfast cereal box.
Seeing them every day.
That’s what’s important

Now let me give you my take on this strategy,
I think you need something more conspicuous, more front-and-centre.
Sticky notes, useful for many things, just don’t cut it for me. They’re too easy to miss.
So, instead of sticky notes, enter your goals and affirmations in your smartphone or computer’s calendar,
And set reminders that pop up at least once a day.
So that you’ll get, every day, something like this.

But here’s an even better, if somewhat abstract or philosophical, idea.
Did you know that Athena is the Greek mythical goddess of handicrafts?
Or that Demeter is the god of agriculture and horticulture?

With that in mind, why not use a Greek god as your very own personal avatar?
Just look up the Greek god that typifies your goal, create an affirmation that links you with that mythical figure, and then set a reminder.
For instance,
If you’d like to make the leap to something associated with music.
Then Apollo—the god of music—is your guy.
Just set a reminder that reads;


And make sure you see it every day.
I think you’ll be surprised at the positive impact a simple, and whimsical, statement like that can make.

Too weird for you?
Worried about what your family or friends will think if they catch a glimpse of your personal reminder?
Then bear in mind that you will always come across detractors and naysayers.
Understand too, that people will often try to discourage you or poke fun at your ideas.
Also bear in mind these two, final, suggestions;
One: memorize this phrase: “What others think of me is none of my business.”
Two: try to imagine the reminders that your detractors might be forced to look at each and every day,
Maybe something like this?

After all, the choice is yours. Get a reminder from a god, or let a naysayer steal your dream.

Ideas? Suggestions? Questions? Please leave a comment.

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August 10, 2010

Fay’s on tumblr

I thought it might be fun.
Or at the very least, informative,
To set up a tumblr page and upload, at the rate of one per day,
One hundred short, to-the-point tips for living a Net Present Value lifestyle.

Fay's Tumblr Blog

I lifted the quotes from the novel itself,
And they’re all attributable to Fay Thorncliffe, the book’s enigmatic, insightful main character.
The  tumblr blog is still in its infancy, and if you choose to follow it,
You’ll see me tweaking it as we go along.
And please,
If you have ideas for improving my site (or if you just want to say hi!) I’d love hearing from you.

Ideas? Suggestions? Questions? Please leave a comment.

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