This should really go without saying, but first impressions are tremendously important. In life and business, the first impression you make can go a long way towards establishing how your future dealings, be they personal or professional, with a person (or company) will go. A good first impression can lead to a long-standing, beneficial relationship. A bad first impression can lead to no relationship at all. Obviously, the former is...
There is a line from the original Star Wars film Episode IV: A New Hope, spoken by Harrison Ford’s character Han Solo to Mark Hamil’s Luke Skywalker during a pitched battle in space. While not one of the most memorable or quoted lines in the film, it is a solid piece of life advice that has applications in many different ways, including business. The line is “Don’t get cocky, kid.” Cockiness is...
It's as inevitable as death and taxes: everyone reading this has, at one point or another, had to call in to a company's customer service line. You know the drill - get bounced around an automated system, push 1 for English, and eventually you wind up with a bored, disinterested representative on the line who doesn’t answer your questions, ignores some of your issues, and isn't paid enough to care...
In my last post, I touched on how to choose potential business opportunities after exploring your many options. The flip side of that equation, however, is just as important. While you'll certainly want to try your hand at many different things to maximize your earning potential, discover your most enjoyable tasks, and get yourself the largest possible piece of PIE, it’s important to remember not to overextend yourself. The temptation...
There are millions - perhaps even billions - of business opportunities out there, in just about every industry you can imagine (and some that are yet to be imagined). With so many options, there's no reason why you should settle for working in an industry that doesn't suit you. It's not the middle ages - you've got more options than farmer or blacksmith. But how do you decide which one...
It would be difficult to select a single action or attribute and consider it the one, most important tool to master. You could make a case for the importance of mastering your online presence, for building your team, or for taking the time to learn from more experienced mentors, just to name a few. The simple fact is, however, none of these is the single most important weapon in your arsenal -...
If you've been following this blog for a while, there's a good chance that you've received a lot of helpful advice, and hopefully put it to work making you money. First of all, congratulations! I'm glad to have been able to lend a helping hand on your road to personal independent earnings. You making money all on your own with no boss telling you what to do makes me happy....
The business world offers a virtually limitless array of opportunities and, consequently, challenges. There is always something more you could know about how to achieve your business goals - even the masters (especially the masters) are still always learning more about how they can achieve ever greater success. There's an important takeaway from that knowledge - there isn't anybody in business who is already perfect. Everybody has screwed up a couple...
There's an old song that goes "You've gotta know when to hold 'em. Know when to fold 'em. Know when to walk away. Know when to run." It's true in poker - and it's true in business. When you're in business for yourself, it's natural to always be on the look out for new opportunities. In fact, it's essential. Eventually, therefore, you're bound to come across business ventures and idea...
Sir Francis Drake, the famous explorer, bore this coat of arms with the latin phrase "Sic Parvis Magna." Translated to English, it means "Greatness From Small Beginnings." How many times over the course of human history has true greatness come from small beginnings? How many times has an idea from a single person or small group gone on to change the world? As it turns out, quite a few. The...