Entreprenuership Coaching

Positive thinking

2010-06-06T08:55:00.000-07:00

My sincere apologies to all my esteemed readers. I have been extremely busy with new and exciting projects which i will be launching very soon. Its been a while, since i contributed on this blog. At the beginning of the year, we made a commitment to add value to content on this blog. You will begin to see changes very soon.

During my absence from this blog, i was engrossed in a project which is so dear to me. During initial planning phase, i had a brain storming session with my business partners over some critical funding issues. We were pondering the best funding options available for the project. During the course of this discussion, there were diverse views with regards which financing option was the best and so forth. As the discussion progressed i recall my close ally, out of the blue saying' but guys, are we going to pull this project through'. Given the magnitude of this project, who is going to give us such an amount of money? We are up coming entrepreneurs, are the finance houses going to give us audience?

I was taken aback by my partner's sudden change of heart over a matter we had over flogged. From conception we were all motivated by one thing - to pull off the project at any cost. We knew our shortcomings and had discussed these in detail. We had agreed on alternative financing options if the ones we were targeting did not materialize. Now my closest buddy was beginning to develop feet of clay......I looked him direct in the face and said 'hey man, are you doubting our ability to successfully implement this project?'...he looked sheepishly and said noooo, its not like am doubting anything, i am just thinking like a human being, man this project is no small feat.' Again he echoed his statement of doubt.

I sat him down and said '...man, i have prayed again and again about this project, what we are doing is to facilitate, the project director of this venture is God. If he has approved it, i dont see us failing. No financial house or institution will deny us any funding.......come to think of it, we have been working on this for over a year, we have been successful at all the regulatory documentation and now, we are almost there, how can we fail after coming this far?. Where is your faith, i asked looking directly in his face again. He looked at me and said, i believe it will come to pass, dont worry we will get it done, i was just expressing my feelings.'

What i deduced from my partner's feelings on this particular day was lack of focus and belief in oneself. He was seeing unsurmountable obstacles instead of opportunities. Impossibility was what he could see instead of avenues where we could use to get the project off the ground. These feelings are what separates entrepreneurs from wanna bes. If you are to embark on the journey of entrepreneurship, you need to develop and think positively.

Positive thinking is the process of creating thoughts, that create and focus energy into reality. To bring into creation a positive outcome, which you see as a benefit to yourself or others.This thought process is a powerful gift endowed to us by the almighty, which unfortunately many of us do not use for our benefit. Those who have effectively used this feelings are what we call successful people in different spheres of life.

Being an entrepreneur takes a lot of courage and determination to overcome adversity. Watch out for part two of this article as i will share in detail the traits of successful entrepreneurs.

To your success!!!!

How to start a Cyber Cafe Business

2010-03-21T12:17:00.000-07:00

I have just completed writing an electronic book on how you can easily start an internet cafe business in your neighborhood. Do you see an existing gap in your area? If yes, or you were thinking of start a business in this area, then you have a valuable resource at hand.

In this book i will lead you by hand, showing you all the hidden secrets that will catapult your business to success. Highlights of what you will get:

How to write a business plan for a cyber cafe
All the things you need before starting a cyber cafe
Ideal networking (Wired vs WI-FI)
Billing software
Managing the business
Type of softwares require for the Server and clients
Alternative energy source/s for your cyber cafe
Introducing N-Computing as a cost cutting measure

To get a glimpse of the first chapter, feel free to visit here

To your success!!!

Keep your eye on the ball

2010-03-10T05:45:00.000-08:00

Sincere apologies to all my regular readers......it has been hectic, and has not been easy at all.

You know in life there are times when 24 hours in a day is not enough to do all the things you would love to do.

I have been working on some projects which are now in implementation stage. I will shed light on these project in future posts on this blog.

Waal, can you believe we are almost midway in the third month of the year? Its like 2010 started yesterday. Its so crazy how time flies. I hope all the resolutions we committed to beginning of the year are in place and we are moving in the right direction.

If you made a vow to start a business this year, i want to believe by now you have sown the seeds and everything is in place and waiting to be executed. Remember, the secret of getting ahead in any endeavor is getting started. Its not about money or anything, the success of any project depends on your passion and enthusiasm and focus. You can only influence people around you by displaying a high sense of responsibility and perseverance.

Remember desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a

keen pulsating desire, which transcends everything'. These are words of wisdom and encouragement echoed by Napoleon Hill.

Watch this space as i will be sharing some business ideas i have been working on lately. Let me have your comments and suggestions. You can tell me what type of articles you would like us to cover on this blog.

I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes by Brian Tracy ' All successful people, men and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose'.

To your Success!!

Business Opportunities in New Zimbabwe

2010-01-19T09:30:00.000-08:00

2009 ushered a new despensation in modern Zimbabawe. President Robert Mugabe (ZANU PF), joined hands with his worst nemesis Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC) to form a transitional government of national unity.

Since the signing of this accord, the zimbabwe economy has recorded enviable progress. Economic activity which has been in stagnation for the past ten years roared into gear with the complete dollarisation of the economy and complete phasing out of the zim dollar.

This scenario prompted significant economic activity in manufacturing, retail, mining, services and other key industries.

This scenario has triggered many business opportunities in various sectors of the economy. Serious investors can take advantage of various opportunities in:

Construction (roads, dams, real estate)
Real Estate (commercial and residential)
Tourism
Retail/wholesaling
Manufacturing
Energy (Electricity, petroleum, Gas, oil)
Education (tertiary)
Farming (Animal Husbandry, dairy, hot culture)

For more information on various opportunities available to both large and small scale investors, please feel free to contact: farai@bluemoonzim.com

New Year's Message to all our loyal readers

2010-01-06T01:15:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since I posted an article on this blog. Please accept my sincere apologies to my loyal readers for this lapse in communication. I was vacationing in a rural setting savoring the gift of nature, where there was no access to internet or my mobile telephony.

I hope we all had a wonderful festive season and we are all rearing to face this new decade. I am pretty sure everyone has set their goals for 2010; it is my hope and prayer that we shall all realize our goals without any difficulties in Jesus’ name.

AS we start this New Year, and a new decade, it is worth looking back to see how far we have come before facing up to the challenges 2010 has in store for us. 2009 was a year full of mixed fortunes due to the global financial crisis which ravaged world economies. Businesses were the most affected as financial institutions stopped giving credit lines. Many companies were shut down and millions of workers lost their jobs worldwide. The effects of this global phenomenon are still being felt as we enter into this decade.

The prospects for 2010 are just as uncertain, and with historic evidence showing that business failures increase during the early phase of recovery, small business owners are right to fear the immediate future.

2010 will be a year of great potential instability. With economic recovery fragile, with confusing statistics about lending, output, sales and employment, the world has never faced such political and economic uncertainty on the back of a crippling credit crisis.

Notwithstanding this situation, entrepreneurs will not be deterred in their quest for economic recovery. 2010 offers more opportunities for small businesses to fill the gaps left by big conglomerates that winded off their operations or scaled down due to the recession.

For our loyal readers, 2010 will usher in various changes on this blog. We have been working flat out to improve our content for the benefit of all our readers. You will see many innovative business solutions being offered by our panel of experts who are coming in as contributors. We are in the process of taking this blog to a higher level, where our loyal readers will have the opportunity to migrate to free or paid membership. Please watch this space for more details on the changes taking place at Entreprenuer-101.

In closing off, I challenge you to make your life a masterpiece, and urge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach, who walk their talk.

God bless you all.

Make Good returns with Real Estate Investments

2009-11-26T12:56:00.000-08:00

Real Estate is one of the most lucrative investment options available on the market today. I personally believe in this investment option as I am involved in commercial real estate investment. Real estate offers the highest return on investment over any other type of investment available. This investment option allows the largest accumulation of wealth during a relatively short period of time.

For example, if you invest in real estate, you automatically receive a number of tax reducing privileges that do not happen for other types of investment. Since taxes amount for at least 30% of your annual expenditures, saving on taxes can make your investment much more solid and lucrative.

Before you can think about venturing into this type of investment, you need to learn as much as you can before you invest a single cent. Take classes and seminars on investment analysis, real-estate finance and commercial lease analysis.

The second step is to look for the right properties. Do your research to find what comparable properties are sold and rented for in the location you are considering. The right property attracts the right tenants or buyers, so spend time and effort up front on finding desirable properties. A good rule of thumb is to look for the worst house on the best block, since you can make many changes to a property but you can never change its location.

Real estate investments are categorized into two main categories namely; residential and commercial real estate. Depending on your capital and personal preference, you can choose to invest in either residential or commercial real estate. I have listed different types of real estate investment options below by category:

Residential/housing

Family Homes - This is the simplest and most common type of real estate investment on the market. Families need houses to live in. The demand is very high, and also this the easiest investment to start with as little knowledge is required to venture into this category.

Condos/Estates - These are multi-family homes and the second common type of real estate investment. It is important to be careful with your assessments on the property and your numbers when calculating your likely return on investment.

Commercial

Commercial real estate is a bit sophisticated type of investment; this requires some knowledge about this market. However, you can still start with this type of investment with the help or guidance of a seasoned real estate investment consultant. Commercial real estate offers the highest return on investment if the numbers are played intelligently.

Investment in commercial real estate covers retail properties, office buildings, shopping centers, hotels, warehouses, manufacturing facilities, apartment complexes – and vacant land that has the potential for development for these types of buildings. In short, almost any kind of real estate except single-family home and single-family lots can be regarded as commercial real estate.

I will cover benefits of investing in either residential or commercial real estate in my next post.

Wishing you all the best in your quest to financial freedom.

How to tap into Internet Riches

2009-11-21T14:49:00.000-08:00

Have you ever considered starting an internet business? The internet has produced hundreds of millionaires since the dot com boom. If you've never considered starting an internet business, I think you will be geared to start your own online business after reading a book by Scott Fox called Internet Riches. You can read the book review at one of my blogs here: Internet Riches.

After reading the review, you can buy this book here: Amazon books. Scott Fox shares internet success secrets in a simplified and easy to follow manner.

Scott Fox is a top e-business consultant in Hollywood. He is a frequent speaker on e-business and entrepreneurship at universities, including NYU, USC, and UCLA, and at conferences such as Digital Hollywood and Internet World.

Happy Reading!!!

Business Lessons I learnt from the Master of Real Estate

2009-11-19T05:06:00.000-08:00

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill is probably one of the most influential books ever written on entrepreneurship. One thing I liked about this book is the author's ability to clearly show readers how to evolve from being an ordinary thinker to being a master thinker. I have read this book more than ten times since I came across it. Every time I read it my mind is refreshed and energized.

If you study all wealthy people you know of, there are some stark similarities in their behavior which makes them a unique group of people. In my pursuit to become a successful entrepreneur, I study and follow a couple of wealthy entrepreneurs who are my role models. As a passionate real estate developer, I have been following the successful rise of Donald Trump founder of the Trump Organization. Donald’s story is a remarkable one. Here is a gentleman whose fortunes plummeted to zero when the real estate market experienced a downturn. He was publicly declared bankrupt in the 90s.

Despite this set back Donald did not sit back and mourn over his predicaments. He worked hard to resurrect from the depths of oblivion. By late 90s, Donald’s financial fortunes improved greatly due to his business acumen, focus and diligence.

The Trump Organization operates a property portfolio worth billions of dollars worldwide. Donald Trump's empire is synonymous with exquisite and signature properties across the US, Europe and Asia. Donald is a shrewd businessman and excellent negotiator, who has managed to seal very attractive deals. I have read many books authored by this gentleman. I am looking forward to reading his latest book ‘The America we deserve’.

Key business lessons I have learnt from Donald are:

Always define your business’s core values

Donald has mastered the art of defining the core values of his brand and leveraging his brand equity to appeal to a wide customer base. This has made his brand connect with his target customers.

Model a brand around your lifestyle

Donald has been so successful in large part because he has managed to build a lifestyle brand around the luxurious and successful life that he lives and most people aspire to. He works hard to cultivate the image, and he uses it to expand into new business lines and find new areas to venture into. From his real estate developments to his casinos and books, his new ventures are selected to dovetail with his core image.

Have a distinct line of business

The Trump name is synonymous with exquisite real estate developments. Donald Trump has done an excellent job promoting the idea that he owns properties around the world.

Form strategic partnerships

Most of the buildings bearing the Trump brand overseas are not wholly owned by Donald Trump. After going experiencing bankruptcy and the ups and downs of the real estate market, Donald learned to spread his risk by forming strategic alliances with other investors. He puts his name and his image to work while keeping his costs and exposure low. For example properties like Trump World, in Seoul, have licensed his name but aren't owned by him. He gets a fee for lending out his name, makes sure there's quality control and gets great marketing out of having another big Trump-branded property in the marketplace.

Persistence

The real estate market is a volatile market, which is very unpredictable. Donald showed great persistence in his pursuit to excellence. Having lost everything, he managed a dramatic comeback. Donald has credited his success to patience and persistence over long periods of time to wait out market fluctuations. Persistence is very important a virtue for success in every endeavor.

Negotiation

Donald Trump is regarded as one of the best negotiators alive. He is known for his shrewd negotiating skills which have seen him landing juicy deals in the corporate world. Donald advises businessmen to always do it face-to-face. In this era of telephones, teleconference, and video conference, Donald suggests that if it's an important negotiation, you should do it face-to-face, so that you can read the other person's body language.

Middle men

Donald is not a fan of middle men who do not add value and who extract outsized returns. In one of his books, Donald tells the story of how he "goes around" a broker on a billion dollar deal where he was losing a negotiation and flew to Dubai to deal directly with the principal and struck a great deal.

In most cases business lose a lot of money to these middlemen, who in most cases do not add value to the business. I agree with Donald in by-passing the middleman and going it alone.

So here you go, I hope you learnt one or two things from the ‘Don’s business style. If you have not read any of Donald trump’s books click here: Amazon books

To your Success!!

The Art of the start

2009-11-04T05:07:00.001-08:00

As human beings, we all have dreams; we have ambitions, we aspire to be successful in all spheres of life. These are natural human feelings. However, most of our dreams and aspirations are unrealized as we do not act upon them. May be you have tried once to pursue your dream and experienced some form of setback and you gladly accepted failure as inevitable. This is not the way to go. Remember what the mind conceives, it will surely come to pass. Remove the word ‘impossible’ from your vocabulary, as nothing is impossible to achieve under the sun.

Mark Twain said 'The secret of getting ahead is getting started'. Procrastination is a thief of time. It is human nature to procrastinate, but it is a terrible thing to have a dream and not do anything about it. Many people have excellent ideas, but fail to take action. Theodore Roosevelt said 'It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.'

Many people are languishing in their current status because of fear to follow their dreams. It is human nature to be afraid of the unknown, especially when it affects your comfort zone. It takes great courage and effort to start any type of business. Great entrepreneurs and innovators recorded in the annals of history had great dreams and worked on their dreams to achieve success which is evident today. If they had not worked hard to realize these dreams and aspirations the world would have never seen any of these inventions and innovations.

There is story I always recite every time I talk about following and accomplishing our dreams. A close ally of mine from my days in high school Douglas, was a gifted artist, Douglas could draw anything imaginable. In school he scoped all available accolades for his drawing skills. After school he went on to enroll at an art school in Harare where he graduated with distinctions.

I recall talking to Douglas soon after he had won a scholarship to do his masters in the US. Then he was working as a part time lecturer at a college. He said to me, 'you know I have been thinking of establishing an art school for the past three years.....I interrupted and asked him why he had not started the college? Without mincing his words he said ' you see, this venture is BIG, I need so much money to start this school. Where on earth am I going to get the money I need as a start up? You know banks are very difficult to approach'. He went on and on, telling me how impossible it was for him to realize his dream.

I asked him another question, 'but Douglas, have you ever tried approaching a bank or individual people to come in as Joint Venture partners? He gave me an emphatic no, and justified why he had not thought about this route of funding. As Douglas narrated his story, every time he mentioned an obstacle his voice radiated in agreement. My friend had already succumbed to failure before he had even tried.

Douglas's problem is similar to millions of people who have brilliant ideas but have been sitting on their laurels without taking any action to actualize their dreams. Just imagine if Larry and Sergey of Google had not taken action to actualize their dream, what could have happened to Google?. The world would have been deprived of a search engine that has redefined and brought great innovation and empowerment to millions of people worldwide.

Take Action

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. You need to take action and start working on your dream. Start small and grow gradually. Remember you don't need money to start actualizing your dream. What you need is drive and passion to follow your dream. Don’t let fear and ill advice distract your thought process. Keep your eye on the ball. Michael Friedsam said ‘Concentrate on finding your goal, then concentrate on reaching it."

Fear is an enemy of progress

Fear is defined as being afraid of the unknown. If it’s raising capital that has been impeding on your success there are several ways to raise money apart from borrowing from a bank. Honestly I don't know why people waste their time approaching banks for funding when they know they don't have collateral to cede against their loan. As a start up banks are not the right place to look for capital. You can raise capital through your personal savings, contributions from friends, parents and Joint Venture partners.

Live and cherish your vision everyday

In order to remain focused, you need to visualize everyday what your venture would be like once it is set up. Every day you need to set aside time to reflect on the dream to keep it alive in your heart. When Sam Walton the founder of the biggest retail chain in the world, started Wal-Mart, he had a vision of building the biggest grocery chain in the United States. But when he started, he started with a small grocery store. Although he started small, he never at once lost sight on his goal of ' building the biggest grocery chain in America'. Today Wal-Mart is the biggest Supermarket chain in the world employing millions of people worldwide.

Proper planning and conscious effort can take you far in realization of your dreams. Dennis Green said, ‘The secret to success is to start from scratch and keep on scratching."

Tips for creating a Viable Business

2009-10-28T05:15:00.000-07:00

In my career i have read many books on entrepreneurship and studied business models of many fortune 500 companies. I have studied business models of Google, Face Book, Zappos, Coca Cola, Wal-Mart and Macdonalds just to mention a few.

I was thrilled by Google's business model. Those of you who have been following the Google story will attest to the fact that this company is the fastest growing business at the moment. I am sure you will agree with me the company's performance is currently the envy of many executives and engineers around the world.

Google is a marvel of Web brilliance, and is also a case study in savvy management. The team at Google are filled with cutting-edge ideas, rigorous accountability, and relentless attention to detail, which has catapulted this company to unprecedented heights.

I will not dwell much on Google as this is not the essence of this post. There are five key lessons which i would like to share with you that i learnt from all the business models i have studied.

Create a product that will make people's lives easier

Everyday people surf the net to look for information which will make their lives easy. Nobody likes hassles, hence, as an entrepreneur, if you come up with a product that will make life easier for people, it will be a winner provided it is well thought out. Again there must be a need for your service/product in the market.

Choose a big Market

Mass markets are usually very profitable due to numbers. Again some people argue that mass markets are already flooded with goods/services, hence, there is no room for new comers. My take on this is, if you have done your research and you found a need that is not adequately addressed. Go in and swim in these murky waters. Be different, be original and offer value added services. Niche segments are very tricky due to their size. However, if your offer is unique, niche segments are high value markets.

Develop a business model that will make money

Like Google, you need to come up with a good business model that will allow you to make money. Google's business strategy never cease to amaze me. In your opinion whos is Google's customers? How do they make their money? All their services are free, isnt it? So how on earth do they make their money? Google's business model is based on a philosophy practiced by many successful online entrepreneurs. You provide a service first, then money will come later. Google never charges for any of their services, their revenue comes from advertisers, its as simply as that. They concentrate on creating unique services and then advertisers will patronize them to get to their target markets. What a better way to make money? You too can borrow this model provided you know what you are doing.

Dont pay to get customers

In order to make money, you need to contain costs. As a start up one of the most important tasks you have to do is to publicize your business. In my opinion, you dont have to pay in order to get customers. With the advent of social media, blogs and forums such as facebook, Tweeter, DIGG, Myspace and linkd, you can freely publicize your business without spending a dime.

Be strict about who you hire

A business's success or failure is dependent upon its employees. It is very important to hire good hands. In order to get this right, you need to have very strict fool proof recruiting procedures. I read about a company that screens up to 50 people when they are hiring for a single position. This ensures they get the best candidate for the job. There a technique called a technique called top grading which reveals people's pattern of behavior which most successful organisations use in hiring the best people. Google hires the best there is on the market, because they are now an employer of first choice.

Feel free to contact me with your comments and suggestions.

To Your Success!!!!!

Lessons from the Black Statellites of Ghana

2009-10-24T13:58:00.000-07:00

History was made on Friday 16^th of October when the Black Satellites of Ghana cruised to a historic victory over four times champions Brazil in Cairo. Ghana cruised to a 4-3 victory after a bruising penalty shout out, to become the first African team to win the under 20 World cup. André Ayew, son of the legendary Pele led the ten men Ghanaian side to victory against favorites Brazil. The Ghana boys made Ghana and Africa proud; I sincerely hope this victory is a sign of good things to come. With Nigeria defending the under 17 World cup on home soil, I hope the Young Eaglets will repeat the same feat and make Africa proud.

Watching a 10 men Ghana team battling Brazil man for man throughout the match, without showing any signs of discomposure taught me valuable lessons about perseverance and sheer determination. Analyzing the game, I learned two vital lessons one can follow to attain set targets.

Lesson one – Stay Focused

The team was tactically strong and played as a team despite having lost a colleague in the 37^th minute. Sheer determination and focus on the main goal gave them the impetus to continue even though the odds were against them. Most times people fail to attain their goals due to lack of focus and distractions from temporary failure. Setbacks should be seen as stepping stones to realizing our dreams. The Black Satellites of Ghana remained focused to the very end of the game. Twice they were behind, but they kept soldiering on until they attained the trophy.

Lesson two – Don’t stop believing in yourself

Despite being one man down, the team never in a single moment doubted their ability to lift the trophy. With this belief the team worked coherently thwarting the marauding Brazilian strikers in their effort to score. They played as a team and managed to compete with their opponents’ man for man throughout the match. Often time’s people lose focus and allow doubt to creep in and destabilize their plans. The most important attribute in pursuit of success is self belief. You need to believe in your ability to do things before you get approval from outsiders.

In life success does not come on a silver platter. It comes through hard work, singleness of purpose, concerted effort and hard work. Abraham Lincoln said ‘You can have anything you want, if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, do anything you set out to accomplish if you hold to that desire with singleness of purpose’.

To your success!!

How to make extra Money with your photos

2009-10-15T06:41:00.000-07:00

I love taking photos; I have been taking photos since my days in college. Photography is defined as the process, activity and art of creating still or moving pictures. The good thing about photography, everyone can take a picture even if you have not used a camera before.

I think all of us have taken a photo before. The world of photography has changed since the instant camera was developed. With a digital camera, you can take a not so good shot and make it perfect using a variety of software options. Best of all, pictures can be printed on quality paper on your printer or at a store kiosk for just a few cents per picture.

Technology has created memory cards much like the flash drive storage medium to file and save pictures for sharing on the Internet. You can easily upload pictures from the memory card to your friends, family and a blog or website if you have one.

Today I will be sharing with you how you can use photography to make some extra cash. In this article I will show you how as a newbie or novice photographer you can start making a living, with your digital camera or mobile phone camera.

How you can Earn Money with Digital Photographs

Stock photography is one of the best ways to break into the online digital photography market. You can sell your photos to others who need pictures for websites, newsletters, magazines and e-zines and other media. Have you browsed through the Web lately? Many of the photos look the same. Your photos can add a new flavor to what is currently being offered. There is never any harm in seeing how your images will be perceived.

First, understand how the stock photography business works. On these sites, customers can purchase pictures or lease them for a certain amount of time. On some sites, photos are free to use when signing an agreement of use and including a link back to the site.

As a photographer, you will make more money if your photos are leased as opposed to being sold. The one time sale may net you some cash but the lease will provide a continuous source of income. Many people can pay to lease the photograph at one time. Through the leasing process, your work will be viewed by a large audience.

Start by researching current stock photography sites. Find one that offers the leasing option to customers and also has an easy-to-navigate site. Begin here and test the waters with your work. Now, all you need to do is produce some quality work. Look at other stock photographs. What do they have in common? Are the pictures clear? Can you make out all of the features of the photo? At the least, your photographs need to be clear with the subjects in the foreground.

Another consideration is the type of digital photos you are trying to sell. More of the same that already exists won’t be received well. The stock photography companies are out to make money too. Don’t be afraid to try some new ideas for holiday photos or for everyday photos. They will let you know what does and does not sell.

In the meantime, create a website or blog with links to the stock photography sites featuring your work. This will send more people to view your photographs and may lead to other opportunities in the future. Some popular stock photo sites are as follows:

www.istockphoto.com/
www.gettyimages.co.uk
www.fotolia.com/
www.everystockphoto.com

To your success!!!!

Tips to help you succeed as an internet entrepreneur

2009-10-08T08:01:00.000-07:00

Today I am sharing some tips you can use to set up your internet business. Remember these tips are not exhaustive, you can research for more stuff on the internet, and however, these tips are critical for any person intending to get off the ground as an internet entrepreneur.

1. Start with a 'model' and a 'plan'

A business model or plan is your road map to success. You will need a proven business model to follow; there are thousands of successful businesses online you can learn from. You can study multi-billion business models for Google, YouTube, Yahoo and Face book. It is important to note that although Internet businesses are easier to set up and profit from than traditional businesses, you must have a vision and marketing plan in place. It does not just happen like that out of the blue.

2. Identify your Niche

Before you decide on what type of business you intend to venture into, you need to do thorough research into the niche or market segment you want to invest in. For example you might be planning to start selling eBooks online. But before you start selling the eBooks’, you need to find out which niche or segment you want to write about. You need to ask yourself these questions: Is the niche profitable? Is there a need for the eBook? How many people are looking for this information on the internet? Is my eBook providing solution to a need in the market?

EBay is an excellent source for niche ideas. People go there looking for bargains on hot products and topics. Lucky for us, eBay keeps track on what people are searching for! You can visit this site http://pulse.ebay.com.Alternatively you can also use Google Trends.http://www.google.com/trends.

After identifying a niche of interest you can now plan on what to write, before you even think on how you are going to sell your product. Remember in order to make it on the internet, you must first identify a problem, then work on how to provide a solution for that problem. Millions of people surf the internet on a daily basis to find information on how to address their problems. So if you are able to provide a solution to a particular problem then your product will be able to sell. This is the secret formula six figure info-preneurs use to rake in thousands of dollars every month. However, there is more to it than just identifying a problem and providing a solution. We will cover this in future posts.

2. Register a website

In order to start online business you need a website. You can still start making money on the internet without a website. But it is advisable to start your own website or journal in the form of a blog. Blogging is also referred to as online journaling in the sense that you can add content on a daily basis, whenever you have fresh ideas to share with your readers.

The origination of the term ‘blog’ is interesting. It was initially called a ‘weblog’ meaning a log or a diary or a journal that helps you to record your thoughts on a day to day basis. In that sense it was rather in its primitive stages. This term was later shortened to blog and this is when free blogging services like Blogger became extremely popular.

Blogging today is not restricted to only maintaining a journal. It has truly become a platform where various kinds of people from all walks of life, whether they have the same ideologies or not, come and discuss the matters they think will benefit other people.

You can easily register for a free blog in a few seconds. Visit: www.blogger.com to set up your free account now. When you have some money you can now graduate to word press. But before you start using word press, you will need to register a domain name. This does not cost you much, visit https://www.godaddy .com /.

3. Learn to outsource

Remember you cannot know it all when it comes to internet business. There are so many things you need to know before you can start running the business. There is HTML, domain registration, Domain hosting, Adding codec, Adsense, Key words, traffic generation, Link exchanges and a whole lot of things you need to master in a short time. Areas where you are not very competent in, are your weak points, the best way to address these weak points is to find someone who can take care of these activities.

Remember these areas of 'weakness' can suck away a lot of valuable time that you could better spend doing what you're really good at. This is the best way to maximize your time.

4. Take Daily Action

Think about what you can do each day to grow your business, even if you think you've got all the pieces in place. You can always benefit from more traffic and more leads, right? Stay up to date on market research and add new keywords to your pay-per-click campaigns, or take a spare hour to write that article you've been putting off. Compose a message to your opt-in list, and offer them a new 'freebie' to build good will and keep your open rates up.

Last, but not least, don't forget to take a break and just enjoy the freedom of being your own boss. Go for a walk or run a few errands. It's important to get out and interact with people, especially if you work alone at home! Remember Theodore Roosevelt said ‘It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.’

To your success!!!!!

Grab your FREE Downloadable copy of The Millionaire Mindset

2009-10-02T09:22:00.005-07:00

In my previous post on Mentoring i quoted a paragraph from Gerry Robert's book 'The Millionaire Mindset. You might be wondering who Gerry is, Gerry is a successful entrepreneur, Professional speaker and best selling author. I have great news for all readers of this blog. You see Gerry is a wonderful guy, he is someone who has made it in business. He always finds ways on how best he can contribute to society in a meaningful way.

There is a chinese proverb which says 'if you give a man a fish, you have saved him from starvation, but if you give him knowledge you have given him a lifeline.' Yes, thats what Gerry is giving you. He is offering his Valuable book 'The Millionaire Mindset' in ebook format for free. Can you believe it? Yes, I mean he is offering this book to you at not cost at all. Hurry to his website now and grab this book, while stocks last.

Download the book at :http://www.gerryrobert.com

I hope this book will transform your life as it has done mine.

To your success!!!!!

Tapping into the DOT.COM Market

2009-09-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

The advent of internet brought about many unprecedented business opportunities for everyone who cares to make money online. There are thousands of business opportunities on the internet and many more markets crop up every day. The online market is now worth billions of dollars and has unlimited business opportunities one can tap into and make legitimate income.

However, it important to note that, before you decide on what type of business to explore on the internet, you need to be aware of the fact that there are also thousands of scams out there, posing as legitimate businesses. While a lot of these types of programs are declining, some unscrupulous people will almost re-create the different types of programs and scam you for all you’ve got. No matter which road you decide to take in your pursuit of becoming an online entrepreneur, always do your due diligence and check up on whatever program you are thinking of becoming part of.

You must be wondering “Can I really make money on the Internet?” The fact of the matter is that you can make money on the Internet, a lot of money. The secret is you must take the necessary steps to make it happen. Just like brick and mortar business, you must have a sincere desire to succeed and the attitude for success. If you are sincerely passionate about your success, you will succeed, it's that simple.

The secret to creating a successful Internet business is pure determination. Most people fail when they are about to succeed. Why? Because they give up. Abraham Lincoln said ‘Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.

Remember developing a successful Internet business is the ultimate goal of any Internet entrepreneur. However, statistics show that most Internet businesses never make any real money. The hard truth is that making money on the Internet isn't easy; it takes a great deal of time and effort and requires total commitment. You must be completely passionate about your business and have a sincere desire to succeed.

If you are not determined to succeed at any cost, it will be a complete waste of your time and you will most likely fail. You must also realize that success isn't going to happen overnight. There will be many obstacles along the way and a great deal to be learned. However, anything worth having is worth working towards and won't come easy. There will be many long days and sleepless nights. However, if everything is done according to the book, the end will justify the means.

Internet business is a virtual business which requires the same detail of planning just like when you are planning to set up a physical business. You will need a business plan and strategy for your business. The beauty about internet business, is that anybody can start it from anywhere in the world. Once you get it right, this business is very lucrative as it has zero overheads depending on your business model.

I will be covering some legitimate business opportunities you can start on the internet without spending a single cent. These are businesses I have personally tried. I developed a 53 page E-book titled ‘Internet Guide for Beginners’. You can download it at:htpp:// entrepreneur-101.blogspot.

As a parting note, Napoleon Hill said ‘All the breaks you need in life wait within your imagination; Imagination is the workshop of your mind, capable of turning mind energy into accomplishment and wealth.

Wishing you success in your entrepreneurial journey!!!

A Mentor is a prerequisite in Business

2009-09-28T04:14:00.002-07:00

Yesterday I was reading a very interesting book called ‘The Millionaire Mindset’ by Gerry Robert. The book talks about how ordinary people like you and me can create extraordinary income. What I want to share with you is a paragraph from chapter one of this valuable book to reinforce my article. The first chapter talks about ‘Magic thinking’ I quote Gerry Robert below:

Bob Proctor, my financial mentor, sat me down and shared how his mentor, Leland Val Van de Wall, had influenced him. Bob was a fireman. Being a fireman is a secure job. He was “set” for life if he wanted to be. As a fireman Bob was earning $4,000 per year, a handsome sum back then. He didn’t have to work very hard, and he could never be fired (no pun intended). Instead of being satisfied with that, Bob read a little book that was quickly becoming a bestseller calledThink And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.

You may be wondering why I am quoting this paragraph….as you can see Bob Proctor is Gerry Robert’s financial mentor. Gerry is a very successful entrepreneur and New York number one bestselling author; you also see that Bob has his own mentor Leland Val de Wall. By the way Bob Proctor is a financial expert and motivational speaker; he is a very successful entrepreneur.

I strongly believe in the old adage that says ‘experience is the best teacher’, in order to succeed in the business world you will need to interact with people who have already made it. By this I mean you have to be careful when selecting a mentor, the person you choose to be your mentor must be someone who is successful in the sector you are planning to establish.

By definition a mentor is someone who will take you by hand and show you how to do things. In other words mentoring is where one person helps another to make changes to their life or work. It is a partnership between two people: the mentor and the person who is being mentored. Both partners have a role in making sure the relationship works and both gain from it. In simple terms a Mentor is a wise and trusted guide and advisor.

Mentoring is the best form of acquiring knowledge, it’s good in the sense that you will be learning from someone who has already travelled the same road you intend to travel. The best way to get to any destination is to ask a person who has travelled the same road again and again.

Approaching a Mentor

This is the most important task for any aspiring entrepreneur. How do you choose a mentor? Will he or she agree to spend his or her precious time with a newbie? How do you approach a possible mentor? These are all questions you need to answer before you approach any person you want to act as your mentor. The first step is to identify someone who is successful in the same business you are planning to venture into.

There are two ways you can use to approach a prospective mentor. If you do not know him personally, you can either contact the person through email or phone to book for an appointment. If you are granted the appointment make sure when you go there you have prepared your case professionally in order to convince him or her about your seriousness in venturing into business. One of the things you must take with you is your business plan professionally printed in book format.

Before discussing any business details, please let the mentor know you ARE NOT LOOKING FOR FUNDING. This way you can now create a conducive atmosphere to present your case. You must be able to present the business plan to the mentor from your head.

Tell him or her how you have been following his /her success and how you want to learn a few tricks on how he/she have managed to get to the top. Depending on how you present your case, you should succeed in getting a mentor who will guide you in your journey towards realizing your dream. If you want standard email templates you can use to approach a mentor feel free to contact me, I will be happy to send the template to you.

As a parting note, Wayne Dyer said ‘Successful people make money. It's not that people who make money become successful, but that successful people attract money. They bring success to what they do’.

To your success!!!!

Pillars of Successful Entrepreneurship

2009-09-25T01:43:00.001-07:00

In my previous post I discussed about pitfalls many aspiring entrepreneurs fall into before making it in business. Today I will be looking at some nuggets you can apply to ensure your business gets of the ground and doesn’t become part of the 80% that are nipped in the bud.

Running a successful business can look so simple when you are looking from the outside. You look at a successful entrepreneur and he doesn’t look like he is doing anything special but he is living a good life. It really doesn’t look like he is working all that hard. He seems to be enjoying life immensely.

Running a successful business is the proverbial ‘piece of cake’! Right? WRONG!!! Wrong, wrong, wrong! You are looking at the results of a very, very long and tedious process that consisted of many very long, late-night hours and a lot of blood, sweat and tears over a period of several years.

This successful entrepreneur worked very, very hard for the success that you are looking at. It is more than a little bit likely that he first placed four pillars first as he began the long process of building his successful business. Those four pillars upon which he built his success are: (1) The right mind set, (2) Recognizing and using leverage, (3) Building a set of useful contacts, (4) Having a mentor

We will discuss these four pillars that must be laid down first so that a successful business can be set up. All the four pillars are important, even crucial to the success of any business.

Having the Right, Healthy Mindset - The success of any business whether online or off line requires the right mindset from idea generation. A right and healthy mind set will not guarantee success but a wrong and unhealthy or unrealistic mindset will most assuredly guarantee failure. So the right mind set is the first pillar that must be laid down in order to launch a successful business.

What is a right and healthy mindset? There are things that it is as well as things that it isn’t. A right and healthy mindset IS the willingness to work as hard and as long as is necessary to achieve the goals that has been set. A right and healthy mindset ISN’T the belief that success will be easy, quick or painless. It ISN’T just jumping in feet first and hoping for the best. The best that can happen under those circumstances is that you get out with anymore than two cents to your name.

Those who believe that they can make a business enterprise thrive without having to actually put in any time or effort are simply doomed to failure from the onset. A right and healthy mindset IS the willingness to take the time to make a good, solid business plan that is based upon sound business principles.

Recognizing and Using Leverage - There are dozens...maybe hundreds....of business models out there. Some are, of course, more successful than others but they all come with their own set of pros and cons. The idea is to get the most bang for money. You need to use all of the power of the Internet to make your business successful. You really cannot afford to leave any stone unturned.

If you are a real go-getter, the temptation is to do everything first and that isn’t possible. You need to make a realistic plan and build one thing upon another until you have a good solid base from which to operate. Remember that reputation and credibility are everything in any business. Don’t take any shortcuts and never damage or allow others to damage your reputation.

It Is Not What You Know, But Who You Know - That is an old saying. “It is not What you know, but Who you know that counts”. Setting a pillar of solid relationships is an important aspect of building a successful business. Working hard at building good solid business relationships is worth every minute of time that you invest in it. Business relationship building should be one of your top priorities.

When you build social relationships, you insert yourself into social situations where you come in contact with people who have interests that are similar to or complimentary to your own interests don’t you? That is precisely the same way that business relationships are established. You insert yourself into business situations where you will meet others who have businesses that are similar to or complimentary to your own business. You develop relationships over a period of time.

There are several ways in which to accomplish this task. One way is to participate in conferences or seminars that are related to your business. You will learn a lot, of course, but equally important, you will come in contact with those who are already succeeding in the niche market that you are working in.

Find a Capable Mentor - I don't think there is any other valuable asset that a new entrepreneur can have than a good and capable mentor. Someone who has already made all of the mistakes can help you to avoid making all of the mistakes yourself. They have the wisdom that comes from experience to point out pitfalls and to help direct you toward making better decisions.

Why, do I need a mentor you may ask, would anyone who has made it want to take their time to help a newbie succeed? Maybe I can answer that by telling you about my friend who is an accomplished internet entrepreneur. He runs very successful blogs which attract thousands of visitors’ to his sites every day. He earns a six figure income every month from his blogs.

As I write this post I am at his house, he is currently mentoring two teenagers how to make pocket money on the internet using blogs. I asked him why he spent so much time doing that and he said, “It is like gaining immortality. If I teach them and they teach others, then what I know lives forever.” Isn't that leaving a mark in the world??? Honestly a candle does not loose its glow by lighting another candle......

Wishing you success in your endeavors!!!!!

How to Avoid Failure as a start-up

2009-09-24T01:35:00.000-07:00

Market research has found out that more than 90% of new businesses fail in the first 120 days of operation. As an aspiring entrepreneur you need to understand that all businesses have two things in common. They are BUSINESSES and they must be run like businesses! As an entrepreneur you must understand the accepted practices of running a business.

You need to understand simple and basic ideas like acceptable over-head expenses in relation to projected income. A college degree in business in not essential for an entrepreneur to be successful, but it will be handy in many instances. Just some basic business knowledge is absolutely vital.

If you have a hard time balancing your personal check book, you probably should keep your day job and forget about starting a business. It is true that you can hire accounting firms that will tell you WHEN you must make tax deposits, for example, but these firms will not be able to tell you IF you need to make them.

Accounting firms can tell you whether or not you made a profit but not how to make it. If you have no business background you need to, at the very minimum, get some good business advice before you even consider opening an online business. The fact is that all successful businesses operate on sound business principles. Successful businesses aren’t accidents. It is not even reasonable to expect to make a profit from a new business enterprise for many, many months.

You must have sufficient resources available to not only launch your business but provide for your own personal needs for an extended period of time. It’s called ‘capital’ and there is no way around the need for enough of it.

The Right Mindset Just Isn’t There!

You have most likely heard the phrase, ‘He has an attitude!” This is usually a derogatory remark made about a person with a disagreeable attitude. But the word ‘attitude’ is an important one when discussing business start-ups. A good attitude...a good mind set can’t insure success but a bad attitude and a bad mind set can certainly guarantee failure. Here are some wrong attitudes that will absolutely guarantee failure:

I can work when I want to. Wrong, wrong, wrong! You can’t just work when you feel like it. You have to expect to put in many long and very tedious hours of very hard work to make a new Business enterprise succeed.

I can get rich quick! You couldn’t be more wrong and you are not only wrong but you are putting yourself in danger as well. There are billions of crooks out there on the internet who are waiting for their next easy mark and if you are looking for a quick way to get rich, you ARE the next mark.

It is possible to make a very comfortable living by starting a new business enterprise but if anybody ever tells you it is quick or easy, they are lying to you.

I don’t need a business plan. There you are...wrong yet again. Every business needs a road map. It is imperative that you have a plan for success that is based upon sound business principles. I have covered this topic extensively in my previous business posts. Please refer to these articles.

There is an old saying: “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail”. A detailed set of plans for success needs to be made. You need to have the steps from getting from point A to point B listed in great detail that include realistic cost estimates for accomplishing each step.

When you have a business of your own, you don’t have a boss. Wrong again! You are your boss. If you aren’t a good boss who sees to it that work is accomplished on time and in full, you will doom yourself to failure. Unless you are a boss who sets up a working schedule and establishes goals that must be met, you will find yourself working at a job under a boss who does do those things and maybe for minimum wage.

How To Avoid Joining the Failing Masses - The thing about starting a business...any business.....is that there is no guarantee of success under any circumstances. Even big international businesses can fail at new business ventures. Failure is always an option but the possibility of success can be optimized. You can optimize the possibility of success by:

Expecting to work very hard to accomplish your goals. You must never expect anything to be easy. You will be right most of the time because things are rarely as easy as they look. Each step toward success requires work, time and patience. Sometimes things don’t work out right on the first try. You have to be willing to try again and again until you succeed.
Not falling for ‘get-rich-quick schemes. The business woods are full of those who prey upon those who are looking for quick and easy ways to become rich. Those ways do not exist. Get over thinking that there is an easy way. THERE IS NO SHORT CUT TO SUCCESS!!!!

Remember those statistics! Ninety percent of all new businesses fail in the first 120 days. You don’t have to be part of that majority. You can become a part of that 10% minority of successful business enterprises.

To your success!!!!!!

Writing an Effective Business Plan (Part 3)

2009-09-17T07:48:00.000-07:00

I would like to apologize to readers of this blog. This article should have been completed beginning of this week. This was not so due to unforeseen events that took place during the week. Today I will finish off this topic and move to new exciting business opportunities that I have been working on.

One of the most important areas you need to pay much attention is your projected sales section. Sales forecasting may sound like rocket science, please don’t worry it’s not complicated. In fact it is very easy. Just think of your sales forecast as an educated guess- forecasting takes a good calculated guess of your anticipated business performance. You need to clearly define:

Expected growth rates in units and dollars
Give concrete reasons for the projections (stating why less or why more)
State the driving force that will help you attain the stated figures
How the sales forecast relate to your market analysis, target segments, your sales and marketing strategy
State what events might impede or negatively affect your forecasts

Sales Strategy – Please note that you must make a clear distinction between your marketing and sales strategy. Remember your sales strategy is responsible for closing deals identified by your marketing strategy. Your sales strategy mainly deals with and when to:

Close sales prospects
Compensate sales personnel
Optimize order processing

Marketing Plan – under this section profile your strategy for generating sales for your business. State your Unique Selling Proposition (USP). How differentiated your product/service is, compared to competition. How you intend to create and sustain value for your business over time? Remember, your marketing plan is the lifeline of your business.

Your Management Team – The backbone of every organization is the resources at its disposal. This can be in the form of human capital, technical know how and in monetary value. Under this section profile summary CVs for the key management, clearly stating the skills they are bringing to the company. State their roles in the business and their level of expertise within their key functions. Using a table clearly state the number of employees that will be in the business by designation. Also justify why you are starting your business venture with that number of employees.

Apart from listing your team’s key competencies, also be objective and list skill gaps you think need to be filled when the business takes off the ground. Service gaps can be skills lacking with your team such as accounting skills or IT skills. It can be anything related to skills shortage. The most important thing is to be objective and remember skills gaps are not a negative even if you are seeking funding from banks.

I hope I have managed to impart some knowledge through this three part series in writing an effective business plan. What is left now is for you to take that dreaded action to START.

I hope you will have the courage to move a step in the direction of your dreams. Remember ‘The world has the habit of making room for the man whose words and actions show that he knows where he is going’. For more information and inspiring articles visit: www.entrepreneur-101.blogspot.com or alternatively write to me at farai@bluemoonzim.com.

To your success!!!!

Writing an effective Business Plan (Part 2)

2009-09-04T02:52:00.000-07:00

The importance of a professional designed business plan cannot be over emphasized as this forms the basis of any business venture. A business plan is a road map clearly detailing the route you need to follow in order to reach your final destination. As Napoleon Hill said ‘The world has the habit of making room for the man whose words and actions show that he knows where he is going’. Lending institutions and investors will pay attention to business ideas which are well documented. As a follow up to my previous post, today I will continue explaining in detail the elements that make up a professional business plan:

Mission Statement

Use your mission statement to clearly define the fundamental goals of the quality of your business offering, customer offering, employee welfare, stakeholder compensation and so forth. A good mission statement is a critical element in defining and communicating with your customers, employees and stakeholders. It is also a platform where you can clearly state the business you are involved in.

Your Company

Under this section, you need to give concise details about your business, such as where your business is located, what services it offers and your target customers.Try to be as detailed as possible as this forms the back bone of your business plan. You should be as simple as possible in order to clearly communicate what your business has to offer. Remember simplicity is the key to brilliance.

What you are selling - your Offer

Under this section you must succinctly describe your services/product offering. This part is descriptive and may have tables to show and illustrate product description and pricing points. You can also show how unique your offer is compared to competition, this must be supported my strong points based on market research. This way you can convince investors or financiers to sponsor your business, if you are looking for capital.

The Market

This section is where you will define your market. You need to describe your market segment strategy, market needs, trends and project growth and so on. The market segmentation is crucial to market assessment and market strategy. You will need to divide your target market into workable segments based on age, income, type of product, buying patterns, customer needs, location e.t.c. Market research input is critical for this section.

Market Analysis

For this section, you will definitely need market research input. You will describe the different customer segments within your target market. You will follow up with supporting reasons why you are targeting these segments. You need to build a strong case which will show your knowledge of the market segment you are targeting. You may also bolster your analysis by including verifiable market growth projections based on recent market research. It is important you display detailed knowledge of the market segment you are planning to enter.

Market Segmentation

Use this section to clearly explain and define the segmentation process, define the various classifications. You need to details demographic profiles of customers in each of the market segments you are targeting. This will include in depth information about their shopping habits, spending patterns and motivations based on psychographics.

Remember it is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed. For today l rest my case here, I will continue with part 3 of this five part series on writing an effective business plan. l will leave you with one of my favourite quote by Napoleon Hill: ‘All the breaks you need in life wait within your imagination, Imagination is the workshop of your mind, capable of turning mind energy into accomplishment and wealth’.

May your dreams come to pass!!!

Writing an Effective Business plan (Part 1)

2009-08-31T02:05:00.000-07:00

Wikipedia defines entrepreneurship as the practice of starting a new organization or revitalizing existing organizations, particularly new businesses generally in response to identified opportunities. The best reason to start an organization is to make sure the venture serves a purpose and addresses a need that alleviates and elevates the living standards of mankind. The desire to bring about change and make a difference in people’s lives should be the driving force for an entrepreneurial venture to succeed. Money should not be the main motivator; it should be a conduit upon which the entrepreneurial dream will sail through to fruition. You need to be passionate about the type of business you are planning to venture into.

It has been said countless times that for one to succeed in business, you have to venture in a business you are passionate about. Your passion could be a hobby like writing or antique collection which you can turn into a business venture. However, the basic steps must be followed; you need to check if there is a need for this type of service before you even think of turning your passion into a business. This goes back to my earlier assertion that every business idea must be able to make a difference in people’s lives. There must be a problem in the target market you wish to enter, and your business should be able to provide a satisfactory solution to the identified problem which in this case is the business opportunity.

Every business idea must be written and a plan of action must be put in place on how you intend to transform the idea into a business. When Sam Walton started Wal-mart, which is today the world’s biggest supermarket chain employing more than three million people worldwide, he had a vision which he transformed into a business entity. He documented every step of action he was going to follow to realize his dream. Hence, in order to ensure your vision is well presented and well spelt out, there is need to write a business plan.

A business plan is your road map; it clearly shows you where you want to go and how you will get there. It is a document spelling out your strategic vision and how you intend to achieve it. Writing a business plan is very easy if you know exactly what you want to do. There are basic steps you need to follow in terms of logical flow, which will make execution easy to implement. I will list the main topics which are usually covered in a business plan below.

1) Objectives

2) Mission

3) Your Keys to success

4) The company

5) What will you be selling

6) The Market

7) Your type of business

8) Sales forecast

9) Marketing Plan

10) Management Team

11) Financial Plan

I will explain in detail elements which will be covered in each of the above topics in my post tomorrow. However, I will conclude by explaining the first topic which is your business objectives. Your business objectives must be specific goals that are measurable. When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement that spurs you on to continued effort required to reach your goal. To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as......How much? How many? How will I know when it is accomplished? Keep the list to three or four goals as it is difficult to focus on a long list of objectives. Your chance of implementing these goals depends on your ability to track progress and measure the outcome.

For instance, if image and awareness of your business is a priority, you need to do a customer survey to get what your target market thinks about the industry and its main players. This way you will have enough arsenal to use for your market entry. The bottom line is you need to set S.M.A.R.T goals. I will explain in detail how you can go about setting smart goals in the next post. Your comments are welcome on this post.

To your success!!!!

Investment strategies for Entrepreneurs

2009-08-27T13:36:00.000-07:00

In order to succeed as an entrepreneur, you need to understand and appreciate the essence of saving money. Money is a commodity which makes our lives easy and brings a lot of comfort in our life. Money is a commodity which you need to employ to make more money for you. But how do you do this?. You can do this by investing your money wisely.

Investing is not a sure thing in most cases, it is much like a game of cards – you don’t know the outcome until the game is concluded and a winner is declared. Anytime you play any type of game, you have a strategy in mind on how you can win that game.

Investing isn’t any different – you need an investment strategy in order to safely navigate the mucky waters. An investment strategy is basically a plan for investing your money in various types of investments that will help you meet your financial goals in a given time. Each type of investment contains individual investments that you must choose from. The stock market is a type of investment, with different types of stocks, which are held by different companies in different sectors of the economy. If you haven’t done your research, it can quickly become very confusing – simply because there are so many different types of investments and individual investments to choose from. This is where your strategy, combined with your risk tolerance and investment style all come into play.

If you are new to investments, work closely with a financial planner before making any investments. They will help you develop an investment strategy that will not only fall within the bounds of your risk tolerance and your investment style, but will also help you achieve your financial goals. Never invest money without having a goal and a strategy for reaching that goal! This is essential. Nobody hands their money over to anyone without knowing what that money is being used for and when they will get it back! If you don’t have a goal, a plan, or a strategy, that is essentially what you are doing! Always start with a goal and a strategy for reaching that goal!

Different Types of Investments

There are three different kinds of investments. These include stocks, bonds, and cash. Sounds simple, right? Well, unfortunately, it gets very complicated from there. You see, each type of investment has numerous types of investments that fall under it. There is quite a bit to learn about each different investment type. The stock market can be a big scary place for those who know little or nothing about investing in stocks. There are also three types of investors: conservative, moderate, and aggressive. The different types of investments also cater to the two levels of risk tolerance: high risk and low risk.

Depending on your risk averseness, if for instance you are a conservative investor your best bet will be investing in cash. This means that you can put your money in interest bearing savings accounts, money market accounts, mutual funds, Treasury bills, and Certificates of Deposit. These are very safe investments that grow over a long period of time. These are also low risk investments. If you are a Moderate investor you could invest in both cash, bonds and you may also dabble in the stock market. You can also invest in real estate, providing that it is low risk real estate. If you are an aggressive investor you can invest in the stock market, which is higher risk. You can also invest in business ventures as well as higher risk real estate.

Caution: Before you start investing, it is very important that you learn about the different types of investments, and what those investments can do for you. Understand the risks involved, and pay attention to past trends as well. History does indeed repeat itself, and investors know this first hand!. You can borrow a leaf from Warren Buffet, the world’s number one investor who has defied all odds and consistently reaps big on the stock market. I would appreciate your comments on this article. Suggestions and contributions on other investment vehicles will be greatly appreciated.

First ten people to comment and make contribution to this post will receive my free eBook titled ‘Real Estate Investment Secrets.

To your successful investing!!!!!

Investing Mistakes to Avoid

2009-08-25T15:44:00.000-07:00

As a follow up to my article 'investing basics', today i would like to share with you pitfalls you should avoid in your investment journey. Along the way, you may make a few investing mistakes, however there are big mistakes that you absolutely must avoid if you are to be a successful investor. For instance, the biggest investing mistake that you could ever make is to not invest at all, or to put off investing until later. Make your money work for you – even if all you can spare is $20 a week to invest!

While not investing at all or putting off investing until later are big mistakes, investing before you are in the financial position to do so is another big mistake. Get your current financial situation in order first, and then start investing. Get your credit cleaned up, pay off high interest loans and credit cards, and put at least three months of living expenses in savings. Once this is done, you are ready to start letting your money work for you.

Don’t invest to get rich quick. That is the riskiest type of investing that there is, and you will more than likely lose. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it! Instead, invest for the long term, and have the patience to weather the storms and allow your money to grow. Only invest for the short term when you know you will need the money in a short amount of time, and then stick with safe investments, such as certificates of deposit.

Don’t put all of your eggs into one basket. Scatter it around various types of investments for the best returns. Also, don’t move your money around too much. Let it ride. Pick your investments carefully, invest your money, and allow it to grow – don’t panic if the stock drops a few dollars. If the stock is a stable stock, it will go back up.

A common mistake that a lot of people make is thinking that their investments in collectibles will really pay off. Again, if this were true, everyone would do it. Don’t count on your Coke collection or your book collection to pay for your retirement years! Count on investments made with cold hard cash instead.

To your sucess!!!!

Investing Basics

2009-08-25T15:29:00.000-07:00

Today i will be covering a topic a lot of people profess to be experts in. However, nomatter how sound you may be, the language of money is a completely different subject which needs constant tapping in order to fully comprehend it.

When it comes to investing, many first time investors want to jump right in with both feet. Unfortunately, very few of those investors are successful. Investing in anything requires some degree of skill. It is important to remember that few investments are a sure thing – there is the risk of losing your money!

Before you jump right in, it is better to not only find out more about investing and how it all works, but also to determine what your goals are. What do you hope to achieve with your investments? Will you be funding a college education? Buying a home? Retiring? Before you invest a single penny, really think about what you hope to achieve with that investment. Knowing what your goal is will help you make smarter investment decisions along the way!

Too often, people invest money with dreams of becoming rich overnight. This is possible – but it is also rare. It is usually a very bad idea to start investing with hopes of becoming rich overnight. It is safer to invest your money in such a way that it will grow slowly over time, and be used for retirement or a child’s education. However, if your investment goal is to get rich quick, you should learn as much about high-yield, short term investing as you possibly can before you invest.

You should strongly consider talking to a financial planner before making any investments. Your financial planner can help you determine what type of investing you must do to reach the financial goals that you have set. He or she can give you realistic information as to what kind of returns you can expect and how long it will take to reach your specific goals.

Again, remember that investing requires more than calling a broker and telling them that you want to buy stocks or bonds. It takes a certain amount of research and knowledge about the market if you hope to invest successfully.

To your success!!!!

Sean Comb a.k.a Puff Diddy's Meterioric rise to Fame and Fortune

2009-07-31T05:04:00.000-07:00

Sean Combs was born on the dangerous streets of Harlem and exposed to violence at an early age, the odds were stacked against Sean Combs, a.k.a. Diddy, from day one. Nobody believed he would amount to much, let alone go on to become one of the most successful and well-known musicians, producers and entrepreneurs of our time. November 4, 1969 was the day Sean John Combs entered the world. Born in Harlem, New York City to Janice and Melvin Combs, Combs’ early life was a far cry from the luxurious existence he has grown accustomed to since. At the age of two, Combs’ life would change forever. His street-hustler father was gunned down, leaving Janice to raise Combs and his sister on her own. Fearful of the increasing danger Harlem posed to her children, Janice moved the family to Mount Vernon, New York. This, she believed, would provide the children a safer environment in which to grow up.

Without the support of her husband, Janice was forced to work three jobs in order to not only provide for her kids, but to be able to also give them the best possible education. Combs attended Mount Vernon Montessori School and later completed his secondary education at the private, Catholic boys’ school Mount Saint Michael Academy. Of his mother’s influence on his life, Combs recalls, “She was constantly pushing. I feel like I was nurtured into wanting to be somebody special.” Were it not for his mother’s strong encouragement and the faith she had in him, Combs’ could have easily followed in the footsteps of his father and suffered the same fate at a young age. Instead, with his mother by his side and a good education in hand, Combs was given a strong character base, from which his future success would later stem.

After graduating from high school, Combs moved to Washington, D.C. to attend Howard University where he pursued a degree in business administration. His attention slowly began to shift from inside the classrooms to outside on the streets. His entrepreneurial instincts started to kick in, and soon he was producing weekly dance parties and also running an airport shuttle service. Combs would never finish his degree. Fortune smiled on him when he was offered an internship at Uptown Records, one of the most popular hip-hop and R&B labels of its time. Recalling his desire to work closely with Uptown founder Andre Harrell, Combs says, “I told him I’d wash cars, quit school – anything – a priceless chance to be in your presence.” At just 19 years old, Combs had been promoted to become one of the label’s top executives, managing such notable acts as Father MC, Mary J. Blige and Heavy D & the Boyz. The very first record that Combs produced, Jodeci’s Come & Talk to Me, sold two million copies and led to Combs’ promotion to vice president. After just two years with Uptown, Combs was fired. “I guess Andre didn't want two kings in the castle,” Combs says of his dismissal. “I had obtained some success, some notoriety, and I didn't realize it wasn't my house.” And so, at the young age of 21, Combs decided to create a company of his own. Today Sean Combs is a fashion and media mogul whose businesses rack in millions of dollars every year. His clothing label Sean John has been extended to fragrances, which are selling like hot cakes worldwide.

In 1993, after being fired from Uptown, Combs established Bad Boy Records, taking new hip-hop artist The Notorious BIG with him. Both The Notorious B.I.G. and Craig Mark quickly released hit singles, followed by similarly successful LPs, particularly B.I.G.'s Ready to Die. Combs began signing more acts to Bad Boy, including Carl Thomas, Faith Evans, 112 and Total, as well as producing for Jodeci, Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil Kim, TLC, Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, SWV, Aretha Franklin, and others, and forming The Hitmen, an in-house production team. In 1998, Combs started a clothing line, Sean John. It was nominated for the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Award for Menswear Designer of the Year in 2000, and won in 2004. In November 2008, Combs launched his latest men's perfume under the Sean John brand called "I Am King" dedicated to Obama, Muhammad and Martin Luther King. In his blog he stated: "There is a black president and it's time for there to be a black Bond". In November 2008, he unveiled a new Times Square billboard for the "I Am King" line to replace his iconic Sean John ad. The giant billboard is currently the largest print ad in Times Square. Model Bar Refaeli was chosen to be the face of the fragrance.

In addition to his clothing line, Combs owns an upscale restaurant chain called Justin's, named after his son. The current restaurant is in Atlanta; the original New York location closed in September 2007. He is the designer of the green Dallas Mavericks alternate jersey. On September 18, 2007, Combs teamed up with 50 Cent and Jay-Z for the "Forbes I Get Money Billion Dollar Remix. He also made appearances with Jay-Z on his American Gangster concert tour in 2007. As of October 2007, Combs has inked a multi-year deal, in which he'll help develop the Ciroc brand, one of Diageo PLC's super-premium Vodka lines, for a 50-50 share in the profits. The agreement is the latest in which a celebrity is going beyond the typical role of endorser to share in a brand's rise and fall. Diageo said the agreement could be worth more than $100 million for Combs and his company, Sean Combs Enterprises, over the course of the deal, depending on how well the brand performs. Since then, he has launched multiple ventures for Ciroc, many of which were featured during the 2008 presidential election.

Combs acquired the Enyce clothing line from Liz Claiborne for $20 million on October 21, 2008. In a 2008 interview with Albert Lawrence of Talk of Fame, while speaking about his diverse work ethic, Combs claimed that he was "The Black Sinatra".

Homeless But Not Hopeless: Millionaire Chris Gardner’s Early Years

2009-07-21T15:08:00.000-07:00

I think most of you have watched the movie ‘The Pursuit of happiness’, it is an astounding yet true rags-to-riches saga of a homeless father who raised and cared for his son on the mean streets of San Francisco and went on to become a crown prince of Wall Street – starring Will Smith. It is one of my best movies to come from Hollywood in recent years. Will Smith did justice to this story, as he managed to bring Chris Gardner’s life story to reality. Here is a brief background about this remarkable man with a never dying spirit, who rose above all obstacles to claim his rightful place in life.

Chris Gardner wears a $10,000 watch on each wrist. On the right hand is a Cartier set to Chicago time, and on the left is a Roger Dubuis set to South African time. “I was late once and it cost me $50,000,” explains Gardner. “I figure it was cheaper to wear two watches.” For a man who not too long ago had only two suits to his name and could not even afford to pay rent, Gardner has come a long way. From living on the streets and bathing in public restrooms to owning a successful multi-million dollar stock brokerage firm, Gardner is living out the American dream.

Born on February 9, 1954 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Christopher Gardner’s first few years were filled with nothing but difficulty and uncertainty. He was the only son in a family of twelve children. His single mother was trained as a schoolteacher, but wound up taking on numerous part-time jobs in order to provide for her family. “She was probably her happiest when she was teaching my sisters and me,” recalls Gardner. “She was our professor, our Socrates.” The absence of a father is something that would come to profoundly affect Gardner’s life.

Gardner and his siblings were transferred back and forth between relatives and foster homes. His mother had been imprisoned twice; once, for allegedly receiving welfare while working, and the second time for attempting to burn down the house of Gardner’s abusive stepfather. “I’m sorry she didn’t succeed,” says Gardner of the incident. “Until I went to the U.S. military, the worst violence I ever saw in my life was in my home.”

Gardner was a smart student, but had little interest in academics. He studied trumpet for nine years, wanting to be the next Miles Davis. Eventually, Gardner realized, “I had the attitude, but I didn’t have the talent. Besides, there was only one Miles Davis and he already had that job.”

After dropping out of high school, Gardner lied about his age and joined the U.S. Navy. He had hoped to become a medic and travel the world, but never got any farther than North Carolina. However, the experience did introduce Gardner to a cardiac surgeon, who would later hire Gardner as his clinical research assistant at the University of California Medical Centre in San Francisco after both were discharged. Gardner enjoyed the work, but was only making $7,400 a year and he wanted more.

Gardner toyed with the idea of becoming a doctor, but decided that years of paying off medical loans were not for him. Instead, he became a medical supply salesman, earning $16,000 a year. It was in loading equipment into his car one day that Gardner’s life would forever change. He caught sight of a bright red Ferrari and was immediately in love with it and all that it represented. “I asked the guy two questions,” Gardner recalls. “One was, ‘What do you do?’ The second was, ‘How do you do that?’”

As fate would have it, the driver of the Ferrari was a stockbroker. When Gardner heard that the man was earning over $80,000 a month, he decided that his future lied in investment. He had no education, no experience, and no connections, but that was not about to stop Gardner from achieving his new dream. Culled from evancarmichael.

I hope this article will inspire you to rise above all obstacles to claim your rightful place.

To your success!!!!

Developing A Weath Mindset - Part 2

2009-07-21T06:26:00.000-07:00

I am particularly impressed by men and women who defied all odds to reach their goals despite encountering many obstacles in their solemn journey towards financial freedom. There is a saying by William James which says ‘the greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitude of mind’. This saying has been a driving force in my journey towards self liberation from the shackles of poverty. George Bernard Shaw summed it up when he said ‘the greatest of evils and the worst of crimes is poverty…our first duty – a call to which every other consideration should be sacrificed – is not to be poor’.

In continuation of my first article, I want to proceed by cautioning prospective entrepreneurs on the widely held view that to make it in business one needs to have a sound educational background. Yes, it is important to have some form of education. It is important to have knowledge about things, knowledge about the type of business you want to do. There are two type of knowledge, one is general and the other is specialized. General Knowledge, no matter how great in quantity or variety it may be, is of but little use in the accumulation of wealth. Knowledge cannot attract money, unless it is well organized, and intelligently applied through practical plans of action. Lack of understanding of this fact has been the source of confusion to millions of people who falsely believe that ‘knowledge is power ‘. Knowledge is only potential power. It becomes power only when, and if, it is organized into definite plans of action and directed to a definite end.

Remember an educated man is not, necessarily, one who has abundance, of specialized knowledge. An educated man is one who has developed the faculties of his mind that he acquires anything he wants or its equivalent, without violating the rights of others. I hope I have done justice in trying to dispel this notion which has held millions of people captive for centuries. Business or entrepreneurship is all about your vision; history to me is a great teacher, if you look at Bill Gates the founder of Microsoft Corporation, he is a college drop out without any degree, Richard Branson the founder of Virgin Group is also a college drop out. These two men defied all odds and went on to establish what is today two Major Corporations rated in the top 20 Fortune 100 companies.

Developing a wealth mindset is the first step towards developing an entrepreneurial spirit. Earl Nightingale said ‘you become what you consciously think about’, what this tells us is that, whatever, our mind conceives, it will surely come to pass. If our thoughts are always crowded with despair and despondence, there is no way; our thinking can come up with wealth creating strategies. Therefore, mind transformation set should take precedence over anything else in order to align our thinking. Simple steps towards aligning our thinking with our goals takes very minimal effort, it’s all about dreaming and planning….it’s a dream in the sense that you anticipate and visualize yourself in the position or status you intend to be in a given period of time. Personally I visualize myself being a group CEO of my own enterprise. I have already embarked on this dream….it’s not an event but a process. Every time I think about business, Sir Richard Branson keeps popping in my mind. He is not only my role model but somebody who inspires me to thrive and look for opportunities around us. Every Individual can do the same if we are focused and think and live our dreams.

To round off, we need to do soul searching in order to find out what we really love to do. This should be something you are passionate about, your values and your talent. After identifying your values and talents, the next step is to turn these talents into a viable product or service into a commercial entity.

On a parting note Mark Victor Hansen said ‘Poverty is a degrading, dehumanizing, cancer-like disease of the uninformed mind…’

To Your Success!!!

Developing A Wealth Mindset

2009-07-16T06:16:00.000-07:00

There is a quote I like so much, I first read this quote in 2005, by Mr. Brian Tracy. It goes like this ' All successful people, men and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose'. As individuals we all dream and aspire to get to another level in our lives. We all aspire to drive a luxury car, live in a mansion, go on vacation to the Caribbean, and have a beautiful wife and kids. It is good to dream, as dreams often bring hope, for without hope a man is as good as a corpse. However, these good things don’t just come on a silver platter; we have to work hard in order to get them.

When I finished college I dreamed of getting that superb J.O.B and attaining all the desires of my heart. I was full of excitement when I landed my first job, my mind was full of all the good things I could buy with my first pay check….But alas, the excitement began to wan when I later realized i had many responsibilities waiting for me from my immediate family, siblings and my personal upkeep. There was rent to pay, transport fare to get to and from work, utilities, insurance, entertainment, tithing e.t.c. Six months down the line I realized all I had anticipated was not all roses; it was a battle of survival. That dream of owning a nice automobile and staying in a mansion was now like a fairy tale. Money was never enough to do all the things I needed to do. I later realized the painful truth many of us have refused to accept – being an employee is not a passport to earn and live the lifestyle you desire.

You see God created us with different talents and blessings. When he gave us different talents, it was a way of empowering us to live off our talents. Some people are very good speakers, and whenever they speak they draw the attention of their audience, some people are good singers, some are very good at sport. But often times, we abandon our God given talents for our artificial or acquired talents, which we think will give us financial freedom. Unfortunately this does not work at all. The only way to liberate yourself from the enslavement of a J.O.B and march towards financial freedom is to create employment for yourself.

Being an entrepreneur is not an easy thing to do, however, the easiest thing to do is to dream big and follow your dreams. As Abraham Lincoln said, don’t ask what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country. In other words, this means we have to find ways and means to live and realize our God given potential. Whatever the mind conceives, it can be realized if we are focused and determined to succeed. The best way to start a business is to look at things you are passionate about, things you would do for others and expect no payment. This could be your hobbies, or things you really enjoy doing to help humanity. Money must not be the main motivator when you are thinking of a business to start, money will come later, let your passion drive the desire to serve and provide a service that will bring positivity to mankind.

Remember success comes to those who become success conscious. Failure comes to those who indifferently allow themselves to become failure conscious. Pray for God’s guidance and approval before venturing into any type of business, God is the author and finisher of our faith. He will guide your thought process and allow the hidden treasure in you to come to the fore. I will continue with this article in my next post. To your success!!!

Welcome to My Blog

2009-07-10T07:59:00.000-07:00

Thank you for finding time to visit my blog. The main essence of my blog is to share practical ideas on entrepreneurship. I will be sharing business ideas I have personally tried and succeeded in doing with readers of this blog. Please watch this space as we begin a series of thought provoking articles on how to ignite and release the untapped potential hidden in you. Remember that the entrepreneur in us sees opportunities everywhere we look, but many people see only problems everywhere they look. The entrepreneur in us is more concerned with discriminating between opportunities than he or she is with failing to see the opportunities.

As we travel on this road together, it is my hope and conviction that we will find common ground where the seed of success will be sown and enjoyed by mankind.

To your Success!!!!