New week, New Opportunities (Money Making Time)

Ok, the title of this post is being optimistic, I haven't found anything new as of yet. I am looking diligently and doing side work as it presents itself. My main focus right now is to keep cashflow coming in so I can build the old business back up to its previous level. Today has been a decent day, although there isn't too much to do and I really feel like I need to keep myself alot more busy. I'm looking all around for little things to do to make some cash, but not having much luck with craigslist.com, I've also tried associatedcontent and getafreelancer, but those didn't seem to pan out very well either. Well, I'll keep looking and I'll let you know how things are going.

Reflections for Sunday

Today was a tough day, I've been having some financial issues as of late since breaking the partnership of my business. I think I finally have it together now but have realized I'm going to need to pick up some part time gigs to supplement my income until my business is back to its previous luster. I haven't watched my motivational videos today which may have some effect on why I was feeling a bit down earlier, I must remember to watch them on a daily basis, I'll be sure to write a bit more tomorrow, take care everyone!

Life Changing Thoughts for the Night

Alright guys, this'll be my last post for tonight, and in it, I will leave you guys with some thoughts to contemplate. How willing are we to make the necessary sacrifices in our lives to achieve the dreams that we all have within? Sometimes we may become overwhelmed by the amount of time we must dedicate to educating ourselves in new ways of producing income, but we must understand that these sacrifices WILL pay off, sometimes in mysterious ways. Whether it be a new lead, a huge contract, or winning the lotto, our sacrifices will pay off, and we will be extremely satisfied in the end. We CANNOT allow small obstacles to slow us down in the pursuit of happiness, as it's a right that we all deserve, and I certainly will pursue it to my fullest potential. Good night everyone, see ya in the morning.

Who Moved My Cheese ? Inspirational yet simple book

I read this book today, and thought I'd give it a review for any of my readers. This book is based on the fact that humans use their extreme intelligence against them when it comes to adapting to and preparing for change. It is a story of 2 mice and 2 littlepeople who are on a daily quest for acquiring their "cheese" which is used as a metaphor for what truly makes them happy or fulfills them. I'd recommend this book for business owners or young people who are slow at adapting to changes in their life, it definitely gave me a new perspective on how over analyzing your situation and becoming too comfortable can actually hurt you when trying to adapt to the changes neccessary to excel in life. This is a definite read in my opinion, and to boot, it only took about 45mins to finish it end to end. Talk to you guys later, hope you're having a great day!

How to Manifest Extreme Money Bob Proctor

Hey guys, good morning.
I watched the video with the post title and it really opened up my eyes about a few things. He emphasizes that money is so abundant that no one should ever have to worry about having enough for anything. Another great point he makes is that it's almost impossible for someone to be themselves without money, their lives typically become consumed about having enough money. I'd have to agree with him on these points. Meanwhile, time for me to get off to pick up some merchandise and I'll be back a bit later to write some more.

5 ways to change your life today!

In this post, I plan on highlighting 5 spectacular ways to make positive change in your life today, instantly. I am sure if you follow these 5 guidelines, your life will change in ways you could never imagine.

1. Imagine Possibilities - As you think about different aspects of your life, begin to focus on what could be, rather than what your current situation is. If you drive a crappy car, imagine driving a brand new Ferrari. Utilize this method every day to help draw the things you want closer to you on a daily basis.

2. React differently - When negative things happen to you, remember that the only way they can affect you is in the way that you react to them. If you get a flat tire, shrug it off, fix it, and get on your way. Believe me, you'll be much better off than if you curse out your tire, kick it, hurt your foot, etc etc. Remember that your reaction to circumstances are the biggest determining factor in how they affect you.

3. Take Action - Stop procrastinating and start taking action towards achieving the goals that you dream of. If you have a goal in mind, get it down on paper and start taking appropriate steps towards reaching that goal, every time you postpone it is a lost opportunity.

4. Be Grateful - Be grateful for you current circumstances, whatever they are. Remember that there are millions of people that are worse off than you and you have the possibility to create an abundance of wealth and happiness in your life using your resources.

5. Use resources- Ties in to the previous post, look all around you for possible resources to help you achieve your goals. Always concentrate on all of the positive resources around you and remember that your own resourcefulness is your greatest resource.

Thanks all for listening in, I plan on posting once more later tonight, so we shall chat then.

Tips for young entrepreneurs

1. Be ready to handle the challenges of a business.

Running a business isn't easy. With customers to deal with, clients contacting you at any hour of the day, products to maintain and possibly even staff to manage, operating a business is very intensive. Before you begin anything, consider whether or not you really want to be in business. Running a business isn't for everyone -- you may be technically minded, but running a profitable business is a different thing altogether. Look at the market leaders -- Google, for example, is managed by three people: two technically minded founders, plus an experienced professional in the business-oriented role of CEO. Still, if you have an idea, and you really want to go into business with it, don't give up now. You just might it make it big!

Another important issue you will have to deal with is time, or a lack thereof! With school, work, and everything in between, you could soon find yourself trying to get through 30 hours of work every day. Running a business is more often than not a full time job, and at some point, something's got to give. Think about where you want to go in life, and make your decisions accordingly. For example, you could be part of a sporting team, or you could go into business, but you probably can't do both. Often co-curricular and non-school (where applicable) involvements are the first to go; to maintain your social involvement, consider attending user groups, where you can also network and create opportunities for your business.

2. Plan your idea on paper and be ready to explain it to others.

When you're running a small business, opportunities can come up at the most unexpected times. You may run into a potential client at a party, a conference, or even a bus stop. You can't let everyone know about your new product or service but the more people who do know, the more opportunities you're likely to get, and therefore the better your chances of making it through your first few months in business. Get the word out -- you might just chance on a recommendation to a potential client!

Work out your business model and the most useful, concise description you can come up with for your goods or services. Let me take this opportunity to recommend my ingenious patent-pending project management system -- I call it Pen and Paper. Working out a plan with pen and paper is often far more effective than typing it up, and gives you more time to think it out while you write. Be ready to explain your business to anyone at any time; with this plan in hand, you shouldn't have any problems. Without a plan, your explanations can end up being inconsistent, sounding unconfident, and achieving little or no effect.

Get business cards printed and carry them around. I've been handing out cards since I was 13, and they're very effective client-winners. At the very least, they give you something on which to scribble the contact details of potential clients. If you bump into anyone who might be in the market for your goods or services, let them know what you do; briefly explain your business using the plan you prepared earlier and give them a card. When you meet in person, some people simply won't take you seriously; a business card demonstrates that you're serious about what you do.

3. Make good use of all the resources available to you.

Often, young entrepreneurs don't have a lot of capital, but there are still many resources available to you. For example, if you're building a web application for the financial services industry, do you (or more likely, your parents) know any accountants of economists? If you need to quickly undertake a photo shoot for an advertising campaign that a friend has offered to help out with, could you set something up in your parents' garage? For some, imposing on friends and family to help get things moving can be awkward, but learning to take advantage of the available resources is going to give you a huge advantage as a young entrepreneur.

Lack of access to capital can often become a challenge for young entrepreneurs -- basic business development resources such as ad campaigns can become a problem if you don't have a budget. With a bit of thinking, however, many of these problems can be alleviated by taking advantage of the resources at hand.

4. Build your product to be as complete as possible before seeking financial assistance.

So, you're developing your whiz-bang product, and suddenly you realise that the Flash charting library you've been using in your application actually costs $1200 for commercial use. You pick up the phone, call Uncle Rob and ask if he can lend you the cash. He politely declines. A series of calls to your other relatives end in a similar fashion.

As an entrepreneur, you have ideas with a lot of potential. Just as you will eventually sell your product to potential customers, selling your product to potential financial backers is even more important, and this makes explaining and clarifying those ideas a priority. Develop your product as much as you can before seeking financial support; if possible, put together a demonstration video. The more you can demonstrate your idea, the more convincing you'll be. Building on the advice that we discussed in point 2 above, potential financial backers -- especially venture capitalists -- are very important to the success of your business, and deserve an appropriate amount of your attention.

5. Maintain a professional communication channel.

When dealing with clients, you may find yourself working with mature professionals who are high up in their respective corporate hierarchies. Getting them to take you seriously is the tricky part.

If at all possible, live locally, but work globally. Run your life in your local neighbourhood, but until you're older and feel confident to deal with clients in person or over the phone, you might consider restricting your customer base to offshore clients (although for US-based entrepreneurs this isn't always an option). Assume the role of a mature industry professional, and you'll be treated like one. When you go professional, age won't matter unless you make it matter. Preparing stunning introductions and speeches always helps for the times when you have to work locally; keep a standard speech in mind and make sure you can deliver it confidently as needed.

When you're working globally, keep communication to email -- definitely don't offer instant messaging as a method of communication. With email, you have a chance to gather your thoughts, and to work out how to respond to clients. As a young entrepreneur, you often have to tread carefully and make sure you don't lose anyone from your limited customer base. With email, you can take the time to prepare a professional response that conveys your intended image. Instant messaging should be avoided at all costs, especially if you plan to contact clients using the same instant messaging profile you use to contact friends -- this creates all sorts of opportunities for revealing your lack of experience.

6. Monitor progress and keep track of tasks.

The last thing clients want is for you to miss a deadline because you were out on a date or partying with friends. Keep a reasonable separation between your professional and social lives -- the so-called work/life balance -- but keep track of your progress in your life as an entrepreneur, and maintain a close eye on your daily operations.

Often a dedicated calendar and marker pen are sufficient, but develop a system that works for you and allows you to keep track of deadlines, pending tasks, and goals. Importantly, establish many goals, and give each a definite deadline; then make sure you achieve these goals within the time frame you have given yourself. Of course, this is easier said than done, and requires a lot of self-discipline.

Make sure you keep an eye on the big picture, of course. Work out when you expect to start generating revenues, when you want your products and services to be ready, when you aim to secure your first customer, and so on. If you see progress in general sliding, consider putting in a few extra hours here and there, or (if possible) hiring some help -- reliable offshore freelancers are plentiful, and the kid next door might not mind helping you out here and there in return for a bit of pocket money (although again, this might be a bit too close to home).

7. Be prepared to fail.

Let's be honest -- most start-ups just don't take off. However, this eventuality shouldn't be confused with "failure." Every time you start a business, you gain a new raft of experiences, extend your skill set, and learn valuable lessons for your future enterprising.

In the event that your business doesn't make it big, and you end up pulling out of it, look back on what you've learned and consider what you plan to do next time. Chances are that you intend to start another business in your lifetime; when you do, you'll be one business the wiser, and ready to deal with new challenges. There's always another opportunity; dust yourself off and keep on going! You haven't failed; you've progressed.

8. Have fun!

You might have built a fantastic product and sold it to half of your target market. Perhaps it even made you rich and famous and put you on the cover of TIME magazine at 16! But at the end of the day, the question is: did you have fun?

It may be the case that your product doesn't take off, you can't find any suitable buyers, or the world simply isn't ready for your product or service. In any case, always keep an eye on the big picture, and make sure you enjoy what you're doing. Entrepreneurialism requires a lot of enthusiasm -- you can face some serious challenges if you don't take pleasure in your daily business activities.

I've found these tips for young entrepreneurs extremely helpful, and felt I should share them with others with the same goals.