Everyone wants to be wealthy, but most of us do not have anyone to guide us down this road. Even if we stumble upon a mentor, most of us may think it's a scam. Most of us have beliefs that keep us struggling financially; "the more I can save the richer I will become"; "building good credit is more important than how I use it"; "if I stay with my job for 10 years I will be rich"; "the rich are greedy and take advantage of others"; "I am not...more
Q: I'm thinking about starting a business since that seems to be how most rich people get rich. I don't have any business experience or much money, but I'm a fast learner and have lots of energy. Any free advice?Peter J.A: I 'm full of free advice, Pete, and here's your dose of complimentary wisdom: don't quit your day job.No offense my energetic friend, but to consider starting a business with no experience and no money is a little like playing...more
Q: I really want to start my own business, but I have no idea what business would be best suited for me. I'm also eager to get started, but I don't want to pick the wrong business just because I'm impatient. How should I go about deciding what business would be best for me?-- Samuel J.A: Before I answer your question, Samuel, I want you to reach around and pat yourself on the back for not letting your eagerness push you into making a wrong decision. All too often we entrepreneurs tend to let our impatience drive us to make decisions that we later regret. In business such haste can be very costly, indeed.I always compare starting a business to jumping into a pool of freezing water. There are typically two types of entrepreneurs who take the plunge.The first are the "Toe Testers." These are those cautious folks who just stick their big toe in the pool to gauge the temperature of the water. It is for these careful entrepreneurs that the phrase "testing the waters" was coined. Toe Testers enter the business pool slowly, a little bit at a time. The lesson to be learned from Toe Testers is to start slowly and don't feel like you have to wade in too fast. Ease into the business pool...more
Q: I'm starting an online specialty shop that sells gifts and home accessories. I want to be able to have items dropshipped to customers through my site. I already have a Web site and a domain reserved, but I don't have a lot of money to get this going. Can you offer any insight?A: Setting up relationships with companies who will ship merchandise...more
Q: I am interested in starting my own business. I have a business degree and lots of experience in my chosen field, but I don't know if I have the necessary skills to really make it on my own. Any advice?Marie C.A: You've hit the nail on the head, Marie, because when you're an entrepreneur it's truly up to you to make it on your own. Sure, you may...more
When I'm not running my own business, writing articles about business, speaking to groups and organizations about business, or consulting with companies who want my advice about the running of their business, I teach a weekly class on the subject of (care to guess?) starting and running a business. To quote my frequently-mentioned and wise-beyond-her-years teenage daughter, Chelsea, "Dad, you really need to get a life." This advice coming from a child who believes all roads lead to the mall.What my eldest offspring doesn't understand is I have a great life. In fact, I am living the life I have always dreamed of living. My life just happens to revolve around Planet Business. I am an entrepreneurial addict, a business junkie. Business is my chocolate, my Krispy Kreme donut, my nicotine, my caffeine, my crack. Maybe I'll start a 12 step program for entrepreneurs who want to kick the habit and charge a cover to get in. Hi, my name is Tim, and I'm an entrepreneur... Sounds like a great business idea to me.Out of everything I do I get the most enjoyment from speaking and teaching. Maybe it's the old stand up comedian in me, but nothing feeds my addiction like standing in front...more
The principles of Negotiation can work for you in any situation, but often people ask me, "Well, its often a fact that conflict happens unexpectedly. What if I don't have time to prepare? Can negotiation skills be used on the spur of the moment?" The...more
Negotiating outcomes are the types of results that can happen at the end of a negotiation. All negotiations end up with one out of four possible outcomes: one party wins and the other loses, both parties lose, they get stuck in a stalemate, or both...more
This article begins a series of short descriptions of sign material in order to help consumers choose between a large number of substrates for their signs. I have already discussed vinyl and magnetic materials in some detail in previous articles. ...more
Of course, this is the big question in real estate now. . . Will the so-called real estate bubble burst like the dot-com bubble did a few years back? There are some good arguments on both sides of the issue. Whatever happens in the next few years, it...more
Add the term 'online' and it will open for you an exhaustive assortment of opportunities. Add online to mortgage and it will have the same effect. So many people want to get mortgage programme and get with it fast. The online mortgage in UK...more
A wise friend once told me that *extraordinary people* are just *ordinary people* who do extraordinary things. It's the same way with loans. People that get loans after being turned down are not extraordinary people, they are ordinary people who do...more