Minggu, 23 Mei 2010
The Importance of Vehicle Emissions Test on Public Transportation in Jakarta
Indonesia is one country that is growing, this can be seen in the total population and a growing number of vehicles. With every years the number of vehicles increases, air pollution has increased as well. We know that the biggest air pollution in the city of Jakarta, This is because the result of vehicle exhaust, either private or public transport vehicles which do not meet the criteria of standardization. The biggest pollution from exhaust gases is due to the existing public transport in Jakarta. Therefore, the government must continue to promote and disseminate the rules of vehicle emissions testing intensively to the Indonesian public in general and especially for the city of Jakarta. The government should also turn off public transportation is not feasible to use, because the vehicle engine is not good anymore, so it will cause the exhaust gases are no longer meets the standards of vehicle exhaust gases. We can see this on the highway, the average bus was old, hot exhaust gas, treacly black in color. If the government let this continue, it will cause negative impacts for the environment, one of which would cause global warming and can damage human health itself.
Jumat, 23 April 2010
9 Things Highly Successful Business Owners do Differently
9 things successful small business owner are doing that you can do too…
1) Forget about the state of the economy.
Pay attention to how it changes your prospect's buying behavior, but don't let the gloom and doom get you down. If you sell products or services that are truly helpful or useful there will always be people willing to buy.
2) Offer something new.
If people aren't buying what you're currently selling, but they used to, that's a sign something needs to change. The knee jerk reaction is to simply cut prices. But that devalues what you offer.
Instead try adding value by creating new packages out of products and services you already have. Or updating a current offering. Even better, bring something completely new to the table… Hold a workshop, write an ebook, sell a new product or product bundle, offer training programs, delve deeper into a specific aspect of what you already offer.
3) Stop guessing.
Find out what your prospects, clients and customers want then give it to them. Do this by surveying your people in person, by using a short, written evaluation, or via email using a no-cost service like surveymonkey.com.
4) Embrace technology.
The World Wide Web is no longer the Wild, Wild West, but there's still plenty of room to make your mark. And all the social networking tools make it super cheap to market your business
effectively. So get out there and give it a go. You'll expand your reach, get your wisdom further out into the world, and maybe even discover it's fun.
5) Build your list.
Even before the Internet, business gurus said "The money is in the list". In other words, you need a list of past and current customers, as well as a list of prospects, that you keep in touch with. That way get to know, like, trust and remember you.
You can do this the old fashion way by collecting contact info over the phone or in your office or store, then sending out print materials. Or, you can do it the modern way by having an awesome offer and sign up system on your Website, then staying in touch via email. Or use a hybrid of the two.
6) Provide value.
The days of the pushy salesperson are going…going…gone. Nowadays people don't have extra cash burning a hole in their pocket. So they expect good value for their time AND money.
Focus less on selling your products and services and more on how you can be a helpful problem solver in all your marketing and you'll get better results.
7) Embrace mixed media marketing.
Silver bullets don't exist when it comes to marketing. Instead of focusing on one media or tactic, create a strategy and plan that uses as many as you can to reach your people.
For example, I send postcards, letters and gifts, write a weekly e-newsletter, host monthly teleseminars, post articles, audios and video online, write a blog, go to live networking events and more.
8) Keep learning.
Times and technology are changing fast. It's up to you to stay on top of what's new and what's working now. But you can't do that if you're always buried in your business.
So read a new book, attend teleseminars (I host a free one each month, for example), and get yourself out to at least one non-industry specific conference each year. I attended two this year and they were so valuable I plan to go to at least that many—if not more—next year.
9) Stop doing it all yourself.
This is a biggie. The people I know who have successful, growing businesses and fulfilling lives have figured this out. And it's even truer in the Internet age.
Face it, you don't have time to become skilled at doing everything it takes to market, grow and run your business—especially online. Eventually you'll hit a wall, business growth will stop, and you'll be exhausted and burned out.
The solution? Even if you don't have the money to hire an employee you CAN afford a Virtual Assistant. Get one now and have them help you revamp your Website, set up and manage your blog or email newsletter, handle your social networking, automate your marketing and much more.
Sumber : http://www.businessknowhow.com/marketing/different.htm
1) Forget about the state of the economy.
Pay attention to how it changes your prospect's buying behavior, but don't let the gloom and doom get you down. If you sell products or services that are truly helpful or useful there will always be people willing to buy.
2) Offer something new.
If people aren't buying what you're currently selling, but they used to, that's a sign something needs to change. The knee jerk reaction is to simply cut prices. But that devalues what you offer.
Instead try adding value by creating new packages out of products and services you already have. Or updating a current offering. Even better, bring something completely new to the table… Hold a workshop, write an ebook, sell a new product or product bundle, offer training programs, delve deeper into a specific aspect of what you already offer.
3) Stop guessing.
Find out what your prospects, clients and customers want then give it to them. Do this by surveying your people in person, by using a short, written evaluation, or via email using a no-cost service like surveymonkey.com.
4) Embrace technology.
The World Wide Web is no longer the Wild, Wild West, but there's still plenty of room to make your mark. And all the social networking tools make it super cheap to market your business
effectively. So get out there and give it a go. You'll expand your reach, get your wisdom further out into the world, and maybe even discover it's fun.
5) Build your list.
Even before the Internet, business gurus said "The money is in the list". In other words, you need a list of past and current customers, as well as a list of prospects, that you keep in touch with. That way get to know, like, trust and remember you.
You can do this the old fashion way by collecting contact info over the phone or in your office or store, then sending out print materials. Or, you can do it the modern way by having an awesome offer and sign up system on your Website, then staying in touch via email. Or use a hybrid of the two.
6) Provide value.
The days of the pushy salesperson are going…going…gone. Nowadays people don't have extra cash burning a hole in their pocket. So they expect good value for their time AND money.
Focus less on selling your products and services and more on how you can be a helpful problem solver in all your marketing and you'll get better results.
7) Embrace mixed media marketing.
Silver bullets don't exist when it comes to marketing. Instead of focusing on one media or tactic, create a strategy and plan that uses as many as you can to reach your people.
For example, I send postcards, letters and gifts, write a weekly e-newsletter, host monthly teleseminars, post articles, audios and video online, write a blog, go to live networking events and more.
8) Keep learning.
Times and technology are changing fast. It's up to you to stay on top of what's new and what's working now. But you can't do that if you're always buried in your business.
So read a new book, attend teleseminars (I host a free one each month, for example), and get yourself out to at least one non-industry specific conference each year. I attended two this year and they were so valuable I plan to go to at least that many—if not more—next year.
9) Stop doing it all yourself.
This is a biggie. The people I know who have successful, growing businesses and fulfilling lives have figured this out. And it's even truer in the Internet age.
Face it, you don't have time to become skilled at doing everything it takes to market, grow and run your business—especially online. Eventually you'll hit a wall, business growth will stop, and you'll be exhausted and burned out.
The solution? Even if you don't have the money to hire an employee you CAN afford a Virtual Assistant. Get one now and have them help you revamp your Website, set up and manage your blog or email newsletter, handle your social networking, automate your marketing and much more.
Sumber : http://www.businessknowhow.com/marketing/different.htm
Ten Essentials Your Business Blog Should Include
You already know that having a business blog is an excellent marketing opportunity. Blogs allow you to establish yourself as an expert, increase your business’s visibility on search engines and give your business a marketing boost. But to make your blog as effective as possible, be sure to include these essential elements.
1. Descriptive Titles
It’s important to come up with a distinct and memorable name for your blog as well as descriptive titles for each of your blog posts. When you’re coming up with titles for your blog or article, try to think like your potential readers. Chances are they are going to begin their search for information by typing keywords into a search engine. Make sure your blog and posts come up in their search results by being as descriptive and direct as possible.
If you have a catchy pun that you just have to use for your blog’s title, include a descriptive tagline that includes keywords with it as well.
2. About Section
Give your readers the opportunity to learn more about you and your business by including an About section on your blog. Your blog posts should be informative and useful to readers, which means they probably won’t be direct advertisements for your business. Including an About section gives you the opportunity to describe your business in detail and establish your credentials as a blogger.
3. Contact Information
Start conversing directly with your readers by allowing responses to your blog posts. If you’re worried about the time commitment it might take to monitor comments, you can include your email address instead. Be sure to also include a link to your Web site and list your physical address and phone number. This will not only give your readers multiple ways to contact you, it will also provide legitimacy to your blog.
4. Links to Your Social Media Pages
Use your blog as a vehicle for building your fans on Facebook, connections on LinkedIn and followers on Twitter by including direct links to your social media pages on every page of your blog.
5. RSS Feed and/or Email Subscription
Including an RSS feed and/or email
subscription form enables your readers to effortlessly know when you add new blog posts.
Compiling an email list of your readers can also be a great tool for future marketing efforts, such as a newsletter or special offers. Make sure you disclose how you intend on using any email addresses you collect so that your readers feel comfortable giving you their addresses.
6. Social News and Bookmarking Resources
Empower your readers to quickly and easily spread your blog posts around the Internet and increase your blog’s popularity by including popular icons to social news, bookmarking and ranking sites such as Digg, Reddit, del.icio.us, Twitter and others.
7. Search Function
As you continue to post and increase the amount of your content, you’ll want to make sure you give readers a chance to quickly find posts on specific topics by including a search function.
8. Categories and Subcategories
Another way to help your readers quickly scan your blog is to use categories and subcategories. This will help readers identify all your posts that pertain to specific topics.
9. Relevant Links
Include links to other blogs or Web sites that you think your readers will find useful—especially your own Web site. You can also use the relevant links section of your blog as a tool for link building with other blogs or businesses.
10.Copyright/Disclaimer
Protect your content and your personal opinions by including a copyright notice on your blog. This will signal to readers that your posts are not only original, they also aren’t free to reproduce.
Sumber : http://www.businessknowhow.com/internet/blogbasics.htm
1. Descriptive Titles
It’s important to come up with a distinct and memorable name for your blog as well as descriptive titles for each of your blog posts. When you’re coming up with titles for your blog or article, try to think like your potential readers. Chances are they are going to begin their search for information by typing keywords into a search engine. Make sure your blog and posts come up in their search results by being as descriptive and direct as possible.
If you have a catchy pun that you just have to use for your blog’s title, include a descriptive tagline that includes keywords with it as well.
2. About Section
Give your readers the opportunity to learn more about you and your business by including an About section on your blog. Your blog posts should be informative and useful to readers, which means they probably won’t be direct advertisements for your business. Including an About section gives you the opportunity to describe your business in detail and establish your credentials as a blogger.
3. Contact Information
Start conversing directly with your readers by allowing responses to your blog posts. If you’re worried about the time commitment it might take to monitor comments, you can include your email address instead. Be sure to also include a link to your Web site and list your physical address and phone number. This will not only give your readers multiple ways to contact you, it will also provide legitimacy to your blog.
4. Links to Your Social Media Pages
Use your blog as a vehicle for building your fans on Facebook, connections on LinkedIn and followers on Twitter by including direct links to your social media pages on every page of your blog.
5. RSS Feed and/or Email Subscription
Including an RSS feed and/or email
subscription form enables your readers to effortlessly know when you add new blog posts.
Compiling an email list of your readers can also be a great tool for future marketing efforts, such as a newsletter or special offers. Make sure you disclose how you intend on using any email addresses you collect so that your readers feel comfortable giving you their addresses.
6. Social News and Bookmarking Resources
Empower your readers to quickly and easily spread your blog posts around the Internet and increase your blog’s popularity by including popular icons to social news, bookmarking and ranking sites such as Digg, Reddit, del.icio.us, Twitter and others.
7. Search Function
As you continue to post and increase the amount of your content, you’ll want to make sure you give readers a chance to quickly find posts on specific topics by including a search function.
8. Categories and Subcategories
Another way to help your readers quickly scan your blog is to use categories and subcategories. This will help readers identify all your posts that pertain to specific topics.
9. Relevant Links
Include links to other blogs or Web sites that you think your readers will find useful—especially your own Web site. You can also use the relevant links section of your blog as a tool for link building with other blogs or businesses.
10.Copyright/Disclaimer
Protect your content and your personal opinions by including a copyright notice on your blog. This will signal to readers that your posts are not only original, they also aren’t free to reproduce.
Sumber : http://www.businessknowhow.com/internet/blogbasics.htm
The 7 Keys to Business Success
The 7 keys to unlock your business success. Discover how to break through the growth barriers and develop a business that provides unlimited potential, wealth and freedom from day to day pressures. You should not go back to work until you discover the 7 keys for yourself.
Do you run a business that seems to run you? It does not have to be this way. There are 7 keys that can improve your business results and help you achieve success with much less stress.
1 Take Charge
The first key is to realize that success will not just happen, it is up to you to make it happen. Successful people claim to be in control. They refuse to be victims. They accept responsibility for the results their business achieves and take the blame themselves if things go wrong. When we are in control we can choose what to do. We can’t always control the situation but there are two things we can control – our attitude and our skills. We can get stronger, we can get smarter, we can get better at all the skills we need to run our business. We can take charge of ourselves and our business and change the results we are achieving.
2 Know Where You Are Going
Without having specific goals, business owners often find working in the business becomes an endless drudgery. If being in business is not exciting, enjoyable and rewarding, then why be in it? It is exciting and rewarding for the few who are really successful. The difference is that they have a clear idea of where they are going and each day they can see their business making progress towards their clearly defined goals.
If our goals are not clearly defined it is easy to become like the mouse on the treadmill. We can expend a lot of effort going nowhere. All we can do is react to the pressures the business creates. The second key is to decide where you are going. When you know where you want your business to go, you can determine what needs to be done to get there. Doing these things creates excitement and enjoyment. Instead of struggling on with meager rewards, we can make progress towards success in a steadily growing and entirely planned way.
3 Spread The Word
You will never succeed by keeping your business a secret. You need to spread the word to let people know about your unique products or services. With many small businesses, there is a tendency to be reactive. If sales slow down, you decide to advertise to address the situation. When work picks up, advertising is stopped. The result of this approach is haphazard advertising which produces haphazard results. Rather than haphazard advertising, a planned advertising and promotion strategy can be applied to address specific goals.
Instead of one broad objective of "getting more sales", strategies can be developed in three areas. Firstly strategies should be developed to actively encourage word of mouth and a system for generating referred leads. Secondly, planned advertising approaches are needed to generate a steady flow of new enquiries. Thirdly, strategies can be developed to increase the value and frequency of purchases from existing customers. Marketing must not be left to chance. The third key is to spread the word, by developing planned, consistent and effective advertising and promotional systems and strategies.
4 Do What You Do So Well They’ll Come Back And Bring Their Friends
The difference between the truly successful business and the average business is that successful business’ leaders live, breathe and preach quality, where the average business’ leader only pays lip service to it. There are many companies that have built their reputation on the quality of the service they provide as much as the product they sell. Even if we haven’t been, I’m sure we all know the reputation Disneyland has for the quality of the experience of a visit there. The title of this key is a quote (paraphrased) from Walt Disney. This man lived and breathed this attitude and accepted nothing less from his employees. The outworking is that standards and procedures are established so that employees know what is expected of them in every situation, particularly in an interaction with a customer. Delighted customers come back with their friends.
5 Train Your People To Do It Better Than You
When we start a business based on our own unique skills, we have a difficult choice when we get too busy to cope with all the work our expertise has created. We need to spread the load by employing others to do some of the work. This is the critical point in the business’ development. If the business owner gets this right, the future of the business is assured, but if it goes wrong, the business is doomed.
Many business owners wish they could clone themselves. They are unable to find anyone who can work as well as they do. Usually there has been some resistance to this move, but eventually the need becomes obvious. Business growth is always stifled by the owner hanging on to the work they enjoy. Having made the choice to grow, the key to unlocking this potential is to train the new people to be better than yourself.
6 Keep The Score
The greatest danger in a growing business is for the owner to lose control. This fear causes many to choose to stay small because they do not want the worries of growing too big.
WHAT YOU MEASURE YOU CAN IMPROVE!
A business’ performance needs to be managed and controlled. So many business owners worry about getting the work done, but they don’t measure results, they don’t keep score. Keeping the score indicates how well the business is going towards achieving its goals. If performance is behind expectations, steps can be taken to improve. If the score was not kept, no one would ever know that performance was substandard, and the goals would quite likely never be reached.
7 Celebrate Your Victories
Regeneration of our physical and emotional resources comes when we celebrate victories. One of the problems we have in small business is that we think we are too busy to take time off to celebrate. Even if we just get away from the business and relax, we come back rejuvenated and are usually able to tackle our work with a renewed vigor. Imagine how inefficient it becomes, using a battery powered machine, if we keep on working harder and harder to get the work done and never stop to recharge the batteries. If we don’t stop at times to recharge our batteries we keep working hard but become totally ineffective.
When we plan our future and set goals it is easy to determine when to celebrate. Without goals to achieve, we can keep on working until it becomes a drudgery. Celebrations put excitement into what we do.
Sumber : http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/4-25-2005-69063.asp
Do you run a business that seems to run you? It does not have to be this way. There are 7 keys that can improve your business results and help you achieve success with much less stress.
1 Take Charge
The first key is to realize that success will not just happen, it is up to you to make it happen. Successful people claim to be in control. They refuse to be victims. They accept responsibility for the results their business achieves and take the blame themselves if things go wrong. When we are in control we can choose what to do. We can’t always control the situation but there are two things we can control – our attitude and our skills. We can get stronger, we can get smarter, we can get better at all the skills we need to run our business. We can take charge of ourselves and our business and change the results we are achieving.
2 Know Where You Are Going
Without having specific goals, business owners often find working in the business becomes an endless drudgery. If being in business is not exciting, enjoyable and rewarding, then why be in it? It is exciting and rewarding for the few who are really successful. The difference is that they have a clear idea of where they are going and each day they can see their business making progress towards their clearly defined goals.
If our goals are not clearly defined it is easy to become like the mouse on the treadmill. We can expend a lot of effort going nowhere. All we can do is react to the pressures the business creates. The second key is to decide where you are going. When you know where you want your business to go, you can determine what needs to be done to get there. Doing these things creates excitement and enjoyment. Instead of struggling on with meager rewards, we can make progress towards success in a steadily growing and entirely planned way.
3 Spread The Word
You will never succeed by keeping your business a secret. You need to spread the word to let people know about your unique products or services. With many small businesses, there is a tendency to be reactive. If sales slow down, you decide to advertise to address the situation. When work picks up, advertising is stopped. The result of this approach is haphazard advertising which produces haphazard results. Rather than haphazard advertising, a planned advertising and promotion strategy can be applied to address specific goals.
Instead of one broad objective of "getting more sales", strategies can be developed in three areas. Firstly strategies should be developed to actively encourage word of mouth and a system for generating referred leads. Secondly, planned advertising approaches are needed to generate a steady flow of new enquiries. Thirdly, strategies can be developed to increase the value and frequency of purchases from existing customers. Marketing must not be left to chance. The third key is to spread the word, by developing planned, consistent and effective advertising and promotional systems and strategies.
4 Do What You Do So Well They’ll Come Back And Bring Their Friends
The difference between the truly successful business and the average business is that successful business’ leaders live, breathe and preach quality, where the average business’ leader only pays lip service to it. There are many companies that have built their reputation on the quality of the service they provide as much as the product they sell. Even if we haven’t been, I’m sure we all know the reputation Disneyland has for the quality of the experience of a visit there. The title of this key is a quote (paraphrased) from Walt Disney. This man lived and breathed this attitude and accepted nothing less from his employees. The outworking is that standards and procedures are established so that employees know what is expected of them in every situation, particularly in an interaction with a customer. Delighted customers come back with their friends.
5 Train Your People To Do It Better Than You
When we start a business based on our own unique skills, we have a difficult choice when we get too busy to cope with all the work our expertise has created. We need to spread the load by employing others to do some of the work. This is the critical point in the business’ development. If the business owner gets this right, the future of the business is assured, but if it goes wrong, the business is doomed.
Many business owners wish they could clone themselves. They are unable to find anyone who can work as well as they do. Usually there has been some resistance to this move, but eventually the need becomes obvious. Business growth is always stifled by the owner hanging on to the work they enjoy. Having made the choice to grow, the key to unlocking this potential is to train the new people to be better than yourself.
6 Keep The Score
The greatest danger in a growing business is for the owner to lose control. This fear causes many to choose to stay small because they do not want the worries of growing too big.
WHAT YOU MEASURE YOU CAN IMPROVE!
A business’ performance needs to be managed and controlled. So many business owners worry about getting the work done, but they don’t measure results, they don’t keep score. Keeping the score indicates how well the business is going towards achieving its goals. If performance is behind expectations, steps can be taken to improve. If the score was not kept, no one would ever know that performance was substandard, and the goals would quite likely never be reached.
7 Celebrate Your Victories
Regeneration of our physical and emotional resources comes when we celebrate victories. One of the problems we have in small business is that we think we are too busy to take time off to celebrate. Even if we just get away from the business and relax, we come back rejuvenated and are usually able to tackle our work with a renewed vigor. Imagine how inefficient it becomes, using a battery powered machine, if we keep on working harder and harder to get the work done and never stop to recharge the batteries. If we don’t stop at times to recharge our batteries we keep working hard but become totally ineffective.
When we plan our future and set goals it is easy to determine when to celebrate. Without goals to achieve, we can keep on working until it becomes a drudgery. Celebrations put excitement into what we do.
Sumber : http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/4-25-2005-69063.asp
How to Become a Successful Entrepreneur for 2010
Raise money through sales or conventional financing: As an entrepreneur it will be both more difficult and more costly in terms of equity to secure funding from investors so look for other options. The best strategy is always to try and raise money through sales. Go out and get customers and then, if necessary, get conventional financing (such as bank loans or equipment leases) to manage cash flow. During a slow economy it is possible that interest rates will be lower and the cost of such conventional financing less.
Offer customers innovative ways to reduce risks and costs: Often, customers are under financial pressure, and are seeking cheaper, more value driven alternatives than they get them from current product or service providers. Keep in mind that customers are seeking for immediate benefits, not just higher overall return on investment.
Look for customers that bring you immediate income: Just as customers are looking for immediate benefits, you should target customers who bring you immediate income, rather than just long term benefits, name recognition, and so on. Cash is critical and should be your first priority when choosing a target market.
Choose “counter-cyclical” industries: Some industries have historically performed particularly well during economic downturns. These include personal care and products & services such as beauty salons, repair services, bill collection services, inexpensive entertainment, and small personal indulgences. Look for those industries that are either counter-cyclical or minimally affected by the economy.
Seek outsourcing opportunities: As big companies reduce their permanent in-house workforce, they look for outside contractors to pick up the slack. Hiring outside contractors is not only cheaper for them, but easier to justify to their management. Look for opportunities to be an outside contractor to bigger companies.
Lock in lower costs and favorable terms: A weak economy is a good time to secure low rates and favorable terms on items such as rent, equipment leases, raw materials, and inventory. Having lower fixed costs and flexible terms, will enable you to be more competitive when the economy recovers.
Integrate social entrepreneurship. I have a lot to say about this one because this is a new rising positive trend. The definition of social entrepreneurship is – the work of an entrepreneur who assesses success in terms of the impact he/she has on society. Essentially, a social entrepreneur uses business methods to solve social problems.
For successful social entrepreneurs, untapped markets are people or communities in need, who haven’t been reached by other initiatives. Social entrepreneurs apply business practices to solve societal problems, such as pollution, poor nutrition, and poverty.
The idea of blending a social mission with business is not new. One of the founding forces behind the movement is the Ashoka Foundation. Since its inception in 1981, it has granted multi-year living stipends to support more than 2,000 fellows dedicated to finding answers to a host of social ills through business ventures.
Indeed, the concept of building a profitable business model in which doing good is an intrinsic part of the business and not just a philanthropic sideline has been gaining ground in recent years.
Furthermore, as the economy picks up, both the government and the private sector are looking for inventive ways to bring back prosperity, and many are counting on these entrepreneurs as a powerful tool for change.
Social entrepreneurship correlates to this growing realization that entrepreneurs are the key to a vibrant economy and to solutions that are badly needed. Many social entrepreneurs have shown they can accomplish their mission and have been able to deliver social good and report a cash flow.
There are many books written about it and here are two of which I recommend as reading materials: one is titled “Successfully Launching New Ventures” by Bruce Barringer and Duane Ireland. Another is “How to Change the World” by David Bornstein. The later has become the Bible for social entrepreneurship.
Use social networking. I saved this one for last because as an emerging successful entrepreneur, this is as a key strategy to promote your business. We have all heard of Facebook, Myspace and Twitter. However, there are many other check out these top social networking sites for business. As an entrepreneur it is important to utilize these online networking tools to develop relationships and potential customers.
Sumber : http://sharingsuccess.tv/successful-entrepreneur/
Offer customers innovative ways to reduce risks and costs: Often, customers are under financial pressure, and are seeking cheaper, more value driven alternatives than they get them from current product or service providers. Keep in mind that customers are seeking for immediate benefits, not just higher overall return on investment.
Look for customers that bring you immediate income: Just as customers are looking for immediate benefits, you should target customers who bring you immediate income, rather than just long term benefits, name recognition, and so on. Cash is critical and should be your first priority when choosing a target market.
Choose “counter-cyclical” industries: Some industries have historically performed particularly well during economic downturns. These include personal care and products & services such as beauty salons, repair services, bill collection services, inexpensive entertainment, and small personal indulgences. Look for those industries that are either counter-cyclical or minimally affected by the economy.
Seek outsourcing opportunities: As big companies reduce their permanent in-house workforce, they look for outside contractors to pick up the slack. Hiring outside contractors is not only cheaper for them, but easier to justify to their management. Look for opportunities to be an outside contractor to bigger companies.
Lock in lower costs and favorable terms: A weak economy is a good time to secure low rates and favorable terms on items such as rent, equipment leases, raw materials, and inventory. Having lower fixed costs and flexible terms, will enable you to be more competitive when the economy recovers.
Integrate social entrepreneurship. I have a lot to say about this one because this is a new rising positive trend. The definition of social entrepreneurship is – the work of an entrepreneur who assesses success in terms of the impact he/she has on society. Essentially, a social entrepreneur uses business methods to solve social problems.
For successful social entrepreneurs, untapped markets are people or communities in need, who haven’t been reached by other initiatives. Social entrepreneurs apply business practices to solve societal problems, such as pollution, poor nutrition, and poverty.
The idea of blending a social mission with business is not new. One of the founding forces behind the movement is the Ashoka Foundation. Since its inception in 1981, it has granted multi-year living stipends to support more than 2,000 fellows dedicated to finding answers to a host of social ills through business ventures.
Indeed, the concept of building a profitable business model in which doing good is an intrinsic part of the business and not just a philanthropic sideline has been gaining ground in recent years.
Furthermore, as the economy picks up, both the government and the private sector are looking for inventive ways to bring back prosperity, and many are counting on these entrepreneurs as a powerful tool for change.
Social entrepreneurship correlates to this growing realization that entrepreneurs are the key to a vibrant economy and to solutions that are badly needed. Many social entrepreneurs have shown they can accomplish their mission and have been able to deliver social good and report a cash flow.
There are many books written about it and here are two of which I recommend as reading materials: one is titled “Successfully Launching New Ventures” by Bruce Barringer and Duane Ireland. Another is “How to Change the World” by David Bornstein. The later has become the Bible for social entrepreneurship.
Use social networking. I saved this one for last because as an emerging successful entrepreneur, this is as a key strategy to promote your business. We have all heard of Facebook, Myspace and Twitter. However, there are many other check out these top social networking sites for business. As an entrepreneur it is important to utilize these online networking tools to develop relationships and potential customers.
Sumber : http://sharingsuccess.tv/successful-entrepreneur/
Selasa, 20 April 2010
8 Top Tips for Young Entrepreneurs
Online start-up businesses run by young adults are an increasingly common phenomenon. A commonly overlooked demographic, however, are the real youth -- those under 18 years of age. With online businesspeople facing very low barriers to market entry, many tech-savvy kids are getting in on the act and taking advantage of the opportunities that abound. While these entrepreneurs are more the exception than the rule, some of their successes are highly notable -- myyearbook.com was initially founded by two high-school students, yet at one stage was the third-most popular social networking site in the United States, behind MySpace and Facebook. Of course, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg was still in college when he established one of the most popular social networking sites in the world.
Sadly, these successes aren't as common as they could be. While the world has countless enthusiastic young people with ideas and technical skills, there are many challenges facing these youthful entrepreneurs. These range from the natural -- Venture Capitalists (VC) disputing their expertise, for example -- to artificial (such as the age restrictions placed on credit card services that might otherwise be used to pay for start-up resources). Here are some tips for the technically-minded young entrepreneur -- both the aspirant service provider and the ambitious salesman -- to help them overcome these challenges and succeed in their ventures.
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.
Sumber : http://articles.sitepoint.com/article/top-tips-young-entrepreneurs
Sadly, these successes aren't as common as they could be. While the world has countless enthusiastic young people with ideas and technical skills, there are many challenges facing these youthful entrepreneurs. These range from the natural -- Venture Capitalists (VC) disputing their expertise, for example -- to artificial (such as the age restrictions placed on credit card services that might otherwise be used to pay for start-up resources). Here are some tips for the technically-minded young entrepreneur -- both the aspirant service provider and the ambitious salesman -- to help them overcome these challenges and succeed in their ventures.
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.
Sumber : http://articles.sitepoint.com/article/top-tips-young-entrepreneurs
10 Secrets of Successful Entrepreneurs
How do you know whether you can be a successful entrepreneur, or if you are better off as a salaried employee? While there is no surefire formula for success, studies have shown that successful entrepreneurs share these ten characteristics. Check if you possess any one of them.
Running a one-person business is a creative, flexible and challenging way to become your own boss and chart your own future. It is about creating a life, as it is about making a living. It takes courage, determination and foresight to decide to become an entrepreneur. From the relatively safe cocoon of the corporate world, where paychecks arrive regularly, you will be venturing into the unchartered territories of business.
Is there a way to determine whether you can be a successful entrepreneur, or you are better off to work for somebody else? Alas, there is no formula for success. However, most successful entrepreneurs share these ten characteristics. Check if you possess any one of them :
1. Think success.
To attain the kind of success that you want, you need to dream big. Every success story starts with big dreams. You need to have big dreams for yourself - which you want to be somebody rich, famous or fulfilled. You need to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve. But it doesn't stop in dreaming alone. You should actively visualize success in your mind that you can almost feel it, touch it or it is within your reach. Play this image back at every opportunity. What does it feel to triple your current income? How will your life change? What will your business look like if you achieved the million-dollar mark?
Successful entrepreneurs possess an attitude of openness and faith that you can have what you want if you can simply envision it as the first step on the path of action to acquiring it. Management gurus have taught us the power of visualization - seeing yourself in your mind as having accomplished your dreams. If you want to be a successful writer, envision yourself signing books for a throng of people who have lined up to have your autograph. If you want to be rich, picture yourself in luxurious surroundings holding a fat bank account. And the process of envisioning success for you should be a constant activity! You need to think that you are successful (or will be one) every single waking hour. A personal development coach shared me her secret to help her continuously visualize her goals for the moment: when climbing stairs, recite your goal with every step you take. So if you want more money, say "I will have money" in every step of the stairs. This technique will reinforce your goal and keep it fresh in your consciousness.
2. Be passionate with what you do.
You start a business to change any or all part of your life. To attain this change, you need to develop or uncover an intense, personal passion to change the way things are and to live life to the fullest. Success comes easily if you love what you do. Why? Because we are more relentless in our pursuit of goals about things that we love. If you hate your job right now, do you think you will ever be successful at it? Not in a million years! You may plod along, even become competent at the tasks, but you will never be a great success at it. You will achieve peak performance and do what you have to do to succeed only if you are doing something that interests you or something that you care about. Entrepreneurs who succeed do not mind the fact that they are putting in 15 or 18 hours a day to their business because they absolutely love what they do. Success in business is all about patience and hard work, which can only be attained if you are passionate and crazy with your tasks and activities.
3. Focus on your strengths.
Let's face it; you cannot be everything to everybody. Each of us has our own strengths and weaknesses. To be effective, you need to identify your strengths and concentrate on it. You will become more successful if you are able to channel your efforts to areas that you do best. In business, for example, if you know you have good marketing instincts, then harness this strength and make full use of it. Seek help or assistance in areas that you may be poor at, such as accounting or bookkeeping. To transform your weakness to strength, consider taking hands-on learning or formal training.
4. Never consider the possibility of failure.
Ayn Rand, in her novel The Fountainhead, wrote, "It is not in the nature of man - nor of any living entity, to start out by giving up." As an entrepreneur, you need to fully believe in your goals, and that you can do it. Think that what you are doing will contribute to the betterment of your environment and your personal self. You should have a strong faith in your idea, your capabilities and yourself. You must believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that you have the ability to recognize and fulfill them. The more you can develop faith in your ability to achieve your goals, the more rapidly you can attain it. However, your confidence should be balanced with calculated risks that you need to take to achieve greater rewards. Successful entrepreneurs are those who analyze and minimize risk in the pursuit of profit. As they always say, "no guts, no glory."
5. Plan accordingly.
You have a vision, and you have enough faith in yourself to believe that you can achieve your vision. But do you know how to get to your vision? To achieve your vision, you need to have concrete goals that will provide the stepping-stone towards your ultimate vision. Put your goals in writing; not doing so just makes them as intangible fantasies. You need to plan each day in such a way that your every action contributes to the attainment of your vision. Do you foresee yourself as the next Martha Stewart of hand-made home furnishings? Perhaps today, you need to see an artist to help you conceptualize the new line of hand-made linens that you hope to launch. Intense goal orientation is the characteristic of every successful entrepreneur. They have a vision, and they know how to get there. Your ability to set goals and make plans for your accomplishment is the skill required to succeed. Plan, plan and plan - because without which failure is guaranteed.
6. Work hard!
Every successful entrepreneur works hard, hard and hard. No one achieves success just by sitting and staring at the wall every single day. Brian Tracy puts it out this way, "You work eight hours per day for survival; everything over eight hours per day is for success." Ask any successful businessperson and they will tell you immediately that they had to work more than 60 hours per week at the start of their businesses. Be prepared to say goodbye to after-office drinks every day, or a regular weekend get-away trip. If you are in a start-up phase, you will have to breathe, eat and drink your business until it can stand on its own. Working hard will be easy if you have a vision, clear goals, and are passionate with what you do.
7. Constantly Look for Ways to Network.
In business, you are judged by the company you keep - from your management team, board of directors, and strategic partners. Businesses always need assistance, more so small businesses. Maybe the lady you met in a trade association meeting can help you secure funding, or the gentleman at a conference can provide you with management advise. It is important to form alliances with people who can help you, and whom you can help in return. To succeed in business, you need to possess good networking skills and always be alert to opportunities to expand your contacts.
8. Willingness to Learn.
You do not need to be a MBA degree holder or PhD graduate to succeed in your own business. In fact, there are a lot of entrepreneurs who did not even finish secondary education. Studies show that most self-made millionaires have average intelligence. Nonetheless, these people reached their full potentials achieved their financial and personal goals in business because they are willing to learn. To succeed, you must be willing to ask questions, remain curious, interested and open to new knowledge. This willingness to learn becomes more crucial given the rapid changes in technologies and ways of doing business.
9. Persevere and have faith.
No one said that the road to success is easy. Despite your good intentions and hard work, sometimes you will fail. Some successful entrepreneurs suffered setbacks and resounding defeats, even bankruptcy, yet managed to quickly stand up to make it big in their fields. Your courage to persist in the face of adversity and ability to bounce back after a temporary disappointment will assure your success. You must learn to pick yourself up and start all over again. Your persistence is the measure of the belief in yourself. Remember, if you persevere, nothing can stop you.
10. Discipline yourself.
Thomas Huxley once said, "Do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you like it or not." Self-discipline is the key to success. The strength of will to force yourself to pay the price of success - doing what others don't like to do, going the extra mile, fighting and winning the lonely battle with yourself.
Sumber : http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol19/secrets.htm
Running a one-person business is a creative, flexible and challenging way to become your own boss and chart your own future. It is about creating a life, as it is about making a living. It takes courage, determination and foresight to decide to become an entrepreneur. From the relatively safe cocoon of the corporate world, where paychecks arrive regularly, you will be venturing into the unchartered territories of business.
Is there a way to determine whether you can be a successful entrepreneur, or you are better off to work for somebody else? Alas, there is no formula for success. However, most successful entrepreneurs share these ten characteristics. Check if you possess any one of them :
1. Think success.
To attain the kind of success that you want, you need to dream big. Every success story starts with big dreams. You need to have big dreams for yourself - which you want to be somebody rich, famous or fulfilled. You need to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve. But it doesn't stop in dreaming alone. You should actively visualize success in your mind that you can almost feel it, touch it or it is within your reach. Play this image back at every opportunity. What does it feel to triple your current income? How will your life change? What will your business look like if you achieved the million-dollar mark?
Successful entrepreneurs possess an attitude of openness and faith that you can have what you want if you can simply envision it as the first step on the path of action to acquiring it. Management gurus have taught us the power of visualization - seeing yourself in your mind as having accomplished your dreams. If you want to be a successful writer, envision yourself signing books for a throng of people who have lined up to have your autograph. If you want to be rich, picture yourself in luxurious surroundings holding a fat bank account. And the process of envisioning success for you should be a constant activity! You need to think that you are successful (or will be one) every single waking hour. A personal development coach shared me her secret to help her continuously visualize her goals for the moment: when climbing stairs, recite your goal with every step you take. So if you want more money, say "I will have money" in every step of the stairs. This technique will reinforce your goal and keep it fresh in your consciousness.
2. Be passionate with what you do.
You start a business to change any or all part of your life. To attain this change, you need to develop or uncover an intense, personal passion to change the way things are and to live life to the fullest. Success comes easily if you love what you do. Why? Because we are more relentless in our pursuit of goals about things that we love. If you hate your job right now, do you think you will ever be successful at it? Not in a million years! You may plod along, even become competent at the tasks, but you will never be a great success at it. You will achieve peak performance and do what you have to do to succeed only if you are doing something that interests you or something that you care about. Entrepreneurs who succeed do not mind the fact that they are putting in 15 or 18 hours a day to their business because they absolutely love what they do. Success in business is all about patience and hard work, which can only be attained if you are passionate and crazy with your tasks and activities.
3. Focus on your strengths.
Let's face it; you cannot be everything to everybody. Each of us has our own strengths and weaknesses. To be effective, you need to identify your strengths and concentrate on it. You will become more successful if you are able to channel your efforts to areas that you do best. In business, for example, if you know you have good marketing instincts, then harness this strength and make full use of it. Seek help or assistance in areas that you may be poor at, such as accounting or bookkeeping. To transform your weakness to strength, consider taking hands-on learning or formal training.
4. Never consider the possibility of failure.
Ayn Rand, in her novel The Fountainhead, wrote, "It is not in the nature of man - nor of any living entity, to start out by giving up." As an entrepreneur, you need to fully believe in your goals, and that you can do it. Think that what you are doing will contribute to the betterment of your environment and your personal self. You should have a strong faith in your idea, your capabilities and yourself. You must believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that you have the ability to recognize and fulfill them. The more you can develop faith in your ability to achieve your goals, the more rapidly you can attain it. However, your confidence should be balanced with calculated risks that you need to take to achieve greater rewards. Successful entrepreneurs are those who analyze and minimize risk in the pursuit of profit. As they always say, "no guts, no glory."
5. Plan accordingly.
You have a vision, and you have enough faith in yourself to believe that you can achieve your vision. But do you know how to get to your vision? To achieve your vision, you need to have concrete goals that will provide the stepping-stone towards your ultimate vision. Put your goals in writing; not doing so just makes them as intangible fantasies. You need to plan each day in such a way that your every action contributes to the attainment of your vision. Do you foresee yourself as the next Martha Stewart of hand-made home furnishings? Perhaps today, you need to see an artist to help you conceptualize the new line of hand-made linens that you hope to launch. Intense goal orientation is the characteristic of every successful entrepreneur. They have a vision, and they know how to get there. Your ability to set goals and make plans for your accomplishment is the skill required to succeed. Plan, plan and plan - because without which failure is guaranteed.
6. Work hard!
Every successful entrepreneur works hard, hard and hard. No one achieves success just by sitting and staring at the wall every single day. Brian Tracy puts it out this way, "You work eight hours per day for survival; everything over eight hours per day is for success." Ask any successful businessperson and they will tell you immediately that they had to work more than 60 hours per week at the start of their businesses. Be prepared to say goodbye to after-office drinks every day, or a regular weekend get-away trip. If you are in a start-up phase, you will have to breathe, eat and drink your business until it can stand on its own. Working hard will be easy if you have a vision, clear goals, and are passionate with what you do.
7. Constantly Look for Ways to Network.
In business, you are judged by the company you keep - from your management team, board of directors, and strategic partners. Businesses always need assistance, more so small businesses. Maybe the lady you met in a trade association meeting can help you secure funding, or the gentleman at a conference can provide you with management advise. It is important to form alliances with people who can help you, and whom you can help in return. To succeed in business, you need to possess good networking skills and always be alert to opportunities to expand your contacts.
8. Willingness to Learn.
You do not need to be a MBA degree holder or PhD graduate to succeed in your own business. In fact, there are a lot of entrepreneurs who did not even finish secondary education. Studies show that most self-made millionaires have average intelligence. Nonetheless, these people reached their full potentials achieved their financial and personal goals in business because they are willing to learn. To succeed, you must be willing to ask questions, remain curious, interested and open to new knowledge. This willingness to learn becomes more crucial given the rapid changes in technologies and ways of doing business.
9. Persevere and have faith.
No one said that the road to success is easy. Despite your good intentions and hard work, sometimes you will fail. Some successful entrepreneurs suffered setbacks and resounding defeats, even bankruptcy, yet managed to quickly stand up to make it big in their fields. Your courage to persist in the face of adversity and ability to bounce back after a temporary disappointment will assure your success. You must learn to pick yourself up and start all over again. Your persistence is the measure of the belief in yourself. Remember, if you persevere, nothing can stop you.
10. Discipline yourself.
Thomas Huxley once said, "Do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you like it or not." Self-discipline is the key to success. The strength of will to force yourself to pay the price of success - doing what others don't like to do, going the extra mile, fighting and winning the lonely battle with yourself.
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