Bankruptcy to Millionaire

photo by Mike Lane

With just a few weeks till the new year comes the barrage of New Years Resolutions. This is quite honestly so tiresome and annoying, because frankly have you ever, or known anyone to EVER keep a NYR past the 6 month? In fact–if you made one–do you remember what your NYR even was?

Chances are probably not. Why?

Because they’re so easily broken. They are so cliched and unimportant to us anymore. And the fact is:

If we need to do something. Change something. Get something done. Why are we putting it off until the new year?

I know plenty of things that I need to improve within myself… and I am starting TODAY. Not in three weeks. Not on the 1st… TODAY.

I suggest that you decide TODAY that you are going to change. Don’t wait until the New Year…

- Tevin

P.S. I hope you like the new layout design. I finally found a theme I think I can fall in love with. Enjoy everybody.

Over at Problogger.com there was a post written Haiku Blogging. Now at first I thought it might have talked about something I have done recently, and that is post a Haiku as a blog post. But it’s not. It’s something quite more important. And really relates to another blog I’ve found myself reading often. Specifically on the post of simplifying anything.

It’s helped me realize that my life is TOO DAMN BUSY. I make everything too complicated by not focusing. My time management is… well it’s HORRIBLE. I’m still far to easily distracted. I spend way to much time on this blog being “unproductive”. I spend way to much time check traffic stats, and other pointless time wasters.

It’s helped me realize I need to concentrate on what’s important. Getting my blog known, and making sure I get visitors. Sure, that’s important. But checking in every hour to see how many visitors I’ve had in the last 60 minutes… Not quite so important.

I’ve not realized if I concentrate on allocating only so much time everyday to important tasks, and cut out the not so important. I’ll not only get more things done. I’ll get them done more efficiently, and as a result create a better overall experience for everyone involved.

In spirit of being brief, I’ll end it there. I just would like to wish everyone a GREAT Thankgiving Break. Make sure you enjoy it.

I’ve been poundin’ the pavement. Kickin’ the dirt. Hittin’ the streets. And a number of other euphemisms for cold calling lately.

Basically I’ve been walking into businesses unannounced and trying to get their business! Yea… IT’S TOUGH!!! And I pretty much HATE doing it.

For 2.5 days this week (and ever other day I’ve gone out prior) I’ve been catching nothing but AIR. Nodda. Zilch. I was wiffing at every corner. But I kept at it. 5 Hours each day, getting told “No!” “Get out!” “No thank you” “We’re taken care of…” “That’s not something we’re interested in…” “No I’m sorry he’s not available.” And pretty much any other blow off you could possibly think off.

But at last! After practicing my rebuttals, rehersing, getting over my FEAR OF FAILURE. I’ve finally gotten passed the first wall.

Today, I walk into Red Robin for the second time in as many days. Ask to speak with the manager, and a few words and a card trick later… I’ve finally got an audition which I’m sure to NAIL to becoming the regular performing magician at that Red Robin restaurant.

It’s a small step. Yes. But it is a STEP! I thought I just wasn’t cut out for this. I was beginning to think “maybe I CAN’T sell”… ugh. I hate failure!!!! That’s NOT me anymore. And BAM when I least expect it. I get my chance.

This is a great opportunity at a supplemental income, and will open up doors to other Red Robin’s in the area when I land the job! This is tremendous step for me in helping me pay down my debt, and come closer to becoming a MILLIONAIRE in 48 months.

So as my thanks to Red Robin.

EAT THERE!

Have a great Friday everyone!!! And remember, don’t just GIVE UP. Keep at it until you find success, or success finds you. You’ll be happy you did. I certainly am!

I’ve found that one thing I do very VERY well is Day Dreaming.

Hell! I probably do it more than anything else!

But in all seriousness. I think that too many people get caught up in “life”. They don’t allow themselves the time to daydream. To remember what they would want… what they would be like in their Utopian World. They don’t allow themselves to see where they are going. Where their future lays. Where it COULD lay. If only they take action.

Then what happens? Most likely you get depressed (unless your life just rocks as it is now, and you’re living your dreams… And I’m not talking to you Mr. Niceshoes.) and forget where it was that you WANTED TO BE! Don’t let that fire of desire burn out. You always have to have that as a driving force behind you. Otherwise you’re just going to settle for “what is”. Now some people like to call these type of people “realists”.

Give me a break.

If you can’t sit around an imagine what your perfect life would be. Then how will you know when you ever get there?

Now I’m not just saying you should sit around your house all day, and hope that you become rich and famous with a super model wife (… or husband for you women out there…) and then expect to open your eyes and it exists. I like to call those people delusional!

BUT! Once you realize: Wow, I want accomplish “this” and “this”. And I want to give to charity. And I would love to be an author. And have a home with a pool. And share it with the girl of my dreams. And be well know, and people aspire to be like me. And I want to help others be successful….

Then you know what to shoot for.

You have to let yourself go sometimes. Nothing can inspire you more than the fact that you know if you try hard enough and attempt enough, you can achieve your dreams.

I truly, TRULY believe this. And is the driving force behind me everyday.

So do yourself a favor. Give yourself a few moments to daydream everyday. Stop being a “realist” and start dreaming! You might be surprised with your results!

I’ve heard this statistic before. And it seems to come up every now and then: 90% of small businesses fail in their first year…

It’s some absurdly huge percentage like that. The sad reality is a huge majority of small businesses fail in their first year of being in business. (And probably even a larger number of online businesses)

But in all reality they didn’t fail in their first year. They fail on day one. The day most businesses open their doors they’re doomed to fail. Not because “statistically” most are doomed to close. That’s like the guy that brings a bomb on a plane, not to blow up the plane, but rather he noticed statistics showed that it was nearly impossible for two people to bring a bomb on a plane. Much greater than just a single person bringing a bomb on a plane. Therefor if he were to bring one, it’s statistically impossible for another to have brought one on a plane too…

(Hell… with all this “bomb on a plane” talk. I’m probably on the Homeland Security watchlist)

Anyhow their doomed not because of: bad management. Bad bookkeeping. Poor financial backing. Etcetera and so on… Yes this could be a factor. But more likely they fail because they don’t have:

DIFFERENTIATION

You MUST set yourself apart from your competition. Because in todays market, you’re almost certainly going to have some sort of competition.

You MUST give your buyers a reason to buy from you, work with you, or use your product, other than that other guy down the street.

If you don’t, what reason do they have to use you? Because you’re “better”. Because you’re “nice”. No.

And not only do you have to be DIFFERENT, you have to be different enough to be compelling enough to pull your clients away from your competitors.

The first thing most small businesses do to set themselves apart is make themselves “cheaper” than the competition. This can work. But most likely it’s a death wish for your businesses instead think about setting yourself apart by not being cheaper. Brainstorm by starting with some of these ideas:

• Become exclusive
• Offer products or services that are “outside the box” from your normal products (think: the first guy to offer WiFi at his Coffee shop.)
• Expand your product or service line
• Adding a personal touch
• Giving stuff for free
• Offer discounts for products that relate to yours, that you don’t offer (joint ventures, cross promotions)
• Market to the affluent
• Look at what your competitors are doing. Don’t do that. (Note: Use common sense.)

You can get your haircut anywhere. But a salon that offers you a choice of your favorite cocktail, and an iPod with a diverse selection of music gets my vote.

A coffee shop, can sell me a cup of coffee once. But one with internet access will probably get my refill business on the weekends.

I can get my picture taken anywhere. But a custom portrait studio that promises to take more time, and more photographs, indoor and outdoor, digitally enhanced, with photographers that are more experienced than any others in the area… I would pay for that privilege.

If a business can truly accomplish being DIFFERENT enough. It CAN’T FAIL. It can only become a huge success.

If every new business can answer and follow through with their answers to: “What makes me different? What makes me better?”

We’ll see a new statistic soon enough.