Cherry Leaf: how to be an entrepreneur

Showing posts with label how to be an entrepreneur. Show all posts

"I pledge a commitment to My Success, My Family's Success and to the Successful Survival of the company I represent.
Success is not an option for me but something I insist!
Success is not something others can give to me, that the government or the economy can provide me.
Success is not determined by luck, chance, race, creed, color or religion but hard work, creativity, follow through and persistence.
I refuse to not have My Success. I refuse to quit prior to My Success and I will do everything ethical in claiming my right to My Success.

My Success is My Duty, My Obligation and My Responsibility."
- Grant Cardone

I first came across Grant Cardone at the start of my entrepreneurial journey. Sales has always been a natural skill of mine or more so persuasion. From a young age I knew how to create leverage and how to play on peoples emotions. Then couple that with a logical case behind it and there was not many I could not break, given enough time.

So naturally my first taste of the business world came in the form of sales; retail, technology, telephone - most low-end sales roles - I then came to a realization which would motivate me for a long time to come. Why am I selling products ranging from 29.99 - 2999.99 and yet I am only making 5.25 p/hr? I barely make 30.00 a day but I have made this company about 10x that amount.

This is where it all changed, my desire for success had always been there, now it was time to hit the ground running and to not stop. I accepted I would fall over sometimes but I would get back up just as quick as I fell and get back on the track. I wanted freedom and to create a better life for everyone around me.
I began to learn to sell. Myself, my products. I come from a musical background so I was the front man for bands and learnt to manage a team of people, I was taught about public perception, promotion, marketing, brand image, social media marketing. I then moved onto creating a company that could cater to the services of artists & bands (management, photography & design, promotion) It taught me a lot about how to deal with people and how to grow teams and who you can and can't trust.

The main lesson I learnt from 5 years of experience in that industry was this;

You can rely on nobody, but yourself.

I came out of university and jumped back on the entrepreneurial horse. I knew I could talk to people and I knew I had the passion and determination to not quit until I was a success. This is where I came across this quote by Grant Cardone.

Success Is Your Duty, Obligation & Responsibility.

Now, at the time I had no idea of the man's credentials, I didn't even know how much of a big player he was in the marketplace. Just from them simple words I respected the man and they resonated with me in such a way that I didn't even click on to his site/profile to look into him (I normally did at that point, any reason to procrastinate).
I went and bought myself an A4 hardback lined notepad and vowed I wouldn't look up from the pages until I had written every idea I could think of, planned and at a stage where I could start to execute it.

I wake up at 5:30am every morning, I go to the gym, I eat and shower to start working on something at 7:00am, sometimes I would get so excited and be so motivated that I would find myself working at 6:30am - No matter what it is! start the day off productively

Some ideas were bad, in fact some of them were down right terrible. But I filled up that book and it gave me a place to start, it trained me to think differently and view the world in a different way. As I wrote notes that turned into pages and pages turned into full sections, the self realization that you are worth so much more than you are raised to believe was such a strong motivation.

You need to commit to your success. Let is engulf you in its burning desire to be the best, You must hunt it down like an animal. There are people in the world that can happily live their lives working a 9-5, drinking and watching football on the weekends, rinse and repeat process for the next 50 years.

Then there are the people that realize there is more to life and they know they should make a change and start living for today, but still live day to day, 9-5, rinse and repeat.

Then there are the ones who don't take no for an answer, who will not allow someone to tell them how much their time is worth. Who will catch the ball and run for the touchline without ever looking behind them.

If you want it, GO & GET IT!

- Alex Grey

I believe we are in the age of the entrepreneur, for a simple reason. We have to be, it is a part of us now. There is not the same amount of money in the world - I am sure we are all wondering where that money has all gone, but that's a conversation for another time - However, the main reason I say this is because of how we view ourselves.

To have such an outlet where we are able to speak our minds and share our views at the touch of a button and connect with other like minded people to drive us towards our goals. We know we can do more, in fact we want to do more.

Corporate ladders and working for a company where you feel you are not valued or you feel like you are not making an impact, has reached a point where we will not take it anymore. You are better than that, far better. Taking our own initiative and creating business' that serves a worth while cause and to make something in our lives we can be proud of. Everyone wants to be significant and why shouldn't you be?

With resources and like-minded people all within reach to get started on your goals, the only thing standing in your way? Nothing.

We must do what drives us all, helping others. No mater what you do, when you selflessly help another human being you instantly feel better about yourself.

Money is always important, anyone that tells you otherwise. Run. We all need money, when the bills comes through, its not going to be your dreams that pay it. The goal here is too not let money control you. That money can be made in other ways, by other means, where your money works for you and not the other way around. While then giving you the free time to do what you enjoy, you are your own boss. If you can train yourself and become a person of success & significance you will feel a way about yourself you have not felt in a long time.

So many of us go through the motions and never question the reality in which we live in - Wake up, go to school/work, commute home, eat food, watch TV, sleep, rinse & repeat. With allowance of minor variation of drinking / spending time with family / recreational activities on the weekend just to continue the same cycle come Monday. Yet we will sit here and question why it is that we do not feel motivated? why we aren't happy with our lives?

Because your goals are not aligned, you are stagnating. Live your life to the fullest, there are no excuses to not be. Take the road less traveled and meet the people who were brave enough to take the same road. Put meaning into your life, however that relates to you, its is not all about us. We can live successful lives by helping others. That does not mean the first places your mind jumps too 'Charities, volunteer work etc.' which are good places to start however you need to find what drives you. As an entrepreneur, creating a product or company around the ideal that you are helping your customer and bringing value to their lives, that is helping people.

Fear is inevitable and if you are not afraid of the goals you have set and about achieving them, then you have not set them high enough. Your goals are there to push you beyond your comfort zone, this is where we come into our own. This is one of the best ways I have heard on dealing with your fears;

Fear missing the opportunity, more than fearing failure.

The pain of hard work is temporary, the pain of regret is forever. Do not let your own fears stop you from just going for it. If you are reading these words now: JUST GO FOR IT. What have you got to lose? You can make a the decision right now to change your life and head full force toward success. Failure is in not trying, not in not succeeding. If you fail while pursuing what you believe is a great idea for a worthy ideal, its not a failure. You simply learn and apply it to the next step, see failures as lessons and you will never go wrong.

Become an active member in groups; Masterminds Facebook, Twitter lists. Hold yourself accountable for participating and become a valuable resource in your community. Surrounding yourself with people that have the same aspirations to achieve more with their lives, provide value to their others lives as well as their own, then you will see a change in your own life and personality.

Hate Mondays? You're not alone. Starting the workweek often triggers sadness or stress and can drain your passion and motivation.
The Monday Blues is a set of negative emotions that people get at the beginning of the work week if they're not happy with their job. It can leave you left tired, depressed and can lead to procrastination.

Its such a common thing that it has become a social norm to hate Mondays. Most of the time it is because people just don't want the weekend to end, it could also be that you just really don't want to work, or it could be part of an even deep rooted problem.

If you love your job and are passionate about what you're doing then going to work on a Monday morning should be exiting, you get another chance to do what you love!

Everyone's productivity is affected by your Monday blues. If you're down and mopey it makes it difficult for others around you to be excited and motivated. It could be a case where one worker with a case of the Mondays could affect the rest of the team.

Lets have a look at a few ways you could make a change and start to love your Monday mornings:

“Mondays are the start of the work week which offer new beginnings 52 times a year!” ~David Dweck

1. Identify the issue - If it looks like you have a case of the Mondays nearly every week then it could be a sign that you're unhappy or unfulfilled at your job. You need to fix this, or find another job. Determine what it is that makes you feel this way and try to find a solution. Is the problem directly related to the job itself or is it more personal? Is it because you have problems waking up early, or do you have too much work to do when you get in?

2. Prepare your Monday before you leave work on Friday - Mondays can be made more stressful from leaving work to pile up from the week before. On Friday evenings its easy just to leave work unfinished thinking that you'll simply pick it up on Monday morning. Think ahead and attempt to make your Monday morning as easy going as you can. If it means staying behind a little bit longer on Friday evening im sure your Monday morning self will be thanking you greatly.

3. Remind yourself of what you're most exited about - Don't look ahead through the week and ponder on all the difficult and demanding tasks you'll have to carry out. Turn it around and look forward to the things that get you motivated. Have a positive outlook, keep your mind focused on the rewards, gratification and outcome from your hard work.

4. Get a good nights sleep and wake up early - If its because you feel tired and drained on Monday, go to bed earlier on Sunday, simple. It may sound counter-intuitive but waking up an extra 15-30 minutes earlier can make going to the office easier. You have more time to yourself rather than feeling trapped in time constraints.

Heres our quick guide to waking up effectively!

“Step aside Monday. This is a job for coffee!”

5. Look good, feel good! - I always like to wear my favorite shirt on a Monday. If I feel that I look good then I generally feel a lot more confident and motivated to carry out my day. This is also why you might want to wake up a little earlier so you can be sure you look your best! You may even get compliments from colleagues which could give you a motivation boost.

6. Make the most of your weekend - Another reason you could feel down on Mondays is because you feel like your weekend was a waste of time. Don't do any work over the weekend. You need to clearly define boundaries between work and personal life. When you leave the desk on Friday evening leave your work problems there and focus on enjoying your weekend. Go and do something you love, don't waste any time on mundane work tasks! Whilst it may be tempting to sleep in on a weekend, you should still wake up early to make the most of the day! If your weekend was fulfilling going back to work on Monday should be easier, and you will have more to talk about with colleagues.

“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” ~Sam Levenson

What is it that makes you hate Mondays? What do you do to keep yourself going? Let us know in the comments!

We are always looking for ways to improve ourselves via daily habits or making small changes every now and again. To be completely successful, happy and continue motivated, we must align all of our goals toward the same direction.

The problem is that you have filled your days already with your daily tasks. You want to implement changes and know almost which ones you should, but not how to actually implement them in your day, the prerequisites to set yourself up. This is where we would like to be different!

The Early Bird Catches The Worm

Okay, so you have made the choice to be a better you, Well done! The first step of making the conscious decision to change is always the hardest part. Lets start from the beginning

By waking up between 4:30am- 5:30am you are putting yourself in the morning rituals of the elite.
Harvard biologist Christoph Randler discovered in 2008 that early risers are more proactive. They were more likely to agree with statements like "I feel in charge of making things happen."

If you on an average have not been waking up in this optimal time, it will sometimes prove difficult to haul yourself out of bed. This is natural and nothing to get annoyed about, you simply need to train yourself.

Good Nights Sleep - To wake up at 5:00am you will need to hit the hay at 10:00pm. Some say they are more awake on 6 hours of sleep. While some lifestyles may not allow that. In further articles we will talk about how you can optimize your evenings to achieve your goals and spend time with the family.

Do Not Eat After 9:00pm - This will allow your body to properly digest and be ready to go in the morning. Eating late or before you go to sleep, will leave you waking up feeling heavy and bloated. Which does not help when you want to bounce out of bed with a spring in your step.

Sit Up Correctly - Ever heard of 'wrong side of the bed'? Well here it is 'wrong side of you!' Roll onto your side, slowly lift yourself up with your arm, sit up and gently raise your head taking a deep breath. When you get this into habit, getting out of bed will never have been so easy!

Where Is My Phone? : Keep It That Way For 60 Minutes.

We are constantly looking at computer screens throughout the day and reacting to someone else schedule. Not in your mornings you aren't! This is your time, a time to center yourself and work out what is important for you.

Apart from switching off your alarm, all mobile phones, laptops even the TV should not come in to view until you have been awake for 60+ minutes. This allows you to have dedicated time for yourself with no interruptions. Trust us, you will feel so much better for it! You will start to feel like you have control of your days.

Leave your mobile on the bedside table or kitchen counter until you have completed your routine, you will be tempted to check your emails or social media when you first start trying to change your habits, but do resist. You come first, not someone who wants a re-tweet.

You may be tempted to listen to podcast, radio interview or news stations to fill this gap, try not too. The goal here is to have 60 minutes of uninterrupted peace, We don't want to be filling our heads with information until we tell ourselves 'Okay I am ready, lets do this.' Soft music in the background is good if you can't handle the silence, like myself.

This forces you out of bed, If you aren't allowed to check your notifications until you are fed, showered & dressed.. what are you going to go do?

Fill The Tank, Wash The Car

With the proper starting fuel (and regular pit-stops) you will start your day stronger than ever. Drink a glass of luke-warm water with fresh lemon 30 minutes before you eat. The lemon aids your metabolism and opens the stomach, the time gap also allows you to develop an appetite.

Breakfast is the best meal of the day and if done correctly it should be your biggest. You will want to eat either a wholewheat cereal or oats, some fresh fruit (grapefruit or raspberry/blueberries are the best). A cup of coffee or fresh juice is a great addition to the meal.

Once you have eaten and put away the dishes, go wash yourself down. Some people prefer to shower in the evenings, others in the morning. Waking up between 4:00am & 5:00am gives you the ability to fit a shower in the morning. This wakes you up and properly stimulates your senses and gets the blood pumping.

You are not going to be able to eat in the morning as well as you should be if you fill up the night before. DO NOT consumer caffeine 4-6 hours before you go to bed! You don't need it so cut it out.

Never skip breakfast. You will only regret it later on in the day.

Exercising in the morning is a great way to fit in that morning shower ritual

Push, Pull & Lift

Exercise is a great morning motivator. It gets the blood pumping and makes you more present. The ability to work on a project (ie. yourself in the case) consistently allows you to see improvement on a daily basis. This is more motivational juice than anyone can handle.

Showing yourself a progression or results is the best way to get you fired up. We as people like to see that our efforts matter, it makes us feel good about ourselves that we are making an impact. No matter how small it may seem to someone else. If you run an extra 0.5 of a mile instead of yesterday, you have improved! You are better than you were yesterday! Never stop telling yourself you are getting better.

Eat right for breakfast to fuel your morning work-out and you will be feeling great!

45 - 60 Minutes of exercise per day 4/5 days week will keep you in shape and motivated

Daily exercise teaches you traits you can apply to all aspects of your life; patience, hard-work, dedication

Keep Your Head Up.

We sometimes take ourselves for granted, take a step back and appreciate your hard work.

If you are someone who is trying to make a positive change in your life, it could be personal or financial, you will always have someone trying to bring you down. It is your job to know you are worth more than that.

When someone see's you doing something that they don't understand or know they themselves could not do, the first thing they will do is tell you that it is wrong or that you are wasting your time. That is jealousy, they see you going above and beyond the normal conventions of life and trying to be something more and they can't handle it.

If they are trying to pull you down to their level, they must have been below you in the first place. Don't let others negative and uneducated comments deter you from your goals, you are doing great and keep reminding yourself of that fact!

If you have taken the path to self improvement and committed to the idea you have in your head. You are doing great! Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise. Sometimes you will miss that alarm, run past a deadline on a project that is fine. It is all in the name of progress and as long as you are better than you were yesterday, you have accomplished more than most.

We will be writing more of these articles for Daily, Evenings & Weekend routines and how to implement them into your life, if you have any suggestions or would like to get involved in the discussion please comment below, We love to connect with you all!

For anyone that has watched the Netflix original series House of Cards, starring Kevin Spacey & Robyn Wright, You will have grown attached to a particular character throughout the two series. Perhaps you were drawn to Doug's loyalty or maybe Peter's struggles and his redemption. My one focus point throughout both series was the man himself, Frank Underwood.

Your Right Hand

Doug Stamper is Frank's right hand man. He is loyal, quick on his feet and has aligned his goals with his superior. Even though there is the obvious boss / employee relationship between the pair, they work together as equals. You have to trust your right hand in any situation, for you to get your job done and drive 100% towards your own success, having complete trust in their abilities will give you the chance to excel in your own areas.

Giving 2nd chances... and even a 3rd in Doug's case, is something all successful people have to learn. We are all human and we will sometimes make mistakes. But to show compassion and empathy when the time is right, will show such a strong character to your subordinate that their loyalty will only grow and your relationship is stronger than ever.

A partner you are completely honest with.

There are many reasons as to why I love the series, however Kevin and Robyn's chemistry on screen was perfect and how their characters were written, truly a lesson to be learnt. You need someone you can 100%, unequivocally trust, the whole 9 yards. As success driven people we can sometimes lose our ways with relationships, either implementing analytically thinking or not finding the time in the day. You both need to understand each others goals and work towards succeeding together. Even through the hard times, if you can remain honest and open you will be able to move past situations and become stronger as a unit than you ever could as a singularity

Ruthless Determination

Never give up. A simple mantra we hear nearly every day and it should always be the first words on our lips as we face adversity. You don't stop until you have won, even when the cards are not in your hand and the chips are stacked against you, keep moving forward and find another route your goal. Frank faced many challenges as he climbed his way up the political ladders from hometown tragedy's too annoying reporters. But through it all he never once broke his stride, He did not throw a tantrum (except when Mrs Underwood almost demands him to have one)

He assessed his position and acted with full force in another direction , always finding a way to come out on top. Always remaining humble in the public eye, not showing all his cards at once and especially not letting them see the aces up his sleeve.

Social Media Is A Powerful Tool

With 140 characters Frank changed party leaders, brought in his own to set up his future take over. Having Zoe working at the Herald, Slugline & freelancer, Frank had his means to get his words out and sway public opinion. HE kept his hands clean of it all and through the means of someone else the world listened. Social Media is a powerful tool, the ability to share information at the click of a button, the power of a photo - 'Mutual admiration society' can bring people together and set you off on a new path you never even imagined. Utilize the tools we have, we want to get our voices heard? have something worth listening too and then find the right mouth peace to speak over the crowd. You may not end up as president, but I can guarantee you will feel more of a dominant player in your industry.

*Knock, Knock*

Your company is nothing without branding. The brand is the image, the first sight and thought a person has when they come across your business and it is your job to make sure their reaction is exactly how you want it. A brand image can be the difference between a businesses' success and failure so it is important to get it right!

Every venture, business or project requires good consistent planning. You need to decide how you want your brand to reflect to your audiences, and come up with a way to maintain that image throughout the businesses' life. It is a seal of approval, a brand image can represent exactly the reasons why customers come to you rather than someone else.

Branding and positioning go hand in hand. You want your brand image to show exactly why your company is different from other competitors. Without a good reputation any business can fail so make sure your organisation stands out in the best way possible and keep track of what works and what doesn't!

A good brand image for your business online also requires the creation and optimisation of relevant, shareable content. A range of mediums should be used for providing content, everyone is different and everyone consumes media in different ways. Websites, blogs, articles, podcasts and videos are but a handful of mediums that can be used. The more ways you can provide consumption of media for your users the more options you will have to expand the reach of content beyond the constraints of your website and social media pages.

So you've decided on starting your own business and becoming an entrepreneur but don't know where to begin?

You know you want more control over your life, your work, your wealth and job satisfaction. You want the excitement of new opportunities, challenging your skills, abilities and determination. You want the flexibility and freedom to work your own hours, be your own boss and spend more time at home with your family.

Entrepreneurs are the driving force behind our economy. Small businesses drive wealth and new jobs into our economy and as a result, many big business leaders, economists, politicians and educators believe that encouraging an entrepreneurial culture is paramount to collective economic and social success on a local, national and global scale.

University courses are becoming more an more inaccessible to low income families, and many students are simply not seeing the value of a degree, especially to those who are determined to run their own business. Whilst its true that you don't need a formal education to be an entrepreneur, its important to keep learning new and relevant skills that can be applied to power your entrepreneurial ventures.

Thanks to the rise of online learning platforms such as Udemy.com, learning new skills on the internet has never been easier and more accessible. There is a plethora of free courses which will equip you with everything you need to think like an entrepreneur, how to start your first business, how to find funding and so much more!

So here are 12 of the best free online courses for new entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners that you can take today!

Basics Of Entrepreneurship:

1. An Entrepreneur's Checklist

"In this course, you will learn how to be an entrepreneur from Steve Blank. No matter what business vertical you're entering, serial entrepreneur Steve Blank outlines a few points of necessary focus for the emerging business start-up, including market opportunity, market regulations and distribution, competitors and complimentors, and technology breakthroughs. He notes that the customer is not always the same thing as the payer, and that this bifurcation is creating interesting new business models. Take this course and start learning about becoming an entrepreneur."

2. 21 Critical Lessons For Entrepreneurs

"Whether you aspire to start your own business or are a serial entrepreneur, this entrepreneurship training offers real-world insights that can be put into action. Jason Nazar, CEO of Docstoc, shares important lessons learned over his career, first by working with new companies then on to starting his own successful business. From the early stages of vetting your idea and raising money to hiring the best team and continuing to grow your business, this training offers poignant insights from a real entrepreneur that can be applied to any business."

3. Entrepreneurship - From Idea To Launch

"Successful entrepreneurs understand that entrepreneurship is a process that can be learned and improved upon with experience. This Entrepreneurship course provides a series of lectures that can guide an aspiring entrepreneur through the steps that will greatly increase their chances for successfully turning their idea into a successful business. The Entrepreneurship Course is designed to be viewed as an overview for those who want to learn what entrepreneurship is really all about."

Starting A Business:

4. Build. Measure. Learn. Lean Startup SXSW

"Build: Lessons learned in agile, continuous development.
Measure: Case studies on pivots & minimum viable product (MVP).
Learn: Best practices in customer development.
Recorded at SXSW Interactive 2012, this course is the only place where you can find all presentations and videos for the entire Lean Startup event and learn lean methodology for startups from the leading experts."

5. Basics of Starting an Online Business

"Learn everything you need to know to start your online business! From business plans to marketing to inventory management to time considerations, Chris Benjamin the Rogue CFO helps guide you through the steps to start your business."

6. Start up or grow your business: From employee to entrepreneur

"Are thinking & acting like an 'Employee' or an 'Entrepreneur'?
Discover if you have all THREE core foundations rock solid so you can really grow your business!"

Funding, Financial & Investment For Your Business

7. Financial Basics For The Savvy Startup

"This course is for startup entrepreneurs who need a simple understanding of bookkeeping and accounting basics and who don't have a lot of time.
It consists of 9 very short videos (they average under 3 minutes) that cover:
• creating invoices and getting paid
• receiving and paying bills
• doing a bank reconciliation, and
• how these things lead to your financial statements.
If you're just starting out and you want to manage your business more effectively then you need to understand financial basics. This course is for you."

8. Rasing Startup Capital

"One of the most critical issues facing entrepreneurs is deciding if and when it makes sense to raise outside capital. In today's entrepreneurial environment, there are many funding options and competitive pressures to grow rapidly. Access to capital cannot only help accelerate product development and sales, but in many cases, partnering with the right investors can influence the trajectory of a business."

9. Angel Investor Supercharger: Speed Up Your Investor Funding

"Ready for angel funding?
This course will give you some tried and tested tips and techniques for speeding up your angel investor funding.
I would write a lot more justifications but really...that second bolded sentence is exactly what this is all about so enough with the copywriting 'fluff' already....
And for a short time, its free, so what are you waiting for?"

Marketing Fundamentals:

10. Effective Small Business Marketing

"How would you like to never have to worry about getting new customers in your business ever again?
Some people don't think its possible...
But successful business people are doing it right now...
Everyone else, though, are struggling just to get 1 or 2 people to say yes to buy their product or service - and it takes them 3, 4, even 6 months to do it!
This class will teach you the exact step-by-step system that you need to follow - in order to get you to a place where you can get customers any time and anywhere.
Once there, you'll never have to worry about getting new customers ever again..."

11. How to Write The Ultimate 1 Page Marketing Plan

"Do you have your Marketing Plan yet?
If not, your'e not alone.
The truth is that most business owners do not have one.
But boy, they sure would make a lot of money if they did!
If you didn't know, statistically, business owners who have a marketing plan are 80% more successful than those without one."

12. Creating A Social Media Strategy

"Social media is not a passing trend, and today every business is expected to have an active presence online. But if you’re new to it, or you’re the only one managing social media for your business, how do you know where to get started with your social media plan?
HootSuite University is pleased to deliver tactical courseware on Creating a Social Media Strategy."

Can you recommend any other free online courses for entrepreneurs? Let us know in the comments below!

Success Is Your Duty, Obligation & Responsibility.

Motivational Morning: A Quick Few Words To Improve Your Days

Motivation Monday - 6 Ways To Beat The Monday Blues