Autor: HasenChat Musica

Why is there a need for it?

In the world that we live in, several multinational companies tower over one another. It is not something to bring wonder to all as these occurrences form part of the goal to which everyone is geared towards—it is none other than global competitiveness.

You must not get the shock of your life when you see multinational companies springing form one continent to another, from one shore to another shore, and from one border towards another. In your most unexpected places, multinational companies may pop out and can also expand at any minute.

With the innumerable businesses in existence today, you might think that your effort to put up one will just be futile as it is like planting a seedling in an array of towering trees. It may be but it may not also be. Got the logic? Then, read on!

Despite all the lording gigantic businesses there are in these days, the rise of entrepreneurship cannot be stopped. The rate of entrepreneurship is in fact growing day-by-day concerning the hundreds of people who want to start up something with their capitals in hand. For someone who wishes to put up a business, risk must be taken. Competition is inevitable in this kind of industry. That is why you must be firm with whatever decision you will make and capable of risk-taking.

If people discourage you to dwell into any type of business, better not listen to them. After all, entrepreneurship is indeed very much alive. Government systems in fact encourage entrepreneurs that will help boost up the economy and save the nation from further crises. While the government is welcoming with open arms these foreign investors, it is not as well turning its backs from local investors. In reality, the government is encouraging investments from their local people. After all, the government deems that investments are the sole solutions to provide the nation some stability and certainty in terms of the economy.

Do not be taken aback by the giant investors existing in the market. They are already stable so they would not bother to pull you down. Just concentrate with your own stuff and think of better ways to further improve your craft. Who knows, someday you might be one of those giants lining up the business arena.

But how will you start? How can you be turned into an entrepreneur? Look into your own self. What can you offer? What capabilities can you boast of? What are you capable of doing? Just have a vision of what you like and certainly you can make it come true. Before pursuing into any type of business, equip yourself first with the utmost trainings.

Entrepreneurial training programs will make your qualifications sharper, fluent, and competent enough to face the battle among the existing competitors. Where can you gain access of entrepreneurial training programs? Several companies offer these training programs. Schools are also hooked into this scheme. Always consult the expert in the field of entrepreneurial training programs.

Do away with the negative vibes. Do away with negative thoughts about yourself. You know you can do it. You know you can face it. Do away with confusions. Do away with self-pity. Just sport a positive perspective about yourself and you will soon see what will become of you. Maybe you will not be too successful on the first try. But then the more you try, the closer you will be with success.

One ultimate source of entrepreneur training programs is the internet. Yes, online entrepreneurial training programs are widely available. These trainings harness and hone your entrepreneurial skills even you without knowing it. Online courses are at times free. But mostly, they need to be subscribed to. If you think you are now ready to face the battle, try searching for online courses on entrepreneurship training programs.

There are literally lots of them. While undergoing the training program, be sure that you pay keen attention to whatever lessons are given out. These lessons will determine the knowledge that you may manifest as you already deal with the actual reality.

A training program on entrepreneurship will let you reap fruitful results. Just believe in your own capacity.

What is an entrepreneur? Well, an entrepreneur is one who takes calculated risks and introduces a new or existing product into a new or existing market. In other words, an entrepreneur is a founder.

An entrepreneur starts a venture. He or she takes an idea and shapes it into something that the world can see as a force in the community. Many people think that getting a high-paying executive level job means being at the top of the world. However, did you ever think that even high paid executives have someone to answer to?

That’s right; entrepreneurs actually become the most successful people in the world. Think about Bill Gates or Donald Trump.

So what do you need in order to become an entrepreneur? First of all, you have to have an idea. Entrepreneurship involves taking that idea and transforming it into something that people would be willing to pay for. But how do you do that?

Well, to help you, you can use the SWOT analysis. What is the SWOT analysis? It is a system of scrutiny, which helps you judge the feasibility of your idea.

The components of the SWOT analysis are:

1) Strengths -In order to succeed in your venture, you need to be able to analyze any strengths that you have. Is your idea one that can change the way people perceive things? Are you good with selling your idea? What do you have that you can consider an edge over the competition?

Analyzing your strengths can give you a much-needed confidence boost. It can also teach you which cards to play when you are trying to convince people to buy your product or your service. Remember that more often than not, it is not the product that people buy, it’s the person.

2) Weaknesses – Of course, when you study your strengths, you also examine your weaknesses. No one is born to be the perfect entrepreneur. We all have our little defects and make little mistakes.

However, you should analyze your weaknesses and try to balance them out, if not turning them into strengths. Think of ways which you might make up for your shortcomings and how to turn the negatives into positives.

By doing this, you will be able to face every entrepreneur’s fear: the failure of self. You will be able to actually tell yourself that you know your weaknesses and you know how to counter each one.

3) Opportunities -The first two factors had something to do with your internal characteristics. However, as we all know, entrepreneurs face not only themselves, but the world as well. You need to examine any opportunity that may help you succeed in the market. Opportunities include people’s attitude towards a product, any specific need in the market for a service and any incentives found in the market for your venture.

By identifying the different opportunities, you can see if starting a venture would be a smart thing to do. Also, the opportunities can reveal to you, how to combine them with your strengths or use them to neutralize your weaknesses.

4) Threats -Of course, bad always comes with the good. If the world offers you some opportunities, be sure you understand that there are threats that could ruin your venture. You need to take into account the law, taxes, current political situation and see if you indeed have a potential target market.

By examining the different threats to your business venture, you can prepare contingency plans in case things don’t work out for you. You can also best prepare yourself for anything that has the potential to ruin your enterprise by gathering all the information available about it.

There you go: those are the essentials of being a smart entrepreneur. Remember that profit rarely comes from scared money. In order to be successful, you need to take calculated risks. Risks are different from uncertainties in the sense that you can reduce risks, but you can’t really minimize uncertainty. What you need to do is get rid of the uncertainty by showing yourself that you can handle the risk.

In doing so, you gain the personality of the entrepreneur: always striving to be the best in the world.

One of the things I appreciated, only after graduating college graduation, was that my school employed professors, who had “real world” experience. I cannot tell you how many times we heard a professor say, “Okay, that’s what the textbook tells you. Now, let me tell you how it works in the real world.”

Textbooks only give students a foundation on which to build later in a real job. Often times, the real world does not follow the procedures set forth in or look/act anything like those models in the textbooks, making it difficult to adjust. You expect one thing in a new job but discover another, feeling lost as to how to proceed.

The Florida Schools in partnership with the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) are introducing some of the “real world” into the Florida schools. Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, high school students in the Florida schools will be able to sign up for a major course in entrepreneurship at participating schools.

In June 2006, then governor Jeb Bush signed the A++ Education Act, which offers 442 additional major coursework in the Florida schools. The entrepreneurship course is one of these offerings.

The importance of teaching such a course to secondary Florida schools’ students is not lost on businesses that complain across the nation that high school graduates are not prepared to enter today’s workforce upon graduation. The Florida schools’ entrepreneurship course will teach students vital business skills that will benefit the entire community and economy. With business being primarily knowledge-based, knowing how to use technology and employ critical thinking skills are essential for Florida schools’ graduates. As well as providing this training, the new Florida schools’ entrepreneurship course will create a new awareness for the students.

The NFTE was instrumental in the development of the entrepreneurship program for the Florida schools. The group is committed to providing entrepreneurship education to low-income and minority youth. They believe that introducing entrepreneurship to high school students gives them greater motivation to stay in school in order to do more with their life after graduation. Entrepreneurship offers hope and an opportunity for many students, who feel that there is nothing for them after high school except minimum wage jobs. It gives them the knowledge and confidence that they can do more.

The nationwide program of the NFTE has shown that entrepreneurship coursework at the high school level decreases the drop out rate and increases the number of students who go on to college. Their claim has been documented by Harvard Graduate School of Education in a multi-year study on the influence of NFTE coursework on school engagement. The NFTE currently has high school coursework programs in 47 states and 16 countries with over 150,000 courses worldwide, and there are 23 Florida schools within the Miami-Dade County Public School District that already successfully use the entrepreneurship program.

With the signing of the Act in 2006, the Florida schools have become the model for school boards across the nation. Florida schools’ officials have been receiving telephone calls from as far away as Arizona and California. Other states wish to emulate the Florida schools and their new entrepreneurship program to bring the “real world” to their high school students, as well.

Everywhere you turn nowadays, you always hear about venturing into entrepreneurship. But what is entrepreneurship exactly? It is actually defined as the process wherein a group or an individual makes an effort to pursue opportunities to satisfy needs and wants through uniqueness and innovation. Some people have the misconception that entrepreneurs are gamblers in the sense that they take risks and invest in industries that have no record of success. However, the truth is, these entrepreneurs take calculated risks that have the potential to provide them with huge returns.

The key factors you need to remember about entrepreneurship are opportunities, innovation, and growth. An entrepreneur sees opportunities in environmental trends and changes that nobody has seen before and pursues this opportunity with whatever resources he has at hand. The second theme in entrepreneurship is innovation which involves transforming and revolutionizing existing products or services to cope up with the changing global environment. The third theme is growth; this involves the continual efforts of an entrepreneur to expand his business locally and internationally. An entrepreneur is on the constant look out on how to create new approaches to make his business grow and become a huge success.

These themes are the key factors which businesses are founded upon. The largest corporations you find today did not start out big, rather they started out as small enterprises by visionaries who want more than what is offered to them. You can see from the history of some of the most successful business today that the founders of these businesses have taken great leaps of faith and incredible amounts of risks in order to be what they are today. Wherever you turn, you see the results of entrepreneurship. But it is most obvious in internet commerce because this is a new industry. People that were unheard of before are becoming some of the riches names in the world and it is all because they have taken risks and have succeeded. So whether we realize it or not, it is the entrepreneurs who drive the global environment nowadays. They are the ones who are always seeking out opportunities and taking risks to improve our world and profit from it in return.

The business environment and even the technological advancements that are available today would not have been possible if these entrepreneurs did not come out of their comfort zone to invest in the development of these businesses. As you can see, having the entrepreneurial spirit is definitely necessary for businesses to reach greater heights and provide better and faster products and services to their clients. It is no wonder then that a lot of business enterprises are hiring young and dynamic individuals with a vision and who are not afraid to take calculated risks to ensure the survival of the business tomorrow.

In order to succeed at cash gifting – or any other type of serious program – you need to have or be willing to develop the traits of an entrepreneur. You must already be at least considering the notion – you’re here reading this article right now. A lot of people want to begin reaping the immense benefits of cash gifting, but are a bit hesitant to initiate the process. You see, cash gifting – even though it is one of the most simplistic concepts to promote – still requires regular and effective promotion to keep the wheels in motion.

Some people are very attracted to the concept of cash gifting and want to become a part of a program. They procrastinate because they are fearful of smooth-talking, money-flashing con artists who will promise them the moon and then never deliver. They are right to afraid. There are dishonest and incapable people in all realms of business, unfortunately. So, when you join a gifting program, you need to prepare yourself first by doing thorough research about the program and how it is operated. You need to hook up with a dedicated mentor who truly cares about your capacity to make the program work. You need to learn how to avoid all of the hype that the cons will throw at you when trying to get you sign up.

Another big problem – even if your sponsor really wants to see you succeed – is that they just do not understand the fine art of mentoring. Just because someone has had some luck in a given cash gifting program doesn’t mean that he or she can lead you to prosperity. You have to associate yourself with pros who have been to the place where you are, know how to rise above it, and have loads of resources, experience and knowledge to get you where you want to go. You need a mentor to help you learn the ropes of Internet marketing and supply you with the tool kits to allow you to do so. Many people are disheartened when they sign up for a cash gifting program and then are left «hung out to dry» by their sponsors. You have to protect yourself.

A smart entrepreneur knows that you don’t have to go it alone. There really is power in numbers. When you become part of a like-minded group of individuals who share your passion for developing success, you greatly increase your odds of achieving your goals. That’s what it’s all about! Whether you want to save up money for a new home, send your kids to a good school, travel the world or just live «large», you have to be dedicated. You have to approach your program from the viewpoint of a diligent professional.

A successful entrepreneur has the mental focus of a laser. Entrepreneurs understand that there is a lot of competition, but most of it can be easily outshined by employing proven techniques of success. If you are ready to enter the entrepreneurial realm of cash gifting, be sure to set your mind for achievement, associate yourself with a solid mentor and be prepared to put in the effort to see it through. That’s how people live their dreams with cash gifting programs!

Your job no longer comes with a guarantee.

Yes, that is right, you might have been taught that if you work hard, study for a professional occupation, and score high grades, your future is set. Nothing can harm you. You get a job with your beautiful education and a good salary, and after 40 – 50 years of working, you retire happy and do anything you want.

Let us look at the facts: Millions of people are laid off work yearly. Some industries, like the record industry, were completely obsolete overnight. Thousands of skilled senior executives and middle managers are losing their jobs. Some students even find themselves unemployed when they finish their courses.

Income and retirement isn’t looking too good either. Nowadays both husband and wife have to work to maintain a descent lifestyle. Statistics show that 95% of all people at age 65 are either dead, or dead broke, and that it is only 6% of the population that is financially independent … and only 1% of those can be considered wealthy.

In the 90’s people turned to small business as an opportunity to create the best economic return available. Most people who venture into their own business are the so-called “Baby Boomers” – people between the ages of 30 and 50. These Boomers represent a third of the population and they are leading the way to make entrepreneurship the Super Career of the 21st century.

Buying a franchise was also seen as a viable option. A franchise is a safe business structure as it has proven systems in place for generating and keeping business.

Women who are disillusioned with climbing the corporate ladder started a new trend in creating home businesses which they can work around their already busy schedules as mothers.

For these entrepreneurs who are looking to start a small business from home, Network Marketing offers many attractive characteristics, including low capital risk and the ease of operation. Unlike traditional small businesses, Network Marketing requires no expensive legal, financial or accounting services, low maintenance or overheads, no employees, advanced education or start up money.

In most cases the only requirements for success in Network Marketing are: A strong desire, integrity, attitude and action.

A life spent making mistakes is not only more honourable, but more useful, than a life spent doing nothing.
George Bernard Shaw

According to Global Entrepreneurial Monitor (GEM) fear of failure is the top reason given in Ireland and worldwide by aspiring entrepreneurs for not starting their own businesses.

NESTA – the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts and the UK’s largest early stage investor in innovative and creative businesses – found that almost three quarters of people who said they had what they believed was a good business idea were not acting on it because they were afraid of not succeeding.

Ironically on further examination it is obvious that all would-be entrepreneurs are being paralyzed by something that doesn’t exist.
That’s right. Failure is a myth!

Entrepreneurial Development – Failure brings you Closer to Success!

Thomas Edison, inventor of the light bulb famously said “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

It took James Dyson, the engineer who reinvented the vacuum cleaner, four and a half years and 5,127 prototypes to refine his design.

“Each failure taught me so much,” he said. “Success teaches you nothing. Failures teach you everything. Making mistakes is the most important thing you can do.”

In an interview with Time Magazine, Larry Page, inventor of Google, said, “Invariably we try ten things that don’t quite work out in order to do one thing that is successful. And we learn a lot in doing the ten things that didn’t quite work.”

Thus every failure brings you a step closer to success and moves you further down the path of entrepreneurship.

Ironically by embracing this truism you mastered your first two major challenges in life – walking and talking.

Remember: As a child, ‘Never say die’, ‘Have no fear’, ‘Try and try again’, ‘Enjoy the moment’, were your working metaphors.

You fixed your eye on the goal, took your first step – wobbled a bit – steadied yourself. Then another step. Then landed on your backside!

What happens then? Did you give up? Did you say to yourself ‘I tried my best and I can’t do it. It hurts. I’m never doing that again!’? Did your ego kick in and start whispering ‘you’re making a fool of yourself. They’re all laughing at you! Better quit while you are ahead.’?

No indeed, as each one of us is born with an innate desire to reach our full potential, so you got up and tried again ultimately succeeding.

Model off your childlike strategies in the future and master the art of entrepreneurship.

I started my company (EMJ) from the trunk of my car (and it was a small trunk so that’s a small business). I grew EMJ to $375,000,000 in sales prior to selling it to SYNNEX. I am now CEO of a $1 billion business. My successful blog at (jimestill.com) generates a lot of comments and questions. I want to share one of these thoughtful questions with you, and share my answer.

The question:

«First off I just want you to know all I’m asking for is advice, which is the most valuable thing I can get right now.

I have been working in a field of interest for many years now as a hobby. I’ve always had many very good ideas but I never had the resources to make them happen. I always figured it was because I was too young. Now I’m older, I have a job and I’m plagued with the same problem. I’ll have a great idea but it will usually be out of my range because I either do not have the technical ability, the funding or resources to make the idea I vision happen.

My most recent plan evolved from my experience running similar websites, I found there was an un-fulfilled need. I decided to start judging the need for what I was offering so I did my homework and contacted over 130 other similar sites. Within a day I had 20 sites interested in what I had to offer. That’s great and all but those 20 sites generate about 6 times the traffic I could handle. So once again I’m in the same position. I do not have the resources I need to properly execute my idea.

My basic question, what is the best route to take when you have a great ideal that is more then you can handle.

A little more about me, I’m 23 years old, I have been running web sites and involved in the industry for around 6 years. I have a good paying job in another industry which makes it even more difficult to make the «jump».

Thank you for your time.»

My response:

1 – There is never a right time. Entrepreneurship involves risk. This means yous sometimes need to just jump. This said – I always say «fail often, fail fast, fail cheap» so I always look at the downside.

2 – It is very powerful to be under resourced. It will make you more resourceful and likely allow you to run a leaner more competitive business.

3 – I like to choose opportunities that are the right size for me now. This is a beautiful thing for business – there is always a right size business opportunity for everyone at every size. When you are starting from your basement, you can take a $100,000 opportunity and do well. Bigger companies cannot do this so will leave you alone.

4 – When the opportunity is too big for me, I consider narrowing my scope. Instead of being the biggest seller of bar code equipment, be the bigger in bar code for warehouses etc.

5 – Consider partnering. It is better to have 10% of something that is worth something than 100% of an idea.

6 – Ideas are a dime a dozen. It is the implementation that counts. How often do you see a restaurant with a line outside and the one next to it goes bankrupt. All the time. Ideas are easy.

7 – I know a lot of people who almost start businesses. They are not successful. To steal from Nike – «Just do it». And do it now. Time is the enemy of ideas and business. Someone else has the same idea. It is the one who perfects it that wins.

Entrepreneurship is a multifaceted adventure that, without a doubt, closely resembles a roller coaster ride. When you begin an entrepreneurial journey or “ride,” you are aware of the gamut of experiences, both disappointing and rewarding, that you will encounter as you undertake this challenge.

Entrepreneurial challenges are not unlike most challenges in life. Hard work, long hours, and anxious moments are just a few of the characteristics of the journey to most successful outcomes.

Reoccurring questions often roam the business mind, and—although they may be phrased in a variety of ways—are basically centered on these four primary issues: more sales, more cash, more time, and more of the “right” people.

Starting your own business is an undertaking that requires more than vision, inspiration, sweat equity, money and determination. It is a leap of faith that demands that you let go of everything that is safe, comfortable, and proven. It is getting “outside the box” in the biggest way possible.

Beginning a new business venture can be risky, dangerous, and harrowing. However, with the proper preparation, the appropriate knowledge, and the counsel of a mentor or a trusted advisor, it can be a liberating and an extremely rewarding experience.

There’s a reason why many of America’s most successful people are entrepreneurs who started their own business and then saw them take off to unimaginable heights. There’s a reason why the Horatio Algers of the world continue to inspire thousands of entrepreneurs every day.

There is a reason why some of America’s greatest companies started with an idea, with meager seed capital, and with an individual who had a maniacal belief in the potential of an idea, and— along with determination and perseverance— saw it through to success.

However, for every success, there are hundreds of failures. The statistics are not only sobering, but downright frightening. More than half of all businesses started today will fail. The failure rate is astounding. Take a look at recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, and this is what you will discover: After two years, across all sectors, 44 percent of all new businesses are no longer in business. After four years, 66 percent no longer exist. And, these survival rates don’t vary much by industry.

What do the statistics tell us? That most new businesses—whether they’re founded on the most brilliant idea since the theory of relativity or production of a mundane but exquisitely necessary manufacturing component—are making fatal mistakes that will ultimately lead them to bankruptcy. This much is certain. If more than half of all new ventures fail, there are lessons that are not being learned.

If you have been thinking of starting your own business but with a little information on how to make the first step, then, you have to take the following into great consideration.

1. Decide what type of business you want to put up. You may ask to some of your successful friends what is a good type of business. Well, they might suggest some, but the right answer is in you. Deciding what type of business you would put up means reflecting deeply the things you want to do and things you are good at. Look ahead and ask yourself these questions: Am I willing to do this business everyday for years? What do I love to do? What are the things that are both profitable, at the same time, things that I find enjoyable? These questions will lead you to specific type of business you want to put up. Take your time.

2. Do research. Once you have determined a particular type of business you want to put up, study its profitability. You simply don’t put up a business you love, don’t you? You still have to think if the business will click. Feasibility study would do the job. In other words, study if the business you are trying to put up will return to you the investment you have given. In here, you have to decide where to put up your business. Remember that a certain type of business would hit big time in one place but not on the other, so make sure that the place you will choose will give you good sales once you have opened.

3. Decide on the name. Create a name that is snappy; the name that will put every element of your business in a nutshell. A name may or may not be short as long as it distinguishable.

4. Decide on the form of business. Form of business means that you will have to choose between, incorporation, partnership, and sole proprietorship. Know the difference between the 3 and what are their advantages and disadvantages to you.

5. The registration. Most businesses must be registered and there are processes to follow. You need to reserve for the business name and registering your business. One state might have different business registration procedure from another. Check the information on the website of your state.

6. Get the license and business number. Register for the PST and the GST/HST. All these must be accomplished before you can operate your business. Again, you may want to check on the whole procedure of starting a business on your state.

7. Get you employees ready. Having an employee helping you will certainly give additional boost on your business. It may be the last thing you would think on the early stage of business but it is nice to know that when you have an employee, you know there is someone who can assist you as you go along the way.

8. Get business insurance. A support net would come in handy once you fall from the sky. Research on the types of business insurances that you can get.

9. Get started. Give a good start and keep your name clean. You may want to study more on the principles of entrepreneurship as you go along.

Although all these may sound easy or awfully hard task, you still need to understand how the business world works. Yes, having read this would not mean that you would instantly become a tycoon. These are only your initial steps; somewhat the basic information you need to know when you decide to start a business of your own. To become a successful entrepreneur, you need to dedicate you whole heart and soul to the business you love. Before you know it, you are a growing businessman.

Once you have started, never disregard the chance of failure. And this should not demoralize you. It is just the part of the game. Learn how to adapt to the business and charge all your failures to experience. You will learn as you go along. Successful people never give up. Remember, always head forward but have time to look back and learn from the past. Good luck.

When you have a business, it is only natural that you try to examine it. We all know that the more information you have about something, the bigger your chances of making correct decisions regarding it.

Entrepreneurs scan their business often, even though many already know their ventures like the back of their hands. When you think about it, the cliché «knowing the back of your hand» is a bit false. In fact, only a few of us really know how the back of our hands look like. We only think we know it because we see it every day. However, we also take that view for granted and very few of us can actually honestly say that we have memorized every detail of the back of our hands.

How does that connect with how entrepreneurs scan their businesses? Well, most entrepreneurs nowadays want to believe that they know every detail of their ventures. But the truth is, very few actually do. You see, there are disadvantages to being the boss.

For one thing, the boss always seems to be out of the grapevine. This means that the boss hardly ever gets wind of any trouble that goes on around the workplace. It also means that there may be some problems that the boss will not be able to know about, unless the entrepreneur scans his environment.

So how should entrepreneurs scan their environments? Well, a good idea is not to act like a drill sergeant and start shouting down your employees in order to get the answers you need.

For one thing, it shows that you mistrust your employees and this would only keep you out of the loop, as it were. Another thing is that you cannot expect to get the information you want this way. In intimidating your employees, you only get the information you want to hear, not the information you need.

You should let your employees feel that they can trust you. Be one of the guys. However, be sure that you do not cross the professional boundaries that exist in every workplace. You should show your employees that you are the kind of person whom they can come to for any problem. Remember that any small problem of your employees can affect the way you do your business.

Now, you know the proper way entrepreneurs scan their businesses through the employees. But there are, of course, other factors that need to be scrutinized in order to have a successful venture.

You also need to assess yourself. What kind of entrepreneur are you? What are your strengths and weaknesses? How well do you handle the business and everything else that the world throws at you?
Remember that sometimes, we are not the best judge of our characters. Most entrepreneurs scan their characteristics by getting an outside opinion. This opinion, of course should not be biased in order to be helpful to you. You need to have someone tell you to your face all of your faults and give you credit for your abilities.

Entrepreneurs also scan their environment. What potential markets are available for their business? What threats out there can affect their business? Entrepreneurs scan the environment because of the fact that it is one factor that they cannot control.

All you can do when something in the environment, whether opportunity or threat, takes place is to adapt to it. This means that you have to be able to prepare for any contingency. It is necessary to plan in order to succeed. But you know that, right?

Entrepreneurs scan the market for any signs of behavioral changes that could mean the collapse of their business. Why do you think that chips and sodas develop different flavors all the time? People change all the time. One example is change of preference. If a market gets tired of your product, you would be in very big trouble.

You need to adapt your product to the trends of the present. Anticipate future changes and do your best to prepare. However, you also need to remember your past. Sometimes, people dislike changes that a company or product goes through and, as a result, takes their business elsewhere. Ensure the continuing legacy of a good product if you think you have one.

Some Hot Business Opportunities for Entrepreneurs

These days, a lot of trends in the business arena have surfaced. In a year, several business opportunities for entrepreneurs rank as the hottest. So as a budding entrepreneur, what field would you like to get into? It is believed by many that in opening a business, it must be something within the scope of your own expertise.

You need to have an initial knowledge about what opportunity you are getting into. In managing any type of business, it is a must that you exert a personal effort on it. But then as the times are concerned, it goes to point out that the business of your choice must be something which is within the trends and that which is appreciated by the consumers. Or else, you are opening yourself into some great possibilities of losing in business.

For a guide, here are among the hottest trends of business opportunities for entrepreneurs in the year 2006:

Communications Coach or Writing Instructor. Most American businesses involve the flow of communications. After all, how can a business transaction transpire if there is no communication that exists within the concerned parties? Most office personnel in America lack one skill—and that is the power to communicate effectively.

In all levels of business, the staff members are asked to communicate orally, verbally, or technologically. But then most of them fail to do well in the task. They cannot even generate sensible sentences for that matter. Unfortunately though, a lot of English classes held in high school and college levels tend to overlook this matter so the graduates are not molded for these kinds of situations. One of the hottest business opportunities for entrepreneurs this year is to put up groups that would coach people in the entrepreneurial level in terms of communication. Many American companies seek the services of communications coaches and writing instructors.

Blogging. In a technologically advanced world, most information, ideas, and transactions are already done via the net. Blogging is one of the hottest and rising business opportunities this year. Whether the phase is internal or external, the blog must be well written so that it will be highly effective. Most companies involve blogging as part of their marketing strategies and if the blog is more or less poorly conceived, you know exactly what it will reflect for the company. The corporations that employ blogging as part of their businesses should provide ample training background in writing skills to their staff members.

Security and IT Privacy Consultant. For companies that mainly run technological-based industries, what they need are people who are IT competent and who knows how to troubleshoot technological problems. Since they deal much with information, they also need sufficient security. That is why masters in these matters are very much in-demand. As an entrepreneur, you can put up a business that relates to this need.

Some Construction-Related Operations. The country cannot rid of constructions of all types since it is moving towards global competitiveness. In the midst of all these constructions are great opportunities for entrepreneurs that are concerned with the plumbing, electric, carpentry, drywalling, and general contracting services.

Home Caregiving. In America per se, the aged individuals are always put in Home for the Aged institutions as their children are busy to care for them. It has been a custom to hire home caregivers for them. In the rate of employment, there are several individuals who go for caregiving since it is a highly paid job. If you may be interested, you can put up a home caregiving agency and earn much because of the high demand for such services.

Medical Technician or Home Healthcare Nurse. This business opportunity is likely related to the discussion above.

Virtual Assistants. The demand for virtual assistance is all the more increasing. People who would like to have online secretaries who can take charge of anything which they need pay much just so they can avail of the service. As an entrepreneur it will be beneficial on your part to come up with a set of staff members to work as virtual assistants.

Ebay Trading Assistants. People certainly love to shop on ebay especially with all those auctions. Being a seller in the website can invite lots of money for you.

Mobile Phone Applications. People cannot be detached from their mobile phones these days. So the demand for more advanced and upgraded phones increase each day. Outlets for mobile phones sales and repairs all the more prove to be successful this year.

There are more and more business opportunities that may knock on the doors of budding entrepreneurs. If you know how to handle a business, you will likely succeed.

How to Make it as Entrepreneur Autorisant l’tat de New-York

The answer- be an entrepreneur!

Central to being an entrepreneur is the question of what truly is an entrepreneur and what makes one.

If you asked business experts some decades ago, the very thing that makes an entrepreneurs would be given on a capsule-like definition. This person must be a male, an only child in the family, should atleast be35 to 45 years old at the time of venturing into the business, must have a masters degree in business courses, must be a Protestant, a son of a poor family and must have worked in his childhood days.

They’re right, entrepreneurs truly must be developed and raised in certain environments that would elicit responses applicable for becoming a risk taker, an organizer and a team builder. Add some touches of good character and faith in himself, his people and his Overseer, the person is sure to go up the ladder of businesses. And never forget, he must have some good streak of luck and fortune that would push him to brave the risks.

Now, if you do not fit in this stereotypical representation, should you get worried? Of course you must not. Hardly any of these are true factors to becoming an effective entrepreneur.

Nonetheless, recent research and keen observations in the lives of successful entrepreneurs indicate that they seem to have some common denominators that make them successful. If you are worried that you lack any of them then you can make ways in acquiring some of those factors and get the advantage of many things.

Though arguments may present various contradictions to the indicators, the fact is, we never can actually give exact measurements on what would work and what would not. Well, other people choose to focus more on the qualities that the entrepreneur don’t have and those that do not apply. Others find links from those that are commonly present in many and those that are exceptionally effective for most. On whatever grounds we delve, there should always be some hints that we can gather.

The common denominators
Handworkers- people in entrepreneurship are almost always the hard workers unless they stand up and work some things out, they can never become entrepreneurs. Not only should they be prepared on what lays their grounds in staring their own business, they must also have the good training prior to staring their company. It his is critical since no lazy oafs can become tycoons overnight.

Motivators- entrepreneurs are normally characterized by their ability to build team spirit and to become effective organizers. Thus, they have to have the power to motivate both his team and himself. They must carry motivation to achieve which is almost similar to believing and hoping for something better. This fall to be one of the most common quality entrepreneurs have. They never aim for the third rank nor the second. Their place, they believe is the first.

Leadership- staring a business entail the risk of falling to uncertainties and failures. Going through all these require much of leadership skills. The group can’t go anywhere without a good leader to tap them when they fall.

The lack to fill
Excessive risk taker- though entrepreneurship demands that one should be willing to take risks, overestimating one’s potentials in taking risks can prove to be very destructive. Optimism is good but overly positive people die early in the world of starting businesses.

Compulsive gambling- gambling is part of entrepreneurship but most people know that risk taking must be based on good decisions and not on impulses, chances of succeeding must be equated to the chances of failures. Thus conscious decisions are vital with every roll of the dice.

The things that don’t matter
Biological factors- this group includes age, sex, marital status, and education level are all irrelevant factors in making it through the entrepreneurial world. They may provide some good contributions to things yet they don’t normally dictate where the ball would fall. Often, we see obscure people winning the game. Obscure, meaning they are not among the stereotypical. School drop outs like most of the successful men and women in the world normally stand on toe (or even above) most businessmen who have doctorate’s and master’s degrees.

Know one of those brilliant brains that can’t have a sustained human conversation because their mind races too fast? They may suffer from a not-so-rare disorder. And you hold the cure – if you print out the following article and hand them a copy.

Entrepreneur SASS
(With permission from Utah Valley Business Q)

We may have an epidemic among us. At the next networking meeting you attend, wash your hands immediately afterward – maybe five times for good measure. Despite medical evidence to the contrary, a previously thought incommunicable disease is spreading faster than copies of Who Moved My Cheese?

The disease is Short Attention Span Syndrome, or SASS.

Perhaps someone you know and love is affected. Perhaps you yourself have noticed some of the following symptoms.

-Shifting in your seat and coughing just a little too loudly during a boring meeting.
-Saying to your significant other, I’m sorry, honey, could you repeat that? I wasn’t paying attention.
-Going to sleep while mentally rifling through a mile-long to-do list

Many with these symptoms joke, «I must have ADD!» However, only 4 to 8 percent have the genetic condition referred to as ADD – more correctly termed ADHD, – which is present from birth and, while treatable, is permanent. The dreaded disease of SASS, on the other hand, develops over time.

Symptoms begin to appear around the teenage years and slowly accelerate until they become a frenzy of activity and mental noise. SASS is viral. It passes from manager to employee, from spouse to spouse, from parents to children and from children to parents.

Most common is the passing of SASS from entrepreneurial types: business owners, risk-tasking executives, sales professionals, visionaries. Entrepreneurs develop SASS themselves, typically in the incubator of their own ever-changing minds. While most everyone has a lot to do, entrepreneurs have the tendency to pick up a lot more «To-Dos» than the average person. They then pass the virus on to those around them.

Entrepreneurs pass SASS to their employees in the form of altered objectives, multi-tasking, bold initiatives, training meetings, revised agendas, organizational restructuring, innovation after innovation, and of course, more meetings. They pass it on, unable to listen to the comments of others as they continue to create more to-dos in their mind.

Then they return to the quiet of their own homes and continue to think about more changes and more To-Do’s deep into the night. They are often oblivious to the peas and carrots on their plate and the 8-year-old wanting to play Bob the Builder.

There is hope. SASS is a curable condition. Those afflicted by SASS usually have developed an altered sense of reality. Recommended therapy is as follows.

First, have the subject look in a mirror. Ask them, How many of you are there? Sometimes, the SASSy individual thinks outside the box to the point that they insist there are two of them. In this case, have them repeat 50 times the phrase, «There is only one of me. There is only one of me.»

Second, have the subject look at a clock. At the beginning of a minute, ask the subject to count each second as it passes. At the end of the minute, as them how many seconds there were. If the number is anything other than 60, repeat this exercise 59 times. At the end of the hour, ask them how many minutes there were. If necessary, repeat this exercise another 23 times and ask them about hours in the day.

Finally, find the subject’s calendar. They may have more than one calendar. Explain to them that, since there is only one timeline in the real world, they can only have only one calendar. Next, look for double-bookings. Again, explain to them in a firm but loving tone that, since there is only one of them, they can only be in one place at a time. If travel time is not properly scheduled, explain to them that, since faxing one’s self has yet to be invented, they will be unable to magically teleport from location to location.

As therapy continues, SASSy entrepreneurs will gradually overcome their delusion that their disease makes them more productive. They will come to learn the truth of the proverb, «man who chases two chickens catches none.»

There is hope for the SASSy entrepreneur. With your help and the help of professionals, they can and most often do come back to reality.

As they journey on the path of entrepreneurship, many successful businesspeople would identify their intuition or gut instincts as their compass and mentor. Without it, they wouldn’t have achieved the “unachievable.”

“Don’t let the noise of other people drown out your inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become,” advises Steve Jobs, Apple Computer CEO

So what is intuition or gut? For some it is a feeling in their stomach, for others, a compelling vision, and for more its an inner voice; all of which are promoting with conviction, a course of action.

It works best when there is no emotional connection to its finding.

Follow your Gut – Be an Entrepreneur!

Nurturing your intuition allows you to connect with intelligence far greater than what’s available through your conscious mind. Disregarding it is the equivalent of cutting off your blood supply i.e. cutting off life’s messages in the context of truly reaching your potential in life.
In 1996 with a poor academic record in English, no background in writing and told I would not succeed by two award winning journalists ( not best selling authors), I decided to honour my intuition and commit to writing a Best Selling Book. Similar to many potential entrepreneurs it felt right to follow my gut but it didn’t make much sense and I didn’t have the know how. A few years later, I had sold approximately 15,000 copies.

Recently while reflecting on my time as a marketing consultant, I realised that very few projects whose market feasibility I had to check got the green light. I always found enough reasons why the business shouldn’t start. If I had applied the same level of analysis to the feasibility of the book, I wouldn’t have pursued this avenue either.

In the context of entrepreneurship, too often people disregard their gut in favour of the “practical, left brained approach” more often than not to the detriment of their project.

I now know that there isn’t a dream in the world that you and I couldn’t conjure up enough reasons why we shouldn’t proceed with it. Knowledge always gives you enough reasons not to act which is why I advise at all times to honour your gut in the knowledge that you will always end up in a place you describe and recognize as better than your starting point.

Oftentimes people don’t choose to go for gut because quite simply it doesn’t come with a pension plan. In the context of you reaching your potential and achieving meaning and significance, pain/discomfort will be part of the package. However this is nothing compared to the pleasure you will have at living and working in your own dream business.

Enjoy the trip.

“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift.” Einstein

Statistics show that more than one million people in the United States start a new business each year. That number would be much higher if all the would-be entrepreneurs had the financing required to get a business up and running. In order to accomplish their dream of business ownership, entrepreneurs are finding new and innovative ways to finance their new ventures.

According to Leonard Fischer, President/CEO of BeneTrends, one of these new financing options is the use of a person’s existing retirement funds-a pension, profit sharing, 401(k), IRA-which allows that person to start the business he or she has always dreamed of without tax penalties, consequences or mountains of debt.

Under the Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), retirement funds can be transferred into usable capital for business investments or operations. If a person has more than $40,000 in a retirement account and is not currently employed by the company that holds those funds, he or she qualifies for this Small Business Administration (SBA)-recognized financing approach to start a business.

Retirement funds can be used for any business purpose, including:

• Purchasing a franchise or existing business

• Start-up expenses, such as purchasing property, equipment, etc.

• Working capital, including paying salaries, franchise fees, etc.

• Business expansion, such as funding additional franchises, locations, etc.

• Equity toward SBA or other loans.

The thought of dipping into one’s retirement can cause some apprehension. Through this investment strategy an individual actually has more control over his/her retirement-instead of gaining minimal growth dependent on the stock market, those savings are actually being invested in one’s own business. This approach often allows an individual to set aside more money for retirement than ever before.

«Today’s entrepreneur faces an environment of tremendous competition, complexity and opportunity, so starting a business the right way is more important than ever,» says Dr. Germain Boer, Director of Vanderbilt University’s Center for Entrepreneurship. «This financing method is a good option for an individual who has accumulated funds in his/her retirement accounts.»

The entire process generally takes two to four weeks to be completed, and can be done by phone, email, fax, FedEx and regular mail.

Working with an experienced employee benefits plan expert, starting a business is as simple as these four steps:

Step 1: Establish a C-corporation.

Step 2: The new corporation creates a retirement plan.

Step 3: Funds are rolled over into the corporation’s new retirement plan.

Step 4: The new retirement plan purchases the stock of the corporation.

«So many people have watched their dream of owning their own business go out the window due to lack of funding options. We help people achieve that dream every day using money they already have,» says Fischer.

If you’re ready to explore this innovative financing option, be sure to consult an expert to guide you through the specialized process.

Fair Isaac, the company that develops the formula to determine credit scores looks at the average statistics of consumers and factors that into your score, called a (FICO). According to Fair Isaac the average consumer will have:

· One inquiry on their personal credit report in a given year
· 54% of credit holders carry a balance of less then $5,000 on all debts other then a mortgage
· Have access to $12,190 on all credit cards combined

“Now are entrepreneurs, like you, the typical consumer?” I asked one of my clients (J.G.). “No.”, said J.G.. “You will see that as an entrepreneur, we have several more credit needs then the average consumer. So when the personal credit bureaus compare us to the average consumer, our credit consumption is not normal. Which is why your credit score lowered since starting your business.” “That’s not fair” said J.G. My reply, “If you don’t understand how the system works, you’re right.”

Let’s look at J.G.’s situation. He has applied several times with suppliers for various credit lines over the last year. Each inquiry will likely drop his credit score approximately 5-10 points. The credit bureaus as suppose to lump three together and only drop 5-10 for the three, we’ll see if it happens. He also has a $60,000 line of credit available and carries a balance of $42,000. Both the amount of credit and balance are more then the consumer average which can hurt his score as well. This is without looking at anything else in the business or his personal life.

If J.G. had just taken the time to develop a business credit profile and start establishing basic lines of credit in the business name and then slowly build the businesses credit over time, he may never have ended up without the ability to buy the home he and his family wanted.

This is why I have written books and developed products and services with our company, Business Credit Services, to provide an education to the entrepreneur on how to “become the typical consumer again” and “separate your personal and business life”.

Young entrepreneurs and business owners are often times faced with the choice of which road to take. On one hand, there is the more conservative route of staying in college and getting a degree. On the other hand, many have thriving businesses that are making more money than their degree will ever get for them. Is college simply a hindrance? Or is it a valuable resource that should be continued at all costs. Many college business owners don’t even realize they have the choice of dropping out. Knowing this option is there could be vital to the success of their future business. If you are in college and are an entrepreneur or business owner you must ask your self this question: should I drop out of college?

The answer to this question often comes in many forms from many different people. I was recently at an entrepreneurial conference and had the opportunity to discuss this matter with many rich entrepreneurs. The answers I was getting from them were vastly different from those that my family had given me. On the one side I was being told that college is only useful if you are getting something out of it, and that if I was serious my businesses should take priority over schooling. From the family side I was being told to stay in school no matter what, put schooling at the forefront – there will always be time for business and it will be good to have a safe backup. Both of these answers have their merits, but which one is right?. It became clear to me that it was my decision- not the other wealthy entrepreneurs, and not your family.

Why are you in college?
This question is the fundamental element in the decision to drop out of college. Entrepreneurs must figure out the reality of why they are in college before making a decision to drop out. Some business owners are in college because their parents told them to go there, or because they didn’t realize they had the choice. Other young entrepreneurs are in college because they find the information valuable and want to continue learning while they expand their business. Even more still had childhood dreams of one day being an engineer or architect and want to follow through with their early ideals. You must answer this question truthfully and honestly if you are going to make a choice about running your business full time or staying in college.

Why Do You Want to Drop Out?
It is very important to understand exactly why you want to drop out. Many business owners and entrepreneurs have vastly different reasons for dropping out of college and it is key that you understand yours. I have often fielded this question in conversation, and many times a young entrepreneur will want to drop out of college on pure speculation. This is never a good idea without a solid business plan. I recommend having a solid business plan and some backups in the least, as well as some plans for continued learning of business skills. Dropping out is a risky decision – entrepreneurs will understand and easily accept this fact. Understanding and accepting risk is part of being an entrepreneur and starting new businesses. I have also talked with many entrepreneurs who already have million dollar plus income, and are thinking about dropping out in order to focus more on their business. This instance presents an entirely new set of questions. Whatever your reasoning make sure that you understand and research your position.

Here is the Secret to Making the Decision
It all comes down to balancing the two sides of the argument. If you’ve figured out both your reasons for being in college and your reasons for dropping out and starting a business, then you can easily make a decision. The trick is to look at a list of both sides: your reasons for being in college and your reasons for going out and becoming an entrepreneur. If either side has reasons that aren’t your own, or that have doubt in them, then you will most likely pick the other side. Here is an example situation, look at the two lists and decide what the student should do.

Student A – Reasons to Stay in College:
– My parents are paying for it, and they would flip if I left
– Everyone I know is in college, it would be weird to leave.
– A degree might give me some security later on.

Student A – Reasons to Drop Out and Pursue Business
– I have a solid business plan and have been working on it for months
– My income is almost half of my parents already
– Having more time to work on business would let me expand faster

I think it is fairly clear in this setup that we have an entrepreneur at heart. There is doubt in the reasoning behind college, and he also doubts that he will even need the security of a degree. The second list is much more profound and certain. This student knows he will be successful as an entrepreneur and he only wants to build his business more. There is certainty and understanding in his tone. With this situation it seems very likely that the student would be far better off dropping out of college and pursuing his business goals.

The case is almost never as cut and dry as the situation above, most young businessmen have far more complicated setups. Even with the complications, the end result is always the same. Follow the path that you are sure of in your heart. If you are an entrepreneur in the right position then you will know exactly why you want to drop out and that it will be better for you. Or, you will know that staying in college will teach you more about business and let you grow faster out of college. I will leave you with one last thing.

Listen to your own thoughts, and pick the path that you know is better for you.

Is extensive travel one of your unfulfilled dreams?

For years, my husband and I had talked about taking a grand tour of the U.S. and Canada, visiting well-known cities and viewing glorious landscapes. On March 1, 2003 we left in our car to do just that. At the end of May, we returned home having racked up 20,000 miles, having experienced countless adventures. What’s more, by working just a few hours a day, we earned the same amount as at home and will be deducting expenses for the entire trip on our tax return. We plan to repeat our feat this summer, in and around Alaska.

You too can do this! Here are five ways to turn the long trip you’ve been dreaming about for ages into tax-deductible – and profitable! – business travel.

1. Seminars. By announcing my itinerary to subscribers of my weekly newsletter, The Marketing Minute, I received seminar or speaking invitations for Houston and Austin, Texas; San Francisco and Sacramento, California; Seattle, Washington; Langley, British Columbia and several other locations. Most business organizations plan events several months in advance, so time your trip announcements accordingly. Besides appearing at events sponsored by an established organization, you can line up co-sponsors who know one or more of the areas you’ll be traveling to and who will take charge of your legwork in exchange for a percentage of the profits.

2. Client meetings. People I had been working with remotely were thrilled at the opportunity to get together in person when I would be passing through their area. Some of these meetings turned into enjoyable social occasions while others materialized as paid consultations. You’ll need much less lead time to set up these get-togethers than for seminars.

3. Research. Haven’t you always wanted to find out how businesses deal with setbacks differently in different parts of the country or the world? If not, then maybe you can formulate another travel-worthy question whose answers relate to your line of business. Upon your return, you can publish a report and voilà, you have a new product and your trip had a legitimate business purpose.

4. Focus groups. Convene small groups to feel out the market for possible new ventures from your company. You may need just one business contact in each city where you want to do this. Offer a free lunch or dinner for participants and something more for your contact, and ask him or her to round up colleagues for an interesting colloquy on _____ (describe the topic appealingly). To fend off suspicions that this will be a disguised or explicit sales pitch, promise that the event will include no selling.

5. Book tour. Setting up author events is a feasible option if you have at least one published book, even if it came out a couple of years ago. If your book is fiction, the events would normally be readings or book signings, while if your book falls into the nonfiction category, you can either offer a talk about the topic of the book or set up book signings. Besides all manner of bookstores, including specialty ones like those focusing on mysteries, New Age, Christian or gay and lesbian themes, book events also take place at libraries, museums, community centers, churches and synagogues. As part of selling books during your travels, make sure you contact local media outlets along the way!

Reminder: Be sure to consult a qualified tax advisor to determine whether or not your travels will count as tax deductible.

A word that has been associated in many fields and is defined and had been defined in variety of people in many ways.

Well, the word itself was of French origin which evolved into meanings that pertain to people who take the risks, founders of businesses and or someone who is accountable in case of failure or success in a business venture.

Being a person who founded a new enterprise, it is also understood that entrepreneurs take the largest part when it comes to risks inherent to businesses. After all, they are normally the owners of the company or the business unit.

The common perception with entrepreneurs is that they are the establishers of new entities that aim to offer innovative or existing services or products in the market. The talk of profit or non-profit issues also vary, depending on the type of business management being referred to.

They are of course, one of the main components of the capitalistic world. They take the largest loses or gains since they are the manipulators of the funds. Central to this is the belief of opportunities in a specific area that require the filling of the demands. They are like the providers for the needs and thus, they take the gain in exchange for the provision. They are basically service- or product-oriented who device means to create the fillers for the two said demands. The main focus of their acts is towards the gain of profit.

There are many types of typical entrepreneurs. And because of this evolution from the simple merchants to the more sophisticated corporate men, entrepreneurship has also matured in ways unimaginable when men first thought of selling their own produce.

§ The risk bearers
Risks are incalculable and rather undefined. They come as problems arise and they develop as more problems sprout. There are no specific ways by which risks come out. They just do and they seem to be the eternal parts of any business ventures. Entrepreneurs are not only risk bearers, they also take all the disadvantages of uncertainties.

While both may appeal the same, it is an undeniable fact that they may offer different horizons for individual business people.

Risks can be subjected to insurance principles. Meaning, there are methods by which their intensity or frequency can be measured. Thus, we can provide options in decreasing one’s susceptibility over risks. However, uncertainties may be considered to be more on the subjective side. Since they can’t be calculated and their very nature can’t be estimated. These two combined, it is easier to assume that entrepreneurs can be characterized both as decision-makers and improvisers. They provide solutions to immediate and long-term demands, which are unachievable, even when business routines are carefully studied.

Entrepreneurs certainly are great risk takers. Without this element of uncertainty, no business could have evolved in ways that lead to the growth of certain industries. There surely are things that must be met with responses that are either detrimental to a business unit or would create changes for its betterment.

§ The organizers
Entrepreneurs are typically the founders. It is only proper that they are equipped with facilities that make leaders lead. Founders are the leaders of the pack, they are the builders. They too are planners and the organizers of schemes for giving birth and growth to a business organization.

They are the planners for maximizing the resources. They combine specific factors like land resources, the capital from a partner, the labor of his employees or the resources that came from him to create products that would meet certain demands.

He will then create organizational tactics to come out with the earnings of his profit after everything is settled.

Being the organizer, it is understood that he also is the leader. Organizers always have the authority to set things in their proper places.

But being a leader is a matter of having a good combination of values and abilities that will support the group. And because we are not all born leaders nor were we all made leaders, too few really achieve successes in business. However, leadership is not at the core of entrepreneurship.

It is the will. The will to start with uncertainty and keep believing that it would in the end, turn out well.

Finding the Right Business to Start

Do you want to be a successful entrepreneur? You probably have an excellent idea and you’re thinking over whether it is doable or not, whether it will bring in revenues, and whether it has the potential to expand into a more profitable business venture. Now that you find yourself with the desire to start your own business, there are still a lot of things you have to consider and think about. First you have to ask yourself if you have what it takes to own and maintain a business. You should know that the world of entrepreneurship is not for everyone. Yes, the opportunities for profit and self-fulfillment are great, but so are the risks involved.

Being an entrepreneur can be a life-changing endeavor, thus, you really have to be prepared for anything that may happen. There are some specific character traits that every entrepreneur must possess or develop. These include perseverance, hard work, independence, self confidence, commitment to quality and success, honesty and many more. If you think you really have what it takes to be an entrepreneur then you are ready to proceed to the next step, and that is to find the type of business you want to establish and own.

Finding the right Entrepreneur Opportunity

As you know by now, there are literally thousands of business opportunities available for the budding entrepreneur. With all these choices, what type of business are you going to pursue? There are actually two approaches to finding the right entrepreneur opportunity for you. There’s the traditional approach and the “follow your passion” approach. The traditional approach to finding the right business opportunity involves a systematic and methodical process. It involves careful planning, thorough research of the market, recognizing a need and creating the product or service to fulfill that need.

First, you have to choose the field of business that you are most interested in. Then, you can now embark on researching the ins and outs of that industry and the different businesses that can be found within it. Afterwards, you can do market research to find out if there is an unmet need in the form of products, services, prices, etc. Then you can proceed to analyzing the competition and checking out how their business models work.

You can now start on making your preliminary business plan. Make sure to do market research to see the market potential for your chosen business. Re-evaluate and re-assess your business plan and determine how much capital you are going to need. Then, you can start seeking out investors and lenders who can help you finance your business. The traditional approach to entrepreneur opportunities is obviously labor-intensive and time-consuming, as well as potentially expensive, but careful planning before actually starting the business will also reduce the risk of failure as time goes by.

Another approach in finding the right entrepreneur opportunity is the “follow your passion” philosophy. This approach involves following and doing what you love and the money will start coming in. This can be an excellent way to start your own business but you should understand that many people have also followed and did what they love and still did not succeed well enough. This approach encourages you to find out what type of business you should pursue through self-discovery and observation. Reflect on what you are truly interested in and passionate about and look for ways to make a business out of it. Observe your surroundings to see If there is an unmet need. You can then create a product or service to fulfill that need.

Inspiration is also an important aspect of this approach to identifying an entrepreneur opportunity. Who knows that idea that simply popped into your mind while driving your kids to school may actually be an excellent business idea that can eventually lead to success? Another aspect of this approach is imitation. You can simply find a tried-and-tested business model and copy it in another market. You can also consider getting a franchise. Franchises are already proven business models, and you also get support from the company to help you start out your business.

These two approaches are both effective in helping you find out what entrepreneur opportunity you must pursue. Although these approaches are not failure-proof, they can really help you increase your chances of success in the highly-competitive world of business.

Online Entrepreneurial Attack: Vital Traits to Possess

They say doing, owning, and handling business is all about passion. It is for the reason that the said passion is the one that drives a person to drive upward the road to success. Most business instructional books will also tell you about the same thing—that is, passion in doing business. Apart from this passion or drive, there are likewise certain traits that need to be possessed by every budding entrepreneur. These traits define one’s future in the industry and whether or not he will likely pursue the materialization of such goals and objectives related to the business he is up to venture into.

If there is anyone who thinks that getting into any form of business venture is simply a slice of cake must think again. Of course it is in no way an easy task. Entrepreneurs know this for a fact. Entrepreneurs also basically know that getting into the business world requires severe time and effort coupled with hard work so as to reap their desired fruits. But then of course, all of these efforts exerted will bring the most advantageous results. Who knows, in such a short span of time the business will already be on a pedestal that everyone will be patronizing and looking up to? This is not very far from possible.

When you are motivated, you get inspired. This motivation will drive you towards the exertion of the needed effort for the success of the business. Entrepreneurs today are increasing. More so, one of the greatest hypes there are today in line with business is the home-based online entrepreneurial. There are lots of advantages involved in a home-based online entrepreneurial. For one, you need not prepare yourself for work. Who cares about how you look when you are doing an online business? Secondly, you need not battle with the day-to-day traffic as you go off to work. So who would not opt for an online entrepreneurial at all?

Some people would tend to discourage you that this kind of stuff does not work at all. But if your passion is really into the online business, then go for it. Let the force be with you and let that passion burn in you. Whether a lot of people lack the belief with regards to the success of the online entrepreneurial, all that matters is you give it a try to know about its result.

Desirable Traits that Make Up a Home-Based Online Entrepreneur Successful

Any entrepreneur should have a strong self-confidence and belief in himself and in all of the things that he engages into. It is important that he believes in his own capacity to handle things. He should not also be gullible or taken aback by comments and opinions of other people. At times it is important that one sets certain mindsets in his so that it will become close to reality. One’s capacity to handle judgment and create decisions proves to be the best assets one can have.

Entrepreneurs although they are handling online business must be flexible when it comes to the aspect of time. There must be a dose of effort and time spent by an entrepreneur so as the growth of the business will be secured. It is a known fact that most of the times personal affairs get affected by the business tendered to by entrepreneurs. There are even times when the greatest trials come upon people. Some succeed while others do not. Therefore, there is a need balance things. Time management is indeed very important in this matter.

Do not simply work your business up for the profit. It is not all about money. Handling a business is more of enjoying what you do just like a hobby. You will less likely recognize stress and pressure when you enjoy what you are doing. Online entrepreneurial can be very easy if only you know the ropes of the trade.

Do not be afraid to face failures. You will never recognize success if without the presence of failure in any form. In line with business, most entrepreneurs fail first before they finally meet success along the way.

Make an online entrepreneurial one offshoot of your dreams. It is only in trying that you will get your desired results. Get that attitude!

Entrepreneur Magazine is considered by many people to be the best resource for entrepreneurs out there. Whether you are still thinking about starting your own venture or trying to expand your already-established business, Entrepreneur Magazine is the best resource for you.

What does Entrepreneur Magazine provide you with? Well, here are some things you might find useful inside Entrepreneur Magazine:

1) Articles – the articles inside Entrepreneur magazine discuss a large variety of topics. These articles are written to help every kind of entrepreneur. What topics are discussed in the articles?

1. A) Start-up -these articles are written specially for the budding entrepreneur. These articles provide useful tips and advice on how to start your own venture. Included in these articles are different opinions on what the best initial business should be.

These articles can also provide you with very good insights into what you should expect when you start your venture.

1. B) Finance – these articles of Entrepreneur magazine discuss the financial aspect of the business. They provide useful advice on how to handle the money matters of your new venture. Financial experts write these articles in a manner that’s easy to understand so the entrepreneur won’t get lost in the financial lingo.

1. C) Market -Entrepreneur Magazine contains articles that help entrepreneurs keep up-to-date on the market. We all know that the market behaves erratically and that business ventures are often at the mercy of customers’ whims.

Studying the market can help you gain the advantage over your competition. You can also prepare yourself for any behavioral trends that may affect the way you do business. The market is important because it is the biggest factor that you cannot control. Remember that no matter how good you think your products or services are, if the customers don’t want it, you can’t force them to buy it.

2) Tips – Entrepreneur Magazine also contains tips on different aspects of business. The tips differ from the articles in the sense that they are straight to the point. These tips come in the form of lists or «dos and don’ts». By reading these tips, you can gleam information quickly and put the advice to good use.

3) Opportunities – Entrepreneur Magazine gives what every entrepreneur needs: opportunity. By reading Entrepreneur Magazine, you get to access a lot of listings that provide you with the information you need on how to get opportunities out there.

Remember that business opportunities should be grasped and shaped into the venture you want. If you have the chance for a great venture, you should take it! Always have the guts to go with your feelings when you just know that you are going to succeed.

Remember that if you want to make it: you can!

4) Contacts – Entrepreneur magazine can provide you with information on how to contact people who may be able to help you get your business off the ground. By reading Entrepreneur magazine, you will be able to establish a client base quickly.

Contacts are important in today’s world of business. Even if you have a great product or service, if nobody knows about it, then it’s useless. By getting the proper connections, you can get your business running sooner than you expect.

5) Inventions – Entrepreneurs not only consist of people who want to start a business. Entrepreneurs are people who introduce something to the market that people are willing to pay for. Inventors may be brilliant, but they need help selling their inventions.

Entrepreneur magazine gives you tips on the legalities of selling your invention or getting your product recognized and sold. They also keep you up to date on any new inventions that you may want to take part in selling. This way, you might end up being the pioneer of a brand new revolution.

There you go; those are some of the advantages that you can have if you read Entrepreneur Magazine. If you are thinking that reading is so boring and surfing the web is so much more interesting, then you are in luck. Entrepreneur Magazine also contains some useful websites that you can surf in order to expand your entrepreneurial horizon.

All in all, Entrepreneur Magazine is a great help in expanding your business. Remember though, that reading about and idea is useless if you don’t act on it.

How Entrepreneur Magazines Can Help You on Your Way to Success

None of us were born business wizards. Even Bill Gates has to have gotten help from somewhere in order to know how to get Microsoft going, right?

Entrepreneur magazines can go a long way in helping you get your business venture up and running. How, you ask? Well, entrepreneur magazines contain a lot of information that the entrepreneur may fins useful.

Entrepreneur magazines are written specially for the businessman. Thus, by reading this type of magazine, you will be exposed to the world that is entrepreneurship. Entrepreneur magazines help entrepreneurs catch up on the latest news about the world of business. With this type of magazine, you can be sure to have the latest buzz of the market and how to expand your opportunities.

Now, some people may reason out that reading a magazine about entrepreneurship is just too much time-consuming than looking up what you need in the internet. However, have you ever considered the fact that what you read in a magazine seems to stick more to your mind than what you can find on the internet?

Another advantage of reading magazines is the fact that with a magazine, you can be sure of who wrote what you are reading. To tell you the truth, the internet is full of entrepreneurial advises from people who have no idea what they are talking about.

However, high quality magazines are written by people who have the right information and all the facts regarding entrepreneurship. On magazines, you’ll be able to make sure that the information you are getting will in no way endanger your venture.

We all know the risks that come with trying to research something on the internet. One wrong click and your computer could be reduced to an expensive piece of thrash. Magazines, on the other hand, pose no threat to your equipment.

Entrepreneur magazines are useful because they are also easy to understand. Unlike web pages which need you to click here, you can easily turn a page on a magazine. Another plus with a magazine is that you can carry it anywhere for quick reference.

However, magazines and web sites actually do not have a competition going on. In fact, major entrepreneurial magazines today have websites that lets you see what goes on behind the publication.

Magazines also contain relevant contact information for the aspiring entrepreneur. This information can help you get in touch with various people with the knowledge on how to get your venture started. This is can be very helpful since you will be competing in a world where who you know matters more than what you know.

Entrepreneur magazines can also help you by providing you with useful tips on how to improve your business. With entrepreneur magazines, you can actually get a glimpse of what trends can affect your business in the future.

This is very helpful because, as they say, preparation always helps. If you are prepared to face a crisis, the more chances you have of resolving it. Entrepreneur magazines can help you be prepared by providing you information and expert opinions on what that information can mean to the business community.

Remember that business can be very tricky. One day, you can be on top of the world, with a number of customers filing into your restaurant. One health report later and you can be bankrupt. In order to prevent this from happening, entrepreneurial magazines can help you prepare contingency plans to neutralize threats to your business.

There are also different types of entrepreneurial magazines, each type giving you great advice for your business. Specialized entrepreneur magazines are great, since they allow you to dig a little deeper into your business, not just entrepreneurship in general.

Entrepreneur magazines are also great sources for entertainment. You might think that reading an entrepreneur magazine would be just too painful after having a long day at work, but these are actually pretty interesting magazines. There are articles and stories that the entrepreneur can relate to without being bored to death. You are sure that the content is something you can relate with, and this means that you can have entertainment and brain food at the same time! Now that is one great idea.

Best Business for the Future

Conservation of the environment is becoming more evident than ever before. Fear of old age and ugly figure have been the concerns of many people especially women. And security of the future has fastly overtaken the present needs. Business that would answer the things above would reap ten fold in the years to come since many would be more than willing to spend extra bucks on keeping their environment clean, keeping their face young, and saving for their retirement.

Here are the particular businesses that would work in the future:

Perpetual diet

According to The National Eating Disorders Association, 45% of women and 25% of men are on a diet each day! And this is not the end of story. Eighty percent of women admit that they are dissatisfied with their figure. That’s almost ½ of the entire population. What does this mean? Many are seeking for products that would improve their figure. Entering in this type of business can be a good gamble.

Alternative health products

The growing number of heath conscious equates to the growing number of market for products that will keep human body healthy. This means that the alternative health product business can be a good place to be in the future. Tea, ginseng, and Acai berries are some of the products in good circulation today. These products are also marketed as an alternative medicine.

Organic food

You surely have heard about genetically modified organism or the GMO. You surely have heard about the possible effects it may do to the body. And with this concern, there is an exponential increase of the number of people who are becoming more and more careful on the type of food they eat.

Since organic foods are 100% safe and clean, the market for this business is fastly growing.

Water Products

Not so long ago, you can still see many people filling their bottles with tap water and drink from it. Well, this practice has long been forgotten and will remain to be forgotten… even forbidden. Gone are the days when people can drink clear and clean water from any source. Now, it is common to see water dispensers at offices and even houses. And it is very common to see fridge with reserved bottled drinking water.

Capitalizing on this business will draw in cash for sure. You can either be a distributor of drinking water on you neighborhood or establish your own bottling plant.

Ecological products

People have the tendency to look for something that is not usual on their surroundings. So if you are waking up, living, and sleeping in urban areas, you will tend to look for something different, something natural. And if you cannot go out of town, the best way to set some changes is purchasing ecological products. Furniture, home decors, flooring, and other products that encapsulate nature would be a choice to you.

On the other hand, if you are an entrepreneur and have seen this, you will surely be one of the firsts who would venture on this business.

High tech security system or biometrics

If you were a homeowner or a businessman with lots of high tech devises inside your home or offices, you surely would want to protect them. A simple door lock would not do, right? What you need is high tech security system that will limit the access of your facilities to those you have granted the access. Retina scan, finger print identification, and other biometric identification are the ways to do it.

A business that caters this need will certainly be a good business.

Retirement Planners/Financial Advisors

Growing old is a part of life and aging people are part of the population. These people want to carefully plan the remaining years of their life with professional advisers. Retirement Planners or financial advisers would be the right person they need. If you have the keen on this type of business, then, you have a lot of work to do for many aging people need you.

Of course, entering the mentioned businesses would not automatically mean that you will earn too much. You still have to work for it and study carefully how the business works.

It is not true that successful entrepreneurs are born that way; in fact, anyone can be a successful entrepreneur. However, there are some specific entrepreneurial traits a person must have to be successful in the field of business. Of course, entrepreneurship is not for everyone. But with these particular character traits, you can see if you really have what it takes to succeed in the highly-competitive, world of business. What are these essential entrepreneurial traits that anyone who is interested in starting a business must possess?

1. Independence – This is the most common denominator of all entrepreneurs. They want to seize control of their future; thus they decide to become their own boss instead of laboring under the gaze of a master. An entrepreneur has a strong sense of independence and will march forward with a purpose and that is to earn money through his own means and hard work.

2. Persistence and Determination – The world of entrepreneurship is fraught with both success and failure. An important quality of a successful entrepreneur is the doggedness to continue pursuing his goal despite some setbacks and obstacles that he may encounter on the road. This persistence and determination is fueled by a burning desire to achieve his goal of succeeding in his chosen field of business.

3. Self-Confidence – Along with independence, an entrepreneur possess self-confidence. They believe in their capabilities and makes sure that they will put in their best effort into their particular endeavors and likewise expect the best results from it. The business world is very competitive and is not a place for the half-hearted. Belief in one’s capabilities is very important in achieving any goal – especially in the world of entrepreneurship.

4. Creativity – In the business world, you can not afford to be complacent and un-creative unless you want the competition to move up on ahead of you. Thus, you really have to be very creative – you should be able to create new ideas as well as find new ways to solve problems. By this way, you can make sure that you stay ahead of the competition. Creative people are naturally curious, inquisitive, bright and highly flexible when thinking. They keenly observe their environment and have an eye for spotting new trends that could potentially be a business opportunity.

5. Organized and goal-oriented – An entrepreneur knows the value of organization in a business endeavor. All efforts must be focused towards achieving the goal. A good entrepreneur systematizes every move he/she makes so that less time and other resources are consumed in achieving the goal, yet the goal is the best expected result, nonetheless. A good entrepreneur has the ability to consolidate his resources.

6. Visionary – An entrepreneur has a vision for his future. He/She is guided by this vision in everything he/she in his business endeavor. This vision may be for short, middle or long term, but all visions are to ultimately succeed in expanding one’s business.

7. Risk-taking and Tolerance for Failure– A good entrepreneur realizes that loss and failure are inherent in any business endeavor. Thus, an entrepreneur must always be ready to make calculated risks and face whatever consequences those risks might have. Entrepreneurs must have the courage to face failure and start again despite these setbacks. As in all fields of endeavor, the characteristic of a successful entrepreneur is in never giving up and in picking up the pieces and continuing the journey even if failure momentarily obstructs the way.

8. Perseverance and Hard Work – These are perhaps two of the most important entrepreneurial traits. In the world of business, there can be no real success without perseverance and hard work.

9. Commitment – An entrepreneur will not achieve success if he/she gives up at the first sign of trouble. Commitment to his business and to its success springs from the urge to achieve the goal.

10. Honesty and Honor – Another very important mark of a good entrepreneur is his being honest and honorable in all his business dealings and interpersonal relationships – whether it is between business partners, employees, peers and investors.

So, do you think you have what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur? Make sure you have the above mentioned entrepreneurial traits and qualities and we assure you, you definitely have what it takes to succeed in the world of business.

Former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton once wrote a book called “It Takes A Village”. In that book Clinton indicates that every adult has some influence over the way a child ultimately views the world and how those children relate to that world.

This article is not about Clinton’s book, but rather the concept of how interrelated we are as a culture.

When it comes to entrepreneurialism on the Internet it truly does take a village for your business to succeed. This article will look at two different types of villages required for online business success.

Let’s take a look at the first village.

ASSISTANTS

These are the people that have helped you get to the place of business on the web. These individuals could be supporting parents, a spouse, former employer, former co-workers, business mentors, etc.

No one ever really gets to a destination without someone else helping them. There can be positive outcomes related to self reliance, but with entrepreneurialism a business owner begins to see clearly there is a great deal of personal debt involved in the development of a dream. Just listen to any awards show and you catch a glimpse that the one standing in the limelight is simply casting a shadow to shade those who helped them achieve success.

The second village?

INTERNET COMMUNITY

Once you understand you cannot achieve success without the influence or help of others you can begin developing a community on the web that facilitates the success of your business.

Without the development of a sense of community your business would be like building a discount store at the North Pole. Sure, you might have customers at Christmastime, but for all intents and purposes you have failed to grasp the need for community. If you make it hard for customers to find you they will stop looking. In fact, if you exist in some out of the way place on the web most people will never know to look for you.

Just as you need individuals to help shape and mold you into who you are, you also need to intentionally develop a presence on the web that will provide a welcome to others whom you may have the opportunity to influence just as they contribute to your financial success.

Whatever legacy we leave behind is always commingled with the assistance we have gained through personal relationships. The individuals who have helped us along the way are honored as we work to pass along the collective wisdom they instilled in us combined with our own personal knowledge.

Entrepreneurialism is best dedicated to the idea that each of us needs others. In business the consumer needs the business owner and the business owner needs the consumer.

No matter how you look at it, entrepreneurialism requires a village.

Have you ever wondered why so many people are attracted to game shows or the lottery?

Let’s see…

* fabulous wealth
* exciting prizes
* a better life

I’d like to suggest there is something different at work in these get-rich-quick ideas that are heavily linked to our culture at large.

* the potential to be in the spotlight if only for a brief moment in time.
* the underlying hope that there might be a way out of a current job.

When lotto winners are asked what they will do with their winnings many of them will reply, “Quite my job.” This is typically followed by a chuckle that indicates their genuine dissatisfaction with their job.

Is it possible that one of the greatest motivators for game show participation and playing the lotto has to do with job dissatisfaction?

You may think this is a stretch, but if an individual is satisfied with their job they may be less inclined view their present situation in a negative light. Why? Because the life they want is the one they have. They have found a point of contentment and it shows in the way they view their occupation and life in general.

Get-rich-quick ideas have always played on the inherent dissatisfaction many feel in regards to their occupation.

Entrepreneurialism is about more than simply developing a business. It is about moving your life outlook from the dissatisfied column to the satisfied and from discontentment to contentment.

We all want to be comfortable in our own skin. We all want to feel that what we do makes a difference in the lives of others and in our own lives. Yet there are thousands of stories that point out the despair and frustration many feel when they approach mid-life and think of their past work experience as an evidence of failure instead of a motivation to consider something with greater purpose.

Interestingly many of these individuals are learning to look past their personal views of their past life and look forward to discovery using the entrepreneurial spirit.

Statistics indicate an increasing number of mature adults are discovering the potential in entrepreneurialism. This has become an important component in discovering a way out of a present job without winning the lotto and the bonus of finding job satisfaction they have always desired without needing to confront a banker on a game show.

If you can take the time to ask yourself what you would like to do with your time if money and time was no object you might unearth a passion that could be parlayed into a business.

Your ‘moment in the sun’ could be as close as learning what it is you were always supposed to do. Many will settle for a job they don’t like simply because it’s safe and provides an income.

Motivation comes in all shapes and sizes, but one of the best motivations is the discovery of the entrepreneurial spirit.

Don’t be surprised if it changes the direction of your life – and you won’t even need to consider a few lucky numbers.

Entrepreneurialism is a dynamic that has two primary sources of influence – passion and necessity.

To become an entrepreneur is enjoyable when you have a passion for a business idea you are passionate about. However, if you have to become an entrepreneur in response to a fight or flight mentality the story might be different.

This is the true story of a young man who served his country in World War II, but had no idea what he could do to make a living once he was discharged.

In 1946 this young man went into debt to develop the Dwarf House restaurant with his brother, Ben. This young man’s family had been devastated by the stock market crash just a few years before and it was those hard times that made it important for there to be a success with the restaurant.

His father had been an insurance salesman, so the boy leaned how to make a return on a simple investment and the importance of responding to the needs of others. He could make a nickel if he bought a six-pack of pop and sold them individually to thirsty neighbors. This was the do or die mentality that drove the man to create a restaurant from a building that was too small in a less than idea location using money he could not pay back if the business failed.

One of the earliest difficulties this man faced was trying to find supplies to run his business. Wartime had made it difficult to find enough supplies to keep a business going. It was even more so with a new business.

The business would fall upon hard times when Ben died in a plane crash leaving the young man to run the business alone.

When a second restaurant was opened and established, a fire on the uninsured business was a huge setback.

At that moment the man determined he had no choice but to move forward. Eventually experiments with making poultry a positive fast food choice led to the development of a fast food chain the serves no hamburgers.

A business that began as a simple entrepreneurial effort based exclusively on the need of a war veteran now features nearly 41,000 employees and represents 1300 stores.

That businessman is Truett Cathy, owner of Chick-Fil-A. This entrepreneurial effort remains a private company and Cathy has instituted a policy that keeps the stores closed on Sunday so families can be guaranteed a day away from work each week. Cathy is also a well-noted and enthusiastic philanthropist.

Cathy provides some great advice for others seeking to fulfill either an entrepreneurial dream or a business birthed in necessity, “Contrary to what you may have been taught in business school, your net worth is not the sum of all you have managed to accumulate in your lifetime. When you die, those who survive you will measure your net worth by what you have given.»

We were all horrified to see the Interstate 35W bridge spanning the Mississippi River in Minnesota collapsed in 2007.

What may be surprising is a Discovery Channel report that indicates pigeons may be partially responsible for the collapse. Certainly experts aren’t looking to the pigeon as the brainchild of some terrorist plot, but the pigeons apparently do create a problem, and not just for bridges.

This DC report indicates pigeon guano is highly corrosive. Since these birds instinctively nest in concealed locations the discrete call of nature can provide significant and corrosive buildup given enough time.

Reports going back to 1987 indicate the birds were a problem in relation to the bridge in the collapse and their guano was especially problematic for bridge inspectors who recognized the potential problem. Screens were placed over openings in the bridge reducing nesting opportunities, but the birds continued to roost on the steel beams, which pigeons apparently view as a place to roost much like they would on cliffs in a more natural setting.

According to the report, the corrosive nature of pigeon guano may have actually accelerated rusting of the steel beams of the Minnesota bridge beyond engineers original predictions.

Colorado Department of Transportation officials indicate pigeon guano can actually dissolve concrete.

No one is saying the pigeons are responsible, but the bridge collapse has allowed concerns to be issued and other states are looking into ways to discourage pigeons from seeing bridges as a desirable place to roost.

Entrepreneurs can gain some insight into how they develop their business from the hapless pigeon.

There is a saying that is true in most instances, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” However, when developing a business it is important to at least pay attention and work at managing the ‘small stuff’.

It is possible to view minor issues that come up as simple annoyances, but the accumulation of ‘small stuff’ provides the potential of creating a major problem in the realm of entrepreneurialism.

Developing an entrepreneurial enterprise is not unlike building a bridge in that you need a mechanism to get from one location to another. Entrepreneurialism helps make it possible to travel to where your dreams have yearned to explore (from point A to point B).

Sometimes the concentration of mismanaged, but minor, details can cause the bridge of entrepreneurialism to collapse. For instance if you do not pay attention to the details of administration you may miss details that could cause problems down the road. Refusing to look into various government regulations could cause additional problems, setbacks and the potential collapse of your entrepreneurial efforts. These problems might be minor setbacks or they could be something more substantial.

I recognize the devastation of the bridge collapse and nothing in this article is intended to minimize the seriousness of the issue, but the matter of the pigeons and their long-term association with the bridge provides a powerful lesson in the negative effects of failing to adequately address the small problems in your startup. This is true of bridges, life and entrepreneurialism.

Today’s motivation for young entrepreneurs is being fueled through a variety of mentor-based programs that work to assist in the development of great ideas while pointing out potholes to avoid.

Organizations like Entrepreneurs Only (EO) are working to foster growth in young entrepreneurs with a sizeable dream. The organization further encourages philanthropy as part of the goodwill associated with establishing the vision.

Make no mistake, becoming an entrepreneur is as grueling as any class you’ve ever attended which is why it makes sense to link with an entrepreneurial group or message board that will allow you to ask questions and learn from the collective wisdom of those you are in contact with.

“Mentor: Someone whose hindsight can become your foresight” – Author Unknown

Experience can come in two flavors. The first is through personal failures and the wisdom gained from those very personal events. The second is by expressing a willingness to learn from the mistakes of others.

When developing a business it is in your best interest to seek out someone who’s been on the road your traveling and see what you can learn from him or her.

“I considered Nat King Cole to be a friend and, in many ways, a mentor. He always had words of profound advice.” – Diahann Carroll

Some may have had the rare privilege of having a mentor who helped shape them into the human being they are today, but many are still looking for someone to interact with that can assist them in both personal and professional growth.

Interestingly, many who could be mentors typically do not see themselves as such. These individuals can pinpoint mistakes they have made in their lives and come away with the decision that they are not qualified to be a mentor.

Whether in business or life one of the most valuable assets you will ever have is a friend who will stand with you in all circumstances.

To further refine the point, a Public/Private Ventures study shows that participants in the mentoring program known as Little Brothers and Little Sisters are:

46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs;
27% less likely to begin using alcohol;
52% less likely to skip school;
37% less likely to skip class;
More confident in their schoolwork performance;
Able to get along better with their families.

A mentor is in many ways an advocate as well as a voice of reason. They aren’t parents and they shouldn’t be drill sergeants. In business and in life, a mentor is a goldmine and should be sought enthusiastically and with great care.

When you are working to establish your own business you may believe certain things to be true about entrepreneurialism. While some traits may have merit there are other traits that may not be as necessary as you might have imagined.

Leadership Skills vs. Personal Drive

Interestingly, leadership skills are less important than personal drive. In most entrepreneurial efforts the seeds of an idea are cultivated by ONE not MANY. In the end if you believe in the idea you do not need the ability to lead others to pursue your dream.

Money vs. Dream

Entrepreneurial efforts are often about achieving a goal and less about making ‘money’ the primary goal. Certainly if you do your job well the money is likely to follow, but your efforts should be based on your dream first.

Power Broker vs. Average Joe

An entrepreneur does not need to pursue power in their business pursuits because they already possess the power they need to step out and follow their dream. In effect, an entrepreneur answers to themselves so, seeking personal power makes little sense in entrepreneurial efforts.

Extrovert vs. Introvert

You may find it interesting to learn that many introverted or shy individuals actually do well in many entrepreneurial endeavors. If you are outgoing it can be helpful to your overall goals, but the Internet has made it possible for introverted dreamers to find a place to let those dreams thrive.

Gamblers vs. Methodical Planning

Becoming an entrepreneur is often thought of as a gamble, however many entrepreneurs are better served by making careful plans and exercising proven strategies to minimize the chance of failure. Entrepreneurialism is not so much about throwing caution to the wind as it is about taking a dream and finding ways to make that dream a reality.

Organization vs. Creative Thought

You may find it interesting to note that some of the best business owners are not especially organized – it takes away from their ability to create new ways to make their business better. This is why you usually find these individuals with a quality assistant as the business grows. The end result is a mind that can envision where the business needs to go and steps over the pile of paperwork to get there.

As you take a look at the list you find that leadership skills, money, power brokering, being an extrovert, being a gambler and having strong organizational skills may not be as necessary to the role of entrepreneur as you may have thought.

So, with those excuses out of the way, what prevents you from following your dream?

In the development of a business there is a certain amount of research that must be conducted. Most entrepreneurs find themselves immersed in some form of research whether they like it or not.

For many burgeoning entrepreneurs there is a question of whether intense research or personal intuition is the best course of action in determining the direction needed in business decisions.

Henry Ford once said, “Thinking is the hardest work there is. Which is the probable reason why so few engage in it.” Even the pioneering automaker knew that research was a taxing and labor intensive process that was not necessarily enjoyable.

“If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?” – Author Unknown

There is a certain learning curve that comes with developing a new business, and it is research that moves us to a point of understanding. Ceilia Green once quipped, “The way to do research is to attack the facts at the point of greatest astonishment.”

It is often the vision realized through research that allows entrepreneurs to move beyond speculation to risk and reward.

However, if there is a battle it may well be between the usefulness of research or intuition in business development scenarios. Albert Einstein once wrote, “The only real valuable thing is intuition.” Albert Einstein was a genius, yet he placed a high value on intuition.

Dr. Joyce Brothers understood a dynamic that many miss when she wrote, “Trust your hunches. They’re usually based on facts filed away just below the conscious level.”

It may be possible that the very act of research allows our intuition to somehow work through all the intangibles so that intuition can take over. I would suggest that it is not a matter of whether research or intuition is more important, but how the two processes work together.

“Intuition becomes increasingly valuable in the new information society precisely because there is so much data.” – John Naisbitt

It is the very moment when research and intuition meet that they real enthusiasm typically begins for entrepreneurs. The two are ultimately allies in the process of understanding, but far too often individuals over analyze the research information without allowing intuition the freedom to understand what it somehow knows without being able to articulate.

The development of vision often occurs when the known meets the unknown and somehow understands they are compatible. The development of a majority of businesses occurred when research met intuition and found they were not enemies.

According to Wikipedia, «An entrepreneur is a person who undertakes and operates a new enterprise or venture and assumes some accountability for the inherent risks. In the context of the creation of for-profit enterprises, entrepreneur is often synonymous with founder.»

Let’s see if we can break this definition down into bite sized chunks.

Entrepreneur as an Undertaker

This term indicates a certain amount of initiative that drives an individual to do something tangible with an idea they have conceived. This initiative is in context of a business startup.

Entrepreneur as an Operator

This term is indicative of an individual willing to get in the thick of things and develop the business from the standpoint of administrator and marketer. In effect, an entrepreneur must be willing to do everything needed to manage the business they are seeking to develop.

Entrepreneur and Accountability

An entrepreneur understands that the buck stops with them. They are willing to be responsible in the development and affairs of the business.

Entrepreneur as Risk Taker

There will always be the risk that a business startup will fail, but the risk an entrepreneur puts forth may also result in a profitable business. The entrepreneur understands the risks and determines to move forward in spite of those risks.

Entrepreneur as Founder

In the context of a successful business start up the entrepreneur is listed as the founder of the business. This individual did what it took to move their idea from the thought process to a reality. This is hard work and, if successful, their name will always be linked to the business. Some may consider this to be a portion of the legacy of the individual; certainly it can be a highpoint in a person’s work history.

There is an exhilaration that comes with entrepreneurialism. The road may be difficult and you may have to get creative in solving problems you’ve never encountered, but you are, in that moment, the quintessential entrepreneur. You have chosen to take the initiative to operate a business. You have determined to be accountable for all phases of your business startup and you recognize and accept the risks involved in business development.

Entrepreneurialism is not for the faint of heart, but for those who walk through the various steps listed above there is an incredible amount of satisfaction knowing that the work you have done will not only benefit yourself and your family, but the customers who will benefit from the product or service you provide.

Kim Snider is the host of Financial Success Coaching on KRLD in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. In one of her wonderful blog entries (Kimmunications) she defines success in entrepreneurialism this way, “One is E + S + I = FS and the other is .2(S) + .8(M) = FS. For those of you who don’t like math, I can picture your eyes starting to glaze over now, but stick with me. I am not about to get all nerdy on you.

“The first is a formulaic expression of something [I have said] before. Financial success comes from thinking like an entrepreneur (E), saving prodigiously (S), and investing wisely (I). Hence, E + S + I = FS.

“The second refers to my belief that financial success is only 20% skill-set (S) and 80% mindset (M). That is true at the broad level and it applies to each of the three areas of financial success.”

Kim defines the potential success of an entrepreneur in very tangible terms. In many ways the key to your success has a lot to do with your belief in yourself.

It may be more interesting to think that a product will either sell itself or it won’t, but at the end of the day your success may hinge on whether you really believe in what you are selling, your ability to sell it, and the long-term potential for business success.

It is a sense of personal investment that will allow you to take appropriate risks in business development. It is that mental toughness that will not allow you to play it safe.

Did you notice that Kim said that E + S + I = FS? How you think about your business is important, but so is the investment you can make in the business. A third element is also needed and that is the research needed to invest that hard-earned capital wisely.

Becoming an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart. You have to find a balance where your thinking, available capital and investments combine to allow you to boldly step forward to locate a place where your dreams can connect with the needs of consumers.

If you struggle with saving or you aren’t really sure if you should do it, you need to earnestly seek to save in a more disciplined way and refuse to take the next step until you can believe in that next step with every fiber of your being.

There are two words in the English language that hold the incredible power of personal change. These two common words challenge a set standard and looks to exact a revolution on what is status quo. These two words have alternately disturbed and excited mankind through the centuries and continue to do so today.

When answers come as a result of asking this two word question people often find their personal views will have to change – sometimes dramatically.

This is the power of “what if…”

Entrepreneurs understand that simply entertaining ‘what if’ has the potential to bring countless hours of work, sleepless nights and the need to build on a vision that just will not let them go until they do something about the dream.

Entrepreneurialism is not always the safest road, nor is it easy to walk. There are those who would derail the ‘what if’ whenever they are given the chance. The entrepreneur can expect to hear, “But it’s never been done that way.” They will be deluged with the glances of resident skeptics and if they are not careful the elusive ‘what if’ that has so captured them can fade under the withering gaze of conformity and they simply set their dream back on the shelf.

After all, sensible people don’t take unnecessary risks and ‘good’ people try their best to simply get along without rocking the boat. That certainly sounds reasonable, but is it?

You need to know that the entrepreneur is not trying to hand out heart attacks to those who think they may have lost their mind. The scenario playing itself out is simply proof that the power of ‘what if’ is so compelling it is virtually impossible for the entrepreneur to stand by and watch an opportunity or idea disappear down a road they are absolutely certain they must travel – even if that means they will not receive needed support from family and friends.

Judged to be eccentric by some the entrepreneur is simply focused on something they’ve been given the vision to see. They would like for you to see it too, but if you can’t it does not diminish their drive to follow the ‘what if’.

Imagine all of the things that would not be if someone had not used those two words…

What if we could use electricity to light our homes instead of candles?

What if we could find an alternative means of keeping our food cold?

What if we could develop an artificial intelligence system that responds to our requests and call it a computer?
What if we could devise a way for connections to be made worldwide through a system of computers?
What if we could make it possible for people to stay in contact when they are not at home?

‘What if’ remains a potent elixir in the battle against the status quo and as entrepreneurs hear the call of this pied piper they are finding the answers to ‘what if’ and the world stands awestruck at answers they had not expected.

Wanted: Individual willing to take a simple idea and use it to create a viable business for both personal satisfaction and long-term fulfillment.

Qualified candidate must have the ability to catch a vision and run with it without the oversight of an advisory board or supervisor.

Qualified candidate may have specific training in this idea, but it is not mandatory, however, this same candidate must be flexible and willing to adapt to a rugged on-the-job training program (manual not provided).

This job requires extremely long hours and a huge learning curve. Applicant should expect both early and late hours along with extended times when they must simply think through problem solving skills.

This position does not initially allow for candidate to fill a supervisory role nor would the candidate be required to report to a division manager or CEO.

Successful candidate should be able to withstand a certain amount of solitude and be able to make decisions as needed without undo indecisiveness. Inability to do so could prove detrimental to the future of this new company.

This position should be filled by someone willing to ride a bike blindfolded. While this is not an actual requirement of the job it is a necessary visual for the candidate to understand working conditions from time to time.

Our current business plan is inadequate to explain how candidate can successfully move from dream conception to business opening, but candidate will, nonetheless, be required to move the business forward.

Benefits are not applicable to this position in the traditional sense. Any benefits derived from taking this job will be the sole responsibility of the successful candidate.

Start up capital will also be the responsibility of the job applicant. In fact all risk will be the sole responsibility of the man or woman selected for this position.

If you feel you may be the right candidate for this position please respond at your earliest convenience. Please post your letter to the Entrepreneurial Initiative.

Does this sound like the kind of job you would willingly apply for? Probably not. Especially when the idea for job creation is someone else’s. We would not take a risk for someone else and we would not put forth the effort required for a business start up from conception onward without some personally vested interest in the outcome.

This description is, however, very close to what every entrepreneur faces when they have an idea that just won’t leave them alone. An incredible amount of time is poured into developing the idea. Every spare dollar is used in making the dream come to life without promise or guarantee.

Why will we do for ourselves what we would never do for another? Maybe because this is the heart and soul of entrepreneurialism. We may laugh at the classified ad above, but this is exactly what is required of each entrepreneur on the way to dream fulfillment.

Maybe YOU have the right stuff – maybe you should apply for the job. I hear there is an opening.

Ecommerce can sometimes feel a bit like a rather gaudy carnival – lots of bright colors, blinking lights and endless rows of carnival barkers calling to you to come to their booth and try your luck. The endless list of available products is mind numbing. It can be rather daunting to come to terms with jumping into the fray of online business when it seems you will likely be just another carnival barker calling, “Step right up!”

I can understand your fears, but I also know that a good entrepreneur is more closely aligned with an actor than a traditional business owner.

An actor?

First of all, here’s what I do not mean by my previous comment. I do not mean that entrepreneurs are like actors in that they are not genuine and are simply playing a part.

Secondly, this is what I do mean by that comment. I do mean that entrepreneurs are like actors in that they both understand that their role is to sell an idea. A good actor can sell you on the idea that they ARE the character they play. A good entrepreneur takes their enthusiasm for a product, converts their enthusiasm to trust and then uses that trust to sell an idea.

The idea is not necessarily the product. The idea needs to be sold before the product becomes a viable consideration. Sometimes that means marketing to a need that may not be outwardly expressed. In essence an entrepreneur can help create a market for their product through the sheer force of their enthusiasm and determination. This dynamic duo translates to a trusting consumer base.

Your actions online are more than the cyber equivalent of selling deep friend cotton candy pickles on the midway. An entrepreneur helps the customer find something with positive takeaway value even in purchases that may seem frivolous. Help your site visitors discover the grand in the otherwise common. You can be a tour director and lead your site visitors on a trip that brings your prospect to a place of trust in YOU and your idea.

Too many people want to sell a product when they may be better off working to sell personal trust in a new idea. Instead of hawking wares they should be promoting the wonder of a new concept or idea.

I think there is a difference between an entrepreneur and a marketing expert. A marketing expert knows the tools required to sell a product while an entrepreneur possesses the passion needed to change the world in their own little way. Both are important in ecommerce, but the entrepreneur has something some marketing experts do not. They have been burdened with an idea for which passion is a prerequisite. Entrepreneurialism for these individuals is not a job it is a calling – it is more than 9-5 with paid vacation. Entrepreneurialism is something altogether unique.

A marketing expert understands the mechanics of selling – an entrepreneur guards the heart. Both are necessary, but only one can make the process undeniably human.

If you’ve ever thought of becoming an entrepreneur you should know there are dozens of online companies willing to provide assistance in helping you launch your big idea. That’s the good news.

The bad news is not all of these sources are worth the time and money you might invest. Then again, that’s a common cautionary take in all of life’s pursuits I suppose. So, where exactly does one go to learn more about starting their own business?

Certainly the access of online articles can help. This can take some quality time with a search engine, but you will likely find a great deal of information that would have been hard to locate twenty years ago.

There is one thing that is a bit ‘old school’ that could assist you in answering your questions about becoming an entrepreneur. You could simply ask someone who’s ‘been there’ for advice.

This doesn’t have to be someone directly involved with the idea you have, but simply someone who has already traverse the potholes of entrepreneurialism and lived to find continued success with their idea. Many of these individuals would welcome the opportunity to ‘talk shop’.

The whole idea of mentoring seems to be lost to the 21st century, however that doesn’t mean it is a useless idea. Interestingly, you might be able to find a mentor online if no one can be located in your immediate region.

Our 21st century world revolved around forum posts, blog posts, email and text messaging. These tools can be used to hold a conversation with one or more entrepreneurs who may be willing to share some insight into the business you are seeking to establish.

Imagine the individuals who developed the pet rock, mood rings and other pop culture gadgets of the past. Their ideas didn’t last forever, but they were able to create enough interest that, for a time, their ‘big idea’ found wings.

Entrepreneurialism is forged in the furnace of personal passion. If you believe strongly enough in your idea that passion can translate to others who can catch your vision – that vision is assisted when you have someone who can answer your questions as you get started.

Entrepreneurialism requires great patience, an eye toward the future and a solid belief in the product or service you are making available.

So search the web all you want when looking for information, but try to find someone who can be an entrepreneurial mentor to you as you take your ‘big idea’ and introduce it to reality.

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” –Harold Whitman

The world in which we live is filled with frightened people. Life has a way of driving the passion for life out of us. If you are reading this because you have an interest in entrepreneurialism then you must have either spark of life or a dream demanding release. Otherwise you would not be here. Have you found an idea you love?

«To love an idea is to love it a little more than one should.» – Jean Rostand

The love of an idea is a consummate risk-taking adventure. There are no promises and failure is possible, yet an entrepreneur must abandon themselves to that place where they find an idea they love knowing that there is a spot just past research and rationalism where there is no turning back.

“Passion, though a bad regulator, is a powerful spring.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The drive that you possess in developing a business idea is bold, noble, misunderstood and altogether powerful. The passion is bound to spring you into action. This is the place where reason must be welcomed to the party.

“If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins.” – Benjamin Franklin

Like a horse at top speed, like Rags to Riches at Belmont, the life instilling nature of the pursuit of a dream is staring at the finish line and refusing to look back. It is your ability to reason that allows you to correct and guide your passion, but only if reason is applied. If not, you may only be astride a runaway horse.

“Chase down your passion like it’s the last bus of the night.” – Glade Byron Addams

Many entrepreneurs look at their dream as the sum total of their chance at success. For some this proves true, so when you have an idea and passion agrees, run with it.

“Follow your passion, and success will follow you.” – Arthur Buddhold

Entrepreneurialism allows people to move from a place of simply existing to a place of living. It may seem a little dangerous, but it also regenerates passion in an individual’s life.

“Strong as our passions are, they may be starved into submission, and conquered without being killed.” – Charles Caleb Colton

We’ve all seen a rodeo on television. Passion without reason is a bit like bronco busting where the ride is thrilling, but short-lived. Reason without passion is more like an aging horse that has no get up and go and is simply a mode of transportation. Passion tempered with reason always stands the best chance of winning the entrepreneurial race in a way that is both fun and moving.