Face2Face with Success

Robert Kiyosaki on Why New Businesses Fail

Photo by renjith krishnan

I came across these points in Success Magazine and decided to share. I hope they help you find a reasonable balance especially as far as understanding pitfalls to avoid in business building.

What sinks new businesses? 6 reasons given by Robert Kiyosaki:

• Our schools train students to be employees who look for jobs rather than train entrepreneurs who create jobs and businesses.

• The skills to be a good employee are NOT the same skills required to be a good entrepreneur.

• Many entrepreneurs fail to build a business. Instead, they work hard building a job that they own. They become self-employed rather than business owners.

• Many entrepreneurs work longer hours and are paid less per hour then their employees. Hence, many quit out of exhausion.

• Many new entrepreneurs start without enough real-life experience and without enough capital.

• Many entrepreneurs have a great product or service, but don't have the business skills to build a successful business around their product or service.

Anticipating these challenges means not being taken by surprise; finding solutions is what brings growth.

11 Reasons why people might not support your business

Every venture needs consumers, but getting them is not always smooth sailing. Ever wondered why those we know (friends and family) are sometimes the last to pay us attention when we ask for support? If you just started in business or have been in the game for a while, please pay close attention to the following reasons why people would rather not support your business and some possible "solutions":

• They don’t take you seriously: This commonly happens at the beginning of a new venture. Your friends have never seen you in this ‘role’ before, and so fail to take "this" quite seriously. At the back of their minds, they might be thinking it's just a matter of time before you ‘wake-up’, smell the coffee and this whole thing will never be heard of again!  

By you sticking to your business, those who initially said "NO" often eventually take a second look, especially when they start to see growth and success.

Basic Sales Techniques: How to get customers to buy from you

Photo by Ambro

 

Customers are the lifeblood of every legitimate business. Without them, it's impossible to generate income and hence senseless to be in business. Getting customers to consume your product or service involves sales.

Here are basic sales techniques to help you grow a solid customer base:

Always start with an appointment, preferably with the decision maker. This shows that you are professional and serious about your business. Always tell them the reason for the meeting in advance --- dispels tension. The more appointments you set-up, the faster your business grows.

Focus on the customer. LISTEN so that you can understand exactly what they need, then show them why they should do business with you. Be sincere, empathetic, and encourage dialogue.  Handle objections maturely. Remember that the customer really doesn't care about you, so make it all about them. You are there to help, and to serve.

Ask for a commitment. This is like making a deal. Remember you are in business to make money and both the customer's time and yours are too precious to be wasted. For example, "If I can show you how to generate an extra $500 a month on a part-time basis would you seriously consider joining me?" "If I can show you how my product can help you save $15 every month, would you try it?" Never give an ultimatum.

Be Specific. Show them exactly how your product or service will solve a problem, make life easier or add more value to their lives or business. Show them that your product or service is EXACTLY what they need. Use words which paint a picture they can visualize and don't get too technical. How would you know to? By listening to them (point #2).

Use numbers to quantify the benefit. Most people like to see dollars. Show them the money by breaking down how much they can save or make in specific dollar amounts. Never discuss abstracts.

The importance of delegating tasks as per the Bible

Photo by Salvatore Vuono

I was reading an inspirational piece this morning and came across this very interesting and important passage in the Bible. I was struck by its relevance to today's leader and entrepreneur thousands of years after it was written. As you read on, you'll understand why.

Here's why we should delegate and work with other leaders:

Exodus 18:13-24

" ¹³ The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. ¹⁴ When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”

 ¹⁵ Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will. ¹⁶ Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”

 ¹⁷ Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. ¹⁸ You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. ¹⁹ Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him. ²⁰ Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. ²¹ But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. ²² Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. ²³ If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”

 ²⁴ Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said..."

Resisting the urge to Quit: How to stay Committed to the Plan

Feeling overwhelmed, discouraged and confused about what to do? Being self-employed is sometimes a lonely road as the entrepreneur is often left to work things out by themselves; yes there might be conference calls, seminars, social media where you reconnect with others, but the bulk of the time is spent between you and your business. In all my years of working for myself, and speaking with others on the same path, I can truly sum it all up in these 5 words: TO SUCCEED, YOU MUST COMMIT.

So how do you resist the urge to quit and stay committed to your business plan?

1. Make ENOUGH time for your business. How important is this venture to you? You simply should not be busy with everything else except your business. "I'm in school," "I am at work," "The kids won't leave me alone," etc, etc. The bottom-line is, your life is a reflection of what you spend most of your time doing. By making your business the centre fold, you eventually get the results it needs to blossom.

"Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person," - Albert Einstein

2. Have a plan. It is not uncommon for folks to know what they want, but have absolutely no idea how to get it; this eventually leads to a loss in commitment. It is thus important to have a clear understanding of what needs to be done. What are the activities that fuel your business? Work these into your day and perform these tasks diligently --- and without distraction. Please note, you might not see results immediately, but they slowly become obvi

ous as the business develops. Having a plan that you stick to helps you stay committed --- through the good days and bad days.

Critical Success Skills for the Self-employed

Some months ago, a gentleman in his 70s walked into my office to get his taxes done. As I worked on them, he started to talk to me about the difficulties of having to work after retirement, he was even more heartbroken at the fact that his wife also had to go out and find part-time jobs because they just couldn't survive on social security and other retirement pensions they were receiving. I noticed that he had income statements from Walmart, Brandsmart and Kroger (grocery store chain), where he had earned little by working odd jobs. My heart broke as he talked about his struggles just to survive and as reminiscensed about the dreams he had had as a young man working hard and looking forward to an enjoyable retirement, only to have found out that there was not going to be such a thing.

As I was finishing up, he asked me, "Ms Lema, do you by any chance need someone to do odd jobs like cleaning and things like that around your office?" I didn't and turning him down was hard.

There are millions of hardworking young people out there who are yet to stop and ask themselves the hard questions about life after retirement. Statistics show that more than 90% of Americans retire poor after working for more than 40 years. When all your energy-filled days are gone and you are well past your prime, how are you going to survive? Is that going to be you, one of those elderly folks we see as we walk into department stores who usher us in and then check that all is paid for as we leave? The story of my client Mr Doe is a story of millions across the U.S., a story set to get worse as the years go by and social security dwindles away. 

An Entrepreneur's Best Asset: YOUR STORY - How it Helps you Connect

Being able to share your story and listen to the stories of others helps a speaker connect with his audience. Stories make us approachable, relate-able and believeable ... being able to share your story is usually the first step towards forming any kind of bond that could lead to business.

Here's an article posted on DUNIA MAGAZINE which highlights the uniting power behind our stories: Stories Connect Cultures By Gideon F. For-mukwai, MA, CEM

What do you think is common between a boy born growing up in the hinterlands of Cameroon in Africa and another boy born growing up in a sub-urban San Francisco Bay Area neighborhood? If you had asked me that question two weeks ago, I‘d have told you, “NOTHING!”

If you ask me that same question today, I‘ll say “STORIES!” Yes, I can say stories, thanks to a new realization; I now prefer to call it a new a fascination with stories that connect. Apparently, there is an invincible thread of stories that connect all of us, regardless of whether we were raised in a suburban neighborhood in the U.S.A., an African village or cave in Siberia.

Recently, I was engaged to present a series of African storytelling sessions at local libraries in Washoe County, Nevada. I did not expect to uncover any surprises. All I wanted to do was to tell stories and in the process also listen to my audience share their own stories, and bits and pieces from their pasts. Little did I know I was in for some amazing parallels and poignant moments.

By the end of the second day of presenting the stories, I was dumbfounded by what I found to be invincible similarities, stories and events that have shaped us. Regardless of where participants came from, we observed some very unique details that connected us from America, to Russia, Sierra Leone, Hong Kong; from Cameroon, Egypt, and more. These were not the types of details that we expected .... continue reading...

Turn your Dreams into Reality. 4 Helpful Points

first written June 8th, 2010

 

This weekend my husband and I were in the Dominican Republic for a company sponsored vacation with several other leaders who have made it to the top of the network marketing company we are a part of. It was an all expense paid vacation in the very very beautiful Moon Palace Resorts on the beautiful island of Punta Cana. For 4 days we were all wined and dined ... it was awesome.

But as we spent time relaxing and having fun, I kept thinking about how far I have come personally in the past 5 years from living pay-check to pay-check to now spending time in a 5 star resort at age 34. Has my journey been all smooth? NO - there have been struggles and doubt. Have I come a long way? Sure YES - it's taken years of hard work on both myself and our businesses. Did I see this coming .... ummmm, I would say I always wanted to live a free and comfortable life and I am well on my way.

Here are some notes from my dairy, things I learned that have made all the difference. I believe that these 4 tips, simple yet powerful, if embraced and internalized, will help launch you to another level.

1. Your greatest asset is your UNIQUENESS. 

How often do we doubt ourselves; do we wish we looked like someone else, behaved like someone else, talked like someone else? How many times have we felt intimidated, felt that we are not good enough, or do not have what it takes to be successful? The world today wants to make you feel inferior either because of race, skin color, gender, background, accent, etc. Don't be fooled - you have what it takes in your own special way.

The Traits of a Successful Entrepreneur

Image by Salvatore Vuono

Recently, I was reading an issue of Success Magazine when I came across a profile of successful entrepreneur Adam Slutsky; I was particularly drawn to his ‘5 Traits that make for a good entrepreneur’. I thought I should share them with you:

1-      It’s not just the idea: “Where people go wrong is that they think the idea is the most important thing. Actually, great ideas are not hard to find. It’s the execution with the right people that makes a difference.

2-      It’s all about the team: Slutsky says, to succeed, you need to recruit a superior team of like-minded people who have skills and abilities that complement your own. “I am reminded of some wise words someone once told me: An ‘A’ idea and a ‘C’ team will probably fail, but a ‘C’ idea and an ‘A’ team will be a winner.

3-      Just say no: “‘No’ motivates the true entrepreneur. ‘No’ should fire you up. ‘No’ equals motivation. ‘No’ makes me want to prove naysayers wrong.”

4-      Get obsessed: Slutzky says you need to find a business you are passionate about and stay obsessed with it. “Strong entrepreneurs never have the business out of their mind.”

5-      Trust your gut: “It’s impossible to analyze everything, or even to have the time to try and analyze everything. But if you know your business well, you can trust your intuition. If you get hung up on one or two things, you are probably hung up on them for a good reason.”

While there are no magic bullet's, most of us have the ability to groom ourselves into successful and productive business owners especially as free entreprise continues to boom. Success is a journey, enjoy it and grow.

Important Business Lessons I learned in Network Marketing

According to recent network marketing statistics, over 56 million people in over 100 countries in the world today are involved in the industry in some way, generating over a billion dollars in annual sales. Many have found financial freedom in the industy, and learned solid business lessons. I would like to summarize the business lessons I learned into the following 3:

1. Every solid business model has a Proven Success System.

I remember when I started in MLM back in 2006, the thing I began to hear very often was "follow the system and you will have success." If following the system was going to bring me success, which is what I was looking for in this industry then I needed to understand what this system was. And so, everything I was told to do, I did with alot of enthusiasm and focus ... even those that did not make sense --- to me. Sure enough, success began to happen. We were always at national conventions, attended all area trainings, I participated at weekly meetings; they said presenters make the most money, so I threw all caution to the air and boldly stepped infront of the room, teaching myself how to speak effectively in public; they said it's a numbers game and so I continuously built on my list and focused on reaching as many people with my opportunity as I could. Sure enough, 18 months later, we were at the top of the compensation plan.

This became clear even in other ventures we are involved in and as I continue to study the journey of successful people, I now know with certainty that everything is pretty much based on a system. Whether it's the legal system, the school system, the work place, tapping into your faith, blogging, entertainment, running a franchise, even day to day things like gaining followers on twitter, etc are structured around systems that work IF you work them.

One of the main reason why businesses don't work out is because owners do not understand what fuels them and how to keep that fuel burning. Most entrepreneurs, especially the 'smart' ones find themselves stuck when they focus on doing things their way, 'logically' re-invent the wheel instead of focusing on finding out what works, how it works and why it works. 

Albert Einstein said: "A man should look for what is, and not what he thinks should be."

These days anyone can google their way to success by researching 'how to....'. It's never been easier.

LEADERSHIP: Skills versus Character

What makes a leader great?

It always boils down to leadership. At work, in school, in business, in different avenues of our lives, we are often called to be leaders or followers and sometimes both. Leadership as you can tell, is pivotal in any organization. We have already written several articles on leadership (10 qualities of a leader, The Portrait of a Leader, A Good Mentor)  ... and because it a fundamental aspect of everyone's life, you just might see more. It is a fascinating subject, at the very center of our lives.

While reading The Secret by Ken Blanchard and Mark Miller, about what great leaders know and do. I came across this analogy, which I would like to share with you today.

What is leadership?


Leadership is like an iceberg, which normally has 2 components: the one above the water (visible) and the invisible component below water. The visible part which is above the waterline is usually smaller (about 20% of the iceberg) than that below it. Leadership is a lot like that; it is more about what people don't see than what is visible to the world. The invisible part of the iceberg that is immersed in water, you can consider to be the character of the leader;  and that which is visible to the world, yet is the smaller of the two represents the skills a leader possesses. 

THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND - POWER FROM WITHIN

More than a year into our home-based business, I began researching the power of the mind. I had often heard that our minds are more powerful than we can imagine and I was curious as to how. How could I program my mind to get the results I wanted from my business ?

You see, there are simply 2 kinds of people in business: Type 1: not asking for much, just looking for some additional income. Type 2: playing to win big by making serious income and improving their lives. As a type 2, you must go the extra mile and learn to expand. In this group, failure is not an option, and every tool is used to establish a successful business. Your mind becomes one of your most important assets.

The books I continue to read on the mind totally empower and help propel my business to the next level. 

The Conscious mind & the Subconscious mind

The human mind consists of two levels: the conscious mind and the subconscious mind.

The conscious mind is the logical, deliberate, analytical part of our brain. It thinks, uses the five senses  (of sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing) to gather information, process it and act on it. It seeks answers, seeks to understand. It includes all that we are aware of. Whatever we think about and process mentally is done by the conscious mind.

Then, there’s the subconscious mind, where all of our thoughts, ideas and feelings are stored. It perceives and feels, it is associated with the dreaming, reflecting and sleeping state. It controls our autonomic body functions like breathing, digestion, heart beat and other involuntary actions because that is what it has been programmed to do. It also takes over our ‘second nature’ activities like cooking, riding a bike, etc. You learn it and the subconscious mind executes it. Interestingly, the subconscious mind is responsible for over 90% of our mental activity. It is the part of our mind that cannot reason, and  yet does the work that we are not aware of.

Voices of Purpose: My BOOK on FACEBOOK

As posted on DUNIA MAGAZINE

by Honore Fon

What I started as a Facebook pastime is now leading to a book. When I joined Facebook in 2009, writing a book was the last thing on my mind. How did this happen?

Normally a project consultant for a few small organizations in Cameroon, I love moderating seminars, developing radio and TV programs and organizing events like my baby project Campus Celebrity with Mey-low-d Foundation. That’s what I am known for around Bamenda and some parts of Cameroon, although back in the university, I was well loved as the campus music boy and also wrote a lot of songs, some of which are being sung all over Cameroon. One of them actually got plagiarized and won an African award. Funny, right? But what did I know about copyrights?

In everything I have ever done, I have always wanted to make a positive impact in someone’s life, so all those times I thought I was an entertainer, I was actually an “edutainer” and I still am. I am gifted in being able to say normal things in special ways that touch people in a special way. Yes, I realized this during the numerous workshops I moderated, some occasions I have emceed but the big big discovery came when I joined Facebook.

A few months after I had been in Facebook .... continue reading

Behind the Scenes of Oprah - Lessons on Teamwork

This afternoon, I decided to relax for a few hours after lunch. Time away from work in the afternoon is a rare treat for me these days ... ha,ha,ha. I was going to watch TV ... nothing serious, just fun.  Fortunately, the Oprah Show promised something very interesting: for the first time ever, they were going to take us behind the scenes of the Oprah Winfrey Show and give viewers a peak into what it takes to create this popular show that has broken all kinds of media records and made its mark in history as the greatest talk-show ever. I was very interested in 'meeting' the people who make this well oiled machine run and most importantly, I wasn't looking to get 'wowed!', I was looking to learn.

I wasn't disappointed and I sure picked up some very subtle, but priceless lessons on team work and leadership ... particularly important for those who strive to work well in team settings. Here are a few points I took away from today's show:

1. A solid goal.

As she introduced the world to her team, Oprah clearly stated that their goal as a unit has always been to create the 'number 1' television show in the world. This they have achieved and then some! Because of this, her team (most of whom have worked with her for 15 years and more) have always given 110% to the job, a mixture of genuise, creativity, focus and commitment.  This speaks to the importance of a mission that drives team members focused on a common mission.

2. There will be sacrifices.

It was very clear even at the beginning of this show that most of her top leaders were parents with families. In fact, the first two producers she introduced her audience to were mothers of 3 children, who talked about sacrifices of family time they have had to make, but also of a deep love for their work, driven by a vision to touch lives through this one of a kind show, which by the way also helps put food on the table. They were obviously proud of being part of something this big, albeit all the sacrifices.

The bottomline is, those who are not willing to make sacrifices for a cause or a porject in any life arena, should not get involved - save yourself and team members 'duress'. Don't be one of those who wants results, but is unwilling to make sacrifices. Longetivity is the name of the game.

"I AM NOT A SALESPERSON" - Embracing The Sales Process

 

The word ‘sales’ most often makes us think pushy, loud, irritating, persuasive individuals who will do anything to push their product.

Countless times we have heard folks talk about how much they can't stand salespeople. I must admit I used to feel the same way, especially before I got involved in Network Marketing. And even after I did, embracing the sales aspect of my business was very difficult. I was reluctant  to admit that my business was really about selling. While it's certainly not your traditional in-your face sales, you only get paid when products exchange hands and your income shoots up as your organization grows exponentially. 

A few months into my business, I began to understand that 'selling' was an integral part of what we do, especially if your goal was to belong to the elite 3% who actually make it big in mlm. Seeking more understanding of this 'I'll-rather-not-talk-about-it' yet important topic through books and workshops, I actually began to love and have fun with the sales aspect of networking. This helped me tremendously in growing our business.Selling has become like a game to me now.

What is Sales?

According to wikipedia: a sale is the pinnacle activity involved in selling products or services in return for money or other compensation.

We tend to be involved in concious and unconcious sales exchanges at various points of our daily existence, e.g.

• When you turn in a job application and go for an interview, you are selling your services and expertise in the relevant field so that you would be financially compensated with a salary.

• When actors, artists, entertainers come on TV urging you to go out and buy, watch or consume their products in some form, that’s selling.