tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162Wed, 11 Sep 2024 21:40:59 +0000For the team leaders of technology startups, especially software and internet startups.http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCafferty)Blogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-8536718734394929806Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:38:00 +00002012-03-21T14:16:18.372-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3a125993V6mM1IeOe3E5xmhqLOTOIVsB1DFimzVC1uOGgeSSSyFgv6equFlYu7mArxH-HIv7wMKgf_f6dLkDiF5s0dIMXGE-KDjfFgEkwWAg24j-7peE5fTpi2ny4E6chhoEEFRDZ2fd6/s1600/photo-2+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3a125993V6mM1IeOe3E5xmhqLOTOIVsB1DFimzVC1uOGgeSSSyFgv6equFlYu7mArxH-HIv7wMKgf_f6dLkDiF5s0dIMXGE-KDjfFgEkwWAg24j-7peE5fTpi2ny4E6chhoEEFRDZ2fd6/s400/photo-2+2.jpg" width="275" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When we first start out as entrepreneurs, it's easy to make mistakes, waste time and money, and cause ourselves a lot of stress. However, motivated entrepreneurs will read extensively, learn from others and experiment continuously. <br /> </span><br /> <div> </div> <span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This little book, and the associated web pages, contain a few of the principles learned from half a century as a serial entrepreneur and mentor, helping selected entrepreneurs apply these principles to build their own successful companies.</span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The highest levels of success came to my business adventures when I focused on <i>The Ten Basic Principles for Managing a Young, Growing Business.</i></span></div> <div> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></i></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">These truths spoke to me as being essential to success. I resolved to use them fully and without reservation, and I still keep them at my desk today. I have shared them with you starting on page 4 of the <i>Interactive </i>Pocket Guide for Entrepreneurs book. Additional principles begin on page 16.</span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Each principle has a unique QR (Quick Response) code that your smartphone can scan to link to this web page where the principle is discussed in depth, and where you can ask questions, leave comments, and learn from other readers.</span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Repetition is key. Keep the book handy, review the principles often, and continue to engage with other readers to learn more.</span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This last point is most important: to engage with a community of like-minded and experienced people, to learn and share ideas.</span></div> <div style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p3.html">Next</a></span></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> <div style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">See also:</span></div> <div style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html">Resources for Startups</a></span></div> <div style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html">Help</a></span></div> </span>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p1.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-8580620909941824375Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:34:00 +00002012-03-21T10:11:26.715-07:00<div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Entrepreneurship</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></i><br /> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><br /> </span></i><br /> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">is living a few years of your life</span></i><br /> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></i><br /> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">like most people won't,</span></i><br /> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></i><br /> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">so you can spend the rest of your life</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></i><br /> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">like most people can't.</span></i></div> <div> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">Anonymous</span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><br /> </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p1.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p4.html">Next</a></span></span></div> <span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><br /> </span></span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">See also:</span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html">Resources for Startups</a></span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html">Help</a></span></div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p3.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-8074739514097628173Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:32:00 +00002012-03-21T10:11:35.691-07:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Project, monitor and conserve cash and credit capability.<br /> <br /> Cash flow is the life's blood of a growing business. A company's ability to continue is determined daily, not at year end, by the contents of the checking account rather than the financial statement.<br /> <br /> Keeping cash on hand or readily available for both planned and unplanned events is not only prudent but necessary in unsettled times. Cultivation of financial sources is an enduring duty.</span><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <center><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OaiSHcHM0PA" width="420"></iframe></center><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p3.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p5.html">Next</a></span></div> <br /> <br /> <br /> <center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">See also:</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html">Resources for Startups</a></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html">Help</a></span></center>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p4.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-5194056459414373964Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:30:00 +00002012-02-28T15:37:42.776-08:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Maintain a detached point of view.</span><br /> <div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Managing a growing business requires unyielding dedication that can consume the body, impair the senses and warp the mind. Such effects are harmful to the individual and the enterprise. Clinical objectivity is the only preventative.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Growth implies and entails risk. Risk begets failure as well as success. Wide perspective gained through nonbusiness experience or study helps one endure the pressures and accept the results, good and bad, of business decisions.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">This video is a true classic on clear thinking:</span></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"></span><br /> </span><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <center><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/HZvWXlI5_Ts" width="420"></iframe></center><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p4.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p6.html">Next</a></span></div><br /> <center><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">See also:</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p28.html">Your Business Must Serve You First</a></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html">Resources for Startups</a></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html">Help</a></span></center>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p5.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-3108278444787834187Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:28:00 +00002012-02-28T15:40:05.297-08:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Limit the number of primary participants to people who can consciously agree upon and contribute directly to the goals of the business.<br /> <br /> There are many reasons people become involved in young, growing companies as owners, investors, or key team members. The broad range of satisfaction sought runs from an opportunity to personal expression on one end of the spectrum to capital gains on the other.<br /> <br /> Unless there is compatibility between what each primary participant wants out of the business, debilitating conflict is likely to ensue. The process of trying to consciously agree on the purpose of the enterprise is often difficult and revealing.<br /> <br /> Consider the following video carefully:</span><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 48.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><br /> </span></span></span></div><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <center><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="243" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/58-XH5dnQZc" width="420"></iframe></center><br /> <div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p5.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p7.html">Next</a></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">See also:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p11.html">Motivate</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html">Resources for Startups</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html">Help</a></span></div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p6.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-8245498253319348882Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:26:00 +00002012-02-28T16:03:41.764-08:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Define the business in terms of what is to be bought, precisely by whom, and why.</span><br /> <div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> Businesses are organs of society that perform tasks associated with providing most goods and services the public decides it wants. Under the capitalistic system, a business can prosper to the extent it performs its particular tasks effectively and efficiently.<br /> <br /> The nature of the tasks to be performed usually changes over time as those served change The successful company predicts and responds to the needs of its chosen customers.<br /> <br /> Customers, therefore define the business. At all times, some customers are growing in their ability to buy, others are declining. The astute manager ascertains which is which.</span><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"></span></div><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <center><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="243" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4fPybfTaIO0" width="420"></iframe></center><br /> <div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p6.html">Previous</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p8.html">Next</a></span></div><br /> <br /> <center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">See also:</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html">Resources for Startups</a></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html">Help</a></span></center></div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p7.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-41642854302794118Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:24:00 +00002012-03-21T10:12:10.801-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <br /> <br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Prepare and work from a written plan that shows who does what, by when.<br /> <br /> Until committed to paper, intentions are seeds without soil, sails without wind, mere wishes that render communication inefficient, understanding uncertain, feedback inaccurate, and execution sporadic. Without execution, there is no payoff.<br /> </span><br /> <a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> The process of committing plans to paper is easy to postpone under the press of day-to-day events. In the absence of a document, fully coordinated usage of the resources of the business is unlikely.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">&nbsp;</span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> Each participant travels along a different route toward a destination of his or her own choosing. Decisions are made independently, without a map. Time is lost, energy squandered.<br /> <br /> What is the most important written document in your business? Employee handbook? Business Plan? Goals? Mission Statement? Why?</span><br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfe6kjEFaY-iQqDu8NCyYwpsAlEi9XY7Jh_65QzuC_bz_gXsRtjVUsxuyeMoX-yoISc7y3UvjI4utG5qs3NNlh58c-Y9C1l_uOxrf8dS13kS8eNCRLnu6AUR2oBVg5_jIlhbq-AyrIlE/s1600/writing-things-down.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfe6kjEFaY-iQqDu8NCyYwpsAlEi9XY7Jh_65QzuC_bz_gXsRtjVUsxuyeMoX-yoISc7y3UvjI4utG5qs3NNlh58c-Y9C1l_uOxrf8dS13kS8eNCRLnu6AUR2oBVg5_jIlhbq-AyrIlE/s200/writing-things-down.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></span></div> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p7.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p9.html">Next</a></span></div> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> </span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">See also:</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p29.html">Communicate</a></span><br /> <div> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p25.html">Think, plan, do, repeat</a></span></div> <div> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p20.html">I delegate, therefore I am</a></span></div> <div> <a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 100%;">Resources for Startups</span></a></div> <div> <a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 100%;">Help</span><br /> </span></a><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html"></a></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> </div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p8.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Michael McCafferty)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-1257061107753568296Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:22:00 +00002012-02-28T16:07:07.522-08:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Whatever you can do</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">or dream you can, <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">begin it. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Boldness has Genius,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Power and Magic in it.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Begin it now!</span><span class="Apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">Goethe</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Palatino;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: 0.5in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p8.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p10.html">Next</a></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">See also:</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: 0.5in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html">Resources for Startups</a></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: 0.5in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html">Help</a></span></div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p9.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-2742904351011810710Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:20:00 +00002012-02-28T16:08:50.978-08:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 48.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Employ key people with proven records of success at doing what needs to be done.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /> </span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 48.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 130%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 48.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">People do what they like; they like what they know. Experience adds depth to knowledge. The best indicator of how people will perform in the future is how they have done in the past in the same or related activity.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 48.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 130%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 48.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Criteria for selecting key people are dictated by the plans, the blueprints for the business. The plans reflect the operational objectives and the intentions of the primary participants. The interest and capabilities of a new person must harmonize with both.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 130%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 130%;">If experience is not required, hire Attitude.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 130%;"></span></span></div><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <center><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tZmI4ZsNogQ" width="420"></iframe></center><br /> <div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p9.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p11.html">Next</a></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 130%;">See also:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p36.html">Always Be Recruiting</a></span></div><div><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 100%;">Resources for Startups</span></a></div><div><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 100%;">Help</span></a></div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p10.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-5276308295012275630Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:18:00 +00002012-02-28T16:09:48.899-08:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Reward individual performance that exceeds agreed upon standards.<br /> <br /> Performance above the minimum level is a discretionary matter for each team member. Most people have alternative off-the-job ways of using excess energy or talent. Channeling such excess into activity beneficial to the business requires a tailored approach for each individual.<br /> <br /> A manager must first ensure that there is understanding of the minimum results to be achieved. Then, for performance above the minimum, forms of compensation important to the performer - or in some cases, teams of performers - must be used.<br /> <br /> This video offers some surprising research on what motivates us and how it changes according to certain circumstances:</span><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"></div><br /> <br /> <br /> <center><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="243" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/u6XAPnuFjJc" width="420"></iframe></center><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p10.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p12.html">Next</a></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">See also:</span><br /> <div><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">Resources for Startups</span></a></div><div><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">Help</span></a><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></span></div></div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p11.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-8214311424464360424Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:16:00 +00002012-02-28T16:12:38.453-08:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Concentrate all available resources on accomplishing two or three specific operational objectives within a given time period.<br /> <br /> A young, growing company has finite resources and will therefore achieve competitive advantage when playing for limited, explicit gains in a marketplace of its own choosing. Specialization breeds an organization sensitive to opportunities and quick to act.<br /> <br /> But any advantage withers if follow through is weak. It will be weak if resources are dissipated. Resource dilution is a sure formula for mediocrity, a state of being that aspiring growth businesses cannot afford.<br /> <br /> Steve Jobs started in a garage and built the most valuable company in the country by saying "No!". The bottom line is that you can't do everything, so choose wisely.</span><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <center><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/H8eP99neOVs" width="420"></iframe></center><center style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span></center><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p11.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p13.html">Next</a></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">See also:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html">Resources for Startups</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html">Help</a></span><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"></span></span></div></div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p12.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-8675351111811863478Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:14:00 +00002012-03-21T10:13:09.011-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 48.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Expand methodically from a profitable base toward a balanced business.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 48.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"> </span></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 48.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Optimism is both the poison and the antidote of the growth company manager. It may be possible to accomplish all things, but not simultaneously. With limited resources, sequential growth over time is the judicious prescription for prosperity.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 48.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"> </span></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 48.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"></span></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"></span><br /> <a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Seek logical, incremental extensions of existing activities, but avoid a growth-for-growth’s-sake mentality. Bigger is not automatically better; more is not necessarily merrier.</span><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 48.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"> </span></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Make managing a competitive advantage. Increase customer dependency on the enterprise.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> <br /> </div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><br /> </span><br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><br /> </span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p12.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p14.html">Next</a></span></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><br /> </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">See also:</span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html">Resources for Startups</a></span></div> <div> <a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">Help</span></a><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"></span></span></div> </div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p13.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-31705964804200115Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:12:00 +00002012-03-21T10:13:24.392-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmenE_pUJ1Y3P5c6lfS3Rc0Ze1cje9fdWgydcrqb0gwmk0bke4OGgqF6B2LZFQS1GQH27JNJh-VOzjnL53t2dOORBACtN4CK5erf_LFn06bC3_dp8Rl36BCVQqW81UkzL9vpnDTQAEUo/s1600/Test.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702444079381032594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmenE_pUJ1Y3P5c6lfS3Rc0Ze1cje9fdWgydcrqb0gwmk0bke4OGgqF6B2LZFQS1GQH27JNJh-VOzjnL53t2dOORBACtN4CK5erf_LFn06bC3_dp8Rl36BCVQqW81UkzL9vpnDTQAEUo/s200/Test.png" style="display: block; height: 200px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 154px;" width="154" /></a><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 48.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Anticipate incessant external change by continuously testing adopted business plans for their consistency with the realities of the world marketplace.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 48.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"> <o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"> </span></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 48.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"></span><br /> <a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 48.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">The past will not come again. Neither isolation nor insulation from tomorrow is possible. The problems of the times are the opportunities of the times, as always.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 48.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> </div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"></span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p13.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p15.html">Next</a></span></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">See also: </span><br /> <div> <a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p16.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Measure it to manage it </span></a></div> <div> <a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">Resources for Startups </span></a></div> <div> <a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">Help</span></a><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 48.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18pt;"></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 48.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16pt;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html"><span style="color: #0000ef; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18pt;"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div> </div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p14.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-216983362320148882Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:10:00 +00002012-02-28T16:23:20.079-08:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>The superior man&nbsp;</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /> </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>is slow in his words&nbsp;</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /> </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>and earnest in his actions.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">Confucius</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> <o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p14.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p16.html">Next</a></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">See also:</span><br /> <div><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">Resources for Startups</span></a></div><div><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;">Help</span></a><br /> <div><br /> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html"></a></span></div></div></div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p15.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-5446970532042936599Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:08:00 +00002012-03-21T10:13:38.580-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-37dHjHUwqmSjKWSOsN3OMnZttpkzEmXOEpgDiJQYnSLb6n8k5GqdI0m_DK9ceYb1PvE8Hzww1iea_ghW7pA7Mh4EuhjeLWcLQAawFf3x0tu6KSLpufW-YjuG9LWjF6P6Brr_0mILZQ/s1600/Measure.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702445072569708066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-37dHjHUwqmSjKWSOsN3OMnZttpkzEmXOEpgDiJQYnSLb6n8k5GqdI0m_DK9ceYb1PvE8Hzww1iea_ghW7pA7Mh4EuhjeLWcLQAawFf3x0tu6KSLpufW-YjuG9LWjF6P6Brr_0mILZQ/s200/Measure.jpg" style="display: block; height: 154px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> You’re either in control, or out of control. It is of the utmost importance to know the difference, and the only way to know that is to <i>measure</i> what you need to control.<br /> </span><br /> <a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> Take profits, for example; certainly you measure the amount of profit, and as a percentage of sales, but is that percentage consistent with prior periods? Do you measure profit by product, by team member, and by customer? <br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: small;"></span><br /> Many business owners are satisfied to simply know they have made a profit, and don't bother to make further measurements.<br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: small;"></span> What do you measure? That question reminds me of some advice my dentist gave me: "Only floss the teeth you want to keep." Measure only the stuff you want to manage. Be sure your team knows what they should be measuring and managing, and how they personally will be measured and managed.<br /> <br /> What are the most important metrics you manage in your business?</span><br /> <br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> </span><br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p15.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p17.html">Next</a></span></div> <br /> <div> <div> <div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div class="gmail_quote" style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">See also:<br /> <a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p8.html">Write It Down</a><br /> <a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p11.html">Motivate</a></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html">Resources for Startups</a></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html">Help</a></span></div> <div> <br /></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p16.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-1556386013855639693Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:06:00 +00002012-03-21T10:14:02.836-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06coE94NI4jsHXQqJNRMwCwjROrLxH3KbqgmvTYI1GnjtR6oKdUZIqaSQjomvcVwCxugLodHZwpalGetK6aAvpXRbJQDf2ZpOOcO7dNKDfDiDlkVVTDqSLrI4k0bb1a_iC_yXpT7FAj8/s1600/easy.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702445255019010594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06coE94NI4jsHXQqJNRMwCwjROrLxH3KbqgmvTYI1GnjtR6oKdUZIqaSQjomvcVwCxugLodHZwpalGetK6aAvpXRbJQDf2ZpOOcO7dNKDfDiDlkVVTDqSLrI4k0bb1a_iC_yXpT7FAj8/s200/easy.jpg" style="display: block; height: 200px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">As simplicity brings pleasure to the eye, it also brings cash to the business. </span><br /> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">If there is any single four-letter word that describes the essence of success in sales, it is <i>easy</i>. You must make it easy for the customer to buy. </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /> <a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">It is surprising how difficult it is to make something easy! You start by getting rid of everything that you think is not completely essential, and then try to improve it by removing even more…</span><br /> <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody> <tr><td><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: 31.5pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 225.0pt 229.5pt; text-autospace: none;"> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: 31.5pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 225.0pt 229.5pt; text-autospace: none;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div class="gmail_quote" style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">To make it easy for a customer to buy, offer a money-back guarantee, and all sort of incentives designed to make the buying decision utterly simple, risk-free &nbsp;and effortless.</span></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">It is a continuing battle to maintain ease of use while dealing with a blizzard of features and improvements as the product matures.<br /> <span class="Apple-style-span"><br /> </span></span><br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p16.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p18.html">Next</a></span></span></div> </div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></div> </div> </div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">See also:</span><br /> </span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html">Resources for Startups</a></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html">Help</a></span></div> </td></tr> </tbody></table> </div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p17.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-617737346361327072Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:04:00 +00002012-03-21T10:14:15.303-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyYr7xKirYszprCUFDWrMDPFYe9XI1ck5KPXH1gkih0MhArUbURnScLT6i6-FpxMYRGukJT6iytHcahgYyKIQV0C1y89IQzp-OYY-nsRHQo3yGhHBbsRqrnPc1vApv5znPryda8Xt6nE0/s1600/PriceTerms.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702445492202279074" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyYr7xKirYszprCUFDWrMDPFYe9XI1ck5KPXH1gkih0MhArUbURnScLT6i6-FpxMYRGukJT6iytHcahgYyKIQV0C1y89IQzp-OYY-nsRHQo3yGhHBbsRqrnPc1vApv5znPryda8Xt6nE0/s200/PriceTerms.jpg" style="display: block; height: 200px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 155px;" /></a><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 130%;"></span></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"></span><br /> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></span></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">How to price your product or service is one of the most difficult decisions you will ever make in your business. You will probably never achieve the optimum price. There are so many variables; the business, product, customers, and competitors are always changing. The way to determine the right price is with continuous testing. </span><br /> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"></span><br /> <a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">For example, you can probably get a higher price than your competitors if you offer a money-back guarantee and they don't. But how much higher? At what point do customers decide that the higher price is not worth the guarantee? Is a free trial period a smart move? What about lower prices for longer signups? ($10/month, $95/year). How about if you offer a rebate? And what about paying for referrals who buy? What about having "sale" pricing periods? Tie-in sales? Frequent buyer cash back? The list of options seems endless. And how these options are deployed is dependent on your overall strategy. For example, are you optimizing for profit/cash now, or lifetime value, or total number of users?</span><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 3.0in; text-autospace: none;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> How is the price presented? Just a word or short phrase can make all the difference in response rates, for example: "pennies per day" or "only". These things are easily tested, but few people take the time to focus on these important details.</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">When you consider the multitude of variables involved in the pricing decision, you will appreciate that you could probably increase profits significantly by paying close attention to pricing strategies.</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><br /> </span></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">What is the most important thing you have learned about pricing?</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p17.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p19.html">Next</a></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div class="gmail_quote" style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">See also:<br /> <a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p7.html">The Customer Is King</a><br /> <a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p14.html">Test</a><br /> <a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p4.html">Let There Be Cash</a></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html">Resources for Startups</a></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html">Help</a></span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> </div> </div> </div> </div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p18.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-9088396041773399122Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:02:00 +00002012-03-21T10:14:31.760-07:00<div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">The positioning of your business is a fundamental strategic decision. You may have to adjust your positioning frequently in the early days of your business as you learn more about your customers and competition, and even your own capabilities. </span><br /> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"></span><br /> <a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">What is your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)? How do you differentiate your company and products from all others? </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoslzTYop9V3PUhH2OZsl3sc64fY1bk_vGjCQKR1VTisbQ9R6Csm9pTK23ZN7bg4C1hJvF3FlEs9yLzta7M8skVm5dnuM-D9dOXAGICpWrV1-2urhlcqBVFszUcA1ISMdlOlifOsJOHDs/s1600/Positioning.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702445690215688546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoslzTYop9V3PUhH2OZsl3sc64fY1bk_vGjCQKR1VTisbQ9R6Csm9pTK23ZN7bg4C1hJvF3FlEs9yLzta7M8skVm5dnuM-D9dOXAGICpWrV1-2urhlcqBVFszUcA1ISMdlOlifOsJOHDs/s200/Positioning.jpg" style="display: block; height: 150px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: small;"></span></span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><br /> </span></span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The ideal is to position yourself in the marketplace in such a way that you have no competition, <i>by definition</i>. This can be challenging, but it is certainly possible.<br /> <br /> What is your positioning statement? Has it changed? Why?</span><br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"> <br /> </span></div> </div> <div class="gmail_quote" style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p18.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p20.html">Next</a> </span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">See also:<br /> <a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p14.html">Test</a><br /> <a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p7.html">The Customer Is King</a></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html">Resources for Startups</a></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html">Help</a></span></div> <div> <span style="font-family: Palatino;"><br /> </span></div> </div> </div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p19.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-3577920042561440343Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +00002012-03-21T10:14:53.202-07:00<div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">There comes</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">&nbsp;a time when you need to do more than you can on your own. You need help. Your vision is greater than you can achieve alone.</span></span></div> <div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">You know this for a long time before you do anything about it. You try to do as much as possible by yourself, for as long as you can. But you know that you're only wasting time, putting off the decision to get help. Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (FUD) are ruling your life. </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /> <a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">You imagine the many nagging little decisions that have to be made before you can actually hire your Badge #2. Running a help wanted ad, a job description, how much to pay, what about taxes, non-disclosure agreements, can you even afford it, is there enough work to keep them busy, where will they sit, is it possible to find someone as good as you need, will they put up with your ways, what if... And the monkey brain thoughts go round and round in your head. You're stuck. And you'll stay that way until you...</span><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicwr3GJCCxGP8y1-nXW0pA-5Fb-T-0z9p6EHq6PNhDWxs5KL4l_qoH1iRkCanfT-gpqPkop5LA_pO8cztpQaDgtVkc2wdMyZ3nbDEpVgnOUHgzCCyvR3QXVcu-goC1teWTTadVZTYFw74/s1600/hand-over-of-keys.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702445914797262962" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicwr3GJCCxGP8y1-nXW0pA-5Fb-T-0z9p6EHq6PNhDWxs5KL4l_qoH1iRkCanfT-gpqPkop5LA_pO8cztpQaDgtVkc2wdMyZ3nbDEpVgnOUHgzCCyvR3QXVcu-goC1teWTTadVZTYFw74/s200/hand-over-of-keys.jpg" style="display: block; height: 200px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Just do it.&nbsp;</span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Take that first step. It doesn't matter what form it takes. It can be a help wanted ad, or emails to friends announcing your decision to start down the road, and to ask for their help in finding your Badge #2. Take the first step. And then take the next one. Each step a move closer to the goal, each step insignificant in itself. Trivial stones become a cathedral.</span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">As each step evaporates into the distance, it builds strength for the next steps, and builds confidence for the long journey ahead. Soon you will be moving along with surprising speed and endurance.</span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">That first hire may be a partner, or a programmer, or an administrative assistant. But they will always be Badge #2, and you will always remember them as the embodiment of your great enlightenment, your commitment, and your Action.</span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">There's no looking back after Badge #2. Once you have crossed this threshold, it becomes your mission to always be recruiting, to see how many high-quality people you can attract to your plan. You are on a mission. You are on a path to a future of your own design.<br /> <br /> You are an Entrepreneur.</span></div> <div> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p19.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p21.html">Next</a></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></div> </div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">See also:</span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p36.html">Always Be Recruiting</a></span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html">Other Resources for Startups</a></span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html">Help</a></span></div> </div> </div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p20.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-6026029733937134335Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:58:00 +00002012-03-01T14:46:17.046-08:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">We are what we </span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;">repeatedly do.</span></i></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Excellence, then, </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;">is not an act,</span></i></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">but a habit.</span><span style="font-size: 130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 100%;">Aristotle</span></span><br /> <span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 100%;"><br /> </span></span><br /> <span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 100%;"><br /> </span></span><br /> <div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p20.html" target="">Previous</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p22.html" target="">Next</a></span><br /> <br /> </div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: 0.5in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">See also:</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: 0.5in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html">Resources for Startups</a></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: 0.5in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html">Help</a></span></div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p21.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-4353385084932080371Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:56:00 +00002012-03-21T10:15:10.447-07:00<div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 21px;">It's a mind-set. A zero doesn't seem like much, but when added to the end of a number, it's a lot. It's one Order of Magnitude.</span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">What would have to be done to your business to increase your sales and profits by a factor of ten? </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"></span><br /> <a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">“Think big, start small” is some of the best advice you can follow in your startup. How big can you imagine?</span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDrBBGZcwtfTlrkEdmtZRTDHLLBEOna7_Yn06zRRSGAi_YTdJ1LkXjvMLi3Bf0d16kjlZvZjF5Gy_j4xyG0cItpyfFNZTV5Wd4TdQlMliJOPQuzcHGA7KQYXDv90dYkR0G3OKeu4T-Ss/s1600/addazero.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702446140079605666" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDrBBGZcwtfTlrkEdmtZRTDHLLBEOna7_Yn06zRRSGAi_YTdJ1LkXjvMLi3Bf0d16kjlZvZjF5Gy_j4xyG0cItpyfFNZTV5Wd4TdQlMliJOPQuzcHGA7KQYXDv90dYkR0G3OKeu4T-Ss/s200/addazero.jpg" style="cursor: move; display: block; height: 149px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /></a></span> </span><br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p21.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p23.html">Next</a></span></span></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> <br /> </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">See also:</span></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html">Resources for Startups</a><br /> <a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html">Help</a></span>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p22.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-4704074049127460222Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:54:00 +00002012-03-21T10:15:26.957-07:00<div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Give me a place to stand and I will move the earth.</span></i></div> <div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Archimedes</span></div> <div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"> </span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">The lever is one of the Six Simple Machines that provide mechanical advantage to the user. Entrepreneurs must take every advantage possible, to the maximum extent possible. Therefore, consider deeply the concept of leverage in all aspects of your growing business. </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"></span><br /> <a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZvThI8eDOokWX24GqWB0RI570mX0ruHt7hbnRUPwQ3mxuYJTyJ_RIvw390A5HOce5f7FgRVbyUOTpxAH4DClmIZjoZrBGZAjkouuNgeYKnJ9HtcGfkfyNxUxKv-uONCgsW0dh6spCCCc/s1600/Leverage.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702446327658652514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZvThI8eDOokWX24GqWB0RI570mX0ruHt7hbnRUPwQ3mxuYJTyJ_RIvw390A5HOce5f7FgRVbyUOTpxAH4DClmIZjoZrBGZAjkouuNgeYKnJ9HtcGfkfyNxUxKv-uONCgsW0dh6spCCCc/s200/Leverage.png" style="display: block; height: 134px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Leverage is the friend of the weak. Young businesses are usually weak. Therefore, leverage is your friend.&nbsp;</span><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 130%;">Combine multiple resources and activities to multiply Leverage.</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: 130%;"> What has been your best experience with using Leverage in your business? What questions do you have about combining multiple activities for enhanced leverage?</span><br /> <br /> </span><br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p22.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p24.html">Next</a></span></span></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> <br /> </span></div> </div> <div class="gmail_quote" style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">See also:<br /> <a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p12.html">Conserve Energy</a></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html">Resources for Startups</a></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html">Help</a></span></span></div> <div> <span style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /> </span></span></span></div> </div> </div> </div> </div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p23.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-1399954720429797351Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:52:00 +00002012-03-21T10:15:40.819-07:00<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMtYSnyVYbQPB2SApWvyNFBp_8xv-tkaAbJA3QNv1SQOv9xdXj03mmKU-wxXz6tS7V-xDfASrefkQhq-qRPWVCCowtY13WUMJ6u_k9cSq_SAtfgDKKH9e7Lgu_9KJHWb997tYSewMXgWE/s1600/goals.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702446496689717506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMtYSnyVYbQPB2SApWvyNFBp_8xv-tkaAbJA3QNv1SQOv9xdXj03mmKU-wxXz6tS7V-xDfASrefkQhq-qRPWVCCowtY13WUMJ6u_k9cSq_SAtfgDKKH9e7Lgu_9KJHWb997tYSewMXgWE/s200/goals.jpg" style="display: block; height: 133px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">People who set goals, <i>put them in writing</i> and follow through with accountability, do in fact achieve more than people who don't. You would expect that, right? So, why is it that the vast majority of people have no written goals?&nbsp;</span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"></span><br /> <a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>If you don't know where you are going,&nbsp;</i></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>any road will get you there.&nbsp;</i></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lewis Carroll</span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">A business is simply a tool the founders use to achieve their personal goals. If the founders have no goals, or unclear goals, then the business will suffer accordingly.</span><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 229.5pt; text-autospace: none;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Do you have written goals for yourself and your business? Do the goals have target dates?</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><i>A goal without a date is merely a dream.</i></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Martin K. Erickson</span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">How frequently do you review your progress?</span></div> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><br /> </span></span></div> </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div class="gmail_quote" style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <div class="gmail_quote" style="text-align: center;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p23.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p25.html">Next</a></span></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">See also:<br /> <a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p8.html">Write It Down</a><br /> <a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p25.html">Think, Plan, Do, Repeat</a></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html">Resources for Startups</a></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html">Help</a></span></span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /> </span></span></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p24.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-3997953307924209836Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:50:00 +00002012-03-21T10:16:02.656-07:00<div style="text-align: left;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 21px;">The simplest possible System for Success is the repetition of only 3 basic steps. To learn more, visit <a href="http://thinkplandorepeat.com/" target="_blank">ThinkPlanDoRepeat.com</a>&nbsp;</span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 21px;"><br /> </span></div> <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702446667266625266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDVrSjRCWHY1nPAKrzEE_EvBnCzQVriqTaHVFo6ykd9CIIvyimVf184eQ6l7eK-YjXvzWgafGCboWIlfvRlAkDB3PKO0vzLtPuYDvb1x8THlEU-HuyZeWGGwvyEATX5CgoOHMguauTu0A/s200/thinkplandologo.jpg" style="display: block; height: 112px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /><br /> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><i></i></span><br /> <a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><i><br /> </i></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><i>In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, </i></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><i>but planning is indispensable.</i></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"> Dwight D. Eisenhower </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 130%;">It can also be said of the planning process in business. The value of a business plan is not so much in the plan that results from the process, but in the planning process itself.</span><br /> <br /> </span><br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p24.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p26.html">Next</a></span></span></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">See also:<br /> <a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p24.html">Goals</a></span><br /> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial; font-size: 130%; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p8.html">Write it down</a></span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial; font-size: 100%; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html">Resources for Startups</a></span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial; font-size: 100%; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html">Help</a></span></div> </div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p25.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2600318900307421162.post-4659916823240550359Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:48:00 +00002012-03-21T10:16:15.165-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.5pt; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 130%;"><i></i></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcF2S5Aj1BjJefazwmyq_BqPxQQ6Z7s5eM1w9L78QT-DJrxjPAH_mVxJHeURWzUnjeNkQ-0Ul_ntfzWjEEQTy80UGiU3PohZzFOtxxqS-YmMm1etf5ahbAO2iyUBaY3FKKtBBd6H-62Ag/s1600/passion3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcF2S5Aj1BjJefazwmyq_BqPxQQ6Z7s5eM1w9L78QT-DJrxjPAH_mVxJHeURWzUnjeNkQ-0Ul_ntfzWjEEQTy80UGiU3PohZzFOtxxqS-YmMm1etf5ahbAO2iyUBaY3FKKtBBd6H-62Ag/s200/passion3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><i>Passion</i> is the word used by the Venture Capital community to describe a founder's essential emotional ingredient for a successful startup. Other words can be used, such as obsession, commitment, enthusiasm, etc. They all energize success.&nbsp;</span><br /> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"></span><br /> <a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><i>Every memorable act in the history of the world is a triumph of enthusiasm. Nothing great was ever achieved without it because it gives any challenge or any occupation, no matter how frightening or difficult, a new meaning.&nbsp;</i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Without enthusiasm you are doomed to a life of mediocrity but with it you can accomplish miracles.</span></i></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"></span></div> <div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Og Mandino</span></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span><br /> <div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p25.html">Previous</a> &nbsp;/ &nbsp;<a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p27.html">Next</a> </span></div> </div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><br /> </span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">See also:</span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p50.html">Resources for Startups</a></span></div> <div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p51.html">Help</a></span></div> </div> </div>http://ipgfe.blogspot.com/2012/01/p26.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)2