I’ll admit it – I am a technology junkie.

I love gadgets. Computers, music players, tablets, smartphones – you name it, I want it. I love opening a box with a new toy in it, figuring out how to make it sing, downloading apps,  and just the look and feel of cool tech tools.

When the iPad 2 came out, I wanted one. I didn’t even know what I was going to do with it, but I knew that shiny little sliver of technology was destined to be mine.

The challenge is that I’m cheap. I didn’t want to plunk down the cash for a new iPad 2, I wanted someone to give it to me. Sadly, the week the new iPad 2 arrived in stores, no one dropped one off at my office.

So, I put on my thinking cap and hopped on Facebook.

Here is the post I put up:
“Will work for iPad 2 – I want a new iPad 2 (64GB, WIFI) but I want don’t want to buy one. I’m going on vacation Friday and want to take it with me. I’m willing to trade an entire day of consulting if you’ll buy me an iPad 2 ($699 for $2000 of work). Any takers?

Within 10 minutes a Facebook friend who is a businessman I highly respect and have always wanted to work with said he was considering my offer.

I sent him a message and we traded emails for the next hour. I gave him some ideas of ways I could help him and he sent me ideas he’d been working on but hadn’t implemented.

At the end of the hour, he became my client and within 3 hours I had called every Apple outlet in Richmond to find the last iPad 2 on the shelves. It is now happily in my hands and full of great apps.

My new client doesn’t know it, but I’m going to give him way more than he traded for. I’m going to knock his socks off and we’ll be working together for a long time.

Lessons from this story?

• When you want something, be open to many ways of getting it.
• Ask for what you want – put out a message to everyone you know
• Social media works – let your clients be your friends online
• Get creative when seeking new clients – you just need to get the first piece of work and wow them.
• Assume the best and you’re likely to get it – it never occurred to me that I wouldn’t get my new toy the day I wanted it, regardless of the shortage of the iPad2 on shelves

So how are you going to get creative and bring something wonderful into your life this week?

Being an entrepreneur is a crazy profession. There is no training for it in school. The world of business changes so quickly that yesterday’s knowledge is only marginally useful today.

So how do you stay on top of things?

Ask questions.

It is amazing the number of entrepreneurs who are too proud/busy/shy/dumb to ask questions. There are thousands of successful entrepreneurs and consultants who have the answers you need.

Ask them. Often.

Write your list of questions in one column and then who can answer them in a second column. Then pick up the phone (or send an email) and get to asking.

It might just save your business and/or your sanity.

What if everything in your business worked like you expected it to?
What if everyone in your company worked like you wanted them to?
What if you could predict your income accurately?
What if you could sleep at night, knowing it was all working just as planned?

Creating a strategic plan answers the “what if’s” in your business.

Do you have (and use) a strategic plan?

Should you?

How many newsletters do you get? How many blogs do you read? How many new ideas do you ingest in a given week?

My question is this: what do you do with those new ideas? Do you implement them or just file them away in your brain, waiting for a break in your schedule so you can use them?

As an entrepreneur you’ve only got so much time in the week to devote to the new. If you’re stuck and you need something to get you moving forward may I suggest investing your time in learning a new process, a way of doing things differently, rather than just a shiny new series of ideas.

Once your business is running well enough that it doesn’t need you full-time, then you can indulge in your new idea addiction again. Until then, step away from the internet and get to work.

We all have them – fears and limiting beliefs. You could argue that there isn’t much difference between these two types of thinking as both keep us achieving things we desire and living to our full potential.

Luckily, there are mental tricks that one can use to eliminate these anchors on our success.

The first step is to realize that both fears and limiting beliefs are simply thoughts. When we continue to think them over long periods of time they become deeply held beliefs, rooted in our subconscious like weeds. The good news is that because we created them, we can remove them as well.

One of the fastest ways I’ve found to reprogram these old thoughts is to recognize that we have them and rewrite them in the brain. Because the brain can’t distinguish between what it thinks and what it experiences, we can overcome old thoughts by replacing them with new ones.

Use the following phrase to “rethink” your fears and limiting beliefs.

• I used to be afraid of …. but now I know …..
• I used to think… but now I know ….

Here are some examples for you:

• I used to be afraid of heights but now I know that I’m always safe even when I’m far off the ground.
• I used to think I’d always struggle to make money but now I know I’m a good money manager and I’m capable of earning a great living.
• I used to be afraid of cold calling but now I know it’s just like conducting a survey on the phone.
• I used to think I wasn’t working hard enough to get ahead but now I know it is quite possible to make a great living without working 50 hours a week.
• I used to be afraid of snakes but now I know they are terrified of me and will slither away if I meet one.
• I used to think I couldn’t lose weight no matter what I did but now I know that I can make small changes and shed pounds just like everyone else.

You get the picture.

When I first learned this technique I made a list of over 30 fears and limiting beliefs! I found that by reading them each day (while I was brushing my teeth) that they became true for me.

Part of the power this technique is that the statements are believable to your brain. The “I used to” part of the sentence hits your brain and you think “That’s so true!” When this happens your brain is more receptive to the second part of the statement as you built credibility with the first part.

Give this technique a try. I don’t recommend starting with 30 things to change but maybe one or two. Test this and at the end of a few weeks* you’ll find your brain has reprogrammed itself to belief the new way of thinking.

You will find that you are more relaxed and more capable of doing things you were previously prevented from doing. Have fun!

*really stubborn, lifelong beliefs and fears might take 60 days or so to unravel but stick with it and you’ll see the results.

If you are in sales (if you are in business, you are in sales), then you know the importance of credibility.

Credibility is what buyers evaluate first when they decide whether or not to buy from you. Here are some of the places buyers size up your credibility:

• On the phone when setting an appointment
• During your sales presentation
• When meeting you at a networking event

Not only do buyers size you up, but referral partners do as well. If you belong to a networking group such as BNI, each time you do a sales manager minute or a 10-minute presentation, your credibility is being tested.

To appear credible you need to look and sound confident, believable, focused and relaxed. Buyers will subconsciously evaluate you in less than 10 seconds so you need to be prepared.

For your appearance, that means being dressed appropriately for the situation, having a relaxed posture, keeping your hands still (no fidgeting), smiling and having a firm handshake. Your goal is to appear strong but open and inviting.

It is fairly easy to assess whether your appearance is credibility enhancing. Just ask anyone you trust to rate you on a scale of 1-10 on the above items and you’ll know where you need to make changes.

But what about your voice? How do you evaluate the tone of your voice? How do you know if you’re really coming across well, that you sound believable, confident and focused?

For years sales organizations have used videotaped role plays to test salespeople’s credibility value. Unfortunately, that takes time and a qualified tester to complete.

I’ve recently worked with a company that has used technology to solve the voice credibility testing problem.

SalesMirror uses voice analysis technology to “read” your tone and assess your level of credibility on scales of confidence, stress, believability and concentration. You simply go online, set up the questions you want to be asked, call into the system and answer the questions. The technology does the evaluation and sends you an immediate report online. Check it out, it is really cool. You can even use it to practice an upcoming presentation and make sure you nail it.

If you prepare properly for your calls, appointments and meetings you will see results. Isn’t it worth a few minutes of preparation in order to close more sales?

Over 95% of small businesses fail in the first five years. Only 4% ever get over $1million in revenue. Want to get over $10million in revenue? Good luck – only 0.4% of businesses make it there.

The sad part is that most of it is preventable. Sure, some people start companies who have business doing so, but most entrepreneurs can make it, with a little help.

In the last 17 years of my experience consulting on small business growth, I’ve figured out what separates those who will succeed from those who will fall victim to the statistics.

Here is what makes small businesses succeed or fail:

Entrepreneurial confidence- there is nothing that can take the place of confidence in success. Those entrepreneurs who make it past $1million are the ones who believe in themselves and in their companies to the very core of their being. They are so convinced that they have what it takes, that nothing will stand in their way.

Strategy – so many entrepreneurs start their companies without a strategy to get to $1million. They have a business plan to stay afloat for three years or so but they have no long-term strategy to hit the big numbers. Successful entrepreneurs can tell you where they are going to be in ten or twenty years and they have a plan to get there.

Sales and Marketing – how are you really going to make money in your business? Successful entrepreneurs have a sales and marketing process that can be replicated to produce predictable results. The number one reason companies fail is that they can’t accurately predict sales and their cash flow dips below the level of their financing. Once that happens, it’s time to close the doors.

Hiring – talk about a make or break business decision! Hiring the right people at the right time will rocket you to success. Hiring the wrong people at the wrong time will kill your company in a matter of months. Proper hiring involves upfront planning and decision-making so that when the time is right, you are prepared to act quickly and decisively.

Systems and Processes – a business you have to go to every day is not a business – it’s a job. Sure, you don’t have a boss, but you’re still stuck. Successful entrepreneurs create companies that exist outside themselves. In essence they create money machines that other people can run for them. This is accomplished through the use of replicable systems and processes that employees can implement without the supervision of the entrepreneur.

Finances – I don’t care how much you “aren’t a numbers person” if you are going to grow your small business, you’d better become one. If you can’t manage cash flow, read your balance sheet and interpret a profit and loss statement, you’re going to fail. Successful entrepreneurs often outsource their bookkeeping and accounting but that doesn’t mean they don’t know their financials. Those who grow know the numbers.

Outsourcing to Experts – as a bootstrap entrepreneur, it can be very tempting to want to do it all yourself. Whether it is writing the copy for your website or managing your Quickbooks, the temptation to save a few dollars is strong. Successful entrepreneurs spend their time doing what they do best and outsourcing the rest. Your business is likely the largest investment you’ll ever make in your life. Are you willing to risk it on an untested, inexperienced person (YOU!)? Get an advisor to support your through your small business growth and watch your entrepreneurial dreams come true.

If you nail these seven areas, you are all but assured of breaking the million dollar mark. Fail to do even one of them and you’re chances of success plummet dramatically.

I am a big fan of online training courses. It is part of my do-it-yourself stubbornness that extends from business development to home improvement.

Each year I purchase and take part in at least 4 online programs and I’ve gotten really good at them. Here are my best tips for getting your money’s worth out of online training courses:

1. Ask questions – while it won’t always fit in your schedule, do everything you can to attend the live online portions of a program. When you’re there, ask questions – lots of them. You paid for the course, make sure you get your personal questions answered. If there isn’t a live portion, write your questions down and email them to the trainer. Anyone worth their salt, will respond to them. If not, ask for your money back.
2. Don’t watch all the recordings at once – many of the programs I purchase allow me to download all of the recording at one time. It’s tempting to wait until I have time to watch them all before I get started but if I do, I’ll never get started. Grab your calendar and set an appointment with yourself for one hour per day for as many days as necessary to get through the whole training. If you need to take a break or two now and then, that’s cool, but stick to your calendar.
3. Take notes – as you are watching the video (or listening to your audio), grab a notepad and take notes. Writing your ideas down programs them in your brain in a deeper manner than listening or watching alone.
4. Set up your notes in the right way - As you make notes, you’ll have lots of great ideas. Draw a line down your paper about 1/3 of the way across. At the top of that column, write “Ideas”. At the top of the other column, write “Notes”. As you watch/listen to your training, write your ideas and notes in these columns for easy reference later on.
5. No more than five tasks at a time – Most training programs require you to take action on your new knowledge. Rather than watching the whole video series, making a task list and then tackling it all at once. I suggest watching a few minutes of video, taking notes and creating a short task list. Once you have three to five tasks, stop watching and go do your tasks.
6. Tell your trainer about your results – most people who put together online training programs are really good people who want you to get results. Don’t forget to tell your trainer about your results. Each time I have done that, I’ve developed a great relationship with the person and have even gotten some free stuff that way.

If you’re looking for small business growth programs, you can find them here.

Jacket after the workout

This morning as I left for my SEAL Team workout at 5:30am, it was 37 degrees outside and dark. It rained over 3 inches yesterday and the ground was completely saturated, with puddles everywhere.

By 5:45 I was in pushup position along with 85 other intrepid souls in an inch of standing water and mud. A few minutes later we were on our backs doing situps in the muck. For the next hour we alternated running through the puddles and doing more situps, pushups, back extensions and lunges on the soaking wet field. By the end, everyone was drenched and covered in leaves, grass and mud.

Many of my friends think I’ve lost my mind. They can’t understand why I would go workout in the rain (like yesterday), the snow (like January) and the mud (like today). They wonder why I don’t just go to a nice warm, dry gym and do my workouts there.

For me, these workouts are reminders of some very important life lessons:

Everything is temporary – The wet, the cold, the rain – they will all pass. So will all of life’s other challenges.
Contrast makes life more intense – The rain makes me appreciate the sunshine. The cold makes me notice my car’s seat warmers and the heat in my house. The mud makes me grateful for my hot running water and clean clothes.
It could be worse – No matter how hard the workout or how awful the conditions, it’s better than some people’s daily living conditions. I am thankful for my body’s ability to run, jump, and move as some people don’t have that luxury.
I’m tougher than I think – I have never, ever regretted finishing a workout. At the end of a grueling hour, soaked to the skin and covered in dirt, I feel strong and alive. I know that I’m one of only a few folks who got up early and toughed it out to get stronger. Hoo yah!
Good people make anything possible – I can honestly say I would not be doing this without the support of my teammates. Knowing that there are others who have my back, who will miss me if I’m not there and who will cheer me on to make it through makes all the difference.

What do you do that challenges conventional wisdom, that pushes your boundaries or opens you to new experiences?

Perseverance is one of the key traits of success in any field. Those who go on to greatness don’t give up when the going gets tough. They stick to their plans, focus on their destination and drive on.

Think of it this way. Imagine you were going to drive from New York to Los Angeles. It’s winter and the snow and clouds of New York are too much for you so you decide to head for the sunny skies and sandy beaches of Los Angeles.

For the vast majority of the trip you would be NOT in Los Angeles.  That is, you’d be somewhere other than where you want to be.

That somewhere else is likely to be full of things that aren’t exactly what you’re looking for. Along your drive you’ll encounter mountains and likely more snow (it gets worse before it gets better). You’ll drive through long stretches of corn fields which look nothing like the beaches you have your sights set on.

Along the way you’ll have to stop for gas, food and rest and your journey will feel like it is never going to end. You’ll be anxious to get to Los Angeles but you know you have to pause and restock if you’re going to really make it.

After days of driving you’ll cross some very rugged mountains in the middle of nowhere and suddenly Las Vegas will appear in your windshield. It’s bright and shiny and it looks like a very fun place to stop. Since you’re tired of driving and Los Angeles seems so far away, you want to stay.

Don’t. Don’t stop in Las Vegas.

It isn’t the end of your journey. It isn’t what you really want. It’s just a “good enough” place along the path that you’re willing to settle for because you’re tired and discouraged.

Get back in the car and make the last little push to your goal. It is just over the mountains and just down the coast. Persevere just a little bit more so you can bask in the sun, run on the beach and feel the ocean lap at your feet.

What is your ultimate destination on the path to your business dreams? Are you getting close to Las Vegas? If so, get focused again on your big dream and keep driving on. You’ll be so glad you did.