A couple of months back, my good friend Yanik Silver of Maverick Business Adventures and Internet fame asked me to make a private presentation exclusively for his elite Maverick Mastermind group. These are top-caliber entrepreneurs who must earn more than $1M/year just to get in the group.

The idea was to have me share my most secret success methods and techniques. You know…the real breakthrough stuff that doesn’t ordinarily get revealed. Well, you might imagine that I was really honored to be asked to give the first presentation of this new format.

Based on the feedback I received it was a big hit; or as others said, “75 minutes of pure gold which has already helped me make more money”

In the presentation I covered:

• The 4 key advantages to having the right 'Exit Strategy'
• How to identify and maximize the critical strategic Value Drivers for your business
• The 5 specific strategic shifts you can immediately make gain an advantage and advance your growth and progress in the face of any challenge or circumstance

Even though this training was reserved exclusively for paying Maverick Members only, I talked Yanik in to to allowing me to share it with you here on my private blog.

I’ve provided the link to listen to the audio at the bottom of the page below.

But before you go to listen, I need YOUR help with something:

The material I deliver in this presentation is a good illustration of the kind of guidance and training I deliver on a daily basis to my personal coaching and corporate consulting clients. Entrepreneurs, executives and corporate leadership teams pay me tens of thousands of dollars each month for as needed access to this kind of advice one-on-one.

I’ve been brainstorming ways I can offer you a similar kind of regular, real-time, live access to me for this same kind of advice and guidance, whether you’ve purchased my other programs yet or not.

MY intention is to come up with a program through which I can deliver the advice, guidance, and breakthrough strategies you need to make your fortune doing what you love.

And this is where YOU come in.

Please take a few minutes to answer the 3 questions below thoughtfully and candidly so I know what will work best for you.

OK, that’s it. I appreciate you taking the time to respond. It will really help me prepare the programs and products that will serve you with whatever you need most.

Here’s the recording of the presentation I promised you:

Click here to listen:

Be sure to let me know what you think of the presentation by commenting below.

I’m standing for all that's possible for you in life and business.

Sincerely

Steve

I’m sure it’s no mystery to you that we are witnessing the single most significant economic shift in human history. Many seem to be operating with the notion that ‘big business’ or ‘the government’ is equipped in some way to quell that enormous challenges this shift is imparting on individuals in all areas of life.

But that is a mistaken fallacy. The fact is that entrepreneurship and innovation are the only true ways to make the transformative change necessary. In this video, Kauffman Foundation Senior Fellow Philip Auerswald explores global economic trends paired with stories of entrepreneurs making the difference.

As you watch this brief video, consider whether you find yourself playing it safe, playing not to lose or if you’re moving ahead, boldly doing your part as an entrepreneur, innovating, creating and tranforming the local, national and global economy.

“Entrepreneurship is about creating value”
The fact is; at the end of that day, if you’re holding off on your pursuit of an entrepreneurial success dream until the economy ‘rebounds’, you’re doing yourself, everyone you care about and love, and the rest of is for that matter a great disservice.

Is that you? Are you playing safe or small? Waiting for something or someone before you get on with making your greatest entrepreneurial contribution to the world?

If so, STOP waiting and get started now.

By now there is no doubt that you’ve heard me contend that the single most important factor determining your success in business is you choosing the right business. This simple truth could not be more relevant to the challenge given you in the video.

If you know what that is for you, then let me encourage you to get started on your entrepreneurial journey right now, today.

If not, then you’re like the vast majority of people who dream if making and difference through entrepreneurship but don’t know where to begin. My home study program will help you get clear of the unsupportive mental models, fears, uncertainties and limiting beliefs that stop you.

Either way, I’ve provided you access the only proven blueprint revealing the secret code to business success in ThePerfectBizFinder Program. This one of a kind program teaches you the entrepreneurial skills and techniques necessary to achieve your goals, produce the success results you intend, have an impact and make a difference in the world. In past 2 years alone we’ve done our part to transforming the economy by helping over 3200 people create the lifestyle freedom and financial where-with-all empowering them to do just that.

What’s stopping you?

Be sure to let me know what you think about Phil’s video by commenting below.

I’m standing for all (the making a difference) that’s possible for you in life and business.

Sincerely,

Steve

P.S. Phil Auerswald, has published an outstanding book, The Coming Prosperity: How Entrepreneurs Are Transforming the Global Economy. In it he describes the long-term trends that connect the past, the present, and the future of global prosperity. With rigorous analysis of economic and historical trends, enlivened by the stories of entrepreneurs making an outsize difference, Auerswald explains the many ways we can create value for ourselves and others in the new millennium. It’s definitely one of the top books on my recommended reading list.

By now you’ve likely heard me say more than once that many (if not most) wanna-be and up-start entrepreneurs make the same mistakes right from the start: They approach a new business concept thinking that it’s all about making a lot of money as opposed to thinking of a business as a platform for providing value or for helping others get things done.

Here is a brief Kauffman Foundation Sketchpad video that encourages you to rethink this approach.

This is what I mean when I say that the single most important factor determining your success in business is you choosing the right business. A business that allows you to make your fortune doing what you love.

“Things that are fun are fun for a reason”.

The fact is that the vast majority of the most successful businesses that exist today started as something someone just enjoyed doing.

“Yes”, you will need to identify, validate and prove an available market opportunity for your vision as part and parcel of making your vision a reality.

“Yes”, you are going to have to commit yourself to continuously learning a new set of skills and to growing yourself and your capacity to succeed as you grow your business.

But the same is true no matter what career path you choose. You must not lose sight of the fact that the process begins with the vision you generate from doing something you love to do.

If you know what that is for you, then let me encourage you to get started on your entrepreneurial journey right now, today.

If not, then you’re like the vast majority of people who dream if making a difference through entrepreneurship but don’t know where to begin.

Either way, my home study program will help you get clear of the restrictive mental models, fears, uncertainties and unsupportive beliefs that stop you and keep you from achieving all that is truly possible for yourself.

What’s stopping you?

Be sure to let me know what you think about the video by commenting below.

I’m standing for all the joy that’s possible for you in life and business.

Sincerely,

Steve

Here is a summary of one of the super-empowering success techniques I detail in ThePerfectBizBuilder Program.

When I first started building businesses I immediately realized that I needed a way to keep track of a lot of information. Some of the information was related to operational business decisions and activities. Some was related to strategy and planning. Some were just inspired new ideas I’d get from time to time and some was related to areas of personal growth and development. 

Through the years I developed a practice of keeping what I now call “A Control Book” for each endeavor. 

The Control Book is part journal, part business plan, part a brainstorming tool and part a forecasting / business performance record.  In effect every significant idea, meeting, discussion, strategy, decision, projection and result is formally or informally documented or in some way represented in “The Control Book”

It’s a surprisingly simple technique that I credit with generating tens of millions of dollars in revenue and hundreds of millions in valuation over the years. Here’s how you do it:

Beginning with a 3-ring loose-leaf notebook and a half dozen topical divisions in it, The Control Book starts with a written narrative describing what you want to accomplish with a particular business or project.  Then you clearly and concisely list your goals and intentions in the way I shared with you in “The Indispensable Next Step” post and then record the remainder of the other information I instruct you to compile in ThePerfectBizBuilder Program

From there, each time you make any kind of substantive effort in the form of thoughts, words, or actions, you make a detailed entry of the activity in “The Control Book”.

To be clear often times this documenting may amount to be nothing more than a hand-written post-it note stuck to a journal page somewhere in a section of the book.  Other times it may be a doodle-ridden page torn from a spiral-bound notepad recording the important points you collected from a conversation or business meeting.  And still for others might include a carefully produced spreadsheets or business model that may have been used as the basis of a discussion with partners or associates. 

The key is that this discipline will automatically create a resource that will be incredibly useful and highly valuable to you as your business grows and develops.  You will have a complete context of where you’ve been, where you’re going and how you intend to get there.

I encourage you to implement it right away. You’ll be surprised by how valuable the Control Book becomes:

1. Immediately purchase a 3-ring binder.
2. Place about 100 sheets of paper in the binder, use dividers if you like.
3. Label the binder ”My Perfect Business Control Book”
4. Place some photos, magazine clips, or other visual images that represent the life you want your perfect business to deliver on the front of you Control Book. 

Keep your “Control Book” with you at all times.  

You never know when you’ll receive an inspired idea that you need to capture.  You never know when you will be presented with a learning opportunity too valuable to miss.

In the end, you will not only be more successful, but you will also have a record of how you did it and why you have done what you have done each and every step of the way. 

And last but not least you will have an amazing record of the life altering events you experience along the way.  

As you travel the beaches of the world, rich, accomplished, and successful you will be surprised how rewarding, and at times comical, a review of your Control Book(s) will be.

Give this a try.  Believe it or not, this is the practical stuff that works.

I’m standing for all that is possible for you in life and business.

Sincerely & gratefully,

Steve

PS – Give it a try and be sure to let me know what you think by commenting below.

Internet business ideas are now some of the best options for starting a strong and profitable business. Technology changes the world rapidly, and with the innovation in communications thanks to the web, if you’ve been thinking about starting your own business, then you will want to look at some of the services that you can provide for people via the Internet to get started. One of the great advantages of choosing Internet business ideas over other types of offline businesses is that the cost for startup is usually going to be quite minimal – sometimes as little as nothing!

Internet Business Ideas to Consider

Plenty of different internet business ideas are available for those who want to do all of their work and business on the web. Freelancers will find that the digital era is a Golden Age, and you will be able to find people who need the type of services that you can offer. This can encompass many different areas and types of jobs too.

Writers are able to find work doing copywriting, articles, web content, e-books, and more. Graphic designers can create logos and artwork for companies. Web designers are able to work from home. Even photographers are able to upload photos to sell online. It’s a great time to be a freelancer.

If you enjoy blogging or social media, there are dozens of great internet business ideas for you too. More and more companies are realizing the importance of these activities, but they don’t have the manpower or skills to do them on their own. Working as a consultant and specialist can be lucrative.

Those who have experience writing code and programs might want to consider developing a mobile app for tablets and smart phones. This area should get even bigger in the coming years, and it already is one of the best internet business ideas to consider trying.

Internet Business Ideas Require Real Work

Keep in mind that even though you might be able to work these internet business ideas from home, you’ll still have to be willing to put in hard work and long hours, especially in the beginning. You need to market your business, keep up with your clients’ needs, and keep your business afloat. Set up a regular work schedule and stick to it. Don’t take too many days off in a row – the closer you can keep the business to a traditional schedule the better off you will be.

Keep Watching for More Internet Business Ideas

You will find that as technology continually changes, there will be more advances and opportunities for those who want to pursue internet business ideas. In the coming years, it’s likely that there will be even more exciting, new and interesting business options available.

No matter what kind of business you decide to build, you’ll want to be sure that it’s the right business for you. Even the best internet business ideas will fail if not right for you.

Business ideas for teenagers have never been more plentiful. Rather than working at a retail job, as most teens do, consider some of these fun business ideas for teenagers. Even if you’re not a teen, these business ideas may be just as exciting and lucrative for you too.

You can find quite a few different small businesses that you will be able to start as a teenager, and you can use the money that you receive to supplement your allowance, add to college savings, and use for new clothes and gadgets. When you have your own business, it will teach you responsibility, and it will help to prepare you for life after graduation.

Neighborhood Business Ideas for Teenagers

In most neighborhoods, you will be able to find quite a few little odd jobs that people need done. One of the tried and true businesses that a teenager might want to start is a yard service business. Mowing and raking the lawn, trimming hedges, weeding the garden in the summer, and shoveling snow in the winter can be a good business. With enough clients, this can be very lucrative, and you can hire friends to help with your business.

Dog walking is another business that can be great for teens. Find clients in your neighborhood and offer to walk their dogs several times a week. You can also add bathing and basic grooming to the service. Pet sitting is yet another option.

Online Business Ideas for Teenagers

You can also find plenty of fun business ideas for teens online. Create a blog about entertainment, music, or fashion, and then have companies pay for advertising space on the blog. This is a viable option once you have a popular blog.

Creating apps for mobile devices is another source of fun business ideas for teens. This area requires some expertise, but there are loads of free training programs out there and those who are willing to learn can start creating great apps that they will be able to sell for mobile phones and tablets. The possibilities are endless when it comes to these apps!

Crafting Business Ideas for Teenagers

If you are creative and have artistic skills, consider making and selling t-shirts, posters, buttons, and other items. You can market to your target audience, which is likely to be your teen peers, and no one knows teens and what they like better than another teen.

Business Ideas for Teenagers Make for Responsible Teens

These are only a handful of the myriad of different business ideas for teenagers to try. A business is a great way to foster responsibility, creativity and teach you entrepreneurial skills that will serve you well for the rest of your life.

Keep in mind that whether you’re a teen or not, you’re going to want to find something that is fun for you and that you would enjoy doing and then start your own business.

The simple fact of the matter is that unless you really enjoy it, you will never really be willing to do what it takes to succeed.

To find even more great business ideas for teenagers, get a free copy of my game-changing report “Best Business Ideas For 2012” and enroll in my free “Business Success Secrets” video training program.

And if you’re really ready to gain an advantage and win big in any of these business ideas for teenagers, grab the only proven blueprint revealing the secret code to success in business here:

Business ideas in 2012 are ripe for the picking if you have the motivation and the skill to take advantage of them. When most people are searching for a new business idea, they will look for something that’s going to match a skill set that they already have, or something that they will be able to learn relatively quickly. No matter what you enjoy doing, chances are you will be able to make a go of it as a business. The following are some great options for those who want to start your business ideas in 2012 from the comfort of their home.

Practical Business Ideas in 2012

You want to have a business that is going to make money, and you probably don’t want to have to put a lot of money into starting the business. Fortunately, there are some great types of businesses that will have very little startup costs, and you will be able to do quite a bit of your marketing online without spending much money, as well. It is important to find business ideas in 2012 that will sustain you for a long time.

Business Ideas in 2012 for the Web

One of the business ideas in 2012 that you might want to try is setting up a site where you are an affiliate for a larger company. You will have posts, information, and links on your site that will lead potential customers to the company for which you are an affiliate. When you drive traffic to that site, they will pay you. It can take some time to get a good affiliate business set up and running, but it gets easier the longer you are at it. When you find a good niche, it can be very profitable.

If you have a good grasp of the various social media sites, then you might want to try your hand at providing social networking consulting and marketing. Many businesses will pay well to have someone who can help them with their social media since this area is very important and still growing.

Creative Business Ideas in 2012

Those who have a creative streak will find a number of great opportunities for a new business ideas in 2012. You can make different types of consumer products at home, such as jewelry, paintings, handcrafted ornaments, t-shirts, stickers, and more, and then sell them online. You can sell through your own site, and you can sell on third party sites such as Etsy, Zazzle, and CaféPress. The only limit with this type of business is going to be your skill and your creativity.

Pick up my free report “The Best Business Ideas For 2012” for a complete listing of 22 of the best business ideas in 2012

For more articles about the best business ideas in 2012 click here.

New Business Ideas for 2012 for the Tech Savvy

It’s a new year, and that means it’s time to start considering the best new business ideas for 2012. The economy is starting to get better, and you will find a number of different types of businesses that you can start this year that have the potential to do quite well.

New Business Ideas for 2012 for the Online Entrepreneur

If you are hoping to work from home, then you might want to consider all of the things that you will be able to do right from your computer. Plenty of great new business ideas for 2012 are available to those who are knowledgeable in the way of technology. Here are a few options that you might want to consider.

You could start an online blog and work as an affiliate to drive traffic to sites that sell products and services. Have advertisements on your site that can bring in revenue, as well. It can take some time to build a following no matter what type of site you have, but when you work at it the financial rewards can be great.

Another option for the online entrepreneur is to become a virtual assistant. You would help people answer their emails, follow up with their customers, send invoices and more. You can do it all right from the comfort of your own home. If you have a laptop, you could do it from a coffee shop too!

New Business Ideas for 2012 for Graphic Artists

Graphic designers can find quite a few great job opportunities as well. Designing logos and graphics for websites is just one of the many sources of revenue available. With e-books gaining so much popularity over the past few years, it’s also possible to find quite a bit of steady work designing e-book covers. Plenty of people are in need of these services, and with the right skills and competitive rates, it can be a great opportunity.

Find Top Quality New Business Ideas for 2012

The above just scratches the surface of all of the great new business ideas for 2012 and the coming years. Whether you want to start your own computer repair business, learn to format e-books, or start an online marketing business to help companies with their branding efforts, tech savvy individuals have some great opportunities available. This is a great time to consider breaking away from the pack and pursue your own new business ideas for 2012.

Mobile business ideas are vast and can encompass many different types of work. No matter what type of work you do or want to start doing, consider the benefits of pursuing mobile business ideas. Starting your own business is a great feeling, and it can be very lucrative if you take the right steps and start your business the right way. Choose a business that you know, or can learn, and one that’s going to make you happy. Come up with a business plan, including some marketing, and get started!

Great Mobile Business Ideas

One of the great things about mobile business ideas for your new venture is that you are going to be able to take your services right to your customers. This means that you aren’t going to need to have a facility, which is going to save on costs. The money that you save on the cost of a facility can be useful to help make sure that you have the best tools for your particular type of work.

People enjoy the convenience that many different types of mobile services are able to provide. When you are starting to develop your own business, check to see what types of mobile services you will be able to offer. The following are a few great ideas.

Mobile Business Ideas Indoors

There are dozens of viable mobile business ideas that allow you to work indoors. Computer problems plague everyone especially with all the bugs and viruses floating around on the internet. Computers can also be complicated and overwhelming for people who are not all that familiar with them. If you are skilled in computer repair, software installation or the use of a particular kind of software, you might want to start a mobile computer repair or training business. Instead of having your customers bring their computers to your home or office, you can go to their home to troubleshoot, train or fix the computer on the spot. If you can’t fix it there, you can bring it to your office and then bring it back after you repair it.

Another option for a mobile business is housecleaning. Many people don’t have the time to do all of their own cleaning, and they will appreciate an affordable, high quality service. Other indoor options include services like massage, painting, decorating.

Mobile Business Ideas Outdoors

If you like to be out and about outdoors, there are hundreds of excellent mobile business ideas for you too. People don’t have time for yard work these days (or just don’t like doing it). Starting a lawn care and landscaping business is a great idea that has plenty of potential for growth. Car washing or detailing is another service a lot of people would be happy to pay you to do for them. Driving people who can no longer run errands on their own is another terrific mobile business that, as our population ages, has real growth potential.

Researching and Get Starting with Your Mobile Business Ideas

As with any business idea, you want to research each of the mobile business ideas you come you with to validate the viability of the idea and prove that it’s a winner before you invest a lot of time and money.

As you’re considering various mobile business ideas, you’ll want to make sure that you have reliable, comfortable transportation that will take you to where your clients live. You also need to have the best tools for the job, a professional appearance, and a friendly manner. With some commitment and hard work, you can be very successful with your own mobile business with little or no capital investment.

For more mobile business ideas, check out Four Small Business Ideas For 2012

Business Ideas Are Everywhere

I recently read an article about some great small business ideas. One of the more interesting stories is that of Imari Harvard, and the way he came to conceive of and create “Timeless Entertainment Concepts” and who almost by accident, tapped into a timeless truth:

Nostalgia sells….

Harvard reports, “My wife and I just wanted to put together an event where folks could come out for some nostalgic games, cocktails and conversation.”

The story goes that 80 people showed up to play board games from their childhood.  Games like Chutes & Ladders, Candy Land and Twister.  The following month there were 150 and a new business idea “Play Date Atlanta” was born.  And get this, not long after Harvard expanded his business to four other cities using a licensing model it is projecting a whopping $250,000 in sales this year.

Imagine “800 well-dressed, middle-aged adults are sipping cocktails, listening to jazz . . . and playing Candy Land or Twister.”

Great Small Business Ideas Like This Are Everywhere

Is there any reason this could not be you?

I was sharing this story with my wife at dinner and she reciprocated with one she picked up from our veterinarian:

She had taken our 2 year old Shepherd/Chow to the vet for some shots.  While speaking with him he was telling her about the book about nutrition for dogs he had just written.  Sure we all read and listen to the antioxidant adds for dog food, but this is different.

Did you know that way back when, before humans got involved, dogs, which were then more closely related to wolves I guess, did not eat beef.  Sure they ate meet, but not beef.

The point is, here is this veterinarian with a very successful animal care practice which he absolutely loves.  He writes this great book about something he is sincerely passionate about.  And he is creating an internet information publishing business in his spare time. 

A business that will probably end up paying him more than his primary vocation and guarantee the retirement he desires.  Just by sharing something he really loves.

Great Small Business Ideas Like This Are Everywhere

Is there any reason this could not be you?

Here is a FACT:  The real reason you have not yet found the best small business ideas for yourself is not what you think it is.

Just imagine what it will be like to make YOUR fortune doing what you love.

I’ll make a deal with you.

If you will share with me the one thing you believe you would love doing as a vocation more than anything else in this world, whether hobby, vocation, recreation, or past-time, I will help you generate a dozens great small business ideas, validate the viability of each and break through everything that is keeping you from enjoy the fun and rewarding money-making business of your dreams.

In fact, I’ll do one better than that.

If you’ll share ANY of your small business ideas, I will help you determine whether or not it is right for you and if it is I’ll show you how to validate the viability of the business idea to prove it will work and help break through everything that is keeping you from pursuing your best business ideas here.

Why Having Fun Matters More Than You Might Think When It Comes To Great Small Business Ideas