Wealth & Poverty

"One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth." Proverbs 13:7

I read this Proverb this morning in my quiet time and was struck by how important this is in so many ways. This is especially true in home business world where some businesses have a "fake it, till you make it mentality". Some companies actually tell you to look and act successful before you are. While this may be important on the attitude front it is foolishness when you treat your purchases this way. You should not be buying cars you can't afford, homes you can't afford etc.

So how come the man who pretends to be rich has nothing? In today's world it is very common, people who look rich own nothing. These people spend money they don't, run up credit card bills, and try to look good on the outside. These "rich" are more concerned about looking good and keeping up with the Jonses'. In the end, there is very little about their net worth that is actually rich.

The people who "pretend to be poor" stand for people today who are not worried about outwards appearance. They live below their means, saving and avoiding consumer debts. They don't spend what they don't have, they make saving and giving a priority and have no concern about how they compare to others. These are the people who are truly wealthy today.

Which will you be?

Danny

The Pursuit of Happyness

We went to see the movie "The Pursuit of Happyness" starring Will Smith. It is based on a true story of a down-and-out medical supplies salesman who decides to pursue his dream of becoming a stock broker. The movie is a very touching and inspiring movie.

The story traces the life of Chris Garnder and shows how he fights for his dream, the ability to have a good life for him and his son. A life filled with "happyness". What is most inspiring is the depiction of the perseverance and focus that Chris pursues his goals. It seems like he must work against every possible obstacle.

This is a great movie to watch if you want to be inspired. You'll be inspired to fight for your dreams, pursue your WHY, and do everything possible to grow your business. I strongly recommend this movie for every home business professional.

Danny

What Marketing is all About

This post from Seth Godin is one of the best descriptions of what is truly needed in marketing today: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2007/01/electable_vs_ma.html

How does this apply to your home business? Ask yourself, who is the 1% you are really trying to be remarkable to. Don't try appealing to everyone. Focus on the 1% and make yourself remarkable in that area. You will offend people. You will have people say "NO", probably often. However you will bring more passionate people onto your team. You will create excitement and energy, and loyalty. You will have a passionate and loyal following who will spread the word about your business.

Danny
PS. If you haven't read Seth Godin's book, "Purple Cow", I strongly recommend it.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone!

I wish everyone an exciting, and prosperous New Year. I hope you will all use this time of year to think about your mission in life, and set goals for the next year. Set goals that are specific, measurable, and realistic. Write your goals down, and post them everywhere. Then get started. Don't wait for long to get started. Time moves quickly, and you need to get started on your goals right away.

Danny

Entrepreneurs

I've been reading a book called "Banker for the Poor" by Muhammad Yunus, who is this years winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Yunus discusses the use of micro-credit lending to the very poorest of people allowing them to start small businesses and pulling themselves and others out of poverty.

Here is a quote:
"To me, an entrepreneur is not an especially gifted person. I rather take the reverse view. I believe that all human beings are potential entrepreneurs. Some of us get the opportunity to express this talent, but many of us never get the chance because we were made to imagine that an entrepreneur is someone enormously gifted and different from ourselves." P. 207

This is an important thought for people in the home business world. It fits very well with what most home businesses promote - the opportunity for every individual to start a home business at a minimal start up expense.

Unfortunately many people still believe today that they don't hhave what it takes to be an entrepreneur. People believe that it is only the very gifted who will succeed and that they themselves could not achieve their goals.

Of course this is rubish. Everyone has within them the ability to achieve their goals. They may need to grow and develop, but they already have the most important skills - the ability to be persistent and consistent in working towards a goal.

If you are not in a home business, check out the links on the right side of this blog. You too can be an entrepreneur.

Danny Gamache

Keep Booking Appointments

"If you are not setting appointments you are going out of business." - This is a quote I heard at a recent training session.

It is such a good quote, the concept is vital for your business. You must consistently be setting appointments, every day or at least every week you need to be booking new appointments. You can't stop booking appointments just because you have a couple booked. You need to keep on booking and moving forward. You can't stop booking appointments just because you got a new enrollment you need to work with. Yes you need to work with them, but you must keep on booking appointments and moving your business forward.

My favorite approach is the help approach:
"Hi.... Listen can I get your help on something? I've just started a new business and I’m really excited about it. I was wondering if I could run it past you and get your thoughts on it. It might be something you are interested in, and if not you might know some people that can help me out. It would take about 45 minutes. Would you have time Monday or would Tuesday be better?"

Danny