Cookie Business Card

Cute edible cookie business card made for the Bombay Bakery in Pakistan. I know we've seen a lot of edible business cards already but these are COOKIES!! …And you know how I feel about cookies and cupcakes :D

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A Simple Test To Predict Success (or Failure)?

Joint Venture coach Robin J. Elliot is a "direct and to the point" style communicator and entrepreneur. You may not like what and how he says things, but I like to contemplate his point of views on things. Here some thoughts on the power of specificity. What do you think? Is he an uncompassionate guy in a suit or does he have a point?

Here’s a simple formula to predict someone’s future choices and actions. This virtual crystal ball has helped me significantly over the years to save time and money and allocate my resources more accurately. Here’s how to do it – quick and easy!

Sit down and do a spot of goal-setting with them, including the creation of an Action Plan. There are really only two responses to this activity. Winners who intend to produce will set very specific, realistic, measurable, time-related, significant goals with an Action Plan to support them. Those who do not intend to produce will set vague, mediocre goals that focus on activity rather than results, and are hard to measure and check.

For example, the Winner writes: “I will make four paid, $2,000 sales by November 1st.” The loser writes: “Contact fifteen new prospects, advertise in the newspaper, ask for referrals from existing customers, read ‘Think and Grow Rich’ again.” You get my drift. How do I know she called fifteen new prospects or read the book, and how does reading the book put money in the bank? Did she really ask for referrals? It’s easy to advertise in the newspaper, but that doesn’t create sales. Also, listen to their words: Winners says things like “I will, I commit, definitely, exactly, certainly, I know.” And they will put themselves on the line, invest, and face the consequences. Losers will use words like, “I guess, I hope, I’ll try, IF, it depends on, maybe, I can’t control the future”, etc. They will deflect blame.

When November 1st rolls around, the Winner will either celebrate his success, or he will have to explain why he didn’t attain his four sales, because it will be plain to see whether he succeeded or not. The loser has protected herself by insulating herself from criticism; she will claim that she achieved her goals by reading the book, contacting people, asking for referrals, and advertising, yet she made no sales! So she feels very successful with no sales, while the Winner, who in fact made three sales, determines to do much better next time by applying more self-discipline, something which the loser knows nothing about.

Losers (parasites and moochers) are motivated by being busy, feeling important, impressing others, and teaching others (the blind leading the blind.). Winners (producers and creators) are motivated by results. The way they set goals is the first way to predict their futures. The second way is to listen to what they say after their results are revealed. Losers will make excuses, blame others, the economy, circumstances, their tools, products and services, pricing, the market, you name it. They will be “offended” if confronted with the fact that they failed to produce. Winners will take personal responsibility and resolve to do better by changing their action plan, working harder, honing their skills.

Before you commit time and resources to working with someone, apply this simple formula – it could save you a lot of time and money!

Robin J. Elliott www.DollarMakers.com

I Don't Feel Like It

The following is from an article in a newsletter sent out by joint ventures specialist, Robin J. Elliot. Elliot is a businessman (and also a Christian) but I like reading his newsletter for the general feeling of inspiration that I get when I read it:


"I Don't Feel Like It"

How many times have you said, "I don't feel like it", but you go ahead anyway and do it, and you're very happy you did? In life and in business, feelings are not always the ideal indicator, especially when they involve a spot of sloth or discomfort on your part.

Recently, my amazing daughter urged me to go for a ride with her on a wild-looking machine at the fairgrounds that whirled people around upside down, high above the ground. The last time I rode on one of those things, I was a teenager. Now I'm 56, but I agreed to accompany her. I didn't feel like it, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! My wife persuaded me to go to Disney World for the first time. I certainly didn't feel like that, but I did it, and I loved it. After that, we visited Disneyland as well! Yesterday, my two friends suggested we jump off the boat and swim in the cold waters of Howe Sound off Horseshoe Bay. I didn't feel like it, but I dived in, and it was great.

Do you think athletes feel like training for hours every day, in all kinds of weather, enduring constant pain? How about that awful food they eat on their special diets? Don't you thing they feel like gobbling fatty burgers or lining up at the trough for ice cream? How often do they feel like quitting? Those who do quit don't win the gold medals. The same goes for entrepreneurs. Someone once said, "The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night."

Note, in the above quote, that the author says, "Reached and KEPT" - it's OK to win once, but to keep on winning, you have to discipline your feelings and urges. Ross Perot said, "Something in human nature causes us to start slacking off at our moment of greatest accomplishment. As you become successful, you will need a great deal of self-discipline not to lose your sense of balance, humility, and commitment." Beware - pride comes before the fall.

Lee Iacocca said, "I learned to keep going, even in bad times. I learned not to despair, even when my world was falling apart. I learned that there are no free lunches. And I learned the value of hard work." And Jim Rohn said, "Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments. One discipline always leads to another discipline." That's good news - doing the right thing instead of the easy thing becomes a good habit.

Small habits that get good results need to be developed and maintained in order to reap long-term rewards. Those who quit easily and seek the fast buck never get anywhere, and they develop a reputation for excuses and for not being reliable. James Allen said, "Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound. The man who does not shrink from self-crucifixion can never fail to accomplish the object upon which his heart is set." That self-discipline to do the right thing in spite of what you feel, is what separates the men from the boys.

Champions don't make excuses, and they fight on, regardless of their feelings, comfort zone, or the opinions of others. When losers tell them, "Don't work too hard, take it easy, rest more, dress down, don't be so aggressive, don't upset people", winners simply go deaf. They associate with other winners and hear only their mentors and coaches. Do the right thing, continuing in good and bad times to do the right thing, in spite of what you feel. Conquer yourself, and you can reach any goal you wish.

Robin J. Elliott
www.DollarMakers.com

Book Review: Collapse of Distinction

Book Review: Collapse of Distinction by Scott McKain

Collapse of Distinction is a business manifesto - a call to action challenging readers that in an economy that is not doing well making your business distinct is one of the best ways to survive and thrive. The author, Scott McKain makes a compelling case.

The book begins (and ends) with the story of two restaurants in a small town. When McDonald's moves into the area, both restaurants try to react. One adapts and does well, the other dies. McKain shows how differentiating one's service, product, etc. will aid your business in growing and doing well and that simply following the crowd is the lazy businessman's route to mediocrity and eventually bankruptcy. The wisdom of the author is that he approaches the need to be distinct from a customer's perspective and shows you why simply trying to match and make incremental improvements on one's product/service is not enough to differentiate your business from your competition. It struck me that everything he was saying was common sense but that many (most) businesses would be too afraid to take the kind of risks that are necessary for success. But his case studies and stories illustrate the truth - one must differentiate or one will not succeed.

McCain manages to mix easily applied concepts (with a plan on how to achieve them) with stories and illustrations in a way that the reader is not bored or lost. Although there were certain areas where I wish he had gone into more detail, overall he seemed to cover his topic and achieve the aims of the book. While I don't think that differentiation is the only aspect necessary to have a successful business I do think it is one that is often put on the back burner. I was encouraged as an entrepreneur and recommend this book highly to anyone in business or thinking of starting one. 4 ninja stars out of 5.