Archive for the "Entrepreneur Notes" Category
Mar9

Re: focus and success for the entrepreneurial spirit

Posted at 2:02 PM • No Comments

In the previous posting I chatted about focus. It seems that creative folks, which includes entrepreneurs, have difficulty sorting through their ‘ideas’ and focusing on one.  Thus, procrastination often results because we can’t make a decision.

Today, I decided to go through my many computer files and browse all the info marketing materials I have. I picked one and completed it. Check out my newest website.

I’m an idea person. I’m pretty good at follow through once I make a decision. But the transition from idea to that first action is often filled with roadblocks, peril, and downright … okay… laziness.

Today is Ash Wednesday. A day when many Christians decide to give up something or work on a troubling behavior. I’m tackling that precarious space between idea and action. That’s my Lenten effort. It’s a biggie – for me personally anyway. But the 6 weeks of effort should create very positive new habits. I’ll let you know how my commitment progresses.

This morning I completed the above site. I’ve another one that needs some video created before I can put it online. That’s my next challenge. I’ve been ‘thinkin’ on it in my head’ for over a month. I have outlines and the software. Just need to get to it. Yep, next challenge.

Is anyone out there in cyberspace tackling an issue they know keeps them from their success path? Let me know how you’re doing.

Warmly, Ellie's signature

Feb22

FOCUS – a creative person’s dilemma

Posted at 6:25 PM • 3 Comments

How the heck does one stay focused. There is so much information now available at our fingertips that if you’re an info-addict, well…. focus is like a 4-letter word!

I find that the very same things that pull me into the internet – news, search ability, great content everywhere, online tv shows, movies, how-to videos… oh my – are the very same things that make me crazy. But Jason Fladlien has offered many simple solutions.

One of them is to make a quick decision … and DO IT.  Don’t overthink it. It doesn’t have to be perfect… but it does have to get done. Wasting time being muddled by all the info available will give you “analysis paralysis”… a terrible place to be.

I’ve learned that if I purchase a product, use it immediately. If I’m trying to learn something, study an hour and then spend a couple hours putting it to practice. That way, you’re moving forward – not getting stuck in too much information! Even learning a 15 minute technique and then using it will move be ahead faster than trying to gobble up the entire program.

The old joke of how do you eat an elephant – one bite at a time – is true with information overload.

I highly recommend trying some of these steps and here’s a great article by Jason Fladlein to get you started on changing your behavior. No major changes, just a new “Y” in the road.

Let me know if this simple article gets you to thinking in a different direction.

Jul28

Changing What We Believe

Posted at 7:50 PM • One Comment

I watched Breakthrough with Tony Robbins on fancast.com and once again was awed by the efforts of folks with greater challenges than I have at the moment.

Then I thought about the many business folks I know who go on about their lack of funds, money, time, education, other’s approval, blah blah blah. I started to wonder just what would happen if any one of us put 10% of the effort towards our business dreams that Frank and Kristen did in their challenge with Tony Robbins.

You know, you’ve heard it before… we all get the same 24 hours in a day – no more – no less. So what makes it work for some and not others. LUCK, you say! Hmmmm… Maybe.

But my experience with hundreds of small business folks is that the ‘lucky ones’ were ready! They knew where they were headed. They worked the plan. They learned or hired what they needed to accomplish their goals.

So the key? The key was knowing the “Opportunity” when it showed up. They weren’t so busy doing busyness…that they missed the business opportunity. THAT was their LUCK!

I encourage you to watch this show. Then think about the challenges in your life. Listen a moment to your self-talk. Then start the real challenge of changing your beliefs and challenging your preconceived notions.

Remember, YOU are really the pivotal point in your success. A plan, hard work, belief, willing to learn, willing to find people to help with those things you don’t know, know WHERE you want to go… and be ready when “Opportunity Knocks.”

That will be LUCK at your doorstep! Best to you! Ellie's signature

Jul15

WORK – and getting to YES!

Posted at 7:13 AM • 2 Comments

We all work. Some are lucky and talented enough to do what they love. Others have learned to love what they do. Some folks – both! But no matter your position, there are marvelous things to learn from the following 3 books. Enjoy!

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us… And it isn’t all about money. Like all things, once our basic shelter, food and safety is taken care of, there are other things that are often equal to or more important than money. They are Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose. I believe that budding entrepreneurs can learn a great deal about themselves by reading this book. Management definitely needs to read this if they want to keep great employees.

Author Daniel H. Pink is not just talking about the creative, highly skilled employees either. He gives perfect examples of the same drives in basic service jobs. A lesson to us all to see with new eyes the people who work all around us.

Right along with this book is Rework which is written by the founders of 37Signals, Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson. On the cover it reads: Ignore this book at your own peril!

Let me quote just one small part:

We’ve all seen job ads that say “Five years of experience required.” That may give you a number, but it tells you nothing.

….it requiring some baseline… It makes sense to go after candidates with six months to a year of experience. It takes that long to internalize the idoms, learn how things work, understand the relevant tools, etc.

But after that, the curve flattens out. There’s surprisingly little difference between a candidate with six months of experience and one with six years. The real difference comes from the individual’s dedication, personality and intelligence.

The bold is mine! WOW! There’s a thought provoker. This is an awesome book and speaks to anyone looking for the best employees today and in the future. The beautiful part is in the end when they talk about Inspiration.

Inspiration is perishable… a magical thing, a productivity multiplier, a motivator. But it won’t wait for you. Inspiration is a now thing. If it grabs you, grab it right back and put it to work.

The third book I just completed is by Robert B. Cialdini:Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive. This is a most interesting book. But more importantly, their continual reminder that ethical persuasion IS possible and is valuable to all involved in the transaction. The book is not anecdotal, but instead gives many examples from small business to corporations, to international situations.

This easy to read little book has something for every business/entrepreneur. Take time to read it. You won’t be disappointed. You may be very surprised at the small things that can make a BIG difference! But here is an intriguing example:

… trimeth labs are more commonly known as coffee shops…. we doubt Howard Schultz (Starbucks Corp.) ever dreamed that the beverages he’d made available on every street corner and in every shopping mall could be a potential tool of influence and persuasion.

…Shortly after drinking the juice (spiked with caffeine) all the participants read a series of messages containing very good arguments advocating a certain position on a controversial issue. Those who had consumed the caffeinated beverages before reading these arguments were 35 percent more favorably disposed toward that position that were those who drank the unadulterated drink.

…the results showed that caffeine has little persuasive power reading messages containing weak arguments!

…Given a choice, then, you should make your presentations when people are most alert – shortly after they’ve had their morning coffee fix, and never right after lunch.

There you are- although it’s been nearly 2 months since I’ve posted, in that time I’ve enjoyed these books. Let me know if any of them inspire you!
Ellie's signature

May17

Annoying autosound on websites and blogs

Posted at 1:19 PM • 2 Comments

In updating my local site, havre de grace – the meeting place, I was double checking links when I discovered a number of local businesses using sound on their websites and blogs. Now, I don’t really mind that at all. In fact a lot of it I truly enjoy!

But let me ask you this: Do you get annoyed when watching tv and the commercials come on blaring? Do you listen to your computer via headphones so that you’re not bothering anyone else in the family?

Well, then. Maybe all those folks creating sound that starts automatically upon bringing up a website might want to think again. It may seem innocuous. But, believe me, if I have headphones on (or it’s late in the evening), a jarring audio on a website will have me growling phrases that should not be repeated in public!

Plus, if there is lots to read – and I am one of those that loves to read, it is most annoying to hear the music repeat over and over and over ad nauseum. Interestingly, some sites don’t even have a way to quickly turn it off. You can’t even find the little audio skin with controls to turn it on or off.

It’s the same problem as those flash entry pages that say you can “CLICK HERE” if you want to move on to the actual site! Why wouldn’t I want to get to the actual site. That’s most likely what I searched for, maybe even directly typed in the URL. Yep, it’s all cute and flashy, but is it what your visitor wants?

Here are my suggestions if you want your site to be visitor-friendly:

  1. If your site is promoting your business and you want folks to linger and learn more about you, do NOT have your audio automatically play. Place an audio bar and highlight that they can turn it on and listen.
  2. Do NOT have audio on every page, especially if it’s repeating automatically. (I may love your restaurant but hate the site’s Italian Opera, Hungarian, Greek, whatever!)
  3. Have you created an audio-message for your visitor? Again, make it one that they click to listen to it. After all, you want them to return again and again. They’ll get sick of hearing the auto-repeated message if they’re frequent visitors. Note: If you change it regularly, find a way to let them know that by a title frame, date, etc.

Okay, there are always exceptions. But I can’t think of a reason to have sound come blaring on without being polite enough to ask my permission to listen. This means placing a comment, title frame, etc. on the skin that says “Listen here”

Think about the last time you were annoyed by a loud ad, or a change in the volume on the tv. Now ask yourself if you want that same reaction from the visitors to your website. Remember, it’s not cute if I just growled at you. And it often will cause a visitor to decide to not return.

If you place audio (or audio in your slideshow or video) on your site, be user-friendly. Invite them to turn on the audio. That way, if you’re leaving relevant information for your visitors, they’ll be more apt to return to listen to what you have to offer. Your concern for their comfort (and eardrums) will go a long way towards creating a positive relationship via your website and blog.

Success to you… warmly,

Ellie's signature