I am all about businesses that really work; I think the average flegling entrepreneur really gets discouraged in trying to work a business opportunity that simply doesn't work, or doesn't work well for scads of people. On the other hand, there are businesses that are truly needed in the marketplace, and that the average person, with a decent level of motivation and skill can start - and have customers in very short order.
Virtual Assisting is one of those businesses. A virtual assistant is a freelance administrative professional who provides a wide range of administrative support to other businesses and professionals...whom they often never meet face-to-face.
Virtual assistants (I'll refer to them as VA's) offer services such as document preparation, editing, spreadsheet work, doing mailings, handling customer correspondence, and so forth. Many with strong professional specialties do web design work, desktop publishing, or even legal secretarial functions. Again, they do this on a freelance basis for clients, whether in their local area, or hundreds of miles away. Communication technology makes it possible.
So, does a virtual assisting business sound appealing to you? Ask youself a few fundamental questions:
Do you have a solid level of computer skill? VA's utilize computer technology constantly to do their work.
Do you have good communication skills? You'll be interacting with clients through many mediums - phone, email, perhaps in person, or even by teleconference. You need to be able to faciliate that.
Do you have good command of basic professional skills - this means writing, grammar, conventions of business writing, math, perhaps bookkeeping. You need to perform the business functions that a good administrative assistant would do if they were working a traditional job.
Can you work independently - this is not a job...it's a business, and you need to have an entrepreneurial mindset.
If you posess those traits, enjoy working on the computer, and enjoy administrative work, a virtual assisting business might be ideal for you. It's easy to get into (only a reasonably equipped home office is needed) and the marketplace responds well to it. One of the classes I teach is about starting a virtual assisting business, and it's not uncommon for students to get their first customer before the class even starts!
If you'd like to learn how to become a virtual assistant, they are upcoming in several locations starting in September (Mountain View College in Dallas, Community College of Spokane in Colville, WA, Ohio State University/North Central State College in Mansfield, OH, and Harford Community College in Belair, MD...and of course privately if you prefer to work directly). More important...in good "virtual style", these are all fully online classes.
If you'd like any details, just email me: whflood@yahoo.com
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Friday, August 21, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Money in Your Mailbox
Money in your mailbox!
I like the sound of that; it's the title of a classic business opportunity book, and could be referring to your ideal business.
A lot of people are interested in starting an Internet-based business of one kind or another. But, Have you given any consideration to it's predecessor, the mail order field? Mail order (or direct marketing as it should be called) is an exciting business, and really the forerunner of almost all forms of Internet-based selling.
Direct marketing comes in many forms - catalogs, direct mail, direct response television and radio advertising...even infomercials. It's a form of marketing that's nearly as old as commerce itself! You only need to look at the old 1800's Sears catalogs to get a sense of the history of this field.
When the Internet became a viable means of retailing merchandise and services, many pundits predicted the end of the mail order business. Of course, that was the furthest thing from reality. Yes, many formerly mail order firms traded their catalogs for web-based selling, but many successfully held on to their catalog operations while building popular website storefronts. It quickly appeared that the catalog world and the online world could work successfully together. In my view, a web-based storefront is nothing more than a contemporary form of catalog anyway...so the internet merely enhanced an already attractive industry!
Where am I going with all of this? Well, have you considered a direct marketing business as one of your opportunities? Can you see yourself selling goods with a catalog, literally getting money in your mailbox? What about marketing via direct mail where you send offers to people for exciting goods you sell and they in-turn send you money? Or, perhaps you prefer to take the online route running an online storefront? Even something as simple as selling on eBay is a form of direct marketing and can add several hundred dollars a month to your income without too much effort. Imagine waking up on Monday to find money waiting for you in your online account!
In my next post I'll continue this examination of direct marketing as a business opportunity. I'll provide you with several valuable resources if you are interested in direct marketing as your business vehicle.
So...stay tuned!
I like the sound of that; it's the title of a classic business opportunity book, and could be referring to your ideal business.
A lot of people are interested in starting an Internet-based business of one kind or another. But, Have you given any consideration to it's predecessor, the mail order field? Mail order (or direct marketing as it should be called) is an exciting business, and really the forerunner of almost all forms of Internet-based selling.
Direct marketing comes in many forms - catalogs, direct mail, direct response television and radio advertising...even infomercials. It's a form of marketing that's nearly as old as commerce itself! You only need to look at the old 1800's Sears catalogs to get a sense of the history of this field.
When the Internet became a viable means of retailing merchandise and services, many pundits predicted the end of the mail order business. Of course, that was the furthest thing from reality. Yes, many formerly mail order firms traded their catalogs for web-based selling, but many successfully held on to their catalog operations while building popular website storefronts. It quickly appeared that the catalog world and the online world could work successfully together. In my view, a web-based storefront is nothing more than a contemporary form of catalog anyway...so the internet merely enhanced an already attractive industry!
Where am I going with all of this? Well, have you considered a direct marketing business as one of your opportunities? Can you see yourself selling goods with a catalog, literally getting money in your mailbox? What about marketing via direct mail where you send offers to people for exciting goods you sell and they in-turn send you money? Or, perhaps you prefer to take the online route running an online storefront? Even something as simple as selling on eBay is a form of direct marketing and can add several hundred dollars a month to your income without too much effort. Imagine waking up on Monday to find money waiting for you in your online account!
In my next post I'll continue this examination of direct marketing as a business opportunity. I'll provide you with several valuable resources if you are interested in direct marketing as your business vehicle.
So...stay tuned!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Import Export Business Class Offered Again
I'll promote another class here. I got so many late inquiries for the April section of the Starting an Import/Export Business class that I'm offering it again.
The summer session starts on Wednesday, June 17. It's fully online just like the April session. It's a 12-week, hands-on, real-world class that not only teaches import/export but can have you set up in an import/export business before the class is even over!
Give me a shout if you want any information, to register, or to ask any questions, etc.
614-886-8233
whflood@yahoo.com
William Flood
The summer session starts on Wednesday, June 17. It's fully online just like the April session. It's a 12-week, hands-on, real-world class that not only teaches import/export but can have you set up in an import/export business before the class is even over!
Give me a shout if you want any information, to register, or to ask any questions, etc.
614-886-8233
whflood@yahoo.com
William Flood
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Learn the Import Export Business
Make Money in The Import Export Business
An Ideal Home-Based Business
How would you like to make thousands of dollars, get access to tax-deductible travel, interact with cultures all over the world, and do it all with little or no risk?If you answered, yes, yes, and yes, the the Import/Export business is what you've been looking for.
Import/export, or International Trade as it's often referred to is one of those ideal businesses that so many people are searching for. Imagine a business where you can make hundreds - or even thousands of dollars a month - right from home and your computer. Here's the gist. Picture buying hand-made, artisan produced products from German or Thailand, or electronics from the Pacific Rim...at bargain, bargain prices, and then reselling them for huge profits!
Picture a business where you can involve yourself with amazing products and cultures from all over the world, make money, and even be able to travel (if you like) in a tax-deductible way!
World traders are able to buy products that sell themselves, and market them for 10 or 20 times what they paid! Many of them choose to travel to exotic places in search of buying opportunities. Many deal with sellers and buyers all over the world without ever leaving home...it's really your choice!
Learn Import Export Online
At the request of a ton of people who missed out on a prior class, who've been begging me to teach this class for them, I'm going to offer it online starting on Wednesday April 22, 2009.
In the course, you will learn the how to import and export, and will be introduced to how put trade deals together. Not only will you learn, but through hands-on real-world projects, you'll be able to actually identify an international trade opportunity and bring that opportunity to fruition.
And, I'll personally counsel you on how to apply the skills you are learning to work your chosen trade deal. In other words, if you are willing to take on the challenge, you can put together your first trade deal right during the class...who knows there might be some nice dollar signs in that first deal!
If you follow my podcast or blogs, you know that I don't skimp! The class runs a full 12 weeks - that's 12 lessons that will teach you the full A-Z of the import/export business....hands-on...with my private feedback when you need it.
It's fully online, so you can work on the lessons whenever and wherever you can access the Internet. That's the beauty of an online class.
The best part is that I'm keeping the cost way, way down. I'm beta-testing an online course platform, so if you are willing to be a bit of a "guinea pig" with the software, you can get into the class for only $179. That's more than most people pay for a one-day workshop, and this is going to run a full 12 weeks.
Please pass this message along. There are a lot of people out there right now who need ways of making extra income, replacing their income and so forth. This may be exactly what they are looking for.
Details
Course begins Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Course Tuition: $179 (can be paid by credit card)
To register, or if you'd like to reach me to ask questions, feel free to call or email me (614) 886-8233 and whflood@yahoo.com I'm happy to answer any questions you have.
An Ideal Home-Based Business
How would you like to make thousands of dollars, get access to tax-deductible travel, interact with cultures all over the world, and do it all with little or no risk?If you answered, yes, yes, and yes, the the Import/Export business is what you've been looking for.
Import/export, or International Trade as it's often referred to is one of those ideal businesses that so many people are searching for. Imagine a business where you can make hundreds - or even thousands of dollars a month - right from home and your computer. Here's the gist. Picture buying hand-made, artisan produced products from German or Thailand, or electronics from the Pacific Rim...at bargain, bargain prices, and then reselling them for huge profits!
Picture a business where you can involve yourself with amazing products and cultures from all over the world, make money, and even be able to travel (if you like) in a tax-deductible way!
World traders are able to buy products that sell themselves, and market them for 10 or 20 times what they paid! Many of them choose to travel to exotic places in search of buying opportunities. Many deal with sellers and buyers all over the world without ever leaving home...it's really your choice!
Learn Import Export Online
At the request of a ton of people who missed out on a prior class, who've been begging me to teach this class for them, I'm going to offer it online starting on Wednesday April 22, 2009.
In the course, you will learn the how to import and export, and will be introduced to how put trade deals together. Not only will you learn, but through hands-on real-world projects, you'll be able to actually identify an international trade opportunity and bring that opportunity to fruition.
And, I'll personally counsel you on how to apply the skills you are learning to work your chosen trade deal. In other words, if you are willing to take on the challenge, you can put together your first trade deal right during the class...who knows there might be some nice dollar signs in that first deal!
If you follow my podcast or blogs, you know that I don't skimp! The class runs a full 12 weeks - that's 12 lessons that will teach you the full A-Z of the import/export business....hands-on...with my private feedback when you need it.
It's fully online, so you can work on the lessons whenever and wherever you can access the Internet. That's the beauty of an online class.
The best part is that I'm keeping the cost way, way down. I'm beta-testing an online course platform, so if you are willing to be a bit of a "guinea pig" with the software, you can get into the class for only $179. That's more than most people pay for a one-day workshop, and this is going to run a full 12 weeks.
Please pass this message along. There are a lot of people out there right now who need ways of making extra income, replacing their income and so forth. This may be exactly what they are looking for.
Details
Course begins Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Course Tuition: $179 (can be paid by credit card)
To register, or if you'd like to reach me to ask questions, feel free to call or email me (614) 886-8233 and whflood@yahoo.com I'm happy to answer any questions you have.
Friday, March 16, 2007
What Business Should You Start?
I thought I'd start the first real edition of this blog by addressing what is, perhaps, the most common question I am asked by want-to-be entrepreneurs. That is, what business should I start.
People are, no doubt, asking me to look into my crystal ball and determine what is going to make them the most amount of money...what will be successful. Yet, the answer runs much deeper than that kind of surface examination. It's deeper, if for no other reason, than what might work very successfully for one person or family, could be a disaster for another. Just last night, I was asked by a student, what I considered to be the best franchise to get into. He wasn't expecting the answer I gave; first I told him I wasn't much of a fan of franchises, and secondly that to suggest that this opportunity or that should be the one he gets into could be very mis-directing.
Instead, I wanted to point him (and you) to a different way to think about what kind of business to select. The beginning point for that is to look within first. Career counseling & development professionals (among my various hats, I'm one of those) know that happiness and success in ones career comes from tapping into one's strengths. Specifically, when a counselor looks at a career client, they assess the person's skills, interests, values, and personality. In other words, we look at what people are good at doing, what they enjoy, how they best like to work and so forth.
It's the same when you are investigating a business. You should consider what you are good at doing, what you enjoy, what you are empassioned about and so on.
Laurel Langemeier, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and speakers looks to skills as the best place to start a business. Her concept of the Cash Machine stems from looking at what people are good at doing and using that as a foundation for a business. By way of example, if one was a teacher, then running a tutoring business would be one logical choice. If a person was employed as computer programmer, then perhaps a web design business would be a good choice.
No doubt, that strategy is a good one, but it's not the one I follow. I tend to lean much more towards interests and passions as the best foundation for starting an entrepreneurial venture. My mentor, Robert Allen - a New York times multiple best seller (The One Minute Millionaire, Nothing Down, Creating Wealth) points clearly to interests and passions as the source of a business. This line of thinking acknowledges that you can be good at something, but hate it. On the other hand, if you are interested enough in something, you'll eventually get good at it!
Let me illustrate with a story - a real student-client of mine - and how she built her business.
Jenny came to a class I was teaching on starting a consulting business. Introducing herself and her entrepreneurial interests, Jenny stated that she wanted to start a "juvenile-justice consulting firm." Honestly, I quietly thought to myself, "What is that?" Jenny went on to describe how she had been in the field of juvenile justice since she was 18 years old, having been recruited by the local court system during her senior year in high school. It was the only job she had ever had.
However, you could see in her eyes that she hated the job. I honestly think I saw the color leave her face as she discussed her profession. But when she described it for the class, she was honest enough to say that she didn't like the work, but she wasn't sure what else she could do.
I had Jenny complete a series of questions I’ll give to you in a moment that I call a skills assessment. Jenny’s answers showed that she clearly had assets in an area outside of juvenile justice. Jenny's skills assessment results were not what you might describe as crystal clear - it took a little interpretation by all of the members of the class to help her discover the basis for her business.
Jenny listed among her answers that, in addition to juvenile-justice work, she had taken some history courses at the local college, had refinished furniture, and had traveled extensively. In addition she listed travel—especially going to bed-and-breakfast inns—as one of her favorite activities. She also listed that she liked to be around anything historical, and often visited museums and archaeological sites. She was an avid buyer of antiques and noted that she was good at refinishing furniture, although she had never been formally trained in that skill. Along those lines, she also felt that she was good at picking out antiques that looked attractive in people's homes. She placed at the top of her answer list serving others and being involved in the history field. She couldn't come up with anything more specific than those two.
As you can see, her results were a little hazy. However, there were some apparent themes. History, in some form, was in every category. Likewise, antiques showed up frequently. After getting a lot of feedback from other class members, she and I discussed her options in running a consulting practice somehow based on either history or antiques.
Eventually, she started a company that specializes in helping owners of historic property select furnishings, wall coverings, and floor coverings that are historically accurate. I guess you could call her an interior-design consultant for historic properties.
For her clients, she analyzes the period of the property, typically a home, and suggests furnishings that are appropriate to the period. In some cases, she has been hired to locate very specific pieces of furniture. On at least one occasion, a client paid for her to travel out of state in order to locate a piece of furniture she wanted.
In her first year, after working approximately 20 hours per week in this new business, she netted approximately $12,000. To some people, that might not seem like a great amount of money. To her, it represented nirvana and a change of lifestyle worth more than any money could buy. I remember her telling me, "I can't believe people pay me to play!" You see, sometimes profit comes in something other than cash. That's not to say that her business didn't grow over the years, but even if it hadn't she still would have been delighted with it.
So, what are the questions to ask yourself to help lead you to these kinds of insights? They are:
Sometimes the connections among the four questions are quite clear—they simply reveal themselves. In other cases, such as with Jenny, the connections are not as clear, and you have to real between the lines to connect the dots.
Using this battery of questions can be an exciting journey, but sometimes difficult. Share your results with a trusted friend or relative if you are having challenges finding the themes. You can always contact me to get some input - sometimes a neutral eye can see what you can not.
As always...enjoy the journey and process.
Bill Flood
People are, no doubt, asking me to look into my crystal ball and determine what is going to make them the most amount of money...what will be successful. Yet, the answer runs much deeper than that kind of surface examination. It's deeper, if for no other reason, than what might work very successfully for one person or family, could be a disaster for another. Just last night, I was asked by a student, what I considered to be the best franchise to get into. He wasn't expecting the answer I gave; first I told him I wasn't much of a fan of franchises, and secondly that to suggest that this opportunity or that should be the one he gets into could be very mis-directing.
Instead, I wanted to point him (and you) to a different way to think about what kind of business to select. The beginning point for that is to look within first. Career counseling & development professionals (among my various hats, I'm one of those) know that happiness and success in ones career comes from tapping into one's strengths. Specifically, when a counselor looks at a career client, they assess the person's skills, interests, values, and personality. In other words, we look at what people are good at doing, what they enjoy, how they best like to work and so forth.
It's the same when you are investigating a business. You should consider what you are good at doing, what you enjoy, what you are empassioned about and so on.
Laurel Langemeier, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and speakers looks to skills as the best place to start a business. Her concept of the Cash Machine stems from looking at what people are good at doing and using that as a foundation for a business. By way of example, if one was a teacher, then running a tutoring business would be one logical choice. If a person was employed as computer programmer, then perhaps a web design business would be a good choice.
No doubt, that strategy is a good one, but it's not the one I follow. I tend to lean much more towards interests and passions as the best foundation for starting an entrepreneurial venture. My mentor, Robert Allen - a New York times multiple best seller (The One Minute Millionaire, Nothing Down, Creating Wealth) points clearly to interests and passions as the source of a business. This line of thinking acknowledges that you can be good at something, but hate it. On the other hand, if you are interested enough in something, you'll eventually get good at it!
Let me illustrate with a story - a real student-client of mine - and how she built her business.
Jenny came to a class I was teaching on starting a consulting business. Introducing herself and her entrepreneurial interests, Jenny stated that she wanted to start a "juvenile-justice consulting firm." Honestly, I quietly thought to myself, "What is that?" Jenny went on to describe how she had been in the field of juvenile justice since she was 18 years old, having been recruited by the local court system during her senior year in high school. It was the only job she had ever had.
However, you could see in her eyes that she hated the job. I honestly think I saw the color leave her face as she discussed her profession. But when she described it for the class, she was honest enough to say that she didn't like the work, but she wasn't sure what else she could do.
I had Jenny complete a series of questions I’ll give to you in a moment that I call a skills assessment. Jenny’s answers showed that she clearly had assets in an area outside of juvenile justice. Jenny's skills assessment results were not what you might describe as crystal clear - it took a little interpretation by all of the members of the class to help her discover the basis for her business.
Jenny listed among her answers that, in addition to juvenile-justice work, she had taken some history courses at the local college, had refinished furniture, and had traveled extensively. In addition she listed travel—especially going to bed-and-breakfast inns—as one of her favorite activities. She also listed that she liked to be around anything historical, and often visited museums and archaeological sites. She was an avid buyer of antiques and noted that she was good at refinishing furniture, although she had never been formally trained in that skill. Along those lines, she also felt that she was good at picking out antiques that looked attractive in people's homes. She placed at the top of her answer list serving others and being involved in the history field. She couldn't come up with anything more specific than those two.
As you can see, her results were a little hazy. However, there were some apparent themes. History, in some form, was in every category. Likewise, antiques showed up frequently. After getting a lot of feedback from other class members, she and I discussed her options in running a consulting practice somehow based on either history or antiques.
Eventually, she started a company that specializes in helping owners of historic property select furnishings, wall coverings, and floor coverings that are historically accurate. I guess you could call her an interior-design consultant for historic properties.
For her clients, she analyzes the period of the property, typically a home, and suggests furnishings that are appropriate to the period. In some cases, she has been hired to locate very specific pieces of furniture. On at least one occasion, a client paid for her to travel out of state in order to locate a piece of furniture she wanted.
In her first year, after working approximately 20 hours per week in this new business, she netted approximately $12,000. To some people, that might not seem like a great amount of money. To her, it represented nirvana and a change of lifestyle worth more than any money could buy. I remember her telling me, "I can't believe people pay me to play!" You see, sometimes profit comes in something other than cash. That's not to say that her business didn't grow over the years, but even if it hadn't she still would have been delighted with it.
So, what are the questions to ask yourself to help lead you to these kinds of insights? They are:
- What have you done in the past?
- What are you good at doing?
- What do you enjoy doing?
- What do you feel "called" or "compelled" to do with your life?
Sometimes the connections among the four questions are quite clear—they simply reveal themselves. In other cases, such as with Jenny, the connections are not as clear, and you have to real between the lines to connect the dots.
Using this battery of questions can be an exciting journey, but sometimes difficult. Share your results with a trusted friend or relative if you are having challenges finding the themes. You can always contact me to get some input - sometimes a neutral eye can see what you can not.
As always...enjoy the journey and process.
Bill Flood
Friday, February 9, 2007
The Entrepreneurial Highway is Launched!
OK...today is inauguration day for the Entrepreneurial Highway. My intention here is to create a one-of-a-kind blog dedicated to newbie entrepreneurs who want do make the transition from jobs (that they probably hate) to starting a small business. After getting the blog successfully launched, I'll be pairing it with a Podcast...somewhere...
Since this is as much my blogging initiation as it is the launch of the Entrepreneurial Highway, I thought I'd provide a bit of insight on where I'm going with this thing. What's the purpose, anyway? Let me start by telling you of my journey to entrepreneurship; that will be a natural segue into why I started the blog. At the same time, I am hoping you can relate to the journey as it might sound strikingly similar to yours.
Back in the day (1982 actually), I can still clearly remember my eyeballs falling out of my head as I data-entered yet another string of mindless numbers into a computer. I was 20 years old, a computer professional, and hated my obviously dead-end job. Jobs and I didn't gel; In fact, I'd either quit or been fired from every job I'd had.
On that particular day, I can remember pondering how I was ever going to survive in the world if the job thing is what it took to survive. Like so many of you reading this, I hated my job, I hated my boss controlling my life, and I hated being controlled by a time clock. Who invented the lunch half-hour anyway? Worst of all, the money was never any good! I couldn't even afford my own apartment.
At that point, I knew nothing about being an entrepreneur other than being fascinated by the late-night TV infomercials for business opportunities and real estate investing. And, boy did they resonate with me. I think I attended every 'seminar' that came to town. For those of you who remember him, I think I was the first attendee at Tom Vu's real estate program. Then, it was on to the library to pick up any and every book on small business, investing, finances, marketing they had available.
As I said, those programs really resonated with me -- those amazing testimonials -- people speaking of earning money from home, not having a boss, and not working that blasted 9-5 day after day after day schedule. In my wildest fantasies I dreamed of being able to take my time at lunch, sitting at the docks in Annapolis, Maryland where I lived at the time, drinking iced tea, and making deals. Little did I know that in one short year I'd be doing just that...a dream come true.
My escape came later that year when I began taking my computer skills out into the public as a consultant and trainer. That small, part-time venture, started evenings and weekends to simply make some extra money, ended up being my ticket to be my own boss - permanantly. It provided time freedom, exciting creative work, no boss, and income four-times what I was making in that supposedly good job I had.
I never looked back. You never will either! Why would you willingly go back into the 9-5 grind when you can have the freedom/income/creative outlet/autonomy/you name it you've wanted? If you here yourself cheering, that's the entrepreneur in you shouting by the way.
I swore back when I felt enslaved by a worse-than-death job, that if I could ever attain the kind of freedom I craved in those late night infomercials that I would teach other people how to do the same. I just KNEW there had to be other crazy people out there who wanted something better then golden handcuffs. I vowed that if I obtained my freedom that I would help other people find theirs. And, that's what I've been doing ever since.
Since my first venture, I've gone on to start several businesses - a magazine, an import-export business, a management consulting operation, a mail order/direct marketing firm, and my pet, a real estate investment practice. But, my favorite, and what has been bread and butter since 1989 has been a small business consultancy in which I train other people how to become financially free through their own businesses. Nearly 100,000 folks have taken classes or workshops I've been blessed to give.
Over the years I've developed systems (golly, I hate that word...it sounds like I should be promoting one of those late-night infomercials) to help people find legitimate business opportunities - ones in which they can start generating income nearly immediately; businesses that can be started on a shoestring and can be grown into. What I'm talking about are low-risk, high-probability ways of becoming successfully self-employed. That's my niche - to help folks tap into proven businesses, with proven ways to do them. This is the place to learn about them.
Let's face it - if you are reading this, you've probably tried a few 'opportunities' on for size. Did you make any money? Did you spend or lose a bunch of it? Did you try your best, but fail to produce any results? I can see your expressions in my mind. I know the answers too well. In fact, I just last night I heard yet another tale of a lady in Canada who hooked up with a popular outfit and spent $5,000 on their 'program' only to find they wouldn't back her the way they claimed. The really sad part was she was sitting on a pile of opportunity and didn't even know it because she was too blindly focused on their program.
So, all of this brings me to the point of my launch. This blog came into being to provide you with a way to learn about home-business and micro-entrepreneurship without having to go about it the hard way.
To get the juices flowing, I thought I'd start by pointing out some of my favorite best-of-breed business opportunities. In "The Highway" we'll be looking at such ventures as:
Thanks for reading...have a great day...and today, start thinking like an entrepreneur.
Bill Flood
Since this is as much my blogging initiation as it is the launch of the Entrepreneurial Highway, I thought I'd provide a bit of insight on where I'm going with this thing. What's the purpose, anyway? Let me start by telling you of my journey to entrepreneurship; that will be a natural segue into why I started the blog. At the same time, I am hoping you can relate to the journey as it might sound strikingly similar to yours.
Back in the day (1982 actually), I can still clearly remember my eyeballs falling out of my head as I data-entered yet another string of mindless numbers into a computer. I was 20 years old, a computer professional, and hated my obviously dead-end job. Jobs and I didn't gel; In fact, I'd either quit or been fired from every job I'd had.
On that particular day, I can remember pondering how I was ever going to survive in the world if the job thing is what it took to survive. Like so many of you reading this, I hated my job, I hated my boss controlling my life, and I hated being controlled by a time clock. Who invented the lunch half-hour anyway? Worst of all, the money was never any good! I couldn't even afford my own apartment.
At that point, I knew nothing about being an entrepreneur other than being fascinated by the late-night TV infomercials for business opportunities and real estate investing. And, boy did they resonate with me. I think I attended every 'seminar' that came to town. For those of you who remember him, I think I was the first attendee at Tom Vu's real estate program. Then, it was on to the library to pick up any and every book on small business, investing, finances, marketing they had available.
As I said, those programs really resonated with me -- those amazing testimonials -- people speaking of earning money from home, not having a boss, and not working that blasted 9-5 day after day after day schedule. In my wildest fantasies I dreamed of being able to take my time at lunch, sitting at the docks in Annapolis, Maryland where I lived at the time, drinking iced tea, and making deals. Little did I know that in one short year I'd be doing just that...a dream come true.
My escape came later that year when I began taking my computer skills out into the public as a consultant and trainer. That small, part-time venture, started evenings and weekends to simply make some extra money, ended up being my ticket to be my own boss - permanantly. It provided time freedom, exciting creative work, no boss, and income four-times what I was making in that supposedly good job I had.
I never looked back. You never will either! Why would you willingly go back into the 9-5 grind when you can have the freedom/income/creative outlet/autonomy/you name it you've wanted? If you here yourself cheering, that's the entrepreneur in you shouting by the way.
I swore back when I felt enslaved by a worse-than-death job, that if I could ever attain the kind of freedom I craved in those late night infomercials that I would teach other people how to do the same. I just KNEW there had to be other crazy people out there who wanted something better then golden handcuffs. I vowed that if I obtained my freedom that I would help other people find theirs. And, that's what I've been doing ever since.
Since my first venture, I've gone on to start several businesses - a magazine, an import-export business, a management consulting operation, a mail order/direct marketing firm, and my pet, a real estate investment practice. But, my favorite, and what has been bread and butter since 1989 has been a small business consultancy in which I train other people how to become financially free through their own businesses. Nearly 100,000 folks have taken classes or workshops I've been blessed to give.
Over the years I've developed systems (golly, I hate that word...it sounds like I should be promoting one of those late-night infomercials) to help people find legitimate business opportunities - ones in which they can start generating income nearly immediately; businesses that can be started on a shoestring and can be grown into. What I'm talking about are low-risk, high-probability ways of becoming successfully self-employed. That's my niche - to help folks tap into proven businesses, with proven ways to do them. This is the place to learn about them.
Let's face it - if you are reading this, you've probably tried a few 'opportunities' on for size. Did you make any money? Did you spend or lose a bunch of it? Did you try your best, but fail to produce any results? I can see your expressions in my mind. I know the answers too well. In fact, I just last night I heard yet another tale of a lady in Canada who hooked up with a popular outfit and spent $5,000 on their 'program' only to find they wouldn't back her the way they claimed. The really sad part was she was sitting on a pile of opportunity and didn't even know it because she was too blindly focused on their program.
So, all of this brings me to the point of my launch. This blog came into being to provide you with a way to learn about home-business and micro-entrepreneurship without having to go about it the hard way.
To get the juices flowing, I thought I'd start by pointing out some of my favorite best-of-breed business opportunities. In "The Highway" we'll be looking at such ventures as:
- Online auction selling
- Import/export business
- Mail Order/Direct Marketing
- Real Estate Investment
- Consulting
- Virtual Assisting
- Stock Trading (yes...I did say that)
Thanks for reading...have a great day...and today, start thinking like an entrepreneur.
Bill Flood
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