Entrepreneurship
109 posts
What’s Your Sentence?
Tomorrow you might consider making a list of resolutions. You might even set goals for the coming year. Before you do watch this short video from Daniel Pink and then go craft a sentence that will be your guidepost for everything you plan to do. The best bit is that you get to choose. If…
The Glory Or Generosity?
The performer exited stage left, applause ringing in his ears. Relief and joy flooded through him as he grabbed a sandwich outside the greenroom. The stagehand waiting in the wings congratulated him on giving a great performance. He didn’t stop or turn to face her as he stuffed the sandwich into his
What Versus Why
My middle son left school this year and here’s the question everyone asks him. “What do you want to do?” I bet it’s a question you’ve been asked too at one time or another. My seventeen year old tells people he wants to study either architecture or design, and then that he’s off to Billund…
Be That
If you say you’re the biggest, fastest, strongest, cheapest, —————est, then be the biggest, fastest, strongest, cheapest, —————est . If you say you’re the best then be that. And the flipside? If you say it, then you set the intention of being it. Which means you have an obligation to go make it happ
Work For Money, Design For Love
My friend David Airey has drawn on his personal experience of building a successful freelance design business. He’s also gathered the business insights of leading designers and creatives and shared it all in his new book. Work For Money, Design For Love. Why I love this book… well the title has a sp
Anyone Could Have Done It
Anyone could have written that book. Had this idea. Made that project work. Pulled this off. The thing is they didn’t. That most people don’t. And you’re not just anyone. Image by Alexander Kesselaar.
Crafting Your Intention
I met a really passionate financial planner recently who was a bit stuck about how to craft a 30 second pitch to deliver to the people he met at networking events. The problem was that while he was agonising over finding the right words he lost the ability to communicate his intention. If you have…
The Hard Part
The hard part of becoming a personal trainer isn’t learning which muscle does what. There are plenty of study guides and anatomy books to help an aspiring trainer to get a Certificate IV in Fitness. No, the hard part is the art of telling a story that people you hope will sign up for your…
Tomorrow
Tomorrow there will be another social network to choose from. Tomorrow your competitors will be selling a similar app. Tomorrow there will be ten more books to buy at the bookstore. Tomorrow you’ll get to inbox zero. Tomorrow interest rates might come down. Tomorrow you’ll know for sure. Tomorrow th
You Scratch My Back
The suited up guy approached me at the end of the meeting saying he wanted to find ways to promote my business. He was that impressed! “There is a quid pro quo though.” he said. The old you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours routine. A transaction. This for that. The most valuable relationships…
6 Questions Every Startup Should Ask
1. What problem are we solving? 2. What need are we fulfilling? 3. Who are we solving the problem for? 4. How are we least like the competition? 5. How do we tell that story? 6. Why this, why us and why now? What questions have you asked yourself? Image by dasmart.
The Shortcut
The secret to overnight success is that there is no such thing as an overnight success. Here’s the formula. DO GOOD WORK x TIME = OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED This is how a self-published Kansas mother of three became the number #1 Amazon Business Bestseller in a week when ‘online influencers’ backed by b
Making Things Happen
Making things happen is about making a choice. The question you need to ask is “What do I want more?” This or that? Another slice of cake or smaller hips? More time on Facebook or focus and increased productivity? One more mind map in your notebook or something for all the world to see. The…
Just Because You Can Doesn’t Mean You Should
The tiny suburban cafe is full to bursting every day. It’s become more than a cafe really. The early morning cyclists punctuate the end of their ride at the tables on the pavement outside. Their last stop before heading off to work for the day. It’s the place where young mothers grab a takeaway coff
The Bottom Line
There’s an irony about entrepreneurship or starting a business and it’s this. When you begin you’re obsessed with the starting part. Just starting it seems is enough. You may have a vision for what could be, but there is not so much pressure to get there in the beginning. Once you’ve succeeded a lit
How To Get To Do The Things You Want To Do
The best way, the only way in fact, to get from where you are to where you want to be is to begin. You get to do what you want to do by doing it. Maybe not all day every day at first, but it’s easier than ever now to start. Decide what you want…
Adapting Or Shaping
Are you adapting to the current environment, or shaping what’s to come? The most successful people, businesses and brands don’t jump on today’s bandwagon they design the future. How are you doing that? Image by Mark JP.
Make Your Idea Matter
Make Your Idea Matter is finally available to buy on Amazon. Thanks to the people who bought the book yesterday it bagged a Top 3 spot on the Amazon Bestsellers list overnight! It’s taken most of our Australian winter (or your summer), to simply get the book edited, formatted, designed and ready for
How To Start Something
1. Make a plan. A physical plan. Get the ideas out of your head and onto paper. 2. Create a deadline and stick to it. Add the action steps that take you from where you are now to where you want to be. 3. Share your goal, or don’t. Being accountable to someone other than…
What Does It Take To Be In The 1%?
”99% of ”brands” are about as inspiring, interesting, and enlightening as a cup of lukewarm tea. Which is exactly why you shouldn’t be.” -Umair Haque So the good news then is that it’s not that hard to be the 1%! I asked Umair what he thought it took to be in the 1 %. He…
