The Major Key to Your Better Future is You - Article by Jim Rohn

Of all the things that can have an effect on your future, I believe personal growth is the greatest. We can talk about sales growth, profit growth, asset growth, but all of this probably will not happen without personal growth. It’s really the open door to it all. In fact I’d like to have you memorize a most important phrase. Here it is, “The major key to your better future is YOU.”

Let me repeat that. “The major key to your better future is YOU.” Put that someplace you can see it everyday, in the bathroom, in the kitchen, at the office, anywhere where you can see it everyday. The major key to your better future is YOU. Try to remember that every day you live and think about it. The major key is YOU.
Now, there are many things that will help your better future. If you belong to a strong, dynamic and progressive company, that would help. If the company has good products, good services that you are proud of, that would certainly help. If there were good sales aids, that would help, good training would certainly help. If there is strong leadership that will certainly help. All of these things will help, and of course, if it doesn’t storm, that will help. If your car doesn’t break down, that will help. If the kids don’t get sick, that will help. If the neighbors stay half way civil, that will help. If your relatives don’t bug you, that will help. If it isn’t too cold, if it isn’t too hot, all those things will help your better future. And if prices don’t go much higher and if taxes don’t get much heavier, that will help. And if the economy stays stable, those things will all help. We could go on and on with the list; but remember this, the list of things that I’ve just covered and many more - all put together - play a minor role in your better future.

The major key to your better future is you. Lock your mind onto that. This is a super important point to remember. The major key is you. Mr. Shoaff always answered when asked, “How do you develop an above average income?” by saying “Simple, become an above average person. Work on you.” Mr. Shoaff would say, “Develop an above average handshake.” He would say, “A lot of people want to be successful, and they don’t even work on their handshake. As easy as that would be to start, they let it slide. They don’t understand.” Mr. Shoaff would say, “Develop an above average smile. Develop an above average excitement. Develop an above average dedication. Develop an above average interest in other people.” He would say, “To have more, become more.” Remember; work harder on yourself than you do on your job. For a long time in my life, I didn’t have this figured out.

Strangely enough, with two different people in the same company one may earn an extra $100 a month, and the other may earn a $1,000. What could possibly be the difference? If the products were the same, if the training was the same, if they both had the same literature, the same tools. If they both had the same teacher, the same compensation plan, if they both attended the same meetings, why would one person earn the $100 per month and the other person earn the $1000? Remember here is the difference...the difference is personal, inside, not outside, inside.

You see the real difference is inside you. In fact, the difference IS you. Someone once said, “The magic is not in the products. The magic is not in the literature. The magic is not in the film. There isn’t a magic meeting, but the magic that makes things better is inside you, and personal growth makes this magic work for you.

The magic is in believing. The magic is in daring. The magic is in trying. The real magic is in persevering. The magic is in accepting. It’s in working. The magic is in thinking. There is magic in a handshake. There is magic in a smile. There is magic in excitement and determination. There is real magic in compassion and caring and sharing. There is unusual magic in strong feeling and you see, all that comes from inside, not outside. So, the difference is inside you. The real difference is you. You are the major key to your better future.



Jim Rohn
Motivational Speaker, Businessman & Self Help Author
Jim Rohn is one of America's foremost business and self help leaders. He is a millionaire, entrepreneur, businessman, author, and motivational speaker.

Forbes Rich List - World's Billionaires in 2007

The Forbes billionaires list continues to grow in number, with a record 946 billionaires counted around the world in 2007. The top five positions are pretty much the same as last year, but there have been an impressive 178 newcomers to the list. The combined value of the entire billionaires list rose by $900 billion to $3.5 trillion with an average of $3.6 billion each.

Microsoft's Bill Gates has held on to his number one position for the thirteenth straight year. Gates had a good year with an increase of about $6 billion. His good friend Warren Buffett remains the second richest man in the world with $52 billion, which is up $10 billion from last year. With plans to give much of his vast wealth to charities, Buffett is probably not too concerned about becoming the richest man in the world. Gates will soon be responsible for the bulk of Buffett's generous donations when he takes his fulltime position at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Mexico's richest man has quickly closed the gap between second and third positions with an increase of $19 billion (yes, that's billion with a B!). Not only is that the single biggest increase in wealth this year, but it is the biggest one year increase on the Forbes rich list for the past ten years. Carlos Slim Helu now has $49 billion in assets, which is just $3 billion behind Buffett and $7 billion behind Bill Gates. If Helu continues at this pace while Gates and Buffett devote more time and money to philanthropy, there will soon be a Mexican claiming the title of the richest man in the world.

The Swedish founder of the Ikea furniture company is the first European billionaire on the list, with an estimated net worth of $33 billion. Ingvar Kamprad increased his wealth by $3 billion and reclaims his number three position. Indian born steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal is just behind Kamprad with $32 billion, which is an impressive amount as he had just $23.5 billion last year.

India now has more billionaires than any other Asian country after taking the title from Japan. The number of Indian billionaires increased by fourteen over the past 12 months, bringing their total to 36. While 36 Indians have an estimated $191 billion in net worth, 400 million other Indians live on less than one dollar per day. Japan now has 24 billionaires, which is just ahead of Hong Kong's 21 billionaires and China's 20 billionaires.

This year was the twentieth year of the Forbes world rich list. Forbes has seen the fortunes of business leaders worldwide rise and fall. While Bill Gates made his way to the top (and has stayed there), Yoshiaki Tsutsumi has dropped from being the world's richest person in 1987 to not even being on the list this year

Sources: woopidoo.com

Five things to consider before starting your own business -

Getting free from dominating bosses and the possibility to make your own decisions is one of the lures of starting your own business. As attractive as it looks, not everyone is suited for self-employment. Before you go ahead with any plan to start a business it is important to take a close look at yourself and ask yourself some important questions.
1. Do you have enough start-up capital and a back-up income?It takes money to make money, even if it is only a home business. Make sure that you have enough funds to equip yourself and begin marketing before taking the plunge. Also, don't expect to make a lot of money in the early stages of your business. You will need to set aside enough money to provide for you and your family during the initial start-up period for your business. Consult with other similar businesses and find out how long it took them to become viable.

2. Are you a self-moving person?
This is the key quality that separates an employee from and entrepreneur. If you need to wait around and be told what to do, then you would find it easier to get a job with a company rather than to launch your own business. On the other hand, if you are able to think of an idea and carry it out without prodding from someone else, then you may be able to succeed in your own business.

3. Are you willing to work more than a standard 9-5 day?
When you work for someone else you are contracted to work a certain schedule. At the end of the day, you can often able to just forget about the job, go home and relax. When you have your own business you carry a load of responsibility on your shoulders and you will often end up working longer hours than a normal salaried employee. If you like what you are doing and if your business is financially rewarding then you may not mind putting in a lot of extra hours and working when other people are resting. Once again, there is no "right" or "wrong" here. It is just a question of looking deeply at yourself and finding out what you are best cut out to do.

4. Is your family ready to back you up?You may have a great idea for your own business, but before you begin you have to see if your family is ready to support your ideas. If you start your own business there may be an element of risk and an increased demand on your time. Owning your own business and having a lot of responsibility can also be very stressful. It is crucial that your closest loved one, the ones who share your life, also share your vision and will provide the emotional support and understanding that you need in order to be successful.

5. Are you passionate about the business that you want to set up?In order to be successful in your own enterprise you will have to be self-moving and you may have to work harder than an employee in someone else's firm. If you do not really like what you are doing you will find it hard to get the inspiration and drive that is required for such a task. Choose an activity that you know something about and choose an activity that you enjoy doing. The ideal business would be one where you have some prior knowledge and something which you enjoy doing.

One thing to remember, there is nothing wrong with being an employee and working for someone else. There are a lot of advantages in terms of job security, steady income, standard hours and other benefits. It is just a question of looking at your total situation and making the right choice. On the other hand, if you do possess the qualities of an entrepreneur and really have a good idea backed by adequate capital and expertise, then starting your own business may be the best thing you will ever do.


"The entrepreneur in us sees opportunities everywhere we look, but many people see only problems everywhere they look. The entrepreneur in us is more concerned with discriminating between opportunities than he or she is with failing to see the opportunities." Michael Gerber Quote


By David Bond
Entrepreneur, Writer, and Businessman
David Bond is a freelance writer for Woopidoo.com. He has worked in leadership positions in both online and bricks & mortar businesses

Turning a New Business into an Enduring Company

As your business grows, you will need to build systems and processes and attempt to automate as much as you can. You’ll need to build distribution systems, inventory systems, marketing systems, follow-up systems, customer support systems, research and development systems, accounting systems, and hiring systems, among many others.
From the beginning of your business, as you create each system, write down the details, as well as any general business rules and procedures in an employee handbook. This book will become invaluable as time progresses. The Employee Handbook for Broadwick Corporation is currently 38 pages and contains background information on the company, founders’ bios, a listing of officers and the Board of Directors, a company description, a description of our main product, product frequently asked questions, a company timeline, a list of persons to know, an overview of agreements, and office procedures and policies including a/an:

Attendance Policy
Phone Usage Policy
Phone Answering Policy
Voice Mail Procedure
Job Responsibilities Policy
Performance Evaluations
Dress Code Policy
Permission-Based Policy
Network Usage Policy
Change of Information Policy
Confidentiality Policy
Food Policy
Printing Policy
Parking Policy
Sexual Harassment Policy
Drug Policy
Reimbursement Policy
Workers’ Compensation Policy
Adverse Weather Policy
Freelancing Policy
Vacation Policy
Holidays Policy
Payroll Procedure
As we grow the business and things change, we continuously add to the handbook.

Always remember that investors do not like to invest in systems where the system goes home at night. If you can build proper systems so that your business will operate properly, whether or not you are there to oversee it, your business will grow faster and be much easier to sell. Although it takes longer to set up the system than to do it yourself, in the long run you can save a lot of your time and effort by setting up the system.

It’s More Than a Handbook
Building your company from a new business into an enduring organization creates some growing pains. Putting in place an Employee Handbook can’t help with all of these. You’ll also need to do payroll, ensure compliance with HR laws and regulations, and ensure your books are up to higher standards. Specific things I’ve learned as being the CEO of a company going from 2 to 9 employees over the past year include:

It’s best to outsource your payroll. Figuring out State, Social Security, Medicare, FICA, and Unemployment amounts and making sure exact payments are made on time can be quite a hassle if you choose to do it yourself. We use a company called Paychex to handle cutting checks for our employees and paying all applicable state and federal payroll taxes.
Be sure to have a procedure for hiring new employees. All new Broadwick employees must sign an Employment Agreement, Confidentiality, Non-Disclosure, and Non-Compete Agreement. They also receive a Direct Deposit Enrollment Form, W4, Health Insurance Enrollment Form, and Employee Handbook.
Maintain records relating to personnel and performance to protect yourself against lawsuits related to employee termination. Conduct quarterly evaluations of each employee yourself until you are large enough to have a full HR department.
Hire a good accounting firm and establish an appropriate accounting procedure. At Broadwick, we keep all of our financial records and receipts for each month and then mail them to our accounting firm at the beginning of the next month. They input the records into QuickBooks Professional 2004 and then mail the files back to us. We get a monthly profit and loss statement and balance sheet. The same firm also handles our yearly taxes.
Focus on Efficiency
As you go from being a small start-up to an international player in your industry, you’ll have to manage the operations of a number of activities. In all cases, focus on creating efficiency and optimizing every operation. The more you can automate your operations the better.

As an example, we can take a look at a recent client of mine in the nutraceuticals industry. This client sells various products that improve health and reduce pain. When I began working with the client, they were making a few dozen sales per day through their web site. When a sale would come in, they would have their shipping person type in the customer’s information into a label maker, print out postage on stamps.com, type in the address a second time, get a box from the closet, construct the box, find the proper product and put it in the box, find the proper literature and put it in the box, manually enter the address for the third time as well as the product, description, quantity, and cost into QuickBooks and print out an invoice, put the invoice in the box, tape the box up, apply the stamps.com postage, and then go to the post office to mail the package.

When they told me everything they did to ready an order, I was stunned at how inefficient and wasteful their process was. It took over 15 minutes to prepare a single order—whereas the nutraceuticals company I worked with in high school was able to complete a full order in less than 45 seconds on average.

After I consulted with them their system was much more efficient. Now, instead of typing in the label they download all the new order data from their database all at once and automatically mail-merge all the labels into a Microsoft Word file. The fulfillment person simply had to open Word, start the feed of the labels into the printer, and hit print. They could print ten labels in thirty seconds, instead of spending one minute on each. Next, I got rid of their need to use stamps.com for postage. I alerted them that instead, they could simply set up an account at their local post office, pay in advance with a check, and take all their packages in through the back door each afternoon. They’d just drop of the packages, tell the attendant which account they were from, and the USPS would handle applying the exact postage.

This knowledge saved another 2 minutes per package, as the fulfillment person no longer had to weigh the package, type in the company and delivery address, and print and apply the proper postage. The next thing we optimized was the packaging. Instead of using a hard to construct box, I told them about padded self-seal mailers. They were not only 1/4th the price of a box, but also required no construction or tape. Finally, I advised the company that there was no need to include an invoice with the product, as the customer received their invoice via email. This removed the need to re-enter all the data again into QuickBooks, print out the invoice, and put it in the box. This saved a full four minutes per order. They could now automatically importing the sales data into QuickBooks in a batch at the end of each week. It would take 30 seconds to import 1000 orders, instead of 30 hours.

By optimizing their shipping operations as such, we saved the company hundreds of dollars each week and increased the maximum capability per day from 45 orders to 450 orders. In your own company, there are likely numerous areas where an efficiency review would be helpful. See what efficiencies you can create and how much money you can save by focusing on automating and optimizing the operations of your business.

Properly navigate the process of creating systems, developing an employee handbook, dealing with payroll and HR, establishing an accounting process, and focusing on efficiency and you'll be well on your way to turning your new business into an enduring company.


By Ryan Allis
Ryan Allis, is the CEO of Broadwick Corporation, a provider of permission-based email marketing and list management software IntelliContact Pro and CEO of Virante, Inc. a Chapel Hill, North Carolina based web marketing consulting firm

Top Ten Reasons Businesses Succeed

1. The experience and skills of the top managers.
Over half of business failures are directly related to managerial incompetence.

2. The energy, persistence and resourcefulness (the will to make the business succeed) of the top managers.
Many business owners have failed or come close several times before their “instant” success. Don’t give up.

3. A product that is at least a cut above the competition and service that doesn’t get in the way of people buying.
There must be a compelling reason to buy; the product is great, the people love to provide service, and the buying experience is easy and fun.

4. The ability to create a “buzz” around the product with aggressive and strategic marketing.
Make scarce marketing resources count. Do as much homework about your customers and their choices as you can before investing your marketing dollars.

5. Deal-making skills to sell the product at the highest possible price given your market.
It comes down to your customers’ perception of the value of your product and sometimes the power of your personality.

6. The ability to keep developing new products to retain and build a customer base.Consider gradual product development based on improvements to the current product line and sold to the current customer base.

7. Deal-making skills to work with resource suppliers to keep costs low. Keeping costs lower than competitors’ and continuing to look for cost reductions even when the business is profitable is key.

8. The maturity to treat employees, suppliers and partners fairly and respectfully.
Trust and respect result in productivity increases in ways that may be difficult to see and quantify.

9. Superior location and/or promotion creating a connection between your product and where it can be obtained.
Studies have shown it can take seeing your product or name seven times before a customer is ready to buy.

10. A steady source of business during both good economic times and downturns.
Over the long term, develop a product mix that will include winners during good economic times and other winners when times are tough.

By - Jan B. King
Jan B. King currently leads a consulting practice primarily devoted to helping traditional publishers, writers, and educators with content development and curriculum design for print publications and innovative web sites. In addition she teaches small business management topics and writes and speaks extensively on employee-ownership and participative management.

On Failure and Learning from Mistakes

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."

– Theodore Roosevelt, 1910

Most people are afraid to fail. They worry constantly about not meeting expectations, making a mistake, or trying something new. Because of this, many never get started on the path toward reaching their goals.. and thus assure themselves of the very thing they are afraid of.. failure. In order to become a successful entrepreneur you will likely have to ‘pay your dues.' You'll likely have to fail a few times, learn from your lessons, and only then be able to come through a winner. While you don't have to take wild chances, you do have to take calculated and educated risks.

In the world of academics, mistakes are perceived as bad and to be avoided. For the first twenty-two years of your life, you are taught that mistakes are bad and embarrassing.. when in fact mistakes are simply opportunities to learn something new. The more mistakes a person makes, the more they will have learned and the greater chance they will have of succeeding on their next try. The key, however, is to learn from your mistakes and never make the same mistake twice.

Thomas Edison would have never invented the light bulb if he did not take this principle to heart. Edison failed more than 10,000 times before he found the filament that would create light for a sustained period of time. He did not view these as failures, however. On the 6,635th try to find a proper filament for the light bulb, Edison did not see himself has having failed 6634 times. He reframed the situation so that to him he had successfully eliminated 6,643 possibilities, refining and narrowing his search as he proceeded, drawing him closer and closer to his goal.

Two other failures you may have heard of are Levi Strauss and Christopher Columbus. Strauss headed for the gold mines of California in hopes of gold and glory. But he found none. Instead, this failure gave him new knowledge of a gap in the marketplace. He began selling pants out of canvas for the miners that were succeeding. Today, we've all heard of Levi Strauss jeans. Columbus failed miserably on his goal to find a route to India . However, in failing he ran into a new opportunity.. that of the new world. By taking action and learning from your mistakes and failures, you'll gain new knowledge and become aware of many new opportunities. When you come to the edge of what you know, it's time to make some mistakes.

By -- Ryan Allis -- Young Entrepreneur
Ryan Allis, is the CEO of Broadwick Corporation, a provider of permission-based email marketing and list management software IntelliContact Pro and CEO of Virante, Inc. a Chapel Hill, North Carolina based web marketing consulting firm.