Are you an entrepreneur?

by admin on June 24, 2009

I love entrepreneurs especially when they are self made!

Entrepreneurs are fabulous people, they reek of passion and clarity, and they are usually visionary and can easily see the big picture. Entrepreneurs also enjoy the company of like minded people; they like great people around them and most find it difficult to suffer fools.

Entrepreneurs are born optimists, they are confident, generally willing to help others and adopt a double win attitude.

This website is based on my real life experiences; there have been many turning points in my business career. The purpose of this blog is to assist you in determining your turning point and hopefully I can give you the inspiration and sanity to continue on your life dreams and goals, even when the chips are down. If I can help one single person avoid the stupid mistakes I made this blog has been worth while.

Never give up despite the setbacks, keep moving forward.
Are you a movie, music, television, or app fan? Buy them all with a $100 iTunes(R) gift card FREE, details apply.

“tough times don’t last, tough people do.”

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Did you know that most small businesses fail within the first 12 months? Well this news is not new; most people starting out these days probably do understand that.
However I suggest also most people actually choose to ignore that fact.

The greatest book I have ever read that clearly spells this out is called “The E Myth” by Michael Gerber.
He points out the majority of people who start businesses are “Technician’s” and usually choose to work “in” the business rather than “on” the business.
This was the case for me when I started and when I read this great advice by Michael I still shudder with embarrassment.
My original business was the importation of hifi equipment and this was and still is a world full of hobby hifi enthusiasts who know very little about the running of a business.
The reality is though, schools give little or no business training and how can any budding entrepreneur be expected to know all about bookkeeping and accounting? Advertising and marketing? How to employ and train staff? Etc.

If you take a good look at it and what business really demands it can be daunting, however if you are anything like me it is exciting and there is no way I would let these things put me off.

In my opinion there are compelling reasons to go and work for you rather than work for a boss. In these days of recession there is no such thing as job security as one just has to take a look at the job agencies and the inquiries they are getting. There is also the television media each night bleating out the bad news at 6pm.

If your desire is to own your own business and control your own destiny then do not let anything or anyone discourage you. Just be aware of the pitfalls and problems that may arise but tackle them with enthusiasm and vigor. Never give up.

One major piece of advice I would like to pass on if you are just starting out:

Learn all you can about every aspect of running a business, get good people to support you and make certain you have a solid and clear business plan based on strategy not tactics.

Anyway, here is my other view about business:

“Passion and people create successful businesses”

“Get out when it stops being fun”

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Travel Tips

by admin on January 22, 2012

One of the greatest recreation activities is travel. The ability to explore the world and see new sights has become a passion for countless people throughout the world. This article is meant to provide you with travel tips and advice to help you chose the right destination and make the most of your experience.

When going on a trip if you choose to take valuables along, it might be wise to choose a hotel that offers you an in room safe. This ensures that while you are out having fun something important to you doesn’t get lost.

If you want to optimize the quality of the food that you eat on the plane, bring hot sauce with you. Most of the meals are not going to have a lot of spice and may be dry, as this additive will help to inject flavor into your meal.

Do not forget to take a camera with you. Find one that is very slim and lightweight so you can take it with you anywhere during your trip. A simple point and shoot camera is all that you really need to capture all of the memories you will make during your vacation.

Carry a mini notebook with you wherever you go. It is much easier to write the name of your destination and have someone understand you, than it is to make wild gestures while trying to say a difficult town name. Carry the notebook and write in it when you feel necessary. You will be much better understood.

Remote areas are often among the most interesting of possible travel destinations. Just make sure you take necessities like your prescription medicines with you. One way of looking at it is that if something isn’t available for sale where you are then you probably didn’t need it anyway! Items like medicines, however, can be indispensable so don’t leave having them to chance.

When traveling by airplane it is crucial to arrive early. You will have to find a place to park, wait in long lines at security checkpoints, and there’s always the possibility that the airline oversold the flight. When using the airlines, always give your self lots of extra time.

To help relive stress, it is important to take a vacation from work. Going on an annual vacation will give you something to work hard for and it will give you a light at the end of the tunnel. It is important to reward yourself and there is no better reward than a vacation!

If you do not take care of your body your skin will never look its best. A balanced diet with plenty of nutritious foods will allow you to feel great and look fantastic. You should eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. Eat good so you can feel great.

India

In countries that you travel to, be aware of the cultural view of how questions are answered. In some places, especially India and Asia, it can be considered very rude to tell someone that you don’t know the answer to their question. Others may simply answer “yes” to any question asked in English. Pay attention to doubtful body language.

Travel is a fantastic and worthwhile activity. Not only are you able to see and experience new sights and cultures, you broaden your viewpoint on the world in general. By applying the tips in this article you will help ensure that you get the best deals for your travel budget and the best experiences at your travel destination.

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@SteveHilliar, 1/22/12 8:41 AM

by admin on January 22, 2012

Steve Hilliar (@SteveHilliar)
1/22/12 8:41 AM
www.wantedtobuynow.co.nz launched yesterday for New Zealand

 

Sent from my iPad

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Nelson summer

by admin on January 9, 2012

This photo is just to prove the sun shines sometimes in Nelson.

There has been one lot of rain over the last few weeks but at the moment the place is stunning.

Photo

Sent from my iPad

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Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: Steve <shilliar@gmail.com>
Date: 8 January 2012 8:01:57 NZDT
To:post@seakerguru.posterous.com” <post@seakerguru.posterous.com>
Subject: CES – Launchpad for products doomed to fail?

Check out this story from the NZ Herald iPad App
http://nzh.tw/10777081


Does this not reflect where business is now heading? Is it not all to do with the Internet? Product research and viability can be easily done now online rather than spending thousands on floor space at a trade show only to find there is no demand for your product.

Online businesses have been discovering just how powerful the Internet is for research. It is very easy now to establish demand. Just find out what people are searching for and what problems they want solved. The develop the product or service that can do it.

Download the New Zealand Herald iPad app here:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ipad/appstore


Sent from my iPad

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Online business opportunities

by admin on January 4, 2012

Online Businesses Opportunities

As you gain more experience in the realm of internet marketing, you will find out that the methods and techniques used by the experts aren’t that complicated at all. With articles like these, containing good information and tips on how to succeed, you can formulate a plan and experience true success via internet marketing.

There are simple ways to encourage your customers to opt in to email correspondence. Your customers will likely love contests and promotions, so why not couple an e-zine subscription with the entry into the promotion or contest? This gives your customer an incentive to be emailed in the future and continuously reminds them of your business.

Stop making your banner advertisements look like you’re just directing attention to something. By designing appealing banners, you can increase the click thru rate and get more visitors to your website. Banners that contain a trivia question related to your website’s niche can be effective, as viewers will click them to find out the answer on your website.

Offer bonus items and freebies to customers who sign up for your mailing list. Providing access to an exclusive video or a free download of an eBook will get your prospects signing up in greater numbers. Make sure the freebie relates in some way to your niche market to increase your conversion rate.

To track how visitors get to your site, use the free Google Analytics program. This program lets you see what keywords are bringing people to your site, and what search engines they’re coming from. This data will allow you to choose your keywords effectively in your future, and to see what search engines you need to better optimize your site for.

Change up your terms to see what works. If you have a product that is guaranteed to give results in two days, measure your traffic for a week. The next week, change the two days to 48 hours, and measure your traffic then. Finding out what terms pull your customers will quickly increase your revenue.

Make sure your buying process is simple. Checking out should be a quick and easy event for the consumer. If there are too many steps, or pages take too long to load due to heavy content, a prospective buyer may rethink their decision and back away. Keep everything flashy to a minimum to increase sales.

Generate site traffic by designing and using an interactive banner ad. The ad can include trivia questions, interesting facts, simple hand-eye coordination games, or intriguing questions. Few online users are entirely immune to the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skill, especially if doing so could possibly win them a prize.

When you are using any popular video-posting site to post your videos, you should try to make sure to add closed captions to them. The fact that you would be catering to users that are hearing impaired shows people that you care about your customers, and that you will go out of your way to make sure they are satisfied.

Marketing isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea, obviously, but the good news is that you can market just like the experts once you learn the ropes. Use these tips to guide you along your path and you may just find that a successful business is much more obtainable than you once thought.

Online Businesses Opportunities

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Internet Home Business

by admin on January 3, 2012

Are you doing the most that you can do for your home business? Chances are, you can find ways to improve if you really care about your success. This article will provide expert advice on how to make the most out of your home business and insure its success.

How are your competitors getting the word out about their businesses through social media? Your home business can compete with the big boys when it comes to social media, so figure out what’s already working for them. Do they run contests on social networks, and what tools do they use to do it? Don’t plagiarize, but do gather strategies.

Learn to accept other peoples’ opinions. Everyone has opinions, and some share them very generously. This is a fact of life, so learn to accept them gracefully. Accepting does not mean agreeing, however. Allow others to have their opinions, and you have yours. Stay focused on only the opinions and thoughts that support you and keep you going towards your home business development.

Get used to saving receipts for everything. Every little expense related to your home business is deductible on your federal taxes, but you need to be able to prove it. In the event of an audit, you are going to need every scrap of paper related to any deductions that you claim.

Before making your home business decision, consider all of the different types of businesses that you could have. Do not just pick the first business type that comes to mind. There are many books that will provide you with home business ideas. You can also search online to find many types of home businesses.

Residual income is key no matter what way you look at running a home based business. If you have customers who pay bills on a residual basis then you want to do everything in your power to retain those customers. If you need customers to return to your business, then you need to focus on customer satisfaction. Residual income and repeat customers are a main focus.

Get a second phone line, or write off your first. If you have a business phone line, you can completely write that off of your taxes. If you feel this is unnecessary, you can still partially write off your home phone by keeping the bills, and circling the dates and times of business calls.

My children have always been an integral part of my home business, and I love the fact that I’ve been able to teach them responsibility through my work. I have them do small jobs or help me by product so they’ve learned about budgeting, customer service, and being organized. How can you get your kids involved?

To summarize, you might need to take a good look at your home business practices and make sure that you are doing what it takes to succeed. There are always lessons to be learned and new tips to pick up on. Use the advice in this article to make your home business all that it can be.

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Year 2012

by admin on January 2, 2012

This is the New Year, the year of 2012.
This is the year to get totally focused. The internet business is booming, this is the year that online businesses get real. Aim at one particular niche, work on that niche until it becomes successful.
If you are interested in an internet home business then mark these words..Focus, and take action. The best internet business is one that offers an online experience to the people who are searching for a solution. A solution to a particular problem. The purpose of my website is to assist people get out of their day job and start generating passive income for themselves.
Online businesses are popping up everywhere, there are many gurus and entrepreneurs out there who are providing sensational advice, and offering their time to help. Take Ed Dale of Thirty day Challenge, Ed is a real person living in Melbourne Australia who dedicates his time to helping people. Every year he runs the Thirty Day Challenge totally free for anyone willing to log in and spend thirty days learning how to make money on the net.
Internet business opportunities are everywhere, get into internet business promotion in the most professional way you can. Do it in 2012.

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