Study entrepreneurship

Are entrepreneurs born or made? This is one question no one has found a satisfactory answer to yet. Some say that entrepreneurs are just born that way – ambitious, independent, with keen business accumen. They point to people like Rockefeller, Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs as examples. But alongside these entrepreneurial geniuses, there exists a class of sucessful businessmen who worked in managerial or backend jobs for years before the entreprenurial bug bit them. These people, they say, are “made” entrepreneurs.

But all these people – born, or made – have some qualities in common, qualities without which it is pretty much impossible to be a successful entrepreneur:

1. A strong sense of independence
Entrepreneurs, by default, are independent. This is the reason why they are willing to leave cushy jobs and promising careers behind and pour their energies into their businesses. They are driven by a fierce sense of independence, to the master of their own destiny. Pretty much any successful entrepreneur will have this quality.

2. An ability to stay focused
Starting a new business can be incredibly hard. One has to keep track of hundreds of things – finances, inventory, employees, marketing, etc. Unless you can stay focused on the goal, you will find your mind, and your profits, straying. Being successful in business requires a disciplined, focused effort – a quality that all successful entrepreneurs have.

3. A strong motivation to be successful
Unless you are really motivated about your business, you can easily stray off course, lose morale and run yourself out of business. Running a startup can be very difficult, especially in the early stages when clients are hard to come by and one has to focus on hundreds of things. The entrepreneur’s job is to not only stay motivated throughout the bleak periods, but also keep his employees happy and upbeat about the business.

I could probably list a dozen other qualities that an entrepreneur must have – creativity, patience, business accumen, even luck – but these three, I believe are what sets a successful entrepreneur apart from an unsuccessful one.

About the Author

John is a blogger who has been writing online for 3 years. His latest blog is about ipod accessories. Check it out here

The next generation of entrepreneurs is those that will understand and have an impact on the social web. At least that’s where the venture capital money will be focused on in the upcoming year. Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm, has just launched the sFund. This fund is calling for social services & applications – where the opportunity is a $250 million investment initiative by Kleiner Perkins.

The strategic partners of the fund include commitments from Amazon (AMZN), Liberty Media, Comcast (CMSCA), Zynga, Allen & Co., and Facebook. Only in March 2008, KPCB had a $100M investment initiative called the iFund, which focused on iPhone related products. This is a big move for Kleiner, whereas, as a premier VC firm, they are cornering the start-up market in the areas where it matters, Social Media Networks & Mobile. My guess is that the next fund they may do will be focused on virtual gaming, but that can still be done within these two verticals.

The sFund will provide capital resources & advisement for “a new generation of entrepreneurs to deliver on the promise of the social web.” John Doerr states in a press release, “We’re at the beginning of a new era for social Internet innovators who are re-imagining and re-inventing a Web of people and places, looking beyond documents and websites.” So as of right now, the goal is to create the next greatest social media venture.

Expect to see rapid ramp ups for entrepreneurs who have already been creating their ideas, but yet to release them for a chance at this new money fund. The successful ones will see quick exit strategies, and many will be shaken out given that any web-based social venture will still have to compete against Facebook, and MySpace.

The founding partners of KPCB include Eugine Kleiner, Tom Perkins, Frank J. Caufield, and Brook Myers. Early investments included Amazon, Compaq, Google, Intuit, Macromedia, Netscape, Sun Microsystems, Segway, AOL, and Electronic Arts.

About the Author

Darrin Kuykendall (@profitdoctrine) is a new media expert & publisher. He writes for Profit Doctrine- dedicated to Practicing the Principles of Internet Marketing and is founder of Memento Marketing – a new media publishing firm focused on developing emerging and innovative educational courses & informational products. Learn about Profit Doctrine here: http://profitdoctrine.com/tour

By Brian Cannone
www.fitnesssalestraining.com
If you look at nearly any business in any niche, the one characteristic you’ll see in the most successful business is that they hold a very high quality image.
What I mean by this is that when a consumer thinks about your business, they should be thinking of it as a high quality business, not some run down shack that’s cheap and for poor people. Think about it, what kind of business would you rather be a part of it you were your prospect? Would you rather belong to a health club that holds a high quality image, or one that people think of as a place where poor people go if they want to get in shape?
When people walk into your business, they should feel like they’re a king or queen. They should feel like they’re getting pampered, like they belong to a high-class club, like they’re part of an elite group that only certain people are allowed to get involved with.
If you can help your clients feel like this when they’re in your business, it’s going to go a very long way towards helping keep your client retention rate sky high. In fact, you’ll even be more likely to get a lot more referrals if they feel like they’re part of an elite group because they’re going to brag to their friends about it!
So now all of this begs the question – how do you make your business appear high quality?
The answer is simple.
If you make your client feel like they’re the only person in the room. Make them feel like they’re your only client.
And you can do this in many ways, including how you answer the telephone, how you treat clients as they’re walking through the door, how you treat them as they’re leaving, how you treat them when they’re asking questions, how clean and “tidy” you keep the business, and generally how you run every aspect of the business.
Also, one of the most advanced psychological tricks you can play is to simply increase the price. Even if you literally change nothing else in your business, simply increasing your price will increase the perceived value of your services.
Think about it, would you rather buy a named brand item at a store, or a generic brand? Most of the time the ingredients are the exact same thing, yet people are willing to spend 20%, 30%, 50% or even higher simply to buy the name brand item.
It’s the exact same for your business. Increase the price and you increase the image of quality of your business. Then if you follow my other steps and treat your clients like gold, you have a winning strategy!

About the Author

Brian’s experience in the fitness business has lead him to run many successful health clubs and his responsibilities include setting up new facilities, building and managing a staff, daily membership sales, personal training, and club marketing and promotion. Visit his website: http://www.fitnesssalestraining.com

4 Displays for Opening a New Candy Shop

Nothing, it seems, could be more exciting or fun than opening a new candy shop. Everything in the shop is colorful, delightful, and delicious. For children, a candy shop is heaven on earth, and even adults can’t help trying some clever new confection. And you, the owner, get to see the smiles on people’s faces every day.

Of course, opening a new candy shop is a lot of work. A thousand decisions need to be made-most of which come down to two vital questions: what candy will you sell, and how will you display that candy? There are almost an infinite number of choices when it comes to in store displays, but here are some basic ideas to get you started.

Acrylic Bins with Scoops. If you’re opening a candy shop, much of the candy you sell will not be wrapped; it will be loose, sold by weight, and customers will scoop it into little bags. The best way to display this loose candy-while meeting health department codes-is to store it in acrylic bins that have hinged lids. This way the customers can see what you have, but won’t be able to run sticky hands over it unless they intend to buy it. The scoop inside the bin lets customers measure out exactly how much candy they want.

Step Displays. These come in a variety of matierals and sizes, including wire racks and plastic racks, but are vital equipment for anyone opening a new candy shop. Step displays allow you to conserve counter space by stacking things, yet they allow you to display things by having each level of the steps extend a little further than the one below it. They come in 2, 3 or 4 steps, and can be made out of acrylic, plastic, or wire.

Slatwalls. A slatwall is a system of paneling that includes periodic indentions where bins, containers, shelves, or other display items can be hung. These store display fixtures are absolutely essential for anyone who wants to open a candy store. Since hanging containers such as bins, cubes, or baskets can be slid right out of the indentions, you can rearrange your displays as often as you find necessary, to maximize your sales and visual appeal.

Countertop displays. These can include glass or plastic fishbowls, cubes, old-fashioned jars, hexagons, or almost any other small containers that sit on the countertop where they encourage good feelings and impulse buys.

When you’re opening a new candy shop, the way you choose to display your new product will help your shop be the inviting, exciting place a candy shop should be. If you use the supplies listed above, you should have a colorful, delightful, and delicious establishment for many years to come.

About the Author

Candy Concepts, Inc., specializes in providing businesses with everything from a wide variety of candy containers to the bulk candy and novelty items to full them with. Lean more about the kinds of fishbowls and plastic containers you can use in your business by visiting http://www.candyconceptsinc.com.

Review #1

My name is Steven Grammer Finance Director with Discount Retail Store Services, LLC located in Las Vegas, NV. I have had the pleasure of working with Seed Capital who’s program I found to be a light at
the end of the tunnel. Seed Capital has helped hundreds of my client’s achieve their dream by finding them the needed business loans to open their business. If you are a small business or starting a new business Seed Capital has the ability and knowledge to
obtain the business loans needed to begin the dream of owning a business. Seed makes a strong stance by offering all clients a guarantee, if they are unable to obtain a minimum of $50,000 they will refund your commitment and you pay nothing which was a
big factor with our Company. The feedback I receive from my Customer Relationship Manager helps me stay on top of all my projects so I know at a glance where each client is at and how much further we need to go. The service and communication received by Seed Capital is recommended to anyone interested in going through their program.

Steven Grammer
Finance Director
DRSS, LLC

Review #2

Starting a business during the current economic situation hasn’t been easy. We applied over and over again to different banks to try and get a start up business loan, but at the end of it all we still had no money. I decided to give Seed Capital a call after finding
them on the internet one day just to see what it was about. I can honestly say that if I hadn’t of contacted them my business still would be in the same place it was 2 months ago: part time and unprofitable. After a fairly short process, in which a personalized
analyst accesses your financial situation and eligibility, we were on our way to gaining much needed business loans. One thing I liked about this process is that the people at Seed really wanted to make sure that they could help us succeed before they tried to get us to sign up. Once this was done, within two weeks we began receiving our business loan approvals.

The other great thing is that the extremely knowledgeable staff made sure we understood how to use our new credit lines and work the system to our advantage. I will mention that you have to be willing to be faithful and follow the instructions of your analyst for it to work to its highest potential, but I can confidently say that our company is up and off the ground and moving forward strong because of the chance that Seed has afforded us.

Brandon Blodgett
President, Disciple Construction

Seed Capital is a Better Business Bureau accredited company based in Henderson, Nevada. The company offers entrepreneurs a unique method of securing the funding needed today and assisting in building superb business credit for future working capital needs. Seed provides the industry’s most complete service guarantee; if a client does not receive at least $50,000 in cash credit lines, they do not pay a single cent.

For more information please visit http://www.businessloan.org or http://www.seedcapital.com

About the Author

Steven Grammer is Financing Director for Discount Retail Store Services and Brandon Blodgett is President of Disciple Contruction.

Yes, it’s true! The tabloids haven’t picked up on it yet, but I have been making time with Kimberly Hoffman, creator of My Online Income System.

From the moment I met her online and read her history, I knew I had to hook up with this gal.

We hit it off immediately, I must say. I had barely become a participant in My Online Income System (MOIS) when I felt her small, warm hand take hold of mine. I was a bit shy and red-faced at first, but I didn’t resist (giggle).

She loves holding hands and makes no bones about it. She’ll tell you that right off the top that she will be holding hands with you too once you become a member of MOIS.

At first I was a bit overwhelmed at the massive collection of training materials in her 60-day Action Plan. In my opinion, Kimberly has done a bang-up job at authoring some of the most
powerful and easy to understand training material you are going to find anywhere.

I like the simplicity with which she writes. I do not exaggerate
when I say that even the newest Newbie can follow Kimberly’s point-by-point program for generating amazing amounts of online cash from the comfort of home.

I have bought into other programs that promised to teach all I needed to know to rank up there with the big boys. Once I accessed the package, I was confronted with a mass of files and folders filled with very confusing and poorly organized materials. The information I needed might have been there, but most of the time I was left to sort it all out and pull it all together on my own. Another dust collector.

This is where holding hands with Kimberly comes into play. Each day for 60 days she presents you with another digestible module to work through. Each daily module has an assignment that when completed, actually takes you another step closer to “Cha-ching!”

And that doesn’t take long. Combined with a free website (the Pro version is really the way to go), and a members’ forum filled with eager helpers, each step is actually another step to success online.

I have finally found a system I can understand, follow and implement. And if I do get stuck, I head straight to the MOIS forum where my problem will be solved lickity-split. Think of it, just the fact that success follows every action you take with MOIS, produces an adrenalin of its own that keeps you focused and moving onward. I can’t say that about any other system I have tried.

For the first time I am seeing a profit in a very short time. The income is beyond what I ever thought it would be at this point. But that is due only to the fact that I have followed this step-by-step system to the letter. It is also due to the fact Kimberly places an extremely strong emphasis on doing everything with FREE products and services. And she directs me to them.

Is the cost of MOIS worth it? Absolutely!! I can’t believe this systems sells for as little as it does. Anybody can afford it. But, then again, that is what Kimberly set out to do ~ offer a system that works and a system that anyone can afford. And the cost is backed by a 60-day, no-hassle money back guarantee.

The other thing I like about Kimberly’s approach is the fact there are certain upgrades you can purchase, but whenever Kim mentions one, she comes right back stating that upgrade is not necessary to you to succeed. If you can’t afford that nicety, don’t buy it. Wait until you have your income stream at a consistent level before you add more cost.

How many internet marketers are going to tell you that?

I am very excited about My Online Income System home business. It is working for me. It is success, finally. It is something you ought to seriously consider. There is no scam about this home business opportunity.

Check It Out Here………

http://d1464h1rn7oo5x2em6kaj96mbk.hop.clickbank.net/

Interested in knowing what the Top 3 work at home businesses are?

Look here ~

http://yourfreewebsitesystem.com/mrshaky

Have a wonderful day and keep smiling!

Jack Kindred

http://www.affiliatepowerpunch.com

About the Author

A former newspaper publisher for many years with Canada’s second largest newspaper giant, Jack is now retired and has turned his
attention to online marketing. He resides in Alberta, Canada with
Barbara, his wife of 39 years.

On the academic side, Jack possesses degrees in business and theology. He is also a former evangelical pastor and family
counsellor (10 years). During his tenure in this profession, he was a sought after conference and workshop speaker.

Selling a business you’ve owned and operated and loved like a child is rarely easy. Business ownership includes many practical matters such as providing an income, helping customers, paying your bills on time etc but it also includes many emotions. These include being successfully, being honest, going above and beyond to help customers and employees to name a few. If it’s time for you to sell your business, considering the following will help you be successful.

1. Avoid using high-pressure sales tactics.

Buying and selling a business is a unique set of circumstances. No two transactions are the same. You can never “sell” a business; the buyer has to want to “buy” for reasons that make sense to them. The law recognizes this by defining it as a willing buyer and a willing seller with neither party under any compulsion to close the transaction.

2. Letting negative ideas or emotions get in the way.
There are so many variables when buying or selling a business. Each party needs to navigate through their own practical reasons and then marry those reasons to their own emotions. You cannot make the buyer buy because “this is the best business in the world.” They will buy for their own reasons and generally not communicate these to you; especially while you are still in negotiations.

3. Providing incorrect answers to questions.

Trust is a non negotiable item that can kill or allow a deal to continue. Giving incorrect answers to questions will quickly kill a deal or remove any interest the buyer has in continuing discussions.

4. Trying to sell the business to the wrong buyer.

The rule of thumb is that it takes 10 buyer inquiries to lead to one qualified buyer. When that one qualified buyer reveals itself, work hard to make sure the buyer’s needs are met without giving away all the business secrets.

5. Forgetting that buying a business is a stressful situation for the buyer.

Just as it is for the owner selling an entity they have labored, cherished and worried about over the years, the buyer has no history of the business including its employees, landlord, suppliers, banker and any other parties that currently make the business run.

About the Author

Andrew Rogerson is a 5-time business owner. His expertise includes helping owners sell and/or buyers purchase a business, new entrepreneurs buy a franchise, certified machinery and equipment appraisals and business valuations. His credentials include the CBI designation from the IBBA and the CBB from the CABB. Andrew is also a published author on four books on buying or selling a business available at Amazon.com and his website http://www.Andrew-Rogerson.com

The floral industry has always been a booming one, but adding printing to flowers creates a product that can tap into markets worth over 80 billion dollars. These flowers can be used for advertising, marketing, promotions and awesome gifts.

Flowers have been a huge business for over 2,000 years – clearly nothing needs to be added to their natural beauty to make them a hit. Everyone knows the reasons for sending flowers – Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, holidays, and the like.
But – what about printed flowers? Is this something we need to think about? You bet it is!

In the first place, even all of the traditional reasons for sending flowers to your loved ones are greatly enhanced when the flower has a personal touch in the form of a heartfelt message or photo. Believe it or not, these messages and photos, as well as company logos and handwriting, can be printed directly onto the petals of live flowers! When someone receives a flower with a message printed right on it, the sentiment intended for them is crystal clear. Getting a rose that has “I Love You” printed in metallic ink leaves an emotional impact that can’t be replicated.

Secondly, putting things like company logos on a flower add a whole new dimension to their uses – now they go from just being a real nice gift idea to a promotional tool that can publicize corporate events, advertise, increase customer loyalty and be the invitation that no one can refuse. Since printing can be put on both live and silk flowers, a silk flower could be mailed out as invitations, containing the name, date and personal invitation to any event.

If you want to print flowers for gifts or market printed flowers in your area, the company you need to know about is Speaking Roses. They have patented a process for embossing messages, photos, and logos onto roses or other flowers, and are creating a worldwide phenomenon that has celebrities and media alike flipping over their flowers!

Speaking Roses were given away by Tom Cruise on the Ellen De Generes show for Mother’s Day, and the audience went wild! They’ve been used at the Miss America Pageant, the Kentucky Derby, the Oscar Nominations, and the Rose Bowl, and have been featured in 100′s of media publications all over the world like Forbes, Wall Street Journal, and Inc. E!Entertainment, CNN, and the Today Show have all done spots on this new and unique product and it’s applications, just to name a few!

Check them out at http://www.speakingroses.com!

About the Author

Mr. Rodriguez, age 36, a true entrepreneurial soul with an innovative mind and has over 15+ years of progressive experience in developing businesses in different industries. Mr. Rodriguez possesses the skills to launch successful “first-to-market” items, drive business growth, capitalize on new revenue potential, and manage all aspects of daily business. He has always believed that some day he would create a concept that would change a world-wide industry. Speaking Roses, where he is acting President, CEO and Founder, is a dream come true. Mr. Rodriguez exhibits a passion for business enabling him to achieve tremendous knowledge and experience in the international business arena. Mr. Rodriguez is a graduate in International Business and Marketing.

I am sure this very absurd to everyone reading this. I mean, who fires their boss? This is unheard of today because it’s usually the other way around. Well, I wasn’t going to keep working for someone else and wanted to live a better life. I wanted to be financially independent. This was also a huge goal for me and I knew if I worked for someone else there’s no way I could ever have the financial independence I deserved! Think about it. Who do you know that is financially independent and works for someone else?

This is my working background:

I was in the corporate world for about 8 years. I realized that all the “little people” of my corporation were the ones that were making the money for the “Big Boys” ( and girls). I know, this is how all corporations work but I thought this is just plain stupid! How fun was it to see the “big wigs” come in to the office, walk around say hi make they’re presence felt, and leave after about an hour and go play golf or whatever they would do? It felt like these people didn’t even work!

So I had enough. I NEEDED to make a change. Right now. I have new goals. I have a child on the way and there was no way I was going to spend a single day without him. I wasn’t going to spend the rest of my life working for someone else.

Having my employer tell me I was only worth $50,000 a year was no longer acceptable. I was worth more than that!

Just a few months ago, I was working out in the gym and saw my friend Aaron. I asked him what he was doing because I haven’t seen him lately. He told me about this online marketing system that has changed his life forever. Of course, I was a little skeptical thinking “how can an online marketing system really change a life?” This is probably just another MLM business. But hey, I desperately wanted a way out of the corporate world. I checked it out that same day and what I found was something very unique. As I looked it to it further and further, the more excited I got about it. So I decided to join. I am so glad I did because it was the one of the best decisions I have made in a long time. My first was marrying my wife, Jennifer. (I know what your thinking “Aw, that’s so nice.”)

So with this system I am finding that I have a lot more time and freedom. I have also become an better person because of this with everything I am learning. I have fun working from home. I am now going to have the lifestyle I have always wanted. No more will I have to have someone tell me how much I am worth! I am so grateful that I have found this legitimate home business that I can operate from home with just a computer and a phone.

Stay connected with me if you want to find out what my boss says when I deliver the letter. Alright, I gotta get going.

Check out my page to find out what my wife and I are doing. http://www.jennvs.com

Thank you

Greg Schmidt

About the Author

I am an internet marketing consultant helping people find the right opportunity to live the lifestyle they have always deserved.

If you’ve always dreamed of becoming an Internet millionaire, this goal is certainly within reach. Thousands of others have become millionaires on the Web. But your ultimate goal should be to earn that first million doing what you love most. What good is money if you have to do something you hate day in and day out? The great thing about the Internet is you can build a business centered on your passion, and maybe even get rich in the process!

Millionaires such as Tom Hua and Bob Proctor didn’t reach the top while eating sour grapes, and you don’t have to do so either. Let’s explore some ways to start and promote your Web business that will bring happiness, enjoyment and wealth into your life.

Brainstorm Your Passions

What do you love doing most? What skills do you posses? What type of people do you like to be around? Where do you want to live and work? These questions should be answered before you even consider starting a business of your own. Why? Because the answers to these questions can give you an idea of which business path you should follow to be happy and successful.

If you do become a millionaire some day, you’ll be very much involved in whatever business it is that you’ve created to earn those millions. You’ll be the owner of the company and will likely have folks working for you, customers to tend to, products or services to create, orders to fulfill, paperwork to handle and finances to manage. Whew…you’re probably exhausted already, right? These are just realistic aspects of a business (especially a successful one) that must be handled on a daily basis. And as owner of the company, you’ll be the one either doing these tasks or delegating them to others. So you can see why this should be somewhat of a passion from the start…not just any business will do!

Implementing Your Goals

Use visualization to start imagining how you can reach your business goals. Visualize yourself doing what you love most. This might be offering a service to businesses or individuals on the Web, working with businesses (either marketing or wholesaling products), helping others start a home business, website creation, etc. There is an abundance of information on the Web to help you decide on a business. Research to find out salary expectations, how much money it will take to start and operate the business, the hours you can expect to work, etc. This will help you determine if a certain line of business is right for you.

Next, write down short term and long term goals that are necessary to become a millionaire, or at least to obtain the amount of wealth you desire. Writing down your goals and steps to implement them will help you keep focus as you build your business.

Learn from the Best

Download and read e-books online to learn tips from Internet millionaires such as Tom Hua and Bob Proctor. Those who have already realized success can help you get on the right path and provide step-by-step methods to build a business. Learn to write effective sale presentations, establish yourself as a professional in your field, design and manage your website, develop Web products, brand your business, and more. E-books are affordable and can be downloaded instantly. You’ll be amazed at the knowledge you can gain by reading after other millionaires. Tips from wealthy entrepreneurs can help you avoid pitfalls and get on track right from the start.

If you want to become a tremendous success like the many millionaires you read about, then be prepared to work hard and implement the steps put before you. You can earn a substantial income online if you’re willing to put forth the effort.

About the Author

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web.

Learn more about Millionaire.