All Marketers Are Liars by Seth Godin Audiobook

Linchpin by Seth Godin Audiobook

Tribes by Seth Godin Audiobook

Audiobook: Poke the Box by Seth Godin.mp4

Take 5 minutes to listen to this excerpt from Seth Godin's audiobook called "Poke The Box".

There are 7 imperatives needed for success, but as Seth Godin mentions you can still fail unless you implement the 7th imperative!

Enjoy the audio and let me know your thoughts!

Starting A Business? You Need These 3 Basics.

The decision to start a business is exciting, but don’t get caught up in the fairytale. If you want your business to succeed for the long-term, have these three essential elements in place.

1. Enough capital for six months. The time it takes to turn a profit will vary between industries and individual businesses, but the rule of thumb remains the same: have enough cash in the bank to survive for six months or more before you launch. Developing a realistic personal and business budget can help you survive the first few months, and sticking to this budget will be crucial to success.

Develop a list of potential expenses early on so that you have a good idea of what monthly bills plus extraneous expenditures will add up to and how this spending will affect your bottom line. Know that you may not receive a paycheck for months or even years after launch, so a hefty cash reserve will ameliorate the growing pains of starting a business.

2. Marketing and sales strategies for early-adopters. Coming up with an outstanding product or service is great, but your business will likely fail without those crucial first few customers. Develop a marketing plan with an allotted marketing budget that will get your product or service in front of key early-adopting clients. From the start, prepare ways to engage with and nurture clients to develop a loyal base. 

Next, build your sales infrastructure: think about sales contracts, proposals, product listings or anything that a client will see when he or she wants to purchase from your company.

3. Endurance. I tell people this all the time: one of the hardest parts about being an entrepreneur is having the stamina to keep up with the daily demands of running your business. A lot of people mistakenly think that it will be a walk in the park.

Sure, there are major benefits such as working for yourself, having a flexible schedule and enjoying the successes of your hard work. But each benefit comes at the cost of putting your own capital and reputation on the line.

Before starting your own business, make sure you can mentally and physically ensure the journey. Be prepared to work long days, do things that are outside of your comfort zone, make personal sacrifices, work hard for what you believe in and dedicate yourself fully to the businesses success. If you aren’t in it 100 percent, the business won’t achieve its full potential.

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Why Business That Use 'Big Data' Make More Money (Infographic)

“Big data” is buzzy, and if you drop the phrase at a cocktail party, you will probably earn yourself some serious street cred. And rightfully so. Big data is big news these days, because it has the potential to make a pretty profound impact on the bottom line for a business.

Collecting large quantities of information and analyzing it allows entrepreneurs to make better, more strategically beneficial business decisions. The infographic below was generated by the big data analytics platform Datameer to demonstrate how using data can result in smarter business decisions and more revenue for all sorts of companies. Think: advertising firms, loyalty programs and online retailers, to name just a few.

Have a look at the infographic for other examples of how big-data analytics are being used by businesses to make better decisions and more money.

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Make Your Waking Hours Work for You

If you could have any skill of a superhero, which would you choose? The ability to fly or leap across tall buildings in a single bound perhaps?

I would choose the power to never need sleep though this is not a flashy choice. This would mean an end to my constant wish for more hours in the day.

Needless to say, my superpower has yet to unlock itself. Until then, here are four scheduling tips I use to help me get the most from my waking hours:

1. Reschedule canceled events.

Many years ago I heard the phrase "If I erase, I must replace" and it's still a mantra I live and work by today. It serves as a reminder to be flexible, yet accountable.

Your schedule should not be so rigid that you can never tweak it. But if an event was important enough to include initially, set aside time for it later in the day or week.

Rescheduling an event (a meeting, a conference call or independent work time) allows for the flexibility that a busy life demands while ensuring that important tasks don't fall by the wayside.

2. Be strategic.

To use a calendar strategically, schedule important tasks first and let the less-demanding ones land where they may.

Every time you refine your calendar, you're resetting priorities (an important duty).

Appointments should not merely exist on your calendar because they have been auto-scheduled to repeat every week for five months.

Instead, set up each event with intent and only if it's of great importance right now.

3. Leave a buffer for preparation.

Professionals sometimes accidentally overbook their schedules, forcing them to sprint from one meeting to the next all day.

To avoid this, include time between events to review your last appointment and prepare for the next. If you don't, the nonstop rushing is bound to catch up with you.

The best way to ensure having enough time between tasks is to block out the necessary interludes on your calendar.

4. Add in time to breathe.

Workaholics might find it all too easy to get trapped in the constant whirl of activity. This is a recipe for burnout.

I believe in not only taking a break but also scheduling time for one during the workday. For instance, I take a daily break to get outside the office and exercise.

If a midday visit to the gym isn't realistic for you, take a walk or at least step away from your desk during lunch. Take time to sharpen the axe! 

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