Wed, 25 June 2014
“How do I really start my own online business?” This is a question I hear pretty often. Recently I found myself saying, “Well, it's pretty simple. You just need to…” and then I heard myself spewing out a long list of stuff that was anything but simple. Clearly I needed a simpler, more cohesive answer to this question. That's what this episode is all about.
Announcements:
Tip Of The WeekThis week I'm recommending another book, Ryan Holiday's The Obstacle Is The Way. In life we are often frustrated by the obstacles we face. Throughout history, there has been a different way of viewing obstacles. A way that was familiar to John D. Rockefeller, Amelia Earhart, Ulysses S. Grant, and Steve Jobs. A belief that the obstacle is not in the way, but that it is the way. The philosophy behind this belief was articulated by the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, who struggled to define the way of excellence in any circumstance. In this book, Holiday spells out in simple language that very philosophy.
Spiritual FoundationsWhat do you trust God with? Over the last few weeks, my life has been deeply impacted by an insight I received from my wife Lynn. In this section of the show, I explain the insight and how to put it to work in your own life. Feature Segment: How To Really Build An Online Business
In the audio, I explore each of these in depth, and provide the actual resources I use and recommend for each part of the system. Here are links to the products and services I mentioned in this episode. Content Creation and Other Training
Website Building
Email Marketing
Conversion and Cash Register
Other Recommended Sites What To Do NowHere are some steps you can take to put this week's episode content to work for you:
Get The TranscriptClick here to get the transcript. Transcripts provided by SuccessTranscripts – a great solution if you need your podcast, sermon, speech, or other audio transcribed. Question: What part of the system do you still need to fill in to make your business complete? Click here to leave your comments. |
Wed, 18 June 2014
Have you ever noticed that over the years, you tend to do pretty much the same things? What I mean is, if you’re a reader you remain one, if you’re a writer you tend to write, if you’re a procrastinator you tend to keep procrastinating, and so forth. The key to being productive, profitable, and happy is not in changing your nature. It's in learning to turn your nature to your advantage. In this week's episode, I'll share some ideas on how to do just that.
Announcements:
Tip Of The WeekEssentialism by Greg McKeown. This book is a great clarifying breath of fresh air. In an age where we are continually sold the idea that more is better, McKeown recommends “the disciplined pursuit of less.” From the book:
Spiritual FoundationsThere should be no such thing as a Christian who is perpetually unhappy.
Feature Segment: How To Be Productive, Profitable, and HappyI think one of the real tricks of success is to simply recognize these things you tend to do, and then find ways to make these tendencies support your success. In fact, I think most people are miserable because they fail to do just that. Instead of working with their tendencies in order to succeed (almost effortlessly), they identify their tendencies as the problem and vow to change. That, my friend, is called swimming against the river. And while you may get credit for working your tail off while doing it, you’re not going to make much progress relative to the shoreline. Case in point: for the longest time I was worried about my information “addiction”. Just this morning, I read an entire business book. Read part of a novel. Checked out a few hundred new items in Feedly. And later I will sort through some 200 emails waiting for me. I have dozens of PDFs in my “To Read” folder on my Macbook Air. I have dozens more videos and audios to go through in my “To Listen” and “To Watch” folders. And once upon a time I thought something was wrong with me because of this kind of behavior. So I struggled against it. I read books about it. I read articles about it. I listened to self-help material about it. Is anyone other than me seeing the irony yet? One day I stumbled across an article by Dan Kennedy in which he detailed his working habits… and I was shocked to discover they were nearly identical to mine (at least when it came to info-consumption)! And Dan saw it not as a weakness to be changed… but rather as a strength to be nurtured. That was life-changing for me. It gave me a way to stop struggling against my natural tendencies, and to embrace the way God made me. That tendency to process large quantities of unrelated information allows me to form connections between ideas, concepts, and methods that I would not possess if I limited my information intake. So now I structure my work and my routine in such a way that my behavior in this regard in strengthened, reinforced, and nurtured — and then put to profitable use in my writing. I look for ways to channel that stream of information so that it’s not wasted. So what does this all mean to you? In my experience, it means that if you find yourself fighting the same old battles (chronic lateness, procrastination, forgetfullness), you’ve probably unwittingly been holding yourself back by resisting your own gifts. If you have trouble with authority, why work in a job when it’s clear you’d be happier as an entrepreneur? If you are always late for appointments — why not just stop making appointments (Arnold Shwarzenneger reportedly refuses to make appointments with anyone, and he seems to be doing okay running the state of California). And if you have tendencies that are frowned upon by others — for instance, sleeping during the day and staying up all night — why not look for a way to turn the tendency into an asset (for instance, by working via Internet with clients or companies in a different time zone… where suddenly YOU are the early riser!)? Just because certain tendencies, behaviors and attitudes are not “acceptable” in one context does not mean those qualities are “bad”. It simply means — at least in my experience — you need to find a different context! And that decision — how you live your life — is (for most of us) entirely a choice. (And to ward off the inevitable objections to my premise: yes, I recognize that there are behaviors and “tendencies” that are illegal, immoral, and unethical. That’s not what we’re talking about here, okay? Anything that falls into those three categories should be jettisoned from your life. ‘Nuff said on that.) Now take a moment to think about this… In what ways could your “limiting tendencies” become strengths? How could your re-arrange your life to make it so? If you can find positive, proactive ways to answer those questions, you just might find yourself more productive, profitable, and happy. What To Do NowHere are some steps you can take to put this week's episode content to work for you:
Get The TranscriptThe transcript for this show will be available soon. Transcripts provided by SuccessTranscripts – a great solution if you need your podcast, sermon, speech, or other audio transcribed. Question: What natural tendency do you have that some view as a weakness or liability, but you have turned into a strength or asset? Click here to leave your comments. |
Fri, 13 June 2014
There's a saying: “The customer is always right.” But what about customers who are abusive, dishonest, and bullying? Are they always right? I think not. And you must protect yourself and your staff from these bullies. In this week's episode, I share 7 tips for handling abusive or “problem” customers.
Announcements:
Tip Of The WeekI really like a habit tracking app called Habit List. From their website: “Habit List includes everything you need to reach your goals, wrapped in a beautiful and intuitive interface. It motivates you, helps you stay focused, and keeps you on track. It’s for all the little things that make a big difference.” I like that you can track streaks, be reminded what is due today, and track your trends. Spiritual FoundationsOur job as Christians is not to hide out in the church building – it's to launch out into the world.
Feature Segment: How To Deal With Abusive CustomersSometimes customers are dishonest, abusive, and even psychopathic bullies. You need to protect yourself and your staff from these people. Here are 7 tips for dealing with abusive customers.
By the way, not all customer complaints are bullying or abusive. Most complaints are poorly communicated requests. When you make a mistake, admit it and correct it immediately. As hard as it may be, don't let the crazy antics of a few troublemakers distort your perception of your customers, or yourself. If you get 99% positive feedback, and 1% irrational criticism, recognize that the problem is likely not on your end. What To Do NowHere are some steps you can take to put this week's episode content to work for you:
Get The TranscriptGet the transcript for this show by clicking here. Transcripts provided by SuccessTranscripts – a great solution if you need your podcast, sermon, speech, or other audio transcribed. Question: Have you ever had to deal with a “crazy customer”? How did you handle it? (NO NAMES, PLEASE!) Click here to leave your comments.
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Wed, 4 June 2014
There is one online business teacher whose students have created over half a BILLION dollars in sales, using his methods. He also happens to be one of the most graceful people I know. Now, he has written a book that distills down the core elements of his training, and it's just been released. In this week's episode, I spend some time talking with my friend Jeff Walker about his new book, Launch (as of this writing, if you click here you can get the book for free… no joke.)
Announcements:
Tip Of The WeekI just got a new strap for my Nikon D5200 camera. It's actually a sling, called the BlackRapid RS-5. It attaches to the bottom of the camera, by screwing into the tripod mount. This makes for an easier way to carry the camera. I really like this strap so far, for the following reasons:
Spiritual FoundationsLast year I was at a healing conference in Redding, California. Ironically I was in extraordinary levels of back pain. At one point in the conference, people began praying for one another, and I admitted to those around me I was in a great deal of pain. As they spoke God's word over my back, specifically “by His strips we are healed”, my back pain miraculously dranied away. I was healed! A couple of years before that a friend of mine called to tell me goodbye. He had cancer and his doctor told him to say his goodbyes! I spoke God's grace and healing word over that situation, as did many others. My friend's cancer was healed! When you speak God's word over your life and your situation, the entire universe bends to bring it about.
Isaiah 55:11 If the words you confess are God's words – and you confess them in faith – God will move to bring His word to pass! Sometimes we even forget words we confesses in faith long ago. But God does not forget! Feature Segment: Jeff Walker, Product Launch Formula, And A Life Of GraceThis week's show is an interview with Jeff Walker, author of the new book, Launch. Resources mentioned in the interview with Jeff: The Alchemist, by Paolo Coehlo Launch, by Jeff Walker What To Do NowHere are some steps you can take to put this week's episode content to work for you:
Get The TranscriptClick here to get the transcript of this show. Transcripts provided by SuccessTranscripts – a great solution if you need your podcast, sermon, speech, or other audio transcribed. Question: What do you most want to know about launching a business online? Click here to leave your comments.
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