tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204336732011-12-13T21:59:22.406-06:00A guide from an entrepreneur to being your own boss.A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comBlogger461100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1148408633695210062006-05-23T13:05:00.000-05:002006-05-23T13:23:53.886-05:00

Yesterday's Be Yor Own article talked about a few small local businesses that I hire in order to make my life more efficient. It is very important to understand that the entire point of being in business is to provide a service or a product for someone else at a price cheaper than they could do it themselves. One outcome of being a competitive business is the realization that somethings, over

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1148317035733849722006-05-22T11:38:00.000-05:002006-05-22T11:57:15.806-05:00

Last week was an interesting week for me because I started to look at it from a different perspective. Rather than just live another week as 7 days of habit, I looked at each and every transaction I made with another human being from two perspectives: how is this transaction making my life better, and how might it be making their lives better?I was shocked at how many people I need to make my

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1147789865884103662006-05-16T09:16:00.000-05:002006-05-16T10:00:46.096-05:00

Darren Rowse, the Pro-Blogger has an article titled 3 Factors to Consider Before Starting a Blog - Maintaining Blogging Momentum. One of the comments asks about the future of blogging, and that is something that I have thought about for about a year before I converted my e-mail and paper newsletters to blog format: what is the future?A paper newsletter is great because it often gets read --

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1146845354619014042006-05-05T10:49:00.000-05:002006-05-05T11:09:14.850-05:00

Darren the ProBlogger gave a link today to an article from Chris Garrett titled Can Anyone Make Money From Blogging?The comments at both blogs are insightful, but I think some people forget some of the realities of any business model -- time * time.There are two completely separate aspects of time when it comes to getting into business for yourself: the time barrier to entering a market, and the

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1146755125081808122006-05-04T09:53:00.000-05:002006-05-04T10:05:25.136-05:00

I've spoken a few times about how writing online can be a reasonable way to drive towards being your own boss, but it is also one of those businesses with a very high failure rate. How many bands do you know of that play for years and never make a dime, but have the dreams of it? Writing for web content can be just as competitive, if not more so.While the key to being a successful online writer

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1145894407802765732006-04-25T14:34:00.000-05:002006-04-25T16:24:03.620-05:00

On the entrepreneurship forum, a new reader has asked some interesting questions that deserve an article of its own. Even if you're not interesting in the custom T-shirt or silk-screening business, the questions can be important to any new entrepreneurship.The reader, Mahyar, asks about a book he found on Amazon: How to Print T-Shirts for Fun and Profit! I checked the book out with some of my

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1145656999272138302006-04-21T16:45:00.000-05:002006-04-21T17:03:19.306-05:00

There are 4 "R"s to the equation of a successful entrepreneur, the 4 I listed in the title. They're fairly simple to define:Risk - Doing something that might have a chance at failureResponsibility - Following through with what you've committed to do.Reinvestment - Taking some new assets and using them to produce moreReward - A gain. usually called profit but could be more than a financial

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1145477582206271872006-04-19T15:00:00.000-05:002006-04-19T15:13:14.630-05:00

The Wall Street Journal today had a nice back-and-forth debate about the possibility of making money online. The article focuses on blogging, but it ignores a few basics in the profitability of generating articles for income.Making money with your own weblog site is more akin to writing an article for publication in the print media. Some of my more favorite articles I publish online I also

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1144687088119364182006-04-10T11:30:00.000-05:002006-04-10T11:38:08.180-05:00

Thanks for the e-mails asking me about the previous post in this short series. For those with similar questions:1. I don't write my blogs to make money, but I do see the value in those who try.2. I don't make enough to pay more than the cost of hosting and access to certain subscriber-paid newsletters.3. I use my blogs specifically to raise my billable rate in my regular career.Yet I have

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1144081457434194962006-04-03T11:30:00.000-05:002006-04-03T11:24:17.540-05:00

I get the occasional daily e-mail asking me questions about making money online -- is there a decent and quick way to make money with a blog or a website. Since I run 15 websites myself (most public, a few private), I've decided to offset the costs of hosting with monetizing the website through various programs such as AdSense and affiliate links. I try not to clutter the site with too many ads

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1143565152234047462006-03-28T11:00:00.000-06:002006-03-28T10:59:12.286-06:00

One of my regular readers is preparing to open their first store in his small town -- with a rent of US$400 per month, about 600 square feet on a nice road -- I've been helping him design the right business plan and preparations so that he'll have a much better chance of survival. Most new businesses fail because the owners get too aggressive in spending money but not time. The most successful

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1143126783829998452006-03-23T09:00:00.000-06:002006-03-23T09:13:03.873-06:00

I get a few e-mails every day asking me why I write "for free" or if I make money on my various websites. The answer is usually pretty basic: I don't really write for free, and the money I make writing is used to fund others, but could turn into a viable income if I wanted to spend the time focusing on that portion.The new big business for everyone seems to be making money online, somehow. I

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1142359496813867252006-03-14T12:00:00.000-06:002006-03-14T12:04:56.900-06:00

I've always been a fan of business mentorship opportunities -- where a younger entrepreneur offers their services to someone already succeeding in business, in exchange for learning the ins and outs of the trade. These opportunities are becoming harder and harder to provide for, with various local and federal regulations making them criminal. This doesn't mean that a young entrepreneur can't

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1141998340464521022006-03-10T07:30:00.000-06:002006-03-10T07:45:40.523-06:00

A few months ago I was trying to help a local new father find new ways to bring in a few dollars without requiring a major lifestyle change. He works a typical 9-5 job about 15 miles from his house (down the street from mine), and he makes the drive himself.Originally I had talked to him about carpooling, which I know helps many people save a significant portion of their gas budget. Because his

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1141738820044724522006-03-07T07:30:00.000-06:002006-03-07T07:42:58.763-06:00

I see so many adults ruin their lives over failed business ventures, usually over a few simple rules that hold true time and again. I myself have ruined years of investment by breaking some of these rules, and I can only hope that a little thought and a lot of warning can give some younger readers here the chance to prevent the same mistakes.When you become an entrepreneur, you take on total

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1141655045043799282006-03-06T08:00:00.000-06:002006-03-06T08:24:05.093-06:00

After 18 days of silence, I finally have returned from my run through Europe and Asia. I had expected to write on the go, but the lack of good Internet connection points limited me to only 2 accesses to my e-mail on the go.I learned more on this trip than any other in my life -- probably because the trip was very specific in showing me opportunities in other countries. I will be heading out

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1139930549196977542006-02-14T09:30:00.000-06:002006-02-14T09:25:30.053-06:00

Today I am leaving for Europe and India to investigate global markets (retail, wholesale and currency). I will be gone for 2 weeks, and many of my friends and family locally can't believe I'll be hopping through 5+ countries in 10 days. Yet most of them would have this ability if they realized that the world doesn't revolve around their area -- millions of opportunities exist to better yourself

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1139513189673209392006-02-09T13:30:00.000-06:002006-02-09T13:26:29.696-06:00

Today is as good a day as ever to start your business.You don't need money, you don't need to buy some work at home plan. You don't need a business license or a rented office or even a phone number or website to become an entrepreneur.You need direction.You can start, today, by taking an hour and starting to write down (or type down) your thoughts about what you want to do and when you'd want

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1139338997965230592006-02-07T13:00:00.000-06:002006-02-07T13:04:37.300-06:00

The usual cliche is that idea+money=business. I find that a successful business often needs neither -- sometimes you'll find success following in the footsteps of a successful business close to you. Look around at the fast food chains -- they usually start one up in an odd area, and in a few years you have 3 or 4. When a product is useful and priced right, and the quality is consistent, you

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1139246831635661122006-02-06T11:30:00.000-06:002006-02-06T11:38:13.430-06:00

In the last 4 weeks, I've received numerous e-mails from readers, friends and family asking me about the popular HYIP sites out there. HYIP means "High Yield Investment Programs" and you'll find dozens of links all over the Internet, especially on forums and on financial recommendation sites. The HYIP is sold as a very high risk very high reward investment program -- you put your money in, and

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1138993779271727392006-02-03T13:00:00.000-06:002006-02-03T13:09:39.283-06:00

If you're looking to get into your own business and have picked a market to sell to, it is very important to make sure your market is prepared to accept your product or service. If you haven't talked to your competitors and those close to you, do that first. After you've contemplated the answers you've received, it is smart to see if there are any holes that have recently opened from someone

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1138900660334915222006-02-02T11:00:00.000-06:002006-02-02T11:17:40.483-06:00

I always receive questions in e-mail on how to actually raise money to start a business. I don't believe you actually need money to invest, just to have to keep your bills paid and to keep food on the table. Even that money seems hard to get, but it ties in with one of the my biggest pet peeves since becoming a successful entrepreneur: clutter.Clutter is everywhere in the homes of most people,

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1138805799799222122006-02-01T08:45:00.000-06:002006-02-01T08:56:39.923-06:00

A very close friend of mine is in the process of losing his businesses due to a sudden change in the market. Of course he accepts the blame for not watching his numbers more closely, which is a very common reason for corporate bankruptcy. I recently lost a business for the same reasons -- my first real failure in over 15 years. I had always watched cash flow and forecast best and worst case

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1138735142114881252006-01-31T13:09:00.000-06:002006-01-31T13:19:03.826-06:00

My usual Tuesday article covers what teens can do to be their own bosses. Today is no different, but it is targeted more at older business owners and people wanting to get into business. The reason I posted it on Tuesday is so the teens can get into a good habit that will greatly affect them.I've met a bunch of small business owners in recent weeks. I've also met some of my readers who want to

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1138643092628317312006-01-30T07:30:00.000-06:002006-01-30T11:46:05.456-06:00

My last post was about building confidence -- the main trait that is common in successful entrepreneurs. Confidence gives you a drive that can separate you from the rest of the pack, especially those who don't realize that they're followers. The difference between a leader and a follower always comes down to confidence.I really believe that confidence can be built directly out of faking it.

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1138324387089258392006-01-26T18:57:00.000-06:002006-01-26T19:13:33.153-06:00

I'm going to start digging deeper in the upcoming weeks to what makes a successful businessman. I say businessman because I am a man who is in business. I'm sure it will be appropriate for the ladies, but I'm the least politically correct person you'll ever meet. I only know life from my perspective.The biggest reason I have been successful has not been education (I was in the bottom 10% of my

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1138199135608164162006-01-25T08:17:00.000-06:002006-01-25T08:25:35.860-06:00

For hundreds of years, manual labor was often performed by slaves, indentured servants or lower class low-paid workers. Even in the last 20 years we saw much manual labor performed by foreigners or migrant workers -- sometimes paid under the table in cash to keep prices low.With the explosion of income in the US, many people who normally would take care of their own minor manual labor needs

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1138119326864436092006-01-24T10:03:00.000-06:002006-01-24T10:17:48.010-06:00

For those finding themselves a bit irresponsible, forgetful and not the person voted most likely to follow through (that was me for 25 years!), I started a separate site called Responsibility and Accountability that will help me stay focused on things that are easy to put off but also easy to do if reminded to do them. Check it out if you fall into the irresponsible category.I've had a few

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1138026178025525302006-01-23T08:11:00.000-06:002006-01-23T08:22:58.136-06:00

100% of my businesses that failed (except for one) did so due to cash flow problems. Cash flow will be an article I cover at a later date, but the biggest failure in cash flow is due to debt management. Nearly 100% of HUGE businesses I've seen fail in recent years has also been due to excessive debt to cash ratios. It is so bad that I made a promise last year to never use debt to expand my

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1137776194500381482006-01-20T10:48:00.000-06:002006-01-20T10:56:34.523-06:00

Here's a short one today as I'm taking the afternoon off to take care of year end taxes.I see it every day, on telephone poles, posted as bills on old buildings, and I ever get advertisements on my car when I go to get groceries. I'm sure you've seen it as well -- Make money stuffing envelopes! $25-$50 per hour! Call this number!It is very tempting to call and hear about how you can make $1000

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1137688094681642112006-01-19T10:08:00.000-06:002006-01-19T10:28:18.060-06:00

Here's a project -- look around the web today for every MLM (multi-level marketing) program, every network marketing blog or company or trickle-up program. I have $10 for the person who finds me the one with the biggest claims to success (I'll give you until February to find it). I have a "wall of success" with printouts of the craziest claims to guaranteed money.After you find the wildest

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1137602482697134702006-01-18T10:24:00.000-06:002006-01-18T10:41:23.396-06:00

It is said so often on so many websites -- dating websites, lifestyle makeover websites and even relationship advice sites -- have a positive attitude. It is very important for those sites to make sure their readers are positive about life, but it is nowhere more important than in business.I strongly believe that one of my best features to offer a customer is my positive attitude, even in the

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1137516098774047662006-01-17T10:26:00.000-06:002006-01-17T10:41:38.880-06:00

Every Tuesday is my Tuesday4Teens focused articles: entrepreneurship for pre-teens, teens and young adults. Last week's article was the first one and can be read here. The topic of the article was making your own t-shirts for sale, and I'll be writing about it regularly on future Tuesdays.Today I just wanted to cover some basic thoughts about why teens should try entrepreneurship -- self

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1137430947375549222006-01-16T10:42:00.000-06:002006-01-16T11:02:27.456-06:00

Monday comes again, this time a holiday! If you're off today, why not go and talk to some small business owners, if they're looking slow.I spoke about the 7 reasons not to start your own business last week. Today I'll offer some advice on 7 good reasons to move on from what you are doing.If you are clear of the 7 reasons against entrepreneurship, you could be moving on to your own gig in 30

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1137169958499580702006-01-13T10:25:00.000-06:002006-01-13T10:32:42.780-06:00

Franchises were all the rage for many years -- we watched small name businesses start franchise opportunities, and we watched those franchises pop up everywhere. I see Krispy Kreme and Culver's burgers all over the Midwest. I have friends who run franchise retail stores. They seem like good ways to take advantage of a big marketing campaign and a big name. Franchies aren't for me,

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1137083392475060662006-01-12T09:56:00.000-06:002006-01-12T10:29:52.526-06:00

If you're thinking of getting into your business to earn a little extra cash, don't do it. A real business, even a part time one, requires a long term commitment and a daily focus.This does not mean that you can't run a business part time (even as a side job to your regular job). If you're going to start a business, you have to set some time commitment goals in advance. I recommend planning a

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1136994187504071382006-01-11T09:31:00.000-06:002006-01-11T19:34:03.836-06:00

The end goal of business is to utilize your time better: for profit, for pleasure, and for family. Time for family and time for pleasure come after you've made a profit and found a consistent return, so profit must be the primary goal to meet.Profit comes from getting more money out of an action than you had put in. It is a pretty basic word to define. Yet what is money?Money has been debated

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1136915938202422632006-01-10T11:43:00.000-06:002006-01-10T12:00:25.566-06:00

Tuesday is going to be my focus on the youth -- pre-teens, teens and young adults. When I was a teen, my most profitable mini-business was the "make your own t-shirts" business. For less than $50, anyone can get started.This business is best suited for the youth because it is highly labor-oriented, requires a steady hand (ruined by my caffeine addiction), and also requires a lot of socializing

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1136822393972969002006-01-09T09:49:00.000-06:002006-01-09T09:59:54.006-06:00

It's Monday. Don't forget to prepare yourself to act the part of being your own boss.People ask me if it is possible to go from serf-employment to self-employment in 30 days. I think it is, but you need experience before you can dive in so quickly. I recommend at lesat 3-6 months of research and marketing to find your niche.There are other reasons to stay out of self-employment, too:1. High

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1136655032187075072006-01-07T11:27:00.000-06:002006-01-07T11:30:32.200-06:00

It is a common title on many blogs and websites -- how you can make money at home -- or own your business. I'm a big fan of using the home as the way to start your business, but I believe strongly that the make money at home sites generally don't give the best advice. There are a few "make money at home" sites online that actually DO work, but the majority of them forget some simple business

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1136569887326932502006-01-06T11:28:00.000-06:002006-01-06T11:51:27.366-06:00

When I was a young businessman (we're talking in my teens) I had one major problem: lack of confidence! I couldn't look a customer in the eyes, I'd slouch and I didn't feel like I was able to always perform the job (even though I knew I could). Around the age of 17 everything changed: an older businessman who was one of my first customers told me that even if I didn't feel confident, I should

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1136487594709644402006-01-05T12:45:00.000-06:002006-01-05T12:59:54.720-06:00

Every time I've been worried about entering a new business or market, I found that the best way to address my value was to talk with friends and family members. The big problem with calling up a good friend or a close family member is that they are not always the most honest -- they don't want to hurt your feelings. After learning the hard way that friends and family don't always tell the truth

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1136402201932416502006-01-04T13:10:00.000-06:002006-01-04T13:16:41.943-06:00

Before you can even enter a market (whether in your area or online) it is wise to figure out who you'd be competing against. For a local business, I use Google more than anything in finding who my competition is, even after I'm in business.Using Google's homepage, you can find local "hits" just by entering a topic followed by your city and state. If I was thinking about entering the PC repair

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1136305387650925492006-01-03T10:20:00.000-06:002006-01-16T19:07:03.183-06:00

A successful business is not a greedy group of people looking to take advantage of others. A successful business is not an anonymous name providing an anonymous service. A successful business is not a wealthy individual that was lucky enough to inherit the successful business from someone else.A successful business is an individual or group of individuals who can offer another individual or group

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1136216947412500672006-01-02T09:19:00.000-06:002006-01-02T09:49:07.426-06:00

I often get questioned on web forums about my business history (sometimes it gets to the point that I am called a liar or a troll). I'll always be the first person to share my secrets, and I will be open about my failures. Never hesitate to ask for proof when you attempt something new with your life!I was born in 1974 in a middle class town to parents who were fairly new to the country. My

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20433673.post-1136215130976456682006-01-02T09:15:00.000-06:002006-01-02T09:18:50.983-06:00

As a small business owner, I receive dozens of e-mails every week from people interested in getting out of the grind and becoming their own boss. I hear from the youth, the middle aged worker and even the retiree, and there are days I wish I had a place to put all my replies together in a cohesive, easy to understand guide.Most "Be Your Own Boss" blogs and websites have something to sell you --

A. B. Dadahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02445545079716916849noreply@blogger.com