Secrets Of A Teenage Entrepreneur

By Lydia Quinn

While many entrepreneurs happen to be work at home moms and dads, former corporate slaves or just someone with a driving ambition and the desire to be their own boss, there is also another category of entrepreneur that has had a significant impact on e-commerce. I'm talking about the teenage entrepreneur. You'd be surprised how many websites and online businesses were actually started by or are run by teenagers with a little motivation, free time and willingness to try anything.

20 years ago, before the ubiquitousness of the Internet, it was much harder for a teen to start their own business. They may have been relegated to the typical teen jobs like paper boy or lawn mower. However, with the Internet and the World Wide Web as we now know it, the playing field was leveled and age was no longer such a limiting factor in the world of business. Today, entrepreneurs are limited only by their own skills and imagination.

What can we learn from a teenage entrepreneur that we can apply to our own business? Maybe alot. I talked to Brandon Anderson, who started his own online business in the 9th grade. Today, he runs one of the top sites on the Internet for traffic safety supplies including barricade lights and accessories.

Brandon said he started the company due to the easy availability of his product due to a relative's business connections. Brandon says, "He suggested I try and set up a site to get sales and see what happens. I decided, what the hell, it's not a big investment, so I might as well just try." And so Brandon purchased a domain name, appropriately BrandonSafetyLights.com and set up a simple website that included pictures of the lights and supplies, descriptions and Paypal ordering buttons for each product. To minimize costs, Brandon used Paypal as his merchant services provider. While the site started out slow, traffic steadily grew and so did customers and sales. With outside promotion help including the services of a search engine optimization firm, the site is now ranked very well for the majority of its targeted search terms on the most popular search engines including Google. The site and business has grown steadily and continues to grow with it now attracting a loyal customer following.

Advantages

The advantages of the business are many. With it being a solely online business, the maintenance of the site is minimal. It basically runs itself. Though there are costs related to hosting, merchant fees and advertising costs, the site is profitable and makes for a tidy income for Brandon, now a freshman at Syracuse University. In addition, the site can basically be run from anywhere.

Drawbacks

Being a teenage entrepreneur isn't without its drawbacks though. Brandon says, "Dealing with school and owning a business can be tough at times. Talking about barricade lights to a customer outside a classroom or in a lunch room can be embarrassing. Also, I usually get my calls during class time, so I can't respond right away. I have to wait until after school and can lose sales this way. Or if a customer just needs some info and I can't get that back to them until after the school day, it hurts my relationship with that company. But, I learn to deal with it."

For Brandon and the many other teenage entrepreneurs, the Internet continues to challenge the old school mentality and rules of business, as teenage entrepreneurs have changed the landscape of e-commerce.

Lydia Quinn writes for Brandon Safety Lights, a leading provider of barricade lights and traffic safety supplies. Visit us at: http://www.brandonsafetylights.com/

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How to Become a Successful Online Entrepreneur

By Mike Fordham

There is no doubt that many people would like to know exactly how to become a successful online entrepreneur.

For a start let us take a look at the dictionary definition of entrepreneur. I think we need to be clear about what exactly an entrepreneur is before going any further.

Cambridge dictionaries online define an entrepreneur as

Someone who starts their own business, especially when this involves risks

So there is no confusion here. It is very clear. If you start your own business you are an entrepreneur but it does seem to have to also include an element of risk.

You could argue that any new business involves risk and that is certainly true, but successful entrepreneurs are willing to take much greater risks than your average new business starter

How exactly do you become a successful entrepreneur?
Well that has to be the million dollar question. If there were a prescribed and reliable formula, we would all be multi millionaires. There would be no risk and so paradoxically, perhaps no more entrepreneurs!

There are certain characteristics that successful entrepreneurs seem to possess, such as absolute dedication.

So what drives an entrepreneur and what makes them different to most other people? What is their vision compared to mere mortals?

For certain there are a number of qualities they all share and without them, they would probably not be entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurial qualities
You could say that any person willing to work hard at their own business is an entrepreneur but it has to be more than that. Many people try unsuccessfully to make it on their own, and many, in fact most fail, often just giving up because their efforts do not produce the hoped for results quickly enough

The true entrepreneur is remorseless in the pursuit of their goal. It is as much about achievement as it is about money but the money, as you might guess, is the real sign of success.

Entrepreneurial ism has making money at its heart and the means to this is almost incidental.

You could sum up the major qualities of a successful entrepreneur as follows

A successful entrepreneur thinks outside the box and is never satisfied with mediocrity in any part of their life.

A successful entrepreneur is not necessarily obsessive, but is extremely highly motivated and committed to achieving their goal.

The journey will be determined by its likelihood of success, not because it is enjoyable or laudable (although it might be either or both). Ultimately the enjoyment is in the success.

All successful entrepreneurs leverage the efforts of others. This is a good and beneficial thing as long as it does not involve exploitation.

No obstacle (short of death maybe) is too difficult to overcome. Where there is a will, there is a way. It is all in the mindset!

There is no giving up even when the way is fraught with setbacks. Expect them.

The successful entrepreneur will do whatever it takes to reach the goal even if it means starting again.

The successful entrepreneur must be able to handle both risk and stress. If not, burn out is extremely likely.

So where does that leave you?
It seems clear that the entrepreneur is a special breed
Is it your intention to become one or are you already an entrepreneur?

Do you think you have at least some of the above qualities? You will probably need them all unless you just happen to get lucky in some way.

Are you or have you already been successful? This will help.

The new Entrepreneur
I believe a new breed of entrepreneur is emerging. They have all the necessary qualities of determination but are of a different mindset and they want success quickly. Most of their business is conducted online often utilising powerful software and the opportunities provided by Web 2.0 (at least at the time of writing)

But it is not just about making money for many of them. Many are also dedicated to helping others and often set up and fund special projects to achieve this. This is not a show of wealth but a genuine act of benevolence.

With this in mind, perhaps there is a further quality we should be adding to our list of what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur.

Sharing success with others, and especially with those whose lives are deprived or impoverished in comparison to our own.

The new successful entrepreneur is most likely an online operator because it is more than possible to have a great deal of success, even just working from home.

The risks are much smaller working online and it is a relatively inexpensive start-up compared to most traditional businesses.

The secret of how to become a successful online entrepreneur is quite simple. You need a proven system that can easily and quickly be tapped into where all the hard work has already been done for you. You just buy into the ride.

There are many offers available but the best solution has to be a top tier, high ticket, business in a box, with a minimum commission of around $1000 (one thousand dollars).

I would not involve myself in any other kind of business. Why bother when it takes no more effort to make a thousand dollars than it does to make a hundred.

Article related website: TheMillionDollarGamePlan [http://www.mikefordham.com]

About the Author: Mike Fordham is a freelance writer, Internet marketer and musician/song writer.

Based in the uk his interests are Business and Abundance, Music and the pursuit of 'The Truth' in all things.

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Entrepreneurs: It's time to get moving as the economy picks up

Chancellor George Osborne today declared that the UK economy was “out of intensive care” after GDP grew by 0.3% in the last quarter, and the outlook for growth is improving.

Now, one of the special skills of entrepreneurs is the ability to recognise an opportunity when it comes along; react quickly to it; and take advantage of it. And the big opportunity that’s here for entrepreneurs is to get your business ideas launched Right Now! This way, you will have things in position, up and running just at the time that people and businesses start buying again later this year.

So get prepared; get going; and get the rewards as the economy grows out of recession. Take action today!

How To Become A Successful Home Business Entrepreneur

By Ian C Ghidella

If you are looking for a business opportunity, or perhaps you are already a successful person looking for a new direction to challenge yourself, then there are some outstanding home business concepts that are definitely worth a look. You may already be a successful entrepreneur, in which case you understand that recognising opportunities means everything when it comes to being successful.

For the less experienced, all you need is to be willing to learn and stay focused and you will be rewarded with the same success as the experienced and established business men and women around the world. Learn to follow their lead.

There is a misconception that you have to be born an entrepreneur. It was thought that the ability, skill and desires were a trait you either did or didn't have. The truth is entrepreneurs learn to do what they do plus they learn to be who they are. So in fact they are made not born.

Everyone is different, however there are some common characteristics successful entrepreneurs tend to posses:

• A strong passion to achieve their goals
• A spirit for adventure
• A desire to achieve personal accomplishment
• Self confident and self reliant
• Persistence and motivation
• Hard working
• Positive mental attitude
• Strong sense of commitment
• Innovative, creative and versatile

If this describes you, then you need to take action. Put your skills and talent to work building a successful business and home based business concepts are the models of the 21st century. A home business will increase your income and improve your personal success, and success will come from taking risks and working hard.

If you are looking for more in your life, either professionally, socially or personally, you need to consider a home business. The doors of opportunity that can open for you are endless. And once you learn to recognise opportunity your success will continue to grow, endlessly. Imagine the benefits to not only you, but your family friends and even people you don't know. Entrepreneurs help people all over the world in many ways, and may never meet them.

Financial freedom allows you to leverage your time to other opportunities. This may be in the form of another business, or perhaps your favourite charity, an around the world trip perhaps to write a book. Whatever your dream is, you can have it, once you have the financial success which allows you to leverage your time and channel your abilities in other directions. This is what being an entrepreneur is all about, and you can get is from working your own home business.

If you're up to the challenge you should investigate the home based businesses that are available, find one that appeals to you and get started today. To the already successful, knowledge and experience will motivate that sixth sense. And to the novice ready to start their journey to success - accept the challenge. Go for it and success will be yours.

I discovered the perfect home business to begin my entrepreneurial journey. Financially and personally my life has changed for good, success is now something I strive for not wish for. I've learnt to recognize opportunity and embrace it. I no longer fear the unknown and I am sharing my knowledge and personal growth to help others achieve their own success. You can do what I do, find out how today. For more information on how to become a successful home business entrepreneur and to receive a free report, click the link.

http://www.superchargedlife.com/become-a-successful-entrepreneur.html

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"THE APPRENTICE": new series is nearly here!

"The Apprentice" new series starts soon

Entrepreneurs Get Ready!


Our favourite TV show is back very soon now.


Read more HERE about the new series of "The Apprentice"

The World's Most Successful Teenage Entrepreneurs

By Annie Whitney

         Successful teenage entrepreneurs are among the most inspirational people in the world. Given their creativity and the ability to see things in new perspectives, it is no wonder that many teenagers-individuals ageing from 13 to 19 years old-have become some of the world's most successful and richest people.

Experts say that in the world of business, age doesn't always have to matter, since some of the freshest ideas may come from teenagers who are still in school. If you are one of those teenagers who are trying to find your niche in the world of business, then what you might need is some inspiration to push you to take that leap which could change the course of your life forever.

For teenagers who are thinking of starting a business, but who might be afraid to fail, take time to read some of the inspiring stories behind the world's most successful teenage entrepreneurs.

The first teenage entrepreneur who would probably inspire you is Cameron Johnson. At the age of nine, Cameron kicked off his business career with greeting cards, stationery, and invitations that he personally made. Given his creativity, Cameron's cards became so popular not only to his family and friends, but also in the entire neighborhood. As his products increased in popularity, he decided to name his company "Cheers and Tears."

When he reached the age of 12, Cameron ventured into another business by taking advantage of the Internet. He used his Internet marketing skills through eBay, which earned him $50,000 a year. He also took time to research the stock market, where his investments made his company grow to sales in excess of $15,000 per day; he accomplished this by the age of 15. Now 27, Cameron has been featured in hundreds of newspapers and magazines around the globe; Newsweek, Business Week, USA Today, The New York Times and Time Magazine, to name a few. He has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, MSNBC, ABC, and dozens of Japanese television programs as well.

Next on the list would be a girl named Ashley Qualls. At the age of 14, Ashley showed the world that there could be more to girls her age than just partying and dating. She began her very own website called "whateverlife.com". The inspiration for her business stemmed from the idea of providing free MySpace layouts and tutorials, using advanced and creative HTML for her fellow teenagers.

Her starting income was $2,790, but then Ashley's business grossed more than $1 million in less than four years. At age 20, Ashley continues to bask in the success she has achieved as an entrepreneur. She continues to endeavor in incorporating innovations in her business through many new ventures.

Then there's the brother/sister act, Catherine and David Cook. They were ages 15 and 17, respectively, when they started their business called "My Year Book." These two teenagers proved that new opportunities can be derived from existing elements. Their business started by recreating an old year book, then made it more applicable to modern times by creating an online version. By making it interactive, their Internet business grew in popularity, with 950,000 members joining during its initial launch in 2005. To date, the business continues to be extremely successful, with a total net worth of $10 million.

There are many recognized teenager entrepreneurs across the globe, and in a vast variety of fields. If you want to be one of them, now is the time to discover your interests, and use your ingenuity to create and re-create something of lasting value. Who knows, your story might be the inspiration for future generations of young people.

Annie Whitney is a Relationship and Internet Sponsoring Expert, specializing in helping others generate Leads & Cash Flow. For the exact step by step strategies, using honest & proven methods for quick success, and proven health, you can learn more by clicking here => annieoklie.org

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What Is the Most Important Business Skill for an Entrepreneur

By Ajaero Tony Ifeanyi

One of the criteria for climbing the corporate ladder or earning a high income as an employee is to specialize. That's why PhD holders, surgeons, attorneys, CPAs or accountants, etc receive high paychecks monthly. Unfortunately, this doesn't apply to the business world. To become a successful entrepreneur, you must be a generalist; that means you must know a little of everything with respect to building a business.

"Skills make you rich, not theories." - Rich Dad

Now what does it take to build a successful business? I have been building businesses and from my experience, I can tell you that building a business require a synergy of skills. Successful entrepreneurs became successful because they invested time and resources to develop their entrepreneurial skills. That's why I advise my protégés wanting to start a business to first get in the right mindset; then work on improving their business skills. Now what are the necessary business skills you need to build a successful business?

Five Important Business Skills you need to become a Successful Entrepreneur

1. Accounting skill
"Accounting is the language of business." - Warren Buffett

2. Leadership skill
"The speed of the leader determines the speed of the gang." - Mary Kay Ash

3. Sales skill
"If you cannot sell, you will be sold."

4. People skill
"People are your company's greatest asset." - Mary Kay Ash

5. Time management skills
"Time is your most important resource. You can do so much in ten minutes. Ten minutes; once gone is gone for good." - Ingvar Kamprad

If you observe the quotes of the entrepreneurs above, you will come to understand that each of the business skill listed is very important to the successful piloting of a business. But of the five skills list above, one is the most important. Without it, nothing can be done with respect to building a business.
Now what is the most important business skill?

The most important business you need and you must constantly work on improving upon is sales skills. Yes; sales skill is the most business skill because without it, your business is dead on arrival.

"The ability to sell is the number one skill in business. If you cannot sell, don't bother thinking about becoming a business owner." - Robert Kiyosaki

Bill Gates became the richest man in the world not because he was a great programmer. The reason he became successful was that he possessed the ability to sell. Creativity did not make Steve Jobs rich; selling did. Successful entrepreneurs don't thrive on great products or ideas only; they thrive on their ability to woo customers, suppliers, employees and investors.

Selling is the most important duty and number one job of an entrepreneur. An entrepreneur must first sell his business ideas and plan to investors to raise capital for his business. After that, he must sell his company's culture so as get the best employees and business team. Then he must sell his business prospects to suppliers to gain their trust and strike a deal. Selling the company's product comes next and after that, an entrepreneur must sell and forge strategic alliance with other businesses.

So now you understand why sales skill is the most important skill in business. A business cannot survive without generating sales; sales keep the cash flowing into your business and cash flow is life blood of a business. Another reason why sales skill is important is because it is a synergy of skills. When you improve your sales skill; you are also developing your persuasion skill, negotiation skill and public speaking skill.

The reason I am stressing the important of selling is because I often hear potential entrepreneurs make the following statements:

I hate selling
I hate rejection
I have a degree, why should I take a course on sales
I can hire sales professionals to generate the sales

When I became an entrepreneur, I also had such mindset and it affected me negatively. My inability to sell was the major reason why I failed to succeed in the network marketing industry. But instead of hiding in my shell and blaming the network marketing company, I worked on improving my sales skills and today; I am strong in sales. So if you want to become a successful entrepreneur, if you want to build a business empire; then learn how to sell. Selling is a necessity for success in business.

As a final note, you can download my Master List of Best Startup Business ideas and learn How to Make a Million Dollars Fast in less than a year.

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When Investing In Yourself Isn't About The Money

By Doreen M Rainey

Invest in yourself.

Most of us have heard this term many times. It means that you have decided to be in the driver's seat of your life and be responsible for improving yourself so that you can achieve whatever goals you have.

Whether you want to move up the corporate ladder, grow your business, get healthier, improve your communication skills or gain more confidence, courage, power or inner strength, you have to be willing to invest in getting the support, information, and tools you need make those objectives a reality.

And investment doesn't necessarily mean money.

It can be an investment of time. Maybe you get up earlier, stay up later, or stop doing other things that take up your time to make room for your self-improvement. You use that time to read, study, listen, meditate, reflect, journal, plan, strategize or implement.

But this article isn't about whether you have the time or money to invest in yourself. This article is about why you don't invest - even when you have both.

This came to the forefront of my mind when I remembered talking with a woman last year who said she really wanted to start a business. Having worked in corporate for almost 20 years, she stated she knew she needed to work with a coach/mentor so that she could shorten her learning curve and get moving faster with the right processes to get clients and generate revenue. However, she just didn't have the money.

We talked periodically over the next several months. Then, earlier this year, she told me she had been GIFTED a $10,000, 12 month business coaching program. Yes - gifted. Free. At no cost. And she was over the top excited.

The program was made up of a small group of new business owners who would receive core strategies and processes to build a six figure business. She happily accepted. What were her results? She attended 4 sessions the first couple of months, dropped off the coach's radar and didn't complete the program.

That's when it hit me. It's not about the money, or the time, that some people don't invest in themselves. It's much deeper than that.

It's fear!

Fear is the reason why you can hand someone exactly what they say they need on a silver platter and they still don't accept it, use it or benefit from it.

Here are 5 sneaky ways fear shows up to rob people of investing in themselves:

They are comfortable in their misery and dissatisfaction. They have been there so long, the idea of doing something proactive to change their situation is just too uncomfortable.
The ego won't allow them to actually accept that they need help from someone else. They worry about what people will think if they actually seek out help - from a coach, mentor, therapist, boss, manager, friend or family.
They are scared to death. If they put themselves in a position to get what they need to move forward - they will actually have to do it. Change. Be different. Take action.
They fear they will get what they want. They will attain success - and that is more scarier than staying where they are. They wonder if they will change, if their friends or family will see them differently. If they'll have to let some people go.
They doubt they are really worth it. They don't value themselves, their gifts, or their talents enough to know that they are worth every minute and every dime they invest in themselves.
Whether you are one that readily invests in yourself, or if you fall under one of those 5 scenarios, continually seeking out ways to learn, grow and expand your knowledge base, circle of influence, and inner strength is what makes this journey of life interesting.

RADICAL Success Coach Doreen Rainey helps her clients define success for themselves and then get the guts to go after it. Ready for your RADICAL change? Grab your Radical Success Kit. Get unstuck, get moving and get results with your FREE RADICAL Success Starter Kit with: 7 RADICAL Tips, an audio of 5 Characteristics of Successful People Audio and subscription to Get RADICAL ezine.

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How To Start Your Own Business (It's Not Easy)

By Josh Haynam
What makes a Steve Jobs or Bill Gates? Why are they different from you? Or are they?

It can be awfully frustrating to look around and see success everywhere when your own life isn't all you dreamed of, but don't lose hope, here are the top traits that lead to growth of your own business.

1. Constant Positive Attitude

This is the hardest thing on this list to pull off. After all, how many people actually have a positive outlook all the time? However, it's also the most important thing on this list because a positive attitude is contagious. When embarking on any adventure, a positive attitude will rub off on everyone you interact with, including customers. Your clients will appreciate that you did that for them and will be more likely to come back (and give you more money)

2. Scary Persistence

If your friends and family don't worry about how hard you try to make things work out, you are not persistent enough. Starting a business is highly stressful, totally demeaning at times, and the outcome looks bleak most of the time. However, one day it will all come together and your business will work. The founder of Netflix has a cool story to share about this. He had been working on the idea for a few years and things weren't working out. He was broke and his car was broken down so he was walking to the bus stop. On that walk he got a text saying Netflix had almost magically reached 1 million users.

3. Vision With Blinders

You've got to keep your eyes on the prize. It's impressively depressing to look at other successful businesses while your own company is struggling to survive. One look around can put you in such a bad state of mind that you give up. Tunnel vision is a necessary component of success.

4. Devotion

Your going to have to love whatever you start with, because your gonna be doing it for a long time. If you start a business purely to make money, that might work, but what if it takes 3 years for your idea to get off the ground? Then your stuck doing something you hate, and not getting paid for what will feel like forever. If you want true success, and to feel like a success, you've got to do something the you love - otherwise making money will be like pulling teeth.

Hear about success! Get Inspired!

http://entrepreneur-stories.com

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Want to Start a Business? 5 Thoughts That May Be Holding You Back

By Rachel Zivkovic
Do you really want to start a business but just can't seem to get started?

If so, your lack of action is probably the result of wrong thinking. 'Wrong thinking' is any thought that you have that delays or impairs your ability to take action. Wrong thinking over-complicates a process (the process of starting a business) that does not need to be complicated!

The process of starting a business is a simple one. It involves:

deciding on a business idea
refining your business idea so that you understand the 'who, what, when, where and how' of what you are trying to accomplish
taking constant action
Many aspiring business owners fail to become business owners because they cannot seem to make it past Step 1 (or even worse, fail to make it to Step 1 at all!).

A lot of the time, this comes down to one (or more) of five thoughts that seriously impair your ability to take action. These thoughts are:

I need to 'find my passion' first!

'Finding' passion is a ridiculous concept, as passion (by its very nature) is NEVER hidden. You absolutely know what you are passionate about, and you may be conflicted because none of these passions seems to work as a business idea.

Deciding on a business idea does not need to have anything to do with passion. Rather, it has everything to do with who you are as a person, what you are capable of, what you want to achieve, your financial situation, resources and much more!

You will never find passion by searching for it. Passion is a result of taking action on your goals and seeing the fruits of your efforts.

If you think you need to find your passion before you can start your business, think again! Start your business first, and you will be filled with passion after.

I don't have enough money!

Do you ever stop to think about why you don't have enough money to start a business?

Could it possibly be because you spend your entire day consuming the creativity of the people around you, without offering any creativity in return?

People rarely understand the concept of 'creativity give and take'. Everything you use on a daily basis and every service you pay for whilst you sleep (electricity, phones, internet, and so on) are the result of someone else's creativity; and you are paying for it. Who is paying for your creativity?

Don't allow a lack of money to stop you from starting a business. There are plenty of ways to start a business without a lot of money - it just takes dedication and a little extra creativity! And once you start to provide this creativity to the people around you, the issue of money will (over time) begin to diminish.

I'm too tired to start a business!

Unfortunately, being too tired to make an effort on your business goal is usually the result of not having started your business in the first place.

Being too tired often happens because what you are doing in your daily life is against your natural inclination. You may be in a job you hate, be doing something that is not expanding your mind, or have simply allowed yourself to get into a 'rut'.

People are rarely very tired because they are too busy. They are tired because they are depressed. If you start your business and decide to start pursuing what you really want, then the creative energy that fills your body and your mind will destroy that tired feeling and you will achieve more than you ever thought possible.

So do whatever you have to do to push yourself to get started. Because starting is the only way to rid yourself of constantly feeling tired.

I don't like my business ideas!

If you keep coming up with business ideas and discarding them, it may not be the idea that's wrong...it might be your approach.

Business ideas are like bright, shiny new objects. They look great at the start, you can't wait to make them yours, and you are sure that if you could just get hold of them - your life would be so much better! However after a while, they lose their appeal. They start to require a bit of work, problems begin to appear and before long, you are looking for a different shiny, new object that will give you that great starting feeling again.

If you have been doing this, stop now. You could spend the rest of your life coming up with great business ideas and discarding them. That will not change your life. Next time you are about to discard a business idea, ask yourself whether the next one is really going to be 'better', or whether you are giving up on the one you have too soon.

I don't know what the next big thing will be!

Waiting to start a business because you think you need a revolutionary idea is as ridiculous as trying to uncover your passion.

The next big thing is what you make it. Determining the future of consumerism is the job of existing business owners (to ensure they can evolve their product or service and survive). As an aspiring business owner, your job is to come up with a business idea that suits you.

The next big thing could be a fantastically packaged cheesecake! It does not matter. Forget trying to come up with 'the next big thing' and just pick something that is right for you. This will give you a much greater chance of success in the future.

So, do any of these thoughts resonate with you? If so, take stock of them and decide once and for all that you will not let them prevent you from taking action any further.

Yes, deciding to make a change in your life is scary. Worrying about failure can be terrifying. But do you know what is even more terrifying? Living a life of unrealized dreams.

Nothing should terrify you more than that!

Rachel Zivkovic works with Business Epiphany.com, helping aspiring business owners become business owners.

If you need great business ideas, visit http://www.businessepiphany.com for the Business-Idea-Generator, Personalized Business Ideas, Motivation, Coaching and much more!

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Business Obstacles - Are They All Solvable?

By Bernadette Doyle

What is the difference between someone who is really successful and the place you find yourself in right now? Do you think they had fewer challenges or obstacles? Do you think they had special talents or skills? Do you think they had endless supplies of capital? Or did they simply approach obstacles with a completely different mindset?

Turn your Obstacles into Reasons Why

A good friend of mine by the name of Carrie Wilkerson has a saying that I love. Incidentally she is known as the Barefoot Executive. She says that you have to turn your obstacles into reasons why. So when you look at your business and the challenges that you are facing you have to turn them on their head. Instead of them being the reason that you back off, they need to be the reason why you move forward.

For example: I knew that at one point in my business I did not have the resources I needed to grow my business. That obstacle became the reason why I needed to fix it. I wanted to grow my business so it didn't matter that I didn't have the resources, because I wanted to, I needed to find a solution. As another example: Because I didn't have enough money to hire an assistant or someone to help me in my business. That was exactly why I needed to overcome that obstacle. It may sound crazy, but adjusting your mindset and approach to obstacles is one of the most empowering things that you can do for your business. It takes you from a place of looking at an obstacle in defeat to being determined to find a solution to overcoming it.

Tips to help you believe that all Obstacles are solvable

• Recognize that you are a talented individual that has achieved amazing things in your business so far. Look back on your accomplishments. They can encourage you to keep pressing on towards your goals.

• The mere fact that you are reading up on ways to overcoming obstacles and growing your business means that you are already taking a step in the right direction. It is something to be applauded.

• Listen to that feeling inside that says you want to achieve more. That desire to want to play a bigger game and achieve a greater level of success is what will help drive you and find solutions.

• Don't stop. Don't back down from a challenge or give up at an obstacle. Turn it around and make it your reason why you need to overcome it.

Sometimes many of the reasons people back down from a challenge is because of their personal fears or insecurities. You need to remember that obstacles seldom just go away, and problems don't just solve themselves. All obstacles can be solvable if you keep working towards solving them. But you need to put in the effort. You may not have the solutions in a day or a week, but over time your concerted and dedicated efforts are sure to pay off.

Bernadette Doyle is a marketing specialist who helps entrepreneurs become client magnets and attract a steady stream of their ideal clients. If you'd like to receive invaluable tips and advice on how to attract clients with ease, register at http://www.clientmagnets.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bernadette_Doyle

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Valuable Business Skills For Entrepreneurs

By Tony Jacowski

Congratulations! You have officially decided to quit the rat race and strike out on your own. Certainly, being your own boss has its perks. However, it also has its disadvantages. The advantages include being able to work at your own pace while experiencing the excitement of having your own business. On the downside, you shoulder all the burdens and responsibilities, including the possibility of being less than successful. As you navigate your way toward your business goals, keep these valuable business skills in mind so as to help you achieve success in the future.

Accounting skills- First and foremost, you are running a business to generate profit. Apart from the personal satisfaction and the opportunity to be of service to others, your business is only successful if it generates a healthy profit for you, after you take the time to pay all of your employees. Thus, you need to have accounting skills to help you keep tabs of the financial aspects of your operation. With such skills, you can at least be on top of the situation and make financial decisions along the way.

Business planning skills- Aside from the above, an entrepreneur must also have business planning skills that will allow him or her to achieve in concrete steps the objectives or targets set for them at the beginning of the business year. This kind of skill requires vision and foresight, as well as the ability to look into the bigger picture. By having these, you can then plan accordingly and allocate resources and manpower needed to ensure the successful achievement of the targets. Of course, setting these goals is also not an easy task that should every be overlooked.

Marketing savvy- Even if you are not a marketing whiz, you will need to have some basic knowledge of marketing strategies and how these can be applied to your specific business. Chances are, you are starting from the bottom, and as such, you need a great marketing campaign to get your message across and introduce your products or services to your target audience/market. Business skills under this category include being able to convince and influence people into buying/patronizing what you have to offer. If no one can find you, they cannot buy your products or make use of your services

Interpersonal skills- As an entrepreneur, you will have to communicate with people from all walks of life. Thus, you need to be able to communicate well and convey a sincere yet authoritative tone when dealing with these people. This will allow you to get what you want and even influence others into a compromise, which should be often for a starting entrepreneur such as yourself. This does not only apply to customers but also to colleagues and employees.

Aveta Solutions - Six Sigma Online ( http://www.sixsigmaonline.org ) offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tony_Jacowski

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Entrepreneur Tests - A Tool For Successful Enterprise Ownership

By Stephen R Tiebout

Introduction

You think you might be an entrepreneur. And you want to take a screening test to find out. Testing is a very valuable tool which supports your focus on your entrepreneurial strengths and weakness. However, this is not the complete picture. Your skills, education, and experience also provide additional tools that will help you, should you decide to start your own business. The initial step in starting ones' own enterprise is to genuinely analyze if you've got the right stuff to pull it off.

The Procedure

As a first step, decide if you are suited for entrepreneurship by taking a career preference test called the Combined Strong/MBTI Entrepreneur Test. The test is self-administered online. People who are self-motivated will find this action appealing irrespective of receiving help in interpreting the results. Taking a self-administered test is evidence in itself that you are a self-starter.

Entrepreneurial Traits

Numerous studies have established the traits of small enterprise operators over time. The studies examine traits and attributes that appear to target characteristics that typically manifest in effective owner-managers. Testing takes into consideration those qualities that appear to differentiate the business owner that starts up an enterprise from the one that works for other people

There are many key attributes of effective entrepreneurs. Although every successful entrepreneur would not necessarily possess all the attributes, it's likely that most of them are embraced by the successful business owner.

In business, the dedicated entrepreneur always has a sophisticated skill-set of abilities that sets him apart from ordinary managers. These one-of-a-kind attributes lead him to accomplish more than the typical business person, and he is therefore able to find a way to do the things that must be done to keep the enterprise afloat.

Can the individual make judgments swiftly and routinely? Can he make rational choices as well as intuitive judgments in accordance with the circumstances at hand? A 'yes' to these questions means the individual possesses the essential entrepreneur attribute of decisiveness which serves him well.

Is the individual trustworthy? Can the individual be friends with others effortlessly? If the reply to these questions is 'yes', then another essential entrepreneurial quality exists for the reason that each business transaction requires genuine interest in potential customers as a prerequisite to persuading them to buy.

How exactly does the individual respond to problems? An individual needs to have the capacity to identify difficulties early on, then to fairly investigate them and discover remedies. In doing so he'll most likely succeed in running a business.

The Business Enterprise Plan

A strategic business plan is the vehicle with which you conduct the research for your market, decide which personnel to involve in the sale of your product, and validate your revenue and expense financial forecasts. It is the means by which you will convince first yourself and then others who can help you that your company has a road map to success.

Candid Talk

Start your enterprise by retaining only those personnel that are absolutely necessary to maintain basic operations. Later, you can recruit additional qualified people when the budget allows. Setting up an enterprise is not always easy and it also doesn't just materialize simply because you slap together a web site page with some products or affiliate links on it.

The formative years of business launch is often hard on loved ones life. The stress of resistance from a significant other is always challenging when balancing against the requirements of establishing an enterprise. There may also be financial hardships till the business gets profitable which often can take months or even years to achieve. You may need to adapt to a reduced standard of living or put family resources in jeopardy.

If you do not take pleasure in your enterprise and the product you are going to offer, failure is a definite unwelcome option. I say this because starting a business takes determination, more determination than perhaps anything else in life. You must have a burning need to succeed and make the business enterprise work regardless of might come along.

You are going to encounter hurdles. Friends and family will advice you it won't work and that you are doomed to failure. But don't let negativity get in your way. Surround yourself with positive people who will support you in your efforts.

Most small enterprise failures are caused by insufficient preparation. It's impossible to get rid of all of the risks associated with starting a small business. However, it is possible to enhance your chances of success with good planning and preparation.

Tips

The Enterprise owner is usually first on the scene in the morning and the individual who leaves last. Operating a business can wear you down. Be ready to log extended time on the job to achieve the rewards of entrepreneurship. Some business owners feel burned out by having to handle the many obligation on their own shoulders. Strong commitment to make the business enterprise be successful will assist you to make it through slow-downs, in addition to times of burnout.

You need faith along with a desire to achieve success against all odds. Becoming a successful entrepreneur is so much more than simply waxing euphoric over lots of plans or projecting a sharp business acumen. It's about determination, ego strength and just plain tenacity. You will need self-confidence as well as a burning desire to make it no matter what obstacles present themselves. It's essential to work tirelessly in order to develop an enterprise, and have the stamina to keep working until the business takes on a life of its own. Then, it's essential to continuously nurture and support it.

When you have identified your individual skills and education, concentrate on your enterprise know-how. Focus on specific business information instead of general life experience. Then, judge your decision-making abilities.

After you own your enterprise, you're in charge, and plenty of decisions need to be made according to what you believe. Not every one of these choices must be made immediately, but many will require immediate attention. If your standard response to problems is to give problem resolving duties to another individual, then you will likely have difficulties with operating a business.

Values and Balance

In a sense, a true entrepreneur is living a balanced life because he is living his passion.

Perhaps you've decided it's time for you to make that jump. Prior to doing so, it's a smart idea to determine if your persona and pursuits are similar to current business owners.

What various levels of commitment do we put on our business, financial, family, social and spiritual lives? This is a value decision all entrepreneurially-minded individuals should make. The first step in your assessment is to make an honest appraisal of your personal skills and education.

Reflect on your life experiences. Write down two situations where you solved a problem and the decision you made worked well. Then take note of two situations where the decisions you made didn't work so well. You'll want to record everything you discovered from these scenarios.

The academic community thinks that book learning entrepreneurial skills will help provide individuals an edge to bring out several important capabilities necessary for a start-up business owner to follow through on long-term business commitments.

Others say that you simply can't train a person to possess a great concept, but that interpersonal skills, marketing, advertising and basic management techniques can be cultivated. Some believe that entrepreneurs start life with such skills-set potential. Others say that people are molded by early life experiences as well as interaction with mentors.

The Truth about Business Failure

At one time, all an aspiring entrepreneur needed to make a reputation for himself was investment capital along with a unique concept or invention. Times have changed. Entrepreneurs must have the right stuff to tackle the already bloated corporate environment, and it also requires a greater charismatic voice to drown out the competition.

With that said, the failure rate of start-ups is not as conventional wisdom says it is. We have all heard that the majority of enterprises fail in the first five years. But an in-depth study in 1993 by the New Jersey Institute of Technology suggests those figures are a myth.

They discovered that at most 18% of new organizations fail in the first 8 years of business. 54% make it through more than 8 years with their original proprietors or with a change in ownership, and the 28% remaining voluntarily end operations without loss to lenders.

Conclusion

After completing the Entrepreneur Test, it is likely you will get a far better understanding of how you match up against other entrepreneurs. But testing isn't the whole picture. Your talent, education, and expertise also give you tools that will assist you should you choose to start your own business enterprise.

For many individuals, starting an enterprise is the fulfillment of achieving a lifetime aspiration; but disregarding little details in the formative stages can interfere with the successful implementation of that dream.

Last, but unquestionably not least, effective entrepreneurs need to be ready to work very hard and invest many long months and years building up a reputation. At the end of the day, customers want to conduct business with an owner who is honest and who can be trusted.

Stephen Tiebout is the administrator of Ransdell Associates.com a testing portal for Career Preference Tests and Personality Preference Tests using The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and The Strong Interest Inventory. He has over 20 years experience helping people make informed career choices. For great information on entrepreneur tests, visithttp://ransdellassociates.com/. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_R_Tiebout

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Thinking About How to Start Your Own Business? Consider This Advice

By Adam Gleason 

Are you thinking about how to start your own business? Is job security in doubt for you, no matter how long you've been employed in your present job? Does it seem as though there is less work to go around? Look around you, is the atmosphere of your workplace a bit more somber than usual?

Then it's probably time to start your own business now.

Ask people who've owned their own businesses, and they will urge you to stop working for other people. There's nothing quite like the freedom of being self-employed. They will tell you that they cannot even imagine being anything but working for themselves. Not only are they their own boss and get to set their own hours, being self-employed has improved their quality of life, giving them the opportunity to always be there for their family--something that most other people, those who don't own their businesses, can't usually enjoy.

With that said, the first steps on how to start your own business and continuing to enjoy the benefits of being self-employed can be very hard work. Especially when first starting out, you need to accept the fact that there will be many lessons to be learned and many adjustments that will need to be made along the way-both to your business, yourself, and your loved ones.

If you start your business now, you will have many experiences unlike what you've been expecting. You will see that being self-employed is tremendously different from working for someone else and it takes much more than just simple desire to be successful.

When you work for someone else, you usually have a boss of some sort, a specific set of responsibilities and you are accountable to others. Your boss is there to guide every piece of the business, and your role is secondary at best. But when you are self-employed, you are the boss and you are responsible for just about every facet of your business. Many times, especially when first starting out, you will not only be the boss, but you will also be the book-keeper, personnel manager, project manager, clerical staff, supplies or procurement officer, as well as whatever job title you have for the job or service you actually provide.

When you are self-employed, you can't blame any problem on the boss. There is no one to report to other than yourself. Yes, there are clients that you have some level of responsibility and accountability to, but when it comes to whether they are happy or not happy with your services, you are the only one involved in that process. There is no boss to write you up if you do poorly and there is no boss to give you a pat on the back when you do a great job. It's just you being accountable for you.

On the flip side, if you do make a blunder, who will be there to admonish you but yourself? There's no fear of your mistake appearing on your annual evaluation, or of a cut in your salary, or even a demotion. Even better, if your company makes a big sale or achieves a milestone, who but you will take all the glory and the credit? Hey, this is something you will enjoy right away if you start your own business now!

Are you wondering if you have the right personality traits of successful entrepreneurs? Some studies will tell you that it takes a type A personality to be successfully self-employed. Others disagree and say that it just takes certain traits and not one specific type of personality. In actuality, it doesn't necessarily take a type A personality to start your own business or be successfully self-employed. However, it might be a good idea to examine your own personality traits while you think about how to start your own business.

If you are a quick learner, then you'll be perfect to start your own business now. You'll find yourself learning things like finances and marketing. You'll learn how to account for the business' revenue and expenses, and how to project yourself and what your business offers out to the rest of the world. Even if you consider yourself a bit on the shy side, if you believe in yourself and your business goals, you will unconsciously bring yourself out of your shell in order to achieve your dreams.

You are wise to do some research on the topic of how to start your own business, and on the type of business that you are thinking of starting, so that you can be clear on the effort, investment, and hard work that it will entail. There are so many benefits to being self-employed, and the payoff can be quite exhilarating.

Want to learn how to start your own business? Your timing is perfect - because it's never been easier! Kevin Harnel did it - and eventually left his six-figure job for more freedom, quality of life and financial security. Download a FREE copy of Kevin's highly informative ebook, BEST BUSINESSES TO START RIGHT NOW at StartYourOwnBusinessNow.net? Take control of your life. Start building your future! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Gleason

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How to Come Up With a Great Business Idea

By Michael C. Dwyer 

Unless you live under a rock, you know that people (teens included) are becoming rich off businesses. And unless you actually are a rock, you probably want to be one of them. We've all heard horror stories about businesses failing miserably and owners losing their life savings. But most of these failures come down to two major mistakes.

1. Owners giving up on their business because it hasn't performed as well as they thought or because they couldn't handle the stress. 2. Not having a great idea and a fool-proof plan.

While some businesses may go out for reasons that can't be planned for, many others do go out for the reasons mentioned above. That is why having a sound business idea is important.

Ideas aren't always perfect

I'm going to let you in a little secret that will save you a lot of trouble. Don't look for that perfect business idea, because that perfect business idea will never come. Businesses will almost always have flaws and while its good to scrutinize a business idea, be careful not to be over analyze it.

Revolutionary ideas don't work out

This is going to be controversial because a few entrepreneurs have grown rich from revolutionary ideas; Bill Gates, Paul Allen and Steve Jobs, to name a few. However, most revolutionary ideas aren't the ones that make it big. Revolutionary ideas are almost impossible to do well in for several reasons... 

• Your on your own, in terms of help. If your idea is truly revolutionary nobody will be able to help you.
• Lots of trial and error in order to figure out what works
• No demand for what you offer
• People don't like change, expect high marketing budgets if you want to sell your idea to the public.

The best thing to do is let other people experiment with these ground breaking ideas, while you stick to ideas that have already been perfected.

Piggyback off others success or non success

Great ideas don't only come from people with a great business sense. Yes it is true! Even people with a bad business sense can come up with great ideas. Identifying a business that is managed poorly and either buying it or starting a competing business is a great way to start a business. The key to this though is to out do your competition in every aspect. In order to make this method work you need to out-market, out-promote, out-negotiate and out-perform your competition. Let your business skills go to work, because if you take this route you will need them.

Improve on what is already there

There are a lot of businesses, A LOT! Most of them look-alike and function alike. Starting yet another business like the rest isn't going to make you money. What you should do is ask yourself "Why would anyone want to my (insert business here) instead of the one at the top of Google, down the street, etc." By identifying what you can provide that your competitors don't you've already taken a step many business owners overlook. Being the first in an industry isn't as important as offering the most. This method is, in my opinion, the very best way to start a business. Here are some companies that started this way, perhaps you've heard of them...

Walmart - Beat competitors by having a smaller mark up on goods. Amazon - Beat competitors by offering customers the best possible experience. Google - Finely tuned search engine offered better results than competitors.

Opportunity from inconvenience

Nobody likes inconveniences and in order to avoid them most people are willing to pay. This is the simplest method for starting a business. It requires very little thought, just find something that is an inconvenience. If it is on the internet, write a program or an info product that deals with the issue. If it is inconvenience that doesn't deal with the internet, your best bet is to provide a service and not a product. Since selling products without the internet usually involves brick and mortar stores.

Hey I am a 14 year old entrepreneur and investor who writes personal finance tips for teens and parents. Read my blog on how to invest. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_C._Dwyer