How NOT To Start A Business

Hi SowPuber's,

I just thought I would share this with you. Hope it helps some people to get started...

Let say you wanted to start an Internet business.

Ok, starting a business scares you to death. The idea of "selling" maybe scares you. Or maybe it's the idea of being 'committed' to a long term project.

Whatever is keeping you from starting a business is the thing you must eliminate from your life first if you're to get it started and have it succeed.

Let's say you've already started a business, but you want it to grow. What's stopping you? If you've put off those plans for a few weeks or months then what I'm about to suggest applies to you as well as those just starting out.

OK... here goes...

If you're anything like me you start out with a simple idea to make money.

You look at that idea in your mind and you think about it day and night. The idea takes hold of you and you can't let it go.

Before you've even started, you've made your first million.

You're living on an island in the Caribbean surfing the local sandy shore getting a tan and you're surfing the net to make your income in your own online business.

Life is great!

Hold it.

OK, back to earth.

The "idea" is still there. You know you can do it . You're starting with the 'end in mind', everything looks like a "go".

Now you get serious. You going to make this idea finally pay off !

You begin formulating a plan. You put a few things on paper (or computer) and you see it taking shape.

WooW! The excitement builds and you're flying... this is really going to work!

You've got 23 pages of details, a separate list of vendors and suppliers to contact, another list of competitors to check out and another page with pro formas for the bank.

You are ready to rock 'n roll!

Then it hits you like a ton of bricks.

This is going to be *work*! A LOT of W-O-R-K!

Yes, reality hits ...and you go back to sitting in front of the TV with a beer or glass of wine and watch your favorite show.

You take a quick glance at all your 'plans' as you shuffle to the bedroom and sigh, "it probably wouldn't have worked anyway".. and go to bed.

OK.

What's wrong with this picture?

Lot's of things... but the one I want to drive home today is this:

1. You started with a simple idea to make money
2. Before you even try it, you're living on an island paradise
3. In order to fulfill your dream of the island paradise, you have to make this one 'pay'
4. Your simple idea to make money becomes so detailed and complex it scares you to death
5. You give up because it's "too much work" ...

Does that about sum it up?

Here's what successful people do. I mean really successful... people who make goobs of money online and offline.

1. They start with a simple idea to make money
2. They build a simple prototype of the product or service
3. They immediately go out and sell the idea or product to see if anyone will buy it in it's simplest from

If they make money and they sell a few, great!

If it sells well and they're getting good feedback from customers, they'll plan to "add" features to the product and make it even better and sell even more.

If they don't and nobody wants it, they go back to the drawing board, get another idea and try that.

The point is: Start with a simple idea to make money and keep it simple!

Here's an example of what I mean:

You want to write a book, but... the 'idea' of writing an entire book scares you to death and paralyzes you becuase it's such a HUGE undertaking that you don't even know where to start or how.

Do this instead: Write an article that summarizes the subject you want to write about and sell it as a 'Special Report'.

If the 'Special Report' sells, write 3, 4, 6 or more articles on that subject and put them all together...

...now you have a book.

It's more important to get started, than it is to plan and do nothing.

Best wishes and success to all and whatever you do start doing SOMETHING TODAY to work toward your goals,

-Dave




A SIMPLE Way To Start Your Own Business

Dave,

Your post started a few sirens off in my head!

You wrote:

> Here's what successful people do. I mean
> really successful... people who make goobs
> of money online and offline.

> 1. They start with a simple idea to make
> money
> 2. They build a simple prototype of the
> product or service
> 3. They immediately go out and sell the idea
> or product to see if anyone will buy it in
> it's simplest from

Some not-so-successful people probably do the same.

In my (humble) opinion - what sets apart the 'successful' from the 'not-so-successful' is how they THINK about what they do - and not WHAT they do.

Take me for example.

I'm doing your 'Plan A' as I speak! Sure - its a long, complicated way of doing things - but it's doable because I KNOW that its what I want to do - and therefore I am willing to pay the 'price' upfront in return for getting the lifestyle I want in some years time.

For other people - 'Plan B' will work better for them (and certainly does for a lot of people).

Each 'method' works because of how the person feels about himself(herself). If you haven't decided to treat your net 'activities' as you would any other business then whichever way you go - the odds are certainly against you.

Also - I believe that the 'net has thrown up a few fallacies about success recently.

Let's look at Terry Dean for example. he made $30k + over a weekend from his list. But...his list were raving fans that he had built up over 4 or 5 years.

Look at Yanik Silver. It's taken him only 2 years. But...he has a direct marketing and copywriting background (which is essential for net success)

OK. More obscure. Joel Christopher. Master Listbulder. 2+ years. But...he's been to 16 Internet Conferences in that time - so he SHOULD have picked up how to 'do' this sort of business in that time. And...BTW...I'm already doing 8 or 9 of his list building 'strategies' just by keeping my eyes open from what others are doing.

If you read the interviews with 'mom-and-pop' businesses on Corey Rudls 'Secrets to Their Success' website - practically every single one of them have been online for an absolute minimum of 2 years plus (some a lot longer).

So perhaps (after going on a bit) my point is - in order to succeed at anything you need:

Belief in yourself
Act on that belief
Focus on learning from others
Apply what you have learned
Time

Probably in that order. But I'm sure that you would probably need all of those to be successful within a few years - whichever way you decide to do it.

In my opinion - the rest will 'fall into place' if you put in the necessary effort.

To Our Success!


Success...it's all in your mind

Hi Gary,

Very good point...!

But the point you make completely misses the point I was trying to make...

My point is there are people who just never get started.

It was those people who I was writing for, not experienced business individuals like yourself.

You know as well as anyone that once you have some success under your belt, it's a lot easier to make long range plans because you have the confidence to do it.

For the person who wants to get something going and is guilty of 'analysis paralysis', this is one solution.

Now, as far as some of the successful online gurus go... I bet every one of them 'started' with a 'simple idea' and then when they saw it had potential stayed with it... for years and became very successful.

To think that they had a "complete and detailed plan" for their business from the very first day is one of those myths that prevent a lot of people from ever getting started in their own business.

They didn't spend 6 months creating every detail of what their business was going to look like as it is today... they started with an 'idea'... got something going... and then stayed the course when theyr saw it working and tweaked their 'plan' as they went.

Now, one more point about this is that this is for individuals... not corporations looking for venture cpaital that they can blow through in 2 years on the Internet and spend $2,000,000 on a Superbowl commercial...

I bet they had VERY DETAILED plans ;-)

Best wishes,

-Dave




How A SIMPLE Idea Is Making Me TONS of Money

Hi Dave,

Great points you made....

The truth is... if you never get started, it's difficult to get anywhere... So you have to take that first step and get started!

It's like that saying... "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

And, what you'll often find is that by getting out and doing "something" - more opportunities will open up to you. However, if you sit just dreaming, that won't happen... You've got to put your dreams into action in order to create success!

Thanks Dave... Excellent post! :)

- Dien

Hi Dave-

Great thoughts you lay out here.

Part of your post in particular struck me:

> 1. They start with a simple idea to make
> money
> 2. They build a simple prototype of the
> product or service
> 3. They immediately go out and sell the idea
> or product to see if anyone will buy it in
> it's simplest from

> If they make money and they sell a few,
> great!

> If it sells well and they're getting good
> feedback from customers, they'll plan to
> "add" features to the product and
> make it even better and sell even more.

> If they don't and nobody wants it, they go
> back to the drawing board, get another idea
> and try that.

I think that's a real key point. It's a bad idea to spend months or years planning a product or business and then launch it, without even testing it first. Imagine spending all kinds of time tinkering with and perfecting a business and then going forward with it, only to discover that what you thought was a "sure thing" doesn't even interest people!

As you suggest, there's a better way to go. You might have a grandiose vision of a huge business, but really the best thing you can do is break that vision down into small pieces and test them one at a time. Get some feedback on them from your target market...you'd be amazed how easily you can miss things, and how much simpler it is to have someone else point out mistakes in the beginning rather than down the road. Just keep rolling out small pieces, testing them, gathering feedback and improving/adding to your plans. Over time you get on a roll and things really start to come together.

Another thing is, this method is probably easier on many people psychologically. You don't have to wait 2 years to see the results of your work...you can see some small results right away by doing this.

Anyway, the point is that business, like life, is always a work in progress :)

take care,
Matt