Lessons from a man who started 28 businesses (most of them successful!)

Hi Rick and Julie! :)

Rick wrote:

>Actually, you saw parts of its predecessor
>last summer when you were in town.

Yes, I remember!

>But yet I have other stuff I want to work on
>as well. So... I feel your pain my brother! *g*

Heheh, yes, this sounds very close to my situation....! Actually, I've given myself too many projects, and they are too diversified.... I'm also helping my brother Thomas out by doing some work for his distribution company (and I'm learning a lot about how distribution works in the process).

I have a tendency to try to do too much, and I don't like "jettisoning" things.... But I've got to start doing it...!

Julie wrote:

> Ah, yes! I know this concept well!

> Lately I have been playing with a coaching
> distinction I have called "Becoming
> Expansively Laserlike" which means
> being as focused as a laser beam on a REALLY
> grand scale, thus expanding our
> projects...bringing them forth more
> efficiently AND providing a greater value in
> the meantime.

Julie, that sounds like a great approach! :)

I think there are two kinds of focuses....

One kind is focusing your mind on the task at hand, so that you don't have too many other things on your mind at the same time....

The other kind is generally focusing for a few weeks (or months) on what you are working on, so you don't have too many diverse projects going at once!

I'm good at the first type, but the second type of focus doesn't come naturally to me.... I have a tendency to want to do it all. I have to force myself to do it! :)

> I'm not on sabbatical yet, and am open to
> talking about this or other topics as well!
> :-)

Julie, I'd love to hear more of your insights on this topic.... :)

Here's something I'm doing right now to help myself get focused, and to help decide which projects NOT to do....

I'm crafting a few simple rules, to help me to quickly decide whether I'm interested in doing something.... I'm sure finding the "right" rules for me will be an evolving process....

I've only just drafted these rules yesterday, so I'm not sure if they're "workable" yet. In essence, I'm planning to focus on businesses with high-margin products, which can be started for less than $500, and which can be gotten going within 2 weeks, where I can identify a clear advantage over my competitors. (My problem lately is I can see TOO many opportunities, and I need a way to cut through it all or I get confused and overwhelmed by all the opportunities out there....) I may need to rework these as time goes by.... :)

From what I remember, Bill Myers (a well-known product developer) gave himself a few simple rules. For example, at least at one stage, he would only create products which he felt he could create within a certain time period (something like 4 or 6 weeks).... Though he may not stick to that rule any more nowadays (as software development takes more time than creating a "guerrilla" video, for example)....

If anyone has advice on this topic, of getting a focus, please share....

- Dien