My latest business venture is in an area where I am comfortable, sales, with products I am comfortable with, consumer electronics, and it will not be very capital intensive. For a young entrepreneur, those are critical.

Vision Market Development is a manufacturer’s representative agency providing products including mobile phone signal boosters and portable home security devices, as well as software development and engineering services. Our first order of business is a trip to the CEDIA confernece in Denver, September 5-6.

I plan to start making sales calls for an hour during lunch and then I’ll call the west coast from 5-9 PM. This will give us a good headstart, and I’d like to go full time as soon as possible. Let’s see if I can stand it long enough to replace my income before I quit?

When looking at new ventures, I really do believe there are 3 essentials.

1. Do Business You’re Comfortable Doing - I don’t really subscribe to the idea of “I’m not a salesman” because in reality, everyone is, but if that really is not your strong point, know that and find somebody that can do it well. If marketing is your thing, stick to it. Focus your time and effort on the things that will you give you the most return!

2. Have Products You Are Proud Of - Sure, you could make money selling anything if you’re good enough at sales, but wouldn’t you rather enjoy what you’re doing and make even more? If you believe in your products and are passionate about what you are doing, you can go far!

3. Low Startup Capital - This is not necessary if you have a father-in-law throwing money at you, but sadly, most of us don’t. So, if you can find something that you don’t have to put $800MM into, that would be a good start! Once you’re 35 and have had some good success in business, then you can do looking for the big investments. But until you’ve gotten your feet wet, I would stay away from the “angels.”

Have you been to the grocery store recently? Have you noticed that you have the option between 25 differnt toothpastes, 15 different orange juices, 11 different kinds of turkey, and 7 varieties of milk.

I am a firm believe that more choices = more freedom, but I will submit today that, in many cases, an abundance of choice can cause discomfort. Not so much with fruit juice or toothpaste, but in entrepreneurial terms.

Let me here you if you relate to this, but I have too many options when it comes to business. It makes it hard to focus, and we all know the power of focus. It is what turns soothing, lifegiving light into a deadly weapon with the ability to cut off a head.

David Shanks, co-author of Straight Choices: The Psychology of Decision Making , says

So much choice makes decision-making increasingly complex.

He goes on to explain that it’s all about opportunity cost. We feel bad that every time we make a choice, it seems we are missing out on other opportunities. I would like it if I could pick something and be content with it. Hopefully, being in business full time for myself with help out. That remains to be seen. I still can’t imagine myself doing the same thing for the next 40 years, let alone 40 hours a week.

How do you make descisions?

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We all have the things we want to do like lose 40 lbs (guilty), learn a new language (guilty), clean out the storage space (guilty), or start a new business (guilty).

The problem is that most people try to feel their way into action, when success is truly found in switching the two. Action that accomplishes a worthy pursuit must always be taken without feeling. “Feeling” being defined as the euphoria of victory.

Here are some of my practical steps to engender motivation when I feel it is lacking in my life. Hopefully you will see the same benefits!

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Get Cable Television!

 Man, I just got cable about two weeks ago because my wife was out of the country and I was’t thinking straight….I got her a dog too…

 So for the last two weeks, I spent my evenings flipping through reruns of “flip this house,” “property ladder,” and random MMA shows.  I love watching grown men beat each other.  This morning, I came to a realization.  TV, in large amounts is a terrible thing.  In small amounts, it can be very enjoyable.  In light of this new thought, I’ve given myself a few rules to follow. 

1. 30 minutes of reading - before any TV in the evenings.

2. 30 minutes of excercise - atleast 30, that is.  I’ll make it 30-90 minutes before I allow myself the pleasure watching people face off in a death match!!

3. 30 minutes of blogging - this is my daily quota and it can be done any time.  Generally, it gets done while I’m at work…with appologies to my boss.

 I had been thinking about this for a while, but, being mesmerized by the tube, I did nothing about it.  It was Danny over at Be Inspired Every Day, with his post entitled “Abandon Materialism and Find Peace of Mind,” who inspired me to take action.  Thank you, Danny!

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My job blows. Who’s with me?

I’d like some feedback from the crowd! Let me know what you are doing to get out of your job. Are you starting a business? Are you blogging your way out? Are you happy to take a pay cut to stay at home? What are your big ideas?

No need for details, of course. We don’t want anyone stealing your big ideas.

I’ve just got back from lunch with my dad and a potential partner of ours. We are talking about creating a manufacturer’s rep agency. We all have some pretty good contacts for deals repping some cool products. Also, I’m still focused on starting The Smoky Cigar, my cigar shop, and I’ve always wanted to get into real estate.

How about some chatter!

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The phone is ringing!  Someone answer the phone!  Drop everything you’re doing and get it, it’s ringing, this is important!

 ok, It was a salesguy…not so important. 

“ding, you’ve got mail!” - Quick, check it now, it might be an emergency!  Maybe it’s a customer with a complaint!

Well, it was junk, and the one before could have waited till tomorrow morning.  The next one can wait till the end of the week.  But you dropped everything to check the almighty email. 

24 is on!!  Forget the family budget, we’ll get to it next week.  I wanna see Jack Bauer crack some heads!

On and on it goes, the important is pushed out of the way by the urgent.  This is what happened to me this week.  My wife left the country for 10 days.  I know some of you are thinking, “sweet!”  But it was anything but.  We have been married for 2 years and haven’t been apart for more than one night. 

Needless to say, I was completely lost.  Seriously, I got home from work on the day she left and I was confused.  I walked in the door like “what do I do when I get home from work??”

 Well she’s home and I’m alive again!  This whole situation got me thinking about the issues of urgent vs. important tasks, and the feelings that go with them.  I spent a week doing urgent and unimportant things and let the important and unurgent things (like my blog) fall by the wayside.

I’ve found that when I am the most productive, I am the happiest.  When I sit around and do nothing for a week, I’m unhappy and unfulfilled and generally anxious and nervous and all sort of other “ous’s.”  So tell me, what makes you feel the most productive?

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About 2 weeks ago, I shared with you my thought process behind Why I Talk To Everyone. Well, here’s another story to illustrate the benefits of being friendly everywhere you go!

So, 2 weeks into the ownership of my new computer, I get a virus. Not a little “pop up” virus, but an “eat your computer from the inside out” virus. I took my computer to The Geek Squad at Best Buy and stood in line for about 20-30 minutes waiting on Anthony to help the other customers who were obviously livid about their situations and taking it out on him.

I approach the desk when it is my turn with a big smile on my face. Throughout my interaction with Anthony, I made sure to be pleasant and ask him about his work and genuinely be interested in him. Well, he let me know that it will be ten days to get my computer done. That sucks, but I know nothing about computers so I had no choice. I said “no problem, thank” and left it at that.

Wouldn’t you know it, 2 hours later, I get a phone call. Anthony says hello and proceeds to tell me how much he appreciated that I was patient and that he went ahead and finished my computer this morning! So I went from 10 days to 2 hours just like that!

That, my friends, is one selfish reason why you should talk to everyone.

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I’ve been doing some research online to find what kind of resources there are online and what is missing so that I can fill that void. Here are some of the better resources I have found.

PayPerPost.com - Think you’ve got a good blog? Think you can review stuff? Go here to do it and get paid.

The American Success Institute - They have free online courses for Small Business Ownership, Real Estate, and General Success…how cool is that? General success, ha! Plus, there’s an online self defense course…whatever…

Maximum Impact - This is John Maxwell’s leadership, teamwork, and personal growth training company. For those of you who don’t know John Maxwell, shame on you. Just kidding, but seriously, you need to go find out what Maxwell is teaching.

Outsource Your Life! - Elance is offering an exclusive $25-off trail promotion to readers of The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich. You can outsource anything you want, from the usual emails and phone calls, to making dinner reservations and term papers (for you students…the ones I haven’t alienated yet).

Disposable Phone Numbers - Have you ever wanted to sign up for something but you really don’t want to give out your number? Now, you can give them a number that route to your home, mobile, or work phone and you can disconnect it any time you want with no penalties. Plans start at $3.95/mo.

My Own Business Course - Free startup business courses. There are 14 lessons covering important business topics for anyone looking to start a business.

Hope these are helpful! Let me know if you liked John Maxwell! …or the self defense course.

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1. You’re The Boss!  -  Yeah, yeah, I said yesterday that you’re not the boss and that you have as many bosses as you have customers.  But the reason this is a good thing is because you don’t have that guy who thinks he knows everything telling you what to do all the time and getting on you for being 7 minutes late or leaving the office at 4:57 when the office hours have been clearly stated as 8 to 5.  Forget that! I’d rather work 12 hours for myself than 8 for someone else! 

2. No More Cube!  - Enough said.   

3. Tax Deductions!  -  When you are a business owner you can take advantage of the tax code as opposed to being taken advantage of by it.  Let’s look at the numbers.  An employee makes $1000, pays $300 in taxes and then buys a computer for $700.  They now have $0.  A business owner makes the same $1000, buys a $700 computer, writes it off as a business expense and then pays the $90 tax on the $300 left over.  He is left with $210.  The business owner wins.

4. Control!  -  This is good and bad.  Along with the authority comes the responsibility, but you just have to pick your poison.  There are headaches that go along with employment and there are headaches that go along with entrepreneurship.  You have to choose which headache you’d rather have.  I’d rather have the headaches of Entrepreneurship.

5. Lack of Security!  -  Some people would see this as a negative.  I see it as a possitive 100%.  With security and liberty, you’re playing a no sum game.  More liberty means less security and more security means less liberty.  Think about it.  If you are in a jail cell 24 hours a day everyday, you are 100% safe…but you have no liberty.  If you had 100% liberty, meaning you were free to do anything to anybody, then no one has any security.  

6. Retirement!  -  By this I mean that instead of working hard, saving money, and investing to hopefully have enough to live on at 65, you intentionally create assets and build a cashflow sufficient enough to cover all your overhead and living expenses.  Then you can “retire” at 26 or 32 or 40, or whenever you want.  What? Retire at 26? You can’t do that! 

Why not?  What does it take to retire, age or income?   

7. Whew!  -  This is the sense of accomplishment, fulfillment, and relief that comes with taking the plunge into business ownership!  So face your fears and go do it!

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1. I’m The Boss - Yeah, more or less…in reality, you went from having one, maybe two bosses to having 10, 50, 100 or however many customers you have. You now work for every customer you have. Period.

2. Now I Don’t Have to Deal With Jerks Everyday - Wrong. You have to deal with more, and now they are “always right” as the saying goes. Customers are the worst part about business, and oddly enough, the best part at the same time.

3. I Know How To Do It, So I Will Be a Success - Not true. This goes back to the difference between working on your business as opposed to in your business. Anyone can work in a business, but it takes a true entrepreneur to work on a business.

4. I Set My Own Hours - Right, if by “set my own hours” you mean “work 16 hours a day 8 days a week for the next 5 years.”

5. Easy Work Load - That is, if you have a multi-millionaire willing to throw money at you so you can pay other people to do the little thing. Based on all the “How To Get VC” blogs I see, I doubt that is the case. Again, build the systems and the systems will do the work.

6. Freedom! - What? Now you can do what you want, when you want, and how you want? I think what you meant is that you can do what the customer wants, when they want it, and how they want it.

7. I’ll Be Paid What I’m Worth - Is that a good thing? I don’t want to be paid what I’m worth. I want to be paid what the systems and processes I have created are worth, which ultimately will be more than little ol’ me. At which point, #’s 1-6 become reality.

Okay, okay, okay, I know this is just how it will happen for the other entrepreneurs. This sure does make owning a business sound awful, so tomorrow I’ll post 7 Reasons To Be an Entrepreneurs. But, if you think it’s possible that you may subscribe to a few of these myths, I have two books to recommend. I’ve recommended them before, and I’m doing it again. Here ya go!The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich

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