OK. So you’ve already got a 9-5 job that takes up a lot of your time but you really want to start a part time business to supplement your current income. Ultimately you’d like to create a full time income and walk in and tell your boss, “I quit!” Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it?

Perhaps you are already working part time at something. If so, here’s a rousing round of applause – for you — please take a bow! But is it working out for you? Are you making any money yet?

Are you treating that part time business as a hobby or as a business?

This is the million dollar – or, perhaps, the $50,000 – question. And I have some answers for you.

Take my blog for example. I own three other companies that require my attention. My full time attention. Yet I started a blog in February. Why would I do that? And how am I doing that? How do I consistently manage to provide fresh content on a weekly basis, do all those things that require my time behind the scene – and continue to run three other businesses?

First of all, I consider myself to be a blogger and a writer. I’m proud to say this is what I do. I’m extremely dedicated to seeing my blog be a success. I know you count on me for fresh, inspirational content. I have you counting on me to provide value… consistently. Otherwise you’ll walk, right? Why would you stick around if I’m treating this like a hobby? If I only show up occasionally? It wouldn’t say a lot about what I think of you, would it?

It’s tough to have multiple businesses. Or a part time business plus a full time job. I’m not going to tell you otherwise. It takes a ton of dedication and perseverance. It takes a really positive attitude and a willingness to work hard. It takes team, coaches and mentors to succeed.

It takes time, patience and an ability to overcome frustration.

You can’t just work occasionally “when you feel like it”. You don’t get to play all weekend or have every evening off to watch TV. You do your 9-5 job and then you work on your business. You can’t pretend it will magically work if you are not committed and spending the necessary time. Set a schedule that works for you. I work an additional 10-12 hours per week spreading it out over the evenings and the weekends. You can get a lot done in 10 hours but the key is consistency.

You have to know that other people are counting on you. And you have to deliver. Consistently.

Start believing in the value you provide to your customers and to your team. Start delivering. Keep a positive attitude and trust that a little hard work now will pay off. Because it will.

Your business is not fast food. It’s not “let’s go get a cheeseburger”. It’s about taking the time to cook a full course meal – from scratch.

What’s your 10 year plan? What’s your life going to be like in 10 years? Are you still going to be eating french fries or will you be living the gourmet life?

Your turn! What’s your story? How do you stay committed to your goals? Please share in the comments below — you may really inspire someone! Even yourself!

Oh! If you haven’t done so already, grab my RSS feed or subscribe by email to bigfishtopdogs.com over on the right sidebar of this blog… you’ll be the first to receive new posts hot off the press!

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2. Put Yourself on a Time Out to Increase Your Energy

This morning I was listening to the car guys and their “lousy radio show” (their words, not mine). A fifteen year old caller wanted help on learning how to drive a stick shift.

Their advice? “Forget about the bozo behind you.”

Pretty good advice.

I remember learning to drive a stick shift – with my Dad. I was excited, over the top with the thrill of gaining my freedom and…

absolutely terrified.

Here are a few things we can learn from taking driving lessons:

1. It’s OK to stall. When you stall in traffic, what do you do? You start the car and get going again. You don’t get out, lock the door and walk away. At least I hope not.
2. Most people have no patience. Especially that bozo in the car behind you. So what? He’s probably driving to his W2 job right now, frustrated with his life and taking it out on you. Don’t worry about it.
3. Forget about how you look. Starting a new venture or learning a new skill isn’t about how you look. You may draw some stares or finger pointing – don’t worry about it. You’re going to make some mistakes. This is not about looking good.
4. Practice engaging the clutch before you hit the gas. Unless you want to drive through the garage or hit the guy in front of you, spend some time learning the basics. There’s a lot to be said for just going for it – on the other hand, spending some time learning some basic skills is a good idea.
5. Leave your Dad at home. Did your Dad teach you how to drive a car? The problem with learning to drive with Dad (or Mom, or brother, or friend) is that they may think they’ve already got you all figured out. They may think they know your skill levels and limitations better than you do. And unless they are your biggest cheerleaders, who consistently tell you anything is possible, they may hold you back from trying something big.
6. Go for the hill. You can play it safe on the flat road – sooner or later you’re going to get to a hill. It’s inevitable. And until then, you’re going to dread the inevitable. Your palms will sweat, you’ll find alternate routes – life is too short to sweat the small stuff. If something terrifies you, handle it now.
7. Sometimes it pays to hire a professional. My Dad, god bless him, tried to teach me to drive. That lasted about 3 blocks until I was in tears. We went home and enlisted my step mom who had previous experience teaching my step sister how to drive — and, she didn’t assume I was going to kill both of us. Find a mentor. Hire a business coach. BTW — I’ve learned a lot of great things from my dad, I still do, but driving wasn’t one of them.
8. The owner’s manual doesn’t teach you how to drive. A 250 page owner’s manual will tell you everything you need to know about your new car, except how to drive it. All the manuals in the world, all the how to seminars and books, will not get you anywhere until you put the key in the ignition, start the car and go.

Final thoughts. There are tens of millions of people who only drive automatics. Some are even weirdly proud of it. They will never learn to drive a standard transmission. What about you?

You’re up. Do you have stories about learning to drive?

Oh! If you haven’t done so already, subscribe by email to bigfishtopdogs.com over on the right sidebar of this blog… you’ll be the first to receive new posts hot off the press!

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2. Starting a new business is like getting a new pet

Have you ever asked your son or daughter what kind of business they would start? You’ve probably asked them what they want to be when they grow up, or someone has for sure.

Why not try a new twist on the old, extremely dated, industrial age question? Instead of asking your kids “Who are you going to work for?” why not ask them what they would create? Without limitations?

Interesting, huh?

Here’s what a bunch of really great kids came up with this week — all between the ages of 7 to 11 years old:

Teach adults how to use their “smart” phones. Need I comment here? Do you know how to use all the functions on your iPhone or BlackBerry?

Vending machine business – placed at factories and business centers. He’s donating revenue to a Women’s Center.

Computer game creator. I won’t give the name or concept away but it will be “the newest and awesomest game around.”

Children’s party planner – hosting parties for kids up to 8 years old. Donating a large portion of revenue to Haiti.

Online fashion for kids. Clothing and accessories. This adorable 10 year old from Australia “Quite likes spending time with younger children.”

Fitness for kids all around the world. He’s donating some of the revenue to local children’s hospitals after seeing his 6-year-old friend die from cancer.

Video advertising for business owners. He will video interview people “in the real world” about their experience with your business and post it to YouTube.

Using social media in 20 minutes. He’ll help you set up Twitter and Facebook and show you how to advertise your small business on your Facebook page… in 20 minutes.

Breed and raise pheasants & quails. Target market gourmet meat companies and hunting reserves. His 8-year-old sister will be selling designer flip-flops and hair bows online.

When it comes to ideas for new businesses kids can be creative and open-minded. They are incredibly future driven as well. Kids seem to get that a business is not built overnight and that they are building for tomorrow. They have no boundaries to their thought processes. Anything is possible.

Can we take a lesson from these kids?

How about you? Are you ready to believe that anything is possible? Do you realize that just about anything can be turned into a business?

Will you take the challenge and ask your kids what kind of business they would start today? Will you support them in believing they can do it? Intrigued? Leave me a comment or a question below!

Oh! If you haven’t done so already, subscribe by email to bigfishtopdogs.com over on the right sidebar of this blog… you’ll be the first to receive new posts hot off the press!

Related posts:

1. A tip for leaving your W2 job or for starting a new business
2. Business people, are you ready to rock your business?

Posted by Guest Entrepreneur Gail Hahn

Are you inspired by your work? Are you inspired by how you serve your clients? If not, why not? Inspiration is different than motivation. Both come from within, with the energy and feeling of spirit inside. Inspiration spreads outward, so if your work isn’t inspiring to you, there’s no way others would pay to work with you or want to be around you. If you don’t give a hoot, then neither does your client or colleague. You’re just marking time and time is our life energy. You’re just wasting your life if you’re not doing something that inspires you towards a greater good.

I hear from so many clients that they don’t like their work, but they don’t know what’s wrong. I would ask that you compartmentalize your work into segments dealing with who you’re serving, how you’re serving them, who you’re working for (your boss, your organization, yourself), and what you’re serving.

Sometimes pinpointing that you love your mission, but don’t like the distribution channel, or that you love the actual work, but not the person you’re working for can be tremendously helpful. Perhaps you love or dislike your physical location — or the population you’re serving. If you can figure out how to take the good parts of what you do, the inspirational parts, and separate them out from what is not inspiring you, you’re on the right track.

When you’re feeling inspired, it will resonate with others. Those feelings set off vibrations in others that compel them to work with you or repel them from being around you.

Your clients feel inspired by you when you help them feel successful and fabulous about themselves, their work or their organization. You light them up. When they feel inspired, it activates possibilities and transformation in their lives. If they feel uninspired, they do nothing to uplevel their business or their lives.

Create your work to first inspire you, and then it will inspire others. Power and passion resonate from inspirational people. Mediocrity and busy work resonate from uninspired workers. What are you doing today to inspire yourself, to inspire your team, and to inspire your clients?

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1. Service & Self Care First, Clients Second
2. What You Think is Right, May Only Be Cultural

One of the principles of wealth building is to create a business that you own that produces passive income. The goal is to go from being a W2 employee working for someone else to being an entrepreneur fully engaged in owning and operating your own business.

But which level is right for you? And, do you have what it takes?

Do you have the right self-motivation to be an entrepreneur?

Are you a good decision maker?

Is your drive strong enough to maintain the stamina it takes to run a business?

Do you have the financial security to take a risk?

Let’s look at two types of business, both requiring a commitment, but at different levels:

The MLM or Network Marketing Company

The start up costs and fees for a network marketing company are usually less than fifty dollars. Network marketing companies usually have low minimum monthly volume requirements. There are no employees with a network marketing company and you choose your own hours. In a network marketing company you can leverage the efforts of hundreds or thousands of sales associates to create substantial monthly passive income. In fact, network marketing companies are ideal for part-time work as you transition from your old job to your new business.

The Franchise or Business

With a franchise there are start up costs and fees that can be anywhere from a few thousand to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Franchises have on going monthly royalties. Franchises usually require one or more employees and long workweeks. It is very difficult as an owner to work part-time in a franchise. With a new business, finding a niche market can be challenging. This is not something that can be taught and can only be learned by experience.

Both types of opportunities can be very rewarding financially. The key is in understanding yourself, your abilities and the learning curve you face.

Be realistic about the time you can spend in a new endeavor.

Know your strengths when it comes to building and leading a team.

Think about your personal business psychology. Are you someone who can handle rejection and setbacks? Do you work well with other people? Are you motivated enough to work alone or do you prefer a team environment?

Are you prepared to make personal sacrifices in order to succeed?

Be realistic about your expectations and the commitment you can make to a new business. Sit down with family and friends and discuss your ideas. Listen to their feedback without judging. Draft a plan for your 6-month, one year, three year and five year goals before making any decisions to start. Remember, patience and careful planning are key to your success.

Related posts:

1. A tip for leaving your W2 job or for starting a new business
2. Starting a new business is like getting a new pet

The question is, how much time are you willing to spend, and how well do you want your pet to perform?

About eight years ago I purchased a cockatiel I named Charlie. I had never had a bird before.

I didn’t tell my husband I was buying him; I figured he would probably tell me I was crazy (we had three cats at the time — that’s a different story). My brother in law told me I should name the bird “Lunch”, very funny, my brother in law.

I’ll draw some conclusions here.

It is not always advisable to listen to everyone who has an opinion about you starting a new business.

Now, back to my first question. Do you want a pet that learns just the basics (a dog who will “sit”), or are you willing to invest daily time in training your pet to be extraordinary? The same is true of a business. Do you want meager earnings, and little pleasure – or do you want to build a business that is extraordinary?

In my case, I now have a bird that whistles 5-8 songs, depending on his mood, and does about a dozen tricks. (My favorite song is, “If I Only Had a Brain” from the Wizard of Oz… good for a laugh every time.)

This did not happen overnight. But, as a result of daily input, I have a really, really happy bird! And, I am constantly entertained.

I had never owned a bird before… it took tons of research online to figure out how to train him, and some of the training I had to make up along the way. For example, I taught Charlie how to raise his wings in the air and say, “Up!” (see photo) — by raising my arms in the air and saying “Up!”.

Goofy, I know, but the key point is, I learned as I went — I improvised. I did not try to figure it all out before I brought Charlie home.

And, just like a good team member, Charlie added some new tricks on his own (unbelievable!). Your team will do as you do. You work hard, you are dedicated, you follow a daily plan, and you will be amazed when your team acts like you!

When starting a new business, you are the one who has to determine what your ultimate goal is for your business and set a daily schedule that you absolutely adhere to.

Are you a part timer who is happy with a one trick pony? Or, are you determined to have a rich business that is built slowly over time with much dedication? It is possible to have a business that will give you riches and pleasure beyond your wildest dreams.

Some people just aren’t ready for a new pet or a new business — and others will find the greatest rewards in business and pet ownership. Which one are you?

Theresa Bradley-Banta, co-creator of www.bigfishtopdogs.com, is a musician, award winning graphic artist, blogger, chief figure outer and owner of multiple businesses. You can follow her on twitter @bigfishtopdogs.

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I know the saying is usually the customer comes first. But I have to take issue with that. Just like the airplane oxygen masks from the ceiling, put your mask on first before you can help others.

When we serve and take care of ourselves first, taking care of our health, wealth and vitality, then it will resonate with others who are feeling the same way. If we are feeling burned out, rusted out and about to give out; what kind of clients do you think will resonate with that? Do we want to attract the low vibrational folk? Maybe we do, if our service is to help them raise their vibration. But the deal is, it’s not just clients you attract when you’re at a certain vibration, it’s everybody and everything.

We may have learned early on that taking care of ourselves first is selfish. I shout from the rooftops that we need to take care of ourselves and guard our energy fiercely, or else we won’t have any to give away. You can’t give what you don’t have. So we must have our vitality and energy first, then give it away to others and help them find their own.

For instance, creating is like breathing for me – it’s so reflexive. If I can’t be creating something, anything (articles, sewing, cooking, decorating, art, programs), I get antsy. That is why it’s critical for me to guard my morning time as fiercely as I guard a meeting with a VIP, by the way, that’s ANYBODY.

I know if I don’t get ‘me time’ to create, I’m cranky and I can’t rebuild my energy stores. I know my body rhythms and I’m the most creative in the morning and brain dead at night – so I claim the most creative time for me so that way I can serve you better.

What are you doing to rejuvenate, refresh and revitalize yourself daily or weekly? Let us know by leaving a comment below!

If you want some tips on how to energize yourself and your workplace, send an email to Gail Hahn for a 50-page Special Report on Energizing Your Work, Wealth, Health, Well-Being and Workplace at Gail@GailHahn.com.

Guest entrepreneur Gail Hahn, MA, CSP: an Energy Expert and Certified Speaking Professional revitalizing work, wealth and well-being.

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If you are committed to leaving your W2 job and starting a business… give it a voice. Tell your family and friends, post about it on your blog, update Facebook, LinkedIn or other social media.

If you are the only one in the world who knows you intend to make a change, then the only one you are accountable to is… yourself! If you give voice to your intention, it can go viral. You may have doors open up to you that you didn’t even know existed.

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So you have a great team working with you on a project. You’ve put just the right people in place to get the job done. But, have you considered whether or not they are the right people for your project from beginning to end? Are you prepared to make a change mid stream?

This was the conversation I had in a recent phone call with a fellow entrepreneur. You might say it was an “aha” moment for him when I told him we had just fired our property management team because they failed in delivering top performance at the half way point of our project. Where the team originally had skill, as the project changed, this particular team did not have expertise for the next stage of the project.

The lesson? Even when something is seemingly going well with your team, watch it. They may be good at one thing but they may not do something else well and it could be time to replace them with a team that can deliver results.

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Theresa Bradley-Banta, co-creator of Big Fish Tops Dogs, is a musician, award winning graphic artist, mentor, entrepreneur, blogger and owner of multiple businesses. You can follow her on twitter @bigfishtopdogs

Competition is winning at all costs…. there is a winner and there is a loser. Right? What would happen if you were to change your thinking about competition? We believe entrepreneurs are competitive but not in the way you may think of competition. This is a quality that has made our top 10 list of characteristics of an entrepreneur, but not in the traditional sense of the word.

Entrepreneurs are competitive by nature

Some entrepreneurs are motivated by winning at all costs. They hate to lose. But consider for a moment some other thoughts about competition. There are many who struggle with the concept of being competitive. Either worrying it is a quality they do not possess or, worse, worrying that they will be seen as a winner takes all type of individual.

Here are some other thoughts on the topic:

Business and industry knowledge is essential for business success. Business people and entrepreneurs know what the competition is up to and they study their marketplace. Having a knowledge of the marketplace can assist you with timing and strategies.

Working with your competitors, rather than against them, can open up a whole new world of joint venturing for mutual success. You can piggy back on the strengths of others and form strategic alliances where both parties win. For example, let’s say you have a great product but no method of bringing it to the market. You can team with another entrepreneur that has a great distribution center but does not offer a product like yours.

Competition can motivate you to bring the very best product to the market. To equal or surpass the marketplace.

Learning how other people see life, how they approach business excellence and knowing how they collaborate with others can assist you in being the best possible entrepreneur you can be.

Killer deal: One half-hour free coachsulting by phone. Contact Theresa Bradley-Banta by email. Offer expires 3/1/10.

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2. Five essential steps to quitting your W2 job

You’ve decided to finally start a business. You’ve told your friends about it, you’ve committed in your own mind to ‘just do it’. Now that the lingering effects of your decision have worn off, what next?

Fortunately, you do not have to do everything at once and you can keep earning your current income as you begin laying the groundwork. Leaving a W2 job can be a daunting thought. Want to know what it takes to be proactive and strategic in your transition?

Here are the 5 best ideas we know to motivate you out of your W2 job. Oh, and this is key: you do not have to do it alone.

Be proactive:

Decide on a pro-active, self-confident mindset. Look in the mirror and talk to yourself as if you’ve already succeeded. In a recent conversation with an entrepreneur we know, she said, “I gave my decision to quit my job a voice by saying out loud, repeatedly, that I was going to make a change in my life. Every time I said it, and heard myself saying it, I began to believe it was possible.”

Start a business:

You will learn more from this step than any other. Get out there and start doing it. A good home based business or network marketing company is a great place to start as the capital risk is minimal. Or, take those skills, passions and talents you possess today and monetize what you already love doing.

We have a good personal friend who loved to go to trade shows of all kinds and in particular she loved going to jewelry and craft fairs. After spending quite a bit on beautiful hand made jewelry it finally occurred to her she could take her passion for these impressively beautiful items and turn it into a business for herself over time. Interestingly, I first met her at a women’s web design seminar where she was selling her handmade jewelry. What an extraordinarily creative place to market her business!

Start with what you know and “course correct” as you go. If you wait until you think you know everything before you begin, you’ll never actually start anything.

Strategize:

You can’t go from a paycheck every two weeks to nothing overnight but don’t let that paralyze you from taking action. A 9-5 job limits the time you have to spend on other endeavors. Be willing to sacrifice evenings and weekends for a while.

Develop a skill set as you go. Communication, negotiation, teamwork, problem solving will all be tools you add to your tool belt. Remember, practice makes perfect. Inactivity leads to little or nothing.

A friend of ours decided to leave her job as a welder for over 20 years. Her first step to starting her own business was to work for a friend in the cleaning business where she learned the ropes and, more importantly, learned how she could improve on her friends business. After 6 months she started her own company and promoted it by highlighting the things she offered to her customers that other companies wouldn’t, or couldn’t. Where those companies fell short she excelled, and her customers knew it.

Connect with other people:

Don’t “go it alone”. You can overcome the fear of not knowing it all by seeking others who do. Find a mentor who has already realized success as an entrepreneur and ask for help. Start or join a mastermind group or club of like-minded individuals working towards similar goals and objectives.

Start thinking like an entrepreneur:

Be open to risk. Be willing to take a chance. Look for niche markets and business opportunities that others fail to see. Search for new ideas and innovation. Do a search online for entrepreneurs. You can narrow your search to ‘best young entrepreneurs’ or ‘best entrepreneurs over 50’, or ‘top entrepreneurs of 2009’… you get the idea. You’ll be amazed at the types of businesses, both online and brick and mortar, which have become huge successes.

Theresa Bradley-Banta, co-creator of Big Fish Tops Dogs, is a musician, award winning graphic artist, blogger and owner of multiple businesses. You can follow her on twitter @bigfishtopdogs.

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Theresa Bradley-Banta, co-creator of Big Fish Tops Dogs, is a musician, award winning graphic artist, blogger and owner of multiple businesses. You can follow her on twitter @bigfishtopdogs.

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— Casual Friday can be a week long event.

— Adherence to office policies is pretty flexible. Who’s going to bust me for stealing office supplies?

— If the phone rings and caller ID shows someone I really, really don’t want to talk to… I can ignore the phone without having someone ask me, “Hey, aren’t you going to get that?”

— My commute to work is down the hall… I don’t have to listen to personal development CD’s in the car on the drive in.

Theresa Bradley-Banta, co-creator of Big Fish Tops Dogs, is a musician, award winning graphic artist, blogger and owner of multiple businesses. You can follow her on twitter @bigfishtopdogs.

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1. Boilerplate miscreants
2. Boilerplate Creants

Richard Banta, co-creator of Big Fish Tops Dogs, is a skier, coach, attorney, entrepreneur, network marketer and blogger. You can follow him on twitter @bigfishtopdogs.

I have no idea what a Creant is, other than it is the opposite of a miscreant. There is a very specific reason professionals use “boilerplate documents” (BPDs), not the least of which is that the incorporated provisions of the BPD have survived challenges in the courts. This is why, for example, the Real Estate Commission of most states approves for use in real estate transactions Commission approved forms. The forms eliminate uncertainty, provide a standard against which to review all similar transactions and facilitate the speed at which transactions can be completed.

Nonetheless, the Miscreant raises its head when a licensed professional uses the BPDs for his or her own agenda, i.e. don’t blame the form; blame the user. I agree with Theresa (see boilerplate miscreants) that as leader of your business/team/investment you need to be on top of the transaction so the Creant doesn’t become a Miscreant.

Killer deal: One-half hour legal consultation regarding entity structuring. Contact Richard by email. Offer expires on 02/23/10.

Related posts:

1. Boilerplate miscreants

Theresa Bradley-Banta, co-creator of Big Fish Tops Dogs, is a musician, award winning graphic artist, blogger and owner of multiple businesses. You can follow her on twitter @bigfishtopdogs

Last week a friend called me. Not all professionals, apparently, have your interests at the top of their list. At least in my friend’s case, his particular realtor didn’t. Her interests were clearly at the fore or, at the very least, her competence was in question.

This is a lesson in team. How many business professionals really operate from boilerplates? And, do you know enough to deal with that? Or, does someone on your personal team?

In my friends’ case, he came to me to review a commercial contract for a land deal. We tweaked the contract. His realtor wasn’t thrilled about it (pretty typical reaction), but she grudgingly made the corrections. Items like making the contract assignable by the buyer (my friend) — details like this need your attention.

What she didn’t do is change the contract deadlines along with the new contract date. Heaven forbid the closing date gets pushed back. Now, whose interest does that serve? [Side note: spell check wants me to capitalize "realtor"... oh, really?]

Another group of ‘boilerplate miscreants’ are attorneys (sorry Hubby, sorry Mom… just trying to make a point here). If you are a deal maker, and you should be, best to know who that operating agreement favors. This means you, or a trusted advisor, better understand it. Do you know what a shot gun clause is? And, that it can favor any of the parties involved? (This might not be you.)

The lesson here… business professionals are great, and you need them on your team, but don’t compromise when it comes to who is in charge.

Recommended reading: Everything Counts: 52 Remarkable Ways to Inspire Excellence and Drive Results
By: Gary Ryan Blair

This is a book that provides the road map to business excellence. It is the kind of book that will inspire you to promote and celebrate excellence in your business, your sales, your marketing and your employee morale. If you are a business owner or self employed business person who desires to add value to your business through small details, powerful business strategies and quality customer service, you must read this book! You will begin running a great business that espouses excellence and quality results while building a legacy for yourself.

Killer deal: One half-hour free coachsulting by phone. Contact Theresa by email. Offer expires 3/1/10.

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An entrepreneur will never say “no” to learning new ideas. They are always looking for insights into motivation, filling critical gaps, and practicing and refining their skill sets. That’s probably why you are reading this.

No related posts.

One key to being a successful entrepreneur is to “eddy out’ of the main stream when circumstance or opportunity dictate that to do so is to your advantage. This is why, for example, entrepreneurs are comfortable eating dessert first. Not, “What’s for dinner, beef”, but rather, “What’s for dessert, a triple scoop dark Belgian ice cream with raspberries and home made whipped cream, glad you asked. Make that a double, thank you very much”.

No related posts.

Recommended reading for entrepreneurs — these are some great books, we’ll keep them coming!

The Knack How Street-Smart Entrepreneurs Learn How to Handle Whatever Comes Up
by Norm Brodsky and Bo Burlingham

This is a book for all start up entrepreneurs and for owners of small businesses. It covers writing the perfect business plan, running a business, retaining profitable customers, sales, marketing, start up funding, leading your employees and much, much more. This book is filled with stories of real entrepreneurs and illustrates the fundamental ideas that can make your business more successful.

Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything
by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams

This is an ambitious book on global collaboration on the web. Explains the features and functions of Web 2.0 for business collaboration, innovation and opportunity. It answers the question, “what is a wiki, a blog, social media and networking”?

Break From the Pack: How to Compete in a Copycat Economy
by Oren Harari

This is a common sense business management guide with an interesting perspective on changing your company’s place in the marketplace by differentiating it from the competition. Through illustrations from real world companies, this book will have you thinking about business and what it takes to win in the marketplace.

Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything (P.S.)
by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

Traditional economic thinking and theory as it applies to real-world issues. Through case studies, this book will encourage you to see things differently and challenge your perceptions about behavioral economics.

SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance
by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

A “bolder, funnier, more surprising book” than its predecessor, which again, challenges the way you think about things.

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