I’ve had some recent opportunities to appear as a guest analyst on The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch.
As always, I’d love to hear back on your thoughts, advice and other feedback about these episodes…
Here are two recent appearances:
Today’s guest author Brian Rutledge, is Managing Partner at Search Marketing firm Get Page One, LLC., which he founded in 1998. Get Page One specializes in helping small to medium sized business grow and manage their online presence through organic search engine optimization, social media optimization and paid search marketing campaigns. Based in Austin, Texas, Get Page One helps clients worldwide with holistic internet marketing campaigns focused on sales, brand awareness, and reputation management.
Jeff Chavez runs one of the most successful small business coaching companies in the United States. In addition to his duties as CEO of Northstar Ventures, he’s active in the professional speaking industry. At his latest event in Austin, which also featured his friend Tito Beveridge, Jeff discussed the 11 Killer Instinct of Entrepreneurship, a topic which had the audience deeply engaged. There was so much feedback from the event that Jeff is now writing a book entitled, The 11 Killer Instincts of Entrepreneurship.
As founder and CEO of Northstar Ventures, Jeff is able to apply the lessons that he has learned while starting each business, whether successful or not. He explains in his blog that some of the best lessons he’s learned was from failure, and not from the success some of his companies realized. With each failure, he grew stronger, and was able to pick up the pieces and move in a new direction; with more resolve, experience and commitment to making his next business more successful.
Jeff Chavez began his entrepreneurial career in 1992, as the Founder of Foothill Fire Safety Co. He continued to manage FFSC while forming a second company, Home Healthcare Direct, which distributed medical supplies to assisted living facilities. Both companies were successfully acquired in 1997.
From 1999 to 2002, Jeff Chavez served as Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of DispenseSource, Inc. (now Nexiant, Inc.) where he established it as one of the leading providers of automated inventory systems within the industrial and manufacturing industries. The company has emerged as the world’s leading provider of automated inventory systems.
Northstar Thinktank is the newest edition to his business repertoire. Acting as a resource center for entrepreneurs, his team of researchers scour the internet, magazines, books, newspapers, and blogs searching for the most relevant insight that any small business owner would appreciate. Updated nearly daily, this concept allows for professionals to select any helpful tip which is divided into the three categories of the business cycle: research and planning, marketing and sales, and growth and execution. This site is especially helpful to those just starting their entrepreneurial journey.
Jeff Chavez is also writing another book called Survive-olution: How successful companies survive and thrive through innovation and evolution. The book focuses on how the success of business hinges on the ability to be flexible and change as needed. Jeff hopes the book will be published by early 2009, where he will start his book tour and speak on this topic around the country.
Jeff Chavez also appears on The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch as an expert business coach for struggling entrepreneurs. His role requires him to become familiar with each business plan, uncover the problems, and then suggests several ways to improve their concept, brand, finances, and focus.
Everyday we receive hundreds of applications from entrepreneurs seeking guidance for their startup.
Here’s a summary of an application that recently came through:
Current Occupation: School Teacher
Current Income: $37,000 per year
Business Experience: None
Business Idea: I want to sell something online
Financial Goals: I want to make $500,000 in the next year
I guess with all of the infomercial and sales letter hype that’s out there promising immediate financial rewards, it’s hard to blame him for his unrealistic expectations.
Look, the great thing about entrepreneurship is that, in fact, a school teacher making $37,000 a year can go out there and start their own company and make $500,000 a year. It absolutely can happen. It happens all the time, actually.
But it won’t happen in a few months. It will probably take many years. And that’s ok, because the journey can and should be invigorating and enjoyable.
In regard to the time required for success, John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing summed this up recently. He said, “I know you need the quick fix, you want the result now, you need the hot new thing. Ask yourself this question–How long do you plan to be in business? If it’s more than a year…start planting seeds for your long-term growth by investing in foundational marketing practices that may take time to bare fruit, but ultimately produce the greatest returns.”
(He then explains the Foundation 3C’s of Marketing that require a long-term commitment, but lay the foundation of long-term business success.)
I think you should definitely go for those big, daring goals that excite you. But if those goals include making large amounts of money and being in business for the long-term; then expect a 3 to 5 year investment of sweat and discovery.
Just decide in the beginning to enjoy every day of the journey. It’s well worth it.
Check out these great posts for more information about this topic:
Anxieties of Waiting to be Successful
