Category: Entrepreneur

If You Have the Courage To Think Opportunities Are All Around You

Before I go into this article, I would tell the people who are reading this that no period of time is ever going to be perfect for starting a business. Starting a business is like having a child, you dont know whats going to happen, but you figure it out along the way.

The First Step Embracing Imagination

Imagination is the first step to wealth and the first step to being your own boss. Without imagination, you just have another cubicle in another office full of someone who cant stomach going to work the next day. If work wont let you, use you head during your free time. For instance, think of your favorite product. Why is it your favorite product? What does it do for you? Does it make your life easier? Does it look cool?

Well, somebody invented that product and it was done via imagination, perseverance, intelligence and the ability to see an opportunity which others either did not or were too afraid to venture into and learn more about. Most entrepreneurs dont just have one business; they have several. The different products or services may be under the same name, but a true entrepreneur is versatile and always learning. A true entrepreneur understands that he or she is not going to get a paycheck every week, therefore they know they must rely upon their wits to earn a living.

They also know that there will be times which you question your endeavor, however there will be times of great satisfaction.

Not a single motivational speaker is going to help you start your own company. They may suggest that you consider opportunities which you love, but until you start learning, learning and learning some more, you are not going to be equipped to use your imagination when the right time presents itself. You have to train your mind to think. Television puts the mind to sleep; books stimulate the brain and open doors which otherwise would have been missed. Opening your own business can be scary, but you can lessen the risks by learning all facets of a business from advertising to accounting. You only live one time. Do you want to spend it living paycheck to paycheck with half of that money going to American Express? You might as well give it a shot. Though, Im not referring to a shot that is comprised of mediocre work and ambition.

At the core, everybody is something. For instance, I am a salesman. When I started my business, I went to Barnes and Noble and went to the Entrepreneurs section. I had no idea what I wanted to do, but I had a base. I had the ability to provide any kind of service which was related to or could stem from sales. Therefore, I picked up a small book on recruiting and decided to open up a sales recruiting firm. My thought process was that if I knew sales, then I could tell if other people were good at sales and people would pay me for deciphering whether a potential employee could sell. It was a perfect match and worked out because the business stemmed from what I was good at and I continued to learn everything I needed to night and day.

Now, because I had to attract customers to my recruiting firm, I learned marketing. Now, I am starting another facet of my business around marketing consulting. Though, I am and always will be a salesman.

DeepakDeepak Mahtani had everything he ever dreamed of in life: money, a flourishing company, class, and business degrees from Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan, and American College, Switzerland. He followed his family’s tradition of serving the Eastern gods and rested assured that he was living life to the fullest. Born into a Sindhi Indian family, Mahtani grew up learning the Hindu scriptures, attending their services and participating in the rituals that come along with the faith. His father was a businessman from Pakistan who fled to India because of tribal persecution. He settled in Bombay with a few rupees and started a business. Not long afterward, he got on a cargo ship and relocated 6,000 miles to Indonesia.

He gave birth to his son Deepak and two other siblings in Hong Kong, and four years later, relocated to Japan. They still practiced their Hindu religion and his father always drilled into the heads of his children that -money and success is all that you need to be happy in life.-

He had no idea that hell was around the corner until an unexpected tragedy struck and changed his life for good. His sister came to visit him in Geneva for two weeks. She had an automobile accident and died instantly. It was a very traumatic experience that left him in severe depression for six months. He lost interest in his business, started smoking, was drinking excessively and suicidal until he met a fellow Sindhi Indian in Geneva who was a Christian. This new friend tried to introduce him to his Christian God but Mathani was adamant. His friend encouraged him not to reject the Christian God, but to focus on the man Jesus and His word. Bathani got a Bible and began reading the words of Jesus in red and gradually started believing in the God of the Bible.

At the age of 12, Mahtani lost his mother to kidney disease. Even though he was the baby of the family, he was determined to succeed at all costs. Upon graduation from school, he started an electronics distribution company that he took from zero to $4 million in four years. His wealth came with a luxurious lifestyle: first-class travel, five-star hotels, nice clothes and money to do whatever he wanted. He was fluent in English, French, Spanish, Japanese, and two Indian languages. His busy schedule did not accommodate anything to do with God; he was brutally aggressive about getting what he wanted to the point of pushing people out of the way without blinking an eye. For Mahtani back then, what could be sweeter than the -heaven- he was experiencing on earth?

He had no idea that hell was around the corner until an unexpected tragedy struck and changed his life for good. His sister came to visit him in Geneva for two weeks-then got in a car accident and died instantly. The trauma of her death left him in severe depression for six months. He lost interest in his business, started smoking, was drinking excessively and suicidal until he met a fellow Sindhi Indian in Geneva who was a Christian. This new friend tried to introduce him to his Christian God, but Mahtani was adamant. His friend encouraged him not to reject the Christian God but to focus on the man Jesus and His Word. Mahtani got a Bible and began reading the words of Jesus in red and gradually started believing in the God of the Bible.

After praying without success to other gods for one good night’s sleep, his request was granted by the God of the Bible. That was how he gave his life to Christ. Today, he shares the Gospel all over the world, especially with Hindus and Sikhs and business people. He is actively involved in leadership in his local church and is married to Celia. They have two grown boys–Arun and Sanjay.

When he first converted to Christianity, his family members were unhappy and extremely skeptical. Over time they saw the positive impact of his new-found faith. His act of loving and accepting his family despite their differences in belief caused his older sister and niece to turn to Christianity.

Today, Mahtani is a management training consultant specializing in understanding culture and working with different cultures, especially those of India, Japan, and China. He has coached and trained hundreds of senior managers who are involved in outsourcing to Indian companies and in remote team management around the globe. Most of his clients are FTSE100 and Fortune 500 companies, and he sits on a number of boards.

Apart from his business interests, he is actively involved in a number of charities both in the UK and South Asia that raise funds for health, development, and education in developing countries. He was included in the International Who’s Who of Professionals (2001). He recently participated in writing a book called Sindhi Journeys of Faith–20 stories of Sindhis around the world who have come to know Christ. All 2,000 copies of the book have been distributed, and another reprint is being planned.

-After 20 years of being a follower of Jesus Christ, He has answered my prayers,- Mahtani says, summing up his Christian experience. -Today, I am even more successful than I ever was, not because of money but because of the people I met through my faith as I traveled round the world.-

His message for the world is, -God is a God of love, and Jesus is his means of demonstrating that for each one of his children. He so wants a relationship with each one of us. Don’t think of it as a religion but rather as a love story. Also don’t believe and live the lies that have been spoken over you by the evil one and people who he uses to discourage us.-

Let us lift up Deepak Mahtani in prayer–that the Lord will continue to empower him to reach others with the Good News, in the name of Jesus. Pray that his efforts will not be in vain and unlimited favor will be his portion at all times, in Jesus’ name.

By May Olusola www.mannaexpressonline.com

The entrepreneurial mindset is what sets successful people in business. Without the entrepreneurial mindset at work, you may find it hard to achieve success in any kind of business.

True entrepreneurs seem to have certain qualities that enable them to be successful in what they do. It has to do a lot with how they think and how they look at things.

The way you think can really determine whether you will become a successful entrepreneur or not. Through the years, experts have studied and observed how the entrepreneurial mindset works and this is what they were able to discover:

1.Successful entrepreneurs think that they can do it. Armed with a vision of what they want to achieve, entrepreneurs have absolute confidence in themselves that they will be able to succeed. They look at things in a different way. When other people think of the obstacles along the way, entrepreneurs think of them as challenges. A strong belief, coupled with positive thinking, is just one of the marks of a successful entrepreneur.

2.Successful entrepreneurs think that risk is all part of the process. Most people are afraid of risks because they do not want to find themselves outside of their safety zone. Successful entrepreneurs think otherwise. Sometimes you need to come out of the safety zone and take risks in order to succeed. But winning entrepreneurs have another trait going for them – they know how to take calculated risks.

3.Successful entrepreneurs not only “think”, they “do.” They know that in order to be successful, action is needed. Having well-intentioned goals is good, but focused action would get you there.

Having the entrepreneurial mindset will help a lot in making you succeed with your next business endeavor. Developing it takes some time. But the earlier you take the effort of doing so, the better your chances of succeeding as an entrepreneur.

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With so many families struggling just to get by, it may seem like a ridiculous time to even think of starting up your own business, when in fact there has never been a better time than right now. By taking control of your own destiny, your finances, and by creating a job for yourself, you can enter the world of business and become a woman entrepreneur.

One of the reasons why so many women balk at starting a company right now is because they think only of businesses that require a lot of start-up money. The truth is that if you start a business online, you will need a minimum of capital if you need anything at all. Many women find that they are able to get their own business started for the very first time in a matter of a few hours, and at no cost at all.

Being a woman entrepreneur has so many benefits, especially right now when so many people are worried about their jobs. Creating your own job, being your own boss, and being responsible for the success of your company is something that every woman should have the opportunity to do. Even if you have children at home or another job, you can still become a woman entrepreneur on a part-time basis.

The potential for making a lot of money right now is very good, especially for women who have good typing skills or considerable experience on the internet. There are many different types of business opportunities, from turnkey businesses that set everything up to you, to becoming a freelancer and finding work on your own. No matter what type of business you decide to start, you should find that you are able to make some good money right now and you will feel the sense of accomplishment that all business owners have.

About the Author:
Sophie George is a writer, life coach, and woman entrepreneur. Save time and money by getting FREE tips, tools, and resources for running your business creatively from anywhere at this blog: womanzworld.com

Trump Network Review

When I first heard Donald Trump was starting a multi-level marketing company I thought, here we go again, Donald Trump is going to prey on a bunch of simple, naive people who will buy into all the hype and probably end up getting burned. We all know Mr. Trump likes to make money, money, money, money! So, Im thinking, what is his plan with this Trump Network launch? He must be just promoting this company, or letting them use the rights to his name for a certain period of time for a big pay check, or some type of royalties. Is he really entering the MLM world??

The answer is an astounding YES. Anybody that has read all of Donald Trump’s array of books or been to an event where he was a guest speaker, then you would probably know that he has always been a big admirer of network marketing. He was actually giving a speech 5 years ago and someone in the crowd asked him what he would do if he had to start all over, and he said I would get into network marketing. Of course that brought a few chuckles from the crowd. Then do you know what he said? A few of you might be laughing, but you know what? Thats why youre down there and Im up here! True story.

Donald Trump has never been politically correct, and he has also never been someone who gets to the show late. He has made many risky moves over the years that has had people cringing down at him thinking he was crazy. But in the end most of his moves have ended up making him look like a genius. He has literally helped transcend areas of New York City with some of his risky real estate moves, arguably the most powerful city in the world.

After hearing about Mr. Trump entering the MLM industry I did a little research and found out that the Direct Selling industry is a $32 Billion industry in the U.S., over $100 Billion worldwide, and not ONE company has more than 5% market share!! Not even Amway! What does this mean? This means that there is a serious opportunity for a company to come in and take over a large portion of the market. In almost every industry there is usually a few major players who dominate the market and build barriers to entry for its competition. Theres Ford, GM, and Chrysler. Theres Nike, Adidas. Theres General Mills, theres Proctor and Gamble, theres Microsoft, Dell, Apple. I could go on and on

The one thing there has never been in the network marketing world has been a brand name. Anyone that understands true marketing understands that branding is EVERYTHING. Once you build an influential brand, bringing new products to market is a completely different game than it is for the company that does not have that brand presence. That other company must spend MUCH MORE money and time promoting their new product or service in order to have a successful launch.

I dont think anyone in the world could mobilize the network marketing industry, give it the credibility and the exposure that Donald Trump could. The MLM industry is a very competitive industry and that is the main reason why there is so much bad press out there, but when you look closely at it, all the companies in MLM have different products or services, but they all have ONE thing in common: they are promoting an opportunity to earn an income building an organization of people selling that companys particular product or service. So who better than Donald Trump to be marketing a new business opportunity that anyone can get involved in and have unlimited earning potential? When you really think about it MLM companies are selling the ability to become an entrepreneur and own your own business. And Donald Trump is a worldwide icon of Capitalism and the poster child of an Entrepreneur.

I know that Donald Trump is VERY protective of his brand so I would be willing to bet that he did some serious investigation before taking the leap into the MLM world and putting that brand at risk. According to some executives over at the Trump Network, Mr. Trump and his team looked closely at 26 companies before they chose to partner with Ideal Health and re-launch as the Trump Network. Ideal Health is a twelve year old company that specialized in one main product line for ten years: customized nutracueticals based on metabolic functional testing. They use the premier metabolic functional testing lab in the world, Metametrix Labs, based in Atlanta, GA. Yes, they are another health and wellness company, BUT they have a unique line of products that are actually priced much lower than you would be able to get them through a natural path doctor or nutritional specialist. The master plan is to launch many best of breed products over the next few years that fall into the Trump criteria of quality.

The most compelling reason however, that I believe the Trump Network will end up taking up some significant market share is because of this new Wealth Creation System they are launching in the middle of May, 2010. They have created a system that I believe will transform the network marketing industry forever. This will not be an industry where the only people that can be successful are people with a huge power of influence and/or a huge database of people to tap into. The most difficult part about this business has always been getting enough people exposed to your opportunity, and being able to invite those people to take a proper look at the business so they can make a sound decision.

Donald Trump and the Trump Network have created a system called The Wealth Creation System that will give the average person, who may not have a huge network of people to talk to about the business, the ability to get massive exposure and funnel those exposures into a professional sales funnel that gives professional presentations and plugs new marketers and customers into a training and education platform seamlessly.

The reason I know this system will work and will explode peoples’ businesses is because of one thing and one thing only: The Trump Brand. Because of this new system, getting enrolled in the Trump Network will be more like buying into a franchise, instead of rolling the dice and spending your time and energy in a typical network marketing company with no brand recognition. I own multiple franchise locations with two separate successful franchises myself, and the reason we were able to be profitable right out of the gate was because we had a strong local brand already established, so when we opened our doors people recognized our name and came in. But more importantly, when we send out direct mail pieces and do radio and TV campaigns, our potential customers open the mail, or listen to our ads, because they know who we are. This is why several mom and pops have closed their doors around me over the past 6 years. They cannot compete.

Most people that are involved in the network marketing or direct sales industry do not understand the power of branding and marketing. Even if they have been successful and have huge organizations they have built these organizations with serious dedication, hard work, and a lot of time. The reasons I have outlined above are why this company will dominate the MLM world and become a powerhouse people will build organizations in one to two years that took several years to build in other MLMs. Do you realize how much time and money has been spent on opening up different countries as these other network marketing companies have gone international? MASSIVE AMOUNTS. As the Trump Network expands into other countries, the marketing strategies will be so simple compared to other MLMs it is almost laughable. Trump is heavily branded in 18 countries and he is revered as one of the greatest entrepreneurs of all time. When this company goes international toward the end of this year GAME OVER. I just hope all the people out there who are smart and savvy, but might not quite yet understand the power of branding and marketing, dont miss out.