The truth can be very difficult to embrace. We tell ourselves stories all the time to avoid the truth: My job isn’t that bad (when we are really living in quiet desperation); I’m doing my best (when …
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An Entrepreneur’s Most Powerful Teacher: The Truth
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How I Had To Change My Mindset When I Became An Entrepreneur
2008 was the last time that I received a paycheque as an employee. Ever since that time, 100% of our family income has been business income derived from various entrepreneurial ventures. I was reflecting on …
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How To Reward Yourself As An Entrepreneur (And Why It Matters)
You’ve finally made the jump. You’re an entrepreneur. You have a business of some kind, and no boss (other than yourself) to motivate you each day. Awesome! It is the best. Question: How do you …
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You Never Forget That First Cheque
I think that entrepreneurs, artists, writers, independent designers of any kind – basically anyone who gets paid to create something – have a potential advantage in the happiness department (in one slight way) over people who …
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15 Practical Questions For Every Start-Up Business
This weekend I am participating as an entrepreneur Coach with the Startup Weekend EDU Calgary. The great thing about this initiative is that it is designed to create business plans for young entrepreneurs that result in “implementation” …
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First Time Entrepreneur? Take A Step, Observe Feedback, Adjust and Repeat
As part of our business I work with, and have coached, many, many first time entrepreneurs. Being an entrepreneur is tough, even for the most seasoned start-up veteran. Being a first time entrepreneur – especially …
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What Entrepreneurs Can Learn By Watching Football
It’s Sunday afternoon and I’m watching football. I enjoy watching football, but it hasn’t always been this way. I didn’t play the game in high school, and up until a couple of years ago I …
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Advice To Entrepreneurs: Stay In The Box For A Little While
Get outside the box! Think outside the box! How many times have you heard this? I’ve heard it so often that I’m not even entirely sure what it means anymore. I get it: be creative, …
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Why Playing Lego With My Son Helps Me As An Entrepreneur
My six year old son Seth is far more skilled at Lego than I ever was at his age (or arguably ever). Playing lego with him is something that I’ve taken to lately. He really …
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Business Lessons From The Lemonade Stand
When you are receptive to being taught – amazing, and powerful, lessons are everywhere. Even lessons about success in business – from the most unlikely of places – the Lemonade Stand. My daughter Maci is saving up …
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Just Start: Tomorrow Is Always More Difficult Than Today
Let me tell you a true story. In June of 2012 I officially quit my practice as a lawyer to go full time as an entrepreneur. From 2009 to my “departure month” in 2012, my …
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What Makes A Venture Worth Pursuing? Pretend You’re Van Vogh
Ok – you’re an entrepreneur, writer, musician, innovator, or creator of some sort (or at least you have aspirations of becoming one), and you’re evaluating a potential venture: a new business, a new book idea, you …
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The Most Rewarding Thing (For Me) As An Entrepreneur
Freedom? Nope. It’s awesome, but as every entrepreneur knows, before you can really experience life freedom you often have to put in a significant amount of time – usually much more time than you would have otherwise invested …
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Your Actions (Even Your Smile) Can Free and Empower Others
Doing unique things is hard. Any creative venture is hard. Starting a business, getting that business off the ground, writing and marketing a book, establishing yourself as an artist or musician, building that non-profit, getting …
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11 Productivity Tips To Make Your Business Great
Owning a business means freedom, right? Kind of. In a way. Eventually that is the goal. In many cases however, an entrepreneur has to work much harder in the early years of a business, in order …
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The Inner and Outer Worlds of An Entrepreneur
In both my capacity as an entrepreneur, and a writer, I have found that there are two clear worlds that I operate in. There is the outer world: This is the world of results. What happens …
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An Entrepreneur’s Toolkit: How To Change Your Own Mood
Over the past (almost) six years, our entire family income has completely come from self-employment, commission based sales, or consulting fees. That is, none of it has come from being an employee. I honestly hope …
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The Process We Use To Evaluate Our Business Each Year
At the end of every year in our business we have a routine. I also have the same routine in my personal life, and it essentially involves the same process. An honest evaluation of the …
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How To Avoid The Start-Stop Trap That Catches Many Entrepreneurs
Lack of consistency is the subtle but great stealer of dreams & desires. The stop & start process is what kills progress & is probably one of the greatest reasons why many don’t achieve their …
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A Home Based Business Entrepreneur’s Secret Weapon: Confronting The Brutal Facts
One of the most influential business books of all time is Good to Great by Jim Collins. In it, Collins profiles some of the characteristics that have allowed some companies to make the leap from …
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The Ten Most Important Things We’ve Done In Our Business: #5 Take Risks, Experiment and Invest Back In
Taking risks, experimenting with new methods, and investing back in the business could easily be three separate categories. However, I’ve intentionally made them into one because they all have a related foundation: fear of failure. …
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Lifestyle Design: Our Story Of Entrepreneurial Success
I have a unique life. It is one that has been intentionally designed. It hasn’t been easy to create it. But it is possible. My wife and I are living proof that you don’t need …
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How Far Are You Willing To Go?
I firmly believe that one of the things that separates amateurs from professionals, that separates those who dream from those who do, is commitment. An entrepreneur who creates businesses that provide value and generate revenue …
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Living Intentionally
One of my favourite books in the world is Walden by Henry David Thoreau – not for its “getting back to nature” theme, but rather because it advocates living intentionally. I’ve accepted to its core …
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It Doesn’t Have To Be Perfect At The Start – Just Launch It And Then Constantly Improve It
Success in school doesn’t mean that you will be a good entrepreneur. In fact, some of the conditioning that we receive in school holds us back, and actually inhibits us from being successful entrepreneurs. Here …
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You’ve Got To Do It – It’s Up To You
This is one of the most powerful lessons that an entrepreneur will ever learn – it is up to them to make things happen. An entrepreneur doesn’t get to use the excuses that so many …
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How Bad Do You Want It?
One of my all time favorite inspiration messages. Take a minute to watch it and apply it to your business and life!
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How To Build A Successful Business From Home
I’ve been wanting to write on this tope for a quite a while. It is something that my wife and I are very knowledgable about, and something that is very meaningful to both of us. …
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Choosing Your Customers First
I love Seth Godin’s perspective (and his many books and blog). Anyone into marketing and sales (which should be every business owner) should read his stuff: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2013/03/choose-your-customers-first.html
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How To Be A Direct Sales Superstar
For those of you who follow my blog and aren’t in direct sales this post may not be for you. However I can assure you that the information here will help you no matter what …
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Learn To Quit
In order to accomplish your goals there are things that you’ll need to learn to quit. Think about the following: What “non-essential” work (busy work) do you engage in each day just out of habit. …
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Passion
If you aren’t passionate about what you are doing you won’t be as successful as you otherwise could be. Passion is what brings out your energy, creative drive, persistence, and tenacity. What is something in …
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An Entrepreneur’s Best Friend or Greatest Adversary
You have started a business, or perhaps you are contemplating starting a business. You have the smarts, the tenacity, and a killer product or service that you know will add value to others. There is …
