Category: Entrepreneur

Journal writing is a voyage to the interior.”

For the past two and half years, journaling is one of those wonderful simple strategies that I have incorporated into my daily life.

Now you might be wondering what could anyone possibly be writing about, every single day. I asked myself that same question when I started. Furthermore, at the time, I also felt that I did not have important or valuable things to write about. What erroneous thinking on my part!

At first, when I attempted to journal, my journal entries were more like grocery lists; “Today, I did…” ” Today I saw…” “Tomorrow I need to…” you get the picture.

With time I found the experience to be most enjoyable and rejuvenating. Soon, journaling allowed me to go in the world within and to make very interesting discoveries about self.

Today, journal writing for me is an important personal development strategy that allows me to grow. It is a time for reflection, a space to ask the more important questions about self and life, and an opportunity to do a mental and emotional dump. An outpouring of emotions can leave you feeling relieved of stress and more peaceful. There is considerable evidence that writing has huge health benefits. It is a great way to unwind after the day.

I like to journal twice a day, in the morning and at night.

Early in my day I like to set my intentions for what my day will look like and what I want to accomplish. I follow that up with whatever personal development theme I am currently working on; for example: courage, beliefs, change, and so on.

At the end of my day I like to reflect on the key points of the last 18 hours or so. These are not necessarily major happenings, but rather any AHA/insights that came up, meaningful conversations had, interesting things that I read and so on. I also believe it is very important that folks take a minute or two to note 5 successes for the day. It does not matter how big or small. What matters is that you start acknowledging yourself for the things you do well. Too many individuals are quick to put themselves down for the things they do not get done or do poorly. Yet, these same people ignore giving themselves credit. Recognizing your strengths and abilities are key to growing, not only your self esteem and confidence, but to creating your wealth.

I believe that writing about our day is something very important that should be taught to children at a young age. You could have a young child do a drawing of his/her day and explain the drawing to you. It is not about knowing your child’s secrets but rather have them see themselves through a clearer lens. Journaling at any age allows one to gain clarity.

I have found journaling to be a critical activity for anyone who wants to pursue the areas of personal development and self-improvement. It is about getting a deeper understanding of self and of others. It allows you to sort out issues and solve problems, personal and business. The entire writing process provides a forum where you can learn to grow and accept not only yourself but others as well. Journaling increases the individual’s level of personal responsibility.

Journaling is a form of record keeping. It is a way to reread about ourselves and to see how far we have come. We can recognize how our beliefs have evolved over time. Writing is a building block to our life story.

There are many kinds of journals you can keep. The type and format you choose does not matter, as long as you start the process. You can be writing a few simple lines or several pages.

Some folks choose to keep a general journal. Others will choose to keep specific journals such as dream journals, reading logs, health and healing journals, networking opportunities and ideas.

Personally, for the past nine months, apart from a general type of journal, I have kept a Gratitude journal. Once or perhaps several times a day I write down what I am currently grateful for. This simple activity has had a profound impact for me. Each day I become more aware of the incredible blessings that I receive. I see the miracle in the smaller things. Being grateful brings joy to my life.

The very successful business people that I have come to know in network marketing have all kept journals and continue to do so. Journal writing has allowed them to identify their core desires, skills, interests, and values. They are able to break down problems and arrive at solutions. New insights are gained. New connections are made. In fact, journaling has helped them create more wealth in their life.

Whatever your chosen path may be, I highly recommend journal writing as a daily practice.

” A life worth living is a life worth recording!”

If you are an entrepreneur aspiring to gain more success in your business career, you can refer to several of the best schools to sharpen your entrepreneurial skills and make use of any business opportunity you may come across. In this regard, entrepreneurs are not born, they are made. Indeed, the role that their education plays cannot be underestimated. Colleges and schools are vital in shaping the career of any aspiring entrepreneur.

Here is a list of the Top 10 Business Schools for entrepreneurs that are the alma mater of a great number of entrepreneurs:

1) Harvard Business School

At Harvard Business School, approximately fifty percent of their graduates become successful and known entrepreneurs at least 15 years after graduating.
One famous entrepreneur who was an alumna of Harvard Business School is Abigail Pierrepont Johnson. She is an American businesswoman and President of Fidelity Investments Personal and Workplace Investing. She was a consultant at Booz Allen & Hamilton and in 1997 she was promoted to an executive role in Fidelity Management and Research and later became a Senior Executive at Fidelity Institutional Retirement Services and Fidelity Investments. She currently serves as a member of the Committee on Capital Markets Regular. According to the Forbes, she is the 22nd richest person in the United States and 48th in the world.

2) Columbia Business School

Columbia Business School a Columbia University is in Manhattan, New York City. The school was established in 1916 to provide business training and professional preparation for the graduate and undergraduate population.
Ron Gonen, a graduate of Columbia Business School cofounded RecycleBank, the pioneering recycling incentives program and has contracts with several municipalities in the mid-Atlantic and New England regions. Gonen is a frequent lecturer in class and served as a panelist at alumni entrepreneur events.

3) University of Chicago

The Booth School of Business is a graduate business school located in Chicago, Illinois at the University of Chicago, which was formerly known as the University Of Chicago Graduate School Of Business. It is the first school to offer an Executive MBA program and the first to initiate a PhD program in Business.
One of the most famous alumni of this university is Joe Mansueto, the Chief Executive Officer of Morningstar. Mansueto graduated from the Universityof Chicago with Bachelor of Arts/Science and master of Business Administration degrees. In 2011, his majority ownership of Morningstar gained him inclusion on the Forbes Worlds Billionaires list.

4) Stanford Graduate School of Business

The Stanford Graduate School of Business is the most prestigious business schools on the West Coast. Its also one of the most desired schools to receive an MBA in the world. If you are able to manage to get into the program you can join the ranks of other successful alumni and operate some of the largest companies like Capital One, GlaxoSmithKline and Gap.

One famous entrepreneur who graduated from Stanford is Vinod Khosla, the Co-founder of Sun Microsystems and founder of the VC firm Khosla Ventures. Khosla is an Indian-born American venture capitalist and has an influential role in Silicon Valley.

5) MIT Sloan School of Management

MIT Sloan School of Management was established in 1914 and emphasizes on innovation and invention. It is the home to many of the worlds famous management and finance theories. MIT requires students to apply concepts learned in classroom to real-world business settings. It is the alma mater of many prominent entrepreneurs.
A good example could be Mitch Kapor, the founder of Lotus Software/Lotus Development Corporation. He is the designer of Lotus 1-2-3, co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and was the first of the chair of the Mozilla Foundation.

6) Haas School of Business

Haas School of Business emphasizes on developing innovative business leaders who redefine how we do business. There are many notable entrepreneurs who are graduates of Haas School of Business.
Michael Wood who is a founder of LeapFrog Enterprises attended this school. Leapfrog, is an educational entertainment company based in Emeryville, California. the company designs, develops and markets technology-based learning products and related content for the education of infants through grade school, children at home, and in international schools.

7) Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth

This Business School was established in 1990 at Dartmouth and has around forty percent of its graduates pursuing management careers. The TuckSchool offers only a single degree which stresses on a collaborative and teamwork-based approach.
Charles Alfred Pillsbury, founder of Pillsbury Corporation is a notable entrepreneur who is an alumnus of the Tuck School.

8) Cambridge Judge Business School

This School is formerly known as the Judge Institute of Management Studies. It is the business school of the University of Cambridge and was established in 1990. The school continues to provide management education and is consistent in its ranking as one of the worlds leading school in business.
Martin Bjergegaard is a graduate of the University of Cambridge and has 10 years of experience as a portfolio entrepreneur. He is the CEO at Better Now, taking online fundraising to the next level through an integrated video, payment and campaigning web functionality.
9) Oxford Business College

Oxford Business College specializes in a range of Business Management courses based in the heart of the University of Oxford.
Cecilia Lijun Jiang is an alumna of Oxford Business College and has been working in the commercial banking field for more than 20 years. She is very familiar with the products and services that Chinese banks provide to their customers, as well as with the new enterprises demand for their business development.
10) London Business School

The London Business School is an international business school and a part of the Federal University of London. The School teaches post-graduate programs in finance and management. It also offers the Sloan Fellowship Program for experienced business executives.

An alumna and a visiting professor in the Entrepreneurship Department of London Business School is Rob Johnson. Rob is a successful entrepreneur and venture capital investor. He was on the faculty of London Business School from 1990 where he taught a course on entrepreneurial finance. He also founded the European Business Plan of the year Competition.

Entrepreneurs and innovators are the backbone of our technologies and industries. America and the world celebrate entrepreneurs daily and for good reason. If it weren’t for the entrepreneur, our world would not progress and markets would proliferate. One of the worst things that can happen to an entrepreneur who has a product or service that is experiencing rapid growth is to start outsourcing through temporary professional staffing firms. Progress and growth are great but there are times when entrepreneurs get in their own way when it comes to human resources staffing.

Entrepreneurs make some common mistakes when trying to increase staffing but do not leave it to the professionals who know HR staffing and what is required to efficiently hire temporary help to aid the entrepreneur. For one thing, entrepreneurs tend to micromanage every aspect of their business and will want to know everything concerned with the temp company. That’s fine and well but when it comes to paying for the extra time and effort involved in documenting all details, the entrepreneur finds sticker shock. It wise for the entrepreneur to step aside and let the professional do their job.

There are other mistakes the entrepreneur will makes such as have too many bosses when a singular decision by an outsourcing human resource staffing professional will make based on simple experience. Too many cooks in the kitchen, kills the souffle. Some entrepreneurs approach their temp professional agency with unrealistic timelines and budgets. The entrepreneur must understand that some HR staffing takes time to carry on background checks, proper interviews and selections.

A fatal mistake by some entrepreneurs is they dump everything in the temp agency’s lap and take off for parts unknown thinking that they can conduct it all by telephone or email. When entrepreneurs do not take the time to work closely with the temp professional firm and expects results by a certain deadline, the house of cards will collapse. But don’t blame the outsourcer. The entrepreneur must take a look in the mirror and study the reflection.

The relationship between entrepreneur and interim HR staffing firm is definitely symbiotic. Let the outsourced company take over and perform miracles by following their professional guidelines. The entrepreneur should have a hands-off policy but observe and work closely while the magic happens. Then the right personnel can be hired in a timely manner and work to move the business to success.

Many people discuss real estate, banking/financial institutions, and other common investments that are know to most entrepreneurs. However, because we are new entrepreneurs, we need to create NEW investments!

Many investors invest money and time into a project. When one buys a piece of real estate, one spends his/her time evaluating the property, discussing and negotiating terms, and preparing and signing contracts. After all of that time is invested, money now has to be invested to conclude the deal. These two elements are very common in the entrepreneurial world. Time and money; time and money; time and money! This is all entrepreneurs hear! You have to invest a lot of time and money to make this business work! I do not entirely agree with that common statement, but there is some truth to it. The point is, we as new entrepreneurs need to (at the risk of promoting a clich) THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.

You may be asking, WHATS THE POINT? GET TO THE POINT!! The point, my fellow business community members, is that if you/me/us/we ONLY invest time and money into a project, we are extremely limited in our choice of investment. The entire premise of being an entrepreneur is that we do not fall in line; we do not conform to the conventional; and we break boundaries and borders in order to pioneer an idea, product, or state of mind!

Keeping that in mind, many people are interested in the entertainment arts. In other words, many new entrepreneurs are interested in the music and acting industries. This is a GREAT road to travel! I respect and congratulate any person who wants to invest in these types of projects, not only as silent or active partner, but as the actual talent; the actual musician or actor/actress. However, I do NOT want to mislead. Entrepreneurs that have picked this road have a very hard and bumpy expedition in front of them, but, like any risky investment, the payoff can be HUGE!

Now, let’s tie these two points together. People who wish to undertake this type of venture need to invest more than just the traditional time and money! Do not be afraid! This additional commitment is what makes being a new entrepreneur lots of fun!

In addition to time and money, one has to invest two other things. First, one has to invest his/her TALENT. If you wish to pursue a music or acting career, your talent is your biggest asset! Whereas you capital may help you invest in a real estate project, your musical or acting abilities are your capital in the entertainment arts. Second, one must be willing to invest his/her HEART! That may sound cheesy, but truer words have never been spoken. Unlike a traditional investment, like real estate, emotional attachment to the project is a must! If you do not believe me, ask yourself this question, do you really expect people to buy, watch, or listen to your music/movie/stage performance if no feeling is involved? The correct answer is NO! Truthfully, how many people do you know listen to music they like or watch a movie they like without getting emotionally involved. THE ANSWER, ZERO! Everybody who likes the artist they are watching or listening to creates an emotional response from each person. Whether that response is sadness, happiness, thrill, excitement, mellowness, calmness, and/or motivation, to name a few; the point is an emotional response is created, and therefore, fans are created! NO FANS, NO MONEY, bottom line!

Besides investing you time, money, talent, and heart, you must act as an entrepreneur in this business to remain successful. If you are the artist, always remember that no matter how big the paycheck, your art is still a JOB! If you stop singing or acting, the money stops coming. Although it is true that royalties may trickle in from time to time, the main money is gone if you stop. We have all seen how people can make millions on one job, and be broke in just a few years. Is this how you want to live? How would you like to be a millionaire that IS WORRIED whether or not he/she will be broke next month?! The whole point of wealth is that one does not have to worry about money!

If you are an artist you also have to be an entrepreneur. When you first start out in the business, people may try to take advantage of you. Watch out for these people, because there will be more than you think. Does this mean that all agents and/or managers will try to take advantage of you? Of course not, but you do have to create income through more than just your talent. Think of yourself as a professional athlete without a contract. When a pro athlete gets injured, in most sports, he/she gets paid even if injured. The same is NOT true in your business! If you do not make a record, movie, etc., you do not get paid!

Making it big should be your first concern, but when money starts coming in, DO NOT ASSUME that it will continue forever. Many big musicians and actors spin their fame into clothing products, perfumes/colognes, and restaurants. Investments of that magnitude may be further in the future, but chance favors the well-prepared mind! You do not have to be a millionaire to invest in real estate, an internet business, or a magazine; just to name a few ideas.

Musicians and actors/actress need to be entrepreneurs their whole career. The best way to avoid risk is to diversify. If you do not make a record, movie, etc. this year, wouldn’t it be nice to know that your magazine endorsement and your real estate investments are going to pay your bills for the next three years?

A few of the above written paragraphs may sound cynical, but for those of you new entrepreneurs that chose this path, you have a long, hard journey ahead and sugar-coating it will make it harder. If you go into this investment project with the mindset of an entrepreneur and the talent of an artist, you will do fine!

If you are looking for a part time job, I have for you some great time-saving tips that will help you find the most appropriate one:

– Be prepared and switch on your answering machine or voice mail system so that potential employers can get in touch with you. You must aslo be prepared to be interviewed on-the-spot and even to get a job offer immediately.

– Use the many Job Search Engines you can find online. Most sites use an advanced search engine that will enable you to search quickly for part-time jobs in your location and even apply online.

– Check the Advertisings in your local newspaper. Many small employers advertise in the paper, rather than listing online.

– Always apply In person.This is often the best way to find a part-time job. Bring with you the information you’ll need to fill out an application, including names and addresses of previous employers, dates of employment, references, and a CV. If you’re a teenager, bring your working papers.

– It is always good to have some references ready. If you don’t have any employment references use other people, like people you have babysat for or neighbourgs, who can vouch for you.

– Try to use your network. Many job openings aren’t advertised, so it’s important to tell everyone you know that you are looking for work. Ask them if they can help you. Networking really does work!

– Get Help. This is maybe the most important of all. You don’t have to do the job search all alone. You can make use of free or inexpensive services that provide assistance and job search such as advice offices, employment offices, career services offices, state Department of Labor offices, etc.

If you need help finding the job most suitable for you, then you can click on my link underneath and you will receive my guidance and advice at no cost. By answering some basic questions, I will be able to guide you finding something suitable for you and help you earn an extra income!