In a valiant attempt to not refine and state my goals, let's talk marketing... My wife's business should be a licence to print money - which it would if people knew she existed.
So, marketing. Me, I'm an IT professional, what do I know about marketing? If anyone would be starting at the bottom of a profession, when it comes to marketing, it is me. So here goes - have contacted two local radio stations, one magazine and one newspaper. Not even sure how best to go about it - direct contact via email, press releases, what!? At which point, I figure, being an IT professional, this info must be available on the net. I will go look.
(Meanwhile, I need to set my goals...)
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
School Fees...
When you sets up a new business, you know that you are going to go through a learning curve, and that any lessons you learn on the way, be they financial or dealing with business relationships, will be "school fees".
My wife and I have got involved in a business relationship with a local business man - my wife would run some equipment that he needed a specialist to operate. The deal was fairly informal - the basis that he would supply and maintain the machine, and my wife would supply all other consumables. They would then share the income from the machine according to a ratio that they agreed on.
Advertising and clients would be supplied by him, my wife committed being available to run the machine for a minimum of 60% of a working week.
A simpler deal one couldn't really come up with.
However. It now seems that as far as he is concerned, my wife had agreed to supply the consumables to keep the machine running, as well as supply clientelle.
This, I suspect, has come about due to cash flow issues - brought about by:
1. Alienating and firing the champion of his business
2. Bringing in his daughter as 'Marketing Manager'. Daughter mainly spends her time smoking on the back step, and no obvious time doing any marketing. Not to mention leaving 'drop-in' clients (as well as the occasional booked client) hopelessly ringing the bell and not being allowed in.
The relationship is now coming to a head as my wife will no longer pay for consumables to keep the machine running. It is still a good deal for us, so despite the frustrations, we'd like to settle it down and continue.
So, lessons learned:
1. When setting up a business relationship, MINUTE the meetings. Seems pretty obvious, but we did not, and now we have no records to refer to when it comes to "he said, she said" arguments.
2. Make your contract as detailed as possible. We did the best we could, but nowhere does it specify who will provide the consumables for the machine.
Both pretty obvious points really.
Meeting to be held in the next week or so - watch this space!
My wife and I have got involved in a business relationship with a local business man - my wife would run some equipment that he needed a specialist to operate. The deal was fairly informal - the basis that he would supply and maintain the machine, and my wife would supply all other consumables. They would then share the income from the machine according to a ratio that they agreed on.
Advertising and clients would be supplied by him, my wife committed being available to run the machine for a minimum of 60% of a working week.
A simpler deal one couldn't really come up with.
However. It now seems that as far as he is concerned, my wife had agreed to supply the consumables to keep the machine running, as well as supply clientelle.
This, I suspect, has come about due to cash flow issues - brought about by:
1. Alienating and firing the champion of his business
2. Bringing in his daughter as 'Marketing Manager'. Daughter mainly spends her time smoking on the back step, and no obvious time doing any marketing. Not to mention leaving 'drop-in' clients (as well as the occasional booked client) hopelessly ringing the bell and not being allowed in.
The relationship is now coming to a head as my wife will no longer pay for consumables to keep the machine running. It is still a good deal for us, so despite the frustrations, we'd like to settle it down and continue.
So, lessons learned:
1. When setting up a business relationship, MINUTE the meetings. Seems pretty obvious, but we did not, and now we have no records to refer to when it comes to "he said, she said" arguments.
2. Make your contract as detailed as possible. We did the best we could, but nowhere does it specify who will provide the consumables for the machine.
Both pretty obvious points really.
Meeting to be held in the next week or so - watch this space!
Predictions...
More from Tom Venuto:
(http://www.burnthefatblog.com/archives/2008/01/happy_new_year_this_is.php)
For "Why should I read all this crap!?" read the previous post.
"...here are my 20 fitness predictions for 2008:
I PREDICT that if you can reach into your pocket on any day in 2008 and pull out a card or piece of paper with all your body and fitness goals written on it in vivid detail, the odds are 95 to 1 in favor of you achieving every one of those goals before the end of the year.
I PREDICT that if you focus your thoughts on your goals and how you are going to achieve them, all day long, you will reach your goals so fast in 2008, it will make your head spin.
I PREDICT that if you focus your thoughts on health woes and body fat problems and if you think about what you don’t want, all day long, your problems will get worse than ever this year.
I PREDICT that if you made a new year’s resolution, but you didn’t turn it into a specific, written goal with a deadline and a strong reason why you must achieve it, you will freely abandon it the moment the going gets tough.
I PREDICT that if you can tell me all the reasons why achieving your health and fitness goals are important to you, you will be motivated from within to stick with it when the going gets tough
I PREDICT that at times, the going is going to get tough.
I PREDICTthat if you can tell me today what is your life purpose and what is your lifelong vision for your body and your health, you will still be as motivated and driven at the end of the year as you were at the beginning.
I PREDICT that if you don’t have long term goals and a “big picture” vision for your life that you will lose your New Year’s enthusiasm and motivation in a matter of months or even weeks.
I PREDICT that the way you see yourself in your mind’s eye today will be an exact reflection of what you see in the mirror at the end of the year.
I PREDICT that if you have a setback that seems to get in the way of you reaching your health and fitness goals and you tell yourself “this just is temporary; this too shall pass,” then it won’t set you back and it will pass.
I PREDICT that if you believe the way your body looks today is out of your control and you feel helpless or powerless to change, you won’t even make much of an effort this year.
I PREDICT that if you accept complete responsibility for the way your body looks today and you believe that you have the power to change, that you will take action and keep taking action, even through the tough times.
I PREDICT that if you’re unhappy with your physical condition and you say, “it’s not my fault” or you blame it on genetics, hormones or age, then your body will look pretty much the same at the end of 2008 as it did on New Year’s day.
I PREDICT that the more you have patience, a long term perspective and the ability to postpone immediate gratification, the more likely you are to be a success one year from now.
I PREDICT that the more you seek “miracle pills” or “quick fixes,” the more likely you are to be a failure one year from now.
I PREDICT that you will be tempted by many quick fixes in 2008.
I PREDICT that if you hang out with losers and negative people this year, you will become just like them.
I PREDICT that if you hang out with winners and positive people this year, you will become just like them.
I PREDICT that you will run into more negative people and losers this year than positive people and winners.
I PREDICT that if you recruit just one friend or support partner that stands behind you and the lifestyle changes you want to make in 2008, you will double your chances for success. If you surround yourself with numerous support partners, you will become virtually unstoppable.
So how does your future look for 2008?
Based on my “predictions,” if it doesn’t look as bright as you’d like it to be, then don’t worry, because a prediction is not predestination.
You can’t do anything to change the past, but by changing your thoughts, attitudes and actions in the present moment, the future is yours to create."
You beginning to see the picture here...?
(http://www.burnthefatblog.com/archives/2008/01/happy_new_year_this_is.php)
For "Why should I read all this crap!?" read the previous post.
"...here are my 20 fitness predictions for 2008:
I PREDICT that if you can reach into your pocket on any day in 2008 and pull out a card or piece of paper with all your body and fitness goals written on it in vivid detail, the odds are 95 to 1 in favor of you achieving every one of those goals before the end of the year.
I PREDICT that if you focus your thoughts on your goals and how you are going to achieve them, all day long, you will reach your goals so fast in 2008, it will make your head spin.
I PREDICT that if you focus your thoughts on health woes and body fat problems and if you think about what you don’t want, all day long, your problems will get worse than ever this year.
I PREDICT that if you made a new year’s resolution, but you didn’t turn it into a specific, written goal with a deadline and a strong reason why you must achieve it, you will freely abandon it the moment the going gets tough.
I PREDICT that if you can tell me all the reasons why achieving your health and fitness goals are important to you, you will be motivated from within to stick with it when the going gets tough
I PREDICT that at times, the going is going to get tough.
I PREDICTthat if you can tell me today what is your life purpose and what is your lifelong vision for your body and your health, you will still be as motivated and driven at the end of the year as you were at the beginning.
I PREDICT that if you don’t have long term goals and a “big picture” vision for your life that you will lose your New Year’s enthusiasm and motivation in a matter of months or even weeks.
I PREDICT that the way you see yourself in your mind’s eye today will be an exact reflection of what you see in the mirror at the end of the year.
I PREDICT that if you have a setback that seems to get in the way of you reaching your health and fitness goals and you tell yourself “this just is temporary; this too shall pass,” then it won’t set you back and it will pass.
I PREDICT that if you believe the way your body looks today is out of your control and you feel helpless or powerless to change, you won’t even make much of an effort this year.
I PREDICT that if you accept complete responsibility for the way your body looks today and you believe that you have the power to change, that you will take action and keep taking action, even through the tough times.
I PREDICT that if you’re unhappy with your physical condition and you say, “it’s not my fault” or you blame it on genetics, hormones or age, then your body will look pretty much the same at the end of 2008 as it did on New Year’s day.
I PREDICT that the more you have patience, a long term perspective and the ability to postpone immediate gratification, the more likely you are to be a success one year from now.
I PREDICT that the more you seek “miracle pills” or “quick fixes,” the more likely you are to be a failure one year from now.
I PREDICT that you will be tempted by many quick fixes in 2008.
I PREDICT that if you hang out with losers and negative people this year, you will become just like them.
I PREDICT that if you hang out with winners and positive people this year, you will become just like them.
I PREDICT that you will run into more negative people and losers this year than positive people and winners.
I PREDICT that if you recruit just one friend or support partner that stands behind you and the lifestyle changes you want to make in 2008, you will double your chances for success. If you surround yourself with numerous support partners, you will become virtually unstoppable.
So how does your future look for 2008?
Based on my “predictions,” if it doesn’t look as bright as you’d like it to be, then don’t worry, because a prediction is not predestination.
You can’t do anything to change the past, but by changing your thoughts, attitudes and actions in the present moment, the future is yours to create."
You beginning to see the picture here...?
A Master Plan...
Tom Venuto is a guy who helps people acheive their goals... in his specific domain, it is weight loss. But he has realised that goals don't get realised if they are not set in the first place.
This from his latest newsletter:
BURN THE FAT - Fat Burning Tips Newsletter Brought to you by Tom Venuto and www.burnthefat.com =============================================
Fat Burning Tips "Live" Weekly e-zine
January 24th, 2008
The Master Plan and the Original Secret
"I will come to America, which is the country for me.
Once here, I will become the greatest bodybuilder in history."
"While I am doing this I will learn perfect English and educate myself - but only with those things I need to know. I will get a college degree so I can get a business degree."
"Simultaneously I will make whatever money possible from bodybuilding and invest it in real estate where I will make the big money."
"I will go into the movies as an actor, producer and eventually director. By the time I am 30 I will have starred in my first movie and I will be a millionaire."
"I will collect houses, art and automobiles. I will see the world. Along the way, I will learn to impress people and I will hone my mind to outwit all of them."
"I will marry a glamorous and intelligent wife. By 32, I will have been invited to the white house..."
If you didn't figure it out yet, this list of achievements belongs to none other than the great American Success Story - Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Here's what's striking about this, and it's the reason I'm sharing it with you today.
It looks like this is a biographical sketch of a man so famous that his first name alone, like Oprah's, is a household word.
But this is not looking back at history...
This was looking forward to the future!
This was Arnold's list of goals which he created BEFORE any of these things happened... while he was an unkown body builder in a small town in Austria.
George Butler, a writer, photographer and film maker, and long time friend of Arnold, said that this vision of the future was was not a silly dream, it was a very calculated "Master Plan."
"As I remember," recalled Butler, "It was a campy mix of Nietzschean philosophy and a Soviet Five-year plan.
But before I dismissed it as one more weird thing we heard on a California beach (in the 1960's), we scratched our heads in awe because Arnold, as we could see with our own eyes, was actually beginning to make it work."
Arnold himself said,
"I had a master plan from the moment I arrived in America, that's still in me. Every year I set a goal. Every year I make a plan. I do it. It will be done."
What a testament to the power of goals! Arnold did not succeed by accident or luck.
No one does.
Success doesn't just happen to you.
You succeed in your own mind first and then you take action to turn it into reality."
Nicely said.
This from his latest newsletter:
BURN THE FAT - Fat Burning Tips Newsletter Brought to you by Tom Venuto and www.burnthefat.com =============================================
Fat Burning Tips "Live" Weekly e-zine
January 24th, 2008
The Master Plan and the Original Secret
"I will come to America, which is the country for me.
Once here, I will become the greatest bodybuilder in history."
"While I am doing this I will learn perfect English and educate myself - but only with those things I need to know. I will get a college degree so I can get a business degree."
"Simultaneously I will make whatever money possible from bodybuilding and invest it in real estate where I will make the big money."
"I will go into the movies as an actor, producer and eventually director. By the time I am 30 I will have starred in my first movie and I will be a millionaire."
"I will collect houses, art and automobiles. I will see the world. Along the way, I will learn to impress people and I will hone my mind to outwit all of them."
"I will marry a glamorous and intelligent wife. By 32, I will have been invited to the white house..."
If you didn't figure it out yet, this list of achievements belongs to none other than the great American Success Story - Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Here's what's striking about this, and it's the reason I'm sharing it with you today.
It looks like this is a biographical sketch of a man so famous that his first name alone, like Oprah's, is a household word.
But this is not looking back at history...
This was looking forward to the future!
This was Arnold's list of goals which he created BEFORE any of these things happened... while he was an unkown body builder in a small town in Austria.
George Butler, a writer, photographer and film maker, and long time friend of Arnold, said that this vision of the future was was not a silly dream, it was a very calculated "Master Plan."
"As I remember," recalled Butler, "It was a campy mix of Nietzschean philosophy and a Soviet Five-year plan.
But before I dismissed it as one more weird thing we heard on a California beach (in the 1960's), we scratched our heads in awe because Arnold, as we could see with our own eyes, was actually beginning to make it work."
Arnold himself said,
"I had a master plan from the moment I arrived in America, that's still in me. Every year I set a goal. Every year I make a plan. I do it. It will be done."
What a testament to the power of goals! Arnold did not succeed by accident or luck.
No one does.
Success doesn't just happen to you.
You succeed in your own mind first and then you take action to turn it into reality."
Nicely said.
Make a living off the 'net they said...
Is it possible, you wonder...?
Well, I've made a start... jongozi.com* is mine, let's see what I can do with it. The name is generic so can be applied to anything. So - what am I thinking of?
1. Writing websites - probably mainly for myself and my businesses. Why? If you write sites for people, you can only sell your time, which is limited. Unless you sell other people's time and take a cut. That is an option. However, if I'm writing sites just for me, once they're written, they should then be bringing in income without me having to pay too much attention.
Have a look at www.theaestheticsclinic.co.za though, it's my first professional site. Find the jongozi link and leave me a message to let me know what you think. The business is a good one, and deserves to succeed.
2. Selling cycle lights. I have built cycle lights that I use for doing night MTB races - they're robust and effective. And BRIGHT!! I get asked about them when I use them, and have already got some orders. What I need to do is to find someone to build them for a price that works.
3. Selling generators. If you're not from South Africa, you probably don't know how short sighted our government have been when it comes to supporting (sabotaging?) our electricity supply utility. A mate has sourced high quality generators for a good price - I want to try and market these on the web and see how we go.
4. Another business in the pipeline. Will comment when it is set up.
So, there we go. The aim is to build a set of businesses based around a slightly uncertain name, whilst remaining in gainful employment! Follow this blog to see if it can be done...
* jongozi is a Zulu word meaning "young ox" - derived from the Afrikaans "jong os" - that is used to describe a young man full of energy and ambition - even if not particularly well focused. Johnny Clegg uses it to describe the new South Africa in one of his songs - and we like that.
Well, I've made a start... jongozi.com* is mine, let's see what I can do with it. The name is generic so can be applied to anything. So - what am I thinking of?
1. Writing websites - probably mainly for myself and my businesses. Why? If you write sites for people, you can only sell your time, which is limited. Unless you sell other people's time and take a cut. That is an option. However, if I'm writing sites just for me, once they're written, they should then be bringing in income without me having to pay too much attention.
Have a look at www.theaestheticsclinic.co.za though, it's my first professional site. Find the jongozi link and leave me a message to let me know what you think. The business is a good one, and deserves to succeed.
2. Selling cycle lights. I have built cycle lights that I use for doing night MTB races - they're robust and effective. And BRIGHT!! I get asked about them when I use them, and have already got some orders. What I need to do is to find someone to build them for a price that works.
3. Selling generators. If you're not from South Africa, you probably don't know how short sighted our government have been when it comes to supporting (sabotaging?) our electricity supply utility. A mate has sourced high quality generators for a good price - I want to try and market these on the web and see how we go.
4. Another business in the pipeline. Will comment when it is set up.
So, there we go. The aim is to build a set of businesses based around a slightly uncertain name, whilst remaining in gainful employment! Follow this blog to see if it can be done...
* jongozi is a Zulu word meaning "young ox" - derived from the Afrikaans "jong os" - that is used to describe a young man full of energy and ambition - even if not particularly well focused. Johnny Clegg uses it to describe the new South Africa in one of his songs - and we like that.
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