Successful Entrepreneurs - Carry A "Treasure Chest"

Successful entrepreneurs understand a simple philosophy - In life and in business there are victims and there are victors. It is an absolute choice which each individual decides to be....

I recently had the opportunity to hear an incredible speaker, Neal Petersen. Neal has an unparalleled adventure - the longest, most extreme race for any man or woman, 27,000 miles in a sailboat, nine months at sea - ALONE!

Neal enters the stage with an old beat up treasure chest. He pulls out several things during his talk from this old treasure chest. He starting sailing in a home made sailboat, with a sexton, and a book on how to read a sexton. He had a clothes pin, a needle and thread and a few other basic things inside this treasure chest. He had a walking problem when he was a child and was born and raised in South Africa during Apartheid... Neal brings these things out as he tells his story, and shares his dream from childhood, a dream that everyone told him was impossible.

My favorite message that has really stuck with me is when he was at sea in this home made boat, and the wind picked up and the sail came flying around and struck him in the forehead, by his eyebrow....he was bleeding profusely and was alone....he didn't have a first aid kit, because he couldn't afford one....he knew he would bleed to death all alone at sea if the bleeding did not stop. It truly is when we are backed into a corner, that we sometimes become more creative! Neal grabbed a clothespin and clipped his eyebrow together with this, and it served as stitches would. Some people would have been a victim and cried the blues that they couldn't even afford a first aid kit and they tried their best! Not Neal, he grabbed that clothespin and carries it in his treasure chest as a reminder that this clothespin saved his life, and THAT is a TREASURE to him, not an obstacle!

Neal truly had obstacles that would seem like mountains to most, and most would have given up on their dream. But as with most successful people, Neal did not give up, he would not accept being a victim of circumstance. He was committed to his dream and in the face of every single adversity, he found a way through it or around it.

His beautiful smiling face was such an inspiration of the power of the human spirit...Neal carries these seemingly useless props in this old treasure chest to demonstrate to individuals that in life or in business, you can either look at what you have as an obstacle and be that victim of circumstance, or you can look at each challenge, each obstacle as the treasure that will get you through to live the successful life or become the successful entrepreneur you want to be.

In Your Service,

Debbie Ruston
1-519-342-4050 or 1-800-576-2917

3 Strong Skills of Women Entrepreneurs

Women have skills that are magical when applied to building a business, and tend to naturally utilize these skills because they are so much a part of their everyday lives....this translates to very successful women entrepreneurs.

1-Intuition-Women naturally have a stronger intuition than men....and tend to listen more to how they "feel" ...that "gut instinct". When beliefs or integrity are in question, women tend to get that sick feeling in their stomach and therefore act accordingly on that feeling. When you combine this strong intuitive skill with strong leadership and intellect, it creates a winning combination.

2-Multi Tasking - Most women are absolute masters at doing more than one thing at once....in the home, doing the laundry, cooking dinner and cleaning the house can all be done simultanteously. I remember when our youngest child was a baby, I had our daughter in the high chair feeding her at the same time I was nursing our son, while dinner was on the stove and I was returning business calls (with my headset on) all at the exact same time. This is a definite advantage when you apply this multi-tasking to business situations....you can get far more done in less time.

3-Attention to Detail - Women tend to be able to give a lot of attention to detail while at the same time being totally focused and emotionally involved with their end result.

When women are given an even playing field and they have a burning desire to succeed, they draw on these natural skills and create very successful businesses. Women are leading the way starting new businesses at twice the rate of men...they are utilizing their natural skills and many have taken advantage of being able to work a business out of their homes while raising a family. Gone are the days when you had to have a career or have a family. With so many incredible home businesses available, it is simply a matter of finding the best fit and then following the mentorship of people who have had success....all this while working around your family, right out of your home!

In Your Service

Debbie Ruston
1-519-342-4050 or 1-800-576-2917

You Want To Be An Entrepreneur - What Kind of Business Should You Start?

More and more people are thinking about starting their own businesses, taking that step to become an entrepreneur! Although this can be a very exciting time, one thing that delays individuals is simply deciding what type of business they want to open, and many don't make that decision until they are forced to.

This is becoming increasing more important these days with the changing economy...USA Today and the Gallup Poll did a study recently and found that 1/4 of all full time and part-time working Americans have thought about leaving their jobs and starting their own business. Many times, entrepreneurs do not make this decision until they are forced to do so, either by downsizing, or other forced changes in their lives. It is often the best thing that could have happened for people, but until they are forced, and can't see any other "job" options, they stay frozen in fear and limiting beliefs on how to earn a living.

Being an entrepreneur gives you so much freedom, it is interesting that many individuals have to be backed into a corner to start entertaining the idea for themselves. As the trend in the change in economy continues, we will see more and more individuals looking to entrepreneurship as a new solution to earn a living.

So how do you find the right business for you?

-Make a list of the things you are really passionate about
-Narrow the list down to your top 3 passions
-Evaluate your skills and determine how you can apply your skills to the passions you have
-Find the matches - what skills match your passions
-Determine your goals - is it possible to reach your goals with the passion and skills you have

Learn to ask yourself new and better questions. Rather than, I am losing my job, now what am I going to do? Instead, ask yourself the questions above...get excited and realize that you are now taking control of YOUR life! You are now in the drivers seat and can put your passion into growing a business of your own. That is what being an entrepreneur is all about....someone who takes responsibility to learn, to understand and to create opportunity for themselves and others.

In Your Service

Debbie Ruston
1-800-576-2917 or 1-519-342-4050