People go into business for themselves for a lot of reasons, including freedom, control, and, of course, the potential to make more money. But few entrepreneurs truly appreciate how much potential lies dormant in their companies.
The best way to tap into this potential is to learn as much as possible about the chosen field you want to branch into, marketing, conventional and unconventional ways to generate cash flow and strategies to develop low-cost, but high-quality leads.
You can get this from books or personal experience, but Hustle... On Your Grind would suggest working with an advisor or mentor to help guide you. While it may seem like an unnecessary or unaffordable expense in terms of time and other resources, outside counsel can be one of the best investments you'll ever make for your business.
You should acquire as much knowledge as you can from a trusted advisor who will hold you accountable for taking the actions you need to be successful, even if you don't always agree or feel comfortable.
Look at it this way: Starting a business is a risky proposition mainly because most first-time entrepreneurs simply don't know the ins-and-outs of running a successful operation. Generally, it isn't lack of capital that kills most businesses. It's lack of knowledge.
So what should you look for in a mentor or advisor? Here are four important considerations:
1. You should have good rapport with your advisor. This doesn't mean you should find someone who will agree with your every decision. But it does mean you should work with someone who is a good fit with your personality and who is willing to challenge your status quo. You can work one-on-one with a mentor, or you can try to find a local network of like-minded owners. Such groups meet regularly to provide advice and feedback about issues facing their members' businesses.
2. Your mentor should be someone who's "been there, done that." Beware of someone who claims to have a "new" system or a "magic bullet" solution. Rely instead on tested veterans who have played the game successfully. Not only can they reveal the secrets of their success, they also can be candid about their failures and how to avoid them.
3. Your advisor would ideally have a framework for driving sales, repeat purchases, cash flow and profit. In the best case, you should work with someone who takes your entire enterprise into consideration, or at least has some good tools, tactics and strategies for the functions that drive sales and profits. Be wary of complex strategies or hard-to-replicate systems.
4. Your mentor should hold you accountable for results. A mentor needs your permission to hold you accountable for what you say you're going to do and when you're going to do it. He or she also should be willing to guide you in a different direction or correct potential errors in judgment. Many hard-driving entrepreneurs find such accountability difficult, but it can be one of the most valuable aspects of mentorship.
Can it be difficult to find an advisor who is willing to guide you? Perhaps. But once you start looking for that person, you'll be amazed at the connections you'll start to make. And once you do find the right advisor, it can make all the difference in the world.
Simply put, no successful entrepreneur got to the top without a great team and a trusted mentor to turn to for help and advice. So don't go it alone. Learn from others who have been there before and achieved the level of success you're seeking. You'll cut years off your learning curve.
Sunday, 13 May 2012
Sunday, 6 May 2012
Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Tuesday, 10 April 2012
Thursday, 29 March 2012
Bei_Maejor-Upscale (Mixtape)
01. Bei Maejor - Don't Stop
02. Bei Maejor - Moments
03. Bei Maejor - Fitness
04. Bei Maejor - Special
05. Bei Maejor - Me, Mike, Bear & Some Drunk Girls At The Crib (EnterLude)
06. Bei Maejor - Flying Paper Planes
07. Bei Maejor - Mesmerized
08. Bei Maejor - Freak Side
09. Bei Maejor - The Truth
10. Bei Maejor - I'm Dying
11. Bei Maejor - Pillz
12. Bei Maejor - Good Nights
13. Bei Maejor - The Jokes On You (Exitlude)
14. Bei Maejor - Diamond
15. Bei Maejor - Prayers For The Young Soul
16. Bei Maejor - Make It Home
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Albums We Aren't Really Looking Forward 2
50 Cent Black Magic
If there's one thing that we know about 50 Cent, it's that he doesn't accept defeat. Nearly three years after he touted his forthcoming Black Magic album as some of his best work (yeah we've heard that before with the album Curtis), but constant bickering with Interscope sapped our interest in hearing this project and a few tracks he's put out has leaked also didn't help.
Chomee
With a failed rap career(yes before the singing she was a rapper) ah man we wont even waste our words here, Arthur's protegee should just throw inn the towel.
Busta Rhymes E.L.E. 2: End of the World
Jumping on Chris Brown's “Look At Me Now” with a standout, speedy 16 bars, reminded us of Busta Rhymes' lingual fury, but it did little to draw excitement for a new project. In November he was announced as the newest signee to Cash Money Records (really now) but with a roster consisting of the likes of Nicki Minaj, Tyga and Drake, the competition is so stiff for Busta's E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event) 2: End Of The World to shock the Hip-Hop globe. Maybe it's time to cash inn on that retirement plan.
Doc Shebeleza
Some are like…who's he? Well our new generation readers, Doc had hits back in the day but yes like a candle he also burnt out. Is he planing an album…(SMH) lets hope not.
Lil' Kim Hardcore 2: All Hail the Queen
Some rappers are able to turn beef into album sales. But the ploy has had the opposite effect on Lil' Kim. Despite attempting to cash in on her hatred for Nicki Minaj, the quality of the Queen Bee's music as heard on her Black Friday mixtape has been lackluster. Definitely not the type of appetizer that would make us want to digest a sequel to her classic Hardcore debut.
Ludacris Ludaversal
Seven albums deep and there's no denying that Ludacris is a clever wordsmith. But the first clue to a false start was the decision to delay Ludaversal in lieu of his 1.21 Gigawatts: Back to the First Time mixtape. Unfortunately, a diss record like "Bada Boom" was more of a tremor than a full grown quake.
Amu
Lets be honest - Amu is a beast on the battle scene and anyone from the Li club days can testify but albums wise umm quite tricky. Let's just say Amu stick to production and lets cats like AKA run with it.
Bow Wow Underrated
Bow Wow's love/hate relationship with Hip-Hop is proof that he might want to find another day job. After retiring a couple years ago, the pint-sized MC sought to reinvigorate his career by latching onto the YMCMB train. Although the alliance seemed promising, nothing coming out of Bow's music lab has connected with fans, leaving little interest for Underrated.
Zubz
Dear Zubz, this is the last letter I'll write to the man with the golden mic, I hope you have a day job as the rap career is dead and gone. Your skills are unquestioned but are we really anticipating your come back… the answer is simple NO!
Jadakiss Top 5 Dead or Alive
As a lyricist, Jadakiss is second to none. However, when it comes to album sales, he continuously in the back of the pack. The Yonkers, N.Y. native dropped his I Love You (Dedication to my Fans) mixtape in May, but after three cracks at making a classic LP, the odds aren't in his favor for his fourth album, Top 5 Dead or Alive.
Jay Electronica Act II: Patents of Nobility
Jay Electronica had long been bubbling under the radar before signing to Jay-Z's Roc Nation to a great level of notoriety. The New Orleans-bred MC momentum has stalled out after after announcing the completion of Act II: Patents of Nobility'. Only a handful of people, including Hov, Bun B, and Erykah Badu, have heard the record, but the sluggishness behind releasing a proper single has dulled the excitement for his Roc Nation debut.
Kreayshawn Untitled Debut
No matter what her YouTube numbers make you believe, Kreayshawn is not an artist to watch. The adolescent ignorance of her cringeworthy "Gucci Gucci" single is so unimportant in the grand scheme of music's landscape that landing an actual deal with Columbia Records is still a fool's bet. A falling out with the Based God and the utter wackness of her sidekick V-Nasty only hinders her cause.
Mr Selwyn
Breaks my heart to write this, what happened to the man that killed both Amu and ProVerb on the track Attention? Mr Selwyn had so much potential but somehow he fell off. Unless he can pull a rabbit out of his hat…umm best shelve any album ideas.
Dr. Dre Detox
At this point, Dr. Dre's Detox album is officially a Hip-Hop urban legend. After guaranteeing a 2011 release, we only got more Beats By Dre headphones. These days Dr. Dre is “taking a break from music” and letting his perfectionism get the best of him by delaying the album, yet again. At this point, it'd be better if he just kept the whole thing to himself.
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
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