From Passion To Profit

Your profitable video: Chet Atkins on motivation

2009-11-13T06:00:00.002-05:00

"Everything I've ever done was out of fear of being mediocre."
--Chet Atkins

Chet Atkins - Yakety Axe

Listen to Chet Atkins performing (sure to put a smile on your face!):
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x38s9o_chet-atkins-yakety-axe-benny-hill

Your profitable quote: Aldous Huxley on personal growth

2009-11-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

"There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self."

-- Aldous Huxley

Your profitable quote: Catherine Pulsifer on stress

2009-11-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

"When you find yourself stressed, ask yourself one question: Will this matter in five years from now?"

-- Catherine Pulsifer

Your profitable quote: Claude Bristol on determination

2009-11-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

"It's the constant and determined effort that breaks down all resistance and sweeps away all obstacles."

- Claude M. Bristol

Your profitable quote: Henry Ford on investing

2009-11-09T06:00:00.002-05:00

"I think that much of the advice given to young men about saving money is wrong. I never saved a cent until I was forty years old. I invested in myself - in study, in mastering my tools, in preparation. Many a man who is putting a few dollars a week into the bank would do much better to put it into himself."

-- Henry Ford

Webinar: BYS Mastermind - Success Is A Series of Projects

2009-11-06T10:45:00.003-05:00

A discussion about how to transform a general, vague vision into executable and winnable projects. This is bonus material created by Coach Davender Gupta.

Date: Friday, November 6, 2009
Time: 3:00pm - 4:00pm (eastern)
Location:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/book-yourself-solid-mastermind

This session is open to all. Join the streaming live video and audio at http://www.ustream.tv/coachdavender (click on the "View Live Show" button) starting at 3pm Eastern.

You can participate through the Ustream chat or by joining the live conversation at:
Conference Dial-in Number: (712) 432-0800
Access Code: 556643#.

You will definitely get some great ideas from this informative and entertaining discussion!

Also see the Facebook event posting here:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=200057391412

Check out the recording of the event here:
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/2504689

Your profitable quote: Wallace Wattles on prosperity

2009-11-06T06:00:00.001-05:00

"There is a thinking stuff from which all things are made, and which in its original state, permeates, penetrates and fills the interspaces of the universe.

A thought in this substance produces the thing that is imaged by the thought.

I can form things in my thought, and by impressing my thoughts upon formless substance, can cause the thing I think about to be created.

In order to do this, I must pass from the competitive to the creative mind. I must form a clear mental picture of the things I want. And, I must hold this picture in my thoughts with the fixed purpose to get what I want, and the unwavering faith that I will get what I want -- closing my mind to all that may tend to shake my purpose, dim my vision, or quench my faith.

I am ready to receive what I want when it comes, and I am acting now upon the people and things in my present environment."

-- Wallace D. Wattles

Your profitable quote: Abraham Kuiper on principles

2009-11-05T06:00:00.002-05:00

“When principles that run against your deepest convictions begin to win the day, then battle is your calling, and peace has become sin; you must, at the price of dearest peace, lay your convictions bare before friend and enemy, with all the fire of your faith.”

-- Abraham Kuyper
(Dutch Theologian, Statesman, Journalist and Prime Minister of The Netherlands (1901-05). 1837-1920)

Your profitable quote: Peter Drucker on leadership

2009-11-04T06:04:00.001-05:00

"Leadership is not magnetic personality — that can just as well be a glib tongue. It is not "making friends and influencing people" — that is flattery. Leadership is lifting a person's vision to higher sights, the raising of a person's performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations."

-- Peter F. Drucker

Your profitable quote: Stephen King on perseverence

2009-11-03T06:58:00.001-05:00

“Talent is a dreadfully cheap commodity, cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work and study. Talent is a dull knife that will cut nothing unless it is wielded with great force — a force so great that the knife is not really cutting at all but bludgeoning and breaking… Discipline and constant work are the whetstones upon which the dull knife of talent is honed until it becomes sharp enough, hopefully, to cut through even the toughest meat and gristle."

-- Stephen King

Your Manifesto: How To Transform Your Livelihood Into Your Calling

2009-11-02T17:30:00.002-05:00

A powerful conversation with Anja Weiland on how to discover and express your calling through a tool called the "Manifesto". The original podcast is at http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/TheIntuitivePath or download directly at http://bit.ly/3o4nhJ

View the Ustream recording (28 minutes)
Direct URL: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/2478517

Your profitable quote: Richard Leider on priorities

2009-11-02T08:30:00.003-05:00

"We limit ourselves by doing what we think we should do. But by doing what we love to do, we expand our potential and increase the likelihood that the work we do will be consistent with our gifts."

- Richard Leider

Your profitable tune: Mark Knopfler on vision and imagination

2009-10-16T06:00:00.001-04:00

For today's profitable quote, I suggest that you listen to a tune by one of my favorite artists, Mark Knopfler (here with James Taylor) with "Sailing to Philadelphia".

The words describe the mindset of Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, two English surveyors who established the border between Pennsylvania and Maryland, Delaware and Virginia in the 1760s. (from Wikipedia)

Sit back, put on the headphones, close your eyes and imagine yourself as a young man escaping the constraints of 18th century England to make a new life in an unfamiliar and uncharted land...

(watch on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrLdKYRBOEE )

The lyrics (and the guitars) give me the chills every time I listen to them...

Have a great day!

Special Video Webinar: Book Yourself Solid - You've Got Leads! Now What?

2009-10-15T21:44:00.003-04:00

Great! So you have people showing interest in what you offer. But how do you convert prospects into customers?

Watch Coach Davender as he interacts with a Mastermind group of Book Yourself Solid students to explore this topic.

Join the streaming live video and audio at http://www.ustream.tv/coachdavender starting at 3pm Eastern.

This session is set up as streaming only - only the Book Yourself Solid students can ask questions. You will definitely get some great ideas from this informative and entertaining discussion!

Explore how to convert someone who shows some interest into a paying and happy customer

Date: Friday, October 16, 2009
Time: 3:00pm - 4:00pm EASTERN
Location: http://www.ustream.tv/coachdavender
Facebook Event Listing: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=308613860533

(Update Oct 16)

Here is the video recording, also available at http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/2364551

Your profitable quote: T.E. Lawrence on vision and action

2009-10-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes to make it possible."

— T.E. Lawrence

Your profitable quote: Erik Weihenmayer on overcoming adversity

2009-10-14T06:00:00.001-04:00

"You don't just deal with adversity. You use it to propel you forward."

-- Erik Weihenmayer (1968 – )
First blind person to summit Mt. Everest

Your profitable quote: Napoleon Hill on self-discipline

2009-10-13T09:39:00.001-04:00

"Self-discipline begins with the mastery of your thoughts. If you don't control what you think, you can't control what you do. Simply, self-discipline enables you to think first and act afterward."

-- Napoleon Hill

Your profitable quote: Napoleon Hill on commitment

2009-10-09T06:00:00.000-04:00

"Every person who wins in any undertaking must be willing to cut all sources of retreat. Only by doing so can one be sure of maintaining that state of mind known as a burning desire to win which is one of the essentials to success."

-- Napoleon Hill

Your profitable quote: Robert Kiyosaki on success

2009-10-08T06:00:00.001-04:00

"The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire, the size of your dream, and how you handle disappointment along the way."

- Robert Kiyosaki

Your profitable quote: Lucille Ball on luck

2009-10-07T06:00:00.000-04:00

"Luck? I don't know anything about luck. I've never banked on it, and I'm afraid of people who do. Luck to me is something else: Hard work -- and realizing what is opportunity and what isn't."

-- Lucille Ball

Your profitable quote: George Eastman on reputation

2009-10-06T06:10:00.001-04:00

"A good reputation is measured by how much you can improve the lives of others - customers, employees, community."

-- George Eastman

Your profitable quote: Og Mandino on the urgency of now

2009-10-05T06:18:00.002-04:00

"Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find 'tomorrow' on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, ''If I had my life to live over again.''

Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day! Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again."

-- Og Mandino

Dreams Are Not Enough

2009-10-04T10:07:00.003-04:00

Gail Collins, in an recent column in the New York Times, wrote: "As a nation we seem to be overstocked on dreams involving fame and fortune, particularly the ones that come untethered to any plans for actual achievement."

I can't stand to watch television anymore. It seems to be wall-to-wall talent contests, whether it be singing, dancing, decorating, cooking, or whatever is the trendy "Idol" of the moment. Even the "pitch" shows such as CBC's "Dragons Den" or ABC's "Shark Tank" reinforce the notion that all you need to do is to stroke a venture capitalist the right way and you're a winner.

Now of course, no one would watch a TV program that shows the true experience of the vision-driven entrepreneur: the exhausting pace of investing twelve, fourteen, eighteen hours a day on the project, moving from energy-sapping disappointment to confidence-destroying setback, living with the constant, corrosive fear of being within seven to ten days of functional insolvency, all while keeping positive, energized and enthusiastic. This kind of reality show doesn't sell candy bars and toilet paper.

Powering your dream from idea to reality takes everything you have to give, and more. You cannot keep anything in reserve, nor hold anything back. Your commitment to action must be absolute and binding. For the result of your dream to be of any value whatsoever, the effort must bankrupt you, physically, emotionally, financially. And if it doesn't, your dream is not big enough. Because it is only when you have burned all the links to your past that you can focus on building the bridge to the future.

That's the true secret to turning your dream into reality: total commitment to massive action, using every last atom of your resources, physical and virtual, so you can reinvent yourself in alignment with the promise of your dream.

As a society, we are addicted to the lottery mentality, the illusion that if we want something bad enough, someone will give it to us, whether it is the bank, the government, an investor or a reality show. The true reality is that no one will hand you what you want, desire or need on a silver platter, and even if they did, the moment you accept it, its value is negated.

To succeed takes discipline and resolve, two elements in woefully short supply in our North American society. You need to be the sole champion of your dream and its primary promoter. The size of the reward is proportional to the effort that you invest.

Dreams are not enough. Dreams plus all-out effort is what it takes.

Have you Googled yourself lately?

2009-10-03T16:04:00.005-04:00

When was the last time you searched for your name on Google? I did so recently and discovered another person whose last name is my first name. There were a number of entries about him mixed in with references to my blog posts, my articles and my activities on various sites. Which would not be too much of a worry, except that my namesake was in the news, and not for something good...

The first place many people will go to find out about you is NOT your website, but Google. This is why it is very important to keep an eye on your Google name search. They may Bing you (the Microsoft search engine), but for the sake of this discussion I will assume Google and Bing work the same way.

Whether you have a website or not, your professional activities leave a trail on the search engines. I have a habit that when I hear a name, I go straight to my favorite engine and search them. When I search on a person's name, I look for three things:

a. Is this person who they say they are: Checking addresses, phone numbers, company name (You would be surprised that sometimes I find people who are fraudulently presenting themselves)

b. Is this person professionally active: Quality of content, frequency, do they have a personal site, their LinkedIn connections, Facebook friends.

c. What do others say about him/her: Does the name appear on other people's sites, in other events, newspapers, articles and other media.

Here are some tips to improve the impression a person will get when they Google or Bing your name:

1. Have an account on Big Three social media sites:

Most of the time, on Google, you will find that it is not your web site or your blog that comes up first, but rather your social media pages such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Search engine ranking algorithms seems to give significant weight to these sites. Whether you use social media or not, open an account on these systems and include your contact info and a short description of yourself. This has the added advantage of "reserving" your name on these sites so that a namesake doesn't take it over.

2. Make sure your website and blog tags and keywords are current:

Your META tag provides the short description that appears in Google or any search engine, after the title of your site or blog. In most cases this is easy to update (check the parameters or settings of your web site or blog system). Use this space to include the short form of your positioning or "who and do what" statement as well as your phone number. Update the keywords to include your full name, short name and combinations, including initials. With a clear tag and quality keywords in the header of your site or blog (which you can update yourself), you will already have a jump on your namesakes.

3. If you are buried lower down on the search page results, focus on creating frequent and relevant content:

Most search engines take into account how often you update your sites and blogs to determine where they appear in the search order. If your name is getting buried by your namesakes, start updating your blogs more often (ideally every day or two) with content focused on your area of expertise. Post your articles on aggregation sites (like EzineArticles.com) The search engines will pick up on your content relatively quickly and move you up the page.

4. Don't sweat the "SEO" (Search Engine Optimization):

Remember, we're talking here about people who search your name because they've heard of you through word-of-mouth or referral, which will account for a big percentage of searches about you at this stage of your business. This is why I'm not a believer in hiring people to "search engine optimize" your site unless you are doing big volumes (thousands of dollars) through the internet already.

As a solopreneur, most people will hear about you through word of mouth or referral before they find you on the search engines, which is why most people will want to Google or Bing your name to see if you're for real. By following these simple tips, it will be you that comes up at the top of their search, which will reinforce your credibility and help you get more and better clients.

Your profitable quote: T. Alan Armstrong on Passion

2009-10-02T07:51:00.001-04:00

If there is no passion in your life, then have you really lived? Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it, and let it become you and you will find great things happen FOR you, TO you and BECAUSE of you.

-- T. Alan Armstrong

Your profitable quote: Bob Parsons on focus

2009-10-01T08:26:00.002-04:00

"Take things a day at a time. No matter how difficult your situation is, you can get through it if you don’t look too far into the future, and focus on the present moment. You can get through anything one day at a time."

-- Bob Parsons (founder of GoDaddy.com)

Your profitable quote: Edward de Bono on action

2009-09-30T06:00:00.000-04:00

"An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea."

-- Edward de Bono

Your profitable quote: Jim Rohn on discipline

2009-09-29T06:00:00.001-04:00

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment."
-- Jim Rohn

Your profitable quote: Wallace Wattles on confidence

2009-09-28T05:00:00.001-04:00

"No more destructive idea could possibly be given to any person; nothing can be more fatal to your hopes than to take the mental attitude of distrusting your own ability."

-- Wallace Wattles

Your profitable quote: Sigmund Freud on perseverence

2009-09-25T05:00:00.000-04:00

"One day in retrospect the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful."

-- Sigmund Freud

Your profitable quote: Jack London on Full Participation

2009-09-24T05:00:00.001-04:00

I would rather be ashes than dust!
I would rather that my spark would burn out in a brilliant blaze than be stifled by dry-rot.
I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.
The function of man is to LIVE, not to exist.
I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.
I shall use my time.

- Jack London (US writer, 1876-1916)

Your profitable quote: Ralph Waldo Emerson on leadership

2009-09-23T05:00:00.001-04:00

"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path at all and leave a trail."

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Your Profitable Quote: Mark Victor Hansen on Goals

2009-09-22T05:00:00.000-04:00

"There is no such thing as unrealistic goals, only unrealistic timeframes."

- Mark Victor Hansen

Listen to KeysToClarity Radio Monday 21 Sep 7PM Eastern: Tribes

2009-09-21T09:49:00.003-04:00

I will be interviewed by Louise Crooks of KeysToClarity Radio tonight at 7PM eastern on the subject of building trust and credibility by being the leader of a tribe.

KtC Radio: Be Ordinary or Extraordinary: It's About The Power Of Your Tribe

...are you really reaching your clients effectively?...

Date:	Monday, September 21, 2009
Time:	7:00pm - 8:00pm Eastern
Location:	http://bit.ly/132uP5

Phone:

3479456963 Call-in number

Description

As a professional, your clients assume you're competent. But how can you become the "go-to" person they will seek out and choose first? The difference is in how you build a community around your message and your vision.

Building a community is more than just the number of followers you have on Twitter or the number of Fans on Facebook, and it is more than mastering Social Media. Building your tribe is about engaging them in conversation and urging them to take action. The larger and more engaged your tribe becomes, the stronger your credibility.

Community-building does not require massive marketing budgets or exotic tricks. It especially does not mean putting up a false image in order to be "popular". The value of your tribe is in how you, and your community, stays grounded and real. In this session we will discuss some practical techniques about "tribe-building", as well as some pitfalls to avoid.

Other points we will discuss:

- before you can start making offers you have to build trust and credibility
- the way to build trust and credibility is to engage a tribe in conversation
- things to do in building a tribe (creating space for conversation, creating a clubhouse, etc)
- things not to do with your tribe (spamming, personality cult)

Coach Davender Gupta is a "Venture Catalyst" and Business Leadership Coach who guides people with big dreams to power their vision from Passion to Profit. Come and join us to get some real insight as to whether the actions you're taking in your soul-o-preneur business is building you clientele effectively. Feel free to contribute questions & comments in the chatroom or call in 347-945 6963.

Direct Link to show (to listen live or to the recording): http://bit.ly/132uP5

Your profitable quote: Paolo Coelho on Commitment

2009-09-21T04:00:00.001-04:00

"When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."

- Paulo Coelho

Your profitable quote for today: Malcolm Gladwell on practice (and on marketing)

2009-09-18T05:45:00.003-04:00

“Practice isn't the thing you do once you're good. It's the thing you do that makes you good.”
- Malcolm Gladwell

Take 17 minutes and 33 seconds today to watch this inspiring talk on marketing by Malcolm Gladwell (not precisely about this quote, but fascinating just the same):
http://www.ted.com/talks/malcolm_gladwell_on_spaghetti_sauce.html

Your profitable quote for today: Nothing can take the place of Persistence

2009-09-17T06:00:00.002-04:00

Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

- Calvin Coolidge

Your profitable quote for today: One extra degree

2009-09-16T06:09:00.001-04:00

At 211 degrees, water is hot.
At 212 degrees, it boils.

And with boiling water, comes steam.
And steam can power a locomotive.

One extra degree... makes all the difference
And the one extra degree of effort in business and in life... separates the good from the great!

- Mac Anderson

See http://www.212movie.com

Your profitable quote for today: "When you know that everything matters..."

2009-09-15T07:04:00.003-04:00

"When you know that everything matters - that every move counts as much as any other - you will begin living a life of permanent purpose. A life of permanent purpose will make you a better parent, a better spouse, and a more valuable friend. Your productivity and financial success will soar to new heights while the old days of uncertainty, doubt, and depression fade into the past."

- Andy Andrews

Your profitable quote for today: "Opportunity does not knock..."

2009-09-14T06:55:00.001-04:00

Opportunity does not knock, it presents itself when you beat down the door.

- Kyle Chandler

Time to nuke your Plan B

2009-09-13T13:29:00.004-04:00

I'm currently coaching a group of solo-professionals through the Book Yourself Solid system, and this morning I received an e-mail from one of the participants.

She is making progress but is concerned because the results are not happening fast enough, and her financial resources are running out.

Here is the note I wrote back to her:

(name withheld) -

Great to hear about your progress.

And congratulations for sharing what you're experiencing right now.

If you are open to it, here are my thoughts:

When you work at a job, you put one hour in and you get paid one hour. The feedback is quick, because you know exactly how much and when you will be paid. However your income is limited by the number of hours you can work, and usually your hourly rate is limited according to some arbitrary valuation of your time.

In business, you have to invest many hours, lots of effort, and some money up front to have it pay off (maybe) some time in the future... The link between effort and payoff is much looser. The benefit is that as you build your business, you can leverage your efforts so that you can get paid many times over for the time you put in now. And you are now paid proportional to the impact you create for your clients. The sky can be the limit, if you are willing to do the work now.

In my own coaching practice, my rule of thumb is that the marketing activities I do now are mainly to create new clients 90 days from now. If I want clients and income sooner, I have to be accelerate the pace of my networking efforts: more direct outreach to influencers, make more referrals to others, being more visible in networking events and making more offers more often (especially the low-barrier entry level offers).

Now here's the straight talk: If you cling to a Plan B of getting a job, then it will be that much harder to make the transition from employee to entrepreneur. To get full-time results, your business has to be a full-time obsession.

I suggest you read "The Dip" by Seth Godin (Amazon link). He talks about how to get through the "long slog between starting and mastery": by leaning into it, putting all of your energy into overcoming it. You will become a very different person as you go through the process, and you will have very different people around you as a result. It's going to hurt, you will cry, you will get angry. You will also experience an amazing sense of self-discovery, the pride of creating something from nothing, connecting with fascinating and energizing people, taking control of your destiny: living an adventure that has no equal. But all of these great things can only happen if you choose to nuke your Plan B.

That said, do what you can to plug the financial holes right now. As another person mentioned, check out what you can do in terms of govt support. Also, strengthen your emotional support system. Connect with your colleagues on this course. Get involved in the calls. Make requests of your coaches, including yours truly.

You have six more weeks [until the end of this course] to shift your progress into high gear. If you wait until after this course ends it will be a lot more difficult, because you will no longer have the same kind of support as you have now.

The decision is yours. Which outcome will you choose: the status-quo or success?

No more excuses!

success
-davender

p.s.: Another great book is "The Accidental Entrepreneur: The 50 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me About Starting a Business" by Susan Urquart-Brown (Amazon link)

The importance of storming

2009-09-11T20:46:00.004-04:00

Communities need to form, storm and norm to be able to perform.

What makes a team successful is the coming together of various viewpoints, experiences, values and ideas. Throw these elements together in the crucible that is a project, add the pressure of having to deliver, the heat of emotion and the stirring of changing parameters and of course there will be a violent reaction. It is this "storming" of the team that transforms the original idea into a result that is powerful, enduring and remarkable.

Seth Godin, in a recent post called "Righteous Indignation", discusses how people sometimes get emotional or dramatic as a default response for when one is irritated, disappointed, or otherwise angry. He observes that getting upset rarely works to anyone's advantage, then asks "What if you took it out of your toolbox of responses?"

I see displays of passion as a good thing. I disagree somewhat with Seth. If someone feels indignation, it's because from their point of view some standard has been broken or some boundary has been violated. What I disagree with is the idea of simply "eliminating [righteous indignation] as an option" - good luck trying to do so, unless you're a Vulcan. Actually let's celebrate the fact that people are speaking up instead of bottling-up the emotions.

If I value the relationship with the person, be it a client, a colleague, or a team member or simply another person, it is up to me to figure out what has happened to trigger the emotion and to repair it. The relationship between a leader and another person is never symmetrical - it is almost always up to the leader to take responsibility first, and by taking responsibility first, one becomes a leader.

Indeed, if there is no conflict, the quality of the result could be questionable. The key is to know what is the right combination of pressure and heat to turn black carbon into a diamond.

Profitable quote of the day: "I am not judged..."

2009-09-11T05:00:00.001-04:00

I am not judged by the number of times I fail, but by the number of times I succeed; and the number of times I succeed is in direct proportion to the number of times I fail and keep trying.

- Tom Hopkins

Profitable quote of the day: "Don't ask what the world needs..."

2009-09-10T07:39:00.001-04:00

"Don't ask what the world needs. Rather, ask what makes you come alive? Then go and do it! Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

- Howard Thurman (1900-1981)
author, philosopher, theologian, educator and civil rights leader.

Profitable Quote of the Day: "What do you dream?"

2009-09-09T06:26:00.003-04:00

"What do you dream? ...Or is the better question: What did you dream, and why did you stop? If you have ever let a dream slip away, I'm here to tell you, it's not too late. If you can summon the courage to overcome your circumstances and your experiences and your critics, your dream can live!"

-- Jim Key
2003 World Champion of Public Speaking

Video: Get More And Better Clients With Social Media

2009-09-07T22:43:00.003-04:00

The video recording of a webinar I hosted last August 26, presenting a fresh way to look at how to use Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) in conjunction with your blogs and web sites to get more and better clients:

This was also a technology test
Screen Broadcasting: Glance http://www.glance.net
Session Recording: Camtasia for Mac http://www.techsmith.com

Profitable Quote Of The Day: "A society in which vocation..."

2009-09-07T07:00:00.002-04:00

A society in which vocation and job are separated for most people gradually creates an economy that is often devoid of spirit, one that frequently fills our pocketbooks at the cost of emptying our souls.

- Sam Keen

Find out more about Sam Keen at http://www.samkeen.com/

2009-09-06T18:41:00.001-04:00

GoogleReader: How to Kill a Startup: Hire Executives instead of Entrepreneurs http://bit.ly/7ReBa

Blog recommendation: Michel Fortin, Copywriter

2009-09-06T15:27:00.002-04:00

I've just added Michel Fortin's blog to my Google Reader list:

http://www.michelfortin.com/

"Top copywriting tips, news, articles, and thoughts on the world of direct response copy, Internet marketing, web conversion, selling, sales training, branding, positioning, blogging, and success from copywriter Michel Fortin."

Looking through his posts, Michel provides practical ideas to encourage your readers not only to read what you write, but also to act on what you suggest.

Recommended!

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You can follow my "shared" posts from Google Reader here:

http://www.google.com/reader/shared/davenderg

Honda: The Power Of Dreams (Video)

2009-09-05T18:23:00.003-04:00

The story of how Soichiro Honda was inspired to create his first motorcycle. A beautiful and inspiring reminder of how a dream can change the world.

Honda The Power of Dreams from micheledauria on Vimeo.

What action are you taking on your dreams?

Profitable Quote Of The Day: "Work can provide the opportunity..."

2009-09-04T10:06:00.000-04:00

“Work can provide the opportunity for spiritual and personal, as well as financial growth. If it doesn’t, we’re wasting far too much of our lives on it.”

– James Autry

Coach Davender's Choice 2009-09-03: Commercial Networking, You Got Ten Seconds, The Muse, The Strangest Secret

2009-09-03T06:47:00.001-04:00

I follow over 200 business, marketing, leadership, tech and personal development blogs using the awesome Google Reader application http://www.google.com/reader/shared/davenderg

These are great sources of information and inspiration to help me in the work I do with my clients. Here are some posts of note:

Social Networking Or Commercial Networking?
Jim Connolly (Jim's Marketing Blog)
http://jimsmarketingblog.com/2009/08/26/social-networking-or-commercial-networking/

Entrepreneurs who use Facebook or Twitter often complain that none of their "friends" or "followers" buy their products or services. Jim Connolly points out that these platforms were originally intended to stay connected in a fun way with friends and family. If you've built a network to keep in touch socially, you cannot expect it to convert to a commercial network. If you plan to use social media for business development and marketing, you have to build your network with your commercial positioning in mind. Only post information that builds your brand and avoid posting personal or trivial stuff.

Message: You can use social media for personal or professional reasons, but not both at the same time.

Presentation? You Got Ten Seconds!
Geoffrey James (Bnet.com)
http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine/?p=5091

Today's managers have finely tuned multitasking skills, but have lost their ability to focus. It used to be that when you gave a sales presentation, at least your prospect was forced to listen. Now, it's no longer the case, because whipping out an iPhone or a Blackberry in mid-conversation no longer carries the stigma it once had. If you don't capture your prospects attention in the first ten seconds of your presentation, out comes the iPhone and out goes your prospect with nary a pang of regret. You can waste those first precious seconds talking about yourself, the history of your product, how honored you are to be there... or you can grab your prospect with an opening statement that commands attention: something credible and fact-based that surprises them or makes them a bit uncomfortable.

Message: Make sure the first ten seconds of your presentation grabs the listener's attention, otherwise shut up and go home.

"Ah-ha" Moments: The Modern Day Muse
Jill Fehrenbacher (American Express OPEN Forum)
http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/lifestyle/article/ah-ha-moments-the-modern-day-muse-jill-fehrenbacher

Need to be inspired? Don't wait for the perfect idea to come to you. Successful entrepreneurs are more likely to find their ideas with a bit of self-discovery, instead of from divine inspiration or a bolt of lightning. You don't have the time to loll around waiting for the Muse to kiss you, instead create opportunity by developing your powers of observation and intellect. Ideas abound all around you: learn to see the obvious and you will connect to the flow of inspiration.a

Message: Successful entrepreneurs don't wait for the Muse - they observe and immediately jump into action.

Earl Nightingale's The Strangest Secret (Success Magazine)
http://video.success.com/from-the-magazine/strangest-secret/

A legend in the area of personal development, Earl Nightingale's mellow voice popularised the audio book format, and led to the founding of the renowned Nightingale-Conant company. His first hit has remained one of the best sellers of all time: "The Strangest Secret In The World". This video is an abridged version of his famous story, with a message as valid now as when it was first recorded. Notice also his amazing presentation skills.

Message: What you think and what you say has a direct impact on your actions and your results

Keep up-to-date with what I'm reading by subscribing to my Google Reader Shared Items RSS feed:
http://bit.ly/3z8UhV

And if you have suggestions for blogs I should follow (even yours!) please let me know in the comments.

2009-09-02T20:41:00.001-04:00

GoogleReader: Presentation? You Got 10 Seconds! http://bit.ly/2f7cl5

2009-08-22T12:44:00.001-04:00

GoogleReader: Serial Entrepreneur Stuart Skorman on the Attraction of a Good Story http://bit.ly/fpMlx

2009-08-19T10:52:00.001-04:00

GoogleReader: Obama's 10 Leadership Mistakes (And How Not to Make Them)

Experts are a dime a dozen but authorities are priceless

2009-08-13T10:00:00.010-04:00

I'm coaching a group of solopreneurs through the Book Yourself Solid system and we're currently working on the section "Who Knows What You Know And Do They Like You?", about building trust and credibility with potential clients.

One of the questions that Michael Port asks in his book is "In what areas are you currently an expert?"

The word "expert" often brings up lots of energy (usually negative) because of the association between expertise and knowledge. But is there a real connection between expertise and education?

When I was an engineering officer in the Canadian Air Force, I had advanced degrees in my field. I could design lens arrays and calculate resolution errors. I could program image recognition algorithms and write the specifications for a video processing system. But when it came to troubleshooting and fixing the complex equipment in the lab or on our aircraft, I could not hold a candle to my technicians. I swear, just by looking at the gadget and shaking it a bit, they could figure out what was wrong and get it working again in a snap, whether the problem was mechanical, electrical or electronic.

I could design the equipment, but they knew how to build it, get it to work and keep it going in tip-top shape through punishing use. Which skill set was the most useful to our lab's clients?

My gut reaction when someone claims to be an "expert" is to say "oh yeah? Prove it! Show me your papers!" I bet your prospects feel the same way, because they are bombarded by so many who claim to be experts. Then your prospect starts playing the credential game with you. Yuck.

I don't want clients who doubt my experience. And the way to do this is to shift the energy by moving from being just another expert to being an authority

Here's one of my Davenderisms:

"An expert is someone who has mastered a lot of knowledge. An authority has the bruises and scars that prove the knowledge really works."

In my lab, I was an expert because of my education, but our clients (and I) trusted the technicians even more because they had authority based on their ability to create results. I was necessary to the operation of the lab, but they were indispensable.

And with my current entrepreneurial coaching business, I can state that I am an authority on being a solo professional and a startup entrepreneur because I lived the startup and cratering of two businesses (one solo practice and one larger tech business) before realizing that I had to ignore conventional wisdom in order to succeed in building a successful network marketing biz and now my current coaching and training biz.

Of course I've taken the courses and the trainings and got my qualifications, but when I relate my personal story, I can see my prospect is much more impressed with my real-life experience as compared to my qualifications.

Show your prospects how you have lived your expertise. Then they will follow you to the ends of the earth...

Your Business Card: Is it working for you?

2009-08-10T13:41:00.004-04:00

Tip: Your business card is an important and inexpensive tool to build trust and credibility as a solo-professional. Here are some tips to make your card work for you:

Essential info to include on the front of the card: Name, phone#, email, web site, positioning statement.
Only include primary degrees or qualifications (don't have a long alphabet soup of letters after your name. Showing off too many certifications may denote insecurity about yourself)
If you work from home, don't put your mailing address, unless you receive clients at your home office. This avoids junk mail. Also, with Google Maps people can find you too easily and arrive at certain conclusions depending on which area of town you live in. If a contact absolutely needs my postal address, I can give it to them separately by e-mail or writing on the back of the card.
If you do consulting or knowledge work, include a 1-800 toll-free number. It's inexpensive (ask me how) and denotes professionalism and that your clients are not only local (builds credibility)
Avoid fancy logos, extra flaps, foil stamping. When in doubt, stay conservative and keep your cards simple and sober. The best people carry simple business cards because they don't need to show off.
Use thick card stock, contrasting colors.White or light-colored backgrounds are easy to read, even in the poor lighting of networking events.
Make it easy to read. If it scans accurately with an OCR like CardScan it's a good layout.

Podcast: Got Mojo? The Spark That Makes Your Product Come Alive

2009-08-10T08:02:00.003-04:00

What is "Mojo"?

Mojo is the passion of the message that attracts people to what you're creating and to listen to what you have to say...

Mojo is the spark that gives a product a life of its own...

Mojo is what transforms your product from "just another e-book/teleclass/web site" to something that stands out and gets people to take notice...

Mojo is the personality of your product that makes people go "WOW"...

Your product is more than a "product": it is a commitment to who you are and what you stand for. Your product communicates your passion, your personality, your particular spark.

A product can be well-designed, well-built and of high-quality, but without Mojo it will have trouble succeeding. Mojo is what brings your product to life.

In this call, we'll explore the various elements of finding, caring for, and feeding your Product's Mojo.

You'll discover simple practices and attitudes that you can use every day to plug into the passion that you have for your concept, and set in motion the magical power that transforms your Product from Passion to Profit.

Listen to mp3 RT 53m18s 6.1MB:
http://audio.davender.com/pf3/mojo_01nov2005.mp3

Three cheers for the prosperity mindset!

2009-08-09T10:21:00.007-04:00

Are "profits" and "wealth" falling out of fashion?

Our society is ill because the economy has been rigged to reward those who speculate rather than support those who demonstrate innovation and initiative.

For the individual that comes face-to-face with this harsh reality , the concept of "voluntary simplicity" or "simple living" can seem like a way to take back control of one's life. A concept popular in Europe and Quebec, this downsizing trend is spreading across the US and Canada as a reaction to the overconsumption mania of the last few decades.

The danger that I see in trying to reduce one's life to fit one's means is that it can lead to a trap. Living small or thinking small is not a virtue if it takes away the joy of living, if it makes fear and guilt the driving emotions of life. I prefer another path: instead of reducing consumption in order to live within my means, I choose to increase my means in order that I may live my full potential. Instead of "voluntary simplicity", I choose "voluntary prosperity".

We have a duty to be prosperous: to generate all of the resources necessary to live to our full potential, so we can do good for ourselves, our family, our community, our environment and our planet.

Living a monk's life by shirking our responsibilities is a selfish luxury at this moment. The challenges facing humanity and the planet are far too big and too important to sit cross-legged and contemplate the universe. The intertwined futures of humanity and the planet depend on how we create wealth from now on.

Even one of the inspirations of the simple living movement, Buddhism, celebrates prosperity. According to Buddhist teachings, you are entitled to as much wealth as you want, provided it is created in an ethical manner, "like bees create honey without harming the flowers". The wealth you create must then be reinvested to benefit as much others as oneself. Therefore, proper wealth, resources created the right way, is a tool to do good. (1)

Many of the economic problems we face today come from the fact that people are clinging to their gains as if they were an acquired right. They fear losing their riches, because wealth is finite, and you must grab your share now before there is none left.

Scarcity thinking is at the foundation of classical economics: that homo economicus is driven by the core emotions of greed and fear: less a resource is available, demand then increases because people want to hoard it for fear of missing out, and prices increase. Those who control the production of the resource can then speculate and "earn" their paycheck.

But deep down, is it still true, especially today?

Although we live on a finite planet with limits to our natural resources, this does not necessarily mean that there is a limit to wealth. The economist Paul Zane Pilzer in his book "The Next Millionaires" (2) postulates that each time we face a crisis due to the lack of a natural resource, humanity usually figures a way to solve the problem.

According to Pilzer, it is not resources that determine wealth, but rather the creativity and innovation of the human brain, combined with the initiative to take action, what Pilzer calls our "technology". The fundamental equation of the economy becomes:

Wealth = Resources * Technology

Now that our knowledge and imagination grows at an exponential rate thanks to the explosion of interpersonal communications, our ability to create wealth also accelerates at breakneck speed.

My definition of success is "to create a life experience that allows us to live our full potential." With the voluntary prosperity mindset, wealth is created when deploying our resources, our innovation and our initiative to do good for ourselves, others and the environment so we can all live to our full potential. More we act to create success, more those who are positively affected by these actions are prepared to invest their time, energy and money to live even more success. This becomes a virtuous cycle.

The voluntary prosperity mindset means choosing to engage with others, to communicate, learn, innovate and take action to confront the obstacles that we face and overcome them in a constructive manner.

The voluntary prosperity mindset is to create projects that help our community and our environment to live their full potential.

The voluntary prosperity mindset is having a sense of optimism, aiming for the stars with big ideas and bold plans, but acting with feet on the ground, to generate positive and powerful results by maximizing the resources we have available right now.

Ultimately, the question we must ask ourselves is this: What is our attitude towards material possessions? As an acquired right and a reward that flatters the ego, or as tools to advance our mission, our vision and our values and create a positive difference around us? Our emotions with respect to the resources available to us, will determine our ability to succeed in adopting a voluntary prosperity mindset.

The more we give, the more we put into circulation the ultimate power, that of passion,which creates a win-win benefit for all: an experience of life that allows each one of us to express our full potential.

And this is the true imperative: living to our full potential. This is why it is so important to stop downsizing our lives and start adopting a voluntary prosperity mindset, one that encourages each one of us to take action and create a happy, healthy and wealthy future for all.

__________

(1) "The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity: At Home, At Work, in the World" by Bhikkhu Rahula Basnagoda and Arthur C. Clarke

(2) "The Next Millionaires" by Paul Zane Pilzer

To join or not to join (WebWorkerDaily)

2009-08-07T09:00:00.001-04:00

An interesting article (that I agree with) on WebWorkerDaily:

“We all need to make choices about how we spend our time, and you should not feel pressured to join a social site just because other people have joined. Think about how you want to spend your time and decide whether or not you want to spend less time on another activity to make more time to participate on Twitter or Facebook. There’s no need for everyone to join.”
- Dawn Foster

Link to article: To Join, or Not to Join: That Is the Question
http://webworkerdaily.com/2009/08/05/to-join-or-not-to-join-that-is-the-question/

Tip: How to share documents on Facebook

2009-08-06T13:40:00.005-04:00

I received a question about "how to share a PowerPoint file with a Facebook group".

If you have access to an FTP server where you can simply upload your document, then use it. This is the option I usually use.

If you don't have an FTP server, here is a simple and secure way to share any document, whether by Facebook or even by e-mail:

1. Get a Google Docs account https://docs.google.com/
2. Upload your file by clicking on "Upload"

Types of files that you can upload:

Documents (up to 500KB)

HTML files and plain text (.txt).
Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx), Rich Text (.rtf), OpenDocument Text (.odt) and StarOffice (.sxw).

Presentations (up to 10MB from your computer, 2MB from the web, 500KB via email)

Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt, .pps).

Spreadsheets (up to 1MB)

Comma Separated Value (.csv).
Microsoft Excel (.xls, .xlsx) files and OpenDocument Spreadsheet (.ods).

PDF Files (up to 10MB from your computer, 2MB from the web)

3. Once your file has been uploaded to Google Docs, open it in Google Docs

4. You will see a "Share" button on the upper right hand side of your screen. Click it to see a drop-down menu. You will see an option "Publish/embed". Click it.

5. You now are at a page titled "Publish this document/presentation". Find and click on the button "Publish document".

6. A new page will appear with a link you can use to share the document by Facebook or e-mail.

PowerPoint docs will appear in a viewer, which is good because viewing the document is not dependent on the end-user.

Alternative: You may see with certain docs the option "Get the link to share..." If you use that link, the document will open with Google Docs (depending on the access you allow).

Hope this helps!

Social media is a great tool to build credibility

2009-07-28T19:15:00.000-04:00

Social media is an excellent tool to build your credibility. On Facebook you build credibility through content, on LinkedIn you build credibility by your connections, on Twitter it's your conversations that count.

2009-07-26T09:42:00.001-04:00

GoogleReader: The 1.6 Trillion Dollar Waste of Time http://bit.ly/z6QJF

Booked Solid Friday with Trish Lambert and Lou Bortone: Brand Or Be Damned! (July 24)

2009-07-23T23:15:00.001-04:00

Why Communicating Your Personal Brand Is More Important Than Ever

Date:	Friday, July 24, 2009
Time:	2:00pm - 2:30pm Eastern
Location:	DIRECT LINK TO LISTEN: http://bit.ly/JFj9O

Description

Do you have a brand? Do you know what it is? Can you clearly communicate your brand?

Join Certified Book Yourself Solid Coach Trish Lambert and personal brand expert (and Certified Book Yourself Solid Coach) Lou Bortone as they talk about the importance of a strong personal brand. They will go from soup to nuts as they establish what exactly is a personal brand, then go on to discuss how to get that brand out into your market FAST through strategies that include social media and online video. It will be a value-packed half hour, no doubt about it!

Lou Bortone grew up in the TV industry and has been involved in all aspects of the entertainment business for more than 20 years. After working in television and radio in Boston, Lou landed his first entertainment industry gigas National Promotion Manager for E! Entertainment Television in Hollywood. Later, Lou rose up the ranks at the Fox Kids Network, eventually becoming a Senior Vice President at Fox Family Worldwide, then a division of Fox. Today, Lou is a writer, producer and online branding consultant who teaches entrepreneurs how to build breakthrough brands on the Internet, with services such as online video branding, brand coaching and creative support. Lou also produces a weekly unique and light-hearted videoblog called LouTube. www.LouTubeVideos.com

Lou’s website is at: www.OnlineVideoBranding.com

This episode is hosted by Certified Book Yourself Solid Coach Trish Lambert, whose site is www.successinsweatpants.com

DIRECT LINK TO LISTEN: http://bit.ly/JFj9O

Or listen by phone Friday 2PM Eastern: Call-in Number: (347) 327-9030

Join this spirited discussion about how the Book Yourself Solid system can help you achieve business success, even if you hate marketing and selling!

Book Yourself Solid Radio is a webradio show inspired by the bestselling book by Michael Port, focusing on helping you get more clients than you can handle... even if you hate marketing and selling!

Hosted by Certified Book Yourself Solid Coaches Trish Lambert and Davender Gupta, they interview fellow Certified Coaches to help you succeed in filling your business.

The show takes place every Friday from 2PM to 2:30PM Eastern

Check out the latest guests, listen to the show or download podcasts of past episodes at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bookyourselfsolid

Event Facebook page:
http://www.new.facebook.com/event.php?eid=113029006462

(Also check out the new Facebook Fan page for Book Yourself Solid Radio at
http://www.new.facebook.com/pages/Book-Yourself-Solid-Radio/100307116509

Perseverance

2009-07-23T06:11:00.000-04:00

"Never declare yourself beaten. If you fail at something, it is okay. That may be out of your control, but never voluntarily throw in the towel. Always keep fighting! You never know when there is another chance or another great opportunity waiting right around the corner."

- Donald Trump

Are you taking one giant leap?

2009-07-20T05:02:00.003-04:00

"That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind"
- Neil Armstrong, July 20, 1969

Forty years ago today, a human set foot on lunar soil. Whatever the motivation for the whole enterprise, it was a leap of faith given that even though the goal was clear, the means were far from certain when the goal was made. Take a look at your goals: are you setting targets beyond the scope of your experience? If not, how do you expect to grow beyond your zone of everyday results?

See video of the first steps on the moon:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMINSD7MmT4

Get off yer butt

2009-07-17T10:54:00.001-04:00

"The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It's as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer."
~ Nolan Bushnell

As quoted by Robert Baines

2009-07-17T05:41:00.001-04:00

GoogleReader: Welcome to the social network, where your privacy has to be flexible http://bit.ly/4OUmB

2009-07-16T15:44:00.001-04:00

GoogleReader: You Think ‘Free’ is Only About the Price? It’s Not. http://bit.ly/v45aY

Booked Solid Friday with Davender Gupta and Ted Behr- Developing your Brand

2009-07-15T22:16:00.001-04:00

How do you want to be known in the world?

Date:	Friday, July 17, 2009
Time:	2:00pm - 2:30pm
Location:	DIRECT LINK TO LISTEN: http://bit.ly/bysradio20090717

Description

Join Certified Book Yourself Solid Coach Davender Gupta as he discusses "Developing Your Brand" with Coach Ted Behr.

Certified Book Yourself Solid Coach Ted Behr works with newly self-employed service professionals to help them get all the clients they can handle and give the world an opportunity to receive their talent. Ted recently went through an extensive process to help develop his branding as "The Uncommon Success Coach", and will share his insights on the branding process to help you get noticed and attract better clients.

Meet Ted through his websites http://www.uncommonsuccessco.com
and http://www.getbookedsolidnow.com

This episode is hosted by Certified Book Yourself Solid Coach Davender Gupta, whose site is http://www.getmoreandbetterclients.com

DIRECT LINK TO LISTEN: http://bit.ly/bysradio20090717

Or listen by phone Friday 2PM Eastern: Call-in Number: (347) 327-9030

Join this spirited discussion about how the Book Yourself Solid system can help you achieve business success, even if you hate marketing and selling!

Book Yourself Solid Radio is a webradio show inspired by the bestselling book by Michael Port, focusing on helping you get more clients than you can handle... even if you hate marketing and selling!

Hosted by Certified Book Yourself Solid Coaches Trish Lambert and Davender Gupta, they interview fellow Certified Coaches to help you succeed in filling your business.

The show takes place every Friday from 2PM to 2:30PM Eastern

Check out the latest guests, listen to the show or download podcasts of past episodes at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bookyourselfsolid

It's our duty to obsess about our own vision

2009-07-12T18:13:00.009-04:00

“I believe we’ve evolved as a species BECAUSE of the collective obsessiveness of individuals.”
- June Cohen

I don't understand people who don't like what they do for a living, or worse, who are indifferent. I can't stand those who are simply "killing time" until their pension.

Passion is the force that results from being obsessed with my vision. Passion powers me to overcome my fears, break through my "zone of everyday results" and change the status quo around me. And that is the prime directive of leadership, to change the status quo so that the present evolves into the vision we want.

Is what you're doing now creating the future you really want? Is that focus the full expression of "Who You Really Are?"

This spring, for a while, I lost my passion - actually, no. I lost my obsession with my vision. The vision was there all the time, but I no longer was focusing on it. What happened? The momentum of my project slowed and my problems became bigger than me. I got lost in the forest and my income came to a halt.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, thanks to surrounding myself with people who are thinking bigger and taking action, my obsession with my vision has been reignited. And with it, new opportunities are appearing that are totally in line with the Big Impact I want to create.

I now realize that I cannot see my business project as just a job... it must be a crusade. I can never let myself put my dream on cruise control. The intensity of my obsession with my vision must be so strong that it becomes like a black hole, drawing towards me all of the resources, ideas, tools and people to make it happen. My obsession must be so strong that anyone who comes in contact with me thinks that either my vision is inevitable (I want those people around me) or that I'm crazy (goodbye to those losers).

Life without passion is a life of mediocrity. If we all settled for mediocrity, we would still be sitting in cold, damp caves, munching on roots and berries. I'm so thankful for that first caveman (or cavewoman?) who decided it was time to heat things up a bit and figured out how to make a fire. That started a whole chain of changes that lead to the wonders of technology and society we enjoy today.

Every step we make in our evolution, is due to someone who is obsessed with changing the status quo, the way things are at the moment. The obsessed person burns the boats, cuts the bridges, blows up any possibility of a Plan B that could compromise progress.

Forget balance, forget being satisfied with what I have. I want to change the world. And by choosing to focus all my energies on one vision, I can break through the barriers of mediocrity and create the future I really want.

The quote is from Tara Hunt's blog, see the full text here:
http://www.horsepigcow.com/2009/02/06/summary-of-amazing-ted-quotes/

Book Yourself Solid Radio (Friday 10 July 2PM East) Davender Gupta and Monique Gallagher: Why do people buy what you sell

2009-07-09T13:39:00.003-04:00

Why do people buy what you sell? Join Certified Book Yourself Solid Coaches Davender Gupta and Monique Gallagher as they discuss how the Book Yourself Solid System approaches the dynamics of the sales process.

Date: Friday, July 10, 2009
Time: 2:00pm - 2:30pm EASTERN
DIRECT LINK TO LISTEN: http://bit.ly/bysradio20090710
or Call-in Number: (347) 327-9030

Monique Gallagher helps women with home based businesses who hate marketing and selling think more confidently, productively and bigger and what they offer the world so they get booked solid. Monique uses the "Book Yourself Solid" System to connect with their ideal clients and stop hiding from their destiny. She helps them get unstuck so they can move forward in all areas of their life.

In addition to being a certified Book Yourself Solid coach, she is also a certified Cybernetic Transposition coach, which simply said are brain engineering strategies that her clients use to literally release their history and overwrite it with a version in alignment with who they desire to be. Monique brings a unique perspective to coaching ensuring that each of her clients are equipped with the tools to build their life from the inside out ensuring congruency with who they are and their business.

Meet Monique on her free "Taking the Brakes off" teleseminar at www.highestpotentialtraining.com

This episode is hosted by Certified Book Yourself Solid Coach Davender Gupta, whose site is www.getmoreandbetterclients.com

DIRECT LINK TO LISTEN: http://bit.ly/bysradio20090710

Or listen by phone Friday 2PM Eastern:
Call-in Number: (347) 327-9030

Join this spirited discussion about how the Book Yourself Solid system can help you achieve business success, even if you hate marketing and selling!

Book Yourself Solid Radio is a webradio show inspired by the bestselling book by Michael Port, focusing on helping you get more clients than you can handle... even if you hate marketing and selling!

Hosted by Certified Book Yourself Solid Coaches Trish Lambert and Davender Gupta, they interview fellow Certified Coaches to help you succeed in filling your business.

The show takes place every Friday from 2PM to 2:30PM Eastern

Check out the latest guests, listen to the show or download podcasts of past episodes at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bookyourselfsolid

Burt Dubin's Definition of an Expert

2009-07-09T08:42:00.003-04:00

Burt Dubin helps Speakers get booked. Here is a gem of wisdom from one of his articles:

An expert is not someone who knows what he knows.
An expert is someone who is known for knowing what he knows.
- Burt Dubin

I recommend that you sign up for his Speaking Biz Strategies Letter because even though the focus is on professional speakers, the ideas he shares apply to helping any solo professional get noticed and booked.
Link to article on Burt Dubin's log: http://bit.ly/euVJn

2009-07-09T07:49:00.001-04:00

GoogleReader: 10 Traits of the Ultra-Talented Leader http://bit.ly/92Lsm

HuffPost: Are You A Victim of the Big Investment Con?

2009-07-07T21:47:00.002-04:00

GoogleReader: Dan Solin: Are You a Victim of the Big Investment Con? http://bit.ly/ZidfE

Build your credibility by becoming a content creator

2009-07-07T12:21:00.001-04:00

As a solo professional, you probably understand the importance of demonstrating your competence in order to build credibility. So on your website you post a description of who you are and what you offer. And if you are particularly detail-oriented, you have a link to your current resumé and a list of customers, selected showcase projects and even some testimonials from happy clients. This should be more than enough to convince your prospect of your qualifications for the job, right?

But what if I told you that all this information has but a minor influence on the opinion your prospects make of you ... what would you do?

Let's be frank: your prospective customers attach little importance to testimonials, client lists and sample projects, because they know that you show only the most glowing reviews (that is, if you didn't invent the whole thing from scratch, or so they might believe).

Remember the old saying: "Don't tell me what you can do for me, show me!" The most effective way to establish your credibility and to attract clients who recognize your value and who are willing to commit, is to demonstrate your expertise.

Photographers, graphic designers, filmmakers, painters and other creative professionals know the value of a portfolio. They accumulate examples of their work to demonstrate their expertise to potential customers. But in professional services, when your products are intangible, how do you accumulate the evidence that establishes your credibility?

Any professional who wants to develop and demonstrate their credibility must become a content creator. By generating articles, videos, photos and other types of content, you make your experience more tangible. Quality content that makes you credible is much more attractive than slick advertising or vague promises.

There are five types of content you can create to present your expertise:

1. "Education": lessons and recommendations that emerge from your experience with your customers (for example, case studies);
2. "Demonstration": Describe how to do something related to your specialty (for example, this "how to" article);
3. "Opinion": Your comments on situations or the news, always related to your specialty and how you want to be known. Your opinion demonstrates how you interpret situations and propose solutions. Be careful to remain respectful and politically neutral;
4. "Recommendation": Provide resources (books, articles, videos, contacts) related to your specialty;
5. "Information": Communicating news about your specialty, passing along items from the media demonstrating various aspects of what you do (example: a tax specialist passing along news of changes to the law).

There are various ways to deliver your content. Keep it simple, choose media and communication styles that come naturally to you, for example:

- Writing articles;
- Short online videos (YouTube) or audio (podcast style through BlogTalkRadio);
- Record your presentations, speeches, seminars, Toastmasters speeches;
- Photos or illustrations, etc..

The important thing is to create content that communicates your ideas with your communication style and your voice.

Develop a steady pace in generating your content, whether monthly, weekly or daily. Your content need not be extensive: it is better to be short and precise. It's the frequency that matters, so if you want more prospects, increase the pace of your output.

Establish a central location to display your content, even if it is distributed to several locations. Your business blog is the preferred place to store your information. I also recommend that you host the best content on your main website, either in whole or through hyperlinks. The more often your content is refreshed, more search engines will locate it, and you will be easier to find.

The time, effort and money you invest in generating quality content to build your professional portfolio will result in a strong positioning and loyal customers. By demonstrating your expertise, you will be able to power your Vision from Passion to Profit!

NYTimes: Street Farmer - How a visionary sells and executes his Big Idea

2009-07-07T08:48:00.002-04:00

In the Sunday NYTimes.com, a wonderful story about a visionary inner-city farmer who is inspiring his neighbors and community to grow and eat healthy food:

Link to article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/05/magazine/05allen-t.html

And direct link to the Growing Power project: http://www.growingpower.org/

A candid letter to a marketing consultant who wants me to hire her

2009-07-06T09:51:00.002-04:00

Dear Miss Marketing Consultant:

I witnessed the awesome work you did to help an entrepreneur friend of mine get her story in the newspapers, on the TV and on the radio recently. I'm very impressed with what you achieved. This is why I called you to see if you could meet with me. You see, I also have a great project around which I want to create a lot of media buzz.

I liked our first meeting. You asked a lot of questions, took many notes. I get your youthful enthusiasm and your love for what you can do for your clients.

But here is the problem. I feel a distance between us. At the end of our meeting, you said you would come back with a proposal outlining your process, with a couple of recommendations and a detailed quote. I expect that to create this proposal it would take some of your time (one or two days). I'm concerned about creating a situation where I might feel guilty about all the work you have done to date, and if I say no to moving forward now it will mean the end of any future relationship, and conversely if I say yes, I will lose control of my project.

I like you. I really do. And I want to find a way to incorporate you into my project, this baby of mine in which I have invested so much of my time, energy, money and emotion.

Which is why I decided to write this note to you, so you can understand my current state of mind and how I feel about the potential of us working together.

Please read these notes as simply my current thoughts, so you are aware of where we really stand.

- If I ask you to meet with me, it's not necessarily to write a cheque to you right now. I'm curious to meet with you, judge your suitability, and see what you think about my project. Consider this a first date.

- Give me some ideas or point me to some resources right now to demonstrate your credibility. They don't have to be the final answers, or even right ones. Be open with your ideas. I'm not paying for you to learn about me, or for you to demonstrate your ideas to me. I'll pay (well) for the execution, for results.

- You asked me what is my budget for this project. I don't know (and if I knew would I tell you at this stage of the relationship?) What is the magic number you are looking for? Of course I don't want to pay for media. Tell me how you can make my investment in you pay for itself, plus a substantial return.

- I don't want you to go away and come back with ideas. Co-create them with me, please!

- At this stage I'm not interested in a detailed report with a pretty cover and my name on the front. You're wasting your time. Meet with me a couple of times, let's brainstorm. Don't worry, I'm not going to act on the ideas in your place, I'm too busy with what I'm working on. But I do want to have some kind of ownership stake in the process. After all, this is my baby we're talking about.

- Don't tell me what you'll change, tell me what you like about my current branding/positioning/logo/name and what aspects could be retained or emphasized. Don't make me throw away ten years of emotional equity in my business. I already know that I will reject any ideas for logos, names, that I have not participated in brainstorming with you.

- Don't treat me as if I don't know anything about marketing. (You're not saying it, but there is a little bit of that tone in your approach). After all, I've been in business much longer than you have. What I like about you are your contacts and how you connect with them to get your client's stories out.

- Ask me questions, check out my sites, have a couple of coffee dates with me before sending me a quote. Draw up some ideas, quick sketches or storyboards. Invest some time and effort in me. Schmooze me.

- Propose ideas that are in alignment with my approach to business. I'm not interested in Search Engine Optimization of my sites, I want to create an active Tribe around me. Do you know authors like Seth Godin, Michael Port, Tim Sanders, Tom Peters? Whose ideas inspire you?

- Teach me what I need to know, don't make me dependent on you.

- Don't ask me to send you my materials. Do as if you were to look for me. Give me feedback on how easy (or not) it is to find me, and what your impressions are (good as well as points to improve).

- Please don't interpret a "no" as in forever. I want help, but I will act on my own time. The more accepting you are of my "no", the sooner you will get a "yes". It's a paradox, but since we are dealing with affairs of the heart, that's the way it goes.

I hope with these points you understand better the frame of mind that I'm in. I really want to make this work, I really do. Now do you want to sell your services to me, or become a long-term co-creating partner in a Big Project that is making a long-lasting impact in our community?

Sincerely yours

-davender

Who built the gondola? (About Persistance)

2009-06-04T12:56:00.003-04:00

“Making your mark on the world is hard. If it were easy, everybody would do it. But it's not. It takes patience, it takes commitment, and it comes with plenty of failure along the way. The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won't. It's whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere.”
- Barack Obama

If I were to believe the popular media, I could understand why people see success as something one is "born to achieve", something magical and automatic. It's like if all you needed to do to conquer a mountain, was to step aboard a gondola for a ride to the summit, taking you there directly, comfortably, with no hint of blood, sweat or tears. Step right up, buy your winning lotto ticket, and dare to dream!

But who built that gondola in the first place?

Read the accounts of anyone who sets off to conquer a real mountain, like Mount Everest. To reach the top, you must make your way to a Base Camp, the first of several stops on your trip. At Base, you take the time to adjust to the altitude and the conditions. Then you set off to the next camp, from where you perform day hikes to train and to get familiar with the terrain, always coming back to the camp at night. Sometimes a team member has to return to a lower camp, whether for altitude sickness, frostbite, weather or one of many other medical or logistical issues. It is only when conditions are right, and that you have successfully reached the highest camp, that you can then aim for the summit.

You create results in your Big Project in a similar way. You build to a certain level of results, where you level off to give yourself the opportunity to regain your strength and your reserves, and reinforce your systems, standards and boundaries. It is only then where you make a push for the next level of performance. Sometimes circumstances force you to revert to a lower camp, because you run out of energy or resources or the conditions are not sufficient to progress forward. Sometimes on your trek to the next level you realize you face a big chasm or a dead-end, and you have to abandon the path and return to the previous camp. And sometimes the summit can seem so close, but you still need to abandon progress, come back to base, and postpone your dreams for another year or another decade. Such is life.

Beware of Cinderella stories, of success won quickly without any setbacks. Because an effortless win, without pain, or tears, or moments that provoke weak knees or tight stomachs, is a win that cannot last. There is no glory in failure, but there is no shame in it either, because failure does not exist unless we give it permission to paralyze or demoralize us.

The real lessons of life are understood when you develop the clarity, commitment, confidence and courage to overcome setbacks and transform your passion into something that makes a permanent and positive difference around you.

Persevere. The adventure is lived not at the destination, but in the journey.

Facebook for Solopreneurs: About Personal, Fan and Group pages

2009-06-03T13:38:00.004-04:00

Facebook is a great tool to establish a loyal network, demonstrate your competence and build trust and credibility. However, to do so, you need to understand how to position yourself on Facebook in an effective manner.

As a solopreneur on Facebook, you need to set up three kinds of pages:

1. Your personal page, under your own real name.

The basic building block of Facebook is the personal page, where you show your real self. You seek out friends and friends will seek you out based on your personal name, building a personal network, the basic network of Facebook.

On Facebook, almost any type of business, Fan or Group page must first be created by an identifiable individual, which is why having a personal page is important.

You must use a personal name for your personal page. Even if most of what you post on your personal wall is about your business project, this is not the place to make offers or solicit clients. Also, remember that everything you post on your personal page goes out to all of your Facebook Friends, so only share information that builds on the personal positioning you want to project.

Having a personal page also builds your personal credibility and helps people begin to trust you. Remember: people don't get excited about doing business with businesses, they prefer to do business with people.

2. A Fan page, under your business name.

Your Fan page is the "personal page" of your business, and is where people join to keep in touch about your business. By joining your Fan page, they give you permission for you to contact them specifically about your business. You can also post updates about what your business is doing. Your Fans can also post comments on your business wall. With a Fan page you have a lot of control over what is posted.

People who join as a Fan of your business may or may not be a personal "Facebook Friend" of your personal page (this is a good thing). It is also a kind of vote of confidence in your business.

Setting up a Fan page is somewhat hidden: Go to the bottom of your Personal page, click "Advertising" then at the top of the Advertising page click "Pages" then on the Pages page click the green "Create a new page" button. Then follow the prompts. There is no charge to have a Fan page for your business.

3. One (or several) Group pages, each focusing on a specific offer or interest.

Your Group pages focus on a specific area of interest (your target market) or offers (like your Standing Invite of a teleclass, webinar or web radio show). On Group pages you can set up events or notices. Group pages are like a mailing list for your specific Standing Invite Offer.

Be careful not to have too many Group pages, however you should have at least one Group page representing your key Standing Invite.

----

The three types of Facebook pages are designed to work together. Do not try to shortcut the process by trying to set up a personal page with your business name. Sooner or later you will hit a wall and all your work will be wasted.

This may be a bit confusing at first, but once you get started establishing a Facebook presence, after 3 to 6 months you can have a great platform to build your network, and demonstrate your competence and credibility. Asking for help from a coach will shorten the development cycle and accelerate your results.

For more information about getting started with Facebook, check out my article "How to get started on Facebook as a solopreneur" http://en.davender.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=119&Itemid=31

Happy and prosperous Facebooking!

70+ Non-fiction authors to follow on Twitter (from Mashable)

2009-05-31T20:19:00.003-04:00

Mashable, the Social Media blog, has an interesting list of 70+ non-fiction authors to follow on Twitter:

http://mashable.com/2009/05/22/twitter-nonfiction-authors/

This is what I like about Twitter - the "mindcasting" dimension, being able to follow the ideas and discussions of smart people.

For Twitter beginners (and more advanced users), pick and choose 20 or 30 faves to follow from this list, and you will have some great content to retweet and to comment on!

Five tips to get started with Twitter (and not get burned)

2009-05-30T09:53:00.004-04:00

Twitter is a variation on instant messaging where you can communicate with people. Your entries ("tweets") are limited to 140 characters.

A lot has been said in the mainstream media about Twitter - which has also triggered a lot of misconceptions.

Twitter is a valuable tool for the solo-professional. Here are five tips to get started with Twitter:

1. Set up an account using your real name and a real profile.

Complete your Profile settings using your real name, a short description of who you are, your website, and upload a picture. Avoid using underscores (_) or numbers in your name. A natural-looking handle (screen name) will encourage people to "follow" (connect with) you. It is very important that you have a picture of you on your profile, otherwise your account will be regarded as spam by the users.

2. Use the "Find People" function to find and follow people you know that may be on Twitter

The core idea of Twitter is about having near-synchronous (near-real-time) conversations with people you know and trust. Start building your network by seeking out a dozen people you know, and learn how to use the system by interacting with them. ( https://twitter.com/invitations/find_on_twitter )

You may read about the importance of following lots of people in order to have people following you. Over time you will develop a network. Do not blindly click left and right to build up to your 2000 follower limit, in hopes that some people will follow you. Do not use software to automatically "find" followers for you (they tend to be spam, and can get you banned).

Once you start to get the hang of Twitter with your "starter group", then you can start to branch out to connect with people you have not yet met. You can ask your current network for suggestions. Twitter also has a custom that Friday is #followfriday where people recommend other Twitter users that are worth following.

Give yourself some time, and you will build a natural audience for your tweets.

3. On Twitter, content is king.

The media likes to make fun of Twitter because of the many examples of inane and pointless chatter that goes on about what they had for breakfast.

Ignore them.

The real magic of Twitter is what one Tweeter @jayrosen_nyu calls "mindcasting" - the sharing of ideas.

What I appreciate about Twitter is that I can share ideas, insights, questions I'm asking myself (and others), in order to spark conversations.

Start your Twitter experience by sharing two or three ideas a day: observations, maybe one favorite quote, maybe a question you are pondering. Be concise, don't use too many abbrev. If you can't fit want you want to say into 140 characters, reconsider your thought to boil it down to its essence. Twitter is a great exercise in clarity.

Once you start tweeting interesting stuff (see below) you will attract a loyal following. Good content will get you hundreds of followers in a matter of weeks, without spamming.

4. Instead of using Twitter through the web page, use specialized tools.

The Twitter web site is not built for extensive use. The real magic of Twitter comes from the large universe of specialized tools that use the Twitter messaging system but organize the information in ways much easier to understand. Here are two free apps that I recommend (you only need one of them):

- TweetDeck (PC, Mac, Linux): Tweetdeck is a social media browser application that allow you to manage the information you get from your Twitter, Facebook and other systems. It works on any computer through Adobe Air (free). Strengths: being able to organize my social messaging in easy-to-understand groups. You can follow, reply, search and manage your Twitter account through TweetDeck. Only downside, it takes up a whole screen. Get it at http://tweetdeck.com

- Twhirl (PC, Mac, Linux): Twhirl is another social media browser. I prefer its compact interface especially on my small-screen netbook. I really like the search function - I set a couple of search profiles (on my name, on topics of interest) and it automatically returns the latest tweets from anywhere on the search terms. I find it works better in Mac and Linux than TweetDeck (personal opinion). Get it at http://www.twhirl.org/

As you get more into the social networking way of communicating, you will discover other apps that are more tuned to your way of viewing information. The great thing is that all of these tools are FREE.

5. Budget your Twitter time

Twitter can be a huge timesink, especially when you start out. After many wasted hours, I finally understood that the smart way to use Twitter is to consider it as a "timestream" - it relentlessly moves forward. I dip into the timestream when I have a few minutes here and there, catching up on conversations, contributing some tweets, then move to my next activity.

I suggest you start by setting aside two or three 15-minute periods a day doing the following:

- responding to an interesting comment or question, whether I know the person or not (in Twitter, we are all one big family)

- Retweeting or RT-ing (forwarding) an interesting tweet to your follower network. Retweeting is a way to signal that you like the tweet, and RTs are a measure the popularity of a tweet

- Suggesting a link to an interesting article, blog post, website or video (yours or some else's. The proper way to pass on a link is to summarize the idea or title, followed by a shortened link. Most Twitter apps like Tweetdeck or Twhirl will automatically shorten the link for you. Or you can use link shortening sites like http://www.tinyurl.com or http://www.is.gd Keep your links short to maximize the use of your 140 characters.

- Sharing an idea, thought, or question. This is the fun part of Twitter, where you are contributing to the conversation. Tweet ideas that reinforce your personal positioning or brand (i.e. don't get too personal, stay clean, remember that you are posting on a very public bulletin board). By tweeting intelligent, provocative, funny or emotive tweets, you will start to attract interest, your tweets will be retweeted, and you will gain a following.

- Seeking interesting people to follow, by clicking on handles (@username) in other people's tweets. I like to look at people's tweets before I decide to follow (subscribe) to them. You are the ultimate decider of what you want in your twitterstream, so only follow people you find interesting (following is not reciprocal, in that because you follow someone, they don't follow you until they decide to, and vice-versa)

It may look like some people are spending all of their waking hours (and some sleeping hours) tweeting. Don't fall into that trap. 30-45 minutes a day is more than enough to derive a good benefit from Twitter.

Be inclusive, conversational and interesting and you will build a following that is interested in your thoughtstream. With your Twitter group, aim for quality people instead of quantity.

As you become more comfortable with Twitter, you can then progress to the intermediate level, where you can start to use Twitter to build your brand and attract prospects.

Happy Tweeting!

p.s. Please follow me @coachdavender or http://twitter.com/coachdavender , and let me know your Twitter name so I can follow you!

What is your currency?

2009-05-04T16:22:00.003-04:00

Jay Deragon, on his blog "A Relationship Economy", has been exploring the idea of relationships and knowledge as "currency".

Social media is redefining the idea of currency, because of the value we create through our relationships and the sharing of knowledge.

He posts an interesting video discussion with David Bullock (http://www.davidbullock.net)

Posts:

How do you define currency?
http://www.relationship-economy.com/?p=3943

Do Relationships create currency?
http://www.relationship-economy.com/?p=3924

Is Knowledge Currency?
http://www.relationship-economy.com/?p=3941

Hmmm... food for thought here!

AuthorTeleseminars: Michael Port (May 5) and Pam Slim (May 7)

2009-05-04T08:00:00.002-04:00

Are you tired of all of the FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) clogging your brain synapses lately? Clear the pathways with CLR (Courage, Laughter and Real Good Ideas)!

I recommend this week's AuthorTeleseminars.com guests to encourage you to Think Big and Escape From Cubicle Nation...

Tuesday, May 5, 1PM East
Michael Port: The Think Big Manifesto
http://www.authorteleseminars.com/thinkbig1.html

By now, you are probably painfully aware that we're in the midst of challenging times. Times that impact ALL business owners (both new and experienced) and professionals, and threaten to undermine our most cherished goals, dreams and plans.

Michael Port's new book: "The Think Big Manifesto" (http://www.thinkbigmanifesto.com) goes beyond the noise to identify the greatest wall to creating results: small thinking. And the antidote is... Thinking BIG!

Thinking big is the most important things we can do right now. As Michael says, it's about being fully self-expressed in the face of all the forces that conspire to pacify your drive, your hunger to be the most you can be.

Register for the call details and the recording at
http://www.authorteleseminars.com/thinkbig1.html

Thursday May 7, 3PM East
Pam Slim - Escape from Cubicle Nation
http://www.authorteleseminars.com/pamslim1.html

This call is definitely one not to be missed. If you don't know Pam Slim or haven't heard her on a call, you're in for a treat!

The message of Pam's new book, "Escape from Cubicle Nation" is important one for people thinking or making the leap into entrepreneurship, or even anyone who may have launched a biz that needs an overhaul. In other words, there's great value in her message even for those who have already left cubicle nation, especially around building a remarkable brand and creating relevant offers for potential customers.

Register for the call and access to the recording here
http://www.authorteleseminars.com/pamslim1.html

These calls are hosted by Elizabeth Marshall, founder of AuthorTeleseminars.com and co-author (with Michael Port) of The Contrarian Effect.

I'm an "Ambassador" for AuthorTeleseminars.com - my role is to get the word out!

By registering on www.authorteleseminars.com you can get access to past recordings and future announcements. These calls are just what the doctor ordered!

100 Ways To Succeed

2009-05-03T20:07:00.001-04:00

Tom Peters is doing some great brainstorming on his blog lately on "100 Ways To Succeed". He's at #160 and counting...

Link:
http://www.tompeters.com/archives.php?date=200905

My Amazon.com review of "Think Big Manifesto"

2009-04-28T07:22:00.003-04:00

The right book for right now
April 18, 2009

If you are looking for a step-by-step how-to book, or a feel-good, reassuring motivational book, look elsewhere. Michael Port says it like it is, and I am so grateful for that.

This book has appeared for me at just the right time. In the past weeks I have taken on some big challenges, and I was feeling bogged down and questioning whether I made the right decisions. His point about "Overthrow The Judge", to "control-alt-delete" my inner critic, was the kick in the rear-end I needed.

I really like that Michael presents Big Thinking as something accessible to all. The examples he uses are short, punchy vignettes that directly relate to my own experience and encourage me to move to action. No mystical guru-talk or quantum mechanics here (Okay a spiel about Fibonacci numbers but that's it).

This book is too valuable to be stored on my bookshelf. I am keeping it in full view on my desk as a constant reminder to "control-alt-delete" my internal critic, and to think and act bigger about who I am and what I offer the world.

"The Think Big Manifesto" is a bold, no-nonsense and heartfelt call to action. Don't just read it, join the Revolution and live it!

Amazon.com link (no affiliate):
http://www.amazon.com/Think-Big-Manifesto-Change-World/dp/0470432373/

Amazon.ca link (no affiliate):
http://www.amazon.ca/Think-Big-Manifesto-Change-World/dp/0470432373/

Main site: http://thinkbigmanifesto.com

This is Think Big Week!

2009-04-27T09:51:00.005-04:00

"To be free, is to be bound by something bigger than yourself."
-- Michael Port

Another crisis is looming on the horizon, the morning headlines are screaming at me: Disease! Economic Collapse! Water shortages! Environmental Disaster!

It could be so easy for me to let my dreams and desires be drowned out by the persistant shouting of the doomsayers. It makes me wonder sometimes if it is even worth getting out of bed...

I'm not saying that we don't face challenges, even ones that threaten the future of humanity and the planet. But where are the solutions going to come from?

The true shortage in the world today is of people who can Think Big, who have ideas, projects, goals and dreams that are bigger than the problems around us. Of people who are taking daily action towards building solutions, rather than being paralyzed by problems.

This is why the book being launched today by my coach, mentor and friend Michael Port: "The Think Big Manifesto", is so important. I really like the subtitle: "Think you can't change your life (or the world)? Think again!"

I invite you this week to get the book and to participate in activities to help you think bigger about who you are and what you offer the world...

Now is the time to THINK BIG!

Read my latest newsletter here:
http://www.davender.com/newsletter/20090427.html

Check out my latest YouTube video: "What if you were Ten Times Bolder?"

YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRRlWW5Gl2Q

SoloSuccess Discussion: The Think Big Manifesto

2009-04-27T08:46:00.002-04:00

Rise up! The biggest "shortage" in the world right now is people who dare to Think Big and change the status-quo! You have what it takes to change the present moment...are you ready?

In this discussion we will take a look at some key ideas from Michael Port's latest book: The Think Big Manifesto.

These are all questions that we will discuss on the next SoloSuccess discussion, Tuesday April 28 at 8:30PM Eastern / 5:30 PM Pacific.

This call is free, simply dial
(218) 339-4600 Access Code: 191192#
You pay the long-distance to the teleconference server. When prompted, enter the assigned access code, followed by the pound (#) sign and you're in!

As a test, this discussion will also be streamed live on USTREAM.tv
See me live by clicking
http://www.ustream.tv/coachdavender
(I recommend that you use the audio of the teleconference bridge to join the discussion)

***GREAT OFFER*** Go right now to http://www.thinkbigmanifesto.com to get your copy of the book and lots of great extras! Also check out the Think Big community at http://www.thinkbigrevolution.com

Looking forward to having you join the conversation!

Book Yourself Solid Radio: Thomas Mangum on Making Strategic Conversations

2009-04-23T23:58:00.003-04:00

Join me as I chat with Connection Expert Thomas Mangum on "Making Strategic Connections", during our next Book Yourself Solid Radio episode, Friday 24 April at 2PM Eastern.

This conversation explores ideas about personal branding, being memorable, and conscious networking, always linking back to the Foundation concepts of Michael Port's Book Yourself Solid System.

Thomas helps Service Professionals to Make Connections & Make It Rain so they can Get Their Business Booked Solid on THEIR Terms!

Find out more about Thomas at connectwiththomas.com

Listen to this episode live at http://is.gd/udb1

Join this spirited discussion about how the Book Yourself Solid system can help you achieve business success, even if you hate marketing and selling!

Book Yourself Solid Radio is a webradio show inspired by the bestselling book by Michael Port. Hosted by Certified Book Yourself Solid Coaches Trish Lambert and Davender Gupta, they interview fellow Coaches to help you succeed in filling your practice.

The show takes place every Friday from 2PM to 2:30PM Eastern

Check out the latest guests, listen to the show or download podcasts of past episodes at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bookyourselfsolid

You can also access podcasts via iTunes (search for Book Yourself Solid Podcast)

Coach Trish's Homepage: http://www.4rmarketing.com
Coach Davender"s Blog: http://www.frompassiontoprofit.com

Book Yourself Solid Community: http://www.bookedsolidnetwork.com

Show how the sausage is made: Transparency begets credibility

2009-04-04T20:33:00.004-04:00

For a long drive today I downloaded a podcast of TVO's Big Ideas, featuring Harvard professor David Weinberger on "Knowledge At The End Of The Information Age".

I first came across Prof. Weinberger ten years ago in his book "The Cluetrain Manifesto" where he foresaw the emphasis on conversations and user-generated content which is a key part of the webosphere today.

His recent talk at the University of Toronto touched many points about the nature of information and knowledge, and how we organize, classify and understand it.

A couple of points grabbed my attention (my pararaphrasing of his ideas):

- Save everything: You don't know what information is important until you need it. Digitize everything and save everything. Storage is cheap, and the tools for extracting the info you need are improving all the time.

Comment: I have been saving everything I've written since 1997. Interesting how the volume saved increases from year to year! Unfortunately my e-mails from before 2003 are irretrievable, that's when I switched from Outlook to Thunderbird (and since 2007 I've been also keeping all my e-mails on Gmail which makes them even easier to search).

Also, by saving everything, I can also resurrect ideas from my archives that I started but were not quite ready for prime time, when I come across an opportunity I can retrieve and update the tool or idea, saving me lots of time...

- Transparency creates credibility: Open up how you develop your ideas and your positions. The more people can see your thought process, the more they will understand and trust you.

Comment: It used to be that experts delivered their opinions from above, and it was accepted by the peons. But now people no longer blindly accept what "experts" say, partly because so many experts have been shown to be wrong, but also because we can be much more engaged in the conversation than in the past.

Don't be shy about putting raw ideas out there to be sifted and examined. Be open about your thought process. Log raw ideas on blogs, Twitter, Facebook. Contribute to conversations, comment on other people's blogs.

The context of the comment also gives people a clue as to your thought process. For example:

- stuff on my Twitter stream ( http://twitter.com/coachdavender ) is a momentary fragment of my ideas or things that attract my attention. I use Twitter (or sometimes Facebook http://profile.to/coachdavender ) as a place to grab my thoughts as they occur, and for people to interact with them at this initial stage;
- anything on my blog ( http://www.frompassiontoprofit.com ) can be considered an "idea in formation". Here I take ideas and go a bit deeper with them to see where they lead me (reader input is also valuable here);
- as the idea becomes more solid, it becomes an article, which I post on my website ( http://www.coachdavender.com ), or, for articles that are even more mature, article sites like http://www.ezinearticles.com
- and then the most reliable, mature and reviewed ideas will end up in my published book(s)...

The more you make your thought process transparent, the more believable and credible you become.

I recommend the full podcast - it made my drive home go by in a blink!

Link to TVO.org page (video and synopsis):
http://www.tvo.org/TVO/WebObjects/TVO.woa?video?BI_Lecture_20090207_834116_DavidWeinberger

iTunes audio podcast download link (free):
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?i=49871209&id=129166905

David Weinberger's blog: http://evident.com/

The game really has changed

2009-04-02T08:36:00.003-04:00

I heard a pundit say that what we are living right now is a revolution in our beliefs, values, goals, dreams, expectations, everything... on the same scale as the collapse of the USSR almost two decades ago.

Yesterday a prospect was showing me their business plan and it struck me that the whole concept of a "business plan" in today's world is totally archaic. Go back even 12 months... who could have foreseen the huge spike in energy costs followed by a collapse that was just as fast. And, Mr. Banker, you expect a new venture to predict cash flow five years out, let alone one?

The game really has changed. Business for business's sake is out. We need to rethink the whole concept. Success in business does not have to mean selling one's soul.

For me, business is about exchanging something of value that allows you to live to your full potential while helping me live to my full potential. Business is not about how I can get a bigger slice of the pie, it's about growing the pie. People don't want more consumption, they want more conversation and connection. To go back to the "market" meaning a place of community and exchange rather than a nest full of hungry baby chicks screaming "Feed me!"

You can't play tomorrow's game with yesterday's rules.

---

A great essay on how the game is changing: this week's (April 6) TIME magazine cover story :
"The End of Excess: Is This Crisis Good For America" by Kurt Andersen (link: http://is.gd/pg4M )

Climbing to success

2009-03-31T18:45:00.004-04:00

I guess being a solopreneur is like free-climbing. It takes strength, balance, determination and a bit of disregard for what's "safe", all while looking for the smallest hand-holds and tiny ledges that can support us on the climb up the wall. No belay ropes, pitons and other hardware to make the climb any safer!

After all, being in business for oneself is not "logical"... there are far easier ways to make a living!

Found this breathtaking video about the freeclimber Alain Robert through a Facebook link from Jeff Osborne.

YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0wmLzS3dt4

Our speed advantage has pros...and cons

2009-03-31T17:02:00.003-04:00

Being a solopreneur, if decisions need to be made, the chain of command is simple. The buck literally stops (or starts) when the boss, me.

Being able to respond quickly is a great advantage because we can jump on opportunities as they arise, and shift direction to avoid major obstacles or pitfalls.

The flip side of our speed advantage is the need for patience. So if you are waiting for a response from someone, especially an organization, stop and take a deep breath.

The rest of the world will eventually catch up to you.

"From Passion To Profit" Action Hour: How To Be The "Go-To" Person Tues 1PM East

2009-03-23T07:22:00.002-04:00

Join the "From Passion to Profit Action Hour" Tuesday at 1PM EASTERN (10am pacific):

THIS WEEK'S THEME: "How To Be The 'Go-To Person'"

How do you stand out from the crowd and become "the" person people naturally think of for a given situation?

Your positioning is what images or ideas come to mind with people think of you, and what people say when they talk about you. You have the power to shape those images and words.

In this call we will discuss strategies to plant the right seeds so you become the answer to your prospect's question.

This discussion and open coaching session focuses on helping you develop your network and get qualified referrals so you can book More and Better Clients. These are ideas you can put to work right away!

With Coach Davender
Tuesday 24 March, 1PM-2PM Eastern
Conference Dial-in Number: (218) 339-4600 Participant Access Code: 191192#
(live teleconference, FREE - you pay the long-distance toll to the conference number)

BookYourselfSolid Radio Friday: The Care and Feeding of Ideal Clients

2009-03-19T09:11:00.003-04:00

Join Certified Book Yourself Solid Coaches Trish Lambert and Megan McKenzie on the topic of "The care and feeding of ideal clients--getting booked solid one client at a time."

To borrow from a Jimmy Buffett song -- Ideal clients...we all want 'em...what do we do when we get 'em?

This webradio show will take place on Friday 20 March from 2PM-2:30PM Eastern at http://is.gd/nXQL

Megan McKenzie successfully used the Book Yourself Solid System to increase her company’s gross revenue by over 600%. She believes that theories are great, but results are better and is committed to coaching professional service providers to get booked solid, achieve their dreams, increase their revenue and have fun doing it. As a Book Yourself Solid coach, she brings over 10 years of coaching experience together with 20 years of experience in leadership development, process improvement and management within numerous professional service environments. Megan is a published author, a polished speaker, with an educational background in psychology/ organizational behavior and a limitless amount of energy and commitment to her clients.

Find out more on Megan through her website at www.getcertainty.com and her blogs www.resultsarebetter.com and www.byscoaching.com

This session is hosted by Certified Book Yourself Solid Coach Trish Lambert. Check out Trish's site at www.4rmarketing.com

Listen to the show live at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bookyourselfsolid . This show is also available as a podcast after the live air date at: http://is.gd/nXQL

Book Yourself Solid Radio is a webradio show based on the bestselling book by Michael Port, focusing on helping you get more clients than you can handle... even if you hate marketing and selling! The show takes place every Friday at 2pm Eastern. Hosted by Certified Book Yourself Solid Coaches Trish Lambert and Davender Gupta, they interview fellow Coaches to help you succeed in filling your practice. Check out the latest guests at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bookyourselfsolid

A thought about Business and Vision

2009-03-16T09:55:00.003-04:00

Here is your thought of the moment:

To create sustainable business success,
instead of 'competitive advantage' where I win, you lose,
think 'mutual advantage', where we both win.
- Coach Davender

The economic turmoil we are experiencing right now, painful as it may be, is a wonderful opportunity to reconstruct the concept of capitalism towards one that focuses on creating real, sustainable value. Business, when we get down to its core, is how we organize ourselves to move humanity forward. I believe business ranks alongside agriculture as two of the most significant civilizing forces in our history.

Unfortunately many have lost sight of what business is about by focusing on short term gain. Looking only at the next step causes one to drift randomly, ending up in a survival cycle.

To break out of the survival cycle requires that we look up, focusing on a vision that is larger than just me-me-me. In a sustainable model of business, profit is generated by an exchange of something of value that helps you succeed in a way that helps me succeed. Prosperity then becomes proportional to the size of the vision, its positive impact on the world, and our success in making the vision come alive.

To make a sustainable model of business work, we need to make quantum shifts in our thinking:

- shift from "business models" to "transformative vision" ...how does this vision make the world a better place?
- shift from "markets" to "communities" ...how do I engage people in a great conversation about the vision?
- shift from "sales" to "leadership" ...how do I encourage people to take action to make this vision come alive?

This need not be simply wishful thinking or dreaming. The resources of the world may be finite, but our capacity for imagination, innovation and ingenuity is infinite. Our brain power can multiply our resources many times over, if we focus on creating sustainable, win-win value.

The world needs people like you and I who aim for the stars with our feet on the ground. How will you create "mutual advantage" today?

This thought is inspired by an article on the Harvard Business Blog
by Umair Haque, "Why Ideals Are The New Business Models"
http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/haque/2009/03/ideals.html

This article is from my newsletter archived at http://www.davender.com/newsletter/20090316.htm

Sign up to receive my newsletter
and get a FREE 6-Part e-course on how to Get More and Better Clients:
http://www.getmoreandbetterclients.com

"The Perfect Referral" - From Passion To Profit Action Hour Tuesday 1PM East

2009-03-16T08:04:00.002-04:00

Want More and Better Clients for your service biz? Join the "From Passion to Profit Action Hour"
Tuesdays at 1PM EASTERN (10am pacific):

THIS WEEK'S THEME: "The Perfect Referral"

What would you do if you found a "Networking Genie" who was ready to grant you ONE wish... who is the referral that you would ask for?

Are you ready to describe your Perfect Referral? The clearer you are, the more help you will get in gaining that referral. In this session, we will review the elements of asking for the Perfect Referral, and give you an opportunity to practice.

This discussion and open coaching session focuses on helping you develop your network and get qualified referrals so you can book More and Better Clients. Report your successes big and small from the previous week, and share your Big Hairy Audacious Action Step for the next seven days!

Your action step should be focused on Getting More and Better Clients, using the Networking strategies based on "Book Yourself Solid" by Michael Port (Networking, Direct Outreach, Referral and Keep-In-Touch)

Bring your questions, we'll discuss them!

With Coach Davender
Conference Dial-in Number: (218) 339-4600 Participant Access Code: 191192#
(live teleconference, FREE - you pay the long-distance toll to the conference number)

This accountability call normally takes place every Tuesday at 1pm Eastern, same number. Join us!

How do you answer "What do you do?" (Telediscussion Tues 10 Mar 1PM East)

2009-03-09T20:25:00.003-04:00

Want More and Better Clients for your service biz?
Join the "From Passion to Profit Action Hour"
Tuesdays at 1PM EASTERN (10am pacific):

THIS WEEK'S THEME: "What do you do?"

What do you answer when someone asks you this question? Better be ready... your conversation partner will base their split-second decision on the words that you speak.

This discussion and open coaching session focuses on helping you develop your network and get qualified referrals so you can book More and Better Clients. Report your successes big and small from the previous week, and share your Big Hairy Audacious Action Step for the next seven days!

Your action step should be focused on Getting More and Better Clients, using the Networking strategies based on "Book Yourself Solid" by Michael Port (Networking, Direct Outreach, Referral and Keep-In-Touch)

Bring your questions, we'll discuss them!

With Coach Davender
Conference Dial-in Number: (218) 339-4600 Participant Access Code: 191192#
(live teleconference, FREE - you pay the long-distance toll to the conference number)

This accountability call normally takes place every Tuesday at 1pm Eastern, same number. Join us!

Get More And Better Clients Accountability Discussion **NEW TIME 1PM EAST

2009-03-02T21:53:00.000-05:00

Want More and Better Clients for your service biz? Join the Open Accountability Group Tuesdays at 1PM EASTERN (10am pacific):

"Get More And Better Clients" Accountability Group with Davender

THIS WEEK'S THEME: Be The Conversation

To attract people who value what you have to offer and who are ready to commit, you need to be at the center or a conversation. What is the message you are most passionate about? How are you creating a conversation out there?

This open coaching session focuses on helping you develop your network and get qualified referrals so you can book More and Better Clients. Report your successes big and small from the previous week, and share your Big Hairy Audacious Action Step for the next seven days!

Your action step should be focused on Getting More and Better Clients, using the Networking strategies based on "Book Yourself Solid" by Michael Port (Networking, Direct Outreach, Referral and Keep-In-Touch)

Bring your questions, we'll discuss them!

With Coach Davender
Conference Dial-in Number: (218) 339-4600 Participant Access Code: 191192#
(live teleconference, FREE - you pay the long-distance toll to the conference number)

This accountability call normally takes place every Tuesday at 1pm Eastern, same number. Join us!

Distinctions between Facebook and LinkedIn

2009-03-02T21:02:00.003-05:00

I've been getting questions lately from my clients about the difference between Facebook and LinkedIn, two major social networking sites. This is how I distinguish between the two:

- Facebook: Informal network, encourages personal connection through games, photos, videos, links, other entertainment. Promoting your products, services and activities is permitted and encourages through Group Pages and (in a different way) Fan Pages. The links between you and your Facebook Friends range from strong (you know the person well In Real Life) to weak (you did not know the person before they friended you on Facebook and you would not recognize them on the street).

- LinkedIn: A formal, professional network for business and career networking. Little if any personal information is acceptable. Your profile reads like a resume. No selling of your services, activities or products is allowed. The connections between you and your LinkedIn contacts are strong, meaning that you know your contacts In Real Life and you have worked or collaborated with them, or can otherwise provide a credible testimonial as to their professional performance. Mainly for business-to-business connections.

Personally, I recommend that solopreneurs be simultaneously on Facebook and LinkedIn, and to keep a consistant positioning between both networks. On Facebook, please maintain a decorum, it's okay to loosen your tie a bit but don't take off your shirt.

Go ahead, friend me on Facebook: http://profile.to/coachdavender
and see my profile on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/coachdavender