Thursday, October 17, 2013

Some Inspiration Quotes to be share

What It Means to Be an Entrepreneur Now

I saw this video and it explained the definition of entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneur Magazine editor-in-chief Amy Cosper talks with Mondelez International vice president of global media Bonin Bough about what the word "entrepreneur" means today. Once the term conjured images of snake-oil purveyors and out-of-work scamsters. In the popular lexicon, entrepreneurs have become known as people who create businesses in markets where there were none before.

Good Entrepreneurs Borrow, Great Ones Steal

Fabrice Grinda is the founder of OLX, one of the largest classified-ad websites in the world, and he’s very excited about the emerging digital markets Russia and Brazil. His company, which Grinda describes as Craigslist 2.0 for the rest of the world, is rapidly expanding there, and as a tech investor he’s putting money into startups from those countries as well.

“These are two of the hottest Internet markets in the world right now,” said Grinda, who notes that GDP growth is fueling similar growth in the digital sector in these emerging markets.

In additional to his views on Brazil and Russia, Grinda spoke with serial entrepreneur David Lerner about why he considers himself an entrepreneurial thief, what he considers when deciding to fund a company, and the “secret sauce” for running a successful consumer Internet company. This is the story of how he went from being broke in 2001 to being a successful startup founder and prolific investor just a decade later.

Follow Dave Lerner on twitter: @davelerner

Read more in : http://www.entrepreneur.com/video/228017

Can entrepreneurship be taught?

In Nanotech's Small World, Big Opportunities Abound

Startups working in nanotechnology manipulate materials at the molecular level to create products that are lighter, durable, cheaper or more functional than ever before. In this special Project Grow video, we take a field trip to the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering in Albany, N.Y., where hundreds of nanotech companies have access to state-of-the-arttechnology. Alain E. Kaloyeros, the college’s CEO, predicts that nanotech will soon become the largest industry in the world, creating vast opportunities for science-minded entrepreneurs.

6 steps to the perfect pitch

Learn from a guy who failed, his experience telling the other what he had learned through his pitching session with the company and the reason why he didn't get 15 millions for his pitch. Here is the six step where he get through his pitching session.

Less is always more.
An elevator pitch is vital. Verbose presentations and lengthy explanations will not impress investors, and most likely will turn them off. Present your business in a manner that's short, sweet and to the point. Investors need to be confident that your business will attract and retain customers. If they don't grasp your concept in a short time span, they may presume that customers won't understand it either.
Never hypothesize. Execute, execute, execute.
Inspire confidence with facts, not fiction. Most investors seek out low-risk businesses with proven managers that are as close to guarantees as possible. A company with cash flow, a track record and real-world experience has a better chance of getting investors than a business plan forecasting large returns. Find ways to test your business's viability on a shoestring budget, and turn your idea into a functional business before you seek investment.
Leave the hockey sticks on the ice.Excite investors about your big picture, but be reasonable and responsible. Avoid hockey stick projections. Respectable investors will not take you seriously if you present them with nonsensical financial graphs that claim your company's revenues will grow from $100,000 to $50 million in three years. Show investors that you have a grasp on reality with three versions of financial projections: best case, moderate case and worst case. Base each of these models on facts, past and present performance data, industry and competitor analyses and a series of well-thought-out, defendable assumptions.
Learn to love discount stores.Being cheap is chic. In an age where spending is out of control, you'll need to prove that you are a fiscally responsible manager who knows how to get the most out of a buck. Give yourself wiggle room in your operations and marketing budgets, but avoid being excessive. Never ask for a large salary or big-budget perks. Investors want you to be in a position where everything is on the line.
Rome wasn't built in a day. Your business won't be either.
Investors are wary of funding over-eager businesses that seem destined to bite off more than they can chew. Before asking for millions of dollars to fund 50 divisions and hundreds of product lines, prove how well you can create, manage and fulfill demand for a single product. Demonstrate that your business can crawl before you say it can walk. Perfect your marketing tactics, sales strategies and operational procedures. Investors appreciate companies with sustainable step-and-repeat business models that are poised for exponential growth. Remember, even Google's success is based on a single product.
Choose not to be the smartest person in the room.
Know what you know, know what you don't know and find the people who know what you don't know. Build a team of credible experts. The smartest leaders in the world are those who surround themselves with smarter people. Investors are funding a management team as much as they are investing in a great business concept.

Start a business in 10 days!!!

Read on to learn how Fish, Ostermiller and a handful of others did it fast--and, more important, did it right.

Day 1

Draw up a business plan

When launching College Hunks Hauling Junk in 2004, the first move for friends Nick Friedman and Omar Soliman was to dust off the business plan they'd written in college a couple of years prior. "Ultimately, it was a really valuable guide for us," Friedman says. In fact, it helped turn their $80,000 initial investment ($30,000 of which was their own money) into a powerhouse with some 500 employees and 47 U.S. franchises.

Whether written on the back of a napkin or a highly detailed 25-page document, a business plan is critical for startups seeking the fast route to profitability, asserts Ken Yancey, CEO of SCORE, a small-business mentoring organization that offers free, generic business-plan templates on its website.

Day 2

Study the market

Market research is vital to a startup looking to hit the ground running, according to Yancey. You want to create a snapshot of the competitive landscape you're entering: how your products or services compare to what's available, who your target customers are and what government regulations and licensing requirements to expect. The SBA's SizeUp tool provides access to meaningful demographic data, mapping potential customers, competitors and suppliers, as well as identifying possible advertising avenues.

When he was preparing to launch National Storm Shelters in 2010, company president Jeff Turner conducted market research at trade shows and held discussions with potential customers and competitors. This confirmed what his instincts told him: that he had a winning product. The Smyrna, Tenn.-based company, which designs, manufactures and installs above- and below-ground safe rooms and storm shelters, was profitable virtually since day one and now generates about $1.5 million in annual sales.

As valuable as prelaunch research and planning can be, beware of paralysis by over-analysis, especially when you lack the luxury of time, cautions Fish from Integra Staffing. "Defining your sandbox is important. But don't over-think or over-plan, and don't put a lot of stock in sales forecasts."

You're bound to have questions about strategy and practicalities leading up to launch. To get answers without ringing up an expensive consulting tab, enlist someone with the acumen and willingness to provide advice, coaching and skills to augment those you lack. A former boss provided free advice to Ostermiller initially, then became a paid advisor once Altitude Digital could afford the expense.

Day 3

Build out your brand

A brand identity, including a name and a professional-looking logo, can bring instant legitimacy, even before launch. For DIYers, online tools like LogoMaker offer libraries of icons, color combinations and other elements to help develop a logo fast--no design expertise required. Services such as Logoworks are available if you want the work done for you quickly and inexpensively. Once you have your logo nailed down, take your file to a quick-turnaround print service for letterhead, business cards and marketing collateral such as posters, mailers and sales sheets.

In most cases, startups need some kind of web presence to solidify their brand identity (see "The quick-start startup" on page 20). Don't forget to stake out a position on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and LinkedIn. You may not use social media right now, but you want to plant your flag ASAP.

Day 4

Incorporate the business

The nature of the startup dictates the extent to which it should rely on an attorney to incorporate, trademark ideas/products, formalize partnership agreements, etc. While it's best to let an attorney tackle any complex legal matters, Friedman of College Hunks Hauling Junk suggests considering some of the numerous online tools available to help you handle simple undertakings yourself. "Our first bill from an attorney to set up an LLC was $1,500. Little did we know we could have done that ourselves for $300 online," he says.

Day 5

Set up a lean machine

With the clock ticking toward launch, Ostermiller needed help. He found it on Craigslist, taking on two unpaid interns (both recent college grads) whom he immediately put to work--one on sales and one on operations--with the promise to hire them full time after 90 days if things went well.

With no office yet, Ostermiller's interns worked from coffee shops while he did so from his kitchen table. Likewise, Friedman's parents' basement served as the first office for College Hunks Hauling Junk. For Fish and Integra Staffing, a modest office, spartanly furnished with used furniture, sufficed. From the outset, she says, the goal was to "minimize the monthly burn."

Another tip: Beware the glowing promises of efficiency and speed from shiny new technology and software. "Unless technology is part of your core competency, you need to be careful how much you invest in technology early on, because it can become very expensive very quickly," Friedman says. "You really need to fine-tune your model before investing a lot in technology solutions."

Day 6

Start selling

Bringing in profits means making sales. Ostermiller and his interns chased leads even before his company launched officially. Fish's sales efforts began with tireless networking. "I didn't have any money then, so I got my ass out of the chair and into the community," she says. "Any event in town with more than 25 people, I was there. Breakfast, lunch or dinner--it didn't matter."

To lay the marketing and sales groundwork for his startup, Friedman let people in his personal network know about his new venture. "We had a support network, a group of cheerleaders who were really inspired to help us with our idea before we launched."

Day 7

Work the media

To generate buzz and sales, make media relations a priority. As Turner and Friedman discovered, media outreach by a business owner can pay quick and substantial dividends. "I called different TV stations the first day we went to market to tell them about [National Storm Shelters] and ended up on the 5 o'clock news," Turner says. "That was huge!"

Similarly, right around the time of its launch, College Hunks got a major boost from an article that landed in The Washington Post thanks to Friedman placing a call to a reporter there. "We shot high, and it got us on the front page of the Metro section," he says. "Our phone rang off the hook from that article."

Day 8

Fake it to make it

Success is often a self-fulfilling prophecy. However modest your beginnings, however short your track record, think big and act like you belong. "We were scraping by, but we walked, talked and acted like a bigger company," Friedman says.

College Hunks launched with an 800 number, a memorable logo and a website that provided e-mail addresses for a range of company departments (pr@…, marketing@…, HR@…), all of which funneled back to Friedman and his partner. "It made us look like we were an established business," Friedman says. "Having that image not only gave us confidence, it established a level of credibility and confidence in the consumer's mind. I think that's what got us those large corporate accounts early on."

Fish took a different tack. She says she invested in a receptionist prior to launch, primarily to impart a sense of professionalism to callers.

Day 9

Work in and on your business

For startup entrepreneurs, the fast route to profitability often means working in and on the business concurrently--at least in the first days and weeks. It's a constant battle for time between hustling up new business and taking care of new customers with outstanding service. "We were at the dump at 5 a.m., doing all the physical stuff, while also doing all the customer-facing stuff whenever we could," Friedman says.

When the day-to-day workload from the business becomes too heavy--a good sign, because it means you have customers--it's time to move tasks such as strategic planning, hiring and marketing programs to the back burner. Focus on generating cash flow first, Friedman suggests.

Day 10

Throw a party

With the foundation for your business set, invite your network of contacts, vendors, friends, family, customers and prospects to a grand-opening celebration to generate buzz and goodwill within your community. Doing so solidifies your image, telling people you're open for business and you mean it.

At the party, take a breath, sip some champagne, make a speech thanking everyone who's helped and seek feedback from your guests. In short order, you've created your first focus group, one that will likely provide you with a laundry list of tweaks, ideas and improvements that you can start on tomorrow.

3 Steps to Transform Your Business Idea Into a Prototype

Hey guys , check on this. Quite interesting and worth to read. Three loop that make your idea into process..

One of the most frequent questions we hear from entrepreneurs is about the design cycle and how long it will take to develop an idea into a real product. Of course that answer totally depends on the complexity of the product, but by breaking the process down, there are solid ways of estimating what will happen and when.

The cycle consists of three big loops -- design, engineering and production. The goal is to move gracefully from loop to loop, but you often need to run a loop more than once to get it right. Generally speaking, it’s hard to develop a new product in less than six months. Nine to fifteen months is common, and many products take a lot longer.

Let’s make this concrete by using two hypothetical product examples: a cup holder that clips onto your bike and a pet food monitor that sends information about how much your pet is eating to your smartphone.

1. Design loop
Entrepreneurs most often come to us having already spent a lot of time thinking about their product and what they want it to do. This sometimes lets us bypass the beginning of the design loop, which involves product concept generation or user research to identify product opportunities. Instead, our first task is to build upon the vision to come up with a form, functionality and a way of making the product.

We refine the idea through an iterative process of creative thinking, sketching and building 3D models on a computer. Photorealistic renderings and prototypes help zero-in on the look and feel. Ideally these product directions are tested in focus groups or using user research. If that isn’t feasible, they are tested by the entrepreneur in more informal settings.

If the product has a lot of inner mechanical or electrical components, we also spend time figuring those out. Does it need a screen? Buttons? A motor and gears? A way to weigh the pet food? A Bluetooth connection? Those parts get pulled into the design process so the final forms that are produced can practically fit both the user interface and the guts.

For a cup holder, this process could take two to four weeks. For a smart pet feeder, it could take four to six weeks.

2. Engineering loop
Engineers work with industrial designers throughout the design phase, helping behind the scenes and suggesting solutions for constraints. When the engineering phase starts, they hit the ground running, taking the design direction and turning it into parts that can be manufactured. If there are similar products we can get our hands on, we tear them apart to benchmark them. In our office, you better hold on to your stuff, or you may find it in our lab in a hundred pieces.

Products with electronics, like the smart pet feeder, need additional work in terms of component selection, laying out circuit boards, and tackling the software. Electrical engineers work side-by-side with the mechanical engineers, integrating the two sides of the project as we go, making sure everything will work together. Software components tend to be the biggest wild cards: making them work well is time-consuming, and it is hard to resist adding features.

The engineering loop is about creating something that works, but also about making it the best it can be. We try to make the product light, sustainable, or cost-effective depending on the clients’ priorities. If you don’t anticipate high quantities, you might want to minimize tooling. If you anticipate making a lot, the cost of parts is more important to keep low.

At the end of this loop, we build alpha prototypes that look and work like the product, but are not ready to be mass-produced. We test the alpha, go back and improve things, and then make a refined beta prototype, which is the last one before you move onto production. These prototypes are a chance to further debug the design, function and user acceptance of the product.

For a cup holder, this process could take four to six weeks. For a smart pet feeder, it could take eight to 12 weeks.

3. Production loop
Sit tight. Entrepreneurs are often surprised by the length of this process. Finding vendors, documenting the design, waiting for tools, debugging the parts, and any required regulatory compliance always takes longer than you would like, but it is the final big loop and often what separates a good idea from a great product.

For a cup holder, this process could take six to 12 weeks. For a smart pet feeder, it could take four to six months.

With each phase you are locking things in and investing more time and money. Your vision will evolve either subtly or radically as you go along. Like a rollercoaster, each loop prompts its own thrills (and terrors), but you won’t end up in the same place you started. This is a good thing. Trust the process.

An idea phase for start up a business

Many people believe starting a business is a mysterious process. They know they want to start a business, but they don't know the first steps to take. In this chapter, you're going to find out how to get an idea for a business--how you figure out exactly what it is you want to do and then how to take action on it.

But before we get started, let's clear up one point: People always wonder if this is a good time to start their business idea. The fact is, there's really never a bad time to launch a business. It's obvious why it's smart to launch in strong economic times. People have money and are looking for ways to spend it. But launching in tough or uncertain economic times can be just as smart. If you do your homework, presumably there's a need for the business you're starting. Because many people are reluctant to launch in tough times, your new business has a better chance of getting noticed. And, depending on your idea, in a down economy there is often equipment (or even entire businesses!) for sale at bargain prices.

Estimates vary, but generally more than 600,000 businesses are started each year in the United States. Yet for every American who actually starts a business, there are likely millions more who begin each year saying "OK, this is the year I am going to start a business," and then don't.

Everyone has his or her own roadblock, something that prevents them from taking that crucial first step. Most people are afraid to start; they may fear the unknown or failure, or even success. Others find starting something overwhelming in the mistaken belief they have to start from scratch. They think they have to come up with something that no one has ever done before--a new invention, a unique service. In other words, they think they have to reinvent the wheel.

But unless you're a technological genius--another Bill Gates or Steve Jobs--trying to reinvent the wheel is a big waste of time. For most people starting a business, the issue should not be coming up with something so unique that no one has ever heard of it but instead answering the questions: "How can I improve on this?" or "Can I do this better or differently from the other guy doing it over there?" Or simply, "Is there market share not being served that makes room for another business in this category?"

Get the Juices Flowing
How do you start the idea process? First, take out a sheet of paper and across the top write "Things About Me." List five to seven things about yourself--things you like to do or that you're really good at, personal things (we'll get to your work life in a minute). Your list might include: "I'm really good with people, I love kids, I love to read, I love computers, I love numbers, I'm good at coming up with marketing concepts, I'm a problem solver." Just write down whatever comes to your mind; it doesn't need to make sense. Once you have your list, number the items down one side of the paper.

On the other side of the paper, list things that you don't think you're good at or you don't like to do. Maybe you're really good at marketing concepts, but you don't like to meet people or you're really not that fond of kids or you don't like to do public speaking or you don't want to travel. Don't overthink it; just write down your thoughts. When you're finished, ask yourself: "If there were three to five products or services that would make my personal life better, what would they be?" This is your personal life as a man, woman, father, husband, mother, wife, parent, grandparent--whatever your situation may be. Determine what products or services would make your life easier or happier, make you more productive or efficient, or simply give you more time.

Next, ask yourself the same question about your business life. Examine what you like and dislike about your work life as well as what traits people like and dislike about you. Finally, ask yourself why you're seeking to start a business in the first place. Then, when you're done, look for a pattern to emerge (i.e., whether there's a need for a business doing one of the things you like or are good at).

They Delivered
Here's a business startup story that's a great example of seeing a need and filling it. Entrepreneur magazine is located in Irvine, California, a planned community. Many years ago, there weren't many fast-food restaurants in the business area. Most were across town, where the neighborhoods were. Two young men in Irvine found this lunch situation very frustrating. There weren't many affordable choices. Sure, there were some food courts located in strip centers, but the parking lots were really small and the wait was horrendous.

One day, as they were lamenting their lunch problem, one of them said, "Wouldn't it be great if we could get some good food delivered?" The proverbial light bulb went on! Then they did what many people don't do--they did something about their idea. Coincidentally, they purchased one of Entrepreneur's business startup guides and started a restaurant delivery business.

To date, their business has served more than 15 million people! It's neither a complicated business nor an original one. Their competition has gotten stiffer, and yet they're doing phenomenally well. And it all began because they listened to their own frustrations and decided to do something about them. Little did they know that research cites the shrinking lunch hour as one of the biggest complaints by American workers. Some only get 30 minutes, making it nearly impossible to get out, get lunch and get back on time. So while these young entrepreneurs initially thought they were responding to a personal need in their local area, they actually struck a universal chord.

That is one way to get ideas--listening to your own (or your co-workers', family's or neighbors') frustrations. The opportunities are all there; you just need to search them out. If your brain is always set in idea mode, then many ideas may come from just looking around or reading. For instance, if you had read an article about the shrinking lunch hour, and if you were thinking entrepreneurially, you would say "Wow, maybe there's an opportunity there for me to do something. I should start researching it."

Inspiring Moments
Inspiration can be anywhere. Here's another classic startup story: Ever get charged a fee for returning a video late? Bet you didn't do anything about it. Well, when Reed Hastings got a whopping $40 late charge, instead of getting mad, he got inspired. Hastings wondered "How come movie rentals don't work like a health club, where, whether you use it a lot or a little, you get charged the same?" From this thought, Netflix.com, an online DVD rental service, was born. From its start in 1999, Netflix has grown into a big business with revenues topping $1.3 billion.

Getting an idea can be as simple as keeping your eyes peeled for the latest hot businesses; they crop up all the time. Many local entrepreneurs made tons of money bringing the Starbucks coffeehouse concept to their hometowns and then expanding from there. Take Minneapolis-based Caribou Coffee. The founders had what they describe as an "aha moment" in 1990, and two years later launched what is now the nation's second-largest company-owned gourmet coffeehouse chain. Other coffee entrepreneurs have chosen to stay local.

And don't overlook the tried and true. Hot businesses often go through cycles. Take gardening. For the last few years gardening products and supplies have been all the rage, but you wouldn't consider gardening a 21st century business.

In other words, you can take any idea and customize it to the times and your community. Add your own creativity to any concept. In fact, customizing a concept isn't a choice; it's a necessity if you want your business to be successful. You can't just take an idea, plop it down and say "OK, this is it." Outside of a McDonald's, Subway or other major franchise concept, there are very few businesses that work with a one-size-fits-all approach.

One of the best ways to determine whether your idea will succeed in your community is to talk to people you know. If it's a business idea, talk to co-workers and colleagues. Run personal ideas by your family or neighbors. Don't be afraid of people stealing your idea. It's just not likely. Just discuss the general concept; you don't need to spill all the details.

Just Do It!
Hopefully by now, the process of determining what business is right for you has at least been somewhat demystified. Understand that business startup isn't rocket science. No, it isn't easy to begin a business, but it's not as complicated or as scary as many people think, either. It's a step-by-step, common-sense procedure. So take it a step at a time. First step: Figure out what you want to do. Once you have the idea, talk to people to find out what they think. Ask "Would you buy and/or use this, and how much would you pay?"

Understand that many people around you won't encourage you (some will even discourage you) to pursue your entrepreneurial journey. Some will tell you they have your best interests at heart; they just want you to see the reality of the situation. Some will envy your courage; others will resent you for having the guts to actually do something. You can't allow these naysayers to dissuade you, to stop your journey before it even begins.

In fact, once you get an idea for a business, what's the most important trait you need as an entrepreneur? Perseverance. When you set out to launch your business, you'll be told "no" more times than you've ever been told before. You can't take it personally; you've got to get beyond the "no" and move on to the next person--because eventually, you're going to get to a "yes."

One of the most common warnings you'll hear is about the risk. Everyone will tell you it's risky to start your own business. Sure, starting a business is risky, but what in life isn't? Plus, there's a difference between foolish risks and calculated ones. If you carefully consider what you're doing, get help when you need it, and never stop asking questions, you can mitigate your risk.

You can't allow the specter of risk to stop you from going forward. Ask yourself "What am I really risking?" And assess the risk. What are you giving up? What will you lose if things don't work out? Don't risk what you can't afford. Don't risk your home, your family or your health. Ask yourself "If this doesn't work, will I be worse off than I am now?" If all you have to lose is some time, energy and money, then the risk is likely worth it.

Determining what you want to do is only the first step. You've still got a lot of homework to do, a lot of research in front of you. Buying this book is a smart first step. Most important: Do something. Don't sit back year after year and say "This is the year I'm going to start my business." Make this the year you really do it!

A guideline for you to start up a business through a Business Plan

Business Plan

A business plan is a written description of your business's future. That's all there is to it--a document that desribes what you plan to do and how you plan to do it. If you jot down a paragraph on the back of an envelope describing your business strategy, you've written a plan, or at least the germ of a plan.

Business plans can help perform a number of tasks for those who write and read them. They're used by investment-seeking entrepreneurs to convey their vision to potential investors. They may also be used by firms that are trying to attract key employees, prospect for new business, deal with suppliers or simply to understand how to manage their companies better.

So what's included in a business plan, and how do you put one together? Simply stated, a business plan conveys your business goals, the strategies you'll use to meet them, potential problems that may confront your business and ways to solve them, the organizational structure of your business (including titles and responsibilities), and finally, the amount of capital required to finance your venture and keep it going until it breaks even.

Sound impressive? It can be, if put together properly. A good business plan follows generally accepted guidelines for both form and content. There are three primary parts to a business plan:

The first is the business concept, where you discuss the industry, your business structure, your particular product or service, and how you plan to make your business a success.
The second is the marketplace section, in which you describe and analyze potential customers: who and where they are, what makes them buy and so on. Here, you also describe the competition and how you'll position yourself to beat it.
Finally, the financial section contains your income and cash flow statement, balance sheet and other financial ratios, such as break-even analyses. This part may require help from your accountant and a good spreadsheet software program.

Breaking these three major sections down even further, a business plan consists of seven key components:

Executive summary
Business description
Market strategies
Competitive analysis
Design and development plan
Operations and management plan
Financial factors

In addition to these sections, a business plan should also have a cover, title page and table of contents.

How Long Should Your Business Plan Be?
Depending on what you're using it for, a useful business plan can be any length, from a scrawl on the back of an envelope to, in the case of an especially detailed plan describing a complex enterprise, more than 100 pages. A typical business plan runs 15 to 20 pages, but there's room for wide variation from that norm.

Much will depend on the nature of your business. If you have a simple concept, you may be able to express it in very few words. On the other hand, if you're proposing a new kind of business or even a new industry, it may require quite a bit of explanation to get the message across.

The purpose of your plan also determines its length. If you want to use your plan to seek millions of dollars in seed capital to start a risky venture, you may have to do a lot of explaining and convincing. If you're just going to use your plan for internal purposes to manage an ongoing business, a much more abbreviated version should be fine.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Some beautiful Quotes to share

A Good article to be read

Entrepreneur Smarts: 30 Lessons I Learned in 30 Years

It was a warm night outside Caffe Dante, my favorite Gelato spot in New York’s Greenwich Village. I usually go there alone. I walk through Washington Square Park, people watch and get my two scoops of gelato: one scoop of stracciatella, one of tiramisu. This particular time I sat outside at a table next to an older Italian woman and her little French Bull dog. I struck up a conversation.

We chatted about things like Italian culture, her grandkids and how her husband is an artist who has a gallery in the city. I was 29, about to turn 30, so I asked the woman if she could go back in time and tell her 30-year-old self anything, what would it be? Her response: “Don’t worry so much. We create drama from nothing so often, but the things we think are major issues always pass, and we forget about them usually within a few months at most.”

It’s good advice. As I look back at my 30 years of life so far, I’ve come up with 30 simple yet important lessons I’ve learned — about being a better entrepreneur and a better person in general.

1. Don’t worry so much.
She was right, there’s been so much stress and drama I’ve allowed in the past that really doesn’t matter. There are ways to handle situations and instances in your life, but worrying about them never does much.

2. Be extremely grateful for what you have.
I was a pain most of my childhood, always mad at the things I didn’t have. Things shifted drastically in my 20s when I started putting an emphasis on gratitude. Focus on the good you do have, not the things you lack.

3. Strive to be a better version of yourself every day.
Each day we have the opportunity to learn something new, apologize for our mistakes and become better.

4. Drop your ego.
It’s something I continue to work on because having an ego never did anything positive for me and usually doesn’t accomplish much for anyone.

5. Eat clean.
I used to eat whatever I wanted and it didn’t matter as much when I worked out six hours a day. I still love my gelato from time to time, but I’m all about eating as much organic foods, experimenting with cleanse, and drinking green juice as possible. Focus on what works for you, but educate yourself on what you put in your body.

6. Sweat daily.
Movement is important, especially when so many people sit at a desk for 10 or more hours a day. Not moving can have ill effects on one’s body. Doing the conditioning program CrossFit, playing team handball for the U.S. national team and playing street basketball are my weekly activities. Do something you’ll have fun with and focus on moving every day.

7. Give back.
I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of countless people. The support I’ve received from family, friends, teachers, coaches and mentors is overwhelming. Find a way to help others and give back as it’s the best form of gratitude.

8. Frame your goals.
I was in my 20s when I started writing my goals down, assigning each a date that I would achieve them by. I was amazed when I started reaching these goals by the date I had listed on them. It was a daily visualization exercise, and it almost always works. I believe the things you put your energy toward the most will most likely come true over everything else.

9. Don’t let others dictate to you.
If you don’t want to live a life where you go to a job every day just so you can enjoy your weekends and get two weeks of vacation every year, then don’t do it. Read Entrepreneur, read The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss, or other inspirational blogs about creating a lifestyle around a business you want to live.

No excuses, just do it already.

10. Follow your passion.
We only have one chance in this life. If you aren’t following what you love then what are you doing? Why show up every day to live a life that doesn’t inspire you?

11. Be enthusiastic about what you do.
Former football player and coach Vince Lombardi said, “If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you’ll be fired with enthusiasm.” It’s the truth.

12. Focus on relationships.
You can accomplish anything with the right relationships both personally and professionally. People don’t care as much about what you know as they do on how much you care about them.

13. Be open to trying new things.
I’ve been an extremely picky eater my entire life, but the more I try the more I learn and become a better version of myself.

14. Feel your fears but embrace them.
My friend and sports psychologist Dr. Jeff Spencer told me this once and it stuck with me. Elite athletes feel fear just like everyone else, but they channel that fear to fuel their spirit and passion for competition.

15. Your childhood matters, but don’t let it control your adulthood.
Don’t let the things that happened to you as a kid control the rest of your life. Shit happens to all of us. Use it to your advantage, learn from it, and focus on gratitude and giving.

16. Be good to your family.
I used to fight a lot with one of my sisters. It was stupid. My family has given me so much for a majority of my life and I wouldn't be here without them.

17. Invest in yourself.
Sales expert Grant Cardone once told me to spend all of my money on investing in myself. Learn why this is important and why it's a major focus for me now in this interview.

18. Attract great coaches and mentors.
I'd be an angry, messed up kid still if I didn't have amazing coaches and mentors. They knew how to get the most out of me and teach me about letting go of ego, working with a team, sacrifice and more. The world is a better place because of great coaches. Find one for every aspect of your life and ask them to push you to get better every day.

19. Build a supportive team around you.
I have a personal advisory board that I reach out to frequently. These are people I admire, trust, and believe in. I ask them to call me out on my shit and give me feedback when I need it. No one achieves greatness alone, find the support you need.

20. Follow your dreams no matter what.
It doesn't matter what age you are or how little experience you have with something. It's never too late to follow your dreams. It will be the most fulfilling feeling once you do and you'll never regret going after them.

21. Forgive yourself and others

Man, have I made A LOT of mistakes and done some stupid things throughout my life. It's OK. Don't worry so much. Forgive yourself, and forgive others for making mistakes. Focus on learning from it and not doing them again.

22. Don't let failure hold you back.
"I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." -- basketball icon Michael Jordan

23. Stay true to your word.
Don't say you'll do something unless you follow through. Learn to say "no" more often if you have too much on your plate and aren't able to follow through on everything.

24. Pay off your debts.
Some debt is good for building credit, minimizing risk and so on. But there are some debts that weigh most people down from truly following their passion and living an amazing life. Pay off the debts that weigh you down as it's an amazing feeling once you do.

25. Learn outside the classroom.
There isn't much I remember from textbooks in school. The best part about school for me was learning people skills and building relationships. Everything I know about business, marketing, and making a living has come from mentors and learning outside of the classroom. Find the right teacher and take action.

26. Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you.
The only way to grow is to play against harder competition in sports, or hang out with smarter people than you. I'm always the dumbest person in the room, and I intend to keep it that way.

27. Be happy with nothing.
It's not a fun feeling when you have no place to live, and can't afford your own food. I don't recommend doing it on purpose as an experiment. But having lived that way before makes me happy living my life when everything can fit in a few suitcases. I like luxurious things and experiences as much as the next person, but some of the happiest people in the world are minimalists.

28. Learn from your relationships.
People come and go, and so do intimate relationships. Learn from the good and bad ones and stay true to yourself through each relationship. Don't allow them to make you into someone you don't want to be.

29. Do something great.
You've got an opportunity to leave a legacy with your life. What do you want to leave? Each day is an opportunity to do something great.

30. Ask the right questions.
The right questions can ignite innovation, solve problems, create powerful partnerships and help us live a better life.

Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/228134#ixzz2gwp90XeX

Drop out of School to become Entrepreneurs

One of the article in the website Entrepreneurs by Megan Rose Dicky where 20 of the teenagers are getting $100,000 each to drop out of school and become entrepreneurs.

Peter Thiel, famous for being Facebook's first investor and the co-founder and former CEO at PayPal, is giving 20 teenagers $100,000 to drop out of college.

Here's the catch: They have to start a company.

During the two-year program, fellows cannot work or be enrolled in school. Instead, they receive mentorship from the Thiel Foundation's network of tech entrepreneurs, investors, scientists, futurists, and innovators.

In the last two years, Thiel fellows have launched over 30 companies, and raised more than $34 million from outside investors.

"When we created the fellowship more than two years ago, our intention was to help a small number of creative people learn and accomplish more than they might have otherwise," Thiel said in a statement. "To their great credit, they have exceeded our expectations, and inspired people of all ages by reminding them that qualities like intellectual curiosity, grit, and determination are more important than a degree in determining success in life."

For some of these young entrepreneurs, it's not their first company.

Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/226618#ixzz2gwn46MOb

Young women entrepreneurs Nowadays

I do found a website regarding entrepreneurs that shares the information regarding the young entrepreneurs nowadays and how they make their move to success. One of the interesting story would be the article by Sarah J.Robbins ,"Young Women Entrepreneurs Speak Out About Starting Up Today".

This article talks about a few young ladies entrepreneurs about starting up business lately. All of them are from different line of job scope, some of them in mobile music apps, wedding planner, software company and so on.

One of the young women entrepreneurs,

Kellee Khalil

As a female founder in the male-dominated tech industry, people sometimes dismissed how serious I was. It didn't help that I am a woman who happens to care about fashion -- and who likes to dress up and wear makeup.

At the end of one of the first-ever pitches I did, to which I wore a pink top, a black, poufy skirt, and pink lipstick, the feedback I got was,"Your presentation was one of the best, by far, but you should know your audience -- and never dress like that again." While it wasn't what I wanted to hear, it's my job to adapt. And if something's not working, I need to change it.

Now I wear all black and very little makeup in pitch meetings. Because despite the fact that I love high heels, bright lipstick and pink floaty dresses, I mean business.

Nanxi Liu

The fact that I am a 22 year-old woman leading a tech startup is something that is constantly on my mind in all my interactions. I've been to countless events where I am one of the few people under 30 and even more events where I am one of the only women. Whenever I begin talking to someone, I know that I have to prove that I am worth their time -- in about 20 seconds -- because they question my credibility the moment I open my mouth.

Of course, there is a large benefit to being young and a female in entrepreneurship: You stand out. You're more memorable. People are more easily impressed when you're young and building your own company.

Another very young women entrepreneur which only 24 years old,

Krystal Harrel

Not a day that goes by that I forget that I am a woman, but it's also not something that occupies my mind. I've learned to embrace my advantages and disadvantages, and, more importantly, I believe excuses sound good to those who make them.

Let's take Ivanka Trump, for example. She has become one of the recent owners of Miami's Doral Golf Resort and Spa, which once held a high reputation of luxury and championship golf courses. Prior to 2012, for 80 years, women were denied membership to the Augusta National Golf Club.

Hey, if you can't be a member, you certainly can be the owner. Where there is a will, there is a way!

Friday, October 4, 2013

Biography of Mi-Ki Choong

Talk about Miss Mi-Ki Choong, i do met her before in a leadership workshop and she has been one of the speaker for the workshop. She talks about her career as a entrepreneur, and the skill to have to become successful, steps and some useful tips of a successful entrepreneur. I do admire on what she has done and achieve in life. Talk about her, maybe you guys don't know about her, she is a Malaysian and she has worked in different line or job scope, as a Model, TV show creator, start a company with partners and more. To explain further, i will attach the link below that you guys can refer the link for further info.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mi-Ki_Choong

Some information about Mi-Ki Choong

Mi-Ki Choong , born in Malaysia and is the granddaughter of the late Choong Ah Choy, the “Lorry King” who founded Choong Keow. Mi-Ki gained entry into university at age 16. She started working at 19 and by the age of 21, she was selected to represent Malaysia at the Asia’s New Generation – Young Go Getter of the 90s, organized by Asiaweek and appeared in the publication’s lead article. She is not only involved in the family business but has also established other group of companies with her key partners.

She is active in the property development arena through her involvement in the Nusmetro Property Group. Nusmetro has developed quality properties ranging from commercial to residential units. Mi-Ki is the co-founder of Centurise Group and is the Group Strategist. She is also a TV personality on TV show, LifeInStyle. Mi-Ki created, co-produced and hosted the show and another reality show called ' StarCeleb'.In the year 2010, Mi-Ki was nominated to be the panelist for Malaysia Young Female Entrepreneur Forum on Building Dreams, Breaking Dominance and sharing her entrepreneurial journey (MyFren 2010).

In 2011, she was interviewed by business radio station to talk on Entrepreneurship. In the same year, she was also featured for a 45-minute program on Astro Awani Channel 501 documenting her life as an ‘Entrepreneur’ where the show aims to inspire Malaysians to achieve their dreams.In 2012, Mi-Ki appeared on Bella, where they feature inspiring and empowered women to share their thoughts and experiences

She also gives her time to charity work, including Snap-A-Star, a LifeInStyle charity event by Centurise Media in aid of the Star Tsunami Relief Fund and The Star South Asian Quake Fund She also supports Relay for Life's Celebrity Lap in aid of cancer awareness campaign.Mi-Ki has done brand ambassador work for some brands.

Video about Bill Gates

There are many video regarding Bill Gates and i just pick one of it.This video is all about Bill Gates, His life journey , how he build Microsoft and so on. Just enjoy the video.

Quotes from Bill Gates

Hey peer, some encouragement and positive quotes that motivate you to think like where Bill Gates also think......Get something from him!!!

How he starts and develop his business idea........

Bill Gates actually has different thinking compare to the others. Normally, people ask for hardworking person to work with him but Bill Gates is different. This shows his unique vision towards people.

Talk about Bill Gates hottest news and link

Some other link that also shows the latest information regarding Bill Gates like Forbes, The News of India (TOI), PC World and other:

Here are some photo of Bill Gates,

Like Forbes, they do have the latest news regarding the business area not only Bill Gates. But the hottest topic regarding Bill Gates right now is the move to get Bill Gates to resign as Microsoft Chairman, its about who gets the profits, in Forbes and other link do explain further regarding this issue and people opinion on this. Such as thinking why Bill Gates needs to go from Microsoft and so on.

Other than that, some topic like Microsoft investors call for Bill Gates Departure was the hottest topic lately.

Bill Gates, His Biography...

Hey Guys, i just want to share some link and information regarding Bill Gates, the successful entrepreneur biography and his life journey. This website do show his complete biography, his life journey at this bio.true story and some of his video. Hope you guys can get some from here. Enjoy.

I only put some of his information from the link regarding his biography, to continue you guys click on the link below
.http://www.biography.com/people/bill-gates-9307520?page=1#synopsis

Entrepreneur Bill Gates, born on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington, began to show an interest in computer programming at the age of 13. Through technological innovation, keen business strategy, and aggressive competitive tactics, he and his partner Paul Allen built the world's largest software business, Microsoft. In the process, Bill Gates became one of the richest men in the world.

Early Life

Born William Henry Gates III, on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington. Gates began to show an interest in computer programming at the age of 13 at the Lakeside School. He pursued his passion through college. Striking out on his own with his friend and business partner Paul Allen, Gates found himself at the right place at the right time. Through technological innovation, keen business strategy, and aggressive competitive tactics he built the world's largest software business, Microsoft. In the process he became one of the richest men in the world.

Bill Gates grew up in an upper middle-class family with two sisters: Kristianne, who is older, and Libby, who is younger. Their father, William H. Gates, Sr., was a promising, if somewhat shy, law student when he met his future wife, Mary Maxwell. She was an athletic, outgoing student at the University of Washington, actively involved in student affairs and leadership. The Gates family atmosphere was warm and close, and all three children were encouraged to be competitive and strive for excellence. Bill showed early signs of competitiveness when he coordinated family athletic games at their summer house on Puget Sound. He also relished in playing board games (Risk was his favorite) and excelled in Monopoly.

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