Entrepreneurship is Evolution not Architecture

Plan, plan, plan. It is drilled into the head of every business student. Write business plans, addressable market analyses, go-to-market strategies.

The idea is that a business is a structure and you are the architect. You can write a business into reality. You can tame the chaos. Every line will be translated into a living part of a vibrant business like the meticulous drafting notes on a building elevation. Every spreadsheet cell will blossom into a revenue stream or product line. Uncertainty can be tackled with contingency plans. If only things were so simple. Read more at medium.com.

The Evolution of the Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs have shaped the face of business and enterprise since the dawn of man. From the first wheel to the advent of the internet, these clever businesspeople evolved for centuries into their most recent incarnation, the social media entrepreneur.

In this infographic, we explore the evolution of the entrepreneur. We’re no longer cave-people, but we still have some things in common with our ancestors.

Instead of using the internet as a forum for their business, today’s social media entrepreneurs are reshaping it to fit their businesses. These social media entrepreneurs thrive on connectivity. View infographic at grasshopper.com.

 “What do you need to start a business? Three simple things: know your product better than anyone, know your customer, and have a burning desire to succeed.” — Dave Thomas, Founder of Wendy’s 

5 Leadership Lessons For Entrepreneurs To Be Successful In 2021

Whether you’re a business veteran or new to the entrepreneur scene, running a business is no easy feat. Despite a challenging past year, entrepreneurial spirits are alive and well, with many Americans expanding their quarantine hobbies beyond activities like baking and exercising and starting their own ventures. Consequently, 30.7 million small businesses now currently operate nationwide, and according to the U.S. Census Bureau, applications for small business owners increased 32% in the first nine months of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a record-breaking 77% jump in Q2 – that’s 500,000 more Americans and counting navigating the complex world of entrepreneurship.

Building on a long, successful career as an entrepreneur, Kirk Simpson, CEO of FinTech software Wave, developed software specifically for small business owners to help them get off the ground and focus on doing what they love. As a three-time tech startup owner himself, Simpson’s unique connection to entrepreneurship encouraged him to develop his software with features that relieve entrepreneurs of maintaining administrative tasks like bookkeeping and banking, so they can focus on building their business. Read more at forbes.com.

4 Lessons Entrepreneurs Can Learn From John Paul DeJoria’s Rags-to-Riches Story

Although I’m certainly no John Paul DeJoria, I do know what it’s like to have been poor. As a kid, I lived in a run-down neighborhood, where a 1-meter-wide, open sewage gutter ran right outside our door. Today, I am a serial entrepreneur whose companies have helped tens of thousands take their first steps into the world of business.

The co-founder of the Paul Mitchell line of hair products and the Patrón Spirits Company, DeJoria was homeless twice before he became a billionaire. 

When DeJoria was homeless, he was too proud to ask his mom for a place to stay; he wanted to make it on his own. Instead, he asked her for a few hundred bucks to hold him over until he got back on his feet. 

At one point, DeJoria’s friend, a motorcyclist, offered him a spare room, where he and his 2-year-old son could stay. Some of the “biker mamas” — DeJoria’s words — even helped take care of his son, allowing him to go out and hustle. DeJoria admits it was a life-changing show of support.

If DeJoria’s friend hadn’t given him a leg up, it’s hard to say for certain if he would have become the massively successful businessman he is today. 

As an entrepreneur, sometimes you’re going to need help. No self-respecting entrepreneur wants a handout. But pride to the point of blindness can prevent you from ever reaching your goals. Read more at entrepreneur.com.

6 Business Books That Will Revolutionize Your Business and Change Your Life

Books have the power to change lives. We live in a time when books are more affordable and accessible. Yet, fewer entrepreneurs read books, using the excuse of a lack of time. If you can’t find time to read, you as an entrepreneur will not grow, which will have an effect on your business.

If you study any successful entrepreneur, you’ll see one of the keys to their success is that they educate themselves through books. You can get books these days for as little as .99 cents. Many are even free through Amazon’s KDP Select program. There’s no reason not to have a Kindle full of books that can educate you and teach you strategies to grow your business. 

Here are six books that can help you create a business and life you love. This list is a good start. It’s up to you to research books that will help you and your business where you are in your journey. These books are changing lives and helping entrepreneurs grow their business. Read more at entrepreneurship.com.

How To Turn Your Idea Into A Successful Business Like Joy Mangano

We all saw her portrayed in the 2015 hit movie, Joy, starring Jennifer Lawrence. Joy Mangano, a divorced working mother of three, created a self-wringing mop, which eventually became a successful business. Now she has more than 100 patents and trademarks to her name and has developed more than $3 billion worth of unique products.

Do you secretly dream of becoming an inventor like Joy? Maybe you’ve had a plethora of creative ideas over the years, but you come up with the same excuses:

• Where do I start?
• Who would buy this anyway?
• Hasn’t someone already thought of this?
• What do I know about starting a business?
• How can I afford to get this idea off the ground?

Don’t let your doubts and fears get in the way of launching a product or service that could eventually become a successful business. Learn about some sage advice from some of the world’s most well-known inventors and entrepreneurs at forbes.com.

The Current Rise Of Women Entrepreneurial Leaders

As the positive movement for gender equality in the workplace gains significant momentum, the data not only shows forward motion, but many opportunities to be taken advantage of. Cultural progress is of little value unless there is a framework to channel mindset and behavioral transformation into actions and results.

My wife, Nicole Gleeson, and I are business partners in our latest venture, and we would be nowhere without her vision, leadership, tenacity and drive. This is also why we partnered in writing this article, which is intentionally published today – International Women’s Day. Several years ago she was an executive working in “corporate America” and was constantly plagued by harassment, salary inequality and by feelings of insignificance. She was young and working in a male-dominated industry always asking herself, “How did I even get this job?”

This female confidence challenge was also described as the “imposter syndrome” by Pauline Claunce and  Suzanne Imes. Women frequently express that they don’t feel they deserve their job and are “imposters” who could be found out at any moment.  Claunce and Imez found that women worry more about being disliked, appearing unattractive, outshining others, or grabbing too much attention. Often times, dreams and aspirations landing on the side-burner of life once getting married and having children. Read more at forbes.com.

A Message from Acceler8Success Founder, Paul Segreto

It’s been a tough few hours tossing and turning, staring at the ceiling, questioning the past fourteen months. Reading so much about people with once (recently) successful businesses closing their doors for good and others with extraordinary careers now left unemployed, it all has me questioning, Why?

Sure, we’ve been in midst of a pandemic but I’m been feeling like many just gave up, allowing themselves to have their hands tied, just waiting for the music to stop to determine who will be left without a chair. So much hasn’t made sense. Essential businesses… I don’t get how this had been determined, or even, Why?

Some had joked that the next stop would be the real version of the Hunger Games and crazy as it seems, at times I had started to envision how that could be true. At times, these thoughts remain. It’s like a big leveling of the playing field – break the legs of some while leaving others to survive only to have the would-be survivors face, yet another challenge. Why?

Does any of this make sense? Does anything make sense? Is there truly a light at the end of the tunnel that’s more than just an opening to a perilous drop akin to what Dr. Richard Kimble faced in The Fugitive when he had to make a split-second decision to jump off the dam and face almost certain death or just give up despite his convictions? Why?

I’m not looking to debate. I’m not trying to understand conspiracy theories. I just want to continue to move forward, fulfill my obligations as a businessman and work through a comeback (and reinvention) from a couple of less than satisfying years that right before the pandemic had started to show signs of promise. I want to fulfill my obligations as a friend and colleague and of course, as a husband, father and grandfather. I want to continue to work to help others achieve their dreams. But more than anything, I want to hug my loved ones, knowing they have a bright, safe future ahead without them having to experience white roses falling from the sky, and wondering, Why?

Why We Need to Include Time for Self-care on Our To-do Lists

Modern businesses have many advantages with the scope and reach technology provides. For instance, CEOs and HR directors can tap a much more diverse and global employee pool. This unencumbered reach has several other advantages, including massive growth and profitable sales. Yet, a global market also brings challenges such as language barriers and religious and cultural differences, to name a few. These challenges, however, can be overcome by employing a diverse team.

Leaders sometimes make the mistake of hiring employees who are just like them — in age, race and gender. This practice probably happens unconsciously. Think of friendships. Your obvious friends — the ones who come naturally — share your personality, likes and dislikes. But in the business world, leaders don’t need more of the same. There already is one of you. Wouldn’t you much rather employ people who have new ways of thinking and approaching a problem? Sure, it might be easier to hire the obvious friend, but the best leaders never choose ease over effectiveness. In fact, the best leaders will not tolerate the “yes person” who merely agrees, never contributes original ideas and never challenges others. Read more at entrepreneur.com.

Welcome to The Social Geek Radio Network.

Get in touch with your inner geek. Jack Monson and many special guests discuss social media and digital marketing trends for brands, small businesses, and franchises. 

Social Geek Radio was listed as one of 20 Best Business Podcasts according to Emerge and was named to the Best Small Business Podcasts by FitSmallBusiness.com. Recently, Social Geek Radio finally made the Top 25 podcasts in the Marketing category of Apple Podcasts / iTunes.

• Franchise Facebook Podcast – every Monday
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Why Joining a Startup Could Be Better Than Launching Your Own

Too often, I see people go, “I want to start my own company,” and then months later, nothing happens. For those who take the leap, the majority either never scales into anything significant or eventually fails.

After all, 90% of new startups fail for various reasons, from product-market fit, team or cash flow problems.

The truth is, being an entrepreneur is tough work and isn’t as lavish as the media paints it out to be.

Now I am not saying it’s not rewarding or something you shouldn’t pursue. The least you get is experience within the industry, especially building something of your own. However, for many who want to work in the startup industry, I want to paint a different picture.

Instead of needing to take the reins and co-found one yourself, there is an equal amount to learn by joining the team of one that has already launched and possibly even raised a round or two.

So why is joining a startup better than launching your own? Learn some points to consider at medium.com.