15 Things Not to Do as an Entrepreneur in 2021

We all know the year 2020 presented the world with a number of challenges in the entrepreneurial space. The following are the 15 things to avoid as an entrepreneur in the year 2021. Read more.

75 Ideas for Businesses You Can Launch for Cheap or Free

Today, many people today are looking to leave the daily grind for something that feeds their passion. People do not want to retire at the age of 60 (or older) to look back on life and feel they have wasted it. Read more.

Courage is the First Trait Any Entrepreneur Should Develop

Managing and growing your own business is a huge task. It is by no means a walk in the park for even the most talented. You can expect to deal with many unplanned physical and emotional sacrifices. While it’s true that making it will take patience, determination, and drive, the foundation should always, always be courage. This principle doesn’t just apply to entrepreneurs, but to people of all walks of life.

This principle is already deeply embedded in our culture. Think of every hero, both fictional and real, that you’ve ever heard or read of. The common denominator that launches all their stories, that makes them the main character, is courage: the ability not just to dispel fear, but to master it and use the lessons to get things done. Read more.

To Be An Entrepreneur, Overcome These 6 Fears

Many people dream of becoming an entrepreneur, but they often don’t realize their dream due to the fears associated with it and their inability to overcome them. Regardless of how potentially brilliant your idea may be, it means nothing if you cannot find the courage to overcome these six fears: Read more.

The Truth About Grit

The weather changed in an instant. I was driving with my wife and two daughters across Kansas on the way to Colorado for a family vacation-slash-assignment I called “He Thrills, They Chill.” The idea was that I would go off on crazy adventures while they had more low-key fun. Little did I know that the adventure would start before we even got to Colorado.

“Is that a storm, Dad?” one of my daughters asked, pointing ahead and to the right of our rented minivan (don’t be jealous). We had just returned to the highway after stopping for gas. The sky was clear when I filled up. Now it was ominous. “Looks like it,” I said. Read more.

Pandemic Politics: How to Restore Peace at Work and Home This Christmas

Christmas 2020 will be unlike any other in recent memory. As you deck the halls and roast chestnuts, it’s possible that a political argument or two will erupt, with some family members expressing vindication while others voice exasperation.

With all the tension over politics, the pandemic, mask-wearing, and civil discourse–not to mention colliding workplace and family issues–how can we restore peace both at work and with family members this holiday season?

According to research by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, the New York Times best-selling authors of Leading With Gratitude and co-founders of The Culture Works, few things are as effective as gratitude at unshackling people from toxic emotions and providing stimulating effects on the brain, which can help create a more positive attitude this holiday season. Read more.

The 6 Best Ways to Beat Anxiety

We all know the uncomfortable feeling of anxiety. Our hearts race, our fingers sweat, and our breathing gets shallow and labored. We experience racing thoughts about a perceived threat we fear will be too much to handle.

That’s because our “fight or flight” response has kicked in, resulting in sympathetic arousal and a narrowing of attention and focus on avoiding the threat. We seem to be locked in that state, unable to focus on our daily chores or longer-term goals. Read more.

5 Powerful Happiness Habits You Can Start Today

In the past few years, we’ve seen an explosion of books and courses about happiness. Brain science has progressed more in the past decade than the previous 100 years, allowing us to better understand the biological bases of human emotion. Research in positive psychology has made great strides in clarifying the things that make us happy. Through social media, we have more access to this information than ever before.

And yet, we don’t seem to be any happier than we were a generation ago. In fact, statistics show that more of us are suffering from clinical depression and anxiety—and that teens are becoming stressed and depressed at younger ages. Read more.

How to Lead When Your Team Is Exhausted — and You Are, Too

“What happened to my resolve?” a leader remarked in the middle of a session.

We were discussing how he and his team were navigating the second wave of the pandemic and responding to the breaking news that a vaccine might be on the horizon. On the surface, everything was fine: The business was thriving and his company was in a good position.

Still, that remark captured his true concern: On a personal level he was experiencing a loss of agency, determination, and energy. The “steady hand” approach and rapid action mindset that had characterized his leadership during the first wave were becoming fuzzy, less ingenious, and much more volatile. Read more.

The 7 Habits of Highly Emotionally Healthy People

Most of us pay close attention to our health and treat threats to our physical well-being as soon as they occur. We dress warmly when we feel a cold coming on, we apply antibacterial ointments and bandages to cuts and scrapes, and we don’t pick at scabs as they heal. We sustain psychological injuries just as often as we do physical ones, but we are much less proactive about protecting our psychological well-being than we are our physical well-being. Adopting the following seven habits, and “treating” common psychological injuries when they occur, will help protect your mental health and improve your emotional resilience. Read more.

7 Thoughtful Ways to Stress Less

How many of you want to grow old faster? What, no takers?!

Well, did you know you accelerate your aging when you regularly experience stress or anxiety? Seriously, if you’re too tired or too wired, take note of the seven strategies here to help you stress a little less: Read more.

“Always be sure to let the special people in your life know you love them and remember, actions often speak louder than words. And, be sensitive to the fact they may be going through some difficulties and keeping it all inside. Open, positive communications may provide them just enough confidence to open up and share their thoughts.” – Paul Segreto, Founder, Acceler8Success Group

Business Trends To Embrace In 2021

The business world has experienced incremental changes for several years, but the pandemic forced an irrevocable shift to happen in mere months. What worked for entrepreneurs in the past stopped working overnight.

Businesses that failed to innovate and evolve closed their doors. Businesses that moved quickly in response to the wavering needs of the markets continued to thrive.

The business world is never going back to how it was. The only option for continued success in business is to mature. 2021 will usher in even greater changes as entrepreneurs continue to adapt. Read more.

How to Adapt in a Rapidly Changing Economy

This year has challenged entrepreneurs’ expectations for not just their companies, but for themselves. Hustle culture is being replaced with balance and flexibility. 

Balance and flexibility might not sound like a winning business formula. This year has proven, however, that adaptability matters more than the ability to grind out a hard day. Read more.

Purpose At Work: Lessons From Papa Every Entrepreneur Must Heed

When a company brings people together to solve multiple problems, it builds a reputation as an essential ally. A business that has found the sweet spot of scaling impact for myriad stakeholders is Papa.  “We’re connecting younger people to older people,” Andrew Parker, co-founder and CEO of Papa, tells We First.  

Parker founded the fast growing startup in 2017 after watching his grandfather, whom he called Papa, suffer from dementia. “He didn’t need someone to bathe him, but he was irritable,” Andrew says. The CEO found his grandfather a nursing student to help with things like driving, errands, technology, laundry and just spending time with him.  Read more.

10 Ways for Entrepreneurs to Power Through Tough Times

Let’s be honest: things are changing rapidly, the world is chaotic right now, and struggling entrepreneurs are scrambling to maintain any sense of control during these tough times. I know, because I feel it, too. But with so much up in the air, there’s still a lot of optimism to hold on to. Folks may be divided these days, but what we all have in common is the goal to keep striving for success.

Here are my top 10 tips for keeping yourself focused on your goals while the ground is shifting beneath you. No matter what, you can absolutely do this. Read more.

3 Skills Every Business Leader Needs Amid The Covid-19 Crisis

Lingering uncertainty surrounding the global coronavirus pandemic has unnerved many people, especially business owners. Entrepreneurs are used to taking risks, but the events of this year have made it difficult for many business owners to plan for the foreseeable future. Enduring volatility and unpredictability can make it difficult to move forward.

However, there are ways to keep moving forward, gain traction, and accomplish goals. More than ever before, relationship skills are at the forefront of business and can help you thrive. Read more.

Winter invites you to rest your mind and body, and cultivate your imagination with some quiet time. We need to remember that rest is regenerative and essential to the success of everything else we do! Rest is not “doing nothing!” Rest is when our bodies build and cleanse. #Winter2020

Why Rest Is the Secret to Entrepreneurial Success

Cheetahs are the world’s fastest land mammal. These feline sprinters can accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in three seconds flat. Explosive speed enables them to take down an antelope, but when they’re not hunting, cheetahs expend as little energy as possible.

In fact, researchers found that cheetahs burn about 2,000 calories per day — the same as an average-size man. “I guess both humans and cheetahs rest a lot to offset high-energy activities,” biologist Johnny Wilson told National Geographic.

Cheetahs work hard to capture their prey, but they quickly compensate for each burst by hiding, waiting and resting. Clearly, they don’t have startups to run, but I can’t help but draw a parallel between these big cats and modern founders. Read more.

How to set goals for 2021 when everything feels uncertain

Typically the start of a new year brings a natural renewed enthusiasm for goal setting. The final digit of the year is turning, and you’re looking ahead to a hopeful new 12 months, refreshed and ready for your dreams and plans.

But this new year feels different. Last January, we never could have imagined what would transpire throughout the course of 2020. And unfortunately, much of it wasn’t good. You, like almost every single person in the world, likely saw many dreams and plans crumble to the ground or get modified, in some cases beyond recognition. Read more.

Many individuals and businesses are relocating to Texas for economic and quality of life reasons. Certainly, the picture perfect weather mid-December is the icing on the cake.

Today: 55-60 degrees and sunny with a cool breeze. Tonite: Mid 40’s and clear.

Need help relocating your brand to Texas? Interested in exploring franchise and business development opportunities in Texas? Need help selling your business or franchise so you can explore your options in Texas? Interested in launching a start-up in Texas?

If you’ve answered yes to any of these four questions please reach out to Acceler8Success Group Founder, Paul Segreto via email at paul@Acceler8Success.com.

What Makes Entrepreneurs Burn Out

By now we are all familiar with the risks of burnout. Research shows that it leads to work-related issues such as job dissatisfaction, absenteeism, inefficient decision making, and turnover, as well as health-related issues such as depression, heart disease, and even death. Research also reveals some of the common causes of burnout, such as lack of autonomy, engagement, motivation, and passion.

But since much of this research has looked at employees in large organizations, we know less about what burnout looks like for other types of workers. We wanted to study a group that seems to be more susceptible to burnout: entrepreneurs. Read more.

How to Adapt in a Rapidly Changing Economy

This year has challenged entrepreneurs’ expectations for not just their companies, but for themselves. Hustle culture is being replaced with balance and flexibility. 

Balance and flexibility might not sound like a winning business formula. This year has proven, however, that adaptability matters more than the ability to grind out a hard day. 

Whatever happens with the pandemic, rapid change will continue to be the name of the game. Here’s how to roll with the punches: Read more.

7 Ways to Turn Your Dreams Into Reality

Dreams without action is a world of make believe. Consider the following.

• 96 percent of college professors believe they have above average teaching skills.
• 50 percent of high school students believe they will attend law school, medical school or grad school.
• Time magazine asked in a survey, “Are you in the top 1% of wage earners?” Nineteen percent said yes! And 36 percent expected to be.

Really?!!!

A dream without a plan is soon exposed. Read more.

Restaurant Outlook for 2021: Uneven Recovery, but Better Days Ahead

If there’s one term that best describes COVID-19’s siege on the restaurant industry, it’s “uneven.” And 2021 promises to be just as strange and disjointed.

BTIG analyst Peter Saleh believes four major themes will define this coming year:

• Uneven geographic recovery
• Significant variations in unit growth across concepts
• Heightened investments in digital (more on that here and here)
• The growth of alternate restaurant formats (more on that here and here)

Regardless of where operators turn, they’ll find a shifting industry that won’t feel the same state-by-state, market-to-market and from one segment to another. If anything, that will be COVID-19’s signature and one that will be felt for years to come—the divergence of sectors, blurring of models, and shattered or accelerated trends that had no choice but to gain speed in the wake of dine-in restrictions. Read more.

“Good is somebody who delivered and allowed the company to overcome obstacles, without leaving a profound impact on its culture. Great is somebody who leads his company to achievements and performance and value that nobody was expecting it had.”

Carlos Ghosn

20 Lessons We Learned About Marketing in 2020 | Social Joey

Can you believe 2021 is coming up so quickly? If you’re reading this, we’re at least midway through December…meaning the new year is literally days away.

While most of us would like to put 2020 in our rearview mirror, even the most challenging year has lessons for us! That’s definitely been the case this year, which has been packed with challenges and lessons alike.

Before we leap into the new year, our Social Joey team wants to take a few minutes to reflect back on the year that was—and every single thing it taught us about marketing. Read more.

4 Steps to a Resilient, Success-Driven Mentality

Failing fast sounds simple enough, and it’s become a common mantra in the entrepreneurial space. This mentality affects more than just entrepreneurs, though. Many people preach the power of failure—swift, forward or otherwise—as the key to future success. It’s become a rite of passage these days, where you must flounder in order to prove yourself.

I don’t dismiss the learning experiences and growth that comes from past failures, but I believe it’s much more beneficial to highlight past successes. From a mentality perspective, I can’t stress enough how important it is to approach things with a resilient, success-driven mindset. Letting thoughts of failure creep into your goals and aspirations isn’t productive. Read more.

Aging Could Be the Next Booming Business

Those over 50 account for more than one-third of the U.S. population, half of all consumer spending, and 83% of household wealth. That should make catering to the aging population a lucrative opportunity for entrepreneurs and investors—one that could be akin to investing in the software boom in the 1980s or internet in the 1990s.

That was the takeaway from aging experts and investors at a virtual panel discussion on Monday at the 2020 Century Summit held by the Longevity Project and the Stanford Center on Longevity. Read more.

Small Business Start-Up Funding Options

Over 17,000 entrepreneurs just like you have received $4+ billion in start-up funding through Benetrends Financial. With multiple small business funding options available – from tax-deferred and penalty-free financing through 401(k)/IRA accounts to SBA and conventional business loans – your dream of owning a small business is now a realistic goal. Learn more.

Could COVID-19 Crisis Kill Small Business Entrepreneurship?

It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has left many existing small businesses struggling, and the continued economic uncertainty threatens to kill the ambitions of entrepreneurs who planned to launch new businesses but now must put their dreams on hold.

“This crisis will end up being much worse for small businesses than the 2008-11 sub-prime mortgage crisis,” says Andi Gray, president of Strategy Leaders a business consulting firm. “That 2008 crisis mostly hit banks, mortgage, insurance, automotive – all of which were primarily big, publicly owned stock companies. The only small business dominant category was the construction sector which was devastated for years.

Today’s crisis hits and potentially harms nearly every type of small business. Read more.

How Startup Entrepreneurship Will Change Post-COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic caused entrepreneurs all over the world to scramble. Businesses that operated in a traditional office environment were forced to come up with a strategy to work from home; in fact 42 percent of the U.S. workforce is now working from home full-time. Those that depended on service customers in person, in some capacity, needed to figure out a way to deliver or serve digitally. And of course, many entrepreneurs had to completely rethink their budgets in response to the economic impact of the pandemic.

But how is startup entrepreneurship going to change once this pandemic is over? What does the entrepreneurship world look like after COVID-19, and what will the lasting impact of the pandemic be? Read more.

Immigrant Hustle, A New Book Covering the Stories Of 50 Successful Entrepreneurs Who Came to America With Nothing, Is Launched in All Major Book Stores

NEW YORK, Dec. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Immigrant Hustle by Amine Rahal, a new book exploring whether the American Dream is still alive through the stories of 50 immigrants who decided to pursue the path of entrepreneurship, is officially launched and now available at all major book stores and platforms, including, Amazon, Chapters, Barnes & Nobles, Kobo, Smashwords, and others.

The book is written by Amine Rahal, an entrepreneur and author with over 20 years of experience helping entrepreneurs from all over the world with their technology and marketing challenges. Amine is a member of the Forbes Communication Council and has written for multiple newspapers and publications. Learn more.

‘Heart and hustle’: How two Latinx entrepreneurs are paving the way for others to start businesses

Latinx and Black founders have historically lagged behind the most when it comes to funding, but that’s not stopping minority-owned businesses from expanding. In fact, their numbers are growing.

According to ProjectDiane 2020, a nonprofit that tracks the current landscape for Black & Latinx women in the innovation and entrepreneurship space, more minority-owned businesses have been founded in 2020 than in the past two years. In fact, Hispanic founders have emerged as the fastest growing demographic among all U.S. entrepreneurs – growing from 6.5 percent of all entrepreneurs in 2001 to 15 percent as of 2019. Read more.

3 Entrepreneurship Myths Business Owners Must Sidestep

There are many myths associated with entrepreneurship, likely because the entrepreneurial world can often be thought of as a magical greener grass where only the lucky succeed. Successful entrepreneur Mo Abedin, and leading business coach and entrepreneur Marc Galal share that entrepreneurship paves the way to financial freedom faster than any career. However, it is a road that should be paved with caution. In a recent interaction, Mo and Marc share three myths about entrepreneurship that business owners must try to sidestep. Read more.

Serena Williams: Silicon Valley is wrong about Black women entrepreneurs

My life story is one of breaking barriers and championing inclusion, on and off the court. Coming up in a predominately White male sport, I have been underestimated and underpaid throughout my career. Now, as a venture capitalist investing in early-stage startups, I see myself in the Black female founders who are often counted out right from the start. Read more.

Seven Tips For Getting Things Done As A New Entrepreneur

Many founders might not admit this, but entrepreneurship can be daunting and at times scary, especially when starting out. Many people who start a business begin with a real buzz; they are passionate, determined and ambitious with dreams of seeing the dollar or pound signs mounting as their success grows. 

When I started my first business, like many, I was attracted to the glam and glitz of entrepreneurship. But I soon realized that staying motivated and productive required me to learn new skills and habits. Read more.

After all, we do not know what others may be dealing with, and especially during the holiday season. Make a difference in others’ lives by being genuinely nice, interested and caring. Read more.

How COVID-19 Will Impact the Future of Small Business

Covid-19 is running rampant throughout the country, with the number of cases rapidly rising. Pandemic anxiety is growing, and small businesses are feeling the pressure. According to a new Xero report, Emotional Metrics: Small business mindsets during the pandemic, two-thirds of small business owners have reported being concerned about the mental health and well-being of themselves and their employees. Read more.

COVID-19 Edition: The Ultimate Work From Home Survival Guide

For many of us, working from home is the new normal for the foreseeable future. The days ahead are filled with uncertainties, yet it’s possible to live and work above the fray. Whether you are a small business owner, employee, or student in pursuit of higher learning, there are practical tips that can make working from home less stressful, and more empowering.

In partnership with Dell Technologies, we’ll tackle four key areas designed to empower you as you work from home. Whether you’re in the thick of it or trying to find your bearings, these mindset, workspace, technology, and productivity tips will ease your anxiety and help you stay connected and inspired wherever you are. Read more.

Americans Starting New Businesses at Record Pace

New figures from a study by LendingTree indicate the number of new business applications across America in 2020 has surpassed the figure from the previous year’s total by mid-October.

New business applications reached over 3.4 million new applications in 2020 up from last year’s 3.4 million figure. Even with the nation experiencing the worst economy since the Great Depression, new business applications have surpassed 2019’s figures. Overall business applications growth was triggered following the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law on March 27. Read more.

Kids Stuck at Home? How Nonprofit and Commercial Sectors Are Meeting Afterschool Needs for Entrepreneurs.

We’ve all heard the complaints from otherwise loving parents: Sure they love their kids but not on a mandatory, 24/7 level. Remote education has created a pressure-cooker in the American family home. Desperate for social enrichment activities for their kids and, yes, a break from them as well, more parents are turning to afterschool programs in the commercial sector.

The demand presents opportunities for the afterschool industry – but only if providers can adapt to public health requirements and parental concerns. Read more.

After generations of disinvestment, rural America might be the most innovative place in the U.S.

Rural leaders, governments, and philanthropic funders who aren’t afraid to break with long-standing assumptions about the inevitability of rural decline can leverage the potential, talent, and innovative spirit of rural America to build the new Heartland, writes Kauffman Senior Program Officer Chris Harris. “Rather than defining rural communities by the progress that is believed to have stopped, we can instead choose to define them by the progress they’ve made despite massive disinvestment and, perhaps, by the progress they could make if they had the support.” Read more.

Two Ways To Survive — And Thrive — As A Small Business Owner

Award-winning author Laurence Gonzales wrote a fascinating book called Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why. Using engaging storytelling, he combines a mix of science and art to shed light on who survives in the wilderness (or through other severe life challenges) and why.

Some of the science shared reveals that “those who study accidents in outdoor recreation have begun to realize that all accidents are alike in fundamental ways. What we call ‘accidents’ do not just happen. There is not some vector of pain that causes them. People have to assemble the systems that make them happen.” Read more.

Remote Tools Just for Entrepreneurs in the Digital Age

Running a solo business online is the new office of today, especially for emerging entrepreneurs and small business owners. By utilizing into the right resources you can greatly improve your efficiency. There are several ways to make your venture work for you by taking advantage of these great tools. Let me know how these work for you! Read more.

Why Tenacity Is One of the Most Critical but Overlooked Entrepreneurial Skills

As entrepreneurs, we’re passionate, volatile, growth-hungry individuals. We’ve broken the norm, escaped the rat race, shed our inhibitions, and eagerly look forward to a future of exceptional success.

But while our fire and risk-taking mindset were key in pushing us to take that first step towards building our brand, they’re not enough to keep us going when things get tough. Read more.

Connecting the Right Brands, People & Opportunities!

Acceler8Success Group has achieved success in many aspects of small business and franchising. Widely recognized as industry leaders and influencers, Acceler8Success Group leadership have extensive experience as entrepreneurs in small business and restaurants, as senior-level executives within nationally recognized brands, and as franchisees within successful franchise systems.

Our goal is to help current and aspiring entrepreneurs architect a plan of continuous accelerated movement toward a pinnacle of desired success, even if and when previously thought to be unattainable. This process has been developed around our proven e-IDEA (explore, identify, develop, execute & analyze) methodology. Deployed effectively, it is key to sustainability and ultimately, to success… Acceler8Success! Learn more.

COVID-19’s Ripple Effect on Mental Health and Addiction

Typically, the holiday season means end-of-the-year corporate parties, family gatherings, and festive get-togethers with friends. But the holidays in 2020 will look very different. As the coronavirus numbers increase, schools are returning to remote learning, offices are sending staff back to work from home, and the fear of another lockdown is on everyone’s mind. People are being encouraged to stick to their “COVID pods” and embrace more intimate gatherings, with virtual parties sprinkled in. 

2020 has presented a host of challenges, and there is a grave concern for what the mental health effects on our society are going to look like in a post-COVID era. Read more.

A Science-Based Technique for Coping With Stress

Do you wish to be able to manage difficult emotions more successfully, make wiser decisions, and deal better with socially stressful situations? Psychological science has discovered a simple technique that may help you do just that. It is called distanced self-talk.

Distanced self-talk “leverages the structure of language to promote emotion regulation by cueing people to reflect on the self using parts of speech (i.e., names and non–first-person pronouns) that are typically used to refer to other people.” Read more.

How to Set Goals Amid Chaos

Loss is all around us: loss of life, lost jobs, lost workspaces, lost school structures and routines. These aren’t just a logistical inconvenience; they’re a health risk. Prolonged, elevated levels of stress like so many of us have experienced this year can wreak havoc on brains and bodies, affecting everything from memory and cognition to digestive issues and high blood pressure. Read more.

Why The Most Productive People Do These Six Things Every Day

Of all our available resources, everyone has the same number of hours in a day. Some, however, happen to get more done. Are they faster or smarter? Do they have more help? Perhaps. But they’ve also learned tricks that can help them stretch time and eliminate the unimportant.

Here are six things super-productive people do every day to maximize their results and success: Read more.

The U.S. Child-Care Crisis Is Torturing Parents and the Economy

It didn’t seem possible that the U.S. child-care crisis could get much worse. Then came the pandemic, and parents were thrust into full-time caregiving roles for months on end. Beyond being stressful and exhausting, that reality has forced millions of parents, mostly mothers, to make tough decisions about how much to work, if at all. Read more.

In 2020, Fear Has Been a Driving Force – A Note from Paul Segreto, Founder, Acceler8Success

Certainly, 2020 has had many uncertainties which, quite frankly took us on an emotional roller coaster. Mostly, the driving force has been fear. I’ve realized my own fear once I was able to admit being scared. Hey, at my age and the fact I’m not in good shape, I must be realistic. So, I’ve worked through my fear and in doing so, maybe I can overcome it. As fear is such a strong emotion that easily grips the soul, it will take time and patience to overcome such a grip.

Little by little I look forward to continuing to pry it away as fear is replaced by courage gained from confidence that fear is just a challenge to be conquered. The great thing is that some of the challenges don’t have to be tackled alone. Instead, collaborative efforts aligned with common goals truly exemplify the phrase, ‘strength in numbers’ and it’s that strength that ultimately conquers fear. Easier said than done? Possibly, but the alternative is being overwhelmed by fear and that, I’ve recognized is not living.

Need to talk through your fears, to determine how to tackle challenges you’re facing and, to clear your mind so you can explore possibilities? If so, I’d like to help. Please contact me on LinkedIn or drop me a note at paul@acceler8success.com. No obligation! And, no one else needs to know!

Why Entrepreneurs Need To Talk About Their Mental Health

72% of entrepreneurs are directly or indirectly affected by mental health issues compared to just 48% of non entrepreneurs. That’s according to a study by the National Institute of Mental Health. 49% of entrepreneurs deal with mental health issues directly while only 32% of others experienced them. Similarly, 23% of entrepreneurs have family members who face these issues compared to just 16% of others with family members who face these same types of issues. Read more.

50 Tough Questions You Never Ask Yourself, But Should

With the dawn of every New Year, pledges are made by hopefuls everywhere to do or change something big in their life and business. Most of these commitments are shelved or forgotten altogether soon after we ring in that very same New Year.

An annual attempt at implementing meaningful change isn’t the answer. It’s a commitment to continual, deep levels of introspection that brings successful, happy people to the top. If you want results, begin with what’s on the inside instead of pushing to control what’s on the outside. Read more.

4 Ways to Find Passion and Purpose in Your Life

Let me paint you a picture. You arrive at work tired from a restless night worrying about a high-stakes proposal or how to ask for a well-deserved raise. A single glance at your stuffed inbox and your message button blinking a menacing shade of red makes your pulse quicken with anxiety. It’s been months since you’ve had time to let off steam at the gym.

You pause to wonder what it would be like to use the 30-plus vacation days you’ve accrued over the past two years. Or to have a job that offered flexibility, respect and empowerment.

With the morning’s first meeting starting in minutes, there’s no time to linger on that daydream. Instead, you hammer out emails that begin, “Sorry for the delayed response, but I’ve been crazy busy.” It’s barely 8 a.m. and you’re already overwhelmed. Your body aches with fatigue. Sound familiar? Read more.

If You’re Searching for Purpose, Ask Yourself These 5 Questions

We are all searching for a purpose, a career and a life that really matter. So if you feel stuck, trapped or hopeless—if you want more—ask yourself these five questions to get your life back on track: Read more.

Overcoming pandemic fatigue: How to re-energize organizations for the long run

Pandemic fatigue: it’s plaguing organizations and employees right now. In 2020, we’ve endured a global pandemic, a massive economic crisis, and widespread social unrest. Layer on top of that forces that are fundamentally reshaping societies—technological innovation, business-model disruption, societal inequality, and workforce automation—and it’s clear that an epidemic of stress has been building, with the COVID-19 crisis as the tipping point. Read more.

4 Things Dogs Can Teach Us About Franchise Entrepreneurship

There sure are a lot of business-related sayings about dogs! If you’re one of the millions of Americans with a dog at home, there’s a good chance your furry friend can teach you a thing or two about franchise entrepreneurship. Read more.

Entrepreneurs and corporate leaders unite in support of Black-owned businesses

When Jasper Kuria considers strategies for addressing racial inequity and social injustice in the U.S., he puts support of Black entrepreneurs at the top of the list.

“It’s really about wealth inequality and opportunities for the Black community,” said Kuria. “And when you think about the massive wealth gap between the Black community and the white folks, it’s really about business ownership.” Read more.

Entrepreneurship 101 for Customer-Centric Leaders and Those Who Want to Be

Entrepreneurs and startups intuitively understand the need to connect their products and services to the needs of the market—because if you haven’t identified a specific need and aligned your offerings to meet it, you have little chance of success. Read more.

Why Schools Should Teach Entrepreneurship

While society innovates, our K-12 schools have remained stagnant. As a result, they are not graduating the doers, makers and cutting-edge thinkers the world needs. Certainly, some public and private schools are modernizing — having students work in groups to solve problems, learn online and integrate science with the arts. But most institutions do not teach what should be the centerpiece of a contemporary education: entrepreneurship, the capacity to not only start companies but also to think creatively and ambitiously. Read more.

The Best Children’s Books About Entrepreneurship For Kids

A lot of parents (myself included) are always looking for ways to expand our children’s mind – especially when it comes to entrepreneurship. If you are eager to teach your kids about being a business owner, there are a few books that stand out. I sat down with Eevi Jones, an award winning & bestselling children’s book author, and the founder of Children’s Book University™, to get her take on what makes a children’s book great for budding entrepreneurs. She has extensive experience turning complex business concepts into lessons even a 5-year-old can grasp. Read more.

Group aims to launch new generation of Main Street entrepreneurs

During this crisis, small businesses are struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels, with hundreds of thousands of businesses permanently closed.

Even before the public health crisis, entrepreneurs faced substantial barriers to success. Most would-be entrepreneurs have limited access to capital, and this problem is worse for minorities, who are twice as likely to be denied loans, more likely to receive lower loan amounts, and pay higher interest rates than their white peers. These barriers to entry are also stark in low-income areas, where there are proportionally fewer self-employed workers and small businesses. Read more.

Acceler8Success Cafe Monday 12.7.20

Acceler8Success Cafe Tuesday 12.8.20

Texas-based Pepperoni’s franchising as a 30-year overnight success!

Acceler8Success Cafe Hospitality & Restaurant Edition Wednesday 12.9.20

Acceler8Success Cafe Thursday 12.10.20

Acceler8Success Cafe Weekend Edition 12.11.20

Making the Right Connections

Whether representing businesses & restaurants, brands and organizations for franchising, licensing or distribution goals, or for complex scenarios with varying objectives… Acceler8Success Brokers & Advisors act swiftly AND decisively. 

Exploring possibilities, bringing together all components and closing transactions are key to successful brokerage… Acceler8Success Brokers & Advisors make it happen AND make it count!

Learn About Acceler8Success Group!

41 Motivational Quotes for When You Need Inspiration Most

Some days are easy–energy is high, the sun is shining, everything seems possible. But there will always be times when the storms come. Things go wrong, people let you down, and pressure is high. Those are the times when you need some inspiration. Read more.

Tips For Combining Family, Business, And The Holidays

Those of us who are in the family business, are in the business of family – and the holidays are often met with conflict and uncomfortableness. That’s on top of a global pandemic hanging over us creating additional stress and anxiety. It is rare for family in business to have perfect interactions all the time. To be fair, it is rare for any family to have perfect interactions all the time.

Family relationships can be an inherent advantage or disadvantage to overall business performance and succession planning.  Ineffective interaction breaks down harmony, collaboration, and ultimately trust within the business.  It also creates tension when it comes to family getting together outside of work.  There is a silver lining here.  You can have less stress going into family gatherings this holiday season, while also enjoying your time together in the office. Read more.

50 Tough Questions You Never Ask Yourself, But Should

With the dawn of every New Year, pledges are made by hopefuls everywhere to do or change something big in their life and business. Most of these commitments are shelved or forgotten altogether soon after we ring in that very same New Year.

“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”

Carl Jung

An annual attempt at implementing meaningful change isn’t the answer. It’s a commitment to continual, deep levels of introspection that brings successful, happy people to the top. If you want results, begin with what’s on the inside instead of pushing to control what’s on the outside. Read more.

Why The Most Productive People Do These Six Things Every Day

Of all our available resources, everyone has the same number of hours in a day. Some, however, happen to get more done. Are they faster or smarter? Do they have more help? Perhaps. But they’ve also learned tricks that can help them stretch time and eliminate the unimportant.

Here are six things super-productive people do every day to maximize their results and success: Read more.

5 ways digital business will change in 2021

COVID-19 made what was once optional into a mandatory part of business strategy, and 2021 will only move the needle further to the digital side, Forrester predicts.

Forrester has released its predictions for digital business in 2021, and it sees big changes coming as the post-pandemic era continues to rapidly transform the business landscape. “What many considered optional became imperative overnight,” Forrester said of digital business, citing that one retailer saw five years’ worth of digital adoption happen in only five months due to COVID-19 lockdowns. 

2021 is the year, Forrester predicts, the majority of businesses will invest in having a full-fledged digital presence. Read more.

Finding the Right Franchise

Are you thinking of going into business for yourself and learning how the choice of a franchise can “jump-start” the process and your earning potential?  Well, Franchise Foundry can help. Working with in-house franchise professionals you will work one-on-one in determining if you’re right for franchising and whether it is right for you.  If you determine that franchising is a path to consider, you will be introduced to various industry segments and ultimately, brands that could be a “right-fit” situation . . . all to help ensure your future success! Learn more.

4 Reasons That Now Is The Right Time To Start Your Own Dream Business

It may sound counterintuitive, but right now might be one of the best times to invest in yourself and make a change in your life by becoming a business owner. If you are one of the many who have been forced into retirement, furloughed, or let go, before looking for a new job where you are still at the mercy of your employer, why not take the time to really consider starting a new chapter in your life?

The pandemic is driving many workers to reevaluate where they are headed. Maybe your career isn’t going where you thought it was, or maybe your talents and skills are being wasted and your frustration is growing. This might be a great time to make a decision to control your own destiny by starting your own business. Here are some reasons why now might be the right time to be your own boss: Read more.

Startups And Small Companies Could See Major Benefits By Hiring Gap Year College Students

For college students looking forward to the university experience, paying a hefty university price tag to sit in their parents’ living room or in an isolated dorm room and taking online classes is a potential disappointment.  So, some students have opted for local community college classes this year, while others have decided to sit this year out and take a COVID-19 gap year. Only 2.5 percent of colleges are planning a fully in-person semester this upcoming year. Rather than spend a year staring at Zoom, some students have taken the semester off. Startups are starting to see this as an opportunity to recruit these students into virtual fall internships. So can smaller companies. Read more.

In 2020, Fear Has Been a Driving Force – A Note from Paul Segreto, Founder, Acceler8Success

Certainly, 2020 has had many uncertainties which, quite frankly took us on an emotional roller coaster. Mostly, the driving force has been fear. I’ve realized my own fear once I was able to admit being scared. Hey, at my age and the fact I’m not in good shape, I must be realistic. So, I’ve worked through my fear and in doing so, maybe I can overcome it. As fear is such a strong emotion that easily grips the soul, it will take time and patience to overcome such a grip.

Little by little I look forward to continuing to pry it away as fear is replaced by courage gained from confidence that fear is just a challenge to be conquered. The great thing is that some of the challenges don’t have to be tackled alone. Instead, collaborative efforts aligned with common goals truly exemplify the phrase, ‘strength in numbers’ and it’s that strength that ultimately conquers fear. Easier said than done? Possibly, but the alternative is being overwhelmed by fear and that, I’ve recognized is not living.

Need to talk through your fears, to determine how to tackle challenges you’re facing and, to clear your mind so you can explore possibilities? If so, I’d like to help. Please contact me on LinkedIn or drop me a note at paul@acceler8success.com. No obligation! And, no one else needs to know!

Preparing The Next Generation Of Creative Entrepreneurs

The youth of today are witnessing a major turning point in our world, as they are transitioning from their educational journey toward building successful and rewarding lives and careers. They are also witnessing an evolving workplace, increased unemployment, and the emergence of new, tech-focused jobs roles that they need to be trained and skilled for.

It is estimated that approximately 600 million jobs need to be created over the next 15 years to meet youth employment needs. This is an ambitious number, and therefore it is the collective responsibility of governments, corporations, and even individuals to pave the way for future generations to succeed and have viable employment opportunities. Read more.

Restarting Your Small Business

As I write this, businesses across the US have applied for the funding offered through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). They have navigated the loan process, are diligently following up with their lenders, and are attempting to access as much information, funding, and advice as possible to help their businesses stay afloat. It’s a trying time, and Dun & Bradstreet is committed to helping small businesses in their efforts to survive. As a former small business owner, I’m riding out this storm with my friends and family who have their own businesses. But also, as a former small business owner, for all my worry and concern, I’m an eternal optimist. During the 2008 financial crisis I had two small businesses in Detroit, Michigan that both survived, and I believe that many small business owners will come through this global crisis with a deeper understanding of their customers, the technology available, and their business overall. Read more.

Everything You Need to Know to Build a Thriving Online Business

Billions of people around the world have access to the internet today. This creates an incredible market, where the barrier to entry is relatively low. With a marketable product and business plan, you could tap into this geographically distributed yet closely connected audience and create boundless opportunities. If building an online business is on your mind, here’s a checklist that will help you achieve your goal. Read more.

6 Ways to Increase Happiness at Work and at Home

Improving happiness is a challenging task these days, but it can be done. An analysis of 61 happiness interventions found that 96 percent of the interventions increased happiness and about half of the results were statistically significant.

A new paper published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology shows exactly what types of happiness interventions are more successful than others. Read more.

Overworked? 12 Practical Ways Entrepreneurs Can Cut Down Their Hours

“Do one thing everyday that scares you. Those small things that make us uncomfortable help us build the courage to do the work we need to”.

Elanor Roosevelt

It’s well-known that entrepreneurs must dedicate a lot of their time to getting their businesses off the ground in order to be successful. It’s not uncommon to hear of a business owner working 60 or more hours a week in pursuit of that success. However, this amount of work can have a major negative impact on one’s mental and physical health. Read more.

To be successful in life get uncomfortable.

No one has ever achieved great success without experiencing the pain of discomfort. We are engineered to resist change, which is why incredible success takes tremendous effort. Action is required to facilitate the process of personal growth, and that involves stepping outside our comfort zone.

Success and performance crescendo when we venture outside what is familiar. Something else happens when we meander into uncharted territory. Stress increases. No need to bungee jump off the Eiffel Tower, small steps are sufficient for starting to stretch outside our comfort zone. Read more.

Connecting the Right Brands, People & Opportunities!

Acceler8Success Group has achieved success in many aspects of small business and franchising. Widely recognized as industry leaders and influencers, Acceler8Success Group leadership have extensive experience as entrepreneurs in small business and restaurants, as senior-level executives within nationally recognized brands, and as franchisees within successful franchise systems. Learn more.

National Restaurant Association to Congress: foodservice businesses need financial relief now

Pointing out that one in five U.S. restaurants has closed amid the pandemic, the National Restaurant Association is urging Congress to pass relief for foodservice businesses before it breaks for the holidays.

In a letter to Congressional leaders, the association shared new survey data it says shows an “economic free fall” has harmed 500,000 restaurants of every type — franchise, chain and independent. According to the association, 17% of restaurants nationwide — more than 110,000 — have closed this year, either permanently or for the long term. Read more.

Restaurant industry fears it’s reaching brink of collapse

California restaurant owner Angela Marsden’s emotional video has gone viral. In it, she points to a movie studio allowed to open for dining just next to her restaurant, the Pineapple Hill Saloon and Grill, which was forced to shut down.

“They have not given us money and they’ve shut us down. We cannot survive, my staff cannot survive,” she said, adding she plans to continue to protest against the orders.“

Angela Marsden, California Restaurant Owner

Her struggle, though – just one of thousands documented in small towns and big cities across the country. Jeff Good co-owns & operates three restaurants in Jackson, Mississippi and spoke to CNN about the need for federal relief. Read more.

How Church’s Protected Brand Standards During a Pandemic

In early summer, Church’s Chicken CEO Joe Christina issued a challenge to his operations team. COVID-19 stretched long enough for the brand to grasp no let-up was in sight. And so Christina began thinking about one of his lead mantras since succeeding Jim Hyatt to Church’s top spot in fall 2016: This notion of becoming a “global franchisor of choice.”

Part of that directive always centered on direct support, from corporate to operator to coach and everything along the path. But one thing COVID did was strip one of the most fundamental aspects of running a multi-unit franchise from the process—actually visiting restaurants. Read more.

Entrepreneurs take long view in running one boutique resort, selling another

You would think the pandemic would be a hard time to sell or run a boutique resort. But Michael Koch and Mary Ann Muir say that’s not the case.

The brother-and-sister duo own two boutique resorts on Siesta Key. In an effort to slow down, they’re selling one — the eight-unit Siesta Palms by the Beach, listed for $3.5 million — and they plan to continue to run another — the eight-unit Siesta Key Inn. Read more.

With Technology and COVID-19, it’s How, Not If for Restaurants

Technology was a muddled and complicated arena for restaurants before COVID-19. But you generally had two choices—embrace or avoid. That’s not so much the case today. What is still valid, however, is trying to understand what fits and what doesn’t, and which paths to implementation represent the best strategy. Early on during the pandemic, operators dove just to dive, or because they had no choice. Yet on the doorstep of winter, with cases surging and no letup in sight, refining digital infrastructure becomes key. As the novelty of offering new options fades and the pool grows deeper, differentiation becomes the aim once again.

Dave Gates, the VP of restaurant development at UniFocus, who previously spent 27 years at full-service burger chain Red Robin, chatted with QSR about the biggest tech trends today and how restaurants are levering them in a COVID environment, as well as what comes next. Read more.

Making Sense of Evolving Kitchens

The kitchen has changed. In recent years, as restaurants adapted to changing consumers and looked for new methods of getting food into their hands, the back of house has evolved along with it. No longer is there simply a kitchen in the back of a serving area. The kitchen could be mobile or it may be off-site. There are kitchens designed to serve a takeout consumer and kitchens run out of the home. They are more efficient than ever, using robotics and other technologies to improve their operations. The editors of Restaurant Business this week explore the Evolving Kitchen and what its change has meant to the foodservice business. Read more.

Chef David Chang won it all on ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.’ He’s giving the $1 million to hospitality workers.

After nearly four minutes of agonizing over a $1 million question that had stumped him, the time had come for celebrity chef David Chang to take a stab at answering who was the first president to have electricity in the White House.

His guess Sunday on the revived “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” was Benjamin Harrison, who Chang admittedly didn’t know for sure was even a president. But he said going for the top prize was a chance he had to take to do his part to help out a hospitality industry that has been devastated throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Read more.

The Waterman Steele Hospitality Team helps restaurant companies connect with their customers through carefully selected markets and locations using our combined research expertise, strategic insight, and unique real estate brokerage services. We prepare the real estate so you can focus on preparing your menu. Waterman Steele Real Estate Advisors. We know hospitality. Learn more.