Want to Take your Business to the Next Level in 2021? Try These 5 New Year’s Resolutions

Most business owners (and people!) are looking forward to moving on from 2020 and into a new year. While there will of course still be large challenges for businesses in 2021, many entrepreneurs and business owners are heading into January feeling hopeful.

Why? Of course positive news around vaccines is encouraging, but more so, many business owners feel the lessons they learned over the course of the pandemic will make them stronger in 2021 and beyond. Here are five New Year’s Resolutions from business owners who persevered through 2020 and are going into 2021 stronger than ever. Read more.

How Washington can boost American entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurs play a critical role in the American economy. The new businesses they launch provide new goods and services. They also provide existing goods and services more efficiently, forcing incumbents to do a better job through competition. And while most media attention seems devoted to potentially high-impact technology startups, regular “mom and pop” businesses can be important mechanisms for upward mobility. We want a dynamic economy where labor and capital can be employed as productively as possible. Entrepreneurship plays a big role in making that happen.

It remains to be seen how entrepreneurs navigate the post-pandemic economy. But before the coronavirus outbreak, there were several disturbing long-term trends about America’s startup superpower. Among them: New businesses have become a smaller share of all companies than they used to be, as well as their share of total employment. These trends are illustrated in “Federal Policies in Response to Declining Entrepreneurship,” a new Congressional Budget Office report on the subject: Read more.

Why Entrepreneurs Should Aim to Fail — That’s Right. They Should Actively Seek It.

Here’s a viewpoint that might cause you to do a double take: Actively seeking rejection means you’re learning, adapting and getting that much closer to your destination.

Before you click away, just think about this a moment: Entrepreneurs are innovators: They defy conventional wisdom to find ways to improve it, and they challenge assumptions to approach a given industry or need from a unique perspective. They live at the intersection of innovation and practicality. For them, failure is a necessity to reach success.

So, maybe failure’s “teachable moments” are actually worth striving for because they help you attain that innovation. Read more.

States of Growth: When and Where American Entrepreneurship Has Thrived

Study shows ambitious U.S. startups are not in decline — but timing and location matter.

The year 1995 was a good time to be an entrepreneur. Especially a high-tech entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, with the internet boom starting, the economy growing, venture capitalists searching for new investments, and a whole horizon of novel business ideas to explore.

Indeed, a new study co-authored by an MIT professor shows that U.S. startups founded in 1995 enjoyed more growth than startups founded in any other year from 1988 to 2014. Other things being equal, the startups of 1995 were three times as likely to grow significantly as those from 2007, which had to battle through the 2008-2009 Great Recession. Read more.

The Secret of Entrepreneurial ‘Luck’ in 3 Simple Steps

I’m going to reveal a secret to you: when I was seven years old and I knew a difficult day was coming, I would put on my Spider-Man underwear. The superhero was my favorite and making it part of my routine gave me a strange sense of certainty that allowed me to face any difficulty. It didn’t matter if it was Tuesday (PE day), if I ran into the bully in the classroom, or if I hadn’t studied for the test: if I was wearing my The Amazing Spider-Man boxers, I felt like luck was on my side.

And my little ritual worked. Or so I thought. Read more.

A Message from Acceler8Success Founder, Paul Segreto

Successful people use the power of visualization; their motto is visualize and materialize — from imagination to reality. Even Albert Einstein said: “Everything is energy and that’s all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality.”

13 Quotes to Inspire You to Try New Things in the New Year

The new year is your chance to start over—a fresh beginning. It’s a good time to set new goals, change old habits and try new things. Because if you don’t get out of your comfort zone, if you aren’t learning and taking risks, you won’t grow. You’ll stay right where you are. Start your new year adventure with inspiration from these quotes. Then go see what’s out there! Read more.

The #1 Thing to Do to Set Yourself Up for a Better Year

Most of us learn to avoid discomfort of all kinds from a very young age and the evading gets perpetuated as we grow into adulthood. As far back as many of us can remember, when we got hurt, our parents would just kiss our boo-boos to immediately make everything okay. When we got into an argument with friends, we were told to say we’re sorry and that all would be forgotten. When we were participating on a sports team, we all got awards, no matter what, just for being there and showing up. Read more.

How to Help a Business Thrive During an Economic Recession

Most entrepreneurs at least partially depend on the state of the economy for their businesses to thrive. During times of high consumer confidence, spending is higher, companies are willing to take more risks and most businesses are able to generate more revenue. But during times of hardship, it’s harder to get financing, revenue dries up and the entrepreneurial environment is more barren.

That said, it’s possible to see an economic downturn (or recession) as an economic opportunity, rather than a detriment. And with the right strategies, you can help your business thrive under these conditions. Read more.

Why Post-Traumatic Growth Could Be the Key to Thriving in 2021

It would be a colossal understatement to say 2020 wasn’t how any of us envisioned the first year of the new decade. The long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are still surfacing. It will be months, if not years, before we know how the pandemic impacted not only on our economy and cultural norms, but also our physical and mental health.

Although it’s important to reflect on the negative effects of the pandemic, it’s also worthwhile to consider the potential silver lining. In the wake of traumatic events, many people experience positive psychological change in the form of something called post- traumatic growth. Read more.

10 Predictions From the Past About the Future From Kurt Vonnegut, Tom Clancy, and More

When it comes to reading the proverbial crystal ball in business, Inc. has had some wins and some misfires. Here are a few of our best and worst predictions from years past, graded on a scale of A to F. Read more.

Expand Your Knowledge to Help Grow Your Business and Side Hustle in 2021

It’s crucial that entrepreneurs continue to learn and stay engaged with their industry. The more you know, the better able you are to adapt to changes, come up with innovative solutions, and scale your business. But it’s hard to find the time to go to seminars or read books when you’re running a business. Instead, check out some of the many learning resources available online. Read more.

Get Back to Basics with These 10 Small Business Improvement Tips

Running a business can get complicated. It’s easy to get bogged down in the details and forget the basic strategies that got you there. But staying strong in those areas is a must, as members of the online small business community can attest. Read more.

A Message from Acceler8Success Founder, Paul Segreto

At times, it needs to be just about you, and you alone. Think. Meditate. Daydream. Listen to nature. Be sure to make some time for you, at the very least, each weekend ahead of the work week. You and everyone around you will be better for it. Make ‘alone time’ part of your weekly routine in 2021.

US Economic Outlook for 2021 and Beyond

The U.S. economy is improving after the destruction caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This cautiously positive outlook is based on experts’ reviews of the key economic indicators, including gross domestic product (GDP), unemployment, and inflation. Analysts also have taken a hard look at interest rates, oil and gas prices, jobs, and the impact of climate change. Read more.

Outlook 2021: Must Know Small Business Trends

Notwithstanding recent global pandemic, the 2021 outlook for small businesses is very promising. The small business space is changing at an increasingly accelerated rate. Competition, automation, workplace culture and technological advances are just a few of the factors that are molding the future for small business. Small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs need to be in-the-know about the latest market trends in order to achieve sustainable growth and profitability. Read more.

How to Build Your 2021 Business Strategy in the Face of Uncertainty

Recently, we’ve seen signs that many businesses are reopening during the last quarter of 2020. Yet uncertainty remains. In some states, businesses have reopened in recent weeks only to be told to close or reduce their capacity for customers. It’s becoming increasingly challenging to plan for the future. Consequently, many business owners and leaders might wonder how they can develop a growth strategy for 2021. 

What you need is a strategic direction to provide purpose for your business and help you set realistic goals to accomplish in the coming year. Read more.

The Psychological Price of Entrepreneurship

By all counts and measures, Bradley Smith is an unequivocal business success. He’s CEO of Rescue One Financial, an Irvine, California-based financial services company that had sales of nearly $32 million last year. Smith’s company has grown some 1,400 percent in the last three years, landing it at No. 310 on this year’s Inc. 500. So you might never guess that just five years ago, Smith was on the brink of financial ruin–and mental collapse.

Back in 2008, Smith was working long hours counseling nervous clients about getting out of debt. But his calm demeanor masked a secret: He shared their fears. Like them, Smith was sinking deeper and deeper into debt. He had driven himself far into the red starting–of all things–a debt-settlement company. “I was hearing how depressed and strung out my clients were, but in the back of my mind I was thinking to myself, I’ve got twice as much debt as you do,” Smith recalls. Read more.

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.

I’ve been an entrepreneur now for almost a decade (9 years and counting). I’m just one of 500 million entrepreneurs; we make up about eight percent of the global population, amazingly. As a category – we are exponentially more likely to suffer from mental health problems, and yet, people don’t talk about that enough – it is fetishised and glamourised, so here’s an attempt to share some data and personal experience to show the other side. Read more.

Entrepreneurship & Mental Health: A 4-part Original Series

Since 2006, Techstars has helped hundreds of startups succeed, both as businesses and as people. This original 4-part documentary series focuses on the most common mental health issues facing entrepreneurs, told through the stories of some remarkable people — and the mental health professionals who work with people in need. Read more.

Research shows a link between sleep and entrepreneurship

Many people have experienced a few nights of bad sleep that resulted in shifting attention spans, impulsive tendencies and hyperactivity the next day–all behaviors resembling ADHD. A new study found that this dynamic may also be linked to increased entrepreneurial behavior.

“We’re not advocating depriving yourself of sleep to get ahead,” said Jeff Gish, a professor of business at the University of Central Florida and co-author of the paper. “We’re saying that there appears to be an interesting link between sleep and entrepreneurship. ADHD-like tendencies can be a benefit, rather than a hindrance in spurring ventures. But there is a potential downside. Even though sleep problems might lure an individual to an entrepreneurial career, if the sleep problems persist they can subsequently leave the individual without the cognitive and emotional competency to be an effective entrepreneur in-practice. Read more.

7 Tips for Dealing With Your Coronavirus Anxiety

Are you feeling anxious? Stressed about the current events? I want to empower you to take steps to control your fears, because having anxiety about the coronavirus isn’t going to help you.

Stress can boost your immune system in small bursts. However, when stress is prolonged, like what our world is currently facing, the immune system’s increased effectiveness slows down and eventually drops in the opposite direction. Like you, your immune system gets exhausted and cannot optimally function when it is exposed to long-term stress. And, given that your immune system is responsible for fighting off pathogens and keeping your body healthy, a stressed-out immune system can result in greater susceptible to illness. Read more.

A Message from Acceler8Success Founder, Paul Segreto

My one goal for 2021 is to make a difference in the lives of people I already know or will meet, for business or otherwise. Whether it be a small task or a larger project or an impromptu lunch or even just a phone call, I want people to realize the value of the time we spend together and as such, the value of further developing our relationship. Of course, I don’t expect value to be realized without positive results. To that end, I fully expect to earn the perspective and opinion I’m striving to achieve, learning from and correcting mistakes I’ve made in the past. As Albert Einstein once said, ‘Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.’ Happy New Year!

Most Small Business Owners Remain Optimistic Going Into 2021

A new survey by Capital One Business reveals small business owners are cautiously optimistic. And many are looking for a return to more favorable business conditions come 2021.

According to the survey conducted from November to December 2020, about 53% of small business owners report their business financial position is the same or better than the pre-COVID-19 period. A further 67% of the owners are confident their business will return to pre-pandemic operations and revenues. So, there is growing optimism over the state of the economy and possible resilience among small businesses. Read more.

The Best of 2020: Entrepreneur Staff Picks

The story of 2020 itself has been remarkable. Our task during this pandemic year was to find the smaller stories that exemplified the trials, challenges and triumphs forged from historically damning circumstances — while still keeping an eye on the future and forward progress of innovative entrepreneurialism. 

Along with our esteemed network of contributors and collaborators, the collective staff of Entrepreneur magazine and Entrepreneur.com set about that task as determinedly as we could, and we hope the results have motivated you half as much as they’ve inspired us. 

To that end, and in tribute to all the small-business owners who’ve navigated this often-heartbreaking year, here is a shortlist of both site exclusives and print selections — hand-picked by members of our editorial team — that we were proud to shepherd and share. And we look forward to continuing to tell your stories in 2021. Read more.

6 New Year’s Resolutions for Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses at the End of a Very Tough Year

If you’re up for a task—a really easy one—I’d like you to commit to making 2021 better than 2020.

Easy peasy, right?

This year has certainly knocked us all on our duffs, and there still is no way to know how much longer we’re in for economic strain, stay-at-home orders, and irregular sales patterns. But I am confident that we can make New Year’s resolutions to ensure we aren’t taken by surprise by anything in 2021—save aliens taking over the planet (at this point, nothing is outside the realm of possibility).

Permit me to set a few resolutions we can share as entrepreneurs. Read more.

Key Skills Of A 21st-Century Entrepreneur And Why They’re Important

Being a 21st-century entrepreneur is a demanding and exciting challenge. This is because the world is growing and changing so rapidly that it requires innovative thinking skills of an entrepreneur to stay ahead of their competitors. The 21st-century entrepreneur has to be highly organized and flexible. This means that a 21st-century entrepreneur is constantly thinking and planning. One way to do this is by creating and maintaining effective business plans. Furthermore, a good entrepreneur should also have excellent communication skills, leadership capability and the ability to lead others effectively. Read more.

How female entrepreneurs can thrive in good and bad times

Before the pandemic hit this spring, women were launching more than 1,200 new businesses every day — roughly twice the rate of men. In fact, in 2019, 21% of employer businesses had majority female ownership, according to a report by the Small Business Administration (SBA).

What a difference a year makes.

Women-owned businesses have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. One study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that the number of female business owners dropped from 5.4 million to 4.0 million in just two short months, a 25% decline.

The loss of one fourth of female business owners is unprecedented and, as the study points out, may have longer-term ramifications for job losses and economic inequality. Read more.

Dear Entrepreneur, You’ve Been Brainwashed as an Employee.

My manager wasn’t happy. She pulled me aside. “You’re always the last one to arrive and the first one to leave. Why is that?”

I was working as a business consultant for a big fancy company you’ve probably heard of. Three letters. I was on the road most of the time, sleeping in hotels, eating every meal with colleagues. I’d go to the hotel gym to burn off some angst, and they’d be there too. It was driving me crazy.

So when I was back in the home office, I learned how to optimise all my processes so I could maximise my time for myself. Read more.

A Message from Acceler8Success Founder, Paul Segreto

This year was definitely not without challenges and mistakes. But in learning from the same and working towards making necessary corrections, successes were also realized. Although some gaps still need to be closed the near future looks bright and I’m excited about the year ahead. Such is the life of an entrepreneur – successes, challenges, mistakes, realizations, learning experiences, course corrections and, of course new ideas. It’s a whirlwind, stressful at times… exhilarating as well. So, here’s to putting 2020 behind and looking forward to the New Year. Yes, there’s reason the windshield is much larger than the rear view mirror. Now, it’s time for eyes on the road ahead, accelerating whenever possible, slowing down for curves and with a few stops in the rest areas to recharge. Happy New Year, my friends.

10,000 of America’s restaurants have closed in the past three months

About 17% of America’s restaurants have already permanently closed this year, with the industry in further danger according to a new report. The National Restaurant Association is publicly pleading with Congress to pass new stimulus to help the industry that has been damaged by the pandemic. The group said Monday 110,000 restaurants have already permanently shuttered in 2020, with 10,000 of them closed in the past three months.

The group released results from a survey of 6,000 restaurant operators, revealing that 87% of full-service restaurants reported an average 36% drop in revenue and 83% expects sales to be “even worse” over the next three months as the virus continues to lash the United States. And 37% of restaurants said it is “unlikely” they will be open in six months from now, if there are no additional government help.

“Save Restaurants!” Written by a restaurant owner.

As I walk into the grocery store with 30 other people at the same time, I think about my restaurant which allows parties of 6 total, and meticulously spaces out reservations by 10 minutes ensuring guests that aren’t from the same party do not arrive at the same time.

As I take a cart, that has had just the handle sanitized, I think about my restaurant which invested thousands of dollars (so far) on ink and paper to print disposable menus to ensure no two guests touch the same menu.

As I walk over to the produce aisle with 15–20 other people around me, I’m reminded of the strict “no mingling / no walking around the restaurant other than to use the washroom or enter/exit” policy we have in place and the 6ft distance between tables which has cut our capacity in half. Read more.

Eight Obstacles Entrepreneurs Never Expected To Have To Overcome When Starting Their Businesses

The easiest part of opening a business is coming up with the idea and filing the paperwork. The most challenging part often might not be apparent right away. No leader can predict or prepare for every obstacle they might encounter as a business owner, and hurdles can vary by industry and by each entrepreneur. However, with a little insight from more experienced entrepreneurs and the right mindset, you can successfully guide you and your business through any challenge. Read more.

Entrepreneurs: How To Start a Business Now!

My mission is to help entrepreneurs start their business and empower them to exponentially succeed. So entrepreneurs, today, you’re gonna learn how to avoid waiting for the perfect moment and how to start your business now!

“Don’t work for yourself only – but for all the people believing in you and your dream.“

Kevin Harrington

In the video below, I bring you along my journey from investing in the Ginsu Knife to becoming the Original Shark on the TV show Shark Tank. Here’s the thing, we all have to start somewhere but the only way you can become a successful entrepreneur is by starting now!! 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. Read more.

Starting a Business in 2021? Read These Expert Tips First

Is your new year’s resolution to start a new business venture? If so, you’ll need insights from business experts to help the journey run smoothly. Members of the online small business community have tips for every aspect, from legal documents to marketing. Read on to prepare for your new business in 2021. Read more.

6 biggest fears to overcome if you want to be successful in 2021, according to a futurist

Research shows the that the biggest barrier to ongoing success isn’t time, money or resources — it’s resistance to change and lack of risk tolerance.

As fast-moving and unpredictable as today’s world is, we’re all forced to adapt on a daily basis. In my years of research as a futurist, I’ve found that fear comes in six flavors. If you shift your perspectives and learn to conquer them, the possibilities will be endless in 2021. Read more.

The uncertainty of 2020 created the perfect time to diversify and expand. After all, it’s been said that necessity is the mother of invention. To that end, Acceler8Success Group was formed mid-year, building upon Acceler8Success principles and methods that have proven successful since 2014.

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

16 HARD (but Totally Doable, Totally Worth It) Resolutions You Haven’t Tried and Won’t Fail

Don’t believe the hype: Setting a New Year’s resolution is worth doing every year. With the right intent, chasing a goal or two promotes discipline, reinforces accountability and encourages self-reflection. It makes you better.

However, goals aren’t always easy to reach. On January 1 you may be pumped up and ready to go, planning to tackle your resolutions with ease. But what about January 31? By then, many people realize how fickle motivation can be. It comes and goes at random, and that alone makes some resolutions hard to stick with. In fact, a landmark study by the University of Scranton found that 77 percent of the 200 people surveyed abandoned their commitments after just one week. Read more.

2021 Small-Business Economic Outlook

Just weeks from now, 2021 arrives, and business leaders must be prepared for abrupt shifts in the needs of their customers. For example, if your business boomed during the pandemic, are you prepared for a post-pandemic slowdown? Read more.

Warren Buffett Says 4 Choices in Life Separate the Doers From the Dreamers

Ever read something Warren Buffett said or did and mumble to yourself, “Why didn’t I think of that?”

Outside of Buffett’s mastery of investing, his down-to-earth wisdom is not only legendary but we all nod in agreement with the simple and yet profound effect it has on our lives. Read more.

How Changing Your Perception Can Help You Achieve Your Goals Faster

I spent a summer in college training in different warfare specialties as part of my Navy ROTC scholarship. One week during the training, my fellow cadets and I were invited to go out on one of the Navy’s crown jewels: an Aegis destroyer. 

These extraordinary ships were the first of their kind. The technology of them is beyond the scope of my full understanding, but at the basic level, they work like this: When a missile fired from the ship neared its target, it was able to detect the scattered energy coming from that target and adjust both its trajectory and momentum based on this data.

This was called painting the target, and these ships could do it with incredible precision. 

Why am I telling you this? Because painting the target is exactly what your brain must do anytime it wants to accomplish a goal. Read more.

Here’s What Happens Every Minute on the Internet in 2020

In 2020, an unfathomable amount of digital activity is occurring at any given moment. This ongoing explosion in activity is the aggregate output of 4.5 billion internet users today, a number that’s projected to increase even further in coming years.

This powerful visual from Domo helps capture what happens each minute in today’s hyper-connected internet era, and it’s actually the eighth edition produced since the year 2012.

What can we learn from the evolution of what happens in an internet minute? Read more.

What to Do When Your Routine Becomes a Rut

I recently moved from North Carolina to Arizona. The cross-country road trip was an adventure for me—and for my cat family. Needless to say, our routines were thrown into disarray, and our lives experienced a major upheaval. During the journey, I was struck by how our daily lives follow a fairly consistent pattern. This got me thinking about why we like routines so much, and how we can maintain stability without getting stuck in a rut. Read more.

5 Proven Truths About Finding Happiness

Happiness is a state we all want to achieve, but it often seems elusive. Have you ever felt happy one moment and then thought that it won’t last, which makes you feel less happy in the next moment? How frustrating is that?

What is happiness? Is it a state of mind, a mood, or a way of living? Is there a way to increase it? Read more.

A Message From Acceler8Success Founder, Paul Segreto

Listening to friends that have coached me along through challenges I’m gaining more confidence in realizing that a clear mind and well-rested body enables me to get more things done than I’ve ever imagined possible. Unfortunately, it easy to slide back into old habits, but knowing and acting upon what must be done to get back on track are essential to regaining and maintaining balance. This is definitely one of those weeks to get back on track and especially ahead of what is shaping up to be a very, very busy first quarter.

And so this is Christmas…

The wonderful John Lennon song, ‘Happy Christmas‘ is repeating over and over in my mind. The lyrics seem so appropriate considering the emotional roller coaster ride of 2020.

So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
A new one just begun

And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear ones
The old and the young

Speaking of the dear ones, my heart goes out to our seniors. It’s just not fair what they must have been feeling through this pandemic. Loneliness. Despair, Uncertainty. I actually believe, Unfair may be the best word to describe what they should be feeling. They’ve done so much for our country. Many are part of the greatest generation and lived through the worst of times only to work toward hope of a better life. They have sacrificed a great deal and achieved the American Dream of prosperity and a better life for their children and grandchildren. And now with so much uncertainty, they must be wondering what will become of their families, even before considering themselves. It’s so unfair they’re experiencing this burden after all they’ve done over the years.

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fears

And so this is Christmas
For weak and for strong
The rich and the poor ones
The war is so long

The pandemic has affected us all… weak, strong, rich and poor. Is it possible to think about the future without fear? I’m not sure, as there is so much unknown and so many rumors, contradicting opinions and of course, motives that may or may not be in our mutual best interests. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in theories that it can seemingly bring life to a stop. We must not let it overwhelm us, but it is understandable when it does. Please talk to someone when that may occur.

And so happy Christmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let’s stop all the fights

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fears

It’s so sad that racism continues to be at the core of this year’s unrest, protest and yes, riots. My heart breaks for the poor and underprivileged and especially during these rocky times as they will be the ones hurt the most. Their neighborhoods have been ransacked, crime is increasing and opportunities are diminishing in the inner city across our country. I can’t help thinking about the uncertainty and despair these people are feeling. I do not have confidence the events of this year will benefit them at all. I do pray I am wrong.

And so this is Christmas
And what have we done
Another year over
A new one just begun

And so happy Christmas
We hope you have fun
The near and the dear ones
The old and the young

What will the future hold for our youth. It’s been said technology will be front and center for future generations as has been the case for Generations Y & Z. Yet, we’re hearing story after story about children having issues with Zoom classes and being out of the classroom. There has been opinion that today’s youth will lag behind in education for the first time in, well, forever. That’s troubling. I think it’s safe to say they, and all of us do need personal interaction in our lives. As much as we’ve grown accustomed to using devices to communicate, there’s nothing like face-to-face interaction. I, for one certainly miss seeing loved ones. I also sorely miss getting together with friends and colleagues at business events. I can’t imagine what children must think about interaction with loved ones abruptly changing from kisses & hugs to FaceTime calls.

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear

And so this is Christmas
And what have we done
Another year over
A new one just begun

Another year coming to an end. Resolutions and goals for a great year have long faded for many. The loss of friends and family members. Many taken from this earth much before their time. And now, it’s suggested, recommended, encouraged to rely on hope. I’ve never been one to view hope as a strategy but maybe, just maybe I’ll be able to include it with some planning, shifting and pivoting that all appear to be necessary to survive and, hopefully thrive in our changing world. I guess, hope is and has been part of my strategy all along. I can see it being beneficial toward being optimistic. Not sure I can deny ‘Live – Hope – Pray’ being a good foundation for anything and everything moving forward. I’m in!

To all, I wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I do hope it’s a good one and without any fear.

5 Must-Do’s for a Successful Personal Transformation

A caterpillar doesn’t morph into a butterfly by random chance, nor does a personal transformation randomly occur. Instead, both scenarios happen through a series of meticulous and orderly steps over a period of time.

When I was looking for a personal transformation, I tried various strategies that only led to more stress and worrying. Not seeing any progress, I started to let self-doubt creep into my mind, which led me to become even more unproductive.

Although it seems daunting to think about becoming someone that you’re currently not or learning a skill that seems impossible in this moment, transformations are essential for continual success and growth. Read more.

The World Goes Round: On Life, Death and Keeping Busy in the Year That Changed Us

It was March 6, 2020, a Friday. I was 40 years old, and I’d envisioned what this day might look like for some time, and I’ll say that in none of those visions was identity theft part of the plan. But 2020 kicks like that. Read more.

5 Anxiety-Provoking Habits Among High Achievers

Anxiety is on the rise. A CDC survey completed by approximately 5,400 people this past June showed that the prevalence of anxiety symptoms was three times higher than those reported in the second quarter of 2019.

Achievement-oriented individuals are especially prone to anxiety. They experience tremendous pressure to excel in multiple areas. High achievers expect to earn a healthy income, excel professionally, raise perfect children, have a beautiful house, keep a full social schedule, and be pillars of their communities. They expect themselves to maintain a high level of productivity despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. Read more.

5 Types of Business Opportunities for Entrepreneurs

Are you looking for different types of business opportunities to start your own company? Do you have an entrepreneur mindset? Are you the kind of person who wants to go into business to be your own boss and succeed through your own decision making? Many people feel the call to become an entrepreneur, but are not sure what type of business opportunity to pursue. Read more.

104 Best Sales Books for Boosting Your Skills & Performance in 2020

As a lifelong learner, I turn to books whenever I want to expand my thinking or improve my performance. And for leveling up your sales skills, nothing beats one of the best sales books.

I pulled together the top books from a range of sales disciplines to give you the information you need to stay relevant, lead conversations, understand the trends — and of course, improve your game. Read more.

Connecting the Right Brands, People and 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!

Great Leaders Are Thoughtful and Deliberate, Not Impulsive and Reactive

You set aside the first hour of your day to work on a strategy document that you’ve been putting off for a week. You haven’t been disciplined about getting to it, but you’ve had one crisis after another to deal with in the past week. Now, finally, you’ve carved out 90 early morning minutes to work on it.

First, however, you take a quick peek at the email that has piled up in your inbox overnight. Before you know it, you’ve used up the whole 90 minutes responding to emails, even though none of them were truly urgent. Read more.

6 Mental Habits That Will Wear You Down

Do you struggle with self-doubt and self-defeating habits? Do you want to feel more confident about yourself and what you have to offer? Do you focus on pleasing others, rather than following your dreams and living your best life? 

The best way to start feeling better about yourself is to notice the automatic mental and emotional habits that don’t serve you well and find more self-compassionate, life-affirming ways to think and behave. With conscious awareness and a daily focus on changing old habits, you can begin to build new, positive emotional pathways in your brain. Our brains possess the capacity for neuroplasticity, which means that practicing new ways of thinking and behaving can actually change your brain’s neurons and the pathways between them. Read more.

“Just wanted to share the message above as I know this time of year can be quite stressful. I hope this helps you make today better than yesterday. Just one day at a time, my friends. Just one day at a time. You got this!” – Paul Segreto, Founder, Acceler8Success Group

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.