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"We have engaged in due diligence with one of the interested investors. AIN has proved to be effective and economic introduction service. Warmest regards."
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David Doust - Adaptive Edge |
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17 Business Lessons I Learnt and Wouldn’t Want You to Miss
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If they told me I would ever run or maintain a business I’d tell them it’s impossible. When I was very young, I never believed in anything business and I never planned to start my own business, now, at 17, I already have a business online and I’m at the verge of starting several other businesses. I have realized how fun business can be.
Is Business Fun?
You probably read about me saying business is fun in my last sentence and you might be asking yourself, is business fun? Or is business something that requires you to work your butts off in order to get some results. This can be yes, or no, depending on whom you are and what you know, but the 17 business lessons I will be sharing below will change all that, and will turn your business from being hell to being fun.
1. Work with Others
It doesn’t matter whether you call it collaboration, partnership, networking or outsourcing. One major lesson I have learnt is that you cannot build a successful business on your own. It doesn’t matter if it is another person’s knowledge, influence or audience; you need to work with others to make your business a success.
2. Love What You Do
I don’t know how much I can emphasize this but I’d only tell you one thing. The difference between your business being fun or hell is your love for it. Most of us love watching movies, or football or our latest sports game and we can spend hours on it without even realizing time has gone, that is exactly how your business is supposed to be. Even though it is good to be expectant, you should always operate your business as if it is part of your life and that it doesn’t really matter whether you’re paid for it or not.
3. Learn From Everyone
It doesn’t matter whether it is that new guy or that old school expert. One great thing about business is that there is no one you can’t learn from.
It is also important that you realize that learning isn’t the same thing as copying. You don’t need to do something exactly the same way someone does it because you learnt it from him/her, you can rather give it a better twist to make it work well for your business.
4. Learn From Everything
Is it that tree that keeps on dancing anytime you see it or is it that big engine that you just can’t manage to figure out how it works. In business, learning shouldn’t be restricted to people only, because there is nothing on the surface of the earth you can’t learn from. A lot of people have gotten great business ideas that spurred them from grass to glory from inanimate objects and you shouldn’t just see everything around you as if they don’t exist. Always do your best to learn from everything you come across.
5. Test Everything
I recently launched my ebook on how I make over $3000 online monthly and in the process of designing the squeeze page that will help me capture subscribers to my email newsletter I decided to split test. I created two pages, one is very beautiful and compelling but it doesn’t have an image while the second one isn’t that beautiful but has an image. My belief is that the one without an image will convert better but it happens the results I got prove me wrong. The squeeze page with an image converts at 34% while that without an image converts at 26%.
You can never be so sure of anything, never make your conclusion unless you test.
6. Hire the Experts
Is it Andrew Carnegie or Henry Ford? Or is it other successful entrepreneurs history ever produced. The secret to success is not about doing everything yourself but hiring people who are far better than you to do the work for you. I believe what matter most isn’t who does the work, but the results your business gets.
Always make sure you spend on your business wisely by hiring the best in your field to help you improve your business. Take suggestions from them, let them critique your business, and make necessary changes that can help you move forward.
7. Read, and Read Everything
I was once reading a post about how to manipulate people on Lifehacker and the post was so great that I decided to share it with my followers on twitter, one of them replied and told me that I am what I read. The reply was so funny that I wonder who people are. I’m reading an article on how to manipulate people not because I want to do that, but because I want to know when I am being manipulated.
My point is, don’t just read because you need what you’re reading at the moment but do your best to read every good and informative thing that comes your way. You never know which situation you will find yourself in, and there is no better way to be safe than prepare for it.
8. Learn, and Learn Everything
While you might think this point is the same as the above, the truth is it is entirely different. There is a great difference between reading and learning. We read to gain knowledge and we learn to have skills. Even though it is important to outsource some very important aspects of your business it doesn’t hurt to learn it. Learning everything you can learn about aspects of your business will ensure you always get the best while at the same time reducing the chances of you being cheated.
9. Specialize
Just take a look at a lot of businesses now and you will notice the best businesses are those who specialize. Some businesses work on making themselves the best in a particular field and when they achieve success they start going into other branches using the same business name, the truth is they are only a step away from doom.
10. Negotiate
Yes, I know you’re a big boy, but negotiation can mean the difference between the success and failure of your business. That designer that helped you design your last logo, how much did he charge you? Did you give him that amount or negotiated to get a better offer? What of that programmer? Or that marketer? It doesn’t matter how much your business have, one great trait every businessman should learn is the art of negotiation, you can always get everything for a better price if you negotiate, and at the end, you will end up saving a lot of money which can be spent on other aspects of your business.
11. Have a Story
People love stories, and they find it easier to connect with stories than theories. Is your business based on a story or a theory? People will find it difficult to buy snacks from you if you tell them your story of how you wanted to get some snacks and all you could find was junk, and how you then decided to make a great snacks company that will impact the world.
Theories no longer sell, stories do!
12. Use Social Proof
This is one of the greatest business lessons I have learnt, not only because I was told it works, but because it has helped me make tens of thousands of dollars, it has gotten me thousands of readers and subscribers and because it has boosted my success significantly. Every success is a foundation of another success and creating awareness about your success can make or mar your business. Let people know how many people, and the caliber of people use your products. Let people know how your products have changed lives and impacted the world and you will get far more results than someone who decides to be silent.
13. Silence is Key
You have to realize this, and you have to do that early before it has a negative lasting impact on your business. Not everybody is your friend, and not everybody will agree with your decision, and as far as you’re successful you will always be criticized. You can then decide whether you want to respond to your critics in a negative way that can be used against your business or whether you want to be silent and prove how wise you are to people.
14. Success Has No End, It Also Doesn’t Have a Beginning
What is success? I know you have read a definition or two in your dictionary but I’ll tell you boldly that they all don’t matter, because success in every field varies and you define your success.
Instead of focusing on making your business a success based on other people’s standards why not focus on being the best you can ever be. Believe me, you will get far more results by doing this.
15. Your Audience is Your Foundation
What do you think I hate doing the most online? You might not like to hear this, but it is reading my emails. Then suddenly, a realization changed everything. I realized how my readers are the foundation of my business and how replying carefully and politely to their emails can expand my business. I started doing this and my business started growing, people started becoming loyal fans of my business so they began to spread the word.
If you want your business to grow, treat your customers as best as you can, but if you don’t, ignore them.
16. You Define Your Business
There is a tale about two brothers who both own a business, one was told by a ‘higher authority’ that his business will be successful while the other one was told that his business would never be, the first one who was told his business will succeed began to sleep and play while the other one was working hard on his business day and night, whose business did you think succeeded the most? You can bet it is that of the fellow who was told he will fail.
I believe there is nothing called fate, and if there is, it is not important because only you can determine your success because nothing is set in stones. Give your business your best no matter what others say or think, and you will exceed the expectations of everyone.
17. Money Beget Money
It is funny how this was my last point but it really is true. I’d like to tell you that I’m not saying you can’t build a successful business if you don’t have money, but the more money you have, the more your chances of success. If you have money you can easily hire people to help with some important aspects of your business thereby saving time and effort while at the same time accelerating the success of your business.
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