Yes, the first one to market often has an advantage. It’s common sense: if they’re delivering a product before anyone else is, they’re going to get the business. But that doesn’t mean there’s no place for competition. Henry Ford created the first automobile that the average person could afford, and he sold a lot of cars. But his company isn’t …

“How do I get better at _______?” is a commonly heard question in the business world. While many “coaches” are looking to sell their tips and tricks for the right price, one question should jump out at us: If these tips and tricks work so well, why aren’t the “coaches” using them to get rich instead of trying to sell …

Many small business owners try their hardest to get business, pressing their potential client base over and over again in attempt to grab some portion of the market share. Being persistent, they call it. But trying the same tactics over and over again isn’t the definition of persistence, it’s insanity (and aggravating to boot.) Insanity is doing the same thing …

Far too often, a new business owner jumps the gun, trying to get buy-in from their clients before they’ve earned the right. People typically choose to do business with brands they know and trust, not simply because someone shoves a product in their face and asks for the sale. If we’re operating in a client-centric business (and who isn’t?) then …

Everyone wants to know what the trick is. What’s the secret sauce? Where’s the hack to jumpstart my business? There’s no real trick to success in business. The only difference between the successful business person and the failure is the commitment to show up day after day, and keep grinding until we reach our goal. You must either modify your …

Real professionals the ones who are doing the work for some other reason than the money. Yes, earning money is important, but it’s not the only thing that motivates a real professional. Real professionals view their products as works of art; something that’s being produced for the benefit of others. If we’re simply cranking out another widget for another paying …

Mindlessness and mediocrity are the currency of our internet age. To conduct transactions in this medium inevitably relegates us to the level of has-been, a second-rate business owner, a veritable Walmart of our profession. If we want to rise above the minutiae… If our goal is to be someone worthwhile… If we want to offer more then just another version …

It’s hard. It’s hard to start a business. It’s hard to build up a client base. It’s hard to create a worthwhile product. It’s hard to become a success in your market. Maybe the fact that it’s hard to do is a good thing. That means that most of your competitors aren’t going to have the guts to try it.

We often feel as if we’re falling behind. That someone else is doing better than us. That another company is moving ahead. That our competition is leaving us in the dust. But does any of that stuff really even matter? As long as we’re getting to where we want to be, what difference does it make what someone else is …

Don’t judge a book by its cover. George Eliot For as long as we can remember, we’ve been told that we shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover; that things aren’t always as they seem; that it’s what’s inside that really matters. But people make decisions based on outward appearances and first impressions all the time. If we’re walking down …