Well once again it is time to shift gears. The economy is changing, the internet is changing and buyers are changing.
The adjustment was simple. Instead of writing another book on my own, I joined Brian Tracy and a group of business and success experts on a collaboration. It won't be out for a while, but keep on the look out.
You can read the whole story on Beach Street News
http://www.beachstreetnews.com/scott-bourquin-brian-tracy/
When the book comes out I'll get a link on Easy Guide Books for you.
Showing posts with label business books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label business books. Show all posts
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Your Job Sucks, So Now What?
So your job sucks, according to some surveys job dissatisfaction is well north of 50% and may be as high as 80%. So you aren't alone. The big question is why doesn't anyone do anything about it? and the bigger question is what can you do about it?
Most people that you meet are in a "comfortable life". They have set themselves up so that their "lifestyle" is within 10% of their income. They don't have any extra money, and when they get it they usually spend it. When you get into the lifestyle trap your employer has put you in "golden handcuffs".
If you haven't heard the phrase or didn't understand what "golden handcuffs" are let me introduce you to the concept. When you get a nice raise at a job you aren't happy with, you have two choices. Maintain your lifestyle and use the extra money to invest in your escape plan. Basically buying the key to release the handcuffs. When you buy the new car or bigger house or move closer to the beach, then the handcuffs get a little tighter.
The bigger your job, and the bigger your bills, the bigger the golden handcuffs. Your employer owns you, that is until you sell your self to another employer who bids the same or more for your services.
Do you see the problem?
If everyone started thinking as an independent contractor, they would never end up with golden handcuffs and could move to what ever job made them happy. One of the ironies of major companies eliminating pensions and healthcare is that they are forcing you to begin paying on the keys to your own golden handcuffs.
In fact our tax system is designed to help you if you do become an independent contractor and stop working for W-2 wages. The only extra taxes you pay are self employment and creative arts. In the first case, your employer was paying the other half of your social security so your overall costs aren't any different if you go independent.
So Your Job Still Sucks, Now What?
When I wrote "So Now What?" several years ago, my goal was to help people like you answer that question. After a few years of helping people, I have found that there is even more that I can do to help you and that is why I am writing this for you.
The first big thing to understand is your strengths and your market. If you don't have a real strength, go find one. A great book that covers the importance of that strength and why you need to build one is Be So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport.
Most people don't feel like they can walk away from their job because they fear losing the income and not being able to get it back before their house of cards collapses. If you live in the US, Australia or even Canada, you are only limited by your imagination as to what you can achieve.
I haven't met anyone outside of the UK who feel this way in Europe, so I'll leave that thought to you.
One of the best tools to use if you want to build a life that others dream of is the "Want - Don't Want" exercise. Simply put you write down all of the things you want and don't want in your life.
The best way to do this is with a huge whiteboard, and look at it every day for about a week. Each day you will look at the board a little differently, and after 7-10 days you will start to see why you don't like your job. You can also start to outline what you need to change in order to make your current job great or what kind of work you need to think about doing.
Most people that come to our office looking for help and guidance in the start up stage are full of "great ideas" that are great only to them. They haven't figured out the market or even if there is one.
If your job sucks, start out listing why it sucks, and what it would need to be great. Then see if you can work it out with your boss. If you are good enough at your job, there might be some room. If not, then you need some deep reflection to decide what's next.
If you don't change where your life is going, no one else will.
Most people that you meet are in a "comfortable life". They have set themselves up so that their "lifestyle" is within 10% of their income. They don't have any extra money, and when they get it they usually spend it. When you get into the lifestyle trap your employer has put you in "golden handcuffs".
If you haven't heard the phrase or didn't understand what "golden handcuffs" are let me introduce you to the concept. When you get a nice raise at a job you aren't happy with, you have two choices. Maintain your lifestyle and use the extra money to invest in your escape plan. Basically buying the key to release the handcuffs. When you buy the new car or bigger house or move closer to the beach, then the handcuffs get a little tighter.
The bigger your job, and the bigger your bills, the bigger the golden handcuffs. Your employer owns you, that is until you sell your self to another employer who bids the same or more for your services.
Do you see the problem?
If everyone started thinking as an independent contractor, they would never end up with golden handcuffs and could move to what ever job made them happy. One of the ironies of major companies eliminating pensions and healthcare is that they are forcing you to begin paying on the keys to your own golden handcuffs.
In fact our tax system is designed to help you if you do become an independent contractor and stop working for W-2 wages. The only extra taxes you pay are self employment and creative arts. In the first case, your employer was paying the other half of your social security so your overall costs aren't any different if you go independent.
So Your Job Still Sucks, Now What?
When I wrote "So Now What?" several years ago, my goal was to help people like you answer that question. After a few years of helping people, I have found that there is even more that I can do to help you and that is why I am writing this for you.
The first big thing to understand is your strengths and your market. If you don't have a real strength, go find one. A great book that covers the importance of that strength and why you need to build one is Be So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport.
Most people don't feel like they can walk away from their job because they fear losing the income and not being able to get it back before their house of cards collapses. If you live in the US, Australia or even Canada, you are only limited by your imagination as to what you can achieve.
I haven't met anyone outside of the UK who feel this way in Europe, so I'll leave that thought to you.
One of the best tools to use if you want to build a life that others dream of is the "Want - Don't Want" exercise. Simply put you write down all of the things you want and don't want in your life.
The best way to do this is with a huge whiteboard, and look at it every day for about a week. Each day you will look at the board a little differently, and after 7-10 days you will start to see why you don't like your job. You can also start to outline what you need to change in order to make your current job great or what kind of work you need to think about doing.
Most people that come to our office looking for help and guidance in the start up stage are full of "great ideas" that are great only to them. They haven't figured out the market or even if there is one.
If your job sucks, start out listing why it sucks, and what it would need to be great. Then see if you can work it out with your boss. If you are good enough at your job, there might be some room. If not, then you need some deep reflection to decide what's next.
If you don't change where your life is going, no one else will.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Checklists for Success
As a pilot, we need to get a check ride every year if you want to keep flying. The bigger the plane the more difficult the check ride is the rule of thumb. The truth is a lot easier than that.
There is a saying in aviation, when something happens either "wind your watch" or "sit on your hands". The reason is simple. The knee jerk or impulse reaction is usually the wrong reaction. I see it in aviation and I see it in business every day.
It is almost an irony of the jet age and the information age that going faster isn't always the best method. Big jets get places fast, but don't change trajectory quickly. Business is much the same. When an engine catches fire in an airplane, specifically a big airplane there is an impulse reaction to shut the engine down and use the fire extinguisher.
While those two steps are on the checklist there are other things to check first. For instance, you want to make sure it is a real fire, not a false alarm. Shutting down an engine that really isn't on fire makes things worse when you are halfway between New York and London or Los Angeles and Honolulu. We call this a self induced emergency.
In business the same thing can happen. I see it in my office and I see it in my clients offices. The big difference between flying and business, is pilots have a checklist. Our "checkride" is really a reminder to use the checklist. Unfortunately, business owners don't get to practice emergency procedures and test out their checklists. Many big name franchises have excellent training manuals that include these checklists. If you are a small business, and didn't work for a competitor and "borrow" the checklists, you have to build yours by trial and error. That can be an expensive checklist.
A business coach can be like the flight instructor on a check ride. The business coach can ask you questions about scenarios that are likely to happen and you haven't seen yet. Then you can build the checklist for your staff before the business is actually on fire. Teachers even have a checklist for fire drills and yet most business owners don't.
Many things that you as the owner do every day can be handed off to your staff very effectively by just building a simple checklist and training your staff to use it. The key to success here is followup.
When you hire a really good business coach what you are really hiring is someone to hold you accountable for achieving your stated goals and reaching that next level of freedom and success in your business. Your mission is to find tasks that you can shed to your staff and hold them accountable in the same way.
As you build your checklists and your staff begins to take over your tasks, you can focus on your business instead of working in your business. Need help? For $297, I'll send you a copy of the "Easy Guide to Internet Marketing", and for the first ten people, I'll add a $100 Google adwords coupon if you don't already have an account and we'll spend an hour going over how to create the right ads and create a checklist so you don't have to do it. That is a $1,675 value for $297.
Not convinced. I'll do one better. How about a money back guarantee. If you don't think you got a deal, I'll refund your money, you keep the book. email me at scott@ownersplay.com and I'll send you the questionairre and a paypal invoice so when we get on the phone we can get you started right away.
There is a saying in aviation, when something happens either "wind your watch" or "sit on your hands". The reason is simple. The knee jerk or impulse reaction is usually the wrong reaction. I see it in aviation and I see it in business every day.
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| Would You Like A Little Freedom With Your Business? |
While those two steps are on the checklist there are other things to check first. For instance, you want to make sure it is a real fire, not a false alarm. Shutting down an engine that really isn't on fire makes things worse when you are halfway between New York and London or Los Angeles and Honolulu. We call this a self induced emergency.
In business the same thing can happen. I see it in my office and I see it in my clients offices. The big difference between flying and business, is pilots have a checklist. Our "checkride" is really a reminder to use the checklist. Unfortunately, business owners don't get to practice emergency procedures and test out their checklists. Many big name franchises have excellent training manuals that include these checklists. If you are a small business, and didn't work for a competitor and "borrow" the checklists, you have to build yours by trial and error. That can be an expensive checklist.
A business coach can be like the flight instructor on a check ride. The business coach can ask you questions about scenarios that are likely to happen and you haven't seen yet. Then you can build the checklist for your staff before the business is actually on fire. Teachers even have a checklist for fire drills and yet most business owners don't.
Many things that you as the owner do every day can be handed off to your staff very effectively by just building a simple checklist and training your staff to use it. The key to success here is followup.
When you hire a really good business coach what you are really hiring is someone to hold you accountable for achieving your stated goals and reaching that next level of freedom and success in your business. Your mission is to find tasks that you can shed to your staff and hold them accountable in the same way.
Not convinced. I'll do one better. How about a money back guarantee. If you don't think you got a deal, I'll refund your money, you keep the book. email me at scott@ownersplay.com and I'll send you the questionairre and a paypal invoice so when we get on the phone we can get you started right away.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Are You Missing Out On Free Facebook Marketing?
One of the questions I get more often from potential clients and new clients is related to Social Media Marketing. Initially when they become an SEO client they want to know how they can save some money and do the Social Media Marketing on their own. After all their kid is on Facebook for eight hours a day.
Just like running a successful SEO campaign, all Social Media Marketing has to start with a solid foundation. Last year we introduced a Social Media Marketing Plan to our clients, and it has been a success. In some cases it has been more cost effective than SEO efforts so we have moved more of their campaign effort to Social Media.
Clearly Facebook is the king of Social Media, so it is probably the best starting point to build a foundation for Social Media Marketing. It depends on the kind of business you have where you’ll go next, but just like building a good house, the longevity aspect starts with a good foundation.
Learning how to market on Facebook, starts by learning how to build your Facebook foundation or presence correctly. Once that is done, you can market on Facebook for free if you have the time to dedicate. Free marketing on Facebook is pretty straightforward but there are some big mistakes you can make early that can cost you. While your kid might be on Facebook for eight hours a day, Facebook marketing isn’t a place to let anything go.
Once you have a foundation on Facebook properly built, then you can use your marketing strategy to build your plan for Social Media Marketing beginning with Facebook. In order to make sure you get it right, I wrote a book with a step by step guide to get your foundation built correctly. Included in How To Market On Facebook For Free is several strategies that you can tailor to your business, along with a few things not to do on Facebook or anywhere online.
If you want to grow your business using online marketing and don't want to break the bank, how about starting with free. doesn't growing your business for free sound pretty good? Why not invest a little time to get your foundation in social media and on Facebook started today.
If you want to grow your business using online marketing and don't want to break the bank, how about starting with free. doesn't growing your business for free sound pretty good? Why not invest a little time to get your foundation in social media and on Facebook started today.
Currently you can get How To Market On Facebook For Free at Amazon only on the kindle. The paperback should follow shortly. If you get it before the five days are up you can check it out for free too. After that, it will be under $5 for the kindle version and under $15 for the paperback. It will be money well spent.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Improve Your Business Just a Little Each Day
As a business owner, it is sometimes hard to sit down and read a book. Most of the business owners I work with try to read something that helps their business and they don’t always get through it. The chapters are too long or they just run out of time.
Over the weekend I sat down with a book that had very short chapters. Most of them three pages, four if they had a cartoon included. This is an easy book to keep on your desk and read just one chapter each day before you start work.
The Daily Drucker was the first book I read this way. Before that I had used Benjamin Franklins method for self improvement. Not to the letter, but the same plan. Each week I would work on just one thing. Ben Franklin created four personal resolutions, and from those thirteen virtues. He would work on one virtue each week.
As a business coach this method works very well when the students take it to heart. Sometimes they want to fix everything now. All that does is teach us the habit of failure. The Daily Drucker was the longer course with simpler lessons. The truth is I usually only did two or three “daily” items each week. I think I needed more work than Drucker expected.
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