ade98, Author at isucceedbook.com

ade98

lifestyle: 7 steps to free yourself from the “job” trap

lifestyle

Jun 142013

Reading time: 6 – 9 minutes

Back in 1998 when I came to Japan to work I had no idea what was in store for me.

I was fresh out of college and didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life, all I knew was that my life would start in Japan.

I liked teaching English so I decided to accept a job at a school in the area teaching kids.

I wish I could say it was my dream job, but I soon realized that like most companies, the focus was on making money, rather than providing a quality service. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a capitalist through and through…but I don’t believe in screwing clients.

So after two years, we parted ways and I joined a franchise group.

It wasn’t easy. But through hard work and dedication, I was able to build up my school.

But I learned an interesting lesson through leaving my “job” behind and it is one that many entrepreneurs learn when they start their businesses, and that lesson is — you become the business.

Most entrepreneurs venture out to build something special, whether it’s their own restaurant, law practice or consulting firm with the vision that one day they can choose life on their terms.

And by “on their one terms” I mean when to work, what to work on, who to work with and where they want to work.

However, for most entrepreneurs it doesn’t work that way. They become the face of their business. Everyone wants them.

So despite leaving behind a job, you now have another job albeit on better terms.

This was the situation I found myself in and one day I asked myself an important question, “What happens if something happens to me?”

Most of us never envision anything bad happening to us because (1) it’s depressing and (2) we honestly believe nothing can happen to us.

When I found myself smack dab in a tsunami I realized things can, and will happen to us.

I needed to make some changes.

Since that time I have worked alongside numerous teachers which freed up my time and allowed me to know that the business would be able to thrive even if I wasn’t in the picture.

I put that free time to good use, studying all the things I talk about here and allowing me to write my first book, iSucceed, run this site, create two different FB fan pages all the while taking care of many of the chores (while my wife worked) and time to spend with my family.

All that studying lead me to realize many jobs don’t need a physical presence.

While a traditional school needs four walls, a desk and some chairs, today consulting and information can be distributed from the comfort of your own home through the Internet in a variety of forms; ebooks, teleseminars, podcasts, webinars, coaching calls, special reports, etc.

The key being “home” being anywhere.

Now that doesn’t mean I’m going to pack up my bags and leave Japan. I love it here — the food is incredible, the people are so sincere, it’s safe, convenient, modern and traditional all at the same time, exotic, perplexing, and fun.

However, I realize that if I wanted to I could continue much of what I do from a remote island in the Pacific should I choose to.

That might appeal to some of you if so, keep reading. If not, keep working hard.

Still here…great, then here are what I suggest are 7 steps to freeing yourself from the “job” trap:

Create a FB fan page (it’s free and easy to play around with in gathering an audience)
Develop an online “sellable” skill
Create a study habit, study a little every day from the best minds out there. (think people like Dan Kennedy, Joe Polish, Seth Godin, Gary Vaynerchuk and others)
Create a website (wordpress or squarespace are the best for these)
Create products to sell (mentioned above)
Sell quality products
Enjoy what you do (don’t do something you hate, it’ll show through in everything you do)

Sounds easy, right?! It’s not.

What I can say is having the right product to not as important as the marketing behind it.

McDonald’s didn’t become the world’s most successful restaurant by serving the best hamburgers but they do know how to sell burgers.

Forget about having the “best” product in the world. Even if you do, sooner or later someone will come along and outdo you…it’s not about being the best.

It’s about offering a quality product to as many people as you can and doing whatever you can to have them give you money.

That sounds pretty aggressive but the fact is people are going to spend their money one way or another. If you truly do believe in your products, then you should want to have them give you money because you know they are getting a good deal.

But don’t quit your day job just yet.

It might take six months, it might take 10 years. It’ll take as long as it does. The harder you work it, the faster it comes.

There’s a reason why Tony Robbins because the number one sales guy for Jim Rohn way back when. Instead of doing one sales presentation a week, he did several a DAY.

Needless to say, he got good, fast. He was motivated. He believed in what he did. And he didn’t even take the commissions from most of the sales he made because his goal wasn’t the money but to become good at what he did.

I’d say he did just fine.

Today we have so many more tools at our disposal, but at the same time, that much more competition. Just remember, most people won’t be able to stick it out. So keep at it.

For me, all I do is strive to learn a little bit more, share a little bit more, do a little bit more each and every day.

I hope you do as well.

Adrian Shepherd

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success principles: adaptability is the key to success for any parent, entrepreneur or educator in the 21st century

Expert Perspective

Jun 112013

Reading time: 6 – 10 minutes

Being a parent is the greatest job in the world but…

No one tells you just how much work it is.

It’s like a full time job, only harder. You’re always on call and you have no vacation days whatsoever.

You can’t afford to get sick and when you do, you have no choice but to suck it up.

And yet, despite all the complaining, all the nagging and the lack of sleep, it is all worth it.

However, keeping your sanity is another issue entirely.

In the five short years I’ve been a parent, I’ve learned that being a parent is no different from being a teacher or an entrepreneur.

Each day, you are met with numerous challenges that you can either rise up to, or let stomp all over you.

And believe me, kids are masters when it comes to stomping.

For the teachers out there it’s the students, the parents and the school administration that do the stomping.

For the entrepreneurs it’s the customers.

No matter what position you find yourself in today, you will find those people out there who are stomping on you in one form or another.

It does take its toll.

Not a week goes by that I don’t hear at least one client talk about problems in their life, in fact, it’s pretty much a daily thing.

If it’s not work, it’s money, their parents, their spouse or their boyfriend.

In the past week alone I’ve heard three stories of woe from female clients who had their hearts broken. (so much so I’m considering writing a book…not kidding)

So if you feel you’re being stomped on, you’re not alone.

The thing is though, no matter how much money you make, how many friends you have, how much free time you create for yourself or any other number of things, you will find yourself being stomped on in one way or the other.

The stomping’s not going to go away, what we need to do is better manage it.

That’s where adaptability comes in.

Let me explain.

The other day I came home to find my son in tears and my wife not too happy.

It seems that my son had come to the table and unequivocally stated that he didn’t like the lamb my wife had so kindly made.

Typical family fiasco.

As I had just gotten home I was in a good mood so rather than a frontal assault, I decided to approach the whole thing from a different angle.

Now, a little background here. My son absolutely LOVES deep fried chicken wings. They’re his absolute favorite.

So…holding the bone in my hand I said, “Buddy…you like chicken with the bone, right? Well, this is meat with the bone…could you just try a bit? I think you’ll like it.”

Wiping his tears, he tried to bite the bone but I pulled it just out of his reach.

“Daddy…” was the response I got.

I forget exactly when, but I maybe let him have it after I had teased him twice.

Mission accomplished.

He happily ate the rest of his dinner, thoroughly enjoying the lamb and especially the bones.

Now, I came up with this on the fly but the point is in business, at school or at home you need to be able to adapt because what worked before might not work this time.

First off we have the world which is continually changing, technology which moves at light-speed and all sorts of different customers with their own personalities.

So we need to keep on our toes.

How do we achieve this? That’s easy.

Adaptability is all about being able to apply different ideas to different fields.

That’s why I’m a big believer in constantly learning but not just from our area of expertise or enjoyment.

Here are just a few of the things I do to keep myself agile, ready to take on any challenge:

When talking to different people, listen to their experiences, the knowledge and the questions they ask.
Try different apps and boardgames as the learning curve will challenge you.
Read novels and self-help books, as well as books on marketing, sales, relationships, time management, economics and history.
Don’t shy away from new projects, volunteer if you feel you’ll be able to grow in the process.
Keep a journal handy and capture ideas from movies, TV shows, events, friends, and life.

I have found that you never know when a skill is going to come in handy so learn as much as you can.

In the past 10 years I’ve self-taught myself photography, magic, marketing, economics and success…all through DVDs, audio lectures and books.

I only wish I started sooner.

The only reason I got started was because I found myself in a difficult business situation that required me to study. How much pain would I have saved myself had I studied the books I have now BEFORE getting into that business?

One thing I’ve learned through my own experience and that of my clients and friends is that we so often find ourselves in trouble because we didn’t study.

Today all I do is study. I’m an avid student of life.

What I’ve found is that some of the principles of marketing can be applied to my parenting, and what I’ve learned about relationships can help my clients with their work.

It’s remarkable just how much stuff is transferable, despite how different fields may be.

Now since I started with parenting, I suppose I should pass along some of the things I do to keep my son happy:

Silly dancing (I’m useless anyway, so it’s not hard for me to make people laugh)
Pretend I’m a commando (and using the song from Predator)
Playing card games (thank goodness for Google, my supply will never run out)
Showing him card tricks (have tons of DVDs to use)
Pretending I’m a shark (at the pool)
Surprising him with small gifts (last week was some nice orange juice being sold at a stall I walked past)
Answering the craziest things (these days my answer to why something happened is always aliens)
etc…

The same concept applies for my businesses and when I’m coaching.

While I keep the fundamental concepts in place, I know that each person is different so there’s no guarantee what works for one person will work for another. I just keep at it.

Start with what has worked best, that has proven to work time and time again…but when those fail you need to think outside of the box.

What else could you try?

What haven’t you tried before?

What ideas could be brought in from other fields?

Today’s world is moving fast so adaptability is a key element not just for growth, but for survival.

In business, in the classroom or with your children, as in the jungle, adapt…or die.

Adrian Shepherd

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iSucceed interviews: Steve Olsher, “America’s Reinvention Expert”

interviews

Jun 012013

Reading time: 2 – 2 minutes

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…

I love social media!

It’s simply the best way to reach our and touch people all over the world.

As my friend JV Expert Sohail Khan told me before the concept of six-degrees of separation is dead, today is all about one-degree of separation.

And he’s absolutely right.

Thanks to Facebook and LinkedIn I have been able to talk to some of the biggest movers and shakers out there and I’m just getting started.

It’s a pleasure to connect with people that share my interests of sharing quality information and today’s guest does just that.

Steve Olsher is a man on a mission. To help people discover their WHAT.

The ONE thing they were born to do and has gone on to teach thousands of people to NICHETIZE!™ (niche a tize) by identifying and then monetizing their gift because he, like me, believes that each one of us has a gift to share with the world because of the uniqueness that makes us, us.

In our interview Steve shares his story along with some powerful tips for anyone wanting to get into business online.

Steve is a straight-shooter and brings a lot of personality and humor to his knowledge.

So you get your pens out and get ready to take some notes.

Enjoy.

Adrian Shepherd

ps. just wanted to give you the heads-up, Steve will be sharing a link in the interview to get his book, “Internet Prophets: The World’s Leading Experts Reveal How to Profit Online,” absolutely FREE!!! So be sure to take advantage of this fabulous opportunity to add another book to your success library.

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success secrets: 6 tips to make network marketing work for you

Success Secrets

May 302013

Reading time: 4 – 6 minutes

“Beware the Ides of March…”

The days of Julius Caesar may be long gone but we must always beware of the danger around us.

Networking marketing or MLM as it’s commonly referred to is one business that often raises alarm bells for many people.

Unfortunately, MLM, like franchising before it, often gets a bad rap.

The truth is I’ve seen both sides of MLM, the successes and the failures, so I’m not here to pass judgment.

For many MLM offers a way out; not big investment upfront and huge potential if you work the system. But you can only work it if you completely believe what you are doing is right with every fiber of your being.

Truth be told my wife even gave an MLM system a shot, so did I. My wife’s cost her a few hours of her time and she was able to get her initial investment back. Me, I wasn’t as lucky. While the business I chose to invest in wasn’t an MLM per say, it definitely turned out to be one and one that actually morphed into a Ponzi scheme, so you must do your due diligence before getting involved in any MLM, just as you should with any investment.

And that leads me to the first of six secrets to multi-level marketing:

1. CHOOSE WISELY

There are lots of companies to choose from if you decide to get into MLM. Every month I hear of a new company that promises the best skin products or health products. Unfortunately not all network marketing business are created equal. Here are six elements you should consider.

Stability. How old is the company?
Does it have excellent products or services that consumers will use and need more of.
The pay plan–how even and fair and generous overall is the distribution?
The integrity of the company and the management. I’ve found that a company is only as good as its people. Find out what you can about the CEO and other executives and see if they are someone you would trust with your money.
Timing. Look at where the company’s at, and where it is heading. You don’t want to jump onto to a sinking ship.
Support, training and business systems. Maybe the most important component of them all.

2. BE WILLING TO LEARN

Like any business you must be willing to learn the ropes. Mentors can show you the way, but it is then up to you to follow what they have taught you. Like the franchise model, any good network marketing company should have a proven business model. All you need to do is learn it, then do it.

3. THE TEAM

As the name implies, network marketing is all about a team. You are only as strong as the people you have around you, especially your leaders and mentors. Support is critical especially when you’re just starting out.

Once you truly understand the ins and outs of the business now it’s time to BUILD your team. In doing so, remember you must be willing to spend at least 30 days helping newbies get acquainted with the system – especially a lot of hand holding until they feel confident enough to go out on their own. If you’re not willing to do that, then network marketing might not be for you. Networking marketing isn’t about selling products, it’s all about developing relationships.

4. GET ONLINE

There’s a reason everyone’s doing it. It works. Today the Internet is the easiest way to stay in touch with customers. which is a critical component of any business but maybe more so when it comes to network marketing. And if you’re wondering what to share with your customers just keep things simple; information about products, success stories, events in the area, cute pictures. Doesn’t have to be earth-shattering but it does have to be consistent.

5. TREAT ANY MLM OR ONLINE BUSINESS LIKE YOU WOULD ANY OTHER BUSINESS

A network marketing business isn’t just about a few people getting together and sharing information about products. It is a business first and foremost. Treat it that way.

6. DON’T QUIT YOUR JOB…YET

Some people might want to jump in head first, but I’d advise dipping your feet in first. Keep your day job while working your network marketing business part-time at night and weekends. Just a few hours here and there and see where it leads you. If you find that you’re able to equal or exceed your full time job then you might want to make the jump and say, “Sayonara” to the 9 to 5 lifestyle and design a work schedule that works for you.

Like all things in life, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is.

Network marketing isn’t some magic system that allows you to make money without effort.

You must work the system.

But above all, to me, the single most important point is you must believe what you are selling with all your heart.

It’ll come across each time you pitch it to others.

Good luck,

Adrian Shepherd

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success principles: I’m pro-learning but anti-school

Expert Perspective

May 282013

Reading time: 6 – 10 minutes

“School sucks!”

Or at least that’s what nearly every student has found themselves saying at one time or another for generations.

And despite being an educator myself, I have to agree with them.

Those of you who have read my posts for a while now or know me personally know I don’t hide my feelings about the problems with today’s education system.

For those that don’t, let me give it to you in a nutshell – it’s outdated.

And like anything outdated, it needs updating.

I suppose you could say I’m pro-learning but anti-school.

Each generation it seems we become more reliant on technology and less reliant on ourselves.

Take the concept of Pi, I heard that when my parents were young they learnt that Pi was 3.1415, for my generation it was just 3.14…today, it’s 3.

Are we getting stupidier?

I look at my 4-year-old son and marvel at how quickly he is able to pick things up. The tools we have at our disposal are nothing short of incredible in today’s world so my answer to the previous question is a resounding “No.”

So what is wrong then?

To answer this question I think it’s well worth your time to listen to what Sir Ken Robinson has to say in his TED talk which is one of the best I’ve seen. (I’ve included it below for your viewing pleasure)

Personally, I think it’s simple.

The world just went and changed. Naughty world.

No one told the teachers, no one told the schools, and no one told the universities.

Now you’ll often hear schools say how progressive they are and how they are preparing students for the world today but sadly I think that’s just their way of convincing students to part with thousands of dollars.

Again, I’m pro-learning…but anti-school.

What I believe in is good education, and there is a lot out there today.

We just need to go in search of it, unfortunately, the fact is, for most people the answer doesn’t lie in schools.

Now back when I was a student I thought a college education was “it.” It being the secret to success.

So off I went and used up nearly all of my father’s retirement money…and let me be clear, I thoroughly enjoyed my college life.

I absolutely believe that college is a great experience.

It’s a time for “exploration” in more ways than one.

Students travel overseas, meet people from all sorts of different backgrounds and have the opportunity, for the first time in their life to actually choose what they want to study.

However, like everything in life, we must weigh the pros and cons.

Pros, I’ve already stated, cons, just one really – it’s damn expensive.

I was shocked to learn that 4 years at the college I graduated from will now cost you in the realm of $200,000 for 4 years (not including expenses).

Wow!!!

Here’s a question we all need to ask ourselves – why do we go to college in the first place?

I think most people would agree that it’s because it allows us to get a better paying job.

Wonderful, and then what? Well, you’ll work hard for ten years or so and then put a down-payment down on your dream house…which will end up costing you somewhere in the realm of $270,000.

So let me get this straight, we spend $200,000, spend four years and end up working maybe 20 years to pay off your house loan.

Something doesn’t add up.

To make things worse, few schools or college mention the difficulty in actually getting a good job straight out of college.

Now there are some exceptions – to become a doctor there’s not much choice, you must attend medical school. To be a chemical engineer you will access to a lab. They cannot be avoided but should my son come and tell me he wants to study literature I’ll advise him to attend the best college in the world, it’s called the library.

Now you might be thinking, “Dang, Adrian’s so negative.”

Far from it, I’m just trying to keep it real.

The world has changed whether you choose to see it or not is your choice.

So if I’m pro-learning what do I recommend people study?

I’m glad you asked:

Seminars & Workshops
Training DVDs
Audio Programs
Books
Specialty schools
Private teachers

The best part is that an investment in these will be much cheaper than a college education, in much less time.

Now as you might expect, just like no two colleges were made alike, no two programs or books are alike either so what’s worth investing your time in is another discussion entirely.

In case you’d like some books to get you started then check out my previous post here and here.

I have touched on this topic time and time again, but I still seem to be failing to get through which is why I’m here, to take another stab at it.

The thing is we have been brought up to believe that a college education is “it.”

I’m here to say that a college education could be “it.”

To me, I think a better way to invest almost quarter of a million dollars would be

Give them $20,000 to travel around the world in any manner they choose
Send them to various workshops on the following topics: real estate, investing, success, health, time management and marketing. Each course should cost you anywhere from $2000 up to $10,000.
Buy them a small place ($100,000) and have them learn how to manage it.
Keep $20,000 for emergencies.
Have them take some private classes, $20,000
The rest spend on audio programs and books.

Now I know not everyone has that kind of dough lying around.

I get it, it’s big money.

But that’s precisely the point – College is a BIG investment today.

And with the economy the way it is today, I’m not sure you’re first choice should be college.

I’m all for education,1 100%. Nothing makes me happier than seeing someone invest in their own future.

But until the school system changes, you’ll have to excuse me and my anti-school stance.

Adrian Shepherd

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success principles: ever had one of those weeks?

Expert Perspective

May 242013

Reading time: 6 – 10 minutes

One thing after another…

That’s what this week has been for me.

Investment issues, business issues, brick walls (aka people), website trouble, computer freezes…it just didn’t stop.

We’ve all had days, weeks, even months like these.

It just feels like the whole world is against you.

At times like these it’s important to take a deep breath and do a little accounting. No, I’m not talking about money here, but an accounting of your life.

The thing is, we don’t react well to negative stimulus.

In the best-selling book, Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman, he talks about the power of “negatives” and that it takes 24 positives to nullify the power of just one negative.

Let’s put this in more concrete terms; let’s say your best 20 friends tell you you look attractive, then one jerk comes along and says you look hideous. Onlookers would realize that it’s 20 to 1 in your favor. Unfortunately, most of us don’t take it that way. We believe the latter.

It’s something hotwired within us — we believe negative over positive.

Ever wonder why Presidential campaigns today are so negative? Because they are so dang effective…sadly.

But I’m not here to talk about marketing or advertising but rather how we must all learn to deal with disappointment.

One interesting fact about business that you may, or may not, be aware of is that most people quit their jobs because they don’t feel appreciated. Can you believe that? It’s not money, it’s not hard work, it’s not overtime, it’s not even stress that really pushes people over the edge most of the time.

Let me tell you, it’s true.

Many years ago when I first came to Japan to work, I joined a small English school in the area that specialized in kids.

Now, you might not know this about me but I’m good with kids…why? Because I’m really just a big kid.

I love comics, movies, TV, yo-yos, magic, and sports. I suppose that’s part of the reason kids love me, because I can get inside their head and I can relate to them.

For whatever reason, so many adults forget what it feels like to be a kid.

It’s not easy.

Sure, they don’t have any responsibilities, their needs and wants are taken care of by their parents and they can sleep in till 12 on Sunday if they like but they do have their own things to deal with:

Biased teachers
Bullying
Lack of understanding
Opinion not appreciated
etc

That’s just part of life as a kid. I was bullied. I had stupid teachers that punished me unfairly. I was ignored. But adults forget all that stuff because they have much bigger issues to deal with, and you can’t really compare the two.

The problem is for kids they know nothing else. They have yet to experience the true nature of life and the hardships it brings (hopefully anyway).

We, as adults, need to understand that and think back to our childhood and start from there.

Anyway, so that’s where I’m coming from, now back to the small English school.

I had the most students out of any teacher within two years including my boss, and yet I was working less than nearly everyone. How did I accomplish this feat? Easy, I worked at it.

I put in the time, I put in the effort to become good.

I could read clock cards upside down without breaking stride, I could play games with my eyes closed, I came up with all sorts of variations on games to make them more appealing to kids. In a nutshell, I was good.

And yet, each time I raised my hand with a new idea it got slammed down…hard.

I heard things such as “He’s too young,” “he doesn’t get it,” and “get with the program” over and over. And yet when someone else came up with an inferior idea (I say so because there were a lot of problems caused from implementing them) they were accepted way too quickly despite my objections.

I even went as far as to explain what was wrong but to no avail.

I kept running into wall after wall. The worst part was they would use “intuition” as a comeback to my logic (one of the reasons hate me is I’m good at presenting things logically).

In the end, when they tried to take my holidays I had had enough.

I couldn’t take it.

I was insulted, ignored, lied to and worst of all, not appreciated.

Fast forward to this week and again, I find myself in a similar situation.

Great ideas falling on deaf ears. But there’s one big difference this time round — I’ve changed.

Sure I vented…but after I got it out of my system, as I said earlier, I took a deep breath and thought to one quote from the Bible, “This too shall pass.”

I then took a good look at my life and all that I have in it, and realized that this is just a blip on the screen called life as I have:

My dear son
My lovely wife
My health
My friends
My mother
My mentors
My work (online and off)
My knowledge (each day I am constantly learning and sharing to be better)
My investments
The Internet
TV
The freedom to choose how to live my life

In my youth I focused on the bad, much like we all do. Today I focus on the good.

I get it, it’s not always easy when you’re dealing with a bunch of problems that you didn’t cause but everyone blames you for…it’s not even fair.

But so what? Life isn’t meant to be easy. In fact, it’s my belief that if it’s so easy for you then you’re doing it wrong.

Life is about overcoming challenges. That’s where the growth is.

And that’s what I tell myself each time I have a week such as this one.

Seven years from now, it’s doubtful I’ll even remember what happened this week in May 2013.

As Brian Tracy says, “You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you.”

I am proud to say, I am in control.

Adrian Shepherd

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success mistakes: social media mistakes could cost you dearly, just ask Amy’s Baking Company

success mistakes

May 202013

Reading time: 5 – 8 minutes

Gordon Ramsay finally met his match…

His show, Kitchen Nightmares, places him in fledgling restaurants across the US in hopes that he can turn their businesses around.

Not really my cup of tea, but when I happened to read an article about one restaurant on Yahoo! News I found myself intrigued.

As I live in Japan, I crossed my fingers that I could find the show on YouTube – Bingo!

I unrolled my yoga mat, started stretching and turned on the show.

It wasn’t long before I had abandoned my stretches, it was that enthralling.

Now, you might be asking yourself — “What the heck does an episode of Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares have to do with social media?”

Everything.

We all know that social media has taken the world by storm, especially since the release of the “The Social Network.”

Today stories like Amy’s Baking Company can go viral almost instantly thanks to sites such as Twitter, FB and LinkedIn.

If you’re not aware of just what happened, in a nutshell — The owners of Amy’s Baking Company went as some people refer to it today as “full retard.” In other words, they had an epic meltdown.

Unfortunately, they did so on Facebook, BIG MISTAKE.

Boom – VIRAL.

Not even Gordon Ramsey was able to turn around the situation, choosing instead to walk out the door for the first time in six seasons.

After watching the show, I was amazed that the show was still in business and I believe it’s just a matter of time before they will have to close their doors…and hide. You see, their reactions online and Gordon Ramsay’s show have brought with them, overnight infamy.

In essence they did everything wrong. However, we can learn a lot from failures so take a look at some of their biggest mistakes they made online.

1. Unable to handle complaints

Complaints happen in every business. In fact, if you’re not getting complaints then something’s wrong. You can’t please everyone is something we need to get used to. What we can do is learn how to better serve our clientèle. Complaints present us with a golden opportunity to turn an unhappy customer into a loyal fan. We must learn to appreciate complaints because they are some of the best feedback there is (if it is not vicious and simply made up). After all, there are lots of people who will simply choose to walk out the door and not say a word, but they show their disapproval by taking their cash elsewhere.

2. Being aggressive (and that’s putting it mildly)

This is a big mistake online. Remember, the written word is not the spoken word. You must choose your words much more carefully for two reasons.

It’s more common for us to misunderstand what is written.
Once it’s out there online, it’s hard to put the genie back in the bottle.

Remember, as the saying goes, “You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.” How do most people react when shouted at? They shout back. That’s no way to run restaurant (as you will see in the videos below) or act online.

3. Don’t try to beat them at their own game

Amazingly, many of the people that spam Facebook pages or comment on forums are trolls. It’s what they live for. They love animosity. They seek it out because they enjoy seeing people getting riled up or trying to fight back. And not only are they good at what they do. Never start a fight you won’t win.

4. CAPS

Capitol letters are the equivalent to shouting and can downright rude. Take a somewhat harmless sentence such as “that’s not true” and it becomes “THAT’S NOT TRUE.” The latter screams desperation, anger and frustration. Not something any business owner would want to convey.

5. Don’t react right away

Being in control of our emotions is a sign of maturity. Unfortunately some people never learn to keep their emotions in check and respond immediately without having taken the time to truly consider what was being said, and how they should respond. Personally I’ve learned to take a day to respond to negative emails or serious topics because 1) I want to look professional and more importantly, 2) I don’t want to say anything I’ll regret. It might also be a good idea to have a friend look over your responses before posting them, they will let you know if you’re doing the right thing. And never underestimate the power of silence. There are times when saying nothing is the right course of action.

6. Never lie.

After the show aired it came to light that the cakes sold at Amy’s bakery which Ramsay liked so much (and which had garnered some positive reviews) turned out not to have been made by them. When Ramsay asked Amy was if she made the desserts, she flat out lied. Unfortunately, in today’s world it’s hard to keep lies hidden forever and once uncovered, people start wondering what else you’re lying about.

This truly is a must-watch video for anyone who wants to know what NOT to do.

Adrian Shepherd

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time management: Facebook is one of the best kept secrets of time management

Expert Perspective

May 152013

Reading time: 4 – 7 minutes

“Time management is the best kept secret of the rich.”

That’s what my mentor, Jim Rohn, used to say.

A lot of people make the mistake of saying, “If I had more time…” when the fact of the matter is there is no more time.

24 hours. 1440 minutes. That’s it. No more, no less.

What separates the people that do from the people that don’t is how they invest their time.

Most people never give time a second thought. I know I didn’t.

I can’t count the amount of hours I used to spend just doing nothing…sigh, the mistakes we make when we are young.

Thankfully I was set straight before it was too late and now I do everything I can in my power to share ideas that make a difference in people’s lives.

Language study secrets, management tips, marketing ideas, investing, time management and even shopping advice for people’s next camera or computer.

I know that there are three things we must invest wisely:

Money (naturally)
Time
Effort

Unfortunately a great deal of people fail to ever learn how to invest these wisely and pay the price later on.

I could spend hours talking about investing but that’s reserved for my other site devoted to my other passion, finance. (*I’ll be updating the videos here within the next few weeks, so if you haven’t had a chance to check the present videos out please do so)

But today I’m here to talk about time management; a critical component of success which is why an entire chapter was devoted to it in my book, iSucceed.

Now a lot of people will disagree with me when I say that Facebook will save you time. Most people would say that it eats up your time.

The truth is Facebook can do either.

It’s really up to you.

For most people, I agree with the latter statement. With games, friends posts and all sorts of options it’s easy to spend hours there without getting anything done.

However, that’s not how I use it.

I use it as a tool to reduce my workload by leveraging its incredible power.

Here’s a few ways I use FB to save me time.

Sharing pics with your friends
Information gathering tool
Saves me reading the news.
Networking (on speed)

Let me explain. First off, sharing pictures on Facebook saves me attaching them individually in emails to my friends. I post them, they check them. Having my friends in my newsfeed allows me to share in my friends’ achievements, see their adventures and offer advice in their times of need.

It really is true, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Now for those of you concerned about privacy and not wanting to share pictures with the public, that’s easy. You can create groups with who to share what.

I do recommend creating a group just for family and friends for those special moments.

Tracking down information is a cinch – just join fanpages sharing information that you’re interested. Follow people you know have the information you’re looking for. Let them do the work for you and share the best of what they find.

There’s also no need to read Yahoo News! I remember hearing about the bombing in Norway via FB because a friend was just a few hundred feet away from the blast.

Remember, if it’s newsworthy it’ll pop up sooner or later on yr newsfeed. Someone will say something about the big events going on in the world. Count on it.

Let your friends become your news filter.

Then there’s networking. This is what social media is all about.

Now it’s easier than ever to reach out and touch people (no literally). The concept of 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon (a game people used to play for fun linking famous actors and actresses through Kevin Bacon) has been replaced today with 2 Degrees of FB.

It’s simply amazing how easy it is to get in touch with stars in every profession. Email is so yesterday, today it’s all about FB.

I must admit that when I heard Mark Zuckerberg declare email was “dead,” I laughed.

The notion was so absurd to me at the time because email was such a big part of my life and the lifeblood of any business. Today I see things quite differently.

I must admit that I do most of my communication through FB.

My emails have dropped by more than half.

FB messaging is short and sweet.

In the end, Facebook is merely a tool. It can be your best kept secret or your most addictive habit. That, I leave up to you.

Adrian Shepherd

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success principles: the irony of it all

Expert Perspective

May 132013

Reading time: 5 – 8 minutes

Look around you…

Take a good look. Have you ever stopped to really think about just how weird and wonderful life really is?

Not a day goes by that I don’t find myself fascinated or frustrated in one way or another.

But that’s the best part of you.

We just never know what will happen next.

Just twenty short years ago had anyone told me we’d all be walking around with tiny portable computers with access to information from all over the world for next to nothing, I’d have thought you had a screw lose.

Smartphones have changed everything; from how we communicate with one another (remember when we used to call one another?!) to how we gather information and even shop.

Each year ushers in thousands of new products with incredible new technology and being somewhat of a geek myself I find myself in awe at just what is possible today.

I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know.

What is interesting and something most of us don’t take the time to really consider is just how technology is changing us. Obviously our world is speeding ahead into the great unknown but what about us?

The other day I sat down to ponder the world in which we live in and noticed something quite ironic.

In spite of all the incredible changes that have taken place, it seems that Newton’s Third Law of Motion seems to be in play in the sense that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Take a look:

The more technology, the stupidier we seem to become (Test scores are dropping, and students less ready for the business world.)
The more medicine, the sicker we are (Sharing is now banned at many schools because of allergy concerns. Yet as children it was one of the joys of life and I never heard of anyone getting sick.)
The more we try to protect kids, the weaker they become (Unable to handle the natural pain of life, don’t understand pain and failure.)
The more “dangerous” activities we take away from kids, the more dangerous things they end up doing (Don’t you remember doing dangerous stuff simply because there wasn’t anything to do?)
The smarter we become, the more danger we put ourselves in (In 1999 Internet stocks were hot and we supposedly had ushered in a new type of investment – one that doesn’t fail…shows how little we knew. Then just 8 years later we believed the notion that houses never went down in price which resulted in a $691 billion dollar company vanishing)
The wealthier we become, the more problems we have (People like to think that money solves all your problems. Believe me, it doesn’t. Your problems simply change. Personally I’d prefer the problems that come with being rich, but don’t make the mistake of thinking life is always easy if you have money.)
The more choices we have, the harder it is to choose (One mistake many companies make is offering too many services, as a result customers are unsure of what to buy. Keep things simple when selling any product.)
The more power we have, the greater the temptation to abuse it (I think of the many leaders the world over that have risen to power claiming they would help the people and in the end simply help themselves.)
The more we learn, the more we realize how little we know (Amazing how when we are young we think we have all the answers.)
The more we exercise, the less sleep we need (A good one to remember.)
The more freedom we have, the less equality there is (Which is why utopias of equality are doomed.)
The more we become, the less we need to say (“Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication.” ~Leonardo Da Vinci~)
The easier it is, the less we learn (Which is why we must always push ourselves to go where the competition is great.)
The more time we have, the slower things get done (When we have more time, the less pressure there is for us to achieve.)
The cheapest advice often times ends up being the most expensive (How many times have you followed free advice that cost you dearly? I’ve learned that it pays to pay well for advice and mentors.)
The more things change, the more they stay the same (A quick study of history will reveal just how little we have changed in spite of all the technological advances that have been made.)

The point is that there are two sides to every tale.

While things seem pretty clear cut growing up (ie. study hard get good grades), in business as in life, things aren’t always that simple and we must be aware of both sides. The good and the bad.

Who would have ever thought that the Internet and all the opportunity it brings would also bring so much competition at the same time.

Looking forward it is easy to see that the world will both advance rapidly but experience some setbacks along the way.

The opportunities excite me but the setbacks worry me. As we have seen time and time again, booms and busts are just part of the cycle and since 2008 we’ve had an incredible run up in nearly every sector, will it continue? That I can’t be sure of but what I can say with certainty is that somewhere in the future we will hit a rough patch which is precisely we need to educate ourselves — and see that which is unseen by most.

I have no doubt that during my lifetime great change will occur, faster than many of us might realize.

It’s up to us to be ready to take advantage of those opportunities and to protect ourselves from the dangers that are coming.

Adrian Shepherd

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success tools: choosing the right weapon to go into battle

Success Tools

May 102013

Reading time: 6 – 9 minutes

Life is war…

I’m speaking metaphorically naturally but it is true that we must fight for what we want in life.

The woman of our dreams, the job we seek, the credentials we desire, success, money, fame…none of these just fall out of the sky. We must fight for them.

The other day I came across this post by Jeffrey Gitomer, the preeminent sales guy, entitled “A Dozen Books to Own and Read – at Least Once.”

After reading his list I was inspired to come up with my own dozen.

I have talked about some of my favorite novels and self-help books on here from time to time but I thought it worth writing a new list that I would say are “must-reads” for anyone going into battle in business in the 21st century.

How to Win Friends and Influence People
The 4 Hour Work Week
The Magic of Thinking Big
Lessons of History
Animal Farm
Atlas Shrugged
Living an Inspired Life
He Who Thinks He Can
Prophecy
Conversations with Millionaires
Scientific Advertising
The Compound Effect

Many of the books on the list fall into the self-development category because we can all use a good kick in the pants every now and then, but let me explain why I choose each book on this list.

For anyone looking for simple, applicable concepts that can be implemented almost immediately (that work just as well at the office and at home) you can’t go wrong with How to Win Friends and Influence People. It’s a great place to start.

The 4 Hour Work Week is a new addition to my best books’ list. To me it’s a critical book for anyone working in today’s environment. Whether we want to accept it or not, the rules of business have changed and this book will help you get the most out of those changes.

David Schwartz’s classic, The Magic of Thinking Big, is all about the importance of going for it. It’s hard to walk away from this book and not feel inspired to go out and chase your dreams.

Lessons of History is what I consider the best history book ever written. It’s short and so well thought out. I have never read three-page chapters so filled with knowledge. And the best thing about it is it links everything together. This book is one of the three books that actually laid the foundation for my financial seminar though I didn’t realize it at the time.

It’s an absolute mystery to me why no history teacher ever introduced this to me.

Animal Farm is one of the two novels to make the cut. It was the first book I ever read that I thought got it right. Its premise is simple, clever and helps explain a lot about the world. It’s one of those books that you won’t be able to put it down after the second chapter.

Atlas Shrugged is, in my humble opinion, the finest novel ever written (and Ayn Rand’s masterpiece) but it also one of the longest. This is a book for the serious student, and an absolutely incredible read. 10/10.

Living an Inspired Life was written by my mentor, Jim Rohn, and the man who got me started on this journey of self-improvement. It’s a great read and a book you’ll want to come back to time and time again. A timeless classic.

And speaking of classics, no success library would be complete without He Who Thinks He Can by Orison Swett Marden. Written way back in 1908 you’ll no doubt find some parts slightly funny but it’s amazing to see just how little we have changed, in spite of the fact that our society as a whole has undergone such incredible change over the past 100 years. It will also give you great respect for great minds of the past.

While Robert Kiyosaki is known best for Rich Dad, Poor Dad (another great book for many people looking to get started) but I went with Prophecy for this list. Kiyosaki met with a lot of backlash for this book and reading it today I have no doubt many people would say he was way off with his predictions. But from what I have studied, I can say it’s still early days and much of what he talks about could yet come to pass. Considering the economic situation we find ourselves in today, I feel this is a book not to be missed.

Conversations with Millionaires is a great little book that is just that. Interviews done with nine incredible individuals put together in one book. Very easy read and many powerful ideas to be had from this little gem.

When one wants to study marketing one book that is mentioned time and time again is Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins. It, along with a few others, is the book that many marketers consider the holy grail (much like Think and Grow Rich is the book most people attribute to their success to). Though it may be a book on advertising, it has incredible insight into the human mind and how it ticks.

I started the list with a simple, yet powerful book. So I felt it only fitting to end it with one as well. The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy is nothing earth-shattering, but actually just a single idea. However, applied properly and continually will lead to incredible results no matter if you are a marketer, an athlete, a CEO, a doctor, a teacher, a lawyer or an entrepreneur.

What books didn’t make the cut this time?

Think and Grow Rich – simply because it’s not the easiest book to read and the ideas contained within it will take more thought than the books above.
Awaken the Giant Within — most people will be too intimidated to start this incredible book.
The Success Principles – ditto.
iSucceed – didn’t want to toot my own horn.

So there you have it. Some great books that are worth their weight in gold…if applied.

Remember, it’s not good enough just to get the books. Or even read them.

It’s the application of the ideas contained within them that will change your life, and maybe even the world.

Get reading.

Adrian Shepherd

ps. I wholeheartedly agree with Gitomer that there are some essential non-book materials that should be on everyone’s list. In no particular order, here are just a few to look into: The Art of Exceptional Living, (CDs) by Jim Rohn, The Black Swan of Cairo by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Zig Ziglar’s How to Stay Motivated (CDs), Brendon Burchard’s Expert Academy (if you can get your hands on it), and Piranha Marketing by Joe Polish (CDs).

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