Being content with your life and what you have

Being content has brought me alot of peace. I don't look to buy more things to decorate the bedroom or house. All the shopping catalogs go straight in the trash. I know the minute I open them they create a desire or want. Maybe that is how life is. We look around and we see other people having more stuff and believe it creates happiness. But I know in my heart, it does not by what I have already. I question myself that from now on my heart is now focused on family and my business. All the money I make is going into my business.

This is not just a temporary situation but a lifestyle choice in making better decisions for my money and making the dollar stretch around the block. I am going through my closet and trying to reinvent items for a different purpose. I wanted a rolling bookcase to house all my business books and resource materials so I used my shoe rack for that.

My armoire which was not being properly used is now my new bookcase for all my reading materials. I took the doors off to remind me to go back to my research materials for writing materials.

I put a notebook next my bed to capture ideas when I am reading Inc. magazine or other magazines.

I read somewhere to "organize the small to prepare to the big". I am welcoming good energy and things into my life.

Chasing image

Today I realized after being hit on the head numerous times by God that I was chasing an image, clothes, etc. I wanted more and more stuff which leads to trouble. Especially when you don't have any positive cash flow. I finally realized I need to be content with what I currently have and not want or ask more. I felt I had a different prospective. I realized I have everything that I wanted.

Today, I had a moment when I thinking about returning to my old corporate job. But then I realized my life is beautiful now. It does not matter if I don't have very much cash flow. But I could never live in this time and moment again.

I have a marketing class that starts in June so I look forward to it.

Website at a stall

So I built my website from a wordpress platform. I can't load videos on it. It states its too big. I am not sure what to do now. Wait..I remember I can cut and paste the Utube link into it. Great idea. I sat in class for Social Media and building your Website; however, I am still technically computer challenged. It is sort of discouraging since I need to polish and load up videos. It needs to be a finish product before I market it. Oh joys of start up business... but I would not trade it for the world.

Tips on Blogging

I was reading an article today on blogging and here are the tips from Entrepreneur.com and startupnation.com.

-Be consistent. Readers want lots of posts and fresh information.
-Be unique. Look for a unique topic and try to write about things in a different way from everyone else. Master your niche.
-Be personal. Readers want to know who is behind the site. Share personal stories and a little (but not too much about yourself.
-Show your passion. If you are passionate about the topic, readers will notice.
-Be instructional. Readers will keep coming back if they feel they are learning and beocming more knowledgeable about your topic.
-Network. Make it easy for people to find you and remind them that you're there. Start an RSS feed that people can subscribe to, start a Twitter account and send a tweek when you have a new post, and start a facebook page that you update regularly.
-Extrapolate carefully. Make sure there's a market for your product.
-Understand the top line. Be honest about what kind of profits there are to be made, and strategize about how to expand the ways in which you can make money.
-Be sure you're still having fun. If you're planning If you're planning to merge business with pleasure, be sure you've planned time to still enjoy your hobby.

Agh Sick

So I was out sick for 6 weeks in month of Jan and Feb. It seemed forever to bounce back and get my feet back on the ground. I was taking care of toddler which seemed to pick up every imaginable bug. I adore him but it was hard not to get sick.

So back on business track once again.

Dogfish Bewery-Lesson Learned

I just finish reading about Sam Calgione with Dogfish Brewery out of Inc. Magazine.

What I extracted out of this article is:


Owner: Sam Calgione
Business: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Vision: Exposing his customer's palate to something other that pale lagers made by Big industrial breweries.
Niche: Eccentric/different beer such as Aprihop (apricot tasting beer).
Date of startup: 1995
2008 Revenue: $28 million

1) How humble he is: He never sits at the head of the table at meetings due to respect/knowledgement that others are putting alot of hard work/time into making the business great. On the same note, his cubicle is same size as others. How humbling that is when the CEO is on same plane and cubicle as his employees. This demonstrates how accessible and down-to-earth he really is. Quite a leader to view his company as one body and or sum of parts that equal to a great team dynamic.
2) Practice what you preach: He leaves his computer inbox open so he demonstrates accessibility and openness.
3) Work motto: Make work fun and enjoyable. Also, he is not trying to run a company where people aren't working for me. . He states 'The people who do the best at our company are working for themselves'.
4) Use social media: Twitter, Facebook, and such to post his latest event/happenings as to stay in touch with his fans/clients, distributors,and patrons.
5) Invite people who can promote for you: At a promotional dinner which paired beer with each course of the meals, hard core beer 'geeks' whom were invited had posted their feedback on Ratebeer.com and Beeradvocate.com before the dessert came.
6) Make your wife/significant other a member of your team (if qualified/other factors): When you partner with your life partner in a stake in your business, the outcome should be positive (as long as your partner has the the same vision/goals as the CEO/founder). They have a better understanding of you and work you put in the business. His wife is the Vice President and head of marketing, she ensures that the pictures/events are updated on various social media.
7) Keep a notebook by your bedside: He jotts down inspirational ideals and reads magazines through prism of his company. This keeps new ideals flowing and giving birth to new and innovative ideals.

I really respect his humility, humbleness, and maintaining his sense of sanity with work/life balance. My hats off to you if you are reading this.

Toyoko Joe's

I like to read a millionaire's story about every day or every other day. One in particular that I enjoyed reading was Larry Leith, owner/founder of Toyko's Joe, in Denver, Co.

Stats:
Owner: Larry Leith
Resturant: Toyoko's Joe
Vision: Casual, affordable, and healthy Japanese food.
Niche: A twist to the Japanese cusine. The promise of an American take on Japanese food for the average Joe.
Inspiration: Cookbook named 'Toyoko Joe's'
Owner's back ground: No former training/knowledge; he took a non-paying, 3 month apprenticesip at a local Japanese restaurant.
2008 Revenue: $22 million
Date of start up: 1996

I extracted the following from reading this article in Inc. July/Aug 2009issue:

1) Invest the hours. Larry was at work at 5:00am and staying until 11:00pm. He was investing the time needed to get a business up and started.
2) Personal touch-owner personally greeted each customer by name or knew what they ordered.
3) Franchised if you are profitable and can take the risk.
4) Owner's email is printed on all cups. He responds personally to every comment, compliment, or complaint within 48 hours.
5) Owner pays his managers a high salary with benefits. He invites every one of them to spend a summer with his family in Maui. Sweet.
6) He was quoted as saying "Be extremely good to your employees, and they'll be a lot better to your customers".

And if Larry is reading this..Thumbs up to thinking big and taking the risks/guts to franchise in your first year out! Next time I'm in Denver, I will have to bowl of steak noodle bowl.