↓
 

Starting & Running a Business – Epi-3461

The Survival Podcast Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:46:08 — 30.4MB)

I am often asked for specific business advice and consulting.  Things like “can we hire you to assess our business” which I don’t do because I simply don’t have the time to do that type of consulting.  I am far more often though asked about business ideas.  Like what do you think of this product or this service as a business.  I almost always say, “sorry but I don’t do this type of thing”.

The reason is simple, what I think about your idea is meaningless to your success with it.

The truth is I really believe that the most important part of building a business is just getting busy getting shit done.  Planning, talking, thinking, brain storming all have their place but up front, hustle is the key.

I have been wary of giving specific business advice to folks because…

  • Many who want to hear about starting a business are more interested in intellectual masturbation than actually doing it, I have no interest in that!
  • I cringe at the thought of someone not pursuing an idea just because I don’t personally think it is a good idea.  There are plenty of successful businesses out there that I would have said were not a good idea before they existed.
  • I cringe even more at someone going after an idea just because I think it is a good idea.  Ideas are not businesses, at all, in anyway, shape or form.  The execution is the key, not the idea itself.
  • Most of you refuse to accept these two things, a tax attorney and a CPA.  Every time I bring up business it leads to tax and legal questions, to be blunt, I DON’T Fing KNOW WHAT YOUR INDIVIDUAL ISSUES ARE.  I can’t and won’t give this advice.  Stop asking!!!

The truth is what I think of your business doesn’t matter, what you do with it is what matters.  I try to stick to principles, concepts and methods over ideas because that makes them universal.

Join Me Today to Discuss...

  • There are rules to business, some of them are
    • Your market is more important than your desires
    • Passion is great, but passion in absence of substance equals stupidity
    • It is always more work than you thought it would be
    • No one will ever do it as good as you, EVER, EVER, EVER, got it?
    • Focusing on your competition is most often really stupid
    • No business can survive with out sales AND marketing
  • My thoughts on modern businesses
    • Part time first for MOST
    • If you go full time up front, don’t get comfortable
    • You will have one boss, and  he/she needs to be an asshole!
    • Nothing beats just telling people in the beginning
  • Thoughts on successful websites
    • Sites need to initiate a process
    • Sites need to make it clear how to do business with you
    • Sites should be “active”, brochures are dead!  Fing dead!  Do you get that?
    • A business is its customer base, an email list is a customer base
    • Your site is not designed to please people who won’t buy from you
  • In the end it comes down to abilities
    • MarketABILITY – the ability to tell your story
    • ReferABILITY – the ability for others to tell your story
    • ProfitABILITY – the ability to yield a surplus
    • RepeatABILITY – the ability to sell to a customer many times
    • AdaptABILITY – the ability to evolve and be sustained
    • ScaleABILITY – the ability to grow sufficiently
  • Simple basics
    • Have a core product/service
    • Get moving fast, long product development isn’t business
    • Listen to your customers (trends not individuals)
    • Excel never lies, you will lie to yourself, don’t
    • No marketing will every beat pure hustle in the beginning
    • Everything I say could be both right and wrong at the same time
  • Just do it, seek not my approval, seek the approval of paying customers
    `

Resources for today’s show…

Sponsors of the Day

Video Version of Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon.

Join the MSB Today

Join the MSB Today

Want all the Early TSP Episodes?

Remember in addition to discounts to over 80 vendors who supply stuff you are likely buying anyway, tons of free ebooks and video content, MSB Members also get every edition of The Survival Podcast ever produced in convenient zip files in blocks of 24. More info on the MSB can be found here.

 

Comments are closed.

↑