Special Announcement

From Food Stamps to Entrepreneurial Success

If you really are serious about wanting to look in the mirror and see the boss, then there's someone I really want you to meet...

Valerie with Jeff Walker

One of the very best ways to be an entrepreneur yourself is to learn from people who have done it themselves. That's why I really want you to meet marketing guru (and I'm happy to say new friend) Jeff Walker. Jeff not only introduced me to marketing techniques that have - and I am not exaggerating here - literally doubled my income, he also happens to be one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet.

One of his most inspiring success stories is about a guy named John who put his family in debt (we’re talking food stamps here) in his quest to make and market a board game. John was a success at making the game. It was the selling part that bombed. That is, until he met Jeff…

I could go on and on about how Jeff's product launch system not only inspired me to finally stop "thinking" about launching my Outside the Job Box Career Consultant Training Program and actually DO IT - but was THE key to me making a little over $80,000 in about a week.

There is obviously more to this story. But since you can go hear my whole "Lakeside Product Launch" story at ChangingCourse.com/productlaunchformula.htm, I want to stick to what all this has to do with you...

Jeff's marketing training program has helped hundreds of regular people just like you launch their own small businesses in such diverse niches as health food, knitting, horse training, even a business coaching in Poland. And, like you, the overwhelming majority had no previous marketing experience… and I do mean NONE.

Each one did four and five figure product launches using the same marketing strategies. You can use the same formula to market a service, a workshop, a conference, a book, a CD, or just about any other kind of product -your own or someone else's.

I know because I've met and talked with at least 50 of these now successful entrepreneurs in person. The overwhelming majority had no previous marketing experience... and I do mean NO EXPERIENCE.

Today, Jeff is opening the doors for the latest version of his Product Launch Formula. When he released this program last March, they had to shut it down in only 36 hours. They’re anticipating this one will be shut down in less than 24 hours.

I don't want you to miss out and have to wait another seven to 12 months. Jeff sent an email this morning that he's limiting this release to 500 individuals. If you are really serious about jumpstarting your business and becoming successful faster, then I highly recommend you get a head start by signing up to watch some case studies of real people (like me!) who have used Jeff's program.

If you either have a business with a Web site, or you have an idea for one, but you HATE MARKETING, then I highly recommend Jeff’s program. He’s giving away some great free content including his new Product Launch Blueprint video. Sign up to watch it now at ChangingCourse.com/recommends/plf

P.S. Someone asked a good question on the Changing Course Blog about launching a business in a down economy. If you have the same concern, you can read my reply there.

On this same economic note, members of the Fast Track/Changing Course Club Community can log in to listen to my November Opportunity Hour Teleclass. One of the things I talk about is how smart entrepreneurs can turn these tough economic times into even more ways to serve customers and grow your business in the process.

Determination gives you the resolve to keep going in spite of the roadblocks that lay before you. ~ Denis Waitley

Guest Article

Unleashing Your Entrepreneurial Spirit

By Brian Kurth

The realization you’re in the wrong career does not hit like a lightening bolt. Rather, it festers within you for a long time, slowly worming its way into your consciousness, until one day you realize you’ve known it all along. For years, I sat in a ninety-minute-each-way commute in Chicago rush hour traffic to/from my telecom job in product management. I dreaded every Monday. It never occurred to me I could start over. It never occurred to me I might be an entrepreneur at heart, and I could create my own destiny. However, after the dot-com bubble burst left me on my own, the thought of another position in my field was finally too much to bear. I left my career and my horrible commute behind, and embarked on a new journey filled with questions, uncertainty… and elation.

It’s romantic to think the heavens will offer up a sign letting you know when the time is right to unleash your entrepreneurial spirit and start your dream business. Unfortunately, reality often doesn’t work that way. Launching a business is risky, and those risks can easily overwhelm your senses and weaken your confidence. The fear of failure pervades your psyche, and when the safety and security of your family is on the line, happiness seems like a selfish luxury you can’t afford to indulge.

Many people live their entire lives this way. For others, their work frustration grows a little every day until they realize their need for happiness is suddenly greater than the fear that comes with making that change. Once fear can be overcome – or at least overwhelmed – that’s when great things can happen.

However, merely conquering your fears is not nearly enough to ensure success in starting your own business. You might have all the desire and motivation in the world, but there are still many steps that need to be taken, and many questions that need to be answered. So once the desire outweighs the fear… then what?

1. Start Researching

Starting a new business demands acquiring a vast amount of information that literally no one can figure out entirely on his or her own. Luckily, our modern world is packed with resources and assistance for dedicated and passionate entrepreneurs. If you’re willing to take the time, you’ll find the facts you need.

The Internet – As recently as ten years ago, compiling information on a given topic would mean an exhaustive process of scouring books in a library and talking to strangers on the phone. Luckily for entrepreneurs, the Internet has blown it all wide open. It is the entrepreneur’s best friend.

The business you are considering might be new to you, but it’s important to realize that it’s not for others. Get on the Internet and find everything you possibly can on your newly chosen field. Read it all, take notes, and write down questions that arise. Any piece of information you can get is one tiny step closer to being ready for your big change. But don’t get stuck in online analysis paralysis. At some point, it’s time to take the next step toward becoming an entrepreneur.

A Mentor – There are people who work in your dream business who are willing to help you on your journey. You may need to find them in another city and may even have to sign off on a non-compete clause to get their advice, but they’re there for you. Find several people who work in your newly chosen field, and initiate discussions with them. Tell them you admire what they do, and ask if you could learn from them as you look to make a career change. When someone agrees to be a mentor, schedule a visit to their workplace where you can observe the process in action, take copious notes on all you see and hear, and ask a ton of questions. When starting a new business, there are absolutely no better lessons than those taught from someone within the field. They’ll tell you everything you want to know, plus much more you need to know.

2. Raise Money

One of the reasons why people so often fail to leave unpleasant work situations is the money; they simply earn too much in the job they hate, and fear a dream business of their own wouldn’t provide the same level of security. This is a legitimate fear, but there are things that can be done to mitigate the risk until the income matches the level of happiness and desired lifestyle.

Save Up – Change doesn’t have to happen all at once. Merely planning for the switch can improve the situation in the short term. Put money aside out of every paycheck so you’ll have a nest egg for when you finally decide to take the plunge.

Find Outside Funding – No matter how much money you’re able to save, it might not be enough to get a business off the ground. Luckily, there are other avenues for raising the needed capital. Look into finding government grants, private investors, or even bank loans to help you get started.

Set Some Limits – No matter how strongly you believe in your new business and your ability to make it work, you don’t want to throw all your eggs into that basket. Be careful about putting up your personal assets as collateral. Keep some of your assets – be it your home, your pension, your 401K, etc. – off the table. Don’t invest your entire net worth into your business. In the event that something goes wrong, it will be a HUGE comfort to know some of your assets are protected.

3. Get to Work

Once the research is done and the money is raised, it’s time to get to work. New businesses take an extraordinary amount of time and effort if they’re going to make it. Don’t be afraid of the hours, and don’t shy away from the commitment. Remember: eighty hours in a job you love is still FAR more rewarding than forty in one you hate.

There will, of course, be obstacles along the way, but with enough passion, dedication and foresight, anything can be overcome. Keep reminding yourself you deserve to be happy, and your dream business is ultimately worth the time and effort it takes to get there. And once you do, you’ll never dread a Monday again… and as I like to say, everyday is a Friday!

About the Author

Brian Kurth, a former “Dilbert,” worked for the phone company in Chicago. After realizing there was more to life than telecom calling plans, he founded VocationVacations (ChangingCourse.com/recommends/vocationvacations). He is the author of “Test-Drive Your Dream Job – A Step-By-Step Guide to Finding and Creating the Work You Love” (Hachette, 2008) and is a sought-after speaker on how to pursue and attain one’s dream job and lifestyle. He has shared his wit and wisdom in appearances on NBC’s TODAY Show, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC and FOX News, and has been featured in articles in O, The Oprah Magazine, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine and many more. Kurth co-executive produced “This Job’s A Trip” for the Travel Channel in 2006. A native of Madison, Wisconsin, Kurth lives in Portland, Oregon.