Entrepreneurship

Top 5 Alternatives to the 9-5

On November 27, 2009, In Careers/Business, Entrepreneurship, by Jeff

Photo Courtesy of Jule_Berlin (flickr)

Traditional work is changing. It has been changing for many years, but a dramatic shift has occurred in the last 10-15 years. Despite the birth of the Internet, which has created many more possibilities for financial growth, many companies are scaling back on benefits, pension plans, 401(k)s, vacations, salaries, and other “guarantees” many employees have come to expect. My first recommendation is to change your mindset. Because of these radical changes, thinking of yourself as an employee who is trying to “find” work has become an old way of thinking. The new, 21st century, gen-y model is to take your income and your career under control. Be your own boss. Decide where and how you will earn your money without leaving it up to a mid-level manager in some big corporation.

1. Freelance & Personal Service

Did you ever mow your neighbor’s lawn or get paid for doing your friend’s homework? These are both examples of work-for-hire or freelance jobs. Basically, all you do is (more…)

How to Become an Expert – Fast! (Part 2)

On November 23, 2009, In Entrepreneurship, Personal Development, by Jeff

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Photo Courtesy of puliarf (flickr)

(If you haven’t already, read Part 1 Here)

7. Join National Organizations

If nothing else, joining trade organizations will boost your perception, kind of like using fancy resume paper, people love it, even through it doesn’t make you any more qualified for the job. Check out the about us page to see how I’ve incorporated this idea. Don’t forget there are many organizations that you can use for networking, finding insider information, obtaining discounts on products, and many other perks you wouldn’t find otherwise.

8. Highlight Your Real and Ridiculous Experiences

To promote his best-selling book, The 4-Hour Work Week, Tim Ferriss highlighted how he was a Chinese kickboxing champion, MTV break dancer, and (more…)

How to Become an Expert – Fast! (Part 1)

On November 22, 2009, In Entrepreneurship, Personal Development, by Jeff

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Photo Courtesy of Viernest (flickr)

Expert is a great buzz word online today because our perception of others as experts has changed dramatically since the birth of the Internet. Twenty years ago, or even sooner than that, being an expert meant having a PhD, decades of experience, and a dozen best-selling books. Today, being an expert could mean many different things. Here’s a breakdown of how you can become an expert quickly and with greater ease than you think.

Expert Loosely Defined: someone widely recognized as a reliable source of information and/or special skills

1. Establish What Credibility Means in Your Industry

Having worked many jobs myself, I can tell you that every industry is different. Being a credible expert will vary dramatically across the board. Know your industry and know it well. If you want to teach, having a PhD is highly recommended; but if you want to (more…)

How to Start Your Own Blog

On August 23, 2009, In Entrepreneurship, by Jeff

Photo Courtesy of Andrew* (Flickr)

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What is a blog and why would I want to start one? Great questions. First of all, you’re reading a blog. Secondly, blogs are awesome. Any more questions? I’ll assume you already have some interest or avid curiosity about starting your own blog or you wouldn’t be reading this post, so let’s get started!

1. Free OR Un-Free

You’ll first want to choose a free blogging platform or pay for one. Here’s the breakdown:

FREE - There are a number of free services on the web that allow you to create your own blog, meaning there is no financial obligation on your part. However, you will have some price to pay, mostly in the form of advertisements on your site and/or a lack of creative potential. The most popular sites are WordPress.com and Blogger. My personal preference is WordPress, for a number of reasons, but just pick one for now. You could also choose among these: LiveJournal, Vox, Xanga, MySpace, or many others. Simply visit one of these sites, set up a profile, and continue to step #2 below. (more…)

Blazing Your Own Path

On August 4, 2009, In Entrepreneurship, by Jeff

Photo Courtesy of docman (Flickr)

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From the post college years up to your early 30′s, you are bound to encounter hundreds of thousands of opinions about who you are and what you should do with your life. Ultimately, the decision is up to you, but it will take determination to eliminate the numerous distractions and stay focused on your own dreams. To get started on blazing your own path in life you will need your own dreams. This may sound silly, but I was one of those people who had a great story to tell about my big plans for the future, but the truth was that I really had no clue and didn’t want anyone to know that. I basically piggybacked off others’ dreams and touted them as my own. In the end, I was the one who suffered because I lacked any direction and ended up graduating from college with two unrelated and seemingly useless majors.

The reality is that my college experience was incredibly beneficial, but I left school without a sense of belonging or ownership of any specific niche in life. So, I have listed some (more…)