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SUCCESS - Monday, June 17, 2013 9:00 - 1 Comment
The Oldest Millennial: Entering the 21st Century with a Smartphone at Age 23
According to the Pew Research Center’s report on Smartphone Ownership released this month, 91% of all American adults own some kind of cellphone. Of that, 56% own smartphones. It’s becoming a rarity to see people with anything but a smartphone, especially in my age group, where 79% are smartphone owners. But there is still a good portion of people who have yet to give in. Until two weeks ago, I was in this minority. I’ve gone to the dark side (or the bright side, depending on how you look at it), on the virtual coattail of my iPhone 4S.
Previously, I was the not-really-proud owner of a Samsung cellphone, complete with sliding keyboard. It was probably hip back when I was 14. But not having a smartphone became a great segue when meeting new people. Clearly my phone was ancient. A sliding keyboard?! Does this girl have friends?! Jokes aside, it often led to a deeper conversation on technology (or lack there of, on my end). How were these phones changing our lives? How we communicate? Connect?
- Taking Out the Trash: To clear your conscience, understand the baggage you carry.
While driving home a couple weeks back, listening to my favorite talk radio show, I discovered something important about myself which I had previously been happily unaware—I am, it occurred to me, completely overloaded with guilt. The hosts were talking about their various nervous ticks. One guy said he had a habit of pacing back [...]
- The Pixel Boutique: A Mompreneur in Technology
SUCCESS.com has partnered with Lifetime Moms to introduce you to some outstanding women. These women are a lot like you—they range from stay-at-home moms to successful career women, entrepreneurs and CEOs of their homes. They all attended Tory Johnson’s Spark & Hustle women’s conference this summer to learn more about growing their small business and found they learned something [...]
- Start Small Win Big Finalists: They Started Small, But They’re on Their Way to Big
For eight weeks, from January to March, approximately 2,000 SUCCESS readers challenged themselves and their small businesses by participating in the 2nd annual Start Small Win Big contest. In April they submitted their results to the judging panel of SUCCESS editors and small-business expert JJ Ramberg, who hosts MSNBC’s Your Business, a weekly show devoted [...]
- In the Sweet Business–of Cupcakes
SUCCESS.com has partnered with Lifetime Moms to introduce you to some outstanding women. These women are a lot like you—they range from stay-at-home moms to successful career women, entrepreneurs and CEOs of their homes. They all attended Tory Johnson’s Spark & Hustle women’s conference this summer to learn more about growing their small business and found they learned something [...]
- Plucky or Lucky, You Decide
So often people tell me that I’m lucky. Lucky to have an exciting career. Lucky to work with phenomenal people. Lucky to have a healthy family. While there’s no denying any of that, much of what I’ve created and received hasn’t been drawn from sheer good fortune. Instead of attributing it to being lucky, I’d say it’s [...]
- Funny Side Up: Snapshots from Rita Davenport’s Career as a TV Host
Rita Davenport’s speech impediment made every day words difficult to say. When she described the material from which her dresses were made of, thick feed sack burlap, she said “theed thack.” That didn’t stand in her way of going on to become a successful television host, company president and public speaker. In this web exclusive, [...]
- FitKit: Spark & Hustle a Healthy Lifestyle
SUCCESS.com has partnered with Lifetime Moms to introduce you to some outstanding women. These women are a lot like you—they range from stay-at-home moms to successful career women, entrepreneurs and CEOs of their homes. They all attended Tory Johnson’s Spark & Hustle women’s conference this summer to learn more about growing their small business and found they learned something [...]
- Start Small Win Big Deadline Is Today
Today is the day your small business takes its best next step. Today is the day you introduce yourself to two renowned mentors who can answer any entrepreneurial question you have. Today is the day you tell the SUCCESS judges your small business story. Today is the day for your small business to shine. Finish your [...]
- Cosmetic Bag Entrepreneur: ‘Have an Esteem Team’
SUCCESS.com has partnered with Lifetime Moms to introduce you to some outstanding women. These women are a lot like you—they range from stay-at-home moms to successful career women, entrepreneurs and CEOs of their homes. They all attended Tory Johnson’s Spark & Hustle women’s conference this summer to learn more about growing their small business and found they learned something [...]
- Jewelry Design Inspired by Spark & Hustle
SUCCESS.com has partnered with Lifetime Moms to introduce you to some outstanding women. These women are a lot like you—they range from stay-at-home moms to successful career women, entrepreneurs and CEOs of their homes. They all attended Tory Johnson’s Spark & Hustle women’s conference this summer to learn more about growing their small business and found they learned something [...]
- Start Small Win Big: Your Next Steps
Can you believe it has already been eight weeks since we began the 2nd annual Start Small Win Big entrepreneur challenge? We can’t either. As the SUCCESS contest draws to a close, it’s time to evaluate your week-to-week homework assignments and draw conclusions that you can share in your Start Small Win Big final submission for [...]
- Start Small Win Big: Submit Your Essay
You’re almost done…. Now, it’s time to tell us why you should win SUCCESS magazine’s 2013 Start Small Win Big contest. Review the eight steps and then answer the following questions. Essays are due April 1 (no joke). For questions, email our editors at webeditor@success.com.
- From Spark & Hustle to Clouds and Stars
SUCCESS.com has partnered with Lifetime Moms to introduce you to some outstanding women. These women are a lot like you—they range from stay-at-home moms to successful career women, entrepreneurs and CEOs of their homes. They all attended Tory Johnson’s Spark & Hustle women’s conference this summer to learn more about growing their small business and found they learned something [...]
- The Cat’s Meow
The South by Southwest (SXSW) crowd began to form a line at 12 pm, even though the featured guest wouldn’t arrive until 3 pm. “I literally planned my entire day around this.” “I convinced my sister to drive up from Houston for this. She doesn’t even have a SXSW badge; this is all she’s going [...]
- Start Small Win Big: Your Week 8 Action Plan
Step 8: Take a closer look at your social media strategy. Every business, no matter how big or small, should be on Facebook or Twitter. And if you’ve been participating in the ‘Start Small, Win Big’ entrepreneurial challenge, your small business is probably already active on both. There is, however, one common pitfall of many [...]
- Start Small Win Big: Your Week 7 Action Plan
Step 7: Tap your network. Your network is everything. It’s how you find good employees, figure out which lawyer to hire, and how you get people to take meetings with you. Ask any angel investor or venture capitalist and they’ll tell you that, nine times out of ten (or really 999 out of 1,000), they [...]
- Start Small Win Big: Your Week 6 Action Plan
Step 6: Put systems into place to keep your staff focused. When you’re just starting out a business, generally things work a little ad-hoc. There’s not much of a need for systems because it’s likely just one or two of you working together and so it’s relatively easy to keep track of everything. Also, it’s [...]
- Start Small Win Big: Your Week 5 Action Plan
Step 5: Talk to Your Customers. When it comes to your company, it doesn’t matter what you think of your product or service—it matters what your customers think. On my MSNBC show Your Business, we talk a lot about the tunnel vision of small-business owners—after months or years of developing their company, they assume that [...]
- Start Small Win Big: Your Week 4 Action Plan
Step 4: Understand your finances. A couple of months ago I spoke to a woman who owned a struggling stationery business and I asked her how much longer she thought she could survive based on how much cash she had available in her company. She looked at me like I had just landed from Mars. [...]
- Start Small Win Big: Your Week 3 Action Plan
Step 3: Look at metrics. It’s week three and it’s time to set tangible goals to measure your success. To set your goal, you need to know the key drivers of success for your business. For example, do you want to sell more products? Set your goal for increasing the number of units sold. Do [...]
- Start Small Win Big: Your Week 2 Action Plan
Step 2: Keep it simple. A couple of years ago at my company Goodsearch.com, we started asking each other a simple question whenever we’d put together any marketing materials.It was: “Would Michael’s mother understand this?”
It turned out to be a great litmus test. So often, we make things more complicated than they need to be. It’s understandable. As small business owners, we’ve all worked hard on our offerings and are excited about every single feature we’ve developed—whether as part of a product or a service. It’s hard to imagine not including all of this in all of your materials. But, talking about too much gets confusing for an outsider who CONTINUE READING
- Start Small Win Big: Your Week 1 Action Plan
Start Small Win Big: Your Week 1 Action Plan
January 21, 2013
Editor’s note: This is the first of eight installments for SUCCESS’s 2nd annual Start Small Win Big entrepreneur challenge.
Welcome to the best eight weeks of your small business and welcome to Week 1! Let's get started with Step 1: Refine your elevator pitch.
This week’s assignment is to prepare five pitches– one that fills 20 seconds, one minute, five minutes, 20 minutes and one hour. Grab the notebook you'll use to collect your thoughts and assignments for this entrepreneurial challenge, and start writing with our tips below. Then, we encourage you to share your one minute pitch with us on the SUCCESS YouTube channel, where you’ll meet your fellow Start Small Win Big contestants. CONTINUE READING
- Running a Business is Hard. Here’s Help.
By now, I hope you’ve all read about SUCCESS’s 2nd Annual Start Small Win Big Entrepreneurial Challenge in the February 2013 issue. If you haven’t entered, well here’s my strong encouragement that you do.
Why? Well, running a small business is hard work. And, it’s difficult, when you have so much going on — from developing your product or service, to selling it, to dealing with your finances, to figuring out who is going to take out the trash — to find the time to step back and really think about what triggers you need to pull to make your company a success. This eight-week contest gives you an excuse to do just that.
You can find the first article announcing the contest and giving you some tips to get you on your way on SUCCESS.com.
- Spark & Hustle, with a Touch of Vintage
SUCCESS.com has partnered with Lifetime Moms to introduce you to some outstanding women. These women are a lot like you—they range from stay-at-home moms to successful career women, entrepreneurs and CEOs of their homes. They all attended Tory Johnson’s Spark & Hustle women’s conference this summer to learn more about growing their small business and found they learned something [...]
- Mompreneur: Her Business and Kitchen Towels Are Locked in Place
SUCCESS.com has partnered with Lifetime Moms to introduce you to some outstanding women. Last time, we introduced you to Lori Reynolds-Lewis of Mocha Moon. Lori and these other women are lot like you—they range from stay-at-home moms to successful career women, entrepreneurs and CEOs of their homes. Meet Cindy Sawyer by Mattie Schuler Cindy [...]
- Survey: Are You a Liar?
This month, SUCCESS gets personal with its Lying in the Workplace survey and feature, Liar Liar Pantsuit on Fire in the December 2012 issue of SUCCESS. Take the quiz to see how you fare. The following is the questionnaire from a national telephone survey of 1,272 working adults, conduced by Pulse Opinion Research on Aug. [...]
- Real Life Mompreneurs
SUCCESS.com has partnered with Lifetime Moms to introduce you to some outstanding women. Last time, we introduced you to Shari Zatman, of Perfectly Planned by Shari. Shari and these other women are a lot like you—they range from stay-at-home moms to successful career women, entrepreneurs and CEOs of their homes. Meet Lori Reynolds-Lewis “You have the right to be [...]
- ‘Start Small, Win Big’ 2012 Winner Shares Lessons
by: Tami Provost Who knew this New Hampshire gal’s first trip to New York City would be an all-expense-paid trip by SUCCESS magazine for me to meet Good Morning America’s Tory Johnson? Having attended Tory’s Spark & Hustle event in Boston, I knew I was in for a treat. Her high energy and “spark” during [...]
- SUCCESS Quotes: Albert Einstein on ‘Thinking’
“The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.” –Albert Einstein, Genius
- Lifetime Moms with Spark & Hustle
SUCCESS.com has partnered with Lifetime Moms to introduce you to some outstanding women. These women are a lot like you—they range from stay-at-home moms to successful career women, entrepreneurs and CEOs of their homes. They all attended Tory Johnson’s Spark & Hustle women’s conference this summer to learn more about growing their small business and [...]
- Announcing the 2012 Start Small Win Big Winners
Fit on the Fly founder Tami Provost began SUCCESS‘ Start Small, Win Big small business challenge with $52 in her business checking account. GoGeddit‘s Richie Burke and Jeremy Bemis went door to door soliciting businesses for his new daily deal site–that didn’t have a website yet. integrity/Architecture‘s Joey Nolasco and Joe Rasnick left a successful [...]
- Start Small Win Big Challenge 2012 Call for Essays
Don’t forget this Monday, April 30 Monday, May 7 is the final deadline to submit your essay form for the Start Small Win Big entrepreneurial challenge. Visit SUCCESS.com/winbig for the essay submission form. You could win lunch and personal coaching sessions with Good Morning America’s Tory Johnson and SUCCESS Publisher Darren Hardy! Plus, you could be featured in SUCCESS magazine, [...]
- Start Small Win Big 2012–The Cliff Notes Version
We’re nearing the end of the SUCCESS Start Small Win Big Challenge and it’s time to start gathering your thoughts for the final essay submission. Before you get test anxiety, don’t worry–we’ve provided a number of tools and links here to help you. Consider this the test review your professor gives before mid-terms. Pre-Contest During registration, [...]
- Start Small Win Big 2012: Your Wk 12 Action Plan
Congrats! You’ve made it to Week 12 of the Start Small Win Big entrepreneurial challenge. For the final step this week (April 9), read the April 2012 issue for Step 12: Track your time/demand a larger return. Then check your inbox for the April 9 Start Small Win Big newsletter. This week’s assignment is about preserving your [...]
- Start Small Win Big 2012: Your Wk 11 Action Plan
For Week 11 (April 2), read the April 2012 issue for Step 11: Identify Collaborators. Then check your inbox for the April 2 Start Small Win Big newsletter. This week’s assignment is about collaboration. Within your industry, who are potential promotional partners? Be creative, because it may not be obvious at first. Examples: A financial adviser partnering [...]
- Start Small Win Big 2012: Your Wk 10 Action Plan
For Week 10 (March 26), read the April 2012 issue for Step 10: Pitch the Media. Then check your inbox for the March 26 Start Small Win Big newsletter. This week’s assignment is about finding and creating media coverage for your small business. That means thinking like a journalist. Here are 8 do’s and don’ts for [...]
- Start Small Win Big 2012: Your Wk 9 Action Plan
Your Week 9 Action Plan For Week 9 (March 19), read the April 2012 issue for Step 9: Ramp Up Social Media Activity. Then check your inbox for the March 19 Start Small Win Big newsletter. This week’s assignment is about social media for your small business. Take a look at your social media efforts and evaluate whether [...]
- New this week on SUCCESS.com
Think of your favorite sports movie. Have one in mind? I’m willing to bet that it shows odds stacked against the main character(s), with a triumphant ending of some way, shape or form. Everybody loves a good comeback story, and thankfully, our April issue that hit newsstands this week focused on resilience and comebacks. Bouncing [...]
- Tory Johnson: Why Aren’t You Reaching Your Goals?
Good Morning America’s workplace contributor Tory Johnson asks SUCCESS Start Small Win Big entrepreneurial contestants an important question.
- Start Small Win Big 2012: Your Wk 8 Action Plan
Your Week 8 Action Plan For Week 8 (March 12), read the March 2012 issue for Step 8: Don’t Reinvent the Wheel. Then check your inbox for the March 12 Start Small Win Big newsletter. This week’s assignment is about being inspired by what your competitors do well. This week’s assignment is to do some snooping. Let’s [...]
- New this week on SUCCESS.com
Raise your hand if you Google yourself weekly. Daily? Hourly? We’re all guilty of it, but here are some concrete ways to ensure your online reputation is on the up and up. Turn Around Your Online Image Take control of your online reputation with these tips from experts and businesspeople who have done it. More [...]
- Start Small Win Big 2012: Your Wk 7 Action Plan
Your Week 7 Action Plan For Week 7 (Mar. 5), read the March 2012 issue for Step 7: Change Your Environment. Then check your inbox for the Start Small Win Big newsletter. This week’s assignment is about creating your perfect, productive work environment. Take a look at our inspiration wall below and use this to get excited [...]
- New this week on SUCCESS.com
Are you participating in the Start Small Win Big challenge? It’s only the biggest contest we’ve ever hosted and the grand prize is only a personal coaching session with SUCCESS Publisher Darren Hardy and/or Good Morning America’s workplace contributor Tory Johnson. Make Your Small Business Better in 12 Weeks Join the SUCCESS Start Small Win [...]
- Start Small Win Big 2012: Your Wk 6 Action Plan
Your Week 6 Action Plan For Week 6 (Feb. 27), read the March 2012 issue for Step 6: Create a Top 50 List. Then check your inbox for the Feb. 27 Start Small Win Big newsletter. This week’s assignment is about making your list of top 50 sales prospects or people you’d like to do business with. [...]
- Tory Johnson: What Exactly Do You Do?
You’ve been there before, at a party or picnic or whatever: Ask a stranger what he or she does and 10 minutes later you’re still listening, but your eyes have glazed over because you still don’t have a clue. All you want to say is, “See ya!” If you do that in business — if [...]
- Start Small Win Big 2012: Your Wk 5 Action Plan
Your Week 5 Action Plan For Week 5 (Feb. 20), read the March 2012 issue for Step 5: Know Who You’re Targeting. Then check your inbox for the Feb. 20 Start Small Win Big newsletter. This week’s assignment is about knowing your clients. Think about facts about your product or service that might influence your potential customers. From these [...]
- Be on the Cover of SUCCESS!
We love to hear, “I’m going to be on the cover of SUCCESS someday!” from our readers. Firstly, it shows confidence and high aspirations; who doesn’t love that? Secondly, it inspired us to take advantage of Facebook’s Timeline feature to launch our new Facebook cover photo that showcases you as the cover figure on SUCCESS [...]
- Start Small, Win Big 2012: Your Wk 4 Action Plan
Your Week 4 Action Plan For Week 4 (Feb. 13), read the February 2012 issue for Step 4: Own Your Destiny. Then check your inbox for the Feb. 13 Start Small Win Big newsletter. This week’s assignment is discovering your brand name and create a three-goal strategy to fulfill your brand ideal. Brand Brainstorming What industry [...]
- Tory Johnson: Are You More Madonna or Gaga?
Yes, she has a gigantic ego and many people find the faux English accent on this Michigan girl a wee bit pretentious, but you have to hand it to Madonna. Once red hot—less so now—she never stops. Not ever. At 53, she rocked Sunday’s Super Bowl like a singer half her age, is up for [...]
- Start Small, Win Big 2012: Your Wk 3 Action Plan
Your Week 3 Action Plan For Week 3 (Feb. 6), read the February 2012 issue for Step 3: Know Your Numbers—When You’re Down, by How Much and Why. Then check your inbox for the Feb. 6 Start Small Win Big newsletter. This week’s assignment is to understand and evaluate your small business’ numbers. Roll your sleeves [...]
- Start Small, Win Big 2012: Your Wk 2 Action Plan
Your Week 2 Action Plan For Week 2 (Jan. 30), read the February 2012 issue for Step 2: Take Responsibility. Then check your inbox for the Jan. 30 Start Small Win Big newsletter. This week’s assignment is to answer the three questions put forth by Tory Johnson in this week’s Start Small Win Big newsletter– 1. [...]
- Darren Hardy: Own Both Your Actions and Reactions in Life
When I was 18 years old, I was invited to a seminar that I believe really flipped on the light switch of my potential. That day, those ideas changed my life forever. There is one idea in particular I’d like to pass on to you. The seminar topic was responsibility and accountability, and we were [...]
- Tory Johnson: Secrets of High-Achieving Entrepreneurs
Ever have those days when you wake up determined to tackle specific challenges? You have the best intentions about all you’re going to accomplish and you can feel the sense of elation that you’re sure you’ll experience. Then the phone rings, the dog barks, someone needs you to drop everything to help with the unexpected. [...]
- Start Small Win Big 2012: Your Wk 1 Action Plan
Your Week 1 Action Plan For Week 1 (Jan. 23), read the February 2012 issue for Step 1: Commit to Your WHY. Then check your inbox for the Jan. 23 Start Small Win Big newsletter. This week’s assignment is to find and confirm your WHY–what does your small business mean to you and why [...]
- The Step-By-Step Guide to Amping Up Your Business in 2012
It’s time to take your small business to the next level. SUCCESS magazine has teamed up with Good Morning America‘s Tory Johnson to host the Start Small Win Big Entrepreneurial Challenge–a free 12-week, 12-step program to help your small business grow and win prizes for entering. Why you should enter: Is your small business where [...]
- 8 Secret Time-Wasters and How to Overcome Them
There’s a reason we send Seeds of SUCCESS at 2 p.m., CT, and not first thing in the morning. We follow the mantra of time management: Tackle your most important or difficult task first thing in the morning. So if you’re reading this newsletter to avoid doing something else more important on your to-do list, [...]
- SUCCESS Favorite Quotes for Inspiration
Everyone has a favorite quote. Whether it’s something elegant from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow or something more cryptic from Edgar Allen Poe, we identify with particular quotes during different trying times in our lives. Last week, we asked you, our SUCCESS readers, to pass along our favorite quotes and add your own. As always, you never [...]
- The Poltergeist Effect: How Allowing Mistakes to ‘Haunt’ You Can Derail Creativity and Success
by Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz Ask most people to tell you—in a single word—what they want most from life, and they’ll answer with one of the following: happiness, love, health or… success. What’s interesting, however, is that so few people make a serious run at achieving success for fear of making a mistake. It’s [...]
- SUCCESS Book Club Ch. 5: Prioritization
SUCCESS Book Club Selection: Win: The Key Principles to Take Your Business from Ordinary to Extraordinary by Frank I. Luntz. SUCCESS editors and staff will read and dissect select chapters and offer key points and discussion questions. Just joining us? Read notes from Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three and Chapter Four. “The key is [...]
- Roger Ebert: ‘I was born inside the movie of my life’
Roger Ebert hasn’t spoken a word in years, but America seems to be listening to him more than ever. The beloved movie critic lost his voice after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2002. But his words are louder than ever. Ebert’s prolific online journaling—at times so poignant and poetic you wonder why he spent [...]
- SUCCESS Book Club Ch. 4: Paradigm Breaking
SUCCESS Book Club Selection: Win: The Key Principles to Take Your Business from Ordinary to Extraordinary by Frank I. Luntz. SUCCESS editors and staff will read and dissect a chapter and offer key points and discussion questions. Just joining us? Read notes from Chapter One, Chapter Two and Chapter Three. Generally defined, a paradigm is a set of [...]
- Admit It, You Hear Voices
How to Win the War Between Your Ears It’s all right to admit it. You hear voices. We all do. The little voice inside your head is a voice you have created—and it’s one that you can change. “You may have been conditioned to be what you are, but that means you can also condition [...]
- SUCCESS Book Club Ch. 3: People-Centeredness
SUCCESS Book Club Selection: Win: The Key Principles to Take Your Business from Ordinary to Extraordinary by Frank I. Luntz. SUCCESS editors and staff will read and dissect a chapter and offer key points and discussion questions. Just joining us? Read notes from Chapter One and Chapter Two. Are you a people-centered person? If you answered [...]
- Six More Ways to Save Money
Don’t clip coupons. You should still use them, but you don’t actually have to clip them anymore. Subscribe to mobile coupons via text or send to your store loyalty card automatically. Electronic coupons exist for everything from Target, Bath & Body Works, Redbox to manufacturer coupons redeemable at grocery stores. When shopping deal-of-the-day sites, be [...]
- Chapter Two: The Nine P’s of Winning
SUCCESS Book Club Selection: Win: The Key Principles to Take Your Business from Ordinary to Extraordinary by Frank I. Luntz. Every week, SUCCESS editors and staff will read and dissect a chapter and offer key points and discussion questions. Just joining us? Read notes from Chapter One here.
Want to know what all the most successful businesspeople, athletes, celebrities and politicians know? Author Frank I. Luntz says winners (not the Charlie Sheen kind) possess nine common principles that anyone can incorporate in their own life. It’s no magic potion. It’s these essentials:
People Centeredness — Paradigm Breaking — Prioritization — Perfection — Partnership — Passion — Persuasion — Persistence — Principled ActionPeople-Centeredness Winners know what makes people tick, and they connect either to our fears or our aspirations—or both. The job of all winning communicators is to recognize what is missing in others’ lives and then try to address it. Winners help us imagine the possibilities that change our realities. The people-centered approach is to address, resolve, and alleviate personal pain—to focus on “solutions” rather than the management of the problem.
Winning Trait: Discover what people need and help them get it.
Paradigm Breaking Winners are not improvers; they are game-changers. Remember, as much as we say we want change, it is natural to resist it. As human beings, we innately fear the unknown, even if we simultaneously embrace it. The best communicators know how to position their new product or idea as an improvement that people should expect to have—not a burden they’ll have to bear.
Winning Trait: Present change as an improvement, not a burden.
Prioritization They (winners) know how to separate what must be done from what should be done—and that has a direct correlation to what they say and when they say it. In fact, identifying and effectively articulating priorities may be the single most important component of successful communication. Winners prioritize their messages. In fact, in the era of texting and Twitter, the longer you speak… CLICK HERE TO READ MORE
- A Millennial Response: Does Darren Hardy Have Us All Wrong?
Born March 17, 1989, I am the direct target of Darren’s blog, Mining the Millennials. While reading the article, I felt like Darren had secretly been watching my every move. I wanted to rage and say that he has no basis for his claims. Reading other parts, he was spot on, enough to make me self-conscious.
Having been employed from age 16 on, I am the opposite of what he termed the “lazy, undisciplined, and unmotivated” generation. And I do not have “the attention span of a goldfish.” We were raised on television with our train of thought always interrupted by commercial breaks for three minutes at a time. And coming from someone from the yuppie-era, the “over-entitled” comment was a bit contradictory. But my irritation was quelled as I continued reading the article and as Darren realized that Generation Y is a force to be reckoned with.
I would definitely recommend that every company looking to hire my generation heed Darren’s “Four P’s of Millennial Values.” With a minor tweak or two, I believe they could help any business.
The first “P,” people, was spot on. I have some 900 Facebook friends and an iPhone, but never try to tell me I am like the other billion people with the same phone or that I am a conformist. That is the surest way to really see my individuality in the form of a spirited debate.
Darren also… Click Here to Read More!
- Are You Busy But Not Accomplishing Anything?
Benjamin Franklin once said, “Don’t confuse motion with action.” If you are frantically busy but not getting any closer to your goals, try these tips from the experts. Use the rule of five, says Jack Canfield, co-founder of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. Everyone has a breakthrough goal—a goal that you have always [...]
- Go Ahead, Google Yourself
If you haven’t typed your name into a search engine to see what pops up, you’re one of the rare few. But your online identity doesn’t have to be a mystery. With the right resources, you can manage and increase your Web presence to draw traffic to your business. Know your online identity. Snitch.name offers [...]
- Come on and get happy.
Marcus Buckingham shows you how. Women have made great strides in power, influence and earnings in the past 40 years, but overall, life satisfaction has gone downhill, according to longitudinal studies from the National Bureau of Economic Research of more than 45,000 women. The study shows that women have gradually become less happy than they [...]
- Chapter One: What Is a Winner?
In his new book, Win: The Key Principles to Take Your Business from Ordinary to Extraordinary, former pollster Frank I. Luntz demonstrates the how-to behind winning strategies, using examples from some of the world’s most successful businessmen, politicians and sports figures. In describing “life’s winners,” author Frank I. Luntz says, “They all love what they do. [...]
- We Made a Mistake
We made a mistake. We all do. Now, we want to make it right by apologizing to David Heinemeier Hansson and explaining to our readers what happened.
The July 2011 issue of SUCCESS magazine featured an altered image of Hansson on page 33. For our photo cropping needs, we replaced Hansson’s torso with a different one—regrettably not his own. An out-of-body experience, so to speak. Minor Photoshop work is standard practice, but altering the photo as drastically as we did warranted us to reach out to Hansson—which we failed to do. For that, we apologize.
- SUCCESS Book Club: Win
When you’ve been described as a GOP Word Czar, people tend to listen—no matter what their political affiliation. In his new book, Win: The Key Principles to Take Your Business from Ordinary to Extraordinary, former pollster Frank I. Luntz demonstrates the how-to behind winning strategies, using examples from some of the world’s most successful businessmen, [...]
- If SUCCESS had a crystal ball, it’d look like this.
In this 1998 SUCCESS magazine article about Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder describes the early days in Seattle, where he jotted down 20 things he thought he could sell on the Web, from gardening tools to clothing. He researched his top five: CDs, videos, computer hardware, computer software and books, and launched Amazon.com in 1995 [...]
- Won’t You Be My Mentor?
How to Set Up a Mentoring Agreement We often have many mentors throughout our lives, some of them casual relationships and others more formal with specific goals. To get the most out of your mentorship, it’s helpful to create a mentorship agreement that clearly outlines expectations, says Neen James, productivity expert and speaker. In writing [...]
- Persuade People with These Three Tips
“Persuasion is the cornerstone of great execution,” says Tony Jeary, productivity coach and author of Strategic Acceleration: Succeed at the Speed of Life. The most successful people effectively persuade others to take action on their behalf by using three principles, Jeary says. Communicate at the belief level. “Communicating at the level of belief involves a [...]
- Now You’re Speaking My Language
In his best-selling book The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts, Gary Chapman defines love languages as the “five ways people speak and understand emotional love.” Take a look at the abbreviated definitions, and see if you can identify your love language. Words of Affirmation: Words matter. This person treasures hearing, “I [...]
- What Harry Truman Taught Author Andy Andrews
At age 19, author Andy Andrews lost his mother to cancer, his father died in a car accident and he dropped out of college, penniless. He began living on the street. But one day, another homeless man gave Andrews a library card. It was the turning point in his life. He began reading the biographies [...]
- Magic Johnson’s Tough Retail Lesson
NBA veteran and business owner Magic Johnson’s first foray into retail taught him what happens to entrepreneurs who don’t listen to their customers. In 1990, he launched a chain of retail sporting goods stores called Magic 32. In anticipation of the launch, he attended a major sporting goods convention to negotiate for products he’d sell [...]
- Nerds on Location: Dallas Comic Con feat. Stan Lee
by Ashley Glenn
SUCCESS Marketing Manager
(However, in honor of Stan Lee, he’s adopted a new pen name: Ash Lee)
- Nerds on the Scene Sam Watson and Ashley Glenn
Since SUCCESS magazine featured Stan Lee in the June 2011 issue, SUCCESS web designer Sam Watson and I somehow convinced the bosses that we should be there to meet him. To our surprise (proof that it never hurts to ask), they approved in exchange for a blog, so here we go.
We were there to “cover” the event, but let’s be honest, it was a free trip to Comic Con to get in touch with our inner nerd and fulfill a childhood dream of meeting the godfather of comics, Stan “The Man” Lee. If that weren’t enough justification, we figured if the world ended on Saturday as predicted and the zombie apocalypse finally came, then we were in good company. What better place to be than with thousands of nerds who all had the zombie survival guide memorized. (See The Zombie Survival Guide chapter 6, “Living in an Undead World.”) If they couldn’t help us, then perhaps the cast from AMC’s The Walking Dead could.
- Comic Con Attendee Chris Albright discussing the Stan Lee article with SUCCESS employee Ashley Glenn
With stacks of SUCCESS magazine in hand, we hit the dealer room to…
- Amelia Earhart’s Last Words to Her Husband
Amelia Mary Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean and is remembered for her courage, vision and groundbreaking achievements. Setting numerous records and writing best-selling books, Earhart is most remembered for her final flight—an attempt to make the 29,000-mile journey around the world. Although she only had 7,000 miles left, [...]
- The 8 Items on a Leader’s To-Do List
John C. Maxwell says leadership is just as much about developing your team’s talents as it is about nurturing your own leadership skills. The best-selling author of Talent Is Never Enough reminds us that growth is modeled after and expected from leaders. As a successful leader, you must do eight things. 1. Find your own [...]
- Steve Nash, the Movie?
Fact or fiction? The Web is buzzing about a new documentary clip about NBA star Steve Nash. While films aren’t a far departure from his résumé—Nash made his directorial debut with the Into the Wind documentary for ESPN’s 30 for 30 series—this particular teaser feels like a put-on. In it, Owen Wilson appears as himself, proclaiming the coolness of Steve Nash’s name and nominates him for superherohood. You can decide for yourself…
- Laughter Is Good for the ‘Sole’
Wearing bright red socks, no shoes and a cheeky grin for the June 2011 cover story, actor and comedian Steve Martin tells SUCCESS magazine why after decades in the spotlight, he stays on his toes to deliver new material.
“It’s quite easy to be what others might call ‘disciplined,’” Martin says. “I love playing music. I love writing. And I love performing.”
To highlight Martin’s apparent lack of shoes, SUCCESS magazine has teamed with Nashville-based Soles4Souls that distributes shoes to people in need throughout the world. The organization has given away over 5.5 million pairs of shoes since 2005.
Soles4Souls founder Wayne Elsey was moved to action when he saw an image of a lone shoe washed up on the beach after the 2004 tsunami hit Southeast Asia. One shoe. One life. One big mission. In just eight weeks, he collected more than 250,000 pairs of shoes for Southeast Asians. Today, his sights are set higher. Soles4Souls aims to collect 11 million pairs of shoes in 2011, called the 11 in 11 initiative. SUCCESS magazine hopes to bring Soles4Souls that much closer to its goal.
For more information about how to donate, visit www.Soles4SoulsFundraising.org/SuccessMagazine
Read this and more tips from Seeds of SUCCESS, the free weekly newsletter for SUCCESS readers. Subscribe here today!
- Wild and Crazy Guy
We held out as long as we possibly could, but for this SUCCESS Blog post, we couldn’t resist using Steve Martin’s classic Saturday Night Live punch line as the headline.The June 2011 SUCCESS Cover Story features Steve Martin and reveals why he’s still the hardest working comedian in the industry. Martin has added Twitter to his gigs, introducing a young, “Sh*t My Dad Says”-type crowd to his own brand of comic genius.
This spring, when a cobra went missing from the Bronx Zoo, Martin tweeted:
- Zig Ziglar’s Success Habits: Your Journey to the Top
Personal development icon Zig Ziglar told SUCCESS in October 2008, “I’m a constant learner. You need to be a constant student because things change and you have to change and grow. And I emphasize the word grow,” he says. Here are Zig Ziglar’s five habits for your journey to the top: Be a constant leader. [...]
- Five Tips for Building Better Business Relationships
We’ve all heard that it’s not what you know but who you know that determines your success. But sales coach Jim Cathcart asks this: “Who is glad they know you?” That’s why people do business with others they know and trust. When you offer value to another person, then they have a reason to care [...]
- Dr. Oz’s Success Habits
As featured in the October 2008 cover story for SUCCESS, Dr. Mehmet Oz says you can make a habit for a healthier life—no matter how chaotic yours is. “We are designed to withstand stress; it’s a natural part of life,” Oz tells SUCCESS. “When you have no stress, you’re almost certainly dead already.” So embrace the natural stress you encounter and make a game plan for it. Here are three ways Dr. Oz says you can do so:
1. Build teams.
“It’s very hard for anyone to be able to understand all facets of a problem, especially when you’re dealing with complex problems with the real opportunity to make the world better. It doesn’t mean you can’t be the executive and make the decisions about what needs to be done, but you have a team of people you trust to provide support and perspective,” Oz says.2. Forgive people.
“You’ve got to forgive people. You come in contact with a lot of people and they will disappoint you at times. Give them a chance to surprise you again.”3. Put your ideas into action.
“Success is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. I don’t care how good you are, how many good ideas have you—a great idea on the back of a napkin is worth the price of the napkin. A thought has zero value without execution behind it. You’ve got to spark putting the pieces together,” Oz says.Read more Habits for a Healthier Life in the October 2008 issue of SUCCESS magazine.
- Landing the Big One:
The Story Behind SUCCESS Profilesby Lisa Ocker
So much in life hinges on these things: relationship-building, persistence and resourcefulness. Paul Scott Adamo, SUCCESS talent executive, knows this very well.
Since the early issues following SUCCESS magazine’s re-launch in 2008, Paul has helped book interviews with celebrities, prominent businesspeople, entrepreneurs and sports figures. Based in New York, Paul has more than 10 years’ experience as a producer, talent executive and casting director for television, radio and print.Increasingly, publicists come to Paul with requests for SUCCESS stories on their clients. But more often, it takes months or years of Paul’s persistent follow-ups to land the interview. But there’s more to Paul’s job than following up; he looks for opportunities—such as new movies, books, business developments or charitable ventures—these extraordinary achievers want to promote. In addition to staying in touch with publicists, Paul attends book expos, industry events and parties, and movie screenings.
“You have to be persistent and never give up,” Paul says. “It can take a day to book someone—or two years.”
Such was the case with our January cover feature on…
- Stuck? Slow down to accomplish more.
We all suffer the mid-afternoon slump: that lethargic, lack-of-motivation apathy that sets in and kicks our internal engine to idle. Instead of willing yourself to sludge through it slowly and painfully, do the opposite. Embrace it. Give yourself permission to take a 5- or 10- minute mental break.
Still frustrated with yourself and your productivity? Consider slowing down instead of speeding up, author Loretta LaRoche says. Our brain functions better and is more productive when it focuses on one particular task at a time. So, instead of beating yourself up to speed up and get more accomplished, focus on one goal, complete it and go on to another.
“Frustration stems from your inner critic and only serves to make us crazed,” LaRoche says. “Have fun. There are no tombstones that say, ‘Did everything, died anyway.’”
This is a post from Seeds of SUCCESS, a free weekly newsletter written by the editors of SUCCESS. Subscribe now to get Seeds planted in your inbox every week.
- Love Jim Rohn?
“We all have two choices: we can make a living or we can design a life.” – Jim Rohn
“We all have two choices: we can make a living or we can design a life.” – Jim Rohn
It’s not too late to join the Jim Rohn One-Year Plan as your 2011 goal-setting program. Find more information at our partner site, JimRohn.com.
- Make the First Week the Best Week
Tuesday afternoon, productivity check: What are you doing right now to further your highest-priority goals? In the January 2011 issue of SUCCESS, the editors share their tips for making your resolutions a reality:
Write it down. You’ve heard it before, but the truth is writing down your goals forces you to get clear about what you want. Use a pen and paper (you can transfer it to your computer later). That simple physical act helps cement the desire in your brain.
Find a replacement…
- Secure Your Own Oxygen Mask First
Recently, I was on a flight traveling with my 6-year-old goddaughter sitting next to me. To set a good example, I told her to listen carefully to the flight attendant’s safety instructions. While talking about the oxygen masks, one flight attendant made a point to come to me to reiterate: “Make sure you secure yours before helping with hers.” I smiled politely, but inside I sneered, “Yeah right. Think of myself first before helping her? No way.”
- The Root of All Evil
I’m a little disturbed with much of the social commentary around money of late.Europe, Jeb Bush and Michael Moore are all attacking capitalism, CNBC’s American Greed is in its fourth season and the infamous movie Wall Streethas its sequel debut next month. The subtext in all this is money is bad… even evil.
Let’s remember the full text: For the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10)—not money itself.
People (certain few) are the evil ones. Remember, money is nothing but dirty pieces of paper with dead presidents on them. People are the ones who attach emotions, feelings and perplexing behaviors to it.
I have found that money only makes us more of whom we already were, but couldn’t afford to exercise. If you are caring, generous and compassionate, with money now you can do great works. If you are jerk, more money will only make you a more obnoxious, loud and glitzy jerk. Yet, people will point to the money as his source of evil. Not so. Money only funded a spotlight and megaphone for his true nature to shine.
Let’s put accountability back where it belongs—not the system of capitalism, the pursuit of the “American Dream” or with money itself, but with the people who abuse the system and the illicit and criminal pursuit and use of money.Instead, I’m more inclined to believe: the root of all evil is… CLICK HERE TO READ REST OF POST
- The Unpopular View of Leadership
I have observed that one of the most overlooked but important qualities of great leadership is one’s courage and willingness to do what is unpopular. Unarguably, one of the greatest leaders in history, at the time of his leadership, continually suffered vehement opposition and may have been one of the most unpopular people ever to [...]
- VIDEO: Final Keynote at Jim Rohn Tribute Event
VIDEO: Darren Hardy’s Final Keynote at Jim Rohn Tribute Event
On Saturday, February 6th, 2010 1,300 people attended a special tribute to celebrate the life and legacy of the renown leader and business philosopher, Mr. Jim Rohn.
Shown in photo: Harvey Mackay, Brian Tracy, Les Brown, Tony Robbins, Darren Hardy, Denis Waitely and Chris Widener
CLICK HERE to watch Darren Hardy’s final keynote to honor and wrap up the tribute to Jim Rohn. - Golden Gitomer Lessons from San Francisco: Bonus Videos on Image and Brand Building (6 of 6)
Jeffrey Gitomer was in San Francisco speaking at an event a few weeks ago and took the time to shoot some iconic (and just a little comic) footage in the “Golden State” to further illustrate his points on the importance of image and reputation when it comes to building both your personal and your business [...]
- Golden Gitomer Lessons from San Francisco: Bonus Videos on Image and Brand Building (5 of 6)
Jeffrey Gitomer was in San Francisco speaking at an event a few weeks ago and took the time to shoot some iconic (and just a little comic) footage in the “Golden State” to further illustrate his points on the importance of image and reputation when it comes to building both your personal and your business [...]
- Golden Gitomer Lessons from San Francisco: Bonus Videos on Image and Brand Building (4 of 6)
Jeffrey Gitomer was in San Francisco speaking at an event a few weeks ago and took the time to shoot some iconic (and just a little comic) footage in the “Golden State” to further illustrate his points on the importance of image and reputation when it comes to building both your personal and your business [...]
- Golden Gitomer Lessons from San Francisco: Bonus Videos on Image and Brand Building (3 of 6)
Jeffrey Gitomer was in San Francisco speaking at an event a few weeks ago and took the time to shoot some iconic (and just a little comic) footage in the “Golden State” to further illustrate his points on the importance of image and reputation when it comes to building both your personal and your business [...]
- Golden Gitomer Lessons from San Francisco: Bonus Videos on Image and Brand Building (2 of 6)
Jeffrey Gitomer was in San Francisco speaking at an event a few weeks ago and took the time to shoot some iconic (and just a little comic) footage in the “Golden State” to further illustrate his points on the importance of image and reputation when it comes to building both your personal and your business [...]
- Golden Gitomer Lessons from San Francisco: Bonus Videos on Image and Brand Building (1 of 6)
Jeffrey Gitomer was in San Francisco speaking at an event a few weeks ago and took the time to shoot some iconic (and just a little comic) footage in the “Golden State” to further illustrate his points on the importance of image and reputation when it comes to building both your personal and your business [...]
- You are part of our family.
Ever wonder what it takes to get SUCCESS magazine into your hands each month? Well, welcome to the first edition of the Editor’s Blog, where I’ll be giving you a peek at what goes on behind the scenes and into each issue. Our editors, writers, copy editors, photographers, designers and production artists work hard to [...]
- How to Sell or Why They Buy
People don’t like to be sold, but they love to buy is my #1 (trademarked) rule of selling. It is an undeniable rule that on the surface seems relatively simplistic, but when you dig deeper, you’ll find the complexity lies in uncovering the MOTIVE of why people buy. Uncovering buying motives goes against the strategy [...]
- Declaration of Windependence:
The SUCCESS Sales Challenge Begins!Register for the Success Sales Challenge with Jeffrey Gitomer here >>> After is a self-defeating word. It robs you of the present, and resigns you to wait without taking any action. You convince yourself that life will be better after something: After you get a new job, after you get a better job, after you [...]
- What Difference Do You Make?
It’s said you will only be remembered for one of two things: the problems you solve or the ones you create. Abraham Lincoln made a difference that changed the world forever, but so did Hitler. Both men are equally remembered, but for which problems do you want to be remembered? The ones you solved or [...]
- The Five Laws of Personal Constraints
by Guest Blogger Flip FlippenThe Five Laws of Personal Constraints by Guest Blogger Flip Flippen
There’s a reason swimming with barbells isn’t an Olympic event.Yet most of us attempt something just as illogical—we strive to reach our potential without first getting rid of the traits that weigh us down.The greatest swimmer in the world couldn’t do much more than tread water unless he or she lets go of the barbells. It wouldn’t be the swimmer’s great abilities that determine the level of success but rather the weights that hold him down. In exactly the same way, things other than our talents, personality or academic achievements play a greater role in determining how far we go in our professional careers and personal relationships. In a recent article I wrote for SUCCESS magazine, I included a quiz for the readers that must be completed in 10 seconds or less. It was a simple question:
- FREE Audio Excerpts: Dr. Rao & Mark Sanborn
This is a continuation (listen to segment #1 and #2 here) to the additional audio experts we are releasing from our Dr. Rao audio interview, originally recorded for our October issue of SUCCESS. Dr. Rao was featured in our September issue and is the former professor who taught a personal-development course at both the Columbia [...]
- Become a Laughingstock
Have you heard the joke about… the guy who wanted to sell water (the stuff we were used to getting for free!) for more money than sodas or even beer? Or how about the one who wanted to start a new airline, the bloodbath of competition, during the dot-com crash? Then there is the one [...]
- Rise Up and Take Control
This month we want to help you take control of your life. When I was 18 years old, I was invited to a seminar that I believe really flipped on the light switch of my potential. That day, those ideas changed my life forever. There is one idea in particular I’d like to pass on [...]
- Supercharge Your Creative Power
We are all creative beings. The outcome of our lives is a product of what we have created. Learning how to tap into our creative power is what will allow us to realize our greatest potential and achieve the life of our hearts’ desire. Our September issue of SUCCESS (on newsstands now!) is focused on [...]
- The Hollywood Illusion
It’s my and my wife’s weekly date night, and I think I’m doing pretty well so far so I ask my wife, “On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rank this date night?” (a practice I picked up from Jack Canfield). She says, “An 8.” So I ask, “What would it take [...]
- Unhook Yourself from the Matrix
Do you ever get…? Joint pain Stiff back Dry eyes Runny nose Restless legs Tired in the afternoon Angry while sitting in traffic A craving for chocolate Unruly hair If you experience any of these symptoms, consult your doctor. You may be suffering from—BEING HUMAN! Last night I walked into the kitchen where my wife [...]
- Extreme Leadership–Steve Farber Interview Follow-up
Last month I interviewed bestselling author, speaker and leadership coach Steve Farber for our exclusive SUCCESS Audio Series. The response has been so great that Steve and I decided to offer some free follow-up ideas and material here for everyone to benefit from. During the interview we discussed the concept of Steve’s book: Greater Than [...]
- “Life Balance” is a Crock
What does… A pot of gold at the end of a rainbow A “functional” family And “life balance” … all have in common? They all sound neato, but none of them really exist. As a follow-up to the Forgotten “Secrets” to Success and our decline of hard work ethic, one of the great misnomers I [...]
- FREE BONUS SUCCESS AUDIOS
Interviews between SUCCESSPublisher, Darren Hardy and Jack Canfield For the CD bound into the August issue of SUCCESS I sat down with success expert and bestselling co-author of the billion franchise Chicken Soup for the Soul, Jack Canfield, to get his insights on a few important topics. These exclusive interviews are usually only available to [...]
- Go For Bold!
The Perfect Storm: A Trifecta of Opportunity
The new issue of SUCCESS hits newsstand today! This issue features our cover story with Richard Branson on Going for Bold. July is one of our most important issues. This is the month we focus on entrepreneurship, and it couldn’t be at a better time.While it might look like a tough time for the national or global economy, we are actually in the middle of the perfect storm for entrepreneurship. In fact, it is my prediction that 20 to 30 years from now we will look back longingly at these times and call this the greatest window of entrepreneurial opportunity of our lifetime. It is over the next 12-18 months that the wildly successful companies of tomorrow will be born or make their bold move.
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Recent SUCCESS magazine articles
- How To: Know Your Company's Worth June 18, 2013Understanding how small businesses are valued helps companies be more efficient and prepare for the future. […]
- 4 Steps to Getting the Most out of Mentorship June 18, 2013Tips on how to be intentional in finding a mentor. […]
- Celebrate Small Business Week June 17, 2013National Small Business Week recognizes entrepreneurs and small-business owners with free events. […]
- An Apple a Day (Keeps the Doctor Away?) June 17, 2013What healthcare legends are true, and what ones are false? […]
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