In the mountains of McCall, Idaho, I sit down on the hot seat to describe my personal and professional goals to the group. I share my goals to grow an audience, write books, and continue to do the important work necessary to help independent entrepreneurs succeed at Fizzle. After a half hour spent diving deep on […]
What the Boston Tea Party Tells Us About the Importance of Autonomy at Work
In 1772, all tea from the East India Trading Company was required to be delivered to the United Kingdom and sold to traders through the London Tea Auction. Those traders would buy tea at auction and pay an import tax to be able to sell it in the American colonies. The traders would add a […]
2015 in Review and Looking Ahead to 2016
The past few weeks have been a chance for deep reflection on 2015 and consideration of the year ahead. The beginning of a new year brings with it the hope for positive change and the possibility of starting fresh. I love that feeling in so many ways, especially since it comes right on the heels […]
Good Advice
Advice is worth the price you pay. Or, at least that’s the conventional wisdom. But good advice… good advice is a very different story. It’s hard to come by, which makes it all the more valuable. To get good advice, you have to seek it out from people who care. The kind of people who […]
Retreat
Work often. Work hard. Do work that matters. But also create balance. Invest in family. Take retreats. Retreats are one of the most powerful ways I know to build relationships, take stock on life, and come back to work with new vigor and intention. A person who isn’t willing to take time for down time […]
Me, Me, Me
Me is easy. It’s natural. What do I need? What do I want? What is the fastest way to get what I need or want? These questions are what we ask ourselves when we have no concern for others. No responsibility for others. No sense of service to others. But what would happen if we […]
I’m the Kind of Person Who…
… writes everyday … builds successful businesses … goes to inspiring conferences … helps my employees reach their goals … is always home for dinner … goes to church every week … reads 50 books per year … lifts weights three times per week Being the kind of person you want to be starts with […]
Learning & Action
Learn. Learn everything you can. Read books. Take courses. Find mentors and teachers. Write about what you learn. Document it well. Reflect on it. Internalize it. But don’t stop there. Learning in a vacuum is worthless. It’s the application of the learning that leads to change. The cycle of learning and action and learning and […]
The True Cost of Being in Business
Let’s say you make a product that costs the customer $.99 to buy. Your cost to make the product was $.49. Your gross profit on a product sale is $.50. Let’s say it costs you $.25 to gain a customer through marketing and advertising efforts. Your net profit is $.25, right? Those unit economics work […]
Unit Economics
If it costs $1.00 to make and market a product, and you sell the product for $.99, you have a problem. That seems obvious. What’s not so obvious is this: the more products you sell, the more money you lose. No amount of $.01 losses will add up to a profit. Make sure your unit […]