hello and welcome to the oven Carmichael
show I believe in our customers I want
to see you have the best I want to see
finally get some results from all the
hard work that you’re putting into your
business today is a really important
show some of the topic something we
talked about today could have a
permanent and lasting impact on your
business I would encourage you to take
the next hour grab a cup of coffee i
have my starbucks frappuccino with me
here because we’re going to touching
some really important topics on the show
today haven’t get past the crash with
your business how to come up with a
winning business idea how do you find
the right people for your company and
how to demo yourself getting started as
we build our business you’re going to
get to the point where you’ll get
frustrated I wrote and create a video
not too long ago where I said starting
to businesses heart and it is starting
the business is crazy hard and one guy
on YouTube wrote back to say starting
the business as hard how demotivational
is that that’s crazy why don’t you build
me up with something I wish that
somebody told me how hard it was to
start a business when I got started
because everything looks so easy from
the outside and I remember reading books
and looking over magazines and watching
other videos and it all seems so easy
right you come with an idea you create
your product you put it online you start
selling you grow so easy and then I
started doing it myself and at the
beginning it was all exciting I had so
much momentum I was growing but nothing
was actually really happy with my
business yet you know I was running off
the fumes the excitement and then the
crash came and I realized I’m not making
enough money to survive I’m making 300
bucks a month I don’t know what I’m
going to do and that was a huge crash
for me because it wasn’t expecting it
and because it looks so easy for
everybody else I felt like a humongous
failure
like how could these guys all make it
huge and I’m stuck struggling making 300
bucks a month not knowing if I have
enough money you know to go out for
dinner with some friends and I was too
embarrassed and too ashamed to go and
ask for help everybody gets to that
point with their business everybody goes
through the crash and if you’re prepared
for it if you’re expecting it then it’s
a lot easier to get through so starting
the business is hard and I tell people
that it’s hard and I want you to think
that it’s hard so that when the crash
does come when all the initial
excitement and buzz wears off you’re
still willing and ready to keep going
with the company that’s going to make
all the difference in the world what
helped me what got me through was
researching the stories of famous
entrepreneurs I was too embarrassed and
ashamed to go and ask for help from my
friends and talk about my business
because I was supposed to be the guy
making it so I looked inward and I
started researching and anything with
entrepreneur story if you look at these
guys see how they got started they all
had a crazy hard time you look at guys
like George Lucas was created Star Wars
or harley-davidson or Milton Hershey and
how they got started he had years and
years and years of failure before they
made it George Lucas went six years of
just pure failure and everybody was
telling him you should get a job you
should take the safe route and instead
of that he kept going because he felt
like it was the right thing to do when
he created Star Wars he thought it was
too wacky for the general public and
nobody would like it but he kept going
and it became a huge hit and made him a
billionaire you have to understand the
starting a business is hard it’s not
meant to demotivate you this meant to
build you up
think about why you’re starting this
business whenever you are in a moment of
weakness okay when that crash comes and
you guys you all know what I’m talking
about for people who have had a business
you know what I’m talking about the
crash hits you if it’s after a week
after months three months a year
whatever it is at some point the initial
buzz and excitement wears off and you
crash when that happened take a deep
breath relax don’t do anything crazy
think about why you started this
business think about what you hope to
accomplish with it and remember that you
are not alone this is what killed me I
thought I was alone eighty percent of
businesses will fail in five years you
are not the only person going through
this it’s okay to share it’s okay to hit
that point where you feel like quitting
I thought about quitting on a regular
basis with my business because I wasn’t
making it I wasn’t living the life that
I thought it would have just this wasn’t
how it was supposed to work you know I
had a great product I had a great team
this wasn’t the way it was supposed to
go and I remember having to tell my
friends I can’t go with you to dinner I
said I was busy but it really because I
couldn’t afford it twenty bucks couldn’t
afford it so remember certain business
is really tough and when you get to
those points where you think like you’re
going to crash dig deep they true to who
you are remember why you started this
business and look for stories or people
to connect with that can help you get
through it I want to get to the
questions so I’m going to answer a
question off of twitter today we’ve got
a question coming in from citizen who
wrote in how do you manage your time as
an entrepreneur this is a great question
and as entrepreneurs we are time
strapped right you’re doing everything
yourself especially in start-up mode
you’re doing everything you’re
everything from the janitor all the way
up to the
Oh of your business the way I find that
helps me best manage my time is I break
things down into one and a half hour
chunks I try to be really really focused
for an hour and a half not let myself
get too distracted and I a lot those
times across my whole day one of the
biggest challenges for entrepreneurs is
we’re constantly in reactionary mode
right we’re constant fire and as a
result we don’t get to spend any time
really proactively growing our business
I call it CEO time you want to make sure
that you have the EO time dealing or
your business and this is something that
you can think about where am I going to
spend my time to grow a lot of
entrepreneurs I look at their schedule
is it’s on best it’s a nightmare they’re
working on something you’re working hard
on a project you’re in the flow and then
an email comes in or the phone rings you
get distracted you answer it you put out
some fire you come back to what you’re
working on and it’s gone right it takes
you 40 minutes to get back into the
state of flow try to eliminate
distractions from your schedule I try to
run a no crisis business I try to
eliminate clients or high maintenance
because even if it pays well all that
work in managing them it just takes up
too much on my day it prevents me from
doing something great with my business
so don’t let email over run your life
don’t take unscheduled phone calls my
phone number isn’t listed on my website
it’s none of my business card I do
business by the phone but if we’re going
to set something up I’m calling you
because I’m always on time and I don’t
let people call me and ruin my day so
block off your day it’s an hour and a
half chunks and make sure when you’re
spending an hour and a half on something
if it’s your CEO time or if it’s a
project they’re working on don’t get
distracted by something else I like the
90 minute rule because it seems to be a
great way to be able to focus your brain
after 90 minutes you can start to get
tired
and then your productivity drops off but
i try to be in peak productivity as much
as possible another great way to them so
pretty questions on stairs another great
way to manage your time is to try to
chunk things up one thing that you do on
a weekly basis try to do once a week
anything that you do on a monthly basis
try to do once a month instead of having
it multiple times in a week do it once a
week 73 multiple times you’re in the day
do it once a day so checking email if
that’s a big killer for you do it once a
day segment is time hour and a half
you’re good to go and then the rest of
your day don’t worry about your email
for me every day is segmented is it
something else so for example today’s
Thursday I’m in the radio show
Thursday’s are always my public facing
day I’ll do the radio show I’ll do all
my meetings any phone calls you need to
take it’s always going to be on a
thursday that sets me up when filled in
my video I’ll sit down and do 13-14 up
to 20 videos in one day because I’m in
the zone and focused on that where the
monday or tuesday i’m doing more project
work so try to chunk up your time it
will help you be a lot more productive I
know as I start it’s really hard because
there’s so many things on your plate but
running the business doesn’t have to be
as complicated as you make it if you can
manage your time conflicts welcome back
to Devon Carmichael show I believe in
helping entrepreneurs I want to see you
have mastered success with your company
and that will start with having a
winning business idea so how do you come
up with the winning business idea I
recently met up with entrepreneur friend
of mine he’s been doing the same thing
for about 10 years and he’s bored of his
business and wants to do something else
but doesn’t know what to go into and by
the way this is common this is another
truth about entrepreneurship that nobody
talks about you will get bored of your
business if you don’t keep reinventing
it injecting more of your stuff into it
if you do the same thing day in day out
you will get bored
so how do you get a new idea how do you
get waste improve the company I can tell
you how not to do it you can’t force
creativity I can’t say be creative right
now give me the next great business idea
right now when you force yourself to do
something you don’t get great results
quick example I’m an investor in a salsa
dancing company will teach five to six
thousand people a year how to dance
salsa and when I started into this
company I was just a student and if I
was looking for a business opportunity
by said this has to work right now this
has to be my next great business idea it
would have never worked I’m tall I take
big steps I didn’t understand the
language I didn’t get the music I’m
learning late in life there’s so many
reasons against why this would not be a
great business and if I looked at it
only from a business point of view
wouldn’t have worked but I gave myself
the freedom to explore and try something
new and try something different that I
was interested in and fell in love with
salsa now I did the event I’m invested
in the business I’ll help teach some
classes it’s a ton of fun and it became
a business opportunity because I gave
myself the freedom to explore and try
something else so if you’re looking for
a business idea it’s not going to come
by forcing the opportunity we’ve got to
go out give yourself freedom give
yourself time to get out there try
something that you are interested in
even have nothing to do with business
it’s like finding somebody on the street
and say I’m going to marry that person
and trying to force love and forced
marriage not going to happen that’d be
natural gotta flow so don’t stress out
if you’re trying to find your business
idea and you’re freaking out instruction
I got on to do I don’t know what to do
what to do relax chill out a little bit
spend some time doing something that you
want to explore and discover and if your
intention to start a business something
will come something great will come and
it’s going to be out of a passion and
pure love that’s the way to get your
winning business idea I want to get to
the calls I have Stephanie on the line
Stephanie where are you from and how can
I help um yes i am from dallas texas and
i have a little small business that I’m
trying to start he’s mad
chick it’s going to be a clothing store
mostly for females but i do want to
branch out eventually and do males
clothing as well okay I want to know how
how I should go about kind of getting
everything started because I’m new to
the whole idea of a business why do you
want to start this company Stephanie I
want to help women who don’t necessarily
have like a big budget to shop on I want
to help people be able to look pretty on
a budget okay is that is that your story
you have a painful moment that you
remember trying to find these kinds of
clothes to yourself oh my you whenever I
was younger I grew up for like I didn’t
grow up with the best of clothes I
didn’t get to have like new clothes
every year like everyone else so as I
grew older I kind of wanted to help
children or young adults coming into
teams and I just want to help people so
pretty because I know whenever I was
younger I didn’t always feel pretty I
didn’t feel pretty until I was about 17
and I moved away from home so I just
want people to know you know it is ok
that you can’t afford like the things
that some people may have definitely
this is fantastic most people will call
in they started the business with no
real purpose but you’re starting this
for real reason and you can really tie
your story into it so I would strongly
encourage you to use your story at the
front of everything ok so in terms of
actually taking the next step what were
you thinking of doing did you want to
open up your own store from scratch or
what was your plan next step um I
believe that online marketing online is
really a key point right now I think
that I should do an online store first
and then eventually branch out and get
maybe a location and Dallas and then
hopefully it’ll grow big and people will
like my story and I can go LA and New
York big big dreams big dreams it’s good
so what’s holding you back from starting
your website um money I’m actually
currently looking for an investor or
maybe like a small business model to
kind of get my business on the road so
starting up and going after capital can
be a full-time job what what I would try
to do is all you really need is it is a
developer to help you out right yes
that’s correct I would try to find a
developer who believes in what you’re
doing and can come on board to help you
out with this and maybe they become a
partner in the business or they invest
some of their time and in return they
get if you can’t afford to pay them
right now they get some shares in the
business or they get some future
consideration with the business and this
would be great if you can find a woman
web developer because there aren’t as
many of them as there are guys and
people who really believe in what you’re
all about is there anybody that comes to
mind that you can connect with um there
isn’t actually I don’t have a lot of
connections right now I’m still wanting
to get connections into people that have
businesses and I really don’t though I
don’t have anyone what about starting
through an existing network like
Facebook yes I have thought of that as
well you have zero development costs
because it’s already been up right but
the sites already built and it’s less
you get your message out in a really
social way ok yeah I can I can’t do that
can you do that today okay I just got my
business actually through the club’s to
the counties so I just now bought the
name and everything so definitely I
would acted on start a Facebook page
definitely start up a Facebook page
today and let me know the result you can
always email me or if you want to call
back I’m on every two weeks and I want
to hear about your success ok absolutely
ok good luck thank you and for everybody
look you’re just trying to get far
don’t let the lack of money hold you
back she didn’t have a web developer
that doesn’t mean you can’t start your
company you want to start small you want
to start with what you have and start
building something right start getting
some momentum into your business and a
great way to do it if you don’t have a
budget and you don’t have any technical
skills is used something like Facebook
all of the tools are already built in
there for you and when you’re ready to
expand because you’ve made some sales
and you can show that it works then you
have money coming in so stop spending
money and try to find ways to go out and
make money using the cool the knowledge
that you already have welcome back to
young Carmichael show I believe in
entrepreneurs I wanted to build a great
company and have a massive impact in
this world and one of the great ways to
do it is to build a team it’s hard to do
everything yourself and you can’t if you
want to build something significant
needs people around you I got a question
from one of our YouTube viewers wrote
and say how do you find the right people
and if I wanted somebody and they said
no but they want to come back in after
had success should I let them back in or
not let’s start with the first part most
entrepreneurs their first employee
really works out if you look at the
success of companies you look at who the
original team was and who the first
employee was there rarely still there
down the line and a lot of that is your
fault as the entrepreneur and I mean I
did this to the first guy hired wasn’t
parked is not a part of my business
anymore now the key thing here is you
have to stand for something as a
business you have to have values that
attract people to your business ninety
percent of America they wake up and they
drive the job that they hate people are
yearning to belong to something that is
meaningful and so that has to come out
with your business and it starts with
you understanding what is the change
that you want to have in the world
our last caller was talking about how
she grew up poor and how she couldn’t
afford nice clothe him and she had to
figure out a way to feel pretty while
still on a budget now she doesn’t just
sell clothes she’s selling a feeling and
people will associate with that I want
to be a part of that you have to think
for your own business what are you
staying for because you’re not just
selling clothes you’re not just selling
tables you’re not just selling lawn
maintenance you have to stand for
something more than that and when you do
it’s not only going to just inspire you
but it’s going to inspire the right
people to come and join your business so
when you’re looking for somebody new to
join you it’s not just do they have the
skills that you need it’s not just do
they have the right person i was going
to fit with you it’s do they believe in
the same values that you do do they love
what you stand for so my advice in the
last call if you’re trying to find a
website developer don’t just jump ship
with any website developer who’s out
there you want somebody who feels the
same way you want somebody who grew up
for who grew up feeling like there
weren’t pretty and really believe in
what you’re trying to do because they’re
going to not just give you their mind
they’re going to give you your hearts
and their soul so when you’re thinking
about bringing new people on that has to
be the start that has to be where you
begin what you stand for what makes you
different and how can you inspire people
I want to get to the calls I have Katie
on the line Katie where you’re from and
how can I help I’m in Oklahoma City and
I am a pageant consultant and I’m in the
hotbed of pageants down here in the
southwest all right and I wonder I have
well in the hotbed of pageants you know
I am a pretty specific niche and so I
wonder I want to cast a broad net to not
only get girls that are already in
pageants but I want to cast a broad net
so I can get the girls that are
considering getting into pageants
because in my neck of the woods it’s
like athletics for girls you know same
commitment same money spend that sort of
thing as it would be if they were boys
in football and so I want to cast a
broad net do I put up a billboard
because they got those digital
billboards manila do I put an ad in the
paper what do you suggest is going to be
my best place for me to hit the families
and girls that I’m trying to find why
did you start this business were you in
the pageant were you yourself in a
pageant yes I’ll come forth yes and now
you help girls what age they start with
you well we do the miss teen pageant so
we start out at like 14 in the training
and coaching and then they get into the
miss teen pageants and hopefully have
enough success in confidence to go into
the you know the bigger state I mean
national pageants like the Miss America
Miss USA is if somebody who coaches done
really really well well we’re a new
we’re a new little business I mean we’ve
only been in business for like six
months I’ve I’ve been in the industry
many years and my partner has been in
the industry many years and she’s a
former miss colorado okay so we we have
credentials behind us would you consider
yourself an expert of what you do
absolutely yes I hope I like the
confidence so listen there a couple ways
to promote this and I’ve always
preferred not spending money until I’m
making money and if possible I mean he’s
just six months in you’re still getting
your your sea legs with this company I’d
hate for you to go out and spend a whole
bunch of money on a billboard
advertising that doesn’t work right I’m
assuming you don’t have massive budgets
to go out there and buy up every
billboard in the city now we don’t have
massive budgets but we do have a small
amount of cash flow and we wanted to
reinvest it into the company somehow
without it just sitting so think about
if you read a magazine are you reading
the stories or you reading the ads well
actually I’m for me I’m probably reading
the hat that’s not the experience of
most people you don’t buy a magazine to
read the eyes well I by fashion
magazines that’s primarily as
no but I follow what you’re saying so if
you’re on the other side now right if
you’re the business owner it’s much
better for you to be in there creating
the stories i have stories written about
you for you to be sharing your expertise
than for you to be out there buying that
Oh talk about change direction if I make
sense neta makes absolute sense that
makes absolute sense and I’m embarrassed
to say that one of the classes that I
teach my little gals of course now we’re
in Oklahoma and I’m not you know Rupert
Murdoch but one of the classes I teach
the little girls ism self-promotion and
media mastery what the heck am I
thinking hey that’s okay now you’re on
the same page and that’s priceless you
are so smart that’s and that’s free i
can write press releases all day long
and i’d love to see you have a regular
column you know in whatever the Oklahoma
newspaper is oh yeah that’d be real we
should do that in the smaller town
because we get a lot of draw from the
smaller towns and they could probably
use the content that’s great and now
you’re casting a wide net and keep are
going to be reading those stories and
and you can talk not just about the
success you’ve had and how to be great
as a pageant but you’re trying to get
the people who are thinking about what
where I want to send my child right like
what what’s the best thing for them to
get involved in if it’s not athletic
what it is so you have to kind of step
out step up a little bit and not only
focus on how to be successful in the
pageant business but why this is an
important business to get into for girls
absolutely well it is because it offers
so much as far as scholarships and
education and when they have to have a
platform they have to develop something
relevant for them to have a message
about and it’s you know all that goes
towards college admissions I mean
everything that’s great and when I don’t
want to show you know don’t you can
still do the billboards you can still do
the advertising the great thing about
that is you want to be able to track
success so everything is measurable
right if you have a billboard if
somebody calls you up they can say you
know how you suggest them how did you
they always all your billboard so
advertising to work but measure and see
see if it’s going to Senate results for
you if it does you expend but typically
especially for startups you get way more
leverage out of being that expert and
sharing your opinions and these are
things like you are you’re not just
starting this business just to try to
make some money you you are an expert
you’re changing people’s lives you pass
you believe in what you’re doing and if
you let that come out we’re going to
flock to you perfect and it’s free magic
word proj foreigners right well I’m
gonna just go on and jump up and down do
you have saw I mean you have opened up
my whole day for me alright i’m glad i
could help Katie good luck thanks so
much and I’ll be listen I’m on every two
weeks if you want to call back with an
update I’d love to hear how you’re doing
absolutely okay thanks Katie anke Matt
so for everybody listening listen one of
the biggest problems is marketing your
business right how do you get the word
out we have great products and services
but if people don’t know about it how
are they going to come and buy from you
you can think about advertising and
again if you’re going to do it make sure
you test everything small-scale see if
it works and if so expand but you should
be an expert in your industry you should
be the best at what you do you should be
master class and so if you are you have
to share that expertise you got to let
people know you exist and every story
that comes out every stories are the
reporters writing something on they need
an expert you could be that expert
whenever somebody is talking about your
industry you should be the person quoted
all it takes is reached out to reporters
letting them know your expertise getting
to know them a little bit and if you can
be a great resource for them they’re
going to keep going back to you because
you’re making their lives easier you’re
not just selling them you’re making
their daily life easier because these
reporters are not experts at what they
do they’re actually writing but they’re
not extras on your field
need your help so it starts on a budget
and promote yourself as an expert
welcome back to the oven Carmichael show
I want to see used by massive sales your
business and a great way to do it is to
have a powerful demo you need to be able
to show people not only what you do but
to make them feel it you can explain
what you do and it hit someone a logical
level but you have to be able to solve
their pain all their problems and make
them feel it and where the connects with
them if you can do that they’re much
more likely to buy from you one of my
favorite stores here is an entrepreneur
Richard Davis he created the first all
Kevlar bulletproof vest and when he was
out trying to sell is he a hard time at
the beginning he wanted to go and reach
out to police stations as police
officers say they need bulletproof vests
and he called them up and they said hey
you’re crazy you don’t have a
bulletproof bastard you know how how
much force comes out of a gun as s can’t
stop that bullet and he didn’t get
anywhere so we switched things around
and he call them police say she set up a
time you went in to see them put on his
vest pulled out a gun and shot himself
in the chest now luckily at work or that
would be the end of the story but it was
a powerful demo the men literally stood
behind this product and it showed them
how it could actually work because
people are bombarded with sales messages
all the time right you are hit
constantly with people trying to pitch
you something but nobody does a really
good job or very few companies do a
great job I’ve clearly showing it off
having a powerful demo do you want to
try to move people from just explaining
what it is that you do to showing them
what is it that you do and having them
feel it put it in their hand make them
have a little bit of a taste of the
great feeling they’re going to get by
working with your business if you can do
that
then sales will come in once Richard
Davis started going out and demo and his
product they started ordering because
they believed it they saw how it could
work they may have thought he had this
guy’s a little bit crazy but he
obviously believes in his product and he
can show off that it works we’ll find
ways with your business to have a
powerful demo to make people feel what
your business is all about I want to get
to the cause I have Clarissa on the
phone klarissa’s did I pronounce the
name properly yes Clary our Clarice are
right where you’re from and how can I
help I’m from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
alright welcome thank you um so I’m have
been invented a few things but today I
want to talk to you about my fragrance
my perfume that I came up with ok now um
my question is do you feel that the
market is already too saturated with so
many fragrances like that there is
really not a chance for another good
fragrant come to be out the market is
never saturated for a great product ok
there’s always room at the top if you
look at any business this full of
competition any business right there’s
tons of competition but almost nobody is
doing it really really wow and there’s a
niche that you can work out what is what
is special about your fragrance well
what’s special about my fragrances is
not so overpowering that it smells
really really sweet soft and fresh it
covers up cigarette smoke it smell right
fresh flowers it’s different because
it’s a unique smell that anybody that
ever you know sold it to or let try or
smell it they fall in love with it
instantly it’s just the unique soft soft
and and powerful smell you don’t have to
use a lot of it you can use a small
amount of it it will last the whole day
almost these are all great points now it
is the fear of it being too statue the
market holding you back from doing
something with it yes
and what I’ve been thinking I’ve been
watching like a bunch of different
perfume commercials and I’ve been trying
to put up I’m trying to piece put
together a good commercial for it and
I’m just looking for on great tips and
pointers but that being a factor of
everything it does kind of hold me back
like I’m afraid to fail I guess yeah but
I and that’s our that’s a real fear but
it is not that’s just some joke you know
you’re feeling is a huge things that
holds people back is your plan to make
this commercial and then put it on TV is
that what you’re trying to do with it
i’m going to start it out on with the
social media and i want to actually
about that too I want to start it out
like with the YouTube and you know the
different facebook and linkedin linkedin
he all the you know the the social media
outlets who let you upload videos i mean
here’s i want you to write this company
down jones soda I’ve ever heard of Joan
what I think oh okay I want you to look
them up Jones Soda this is no relevant
for you because you’re going up against
huge companies right you’re going up
against some of the biggest companies in
the world you will not compete by
putting that one commercial you can’t
play their game jones soda they make
they make also two different flavors
poke flavors you know that kind of stuff
you’re all sorts of different pop
flavors they go up against some of the
biggest companies in the world to coke
pepsi etc and they do it in a different
way and this is going to be your
challenges how can you stand out and be
different and not go up against a huge
competition on their terms because just
taking out a commercial is not going to
be a huge success factor for you because
everybody else is doing it and they’re
doing it better than all right right
like chanel has great commercial yeah
ghana that hope to have the same team
and produces Chanel quality commercial
so don’t try to be you know a c-grade
product of them being a of yourself and
do something unique and different that
will help right the buzz for you okay
now is still wild that you said that
because those commercials are like this
is the ones i hone in on like I try to
research them watch them over and over
again and yeah so you don’t think that
the social media advertising is like one
of the better ways to go with this you
can I just want you to use social media
I definitely want you to deleverage
doctors it’s so powerful and suchi
cost-effective but I don’t want you to
go the route of just trying to be a
Chanel junior long you’ve got to find a
different way to stand out be unique
I’ve gotta run and we’re kind of at the
end the program but I call back in if
you have questions I’m on every two
weeks I’d love to hear about your
progress okay thank you so much for
having me no problem good luck and for
everybody listening model success so
fine companies who’ve done what you’re
trying to do and copy what’s work for
them make it to work for your business
she’s going up against huge competitors
find someone who has done the same thing
find that rebel brand who stood out for
her for her Jones thought it would be a
great comfort in the model thank you
everybody I had so much fun the hour
always goes by so quickly thanks so much
my producers fernanda and Steve I’m on
every two weeks I look forward to
hearing from you in two weeks time and
in the meantime keep checking my website
ever tumblr com have fun everybody’s to
leave and i’ll see you
show I believe in our customers I want
to see you have the best I want to see
finally get some results from all the
hard work that you’re putting into your
business today is a really important
show some of the topic something we
talked about today could have a
permanent and lasting impact on your
business I would encourage you to take
the next hour grab a cup of coffee i
have my starbucks frappuccino with me
here because we’re going to touching
some really important topics on the show
today haven’t get past the crash with
your business how to come up with a
winning business idea how do you find
the right people for your company and
how to demo yourself getting started as
we build our business you’re going to
get to the point where you’ll get
frustrated I wrote and create a video
not too long ago where I said starting
to businesses heart and it is starting
the business is crazy hard and one guy
on YouTube wrote back to say starting
the business as hard how demotivational
is that that’s crazy why don’t you build
me up with something I wish that
somebody told me how hard it was to
start a business when I got started
because everything looks so easy from
the outside and I remember reading books
and looking over magazines and watching
other videos and it all seems so easy
right you come with an idea you create
your product you put it online you start
selling you grow so easy and then I
started doing it myself and at the
beginning it was all exciting I had so
much momentum I was growing but nothing
was actually really happy with my
business yet you know I was running off
the fumes the excitement and then the
crash came and I realized I’m not making
enough money to survive I’m making 300
bucks a month I don’t know what I’m
going to do and that was a huge crash
for me because it wasn’t expecting it
and because it looks so easy for
everybody else I felt like a humongous
failure
like how could these guys all make it
huge and I’m stuck struggling making 300
bucks a month not knowing if I have
enough money you know to go out for
dinner with some friends and I was too
embarrassed and too ashamed to go and
ask for help everybody gets to that
point with their business everybody goes
through the crash and if you’re prepared
for it if you’re expecting it then it’s
a lot easier to get through so starting
the business is hard and I tell people
that it’s hard and I want you to think
that it’s hard so that when the crash
does come when all the initial
excitement and buzz wears off you’re
still willing and ready to keep going
with the company that’s going to make
all the difference in the world what
helped me what got me through was
researching the stories of famous
entrepreneurs I was too embarrassed and
ashamed to go and ask for help from my
friends and talk about my business
because I was supposed to be the guy
making it so I looked inward and I
started researching and anything with
entrepreneur story if you look at these
guys see how they got started they all
had a crazy hard time you look at guys
like George Lucas was created Star Wars
or harley-davidson or Milton Hershey and
how they got started he had years and
years and years of failure before they
made it George Lucas went six years of
just pure failure and everybody was
telling him you should get a job you
should take the safe route and instead
of that he kept going because he felt
like it was the right thing to do when
he created Star Wars he thought it was
too wacky for the general public and
nobody would like it but he kept going
and it became a huge hit and made him a
billionaire you have to understand the
starting a business is hard it’s not
meant to demotivate you this meant to
build you up
think about why you’re starting this
business whenever you are in a moment of
weakness okay when that crash comes and
you guys you all know what I’m talking
about for people who have had a business
you know what I’m talking about the
crash hits you if it’s after a week
after months three months a year
whatever it is at some point the initial
buzz and excitement wears off and you
crash when that happened take a deep
breath relax don’t do anything crazy
think about why you started this
business think about what you hope to
accomplish with it and remember that you
are not alone this is what killed me I
thought I was alone eighty percent of
businesses will fail in five years you
are not the only person going through
this it’s okay to share it’s okay to hit
that point where you feel like quitting
I thought about quitting on a regular
basis with my business because I wasn’t
making it I wasn’t living the life that
I thought it would have just this wasn’t
how it was supposed to work you know I
had a great product I had a great team
this wasn’t the way it was supposed to
go and I remember having to tell my
friends I can’t go with you to dinner I
said I was busy but it really because I
couldn’t afford it twenty bucks couldn’t
afford it so remember certain business
is really tough and when you get to
those points where you think like you’re
going to crash dig deep they true to who
you are remember why you started this
business and look for stories or people
to connect with that can help you get
through it I want to get to the
questions so I’m going to answer a
question off of twitter today we’ve got
a question coming in from citizen who
wrote in how do you manage your time as
an entrepreneur this is a great question
and as entrepreneurs we are time
strapped right you’re doing everything
yourself especially in start-up mode
you’re doing everything you’re
everything from the janitor all the way
up to the
Oh of your business the way I find that
helps me best manage my time is I break
things down into one and a half hour
chunks I try to be really really focused
for an hour and a half not let myself
get too distracted and I a lot those
times across my whole day one of the
biggest challenges for entrepreneurs is
we’re constantly in reactionary mode
right we’re constant fire and as a
result we don’t get to spend any time
really proactively growing our business
I call it CEO time you want to make sure
that you have the EO time dealing or
your business and this is something that
you can think about where am I going to
spend my time to grow a lot of
entrepreneurs I look at their schedule
is it’s on best it’s a nightmare they’re
working on something you’re working hard
on a project you’re in the flow and then
an email comes in or the phone rings you
get distracted you answer it you put out
some fire you come back to what you’re
working on and it’s gone right it takes
you 40 minutes to get back into the
state of flow try to eliminate
distractions from your schedule I try to
run a no crisis business I try to
eliminate clients or high maintenance
because even if it pays well all that
work in managing them it just takes up
too much on my day it prevents me from
doing something great with my business
so don’t let email over run your life
don’t take unscheduled phone calls my
phone number isn’t listed on my website
it’s none of my business card I do
business by the phone but if we’re going
to set something up I’m calling you
because I’m always on time and I don’t
let people call me and ruin my day so
block off your day it’s an hour and a
half chunks and make sure when you’re
spending an hour and a half on something
if it’s your CEO time or if it’s a
project they’re working on don’t get
distracted by something else I like the
90 minute rule because it seems to be a
great way to be able to focus your brain
after 90 minutes you can start to get
tired
and then your productivity drops off but
i try to be in peak productivity as much
as possible another great way to them so
pretty questions on stairs another great
way to manage your time is to try to
chunk things up one thing that you do on
a weekly basis try to do once a week
anything that you do on a monthly basis
try to do once a month instead of having
it multiple times in a week do it once a
week 73 multiple times you’re in the day
do it once a day so checking email if
that’s a big killer for you do it once a
day segment is time hour and a half
you’re good to go and then the rest of
your day don’t worry about your email
for me every day is segmented is it
something else so for example today’s
Thursday I’m in the radio show
Thursday’s are always my public facing
day I’ll do the radio show I’ll do all
my meetings any phone calls you need to
take it’s always going to be on a
thursday that sets me up when filled in
my video I’ll sit down and do 13-14 up
to 20 videos in one day because I’m in
the zone and focused on that where the
monday or tuesday i’m doing more project
work so try to chunk up your time it
will help you be a lot more productive I
know as I start it’s really hard because
there’s so many things on your plate but
running the business doesn’t have to be
as complicated as you make it if you can
manage your time conflicts welcome back
to Devon Carmichael show I believe in
helping entrepreneurs I want to see you
have mastered success with your company
and that will start with having a
winning business idea so how do you come
up with the winning business idea I
recently met up with entrepreneur friend
of mine he’s been doing the same thing
for about 10 years and he’s bored of his
business and wants to do something else
but doesn’t know what to go into and by
the way this is common this is another
truth about entrepreneurship that nobody
talks about you will get bored of your
business if you don’t keep reinventing
it injecting more of your stuff into it
if you do the same thing day in day out
you will get bored
so how do you get a new idea how do you
get waste improve the company I can tell
you how not to do it you can’t force
creativity I can’t say be creative right
now give me the next great business idea
right now when you force yourself to do
something you don’t get great results
quick example I’m an investor in a salsa
dancing company will teach five to six
thousand people a year how to dance
salsa and when I started into this
company I was just a student and if I
was looking for a business opportunity
by said this has to work right now this
has to be my next great business idea it
would have never worked I’m tall I take
big steps I didn’t understand the
language I didn’t get the music I’m
learning late in life there’s so many
reasons against why this would not be a
great business and if I looked at it
only from a business point of view
wouldn’t have worked but I gave myself
the freedom to explore and try something
new and try something different that I
was interested in and fell in love with
salsa now I did the event I’m invested
in the business I’ll help teach some
classes it’s a ton of fun and it became
a business opportunity because I gave
myself the freedom to explore and try
something else so if you’re looking for
a business idea it’s not going to come
by forcing the opportunity we’ve got to
go out give yourself freedom give
yourself time to get out there try
something that you are interested in
even have nothing to do with business
it’s like finding somebody on the street
and say I’m going to marry that person
and trying to force love and forced
marriage not going to happen that’d be
natural gotta flow so don’t stress out
if you’re trying to find your business
idea and you’re freaking out instruction
I got on to do I don’t know what to do
what to do relax chill out a little bit
spend some time doing something that you
want to explore and discover and if your
intention to start a business something
will come something great will come and
it’s going to be out of a passion and
pure love that’s the way to get your
winning business idea I want to get to
the calls I have Stephanie on the line
Stephanie where are you from and how can
I help um yes i am from dallas texas and
i have a little small business that I’m
trying to start he’s mad
chick it’s going to be a clothing store
mostly for females but i do want to
branch out eventually and do males
clothing as well okay I want to know how
how I should go about kind of getting
everything started because I’m new to
the whole idea of a business why do you
want to start this company Stephanie I
want to help women who don’t necessarily
have like a big budget to shop on I want
to help people be able to look pretty on
a budget okay is that is that your story
you have a painful moment that you
remember trying to find these kinds of
clothes to yourself oh my you whenever I
was younger I grew up for like I didn’t
grow up with the best of clothes I
didn’t get to have like new clothes
every year like everyone else so as I
grew older I kind of wanted to help
children or young adults coming into
teams and I just want to help people so
pretty because I know whenever I was
younger I didn’t always feel pretty I
didn’t feel pretty until I was about 17
and I moved away from home so I just
want people to know you know it is ok
that you can’t afford like the things
that some people may have definitely
this is fantastic most people will call
in they started the business with no
real purpose but you’re starting this
for real reason and you can really tie
your story into it so I would strongly
encourage you to use your story at the
front of everything ok so in terms of
actually taking the next step what were
you thinking of doing did you want to
open up your own store from scratch or
what was your plan next step um I
believe that online marketing online is
really a key point right now I think
that I should do an online store first
and then eventually branch out and get
maybe a location and Dallas and then
hopefully it’ll grow big and people will
like my story and I can go LA and New
York big big dreams big dreams it’s good
so what’s holding you back from starting
your website um money I’m actually
currently looking for an investor or
maybe like a small business model to
kind of get my business on the road so
starting up and going after capital can
be a full-time job what what I would try
to do is all you really need is it is a
developer to help you out right yes
that’s correct I would try to find a
developer who believes in what you’re
doing and can come on board to help you
out with this and maybe they become a
partner in the business or they invest
some of their time and in return they
get if you can’t afford to pay them
right now they get some shares in the
business or they get some future
consideration with the business and this
would be great if you can find a woman
web developer because there aren’t as
many of them as there are guys and
people who really believe in what you’re
all about is there anybody that comes to
mind that you can connect with um there
isn’t actually I don’t have a lot of
connections right now I’m still wanting
to get connections into people that have
businesses and I really don’t though I
don’t have anyone what about starting
through an existing network like
Facebook yes I have thought of that as
well you have zero development costs
because it’s already been up right but
the sites already built and it’s less
you get your message out in a really
social way ok yeah I can I can’t do that
can you do that today okay I just got my
business actually through the club’s to
the counties so I just now bought the
name and everything so definitely I
would acted on start a Facebook page
definitely start up a Facebook page
today and let me know the result you can
always email me or if you want to call
back I’m on every two weeks and I want
to hear about your success ok absolutely
ok good luck thank you and for everybody
look you’re just trying to get far
don’t let the lack of money hold you
back she didn’t have a web developer
that doesn’t mean you can’t start your
company you want to start small you want
to start with what you have and start
building something right start getting
some momentum into your business and a
great way to do it if you don’t have a
budget and you don’t have any technical
skills is used something like Facebook
all of the tools are already built in
there for you and when you’re ready to
expand because you’ve made some sales
and you can show that it works then you
have money coming in so stop spending
money and try to find ways to go out and
make money using the cool the knowledge
that you already have welcome back to
young Carmichael show I believe in
entrepreneurs I wanted to build a great
company and have a massive impact in
this world and one of the great ways to
do it is to build a team it’s hard to do
everything yourself and you can’t if you
want to build something significant
needs people around you I got a question
from one of our YouTube viewers wrote
and say how do you find the right people
and if I wanted somebody and they said
no but they want to come back in after
had success should I let them back in or
not let’s start with the first part most
entrepreneurs their first employee
really works out if you look at the
success of companies you look at who the
original team was and who the first
employee was there rarely still there
down the line and a lot of that is your
fault as the entrepreneur and I mean I
did this to the first guy hired wasn’t
parked is not a part of my business
anymore now the key thing here is you
have to stand for something as a
business you have to have values that
attract people to your business ninety
percent of America they wake up and they
drive the job that they hate people are
yearning to belong to something that is
meaningful and so that has to come out
with your business and it starts with
you understanding what is the change
that you want to have in the world
our last caller was talking about how
she grew up poor and how she couldn’t
afford nice clothe him and she had to
figure out a way to feel pretty while
still on a budget now she doesn’t just
sell clothes she’s selling a feeling and
people will associate with that I want
to be a part of that you have to think
for your own business what are you
staying for because you’re not just
selling clothes you’re not just selling
tables you’re not just selling lawn
maintenance you have to stand for
something more than that and when you do
it’s not only going to just inspire you
but it’s going to inspire the right
people to come and join your business so
when you’re looking for somebody new to
join you it’s not just do they have the
skills that you need it’s not just do
they have the right person i was going
to fit with you it’s do they believe in
the same values that you do do they love
what you stand for so my advice in the
last call if you’re trying to find a
website developer don’t just jump ship
with any website developer who’s out
there you want somebody who feels the
same way you want somebody who grew up
for who grew up feeling like there
weren’t pretty and really believe in
what you’re trying to do because they’re
going to not just give you their mind
they’re going to give you your hearts
and their soul so when you’re thinking
about bringing new people on that has to
be the start that has to be where you
begin what you stand for what makes you
different and how can you inspire people
I want to get to the calls I have Katie
on the line Katie where you’re from and
how can I help I’m in Oklahoma City and
I am a pageant consultant and I’m in the
hotbed of pageants down here in the
southwest all right and I wonder I have
well in the hotbed of pageants you know
I am a pretty specific niche and so I
wonder I want to cast a broad net to not
only get girls that are already in
pageants but I want to cast a broad net
so I can get the girls that are
considering getting into pageants
because in my neck of the woods it’s
like athletics for girls you know same
commitment same money spend that sort of
thing as it would be if they were boys
in football and so I want to cast a
broad net do I put up a billboard
because they got those digital
billboards manila do I put an ad in the
paper what do you suggest is going to be
my best place for me to hit the families
and girls that I’m trying to find why
did you start this business were you in
the pageant were you yourself in a
pageant yes I’ll come forth yes and now
you help girls what age they start with
you well we do the miss teen pageant so
we start out at like 14 in the training
and coaching and then they get into the
miss teen pageants and hopefully have
enough success in confidence to go into
the you know the bigger state I mean
national pageants like the Miss America
Miss USA is if somebody who coaches done
really really well well we’re a new
we’re a new little business I mean we’ve
only been in business for like six
months I’ve I’ve been in the industry
many years and my partner has been in
the industry many years and she’s a
former miss colorado okay so we we have
credentials behind us would you consider
yourself an expert of what you do
absolutely yes I hope I like the
confidence so listen there a couple ways
to promote this and I’ve always
preferred not spending money until I’m
making money and if possible I mean he’s
just six months in you’re still getting
your your sea legs with this company I’d
hate for you to go out and spend a whole
bunch of money on a billboard
advertising that doesn’t work right I’m
assuming you don’t have massive budgets
to go out there and buy up every
billboard in the city now we don’t have
massive budgets but we do have a small
amount of cash flow and we wanted to
reinvest it into the company somehow
without it just sitting so think about
if you read a magazine are you reading
the stories or you reading the ads well
actually I’m for me I’m probably reading
the hat that’s not the experience of
most people you don’t buy a magazine to
read the eyes well I by fashion
magazines that’s primarily as
no but I follow what you’re saying so if
you’re on the other side now right if
you’re the business owner it’s much
better for you to be in there creating
the stories i have stories written about
you for you to be sharing your expertise
than for you to be out there buying that
Oh talk about change direction if I make
sense neta makes absolute sense that
makes absolute sense and I’m embarrassed
to say that one of the classes that I
teach my little gals of course now we’re
in Oklahoma and I’m not you know Rupert
Murdoch but one of the classes I teach
the little girls ism self-promotion and
media mastery what the heck am I
thinking hey that’s okay now you’re on
the same page and that’s priceless you
are so smart that’s and that’s free i
can write press releases all day long
and i’d love to see you have a regular
column you know in whatever the Oklahoma
newspaper is oh yeah that’d be real we
should do that in the smaller town
because we get a lot of draw from the
smaller towns and they could probably
use the content that’s great and now
you’re casting a wide net and keep are
going to be reading those stories and
and you can talk not just about the
success you’ve had and how to be great
as a pageant but you’re trying to get
the people who are thinking about what
where I want to send my child right like
what what’s the best thing for them to
get involved in if it’s not athletic
what it is so you have to kind of step
out step up a little bit and not only
focus on how to be successful in the
pageant business but why this is an
important business to get into for girls
absolutely well it is because it offers
so much as far as scholarships and
education and when they have to have a
platform they have to develop something
relevant for them to have a message
about and it’s you know all that goes
towards college admissions I mean
everything that’s great and when I don’t
want to show you know don’t you can
still do the billboards you can still do
the advertising the great thing about
that is you want to be able to track
success so everything is measurable
right if you have a billboard if
somebody calls you up they can say you
know how you suggest them how did you
they always all your billboard so
advertising to work but measure and see
see if it’s going to Senate results for
you if it does you expend but typically
especially for startups you get way more
leverage out of being that expert and
sharing your opinions and these are
things like you are you’re not just
starting this business just to try to
make some money you you are an expert
you’re changing people’s lives you pass
you believe in what you’re doing and if
you let that come out we’re going to
flock to you perfect and it’s free magic
word proj foreigners right well I’m
gonna just go on and jump up and down do
you have saw I mean you have opened up
my whole day for me alright i’m glad i
could help Katie good luck thanks so
much and I’ll be listen I’m on every two
weeks if you want to call back with an
update I’d love to hear how you’re doing
absolutely okay thanks Katie anke Matt
so for everybody listening listen one of
the biggest problems is marketing your
business right how do you get the word
out we have great products and services
but if people don’t know about it how
are they going to come and buy from you
you can think about advertising and
again if you’re going to do it make sure
you test everything small-scale see if
it works and if so expand but you should
be an expert in your industry you should
be the best at what you do you should be
master class and so if you are you have
to share that expertise you got to let
people know you exist and every story
that comes out every stories are the
reporters writing something on they need
an expert you could be that expert
whenever somebody is talking about your
industry you should be the person quoted
all it takes is reached out to reporters
letting them know your expertise getting
to know them a little bit and if you can
be a great resource for them they’re
going to keep going back to you because
you’re making their lives easier you’re
not just selling them you’re making
their daily life easier because these
reporters are not experts at what they
do they’re actually writing but they’re
not extras on your field
need your help so it starts on a budget
and promote yourself as an expert
welcome back to the oven Carmichael show
I want to see used by massive sales your
business and a great way to do it is to
have a powerful demo you need to be able
to show people not only what you do but
to make them feel it you can explain
what you do and it hit someone a logical
level but you have to be able to solve
their pain all their problems and make
them feel it and where the connects with
them if you can do that they’re much
more likely to buy from you one of my
favorite stores here is an entrepreneur
Richard Davis he created the first all
Kevlar bulletproof vest and when he was
out trying to sell is he a hard time at
the beginning he wanted to go and reach
out to police stations as police
officers say they need bulletproof vests
and he called them up and they said hey
you’re crazy you don’t have a
bulletproof bastard you know how how
much force comes out of a gun as s can’t
stop that bullet and he didn’t get
anywhere so we switched things around
and he call them police say she set up a
time you went in to see them put on his
vest pulled out a gun and shot himself
in the chest now luckily at work or that
would be the end of the story but it was
a powerful demo the men literally stood
behind this product and it showed them
how it could actually work because
people are bombarded with sales messages
all the time right you are hit
constantly with people trying to pitch
you something but nobody does a really
good job or very few companies do a
great job I’ve clearly showing it off
having a powerful demo do you want to
try to move people from just explaining
what it is that you do to showing them
what is it that you do and having them
feel it put it in their hand make them
have a little bit of a taste of the
great feeling they’re going to get by
working with your business if you can do
that
then sales will come in once Richard
Davis started going out and demo and his
product they started ordering because
they believed it they saw how it could
work they may have thought he had this
guy’s a little bit crazy but he
obviously believes in his product and he
can show off that it works we’ll find
ways with your business to have a
powerful demo to make people feel what
your business is all about I want to get
to the cause I have Clarissa on the
phone klarissa’s did I pronounce the
name properly yes Clary our Clarice are
right where you’re from and how can I
help I’m from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
alright welcome thank you um so I’m have
been invented a few things but today I
want to talk to you about my fragrance
my perfume that I came up with ok now um
my question is do you feel that the
market is already too saturated with so
many fragrances like that there is
really not a chance for another good
fragrant come to be out the market is
never saturated for a great product ok
there’s always room at the top if you
look at any business this full of
competition any business right there’s
tons of competition but almost nobody is
doing it really really wow and there’s a
niche that you can work out what is what
is special about your fragrance well
what’s special about my fragrances is
not so overpowering that it smells
really really sweet soft and fresh it
covers up cigarette smoke it smell right
fresh flowers it’s different because
it’s a unique smell that anybody that
ever you know sold it to or let try or
smell it they fall in love with it
instantly it’s just the unique soft soft
and and powerful smell you don’t have to
use a lot of it you can use a small
amount of it it will last the whole day
almost these are all great points now it
is the fear of it being too statue the
market holding you back from doing
something with it yes
and what I’ve been thinking I’ve been
watching like a bunch of different
perfume commercials and I’ve been trying
to put up I’m trying to piece put
together a good commercial for it and
I’m just looking for on great tips and
pointers but that being a factor of
everything it does kind of hold me back
like I’m afraid to fail I guess yeah but
I and that’s our that’s a real fear but
it is not that’s just some joke you know
you’re feeling is a huge things that
holds people back is your plan to make
this commercial and then put it on TV is
that what you’re trying to do with it
i’m going to start it out on with the
social media and i want to actually
about that too I want to start it out
like with the YouTube and you know the
different facebook and linkedin linkedin
he all the you know the the social media
outlets who let you upload videos i mean
here’s i want you to write this company
down jones soda I’ve ever heard of Joan
what I think oh okay I want you to look
them up Jones Soda this is no relevant
for you because you’re going up against
huge companies right you’re going up
against some of the biggest companies in
the world you will not compete by
putting that one commercial you can’t
play their game jones soda they make
they make also two different flavors
poke flavors you know that kind of stuff
you’re all sorts of different pop
flavors they go up against some of the
biggest companies in the world to coke
pepsi etc and they do it in a different
way and this is going to be your
challenges how can you stand out and be
different and not go up against a huge
competition on their terms because just
taking out a commercial is not going to
be a huge success factor for you because
everybody else is doing it and they’re
doing it better than all right right
like chanel has great commercial yeah
ghana that hope to have the same team
and produces Chanel quality commercial
so don’t try to be you know a c-grade
product of them being a of yourself and
do something unique and different that
will help right the buzz for you okay
now is still wild that you said that
because those commercials are like this
is the ones i hone in on like I try to
research them watch them over and over
again and yeah so you don’t think that
the social media advertising is like one
of the better ways to go with this you
can I just want you to use social media
I definitely want you to deleverage
doctors it’s so powerful and suchi
cost-effective but I don’t want you to
go the route of just trying to be a
Chanel junior long you’ve got to find a
different way to stand out be unique
I’ve gotta run and we’re kind of at the
end the program but I call back in if
you have questions I’m on every two
weeks I’d love to hear about your
progress okay thank you so much for
having me no problem good luck and for
everybody listening model success so
fine companies who’ve done what you’re
trying to do and copy what’s work for
them make it to work for your business
she’s going up against huge competitors
find someone who has done the same thing
find that rebel brand who stood out for
her for her Jones thought it would be a
great comfort in the model thank you
everybody I had so much fun the hour
always goes by so quickly thanks so much
my producers fernanda and Steve I’m on
every two weeks I look forward to
hearing from you in two weeks time and
in the meantime keep checking my website
ever tumblr com have fun everybody’s to
leave and i’ll see you
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