Kimanzi Constable's Blog, page 74

Tip of the Week: Business Cards

For the last three weeks I've been giving tips to people looking for a job, today this is for you business owner.

When my book came out I would go to my day job and try to spread the word to everyone I saw, no big deal. The problem came when I was trying to tell them where to go, they would either have to write my website down or remember it. Can you guess what the end result was? Your right, more than likely they never visited my website. My wife suggested that I get business cards, what a brilliant idea!

 

Business cards are cheap and they are effective. Instead of all that fumbling around, you just hand them a card. You can do some many things with business cards, I put my book cover on my cards. If you have a business you know how important it is to get the word out about your business. People will also ask you for a business card and if you don't have one, how professional will you look?

Look it seems pretty basic but you'd be surprised how many people don't have business cards. Whether or not you think your business is big enough or important enough, you need some business cards. 

If you don't take your business seriously, why would anyone else? For some cheap professional business cards I used : vistaprint.com they do amazing work for a great price.

So what tips do you have for business cards?  You can tell us in the comments below:

 

Let's Try Something Different

How many times have you told your self that starting a certain day you're going to change?

For the last 6 months I have eaten like a junk yard dog and felt terrible about it, the only thing that got me through that meal and on to the next meal was me telling myself that starting Monday I'm going on a diet. Monday's the day that I start eating right so this weekend I can eat like a pig! YEAH!! The problem was the Monday I was supposed to start my diet was 72 Monday's ago (literally).

Am I alone or have you ever been guilty of this?

If you look at the notes on my I phone I have about 20 things that I need to do, recently I've noticed that the list gets smaller but not because I'm getting things done, I find a "reason" to delete things from the list (I've become a big fan of the delete button). I tell my self on Monday, along with going starting a diet, I will become an organized person that writes list done and does them and keeps everything neat and organized. The problem is that Monday has come and gone.

Look the point I'm trying to make is I've had a realization:making excuses for not doing things helps us to not get those things accomplished! I've seen this so much in my life and I'd bet money so have you. I have decided enough is enough and it's time to take real action.

So what's going to make this time different? In short: YOU!

I'm writing this post and putting it out to the world in hope's that all of you will help me. I want you all to shoot me messages asking how I'm doing on my goals, I want all of you to keep me accountable. I suggest this for all of you as well, have people who will help keep you accountable.

It's hard in our lives, so much to do, so many different things to get done. I'm learning to take a breath and take them on one at a time. When you're an everyday working person, works take's up a lot of your time, you just don't have the energy to do much else. We have to find the strength to push through our fatigue and start living our lives and accomplishing our goals.

That's what this whole website is about, the average worker and his voice, so we need to hear from you. Even with the demands of work and how hectic our lives are and all the things we have to get accomplished, we have to find a way to move on. You have to find that work that won't keep you from accomplishing your goals, but that helps them.

40 hours a week, how do those hour's affect your life?

What are some things you've been struggling with that you want help being accountable with? You can start in the comments below:

Tip of the Week: Do the Research

For this week's tip I'm continuing talking about finding a traditional job (sorry self-employed people).

This tip is pretty simple, when applying for a job, know why and where you're applying too. Most people apply for whatever job is open, that's a huge mistake. This is the reason many of us today aren't happy at our jobs. The only way to get that job that's right for you is to do the research on that company.

Now if you're like me, this seems like it might be a little too much work (I can be lazy). So I would just look for whatever job is open and how much they paid, and that's all I knew. The problem was that when I got there the job was a total wrong fit for me, does this sound familiar?

So before you apply at a company get on this new, cool thing called "google" and find out what you need to know about that company. It's seems so simple and obvious, but why don't more of us do it then? (Got you!)  You might find out some things that you don't agree with about that company and no matter how much they pay, you can't work there!

The only way to find that job that you love is to find that job or business (see I didn't forget about you self-employed people) that is a match with your gift's. abilities, and passions. Any other job will just be a place holder for you.

So as always, any tips you can share with us? You can leave them in the comments below:

The Smaller Amusement Park

There is a common misconception in business that you have to better than everyone else. For example: if you open a restaurant, you're told that you have to be better than every other restaurant in the area. Let me help you out: this is a false misconception! 

I have a small business that I've been doing for the last ten years, I had worked for a small group of customers (20-40). Throughout this whole time I was always concerned about someone coming in and moving in on my territory. When I started this business, most people didn't think I could do it full-time. After several years of not only making it work but even making excellent money, people started to take notice and even talk about doing this business also. A few times people would even put out letters and try to solicit my customers because they wanted to do what I was doing. Every time this would happen I would get frustrated, mad, and even scared but a close friend of mine was right beside me giving me some advice that I remember to this day. He told me not to worry or even think about the competition, you do your thing (doing a good job for your customers) and let them do theirs. When you focus on your work and your customers, they'll see it and stick with you, you don't have to worry about any competition.

This all brings me to the heart of the message. A couple of weeks ago we went to a small amusement park in Green Bay Wisconsin, it was awesome. It wasn't as big as Six Flags Great America but what they lacked in rides they made up for in service and atmosphere. Every employee there was friendly and you could genuinely tell they enjoyed what they did. From the ticket office to the concession stand, it was well manged and well run. The biggest draw was the pricing, it was super cheap! They weren't trying to be Six Flags, they didn't have to, they focused on what they had and how to make the most of it for their customers.

This is the lesson I want to give to you, business owners: Don't try to be or copy someone else's business, emphasize what's unique and special about your's!  We have enough copy cat's out there, we need you to be original and special and give us what they can't! Your goal is not to compete but thrive in what you do by having better customer service and a better experience.

So, what makes your business special? How will you focus on what makes your business unique? Let us know in the comments below:

 

Tip of the Week: When Do You Apply For a Job?

If you're out of work right now or looking for a new job, there's a routine that is usually followed. You look at the paper, you go on the internet or maybe sign up for some job service. You might even have a job fair where you live, so you attend that.

These are the things that we have traditionally been trained to do to find a job, I'm here to tell you THESE ARE ABSOLUTELY ALL THE WRONG STEPS! Could I have made this point any clearer? This model might have worked back in the day but with the state our economy is in now and with the lack of jobs, this won't work anymore!

Think about this, when a company advertises that they are hiring, how many people do you think will apply? If you read my post about applications, http://tinyurl.com/3k2keb5, companies will receive thousands of applications for posted jobs. So when a company advertises a job, it's already too late for you! WHAT? Trust me. 

Here's your tip of the week: Sit down and think long and hard about where you want to work and what you want to do for work. Once you've figured that out, get a list of 10 company's that fit into those criteria. Whether or not (hopefully not) they are adverting in any way they are hiring, apply at those companies. That's the tip, applying when you have less competition!

Look, with this economy you'll always have competition trying to get a job. Applying at companies that don't seem to be hiring will dramatically increase your odds of getting a good job. If you're a good fit for that company, whether their hiring or not, they'll find a way to get you in. Trust me! Next week I'll talk about how to specifically get hired!

Any tips for getting hired that you could share? Please share in the comments below:

 

Do You Still Have Dreams?

If you're at a job you hate, dislike, or that's not suited for you, if you have a business that's not what you thought it would be or you just don't make enough money at: Do you still have dreams to move on to something better?

Have things gotten so bad in your work situation that you don't even dream anymore because you have just given up?

After years of working in various jobs I started a business that turned out to be pretty successful, even still the business wasn't (correction, isn't) right for me. Now to silence all the critics out there, I'm very grateful to have a steady income and I understand how hard some people have it out there right now, that's all a given. However, we have been conditioned to be a society that's taught to just settle no matter what, I can't settle anymore and I hope you can't either. It's been drilled in our heads that if you have a job just be happy and shut up, were told it's great to have dreams but to actual live them out is not realistic.

I want to keep this post very simple because if you're an everyday working person like me, you don't have a lot of time to sit and read a novel that some random dude wrote on his blog (please keep reading!), but I want you to really focus on the message:

1. Don't Stop Dreaming!

Maybe it's been really rough for a while now. You got more bills than money every month, your kids have a school supply list that has every item known to man. Things with your partner have been dicey and you've got a boss that really just needs a friend. Going through this day in and day out just makes you want to scream: AAAAHHHHHH! Even despite all this you can't give up on all your dreams. You need them and you need to use them as the fuel to get you through those rough times, you need to use them as the light at the end of the tunnel! Those dreams are in your head and in your heart for a reason, without them all you'll have is what you have now, can you live with that?

2. Don't Give Up On Your Dreams!

Even when it seems like you'll never be able to move on to a better situation, don't give up on your dreams. Even when all your friends, everyone you know, and five random strangers tell you your dreams aren't realistic, don't give up! Even when it seems like you can't afford it, don't give up. If living your dreams was easy everybody would be doing it, the truth is it can be hard and seem impossible but you can do it. With some hard work and a solid plan those dreams will become a reality but none of that can happen if you give up!

3. Do Something About Your Dreams!!!!! 

This is the most important point so please pay special attention. I have worked at various jobs and have this business that's not good at all for me, I have known for a while what my dreams are but have made every excuse under the sun to not do them. At some point I had an "I had enough moment" and decided to take some action. I knew my true passion was writing and I knew I wanted to wake people up about their work: so I wrote a book (it's the book pictured above). The road to get here was rough, it cost money that at times I didn't have, I had to deal with a lot of negative attitudes and comments even from people who are close to me. I had moments at work that just made me want to quit on the spot but I stuck it out. That moment that my book was officially on Amazon (http://tinyurl.com/3jd3bn5) made me cry. I wanted to give up so many times but I didn't and sitting here writing this is my dream come true. My good friend Chaka Dillon El who I interviewed ( http://tinyurl.com/3wphe4s) has done music for years and years but never took it to the "next" level. Yesterday his CD official came out (you can check it out here: http://tinyurl.com/6hqczyb) and talking to him today he's like a kid in the candy store! The thing is none of this would have happened with either of us if we hadn't taken any action!

You can have dreams, you should, but you have to do something about them, otherwise what people are trying to tell you will then become true! Once you start on your dreams don't get caught up in the little things and don't let taking the first few steps feel like enough and not progress any farther. GO ALL THE WAY! You can read more of what I'm trying to say and get an in-depth look at how all this work's in my book at the top of this website, I'll even make it easier for you: enter the coupon code "friend" (when you choose the PDF download from this site) and you'll get $1.50 off the book!

So here's the question, what's your dreams? What are you going to do about it? Let us know in the comments section:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some Great Writing That You Should Be Reading

Over the course of a week I read various blogs and read some posts that are amazing. I thought it would be beneficial to share some of these amazing posts with you and hope they help you as much as I've been helped:

1. Dan Miller: "Don't I just wait on God?"

Great post on not making excuses, not even for religious reasons. Read it here: http://tinyurl.com/43rsozj

2. Jon Acuff: "How to be a better parent in 4 seconds. "

This post is about your priorities and putting your family first. Read it here: http://tinyurl.com/43jqg9e

3. Jeff Goins: "Stop Stalling, Start Creating"

Amazing post and not stalling and doing what you should be doing. Read it here: http://tinyurl.com/3c4j2q9

4. Michael Hyatt: "Marketing Is Dead"

If you have a product that you're selling, you need to read this post! Read it here: http://tinyurl.com/44rvnms

5. Seth Godin: "But what if it works?"

Awesome post on seeing the bigger picture. Read it here:  http://tinyurl.com/3brrvyn

6. Pat Flynn: "Reader Challenge Roundup: Mini-Product Creation and The Next Challenge"

Inspirational post on actually putting some boots to the ground. Read it here: http://tinyurl.com/3ze42ms

These are a few of the great posts I got to read last week, check them out and you won't be disappointed. You definitely need to be following these great writers! Let me know some great writers you follow in the comments below:

Tip of the Week: Find Your Passion

[image error]I had the privilege yesterday to eat at a place I go to from time to time. The place is called "The Milwaukee Hot Dog Company" and it's a little hot dog shop and candy store. From talking to the owners (both work in the shop almost everyday) it seems like they do well, they're not blowing the local Mc Donalds (up the road) out of the water but they are paying their bills and making some cash. The food there is awesome, the menu is completely different from anything else that's around. Besides all that the best thing about this little shop is the atmosphere, the owners absolutely love what they do and it shows in how they interact with their customers.

Have you ever been to a restaurant like this? Chances are you probably have and based off of the awesome interactions you will be going back and so will I. This experience has bought me to the tip I want to give you this week: if you're going to succeed in your work life or with a business you have, then you must find your passion.

When your passionate about something it will show in everything you do. If you're passionate about your work or a business you have then you'll be the best at it based off of that passion. Come on, this is not a revolutionary idea I'm sure you've heard this before and it's just common sense, right? You'll work harder than your co workers, you'll serve longer then other business owners, you'll be everything that others are not because that passion will push you far beyond them. As a result of that passion pushing you farther you'll give what others wont and you'll build a loyal following and make the kind of money you should be making. That passion will show so much you'll have people like me writing blog posts about you (Ha).

Most people just look for a "job" be different than those people and look for your passion. Have you found your passion? Tell us about it in the comments:

 

Some Amazing Writing You Should Be Reading

Over the course of a week I read various blogs and read some posts that are amazing. I thought it would be beneficial to share some of these amazing posts with you and hope they help you as much as I've been helped:

1. Michael Hyatt: "7 Ways Successful Creatives Think Differently than Unsuccessful Ones"

This challenges you to think big and work hard to accomplish your goals in your life. Read it here: http://tinyurl.com/3edjckq

2. Seth Godin: "Do it tomorrow"

Great post on what you pay for versus what you get. Read it here: http://tinyurl.com/3o5cato

3. Jeff Goins: "What Would You Do if You Couldn't Fail?"

This is an awesome post on not being afraid to chase your dreams. Read it here: http://tinyurl.com/3soxttq

4. Pat Flynn: "More Online Business Success Stories from People Who Don't Teach People How to Make Money Online – Part 2″

Inspiring post (and podcast) on some people who have followed their dreams and are making it. Read it here:

http://tinyurl.com/3cmefjm

5. Jon Acuff: "Haters hurt your feelings? Good. "

Great post on being creative even when you have critics. Read it here: http://tinyurl.com/3ttlqbk  

6. Dan Miller: "Is this really "hard work?""

Great post on your perspective of your work. Read it here: http://tinyurl.com/6l8z92b

These are a few of the great posts I got to read last week, check them out and you won't be disappointed. You definitely need to be following these great writers! Let me know some great writers you follow in the comments below:

Doubt: The Enemy of Progress

When you decide to find your path to your true calling or when you are on that path, you have to watch out for a silent enemy: DOUBT.

Doubt will tell you it's too hard, doubt will tell you that what you're trying to do is impossible. Doubt will tell you that you're selfish and should just be happy to have a job even though it's not right for you. Any progress you make doubt wants to drive over with a semi. Hear me when I saw: DOUBT IS A LIAR!

You were born with free will, you are the only one who has the power to change your life! Do you hear me, this is real: YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS THE POWER TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

I had the privilege to interview a good friend of my about this very subject. In the interview he's honest about his doubt and how's he's dealing with it. His name is William Haeflinger and you can reach him here:   Will_h1123@hotmail.com or you can connect with him on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1176278399  please if you are struggling with doubt, feel free to connect him for help. If you have questions about his business ventures, don't hesitate to get in touch with him!

 

How do you struggle with doubt? Please let us know in the comments below: