As an entrepreneur, you and I know that the most precious resource we have is time. Everyone has the same amount of hours everyday with tons of things to do.

Yes, you can hire assistants and outsource tasks. However, there is one thing that you cannot have someone else do: Learning.

I shared in one of my blog posts – The Master Key To Growing Your Business Consistently – that successful entrepreneurs are ultimately lifetime students. They continually increase their skills and knowledge, and even branch out to new ones along the way.

As a marketer, I regularly follow the latest trends and strategies so I can apply them to my business. If you are a solo internet marketer, I understand when you feel overwhelmed, or even overloaded, with all the good information out there. It seems like they never stop coming out with new materials that you just can’t ignore if you don’t want to be left behind.

I am now a full time marketer with a team of assistants and an arsenal of automation tools helping me with my marketing campaigns. There are some areas that I myself still do but now I can set aside more time for learning.

Then I come to another problem. I like ebooks, reports and PDFs since I can set the pace and read them quickly. However, more and more courses are now in the form of videos. Well, videos are great because I can watch exactly what is being taught, step by step. But some videos can take from 10 minutes up to 3 hours! I sometimes still feel like my precious time is being stolen from me when I sit down to watch them.

But cheer up, my friend!

A few months ago, I found a solution. It is a software that will speed up the video playback without sounding high pitched like a chipmunk. The software is called MySpeed from Enounce.

MySpeed will play any online videos, including YouTube, with half the speed (for taking notes) and all the way to 5 times the speed (for saving time). This is one of my most important software I have in my computer.

Most instructors on the videos that I watch speak slower than normal because they are recording the screen at the same time. This is when I can cut my learning time using MySpeed.

If you set it to 1.5 times, a 60-minute video will take 40 minutes, and a 120-minute video will take only 80 minutes. Now if you set it to 2 times, 1 hour will only take half, and a 2-hour video can be learned in 1 hour only!

I highly recommend Enounce MySpeed. If you are interested in getting one for yourself, use this coupon code: REAPERSNET20 to get a 20% discount. You most likely will not find any valid coupon when you do a Google search.

I hope I’ve helped you save time today and for the future. Please comment, subscribe to my RSS feed, or share this post within your social circles.

Appreciate you,

Steven Winata

The majority of my current team members are newcomers in the network marketing industry, which provides me with challenges as well as advantages.

The main advantage is that they are widely receptive with the training. But the main challenge is to first train them on how to have the right mindset.

I remember my first three years in this industry. Excited with the opportunity. Exhausted my warm market list as fast as humanly possible. Running back and forth to the hotel meetings. Giving away DVD’s. All those must-do actions that are ‘required’ if I would want to have success.

Though I didn’t see quite the results I expected, I had worked hard while juggling with other responsibilities that I couldn’t neglect.

Now, among the first things I ask my new team members is this question: Do you see the opportunity as a business or a hobby?

A hobby is something you like to do when you have spare time or when you are in the mood. A business, on the other hand, is something you must do regardless if you have time or you feel like doing it. Which one is yours?

Both hobby and business need money to be spent on materials, tools, and education. However, there is one major difference. You gain satisfaction and fulfillment from your hobby by SPENDING money on it without expecting any monetary return while you do so from your business by INVESTING money on it and expecting to make monetary profits. Which one is yours?

For your business to be successful, you need a plan, commitment, discipline, and consistency. I don’t think your hobby requires as much.

If you can establish your position by honestly answering the title question before you even begin working on your business, you will save yourself from wasting precious time and resources.

I’d appreciate your comment. If you think this article is useful, please share it with your friends and team members. Follow my posts by subscribing to my blog feed, mailing list, or social circles.

To Your Massive Success,

Steven Winata

Many network marketing companies come and go in a few short years. How can you be sure that the company you partner with will not let you down?

Here is my 8-point characteristic test that you can use to identify the right MLM companies that you can explore further on.

This will help you avoid choosing the companies that will destroy your hard work and income source in the long run.

1. Sub-industry
2. Track record
3. Management team
4. Products and services
5. Compensation plan
6. Training and mentoring
7. Future expansion
8. Endorsement

I explain all points in detail in my “Network Marketing Simplified” special report.

I understand that you may have a hard time finding just the perfect company that will pass all the characteristic test I shared above. On the other hand, however, you may want to take your time and do your due diligence in finding the company that you’ll be comfortable partnering with. If you do, you will less likely regret it and can go full force without any reservation.

One of the main reasons why many network marketers are reluctant to start or increase their online marketing campaigns is lack of technical know-how.

“How do I create my own websites?”

“How do I get as much exposure to my sites as possible out there without burning a hole in my pocket?”

“How do I capture those visitors, and if I do, how should I follow up with them?”

“How do I utilize those social networking sites that many people are talking about?”

And many more.

If you are one of the technically challenged, the learning curve can take a while and it may not be the most effective one.

You know that the Internet holds the future of massive marketing campaigns and activities and you can’t afford to be left behind.

I know there are many internet gurus who offer home study courses or video training packages on online marketing strategies and techniques. Many of them are excellent yet only a handful give step-by-step and click-by-click instructions captured on screen that the students can visually follow.

If you are a network marketer trying to make a sense of this internetwork marketing stuff, I suggest you try the Renegade Professional. It’s a take-you-by-the-hand educational site created by Mike Klinger and Ann Sieg and it’s geared towards network marketers in particular though it covers broad marketing strategies that can be used by any marketer in general.

The site goes live on Thursday, April 2nd.

Click here to see the preview and get notified.

There will be lots of money left on the table, seriously, if you don’t start having a web presence for you and your business.

Once you review it, feel free to leave a comment here and tell me what you think.

Becoming an entrepreneur is only a dream to some people. The human nature is always seeking a comfortable zone where life is peaceful and problems are minimum. Who doesn’t want that, right?

That’s why employees always outnumber business owners. There are 5 misconceptions that are keeping most employees from crossing into business ownership:

1. They don’t like the headache and heartache of running and managing a business
2. They think they lack experience or knowledge
3. The pain of losing the security of a steady paycheck is greater than the benefits of financial freedom (believe it or not!)
4. They think that starting a business requires a large amount of money
5. They are afraid of failing due to lack of support and advanced training.

Let’s look a bit deeper at each one of these reasons.

Today’s financial security is no longer found in your jobs. How many people do you know who are a few paychecks away from bankruptcy? The dollar value is shrinking and your payraise can’t catch up with the inflation and rising cost of living. You must come up with a plan B before it’s too late.

With the abundance of information on the internet, starting a business is actually simpler than most people think. Many courses are being offered with just about every topic you want to study. You don’t even have to have a business degree or run a business before. It takes a decision and several hours or days of intensive study and mentoring and you’re ready.

Non-traditional business models, as I discussed in a few posts ago, require a very small amount of capital compared to that of the traditional one or especially franchises. Online and network marketing models have gained more and more followers because they can be practically started with under $1,000.

Training and support are also important areas that can make or break your business. One of the reasons I recommend direct selling and network marketing is because of the constant training and available mentoring that will take the entrepreneurs by the hand through an established training system with practically low or no cost at all.

If you’re one of those who sits on the fence and are considering whether entrepreneurship is right for you, you should know that you’re about to be a part of a group of citizens who make the economy of this nation strong and sustain it in times of trouble and recession.

It always takes great courage to take charge of your financial dreams and destiny and use your God-given creativity to make it happen.

As a business owner, you’re forced to be more innovative, creative, and excellent, or you’re out. You’re forced to always be out of your comfort zone and think outside the box.

When you take the challenge and defeat all fears and doubts you have, the rewards will far surpass the price. They come in the forms of financial independence, sense and joy of accomplishment, and greater influence with your fellow citizens.

Are you ready to take your journey?

In today’s competitive business arena, companies that stop innovating and expanding will likely be kicked out of the competition.

It’s easy to fall into the entrepreneur’s comfort zone. Sales is steady, employees are happy, systems are working smoothly, and everything is basically in place.

Then, BAM!

The economy goes down, people lose their buying power, prices go up, expenses soar, profits shrink, and lifestyles change.

The opposite scenario is as true. The economy goes up, people buy more, competition gets tougher, options abound, and customers demand higher quality of service.

In business, change is expected and it’s frequent. Either scenario demands from you as a business owner to stay ahead of the market and to be prepared for, or even pioneer, new ways of making money, or lose in the competition.

It is crucial to go back to your vision chair annually and start to think. That is what makes you different than your employees or followers. They don’t have to envision; they follow your vision.

Write down where you plan to bring your business three, five, and ten years from now. You don’t know what will happen but you are at least prepared. Changes are inevitable but your preparation makes them easier to adapt and anticipate.

I recommend to plan for maximum ten years. Some experts suggest 30-, 50-, or even 100-year plans. However, the world today is running at a faster pace than it was years ago. Plans for more than 10 years will likely require major modification to the point that it will be totally different than the original.

The last point I will share with you is about the fears you might have and how to overcome them.

See you on the next post!

Goals.

So many people talk about their goals but not all accomplish them.

The key to achieving your goals is, again, to write them down. There is power when you put your vision in writing that makes it materialized and tangible.

Remember I shared about DMO or daily methods of operation?

It is easier when you start with a bigger picture and work your goals backwards. Knowing what you want to achieve a year from now gives you an idea how to measure the progress every quarter, every month, every week, and every day.

Put down clear and measurable goals. Instead of saying “I want to earn a 6-figure income next year,” you should say, “I want to earn $120,000 by the end of February next year.”

If, let’s say, today is March 1st, then you have 12 months to achieve that goal. It means you have to make $30,000 every quarter on average. If you just started, you can divide the quarterly goals like this:

• 1st quarter (Mar-May): $6,000
• 2nd quarter (Jun-Aug): $19,000
• 3rd quarter (Sep-Nov): $36,000
• 4th quarter (Dec-Feb): $59,000

Now, you can set monthly goals for every quarter, like this:

• March: $1,000; April: $2,000; May: $3,000
• June: $5,000; July: $6,000; Aug: $8,000
• Sep: $10,000; Oct: $12,000; Nov: $14,000
• Dec: $15,000; Jan: $19,000; Feb: $25,000

You can then set weekly goals and even daily goals. I think you got the idea.

This also works with the amount of potential customers you want to reach, or the size of the company you want to grow into.

Once you set your goals, you can schedule your days with money-making activities coupled with personal and skills development time. As you learn how to manage your time better, you can set up even higher goals in the following years.

Next, it comes back to envisioning time!

A successful business is always associated with its founders or owners – how well they have prepared for launching and how they grow the business consistently.

The secret?

They continue to learn of, adapt to, and even anticipate new changes. They continually increase their own knowledge and their skills, and develop new ones along the way. They are ultimately lifetime students.

Regardless of the kind of business you do, there are 2 most important skill sets you must have in order to compete and win in the marketplace.

Communication. You can do no business if you don’t know how to properly communicate yourself and your ideas. Learn how to express different thoughts to different groups of people. Learn how to ask the right questions in order to get the right information. Learn how to use different media to broadcast your company, products and services.

Leadership. As smart and talented as you are, you can only do so much by yourself. You will need other people to help you or work with you if you want to take your business to the next level. It takes a mature character to be able to lead effectively. You must learn how to treat your workers and partners well, how to encourage strong work ethics, and how to properly delegate others according to their own expertise.

If you can master these two skills, you will always be able to tackle every challenge that comes your way. The most successful entrepreneurs are not always the ones with graduate degrees and tons of certificates. Go back to history and learn about Henry Ford, Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison, Bill Gates, and Michael Dell. They are business leaders who know how to communicate their ideas and find the right people to run with them.

Yes, you need to know in general about accounting, technology, and other specialized areas. However, you can always find good people to work on them while you focus on growing your business and leading your team.

Next, we’ll talk about goals.