Stick or Quit?

Starting a new business is exiting and relatively easy.

You have all the energy, the dreams and the money that you need, at least in theory. What's much harder though, is to face the realities of the business you've just built, working 90 hours a week and running out of money - and all of this in the same time.

I have ordered and just received "The dip", the new book from Seth Godin. It is about this period of doubts and frustrations (be it in business, sports, politics or life in general) - where you do not know whether you should quit or you should stick.

I have had built three businesses so far and two have failed. Strangely, the first company I have created (7 years ago) is the one that survived. Let's look briefly at my two other failed businesses:

sportDNA:
Activity: sport content providers
Crash: After 2.5 years
The dip: building a name that is trusted in the industry by the media (our clients)

ThaiWinningStock.com
Activity: Stock Trading Advisor for the Thailand market
Crash: After 12 months
The dip: No dip in my opinion but simply no real market to support such business in Thailand.

Maybe business is really like monopoly: try make money as soon as possible and you'll increase your chances of winning big time... Try make something you can sell BEFORE you actually set up your business. If you can't sell it by then, then quit. Sell FIRST, Set up AFTER.

If you can sell, then STICK
If you can't sell, then QUIT

Being productive.

You have to buy this book.

I have read it, twice. And that gives you an amazing new approach on how to clear your head and to become super creative and efficient. I have been working online for many years now and from day one, I multi-tasked - or I should say - as David Allen puts it - I kept my time refocusing on different projects.

Also, 43folders gives you great tips and features a podcast on productivity. There's an hour or so of recording with the author of Getting Things Done, david Allen.

Finally, I recommend anyone interested in starting a business online to check that website (and they have a very interesting podcast with tips and advices on being an online entrepreneur). One of the interesting concept they talk about is the idea of building systems making money for you - independently of the hours you work everyday (of course, this once the system has been created!).

Alright, I have tons of things to blog and I am sure I'll be back very soon with more... (Try blogging with a few glasses of wine, and all your inspiration soares!!)

Cool T-shirts

I love this simple post from Seth Godin. It basically asks you whether you and/or your clients would buy t-shirts with your company logo on it. if the answer's 'no', then you might work on it - and re-make your company cool again.

Taking about cool t-shirts, I have been quite impressed with that website. Very neat site, cool concept, cool t-shirts, and cool 'boss' - I recommend you to read his blog.

Marketing Mix... Think again!

In the middle of Cotentin (somewhere in Normandy where I am from), there's a little shop called - la maison du biscuit - selling biscuits. Not industrial ones, but real authentic home-made biscuits. And they make the best biscuits I ever had.

Every month, thousands of biscuit-lovers come to the shop. You even have coaches next to the shop, and people must wait outside, queuing!

Now, thinking of the 4Ps I have been taught in business school (product, place, promotion, price):

The shop is located in "Sortosville en Beaumont" (believe me, it's not central)
They do not do any promotion/advertising (at least, traditionnal)
They do not sell thousands of different products (but only a very good few)
They are not selling cheaper than other shops (actually slightly more expensive)

I hope they've stopped talking about the marketing mix and the 4ps in business school. All successes I have seen in the last few years (be it online or offline) have been telling me a total different story.

Silence...

I discovered, not so long time ago, the main reason I enjoy being home: that is one of the rare place I can hear..silence.

Would a "Silence Coffee" work?

Basically, that would be a coffee shop for people in need for silence (below 20 decibels). Pure silence. Not even slow/classical music. No, nothing else but silence.

If there were such coffee shop near my office, I would certainly go there once a day.

0.0001% or less

We've read it everywhere and experienced it in the airports: The new airport carry-on regulation (Liquids, gels and aerosols must be in three-ounce or smaller containers and in a one-quart, zip-top bag - otherwise, I don't go through) is affecting all business travelers and tourists:

We're all suspects and, in a way, we need to prove we are 'good' and 'docile' people.

We must leave from home an hour ealier than before as we might get stuck at the check-point and miss our plane.

We undress, put our stuffs into trays, queue, pass the electronic gate, retrieve our stuffs, and get dressed again.

Millions of passengers are affected everyday because of (maybe) 0.0001 percent of the population. Wow, that's powerful. In other words, one person can change the behaviour of millions of people, without even being known.

Your competitors are your best friends

When it comes to competition, people usually associate it with the "ennemy", the bad vs. the good, "they do wrong - we do right", etc... But we're wrong.

Why? Because our competitors:

- oblige us to improve or create new things
- push us to think outside the box
- explore new ways/strategies for us (at no cost)
- promote our industries
- are often very good potential partners

So tomorrow, imagine the impossible. Think of ways to work with your partner. It might remove some barriers you might had in your mind. And if you still cannot imagine such thing, have a look at Tom peter's blog. If you do not want to partner with your competitors, you should at least respect and be opened to them.