It always strikes me as interesting the relationship of employment.  It is so similar to a marriage, or dating, that sometimes I have to laugh.

employee: “Boss, do you have a minute?  I need to talk to you.”

boss: “Not right now, I have a meeting coming up.  I have some time next Tuesday, say 9ish?”

employee: “Well, I’ll just make it quick.  I’m leaving – I found someone else”.

boss: “What? All of a sudden?  I thought everything was going great!”

employee: “It’s me, not you… I’ve been unhappy and… unfulfilled”.

boss: “Well, let’s talk about it.  What’s wrong exactly?”

employee: “No, it’s too late for that.  I’m going, here is my resignation.  My last day is Friday.”

boss: “Wait!  I need you!  I can’t do this without you!  Come back!”

Another sudden breakup.  It’s a common problem with employees / employers – there is no communication, no feedback, no caring.  It doesn’t take much, just a quick “thank you”, or “I’m very impressed on how you handled that” kind of statement.

I’ve heard people say to run a marriage like a business.  Maybe it’s time to run a business like a marriage.  What do you think?

Simplify

I heard on the radio this morning that, due to the current economic situation, General Motors will have to get rid of product lines that are unprofitable.

Is this a new concept to them?

General Motors lost 9.6 Billion dollars last quarter.  Are they just now figuring out how to make a profit?  Have they just been so glut with money that they didn’t have to worry about what did and did not make a profit?

I started a business for many reasons – and making money was not on the top of the list, much to my downfall in my first business.

We all have to remember that for all the reasons to start a business – the MAIN reason is always to MAKE MONEY.  Only by making a profit can the business STAY in business, create jobs, create value for the owner and the community, and be allowed to grow and add to the economy.

Like it or not, it is about the money.

Now… back to the unprofitable product lines.

GM is realizing (or continues to realize) that the unprofitable automobile lines have to be cut, scaled back, or put on hold.  This should be a lesson to all of us – having pet projects or goal-less research and development projects, during this economy, is not a good idea.  Cash is king, and must be used with care and discretion.

Take a good look at your business, and, for that matter, your life.

What is there that is not making money, or is keeping something else from reaching its full potential?  Is there something in your life that is negatively affecting everything else?

It might just be time to take a good look at your business and personal situation, shed what is not needed, what is not profitable, what is placing too much a financial or emotional burden on you or your business, and start to shed some of it.

This economy is about getting back to the basics, down to the heart of what is important, and shake off the dust.

Call it getting lean and mean, or getting to the basics, or feng shui – it’s always about getting back to what is simple, what is good, and what works.

Comments?

“Being and staying motivated is the key to success.”

Yeah, that’s what all the top moneymakers say. But I’m here to tell you – it’s hard. Really hard. Hard to get motivated, and sometimes harder to stay motivated. Day after day, call after call, failure or success, money or not – you have to stay motivated.

But, as I said, it’s not easy.

I know a lot of people that seem to always be motivated, full of energy and happiness, always a positive outlook. And that is great – that is what it takes to be successful!

But how in the world do they do it? Drugs? Caffeine? Energy drinks? Electroshock therapy?

For me, I am nearing the end of a long two-year bout of being unmotivated. Terribly unmotivated. Why? Well, I had to shut down my first business about two years ago. I have always had a dream of working for myself, ever since I was a little kid, knee-high to a grasshopper. After I shut it down, I shut down.

Don’t get me wrong – I went out and got a “real” job.  Stress free, but also challenge free. It’s taken a while, but I am starting to get back in the groove – but, like I said, it is by no means easy.

So what am I going to do to get motivated, and stay motivated? There are many ways, some will work for you, some won’t. Every person is different, but here is what I do:

1.  Imagine what your business will eventually look like. Imagine your own building, your own big office with a large window looking out at a wonderful day.  Imagine your employees bustling about, and the orders pouring in.  Imagine the feeling of everthing working out, and the freedom that comes with it.

2.  Set deadlines. I really don’t like deadlines, but they work.  They help you stay focused.  To take it one step further, call your customer and tell them that you will be at their office next Wednesday with everything in hand.  I find it much more difficult to cancel or re-schedule an appointment than to get done what I promised.

3.  Tell your friends and collegues what you are doing, and what comes up every day.  That keeps you going, looking forward to the next thing you can brag about.  Your friends will be amazed at what you get accomplished as well.

4.  Meet other small business owners. That will give you other people to relate to and share stories with.  You will want to “keep up” with the other entrepreneurs.  You will want to stay in the “club”, so to speak.

Every one has their own secret to staying motivated.  Some people find it easier than others, and, for some, it just comes naturally.  If you do what you love, and love what you do – sometimes you don’t need to focus on staying motivated.  You just are.

Money.

There is never enough. You spend what you make. Prices are going up, raises are going down.

Say it however you want, we all need more money.

There are only so many hours in a day, but there are ways to make extra money that don’t include getting a second job.

I’ve decided to really think about it, and have put together my list of:

FIVE EASY WAYS TO MAKE EXTRA MONEY.

When I say “easy”, I don’t mean make millions of dollars sitting in your underwear at home watching television. There is no “magic secret” to becoming filthy rich.

It will take a bit of work on your part – but you will get out what you put in.

So, here is my list, in no particular order. Some ideas you might like, some you might not. Some ideas might lead you to other ideas – if they do, let me know.

1. Do what you do for a living, but do it on the side.

Don’t think you are good at anything to do on the side? Don’t think your regular job could make any money on the side? Well, think again. You get paid for doing your day job. What is it? Nurse? Accountant? Chef? Stockbroker? There are people that need your services, but do not want to pay top business dollar for it. Ask around – you’d be surprised. Don’t think you have the time? Cut out watching television for an hour each evening. Ask for twenty dollars an hour. Doesn’t seem like much, but – believe me – it adds up.

2. Sell stuff on ebay.

OK – hear me out on this one. I’m not the “get rich and make a living selling on ebay” kind of person. Let’s get serious. You have junk in your basement. List it and see what happens! What’s the worst that can happen? You sell an old typewriter for ten bucks, and make another ten on shipping? Takes a half hour of your Saturday to wrap it up and ship it? Like I said – the money adds up over time. Go to garage sales on the weekend, pick up odds and ends for a quarter here and a quarter there, sell it on ebay. Make a few extra bucks.

3. Sell your hobby

This one is for the crafty.  If you are good at craft, enjoy doing it as a hobby, you might also enjoy doing it for profit.  If you paint, stitch, sew, etc., see if a local craft store will sell your wares for you.  Possible a small art or pottery store will.  You will be surprised how many small shops are open to selling items from local “artists”.  You will have to give them a cut, but, you’ll get paid as well.

4.  Odd jobs

This is a tough one – especially for me – since I have limited free time.  I have a friend that loves doing odd jobs – along with his normal day job, he pet sits, walks dogs, house sits, runs errands for people, and sells insurance.  I’m not saying to go after more than you can handle.  If there is someone elderly in your neighborhood who needs their dogs cared for, volunteer (for a price, of course).  Go shopping for someone.  Wash cars.  Paint a house.  Give a massage.  Fix computers.  If you have the entrepreneurial spirit, I am sure you can find the opportunities out there.

5.  Affiliates on the internet

This one was a motivation for me to start this blog.  It has not really worked out well for me yet, but I found that I enjoy writing even if I don’t make any money.  Start a blog or a web site, and add affiliate marketing on the site.  Commission Junction is a good place to sign up for getting ads placed on your site, as is Google Adwords.  You have to add content to your site to draw readership, but it can be done.  Write about what you know.  About your hobbies, your experience, your life.

If all of these ideas don’t seem like they add up to much money, try it. Take your “winnings” and put them in a jar for six months. Or a year. Stick the money in a savings account. Five dollars here and ten dollars there doesn’t seem like much, but, at the end of the year when you have $2,500 sitting in a cookie jar – now that’s a good downpayment on a new car.

Let me know how it works for you.

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