Business Brink

I Made It!

2008-03-19T20:24:00.004-06:00

(This is me walking up to the starting line in Moab)

Running a 1/2 marathon was one of the most challenging (mentally and physically) I've ever done in such a short period of time. Going back to my previous post, there is much to learn from committing to doing something difficult and reach your goal. In this case, my goal was to simply finish.

Now that it's done, my eyes are now set on not just finishing another 1/2 marathon, but improving on my time. I finished my first full year of running my own business full time back in October 2007. I completed my goal and now I'm not just looking to make it another year, but to take it to the next level (financially, processes, services, etc.).

There were times during the 1/2 marathon when I had to stop and walk. My body just wasn't prepared enough. Sometimes you need to "walk" in other aspects of life, too. Just don't get used to walking, as it will take you forever to get to where you want to go.

Lessons from Running

2008-02-28T20:13:00.003-07:00

I've recently taken up running... partly because I have to prepare myself to run a 1/2 marathon in the beginning of March. I've never been a runner and one of my friends asked me if I wanted to run a 1/2 marathon in Moab, UT -- I've never been to Moab and I've never run a 1/2 marathon, so how could I say now?!

There are some very positive things I'm getting from my training that I find to be helpful as I strive to build my business. Here are a few:

- it's great for clearing the mind
- it teaches commitment skills (there are moments when you tell yourself, "hey, just walk for a minute... catch your breath..." but if you resist the temptation and keep running, there is a great feeling of accomplishment and confidence waiting at the end of your run)
- it's good for the body (obviously)

Just like when I'm running, it's easy when you're trying to start a company to seek easier routes, or, dare I say, give up. Don't do it. Resist. And I don't mean that changing your course is giving up... sometimes things don't work out as planned and it's important to be able to detect this and adapt accordingly. I'm just saying don't ever give up on trying your best to use your talents to become the best person (entrepreneur, friend, father, husband, boss, employee) that you can be.

The Downfall of Opinions

2008-02-08T14:44:00.000-07:00

I recently had an experience where I was invited (and hired) to help a new start-up to build a brand. During the course of trying to nail down a business name, another consultant (and friend of mine) took offense to my blunt opinions about how to come up with a good business name. As a result, he recently declared to me that he wants nothing to do with me. I was sad to hear this, and I'm still trying to figure out how business discussions and opinions got so personal to call off a friendship.

So, the downfall of opinions is that you're going to hurt someone if you give your honest opinion, whether you like it or not. It has been like this for opinions since the beginning of time. And the stronger your opinions, the more hot and cold people become towards you, I'm finding.

So is it worth it to give your honest opinion? I suppose it depends... if your wife asks you if you like a chair that she's in love with, don't crush her happiness by telling her that you don't like it (it's better to soften it by saying it's not your favorite but it makes you happy that she loves it so much). But if you're doing business and success depends on doing the best you can, you need to give your honest opinion, and be flexible to adapt to others' opinions if it make more sense. In retrospect, I wonder if I could have communicated more clearly to him that I wasn't out to "get him" in the least when I gave my opinions.

Unfortunately in this case, an opinion about business turned into something personal. My friend made up his mind that I was trying to hurt him, when, in reality, I was simply doing what the client was paying me to do... give my honest opinion.

Brandistry

2008-01-29T22:07:00.000-07:00

After some careful brainstorming and planning, I decided to name my new company Brandistry. This will be the company that replaces the old Zoom Agent. My next podcast episode will probably talk a little bit about choosing this name, however here are a few reasons why I chose Brandistry:

(in no particular order)

1) one word name
2) on top of the alphabet (for directory listings)
3) says more about what my business does (brand management)
4) matching domain (I highly recommend having your domain match your business name)

New year. New business name.

2007-12-06T08:30:00.000-07:00

I am in the process of changing my business name from Zoom Agent to _______________! The blank is because I still don't know yet what I will name it. There are several reasons for the change and I am documenting that for future episodes on my podcast. In future episodes I'll discuss the process of coming up with a business name, things to look for, to do and not do, etc.

Gotta focus on figuring out the name.

Business Magic

2007-11-28T10:14:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had an experience where at the end you said, "how do they do that?!" - maybe it was an incredible desert from a restaurant, or a creative sculpture. Maybe it was an elaborate home theater you've seen in a magazine or a birthday cake with frosting that looks like dinosaurs. What ever it was, I'd like for you to think about that experience...

The "how did they do that" is the very product magicians offer to their crowds. Sure, they offer entertainment, but I'm talking more specifically here. People watch them and expect to feel amazed. Most businesses, on the other hand, are not offering the same product. Although you could argue some businesses don't need to think this way, I would suggest that more of us should. We should think more like magicians about our service or product. And for businesses that offer products that are more of a commodity, think of how you can make the experience itself magical.

As business owners, we should be creating products, services, etc. for our customers that leaves them thinking, "how did they do that?!"

Top 100 Entrepreneur Podcasts

2007-11-13T21:43:00.000-07:00

So I just got word that the Business Brink podcast is on a Top 100 Entrepreneur Podcasts list (I'm #4)! Now I'm feeling motivated to live up to this by getting back on track to post episodes more regularly.

Thanks to everyone for your support!

More on the exercise ball

2007-10-19T12:06:00.000-06:00

For those of you wondering about working at your desk on an exercise ball, here's my candid feedback:

Pros
- my lower back and the back of my legs feel much better after sitting on it for several weeks (felt a difference in the first week)
- the height (at least to my desk) is about the same as a normal chair
- I'm more likely to use my core (i.e. abs and back) more than I would if I were sitting
- makes me think of how funny it was when Jim stabbed Dwight's exercise ball in one of the episodes from The Office
- there's much less temptation to fall rest at my desk, however sitting on it doesn't
- I mentally feel a little less lazy compared to sitting on a normal chair all day
- it's a lot less expensive than an office chair

Cons
- can't swivel like a normal chair when someone comes in my office
- I usually have to wear shoes or slippers to keep from slipping
- sometimes I'll look over at my leather couch and want to sit on that (I do when I have longer phone calls)
- it's a ball, so clearly it's not as comfortable as a good chair or couch would be

Health is an Asset

2007-10-18T21:33:00.000-06:00

I recently received an email from a viewer/reader from Greece. Towards the end of the email, Anestis asks me how my blood pressure is and closes by saying, "Health is also and asset you know..."

These are wise words and I couldn't agree more. I'm not as healthy as I should be, however I'm happy to report that I have started to work out at a local gym in the mornings. And believe it or not, my back feels much better after I traded in my leather office chair for an exercise ball (looks like Dwight from The Office was right after all).

One Year Anniversary

2007-10-10T07:18:00.000-06:00

I told myself about six months ago that I'd do something big to celebrate my one year anniversary for Zoom Agent... so much for that! October 1st was actually the one year mark for being off on my own and although I didn't do anything big to celebrate, I'm still very happy to have crossed that line.

I'm really looking forward to this new year. I'm ramping up to get my business to a point where I can hire a good team (at least one designer and one developer). It's so overwhelming to think about hiring people. I'm ready to do it quite yet, but I'm getting there and suspect I'll be able to do it sometime in 2008. It's daunting to think of the responsibilities I'll have for not just myself but for employees as well. The particular challenge I'm faced with is WHEN to do it. I need to hire people to be able to grow my business how I'd like, however this will add more burden and bring new challenges. If any of you three readers have any advise on signs I should be looking for to be able to hire people, please don't hold back.

Thanks.

Guilty as charged

2007-10-01T11:52:00.000-06:00

I feel like I've really been held hostage by my work lately. I apologize to the three of you that actually ready this blog... okay, so maybe there's really only two of you. Three just sounded better.

Anyway, I've really been blessed with some good work recently and it's caused me to not be able to make the time as easily to post more episodes. However, as I get adjusted to everything I'll put some good episodes out there. And since I'm working on several "makeovers" with clients, I'll have one of the episodes take you through the steps I take to take a company's current identity to the next level.

One (small) thing I'm doing to help get out of the bonds of work is to make all Fridays 1/2 days for work. This forces me to make sure I have things in order to be able to take the afternoon off. It's actually hard to take time off work, but I think I'll learn to get used to it somehow.

"Entrepreneur Held Hostage"

2007-09-12T12:50:00.000-06:00

Ever feel like you're held hostage by the business you've started up? I certainly do. My friend Shrage pointed me to some pretty powerful videos on youtube that talk about this very topic. Eben Pagan founded a training program for entrepreneurs called Altitude Training Program.

Watch the videos on youtube

Failing hurts!

2007-09-11T18:16:00.000-06:00

I have a problem with saying no to anyone, especially when it's for a good cause. I was recently asked to help design the look/feel for a website for an organization that will be putting on a business conference in SLC next month. I was excited to help where I could and knew that there wouldn't be a normal payment involved (we were going to work out a deal where I'd get some sponsorship - i.e. put my logo, etc. there at the show. I couldn't resist and agreed to help them out, even though I was fearful of the tight deadline they put on it.

As I started to work on this project, other deadlines for current customers were constantly popping up (go figure). And of course, as this occurred I was forced to put the website design project down the line on my task list. Making everyone happy is nearly impossible, but I always try my best.

I ended up failing. I failed to give the client what he was looking for and I failed at communicating my overloaded schedule with them so they'd understand why I couldn't do it as quickly as I thought I would. But it doesn't matter that I was going to do it for next to nothing. And it doesn't matter that the reason I couldn't was because I've got a lot of other pressing deadlines on my plate. I told him I would do it in the first place and I ended up failing.

Failing hurts. It hurts not just me but the client. I'm reluctant to even mention this on the blog, but I do it hoping that you will learn from my experience. I'm a bit of a perfectionist on many levels, so it hurts badly to have failed in a few areas at the same time. But I can't afford to wallow in despair about it. I must stand back up, dust off my clothing and keep on running. And now I'm more determined than ever to be more realistic with my answers (both "yes" and "no") when asked to work on something. I'm determined to do what ever it takes to come through when I commit to do something for someone, whether it be pro bono, paid or trade.

New episode available!

2007-09-07T14:20:00.000-06:00

Just in case you missed the email or didn't see it on the home page, I've got a new episode available - Entrepreneur Spotlight: Taylor Shupe of Isis Dei.

Check it out... definitely worth 10 minutes of your time.

Predicting the future

2007-09-07T02:32:00.000-06:00

"The best way to predict the future is to invent it."

- Alan Kay

Business growing pains

2007-09-06T14:22:00.000-06:00

I've really been feeling some growing pains with Zoom Agent lately. I've never grown a bonsai tree before but know people that have and it sounds like there's a lot of care involved. Well, it's not much different than growing a business... it requires a lot of patience and care.

I've been working a lot to build up my client base and I'm getting to the point where I need to start either outsourcing some of it or hire some people in-house. There's only so much one person can do! And so I'm starting to build a team of freelancers (writers, designers, developers, etc.). If you know of anyone that would be interested in working with me on various branding projects (websites, print design, etc.), please have them send an email to andrew@zoomagent.com.

Survival mode

2007-08-21T19:12:00.001-06:00

If you're considering starting your own business, make sure you're ready to switch into "survival mode." This is comparable to doing 80 mph on the freeway in 2nd gear... RPMs are very high and your engine is under constant stress. The good news is that you've got more pick up than if you were in 6th gear; ready to go faster in an instant. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this analogy... anyway, be prepared to feel a LOT of pressure. This must be part of the reason why 50% of startups fail within the first five years of business.

Man, this was sort of a depressing entry. Sorry about that - it is what it is though.

My head is killing me... gotta get back to work.

Here's a good article written by Guy Kawasaki: The Art of Execution

New episode coming soon!

2007-08-20T21:13:00.001-06:00

I had the opportunity today to visit with my friend and entrepreneur Taylor Shupe, founder of Isis Dei. He's 24 and isn't afraid to go for the gold in life. Taylor has some good advise for those of you wondering if you should go after your dreams, so don't miss this one.

I'll try and edit/post it as soon as I can for you.

Think about the wait

2007-08-19T22:54:00.000-06:00

My wife and I went to Olive Garden for dinner the other night and it was about a 40 minute wait. This isn't that bad, considering what some have to wait to get into other restaurants, but they had a guy handing out a rasberry slush type drink to those waiting for their buzzers to go off. It didn't taste amazing or anything, but it made the wait a little nicer. This got me thinking...

No matter what your business is, your customers probably wait in some form or another. Products, services, technology, it doesn't really matter. In my business, the waiting period is much longer than 40 minutes (after all, I provide them with logos, websites, brochures, etc.) and sending them a slushy won't really do much. But perhaps communicating the status of their projects more frequently will do the trick. Maybe a phone call more often to talk about their project will help. I could run on here, but I think you get the point. It's all about the entire experience.

Decide what you want!

2007-08-17T15:10:00.001-06:00

Everyday we are faced with hundreds of decisions to make (most of which we make subconsciously). What to have for breakfast, should I exercise or get to the office early, what projects to work on, how will I speak to my clients, how will I treat my family, etc.

But there are moments when you can see a big decision coming down the road. One that will (or at least we think) change our lives forever. As an entrepreneur, you must maintain focus on what it is that you want from life-keep your eye on the ball. For me, I want balance. I want to have quality time with my family, love my job and make a lot of money. Whenever I lose sight of what it is that I'm after, everything seems to fall apart. I lose control and my efforts seem hopeless. It's during these moments that I wonder if all of this is worth it. I suppose this is the up/down nature of being an entrepreneur and is almost like a test to see if you can make it through the heat to get to the other side.

Stay focused and work hard to get what you want out of life. Here's the kicker though: sometimes you may get to a point where you realize that what you were working hard to get isn't what you really want. This means it's time to change, and reset your focus on your adjusted views. It'd be a tragedy to keep going down a path you know won't make you happy.

Welcome to the game of life! Now get to work on what you want.

Putting out fires

2007-08-08T23:40:00.001-06:00

After being gone for a week for a family reunion, the days have whizzed past me as I've tried to keep up with the demands of my clients - catching up, putting out fires and focusing on new deadlines. I see two options: 1) get overwhelmed and stress out or 2) just do the best I can. I'm choosing the latter and it's working out so far. It's not to say that I'm not stressed, but I feel like things are getting done and I'm optimistic about growing my little branding company.

Vacation and Work

2007-07-30T10:39:00.000-06:00

Here I am in Aspen Grove, Utah. Hands down one of the most incredible places... enormous mountains with waterfalls, pines and most importantly: my family. I rarely get vacations. But I'm not outside playing with my kids or playing paintball with my brothers that have flown in from around the country. I'm sitting in some small room with computers (they have wireless) trying to get some work done. This is clearly one of the biggest downfalls of starting your own business. I don't get breaks. But this is what I chose. I knew there would be moments like this and I can only hope that this will amount to a lot more freedom in a few years so that I can enjoy more fully any vacations I take.

Well, I can't stay and monologue... gotta get some work done so I can hopefully enjoy some of the day with my family.

Time is an asset

2007-07-24T23:26:00.000-06:00

Time is one of the things we all have in common. You may make $500k or $25k per year, but you still have 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week, etc. The difference between people who succeed (and I'm not referring to just making a lot of money, but also being successful at finding balance in life) and unsuccessful people is what they choose to do with their time. Some people will stay poor the rest of their life, complaining about it along the way, while others will seek out opportunities and take action. Some people will complain about never having any fun while other focus on finding ways to have fun. So easy to see how this works, but often difficult to practice.

I find myself complaining too much about "not having enough time" to get everything done. In reality, I just need to change my perspective about time; view it for what it really is - an asset - and figure out ways to invest it in the right places (family, religion, work, play, community, etc.) to live a more successful life.

Questions and Answers

2007-07-24T13:35:00.000-06:00

I had my first viewer email in some questions for me to answer on my podcast (Thanks again, Bob). Due to time, I narrowed his original 19 questions down to 11. You can snack on them until the episode hits browsers tomorrow (and iTunes).

Questions asked:

How did you decide that branding/website development/marketing was the thing for you?

What kind of schooling do you have?

Did you have to take a pay cut to go on your own?

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Is being an entrepreneur panning out as you hoped it would?

Did you have a business plan in place when you launched out on your own?

Can you see yourself ever returning to working for the man?

What's been your favorite thing about going at it on your own?

How many hours/week are you working? Weekends?

How many projects are you working on at any given time?

What would be your advice to someone setting out on their own?

Fail at something!

2007-07-23T16:22:00.000-06:00

My friend Bob Brady sent me a link to this video, where entrepreneur Sara Blakely tells a story of how her father used to asked her at family dinner, "so tell me what you failed at trying this week." If she didn't have anything, he'd give her a disappointed look. What a great moral he was teaching her! Unless you're failing, you're just not trying hard enough - failing is where you learn the most. You can watch the video clip of Sara Blakely here.

So what have you failed at recently?

(this would make a good episode... I'll set a high goal and go for it, taking you along for the ride)