Weekend Entrepreneur:

Recently I found myself mystified because I have seen quite a few people with limited experience and credentials becoming superstars on the internet. My curiosity got the best of me. I did a little snooping around and found one of the internet’s best kept secrets.

Before I get started, I would be remiss if I didn’t confess that I have thought, talked and day dreamed about having my own membership website. My friend Michelle Price, who I rely on for ideas and incredible resources said, �Let me introduce you to one of the leading membership site experts named Sheri McConnell. I said,�Cool!�

Right away I started researching and Sheri McConnell Companies is a membership-based company that helps writers and entrepreneurs profit from their intellectual knowledge.

Next step, the interview. Sheri is a dedicated mother and entrepreneur who is easy to talk to and her passion for seeing people succeed is contagious. On the other hand she is cool, calm and organized. Which made me feel relaxed and receptive to a new way of generating income. This is a woman who has been there and done that. She has overcome many personal challenges including divorce, a custody battle and bankruptcy.

It occurred to me that if she can do it we can too! Also, this could very well be the perfect vehicle to take your business or service to the next level.

What are the benefits of having a membership site?
SHERI: First, it positions the person who owns it as an expert almost immediately in their chosen niche and even industry.

Second, it automatically builds a list of loyal recurring customers by the nature of the model. They actually expect you to develop solutions to their problems—and they will tell you their problems often. That is why they join.

Third, members and other websites will naturally link to you and promote for free because people love to share when an association is helping them in some way. Companies will feature you just so you will turn around and promote them to your members. And even when members just say, I am a member of NAWW and link to it on their website—that really boosts the membership company in the search engines too. With most service-based businesses, these things just don’t happen without a lot more work.

Fourth, another unexpected benefit of the membership-based model is that when your members are successful, you leverage that too. When they do really well and we share their successes on our blog/website homepage—we get more traffic too. The Internet is fascinating in this way.

How does a person know if they should consider a membership website?
SHERI: I have some questions I ask people who are considering the model on the Create Your Group website. You must be passionate about the target market AND most of the time you really need to be one of them too—that is key. Here are the questions from my home page…
~ Do you like connecting with people who share your passions?
~ Do you enjoy helping others by sharing valuable information?
~ Would you like to be considered the go-to person in your niche or even industry?
~ Would you like to build a company that is structured in such a way that you serve your ideal customer over and over again?
~ Would you like to know how you can run your own organization/association/group from your home?
~ Would you like to build a business that positions you as the gatekeeper of a large database(s) making it easier for you to contact and partner with the top professionals in your industry?
~ Would you like to generate over six figures and even seven figure income from your home office while outsourcing crucial parts of the business to qualified companies and solo professionals?

You have several great testimonials on the Create Your Group website. Can you share a couple of success stories with us?
SHERI: Yes, I helped Dotsie Bregel start the National Assn of Baby Boomer Women at www.nabbw.com and I am coaching another entrepreneur with her website www.campuscalm.com.

They are both having lots of success in a short time. I have about 10 other clients right now that I have been coaching since Feb. that are at various stages of building and launching their groups too. Many of them are on the verge of launching. We have one that will be for weight loss coaches, one for hobby farmers, one for a group of Daring women and several other interesting clients.

On average what is the time-line and cost to launch a membership site?
SHERI: It is a business like anything else—so the amount of money and time it takes is proportional to the amount of time and money the owner spends on it. So every case is different. When I conducted interviews for the Create Your Group Blueprint and Tool Kit though I made sure that I selected a variety of membership-based businesses and also chose very successful ones because I wanted people to understand the potential of what they could create if they were willing to grow and step into this type of leadership. All but 1 out of the 7 had either reached 7 figures or was about to in less than 5 years, which is amazing. Their websites and pictures are on the home page at www.createyourgroup.com too. The power in this model is the leverage you create for yourself as the owner. It is just a fantastic job that gives you lots of rewards and allows you to help others and do something you love. I forgot to tell you that my Bachelors is in Social Work—so what is great about NAWW is that I felt like I could combine those skills with those of the Masters in Org. Management. I love the different people I get to meet each day. AND I do this all from home. It is really cool.

What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
SHERI: I was inspired to start my first association, National Assn of Women Writers (www.naww.org) because I really wanted to connect with other women writers like myself. I later started a second Association for Web Entrepreneurs (www.aweconnect.com) and my third membership-based company will be launched in a couple months—this company will teach and provide millionaire mindsets so people can grow their companies to the next level. Last year, I launched www.createyourgroup.com because all my coaching clients wanted me to document all of the information I was teaching them as they were building and growing their own profitable membership-based businesses.

When did you start your business?
SHERI: I started NAWW in 2001 and have been connecting with women writers, creators, and entrepreneurs on and off the Internet.

What is unique or special about your business that gives it an edge over your competitors?
SHERI: I think my membership-based companies are unique in that I always make sure the members receive new tangible products each and every year when they renew. I think no matter who you are—most people still love to get “real stuff� in the mail that is of interest to them.

What if any personal challenges inspired you to launch your business?
SHERI: When I started NAWW (National Assn of Women Writers), I had just quit working in the corporate world to have my third child and I had also just finished getting my Masters in Organizational Management. I was at a crossroad and for the first time in my adult life I was faced with the decision to figure out what it was that I wanted to do. After about six months, I came up with the idea to start the NAWW.

How long did it take before your business became profitable?
SHERI: NAWW was profitable the first year—however, I did not pay myself for the first two years and put all the money back into the company in the form of advertising and product/service development and design. By year three, I was able to pay my salary and hire contractors. Today I have four virtual assistants that help me run all the companies.

Were there any challenges that you experienced along the way that you had to overcome?
SHERI: My challenges have always been around life balance. I am 37 and grew up in the generation of women that believe we can have it all and often do. I love running the types of companies I do because I get lots of freedom in how and when I work. My problem is because I love my work so much that I have to make myself turn it off to do other important things in life. Over the years, I have learned to delegate everything I can as much as I can to free up my time for those things I love (like hanging out with my family) or doing the business functions with a high return on investment that only I can do.

Did you need to have a certain mindset to achieve success?
SHERI: For me it wasn’t so much a positive mindset as it was a stubborn mindset. Quitting was not an option and I got better at communicating that to friends and family. I was really good about not letting negative energy into my world at all because I knew what that would do to my dreams.

Have you noticed certain advantages to being an entrepreneur versus a day job?
SHERI: Family—I know for a fact I would have never been able to have four children if I were still working in the corporate world. I remember that life and I would have never been able to see them. I wouldn’t have been able to take off and go to the movies and the theme parks and the beach and the bookstore (all things I was able to do with them repeatedly this summer).

Financially—There are no limits on my income as an entrepreneur. I am only limited by my own mindsets as an entrepreneur. If you surround yourself with millionaires and their mindsets—eventually you will have the knowledge you need to become a millionaire. That doesn’t happen at a JOB.

Has it been difficult to get financing for your company?
SHERI: Yes, it was in the beginning because of personal circumstances having to do with a previous divorce/custody battle, which led to a bankruptcy. What I learned from the difficulty in getting financing was that if you want something bad enough, you will find a way to make your dream come true.

Has the media picked up on your story? If so what have you done to attract the media?
SHERI: Since I run national membership organizations, my company receives lots of ongoing regional media attention that my Regional Representatives generate. We also get a lot of publicity on the Internet.

Did you have mentors to help you get started?
SHERI: Yes, I have had mentors from the beginning. I have always been an entrepreneur and drawn to other entrepreneurs. I seek them out. The Internet has been an amazing tool in this area. A couple of my favorite organizations that helped me grow as a business owner were the Women’s Leadership Exchange and the eWomen’s Network. I have also built an extensive and exclusive group of entrepreneurial millionaire friends over the years that I can call and get help from. The only reason I was able to build such a network was because I was a gatekeeper to these membership-based businesses. It is a powerful business model for many reasons.

Are you still working at your full-time job?
SHERI: I left the corporate world in 2000. Now, I work about 20 hours a week in the summers and about 30 during the school year. BUT, I am always “working� on the companies—I am constantly networking on the phone, listening to CDs from my mentors, reading books, and much more—I just don’t consider that real work. I delegate everything I can because as the visionary I must be able to spend time learning and networking to grow my companies.

What resources were most helpful to you when you were starting your business?
SHERI: Books were extremely valuable when I had really small children and then as they got older and I was able to travel more—networking with mentors is really what helped me to grow and change my mindsets. I had to be exposed to these millionaire women to learn from them.

What ways have you found to be most effective in marketing your product or service to get sales?
SHERI: The Internet has been an amazing marketing tool for my businesses. Ninety percent of my income is generated via the Internet through my web/blog sites, the e-mail newsletters, and the teleseminars.

What tips can you give others who don’t have a lot of confidence or feel they don’t have what it takes to succeed?
SHERI: Seek out mentors who have done it before you and be willing to invest in their expertise. You really do get what you pay for. Joining a mastermind program is a great way to jump-start and move forward quickly. Networking in associations is of course a great way to find the support you need also.

You must start with your passion. Anyone who is successful will tell you the same thing. Passion is the fuel that keeps the entrepreneurial spirit alive. Also, people don’t spend enough time comparing the profitable business models. Some businesses just aren’t that profitable and never will be—their model won’t allow it.

I am inspired by Sheri and hope you are too. Let me know how we can support your emerging goals and dreams. Just knowing you enjoy my blog is helpful feedback. I’m here for you.

Michelle

Renee Wood, a devoted wife and mother took a chance and turned a hunch into a wildly successful business. Finding the right niche helped her accomplish three major milestones:

~ September 12, 2004 - Chicago Tribune Business Feature
~ April 19, 2005 - Appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show
~ October 24, 2006 - Awardee in the Make Mine a $Million Business, founded by Count Me In and American Express
Ok, so now that I’ve gotten your attention, who else besides Renee has felt at least once that they lack business experience? I can relate to that feeling but the difference is– Renee didn’t let it stop her. Without hesitation she confessed, “Like many entrepreneurs, I have a tendency to be controlling when it comes to running my business. Rather than hiring out or delegating job responsibilities (search engine optimization, press release writing, etc.). I read the book on each topic and figured out how to fulfill the role myself. Lack of confidence proved to be a lofty challenge. My tendency to be risk and debt averse continues to be a challenge as the business grows. In the beginning, I decided to try the ‘fake it till you make it’ approach. That didn’t last. Ultimately, I have gained authentic confidence in the accumulation of small successes.â€?

Did you encounter any personal challenges that inspired you to launch your business?
RENEE: There were several events that inspired me to launch The Comfort Company. The first is that I longed to find a way to continue my social work career in a capacity that would allow me to prioritize my role as a mother. The second is that my spouses’ industry was directly affected by the events of 9/11, and his job security was threatened. When we began to weigh our options, I realized there was a very real possibility I would have to find gainful employment. I was willing to move mountains to find a way to continue to stay at home with my children, yet still contribute to our household income.

What kind of business do you have?
RENEE: The Comfort Company is an online store specializing in the development and sale of meaningful sympathy gifts. Our mission is to help simplify the difficult task of selecting an appropriate sympathy gift. I was inspired to start this business after a family member lost her father and I struggled to find a special gift for her to remember him by. Frustrated by a lack of options, I ended up designing a pendant and writing a comforting verse to accompany the piece. Creating and giving this gift of remembrance was so fulfilling that I decided to pursue it and started my business in 2001.

As a medical social worker who was, at one time, a member of the medical team present when a patient was removed from life support, this seemed like a natural choice for me. Because I had young children at home, creating a website was the perfect option.

What is unique or special about your products that gives it an edge over your competitors?
RENEE: Every product we carry is designed to acknowledge loss rather than to minimize it. Comfort Company is unique in that we offer the largest selection of non-traditional sympathy gifts in the country.

Our largest indirect competitor is the floral industry, but we do find people who order from us are looking for a lasting alternative to flowers. We have a definite edge over our competitors because we have intentionally created custom products based on the needs of the bereaved. These products are available only on our website.

How long did it take before your business became profitable?
RENEE: I had very few start-up expenses. Initially I took out a small home equity loan to cover some basic manufacturing, printing and web hosting costs. After about four months, my website began to show up in the SERPS (search engine results pages) under popular keywords such as “sympathy gifts�. This led traffic to the site, which resulted in steady sales. I have maintained a high organic ranking in the SERPS and have been profitable ever since.

Did you need to have a certain mindset to achieve success?
RENEE: I think you can have many mind sets and still achieve success. I have always had a positive mental attitude and felt, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.� I wanted so badly to see my business succeed that I was willing to do whatever it took to make it happen. Were there doubts along the way? Absolutely. But I have a secret weapon to use against doubt. I simply close my eyes and for a few moments visualize myself reaching certain professional milestones. Keeping the goal in sight—if only in my mind— was a powerful motivator to keep moving towards it.

Have you noticed certain advantages to being an entrepreneur versus having a day job?
RENEE: There are so many advantages to being an entrepreneur vs. being in the traditional workplace, particularly if you are running a household on the side. The schedule is flexible, the work is rewarding and I feel I am in complete control of my destiny. I have found a way to earn an income doing something I believe in. Being an entrepreneur is challenging and at times all consuming, but borrowing from one of my favorite bible quotes, “the yoke is easy and the burden is light�.

Has it been difficult to get financing for your company?
RENEE: No, but I haven’t needed financing in excess of our home equity line.

Has the media picked up on your story?
RENEE: I have been fortunate enough to experience some very influential media exposure. I was a guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show, a front-page business feature in the Chicago Tribune, spotlighted on CLTV, interviewed on WGN radio and written about by an AP business writer. I handle my own publicity by default and have very little time to work on it. My secret to attracting the media is to simply send a sincere thank you note or email to a specific reporter letting them know how much I appreciate the story they wrote. This is how the Chicago Tribune picked up my story for a front-page business feature, which later syndicated to over 20 papers across the country. Genuine compliments have the power to open media doors.

Did you have a mentor to help you get started?
RENEE: I did not have a mentor when getting started, although I do have access to mentors now as an award winner of the Make Mine a $Million Business program.

Approximately how much money did you invest before your business became profitable?
RENEE: Less than $6,000.

How long has it been since you left your job?
RENEE: I left my traditional social work position 8 years ago after I gave birth to my third daughter. I currently spend 30-50 hours on my business depending on the season, what’s going on at home and how inspired I am to get to the office on any given day.

What resources were most helpful to you when you were starting your business?
RENEE: I read every business book I could get my hands on and relied heavily on internet research. Because I am also a mom running a business, I frequently turn to the Mompreneurs Online forum for advice. Ultimately, I believe the most influential resource for running a business is the School of Hard Knocks.

What ways have you found to be most effective in marketing your product or service to get sales?
RENEE: Word of mouth marketing has been my most effective tool to increase sales. I do have a small advertising budget, which I spend on exposing our products to a highly targeted audience. Grass roots publicity efforts have also produced great sales results.

What tips can you give others who want to embrace their dream but, don’t have the confidence or feel they don’t have what it takes to succeed?
RENEE: Give yourself the permission and the tools you need to properly get your business off the ground. I stumbled through the start-up phase, recycling paper clips and skimping on the technology that was absolutely necessary to successfully run an online business. I couldn’t justify investing my personal time and our household money to chase a dream that I wasn’t confident would come true. One day I made the decision that I would invest up to $10,000 dollars and one year of my time to make this business happen. Once I made that commitment to myself, confidence and success naturally followed.

What would you tell someone who wants to be an entrepreneur but doesn’t know what they want to do, or where to begin to get their idea up and making money?
RENEE: I would tell them to take a good look at their life…what makes them happy, what do they love, what inspires them, what do they choose to spend their free time doing. Based on those answers, create a broad job description and try to narrow that description down into a product or service that serves a distinct market niche.

In nature, when you narrow the channel you strengthen the stream. The same principle can be applied to business. When you narrow your market niche, you strengthen your chances for business success.

For more inspiring stories and shortcuts to success, visit us soon. And as always tell us what you are up to and what sort of info you might be looking for.

Recently 6,000 people had their 15 minutes of fame when they pitched their novel product to QVC for Oprah’s Next Big Idea Show. If you missed that event read on because this could be the opportunity you’ve been hoping for. You can be seen, heard and get valuable feedback from the QVC Quick Product Review at an upcoming Women’s Leadership Exchange Conference. Imagine, representatives from QVC evaluating your consumer products to see if it has the potential to be sold on the shopping channel!

Women’s Leadership Exchange is the place to be if you’re a successful businesswoman looking to become spectacularly successful or want to access the wisdom of high-powered outside experts.

When I first wrote this, there were five upcoming dates in various major cities, weel Los Angeles was incredible and now there are 4 cities left:

Southern California - August 14, 2007

Dallas, TX - August 21, 2007

Northern California - September 27, 2007

New York, NY - October 30, 2007

Atlanta, GA - November 14, 2007

The Women’s Leadership Exchange is an organization with lots to offer and the conference is extraordinary. I attended last year and it totally exceeded my expectations. Yet this year the lineup looks even better and more exciting.

If you are wondering what to expect, here’s a snapshot. You’ll get two days of knowledge and connections in just one 12-hour day. The seminar offers fast business insights, educational seminars, networking and the opportunity to hear and meet top women leaders like tennis legend and social activist Billie Jean King, Sharon Allen, Chair of Deloitte and Touche; and Cathy Hughes, founder of billion dollar media company Radio One.

Speed Coaching is available to conference attendees several times throughout the day. If you decide you want to be coached you’ll be seated directly across the table from a Women’s Leadership Exchange business expert, called a “Growth Guru.� These experts are from marketing, sales, public relations, leadership, finance, communications, franchising and more. The coach listens to your question, and then provides you with five-minute nuggets of advice on your business issue.

Who Should Attend:
• Women who want to grow their businesses
• Women who have been in business for three or more years
• Women who are leading established businesses of $500,000 - $25 million in revenues
• Women who are starting a second or third company

Why You Should Attend:
• WLE is the premier conference for you to connect with the right people through guided facilitation throughout the day
• Our seminar program addresses the critical issues you need to master in order to run a successful enterprise
• You’ll learn how other business owners faced challenges and thrived
• WLE will give you a renewed sense of energy to tackle your business with a new perspective; WLE will get you “unstuck�
• Every minute of WLE is orchestrated by women business owners for women business owners

One thing to keep in mind, attending this event may provide the new skills and connections to take your business up a notch.

Oh, and don’t forget to take extra business cards, I didn’t take enough last year. LOL.

I’d love to get your feedback about this awesome event. Or, feel free to just share whatever is on your mind.

No, this isn’t a parody on Saturday Night Live. It’s more like The Apprentice meets YouTube. Next Internet Millionaire is the new kid on the competitive reality show block. But, there’s a twist. It won’t be on television. And executive producer, Joel Comm is the “Donald Trump� of the show. His claim to fame is that he was one of the first internet millionaires.

Oh, wait a minute—there’s an even bigger twist…
I was surprised to see the line-up of 6 women and 6 men competing for the gold. I haven’t done the research but the internet seems be dominated by men. My curiosity has risen a notch because I am wondering if these are token women, some of which may have been thrown in as eye candy or if any of these chicks have enough in their back pocket to win. Will this be one small step for man and a quantum leap for women? Time will tell.

Clearly, there isn’t a shortage of TV shows where people compete for a large sum of cash (sigh). So my first question for Joel Comm, even before wanting to know what this internet show is about is … why do you think people will watch the show for the next twelve weeks starting Friday, August 17?

JOEL: I can think of several reasons!

First of all, this really is a historic event. No one has attempted a competitive reality show of this magnitude for an Internet audience. When the public embraces this program, it will take more power away from the big networks and advertisers will shift more of their advertising budget to future new media-based projects. Since I am strong believer in free markets, I have to believe that this can only be good for business and consumers.

Next, unlike other reality programming, viewers actually stand to LEARN something from watching The Next Internet Millionaire! Yes, the show will be entertaining and a certain degree of drama will ensue. However, those who watch will pick up on valuable information from the teachers who appear on the program, bringing educational value as well.

Finally, the show is really about our cast members and their drive to win. Reality TV is big because it provides us with real characters that we can identify with. I believe viewers are going to enjoy watching the contestants learn and compete for the ultimate prize. After all, there is a $25,000 cash prize and a dream joint venture on the line. So who will it be? I hope you will tune in and find out!

What’s the story behind The NIM (Next Internet Millionaire)?
JOEL: Earlier this year, I surveyed the Internet marketing landscape and realized that many marketers were selling their products and services to the same people, again and again. Recognizing that the potential market is far greater, I sought to find a way to bring the online business opportunity to the masses. With the popularity of reality television and the rise of online video, I decided that an Internet reality show would provide a timely convergence of the two.

I contacted one of my previous joint venture partners, Eric Holmlund, and we set out to create the world’s first competitive Internet reality show. The goal was to raise the bar for online video by giving viewers a compelling reason to tune in to long-form weekly entertainment on the web. We know that viewers are leaving traditional television in record numbers, so the show would seek to provide an alternative for those who were turning to the Internet for their entertainment. We decided the show would have to maintain network-quality production values and a compelling storyline where viewers would not only be captivated by our cast and the competition, but also by the educational element that would introduce them to the opportunities afforded them to make money on the Internet.

How did you become an Internet Millionaire?
JOEL: I started my first website, worldvillage.com, in 1995, before the Internet was a household staple. I intended to design sites that provided a family-friendly alternative to much of the “garbage� that was available online.

In 1996, I partnered with a graduate student who had developed the foundations for a multi-player Internet game site. Allowing people from all over the world to play board and table games such as hearts, spades, chess, checkers and backgammon against each other in real time, it quickly developed a loyal following and was subsequently purchased by Yahoo! In 1997. The site is now known as Yahoo! Games, one of the world’s most popular multi-player game sites. That was my first million-dollar deal!

My company has since developed a number of popular websites, including one of the web’s first bargain-hunter shopping sites, DealofDay.com.

In 2004, I released my first ebook to immediate success and acclaim. I had discovered strategies and techniques for maximizing revenue streams with Google AdSense, Google’s contextual advertising solution for site owners. After learning how to generate $500-$1000 each day in passive income with the AdSense program, I discovered there were thousands of people who were eager to learn how to do likewise.

In 2006, my traditionally published book, “The AdSense Code,� hit the New York Times Best Seller list and has become the definitive guide on the topic.

I continue to develop new products and services designed to help small businesspeople harness the power of the Internet to build their businesses. As a result, I am often asked to speak at seminars and conferences on the subject of making money online. It is truly a blessing to be able to see the lights go on over people’s heads when they see the potential for what can be done online.

What are the chances of the average person becoming an Internet Millionaire?
JOEL: Well, I consider myself an average person! Honestly, I think it is much easier now than when I got started because people don’t have to make the same mistakes that I made. With all the resources and training materials that are now available, I think the opportunities are stronger than ever before. It really just takes someone with an entrepreneurial spirit, a creative spark and a willingness to do what needs to be done in order to achieve their goals. Most people fail because they give up to soon. Let’s face it. Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur. You have to be willing to take risks and believe in your dreams.

How many people competed to be one of the final 12?
JOEL: We received nearly 300 audition videos for the first round of our competition. What’s interesting about this is that some larger, well-established sites had attempted online audition submissions and several of them struggled to gather at least one hundreds auditions. So we’re pretty pleased with the number of people who were willing to make a video and throw their hat in the ring.

Is this anything like “The Apprentice�?

JOEL: I was a big fan of Trump’s show, but he really lost me last season when he had the losing team sleep outside in a tent. I really believe it was inappropriate to be treating young professionals as though they had signed up for Survivor. One look at the declining ratings would indicate that I wasn’t the only one who felt that way.

The Next Internet Millionaire certainly focuses on business, but it is about the NEW way of doing business. While Trump was looking to hire someone for a job, we are looking for the right joint venture partner. The winner will be someone whom I will work alongside, seeking to build a success story for them, not just for me. The world is changing, and when you compare the traditional ways of corporate America with the entrepreneurial spirit of the Internet, you discover that it’s an entirely different mindset. And it is the way of the future.

Will we be able to watch previous episodes if we miss one?
JOEL: Absolutely! There are several wonderful benefits to having a program developed purely for the Internet. First of all, we don’t have the constraints of television. That is, we don’t have to “fill� a timeslot with storyline that doesn’t advance. Each episode of The Next Internet Millionaire will be as long as it needs to be in order to tell the story.

Next, when we put an episode online each week, viewers will be able to enjoy the episode at their leisure. Just as Tivo has demonstrated that people are eager to watch what they want when they want it, the Internet allows us to cater to the “on-demand� mentality and let people decide when they want to watch the show.

Finally, we expect that new people will be tuning in with each new episode. They will be able to visit our site and start with episode one right away. It’s kind of like the way I watched season one of Lost. I waited for the DVD set and consumed the entire season in a matter of days!

Who are the contestants?

Jaime Luchuck - Toronto, Ontario
Born in Saskatchewan, Jaime grew up heavily involved in dancing, even winning the Western Canadian Championships in her age group. After high school, Jaime’s weight mysteriously plummeted to 92 pounds and doctors were unable to diagnose her. Unwilling to accept defeat, she took matters into her own hands and ended up getting well with the advice of alternative health professionals. Since that time, Jaime has pursued her dream of acting and honing her graphic design skills.

Alisande Chan - Port Coquitlam, British Columbia
From the pain and endurance of being disciplined in a martial art to waltzing in a ballroom, this semi-pro-poker player achieves her goals. Alisande has a carefree attitude that is balanced by an analytical side. Her strength lies in her ability to see the positive in all people and situations. Alisande has been in the corporate environment as well as a homemaker, and she enjoys donating her time to coordinate charitable efforts.

Christine Schaap - Rockford, Michigan
Christine is a successful author, speaker, and life transition coach. Married for over twenty years and a homeschooler for twelve years, Christine is a mother of five who has volunteered with organizations such as MOPS, Habitat for Humanity, World Relief, Special Olympics, and her local crisis pregnancy center. Her company’s goal is to inspire women to lead productive lives with passion and purpose – no matter what
their age.

Carly Taylor - Cambridge, UK
Experienced in offline and online marketing, Carly has worked for a large radio station, handled media buy and built relationships with national magazines and newspapers in a male-dominated industry. A self-described tough negotiator, Carly thrives on the buzz of a fast paced marketing environment. A practioner of yoga, martial arts and dance, Carly has a love for creative writing, poetry and philosophy.

Debbie Ducic - Pueblo, Colorado
Not one to shy away from challenges or new experiences, Debbie is an advocate for women who want to step up and take on their challenges. She is a team builder, leader, mentor, mother, risk taker, networker, teacher and a wife. With years of experience in a range of different industries, Debbie is an adventure-seeker with a compassionate heart for others.

Laura Martin - Austin, Texas
A country girl with a love for the big city, Laura is an accomplished athlete with an independant streak. Having worked with some top Internet marketers, she comes to the competition with a strong desire to learn and apply. Laura enjoys traveling, photography and outdoor activities. She is determined to make the most of this opportunity.

Jason Henderson - Lewisville, TX
Nationally certified personal trainer, actor and model, Jason is a former professional basketball player and fitness expert. An online entreprenuer of several years, Jason’s company is focused on helping people achieve better health and improved lifestyle through better posture.

Charles Trippy - Tampa, FL
As the son of a professional musician, Charles grew up surrounded by people in the rock and roll industry. A musician in his own right, Charles is a college student who has developed a love for computers, and in particular, online video. He currently maintains a popular YouTube channel with over 30,000 subscribers.

Nico Pisani - Costa Rica
A self-defined Renaissance Man, Nico is an American living in Costa Rica who has become an expert in Costa Rica travel and wildlife conservation. His diverse life experiences include interests in real estate, exports, tourism, expatriot relocation, business consulting and conservation. A former PGA of America Golf Professional and Certified Personal trainer, Nico is also an accomplished musician and video producer.

Steve Schuitt - Diamond Bar, CA
The youngest cast member, Steve reigns from Massachusetts, has lived in both Alaska and Hawaii, and now resides in California. After four years of college, Steve has recognized that there is more to life than just getting an education to get a job. His desire is to go beyond the traditional work environment and seize opportunities that can be leveraged to have a significant impact on his life and the lives of others.

Thor Schrock - Lincoln, NE
Thor is an entreprenuer with a successful computer repair company in Nebraska. His creativity has led him to create and host a weekly radio program that enjoys the highest ratings in its time slot. A dedicated husband and father, Thor is driven to succeed by helping other people succeed.

Jason Marshall - Ocean City, NJ
Committed to pouring his life into others, Jason considers his strong faith to be his most important attribute. An aspiring illusionist and amateur video producer, Jason enjoys spending time with his wife and is a one-on-one aid to Petey, a young man who suffers from muscular dystrophy.

What skills did they have to learn?
JOEL: Over the course of the 12 episodes we have filmed, the contestants had the opportunity to learn from some of the world’s most respected Internet marketing teachers. People like Mark Joyner, Armand Morin and Marlon Sanders spent several hours each day equipping the contestants with skills they could apply to their online business. They learned about branding, copywriting, ecommerce, online video, guerilla marketing, viral marketing, social networking sites and many more techniques and strategies that are used by those who are already making millions of dollars online.

How will you determine the winner?
JOEL: In true reality show fashion, contestants are eliminated each week based on their performance in a challenge or task. We started with twelve contestants, but with each episode, the pack is narrowed. I think viewers will enjoy seeing who can take on the challenges and come out on top.

I’ll be watching and writing more about NIM (Next Internet Millionaire) over the next few weeks. Let me know who you want to win. I’m expecting your comments.

The runaway hit movie “The Secret� featured Lee Brower and his Gratitude Rock. During this interview he said, “I do tend to advocate some unusual practices, which I know some people may resist initially. I tell people to evict the word “goal,� for example, from their vocabulary. In my office I charge people money every time they utter that word!�

It’s not everyday that I get to interview a multigenerational wealth expert who is this cool and refreshingly transparent. Buckle your seatbelt and come along for the ride.

Hey, what’s wrong with having goals?
LEE: It’s a sham. Goals have done more to harm people than anything else. Think about it: when you set goals, they are nothing more than expectations (and usually other people’s expectations), than your own ideals. Guilt and shame get in there. Guild itself isn’t bad, but shame is when you feel bad about who you are. Shame happens when you don’t achieve the ideal. So I prefer to talk in terms of vision—the vision you have for yourself—and the steps you need to take to get there. When it comes to planning and building a business, vision is going to be your secret key to success.

What challenges have you faced over the years?
LEE: The biggest obstacle was and probably always will be me. I tend to get in my own way of success, and I know this is a pitfall of many others. I have to remind myself to stay open-minded and long-sighted. Sometimes I have to be willing to hear other perspectives and take to heart an idea or concept that may not naturally jibe with my own philosophy at first. And sometimes I have to find a way to be grateful for bad things that happen. Adversity can be a great teacher. In order to grow you have to let go. Once I learned to let go and live in this amazing world of abundance and not with an attitude of scarcity, but with an attitude of gratitude, then things began a‘hoppin. When people ask me for the code word for success, I say its gratitude. Just that one word can cause a psychological shift in your mind that helps trump daily stress and the obstacles you’re going to encounter. Try a carrying your own gratitude rock around and see how it changes you.

What have you done to create loyal followers?
LEE: The story of my Gratitude Rock caused quite a stir. It was featured in the popular “Secret� film and book that’s still going around making headlines. You see I keep a rock in my pocket at all times. It’s meant to be a reminder to appreciate what I have and feel grateful for everything that happens. There have been times in my life where I found myself so focused on the overwhelming tasks of each day that it was hard to see the good in practically anything. I think we all have those moments. During one particularly difficult time I had with one of my daughters, I came across a smooth rock on a beach in the shape of a butterfly. My daughter’s name is Mariposa, which means, “butterfly� in Spanish. I thought it meant something so I picked it up and sent it to her. It became a source of strength for the both of us and since then, I’ve picked up countless rocks, choosing one to carry with me each day. Every time I touch the rock in my pocket, I reflect on specific things I am grateful for, and each night, the rock reminds me to capture the day’s positive events so they are not lost to memory. I’ve shared the “Gratitude Rock� idea with others over the years, and the ripple effect from that first rock continues to spread.

In your opinion, what are the advantages to being an entrepreneur versus having a day job?
LEE: You are unrestricted in the implementation of your unique ability as an entrepreneur and your opportunities are truly unlimited. Day jobs typically come with fixed incomes, which I think translates to fixed creativity, a fixed exchange of ideas, and a fixed level of success, achievement, and happiness.

With entrepreneurship, the sky’s the limit. We all have the capacity to be an entrepreneur. It’s in our genes as humans—as survivors. Women especially, many who remain the primary caregiver and “homemaker� of families, stand to benefit enormously by entrepreneurship. While balancing life as a business owner and CEO of the family is not easy, entrepreneurship offers the kind of flexibility that we just don’t see in mainstream corporate America. What’s more, a working mom who is able to carve out her own business will have more to give back to her family because she’ll find new ways to utilize her skills, talents, and creative juices. This ultimately will allow her to make more deposits into what I call the “family bank,� which again has less to do with physical things like money as it has to do with intellectual, civic, and human value. To take a term from Jim Collins, if you want to go from “good to great� as a person, as a parent, as a business professional, and as a citizen of the world, I think there’s no better place to explore and develop oneself than in the world of entrepreneurship. Hands down, being your own boss entails having a truthful, honest understanding of yourself to succeed. Of course, entrepreneurship is not for everyone. But I would encourage as many people as possible to try.

People claim they want to be a millionaire or to launch a million dollar business. What is your take on this trend and do you feel this is beneficial or unproductive?
LEE: While on the one hand seeking to own a successful business can be an admirable vision for yourself, I’m bothered by today’s generation of young people who seem to want money and fame more than anything else, but aren’t necessarily willing to do what it takes to get there. In other words, they want the millionaires’ life but aren’t willing or don’t know what to do to achieve that. There is so much more to starting a successful business and seeing it through than just declaring, “I want to be a millionaire.� This quest for the quick fix is fueled by the ever-swelling explosion of reality television and Internet sites that promote instant celebrity. I find that many of these types of people lack a true understanding of themselves. They see the grass as greener on the other side and will “get� their sense of worth and a high self-esteem when they land it big in the business world. Not so. Before you seek to be wealthy, I say seek to be worthy! Elevate yourself as a human first, and then I bet you see the results you want in life, both personal and professional. Only then can you usher in the successes that will carry you to where you want to be. And when you do this, the universe will open up to your ideas and vision—you don’t have to go find them aimlessly.

Do we need to have a certain mindset to achieve success? What has gotten you where you are today?
LEE: Letting go and truly understanding that I need the talents of a team and other relationships to grow. No one can be successful working in a vacuum. You can’t do it by yourself. Surround yourself with the best people you can to help enhance your talents and skills, or bring new ones to the table. Also be willing to hire people smarter than you. These will make you most grateful!

What tips can you give us to embrace our dream if we don’t have confidence or feel we don’t possess whatever it takes to succeed?
LEE: Begin with celebration. Celebrate who you are, what you have achieved and your uniqueness. Develop a system of positive thinking. See your vision and visit it frequently. Get in motion. Take small steps, but get into motion. Once in motion, don’t compromise the things that matter most in your life; stay balanced. Learn from your motion and make course corrections. Celebrate your progress often and continue to make course corrections. Ask questions that begin with what, who, or how rather than statements that begin with I wish, I want, I hope or I gotta.

What challenges inspired you to launch your latest book, “The Brower Quadrant”?
LEE: My frustrations and disappointments as a traditional financial advisor is what initially inspired me to change up the system and set a new benchmark. Today I am routinely inspired by the very people I’ve helped change for the better. Don’t get me wrong. I’m no saint and I’ve had plenty of personal challenges in my own life to fill numerous tomes. But it is by virtue of these very challenges that help me to reach new insights on how we can optimize our experience and legacies in this lifetime. My hope is that with my book and new website at LeeBrower.com, more people will find me and listen to my message. The book and site offer people an enormous collection of tools and practical strategies they can start using today to implement my system into their lives. For the entrepreneur, these come in especially handy when dealing with all the challenges that running a business (and, I presume a home life, too) brings.

What is unique about your business that gives it an edge over your competitors?
LEE: My strategies help people go beyond traditional financial planning. I liken it to the difference between having Tiger Wood’s clubs and trophies, and learning his swing and course knowledge. The traditional estate planning industry has been focused on the transfer and dividing up of the metaphorical trophies and clubs. My company’s system helps people gain the knowledge and skills they need to create lasting legacies. The system is based on a radical definition of “wealth� unlike any other. And it has less to do with physical things, as it has to do with intellectual, civic, and human value. So in the end, you not only maximize your wealth, but you maximize who you are as a person and member of the world at large. Everyone deserves to learn the lessons the rich have known and followed for years, don’t you think?

I was in seventh heaven when I stumbled across the following solutions to life’s little hassles. It’s not just me. Several of my friends who are running their own business have confided that they struggle with keeping up with stuff like receipts, networking and deal making.

Let’s start with my least favorite: receipts. As I reviewed my resolutions over the past few years I always seem to make the same pledge each January, “This year I am going to organize my business expenses and receipts weekly.â€? Year after year I have failed miserably but this year I have turned over a new leaf. In the past this task was too daunting mainly because I didn’t know where to begin. But now with the magic of technology it is simple.

I saw this cool gadget called NeatReceipts Scanalizer while reading the in-flight magazine during my LA to NY trip. Intuitively I knew this was the answer to my problem. As soon as UPS delivered it I installed the software on my laptop. This was a miracle because I ALWAYS need help when I am faced with anything technical. I was so shocked after installing the software on my own that I quickly turned my computer off and decided to call tech support the next day just to be safe.

A cheerful female tech support specialist helped me and I was scanning like a pro in less than 5 minutes. Unstoppable, and feeling empowered here’s what I’ve accomplished:
1. Gathered all of my receipts for the past year (2007)
2. Began scanning them
3. After each scan, I assign the appropriate tax category to the receipt. For example, if I scanned a donation receipt, I select “Gifts to Charity”
4. After scanning my receipts, a feature called Tax Manager lets me run a report. The manager will automatically aggregate all of my data and tell me where it belongs on my federal tax form by line item
5. Guess what? You can even scan in your IRS Forms

Doing this weekly is helping me stay organized and it gives me a snapshot of how much I’m spending in different categories.

Second on my hit list is what I consider to be one of my most valuable resources. My network of contacts. This is an area that I am not as good at as most of my friends think I am. There are stacks of business cards that I haven’t looked at since the day they were handed to me. That surely wasn’t my intention when I received them. However, there are other cards that I have put aside and actually phoned. Once in a while I reach the person. Or, there is no returned call. Sometimes a virtual assistant emails saying that the person is going to get back to me (yeah right).

This weekend I was euphoric as I used my adorable NeatReceipts Scanalizer to sort and scan piles of business cards. This is not a commercial, it is a solution for me to have some help with a problem that had gotten out of control. Finally I have a way of accessing all these business cards when I need to contact someone. So what used to take day or weeks to locate I can do in a minute. I gotta tell you, flipping thru piles of cards held together by rubber bands, paper clips or hair scrungees just wasn’t working for me anymore. Some of my business cards were in places like my desk drawers, pocketbooks, my car and even in a few briefcases (sigh).

Networking is interesting because it doesn’t matter if you’re shy, outgoing, connected or the best-dressed person at the event. If you enthusiastically exchange cards yet seldom ever do anything with them you shouldn’t feel frustrated about not making more connections. Let alone expanding your circle of influence, growing your business and helping others do the same. And if you’re in a state of denial about this kind of behavior it probably doesn’t even bother you. I should know, this has been an issue for me for a long time and I just looked the other way. But now that I know how to scan my business cards with the same little gadget I use for my receipts, I am efficient and I’m excited about taking someone’s business cards. For a while I had stopped carrying my business cards around because I didn’t want to engage in yet another fruitless exchange.

Last but not least is deal making or according to Donald Trump “The Art of the Deal.â€? When it comes to deals I enjoy negotiating and winning. But, recently when someone asked me about my secrets to deal making, I didn’t know how to explain my process. All I know is, that based on my track record I am damn good at it. And it doesn’t matter if I’m negotiating for a TV project I am producing or talking to my mobile phone company. Deals are fun for me. But for some it is a source of frustration, terror, intimidation or insomnia.

Based on the belief that there is always room for improvement I have decided to take a teleseminar on deal making. Basically it occurred to me that I would like to have a systematic approach. Plus, I want to take my deal making to the next level and do much bigger deals. I have been observing an associate who has come from very humble beginnings and for quite some time he has been enjoying extreme levels of business, personal and financial success. Infact he was the person who recommended the deal making teleseminar I will be taking and I want to encourage you to consider doing the same. Instead of boring you with some of my deal making successes you should check out the guy who is teaching the teleseminar.

See you at the top!

Your comments and compliments are always welcomed.

Michelle

Quick recap: In Part 1 – Filmmaker, Lisa Murray shared her inspiring personal story about her life and her film production company SkyLife. I wanted to share the behind-the-scenes story about her “Free Hugs in Hollywood� video seen by 400,000 people. As you know, most of us can’t buy that kind of exposure.

So here’s Part 2 with a few more tips and the back-story to Lisa’s Yahoo sweepstakes win and her stint at Entertainment Tonight. Talk about a Win Win.

Do we really need Part 2? Absolutely, because Lisa is truly inspiring and what she has accomplished has the power to alter your mindset in a very positive way. And, here’s a tip—go record your own video for YouTube and stop being the World’s Best Kept Secret.

What role is YouTube playing in helping you become famous?
YouTube is an amazing, amazing thing. I wish it had been around 10 years ago when I seemed to have more time! But I am grateful to be part of it now in it’s early years!

YouTube isn’t just a video hosting company, YouTube is a community of people, from all over the world, who share an appreciation of making, posting and commenting on videos!

YouTube has been a big part of my success because I am able to reach people worldwide via YouTube’s easy-to-use viral marketing interface. Take, for example, my “Free Hugs in Hollywood” video. This video was featured on Yahoo’s home page for about 3 hours. To date, it has been viewed over 400,000 times. That same video was posted at the same time on my YouTube channel. Without any promotion, without it being featured on YouTube’s home page, it has generated close to 160,000 views!

That wouldn’t be possible without the awesome YouTube “community” and great features such as the “Share Video” (where viewers can send the videos to others) and “Add to Favorites” (where other users can subscribe to their “favorites” and thus further promote your video)

With YouTube, the middle-man is gone. It’s me, my video, and the person on the other side of the country, or world. And even though my videos and video blogs are online for the world to see, the community of YouTube is actually quite intimate. A bunch of well-known YouTube users just organized a big gathering in NYC on 7/7/7. I was unable to attend do to commitments at my day job. One of the most popular YouTube “celebrities” actually created a video for me to tell me that she was really sorry that I wasn’t able to attend and to let all of her subscribers know about me and to check out my channel and website, etc. I hadn’t seen her video but I did notice a surge in email subscriptions. I couldn’t figure out where it came from until I saw her video. So YouTube is a powerful medium to reach your audience immediately and intimately.

Making a feature film is a long, dragged out process.  As a filmmaker, a huge part of the struggle is maintaining your sanity when you are making that first film, before you have “proven” yourself to potential fans and to industry folks. But with YouTube, I can reach both groups along the way. I post “director’s blogs” (where I talk about my journey of making my film and staying on track with my dream) as well as other expressions of my creativity.

YouTube offers me the opportunity to express myself in creative ways, as well as receive valuable viewer feedback. YouTube gives me (and millions of other creatively stiffled people) an outlet! If I had to wait until my film was complete to exercise my creativity I think I would explode. I am also able to send investors and potential promotional partners to my YouTube channel to gain a better understanding of what I’m doing with my documentary as well as build a “fan base” early, before my first feature-length film has even been completed!

I don’t know what or who I would be without YouTube. YouTube has definitely changed my life. After I received my first comment on my first-uploaded video blog I felt as if a mouth had been created  where there was just skin before. I was finally free to express myself in a way that I had craved but didn’t know existed!

As an entrepreneur, what is your secret to attracting the media? 
I send out press releases whenever I do something significant. I’ve been interviewed a few times in print, one radio interview in Chicago, and on television. I have a press page on both of my websites. PR is an important aspect to my progress. If people don’t know about you or what you’re doing then you’re done.

I won two national contests recently. One contest I won was with Entertainment Tonight. I submitted a 2-minute video to ET about what makes me a “Confident Woman.� My video was picked by casting directors and a panel of celebrity judges, out of thousands of entries, as the Grand Prize Winner! I was flown to Los Angeles (I was living in Arizona at the time) and spent the week leading up to the Emmys living like a star, staying at the “Pretty Woman Hotel� (Regent Beverly Wilshire), attending pre-Emmy parties, and appearing on Entertainment Tonight regularly. The public voted on my Emmy gear and cheered me on as I walked the red carpet at the Emmys.

The other contest I won was a national contest by Yahoo! to job shadow a person in an industry that interested me. I won a week in Los Angeles job-shadowing an entertainment reporter at Star Magazine. What an experience! The contests showed the people who support me that the road to your dreams usually comes in unexpected ways. I made a lot of great contacts by winning those contests. Plus, I furthered my press coverage in terms of getting the word out about my film.

Tell me about the Yahoo contest?
The Yahoo! contest was a sweepstakes. I was using my computer. It was late at night and I was about to close the window when I saw “job shadow” and “Entertainment Reporter” and so I decided to click the button to enter. They had, I believe, seven different job categories that you could “shadow”… one was with Conde Nast magazine in NYC, another was Godiva Chocolate.

The one I won was with an Entertainment Reporter at Star Magazine in Los Angeles. As one of the winners, Yahoo flew me out to Los Angeles, first class, picked me up in a limo, and then escorted me to my hotel in Beverly Hills where I stayed for the entire week of my experience.

Every day I was taken to the Star Magazine headquarters where I hung out with the magazine’s top reporters. I watched them in their meetings, taking calls from star’s publicists, developing stories and then joined them at the hottest restaurants for lunch. At night I attended red carpet events and dined at LA’s best restaurants for star spotting. I was impressed with the level of professionalism by everyone at Star Magazine. They were all gracious to me and extremely hard-working. I really enjoyed my time at the magazine.
Now when I check out at the grocery store and I look over at the tabloid magazines, I have a new appreciation for what is really going on!

(A little secret I learned is that most of the people that end up in the tabloid magazines have relationships with the magazines and either they or their publicists actually solicit the magazine’s attention for more publicity! They are not the victims that I thought they were at all. The entertainment industry is all about publicity and these magazines, like them or not, sell a LOT of magazines which is very good for a public person’s career.)

How do you manage juggling the responsibilities of being an entrepreneur with the rest of your life? 
Balance is an important aspect to following a dream. I don’t ever want to become so single-focused that I trample on or ignore the rest of my life (but that’s easy to do.)

A dream is important, but so is the rest of my life, so maintaining that balance is vital to my overall happiness. I have a hard time with this one. I feel a powerful urge to keep going up the mountain and not to get distracted by anything, including the rest of my life, and so I miss out on a lot of stuff and get out of balance a lot.

I truly believe that always striving for balance isn’t the best way to go about big change. Look at the psychology of a boot camp. In boot camps you are in isolation for a period of time to accomplish something specific, right? Well, I see dreams as the same type of thing. You need that singular focus sometimes and not to be distracted by the rest of your life. However, because your dream takes longer than the usual “6-week boot camp,� and instead it goes on and on, over an indefinite period of time, you can’t live like that for long without the rest of your life starting to deteriorate. Relationships will suffer and other things will fall to the wayside.

From time to time I just force myself to get out of the dream mindset and focus on other things. In the beginning it’s hard because I feel like any “free� moment that I’m not putting towards my dream is a moment “wasted.� However, it’s not wasted. It’s just a matter of pulling back and investing into the entire picture of my life, and not just one part.

Even though it’s hard at first (every time!) I’m always glad I do pull myself away from my dream to take care of other things. Not only is it good to invest in your health, your family, your relationships and other parts of your life, it’s healthy to give yourself a break from your dream to keep your perspective fresh, so you don’t burn out.

Balance is an ongoing struggle for me and it’s something I address on a daily basis. The entertainment business is a highly competitive industry and if you don’t grab opportunities when they come knocking, there are hundreds of others who will. The hardest thing is sometimes saying “no� to opportunities that come around for the sake of balance.

Well that’s all for now. Check back for more exciting things that are happening in the lives of entrepreneurs.

Unknown, unassuming, unlikely and unstoppable is how I would describe Lisa. But, my curiosity was at an all time high wondering how one of her homemade videos got viewed more than 400,000 times. Oh, and it wasn’t her bathtub video.

Ok, so here’s the scoop on Lisa Murray, a 36-year-old woman from Phoenix, Arizona who moved to Los Angeles to follow her dream. She’s the ultimate Weekend Entrepreneur with a heart of gold. Her day job helps fund the production of a documentary film called, “I Have Dreams Dammit!� What’s fascinating is that on a whim she entered 2 different contests and it created the most unlikely success story I have ever heard.

I’ll get to the bathtub story in a minute but first I want to give you a snapshot of what Lisa has been up to. She shot a little 5 minutes video called “Free Hugs in Hollywood” and it was a huge success. Lisa said, “This video was featured on Yahoo’s home page for about 3 hours. To date, it has been viewed over 400,000 times. That same video was posted simultaneously on my YouTube channel. Without any promotion, without it being featured on YouTube’s home page, it has generated close to 160,000 views.â€? Click here to see Lisa’s video and you will understand why it has been so popular.

What kind of business do you have and what inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
LISA: I have a film production company called SkyLife Productions. I do all of my own marketing and PR. I created it as a concept for a company in 1990. And it really started to take off when I launched my website in 2004.

I have two websites, an international email list with a monthly e-newsletter for Dreamers, a small line of products for dreamers (t-shirts, mugs, etc.) and a popular channel on YouTube.

I produce projects that call to my heart whether it is a documentary, a short video for the internet, or a feature-length film. Eventually, I would like to partner up with other companies to organize large fundraiser events for animal and environmental causes. SkyLife Productions is about creating MY “SkyLife� and then helping others do the same.

“SkyLife� came out of a book I read when I was little called “Sky Dog.� A little boy is at the beach with his mother for the summer and he is very lonely. He sees a dog in the sky made out of clouds that befriends him. He is no longer lonely. On the last day of the vacation, the little boy goes out to the beach to say goodbye to his Sky Dog but it is nowhere to be found. Sad, the boy turns and heads to the car that is already packed and ready to go when all of a sudden a little white dog runs up to him on the beach barking and jumping and wagging his tail. This dog seems to know the boy. Nobody has seen this dog before and he really did just come out of the clear blue sky just for the boy.

That story touched me when I was younger because I remember feeling like that concept was possible in real life. Anything that we imagine can become real. If we imagine it then it is for us. And so I began my journey of creating my SkyLIFE.

I never really “became� an entrepreneur; I think I was born one. I have always had the entrepreneur mind-set and I didn’t know that’s what it was until one of my employers said, “Lisa, you don’t belong here, you are an entrepreneur. Period.�

Have you always been interested in contests? And how did you discover the Caress “Confident Woman,” Entertainment Tonight contest?
I NEVER enter contests. I entered the first one (Yahoo! Job-Shadowing contest) to get rid of the pop-up window that interrupted my late-night resume posting session in between jobs.

I found out about the second contest (Caress Confidante/Entertainment Tonight) right after I got back in town from the first contest’s prize trip to LA. So contests were on my mind! I was flipping through the channels and heard Jan Carlson on Entertainment Tonight talking about “a dream trip to the Emmys…to live like a star for a week.” It sounded like fun to make a video and so I did it with my friend, Ed Sweet in Phoenix. (He was a blast to work with!) I didn’t think I’d win; I just did it to have fun making a video. Boy was I surprised when Kevin Frazier came to my work with the ET camera crews to tell me that I won! Click here to see winning video.

What did you think your chances were of winning these contests?
LISA: The first contest was a sweepstakes so it was total luck winning that one. I had even forgotten about it until I received the Fed-Ex with the winning letter. It felt really cool to win something. I honestly can’t ever remember winning anything - not like this anyway.

The second contest (Caress/ET) I didn’t even think about winning until I found out I was a finalist. At that point I thought back about how meticulous I was about following the rules of the contest when I was planning my video and how my working in PR in the past may have given me an advantage because I really thought about what Caress and Entertainment Tonight were looking to accomplish with this contest and created my video based on that assumption. And then I won!

Have there been challenges along the way that appeared to be more difficult because you are a woman?
LISA: The film industry is still very much a man’s world. It’s changing but not fast enough. I’ve seen my male filmmaker friends get funding for projects and move through that and onto the next project when my female filmmakers friends (including myself) are still on our first project for a while. I’m not sure why that is the way it is but there does seem to be a gender difference.

Have you noticed certain advantages to being a woman in business?
LISA: I think being a woman may have given me certain advantages in the way that people aren’t as intimidated by me and so they give me a chance where perhaps my male counterparts wouldn’t get that chance. (Which is sort of an insult but one that I use to my advantage!)

What tips can you give others who want to embrace their dream but, don’t have the confidence or feel they don’t have what it takes to succeed?
LISA: Knowledge is power. Find others who are doing something similar or the same thing and talk to them, send them an email, let them know what you’re trying to do and ask them if they would be willing to give you 10-15 minutes of their time by phone for a mini “mentor session�. Write down all of your questions ahead of time and keep it short. Be respectful of people’s time. Join networking organizations that pertain to your dream. Tell everyone you meet about your dream and listen to feedback, throw out the negative or limiting comments or anything that makes you feel yucky. Admit your weak areas and be willing to learn and grow. Be strong. Know your strengths. And then after all that, feel the fear and do it anyway! (Same title of a great book by Susan Jeffers.)

What advice do you have for someone who wants to be an entrepreneur but doesn’t know where to begin to get things rolling?
LISA: Just think about what makes you happy, what makes you ‘come alive’ and you will find your answer as to “what� to do. How to begin? Begin where you are! Take inventory of your life. What do you already posses in terms of physical assets or internal assets that pertain to your dream? Do you own a computer? A pickup truck? A gift for public speaking? A big kitchen? A sense of humor? Write it all down. You’d be surprised how much you have already! Do research on your dream and then, write a plan of action. There are so many books on pretty much any topic nowadays. The problem isn’t where to find the resources, it’s how to utilize the resources and still maintain a life that you feel good about over the long haul. But just get the ball rolling, you’ll learn as you go along.

What is unique or special about your business that gives it an edge over your competitors?
LISA: I believe everything comes from intention. The only true competition doesn’t live “out there� but rather, from within ourselves. There is enough room for everyone’s dream to come true and to be profitable. I think a lot of people believe in scarcity and so they think have to be unethical to beat their competition. For them I would say that my edge over them is that I focus on what I am giving out rather than taking in and I don’t treat others, as I wouldn’t want to be treated. My focus with each project is on whom or what am I connecting with and what it is that my services or goods are adding to the overall picture of life. Everything we do has an effect on the world around us.

I have more to share about Lisa’s journey in Part 2. This will be posted on my blog
weekend.entrepreneur.com this Wednesday, July 18, 2007 @5:00 AM, EST. You’ll find out How and Why YouTube has played an enormous role in anchoring Lisa’s success. The ‘Behind the Scenes’ story about what happened with Yahoo’s Sweepstakes when she won. Lisa explains what a day in the life of a reported for Star Magazine is like (it’s not what you think). Last but not least Lisa talks about her strategy for attracting the media. All of this unconventional wisdom can help you attain a higher lever of success. Proof that it’s not what you know; it’s what you do with what you know.

Peace & Abundance,

Michelle
PS-As always, your feedback and questions are important to me and the people I write about so let me know you care by giving us a “shout out!�

Although the threat of competition on shows like American Idol and the Apprentice have been known to derail a person’s chances of winning. There are exceptions to the rule. Kristen Marie Schuerlein of Affirmagy marches to a different beat and the concept of competition doesn’t phase her one bit. She says, “I come from a place of abundance and believe there is enough business out there for everyone.�

According to Kristen, “The real question is, ‘Does our product touch your heart or the heart of someone you love?’ The answer to this simple question is the fuel that propels Affirmagy forward, and our possibilities for growth and contribution are unlimited.�

What kind of business do you have?
KRISTEN: I am a fourth generation entrepreneur, so on some level, it’s just in the genes. We started Affirmagy on Valentine’s Day 2005 simply because we loved the idea of wrapping people in the very qualities we wanted in our lives. Love, Joy, Courage, and Abundance seemed like an idea that needed to get off the napkin and shared with the world.

Our family of fleece blankets, silk screened with positive affirmations, are sweet reminders that life is good. Affirmagy creates and brings to market inspirational products that delight both the giver and the receiver.

How did you decide what kind of business to start?
KRISTEN: Affirmagy started as an evening and weekend hobby of sorts. We thought we had a good idea, but you never know.

The holidays rolled around in 2005 and the word of mouth began spreading. I could see people buying for themselves, and also sending them to the people they love the most. When we started getting letters from our customers letting us know how much they loved GIVING our blankets as gifts, we knew we were touching people’s hearts.

Did you need to have a certain mindset to achieve success?
Yes, success requires a certain mindset, and success IS a mindset. I am blessed as a young woman to live in a time when I CAN

run my own enterprise, and literally create what it looks like. I have a passion for inspiring women to not only start their own business, but to aspire to breakthrough the seven figure mark. My vision is a world where we all prosper sharing our gifts and talents with one another. I do believe I can achieve anything I put my mind to.

Is it more difficult for women to get financing for businesses?
KRISTEN: The first 5-7 years when I started my graphic design and marketing firm, Design Duo Inc., (now it its 11th year) being a woman owned business was a novelty. Home-based businesses were growing, and banks were slow to get on board.

American Express was the first financial institution to extend my company credit, and I have never forgotten. It is my first card of choice, every time. I am a proud cardholder and have been since 1996. They are a great company that sees the value in entrepreneurship. What a difference that’s made in my success.

Nowadays, banks have entire divisions that serve women owned businesses. Thank goodness! My banker is a Godsend. She gets it and gets us.

I am thrilled to see ‘corporate’ America recognize the power of women owned businesses. And that’s more reason for us to stand up and build significant enterprises that serve our communities and the world.

Has publicity contributed to the success of your business?
KRISTEN: Yes! And more good press is coming. The buzz created by the media lends powerful momentum to our growth. We started in our backyard and are working with passion and commitment to earn the interest of the national media. The hits keep coming, and it’s exciting.

We engaged a publicist long before we had taken the leap to run Affirmagy full time. It’s one of the smartest things I’ve ever done. For example, when we had big news to share about our cause related marketing initiatives, we alerted the media in a targeted, personal way and captured the ink. This has invited more opportunities for us to do good in the world.

Did you have a mentor to help you get started?
KRISTEN: I have many mentors. They are the valued people who shine a light into my blind spots. I remember one instance where a friend who has a ton of overseas manufacturing experience offered a piece of advice that I took, and months later, his counsel proved to be brilliant. And, it saved me thousands of dollars and hours of heartache. As a leader, my job is to attract people who are far smarter than I am. That’s a key to success.

Are you still running your other company? And approximately how many hours per week do you currently spend on your business?
KRISTEN: We stopped running Design Duo �full time� in October 2006. By Jan 2007, my time was invested nearly 100% in Affirmagy.

Sometimes I work 12-14 hours a day. But 8-10 hours a day is the norm. Saturdays I work 4-8 hours. And Sunday is my ‘sanctuary’ day.

This company is an expression of me. I am constantly thinking of new ideas, researching, jotting notes down. I do some of my best thinking in the car and in the shower. It’s not work. It’s how I choose to live.

What resources were most helpful to you when you were starting your business?
KRISTEN: The experience I gained from 10 years of building Design Duo, from scratch has been very powerful in supporting Affirmagy’s launch and growth.

In 2003 I faced a health challenge that really impacted Design Duo financially. At the time, I didn’t realize that I could have lost that company. We simply faced the challenge of debt and recommitted to the business. After that experience, I knew I could jump off the cliff into this company and make it soar.

What tips can you give others who want to embrace their dream but don’t have what it takes to succeed?
KRISTEN: Know that in each of us lies the ability to truly design our lives. There is no way I could have known all I needed to know to grow my businesses to where they are today 1, 3, 5 or 10 years ago.

~Have a GREAT product or service, be very specific about who you serve and how your serve. Ask a ton of questions.

~Get a line of credit, save money, design a budget for your first year and PAD it.

~Pay yourself from day one. Be realistic about your expenses – even if you are working from home. Take your hourly rate, the amount of sales you think you’ll achieve, and cut it in half.

~Get a checking account, a logo and visual identity that is well aligned with you and the people you choose to serve.

~Attend networking events before you take the leap.

~Do all that, get a support team, and jump.

This year Kristen’s plans are in turbo mode to raise $400,000 for breast cancer research and education. She says, “The news of this vision is spreading, and we’re excited to see folks joining us to make a difference in the lives of others.� With her delicious brand of enthusiasm, the momentum at Affirmagy is building fast and competition is a thing of the past.

Keep those comments and questions coming. Your opinion truly makes a difference.
Michelle

If the top guns are averaging $10,000 a month with info products they sell online why can’t we? Up until now you may have used the excuse that you didn’t know who to ask, what to do or which topic to write about.

Well I started on my quest to find the expert for this niche market. My buddy Michelle Price told me about this guy she had just hired. And after seeing what she’s up to I want my own info product too. So, as soon as I finish writing I’m am going to start creating my own (hehehe).

Meet James Roche AKA, “The Info Product Guy.� Read on and you’ll learn the secrets to making money with your very own info product. Plus he let me in on quite a few delicious morsels of info about which people and resources have had the greatest impact on his success.

Out of all the ways people can make money, why info products?
JAMES: You have a goldmine sitting between your ears. If you look out your window and imagine the number of people within a 10-mile radius of where you are right now. There are people who have problems that YOU can help solve. And they’ll pay you handsomely for it!

Info products can be downloaded so there’s no overhead. They can be created easily and quickly. And they build instant credibility because you’re published without dealing with publishers.

And the profit margins are huge…

If you were to write a book and sell it in the bookstores (if you’re one of the very few to get that far), you’ll only see a fraction of your $15.00 book. But if you package the same information as an info product online the perceived value is higher. You can charge $97.00 – almost all profit.

Having said that I want to point out that just because you create an info product doesn’t mean that buckets of money will land in your lap. The info products that generate huge profits solve a specific problem for a specific group of people: How to stop your divorce, how to raise guinea pigs, how to deliver a wedding toast, etc. I’ll talk more about this in the upcoming questions…

Approximately how much money do you have to invest before an info product starts making money?
JAMES: I recommend that you first create a 10 page special report on your topic to gauge the interest level before investing a lot of time and money on a big info product.

If you know you have a winner then move on to create a 2 or 3 CD audio info product – for example a recorded phone interview. With graphics and production you will spend anywhere from $300-$600. You can sell it for $50-$100.

If that’s also a hit then create your “Signature Product� – a big box/kit with your whole system. It may be 5 CDs with a 200+ page workbook. The cost depends on if you hire a ghostwriter, graphic designer, audio editing, etc. it can go as high as a few thousand dollars to as low as a few hundred. You can charge anywhere from $200 to $500.

I have read that say people don’t like to read, what type of info product is the most popular?
JAMES: Yes – we want things fast. That’s why audio is so great. It’s also much easier to produce (no writing!) You can simply get on the phone and have someone interview you. Record it and package it. You’re done.

Plus, people can download the audios to their iPods and learn while traveling, commuting, etc.

While video is becoming more popular it also has a higher production cost. I wouldn’t worry much about video quite yet – unless your topic demands visuals.

Stick with audio. You can even have the audio transcribed and package it all in a nice looking binder.

If you don’t have a big list of people to market to how can people find you and buy your product?
JAMES: First, ideally you want to build and grow your own list of raving fans. They will feed you for a lifetime.

But you have to start somewhere…this is why you need to learn marketing. Once you have your product on a website you have two objectives: drive traffic to your site and convert visitors to sales.

First, driving traffic to your site – there are dozens of ways to do this and you can choose the tools that work for you (the more the better): Google Adwords, speaking, articles, teleclasses, print ads, direct mail, etc. One of the fastest ways to sell your product is to do a joint venture with other people who already have a list of leads. They can become your affiliate - i.e. they get a percentage of all the sales that come from them.

Bottom line – you can see by now there are two essential elements to success with info products: your list and your offer. If you offer a group of people (who know you) something they want badly… you’ll make money (even if your graphics stink, even if you can’t write great copy, even if you have no brand.)

When and how did you get started in the info product biz and was your prior experience (personal/business) helpful?
JAMES: I jokingly tell people I started creating info products when I was 10 years old. It started because as a child I was a natural artist – I drew, played classical piano, took up photography and when I was 8 I taught myself calligraphy.

It all came together in 5th grade when the cute girl sitting next to me wrote a story about a cat and the sun. I told her I would “produce� it. Two days later I showed up to school with a fully illustrated, bound and hand written “book.� (Later in high school she dated a football player….Oh well – at least the teacher saw a budding talent in me and gave me an “A�.)

I became “The Info Product Guy� officially in 2004. It happened accidentally. I created an info product for someone and showed up to a networking event with it. People crowded around jaws dropped. I didn’t think anything was special…I was trained as an artist and created things all the time. But then MY jaw dropped when people asked if they could hire me to create an info product for them.

For about two years up to that point I immersed myself into studying direct response marketing. With my training as an artist combined with my marketing knowledge and my natural ability to coach…my business was born. I now “coach the product out of you� so you can get more clients and make passive revenue.

What tips can you give others who want to embrace their dream but, don’t have the confidence or feel they don’t have what it takes to succeed?
JAMES: I know its popular now to tell people “use the Law of Attraction� and “believe in you.� Yes – that’s true…AND…you have to work your (blank) off! I fail more often than I succeed. I get things wrong - a lot. And I keep working it.

I also struggle with confidence…and I think more important than thinking positive is going out there and DOING something. Stop thinking about it…create something and confidence will grow automatically. You’ll probably fail and that’s great! Because now you’ve learned how not to do it so you’re chances of hitting a home run the next time is that much greater.

With the popularity of blogging, how will creating info products fit in?
JAMES: Bloggers have a unique advantage…they already have their product written! They can take all their posts and organize it into one downloadable eBook. Done.

In fact, I believe any serious blogger reading this right now can create an info product in less than 24 hours…starting now!

The first step is finding out what the single greatest challenge your readers face regarding your topic. You’ll find, there’s usually about 5–10 main problem-points people want fast and easy solutions to.

(Even though people can read your blog for the answers…remember that we all want to s