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Whether you are a fan of the game of football, the National Football League, the Dallas Cowboys or the Florida Gators, one cannot ignore the magnitude of newly inducted Hall of Famer, Emmitt Smith’s induction speech. 

In his induction speech, Emmitt Smith gave us the golden key to success in business; in fact, the nugget Smith shared is the golden key to success in any endeavor.  He distinguished between dreams and goals.  A dream can be born within you but it will only remain a dream unless you write it down.  As a young boy growing up on Pensacola, Florida, Emmitt dreamt of becoming the leading rusher in the National Football League (NFL).  However, he knew that just dreaming wasn’t enough.  Some how or the other, Emmitt knew that to move that dream from his mind and heart, he had to actually write the dream down.  Once he wrote the dream on a piece of paper, he then set goals that would ensure that his dream would become true.

Not only did Emmitt Smith dream of playing in the NFL as a running back but he specifically recalled that how as a 6-year old boy, he remembers watching a Dallas Cowboys football game with family and he turned to the adults in the room and said, “One day I am going to play professional football and I am going to play with the Dallas Cowboys.”  As I listened to this speech, I was awestruck, dumbfounded and speechless.  It was truly an “aha” moment for me – a light bulb moment – an epiphany of how to become great in my business, in my relationships and in life.

Emmitt Smith enjoyed a wonderful college football career with the Florida Gators and a stellar – almost untouchable – career with the Dallas Cowboys.  During the Hall of Game football game, as he was being interviewed by one of the announcers, he turned to the camera and ended his interview by stating, “I want everyone out there to know that if they set goals and devise a plan to reach them, they can enter the Hall of Fame of Business, the Hall of Fame of Life, the Hall of Fame of whatever.”

Many self-help gurus and motivational speakers have created systems, given speeches and have become quite wealthy sharing the “secrets” to success.  But it took Emmitt Smith, the soft-spoken, easily moved to tears, fearless football warrior to really get my attention.  I had never heard anyone share such a simple, succinct but incredibly powerful description of how to go from humble beginnings and a dream to becoming a multi-millionaire and enjoying one of the most successful football careers of all time.

Do you have a dream?  If you answered “yes” then half the battle for you is won.  All you need to do is write the dream down and the steps for how you will achieve the dream and take action.  These steps are your goals.  If you answered “no” then you have some serious work to do.  You purpose is encased in your DNA; you are for a reason and it’s tied to your dream.  When you were a child, you dreamt this dream but life’s hard knocks, fear of failure, rejection and fear of success has buried your dream but its still there.  Dig it up, dust it off, believe that it’s possible, and ask God (or whatever you call the Higher Power) for guidance and courage and then write down the steps you must take to achieve this dream.  Remember, these steps are your goals.  Once you have them written down, take action to achieve them; act quickly and decisively. 

Carmin Wharton is the founder of e-BlackWomenNetwork.com, a membership community designed to take businesses owned by women of color from startup to prosperity. Carmin's mission is to help women earn what they're worth and make it big in their home-based or small business on their own terms.

Hello Everybody!

I know it's been a long while since you've heard anything from us, and for that we apologize.  We are back in full force and have some exciting news to share with each one of you.  Raising Chefs' will be presenting our latest recipe "Cinnamon Bruschetta w/a Pineapple-Strawberry Relish" @ this weekend's Live Green Expo in Plano, Texas.  We'll be teaming up with none other than Real Men Cook creators of the nations largest Father's Day event and Iron Chef Kent Rathbun owner of Abacus Restaurant @ the cooking stage starting @ 11:45 - 12:15.  For those who are in the area we would love to see you come by and say hello. 

We will be demonstrating our "Cinnamon Bruschetta w/a Pineapple-Strawberry Relish" and let me tell you it's amazing! Soon after we get back from this event we will be posting the recipe on our site so make sure that you stop by Raising Chefs Dot Com and download your copy so you can enjoy it with your family.  Thanks so much for your continuous patients; you appreciate you more than you will ever know.  Many blessings to you and your family!

Stephen Pierce's Make Real Money On The Internet Review

The first thing to consider is the type of business that is the easiest to start with two important considerations:

1. It will require very little money and time to start it.  In other words, an ideal scenario would be to find a customer today and because of the type of business you are starting, you can serve the customer very quickly.

2. This business allows you to work out of your home.

1. A service business such as a wedding consultant, event planner or virtual assistant are good examples of a service business. 

2. A direct sale, multi-level marketing, or networking marketing business where you sale someone else’s product such as Tupperware or Avon.

So, here are four key things to consider before you decide what business you can start:

1. It should be home-based because you won’t incur upfront costs such as rental or purchase of a space and large enough inventory to fill the place.
2. It should be non-capital intensive.  The upfront cost should be minimal.  If you are going to sell a product such as in our previous example, Avon or Tupperware, the upfront cost to get started should be minimal – under $500.
3. The products or services should be quick cash generating products or services.  Let’s revisit the wedding planning business.  If someone hires your services to plan their wedding, you would most likely (and wisely) require a retainer and intermittent payments as the planning process unfolds.  If you are selling Avon, your minimal outlays are the books and perhaps small samples.  Because this is a well known, long standing company that has established it’s method of doing business, most buyers know that you look through Avon’s colorful catalog and you place your order from the catalog.  You, as the entrepreneur, receive your cut once the sale is made.

4. Your product or service should yield high-value meaning that each sale generates a high level of revenue, comparatively speaking.

Tip:      Set realistic goals and know what you are getting into.

Do you have what it takes?

Launching a business as a bootstrapping entrepreneur is rough – very rough.  Take it from me; I’ve done it and it is not for the faint of heart.

Successful Boot-strapping entrepreneurs possess the following traits:

• Passionate
• Tenacious
• Persistent
• Self-reliant
• Risk-takers
• Focused
• Curious

The two most important of these traits are passion and persistence.  If you are not passionate about the business, at the first sign of trouble, you may give up in defeat.  You must be persistent and decide that you are going to stick with it, however, be open to trying different ways of accomplishing your goal.  For example, rather than being dogmatic that you will only work toward the business, consider a part-time job or remaining on your full-time job until the business begins to turn a good profit.  Persistence will pay off.

Do people want what you are selling?

In the case of the Avon and Tupperware, people have proven that they do want those products.  However, in the case of the wedding consultant business, based on where you live and the demographics of the population, you may want to do a little, inexpensive market research before you sink a lot of time and money into the endeavor.

Using the wedding planning example again, there are several inexpensive ways to conduct market research; three of which are:

1. Visit other wedding professionals such as caterers, bakers and florists and ask them if wedding couples ask if they know of someone who can plan or direct the wedding.

2. Look in the local yellow pages and see if there are an ample amount of wedding planners in the area.  Chances are if there a significant number, you’ve got a market.  Don’t be afraid of the competition either.  Because you are just starting out, you might be able to provide wonderful service for less cost than more established business with overhead such as rent and salaries.
3. Attend local free bridal shows, mingle with brides and talk to vendors.  You’ll learn a lot.  Perhaps a vendor will allow you to leave business cards if you are open to referring your clients to their business.

Define your target market.

This may sound simplistic and obvious but it’s not.  You are not just doing wedding planning.  Maybe the wedding planners in your area are only planning weddings for wealthy or well-to-do families.  Perhaps you could focus your marketing efforts on putting together affordable wedding packages for those families who are not wealthy.  The more targeted your niche market is in your mind, the more focused you will be and the more superior service you will offer them.  Once you have defined your market, you’ll be surprised at how many creative ideas you come up with to serve them.

Some ideas to help you identify your market:

1. Talk to professionals in the business.  Using our example, visit bridal dress shops, reception equipment rental companies – the list is endless.

2. Talk to family and friends, particularly those who may have been involved in a wedding recently.  Let’s say you were starting a business where you cooked full meals for busy families to be delivered twice a week.  Ask family and friends would they include this type of service in their budget on a monthly basis.  Find out what types of meals they would prefer; would it be hearty meals such as spaghetti, salad and French bread or lighter fare such as grilled chicken salad and fruit?

3. Take out an inexpensive ad in a local neighborhood type newspaper and see if you get any takers.

4. Talk to your market.  If you are a wedding planner, spend time one Saturday outside of a local bridal shop and as brides enter or leave the store, tell them who you are and what you are doing and ask them how likely would it be that they would use a wedding planner.  Most will probably be interested in hearing more about what you are offering and will gladly take your card.  When they call, be ready to ask them how planning has been done and what still needs to be done.  From there, you can tell the bride how you can help her make her special day go much smoother.

Learn about the competition.

Find out what your competitors do well, what they don’t do well or what they don’t offer. Find out what they charge.  Talk to people in the area and find out what they know about your competitors.

No business does everything well.  Find out where your competitors are not fulfilling the need and you fill it.  Again, make sure that you whittle down the market to a tight focus and once you’ve found your niche, offer superior service on what you are focusing on.  As your company grows, of course you can expand what you are offering.

1. Drive targeted traffic to your website.
2. Position yourself as an expert and the "go to" person in your industry or field.
3. You can make some money and sell ad space on your blog.

“Ultimately we know deeply that the other side of every fear is a freedom.”
-Marilyn Ferguson:

Fear is a common thread which holds us together.  We all experience it.  It doesn’t matter how old we are or where we are in our lives, we all fear something.  The difference between people, those who achieve their goals and attain the wealth they desire and those who do not, is what they do with their fear.

Types of Fear

The dictionary defines fear as:

a. A feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger.
b. A state or condition marked by this feeling: living in fear.
2. A feeling of disquiet or apprehension: a fear of looking foolish.
3. Extreme reverence or awe, as toward a supreme power.
4. A reason for dread or apprehension: Being alone is my greatest fear.

Not all fears, as you can see, are created equal.   Fearing for your life as a semi-truck comes barreling down the road toward you is quite different than a fear of public speaking though both inspire the same physical response - increased heart rate, sweating, tightening of muscles, rapid breathing and so on. 

One fear may save your life the other…well the other simply causes missed opportunities, loss of confidence, and a significantly slower path to success.  If you want to achieve your wealth goals and create the life you desire – you have to not only face your fears, you have to overcome them.

In Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill lists 6 types of fear:

1. Fear of Poverty
2. Fear of Criticism
3. Fear of Ill Health
4. Fear of loss of love of someone
5. Fear of Old Age
6. Fear of Death

Fear, is a state of mind.  Nothing more nothing less.  The good news…you are in control of your state of mind.

One great exercise for this is – “What’s the worst that could happen?”  When you’re fearing a confrontation, making a decision, taking a financial risk or whatever decision you may be having to make which is causing anxiety and fear ask yourself, “What is the worst that could happen?”

Then proceed to answer it.  Lay it all out on the line.  For example, if you have an opportunity to get your book out in front of people and have been invited to speak to 1000 conference attendees and you’re terrified of making a fool of yourself then the worst that could happen is that you make a total fool of yourself, right?  You could stumble over your words, lose your place and in short be completely ineffective.

Now look at the flip side – what’s the best that could happen?  Conversely, you could give great speech, win over the crowd and sell more books than you have printed.  Sounds pretty good, right?  You’re also so impressive that handfuls of people approach you with new opportunities.  Score!

Indecision Breeds Doubt and Fear

It all begins with your attitude.  Make a decision to be successful.  Make a decision to set aside all doubts and fears, or better yet to not let them into your thought process at all.  Indecision, according to Napoleon Hill and many other wealth creation experts, crystallizes into doubt.  The two blend and become fear.

Fear, as you well know, gets in the way of accomplishing great things.  It prevents you from acting.  And as you may also know – money likes speed.  The more you hesitate, the more indecisive you are – the longer the road to financial success and great wealth.

There are many symptoms of fear – it’s these very symptoms which cause lack.  They include:
- Indifference
- Indecision
- Doubt
- Worry
- Too cautious
- Procrastination

Each of these symptoms is a road block to wealth creation.  Feel any of these symptoms coming on and you must absolutely stop and assess.  Where is the symptom coming from?  What are you afraid of?  Once you’re able to determine the fear you can then begin to change your perspective by asking that question – what’s the worst that could happen? 

Once you know the worst, you can then prepare for the best.  You can then set aside your fear or overcome it.  Our logical mind can be both a hindrance and a help – the key is to use it to your advantage.  Recognize when your thoughts are limiting your success.  Ask yourself the following questions:
- Am I complaining about someone or something?
- Am I blaming someone or something?
- Am I self-medicating to avoid thinking/feeling something?
- Am I annoyed by someone or something?
- Am I avoiding someone/something?  Procrastinating?

If you find yourself answering yes to anyone of those questions know that you have the tools right now to change your perspective.  To change you can:
- Change the words you use – problems become opportunities and a complaint becomes a request. 
- Be grateful for what you presently have and look at each difficulty as an opportunity to learn and grow.
- Remember that you’re responsible for all that you create in your life and you’re capable of creating amazing and seemingly impossible things – including great wealth.

“Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem to be more afraid of life than death”
-James F. Bymes

Fear is perhaps the most difficult roadblock to attaining great wealth. It’s a natural human reaction.  It’s not all bad – it’s useful to protect ourselves from harm and death.  However much of the fear we feel has little or nothing to do with injury or death but rather we’re protecting ourselves from perceived emotional injury, from perceived financial injury and by and large to protect our pride our ego. 

Would you really let a potential slice to your ego or emotions prohibit you from attaining all you desire?  Of course not!  When those little seeds of fear surface, recognize them for what they are, turn them around or set them aside, and continue on your confident path toward your goals – whatever they may be.

To your success!

What do you think about Crossing the Bridge of Fear? Have you had any real life experiences that you overcame? Leave your comments below…

(Source:  http://www.surefirewealth.com)

You can immediately increase your revenue by creating information products.  Here are some ideas:

• E-books.  An e-book is a digital product that people will download. The easiest way to make money from e-books is to create your e-book around what you are passionate about and market to your target market.
• Teleseminars.  These are also called Teleclasses and they are taught over the telephone.  Teleseminars are great because they are excellent way to show that you are an expert in your industry.  You can offer free teleseminars and paid teleseminars.  During your free teleseminar presentations, share useful information but leave the audience wanting more.  This way they will visit your website and purchase information products which will give them more information about your topic or they will sign up for your paid teleseminars in which you will share full information about your topic.

Tip:  The materials used during your teleseminars can be used later to create even more products such as audio files which you can burn to a CD or make available on your website for download or you can use teleseminar material and create a special report to sell on your website.

• Affiliate Programs.  If you have already created your own information products, why not have other people sell them for you.  Set up an affiliate program and pay people commissions when they sell your product through their website, newsletter or blog.  If you haven’t created your own information products yet, promote other people’s programs and make a handsome profit – sometimes as high as 40%!  When you sign up for a company’s affiliate program, they provide you with the tools to advertise the product such as graphics, HTML and links.
• Multimedia Products – Create large multimedia products by combining different formats of the same product.  For example, when you teach a teleseminar, bundle together the teleseminar by selling its audio recording, a transcript or a workbook.
• Advertising.  Sell advertising on your website, blog and in your newsletter and presto – you have another income stream!

Carmin Wharton is the founder of e-BlackWomenNetwork.com, a membership community designed to take businesses owned by women of color from startup to prosperity. Carmin's mission is to help women earn what they're worth and make it big in their home-based business on their own terms.