The similar mindsets of athletes and business leaders

It’s often been said that it takes a particular individual to spearhead a company into the future, an individual who can take the lumps and still manage to find a way to forge ahead, an individual who will never waver in the face of even the mightiest competition. If that sounds familiar, it’s because the most successful business leaders have a mindset that’s very similar to that of a successful athlete.

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Physical strength isn’t enough for an athlete to emerge victorious. The mental fortitude and the competitive spirit that comes along with training and preparing every day is a combination that can be brought into the business setting. In fact, this kind of mentality can give business leaders all the edge in the world.

Now aside from grit and determination, athletes and business leaders also need to know the arena in which they’re competing from the inside out. Without this knowledge, preparation will only be half-complete. For athletes, it’s the sport. For business leaders, it’s the industry. All the information gathered in their respective fields can aid them in their planning ahead.

On the flip-side, business leaders who lack all these, or have a diminished capacity when it comes to determination doom their company from the onset. Without the commitment to soldier forth day in and day out, and create a lifestyle revolving around their business, a company owner is sure to take the ship down with them.

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Dougherty Marketing has helped people start their own business, and fight the uphill battles that go along with it. One of the highlights that the company’s founders, Brian and Jenny, have found joy in is that they have assisted mothers to leave their job and run a home-based business so they could be given the opportunity to raise their own kids. For more information about the company, visit this website.

Signing up for success: Brand planning for new businesses

A powerful brand strategy can invigorate the reception of any product or service. Big and successful companies have already unraveled the secrets of effective branding. They also have the resources to continually spend on various strategic marketing plans that would sustain further consumer acquisition and the profitability of a campaign. A small business, though, must reflect on a number of things to make sure funds are properly allocated. 

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Any startup should eventually invest in marketing. In the meantime, there are several avenues, with minimal or no disbursement necessary, that can help a new business prevent the depletion of finances while focusing on quality assurance and development of the product. 

The logo represents the business in many ways. It is one of the basic foundations of a strong branding and can be an important determiner of the outcome of any endeavor. One must look for talented artists who are also at the beginning of the race and, most probably, won’t charge you exorbitant fees for creating it. 

Once the logo is finished, one can think of a tagline that sums up the essence of the brand. Social media can provide an owner the channels for communicating that essence. Depending on one’s existing online presence and his knowledge of the social networking sites, this can pose a learning curve. The nature of the message and the target addressee need to be matched with the right social media platform to make the best use of each site’s distinct flavor. 

Although social media can help convince the consumer base of the reliability of the product or service, and that a consistent online presence is a guarantee of the owner’s commitment to providing support, one must grab other opportunities for exposure. Getting involved in local communities especially those with which one already has existing ties might increase the chances of growth for the business. Sharing one’s knowledge with other people in hosted local events might be a worthwhile use of the time and an occasion to engage with both online and offline sbases. 

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Dougherty Marketing offers entrepreneurial training and education and has been helping people create other opportunities for success outside employment. Read about its inspired work here.

Why Leaders Should Know The Law Of Legacy

In 1997, Roberto Goizueta, one of the world’s most renowned business leaders, suddenly died. He was known for leading the renaissance of The Coca-Cola Company from 1981 when he became the company’s chairman, until his untimely passing 16 years later.

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During this decade-and-a-half tenure, Coca-Cola rose from having a value of $4 billion to $150 billion, or a 3,500 percent increase. Coca-Cola became the country’s second most valuable corporation. And Former President Jimmy Carter even recognized the Cuba-born Goizueta’s extraordinary leadership skills and achievement of helping thousands of lives.

When Goizueta was diagnosed with lung cancer and lost the battle six weeks later, the company and its stockholders did experience grief for losing a beloved leader. However, there was no sense of panic from among them, as is normally the case when large companies unexpectedly lose a leader. They knew that the company was in good hands.

Goizueta was not just an exceptional leader; he was also able to create an effective succession plan. He began grooming Doug Ivester as early as 1989 to take over the organization eventually. At the time, this was uncommon in many organizations because they would rather hire leaders from the outside than invest heavily in bringing people up.

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John Maxwell, author of numerous best-selling leadership books, used this example to describe what he calls as the “Law of Legacy.” This principle explains that the lasting value of any leader can be assessed through succession. A leader is considered successful when he can leave behind an organization that can carry on and achieve greatness by itself.

Dougherty Marketing is committed in helping entrepreneurs and business leaders attain success in their respective field through training and mentorship. For more information, visit the company’s official website.

Some Tips for Launching a Successful Home-Based Business

There are two common misconceptions about home-based businesses: it is uncommon, and it is not a “real” business. Numbers say otherwise, though.  

 

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In the U.S. alone, there are nearly 40 million home-based entrepreneurs who either work from home or sell online.  And surveys show that these businesses generate big bucks and have long-term potential – the sector has a total annual revenue of $427 billion and 70 percent of them are successful within three years of establishment.

Those who plan on starting a home-based business should follow these tips to increase the likelihood of achieving success:

· Be organized. Running an own business without a supervisor can sometimes result in a lack of planning or procrastination – especially with many hindrances or distractions at home. Creating a long- and short-term plan (and following it) and structuring daily tasks are necessary to keep the business running smoothly.

· Look for free or low-cost services. Use services that are not financially crippling to reduce expenses. For example, there are accounting and productivity apps that can be downloaded for free.

· Prioritize marketing. While cost-cutting is essential in home-based businesses, an area that should be allotted with significant resources is marketing. A quality marketing campaign can result to a wider customer base and increased revenues.

 

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Brian Dougherty and his wife, Jenny, find joy in helping other people attain success. Through their company, Dougherty Marketing, they train their clients to develop and grow the successful business they wish to have, including more than 6,000 people who have started their home-based business. Learn more about the couple and their firm here.

Defining The "Authentic" Leader: Business Mentorship Essentials

Business leadership techniques have evolved in the last few years. Leadership advisers are now emphasizing the importance of authenticity. This personal development strategy is, according to experts, not only good for the individual’s self-esteem but crucial to becoming an effective leader. New age skeptics may scoff at the idea but there are actually several business studies supporting the idea that successful entrepreneurs -- and especially those that describe themselves as great leaders -- all share the quality of being authentic.

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However, that does beg the question of what this term really means. “What if I am being myself but I am still not achieving results, what then?” is a question most people have. There is also the hidden assumption that being “authentic” -- just in case one wasn’t -- would require the entrepreneur to be someone they are not.

It is important to address this and explain the nuances that leadership mentors mean when they call for authenticity. To be sure, to be authentic is to be “true to one’s self”; but this is not the same as being spontaneous. Businesspeople assume that “being authentic” means venting out or expressing whatever they feel at a particular moment. After all, what was felt at that moment was true and authentic. As one can imagine, this is a dangerous type of thinking to have as this would most likely lead the person in trouble more often than not.

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Instead, authenticity describes core values that should be aligned with the business’ own long-term goals. The best business owners are those whose personal beliefs are congruent with the company’s goals. Note that all business practices and strategies are a reflection of the company’s personality and ultimately the owner’s as well. It is therefore important that the owner maintains authenticity by sticking to their beliefs. The entrepreneur would also do well to consider the direct monetary impact to authenticity: clients often prefer companies that remain true to their core beliefs.

Dougherty Marketing teaches young business leaders how to succeed. For more information, like this Facebook page.

Four Traits That Will Help Business Owners Become Influential Mentors

Younger entrepreneurs need mentors who will help them learn the ins and outs of their industry. Those who want to help a fellow business professional learn the ropes need to have the following traits:

Passionate

When work is done without passion, it’s a worthless pursuit. Unfortunately, some mentors end up being uninterested after years of experience. Having a mentor who understands their fellow entrepreneur’s enthusiasm for the industry will inspire a young business owner. Those who want to try their hand at mentoring must continue to show their passion and their interest in the field. This will encourage mentees to keep on learning and striving for what they want to achieve with their business.

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A good listener

Those with few years of experience in the business have a lot of worries and feelings about what they’re doing. For those who have been on the field for long, it might be difficult to empathize with what the newcomers are going through. In order to become an influential mentor, one must listen and understand what the other is saying in to provide authentic advice.

Problem solver

An effective mentor is a good problem solver. In a young entrepreneur’s life, they will encounter many bumps in the road that may sometimes make them think of quitting. Mentors should show their mentees how they can solve problems. For starters, they can demonstrate how to be part of the solution.

Respectable

Mentors who are good role models are worth listening to. Those who have an excellent track record and respected in business circles have gained their influence because of their great character. Beyond skills and success, a business owner must have a character that will allow him to outlast all the changes and challenges. Having an authority figure to emulate is a great help for those who want to make their mark in the business world.

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Mentoring is a rewarding experience for the mentor and the mentee. When personalities and interests match, it can be a recipe for learning and growth.

Brian and Jenny Dougherty are the founders of Dougherty Marketing in North Carolina. Since 2001, they have been helping clients become the best in their respective careers through the training services offered by their company. To know more about its services, visit the company’s official website.

What Entrepreneurs Should Know about the Restaurant Business

It seems people want to open restaurants more than any other business out there. It must be the romantic notion of having one’s own place, or the influence of success stories such as Subway’s or Starbucks’. But it’s not that simple, and it’s definitely not that easy. A majority of restaurants close up before the first year. This can be attributed to lack of planning. There are certain things restaurant owners should know, especially if this is their first time to put up a restaurant.

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First off, they should know that the equipment they invest in is very important. The best equipment can save the restaurant money and eliminate the need for hiring extra hands. Since staff salary is the biggest expense in the restaurant business, top of the line equipment is a great idea. Sure, quality cookware and stoves may cost a lot, but they’re worth it.

Next, when it comes to food and drinks, restaurant owners should always be aware when they’re overstocking. Food should be good for a week, while drinks should last for roughly one month.

However, one of the most important things restaurant owners should keep in mind is that increasing sales is, and will always be more important than cutting costs. Only when more clients enter the doors of the establishment can it be primed for expansion.

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Dougherty Marketing is a company that has aided people in setting up and running their companies. A huge part of this success people enjoy can be attributed to leadership skills training. Find out more about Dougherty Marketing by visiting the official website.

The Beauty Of Entrepreneurship: Owning Your Business And Your Vision

Entrepreneurship is a demanding domain, but everyone who has access to capital aspires for it. Even those constrained to desk jobs, answering to their bosses and contenting themselves with standard pay levels wistfully look far ahead to the possibility of owning a business. And while it demands a prickly trip prior to success, entrepreneurship has become the goal of many who want to make a difference in society and their own lifestyles.

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Specifically, entrepreneurship frees a worker from the demands of a pre-written schedule, the caprices of leadership, and the limits of what he or she can achieve. In a sense, it is a very individualized way of working --- the entrepreneur even gets to define and design his or her business space. He or she follows his or her own schedule, or choose the people with whom he or she holds a meeting.

But the key perk, aside from the abovementioned practicalities, should be vision fulfillment. Entrepreneurs are, above all, people who resist pre-defined visions of how products and services work. Their existence outside the box is thorough --- outside the confines of another entrepreneur’s workplace and way of thinking.

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Adopting the full stance of an entrepreneur means being uncowed in one’s vision. An employee’s ideas, when put forward to management, for instance, can be easily shot down, no matter their quality. An entrepreneur can forge ahead with any idea and pursue it with an obstinacy that he or she can’t quite afford in a day job.

Such beauty and freedom are hard to reach. But people of a more forceful nature will always be attracted to that side of entrepreneurship.

Dougherty Marketing is in the business of helping people through mentorship and coaching in topics such as leadership and success. For more insights, visit the company’s official website.