Where have all the entrepreneurs gone?

“I am attracting business builders.” That’s one of my daily affirmations. But where have all the business builders gone? These people are also known as entrepreneurs – people who see an opportunity and seize it. More specifically, an entrepreneur is someone who makes money through risk and initiative.
I see people every day struggling with finances, with personal freedom, with the ability to determine their own destiny. Yet, I see very few people willing to do what it takes to change their circumstances. It seems we’d rather complain about what we don’t have than take positive action toward change.

I call myself a serial entrepreneur. I can see a business opportunity in almost anything. I have more business ideas and money making thoughts in one day than I could ever hope to put into action. Yet, every day, I am taking action. I’m always building one or more businesses. I look for business opportunities that are a reflection of my personality. I want business to be fun, not something I have to do that I would dread.

And yet, daily, people go to jobs they hate and trade time for money. Robert Kiyosaki, author of “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” and “The Business of the 21st Century” tells us there are four ways to make money. The first is as an employee – the person above who trades time for money. Since both are limited, ultimately, there is a limit to what can be earned. The second is as a self-employed person – in other words, a person who owns a job. Most so-called business owners fall into this category. The day they stop showing up at work, the money stops showing up too. The third way to make money is as a true business owner. A business owner is someone who can be away from their business and when they return, the business is still making money. Very few people actually fall into this category. The problem with being a business owner is it generally takes years (sometimes generations) to build a business that is large enough and successful enough to run independently of the owner. In addition, the commitment of financial resources is often substantial – bricks, mortar, technology, human resources, intellectual capital, etc. The fourth way to make money is through investments – letting your money make you money. This would ultimately be the preferred way, but as they say, “it takes money to make money” so choices one through three generally have to be the starting point.

When I was in my 20’s, fresh out of MBA school, I truly believed I would get a job with a big Fortune 500 company and make my fortune. Instead, I traded my time for money for a number of years before going to law school. After law school, I still traded time for money until the day I had an “entrepreneurial seizure” and started my own firm. Here was my chance to make it or break it. I was terrified. I was certain I had doomed myself to financial failure. Fortunately, thirteen years later my firm is still thriving and growing. I’m still self-employed, but getting closer to true business ownership every day.

A few years ago I was introduced to a new business opportunity. Interestingly, I didn’t see the opportunity at first. In the beginning, it was the product I was attracted to. It was a product I knew I could use in my law firm to enhance my current level of client interaction. It would help me do what I was already doing, but even better and at a lower cost. When I became aware of the business opportunity it hit me like a ton of bricks. It was exactly what I’d been looking for. A business that would be fun, easy and had the potential for significant residual and long term income. I didn’t have to hire anyone, inventory any product or spend a lot of money. Perfect.

You didn’t have to ask me twice. I immediately got involved and got busy. I got busy because I know there is no such thing as a get rich quick scheme and anything worth doing takes effort. I followed the system taught by the leading money earners in the company: 1. Every day collect names and birthdays – a minimum of three is good. 2. Send a card every day and send a least one gift a week. 3. Share the business opportunity by giving away DVDs and magazines. You can lead Opportunity Meetings, but only if you want to. 4. Let people try the product without cost or obligation. 5. Teach others how to do the same thing.
Could there be anything easier? Or really, more fun? Sending cards and gifts and sharing the opportunity to reach out to people in kindness. Sounds like rocket science huh? It doesn't require a degree, doesn't require any special skills - what could be better? Oh yeah, and you get to meet a ton of new people and get some new friends.

If you want to know more, you can contact me directly or you can attend an Opportunity Meeting. Yes, I’m one of those people that like to do educational workshops. My next one is on Wednesday February 22, 2012 at 6 p.m., my office. Mike Bass will be the guest speaker. I’m located at 254 Plaza Drive, Oviedo, Florida 32765. You can RSVP on Facebook, to me at Peggy@CardDivas.com or by calling me at 407 221-3614.