Tag Archives: entrepreneurship

Still Waiting For Success?

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Happy Monday! We are already in 2011 – are you in it full swing yet? Or are you still waiting to commit to your plans, strategies and success? Wait no longer!

The later you start on your plans, the higher the slope you’ll have to climb as you’ll be racing against time, success stories of other people and greater ideals. Why not create your own success story for a change? This image I found really says it all:

wait no longer

What is YOUR Success Plan?

May it be taking up courses, setting goals, attending conferences – the secret is really to just go out there and make it happen!

“Don’t wait for success, go make it happen!“

Branding.. A Dilemma in Malaysian Small Businesses

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branding among malaysian SMEsBranding is often talked about in both big and small businesses globally. Small businesses in Malaysia (also known as Small Medium Enterprises) are also often in the quest of ‘branding’. However, many of them fail to realize what branding is all about. They think that…

#1: Branding is Advertising

I would say that 95% of the time when I talk to clients in the very first meeting, clients would automatically talk about designing brochures, buntings, banners, newspaper advertisements, billboards, commercials and etc. If only branding is THAT easy…

Advertising is just one of the many tools for a branding process. So are your corporate identity, corporate trainings, team building activities, public relations, social media and events.. they are branding tools to create a brand perception among your target audience, for them to get to know you better in the most relevant method.

#2: Branding Requires A Huge Budget

Having said that, many will begin to think branding is out of their pocket’s league – and that isn’t true. The only budget a business should have is time. Branding takes time and is scalable to your monetary budget. In most situations, branding starts internally, within your own business – your directors, managers, employees, everyone.

branding inwards THEN outwards!

How so? If these people do not believe in your brand, you’ll have a hard time convincing your target audience to believe in you. Always examine inwards before going out there! Consumers are getting smarter these days and you definitely do not want to be seen as an empty brand.

“Ever seen a giant billboard by the highway and you went “that product isn’t any good” or “their customer service is lousy”? Start inwards!“

#3: Branding = Sales

This is perhaps what frustrates me the most – businesses tend to think that the minute they step into the branding process, sales will roll in like never before. If that is your purpose in branding, you’re heading the wrong direction. It takes time.. and for some, LOTS of time.

Why? Simple. One of our client in a retail business have been wanting to have a place in various major shopping malls in Malaysia and they couldn’t – their existing brand image does not meet the requirements of these locations. What we did immediately was to create a fresh brand image for them.. from scratch!

sales vs branding

We went through the motion of brainstorming, creating a new theme / concept, logo, training sessions and the likes and yes, it took a couple of months to get everything in place as they do not have any proper organization (i.e. management) as yet.

As you could’ve guessed, they gave up half way through with the reason of – there was no increase in sales. They see all they’ve spent as a liability instead of an investment – an asset to their business for expansion. Strange, but true. There are many out there that still think branding is the magic word to sales but unfortunately, it does not work that way in reality.

If Only Branding Is THAT Easy..

What is your take on branding? Have you came across brands you thought that they were ’empty’? How do you define ‘successful branding’?

Do share you thoughts here! :)

The Week Before Christmas

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In case you’re wondering – this site also reveals part of my happenings in life, injecting a little bit more flavour to the site as a whole; something lighter than the usual information dosage, especially for the weekend :)

It’s the 2nd last Monday of the year and less than a week away to Christmas! I don’t know about you but things seem to be getting busier by the day. Is that happening to you, too? Oh, if you noticed, I’ve changed this site’s background to green in conjunction with Christmas.

mysimplifieds community meetup

Just 2 days ago I was given the opportunity to share to a bunch of eager entrepreneurs on how MOFEW can assist them in starting off their very own online fashion business at Teeq Brasserie, Lot 10 KL. It was a half day event with about 100 participants for them to learn, exchange business opportunities and network among like-minded people in a really casual environment – haven’t spoke in events like that for quite sometime.

The highlight was really a reminder to aspiring entrepreneurs to look beyond mere sales especially in these times where engagement is equally (or even, more) important than figures. With competition on the rise, customers today are also spoilt for choice and only those whom are dedicated and committed to DELIVER will remain competitive.

I shared 2 simple tips on how entrepreneurs can take their business to the next level:

#1: Build your network to increase your NET WORTH!

Every business regardless of it’s size, requires a network for it to survive whether it is a network of businesses, consumers or suppliers. Start-up entrepreneurs often think that since they are still ‘small’, they may not have what it takes to build a network – and that’s absolutely wrong! The smaller you think you are, the bigger the network you should have!

#2: Don’t wait for attention. DEMAND for attention!

Playing the waiting game often do not work no matter how extensive your business network is. Look / create opportunities to expose your brand to the consumers. Active participation plays an important role here. Sit back and relax and you’ll lose out. Use videos if your competitors are using photos, change your packaging, use social media tools, web layouts and etc. Do what it takes to stand out!

Speaking about social media and Christmas…

Here’s a video you definitely want to check out!

Are You Watching or Participating?

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Are you someone who watches or someone who participates? Someone who observes or someone who gets their hands dirty?

Why not BOTH?

There are too many people living on extreme ends of this world – some observing, busy over analyzing and criticizing things; while some too indulged in the execution of things, neither of which is better than the other.

Perhaps today is a good time to ask yourself, what have you been in 2010? And what do you want to become in 2011?

If you’ve been looking from the sidelines, it is time for you to put your analytical skills to good use and execute your plans.

If you’ve been getting your hands dirty all day long, it is time for you to start strategizing and formulating plans to increase productivity or the effectiveness of what you’re doing.

2011 is going to be an exciting and challenging year for many and you definitely do not want to just LOOK at passing opportunities or just JUMP into every passing one without a strategy.

It’s time to take on the new year with a bang!

Don’t Criticize – You Don’t Learn from Someone You Criticize

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Criticism is a funny thing. We can joke about things, people and situations but when we criticize, it tends to affect your being more than you actually know.

When we criticize a person, we are subconsciously labeling that person as unimportant or not-worth-my-time and when that happens, chances are even when he / she comes up with a good idea in the future, you won’t take it in.

Now bear in mind that constructive criticism is valid as it is but many find it difficult to really be constructive in their criticism to others, especially in an competitive environment.

What to do in situations such as these? Don’t criticize – as much as you want to, don’t. Give some time for yourself to look from different angles before passing a comment. If you absolutely have to say something, be objective and do not draw a conclusion on that person.

Easier said than done, but remember: if you go about criticizing everyone that comes into your way, you’ll end up with no one on your side – and you definitely do not want that to happen.

Strategy is Everything

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A strategy determines which path you'll take

Proper planning is essential to success. Strategic planning is vital to success. One can plan for everything but without a STRATEGY, the plans are nothing.

You see, once you have clearly identified what your goals are it is important to carefully plan how you will achieve them – that’s planning, by putting down what you need to do. Strategy on the other hand, adds an edge and the “how-to” to your plans. For example, your plan may be to “move my blog to a .com by end 2010”. But how can you achieve it? That’s the strategy!

Many people skip this step in their excitement to pursue their goals and sad to say, failure to strategize will lead to failure and disappointment… leading to the abandonment of goals. What’s the problem over here? You did not have a success strategy.

It is true that no matter how carefully we lay out our plans, reality will require us to change and adapt through various circumstances. This is where your strategy shines – the adaptation of plans and the last minute improvisations that will push you towards your goal.

“The process of planning prepares you to take the steps necessary to realize your goals and aspirations.“

THIS is strategy

Take for example the picture above. The fish may have planned to join the other side but it takes strategy for that to happen – how much air to hold, how much strength to jump, how high to jump, how much momentum to build, how should it land – that’s STRATEGY!

Planning alone is not a success factor. You plan your game but it takes strategy to manage resources, coordinate and manage factors, changes and the environment. Planning is important, but strategy is crucial. A solid plan also makes room for a winning strategy.

Do you have a plan for 2011? Do you have a strategy for 2011? We’re only about 20+ days away from 2011. Take some time off today to plan and strategize!

Strategy is everything.

How Are You Keeping Up With 2010?

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We’ve already come to the end of November and it will soon be Christmas, then 2011. How has 2010 been treating you? Has it been difficult? Challenging? Disappointing?

Recently I was reminded with the old days where I used to train under my coach for badminton. I remember that it is at the time when I’m facing a stronger opponent, physically drained, worn out and out of breathe, my coach will always tell me:

“Keep your focus! If 100% isn’t enough, go 200%! If 200% still isn’t enough, go 300%! You’re here to win it, else you’re going home!”

Today when I look back, wow, there is so much truth in that. When life gets challenging and tough, that’s your opportunity to shine – to accomplish something you’ve never done before. Successful entrepreneurs take on challenges because they know their skills will be refined and failures will only make them stronger.

Are you on the verge of giving up? Now is the time to focus upon the goal – to win it – giving it 200%, 300% or more.

Let’s end 2010 with a bang!

How to: Eliminate Your Energy Zappers – Stay in the Game!

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Life is all about energy - both positive and negative

Life is all about energy. You need energy to wake up in the morning, to go to work, to attend meetings, to reply emails, to answer that phone call, to have fun with your friends.. you get the drift – and it’s a daily cycle. People tend to live through the day ending up tired and totally zapped out of energy thinking it’s normal – but it really isn’t that simple.

Why?

In life there are things that give you energy and there are things that rob or zap you of energy. The worse part is, you may not know that these things are zapping your energy rapidly because it has become part of your life, a routine that has been weaved out of our consciousness.

Energy Zappers

Energy Zappers - Stay Away From Them!

In most situations, it’s not that you don’t have enough energy due to lack of sleep / rest that’s holding you back – it’s the things that are robbing you of energy that’s really the problem. Things that zaps your energy includes people who get on your nerves, the stress from poor traffic conditions, parking problems, that hatred or unforgiveness in your head, unproductive meetings, datelines or anything that happens to step on your toes – activities or situations that you just don’t like getting yourself into.

Energy Chargers

Energy Chargers - Your Source of Happiness

Not all hope is lost! There are energy chargers around you and all you need is to make use of them to fill you up again. These chargers are your are friends that make you laugh, your favorite song, talking to your significant other, accomplishing tasks, closing a deal, shopping, eating, any activity that makes you happy and the small things that make you happy to be alive.

What Can You Do

While it’s true that you may be tired and fatigued, it also may be that you need to re-look into your daily life. Identify energy zappers and eliminate them. It could be anything – people, jobs and situations so start listing them out today! Make a conscious decision to remove them from your life and add activities that replenishes your energy instead.

If you’ve put it on paper, you’ll probably realize that not all energy zappers can be eliminated and I agree 100%. The main focus is to be consciously aware of what zaps you and to take control of the situation – do not let it zap you off just like that. For example if traffic conditions are driving you crazy, perhaps playing your favorite song over the radio will charge you up a little?

Make this conscious decision and it may change your life forever! It’s never easy but it’s definitely worth trying – after all, what’s there to lose when there’s all to gain?

What are your energy zappers and chargers?

Recommended read: How to develop a winning mindset

Attributes of an Entrepreneur: Being Punctual

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When was the last time you were punctual? If you’ve always been, keep it up! If you haven’t, it’s time to step it up! Why? Being punctual is an obvious indication of respect towards the other party’s time. Punctuality is a problem in many places, and for some, it has even became a norm in their daily life. If you’ve caught yourself saying: “Oh, he / she’s gonna be late anyway”, remember: it does not matter if the person you’re going to meet is not going to be punctual – it’s about you.

Are you punctual? | Attributes of an entrepreneur

The Rule of Thumb to be Punctual

“To be late is to be on time; To be early is to be before time.”

Having that said, plan your day’s time well. Make sure you allocate sufficient time for you to get to your car (some places take 10 minutes to get to the parking lot!), travel from one place to another, consider traffic conditions and etc. Always aim to get there at least 10-15 minutes before the agreed time.

I’ve personally found this rule to be particularly useful as I recently attended a meeting only to find that my client’s office runs on a 15-minute faster clock. Imagine if I would to have arrived “on-the-dot”, that would mean that it’s already 15 minutes late for them – it would definitely hurt my reputation.

In situations such as these, explaining that they are not following the current universal time does not save you.. guaranteed.

What to do if You Can’t Make it on Time

I have to agree that being punctual is no easy task, especially when you have a never ending to-do list, back to back appointments and the horrendous traffic on the roads. I’m not saying that the above can be used as an excuse, it’s just that things DO creep up unexpectedly and in situations such as these:

1. Contact the person you’re meeting at least 30 minutes before the appointment to inform that you may be late because of ___. Sometimes it will be helpful to mention your current location so that he / she will be able to estimate how long would you need to get there. Don’t be inclined to say “I’m 10 minutes away” if you are not (punctuality plays here, too!).

2. If you are unable to make it AT ALL somehow, again, call him / her up at least 30 minutes before the appointment to apologize, and see if a reschedule is possible with a valid explanation. You’ll probably lose some brownie points over here so do NOT miss (or be late for) the rescheduled appointment at all cost!

It’s Time to be Punctual!

Get started today! Keep the rule in mind and make every effort to be punctual – it will be a lifesaver, especially if you’re an entrepreneur!

Have You Invested in Yourself Today?

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Happy November! Soon it will be Christmas and then the new year will come. It’s really amazing to see how time flies. As we slowly creep towards the end of 2010, let me ask you this simple question:

“How often have you invested in yourself thus far in 2010?”

Why Invest in Yourself?

It is interesting to note that we often invest in many things – except ourselves. Time, money and effort is spent on work, studies, business meetings, luncheons and the list is never ending. We live in an ‘instant’ world today where we are somewhat trained to expect everything to be instant. Think about it – instant noodles, instant coffee and even Google Instant! It’s no wonder time flies quickly as we are constantly finding ways to save time, only to fill it up with more work over and over again.

Investing in Yourself

Now now, I’m not going along the route of physical investments such as through career building opportunities, training programs and etc although that is also important. However, your personal wellbeing and emotional needs are equally (or more) important too!

Investing in yourself like a plantI would like to suggest using a plant as an illustration – it will most definitely survive with water, air and light but without fertilizer the good soil, it will not grow into it’s finest form. It’s alive, that’s for sure but perhaps without flowers, fruits and lushful leaves.

Likewise, us humans can live life just as it is – participating in an endless rat race that will eventually lead to a life without meaning; stressed up, boring, rich (maybe) but always insufficient and perhaps friendless. Do we really want to head down that path?

Take some time off! Go for a holiday, catch a movie, read a book, spend quality time with family members, friends and loved ones, take up courses for self improvement, pick up a sport, take a walk, go shopping, sleep – anything other than work. Believe me, it won’t be a waste of time at all! In fact, you’ll be able to get back to work mentally refreshed and perhaps pickup new ideas off work – how cool is that?

Look for opportunities to take time off this week and feel the difference! It’ll be worth it ;)

Start investing in your ‘plant’ today!