#thriveorsurvive.
No one goes to the Olympics for silver.
Thoughts? Concerns?
Questions? Think I’m wrong?
Let’s chat.
Need ideas?
Want to learn how to invite?
Let’s chat.
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Tony@Changeinadvance.com
@changeinadvance
http://www.changeinadvance.com
Or simply reply to this article.
Your Job is Your Master.
So when you rely on YOUR job to survive/make ends meet- You Are A Slave.
Accept it. It is you.
I’m a jerk?
Don’t like this train of thought?
Tough.
Feel free to slap yourselves.
The hard truth is always least accepted.
A lot of us, me included needed a steady job at least once in our lives. An edge to get ahead economically.
Fiscal constraints kill dreams and marriages. Data tells us that.
However fiscal safety nets are now trapping us as a people.
Now if you love your job or don’t want more than a J-O-B, fine. We all have a place in life. Live to the edge of your existence.
The rest of this article is for the folks who want to be not just small business owners but successful, dominating, powerhouses in the industries they choose to rule.
And yes folks that is my mindset and I hope it is yours as well.
How can you conquer if you are not mentally Conan the Barbarian?
There is no tomorrow.
There is no next time.
Your job is the one thing holding you back-
Why you ask?
Its a handicap.
Ever see the people who walk with a cane but they carry it? Yeah you have.
They are ham-stringed.
AKA they are stuck.
They won’t run. They need the cane to walk. Wait though, they are carrying the cane not using the cane. Idiocy? Not quite.
Fear- now we are on the right track.
Dependency stops growth.
How can U be the best YOU- if something else has to support U?
There is no you when there is a pedestal to stand on. Oh, wait. That’s not a pedestal. It’s ankle iron.
I’m not trying to incite a riot.
I don’t want people eating bankruptcy papers instead of steak.
However if you aren’t willing to let go of security you Will Not have Freedom.
It is that simple.
Be ready folks.
Make plans.
Have an end goal.
Have a time table.
Your mentality has to be When am I Leaving.
Not one day I’m ghost.
Your motivation, ultimately, is freedom or financial celibacy- AKA One income source YoU don’t control.
Let me know where you want to be folks.
My lifestyle already dictates I need more income.
More Freedom.
More Choices.
Let me know where you stand and I’ll throw in 3 hours of 1 on1 training.
#thriveorsurvive.
No one goes to the Olympics for silver.
Thoughts? Concerns?
Questions? Think I’m wrong?
Let’s chat.
Need ideas?
Want to learn how to invite?
Let’s chat.
Want a mentor or maybe the guy who will bounce ideas back and forth with you?
Let’s chat-
Tony@Changeinadvance.com
@changeinadvance
http://www.changeinadvance.com
Or simply reply to this article.
These days life is nuts!
Inflation goes up we pay,
Deflation kicks in we pay,
Or we are told we will and the sky is falling, falling!
What is an entrepreneur to do?!
Heck, what is a regular joe to do?!
There seems to be no way out. Its debt or excess taxes right?
You make more money by getting a second job and they tax the excrement out of you. And then come April you get hit again probably because you jumped a tax bracket. So frustrating! I know folks. I’ve been there. Heck, me and the wife live there- our income is too high versus our expenses. So Uncle Sam comes in at night and picks my pocket.
Now when it comes to the flip side of debt- we are being crushed as Americans. Not to smash the rest of the world but I live in America so I focus on my situation.
Now as I was saying, americans have now passed a trillion dollars collectively of educational debt alone. That’s money spent to make your position in life better. So you have this great plan to make money- but it is based on a foundational bedrock of debt.
By the way you can’t expel that debt.
So you have a higher income now. You are a doctor. Doctors when I was young had Benzes. These days they drive Toyota Prius’. Sorry but that’s disgusting. Saving the planet is admirable but what was the 225,000 in debt and 15 years of school for?
I want to be at the top and live at the top folks.
And doctors can’t say they will live there anymore. Payments and reimbursements are getting cut to pieces and Obamacare isn’t even in full effect yet. No slam on Obama there, but 30 million ppl added to the system means more checks cut from the same bundle.
I don’t even save aggressively folks- I cut debt as fast as I can afford to.
So what does the average joe do?
I say you choose a job or build your empire.
Life is too short to work for someone else for 40 years.
I remember when my Father’s boss shut down his shop. My father and his coworkers kept the place open and worked independently. They made Jewelry for Cartier, Tiffany’s, and private clientele. And for a few years it worked. The economics of jewelry changed and a lot of people were taking 50-60% less than my father charged as an artisan. The end result was he went to work for the hospital system. The union was good to him as were the benefits. But he had no freedom. And his income was limited. Dependable but limited.
He is about to retire now as he is turning 66. A good man and a great worker.
But did he milk the system?
No.
I don’t mean cheat- by no means do I mean to take advantage.
But he did not let his unique skill set earn him a grand living.
So I ask you who read my articles-
Is that what you want?
Seeing the freedom he had as an entrepreneur made an indelible mark on me. I always wanted to make my own money, be my own boss.
And now that I’m in my 30’s I see that life is either slavery or freedom. My day job is my master. I have to do what the boss says even if he is wrong.
Even if he is ignorant despite being certified and having numerous diplomas.
How do I stomach this?
I have a plan.
I mind my own business. When I punch out I’m all Tony. I’m making dollars or creating avenues to make income while I’m at my day job. And once I make the required dollar amount to retire my wife, I will throw a party.
Then, at that party, I will declare a new timeline to reach the next goal on a specified timeline to free myself as well.
To sum it up folks- build your business. No one will want more for you than you do.
Mlm, life insurance, commission sales-
I don’t care what you do- but do something!
That’s it folks. Not a lot of advice here but a real story from a real man who has worked from the age of 11 and wants not just the best for me, but the best for all of you as well.
#thriveorsurvive.
No one goes to the Olympics for silver.
Thoughts? Concerns?
Questions? Think I’m wrong?
Let’s chat.
Need ideas?
Want to learn how to invite?
Let’s chat.
Want a mentor or maybe the guy who will bounce ideas back and forth with you?
Let’s chat-
Tony@Changeinadvance.com
@changeinadvance
http://www.changeinadvance.com
Or simply reply to this article.
#thriveorsurvive
Here are the top five money saving myths that we fall for:
1. Savings accounts save us money
Having money in a savings account for emergencies is a good idea. It’s easy to get to, but not too easy. But if you are looking to save money or make your money work for you, an old-fashioned savings account isn’t necessarily the best way to go. First, you have to look at what you are paying out in interest rates. For example, if you have a student loan with a 5% interest rate and a savings account making 3% interest rate, your savings are costing you approximately 2%. You would be better off paying off that student loan with your savings account.
It goes the other way around too. If your debt has less of an interest rate than your savings, your money is working better in the savings. But with today’s interest rates being so low, your debt is probably higher than the amount of interest you are earning on your savings account. That means you are actually losing money.
2. Sales shopping saves money
I used to be a shopaholic, and sales were my drug of choice. Let me tell you that you aren’t always saving money. Yes, if you really needed the item, then you are saving money. But sales often lead to the purchase of items that normally wouldn’t be purchased. And you usually buy twice as much because it’s on sale. So you haven’t saved any money.
Then if you never use the item, you’ve actually wasted money. This can also apply to bargain shopping and shopping in bulk. It doesn’t matter if you bought your daughter 35 pairs of shoes at garage sales for $1 each. If she only wore two pairs of them, you just wasted $33.
3. Refinancing your home pays off
When you refinance your home, you aren’t necessarily saving that much money in the long run. Yes, your monthly payments are smaller, but you have refinanced for another 30-year term. This means that if you have already paid 10 years of mortgage, then refinance for another 30, you have basically extended your loan to a 40-year mortgage. Sit and do the math and you’ll see if you are really saving anything.
If you really want to save money, refinance for a lower rate and a shorter term. Your monthly payment may not go down, but your overall repayment may.
4. Zero percent interest saves money
When you take out a card with a zero percent repayment term, you aren’t saving money. You are just delaying paying for items. You don’t save and you don’t spend more. But if you don’t pay the money back within the zero percent period, you’ll be paying interest on those items. That costs you money.
5. Savings is dependent on income
No matter how much you make, you can save money. You simply have to spend less than you make. If you make more money and spend more money, you aren’t saving anything. In fact, you could even be spending more. Don’t wait until you have more money to start saving. You have to start now.
“To be you, be true.”-Corey Woods
If you know me then you know that I am all about education and self improvement. Every year companies donate millions of dollars to scholarship funds for African American students and every year
millions of dollars are returned because of the lack of interest.
I am going to pass on information to you for your children, the
information I pass on will be the same information I am looking into
for my own daughter. Show some interest in your children future
because if you don’t then the streets and police will!
(If clicking on the link doesn’t work, copy and paste the URL in your
web browser.)
1) BELL LABS FELLOWSHIPS FOR UNDER REPRESENTED MINORITIES
http://www.bell-labs.com/fellowships/CRFP/info.html
2) Student Inventors Scholarships
http://www.invent.org/collegiate/
3) Student Video Scholarships
http://www.christophers.org/vidcon2k.html
4) Coca-Cola Two Year College Scholarships
http://www.coca-colaschola/rs.org/programs.html
5) Holocaust Remembrance Scholarships
http://holocaust.hklaw.com/
6) Ayn Rand Essay Scholarships
http://www.aynrand.org/contests/
7) Brand Essay Competition
http://www.instituteforbrandleadership.org/IBLEssayContest-2002Rules.htm
8) Gates Millennium Scholarships (major)
http://www.gmsp.org/nominationmaterials/read.dbm?ID=12
9) Xerox Scholarships for Students
http://www2.xerox.com/go/xrx/about_xerox/about_xerox_detail.jsp
10) Sports Scholarships and Internships
http://www.ncaa.org/about/scholarships.html
#thriveorsurvive.
Thoughts? Concerns?
Questions? Think I’m wrong?
Let’s chat.
Need ideas?
Want to learn how to invite?
Let’s chat.
Want a mentor or maybe the guy who will bounce ideas back and forth with you?
Let’s chat-
Tony@Changeinadvance.com
@changeinadvance
http://www.changeinadvance.com
Or simply reply to this article.
How To Make Money ($) Blogging
YOU can make money blogging. Let me repeat that: You can make money blogging. It isn’t fantasy or fiction. Its only a matter of discipline and follow through.
I’ll list a few ways and tips below.
Affiliate Sales.
Love Amazon? Post your affiliate link on your blog for items you recommend. Why not make money off of the very education you culled from various books and sources.
Have a mentor? I do. And he has all kinds of great affiliate options. Not only did I make money but the items I sell are amazing. He packs value into every sale- (Thanks Ray Higdon). Anything that is worth having has an affiliate program. Set your blog up properly and people will click out of sheer curiosity. And we all know that a percentage of all clicks will buy. Free money, too good to be true? No just a click away.
Sell Your Value.
Webinars, courses, mentoring, audios- all have great potential. But the yield is zero if you don’t offer them. Offer webinars once a month for the dedicated few. Then watch that small number become large profits. One on one mentoring is highly profitable. You say, ‘hey tony I don’t know enough to sell jack squat!’. The answer there is look at how many people have 0 knowledge. You zero. If you can help people skip a few pitfalls they will pay. Time is money so why not save them time and make you money. Everyone wins. And for those that don’t want to “create” their competition, sorry folks- competition will only make you stronger if you are truly hungry. Also not everyone who buys will compete. Sell audio courses and mentoring every chance you get. People love freebies so do 3 for 2. Heck do 2 for 5. Its all profit and almost sero risk. You do the math.
adsense and its cohorts.
Adsense and the like can be useful. You may make a great deal of income on the side from it. I’ve used it in the past. The one caveat is that you don’t control directly what they post. I prefer the affiliate route for additional income.
Also don’t just mercilessly plug your primary company over and over. Network marketing is cool, but if all you do is harp on it you lose fans and future teammates. Also your existing company and team members won’t push your blog if its only focused on one product. That laser focus you’re bragging on is cutting into your income potential. It’s cutting your traffic and unique visitors to pieces as well. Focus on traffic. Blog consistently. It will bring you what adsense, and zealous focus on one product doesn’t. .
Lastly-
Talk about only what you know and like.
Don’t waste time talking about cars when Harley Davidson is your poison of choice.
People can smell the authentic. They know if you are wasting their time. It comes out your pores. It is reflected in your words. Make a choice, stick to it. And be original, be you. The readers love that.
#thriveorsurvive.
“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”
~ Benjamin Franklin
Thoughts? Concerns?
Questions? Think I’m wrong?
Let’s chat.
Need ideas?
Want to learn how to invite?
Let’s chat.
Want a mentor or maybe the guy who will bounce ideas back and forth with you?
Let’s chat-
Tony@Changeinadvance.com
@changeinadvance
http://www.changeinadvance.com
Or simply reply to this article.
Freedom is found in your Finances.
‘Lastly keep a keen eye on the finances. We’ll discuss that next time folks.’
Well folks that moment is here and I have a great set of ideas and facts to help you.
Keep in mind I’m no expert or licensed CPA and or FInancial advisor. I’m simply sharing what I’ve learned and encouraging you to seek out further growth and expertise from those who can shape your fiscal future.
Freedom being found in the financials is almost an oxymoron in most peoples minds. Money, taxes, costs and revenue are practically the devil when they should be a breath of fresh air to all moguls. The sad fact is the details that make money work are the very things that scare most people.
Now I’ve a got a few clues and a few ideas to get you where you need to be.
Let’s unpack this people.
Whether you have bills or not you need a budget. Start with your monthly income. Whether you work off the books or on you need to know what you take home on average. I recommend you work on the books as every dollar you make is bankable towards your future.
Add up your monthly income and arrive at a total. Next add your expenses up- cell phone, cigarettes, metro card, insurance groceries. Everything until you have a clear picture of what you spend monthly not just your bills.
From there see if the two number match or if you are running a surplus or a deficit.
Now let’s assume you bring home 3200 and your bills are 3100. In this case you have a small surplus. And it should be used to either build a safety cushion for future issues or to pay down current debt. If you see that cash as free money or mad money you won’t survive the next recession/depression. Sorry folks but we all need a plan. I personally save almost nothing- why? All my credit cards have a debt relief plan. Also you can’t erase debt on cc’s in a bankruptcy. However you can’t rebuild as fast as you can clear. Now I’ve never used this strategy. I don’t even recommend it but you see the use? What we need to do as business people is now the limits of our dollars. And to do that always pay your bills and debts first. I don’t care how small- pay the bills first! Next take what’s left and pay off more bills. Either remove debts or be ahead of debts. That’s sound financial strategy my friends.
Also, look for cheaper insurance and cell phone/ internet/ cable plans. Bundling may save you money. So look into it.
A few more points:
-A Good Cpa.
A good cpa will find you money and deductions not hide from the irs’ eye. Many tax preparers’ will tell you to take the automatic, minimal deductions for your business. However that helps them and their licenses’ not you. Remember you get what you pay for and the cheapest cpa/ tax prep person isn’t your best friend.
-Good software.
Good software helps. A LOT.
Why? Simple. The easier it is to track your expenses the better your records will be. The company I use shows real time usage, and deductions and links to ALL my checking accounts,credit cards, et al. This puts me at ease as I know I can be lax. I only have to input my customers, clients, prospects, and new team members as I meet and or sign them up. So simple, so freeing.
-Receipts.
Even with great software I keep all my receipts. I also mark the date in blank ink and any correlating data as well on the back of the receipts. If you sign a client or partner in a restaurant or bar you get deductions as well. So next—
-What you can deduct.
If you sign people at certain venues and certain cost points you will win. Meals, phone bills, office rent, and many more options are available to a serious mogul. Get your paperwork in order, get a real CPa and you will prosper. Remember spending money on you business is necessary. However losing money on a new or existing venture isn’t.
-Debt control.
Controlling debt, public and private is key. Know the difference. You can spend money on your business, for your business, and from said businesses credit when you set things up properly. Pay off the debts of any and all businesses first so you are in the green sooner. This will ensure you win.
-Spending is good.
Autoships, company letterhead, insurance policies, etc are all useful expenses. Not everything will get you a deduction but if you can legitimately spend a dollar to get your venture off the ground you will win!
Money spent on training, mentors, and advertising is well spent. So long as you don’t go to the person(s) who seems creepy or isn’t making you money.
In life and in business you need to spend money to make money so spend it wisely.
Bonus- Money comes with math and emotions.
So make sure your math, their emotions, and your emotions are all in sync. If not you are wasting time. You need to bond with people to create an empire. When you don’t you have nothing. Make a choice.
#thriveorsurvive.
“You will be what you put into this life.” Tony
“People don’t buy for logical reasons. They buy for emotional reasons.” — Zig Ziglar
Thoughts? Concerns?
Questions? Think I’m wrong?
Let’s chat.
Need ideas?
Want to learn how to invite?
Let’s chat.
Want a mentor or maybe the guy who will bounce ideas back and forth with you?
Let’s chat-
Tony@Changeinadvance.com
@changeinadvance
http://www.changeinadvance.com
Or simply reply to this article.
Fear is useful.
(When you know what to fear.)
Remember the Boogeyman? And how he came every night whether you saw him or not? Or Freddy Kruger and Jason? These guys scared the bejesus out of me when I was real young, and many of you too I bet.
See fear is a natural occurrence. We need it. Some people say they are fearless I say that’s foolish. Fear can ruin your life or build your drive to succeed and its simply a matter of whether you master it or not.
-What is fear?
Fear is a response to external and or internal factors and actions. Most of us are afraid of pain. And pain is simply your body warning you to certain permutations and facts. As a recipient of a few broken bones and surgeries I know first hand that at times fear can paralyze you. However if you seek the calm point in you it is an ally. Fear is basically your response to things. Nothing else. However fear can cripple and incapacitate or build and renew.
-Know what to fear.
So we touched on fear being useful. Fear is useful, it is the beginning of wisdom says the Bible in the book of Proverbs and there is truth to that. Being afraid to die can give you a certain center that will enable you to not make ignorant choices. However you have to know what to fear. Fearing red ants is pointless. Fearing success is as well but many people are too afraid to take the steps that lead to pure, unbridled success. If you are afraid of meeting new people, building connections, and or closing sales- don’t quit your day job. Being your own boss comes with a huge magnanimous serving of failure. However when you fear failure you don’t SUCCEED. The key here is to fear not reaching your potential.
You should fear not rising to your potential. You should fear not giving back because you didn’t meet your level. We all have the ability to rise. And while we won’t all be olympic medals we are all entitled to and I dare say required to be our best.
What do you fear?
Why do you fear it?
Conquer your basic fears and move forward.
Can you imagine still being afraid of the dark? You’d get nowhere.
Afraid of the dentist?- I bet you go though because the potential downside is horrendous. And if you avoid the dentist now he will see you more later- CONQUER!
-Harness the power of fear.
In life I’ve been scared of roller coasters, heights, girls, and success. And I had to harness that fear to beat these things that scared me. For rollercoasters I simply let my brother in law shame me until we got on every ride in the park! And after I yelled like a little girl I learned that I actually liked rollercoasters. For heights I beat that by accident. I had to climb a rope ladder repaeatedly when a wild animal almost attacked. While I dislike heights now I won’t lose due to fear. As for girls when we were younger one of my closest friends and I made a deal that we would take turns talking to every pretty girl we saw on our troop home. And it worked! We not only beat the fear but conquered it and realized how easy it was. And for the younger fans and readers- the girls are just as nervous.
When it comes to success I simply force myself to do it. I won’t be in a j-o-b forever. And I make a point to tell people my goals. Not to brag but to hold myself accountable. That way if I say two days it has to be less- otherwise I hear the junk and look inefficient. And I refuse to be less than I am. Do you feel the same?
Conquer People!
#thriveorsurvive.
Thoughts? Concerns?
Questions? Think I’m wrong?
Let’s chat.
Need ideas?
Want to learn how to invite?
Let’s chat.
Want a mentor or maybe the guy who will bounce ideas back and forth with you?
Let’s chat-
Changeinadvance@gmail.com
@changeinadvance
Or simply reply to this article.
#thriveorsurvive
Changeinadvance 