Amazing edge inspiring video for wherever you are in building success on your own.
Sean V Walker (via MrRay1640)
STREAM: How to Spread Influence with a Mars Dorian
A few weeks back I got the opportunity to sit in on a consultant training entitled, “Impression Management” based around how to act and present yourself to the level of top CEO’s around the world. As I assisted with the technical needs and jumped in to participate I was reminded of how 93% of our communication is body language (According to Bore tests) and a majority of our influence is based on appearance.
Uh Oh, I thought. I’m attempting to grow my influence to be the “tech guy” every online entrepreneur needs to know about and I only have 7% of your attention to work with? Sheesh.
The impressions we leave in the online world are much less likely to stick, and it’s because of that we need to be vigilant in managing our influence. How can we do that?
I recently sat down and did a skype video chat (thats what you do when you want to digitally meet) with one Mars Dorian. I knew Mars as a commenter on a few blogs, I visited his website about spreading influence and beside thinking he has a sweet name, didn’t know much about him or what to expect from our conversation.
After the call I was on fire. I forgot what it was like to get revved up about your mission, but I was also very aware of some missing pieces for IT Arsenal in growing influence and being more sticky. Mars brought up some great points and I want to make sure you get them too.
Here’s what I took away from the master influencer’s comments.
- Don’t be something your not. I try to play the part of both “small business” and an individual on IT Arsenal, which leaves people thinking the website could just be another corporate site or a team which is intimidating to my core user, the entrepreneur, freelancer and go getter. Even if it’s me and some assistants, there’s no need to say “We”, just be me and do it with personality. Brand tweaking for me in the future.
- Be Passionate. Can I be every entrepreneurs tech guy? No, my practical mind tells me I can’t speak to everyone at once, but should I still try to be? Yes. I remember a comment I received on an entrepreneur video contest I did a while back. The comment was to the effect of shooting down the idea of IT Arsenal because it doesn’t scale, so it’s pointless. One-to-one support doesn’t scale, true, but information does, start small but think BIG. I’m laughing at how I let that comment stick with me until now. I haven’t been fired up like this in a while.
- Repetition. I don’t mean annoying advertisements and social media blasts every 5 minutes, but put your brand into everything. If you scan Mars’s website, you’ll see he has his logo subtly infused into everything, I have it burned into my brain now, and I bet thats exactly what he wants. There’s a power in presence, there’s a fine line about it too, but having a structure where your name appears constantly every Tuesday at 6pm or in a certain section on certain websites consistently, and your influence will grow with repetitive consistent viewing. I’m going to apply this by being consistent in offering a “free tech tuesday” chat every Tuesday night.
Mars has some great insight, and his charisma is seriously inspiring. Check him out for some tips on how to spread your influence.
Mars Dorian — How I Built a Notorious Online Presence in Less Than 5 months (and You Can Too !)
STREAM: Introducing The LD Project Stream & A Sweet Pool
Today I’m introducing The Life Design Project STREAM posts. As the business arm of this project (IT Arsenal) has started demanding more time and energy I wanted a way to continue adding life value to this project. The STREAM posts will comprise of shorter specific valuable points I’m learning along the way with occasional links and epiphanies. You can identify them by STREAM in the title. I’ll keep to posting at least one “pillar” or substantial post a month. I hope these will be quick hits for your success, and more consistent updates to this project!
The Story So Far…
The venture into building a lifestyle business (and easily managed income streams) continues! Last month was a milestone as I made more online than my offline salary. The income comprised of about 20% freelance (read craigslist) pickups, 65% IT Arsenal (the blog connections turned profitable, tech help online, my digital product, etc… gigs or paid consulting), 10% affiliate payout and about 5% from some web hosting I do.
I couldn’t believe it when looking at my mint.com reports last month, but it was true and time for some relaxation so I decided to do something very “LD” and took an impromptu trip to Jamaica with my girlfriend to soak it up and prove to myself this is real.
It’s still a big struggle to maintain the income and balance life (I’m creating a “review this every morning” document right now and honestly feel scattered at the moment). I’m still very much building my influence and “products” …but there’s a foundation that’s sprouting connections, opportunities, and developments that over time will create that free lifestyle that pays the bills and offers opportunities to pursue dreams. It’s real, it’s out there, it takes work.
Now that I’ve glimpsed this…”feeling” this “business growth?” .. this….way of working if you will… I’d rather build ventures that take heavy time and testing initially but pay again and again any day. Boil it down and it’s a risk of time, energy and money (although not a lot in our internet opportunity economy) … for reward. It’s similar to a traditional business product model in that sense, but the risks are much more money focused, and the value more centered in a product than a person. Sheesh … “Business” has so many varying degrees of definition. What risk are you staring at? Go ahead, take a step in that direction.
Now it’s time to write more content, provide value, help people without end, and build new products. Tech advice anyone?
Reader Response: 5 Questions for Revolution. Are you Another Cog in the System?
Since starting The Life Design Project and delving into the income stage with IT Arsenal, (my bootstrapped online business) the most amazing things have happened. I somehow have become an “expert in my field” an “up and coming blogger” and “someone to keep an eye on” … who knew? It really is true, becoming an expert or someone of note, which is all relative by the way, is not hard, speak out and work hard, it’ll happen…hopefully this blog demonstrates that. Recently I’ve been receiving a few e-mails a week on culture surveys, and interviews for books. The most recent interviewer asked some good questions and I wanted to share my answers and see what you think. Here goes… Continue reading →
Launching a Product without an Audience (Plus Results!)
Another three weeks have flown by pursuing passive and easily managed income for a regular guy. The launch of my first product taught me so much in so little time, and it’s just as I was told and even told myself, if you are considering a digital product, just do it. The challenge was in launching a product to virtually no audience, on a topic thats typically not thought of to be productized like tech support. The results were and continue to be encouraging, not just because it’s amazing to make money while you sleep, but the process and level of ownership you take on when you have something to give the world, changes your online business mindset. Here’s my log and the initial results of launching, The Backup Informer. Note: The logs are rough copy, unedited, think of them as notes. Continue reading →
Reflection: What Lifestyle Businesses CAN’T DO
So I’ve been pondering lately while jumping into the entrepreneur space and how to be a “tech hero” with what’s different between a lifestyle business (ie. what I’m looking to do) and an online start up, or traditional small business? It’s very tricky to ponder and jump at the same time by the way. Something was off as I continued to read about specific personalities of small business owners, VC funding, and positioning your products. I’m trying to develop my business and offer relevant must have services to entrepreneurs with tech needs, but where do I fall exactly? Well, lifestyle businesses are their own flavor of business and they have specific limitations. They muddy the water between entrepreneur, freelancer, and business owner and so many topics of conversations that entrepreneurs or startups can talk about, simply don’t apply. Others, like passive income models do. Continue reading →
“I’m Doing It” Field Report July 11
Since last month I stopped putzing around online trying to find that one great tool, golden idea, or “look” that would make it all easy. It doesn’t exist, I think we all know that, yet we still waste time looking for the easy way out, both in life and business. I stopped just dipping my toes in the pool, networking without any real purpose and instead dug into my niche with aim to be a resource, and release a product. Man it feels good to execute. I don’t have thousands of subscribers or enough monthly income to start a money report, ala Pat Flynn’s Smart Passive Income, but things are finally cooking in the income stage. Updates and numbers below. Note: I’m still doing this with a 9-5, so you can expect only an hour or two of work a day. Continue reading →
Niche Play, Social Interaction, Product Production: A Breakdown
Ideas are easy. It’s the execution of ideas that really separates the sheep from the goats.
Sue Grafton
Notes on finding your place inside a niche, interacting and developing content. Continue reading →
Online Business is Chess | How to Avoid a Stalemate, be a Grandmaster and Keep $100
Wow, it’s been four weeks, I’m a jerk. I’m breaking the cardinal “consistency” blog rule, but for good reason. I haven’t left frustrated or concluded lifestyle design is an exercise in futility, on the contrary I’ve been moving the pieces into place on how to create lasting income online, the stage at odds with my day to day life right now. I’m sorry for not updating sooner, the reality is, this is a messy battle. I’ve half written a dozen posts to try and capture the take aways from my stalemate of really digging into my niche and launching a product. It finally makes sense in a chess frame of reference. On the cusp of disembarking from working in the business to working on it, there’s much to share, and you’ll benefit from my stalls, excuses, and breakthroughs….like usual. Continue reading →
What I’ve Learned from Internet Coaches
Coach, consultant, confident, whatever…talking with and getting help from people who have more experience than you is smart and necessary. Adam Baker and Corbett Barr have made great names for themselves in the lifestyle design and online business space. They’re perceived as experts as they should be. I’ve met with both of them and learned a thing or two about strategy and action.
