the grass is always greener

There is a great story I heard some time ago told by a tour operator about a young entrepreneur’s decision to cash in on the diamond rush during the 1800’s. His decision somewhat sporadic was to travel the world looking for diamonds as he believed it would take him and his family from poor to be living like kings and queens. Without any research or knowledge or review of his techniques he spent a lifetime looking for diamonds. By the time the man was 50 he had become very angry, frustrated and annoyed with the world and was lonely as his family had left him while he pursued his mission. Diamonds can be found where white sand meets fresh water and sit 2 metres under the sand, tells the tour operator however our entrepreneur only discovered in his late 50’s that this river system was in his home-town. Only minutes from his backyard lay acres of diamonds.

In true 'fitnesspreneur-ship we all look to neighbouring suburbs, bordering towns or foreign countries to develop our big ideas. Immediate opportunity lies in our own backyard. In the people we know or those that know others. In the businesses and communities of our associates. Avoid spending hours of travel, efforts in strategy and moments of thoughts thinking that the grass is greener somewhere else. Create your own world from your own backyard and use this as the leverage to springboard to wherever you want to take you and your business.

so what's your problem?

Your future successes are determined by overcoming the problem that sits in your life right now. So what is it?

The problem I had recently was productivity and getting tasks completed. I had a mindset that I had to be in bed by 10pm each night and up around 6am. By changing my mindset and habits and by getting up earlier I found I had extra hours in the week that made me even more productive and I established a greater sense of achievement through the completion of these big tasks. Now I can work less.

Traditional thinking and coaching models tell us that you need to do your coaching face to face. In running a business with international clientele as well as having a young family this is simply not an option. By overcoming the problem we now have an online, ongoing coaching program that we can roll out to more people in more countries, more regularly.

But this isn’t about us, this is about you. So what’s your problem and how do you flip your existing problem to help you get to the next level of success. If you can, the world will open up more opportunity as you jump another hurdle and head in the direction of your goals. So what is your problem?

Does it lay in your personal life? A relationship issue, maybe a money mindset or is it a belief system about something in your business? What are you telling yourself that you can’t do?

More importantly, in going forward what do you need to do to move on? Will you take on the problem or keep repeating the existing cycle with the same result. Your future is in overcoming the problem.

Ivan Frangi - BBC07

Ivan Frangi - BBC07



To get excited for Business Bootcamp 2009, please have a listen to a segment of Business Bootcamp 2007!

anxiety

Ah anxiety; that nauseous, gut-wrenching feeling that starts in your stomach and plays with your mind. The result is quite often procrastination or a paralysis similar to a deer caught in the headlights of an approaching car on a dark night. Anxiety over time stops movement.

We are the only known species to have developed a frontal lobe as an extension to a normal part of our brain. In fact for 70 million years our brains developed similar to most species before growing what science has called the frontal lobe. The frontal lobe gives us an amazing ability to think forward and develop a business plan, to start a savings plan or to eat well now so that we will be healthier later in life.

If our current situation is great our future is even better thanks to our frontal lobe. However when we hit a rough patch we see future problems. This ability causes the emotions of fear and anxiousness. Because we don’t have control of the future and it looks ugly, our fight or flight mechanism kicks in and stops us from moving forward. What a cool process for survival!! Not so when your in a state of reflux caused by rising stomach acid as a result of anxiety. This is a sign to stop and review.

If you find you get a bit caught up in the future, as opposed to living in the present then there is every chance that you will be the anxious kind. Know that all you can do is your best possible effort today and then prepare for tomorrow. You cannot control future outcomes and if you get too caught up in the future, what will you enjoy about today? I read somewhere that life’s gold nuggets are our great past memories, you can look forward to a diamond like future but the platinum moment is the present.

In times when the financial future is painted as bleak, learn to enjoy the current moment, it’s all you have right now and it is not so bad.

i might wait until i am fit!

Have you ever had this response 'I might wait until I am fit'. A potential client who was thinking about using your services to get fit and healthy comes in and goes through the whole induction process only to decide 'I might wait until I am fit before I join your program'. As health professionals we know their results can be fast tracked by a personalised plan and professional input. So why go and get fit incorrectly and risk slipping back into old habits as opposed to working with someone who has a vested interest in your success and will provide the best advice? I have never been able to understand that thought process.

In our world as health and fitness professionals we may know it as the 'I might wait until I am fit' syndrome but be aware it is not only our clients who are prone to this kind of mindset, it is very standard for most humans to go through this phase in other areas of their life. As business owners we will wait for the next course before we increase our rate or next year until we see that corporate client or later to action that big idea. Well the sun, stars and moon very rarely align and you will need to take action. Action cures waiting.

It is a bit like that game you played as a child where you would spin around 10 times and then try to walk straight. Sometimes our lives are spinning so fast that we fail to walk directly and grab the opportunities available.

What are you waiting to get fit for? Is it more money, setting up your own facility, starting a speaking career, increasing your rates or how about your best year of revenue ever? Avoid waiting until you get fit and in borrowing a Bransonism (Sir Richard Bransons) 'Screw it, just do it!'

If you feel that you want to get 'Business fit' go to our website at www.ptplus.com.au for a range of free tools to help you get started. If you want to fast track your success contact our office on info@ptplus.com.au to discuss the best way to get started.

understanding net profit

So well done on being in business for yourself! Now it is time to judge your financial success. You may be working with purpose, in your area of passion or just had a change of lifestyle and decided to start your own business. Whilst these areas are fundamentally important and personally satisfying you need to measure the financial success of the business.

As business owners under the financial title comes a multitude of different areas including sales, cost of goods, income tax, balance sheets, assets, liabilities and the list goes on. The best indicator of your financial success is your net profit.

A successful net profit sits between 12% - 33%.

Understanding these terms...
So net profit is the amount of money remaining following sales (total amount of revenue) less expenses (the amount of dollars spent). Expenses include taxes, loans, rent, and all the other associated business costs that are included in running your business including your wage.

Therefore if you have turned over a $100,000.00 this year and your net profit is at $12,000 or more and you have paid your taxes, all your business expenses and most importantly yourself then you have a financially successful business.

Now the exciting component for business owners is what that $12,000 can represent. Firstly if you wanted to sell your business a fair asking price would be 2 to 3 times the net profit of your business. So $24,000 to $36,000 for the sale. Secondly if you want to start a wealth creation plan than there are many great tax minimising options available. Thirdly if you want to borrow money from the bank then net profit (and wages) are the figures banks consider in lending money. Generally a 10% deposit is required for borrowing so $12,000 becomes $120,000 upon approval from the bank. Finally if you aren’t at a 12% minimum of net profit then you would be better off financially getting a job and putting your money in the bank at 8% or 9% without the business owner challenges.

Your scorecard for measuring your net profit is your profit and loss statement. Most fitnesspreneurs switch off when these kinds of accounting documents are put in front of them. Profit and loss is the financial indicator of your business. You don’t need an accounting degree you just need to know your bottom line.

Start seriously looking at your net profit if you want to get ahead financially.

hot spots and wi-fi… are you regularly in a hotspot?

In my business if I am in the hot spot things get done.

You know those places that are popping up in airports, cafes and shopping centres? A place where you get access to the wireless internet, for me a place of productivity. The business is so internet based that I rely heavily on these places to get things done.

I was working with a guy the other day who has a great business model, products, website and knew his technical stuff. However he just wasn’t getting the result. It was bothering me.

It came to me in between meetings looking for another wi-fi hotspot. See I had the flash laptop, the wireless connection, even the new iphone but without being in the hotspot it was useless.

Back to my guy. He wasn’t in the hot spot often enough. Not the wireless internet place, but the hotspot where the deals are done. The place where you are in front of the key decision makers, people who want to use your products and services. Hotspots are the place that gives your business long jeopardy. Where people hand over cheques.

Understand it is great to have all the tools, the right business model, the brand, business cards and attend all the workshops. Unless your regularly putting your business in the hotspot, in front of the right people, chances are your not connecting.