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> Leadership 101
> Research Techniques
> Building Connections
> Guerilla Marketing
> Branding
> Types of Businesses
> Innovation vs Trends
> Building a Team
> ALLIANCES
> Risk Management
> Home Bus. Survival
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CHAPTER 1: "BEING YOUR OWN BOSS" by: Leo Gonzales

SO you own your own business. What does that mean? From the outside, "being your own BOSS" is a dream come true for most 9-5ers. You are a pioneer; a hero that has crossed over to the other side escaping all the drudgeries that come with a job-including that "over-the-shoulder pennny-pinching slave driver". But noone sees the sleepless nights and the gut-wrenching stress of the self-employed contractor who incidentally has MORE BOSSES (and more to lose) than any waged employee. Once you convert to the world of the 1099, you have branded yourself a lifestyle of sacrifice, humility and challenge that no longer expects a "regular and consistent" salary each week. You have replaced that ONE "whipcracker" boss with an army of slavedrivers; your hard-to-please clients, the never-ending bills and loans, your business plan that demands a certain amount of sales each month, your commitment to a 15 hour day, and of course- there's the overhead (named accordingly)! Your early efforts will most likely not add up to instant personal WEALTH- but revenue barely enough to keep your head above water. As far as 'being your own boss"...try calling it (more appropriately)- "being your own SLAVE!"

Now, if your plans are unshaken by this non-glamorous and rather bleak illustration of the world of self-employment, you deserve tremendous praise and utmost respect for your commitment. The courage to face the many risks of running a business takes unique strength and out-of-the-box leadership. It takes vision and instinct to perform well under the unexpected pressures; to brave the mistakes and growing from them while staying completely focused on your goals are special characterisitics found in the heart of a business leader.

GREAT LEADERS ARE THE BEST STUDENTS OF LOSS AND FAILURE

In the whirlwind of dead-end spending and a storm of rejections lie the exhausted smile of your business plan. "You've tried everything". Eventually, the painful realities of self-employment will humble you to the verge of surrender. Just then, a final glimmer of hope calls upon your instinct to SURVIVE. True LEADERSHIP takes charge not only of the wounds and casualties but of the will to REGROUP, ORGANIZE and build a better, more sensible success-oriented STRATEGY.

 
 
NO SHORT CUTS TO FINDING THE RIGHT MARKETING

Over five years ago, I registered my embroidery and silkscreening distribution company with the dream of making big money. I upgraded from being a street vendor dealing out of a van- into a legal corporation. My first order of business was to launch a solid marketing campaign. I aspired to have an office where the phone would be ringing off the hook all day- and I committed to do whatever it took to get there... or so I thought.

I pursued the approach I call TEXTBOOK Marketing. Within the first week, I spent thousands on local print advertising, direct mail, telemarketers, a website, a marketing consultant and even paid for trade shows and memberships to every regional "schmooze-fest" Chamber organization. After 8 sweltering months of expensive optimism, I batted ZERO hits out of this $60k marketing campaign and tapped my bank dry. It was a $60k lesson in business. I also learned some valuable lessons about the realities of ADVERTISING, DIRECT MARKETING and most of all, what CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE and BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS can really do for businesses like mine... ZERO.

Beaten and broke, I later realized that my first few customers came to me without any effort- by word of mouth from my brother-in-law! Soon after, that happy customer passed my name around his network and in time, I began making a pretty decent living- without any kind of Marketing at all.

If I could bottle this concept of "networking", all businesses can have a much better shot at surviving and expanding.

What is the NETWORK ALLIANCE?

Marketing through "connections" is a stress-free foundation for nepotism, a source for positive reference and a solid platform for recommendation. Since there is a pre-established relationship or ALLIANCE, you are more likely to receive credible and effective rewards: technical advisement, improved resources and customer LEADS- all purely based on your "friendship". On a corporate level, ALLIANCES exist in the form of partnerships and co-marketing associations.

The BUSINESS NETWORK ALLIANCE is an exlusive support group of Independent contractors, Sole proprietors and Small Buisness owners performing under the united belief of proactively sponsoring business growth FOR and WITH its' members. It is a forum by which like-minded entrepreneurs may freely engage in sharing experiences that may be crucial information to another member's business. As a Network, the BNA can easily become a stage for interactivity, a place to meet future supporters, future partners, referrals and possible leads.
 
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6:45am. Your better half blazes through the house, frantically collecting themselves to join that 2 hr. morning rushhour commute. Meanwhile, you in all your tranquility (and house clothes)- sitting calmly next to the kitchen counter slowly stirring your coffee in your 'corporate' robe.

6:47am. You walk downstairs to the basement. You fire up the computer, the 17" LCD screen and the T1 internet modem and your "ratrace" has officially begun.

Examine all the rewards and the disbenefits of a HOME-BASED BUSINESS from the professionals who live the American dream. We'll review the many who earn so much more from self-employment while others are gladly driven back to the 9-5 work force.