7 Attributes of an Extraordinary Entrepreneur

Ashton Kutcher made headlines at SXSW this year when he announced the launch of a new investment fund with business partner Guy Oseary. But Kutcher and Oseary are not new to the startup game. In fact, Kutcher made early investments in Uber, Airbnb, and Spotify, showing a keen eye for investing in promising startups. When CNBC’s Maria Bartiromo asked Kutcher what he looks for in new companies, one of his answers was “extraordinary entrepreneurs."

What creates an “extraordinary entrepreneur” in the eyes of an investor? As Founder and CEO of Foxwordy, a startup that is the first private social network for lawyers, as well as a member of one of the largest angel investor groups that invests in Silicon Valley startups, I’ve found there are key qualities that attract investors’ attention and lead to strong, lasting investor/entrepreneur relationships.  

Here are seven key attributes of extraordinary entrepreneurs:

1. Strategic 

When it comes to your funding strategy, there are three schools of thought. One approach is to take only those investments you currently need, while the other approach is to take as much investment as you are able to get. Yet another approach is forget fundraising and focus on building the best business you can and the money will come. While there are pros and cons to each approach, what’s important is to figure out which one makes sense for your venture and stick to it. Defining your strategy in advance helps avoid setting yourself up for unmet expectations or taking your eye off the ball when it needs to be on the product or the business.

2. Frugal

Whatever funding you have must be used wisely. Spend your investors' money as if it were your own. Even better, have it be your own. I am a strong believer in the importance of entrepreneurs investing their own money into their own companies, and it is something investors are bound to appreciate and respect. WhatsApp, for example, hardly spent any of the $8M they raised from early investors, because they didn’t need to, although they certainly could have. Spend when you need to do so and save when you don’t.

3. Expert

Investor Mark Birch explains that prior domain expertise is not always a prerequisite to startup success. However, Birch cautions, “You can’t simply Google and Wikipedia your way to expertise, it requires time, research, talking to knowledgeable people and digging deep into the guts of the matter.”

Indeed, if you are new to your startup’s industry and don’t have the necessary domain expertise, you’ll need to invest time in building knowledge and networks, as well as focus on making key hires that bring domain expertise to the table. Zipcar founder Robin Chase, for example, talked about how she started a car company, yet knew nothing about cars. She made a smart move by hiring a VP of Operations who had deep experience with Hertz. 

4. Decisive 

Investors want to see that you have the backbone to deal with the difficult decisions that inevitably will arise. From having to fire family members to deciding whether to expand from a single location to multiple locations, entrepreneurs face tough calls on a routine basis and how you deal with those decisions demonstrates your leadership abilities.

5. Transparent

Authentic communication is imperative to building trust in any relationship, especially between entrepreneurs and investors. Provide transparency via regular reporting and be sure to share the ups as well as the downs. Investors know how challenging it is to build a new business and open, honest communication about challenges and successes is key.

6. Persistent

You’ve heard it before and it’s true: never give up! Investors want to see determination. In fact, how you deal with setbacks can be the very thing that sets you apart in the eyes of investors.

Richard Branson says, "many venture capital investors evaluate potential partners on how they reacted to a failed business, seeing it as a test of character, rather than a mark against them." The "key," according to Branson, is how entrepreneurs bounce back.

7. Open to advice

Don’t be afraid to connect with potential investors for input and advice. Many investors are entrepreneurs themselves and have immense knowledge and experience to share. Rather than demonstrating uncertainty or lack of knowledge, asking for advice shows a willingness to learn and consider multiple points of view. Doing so may also open the window of opportunity for funding. As Datanyze CEO Ilya Semin noted, "If you want advice, ask for money. But if you want money, ask for advice."

Is there a secret formula to being an "extraordinary entrepreneur"? Probably not. But adopting these seven attributes can certainly help you get recognized for the entrepreneur you are. Moving forward, demonstrating these key qualities will go miles towards ensuring the ongoing relationships with your investors are amazing.

Monica Zent

14 Inspirational Movie Quotes for Entrepreneurs

We recently decided to “cut the cord” at our house, meaning we spend a lot less time watching live TV and more time watching movies. Recently while watching some of my all-time favorite movies, I picked up on some great quotes that extend beyond the plot of the movie to my real life and my personal journey while working at a startup over the past two years.

If you are thinking about joining a startup or creating your own business, here are 14 quotes that will surely transfer from the silver screen to the startup stage.

Lights, camera, STARTUP!

1. "Find a truly original idea. It is the only way I will ever distinguish myself. It is the only way I will ever matter." 
-- John Nash in A Beautiful Mind

Image credit: A Beautiful Mind | Imagine Entertainment

If you are going to build a company, set out to do something nobody else has done before. If you are working to solve real pain for real people, you will truly distinguish yourself from the competition.

2. "Do, or do not. There is no try.”
-- Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back

Image credit: Star Wars | 21st Century Fox

Either you will or you won’t. You are not in a position to try. Your employees, customers, partners and shareholders need you to do a lot more than try. You will succeed or fail based on how well you are able to execute your vision -- and that requires a lot of “do”.

3. “Don’t tell me I can’t do it; don’t tell me it can't be done!"
-- Howard Hughes in The Aviator

Image credit: The Aviator | Warner Bros. Pictures

Along the way you are going to hear from a lot of naysayers. People who are skeptical or don’t have the fortitude to do what you are trying to do. If it were easy, everyone would do it. Don’t let the insecurities of others hold you back.

4. “This sh*t’s chess, it ain’t checkers!”
-- Alonzo Harris in Training Day

Image credit: Training Day | Warner Bros. Pictures

One of two chess related quotes on this list, and that is because chess is grounded in your ability to execute on a well-thought strategy. You are in a battle of strategy when you begin your company. Is your strategy going to play better than others? Do you have the right pieces in the right places at the right time on the board? If you understand the game you are playing and how you win, you will be around to play a lot longer than your competition.

5. “The loudest one in the room is the weakest one in the room.”
--  Frank Lucas in American Gangster

Image credit: American Gangster | Universal Pictures

You will find out soon that talk is cheap and actions are what you should value. The person who is loudest, the person who tries to “own the room” and generally just loves to hear themselves talk, often is the one who produces the least amount of value. Look for and build around the people who stay focused solving problems with others (vs. just talking about them).

6. “Just keep swimming.”
-- Dory in Finding Nemo

Image credit: Finding Nemo | Pixar

You will have good days and you will have bad days. Some days, you just need to keep swimming. Even if you are swimming against the currents, and it feels like you are not making progress, you are in fact moving forward. 

7. “I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse.”
-- Don Corleone in The Godfather

Image credit: The Godfather | Paramount Pictures

You are going to be doing a lot of negotiating. You will be securing new partnerships and working to recruit top talent. What can you offer that nobody else can offer? If you are selling  

8. “If you build it, he will come.”
-- The Voice in Field of Dreams

Image credit: Field of Dreams | Universal Pictures

If you build something truly great, you will find that your customers will not only use your products, they will rave about it to others. That is why you need to focus so much on what you are building and the value you provide. Once you can provide long-term value you will be able to scale your business in a very robust and meaningful way.

9. “The key to this business is personal relationships.”
-- Dickie Fox in Jerry McGuire

Image credit: Jerry McGuire | Tristar Pictures

From customers to partners to employees, many times success comes down to one thing: the people. To build a great company you need to find great people. If you don’t nail that you are going to be fighting an uphill battle.

10. “Life’s this game of inches. So is football. Because in either game, life or football, the margin for error is so small -- I mean one-half a step too late, or too early, and you don’t quite make it. One-half second too slow, too fast, you don’t quite catch it.”
-- Tony D'Amato in Any Given Sunday

Image credit: Any Given Sunday | Warner Bros. Pictures

On any given day, the success of a startup hinges on so many different factors, with the margin for error being incredibly small. You need to understand the decisions that will make our break your business so you can put yourself in a position to execute them with precision and focus. Don’t allow yourself to get distracted.

11. “Even a good decision if made for the wrong reasons can be a bad decision”
-- Governor Swann in Pirates of Caribbean

Image credit: Pirates of The Caribbean | Walt Disney Studios

The decision-making process of a startup is one of the most important parts of the culture. How do you make decisions? What are your principles? Are you making decisions that yield short-term gain but create long-term pain? If you are not making decisions for the right reasons, then you may find that decision will create more trouble later on.

12. “Don’t move until you see it.”
-- Bruce Pandolfini in Searching for Bobby Fischer

Image credit: Searching For Bobby Fischer | Paramount Pictures

Patience is not always an easy trait to maintain. Sometimes you need to be opportunistic and strike at a moment’s notice. But you also need to have the patience to see the pieces come together. Look beyond the existing move, so you can see the ones that come after it.

13. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I must leave now. Mr. Corleone insists on hearing bad news as soon as possible.”
-- Tom Hagen in The Godfather

Image credit: The Godfather | Paramount Pictures

At Porch one of the values we admire most is transparency. The runway to success is too short to waste time not sharing everything people need to run the business. If you miss on a key performance indicator or you get critical product feedback from a customer that could improve your business, don’t hide it or sweep it under the rug. Embrace it, acknowledge it and grow from it.

14. “We’re going to change the game."
-- Billy Beane in Moneyball

Image credit: Moneyball | Columbia Pictures

At a startup one of the greatest feelings you will have is knowing your product, service or business is going to change the world. As noted in the first quote, if you are solving real pain for real people, you have the chance to create something long lasting and durable that will literally change how people live their lives. 

Craig Cincotta

What's the Difference Between Business Casual and Smart Casual? A Handy Guide on How to Dress. (Infographic)

If you think black tie means Chucks with a tux, you’re doing it all wrong. Or are you? Deciding what to wear when to which event -- so you don’t end up looking clueless -- can be overwhelming for the fashion-challenged. But, with a little help, it’s not so bad.  

Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a quick and dirty cheat-sheet you could refer to before hobbling together your outfit for your next important soirée, interview or meeting? A dress codes 101 decoder, for him and her? Lucky for you there is. Check the informative infographic from Mannix Marketing below. It covers everything from casual to business casual, to business formal to black tie and beyond. (Do us a favor and ignore the weird Homer Simpson reference at the top, okay? Yeah, it threw us for a loop, too.)

So, yeah, not all dress codes are created the same. If the occasion, or your office -- lucky you! -- calls for your basic no-brainer casual, breathe a sigh of relief and reach for your favorite T-shirt and jeans combo. The clean ones, people. Not the stinky wrinkled ones in the hamper. Do we really have to go over this? We’re starting to sound like your mom.

If business casual is the mandate, classy dress pants and a crisp, collared shirt or blouse should do the trick. Top it off with a snazzy pair of dressy shoes and you’re set. The authors of infographic, notably not personal stylists, nor fashion designers or editors, suggest you slip into khakis, the safe choice, for biz casual, but we’re not so sure. Do people even wear khakis anymore? In some places, a nice pair of jeans will fit the business casual bill, as long as you dress them up with a nice top.

Then there’s “smart casual,” whatever that is, and business and business informal. And semi-formal, formal and black tie. Confused yet? Time to conveniently refer back to the handy how-to below. Running potential outfits past your best-dressed friend ahead of time helps, too. Good luck, champ. Knock ‘em dead. Whatever you wear, you probably look better than you think.  

Kim Lachance Shandrow

5 Marketing Lessons Learned Watching Donald Trump Run for President

Donald Trump has taken over the 2016 Republican presidential primary campaign. Whether you agree or disagree with him, there’s no denying that his candidacy has been a powerful force in the race and has commanded a great deal of media attention.

Time will tell whether Trump’s campaign will be successful in winning the nomination, but he’s already been very successful at generating headlines. Despite his brash demeanor and highly questionable (some would say “hateful” or “stupid”) statements, as of this writing, Trump just keeps rising in the polls.

Regardless of what happens with Trump’s presidential campaign, he’s already a winner in the constant battle for public attention. Here are a few marketing lessons from Trump that any brand or political cause can emulate:

1. Know your audience.

Donald Trump doesn’t care if you love him or hate him. He’s playing to a very select crowd of voters who believe in his message and who want to support him. There’s something about Trump’s tough-talking “I don’t care what the experts think” attitude that appeals to Republican primary voters in 2015. Lots of Republican primary voters are feeling frustrated and are passionate to take back the White House. Trump is giving voice to feelings that are widely shared in that political party.

In the same way, your brand doesn’t have to appeal to “everyone.” Know your target market and speak to their concerns in a relevant way.

Related: 3 Communication Lessons Businesses Can Learn From Donald Trump

2. Know your brand.

Love him or hate him, Donald Trump knows who he is. The Trump that we’re seeing on the campaign trail is well known to New Yorkers (I’m a native New Yorker myself). We have watched him for decades become famous as a New York real estate developer, bestselling author and TV reality-show contest business mogul on “The Apprentice.” Trump hasn’t changed. He’s just talking about politics now instead of business deals. But he’s always been bold and brassy, with a take-no-prisoners attitude.

The lesson: Your brand needs to stand for something. Lots of people are not fans of Trump, but even people who oppose his candidacy find themselves grudgingly admiring the consistency of his brand message. What you see is what you get.

3. Be audacious.

Trump has said a lot of outrageous things during the campaign, from inflammatory remarks about Mexican immigrants to accusing John McCain of not being a “war hero,” but every new media gaffe or media whirlwind just seems to boost his performance in the polls. The reason: Trump’s core supporters respect him for speaking his truth, even if he’s not saying it in a polite, genteel way.

Most political candidates are so polished and focus-grouped that it’s almost impossible for their real feelings and emotions to come out. Trump is in your face, every day, with unvarnished depictions of life as he sees it. He’s not afraid of what anyone thinks about him, and it shows.

The lesson: Don’t be afraid to really stand for something as a brand, even if it’s controversial. Too many companies try to be blandly inoffensive in a failed attempt to be “mainstream” and appeal to “everyone.” It’s better to be memorable, even if you lose some customers who don’t “get it,” as long as you keep appealing to the niche market of customers who love you the most.

Related: Donald Trump Can Get Away With It, But You Can't

4. Trust yourself.

Trump doesn't follow focus groups. All candidates these days test out their message, trying to find the right combination of words and issues to appeal to the right demographic segments of voters. But often, candidates end up sounding excessively “focus-grouped.” The real human connection of the candidate gets lost in trying to appeal to too many people. Trump seems to be resonating with conservative Republican voters because he’s so unrehearsed and unpolished -- he’s not afraid to speak off the cuff. Every day on the campaign seems like he’s just really talking about whatever is most urgently on his mind at that moment.

The same goes with your product. It’s good to do some market research to find out whether a new product is viable, but it’s even more important to trust that you have a good idea. If you feel that way, trust that others will feel the same. I've seen so many great ideas become convoluted and watered down, when there are too many cooks in the kitchen. If you try to make your product appealing to everyone, you’ll ultimately end up appealing to no one.

5. No apologies.

Trump is like no one else we’ve seen in presidential politics in recent years. He seems to have absolutely no sense of regret or shame. He says what he says, he calls it like he sees it, and then he moves on, ignoring the critics. Has Trump ever apologized for anything? He seems incapable of admitting to mistakes or being wrong.

This raises an interesting question for your brand: when should you apologize? If a customer has a bad experience with your product, should you apologize? Or should you just give them a refund and move on, writing it off as “Well, they’re not the right kind of customer for us?” If someone is offended by or misunderstands something your company posts on Twitter, should you apologize? Should you ignore the critics, or try to learn from them?

It’s hard to know when to draw the line. If you apologize too often, you’ll find yourself catering too much to customers who really don’t understand the value of what you offer. But if you don’t apologize when an apology was really warranted, you might damage your brand. You have to toe the line between maintaining your brand reputation and doing the right thing. Don't spend all of your energy on trying to make bad customers happy.

Trump embodies the purity of a certain kind of bold, no-apologies approach to doing business. He’s almost Zen-like in his clear-headed refusal to get bogged down in details of saying “sorry.” He just keeps moving forward and on to the next deal. There’s something so refreshing about that, but not all brands can pull it off.

Whether you’re voting for Trump or not, there’s no denying that he’s a fascinating one-of-a-kind figure in American politics and business. You don't have to become like Trump to learn from how he’s marketed himself and built his brand.

Gregg Schwartz

50 Habits That Prove You Were Born to Be an Entrepreneur

Most aspiring entrepreneurs feel it in their bones -- they were born to be an entrepreneur, to the point where nothing else in life could satisfy them. They’re dissatisfied as employees, followers or consumers. They want to create, build and grow their own enterprises, and they’re filled with the passion of their own ingenuity.

Here are 50 habits that born-to-be entrepreneurs can’t help but show. How many do you possess?

1. You can’t sit still. You’re always itching to come up with something, and do something great.

2. You’re always coming up with ideas. Good or bad, the flow of ideas never stops.

3. You can pinpoint flaws in other ideas. It comes naturally to you.

4. You marvel at successful business owners. Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates are just a few of your heroes.

5. You get excited when you see a successful business in action.Whether it’s a local bar or a supermarket franchise, you can’t help but smile when you see a good business.

6. You constantly think of ways to improve your employer’s business.When you’re at work, you only think about how it could be better.

7. You hate being told what to do. You’re resentful of taking orders.

8. You love to learn new things. How tos and tutorials are what you’re all about.

9. You take things apart to see how they work. Remotes, toasters, phones -- you love to see the inner workings.

10. You dream of wealth. Money isn’t everything, but you can’t help but have it on your mind.

11. You don’t give up easily. You face tough challenges but keep going.

12. You’re disciplined in your habits. You have set routines that don’t get broken easily.

13. You aren’t afraid of hard work. You give everything in your life 100 percent.

14. You have a high threshold for risk. You don’t take blind risks, but you don’t stay complacent either.

15. You meet as many people as you can. You aren’t afraid to branch out and meet new people.

16. You talk to everyone you meet. Strangers aren’t intimidating to you.

17. You bounce back from failure. You’ve experienced crushing failure, but it’s never stopped you from coming back.

18. You like calling the shots. You like the sound of being a director.

19. You set goals for yourself. Big or small, goals fill your life.

20. You help people whenever you can. You’re interested in the greater good.

21. You find challenges in everything you do. You seek out opportunities to challenge yourself.

22. You find ways to inspire people. You’re inspired by inspiration.

23. You plan everything down to the little details. Plans are a prerequisite for any activity.

24. You’re proud of yourself. You like who you are.

25. You help your friends solve their problems. You’re great at problem analysis.

26. You effectively delegate tasks and assign resources. In household chores and business operations alike.

27. You set deadlines for yourself. No excuses.

28. You like telling stories. You love to tell people about your experiences.

29. You’re hyper competitive. You can’t even play a board game without flipping that switch.

30. You get involved with things. If you see a car on the side of the road, you get out and ask if you can help.

31. You cut out things in your life that don’t work for you. If it’s inefficient or bothersome, it’s gone.

32. You negotiate whatever you can. Flea markets and salaries are just the beginning.

33. You see the potential in people. You don’t see people for who they are. You see them for who they could be.

34. You’re calm in a crisis. When stuff hits the fan, you still think logically.

35. You follow up with people when you want something. You don’t let opportunities go.

36. You avoid things that waste your time. You’re immune to mobile games and idle social-media time.

37. You persuade people to your side. You’re a natural rhetorician.

38. You make rational decisions, not emotional ones. For the most part, you trust your logic over your emotions.

39. You don’t forget people’s emotions. Still, there’s great sympathy in you.

40. You lose track of time when pursuing passion projects. Time seems to fly when you’re heads-down working on something.

41. You frequently start new passion projects. Every week, a new idea is transformed into a hobby.

42. You constantly upgrade your house (or car or anything). There’s always something to tinker with, replace or improve.

43. You’re crazy about new technology. You’re addicted to learning how new technologies can improve your life.

44. You read the news every day. It’s an ingrained habit.

45. You read books voraciously. Every book offers something new.

46. You listen to that internal voice. You trust your instincts.

47. You listen to others’ advice. You make your own decisions, but listen to others’ opinions too.

48. You don’t dwell in the past. When bad things happen, you keep moving forward.

49. You make sacrifices for what you want. You know you have to give things up to see greater success.

50. You never write off your dreams. You take your aspirations seriously. They’re a part of you.

Were you born to be an entrepreneur? If these habits sound like you, it’s time to start pursuing your true calling in life. For help, grab my ebook, The Modern Entrepreneur: How to Build a Successful Startup, from Beginning to End.

Looking for reasons to start a business? See 50 Reasons to Start Your Own Business.

Jayson Demers

5 Self-Sabotaging Mindsets That Undermine Entrepreneur

Success is what every business person and entrepreneur desires from the very core of their being. They have a dream, a genius idea and an initial excitement to make it happen. Having a great idea and building a sustainable empire, however, are very different things and many, if not most, fail. To rank among those who succeed you must master certain disciplines to avoid sabotaging your own success.

1. How you think.

Your thoughts color the way you see all of life and ultimately determine your destiny. To be successful take a hard look at your idea of yourself, how you perceive yourself, your potential and what you believe your ability to succeed is. Keep it positive.

Negative thinking is easy. It takes zero effort and it creates assumed or imaginary roadblocks to your success everywhere you turn. You are not likely to succeed if you let negative thinking rule your mind. You must not tolerate this type of thinking. Instead, call upon your more innovative thinking. Negative thinking is rigid, unmoving and works against the flow of life. To be successful you have to train your thoughts to be flexible, hopeful and inventive.  

Become conscious of your thoughts to direct them properly. When you are in control of your thought process there will not be an obstacle you cannot creatively bypass. If you want to be successful you must eat, drink, sleep and think about success. Infuse your thoughts with hope, passion, positivity and trust. Do not entertain defeatist thoughts because actions follow thoughts. 

A negative mind is a success killer. Let the way you think be your greatest asset, rather than your toughest obstacle.

2. Lack of commitment.

You cannot fulfill your dreams if you are unsure and only half-way committed to getting where you want to go. Never assume the climb to success should be easier than it is. Assumptions of ease of effort will derail your success nearly immediately. When things end up more challenging than you expect, frustrations and resentments develop that kill your drive.

There is no greater a success killer than frustration backed by resentment.

To live your purpose you must know, without a shadow of a doubt, what you want. Sustainable success requires a deep and dogged commitment to a detailed and solid plan of action. Having a clear commitment cuts through the confusion and doubt when you face obstacles on the road to success.

Without a genuine and unwavering commitment to your larger purpose your goals lose their importance and value. A lack of commitment creates delay, chaos and frustration poisonous to any living goal.

Be in to win it, no matter what it takes. If you want to succeed at elite levels you must be willing and able to sacrifice.

3. Lack of self-regulation.

To be successful focus on developing the skill of self-regulation. Learn to understand and control your own emotions so they don’t become turbulent and derail your success.

Whether you are emotionally high, low or in between, be acutely aware of your state of mind and conscious of when it is good to make decisions and not. Decisions made from fear or anger take you off course and often ruin potentially successful relationships and connections. Decisions made at the peak of excitement can lead to impulsivity which doesn't best serve your mission in the long term and may leave you with regret. However, it is in the flat or bored emotional times where the most danger lies because these times may cause you to put things off and coast when you really need to be moving forward.

To succeed you have to show up and do the work. You cannot win today’s game based on yesterday’s points, and nor do you stop being innovative or hard working because you have some future deals or meetings to look forward too. Show up to each day calm and resolute. Make sure to be rational before making big decisions. Stay conscious of the fact that erratic emotions lead to poor decisions.

4. Lack of time management and structure.

Being an entrepreneur you will have a lot of freedoms you may not have otherwise. You have the freedom to set your own schedule, decide when you go to work and how much you work. Freedom is wonderful if you have self-discipline. If you are not a self-starter or self-disciplined this could lead to laziness and the failure of a genius idea. 

Too much freedom placed in the hands of an undisciplined and unorganized person will not show positive results. The inability to manage time leads to poor decision making, an inability to prioritize and other success-killing habits. This type of behavior doesn’t allow an idea to even take off.

Time can be a daunting and oppressive energy to manage when there is too much of it on your hands.
Create a schedule like you would have if you were working in the corporate world. You are your own corporation now and all corporations need organization, scheduling and time frames to serve as guideposts for goal achievement.

If you can’t keep up with time you will not keep up with your competitors. You have to do better than your competitors in time management and organization if you want to get ahead. As you schedule all your time you will come to find the busier you are the more true free time you have to enjoy in your personal life.

To be a successful entrepreneur it takes more than a big dream and a great schedule. It takes a huge amount of self-discipline, pristine organization and the willingness to work.

5. Lack of patience.

As an entrepreneur you can have the greatest ideas in the world but without patience you are not likely to see them manifest, no matter how genius they may be. To be successful, learn patience. Patience is something you do, it is not something you have. Patience is like a muscle. The more you use it, the more successful you will become. People without patience give in to frustration and give up too easily. Lasting and sustainable success is not based in instant gratification. True success is a dynamic process built upon change, challenge and growth.

Patience gives you the determination to stick to a goal despite the odds. It helps cultivate persistence, acceptance and hope. It allows you to see the big and small picture giving you a sense of control over your mind and impulses when things look bleak. When you are patient you greatly increase your odds that you will make your personal dreams come true.

Success is an art and a discipline, not just a sought after ideal. For this reason, many people chase an ideal without the necessary skills to get there, but rather, only armed with a great idea and big dream. Without being able to discipline your thoughts, manage and organize your time, control your emotions, be completely committed to your cause, and have the patience to get through your challenges, further fueling your hope, you cannot reach the desired outcome you seek. You will get trapped in negative thinking and aggravation. Frustration trumps patience and before you know you it, you have sabotaged your dream. Don’t let this be you.

 Sherrie Campbell

5 Strategies for Entrepreneurs to Improve Sales

If you've just started a business, you need sales, right? Trouble is, you may not be sure how to put together a sales approach. And, the truth is, there is no magic formula for sending your sales through the roof. So, stop looking.

Also, stop buying the popular belief that sales is a profession where “you either have it, or you don’t.” As with any job, effective sales techniques, tactics and skills can be taught. With that in mind, here are five strategies for entrepreneurs looking to improve sales at their newly started businesses:

1. Understand when a "yes" is really a "no." 

When you run a startup, your most precious resource -- even more so than capital or product -- is time. Customers will often lead you to believe they’re interested in what you’re offering when they actually aren’t; and this can be a significant drain on your time. For example, many entrepreneurs spend a fair share of time at trade shows and events and collect dozens or even hundreds of business cards from potential customers.

The reality is, however, that many of these prospective customers offered their card as a way of excusing themselves from the conversation. The key is to decipher who is truly interested. When someone is, that person will likely ask a lot of questions. He or she wants more of your time and will inquire about your pricing, ways in which you deploy your product, etc.

2. Talk about the problem, not the solution.

Sounds counterintuitive, right? It won’t when you put this strategy into action: When it comes down to it, people are interested in their own problems, not your solutions. If you detail your product’s five most impressive features, the customer will fade in and out of focus waiting for you to finish. However, ask about customers' problems and they will be happy to tell you all about their issues. This will make them feel more invested in your solution and provide clues as to how you should be positioning your wares. Maybe it’s your ninth and tenth most impressive features that will actually benefit them.

3. If prospective customers don't reply, do it for them.

Say a client hasn't responded to your message. Rather than send a new email and change the wording to make it seem like a first communication, reply to your own. This accomplishes two things: It allows the recipient to view the content of your original email and glean the intended information. Second, it allows you to inquire directly about receipt of your initial correspondence. If recipients then respond that they did receive your first email and aren’t interested, you don’t need to waste any more of your valuable time selling them.

Some, though, will just bounce back and say they’re sorry and areinterested. If you don’t hear back at all, give it a few more days and reply to your email one more time -- this time asking directly if the recipient prefers you to end the contact. This direct approach has an extremely positive success rate with customers responding for two reasons: 1) They are interested and for whatever reason haven't been able to get back to you yet; or 2) They accept the out you've offered to stop contacting them. Either way, you know where you stand and can proceed accordingly.

4. Personalize your communications.

If you are taking the time to write a personalized message to a prospective client, make sure he or she knows it. Include private anecdotes, discuss how your product or service would benefit this person specifically or perhaps touch on personal experiences that can be applied to this person's business. Don’t ever let a customer assume an email is just an automated direct marketing outreach if it isn’t.

5. Don’t pit your sales team members against one other.

The best sales teams are the ones that work together. Competition can spur hard work, but individually that work often operates to the detriment of the team as a whole. There are direct and ancillary benefits to cultivating a positive dynamic within the team. Creating synergy within your sales force will lead to increased communication, peer teaching, information sharing as it pertains to customers and leads and, ultimately, sales. Whether your small business is just you and an employee handling sales, or if you have a more robust team in place, teamwork will always trump rivalry in the long run.

And so now you know the truth. Inflated sales aren’t a result of trickery or some mystical strategy, but rather a product of the details: investing a personal touch, working together, listening to the customer’s difficulties and utilizing your resources correctly with the right leads. Focus on doing the small things right and leave your competitors to wonder where your magic comes from.

Hampus Jakobsson