Quote of the Week # 47

“A good wedding planner will invariably save the bride money. Everything is negotiable in this business.”

-Richard Markel
found on thinkexist.com

Progress Report - for week ended 7/27/08

Here are my goals for July 2008:

1. Break even or Increase Net Worth - Not sure on this one now. I might be able to pull it out due to an extra paycheck for the month.
   
2. Set up website for business - Met with my new webmaster, bought the website carteblanchmedia.com now I just need to switch it from an ad for GoDaddy.com to a decent site explaining what I'm doing. I plan to meet again with the webmaster tomorrow.
   
3. Set up checking account for business - With wedding issues coming up I haven't had much time to devote to this. If I get any free time in the next week or so. I'll be on the phone to the State to find out my Businesses' tax ID code.
   
4. Get business cards for business - I still haven't put together a decent thought on what my business cards should say. If there's any downtime this week - I may pursue this further.
   

So it is now T-minus less than 2 weeks before I get a ring put on my finger and I am no longer a single guy. Everything is pretty much paid for and accounted for but it is the minor stuff that keeps on jumping out of nowhere and scaring me.

Quote of the Week #46

“Our success has really been based on partnerships from the very beginning.”

-Bill Gates

found on thinkexist.com

Progress Report - for week ended 7/20/08

Here are my goals for July 2008:

1. Break even or Increase Net Worth - This is looking like more and more of an unlikelihood. Wedding expenses are coming fast & furious and income is not increasing.
   
2. Set up website for business - Met with my new webmaster, bought the website carteblanchmedia.com now I just need to switch it from an ad for GoDaddy.com to a decent site explaining what I'm doing.
   
3. Set up checking account for business - I need to call the state on this one. I did receive an LLC certificate but it did not include any tax ID#.
   
4. Get business cards for business - I have a temporary logo set up talked to the nice people at FedEx Kinko's today and I really just need to verify what I want to say on my business cards.
   

The last couple of days, I've tried to drop a lot of the things that are going through my mind and focus on one thing at a time. Right now I'd like to get the business about 90% off the ground before heading on my honeymoon.

Quote of the Week #45

“Focus on your potential instead of your limitations”
-Alan Loy McGinnis

found on thinkexist.com

Progress Report - for week ended 7/13/08

Here are my goals for July 2008:

1. Break even or Increase Net Worth - it will be a nail-biter till the end to see if this goal can be accomplished. After spending $300+ last week on my car this week I have no real pressing expenses other than the expense of setting up my website for my business which appears to be up and running now per the Ohio Secretary's website.
   
2. Set up website for business - Just need to contact my webmaster and start the ball rolling. I plan to start with a minimum investment but I'd like to hold off until payday this week just in case anything comes up while I'm low on funds.
   
3. Set up checking account for business - At this point, mainly waiting on my next payday before I set this one up. Also need the paperwork back from the state for my TAX ID number.
   
4. Get business cards for business - really just need to nail down the logo design - hopefully this week - and I should be able to wrap this goal up.
   

My focus has been all over the place lately; 1) on the impending wedding, 2)on my impending business, 3) on a charity project I'm supposed to do for the church of my relative. I always tend to do this - start a bunch of different projects simultaneously and then end up having mediocre results on all - I really need to cut this habit out if I am to have any success in the future. Time to start living by that Zen focus - give all your energy & your time to one thing that is happening(or can happen) right now...everything else is meaningless in comparison.

For those of you reading - wish me luck! Thanks in advance.

Quote of the Week #44

Carl Lewis won the gold medal for the long jump in the 1996 Olympic games, he was asked to what he attributed his longevity, having competed for almost 20 years. He said, "Remembering that you have both wins and losses along the way. I don't take either one too seriously."

found on http://www.des.emory.edu/mfp/efficacynotgiveup.html

Progress Report- for week ended 7/6/08

The last few days I've been having car trouble so my apologies for not updating earlier. That being said, here are my goals for July 2008:

1. Break even or Increase Net Worth - a few days ago I thought this goal was definitely within reach. Then over the weekend, I had some car trouble which made that goal all the more difficult to achieve - to be specific, in excess of $300 more difficult. It could be worst though.
   
2. Set up website for business - still have not done this. I am waiting for paperwork back from the state.
   
3. Set up checking account for business - still have not done this . I am waiting for paperwork from the state.
   
4. Get business cards for business - and to sound even more like a broken record 'still have not done this. waiting on bureaucratic state forms to be approved.
   

So not much progress I'll admit but it was a holiday weekend and I did have car trouble. This week I should have more time to focus.

Quote of the week #43

“Business has been so drab, all grey suits and cufflinks. But there's a whole new generation of entrepreneurs starting to make it fun.”

-Simon Woodroffe
found on thinkexist.com

June results/July Goals

This is basically just a recap for June:

1. Publish Debt Freedom book (online or otherwise) - FAILURE - Got a little input from a family member that the book needs a lot of work. So it looks like publication won't be happening this month. I did send in my forms for the LLC but because a minor omission (forgot to add LLC at the end of the Co. name) the powers that be in the great state of Ohio sent the form back to me - along with my check. You'd think the fact that I was filling out an 'LLC application form' would make the LLC part inherent but, what do I know - especially about state bureaucracy.
   
2. Join (or start) an entrepreneur's group - SUCCESS - I just went to great group last week and I plan to check out another one this coming week and a 3rd at the beginning of next month. I'm pumped. Hopefully the next two are as great as the one I went to on Thursday!
   
3. Post at least 25 blogs this month - FAILURE - As I look at my blogs for June it looks like I've published 21 so far including this one. Close yet no cigar I guess. handling last minute wedding issues hasn't exactly helped the matter either.
   
4. **Subscribe to Inc Magazine - SUCCESS -Done - yup I finished this simple goal way early. Maybe as a confidence booster for my other goals.

This month is going to be tricky - it's just slightly over a month before wedding nuptials so I think most of the goals might center around that. Did I mention that my 401k went down from last month? That's with me contributing + my company contributing 50% too - it still went down - almost makes a brother want to give up the long-haul investing mentality but I digress.

Goals for July - here we go:

1. Break even or Increase Net Worth - this will be a task indeed with all the wedding spending that's likely to occur in the next 30-40 days.
   
2. Set up website for business
3. Set up checking account for business
4. Get business cards for business

OK that last goal - the business cards is kind of just a 'gimme' goal - the rest though will be a challenge to say the least, especially since goal #1 is in direct or at least indirect competition with goals # 2, #4 and probably #3 as well. Oh well, if I can just remain focused and centered I think I have a chance of making it through.

June Net Worth: -2.17%

Man, oh man - word to the wise - DO NOT try and start a business the same time you are trying to pay for a wedding.

I've decided to take down the actual Net Worth graphic as I am working on Networking and may make this site a little less 'anonymous' in the process. Thus, I don't want everybody I meet to know my 'bidness' shortly after handing out a business card.

That being said, this past month has been rough 1) with gas prices rising every day 2) new, unexpected wedding costs coming out of nowhere and 3) trying to start a business/LLC to market my upcoming book - things have not been all peachy keen as I would like.

Unfortunately, I think it will get worse before it gets better. I expect this coming month will be nothing but wedding expenses, possible business expenses & increased gas prices with a hint of inflation thrown in for good measure.

If only I can find a way to start making money from the book before it's published. Right now with all the craziness going on in my life I don't expect to publish until say September 2008 at earliest right now.