I decided to post a list of famous entrepreneurs on here to show you that anyone can become one and possibly give you guy’s motivation. I mean, making money is just part of it but standing out from the crowd is a whole other ballgame.
List of Famous Entrepreneurs
1. Alvin Ailey Dance (Alvin Ailey) Dance Theater)
2. Mary Kay Ash Cosmetics (Mary Kay)
3. P.T. Barnum Entertainment (Barnum & Bailey)
4. Warren Bechtel Construction
5. Jeff Bezos Internet (Amazon)
6. Michael Bloomberg Financial Information
7. Richard Branson Several (Virgin
8. Andrew Carnegie Steel (US Steel)
9. Steve Case Internet (America Online)
10. Jim Clark Internet (Netscape)
11. Michael Dell Computers (Dell Computer)
12. Walt Disney Entertainment
13. Larry Ellison Software (Oracle)
14. Debbi Fields Cookies (Mrs. Fields)
15. Donald and Doris Fisher Clothing (Gap Inc.)
16. Ernest & Julio Gallo Wine
17. Bill Gates Software (Microsoft)
18. A. P. Giannini Banking (Bank of America)
19. Walt Goodridge Writer
20. Leo Goodwin Insurance (GEICO)
21. Barry Gordy Music (Motown Records)
22. Joyce Hall Greeting Cards (Hallmark)
23. William Randolph Hearst Publishing (Hearst Newspapers)
24. Richard A. Henson Airlines
25. Fernando Hernandez AT&T
26. Milton Hershey Chocolate
27. James J. Hill Railroads (Great Northern Railway)
28. Wayne Huizenga Sanitation (Waste Management)
29. Steve Jobs Computers (Apple)
30. Robert L. Johnson Broadcasting (BET)
31. John Johnson Publishing (Ebony)
32. Henry J. Kaiser Health Care (Kaiser Permanente)
33. Herb Kelleher Airlines (Southwest)
34. Ray Kroc Fast Food (McDonald’s)
35. Estee Lauder Cosmetics
36. William Levitt Housing
37. Henry Luce Publishing (Time/Life)
38. J. W. Marriott Hospitality
39. Louis B. Mayer Entertainment (MGM)
40. William McGowan Telecommunications (MCI)
41. Scott McNealy Computers (Sun Microsystems)
42. Judi Sheppard Missett Fitness (Jazzercise)
43. Gordon Moore Electronics (Intel)
44. Andrew Morrison Web Publishing
45. Rupert Murdoch Media
46. Pierre Omidyar Internet (Ebay)
47. David Packard Electronics (Hewlett-Packard)
48. William S. Paley Broadcasting (CBS)
49. Ross Perot Data Management (Electronic Data Systems)
50. Jay Pritzker Hospitality (Hyatt)
51. Ralph Roberts Cable TV (Comcast)
52. John D. Rockefeller Oil (Standard Oil)
53. Carlos Santana
54. David Sarnoff Broadcasting (NBC)
55. Howard Schultz Coffee (Starbucks)
56. Charles Schwab Discount Brokerage
57. Richard W. Sears Mail Order (Sears-Roebuck)
58. Russell Simmons Music (Def Jam Records)
59. Fred Smith Shipping (Federal Express)
60. Charles C. Spaulding Insurance
61. Gloria Steinem Publishing (Ms)
62. Martha Stewart Multimedia
63. Dave Thomas Fast Food (Wendy’s)
64. Donald Trump Real Estate
65. Ted Turner Broadcasting (CNN)
66. Madam C. J. Walker Hair Care
67. Sam Walton Discount Retail (Wal-Mart)
68. Thomas Watson, Sr. Computing (IBM)
69. Oprah Winfrey
70. You The Next Famous Entrepreneur...!!!!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Starting a Business
Once you've made the decision to become an entrepreneur, how do you get started?
Obtaining Business Licenses and Permits - The Paper Chase
You’ve made the decision to start your own business. But before you open your doors or make your first sale, you’ll need to make sure everything’s legal. This means obtaining the proper business licenses and permits. These vary by city, state and country, as well as according to the type of company you’re operating.
Calculating Startup Costs
You’re confident you’re sitting on the next million-dollar idea. Whether you’ve already secured funding or just trying to figure out what it will take to get started, an accurate estimate of start-up costs is necessary to reasonably predict financial performance in the first few quarters. Of course every business and every industry have different cost requirements, but these steps can help you start the number-crunching.
Choosing a Business to Start
The traditional approach to entrepreneurship is to research the market, identify a need, and create a business to fill it. In recent years, "Do what you love and the money will follow," has become increasingly popular. But there's an approach that combines the best of both.
How to Create a Great Business Name
A great name is the beginning of a great brand. It should be memorable and create a certain feeling when heard. Here's a quick how-to on creating one and making sure it's not already used.
Choosing a Location for Your Business: There's More to Consider Than Just Cost
There are many factors to consider in choosing the location for your business. You must consider whether your location is important to customers, employees, and even potential investors. Each of these groups has different concerns about the location: convenience, safety, prestige, traffic, and more. Get ready to make one of the most important decisions about your business.
Sole Proprietorship Not So Simple
So you want to go into business for yourself? Run your own show? Being a sole proprietor is the easiest way to get started in business, but there's still more to it than just getting business cards printed and sticking up a web page. You may not need a formal business plan, but this checklist will help you make sure you've at least given some thought to the many complexities that may arise.
Choose the Right CPA for Your Business
CPAs are more than just individuals who do your yearly taxes. They can advise you on a long list of other services, which may include advice on your accounting system, financial, retirement, estate and tax planning. Choose the right CPA to handle your finances so you can stay focused on your core competencies.
Passive Income: How to Earn More and Work Less
Do you want to continue working 60+ hours a week the rest of your life? Neither do I! Do you want to be able to take time off whenever you want to, without worrying about what's going to happen to your business? So do I! In order to do that, you're going to have to start creating income streams that do not require your direct involvement. Passive income will allow you to earn more and work less.
The Art of the Start
I recently attended a presentation by Guy Kawasaki on his book, "The Art of the Start". He's a very entertaining speaker - funny, irreverent, and above all, insightful. He built his presentation around his top ten tips for anyone starting anything - entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, non-profit ventures. I share them with you here, along with a few of his choice quips that you won't find in the book.
Pink Slips to Deposit Slips
Your Small Business Information Guide offers five tips for transitioning from unemployed to business owner.
Small Business Startup Kit
This extensive guide to starting a business covers everything from the ups and downs of the entrepreneurial lifestyle to business plans and financing. Being from the Small Business Administration, there's extensive information here on relevant government regulations and SBA assistance programs.
Starting Your Startup
17 advisers, founders, and professional managers, all of whom have made startups work, share some tools, tips, and tactics.
Startup Checklist
First in a six-part series on the steps you need to cover in starting a business.
A 20-Point Checklist for New Home Businesses
Angela Wu provides a checklist designed for people looking to create a home-based business on the Web, but it's applicable for all home-based businesses.
Choosing Your Business Name
Second in the series of steps you need to cover in starting a business, this feature discusses the importance of establishing a strong brand and shares some pointers on picking the right one.
Choosing a Business Name
Learn how to pick a winning name for your business, make sure your proposed business name is available, and properly register your business name and web domains.
The Legal Requirements for Starting a Business
Third in the series of steps you need to cover in starting a business, this article explores the legal requirements for establishing your business.
Setting up Financial and Recordkeeping Systems
The fourth installment in the series covers the financial and other recordkeeping systems you need for your new business.
Risk Management Strategies for Your Startup
Startup Checklist Series Part 5 covers obtaining insurance and other risk planning for your protection.
Opening Your Doors for Business
Sixth and final in the series of steps you need to cover in starting a business. This article covers the motivation, organization, and time management skills to help you gain momentum once you're really in business.
Startup Entrepreneurs Can Get Investors if They Avoid Traps
Consultant and coach David Ronick's new book Hit the Deck offers startup entrepreneurs critical advice on how to get their company off the ground and secure financing.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Common Characteristics Of The Best Entrepreneurs
You’ve heard it said that certain careers require certain attitudes to succeed in. Policemen must possess good physical fitness and courage in the face of danger. Graphic designers must be creative, original thinkers with an artistic mind. Entrepreneurs, too, share several common characteristics that those those who hope to achieve success in the field should strive to emulate. Today we explore seven crucial characteristics of the best entrepreneurs that anyone thinking about starting a business ought to consider.
Perseverance
In the business world, problems and complications are a part of every day life. Especially in the early days of a company, entrepreneurs can be said to be climbing a wall of opposition as they struggle to manage the many goals, tasks and constantly evolving problems of the new organization. Furthermore, many entrepreneurs fail many times when trying to start a small business, and the ones who succeed are the ones who can persevere through failure and try again. Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, was publicly thrown out of his own company at age thirty. Fighting thoughts of suicide, Jobs regained his composure and went on to found two other very successful companies, NeXt andPixar. Later, Jobs was recruited to come back to apple and rescue the company from the brink of extinction. His efforts demonstrate perseverance in entrepreneurship better than perhaps any other.
Task Management
The ability to see an end goal, break it down into many tasks, and see those tasks through to completion is a crucial skill of successful entrepreneurs. This skill is one many of us learned in high school and college. When you had a big research paper due, you knew you had to research the topic, find time to write the paper, compile a bibliography, proof read it, and turn it in on time, all the while also working a job and managing work from other classes.
Similarly, you may come into your office one day to find that not only must you prepare a presentation for a big name contract, but must also move everything out of the main office in preparation for a new hardwood floor installation, while also making sure that the design guys finish their website template on time. Rarely will these things work out without any issue, and that is when you must manage the tasks and figure out how to make them all happen.
Courage
It is typical for many people to discourage you in the early days of your new project. This can be even more painful when your first few projects either fail or achieve very little success. Disparaging remarks can be hurtful to the morale of a new entrepreneur trying to get his or her new project off the ground. It is then that you must possess the courage to tune out those who do not share your vision, ignoring the nay-sayers and pressing forward on nothing more than the strength of your own determination.
It takes true courage to reject social pressure and to try to build something truly outstanding, but this is a trait that all successful entrepreneurs must have in order to survive in the business world. When Larry Paige and Sergey Brin were beginning work onGoogle, they made the decision to max out their credit card and drain their bank accounts in order to fund the nascent project. Such a decision surely must have attracted some negativity from peers and family, but the two showed true courage in seeing the project through to the billion dollar empire it is today.
Social Skills
Rare is the entrepreneur who achieves huge success completely on his own. Even Andrey Ternovskiy, the 17 year old founder of the wildly popular yet incredibly simple ChatRoulette website had to take investment money from his family to get the project rolling. Whether you need help with design, programming, finance, or investment, if you plan on going into business, you must possess the ability to approach other people and convince them of the worth of your idea. More than just a friendly attitude, you must somehow find a way to bend their vision to match your own so that they come to see the brilliance of you work in the same way you do. This is by no means an easy skill to master, but it is one that will help you greatly as you struggle to put your new company together.
Negotiation Skills
There is a saying among business savvy people that “everything is negotiable.” While this might not be exactly true, it does illustrate that most people in business will try to negotiate with you as you strive to put deals together. Unless you possess solid negotiation skills, you might end up getting the short end of the stick. For example, if you hope to put together a deal where a skilled programmer works on your project without pay in exchange for equity, you might only want to give up 5%, but he may be thinking more along the lines of 15%. Unless you possess a strong will and an ability to negotiate in a time of need, you’ll end up giving away more of the company than you had hoped.
Internal Motivation
A key difference between running a business and working a job is that no one will be pressuring you to complete your tasks when you run your own business. Instead, you must be completely self-motivated to do everything it takes to get the work done. In the beginning, you may be working a day job or attending college classes at the same time. This means that after taking care of the work owe to those obligations, you must still find enough energy and determination to sit down and put in long hours for your business.
If you are the sort of person who needs a boss hawking over their shoulder in order to remain on task, or feels that you work best inside the known structure of a job, entrepreneurship will not be an easy life path for you. When Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg began work on the project, he was attending classes at the prestigious Harvard University. By finding the drive to not only juggle demanding course work but also to develop a groundbreaking social platform, Zuckerburg demonstrated rock solid internal motivation.
Opportunism
Sometimes the best ideas are ones that are already showing huge success. As an example, when Jack Dorsey launchedTwitter in 2007, Facebook’s status feature was already in use and gaining popularity. No doubt seeing the opportunity in the feature, Dorsey and his team made it the central feature of Twitter. This little social web application has skyrocketed in popularity, being regularly used by web surfers, celebrities, and even companies for marketing purposes. Twitter was recently valued at $1 billion after raising close to $100 million in venture funding. The lesson to be learned is clear: if you give the public what it wants, you stand a great shot at success.
Entrepreneur- A quick outlook
Entrepreneur, translated from its French roots, means "one who undertakes." The term is used to refer to anyone who undertakes the organization and management of an enterprise involving independence and risk as well as the opportunity for profit.
An entrepreneur, typically, is inspired to start a business because the entrepreneur perceives a consumer need that is not being adequately filled. This area of need - sometimes called an "opportunity niche" - can usually be expressed as a problem statement, such as "There is no online resource offering support for failed Web-based entrepreneurs." In fact, that statement was the basis for a new Web business startup recently.
Online business start-ups have continued to increase exponentially since the inception of the World Wide Web. Wireless communications and business-to-business services are two of the most rapidly developing areas of opportunity for entrepreneurs.
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