Company Of One With Dale Callahan

The other day I had four projects coming up. I sat there in indecision not knowing what to work on. Which one to do first? What was the next step? It felt like 5 minutes that I just stared at all things in front of me. I was suffering from overwhelm. As I tried to figure out what to do, I realized each project had its own challenges. Each one of them seemed to have an unknown set of things that I needed to do. I took some quick actions using a tool I have used many times before - and found my way out. Today, I will share this fix with you. [Tweet "Being overwhelmed is about emotions - not time. #overwhelmed "] The 15 Minute Fix for Overwhelm As I have been focusing on 15-minute fixes in the last few weeks, I have found it odd how many times 15-minute activities have really become part of my own breakthroughs. As I sat overwhelmed, I remembered the 15-minute trick a friend had taught me long before. Step 1 - Recognize it is emotional Overwhelm is an emotional state. It is not brought on by external t

Have a stack of "to be read" books and magazines lying around? (My son, Daniel, labels his "to be read" TBR.) Want to get those reports at work read faster? A few years ago I got into reading faster. I will not call it speed reading because that conjures up images of those weird speed reading exercises when I was in grade school and I start to hyperventilate. (Have I mentioned - I HATED school?) My method has been more of a speed skim, but it worked for me. Yet, the other day I came across a speed reading course online and bought it. I have found it easy to do and very useful - so I wanted to share at least some of what I have learned. [Tweet "You can easily read 1 book a week in 2018 with a speed process. Challenge? #52in18"] The course ...Speed Reading Foundation Course by Iris. Yes - I am an affiliate, but for a few bucks I found it to be awesome.  (It is on sale for $99). The course covers all kinds of strategies for reading non-fiction, magazines, newspapers, email, blogs, and even fiction - which i

Decisions. We have to make them over 1000 times per day as we decide what to do next.  Too often we are consumed by meetings, email, and other items so we forget what is key. Last week I talked through my email management method I use to get to inbox zero - so this week I want to share how I use my TIGER TIME with Google Calendar. [Tweet "Work in the mornings: afternoons = brain mush = nothing gets done #TigerTime"] Tiger Time Amy Porterfield calls her mornings Tiger Time where she focuses on the most important work and she protects that time like a tiger. I have been doing something similar for years, but when I heard her use "tiger time" it just resonated with me - so I went with it. (Also I am not creative enough to make us a cool sounding name;) For me, it is not that I intensely protect it as much as it is me having the aggressiveness and fierceness of a tiger during that time to get stuff done before my brain turns to mush in the afternoon. For me afternoons = brain mush = nothing gets done Thi

I want to share something that has really changed the game for me - that is operating from INBOX ZERO. Specifically, I am going to be talking about how to get to inbox zero with gmail, but most of the same principles apply to other email systems such as Outlook, Apple Mail, etc. Gmail - Filters and Tabs One of the reasons I converted to Gmail was their excellent spam filter. My life was consumed by SPAM before Gmail. Now, not only does my Spam go to the right place - but training your Gmail takes very little effort. Simply marking items spam, or not spam, helps move me in the right direction. Most mail systems have some filtering or rules you can set - so I will not harp on these here. The fact it - most filters and rules do not help you process your email - but instead only help you put it in the right stack. The key to Inbox Zero is not in filtering your email, but it is about having a process for your email. [Tweet "The key to inbox zero is not filters, it is the process. #InboxZero"] Key Principle

One thing we all have in common is that we all want to learn how to finally get things done. No matter position, title, or role - we never have enough time to really get the big items done. I can claim no particular expertise or success here. I struggle just like you. But, I have found some things that work for me. Here is my method on how to finally get things done. How to Finally Get Things Done (well what works for me) [Tweet "Get things done - make sure you set appointments for what you want to happen.  #Productivity"] Step 1 - Have Solid Goals I do not always use the SMART goals  (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time Bound) - yet I do make sure my goals are mine and make sense to me. I use 3-month goals I break down into my areas of focus. Mine are Faith Self Family Work - University Work - Company Home Investments Fun Each area will have 3 goals for the term.   Step 2 - Plan Your Week Before it Starts Do at the end of the last week. I do my weekly planning on Frida

Recently I was encouraging a client to get busy moving her product. After about 20 minutes she told me she just needed to learn how to overcome the fear of selling. Bingo - that was the issue. The fear was pushing her to do all kinds of work on the business - none of them making money or serving customers. Until that point, she had sounded 120% confident in her product and her plan and I thought she was going gangbusters. Yet, at this moment of honesty, she told me she had yet to sell anything and was actually afraid of selling. Overcome the Fear of Selling for Good [Tweet "Overcome the fear of selling by focusing on serving  #FearofSelling"] Some "quick" fixes to overcome the fear of selling and the resulting resistance to your business growth. Believe Be honest - do you think what you are selling will help people? Most people trying to overcome the fear of selling will admit they just do not believe what they are selling with help their clients.  This is critical. If you work for a company and you do not

Do you have an entrepreneurial mindset? No, it does not matter if you work for a large company or own your own company. An entrepreneurial mindset will help you enjoy your work, be more successful on the job, and make more money. Does that sound like things you would like? Here I will share some very simple ideas that will help you begin to change the game and teach you to move from an employee to an owner. [Tweet "The difference between an employee and an entrepreneur is ownership. #ThinkLikeAnEntrepreneur"] Ownership. That is the main difference between an employee and an entrepreneur. We are all entrepreneurs - earning a living in exchange for the services we provide. So whoever pays you, you are an entrepreneur - you own your career and you own your Company of One. In fact, acting like an employee is a bit like acting as a slave, you just do as they say with little thought of your own. Almost every company wants their employees or team members to think like an entrepreneur - having that entrepreneu

So you have a business and it is making money. But you are asking "How Much Should I Pay Myself?" And related are the questions of a) how much you should invest back into the business and b) how much you should save for taxes. While every business is a little different, I will share some basic principles that are easy to manage and do and will keep you motivated to keep going. [Tweet "Business owners should take 50% of the revenue #Payday #smallbusiness @MikeMichalowicz"] In Profit First: A Simple System to Transform Any Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine Mike Michalowicz provides a basic plan for handling the money your business makes - including a formula that answers that question "How much should I pay myself?". Two VERY common problems we see in small business finances: The business owner pockets all of the income and then does not have money for taxes at the end of the year. The business owner uses all of the money to grow the business and never sees any of the rewar

If you are leading people for the first time you are likely a bit intimidated - and maybe a little excited. Leadership has this mysterious nature to it. Yet, when we step back we realize leadership is really about helping people help you to reach a goal. You are now part of a team and they need you to point the direction. How do you do that? I will share some basic leadership principles, as well as, some specific actions to improve your leadership. [Tweet "First time leaders remember - communication is huge in leading others. #leadership #newboss"] Key Leadership Principles Leadership is a moving target. If you are leading people for the first time or have been leading for years, the principles are all the same. Attitude Be positive, optimistic, and realistic. Attitude is very contagious. Service  You are now serving both your leader and those you lead Communication You must be clear about what you want and willing to listen. Team Drop the "I" word excepting when taking blame or responsibility. Th

Mastermind groups have become wildly popular with business leaders and entrepreneurs. Yet, many mastermind groups are facing leadership challenges and as a result these groups are less functional - if not a complete waste of time. For the past 5-6 years I have been coaching mastermind teams and have seen many of these challenges played out in front of me. Some have been fixable - others not. So today I want to share some key ways to overcome leadership challenges in mastermind groups. [Tweet "Leadership hinges on good communication #leadership #mastermindgroup"]   Common Leadership Challenges in Mastermind Groups Mastermind groups operating as coaching groups Mastermind groups are not the same as a group coaching sessions - nor should they be. They are equal partners sharing. Common signs you have a coaching group pretending to be a mastermind group: The leader is always talking and has an answer for everything. You feel like the leader is offering the same advice to everyone - you all are in the

Need a business license? One of the first places we stop when getting started is the business license. But, what kind of licenses do you need? Where do you go to get them? Today I will deal with these and other related questions to help you get your business out of bureaucracy mode. [Tweet "Having a license does not make you a business ... revenue does #entrepreneur #businesslicense"] Business licenses are a tax and not directly related to your legal structure (sole proprietorship, C-corp, S-corp, LLC, etc). Note - This is not legal advice, but common sense views from those who have been in the trenches. General Rules of thumb about Business Licenses Solopreneurs rarely need them Creatives rarely need them Home based businesses rarely need them Often when you first start you can get away without them. When DO you need a business license before you start? If you fall into one of the following, you need to check out licenses before you get started. Regulated services such as a day care, plumb

We all have time to start a side business. I know that because I see the busiest people start new businesses daily. Sure, they may not all grow as fast as a company with a full-time staff, but they do grow and prosper. Carving out time from a busy home and work life to get a company going is about using our time wisely and staying focused on the next action. In this episode, I will share some of the common hacks that allowed busy people to start and succeed. Yes, You Can Find Time to Start a Side Business [Tweet "Finding time to start a side business starts with taking control of your time. #entrepreneur"] Today I go over some basic steps to help you find time to start a side business. These steps will take you about 2 weeks to do, but well worth it. In the end, you will have a lot of clarity and focus. Step 1 - Get control of your day job  Most of us waste a lot of time at work. Working 50+ hours per week, we are rarely productive for more than 20 of those hours. Recently, I had a highly productive man

Do you feel guilty about  making money? Most people starting or growing a business struggle with this feeling of guilt. This guilt feeling comes from wanting to help others in need mixed with a lack of confidence. The result is that volunteer our time with a ministry mindset. After all - we want to help people. But this feeling of guilt about making money not only keeps us from developing a business, it also keeps us from serving others to our full potential. How to Stop Feeling Guilty About Making Money [Tweet "When people pay you , they are saying thank you with dollars. #entrepreneur #startup"] Today we will deal with that guilt When You Encounter the Guilt Doing your own R&D Buying encounters The Guilt Messages Expectations Game Zero Sum Game Thinking How to Replace the Guilt and Serve Question to think about What have you gotten for free that you value? Join and listen how to NOT Feel Guilty About Making Money.  Links mentioned in this episode: Thou Shall Prosper: Ten Commandmen

Want to find ideas to start your own business? Like me, most of you struggle with how to find ideas to start your own business. Finding ideas sounds so simple.  After all, we have tons of business ideas - that is until it becomes real and we start to act. It is when we are ready to start that indecision and a lack of clarity begins to haunt us. We are often left frustrated thinking we have no real ideas. But, there is hope. Let's start by looking at the problem in another way. Instead of looking for a business idea, consider you are a business that is in the Research and Development phase. So now, as chief of Research and Development (R&D), finding the idea IS doing your job. Five Tricks to Help You Find Ideas to Start Your Own Business (Your R&D) [Tweet "Become your own chief of R&D to find ideas for your own business. #entrepreneur"] Keep a Small Notebook with You. I use a Moleskine, but some use Simple Note or Evernote.  Change your environment weekly (daily if you can) Get out of the Corporate Lob

How Much Money Do You Need to Start a Business? The typical thinking is that $100,000 is needed to start a business. But in reality, the typical startup spends significantly less. In this episode we will explore ideas to get your business started with little or no investment. Money Plan to Start a Business [Tweet "It costs less than $10k to start a business. #entrepreneur #startupcost"] No one ever really asks "How Much Money Do You Need to Start a Business?" - instead they just assume that is it some figure such as $100,000. Define why you need money Equipment and tools Pay yourself and your team Marketing How to do it on the cheap - Equipment Rent or borrow Use what you have already and add as needed Team Building Hire on a project by project basis Do not quit your day job yet Manage the cash flow Marketing Be OK with growing slow Engage current or previous customers for referrals Use sweat equity Avoid the two lies of business startups You have to invest in things to grow Debt is normal Lis

There are four obstacles keeping you from starting your own business. In all my coaching of business startups, these four continue to show up keeping would be business owners from starting their own business. Today I will examine the fours issues - and in the next few weeks I will provide you with the common steps I have seen work for others - as well as for me - to get past these obstacles. [Tweet "Winning is finding the obstacles in your way and then how to overcome them. #entrepreneur #obstacles"] While other issues are often talked about - fear of the unknown, insecurity, financial situation, and family conflicts - I find the ones that show their ugly head are really about how we think about business. Thee Four Posts To Help with the Details I do not have enough money to start I have no idea about what to do I cannot charge for that I do not have any time In this podcast we address these subjects and attempt to debunk them. But, in the next few weeks I will give you practical plans to liter

Today I cover the four steps in starting a business. But, I am excited to be sharing these steps along with Debra Mastic - who took these steps to create her business and leave her day job in just a few months time. This is so critical. So many times we listen to people tell us how to do things - but we doubt it will work for us. Debra doubted too, but she acted. She joined up for our business coaching and followed the steps even when she doubted. Today Debra has a  thriving business called Virtual Resume Coach. The Right Steps in Starting a Business  (listen to the podcast for details about how Debra Mastic did these) 1. Discover Your Passion Before You Start a Business - No one wants to buy from someone who does not put their heart into what they do. 2. Define and Engage Your Ideal Customer 3. Create Products or Services for Your Business - Now that you have customers and have talked to them, listened, and used your experience, make an offer to SERVE them. 4. Create a Business Structure and Processes

Do you need another degree to start a new career? Most of the time we assume the answer is yes - of course. As a result, colleges are making a fortune from career changers. (Which is good for us!) But before you jump in and sign up for a new degree program or new training, you need to look closely to get the facts. Here, I will help you do just that! Photo by Joshua Earle is licensed under CC BY 2.0  Click to Listen Do I need another degree to change careers? Even as a university faculty, I rarely get people asking me this question. In fact, I find few people ask anything. They assume. They show up at a meeting asking all the wrong questions such as: Would an MBA or Engineering Management be better to get a new job? Which degree will help me get promoted? What degrees are companies hiring more? Should I get a masters or another undergraduate degree? How do I get another degree faster? Which degree is best for getting into ....? Many variations. It is AWESOME. Think about it - when they show up at th

How can you go about finding your path and doing what you love? Perhaps it is not by working harder, but instead you should do what you love even if you see no path to money. In 18 Minutes  author Peter Bregman explains that we often find something new when we stop looking so hard. Think about it. Do you know someone who wanted to get married, but only found a spouse when they gave up? What about that guy looking for the perfect job who spent hours per day looking and only found the job when he relaxed? We often find the result we are looking for when we stop pushing for the what and enjoy the now. What am I saying? Stop trying so hard. Have fun. Do what you love even if you see no path to money. Today I will interview the person who found his path by just doing what he loved. Something I love - My Reading List Click to Listen Finding your path and doing what you love I met Jeff Brown at a conference. He is a fellow podcaster who does Read to Lead. In this interview you will hear his story of getting fired,

Lean Startup is a term I hear often. Recently, I was asked to talk about Lean Startups to a corporate group, followed by being asked to speak to a high school class on the same subject. So I wanted to share with you. Lean startups is about about starting or growing a company without going broke. It is a process for entrepreneurship. Image is by Stephen Radford (modified) is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Click to Listen Video Validating Your Business Idea - Quick Notes from the Podcast The myth and reality of entrepreneurship – Life in a Van down by the river. What is a minimally viable product (MVP) and why does it matter? Why we need an MVP and the resistance! How to use the Lean process to get to the MVP. Our own examples of being in scope creep mode and how we got out. No matter how much you plan, you will be wrong. How to size your startup by determining the potential revenue. [Tweet "Starting Lean helps you avoid entrepreneurial scope creep. #entrepreneurship"] Resources (Some of my favor