A Practical, Inspirational, and Innovative Guide to Becoming Successful

The Affluent Entrepreneur by Patrick Snow more than lives up to its title in multiple ways. While "affluent" is generally used to mean "wealthy" in terms of money, Snow expands that title by showing how all aspects of our lives can be affluent when we follow our passions, remain focused upon our families, and use practical steps to create businesses that will provide us with the money, security, and happiness we need to thrive in life. Snow also quotes the Bible to make it clear there is nothing wrong with being prosperous, and we should not let self-limiting beliefs hold us back from making the world a better place-in fact, true Affluent Entrepreneurs not only enjoy their success but share their prosperity with others through giving both time and money and by setting an example of hope for others.

Snow breaks down his book into "20 Proven Principles for Achieving Prosperity" and those principles are definitely proven. There is not a bad principle in the list. Just a few of the principles include "Building Income Security," "Participating in Mastermind Groups," "Getting Your Family's Support," and "Developing a 'No Matter What' Mentality." While many of these principles are basic common sense, or they have been discussed in other books, what is so valuable about The Affluent Entrepreneur is that Patrick Snow is a creative genius when it comes to being an entrepreneur. He takes these principles and provides personal and creative examples of how to use each principle to achieve prosperity and success. I've read many other self-help and business books, but Snow's presentation and stories of how he achieved success often kept me on the edge of my seat and ready to cheer for him, whether he was landing a publishing contract or being hired as a public speaker for a major corporation's annual conference.

An added benefit of The Affluent Entrepreneur is that Patrick Snow does not only tell his story, but he provides in each chapter the profile of another Affluent Entrepreneur who successfully, through hard work, determination, and creativity, not only made millions or even billions of dollars, but also revolutionized his or her industry. Examples range from nineteenth century legends like Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller, to twentieth century legends like Henry Ford and Sam Walton, and to people today living the lives of Affluent Entrepreneurs including Oprah Winfrey, Martha Stewart, Donald Trump, and Ralph Lauren. With the examples of these twenty Affluent Entrepreneurs and Patrick Snow included, any reader will be sure to find the information necessary to achieve all his or her dreams of prosperity-because the Affluent Entrepreneur of the title is, after all, not Patrick Snow but the reader.

Finally, I wish to testify here that I myself have Patrick Snow to thank for leading me down the road to becoming an Affluent Entrepreneur. I first met Patrick Snow in April 2007. After spending just one evening together, we came up with a business plan that resulted in my starting my own business as an independent book reviewer, freelance editor, proofreader, and writer, which ultimately became Superior Book Promotions. Within a month, I was working for myself while still keeping my day job. By January 2009, I had created such a demand for my services that I made the frightening, risky decision to quit my job and work full-time doing the work I love to do and being my own boss.

Since that time, my annual income has more than surpassed what I earned at my day job. I am my own boss, set my own hours, love my work, and best of all, I am helping other people succeed in their dreams to become published authors. I like to think I would have gone down this path regardless, but meeting Patrick Snow kick-started me in the right direction by making me realize it was time I got a return on my investment of hard work and higher education. And it should be noted that I accomplished this goal despite the United States being in its worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

I am a living example that Patrick Snow can teach you how to build a business that is recession-proof because it is your own and your vision is the guiding force behind it. It is not an exaggeration to say that Patrick Snow has been one of the most important influences in my life, and I am confident that multitudes of his readers-many of whom have already learned to follow their dreams from reading his first book, the international bestseller Creating Your Own Destiny-with dedication and the courage to apply the principles he teaches in The Affluent Entrepreneur, are bound to become equally impressive success stories.

The most inspiring and practical business book I've read since The Four-Hour Work Week, Patrick Snow's The Affluent Entrepreneur is filled with stories to make you laugh-and Patrick Snow isn't above laughing at himself-but after the laughter fades, you will be left with shrewd advice that will keep the brains in your head spinning until you succeed in becoming the Affluent Entrepreneur and living the affluent lifestyle you deserve.

Tyler R. Tichelaar holds a Bachelor's and Master's Degree from Northern Michigan University and a Ph.D. from Western Michigan University. His family's long relationship with Upper Michigan and his avid interest in genealogy inspired Dr. Tichelaar to write his Marquette Trilogy: Iron Pioneers, The Queen City, and Superior Heritage. Dr. Tichelaar is also a professional book reviewer and editor. For more information about Tyler R. Tichelaar, his writing, and his author services, visit:

http://www.marquettefiction.com/

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A Practical Guide to Starting a Successful Personal History Business

Jennifer Campbell was one of five women profiled in the February, 2011 issue of More magazine as an entrepreneur who started her business for only $150.00. As a collector of women's success stories, I was immediately intrigued and decided to investigate how she had done this. My research was pretty easy because Campbell had written a book about her undertaking called "Start & Run A Personal History Business - Get Paid to Research Family Ancestry and Write Memoirs".

I ordered the book through Amazon and sat back to wait for its arrival. Less than 10 days later, I held her book in my hands.

Campbell explains. " This is a 'hot' profession: a young industry with vast potential for income and growth. When I started Heritage Memoirs in 2002, I just wanted a creative outlet for my interviewing, writing, and editing skills. Through my father's death and my mother's dementia, I had lost my own family stories and thought there could possibly be a business helping other people avoid that loss." (page 2)

And, as her fledgling business grew, it became obvious to Campbell that the next step was to write a how-to book that covered every aspect of start up for a memoir writing business.

An unexpected bonus is the CD-ROM included on the inside back cover of the book that includes additional resources and templates you can download. Think of this book as your own personal workbook. Each page has lots of white space for note taking.

Chapter one lays the foundation by defining what a personal historian is and does and then broadening the scope of the profession by describing the "why" of this business. This chapter, like all of the others, is clearly arranged with sub-topics and bullet points for easy reading.

One of the features of the book that I like is the quiz Campbell includes on page 13. She lists 25 characteristics that she believes someone should have if they are considering becoming a personal historian. Should you come up on the short end of this list, rather than discourage you from moving forward, Campbell suggests that you simply "...start planning to work on those areas you identified as ones in which you need help." (page 13)

Chapters 3 - 5

As I read further, I found myself thinking that Campbell's book should be required reading for everyone who has ever thought about having a home-based business.

Why? Everything that she covers in these three chapters can be easily applied to any new start up business.

Campbell examines what makes for any good business owner. She distinguishes between two personality types: someone who she describes as a "pair of hands" (page 18) versus that dynamic individual who wants to control their professional/financial destiny - an entrepreneurial spirit.

What is it that separates these two types? "It's mainly one of attitude." (page 18) Some of us know this as the difference between being an employee and being an owner. The former are content to go to their job every day, following the directions of someone else. Their job has a beginning and an end to it.

The owner is someone who has a "...vision of what the business could be in a year or two or five, and they accept that they'll have to do a lot of grunt work and learn all aspects of running a business. They tend to be leaders. They have enough confidence in their abilities and their products to patiently but assertively build a clientele, and carve out a lucrative niche for themselves in the marketplace." (page 18)

Knowing which category you fit can go a long way to helping you be successful. There are happy, productive employees and there are happy, productive business owners. Taking time to figure out which category you want to fit into can save a lot of heartache.

Chapters 6 - 16

The day-to-day action steps, to-do lists, and practical applications for how to get started as a personal historian are clearly laid out in the rest of this book. Campbell leaves no stone unturned as she walks you through start up. If you're researching possible business opportunities for yourself and think that helping people to write their memoirs might be something you'd like to do, you will find no better road map for success than this book.

Kathy H Porter (aka Mrs BizWhiz) blogs about baby boomer women seeking to re-invent themselves either personally or professionally. She invites you to visit: http://www.mrsbizwhizconnects.com/ to join the conversation.

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Rental Houses for the Successful Small Investor

If you've ever considered becoming a landlord or investing in real estate as a means to build your nest egg you'll want to pick up a copy of Suzanne P. Thomas' book: Rental Houses for the Successful Small Investor. When good quality single family homes are going for bargain prices in many parts of the country now may be just the time to consider adding these properties to your portfolio. If you want advice from someone who has successfully invested in houses as a means of building wealth this is the book for you.

Thomas bought her first rental house at the age of twenty-three and was able to semi-retire less than ten years later. She shares what she's learned in this very detailed guide. This is no get rich quick book -- it's a serious, thorough discussion of the many things you need to think about when adding landlord to your job description.

Wondering how the finances of buying rental properties work? You'll get your answers here in chapters about the financial aspects of buying and owning houses to rent. Thomas has included sections on how to calculate rates of return, how depreciation works, what tax savings are possible, how to account for project maintenance costs and much more. She walks you through the calculations that you'll use when you're trying to determine how profitable a particular property will be. By the time you're done with these chapters you'll be armed with the knowledge you need to find the right place in your price range.

There are so many factors to consider when you're searching for the right home to buy as an investment. This book will give you a framework to use in selecting just the right house. Thomas acknowledges that some types of properties work better for certain buyers. Some people will be up for the particular challenges of fixer-uppers. Others with more money than time may choose to only look at new homes. There's even a quick calculation to decide between one home over another.

Once you find the right home you'll need to think about mortgage loans unless you're prepared to pay cash. The author writes at length about financing options for rental properties. She devotes an entire chapter to adjustable rate mortgages, her favorite, and covers the ins and outs of this product in depth. Thomas' method is to prepay her adjustable rate mortgages by adding an extra amount towards principal each month. She also touches on many other aspects of borrowing and types of loan products including portfolio lenders, the secondary loan market, bi-weekly mortgage payments, one hundred percent financing, construction loans and more.

After you've bought your rental house your next goal is to find tenants. Thomas shares her experiences as a landlord and thoughts on who makes a good tenant and how to find them. Where should you advertise for tenants? How should you check for references? Should you allow pets? What about smokers? When are the best months to rent an apartment? Who pays for insurance? Do you need to hire a property manager? What terms and conditions should you include in your lease? Who is responsible for maintenance? You'll find answers to all these questions and more.

The buying and selling of rental properties has special tax treatment under current tax laws. There's a chapter on 1031Tax Deferred Exchanges when an investor is selling one investment property and buying another. It's a complicated topic but with this overview you'll be well on your way to understanding how a 1031 Exchange may save you money on your next transaction.

With low interest rates and plenty of inexpensive houses for sale this is an excellent time to invest in rental houses. Before you do you'll want to read this book from cover to cover.

Elizabeth Bolton is a Cambridge real estate agent helping sellers and buyers of rental properties, condos and single family homes in Cambridge.

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The Seven Secrets of a Successful Business Pitch

Paul Boross' new book, The Pitching Bible has recently been released, and he has kindly given us a taster of his Seven Secrets of a Successful Business Pitch.

Secret 1: It's All About Them

Apparently, a fear of public speaking is one of the most common problems in the world of business. According to one survey, people fear it more than death.

There are many, many techniques that you can learn to overcome any fear of presenting, but don't need any of them. You just need to master the first secret.

Think about the worst presentation you have ever seen, did you find that the presenter just read from the slides, didn't interact with the audience and droned on even though no-one was listening? Did the presenter appear 'self conscious'?

All of these problems arise from the same source, and the first and most fundamental mistake that people make when pitching is that they focus on themselves instead of on the audience.

Secret 2: By The Time You Start, It's Already Too Late

When does the pitch start?

Most people say that the pitch starts when you show the first slide, when you stand up to speak, or even when the audience walks into the room.

These are all wrong. The pitch starts the moment the audience buys the ticket; the moment that the audience first commit to listening to your pitch. That is the point at which their expectations start to form, and that is the point from which you must be able to influence them.

Secret 3: Steady, Ready, Pitch!

The audience has to be ready to listen before you start speaking. Get their attention and get into rapport with them, but avoid ice breakers, because they actually distract from the topic of your pitch and break rapport. Pausing before you begin is a sign of control, so take all the time you need. After all, it's your pitch!

Secret 4: Dream The Dream

Your pitch, your idea, was created in a dream world. In order for that dream to become a reality, you need to draw the audience into that dream.

Drawing the audience into your dream with rich, vivid, emotional, sensory language allows you to convey far more than you ever could describe in facts, figures and 'benefits'. Bring your pitch to life and let your words carry the sights, sounds, feelings, tastes and smells of success.

Secret 5: Mind Your Language

While 93% of your message may be conveyed non-verbally, there is no doubt that your language conveys the raw information that your audience needs to make a decision.

For example, traditional sales training advocated selling benefits rather than features. A nice idea in principle, but let down by poor execution.

The traditional "feature means benefit" is the wrong way round. By the time you're half way through describing the feature, the audience is already thinking about the benefit. Otherwise they have no interest in it whatsoever. When you finally get round to the benefit, it will be different to what they had in mind. Even the most subtle difference will break rapport. Do that enough times and you've lost the connection altogether.

Try "benefit because feature" instead, and you'll win more pitches because The Pitching Bible gives you everything you need.

Secret 6: Say It Again, Sam

No doubt you have heard the old presenter's adage, "Tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, then tell them again". Get your message across in as many different ways that you can, and realise all of the different communication channels that you're not using; the way you dress, the way you walk into the room, what you say in the invitation email all communicate your intention, and when all of those factors are aligned, you multiply the power of your message.

Secret 7: The End... Or Is It?

Every rock star understands the importance of an encore. It's the thing that most concert-goers rave about. Some performers make the audience wait for up to an hour before being reluctantly coaxed back onto the stage for one more song.. or two.. or ten.

I wouldn't expect your audience to be shouting "More!" at the end of your pitch, but they will certainly be feeling it.

What's the encore to your pitch? Do you send a DVD with the video highlights? A 'Best Of' compilation CD? A thank you card? As an absolute minimum, you must send a follow up letter.

The Pitching Bible by Paul Boross is available from all good bookshops. Published by CGW Publishing, ISBN 978-0-9565358-2-5, the book is priced at ?14.99.

CGW Publishing is an independent publisher specialising in business and non-fiction books for authors who want to build a service business around their intellectual property. We work with a wide range of expert business authors, and we work with selected creative authors too.

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Successful Selling Solutions

Some businesses thrive better than others not because they produce better products or services but because they sell more than others through unique sales strategies. It is not out of place therefore to X-ray this text christened "Successful Selling Solutions".

It is written by Julian Clay, a management consultant that specialises in selling techniques. After a successful career with Kodak, Clay developed his own consultancy, and his clients include the James McNaughton Group, ICI, Racal, Gillette and Novartis. He is the co-author of "The Sales Manager's Desktop Guide".

Clay says what would you not give for the expertise of your own coach who followed each stage of your sales campaigns, unlocked problems whenever you got stuck and ensured that you got from almost there to actually making the sale? He adds that this text gives you the equivalent, using self-assessment models which he has developed over many years with major international clients.

Clay assures that the text will show you how to track your progress in your sales campaigns as well as how to identify where you may be going wrong and how to build a successful sales path of development.

According to this author, unlike many books that simply list prescribed techniques and leave readers to interpret them, "Successful Selling Solutions" is different in that it offers clear, practical advice on every aspect of making a sale.

Clay says this text is aimed at people who have begun a career in sales as well as those that want to refresh themselves on some of the main issues. By developing a sale well, you stand a better chance of gaining genuine commitment and maintaining good profit margins, reflects this author. Clay adds that it will also help middle and senior managers to have a better understanding of the sales process. Clay stresses that although each reader's market and level of experience will be different, many of the disciplines will be the same.

This text contains ten chapters. Chapter one is entitled "Preparation and sales development". According to this consultant here, before you begin selling to any target account, it is worth preparing yourself. This can involve knowing something about your market, your products and those of your competitors, educates Clay.

He says by doing this, you will find it easier to manage each stage of a sale correctly. "This can be made easier by having sales models in place to help you develop a sale well...Knowing your products and services well, how they compare with your competitors and their strengths and weakness, is part of the preparation process," stresses the author.

Clay says as you target new and existing accounts, the two key areas in which you should continually update yourself are the strengths and weaknesses of your company and the products/services you sell; and your competitors and products/services they sell. He educates that this knowledge will gain you credibility in the eyes of a buyer and give you confidence that you are offering the right solution when you get a requirement.

Clay explains that another way of preparing well is to ensure that you ask the right questions in a call and record the right type of information. He adds that by doing this, you will increase your chances of developing the sale properly, and keep the buyers' interest. Getting the correct information will also help you turn interest into commitment more easily, submits the author.

Chapter two is based on the subject matter of targeting new accounts. Here, Clay says knowing your products, your competitors and having a forecasting model to help you develop a sale will make it easier to target new accounts. He stresses that breaking into accounts is harder than maintaining existing ones. Clay educates that acquisition of this knowledge will make it easier to build new business relationships.

According to him, having good information about a target account before you meet a buyer will help you build your credibility, confidence and knowledge. Clay says to do this, you will need to find out something about the account.

He expatiates that some of the information you will need to find out should include something about the target account's products and services; company history; competitors; turnover and profit; current challenges; core business objectives; strategic direction; company structure; and buying cycle/behaviour/attitude.

The author explains that with this knowledge, you will show buyers respect and make it easier to begin a dialogue with them. Most of the information listed above can be found in a company's annual report; a company's sales literature; on the Internet, etc., adds Clay.

The author says it can take you time to learn about your target accounts, but it will help you to develop a good understanding of the accounts. In his words, "You will need to decide which ones to spend time researching. A company's annual report and accounts will give a greater insight into their products, services and most importantly - their cultures! It will help you to know how much value they put on the products and services you sell."

Clay says this has a number of benefits as it will enable you to assess the account's potential; develop a good/better relationship with the buyer/decision-maker; decide how much to spend pursuing the account; differentiate yourself against your competitors. Clay adds that the effort you put in has to be compared with the results you get.

This consultant stresses that by doing, this you can assess the value of the time spent on each account.

He educates that you can also look at the type of relationship you have with each account contact, explaining that this will help to ensure that your relationship develops in the way you want it to. Clay says when you first meet someone in a target account, it is a good idea to discuss any stated goals/intentions/policies that the organisation has. "This will help to give the impression that you are interested in them and their company. You can then look to link the benefits your company has to offer with the target account information," adds the author.

In chapters three to six, this author looks at concepts such as telephone and personal introductions; turning interest into commitment; developing a sale correctly; and presentation.

Chapter seven is entitled "The sales proposal". According to Clay here, presenting your solution to a target account will confirm that it can meet its needs. He says this is a stage that a buyer will often need a more detailed confirmation of the financial investment in your product and service.

The author educates that deciding when to put something in writing or in an email will depend on the price of your products, the type of relationship you have with a buyer and the length of your sales cycle. Clay says for low-cost, fast-turnover products, you might need to send written confirmation after a first meeting. If you sell high-cost products, you will take longer to gain genuine commitment, meaning that a detailed proposal will be needed to link your solution to the target account's needs, adds the author.

He says the timing of any written confirmation can be a key factor in a buyer making a decision in your favour. Clay explains that for high-cost products that have a longer sales cycle, this decision might not happen until after a presentation has been done on the product and is likely to include a number of key players, not only the buyer. It is this point, in many cases where target accounts actually make their buying decisions, educates Clay.

Chapters eight to ten are based on the subject matters of negotiation; closing the sale; and managing your accounts and sales performance.

Stylistically, this text is able to score a pass mark as a result of the inclusion of segments such as "Chapter summary", "Practical pointer", as well as graphics to achieve conceptual amplification and ensure concrete understanding on readers' part. The language of the text is standard and simple, while the subject matters are brilliantly articulated. What's more, the title is short, assertive and arouses potential readers' interest.

However, errors of punctuation, technically called graphological errors are noticed, e.g., "By doing this you can assess the value...." (page 44), instead of "By doing this, you can assess the value...."; "When you first meet someone in a target account it is a good idea...." (page 44) instead of "When you first meet someone in a target account, it is a good idea...." There is another one on page 149 line five.

In spite of these errors, the text still passes for a masterpiece. Are you determined to surpass your sales target this year? If you are responding in the affirmative, part of what you need to achieve this is this text. It is very fantastic.

GOKE ILESANMI, Editor-in-Chief/CEO of http://www.gokeilesanmi.com/ and Managing Consultant/CEO of Gokmar Communication Consulting, is a Certified Public Speaker/Emcee, (Business) Communication Specialist, Motivational Speaker, Career Management Coach, Renowned Book Reviewer, Corporate Leadership Expert and Editorial Consultant. Tel: +234(0)8055068773; +234(0)8056030424
Email: info@gokeilesanmi.com; gokeiles2010@gmail.com

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