Serial Entrepreneur Newsletter

Are You Ready to Get Out of the Stands?
June 22, 2010

I felt it was time to expand what I was writing each week since i was hearing more and more people falling into the trap of believing what they were both hearing and reading. Take a look around at what is happening in life and the development of new technology, things are not bad, times are changing and most were not prepared for the changes. What it means is we must prepare for change and we must prepare to compete. The market is bigger and the competition is greater... are you prepared to win?
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Get out of the stands and get back in the Arena of Life
by: Edward V Ellis, Sr.




"Here's the test to find out whether your mission on earth is finished. If you're alive, it isn't"

-- Richard Back.

Times up.

No more excuses; you've got work to do. Don't ask me how I know, I just do.

It's time to think about all of the things that you've promised yourself you were going to achieve by now, but haven't. Go get your list, dust it off, and let's get to work. If you need to make readjustments, that's fine. Dreams change. So do priorities. But unfortunately, that internal gnawing that comes from living with a dream deferred doesn't, no matter how hard you try to suppress it; that's because it's supposed to be used as an internal barometer to remind you when you aren't in alignment and living on purpose.

I've been studying those who live up to their fullest potential for some time now, and here's what I've discovered. Those that excel, I mean really knock it out of the park on a consistent basis have one fundamental difference-they operate with a skillfully devised plan, and believe it or not, they are the minority.

The rest of the world operates on what I like to call "defensive mode." They're reactionary. They're constantly reacting to what life is throwing them by swinging the bat wildly and hoping it connects when it can. They're too tired, too lost or too disillusioned to believe that they have other options. So, they live their entire lives believing that, "life happens," "things are out of their control," and "they're lucky to even have a job."

But here's the crux. Life does happen, but you weren't just cast in the starring role. You get to be the writer, director and producer of the movie called you. So, why not make it a blockbuster? You get to decide who your costars are, what the scenes are going to entail and where it will be shot. Why not make it big? Scout for locations internationally, and don't just settle for that vacant space down the street. Bring in the best music, food and wardrobe. Make it so good that everyone can't help but add it to their list of favorites!

Do yourself a favor and stop casting yourself in these small insignificant roles! Please!

Ask yourself, "What do I want out of my life?" Not superficially want because it seems "cool." No, what do you really, really, really want? This is tough because sometimes what you want doesn't seem to have a place in your life "as is." So, you toss it aside.

For example: I really, really want to take an Alaskan cruise. Seriously, I have a folder about the trip, the train connection, I'm aware of the money and time commitment and if I were to look around at my life as it is now, there doesn't seem to be a place for it. But when I was talking about the gnawing inside, I was speaking from experience. So, I had to give myself a drop-dead timeline of two years. I also, really, really, really would like to develop a life-awareness program, I have no idea how that is going to play out, but I've decided that it will...somehow and someday.

It's time to push ourselves out of the comfort zone. Out of the place where everything is "fine" and into the place of "I can't believe I'm about to do this!" because that is what living is all about!

This year, remind yourself that it's not cool to play small; to shrink so other people feel comfortable around you; to not risk anything for fear of the embarrassment of not achieving it. As Marianne Williamson says: "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure."So go ahead and step into your power.

Put your plan together and watch what happens.

Stop Chasing the Money and Start Chasing the Dream

by: Edward V Ellis, Sr.




"Don't chase the paper- chase the dream"P. Diddy

This year as I begin to reflect on all that I have done in my life, the thousands I have met, the businesses launched, stretched, and grown I am really grateful and a bit curious. I get asked all the time- how did you do it? Here's how:

When you love what you do so much your sides could split, money comes easy. I know some of you are already discounting this after just my first sentence. You are pulling up all your considerations and circumstances:

~ I love what I do and I am broke

~ I am in my purpose, but I hate marketing

~ I am passionate, but I can't get customers

~ I love what I do, but this is too hard

No. When you love what you do... when you wake up every day feeling like if you didn't do it then it would be criminal, then you figure out, learn, and do whatever it takes. You never stop. You never pause. For me money is love. It allows me to share, give, develop, and grow. Over the last five years I was never chasing the money- I was always chasing the dream. The dreams of seeing hundreds of entrepreneurs launch and grow and thrive even in this economy. The dream of seeing helping-based businesses change lives and transform people and situations. The dream of having the abundance to write checks for things I am passionate about and care for deeply. I was chasing the love - the love I had to share with people that I knew would then turn and share with others - that deep, rich ripple effect love.

Chasing the money doesn't work. At some point you will get bored and angry when things don't go exactly as you planned. Money is not that hard to make. Really. You could think of 100 ways to make money today - illegally, legally, in a job, asking, begging, EBay, on and on. Money is not that hard to make. The hard part is making a difference. When you can make money by making a difference, everything is deeper. You don't mind the hits or jabs or naysayers that come your way, you simply keep chasing the dream because when your dream comes true, and so does everyone's around you.

When you love what you do so much you will do whatever it takes to BE THE CHANGE in this world, when you are focused on helping people, serving, and love, you can't help but make money. I wake up every day and ask myself two questions:

* Who can I help?

Create That Greatest Masterpiece In Your Life Now!

By Edward V Ellis, Sr.




Have you ever thought about your career or work that you do as an art? Something like a form of personal and creative expression? We could easily beckon an image of an artist, sculptor, painter, musician, inventor or writer in their respective studios, engaged and engrossed in the superb process of creating their masterpiece.

The Oxford Dictionary defines masterpiece as an "individual's best work" and "an exceptional piece of workmanship or artistry". Try to visualize and imagine that pursuit of fineness and greatness in an artist we conjured to our imagination. Then I ask you, are you working on your masterpiece...anything which matters that much to you, something that enlivens your creative imagination and values, and something which needs your total and supreme best output, anything which requires the overall engagement of all your abilities and faculties, and something which would survive further than today's working day? You see, it could be very easy to lose sight of the whole picture due to our day-to-day busyness and survival in this world.

Anyway, who can have the time (or others will consider this as a luxury) for this kinds of stuff? Okay, so this concept actually echoes everything with you, you could easily find validation in the following: trying to work at this sort of level and intensity enables you to be more appealing at some cocktail parties and more interesting to the market.

(Well obviously, who does not like to work or associate themselves with engaging, devoted and committed personalities?)It could also be a part of your own legacy. It can even rouse that sense of purpose that you felt you have been missing all along-- it can make you happier. Whatever it is, just go find your own reason.

Allow me to pattern the idea or concept for our own purposes: your masterpiece could be that thing or work you produce, with a beginning and end, with a start and finish. Or, it could be a firm and balanced, and elegant and classy service that you give, or work that you do, day in and day out.

For some individuals, their life's work is focused and zeroed in on just a single thing. Yet for some of us out there, it can be less focused. Possibly, think grand masterpiece vs. itty-bitty masterpieces. Your masterpiece is whatever you think or says what it is, as long as it represents or embodies your BEST and GREATEST work.

After all, you are your own best judge and eventually, you and only you alone can know and fathom if indeed, you gave your all. It is such an awesome thing to receive an international acclaim or accolades. Nevertheless, without it will not take away from what you've done. If you look back and gaze at what you've done or attained with pride and fulfillment, knowing in your heart that you gave or giving it all your best, then that is your masterwork at its greatest! Most of us exemplify this principle in how they try to live their lives-now, that's just fantastic.

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Ed Ellis Ramblins' 6-12-2010

Serial Entrepreneur Newsletter
Changing Your Life
June 12, 2010
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in this issue
The Decision is yours
What is Your Purple Cow?

Well, today June 12, 2010, I reached the age of 70. I sit back and ask myself two things, How? and Why? One thing for sure, I don't think I'll ever understand either, but I am thankful to be here. Like many others there are times when I step back and rudely and crudely say "Life:e Sucks", not true. Yes, there are times that are rougher than others, but in general, Life is great!
Last week someone called me about the steps to become an entrepreneur and I gave the the following advice:

If you were to offer advice to a beginning entrepreneur, what would it be?

First, don't obsess on finding the "great idea." In fact, our research shows a somewhat negative correlation between pioneering a great idea and building a great company. Many of the greatest started with either no great idea or even failed ideas. Sony started with a failed rice cooker. Marriott started as a single root beer stand. Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard's great idea was simply to work together - two best friends who trusted each other - while their first four products failed to get the company out of the garage. They followed the "first who" approach to entrepreneurship: First figure out your partners, then figure out what ideas to pursue. The most important thing isn't the market you target, the product you develop, or the financing, but the founding team. Starting a company is like scaling an unclimbed face - you don't know what the mountain will throw at you, so you must pick the right partners, who share your values, on whom you can depend, and who can adapt.





Changing Your Life -
It's Up to You
by: Edward V Ellis, Sr.June 12, 2010


A long-standing friend recently recommended one of his best-loved self-help books to me - it was the latest in a long list of his recommended reading. In chatting with him, I inquired as to how he was getting on putting into practice what he was learning from all his reading. It emerged from our conversation that, in fact, he was a life-long student of living life to the full but was unlikely to ever actually try it. As the conversation unfolded, he told me that a mutual friend had suggested to him that he "stop reading the bloody books and starting doing it!"

Bookshop shelves groan with personal development, self improvement and self help books. It's big business - apparently the fastest growing sector of the publishing market. In addition, personal development websites abound - offering all manner of inducements to purchase their package which will change your life in five minutes.

None of these websites, packages or books will change your life. They may well point you in the right direction, provide you with an insight or understanding that had been missing from your range of knowledge or experience or, perhaps, offer you concrete tips on how to get more out of life, change your life, transform yourself or whatever. Undoubtedly, there is some very good stuff out there - and some innovative and practical personal development online help - but none of it is going to be of any use to you until you put it into practice for yourself and keep putting it into practice.

You are the only one who can change your life. You are the only one who can take control of the awesome inner power that is simply waiting for you to muster up the courage or energy to unleash it. But neither courage nor bravery is required - in fact very little effort is required at all. The interesting thing is that much of the advice provided by books and websites requires very little effort on your part, really only a tiny amount of work is required of you. The fact is, to change your life immeasurably, you really only need to very minor alteration to the manner in which you use your mind, in order to start the change. And, indeed, I have seen many people make these tiny adjustments and experience major benefits. Sadly, however, having been in this business for over fourteen years, I have seen far too many people unwilling to take five minutes each and every day, on an ongoing basis, to make the other twenty three hours and fifty five minutes so much better. I know that it doesn't make sense - but it's just so easy to revert to type, to fall back into our default state of "not too bad" and rejoin the herd of normal crazy people who simply do not take control of their mind.

All this leads me to the key point that I want to make - one that I've already alluded to - you have to keep putting what you learn into practice. No book, program or package will change your life in five minutes. You won't change your life in five minutes. But five minutes each day is an entirely different matter. Life is lived one day at a time - so, if you take or make the time to ensure that your mind is up and running each every morning, then your life is going to change beyond all recognition. Decades of research in the field of psychology has come to the conclusion, in no uncertain terms, that normal people perceive only what they expect to perceive and experience only what they expect to experience - that the normal life is dictated by the sadly closed normal mind that prefers, as its default state, to dwell on the experiences that impressed us during our formative years. This is how your mind works and how your mind will always work unless you take five minutes each morning to make sure that it's open, clear, focused on now so that it isn't focused on the past.

You need to make sure that your mind is open for business each and every morning - open to the business of living not just any old not to bad life, but ready to live life to the full where it's meant to be lived - in the here and now. If you pull your mind's attention into the here and now, you will alter your perception - no longer will it be colored by the formative events that made you who you think you are. If you pull your mind's attention into the here and now you will open up a whole range of experience that is completely foreign to the normal mind - it's the experience of real life, real opportunity, real happiness, and real success - and it's all on your terms. In pulling your attention into the here and now you will change your expectations and your expectations once changed will lead to a totally different life. But your changing your mind is not a once off event - it's something that you have to do one day at a time - because real life is lived one day at a time.


What Is Your Purple Cow?
By: Edward V Ellis, Sr. June 12, 2010
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Purple Cow

I am a ferocious reader. On average I read 2-3 books a week. They tend to spur my mind and I cross pollinate the ideas and learning's from one book to another until I gain new insights.

Over the years I took a speed reading course. It was one of my best investments. I found that my comprehension went up the faster I read (that is because your brain reads at 600 wpm-the average person reads at 150-250 wpm and the space in between is where your brain wonders and your comprehension goes down-and I was able to accomplish much more in much less time. In college this meant I studied less and could meet every one at the bar. A bonus at that time.

In Seth Godin's book, The Purple Cow, he emphasizes that in today's world our brains are overloaded with information. We are constantly bombarded by it so hence we become desensitized to it. We no longer even hear it. He even shares how he went up to people reading the New York Times and asked them to name one of the companies in the ads they had just read. They couldn't name one.

This got me to thinking about how people's brains function at work. If we are programmed to tune out advertisement, how do you think we feel about corporate meetings where the manager just talks at us? Do we view it as a commercial that we can or cannot listen to? Do we see it STUCK in our day (like a commercial is stuck in our TV program) rather than see it as a REASON for our day?

Seth's point is that as you drive and see fields of cows they lose their novelty. But if you come across a purple cow, that would get your attention.

What do you do to turn your meetings from being a field of cows to being a PURPLE COW? What do you do with your sales presentation that makes your prospect stop and say, WOW? What do you do with your corporate communication that makes employees WANT to read it?

TAKE ACTION: Look today at your communication with fresh eyes. If anything bores you, you can bet it bores your audience. Stop, make it eye catching, unique and something that gets them to see you, not as the commercial, but as the program they want to listen to.

Serial Entrepreneur Newsletter 6-6-2010

Are We Really Doing Well?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
in this issue
There Are A Lot Of Questions
Three Helpful Steps

"Misfortune can force you into doing things you should be doing anyway. Lessons come from adversity. Anything can happen to anyone... You can find a new lease on life - more meaning than you thought possible in simple things... Let go. Live in the moment. Go Forward!"

The summer is here and my turmoil continues, but life moves on. I have done some sales training recently for some local home improvement companies which pushed me in to writing the following articles. In addition I have been working with a group that has developed a fantastic new MLM program that has taken me to NY, CT, MD, NJ, DE and of course PA.

For those of you who are in business, don't believe what you hear or read, there is plenty of business out there and people are spending.
If we're so good...
Then Why Aren't We Doing So Well?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If we're so good...
Then Why Aren't We Doing So Well?


By: Ed Ellis


Like many businesses, you're doing everything you can to stay ahead of your competition. You're developing new processes, training key people on how to be more efficient in their jobs, streamlining your products and services so they are at their peak, and enhancing your marketing department so your business can soar. On the surface, business seems great.

However, despite all the planning, your true business results may paint a different picture. Sales are down, customers aren't staying loyal, and layoffs may be on the horizon. If you're so good, then why isn't your business doing so well?

For most businesses facing these challenges, the answer lies in one key question: What tasks take up the majority of your time? If you spend most of your time on processes-making things smoother, more efficient, and streamlining the business-you may be in for a surprise. Because the very tasks that you think will make you and your business better, can actually hinder your success.

Why? The more time you spend on processes, the farther your customers move from your mind. And the more involved you get with processes, the easier it is to forget that your true job is to make your customers' lives easier, not yours. The processes you develop should make it easier for others to do business with you, not for you. For example, instead of spending your time creating a phone script for your employees to use with each caller, you need to focus on the outcome of each call-the customer service that should be given, the product knowledge your employees need, and the training employees should get to ensure they handle each call in a professional and efficient manner. These are the aspects that will make customers want to call you again.

The First Step: Determine Your Outcome So Your Company Stands Out

To make your company stand out and thrive in today's "me" oriented society, this paradigm shift from developing processes to focusing on the intended outcome must occur. If not, your business will not survive the long-term.

The first step is to detail what outcome you want your business to serve. For example, why should a client choose you over a competitor? Or, as an employee, how can you judge that you have done a good day's work? What outcome should you and your employees be aligned with?

If you can't answer those questions in your company, you are probably floundering. The market's momentum may be carrying your company today, but what will happen tomorrow?

The Banking Dilemma: Process versus Outcome

One main industry that has focused on process and has forgotten about the outcome is the banking industry, which is struggling to reinvent itself today. In virtually every area of the country, banks are trying everything they can think of to attract new customers, from implementing casual sweatshirt days to giving free gifts with new accounts to offering free refreshments on Fridays. While all these ideas give customers a positive impression of the bank, none are designed with the outcome in mind, which is to develop a lasting relationship with customers.

Talk to any bank manager and you'll hear the same thing: "We used to be the center of the community. Everyone came to us to get loans. Our people could just sit in the office and decide how to process loans. We basically were order takers. Today we have to go out and get sales. We have to compete against credit card companies, and quite frankly, our people don't really know how to sell. How can we get back on track?"

Unfortunately, most banks these days focus on how to process a loan and on how to make things run smoother in the bank. They neglect to focus on the outcome-that they are in the position of helping people securely grow their assets and contribute to a better life. In fact, if banks had kept focused on the customer, they would have gotten in to debit cards and ATM transactions much sooner. They would also realize that people need to manage their assets, and trust departments would restructure to maximize impact.

But banks, are just one example of an industry that became focused on process rather than outcome and it came back to bite them. It happens every day in every industry. If your team is not working well and you're not meeting your business goals, chances are you don't have an outcome that everyone is aligned with-you're lacking your passion statement.

Passion Statements Drive Outcomes If you find yourself in similar situation, ask yourself this question: "What is my business's passion statement?" Or, "What is that one statement that I can align with every day that tells me I am doing a good job-that one statement that tells me what the outcome is that we are working for?"

If you're like the thousands of other professionals, you probably don't have a passion statement, nor do you know how to develop one. You may even believe that your company's vision and/or mission statements fit the bill, but they're actually three separate and distinct business statements.

The Second Step: Why a Passion Statement is Necessary?

What is the difference between a vision statement, a mission statement, and a passion statement?

A vision statement is the direction your company is going in. It answers the question, "Why do we exist?"

A mission statement is what you will do or what you will deliver to customers in order to reach your vision.

Finally, a passion statement is the one thing employees need to focus on that will automatically align their behavior and choices so they fulfill the company's mission and vision statements.

For example, here are the three statements as related to a tele-messaging company:

Vision Statement: To be the call center for busy professionals across the world.

Mission Statement: To deliver excellent tele-messaging service for our professional clients. We will do this in a profitable, courteous and professional manner with motivated employees.

Passion Statement: Your best friend's on the line.

Most mission and vision statements are too convoluted for the average person to remember. They don't tell you how to behave in order to achieve the results. The passion statement, on the other hand, is a simple message to remember and act upon. It is so simple in fact, that organizations that have implemented one have seen substantial sales increases, smoother operations, and lower turnover.

The Third Step: Create Your Passion Statement Today.

Fortunately, there is a simple way to tell if you are missing your outcome. First, you need to determine whether or not you have a passion statement. To do so, answer these five quick questions:

1.Can every employee work independently without a lot of supervision?

2. Can you stop any person in your company and ask, "Why is our business in existence today? What do we do for customers?" and always get the same answer?

3. Is the statement "we do not have any turf wars" true for your company?

4. Does every person in your company feel they can do what is right to correct a situation, or does your company rely on a "procedure manual" on how to handle situations?

5. Does your management team spend most of their time planning the future and not putting out every day crisis?

If you answered yes to all of the above questions, then your company is sitting well and is clearly positioned. You probably have a company that runs like clockwork and people enjoy working there.

However, if you're like most companies, you probably answered no to at least some of the questions. If so, you need to regroup, carefully look at your company, and develop your passion statement. Chances are that you have become bogged down with rules and regulations that have moved you away from your main desired outcome.

To create your company's own passion statement, follow these simple steps:

1.First, look at what your vision and mission statements are.

2. Then look at the traits, skills, and values you need to see in employees in order to fulfill the vision and mission statements.

3. List the challenges and frustrations employees are facing that are stopping them from fulfilling the vision and mission statements.

4. Write out what your company would be like if everything was running like clockwork. What would the atmosphere be like? Who would be your customers? What kinds of things would your customers say and think about you? What would life be like for employees?

5. Lay all of these images out on white sheets across the room. Find the synergy that connects them all and start brainstorming your passion statement from there. Remember that your goal is to design a passion statement that gives you the behavior you need to see in order to achieve your vision and mission statements.

To get a true sense of your company's passion statement, refocus as a group immediately and determine what is important for your company to achieve. What is the main goal you have for each of your customers? What perception do you want your customers to have of you? What kind of work ethic do you want to instill in your employees? What can you do to make doing business with you easier? When you identify the answers to these questions, you can begin to develop your passion statement and get the New Year off to a great start.
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Breaking Through Barriers
by: Edward Ellis



How often have you procrastinated about starting something important, creating unnecessary anxiety and worry, when it would have been a lot simpler and less stressful to just do it and get it out of the way? For many people the answer is probably more times than they care to remember.

What causes us to know what we should do and yet we seem almost incapable of taking that first step towards accomplishing it? The answer is that our conscious mind is like the tip of the iceberg, with the vast majority of our patterns and beliefs residing in the 90% of our mind that we term the subconscious. Most of these patterns and beliefs are established in early childhood, when we have limited coping strategies available to us, and these limiting patterns are then replayed over and over each time the subconscious mind perceives a similar event to the initial one in which the pattern/belief was established. We get stuck in a groove that just keeps getting deeper and deeper, unless we learn to view our behaviors' objectively and break free of our limiting patterns and beliefs.

In the procrastination example above, common subconscious reasons for not starting something include:

· Fear of being adversely judged

· Fear of Failure

· Fear of the Unknown

· Perfectionist tendencies, and interestingly enough

· Fear of Success

Some people are even very talented subconsciously at manifesting illness as a way of avoiding responsibility or as a subconscious excuse not to challenge themselves.

CLUES you can get about those limiting beliefs, patterns and behaviors' still operating repeatedly in your subconscious mind since childhood include:

1. Your relationships with other people

Do you repeatedly draw the same kind of people into your life, for instance, ones that don't value, respect or nurture you? Hard as it may be for you to accept, the mirror is being held up for you to look at yourself and see how you are not valuing, respecting or nurturing yourself. Each of these painful relationships that you draw into your life is an opportunity to reflect your inner beliefs about yourself. Usually the buttons others push in us the most are indicating what we most need to change in ourselves. For instance, if you say to your partner, "I deserve someone better than you", then consciously you may believe that, but subconsciously you have attracted exactly the partner you deserve according to your subconscious belief system about yourself.

Sure it is easier to blame and shame others for our own inadequacies and to be in denial that we need to work on ourselves, but this will just keep us stuck repeating the old destructive patterns.

What you accuse the other person of in the heat of an argument is often the very thing you need to look at in yourself. "But, but..." I hear you protest. Just try to observe yourself objectively next time you argue with someone. Often the mere act of being the observer is the trigger you need to become aware of your subconscious beliefs and the ridiculousness of the argument.

2. What you say to yourself when you are feeling really down

Sometimes when we get to the point where it all becomes a bit much too cope with, we lose our emotional equilibrium and start to berate ourselves, liberally pouring out limiting beliefs from that reservoir of the subconscious mind. In such a situation write these down, as these are the core limiting beliefs we still have about ourselves, no matter how much we might try to deny it. Common subconscious beliefs that come up at such times may include, "I am useless / worthless / a failure. I'll never be any good at anything." These are the Biggies that subconsciously sabotage our efforts to move forward in life and reach our full potential.

3. Negative self-talk

Ever caught yourself thinking "What an idiot!" after you made a simple mistake? This is an example of negative self-talk, which is a reflection of your beliefs at the subconscious level.

Once again, intend to be the observer and notice when you spontaneously have one of these negative thoughts. You may then like to view yourself as a gardener, pulling out the negative thoughts like weeds from your mind so that more positive thoughts can flourish. Practicing this technique consistently will dissolve a whole lot of previously subconscious limiting beliefs.

AWARENESS THROUGH OBSERVATION is the key to breaking through and dissolving limiting and outmoded beliefs, habits and patterns. You can do much of this work for yourself. To make the process even quicker and easier you may like to try Hypnotherapy to identify limiting subconscious beliefs and patterns and their origins and then experience a powerful resolution of them.