Personal Growth

Who Taught You To Use Those Words?

September 11, 2012

I suddenly have a heightened awareness of words. Too often they are thrown around like old dish towels and leak out of mouths as oil through a tipped jar. Many people are completely unaware of the effect of their own words.

Friendships are made and broken by words. Nations are moved and minds are formed by words. Words can be as destructive as hail or as life giving as a soft rain.

They bring sunshine or sadness, hope or despair, courage or fear.

They precede you. They represent you as a flag does a country. They never stop as the ocean never stops moving. They flow always in your mind and press constantly on the door of your mouth.

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Entrepreneurship

August’s Mystery Shopping Recap

September 10, 2012

For the month of August, Claudia and I had the goal of making an extra $800 from mystery shopping. It was to be put towards our Outer Banks vacation. While we didn’t quite reach our goal, we made a bunch of extra money in a way that was creative and flexible.

On the Outer Banks, NC

What is mystery shopping?

Mystery shopping is a tool used by market research companies and other organizations to audit product and service quality.

Basically, you go into a store unannounced as a regular customer and critique customer service, cleanliness, and compliance. Part of the “shop” is to make a small purchase (usually $1-5 ). Then later, you scan your receipt and submit it with an online report.

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Miscellany

Video Sunday: OBX Trip

September 9, 2012

We just got back from a great trip to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. It was great to get away and spend time with friends and family!

[tentblogger-youtube lumo4BjK4xU]

Question: Did you vacation this summer? Where?

 

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Entrepreneurship

How to Get Customers Without An Audience

September 7, 2012

Over the course of starting a business and replacing my income, one of the things I learned was how to get customers without an audience of my own. This is a vital skill to have when you have a product or service, but no one to sell to.

One of our guitar classes

I did this by first identifying my target market. In my case with the music school, my target market is parents with children ages 7 to 13. I would then think of ways to help others who had an audience with this same target market.

I discovered local libraries had the same target market as me. They were also an organization with a large established audience (their patrons). I just had to figure out how to help them.

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Miscellany

When Fear Takes Up Residence

September 6, 2012

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” ~ Corrie Ten Boom

I am writing this post after a fearful event. Therefore, today’s post is for me as much as for anyone else who struggles with worry.

Getting washed out to sea

My brother got washed out to sea today. It struck fear in all of us watching him float away, head bobbing through crashing waves. Helplessness engulfed me.

We ran, scrambled, called for help, and then waited and watched.

He came back to us shaken, but safe.

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Miscellany

Month in Review for August 2012

September 5, 2012

This is a brief recap of the month of August for us and some of what’s been going on in our lives. It’s been an exciting time with a lot happening all at once. Summer came to a close, we were prepping for a vacation, and some neat things happened in the business to mention a few.

On vacation

Business updates

This month of August has been a special month for us. Our music school business has officially replaced my previous income! We did it! I got out of my unhealthy job situation and we started our own business!

Also, we brought our first teacher onboard and we’re super excited about this wonderful addition to our team. This is a recent college graduate who will be teaching flute and piano. It’s been really neat to build the business to the point to where we’re able to provide students for another teacher.

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Entrepreneurship

Do You Need Your Wife Onboard?

September 4, 2012

I often hear people mention they don’t have the support of their spouse when starting a business. I think this is vital if you want your new venture to really thrive.

Me and Claudia with Jude on his (tiring) first birthday

Support can come in many different styles. Having your spouse onboard, doesn’t mean you check in with them on every little decision, but it does mean you are on the same page with the direction your lives are going.

It means they are, not only OK with, but excited about your new venture, even if they don’t really understand the nuts and bolts of it.

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Miscellany

How One Little Decision Dramatically Changed our Lives

September 3, 2012

As we speed through each day, we are faced with a host of decisions. Do I wear orange or blue today? Do I go for a run or sleep a little longer? Do I have 2 cups of coffee or just 1.

photo by flavioricci

Decisions are like granules of sand. Many, many, small decisions make up the span of our lives just as they do a beach.

Granules are tiny and it is easy to not see them as part of the whole expanse of beach. In fact, when you look out over a beach, you don’t see each granule individually, you only see the beach.

So it is with our little everyday decisions. They are the major deciding factor in where we end up in life.

Do we take the time to meet new people or just stay home? Do we read the book a friend recommended or watch tv? Do we do the 20 push ups each morning or sleep in a little longer? Do we eat the apple or the chocolate bar, spend an hour with our spouse or an hour on Facebook? Choose to speak or remain quiet, help the man on the corner or pass by?

A chain of events starting with one small decision:

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