business advice – the {r}evolution apparel blog

Our First Fight: The Marriage of Business

They say not to start a business with a friend.

On the verge of exhaustion, stress, and extreme questioning of our venture, we started thinking “they” were right.

We said we’d blog about everything, so I guess that means the really rough times, too. There were tears, on more than one occasion, during our few days in Asheville together. In the car. On a stranger’s couch. It wasn’t pretty.

I should preempt this by saying that Shannon and I are usually very amiable people. And we have an incredible respect for each other. We disagree sometimes, but in a healthy way. We know that two opinions make our business better, and there haven’t been many hurt feelings in our partnership.

But when you care about something so deeply, it can bring out both the best and the worst in you.

So instead of replaying the details (that seems far less important now), I’ll say what I learned.

Partnership is hard. It’s like family. You love them and you feel comfortable disagreeing with them. Maybe too comfortable.

But partnership can also make everything 100 times easier. Over the last six months, we’ve gotten nothing but “no” or no response to the hundreds of e-mails we’ve sent out about sustainable fabric.

Despite it, when everyone else said “no,” Shannon and I told each other “yes.” Because if we did it together, then it was possible.

The relationship we have with each other is unlike any other. It has nothing to do with money, or business, or control. It has everything to do with two very passionate people, trying to take the best route possible towards making the world a little bit better. And you have to be prepared to fight to make that dream come true.

At the end of the day, our blowup was a good thing. We walked away from it, still loving each other, and knowing that we will only be a stronger partnership because of it.

So, we won’t say things are always awesome and they never suck. But with the lows come the highs, and I can most definitely say that a few tears are worth sharing this incredible experience with someone you will always have a special bond with.

Because none of this would be worth it without someone you love. And “One of Us” Revolution just doesn’t have the same ring. {r}

Photo Credit: KayVeeInc

Why You Have to Try Everything

The list of people we’ve talked to about sustainable fabrics is absolutely ridiculous:

A University of Missouri Professor.

A supermodel.

The Department of Agriculture.

Cotton farmers from California to Texas.

Wool farmers in rural New Zealand.

And it goes on.

After a thousand dead ends, we finally met the right person. Someone with answers — someone who can take our ideas and “turn them into reality,” for cliche’s sake. And I’ve realized that this is basically how life works. You try a thousand ridiculous things, and only after 99 percent of them don’t work out, something does.

In every aspect of life. Relationships. Jobs. Businesses. Hobbies.

Getting to where you want to be depends on trying everything. And if you don’t, you just might not end up where you want to be.

So you have to call strangers to talk about fabrics when you barely have enough knowledge to formulate questions. You have to email people 10 times. You even have to be willing to call the government.

And not just in your business or your job. In your life as a whole.

You have to date. A lot. And get rejected sometimes. And go on lots of job interviews. And take new classes about new things. Be doggedly persistent in new business ventures. And try everything you were ever interested in, because you never know when something will click.

Because when it does, it’s beautiful. {r}

{You’ll be hearing from us in Asheville next week!}

Rethinking Fashion: An Interview with HOLSTEE

{A Note on the 2k Competition: We won’t find out who won until this weekend, but we’ll be sure to let everyone know! A huge thanks for all of your support — we sincerely appreciate the amazing turnout.}

If you haven’t heard of HOLSTEE, you will. Meet Mike, Dave, and Fabian: three guys, living in Brooklyn, who design and curate “kickass products, sustainably made, with a social impact.” It really doesn’t get much cooler than that.

It all started around the HOLSTEE tee, with a holster-like zipper-pocket for all the stuff dudes carry. They’ve branched out with “fins,” wallets and pendants, and an entire curated collection. The amazing part? Every product is made in a way that helps people and planet.

HOLSTEE is a special inspiration for us, because these guys created a company that reflects their lifestyle, and encourage others to “live their dream and wear their passion,” as well. We had a chance to interview them and find out what young entrepreneurs think about trends, sustainability, saving the world, and living your dream.

{r} HOLSTEE’s manifesto has become slightly famous (check it out here). In it, you say, “Life is about the people you meet, and the things you create with them, so go out and start creating.” How did the idea for and creation of HOLSTEE come to be?

Well, like you said, Holstee all began with the idea of putting a pocket on a shirt, but at the time it was one of a few projects I was working on with some friends at Incubaker. We always loved working together and had a few side projects going on at any given time. We came to realize that if we all focused our energy, even if it was part-time, we could take one concept and push it much further than we could multiple projects. We put the other ideas on hold and decided to move forward with Holstee. At that same time, my brother and I decided we were ready for change. It was almost summer in NYC and we decided to quit our jobs in the heat of the recession and focus full-time on Holstee and see how far we could push it before running out of cash. We figured in the worst case scenario it would be the best summer of our lives and we would find jobs again, and that is how we got started!

{r} Starting a business is never easy. What were some early obstacles that you dealt with, and what advice would you give yourselves if you could do it all over?

Production was a big challenge for us at the beginning. Without backgrounds in design, fashion, or producing apparel and accessories we had a huge learning curve. The biggest takeaway was always sticking to your gut when it comes to design, and budget twice as much time and money to produce anything, especially when it’s the first time.

{r} Sustainability and responsibility are cornerstones of HOLSTEE. We think more and more people are asking, “What’s in this product, and who made it?” What are your thoughts on the shifts in consumer trends and attitudes?

As new and increasingly transparent brands emerge that educate consumers on the entire ecological impact of an item, consumers become more aware and begin to take responsibility for the impact of their purchases. It is too easy to frown on child-labor, pollution and pesticides one day, then turn around and buy a t-shirt from the local fast-fashion outlet around the corner without considering the effects. The most important thing people are continuing to realize is that each dollar spent is a vote and investment towards what you value in life.

If you would like to see more local stores you need to stop shopping at chains, if you want to see less waste you need to buy things with less packaging. On the other side, designers and businesses need to offer not only the most ecological option but the best design and quality to make the consumers’ choice as easy as possible. It is the crossing point between mindful consumers and meaningful products where we will really see some growth. Hopefully, this will help shift the harmful phenomenon of over-consumption and waste.

{r} As “change-makers,” what do you think about power, responsibility, and a small group’s ability to impact the world?

I am positive that every decision each person makes has a huge domino effect. The most obvious example I can think of is when someone smiles. Next time you are on the subway or in a crowd of people try giving a genuine smile and see how contagious it can be.

{r} And finally, what’s next for HOLSTEE?

Oooh good question! We are hoping to release about five to 10 new products this year and are currently prototyping a few — still top secret though ;-) We are also working to grow the curated part of our site, continually offering new meaningful products to your growing community. And of course lots of travel and fun in the meantime!

A huge thanks to Dave for setting this up, and to the crew at HOLSTEE who continue to kick ass and provide products we can all feel good about buying. Check out their online home here, and connect on Facebook and Twitter to keep following their story. {r}

It Doesn’t Need to be Sexy: The MVP Rule of Business

I was recently talking to another young, start-up entrepreneur about why some businesses fail and why others never even get off the ground.

Of course, lack of capital is usually the scapegoat for blame, but in the course of our conversation we came up with another culprit entirely.

It has to do with the fear we’ve talked about in the past. The hesitation. The risk. The safe route that so many of us can’t seem to stray from.

And we eventually came to this conclusion (our words of wisdom, if you will): “It doesn’t need to be sexy. Just make it work.”

So many could-be entrepreneurs let the fluff get in the way. This fluff can come in all different forms: excuses, low self-esteem, the “maybe one day” attitude. Instead of taking a great idea for what is it — a great idea — we focus on what we don’t have.

The details don’t have to be perfect. The concept doesn’t even have to be perfect. The glam of investors, business plans and financial projections should be the after-thought, not the “get up and go.”

A guy named Eric Ries came up with the idea of “minimum viable product.” MVP is basically a market testing strategy used to screen product ideas soon after their generation. In other words, it’s a way to test the success of your ‘great idea’ with early adopters without investing the time and money right away.

The general idea is: get it out there first, and figure it out later. To some extent, that’s exactly what we’ve done with this blog. We’ve pitched our idea to the world, let the feedback flood in, and based our progression on both positive and negative support.

Our MVP has already indicated who we should target, where we’ll see the most success, and how we can improve our product over time. We’ve been testing the waters for six months without really even knowing it.

I had another friend recently tell me about her notebook of “great ideas.” If risk wasn’t a factor, then I have no doubt she’d have already launched five of them. But she has yet to take the plunge.

I wonder if we all used the MVP concept, even at a smaller scale than a blog, would the reduced risk reap more reward? {r}

Photo Credit: Business Insider Sports Page and CogMap.com

How to Realize Your Uniqueness and Carve a Niche

We all have something to offer the world that no one else can. Cheesy, but true. If we’re all completely different people, and there’s no one else in the world exactly like you — well, then, you have something that no one else does.

Defining that can be tough. Figuring out what you have to offer isn’t always easy. There are those who just know what they want to be and what they have to give the world, and then there’s, well… the other 99 percent.

As we muddle through our marketing strategies and competitive analyses, we’re forcing ourselves to define our USP — Unique Selling Proposition. What does our product have that truly sets it apart from everything else in the market?

It turns out that USP’s aren’t just for new businesses. Figuring out what you have to offer the world is part of life; finding out why you’re here and what you’re meant to do is human nature. Some of us drift through life hoping our uniqueness will one day appear, and our purpose will be clear. Others seek their purpose, and constantly ask themselves, “What do I have that truly sets me apart from everyone else?”

Maybe you have a lot of compassion. Or patience. Or intelligence. Or wit. Regardless of what qualities you have, the combination is truly unique to you.

And once you figure out what only you can offer the world, you can start working towards changing the world. Cheesy, again, but still true.

Today, we’re sitting down and asking ourselves the following questions, hoping to further define our niche and customer benefits. If you’ve found yourself wondering what you really have to offer, and what you’re really supposed to be doing with your time on Earth, it may be helpful to ask yourself these questions as well.

What problem can I solve for people?

What can I do that’s different from what everyone else is doing?

What makes my combination of qualities superior to others?

Do I fit into an existing niche, or do I break the mold?

How could people benefit from my combination of qualities?

No matter where you are in your business or your life, it’s always important to take a step back and ensure that you’re doing the things that fully utilize your qualities, and provide value to others for personal fulfillment. What’s your USP? {r}

Case Study III: How to Escape the 9 to 5

Unless you’re rolling in it, money is just one of those things most of us have a love/hate relationship with. It can be a burden, a necessity, and a blessing, all in one.

But for all you aspiring entrepreneurs out there, money is no longer an excuse. As of the beginning of December, the opportunity for fundraising and investment has completely opened up for small-business owners.

It’s called ProFounder and I had the opportunity to talk to Co-Founder and President Dana Mauriello last week, as well as start-up entrepreneur Danny Bocanegra, who is planning to use ProFounder to raise more capital for his own business.

{r} Danny, tell us a little bit about the business you’re starting and helping to fund through ProFounder.

My business SelflessTee is a platform that combines the crowd of artist talent with non-profits and for-mission organizations, wanting to raise money through the sale of apparel.

For example, a non-profit goes to the SelflessTee website, makes a profile and includes a video. Designers from all over the world can submit a design that reflects their desired cause or mission in hopes of a cash prize and fame. The public votes on which design they like the best, we sell that design on a t-shirt for-profit, and the non-profit has a cool, professionally-designed, timeless t-shirt that’s sold online for them, for free. We then give back $10 per shirt to the non-profit.

{r} What obstacles have you come across in trying to fund a start-up? What methods have you used to build capital?

I started developing SelflessTee when I was in college, so I got the ball rolling with student loans (and cheap interest rates). After that, I explored my options with the angel investors in my network and ended up being pretty successful.

Then, I found out about the Pepsi Refresh Project. I made the decision to reject the angel money and take a shot at winning the $50,000 Pepsi Refresh Project prize. It was the most grueling, intense, and emotional month of my life, but turned out to be a great decision for myself and for SelflessTee. We ended up winning.

{r} What decisions did you make for your company, financially, after winning $50,000 from the Pepsi Refresh Project?

I knew that raising capital wasn’t over after winning the $50,000 dollars from Pepsi. It was a great start, but it didn’t stop us from looking for more ways to raise “free” money. We came across Profounder as an additional resource to move forward with investment options. We like the fact that working with Profounder will give us the opportunity to gain as many loyal community members centered around the company as possible.

{r} Dana, as co-founder and CEO, can you explain how ProFounder works?

ProFounder is a crowdfunding platform for businesses; we allow businesses to raise investment capital from theircommunities. To do this, we provide two products: Private Fundraising and Public Fundraising. With both products, the entrepreneur creates a simple pitch on our site focused on telling their unique story. They also create a term sheet for the deal using our templates that allow for sharing a percentage of revenue over time with investors. The pitch and term sheet go onto a fundraising website and the entrepreneur can now invite potential investors to invest in their business directly through this website. ProFounder handles the back office work along the way including payment processing, compliance, book keeping, and investor pay outs.

{r} Danny, what’s appealing about working with Profounder?

Profounder allows you to raise a capital investment from your family, friends, and anyone else who visits your profile page on the Profounder website.

The first month is set up for private funding only, so anyone I know can invest in the upside of SelflessTee, under the terms that I set. This is an investment, not a loan, not a grant, not even a stake in equity. Anyone that gets in early on this investment will be able to secure a percentage of SelflessTee’s revenue forever.

Then, after the goal of secured private funding is met, our profile is released to the public, giving everyone else the opportunity to invest. The public contributes smaller amounts, so when those amounts are paid back the remainder of the revenue can be donated to a non-profit of SelflessTee’s choice.

{r} How is Profounder different than other investment options?

Profounder is the only company (I know of) that allows an entrepreneur in the United States to secure an investment from family, friends, and the “crowd” of people who visit the site.

Profounder turns “family and friends” casual investment terms into actual investments that are backed by a company that knows what it’s doing. What’s special is that they take care of all the disbursements of revenue from SelflessTee to its investors. This is something we don’t have to worry about.

It would cost over $5,000 to pay lawyers to handle the investment side of things on a yearly basis, and Profounder will do it for $1,000. The biggest perk is that I don’t have to close any doors on people who want to invest — I can have those angel investors in my pool, as well as my Grandma :)

{r} What is your advice to aspiring entrepreneurs who have their ‘big idea’ but don’t have the start-up capital?

There are free and easy ways to get money for anything you want to do. While you’re in the start-up or beta phase, take advantage of programs that allow you to raise money early on. Kickstarter or IndieGogo, for example, are platforms for individuals to get money to start their projects.

I made the mistake of trying to be too cool and raise angel investment before I even knew exactly how I was going to spend the money. (Don’t tell them that). But even now that we’re at a much “serious” stage, it would be dumb to give up 40 percent of a start-up company to outside investors when there’s so much access to free capital out there. Pepsi is holding the Refresh Everything Campaign for the 2011 year, try that! I am still looking for ways to qualify for free money, even before we set up a profile with Profounder. {r}

For more entrepreneurship and investment advice, you can follow Danny and Dana on Twitter: @DannyBoc @DanaMauriello @teamprofounder

How We Became Designers {Part I}

When we were back in Nicaragua, toying with the idea of getting samples made, we spent some time with a Nicaraguan pattern-maker, named Sonia. During that time, we showed her our detailed sketches and explained the designs for our line.

As she drove us back to our hostel, she asked me what I studied in school. I said business. She then looked at Shannon and said, “Where did you go to fashion school?” She was shocked to learn we really know nada about design.

This is a woman who has been to places like Paris, New York, and Miami for fashion shows. She lives and breathes fashion. She told us that she had once learned a specific, difficult stitch only used by Yves St. Laurent. She is no rookie.

And yet, somehow, we managed to give her the impression that we aren’t rookies.

When did this happen? Three months ago, we were far more concerned with finding something we could import back to the States.

The extent of my sewing knowledge stems from a week spent in eighth grade, making a dress with my Grandma’s guidance.

And sketching people? Forget it. I can doodle a bad-ass flower, but drawing cute little outfits is a whole other story.

How do you even begin to “design” something? Where do you start? What do you need to know?

And then, how do you start a clothing line?

We don’t have all the answers. Yet.

But we’re going to share what we’ve learned in the next two posts.

It turns out that design is not as inaccessible as it sounds. Actually, I think that applies to most things in life. Learn something, be determined, fake it a little, and you can become, well, anything. {r}

Learning from the Experts: Fashion Label AmareSinh

{We meet people on Twitter. Sounds lame, but it’s true. The month we launched our blog, fashion brand AmareSinh launched its line. Huyen, (the financial, marketing, and legal brain behind the operation) was one of our first followers and gave us some (much needed) words of encouragement. We’ve been following the AmareSinh story, and had a chance to interview Huyen via e-mail a few weeks ago.}

First, here’s a little bit about the line:

AmareSinh is a Philly-based women’s ready-to-wear fashion line, newly launched in August 2010 by three siblings. AmareSinh was designed with the mindset that business professional clothing can be fun and just as suitable after work for the 5-9PM. The line incorporates both the designer’s personal creativity, as well as inspiration from today’s fashion crowd, to create clothing and style that is trendy, chic, and ready to wear.

{r} So, how did AmareSinh come into existence?

My brother, Huy, the designer, decided to quit his day job and move to Shanghai to live his dream of starting a fashion label. He asked me to help him, I agreed to it, and that’s how the idea started. We entered the “I am Free Enterprise” competition to attempt to win start-up capital. In the end, we lost to a fitness instructor, but during the voting period, our video received over 6000 views in less than two weeks. The positive feedback and encouragement from family, friends and network were what led us to launch the business.

{r} You launched in August of this year; how long did it take you to go from concept to launch?

The concept started in October of 2009. It wasn’t until April, after that competition, that we really launched into developing the business.

{r} I especially like that your line is “fueled by [customer] feedback,” which brings us to market research: How did you analyze the market for your line? Did you “test” your clothing at trade shows, etc. before you began production?

I completed my Masters in Engineering Management from Duke University in May 2009. The program was instrumental to helping me start this business because it gave me the experience of writing a business plan, albeit in a completely different industry – bio-fuels, and the opportunity to pitch it. So before launching, we had a solid business plan.

We analyzed the market by looking at the global and national market for women’s apparel, as well as purchasing trends for our target demographic. Tradeshows are too expensive for a bootstrapped company like ours. To test the market, since there are four girls in the family, all moderately to extremely fashionable, all of AmareSinh’s products must pass the “I would wear it test.” We also surveyed a few of our friends and fashionistas in our target market for their opinion about the clothing.

We also set up a discussion forum on our Facebook fanpage, as well as a Twitter account and even a YouTube channel, which we use to communicate to our audience and get feedback from them.

{r} You are running a for-profit company for the first time. How have your prior expectations differed from the reality that’s panned out?

Having started a non-profit in Vietnam, Hue Happy Project, which trains impoverished children how to make handicrafts that are then sold to support their families and fund their education, I experienced a full spectrum of reactions and behaviors so I didn’t have many expectations going into for-profit. In terms of running the business, it’s a lot easier in the U.S. than it is in Vietnam, because in Vietnam there are so many layers of bureaucracy and corruption that it takes more time and patience to start a business the right way.

{r} What mistakes would you correct if you could, or what advice would you give to complete novices starting in the garment industry?

Do your market research and understand the dynamics of your customers’ behaviors. I thought I could run the business primarily through an online retail store but very quickly realized that women want to try on clothes, especially if its higher end, before they buy them, unless they know and trust the brand. I am now trying to get our clothing in boutiques and other retail stores.

I know Huyen is a busy woman, so it’s really cool that she took the time to interview for us. If you all want to follow the AmareSinh story, too, here’s what you need to know. {r}

For Shopping: AmareSinh Online Store

For Tweeting: @AmareSinh

For Friending: AmareSinh Facebook

7 Things We’re Remembering This Thanksgiving

Let’s be clear — we aren’t Zen Habits. We take the long way around. We get unnecessarily stressed. We forget to simplify.

But we’re trying to change that.

This past month has been, well, insane. All of our down-time has been spent working: brainstorming, marketing, writing, researching, learning and designing. All at once. At a frantic, unsustainable pace.

We have been falling asleep in front of our computer screens, forgetting words in the English language, and basically burning ourselves out, day after day.

Our adventure might have sounded a bit like a vacation, but trust me, we have been trying to accomplish the nearly impossible: a truly organic, ethical clothing line.

At breakfast every day, our Guatemalan home-stay dad, Jose, would ask, “Are you girls going to conquer the world today?”

And we would enthusiastically reply, “Yep.” And every day, that’s what we would try to do.

We’ve been told that starting a business can take control of you. You want something so badly, that you start running towards success full-force. You work constantly. You stress. You can’t get away from it. You start to go a little loco.

Well, that’s not the lifestyle we want. We started all of this to change our lives for the better; to gain a greater world perspective, to learn things, and to enjoy a new experience. It’s time to take a pause before we start to really go loco.

So today, we’ve made a list of things to remember when life gets hectic:

We run the business; the business doesn’t run us.

Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Most things aren’t as pertinent as we think they are.

Whether we reach our launch goal next week, or in 6 months, it will come.

Our relationships, health, and happiness come first.

A number of events had to occur in both of our lives for us to embark on this adventure. Be grateful.

We are more fortunate than we can comprehend.

You can find us brainstorming about our production process, at a leisurely pace, probably in a hammock, in San Juan del Sur. The journey is a beautiful thing. {r}

7 Things We're Remembering This Thanksgiving

Let’s be clear — we aren’t Zen Habits. We take the long way around. We get unnecessarily stressed. We forget to simplify.

But we’re trying to change that.

We have been falling asleep in front of our computer screens, forgetting words in the English language, and basically burning ourselves out, day after day.

Our adventure might have sounded a bit like a vacation, but trust me, we have been trying to accomplish the nearly impossible: a truly organic, ethical clothing line.

At breakfast every day, our Guatemalan home-stay dad, Jose, would ask, “Are you girls going to conquer the world today?”

And we would enthusiastically reply, “Yep.” And every day, that’s what we would try to do.

So today, we’ve made a list of things to remember when life gets hectic:

We run the business; the business doesn’t run us.

Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Most things aren’t as pertinent as we think they are.

Whether we reach our launch goal next week, or in 6 months, it will come.

Our relationships, health, and happiness come first.

A number of events had to occur in both of our lives for us to embark on this adventure. Be grateful.

We are more fortunate than we can comprehend.

You can find us brainstorming about our production process, at a leisurely pace, probably in a hammock, in San Juan del Sur. The journey is a beautiful thing. {r}

Learning from the Experts: Craig Gonzales

Since launching our blog at the beginning of September, we’ve been blown away by the amount of support from people wanting to help us. Strangers have reached out from all over the world, offering advice based on their own experiences. Craig Gonzales is one of those people. He was kind enough to answer our questions about doing business in the developing world, and gave us some tips as we start our journey.

When Craig Gonzales began his PhD, his long-term career goal was “to save the world and get rich in the process.” Eventually, he realized that studying philosophy wasn’t going to lead him down that path, so he revamped his plan.

Craig spent the next year studying social enterprise and sustainable business models. During that time, he came up with a theory: for-profit businesses can increase the standard of living in the developing world. To prove it to himself, he decided to move to Ghana and learn more about the non-profit structure.

Craig worked for a fair trade NGO called Women in Progress/Global Mamas as an educator and researcher. He taught the Ghanaian women in the cooperative how to maintain their books, apply for loans and save money. He also conducted research to figure out the growth rate of income for the women (some had increased their yearly income by more than 1,000 percent in the three years they had been working!).

Unfortunately, Craig realized that although the women increased their earnings, their standard of living did not increase. With each woman’s success, every aunt, uncle, cousin and nephew came out of the woodwork with unpaid medical, school or food bills. While their extended families received a tiny influx of help, the women never rose above the poverty line.

Craig’s experience in Ghana convinced him that the NGO system was part of the problem — a “talent drain” so-to-speak. The smartest employees spent too much time trying to find money to keep the organization afloat, and the women were left only marginally better off. He left Ghana with his theory affirmed: for-profit businesses are the way to make a difference in developing countries.

Craig’s experience in the for-profit and non-profit sectors of business have gained him valuable insight that he’s taken the time to share with us. Here is his advice:

There are two of you and there are “clothing fairs” in the U.S. starting in January. Get a product line together ASAP and go to those exhibitions. Make a beautiful product, but make the design and prototypes as soon as you can. Then go to the U.S. and sell the crap out of it. January through February is when the stores buy stock and make relationships with distributors.
Don’t make your clothes “South American-y” (we don’t plan to). Make them look bad ass. Make sure what you sell is something you’d wear.
Trust each other without question. It is hard work. You need to rely on each other.
Make the business for-profit. Then spend the next six months building a back-end and selling the product. There is no reason a for-profit business can’t redistribute the profits to the workers/people.
Use the excess cash-flow to hire a really, really great partner. Offer to give equity to someone with a.) South American retail experience, b.) development/social enterprise experience, c.) the skills you don’t have.
Good people SHOULD cost money. You need to be making money to hire good people, get good equipment and to ensure quality products.
Don’t rely on charity or handouts. Rely on a great product, a great process, and quick delivery, all with fair wages and increased standard of living for all partners/workers.
Once basic needs are met (water, health, food, shelter), I believe the only way out of poverty is through economic sustainability.

Craig has recently started an education company in Bangkok, helping Thais gain admittance and scholarships into U.S. universities. His long-term goal is to provide social enterprise consulting and prove that he can make business work in the developing world. We wish him the best of luck! {r}

My $100,000 Check

‎”Decide what you want — believe you can have it, believe you deserve it, believe it’s possible for you.” –The Secret

By now, my friends and family are probably sick of hearing me say, “envision it.” Those two words have become my mantra — and I apply it to everything. You want the promotion? Envision it. You want to lose seven pounds? Envision it. You want a million dollars? Just envision it.

I am a “law of attraction” enthusiast. I firmly believe that you attract everything in your life through positive or negative emotions. And I have had too many personal experiences and know too many real-life accounts for anyone to convince me otherwise.

Fact: a great deal of success depends on imagination. You must be able to see yourself there to achieve your goals. There have been countless books and manuscripts written on this subject dating all the way back to Aristotle and Socrates. Successful people such as Rockefeller and Carnegie have chalked up their own prosperity to the law of attraction. “Envision it” and even science says, it’s as reliable as the law of gravity.*

Yesterday, I wrote myself a $100,000 check for January 2012. I’ll keep in my wallet, look at it every once in a while and sometimes, I’ll envision it sitting in my bank account. Whether it’s through meditation or a pen and a piece of paper, I complete a goal-setting exercise about once a week. It’s not psycho-babble or New Age hullabaloo, and if it is, well, it’s worked for me so far. I fully attribute the current status of my life to hard work and visualization, and I want everyone I know to benefit from it too.

Take for example the way I’ve funded my travels to Australia, South Africa and now, Latin America. With no prior waitressing or bartending experience that first summer, I envisioned myself working at a lucrative restaurant in Boston. I actually saw myself making drinks and serving food, all the way down to what I was wearing and what the bar looked like. I set a goal amount of money I wanted to make at the end of each summer, and every time I’ve reached or surpassed it. Write it down. Visualize it. Know that you will achieve it.

There are a whole slew of tools I use to set me off in the right direction, and I’m happy to share them with you in a series of posts to come. For now, I’ll leave you with a goal-setting sheet I’ve put together to get you started. I use this myself and will continue to revamp and revise it as my goals change or are achieved.

What would you do if you knew you could have anything you wanted?

Well, you can. {r}

*Resources:

Make the Law of Attraction Work for You: Goal-Setting PDF

Win a Chance to Change Your Life: The Art of Non-Conformity Project

You’re probably reading this blog for one or all of the following reasons:
a) you know one of us
b) you’re interested in our story
c) you’re interested in taking control of your own life

If option c) relates to you in any way, there’s something you should know.

“The Art of Non-Conformity” by Chris Guillebeau came out yesterday. (Note: This is not a paid plug. We just love the guy.)

Chris writes about setting your own rules, living the life you want, and changing the world, on his blog — and now you can read 227 pages of similar, thought-provoking advice.

I read Chris’ manifesto, “A Brief Guide to World Domination: How to Live a Remarkable Life in a Conventional World” a year ago. I didn’t take immediate action, but much of my decision to join this business venture was based on inspiration and hope I gained from Chris‘ words.

If you’ve found yourself unhappy with the status quo, or wishing your life weren’t so darn “average,” then check it out. You can read my Amazon review here and buy the book here. It should also be noted that 100 percent of the author proceeds from the people he meets on his book tour go to Chris’ charity project in Ethiopia.

We won our own free copy from Chris (we’re avid readers of his blog, too) and we’d like to spread the love.

We’ll mail our copy of the book to the first person who responds via comment — the only stipulation being that you must pass the book onto someone else when you’re done. We’ll glue our business card inside, and try to track the book, its readers, and their stories.

Just comment, and tell us why you’re interested! {r}

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

{the blog}

Tagged: business advice