My name is Ryan and I've been an entrepreneur now for two years.
I had a business flight from Philly to LA and back, so I decided to use any and all down time to create my first Steemit post.
What have I learned after two years in business?
1 Anyone that says "I don't have the time" isn't trying hard enough. Wake up earlier, go to bed later.
2 Sometimes you have to fake it to make it. In a business meeting, use confidence to overpower someone's doubt. Know your stuff? Act like it.
3 Some people simply won't like you, for no apparent reason. Just accept it and never take it personally.
4 Have a tech guy on speed dial. Business related website or app issues need to be addressed immediately!
5 Networking or happy hours are largely a waste of time. Conversation can get people hyped up, but they rarely ever act on it. If you really "connect" with someone, get the meeting setup on the spot.
6 If you aren't working at least 12-14 hours a day, you're not in the right frame of mind.
7 If you are awake, you are working. A good way to think about it.
8 TV doesn't exist.
9 Caffeine is a powerful drug. Everyone is different and it can certainly affect people in different ways. Cycle off coffee if you drink a lot, 2-4 weeks.
10 Never get drunk. Hangovers wipe an entire day off the calendar.
11 Happy hour is a waste of time unless you know you will be talking business.
12 Get your taxes in order. Don't wait until the last minute and get your accountant involved early.
13 Stay away from social media unless it's an integral part of your business, your marketing strategy, or your personality. Time gets sucked away too easily.
14 You simply don't have a lot of time for friends and family. Fact.
15 Productivity drugs I like - adderall, modafinil, coffee, marijuana. Each has their use, but they also have their negatives. Adderall - laser focus, but rough comedown. Modafinil - solid focus boost, but headaches at night. Coffee is coffee. Marijuana makes you introspective and creative. Use when not working, and reflect on what you're doing. DISCLAIMER This is not medical advice! Just an opinion from experience!
16 How you dress matters more than you know, but never be quick to judge others. I've met millionaires that wear nothing but cargo shorts and heavy metal t-shirts.
17 You should be able to talk to anyone at any time about anything.
18 Avoid over-promising to be "nice." I've wasted too much time fulfilling promises I made that I simply could've avoided. I wanted to enhance my reputation but the slight boost is often not worth it.
19 Always remember the people that helped you out at any point during your journey.
20 Always pay what you owe, as soon as you can. Take care of bills right away. Avoid credit card debt. If someone gave you a referral, reward them quickly.
21 Look people in the eyes when you first shake hands.
22 Body language gives you away. Never look bored, bounce your leg, slouch, or display general disinterest during a meeting or conversation. If the conversation isn't going your way or turns out to be a waste of time, just eat it and maintain composure.
23 If you challenge someone and they reply with a head scratch, I find it's because they aren't sure if they are right.
24 Maintain a sense of humor. Great leaders tend to be extremely charismatic.
25 Take care of people at the bottom of the totem pole. Get in the trenches and help them out. You'll create a loyal solider, not a worker.
26 Smile. People are far more receptive if you look happy. You can smash through the ice if you maintain a genuine smile even if you are in an uncomfortable situation.
27 Flight delayed? Use the time to get work done.
28 Never change who you are just to fit in. There are people that will accept you as you are.
29 Sometimes it's worth it to simply pay people for information. You could spend hours, weeks, or months trying to learn something when you could've just paid someone to reveal it all.
30 Find a mentor that actually cares about your growth or understands your vision. This is not easy to do.
31 There is always a book or website that offers plenty of great information for free. Spend extra time knowing all there is to know.
32 I wish I could sleep on a plane but since I can't, I force myself to write!
33 I love music but it can actually be a distraction when working. I find that it has to fit the "mood." Heavy metal is my favorite (the old stuff) but it doesn't always go with writing/working. I find classical music is the best all around.
34 Respond to people on social media. If they comment on your YouTube videos, Facebook posts, Twitter quips, then engage. People like interacting with a human being.
35 Own your own web properties and learn to sell. With today's internet, there are so many ways to make passive income. You can be making money in your sleep as people visit your web sites.
36 The sugar wafer the flight attendant just gave us is terrible!
37 On a plane, I'm a tomato juice kind of guy.
38 If you're an expert in a certain field, start a blog. Get your ideas out to the world. Just keep feeding the beast and it will eventually reap rewards over time.
39 Make your own luck. Just endure through the tough times and luck will eventually find you some way, some how.
40 Talk to your Uber or Lyft drivers. Practice your people skills and engage them in conversation. If you're someone worth knowing, you should have a few good stories to tell, and you should be able to get some stories out of other people.
41 If you speak at an event, record it on video. Re-use that content on your YouTube channel or blog. Timeless advice you gave or your best business pitch can keep working for you over the years.
42 Back everything up, regularly. This includes passwords, accounting, computer operating systems, phone, etc. Losing everything can be DEVASTATING and I've been well-prepared for a few potential disasters including an entire hard drive meltdown.
43 If you are selling something, there has to be a demand. Simple as that.
44 Follow up with a hot lead immediately. Be relentless in some cases. It's amazing how people will change their mind only a few days later...
45 Online marketing is changing at a rapid pace. Social media is the new "TV." All avenues must be considered but it's likely only a few strategies will actually convert well. Consult with an expert in each field. It's unlikely someone is a master of all.
46 Go with your gut. When you ask someone a question, an immediate and confident response with eye contact is likely to be the truth. Liars tend to scramble or look away briefly.
47 Admit when you're wrong. There's no reason to try and defend a position that is now invalid.
48 Surround yourself with people who specialize. I have techies, designers, app specialists, and fellow marketers on speed dial for a second opinion or immediate assistance.
49 Automate anything you can. IFTTT is a great place to start. Mess around and experiment. Whenever you can cut time, do it. Sell services to clients, but don't tell them you have it on autopilot!
50 To-do lists are key. I'm still terrible at consistently creating them as needed.
51 Never burn a bridge. Always walk away and treat a disagreement as "strictly business." Only a fool acts like a child who got blocked on social media.
52 Start to think about every financial transaction as "making a deal." Is that $12 beer at the ball game really worth it? Being in business for awhile will change the way you look at literally every dollar you spend.
53 Always leave early for an appointment. Arrive well ahead of time. It's far better to get where you need to be and wait rather than show up late, stress about being late, or failing to show at all. If you're very early, get something done - answer emails, write a task list, etc.
54 You absolutely must be able to play to personalities. I've had high profile CEOs or business owners walk into a meeting and start dropping F-bombs left and right. Know how to adapt, play into it. You can likely be far more aggressive and brutally honest with people like this. Remember, you're talking to a human being, and that's all you need to know.
55 Picked up a girl's number after some small talk about her adult coloring book while boarding a flight. As stated earlier, be able to talk to anyone about anything at any time. We plan to meet for drinks later this week...
56 I told her about Steemit and how I hoped that people would enjoy this post and would give it some love!
57 Started reading Plato - The Apology. Socrates...now there's a guy that can talk to anyone.
58 You can find a lot on the internet about sexual transmutation (diverting sexual energy elsewhere) which Napoleon Hill describes in Think and Grow Rich. I believe there is a lot of truth to this. Speaking as a guy, the drive for sex is powerful, but once you get it (or hell, even if you masturbate) you become lazy as all hell. You "got the prize." Delayed gratification makes you a hungry beast out to kill. Use this to attack your busy day.
59 I'm in a band and I always said from the beginning - if you want to be good, you need to treat it like a business. The way you practice. The way you market. The way you carry yourself before, during and after a show. People will remember those who made it their mission, not just some hobby. Party when the show's over, not before.
60 Drinking heavily will destroy your ability to speak well. It will cloud your judgement. It will slow you down and clog the pipes. There is rarely ever a reason to get drunk. I'm not against drinking, however.
61 Our band is successful and draws a crowd. Some of the worst bands we've played with would party too hard before the show started. Their performance suffered. It's all about delayed gratification.
62 Now that I'm in my 30s, hangovers are 10x worse. I'd rather go sober than deal with an entire day of wasted time and energy.
63 There's a baby and a small child next to me on the plane. I wonder what kind of world they will live in...
64 My favorite airline pilots are the ones that talk to you and tell jokes. Being able to entertain at any time is a rare and powerful ability. Hire these people at all costs.
65 There are a lot of managers but very few leaders.
66 Being able to listen is probably the best skill that a great leader can have.
67 Turbulence is kicking in...wooooooooooo.
68 Flight time is like dead time unless you choose to use it for something. One and a half hours on flight #1, one and a half hour layover, three and a half hours for flight #2, and three hours rolled back flying east to west coast. A lot can be done on this day!
69 I learned guitar with almost no formal training by watching free videos on YouTube. Started at age 23 and never had a musical background. There is so much free information on the internet. There is literally no excuse to say "I don't know where to start" or "I need more information." All of the information in the world is at your fingertips.
70 To start a band, it took me about four years until I was good enough on guitar. Took at least a year or more to find the right combination of people. Business is the same way. It's a hell of a grind, but the payoff is amazing.
71 Chemistry is more important than raw talent.
72 The corporate world was stealing my soul. I personally couldn't take it, so I created my own world to work in...
73 I learned a lot of SEO and marketing knowledge online. I met all of the people I network with online. Again I ask you, what's your excuse?
74 The best YouTubers are really great editors.
75 I recently started watching some of the most popular Vine creators. There is a subtle genius in this art, especially with humor. You have exactly 6 seconds to drive it home.
76 When talking business, a sharp wit can go a long way. The ability to respond quickly and with humor can raise your level of intrigue and also makes you appear extremely confident. This takes practice though, which few people understand.
77 You gotta' have a good business card.
78 On this very trip, I made a bad business mistake. I did not clearly communicate elements of compensation and budget up front which led to a lot of stress and surprise from the potential client. Reviewing in my head after the fact, I realized I had indeed failed to communicate the details. I admitted my mistake in the meeting of course, as there is no reason to bicker about bad communication.
79 The best ideas come when you least expect it. Always have a notepad or they are gone forever.
80 A lot of people are messing with nootropics and cognitive enhancers, and I've tried my fair share. I personally think it's a good idea to experiment, just make sure to do your research.
81 Focus on one thing at a time, and take that one thing to completion.
82 People buy stuff from you if they like you!
As stated earlier, I'm a fan of music, especially heavy metal. I saw Guns N' Roses (for the third time this tour) in LA on Thursday night 8/18/16.
I then got on a plane early Friday morning 8/19/16 to land in Philly to hit Black Sabbath.
All of this was possible because I love what I do, and took the time to make it happen.
All of that flight time resulted in this post.