Becoming an Entrepreneur

Marty Casey of Lovehammers used to have a day job as a real estate appraiser and quit almost a year ago to become an entrepreneur in the music industry. I used to have a day job in IT and quit over a year ago to do inventing, creative programming and videos, such as this Trees video. Some of my family members raised a family before starting a multi-million dollar nutrition manufacturing company, getting a patent on the way. Another family member is designing teen fashion while working a full time job and making extra money in tiered marketing. Therefore, I thought it would be appropriate on this site to talk about becoming an entrepreneur and doing what you really love. There are a few important steps to follow:

• What is it that you really love? Many times, this has to do with a talent you displayed when you were very young. What is the first thing you remember doing as a child that came easily to you, and that you truly enjoyed? The answer may not make sense, but may be something you could apply in some way to a career. Do some creative thinking! If you live on the West Coast of the USA, Curtis Adney has a great seminar called "What Were You Born to Do?" A class such as this one cuold be very helpful. In the class, you can get a copy of a book that will be out soon called "Pinpoint Your Destiny." I have found this book to be extremely helpful. I will post a link when the book is released.
  
  
• When you know what you want to do, be prepared to make modifications. Sometimes your first idea may need some tweaking. I've tried a number of things that didn't work out. Don't let this discourage you. Try again! When someone tells you that you've "had a failure, why would you want to go through that again?" just ignore it. "Failure" is simply part of the learning experience. I'm not saying to let yourself go broke and live on the street in your search. If you have to keep your "day job" to make ends meet, make time for at least a few hours each week to work toward your dream. Don't let well-meaning friends, family, or a day job stop you from finding your dream.
  
  
• Start! This is the hardest step. Start making plans, and figuring out how to make a career out of what you love to do. One of the reasons this may be difficult, is that your day job may be time consuming. Take it in small steps, and transition slowly. Another option is to find a fairly easy way to make some extra money to help you transition, without spending a lot of time. I have a couple of examples of fairly easy ways to make extra money, which have worked very well for me:
  
  
  • "Pod" Developing: This is the only thing I've found where you can make money without ever having to pay a dime (if you know of another, please post it on the discussion board or email me, and I will check it out). It's completely free for as long as you are a Pod Developer. "Pods" are small programs, but you don't need to be a computer programmer to create one. One thing that is so great about them is that they are very maleable. You can make any type of pod to fit your interests. I recently became a Pod Developer Advisory Board member, which means that I can help support others to become Developers, and help them develop their pods. You can make very easy pods, such as a simple background image or plain color that people can add to their pages, to complicated pods (for more advanced Developers) that use complex database programming. If this sounds interesting to you, please sign up for a free Developer account with SMS.ac. Please keep a few things in mind when you sign up:
    
    
    1. Be sure that if you browse around the site before deciding to sign up, close the window you browsed in and come back to this page to click the direct link provided here. If you don't do this, I will not be listed as your referrer. As your referrer, I can give you plenty of extra (FREE) help in creating your pods that many of the other Developers will not have. Even if you are an experienced programmer, there are many tips and tricks that are either difficult to find, or that you can only figure out through trial and error. I've already done much of that work, and can save you a lot of time.
       
       
    2. If you supply your mobile number (not required), you may be asked if you wish to import addresses from your email accounts to invite them to SMS.ac. This is a great tool if you wish to start a new community of friends that you can market your pods to, but keep in mind that it will send those people an invitation every month for a year until they either sign up or unsubscribe from the reminders, so choose the addresses carefully if this is what you wish to do.
       
       
    3. When you enter your mobile number (not required), you will automatically be signed up for text messages. They are free up to a certain point, but can get out of hand if you are signed up under many categories. To change your preferences, simply go to your new homepage, click on "messages" (from the line of links near the top of your page, but below your picture), then click on the "Preferences" button, and choose your preferences.
       
       
    4. If you do not enter your mobile number, you will not be able to subscribe to your own pods. This is not required, but it can be very helpful for marketing your pods. Once you have a lot of friends in your list, you can market your pods to them by having them come to your homepage and try them out.
       
       
    5. After you sign up, you will have access to code samples, a Developer Forum, the SDK, and everything else you will need to build pods. I will receive a report of your registration the day after you sign up, and we will be able to exchange private messages if you need help. Remember, this is all FREE!
       
       
    6. The SMS.ac system is in Beta mode, so things may not always work the way they are supposed to. I had a chance to meet the employees, and they were all extremely nice people, and truly care about the Developers doing well. When we do well, their company does well. They are working hard, and will do what they can to fix any problems when they arise.
  
  
  
  BurnLounge: BurnLounge is an online music store. The thing that is so great about this option is that they are using a system that is already widely accepted. Basically, you sign up to become a music retailer. You own your own online music store. Another thing that is so great about it is that all the prices are the same as they are at other online music stores, so it's not unreasonable to ask your friends that are already buying music online to buy from your store instead!
  
  There are two ways you can take advantage of this. Anyone can make money by making a small percentage on each music sale. Musicians, however, can take real advantage of this system by selling their own music from their own store to double-dip! BurnLounge has access to all the major record labels, but even if you don't have a record label, there is still a place for you there. BurnLounge makes it very easy to license your music directly through them!
  
  The BurnLounge system is also in Beta testing mode, and is currently only available in the USA, and on an Internet Explorer browser. The full desktop version is expected to be released on June 9-10, at their Las Vegas convention. The new system will have many new features not availble in the current system. Please see my personal BurnLounge music store at Net TV Live! Music to find out more, and check out the various options for signing up as a retailer. If you have any questions, please post them on the discussion board or email me.