As I’ve been ramping up projects in the new year, I’ve been looking for ways to improve my productivity. And I have a few secrets that I’ve kept tucked away in my back pocket for just this kind of moment!

Many years ago, I listened to an interview with Brian Tracy, who, I think we can all agree, is a mega-successful human being. This past week, I  looked back over my notes from that interview and the concepts are just as relevant today as they were back then.

I’ve turned the thoughts Brian shared back in that old interview into five questions to ask yourself- and once you answer these questions, you’ll be able to dramatically improve your productivity (and simplify your life, too!)

Question #1: Are You Ready to Make A Decision?
Let’s face it- if you make a decision, whatever it is- that you’re going to be successful, bring in more clients, learn a new skill- then the first step to making it happen is to make the decision.

The word “decide” comes from Latin for “to cut off,” and that’s what you have to do when you make a decision: you cut off all other possibilities. If you decide to be successful, you have to decide to cut off the possibility of not being successful- more than that, you have to cut off the possibility of being anything but successful.

So, the first question is, “Are you ready to make a decision?” The decision can be about anything you want, however small. But the secret is to make a decision. It all starts there.

Once you’ve made your decision, you’ll want to take a pause for a little strategy:
Make a list of everything you do in the course of a week or a month. If you look at that list carefully, you’ll find that there are three things on that list that are responsible for 90% of the income you create. If you could do only three activities from that list, which three would contribute the most value?

Sometimes the three things on your list that generate the most value won’t be things you enjoy doing. But you really can simplify your life greatly by doing more and more of the three things that bring you the most income- and over time you’ll get better and better at these things and you won’t dislike them so much. Also, remember that often the things we like doing the least are things that bring anxiety, fear or stress. Do more of those, and the anxiety will decrease (tune in next week when I’ll talk about courage in business). So now that you know the strategy to find out what things bring you the most value, let’s get back to the five questions.

Question #2: What should I do more of?
What things count the most? This is where the three most valuable things from your list come into play. What are the three things you should spend more time on? Once you know the answer to that, it’s not hard to start culling your schedule and your “to do” list down to the most essential and profitable elements.

Question #3: What should I do less of?
What things aren’t productive? When you look at the list you made, this is the time to ask yourself which things on your list are things that you don’t have to do- what can you delegate or outsource or just minimize?

Question #4: What should I do that I’m not doing now? 
Now is the time to ask yourself what you’re not doing that you should be doing. Should I go to this conference? Read this book? Should I listen to this audio program? There are so many things you can do to improve and increase your business and we forget a lot of them. This includes things like continuing education, expanding your range of knowledge, and connecting and networking with other business owners. What else could you do that you’re not doing?

Question #5: What should I stop doing altogether?
This was the biggest one for me, because I am the queen of distraction. And working from home, I can be distracted by music, television, a phone call from a friend inviting me to lunch when I should be working, errands, laundry, you name it. However, it’s good to remind yourself that every minute you spend during the day not working on your business is a minute you’ve lost money. I encounter entrepreneurs every day who forget that equation. But keeping that concept firmly in mind makes a huge difference, and when you start to shift your thinking in this direction, you’ll see how much more productive you really are.

All strategic planning starts with abandonment. If you’re anything like me, right now your dance card is full. You can’t do something new without stopping something old. You can really only get your time under control by stopping something that doesn’t count toward your goals in order to start something that really makes the difference. And remember that when you weed out something old and ineffective, you create a vacuum to let a new opportunity come into your life.

This past week in LA, I hobnobbed with some of the most successful people in music at the major industry event of the year (okay, well, more like I saw most of them, but I did meet David Meerman Scott!) . Having talked over the years with mega-successful entrepreneurs about what success really means, I decided to share some of their success tactics with you.

Mega-Success Tactic #1: Define Success For Yourself.

Consider this quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson:
“To laugh often, to win the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch…to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded!”

Think about it- what is your definition of success? Is it freedom, financial independence and wealth, international travel, a happy, healthy family, physical health, doing good for others in the world…what does it mean to you to be successful?

This one can get a little tricky- sometimes we want things because we get the idea we’re “supposed” to want them. As my friend Dixie says, “Do you want what you want or only what you WANT to want?”

For example, when I do the Lifestyle & Business Planning Analysis with clients, one of the areas of the questionnaire focuses on what material things you want. I see a lot of answers- cars, boats, vacation villas in Tuscany. And I think we’ve been trained to believe that’s what success is. We see wealthy people on TV with their conspicuous spending and outrageous purchases and think that’s what we’re supposed to want.

But when it really comes down to it, when you soul search and go deep, when you close your eyes and take a deep breath and envision your perfect life, what do you want?

Once you know what you really want, it’s easy to implement the remaining four tactics:

Mega-Success Tactic #2. State your goals in positive terms.

If you believe in the Law of Attraction, you’ve already heard this message. But even if you haven’t or if the Law of Attraction isn’t your “thing,” your brain receives messages in the same way the universe does. If your brain hears, “Avoid creating problems with clients,” what it actually hears is “create problems with clients.” The brain also hears a negative word, “avoid.” This creates a negative state of mind that follows you around. If, instead, your brain hears, “Create a pleasant and positive relationship between company representatives and clients,” it hears a positive and clear message and knows exactly what to do. This kind of positive message breeds a positive, upbeat state of mind that follows you around. (And thank you to Kat, one of my Facebook pals who recently reminded me gently of this tactic when I said my mantra was “I’m not getting sick!”)

Remember, too, that your brain needs clear messages. “Avoid creating problems with clients” tells you what not to do, but it doesn’t say what you should do. There are lots of possibilities that aren’t “creating problems with clients,” but which is the alternative that you want?

Mega-Success Tactic #3. Define your goals in measurable, time-sensitive terms.
Once you’ve stated your goals in positive terms, you need to come up with a way to determine if you’ve achieved your goals. How do you know you’ve achieved your goal? By when do you want to achieve it?

Using the previously mentioned goal, you can change “Create a pleasant and positive relationship between company representatives and clients,” to “Create and maintain a pleasant and positive relationship between company representatives and clients, as evidenced by quarterly customer satisfaction surveys.” Here you’ve created a measure of your success in the customer satisfaction surveys and you’ve said that you will initially create and then maintain your goal, which shows you what you need to see in those surveys- an increase and gradual leveling out in positive ratings. You’ve also made it time-sensitive by stating that the surveys are to be done quarterly.

Setting measurements and timing for your goals keeps your goals clear and attainable instead of wishy-washy and vague.

Mega-Success Tactic #4. Plan ahead.
Sometimes business owners experience what I like to call “post-success laziness.” You have a goal, you achieve your goal, and then you take a break, resting on your laurels and, yeah, let’s face it, you get a little lazy. This happens when you don’t plan ahead and set your next goal before you achieve the first one.

Creating a roadmap of goals does a couple of things. First, in creating a series of goals, you assume you will achieve the closest goal and the next one and so on, and that’s just smart, positive thinking. Second, you avoid the post-success laziness because you’re already working toward the next goal before you achieve the first. You do want to take time to celebrate achievements, but don’t let yourself get so bogged down in the celebration that you forget to keep moving forward.

Mega-Success Tactic #5. Follow through!
The single most important tactic to achieving success is the ability to follow through. If you create goals and then don’t set up systems and structures to follow through on your goals, you’re not a mover or a shaker- you’re a dreamer.

Don’t get me wrong- there’s nothing wrong with dreaming. Being a dreamer is a wonderful, important thing, actually. Dreamers can be extremely successful people, but not without follow-through. So find ways to follow through on your dreams- and if you need help, find it! If there are things you don’t know how to do, learn how to do them or delegate them. If you struggle with time management and accountability, hire a coach. Because once you figure out where you’re going, all you have to do is figure out how to get there and follow through.

So, start by  deciding where you’re going and how you’re going to get there, and then build a plan to follow through. With this plan, you’ll find success on your own terms.

We entrepreneurs have a way of turning into workaholics. It’s so easy to do. When you’re first starting out, there’s so much to do that many new entrepreneurs feel a compulsion to work until it’s all done. And when you love what you do with fervor, sometimes it’s hard to stop!

Usually I spend the month of December relaxing with family, preparing for the holidays, and doing my annual year-end assessment and pre-year planning. This holiday season was a little different. Since most of my clients were heading out of town or focusing on their own holiday festivities, my calendar was light enough that I decided to conduct my first ever group coaching program.

Boy, did I discover some things about balance while trying to do it all! Here are some of the lessons I learned the hard way:

1. Set regular working hours and keep them

The entrepreneurial lifestyle is often appealing because of the promise of flexible working hours. Sure, in many businesses, you can work whenever you want, but that doesn’t always mean that you should.

I set my working hours based on two factors: when I work best and when my clients are working and want to meet with me. There’s balance to be found here. If you happen to be a night owl, there’s nothing wrong with working when you’re at your best, but that doesn’t mean you should expect clients to show up for appointments at 3 a.m.

Regardless of what your working hours are, creating a structure and using self-discipline to stick to your structure will almost always help you to become more successful.

But remember, this works both ways- you have to stick to your structure and not become a workaholic. I myself have workaholic tendencies, and when my husband and I got married, I promised I would stop working each day at a certain time and I wouldn’t work on weekends, and I’ve kept to that…mostly…which has kept me sane and kept my marriage on track (though Leo is super-understanding when I’m on a deadline or working on a launch).

2. Make sure others in your family know your plans.
If I’ve learned anything, it’s that if you don’t make it clear when you’re working, you’re likely to end up getting interrupted a lot. It’s better to make sure everyone knows you’re working, whether you actually say, “I will be working until 3:00,” or post a sign on a closed door.

3. Create a plan for work.
Especially at the beginning when you’re just starting your business, there are a million things to do and it can get overwhelming. If you create an overall plan for where you are and where you’re going, then it’ll be easier to prioritize and know where you can outsource. Once you’ve got that overall plan, start chunking your goals and tasks into manageable pieces, then plan what needs to get done each day.

4. Outsource.
I’m a huge fan of outsourcing, and today, the thriving virtual assisting field makes it easier than ever to find someone to take on tasks that you don’t like, aren’t particularly good at, or just simply don’t need to do.

Outsourcing is economically beneficial, and since it frees up your time, you can use that time for more revenue-generating activities, or you can use it to spend more time with your family.

5. Create a plan for play.
For some entrepreneurs, it’s useful to structure “play time” just as you structure your work time. Many of my clients with workaholic tendencies feel guilty if they take time off and don’t do anything, so we create a plan for their time off as well. That way, they don’t waver around, trying to find something to do. Instead, they designate certain times for certain fun activities.

But be careful that you don’t treat your fun time like something you’re checking off of your “to do” list. Play time should feel like play time. Allow yourself to relax and enjoy it.

6. Sleep.
You simply can’t overestimate the value of a good night’s sleep. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, it’s time to restructure your day and analyze your habits and your sleeping environment so that you get enough sleep and are rested, refreshed, and rejuvenated. This will help you stay on top of things, keep your mind working optimally and your passion high.

If you’re anything like me, your brain has a hard time shutting down, so carve out a 15-30 minute block before bedtime for yoga and/or meditation so that your brain will slow down and let you get some sleep!

7. Stay healthy.
Another thing one can’t overestimate is the value of exercise and staying healthy. If you’re eating badly, it’ll affect your brain and that means low creativity. As an entrepreneur, your creativity is one of your most powerful allies- so feed your brain with healthy food! Eating healthy and staying fit means you’ll have more energy to devote to your business.

The balance between work and home/play is a critical part of your small business success. Pay attention and make sure you include fun in your business plan!

Do you make New Year’s Resolutions? Every year, I’m surprised by how many people don’t make them. I love making New Year’s Resolutions, and I even have a strategy for keeping them. Mostly, my strategy involves making sure I keep my resolutions visible in my office and check in monthly to see how I’m doing in terms of making progress with those resolutions…and I could talk today about how to make resolutions you’ll keep. But instead, today I want to talk about the most powerful resolutions that can not only transform your business, but multiply your profits within 2012.

Resolution #1: This Year I Will Think Of My Business As A Business.
You wouldn’t believe how many times clients come to me for our second meeting, after doing their “homework,” only to tell me they’re shocked to discover that they never really thought of their business as a real business.

To be successful, you must have a plan- it doesn’t have to be a big, formal business plan that a bank would require to give you a loan (unless you’re seeking venture capital or loans), but you do want to plan the future of your business and start looking at how you’re going to get there. Believe it or not, once you change the way you look at your business, you’ll be much more likely to take success actions that will increase your profits.

Resolution #2: This Year I Will Improve My Time Management.
One of the biggest factors that sucks away your profitability is poor time management. You can so easily fritter away a day thinking you’re being active and productive, only to get to the end of the day and realize you haven’t really accomplished anything.

To increase your profitability, make every working minute count. Remember that every second you’re spending on Facebook “noodling” around, you’re essentially stealing from your business. You wouldn’t want an employee doing that to you…so don’t do that to yourself.

Resolution #3: This Year I Will Invest In My Business.
For many entrepreneurs, one of the hardest things to do is to invest in your business. Especially if your business has suffered during the recession, even more so if you’ve been “taken” by so-called business coaches and gurus who don’t really have much actual business experience, you’ll find it difficult to part with your hard-earned money, even if it could really help your business to grow.

This kind of fear is understandable. But if you want your business to grow, you do have to invest money back into the business. Invest in an improved web site, work with a business consultant who can give you the direction you need to get your business growing, invest in  a new marketing campaign, a PR campaign, or something, but also make sure you know the likely results of whatever you’re investing in. There are no guarantees, but good research can give you a solid sense of how well you’re betting. If you put money into something, know what it is and how it’s going to help grow your business, and then take action.

Resolution #4: This Year I Will Stop Worrying About Motivation and Take Action.

Many entrepreneurs get so caught up in trying to get motivated that they spend most of their time learning from others and attending webinars and teleseminars and live events in the hopes of finding that one thing that will motivate them that they never take the next step to action. In fact, do you know how many people buy books and products and never read or use them? Fully 85% (or more!) of the people who buy personal growth and business books (including e-books and products) never even open them up!

This year, commit to finding your true fervor, that which you love doing and get excited about, so that you can stop worrying about “getting motivated” and just start doing.

Resolution #5: This Year I Will Trust Myself and Relax.
So many micro-entrepreneurs think they have to be doing everything to grow their businesses. What I mean is, I talk to people every day who receive five, ten, or twenty (or more!) business e-mails every week, and think they have to do everything that’s been recommended to them. They get one e-mail saying, “You should have a viral video,” and they scramble to get that set up. They get another e-mail saying, “You should speak from the stage!” and scramble to start doing that. They get yet another e-mail saying, “You need to be invested in social media!” and think they need to figure all that out. Next, an e-mail comes talking about blogs, articles marketing, e-zines, podcasting, internet radio shows, public relations….

It’s overwhelming. It’s too much. And it’s okay for you to relax a little bit and take a step back to think about what’s best for you, your business, and your target market.

When all else fails, trust yourself. It took me ages to trust myself and to listen to my gut instincts, but when I did, that’s when my confidence as a thought leader and as an expert really grew.

So this year, relax, stop trying to do everything, and trust yourself to know what’s best for you and for your business.

This time of year isn’t just about making resolutions that stick, it’s about making resolutions that can kick your business out of a rut and into profitability. And that’s what your 2012 should be all about. Happy New Year!

Santa knows a lot about business! Even if, say, this particular guy looks slightly sinister.

This time of year, many of us are thinking about Santa Claus and looking forward to his visit down the chimney (and trying to remember not to light a fire on Christmas Eve!)It occurred to me this morning that Santa is a deliverer of quintessential customer service.

Is anyone truly unhappy with Santa’s work? Not really. People return year after year to Santa to put in their holiday wishes, and he rarely gets complaints. So I thought it appropriate to share with you some of the business lessons I’ve learned over the years by observing St. Nick.

Pay attention to detail.
Santa makes a list and checks it twice. He really pays attention to detail and makes sure no mistakes are made. Are you as careful? Be diligent with your customers and clients and give the same attention to detail as Santa, and you’ll have loads of happy customers, which translates to repeat business.

Hire good people.
The elves always do amazing, impeccable work. They have a strong work ethic, they know how to get things done, and they put a lot of care into creating the best toys possible. These are the qualities you should look for when you hire people to do work for your business, too, even if you’re outsourcing. Your employees and contractors and their work product represent your company. Make sure they represent you well.

Do what you say you’re going to do when you say you’re going to do it.
Santa promises to deliver all toys on Christmas Eve, so that when you wake up Christmas morning, your stocking is filled and your biggest wish is granted. You never wake up on Christmas, only to discover that Santa just didn’t make it. You never get an e-mail from Santa saying, “I’m sorry, we just couldn’t make our deadline this year.” Likewise, always deliver what you promise within your projected timeline and you’ll make your customers and clients very happy.

Love what you do (or at least look like you do).
Did you ever notice how Santa is always smiling? Whether he’s asking children what they want for Christmas, checking off his “naughty and nice” list, or delivering the toys, he’s always smiling. You get the sense that Santa really loves what he does, and that makes it so much nicer to receive gifts from Santa, because you know he’s getting joy out of doing good. One imagines that Santa wouldn’t frown, even if the elves revolted or the reindeer just weren’t behaving properly that day. Your customers and clients should always feel like you love what you do, no matter what’s going on in your day (or the day of your customer service reps). They should never feel like a burden, but always like a joy.

Market yourself well.
Santa does an amazing job of marketing himself, doesn’t he? You can’t pass a grocery store without hearing the clang clang of the Salvation Army Santa, and you can’t visit a mall without seeing a line of children waiting to talk to Santa. You see, Santa has wisely set up a network of outsourced Santas who deliver exceptional PR for him, plus he’s made strategic partnerships with charities so he appears just about everywhere. And don’t get me started on merchandising. You can market yourself just as well as Santa does by setting up your own marketing campaigns and strategic partnerships. Get yourself out there and increase your visibility.

Do good.
Speaking of strategic partnerships, Santa does good in the world. He delivers toys to children who live in poverty and brings a certain measure of comfort to millions around the world. He lends his image to thousands of charitable causes and makes a difference in the world around him. I hear that every one of Santa’s elves is required to volunteer a certain number of hours each month. You can do good in the world, too, through your business. Business in Blue Jeans donates a portion of our profits to a list of charities that are meaningful to me, but you can make a difference in a ton of different ways. Always be on the lookout for ways to do good in the world.

Santa’s not the only one who can do an amazing job, delight people around the world, and make a big difference. You can do the same thing with your business…you just have to have the spirit of the holidays. Enjoy!

Recently, my friend and informal mentor, Larry Winget, posted a fairly controversial blog post entitled, “Passion Has No Value.” When I saw that post, I knew that once again, Larry was going to light some fires. And indeed, after a week and a lively debate on Larry’s site, it seems I was right.

I might have opted into the dialogue on Larry’s site, but I wanted to spend some time with this one, rolling it around in my brain.

My initial gut reaction to Larry’s post was that indeed, passion itself isn’t enough for success. As Larry and I have always agreed, it takes expertise (and other things) to be successful. Ultimately, you’ve got to have the goods to back up whatever you promise, there’s no way around that. If you’ve got passion but no expertise, you can look forward to a short business life, leaving a lot of unhappy clients and customers in your wake.

But…the whole “passion has no value” thing…that’s got me feeling like a doorknob snagged my sweater: I can’t shake it loose.

I admit, I’ve evolved over the last year. I don’t really talk much about “passion” these days. I admit, I have talked about passion’s role in the micro-entrepreneurial business, but I never really felt quite settled about it. Passion is a word that has been overused and misunderstood.

These days, instead of “passion,” I talk about “fervor,” which the dictionary defines as “great intensity of feeling or belief.” Why fervor? Because just about every mega-successful person I know is intense in his or her own way, including (and perhaps especially) Larry. Passion, though, as Larry suggests, is a word that refers to an “uncontrollable” emotion, that frankly,  doesn’t have a place in business.

Emotion in general certainly has a role- it’s how we connect with people. After all, people do business with people and emotion plays a role in relationship-building. But uncontrolled emotion (passion) often gets in the way of an open, evolving, questioning mind, a necessary ingredient for success.

I do love working with entrepreneurs and I love helping small businesses grow. But I love the results I get more…and so do my clients.

And even if fervor and intensity are different from passion, they still aren’t enough for success. You can never exclude expertise from the equation. Without the “chops” to back up your fervor, you’ll never be successful (or at least, not for long). Successful business lies in the “sweet spot” that’s found in the cross-section of what you’re fervent about, what you’re really good at, and what sets you apart (the “power triad”).

I assume that Larry would agree with me that even if you’re great at what you do, you still have to find something that sets you apart, something that distinguishes you from the rest of the world (whether you’re an employee or an entrepreneur). Why do I assume Larry would agree with me? I mean…have you seen his boot collection alone? Larry himself has build a successful brand that fuses his unique personality (and fashion sense) with what he’s fervent about (cutting through the nonsense) and what he’s really good at (communicating that “straight shooter” vibe through multiple mediums).

I’ve worked with micro-entreprenuers who set up shop solely under the premise of turning their “passion into profits” and failed before looking for help. I’ve worked with small business owners who focused only on what they were good at, but didn’t enjoyed it and didn’t find much success before deciding to make a change.  And I’ve worked with folks in both of those categories who never packaged their business in a way that set them apart from everyone else in their industry, couldn’t reach their audience, and didn’t understand why.

Fervor, expertise, and packaging (or branding) are the first keys in success. They’re not the only keys, but they’re a good place to start.

And as for passion…as Larry suggests, perhaps that uncontrolled emotion is perhaps best left to the personal realm. Passion is what you feel about the things you want to create in your life- the ultimate outcomes like more time with family or creating a feeling of stability, safety, and security.  Passion about what you’re working towards is what keeps you motivated…and that does have value.

It’s just not enough for mega-success.

This is how fast my Sony Vaio seemed.

I’ve had a Sony Vaio laptop for three and a half years now. I used to turn technology over faster, back when I was doing more web development and technical stuff, but these days, most of what I do involves writing. Still, I’m what’s known as a “power user” and tend to overtax any computer I use, and the Sony Vaio is known for overheating and shutting down at random without notice…which is not cool when you’re doing something important and haven’t had a chance to save your work yet.

I decided it was time to make a decision: do I sent the Sony in for service (again) or break down and upgrade to something new? The answer came when I remembered a lesson my husband, Leo, shared with me, something he learned when he was a young musician. Leo is a drummer who has played professionally in bands around the world, and he told me that when he was starting out, he would only invest in equipment that could be used to generate income that would pay for itself and then some. The way he phrases it, “When you invest in your business, it always comes back.”

When I remembered him saying that, I realized that my laptop is an essential tool for my business and right now, the machine I had was holding me back- not helping me and certainly not paying for itself anymore. It’s time to move on and invest again in something that will “come back” again.

There are many ways to invest in your business. Making sure you have the right tools doesn’t just refer to technology, but also to projects like web design, consulting, and coaching. The question to ask when you’re evaluating a business purchase is, “Will this pay for itself and bring more money in?” If so, that’s an investment you should make, if you can.

Want to learn more? Why not come to my webinar, “The 7 Lessons of Mega-Successful Entrepreneurs” on November 29?

It’s 11/11/11 and I feel pretty much like I did yesterday, despite reports that suggested we’d all receive some major new spiritual mojo today. So, I thought in honor of the day that most resembles corduroy, I’d share eleven of the things I’ve learned about mega-successful entrepreneurs:

1. Mega-successful entrepreneurs are fervent.
   They’re passionate and energetic about what they do.
   
2. Mega-successful entrepreneurs create from within.
   They learn from others but speak from their own experience.
3. Mega-successful entrepreneurs are strongly magnetic.
   Their fervor and expertise (and their ultimate success) makes them attractive to others.
4. Mega-successful entrepreneurs rebound from mistakes and failures.
   Most of the mega-successful entrepreneurs I know have big failures in their past. Remember:
   “This thing we call failure is not the falling down, but the staying down.“  - Mary Pickford
5. Mega-successful entrepreneurs are works in progress, constantly learning and evolving.
   Every mega-successful entrepreneur I know reads constantly, is always striving to improve, and trying to up their game.
6. Mega-successful entrepreneurs follow through and follow up.
   Without following through on ideas and following up with people, whether they’re networking contacts, possible business partners, or potential clients and customers, one cannot be successful.
7. Mega-successful entrepreneurs are focused and driven.
   Mega-successful entrepreneurs often have their own kind of self-discipline which may not look like what you’d expect, but they are always moving forward and taking action.
8. Mega-successful entrepreneurs manage their time wisely.
   This one isn’t about whether you check e-mail in the morning or make a to-do list. It’s about choosing what you devote your time and energy to.
9. Mega-successful entrepreneurs are interesting and interested.
   They’re both fascinating to talk to and curious about other people.
10. Mega-successful entrepreneurs know when to ask for help.
    Entrepreneurs often think we have to do everything ourselves. Problem is, when you wait too long to resolve a challenge, it can turn into a problem. Mega-successful entrepreneurs know when it’s time to look for outside advice from coaches and consultants.
11. Mega-successful entrepreneurs are just like the rest of us- they doubt themselves, experience fear, and have moments of uncertainty. They just know how to wrestle their demons to the ground better.
    At the end of the day, mega-successful entrepreneurs are just like everyone else- they put their jeans on one leg at a time. But when it comes to the struggles that plague less-successful entrepreneurs, the mega-successful know what to do when those struggles emerge. They handle their business and move on to the next thing.

Want to know more about mega-successful entrepreneurs? Scroll up to the top of the page and subscribe to the Business in Blue Jeans e-zine and you’ll receive my “The 7 Lessons of Mega-Successful Entrepreneurs” for free!

Ross Faris, founder and owner of Your Neighbor's Garden (image from YNG)

I just received a heartbreaking e-mail from one of my favorite family-run businesses. Ross Faris, the founder and owner of Your Neighbor’s Garden, a small home market in the suburbs of Indianapolis (and I dare say, one of Indy’s best semi-kept secrets), passed away last night.

The story of Your Neighbor’s Garden has always held a special place in my heart, partly because it’s such a lovely family story, and partly because it’s such a perfect example of the business philosophy that is so near and dear to my heart. I’ll quote Ross’s own posting of the history of YNG from their web site:

“Thirty years ago my son Greg and daughter Anne asked me if they could have a lemonade stand. I suggested they could make more money selling vegetables from my garden. We started with the produce on a picnic table in our front yard along Grandview Drive. And soon we erected our LOCAL PRODUCE sign at the end of our driveway and moved closer to the house. Sales were brisk so I made my garden larger and started using other parcels of land to expand our garden business.  I might add that I was in charge of production and the kids marketing. I took half the proceeds for my contribution and they took the other half.

We first called ourselves FARIS FRUITS AND VEGGIES and after a few years we changed our name to YOUR NEIGHBOR’S GARDEN because at the beginning our Highland Kessler neighbors were our main customers.”

The YNG story continued after the children grew up, and Ross ran YNG part-time for thirteen more years before he retired from a successful career and took the market on full-time, finally satisfying his life-long small business aspirations.

I didn’t know Ross very well. I went to YNG fairly often for fresh, local produce, but more often than not, Ross was busy unloading produce or puttering around in the garage next to the market itself. He was quick with a smile and a friendly hello, and always made sure we had everything we needed. He was a really nice guy, that much I know.

Your Neighbor's Garden home market (image from 4thfrog.blogspot.com)

Your Neighbor’s Garden is (despite the uncertain future of YNG, I hold out hope that Ross’s legacy will continue, so I’m writing in the present tense) the embodiment of what I imagine I would have discovered, if I’d known Ross Faris better. It’s welcoming, friendly, and the kind of place that returns you to a time when we all trusted one another. You see, Your Neighbor’s Garden operates on the honor system. There’s no cashier. There’s a locked cashbox, where you put the money for your produce, or, if you don’t have the right cash on-hand, a handwritten IOU (and you always pay the IOU, because in this day and age, if someone trusts you to give them an IOU, you never want to disappoint them!)

Your Neighbor’s Garden is housed in a small shed next to the Faris’s house. The shed is air-conditioned and there’s a fridge in the back where 4H students and other kids sometimes sell eggs from their chickens. By the street hangs a wooden sign that lists the various kinds of produce in stock. It’s very homey and sweet.

Sign for Your Neighbor's Garden (image from goinglocal-info.com)

I remember the first time I went to Your Neighbor’s Garden. I’d heard about it for years, even drove by without realizing what it was. The first time I actually visited, though, I worried that I might be trespassing on someone’s private property. When I got out of my car, Ross welcomed me with his big smile and I knew I was in the right place.

Over the years, the Faris’s added a small parking lot, started working with other local farmers, and selling at the weekly farmer’s markets in town. And if you’re a “regular” to the home market, then you encounter the same welcoming friendliness when you see YNG staff at the local weekly farmer’s markets around town.

Ross Faris was a brilliant example of a parent teaching his children about small business. Many of us started out with lemonade stands (myself included), but how many kids left their lemonade dreams behind and stopped dreaming the entrepreneurial dream? Ross not only kept the dream alive for 30 years, but transformed it the embodiment of his own small business vision.

I decided to write about this today because I’m so saddened by the loss of Ross Faris from a personal perspective, but also because I also wanted to share his story from a business perspective. So often those with small business dreams think that they have to come up with a grandiose idea or a big invention. So often, people who fantasize about leaving corporate careers behind think they have to spend a lot of money to start a business.

Ross Faris and Your Neighbor’s Garden are a testament to the idea that you can start a business inexpensively, doing what you love, do it in your own style, do it on your terms, and you can do it extremely well. From where I sit, that’s the perfect illustration of a successful Business in Blue Jeans.

Rest in Peace, Ross. You will be missed.

Recently, Leo and I discovered a Japanese game show called “Ninja Warrior.” In this show, athletes from around the world (but primarily Japan) test their skill and strength at a seemingly unbeatable obstacle course, in the hopes of becoming a champion worthy of the title, “Ninja Warrior.” The other day, as Leo and I watched yet one more round of warrior athletes performing what seemed like impossible stunts, I reflected on the business and life lessons one might take away from this extraordinary show.

Do something you think you can’t.
Ninja Warrior tests are incredibly challenging and often seem impossible. But the competitors are rarely daunted. They always try whatever seems impossible…and even if they can’t defeat the obstacle course, they almost always go home and train for a full six months before returning for the next Ninja Warrior competition and conquering the obstacle that tripped them up last time. Likewise, if you see a challenge and think you can’t do it, try it anyway. Then, if you don’t succeed, train harder until you can do it.

Always compete against yourself, not against others.
One of the characteristics that drew us to Ninja Warrior in the first place was that it’s not a competition where participants compete against each other. It’s every man (or woman) against the obstacle course. So rather than worrying about what anyone else is doing, each competitor is focused on doing his or her best. Similarly, in business, we’re often focused on the “old school” concept of watching the competition and worrying about what they’re up to. Instead, focus on you and what you can do to improve and grow, and cheer on your peers. Their success has little to nothing to do with you.

If you fail, keep trying.
There’s a group of Ninja Warrior “All Stars” who have participated in many of the Ninja Warrior competitions. If you watched the show from the beginning (as we have) you’d see these competitors go from young upstarts to family men with successful careers. And they just keep coming back to try to conquer the Ninja Warrior obstacle course again and again and again, hoping to succeed where they have failed before (of course, a couple of these All Stars have actually completed the course, but they continue to return to try to conquer the course as it has evolved). In business, if you don’t succeed at something, that doesn’t mean you should give up. In a recent The Experts Series interview with a bestselling author, I learned that this author’s book was rejected two hundred times before he got his book deal that shot him into bestselling status. If you fail, go back and try again and again and again.

Never give up in the middle.
Something that keeps us in awe of this show is that none of the competitors ever gives up. Even if a competitor knows the clock is running out and he may not complete the course, he never stops giving his full effort- not until that last second when the buzzer sounds. Likewise, in business, give it everything you’ve got until that buzzer sounds- until you know for sure that what you’re doing isn’t going to work.

Always be gracious and find the fun.
Leo and I are constantly impressed with the graciousness of the Ninja Warrior athletes. They cheer each other on, seem genuinely sorry when their comrades fail, and vitually all of the contestants maintain a friendly, lighthearted spirit and focus on the fun of the game. Your business may seem very serious to you, but if you’re too serious or too desperate to succeed, your attitude might be standing in the way of your success. Instead, try to look for the fun in what you’re doing and be as gracious as you can- to your clients, to your competitors, to everyone you encounter.

“Ninja Warrior” isn’t business- it’s a game. But it’s a game with some really powerful lessons that can be applied to business. Ultimately, what Ninja Warrior teaches us is to be as strong as you can, test your limits, never give up, and remember to find the fun in everything you do.