The Success Center

What will it take for your dreams to be heard? How will you stand apart from millions who you may compete with? Who can you trust? These are all questions that you may ask yourself when trying to take your business to the next level. So what should you do?

One tip from Valerie Daniels-Carter is to pick up the gun and learn how to shoot it, you have to be bold to be heard. Daniels-Carter sacrificed until she accumulated enough money to move her business in the right direction, which led to 137 food-service franchises worth $90 million.

Daniels-Carter made sacrifices such as putting down her life savings to raise capital for her business deal, proceeded to progress when she heard hundreds of no’s, sold her luxury car, and limited her spending. “You can be the most intelligent person in the world, but if you don’t have access, it’s very difficult to get ahead, so you have to create access” say Daniels-Carter.

Are you creating access to reach your dreams? What moves are you making to position yourself for success? Your comments . . . priceless!

About the Author

Yolanda Gates is the owner of, Relatively Speaking, which offers, freelance journalism consisting of press releases, event coverage, bio’s, e-book writing, and much more!

Visit her blog; Relatively Speaking.

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You all know I love a good success story. Every time I see read or hear about someone that started small and made it big I ask myself, “could that be me next year?” I think we should constantly ask ourselves that. It keeps us in great expectation and reminds of how the benefits of our hard work. Enjoy this short video, be inspired, and put yourself in his shoes. When you’re done watching it, let me know if you could see yourself successful like this next year. I do. . .

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

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Last night I stayed up and watched, Biography on CNBC. It was on Home Depot, one of the world’s fastest growing retail chains. The story is absolutely incredible and it really inspired me. As an entrepreneur there’s so much we can learn from success stories like theirs. I’ve embedded the video at the end of this post, but let me share with you a few points that I think are noteworthy as it relates to your success.

Define Your Niche and Rock it Out!

Home Depot wasn’t the first company to offer home improvement supplies and products, but they were the first to really capitalize on the niche. They expanded their products, services, and retail space to reflect their market’s needs. When you know exactly who you are as a business and who you want to cater to in your business, the easier it is to differentiate yourself and generate sales within that space.

Define Your Brand and Own it!

Can you deny who Home Depot is as a company and what they stand for? The orange color scheme, large warehouse, and universal marketing message all equals a complete picture in the minds of people looking for home supplies and even appliances. This is a great example of an accomplished brand.

As an entrepreneur what image should people see in their mind’s eye when they think of you and your business? What service or product comes to mind in regards to who you are or what you have to offer? These are the questions that will help you define your own brand and magnetically attract business to you.

Don’t Just ask your customers, “How May I help You?” . . .  Solve a Problem!

At the start of Home Depot’s success, customer service was king. Where else could you go to get expert advice on fixing your home, find the exact tools you needed, and learn how to use the tools as well? Simply being open for business is not serving your customers; customer service means solving problems. You don’t have to bend over backwards and give the store away, but a considerable amount of time should be given to solve your client’s problems with your products or services.

Have you ever been to a store, found exactly what you think you need, but unsure if it’ll fix your problem? It’s a retail curse, but if you’re a small business owner there’s a lesson to be learned here as well. When I used to develop websites I made sure not only to meet my client’s need of being on the net, I solved their marketing problems too once they got online. I typically included these services in their package price. This was a huge value and created a sense of loyalty to me and my (sometimes high) prices.

Lead with Passion and They’ll Follow with Fire

Depot’s internal strength came from the passion of upper management which started fires of loyalty amongst the store associates. As a result employees stayed later, worked harder, and really began to LOVE helping customers. Whatever business you have or want to start, if you lack passion for the vision then you won’t see it through and neither will your partners or employees.

I can’t teach you how to have passion for what you do or want to do, it’s got to be there before you start. It’s the reason why you want to do it in the first place – because you love it, silly! I absolutely love being a content creator and producer. I love interacting with all of you here so when I have employees that fire of passion will catch on and deliver even more content that I hope you’ll love as well.

Teach Your Customers and Unlock the Key to Residual Success!

By far the cornerstone of Home Depot’s success is their customers and the value they added by offering weekend workshops. People were able to get expert advice, learn tips, tricks, and home improvement techniques absolutely free. Can you imagine teaching potential clients how to maximize your products or services before they buy them . . . and they want to learn? It’s a powerful lesson to learn for any entrepreneur. That’s why seminar leading is such a powerful form of marketing (free seminars that is). You’re able to engage with an audience who’s thirsty for knowledge and offer a product or service at the end because you’ve earned their trust.

Are you engaging with potential clients and customers outside of the web? If not, seminars and workshops are powerful ideas to act on. Doing so positions you as an expert in your field, gives you a platform to build your business on, and earns you trust with potential clients.

Final Thoughts

Home Depot has grown their business to thousands of stores nationally, being a globally recognized brand, and over 50 billion dollars in annual revenue. Take those statistics and plug in your name or business name . . . do you see what’s possible? Can you see yourself in that position sometime down the road? I do and you should too!

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

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I thought it would be a good idea to start spotlighting a couple of posts that are buried in the archives. Some of you are fairly new to this site and others are lifelong followers (you are, aren’t you?). No matter what category you fall into, I’m sure there’s at least 1 article here you haven’t read. Enjoy and feel free to leave a comment or two.

Who wants to be a Billionaire?

I was doing a little research on billionaire profiles when it kind of dawned on me that they all have 3 major things in common. And no, it’s not the amount of zeroes their paychecks have, where they vacation for the summer months (yes, months at a time), or who tailors their clothes. They all got where they are because they . . .

• Materialized their plans,
• Maximized their tools, and
• Mobilized their efforts towards their resulting success.

Anyone ever heard of J.K. Rowling? Well, for those of you who don’t keep up with what’s going on in the world, she is the mastermind of the Harry Potter empire.

She is a British author, best known as the creator of the Harry Potter fantasy series, the idea for which was conceived whilst on a train trip from Manchester to London in 1990. The Potter books have gained worldwide attention, won multiple awards, and sold more than 400 million copies.

Aside from writing the Potter novels, Rowling is equally famous for her “rags to riches” life story, in which she progressed from living on welfare to multi-millionaire status within five years. The 2008 Sunday Times Rich List estimated Rowling’s fortune at £560 million ($1.1 billion), ranking her as the twelfth richest woman in Britain. Forbes ranked Rowling as the forty eighth most powerful celebrities of 2007, and Time Magazine named her as a runner-up for its 2007 Person of the Year, noting the social, moral, and political inspiration she has given her fans.

According to dictionary.com, to materialize is to come into perceptible existence. She organized her ideas of the Harry Potter stories into a plan. That plan carried her into her destiny. Having a plan keeps you on the road to success. Do you think great novels get written out of the air? Authors create character biographies, generate scene descriptions, and develop PLANS for the structure of their books.

“The sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was released on 16 July 2005. It too broke all sales records, selling nine million copies in its first 24 hours of release. While writing, she told a fan online,

“Book six has been planned for years, but before I started writing seriously I spend two months re-visiting the plan and making absolutely sure I knew what I was doing.”

In J.K. Rowling’s amazing rags to riches story she finished her first Harry Potter manuscript on an old manual typewriter. She didn’t have a computer or the latest software to get her vision out of her head. She maximized the tools she already had in order to accomplish her goals. If you’re spending more money on advertising than you’re bringing in with new clientele then you have a serious problem on your hands. Maximize the clients you have already and have them right testimonials for you, ask for referrals, or offer discounts on future products and services. To maximize is to make the greatest or fullest use of something. If you’ve provided excellent customer service, don’t be ashamed to use your clients . . .  you’ve earned it!

Once Rowling was done with her first manuscript, she mobilized her plans, her resources, and tools toward obtaining a literary agent and ultimately a publisher for her billion-dollar baby.

“Upon the enthusiastic response of Bryony Evans, a reader who had been asked to review the book’s first three chapters, the Fulham-based Christopher Little Literary Agents agreed to represent Rowling in her quest for a publisher. The book was submitted to twelve publishing houses, all of which rejected the manuscript. A year later she was finally given the green light (and a £1500 advance) by Editor Barry Cunningham from Bloomsbury, a small British publishing house in London, England.”

Just as an army mobilizes its infantry you have to bring everything to the table and prepare for battle. Then you have to run after your success like one chases after the front runner of a marathon.

So, you want to be a billionaire? It’s not impossible if you remember these three key principles;

• Materialization – Not having a plan is like stepping up to the plate, hitting a home run, and not knowing which way to go once the ball is in the air. Materialize those billion dollar ideas onto paper and secure your path to success!
• Maximization – Use every available tool to its fullest potential. Don’t spend money you don’t have to; upgrade that old computer, download free software to design your own brochures, and ask your current clients for referrals to get new business!
• Mobilization – Set your plans in motion and run after your success!

What plans do you have for the future? Can you visualize yourself as a millionaire or even a billionaire down the road? Sound off in the comments below!

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

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If there’s one thing I love, it’s a good success story and no one’s story really amps me up more than this guy’s! P. Diddy aka. Sean “Puffy” Combs started out as a dancer, made big as a rapper, producer, and moved into media mogul territory. You don’t have to be a fan of his music, clothing, or perfume products to really grasp what kind of an impact he’s making on a daily basis. This video is 40 minutes long, but well worth the watch. Be inspired, empowered, and equipped for your own success by understanding his!

What can we learn from his achievements past and present? Sound off in the comments below.

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

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Was that not incredible? I loved how he says, “It took them 8 years to reach a million dollars and now they bring in a million dollars every 2 days!” They key to their success was there idea, first and foremost, their consistency, and their branding. How are you branding your ideas? Are you consistently working your vision? Sound off in the comments below!

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

Continue Reading

I was doing a little research on billionaire profiles when it kind of dawned on me that they all have 3 major things in common. And no, it’s not the amount of zeroes their paychecks have, where they vacation for the summer months (yes, months at a time), or who tailors their clothes. They all got where they are because they . . .

• Materialized their plans,
• Maximized their tools, and
• Mobilized their efforts towards their resulting success.

Anyone ever heard of J.K. Rowling? Well, for those of you who don’t keep up with what’s going on in the world, she is the mastermind of the Harry Potter empire.

She is a British author, best known as the creator of the Harry Potter fantasy series, the idea for which was conceived whilst on a train trip from Manchester to London in 1990. The Potter books have gained worldwide attention, won multiple awards, and sold more than 400 million copies.

Aside from writing the Potter novels, Rowling is equally famous for her “rags to riches” life story, in which she progressed from living on welfare to multi-millionaire status within five years. The 2008 Sunday Times Rich List estimated Rowling’s fortune at £560 million ($1.1 billion), ranking her as the twelfth richest woman in Britain. Forbes ranked Rowling as the forty eighth most powerful celebrities of 2007, and Time Magazine named her as a runner-up for its 2007 Person of the Year, noting the social, moral, and political inspiration she has given her fans.

According to dictionary.com, to materialize is to come into perceptible existence. She organized her ideas of the Harry Potter stories into a plan. That plan carried her into her destiny. Having a plan keeps you on the road to success. Do you think great novels get written out of the air? Authors create character biographies, generate scene descriptions, and develop PLANS for the structure of their books.

“The sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was released on 16 July 2005. It too broke all sales records, selling nine million copies in its first 24 hours of release. While writing, she told a fan online,

“Book six has been planned for years, but before I started writing seriously I spend two months re-visiting the plan and making absolutely sure I knew what I was doing.”

In J.K. Rowling’s amazing rags to riches story she finished her first Harry Potter manuscript on an old manual typewriter. She didn’t have a computer or the latest software to get her vision out of her head. She maximized the tools she already had in order to accomplish her goals. If you’re spending more money on advertising than you’re bringing in with new clientele then you have a serious problem on your hands. Maximize the clients you have already and have them right testimonials for you, ask for referrals, or offer discounts on future products and services. To maximize is to make the greatest or fullest use of something. If you’ve provided excellent customer service, don’t be ashamed to use your clients . . .  you’ve earned it!

Once Rowling was done with her first manuscript, she mobilized her plans, her resources, and tools toward obtaining a literary agent and ultimately a publisher for her billion-dollar baby.

“Upon the enthusiastic response of Bryony Evans, a reader who had been asked to review the book’s first three chapters, the Fulham-based Christopher Little Literary Agents agreed to represent Rowling in her quest for a publisher. The book was submitted to twelve publishing houses, all of which rejected the manuscript. A year later she was finally given the green light (and a £1500 advance) by Editor Barry Cunningham from Bloomsbury, a small British publishing house in London, England.”

Just as an army mobilizes its infantry you have to bring everything to the table and prepare for battle. Then you have to run after your success like one chases after the front runner of a marathon.

So, you want to be a billionaire? It’s not impossible if you remember these three key principles;

• Materialization – Not having a plan is like stepping up to the plate, hitting a home run, and not knowing which way to go once the ball is in the air. Materialize those billion dollar ideas onto paper and secure your path to success!
• Maximization – Use every available tool to its fullest potential. Don’t spend money you don’t have to; upgrade that old computer, download free software to design your own brochures, and ask your current clients for referrals to get new business!
• Mobilization – Set your plans in motion and run after your success!

What plans do you have for the future? Can you visualize yourself as a millionaire or even a billionaire down the road? What can you do that you aren’t doing now to become the same kind of success story? Sound off in the comments below!

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

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