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I can't unsee that now

Love them or loathe them, the world is full of self-help books and business coaches.

It's a huge worldwide industry, with books and coaches aplenty, with quality varying from the genius to the incompetent. I read a few books over the years, which seemed manuals of the obvious, and spoke to a couple of coaches, none of whom filled me with confidence, and had an obvious track record I could aspire to.

Then a few years ago I was introduced to a coach who was inspirational, who put me on the right path and started my education by introducing me to audiobooks, after much procrastinating that I didn't have time to sit and read. He was spot on, and journeys to work became learning experiences or a healthy walk at night with the headphones on.

Since then I have consumed countless business books, some really are stand out classics, such as Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and The E Myth by Michael Gerber (everyone should read this).

But you also start to see patterns and repetitions, you suddenly realise once your brain is plugged in that there are some golden rules, then an awful lot of commonsense, repackaged using different examples, or tone depending on the audience. eg from third person storytelling, to over the top jam-packed expletives.

There's a great Mashable article that breaks down the 11 rules and gives lots of examples of further reading and examples, so is definitely worth a look. But I'll summarise them here and give my 5 pence worth.

1. Take one small step

This is all about good habits and lots of repetition. Turn in to muscle memory instead of will power. eg Spend 10 minutes a day updating your Facebook post. Make it a routine, make it become part of your autopilot.

2. Change your mental maps

Visualise your goals, why are you slogging your guts out? Make a dream board with your family and write down your aspirations, could be holidays, new car, big house. Make it tangible and real, not I want lots of cash. Stick it on the wall so all the family can see it. You've now got a reason and a destination. 

3. Struggle is good. Scary is good

Get out of your comfort zone. Pick the phone up and start generating leads, stop faffing about playing with spreadsheets and putting off talking to potential customers or dealing with issues.

4. Instant judgment is bad

You may think you know it all, but take a step back and analyse the situation or facts before making a decision. It will save you a fortune!

5. Remember the end of your life

You've made your dream board and have a list of goals, so when do you plan to achieve them? No point slogging your guts out until you are 75 then croaking it on the round the world cruise. So what's the exit strategy for your business? 

6. Be playful

Who said business had to be boring? Have fun, make some cash and spend it. If you've got employees, build a friendly culture. People who enjoy working for you will give 100% more productivity than those that clock watch.

7. Be useful to others

Classic business advice. Make your product or service useful, make it invaluable, make your customer service amazing. Your not a corporate machine, surprise people, make them talk about you in a positive light.

8. Perfectionism = procrastination

Rule of thumb, if it's 80% good enough, then it's good enough. Nothing will ever get to 100%. Get it out the door and making revenue. You can offer refinements, updates or changes based on feedback, but never chase perfection.

9. Sleep, exercise, eat, chill out. Repeat

Most of us are guilty of not doing this. Take time out, get enough kip and stay healthy. Running a business is stressful, so counterbalance that with healthy habits.

10. Write it all down

Couldn't agree more. I start every day with a to-do list. What does a good day look like? What do you want to achieve today? Prioritise your daily tasks and tick them off, keep productive, stay focused. Don't wonder off down internet rabbit holes or chasing new shiny things.

11. You can't get it all from reading

You have to run a business for real, not theories. Books can give you the advice and help you need, but you have to apply that knowledge yourself and create an entity that generates profit. Once you have that, you can then start tweaking, playing with the levers of business, maybe find a coach that suits you and start growing a bigger more profitable business.

If you want more information and book suggestions to get you going, below is the article I've taken the 11 rules from, and below that is a thread on this forum about some of the books I've found useful.

Every self-help book ever, boiled down to 11 simple rules - Mashable

Business Books and Inspiration - Recommendations - Forum

• Do you read business self-help books?
• Have you tried business coaches? 
• Do you agree/disagree with the 11 rules?

Let me know your thoughts 

With so many routes to funding out there, I'd personally stick with vendors that have a track record and lots of feedback.

After 5 mins Googling, I couldn't find any reviews or feedback related to Moneywow, other than the ropey app by the same name. Doesn't mean they're not ok and good feedback if someone has genuinely used them, but when it comes to funding and cash, anything to mitigate risk is a bonus.

Originally Posted by Rebecca (PayforPrecision)

“Trying to laugh and not be offended by the missing apostrophe ”

always on duty!

Its a real pain and have been there a few times.

Options I have done in the past.

• Contact the offending site directly and tell them in no uncertain terms you are unhappy and they are to remove the content otherwise you will contacting their ISP (their hosting service provider).
  
  Mixed results, from 2 fingers to very sorry and will remove.
• You can contact their ISP by tracking them down using tools such as whois.net. Look for the name servers, that will normally tell you who the hosting provider is. Google them and find their contact info. Tell them one of their clients is plagiarising your content and you would like that content removed asap.
  
  Depending on the ISP, size and location, will decide how far you get. Some will have a process and be happy to help, others will give you 2 fingers.
• Nuclear approach. Raise a  DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act ) request with Google and have the content removed from their search index.

You will jump through hoops, and the process isn't quick, but they normally get there in the end.

Final one, do a search for DMCA or content removal services, and there are loads of people out there who offer this as a paid service, but never bothered myself.

It's frustrating, and part of the digital world we live in. Few people take it seriously and fewer people care 

Hope you get it sorted.

Now that's the bio you should have led on

Amazing experience, and after 40 years, plenty of money in the bank and still beavering away.

My missus asked me when I was going to retire, and the thought terrifies me! Winding down, working on the business not in it, and a couple of days a week sounds good. But giving it all up, I'd go mad 

It still sounds like a recipe (see what I did there?) for disaster.

As Andy said, 50/50 is dangerous. I know you are saying 51/49, but in real terms, it means no real control, anything under 75% means everything has to be agreed on and if there is a difference of opinion in the future (eg business grows and the catering outgrows the building), then it can cause bad blood. The best of friendships will be tested to the extreme when it comes to business.

It sounds like the bar owner is getting a steal. Providing building space for a building he already occupies, providing catering for a business he is already running.

Renting office, building space is just normal business overhead and not worth giving away half your equity, particularly if you diversify and outgrow it in the future.

Providing catering to a bar is just a contract? Why not do it on that basis? Then she is free to pursue any business interests as she see fits.

I'm sure there is a to more to it, but on the information you have given, it makes no sense to give away half of your business and control.

Giving equity away at the beginning of a business journey may not seem such a big deal, but you try and buy it back 5, 10, 15 years later. Or imagine if you need to release some equity to bring in a business partner as the business expands. Then all decisions will be vote by committee with no one in charge.

Tell her to hold on the equity. If she is friends with the bar and business owner, then do a great deal, pay for rent and sort out a proper contract to supply food. Everyone wins and life is less complicated  IMHO.

50/50 is what it is, and will be 50% of all business activities.

If she wants to run separate events outside of the joint business, then run it as a separate entity, such as a sole trader. Why not do that under the brand that she wants to keep for herself, and have a separate name for the joint business.

As the partner though, I would be worried about the other partner who is already planning an exit and wants to pursue other revenue streams, but not share in any profits. Not the best start to a business relationship.

Is opening a restaurant in a 50/50 partnership the best way forward? If it is just about capital, there are plenty of options to raise funds, and she can invite investors, but maintain a majority of the business equity and trade however she pleases.

It is frustrating, there are definitely gaps and loopholes.

The standard line is that the government has targeted 90% of business owners and self-employed, but that's little comfort if you are one of the 10%.

Hope things now start to pick up for you as we slowly move away from the abyss.