The act of business success.

by Karen Maeby Posted on November 11, 2011

After making up our minds that we were moving to Florida back in the spring, I had an idea I would have liked my job search to go. I knew that I wanted to head for the direct response industry, or at least be near “the city of infomercials” here in Florida. It was a high interest for me, it is still a high interest for me and eventually, I will be writing commercials with/for some of my favorite people. However, it didn’t work out exactly to that – and you know what they say – we plan, God laughs. I was trying to plan where I’d like to be, then thrown off course, only to find some plans being written for me on the side… to pick back up where the empty space was making…empty space, so to speak.

But, in the meantime, I knew what I want and I knew that I would get it some how. Today, and the last few days, I have been given some news that could possibly change mine (and Dan’s) life for a good little while. I don’t really want to discuss any details upon private matters, not really open for discussion and keeping tightly sealed lips. With having said that, I can tell you that this is going to be a positive thing going forward in my career.

I have come to find out that waiting it out has paid off.

I already knew that… hard work pays off AND miracles don’t happen over night because it takes a good little few couple of YEARS to make the money wanted in a business. But, being very patient and believing and working hard.. yep, it pays off. Or, will pay off eventually.

I have always put faith in small businesses and love them above corporate. I’m 100% for little mom and pop shops and pushing to keep those alive in the 21st century, although they were fancier decades back. As you all know – I’ve been supporting entrepreneurship for a couple years now after having met some of the BEST people I know that works in that and the DR industry.

My love for the direct response industry and PITCHMEN alone has brought me up to speed with being ahead of a lot of people in business. Today, I was told that I was very smart in the business area. THAT makes me happy because I have 0 college degrees regarding business, and not only that, but I was music/English major in college… and I didn’t even finish college or leave with a degree. Sometimes, I wish I had a degree in English so I can professionally write, but, I do not at all regret not finishing school.

The DR industry is MORE than just a favorite thing. It is a part of me, it has helped me grow intelligently and I am very thankful that I do know quite a few people from there. It IS a passion.

When I watch Pitchmen or any other business show like that (Dragon’s Den, Shark Tank and even the Pawn Stars-type shows), I study them. I study what’s going on, how they presented it, the information given, what kind of a product, if it’s going to do any good, the business plan and what the ending result is. I watch everything and take note of it. People may assume I’m crazy just because I keep mentioning my favorite shows or ALWAYS watching it. Not only that, but, those shows are the motivation to keep me going and believing in what can happen. Hey, my favorites are MAKING IT because they “MADE IT” — so. can. I!

With every note I take, I become that much more knowledgable about the subject of ‘business’ overall – no matter the subject. I then know what to do or what not to do. That’s why I do business carefully, that’s why I like to break down all of the barriers and see everything. That’s why I question all that I do… and so on.

And, I have always kept my days of retail in the back of my mind as HUGE examples of “what not to do” – ever. It’s not about policy anymore, it’s about what the customer wants and what’s easier on them. Contact if there’s a problem and work it out to solve it. Simple, if you go about it the way you’re supposed to.

With all of that being said, there’s just a huge chance that I will be a part of something good and great and incoming in the near future. Like I said above, I don’t want to talk about it too much to jinx it…but, I have a feeling it’s going to be good and I will unfold it all here as I am allowed to.

I owe a huge simple thank you (for indirectly teaching me my now knowledge) to: {Billy Mays, RIP} – Sully, Arwen, John, AJ, Kevin, Terri, Tom, Tracy, Jen, Lou, Sug, Daymond, Becky, B3 — and EVERYONE ELSE of the Direct Response Industry (SulProd, Telebrands, TV Goods,etc.), entrepreneurs and small business owners. YOU GUYS ROCK and thank you for the support you all have shown me, as well.

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SassaB – the newest and HOTTEST upcoming kid trend!

by Karen Maeby Posted on November 6, 2011

My friend Tracy, that I’ve been friends with for a few years now, has FINALLY released her product. Unfortunately, I was too busy in the last week or so to write about it here as it happened…. so I’m here now!

Tracy’s blog has always been PRODUCT X. Well, she took the time to write about her journey as a creator of this product and shared her ups and downs with us (and she’s still doing that – sharing her journey after releasing a product).

So, what is her product? Here is SassaB. You can actually order online Amazon.com just search for SassaB or find the link on her website. For $17.98 you get four charms, 2 rubberbands with link and 2 bobbypins with link.

SassaB: linkable charms that you can link on hair accessories, belts, shoes and so on.

The main gist of it is unique and to “create your own style”.

This IS the next hottest trend for kids and pre-teens! Please go buy your children some of these! GREAT stocking stuffers!

If your child likes being unique and wants to be THE trend setter in school, this IS the perfect gift!

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Seth Godin’s entry “Skinnier” – Very Important Read

by Karen Maeby Posted on October 16, 2011

So many things that would have been money losers then can be profitable today.

When you run your own concert, selling tickets online and renting the theatre out yourself, you might be able to keep 85 cents of every dollar your audience spends on a ticket. In the system we grew up with, by the time the box office, Ticketmaster, the stagehands, the promoters and everyone else takes a cut, you might end up with literally nothing.

Or consider a hardcover book that costs $20. By the time the bookstore keeps half, the publisher keeps a share for the risk she takes, and don’t forget shipping and returns… there might only be $2 left for the author. With an ebook, the author might keep as much as $14 a copy… More if he hosts the store and sells it as a PDF.

A hairdresser with direct relationships with customers can give up the storefront location and make more money by charging less and cutting the hair in her home.

A newspaper can happily support a few reporters and an ad guy if it gives up the paper, the offices and the rest of the trappings.

Too often, we look at the new thing and demand to know how it supports the old thing. Perhaps, though, the question is, how does the new thing allow us to think skinnier. – SETH GODIN

 

The above text has been taken from Seth Godin’s blog – as quoted his full entry. The reason I’m posting the full entry here is because there wasn’t a way to just quote part of it, since it’s so important.

Everyone KNOWS all about the above paragraph….but life just goes on without stopping to really realize it. It’s just the way it is.

Knowing that I didn’t have the money to hire a publisher when I published my book, I did it for free in Amazon – Kindle store. They only take a small percentage of what I make. It cuts out the middle man, however, it also cuts out the majority of the world actually SEEING my book because I have no marketing team other than myself and… just me, myself and I can’t do it all.

I have always wanted to make it as an independent author – just for the fact that I wanted my money, the money I deserved because *I* wrote the book, *I* put the hard work into it. And, who knew, people still want actual books – therefore, selling a bunch of kindle copies is pretty much out of the question for the group of family and friends I’m associated with.

Unfortunately, it’ll be a while before I can do an actual paper or hardback book because it’s expensive to get the ISBN number. So, selling eBooks is my only way right now.

And also, right now, where I’m working is at someone’s house. He has a “storefront” — it’s called his own house. He does not pay for a shop, just mortgage or what have you. He uses Craigslist, I sell his stuff via eBay. What we rock out by selling or promoting is the jobs that we get or products that we sell. We’re saving money by taking advantage and being smart about it. We are also doing it right the first time, that way, we will hook those customers and they will keep coming back — as well as telling others about us.

In Seth Godin’s blog entry : when you really think about it, if you do cut out the middle man… you’re cutting a ton of people out of the picture and a lot of people will then lose jobs. We are all needed somehow, and we just need to make it work.

I’m also mainly partial to independent musicians, authors, artists and the entrepreneurs.  They do it all. They are the superhero men and women. They create, they market, they produce, they do everything to make their product become popular or sold or what have you. There are a few middle men involved, but, those are there for good measure — to make life a lot easier and better for one.

But, it only takes a certain group of people do all that. That’s why there’s that much needed middle ground where the middle man plays the part.

The world can’t work on creation or innovation without everyone’s help.

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My Review of First Bank in Pinellas Park, FL

by Karen Maeby Posted on September 12, 2011

I cannot let my today’s experience with First Bank go, without saying something about it, of course!

Let me just start by saying how tired I am of changing banks. A few months after moving to Florida, I got a letter about BB&T charging for services if one doesn’t meet the criteria of keeping x amount of money in as well as x amount of direct deposit. As you all know, I had been unemployed for quite some time so… I didn’t make fit for any of that.

I closed that account with BB&T and then opened another one with Suntrust. Dan and I both have a joint account for Suntrust. We’ve used that to store our money for the move and then now our money to celebrate our 1 year in October. So, I went there.

Opened up an account a few months back with Suntrust, oh say, a few months LATER… I get a letter from them stating they were not only going to charge if I don’t have a certain amount in the bank BUT ALSO charging for use of a debit/credit card (the check card). Hmph. So, that doesn’t take effect until November, but I have been on the search since a month ago for a new bank that still allows free checking without all of those unnecessary fees.

The other day Dan and I were driving on US19 and saw First Bank from the highway. So that’s when I decided to check them out, I looked online and sure enough they still have free checking. Today I went and opened an account with them.

The service was wonderful, very helpful. I’ve opened so many bank accounts already that everything is pretty much the same minus give or take a few rules. Anyway, we signed papers – everything was a-go- and then I left.

When I got home, I listened to my message on the phone that the person helping me had forgotten to make a copy of my driver’s license and sign a few more papers.

I had no issue with driving back because I was going to be going back to US19 after lunch, anyhow.

When I came in, I was still treated like a Queen (like i had been the whole time while in there). They offered me coke or water because I had to come back. I turned them down because I was going to Starbucks. Then, they proceeded to give me a First Bank coffee cup thingy and a First Bank pen.

I was like ‘wow what just happened?!’

I was just shocked that they were pushing offering me something for my trouble of coming back. I mean, I know it’s just right around a corner, but damn! Great service, I’m impressed.

So if anyone needs to have a FREE checking account, they are definitely where it’s at. Their bank locations are around Pinellas County, just look them up online and you can see more.

This is pretty much the first time I’ve ever experience this. It all goes back to my love of a smaller business, anyway. With a smaller business, you have the time to dedicate to each customer and the chance to KEEP each customer by giving them a great experience each time. It’s unfortunate that the bigger businesses are carried by money signs in their eyes – giving them the unfocussed point of what the customer wants. Small businesses need your business, so they are going to be less selfish in ways that bigger businesses (corps) will be.

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The Final Summary of Bettger’s “How I Raised Myself From Failure To Success in Selling”

by Karen Maeby Posted on August 25, 2011

I have to note that I haven’t finished a book in quite some time as fast as I did this one. Overall, in my opinion, it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read and extremely helpful (even coming from someone back in the early 1900s).

Let’s just mention that all of the ideas I wrote on, had some significance in my life and I could relate. Before getting into the final summary, I have to mention this:

He talked about Philadelphia – where most of the stories took place, anyway. He mentioned streets I had heard of, he mentioned The Bourse, which is totally one of my favorite places IN Philly. He mentioned two people that I greatly admire from history – Abraham Lincoln and Benjamin Franklin. He mentioned being in St Petersburg, FL (and that’s currently the area of where I’m at).

I learn the most and gain more from reading non-fiction. This is his advice about ‘selling’ – coming from his OWN personal failures or successes. He walked the steps and guides us in the right direction to find ours. I love this. It’s his story. It’s non-fiction. It’s fact.

He ended his book with Franklin’s Thirteen Subjects. He says to make your own thirteen subjects that you need to study, study one each week for thirteen weeks and wash/repeat until you become excellent in that area.

He taught us that no matter how the failure or failure after one another, to always pick yourself up and continue. To not be afraid of failing, to focus on what you need to learn to become better, to study your traits on how to become better. To just learn.

He wrote actual conversations he had or others had and demonstrated them to explain what he meant by each subjected chapter.

What else do you need?

Overall, just such an excellent book. Covers so much information but not enough to make you forget. He has nice little pointers at the end of each chapter and a large summary at the end of each part. It’s pretty much ‘hey, here is the pointers of which you need to focus on’.

Please grab a copy and read it when you can. My previous entries discuss further into some of the pointers in the chapters, if you’d like to read that for more information or for my input.

Thank you for reading!

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