North San Diego Business@Large

Recently The Meet Market hosted Greg Betts, at their semi-monthly luncheon. Greg spoke to the small business owners about creating an upward spiral for their business and personal lives.

After listening to this, please join the conversation by commenting below.

What a treat we had today in Carlsbad California! Michael Gerber shared how we could Awaken The Entrepreneur Within.

After 30 years of helping entrepreneurs fix businesses that weren’t working and at an age when most people are retired, San Diego-based small-business guru Michael Gerber is launching a national crusade to spread the gospel of entrepreneurship to America’s major cities.

He’s been called “America’s #1 small business guru,” by Inc. Magazine, is launching a national crusade to spread gospel of entrepreneurship and reveal the reasons behind 99% of all small business failures…and how to prevent the resulting lost opportunities, lost resources, and wasted lives.

“It’s an economic-development issue,” says 71-year old Gerber, who wants to awaken the entrepreneurial spirit he believes exists in all of us. “If we’re going to save our cities, we have to find a way to help more people start new businesses – and succeed.”

Gerber, author of the persistent bestselling E-Myth and E-Myth Revisited is making more than 50 appearances in major cities, including hometown San Diego, between now and the end of next year, to awaken the entrepreneur he says resides within all of us. “This is something we have to do,” he says. “Our economic future depends on it.”

Gerber’s tour is part of a two-pronged effort to spread the “gospel” of entrepreneurship:

• An intense full-day introduction to the entrepreneurial secrets outlined in E-Myth Revisited with a preview of additional insights to be included in his next book, Awaken the Entrepreneur Within You, to be published next year. This happens February 12th at the Town and Country Resort, 500 Hotel Circle North.

• Creation of a local Club Entrepreneur chapter to provide ongoing support for local entrepreneurs. Club E, as its often called, is a highly successful Phoenix-based organization that brings together a blend of college students and seasoned entrepreneurs who leverage each other’s expertise to build new businesses.

Club E grew to more than 800 members in the Phoenix area in its first six months and “has become a powerful force for economic development,” according to Dan Henderson, Economic Development Director for the city of Tempe, a suburb of Phoenix and home of Arizona State University.

“We expect it to be a similar force for economic development in other cities,” says Peter J. Burns III, founder of the Institute for Entrepreneurship and recently named Businessman of the Year by the Arizona chapter of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). The institute is the parent organization of Club E and recently licensed the nation’s first College of Entrepreneurship at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix.

Gerber is chairman of the College of Entrepreneurship and is teaming with Burns to build Club E into a national organization to foster successful entrepreneurship throughout the United States.

Gerber says a million new businesses will be started in the United States this year, but four out of five will close within five years and only four out of 100 will still be around after 10.

“Most small businesses fail because people start them for the wrong reasons and go about doing it the wrong way,” Gerber says. “There’s a myth, the E-Myth, that small businesses are started by entrepreneurs risking capital to make a profit. The real reasons most people start businesses have little to do with entrepreneurship. Creating a successful business is a learnable, replicable experience anyone can go through.”

And, while he’s focusing on the United States for now, Gerber ultimately wants to take his crusade worldwide – including the poorest of Third World countries. He models his dream of spreading the gospel of entrepreneurship worldwide on the work of Muhammad Yunus, called “the banker to the poor” who started a Third World economic-development revolution by lending money to the poor.

“Yunus started by lending $27 to a group of poor women in Bangladesh so they could buy bamboo to make and sell stools,” Gerber says. “Before long, they were able to repay the loans while supporting themselves and their families. I want to awaken the entrepreneurial spirit that will help people start successful new businesses.”

The one-day intensive runs from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and costs $249 if you register before February 2nd. Registration is available at www.michaelgerberevents.com or by calling toll-free 1-888-881-1001. However, Michael has agreed to extend the Chamber pricing for the February 12th event, which is $149.  When you visit his link to register for the Feb. 12th event, in the box "how did you hear about us" please fill in North San Diego Business. Click Here to download the event flyer with the "secret code" for the discounted pricing.

Then let me know you’ll be joining me on February 12th, were we will be "Awakening The Entrepreneur Within."

On Friday, February 1st, New York Times bestselling author, Michael Gerber,  The E Myth Revisited  and E Myth Mastery, will be presenting "Awaken The Entrepreneur Within" to the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce’s First Friday Breakfast at the Hilton Garden Inn.

As a small business guru Michael Gerber knows that most small business owners work in their businesses instead of on them. He believes this happens because they are missing the fundamental point of their small business, that you should create your business so that it provides you with a better life – and more of it, period. The purpose of your business is NOT to create a JOB!

During the First Friday Breakfast, Gerber will speak to you about the age of the new entrepreneur and how his ideas are helping to change the face of small business. In this educational 30-minute presentation, you will:

• Learn practical know how to build your own system.
• Become a business development specialist.
• Leave knowing how to function like a powerful machine.

First Friday Breakfast is the chamber’s premiere networking and business promotional event, and one of the most regularly attended monthly programs. The breakfast will be from 7 to 9 a.m. February 1, 2008 the Hilton Garden Inn, 6450 Carlsbad Blvd., Carlsbad.

You, Inc., The Art Of Selling Yourself by Harry Beckwith and Christine Clifford Beckwith is an easy read. I took it on our holiday road trip to Mom’s house. I was able to finish it within a few days. However, being an easy read doesn’t mean it wasn’t full of valuable info for running a small business.

What I loved best about You, Inc. is that in short stories and examples you discover strategies for selling, planning, relationships (which we are hearing so much about these days), and attitudes. They also reinforce the need for integrity in what you do.

One of the things I struggle with is remembering names. There are a couple of great examples of how to develop the ability to put a face and name together. I also enjoyed learning how to strengthen my relationships, and why our relationships are so important to our business success.

I like little books.  Little books that I can keep within reach for that moment of inspiration or motivation that these books offer. This is one of those little books that will always be within reach to help me move past any obstacles that might come my way. Check it out. If you’ve read it, offer up a comment!

Sheryl Roush, Sparkle Presentations, just released her tenth book, Heart of the Holidays, just in time for the holidays.

Sheryl has been a long time Toastmaster and is a story of inspiration all on her own. She’ s been bringing her message of hope, inspiration, and motivation to entrepreneurial women in San Diego County and to women, in general, all over the world.

To me, personally, Sheryl’s been an inspiration. I’ve seen how to take a message and create it in several different formats for delivery in a variety of methods. I’ve benefited, personally and professionally, by attending Sheryl’s many seminars on product creation and marketing. I’m even one of the many contributors to The Heart of the Woman and The Heart of a Mother books.

Sheryl’s new Heart of the Holidays makes an excellent business gift.  I’m sure if you ordered a few, you might be able to get Sheryl to personalize them for you.  Also, visit her new Heart Book Series site for more information and to leave your thoughts on what she’s doing on her blog.