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When you want your business to get up and running out of the gates, starting over from square one isn't really an option. Who really wants to go back to business school for a few years before opening their doors? I'd much rather spend time and money learning from those who have been there, than learning about the philosophies and practices of marketing and management from college professors. If you don't have mentors in your field, or others you can turn to who have blazed the trail, start by reading books!
The books below really have helped me gain confidence that I'm not a wacko for wanting to be self employed, and really have helped me to lay a solid foundation from which my businesses have grown and thrived. I highly recommend them and encourage you to find other resources to make your own business library grow.
Each of these are available for purchase through this site on Amazon.com. Remember, when you purchase something through this site, 15% of the sale goes to our great charities.
| I know it may seem strange to recommend a "self-help" book when dealing with business adventures. I will admit that I love reading how other people have triumphed over adversity to achieve their goals. Although I do affectionately call books in this genre, "cheesy" (because, let's face it, a lot of them can be a little too huggy) "Feel the Fear..." is one that I continually go back through over and over again. I was introduced to it by an acting coach way back in 1996, and it has remained on my shelf ever since. It gives reassurance that we're all trying to figure out our place in this thing we call life, and gives practical tips for getting over our fears and apprehensions. I've recommended this book to several people, and all have agreed that they got good use out of it...and so, I recommend it to you as well. |
| A friend of mine is in the same Network Marketing company as Robert Allen and somehow he got an extra copy of this book, and graciously lent it to me. It was quite an interesting read, as its both fiction and non-fiction, depending on whether you read the odd or even pages. I started first with the fiction, as I always love a good story, and was entranced with the concepts provided. When I went through the practical non-fiction section, it explained in detail how one could become a millionaire in just 3 months. It seems ridiculous. And yet, with the proper support, entirely possible. At some point when I was reading this book, (I don't remember if it was before, during or after) I was accepted into the Enlightened Millionaire Mentoring Program, with which I have had great success. |
| I've read almost all the books that Suze Orman has written, and although I have found great use out of all of them, I really recommend "The 9 Steps..." most often. It's packed with practical advice and logical steps that you can take to figure out where you're at and where you need to go. She offers exercises that challenge your thinking, patterns, and current beliefs about money in a thoughtful and compassionate way. Giving advice on the types of insurance, investing, and other funds you need throughout the various stages of your life, Suze never disappoints in giving you the full picture and complete scope of your financial life. |
| I recommend everything that Robert Kiyosaki has written. His style and information is just so easy to absorb and comprehend. I also recommend his game that he has to teach people on how to build and keep wealth, (It's a bit pricey but a heck of a lot more practical than Monopoly!) Out of all of his books, I recommend "Cashflow Quadrant" for you to read first, because it really explains how money works. Robert says that there are 4 ways to make money: either by being an employee, (E) self-employed, (SE) a business owner, (B) or an investor. (I) These 4 types of workers make up the cashflow quadrant, and he explains the difference between them, and which type we should all strive to be, if we truly want to create a kingdom of wealth! |
| My first adventure into Direct Sales was in selling water-trap vacuums. The whole notion terrified me. Not the vacuums themselves, they were quite nice...but going into people's homes for 2 hours trying to get them to buy a $2000 vacuum was not my idea of fun. I never fancied myself a sales person. Actually, I was quite shy...even though I was a great actress and had experience on stage, it just wasn't the same when I was in someone's living room. To get over this fear, I began reading everything on sales. Even "Sales for Dummies." (another decent book to look through) But the books that caught my eye and maintained my interest was the One Minute Series. These books give you practical and to-the-point advice about everything you need to know to get the job done, and get others to get the job done. |
| Most of us self-employed folk somehow deal in Network Marketing, Direct Sales, MLM, or other types of "Relationship Building" businesses. This book is a must read for anyone in the industry. We all know it can be tough to market our products, as well as inform others of the oppourtunity within the business. "The Greatest Networker" will enlighten, inform, and inspire you to get off your couch, and go work. It gives practical insights and motivation to help you get started, and keep going within the Network Marketing industry. |
| Of course, when you're first introduced to Network Marketing, everyone around you says, "It's a scam...it's a pyramid scheme..." blah blah blah. I knew that what I was doing was legitimate, but I just didn't understand fully how things worked. Then I found Richard Poe. He's actually quite an accomplished writer with various genres up his sleeve, but for our purposes we're going to focus on the Wave series. Here, he documents people who have entered the MLM realm to find success, wealth, as well as failure and heartache. I really believe that the later versions, (Wave 3, Wave 4, Building your Downline, etc) are a must-have in any new Network Marketing business owner's hands. It will reaffirm your faith in your business, and give you pitfalls to avoid. |
