"We cannot hold a torch to light another’s path without brightening our own."
Ben Sweetland
Teach a Man to Teach, and You’ll Feed Him for a Lifetime
By Paul Lawrence
Wouldn’t you like to make money doing something you love? And what if you could do that job on your own terms, with complete independence and control? Starting your own business giving private lessons is the perfect solution. I know that from experience, since I started mine about nine years ago.
You see, 10 years ago, I was training to be a ballroom dance instructor. Frankly, I’d gotten into ballroom dancing because I thought it’d be a good way to meet girls - but it turned out I had a knack for it. For close to a year, I worked as an apprentice without pay for about 40 hours a week. But the hard work and no pay seemed worthwhile because I enjoyed the teaching, I liked to dance, and I thought the job would eventually pay pretty well. (At that time, the studio got $60 an hour for a private lesson.)
Once I made it out of training, passed my teacher exams, and was deemed ready to be an instructor, I didn’t make nearly as much as I’d hoped. The studio only paid me $15 out of that 60 bucks. To make matters worse, I was only booking a few lessons a week.
It became clear to me that if I was going to make a living as a ballroom dance instructor, I needed to put out my own "shingle." But I had a problem: I didn’t have any capital to open a studio. I took a whack at seeking out some investors but, since I had no experience, I wasn’t able to find any takers.
That’s when I had a brainstorm! Maybe I could go into business without a studio. I suspected there were a lot of people out there who would like to have a teacher come to their home to give private lessons. And for those who didn’t like that idea, surely I could find some commercial space that I could rent by the hour.
Flash-forward one year to me driving home and listening to a Mariah Carey song - something about finally making it. I was really feeling those lyrics, because I’d just completed my first week of self-employment (and I was finally earning enough money to pay my bills).
If I told you it was a piece of cake to build my private-lesson business, that would be a lie. But I did build it - and with virtually no capital. It took a lot of trial and error, but I finally developed a system that worked reliably.
You’re probably not going to get rich just by operating your own private-lesson business. But if you want to be self-employed … if you want to do something you enjoy … if you want a job that gives you independence and pays decently … this type of venture is perfect for you.
Plus, working part-time at your own private-lesson business can be a steppingstone to even greater success. That’s how it worked for me. I was able to earn a modest living in a few hours each week, so I could spend time on other wealth-building activities that eventually greatly exceeded the earning power of my lesson business.
The private-lesson business is certainly not limited to ballroom dancing. You can create a business by teaching anything from martial arts to cooking to embroidery to day trading to yoga… or almost anything else you can think of. For example, my cousin used my system to build a business teaching clients how to speak Japanese. And a good friend used it to build a business teaching adults how to play the piano.
If the private-lesson business sounds like something you’d like to get into, here are the basic steps in my quick-start system:
1. Gauge the market for your business by studying the competition.
My favorite way to do that is by "shopping" them. Seek out their advertisements in your local Yellow Pages, on the Internet, and in local newspapers and shopper’s guides. Then, pretending to be a prospective client, call to find out what kind of services they offer and what they charge.
2. Devise a marketing strategy.
Get started with small, inexpensive classified ads and space ads in local newspapers. Focused mailings to your target market can also work well. And, naturally, you should have a basic website so you can get listed in search engines (like Google) that prospective clients are likely to use. As your business grows, try the Yellow Pages and other more expensive advertising vehicles.
3. Create a strong USP (Unique Selling Proposition) that will give you a competitive edge.
In my case, I had three big advantages. First, I offered the convenience of going to the client’s home for the lesson … which none of my competitors offered. Second, instead of the packages and programs being sold by my competition, I took a "one lesson at a time, pay as you go" approach that made it easy for prospective clients to book a lesson and give me a try. And, finally, without the overhead of a studio, I was able to charge about half what my competition charged. So, my USP was: "Get convenient ballroom lessons in your home at half the price charged anywhere else … without any pressure to buy expensive packages."
4. Test your marketing plan to make sure you can get enough customers.
5. Determine how you’re going to do business by figuring out where you’ll give lessons, how you’ll take payment, what credentials/licenses you’ll need, the kind of accounting system you’ll use, etc.
For quite a few years, I didn’t take credit cards - and it worked okay. But these days it’s so easy to take them with online services that I recommend giving clients that option. As for any licensing requirements, check state and local regulations to find out what (if anything) you need. Many kinds of lesson businesses don’t require a license, but some do. In Florida, there is actually a rule that dance studios have to be registered with the state (and there is an annual fee to do so).
6. Find suitable places where you can rent space by the hour when you need it.
Depending on the kind of lessons you’re giving, it might not work to do it in the client’s home. And even if it does work, as I said before, not every client is going to like the idea. I found several good spots for my ballroom dance business just by calling up studios and asking if they’d like to make some extra money with no work or hassle. If an office environment would work better for your lessons, you could try executive suites, real estate agents, etc.
This quick-start system will help you quickly and easily build a private-lesson business that can provide you with a steady income by doing something you enjoy. My ballroom dance business really changed the direction of my life - and there’s a good chance you can find similar success.
[Ed. Note: Paul Lawrence’s ballroom dance business got him started on the road to success. If you’ve been searching for something that can do the same for you, consider getting into the private-lesson business.]
This article appears courtesy of Early To Rise, the Internet’s most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Thursday, February 15, 2007
"I do...Now I Don't"--Innovative Business
Here's how to turn heartbreak into gold. It's the story of how a spurned lover created a new online business. From,Mi David E. Williams CNN
(CNN) -- Joshua Opperman thought he'd met the woman he'd marry and spend the rest of his life with. But when they broke up a few years ago, he was left with a broken heart, an expensive ring and an idea that he's turning into a business.
Niagara Falls Getaway
Opperman said he was depressed after the split and even more depressed when he tried to sell the engagement ring he'd spent most of his life savings on.
"I tried to sell the ring back where I bought it and they wanted to give me 32 percent back," he said.
Long Distance Discount Plans
The 29-year-old real estate broker decided to open the online jewelry auction site "I Do ... Now I Don't" after reading an article about other people in the same predicament. He runs the site with his sister Mara and three employees.
"I wanted to make a safe venue for buying and selling diamond engagement rings," Opperman said.
Opperman didn't have any jewelry experience, so he teamed up with a jeweler in New York City's diamond district.
"When someone wins the (auction), the ring is sent to us and the money's sent to us so our in house jeweler can make sure the diamond is real, first of all and you're getting exactly what was offered," he said.
If the ring doesn't match the description, they send it back and refund the buyer's money. If the sale goes through, "I Do ... Now I Don't" keeps 5 percent of the price.
The jewelry ranges in price and quality -- from a pearl and silver ring the seller hopes to get $150 for to a 3 ct. Tacori platinum engagement ring with an $18,000 minimum bid.
Working with the shards of other people's shattered relationships might sound depressing, but Opperman said he's getting a lot of positive feedback.
"I feel good about it because they tell me the stories and then they say 'this is a great idea, I'm glad you came up with this Web site,'" he said.
He said he gets lots of e-mail from potential sellers and plans to add a "tell us your stories" page to his Web site.
One person, who wanted to sell a $1,200 engagement set wrote that "I need to find a way to get rid of them, I have way too many memories with them sitting around the house."
"I just want to say that there is a silver lining in some clouds," wrote a woman who said she was having her "nest egg" appraised.
Amanda Gizzi, a Spokeswoman for the Jewelry Information Center, says it's important to be able to contact the jeweler, especially when buying online.
"Buying jewelry is something that's very visual and when you can't actually see and feel the piece, you need to be able to ask those questions," she said.
She also recommended getting an independent appraisal when buying or selling jewelry.
"It's always good to have something that's independently appraised. You don't want to buy anything that has an appraisal coming from the person who sold it to you or is looking to buy it from you," Gizzi said.
Opperman said they'd only made a handful of sales so far, but things were picking up enough that he may have to quit his real estate job.
He said buyers don't seem to be superstitious about buying break-up diamonds; or at least not superstitious enough to pass up a good deal. Most rings sell for about 50 to 60 percent of their asking price.
"There really hasn't been any questions about whether they're buying a doomed engagement ring," he said. "It might be doomed for somebody and it might be better luck for someone else."
(CNN) -- Joshua Opperman thought he'd met the woman he'd marry and spend the rest of his life with. But when they broke up a few years ago, he was left with a broken heart, an expensive ring and an idea that he's turning into a business.
Niagara Falls Getaway
Opperman said he was depressed after the split and even more depressed when he tried to sell the engagement ring he'd spent most of his life savings on.
"I tried to sell the ring back where I bought it and they wanted to give me 32 percent back," he said.
Long Distance Discount Plans
The 29-year-old real estate broker decided to open the online jewelry auction site "I Do ... Now I Don't" after reading an article about other people in the same predicament. He runs the site with his sister Mara and three employees.
"I wanted to make a safe venue for buying and selling diamond engagement rings," Opperman said.
Opperman didn't have any jewelry experience, so he teamed up with a jeweler in New York City's diamond district.
"When someone wins the (auction), the ring is sent to us and the money's sent to us so our in house jeweler can make sure the diamond is real, first of all and you're getting exactly what was offered," he said.
If the ring doesn't match the description, they send it back and refund the buyer's money. If the sale goes through, "I Do ... Now I Don't" keeps 5 percent of the price.
The jewelry ranges in price and quality -- from a pearl and silver ring the seller hopes to get $150 for to a 3 ct. Tacori platinum engagement ring with an $18,000 minimum bid.
Working with the shards of other people's shattered relationships might sound depressing, but Opperman said he's getting a lot of positive feedback.
"I feel good about it because they tell me the stories and then they say 'this is a great idea, I'm glad you came up with this Web site,'" he said.
He said he gets lots of e-mail from potential sellers and plans to add a "tell us your stories" page to his Web site.
One person, who wanted to sell a $1,200 engagement set wrote that "I need to find a way to get rid of them, I have way too many memories with them sitting around the house."
"I just want to say that there is a silver lining in some clouds," wrote a woman who said she was having her "nest egg" appraised.
Amanda Gizzi, a Spokeswoman for the Jewelry Information Center, says it's important to be able to contact the jeweler, especially when buying online.
"Buying jewelry is something that's very visual and when you can't actually see and feel the piece, you need to be able to ask those questions," she said.
She also recommended getting an independent appraisal when buying or selling jewelry.
"It's always good to have something that's independently appraised. You don't want to buy anything that has an appraisal coming from the person who sold it to you or is looking to buy it from you," Gizzi said.
Opperman said they'd only made a handful of sales so far, but things were picking up enough that he may have to quit his real estate job.
He said buyers don't seem to be superstitious about buying break-up diamonds; or at least not superstitious enough to pass up a good deal. Most rings sell for about 50 to 60 percent of their asking price.
"There really hasn't been any questions about whether they're buying a doomed engagement ring," he said. "It might be doomed for somebody and it might be better luck for someone else."
Friday, February 9, 2007
Michael Robertson's Response To Steve Jobs Call
February 8, 2007
Dear Steve,
First let me say that your iTunes/iPod success is unprecedented and awe inspiring to me. Your impact on digital music is astounding. I read your open letter to the music industry and wanted to respond. It's great seeing the #1 DRM vendor in the world acknowledging that DRM is an issue. I've been talking about this since I founded MP3.com so it's nice to finally have someone with your prominence raising awareness on this topic (read You Own Nothing - the highest rated blog post I've ever written).
Rubbermaid
I want to challenge you to take actions to bolster your words to insure you are genuine and your letter wasn't simply a deflection shield to escape government scrutiny. In your letter you stated that currently "customers are being well served with a continuing stream of innovative products and a wide variety of choices." The incompatible chaos of digital music today is not serving customers or the music industry particularly well. I think you know this too which is why you posted your letter calling for change. I agree with your suggestion that the industry is already selling non-DRM files on CDs so it's not a big leap to selling them online (of course, as you know, non-DRM files are available online from many unlicensed sources so now it's just a question of whether the industry is going to put a price tag and make some money on this behavior). You mentioned that licensing your FairPlay DRM technology is problematic. Microsoft widely licenses its similar DRM technology and it doesn't seem to be any more or less secure than yours, so I'm not sure I agree with you. But instead of focusing on political posturing I want to focus on real solutions that can change the industry.
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