Self-Coaching 
Developing ways to improve skills and abilities is an important step toward the goal of successful self-employment.  This article discusses self-help methods to achieve goals. Want To Get Ahead? Get To Self-Coaching
http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2011/08/04/want-to-get-ahead-get-to-self-coaching/

Evaluating Potential Ideas
Spotting pitfalls in a potential product or service means thorough evaluation. This article offers key points that every entrepreneur should consider whether or not science is the industry chosen.
Three golden rules for budding entrepreneurs
http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/bigwideworld/2012/04/three-golden-rules-for-budding-entrepreneurs.html

Note: The author’s use of  the word “pain” could be substituted for the word “problem.” Pain could also be used as a synonym or metaphor for experience.

Beware of Expert Counsel
Billionaire Mark Cuban believes “follow your passion” is bad advice for budding entrepreneurs. However, many experts disagree with that argument.

Based on my firsthand experience, and researching business and medical data on the ill effects of mismatched individuals and work, I disagree completely with nearly every statement in Cuban’s article.

I mean, really?
http://blogmaverick.com/2012/03/18/dont-follow-your-passion-follow-your-effort/

In the examples that Cuban uses to prove his point, it could be easily argued that the word passion is being misused by those who want to believe they’ve found their calling, and that they will prevail if they just think righteous thoughts. Cuban is not using examples of people who found and followed their path.

In a class on critical thinking, Cuban would have a hard time proving his conclusion. His argument is an example of a theory based on debatable points.

On the other hand, Cuban’s e-book preview contains a lot of common sense content. It’s almost as if two different people wrote different sections of the blog post.

Lesson: Regardless of the source, experts make mistakes; check the logic and background of arguments presented before heeding advice. Even billionaires make mistakes.

References

http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2010/01/the_danger_of_entrepreneurial.html

http://www.forbes.com/sites/edwindurgy/2011/11/11/former-billionaire-declares-personal-bankruptcy/

Adapting to New Business Trends in the Marketplace
Prior to the popularity of the automobile, blacksmiths made a sizeable part of their income from shoeing horses. After the horse and buggy era slowed, many would become auto mechanics, but a Charleston, South Carolinian blacksmith turned his talent for iron work in another direction. He began to create artistic wrought iron gates with adornments for wealthy homeowners.

And when imported flowers began flooding American shores in the 1990’s, a Salinas Valley Orchard, unable to compete with the low prices and faced with going out of business, decided to change the entire product line and specialize in potted orchid production. Today the company is the largest orchid supplier in the world.

Lesson: Change and adversity can provide inspiration.

How Much Do You Know?
What group in the working population is more likely to start a business or moonlight?

What does Henry VIII have to do with the NASA space program?

Star Wars, Harry Potter, American Graffiti, A League of Their Own, Charlotte’s Web, 12 Angry Men, and Cool Runnings apart from being movies, share a common element that relates to the business world. Do you know what it is?

Answers 

Teachers, according to the Wall Street Journal

In the 1960’s, NASA used the King’s dress as inspiration for the design of the space suits for the astronauts.

All the movies illustrate examples of teams and how they function.
The concept of using teams to achieve goals continues to be a growing trend in the business community.

TV Ads Cause Difficulties for Writers
Writer-producer Matthew Weiner and David E. Kelly discuss the insane amount of commercials on TV today, and how it disrupts their ability to produce a show.

Curious, I decided to survey the amount of ads jammed into many of the programs that I watch. After checking several cable stations, I was shocked at what I uncovered.  

I Love Lucy aired several times in the afternoon yesterday. One episode started with an amazing chunk of opening dialogue missing from the starting scene. I know because I’ve seen it many times. I knew the gap was to allow for ad placement:

Lucy: 1:43-1:46 p.m. = 9 ads
The sitcom resumed but within 4 minutes, cut away to more ads!
1:50-1:53 = 8 ads…

On another channel, I counted 6 ads during one 4-minute break of the airing of another classic sitcom; one ad was 2 minutes long.

Sunday Movie
 Then I tracked ads on a major network airing a popular three-star 2.5 hour feature at night: The count was jaw-dropping.

The movie began at 8 p.m., and after the opening scenes commercial breaks were frequent. 8:18 to 8:25 p.m. = 14 ads
8:38 p.m.- 8:43 p.m. =14 ads
8:53 p.m. – 8:58 p.m. = 11 ads
9:07 p.m. – 9:14p.m.= 14 ads
9:25p.m. – 9:30 p.m. = 13 ads
9:41p.m. – 9:46p.m. = 13 ads
9:59 p.m. -10:04p.m. = 12 ads…

                                                 Get the picture?

Lesson: Industry wide changes can transform and disrupt the way you use your skills. In the example above, not only are TV writers suffering, but viewers are paying for the changes…literally!                                                    

Reference
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/interviews/writer-producer-matthew-weiner/

A. There’s a ton of how-to information online, some better than others.
Some of the key questions that you should know the answer to include the following: 

Why do you want to be a blogger?
What skills and knowledge do you have that will assist you in writing your blog?

What skills and knowledge do you have that will assist you in marketing your blog?
What do you want to blog about?

How many other blogs specialize on the same issue?
What aspect(s) of the issue does each blog cover?

Is there a topic or subtopic that is being overlooked that you could cover?
Will there be enough interest in that topic?
What skills and knowledge about blogging don’t you have or know?

How will you learn best or gain the knowhow?
Do you have the skill set and motivation necessary to market your blog successfully?
What skills are needed to succeed as a blogger?

Which blogs do you visit regularly? Why do you visit them?

Create a checklist or illustration board and study your answers for how best to proceed.

Here is a link to a lengthy article with useful content:
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/01/how-to-build-a-high-traffic-web-site-or-blog/

The Great Food Truck Race
The second season of Food Network TVs program inspired many budding restaurant owners short of cash to ease into the industry by starting with a  truck. However, it’s a crowded field, and unless a prospective entrepreneur has an angle or is planning to work for someone else who’s already in the business, it’s a highly competitive niche. Rules and regulations vary depending on the state involved.

References
http://blog.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/2011/08/12/tyler-florence-dishes-on-the-new-season-of-food-trucks/

http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-10-18/strategy/30292697_1_food-truck-mobile-eateries-perfect-lobster-roll

http://www.dc.gov/DC/DCRA/For+Business/Apply+for+a+Business+License/How+to+Start+a+Mobile+Food+Truck+Business

Ecology Challenges

When a new farmer in the state of Maine went into the Apple farming business, he awakened one morning to find that his entire crop was gone. During the night,
a beaver had munched through all the fruit trees, from top to bottom.

Lesson: Ecological issues include the weather and the habits of neighboring members of the animal kingdom, production, and transportation issues can disrupt many kinds of businesses. While it’s impossible to predict freak occurrences, learning about one’s environment, including patterns and history of interaction is crucial.

In the case of the apple farmer, proactive measures could
have saved the trees.

Dee Adams is the author of
Fi nding Your Niche: Discover…

References
Contestant Interview. (2012, March 7). Jeopardy. ABC TV.

Beaver Solutions.com
http://www.beaversolutions.com/tree_protection.asp

Image: Pixaby

Saving Seeds
The CEO of Growing Power, during Q & A, pointed out that, with the rising concern over genetically engineered crops, there’s a need for seeds, which have not been altered in the lab. Allen pledged to support startup businesses getting into the field of saving seeds.

References
http://www.booktv.org/Program/13443/The+Good+Food+Revolution+Growing+Healthy+Food+People+and+Communities.aspxThe
Organic Elite Surrenders to Monsanto. Ronnie Cummins. (2011). 

Organic Consumers Association.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_22449.cfm

Dispute Launched a
Unique Entertainment Company
In the 1980s, drummer and street performer Luke Cresswell couldn’t use traditional instruments while performing on public streets, so he began using ordinary items that had a percussive beat.

This idea served a number of purposes. Not only did he have access to an original supply of free or low-cost musical instruments, but it was a creative way to get attention. It would be nearly impossible to walk past someone playing a noisy, unusual item without stopping to watch in amusement. In time, the strategy would lead to a thriving business.

Years later, Cresswell and his musical partner were locked in dispute with their record company and unable to record or stage music because of a contractual stipulation, so they decided to create a new sound: one that didn’t have a melody. They used their street performances as the inspiration for a new dance troupe called STOMP! using common items for musical effect.

Today, the group has been seen by more than 12 million people around the world.

References
http://www.stomponline.com/instruments.php
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article5046442.ece
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2010/10/the-creators-of-stomp-are-bringing-pandemonium-to-la.html