Unlock Success in Real Estate, Relationships, and Recruitment:

The Entrepreneur's Guide to Unconventional Choices! 

Are you tired of competing in overcrowded markets, whether it's securing the perfect property, finding the right partner, or hiring the best new talent? Rory Sutherland offers an eye-opening strategy that veers away from conventional decision-making, promising a less trodden path to success.

Consider the traditional approach: setting a rigid budget for a house, seeking partners based on a narrow set of physical criteria, or hiring graduates solely based on their experience. This method, while common, drastically narrows our vision, leaving a world of potential unexplored.

But why settle for the same crowded pond everyone else is fishing in? The real opportunities lie in the spaces less contested, waiting for the insightful entrepreneur to discover them.

The secret lies in pinpointing what genuinely matters to you—the unique qualities or the imperfections you're willing to embrace that others overlook. By shifting your focus from the conventional to the unconventional, you unlock a treasure trove of possibilities, distancing yourself from the fierce competition.

This strategy isn't just about making smarter choices; it's about gaining a competitive edge in every aspect of life. From investing in real estate and forming personal relationships to innovating in the hiring process, redefine your criteria to match your unique vision and values.

As entrepreneurs, our strength lies in innovation and thinking outside the box. Let's extend this mindset beyond business, into all decisions we face. By valuing the unconventional, we open doors to opportunities that not only have less competition but also align perfectly with our individual needs and goals.

Embrace this path less traveled and uncover what truly works for you. The journey might be surprising, but the destination promises unparalleled success.

To innovation and beyond.

I’m (nearly) always on time and never caught in a whirlwind of chaos. If you’re sprinting through life like it’s a never-ending marathon, guess what? You’re the coach and the runner.

In my two decades in the business world, I’ve rubbed elbows with a spectrum of folks—from startup dreamers to boardroom veterans, self-made billionaires, and even a handful of legends. And here’s a little nugget of wisdom that might tickle your brain: The real MVPs of efficiency don’t wear "busy" as a badge of honor.

They glide through their days with the grace of a swan, making time for the big tickets without breaking a sweat.

Their secret? It’s not a life of fewer complications but a masterclass in prioritizing with the precision of a ninja. They’ve honed the art of saying no to the noise with five golden rules (simple to list, but oh, a Herculean feat to live by):

1. Zeroing in on the game-changers,

2. Giving the cold shoulder to the trivial,

3. Drawing lines in the sand like they’re fortifying a castle,

4. Eyeing the prize (results) over the hustle (effort),

5. And worshipping downtime like it’s their religion.

If your life’s a frenzy, the mirror’s showing you both the problem and the high priest of the solution. Time to crack that code and turn your story into one that’s both epic and serenely paced to enhance your outcomes.

There's a "Museum of Failure" in Sweden which highlights 150+ failed products. It's meant to show that innovation requires risk-taking and failure.

In May 2020, the museum made most of the collection of artifacts available for viewing on its website. As Covid-19 virus restrictions closed most museums around the globe, many have offered free virtual tours.

Not being your career. Often said, seldom understood, mostly dis regarded, but something you must pay attention to. Its boring, yet it must be said, if you follow it, you can scale your outcomes.

While the rest of us stare down the barrel of negative equity and vanishing pensions, the world’s ultra rich just keep on getting richer. Twenty-five years ago, there were only 140 billionaires in the world, now there are over 1200. The 0.1% are truly on the rise. How To Be A Billionaire draws back the curtain on the world of the ultra rich, whose fantastic wealth attests to their drive, success and visionary status and who are now using their fortunes to fund incredible projects and personal obsessions that could have massive repercussions on us all and the world in which we live.

By taking chances. (on your self early on)

Entrepreneurs, this one's for you. In the journey to launch and scale a thriving business, there are countless hurdles, but it's often not the external challenges that hold us back the most. Instead, it's the internal narratives and misconceptions that can derail our progress before we even start. Let's dissect some of these roadblocks and pivot towards actionable insights to elevate your entrepreneurial ambitions.

Mindset Missteps

Many entrepreneurs find themselves trapped by self-imposed limitations, questioning their potential to compete with giants like Amazon or to price their offerings competitively. This mindset is a major misstep. The key to success lies not in mirroring the behemoths but in forging authentic connections through your brand, allowing you to set your price and carve your niche.

Innovating without insight is another common pitfall. While adding a unique twist to your idea is valuable, venturing too far without industry knowledge can introduce unnecessary risks. Focus on what's proven, and simplify; you can always iterate later.

The allure of complexity, such as integrating advanced tech solutions prematurely, can stall your start. Often, basic tools can serve your initial needs effectively. Similarly, indecision over platforms—whether Shopify or WooCommerce, WordPress or Squarespace—can paralyze. Remember, the impact of these choices on your success is minimal. Pick a path and press forward.

Believing the market is oversaturated is a convenient excuse not to start. This mindset is fundamentally flawed. Every market has room for innovation and unique value propositions. It's not about the crowded space; it's about how you differentiate within it.

Launch Limbo

Adhering too rigidly to the minimum viable product (MVP) mantra can sometimes backfire, especially if it leads to launching with a subpar website. Trust and first impressions are crucial; ensure your site reflects the quality you offer.

Validation is vital, but how you seek it matters. Relying solely on email interest can be misleading. Actual transactions are a stronger indicator of viability. And remember, not every idea needs external validation. There's wisdom in leveraging proven concepts as a foundation for your venture.

Clarity in your offering is non-negotiable. Your customers should immediately understand what you're selling. If your message isn't instantly clear, it's time to refine it.

Operational Oversights

Once your business is operational, the temptation to compete on price can be strong. Resist it. Differentiate on brand and value instead. Over-customization and catering to every niche need can complicate your operations and dilute your offering. Aim for simplicity and scalability.

Avoid getting bogged down in details that don't drive revenue. Your primary focus should be on acquiring customers through effective branding and marketing. Time spent on non-essential tasks is time not spent on growth-driving activities.

The path to entrepreneurial success is fraught with potential missteps, but awareness and action can navigate you through. Not every insight here will apply universally, but for many of you, these reflections will resonate and, hopefully, redirect some common pitfalls. Remember, the goal is progress, not perfection. Here's to your success, fueled by clarity, simplicity, and a relentless focus on what truly matters. Let's build remarkable businesses together.

Best Businesses to Start with Little Money

Don’t have a lot of money to start your business? Check out the ideas below.

Translator

Speak a foreign language? Start a translation service. Consider specializing in a specific genre of translation, like medical or financial translation, as you might be able to fill a niche need in your community.

To become a translator, you should have a rock-solid grasp of two languages — ideally, you’ll be near native level for both. You don’t need special credentials to become a translator, but a certification (such as from the American Translators Association) will legitimize your business and help you get clients.

Prior to gaining a certification, you can also pursue an online certificate, which will teach you the basics of translation. Some providers include:

• University of Massachusetts Amherst

• The University of Arizona

• University of Georgia

Travel Planner

The time of the travel agent might be passing, but people are still looking for those with a knack for more nontraditional travel coordination. If you always plan the perfect vacations complete with beautiful hotels, the ideal location, and a bevy of delicious restaurants lined up for every evening, consider advertising your services as a more modern approach to travel planning.

You don’t have to only plan trips for individuals, either.

You can become a travel planner by first volunteering to plan a few trips for your family and friends. Try it and see if you like it. Once you feel like you’ve gotten a good taste, attend a travel planner program and get certified. Some options include:

• The Travel Institute Training & Certification Program

• Penn Foster Travel and Tourism Specialist Diploma

Personal Chef

We all love to eat, but few of us have the time or energy to cook healthy, delicious meals. Advertise your services to local families and businesses alike. To save on start-up costs, consider scheduling certain groups of clients together — say, vegetarians — so you can cook larger quantities of the same dish.

You can also begin by selling food in batches at local farmer’s markets or via a food truck. Once you’ve generated some awareness, you can begin taking on clients. Alternatively, you can start a delivery meal prep service by cooking 5-7 days’ worth of meals for clients.

For all the ideas go here.

Bonus! Thought(s) of the week

Effective product research strategy ala online marketing

1/ Use a reliable tools

Use reliable spytools you feel comfortable with for your product research, combine it with Facebook adslibrary, google trends and similarweb, then look for already existing winners in different markets

Filter your products by the following:

- Technology: Shopify

- Country: Germany/America

- Language: German/English

- CTA: Shop now

- Platfrom: FB ads

- Filter on last 7 days.

2/ Look for the amount of active ads

You want to find someone who is already running a good number of ads

This means they found something worth spending money on & check the store out as welL in the facebook ads library, check if they have any other interesting products to run.

3/ Don't run in the same country

The products you find while doing product research, shouldn't be tested in the same country

If you find a winner in Germany, don't test it in Germany...Test it in another market

4/ Put all interesting products into a google sheet

This will help you to stay organized and make sure you have a good overview of what is worth testing

Get around 30 to 40 products in there with their competitors

5/ Run FB ads to it.

FB ads is still king

Especially if you are selling in the EU

- Less competition

- Lower CPM's

- More Profit

- Higher winner success rate