This was quite a startling revelation for reasons that I won’t get into now. But the “shiny object syndrome” which is clearly shared by many of the:
entrepreneurs
business owners
freelancers (designers, software engineers, web developers, marketers, musicians, etc.)
… that I’ve known is clearly related.
Do All Entrepreneurs Have ADHD?
Clearly that would be a bogus claim to make. But the idea that entrepreneurship is correlated with ADHD is grounded in science. One study from 2018 said:
This grounds prior research on ADHD and entrepreneurship, indicating that individuals with ADHD are indeed more likely to not just espouse entrepreneurial intentions, but also to initiate business venturing.
Lerner, D.A., Verheul, I. & Thurik, R.
Resources for Entrepreneurs with ADHD
An overwhelming majority of the information online about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (“ADHD”), formerly known as Attention Deficit Disorder (“ADD”) is focused on children, schoolwork, and parenting.
For someone like me that was diagnosed as an adult, it’s been difficult to find credible, reliable information that I can use as a business owner to help me manage the downsides of ADHD and maximize the many upsides of this powerful trait.
After working with Dana Rayburn, who is a very successful (and helpful!) coach for professionals and business leaders who have ADHD, I experienced such incredible benefits, that one day I suggested on a whim that we start a podcast.
We launched a couple of weeks ago, and we’re releasing a new episode every Monday morning. In fact, today’s episode was part 2 of a two-parter on the unique ways that we procrastinate (everyone does it, but people with ADHD have refined it to new levels!) and what we can do about it.
You can find the podcast by searching Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and most every other place you get your podcasts. Or just visit the website for links.
Can you believe we are in the last quarter of 2013 already?!
How are your 2013 business goals coming?
Hopefully, you’ve already blown them completely out of the water. But whether you have or not, what I’m writing to you about now could make an enormous difference in your business this year!
You probably know by now that I’m a big believer in getting around highly successful people — people who know something I could benefit from — and letting them share their expertise with me.
That’s why I want to invite you to join me — and lots of other successful business people (and soon-to-be successful people) –  next Friday in Sarasota for the Empowering Small Business event.
Dave Kauffman: Empowering Small Business
I don’t know if you’ve met Dave Kauffman yet, but it seems like everywhere I go in Southwest Florida, someone comes up and tells me, “Hey… I just met your friend Dave Kauffman!”
Just a couple of years ago, Dave launched what has become a phenomenally successful service business in the Sarasota area. It’s actually remarkable just how much that business has grown in a very short time, but Dave will tell you that he’s successful because he got under the mentorship of some great people.
Dave now owns 4 businesses, and all of them are growing and profitable.
One thing I like about Dave is that he wants to share what he’s learned that has helped him run his businesses profitably, with rapid (but healthy) growth.
That’s why when he asked me to teach local business people about what’s working right now in marketing, I was delighted to accept his invitation.
Marketing is just one of the 5 cornerstones of business success that will be the theme of the one-day event next Friday that could change your business forever.
In fact, you’ll be hearing about…
Sales
Todd Smith, author of Little Things Matter
Todd Smith, author of Little Things Matter, built a sales business that has paid him over $25 Million in commissions over the last 23 years. (You do the math… that’s over $1M per year!!) Todd is a personal friend who almost never speaks publicly any more, but since this event is in his back yard in Sarasota, Dave Kauffman got him to agree to come share with us. I’m personally going to be taking notes… and you will too!
Jane Kernen works with small businesses doing something that every small business needs to do more of:automating important tasks. What if you could take some of your most critical business tasks and successfully ensure that they’re being done up to your “best practices” level… each and every time, without a human being getting in the way? (Or forgetting?) Jane implements solutions like this with small businesses using one of my favorite automation tools on the planet: Infusionsoft. Whether you’re a solo-preneur or you have 500 employees, you can’t afford to miss what Jane will be teaching!
Operations
Ron Klein invented something that you use every single day and that has transformed transactions for billions of people on the planet! He’ll be sharing from his many decades of experience as a CEO, engineer and inventor, and you won’t want to miss a minute of what he has to say!
Leadership
Dave Kauffman has learned first-hand what you and I know to be true: everything rises and falls on leadership. As the owner of 4 thriving and successful businesses, Dave’s picked up some highly important skills in the area of getting others engaged in your vision and helping develop people into the winners for your team that you need them to be!
Where else can you go (without having to travel!) and sharpen your skills in the 5 critical areas of marketing, sales, administration, operations, and leadership… all in one day?!
Space is extremely limited for this event. It’s going to be held at the beautifulPolo Grill right on Main Street in Lakewood Ranch. And by the way, lunch is included in your registration (which is already an unbelievable deal)!
Register now and bring a guest for half price!
If you’re like me, I always like to have my wife (she works with me in our business) or a key staff member with me when I go to an event like this… because they help me actually implement what we learn.
Dave wants you and your business to get as much long-term value as possible out of next Friday, so he’s offering you the chance to bring your business partner, spouse, or other key person with you for half price. That’s a savings of $48.50!!
But you’ll want to register right away, as the Polo Grill can only accommodate a limited number of people in their ballroom.
I’m looking forward to seeing you there next Friday.
Oh… in case you’re wondering,I’ll personally be sharing some of the secrets of how our clients are getting incredible results. One client recently achieved #1 Google search rank and had their best month in revenue after 24 years in business!
I’ll be giving you access to some of the information that only our clients usually get to hear about and we’ll show you how to put these strategies to work in your business. If you take good notes, you could literally see a difference in your business in just a few days!!
It’s going to be a great day. Check out all the details here. If you have any questions about the event, reply back to this email and I’ll get you the answers.
Tom Ziglar with his father, Zig Ziglar (Photo courtesy of Ziglar, Inc.)
Tom Ziglar is uniquely qualified to talk about success. For nearly all of his 47 years, Tom has absorbed first-hand the wit and wisdom of  the man who is arguably the world’s best-loved motivator and success speaker: Zig Ziglar. And for the last 16 years, Tom has carried the responsibility for the success of the family business as CEO of Ziglar, Inc—America’s leading motivational and personal development training company. Tom and two of his sisters, Cindy Oates & Julie Ziglar Norman, represent the next generation of Ziglar bringing “The Ziglar Way” to a new generation of business people.
With his father slowing down (the elder Ziglar last spoke publicly in December, 2010), Tom is now carrying the torch of articulating the world-famous Ziglar philosophy from the stage as well as from behind his desk.
“Tom is not his father,” says David G. Johnson, founder of Sarasota-based Nourish The Dream, which regularly schedules Tom to speak at its business events. “You aren’t likely to see Tom zipping back and forth, up and down and all over the stage like you did Zig. But his message is no less compelling, and the insight he brings as the person responsible for implementing his father’s concepts—with everyone watching, I might add—is in many ways even more valuable… especially for today’s small business owner. We are proud to have Tom on our stage.”
Nourish The Dream is serving as the local host for Ziglar’s “Born To Win” small business growth workshop, a one-day event jam-packed with training that will help any business owner improve operations. Florida events are coming up in Tampa on November 15th and in Sarasota on November 16th.
“Tom and business associate Howard Partridge have created a revolutionary day of training,” says Johnson. “From phenomenal referral marketing systems to solving the number one problem facing business owners today, this one-day workshop is literally changing the lives of business owners. Many feel like their business depends completely upon them and that they can never truly get away from it. This day will change that.”
Howard Partridge is an eight-time small business owner from Houston, Texas, who started his first business out of the trunk of his car over 25 years ago. Today that business continues to produce millions of dollars a year in revenue and operates almost completely without his involvement.
“We got to know Howard and chose him to provide coaching to our small business owner clientele. He represents the highest levels of integrity and is a perfect match to the Ziglar philosophy, which is a very high standard. I’m proud to work alongside him to help small businesses become more profitable and more efficient,” says Tom Ziglar, who will be taking the “Born To Win” events to Australia with Partridge later this month.
When not in front of an audience or conducting local training workshops for business owners around the globe, Tom can be found spreading the Ziglar philosophy via next-generation media like Twitter, where he has amassed a following that numbers more than 71,000 people.
“I think Dad is a prophet and knew years ago that Twitter was coming,” says the younger Ziglar. “Almost all of his quotes are 140 characters or less!”
The full-day “Born To Win” workshop takes place on Thursday, November 15th at the Wyndham Westshore Hotel in Tampa, and on Friday, November 16th at the Homewood Suites by Hilton in Sarasota. Registration is $97, which includes a spouse or business partner, and is available by phone at 214-912-5795 or online at BornToWinFL.com.
Note: This post was originally published on the Nourish The Dream blog.
SOPA: Are You Prepared To Be Silenced?
Here at Nourish The Dream, we are incredibly passionate about the success of small businesses and entrepreneurs. We work tirelessly to produce events and resources that will help “nourish the dream” of business ownership and success in the lives of people. And that’s why we feel it’s important to bring SOPA (and its evil twin: PIPA) to your attention.
Depending upon when you read this, the links above may not be working. That’s because Wikipedia is “going dark” for the very first time (at least for its English version) in its history in order to protest this outrageous piece of legislation.
Why Sound the Alarm?
On the surface, the idea behind these bills is honorable and even noble: to stop the illegal downloading & sharing of content protected by copyright. The biggest beneficiaries of this action are relatively obvious: record labels, movie studios and others who create content which is ordinarily sold but which is being pirated (something which, I would like to note, is already illegal).
The egregious nature of the legislation comes not from its ostensible purpose but from its far-reaching, dangerous implications. Specifically, as the legislation is currently drafted, it gives incredible powers of internet censorship to the US courts. Further, it places ridiculous demands upon search engines to no longer provide links to sites which are accused of violating copyrights.
Picture a world where Google is required to police its search results at any given moment for links to websites which have not been proven to be guilty of violating copyrights. Picture a world where your small business website can be shut down at will by anyone willing to throw out a complaint.
In short: the legislation as drafted violates the free speech rights of US citizens via censorship without due process of law.
What About Piracy?
First let me say that we make our living creating content and enjoying the wonderful protection of copyright law. Without copyrights, it would be very difficult for our parent organization to recognize revenue from the training products it creates. Similarly, here at Nourish The Dream, we value very highly the ability for us to create and distribute CDs, MP3s and (soon) DVDs of materials to empower, train & equip the business owners and entrepreneurs we exist to serve… and to, in turn, achieve revenue from those sales to fuel our mission and to give us the ability to create new & better products as we go.
It is therefore of no small significance to us that there be appropriate tools in the hands of legislators and law enforcement agencies to go after piracy and shut it down where possible. We fully understand that no retailer would leave their shop doors unlocked at night with no one watching. There are evil people in the world, and the “honor system” doesn’t always pan out well in the end. Hence the need for proper protections for those who create items of value.
All of that said, SOPA & PIPA do not place appropriate powers in the hands of the right parties to solve the issues they purport to address. Rather, they place undue power in the hands of a few while effectively crippling the business model of many valuable companies who contribute to an open, free (as in speech) internet.
Google celebrates its 13th birthday with a special Google Doodle!
It’s hard to believe, but the website most of us use everyday to start just about anything we do online didn’t exist until 13 years ago.
Their rise to dominance didn’t take place until later, but the company was incorporated in September, 1998. By 2000, they were processing 100 million searches per day… and of course, today they own the US search market. (Market share varies depending who measures it and what they measure… but for all intents & purposes, they’re the search engine that matters.)
In addition to the 28,000 people they employ directly, Google and its products have an impact on the businesses, careers and income on an incredibly high number of people. I’m sure someone has tried to do it, but it would truly be impossible to measure the economic impact of this behemoth. This could be why Google officials were recently testifying before Congress regarding the competitiveness of their operations… but that’s something for another day.
For today… on behalf of small businesses and marketers everywhere… Happy Birthday, Google! We’re celebrating right along with you today!
Ok… admit it. You’ve done it. We all do it. You’ve probably done it lately.
C’mon… tell me…
“How often do you Google yourself?”
Well it’s fun to see where you rank. But if you own a business, it’s critical today to rank #1 on your own name. If you serve a local market, you should at least rank #1 on your own name in your city.
However, as I’ve pointed out again and again to audiences all over the globe when speaking… ranking on your own name isn’t really marketing. It’s customer service. (Ok… it’s also brand protection, which is a marketing function, but let’s not get nit-picky here.)
What Are Your Customers Searching For?
A far more useful idea, however, is to rank #1 (or at least near the top) in Google and those other search engines on phrases that likely buyers will use when they’re searching for the stuff you sell.
For example, if you happened to be looking for a place to eat out in my city (I live and work in the paradise known as Sarasota, Florida), you might run a search like:
“fondue Sarasota”
or
“buffalo wings Sarasota”
Admittedly, you probably aren’t real likely to run both of those searches on the same day… For a nice evening out, my wife and I really enjoy fondue together. And I personally can’t seem to drag her kicking and screaming to a wings joint (happens maybe once every 2-3 years), so I go there for lunch when possible with friends that enjoy hot wings… since one of the local places is my favorite restaurant in the entire world!
But I digress…let me get to the point.
“Why Haven’t They Contacted Me Yet?”
If you happen to be the owner (or manager) of, say…
Dylan’s Fondue Fusion
The Melting Pot
Wings N Things
Wings N Weenies
…don’t you think you would contact the marketing firm that owns the website that ranks #1 in Google on the above searches?
For the record, I never really set out to rank #1 on those terms. I just happen to have decided randomly one day to write about those topics. And I happen to know what tools to use to market a local business! And I happen to use those tools myself… so… rankings happen.
You know they’re running those Google searches from time to time, right? I mean seriously… you need to know where your business ranks on those kinds of terms. And you would want (I would think) to do everything in your power to make sure that you had good positioning… so…
In case you’re wondering… yes, we help businesses with search engine rankings. But as I recently pointed out on our small business marketing blog, rankings are only a piece of the puzzle. More importantly, we train small businesses how to be their own best marketers so that they can consistently attract customers in cost-effective ways — both online and offline.
Now… if you’re in a critical situation and need rapid help with the results you’re getting from your website, our website performance assessment is a great place to start.
David Johnson, founder of Epiphany Marketing, LLC appears this week on airings of the Faith Life Now broadcast with Gary & Drenda Keesee.
David is a Sarasota, Florida-based author, speaker, trainer and consultant who specializes in helping small businesses communicate and attract customers in the 21st Century. On the program, which airs on the Daystar and NRB television networks as well as on a local Fox affiliate in Columbus, Ohio, David and hosts Gary & Drenda Keesee talk about the opportunities that exist in this economy for new business ideas.
I have a fundamental philosophy. Never waste a good crisis! -David G. Johnson
As a trainer and consultant, David and his company deliver value to clients in the marketplace by helping small business owners and their teams understand the most effective ways to get the message out about their products and services.
As a speaker, David challenges audiences in both the business context as well as in conferences, seminars and churches where he is known as a challenging and inspiring speaker and Bible teacher. His organization, Nourish The Dream, was established to encourage entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs as well as others who are working to integrate their faith and their working lives.
Learn more about Nourish The Dream and the Kingdom Thoughts audio teaching series being offered on the television program here.
Consultants, writers, sales professionals, field representatives and others face a dilemma in today’s world. On the one hand, it’s great to work from home. On the other hand, home can be a place of distractions or be fraught with other emotional and mental hurdles to productivity.
Executive Office in Sarasota
So… what do you do when you really only need an office for yourself and perhaps occasional use of a conference room? Executive suites have always been an option, but perhaps you don’t need a receptionist or you aren’t looking to have your phone answered. What you really need is a place to spread out and work. And if you’re like me, you can work from just about anywhere with an internet connection.
A new option for office space in Sarasota just came to my attention. If you’re looking for a furnished (or unfurnished) room that you can move into quickly and get productive, then this may just be the place for you. White Sands Realty in Sarasota is responsible for putting this together. Just pick a room, sign a no-frills agreement for your inexpensive office, and get working!
Conference Room Access Included
They’re offering great packages with your internet connection, a desk, a chair, and access to common areas like the conference room, restrooms, and a small break room at very affordable rates. There are a limited number of offices available, so you’ll want to make contact with Allen Jenkins at White Sands (941.228.6785) right away so you can have the best selection to choose from. The offices are conveniently located just minutes from downtown and minutes from I-75.
I recently learned that I’d made a bit of a faux pas. I used the word “recession” in an article I was asked to write for the newsletter that Zig Ziglar sends out every week.
It was an honest mistake. I wasn’t aware of his personal — and consequently, their corporate — policy to simply not use that word. It really got me thinking. After all, Zig has been responsible for mentoring and coaching thousands (tens of thousands? more?) of successful people to the top of their game.
So… from here on out, I’m dropping the word. It might seem like a silly or symbolic move, but I had already decided months ago that we — that is me (David Johnson) and my company (Epiphany Marketing) — weren’t participating in it.
So… we officially renamed the event that I’m privileged to be a part of next week with my good friend, Tom Ziglar. It’s new title is:
How to Attract Customers at Low Cost in this Tough Economy
Ziglar Webinar: How to Attract Customers at Low Cost in this Tough Economy
And perhaps a better title would be, “in any economy.” The fact of the matter is that we’ve systemized some processes that any business can use — after all, it’s the very process we’ve used an honed for years in our consulting work — to bring in a steady stream of new prospects, clients and customers.
Sound good? You can do it.
In fact, the Ziglar organization has been kind enough to permit me to invite you to next week’s event.
In a previous post, we reviewed what were some really great hot wings in Sarasota at a restaurant called Wing Junction. Sadly, the last time I was by their location on Beneva Road, the store had closed. Perhaps the location wasn’t great — there was previously a Beef O’Brady’s in the same center that didn’t ultimately make it.
In any event, given the number of people who frequent this site looking for tips on buffalo wings in Sarasota, here are my top recommendations:
Wings N’ Things
This is the original classic restaurant. Their first location was out on Cortez Road West in Bradenton — just a little stretch west of 75th Street West. It was originally called “Sandy’s Wings N’ Things.” They ultimately built a location — probably nearly 20 years ago now (although I can’t be certain) at Lockwood Ridge and Tallevast Road. It’s technically in Manatee County, but it has a Sarasota postal address.
The Wings
Really great flavor. The sauces here are — to me — the quintessential great wings flavor. If you like your wings hot, order the “napalm” setting. It tastes great and it’s nice and hot — but not too crazy. Their “TNT” setting is one step below the Napalm and also tastes great. I’ve heard that their “hot” and even their “mild” are also pretty good, but since I prefer mine hot I really couldn’t say from personal experience. Pair up the wings with a “curly Q” (a piping hot stacked-high order of fresh-cut curly fries) and top the fries off with some vinegar and salt. Pure heaven. One of the other sides that they offer are some fried cheese cubes with some kind of a cherry mustard sauce. Wow. Makes my mouth water just thinkin’ about it.
A big surprise for me was that they actually have a menu. Who knew? I’d certainly never used it… until one day I convinced my wife to go along (she hates wings because they’re too much work). She ordered a tuna salad sandwich. Really… from a wings joint? In any event, she said it tasted like wings. Goes to show you… stick with the good stuff.
So… while a bit of a drive from Sarasota proper, it’s well worth it. Call ahead to order:Â (941) 351-8005.
Wow… news flash: while visiting their website, I discovered they have a new 2nd location near Clark Road and Tamiami Trail on Gateway Avenue. I think this merits a personal visit from me so that I can confirm for you — my faithful readers — that the wings there are just as good as the other location. I’m sure I won’t be disappointed — even though the restaurant has changed hands over the years, the newer owners have done a great job!*February, 2010 Update* The new location didn’t make it. But I did grab wings at the store at Lockwood Ridge & Tallevast a couple of months ago. Great as ever!
Wings N Weenies
I’ll admit… the name was a turnoff for me for a long time. Why the heck would a restaurant that specializes in wings also advertise “weenies?” Oh well… I’m a marketer, so I’m extra picky about stuff like that.
In any case, the wings aren’t bad. Their location on Fruitville Road (in the “Sarasota Crossings” shopping center just a little ways down from Publix) is actually fairly close to my house. I’ll stop in for lunch once in a while because it’s close by.
The Wings
Not bad. The flavors are pretty good… a not-so-close 2nd to Wings N Things. Their “TNT” setting is my usual choice. It’s not the hottest, but the “Nuclear” setting — which is the hottest — just doesn’t have a great flavor in my opinion. The size is really great — they don’t skimp on the chicken here. If you come hungry, expect to eat well. Their fries are also on the slightly-above-mediocre level. All in all, a worthwhile stop.
A couple of other advantages — they deliver (with a relatively low minimum order), and they also have some really great personalities that work there. Expect to have a good time with whomever is waiting on you.
Others
I’ll write again a future post on some of the other joints in town. If you have a favorite, leave a comment below and let me know. One thing I can say is that I’ve heard great stuff about the “Wing Factory” at 17th Street and Lockwood Ridge Road. A good friend and fellow wings addict had raved about it so we met there a couple of months ago for lunch. The wings were — quite frankly — terrible. The hot sauce had some kind of BBQ flavor mixed in with it. We chalked it up to the fact that the waitress/cook was on her first day. I went back a few weeks ago and had the same bad-tasting wings with a different new girl. So… I’m not sure what to say about it. The owner is an awfully nice guy and they clearly work hard, so I’ll probably try them again and see if we can get to the bottom of the mystery BBQ flavor.
Now I’m Hungry
And since I have some errands to run today… who knows? Maybe a stop for wings is on the agenda!
