#mel feller coach

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Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Looks at Your Power Points to Dreams

Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Looks at Your Power Points to Dreams

 Mel is the President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching for Success 360, Inc. and Mel Feller Coaching. Mel Feller Ministries. Mel Feller is an Innovator and Business Leader. Visit www.melfeller.com and www.melfellersuccessstories.com Mel Feller currently maintains an office in Texas. Currently an MBA Candidate.

 Like an airplane, your dreams lift off the ground when they reach the point of power. You can achieve your potential and rise above the storms of life when you know how to find that personal point of power within. – Mel Feller

    We would all like to be flying above the storms of life and it is possible, but knowing your Point of Power is the key. There will always be storms, but you can choose to remain on the ground, battling the storms or you can supersede the natural law of gravity that governs the earthbound by achieving lift and leaving the ground, with its storms, far beneath you.

  Your personal Point of Power is that point at which you achieve lift and begin the ascent from the ground of your circumstances to that clear blue sky above the clouds. It is different for each of us, this point of power, the breakthrough point that powers us through the clouds, and it often differs from day to day.

  So, how do you know what your point of power is? Here are a few clues.

  It is that point at which you face down your biggest fear. It is that moment at which you determine that fear no longer has the power to paralyze you.

  If you have to move forward with fear digging its talons into your back, you will. That is the point of power called courage. That is when you become truly unbeatable.

   It is the point at which you let go of that ancient grudge. When you begin to see that your lack of forgiveness will poison no one but you, and realize that no matter how wronged you were, the grudge you hold is turning your own heart to stone, then you will soar.

 It is the point at which you surrender control and begin to trust in what you know to be Truth. Very few of us actually lack knowledge of the Truth we just refuse to live by it, preferring to take what appears to be the easy way.

 Face the Truth, acknowledge it and then commit to order your life accordingly and you will not be able to keep yourself from rising.

  It is the point at which you acknowledge and accept your Purpose and Mission and step into it wholeheartedly. When you realize that, your life on earth is no accident and you have a reason for being here, a job to do, your point of power becomes your driving passion.

   It is the point at which you put Goals to your Visions, wings to your dreams. Driven by your vibrant Visions and willing to risk everything in bringing them to pass, you will take to the air above those who are still stuck striving for comfort and ease in life.

  It is the point at which you realize that it is not necessary to learn it all, understand it all, or have it “all together” before you soar. It is enough to know that the laws of lift work whenever the conditions come together.

  You do not have to wait to take a commercial flight until you understand completely how it works – it is enough to know that it does.

  It is the point at which you allow yourself to love freely, give of yourself with abandon, expecting nothing in return. In addition, it is the point at which the needs and concerns of others become personal issues for you.

   It’s the point at which you determine to operate in integrity no matter what everyone else is doing or how it looks, the point at which your character achieves clarity.

  It is the point at which you make a quality decision, no more waffling, and begin to live it; the point at which you examine your motives in light of your Purpose and Mission and are willing to change yourself, and no one else.

 It is the moment at which you assume responsibility and remove the word BUT from your vocabulary.

   You can rev your engines all you want and you can even begin to move down the runway. But until you find that Point of Power, you’re going nowhere, and you’ll never achieve lift or experience the exhilaration of watching the earth move away beneath you as you point yourself to the endless skies no longer earthbound.

 Your greatest potential is realized at your personal point of power. You were designed to soar. If you are feeling earthbound, begin today to determine what is sapping your power and then take the steps necessary to rid yourself of it.

   Achieve lift on your personal life path, in your relationships and in your career. If you are soaring already, experiencing the thrill of operating above the storm, do not forget those still earthbound. You have the secret; do not be stingy. Find someone who is stuck and help them get off the ground!

      Mel Feller, MPA, MHR, is a well-known real estate, business consultant, personal development Consultant and speaker, specializing in performance, productivity, and profits. Mel is the President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching For Success 360, Inc. and Mel Feller Coaching, a real estate and business specific coaching company and Mel Feller Ministries. His three books for real estate professionals are systems on how to become an exceptional sales performer. His four books in Business and Government Grants are ways to leverage and increase your business Success in both time and money! His book on Personal Development “Lies that Will Sabotage Your Success”. Mel Feller is in Texas. Visit www.melfeller.com and www.melfellersuccessstories.com  

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Easy Creative Real Estate Financing Techniques with Quick Closes as Illustrated by Mel Feller

Mel Feller has been involved in the industry for almost 40 years.  He is an active investor across the United States and currently coaches and both real estate investors and Realtors.  He is also an online adjunct professor.

 Mel Feller knows that many real estate investors’ favorite acquisition technique is with owner financing, but that usually requires a free and clear property. How many of those free and clear properties come along with a motivated seller attached? Certainly, there aren’t as many as we would like. Then there’s buying with cash…most real estate investors would rather save that resource for the killer deals that have to be closed quickly in exchange for a massive profit.

 For houses with an existing mortgage, a large amount of real estate investors’ favorite way is to purchase the property “subject to” the existing mortgage. It’s a great way to buy pretty houses without spending a pretty penny. Simply put, you, as the investor step into the seller’s position and begin making their payments at an agreed upon date. The ownership of the property is transferred to your entity or you and the mortgage remains in the seller’s name until you, or more typically your tenant/buyer, pays it off when they obtain new financing and purchase the home.

 Close in a matter of days.

 Why is this a good deal for the seller, you ask? The first thing you have to remember is that successful investors only deal with motivated sellers! This is a good deal for the seller because you can close within a matter of days as there’s no lengthy loan qualification and approval process. Additionally, you can typically pay them a higher price because you don’t have any financing costs.

 Banks want payments, not houses.

 When a loan, which is an asset, becomes delinquent, the lender’s income stream is interrupted. When their assets become non- performing, the lender is required by the Fed to increase their reserves. These reserves reduce the amount of capital available for new loans. So, does the bank prefer payments or would they rather foreclose and take the house back? The easy answer: with foreclosure costs running at about $40,000 per house and defaults at moderate to high levels, banks want payments, not houses!

 Broadest range of exit strategies.

 Finally, why is it good for the investor? First, there is no funding cost. Second, since the loan is not in your name it doesn’t appear on our credit report. Third, your creditworthiness doesn’t come into play because you are not qualifying for a new loan. But the best reason is that “subject to” transactions offer you the broadest array of exit strategies!

 No limits.

 Additionally, even if you have a super credit score, most lenders will limit you to a maximum of number of 4 loans (if you can get them) and you’ll be required to make a substantial down payment (25$– 30%). If the loans aren’t in your name and you don’t have to qualify for them, just how many of these transactions will you be limited to? That’s right, no limits!

The smart real estate investor’s preference is to be a “transaction engineer” rather than a specialist in any one area of investing. They love finding profit opportunities in all types of transactions from pre-foreclosures, renovation projects, owner financing to split funding. However, a core element of their acquisition’s strategy is using “Subject to” transactions and it should be a critical part of yours.

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Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Discusses Investing in Condos in Texas

Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Discusses Investing in Condos in Texas

 Mel is the President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching for Success 360, Inc. and Mel Feller Coaching. Mel Feller Ministries. Mel Feller is an Innovator and Business Leader. Visit www.melfeller.com and www.melfellersuccessstories.com Mel Feller currently maintains an office in Texas. Currently an MBA Candidate.

 While I love investing in many types of real estate, for me, different asset classes have different exit strategies. As a rule, I am not a holder of condos as long term investments but will, from time to time, buy them for resale. My concern with holding condos or town homes as long term investments is the potential for an HOA or condo association to hold too much control over my investment. I am sure there are many very successful condo investors out there so this is not an attack. The asset class just is not my first investment choice.

 If you want to invest in condos and town homes the key is to recognize some of the potential risks and consider your options in advance. This way you can mitigate surprises before purchasing the unit.

 Many people believe owning a condo or town home is easier than owning a single family home because you don’t have to worry about yard maintenance, roof repairs, etc. Compared to buying a single-family house there are definite differences with condos. When purchasing a condo you are not only buying your unit. You are also buying an ownership interest in the common areas of the condominium project such as the lobby, grounds, building exterior, etc. With common ownership comes risk and responsibility.

  The following information does not cover everything you need to know, but it is a good start.

  Insurance

  It is usually a good idea to get a copy of the certificate of insurance, which is a summary of the condo association’s policy. First, see if the replacement costs covered by the policy are an accurate reflection of the cost of rebuilding. You will want to make sure that the policy has a building-ordinance clause, which means that the insurance will cover the cost of bringing the building up to code if there is any rebuilding to be done.

   This is usually more costly in terms of premium but is much better than not being financially prepared for major repairs (especially when code related upgrades are required). On older buildings, there may have been many building code upgrades since the time of construction. As an example, over the years Florida’s hurricanes have wreaked havoc and many condo investors have suffered significant losses due to extended vacancies while waiting until their association and insurance carriers arranged for and completed repairs.

  Finally, make sure that you understand exactly what the association policy covers and what you are responsible for. Typically property and liability insurance does not cover the interior of your unit, but rather the exterior of the building and common areas. You may need to buy your own insurance to protect your interior space and your tenant will need a renter’s policy to insure their belongings.

  The HOA

  Look at the minutes of the condo association board meetings to see what the owners have been griping about. If everyone was complaining about the faulty electrical, plumbing or the landscaper’s absence, you know that the complex is having management difficulties. Even if there are not any complaints, reading the minutes will reveal the sorts of projects that are under way at the complex; projects the seller may have neglected to mention. HOA fees pay for expenses such as maintenance of the common areas, insurance (property and liability), non-sub-metered utilities, if any (such as water for irrigation and pools or electricity for exterior lighting and gates), repair reserves and more.

       Management

  I am cautious of a condo complex whose owners manage the place themselves. Although many are operated efficiently, self-management can lead to more hassles for owners; especially non-occupant owners. If the condo development is professionally managed, check out the management company as thoroughly as you check out the association. Ask other owners. Ask people in nearby buildings. And be sure to interview the day-to-day manager directly. If you get saddled with a bad property manager, you can be sure of this: Your dream condo investment just might keep you up at night.

 Fees

  Be sure to ask what is included in the HOA fees and find out the delinquency rates of present owners. A portion of your HOA fees should be designated toward reserves and you should find out how much is allocated to reserves. You should also review the balance to confirm it is sufficient to cover things like roof repair and replacement, mechanical systems, façades, and other large capital improvements.

  If people are not paying their association fees on time, it could be a sign of owner discontent or an indication that the association might be underfunded. Either way…it is a red flag. If reserves are insufficient to pay for large expenses or capital improvements (or if reserves have already been designated for another planned expense), the HOA will assess an additional fee on the condo owners. This is called a “special assessment.” The seller should be able to tell you if any special assessments are planned, but do not rely solely on this information.

 A sk to see all board minutes within the previous 12 months and ask to talk with the HOA treasurer. Find out if there either is any pending litigation by the HOA or against the HOA as these can often result in a special assessment for legal fees or damages. It is also a good practice to compare the association fees to those of similar nearby complexes. Are they too high or suspiciously low? Keep in mind that complexes with pools, gyms and other amenities may have higher maintenance and  liability insurance costs.

  High-rise condominium towers typically have more complex mechanical systems such as elevators and HVAC systems that usually require extra reserves and maintenance fees. On the other hand, low-rise and single story developments may have extensive grounds that require landscaping and repaving. You might also ask to see two to three years of HOA fee history so that you can see how they are trending. Have they gone up significantly? Will they continue to go up? These are all good questions to ask of the seller or of the HOA treasurer. If the seller is a bank, you will not learn much so talking with the HOA Treasurer is a must!

 Reserves

  If the fees are low in comparison to nearby complexes, ask why? In newer condo and townhouse projects, builders sometimes charge lower fees to entice buyers. Yet, once the units are sold and the property is turned over to the HOA, the fees increase significantly in order to cover the costs of maintenance and reserves. Ask if the community has done a reserve-fund review in the past five years.

  According to Lester Giese, the author of The 99 Best Residential & Recreational Communities in America, he recommends the following formula: If the complex is one to 10 years old, the reserve fund should have 10% of the cost of replaceable items (roofs, roads, tennis courts, etc.). Between 10 and 20 years old, the repair fund should be at 25% to 30%. At 20 years, that amount should be 50% or above. Residents who brag that they do not pay much in maintenance may be in a complex that either is not being kept up well or is living

   Liens

 One thing to be careful of is that the HOA may place liens on units for non-payment of fees and seek a deficiency judgment against any of the unit owners for non-payment. You could be on the hook for the seller’s delinquency. A title report should disclose any liens placed on the unit you are buying. Do not assume, however, that the condo association will put a lien on all outstanding fees, and that it will therefore appear in the title report. You must get a guarantee from the seller that all fees are paid as agreed as well as an estoppel letter from the HOA. A good title company or closing attorney can help you with this but be sure to make the request.

  Condo docs

   State governments require condo developers to file a declaration with the local county, which describes the condominium project, establishes a homeowners association and either refers to or includes the bylaws. The bylaws govern how the association should be run, such as the number of meetings per year, required votes, and the election of directors and officers. The declaration may contain covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&R’s) which are rules specifying how condo owners may use their property and the common areas. These rules are binding on all purchasers. Once the developer hands the project over to the HOA, additional rules can be added through voting (according to the bylaws established).

 CC&R’s and condo regulations limit the rights of property owners, but with the intention of retaining and improving the value of the property in the subdivision or project. Possible restrictions could be pets, holiday decorations and home businesses.

 You should be sure to get a copy of the declaration, the bylaws (if not included) and all rules and regulations established by the condo association to make sure you are aware of any restrictions that will conflict with your intended use of the unit.

  A good friend failed to do this before his purchase and then learned that the association had to approve all new tenants, his investment unit sat vacant for over a year and a half because their requirements were so strict. He eventually lost the place because he could no longer afford to make payments on a vacant condo.

 Renting, Resale & Financing

 Should you make sure not only you are aware of and willing to accept the restrictions imposed by an HOA, you need to ensure that the rules are sufficient to maintain your investment objective and resale value of the unit? If the tenant population is over 10%, there should be clear rental policies, either listed in the bylaws or appended as an amendment. Will the management company find tenants for you? Are you allowed to find your own? If the management company does it, do they get enough good tenants? You might want to ask other tenants or owners about their experience. In addition, ask to see the association’s lease, and have a real estate attorney review it to protect you.

  An important thing to consider is that an association can change its bylaws to prohibit or restrict renting at any time. The more owners who rent, the less chance that will happen. More importantly on resale, a lender may consider all units in a condominium project that allows too many rental units to be investment property. For example, if the complexes rules allow 30% or more units to be rented (even if they aren’t actually rented) lenders could deny potential buyers a home loan for an owner occupant and will instead offer an investment property loan that may require a lower loan-to-value ratio and a higher interest rate. If a rental restriction is not in place, or if there is room for the HOA to adjust the level of rentals, your ability to sell the unit later could also be impaired.

  Caveat Emptor

 Buying a condo or town home may seem easy compared to buying a single family house. However, in many ways, it carries a higher level of risk and requires more due diligence on the part of the purchaser. Just as you might when purchasing a single-family house, a home inspection by a reputable and knowledgeable in inspector is recommended. For owner occupants  and tenants condominiums and town homes offer many benefits such as on-site amenities, low maintenance and convenience. Condominium and town home living often provides a desirable lifestyle for many given their tendency to be located in pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods or other urban environments. These benefits however, do not always translate to an ideal investment. It is always up to the investor to perform their due diligence, examine all documents at closing.

       Mel Feller, MPA, MHR, is a well-known real estate, business consultant, personal development

Consultant and speaker, specializing in performance, productivity, and profits. Mel is the President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching For Success 360, Inc. and Mel Feller Coaching, a real estate and business specific coaching company and Mel Feller Ministries. His three books for real estate professionals are systems on how to become an exceptional sales performer. His four books in Business and Government Grants are ways to leverage and increase your business Success in both time and money! His book on Personal Development “Lies that Will Sabotage Your Success”. Mel Feller is in Texas. Visit www.melfeller.com and www.melfellersuccessstories.com  

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Mel Feller a Dallas Texas Executive Coach and Keynote Speaker

Mel Feller a Dallas Texas Executive Coach and Keynote Speaker

 Mel Feller is an effective, charismatic and powerful speaker, corporate advisor, and best-selling author. In 1989, Mel founded Coaching For Success 360 to help professionals worldwide design subtle changes in their presentation, attitude and leadership style that increases their personal and professional effectiveness and subsequently their financial status.  See www.melfeller.com and www.melfellersuccessstories.com

 Mel Feller did this because at the age of 16 he purchased his first single family home while assisting his father in his real estate investing business and property Management Company. However, if you look more closely at Mel feller’s achievements you will see a young entrepreneur groomed by his father and grandfather by earning money helping his dad fix up properties and flip them. When not doing that Mel essentially had a landscaping business where he would mow up to 25 lawns a month while in junior high.  His father would do the driving and Mel would learn the business side of the business by paying his father for gas and time.  Luckily, Mel’s dad banked that money for him and he was able to use a lot of that money to buy his first car at the age of 16.  It should be noted, that Mel also invested in a snow blower and cleaned driveways and sidewalks while in junior high as well.

 Little did Mel Feller understand that his dad, who grew up on a farm, loved school and learned and followed something that he would never forget.  "We are what we repeatedly do," said Aristotle. "Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."

 Therefore, there are common questions generally asked by in regards to what an Executive Coach is and does.  Hera re Mel Feller’s responses.

 What is Executive Coaching?

Coaching, with an executive coach, is the practice of supporting an individual, referred to as a client, through the process of achieving a specific personal or professional result. The structure and methodologies of coaching are numerous but are predominantly facilitating in style; that is to say that the coach uses adult learning theory and appreciative inquiry to challenge the client to create sustainable change.  

 What can coaches do for you?

Harvard Business Review Articles:

(1) http://hbr.org/2009/01/what-can-coaches-do-for-you/ar/1

                                                        (2)http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/4853.html  

  What types of people have Executive Coaches?

People from all occupations work with professional Coaches to help attain their goals. Executive Coaches work with people in all areas of their life including relationships, career, finance, health and more. Working with an Executive Coach is not limited to any type of person, but is best for those who want to take initiative in their own life and create a path to a changed future.   People who use a Coach are committed to a more fulfilled life and are willing to do the work needed to get there.

 How will Executive Coaching help?

The results will vary depending on what brings you to an Executive Coach. If you get a Coach to help you out professionally, coaching can help you make your current job more gratifying, gain better focus on managing your work, and market yourself more effectively. If your reasons are personal, you can find a coach to help you improve your relationships, resolve ongoing negative behaviors, improve your overall performance, and sustain beneficial change.

 What happens in a Coaching Session?

Each session is tailored to the client and will vary based on individual needs. In the beginning, we will discuss what you are committed to accomplishing through our work together and we will begin to create a plan to achieve your goals. Periodically, I will give you assignments, develop scenarios and create experiments to try new approaches, to help direct your progress. We will work together to acknowledge obstacles, explore alternate perspectives and celebrate successes. With the conclusion of each session, we will revisit your goals and evaluate the next steps that are needed to achieve these results.  Measureable outcomes is a key component of this partnership.  

 Do I really need a Coach; can't I just do it by myself?

Whole life approach to coaching, even when it is professionally focused, can take you beyond your own personal limitations. More often than not, people try to achieve their greatest potential, but do not even realize what stands in their way. A personal Coach can offer an unbiased and objective perspective, and can help you realize your patterns and habits. Most people experience that they are more efficient when working with a Professional Coach and that this provides the opportunity for them to better realize their potential. Executive and leadership coaching can make desired change attainable and will give you support and encouragement along the way.

 How is Coaching different from Therapy?

While the coaching I provide might end up being therapeutic, it is not therapy. Coaching is distinct from traditional therapy because it is not designed to address psychological issues. While emotional issues may arise when we move through change, the primary focus of executive coaching is to help, you identify your goals, achieve them, and develop constructive habits and skills. There is little emphasis placed on the past with coaching, but instead the focus is on creating what you want now and in the future. Often, we find that a process of unlearning from experience is essential to learning for a new future.  This makes an interesting and sometimes challenging process for the executive.  

 How long do people generally work with an Executive Coach?

To experience the effectiveness of a coaching program, I suggest clients make an initial six-month commitment. At the end of each session, we will reconfirm progress and discuss need for adjustment in the process.  Coaching can be shortened or extended by mutual agreement.

 Is coaching confidential?

Executive coaching typically involves a third party leader who is interested and supporting the outcome for the executive. How or if, information is shared with that individual or any individual in the supporting organization, will be agreed upon at the beginning of the coaching commitment.  What we discuss in coaching sessions will be held in confidence and not shared with others without express permission and knowledge of the client.

Finally, Mel Feller nearly five decades of coaching experience with national and international corporations, corporate leaders and small business owners. Mel Feller has also the title of the former head coach for many national and international gurus’ coaching teams.  No matter what Mel Feller is doing, he strongly believes that his life’s mission is more about friendship and not just a business relationship!  That way he is able to maintain lifelong relationships and always be there for his clients.  To Mel that is more important than money and it will always be that way!  Mel Feller is currently working on opening an office in Dallas Texas.

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About Mel Feller and Who He Is

Mel Feller a Personal Development, Business, Real Estate, Branding, Business Funding and Finance Coach. In addition, Mel Feller has served in a variety of executive leadership roles for medium and large organizations, including multiple Fortune 500’s. He is a charismatic leader who has facilitated change and growth in all sized organizations, including non-profit and Board development. Mel Feller has successfully led organizations in the areas business development, marketing, real estate and Realtors, sales, team building, operations, and the like.

Mel Feller is committed to serving. In the community, he chairs several organizations. Mel Feller volunteers his leadership at two churches in a variety of ways, including serving on council, bible study facilitator, and more. Mel Feller has been a featured speaker for career professional groups, business leaders and continuing education sessions, as well as, aspiring business startups.

Mel Feller had a real estate license the same week he graduated from high school and was a multi million-dollar producer with Century 21 for 18 months after becoming licensed. He held that license for 20 years. He specialized in both residential and commercial real estate. He had a special emphasis in multi-units.

In addition, Mel Feller loves real estate and is an avid real estate investor. He loves coaching real estate. He maintains holdings in several states.

He was a former Chief of Staff for a United States Senator has two Master Degrees in Public Administration and Human Resources with an emphasis in Adult Education and Training. Mel Feller states, “An effective coach is someone who tells you what you may not want to hear, helps you navigate around your blind spots, and helps you identify opportunities…so that you can be who you’ve always known you can be”

When he is not coaching, you can find Mel Feller reading, listening to podcasts, exercising, fishing, or with his beautiful and loving wife, step kids, kids and grand kids exploring the greatness of the family and world God has gifted us all with.

Mel Feller is a business/real estate entrepreneur. He served in the Navy Reserve and is helping and creating business programs & writing grants for veterans.

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Reasons Why Many Investors Fail

Reasons Why Many Investors Fail  

By Mel Feller, MPA, MHR

Mel Feller Seminars, Coaching For Success 360 Inc. /Mel Feller Coaching    

 Investing is supposed to be easy; you take an amount of money, invest it in the market, and let it grow in value over time.  If it is so easy, then why do so many people fail at it?

  Here are few reasons why investors fail.  I hope that you are not committing all of these mistakes.  If you commit any of them, take note of them and take action to correct them.

 Reasons Why Investors Fail

 No Financial Goals or Change Goals Too Often. If you are going on vacation, you have a plan, right? So why wouldn’t you have a plan for your money? After all, a typical vacation only lasts a week while you want your money to last your lifetime, and possibly more. Sadly, too many people have no plan and simply throw money into the market, thinking they will figure it out later. Later comes, and they still have no clue. Sit down and think about what you want financially. Once you have an idea, create a plan around it and stick to it!

 Invest in the Wrong Securities. This does not mean you invested in some now defunct internet start-up over Apple. What this means is you are invested in emerging market stocks when you have three years until retirement. You should have your money in more stable investments, such as bonds. Another example is having a portfolio asset allocation that is appropriate for your goals. If you are close to retirement, you should not be invested 100% in stocks. Understand what you are investing in.  Stocks are for the long term, bonds are for shorter-term periods.

 Invest Emotionally, Not Rationally. You see the market up 300 points and think you have to get into this rally or conversely, you see the market drop by 300 points and sell everything. In both cases, you are acting on emotion. Do your best to take your emotions out of the picture. Expect short-term volatility, because it will be there. Nevertheless, always remember that you are in it for the long term.

  Being Too Greedy. You see that Apple stock keeps rising so you go ahead and invest in it because you think it cannot lose. On the other hand, you have lost much of your retirement savings in the past few years and to make up for it, you invest everything you have in technology stocks. Do not be greedy. Stick to your plan. When you chase investments, you will be burnt. Trust me. I have done it and so have many others.

 Relying on Experts. Tune into the business channel and you will see some expert pumping up a stock. You think that it sounds good and invest in it. Bad move. No one knows how the market is going to react. There might be a short-term pop in the stock the expert is promoting, simply because so many others are blindly following their advice. In time though, the stock will return to normal. Stay focused on your goals and on the plan, you created for yourself.

 Listening to Outdated Articles. With the internet, you can find a story on just about any topic you want. What you need to pay attention to is the timeliness of the article. There is no reason to get excited about what an article says if it is outdated. In addition, with how quickly news travels, it can become outdated quickly.

 Becoming Overwhelmed. There are thousands of mutual funds, stocks and bonds to invest in. You could easily spend your entire life researching each one of them. Too many fall victim to analysis paralysis. This happens when you have so much information; you end up not making a decision because you are overwhelmed with it all. Search out low cost index funds and stop there. Pick a few that will give you the allocation you need for your goals and more on. No need to research until you cannot take it anymore.

 Investing to Save on Taxes. I hate paying tax as much as the next person. However, there is no reason to invest in a security simply because it will save you on taxes. Realize that I am not saying you should not save in your 401k and IRA accounts. I think you should be contributing as much as the law allows you to. Nevertheless, do not go investing in other products just for the tax savings. If they are part of your plan, then by all means, invest. If not, move on and invest to meet your goals.

 Investing on Margin. Many investors were burnt in earlier years because they have too much money invested on margin. If you do not know what margin is, it allows you to invest in securities without having the cash up front. If the security increases in value, you can sell it, pay your outstanding balance, and keep the rest. Problems arise when the security drops in value. In this case, you do not need to sell it in order for the lender to get his money. Once the value of the security drops below a certain point, you need to add cash to your account to make up for the difference. My advice: Do not invest unless you have the cash. If you do not have the cash, then save up until you do. There is no point into going into debt to invest money.

 Not Understanding Compound Growth. The more time you have, the more your money can compound upon itself. Another way to explain compounding is that you earn interest on not only your principal, but also on the interest, you have earned as well. As your investment account balance increases, the compounding of your money increases at a faster rate, earning you more money quicker. You will not become a millionaire overnight, but your money will grow.

 Fixed Income Does Not Mean Fixed Value. If you are investing in bonds, also known as fixed income, your principal invested can lose money. There is no guarantee that you will not lose money. Bonds are less volatile than stocks and as a result are less likely to lose value, but that does not meant they will not.

Mel Feller, MPA, MHR, is a well-known real estate business consultant and speaker, specializing in performance, productivity, and profits. Mel is the president of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching For Success, Inc. and Mel Feller Coaching, a real estate and business specific coaching company. His three books for real estate professionals are systems on how to become an exceptional sales performer.  His four books in Business and Government Grants are ways to leverage and increase your business Success in both time and money!

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Mel Feller MPA, MHR Looks at Improving Any Business Leadership Team

Mel Feller MPA, MHR Looks at Improving Any Business Leadership Team

According to Mel Feller, an entrepreneur and business specialist and investor, leadership is a proven and tried method for rediscovering your excellence in business and life. As Mel Feller explains, some days, you are drowning in an ocean of business decisions. Others, you are looking at the desert and hoping for an oasis. Therefore, since you are creative, your leadership skills need both practice and learning. Here are several methods for leadership ideas to get the idea river overflowing To be a great and effective leader, you need to be very clear on your vision, and what actions you need to take to turn your vision into a reality.

Moreover, like an organization or a team, to be an effective leader, you need to focus on the few key areas that will have the highest impact on turning your vision and goals into a reality. Although this word is offensive to some, ultimately, we are talking about winning. In addition, as any good coach will tell you, to win, you need to be willing to learn and then practice what you learn. The more you are willing to learn and the harder you are willing to practice, the more successful you will become.

When you look at your company, you see leaders that can get things done and really motivate the people around them. Supervisors, forepersons, managers, and executives all have a major impact on your company. However, what if those leaders suddenly left? What happens when those stars go out? Do you have qualified employees that could fill the gap? Is your bench deep enough to play on and win the game? Have you prepared your top performers to be the leaders of tomorrow? One of the measures of healthy organizations is how comfortable they feel replacing key leadership positions with their own employees. Unfortunately, most of us only look at the people standing right in front of us, and when something happens we make a mad scramble to survive.

Leadership development should not be restricted to existing leaders. Having a healthy population of future leaders in the organization can be the biggest insurance for success.

You need to ask, “What about tomorrow?”

 You could fill the spot with a new hire, but the difference in cost between promoting leaders from within and trying to find an external candidate can be amazingly high and comes with  many hidden problems, especially in these tough economic times. At the same time, hiring someone from outside of the organization does have benefits. It can offer new ideas and new perspectives on old issues, and it creates a healthy influx of productive energy, but should that be your first option? Here are some drawbacks to making outside hiring your number one option:

  Recruiting Cost

 Finding a qualified, knowledgeable leader takes time and money. Recruiting, interviewing, and testing, even if done in house, comes at a high price. The cost of recruiting a new hire and training them can reach multiples of the employee’s annual salary.

Recruiting internally cuts down on the cost and shows your employees that you value their skills at least as well as those of outsiders.

A new candidate takes a number of weeks to learn the culture and work flow of a new organization. During that time, the individual is in a period of negative production.

If the person does not work out in the position, the cost of training and replacement can be as much as 3 times the annual salary of the position. By the time, employers learn that the employee might not work out, it’s past the probation period and damage is already done.  

 Cultural Adjustment

 All companies have a unique set of values, character, and culture. A new candidate comes from a completely different culture and may or may not fit into yours. Interviews and resumes will not show the adaptability of leaders, even if they come from the same line of business. A conflict of values can quickly become a drain on company resources and takes a long time to remedy. The result is most often a demoralized work group. So if hiring leaders externally is cost prohibitive, how do you get out of that cycle? What can you do to develop your most promising performers? You need to ask yourself, “Are there individuals internally that could do the same thing by being moved or promoted?”

If the answer is no, then you need to start developing. Now! The most effective way to create your leaders of the future is a professionally developed training plan; but

If you are not ready for that step and you need to make some moves quickly. Here are a few tips to start the process:

  Start a Mentoring Program

 Identify your top performers, identify your top leaders, and get them together. A once-a-week meeting to discuss what the leader does and how he or she is dealing with issues that arise can expose your employees to what being a leader means - and give them an incentive to apply it to their own positions. It will also encourage them to take the initiative for self-development.

Project Share

Let your top leaders identify some projects or portions of projects that they can delegate to your potential leaders. The idea is not only to develop the skills needed to complete the tasks, but it also gives them exposure to greater levels of responsibility and lets you evaluate their talents and skills.

  Keep People Moving

If it’s possible for you to shuffle people between departments, offer it. Give people the option to try a new area of the company. Not only will they be learning a new skill set, but also their understanding of the entire business will expand, which is a critical aspect of leadership. In the end, this will reduce your training cost for new leaders.

  Get to Know Your Employees

 Do you know what your employees’ professional aspirations are? Do you know what they really want to do for the company? Do you even know their capabilities? A simple questionnaire can offer you incredibly valuable information on their past experience, skills, and performance desires. Aside from helping you to identify who might be a future leader, it can also help remedy the problem of the right person in the wrong position.

  Build Your Own Library

 Invest in some personal development audio or video tapes, DVDs, books, or computer-based training tools. There are lots of titles and topics available. Offer these to your employees for check out. The real performers will take advantage of it. This is a cost effective way to train employees with minimal startup cost and no labor, as the training will take place on their own time.

You can also offer “Lunch Box Learning” and show one of the short programs during the lunch hour.  

These are just a few of the ways to motivate your top performers into becoming tomorrow’s leaders.

The benefit of having well developed leadership skills in your employees will far outweigh the cost of putting these programs in place.

If you do not develop your top performers, they will not be your top performers for long. Soon you will be stuck with a bench full of liabilities. The question you need to ask yourself is not, “What happens if I develop them and they leave?”

The question you need to ask is, “What happens if I don’t develop them and they stay?”

Leadership takes practice. Leadership is not something you practice once and become a master at. Nevertheless, how much practice does it take to become a great leader? Malcolm Gladwell, in his book Outliers, gives us the 10,000-hour rule. Based on Gladwell’s research of people who have reached an expert level so profound that others would describe them as great, it takes about 10,000 hours of studying and practicing the art or the task. That would be more than five years’ worth of full time work, with each hour dedicated to practicing leadership skills. Even the masters never stop practicing.

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Using the Strategic Map Method In Business in Oklahoma and Texas by Mel Feller MPA, MHR

Using the Strategic Map Method In Business in Oklahoma and Texas by Mel Feller MPA, MHR

Using the Strategic Map Method In Business in Oklahoma and Texas by Mel Feller MPA, MHR

Mel Feller is the President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching for Success 360, Inc. He also owns Mel Feller Ministries. Mel Feller is an Innovator, Business Leader, Investor and Entrepreneur. Mel Feller is currently working closely with his son-in-law and partner on an incubator for young…

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Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Discusses Working from Home and Challenging Fears

Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Discusses Working from Home and Challenging Fears

 Mel is the President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching for Success 360, Inc. and Mel Feller Coaching. Mel Feller is an Innovator and Business Leader. Mel Feller currently maintains an office in Texas. Mel is currently an MBA Candidate.

  Have you been considering home-based business opportunities?

 If so, you are certainly not alone, as there are an increasing number of people who are considering the idea of working from home very seriously. The trouble is that many people have silly assumptions regarding this method of working.

  Many of the important issues, which need to be considered very carefully before making such a life change, are often not given much thought until the jump has been made.

  In this discussion, let us have a look at some of the common fears or assumptions and those matters overlooked, or not considered seriously enough.

 Fear 1: That you will need to take a massive pay cut and take weeks, months or even years to earn a decent income.

 Although this can easily be the case, it need not be. Those who claim that this happened to them, and perhaps quote it as the reason they gave up working at home, are probably those who underestimated the hard work entailed in leaving traditional jobs and staying at home instead.

  You would not walk into a standard office job without having trained for it, prepared for it, and made sure that you are ready.

 The same is true when considering work from home opportunities. It will be important to plan and prepare well in advance.

  Some people spend weeks or months working in their own time after work to get things started, and then switch to working part time to allow them to push the homework more, before finally committing to it full time. It is unlikely that you will be able to walk out of a well-paid job on Friday evening and start heading up a successful and profitable home business opportunity on Monday morning.

Fear 2: That you will no longer have any support if things go wrong.

  Of course, there is a degree of truth here, but in all honesty, it need not be the case. If you are considering a work at home business, the chances are you have already started to investigate the possibilities.

  One thing you may well have noticed is how many forums and discussion boards there are which those who have already started working from home, or have been doing so for years maintain.

 Make sure you join these, and talk to people. Often they'll be great support, but they'll also help put you in touch with relevant organizations and institutions which could offer a great deal of support and advice, whether it's tax related, sorting out your accounting, or looking at marketing strategies.

 Overlooked point 1: Too many people assume that if they give up the day job and start working from home, they will be able to relax a great deal more, with less pressure and more flexibility with hours.

  Of course, this can be the case, but only if you plan for it very carefully. A huge mistake made by some people is to start their home business on a Monday morning by sleeping in a few extra hours, taking leisurely time to watch daytime television, and squeeze a bit of work in here and there.

 It is only when they start to realize how little work has been completed and how little money they have earned, that the pressure builds. Work from home business arrangements or opportunities require an inordinate amount of self-discipline.

  It requires that you plan carefully and rigidly, being aware of the work you need to do and planning your time off and breaks very carefully.

 If you are not a very self-disciplined person, or would find it too tempting, this needs to be something you consider carefully. However, with good planning and sensible use of your time, working from home can really provide the ultimate flexibility, and give you much greater freedom.

 Overlooked point 2: Pressure from home.

   This might seem odd, since you are probably well aware of the pressures of office life, but your home is less stressful, and there is almost no pressure there - which is why you want to work from home in the first place, right?

  The trouble is that too few people really appreciate the pressure, which their family can unwittingly bring to bear on their business plan. Seeing you at home all day, master of your own time, can easily give the impression that your time is now theirs.

 Constant pressure to do little jobs around the house, play with the children, taxi them here and there, do some shopping, and a hundred and one other little daily tasks can eat into your concentration, eat into your precious time, and make you feel guilty for locking yourself away to work.

  Bear this in mind, and discuss the whole business plan with your family to ensure they understand how you will need their support.

 If you take all of these hindrances to your success into consideration when you work from home, and take steps to ensure that you don't make false assumptions, and that you overlook nothing, than you will have a better than average chance of success with your new home business.

  Mel Feller, MPA, MHR, is a well-known real estate, business consultant, personal development consultant and speaker, specializing in performance, productivity, and profits. Mel is the President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching for Success 360, Inc. and Mel Feller Coaching, a real estate and business specific coaching company. His three books for real estate professionals are systems on how to become an exceptional sales performer. His four books in Business and Government Grants are ways to leverage and increase your business Success in both time and money! His book on Personal Development “Lies that Will Sabotage Your Success”. Mel Feller is in Texas and In Utah.

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Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Describes the Process of Setting Goals

Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Describes the Process of Setting Goals

 Mel is the President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching for Success 360, Inc. and Mel Feller Coaching. Mel Feller is an Innovator and Business Leader. Mel Feller currently maintains an office in Texas. Currently an MBA Candidate.

 Success is the progressive realization of a worthwhile goal. – Earl Nightingale

 The ability to set goals and to make plans to achieve them is the one essential skill of success. In fact, becoming a continuous goal setter will contribute to your success more than anything else you could ever do. An average person can achieve more than even the most brilliant genius, if that average person has clear written goals and the genius does not. Still, less than 3% have goals in writing and less than 1% review their goals regularly.

  The very best way to predict the future is to create it. Goals allow you to decide how your life will change; making sure that the change is in the direction you want. The reason why people with goals succeed is that they know where they are going. It is as simple as that. When you create a vision of something, you want in your life you will suddenly begin to notice the distinctions between where you are and where you want to be. You will become aware and alert to opportunities in your environment that can be resources for you to achieve the goal and you will get creative ideas and inspiration to take action towards it.

 Ambition

  A high level of ambition is a hallmark of all successful people. This means that you should set goals that are beyond your current ability and skill, yet still believable. You grow as a person from the demands you place on yourself, so always demand more from yourself than anyone else does. What is possible for you today comes from your experiences, and if you limit yourself based on the past you will not go any further.

 Set ambitious goals and continually work to surpass them. Your goals only specify the minimum results you will accept, not the maximum. Ambitious goals push you into action and even if you do not achieve every one of them, you will still go farther than if you had settled for goals that were too easy. Find goals grand enough to challenge you. Goals that will push you forward and let you discover what you are capable of. There are no limits to what you can accomplish. The only limits are those that you place on yourself. Do not let the limitations of others be your limitations.

  Big goals will motivate and inspire you far more than less challenging goals. Most people settle for far less than they are capable of and get stuck in a comfort zone. The way to get out of the comfort zone is through continuous goal setting – to continually stretch yourself, always striving for something more. The more ambitious your goals are and the stronger your desire for them is, the more motivated you will be to make yourself do what you need to do to get where you want to go.

  How badly you want your goals will more than anything else determine whether you achieve them or not. You can have virtually anything you want in life if you know exactly what it is you want and you are prepared to do the tasks necessary to achieve it. The requirement is only that you do the tasks in advance and that you do all of them. To tell that the tasks have been completed is easy, because when they are the success will be there in front of you for all to see.

   Selecting your Goals

  Brainstorm at least 10 goals that you personally want to accomplish and organize them by priority. Write them all down with at least one for each of these major life areas:

 Health, fitness and physical goals.

Emotional and spiritual goals.

Financial, business and career goals.

Family, social and contribution goals.

Material, leisure and experience goals.

Personal and professional development goals.

  To clarify what you really want to be, have and do in life, you can project yourself forward 5 years into the future and imagine that all of your dreams have come true. What does it look like for each area? What kind of lifestyle do you have? Where do you live? Who are there with you? Another powerful way to find your goals is to consider how you would spend your time if you had only 6 months left to live. What if you only had 6 weeks, 6 days or 6 hours left? Finally, what would you do if you found out that you had only 60 minutes left to live?

 The Steps to Goal Achievement

  Define:  A real goal is specific, measurable, and time-bound and in writing. Once you have decided upon a goal the first step is to define it clearly, exactly, as you want it accomplished. The more specific and concrete you are, the better. The second step is to make sure your goal is measurable. How much do you want and by when? Set the criteria for achieving it so you can measure your progress towards it. The third step is to decide on the exact date when you will have the goal achieved. Give yourself a realistic, but challenging deadline. Without one, you will procrastinate and put things off. A deadline will motivate you to do the things necessary to make your goal come true. Commit yourself to the deadline and even try to beat it. If you for some reason do not achieve the goal by the deadline, set another deadline until you do achieve it.

 Once you have done these three steps, the fourth and final step is to put the goal in writing. Just writing a goal down dramatically increases the likelihood that you will achieve it. A great method is to write your goals down in the present tense, as though they were already accomplished – for example: “I have acquired a certain amount of money”, “I have reached a certain percentage of body fat”, “I have overcome my fear of public speaking” or “I have developed the habit of reading one hour per day”, followed by the deadline date.

 Plan:  Write down a plan of action to achieve your goal and schedule it in a calendar. A goal is defined by the tasks you have to perform to accomplish it. If your goal is to form a positive habit, such as “I will learn a new skill every month”, the action plan is the same as the goal. On the other hand, if your goal contains many steps, write out a detailed list of everything you need to do. You can then organize the action steps by sequence and priority.

  To determine the steps towards your goal, you can often visualize yourself having already achieved it and then work your way back to the present. You should also identify the obstacles in your way, the resources you will require and the people whose cooperation you will need. Write it all down. You can always add to your plan later as you discover more steps. If the goal is long-term, you should break it down into sub goals with deadlines every 30 days.

  Once you have written your action plans for each of your major goals, it is time to make a detailed schedule.  In brief, you take a couple of minutes at the beginning of each week to schedule tasks from your action plans to the days of the week. During these minutes, you also review your plans, their progress, and set new goals.

 Action:  After you have planned your work, it is time to work your plan. Your goal setting must result in action, because even the best plan in the world will not work unless you do. Discipline yourself to perform the activities of your plan on schedule. Observe how effective your action steps are and adjust your plan accordingly to make sure that what you are doing is taking you towards your goals. A simple yet powerful success strategy to follow is to schedule and perform one activity for each goal every single day. If you do this, then no matter how big or distant your goals are, you will reach them eventually. It will also build a chain of habits that will put your progress on autopilot.

  When you have set a goal, the question of whether it is possible is irrelevant. The only question you need to ask is how this goal can be accomplished. How do you get from where you are to where you want to go? Always be on the lookout for things you can do to contribute to the achievement of your goals and continually look for better ways to achieve them.

  Persistence:  Make the decision in advance that you will never give up. Never even, consider the possibility of failure. See defeat as just a temporary part of learning how to succeed. Know that as long as you refuse to quit you will eventually be successful. The ability to persist in the face of the inevitable obstacles and difficulties to your goals is essential. In fact, with enough persistence you cannot accomplish very few goals in life.

  Your success in any area of life is largely determined by how well you deal with adversity. You can often tell how high and how far a person will go simply by looking at how they react to frustration and setbacks. Successful people are not those who do not have problems – they are the ones who refused to become discouraged by their defeats. Each time we face a challenge we have the choice to respond confidently, or to let it overwhelm us. If you choose deliberately to respond in a constructive way and to deal with the problem effectively, you will learn, grow and become better able to deal with future challenges.

 Motivation:  It is up to you to make an absolute must out of every goal you set. The more you think about, visualize, review and rewrite your goals, the deeper you will drive them into your subconscious mind, the greater your motivation will be and the faster you will move towards them. Get a clear mental picture of you reaching each one of your goals. Make it so real in your mind that it feels like you already have achieved them. We see the images in our minds that drive us towards our goals. It is these images that we can call to mind for support when the going gets tough.

 You should surround yourself with symbols of your goals and plans to help keep them constantly in your mind. For example, find pictures of your goals or write them down on post-it notes that you place on your bathroom mirror or work desk where you can see or read them every day. Alternatively, carry your goals with you on cards in your wallet and review them regularly. You can even begin each day by rewriting all of your major goals, and visualizing yourself already in possession of them.

  Summary:  

 Write your goals down clearly and set a deadline for their accomplishment.

 Make plans to achieve your goals, schedule them and take action.

 Do something every day that moves you towards your goals and never give up.

 Review your goals often and visualize them as already achieved.

      Mel Feller, MPA, MHR, is a well-known real estate, business consultant, personal development Consultant and speaker, specializing in performance, productivity, and profits. Mel is the President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching For Success 360, Inc. and Mel Feller Coaching, a real estate and business specific coaching company. His three books for real estate professionals are systems on how to become an exceptional sales performer. His four books in Business and Government Grants are ways to leverage and increase your business Success in both time and money! His book on Personal Development “Lies that Will Sabotage Your Success”. Mel Feller is in Texas.

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Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Discusses Business Grants That You are Eligible For

Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Discusses Business Grants That You are Eligible For

 Mel is the President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching for Success 360, Inc. and Mel Feller Coaching. Mel Feller Ministries. Mel Feller is an Innovator, Business Leader, and Investor. Mel Feller is currently working closely with his son-in-law and partner on an incubator for young entrepreneurs.  Mel Feller currently maintains an office in Texas. Currently an MBA Candidate.

 There are tons of financial assistance programs available to entrepreneurs and business owners in the United States. Eligibility varies, but there are enough opportunities for everyone to pursue. You just have to be diligent, persistent, and consistent in your quest. Below, you will find several suggestions on how to apply for and obtain small business grants.

  Check with Your Local Government Agencies. Many cities, counties, and states give away money to local businesses. Why? Because they want you to create jobs and more tax revenue. Many times, they will not highly publicize these opportunities, but it is in your best interest to give them a call and/or search their web sites.

  Check with Federal Government Agencies. The federal government does not give business grants directly to businesses, but they do give money to foundations who in turn can give money to small businesses. The federal agency in charge of this is the Grants Program Management Office, and all of their opportunities are listed publicly at www.grants.gov

   Check with Major Corporations. Nearly every major corporation in this country has a foundation that gives away grants to enhance communities, and many of these are grants to start or expand a business. Start with the companies that are headquartered in your home state, and find out if they offer financial assistance for local businesses. If not, venture out and inquire about companies that are not in your state. Many times, they do not care where you live.

 Search The Internet. Use Google and Yahoo to conduct a search using the term "business grants". You can even throw in the name of your city, county, state, etc. Carefully review the results, and look for web sites that other web sites are linked to. Doing so, will help you to find opportunities that may be casually listed on a blog or some type of directory. You may even come across a recent news article about a new opportunity.

  Ask Around. When attending professional networking functions and social mixers, never hesitate to ask people that you meet about new opportunities. Many times, small business grants are given away to people who happen to be in the right place at the right time. Never underestimate the importance of creating a relationship with a power player and his/her associates.

   Visit Your Local Library. Contrary to popular belief, libraries are still an excellent resource and store a lot of information that is not accessible in other places. Go to your library as soon possible; look for grant books and directories and ask specific questions to your librarian. You will be surprised what you can find.

 Make Sure it is Legit. The Internet is full of many misleading opportunities. Be cautious, and make sure that the organization or company has a professionally developed web site. Also, make sure they have a phone number, email address, physical address - and are not requiring you to pay to apply. Some legit web sites, however, do sell access to their directory of opportunities for a monthly fee. Other legit web sites may sell e-books that list grant opportunities. This is okay, as long as you are not paying to submit an actual grant application.

  Be Patient. Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of rushing through the process of finding and applying for a business grant. The reality is that looking for and qualifying for the right opportunity can take some time. In fact, it can take up to a year or more before you actually get the funds needed into your possession. In addition, you may not immediately find the opportunity that is best for you.

  Be Thorough. When applying for small business grants, make sure to dot your "I's" and cross your "T's". In other words, be thorough and complete. Many opportunities will require lengthy applications that can seem endless. Stay the course, and remember that being inaccurate or skipping questions may disqualify you.

  Be Optimistic. Many allow the process of applying for grants to intimidate them and scare them away. Yes, it can be time consuming and tedious - but in the end it is very well worth it. Remember, grants do not have to be repaid. This is free money. Do not give up, and stay positive. You will be glad you did!

       Mel Feller, MPA, MHR, is a well-known real estate, business consultant, personal development Consultant and speaker, specializing in performance, productivity, and profits. Mel is the President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching For Success 360, Inc. and Mel Feller Coaching, a real estate and business specific coaching company and Mel Feller Ministries. His three books for real estate professionals are systems on how to become an exceptional sales performer. His four books in Business and Government Grants are ways to leverage and increase your business Success in both time and money! His book on Personal Development “Lies that Will Sabotage Your Success”. Mel Feller is in Texas. Visit www.melfellersuccessstories.com  and www.melfeller.com

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Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Looks at Customer Truths in Business

Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Looks at Customer Truths in Business

 Mel is the President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching for Success 360, Inc. and Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Coaching.  Mel Feller a Texas- Utah Innovator and Business Leader.  Mel Fell has offices in Texas and in Utah.  Currently an MBA Candidate.

  The truth, which I stumbled across by researching mine own and my competitors businesses, is that customers are not demonstrating loyal behavior when they buy the same products repeatedly. People are returning to a product because the buying process is simple and automatic, and they have not yet encountered a reason not to purchase it.

  Therefore, if its good experiences that keep customers “dedicated” and bad experiences that push them away.  Then what you define and say about your product or service matters, but not more than the involvement, it delivers. Then once you get your foot in the door, the rest is about keeping that door open for repeat customers.

  Here is a staggering statistic according to a study by Deloitte, 89% of customers in the United States and the European Union stated that customers make decisions based on their customer experience ahead of both price and product.

  Therefore, it is not just about promising the lowest prices or extravagant features, or even saying and doing absolutely anything to sell the product or the service.  It is not even about convincing existing customers to keep purchasing your product or service repeatedly. The bottom line is that we know that they already want to do this.   Thus, it is about educating your marketing message in reality, trusting your product and delivering the strict customer experience your customers expect.

  The bottom line is that customers always need more, and at the best possible price. Customers want these things, but, most notability, not at the expense of a great experience.

  Therefore, if any part of your experience fails to meet the customer’s expectations you set up for your customers in any of the sales process, they will view it as a poor experience. Breaking any, part of a promise, even one small expectation, is still breaking a promise in their mind. Moreover, broken promises never make customers happy.

  Moreover, People seek a wide array of benefits when they are in a buying mindset. If you are communicating any one of those benefits to the people who want them this very instant, you have virtually made the sale. People do not buy because marketing is clever, but because marketing strikes a responsive chord in the mind of the prospect, and its resonance makes that person want the advantages of what you are selling.

 Your customers do not buy because they are being marketed or sold. Instead, they buy because you help them realize the merits of owning what you offer.

  Every educated entrepreneur or business owner knows this. Nevertheless, the truth is that people do not always buy benefits. They buy a whole lot more:

 They buy promises you make. So make them with care.

They buy the promises they want personally fulfilled.

They buy your credibility or do not buy if you lack it.

They buy solutions to their problems.

They buy you, your employees, and your service department.

They buy wealth, safety, success, security, love and acceptance.

They buy your guarantee, reputation and good name.

They buy other people's opinions of your business.

They buy expectations based upon your marketing.

They buy believable claims, not simply honest claims.

They buy hope for their own and their company's future.

They buy brand names over strange names.

They buy the consistency they have seen you exhibit.

They buy the stature of the media in which you market.

They buy the professionalism of your marketing materials.

They buy value, which is not the same as price.

They buy selection and often the best of your selection.

They buy freedom from risk, granted by your warranty.

They buy acceptance by others of your goods or services.

They buy certainty.

They buy convenience in buying, paying and lots more.

They buy respect for their own ideas and personality.

They buy your identity as conveyed by your marketing.

They buy style -- just the kind that fits their own style.

They buy neatness and assume that is how you do business.

They buy easy access to information about you, offered by your website.

They buy honesty for one dishonest word means no sale.

They buy comfort, offerings that fit their comfort zone.

They buy success; your success can fit with theirs.

They buy good taste and know it from bad taste.

They buy instant gratification and do not love to wait.

They buy the confidence you display in your own business.

  It's also important to know what customers do not buy: fancy adjectives, exaggerated claims, clever headlines, special effects, marketing that screams, marketing that even hints at amateurishness, the lowest price anything, unproven items, or dazzling graphics that get in the way of the message.

  They also do not buy humor that hides benefits, offerings signaled by unreadable type, poor grammar or misspelled words, salespeople who do not listen, or things they do not fully understand or trust.

  Therefore, the best-proven marketing of all involves prospects and informs customers. It builds confidence and invites a purchase. Best and unique of all people get it!   That is why knowing the truth about them will help you to stand apart from your competitors and shine in the minds of your prospects and customers.

  Mel Feller, MPA, MHR, is a well-known real estate, business consultant, personal development consultant and speaker, specializing in performance, productivity, and profits. Mel is the President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching For Success 360, Inc. and Mel Feller Coaching, a real estate and business specific coaching company. His three books for real estate professionals are systems on how to become an exceptional sales performer. His four books in Business and Government Grants are ways to leverage and increase your business Success in both time and money! His book on Personal Development “Lies that Will Sabotage Your Success”. Mel Feller is in Texas and In Utah.

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Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Discusses the Best and the Worst in Business Advertising as used by the Mel Feller Companies in Texas and in Utah

Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Discusses the Best and the Worst in Business Advertising as used by the Mel Feller Companies in Texas and in Utah

 Mel is the President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching for Success 360, Inc. and Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Coaching.  Mel Feller a Texas- Utah Innovator and Business Leader.  Mel Fell has offices in Texas and in Utah.  Currently an MBA Candidate.

  In business we know that more marketing funds are invested in advertising than in any other activities of successful entrepreneurs marketing; and because an disconcertingly huge amount of that investment is just plain wasted, marketing specialists and experts have shown and discussed basic truths about copy, graphics, what makes commercials good or bad, and why so much advertising fails.

   Advertising can have many different effects on many different people because everyone’s life experiences are so unique. What works for one may not work for another, in a way it is subjective to each individual case by case. Advertising allows the consumer to understand the product or service being presented and what it is or why we would need it. All this comes down to the fact that one size does not fit all, but it can fit many!

   Entrepreneurial marketing experts know ten things that advertising copy should always be include:

 Readable

Informative

Clear

Honest

Simple

On strategy

Motivating

Competitive

Specific

Believable

  In addition, they know ten things not to do with advertising graphics.  Please note these concepts have held true for years now.

 Do not let the art overpower the idea.

Do not let the art overpower the headline.

Do not let the art overpower the copy.

Do not let the art fail to advance the sale.

Do not let the art fail to grab casual readers or viewers.

Do not let the art fail to get the ad or spot noticed.

Do not let the art fail to be different.

Do not let the art be created in a hurry.

Do not let the art fight the product's identity.

Do not let the art dominate the ad.

   Moreover, entrepreneurial marketing experts have known for years as to what makes a television commercial a total no win marketing tool.

 It is more entertaining than motivating.

It is not clear with its promise.

It is not visual, but depends on words.

It is schlocky, lacking in credibility.

It is high-pressure or exaggerative.

It is a fabulous film but a terrible commercial.

It is so clever you forget who ran it.

It is so special effects oriented; it is devoid of an idea.

It is too complex for an idea to come shining through.

It is boring, boring, boring.

   However, these same entrepreneurial marketing experts also know what makes a television commercial a winning marketing tool.

 It is clear about its competitive advantage.

It is visually intense.

It is professional looking.

It is believable and credible.

It creates a powerful desire.

It is clearly and largely focused on advancing the sale, not being clever.

It is enfolded up with the product.

It demonstrates the benefit clearly and concisely.

It is fascinating even the tenth time you see it.

  Entrepreneurial marketers are captivated by the failures of advertising and know the main reasons why so much of it falls short:

 Premature abandonment

Silly positioning

Failure to focus

Starting without a plan

Picking the wrong media for the right audience

Picking the right media for the wrong audience

Being unclear to prospects

Not understanding customers

No understanding self

Exaggeration that undermines truth

Not keeping up with change

Unrealistic expectations

Overspending or under-spending

Saving money in the wrong places

Inattention to tiny, but nuclear-powered details

Missing the point about profitability

Thinking it can be done without hard work

Unimpressive first impressions

Committees and layers of management

Not using media to their greatest advantage

Not supporting advertising with other marketing

Starting out in the wrong direction

Allowing success to beget lethargy

Judging the future by the past

Boring advertising

  For a more definitive idea, examine this list below:

 Positives of Advertising

 Advertising is a key part of modern business

Companies need to tell customers about their products

Advertisements inform us about the choices we have

Advertising is a creative industry that employs many people

Without advertising, we would have less choice

Without advertising, there would be higher unemployment

Advertising is a form of modern art

People enjoy adverts

  Negatives of Advertising

 Advertising manipulates people

It aims to persuade people that buying a product will make them happier

Advertisers focus on selling a brand image

They use glamorous, successful people

We now live in a consumer culture

We are persuaded to follow the latest trend

  Take what you want from the above list, it may or may not resonate with you.  However, take this, create your own, and test the advertising with various groups and on various mediums.

  Advertising is neither good nor bad by default, though it is used for both. The positive is that it sparks consumption, sparking economic growth for businesses and entire economies. It may not seem as so (because lots, or even most advertising may be ineffective), but if all advertising in a given country were to cease, there would be considerable decreases in consumption. We are affected by advertising more than we like to admit, and while that effect may not be seismic for any individual, the effect across the masses is clear and measurable.

  Mel Feller, MPA, MHR, is a well-known real estate, business consultant, personal development consultant and speaker, specializing in performance, productivity, and profits. Mel is the President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching For Success 360, Inc. and Mel Feller Coaching, a real estate and business specific coaching company. His three books for real estate professionals are systems on how to become an exceptional sales performer. His four books in Business and Government Grants are ways to leverage and increase your business Success in both time and money! His book on Personal Development “Lies that Will Sabotage Your Success”. Mel Feller is in Texas and In Utah

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Mel Feller, MPA, MHR, Details a Website Development Business.

Mel Feller, MPA, MHR, Details a Website Development Business.

 Mel is the President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching for Success 360, Inc. and Mel Feller Coaching.  Mel Feller maintains offices in Texas and in Utah.

 When obtaining a business loan for a website development business, it is imperative that you have a properly structured business plan that will assist you in showcasing how you intend to operate your Web Development business, how the business will operate, how you intend to market the business, the anticipated financial results of your company, and how you intend to repay your debt obligations. This sample loan business plan will provide you with the framework that you need in order to acquire a business loan for starting or expanding this type of business.

  Executive Summary

  Introduction

 When obtaining a business loan for a web development business, it is imperative that your business plan has a clear and concise executive summary that provides an outline of what are seeking to accomplish, how much capital you are seeking to raise, the management biography of the business owner, and an overview of the anticipated profit and loss statements of the business. Here is an example of how the title paragraph should be written:

  Web Development, Inc. (“the Company”) is seeking a business loan of 0,000 in order to launch the operations of a web development business that will be based in San Francisco, California. The Company was founded in (Insert Year). The business was founded by Mr. John Doe.

  Products and Services

  In the next segment of the business loan and business-planning document, you should display the products and services that you will be providing to the public. For instance:

  Web Development, Inc. will provide customers with a broad range of web development services including website development, web application development, e-commerce site development, and web hosting. The business will earn substantial revenues from the website development services coupled with recurring streams of revenue from the web hosting revenues that will be generated on a monthly basis.

  Business Loan Terms

  Now it is time to discuss the anticipated terms of the business plan that you are seeking. An example paragraph of how this is stated:

  At this time, Mr. Doe is seeking a conventional business loan for 0,000. The interest rate, loan terms, and loan covenants are to be determined during negotiation. However, this business plan assumes that the business will receive a seven-year business loan with a seven percent interest rate due on the outstanding principal balance.

  Management Biography

  Now that the summary of the business has been provided, it is time to provide a brief overview of the owner of the business. An example paragraph summing up the owner is as follows:

  Mr. Doe is a highly experienced businessperson that has years of experience regarding the direct ownership and management of business. He will be able to effectively bring the operations of the Web Development business to profitability while ensuring that the business loan’s payments and its covenants are met at all times.

  Financial Statements

 The most important thing to your lender when applying for a business loan is how you intend to repay the bank. In this section of the business plan, you should provide an overview of the finances of the business discussing the anticipated revenues, expenses, and profits/losses. You can also discuss the applicable collateral within the business plan that will be used to secure your business financing.

  Expansion Plans

  One of the most important aspects of your business plan is how you intend to expand the business over a three to five year period. Banks and finance companies always want to see that the business will experience a moderate to strong level of growth. This is especially true in business lending because as your business grows the cash flow that secures your business loan will decrease proportionality against your monthly credit obligations. An example of how this is stated is as follows:

  The Web Development business will continue to expand through organic means including increasing the Company’s advertising budget via the reinvestment into the after tax cash flows of the business.

  The Financing

  Use of Business Loan Proceeds

 In this section of the business plan, you should focus on how the proceeds of the business loan will be used. An example of this would be as follows:

  Web Development Office Establishment – ,000

Servers and Technology Equipment – ,000

Working capital – ,000

  Management Equity

  In this section of the business plan, you should discuss the percentage ownership of the business among the owners of the business. For example:

 Mr. Doe will own 100% of the Web Development, Inc.

  Board of Directors

  When applying for business financing, the bank will also want to know who serves as the board of directors. For small businesses, usually the owner serves as the director of the business. An example of how this is worded:

  Mr. Doe will be the sole director of Web Development, Inc.

   Exit Strategy

  Any bank or financing company is also going to want to know what you intend to do with the business over a set period. Many business owners will develop and expand a business with the intent to sell the company to a third party later. When drafting this part of the business plan you should focus on what you intentions are in regards to potentially selling the business. This is often worded as:

  Mr. Doe would most likely sell the Web Development businesses to a third party for a significant earnings multiple. Website Development businesses usually sell for approximately one to three times earnings given the financial strength of the business. In this event, a business broker would sell the business and the business loan sought in this plan would be repaid according to the covenants of the business loan agreement.

  Products and Services

  When developing a business plan that is appropriate for obtaining a business loan or other business credit facility you need to clearly highlight the services or products that you will be offering to the public. An example of how this section is worded goes as follows:

  As stated in the executive summary, Web Development, Inc. will specialize in the ongoing development of website development, web applications, and hosting services to the public on a nationwide basis. The business intends to hire a number of independent contractors that will work on the Company’s behalf when developing websites for the Company’s clients. The business will also generate recurring streams of revenues from the ongoing sale of hosting services for people that do not own their own website-hosting servers.

  Industry and Market Analysis

  The Current State of the Economy

  It is important to let your financial institution know that you are well apprised of the financial situation of the general economy when you are applying for a business loan. This is especially true in today’s environment where lending has become more difficult and will remain more difficult in the near future. Specifically, you should gear this section of the business plan analysis towards the industry that you are operating within. For example:

  The current economy has remained difficult over the past few years. However, Web Development businesses tend to operate with a strong degree of economic stability, as these businesses are able to generate recurring streams of revenue from the fees associated with hosting services. As such, the business will be able to remain profitable and cash flow positive in any economic climate despite the current deleterious conditions in the general economy.

  The Web Development Industry

  In addition to providing your business loan officer with an understanding of the general economy, it is important that you display that you have an equal understanding of the industry in which you are operating within. As such, you will need to provide your business loan institution of a brief overview of your industry and any potential changes that may affect the way that your company does business. An example of how an industry overview is as follows:

  In the United States, there are approximately 100,000 companies and individual providers that are able to provide web development services to the public. Aggregately, these businesses generate more than billion per year while providing gross payrolls exceeding billion. The industry outlook is strong for the web development industry, as every business now wants to have a presence on the internet.

  Target Market

  In this section of the business loan application and business plan analysis, you should focus on the demographics of your localized market (or national market if applicable). This section should discuss how many people live in your area, the anticipated number of people that would require the use of Web Development Services, the median household income of people living in the area, poverty line statistics, and any applicable laws that would apply to your operation of Web Development Companies.

      Competition

  Many people that are developing new businesses or expanding existing businesses often feel that their business does not have any competition or limited competition at best. However, this is almost never the case. Unless you have re-invented the wheel – you will have competition. When applying for a business loan, you should clearly display your competition in your business plan. This is especially important to your banker as they will be able to gauge your ability to be successful in your targeted market. Many business loan underwriters will aggressively confirm that competitive nature of your local market and your local industry.

  When drafting this section of the plan you should heavily discuss the competitive advantages that you intend to have over your competition.

  Marketing Plan

  In addition to all of the above information that we have covered, your business loan officer is also going to want to know how you intend to market your business to the public. Most people do not quite understand how to effectively market their business outside of prominent signage or flyer distribution. When applying for a business loan (again in this difficult lending climate), your banker is going to want to see that you have a clear methodology of how you intend to market your services or products to the public. In this section of the business plan – we will overview how to highlight your services/products to the public.

  Marketing Overview Example

  The Web Development will place prominent signage on the facility to draw a significant amount of foot traffic in its local location in San Francisco.

 The business will maintain listings in the Yellow Books.

 The Web Development business will also maintain an internet website that highlights the Company’s operations, hours of operation, and relevant contact information.

    Marketing Strategies Overview

  Additionally, you will be required to further drill down (in your business plan) how you intend to implement your strategies when you launch or expand your business’s operations. In this section of the business loan and business plan documents, you should amplify the bullet points from the section above. For instance:

  The Web Development intends to use a number of strategies that will create instant traffic and customer flow to the Company’s location. These strategies include not only using prominent facility and road signage, but also distributing flyers to people that fall into the Company’s targeted demographics. The business will also regularly take out advertisements in localized newspapers that showcase the Company’s hours of operations, web development and web application development services, and specials that are occurring with the on a regular basis.

  The business will also maintain a highly informative website that displays the Web Development Company’s services, its hours of operation, service information, and other relevant information in regards to the Company’s services. This website will be listed on major search engines such as Google as many people now use the internet to locate web development businesses.

  The Financial Plan

  Beyond any other part of your business loan application or business plan, the financials section of these documents are what matters most when applying for a business loan or any other type of credit facility. Ultimately, this section of the business plan showcases not only what your anticipated profitability will be, but also how you intend to repay the funds that you have borrowed through your business financing facility. An example of how this section is structure is as follows:

  Assumptions

 Web Development, Inc. will have an average annual growth rate of 10% per year.

 Mr. Doe will acquire 0,000 through a business loan in order to launch the operations of the business.

  Performa Financials for a Business Loan

  Now it is time to display how you intend to repay your loan, generate a profit, and increase the book value of your business over a three to five year period. Through your business loan application, you will be required to have the following:

 Profit and Loss Statement for your Web Development Business

 Cash Flow Analysis for the Web Development Business

 Balance Sheet for the Web Development

 Business Loan Amortization Tables

  Mel Feller, MPA, MHR, is a well-known real estate, business consultant, personal development consultant and speaker, specializing in performance, productivity, and profits. Mel is the President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching For Success 360, Inc. and Mel Feller Coaching, a real estate and business specific coaching company. His three books for real estate professionals are systems on how to become an exceptional sales performer. His four books in Business and Government Grants are ways to leverage and increase your business Success in both time and money! His book on Personal Development “Lies that Will Sabotage Your Success”. Mel Feller is in Texas and In Utah.  Currently an MBA Candidate.

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Mel Feller, MPA, MHR. Shares Quotes to Charge the Entrepreneurial Spirit

Mel Feller, MPA, MHR. Shares Quotes to Charge the Entrepreneurial Spirit

 Mel is the President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching for Success 360, Inc. and Mel Feller Coaching.  Mel Feller maintains offices in Texas and in Utah.

  Quotes.  Entrepreneurs are fascinated with them.  They spark our creativity, motivate us to action, and inspire us to greatness. They offer us insights into the spirit behind innovation and genius. In addition, they act as fuel to the fire that burns deep within every true entrepreneur.

  The quotes below are, in Mel Feller’s opinion, some of the best of the best.  They come from authors, poets, inventors, scholars, and entrepreneurs – all legends in their own rights.  So jot them down on Post-it notes and decorate your workspace. Grab red lipstick and write them in sweeping letters across your mirrors.  Pick your favorite and brand it on your…palm.  The right words at the right time can be paramount to your success, so do whatever it takes to keep inspiration nearby.

  “If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.” Jim Rohn, Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker

  “In life and business, there are two cardinal sins: The first is to act without thought, and the second is to not act at all.” – Carl Icahn, Investor and Entrepreneur

  “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Ralph Waldo Emerson, Poet

  “A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.” – Richard Branson, Entrepreneur

  “Can anything be sadder than work left unfinished? Yes; work never begun.” – Christina Rossetti, Author

  “Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.” Williams Jenning Bryan, Politician and three-time Presidential candidate

  “Watch, listen, and learn. You can’t know it all yourself. Anyone who thinks they do is destined for mediocrity.” – Donald Trump, Business Mogul

  “High expectations are the key to everything.” – Sam Walton, Entrepreneur

  “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” – Vidal Sassoon, Entrepreneur

  “Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.” William Butler Yeats, Poet

  “I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen.” - Frank Lloyd Wright, Architect and Entrepreneur

  “Opportunity is missed by most because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” – Thomas Alva Edison, Inventor and Entrepreneur

  “If you work just for money, you’ll never make it, but if you love what you’re doing and you always put the customer first, success will be yours.” – Ray Kroc, Entrepreneur

  “The secret of success is constancy to purpose.” – Benjamin Disraeli, Author, Politician and Scholar

  “How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone.” – Coco Chanel, Entrepreneur

  “A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him.” - David Brinkley, Newscaster

  “I owe my success to having listened respectfully to the very best advice, and then going away and doing the exact opposite.” – G. K. Chesterton, Author

  “Those who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try nothing and succeed.” Lloyd Jones

  “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”­ – Michael Jordan, Basketball Legend and Entrepreneur

  “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” - Thomas Alva Edison, Inventor and Entrepreneur

  “Not doing more than the average is what keeps the average down.” - William M. Winans, Clergyman

  “Six essential qualities that are the key to success: Sincerity, personal integrity, humility, courtesy, wisdom, charity.” William Menninger, Entrepreneur

  “My will shall shape the future.  Whether I fail or succeed shall be no one’s doing but my own. I am the force. I can clear any obstacle before me or I can be lost in the maze. My choice. My responsibility. Win or lose; only I hold the key to my destiny.” - Elaine Maxwell, Author

  “It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd American President

  “You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do.” - Henry Ford, Entrepreneur

  “The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible — and achieve it, generation after generation.” - Pearl S. Buck, Author

  “It is on our failures that we base a new and different and better success.” – Havelock Ellis, Physician and Author

  “Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.” - Goethe

  “With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity.” - Keshavan Nair, Author – Gandhi Biographer

  “To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” - Anatole France, Poet

  “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” - T. S. Eliot, Author

  “Some people have thousands of reasons why they cannot do what they want to, when all they need is one reason why they can.” Willis R. Whitney, American Chemist

  “For every failure, there’s an alternative course of action. You just have to find it. When you come to a roadblock, take a detour.” - Mary Kay Ash, Entrepreneur

  “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you are usually right.” -Henry Ford

 “If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves” -Thomas Edison

  “There is a time in every man’s education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself for better, for worse, as his portion; that though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till. The power which resides in him is new in nature, and none but he knows what that is which he can do, nor does he know until he has tried.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

  “We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment.” Jim Rohn

  “I demolish my bridges behind me… then there is no choice but to move forward.” — Fridtjof Nansen

  “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” — Alan Kay

  “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” — Michelangelo

  “Not everyone who chased the zebra caught it, but he who caught it chased it.” — South African proverb

 “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” — Walt Disney

  “In my mind, I’ve always been an A-list Hollywood superstar. Y’all just didn’t know yet.” — Will Smith

  “Don’t worry about people stealing your ideas. If it’s original, you’ll have to ram it down their throats.” — Howard Aiken

  “I couldn’t wait for success, so I went ahead without it.” — Jonathan Winters

  “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” — Albert Einstein

  “There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.” — Unknown

  “It’s not what you are that holds you back. It’s what you think you’re not.”

- Denis Waitley

  “The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.”

- John F. Kennedy

  “Coming home from very lonely places, all of us go a little mad: whether from great personal success, or just an all-night drive, we are the sole survivors of a world no one else has ever seen.” - John le Carre

  This one came from a fortune cookie, but it sure is poignant: “Affirm it, visualize it, believe it, and it will actualize itself”  (And if you’re curious, the “Learn Chinese” word on the back is Mian, meaning Inside.)

   “Think it, write it, act on it, stick to the process; count your wins or losses and repeat the process.” This is the whole duty of an entrepreneur. – Ajaero Tony Martins

  “All our dreams can come true – if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney

  “There comes a time in every man’s life, and I’ve had plenty of them.” Casey Stengel

  “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve!” –Napoleon Hill

  “A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him.” – David Brinkley

  “I demolish my bridges behind me… then there is no choice but to move forward.” — Fridtjof Nansen

  “I celebrate failure – it can temper your character and pave the way for great achievement” -    Kamran Elahian, Serial Entrepreneur

 “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” - Warren Buffett

  “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” — Alan Kay

  “Be like a postage stamp. Stick to it until you get there.” – Bob Proctor

  “A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him.” – David Brinkley

 “People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.”  - Dale Carnegie

 “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” -Henry Ford

  “Try not to become a man of success but a man of value.” -Albert Einstein

 “Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not.” - George Bernard Shaw

  “Watch, listen, and learn. You cannot know it all yourself. Anyone who thinks they do is destined for mediocrity.” – Donald Trump

  “I do not fear failure. I only fear the “slowing up” of the engine inside of me which is pounding, saying, “Keep going, someone must be on top, why not you?”” -General Patton

  “The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all!” – Richard Branson

  “I believe you can train yourself to become a positive thinker, but you must cultivate a desire to develop the skill of setting personal worthy and realistic goals. I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the technique of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When you learn to master the principle of setting a goal, you will then be able to make a great difference in the results you attain in this life.” -M. Russell Ballard

  “Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it’s yours.”-  Ayn Rand

  “Quality is the best business plan.” -John Lasseter (Pixar Animation Studios Inc.)

  “The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It’s as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.”

- Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese’s

  “Innovation is the specific tool of entrepreneurs, the means by which they exploit change as an opportunity for a different business or a different service. It is capable of being presented as a discipline, capable of being learned, capable of being practiced. Entrepreneurs need to search purposefully for the sources of innovation, the changes and their symptoms that indicate opportunities for successful innovation. And they need to know and to apply the principles of successful innovation.”

- Peter F. Drucker, “The Father of Modern Management”

  “BE the change you want to see in the world” - Mahatma Gandhi

  “When you’re born the world rejoice, while you cry. Live life in such a way that when you die the world cry, while you rejoice” – Robin Sharma

  “Your life is your story, what kind of character are you going to be?” - David Archuleta

  “Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself”  - William Faulkner

  “If you believe you can, you probably can. If you believe you won’t, you most assuredly won’t. Belief is the ignition switch that gets you off the launching pad.”  - Denis Waitley

  “Never doubt that a small group of committed people can CHANGE THE WORLD. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has” – Margaret Mead

  “They who laugh at others with dreams have to look at themselves and realize they laugh because they’re too scared to try” -Louie Ortega

  “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotion, spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never tasted victory or defeat.” - Theodore Roosevelt

Mel Feller, MPA, MHR, is a well-known real estate, business consultant, personal development consultant and speaker, specializing in performance, productivity, and profits. Mel is the President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching For Success 360, Inc. and Mel Feller Coaching, a real estate and business specific coaching company. His three books for real estate professionals are systems on how to become an exceptional sales performer. His four books in Business and Government Grants are ways to leverage and increase your business Success in both time and money! His book on Personal Development “Lies that Will Sabotage Your Success”. Mel Feller is in Texas and In Utah.  Currently an MBA Candidate.

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Free Online Tools for Setting up a New Business by Mel Feller, MPA, MHR

Free Online Tools for Setting up a New Business by Mel Feller, MPA, MHR

President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching For Success 360, Inc. and Mel Feller Coaching with offices in Texas and in Utah.

 Whether you have a traditional, local brick and mortar store or an exclusively online business, you will need a set of online tools to make setting up your online presence both simple and efficient.

 Growth is usually considered positive and desirable. It is often regarded as a measure of success and something that should be pursued. While this is true in many cases, business growth can  present its own set of problems and challenges.

 Those in business generally have limited resources and this can increase the risks associated with growth, especially when it occurs quickly or is unplanned. As the owner of a growing business, you need to learn to manage growth.

 First, you should take time to consider what growing your business will really mean and the implications of operating a larger enterprise.

 If you are ready to take the next step and grow your business, you can access the tools that I have listed below.  I have really tried to focus on the best and the free ones. After all, a penny saved is a penny earned!

 Legalzoom.com

 Every new business needs a quartet of business support services. If you are setting up a standard corporation, LLC, partnership, proprietorship, or even a not for profit, Legal Zoom not only has the necessary forms for your state, but also the available consultation where you can speak to an actual attorney and get many of your questions answered. They also can help you with patents and trademarks for your business, a necessity for the open frontier of the Internet.

 Freshbooks.com

 Trying to keep the books yourself creates two problems: 1) it takes the owner away from their primary focus of the business and 2) it opens the door for the possibility of paying too much in taxes. Online accounting software has become increasingly popular in recent years because it allow a business owner to have an actual accountant periodically review their books while giving the owner control over the day-to-day accounting operations with little time investment. Freshbooks has the best combination of ease of use and powerful features, requiring little time to keep your data safely stored in the cloud and focus on your business.

 Squareup.com

 Without billing, it is impossible to trace individual transactions and begin increasing your bottom line. Squareup is the place to go for new businesses who have a strong personal presence in their community and can make a sale fast. Squareup offers a free square that you connect to your smartphone for instant billing and sales, with no monthly or hidden fees. You will get access to your deposits within 1 to 2 business days, eliminating the need for waiting on payment from checks or money orders.

 Squarespace.com

 Squarespace is a popular platform that has award winning designs and templates that will get you up and running quickly. The templates can be easily customized, and you can use your own artwork to give your website a unique and personal branding.

 Business Development

 From planning to finance to day-to-day management needs, launching a small business involves a steep learning curve. Take advantage of these free resources to gain the knowledge you need as you develop your business idea into a thriving enterprise.

 SBA.gov

 Searching online for information about developing your business idea can result in a lot of conflicting information. For straightforward business education and advice with no agenda, start at the U.S. Small Business Administration’s website—SBA.gov. Here you can find information about writing business plans, tips for entrepreneurs, and trustworthy information about how to finance your business, and more. It is an incredible resource for rookie and veteran entrepreneurs alike!

 Local Small Business Development Center

 Sponsored by the SBA, small business development centers throughout the United States have helped thousands of entrepreneurs launch successful businesses through free business education, consulting, and mentoring services. Find your local center here and call to request support from an SBDC advisor in your area.

 SCORE

 For over 50 years, non-profit business association SCORE has provided education and mentorship opportunities to help small businesses get off the ground and achieve their growth goals. SCORE.org provides free online learning opportunities as well as confidential in person mentoring services throughout the country from volunteer entrepreneurs with years of business ownership experience.

 Business Planning

 Whether you are just starting your new business or refining your existing business model, let these free tools lead the way in your business planning process.

 Bplans.com

 Writing a plan for a new business does not have to mean reinventing the wheel. Check out Bplans.com for sample business plans representing nearly every industry—from caterers to construction companies and beyond!

 Enloop

 Even with a sample plan in hand, starting with a blank word doc to write your business plan is horribly intimidating. Use Enloop to easily create a professional looking business plan complete with 3-year financial forecast reporting, and even get a free business plan score to help take your plan from good to great.

 Your first business plan is free, with affordable subscription rates for additional plans and added features.

 Business Financing

 Unless you happen to be independently wealthy, figuring out how to raise capital may be the most overwhelming challenge you will face as an entrepreneur. Should you look for investors, or borrow from a bank or online lender? Check out these free resources to help you in your quest to fund your small business.

 AngelList

 Whether you are looking for investors or hiring your first employees, Angel List is your must-have resource for startup recruiting. Hundreds of startups have been matched with angel investors on the site, gaining much needed capital to grow their businesses.

  Kickstarter

 Want to crowdsource your business funding without giving away equity? Launch a funding campaign with Kickstarter: a free to sign-up crowdfunding platform that helps you recruit micro-donors for your business. You can incentivize your donors with future products or gifts of your choice, and Kickstarter will take a small percentage only if your campaign is fully funded.

 StreetShares

 Tell your story and get a loan for your business. StreetShares is a free online marketplace that will connect you with peer-to-peer lenders for small business funding. Instead of relying only on your credit history, you can complete StreetShares quick application and recruit lenders by sharing your story and demonstrating the value of your business idea.

 Design

 With an abundance of free tools online, creating a professional and visually stunning digital presence has never been easier. Check out these free tools to generate high impact eye-candy for your brand.

 Canva

 Want the look of professionally designed graphics for your blog or marketing materials without the cost or the expertise? Canva will be your new best friend. Use pre-formatted templates to create social media banners, blog graphics, marketing flyers, and much more. Free and idiot proof, Canva will make your amateur, no-budget marketing effort and make you look like a seasoned pro.

 Pablo

 If just the thought of graphic design makes you sweat, Pablo by Buffer is a great place to start. Make your social media stand out with beautiful images created from your text in under 30 seconds. Even your grandmother can do this. We promise.

 Piktochart

 You see those incredible infographics buzzing through your Twitter feed and think “that must have taken a trained graphic designer hours to create.” However, did you know you could create similarly high impact infographics for your business, for free? Piktochart offers beautiful templates and easy-to-use tools that even non-designers can use to communicate information in a visually compelling way.

 Email

More than anything else, being a business owner involves a lot of email. For making decisions, communicating with staff, marketing to customers, and more—you likely live and die by your inbox. Check out these free email tools to make your email life a little more manageable.

 Gmail

 Call me biased, but I will state without hesitation that Gmail is the best there is in email communication. Whether you are using a standard free Gmail account or you have connected Gmail to your business email account, you cannot beat the easy to use organization of Gmail for archiving and inbox management.

 Boomerang

 Have a brilliant idea in the middle of the night, but don’t want to blow up your team’s inbox until morning? Alternatively, do you need to follow up on an email in a week, but need a reminder to do so? This awesome third party Gmail add-on for scheduled sending and follow-up reminders will help you restore some balance to your email.

 Free for the first 10 scheduled messages per month. Nominal subscription for unlimited messages and additional features.

 Organizer by OtherInbox

 Organizer does exactly what its name implies—organizes your inbox. Once it’s added to your email, it will automatically sort through the hundreds of promotional emails, receipts, and newsletters into the folders of your choosing. Designed to prioritize the most important emails and securely keep them at the top of your inbox, Organizer is the ultimate time saver for those whose inboxes are perpetually stuffed. Because those promotional emails and receipts may become “out of sight, out of mind” once they aren’t filling your inbox to the brim, Organizer also sends a “Daily Digest” email to keep you in the know of exactly what emails have been filed into which folders. That way you can keep an eye on what is coming into your inbox without sacrificing the time to actually sift through each folder while focusing on the emails that are the most critical to you.

 MailChimp

 If you are a minor entrepreneur new to the email marketing game, you cannot beat MailChimp for beautiful and easy to create bulk newsletter content. Send up to 12,000 emails to 2,000 subscribers free. Your prospects will love the beautiful content in their inbox, and you will love MailChimp’s awesome features, including beautiful templates, advanced analytics, easy one-click personalization, and more. Constant Contact is another option that many small business owners try. It can be a little pricier than Mailchimp, but wins in terms of customer support since Mailchimp relies heavily on email and their robust self-service Knowledge Base and Constant Contact has chat, phone, or email.

 Unroll.me

 How much time do you spend every day getting distracted by random junk mail cluttering your inbox? In addition, let us not even talk about the headache of scrolling to the bottom of all those emails for the tiny unsubscribe button, followed by an elaborate guilt trip before you can finally say “goodbye.”

 Just say no to inbox clutter with Unroll.me. Unsubscribe from what you do not need, and roll the rest up into a once daily summary of all your newsletter subscriptions. When it comes to saving time, this might be the best free tool on our list.

 Internal Communications

 Whether you work with a distributed team or just travel a lot for business, these communications tools will help you stay in touch with your crew from wherever you are.

 Skype

 The first (and probably still the best) internet calling service out there, Skype is the standard for video conferencing between computers, as well as wifi-based calling between mobile devices throughout the world. If you need that personal face-to-face connection with employees or clients from far away, free video conferencing between Skype accounts is the perfect tool to use.

 Slack

 Between social media accounts, email, text messages, chat tools, and more, the multitude of ways that team members communicate can get confusing and leave room for communications to get lost in the shuffle. Use Slack to manage conversations with your team members across devices and accounts on one platform. Therefore, you can send an email, receive a reply over text, and follow up with a tweet—and no one misses a beat.

 Sococo

 With all the benefits of a physical office environment without the overhead, Sococo is a dream come true for distributed teams. Just log into your virtual office to see who is working, communicate with colleagues by text, audio, or video chat with a click of the mouse, and make conference calls right from your office. Try Sococo’s free starter plan and you’ll be hooked on the feeling of working in community no matter where you are.

 Money Management

 From accepting credit cards to tracking expenses to time tracking and payroll, the internet is full of amazing resources for managing your company’s finances with minimal headache. But how will you know what works? Check out the free trials for these awesome tools to find the money management workflow that fits your business needs.

 Expensify

 Any employee with experience completing traditional expense reports knows what a pain it can be. And administrators know how much time gets wasted tracking down employees for receipts or other information. With Expensify, you can simplify the expense reporting process with smart scanning of receipts, easy mobile tracking of expenses, and one-click reimbursement options. Expensify offers an always free basic plan, plus a free 30-day trial for team and corporate plans with all whistles and bells.

 Paypal

 Is not accepting online payments holding your business back from growth? Paypal offers easy online credit and debit card transactions as well as recurring payments with no sign-up cost and no direct fee.

 TSheets

 If your business is growing and you are hiring hourly employees, you’ll quickly find that tracking their time spent working feels harder than it should be. Enter TSheets, a GPS monitored app that lets employees track time right from their cell phones and aggregates timecard reports from every member of your team to with little to no effort required from you. Check out this awesome service with a 14-day free trial.

 ZenPayroll

 Once you have tracked your employees’ time, there is still the matter of getting everyone paid. ZenPayroll simplifies the payroll process, giving employees online portal access to update their information and letting you run weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly payroll for your entire team with just a few clicks of the mouse. Get started with a free 2 month trial.

 Productivity

 You have big ideas, you have a business plan, your company is funded, and you even have amazing graphics for your marketing efforts! However, to keep your business afloat day to day, what you need is to simply get things done. Try our favorite free tools for a boost in productivity to move your business forward.

 Evernote

 Many busy, on-the-go entrepreneurs swear by Evernote for keeping track of thoughts, plans, and ideas from wherever they are. The app’s free plan lets you clip content from across the web, create your own notes, share with friends, and comment on documents together. In addition, with seamless integration across all your devices, you can work from anywhere without missing a beat.

 Google Drive

 Have you noticed by now that I am a little Google obsessed? In addition, this may be one of our favorites. Google Drive offers you almost all the same benefits of Microsoft Office, but accessible from anywhere you have online access. Collaborate on documents with colleagues, track spreadsheet changes as you edit, and share with clients quickly without ever waiting for uploads or worrying about having compatible software installed—all free.

 Producteev

 This is your pen and paper to do list on overdrive. Manage projects between multiple users, set recurring events, and track both large scale projects and the smaller steps along the way that make the big to-do’s possible. Producteev is ideal for keeping up with your own work needs as well as assigning tasks to employees near and far.

 Scheduling

 With a growing number of clients and team members to consider, keeping track of who does what when can be a pain. Whether you are scheduling conference calls, meeting, or work shifts, try these awesome tools to streamline the process, saving you time and brain cells for improved things.

 Doodle

 Say “never again” to the headache of trying to coordinate a meeting, dinner, or other event with multiple parties who use different—even (gasp!) non-digital—calendar platforms. Instead, use Doodle to send out a quick poll with available date and time options. Skip the back and forth, let everyone cast their vote, and consider your meeting scheduled!

 When I Work

 Hands down our favorite tool for companies with shift workers of any kind. Instead of endless emails, sticky notes and phone calls to organize your weekly or monthly shift calendar, When I Work will keep track of employee availability, create a balanced shift schedule, notify employees when they work, and let them trade shifts with team members. All you have to do is set your requirements and approve the final schedule.

 Sign up for the 30 day free trial. You will likely find that the time you save scheduling employees through When I Work is worth every penny of the nominal monthly subscription.

 YouCanBook.me

 Consultants, therapists, salon stylists, attorneys, and other bill-per-hour service providers swear by YouCanBook.me for quick and easy client scheduling. Integrate this tool with your business website to allow clients to book services online. You can set preferences and session lengths for different services, and the app integrates directly with your Google Calendar to automatically work around any appointments or scheduling conflicts that may arise.

 In addition, as long as you do not mind the minimal “powered by YCB” branding, the standard scheduling service is always FREE!

 Social Media

 Every business owner knows you need to be on social media. Actually following through on a social media strategy is another matter entirely. Try these great, free tools to streamline your process and maximize your social media ROI.

  Hootsuite

 Publishing individual social media messages in real time is a drain on time and a recipe for low engagement. By signing up for Hootsuite, you can manage multiple social profiles from a single dashboard. Schedule posts, track mentions, engage with followers, and measure the effectiveness of your social media content, at no cost. It is the go-to tool for keeping your social media accounts in line.

 ManageFlitter

 If Twitter is a big part of your brand development, ManageFlitter is an awesome tool for improving your results. Easily unfollow dormant accounts, track useful analytics, and boost relevant followers with ManageFlitter’s free limited plan.

  Instasize

 If you manage social media accounts for your small business, you know the difficulty of editing on mobile for different apps. With InstaSize, you can format and edit videos and photos for Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and more, with ease. The app allows you to add text and filters, retouch faces, and create collages that will make your business stand out.

 Stock Images

 Beautiful images are essential to making your brand stand out online. But if you’re not a professional photographer and your product isn’t visually compelling, how can you use images in your marketing effort? Try these free stock images site to search for images to use in your blog, social media, and other marketing materials.

 Flickr

 This user-generated photo-sharing site has a huge array of images available free with or without attribution. Check out the creative commons section of Flickr and read the usage terms to make sure your photo usage is on the up and up.

 FreeImages

 A great resource for business related stock images, FreeImages is a content marketer’s favorite bookmark for quick generic blog or social media graphics.

 Pixabay

 If you are feeling bored by the typical line up of free stock images online, Pixabay is a great resource to shake things up. The images here have a slightly more indie feel compared to the more generic vibe of traditional stock images.

 Unsplash

 Though the selection is smaller than most, Unsplash is an awesome resource for stock images that don’t feel like stock images? Updated every 10 days, this site’s collection of free to use, no attribution images will feel like a warm hug, creating that personal connection with your audience that typical stock images cannot quite reach.

 Storage & File Sharing Complicated computer networks and external hard drives are so 2005. Try these cloud storage resources to share files and collaborate on documents without a drawer full of USB cables and fifteen phone calls to your cousin who works in IT.

 Dropbox

 Modern companies are using Dropbox to share files between employees and collaborate on documents from multiple devices. Save all your documents to the cloud to access from anywhere, and share them via email invites with colleagues, clients, prospects, or whoever may need access. Your first GB of data is always free, which for a very small organization may be all you ever need.

 Box

 Another file sharing and cloud storage service similar to Dropbox. At Box you can store up to 10 GB of data for free, but will have to pay for additional users. If you are a solopreneur looking to make the most of free cloud storage, Box may be a better solution for your needs.

 Google Cloud

 If you already use a variety of Google apps (which you should; see above), Google Cloud is an obvious choice for backing up files, documents, images, and other content. Integrate it seamlessly with other Google apps to never lose track of your archive files.

 I hope my comprehensive resource list will help you take your business to new heights!

 Mel Feller, MPA, MHR, is a well-known real estate, business consultant, personal development consultant and speaker, specializing in performance, productivity, and profits. Mel is the President/Founder of Mel Feller Seminars with Coaching For Success 360, Inc. and Mel Feller Coaching, a real estate and business specific coaching company. His three books for real estate professionals are systems on how to become an exceptional sales performer.  His four books in Business and Government Grants are ways to leverage and increase your business Success in both time and money! His book on Personal Development “Lies that Will Sabotage Your Success”.  Mel Feller is in Texas and In Utah.  Currently an MBA Candidate.