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ourmrmel · 6 years

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Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Discusses Finding Deals as Real Estate Investors

Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Discusses Finding Deals as Real Estate Investors

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.

It stuns me how many investors say, “I can't find any good deals.” Folks, you are not looking!

There is an abundance of deals out there, but you have to actually work to find them. We think that many new investors, who watch too much late-night TV, are under the impression that if they decide to become an investor, the “investor fairy” will drop deals out of the sky. Not true!

Investors actually have to work just like the rest of the world. The difference is that we are not stuck in a nine to five rut and bound by the bosses’ rules. Our job is fun, profitable, we make as much as we are willing to work for, and we help people along the way.

We want to share a few of my favorite methods for finding deals. First, the oldest method in the book: knocking on doors! I am here to tell you that knocking on doors is still the best way to find deals because other investors hate to do it. The biggest problem is that investors do not know what to say. It’s simple, just tell the homeowners that you were at the courthouse doing some research and noticed that they have a pending problem with their property and you‘d like to help. NEVER mention the “F” word…. get your mind out of the gutter. I mean foreclosure. Ask them if they took care of it. Typically, they say, “Yes.” Ask what they did… filed an answer, sold it, brought the back payments current, what? You can tell by the blank look on their faces that they have not taken care of anything. Offer your assistance and move forward with your deal.

What about postcards? Do you religiously mail them? To whom? Most investors mail postcards to people in foreclosure. This is a great idea, but did you know that there is a wealth of other information that is public knowledge? Try mailing to people in probate; going through a divorce; in bankruptcy; and landlords who just walked out of eviction court. This information is public knowledge that the typical investor does not tap into. NEVER be typical.

What about mailing lists? Have you ever considered buying a mailing list and “farming “neighborhoods? It works for Realtors, why will not it work for you! We buy lists by the zip code and mail where we want to own property. Does it make sense to have several properties for sale in the same area opposed to all over the county? How about phone calls? How often do you sit down and call foreclosures? Never? Why not? With a crisscross directory, you can find almost anyone. Investors, take the time to find people who have moved or changed their numbers. If they have moved, you have a deal because the mental attachment to the property is gone.

Do you run ads in newspapers? Why not? Many investors think ads are too expensive. How many deals do you have to do to pay for a year's worth of ads? One? I will give you a little known tip: place your ads under “money to lend.” Many times the homeowners’ first choice is to save their house, not sell it. Once you have them on the phone you can negotiate your way into the deal. You will make as much money as you are willing to work for.

My question for you is how much are you willing to make? The sky is truly the limit. The bottom line is this; there are thousands of deals out there. If you do not make the effort to find them, other investors will. I know because I am one of them!

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

#real estate investing #real estate investor #buying fopreclosures #mailing postcards #door knocking #investing in real estate #we buy homes #we pay cash for houses #looking for motivated sellers #mel feller real estate investor #melfeller coaching #mel feller looking at texas properties #buying properties in texas #coaching for success 360 #mel feller seminars #mel feller coaching #mel feller ministries #melfeller in texas #mel feller in dallas texas

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ourmrmel · 6 years

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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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ourmrmel · 6 years

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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

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.

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!

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ourmrmel · 6 years

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Mel Feller, MPA, MHR, Asks About Your Passion

Mel Feller, MPA, MHR, Asks About Your Passion.

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.

The dictionary definition of passion is, “a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything.” Why do people start their own businesses? Is it for money, for freedom – from corporate structure or otherwise, power? What would you want to do it if you did not need to work? Some people might answer that they would want to lie on a beach or watch television, all day that might not pay you! However, is it possible to do something you would want to do whether or not you were making money – and actually make money? Of course – but if it were that easy, everyone would be doing it.

I have always suggested you should do what you love, but I had not followed my own advice sometimes. Why is it so important to pursue what is important to you? Here is what I have learned since deciding to focus on my passion:

It comes naturally. When you have a passion for something – you enjoy it and it means something to you. That does not mean it will not be work, because as I said and as we know, everyone would do it in that case. However, creating a plan and following through on it will certainly be easier when you are passionate than going after something you have no interest in.

It keeps you motivated. It is easy to get an idea and be excited about it – and then move on the next one. When launching a business is not due to genuine interest, but necessity, it can be difficult to stay on track. While having new plans and dreams is great, how powerful is it when you can pick something up and finish it!

It is not about the money. Of course, money often does play a part in it, but that is not why you do it. Money should never be what drives you, if you can help it. Pursuing only for money can leave you feeling desperate and certainly not happy or secure when it does not pan out.

It teaches you discipline. When you stick to something, you can accomplish it and make a career out of it. Being committed is necessary and you have to train yourself to get to that mentality. Once you have developed a routine and a plan for what you need to do to succeed, you will be more dedicated to the ultimate goal.

You are proud of it. Sure, everyone is pleased when they are promoted, feels pride in a big accomplishment, or when they start and own a business. However, imagine the exponential increase you would feel when you do something you believe in.

You advocate for it. Not as the typical business promotion – but as “guess what I get to do for a living?” People can tell when you are truly excited, and if you feel good about your business, it will help others feel that very same way as well.

It makes you feel good about yourself. Maybe this is a given, but who does not need a boost of confidence now and then? Don’t you always feel better when you do something you believe in rather than something you do not? Alternatively, almost as bad, something you are apathetic about? At the end of the day, feeling good about yourself and being happy about what you do every day will lead to fulfillment that you likely couldn’t get otherwise.

Now the Second Phase:

It has been said that nothing in the world has ever been created without a thought initiating the process.

Thomas Edison made hundreds of attempts at the light bulb before he found success. When asked why he kept persevering, he replied, "For each attempt that failed and was discarded, it put me one step closer to the one experiment that would succeed." For each thought, each belief that created a reality that was not quite right; a new thought took its place, creating a better reality.

We have all heard of these success-from-failure stories and they often help to motivate us to try our personal best, to keep persevering. However, how can we keep trying in the face of overwhelming odds? How do we get past the negative beliefs, the distractions, and the lack of support from our family and friends? What can we do when we are tired of trying?

Your thoughts do create your reality, and in learning to modify your old, entrenched thought patterns, you can modify your reality. There are three ways to modify our thoughts. First, changing your attitudes and beliefs about your current reality often shifts your focus and awareness so that you can begin to find peace in your life. Second, creating an image or thought of the new reality you want to create and keep that in focus as you go about your day. Third, through psychotherapy, gain insight into the birth of the thought and heal it. Which in turn allows the passions to truly shine while making sure you have a plan to move forward with.

Priorities are What Follow

The first step in creating your own reality is to determine which reality you are looking for. Often we do not reach our dreams because we never have a clear idea of what dreams are the most important to us. What is it you want most in this lifetime? Vital good health? A loving and supportive mate? Success in your business or career? A nice home? Freedom from emotional turmoil? An opportunity to start the dream business?

Whether your dreams are physical, emotional or spiritual, first write a list of what you want. You may find that you want something in each of those categories. In writing your list, be specific. Instead of writing "a good marriage," be specific: what specific actions and emotions are you looking for in your definition of a good marriage? In place of "good health," you might write "freedom from arthritic pain" or "more energy."

Do not feel pressured to write the list all in one sitting; take some time to allow things to bubble up from your soul. Organize the list in any way you would like, but make sure you determine which items are more important to you than the others are. You may want to write the list, and then take a few days to think about it. Finally, review it one last time; re-arrange priorities, or adding and subtracting items as needed.

Because your needs and life situation may change, your list will remain flexible and will change as time goes by. Try to remain open to these changes, even if it means rearranging your list of dreams. Perhaps a simple, mild change to an item is all that is necessary in order to keep up with the times.

Work the Plan and Plan the Work

Now that you have a list, the next step is to determine a means of visualizing or imagining that outcome, and putting that image out into a work plan.

Each of us must take personal responsibility for attaining our happiness. While I firmly believe the Universe can help us manifest our dreams, we must be ready and willing to do whatever is physically necessary to move us in the right direction. As Goethe said, "Until one is committed, there is hesitating, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative, there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: The moment one definitely commits oneself, Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would come his way." However, it is up to you to use those "incidents and meetings and materials" in order to complete the plan.

The purpose of a business plan, or your plan for passion, for a self-employed person who is financing their own business, is to have a central repository for all strategic thinking about the business for the coming year or two. Here is what should be included:

Your business idea in three sentences.

Your target audience.

The challenges that your target audience faces.

The benefits of using your products and services to meet those challenges.

Your company brand and image.

Your projected revenue and expenses for a year.

If you project more expenses than revenue for the first year, a statement about where the money will come from to pay for those expenses.

A list of your major competitors, and how you are different from them.

At least six marketing techniques you're planning to use over the coming year, when you plan to implement them, and what results do you expect from them.

A list of people who you will need to hire to implement your business plan or marketing plan (unless you have the business skills and time, yourself, to do all the work).

You should review your business plan, and update it, annually. I recommend reviewing the marketing section of your business plan quarterly, so that you can gauge the success of your marketing campaigns.

By following your passions, in writing, putting a plan together and finally executing that plan your love and passion for what your life will look at is now a map to arrive at your destination.

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ourmrmel · 6 years

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How is Success Defined by You

By Mel Feller, MPA, MHR Offices in Texas and Utah

In the feel-good ledger of life, there are many emotional barometers, in which you can measure success and while each may differ from person to person, there seems to be a common thread that binds them all to each other. However, the one common factor that binds successful people together is the fact whether they can back up their claims of success, or the often used phrase “walk the walk, talk the talk”. How can you measure success? Well, there is not a specific way, but from speaking to many people, you do find certain things that resonate with eaach other.

This article will try its best to make that measurement tangible, and hopefully something you can reach to and measure yourself up to, wherever you may be in your life in this day and age.

A feeling of completion. A feeling when the burn of ambition no longer singes the spirit. Moreover, not in a bad way. You start to look through life in a different kaleidoscope, a different light and you feel somewhat rested, mind, body, and soul and you feel like you have no need to prove yourself.

Success is the measure of ambition and once both have reached their peak and there is no mountain to climb or ocean to traverse, the spirit relaxes and the mind slips into an almost meditative state of bliss. This is something that can be seen in the eyes of those who succeed, from their measured dialogue, their contented smile, the easy way that they choose to sit and how they treat others around them. There is no longer a need to size up competition and ruminate about life - it has given all it can and now is the time to waft with the waves to that final destination.

Of course, there are other ways to measure success; one very common and easy way of measuring success is through materialistic means. This can be in the form of money they have made, material acquisitions, like property, or even awards won in their lives. These are some of the ways, which a majority of the population will measure their success with. The world as we know it will reward you in some way spiritual or material, and while the former might be noble, we cannot avoid that the human spirit will seek solace in the things they can touch and feel, the things that shine and have their named engraved upon.

Even a pat on the back, a hand shake, an awards ceremony or an elegant letter - these are some things that life and our careers can reward us with.

Success comes in many forms and each person has a different way of how they have made their mark in life, in their careers and in the things that they treasure most to them. How they want to display it to the world and what feelings these measures of success give them. Look into your soul and you will know when you have hit the mark you may or may not have set yourself to achieve.

To me success is something that is less tangible. Often, when I write or speak, I start to wonder about the principles I stand for.

I wonder how the people who love and respect me will remember me in life and in death?

Sometimes I wonder, what people say about me and what they will say when I am no longer here. Will they say that I was a great person who lived by my principles; I cared about people and my family. The same things everyone says about people in general when they die.

What if they say the things I hope to be remember for? Will they say I helped them change? Improve their lives. That I made a difference because I was born. That is probably why one of my more favorite movies is “It is a Wonderful Life”, with Jimmy Stewart. Now I am dating myself.

However, What if I was not born? Would the world really miss me? Could someone like me have impacted the people I love, instead? These questions are being asked by millions of people today. Nevertheless, this question can only be answered by you.

The legacy you leave is measured by what you do in life and death, your attitude, goals, desire and your love for others.

Opportunity is there but will you do anything with it?

Since we cannot control when we will die, we are free to live life the way we choose.

The bottom line is that if you want to succeed you must dream. Success starts with believing in yourself long before others believe in you. With so much going on today, it is more important than ever to believe in yourself and your inner abilities.

You must take the negative of the world and make it a positive. You should spread positive and help change the lives of people round you and even the lives of people you have not met. When you reach your last days, which is a day most of us will never know, a positive life will determine the legacy we leave behind for others to emulate.

Whatever you want, the universe and God will conspire to help you achieve that goal. The sooner you can answer all the questions I asked above, the better prepared you will be to understand why you are here on Earth and what you can truly accomplish.

Grab a paper and a pen and start writing the answer to those questions.

Here are a few more questions for you to consider:

What do I want my life to mean when I look back at all I have done?

How will I create the ideas I have so they will come true?

Do I know what my goal are and why I why they are important to me?

What vision do I have for my life and who do I see a part of that vision?

Why is my path important to me and why not a different one?

Where do I want my life journey to take me and how far does the journey take me?

How you live and die depends on how you handle the journey of life. The legacy you want to create happens the same way.

It is important to face your demons if you have not already done so. Push yourself to look for them and face them, so you can find peace of mind and move forward in your journey. Follow your dreams, to your dying days. You do not have to worry what others say about your legacy. You will have written your own legacy, one you can be proud of.

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 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! His book on Personal Development “Lies that Will Sabotage Your Success”. Mel Feller is in Texas and In Utah.

#goals #goal setting #setting goals #personal goals #business goals #success #Coaching For Success 360 #melfeller #melfeller.com #melfellersuccessstories.com #how is success defined #claimof successwalk the walk and walk the talk #where you may be in life

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ourmrmel · 6 years

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Texas Business Expert Mel Feller

Mel Feller, MPA, MHR with Office in Texas and Utah

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

See www.melfeller.com and www.melfellersuccessstories.com

As a Real Estate, Business, Executive, and Personal Development Coach, I work with a wide range of professionals and offer a highly personalized approach tailored to each individual in concert with the organizational environment. In a supportive atmosphere, I work to build trust and support the professional in the attainment of goals and measurable financial freedom outcomes.

Coaching for Success 360 and Mel Feller is the best resource for developing and growing businesses. We are one of the best Small Business Network, an extensive state business assistance program, of several business experts that serve all counties in Texas. Our mission is to help businesses start, grow, and succeed.

We provide small business and executive expertise.

Our core service is our, confidential, one-on-one advising. Our business advisors are highly experienced and knowledgeable. Most have graduate degrees in business and many have been business owner’s themselves. They work to establish a meaningful relationship with each client, helping them develop strategies, attract customers, increase sales, and improve productivity and profitability.

We offer opportunities for learning.

Our workshops and events are affordable, practical, and designed to teach you skills and strategies that you can put to use right away. Our instructors come from the business world, and share the latest news and views on the topics you need: sales and marketing, financing, cybersecurity, management, social media and more.

We get results.

Our clients start businesses, create jobs, grow their sales and make an economic impact on their communities. According to our last independent impact study, employment growth for our network client businesses was 13% higher than for the average Texas business, and sales growth was 16% higher.

All businesses. All stages. We have the tools, resources and connections you need.

Areas of Expertise

Our advising expertise focuses on areas that are important to accelerating business growth. With an array of business expertise on our team, we can assist you in many aspects of your business:

Business Planning

Market Research

Capital Access

Strategic Planning

Sales and Marketing

Financial Analysis

Accounting Assistance

Selling to the Government

International Trade

Business Funding and Grants

Real Estate

Business Acquisition

Franchising and the Right One for You

Minority Owned Business and Funding

Veteran Owned Businesses and Funding

Work at Home Businesses

Internet Based Businesses

Specialty Programs

Sell to the government

Federal, state and local government agencies buy a wide variety of products and services. Yet for many business owners, being able to sell their products or services to the government feels out of reach, with the daunting registration process and the challenging certification application requirements. Coaching For Success 360 and Mel Feller is available to for-profit businesses within the state of Texas specifically to help them compete for government contracts. They offer a comprehensive client-advising program called the Three “R”s of Government Contracting to prepare you for doing business with government.

The first step in the process. If you want to do business with the government, you will need to register to get added to their vendor list. UH PTAC Mel Feller will guide you through the process of understanding what is required for you to register with each government agency. If you are eligible for government socio and economically disadvantaged certification programs for minorities, women, and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses, he will assist you with the application process.

Research

Once you are registered, the next step is to conduct market research to determine the government agencies buying your products and services and the contracting method(s) they use to buy them. Again, Mel Feller will show you how to conduct market research in order to identify your target agencies and where to find the opportunities.

Respond

Once you have identified an opportunity Mel Feller will review, it with you to help you understand what is required to submit a compliant offer. As you prepare your offer, Mel is available to guide you through the process and answer your questions as they arise. Finally, Mel Feller will review your offer before you submit it to the government.

Read more about the federal government’s SBIR/STTR seed funding program and how other small businesses have been successful in winning awards at www.sbir.gov.

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. This also includes both real estate as an agent and/or investor. See www.melfeller.com and www.melfellersuccessstories.com

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ourmrmel · 6 years

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Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Looks at How Meetings When People are Disengaged

Have you ever been in a meeting where one person decided to display a negative attitude? You know the person who starts reading his cell phone, or the other one who suddenly falls quiet, or what about the one who starts to slide down his chair and on to the floor. Well if you are the one in charge of the meeting what is your role in this dysfunction? I recently heard a speaker, who was talking about the culture of accountability say, "You get what you put up with". Bad behavior and rudeness happen because people continually get away with it.

So let us break down bad behavior into three primary categories:

Checked out or disengaged

Negative

Rude

Because of the proliferation of cell phones, I want to specifically discuss the scenario of disengagement. Reading on cell phones and "multi-tasking" have become commonplace in business meetings. Therefore, you are leading a meeting and notice that one or more participants are texting or reading email on their phones. What options do you have now? First, you need to assess if this is a theme or an instance i.e. does the person disengaging have a reputation for checking out and not actively participating or is this something unusual for the team member. If this person has, a reputation for disengaging then it should be addressed within the meeting. As the leader of the team, you have the following options:

You can ignore the behavior, limiting the team to less than high performance and continue the dysfunction by not managing the bad behavior. If this is your choice, you may want reevaluate why you are managing a team.

You have the option of communicating to the person that you recognize that they are not currently part of the meeting. Ask them "Is there something urgent that you need to take care of at this time?" It may be that an emergency has come up which she needs to address. In addition, if this is the case and she is key to the meeting, then reschedule the meeting. If she is not key to the meeting, then dismiss her to her emergency. However, in my experience this usually is not the case.

You can wait until after the meeting and then pull the person aside to discuss what was driving the behavior. If there was not an emergency, find out how they think their behavior impacts the meeting, other team members, as well as their effectiveness in the job.

You can wait for an opportunity to ask her a pointed question specific to the conversation, such as "What do you think of Rick's idea? This will either bring the person back into the conversation and/or will create a moment of embarrassment. Depending on their response, you may need to have a follow on conversation with them one on one.

Alternatively, you can address the whole team and open the discussion to everyone. What are their thoughts about team members checking out? What would their suggestions be to become a more high performing team and have everyone engaged? This option may uncover process or content issues of the meeting that you have not considered may be part of the disengaging behaviors.

So as a leader it is your choice, allow the dysfunction to continue and you may wake up without a job in the future. On the other hand, address the issue and set the tone for more productive meetings that will lead to team success.

However, there are some things you can do to make your meeting interesting. I know that we have all been to those golden meetings full of energy and real productivity. Too many meetings end up being a waste of time where everyone is dozing off or doing other work.

According to a study reported by Fortune, the average employee sends three emails for every 30 minutes of meeting time. Conference calls make it even easier to zone out. Another study found that 43% of conference call attendees spend part of the meeting checking social media while 65% are doing other work.

Why are attendees so distracted? They are bored!

Here are five common but easily fixable meeting mistakes that could be the real reason your attendees are bored.

It is too long.

Because they typically need to meet every day, software development teams often have a “daily stand-up.” It is exactly what it sounds like: Everyone stands and discusses what needs to be done that day and potential blockers.

The idea is that is everyone has to stand for the entire meeting; it will not be a 90-minute talkfest. People will not ramble or get off-track. In addition, nobody will be hiding behind their laptop, appearing pay attention but really checking Facebook. In fact, the daily standup usually lasts no more than 15 minutes.

You can do something similar. Give your meeting a start time and promise your attendees it will not go a minute longer than necessary. Maybe that means it will take the full 30 minutes. Alternatively, you will all be done in 14.

Even if a stand-up format will not work for you, chances are you can still make your meeting shorter and more focused. Here are a few tips:

Cut out unnecessary information

Distill information to the key, actionable points

Only invite truly necessary people

Make sure everyone has relevant information they need for the meeting beforehand

Actively moderate discussions and keep everyone to the point

Narrow the scope of the meeting (try a series of shorter meetings with a clear purpose rather than a long meeting where you try to cover everything)

Prepare more than you think you need to, which brings us to the next mistake

You did not prepare.

There is a saying in the literary world: “Hard writing makes for easy reading.” The more effort you put into drafting your novel, report, or email, the easier (and more enjoyable) it will be to read.

The same is true of your meetings. Do not pull everyone into the conference room or ask your remote team to hop on a conference call if you do not have a clear purpose for the meeting and a plan to get through it.

Prepare a thoughtful and detailed agenda then hone and revise it. An effective meeting agenda includes:

Meeting topics

How you plan to cover them

Who is responsible for each topic

Time allotted for each topic

Questions you need answered

How attendees need to prepare

The ultimate goal and takeaway

You have invited a blowhard.

Some people just like to talk. They like attention. They like to let everybody know how much they have accomplished and to share all of their great ideas. We all know that person.

As you might expect, these people tend to love meetings. Avoid inviting them to yours. However, if you must, do what you can to reign them in. They should be able to contribute without derailing the meeting or keeping others from freely participating.

Start with having a clear agenda that outlines timeframes and do not let the motor mouth hijack the conversation.

Therefore, what?

There is no reason to pull your team into a meeting unless those attendees will be able to take some action on the items you discuss.

One of the fastest ways to guarantee everyone will check out is to start riffing about big-picture thoughts they know they will not be able to do anything about. On the other hand, talking in circles about a problem without ever getting to actionable solutions.

If you want to brainstorm with your team, go for it. However, even brainstorming sessions should have a clear purpose. What kind of ideas are your brainstorming and what will be done with these ideas?

For every meeting, you and your attendees should know what you would accomplish. Is this a knowledge transfer, and if so, what is everyone supposed to with the information? Do you need to come to a consensus and make a decision? Do you need to devise a plan and assign action items?

You have invited your coworkers for a specific reason. Make sure everyone knows why they are there and what you’re going to accomplish.

There is nothing to look at.

Humans are visual. More than 90% of all information our brains process is visual, according to research reported by Inc.com.

Therefore, when you invite your team to an audio-only conference call, you are leaving all that collective brainpower left to wander. This might explain why their computer monitors or their phones distract so many conference call attendees: screens are visual, and voices on the phone are not.

The solution? Host a video conference. Give your team something to look at your screen, their screens, everyone is smiling faces. Make your meeting visual, and you will instantly up the energy and focus.

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ourmrmel · 6 years

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Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Discusses Ways to Become a Great Leader

“Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.”—Wilma Rudolph

When you think about the idea of Conscious Leadership, you may even agree we need a different leadership paradigm. This is where you must pause, step back and look within. It starts with self-awareness and a commitment to lead in a better way. Every intentional step that you take in becoming a more awake leader makes the journey that much more purpose-driven and fulfilling because you will be able to unlock the greatness in yourself and in those whom you serve.

In the meantime, I will focus on practical ways you can begin developing everyday habits that will help you become a more conscious leader. None of these steps is esoteric or unachievable there are endless ways for leaders to improve, inspire and engage employees.

The reflection points below take the words out of your mind and into the real world to practice so you can step more fully into your highest potential. I recommend beginning by picking just one area to focus on initially, the area you feel would have the greatest impact for you and your team.

Cultivate authenticity. Most of us do not trust leaders who portray a perfect image. We want leaders to be real. Authenticity is having self-awareness, knowing who you are on the inside your strengths, weaknesses, values, beliefs, leadership type and bringing this into your conscious awareness.

It is an honest and a brave self-examination, which takes courage but is well worth the effort. By knowing who you are at your core, you can create an environment where others can trust you, can thrive and can do their best work.

How to cultivate authenticity:

Learn to be silent, to go within to recognize your inner wisdom, your purpose in life and then open yourself to its wise counsel.

Reflect on your leadership philosophy, values, beliefs, motives and style. What impact do all of these have on you, your team and your organization?

Think about what people consistently tell you that you need to work on. What is one new behavior you are willing to practice to be an authentic leader?

What benefits will this new behavior bring to you, your team and organization?

Develop conscious awareness. Awareness is fundamental to positive change, yet you must train yourself to be aware of it. When you do this, your mind becomes more focused and in tune with yourself and your environment, conscious awareness is being mindful, aware and present in the moment. It means being fully conscious of what’s going on, both within us and outside us, and how our behaviors affect others.

How to develop conscious awareness:

There are different ways to develop conscious awareness and mindfulness, including meditation, yoga and martial arts. All help us respond differently to life.

Take time to notice what it feels like to be aware. Stop for a moment to be aware of your awareness and observe. Do not judge it, simply notice it.

Be aware of your current state of mind. Is it impatient? Curious? Creative? Calm? What about your energy levels or feelings? Spend just 10 minutes a day to reflect and journal on your awareness.

Grow and foster virtues. Virtues give meaning and purpose to our lives and include such things as service, love, courage, compassion, integrity, humility, generosity, accountability and transparency. Virtues develop our character. This takes time, so develop yourself in stages.

No one is perfect, yet the more we practice applying virtues in different situations, the stronger our character muscle becomes. We mature in our thinking, decisions, emotions and behaviors.

Leading with virtues empowers organizations and society to operate with higher purpose. It also inspires others to be their best and delivers superior, sustainable results.

Examples of virtues in action:

Practicing Generosity as a leader means you listen with your heart to understand others, show your appreciation for unique talents, celebrate successes and develop others so they can become their best by providing tools, training, resources and coaching.

Practicing Humility as a leader means you give credit for others’ contributions, admit mistakes and change the course of action to make it right, ask for feedback and check in on your ego. It also means that you can speak of your failures and weaknesses to teach others.

Practicing Courage as a leader means you can say, “I don’t know,” ask for help, let go of the need to control situations, risk being vulnerable, have faith in people, provide tough but kind feedback to help another grow, give hope when confronted with great odds, voice unpopular opinions, and make tough decisions.

How to grow and foster virtues:

Consider what you can do to encourage the conversations within yourself and with others to strengthen the importance that virtues and character have in leadership.

What practices, personal inquiry and reflection can you implement to develop one or two virtues to become a better leader?

Think about who can support you in this development.

What would our work life look like if we practiced more generosity, humility, or courage? How would these practices increase employee engagement and commitment?

“LEADERS BECOME GREAT, NOT BECAUSE OF THEIR POWER, BUT BECAUSE OF THEIR ABILITY TO EMPOWER OTHERS.” JOHN MAXWELL

Here are a few more approaches to consider.

Embrace purpose and vision. Purpose is why you exist. Great leaders communicate their why, the greater cause and what they stand for. The why must have a foothold in the hearts of people before you articulate what you want them to do. Viktor Frankl was a neurologist, psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor. Frankl’s theory is that man’s search for meaning is the primary motivation in one’s life. Frankl says, “those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how.”

Once leaders communicate purpose, vision is future-oriented and describes what the organization will leave the world by living its purpose. Purpose and vision builds trust and inspires employees to see they are contributing to something bigger than themselves. It shows people how they fit into this big picture, the difference this will make in the world, and why they should care.

A great example of this comes from perhaps the most moving American speeches of the 20th century, Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream.” King’s speech inspired action in others then and to this day. His example of giving others something specific to strive for something bigger than themselves is a heart-felt example for a leader of any group to follow.

By bringing purpose and vision to life, employees, customers, and stakeholders will feel empowered, energized, inspired, courageous, and resilient especially when times are tough. They will step into their highest potential and produce extraordinary results and long-term success.

How to embrace your individual and organization’s purpose and vision:

What impact do you want to make as a leader? Why did you want to be a leader in the first place? What is the difference you are trying to make in the world? What do you stand for?

Think about your organization’s purpose. What is the vision for the future?

What is your message to inspire your team to rally behind this purpose and vision?

Consider how your employees will act, think and feel when they contribute to this purpose and vison.

Reflect and journal a few minutes each day on these questions.

Practice Service. Create value for all stakeholders, employees and customers so the whole flourishes. Rise above self-interest and individual perspective and serve with a more global view. By practicing service, you understand and appreciate each person’s role in perfecting this world and lead others accordingly. You also trust and believe that individuals are critical links in the chain and that their unique skills fulfill a higher purpose.

How to practice service:

Explore how you are building a culture of service in a way that contributes to the good of all.

What development programs are in the organization that will foster conscious leadership and service for the greater good? How can you engage others in this conversation?

What can you do to show employees, stakeholders and customers that you respect, appreciate and care about their goals and needs?

Increase Emotional Intelligence. Scientists base emotional Intelligence on years of research. It is about being aware of, managing our emotions, and working more effectively with others to improve relationships and performance. People benefit in many ways from having a high level of emotional intelligence.

How to increase your emotional intelligence:

Take a baseline EQ assessment. Choose one skill and one strategy, then track and practice them for at least three months.

Learn to recognize stress triggers and how to deal with them.

Practice open-mindedness and curiosity.

Hire a coach to help you to develop and grow your emotional intelligence.

Build Support: Take a holistic approach to development. Find peers, coaches and mentors to help you in your ongoing development as a person and a leader.

How to build support:

Read or attend a lecture or get involved in a conscious leadership community or forum.

When there are qualities you admire in a leader of strong character and virtue, ask yourself how you can stretch and grow to develop those qualities.

Make a commitment and take action to continuously grow and develop as a leader.

As you work through these approaches, remember developing new behaviors and habits is a process that requires commitment, patience and perseverance. Changes do not happen overnight. Yet as your leadership style gradually shifts towards conscious leadership, you will no doubt find enormous benefits from your efforts.

Yesterday’s leadership can no longer support the shifting world dynamics that are taking place today. We need a radically different leadership approach more leaders who lead from a place of service, values and higher purpose. People are hungry for this kind of leadership. Employees need to know they are valued, appreciated, respected, and make a difference. We can join hands and help each other to lead from a higher place, so individually and collectively, we can flourish and reach our human potential for the greater good of organizations and humanity as a whole.

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 located in Texas.

Mel Feller, MPA, MHR

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ourmrmel · 6 years

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Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Looks at Damages You can Legally Charge Tenants 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 and Business Leader. Mel Feller currently maintains office in Texas. Currently an MBA Candidate.

Ever wonder what you should charge for in your rentals? What size nails did your tenant use? Are they even mentioned in your lease? Make sure you go through your lease at your initial lease signing. You might have to have your tenant sign and initial the rules and regulations if you think you might have a problems in the future. Take a look at this table. It clears up the grey areas and puts things into focus.

Ordinary Wear and Tear: Landlord's Responsibility

Damage or Excessive Filth: Tenants Responsibility

Curtains faded by the sun

Cigarette burns in curtains or carpets

Water-stained linoleum by shower

Broken tiles in bathroom

Minor marks on or nicks in wall

Large marks on or holes in wall

Dents in the wall where a door handle bumped it

Door off its hinges

Moderate dirt or spotting on carpet

Rips in carpet or urine stains from pets

A few small tack or nail holes in wall

Lots of picture holes or gouges in walls that require patching as well as repainting

A rug worn thin by normal use

Stains in rug caused by your leaking fish tank

Worn gaskets on refrigerator doors

Broken refrigerator shelf

Faded paint on bedroom wall

Water damage on wall from hanging plants

Dark patches of ingrained soil on hardwood floors that have lost their finish and have been worn down to bare wood

Water stains on wood floors and windowsills caused by windows being left open during rainstorms

Warped cabinet doors that won't close

Sticky cabinets and interiors

Stains on old porcelain fixtures that have lost their protective coating

Grime-coated bathtub and toilet

Moderately dirty mini-blinds

Missing mini-blinds

Bathroom mirror beginning to "de-silver"

Mirrors caked with lipstick and makeup (black spots)

Clothes dryer that delivers cold air because the thermostat has given out

Dryer that won't turn at all because it's been over-loaded

Toilet flushes inadequately because mineral deposits have clogged the jets

Toilet won't flush properly because it's stopped up with a diaper

#landlords #tenants laws #renters rights #renters #what you can legally use the secyurity deposit for #being a good landlord #mel feller #melfeller bio #mel feller seminars #mel feller coaching #mel feller in texas #mel feller in dallas texas #success #Coaching For Success 360 #melfeller.com #melfellersuccessstories.com

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ourmrmel · 6 years

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Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Looks at the Best Places to Invest in Texas Real Estate

Addison

The Dallas suburb of Addison is its own incorporated town, and it has the second-highest median annual income in the top 10 ($50,280). It also has the second-highest number of businesses per 100 people (over 26) and a low unemployment rate of 3.9%. The town is under 5 square miles but has over 22 hotels and more than 170 restaurants. The community is home to Addison TreeHouse, a resource-filled co-working space for entrepreneurs founded by the town, and the Dallas Entrepreneur Center. Addison is also home to the headquarters of cosmetic company Mary Kay, plus the app development company Bottle Rocket.

Webster

Webster is less than 25 miles from downtown Houston, but it has a strong economy of its own. The city has the highest percentage of businesses with paid employees in the top 10, at 53%, plus a low median monthly housing cost of $973. Only a few miles from the NASA Johnson Space Center, the town is key to the aerospace industry and is a popular place for NASA employees to live. Another growth industry in Webster is the medical field — the Clear Lake Regional Medical Center, which opened in the 1970s, and the Bay Area Regional Medical Center, which opened in 2014, have led some to call the city Texas’ “medical center of the south” (with Houston’s as the north).

Stafford

In the Houston metropolitan area, Stafford has the third-highest number of businesses per 100 people (15.26) in the top 10 list. Stafford, a former agricultural community, has grown significantly — especially after property taxes were eliminated for residents and business owners in 1995. Over 2,700 businesses are located here, including the headquarters of Seamar Divers, a subsea construction and inspection company, and General Technologies Inc., an equipment manufacturer.

Katy

Katy started as a small Houston suburb, but over the years has grown into a city of its own. This family-friendly city is tops among our top 10 for most businesses — a whopping 6,907. It also has the highest number of businesses per 100 people (over 46). Additionally, Katy is tied with Temple for second place among the top 10 for the lowest unemployment rate at 3.7%. The city serves as worldwide headquarters for Igloo, and the Katy Mills outlet mall brings shoppers from across the Houston area. The Katy Area Economic Development Council supports business growth in this area. Katy is also close to the Houston Energy Corridor, a district packed with energy companies.

Farmers Branch

Farmers Branch has the second-highest number of businesses, 4,158, in the top 10. This inner Dallas suburb also comes in second place in the top 10 for the largest number of businesses with paid employees (over 1,700). Many companies have their corporate headquarters here, including Taco Bueno, a fast-casual food chain, and Ironclad, a performance wear company.

Port Arthur

Port Arthur has the second-highest population in the top 10 (nearly 54,200), but boasts the highest total revenue of businesses in the top 10 at $28.6 billion. There are nearly 3,000 businesses in this coastal town about 90 miles east of Houston. The Port of Port Arthur is a large part of the local economy and expansion projects aim to make it a bigger international cargo shipping center. Lamar State College-Port Arthur has a Small Business Development Center to help entrepreneurs. The Port Arthur Economic Development Corp. also helps support local business growth.

Texas City

About 40 miles southeast of downtown Houston, this deep-sea port city is known for heavy industry. The Port of Texas City is one of the nation’s largest ports, making it a shipping hotspot. The town also has some of the state’s largest petrochemical manufacturing centers and refineries, such those operated by Marathon Petroleum Corp. and Valero. Texas City has the second-highest total business revenue in the top 10 list, coming in at $23.4 billion. It also came in second for average revenue per business ($8.9 million). Of the top 10 communities, median housing costs here are the third-most affordable at $818 a month.

Temple

Temple, with nearly 68,000 residents, is the largest city by population in the top 10 list. It’s tied with Katy for the second-lowest unemployment rate in the top 10. Temple also has the third-highest number of businesses, at over 3,900. Located in central Texas, the town is nearly 70 miles north of Austin and 125 miles south of Dallas. Temple College is based here, and the city features a growing medical complex bolstered by Scott & White Memorial Hospital. Several major company headquarters are located here, including Wilsonart Americas, a company that produces countertops and walls, and McLane, a supply chain services company. Temple is 30 miles from Fort Hood, so members of the military also help support the town’s economy.

Brenham

Located about midway between Houston and Austin, the humble city of Brenham boasts the top 10’s lowest unemployment rate — an impressive 2.8%. The city also has the top 10’s second-most affordable median monthly housing cost at a reasonable $767. Brenham, known as an ice cream mecca, is home to Blue Bell Creameries, which is working to restart production after a listeria-related recall. The city is also home to a Blinn University campus, a two-year college, which has a Small Business Development Center offering free assistance to local businesses.

Deer Park

Located near the site where Texas won its independence at the Battle of San Jacinto, Deer Park is the self-proclaimed “birthplace of Texas.” Near the Houston Ship Channel and in the Houston metroplex, Deer Park has the highest median annual income among the top 10 — nearly $52,000. It also has the third-highest total revenue of businesses (nearly $17 billion) of the top 10. Shell has a manufacturing site in Deer Park that employs over 1,600 people. Chemical companies Lubrizol and Dow also have locations in Deer Park.

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! Visit www.melfellersuccessstories.com and www.melfeller.com

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ourmrmel · 6 years

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Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Looks at the Best Places in Texas to Start a Business

Addison

The Dallas suburb of Addison is its own incorporated town, and it has the second-highest median annual income in the top 10 ($50,280). It also has the second-highest number of businesses per

100 people (over 26) and a low unemployment rate of 3.9%. The town is under 5 square miles but has over 22 hotels and more than 170 restaurants. The community is home to Addison TreeHouse, a resource-filled co-working space for entrepreneurs founded by the town, and the Dallas Entrepreneur Center. Addison is also home to the headquarters of cosmetic company Mary Kay, plus the app development company Bottle

Start a Business in Texas by Mel Feller

Rocket.

Webster

Stafford

Seamar Divers, a subsea construction and inspection company, and General Technologies Inc., an equipment manufacturer.

Katy

Katy started as a small Houston suburb, but over the years has grown into a city of its own. This family-friendly city is tops among our top 10 for most businesses — a whopping 6,907. It also has

the highest number of businesses per 100 people (over 46). Additionally, Katy is tied with Temple for second place among the top 10 for the lowest unemployment rate at 3.7%. The city serves as worldwide headquarters for Igloo, and the Katy Mills outlet mall brings shoppers from across the Houston area. The Katy Area Economic Development Council supports business growth in this area. Katy is also close to the Houston Energy Corridor, a district packed with energy companies.

Start a Business in Texas by Mel Feller

Farmers Branch

Port Arthur

Texas City

Start a Business in Texas by Mel Feller

centers and refineries, such those operated by Marathon Petroleum Corp. and Valero. Texas City has the second-highest total business revenue in the top 10 list, coming in at $23.4 billion. It also came in second for average revenue per business ($8.9 million). Of the top 10 communities, median housing costs here are the third-most affordable at $818 a month.

Temple

Temple, with nearly 68,000 residents, is the largest city

by population in the top 10 list. It’s tied with Katy for the second-lowest unemployment rate in the top 10. Temple also has the third-highest number of businesses, at over 3,900. Located in central Texas, the town is nearly 70 miles north of Austin and 125 miles south of Dallas. Temple College is based here, and the city features a growing medical complex bolstered by Scott & White Memorial Hospital. Several major company headquarters are located here, including Wilsonart Americas, a company that produces countertops and walls, and McLane, a supply chain services company. Temple is 30 miles from Fort Hood, so members of the military also help support the town’s economy.

Brenham

Located about midway between Houston and Austin, the humble city of Brenham boasts the top 10’s lowest unemployment rate — an impressive 2.8%. The city also has the top 10’s second- most affordable median monthly housing cost at a reasonable $767. Brenham, known as an ice cream mecca, is home to Blue Bell Creameries, which is working to restart production after a listeria-related recall. The city is also home to a Blinn University campus, a two-year college, which has a Small Business Development Center offering free assistance to local businesses.

Deer Park

Start a Business in Texas by Mel Feller

Deer Park.

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! Visit www.melfellersuccessstories.com and www.melfeller.com

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ourmrmel · 6 years

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Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Discusses Making Money in Probate Real Estate

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

Probate properties are some of the most profitable real estate investing deals. Several factors make them especially attractive for investment. Here is how you can make money investing in properties.

You can find some of the most profitable real estate investing deals in probate real estate.

They are especially attractive in real estate investing because of several reasons. This article walks you through how to make money in probate real estate.

Probate properties are properties titled to a person who is deceased. Beneficiaries or heirs inherit probate properties once a person dies.

The probate process involves clearing the outstanding debts and releasing the remaining to the heirs. For example, a house in probate may be sold, the outstanding mortgages cleared and the rest distributed to the beneficiaries.

The estate is responsible for all expenses such as cleaning the yard, utility bills, maintenance, etc. Probate property can therefore be a source of distress.

The court appoints an administrator (executor) to settle the estate. An attorney is the most common administrator. In some estates, you may find one of the heirs has been appointed as the administrator. This especially happens because the beneficiaries want to reduce attorney expenses.

Beneficiaries therefore need to sell the properties fast to reduce expenses.

If they sell through a real estate agent, the estate will be responsible for all real estate commissions. Selling to a real estate investor will minimize these costs for them.

Sometimes they need to fix the house before they can sell it. If they cannot afford repairs, then a real estate investor may be the best buyer for such a property.

How to locate probate properties

All probates are recorded in the county court records. There are three sets of important information: The deceased, the administrator and the beneficiaries.

When investing in probate real estate, you must periodically check court records for new filings.

You then need to check if they own real estate from the county court records. Start with the name of the deceased. Sometimes, the property may be in the name of the estate, such as John Doe Estate.

Finding outstanding debts is also important. If this is not possible, I usually get this information from the beneficiaries or administrator.

Next, contact the administrator AND the beneficiaries. This is because the attorney can be replaced by one of the beneficiaries. This is very common.

This also helps in case you do not have the correct mailing address.

In probate real estate, you do not send I Buy Houses post cards. I usually send a series of nice, sympathetic letters every 30 days for 6 months. I always start by giving condolences for their loss and expressing interest in buying any real estate if it is on sale.

T hey will contact me when the time comes to sell. Then I will close the deal.

Follow the same steps to make good profits in probate real estate.

However, you will need to know what is Involved in the Probate Process?

Before the property is legally transferred to you, you will need to go through the entire probate process. The will of the deceased will list an executor; this is the person in charge of putting the estate through probate. If the deceased left a will, that is called “testate.”

If there was no will, then a judge will pick an immediate family member to be the executor of the estate. This is called “intestate.” Usually intestate properties are the homes that have to be sold in probate court.

Generally, probate will go something like this:

Find and Begin Working With a Probate Attorney

Contact a probate lawyer who will help you and represent you as the will goes through probate. Your probate attorney is your best ally because he will become an integral part of the probate process.

Your attorney will do things such as: file documents with the court, help collect any money obtained from life insurance, problem solve on income tax issues, and more. He will also be your general advisor throughout the entire probate process.

File a Petition to Start the Probate Process

You will then file a petition with the local court office to get the ball rolling. The court office must be local to where the deceased lived. Keep this in mind if you are out of the state or you live in a different city; you will need to look into state laws to confirm that you can lead the process.

You will also need to let all heirs and beneficiaries listed in the will know that you’re petitioning to begin probate. You will provide them the court date of your probate hearing so that they can present objections, if any.

FYI: Probate hearings are public record and your hearing date will most likely be listed in the local newspaper. This is to provide notice to anyone who the deceased owes money to you are unaware of, and it allows them to step forward.

Take Inventory of the Estate

You will have to go through the estate and take inventory of the estate. This means gathering all-important documents. That may include:

Estate planning documents (Will, burial and funeral arrangements, living will, power of attorney, advance medical directive)

Assets (Stocks, bonds, other properties, cars, deeds, life insurance, bank statements, etc.)

Debt

The inventory and documents required to collect inventory will vary from state to state. Check your state laws and check in with your probate attorney to make sure you collect all proper documentation and that you report it correctly.

Notify Known Creditors and Pay Legitimate Claims

Then, once you have taken inventory of the estate, you will need to notify those who the deceased owes money to. This is known as “notifying known creditors.”

Once you have identified legitimate creditors (such as credit card companies), you will pay out their claims with money from the estate.

You will also use the estate to pay other debts such as personal loans.

Manage Income Tax Returns

You’ll also need to file income tax returns for the deceased. This includes paying any inheritance taxes due.

Assets Are Legally Transferred to Beneficiaries

After all bills and creditors are paid, you will petition the court to legally transfer all assets to beneficiaries of the estate.

How Long Does Probate Take?

The length of probate depends on the estate and the will you have to prove. The presence of a will can make probate a shorter and easier process because everything has already been planned and assets have been assigned to beneficiaries.

How long probate takes also depends on state laws. In some states, if you are dealing with a small estate the probate process can take as little as 6 months. In other states, probate is a lengthy process that can take up to two years.

Check your state laws to make sure you file for probate in time. In some locations, like Texas, you must file within 4 years of the date of passing.

Can You Avoid the Probate Process?

In some states, it is possible to avoid probate if the deceased has put all assets into a revocable living trust. This trust must be established while the person is alive, and the estate will not have to go through probate after death.

The other positive associated with a revocable living trust is that you will not have to worry about selling the house through probate court. This means that you will be able to avoid the legal fees that come with selling in probate court. You will also have a much more flexible timeline.

Intestate Probate Real Estate Sales

What is an intestate probate sale? If the estate is intestate or does not have a will, usually that estate will have to go through the formal probate process. This means that the court controls the entire sale and bidding process for the home.

What happens in an intestate probate home sale?

Every state has different rules, regulations, and practices for intestate probate sales, but generally, they follow the same steps. The executor gets a house inspection done and then will need to find a top real estate agent to work with. The attorney may make suggestions of agents to work with, but it is up to the executor to pick a skilled agent who will list, market, show, and ultimately sell the home.

Sometimes real estate agents will have Certified Probate Real Estate Specialist (CPRES) certification, which is helpful because they will be much more knowledgeable about court regulated probate home sales. Look for this certification on an agent’s profile or ask your probate attorney to hire a real estate agent with this certification for a more experienced probate agent.

After the real estate agent lists the home, they will market the home. Some states require that the home is listed in the newspaper; check in with your realtor and probate attorney for a full list of the required places the home must be listed as for sale.

Timelines for the sale process vary by state as well. Some areas, like California, mandate the home be sold within a certain number of days. Once you get and accept an offer on the home, there will be a waiting period of about one month to a month and a half. This waiting period is the time it takes for your attorney to secure a court date to finalize the sale. Check your local state laws to confirm a more exact timeline for intestate probate sales.

Some states have a complex bidding process for probate homes. Once you accept an offer, other buyers can step forward and outbid the current buyer. It depends on the state, but some “overbidding” laws are very specific. The most commonly known overbidding law is in California: buyers must offer an additional $1,000 plus 5% of the proposed sale price, minus $10,000. Other states have simpler rules, and demand these bidders raise their offer by $5,000. Keep in mind that some states also advertise the primary offer as higher than it actually is, as to drum up a higher sale price for the home.

Waiting periods and finalization procedures vary by state, but know that even after an offer is finalized and accepted by the court; it may be at least a month before the home is legally sold.

This process can be confusing and complicated, which is why it is so important to work with a real estate agent with probate experience. A CPRES agent will know exactly how the process works in your state and will guide you through until the home sells.

Testate Probate Real Estate Sales

In some states, if a will is present, then you can petition the court to sell the home yourself, outside of probate court. In California, this is called an “informal” probate process because it isn’t highly court regulated like an intestate sale is.

In fact, selling a probate property without court involvement is often easier and less expensive because you will not have to pay court fees, you can go through a traditional home sale process, and you will have much more control over everything.

The ability to close the probate process and sell the home without court intervention depends on your state laws, so you will need to check in with your probate attorney.

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! Mel Feller is in Texas. Visit www.melfeller.com and www.melfellersuccessstories.com

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ourmrmel · 6 years

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Mel Feller MPA, MHR, Looks at Success

Success is making your life what you want it to be.

Throughout history, brilliant people have searched for answers to the question: Why are some people more successful than others? Why do some people have greater health, more happiness, better relationships, make more money and get more fulfillment out of life than others do?

Definition of Success:

Success can be divided into five separate categories: physical health, emotional health, relationships, finances and growth. Everything we want in life can be placed under one of these categories, and they are all equally important ingredients for a well-rounded life.

1. Physical health – High levels of health and energy. Freedom from sickness and physical pain.

2. Emotional health – Happiness, peace of mind and a high resilience against negative emotions.

3. Relationships – Getting along well with friends, family and people in general.

4. Finances – Enough money so that we are not worried or preoccupied with money.

5. Growth – Personal growth towards the fulfillment of our full potential.

Success comes from consistently increasing the quality of our lives in each of these areas. You must therefore become a master in all of them. We are not satisfied long-term by getting what we want or by reaching our goals. The only time that we feel truly fulfilled is when we know that we are improving each day.

Take a moment right now to think about your own feeling of success in each area – not compared to others, but for yourself only. If you are satisfied in an area, it means you only need to maintain your current strategy of improvement, and if you are not that suggests that it is time to find and apply a new strategy. A deficiency in any one of these categories will negatively affect all the others, while your success in anyone will improve your overall quality of life.

Everyone desires success in one form or another. Some just daydream about it, while others do something to achieve it.

What is Success? What does success mean to you? Actually, it has many definitions. There no just one success definition, since this term can relate to many topics.

Definitions of Success:

It is the favorable outcome of an action.

It is growth, development, improvement and getting better.

It is achieving what you have set out to do.

Getting good grades at school.

Passing your driving test.

Getting the job you wanted.

You feel it when someone you love tells you that he/she loves you too.

It is the pleasant and powerful feeling of achievement.

You experience it when you win or earn a large sum of money.

When you see your garden blooming.

It is the good feeling and happiness you experience after meditation.

When you fix a broken instrument with your own hands.

It is promotion at work.

Shedding a few surplus pounds.

Seeing your business prospering.

Becoming famous.

It is all these things and many more.

You may enjoy success in the small daily events of life, and you can find it in great achievements.

There are people, who seek success in money and material possessions, while others seek it in inner peace and strength.

What does it mean to you? Do you expect it? Do you believe you can attain it, and what do you plan to do in order to enjoy it?

Remember, success is not only something spectacular. It manifests also in the small affairs of daily life. You can enjoy it many times, every day.

You can desire to gain a large sum of money, become the owner of successful firm, become a successful and famous actor, singer or writer, a great inventor, senator, president or a prime minister.

Your goal might be success in mental or spiritual matters, such as meditation, gaining psychic powers and mind power, or peace of mind and spiritual awakening.

Some people just desire a carefree life, health, love and happiness. Others want a good job with a good pay, to enable them to live comfortably.

Whatever your goal is, there are a few inner qualities and powers, which are required for its achievement:

The ability to state exactly what you want to achieve:

A strong desire

Visualization

Concentration

Will power

Self discipline

Persistence

Focus your mind on your goal, and add the above-mentioned ingredients, and you will have a much better ability to concentrate and plan your success.

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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