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No, this isn’t a joke. Far from it, this is my breakfast! Here it is, in all its glory. Cofee Press made fresh Peet’s Major Dickason’s blend, and an Organic Vegetable Fritatta (3 eggs) … Yum!

Association and Tribal Marketing
brought to you by The Marketing Crazy Association of America

Here I sit at Yanik Silver’s Underground online seminar, hearing about “Association Marketing”. Interesting, but not too on point to what I actually do. Of course, many of my niches have associations already, and most are very poorly run, so there’s no doubt there is some opportunity there. However, I also know, I’m not that motivated to do it.

No passion, not doing it!

After the “make money” motivation is removed, you’ll be amazed at the things you won’t do, simply because you’re not interested enough…

No doubt, the difference between having “members” rather than “customers” is likely huge, however, after reviewing what is necessary in creating a real (not a fake) association, I’m likely not the right person (or perhaps I am the right person, at the wrong time).

Interesting stuff, as the second day of the Underground Online seminar starts. I’ve already met people from across the spectrum of just starting out, to multi-million dollar businesses. I enjoyed the opening speech given by Godaddy CEO, Bob Parsons, whom shares many heartfelt lessons and stories from going broke to find scary amounts of success (and creating some darn funny superbowl commercials).

(pass, 10 hours of classes, dinner, and dancing)

Now it’s 8am, Saturday morning, and I’m hearing about direct marketing. I wasn’t so sure that anything could hold my attention at 8am, however this person is actaully quite amusing. Drayton Bird is his name, and I just purchased two of his books. Not that I read that much (not nearly as much as I should), but I just got the new Kindle, and I’m dying to give it a spin!

Now, Tony Hsieh of Zappos.com (no longer just the best shoe store online, but rapidly becoming the best STORE period), is sharing his ten core values of the company. Such a “Deliver WOW through service”, and “Create fun and a little wierdness”, and “be humble”, there is little doubt, this is the company to model, and a company that’s leading the pack in dynamic corporate culture (not to mention… profits).

He makes the point that it’s not necessarily important what you’re companies core values are. It’s more important that you simply have them, and commit to them. That you are willing to hire and fire over there.That they are something you are committed to growing and adhering to… Of course, if you are just starting a company, you may not know it’s core values. Where do you start?

You start with your own personal core values of course, and that’s not so simple a thing to do. It takes a lot of personal introspection to figure out what your personal values are. What’s your guiding light?

This is quickly followd up by the seven steps to build a billion dollar company. Ha. Yes, a billion! Loved these seven steps, and no, I’m not going to write them out for you … the actual philosophy behind them, is more important than the list themselves. Finally, he transitions too…

Happiness.

Yes, Happiness!

Not the Tony Robbins version, he points out, but actual true Happiness - how we, as people, can be happy. What drives us, and how we can attain it…

Very interesting way to end - I loved it. Ate it up! As you’re all aware, my businesses, and the way I run them, are very much centered around several core principles, two of which are…

1) Making the world a better place in some way…
2) Happiness through work, play, and freedom…

Gotta love that! More soon (or not). Keep it Crazy…

ps - Go buy something from Zappos right now! I mean it, right now… See what its like.

Oh yes, I am well aware I have been all too distant. Yes, I have been travelling - yes, I’ve been to the beaches and islands from Bondi to Malaysia, and yes, I’m finally back (again).

This is quite an economic downturn we’re having (or have they finally called it a recession?). I must admit, apart from the absolutely insane, and mishandled, housing crisis, it doesn’t truly affect the businesses I have setup (yet). Will it affect them at some time? Perhaps. I feel well prepared. Diversified even (to coin a phrase). I look forward to sharing that…

More importantly, there’s never been a more important time, even historic, for me to expedite my desire to teach, and fulfill my passion to educate.  I love teaching - always have. To that end, we’ll have some huge announcements about that coming up towards the end of the year - as I batten down the hatches and prepare to finally launch all that I’ve been threatening to launch for the last three years.

How has the economic downturn (oh, screw it, I’m calling it a recession), affected you? Has it? I filled up my car yesterday, and had to double check the price, because it felt so CHEAP! After this last summer, that was quite a surprise…Oh, and my stock portfolio? A crazy person like me? Down in the steep double digits!

No, it’s not that easy, but this video from Yanik Silver can be found over at his blog Internet Lifestyle. This is exactly what I was talking about yesterday. This is some difficult stuff, but I think you can handle it.

This is an amazing video on being an Entrepeneur, making a contribution, virtue not vice, and why you can never let “the other side” accuse you of a “vice” just because you’re an entrepreneur. And certainly not just because you run a successful enterprise.

We are all going to be forces for good, and I’m going to lead people in that way - a moral responsibility. Driving business as a force for good.

Please, visit Yanik’s blog and see this video!

I don’t know anything about the Lifebook program he discusses, but I do believe in what he’s saying! What do you think?

Wow, this was timely blog post, that flowed RIGHT into what I experienced on my trip!

to OUR success -

MC