How to Start A Business Without Money

Start Business with No MoneyYou have this wonderful idea for a business.

You get excited. You work out the details. Oh, this is going to be it. You are already deciding how to spend the profits; travel to that beautiful location, buy the awesome gadget – you even write down the percentage you’ll be giving to charity.

Then reality hits. You realize that you would need X amount of money. You don’t have it. You can hear the noise of your dreams deflating. Your plans laid to waste.

You are back to dreaming, back to waiting.

You do this often enough and this becomes a habit. Now every time an idea about a business comes, you know how it’s going to end; I have no money, I can not start. The vicious cycle of dreams remaining dreams begins.

But there is a way you can start a business with no money. Continue reading

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This is The Most Powerful Story You’ll Ever Hear

Your Most Important StoryFrom ancient traditions to worldwide religions, from cultural values to family traditions, stories are the primary mode of communication, of transference.

You are what you are because of the stories that you end up believing.

You got a pair of Nikes? Possibly because you believe the story of ‘doing it’ or ‘making it count’.

If you have a pair of slippers your Mother bought from China Market, your story is about ‘being intelligent about purchases’ or ‘buying the best quality at cheapest rates’.

Doesn’t matter if the story is false or true. What matters is that there is a story. Everything else are details.

That’s why I don’t mind that my laptop has a glowing fruit for a logo. Those are details. What matters is that I believe the story Apple Computers likes to tell. Continue reading

Posted in Business Case Studies, Entrepreneurship, Life etc, Lifestyle, Newsletter, People, Pro Blogging, Self | 6 Comments

3 Steps to Finding the Right Teacher for Any Project

finding mentors and or teachers

We were trying to sell some soap. My friend has invested in a small detergent manufacturing unit.

Yes. Detergents. It’s a huge market. With well-defined segments. We had a problem – as any MBA will tell you – of Positioning. I had told my friend the best possible route I knew; let’s find someone who knows more than we do.

We sit in the teacher’s office. He is Head of the Marketing department, in one of the best business schools in Asia (!!). Has even written a well-received textbook on Marketing itself.

He listens to our problem. Briefly.

“What makes you think I can help?” He sounds genuine in his question.

“Well, sir,” I say, “you know Marketing. So we wondered if you can help us sell this product to our –”

“If I knew how to do business, I wouldn’t be here teaching.”

+++

Whenever I undertake any new project, my first actionable item is to find the right teachers in that field. That is my first and most exhausting activity.

It is the first thing I suggest to anyone looking to start any new project, may it be a new business, a new career, hobby etc; “Have you identified the teachers in your field?”

But in the story above, I made a mistake, didn’t I?

Yes, I did not follow the 3 steps.

The 3 Steps To Finding The Right Teacher For Any Project. Continue reading

Posted in Business, Entrepreneurship, learning, Life etc, Newsletter, pakistan, People, Self, Society | 2 Comments

Time Sensitive: Please Read

I write this with a headache and a sore throat. The weather in Lahore right now is amazing. Summer seems to be nowhere in sight though. Weird.

But I write this because there is not enough time. Hardly 70 hours left.

I have always tried to bring the best content to you. Helpful, valuable, useful.

And I am about to buy this deal. This very easily passes off as awesome.

Are you serious about creative self employment? About starting your own business? Or starting another side project? Then this deal is also for you. I want you to buy it too. Continue reading

Posted in Books, Business Case Studies, Entrepreneurship, learning, Newsletter, Online Earning Methods, Pro Blogging, Profession, Social Media, Starta, Technology, The Net | Comments Off

One Tip that Saves Me Thousands

Delayed Gratification and Impulse Control made coolHow many of us know a person who got a gym membership, was all pumped up to lose weight and then a few days later, nothing!

Or gets this shiny new gadget, promises to use it to justify the expensive purchase, and a few days later, doesn’t even use it as much?

Heck, I know that person. I am that person.

I was burning through whatever money I had by accumulating stuff. Note, I am not a spendthrift but I still ended up buying things (or wanting things) that I knew I would get bored out of. Continue reading

Posted in Entrepreneurship, learning, Lifestyle, Newsletter, Profession, Science, Self, Starta | 16 Comments

The Friday Refresh, March 2012

Ready to refresh? Here are some links I have curated for you over the previous few weeks.

The following is a refresh list of things that the modern businessman, entrepreneur, starta or the awesome person that you are may find helpful. Continue reading

Posted in Build Community, Entrepreneurship, Newsletter, Pro Blogging, Social Media, Society, Starta, The Friday Refresh | 2 Comments

The Seduction of Talent

His walk is a swagger because he knows he’s got it. He doesn’t try hard because he doesn’t need to. He can make your efforts look like child’s play, that’s how good he’s at it. People say he’s the best, people say he will be the best, people say he knows his craft.

She walks with a ton of humility on her shoulders. She tries hard to be the best. She knows that soon, her efforts will outshine someone else’s mere talent. People say she’s not good at it, people say she should do something else, people say she is a joke. Continue reading

Posted in Inspiring Stories, Life etc, Lifestyle, Newsletter, Self | 20 Comments