2 Awesome Resources That Will Make You a Better Entrepreneur

Michael Hyatt and Building a Platform

Shortly afterward I decided, I discovered Michael Hyatt. His book, Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World along with his blogs, and his podcasts made it clear that if significant numbers were going to read my book, I had to create a platform and attract a following.

Studying Michael and others, I changed my focus. Before, I viewed writing the book as the way to share my message. After studying Hyatt, I realize in today’s interconnected, multimedia world, it is my entire platform (website, book, blog, social media, podcast, videos) that will allow me to most effectively share the stories of Fairfield meditating entrepreneurs living 200% of life, 100% material, 100% spiritual.

I particularly like and identify Michael Hyatt because of his practicality, his geekiness with online tools, and his value-driven spirituality. (Michael and most of his guests share a non-evangelizing Christian-orientation. I am Jewish, and this site’s foundation is based on the knowledge and practice of the Transcendental Meditation program with its origins in the Vedic Tradition. Michael and his guests through their actions, values, and information, communicate in ways that resonate with me. Truth and Ultimate Reality can be expressed in many ways. The uniqueness of the TM technique is that it provides the experience of our essential nature. Any deep understanding of reality, whatever the form, is enriched by that experience.)

Through Michael I became exposed to marvelous leaders in the online world including Donald Miller, Amy Porterfield, Darren Rowse, Pat Flynn, Greg Mckeown, Derek Halpern, Cliff Ravenscraft, Dave Ramsey, Dan Miller, Jeff Goins, Jeff Walker, Stu McClaren, and Michelle Cushatt. Each of these people offers practical entrepreneurial wisdom from a world-view based on giving and not on taking or manipulating. (Links of the websites of these people found in chart below.)

Michael offers a treasure of free information. I’m particularly inspired by his podcasts. I was so impressed that I joined his Platform University with its affordable $30 a month fee. There, Michael interviews great guests such as those mentioned above, and goes deeper into how to create strong content that attracts followers. A platform builder community discusses issues in active Platform University forums.

John Lee Dumas and Entrepreneur on Fire

I continue to be blown away by John Lee Dumas (JLD) and his contributions to anyone wanting to become an entrepreneur.

Entrepreneur on Fire Daily Podcast

Every day, seven days a week, JLD interviews an entrepreneur – some famous, some unknown, some fabulously successful, some getting started, all with something to offer other entrepreneurs through their stories and services.

Just listening to roughly 10% of the over 1000, 30-minute interviews, I became exposed to some incredible people and entrepreneurial services.

WP Curve

For example, I heard Dan Norris and Alex McClafferty on Entrepreneur on Fire discussing their support service, WP Curve, for WordPress users.

I’ve had websites for my businesses since the 1990’s. Although today’s tools make web development and content creation considerably easier, there is still much to master. Fixing a display problem, tweaking the look of a site, adding some new function can be painful and time-consuming for the small entrepreneur. For someone like me, comfortable with technology, it is easy to spend hours of time on my site making a tweak or fixing a problem, time that would be better spent creating content.

For less than $100 a month, WP Curve, on an unlimited basis, will fix problems, take on small projects, and make sure your site stays secure and fast. Just submit a job anytime day or night and WP Curve completes it in less than a day.

I use their service for this site and am pleased. The first three weeks, I had so many accumulated wishes that I often used WP twice daily (one request allowed at a time). Now, I make requests only on occasion, but it is worth it to have the support when I need it. WP Curve is also proactive, checking this site and making suggestions.

Open Books for World to See

One of the things I really appreciate about JLD (and as it happens WP Curve) is the posting of financials online with monthly posts and podcasts analyzing the results and lessons learned. This is a marvelous teaching tool, and I applaud JLD for opening up his fast-growing, incredibly successful business to public scrutiny.

Podcaster’s Paradise

The largest stream of income of Entrepreneur On Fire comes from Podcaster’s Paradise, of which I am a member. Even though I joined over a year ago, I embarrassed to say I have not taken advantage of the many tutorials, guest webinars, and community.

I joined because I definitely plan to podcast, and knowing that I already invested will help motivate me to start. Further, the pricing for the lifetime membership keeps going up. If I joined today, I would pay about 50% more.

To get a hands-on, practical taste, about podcasting, JLD offers free podcast and webinar training courses.

More Entrepreneur on Fire discoveries

In preparation, for this post, I spent several hours on the Entrepreneur on Fire podcast page going the through overviews of the over 1000 podcasts, and downloading more to listen to. What follows is a list of people who I recommend entrepreneurs become exposed to. They were almost all interviewed by JLD, although I became aware of a number of them through other avenues. See chart below for names, website, and JLD interview number.

Resources for Entrepreneurs Worth Checking Out

Over the past year, I’ve come across the following people, all of whom have something to share to aspiring entrepreneurs. For example, I’ve purchased video courses on Evernote and Scrivener from Andy Traub and Joseph Michael. I’ve gotten much from the podcasts of Tim Ferris, Pat Flynn, and Andrew Warner. I’m a long time fan of David Allen and his recently updated business classic, Getting Things Done. I’m intrigued by Donald Miller’s simple story-telling approach to marketing. [tweet_dis]Go through the list & click. The knowledge, creativity, inspiration available for entrepreneurs is extraordinary.[/tweet_dis]

@pwdan

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