So, in Part 1 of my discussions on the profound impact Dave Stech has had in my life, I told you about his concept behind “The Power of 6″. I want to share more of Dave’s insight with you here, because I think it is vitally important to your business and your life.

Dave emphasizes the importance of “fewer, deeper business relationships” to create “fewer, bigger deals”. Why waste time trying to strengthen business relationships with people who are not in alignment with who YOU are and what YOU are passionate about doing?

Why chase after the “bright shiny objects” in business, only to come up in the end exhausted and frustrated?

I have seen firsthand how distilling a contact list of thousands down to a pertinent few has made my business far more effective, and the service I provide many times more valuable. Dave Stech taught me the value of this, as well as the practical steps of how to implement this practice into my daily life.

I have also learned (in some cases the hard way) the importance of concentrating on fewer, bigger deals, focusing my energies and resources in places that create win-win solutions for everyone involved.

I am deeply grateful to have Dave Stech as a friend and mentor.

If you want to “just add a zero” while “doing good, having fun, and making money” go to http://www.ThePowerOf6.com, and find out how creating fewer, deeper business relationships will lead to fewer, bigger deals and more abundant life.

Go Big,
~JT

PS: Remember to leave me a comment and share this post with other entrepreneurs you care about!

I have been very blessed in my life to have some tremendous teachers. Most of what I share with you has either come from real-life experience or from learning from amazing teachers and friends.

Dave Stech is one of those incredible teachers, and a tremendous friend.

I first met Dave in 2005 (my wife, Mia, actually met him at a real estate seminar). Mia and I were full-time naval aviators, and budding entrepreneurs and Dave was (and still is) and ultra-successful real estate entrepreneur. Mia and I have referred to Dave as our “Rich Dad”, with a tip of the hat to Robert Kiyosaki’s book Rich Dad, Poor Dad, in which his friend and mentor is referred to by this title.

Dave has made a tremendous impact on our lives, both personally and professionally. We have learned enough from Dave to fill volumes. When I struggled in business, he would calmly tell me, “JT, to get where you want to be financially, just add a zero.”

Then he showed me how to do it.

When I was struggling to find my true calling, Dave gave me one the of the greatest pieces of advice I have EVER received. He said, “Follow your true passion, and make sure you do good, have fun, and make money!”

And then he showed me how to implement it.

One thing that is critically important for every entrepreneur to grasp, and something that has made a huge difference in my business, is Dave’s concept of “The Power of 6″.

You can learn more about The Power of 6 here.

As entrepreneurs, we have a tendency to want to be all things to all people. We have a sense that maxing out our Facebook affiliations, having tens of thousands of followers on Twitter, and jumping into every business venture we can make time for is the recipe for success.

Not true.

In my next post, I will share some insight form Dave Stech that changed the course of my entrepreneurial life. Until then, check out Dave’s wisdom at http://www.ThePowerOf6.com.

Go Big,
~JT

PS: Remember to leave me a comment and share this post with other entrepreneurs you care about!

Here is the link to the call: Join Craig and JT Monday, 21 December at 9 pm EST!

Join me as I interview author and entrepreneur Craig Zuber about leadership, entrepreneurship and his new book In The Trenches: Do Or Die Lessons From The Business Battlefield.

“See” you Monday, 21 December at 9 pm EST.
~JT

Registration is currently closed. Listen to the recording below.

 

 Interview with Craig Zuber [50:33m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

One of my favorite teachers, and a guy I can relate to on a lot of levels, is internet marketing expert Frank Kern.

Frank Kern has transformed the way I think about business, and has contributed a great deal to my leadership development training in more ways than I could begin to describe in one post.

Frank comes off as this laid back slacker of an internet marketer. You can almost imagine him barely taking anything seriously, and you get the sense that he is either on his way to, or coming back from a session of surfing (after all, he IS an avid surfer…).

Make no mistake about it; Frank Kern is a genius. He works hard, creates more value than anyone else I can think of in everything he produces, and the dude is HILARIOUS.

A couple of weeks ago, Frank submitted a video on his blog called State of The Internet Address. It is the best 32 minutes I had spent in a long time, and I took a lot out of his message.

Frank taught me one lesson in particular that I want to share with you today because I believe it is one of the most important lessons I have learned in my entire entrepreneurial career.

Frank said today, more than ever, you must ‘out-cool’ your competition, meaning you must give more value, treat them with more respect, and provide a better experience for them than anyone else can.

This is profoundly powerful to me, and I hope it hits you between the eyes, too. This one attitude can and will pay you fortunes. If more businesses and entrepreneurs really infuse this attitude in their daily practices, I believe we’ll see a rapid turnaround in the economy.

Frank’s message is that powerful.

‘Out-cooling’ your competition is not just a great idea, it is THE best way to shift the momentum in your business in the face of a challenging economy.

It means giving more value to your customers in proportion to the money they give you. Simply outselling, out-marketing, and outperforming your competition will not cut it anymore.

As Frank says, by delivering more happiness to customers and prospects, and deliberately putting forth an effort to make their lives better in everything you do with them, you will enjoy success.

Check out Frank’s State Of The Internet Address here.

Frank Kern is one of my teachers because he emphasizes value first. He believes in over-delivering great content that makes a profound difference in his customers.

I’d like you to check out his site at http://www.MassControlSite/blog and buy his stuff. Seriously, it will change the way you do business forever.

Out-cool your competition today, and you will enjoy more success than you ever dreamed of.

Go Big,
~JT

Tiger Woods made a public statement on his website that he would be taking an ‘indefinite break’ from golf to attend to his family in the wake of recent news of infidelity and marital turmoil.

“After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father, and person.”

In so doing Woods made a profound statement about his character as well.

You see, no matter your opinion of Tiger Woods, he is a leader. He is a leader in sport, a leader in business and a leader in life.

In golf, he dominates his sport so much so that the PGA Tour is ‘concerned’ about the absence of Tiger and what it will mean to the Tour’s ratings. The Tour cited a marked decline in ratings while Tiger was away rehabbing a major knee injury in 2008.

And few can argue his dominance of his sport. Earlier in 2009, Tiger became the first athlete ever to surpass the $1 billion mark in earnings. In any sport. By any athlete. Ever.

Make no mistake about it; if Tiger wanted to “push this all behind him” and “block it out”, he could. He is the most mentally tough athlete I have ever seen. But this is about life. This is about family. This is about taking care of priorities.

The thing I was most taken by was Tiger’s brutal honesty and humble request for forgiveness. This simple, yet elegant act is so rare these days, particularly amongst elite athletes and celebrities (or politicians) who often seem to carry themselves with an aloof attitude toward personal responsibility.

Leadership starts with personal responsibility. The toughest decisions in leadership occur when a leader is forced to put their ego aside and make an unpopular choice.

Tiger certainly created a tough situation for himself through his actions, yet instead of hiding behind some nebulous statement, or dancing around creative language and double-talk, Woods came out and asked for forgiveness:
“I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children. I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness. It may not be possible to repair the damage I’ve done, but I want to do my best to try. “

Tiger demonstrated the leadership principle of personal responsibility, even in the face of public humiliation. He showed his vulnerability, his human side.

People need to know that, as a leader, you are human. That you thinks and feel as a human, not a pre-programmed robot. To inspire people to follow you, they have to know that you lead with your intellect, your skills, and your soul. Tiger demonstrated that today with his statement.

It may be easy for the mediocre mind to balk at Tiger’s statement, claiming “he should have apologized” or he “should have begged for forgiveness”, but how often do we admit when we are wrong? How often do we apologize for hurting others, or asking for forgiveness in the wake of a personal transgression?

I am not here to defend Tiger’s actions, but I am in strong support of pointing out the lessons to be learned from his very public fall from grace. It is easy to point fingers, judge, and crucify someone else (particularly a public figure) when they screw up.

Leadership is not about making all the right decisions all the time, but it is about recognizing one’s shortcomings and taking responsibility for them.

And that is what Tiger did. Love him or not, Tiger is a champion, and a leader.