Warren Struhl has spent the last 28 years starting, nurturing, and building businesses. Warren’s current business passion is MyPhoto, which is the world’s easiest way to take any digital photo and make it into a handcrafted photo product for walls, desks, and shelves. His television commercials can be seen nationally.At the age of 28, Warren founded his first business, PaperDirect, Inc., when he recognized the potential growth of laser and inkjet printers. Available for the first time in 1989, Warren’s invention of specialty paper products created a new industry. Through his catalog, PaperDirect became a highly successful business reaching $100 million in sales with one million customers when Warren sold the business to a Fortune 500 company. Since the sale of PaperDirect in 1993, Warren has started, nurtured, and invested in 30 plus companies which he documented in his book, Starting Them Up, published in 2011.Some of Warren’s most notable business activities include Popcorn, Indiana, PaperDirect, Successories, White Cloud Consumer Products, Blue Moon Mexican, American Registry and Vitals.com. Warren has received many distinguished awards including Entrepreneur of the Year in New Jersey in 1994 by Ernst & Young and Entrepreneur of the Week by Yahoo Finance in 2008. He has written several articles on business including a column in Inc. Magazine and has also been featured over the years in several news outlets including CNBC, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and FOX Business.

Show Highlights:

When you tell people your business idea and you don’t get a reaction, you’re probably not on to something. -Warren StruhlThe most polarizing ideas are the ones that absolutely win. -Warren StruhlYour idea really does have to be well thought out, it has to be unique, and you have to ask a lot of people what they think. Whether you have laughter, or constructive criticism, or “Wow, this is the greatest idea ever!”, you’ve got to listen. Don’t get defensive. -Warren StruhlIf you don’t have people that are obsessed–not passionate, not excited, but obsessed–about walking through a wall to be successful,  your chances are diminished. -Warren Struhl[You need] the ability to zig and zag. Listen to your customers and be flexible. -Warren StruhlUnfortunately, you need to know when to hold ’em and know when to fold ’em, as Kenny Rogers used to say. -Warren StruhlThe most important thing for me in a business is balance. -Warren StruhlIf you outline the pitfalls beforehand and think it through, even though it’s scary, when those things happen it will be easier to deal with because you’ve already talked about them. It also prepares you psychologically that there are going to be pitfalls. -Warren Struhl

Warren’s closing thoughts: You have to have a DNA of wanting it, of being inspired. For people that aren’t wired, you can read as many books and listen to as many podcasts as you want and still not make it to the next level.

The Action Catalyst is a weekly podcast hosted by Dan Moore, President of Southwestern Advantage, the oldest direct-sales company in America, and Partner with Southwestern Consulting. With more than 45 years in sales leadership and marketing management, Dan has a wealth of knowledge to share on how to make better use of time to achieve life, sales, and other business goals. Each week, he interviews some of the nation’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing meaningful tips and advice. Subscribe on iTunes and please leave a rating and review!