The Lonely Entrepreneur Podcast

An entrepreneur’s regular day can feel like doing 100 hours of work at 10 hours a time. But can you actually do this every day?

The technique lies in spending more time on the most strategic things for your business. But let’s say you already know your priorities. Here are some tips that can help you with managing your time.

🎬 3 Critical Tips for Time Management

What You Will Discover: 

✔️ Do the hardest thing first thing in the morning. This is when you’re at your sharpest. This is when you want to write your strategic plan, not at 7 in the evening when you’re putting your kids to bed.

✔️ Focus on the first five tasks on your to-do list. Maybe leave a little space for a sixth but don’t do the others. Develop the discipline to be laser-focused on the five to avoid wasting an entire day over things that don’t produce results.

✔️ Shut off all distractions. Turn off devices. Put your phone away. Close your email. You don’t need to be connected to the outside world when you’re building your passion. 

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Feel like no one understands or cares as much as you do? 

The Lonely Entrepreneur helps entrepreneurs with the #1 issue we all face – the struggle. We know what it's like to feel energized and overwhelmed at the same time. It's all about our perspective on business issues, personal issues, and the day-to-day grind of being our own boss. The difference between success and failure is your perspective. You can learn more and get a FREE daily perspective to help you be a better entrepreneur each day by visiting us at www.lonelyentrepreneur.com.

We always tell entrepreneurs that the most important skill that you can have is finding your playground.

The playground is where nobody else is playing – where everybody is selling apples, and you’re selling oranges.

You might say, “That’s terrific. But everyone else has more resources than I do. There’s too much competition!”

So how do we actually go about doing that?

🎬 How To Find Your Playground

What You Will Discover: 

✔️ Hear a client’s success story. A nurse with a passion for financial literacy went from one of 10,000 to one of one. How? We helped her narrow down her audience by focusing on people close to her job experience.

✔️ There’s no magic formula. It’s never easy to find it, but it DOES exist. It takes deep consideration and thought to ask, “How do I make it so that when I wake up in the morning, everyone’s doing this while I’m doing something slightly different but beneficial?”

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Feel like no one understands or cares as much as you do? 

The Lonely Entrepreneur helps entrepreneurs with the #1 issue we all face – the struggle. We know what it's like to feel energized and overwhelmed at the same time. It's all about our perspective on business issues, personal issues, and the day-to-day grind of being our own boss. The difference between success and failure is your perspective. You can learn more and get a FREE daily perspective to help you be a better entrepreneur each day by visiting us at www.lonelyentrepreneur.com.

The first thing you may hear from entrepreneurs is...

“How do I make my product or service better?”

We know you’ve put heart and soul into what you’re building, and you want it to come out as polished as possible. But what I want to teach you is that your positioning is SO MUCH MORE than the product.

Before you object, listen in to why this is true.

🎬 Positioning Is More Important Than Product

What You Will Discover: 

✔️ Hear a real-world example. Think about Nike, ASICS, and Saucony. Which of these brands would runners recommend the most? But which has the highest sales numbers? The distinct difference is in the positioning.

✔️ Know how to prioritize. Your time and effort should go 75% on positioning and 25% on the product to materialize success.

✔️ Give your audience a reason to pay attention. Position yourself in your unique playground where people can go, “That makes sense!” Who do you imagine your customers to be? What needs would you address? Do you have a catchy hook that would tug at people’s psyche?

✔️ Your market niche matters. I call this your “playground” where nobody else is playing. This is where you thrive. This is where you should maximize your time and effort before tweaking your product to perfection.

————————————————————————————————

Feel like no one understands or cares as much as you do? 

The Lonely Entrepreneur helps entrepreneurs with the #1 issue we all face – the struggle. We know what it's like to feel energized and overwhelmed at the same time. It's all about our perspective on business issues, personal issues, and the day-to-day grind of being our own boss. The difference between success and failure is your perspective. You can learn more and get a FREE daily perspective to help you be a better entrepreneur each day by visiting us at www.lonelyentrepreneur.com.

A simple yet the most daunting question for every start-up entrepreneur: 

What makes your business different❓❓❓

In today's noisy and often seemingly oversaturated market, nobody's paying attention to anything. For a second, think about yourself. What makes you pay attention when something is put in front of you? 

Hence the need to stand out and be different. Be able to describe your unique offer, solve problems others have not yet discovered, and establish a new niche where people are likely ready to support and buy from you.

▶️ Differentiate Your Business & Dominate Your Niche.

Key points in this episode:

✔️ We live in a world where there's competition with whatever idea we have or are executing. There are very few spaces where one can develop an idea where there isn't somebody doing it, thinking about doing it, or could do it in the future. With the stiffer competition, entrepreneurs have got to work harder and smarter. 

✔️ Businesses use email marketing and social media as the two most powerful marketing tools, yet some win while others don't. Frankly, our biggest competition is content clutter. People's attention is pulled from all sides by anything and anyone who's selling something on the internet. 

✔️ We believe that the first thing required before embarking on a business is finding a playground where nobody else is playing. What we mean by that is that when you're selling your product and service, you're not just like everybody else.  

✔️ Careful planning, research, and a solid commitment to your values and vision are required to establish a unique selling proposition for your business. Create compelling reasons why customers should choose you.

————————————————————————————————

Feel like no one understands or cares as much as you do? 

The Lonely Entrepreneur helps entrepreneurs with the #1 issue we all face – the struggle. We know what it's like to feel energized and overwhelmed at the same time. It's all about our perspective on business issues, personal issues, and the day-to-day grind of being our own boss. The difference between success and failure is your perspective. You can learn more and get a FREE daily perspective to help you be a better entrepreneur each day by visiting us at www.lonelyentrepreneur.com.

Talent, passion, and perseverance are all KEY to success in the world of business. However, the biggest misconception for starting entrepreneurs is thinking that these are enough for them to hit the mark and make it BIG. 

▶️ What is the Biggest Struggle of Being an Entrepreneur?

Key points in this episode:

✔️ An often-used quote describes entrepreneurs as people who "jump from a cliff and build the parachute on the way down." 🪂 As natural risk-takers we connect with this truth, but let’s not start businesses without a plan and have to pay for painful lessons in the long run.

✔️ Having a skill is one thing, but building a business is another. 

Being an entrepreneur means having the ability to learn and unlearn, and possessing the openness to seek new avenues for personal and professional growth continuously.

✔️ Know more about what it means to turn that talent, skill, and passion into a business. Sometimes that can mean turning to other resources, experts, mentors, or having a co-founder. You need to seek out what you don't know or haven’t experienced yet, and gain from others' wisdom to succeed. 

———————————————————————————

Feel like no one understands or cares as much as you do? 

The Lonely Entrepreneur helps entrepreneurs with the #1 issue we all face – the struggle. We know what it's like to feel energized and overwhelmed at the same time. It's all about our perspective on business issues, personal issues, and the day-to-day grind of being our own boss. The difference between success and failure is your perspective. You can learn more and get a FREE daily perspective to help you be a better entrepreneur each day by visiting us at www.lonelyentrepreneur.com.

Am I an entrepreneur? What does it mean to be one?

With entrepreneurism seemingly becoming a fad, the definition needs more understanding. It takes a great deal of courage to be an entrepreneur who takes risks to invest one's money, time, effort, and even many aspects of one's personal life to create innovation and create tremendous value in the market.

▶️ Seeking the Path of the Modern Entrepreneur

Key points in this episode:

✔️ "Entrepreneur" comes from the French word entreprendre, which means "to undertake." People in the past had different ideas of what today's buzzword meant when it was discovered in 1762. What does it truly mean to be an entrepreneur today?

✔️ The modern entrepreneur who will find the way ahead of others is the one who has successfully mastered effective leadership and clear communication, is open to learning from others, is laser-focused, and possesses a strong vision. 

✔️ Passion, grit, and a good idea are not enough.  

For a long time, entrepreneurship has been all about the hustle and the grind. Persistence is the surefire way to success, coupled with passion, winning ideas, and strategy. But in today's world — they are not enough.

✔️ Being an entrepreneur is not a job; it's an identity. A new business is launched every day in many parts of the world. When the competition gets stiffer, and markets get more crowded, what sets successful entrepreneurs apart are those who embody courage, innovative spirit, and sheer relentlessness to create change.

———————————————————————————

Feel like no one understands or cares as much as you do? 

The Lonely Entrepreneur helps entrepreneurs with the #1 issue we all face – the struggle. We know what it's like to feel energized and overwhelmed at the same time. It's all about our perspective on business issues, personal issues, and the day-to-day grind of being our own boss. The difference between success and failure is your perspective. You can learn more and get a FREE daily perspective to help you be a better entrepreneur each day by visiting us at www.lonelyentrepreneur.com.

When you try to look for answers as to how to start your business, you’ll get different pieces of advice… every time! Sometimes, they don’t give you a clear plan.

In this episode, I’m simplifying it for you. Get a better understanding of the process with just these three foundational elements that you need to know for your business.

🎬 The Three Foundational Elements For Your Business (And How to Apply Them)

What You Will Discover: 

✔️ Have a financial plan. It isn’t just numbers. It ties into your personal, company, and financial goals. It should be 2-3 years of your income and expenses projections. It dictates how you allocate your scarce resources.

✔️ Set a go-to-market strategy. It answers the question, “How do you go to the market with your product or service in a way that will stand out and win?” Find your playground. Use social media as a vehicle to carry your messaging.

✔️ Identify your operating priorities. These ensure you’re making progress on bringing your top talent and resources to give you the best chance at success. Know what your business truly needs. A big team? A new skill set? An advisory board?

———————————————————————————

Feel like no one understands or cares as much as you do? 

The Lonely Entrepreneur helps entrepreneurs with the #1 issue we all face – the struggle. We know what it's like to feel energized and overwhelmed at the same time. It's all about our perspective on business issues, personal issues, and the day-to-day grind of being our own boss. The difference between success and failure is your perspective. You can learn more and get a FREE daily perspective to help you be a better entrepreneur each day by visiting us at www.lonelyentrepreneur.com.

As new entrepreneurs we start going out and learning new skills, and our first instinct is to go after where the revenue is. 

We chase customers to follow the money. That’s what entrepreneurs should do, right?

What if I told you that’s wrong? I’ll tell you why.

🎬 The One Skill You Should NOT Use (And What to Do Instead)

✔️ New ideas spark new challenges. Any time you bring something new to the table it’s going to be met with either open arms or rejection. Don’t push too hard, work smart, and you’ll find the ones who will surely say, “Yes!” 

✔️ Find your focus. The marketplace can be overwhelming, so make an intuitive guess as to who your main customers are. Bouncing from one customer to another will NEVER work for your business, it’ll only stress you out.

✔️ Focusing on a customer allows you to know them more. Adjust your messaging to their needs. Pick up the nuances of why they buy and don’t buy.

Do you need to price your product differently? What are they looking for?

✔️ Have the discipline to not chase every customer. Being an entrepreneur means honing in on a specific type of customer, ensuring that our passion translates into a valuable solution. We’re all in this together, lonely entrepreneurs! 

———————————————————————————

Feel like no one understands or cares as much as you do? 

The Lonely Entrepreneur helps entrepreneurs with the #1 issue we all face – the struggle. We know what it's like to feel energized and overwhelmed at the same time. It's all about our perspective on business issues, personal issues, and the day-to-day grind of being our own boss. The difference between success and failure is your perspective. You can learn more and get a FREE daily perspective to help you be a better entrepreneur each day by visiting us at www.lonelyentrepreneur.com.

If you've gone to a physical store or made a recent purchase online, you were likely spending extra minutes trying to decide on your most valuable picks that are worth your trust and money. As an entrepreneur, consider how prospective customers share the same difficulty choosing the best options in your industry.

Therefore, it is your job to help them by crafting goods and services with a unique selling proposition. What sets you apart from the rest? Are you memorable enough?

They have to see precisely what your business offers that others do not.

▶️ Winning In A Hyper-Competitive World. 

Key points in this episode:

✔️ We're in a global marketplace with hyper-competition levels, and where the rules of the game are massively changing. To stay nimble and thrive, there are two essential things Michael Dermer points out to possess a high differentiation in a crowded marketplace. 

✔️Focus on your brand and expertise to compete, even if somebody else can provide the market with the same products or services that are better, cheaper, and faster. 

✔️ Your uniqueness is your superpower in this hypercompetitive world. Inasmuch as your expertise and know-how can establish you as the better choice, being different from your competitors makes you attractive to the buyer on the other side of the table.

✔️Becoming better and different. I challenge you to focus on your uniqueness, and to take your know-how and bring it to the forefront. You'll see how that helps you turn your passion into success, and you'll become a thriving entrepreneur.

————————————————————————————

Feel like no one understands or cares as much as you do? 

The Lonely Entrepreneur helps entrepreneurs with the #1 issue we all face – the struggle. We know what it's like to feel energized and overwhelmed at the same time. It's all about our perspective on business issues, personal issues, and the day-to-day grind of being our own boss. The difference between success and failure is your perspective. You can learn more and get a FREE daily perspective to help you be a better entrepreneur each day by visiting us at www.lonelyentrepreneur.com.

Many times, innovative ideas are hard to execute because, for obvious reasons, they are unique and new. 

In my early years, I left a promising law career to start IncentOne, the first company to provide rewards for healthy behavior. At the time, rewards in healthcare were not only non-existent – they were offensive. I was told over and over, "we will never reward people for things they should be doing to be healthy." 

That birthed a new company and a whole new industry.

As entrepreneurs, we are expected to be visionaries, yet we must also make that happen by executing plans with the right people and system.

How do you drive your vision to fruition?

▶️ What Being An Entrepreneur Really Means

Key points in this episode:

✔️A visionary idea 💡 sparks every new venture — but it takes faith and belief to say, "I'm going to bring forward an idea of something that's never been done before." In a challenging world, what sets entrepreneurs apart is their way of thinking and moving. At their core, entrepreneurs are always willing to understand problems from different and new perspectives. They innovate, seize unlikely opportunities, and create value.

✔️ Many successful business leaders have this secret to sustaining growth — HUMILITY and a HEALTHY EGO. They are willing to learn from their advisors and mentors, carefully listen to their customers and employees, and tune in to their inner intuition to become strong but remain humble.

✔️ You can't have vision without execution. You can't have execution without vision. These basic and twin concepts will lead us out of the rocky and lonely path of entrepreneurship. Nobody understands this more than Michael Dermer, who stuck through his business idea crisis after crisis and turned his struggle into success. 

✔️ Embrace what it means to learn and get better as an entrepreneur. Too often, we're like, "go, go, go." I have an ego. Become humble enough to recognize the lifelong journey: "I have to get better at this. I have to improve my skills. I have to bring people around me that have done this before." 

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Feel like no one understands or cares as much as you do? 

The Lonely Entrepreneur helps entrepreneurs with the #1 issue we all face – the struggle. We know what it's like to feel energized and overwhelmed at the same time. It's all about our perspective on business issues, personal issues, and the day-to-day grind of being our own boss. The difference between success and failure is your perspective. You can learn more and get a FREE daily perspective to help you be a better entrepreneur each day by visiting us at www.lonelyentrepreneur.com.