Company Of One With Dale Callahan

Going to start two businesses at the same time? Entrepreneurs usually abound in ideas they can offer to the market. Often you will see those with an entrepreneurial spirit starting multiple businesses back to back. When you talk to them - they even have ideas for other money-making ventures.But is being a multi-passionate entrepreneur a blessing or a curse?Opinions vary widely. So today we will take a look at all three opinions - yes, no, and it depends and find out which one is correct for you.Should I Start Two Businesses at the Same Time? (Podcast Outline) Common advice  No. You need to focus to make it work.  It depends - get clear on your goals and decide which business is the main business.  Yes - but not at the same time.  How a startup really looks - example of a lawn care company Mowing lawns is the focus so you start working with customers you have or know.  Taking payments and working with customer issues starts to creep into your time. The need to start finding new customers - so marketing becomes

Trying to decide if your startup should be an LLC or S-Corp? In the startup world, this is one of the most frequent questions I get. It falls closely in line with Do I need a business license? Should I incorporate or not? How do I find an attorney and CPA?I have dealt with parts of these subjects in past episodes. Ep 115 - What you need in terms of LLC or business license Ep 56 - Do I need a business license to sell online?  Blog Post - Do I even need a business license or LLC?But today I want to dive into the issue in another direction - a common-sense strategy for deciding when and what to do.But I am not crossing over into the world of CPA or an attorney. This is not legal advice - it is common sense advice. Both the LLC and S-Corp have legal and tax implications - but we want to visit a common-sense thinking about where to start asking questions. How to Decide if My Startup Should be an LLC or S-Corp? (Podcast Outline) When you need neither LLC or S-corp No risk of danger.  Selling online courses and onl

Where do you find the time and the money to start a side business? You never have enough of either - right?But do a reality check. Others have. Other people have been more broke and had less time and found a way.And ... they are not any smarter than you.But yet, we struggle. Families. Jobs. Friends. And even just fatigue saps us of time.So today I will unpack several common practices that others have used to find the time and money to start a side business.We will start by dealing with the money issue (wow do I hear this one a lot - no money to start).Then we will get into the time issue, how can you do a time audit and carve out minutes to make it happen.But most important - I will provide you several common mistakes I see others making in the area of time and money. Avoid at all cost.How to Find the Time and Money to Start a Side Business (Outline of the podcast) Reality check  Many have started with no money Many started with full-time jobs and made it happen  Dealing with the money issue Start small Use w

Want to know how to find a business idea for a side hustle?To some, it seems daunting - to others simple.You might be the person who comes up with 20 ideas a day, or maybe you are the person who has no ideas.Either way, there are traps in both sets of thinking.Today I will go over some simple ways to uncover ideas and common mistakes others make.How to Find a Business Idea for a Side Hustle (Outline of the podcast)  Goals of the Side Hustle What is a Side hustle? What can you expect to earn (realistically)? Two quick ways to generate ideas The Calling Exercise What do you love to do? Where are you gifted? What do others ask your help with? Search for similar services Fiverr, Udemy, Amazon, or local services pages What do you see offered that you know well What to do first Start with a service. Easiest to do and start and grow to a decent income. Use tools like Fivver Upwork Craigslist Putting flyers on doors Example from IEM - Handyman to Powerwashing Business If a hit - grow into a product Writing resumes fo

How can you use the reverse interview to stand out in your current company? In this podcast, I will should you just how to do that!Here is my outline of how to use the reverse interview on your current job What is a reverse interview? Check out my previous episodes for details on the process. A quick summary would be that the reverse interview is used to help you connect to people by asking specific questions to get them to talk. Usually, this is used to find a job or start a company. The questions are: How did you get to where you are?  What do you love or hate about this job?  What keeps you awake at night?  Why use the reverse interview with your current company? To help you do a better job. To learn how different departments and teams work. To seek to understand. Personal reasons. To find new opportunities. To get noticed and promoted. How to do the reverse interview on the job. Be targeted and intentional. Start by defining what you want to learn.  What goes on in another group? How to grow into leadersh

What I want to hear you say in an interview is how you will help me win. It is as simple as that.But while most of us understand this simple message, we think we have to talk about ourselves - accomplishments, strengths, all that stuff.STOP!Remember that you are a Company of One.You are looking for a new customer.So in a job interview, you are trying to sell a POTENTIAL customer.Customers do not care about you, your plans, or your goals except in how they help them achieve their goals.So, what you say in an interview should be you talking about yourself but making it sound like you are talking about me.What does this look like #1 - Tell me how you fit into the company culture. How do you show this? Ask me questions about my culture Show that you have met and know some of my team.#2 - Care about what I need and valueDemonstrate by Asking me directly how a person in the position you are applying for wins What is your measure of successWhat I do NOT want to hear Complaints about past employers or coworkers. Inst

Looking for a job after 50?How many of these thoughts are going through your head?I will have to start over!I am so specialized in my area of expertise that I can never find another job that needs my skills.I am going to have to go back to school to learn new skills.No one will hire me now that I am over 50.I am competing against people of a very young age who will work for less. You might be coming out of the military.You might be coming out of a long career where you have developed deep technical expertise.But you do not have to just give in. You have more to offer than you think.You Have More to OfferToo often we undersell ourselves. Do not do it.In today's podcast, I will give you specific strategies about how to revamp your thinking and position yourself for a new success. Click here to listen now.>> [01:22] Recently I have worked with multiple people over 50 who have been fired. Some are retirement eligible but, for multiple reasons, did not want to retire.>> [04:56] The first thing you

How can you make the best use of your day while on a job search?If you are out of work, or about to be, you need a solid plan to make the best use of your day. After all, every day out of work costs you money.I have had the honor of helping many professionals in job searches.But I have noticed that most people on the search really do not know what to do.How to make the best use of your day on a job searchToday I cover a step by step plan that has worked.This plan will help you find a job faster, feel better, and be more in control while on the hunt.>> [01:20] Calculate how much you are wasting per week not having a job. Get clear about the cost of your time.>> [03:28] Take your first week to get clear on the goal. Do the Calling Exercise.>> [06:05] Here is how Brian found his true calling and moved into a job he continues to love today.>> [11:46] Now you start to schedule your day using Tiger Time.>> [14:54] You need to get your blood pumping, you need to get some energy and to c

Being a Christian and being wealthy can seem like an oxymoron. I confess I have struggled with money and faith.As a Christian should I give it all away and go live a life like Mother Teresa?Or as a Christian, how do I recognize my gift of serving others through education and business?Could it be that the Bible is the best business book ever written?Today, I will share a bit of my story of how becoming a Christian helped me to grow wealth like never before.>> [02:41] I have always been focused on success thinking. Whether I am teaching future engineers, working with professionals, or helping others start companies, I am always focused on ways to help them become successful.>> [05:44] Our culture connects wealth with evil. These messages are powerful in music, movies, the news, social media, and even in schools. So Christian wealth seems an oxymoron.>> [13:05] I started to become service-oriented and think a lot about how I treated and served my customer (and my boss).>> [19:08] I begin

Overwhelmed at work? You have to learn to eliminate, delegate, and automate.I know what you are thinking...Eliminate? What can I stop doing? It all has to be done.Delegate? To who?Automate? I do not have time (or the skill) to do that.Really. Then why do some people, who are busy like you, seem to get more done? Come on - you know some of them just like I do.The number one issue professionals talk about is being overwhelmed. Too much to do, to little time, and new stuff coming every minute. What a hassle.Today we will look at a simple process for getting clarity and then getting busy fixing what is broke by eliminating, delegating, and automating some (or all) of our work.No need to be a victim - Take control and fix it.>> [01:56] Overwhelm is not a fix it once and done problem. Like cleaning out the closet, you have to continually revisit.>> [03:53] Meetings. We can't just stop doing them, we just need to eliminate some and make the others more effective. And more effective does not always m

We have all heard it. You might have even said it “The harder I work, the less I make.” If you feel that way, you are doing it wrong. Back in episode 129, we explored the idea of being a Company of One. That means you, yes you, are an entrepreneur right now. And what reasonable business owner would settle for working harder and making less money.Today we will explore some simple and practical (yes doable) ideas to help you increase your income.While on the same job! No need to quit. No need to take a side gig. Instead, let's look at your number one incomes source - your job - and find untapped potential to make more money. >> [02:19] The $30,000 challenge. In our online graduate program (UAB IEM), we push people to grow their income by $30,000n while they are in the program.>> [02:46] EXCUSES: I already work so many hours a day. I don't have time to take a side job. I work for the government. I work for a big company and we don't operate like that. I am at the top of my pay range. A

How do you become a company of one? What does it mean ot be a company of one?It seems everyone wants to be an entrepreneur. We want to get control of our time and income. We want to have the ability to serve more and grow.But I want to help you see a new perspective.You already have more control of your time and income than you think.Whether you are an employee or an entrepreneur (or unemployed looking for a job), you have a lot more control than you think.Your job is to take control. Here, I will start showing you how to take control and earn more money - getting control of your time and your income - just like I have done for hundreds of clients.>> [03:01] What is the difference between an entrepreneur and an employee (not as much as you think.)>> [06:03] The four roles of your company of one.>> [12:04] The exchange of goods and services for money is what we call doing business. It's as simple as that.>> [14:57] You do have ownership and control. You are a company of one.>>

As a business owner, I know the value of a business marketing plan. A marketing plan typically covers a year of activity. By having a plan, we know what is coming and can slowly move toward a goal. You also need a marketing plan - a personal marketing plan. Why would you leave your image and your future growth up to chance? You need to have a specific plan for how you will grow in the next year. Here are some quick ideas to help you develop a plan to grow the business of you. "You need a personal marketing plan to grow the brand of you. #CompanyofOne"]The key steps to getting to the marketing plan are:1. Evaluate your image What message do you communicate via your words? Social Media - What message are you sending? Your spoken words - Are you uttering phrases like "Thank God It's Friday" or communicating a negative image unintentionally? Your attitude - Are you that grumbling cashier who has 15 more minutes to get to a break and is happy to tell the customer how long they have been

Do you have a pile of unfinished projects laying around? Those pesky projects tend to drain your energy as you see them in front of you begging for attention. We can throw them into the closet and ignore them, but some projects just need to be finished because - for whatever reason - they are important. Here is a trick I use to get those unfinished projects done. "Get those pesky projects done. #GettingToDone"]My Steps to Complete those Unfinished Projects Define finished - One thing that gets to me is that we rarely know what finished looks like. Small DIY projects as well, as multi-million dollar corporate projects, suffer the same issue. How do we know when we are done? What does Done look like? Set a deadline - There are times when others put a deadline on us and we find we can get it done. So, why not use the same trick for projects you want to get done. Set a deadline! Break down the steps into as little as 15-minute actions - Work backward from your deadline to set steps and a schedule. Br

Your personal economy is usually thought of as a combination of your finances, your time, and your career. In this episode of Company of One, you are going to do an assessment using a downloadable worksheet. This exercise will help you determine the current state and set some goals to improve your personal economy. "Do you know the state of your personal economy? #PersonalDevelopment #Download"]To get started, download the Assessment of Your Personal Economy worksheet here.Questions range from basic finance, to where your income comes from (income independence factor), and how you spend your time.To help fill this out, you can also download a completed example of the assessment here.In the podcast (audio) I cover how to fill out the form.What You will LearnIn the assessment, you will find out or decide on the following: Do you have enough income and income independence? Do you have enough of an emergency fund? What is your net worth (and how to calculate it)? How much should you have in net worth

The other day I had four projects coming up. I sat there in indecision not knowing what to work on. Which one to do first? What was the next step? It felt like 5 minutes that I just stared at all things in front of me. I was suffering from overwhelm.As I tried to figure out what to do, I realized each project had its own challenges. Each one of them seemed to have an unknown set of things that I needed to do.I took some quick actions using a tool I have used many times before - and found my way out. Today, I will share this fix with you. "Being overwhelmed is about emotions - not time. #overwhelmed "]The 15 Minute Fix for OverwhelmAs I have been focusing on 15-minute fixes in the last few weeks, I have found it odd how many times 15-minute activities have really become part of my own breakthroughs.As I sat overwhelmed, I remembered the 15-minute trick a friend had taught me long before.Step 1 - Recognize it is emotionalOverwhelm is an emotional state. It is not brought on by external things, but

Have a stack of "to be read" books and magazines lying around? (My son, Daniel, labels his "to be read" TBR.) Want to get those reports at work read faster? A few years ago I got into reading faster. I will not call it speed reading because that conjures up images of those weird speed reading exercises when I was in grade school and I start to hyperventilate. (Have I mentioned - I HATED school?) My method has been more of a speed skim, but it worked for me. Yet, the other day I came across a speed reading course online and bought it. I have found it easy to do and very useful - so I wanted to share at least some of what I have learned. "You can easily read 1 book a week in 2018 with a speed process. Challenge? #52in18"]The course ...Speed Reading Foundation Course by Iris. Yes - I am an affiliate, but for a few bucks I found it to be awesome.  (It is on sale for $99).The course covers all kinds of strategies for reading non-fiction, magazines, newspapers, email, blogs, and eve

Decisions. We have to make them over 1000 times per day as we decide what to do next.  Too often we are consumed by meetings, email, and other items so we forget what is key. Last week I talked through my email management method I use to get to inbox zero - so this week I want to share how I use my TIGER TIME with Google Calendar. "Work in the mornings: afternoons = brain mush = nothing gets done #TigerTime"]Tiger TimeAmy Porterfield calls her mornings Tiger Time where she focuses on the most important work and she protects that time like a tiger. I have been doing something similar for years, but when I heard her use "tiger time" it just resonated with me - so I went with it. (Also I am not creative enough to make us a cool sounding name;)For me, it is not that I intensely protect it as much as it is me having the aggressiveness and fierceness of a tiger during that time to get stuff done before my brain turns to mush in the afternoon.For meafternoons = brain mush = nothing gets doneTh

I want to share something that has really changed the game for me - that is operating from INBOX ZERO. Specifically, I am going to be talking about how to get to inbox zero with gmail, but most of the same principles apply to other email systems such as Outlook, Apple Mail, etc. Gmail - Filters and TabsOne of the reasons I converted to Gmail was their excellent spam filter. My life was consumed by SPAM before Gmail. Now, not only does my Spam go to the right place - but training your Gmail takes very little effort. Simply marking items spam, or not spam, helps move me in the right direction.Most mail systems have some filtering or rules you can set - so I will not harp on these here. The fact it - most filters and rules do not help you process your email - but instead only help you put it in the right stack.The key to Inbox Zero is not in filtering your email, but it is about having a process for your email. "The key to inbox zero is not filters, it is the process. #InboxZero"]Key Principles for I

One thing we all have in common is that we all want to learn how to finally get things done. No matter position, title, or role - we never have enough time to really get the big items done. I can claim no particular expertise or success here. I struggle just like you. But, I have found some things that work for me. Here is my method on how to finally get things done. How to Finally Get Things Done (well what works for me) "Get things done - make sure you set appointments for what you want to happen.  #Productivity"]Step 1 - Have Solid GoalsI do not always use the SMART goals  (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time Bound) - yet I do make sure my goals are mine and make sense to me.I use 3-month goalsI break down into my areas of focus. Mine are Faith Self Family Work - University Work - Company Home Investments FunEach area will have 3 goals for the term. Step 2 - Plan Your Week Before it StartsDo at the end of the last week. I do my weekly planning on Friday.Make sure you look at your l