Company Of One With Dale Callahan

If the first American dream is home ownership, the second is getting a book published. When someone learns that I have published a book, they immediately begin to tell me about their book. Some are just ideas. Others are books actually in the works, or even finished. But for all, they ask me how to get a book published. Although I have published a few books,  I am no expert. Today I introduce you to Chad Allen, an expert, someone who has published hundreds of books and has 15 years of experience in the book publishing business.  Chad Allen of Book Proposal Academy[/featured-image]Click to Listen  "Join me in my Webinar How to Create Your First Information Product in 30 Days on July 16th!"]I Asked (and Chad answered) How To Get a Book Published What does a book publisher do? How do I find a book publisher for my book? How do I get a book publisher to take me seriously? How big does my Platform have to be to be taken seriously? What is a book proposal and why do I need one? "If the first Ameri

Most people go after a new job the way we have always done it. They find an advertised opening, send a resume, and wait. They might also throw in a few job fairs. The end result is that they end up talking to HR, if anyone at all. This is a entirely frustrating and even humiliating experience for most of us. But, some have found ways to pierce behind the veil of job ads and HR using tools such as informational interviews. (I have been known to also call these reverse interviews). But the problem is, most people show signs of desperation in their attempt at an informational interview, and basically get pushed back into the HR pile. Courtesy of Flickr/Creative Commons | Eli Christman[/featured-image] Click to Listen What is an Informational Interview?In the purest sense, an informational interview is not really an interview at all. Instead, it is a learning experience. I would call them strategic networking instead. The goal is to learn about an industry, company, or person so that you can discern a few key th

I have been doing a lot of work on my new course Networking for Introverts (soon to release) lately. As I explore and search, I see a lot of common misconceptions that the extroverts of the world are better at networking and making personal connections. Wrong. In my experience, introverts can be the best networkers, with a little preparation. Introverts have an easier time learning to focus on other people and therefore make better connections. So if you are an introvert, take heart. Here I share some reasons (encouragement) why you are already a better networker than the extroverts of the world and some thoughts about how to get even better. Courtesy of Flickr?Creative Commons | Anita Ritenour[/featured-image]Click to ListenHow Introverts Can be the Best Networkers1. Introverts are better listeners. Rather than doing all the talking, an introvert will more likely be ready to listen. It is not a given, but with some practice of asking the right question, introverts are happy to listen and let the others lead

Have you ever learned a lesson only to realize someone else was modeling that same truth for you for years and you never saw it? Maybe it is just me - the slow learner. My lesson is about networking and connecting. We have all heard the networking secrets. First we have: it is not about what you know, it is about who you know. I bought into that and tried to know the right people, which was frustrating at best and phony at worst. Second we have: it is not about who you know, it is about who knows you. This one felt so true that I have repeated it often. But the real truth is that both of these are wrong. Networking is not about you at all. No one wants to know what you know or really cares that much for knowing you. But, what does matter is the simplest secret and was modeled to me by my own father for all my life. Photo Credit: Monika Kostera (urbanlegend) / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)[/featured-image]Click to ListenNOTE: If you are reading this in email, you w

Do you have a fear of networking? When I was in college and looking for a job, I was told networking was the key to success. So, I put on a suit and tie and headed off to a local networking event. Fear set in. On the way to the event I could hardly grip the wheel of the car from nerves and sweating hands. I was having trouble breathing - even forgetting to breath. But I made it to the event, only to find myself frozen in fear standing at the drink table right inside the door. My feet would not move any further. Fortunately, someone else was standing there. He and I connected and spoke for a few minutes. Then I realized that he too was looking for a job and struck by fear did not move either. Courtesy of the flickr.com/creativecommons | Jarle Naustvik [/featured-image]The fear I experienced might have been extreme for some of you, I know others can totally relate. I hear you saying “me too” as I write this. This fear of networking controlled me for years. Yet,  today I have learned how to network with great s

Last week I went to Dallas to assist Michael Nichols with the Boost Leadership Conference. It was a great time to connect with him and others (most who are part of my mastermind group), but in the conference I learned a few things about leadership and relationships. I thought I would share some of my take-aways with you. Michael Nichols with Dennis and Shelby Scheidt - You Have More to Give[/featured-image]Click to ListenDownload the podcast Five Things I Took Away from Boost Leadership ConferenceLeaders Connect and Collaborate with OthersLeaders seek council "“No one ever arrives at a place where they never need wise council." @JonMilligan"]Leaders surround themselves with others who are moving in the same direction. "“Surround yourself with other wise people heading in the same direction." @JonMilligan "] "“You're the average of the 5 people you spend most of your time with." Jim Rohn"]Leader are more interesting by being interested in others. "A

Office politics creates more personal frustration than work and work schedules will ever create. Today I will share five ways to deal with office politics - five practical things you can do not matter how nasty the situation. While I doubt there are any big secrets here, I have found the only way to relieve the personal stress is to take action. Immediate and decision action. So, here are five actions I would suggest you take to deal with your office politics.  Courtesy Flickr/Creative Commons - Steve Davidson[/featured-image]Click to ListenNOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show.Five Ways to Deal with Office PoliticsConfront the facts and find the truth. Get past the gossip and opinions and go straight to the source.Connect to the influencers.Do not waste your time convincing people who do not speak or are not heard. Instead, challenge the influencers on the issues.Do not get personal.Attacks on the person rather than the issue will only ma

Did you know you can start a business for less than $1000? When we started our homeschooling business, we spent about $7000. But, of that $7000, most of the money was not needed and mistakes we made going in. Instead, when I look at what we really needed to do and spend, the total would have been less than $250. But, when others come to me eating to get started, most think it will cost them over $100,000. So today, I will provide you five ways to start a business for less than $1000. Courtesy of the 2010 Army Digital Photography Contest 110311 by U.S. Army[/featured-image]Click to ListenNOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show.Five Ways to Start a Business for Less than $10001. Blogging with Affiliate SalesCost: $100What to do:1. Decide on a blog topic. What subject? Think about hobbies and passions. Do things that are part of your calling. Download the ebook How to Find Your Calling.2. Setup a Wordpress Blog. See How to Setup a Self-Hosted W

Ever thought of starting and online coaching business? Maybe if you are like Lauren Gaggioli you will. But her path to online coaching went through some unusual and disappointing turns. Did your first career move work out? Did what you planned to do in college make you a living? In today’s podcast we talk to Lauren Gaggioli about her career path and how it has led to her developing an online coaching service for students preparing for the SAT and ACT. BONUS: If you or your kids need her services, she is offering a 10% discount through our company with the code ASK10. Lauren Gaggioli of Higher Scores Test Prep [/featured-image] Click to ListenNOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show. Actress to Online Coaching BusinessLauren has an interesting path to find her career.Started as an NYU Trained actress.Back in California, her education became a liability as she tried to break into acting.Started doing something she knew to make money - tutoring.

Recently I was asked this question by a client, “Do I need a business license to sell online?” If you go to the bookstore and pickup a book on how to start a business, you will invariably find that they tell you to first get a business license. This is a mistake in most cases. Today I will tell you when you might and might not need a license and when you should start trying to find out how to get one. And no, it is not when you think! This podcast is based on material from Discovering the Entrepreneur in You. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Creative Commons/SFB579 :) [/featured-image] Click to ListenNOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show. Business Licenses for Online BusinessesI am not a lawyer, so this is not legal advice, but common sense advise after having helped many start their business ventures. Just to get right to the point, you almost never need a business license to sell online information products or homemade products made in the USA.E

How do I know if my business idea is winner or a loser? Whether developing a new product, service, or entire business, we all wonder if it is a hit or a miss. And we should! The question is often answered with long and detailed product and market analysis. Larger companies may take months or even years to get an answer. But we can do this much faster by addressing 5 simple issues. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Creative Commons/Ramunas Geciauskas [/featured-image]In todays episode I will provide a few short questions that you can quickly determine if you have a winner or a loser.Click to ListenNOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show.Five Questions to Determine - Is My Business Idea Good?Competition - Are other people selling similar products?Questions - Are people asking questions that your products and services answer?Books - Are there books or other information sources that address the problem you are solving?Buyers - Are there enough buyers for

In todays podcast I will tell you why you need to build an email list. And, why you need to start now. If you have created your website, as I described in establishing authority episode 52, now it is time to take this next step. Do not make the mistake I did, and so many others also did. Start now. I will tell you how and why. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Creative Commons/Bart Everson [/featured-image]Click to ListenGrow Your Email List Using Aweber***Note: Since writing this post, I have changed from Aweber to Ontraport for more horsepower. However, I still prefer Aweber as a starting point. Ontraport expensive and not suited for the startup. The idea is pretty simple, but I waited for a long time to get started. And most people and companies do a TERRIBLE  job of getting emails from their tribe.What is a tribe? Those are the people who are attracted to your message and want to get your updates via email. (YES - I SAID THEY WANT YOUR EMAILS.)Many of you have subscribed to this email because the message is somet

I spent much of last week at The Launch Conference in Orlando. The conference was mentally challenging, and Disney with the family was physically challenging. It was worth it. John C. Morgan working as George Bush at Launch [/featured-image]For those not familiar with Launch, it is a conference put on by Michael Hyatt and Ken Davis to help speakers maximize their business. But, the principles that apply to speakers also apply to anyone who is trying to create products and services. So, I go to learn, mostly so I can teach. In today’s podcast, I give you my top 10 take-aways from Launch.Click to Listen My Top 10 Takeaways from The Launch ConferenceLaunch was amazing. It challenged all of us to act faster and listen more. Here are ten things I learned.I am not the product. People often tell me that they hate to sell themselves. So, they should quit trying. This was a very freeing thought. People do not buy you, they buy what you can do. You have to get emotionally unattached from your products. Whether doing a

There are two times you find yourself getting started in business and struggling: 1) When you are struggling with what to do because you have too many ideas or, 2) you have started a business and have income, but feel like you cannot grow. There is a lot of advice on what to do in both of these situations. But, I have found that often the advice is overwhelming. So instead, I like to focus on the simple next action that can propel me (and you) forward. Getting Started - Overwhelm of Information | Photo courtesy of Flickr/Creative Commons/CR Artist [/featured-image]Over the next few episodes I will address simple orderly steps you can do to start or grow. Simple things focused on the main problem you will have in business - getting the word out and getting known.Click to ListenNOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show.Getting Started in Business - Start with a Web PresenceEvery business needs a website. Some of you may have one, and you may eve

I have learned to talk less and instead ask powerful questions. When I was in the corporate world, I realized quickly that I could not compete with those who spoke in corporate lingo. You know, those who say a whole bunch and sound smart but really they are saying nothing. It always seemed to me that people listened to them. It totally frustrated me, because many times I knew they were full of hot air. Then, one day in a meeting, I popped a question out of frustration which led me to an epiphany. I could control the conversation with simple questions. I spoke little and got just what I wanted. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Creative Commons/Derek Bridges [/featured-image]I often find myself teaching people to ask questions. And, I have been told those questions have opened up doors, pierced to the core of strategies, and increased peoples salaries. So in today’s podcast, I wanted to share with you some of these questions and hopefully find interesting ways you have used them.Click to ListenNOTE: If you are reading

Finding your why? We might also say finding our mission or finding our purpose. But I like “finding your why.” The WHY gets to the core of things. Why do you do what you do? What would you do if you were really driven by your why? Photo courtesy of Flickr/Creative Commons/Colin_K [/featured-image]Two of the most commons statements I hear from those I have coached are:I do not have any special skills or abilities. This issue is addressed through the How to Find Your Calling ebook (see the right side of the webpage).I do not have anything I really want to do. This issue is addressed in today's podcastThese two statements, more than anything else, point to the emptiness of the corporate lifestyle and personal wealth many of us are experiencing today. But, how do you get out of this rut?..Click to Listen*NOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show.Finding Your Why - The ProblemAfter some point, money does not motivate us.Most people are empty l

I bet dealing with ineffective team members is something you struggle with constantly. Whether you are on a team, leading a team, or leading a group of teams, one of your greatest challenges is not getting the work done, but instead dealing with those team members who will not measure up. It may be teams at work or through some volunteer effort, but the results are the same. And sometimes, you and I might be that team member! Think about that. When you are the weak link, how would you like others to deal with you? Photo courtesy of Flickr/Creative Commons/shawnzrossi [/featured-image]In today's podcast episode I will present some strategies for dealing with ineffective team members as well as the results from ignoring or improperly dealing with these team members.Click to ListenNOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show.Key Steps in Dealing with Ineffective Team MembersSymptoms of ineffective team members may include:Does not deliver on ti

Mastermind groups are the magic bullet for success. I have found the only people who do mastermind groups, and continue to do them over time, succeed. But, over the years I have struggled to find good groups. Most people do not want to commit or will bail out soon after we start. But, I have now found the secret - or at last the person who has the secret formula. In this interview with Jonathan Milligan, he will uncover how he runs a mastermind group that not only keeps going, but prospers.Click to Listen*NOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show.Topic of the Week: How to Create a Mastermind GroupIn this interview Jonathan shares how he got started in mastermind groups and the steps he has taken to keep the group working.Step 1 - Find the Right Group of ProspectsJonathan shares about how he went about methodically finding the right group of people. Like minded people, not only in their business objectives, but also in the values.Some of his ke

The other day I was in a coffee shop and ran into Kendall Davis. Kendall had attended a Career Focus class I help teach at my church. At the time of the class, Kendall was between jobs and trying to determine what to do next. So, naturally I asked him if he found a job. The answer was no. Do you know the feeling you get when you think you have failed to help someone? That is how I felt. But the rest of the story made me feel much better. Kendall and Linda Davis - Making  Living from Amazon FBA[/featured-image] Click to ListenKendall shared with me WHY he was no longer looking for work. Now, instead of a job, he does what he loves working from home (or coffee shops) and making his household living on his own terms. And when I found out what he was doing, my reaction was “you can make money like that?”So I had to have him on the show!Making a Living from Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)I will confess, I have no expertise in what Kendall and I discussed on the show. But I did want to provide you with this informatio

This is part 4 of the series called How to Create Your First Information Product in 30 Days where I promised to let you look over my shoulder as I create a product. Here is the final part, releasing and marketing the product. This is where the money starts to flow. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Creative Commons/Patrick Hoesly [/featured-image]I will do this post in two parts. First is the transaction and product delivery. Second is some basic marketing to get noticed. Let’s get started!The previous posts can be found here:Intro of the topic - How to Create Your First Information Product in 30 DaysPart 1 - How to Create Your First Information Product in 30 Days  | Finding Information Product IdeasPart 2 - How to Create Your First Information Product in 30 Days  | Writing the Sales CopyPart 3 - How to Create Your First Information Product in 30 Days  | Creating the ProductClick to Listen*NOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show.Topic of the Week: Ho