In continuing the small business startup series I thought you may find this interesting.

Here is another chapter for you to consider. . . I was reading a forum thread on one of my favorite sites that discussed patents. I normally feel entrepreneurs should spend more time developing their business and marketing plans and less time worrying about how to get a patent. This is especially true for the “small” startup company with limited time and money.We all know how . . .READ MORE

What you should you consider when starting your business or watching a friend go down that path?

I consider these very simple but very effective considerations for your journey into being an entrepreneur. The road to success takes a lot of thought. Here are the Ad Marketing Guy’s Top 10 Do’s and Don’ts -Consider them wisely …READ MORE >>

What better way than studying the ”Family” in trying to grow your business. Truly, we should be able to draw Business Wisdom from this American icon. This posting focuses on business lessons that embody the wisdom of The Godfather — rules that all business owners should . . .Read More >>

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the volume and quality of traffic to . . .read more >>

What is an ENTREPRENEUR?

Although the words innovator, proprietor, and capitalist are used in the same sense, there are subtle differences that make the term “entrepreneur “preferable. OK now go out and tell all your friends you are….read more >>>

This can be answered with a simple question ” Do You Need a Phone”? Simply stated you would never consider going into business without a phone and listed phone number! Why, would you think a website is any less important?

Here are some keys to creating a website that can successfully sell your product or service, they are in no means a total list but should give you a clear start. . .read more >>

I believe if you tell people what you do to make a living and they never ask ”how, why”, or the always infamous, ” I was thinking . . ..”, YOU should consider changing fields or possibly you have a very boring job.

I am constantly asked about advertising; what works, what is good, and even why should a company advertise. I always tell clients you must . . .read more >>

but much thanks to the many people who have followed ALL Our Other BLOG Pages and Posts the other parts of our Blog

We also renamed the Blog Your Business Wisdom, Whispers to Grow By.
Still linked available at: www.yourbusinesswhisperer.com, www.admarketingguy.com and of course www.yourbusinesswisdom.com

I think you will enjoy this followup to Part I

Part II – Do I Need a Business Plan. . .The question the Ad Marketing Guy is most often asked is. . . “I am starting a business, do I need a business plan”; and the next most often asked question, “Why”? . . .
To Plan or Not to Plan, that is the question . . .Read Part II

Enjoy this read and this Special Thank You

I have created a new blog site which already contains quite a bit of information. I have started the blog outside LJ’s for 2 reasons; I can increase mega content faster and easier, and I also wanted to show you how simple/fast YOU can get online with little time and effort. Please enjoy the site/blog, You can still post comments here, there or everywhere, tell your friends, colleagues, and family who are not part of LJ’s but would find use in the site, to stop by and enjoy.

YOUR BUSINESS WISDOM , WHISPERS To GROW By ™, residing @

URL “www.yourbusinesswisdom.com ”: http://www.yourbusinesswisdom.com or http://www.admarketingguy.com and blogging at . http://yourbusinesswisdom.typepad.com/blog.

Reason for the URL’s, it is easier to bookmark so please do it now also sign up for the RSS or Auto feeds. SO lets us REbegin,

. . . I will attempt to whisper a few words of wisdom, encouragement, amusement, and caveats for consideration before and during your new business and personal journey.

I have learned the people who use this overused cliche never got lost, never had an accident during their journey; and of course they always arrived at their destination safe and secure.
Although, many people use it, and even offer it to you! Understand. . . read more

PS: A SPECIAL Thank to the people who emailed me and requested more. It is from you I have learned.

Updated: 07272008,

Everything you can imagine is real, Pablo Picasso

Part I -The Dirty Lies of Starting a Business!

Welcome Everyone to the Ad Marketing Guy’s business Blog for Lumber Jocks & Friends -

I am hoping, there will be 12 entries and unfortunately, none of them will have anything to do with woodworking! WAIT – Don’t leave yet –STOP that back page button! DROP your dovetails and take a few minutes and read, You may find something worth your interest.

You may have an idea for a business, you may be in business, your spouse, relative or friend may be having those “entrepreneurial thoughts”. One comment, if it is your spouse, run for cover, I cannot help you! Otherwise you came to the right place, at the right time, and the right channel, tune in, and leave your comments. Engage each other with your posts, keep this shop will dusted and maintained, do not leave a mess when you go – I will try and answer questions posted with short easy responses. If the need arises, I will start a separate Blog, just to post Q/A. But please, do not send me gobs of personal PM, I do have a day job, wife, 3 grandkids and that furry person you see in my picture is my alter ego, he requires a frisbee twice a day. Not to mention I am trying to cut my golf handicap by 3 strokes and learn woodworking.

A few words before we begin. I hope not to bore you (I am known for this), talk above you (impossible for me) or lecture you (your spouse can handle that, on why you are spending so much time online) – Remember I said hope. I will attempt to provide you a few words of wisdom, encouragement, and caveats to consider before and during your journey. Be forewarned on my vocabulary——if it is in the scrabble dictionary or not, I use it. Hey, that is why I employ 2 copywriters to write for our clients and I am writing a book only with their help….before you ask, The book is titled; Guerrilla Marketing is for Monkeys, Why, the Lion is the King of the Jungle – when it comes out next year, don’t buy it, you will get a lot of it here for free, besides it is for the esoteric business crowd, it centers on perception based marketing strategies.

So let’s move on,

FIRST Rule in Starting or Running a Business -

Hope is Not a Strategy! You now ask Bill what is? -

Answer given at the very end (do not cheat, this Blog watches you very closely)

Hey Tim you are cheating!!! Get back here.

OK, Now Our Goal;

We will attempt to unleash ideas for your thoughts and consideration on how to Plan, Develop, Build and Grow a Business, any business. Maybe, you want your own business, maybe you have a friend who does, maybe you think “someday”, and just maybe you own your business and could use a little shot in the ego. Others, who may benefit from future topics, will be those in business who need a little insight, just enough to top off their tank. Please do not I repeat do not use this info to tell your boss he is doing it all wrong, that my friend is a table saw accident.

OK, A Preview of What’s to Come . . .We Will Attempt to Cover in This Bog’s Future Episodes:

- Are You The Right Person To Start / Own A Business? (You Must Have 3 Distinct Personalities to Succeed) Yes, You Must be Schizophrenic or You Will Fail… I KNOW This Is Nuts, Most Doctors Would Agree, But Most Doctors Are in Business for Themselves, What Does This Say About Them?

- Planning, Developing, Building, Growing, and an Exit Strategy (Consider These From Day 1), Exit Strategy, Bill I Am Just Starting…. and You’re Telling Me to Plan an Exit—-YES, You Need To Know Where You Are Going Before You Decide To Go! Hey, I Told You About Being Schizoid.

- Your Business, What You Need To Know, What To Ignore, & What To Forget – A Few Of Life’s Hard Lessons, Unfortunately, Mine!

-The 4P’s Of Marketing For Your Business (There Are Actually 6 Despite What You May Have Learned), we will discuss all 6, you can amaze your kids, students and others.

-Websites- “Build It And They Will Come” , “Get Links All Over And The Big G (Google) IT Will Put Your Site On The Top Page For Furniture Making (Whoever Said These Is Full Of Sawdust Or Been Listening To Their Router Sound Too Often! ) – FYI There Are Currently 365,000,000 Pages Indexed on Google For Furniture Making, YES 365 million For Those of You With Comma Issues!! This Will Be A Great Topic For Today’s Businessperson – You Will Owe Me Big Time for This One!

-How & When To Advertise & Doing It On A Shoestring – There Goes My Business Down The Drain, Just Don’t Tell My Clients, OK

-Cheap Ways To Get Noticed, Expensive Ways To Get Ignored – Learned On The Streets In Amsterdam—-Those Of You Who Know Amsterdam Will Understand, If Not Google images- Red-light District Amsterdam. Get the picture!

-Stuck In The Mud Concerns, Hey Sometimes Your Firestones Will Not Push You Out, Then What?

-I’ve Fallen and Can’t Get Up…..Now What??– Who Do You Turn To When You Need Help? Please Do Not Say Your Spouse, Remember She/He Did Not Want You To Do This…..They Will Only Say…See I Told You So! Right. . . they never say that to you before when you didn’t ask for directions and your are lost in the car.

Please Understand I Will Not Cover Financial / Tax Advice. No Exceptions. You Want Everything For Free? But,
We Will Cover Means & Sources For Financing Your Business. NO, NOT ME!

NOW THE 12 DIRTY LIES TOLD WHEN STARTING A BUSINESS

1- “I want to start a business; I know it will work…”

2- “My boss is a jerk, I can do a better job…” ,

3- “I have a great idea for a product, I will be rich…”,

4- “People love my work, they compliment me all the time, I know I can make good money doing this…”,

5- “When I am my own boss, things will be different . . .”,

6- “Hey, that guy makes a living doing it, so can I. . .”,

7- “You understand your craft, so of course I understand the business that makes me qualified. . .”,

8- “I can startup my business on a shoestring, Cousin Harry did, and look at him . . .” ,

9- “Hey, I make all the money for the company, the customers love me, they told me- “If you ever go out on my own, they will buy from me,and ”. . . this company will be sorry when I go. . .”,

10- “Think failure and you will fail, Think like a winner, you will be a winner. . .”,

11- “Look at the quality of that stuff, look at the poor craftsmanship, look at the materials, hey, I could do it better and make a fortune. . .”,

And Lastly, My Absolute Personal Favorite,

12- Hey, I don’t need a business plan, I got it all UP here . . .”!

Think – how many of you have heard these, thought these, used these or simply recognize the behavior.
Now for truths to these lies – Hey this is only the intro – you must tune in next time! But to hold you over—Here goes today’s advice-

Step 1- What is the Primary Starting Point in Starting a Business ?

The Primary Starting Point Is – Plan Your Life, Then Plan Your Business.

Some of the most successful and happy people I know are entrepreneurs who created a business that’s in perfect synchronicity with what they want out of life. If you do what you love, you’ll work harder, better and more happily. With that said, Ask Yourself . . .”Am I the ideal candidate to start a business, understand the business, and eventually grow the business.” When I mention business, I do NOT mean your product, I mean
THE BUSINESS OF BEING IN BUSINESS, and YOU MUST understand this DIFFERENCE before you begin. – In 1981 a phone call from a friend asked me to meet with 3 guys starting their own business. We met at a Waffle House outside Dallas, TX. Imagine, they were planning their business at a Waffle House! All 3 were still employed at another company. We talked for hours about how they were planning their lives and the business of running the business. They each were investing $1000.00, one told me his wife thought he was crazy. Then we discussed their products, market and vision! – I learned this rule from them. Shortly after, those 3 guys started that company, you may have heard of it, Compaq Computer.

This Starting Point Rule Will NOT Make Your Business Successful, Just Your Life! Consider What Is Important!
Now the answer from above:

Hope is Not a Strategy, A Plan Is!

Be ready for next part of this series. Your comments may begin;
Elvis has left the building…

© 2008 Copyright Ad Marketing Guy, Ramsey NJ All Rights Reserved, as Part of a Blog on Lumberjocks.com