Everyone loves to be appreciated. We remember even the small things that someone does to say thank you, don’t we?

• Lynette shows appreciation by snail mail.
• Brandie loves notes too but says you an also make a phone call to say thanks.
• Jenn & Michelle offer their customers extra value and fun.
• Kris says to Go and Do something to show customer appreciation.
• Tamara says to pay it forward with recommendations.
• Leslie knows that saying thank you is good for business.
• Susan says there are thank you gifts for every budget and she especially loves to give chocolate. (You can appreciate me anytime Susan!)

Do you have a special way of saying thanks to those that you do business with?  We’d love to hear it!

Spark an Idea With Us!

Next week, June 11th the Spark an Idea Thursday Meme Theme is “Spark an Idea about Goal Setting“   Share how you set goals for your business and life.

Participate in our meme by posting your Spark an Idea Thursday by 9am Eastern. Tweet me (@kellymccausey) about it and I’ll include your link in my round up in the afternoon   Just grab our image and get your post ready for June 11th!

This is a guest post from one of my bestest online peeps, Nicole Dean.

Kelly McCausey, your fearless editor, asked me to write about transitions in business. You see, I’ve had a few major changes over the years that she and I have known each other. My husband was laid off from work a few times, I’ve lived in four different homes (3,000 miles apart), and my business has morphed countless times.

Kelly has seen me go from having to drag me onto her WAHM Talk Radio show several years ago to starting my own weekly Online Business Success Podcast. She’s talked me through my fear on countless occasions – from being her “much afraid” friend to becoming an all-out internet marketing expert.

I sat and thought for a bit about which transition I should write about. The transitions are all a blur, actually. Then I saw a greater message that needed to be said today.

Business, in my opinion, is nothing but a series of transitions and decisions.

Actually, I guess that you could define life the same way. You make plans and then keep adjusting as you go – adjusting the plans, but also the path that you’ll need to take to get there from where you are at that moment in time. It’s like childbirth. Sure, you may be like me and write up a three-page birth plan that’s very precise – down to the music that will be played and the clothing that you’ll be wearing and the post-birth medicines (or lack thereof) that you’re willing to take for pain. You should always have a plan.

But, then labor starts and all hell breaks loose. The rules change. Bringing your beautiful baby into the world healthy and whole is still the end goal, but you may have to shift off course a bit from “the plan” to make that happen. That’s life. We make decisions on the fly to get what we want.

I’ve been through a few major hurricanes. In fact, I should say “survived” a few major hurricanes because anyone who lives through one feels the impact, emotionally and financially for months or years afterwards. If I’ve learned one thing from the hurricanes that have ripped up my roof, dropped trees on my house, and cost me thousands and thousands of dollars, it’s this….

You’ve got to be flexible.

The palm tree is designed to bend. That’s how it survives through storm after storm. It sways in the wind.

The pine tree? Not so much. Rather than swaying in the breeze like a palm does, it is rigid and tries to stay straight and tall – until it snaps right in half (landing on your awning) and dies.

I recommend that you be the palm. Sway, bend, and give when you feel the wind blow. During times of difficulty and change in your business, adjust and give, without getting firm and rigid – or your business may not survive to see the dark clouds part to send sunshine beaming through.

Now that I’ve stated my philosophy on transition and decision, let me give you a few business examples.

Example #1: You take on a new client. Your gut tells you that it’s just not right but you can’t afford to turn down a client, right? That’d just be silly.

I’ve watched friends begin to hate their businesses. You know the one thing that makes that happen the fastest? Not listening to your gut. Guess what my advice is when working with a client that makes you unhappy? If you’re miserable, no one else is going to hire you. Your passion will be gone and you’ll be giving the “I hate my work” vibe. Dump the chump and get a move on. It’s like a bad marriage. It won’t get any better.

See? Transition is good.

Example #2: You get an amazing opportunity to become a writer for an exciting client, but it would mean leaving your current job (which you really don’t like). The problem? You don’t want to leave your current employers in a lurch and don’t know how they’d find someone else to take over your hours, even though they pay you poorly, gripe about you taking off for emergencies, and the job stresses you out beyond belief.

Hello?! If my coaching client is reading this … you know who you are. My advice to her? Dump them and go for the dream opportunity! As for the old employers, and your guilt about leaving them behind? That’s not a rational fear. There are people in desperate situations who would fall on their knees and thank God for that job who may be a much better fit for it than she was. The new person may deal with crabby people better and enjoy the flexible hours that the job offered. So, jump on that new opportunity and do not dare to look back.

Why do we fear change so much? Transition is a good thing. It means progress.

Me, in my personal life? Well, I’ll share a secret with you. Usually when I’m comfortable, I know that I’m not challenging myself enough. If it’s easy, I need to try something new.

I could remain right where I am right now and be very comfortable in my safe little bubble of running an online business. However, I know that I can do more. I know there are more challenges ahead for me to face. So, when that happens and I am scared, I get a mentor – someone who has been where I want to be and can lead me. I’m currently learning from two mentors who I’ll share about soon on my Nicole Dean on the Net blog. One mentor is helping me to be a speaker and the other is helping me to write and launch a book. Could I do it on my own? Probably. But, it’s much much better for my business to be taken by the hand and led through the experience than to wander in the dark alone.

I urge you to get a mentor, too. It can be me, or Kelly, or anyone who makes you feel inspired and challenged to be the best you that you can be. Whether you go with a business coach or a life coach or a mastermind group – I don’t care which you choose. Just be sure that you have a guide to walk you through the transitions in your business, too.

Now, before I go, I’d like you to do one thing. Close your eyes (not yet, silly) and picture your life one year from now. What would you want that picture to look like?

What about five years from now? What does your business look like? Do you have clients? If so, picture your dream client. Who is that person? Why do you want to work with him/her? Is your business ecommerce? Are you a speaker? A podcaster? An author?

See? Transitions ARE good. Make the decision to make that dream happen and get on the path to that dream today!

Nicole Dean jumps out of bed every morning, excited about teaching others how to make money online. Her goal is to show people that earning a full-time income online is doable – with the right teachers and focus, but you’ve got to take ACTION in order to get there. Nicole is an experienced affiliate marketer, affiliate manager, and PLR site owner – helping people everywhere to discover strategies for making money online.

Learn more about Nicole at NicoleDean.com.

Last night I bought my son a desk as a graduation present.  Having had his eye on this desk for a couple of months, he was geeked about bringing it home at last. He couldn’t wait to tear it open and put it together.

The long time ‘Lego Maniac’ had no trouble reading instructions and whipping the pieces together – something that would have had me pulling my hair out for sure. It was hard work.  It required particular attention to detail.  He’d never done anything quite like before but he tackled it like a pro.  It was hot and stuffy in his room and he didn’t even seem to mind.

Fast forward to today.  The cardboard box, packing materials, tools and a whole bunch of other stuff lay all over my living room floor.  I ask him to take care of things and finish putting his room back together and he tells me ‘It’s so hot and muggy – I’ll do it later.”

Yeah, that went over about as well with me as you think it did.

I pointed out that it was no hotter this morning than it was last night when he built an entire desk unit without complaint.    His response?  “Oh no, it’s much hotter today than yesterday.”

No.  Really.  It wasn’t.

The only real difference is that he wanted to build the desk and he didn’t want to do the clean up.

When you want to do something, you ignore little aggravations and potential obstacles.

When you don’t want to do something, those things get amplified in our minds and turn into excuses.

Of course, being the good mom I try to be – I used the situation as a teaching moment and shared that successful people do things that need to be done even when they don’t want to do them.  That’s what makes them successful.

He wasn’t terribly motivated by that little nugget of truth to be honest

But maybe you will be?

Do you notice that you’re willing to tackle something hard for fun but procrastinate about difficult situations that you think of as ‘work’?    Most of us do.  It’s only  natural.  We want to do what we want to do, right?

Still, we’ll have to do a few things we don’t really enjoy on the way to doing what we love.   We can either focus on all the things we don’t like about a project or situation or we can focus on the end results and press through with a positive attitude.

We don’t want to be one of those people who make more excuses than progress.

Catch up with our Author’s and see what ideas they pulled from the big screen:

• What movie reminds you of your business?
• Chick Flicks teach you to mind the Hot Trends.
  
• You’ve Got Mail says It’s Not Personal?
• This 50’s Mom would surely be a Mom Blogger today.
• Yes, even Monsters fear change.
• This movie says we should make no excuses

From elsewhere today:

• WAHM Talk Radio sparks an Idea from Ratatouille

Next week’s (May 28th)  Spark an Idea Theme is ‘Spark an Idea that Keeps You Motivated’.  Post your idea on your blog with our image and link back here so we know about you.

This is a guest blog post from Jimmy D. Brown.  He continues our guest blogger theme of ‘business transitions’.

My wife and I have been married since 1994.  During the years since our wedding, we have stayed in a variety of hotels ranging from a “glorified closet” to a resort suite, everything from a 1-star rating to a 5-star rating.

We’re not into astronomy, but we do like to see a lot of stars when it comes to our accommodations!

Here’s what Hotels.com says of a “5-Star” rating…

“These luxury hotels offer the pinnacle of service and pampering. Pristine surroundings often include manicured landscaping and famed works of art. Guests may expect multilingual concierge and/or butler services, extensive pool, spa and fitness facilities, and gourmet restaurants with world-renowned chefs. There is typically a high staff- to-guest ratio. Guestrooms feature ample space, designer linens, and special touches such as fresh flowers, champagne and flat-screen televisions. These hotels most often are located in the most desirable cities or resort destinations.”

In other words, 5-star means “the best”.  It represents the highest order of a hotel.  Or, anything for that matter.

There are 5-star hotels, restaurants, campgrounds, salons, banks and much more.

In fact, you can apply the 1-5 star rating system to just about anything.

Even internet marketing.

What I’d like to do is share some insights into becoming a 5-star internet marketer.  And what I’m going to focus on is the strategy that serves as the foundation of all 5-star ratings:  ongoing change in pursuing excellence.

• Can you imagine a hotel receiving a 5-star rating today by offering a black and white television?
• Can you imagine a restaurant receiving a 5-star rating without air conditioning?
• Can you imagine a campground receiving a 5-star rating with no “full hookups”?

While this may have generated a 5-star rating 50 years ago, it’s simply not enough for today.  There is an “ongoing pursuit of excellence” for those who achieve AND maintain a 5-star rating.

That’s the principle I want you to learn today:  5-star internet marketers make adjustments to their business ahead of the pack.

Back in the 1978 one of my favorite songs (I was only 8!) was “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers.  In it, he provides some sage advice that internet marketers would do well to apply in order achieve 5-star status…

“You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away and know when to run.”

These statements form the four stages of a transitional business mindset…

#1 – MAXIMIZE. (“When to hold ‘em”) If you’ve got a “good hand”, you maximize it.  You keep doing what you’re doing until you’ve gotten the absolute best results as you can.

• If a certain topic of information is selling well, you keep selling it until it stops selling well.
• If a certain advertisement is producing great leads, you keep using that advertisement until it stops producing great leads.
• If a certain business practice is achieving a desired result, you keep using that practice until it stops achieving a desired result.

Whatever it is that you find is working, keep doing it (even pouring EXTRA energy and money into it) until it is no longer working effectively.

#2 – MINIMIZE .  (“When to fold ‘em”) If you see that others are beginning to get a “better hand” than you, you begin to make adjustments.  You “minimize” your shortcomings by making improvements to what you’re doing.

• If technology advances are made then you upgrade everything from the format and delivery of your product to your support to your merchandising.
• If new concepts, ideas and trends emerge then you tweak your existing content, communication, operations and so forth or develop entirely new assets based on these revelations.
• If others consistently rate higher than you (in volume, consumer opinion, or any other gauge) then you identify what makes them “better” and strive to move forward with similar thinking and practices.

#3 – MOBILIZE. (“When to walk away”) There comes a time when it is a smart idea to make dramatic changes or reforms to either the way you conduct your business, the products and services you are selling, or both.

• If you’ve sold as many copies of a product as you reasonably feel that you can, then consider an “exit” strategy such as selling a portion of the business or offering a set number of licenses.
• If you’ve grown to the point where you can no longer reasonably keep up with operations (and thus have limited your potential growth) then consider finding a partner, hiring an employee, forming strategic joint ventures or outsource as many things as you can.
• If you’ve reached a plateau in your overall sales then consider adding alternate forms of revenue generation to your mix (coaching, membership sites, eclasses, workshops, licensing, advertising, etc.)

#4 – MODERNIZE. (“When to run”) Finally, there comes a time when you may want to leave your base and diversify into an entirely different business model.  Even if you don’t completely leave the market, once your business is doing extremely well it’s time to add more income streams from other sources.

• If your business has reached a saturation point where new income is becoming increasingly difficult to create, then consider branching into a related market and “starting over”.
• If your business has reached a threshold where it is basically running itself (with outsourcing, employees, partners, etc. in place) then consider branching into a related market to create additional business revenue.
• If your business has become outdated in its publication, presentation, promotion or practice, then consider a complete overhaul from the ground up as you strip everything down to the foundation and rebuild. (I.E. Keep your same customer base, prospects and partners, but revamp your offer.)

Every successful business changes with the times.

Twenty years ago there was Apple computers, but there was no Ipod.  Twenty years ago there was Sony but there was no Playstation.  Twenty years ago there was Ford, but there was no in-dash GPS.  Twenty years ago there was Ganz, but there was no Webkinz.

What have these businesses done?

They’ve made adjustments.  They are 5-star companies because they knew what Kenny Rogers sang about:

“You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away and know when to run.”

If you want to be a 5-star internet marketer then you’ve gotta transition when it is warranted.

And that’s no gamble.

Want to learn from Jimmy?  Join me as I continue to study his awesome Affiliatenaire program!

We may be in business for ourselves when it comes to the bottom line but we don’t get there on our own – especially not on the Interwebs!

The relationships you cultivate today may be a source of many cool new open doors and possibilities in the future.

Our awesome Sparkplugging Authors have some great ideas for cultivating new relationships:

• Susan says Make Friends, Not Competitors.
• Jenn & Michelle encourage you to Communicate and Follow Up!
• Tamara & Lorna say you can Buy Your Friends.
• Crissy says to Start with an Email.
• Brandie says to Connect Over Coffee.
• Leslie says Making Allies Takes Time.
• Bill says to Offer to Subcontract.
• Lynette says Partner with Geeks.

Now, can we hear from you?

Do you have a great idea for making new business friends?  Grab our meme image and ‘Spark an Idea’  on your blog, just be sure to link back here so we know to come check out your ideas!

Want a head start on next week’s theme?  Next Thursday, May 21st we’ll be ‘Sparking an Idea from the Movies’ – Write a post that pulls a great business idea from one of your favorite movies – new or old

I don’t know about you, but when I started this online gig (which soon became a lifelong journey), I had no idea what I was in for. I had no business education, no experience and just thought…heck, I could do something with this Internet thing.

Fast forward 7 years later and it’s been an amazing road with many successes to share…and a few bumps as well. Looking back, I can see there is one important key that has allowed me to grow and keep moving forward – and that’s the ability to see the need for and embrace change. You see, BOTH things are important.

A lot of home business owners embrace change, but many don’t know when they NEED it. Many change for change’s sake. They get bored with what they’re doing. They tried something half-heartedly and decided it just didn’t work. Another opportunity comes up promising greener grass on the other side and they hop on over. This type of change can lead you on the path to nowhere and FAST.

See, understanding the need for change and carefully evaluating your next move or series of moves is important.

Step 1: Take a Break

If you think you’re in need of a change, take a break. I’m a spontaneous person and often make decisions on the fly, but if it’s a big change I’m contemplating or I feel like I’m stalled – a break what I need. If you’re feeling the same, consider a break before jumping into it too.

I know that staring at my computer, hopping to Twitter and checking my stats isn’t going to help me come up with a solution…so off the computer goes. I play with the kids, go to yoga class, go see a movie – anything to get refreshed and ready to tackle things.

Step 2: Write It Down or Talk It Out

Get it all out…whether you like to write or talk. Consider all the issues, your needs and possible solutions. Just getting things clarified can help you make the right decisions.

I’m a writer and I usually get out the pen and paper for this one, so I can add notes, extra ideas and make sure no stone is left unturned. Use the brainstorming method that’s right for you, but do make sure you consider everything.

Step 3: Avoid Changes that Overburden

There are so many opportunities in the great vast Web 2.0 world and we can’t take them all. Carefully evaluate your opportunities, keeping your business goals and personal values in mind.

For me, earning a great income with minimal time investment, so I can enjoy life and family is crucial. This means I don’t take on projects or opportunities that take me away from that. Think about what is important to you.

Step 4: Make a Plan & Get To It!

Now that you’ve carefully evaluated everything and found the right choice for you…make your plan and stick with it (but of course, make adjustments as they become necessary. If you’re taking on new projects, it might be time to shave some unproductive projects to ensure you can dedicate yourself appropriately. Make it as easy as possible to make the change as successful as it can be.

Change is a good thing…when it’s done for the right reasons and it works for you and your business. If you’re ready for changes that will help you increase your hourly worth in your business take the quiz…just 8 quick multiple choice questions gets you a customized action plan for LESS work and MORE pay.

When Wendy first spoke with me about Sparkplugging I felt both a thrill of excitement and a stab of fear. The idea of stepping up to the role of General Editor was appealing on so many levels but one small part of me was really freaked out about it.

Why? Why did something so wonderful seem so scary to me?

An issue of Peer Comparison.

I admire Wendy so much and I had a hard time imagining myself in a position she has filled in such a unique way. I think about everything Wendy has accomplished in such a short time and I wonder if I have what it takes to boost Sparkplugging to the next level?

Finally, I resolved my hesitancy by realizing I don’t have to try to be like Wendy to do well in this position – I only have to be ME.

Of course this is also an issue of Self Confidence.

Do I believe that I can do this? For a little while, I just wasn’t sure and that’s scary! If I don’t believe in myself, who else will?

This isn’t the first time I’ve felt stretched in my business. It is a very familiar feeling.

• I felt stretched when I launched Work at Home Moms Talk Radio in 2003.
• I felt stretched when I partnered with Alice Seba on Mom Masterminds in 2004.
• I felt stretched when I quit my day job in 2006 and relied 100% on my business income.
• I felt stretched when I took over Mom’s Talk Network (and took on significant short term debt in the process) in 2007.

Every time I reached out to a new level I felt the same bubbly combination of excitement and fear – and did it anyways.  The results were great!  My business has grown and prospered.

This won’t be any different.

I’m a little unsteady on my feet. I feel awkward and out of my comfort zone. But I’m doing it anyways.

Would you like to join me?

Surely there’s a next level waiting for you right now

Wendy, thank you again for this awesome opportunity to work with you and the other incredible Sparkplugging Authors. I hope this season of transition will see both of us growing in amazing ways both personally and professionally.

From your business….

You gave birth to me one day, long ago. I was the sparkle in your eye, an idea growing inside of you, impatient for the day when I would become a reality.

I know that I’m not an easy child. I know that I’m demanding and always hungry for your attention. Thank you for staying up with me into the wee hours of the night and carrying me with you everywhere you go. I’m your most demanding child, yet you nurture and care for me like no one else ever could. Thank you for feeding me with your creativity, passion, and endless devotion.

I wish to give you something in return. I wish to give you the gift of freedom; I wish to give you something for which you will be forever proud; I wish to give you security and financial independence. Mostly, I wish to give you the means to help others as you do so well – and the satisfaction of knowing that this world is a better place because of you – because of us.

Perhaps I’m still too small to give you all of that right now, but we’ll grow together. Please know that gratitude comes in many forms and while I may not give back to you in the ways you expect, there is a gift in every moment that we spend together. Like the child you hold close to your heart I will bring you joy, even in the most trying of times. Thank you for being you.

Photo Courtesy of Fishman Public Relations

After athletes spend an entire career practicing, competing, and becoming masters of their sport, when it’s time to retire, a lot of them realize there’s going to be a huge paradigm shift for their career.  Former Los Angeles Raider Joe Wells took his experience as an athlete and launched a successful career  offering a high quality line of sports nutrition products and custom athletic apparel. Joe is the founder and CEO of Max Muscle, the nation’s premier franchise in sports nutrition, weight loss and fitness.

During his four-years in the NFL, Joe refused to let the achievement of his ultimate athletic dream blur his vision of the future. Like most professional football players, it didn’t take long for him to realize a career in professional sports was temporary to say the least.  So he started planning for his “retirement”. A lifelong athlete, he gathered a tremendous amount of knowledge about weight training and nutrition.  Joe learned how amino acids enhanced muscle recovery while playing for the LA Raiders, prompting him to formulate one of the first low-molecular amino acid supplements for athletes. It quickly became the top-selling sports nutrition amino acid in the country.

Joe recently took time out of his busy schedule to tell me more about his football career, his successful business, and how he manages it all.

On his most rewarding moment as a Football player:

“As a collegiate player I experienced many great moments. I was a linebacker and believe it or not a kicker. That’s a pretty rare crossover as a player, and it helped me create some great memories. In college I kicked several game winning field goals and I had many games with fumble recoveries, interceptions and a plenty of tackles.  I had a ton of awards, and a blast playing in college.”

“I was never a superstar player after college. It was a fight every step of the way to make it with a pro team. I signed several contracts in the NFL and USFL over a 5 year period. The Seahawks, Saints, Eagles, Raiders and a couple of USFL teams. It was hardly an illustrious pro career. At the time it was downright disappointing.  After 20 plus years of maturing, that entire experience is now one of my greatest memories. I met and played with so many legendary players, like Kenny Stabler, Marcus Allen, Archie Manning, Steve Young and many more. I travelled all over the US and played in some awesome stadiums. It was a great experience, and in fact was my gateway to Max Muscle.  All of this will lead right back to my greatest moment.  I was eating breakfast one morning with the late great player Lyle Alzado. It was training camp in 1984 with the Los Angeles Raiders. Lyle was taking a supplement called amino acids. I asked about them and he obliged with a plethora of information. I was all ears and later when the Raiders released me, I went to work on formulating one of the finest Amino Acid formulas on the market. Having breakfast with a football hero and having that set the pace for the next few decades of my life, that’s truly a great football memory for me!”

On his greatest business success so far:

“When I was in 7th grade I wrote an essay on what I wanted to accomplish in my life. In true seventh grade fashion I had my priorities in line.  Become a pro football player first and secondly own a chain of health stores. I am not really sure where that idea even came from, but for some reason I knew what I wanted.  Once Max Muscle exceeded the 100 store mark, I felt like I could legitimately call us a franchise chain. With that said, I feel that my greatest business achievement to date is actually living my dream of being the CEO of a large chain of stores! As I tell many of our new franchisees, ‘I am living my dream.’”

On traits that are both part of being a football player and business owner:

“I was recently at my 6th grade sons Jr. High Orientation. We were listening to his PE teacher who brought to our attention a poster titled: “I learned how to be successful in life from sports”. It then listed all the similarities like, Sportsmanship, Teamwork, Training, Positive Attitude, How to Win, How to Lose”. You get the picture, sports helps us all in life. But out of all that I can really say what worked for me in sports that I later applied to business was simply, “Work Harder than Your opponent”.  I was not a totally natural athlete; I had to work a little harder than others. I worked out longer to get stronger and I ran uphill to get faster than my opponents. That philosophy paid off in sports and later in business. In my younger days working 12-15 hours per day was just status quo; of course I hadn’t started a family yet!”

On advice for aspiring  entrepreneurs:

“I have 2 things to say as general guides for entrepreneurs. The first is “Believe in what you decide to do. Don’t just do something to make money, really believe in what you are doing. It brings the fire and passion out in you. Secondly “Don’t be afraid! Once you decide what to do don’t hesitate and don’t look back.  Jump in with both feet and be the best at what you do.”

Advice for balancing business and personal life:

“Well some may say that I tilt the scale a little too much for the kids and my family.  That is a luxury that time has afforded me. I have worked hard for my entire life. I have always had a job since I was 10 years old. I have great partners and a smooth running system. I also have 5 kids and if one of them has a baseball game or a concert at 3pm, I will be there. I may hit the computer again at 10pm, but I will never let myself look back and wish I had supported my kids more. It is possible to balance it all; you just need to get creative and flexible with your time.”

The one thing he has yet to do that he would like to do the most:

“I am pushing 50, and there are so many things that I want to do. I see our lives as having multi facets or dimensions.  In business I want to get to the magic number of 500 stores! In my philosophical life, I want to write a best selling book.  In my physical life, I want to win a Gold Medal or do something no other 50+ year old has done. In my family life, I want to see all my kids prosper and become great human beings!  Kind of corny huh, no skydiving or bungee jumping for me!”

Thanks Joe for some great advice and your inspiring story!

Courtesy of Adam Bourcier

After growing up in Long Island, Amos Zereoue went on to play football at West Virginia University.  After a successful run with the Mountaineers he enjoyed an amazing career with the NFL team, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Having retired in 2005, Amos now owns the West African/French Fusion restaurant that shares his last name, Zereoue’s, in New York City.  Patrons enjoy good food, often cooked by Amos himself some days, and great atmosphere at this eatery in the Big Apple.

I had the privilege of learning more about Amos and his success recently when he agreed to talk to me about his experiences, both in football and business.

Jessica: Tell me about your most rewarding moment as a football player.

Amos: That’s hard to answer – so I’m gonna give you a couple of rewarding moments. My first ever college game – to be a relatively unknown player and to have made such an impact was a huge thing for me.  I remember in that first game – it was against PITT, they handed the ball off to me – and I was off, something like 69 or 70 yard touchdown run – that was so amazing – and the best part was that it was fun.  Obviously signing my contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers was a dream come true, I was having fun and getting paid for it – like a kid in a candy store.

J: What would you say is your greatest business success so far?

A: By far the ability to open a restaurant in the food and culture capital of the world has been one of the hardest things to do.  I’m still learning it everyday, but it’s a new challenge, so at least I’m learning. I’ve always enjoyed cooking – I used to cook for teammates all the time – and now I cook in the greatest city and I give them a food they aren’t entirely used to.  It’s all about new experiences.

J: Are there any traits required of both being a football player and being a restaurant owner?

A: First and foremost you need backing.  It’s sad, but so much depends on either your ability to have money or get money (either from banks or friends/investors).  Then you just need to have patience and persevere at it.  The early years are usually pretty bad, but it’s not a sprint, you’re in it for the long haul.

J: What advice can you offer aspiring entrepreneurs?

A: Never give up.  If you have an idea run with it until you can’t run with it anymore. Think of it as photography – you’ll take hundreds of photos, but maybe only 2 or 3 come out perfect – that’s how business is – just keep creating those ideas, fleshing them out, see what works
and what doesn’t and then keep going.

J: How do you balance your business and your personal life?

A: That’s probably the biggest challenge – because your business life becomes your personal life and vice versa.  You have to set priorities, be able to not take things too personal, and just move on.  Take the card your dealt and just play.

J: What’s the one thing you have yet to do that you’d like to do the most?
A: That’s the simplest question out of all of these – travel the world!

Do you live in or plan to visit New York City?  Stop by Zereoue’s at 13 East 37th Street and enjoy some West African/French Fusion fare and who knows, Amos might end up creating the meal for you himself!

If you’re a fan of th e Spawn comic series then you definitely know Todd McFarlane.  If you’re a sports fan, play Guitar Hero, or have bought an action figure recently, then you should know Todd McFarlane.

You see, Todd McFarlane, has gone from working for Marvel Comics as an artist to creating his own empire.  After working for Marvel/DC Comics for some time, Todd became disenchanted with the corporate world and decided to branch out on his own.  That’s when he created the ever-popular comic Spawn.  Chatting with Todd over the phone, I got some really good insight about what it means to give up the status quo and build a business.  Even though Spawn was wildly successful Todd told me, “The comic business is a single business and I didn’t want to put all my eggs in one basket.”

So what did he do?  First he expanded the branding for Spawn via television, movies, video games, and toys.  In the beginning of this expansion process he explored different options for distribution and marketing.  He soon realized that he “didn’t feel comfortable with the companies he talked to, that they were going to do the obvious”.  This discomfort led to Todd starting a company himself.

His goal?  To continue to diversify with the ebb and flow of the market.  And obviously, he’s been successful.  Big brand names like NFL, MLB, and Shrek are all connected to Todd’s toy distribution channel.

I asked Todd what advice he could offer those who want to leave the corporate world to branch out on their own too.  He said, “It’s not like walking off a cliff.  If it doesn’t work out, you can always go back.  It’s like cutting your hair.”   Todd also added that the problem with starting a business “isn’t having tremendous ideas, it’s how to finance.  You need ambition and you need to save up and start small.”

Start small?  This coming from the guy who could easily take over the world with his portfolio of business?  And whose toys can be found in any toy department at major stores like Toys R Us and Walmart?  Todd tells me, “Opening day isn’t the end.  It intimidates people when they think the first day has to be end result. But no. It’s just the first step!”

Smart guy, that Mr. McFarlane.  One question I didn’t ask that I wish I had:  How often do you get to play with all those toys?

Want to connect with Todd?  Check out his myspace page for latest news and updates.