BE THE RULER

I have always been a very active girl.  As a kid I used to do different sports in addition to going to drama and music school after my ordinary day at school. So I was always busy.

Sometimes I forgot to eat because I was so eager and passionate about what I was doing. A lot of my friends used to think that I suffered from ADHD, which I don’t blame them for at all.  Some of my friends still think that I do.

Good thing is I have calmed down the last two years, but I can still get very hyper and extremely intense when there is something I am very interested in.  I’m a natural born seller, so you can imagine how I can get; pretty ANNOYING at times. But don’t worry; on the inside I’m actually very calm. This calmness comes with something I thank God for everyday and that is a great amount of energy. I don’t know where it is coming from, but inside me there is a great light that lives which fills me up everyday. I mean, I do work out a lot so I get energy from that, but I’m not talking about that kind of energy. I’m talking about the energy of feeling invincible everyday.  If you knew my history I think you would be having problems believing me.  I lived a pretty crazy life for years. A real Rolling Stone with an extreme amount of luck every time it could go seriously wrong.

I’ve made some mistakes…clearly, but I regret few because my past seems to help me with my future more and more, but its only recently I’ve discovered how life can be just as invincible as I feel.  I get up at 6am everyday  (which I did NOT do a year ago) and trust me; I have become one of those whistling people you just cant stand on your way to work. This all started when I started to ask myself the question ¨why¨.  Why do I want to take part in this project, or why won’t I take part? Why will I go out tonight, or why won’t I go out? What is it that I really want and what is it that I really NEED? Now, that’s a BIG difference. Here are some examples:

-       -I want to go out and have fun tonight, but I need to get up and be a hundred 100% tomorrow to be able to perform as efficient as possible.

-      -  I want this relationship to work, but I need to be happy which I am not with this girl/boy, therefore I need to get out of this relationship.

-       - I want to go shopping and eat all day long, but I need money to be able to finance my business and I need to stay healthy to be able to be 100% focused in my job so that I can bring in great results that again will finance my life.

-       - I am bored today so I want to hang out with my crazy friend who takes a lot of drugs, and who drinks and drive and makes me crack up for nothing, but I need a true friend I can trust, who is healthy, who inspires me, supports me, and influences me to become a better person so that I can be the best I can be towards myself and others.

See the difference? When you start asking yourself ¨why¨ first instead of letting it all run automatic you suddenly start to see clearer. I have never been so much in control over my life as after I started to ask myself these questions and I have never had so much fun with being the ruler of my own life. It sounds weird to finally be the ruler of my own life. Who would have thought that you weren’t? But in fact a lot of people are slaves instead of rulers of their lives. Its creepy, but its true, and until you realize how to take control back you will be wasting your time and energy on stuff you wouldn’t have if you had just asked yourself why first, and honestly…how many times haven’t you done what you wanted because your ego won and then you just felt it was a waste to go out, spend all your money on shopping or staying in that crappy relationship? BORING. I’m sure if you think about it you probably enjoy your own company more than the company of a lot of other people you know. 

Plus you have to be aware of the fact that being your own boss means that you are the one who are setting the rules. If you cant discipline yourself to recognize what is good for you and your business and what is not you will slowly end up in the grave you prepared for yourself. 

So think twice and listen to yourself before you throw yourself into delay and financial death. 

Work Visas in the US

After reading a bunch of different websites up and down with information on the different work visas I found a website that pretty much covers it all and reads easily. Go here; http://www.h1base.com/

PS! I’m not saying that you should buy the packages that they are offering, but it’s a very informative website which also tells you what you can except in terms of a reject.

I recommend you to carefully study these work visas in addition to the different rules for registering a company in whatever state you are planning to set up a company. If you are setting up your own company and not working for someone else be prepared to show your entire business plan including the financial plan (of course).

Please read more about registering a company here: http://yassminejohansen.blogspot.com/2010/08/smart-us-state-to-corporate-your.html.

Remember; just because you cannot obtain a work Visa does NOT mean that you cant set up a company in the US. It also does not mean that you cannot set up a business account in the US, although it might be a little tricky.

A lot of people thinks that if you cant get a work visa then you cant put up a company and therefore you cannot register a business account. Wrong. If you are having problems getting a work visa at first I suggest you get a company set up in the state that allows you to do so, then do some business from abroad.

The Internet has pretty much revolutionized the whole way of doing business today.

The Internet is breaking rules, making it easier for entrepreneurs establishing and operating internationally.

It depends what industry you are in, but lets say I was selling T-shirts. I wouldn’t have to put up a company in each country to sell it, would I? But I probably would have to put up a website. It is getting harder and harder to refuse people doing business across borders because of the Internet. In my case there are only a few states I can set up a company without going into a partnership with a person with the certificate required. Still even when I have set up my company in one of those states I might not get a work visa, however I can still operate from my company in Europe and through my US company, which in my case is not really Europe, but the INTERNET; it’s a no-mans land. When I go to the US I always bring my laptop (I bring my laptop almost everywhere), and I always work even if I’m on vacation. I don’t care if I’m on Mars or Jupiter as long as I can get online. Is the US government going to put me in jail because I’m on the Internet ¨working¨ in the US WITH a legally registered company IN the US creating more work for the US people? Its always good to be on the safe side, so therefore I am getting that work visa, but in theory it is obviously both legal and illegal to do business in the US without a work visa because of the different rules from state to state and the fact that the Internet is a global platform.

Knowledge is power. 

Get out of your comfort zones!

Today I am really walking my talk. Instead of going to bed early because I’m a wreck from yesterdays dinner party I’m writing this blog and getting other practical stuff done. Yes, it hurts intensely.  I’m forcing my eyes to stay open and my brain cells to work in team. I could have post-pone some of the stuff until tomorrow as Sunday is not really a workday, it wouldn’t matter that much, but the problem is telling yourself that every time you are feeling like shit or you want to sleep in, will definitely slow you down. I believe it is important to be consistent to be able to reach goals as efficiently as possible. I think it is extra important in the start-up process to push yourself a little extra; therefore it is crucial to understand that getting out of your comfort zone is very often what it takes to stay 5 steps ahead of your competitor.

You might not like to get up at 6am in the morning or work long and inhuman hours, and you might not like to be skinned all the time because you are dividing the hours of the day between part time jobs and building the company; but I’m pretty certain getting used to not having it too comfortable will increase the chances of reaching your goal faster and better. If your work-day is too comfortable you are probably not working hard enough. Makes sense to me. 
I’m not saying that you should get an uncomfortable work-chair because its good for you to feel pain, I’m just highlighting the fact that you must be willing to work hard(er) hence pushing yourself further, and dealing with not-so-cool phone calls, meetings, presentations or even arguments to be able to deal with whatever comes in your way…remember; problems...or obstacles as I like to call it very often come unexpectedly. Above all you have to be focused and you have to be persistent; self discipline is also very important, but sometimes its harder for young people, as discipline is often something you learn when you grow older and become more mature. Focus and persistent are two of the most important elements to be able to move forward. Without persistence focus doesn’t matter and the other way around. Take focus and persistence away and all you are is Peter Pans shadow on a fantasy island. You have to be strict with yourself and tell yourself everyday that you will deal with whatever comes in the way and you will deal with it correct and fast with a positive spirit. Sometimes this means staying up the whole night to correct documents before sending in for the deadline approaching the next day. Be aware that complaining or making the extra task an issue will only drain you for more energy than necessary. You must deal with it to move forward either you like it or not, so why waste time and energy complaining about something you have to do anyway? Being negative wont get you anywhere.

I have to admit that I sometimes struggle with staying focused. I have so many things going on in my head, that I sometimes cant hear myself think. It really stresses me out when I can’t focus, however that is not a good enough excuse if I want to be the best in my field. No excuses are good enough. I know that to be able to be the best I can be to reach my goals I will have to change my mindset and then my actions. Personally I feel that it is extremely important to learn how to master persistent and focus in whatever field you work in. Reason why is because if you are not good at mastering both at the same time, you will eventually give up from all the wrong calculations, delays etc. Things will be taking too long because you weren’t as persistent as you thought and it will eat your self-esteem from inside. Well, this is a fact; quitting is a habit, so don’t.

I found a neat little book at Gatwick airport when I was travelling from London a while ago, and Its called ¨The Secrets of Success in Selling – 12 ways to achieve exceptional results¨, by Nicola Cook. I found something interesting that I know I have read somewhere else before and it’s about mantras or your own pep talk if you like.  It’s basically a way of transforming the mindset by self-brainwashing. As a matter of fact it is scientifically proved that it works, but you have to be patient. It does not happen over night. What you do is that you make up a mantra that you will tell yourself everyday. For instance, one of my mantras is ¨Everything I start, I complete with brilliance¨, the second one is ¨I am always on time because I like to be early just in case¨ and the third one ¨I get up early because I am on my way to becoming the greatest in my field and therefore I take advantage of all hours of the day to beat my competitors delivering the best service in the world¨. 

There are some rules for making a mantra:

-      - Make it positive; State your intentions as you want it to be as opposed to what you want to avoid

-       -State in the present tense so that it happens right NOW and not in the future

-      - Say it out loud and say it out proud. Personally I have a sheet on my wall on my desk with my mantra so that I see it every time I look up from my laptop. It is also the first thing I see when I sit down on my work-chair. So I sit on my desk and I say it out loud for myself.

-       -The mantra cannot be about other people changing. We can only change ourselves.

The clever thing about mantras is that it defines the goal, so you are always reminded on what you should always do. When you have managed to brainwash yourself you simply tune into the right frequency and you are on autopilot--- destination; your goal.

It feels a little bit like ¨runners high¨ when you are starting to notice the difference in your mindset and behavior.

Mantras are good tools when you are moving into unknown territories and things starts to get complicated. That’s the time you need to remind yourself of your mission.

When starting up you usually don’t have that much money so initially you will probably end up doing a lot of the work that a lawyer or an accountant normally would do for you if you were able to pay them. Because you don’t have the knowledge that a lawyer or an accountant have you will be spending a lot of time researching just to be 100% sure you are signing the right contracts and that your financial statements are correct.

Not everyone loves every area of running or owning a business. For instance; it is a well-known phenomenon that creative people and especially artist’s cant stand mathematics or anything where you are tied up by regulations and paragraphs, but if you want to be in full control you should know how everything works. You should understand the financial statements; balance sheet, cash flow statement and profit and loss (at least), even if you do hire an accountant and a lawyer. Why? Because someone might want to take advantage of your business at a later point when you are very successful. Maybe someone is trying to buy you out of your own company by securing a bunch of shares. You need to know how to protect yourself if that situation may arise. If you believe in yourself and your business idea you will do anything in your power to protect you company. You will be prepared for war any day and have the weapons ready even before you can see a glimpse of the enemy behind the thick fog in the distant eternity.

Ouch! My first BIG lesson!

Ok, so when putting up your first company research is def the most important thing. I can’t even describe with words how important it is. Research takes time, so be patient.

To me it was important to secure the trademark first, so I spent some time initially doing research on trademark after doing a superficial research of the industry. The reason why was because I wanted a name that described what we do, not a name that was fancy or cool, and I wanted to be sure that I could use a great name… not a good name, or an ok name…a great name; also I had to have a great name to get noticed in my particular field. In the industry I will be operating in I noticed that many of my significant competitors had names that did not describe their service at all, so one of my competitive advantages is therefore the name. I will reveal both the name and the industry Im in later on in the process. Main reason why I’m not revealing it yet is simply because I don’t want you to think that this blog is directed at one particular industry. I’m trying to make this blog as useful as possible for whatever industry you are in. 

The service that I will be offering is a ¨one time¨ service (a service that people normally only buy ones in their life) and statistics shows that people buying this type of service will turn to the Internet in many cases. Lets say I was a cup-cake baker. I would want to have the word ¨cup-cake¨ in my name so that it would be easier for potential clients to find me on the Internet. Makes sense; right?

I was really lucky with the trademark considering I did my own trademark research instead of hiring a lawyer, which most people do. Reason why I didn’t hire a lawyer was because I didn’t have the money to do so, and that was why I had to do the digging myself, therefore I wasn’t sure when I filed my application to the USPTO whether I would get it or not, or if I had filled in something wrong. After 3 months I got an emailing saying that it had been granted and the only thing I had to do was to respond to a ¨letter of action¨ as it is called. Good news turned into motivation, and I felt that nothing could stop me now. I mean…I did what a lawyer with years and years of education offer as a service…on my own! So of course I was bubbling of motivation and self esteem! Then…just days ago I found out something that wasn’t all so cool. I knew I had to change the approach, NOT give up! Although I have to say it did seem hopeless at first. Very hopeless. Most of all; time consuming.

I found out that to be able to open my own company in that particular industry in the US I would have to work 6000 hours under someone else to get a license. 6000 hours is about 3 years!  Additionally I would have to apply for a license in each state I would operate in. This does not apply to all industries, but my industry. Lets say you are a movie director looking to work in the US; then you don’t have the same problem.

I wasn’t shocked… it does make sense, but obviously it is very different from country to country, and obviously I had overlooked something important during the research…something I should have spotted earlier in the process.

I used to work part time for a company in London, UK, and it was not a requirement to have a license to open your own company there, so it sort of didn’t cross my mind, although I remember thinking about it first month I was all caught up in researching trademark. I just ignored it.

As I am still doing research I don’t really look at this as a failure but a lesson to teach me how to change direction. I mean; I was prepared for almost whatever turns, but yeah…I have to admit it sort of ruined my original plan to be up and running international from January, but hey; At least I had a goal when to start, and that’s crucial. This is all I think about day and night. I’m not going to give up just because some rule, hell no! Either I would have to change the rule or go around the rule. That’s how my mind works.

It took me two days to find a solution to my problem or to straight up the failure as someone likes to call it. Well, not really straightening it up, cause now it’s going to take more time, but that’s all right.  In my world however very few failures are actually failures. The word is overrated. Failure is just a tool to improve. The improve tool! That’s all.

I know some of you are thinking ¨My God this girl must be delusional! 3 years...6000 hours!¨ Why would I be so realistic? That word is also overrated to me.

Funny thing is, I have managed to brainwash myself with my business idea so that the only thing that I understand is the words KEEP GOING.

I must say that I do feel lucky because I actually found two ways around the rule, and not just one or non. I feel lucky yes, and not brilliant because I know that there are some industries where there are rules you can’t get around, and it takes some significant force to change it. It would really suck to have bought the trademark and then find out that you can’t even operate in the business.  So be very careful with the research part. I’m not completely retarded. Its not like I didn’t know whether I would be able to go through with this or not. I have more than one territory checked. So in worst-case scenario, I at least had Europe, and then I could have moved on to the US after 6000 hours, anyway, there is an exception to that rule. I don’t know how interesting it is for you all to read about the exception I came across in my industry, cause you all operate in different industries. I just want you to know that there are normally ways around and that it is important to not give up just because you get a punch in the face, cause I’m sure Ill get more of the punches, and so will you.

Many doors will be closed, but then some will open. I swear this is true. I used to work with phone sales for Dun and Bradstreet while I was studying. I was selling credit ratings and you wont believe how many NO I got, but I knew that the only way to get a sale was to pick up that phone again and again until no became a yes, so all I’m trying to do now and all I want you guys to do is go get your yes! YES, YES, YES!