Street Smarts VS Book Smarts in Business

Whenever i talk about Book smarts vs street smarts, someone accuses me of trashing educational institutions or hating business school. Those who are educated exclusively in this way get sensitive and think that I’m saying that they don’t know anything – so not true…

Well um…sort of!

School smarts (formal education) are great, got nothing against them at all. They award certificates that look great on a CV. They teach you concepts and principles that you might not find elsewhere as easily. They can even make your name look better on paper and help establish your credibility – after all, if your life depended on it, who’d you prefer to meet at the operating table in a hospital…

Dr Max Soutter or Mr Max Soutter?

If you’re a professional climbing the corporate ladder and that’s your goal, then you should know that there are many doors that a piece of paper can open for you – rightly so, for the most part.

BUT and it’s a big but…in business, for entrepreneurs, the world works differently.

In business more academic qualifications don’t equate to you being more intelligent, better equipped or more likely to succeed…sometimes it can even mean the opposite. The most important qualifications, knowledge or skills in business aren’t gained in any formal academic system.

For those my friend, you’ll have to go to the Street University!

The street university is where your theories, ideas and ‘the stuff you’re made of’ is tested. The street university isn’t looking to see how many books you’ve read or how many degrees you have. Rather it’s looking to see how determined, focused and courageous you are. The Street university is also where we find out if your idea, that looks amazing on paper is actually practical or if you are in fact the man to pull it off.

The difference between these two is why career professionals (or long time employees) often have a very hard time making the transition from employee to entrepreneur. The two world’s work very different

For example

• Employees are rewarded for following instructions, conforming to established systems and expectations (just like in school)
  
• Entrepreneurs are most rewarded for standing out, going against the grain and creating their own systems
• Employees are expected to perform to the degree that they’ve been equipped with support systems to perform (like school).
• An entrepreneur needs to perform no matter what.
• Most employees get paid even if they have a bad week – or month. Some get paid even to do close to nothing (in school, besides major exam years, you get to progress from one grade to another, even if you don’t ‘deserve’ to.)
  
• Entrepreneurs get paid accordingly to the value they create. Bad performance will almost always affect your pay-day.
• Employees will tend to focus on their job security.
• Entrepreneurs will tend to focus more on financial freedom…and the job security of others.
• Employees are often given a daily agenda and initiative often hindered (Just like teachers dictate the agenda of most students).
• When an entrepreneur wakes up, he has to design his own agenda and initiative is a must.

‘Street university’ or the school of the practical is a very different world to the world where you’re given all the rules, a pre-thought out syllabus, a teacher to guide you through it and a fairly predictable exam. BUT

Street University doesn’t have to be a School of Hard Knocks!

School of Hard Knocks implies that you’re only learning the hard way, but you can be smarter than that, right?

• Learn from people who have already made the mistakes you might have made and are already achieving the goals you’re setting for yourself.
• Learn by acting on your goals and ideas. Don’t let perfectionism keep you from acting.
• If you make a mistake, get back up fast, learn the lesson and move on.
• Increase your EQ (emotional quotient)
• Develop your leadership skills

If I could only have one, I’d choose street smarts over school smarts.  Fortunately it’s not either or. The street university is often turned in the school of hard knocks when you start out with stupid theories or just plain ignorance of basic concepts. Concepts that are taught in formal educational setups.

So Both is best as long as you know which is which I guess.

Stay smart.

Homosexuals In Heaven?

A struggling someone asked – “Will God allow Homosexuals in Heaven?” The answer is NO! Nor will he allow thieves, murderers, liars – or anyone who has ever committed even the smallest sin – especially not you.

Heaven is not for sinners of any kind – yet that is all any of us is without Jesus. God will not allow anyone who is of that first Adam…that natural man, into Heaven, but he will allow all of us, who are in Christ, the last Adam. You see the thing is to stop thinking of someone Else’s sin as greater or less than your own. Whatever are the ‘big sins’ in people’s eyes are all small in comparison to the blood of Jesus.

The issue first and foremost and by far is not which particular sin have you committed, how many times and is it better or worse than mine – no the issue is, if your faith in Jesus and his GIFT of righteousness or in yourself. If you are in Christ, you are free from judgement and free from the chains of sin and heaven bound…even if you fail in a certain area.

That’s why it’s called a gift of grace. You can’t earn it, or deserve to keep it. It’s by grace…so lets take our focus off of our own selves and back on to Jesus. Jesus is enough.

How Social Media Marketing Works

Everyday in Zimbabwe, and really, all across Africa, businesses are finally waking up to the opportunity of social media marketing. Facebook especially. Problem is, most people and companies just have no real clue about how it really works, so that even large brands with large followings on Facebook or Twitter for example, just don’t really see much in the way of bottom line results. So…what to do? How does it work? What’s the best strategy?

Who Wants To Be A Sheep?

Who wants to be a sheep of an entrepreneur? A white, fluffy, helpless sheep? Before you answer, consider the life of the sheep…

He has no sharp teeth, no long claws, no battle armour and no scary growl to scare off hungry wolves. He doesn’t run fast or jump high and he cannot camouflage his white wool against the green grass – He is an all together easy target for any predator.

Oh and if that wasn’t already bad enough…

The only thing a

How To Change An Impossible Situation

Business is a test. Few realms of endeavour will have you encountering as many challenges, and in Zimbabwe – much more so. 2012 for example was a heck of a hard year for many. However there is a difference between what is hard and what is impossible.

‘Hard’ is a measure of difficulty. A measure of the effort it’s going to take to get through to the other side. Hard is a test – hard times show you what stuff you’re made of, what makes you tick, how much you want it. However, let’s be clear, If something is

2012…Is it Really Over? Phew!

Not by might…

Just a little while longer and ‘The Year From Hell’ will be over! Well that’s at least how a couple of people I know would describe it. I was close to that too. I’ll admit, on ‘Wonderfulness-Of-Life-Ometer’, this has not been one of my best – not even close.

In 2012, I made more mistakes, failed in more ways than probably any year I’ve had since 1996 when I spent every waking moment playing video games and wondering why I didn’t make progress! Never was a year so full of heart breaks, secret tears, sleepless nights, unproductive days and reoccurring failures as was 2012 for me. A lot of really heart breaking experiences and all for one mega important lesson.

A lesson so important that it’s

OPPORTUNITY: If You’re Into Network Marketing In Zimbabwe…

Are you into multi-level marketing? Whether you’re in Forever Living selling Aloe Vera products, or promoting holiday packages through World Ventures – whichever network marketing opportunity you’re involved in, I want to show you how to finally start building a real income stream, and how to do it quicker and easier than you may have thought possible, right here in Zimbabwe.

You’ll have to be open to new ideas though.

Now, I’ll admit, for a long time I was a skeptic of multi-level marketing opportunities and their viability as a business opportunity. However, after I began to do the research (and I did a lot) I began to discover that there are in fact some viable opportunities in the industry and some multi-level marketing companies do in fact offer great products and value.  Some have great compensation or marketing plans and some even offer great support and training.

BUT, the truth is…

Despite all those benefits, very many people are still struggling to turn it all into an income that is actually worth the effort and money they’ve put in.

Is that you?

You work hard, you put in the time, but nothing seems to be happening, seems just to hard to convince people. Or perhaps you’ve already given up on the idea. Whatever the case, if you will allow me, I would love to show you how turn things around (also I have a free gift worth hundreds if dollars I want to give to you).

Yes, there is a way to build a real genuine (or a greater) income stream from multi-level marketing, right here in Zimbabwe, even if you’ve been struggling for years and failing.

If you’re involved in MLM or have been in the past, and you’re open minded and you’re open to new ideas and results driven strategies from years of research and study, I want to talk to you. No matter which multi-level marketing company you’re into or were into, I am convinced that I can show you a way to take a giant leap forward.

Contact me now.

If you’re one of the few who is already making good money, then you can make more. However, if you’re the majority that has been struggling, this could be that missing piece you’ve been looking for.

Get in touch with me ASAP.  Use the form below to reach my personal email, or connect with me on Facebook. IN BOX – www.facebook.com/maxsoutter or EMAIL maxsoutter@facebook.com

 

Zimbabwe’s Evil Pyramid Schemes.

When some people hear Multi-level marketing, they think, “oh this must be a pyramid scheme”. Sad thing is very few actually have any idea of what a pyramid scheme is. Truth is 99% of companies in Zimbabwe are pyramid schemes!

They look like this (See picture).

Notice how the people

Balltron (Nhakatron): Start a Business in Zimbabwe for Just $30

Ok, before I tell you about Balltron or Nhakatron, lets be real about what it takes to start a business in Zimbabwe right now. It takes money, effort, risk, blood, sweat and tears, and then more money.

Money to hire help, money to market yourself, money to setup the office, money to buy the machinery…and so on. No matter what anyone tells you, it takes money to start up a business (unless) – fortunately, though, it’s not always your money. I’m not talking getting a loan, even business plans written and scrutinized the best consultants in Zimbabwe, can no longer guarantee you a loan…not even close. Anyone who says otherwise is either lying or smoking something, or both.

So what to do? Give up and settle for the rat race?

Naa. Not you!

I’m constantly on the look out for great opportunities that you can take advantage of, and recently I came upon what is one of the best, and most practical approaches to making money in Zimbabwe I’ve seen in a long time.

It’s called Balltron, and yes it’s multi-level marketing. Granted MLM has been a disappointment for a number of people in recent times – but there’s a reason for that. It’s not because multi-level marketing doesn’t work, in fact few models work as well. It’s because many of them really weren’t specifically designed to fit the Zimbabwean context.

They’re either too costly to join and maintain, or else they require people to change some of the life time habits of spending and living…not an easy way to build a business. It’s worked for some, but many have struggled. It’s not impossible, but it’s not exactly easy either.

Enter Balltron!

Balltron is an international company that’s been involved in multi-level marketing now for almost 20 years. In coming into Zimbabwe, they’ve done something that no other network marketing company in Zimbabwe has done as well (far as I can tell). They chose a product that is 1) Not hard to sell, 2) has a huge market 3) Is easily affordable to many 4) Doesn’t require you to change you lifestyle 5) Of ‘tangible’ (real) benefit.

The product is called Nhakatron and it’s a high quality, competitive offer in it’s industry and practically everyone you know will make use of it or a service like it sooner or later! Everyone.

It’ll cost you just $30 to get started, but the potential to grow your income, passive income is huge. It’s not get rich quick scheme. That doesn’t exist, but if you’re on a small budget, and you want the opportunity to earn up $5000usd a month (and more), then this is the best way I know how for most people. In fact I have personally gotten involved in it, which I rarely do, so I believe in the idea.

Contact us if you’re interested and would like more details. I have a special bonus I’m throwing in that will give you potentially hundreds of dollars worth of free marketing services, if you get in (under me) early enough.

You can also get details by connecting with me on Facebook, and in boxing me.

Online Company Registration In Zimbabwe…

How do i register a company in Zimbabwe online? It’s one of the questions we are often asked. The answer is that, you don’t! Not yet anyway. Government is currently working to get a number of services easily accessible online, but it’s not here yet. According to the information I have, it should be ready early 2013.

When government does launch these online company formation services, here’s what all you can look forward to;

• Online deeds search
• Online company registration
• Online land application
• Online Supplier registration with state procurement board
• Online liquor license application
• and other citizen services

So good-bye to ques and crazy red tape, something I know many people will be very grateful for.