Steve Jobs didn’t wait long to start a new company after being fired from Apple in the 1980s. Steve was a very opinionated guy and decided to hire Paul Rand to design the logo for NeXT, a computer design company. For this, Paul charged a $100,000 flat fee.

Even more astonishing was when Steve asked for a number of options to consider. Paul replied to Steve and told him he did not create options for clients. At 71 years old, Paul had designed high end logos for some of the world best known businesses. “I will solve your problem and you will pay me. You can use what I produce, or not, but I will not do options, and either way you will pay me.”

Do you believe in your brand enough to spend the money it takes to represent it well? 

Blog to grow your business
At Need a Topic you’ll get topics, tips, & techniques three times a week to help you stand out from the crowd and actually make money from your time blogging. I cover writing, audio, and video to help you become profitable. Try the 7 day free trial and get a free shirt in the mail.

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Show Topics:

• Growing a company from $300k to $2.5 million
• Launching from a basement with no team
• When to bring investors onto your team

Zak Normandin started an organic baby food company a few years back and grew to $300,000 in revenue in 2011. Little Duck Organics is now on track for $2,500,000 in sales for 2012.

In 2009, Zak started with an idea and launched the business in 2010. He pursued funding and received an investment in June, 2011. shortly after he hired an amazing team to take the company to where it is now.

The rest of the story…

Great businesses all have one thing in common. Somewhere, behind the scenes, lies a person who loves what he does so much, that he’d give it away for free if he could. But great businesses also make money.

Many coaches have a love for helping people. So much so that they end up giving away their services and they’re never able to make it a full time business.

Look at the your local ice cream shack, line wrapping around the corner. The owner might be your neighbor, but I bet you don’t get free ice cream whenever you want. I’m sure he helps people when he can, but if he’s not making money, he can’t help for long. Failing businesses aren’t in a position to help people.

Are you giving away your ice cream?

Blog to grow your business
At Need a Topic you’ll get topics, tips, & techniques three times a week to help you stand out from the crowd and actually make money from your time blogging. I cover writing, audio, and video to help you become profitable. Try the 7 day free trial and get a free shirt in the mail.

photo by roboppy

People around the country are showing their love for Coach Radio. This video was sent in from Kent Julian, on a speaking engagement in Louisville, KY. Join Need a Topic to learn how to make money from your blog, and I’ll send you your very own Coach Radio shirt.

Blog to grow your business
At Need a Topic you’ll get topics, tips, & techniques each week to help you stand out from the crowd and make money from your blog. I cover writing, audio, and video to help you become profitable. Try the 7 day free trial and get a free t-shirt.

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Show Topics:

• Create a viral video
• The best conferences
• Finding blogging traction
• Keeping your spouse on board
• Backup business plan

Last week I had the pleasure of launching a video for, Story Company, a startup I’ve been working with for the past few months. While it didn’t get millions of views in the first few hours, it did spread rapidly to many people I’ve not met or even heard of.

The amazing thing was that we launched the video at 11pm ET, when few people are online.

The best conferences to attend:

• Storyline - The catalyst for my family’s move to Colorado
• Speak it Forward – I’ve had the pleasure to speak at many of Kent’s Boot Camps for speakers and I always leave with great info (affiliate link)
• SXSW - I haven’t been, but if you can’t find something cool here, you shouldn’t go to conferences

What are your favorite events? Leave a comment below.

The rest of the story…

Marketers are focused on change and there’s no faster way to elicit change in a person than through emotion.

Fear, excitement, anger, rage, happiness; they all move people towards action. If you want your community to do something, bring out their emotion.

Here’s a video that Story Company, a new startup and my client, just published. I dare you not to be enraged and then excited to be able to help after watching it.

Visit the Story Company site to get your unique link. When you tell your friends and they visit, I’ll mail you a gift.

My brother recently started a blog to share an adventure. He and his girlfriend packed up everything and now they’re driving from Colorado to Alaska to ski in the backcountry. They’re having fun with friends and skiing along the way, while doing things most people would never dream of.

As is the tendency with new bloggers, it’s easy to think no one is reading. If you’re interesting, and even remarkable, I guarantee people are reading. Most stats show less than 5% of readers ever leave comments, so if you’re not getting many, don’t give up.

Continue creating for those who are writing back. Make them fall in love with you.

Blog to grow your business
At Need a Topic you’ll get topics, tips, & techniques three times a week to help you stand out from the crowd and actually make money from your time blogging. I cover writing, audio, and video to help you become profitable. Try the 7 day free trial and get a free shirt in the mail.

I’m changing a few things in my schedule for 2012. As I do every so often, I’ve taken a look at where I’m spending my time and asked myself whether or not it’s productive.

A few weeks ago I announced that I’m reducing the schedule of Your Story interviews. In the comments I received (hopefully sarcastically) a comment that I should consider working more hours every day.

My friend, Steve Smith, pointed out the Japanese word for busyness. It’s comprised of two characters which mean heart and annihilation.

When I see comments saying I should work more, I wonder how many people pride themselves on busyness. They’re proud that they get more done than other people, but at what cost?

Andy Stanley argues that if you’re busy, you’re cheating on something. What’s going to give? Your work? Your family?

I hope I always put family in that top spot. You?

Blog to grow your business
At Need a Topic you’ll get topics, tips, & techniques three times a week to help you stand out from the crowd and actually make money from your time blogging. I cover writing, audio, and video to help you become profitable. Try the 7 day free trial and get a free shirt in the mail.