By Marc on March 7th, 2013 I got an email recently that changed my life. But not in the way you might think. Let me explain. It was from a famous internet marketer that I follow. He is a brilliant marketer and product developer, more than a household name, he is a legend. His products are great and inexpensive. And [...] By Marc on December 31st, 2012 Only a few people responded to my question “what do you want” in my latest post. So I guess this means that rest of you are happy, and making all the money that you would like. In case you want any assistance in reaching that goal, go ahead, go-for-broke on this one: Post to [...] By Marc on December 17th, 2012  Lifestyle Design School has been quiet for a long time. The truth is that I just haven’t had time, as I was fighting for business survival. The last few months, however, have brought in a series of extraordinary events at WP Academy, and I am ready to share the story. This is the type of company-confidential inside information that you won’t see a lot on the web. From my perspective, I am not just here to make a business, I am here to share the wealth (of information) and to build an entrepreneur community, so my sharing this is a no-brainer. Also, it’s not likely at this stage that anyone is going to steal our business model or stage a hostile takeover  . So here goes.
This post ends with a call-to-action and an opportunity for you, so make sure you read until the end. WP Academy has been running on a “product launch” model: 3 times a year, we have been staging a major free webinar series, promoted through affiliates and reaching about half a million people (primarily a large Linkedin group). At the end of each webinar we do a sales presentation for our $500-600 course “WordPress for Business”. I started this business in December of 2009 by sending out a mail to my friends and social network offering them a WordPress training course. Ten of them enrolled in that first 4-session course at $99, and I was ecstatic. The business grew from there, but still a long way from what I would be earning as an employee / contractor. Due to a personal situation that allowed me to live very cheaply, we were able to survive financially as we grew the business. Read more >> By Marc on March 17th, 2012 Here are the recordings (audio and video) of the interview that I did with legendary business and executive coach Mike Jay on March 21, 2012. Mike Jay is one of the world’s highest-paid executive coaches, and he is launching a program that is the culmination of his 25 years of research and practice into human development, human capability, success and happiness. This system is called “FLOW”. Here are some of the questions that we covered - Why the success models that you grew up with (even the ones that may have worked in the past) are likely to leave you running a hamster race in an era of exponentially increasing complexity… leaving you progressively more exhausted, unsuccessful and unfulfilled
- The enormous importance of understanding your developmental “blind spots”… and how you can “scaffold” yourself (create partnerships) in ways that generate wins for everyone
- How sometimes the desire to “be all you can be” (whatever that means) can be counter-productive… that you may actually be better off living in your own, custom-designed-for-you “fishbowl”, doing what you love to do and giving your gift
- How major financial and demographics changes in the next few decades are likely to leave most of us (that is, people in developed countries) poorer in many ways… unless we are able to understand these enormous changes and adapt to them
Watch the video or download the audio: Read more >> By Marc on January 25th, 2012 This is the recording of an interview I did with Jonathan Mead on Thursday Jan. 26, 2012 on the topic “Live life on your own terms — let your work be your play”. We conducted the interview over Skype video, with simultaneous broadcast via phone. Jonathan Mead is one of the founders of “live [...] By Marc on December 30th, 2011 Yesterday I got a physical letter (!) from Brendon Burchard inviting me to his 10xNYC Conference in New York in April ($8000). The invite was very flattering for sure (I am a huge fan of Brendon). At first I thought I would write him a personal letter thanking him and saying that I followed [...] By Marc on December 29th, 2011 This is an article I wrote for WP Academy yesterday. First version badly needed editing and went out anyway (egg on my face), my chief copywriter and wife gave me an earful, I listened carefully as I know what’s good for me (in more ways than one, lol). Second version is quite good (once [...] By Marc on October 8th, 2011 Here is a nice 5-minute summary of the Brendon Burchard model for internet business development, extracted from a recent course presentation. Enjoy! You may also download the audio. By Marc on October 2nd, 2011   Karen is a “Muse”, Entrepreneur, Coach, Trainer, Catalyst for change. She’s provocative. She helps poke fun in your shopworn ideas about making a living so that you can start living your dreams.
On Monday Oct. 3 she was interviewed by me. For the recording click here, or listen to the audio below: [Audio clip: view full post to listen] For the topics covered in the interview, keep on reading. Read more >> By Marc on October 2nd, 2011 This is a recording of the talk I gave at Podcamp Philly 2011 entitled “Building a $10k/mth business with WordPress”. Download mp3 here. Download slides here. (it’s best to follow the recording with the slides, but not necessary) [Audio clip: view full post to listen] If you like, please comment! | Join UsDo you want to join a network of "conscious entrepreneurs"? Then subscribe below and wait to hear from me. I am looking for people who want to serve the world while having fun, using the extraordinary technology and social marketing tools that are now available.
Quotes"If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
But if I am only for myself, who am I?
If not now, when?" -- Hillel
"What good is it to gain the whole world if you lose your soul?" -- Jesus "What good is it to gain your soul if you cannot feed your children? " -- Mike Jay
"We can choose to make the success of all humanity our personal business. We can choose to be audacious enough to take responsibility for the entire human family. We can choose to make our love for the World what our lives are really about. Each of us now has the opportunity, the privilege to make a difference in creating a World that works for all of us. It will require courage, audacity and heart. It is much more radical than a revolution, it is the beginning of a transformation in the quality of life on our planet. You have the power to fire a shot heard around the World. If not you, who? If not here, where? If not now, when?" -- Werner Erhard, 1979
"The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet." -- Frederich Buechner
"Describe the steps you would take, the gifts you would buy, the generosity you would bestow, the kindness you would offer, the enthusiasm you would have, the attention you would give, and anything else that appeals to you, if you were able to give yourself the things you want someone else to give to you. NONE OF US WANTS TO GROW UP" -- Cheri Huber
“This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one...being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap, being a force of nature, instead of a feverish selfish clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy… I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as i live it, it is a privilege to do whatever i can. i rejoice in life for its own sake… Life is no brief candle to me, but sort of a bright torch that i got hold of for a moment and i want to make it burn as brightly as possible, before handing it on to future generations" -- George Bernard Shaw “Bright Torch”
"Participate joyfully in the sorrows of the world. We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy." -- Joseph Campbell
"If your mind is on the right path, it doesn’t matter how fast you go. If you’re on the right path, you’ll get there. Commitment keeps you on the path." -- Steve Chandler
Throw away
Your begging bowls at God’s door For I have heard the Beloved
Prefers sweet threatening shouts, Something on the order of: Hey, Beloved,
My heart is a raging volcano
of love for you! You better start kissing me –
Or else!" -- Hafiz
"You don't need to get what you want if you can express what you want" -- Strephon Kaplan-Williams
"You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves." -- Mary Oliver
"When we act from our deepest convictions it is impossible to reach perfection." -- Dee Hock
"The heart has its reasons that Reason knows not of." -- Blaise Pascal
"Narcissism... suggests that what we need is not humility, especially the false kind that arises from the repression of ambition, but great dreams, high ideals, and pleasure in our own talents and abilities." -- Thomas Moore |
