Make sure you look up my blog periodically. In it I expose all there is to know about creating a million dollar empire. Not only for business owners, but for multi-level marketing as well. Key phrase is Marketing. Which I know, as well as how to be successful.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Where Has William Whitlow Been & The William Whitlow Internet Marketing And Direct Marketing Show
Friday, October 19, 2012
William Whitlow Complete Professional Marketing Background
My name is William Whitlow and this is the first chance i’ve had to work on something I am passionate about. Marketing. From the first time I was introduced to it, I fell in love. I’ve owned businesses both on line and off line where I have been fortunate to experiment, and learn a lot working with the experts across the United States. I will be updating my audience via text, podcast, and video blogs. People will be able to ask questions and I will be able to really help them with their marketing. I’ve attached my resume, which starts with my ownership of my two businesses. I want everyone to get a complete breakdown of who I am, and what I am capable of. Thank you for visiting my website. I plan on helping people the best I can, and providing a service that few can provide. My rules of thumb are to help enough people get what they want, or need, and evetything comes full circle.
See me at http://www.williamwhitlow.com
William Whitlow’s Complete Corporate Background With His Underground Marketing Experience!!
02/2002 to Present: Cinnabar Nightclub, and Blush Cabaret Owner Operator
50% Owner Operator, 50% Owned by Attorney General Representing The State Of Arizona.
Responsibilities: Run the daily operations of Cinnabar Nightclub, And Blush Cabaret. Both businesses are run completely different.
Cinnabar Nightclub is a neighborhood bar. Locals and college kids, are the main customer database. Tourists are a bonus. There are times of the year where people are not on vacation, and can have a dramatic impact on your business, if consistent customers are not coming through the door.
Cinnabar Nightclub has theme nights, and live entertainment three to four times a week. This involved a lot of marketing. Various promotions were used such as voice blasts, text blasts, direct mail, radio, and partnerships with businesses around town.
The live entertainment usually involves someone relatively famous. Some of the familiar names you might know are, “Bone Thugs N Harmony”, “Breathe Carolina”, “DJ Quick”, “ Bizzy Bone”, “Kurupt”, “Digital Summer”, “Wu-Tang Clang” members, Etc.
I usually deal with big contracts like $2,000 to $3,000 guarantees for the headliner. Me and another promoter have worked out a system. The system drives traffic to the bar for the show, and also takes care of all the opening bands, with a very profitable night for the nightclub.
Cinnabar is the key to staying in contact with our customers for both businesses. Since you can’t really advertise Blush Cabaret, with your customers through direct mail, or newsletters, I would do it with Cinnabar.
Both businesses are in the same Commercial Building, with separate entrances and exits. Everyone in town knew they were right next to each other, so I could direct mail letters, and 8 page Newsletters, to the home, without other possible wives or
Girlfriends, seeing the “Blush Advertisement”, addressed to the Man, because they were “Cinnabar Advertisements” addressed to the Man.
If it was a women customer, then of course it really was a “Cinnabar Advertisement”.
You can’t cause personal problems within your customer’s home life or you will lose them forever. Or until the customer files for divorce, or breaks up with their girlfriend. This is why I’ve used this approach all these years, and it works.
So without losing one single customer, I decided to use direct advertising with Cinnabar Nightclub, and blanket advertising for Blush Cabaret.
Blanket advertisements would include Radio, Newspaper, Money In The Mail, Hotels, Cabs, Box Moving Van With Topless On The Top, and Pink and Purple Flames, with a
Silhouette of a stripper, address, and phone number. There were other types of various marketing I used, but it was always different than Cinnabar Nightclub.
I was in control of payroll, schedules, bills, taxes, inventory, and other various tasks involved in running the bars.
In addition to running the businesses, it was also my responsibility as a business owner to network.
Five years ago I involved myself in “The Sheriff’s Posse”, the biggest charity organization in town. On January 1, I was voted in as “The Captain”, and now I am in control of $200,000, which we distribute monthly, to those in need. A title I am very proud of.
Other types of networking I was involved in was meeting Mayor Sarah Pressler. My best friend Shan, is kind of an internet marketing guru, trained by me, and helped campaign for the Mayor. The Social Credibility she was able to achieve through the internet, and other types of media was amazing. Her campaigning can be compared to that of, Obama.
Sarah is an amazing woman, and has brought Flagstaff, in my opinion, out of the ice age. This mayor broke up any kind of “Old School” thinking Flagstaff previously had, and modernized it. As a result, opening businesses, and allowing corporations to open, without any hassle, are examples of the great job she has done while in office.
While running a business, many people begin to understand the principles of working for something, and not receiving immediate gratification. I can name many times over the years, I was working for something that was going to have a return in time. I learned these types of principles working for The Bank, where I was forced to maintain a customer database, that I constantly had to stay in touch with. The end result would be selling them a product, down the road, that I receive a very nice commission for.
There were other types of networking I had to do like The Police Department, Southside Improvement Neighborhood Meetings, events around town, and Sheriff Posse Volunteer Events. There are a lot of people that know me.
I learned customer service through all the years working for corporations, but I was able to really provide it from a personal level, owning a business. Customer service expands beyond just the business doors, because you will see people around town. Every time you see someone you know, it is your job to say hi, and maybe give them a little conversation. Developing these kinds of relationships, and caring about the customer, is what kept my business going strong all these years.
My businesses involved P.O.S. (Point Of Sale) touch screens that could capture the customers information. The types of drinks they like, address, phone number, email, everything you need. The P.O.S. are technically designed for selling your products, and inventory. The customer information and marketing is something the Creator added.
The creator of my Touch Screen systems, created them back in the mid 90’s, and owns 2 Restaurants. So marketing and selling products, were both of equal importance to the creator. He is a good personal friend of mine, and his POS systems, are far better than others. He also provides classes to train you how to use the system, and market. A service like this isn’t provided anywhere I’m aware of.
I purchased the business on contract with money down. The person I was paying off, was raided by the police, and “The Governor”, now owns 50% of my business. I meet with The Attorney General on a monthly basis, review the numbers with him, let him know how the business is doing, and give “The State”, their share of the monthly profits.
In all my years of College, and Working, I never assumed I would be meeting with Political Figures that run our State on a regular basis. I’ve enjoyed the experience, and have developed some great relationships in the process.
Five of my friends and I purchased this business 10 years ago. My share of the business was to run it every weekend. Since I was still employed with the bank, I always worked my overtime before Friday at 2:00 pm. Then, leave from Phoenix to Flagstaff, and work all weekend, and come home on Sunday night so I could be at work Monday. I did this for 7 years.
Many times, the bank required we work 60-70 hours. I would do that in a period of 5 days, and still be in the 1-3% of top performers. Ironically I still work out 5 days a week too.
My schedule started at 4:00 a.m. I would workout 1st thing in the morning for an hour. Next work 11-13 hours, typically eating lunch at my desk to get more work done. Then I would go home.
Planning helped me handle this schedule. I would cook all my food for the week on Sunday Night. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Protein, Vitamin Supplements, carried with me to work every day. This way, I have everything I need to work, and not leave.
Twice a week, at night, I also did Submission Grappling MMA from 2001-2006, from 7pm to 9pm.
When I reflect, it amazes me how much I was able to get done, and still drive to Flagstaff every weekend for 7 years. This is part of the reason I was left with the business, Desire.
Like any business during the mortgage boom, we did an absolutely amazing job. Our best month was $90,000 Gross Revenue, with consistent $75,000 to $85,000 every month.
Last month I did the figures, and they were close to $40,000 with only Blush Cabaret. Cinnabar was in the middle of building a Kitchen, so we were not fully open. With Cinnabar open my numbers would have been between $50,000 to $55,000.
The reason I am not running the business anymore is because I am in the middle of a new lease, and better location. The person that owns the commercial structure I am in, did not renew my lease. I’m actually happy about it. We have been in the wrong place for a long time. There is a homeless shelter just two buildings away from mine, and a second homeless shelter 1 street over. This is right in the center of Downtown Flagstaff.
In addition, college kids are always walking by, but they are broke college kids. They pay the six dollar cover charge, then the bouncers have to force the two drink minimum. Again, the wrong traffic.
Cinnabar Nightclub has less problems because the drinks are cheaper and there’s no cover charge, because topless girls aren’t walking around. The homeless are always floating in though, and we have to escort them to the door.
The best way to describe my location is like having a business on Mill Ave, next to ASU. But, homeless people are roaming all over Mill Ave, constantly asking for money, constantly trying to get in your bar, or hanging around the front. It’s horrible.
The new location is next to Wal-Mart, Cracker Barrel, Outback Steakhouse, Two other Bars, Ten Hotels, Diesel Filling Station, and Trucker Parking Location to Park Your Diesel And Sleep. Yes, this location will make me a lot more money.
I have a General Manager who has run Both of my Clubs for 10 years. She does a phenomenal job running it. I plan on letting her run the Club, while I watch it from the internet.
Now that I’ve described the business, and what my responsibilities are, I can explain why I am looking to enter the job market.
Serving people alcoholic beverages, and watching people get drunk all the time, are unfortunately not the relationships or career I desire. I was very happy working at Chase Bank for 11 years. I’ve had a chance to step away, and develop some real leadership skills.
I’ve been in control of a corporation that has generated well over $1,000,000 dollars a year, for multiple years. The marketing skills I’ve acquired takes real mentorship, and testing, to develop those skills. The customer service skills I’ve acquired, are something you can’t learn being a cahier, because I have to have my happy face on all the time, even outside the business.
These are some of the real reasons I want to re-enter the workforce, possibly even a corporation.
As reading through the rest of my resume, I will reveal all the skills I have. Since I’ve worked for Corporations for most of my life, And have the experience of owning two businesses, I know both sides of the fence. I believe this was the last step in rounding out my business personality, and will be a huge asset to the company that I have the pleasure of working with.
01/08 to 08/08 Chase Bank
Phoenix, Arizona
1st Mortgage Lending
Title: Universal Mortgage Loan Officer/ 1st Mortgage Loan Officer Combined With 2nd Mortgage Loan Officer
Responsibilities: Generate new 1st Mortgage applications through a phone lead generation database, created by Chase.
Two lead generating sources were used.
The main lead generating system was created to make outbound dialed calls, to Chase customers, with homes. The system was amazing and showed all the chase products they had, like checking, savings, mutual funds, credit cards, unsecured installment loans, car loans, etc.
The second lead generating system used was a database, purchased from Chase bank. The dialer called people with 1st or 2nd mortgages with other companies. The information available to us, showed who their mortgages were with, and the rate, payments, balance, credit score, address, outstanding debts, and multiple other pieces of information to help us make the sale.
The third lead generating source were those applicants we brought to the bank, through our own lead generating techniques.
The commission was structured so employees were paid a higher bonus, on leads we generated ourselves.
The bank used an auto dialer for Non-Chase customers, and Chase customers. We were put on the auto dialer for a period of 2-4 hours a day.
The second level bonus paid employees that closed a mortgage, for customers that had No Chase products, and a mortgage with another company.
The third level bonus paid employees that closed a mortgage, for customers that had Chase products.
The team that created this system, did a phenomenal job. We had 2 different times of day, the dialer would dial Non-Chase, or Chase customers. The jobs were separated, so we weren’t confused when the auto dialer was making the calls.
In our ear we would hear the phone ring, and “The Customer Information Screen” would show on our computer, so we could familiarize yourself with the customer.
If a customer was a Chase customer, we could see all the products they had with us, along with credit score, income, rate on their current mortgage, even if it wasn’t with us.
If a customer was a Non-Chase customer, we could see their credit score, income, debts, who mortgage was with, rate, payment, and multiple other pieces of valuable information.
The system was incredible, and allowed us the ability to identify with the customer. Terms like “Preferred Customer Credit Score”, and “Special Refinance Deals For Customers with Long Standing Relationships”.
Another example: “With the mortgage crisis, rates have dropped phenomenally low, and because you have multiple products with Chase, you qualify as one of our “premier” clients, which waives all closing costs in addition to your special rate”.
Opening the phone call with creative hooks helped me make the sale. It was relatively easy because I had been in customer service my whole life.
When I was in the 2nd mortgage business, all the loan officer did was answer the phone and take the application for approximately 30 minutes. The next day I received the application, called the customer, and worked with them until the signing day. It was approximately a seven to fourteen day process.
Through reviewing my phone calls, the new “Universal 1st and 2nd mortgage team approached me for a position with the team.
The commission structure made sense and both teams were very happy with the system. The exact quote I receive was, “You Made $75,000 last year, you’ll easily make over $100,000. We can tell with your performance, and sales skills, which are better than most”.
I was very happy with my new position. I closed plenty of mortgages as well as my team members. The members of my team were even closing 2nd Mortgages, when the opportunity presented itself, and we couldn’t do a 1st mortgage.
Months went by and the commission we all agreed to did not come. It didn’t make any sense, because the bank was making money off the mortgages, just not paying the commission.
After nine months of living off $1,500 a month, I was forced into early retirement in October 2008. I left the business to run both of my businesses full time. A career choice I was not happy with, but a wise financial decision.
06/05-07/12 Dan Kennedy Marketing, Dotcomsecrets Marketing, Stompernet MarketingMike Choma, Mark Weiser, Todd Falcone,
Phoenix, AZ
Direct Marketing Mentorship:
Responsibilities: Take direction from my mentors, and apply the marketing knowledge I learn, to make money in my own business.
Mentorship started with Mike Choma, who owns a commercial equipment lease finance company. Mike also runs a business marketing on line.
Mark Weiser is another mentor who used to work for Corporate America, but now makes money on line, with marketing companies, information products, and books he’s written.
Todd Falcone is another mentor who not only has a degree in marketing, bus speaks all over the world professionally about marketing. Todd has written books, articles, Information CD’s, and DVD’s on marketing, prospecting, and sales, a real marketing guru if you will.
When my mentors first started guiding me, they had me reading books, listening to MP3 recordings on the computer, playing information CD’s in my truck, learning while driving. They realized I needed to have my mindset change, so I could begin learning.
The three companies, Dan Kennedy, Dotcomsecrets, and Stompernet, are three monthly publications I paid for monthly to study their underground marketing information. Dan Kennedy actually had 2 publications I was a monthly member of. Four monthly magazines, 2 DVD’s, and 2CD’s total. It was required that I go through this information monthly, and apply the knowledge learned.
In addition to the learning, my mentors required I make cold phone call sales. It was rough, but nothing will teach you sales like cold calling. When I had a live prospect on the phone, they would be available for me to make a three-way phone call, where I would bring them on the line to help close the sale.
Dan Kennedy teaches a lot of Direct Marketing, Advertising, Customer Rewards Programs, Customer Tracking, Developing Relationships With Your Customer, and multiple other marketing methods, from every different kind of business you can think of.
Dotcomsecrets teaches every kind of on-line marketing you can think of. From building customer lists, videos, podcasts, product creation, relationship building, up sells, and multiple other marketing tips, it’s really quite incredible. The owner Russell Brunson makes over 10 million a year on line. He only has about 15 people in his marketing office.
Stompernet is another publication that teaches on line marketing along with other types of direct marketing. Both publications are similar, but teach different marketing strategies, so I use them both. The employees are also available to answer any questions, via email or phone. A side note I want to mention is that every employee is an expert that contributes a monthly article to the publication. A partner in the company goes by the name of Brad Fallon, and since 2005, he’s had the number 1 wedding website in the world. The capital generated from this website alone is amazing.
The marketing taught in these publications is underground. I learn marketing techniques, that aren’t taught in any School or University in the U.S. These are tried, tested, and proven techniques from entrepreneurs, and business owners around the nation. The results of the marketing campaigns are shown, so you don’t have to make the same mistakes.
The publications also come with gold or platinum memberships. The memberships connect you with other business owners in the same business as you. This allows you to schedule group phone or video web conferences, so everyone can mastermind together. This kind of networking with the right people, causes business owners sales to skyrocket. It just makes sense. Applying marketing techniques proven to work in mom and pop businesses all across the nation. The marketing also works for big corporations too, not just small businesses.
Another point I’d like to reveal is how these mastermind groups, teach you how to run your business correctly. It’s not always about marketing. You learn so much when you’re involved, it sets you years ahead, by avoiding the trial and error part of the business. The best way to describe the learning that occurs is, to always have your mind open to new and creative ideas, and your success will follow.
06/00 to 01/08 Bank One
Tempe, Arizona
Retail Lending, Dept#AZ1-2561
Title: Home Equity Loan Processor
Responsibilities: Monitor Que throughout the day for new applications and loans that may be ready to close. Take incoming calls from banking center employees, and customers. Resolve lien issues, name variances, trust issues, any problems that may arise and hold up loan signing. Coordinate closings with customers and banking centers. Prepare documents to go out to banking centers. Complete daily Que, and meet monthly goal, of eighty to one hundred loans booked.
06/99 to 06/00 Bank One
Tempe, Arizona
Retail Lending, Dept #AZ1-2561
Title: R.E.L.P. Real Estate Loan Processing, Processor
Responsibilities: Review full Appraisals (URAR), Trust Agreements, and complex tax return income verification.
I reviewed incoming loans and reviewed title reports, flood reports, flood reports and credit bureaus to either approve or decline customers contingent upon these factors. This area was eliminated and the processors were all turned into loan officers handling all the responsibilities including calling clients.
06/97 to 06/99 Bank One Tempe, Arizona
Recovery Unit, Dept #AZ1-2517
Title: Loss Recovery Specialist
Responsibilities: Call customers on charged off loans. Take financial statements and set them up on new payment plans. Skiptrace to locate people. Track vehicles I assign for reposession, hire private investigators and bluebook units. Monitor checking accounts to debit. Reassign accounts in bankruptcy or in process of going to agency. Complete daily portfolio, and meet end of the month goal.
09/95 to 06/97 Wells Fargo Bank
Tempe, Arizona
Consumer Loan Collection Operations, Dept #4015-016
Title: Loan Adjuster
Responsibilities: Review past due loans from start of delinquency to charge off. Call customers for payments both manually and automated on mosaix system. Audit loans to make sure payment schedule reads correctly. Give extensions and in some cases refinance loan. Blue book vehicles and assign for repossession. Complete daily portfolio and meet end of the month goal.
03/06 to 02/97 Primerica Financial: Travelers Group, Smith Barney
Mesa, AZ
Title: Life Insurance Agent
Responsibilities: Generate leads that have a need for life insurance. Restructure their finances, so they have money to invest in their retirement.
Primerica Financial had a goal of licensing every independent contractor in Life Insurance, Property and Casualty Insurance, and a 6 & 63 license.
The goal was to review the clients Car Insurance, and Monthly Debts, and lower the monthly payment. Next we reviewed the client’s life insurance, and educated them on the differences between Whole Life Insurance, Universal Life Insurance, Term Insurance and multiple others. After educating the client, we peach “Buy Term And Invest The Difference”. Which meant to buy “Term Insurance”, and invest the money you save eliminating “Whole Life Insurance”, into a Mutual Fund.
If we weren’t licensed in Property and Casualty Insurance, or 6 & 63 License, we would bring an agent with us to the meeting, and close the deal. Once we achieved those licenses, we could transfer the sales to our name.
Eventually I left Primerica, as I was still trying to finish school, and a job as a collector at Wells Fargo, so I had to leave the company. Their assets were solid, as they preached mutual funds, which were more conservative, and higher returns. We quoted an average return of 14%. I cashed out a mutual fund last year for $12,000 from Primerica Financial. The monthly investment was only $25. I loved working for the company, and was happy to be selling solid investments, since I was personal proof of long term safe investing.
09/94 to 09/95 First Interstate Bank Tempe, Arizona
Accounting, Dept. 905B
Title: Accounting Booking Specialist
Responsibilities: Complete daily bookings from loan signings at branches. Balance portfolio by processing disbursements from loan proceeds. Coordinate with closing side to ensure lien releases were sent out and paid papers processed. Ensure loans are closed out and new subsystems are working correctly for incoming payments. Complete daily booking assignments so client is set up to receive coupon booklets and greeting letters.
09/93 to 09/95 First Interstate Bank Tempe, Arizona
Consumer Loan Files, Dept# 905C
Title: General Clerk IV
Responsibilities: Complete daily assignments in a timely manner which include incoming phone calls for information and file requests. Lien perfection on newly booked loans. File correspondence and assist on processing paid loans.
Accomplishments at First Interstate:
1) I have been involved in numerous audits; ensuring files have been accounted for, as well as handling file acquisitions of the southwest region and merge of Wells Fargo Bank.
2) I was selected to receive the First Priority Recognition award for the first quarter of 1994 for excellent client relations across the Southwest region.
3) I was on several committees, including the First Priority Committee, Recycling Committee, You and I Committee, and Employee Club.
4) I was recognized as collector of the month twice in one year.
Accomplishments at Chase Bank:
1) I received several rewards for being collector of the month while in the Recovery Unit.
2) I have received several customer service awards from banking centers while in the processing and lending areas of Chase Bank
3) I was named the #1 Loan Processor in “00” and “01” for having more loans booked and more dollars than anyone in my division.
4) I was recognized for my perfect attendance award for the year “02”
Social Accomplishments:
Sheriff Posse: The biggest Charity Organization in Flagstaff, Arizona. I am captain, in control of $200,000 charity, which we disburse monthly. I have been on the Sheriff Posse for six years.
Athletic Accomplishments;
Grappling, MMA, Submission, Competitor, Bodybuilding Expert.
I have been weight training since elementary school and have trained with some of the best bodybuilders. My grappling experience comes from Jeff Funicello, Team Spartan, American Pankration. Jeff Funicello is one of the Greco Roman Olympic Alternates every year, and has been training in submission fighting since he was a child. Numerous famous experts have come in to train my team, as they are good friends with my coach. I competed numerous times from 2001-2006. I have recently re-entered the training to begin competitions again. Strictly submission and wrestling competition, no cage matches.
Educational Background: Apache Junction High School
Apache Junction, Arizona
Diploma
Central Arizona College Apache Junction, Arizona 1 ½ Years
Arizona State Life Insurance License
AIB Consumer Lending
Quality Hotel, Phoenix, Arizona
University of Phoenix Phoenix, Arizona
Technical Skills: Thorough working knowledge of loans from complex trusts and income, to booking and closing procedures. Typing and word processing skills, acquired typing skills of 45-50 WPM. 10 Key Machine. Working knowledge of computer systems, Tpx, Rco, Cis, Mosaix, Excel, and Powerpoint.
Previous Forms Of Employment: 14 Years Old, Yard Cleaning Business, $25 A Yard
15 Years Old, Mc Donald’s, Cashier, Cook
16-17 Years Old, Los Vaqueros, Busboy, Cook Waiter, Dishwasher, Prep Cook, and Bar Back on Fridays, and Saturdays.
17-18 Years Old, Taco Bell Store Manager
19 Years Old, Applebee’s Day Cook Manager
20 Years Old, I Started with First Interstate Bank Which Was Victim To A Hostile Takeover Of Wells Fargo Purchasing Majority Stock, and I, Became Fully Vested at 4 Years Employment As A Benefit To All Employees.
Monday, November 2, 2009
A Question People Often Ask About Me In Business
How I got my start in business is the question I hear whenever one of my employees slips up and “accidentally” tells a patron I’m the owner.
It’s a strong belief of mine that successful entrepreneurs are made, not born. I do agree there’s some basic instincts a person needs, such as common sense, being open minded, opportunistic, and border line crazy, kind of like Howard Hughes.
When I was young I would clean weeds for $25 a yard in the dead of summer. It was awful, but sweet money for a 14 year old kid. When I worked as a busboy, under the table, I also realized, the power of being my own boss, and being in control of my own wages.
I fell off the wagon for a few years,and joined corporate america, banking for 15 years, but always had a goal of owning something of my very own. So I was always working some type of MLM business, or buying and selling cars at auctions. I was always hustling, trying to make a dollar.
Build my empire if you will.
I’m not the typical sit on the couch with the remote, eating wings, drinking beer. I’m constantly working, or brainstorming about another business I could own, (hence the launch of my 4th business, a travel company opening soon).
I don’t have that employee mentality.
If i’m out eating, i’m wondering what the rent is there, the overhead, the gross sales, the type of marketing they have to do there.
THAT, type of stuff is interesting to me. And that’s the personality of a true entrepreneur. We can have fun too, and not even talk business, but brainstorming, and talking about new ways to make money, IS fun for us.
Having the income to start a business is usually where people quit on their dreams.
Let me tell you what….
I had to put it all on the line. Max every credit card, mortgage all 3 of my houses to 100% equity, and max out my 401K to get my start.
Where did I get the money?
I’ve been investing since I was 21. Working on my credit since I was 18. Always prepared, for war. Always prepared for my chance. My one chance to own something that would someday be mine.
And here it is.
Live, drink, and breathe your dreams, and success will happen.
Cruising to Vegas for a weekend vacation when you know you have nothing to fall back on, is not a sign of success.
Having any kind of debt period, especially if you are single, is unacceptable. Live within your means so you can use your credit, and income sources to invest in a business.
THAT’S how an entrepreneur thinks.
Anyone can have what they want if they put their mind to it.
Happy Prospecting
William Whitlow
Home Business On Line Marketer
http://www.williamwhitlow.com
Monday, October 26, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
What It Really Costs To Start A Business
You have 3 business models.
1) Franchise
2) Mom and Pop Business (Eg, Sandwich shop, Convenience Store, Neighborhood Tune-up shop, or
Grill)
3) Home Business
The Franchise model is the most costly, but typically guarantees some type of "security" if you will. Normally a franchise like Mc Donald's has a guaranteed business model where you're practically guaranteed success, because the marketing, and name branding has been done for you.
A Franchise like McDonalds will cost you in the millions to purchase. Some of the smaller chains will cost a few hundred thousand. A personal friend of mine, just purchased a sandwich shop franchise, and after it was all said and done, cost $500,000. And that franchise only has 6 total sandwich shops. (The 500k was total for franchise fee, lease, equipment, business license, etc)
A lot of people don't have this kind of dough lying around, and even if they did, it's typically 2-3 years before your out of the red and into the black. Usually Franchises do not fail because of the name branding that has been done for them. The marketing is done for the owner. The business model is done for the owner.
With a franchise an owner is able to plug right in, and start making money.
The 2nd type of business model is what I call a "Mom and Pop" type of business. This would be a business you create. Usually it's done out of passion, and wanting to do what people love.
It could be a restaurant, a dry cleaning business, pawn shop, music store, etc, whatever it is, usually the business owner is skilled at it. Typically you can get a business like this started for less than $50,000, in some cases, as little as a few hundred bucks.
When you cut out the franchise fee, it costs much less, but you're left out in the cold to do your own marketing.
Remember how I had talked about "Name Branding". Well that has nothing to do with the small business owner. The small business owner doesn't have millions of dollars to throw at commercials during the Super Bowl, and most of the time the small business owner has no idea how to market.
Not knowing how to market is the #1 reason businesses fail.
Mom and Pop type of businesses typically fail in the 1st, 1-2 years. In my opinion the highest risk business to get into if you have zero experience running your type of business.
Here's why?
Small businesses owners typically have to create their own system for generating revenue. Every business is different, so there's always a learning curve. Inventory, employees, opening times, taxes, lease payments, insurance, employee taxes, property taxes, repairs, customer service issues, etc, and that's just the start of it.
Remember how I talked about marketing.
In my opinion, unless you've studied some type of marketing, don't get into business for yourself quite yet. It's like a marathon runner shooting himself in the foot.
There's a lot to marketing, both with your existing customers, and attracting new ones. Plus you need to know where to spend your money. Some efforts will be very effective, while others will yield you zero results. Once again why you need to know the difference between "name branding", and small business marketing. They're 2 completely different types of marketing models.
I don't want to get into the specifics, but there is a huge difference, and its the reason why small old fashioned toy stores, can compete with Wal Mart across the street. Or why Bills local Steak House, can compete with Outback Steak house.
Because not only do they know how to advertise and market locally, but they know how to stay in contact with their customers to keep them buying month after month.
One important fact I also want to point out is how important a business location is. There's reasons some locations are cheaper than others. Because they suck. Yes, I said it, they suck.
One location that sticks out in my mind was located in Tempe, AZ, next to a gym I worked out at for years. I'd seen at least 10 different business come and go bankrupt in a few months, because it was in such a bad spot.
How would you like to spend a few thousand dollars on a lease, and go under in 2 months?
The third business model is the Home Business, which is the cheapest to get into and least risky. I have an internet business that cost $100 to start, and is yielding a significant amount of income.
Most of the time when you are recruited into a MLM or Networking Opportunity you are instantly surrounded with positive people, and striving for the same goal.
The cost to get started is rediculously cheap, and you are paid recruiting bonuses, as well as monthly residual checks. It's nice because you are able to start learning how to operate a business. You also understand that if you do nothing, you get nothing.
Many people I have recruited sit on their tuffs and do nothing, and wine and complain when they don't get a check. I ask them, "If you didn't open the doors to your grocery store for a month, do you think you would make any money?" NO, they wouldn't.
This is why I always suggest starting a home business, before putting it all on the line. Especially if you have never owned a business before, and don't understand how to think like a business owner, and not an employee.
Some people are not cut out to own their own businesses, and are not self motivated. If this is you, corporate america is where you belong. People that are not self motivated, fail miserably.
I don't pull any punches, facts are facts.
Imagine how much it cost me to open my Nightclub/Bar, and my Stripclub/Bar businesses.
A LOT!!!
And if I fail, I lose it all, that's reality.
Until next time.
Happy Prospecting,
William Whitlow
Home Business On Line Marketer
http://www.williamwhitlow.com
Friday, May 29, 2009
43 Things Personality Quiz
It was actually dead on with me. Since I own a
on line marketing home business, I had to
take the test to see if it is accurate.
Alledgedly, i'm a Self Improving Money Managing
Extrovert. I love it!
Give it a shot and see what you think.
Happy Prospecting,
William Whitlow
http://www.williamwhitlow.com
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Why The Real Estate Market Crashed and How It's Affecting Your Home Business
Since i've been in the banking industry for 15 years, 10 of which are specific to mortgage lending, i'm going to explain why, and when you can expect home values to stabilize, and start to apperciate again. And, more importantly, how it's affecting your home business.
Up until the end of 2005 and beginning of 2006 (when the real estate market peaked) we were always taught, the best investment to make other than gold, is real estate. Robert Kiyosaki teaches it, Donald Trump teaches it, and I 100% agree with it.
Then why did home values drop so much?
Well the simple answer is bad lending practices. And every bank is guilty of it. Some banks were a little more conservative than others, but they all did it, and are now paying the price, with millions of dollars in losses.
I'm not going to get into all the mumbo jumbo about how the investor portfolios work, and the pool of money they have to work with etc, etc, etc. Just understand this. The rule of thumb was always, and always has been that homes apperciate in value, they don't depreciate, right? Wrong?
There was a time when banks had strict underwriting practices when someone wanted a home loan, or home equity loan. They would require bank statements, full tax returns, current paystubs, plus a clean credit history with no bankrupcy's or charge offs.
The practice over the last few years, as we've seen, was to just get the loans done, no matter what.
Over the last few years banks loosened their lending requirements. They waived income verification on people who had sub par credit. (People who had no business buying a home, because they were not good crdedit risks, never paid their bills on time, and could care less if they defaulted on a home loan) So it was very easy for people to lie about their income, just to get their application approved. (Which happened a lot)
Banks also increased their lending limits. People were allowed to take out full 100% equity in their homes. And people could literally get 1 to 2 million home equity loans, with no documentation, or no fees, whatsoever.
We also saw some banks giving people 125% mortgage loans. So people were already negative 25% equity in the home they lived in.
Another mistake was giving people 3 year adustable interest only 2nd mortgage loans. With no option, or guarantee to refinance when the 3 years were up. Even if the payment doubled at the end of the three years, the bank didn't care, and neither did the consumer. The idea was "our home value will be higher at that time, and we can refinance anywhere".
I even saw one mortgage where the 1st mortgage was a credit line attached to your checking account. And you were required to have Automatic deposit of your paycheck into your checking account. Every time you got paid, the balanced of your mortgage went down. But everytime you withdrew from it, your principal balance went back up again.
We can see how these banks were setting themselves up for failure with these rediculous products.
Honestly, none of them should have been done in the 1st place. But with constant pressure to compete with other banks, and mortgage companies, and the threat of losing business, the attitude was "just make the deal work, and push it through as fast as you can".
So why have the home values dropped so much?
We discussed before how the market peaked around the end of 2005, begininning of 2006. Well the values plateaued and kind of stagnated. Without all the gritty details, just understand the bubble had to pop sometime and the appreciation of home values, had to slow down sometime.
So it did. But what happened next is the gruesome effect of bad lending practices that affected the entire country.
Remember some of those adjustable 3 year mortgage we discussed? And 125% mortgage products. And no document requirement for people with bad credit. And 100% interest only mortgage products.
Well some of those people could get approved to refinance their home because the value did not go up, the value went down.
So here they are, stuck in a home, not worth what they bought it for a few years before, and the payment is now double.
What next?
Well as you could expect, thousands of people literally walked away from their homes. Mailed the keys back to lenders, and moved out in the middle of the night.
I was literally witness to two families that did this on my street. Why they were so secretive is a mystery to me. I guess they were just embarassed.
So now we have homes that have been foreclosed on. Sometimes vandalized because the owners are upset and trash the home before leaving. And the sale price is most of the time less than 1/2 of what the home was purchased for, just a couple of years earlier.
Now there's homes in the MLS database, selling for rediculously low amounts. So you go to list your home for sale, and the only comparables are the foreclosed homes, which drives your value down. So after your home sits on the market for a year, you sell it for far below what you should, but you have no choice, because no one is buying it, and what's worse, is you pay the buyers broker commission.
So what happens when your neighbor goes to sell his home? The same thing. Now your home is listed as sold for a rediculously low amount, in addition to all the foreclosed homes.
I think you are starting to get the picture with this domino effect on the entire real estate market throughout the country.
So what's next, when will the madness be over?
Well I have good news for you.
Right now during the madness is when people are looking for other alternatives to make money. People are open to home businesses. People are looking for alternative ways to make money.
People are never prepared for this. They sit on their laurels, blind to the possiblity that they may be out of work someday. Real estate agents and 1st and 2nd mortgage loan officers are the worst.
A couple of years ago they turned their noses up at me, and said "I made a million dollars this year, why do I need you". Well now they all have egg on their face.
I sometimes feel like I'm in the matrix and these people need the pill to wake them up from the fantasy land they live in. Yeah, my nightclub and stripclub did a million last year too, but I still have an internet business to provide a second income if that business ever fails, or I become ill and can't run it.
So now is the time to capitalize and bring in hordes of people to your home business
because NOW, they're willing to pay attention.
As far as the real estate industry is concerned, people are over reacting. Almost all of the bad mortgage companies involved in "subprime lending", have gone out of business. They closed up shop in mid 2007. In addition banks are no longer doing bad loans.
So most of the adjustable rate loans, and interest only loans, have already been foreclosed on, and are pending sales. The people with bad credit, that lied on their applications and couldn't make the payments, have also already been foreclosed on. The government is also working with lenders to stop foreclosures, and come up with refinancing solutions to save people's homes.
Realistically in the next year and 1/2 all of the foreclosures will be sold, eliminating the negative impact they are having on surrounding home values. When they are all gone, the only homes being sold will be seller to buyer, or new purchases.
I think the government realizes this as they have put a freeze on the prime interest rate, until October.
After all the seller should be the one holding all the cards (if they know what they're doing). When this shift in the market happens, and the seller calls the shots in the sale, we will once again see a stable market, with slow appreciation in home values again.
Thus my conclusion. The best investment next to gold, is real estate.
William Whitlow
http://www.williamwhitlow.com

