Credos to live by

Ever hear of "Kekich's Credos - 100 Rules to Live By"?  I don't recall exactly where I first learned of them, but they’re well worth looking at when you get the chance.

 In 1978, Dave Kekich was a man at the top of his game – entrepreneur, weight-lifter, runner – but a gym accident left him paralyzed from the neck down and confined to a wheelchair.

But he didn’t let adversity hold him back. In 1999 he founded the Maximum Life Foundation whose goal is to extend the quantity and quality of life.

Here’s just a few of his “100 Rules to Live By.”

Rule 1.  Constantly strive to increase order and discipline in your life.  Discipline usually means doing the opposite of what you feel like doing.

Rule 11. Working for someone else gives you little or no chance to make a fortune. By owning your own business, you only have to be good to become wealthy.

Rule 22. Don't be preoccupied with things over which you have no control.

Rule 26.  Review the basics of your profession at least once a year.

Rule 73.  The best way to get started is to get started.  Do it now... and work every project to its conclusion with single-minded concentration.

Rule 82.  There is no such thing as a good idea unless it is utilized.

And finally my favorite:

Rule 85.  Persistence is the sure path to success.  Never, ever give up. 

There really is no substitute for persistence. We all face challenges both great and small. The key to reaching your goals – personal, professional, financial – is to stay the course come what may.

That’s a foundational principle for us here at The Wealth Advocate- to work with you to help you achieve your goals. Call 610-695-8748 today for a checkup to make sure you have everything in place to make all your tomorrows the very best they can be.

That “90% Fail” stat…

When it comes to starting your own company, you shouldn’t automatically believe conventional wisdom.

Case in point: 

How many times have you heard the statistic: “90% of all startup companies fail.”

It’s a chilling number. In fact, it’s more than likely made more than a few would-be entrepreneurs rethink their dreams.

Trouble is – it’s not true. Not even close.

Global investment firm Cambridge Associates did some number-crunching on the actual performance of venture investments for the twenty year period between 1990 and 2010.  In their analysis of 27,259 startups, they found that the failure rate of startups did not rise above 60% since 2001.  Even during the atrocious dot-com debacle of 2000, the failure rate was 79%.

So, YES, the odds against succeeding in business are tough… 

But nowhere near as tough as you might’ve imagined. 

So why does this 90% number persist in the common imagination?

The likely answer: it makes those business owners who failed feel better.

In truth, opportunity’s there for those who seek it out with passion and perseverance. 

Bottom line – if you have a dream, don’t let conventional wisdom hold you back from achieving it. Make smart decisions and give it your best shot. 

Of course, having a solid financial foundation in place makes shooting for the moon with your own venture a whole lot less stressful. Whether you’re staring your own business, or simply working hard to build a career, there’s no time like now get that foundation on a solid footing.  Call us at 610-695-8748 to schedule a free portfolio review today. 

Regards,

Nobody ever got fired for this…

“Now hiring” signs are a pretty common sight these days, which is definitely a good thing.

But – 

Getting that job is one thing. 

Keeping it’s another.

I thought of this the other day when I ran across an article on sales techniques for closing the deal on high end, very expensive software/hardware products and services to big name enterprises.

Here's one quote from the article that stood out to me:

"Research shows that in hard times, customers buy safety. In the recession of the 1980s, IBM took market share from its competitors even though their products were generally agreed to be overpriced and under-featured. IBM succeeded by training its people not to sell technology but to sell safety. Its slogan, ‘Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM’, became famous."

Even though that slogan is over 3 decades old, the primal urge that drove it remains solidly intact.  Guarding what we have – our jobs, possessions, home, and wealth – takes priority when planning for tomorrow.

The optimal financial plan is one where your portfolio is kept as safe as possible from shocks to the economy, while keeping the door open to high value opportunities as they emerge.

Our team is focused on providing you with the safest, wisest plan possible in helping you achieve your dreams. Give us a call at 610-695-8748 to schedule your complimentary portfolio review today.