It is so hard to keep up your energy level and have laser focus all the time. That is why you need to keep reminding yourself what the vision was when you started your journey.

In my case, I want to help/work with every single app company since 2013 (serious app companies, not the ghost ones) via our MobileAction and SearchAds.com solutions.

Sometimes because of your workflow also life distractions make you forget your bigger vision. And, you ended up working on tiny/narrow vision projects. Those might bring great returns in the short term; however, you are betraying your Bigger vision.

How can you re-visit your vision?

Surround yourself with a circle of competence who are self-motivated and driven team members.

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Now, I know where WE are going. We have a clear vision and an iron focus. Already 7+ years of building a great product experience, thousands of client connections, and industry knowledge. I am more excited than ever.

The product team is the heart of the company. They are executing the vision of the company and bring it to life.

Sales and Marketing to get the product out the door and make sure it’s winning and capturing the market.

The strong product makes the rest of the team’s jobs much easier. New features and new products help them to close a deal faster or retain the existing customer longer period.

Revenue is oxygen to a business. You can feel better if you have a healthy revenue stream. You can start thinking more positively.

Revenue can drive business expansion, lead new experiments, help you to hire a smart A+ team, and validate product-market fit.

Technically, revenue solves all the problems.

Many first-time entrepreneurs are super stressed out about how they’re going to win their first paying customers. It’s hard, especially if you don’t have a sales background. Here are a few of my best practices

• As a CEO, Your job is to close the deal, hire team members, and execute the product. The first two years are very hands-on, and you cannot delegate. So, in the beginning, do not expect help. Be involved in every growing step early on.

• You are an entrepreneur; You are exotic. Early customers love it. Show them how important they are to you. Go to their office, invite them to happy hours*, and get to know them. Make sure to follow them on social media to build a personable relationship.

• Just share your story with them about why you are doing what you are doing. What’s your motivation? They love to hear something interesting. Remember, they are tired of hearing the same pitches every day. Don’t hide your originality.

• Don’t worry about having an accent or being from another country. That makes us authentic. How often do they get to be in the same room with an entrepreneur from, i.e., Japan who left their comfort zone and is hustling day and night? Not often. Embrace it.

• Always ask yourself, who’s my best ideal customer? Where do they hang out? Who can introduce me to them? Maybe your investor, advisor, or college friend may be connected to the people you are looking for. Check your network.

• No one is born with these skills. You are not alone. Do not hesitate to TRY. For your information, as an immigrant to the states, I closed my first 50 clients at MobileAction with an 80% close rate without any B2B sales experience.

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*This post originally shared on Twitter as Tweet Series October 2018. I felt it is worth sharing here as a full post.

I came across “Change The Way You See Everything” while I was reading a book yesterday. And the “Everything” part was reversed. Try to find a similar design online and couldn’t find something I really like. I said then I’ll make it Inspired by Seth Godin’s new book The Practice. By putting yourself on the hook, you’re performing a generous act. You are sharing insight and love and magic. And the more it spreads, the more it’s worth to all of those who are lucky enough to experience your contribution. Art is something we get to do for other people.

Here is my version

You can also download a “Free” Digital (high quality) Copy here

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I just started last night to read “ Billion Dollar Loser.” The story about WeWork and Co-Founder Adam Neumann. It is hard to put down. Read already half of the book.

He focused early on community more than anything else. He wanted to build an offline social network using co-working spaces. You can understand why he wanted the changing world since in the beginning while you are reading his back story, such as where and how he grew up. His family connections, New York City, and his passion made WeWork one point, “the highest valued company in the private sector “($47B). Then, all the wrongdoing, massive growth, and the aim to transform WeWork “too big to fail” make him lost WeWork (a billion dollar exit package). He had a big dream to make “We Company” every part of Life.

“Think of the stage that we’re in as the books for Amazon,” he said. “They used books to enter into the Everything Store. We used the work mission to enter into a larger category.” What category was that? “The larger category of life.” (Billion Dollar Loser, Reeves Wiedeman)

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You don’t need anybody’s approval to start your dream. “They” never be satisfied anyway.

When they start to applause you, it will be too late. You will be done hard work. Everyone will start to say to each other, “ I knew he was always going to do something big, or she was always different.”

Starting without their approval makes you freer. You can always consult or discuss but do not let them define you.

First-generation immigrants were who worked and worked almost for nothing earlier 20th century in America. It looks like all they struggled for basic needs. Food, Shelter, and Security. Especially Italian, Irish, and Jewish immigrants. A new world, a new language, and new culture. Adoption takes time…

Now, when you look at those risk-takers’ grand-grand kids, they are everywhere in society. Entrepreneurs, Doctors, Engineers, Movie Star, Musician, etc.… This is a much better way of honoring a generation of poor grandfathers.

I was checking on the election day some of the newly elected governor’s Wikipedia pages. Especially the ones who still don’t have English last names. Most of them 2nd or 3rd generation of immigrant families kids.

I think we are much luckier than those people who came to the USA centuries before than us. First, we knew (sort of) where we are going. Second, we all had dreams to accomplish it. Because of internet technologies and easy access to knowledge, we relatively move faster the ladder of success than people came here 100 or even 30 years ago. This does not only apply to the USA, but it is also pretty much similar to any country still welcoming new immigrants in their lands.

I never spend my money on lottery tickets. But, I know some people are addicted to them. Let’s take a look at Morgan Housel’s Data.

Americans spend more on lottery tickets than movies, video games, music, sporting events, and books combined. And who buys them? Mostly poor people. The lowest-income households in the U.S., on average, spend $412 a year on lotto tickets, four times the amount of those in the highest income groups. Forty percent of Americans cannot come up with $400 in an emergency. Which is to say: Those buying $400 in lottery tickets are by and large the same people who say they couldn’t come up with $400 in an emergency. (The Psychology of Money)

I see the same patterns with startup founders. They are starting companies which are 90-95% going to fail their first 3 years. If not, they will be mediocre companies for another 3-4 years till they might figure out what is working or not if they have enough runway, aka cash in their bank.

In recent years, being an entrepreneur is getting more streamline. Everyone wanted to start a company, but no one is patient enough to spend their next 5-10 years on their own ideas or product. They are all looking, “The Lottery.” Just get quick rich less than a year or sometimes in a couple of months. That stories on the media someone started and sold their companies hundreds of millions of dollars are 1 out millions. And, most of the cases, those founders had multiple fails before their hit.

If you have enough cash in your bank account and working product, you are Golden. Don’t scare about what is going to you in the future; whatever will happen is out of your control. You are building your house, and definitely takes time. Even if you end up failing to build it, there is no game over. You will start a new one with more knowledge, connection, and confidence. Don’t expect huge returns in a short time from startups. If you have it, play the lottery. You might have a better chance:)

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Note: If you are interested in “The Psychology of Money” and can’t afford it just DM me on Twitter. I think I have 20 seats left.

I like problem-solving. I feel I am pretty good about that. I always proud of it till I heard this saying, “ An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

It sounds like instead of being a great problem solver, we can be great problem avoiders. Most of the time, we are correcting the initial problems. Because we are thinking so much short time returns, we don’t invest issues properly; they are matter to us—the better the first decision, the less headache than later.