Dan Sodergren on the BBC: Review of the Papers August 16th Part 2: Pokem...

My Borrowed Thoughts For The Day: Perhaps #FFFlip (and your #startup too) should foc...

My Borrowed Thoughts For The Day: Perhaps #FFFlip (and your #startup too) should foc...: As my daughter plays happily in her bedroom, I put this blog from Seth Godin  here to remind me - in all the excitement of my new business i...

Perhaps #FFFlip (and your #startup too) should focus on raising money from your customers rather than from investors....

As my daughter plays happily in her bedroom, I put this blog from Seth Godin here to remind me - in all the excitement of my new business idea (FFFlip) that I need to concentrate on creating value rather than just securing investment. 

Seth as ever, makes a really good point. 

One which many of my startup clients need to listen to as well. 

As he says:

"Focus to raise money from your customers. To delight more customers often enough that they happily pay you for what you can do for them. And then repeat. And again."

Perhaps making FFFlip more about creating revenue from customers rather than creating customers from investment is the better strategy. 

Anyhoo, here is the blog.... 

The struggle to raise money

When your small business is struggling, the thought of raising money feels like a life preserver.

That possible infusion of cash is a beacon of hope, the thing you can work on tirelessly. It's the one thing that appears as though it will make everything better.

Careful. It's often a detour, a distraction that won't pan out at the very same time it takes your eye off the real issues.

The problem starts with this: Few people will tell you to stop trying to raise money. They'll encourage you to polish your business plan, make more pitches, add more rigor, dream bigger. 

Add to this that it's essentially impossible to build a 1000x company, but those are the ones that get all the hype and the ones that investors crave. So you're comparing yourself to something that's quite elusive.

And finally, as you get deeper and deeper into the quest, there are individuals and institutions that will happily take advantage of you, requiring you to personally guarantee debt, to give up control, to turn your dream project into something you never envisioned.

The reason for this money trap is that so many small-business owners confuse raising money for expenses with raising money to build an asset. This is worth understanding.

If you can say, "I will spend this money on X, and X will make Y happen, and Y will pay off handsomely," then a professional investor ought to be open to hearing that story.

But the things to spend money on are a significant real estate presence, machines, patents, a permanent, expensive brand. The entrepreneur who spends this money does it with enthusiasm, because she's buying things that are going to grow in value, fast. 

This is the painting contractor who realizes that a high-powered industrial paint booth will make him the only guy in town who can do a certain kind of job. Or the fast food impresario who asserts that opening ten restaurants in one town in one year will give her the footprint to be more efficient and profitable.

But that's not the way most small business folks are wired.

We're wired to delight our customers, charge for what we do, and then spend some of that money to do it again.

If that sounds like you, pretend that it's not even possible to raise money from investors. Take the option off the table (where it isn't, really).

Instead, spend that energy and that passion and that focus to raise money from your customers. To delight more customers often enough that they happily pay you for what you can do for them. And then repeat. And again.

It's not a life preserver. Not at all. It's a stepwise path, a ramp from here to there, a process with no guru, no miracle, no signing bonus. It's merely the work.

The thing you signed up for in the first place."

So the question I have now for FFFlip as we make the tech spec for her and start the build is WHERE IS THE WOW?

As The Next Web rightly puts it - every great app needs a wow.  

The Old Man and the Starfish: It ALL makes a difference....

For the last little while I have been working with PeoplePlus on a project called My-Biz.

What is My-Biz?

MyBiz has been created to help the next generation in Manchester start up their own business. We don’t just offer advice and guidance; we offer practical skills development, hands on training and a network of tailored support.

MyBiz is the first of its kind in the Greater Manchester area, formed by the combined experience of the private and public sectors. The service is a collaboration between PeoplePlus, a training and employment support provider, Nu-Traxx and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Whilst on secondment from my agency, I am doing the startup and enterprise training for them. Hopefully helping as many young people, in Manchester, aged between 18 - 24 who are not in work and want to start their own business.

In just over 6 months we have helped more than 200 young people with 1-2-1 help and started many of them on a journey of discovery around starting their own business. It's something I am really quite proud of.

However, we can help many, many more. 

And today someone asked me why I bothered helping them at all - considering the millions of other young people unemployed or underemployed.

Literally - they asked me that... 

My answer was this story below. 

Which I hope my daughter Mia will read when she is able. 

More importantly, I hope she takes the story to her heart and makes a difference to the world....

The Old Man and the Starfish
Author: Unknown

There was a young man walking down a deserted beach just before dawn. In the distance he saw a frail old man. As he approached the old man, he saw him picking up stranded starfish and throwing them back into the sea.

The young man gazed in wonder as the old man again and again threw the small starfish from the sand to the water. He asked, “Old man, why do you spend so much energy doing what seems to be a waste of time?”

The old man explained that the stranded starfish would die if left in the morning sun. ” But there must be thousands of beached and millions of starfish!” exclaimed the young man. 

“How can you make any difference?”

The old man looked down at the small starfish in his hand and as he threw it into the safety of the sea, he said, 

“I made a difference to this one.”

Worth thinking about... 

FOR MIA, THE NINE GATEWAYS TO A BEAUTIFUL LIFE

 I have not personally blogged for soooooo long, for too long. 

This says something about how much I am working or something about how little I am taking care of myself. 

As I do so love to blog, think and read. And re-think. It's part of this re-thinking that has got me to jot down these notes from a book just read. 

The Saint, the surfer and the CEO.

Which is a great story. A lovely narrative. Which covered many of the themes, which are in so many of the books I have read in my past. So much so it became a "refresher" in things that I had forgotten I believed. 

So the below is really for my daughter Mia. Who might read it in the future. And realize after I am gone, or after I become someone I should not, that her father had some decency once. 

And a soul too. 

It's up to you whether you read the whole thing. I would definitely read these top nine points, even if you aren't Mia (and have no idea who she is...) 

NINE GATEWAYS TO A BEAUTIFUL LIFE 

#1: The main work of every human being is inner work. 

Each day, do something significant to deepen yourself. To have more of the life that you truly want, you must first become more of who you truly are. (This is something I truly had forgotten.) Do something each day to nurture your mind, body, and spirit.

#2: See your life as a fantastic growth school.

Understand this truth, and keep asking yourself, “What opportunity does this person or situation represent” in terms of your personal growth. This is a great source of inner peace. 

#3: Be true to yourself—the best life is the authentic life. 

Never betray yourself. Take off your social mask and have the personal bravery to present the real you to the world. The world will be richer for it. (But maybe don't post it all over Facebook or LinkedIn for that matter.) 

#4: Remember that we collect what we project. 

Our outer lives are nothing more than a mirror image of our inner lives. Pour light on your dark side. Become aware of the false assumptions, limiting beliefs, and fears that are keeping you small, and your exterior world will change. 

#5: We see the world not as it is but as we are. 

The world can seem like it is full of trouble and darkness. But... Know that the truth in any given circumstance is filtered through your personal stained glass window—your personal context. Clean up the windows, and you’ll clean up your life. Then you’ll see the truth. 

#6: Live in your heart—its wisdom never lies. 

Follow the quiet promptings of your heart, and you’ll be led in the direction of your destiny. 

#7: Stand in the curiosity of your life. 

In surrendering control (which the world will tell you, that you need more and more Mia) you’ll create a space for possibilities to enter and treasures to flow. 

#8: Build human connections. 

Dedicate yourself to deepening your bonds with the people around you. Focus on helping others achieve their dreams, we are here to enrich this world, and you simply betray yourself once you forget that.

#9: Leave a legacy. 

The deepest longing of the human heart is the need to live for a cause greater than oneself. I hope you will find your cause Mia. I hope I was part of you finding it. 

Hope you enjoyed the blog. 

Please do share this and do read the book.

The Saint, the surfer and the CEO.

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Private bit for Mia. 

This blog is a gift for you - in November 2015. 

From your dad... Dan Sodergren

With all his love. 

Before he turned 40.  

A wonderful blog by Seth Godin. Glow in the dark

A wonderful blog by Seth Godin.

Glow in the dark

Some people are able to reflect the light that lands on them, to take directions or assets or energy and focus it where it needs to be focused. This is a really valuable skill.

Even more valuable, though, is the person who glows in the dark. Not reflecting energy, but creating it. Not redirecting urgencies but generating them. The glow in the dark colleague is able to restart momentum, even when everyone else is ready to give up.

At the other end of the spectrum (ahem) is the black hole. All the energy and all the urgency merely disappears.

Your glow in the dark colleague knows that recharging is eventually necessary, but for now, it's okay that there's not a lot of light. The glow is enough.

With my new job - I will be the glow in the dark light bulb... :)

9 things unsuccessful people seem to do. "Observations from a holiday"

This post was originally up on LinkedIn. It was meant to be a look into success and my own definition of it as well as a tongue in cheek look at the UK society.

However, it offended a few people so much so someone said it was...

"A crass, rude, generalist, bigoted article."

I don't think it is but I repost it here to remind myself what NOT to post on LinkedIn. 

9 things unsuccessful people seem to do. "Observations from a holiday"

Right now, at this moment, financially, I am unsuccessful. I know this, as this year, we had to book a holiday, to a place we wouldn't normally go. But as it happens, it was the perfect place to observe a few things about the "unsuccessful". 

Now, before you get upset. Let me clarify. 

What do I mean by unsuccessful?

For me being 'successful' means you have more than a million in the bank. It's purely a financial thing for this definition.

I know it's not great but there it is. And no I don't know how much people on holiday had in the bank - it is a guess as they were in the same place I was.

I also understand that purely saying success is about money isn't a great definition but read to the end - it will all make sense. 

We all have our own version of being successful or unsuccessful, I know that, we all do.

You have one too. That’s yours… This is mine. I don't know yours.

However, what I do know, for a fact, is that. 

People love reading about success. 

LinkedIn, with it’s millionth person publishing, is full of articles about the top things successful people do. So are Inc. and The Next Web and every other entrepreneurial magazine.

We love reading about the successful and their habits and tricks. Especially when the titles have numbers in them.  So you get to read "9 successful things the successful you probably don’t do yet." Or what the super successful do over the weekends. Or what the successful, do to be ‘successful’ on a Monday morning. 

But, I am unsuccessful so far. I am on my 9th startup idea / business and not one of them has made me a million pounds. (Yet.)

See here - The F word and why we should celebrate it

And ... I DO MANY of the below. At least 5 of them.

How many do you do? 

"9 things the unsuccessful SEEM to do."

1. Shout over each other. 

This is a naughty one, as rich people shout as well. I think it's called 'braying' when they do. But do "self made" people do it as well? The real point is that it's not the shouting, it's not moving nearer to one another once the shouting starts. There is no attempt to minimize the social disruption. The "shouter" simply continues to shout over the top of you, at the person they are shouting at. 

2. Buy tat. 

By this I mean stuff that breaks easily, is made from plastic, is cheap and throw away able. Ironically, it last for years, as broken plastic, but that's another story entirely.  

3. Gamble. 

This really should be just seen as a tax on the poor. Giving money to something where you know that 30% goes to the house (at least) just seems silly and counter intuitive. (But as 9 out of 10 starts ups fail... I will leave this one alone.) 

4. Have lots of kids 

This is a controversial one - as children cost a lot - the average expense now at a staggering £225,000 (to raise one until 21 in the UK .) It could be a chicken and egg moment i.e. three or more children and you spend A LOT. Ironically, therefore, if the numbers are right with 4 kids you already have spent like a millionaire. 

5. Have tattoos. 

It was staggering, the percentage of people who had tattoos on the holiday and the how much of their bodies were covered. Around 80% of the adults had tattoos and big ones too. The UK average is around 25%. I have a tattoo too but it's tiny compared to the "amount of ink" people had. 

6. Smoke. 

 A BIG one for me (as an ex smoker.) A huge number of adults smoked, more than half of them, often with their children right next to them. But could smoking make you less successful? Maybe as according to some, smoking could cost you around $1 million in your lifetime. So you have less to invest or create wealth with whilst apparently, people from richer countries are starting to stub out their cigarettes. And poor countries smoke more. Which might say something.

7. Overeat.

Ok, an aptly bigger one for me. As I am overweight and I am not alone. As in the UK, 64% of adults are classed as being overweight or obese. I overeat and over the past four years, after Mia was born, I put on weight. And kept on doing so. Without much exercise and a laptop bound lifestyle I am now a chubby entrepreneur.  It's not good. However, on this holiday I would think at least 95% of the people I saw were overweight and some massively so. 

8. Drink LOTS. 

I do this and it has to stop. It has made me even more 'chubby'. 

9. Care. 

I saw more people with elderly relatives than ever before. Lots of families, most of them with three generations all together. From this I took it that they cared for each other. I might be wrong. I kinda hope I am not. 

So what should we do? 

The above are things that unsuccessful people seem to do. But perhaps we could all do with doing the last one a little more as we strive to become more "successful." As the happy startup people put it perhaps: 

"You can measure success in terms of the relationships you’ve developed, the experiences you’ve been part of and your impact on the lives of others. These will be the things you remember and get remembered for."

I think this is a better definition of success than just looking at the financial side of life. The problem is - that it is so much harder to measure... 

I have helped over 5000 people and businesses with marketing and start up help over 10 years... but where did that get me? To a holiday in the UK ... 

By the by... 

I haven't mentioned where we went, no names, BUT... It was an amazing holiday for my daughter 4 year old daughter Mia. 

She will remember it and maybe that's the point?

Maybe I am more successful than I think... Maybe you are too? 

What do you think?

What other things have you noticed "unsuccessful" people do?

Please do comment below.  Without gossiping or name calling ;) 

And thanks for those who helped me with the changes to the piece. 

And if you want to read something BRILLIANT read this. 

A man has to BE something; he has to matter. From Hunter S Thompson. 

“To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles … ” (Shakespeare)

And indeed, that IS the question: whether to float with the tide, or to swim for a goal. It is a choice we must all make consciously or unconsciously at one time in our lives.

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About the Author:

Dan Sodergren is co founder of Follogro - a social media tech start up - a serial entrepreneur, occasional keynote speaker and full time digital marketing trainer. He specialises in mobile and social marketing with ideas ranging from augmented reality, to RTB and back again. He trains companies and individuals in best practice on social and mobile marketing platforms, gets to talk about it all on radio and is even occasionally seen on the BBC.

Other stuff he writes about...

• Let's get this straight about social media
• The E in Great Marketing is…
• The F word and why we should celebrate it