All are more common than you would think… especially TODAY.

We live in a world of enormous opportunity. Thinking a recession is the wrong time? Perhaps not.

Inventions from the Great Depression:
Electric Razor
The Supermarket
Tampax
Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie
Monopoly

Challenging economic times take us out of our comfort zone. They force us to think of doing it a different way. These are times when people take the money they have, invest in themselves & their ideas and create what is new. Much as it was THEIR time in the 1920′s to start a business and create something – like a chocolate chip cookie…etc – now is OUR time to do the same.

How to take advantage of this reality. The first step is to examine the industry you are familiar with and find the niches. They are always there. ‘Job security’ can only be found in ourselves.

WHY? Here’s one reason.

Humankind first appeared on planet earth 2.5 million years ago

We discovered fire 1.5 million years ago

We evolved into modern man & woman 200,000 years ago

The first city was settled 12,000 years ago Jericho

We began documenting our lives on paper 5509 years ago

The printing press was invented in 1475 which allowed information to spread rapidly.

This fueled the Renaissance, which gave way to the Industrial Revolution and now –
the Technological Revolution.

Roughly 10,000 generations of us, humankind, have come and gone. I have the good fortune to be surrounded by four generations. 1) My grandmother 2) My mother 3) My wife, friends, colleagues 4) My children.

We are four of 10,000 generations. I am one of 10,000 generations.

I, along with 40 Million others, are considered to be generation X.

Yesterday I stopped to realize that our generation was the first to grow up with convenient, affordable, safe, frequent commercial jet travel.

I flew to Beijing, China for a one day meeting.

That is astonishing to my grandmother. Imagine how other generations that came before her would react? What would they have given for a magic carpet to actually be real?

We can connect with 25% of the planets population through the internet…50% by cell phone.

How fortunate we are to have been selected to be among the 10,000th generation.

The other night I was in Madison Square Garden with a friend. It holds 20,0000. It was about half full.

I though to myself in this arena, if each of us represented one of the 10,000 generations that have inhabited this planet, how likely would it be that I was selected to now?

Not too likely. But I was..and so were you.

We have an unprecedented opportunity. Through technology, telecommunications and transportation, we can create and do things that have never before been possible at speeds unimaginable.

This provides us with a unique opportunity in human history. We can, if we desire to, create more faster. It makes it easier than ever before to create financial abundance for ourselves, our family and our friends.

And human history has also showed that the clearest, most assured pathway is through the creation of an enterprise, business, product, or service.

If you have an interest in starting your own business, you should listen to this entrepreneur!

This week I had the opportunity to host a podcast with Ian Leopold, CEO and founder of American Collegiate Intramural Sports. Ian started his career at Leo Burnett and then moved to Frito Lay as an assistant brand manager.

He explains how a young professional can learn from their current employer to cultivate an entrepreneurial niche. “Look at your current job as a learning experience and ask as many questions as you can.”

The key points include
-how the business of marketing works
-where to look for untapped markets that suit your interests
- when the time is right to move out on your own
- research your competitors, what are their shortcomings?
-develop a strategy that will set your company apart

In this podcast, Brand Connections’ Brian F Martin reviews the common traits and behaviors among the successful industry leaders he’s recently interviewed. Drawing on these discussions, the CEO distills the top ten characteristics of these successful people and explains how their common threads can put you on the fast track.

Without further delay, the ten traits of highly successful marketers, advertisers and media executives:

1. Curiosity- Constantly asking why people act the way they do and why they’re influenced in certain ways is important. Asking the right questions is the key, but you must also be truly interested in the responses. Understanding your competitors, paying attention to the marketplace, and inquiring about how others in your organization achieved success are all essential.

2. Outstanding communication skills- Whether you’re on the client or agency side, you are most likely selling either a product or yourself every day. The game is all about persuasion and that begins with great communication. If you can’t influence your own team or communicate with suppliers and distributors, how can you expect to impact the market? Not everyone is a naturally gifted communicator, but there are skills to be gleaned from those who do it well and the litany of literature and classes designed to improve such skills. Honing your communication skills is one key to advance in today’s organizations.

3. Creativity- Being creative does not mean you have to be able to write copy, draw a story board, or hatch the next brilliant idea. In this sense it means: can you creatively solve problems and create options? Creativity is also about surrounding yourself with a diverse group and listening to unique voices that introduces a new viewpoint.

4. Business knowledge- Possessing knowledge of industry basics is vital. Keeping abreast of how the brand is tracking, whether it’s meeting sales targets, its consumption trends, budget, etc., are all essential. Having this information at your fingertips is imperative when management comes to you for answers. Understanding the business, the numbers, and anticipating your bosses’ needs are key.

5. Industry expertise- You must become a student of the industry and devote your time to understanding all of its components. It is important to read not only the standard industry publications, but incorporate applicable books to digest. You must remain a student of the industry and try to improve in your weaker areas.

6. Results oriented- Creative programs, promotions, and tie-ins are tantalizing time drains, but the only thing that matters at the end of the day is results. Achievers show good judgment by putting aside distractions and flashy temptations and to focus on what matters.

7. Courage- A term rarely associated with the business world, achievers often call on their reserves when facing adversity. You must be willing to take intelligent risks based on analysis and thoughtfulness. Standing still is not the answer. You must also have the courage to take a stand. It’s easy to blend in and repeat what others have done, but it won’t take you very far.

8. Diligence- The person that works harder gets rewarded, more often than not. America’s commitment to the old Protestant work ethic is still embraced at most organizations, if only on a subconscious level. There is a disproportionate level of reward that goes to those perceived as working harder. More diligent office hours and more focused work usually lead to more opportunity and promotions.

9. Team spirit- If you don’t play well with others, you’re in serious trouble in today’s business environment – where collaboration is so pervasive. You can’t do everything yourself and you can’t fire everyone, so utilizing teamwork to reach the desired results is one of the greatest skill sets you can ever work to master. According to the new paradigm, every great team player is an overachiever. Moving the team forward also allows you to move forward faster.

10. Integrity- Seemingly a given, the importance of integrity can not be overstressed. Once trust is fractured it’s very difficult to repair. A single breach of integrity can wipe out all of the good work you’ve done with an organization and all you’ve helped it achieve. Integrity is perhaps the most critical element of the ten traits because it takes so much effort to recover once compromised.