The Entrepreneurship Chronicle
Zero Million - The Entrepreneurship Chronicle
  The Entrepreneurship Chronicle :: February 2010 Issue :: 54

Editor: Ryan Allis
Sent With: iContact


QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

~Confucius


Dear [fname],

Welcome to the Entrepreneurship Chronicle! I hope you have made progress on your entrepreneurial vision and that you gain value from this issue of The Entrepreneurship Chronicle!

In Chapel Hill, we are holding Entrepreneur & Social Entrepreneur Meetups once per month at my home. If you live in the area and care about changing the world, come on out. Details on the meetups can be found on the Facebook Group.

Entrepreneurially Yours,
Ryan P. Allis, CEO
iContact Corp.
2635 Meridian Parkway
Durham, NC
www.iContact.com


   Table of Contents
Non-Profit of the Month
North Carolina Farm Bureau Federation

North Carolina Farm Bureau Federation

The North Carolina Farm Bureau Federation, Inc. is a private, non-profit, grassroots organization that has been actively promoting farm and rural issues since 1936 through governmental relations, marketing, field representation, agricultural education, member services and other programs.

Their goal was to protect the interests of farm and rural families across the state, and for the first time, an organization now gives farmers a unified voice on agricultural issues. N.C. Farm Bureau leaders have always had a keen interest in education and today fund three programs featuring agriculture and education. These programs are the R. Flake Shaw Scholarship Fund, Ag in the Classroom and Institutes for Future Agricultural Leaders. Even though the organization has significantly grown, membership still starts at the local level.

(To learn more or get involved visit: www.ncfb.org/ )

When Writing a Business Plan - Start with a Great Introduction
Jim DeLapa

When it comes to writing a great business plan, most soon-to-be-new business owners struggle with the same question: Where do I start? In this case, the age-old answer to that question is the best answer, "at the beginning." The most important part of your business plan is a well written introduction.

If you are seeking investors or a small business loan, your introduction must hook the reader so that they will feel compelled to read the rest of your plan. The first thing a lender or investor will want to know is what problem your business will solve for its customers. That is what businesses do?"they solve problems for customers so convincingly that customers willingly give them their money.

The first objective of your business plan introduction is convincing the reader that people will actually give you their money to do for them what your business will do!

(Read the Rest of this Article Here....)


Jim is a recognized business leader whose career spans more than 20 years of entrepreneurship.

Who Really Achieves Success in Sales?
Mark Hunter

Success in sales does not go to the one who has the lowest price.

Nor does success in sales go to the one who has the best customers.

And, success in sales does not go the one who has the most intelligence.

Who really achieves success in sales? The people who practice integrity with every person with whom they come in contact. There is no substitute, no alternative to consistent integrity.

Eleven years ago, I left my corporate career working in sales management for a Fortune 100 company. I began traveling the globe, working with salespeople across more industries than I can even begin to count. Over the years, I've personally met with thousands of salespeople, each with their own level of success and failures. I also have met with hundreds of sales managers, VPs of Sales, CEOs and others from the "C-Suite." All those interactions and opportunities to learn about so many industries has revealed to me more than ever what it takes to remain at the top.

(Read the Rest of this Article Here....)


Mark Hunter, the Sales Hunter, is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability.

Recruiting Top Talent for your Startup
Joe Abraham

This question comes up quite often from entrepreneurs starting up their first enterprise.

Question: How do I recruit top talent to build my startup? How many people should I recruit when I am just starting up?

Answer:

1. Figure out what it is going to take to get your venture to a point where you have proof of concept and market traction. That is truly the only point when your business is considered "viable" and "investable." This means, you have to do a paper napkin business plan on how you are going to get your business to a point where you have a working product and paying customers.

2. Based on this established point (call it milestone #1), figure out WHO needs to be on the team to get you to milestone 1. Don't try to recruit "top talent" at the management level yet. Focus your energy on the people who will actually build/sell your product.

(Read the Rest of this Article Here....)


Joe is a serial entrepreneur who has been involved as a founder, executive or advisor in the startup and growth of over 20 companies in industries ranging from IT and healthcare to sales training and motorsports.

Zero to One Million: How I Built My Company to $1 Million in Sales . . . and How You Can, Too
Ryan Allis

Book Description

Do You Want to Become a Multi-Millionaire Entrepreneur? Here's How.

By the time Ryan Allis had reached the age of twenty-one, he had achieved the financial goal most people just dream about: He built his company to one million in sales. Allis has since grown his company iContact Corp., a provider of Web-based email marketing and online communication softwares, to $28 million per year in sales, and has helped numerous clients increase their sales dramatically.

Now Allis shares the secrets of his lightning-fast success with you. In Zero to One Million, he details his simple yet innovative evaluation system of "Market-Advantages-Return" to help you determine if your business idea is viable. Once you have a solid foundation, you can apply his advice for successfully running your business-from initial planning to managing high-speed growth.

  • Evaluate your business idea using the innovative MAR system
  • Write a business plan sure to excite your investors
  • Launch your company with minimal expenditure
  • Boost online sales using cutting-edge marketing strategies
  • Watch all your hard work transform into millions

Did you know that eighty-one percent of millionaires are entrepreneurs? Join the pantheon of successful businessmen and women with Zero to One Million.

About the Author

Ryan P. Allis is CEO of iContact Corp., a venture-backed email marketing and online communications firm that has grown from nothing to over $32 million in annual sales with over 59,000 customers and 190 employees. Ryan is also the Chairman of the web marketing firm Virante, Inc.

(Buy the Book....)

Connect With Ryan
Connect Via Facebook

Do you have a Facebook account? If so, Ryan's on Facebook too. Just look up Ryan Allis (the one at UNC-Chapel Hill). Send Ryan a message or a friend request.

Connect Via Linked In Ryan also uses LinkedIn. If you want to connect to Ryan on Linked in just look him up and send a connection request to allisr [at] icontact.com.

Follow on Twitter

Or Follow Ryan on Twitter: ryanallis

Don't have Facebook or LinkedIn but still want to ask Ryan a question? Feel free to email Ryan at allisr [at] icontact.com. Thank you!

Closing Notes

This concludes issue #54 of The Entrepreneurship Chronicle. If you are not subscribed and would like to subscribe, please visit http://www.zeromillion.com. If you would like to contribute content, become involved with the zeromillion.com team, make suggestions, or provide feedback please feel free to contact us at info@virante.com.

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