Category Archives: Business Tips

Business According to Fail Blog

Is your business not going quite right? Well, no use in crying over spilled milk, because you are not alone. As you know, all businesses start with an idea and an intention but you will not, nor should you have all the answers 100% of the time. Just remember, someone’s always in your corner, with WizOf.Biz, you can be sure to find fresh ideas on business development, strategic planning, mentorship and more. Our business experts believe, that when it comes to running a business, as in life, you have to be willing to take risks, think outside the box and bend the rules; but most importantly have a sense of humor!

I will go ahead and turn the odds in my favour by showing you the lighter side of business with FAIL BLOG, a popular comedy photoblog and search engine, that gives “funny” a leg up. Lets take a look at a few of my favorite business pics that will get the haha out of you.

1) Cat in the box: Sometimes in business, you just have to get creative even if it means placing yourself in a box to be kissed by complete strangers; more kisses, more dimes. Not only is it a brilliant publicity stunt, but you might even get a promotion. Take for instance,the Temporarily Unpopular Marketing Ideas a unique organization that takes your wacky ideas and makes them a reality.

Often we forget that when it comes to running a business, it is important to be yourself, think outside the box and give people what they really want; to share in who you truly are, what you think and how you can make a difference. If Sir Richard Branson can wow people with his sense of humor and a winning personality, you can too.

2) Selling Crap: So, what? Lots of people make money selling shit. Take for instance Holy Crap I mean, does anyone think it is actually good? Hmmm….however, the people behind the crap, are friendly, approachable and they did a superb job packaging their product. I’m saying its not what you’re selling but how. Think on your feet and put your best crap forward. You never know who will pick it up.

3) Casual Business Attire: There is no shame in wearing shorts for business as long as you do it with purpose and confidence. If you can laugh at yourself, people will laugh with you. FunnyBusiness.ca can make any business meeting or event into a laugh out loud shindig where, you too, can let it all hang out.

4) Homer Reading Encyclopedia On Marketing: You don’t need to be a genius to come up with some of the most Remarkable Marketing Campaigns Ever! Yes, it funny, yes it might even be outrageous; but it works!

Whether you are re-branding or about to lend a new client, remember, you’re in the business of selling yourself first. The truth is most people buy into you, before they ever buy into your product or service. So sell your ideas first. If you sell the why -what you believe in, you are on the right track.

For more inspiring posts visit the WizOf.Biz blog or connect with us on Twitter @wizof_biz. We are here to help.

Five Amazingly Inspiring Business Videos From TED Talks You Should Watch!

TED Talks (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is a beloved ideas sharing conference that is now presented worldwide to a viewership of over one billion. The amazing thing about TED in my opinion, is that the guests who share their insight, truly showcase the cultural,visionary and creative depths of people everywhere. The series, fulfills our collective desire to connect and inspire each other. In short, what a brilliant excuse, for innovators,artists and business and technology experts to come together in order to challenge perspectives and offer infinite possibilities for learning.

Here are five of my picks for best TED business videos that will knock your socks off! Each one of these makes an insightful and compelling argument in support of a more creative and inspired future in business and entrepreneurship.

1) The Puzzle Of Motivation

Professional analyst Dan Pink, takes a close look at the intricacies of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. He brings into question the value and effectiveness of traditional reward systems. Quite simply, based on plenty of scientific evidence,says Pink, the traditional financial incentives of carrots and sticks used to motivate employers do not work.

So why do most businesses today, continue to employ extrinsic motivators of carrots and sticks as a way to incentivize workers? The answer according to Daniel Pink, is, there continues to be a disconnect between “what scientists know and what businesses do.”

2) How Great Leaders Inspire Action

Simon Sinek, talks about what he calls The Golden Circle of why, how and what. Sinek examines the idea that people generally don’t buy into what you do but rather why you do it. If those you hire, believe what you believe, they will work tirelessly towards that purpose.

Simon puts forward Apple Computers, Martin Luther King and The Wright Brothers as examples of a company and people, whose primary focus was on the purpose of their idea not necessarily the value. In other words, people want to know what you believe in, not what you’re selling. Great leaders share their stories about their passion, not their need for increased cash flow. Companies need to learn to communicate from the inside out, to make their message purposeful and inspiring.

3) The Era of Open Innovation

Charles Leadbeater is a U.K. based author who works and has published a series of books in areas of Social Entrepreneurship and innovation. His latest book entitled Innovation In Education: Lessons From Pioneers Around The World, looks at the very real movement towards worldwide efforts in education and innovation.

Anyone across the globe, regardless of their socio-economic background or cultural stature, can, and has embraced innovation and Enterpreneurship as a way of learning and moving towards the future of creative thinking. Innovators are no longer defined as the elite, rather we are beginning to see innovation emerge amongs those living in less than favourable conditions and representing an array of previously untapped communities. Take a look at this TEDTalk video for a complete overview of Charles’ Beater’s presentation.

4) Let’s Raise Kids To Be Entrepreneurs

Cameron Harold, discusses how crucial it is that as a society we focus more on teaching our kids exactly how to be entrepreneurial. While in schools, we do make sure that children learn math, numbers and even basic business skills, Cameron says, but do we really prepare them for what it means to have an entrepreneurial mind? Can they grasp the concept of innovation and creative thought? The faster we can show young kids how to become true Entrepreneurs, the faster, we as a society can become smarter.

5) What to Help Someone? Shut Up and Listen!

Ernesto Sirolli, is an internationally known leader in the area economic development and sustainability. He is also the Founder of the Sirolli Institute,a non profit organization dedicated to teaching business leaders in the community, how to manage and maintain entrepreneurial initiatives.

His TED Talk discusses just how often we in the Western world are compelled to jump in headfirst to “help” others maximize their resources and improve potential for Entrepreneurship.

The problem with this approach, is we do not stop to listen to the specific needs and ideas of communities. Instead we impose our own perspectives and completely ignore the entrepreneurial spirit of others. It is time for us to “Shut up and listen!” says Sirolli, after all, “we can not be successful alone.”

Find out how WizOf.Biz can help you sharpen your entrepreneurial objectives and lead you to fantastic business breakthroughs with practical advice and innovative strategies. We look forward to working with you. If you’re in the mood for more insightful posts, videos and business advice check out our blog or look us up on Twitter @wizof_biz

Pinterest: Content & “Attention Marketing” By James Flint

Everyone is going bonkers over Pinterest; a pinboard style photo sharing website, that lets users browse through images based on themes, interests and hobbies. In his recent Telegraph article Attention Marketing, The Real Social Revolution, British journalist James Flint, further discusses a fresh spin on the traditional lead generating technique that this popular social media tool uses to maintain their forty-five million a year in projected revenue and keep the attention of its users. What’s more, Pinterest does not rely on ads for cash flow, nor does it charge for service use. So how exactly do they do it?

1) “Pinterest revenue comes entirely from links placed by users on the site”. says Flint. In other words all users have to do is place a link to a product or service directly onto the site. The minute someone else clicks on that link to buy, Pinterest makes money. Currently there are over ten million people using the site-everyone wins.

2) Unlike in the traditional ad displays, in the case of Pinterest, the leads are chosen by the users themselves and are entirely based on their actions and interests. The idea is that you are now automatically marketing to users who are already interested in what you’re selling; no groundwork necessary, which no doubt, is a brilliant marketing strategy.

Relying on affiliates, for lead generation means online content companies like Amazon and BestBuy have a much more targeted approach, that Flint suggests is about “capturing people’s attention and channeling this attention to the appropriate vendor when it presents itself as a genuine desire to buy.” As a business person, I too, believe that this strategy unlike any other, enables people to make informed decisions about the product or service they are interested in without the added pressure of an unwanted, online ad campaign or third party product pushes. In the case of Pinterest, it offers users a fun, unique and interructive way to choose their content, which implies a hands off approach when it comes to making a purchase; which is all that people ever want when making a choice.

We invite you to browse through our blog for more informative posts like this one. If you want to find out, how WizOf.Biz can help your business make the right choice with professional feedback and advice, visit our website at: wizof.biz You can also connect with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Top Five WizOf.Biz Posts You Should Read

Over time, you have seen many great posts on our blog. We have published a variety of helpful lists, tips, tools and advice to help guide you to business success. This week, I would like to take you back in time, with my top five WizOf.Biz posts; in case you missed them.

1) Nine Websites For Businesses & Entrepreneurs: This is an excellent post that points you to a selection of the funniest, most innovative and forward thinking websites. Each are a great resource for creative business types and entrepreneurs. Browse through a business networking and member matching service like visionary.is, get inspired with 360 Degrees of Inspiration and more!

2) Top Six Business & Marketing Podcasts: Here you will discover popular business podcasts such as Funny Business and l How to Make Money & Do A World Of Good. Its great for aspiring philanthropists, business storytellers, people with big ideas and those looking for a chuckle.

3) Vision Versus Mission Statement: Everyone in business, struggles to distinguish what really is the difference between a Vision and Mission Statement. In this post, I take the time to put an end to this mystery by offering you a perfectly sound explanation.

4) Jeff Bezos & Business Success: The Amazon CEO, shares his success tips with business executives. Some of the advice Jeff gives in this Globe & Mail article includes lines like tip #3 “ Obsess on your clients’ experiences, not your colleagues’ politics”. and that is just a teaser.

5) Top Ten Life Strategies That Can Lead You To Business Success: What life etiquette and strategies that you use daily, can you implement to help you succeed in business. I am more than happy to let you in on my secret of what it was that led me to my own success in business.

Use these tips and expert advice as a guide for making excellent business decisions. Ask us at WizOf.Biz about the many ways that you can benefit from becoming a WizOf.Biz mentor or even better a WizOf.Biz Client.

yourBusinessChannel: Professional Business Advice Via YouTube

Since YouTube first came on the scene in 2005, it has generated well over a billion monthly viewers with more than six billion hours spent watching YouTube videos each month. YouTube is now available to people in over sixty languages and has become a viable avenue for sharing ideas and promoting goods and services.

Small to medium sized businesses and entrepreneurs use YouTube as a resource for recruiting clients, building networks and delivering a message to their audiences. That is why, yourBusinessChannel has become invaluable to business professionals, startups and entrepreneurs who are looking to further their business.

yourBusinessChannel is an online business television, used for sharing professional video content, searching out business mentors and more.This tool allows innovative thinkers and business experts everywhere, to provide aspiring entrepreneurs with professional feedback and advice. Partnering with yourBusinessChannel in 2007, has allowed YouTube to generate access to wide range of videos from leading business experts. It is used as a digital PR platform to help deliver your message and business vision.

Take a look at this video by Chairman of XL Results Foundation, Roger Hamilton in which he explains the difference between speaking the language of business requests and business opportunities.

Don’t forget to check out the WizOf.Biz blog for more interesting posts and business advice.

Callan Rush: The Three M’s Business Formula You Should Know

Whether you’ve been running your own business or speaking event for some time, or are just starting out, you will quickly come to realize it’s not as easy as it sounds. That is because simply having a great idea is not enough; you need a plan. The question then becomes, how do you deliver your message in a way that encourages people not only to attend your seminars and buy into your product or service but also bring in that cash flow that you so desperately want?

Callan Rush, is the CEO and Founder of Leader to Luminary Training Inc. She is a Vancouver based professional speaker, trainer and educator in the seminar industry. I recently attended her workshop called Magnetize Your Audience – How to Fill Your Workshops With Ease. One of the things that impressed me while I listened to her presentation, was her charismatic personality and the genuine desire to share her story. Within the course of a few hours she was able to provide attendees with some compelling insights and practical advice on what it takes to magnetize your business audience and generate results.

In today’s post I’d like to share with you Callan’s three Ms income generating strategy that will get you on your way to business success. They are:

1) Magnetize: Callan says first thing’s first “figure out how to attract ideal potential client to your business or presentation.” These should be people who are not only willing to come to your events but ones who would be willing to pay you for whatever you’re selling, be it a product or service.This is about building lasting relationships with clients, ones that are based on trust, open dialogue and communication. Once that sense of trust is established you will have increased opportunity to leverage these connection and create opportunities for networking.

2) Mesmerize: is using the type of writing and email headlines or presentations that compel your audience to continue to stay engaged. All written or oral information you present should be put forth in a compelling, persuasive and engaging manner.Your content must evoke a sense of curiosity. Don’t forget to leave some room in the presentation for people to bond and learn a bit about each other. This exercise will make them feel at ease and much more likely to buy into your offer as long as you give them value and incentive.

3) Monetize: Let’s face it, we all need cash. It is silly to suggest says Rush, that “you are not in it for the money” because that is simply not true. If you are unable to monetize your business than what is the point. Your end result is always sales. Most people are not unwilling to buy what you’re selling, they simply need to be wooed and persuaded to do so. That is why the first two Ms mentioned in this formula are crucial to your success. Monetizing should never come ahead of cultivating trustworthy, professional connections in which no client can refuse you.

I was truly inspired by Callan’s presentation and would recommend her seminars to people seeking to gain valuable insight for their business.

Learn more about how to magnetize, mesmerize and monetize your clients through enjoyable headlines, CIS client retention model and Education Based Marketing all of which will help you garner optimal results for your business. You can do so by visiting Callan’s page for seminar dates in your city. You can also contact WizOf.Biz site for furhter feedback and business advice from our online Mentor Engine(TM).

Common Business Blunders & Marketing Faux Pas

Great content marketing is about finding innovative ways of presenting your business to your audience. As an entrepreneur, you must constantly work to reinvent and adjust your online content marketing plan to suit the changing needs of prospective clients and adapt to emerging social media trends.

Engaging content marketing, that will entice the reader, says Tatiana Liubarets from writtent.com, takes much more than blogging. It’s a custom “blend of writing, multimedia content, PR, social media and networking” all of which combined form a strong digital presence.

Tasteful use of humor, anecdotes or cartoons can often serve as a powerful strategy for reaching your market and humanizing your brand. Twenty Devastating Content Marketing Mistakes, is a candid and humorous look at common business blunders and marketing faux pas that business owners make.

A few of my favorite content marketing mistakes from the article are:

#2) Abusing SEO: It’s important to respond directly to the social signals of your audience. Be mindful of their feedback, their motivations and concerns. Modernday SEO copywriting according to Google’s own, Matt Cutts, is less about Google juice and more about sharable content.

#9) Diving Straight Into Controversy: Remember, not all publicity is good publicity. Allow others the opportunity to evaluate your approach. Doing so, could prevent you from mispositioning your brand.

#17) Not Moving Quickly Enough: If you are a reputable business, it goes without saying that no one wants to find a video of Selena Gomez, singing I Love You Like A Love Song. Make sure all your content is timely and relevant to avoid a whole host of embarrassing outcomes.

#20) Not Leveraging Consumers: Those who are likely to buy into your product or service, ought to be used as leverage for content creation and business advocacy. Recommendations from family and friends, go a long way in solidifying your position.

These amusing cartoons, are sure to make you smile. Paired up with some valuable tips for business survival I am confident you will find them useful. You can find the full post at: or visit WizOf.Biz on our site or Twitter for more exciting updates.

What You Can Learn From My Rookie Mistakes

I came across an interesting article on LinkedIN written by the CEO of SurveyMonkey David Goldberg.This piece is a cleverly presented instructional list entitled What You Can Learn From My Rookie Mistakes, in which the author shares valuable tips that start-up can use to help improve the way they manage their business.

My favorite tips by David are:

1) “Focus on investors that will add value beyond their cash.” – It is important to deal with people who not only make online cash transfers, but who will also provide ongoing financial guidance and advice.

I could not agree more with this assessment. One of the challenges of seeking funding for your business, is fostering these types of ongoing professional relationships with business mentors like WizOf.Biz who can give you valuable fiscal and business advice along the way to success.

2) “Be ruthless about killing ideas that aren’t working” – Don’t be afraid to fail, failure is what can potentially allow your business to grow and improve. The trick is in being able to tell the difference between ideas that work and those that will not.

No business can truly flourish without failure. Mistakes are the foundation of any business success story. Entrepreneurship is about curiosity, innovation and perseverance despite adversity.

Don’t be afraid to ask for advice along the way.

WizOf.Biz can help you find the answers you are looking for. You can also follow us on Twitter for more exciting business advice, marketing tips, recent blog posts, cartoons and more!

Image Creative Commons rchris7702

Dragon’s Den Feedback – Waiting for the Cows

WizOf.Biz, in sponsorship with KPMG Enterprise, recently hosted a successful networking event called Business Wisdom Beyond Dragon’s Den. This was a chance for SME’s and entrepreneurs to network with some of the best minds in the industry.

One of the main attractions of the event was the engaging Dragon’s Den panel which WizOf.Biz CEO Reg Charney and its business mentors have invited to speak at the event. Attendees were given the opportunity to ask questions of Dragon’s Den alumni as well as walk away with practical tools and advice on appearing on CBC’s Dragons Den. Most, were eager to learn what to expect when facing the Dragons. They also learned a lot about the wisdom contained in their organizations and the ways in which Wizof.Biz can help them unlock this wisdom and grow thier success.

Heidi and Ron Kuus, from Kuss Inc. were amongst the panelists presenting that day. They have given WizOf.Biz the go-ahead, to include this letter on our blog. Heidi, wrote it back in 2009 reflecting in a very candid way,about their experience on Dragons Den. It is filled with insights and advice that can help businesses that are preparing for, or are considering appearing on the Den increase their chances of success.

This is a letter that I wrote to myself back in 2009, a year after we had been on Dragon’s Den. I thought I would share it with you and any new potential Dragon Den presenters. It’s a great insight into the process and the value of wisdom in business.

June 8th, 2009 ~ Waiting until the Cows come home!

You know that old proverb, “you can wait until the Cows come home!” Well, I can state as a fact, Brett Wilson’s cow has come home; Brett literally has a life size cow in his front waiting area of his office in Calgary.

Well as you know my cow has not come home, it has been over a year since we auditioned for the Dragon’s Den and presented our product line Mosquito Shield Insect Repellents. It was an exciting time, preparing, practicing and trying to second guess what the Dragons might ask us, such as, “what makes your product so special?….you’re just a me-too product?….you only have XXX.XX dollars in sales?!”

When there are billions of dollars in net worth amongst the Dragon’s, a measly couple of hundred thousand in sales seems so unspectacular.

We had the same nightmare thoughts that probably everyone who presented to the Dragon’s had (and some presenters that probably should have had but obviously didn’t)…. that our idea was just “nutty” and we were going to win the “crazy chicken” award bestowed by Kevin O’Leary. (Luckily we didn’t win that award!)

There is a great Chinese proverb, “I got where I am because of luck and the harder I worked the luckier I became.” In my experience I have found this to be true…we knew the rules of the game, we prepared well, thought out our strategy, we knew our product, we even asked a good friend to be a Dragon and grill us…put us through the paces. We put in the time and effort to show that our years of experience actually did rub-off…. that we had learned from our mistakes and benefited from our successes…blah…blah…blah…blah.

“Why did you audition for the show if you are sooooo successful?” you may ask.

Well to that I would answer, “we are Entrepreneurs!…yes….blatantly always looking for creative, inexpensive (ok cheap) ways to flog our new products and ideas and find new cash for those ideas……cap that with guts (Ron has the lion share of that), perseverance, (some formal education doesn’t hurt either)…..but most importantly PASSION for what we are flogging…..that… my… friends…. is what makes an entrepreneur! No doubt there is the good, the bad and the ugly in entrepreneurial characteristics and I think I can safely say that we have already seen most of the bad (but very entertaining) on the Dragon’s Den episodes. But I digress…….

In the end, we were “lucky” enough to score a “show deal” with two of the dragons, Brett Wilson and Arlene Dickinson! Yes! $400,000.00 for 33.3%. Even during the presentation to the Dragon’s they didn’t say just 33 percent…. but 33.3 percent. The rich know that each cent counts, you only have to look at your latest bank statement to see transactions of .03 cents debited from your account!!!

Well again…. it was an exhilarating experience…and based on how the show was edited (lots of creative licence taken), it looked like in 1.5 minutes (that was the amount of air time we had) we managed to convince two of the Dragon’s to become partners and Kevin even said something like “great packaging”!

It was a “Once Upon Time Story”, business finds its investor and everyone lives happily ever after……….The End!

But this is actually the beginning of this story because there is a “fairyland” it’s called the “show deal” and then there is the “real deal” that resides in the real world.

The real deal is that we presented Mosquito Shield product line to the Dragons for well over 1.5 hours…they peppered us with many investor type questions… We had a nicely planned presentation…I was the first speaker with the introduction of who we are and what we wanted and Ron was going to continue with what products we had etc. benefits, marketing, sales, product differentiation etc. However, Kevin rammed right through our very nicely planned presentation with, “What makes your product so unique…you’re just a me-too product?” basically immediately putting us on the defensive, trying to derail the flow of the presentation…but…hah! …we were prepared! We were relatively comfortable in front of the Dragon’s, they didn’t ask us anything we didn’t expect and had not thought of…all-in-all we thought a job well done. Well enough that we got a “show deal”.

Well a year and a bit later (who’s counting…O.K. I am)….it’s 375 days since being on the show…..and no “real deal”!

But the reality of the show is if the Dragons wanted to, they could say “yes” to absolutely everyone that presented on the show because they are not really committed to any deal! There are so many ways to uncommit from the show deal. They can say, “I have changed my mind (no explanation is required) or during due diligence there was something that did not work for them.”

Plus, you are not just presenting to the Dragon’s, but, just as importantly to the Dragon’s producers who make the decision on which presenters to actually air on the show….after all it is a “show”!

OK….yes, after getting the show deal, in my mind, I had already spent all the money promised us on the show ….and I am not talking about a new car or diamond earrings for me …..I’m talking about growing the business so that from success I could choose to eventually buy a new car or diamond earrings for myself. By the way, it was hard not to notice the diamond tiara like necklace around Arlene’s neck….very nice indeed! But back to reality…maybe I will be “waiting until the cows come home” to see if we have a “real deal”….but the truth be told, I would wait!

As a postscript to this letter many exciting events and growth has happened since our presentation on Dragon’s Den. In 2013 PROFIT 500 ranked Mosquito Shield (KUUS Inc.) as one of Canada’s fastest growing companies.

Image is used via Creative Commons. Thanks to Maciej Lewandowski

Some Great Tips from the Wizof.Biz Dragons’ Den Event

5 Tips to Get Your Pitch on Dragons’ Den CBC’s

Matt Faulknor in conversation with Deborah Aarts

Go easy on gimmicks: Bells & whistles won’t get you past the audition unless there’s a truly solid and interesting idea at root.
Do your homework: Faulkner is amazed at how often would-be pitchers fail to do even the most basic due diligence.
“A good background story makes for great TV,” says Faulkner. “It ’s my job to find those stories.”
Prove that you really need help: “We’re looking for businesses that actually need the smart money the Dragons can offer.”
Keep your cool: Know your numbers, demonstrate passion, &
be able to competently & compellingly pitch under pressure.
Read the whole article: http://tinyurl.com/MattsTips

What To Do Once You Get The Chance To Be On The Den

Detailed video at http://wizof.biz/DDtips

Done well, it ’s good publicity even if you don’t get funded.
Dragons’ Den is mainly about entertainment.
Be a sage on the stage: Know your market & answer wisely.
Stay on message even if interrupted. Answer any questions, and then get back to your presentation.
Don’t contradict the Dragons or your team mates.
Engage in dialog: You’ll lose if you try to debate the Dragons.
Have an example or prop to illustrate your product or service.
Dress appropriately to your market: business, fun, casual…
Prepare a script with important points first. You may only have 15-30 seconds before you’re interrupted by the Dragons.
Rehearse and re-rehearse your script so you don’t get lost in interruptions. However, always answer Dragons’ questions first.
Have Devil’s Advocates acting as a stand-ins for the Dragons during your rehearsals, trying to throw you off base.Reply to all questions with humour, facts and figures.
Have back-up people on your team to step in with detailed knowledge on specific topics, or if one presenter is stumbling.
Know when to seek outside opinions & advice, to get beyond the frame of reference of your friends, relatives & associates.

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