The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

Getting past mental roadblocks

yveskleinsky

Silver Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
23%
Jul 26, 2007
2,215
515
46
Man, I have really been hung up on trying to expand my horizons lately. My biggest hangup has been trying to envision starting a business that doesn't require me (or my input) to be there everyday- or even twice a month. ...This is a problem I have with control (totally "S" mentality that I am trying to overcome). I am wanting to move forward with my budding mgmt business, but I get nauseated when I think about relocating out of state (husband is Military) and all the what-ifs regarding my absenteeism. :smxE: WildAmbitions keeps injecting me with doses of reality and alternate plans for handling all the what-ifs, but growing still scares me.

...MJ had posted a link to a guy that was giving away a tanning salon. I saw that and immediately thought, "This would be a great deal (depending on DD) if I lived in Georgia." Then I thought, "Do I need to live in Georgia?" Then: "Of course I would need to live in Georgia- how else would I oversee things?!) Next thought was, "I wonder how many people here would consider buying a business out of state- and how did they get to the point where they are comfortable taking on absentee ownership?"

Sorry for all the ramblings, but the main question is: to those who are owning and operating out-of-state businesses, how are you doing it and how did you develop the gastro-intestinal fortitude to move forward?
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.
Last edited:

Allthingznew

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
13%
Aug 26, 2007
408
52
I thought I had mentioned this book once here already but I can’t find the post so I don’t know if I did or not.

I cannot speak to owning a business out of state, but I can speak to letting people manage for you.

Are you familiar with Ken Blanchard and the One Minute Manager? He went on to write/co-write, I don’t recall which, a book called Situational Leadership which talks about people’s development levels and what leadership style should be used for them. It’s an easy read.

In a nutshell, a development level 1 is a new person who is enthusiastic and willing to do anything but doesn’t know how. They require a leadership style 1 which is heavy on direction and takes a lot of your time. There are also development levels 2 and 3, but ultimately, you want a person at development level 4, one who is quite capable and if you give them the room, will operate without you. Leadership style 4 fits this person well. Basically, all you need to do is call once in a while and say hi, find out if everything is on track and tell them great job.

When they are having trouble your input is more in the form of brainstorming with them and letting them solve the problem. This would work for an out of state operation like the tanning salon I would think. The key would be in hiring the right person and spending the time it takes to develop enough of a relationship and to be able to know they truly have the skills and are at a D4 level.

Undoubtedly when you are used to being hands on you have to make adjustments and realize that not everyone will take the same route as you to end up at the same destination, and that’s ok. Remind yourself that you can do way more through people than you ever could alone. People will perform better when they know what they’re doing and you allow them to do it. It shows you trust them and it can increase their dedication. I would highly recommend the book if you’re serious about wanting to get more done by doing it though others.
 

RAiMA

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
10%
Aug 24, 2007
94
9
49
Sydney, Australia
I'm in a simular situation to you yveskleinsky. Tho I don't tend to pursue the businesses you're thinking about much as they don't really suite my profile. I mean I can see myself owning one, but I'd have to know how the business runs exactly, so if something goes wrong I can guide the employees what to do. I'll also look at ways the business can be streamlined. At the end of the day, it's all very time consuming. You're probably coming across some of these situations too.

What would better suite us is if the business was turnkey, that any monkey could operate it. We could work on the business or have someone else working on it by giving them goals and directions on what we'd like to see.

The other business I'm interested in (and you maybe too) is a high yeilding business that doesn't take too much time. I've chosen a stock market system for now that doesn't require me to be there on a daily basis, but yet can return consistent monthly returns. Hence being able to buy back my time and get out of the rat race.
 

yveskleinsky

Silver Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
23%
Jul 26, 2007
2,215
515
46
I will google the one minute manager and it will be my next read!

...The more I talk to other people, the more I realize that I have small limits on what I think is possible. (I suppose everything is relative, as I know many people who comment at how I think big!) I spoke to a woman yesterday who owns and operates 7 cabins from another state and she was totally relaxed about the whole thing. I want to cultivate her attitude. I am fascinated by others who have this attitude and in turn, how they view what they are capable of- and what is possible. Really, distance- or I should say proximity, is all an illusion of comfort/control. If I am 26 miles away from my cabins I have just as much control as if I am 426 miles away. I would go through the same steps to contact the same people to handle problems. I suppose I really need to embrace that idea and realize that a phone call is a phone call regardless of where it is placed from!
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Bilgefisher

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
17%
Aug 29, 2007
1,815
308
Aurora, Co
Yves,

Ok, take what I am about to say with a grain of salt. I'm not trying to sound like a nnwkia or be condescending. Your contributions to this board are tremendous. I think your an extremely intelligent woman. You see so many opportunities out there that others don't. So many in fact I think its making your head spin. You start walking down the path towards one goal and another shiny new opportunity crops up and your attention gets diverted. And you look away. I think this is causing you to go in circles which leads nowhere. My simple suggestion is to find the opportunity that suits you and your husband and give it your all. Don't let distractions get in the way. If you do see something that can divert your attention, note it and move on. You can come back to it when you have completed your objective. Don't lose that focus.

I think this may help you to get where your going and give you a sense of accomplishment.




"Damn the torpedoes full speed ahead."
David Glasgow Farragut
 

Allthingznew

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
13%
Aug 26, 2007
408
52
I will google the one minute manager and it will be my next read!

The book you actually want is called Situational Leadership.

It is absolutely about control. And you have to get to the point where you can let go. If people are working for you, they will disappoint you. It's a fact. But, they can also surprise you and come up with ideas you would never have had on your own.

What you're doing is partnering in a way. Partners do always have to be financial partners or have a share of the business. There are many ways to "partner" with people. I am in the process of starting a web based business that is promoted locally. I am not the best sales person, so I am recruitng people who can sell for me. My weakness, their strength. I win if they're selling accounts for me, they win because they get commission for their efforts. I'm "partnering" with them, but they don't have a piece of the pie.

By having those who can sell do so for me, I can focus on promoting the site locally. I will eventually have someone else do this too. I will have admin stuff done at some point too. I won't have any employees, but I will have created win-win relationships. At some point I won't be needed in the business, then I can start franchising. As long as I am doing my own work, I am limited to my own hours and what I can produce personally.

I would suggest you look at your cabin business and find people to do for you what you have been doing yourself so you don't have to spend any time on the business other than follow up. For what you do, it might be a manager you employ or a company you hire out to, only you can determine what works and is financially feasible. Then, once you've learned how to develop those people and relationships to accomplish you tasks/goals through the efforts and to the benefit of others, then find another venture to make a self sustaining entity.

Hope this makes sense.
 

yveskleinsky

Silver Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
23%
Jul 26, 2007
2,215
515
46
Bilge-

I agree that I need to pick one direction and just stay the course. ...That is the plan now- I will be focusing solely on cabins until I am successful. (Actually wrote an offer on 7 today! :banana:) ...I brought up the out of state tanning business mainly to illustrate my mental roadblock with owning/operating businesses from a distance. I am not terribly interested in owning or running a tanning salon, (I was toying with the idea last month, but after hearing FOCUS from everyone, I have decided you guys are all right) but I am interested in being comfortable with the idea of owning and operating a company from out of state. ...NomadJanet had posted in here awhile ago about starting some sort of lakeside resort place- sounded wonderful! What really stuck with me is how nonchalant she was about the whole purchase, development and operations of it all. That relaxed confidence is what I am trying to develop.

How do those of us who are tighly wound chill out and develop that relaxed confidence?

...Thank you for all your kind words. This community is so rare and wonderful, that I take every piece of advice/feedback to heart as I know the goal of the members is to push each member to their next level- and that is priceless.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

lucas

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
14%
Oct 7, 2007
70
10
43
Anybody can manage people by looking over their shoulder. True leaders can get people to do a good job when nobody is watching, because they inspire them to excel. If you can master that skill, then you could handle owning an out-of-state business. But if you HAVEN'T mastered that, then any financial endeavor out of state could be a HUGE nightmare and I would be very wary of doing it.
 

yveskleinsky

Silver Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
23%
Jul 26, 2007
2,215
515
46
You are right on Lucas! I suppose I need to focus on getting the basics down before I get too ahead of myself. ++rep for the good advice!....Oh, I guess no ++ rep. Geeze I go out of town for a couple of days and people who just joined are already banned!
 

MJ DeMarco

I followed the science; all I found was money.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
445%
Jul 23, 2007
38,082
169,504
Utah
You are right on Lucas! I suppose I need to focus on getting the basics down before I get too ahead of myself. ++rep for the good advice!....Oh, I guess no ++ rep. Geeze I go out of town for a couple of days and people who just joined are already banned!

Dana, you are hilarious!!! :blush:
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

MJ DeMarco

I followed the science; all I found was money.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
445%
Jul 23, 2007
38,082
169,504
Utah

Sid23

Bronze Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
17%
Aug 9, 2007
682
114
I brought up the out of state tanning business mainly to illustrate my mental roadblock with owning/operating businesses from a distance. I am not terribly interested in owning or running a tanning salon, (I was toying with the idea last month, but after hearing FOCUS from everyone, I have decided you guys are all right) but I am interested in being comfortable with the idea of owning and operating a company from out of state. ...

Yves, again, I feel like this is you not focusing. WHY at this time is it important for you to be comfortable owning and operating a company from out of state at this time? Is that part of your immediate plan? Why don't you deal with that when the time comes?

I'm just pointing this pattern I see - by no means do I mean any disrespect.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

yveskleinsky

Silver Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
23%
Jul 26, 2007
2,215
515
46
Because I move every 3 years- and I need to get okay with running the little company I do have from out-of-state. ...I will most likely be moving again in 6 months.
 

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

Latest Posts

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top