We’ve asked you what the most useful tools are to your business to build a valuable list for young entrepreneurs to be able to refer to. So far the top results are:
#1: Pencil /Pen and Paper
#1: Websites
(Young Entrepreneur Forums, Interactive Business Planner, valuebasedmanagement.net, Docstoc.com, Huddle.net, Scanr.com)
#3: RSS Reader / Google Reader
#3: Books
(Redstone Sumner’s, Thomas Friedman’s last edition of “The World is Flat”, Rich Dad Poor Dad, How to Win Friends and Influence People (Dale Carnegie), A New Earth (Earkhart Tolle), Loosing my Virginity (Richard Branson)
The other ideas that have been submitted so far are:
- A virtual assistant
- Your own blog
- iPhone3G
- Business cards
- Your network
- A personal computer
- Mentors
- Independent and major media news
- Your peers
- An internet connection
So far it has been an impressive list of suggestions! Is the pen / paper combination the most useful tool for entrepreneurs or are various online tools more helpful? Do you find RSS readers or business books to have been more valuable to you or perhaps another one of the suggestions listed?
Have your say in our Entrepreneur Forum post here.
Matthew Toren is an Award Winning Author, Serial Entrepreneur, and Investor. He Co-Founded YoungEntrepreneur.com along with his brother Adam. Matthew is co-author of the newly released book:Small Business, Big Vision: “Lessons on How to Dominate Your Market from Self-Made Entrepreneurs Who Did it Right” and also co-author of Kidpreneurs.
To add to your books:
Emyth by Michael Gerber is a MUST
How to Stop Worrying & Start Living by Dale Carnegie is just as critical as How to Win Friends.
- Mike Michalowicz
Having a mentor can also make a huge difference to your results. Ideally make it someone you can meet with in person a regular basis which helps keep you under pressure to achieve. As a second choice try email or telephone contact with someone who is already where you want to be.
Richard
Now that you mentioned it, a blog has become an important tool for the entrepreneur. Especially in this age of the internet.
Check out http://www.TheYESmovie.com. An inspiring movie Louis Lautman put up for entrepreneurs to learn and be motivated for success.
I highly recommend the best-selling book, Wealth Without a Job, by Andy Fuehl. You can sign up for a free chapter at http://www.AndyFuehl.com. He also has other audios, videos, books and eBooks that are beneficial to entrepreneurs, including the Nightingale-Conant Audio companion to Wealth Without a Job.