Profit Coaching Roundup: 8 Visionary Leaders Doing What You're Not

There are a lot of successful business people and visionary leaders out there, and they're sharing their stories and tips on the Internet. But how do you find the stuff of real substance on the Internet that will truly help you, as a leader and an entrepreneur, find ways to refine your systems to unlock more growth potential? 

As part of our profit coaching efforts, we try to go beyond number crunching and help clients really grow their business. We weed through a lot of crap on the Internet, but we save the good stuff to share with you. Here's the 8 most insightful and inspiring bits we found on the world wide web this week:

For Entrepreneurs:

01. The Familiar Challenges of Hiring the Right People

Azalina conducts interviews in an unconventional way. She actually works with the candidates for a few hours to see how they work, and what skills they already have. 

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02. "4 Things No One Tells You About 'Entrepreneur-ing" From Home"

John Rampton, a serial entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, sheds light on some of the unexpected "down-sides" of choosing to become an entrepreneur. He's accepted the hard parts of being an entrepreneur. Read the full article here.

1. You'll Get Less Respect
2. There Is No Such Thing as Weekends
3. It Gets Tougher and Tougher to "Go Back"
4. There's No Such Thing as "Done"

03. "5 Advisers to Avoid When Launching a Startup"

All entrepreneurs are subject to endless, unsolicited advice from just about everyone who finds out they're launching a startup. Nellie Akalp shares great advice about how to know who to listen to and who to ignore. Read her full article here. 

"Not all advice is worth listening to. Much is out of date, out of context or just downright wrong. Applying the 90-10 Rule to advice means that 90% of the advice worth following comes from just 10% of the advice-givers."

04. "7 Ways to Instill Work-Life Balance at Your Startup"

Balance is all the rage these days...because it's healthy for everyone and your business. As an entrepreneur, Adam Foroughi, reminds business leaders and managers that people have a life outside of work and how to make sure your employees don't get burned out or feel unappreciated. Read about it here. 

1. Start at the top (with the CEO)
2. Be flexible with different lifestyles
3. The small things make a big difference
4. Make work fun
5. Give back together
6. Ditch "standard" office hours
7. Reward hard work with play

For Leaders:

05. "Are You a Boss or a Leader?"

Lee Colan came up with 10 characteristics that distinguish leaders from bosses. Here's his first 3:

1. A boss knows it all; a leader is always learning.
2. A boss gives answers; a leader seeks solutions.
3. A boss talks more than listens; a leader listens more than talks.

Read the rest here. 

06. "5 Secrets to Creative Adaptability"

How is the roller coaster marketplace effecting your small business? It's definitely effecting all of us. How well you survive the ups and downs has a lot to do with your ability to adapt according to Eileen McDargh.

We love #3: Forget the rules of brainstorming. 

For the Budget-Conscious:

07. "5 Money Tips for Entrepreneurs from LearnVest's Founder":

1. Don't invest too much of your own money
2. But be sure to invest some of it
3. If you've never climbed Kilimanjaro, find investors who have
4. Know the risks
5. Have a solid financial plan

Read the details here. 

08. "7 Must Dos Before the End of the Year":

What do you need to do to get your business in order by the end of the year, and ready to rock next year? We love #2: Get the Books in Order.

Read about the other six here. 

What to Read Next:

Profit Buzz: Back to the Drawing Board

Profit Buzz: Building Companies, Making Communities