Be a True Lifestyle Entrepreneur (w/ Marc Teo)

You Progress on what You Focus On. A few weeks back, I attended a workshop at midnight by a virtual mentor who consistently makes about US$30-50K/month just by working 3 hours a day. Something else I learnt from him was simply this: You Progress on what You Focus On. This means that all humans progress on what we focus our thoughts & actions on. - If you usually focus on “not losing money”, you’ll not lose money but not make a lot at the same time. - If you usually focus on “playing it safe”, you’d live a very safe & comfortable life, but you might never live a life that’s true to yourself. - If you usually focus on “learning & consuming”, you’ll learn a lot, but you might never translate that into actual results for your life. And something to look at is Have you been focusing on the goal you set in the first place - whether making money, getting clarity, or your health & relationships etc? For some of us, it might be time to take a hard look at ourselves. Because that's what we need to finally move forward.

Something I’ve realised in my business is that the more conversations I have, the more money I make. Some people are surprised that I’d personally reach out and reply to them but that’s because I believe in building genuine relationships & authentic connections with others (instead of using AI bots etc). The more I understand who follows or subscribes to me, the more I can help everyone else.

Sometimes when I see friends & folks use words like "maybe", "probably", "hopefully", or "see how"... A little part of me dies inside. This is especially so for people who have amazing goals, dreams, aspirations & visions for the world. But they don't let themselves commit to their dreams & goals whether because of fear, self doubt, or beliefs etc. They have a thousand reasons why something might not work... Without realising they just need ONE FREAKING GOOD REASON to succeed. I don't have all the answers to solve this issue for everyone...but I really feel sad when it happens.

Even before I launched or affiliated with any product, I was already posting content because I understood that it’s one of the most powerful ways to build goodwill and trust in the market. I have people thanking & buying from me because of content I created years ago, even though I have never heard of them before. Something helpful I did from the very beginning until today that made the process simple and easy was to document my experiences: journey, lessons, failures, transformation, opinions, etc. Remember—you do not need to be an “expert” to enjoy the benefits of creating content.

When you want to ask people to sign up for your offer (free or paid), the first thing to do is always ask yourself how you can make the action as compelling as possible. You do this by describing how massively valuable taking that action will be for them compared to the costs and time it will take them. This includes everything you ask others to do (even favours), including inviting folks to a workshop, buying your product/service, downloading a free guide, taking a survey etc.

It sounds weird, but what helped me propel my business to the next level was “showing off”—but not how you think. I am talking not just about showing off my results and accomplishments but also about sharing how I do it (like how I am doing it now). You’ll also want to add the results you have helped create for other people, such as your clients, customers, people who have worked with you before, etc. Lastly, you can also “borrow” credibility from others, such as sharing which established companies or people you have worked or partnered with, or even who you might have learnt from too. (For example, I used to be Tony Robbins's #1 affiliate in Asia, I worked in two seven-figure startups, and I have been mentored by multiple 7-9 figure entrepreneurs and leaders over the years too - see what I did there? haha)

The best sales & marketing techniques in the world cannot save a crappy product. Even if you are starting out or not too good at your craft yet, you can make sure every paying customer gets their money’s worth with more personal time, special bonuses, surveys, etc. Besides the financial benefits you’ll enjoy, such as greater reputation, higher customer retention (important!), and word of mouth, I find this to be so important from a moral and ethical standpoint, too. Too many people charge lots of money but never deliver on what was promised; please don’t be one of them.

Consistency Wins Here, I am not talking about working hard—that’s already a prerequisite for success, even for Lucrative Lifestyle Entrepreneurs. I am talking about the many people who “hustle and grind” until they burn out, quit for a few weeks or months, and then restart everything again, leading to many ups & downs for my business & life. Instead, simply ensure you take consistent action by practising what I call the 3Rs: - Review: reflecting on what you have done (good & bad) to be more intentional & strategic with what you do - Recharge: resting not just physically but mentally (clearing the brain), emotionally (having fun & enjoyment) & even spiritually too (with God, the Universe, etc.) - Relaunch: setting your intention & gameplan to achieve your goals moving forward I schedule these activities beforehand as they are a core priority for me. This is how I have maintained insane levels of energy and focus over the years (without burning out!).

My “Secret” Ingredient to generate consistent cash flow…Cash Campaigns I did not do this initially, so my business did not do as well as it should have; I only promoted my programs and workshops whenever I “felt like it,” which meant my cash flow was unpredictable and inconsistent. Now, I plan what I’ll launch weeks and months in advance, whether it's to promote my program, a workshop, an event, etc., which gives me a greater sense of certainty and security for my business. I plan at least one Cash Campaign (there are different kinds) every month to make sure I don’t just give “free stuff” but become broke as a result → it’s something I work with my clients to make sure they have recurring cash flow & sales throughout the year too!

Lastly, all of the best sales & marketing strategies will mean nothing if you do not offer a quality product that delivers on its promises. Having a quality product also means that clients will continue to stay longer, refer their friends to join us, and increase our level of credibility & trust in the market too. We continue to improve what we do by constantly upgrading ourselves through attending more programs & masterminds, expanding our networks, and regularly surveying our clients to find out how we can better serve them as well. It just makes perfect sense to take care of the people who trust & pay you.

Last year, I travelled to >10 cities around the world (e.g. Japan, Korea, Taiwan, US, etc.) while my business achieved another record year. I was able to achieve this because I get to run my business no matter where I am & I am not forced to work crazy hours every single day (and even if I do, it’s because I choose to). This did not happen automatically but only happened after I made the decision to build a Lifestyle Business.

This year, I started writing posts for at least 30 minutes every day; usually longer because I like doing it so much. I also enjoy creating and sharing valuable step by step guides & playbooks that I know my clients & customers will benefit for years & decades to come. While some might say I might make “less” money by not doing the more profitable activities, I am fine with it because I now look forward to waking up everyday enjoying what I do.

Something I’ve realised in my business is that the more conversations I have, the more money I make. Some people are surprised that I’d personally reach out and reply to them but that’s because I believe in building genuine relationships & authentic connections with others (instead of using AI bots etc). The more I understand who follows or subscribes to me, the more I can help everyone else.

Sharing your “Why” Another common trait of many successful founders I have studied is that many communicate a strong reason behind what they do from the beginning, aka their “Why”. This can come in two forms: 👉 Your personal story of how you got started & why you are so into the idea; it can be your past experience, something you observed previously, etc. 👉 Assessing an opportunity or trend you are confident will be extremely profitable in the long run; examples include AI, Crypto, Selling without sales calls, etc. And so, besides sharing your brilliant strategy & tactics, people want to connect with your reason for why you entered the space or industry in the first place. This also gives your customers (or investors) that you are committed to this for the long term and not simply someone who will walk away when the going gets tough.

You don’t need a “perfect” idea to win When studying the strategies of the best startup investors, one thing stood out above everything else. Most investors care less about the idea than the founder(s) themselves, like what GaryVee says: “Bet on the Jockey, Not the Horse.” This simply means you don’t need a “perfect idea” to succeed—but you’ll need to constantly develop and improve yourself as a person, aka your skills, personality, characteristics, etc. This is especially important for many of us as we do not need to “beat the competition” or “be the best in the world” to build a Lucrative Lifestyle Business.

When starting out, chances are most people will not trust your product or service (yet). Whether you are trying to raise funds from investors or trying to get new customers, One of the best things you can do is to “borrow” credibility, which you can do in a couple of ways by sharing: - Data & research by established organisations that backs your claims - Past experience of the founders (e.g. companies, organisations, schools etc) - Who you are currently being mentored or advised by (e.g. professors, renowned entrepreneurs, etc.) - People or brands which have expressed interest or tried out your product already

One of the most useful tips for founders is simply to be ok with creating an “imperfect” product. This meant instead of trying to create a perfect product or service from the beginning, launch it as soon as you create something workable and refine it as you go along. You could also position what you created as a “beta offer” and inform people that the full product is not out yet, but by being the first to test it and provide feedback, you’ll give exclusive discounts and bonuses to anyone who signs up first. This way, you are upfront about what you are offering as not perfect, but you are already able to collect valuable data & feedback from your customers. I also realised that customers are not looking for a “perfect” product - they are simply looking for a way to solve their problem. By launching an MVP or beta product, it’s a win-win for everybody.

No product? No problem. One of the best things you can do before launching your product is to build a waitlist. You simply do so by collecting contact details from people who will be interested in testing your product or service once it’s launched. Not only does it validate that what you are doing has demand, but it’s also a way to find out who will be interested in what you have to offer. It also becomes easier to find your first wave of clients & customers when you do launch your product. (This also helps when you are trying to raise funds or find investors - but that’s not so relevant for Lifestyle Entrepreneurs)

Just earlier that year, I was someone who was completely lost with my life, and was earning peanuts in my 9-5 job. In just a few months, not only was I #1 affiliate for Tony Robbins in Asia, I was invited to Las Vegas for a private appreciation event, and I generated >$100,000 in just two weeks. And here’s how I did it. 1. I went for it despite “not being good enough”. 2. I decided to take imperfect action 3. I created a “foolish to say no” offer by using the branding of others 4. I invited as many people as possible to sign up for my free offer Here’s the link to exactly what I did if you’ll like to find out more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQ5Yl6DvkKw