Boss Of Me!

Get featured in a bestselling book!

2009-09-27T04:22:00.001-07:00

“100 Best Business Ideas That Will Make you Rich” was created to be a platform for business owners to generate leads and help their business magnetically attract new customers on auto pilot. As an author, I know that having your story published creates instant credibility and can be a real door-opener to beneficial financial arrangements.

Let's say you are a retail shop owner. When the book is published, readers will be converted to new customers and you may also get a chance to be interviewed on local media about being in this book. All of these possibilities increase awareness of your business and branding.
It is heartening to be able to give well-deserved businesses much-needed attention and publicity.

On top of helping entrepreneurs,100 Best Business Ideas To Make You Rich has also helped fulfilled our goal of giving back to society as all book proceeds will go to The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund.

If you’d like to be part of our this book, sign up here:
http://www.the-100-best.com/

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Secrets Of Asia's Most Successful Internet Gurus!

2009-07-31T09:16:00.000-07:00

Do you want to:

- Be financially free

- Have all the money you want

- Know how to make money any time you want aka Money-On-Demand

- Not have to go to work again – imagine your boss' face when you tell him that you QUIT

- Be able to buy anything you want and not care what the price tag says

- Go wherever you want for a holiday, whenever you want

- Be able to spend thousands of dollars to help charities

- Have all the free time you want

- Get richer and richer every day

Then, this book is for you! Available now in all bookstores and Amazon.com.

7 "Unbusiness-like" Business Rules

2009-07-15T06:23:00.000-07:00

I've spent the last 2 months working on and launching my new laser treatments and anti aging website ReviewAntiAging.com and here's what I've learnt:

1. Don't get hung up on results. Instead of keeping your eye only on the goal, enjoy the experience of building a business.

2. Let things develop naturally.

3. Be open and embrace opportunites as they come along - even if they are not what you expected. In fact, the least expected, the better!

4. Don't force things, let it be and believe that something better will come along (in my own experience, it always does!)

5. Practice detachment, have the intention and then let it go. Surrendor yourself to the good hands of the Universe.

6. Focus on offering value, not making money.

7. Live for the moment and don't stress too much about the future!

By following these simple principles, I've achieved results that have exceeded my expectations!

My goal is to let 1,000 women try out laser treatments - in fact, the first reader review starts next week, and I'm looking forward to helping women boost their confidence by improving their complexions.

Keen to try a laser treatment for FREE? Find out more here: http://www.reviewantiaging.com

What I've been up to...

2009-07-11T01:12:00.000-07:00

1. Skydiving on Sunday (can't believe I'm doing this finally!)

2. Laser peel on Tuesday

3. Labia rejuvenation on Wednesday

4. Cellulite treatment on Thursday and another laser peel (for my sister)

5. Another laser treatment (to be finalised) and interview with a doctor on Friday

Can't believe that I'm doing this all for work...I'm such a lucky gal :)

Update: My laser treatments and anti aging website, ReviewAntiAging.com has had 2000 visitors and over 5000 pageviews!

Get the latest laser treatment reviews, anti aging tips and read profiles of the best aesthetic doctors in town at http://www.reviewantiaging.com

7 Ways To Attract More Money

2009-06-25T06:02:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I've been slack...

In between creating content for my anti aging website (http://www.reviewantiaging.com/) and trying laser treatments, I've also had a couple of birthday celebrations (I turned 33 yesterday!), so haven't had the time to write here.

Just to let you know, I will be focusing my energy on ReviewAntiAging.com and starting a wellness blog soon, so will not be posting here as much.

Anyways, here's something I came across that resonated with me:

7 Ways To Attract More Money

1. Give money away: It sounds counter-intuitive, yet the more you give, the more you will receive (unless you block the receiving, which ties into
the next step). - I have to remember to do this more often

2. Get clear: You may push money away with hidden limiting beliefs, such as "money is bad"
or "rich people are evil." Those are beliefs, not facts. Get clear of them and money will come
to you.

3. Take action: Too many people sit and wait for money to materialize in front of them. You do
not have time to wait. Your role in the process of attracting money is to actually do something
to bring it your way. Act on your ideas right away. "Money likes speed" is my favorite mantra.

- No problem here!

4. Support a cause: You may push money away because you don't feel you deserve it. One way
around this (while you still work on getting clear inside yourself) is to want money for a larger purpose. - I support all animal charities

5. Be grateful: Gratitude sends off a signal of appreciation, which brings you more to be
thankful for. Show gratitude for anything in this moment that you can be sincerely grateful
for. Be thankful for everything. - Have to remember this as well...

6. Do what you love: There's no sense in working at something you hate. If you are currently at a job you don't like, find a way to enjoy it for the time being as you work toward finding your
passion. Following your passion is the greatest secret of all when it comes to attracting wealth.

- Oh yeah! This is my life's mantra!

And most importantly...
7. Get support: One of the wisest things you can do to achieve any goal is to get support.

- I've realised the importance of this. I used to think that I can do everything myself but not anymore, that is why I have an SEO expert and Internet guru as my mentor for my new anti aging website and the results are pretty good. As of last count, I've had over 400 unique visitors and over 300 pageviews daily since going "live" last Wed :)

Win A Laser Treatment!

2009-06-19T00:40:00.000-07:00

As I only have one face and body (and not that many friends...), there's only so much anti aging and laser treatments I can try. So, I am looking to recruit 3 "guinea pigs" to join me on my Anti Aging Mission.

To make it more exciting, I've decided to run a "Refer A Friend" contest and will pick the winners (3 lucky gals or guys) who have referred the most friends!

Interested?

Check it out here:

http://www.reviewantiaging.com/win-a-laser-treatment.html

Having my cake & eating it too!

2009-06-16T06:27:00.001-07:00

Me with glowing skin after my laser

I've been having the best of both worlds - making money and looking younger at the same time!

This is all thanks to my latest baby - an anti aging website called Review Anti Aging.

Check it out here:

http://www.reviewantiaging.com/

This baby has been keeping me busy with interviews with doctors as well as trying out the latest anti aging treatments...and what a treat it has been! I am now the proud owner of radiant, flawless skin, and my friends and family have been partaking in the treats too. My mum now looks years younger thanks to an amazing laser peel.

You can read the review here:

http://www.reviewantiaging.com/AHP-Weekend-Laser-Peel.html

I've been deluged by doctors who want to be featured on Review Anti Aging. And, why not?

Here are some benefits of being profiled in ReviewAntiAging.com:

1. Aesthetics is a very competitive industry and it can be expensive to advertise in the media or on Google.

2. In Google, only the top 3 websites ranked on the organic search (left side) and paid search(right side) get attention. It is not easy and an expensive affair to be ranked in the top 3.

3. Using search engine optimization techniques (SEO), I will get ReviewAntiAging.com ranked in the top 3 in the organic search in 6 months.

4. By being featured, you will get top ranking for a minimal cost (up to 80% less than mass media cost) and readers will also geta 3rd party review of the services - which will be unbiased and hence considered to be more trustworthy than a clinic's website write-up.

As usual, I always find something that I enjoy thoroughly to do. I'm especially passionate about Review Anti Aging as I understand that there's only so much that Mother Nature can help me and I am on a mission to maintain my looks - in the most effective and natural way, of course!

Join me on my quest: http://www.reviewantiaging.com/

Secrets of super achievers

2009-06-11T03:22:00.000-07:00

Implement any of these 7 secrets outlined below and you WILL be able to achieve a lot more, doing less.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
60 Minute Lifestyle Secret #1:
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Understand that time management, is really life
management. As Peter Drucker said, "You cannot manage
time; you can only manage yourself.

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60 Minute Lifestyle Secret #2:
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You cannot save time. You can only spend it
differently. Reallocation of time from non-revenue
generating activities to activities of your highest
value is an absolute must.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
60 Minute Lifestyle Secret #3:
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The quality of your time management determines the
quality of your life.

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60 Minute Lifestyle Secret #4:
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You will NEVER get caught up. There will ALWAYS be
something more to do.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
60 Minute Lifestyle Secret #5:
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Individuals who concentrate on activities that have no
potential significance to their life or work will
always be shackled to mediocrity.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
60 Minute Lifestyle Secret #6:
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

There are only 4 ways to change your life. You can do
completely new things, more of certain things, less of
certain things or stop doing altogether.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
60 Minute Lifestyle Secret #7:
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

No one is smarter or better than you. All things being
equal, people more well off than you have just figured
out the right things to do, in the right way, and are
doing them over and over again.

Taken from the mouth of Jo Han Mok (1 of the better IM copywriters around).

How to retire & live your dream life NOW!

2009-06-08T08:23:00.000-07:00

I’ve received some emails from readers who think that I’m retired and do nothing but spend time with my dog all day. Well, part of that is true, but I’d like to clarify now that I DO WORK! True, I lead a fairly leisurely life and am fortunate to be able to work from home. However, I am not at that point where I don’t have to work, at least, not yet!

My active income comes from my pilates classes and freelance writing. My passive income comes from my books and websites. Right now, my passive income is not more than my expenses, so I can’t retire and do nothing yet. I am currently in the midst of setting up two new websites that will add to my passive income portfolio (my goal: 5-figures on auto-pilot every month by next year!).

If retirement means relaxing and doing whatever your heart desires, then ok, I am officially retired! Anyway, retirement is not my goal. I enjoy my work too much to stop, and I think it is imperative that everyone follows their passion so that work doesn’t feel like “work”. I’m happiest when I am starting new projects so I don’t think that will ever stop - best part about an Internet business is that it costs almost nothing to set up (I’ll probably be 80 and still launching websites – Tantric sex for geriatrics anyone?).

Eventually, it all boils down to the individual – the reason I have been able to have a stress-free life and pursue whatever my heart desires is because I have simple needs – I don’t like to shop, don’t drive (I don’t even have a license, besides, my husband is my chauffer!) and don’t have any debts. My only indulgence is food, holidays and my dog. At present point, I already have everything that I need in life (a roof over my head and a growing nest egg via my investments).

Like they say, the richest person is the one who needs the least. Chew on that for a bit.

Why you should stay hungry & foolish

2009-06-06T01:05:00.000-07:00

One of the most poignant and inspiring speeches, this is Steve Jobs at his 2005 Stanford Commencement Address. In this address, the CEO and co-founder of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios tells three stories about his life that span from dropping out of school to getting fired from Apple to overcoming cancer, and the turning points that led to founding Pixar and re-entering Apple in a newfound leadership role.

His speech shows how Steve Jobs confronts adversity, his obvious resilience and ability to encounter the lows and turn them around, his high level of awareness about his life and mind blowing perspective on the course of events, his trust in himself and the world even in the midst of situations that seemed to have “no way out.” This address will truly inspire you to be, do and experience everything that you desire.

Excerpt from Ladies Who Launch

Awakening vs Victimhood

2009-06-02T10:03:00.000-07:00

"Victimhood" - 99% of people are stuck here. When you are in Victimhood, life seems like a never-ending series of roadblocks and challenges. It seems as if the world has turned against you.

One way to tell if you're stuck in Victimhood is to honestly answer all the following questions and really pay close attention to your answers...

- Do you believe that you are responsible for ALL your experiences?

- Do you believe that you are absorbing unconscious beliefs from the culture?

- Do you believe that you have great power?

- Do you believe that you can change your thoughts?

- Do you believe that you can do the impossible?

- Do you believe that you will manifest whatever image you add emotion to?

- Do you believe that you can have miracles when you let go of attachment?

If you answered, "no" to any one of these answers, your are without question, stuck in
"Victimhood" and you need to get free and on the path to true Awakening.

Now, compare this to an Awakened life, where you experience...

- A more balanced existence

- An increase in wealth and true prosperity in every area of your life

- You see relationships in a whole new light (many people finally find their true soulmate)

- A life filled with great health and fitness

- Complete and total spiritual enlightenment

And maybe most importantly -A new level of happiness you can only experience on the path to Awakening.

I have to admit that part of me is still stuck in Victimhood.

Altogether now...I MUST! I MUST BE AWAKENED!

Mental growth = financial growth

2009-05-29T10:48:00.000-07:00

I've spent most of this week cooped up with Robert Kiyosaki and his team of financial advisers. As part of the National Achiever's Congress (NAC) organised by Success Resources, I've had the privilege of listening to the wealth guru as he extols his wisdom. Although I don't quite agree with everything he endorses, credit must be given to this ex-Vietnam war veteran for the way he runs his Rich Dad company - using a method similar to network marketing and the power of licensing, he's generated millions!

These past three days have been uncomfortable but strangely addictive for me. Attending a seminar is something I would not normally do as I am not very socialable and like staying at home. During seminar days, I'm forced to leave home early in the morning and not come back till 12 hours later. I'm also forced to network and talk to strangers. However, attending NAC has opened up my mind and I have made new friends.

In life, you have to take yourself out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself in order to grow. I believe that the external is a result of what's going on internally, and if you keep on doing the same thing, you're gonna get the same results. That's why I have signed up for two more seminars this year - T Harv Ecker's Millionaire Mindset and Anthony Robbin's Unleash The Power Within. Woowee!

Are you dooming your life?

2009-05-25T07:49:00.000-07:00

Life is how you look at it. Look for the doom and gloom, and you'll find it. Plenty of people out there are willing to tell you how bad the world is. It all comes down to how you use your main muscle, the one few people ever flex.

I'm talking about your brain.

Most people have no control over their brain. To prove it, go ahead and stop your thoughts. I'll wait while you quit thinking. (Really try to stop your thoughts...or even just the negative ones...the ones asking you why you're reading this...yea, those thoughts...go ahead...stop them.)
Couldn't do it, could you?

You're not alone. Few can. We simply haven't been trained to take our brains and make them do what we want. Instead, our brains chase us around all day.

But look for the sunshine and gold, and you'll find that, too. It's just a matter of where you point your mental binoculars.

Entrepreneurial instincts...Do you have them?

2009-05-22T22:58:00.000-07:00

I was talking with a friend last night about a billionaire entrepreneur who started two companies. He sold his first one for $600 million. He sold the other for $750 million.
That’s no coincidence. So called “serial entrepreneurs” have some common entrepreneurial instincts that set them apart from the average business owner.

These entrepreneurs assess business opportunities with a natural instinct.

Here are just two of these instincts (they’re closer to sicknesses, really!).

Compare yourself; do you possess them?:

The Due-Diligence Instinct:

Natural, instinctive entrepreneurs have an innate tendency to assess businesses constantly. As customers or observers they’ll run random businesses through their own due-diligence tests. For example, in a restaurant, while silently looking interested in the dinner conversation, they’re actually calculating how much their meal cost. Then, they’re figuring an average plate price for the entire location and calculating how many patrons might dine on an average night. From there, they can guesstimate costs and a few other things about the success of the business.

The Solution Instinct:

Natural, instinctive entrepreneurs have an innate tendency to think about how to solve problems. They are always looking while traveling or while they’re using some widget or service. They’re naturally thinking about how something can be done better or what might be lacking about a product, process, or system. Recently I read an article about a company that has come out with a new hanger to sell to dry cleaners. It’s sturdy, durable, cheap…and it’s made of paper. A high volume, environmentally friendly product with a highly targeted market. They’re eliminating waste and pollution by saving billions of metal hangers from being thrown in the trash each year. Their product is sweeping the nation. It’s a classic example of how an instinctive entrepreneur finds incredible new opportunities that are staring at millions of people every day–but it takes the solution instinct of a great entrepreneur to see it.

Article from Northstar Thinktank

Playing with the law of attraction

2009-05-19T08:27:00.000-07:00

I’ve realised that the law of attraction works best for me when I am playful about it. By starting small and in a low-charge way, I think, “Wouldn’t it be nice if I can get this or that.” And, I do it with small things. EVERYTHING that I’ve thought about in that way comes true!

What I’ve attracted recently:

1. My puppy
2. 2 tickets to Robert Kiyosaki and Anthony Robbins seminars (I'm so looking forward to the Fire Walk...Yay!)
3. Writing freelance for Playboy
4. A JV that is going to net me lots of $$
5. Lots of people helping me for FREE (thank you!)
6. A spanking new car
7. New furniture

Are you using the law of attraction too? What method works for you?

Secrets of self-made millionaires

2009-05-16T00:07:00.000-07:00

All self-made millionaires will tell you the same thing. Here are three of the moves you have to make so you can make your own fortune:

1. Set your sights on the prize. You must adapt intense concentration when you're working on your goal. You have to be determined to put in the long hours and do all the hard work to ensure your success. In this sense, you have to be passionate about what you're doing. When faced with setbacks, tell yourself, "No, this is your dream. Recommit and get to work."

2. See the possibilities in the money you have. Don't despair over starting small. All successful self-made tycoons start out that way. When extra money rolls in, it's easy to think, "Now, I can buy that new TV." But if you want to get rich, you need to pay yourself first, by putting money where it will work hard for you--whether that's in your retirement fund, a side business or investments like real estate.

3. Curb the urge to spend. Every self-made mogul will tell you that you must live below your means. Do not spend any single cent on things you don't need.

Remember that you don't have to be a genius to be a millionaire. (Although that wouldn't hurt.) Loral Langemeier, author of The Millionaire Maker, advises, "Everyone has a marketable skill. Just keep in mind that when you start making extra money, you have to invest in yourself first." This way, you would empower yourself with the insights to improve your skills or come up with more awesome innovations for your business or product."

Bottom line: The combination of financial savvy, hard work, and business smarts will take you very far. Perhaps, one day, you'll be right at the top of the list of self-made millionaires.

How to make 5-figures in less than a month!

2009-05-12T09:04:00.000-07:00

Yes, you can make the equivalent of 1 year's salary in less than a month but you need to watch these videos to know how:

http://www.milliondollarlicensing.com/

In case you’re wondering, no, I am not selling anything. I am just a FAN of this marketing genius.

You don’t even have to buy his product as he shares with you so much valuable information in the free videos that you can just take the knowledge and run with it – just like I did!

Why am I telling you this?

Because I know that many people think that they have to be an “expert” or “know the right people” to pull off deals worth thousands of dollars…and I’m here to prove that it is bullshit! You can take all your excuses and shove it up where the sun don’t shine!

The people profiled were all nobodies and they sealed deals in the tens of thousands!

They have stuff more valuable than expertise or contacts…they have BALLS!

Do you??

P.S. I am working on my own 5-figure deal and if it all works out, I should close it by the end of the month. Wish me luck! :)

How to become rich & famous on the Internet in 5 easy steps

2009-05-07T23:09:00.000-07:00

I assume that you are here because you want to become rich and famous on the internet in five easy steps. Either that or you don’t speak English and you’re looking for dirty pictures.

Therefore, without further ado…

1. Find something you’re so passionate about that people think you’re alarming and kind of creepy.

When I worked for Sprint, a Very Enthusiastic Man worked in the department next to mine. He was so Enthusiastic With A Capital E that when we spoke, which was fairly often, I was convinced he was hitting on me. But he wasn’t hitting on me in a normal way. Oh, no. He wanted me to fly a kite with him.

Every day, a new request to go kite flying. Every day, a new discussion of the type of kite that would be just right for me. Every day, another piece of kite tournament trivia.

Eventually, I had to tell him that I didn’t think the direction our relationship was going was appropriate. For one thing, I was engaged. For another, it was really fucking weirding me out.
He gives me this totally perplexed look and says, “I’m not propositioning you. I’m married to the most beautiful girl in the world. I just really like flying kites and I thought you might like it too.”
That is a man who could make a lot of money on the internet.

2. Know or learn more about this topic than 98% of the world population.

This step can best be achieved by reading lots of books. An intelligent person could fake it by reading the table of contents of lots of books.

Somewhere along the way, we got the idea that “expert status” was granted by other experts. For tens of thousands of years, an expert was somebody who knew a lot about something. In the last hundred years or so, we got it in our collective heads that expertise could only be attained by years of school, paid experience, or ideally, both.

You don’t have to be Johnnie Walker to know which whiskey tastes like a harem full of honey-covered virgins and which one tastes like rat piss.

3. Choose a brandable attribute somewhere between Out Of The Ordinary and Outright Offensive.

Combine your love of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with your passion for harness racing and you have the recipe for making some serious bank. Do gambling podcasts and end them all with, “And I say these things in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, Amen.” That shit gets you noticed.

Topless political commentary. Pajama-clad mommy vlogging while actually and exclusively clad in pajamas. Write under the pseudonym “Rufus” and bark when you get excited. Basically, be weird.

4. For the first 12 months, pretend you don’t notice the brand you chose in number 3.

Just do what you’re doing like there’s nothing strange about it. Just do your weird-ass thing. Do not mention it. Do not allude to it. Do everything you can to make people wonder if you’re so crazy you don’t even know you’re crazy.

Why? It’s a lot more fun to tell our friends about weird-ass shit we found on the internet when we feel like we discovered the weirdness ourselves. If we get a hint that you’re doing it as a publicity stunt, it’s not fun anymore. If I want to tell my friends I found this guy who screams his head off about wine, it kind of ruins the effect if his header says, “Gary Vaynerchuck, the dude who screams his head off about wine.”(After 12 months, when other people have started talking about you, you may stop pretending you’re not a naked Mormon if you like, although I probably wouldn’t.)

5. Work your fool ass off at this and nothing else for somewhere between nine and 36 months.

Do not waver in your efforts, even when your website gets 6 visitors a day. Do not stop doing what you’re doing when you don’t get a comment on your blog for an entire month. Do not quit, even when any rational person would say you’re never going to succeed.

Continue being optimistic and gracious and charming, even though there is neither guarantee nor hope that you will make a damn dime from your efforts.

Bonus Step: Sell Them Something.

By this point, it doesn’t matter what you sell. You’re so insane that they’ll pretty much do whatever you tell them to.

Like what you read? Check out the truly original Naomi at http://www.ittybiz.com/

How to develop unstoppable motivation

2009-05-04T23:20:00.000-07:00

Abstracts don't have emotional power. Specifics do. Get as specific as you can, with as many things as you can. You get a more realistic look at what they mean and what it would take to deal with them.

What would you do with the money? What would it mean to you? Maybe you'd be able to travel, and see places you've always wanted to see? Maybe you'd drive a safer (or fancier) car, or move your family to a better neighborhood, where they can enjoy more of life's comforts.

Maybe you'd give your spouse more of the things they want, or you'd have a more active social life for yourself.

What would you be more secure from? Uncertain job markets? Rising prices affecting your standard of living? Being locked into a situation that could change in ways you don't like and can't control?

What would you do with that free time? Spend it with your kids or your spouse or friends? It's impossible to visualize freedom. It's easy to visualize spending a Saturday afternoon on the golf course with your buddies, or a week in a favorite vacation spot with your family.

What about those things is important to you?

Would you take up a hobby you've always wanted, or spend more time with one you enjoy now? What pain would go away when you're successful? Struggling with bills? Sending your kids to schools that aren't preparing them for the kind of life they deserve? Having to say no to things your family wants? The stress and aggravation of a job that you hate, or that just bores you silly?

Again, you want to maximize the emotional significance of the pleasant things you'll gain and the unpleasant things you'll lose by achieving your goal.

If you've tipped the balance toward taking action, you'll know it. Any time you feel discouraged or start to slow down, run through all of those things in your mind. In fairly short order, you should find that minor discouragements don't even register, and bigger ones have much less impact. That's how you develop unstoppable motivation.

As you start to see more and more success, the positive things will become stronger on their own, and the negative things will fade without you needing to think about them. At that point, you've got the momentum you need to virtually guarantee that you'll get where you want to be, and get there in grand style.

Tap Tap Tap...

2009-05-01T12:03:00.000-07:00

Do you know that you can achieve all that you want with some simple tapping?

I've been trying out EFT which stands for Emotional Freedom Technique. According to experts, we can't get what we want no matter how strong our intentions are if our body's energy is blocked by limiting beliefs. EFT teaches you how to get rid of obstacles in your way by tapping meridian points on your body.

Well, the results have been pretty cool - I received an interested buyer for one of my websites, money manifested out of nowhere and exciting business opportunities presented themselves. And, I am expecting MUCH, MUCH MORE!

I'm also awakening to issues that I never knew existed which can be pretty bizarre. Most importantly, I've been feeling very peaceful, grateful and connected. I highly recommend that you give EFT a shot if you want to live a fulfilled life.

Personally, I like Brad Yate's techniques, you can check him out on Youtube. Or here: http://www.bradyates.net

Tap, tap, tapping away....

Follow Your Bliss

2009-04-27T11:10:00.000-07:00

I’m in a bit of a woo-woo mood today so I am going to talk about metaphysics. Forget all the methods you’ve learnt about attracting what you want. You really only need one step - which is be happy now. Because when you are happy now, you tend to go for and get more of the things you wanted all along. And, if for some reason you don’t get it, you’re still happy.

Imagine that you have a magic wand in your own brain, and all you have to do is state the goals that you want to have, work towards them, while looking at everything that happens as a way of bringing you towards the goal.

That’s how I live my life. I see everything as wondrous opportunities and most importantly, I ALLOW and even expect wonderful things to come my way. It’s not failed me so far.

True, there have been times when things did not work out the way I expected them to but I see it as something for the better. I take it as lessons learnt and eagerly await the exciting events behind the circumstances.

Case in point: Even though the sales of my Asia’s Dragons ebook did not blow my socks off as I imagined, I’ve realized my goal of turning it into a print book (with a different title). On top of that, I am looking forward to a PR campaign (my first!) geared for its launch in July.

My publisher has also asked me to work on a very exciting book project – write about Singapore’s mighty leader, Lee Kuan Yew! WOW! I am really stoked and am so looking forward to this new challenge!

P.S. I LOVE my publisher (HK & C) for giving me this GREAT opportunity and for looking out for me!

Ask & Get Rich!

2009-04-23T08:10:00.000-07:00

Always wanted to be an entrepreneur and start your own online business but don't know how?

Check out my new ebook, Ask & Get Rich - where I grill 8 Internet gurus on their money-making secrets.

Download it for FREE here:

http://yourfinancialfreedomseminar.com/askandgetrich.html

Another freebie, man I feel like Santa Claus lately...;p

Fire Your Boss!

2009-04-16T22:33:00.000-07:00

I've received quite a few emails from people asking me what I do and how they can work from home like me.

I thought of writing an ebook to share my methods but this guy BEAT me to it! And, he's charging $97 for it. Darn!

Anyway...I've gone through his ebook and if you're still working for someone, then you'll want to read this...

The New Age Work At Home Plan: Internet Based Financial Independence in 10 Simple Steps

Get it here:

Work At Home Plan

(Pssst...use the Gold Key at the bottom of the site to bypass the order form and save $97!)

Now, don't say I don't look out for my readers....:p

FOCUS - How Bad Do You Want To Succeed?

2009-04-15T09:55:00.000-07:00

You know what this is.

You've been there.

But you may not have the words you need to repeat the process on demand.

Hopefully, this will provide you those words:

Focus is wanting something so bad that you measure every action against the answer to one question:

"Does this move me closer to what I want, faster than whatever else I could be doing?"

Focus is the thing that separates the successes from the almosts.

It's sometimes the hardest thing to get and keep. And it's as easy as knowing what you really want and gauging your actions based on the answers to that one simple question.

Please re-read it. Think about it.

Tape that question over your monitor.

Then do something with it. Right now.

Focus is also the secret to Making Money Online!

Go for your BIG dreams!

2009-04-11T01:46:00.000-07:00

Remember when you were a kid and felt you could set the world on fire?

Millionaire? Sure. Hollywood star? Of course! Astronaut? Easy. Best-selling author? No problem. World traveler? Start packing.

So what happened?

Where are you now? Are you living the life you thought you'd lead?

Unfortunately, life has a way of knocking the stuffing out of our highest hopes and biggest dreams...if we let it! Most people have lost the sparkle in their eye and the fire in their heart. They've lost their passion and allowed their lives to become a faint glimmer of the vibrant vision they once had for themselves. They've committed the great sin of the spirit and settled for a life of mediocrity.

The main reason most of us lose our dreams is not because our desire has waned, but because of fear. "I don't have the money, I don't have the time, it's too late, I don't know for sure if I can do it." All of these reasons are nothing but the excuses of a fear and lack-based protective mind. There is a saying in life, that we either have "reasons or results."

It's time to take back your power; time to think big once again; time to rekindle your greatest dreams. Dreams that excite you, dreams that impassion you, dreams that force you to break the bonds of "mediocrity"; reach your fullest potential and become the "ultimate you."

EXERCISE:

Today, list the big dreams you had from the past or invent exciting new ones! Come from power versus fear. Start thinking about what you "can" do instead of what you "can't" do. Commit, then focus on one step at a time and begin immediately!

Declare: I consistently take action on my big dreams!

The importance of having purpose

2009-04-06T10:03:00.000-07:00

" Dear Pearlin,

My friend show me an article from your book, Sleep & Get Rich. Your book is simple to read and inspiring, though I had read many similar books like Adam Khoo and others. But your compilations are more practical in my perspective.
Because of your book, I had rekindled my blog again with a new theme focusing on lifestyle related. I had added your link to my blog too. Though my blog traffic had not attract much traffic yet but your book is good enough to get me started.
I hope that one year later, I can proud to quote and share with others of you too.

Thank you.
Sincerely,Willy Liang"

"Garrick Tan thks Pearlin for writing boss of me, i read the book everyday, very motivating, hope i can learn from these people's success...cheers!"

"Hello, Mrs. Siow,

My name is Irfan Adianto, I’m an Indonesian student in NAFA studying Fine Arts. I just want to say that your book Boss of Me is such a bundle of inspiration for me.. It made me realize that success is not reserved for those who grew up with a silver spoon in their mouths. But for those who believe that they deserve it. I also read The Four-Hour Workweek after reading your interview in the papers. And loved the idea of making a muse to support your income, without getting trapped in the 9-to-5 mentality. Yet, you are the only person i know who happens to practice the idea, so I want to learn from you as much as I can."

It's emails like these that I get from my readers that make my day, validate my purpose & push me to achieve more :)

The power of WANTPOWER

2009-04-03T08:02:00.000-07:00

If you're relying on willpower, you're fighting what you really want with what you think you should want. Confused? Let me explain...

Even if you win that battle, you lose, because you didn't get what you really wanted. A hollow victory, unless you manage, somewhere along the way, to tap into what you're about to read.
There is something within you that is far more powerful, far more dependable, than willpower.
I call it wantpower...

What you want most has the power.

When the emotional attachment you make to things that move you toward it are stronger than those of the things that keep you from it, you will have effectively put the car in drive.

You will automatically move in the direction of those desires.

That's wantpower, not willpower.

Working from home allows me to...

2009-03-31T22:29:00.000-07:00

1. Spend every waking hour with my new puppy (isn't she adorable?)

2. Plan my day according to what I want to do (sometimes it entails reading all day)

3. Go for a run in the middle of the day (when it is nice & quiet...)

4. Take a nap if I want to

5. Wear my pyjamas all day

Join me at http://www.makemoneyinpyjamas.com

Why you should expect setbacks

2009-03-27T03:05:00.000-07:00

Has anyone ever told you that adversity is a gift?

You will never meet a successful person who has not encountered it. Why? Because adversity is what moves us forward, forces us to change our mindset and brings us to the next level of success.

Every successful person I know has encountered many setbacks on their journeys. In fact, setbacks breed wisdom and instill confidence as we learn to muddle through the challenges and seek out solutions.

The amazing thing about adversity is the extent to which it carries with it a benefit. There is not one setback that you will encounter that does not come with a benefit and it is your job to discover what that benefit is.

Expect setbacks and embrace their advantages. The deeper the setback, the greater the advantage that will accompany it in the long run.

excerpt from Ladieswholaunch.com

163 Ways To Be An Entrepreneur

2009-03-24T09:27:00.000-07:00

Truly useful article with 163 tips on how to be an entrepreneur here:

The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur

Look out for a contribution by yours truly!

Gratitude – for a successful life

2009-03-21T06:17:00.000-07:00

When was the last time you were grateful for what you have?

Or have you been too busy lamenting what you don’t have?

I understand that it is difficult to remember something so simple especially when you face setback after setback.

Just like you, I needed reminding…

I am an eternal optimist and always expect the best out of every situation. Sometimes, success takes a little longer and requires more effort on my part.

When I launched my ebook, Asia’s Dragons, I expected the world but it didn’t turn out that way. Sales are good but not what I imagined, and working with the gurus took longer than I expected.
Instead of letting disappointment get to me, I chose to focus on the positive. I am grateful because:

- I got to work with 8 Internet gurus for my first project.
- Sales are good (I have made back all my investment & more!)
- I have 2 more marketing campaigns coming up that will rake in more cash.
- I have managed to recruit several affiliates (resellers) who will be selling my ebook for me.

As soon as I changed my mindset, wonderful things started happening…

First, my friend from the US emailed me out of the blue and placed an order for my second book, Sleep & Get Rich. He also expressed interest in reselling Asia’s Dragons on his website.

Then, another friend who runs a PR agency offered to do a media campaign for the print version of Asia’s Dragons for pittance.

Wow! I feel so blessed. Thank you Universe :)

Blog your way to the bank

2009-03-17T19:35:00.000-07:00

For people who are still thinking that you need a job to survive in this world and that blogging is not a serious industry, think again!

Blogs are now the power centre of the web. Advertisers want bloggers’ traffic more than any other kind of traffic on the web today.

Why?

Because this traffic is living, breathing, devoted people who listen to what bloggers say. There isn’t any other kind of traffic available on the web that is as high-quality or high-converting as blog traffic.

Blogs are visited more than search engines and all the social sites put together (an eMarketer study showed 54% of all the web’s traffic hits blogs.) Car companies give bloggers cars just so they’ll talk about them on their blogs. eMarketer predicts that companies will be throwing over $700 million at bloggers by 2012.

Bloggers control the eyeballs and wallets of their readers. They are the most powerful group on the web today…the entire web. Not just a niche.

My friend, Alvin Phang aka Atomic Blogger, has put together a video that explains how it works. He got his blog ranked in the top 5,000 in the WORLD, so he knows what he is talking about.

Check it out here:

Atomic Blogging

Asia's Dragons in video

2009-03-15T19:18:00.000-07:00

* Sherman Cha, one of my affiliates, made this cool video to illustrate Asia's Dragons.

Seize the day

2009-03-13T02:35:00.000-07:00

On September 18, 2007, Carnegie Mellon professor and alumnus Randy Pausch delivered a one-of-a-kind last lecture that made the world stop and pay attention.

It became an Internet sensation viewed by millions, an international media story, and a best-selling book that has been published in 35 languages.

To this day, people everywhere continue to talk about Randy, share his message and put his life lessons into action in their own lives.

Randy died July 25, 2008, at the age of 47. Click on the video below to watch it. It takes 10 minutes but it may change your life.

Then, come back and take action!

>>> Yes, I Want To Seize The Day!

Make money in pyjamas!

2009-03-09T22:46:00.000-07:00

I made a 4-figure sum last week sitting at home in my pyjamas.

It was from the prelaunch of my new ebook, Asia’s Dragons and I was very fortunate to be guided by Internet guru, Fabian Lim. As CEO of World Internet Academy (where I am also a member), he organized a webinar about Product Creation and invited me to present Asia’s Dragons as a guest.

This provided very good exposure for me and listeners also got to learn valuable product creation tips.

You can catch it here:
http://network.worldinternetacademy.com/video/product-creation-strategies

After the webinar, he sent out a promotional email with an irresistible offer for WIA members to purchase Asia’s Dragons as well as be affiliates (or resellers of my ebook).

We did this all without stepping out of house (I was sitting at home in my pyjamas and he is on holiday in Canada)!

Do YOU also want to make money in your pyjamas?

Then go here:

http://www.makemoneyinpyjamas.com/

*On another note, another Internet guru, Ewen Chia, brought his new print book, How I Made My Millions On The Internet to #1 on Amazon with a carefully-orchestrated email campaign (he probably also did this sitting at home in his pyjamas!).

Isn’t that amazing? I HEART Internet marketing!

How to have your dream home (or lifestyle)

2009-03-07T04:51:00.000-08:00

Step 1: List down all your goals

Step 2: Calculate the total annual cost

Step 3: Divide into months then days

Step 4: Arrive at the amount you need to make daily

Step 5: Divide that by price of your product

I did my sums and realized that I just need to sell 46 ebooks per day to live my dream lifestyle – which is not modest and includes a condo in town, swanky car, exotic travels 4x a year, designer shopping, taking care of family & friends as well as charity.

This is very DO-ABLE as my website is open 24 hours to a worldwide market!

Do your math & get inspired like me!

Asia’s Dragons is LIVE!

2009-03-02T19:18:00.000-08:00

When the financial crisis hit, I started thinking of how I can help the hundreds of thousands who have lost their jobs and while doing my research, I came across Internet marketing.

An Internet marketing business is great because:

* You can start with very little investment, literally a few hundred dollars

* It's a completely portable business, you can work in your home or in Maldives as long as you have a computer and an Internet connection

* You don't need any employees

* You have no fixed costs (as little as $1 a day)

* You can work as much or as little as you choose

* It is incredibly scalable (make $2,000 or $2 million)

* You don't need any technical skills and ANYONE can learn it

* Anyone can do it, male or female, any age (15 or 85), with previous success or not

The Internet, especially Google, has allowed regular Joes to make a fortune online. It has put everyone on a level playing field, and how successful you are, really depends on your expertise and efforts.

Asia's Dragons was culled from hours and hours of interviews with those in the niche. My overriding goal was to bring recognition to talents in Asia and cover each particular aspect of online marketing by selecting experts from each discipline.

I wanted interviewees who have a history of sharing their expertise – which meant seeking out marketers who speak at conferences, write blogs, consult for leading companies and conduct courses - you know you are in good hands when you see the credentials of these online marketing heroes!

Not only are my interviewees raking in hundreds of thousands of dollars from their online businesses, they are also willing to share the secrets of their success with you!

You’ll feel like you are peering into a bizarre fantasy world. This fantasy world though, is populated by ordinary people making extraordinary incomes online!

This way to financial freedom:

>>>http://www.yourfinancialfreedomseminar.com/

*Caution: Don’t click on the link if you don’t intend to quit your job!

One-click to boost your income

2009-02-28T05:47:00.000-08:00

How would you like to send one email and make $3,000 or more?

That's what I've been busy with the last 2 days. I'm attending an Income-Booster workshop conducted by Jaz Lai, an Internet marketer who is known in the industry as an email conversion and list-building expert.

What I've learnt so far:
1. How to drive massive traffic for FREE to your website.
2. How to capture the emails of these people legally.
3. How to write emails that will convert these subscribers to buyers.
4. How to automate the whole process....and VOILA!

Your very own ATM.

It's been a very interesting and informative 2 days and tomorrow, I get to learn how to bend a metal spoon with my mind. YAY, been looking forward to that :)

Let's see if I can try to share that trick online with you guys...

*Update: I did it! Check out my twisted metal spoon below!

Asia's Dragons - PRELAUNCH!

2009-02-24T09:59:00.000-08:00

Fabian Lim has invited you to the event 'WIA Webinar - Product Creation Strategies' on WIABook!

Time: February 26, 2009 from 7pm to 9pm
Location: Online
Organized By: Fabian Lim

Event Description:
Fellow WIA member and new Internet marketer, Pearlin Siow, will be pre-launching her new ebook Asia's Dragons: 8 Top Internet Gurus.

During this webinar, I'll be inviting Pearlin to share her product creation strategies, including how she managed to put together an ebook and launch it online in such a short time, despite being a newbie in Internet marketing.

I'll also be offering my personal tips on how to ensure a successful product launch.

This teleseminar is open to anyone who is interested in learning product creation techniques and strategy.

Title: WIA Webinar - Product Creation Strategies
Date: Thursday, February 26, 2009
Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM SGT

This webinar is only for World Internet Academy (WIA) members.

Ooooh...I'm so excited!

Think right!

2009-02-21T21:28:00.000-08:00

Inside my new book, Asia's Dragons, I've included a favourite quote of mine from Martin Luther King:

"Take the first step, you don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step in faith."

This was my entire mindset throughout Asia's Dragons. I knew next-to-nothing about Internet marketing when I started but managed to complete my book and website in 3 short months!

I just focused on the end result in my head and did something everyday that brought me closer to my goal.

Believe in yourself that you have what it takes to succeed and develop tunnel vision...you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish!

P.S. Asia's Dragons will be PRE-LAUNCHING on Thursday. More details to follow, so stay tuned...

Find your Gibraltar

2009-02-18T21:49:00.000-08:00

I know there have been quite a few success stories of people who have overcome insurmountable odds to succeed, but personally, I find that success is easier if your emotional life is sorted out.

My husband is my rock, my Gibraltar. He has supported me throughout all my business ventures, standing behind me stoically while I run amok in all directions, with his arms wide open ready to catch me if I stumble.

My work has been my excuse to engage in the spousal abuse of neglect. My husband is exceptional at letting me go as I become temporarily insular, focusing almost solely on my work. And, when I do engage him, all I can talk about is my work, and he has never once complained of being bored.

Just this week, I ran into technical glitches building my first website and spent hours wringing my hands and cursing my laptop. He drove me all the way to my sister's place in the middle of the night and waited patiently for three hours while I sorted it out...all this when he's not even feeling well!

After working hard, it's also nice to have a go-to-person for daily hugs and kisses, and I count my blessings everyday for having him in my life :)

Pearls of wisdom from Mr Buffet

2009-02-17T11:30:00.000-08:00

I am cross-eyed from building my Asia's Dragons website and have had no time to write so I'll leave you with these wise words from Warren Buffet:

Hard work : All hard work brings profit; but mere talk leads only to poverty.

Laziness : A sleeping lobster is carried away by the water current.

Earnings : Never depend on a single source of income.

Spending : If you buy things you don't need, you'll soon sell things you need.

Savings : Don't save what is left after spending; but spend what is left after saving.

Accounting : It's no use carrying an umbrella, if your shoes are leaking.

Auditing : Beware of little expenses; a small leak can sink a large ship.

Risk-taking : Never test the depth of the river with both feet.

Investment : Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

I'm certain that those who have already been practicing these principles remain financially healthy. I'm equally confident that those who resolve to start practicing these principles will quickly regain their financial health.

Let us become wiser and lead a happy, healthy, prosperous and peaceful life. Opportunities are never lost. It's just that the other fellow takes what you miss.

Success..it's as easy as 1-2-3

2009-02-15T00:19:00.000-08:00

You study hard, get into a good college, graduate with a decent degree, find a well-paying job in a multinational corporation, and work really hard. Then you can retire happy with a truckload full of cash!

I mean, that's the formula for success and earning big bucks, right? Or so most of us were told.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not asking you to drop out of university or do anything drastic like quit your job (unless you choose to). I'm all for education and a high-profile career - if you're pursuing it for the right reasons.

What I'm saying is, making money needn't be as hard as you think. In fact, I'm going to share with you three powerful money-making secrets...

1. Break all the rules - and ditch your limiting beliefs while you're at it. It's common knowledge that some of the richest and most successful people never even graduated from college. Bill Gates, Michael Dell and Steve Jobs made their fortunes without a college degree to their name.

People often ask what these men did to amass the kind of fortune that the rest of us can only dream about. Then again, an even better question to ask is this: What didn't they do?

That's right! None of them followed The Rat Race-to-Riches Formula. Why? Because it doesn't work!

Now, you've probably been told what you can and cannot do all your life. I'm pretty sure Bill, Michael and Steve faced the same problem, too. But they chose not to listen nor believe what other people told them to. They believed in striking out on their own in the face of doubt and discouragement from the people around them.

You see sometimes, in order to get where you want to go, you need to become a rebel of sorts. You don't have to wait for people to give you their permission for you to go pursue your passions and lead the kind of life you want.

So, have the courage to break a few rules and start living the kind of life you dream of. When you are happy doing what you love and vibrating to a higher frequency, you'll start to attract wealth and abundance quickly and easily.

2.Invest in your financial knowledge and personal development.
As motivational speaker Jim Rohn, author of books like The Art of Exceptional Living, so eloquently puts it: "Work harder on yourself than you do on your job."
You should take time to attend personal development seminars, read self-help books and listen to audio programs to improve yourself. The world is always changing and you need to keep up if you don't want to be left behind. When you start to mirror the mindset of successful people, the money will start to flow straight into your bank account.
Case in point: I just signed up for an Income Booster 3-day course which cost $2,000 and I'm happier than when I bought diamonds. Why? Because I know that I will triple my income after it :)

3. Ask for what you want. It's all so simple. You want a raise? Ask for it! A discount? Ask for it! More money in your life? ASK FOR IT! I'm serious!

My business venture with eight top Internet gurus happened because I opened my mouth and asked them. Of course, putting together a proposal with value before you approach people will help heaps.

The Law of Attraction works - but the problem with most people is that they don't feel that they deserve the right to ask for what they want. In such cases, the power of the Law of Attraction usually fizzles out.

The minute you commit to these three powerful moves, true wealth starts coming your way. Of course, you still have to work hard. But, as I said, it won't be that hard when you've already got the right mindset.

The formula to becoming a millionaire (w/o selling your soul!)

2009-02-11T09:49:00.000-08:00

Step 1: Stop loving money. Learn to cherish what is truly important and utterly irreplaceable, and the money will come to you.

Step 2: Realise money is just an idea. It is a mere idea in a boundless world of ideas and sometimes, it takes just one small idea to generate boundless wealth.

Step 3: Focus your desire. Call it what you will, but this is the power that gives you the strength and focus you need to create your extraordinary life.

Step 4: Imagine and feel the possibilities. Nothing can come into being without first being imagined.

Step 5: Believe at a bold new level. Learn to believe in a brave new way – and at a level so powerful and so compelling, that what you believe becomes reality.

Step 6: Exchange value on a large scale. Take your gift and share it with the world and the world, in return, will give you wealth, happiness and freedom.

Step 7: Take action. To make it real, you have to act, but if you've laid the groundwork, your action will feel effortless.

The result: Your windowless office becomes part of your past. Money is flowing into your life – more money than you've ever had before. You're providing value to the world and the world is giving you dazzling gifts in return. Life is good!

*excerpt from Secrets Of The Millionaire Inside

Lots of wonderful things can happen!

2009-02-09T00:58:00.000-08:00

I've just had an AMAZING week! It was as if the stars lined up and decided to bestow me with a series of thrilling Valentine's Day presents...I sound like I am going bonkers but hear me out.

First, my Her World magazine interview below.

Then, a friend messaged me out of the blue on Facebook and offered to design the cover of my upcoming book, Asia's Dragons and he did a brilliant job (see below for yourself).

A day later, Australian magazine, Think Big, which is available at 2,500 news stands in Sydney, told me that they are going to do a feature on Boss of Me! (my first book).

This was swiftly followed by another piece of wonderful news. DJ of ArtistFirst Radio (with 22 million listeners last year!), Susan Stackpole, contacted me and told me that she'd like to interview me.

I have goosebumps....Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

My wish-fulfilling mantra:

The Universe has BIGGER and BETTER things for me
& I leave my WONDERFUL life in its GOOD hands
& trust IMPLICITLY that it will deliver all
that I want & MORE!

Try it and be sure to let me know if you experience miracles like me :)

Interview with HER WORLD magazine - April

2009-02-04T17:03:00.000-08:00

1. Why do you think it's important to have a second source of income, especially in these times?

Building wealth through passive income is exciting because it does not require you to change careers. It keeps more cash in your pocket and releases you from job dependency, making you truly financially free. Case in point: Wealth guru, Robert Kiyosaki's teachings focus on generating passive income by means of investment opportunities, such as real estate and small businesses - with the ultimate goal of being able to support oneself by such investments alone.

2. What are some of the pros and cons of having a passive income?

Advantage: It puts you in control of your financial destiny and you won't be at a loss if you get retrenched or suffer a pay cut. Having passive income also lets you sleep and get rich literally - so you can continue making money while on holidays or sleeping!

Disadvantage: You have to work very hard at the beginning and forgo sleep and relaxation as you may have to take up courses or be doing research online after work. You will also have to invest some money upfront to start off your business and learn a few costly mistakes before you succeed.

3. What are some things of note if one is considering creating a source of passive income?

Assess the time and money you can afford to invest in your business. Map out your goals (financial and lifestyle) and evaluate your options. Identify what you want to do (for example, my book, Sleep & Get Rich!, offers 10 options) and shorten your learning curve by seeking experts or mentors in the field.

4. Can you give us some tips to start?

1. Imagine it - be clear about what you want, write down your goals and set a deadline.
2. Figure out how you're going to get it - make a list of everything that you will have to do to achieve your goal, then take this list and organise it into a plan.
3. Believe you have within yourself the ability to bring it about - read self-help and inspirational books to cultivate the proper mindset.
4. Begin taking action to move yourself towards it - do something everyday to move you toward your goal.

5. Can you share what are qualities that struck you about all the people you interviewed for Sleep & Get Rich?

Three things struck me about these successful entrepreneurs and they are:

1. They identify what really works in business by learning from the best experts they can find. They are usually "gung ho" in nature, undaunted by past failures and what naysayers say.

2. They learn very well, systematically studying and retaining what they're taught. Like scientists, they absorb, ponder, analyze and review the material over and over again.

3. They apply what they learn and go and do the work…and pay the price. They take the risks and understand that no matter how much knowledge they have, only action will help them achieve their goals.

6. Why is it that after interviewing so many people for Sleep & Get Rich, you decided to write an e-book?

An ebook about weight loss is something right up my alley as I can write and have a background in fitness. It is a low-cost business (I spent about $1,000) to start with high profit margins (I've made over five-figures from it so far!).

7. How long did you take to research and write your e-book?

It took me about five months to produce my ebook, The Essential Post-pregnancy Weight Loss Guide (available at http://www.exercisepostpregnancy.com) and this included interviews with experts, layout of ebook and creation of website to sell the ebook.

8. Actually, I'm not the kind who'd pay to download an e-book. I'm sure there are many people like me. So I'm wondering, how do you market/sell your e-book and make sure ppl actually pay to download it?

The beauty of Internet marketing is the fact that you can first locate a "hungry" market then present the "solution" to them. Before I started my ebook, I did research online (using keyword research on Google) and found out that there were thousands of women searching for post pregnancy weight loss tips daily. This is a ready market that I could tap on.

After that, it was a matter of applying some search engine marketing techniques to ensure that my website pops up when they search for certain keywords (eg post pregnany weight loss) together with pay-per-click (PPC) advertising on the side of Google when those keywords are typed in the search, amongst other online marketing strategies.

Alot of people in the US and UK shop online and they buy all sorts of things (including ebooks). That is my target market, not so much in Asia where e-commerce is not very developed. An ebook is also more personal than a book off-the-shelf as my buyers get to hear my voice (on my website) and even email me questions. I also keep in touch with them via email and send them weekly fitness and health tips. In fact, it was through our correspondence that spawned my second fitness book - a more concise, workout-focused ebook with audio and video formats called Body Back Fast!

9. What are some tips you have for aspiring e-book writers on the subjects to write?

It is to your advantage to know about your topic or have an interest in it before you write an ebook. Chances are, most people will not be successful immediately when they start a business, so if you don't have the interest, you will be turned off after a while. If you have an interest in your business topic, you will not be so frustrated if your business fails because, along the way, you have learnt about something that you enjoy.

10. Apart from the e-book, what other things do you do?

I write freelance, maybe about two articles (in health, fitness, relationship and finance topics) per month and teach pilates three times a week to private clients. I have just completed another ebook called Asia's Dragons which profiles eight of the best online brains in Asia and their success systems that have made them millions! This is selling at http://www.yourfinancialfreedomseminar.com. (not ready yet, check in end Feb) Asia's Dragons will also be made into a print book around May to be sold at bookstores islandwide and regionally.

11. Do you consciously try to create many different sources of income? If yes, why?

Yes, I want to be like my interviewees in Sleep & Get Rich! which is to work as little as possible and still have income coming in auto-pilot. Ultimately, my goal is to help as many people as possible gain financial freedom and I will continue doing projects along that same vein. The weird thing is - the more I do, the more free time I seem to have to pursue other interests (mundane or constructive). And, having the freedom to do anything I want is truly priceless!

oh wow!

2009-02-03T10:07:00.000-08:00

I am laying out my Asia's Dragons ebook and my friend just sent me his cover design...and I just had to share it...

Can't wait for the book and my website (which I am building myself, god bless me!) to be up & running :)

4 steps to creating wealth

2009-02-02T06:07:00.000-08:00

1. Imagine it.
2. Figure out how you're going to get it.
3. Believe you have within yourself the ability to bring it about.
4. Begin taking action to move yourself towards it.

Really...it's as simple as that!

Try it.

What would you do if you had all the money you wanted?

2009-01-29T07:57:00.000-08:00

Ask yourself this question, "If I were God, how would I craft my life to be perfect?"

What would you do after you've made your millions, travelled around the globe going to all the exotic places you've dreamt about and done everything that you've desired?

My answer: Keep on writing about inspiring people and continue to teach Pilates. Hmmm...not sure if this is good or am I just boring? Maybe that's why I am happy :)

Take this challenge...It takes time and effort to imagine and ponder what it is in your life that you love to do the most, but in my opinion, this is one of the most important things you can do for yourself!

No better time for Internet marketing

2009-01-26T21:51:00.000-08:00

Just saw on CNN that over 70,000 job cuts have been announced in less than 24 hours worldwide. Right now we are entering the most financially uncertain period in modern history. The current global economic meltdown and impending world financial crisis is probably the single biggest threat to your financial future (I say impending because I truly believe the crisis hasn't even fully hit yet!).

Think of the fear, the uncertainty, the anger and the humble realization these people are now coming to grips with...

Is it time to batten down the hatches, pull up the drawbridge, barricade the doors, shutter the windows and hide under the bed until it all blows over??

Far from it! You're going to want to face 2009 head on and throw everything you've GOT at it!

Because here's the thing: Internet shopping is predicted to hit $145.1 Billion in the coming year, a significant 14% increase - despite the recession!

Consumers will be spending more time at home, using their computers for everything from bargain hunting and product research to upgrading skills. And studies show this shift is ALREADY well underway...!

WHAT'S THE MOST POWERFUL THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY TO STAY SAFE?

You need a powerful and proven "Plan B".

You need a skill that will be one of the most sought-after and needed, even during hard times and that pays you handsomely.

You need a skill which allows YOU to control your own income, that only depends on your own efforts, without being reliant on anyone else.

Here's why an Internet marketing business is great:

* You can start with very little investment, literally a few hundred dollars

* It's a completely portable business, you can work in your home, or anywhere you want to as long as you have a computer and an Internet connection

* You don't need any employees

* You have no fixed costs

* You can work as much or as little as you choose

* It is incredibly scalable

* You don't need any technical skills (you don't need to learn FTP, web design, CGI installation, etc), everything you need to know is very simple and easy to do, and ANYONE can learn it

* Anyone can do it, male or female, any age (15 or 85), with previous success or not, it doesn't matter where you live

Now, imagine this:

- Being financially free

- Having all the money you want

- Knowing how to make money any time you want aka Money-On-Demand

- Not having to go to work again – imagine your boss' face when you tell him that you QUIT

- Being able to buy anything you want and not care what the price tag says

- Go wherever you want for a holiday, whenever you want

- Being able to spend thousands of dollars to help charities

- Having all the free time you want

- Getting richer and richer every day

This is the reason why I am not worried at all despite the doom and gloom. In fact, I am a little gleeful that this is happening (ok, don't give me flak for this...) as more people will be desperate and looking for alternative sources of income - and here is where I come in to offer my solutions in Asia's Dragons (out end Feb!).

After all, success sometimes comes from being in the right place at the right time, isn't it?

10 books that changed my life

2009-01-24T00:11:00.000-08:00

1. The 4-Hour Workweek - The book that made it all happen. Thanks Tim!

2. The Magic Of Thinking Big - Let's just say that Tim based his "research" on this classic.

3. The Power Of Your Subconscious - Now, I don't need an alarm clock if I have to wake up early...amongst other things.

4. The Success Principles - A great pick-me-up. We all need a reminder and a nudge every now and then.

5. The Go-giver - A poignant little fable.

6. Click Here To Order - Learn all about the beginnings of Internet marketing and its pioneers.

7. Daily Reflections - This keeps me grounded which is essential to have a happy existence.

8. Secrets Of The Millionaire Inside - Hard-hitting...don't read this if you are an employee.

9. How I Made My First Million On The Internet - Local boy, Ewen Chia, made good...very good! The best part: I have the autographed version!

10. The Secret - Detractors aside, this book "woke" me up and I've been using its principle to manifest my dream life for the last 3 years.

My sister, my inspiration!

2009-01-20T05:47:00.000-08:00

Everyone need an inspiration - and it doesn't have to someone famous or a billionaire...

My younger sister is my inspiration. She was the one who handed me The 4-Hour Workweek which spurred me to write my first book, Boss of Me! If not for her, I would still be spending my time teaching private Pilates classes and writing freelance...which was a very good lifestyle but nothing as exciting as what I am doing now!

My second book, Sleep & Get Rich! was also triggered by her. At that time, she was taking an Internet marketing course and regaled me with stories about people making amazing passive income with their online businesses.

She was also the one who asked me to write a weight-loss book for post-pregnancy women. We worked on The Essential Post-pregnancy Weight Loss Guide (http://www.exercisepostpregnancy.com)together and subsequently created our own source of passive income.

And, when I had the idea to write a book about Internet marketing gurus in Asia, she fine-tuned my proposal and pointed me in the right direction.

All this while managing three successful online businesses (she was recently approached to franchise one of her business in Hong Kong!) and being the official "technical director" of our ebook.

Whenever we get together, we are constantly tossing ideas about and feeding our shared passion for Internet marketing. I always leave our sessions invigorated and hopeful.

You can follow her online progress at http://www.pamelinareviews.blogspot.com

Look for your own inspiration - it'll make your journey to success smoother...and way more fun!

10 reasons why I love my Internet marketing business

2009-01-17T00:11:00.000-08:00

1. There is no glass ceiling to my income and I can reach a worldwide market even though I am conducting my business sitting at home in my underwear.
2. My business runs 24/7, 7 days a week.
3. It is a low cost business with high profit margins.
4. My business is self-generating and automated, making me money while I sleep and go on holidays!
5. I am in control of my own time and income.
6. The small and close-knit industry is filled with interesting and cool people who have generated millions online and are willing to help you (if you ask them correctly)!
7. I get to sleep late and wake up at noon.
8. There is no inventory as all my products are digital.
9. I am still doing what I love, which is writing!
10. It is an underground industry and I love the confused look on people's faces when I tell them what I do!

Fast-track your success with these 7 steps

2009-01-13T10:44:00.000-08:00

Step 1 - Decide exactly what you want. This immediately moves you into a separate category of people because most people have no idea of what they really want. Clarity is the most important single quality of goal-setting and the most important single quality of success. Be specific about exactly how much more money you want to earn in a specific period of time and combine that with exactly what level of health and fitness you desire.

Step 2 - Write it down. Only three percent of adults have written goals. Most people spend more time making a list of groceries before they go shopping or planning a vacation than they do in planning their lives. One of the most important keys to success is to "think on paper." A goal that is clearly written and described on a piece of paper takes on a power of its own. It is now something concrete that you can touch and feel and work with. You begin to expect to achieve the goal and you start to attract people and circumstances into your life that are consistent with the attainment of the goal.

Step 3 - Set a deadline. If it is a large goal, set a series of sub-deadlines. A deadline acts as a "forcing system" on your subconscious mind and begins to move you toward your goal rapidly while it moves your goal toward you. Sometimes you will achieve your goal well in advance of your deadline. Sometimes goals will take much longer than you expect. But you must have a target time before you set off.

Step 4 - Make a list of everything you could possibly think of that you will have to do to achieve your goal. The more comprehensive your list, the more motivated you will become, the more intense will be your desire and the more you will believe it possible.

Step 5 - Take your list and organize it into a plan. It is a list organized by priority and importance. You decide upon the one thing that is more important than anything else that you can do immediately to begin moving more rapidly towards your goal.

Step 6 - Take action! This is the big killer for most people who are procrastinators. When it comes to taking action, they always have a reason or excuse to procrastinate to put it off until a later time. When you launch toward your goal, you will begin to feel the desire and power that goes along with goal setting.

Step 7 - Do something every day to move you toward your major goal. Never let a day go by without you engaging in some action that helps you move another step in the direction of what you really, really want in life.

This simple seven step act will change your life and your future in ways that you cannot even dream of today.

How to go on more holidays

2009-01-08T21:43:00.001-08:00

Just spoke to a friend of mine who told me that everybody he knows have tightened their purse strings and are getting ready for a tough year. And, the situation is said to get more dire after Chinese New Year as more layoffs are expected.

Well, you can either wallow in the depressing news and let it bring you down or...DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

Ask yourself - Do you want to be subject to retrenchments and pay cuts or are you going to take control of your own financial destiny?

I chose the latter, that's why, contrary to what most people are doing, I have actually cut back on my work, so that I can go on MORE holidays. My holiday schedule so far:

1. Shopping & sourcing trip to Hong Kong in April
2. Clubbing & eating trip to Japan in May
3. Charity trip to help Bali Dogs in August
4. Adventure trip to Goa, Kerala and Rajasthan in November

I am able to indulge myself because I have created PASSIVE INCOME. This is money that keeps on coming in, even when I am on holiday. Inspired by my interviewees in Sleep & Get Rich!, I created a weight-loss maternity ebook with my sister at http://www.exercisepostpregnancy.com, and we are doing pretty well.

All I need to do is carry out some simple online marketing to drive traffic to my website and ka-ching! Best part of it, all work can be pre-planned in advance or outsourced - enabling me to go on a holiday and return to see money in my bank! I am currently working on another ebook (see my post below on Asia's Dragons) that will provide even more passive income :)

To find out how you can create a lucrative passive income stream, check out my book, Sleep & Get Rich! (out in all major bookstores, except Borders).

The importance of goals

2009-01-07T05:33:00.000-08:00

Everyone has goals. But some people seem to accomplish their goals far more systematically and with greater assurance than others. Why is this? The answer is simple. People who accomplish goals at a higher rate than the average are people who use a systematic, proven method of goal setting and goal attainment.

The two most important qualities of success are focus and concentration. Focus means knowing exactly what it is you want and concentration means having the discipline to concentrate single-mindedly on one thing, the most important thing, until it is complete.

If you have these qualities, and both of these qualities are learned through practice, you can accomplish virtually anything. There are no limits on your future if you can focus and concentrate every hour of every single day.

The starting point of setting goals for the coming year is for you to project forward - to the end of the next twelve months and ask yourself, "If everything happens perfectly, what will it look like?"

The one quality of men and women who become leaders in their own lives and societies, throughout all of history is the quality of vision. They have the ability to visualise. They can see the future well in advance of it becoming a reality. They can then see the steps that they will need to take to get from where they are to where they want to go.

You need to set goals that are multi-dimensional. You need to set goals for every part of your life so that you function like a well-oiled machine. You need goals for your health, for your career, for your finances, for your relationships, for your personal and professional development, for your community and for your spiritual growth. Nothing happens by accident. Everything happens for a reason. And you are the "primary creative force" in your own life. You are the reason. Things are happening in your life because you make them happen, not because you sit around and wait for them to happen.

In my next post, I'll share the 7 steps to effective goal-setting...

Asia's Dragons

2009-01-04T03:03:00.000-08:00

I have been happily immersed in writing my 4th book, Asia's Dragons, in between festive partying the last few weeks.

Asia's Dragons is a showcase of the best online brains in Asia - ordinary people who are making extraordinary incomes online!

My amazing line-up:
1. List building – Jaz Lai, http://www.OpportunityPLR.com
2. Blogging – Alvin Phang, http://www.GatherSuccess.com
3. Pay-Per-Click advertising – Eugene Ang, http://wwww.ClickMedia.com.sg
4. Affiliate marketing – Ewen Chia, http://wwww.AutoPilotProfits.com
5. eBay – Benjamin Marc Wee, http://wwww.Wtf.com.sg
6. Niche marketing – Patric Chan, http://wwww.YouChanDoIt.com
7. Membership website – Ian Del Carmen, http://wwww.FireballPlanet.com
8. Search Engine Optimization – Fabian Lim, http://wwww.WorldInternetAcademy.com

p.s. For those of you in the Internet marketing industry, you'll know that these people are the cream of the crop, veritable gurus with hundreds and thousands of "followers".

I'm so blessed to have the opportunity to get to know them on a more personal level, learn from them and have them as my business partners (a JV with any 1 of them can cost US$100,000!).

Asia's Dragons will be launched as an ebook first in February 2009, after which I will take it offline and package it into a print book to be sold at bookstores islandwide as well as regionally.

Whether you are an experienced marketer looking to hone your skills, a newbie just learning the ropes or just someone looking to free yourself from the shackles of corporate life, there's something in this book for you.

Asia's Dragons profiles eight homegrown talents in Asia who rolled up their sleeves, burnt the midnight oil and took the giant step into the unknown to explore what the Internet can do for their business – and succeeded wildly! Meet marketing wonder, Ewen Chia who generated sales of US$80,000 in 72 hours in front of a 'live' audience! And, Eugene Ang, a corporate head honcho who left a comfortable six-figure salary to start at the bottom of the Internet foodchain...

More than just a compendium of biographies, Asia's Dragons aims to analyze the motivations and personality traits that characterise these entrepreneurs. It is bursting with valuable information and advice for current or aspiring online marketers.

Want to learn how to optimise your site for search engine placement? Or utilise blogs and social networking as part of your marketing mix? Or create a compelling online retail store? Most importantly, Asia's Dragons contains information about the mentoring programmes of these gurus which is the closest you can get to them guiding you step-by-step to your own Internet success!

By sharing my findings, I hope to show you that success lies within your own control and if this book helps you overcome your self-imposed limitations standing between your entrepreneurial dreams and their realisation, then I will have been fulfilled in my quest.

Robert Collier’s Principles Of Success

2008-12-29T08:36:00.000-08:00

Action
Begin to free yourself at once by doing all that is possible with the means you have, and as you proceed in this spirit the way will open for you to do more.

Affirmation
You must intensify and render continuous by repeatedly presenting with suggestive ideas and mental pictures of the feast of good things, and the flowing fountain, which awaits the successful achievement or attainment of the desires.

Conflict
One might as well try to ride two horses moving in different directions, as to try to
maintain in equal force two opposing or contradictory sets of desires.

Desire
Plant the seed of desire in your mind and it forms a nucleus with power to attract to itself everything needed for its fulfillment. The first principle of success is desire - knowing what you want. Desire is the planting of your seed. Very few persons, comparatively, know how to Desire with sufficient intensity. They do not know what it is to feel and manifest that intense, eager, longing, craving, insistent, demanding, ravenous Desire which is akin to the persistent, insistent, ardent, overwhelming desire of the drowning man for a breath of air; of the shipwrecked or desert-lost man for a drink of water; of the famished man for bread and meat…

Giving
You have to sow before you can reap. You have to give before you can get.

Imagination
Pictures help you to form the mental mold...

Luck
All of us have bad luck and good luck. The man who persists through the bad luck - who keeps right on going - is the man who is there when the good luck comes - and is ready to receive it.

Obstacles
The mere fact that you have obstacles to overcome is in your favor...

Planning
Make your mold. The best flux in the world will not make a usable shape unless you have a mold to pour it in.

Success
Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out...

Visualization
See things as you would have them be instead of as they are.

FYI, Robert Collier is an author of self-help and New Thought metaphysical books.

10 ways to recession-proof yourself

2008-12-26T08:48:00.000-08:00

Sleep & Get Rich! Out now in all major bookstores (except Borders)

ABOUT THE BOOK

Did you know that you could earn thousands of dollars in a day? Did you know you could do so without leaving home?

Sleep & Get Rich! offers valuable money-making lessons from inspiring people who have mastered a balanced work/family lifestyle by working passively.

This strategy-packed guide will reveal powerful but simple methods for striking it rich. Exclusive interviews with entrepreneurs prove how easy it is to get started and build a lucrative enterprise. The techniques you will discover in this book are realistic and everyone can take the step towards making passive income. Just one or two of these strategies will add significant dollars to your monthly income. In no time at all, they will put you in a position of financial security that will totally transform your life!

The people you will meet in this book are ordinary people — from housewives to IT enthusiasts, who are making tonnes of money while they sleep. Their real-life advice will give you a complete step-by-step blueprint for breaking through the obstacles that hold you back from living the life you want!

Find out how a full-time mum turned her e-book into a passive income stream that gives her five-figures, auto-pilot! Learn how one man overcame adversity to make his millions on eBay and be mentored by a successful investor on the tricks to getting a high ROI (return on investment) on your money.

So many people are profiting right now from passive income streams and so can you!

CONTENTS

1. Stock Market Genius — Keane Lee, T3B System
2. eBay Millionaire — Benjamin Marc Wee
3. Insurance Hotshot — Merry Riana, Merry Riana Organisation
4. Innovative Inventor — Dr Ting Meng Choon, HealthSTATS
5. Digital Media Maven — Virpi Tervonen, Golden Publishing House
6. Best-selling Author — Catherine Lim
7. Angel Investor — Landy Eng, eAngelz.com
8. Internet Marketing Guru — Larry Lim, Marketing Sphere
9. Real Estate Magnate — Mohamed Ismail Gafoor, Propnex
10. Network Marketing Expert — Dora Hoan, Best World International

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
After having authored her best-selling first book, Boss of Me!, Pearlin carved a lucrative passive income pie for herself by publishing, together with her sister, an e-book on post-pregnancy diet and fitness — concrete evidence that Sleep & Get Rich! offers a blueprint for success!

A former journalist at Singapore Press Holdings upon graduation, she had a brief foray as a technologist — as the founder of an online barter site in 2000 and as a business development manager for CNET Networks Asia. Craving freedom and recognising that there is more to life, she took a corporate hiatus and enrolled in a pilates course to feed her soul. When not hanging around inspiring people or travelling, Pearlin spends her time giving private pilates classes and dreaming up more million-making ideas.

*******

Praise for Sleep and Get Rich!

“This book offers more than just inspiration fuel but also a compass for others to follow and tactics that you can put into action now.”

Brian Schwartz
Author of 50 Interviews

“This book is fabulous to read, easy to read and a must-read! It is the only book in Singapore that has condensed the success principles and belief systems adopted by the top 10 passive income earners. It will definitely open your mind to create multiple streams of passive income, whoever you are and whatever occupation you are in.”

Cayden Chang Kheng Mong
Master NLP Trainer, Director & Founder
Mind Kinesis Management International LLP

“Pearlin has written a book that espouses the old-fashioned virtues of knowledge and hard work.”

Barry Jones
Principal, Maroon Ventures

A rebellious Internet millionaire's 10 rules of success

2008-12-22T09:59:00.000-08:00

At the recently-concluded Asian Internet Conference (AIC), I attended the brilliant presentation of Jo Han Mok, a renegade who became an Internet millionaire at 26 and below are his 10 rules of success:

1. It can be done!
2. Success is counter-intuitive.
3. Conventional wisdom is usually wrong.
4. Thoughts and actions have consequences.
5. Acknowledge that man in the mirror.
6. Forgive yourself, you are not your mistakes.
7. Nothing personal, it's only business.
8. Success is rarely achieved in a straight line!
9. I don't give a damn about what other people think, except those giving me money.
10. I am the centre of the Universe, it's ok to get my way.

To that, I'd like to add: Be Foolish and Bold! These 2 traits have brought me far and I believe that if I had been more rational and less upfront, I wouldn't be where I am today and my milestone-making new project (more on this later!) would not have materialised!

To find out more about this unconventional Internet millionaire, go to http://www.johanmok.net

Do what you LOVE!

2008-12-18T05:42:00.000-08:00

Whenever I update my friends on my latest projects, I always get the same comments. "It's amazing how much passion and drive you have for your work!" or "You're so lucky to be doing what you love!"

HELLO guys! You can too! No one is putting a gun to your head and making you go to work every morning? Maybe I was a bit luckier. I got my wake-up call when I was a tender 26-year-old. After 5 years in the corporate life, I realised that I SUCK as an employee. If there was an award for "Worst Employee", I'd win it 5 years running. Late for work? Check. Watching movies when I'm supposed to be working? Check. Faking MCs? Check.

Then Pilates came along and saved my life. I fell head over heels in love with the workout and envisioned myself as a Pilates instructor. Being young and rash, I decided to give it a shot and see if I could do it. Listen, it is not all smooth sailing when you are pursuing your passion. My beginning was rough. I invested my savings in a Pilates course and when I graduated, I didn't know where to find work. I tried putting an ad at the local Cold Storage but no one called. Luckily, I met a friend who had just opened a studio and he took me in. That was not all. My first pay check was a measly $60. A HUGE contrast from my last paycheck of $6,000. But, you know what? I was so happy doing my Pilates that I didn't even mind. I loved what I did and would have done it for free!

I'm still enjoying Pilates today, after almost 8 years of it. But I have also found another passion and that is writing. What I do currently fulfills my life's purpose which is this:

To inspire people with my business motivational books and to heal with my Pilates.

Trust me on this: when you are doing what you love and your life's purpose, everything makes sense. I jump out of bed every day raring to work and sometimes, when I am in the midst of a writing project, I get insomnia because I am so excited and my mind is teeming with endless ideas. Sleep is not important at this juncture and I thrive on my passion. Unlike my working friends who live for the weekends, I actually abhore them and public holidays because no one is working and I can't work too.

I've tried to counsel some unhappy corporate friends in the beginning, but after a while, I realise that it is no use. It's all in the mindset - whether you believe that you can or cannot, you are right on both counts! I hear excuses like, "But I'm too old to start" or "I have no time". Hey, you can always start on the side first and I believe time is what you make of it. And, don't talk to me about having too much at stake to follow your dreams. In my 4th book about Internet marketing heroes, I profile a 38-year-old corporate bigwig who left a $250,000 annual pay to start at the bottom of the Internet marketing food chain...and he has a family to support too! (I'm currently working on a new writing project with 8 of Asia's top Internet marketing gurus - this is my "new baby" that is keeping me up at night and I am so excited that I break out into a little dance when no one's looking whenever I think of it - but more on this later!)

When I told my husband, who is a DJ at Zouk, that I'll be able to support him next year and he can quit his job. He told me, "Errr, but I still want to work leh." Now that is what I call true PASSION!

Ebooks Extraordinaire

2008-12-12T01:17:00.001-08:00

This best-selling E-book author and publisher has her migration from Finland to Singapore to thank for her online success today. “During my year-long maternity leave in Finland I was pondering what business I could start in order to work from home. Because everything I came up with felt too risky, I decided to continue my academic career,” explains 37-year-old Virpi Tervonen. Open to seeing what life has to offer, she, her husband and then 10-month-old daughter left Finland and came to Singapore in 2004. Both Virpi and her husband came here to work. “I was keen to explore the world for opportunities and Singapore seemed exotic and different from the US or Europe,” she says.

However, coping with the new culture, language and climate took its toll. “I had just come direct from Finland where I spent one year at home looking after my daughter. Working long hours and getting used to the demands of new work in an environment that was run in a completely different way than I was used to in Scandinavia was all a little bit too much for me to handle,” Virpi reveals. That plus the fact that her daughter was spending all the time with the maid pushed her to quit her job as a senior researcher at the National University of Singapore.

She was inspired to start an Internet Marketing business after reading the book, The One Minute Millionaire by Robert Allen and Mark Victor Hansen. The book describes four ways to become wealthy – go into real estate, start a business, invest in the stock market or do Internet Marketing. Despite the fact that her Internet knowledge only extended to “using Google a few times a week to check stuff”, she decided to go with Internet Marketing as it seemed to demand the least initial capital to invest and smallest risks. “You can work from home and the ways to make money are endless,” she says. Nothing prepared her for the steep learning curve that loomed ahead, which she says is a blessing in disguise. “Had I known what I was getting myself into, I may not have done it.”

Now, sales for her digital book about acupressure for pregnant women gives her five-figures a month on autopilot! In fact, she makes so much money that her husband has quit his job and now stays at home with her. “It took me a little bit more than a year to succeed. That may seem like a long time but compared to the time I took to get my Ph.D. to earn $5,000 a month as a researcher and now, when my income has multiplied and I have my dream lifestyle, one year is nothing,” she asserts.

Find out how she did it in Sleep & Get Rich! Out end of December in all major bookstores (except Borders) and Amazon.com

He made US$900,000 in one month on eBay!

2008-12-09T05:45:00.000-08:00

Looking at his laidback manner, it’s hard to tell that Benjamin Marc Wee is a multi-millionaire with his fingers in several lucrative online businesses. “My entrepreneurial spirit started in school. I was studying at UC Berkeley and tuition fees were not cheap. To pay for them, I had to find ways to make money,” recalls the 36-year-old. At his university, students were required to clear their rooms after every term, so many of them threw their books out. Seeing a money-making opportunity, Benjamin bought all the old textbooks with his credit card and re-sold them to new students. He continued to do this for several terms, eventually doing so well that his business was bought out by a second-hand bookstore for US$200,000. Motivated, he continued to buy and sell; this time, gathering all the ‘junk’ dumped outside the student dormitories. “The school would hire a company to clear the stuff so I offered to do it for free. I hired Mexicans and carted all the goods, ranging from old computers to clothes, to eBay’s headquarters which was five minutes away. Then I sold them all online.”
When he returned to Singapore after graduating, friends and relatives were skeptical when he told them about his eBay business. “They told me to get a life!” Benjamin listened to them and got a job as a reporter at Reuters, writing energy reports. Then tragedy struck. His girlfriend back then had a miscarriage and passed away. Devastated, Benjamin stopped going to work and was fired. He was also evicted out of his apartment as he could not pay the rent. He moved in with his friend and after a few months of moping around, he decided that he could not continue living like this and he turned to what he knew best to make a living – eBay.
Leveraging on his creativity and skill, Benjamin designed websites selling digital products and sold ready-made web stores on eBay. They were a hit, and he sold 10 websites a month at US$3,000 to US$4,000 each.
A holiday in Japan changed his life and gave him the inspiration that netted him US$900,000 in one month on eBay! Find out what it is in Sleep & Get Rich! out end December in all major bookstores (except Borders) and Amazon.com

Sleep and & Get Rich!

2008-12-06T06:25:00.000-08:00

Inside my second book, Sleep & Get Rich!, you will meet:

1.Stock market genius – Keane Lee, T3B System
2.eBay millionaire – Benjamin Marc Wee
3.Insurance hotshot– Merry Riana, Merry Riana Organisation
4.Network marketing expert, Dora Hoan, Best World International
5.Publishing maven – Virpi Tervonen, Golden Publishing House
6.Internet marketing guru - Larry Lim, MarketingSphere.com
7.Angel investor – Landy Eng, EAngelz
8.Innovative inventor – Dr Ting Choon Meng, HealthSTATS
9.Best-selling author - Catherine Lim
10.Real estate king – Mohamed Ismail Gafoor, Propnex

Sleep & Get Rich! offers valuable money-making lessons from inspiring people who have mastered a balanced work/family lifestyle by working passively. This strategy-packed guide will reveal powerful but simple methods for striking it rich. Exclusive interviews with entrepreneurs prove how easy it is to get started and build a lucrative enterprise. The techniques you will discover in this book are realistic and everyone can take the step towards making passive income. Just one or two of these strategies will add significant dollars to your monthly income. And in no time at all, they will put you in a position of financial security that will totally transform your life!

Find out how a full-time mum turned her e-book into a passive income stream that gives her five-figures, auto-pilot! Learn how one man overcame adversity to make his millions on eBay and be mentored by a successful investor on the tricks to getting a high ROI (return on investment) on your money.

So many people are profiting right now from passive income streams and so can you! Sleep & Get Rich! will be out in all major bookstores (except Borders) and on Amazon.com for $15 from end Dec 08.

P.S. Excuse my lack of posts but I have been tied up at an Internet Marketing conference, waking up at 7am all the way till 7pm, after which I try to keep up with my social life before collapsing into bed.

Do you have what it takes?

2008-11-30T22:54:00.000-08:00

"An entrepreneur is someone who works sixteen hours a day for himself (or herself) to avoid working eight hours a day for someone else."

Laws of Boss of Me! individuals:
1. Believe in yourself and always be nice.
2. Try everything as you only have one life - no rehearsals.
3. Always be the pioneer in everything that you do.
4. Help people passionately.
5. Thrive on challenges, not money.
6. Don't let adversity get you down, keep going forward.
7. Have an extraordinary idea...and the guts to pull it through.
8. It's better to feel like a million dollars than to actually have it,
9. Have passion and everything will fall into place.
10. Always give back more than you take.
11. Move up or move out.
12. Take risks and listen to your own judgement.
13. Never underestimate yourself and don't chase fame.
14. Never give up and don't be afraid to think big.
15. Hard work reaps rewards, there are no short cuts.
16. Make the most of what you have and think out of the box.
17. March to the beat of your own rhythm and exceed expectations.
18. Don't coast along, do everything to the best of of your ability.
19. Do well and you will be recognized and rewarded for it,
20. Be honest and stay true to your ideas.

To find out more power secrets of successful people, check out my book, Boss of Me!, available at all bookstores (except Borders) in Singapore, Times in Indonesia, Books Kinokuniya in Hong Kong, India, Malaysia and Amazon.com.

Want to have your own autobiography? Check out my autobiography-writing service, Unravel, below.

1st, 2nd or 3rd child? Find out how it affects your business

2008-11-27T00:19:00.000-08:00

Check out the Adler's theory about each of the birth order positions:

1. Self-starter. The only child is self-sufficient and doesn't mind playing alone. Though he is the center of attention, he will most likely express his uneasiness over it later in life.

2. Leader Material. The oldest child has a take-charge attitude and often functions as a leader when he is among his peers.

3. Driven Rebel. The second child is more competitive and wants to overtake the older child - so much so that he may rebel or try to outdo everyone. He is most likely the most driven individual in the family.

4. Tough Negotiator. The middle child may be even-tempered, assuming a "take it or leave it" attitude, and may have trouble finding his place. On the other hand, he could also turn out to be a great mediator or negotiator.

5. Certified Charmer. The youngest is frequently spoiled and may never be dethroned as the baby of the family-so much so that he is likely to have big plans fueled by the desire to outdo all his other siblings. Then again, youngest kids are often very charming and enjoy being the life of the party.

If she can succeed, so can you!

2008-11-24T08:20:00.000-08:00

I've just finished reading Click Here To Order, a book about Internet marketing pioneers and one particular story wowed me.

Ladan Lashkari is a 20-year-old Iranian woman who has had to overcome some extreme obstacles on her brief but challenging journey to Internet marketing success.

If Internet marketing was a wrestling match, Ladan started the competition with both hands, feet and eyes bound. These are some of her obstacles:

- She lives in Iran where religious and political issues make it difficult for women to work.
- English is not her first language.
- She can't travel.
- Discrimination against her nationality.
- Discouragement from friends and family.
- Because of the US Embargo, she couldn't get a credit card, open a Paypal account, get a merchant account, have a bank account in US dollars, accept wire transfers or cash any USD checks - making it almost impossible for her to sell anything online!

Yet, she has surpassed all odds and now makes more money than 95% of the people in her country with her various websites. She attributes her success to her father's faith in her as well as her unwavering belief in herself and sheer, hard work.

She says, " If a young girl who got started when she was 16 years old, with no previous business experience, with English being her second language, with less than $30 to her name, in a country where you can't have a credit card or Paypal account and is under a strict embargo from United States, and so many limitations...if such a girl can succeed, how is it possible that you can't succeed - when you may not even have one of these limitations?"

For more information on Ladan. go to http://www/ladanlashkari.com

Think and grow rich!

2008-11-21T20:17:00.000-08:00

I was just reading Napoleon Hill's biography online at http://www.woopidoo.com/biography/napoleon-hill/index.htm and it struck me that my work seems to mirror his. Like him, I am committed to interviewing successful people so that I can share their magic formula with people.

Hill interviewed 500 influential people in his 20 years, starting with Andrew Carnegie (who commissioned Hill to find the secret to success), Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and John D Rockefeller. I have interviewed stellar personalities like Mr Wee Kok Wah of Stamford Tyres, Lincoln Cheng of Zouk and MP Indranee Rajah for Boss of Me! and in my second book, Sleep & Get Rich! (obviously influenced by Hill's best-selling book, Think and Grow Rich), I tapped into the mindset of 10 top passive-income earners.

Not only has his work made him successful and rich (Think & Grow Rich sold 30 million copies and is still selling well today), but it has also made him realise that "thoughts are things" and that an individual can manifest his or her success simply by sharing ideas and learning from like-minded individuals. This really resonates with me as I first came across the book, The Secret, which champions Hill's philosophy two years ago, and since then, I have realised my dreams of becoming an author and have also become financially abundant. While doing research for my second book, I was so inspired by the publisher of a best-selling ebook that I created a weight loss ebook of my own (http://www.exercisepostpregnancy.com), and together with my sister, have created a lucrative source of passive income.

Hill says: "Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve. Thoughts are things! And powerful things at that, when mixed with definiteness of purpose and burning desire, can be translated into riches."

Remember and believe in his seminal quote above and I have faith that you will be on your way to achieving your goals!

How to have maximum income in minimum time

2008-11-18T07:33:00.000-08:00

Growing up I was taught that hard work and long hours are rewarded. However over the years I have found that some of the most successful people actually work fewer hours, are more productive, take fabulous vacations and still have time to exercise daily without fail. This is because they’re “working smart,” not “working hard.”

Here are the top 5 things I have learned from them:

1. Routine and structure are key. Develop yours and don’t deviate. Eat the same thing for breakfast, work out at the same time every day, sort through emails and phone calls in the same sequence each morning. Prioritize and be disciplined. Don’t get distracted.

2. Don’t do everything, just the most important. This requires a clear sense of what to follow through on and what to let slide. Successful people are absolute geniuses in this area. Find someone to model and carefully examine how they do it.

3. Do not procrastinate. Do the hardest, deadline driven activities first, then shift gears to the fun stuff.

4. Skip long winded conversations. Get to the point and stay there.

5. Do not over-delegate. Stay close to your business so you know exactly what to prioritize at any given moment. Maintain your passion for what you do and most of all, have fun!

excerpt from ladieswholaunch.com

If you've read The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss, you'll know that smart people work with these maxims. They look for efficient ways to achieve their goals and believe that life is more than just work.

Play is equally important and a fair amount of effort is expended to ensure that they have a balanced life.

"The faster I finish my work, the faster I can play!" - this is an adage I live by and my daily work motivation.

Back!

2008-11-16T10:01:00.000-08:00

I'm back, refreshed and rejuvenated, from my 10 day sojourn to Nepal. From trekking in the Himalayas to waking up to snow-capped mountains, paragliding over vast valleys, rhino-hunting, elephant rides and white-water rafting - every day was magical.

Being out there in the mountains and mingling with the locals gave me the opportunity to take a breather from my work and life goals. I return, much more thankful for what I have and with renewed vigour to handle all of life's curveballs.

I also return to good news!

Popular mom blog, Mom's Take On Things, just did the very first review of my weight loss ebook, The Essential Post-pregnancy Weight Loss Guide. Check out the great article on: http://www.momstakeonthings.com/?p=1552

My guest post on quirky entrepreneurial blog, The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, was also published, driving new traffic to my blog and rendering new leads for future guest posts.
Check out how my feature at: http://www.toiletpaperentrepreneur.com/blog/guest-post-business-first-aid-life-saving-tips-on-how-to-survive-the-economic-crisis-by-pearlin-siow

Respite

2008-11-04T22:37:00.000-08:00

Excuse my lack of posts but I am preparing for my trip to Nepal this Friday. This will be the first time I am "roughing" it out...I'm usually more of a Banyan Tree Resort kinda gal than an "overnight in jungle" sort. But, I am looking forward to the challenge, and with my two other crazy girlfriends, I forsee it to be a riot. Still not sure how I can handle doing my business in the wilderness though...

I'll be back on the 16th and will have lots of exciting news to update on my work and from my trawls around the Net. In a way, I am looking forward to the technology fast and connecting with nature again.

Try not to miss me too much ;p

P.S. I will be giving a talk at the Popular BookFest at Suntec on 18 November at 5pm (Hall 601 to 603), so if you are around the area, drop by and say hi!

Get your own autobiography!

2008-10-30T22:53:00.000-07:00

Want to document your illustrious career?

Keen to leave behind a legacy?

Now you can, with my new boutique book writing service – Unravel.

This idea was mooted by a few of my interviewees when I was doing research for my books, Boss of Me! and Sleep & Get Rich!. Many of these successful people wanted to share their life story with others and inspire employees with their thoughts and beliefs, in short, they wanted an autobiography written but lacked the time and skills to do so. They asked if I was keen to do it for them. My focus back then was on my books, so I said, ‘Sure!”, but shelved the idea to the back of my head.

Well, now that my book is done and I am free again, I am raring to get started on this new project. Thanks also to Tim, my book-writing compatriot who opened my mind to a new perspective and enabled me to see a lucrative business in books.

Writing books is an addiction, think I heard this from Dan Poynter, a famous author with over 100 books, and I understand where he is coming from now…

Unravel will give you the chance to immortalize your achievements for posterity, and I know everybody wants to leave behind a little legacy.

Here’s how it works:

- My writing service includes three meetings. The first will be an interview and information gathering, this will be followed by confirmation of topics and the final meeting will be a review of book contents. I will help you structure the message and layout the book contents.

- Timeline will be three months.

- Book can be between 50 to 100 pages long and costs will be discussed when we meet.

Additional services:

- I offer consultancy for cost-effective design, printing and distribution. All this additional costs will be borne by you, the client.

Benefits:

- You get to tell your life story and be commemorated!

- Your book will be distributed in bookstores and will inspire readers as well as open new business opportunities.

- You can distribute within your company to motivate employees with your autobiography.

- Your book will be written by me, a national-bestselling author and ex-ST reporter.

Unravel – it’s time to immortalize yourself! Drop me an email at pearlins@gmail.com if you’d like to get your autobiography.

About my book, Boss of Me!:

The people you will meet in this book pursued their dream jobs with a dynamic combination of bravery, support from family and friends, and lots of drive and determination. What these achievers have done can be repeated in many different fields and you too can transform your passion into something gratifying and profitable. Their incredible stories and real-life advice will help you think big and get started on the path to the right job, right now.

Motivating and inspirational, this is a pocketbook of big thinking and serves as an unconventional career guide for people who are wide awake to the power of right thought!

CONTENTS
1. Aldrin Quek — Dance Music Ambassador
2. Geoff Ang — Fashion-forward Lens Man
3. Lincoln Cheng — Nightlife Maven
4. Alvin Giam — Pilates Healer
5. Ling Hao — Edgy House Builder
6. Wee Kok Wah — Business Mogul
7. Cynthia Chua — Marketing Genius
8. Louis Ng — Animal Renegade
9. Chris Lee — Creative Cowboy
10. Dr Georgia Lee — Aesthetics Glamazon
11. Chua Shenzi — Youth Trend-setter
12. Kathryn Yap — High-flying Headhunter
13. Dr Lisa Ng — Life-saving Scientist
14. Daniel Tay — Baking Maverick
15. Lee Wai Leng — Acclaimed Artist
16. Ban Yinh Jheow — Millionaire Toymaker
17. Tjin Lee — Events Extraordinaire
18. Indranee Rajah — Superwoman Lawmaker
19. Wendy Leong — Captain of the Sky
20. Royston Tan — Bad Boy Film Maker

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pearlin Siow cut her teeth as a journalist at Singapore Press Holdings upon graduation. Bitten by the dot com boom in 2000, she left to found an online barter site but was lured back to the corporate world by the prospect of travelling for work as a business development manager for CNET Asia.

Currently a pilates instructor, Pearlin has also gone back to her first love — writing, spinning out words for local publications like Her World, Shape and Maxim, as well as foreign newspapers like the Saudi Gazette in Saudi Arabia.

Praise for Boss of Me!

"Pearlin has produced a highly readable book in a remarkably short time. Her subjects are fascinating and inspiring, and will undoubtedly spur many Singaporeans into outdoing themselves! "

Peter Ong
Managing Director, Checkout Australia Pty Ltd

"This easy-to-read book is full of powerful wisdom of success from real, ordinary people who have achieved extraordinary results in their career and life…Take heed of the words of wisdom and you shall find true success in whatever you desire. "

Timothy Chan
Founder of Certified Consultants Network

The cult of Internet Marketing

2008-10-28T22:57:00.000-07:00

This industry has all the ear-markings of a cult. Ever since I stepped foot into it, I’ve been exposed to:

- A unique language understood only by those in the cult.
- “Guru” figures of whom many blindly follow.
- Bizarre rites and rituals.

If you know what a “squeeze” page is and you know who Derek Gehl is (locally, you'll have to know Fabian Lim and Ewin Chia), and you spend time obsessing over your “opt in rate” then you are a member of the cult.

If not, you’re an outsider.

These are a group of home-based entrepreneurs who, at the beginning of the technological revolution, saw opportunity and grabbed it.

These are the folks who weren’t necessarily the prettiest or the most popular kids in class – some of them are the classic geeks who played video games and built remote control toys, while other cooler kids were dating and listening to Duran Duran.

The Internet, especially Google, has allowed regular Joes to make a fortune online. It has put everyone on a level playing field, and how successful you are, really depends on your expertise and efforts.

To find out more about this cult, read Click Here To Order by Joel Comm. You’ll feel like you are peering into a bizarre fantasy world. This fantasy world though, is populated by very real people who just so happen to have accomplished some pretty fantastic things.

Goal-getting

2008-10-27T09:22:00.000-07:00

I'm a big fan of goal-setting because:
1. The mind is an amazing thing and when it has goals in sight, it tends to achieve what you focus on.
2. Putting your intentions out there forces you to make good on them (I call it forced pro-activeness). Which is why I advocate that you tell your friends about your goals too.

So here goes my goals:
- Think about marketing plan for my second book, Sleep & Get Rich!, which is currently being edited (more details coming up!).
- Keep on tweaking my e-book, The Essential Post-pregnancy Weight Loss Guide (http://www.exercisepostpregnancy.com), so that it rakes in five figures a month.
- Explore my new business idea, Unravel (to be unravelled soon).
- Take up Internet Marketing course. I've already signed up for the Asian Internet Congress in December, and am looking forward to that.

To think about:
- Prioritising my current work. I have partnered with a business trainer to carry out seminars together. Our first event coming up next Tues has been overbooked (event details here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=44070134920). Unfortunately, these sessions clash with my evening pilates classes. So, I have to decide if I should cut back on my pilates and focus more on seminars. Problem is, I still really enjoy giving my pilates lessons and don't want to disappoint my clients.
Let's see how it goes next week and I should be able to make my decision...What do you guys think?

Time to get busy :)

8 steps for great marketing

2008-10-25T02:12:00.000-07:00

You’re just starting a business and need more customers, right? You probably should be marketing.

But how? Do you advertise? Host an event? Send out press releases? Exhibit at trade shows? What does it really mean to market your business anyway?

In a sense, marketing is a combination of steps your business takes to identify, attract and retain customers. It includes everything from market research, advertising and packaging to the clothes your employees wear and the smiles on their faces. It may also involve billing practices, customer service, thank you cards, e-mail newsletters and the like.

Marketing is supposed to create awareness and demand for what you offer. So it’s imperative that you identify what sets you apart from the competition. Develop a simple sentence or two that defines the advantage or value you offer and how your customers benefit. Then walk through these simple, eight steps to prep for your marketing campaign.

1. Build a profile of your ideal customer. When you create your marketing message, aim it at them.
2. Base marketing initiatives on accurate information. Find what works for similar companies. Then test your ideas.
3. Make the buying process easy for customers. Simplify everything. Eliminate potential interruptions in the sales process and make decision-making as painless as possible.
4. Have follow-up procedures before you begin. Selling is seldom a single-step process.
5. List the unique benefits your business offers. Then look for ways to incorporate them into your marketing message. Make sure your marketing showcases the special knowledge and expertise your business offers.
6. Inform employees about your marketing objectives. Get them involved and keep them in the loop.
7. Think about marketing as a necessary expense. It gives you an edge with competitors, and it keeps employees motivated when your name is in the public eye.
8. Set a pace that lets you market continuously. Customer memories are short, and they are bombarded with thousands of marketing messages and images daily. Your effort must be ongoing or people will quickly forget. (One way to save money on marketing is to use effective in-house software.)

The bottom line
Marketing is at the very core of your business. It’s important to accurately position yourself before you spend money on it. Also, keep in mind that marketing is an ongoing process. If you treat your efforts with priority, your ability to identify, attract and retain profitable customers should increase.

excerpt from www.startupnation.com

C'mon get happy!

2008-10-21T07:51:00.000-07:00

With all the stress we experience from our hectic schedules, we often forget to take time out. It's downright baffling that many of us feel guilty when we take a break or splurge on a much-needed treat.

You don't need to take a trip to an exotic location like the Caribbean or spend oodles of cash to make yourself feel good. Just check out these simple yet uplifting moves and pick one that will give you that happy buzz:

Stay positive. Too many bad days will take their toll on you. If you're always throwing fits and having meltdowns, your heart will suffer from a great deal of strain. Over time, this response could hurt the cardiovascular system, as well as weaken immunity.

Choose good friends. People with a close circle of friends could outlive those who claim to be contented with "strong family ties." Experts theorize that this happens because you experience more emotional stress with your relatives, whom you're bound to be with whether you like them or not. When it comes to your friends, it's likely that you enjoy their company more because you got to pick them.

Take leaps of faith. Playing it safe is good - but it may keep you from doing something great or prevent you from getting the best things that life has to offer. Risk-takers don't let the outcome of their ventures affect them. Whether or not they got what they wanted or missed it completely is immaterial. The fact that they had the guts to go for their dream goals is more than enough.

Get wet. The air around bodies of water is full of energy-enhancing ions that help bring oxygen to the brain. If the beach is a long way off and there's no pool near you, just open the bathroom window and get into the shower. This "wet session" helps energize and soothe your brain, which, in turn, leads to having clarity and a more positive view on things.

After all, it's not a crime to treat yourself well.

excerpt from www.simpleology.com

A degree is not that important!

2008-10-17T00:06:00.000-07:00

In paper qualification-driven Singapore, it is refreshing to see people defy convention and succeed on pure drive and determination.

As in the case of fashion photographer, Geoff Ang, a Primary school dropout who now earns up to $80,000 a day. See his inspiring story below:

Power secret – Try everything as you only have one life, no rehearsals!

Quote: Stay hungry as you can never have enough success.

● Drops out of school at Primary 6.
● Works as a basket cleaner and coffee boy at dad’s company.
● Picks up photography and shoots his first job at 16.
● Becomes a sought-after fashion photographer and earns up to $15,000 per day.
● Works hard to impress his dad and prove naysayers wrong.
● Geoff is shooting his first feature film now.

This primary school dropout now makes up to $80,000 a day as one of Asia’s most sought after photographers. Geoff Ang started his photography career at a young age, dropping out of Primary 6 and going to work for his dad’s production house. “My dad said that since I can’t study, I’d better pick up a skill and be damn good at it!” he recalls. As the resident basket cleaner and coffee maker at his dad’s company, Geoff took the time to cultivate his interest in photography and shot his first job – a full catalogue for Wilson Sporting Goods, at 16 years old.
After the army, Geoff started a small studio, called Geoff Studio, within his dad’s company. All he had were two lights and a camera from his dad and he started shooting everything from bottles and flowers to food, basically whatever he could get his hands on to hone his craft. He wanted to do fashion photography very badly, but he knew that he had to build up his exposure first, so he shot food and interiors, even specializing in office and hotel interior photography at one point, just to pay the bills. His lucky break soon came. “I had to take portraits of Daniel Yun (of Mediacorp Raintree Productions) for Dunhill and he loved his photos so much that he tasked me to shoot promotional pictures for their top 30 artistes in Mediacorp,” says this 34-year-old. Armed with his portfolio and an arsenal of ideas, Geoff blew everyone away with his stylised, avant-garde pictures of the stars which were publicised in 8-Days magazine. This forward-thinking lens man then ploughed all the profits he got from the job, all $38,000 of it, into a digital photography system which allowed him to tweak, enhance and make his photos into surreal-looking works of art. It was refreshing and never done before. It jolted the fashion industry and all the editors of magazines started calling him to do fashion shoots for them...

p.s. Bill Gates, Google guys, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Steve Jobs and Oracle's Larry Ellison were all school dropouts!

For more inspiring entrepreneurs, check out my book, Boss of Me!, out now in all major bookstores (except Borders) and on Amazon.com.

8 ways to attract more wealth

2008-10-15T06:23:00.000-07:00

1. Give Money Away.
It sounds counter-intuitive but the more you give, the
more you will receive (unless you block the receiving,
which ties into the next step). Always give money with an
open heart. Give in love.

2. Get Clear.
Most people push money away with their hidden limiting
beliefs, such as "money is bad," "rich people are evil,"
"I'm a victim of the financial crisis." Those are beliefs,
not facts. Get clear of them and money will come to you (as
long as you also do the next step).

3. Take Action.
Too many people sit and wait for money to materialize in
front of them. I believe in magic and miracles, but I also
believe that your role in the process of attracting money
is to actually do something to bring it your way. Act on
your ideas right away. "Money likes speed" is my favorite
mantra.

4. Support a Cause.
Want money for a larger purpose. I created Operation YES
to end homelessness. Raising hundreds of thousands of
dollars (or more) for that cause will remove any remaining
prosperity limitations within me. While I won't receive a
dime from Operation YES, my working on its behalf will
attract money to me in other ways, such as the contacts and
goodwill I'll create.

5. Be Grateful.
Be thankful for the money you have - which is probably
considered true wealth by people starving in third world
countries - and you'll begin to attract more money.
Gratitude sends off a signal of appreciation, which brings
to you more to be thankful for. Begin with whatever is in
this moment that you can be sincerely grateful for.

6. Do What You Love.
There's no sense in working at something you hate. If you
are currently at a job you don't like, find a way to enjoy
it for the time you are there while working towards doing
your passion. Following your passion is the greatest secret
of all when it comes to attracting wealth.
Ask yourself what you would do even if you were never
paid. That's a clue to what you should be doing and of
course finding a way to be paid for it. You can attract
more money from love.

7. Expect Success.
The mindset of expectation - expecting that you are now
attracting money and playfully looking around, asking "I
wonder how big money will come to me today?" - will keep
your brain turned on to seek and find opportunities. You of
course then have to take fearless action when you see them.
And most importantly...

8. Get the Support You Need Right Away.
One of the wisest things you can do to achieve any goal is
create or join a professionally coached support group. (In
fact, millions of people live day-to-day with no support
system to help them attract miracles or live their dreams.)
The idea is to be around people who can keep your energy
and inspiration high. While you can make some progress
alone, it's so much easier when you have strong support.

Excerpt from Dr Joe Vitale

Great minds think alike!

2008-10-13T05:12:00.000-07:00

I was recently introduced to Brian Schwartz, author of 50 Interviews. If you like Boss of Me!, you will enjoy 50 Interviews too. Here's the book description in Brian's own words:

50 Interviews: Entrepreneurs contains ‘in their own words’, the unwritten rules of entrepreneurship. 50 empowering role models who prove that you can create something from nothing and in doing so inspire others to take action. What impressed me most after these interviews was the fulfillment that these individuals have in doing what they are passionate about and knowing that they are making a real difference in the lives of others. Whether you are an ‘armchair entrepreneur’, an existing entrepreneur or simply want to pick up some inspiration and useful insights, this book is for you."

The book is scheduled to be released in early 2009. You can register to be notified when the book is available at www.50interviews.com.

In times of turmoil like today, think we all need some uplifting stories to inspire us to stay focused on our goals and not be dragged down by doldrums around us.

p.s. Brian returning the love at http://www.careercliffnotes.com/

Weather the storm

2008-10-08T07:48:00.000-07:00

Here's how you can not only weather but possibly thrive during this economic storm:

If you’ve got to find new ways to make loot, don’t fret. Just put some effort into finding which money-making opportunity might pay off the best for you. As others are worried about their jobs, why not find ways to augment your earnings in the short term by trying some of these ideas.

1. Investigate products you can sell on your website. Consider getting an affiliate account with Commission Junction or LinkShare
2. Sell your own educational products on your expertise, especially if it would help retrain someone out of a job.
3. Expand your offerings to cover new service or product ideas.
4. Shift your existing pricing with the current economy in mind: shorter terms, different payment options, one time deferred first payment, etc.
5. Seek stock opportunities to purchase for your portfolio in their depressed state (if you’re into stocks).
6. Look for project sharing opportunities, especially if you do something that’s somewhat modular like web work.
7. Look for ways to consolidate your business practices with other people. There might be economies involved in partnership that would make a world of difference.
8. Find ways to revamp old products or services or offerings and re-sell them today.
9. Turn 3 hours of your “after work downtime” into “serious business planning” work time.

Quick DON’Ts
Sorry to end on a negative, but while you’re at it, make sure you don’t fall prey to these kinds of situations.

1. Don’t sit around amassing news stories on what’s going wrong. Yep, stuff’s going wrong. Deal.
2. Don’t worry that big companies won’t buy your product or service. Find the product or service that they will buy.
3. Don’t join groups of fired coworkers, no matter what they say the goal is. They are often pools of negativity, and if those folks also don’t have jobs, why would you look for jobs there anyhow?
4. Don’t jump at the first thing just because you like eating. The second thing is almost always right behind it. Give yourself space to evaluate.

Smarter minds than mine will tell you how to weather the storm from the financial perspective, but maybe some of this will help you out.

Any other advice that you want to share with the gang?

Excerpt taken from http://www.chrisbrogan.com

My favourite quote today

2008-10-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

Revenue always begins in dribbles. It is like rain showers. You always get a few drops of rain before the downpour.

Beautifully said. Taken from The Google Story.

p.s. I am laptop-less this week so excuse the lack of posts :)

About Boss of Me!

2008-10-02T07:08:00.000-07:00

I have always been fascinated by successful people and their magic formulas. I devour all their features in the newspapers and watch The World’s Richest People diligently on Discovery Travel and Living.

My heroes include stock market billionaire and world’s richest man, Warren Buffet, who filed his first tax return at age 13, claiming $35 for deduction for the bicycle that he uses to deliver newspapers, Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, who became the world’s youngest billionaire after a mere four years of setting up his social network phenomena and flamboyant Virgin CEO, Richard Branson who started out selling records out of a shoe shop.

In my view, a successful person doesn’t have to make millions, though most of them inadvertently do. He (or she) is someone who believes in himself and his dream. He pursues it, remains steadfast to his vision and emerges as the leader in his chosen field.

While I had endless books to peruse about self-made wonders in America, I could not find much on our local heroes - just bits and bops from newspapers and magazines. Taking matters into my own hands, I decided that I will unearth these amazing people in Singapore and immortalise their achievements in a book. They deserve to have their stories told and should get rightful space on the book shelves…and that was how Boss of Me! was conceived. I

n a way, I have always believed in being a boss of myself as I left a full-time job to pursue my passions and have now fulfilled one of my goals of being an author.

Picking the list of 20 to interview was a challenging task as I had to narrow my scope and pick only one outstanding person to profile in each industry. All of my interviewees followed their passions, worked hard and became outstanding leaders in their respective fields.

Once I started work on my book, everything began materialising like magic - I found my publisher within a day and by one week, 10 interviewees had said yes and I was frantically trying to slot them in for interviews.

Boss of Me! is my labour of love – done over three months of wonderful coffee sessions with my icons and I am proud to share with readers the power secrets and life stories of these 20 movers and shakers. Each of them lifted me up and showed me that impossible is possible - as long as you genuinely love what you do and go about doing it with your own set of rules.

I hope their stories inspire you as much as it did for me and serve as a reminder for everyone to stay on track to reach their goals. It is proof that you should not live out your life in a cubicle, if your passion lies elsewhere. Bite the bullet and follow your dreams - all you need is bravery, support from loved ones and lots of drive.

Table of contents:
1. Alvin Giam, Pilates Bodyworks
PILATES HEALER

2. Aldrin Quek, OneWithMusic
DANCE MUSIC AMBASSADOR

3. Geoff Ang, Geoff Studio
FASHION-FORWARD LENS MAN

4. Lincoln Cheng, Zouk
NIGHTLIFE MAVEN

5. Wee Kok Wah, Stamford Tyres
BUSINESS MOGUL

6. Ling Hao, Linghao Architects
EDGY HOUSE BUILDER

7. Cynthia Chua, Spa Esprit Group
MARKETING GENIUS

8. Chris Lee, The Asylum
CREATIVE COWBOY

9. Louis Ng, ACRES
ANIMAL RENEGADE

10. Dr Georgia Lee, TLC Medical Center
AESTHETICS GLAMAZON

11.Chua Shenzi, NewUrbanMale.com
YOUTH TREND-SETTER

12. Kathryn Yap, CTPartners
HIGH-FLYING HEADHUNTER

13. Dr Lisa Ng, SG Immunology Network
LIFE-SAVING SCIENTIST

14. Daniel Tay, Bakerzin
BAKING MAVERICK

15. Lee Wai Leng, Flee Circus
ACCLAIMED ARTIST

16. Ban Yinh Jheow, STIKFAS
MILLIONAIRE TOYMAKER

17. Tjin Lee, Mercury Marketing & Communications
EVENTS EXTRAORDINAIRE

18. Indranee Rajah, Drew & Napier/Tanjong Pagar MP
SUPERWOMAN LAWMAKER

19. Wendy Leong, SilkAir
CAPTAIN OF THE SKY

20. Royston Tan, Studio10Twentyeight
BAD BOY FILM MAKER

Chapter sample: Lincoln Cheng, Zouk

Power secret – Always be the pioneer in everything that you do!

Quote: Success to me is running a profitable business with happy employees.

● Attends Woodstock in 1979.
● Parties around the world in super cool clubs like Studio 54 and Hacienda.
● Introduces steel structures and luxury boating to Hong Kong.
● Lincoln proposes building a world class marina at Marina South in 1983 but is turned down by URA.
● Opens Zouk in 1991.
● Transforms it into one of the world’s best clubs.

Whoever says you can’t have fun and make tons of money at the same time has never met Zouk club founder and nightlife maven, Lincoln Cheng. Born in Hong Kong, he went to study architecture in the US and it was his chance encounter with Woodstock that forever changed his life. “I was doing summer school at Cornell University and Woodstock was being held just 30 miles away. Curious, my friends and I drove down to have a look. And once you’re there, with 250,000 people crowding around, there was no turning back and so we stayed for three days…but I shall not go into the details of what happened,” he recalls, relieving his hippie days with relish.

With his music interest fired up, he became a regular at legendary festivals like Summer of Love and Woodstock, as well as travelled around the world to party in uber-cool clubs like Studio 54, Paradise Garage and Hacienda. It was during one of his yearly jaunts to party island, Ibiza, where he caught DJ Alfredo, otherwise known as the godfather of Balearic house, a new blend of dance music that was very different from the usual pop tunes played commercially back then.

This new sound intrigued Lincoln’s savvy ears and he was hooked! “In the 1980s, dance music was very underground and it was only played in clubs for black or gay people,” explains this youthful looking 60-year-old. Recalling his early party days with much clarity, he says, “I hunted for secret rave parties that started at 6am and it was very exciting as we had to pick up clues along the way before arriving at the destination. We would make pit-stops at gas stations to call someone for clues or follow cars heading to the same party. They were fun times.”

When Hong Kong was handed over to China in 1997, Lincoln decided to leave and chose Singapore because of its ‘English-speaking Asian society’. He ran a couple of businesses – from architecture to system furniture for the office, all of which did well, but Lincoln had a grander idea brewing. His dream came into fruition when he came upon an abandoned warehouse at Kim Seng Road. It was exactly what he had in mind for a super club. Together with four other investors, which he eventually bought out after a few years, Lincoln sank in $10 million dollars - an unheard of sum in 1990, to build his dream vision – a club called Zouk…

Boss of Me! is available at all major bookstores (except Borders) in Singapore and on Amazon.com for $15. It is also available in Malaysia, India, Hong Kong…and maybe Sydney soon.

How I tripled traffic to my blog in 1 month

2008-09-30T12:49:00.000-07:00

Tired of spamming your friends? Here are some alternatives to increasing traffic to your website:

1.Contribute articles to content providers with a link back to your website. My favourites include Articlesphere.com and EzineArticles.com.

2.Make comments on relevant websites and blogs. One of my business tips got picked up by Ladieswholaunch.com, an entrepreneurial website for women, and circulated on their newsletter.

3. Subscribe to Help A Reporter Out (HARO) which is a PR email listing down media enquiries around the world. This is my best-kept secret and through it, I have contributed to many blogs and even had my book, Boss of Me! picked up for review by an Australian magazine.

4. Leave a signature in your email with your website address and link. This makes every email a PR exercise.

5. Offer to write for relevant newsletters. Don’t discount off-line links. Email links are equally important when it comes to marketing. I have offered to write for the email newsletters of Singapore Business and Association of Small and Medium Enterprise (ASME) starting from October – giving me 14,800 new eyeballs.

The best part? All the above strategies are FREE!

Life lessons learnt from F1

2008-09-28T12:08:00.000-07:00

After a heady weekend of fast cars and parties, I'm exhausted and walk away with newfound respect for the Formula One drivers. Here are some life lessons we can learn from them:

1. Always be prepared

"You have to be ready for something that is coming but you don't know when or where," says Heikki Kovalainen. Just like them, we should always be three-steps ahead and anticipate all the twists and turns that life sometimes throws us.

2. Being mentally strong

The most important job for an F1 driver is to drive their pants off in the car. They have to be switched on 110%, as they need a good memory and awareness to communicate to the mechanics and engineers what the car is doing. Keeping our brain alert and sharp is crucial to stay ahead of competition and retain and delight our customers.

3. Physically fit

Formula One drivers need a unique combination of power, aerobic fitness and mental strength to handle speeds of more than 200mph and forces of more than 5G for 90 minutes at a time. They train like marathoners and are one of the fittest athletes around. Being physically fit keeps our brains active for the "marathon" of running our own business. Keeping well will also let you enjoy your fruits of labour better.

4. Being commited

These drivers race on average one-and-a-half days a week throughout the year, but the rest of their time is spent preparing for that. As I always like to say, opportunity is good luck combined with preparation...and lots of it! When you have done your homework and am on top of your game, you will be better equipped to make the most out of life's opportunities.

5. Never giving up

My heart went out to Felipe Massa who had an unfortunate pit-lane accident that robbed him of his potential victory. Despite being incorrectly given the green light, this guy with the big heart refused to blame anyone for the incident and instead vowed to give his best shot in overturning the gap between himself and Hamilton. If we could only learn one lesson from F1, this would be it.

How to prosper during the recession

2008-09-24T02:03:00.000-07:00

If you're prepared for difficult economic times and have the right tools, there is no reason to worry about your financial future. History has shown it is possible not only to survive but to prosper in these times.

During the great depression, huge fortunes were made by many. The Kennedy, Rothschild and Rockefeller families all dramatically increased their fortunes throughout the depression. But it wasn't just the rich who got richer - many ordinary citizens found a way to not only survive but thrive during a poor economy.

What I am doing to recession-proof myself:

1. Create various sources of income. I currently have 6 sources –

Active income:
- Pilates
- Freelance writing

Passive income:
- My three books (Boss of Me!, Sleep & Get Rich!, The Essential Post-pregnancy Weight Loss Guide)
- Pilates DVD (upcoming)

2. Selecting recession-proof industries like healthcare and motivational books.

3. Be open to opportunities (I am currently exploring another business venture).

4. Staying positive.

Want to know how to create passive income for yourself?

Look out for my second book, Sleep & Get Rich! where top 10 passive income earners show you the way.

I'd like to leave you with this quote: "Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her: but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game."

Inspiring people

2008-09-21T01:03:00.000-07:00

I am so thankful that my work gives me the opportunity to meet fascinating people.

From philanthropic millionaires to shrewd businessmen (or both!), my sessions with them are always a lively discourse of shared ideas. I walk away emboldened, invigorated and validated every time.

Most recently, I met up with Dr Ting Choon Meng. Google his name and you will see that he is an inventor disguised as a GP. Gregarious and endearingly clumsy, he made headlines for turning down a $420 million offer to buy over one of his companies (to find out his reason, you'll have to wait for my book, Sleep & Get Rich! - out next year).

The money doesn’t matter to him as he is already wealthy beyond reason in his heart and mind. We talked about “mining our oil fields”, how China and India are becoming behemoths in the financial industry and JK Rowling. I am joining him at the next gathering for his association of inventors, called the Fellowship of Inventors, and may even give a talk there (Dr Ting insists that I am an inventor…duh!). I am also nurturing some invention ideas in my head. Would be fun to create a product…

I have also been roped in to help my friend’s efforts at Youth Challenge. Run by Landy Eng, a well-known angel investor, the charity’s focus is on a halfway house in Laos set up for girls and women rescued from human trafficking. Looks like a trip to Laos is in order...

Who knows, maybe inventor and philanthropist will soon be added to my multi-hyphenate…and I am feeling extremely blessed to have the time and resources to explore all these varied and exciting opportunities!

This boring headline is written for Google

2008-09-19T01:43:00.000-07:00

If you are a business owner building your website or a PR executive, pay special attention:

Google (and other search engines) are forcing newspapers to change their approach to writing news headlines.

In newspapers and magazines, for example, section titles and headlines are distilled nuggets of human brainwork, tapping context and culture. “Part of the craft of journalism for more than a century has been to think up clever titles and headlines, and Google comes along and says, ‘The heck with that,’ ” observed Ed Canale, vice president for strategy and new media at The Sacramento Bee.

It’s not just traditional news media either. Bloggers also have to sacrifice creativity in order to have a greater chance of being found in news search engines.

It’s not just news media though. Web designers have no choice but to change the way they create websites. For years, they’ve been told not to use Flash or to limit JavaScript, otherwise the search engines will ignore them.

As a result, we’re losing all sense of creativity on the web.

In other words, if you are looking to sell leather handmade bags online, you should have a static (boring) website with the key words (do your Google keyword search) – Leather handmade bags in your header, and NOT some pretty website with flash and something creative (but ambiguous) like, This is even better than sex…

Get the point? Do you want money or do you want to look good?

You choose.

excerpt taken from www.marketingpilgrim.com

21 reasons why starting your own business is similar to prostitution

2008-09-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

I'll probably get flak for this post...but what the heck.

Here are the reasons:

1. You are both after money.
2. The more clients you have, the more money you’ll make.
3. You have to look good.
4. It is tiring work.
5. You have to be careful who you deal with.
6. There are good days and there are bad days.
7. Competition is stiff.
8.The better you are, the more business you’ll get.
9. Looks are not everything, service is more important.
10. You don’t need a degree.
11. Experience is not required.
12. Relatively low cost to start.
13. You have to work weekends and all through the night.
14. You lose touch with friends and family.
15. Marketing aka “pimping” is important.
16. It’s lucrative.
17. You don’t need a business plan.
18. Self-improvement is key to survival.
19. You can stand to lose everything.
20. It helps to have “connections”.
21. More assets = more value.

Gives a whole new meaning to "whoring yourself out".

2008-09-15T08:57:00.000-07:00

I am as happy as a frolicking puppy in a park as my “babies” have just arrived from Amazon.

Books and I have been engaged in a torrid love affair for years, and how I feel for them is similar to how some girls feel about shoes or bags. I don’t enjoy shopping and display the mannerisms of a man when I am in a store with my girlfriends (disinterest and a tendency to wander off). That explains my pathetic wardrobe which my girlfriend remarks is like a six-year-old boy’s (he’ll probably have more shoes than me).

My bookshelf is a different ballgame altogether...It is very likely that I have to buy ANOTHER shelf to contain my books. When no one is looking, I fondle the pages of my books lovingly.

I may have a fetish.

Workaholic Anonymous

2008-09-15T02:01:00.000-07:00

I'm going to try not to think about work today. Reason being I've just spent the last few months doing stuff non-stop, think I need a brief respite to refresh myself. So, I'm going to read and go for a long walk/run later at Mt Faber. Looking forward to that!

Here are more reasons why we should slow down:

1. Haste leads to waste. "Taking a moment to slow down can actually help your productivity," says Dr. Kirk Byron Jones, author of Addicted to Hurry. So, take a breather and cleanse your mind to make room for new ideas. Many workaholics often make the mistake of coming up with mediocre work just so they could finish as many tasks as possible. Sadly, their efforts are in vain, as the work's substandard state doesn't make the grade.

2. All work and no play make you dull. Being serious is great--but it's not advisable to be "too serious." The folks at Slow Down Now, a site that injects humor into the lives of workaholics, certainly think that injecting humor will contribute to one's creativity.

3. Keeping it simple is sensational. In Slowing Down to the Speed of Life: How to Create a More Peaceful, Simpler Life From the Inside Out, authors Richard Carlson and Joseph Bailey assert that workaholics risk losing their capacity to feel childlike joy over "little triumphs." Workaholics, for example, wouldn't feel proud about getting through a meeting. They'll only be happy when they feel that they've trumped everyone else's efforts.

10 things you DON'T need to start your own business

2008-09-14T10:20:00.000-07:00

1. A degree

2. Experience

3. Lots of capital

4. An office (see my solopreneur note below)

5. A business plan

6. A website

7. Hire staff

8. A blackberry

9. A business partner

10. An investor

excerpt taken from http://www.toiletpaperentrepreneur.com/

Hard drive

2008-09-12T01:12:00.000-07:00

I'm mid-way through Hard Drive which is about Bill Gates and the making of the Microsoft empire, and already I am in awe of this incredible man. No wonder he became the world's richest man. His vision, persistence and focus is unparelleled!

Some highlights:

- Everything is a competition to this man, even a friendly poker game and he will not rest till he has won.

- He is known for clocking 36 hour days, only to collapse in a heap under his desk, blanket over his head. He is revived easily with a cup of coffee.

- Super-cerebal, he can take on lawyers, programmers and bosses of big companies, even at 21. His photographic memory allows him to read, understand and remember tedious business books which he devoured in Harvard while other students read Playboy.

- A visionary, he saw the future of personal computers and how we would do away with paper and pen and just communicate via our PCs...this was back in the 70s when computers cost millions and only big companies had them. He also told everyone that he would be a millionaire at 25.

- Looks can be deceiving. Bill Gates looks much younger than his 21 years, especially with his floppy hair, acne and sloppy dressing. His non-threatening looks belie an astute business mind and he is often underestimated by deal-makers and competitors.

- He is known for his tantrums, tendency to speed, arrogance (he has a penchant for calling people" stupid" or "idiots") and habit of rocking to and fro when he is in a meeting (it is common to walk into a sale meeting at Microsoft and find him and his group of managers rocking in tandem).

I find him fascinating.

What are you waiting for?

2008-09-11T09:01:00.000-07:00

The Internet, especially today's interactive Web 2.o, has paved the way for ordinary folks to make millions. Thousands of netpreneurs are springing up everyday and there are gazillions of success stories.

I am not talking about big boys like Google or Facebook. But solopreneurs, which represent a big majority of people in the online world who work from home (I am a solopreneur who works out of my sofa). One great example is blogger, John Chow (http://www.johnchow.com/) , a Canadian, "dot com mogul" who makes money from telling people how much money he makes, literally (if you really want to know, he makes $30,000 per month!).

Blogging is big business these days and you can make serious money from it, and John shares his wisdom and tips generously on his blog. Best part? You don't even have to a techie to be a success. According to John, you need to blog about unique content, cultivate good relations with similar websites so that they will link to your site (remember, the Google spider loves links, so more links = higher rankings on the search engine) and tweak, tweak tweak constantly.

Bloggers like him make money from a wide variety of ways, from Google Adsense ads to paid reviews. As long as you command high traffic, money will find you.

I find it truly inspiring and the next time you are feeling the Monday blues or having a bad day at work, I suggest you go to http://www.johnchow.com/ to find out how you can escape the rat race...

My strange problem-solving ritual

2008-09-11T03:27:00.000-07:00

I'm going to share a secret...

Whenever I come across a challenge and can't think of a solution, I'll take out a piece of paper and write this:

1. Challenge - list out the issue as clearly as you can.
2. Action 1 - leave blank
3. Action 2 - leave blank
4. Action 3 - leave blank
5. Timeline - usually a week

Then I will tuck the paper away and trust my mind to give me some ideas by the dateline stipulated. Letting my unconscious mind (before sleeping) run with the problem usually gives me pretty good ideas and somehow, even though the paper is hidden, my mind remains totally alert to it - drawing people, circumstances and events to provide solutions.

You'll be surprised at what you can come up with. Sure beats the other alternative of banging head repeatedly against the wall.

Ok, enough hocus pocus for now.

* Update: I have received requests for examples, here goes: My own case study.

Challenge: Sell truckloads of Boss of Me!

The solutions I came up with:

Action 1: Contribute to newsletters of business associations which goes out to 14,000 corporate eyeballs.

Action 2: Organise a Boss of Me! event to sell books in bulk.

Action 3: Book review in Think Big, an Australian magazine distributed in 2,500 news stands across Sydney.

Action 4: Guest blog on one of the highest ranking blogs in the world, http://www.johnchow.com/, http://www.problogger.net/ or http://www.shoemoney.com

Persistence is the Mother of all good luck...I didn't sit around and wait for the answers to fall on me. Instead, I researched online and one thing just led to another...of course having the thick skin to write to relevant sources helps.

I am very grateful and if all goes well, I am on my way to achieving my desired GOAL!

Do you have G-cred?

2008-09-06T06:54:00.000-07:00

G cred (n.): Google credibility. What someone sees when they Google your name, business, product, organization or whatever. It’s an increasingly important measure of legitimacy and how seriously someone will take you.

As Google and the Web continue to mature, online visibility will equate to credibility on every level. It does now in this Web 2.0 world, through blogs and a myriad of social media sites that have become a respected, easily accessible and exponentially expanding source of cred. In short, word of mouth on steroids.

Respected marketing gurus like Tom Peters and Seth Godin have been preaching the value of building one’s “personal brand” for years. In The Brand You, Peters explains how career survival is not about blending in but about standing out:

“Regardless of age, position or the business we happen to be in, we need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You.”

If you do a Google search on yourself and little comes up, or it’s dated, well that’s not good. If you happen to be someone in the marketing communications business and that happens, you’d better hope it’s not a potential client or customer doing the searching.

For more information on building your G-cred, check out John Follis' blog: http://thefollisreport.com/

I am building my G-cred via article contributions to:

www.Sellingbooks.com
Habla blog (www.wardspeaking.com/blog)
www.Smallbusinessceomagazine.com
Gurupak books

Ladies Who Launch partnership directory (http://www.ladieswholaunch.com/)
www.Ezinearticles.com
www.Articlesphere.com…and many more.

Exciting update: Think Big, an Australian magazine, would like to review Boss of Me!

About Think Big:

Think Big Magazine is published by Mindset Media Pty Ltd. Think Big has been developed to capture and reflect the values and tools of leaders, inspirational people, entrepreneurs and every day wisdom. We are interested in stories that inspire and motivate people. Think Big writers and contributors are leaders in their fields and include Chris Howard, John Demartini and Justin Herald plus many more. Think Big is published every two months and is the only magazine in its class that features a full online version. Think Big is distributed through 2,500 Australian newsagents and is available through paid subscription. Back copies are distributed through Universal and Chris Howard events and other events. Think Big also has a VIP subscriber list of over 1,000.

(Many thanks to Peter Shankman!)

Die standing

2008-09-04T08:10:00.000-07:00

I died standing today. Not literally but figuratively, of course.

I had a meeting with a top trainer and events organiser for entrepreneuralism to explore ways to promote my book, Boss of Me! I was ill-prepared, inexperienced (in the events department) and sorely lacking sleep. The result: I asked all the wrong questions (even asking the same question 3 x!) and had no concrete proposal.

Luckily, he was a very nice guy and offered advice. The amazing thing is, he still wants to work with me! So, we are jointly organising a Boss of Me! event. This will be a great branding and sales platform for my book.

Despite my terrible show, I walked away with valuable lessons from our short one hour discussion. Events is a totally new direction for me and I am part excited, part filled with trepidation. But, what the hell! I'll rather die standing than live the rest of my life on my knees!

Wish me luck :)

AWE5OME profile

2008-09-02T01:17:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the crew at AWE5OME:

http://www.awe50me.com/2008/09/pearlin-seow-singapore.html

(p.s. my surname is spelt wrongly on the link, haha)

Sleep & Get Rich!

2008-08-28T09:26:00.000-07:00

To write my first book, Boss of Me!, I had the privilege of hanging out with many successful people and hours were spent chatting as I delved into their psyche to find out what makes them tick. I realized that great entrepreneurs have a three-step formula that's present across the board. And, I am going to share my privileged knowledge with you.

Formula 1: Only the best will do. They identify what really works in business by learning from the best experts in the world. They do their research thoroughly and avoid the self-serving-hype that's marketed as "the next great solution".

Formula 2: Learn very well. They systematically study and retain what they're taught. You won’t find them skimming material, breezing through books and yawning at seminars. Like scientists, they absorb, ponder, analyze and review the material over and over again.

Formula 3: Application is key. They develop tunnel vision and focus on their objective. They go and do the work…and pay the price. They take the risks and understand that no matter how much knowledge they have, only action will help them achieve their goals.

That is why for my second book, Sleep & Get Rich!, I tracked down 10 top passive income earners to play mentor and help readers eager to emulate their incredible success. Passive income stands for money that is generated automatically and regularly, from a source or multiple sources other than your 9-to-5 job and money-making gurus extol it as the best way to get rich.

Case in point: a large part of renowned wealth guru, Robert Kiyosaki's teachings focus on generating passive income by means of investment opportunities, such as real estate and small businesses, with the ultimate goal of being able to support oneself by such investments alone. Building wealth through passive income is exciting because it does not require you to change careers or work two jobs. It keeps more cash in your pocket and releases you from job dependency, making you truly financially free.

Most people have no idea what they can do for passive income. This book sheds light on the Top 10 passive income jobs and the people who have done so successfully. These gurus will provide a step-by-step guide on how you too can implement passive income into your life as well as share their challenges and million-making ideas. Learn how you can get paid multiple times for the same work – for example, write a book or license an innovative idea and collect royalties for years; become a multi-level marketer and get a piece of every sale made by others in the organisation. The dollars will literally roll in while you sleep!

Sleep & Get Rich! will contain information so well explained that many who read this book will find it hard to resist implementing one, if not several, of this book’s recommended income strategies. It will provide readers with role models that they can “model” themselves after and their real-life examples will definitely inspire readers.

It sure did for me! Already a passive income earner? Email me and maybe we can share tips :)

Busy like a bee

2008-08-27T10:47:00.000-07:00

How is it that I am working all day...and enjoying every single minute of it?

The website for my ebook is finally ready. WE'RE IN BUSINESS!

We will be launching our ebook, The Essential Post-pregnancy Weight Loss Guide through a private sale to a database of 20,000 pregnant women.

For a peek, go to http://www.exercisepostpregnancy.com/

I've also been working to promote my book, Boss of Me! stealthily online via article submissions to relevant websites, business blogs, online magazines and newsletter contributions. Am also, in talks with trainers of entrepreneuralism to see how we can work together.

A chronic workaholic, I'm midway through my second book, which promises to deliver a swift kick to the butt and teach you how to make money while you sleep!

Goodbye rat race, hello financial freedom!

Next up, filming my Pilates DVD.

But before that, some well-deserved R&R (well, not exactly since my itinerary says ADVENTURE!) to Nepal and Bali (www.balistreetdogs.com here I come!).

After this year's crazy schedule, I might just take next year off to sit around and contemplate my belly button lint…that is, until the next AMAZING idea hits me square on my head.

How to sell books by the truckloads

2008-08-20T06:45:00.000-07:00

I agree with Mark Bennett, the self-published author who sold five million books to companies, that selling books in mass quantities is the way to go. Distributing to the book stores and waiting for individuals to buy your books is pittance. The big moolah is to go direct to companies.

I have taken the first step by offering to be a contributor to the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises’ (ASME) e-newsletter which goes out to 14,000 company eyeballs.
Some ideas:
1. Give Boss of Me! as incentive for motivational seminars.
2. Use Boss of Me! as case studies for business schools.
3. Use Boss of Me! to inspire employees at insurance, real estate and network marketing companies.
4. Give Boss of Me! to inspire incubatees of venture capitalist companies.

Now, how do I get 20 companies to each buy 50,000 copies of Boss of Me!?