November 29th, 2012 
Stores on Steroids 
Typically, those blessed with an entrepreneurial spirit tend to gravitate towards the internet. And not the “let me update my status” side of the internet.
No, we tend to congregate to the other end of the spectrum, where questions are asked, markets are analyzed, and traffic numbers are plugged into spreadsheets.
This isn’t your typical 40-hours a week, stable salary lifestyle.
No… with the internet, pay comes in waves. There are big bonuses, and little bonuses. Big waves and little waves.
So what keeps you going?
It’s a little different in each case, but every entrepreneur has that unique blend of inquisitive nature and drive that pushes them to be different.
To feed that interest, you need to work on yourself. I always suggest finding times in your day where you waste time and effort without even realizing it.
For example, one of the biggest time-thieves out there is your daily commute.
Sure, 15 minutes to work doesn’t seem too bad, but look at it more closely.
That’s 30 minutes a day you’re in your car… doing nothing but driving.
That’s two and a half hours a week. Over 10 hours a MONTH!
What could you accomplish if you were given that time back?
I suggest that you use that time to invest in yourself. It’s quite easy to download an audiobook, put it on your phone, and listen to it through your car speakers on your way to and from work everyday.
Here are a few books I suggest you download to get you started:
The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss
This book has changed the way I view everything. The author, Timothy Ferriss, asks a simple question- What if you could remove yourself, the biggest bottleneck in your company, from the day-to-day work grind?
He then explores ways to outsource tasks to experts who are smarter and better equipped at handling these tasks then you are.
After listening to this audiobook, I went from working with two people under me to effectively managing a team of ten.
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis
This book outlines the story of the cash-strapped Oakland A’s, run by GM Billy Beane, who always felt uneasy with “business as usual” in professional baseball. He’s been quoted as saying “if everyone is thinking the same thing, then no one is really thinking.” He then set off to search for new baseball knowledge, and applied it to his own team.
His efforts led to multiple playoff appearances (despite being one of the poorest teams in Major League Baseball), revolutionizing the way front offices operate through professional sports, and even a major movie starring Brad Pitt.
Now, I’ve been told that you don’t need to be a baseball fan to enjoy this book (which I recommend over just watching the film). I wouldn’t know, since I’m a huge fan. But this I know for certain: the spirit that author Michael Lewis captures in this book leads to out-of-the-box thinking.
I told you I was a fan.
Like Moneyball, The Extra 2% brings you in Major League Baseball. This time, it outlines an improbable worst-to-first story of the Tampa Bay Rays.
It was bad enough that the Rays were the laughing stock of all of baseball… but to be expect to compete in the same division as the powerhouse Yankees and Red Sox seemed ridiculous.
You’ll hear about how the Rays went from last place in their division in 2007 to the World Series in 2008… and since then, they’ve had four consecutive winning seasons and three playoff appearances.
You’re a rare breed, internet marketer. Invest in yourself. Even if you don’t listen to these audiobooks, I highly recommend you spend your daily commute learning.
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