7 Little Choices That Can Wreck Your Business and Your Life

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7 Little Choices That Can Wreck Your Business and Your Life is now officially available for download! You can go right to http://rickbutts.com/7/ and get your copy now!

I’m posting this page on my blog so that you can make any comments you like about the book. I’m excited to read your thoughts in these unusual ideas, and will respond to every one.7 Little Choices That Can Wreck Your Business and Your Life by Rick Butts

If you don’t have the book yet – go to the link above and get it, read it, dig it, have fun and laugh with it, and come back here to tell me how you feel about the ideas and implications.

Thanks for being a part of my life, and the whole writing and creative business adventure. 8-)


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  • http://www.Heroine-ism.com Amy Miyamoto

    Hi Rick,
    I’m excited to get to see your video hot off the presses. Not only do I LOVE how you explore these 7 pivotal choices for idea entrepreneurs, I also love how you are modeling “Getting Real” via your video invitation.
    P.S. You wouldn’t be you without that “little dog” clip!
    Keep it up my friend! ;)
    Amy (@LotusAmy on twitter)

  • http://RickButts.com Rick

    Look Amy – I would prefer not to have the dog in the videos. She’s an annoying creature who brings very little to the table. But, she has a contract.

    Note to self: never sign a contract with a dog…

    Thanks Amy 8-)

  • http://LivingInAHumanSuit.com Scott Brandon Hoffman

    Hey Rick,

    Darn, my Twitter fingers were too slow, Amy beat me here LOL!

    I love the dog clip too, and I love the “Idea Entrepreneur” we are a different breed, (much cooler than the sheep I might add), not to mention that we thrive on “unpredictability” because we know that’s what keeps the passion engine fired up.

    If it was all figured out ahead of time, then there would be no fun to the game, those who risk with passion, AND authenticity doing what they love, will continue to thrive anytime, anywhere.

    Rock on my cool friend, let’s keep this new Renaissance/Creative Revolution in motion.

    Peace,
    Scott
    AKA@TheEntertainer
    .-= Scott Brandon Hoffman´s last blog ..The Spiritual Haircut: A Real Life Seinfeld Moment =-.

  • http://screencastprofits.com Lon Naylor

    Rick,

    If the dog isn’t 2.6 years old yet, then the contract may not be legally binding… ;-)

    Great post!

    Lon Naylor

  • http://www.terrancecharles.com/blog Terrance Charles

    Good stuff Rick, I was on the Ustream for a minute too, just downloaded the book ;-)
    .-= Terrance Charles´s last blog ..Top 100 Most Helpful Twitter Tips… =-.

  • http://RickButts.com Rick

    Hey Gang! Thanks for being on the Ustream tv show tonight – I’ll be posting some of the video from that show after careful (not) editing. I was totally surprised at some of the stuff that came out.

    Interesting how being on with a group of people I knew – or know of through social media – made it a conversation. I don’t like that ya’ll can only type, but not sure that if there was an audio conversation it would have the same kind of broadcast feel.

    As for the dog in the video – funny – but EVERYONE mentions that – and in the actual timeline (which I sped up to make funnier) my dog is only on the screen for 1.2 seconds!

    Maybe if I was only in this video for 1.2 seconds – people who like me better too!

    Thanks ya’ll

    Rick

  • http://www.HueinaSu.com Hueina Su

    Hi Rick:

    This is AWESOME! Love the video – I can certainly relate to what you said about idea entrepreneurs! LOL

    I just watched the Stardust webinar — What a surprise to see myself and the Invisible Chaos featured in your webinar! :)

    YOU ROCK!!

    Hueina (@HueinaSu)

  • http://rachaelbutts.com Rachael Butts

    I agree, a lot of internet marketing stuff out there is for people who want to get into Internet Marketing, what about us who already are!!!

    I <3 Little.

  • JT Chandler

    I did as you asked and shared your book with “both” my friends. Between the two of us I think distribution might be up to 6 now… maybe 7 (if you count us).

    Wow! This social media viral malarkey thing you taught me really is effective when you get motivated.

    I should put something useful here, like a link to my new book

  • http://www.forwardbounce.com David

    Hey Rick,

    Love the stuff! However…didn’t feel the need to be “argumentative”about any of the 7 items. Makes perfect sense to me!

    Thanks for the frank delivery!

    David

  • http://RickButts.com Rick

    Hueina – David – and for sure Rachael -

    Thanks for commenting on the blog. You get an automatic link back to your site because of the comment luv plugin. Thanks for the kind words about the little ebook.

    The implications of this are starting to take the form of actionable items I’ll be talking more about here.

  • http://lisasuttora.com Lisa Suttora

    Hey Rick,
    AWESOME book! This is a MUST READ for everyone who is an idea-entrepreneur…

    (and I think even for employee-class entrepreneurs – many of whom I suspect after years of formal schooling and working in a job have had the ideas squashed out of them and may be ready for a new path!)

    As an idea-entrepreneur, I wish this book had been around when I got started online in 2002. The insights that you’ve shared would have saved me a lot of time and mistakes. (True I’ve learned a lot from my experiences, but reading your book was much more enjoyable) :-)

    It’s interesting – looking back at when I started there was this Internet Marketing Business model – that everyone aspired to and it was framed as the only way to be successful and make money.

    But like many things in our world – running a successful business has gone “long tail” and the “top 10″ business model no longer rules the world. Thank goodness.

    I think a lot of idea entrepreneurs especially – after years of buying “the systems” have realized that the systems don’t work for them.

    But that leaves us with the question of “Well, if that doesn’t work, now what do I do?” Your book and the message that you’ve been sharing in your videos speaks to that question.

    I appreciate that you’re laying out a fresh path for those who don’t want to run a businesses in the traditional manner… and bringing this mindset to light.

    Lisa
    .-= Lisa Suttora´s last blog ..New: 10 Steps to Holiday Selling Success – The Checklist =-.

  • http://semadvantage.com Kevin Reid

    Rick,

    You are hitting your stride after the past year of moving adventures. The opportunity for the one-on-one’s gives that social time you need and UStream allows for the spontaneous humor to come out.

    I’m currently stuck somewhere between ‘employee-class’ and ‘idea-entrepreneur’. I thought this would be my breakout year, but several day-job challenges depleted my mental reserves for the second shift.

    Writing a book is certainly a big boost to authority – finding a good editor/friend to keep the content on track can make all the difference.

    Great to see you having so much fun!
    .-= Kevin Reid´s last blog ..Track Online Results or Pray? =-.

  • http://RickButts.com Rick

    Hey Kevin – got your email – thanks for the great note – and for your encouragement. You have to be one of the nicest people I know online (or off.)

    My goal was not to offend anyone who is working for someone else, regardless of if they are the kind of people who prefer a job (employee class) or temporary displaced idea entrepreneurs.

    You have always struck me as a guy who would flourish in your own business – IF you aren’t so nice you give away the farm – and charge plenty for your big SEO and web smarts!

    These are difficult times for starting something without a pretty solid underpinning of cash flow. Timing is everything man. I do think that the 7 choices contain some very good clues as to what to DO to create that sort of business that pays you the kind of money to keep your family eating regularly – perhaps it’s time to examine the assumptions you’ve always had about the SEO aspect as a private business.

    What do people really want today – and are willing to pay for from web consultants?

    I think they want one thing – customers who buy.

    Rick

  • http://semadvantage.com Kevin Reid

    And you’re one of the few people who consistently makes me laugh out loud.

    No offense taken on the ‘employee class’ – society needs people who seek those employment arrangements (and I’ve been glad to have employment to pay the bills).

    I agree the 7 choices do make an impact on how one’s business can succeed. Failure to identify your target customer and chasing opportunities are killers for sure. For me, in my current attempts, it’s having enough creative brain power at the end of the day to work the tasks.

    I think you’d be pleased with the pricing on my last 3 clients – and they are currently pleased with their results. But man, SEO is less of what I’m interested in and lead generation/conversion is becoming more my interest. But it still requires techie stuff that can suck the life out of you! Even paying someone else to do it is draining.

    I’ll keep working at refining my niche ;-)

    Kevin
    .-= Kevin Reid´s last blog ..Track Online Results or Pray? =-.

  • http://RickButts.com Rick

    Good for you Kevin!

    You are a talented guy with a great heart. Timing is everything and you are doing the right thing by sharpening your tools, and keeping your eye out for the next right opportunity for you!

  • http://russrave.com Russ

    Hey Rick,
    just finished reading your 7 choices pdf and really enjoyed it. I can very vividly recall reading a book when I was 20 by Robert J Ringer which was titled “Looking Out For #1″ you’ll remember it as it was a best seller. I’ve got to say that that was one book that was life changing for me (from a perspective viewpoint) as a young man with a world of hope and grand ambitions at heart. Your 7 Choices book, it’s style and message very much resonated with me in a similar manner to Ringer’s book. I wouldn’t say that it’s a life changer for me but I can definitely say it has given me renewed confidence to pick up and carry on from where I dropped the ball somewhere along the way. In reading it I felt like you must have been spying on me for years somehow and that you knew of me intimately. So at a time when I feel I’m both questioning myself, my skills, passions and ability, your book comes along at a very timely juncture to fill that void of doubt and inertia that has been daunting me for quite some time now.
    I wish I had the funds to hire you but for now I’m at least grateful to be on your list and consider myself to be a part of your tribe.
    God bless you and keep the good stuff rolling.
    Best wishes,
    Russ
    PS,.. loved your Mexican accent in the Fisherman story.
    .-= Russ´s last blog ..27 Random Things About Me =-.

  • http://www.LogicalExpressions.com Susan Daffron

    Hi Rick,

    I just read your ebook and really enjoyed it. You rock ;-)

    Frankly, I’ve been feeling like an old curmudgeon, since I too am so monumentally turned off by the online offers constantly focusing on SEVEN FIGURES! BE A BILLIONAIRE! Ugh.

    As an aside, I recently wrote a newsletter article commenting on this trend and many people wrote in to say “thanks for putting that out there; I thought it was just me!” It seems a lot of folks are burned out on the hype.

    I know you don’t want typo alerts, but in the book it says “Hulu” is a self publishing company. I think you mean Lulu. If people go to Hulu, they’ll be able to watch TV. But that might not be what you were after.

    In happy news, I have followed one piece of advice. I’ve self-published 10 books. And I have to agree that it has opened more doors than I could have imagined. (Of course one thing that’s important and too often overlooked is that you need to write a GOOD book!)

    Susan

  • http://theDigitalCommute.com/blog Stevie Knight

    Hey Rick! Great little gem you put together there. The whole book is a great starting-off point for serious thought that most unfortunately don’t know they should consider until it’s “too late” and they’ve lost considerable money, wasted energy and sacrificed family time because of what they DIDN’T know.

    Perhaps part of the problem in the internet marketing industry, the network marketing niche or, for that matter, much of the business world, is that we don’t REALLY want to know how much work it takes to succeed, how steep the learning curve is at the beginning (and every new stage of progress) or what kind of persistence it takes to avoid just “throwing in the towel.”

    In fact, since most sales pages are intended to show the prospective buyer how EASY it all is, it’s very seductive to jump in, hoping THIS TIME, it’ll all come to us WITHOUT the late nights, moments where we hit our heads against the screen in frustration because the blog doesn’t look right (or is that just me?! ) and all the obstacles to surmount on our way from to newbie (dreamer) to entrepreneur.

    The “7 Little Choices” you mention in your book won’t change the whole world, but it could change the world for people who really want control of their lives, no matter what. It’s a good little intro to what it REALLY takes.

    @stevieknight
    .-= Stevie Knight´s last blog ..Rick Butts’ new book “7 Little Choices” =-.

  • http://RickButts.com Rick

    Hey Curmudgeonly Susan – thank you for the heads up on the Typo in the 7 Little Choices it IS http://Lulu.com not hulu for the self publishing site.

    Stevie Knight – thanks for your nice comments. You really took some time there – or you are a brilliant compact writer – or both! I’m headed over to your site to see the review you’ve written.

    Thanks to everyone for supporting my little Quiet Revolution…