When Forbes came up with the top 100 companies back in the early 1910’s or 1920’s, they ran a list of the biggest companies in the world. Only one is still alive today. The S&P 500 when it first came into existence, there was only 23 left today; so massive change. The bigger you are, the more difficult it is, not easier. So we as entrepreneurs have a huge advantage because we can shift on a dime. We can change direction and change who we are and it makes all the difference. So, I don’t know how many of you remember the Iron Age and the Bronze Age when you were back in high school or elementary school but before the year 1000, it would take thousands of years for there to be a paradigm shift, a major shift in thinking. After the year 1000, paradigm shifts happened about every 100 years. In the 1800, there was more changes, more paradigm shifts, more changes to the way we lived, the way we integrated with technology than the previous 900 years combined. In the first fifth of the 20 century, the 1900s, there was more change than all of the 1800s. As we approached the year 2000, every decade there was a major change. He projects, based on that mathematical model, that there would be 1000 times more technological change, more paradigm shifts in the 21 century than there were in the 20 century. That amount of change leads to tremendous opportunity. It leads to tremendous opportunity because what happens when there is that amount of change; it leads to a certain degree of uncertainty for people to keep up, to stay up-todate. When there’s that much uncertainty people look for solutions. They look for answers. If you’re in your market and you’re the one who provides it, you can rise to the top extremely quickly.
The S tory Behind S trategic Profits
Strategic Profits started only 18 months ago. I released the Internet Business Manifesto about 18 months ago, that’s it, my first document. In 18 months, the company has grown, my positioning has increased and it’s all because of this fundamental that change is happening at an accelerated rate. For those of you that don’t know the story, I was doing Internet marketing and I was doing okay. I had some projects that I did well but I was working harder than I had ever worked before and I was making less than I had ever made before. That’s all relative right? So, it occurred to me one night while I was writing in my journal –let me see what the real problem is. I was bitching and moaning in my journal and writing out why am I working harder than ever and making less than ever. That’s where I came up with that whole “you” diagram. I was a member of the market, I was struggling and I was trying to figure out why was I struggling and by doing so I came up with this chart. Probably of all the graphics that I’ve had, created and used was the most important in the help of growing my company. So, here are the valuable lessons.
The I nternet Business Manifesto
You’ve got to remember, this is only 18 months ago. And 18 months ago, I released this document and my main trust was in order to be successful, online or offline, you had to shift from being an opportunity seeker to being an entrepreneur. What’s fulfilling, rewarding, etc. is that the people that heeded that message have gone on to greatness. Quite a few of the speakers here, when that report came out were independents. They were working by themselves in their own house. Now they have staffs of 20, 30, or 40. To compete with them today would be much more difficult than competing with them then. 9 29