I have not written in a few days as I have gone through a time of re-evaluating everything. As I said earlier, one of my problems is I get distracted on too many other things. I also questioned whether or not I should be writing this blog as the time used does not move me toward making any money.

Update: My wife has 24 sign-ups for her seminar. I don’t know if she will get anymore by Monday. Let’s hope an above average number of those commitments show up. Typically your lucky to get  half.

We advertised our dogs in the paper this week. We were thinking of selling them anyways, but now we have to sell them to make our car insurance payment on March 2nd. If I can’t make my payment I will not have a vehicle to drive and then that will really hinder us.

The next 5 days will tell a lot about our fate. Fingers are crossed and we are working hard.

So, with just over a week to go we have 12 sign ups for my wife’s free seminar. In order to get 50 people there we are going to need around 100 people saying they are coming. I know our close ratio of those who attend will be good so its time to pull out all the stops in the next week.

I had a call on Friday from an educational institution inquiring about my consulting services. It was the receptionist who was gathering details to give to her boss and also to set up a time for her boss and I to speak. She asked about details and price. I avoided the price issue as I would rather discuss this with her boss so we are set to talk on Tuesday. The good thing is, they need someone to help them out at a meeting a little less than a month a way. This could be a serious bail out and buy me a couple more weeks of air.

Also I attended an association meeting for my industry this morning. It was great and well worth the $40 I didn’t have to spend on it. Courtesy of my MasterCard I attended. there is something about being around like minded people invlved in the same struggle as you that can boost your mood. The guy speaking at the meeting today encouraged everyone to narrow your services down and settle into a  niche where you already have credibility. I can see that I was starting to scramble and spread out too much. I think desperation does that do you. Needing to make a sale you open up doors you probably shouldn’t.

Software update: More challenges but I will have to update you on that later. I need to go and get dinner out of the oven.

This morning I watched The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch. My kids watched it with me as they had the day off school. The show rocks. It is a major source of motivation for me and I know for thousands of other entrepreneurs. If you have never checked it out, be sure to do so. It is on weeknights on CNBC.

My problem is I have no shortage of Big Ideas and I am a compulsive person. I have lost money because I fail to stick with one idea, before I am investigating another one. It really comes down to staying focused on one thing until it is successful. This, as I said, is one of my major weaknesses. As someone once said, creativity does not make you any money. I can vouch for that. So the next week I need to do an audit of my entrepreneurial life. I think it is time for some pruning. I need to focus on a few things, and place all of my other ideas on the back burner for a while. After all what good is a head full of ideas when your in the food stamp line.

Today I am taking a day off. My wife and I agreed that we had better take a day and since the kids are off school we are going to do something outside together. So after I am done this post I am off until tomorrow.

I just got off the phone with my wife. She had gone to the Doctor who told her she was showing signs of stress and asked her if there were any stressful situations going on right now in her life. Well let’s see….

Tips for handling stress is something you rarely see in books for entrepreneurs and yet when you are starting out, stress seems to have made his way into the business plan. Like a co-pilot on your journey, ever pointing to all of the hazards and impending doom ahead.

I try and keep my stress at bay in a couple of different ways.

I pray.

Everyday I like to go for a walk and pray. It gets my mind of all of the problems and worries.

I exercise.

Fitness is a huge buffer for stress. The only problem is when I am stressed I do not want to exercise. I am heading to the gym in a few minutes.

I listen to music.

I have a playlist on my itunes called ‘Mellow.’ It is what I listen to when I am stressed. it is filled with Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, the new girl Colbie Caillet, and a little Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. Israel has the best music for de-stressing. I have been listening to my ‘Mellow’ playlist everyday.

Here is a youtube video of Israel. This will mellow you out. It’s fantastic.

Israel - Over The Rainbow

Well I am off to the gym to try and lower the cortisol.

Digg This

We have another sign-up for my wife’s free seminar. That brings us to 4 with around two weeks to go. We need at least 96 more. Our email list continues to grow. I have learned a lot from some of these online marketers on how to create lists. Today alone we had almost 20 new subscribers.

Valentines Day is in two days. There will be no diamonds for my wife this year. Next year I am determined to get her more than a card and a dinner. Although she would never ask for more, it seems like we have been scrounging for quite a few years for Valentines. It’s funny how holidays can stress you out when you are broke. At least Christmas is over. I’m creative enough that I can do something very nice for my wife that doesn’t cost much. She has been working hard that last few months and I believe her business might be on the verge of making it. That should go over great with my Father-in-Law. “Yes sir thanks for letting your daughter marry me so she can support me while I plunge the family deeper into debt.”

That was not a chauvinist remark. I’m all for women using their talents and gifts. But there is something between a guy and his Father-in-Law that you can only truly appreciate if your a guy who has a Father-in-Law. I guess its kind of like women and their Mother-in-laws. There is a certain stress from perceived expectation. Oh well.

My wife is awesome, and I will make sure I tell her so today.

Hey all you Entrepreneurs out there, be sure to read my about page. Today is Day 1 of the next 365. What will my life and business look like in one year? I am not sure but today, despite all of the obstacles and usual stresses of any start-up, I feel motivated.

Today I am continuing to figure out ways to market my wife’s seminar she is hosting to try and boost her business. If I had any advice for potential entrepreneurs out there it is this: If you are married, never have your spouse launch a new business the same time you are launching yours.

Anyways, my wife is going to host a free seminar and from the guests we are planning on picking up a few clients. We have room for 50 and I know that if we can pack the house, her business will finally be off and running. The challenge is always filling a free seminar. Over the years I have learned that free events are sometimes the hardest ones to fill.

I am mostly advertising online. I have a couple of auto-responders set-up to get people to sign up. So far I have 3 people who said they would come. The event is about two weeks away. I figure I need a least 100 people saying they will come just to get 50. We have a lot riding on this event, as we need at least one of us to start making some money. So for the last week I have hardly worked on my business at all as I have been devoted to her company’s growth.

I will keep you posted on how it goes.