: About Me

Did you know that a pregnant goldfish is called a "twit"? I get absurdly gleeful whenever I stumble over strange little crumbs of knowledge like that.

I also know that it takes 19 average-sized grasshoppers to supply a normal person's protein requirements for a day. And that grasshoppers, properly prepared, aren't as revolting as you might think.

My resume reads like a madman's diary. At times I've:

Sold waterbeds and cheesy bedroom furniture (mirrored canopies, anyone?).

Washed dishes, been promoted to busboy, promoted to waiter, promoted to unemployment.

Sold newspaper subscriptions door-to-door.

Been homeless.

Rode my bicycle cross country to Seattle (where I ran out of money).

Worked security at a week-long country music festival (don't really like country music though).

Been an organic farmer and Milked over 100 Jersey cows, raised thousands of free-range broiler chickens, had over 500 laying hens (all named Edna), hundreds of free-range hogs (freaked the neighbors out), ducks, geese (feathered gangstas), sheep (yummy, but dumb), turkeys (mean bastards),Guinea Fowl, Goats (agents of the devil), rabbits and bees. All along with a huge market garden, hay and a fruit orchard.

Gone broke more times than I care to remember.

Spent years running my own consulting agency, specializing in helping small business owners turn their businesses around.

Became a marketing consultant.

Helped the founder and CEO of a public company fend off a hostile takeover and structure a multi-million dollar golden parachute... within 72 hours.

Co-wrote a Business Bestseller, Create The Business Breakthrough You Want with Mark Victor Hansen, Robert Allen, Bob Proctor and Brian Tracy.

I now spend most of my time writing, coaching and creating Mastery Products for entrepreneurs.

My Mission is to explore the nature of existence and to empower the individual.

Erik

My passion is ...

Freedom, and this, and that, and - oh look... it's shiny!

I know too much about ...

Organic Agriculture

My parents always told me ...

Thinking hurts, but it's (usually) a good hurt

My childhood ambition ...

To take over the world by the time I was 9

My favorite memory ...

The one I'm currently making up.

Why I write ...

Why do you breathe?

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

Pretty much everything

My first job ...

Newspaperboy (loved it - didn't have to talk to anybody)

My best moment ...

Right now - all else is illusion

My inspiration ...

Flows through me - though it is not mine

Business > Entrepreneurship Tips for setting up a small business

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3 Secrets To Owning a Successful Business Owning your own business is the American Dream. We've all thought about it; the freedom of being our own boss, the prestige of being an entrepreneur. But then we see the statistics: 40 out of every 100 business started in January 2004 won't be around to see January 2005, 80 don't last 5 years, and after 10 years only 2-3 will remain. That's right; according to the Small Business Administration, your brand new baby business has less than a 5% chance that it will survive to see its 10th birthday. Depressing, isn't it? And yet, some businesses are wil...

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