The YES Movie Review of Entrepreneurs & Experts Featured

In my last post, I gave my review of The YES Movie, produced by Louis Lautman of the Young Entrepeneur Society.  The YES Movie DVD, which runs 80 minutes, features Lautman’s interviews with an impressive group of more than 35 successful entrepreneurs, CEOs, millionaires and mentors.

His goal:  To hunt down specific strategies of the super-successful that anyone – regardless of background, age, experience, or financial backing, can implement and start their own successful money-making enterprise.

Because of space limitations in my last post, I wasn’t able to list all the experts and entrepreneurs who are featured in the movie.  Here’s the complete list . . .

  • Jim Rohn – America’s foremost business philosopher.
  • Randy Gage – A former high school dropout who rose from a dishwasher in a pancake house to become a multi-millionaire.
  • T. Harv Eker – Using the principles he teaches, T. Harv Eker went from zero to millionaire in only 2 1/2 years!  He is the founder and president of Peak Potentials Training, the fastest growing personal development company in North America, and author of Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth The YES Movie Review of Entrepreneurs & Experts Featured.
  • Marshall Sylver – World-renown hypnotist, master of interpersonal communication, and “The Millionaire Maker”.
  • Niurka – A dynamic speaker and guide who inspires and empowers people to live powerfully, authentically and purposefully. By age 20, she was the #1 trainer for Anthony Robbins.
  • Christopher Howard – Internationally known lifestyle and wealth strategist.  He has researched the success strategies of the world’s greatest minds.
  • Les Brown – A top motivational speaker, speech coach, best selling author whose passion is empowering youth and helping them have a bigger vision for their lives.
  • Mark Victor Hansen – A renown speaker and success coach, he co-authored more than a dozen books, including Cash in a Flash: Fast Money in Slow Times The YES Movie Review of Entrepreneurs & Experts Featured and The One Minute Millionaire: The Enlightened Way to Wealth The YES Movie Review of Entrepreneurs & Experts Featured.
  • Dr. Ellie Drake – Inspirational speaker, author and TV personality, and founder of BraveHeart Women Network, the largest online paid membership community for entrepreneurial women.
  • James Malinchak – Success teacher and author of From College to the Real World : Street-Smart Strategies for Landing Your Dream Job and Creating a Successful Future! The YES Movie Review of Entrepreneurs & Experts Featured
  • Brad Sugars – International entrepreneur, CEO of ActionCOACH business coaching, and best-selling author of The Business Coach The YES Movie Review of Entrepreneurs & Experts Featured and Billionaire In Training.
  • Shawn Nelson – Founder, and “Chief Sac” of LoveSac.
  • Joshua Newman – CEO of Cyan Pictures, and Indie film producer and distributor.
  • Shane & Shawn Ward – Fashion designers and founders of the Shane & Shawn (formerly DetNY) line of clothes, shoes, and accessories.
  • Andrea Lake – Founder of seven unique companies, including Anti-Establishment Clothing.
  • Mike Litman – Co-author of Conversations with Millionaires: What Millionaires Do to Get Rich, That You Never Learned About in School! The YES Movie Review of Entrepreneurs & Experts Featured At the age of 32 he built a multi-million dollar business.
  • Dan “Punk Ass” Caldwell – Cage fighter and co-founder of TapouT, a multi-million dollar business that includes a clothing line and magazine centered around Mixed Martial Arts.
  • Dr. Farrah Gray – Publisher of Prominent Magazine and author of Get Real, Get Rich: Conquer the 7 Lies Blocking You from Success The YES Movie Review of Entrepreneurs & Experts Featured, The Truth Shall Make You Rich: The New Road Map to Radical Prosperity The YES Movie Review of Entrepreneurs & Experts Featured and Reallionaire: Nine Steps to Becoming Rich from the Inside Out The YES Movie Review of Entrepreneurs & Experts Featured.  Growing up in the projects on the south side of Chicago, he made his first million at age 14.
  • Sean Belnick – At age 14 developed Bizchair.com.  At age 20 – had $38 million in sales from the Bizchair website.
  • Ephren Taylor II – Started his first venture at age 12, making homemade video games to sell to friends.  A millionaire by age 16.  He was the youngest black CEO of a publicly traded company.  His City Capital Corp oversees 250 million in assets.  Author of Creating Success from the Inside Out: Develop the Focus and Strategy to Uncover the Life You Want The YES Movie Review of Entrepreneurs & Experts Featured.
  • Adam Sites – President of Xtremez.com.  Launched first website in 1995 at age 15 he launched his first website.  Now the largest internet retailer of paintball supplies in the world.
  • Cameron Johnson – Best-selling author of You Call the Shots: Succeed Your Way– and Live the Life You Want– with the 19 Essential Secrets of Entrepreneurship The YES Movie Review of Entrepreneurs & Experts Featured, consultant and speaker.  At age 9, started his first business.  By 15, his internet business was generating $15,000 a day.  Now, at age 23, he has founded and sold more than a dozen successful companies.
  • J.T. Fox – Real estate investor and radio personality.  At age 28, closed over $40 million in real estate sales.
  • Michael Simmons and Sheena Lindahl – co-founders of the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour, the only national collegiate entrepreneur tour.  Michael is the author of The Student Success Manifesto The YES Movie Review of Entrepreneurs & Experts Featured.
  • Delatorro McNeal II – Author of Caught Between A Dream and A Job The YES Movie Review of Entrepreneurs & Experts Featured, speaker and successful entrepreneur.
  • Mike Michalowicz – Author of The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur The YES Movie Review of Entrepreneurs & Experts Featured. Started his first business, which grew into a multi-million dollar tech firm, at age 24.
  • Daniel Davidson – serial entrepreneur and author of The Entrepreneur’s Legal Companion The YES Movie Review of Entrepreneurs & Experts Featured.
  • Brett David – Became CEO of Lamborghini Miami, Lamborghini Palm Beach, Prestige Audi and Prestige Imports two years ago, at age 19, upon his father’s death.  Now 21, he has earned several number one rankings for his auto businesses, and his Palm Beach Lamborghini is now the flagship Lamborghini dealer in the United States.
  • Hezekiah Griggs III – America’s youngest media mogul, and CEO of HG3 Media.  Started first company at age 13.
  • Nick Vujicic – Born without arms and legs, he is a motivational speaker and the director of a nonprofit organization called Life Without Limbs.

As you can see from this impressive list of entrepreneurs and success mentors, The YES Movie is a great introduction to entrepreneurship.  In fact, it is kinda like having your own mini-MBA course!

In it, Lautman uncovers and shares specific strategies of the super-successful that anyone – regardless of background, age, experience, or financial backing, can implement in order to start their own business.

The YES Movie covers topics like:

  • Where do you get ideas, and how do you turn them into a money-making business?
  • How do you take action and turn your dream into reality?
  • How do you take risks and overcome failure?
  • How do you go from having a job (even a dead-end job) to running your own business?
  • How do you finance your enterprise, especially if you have no money yourself.
  • Where can you find mentors who can help?

By telling the stories of today’s successful young entrepreneurs, The YES Movie shows that truly anyone can be, do and have anything they want in lifeClick here to read my full review of The YES Movie.

Order the The YES Movie online (DVD format) here for only $29.97.

f2cb6195c97ede21278f7c5f2429efb1 The YES Movie Review of Entrepreneurs & Experts Featured

The YES Movie Review (Young Entrepreneur Society)

a0c047a8cfa30ecffc2e75e2a025051f The YES Movie Review (Young Entrepreneur Society)A few months ago, I heard about The YES Movie, produced by Louis Lautman of the Young Entrepreneur Society, which exposes the secrets of today’s young millionaires.

I had never heard of Lautman before, but I was eager to get a copy of the movie for myself to see what it was all about. I’ve been fascinated with entrepreneurship since I was a teen.

Growing up, I frequently read books by or about successful entrepreneurs.  I loved reading stories of self-made men and women – people who took an idea and turned it into a reality.  And I aspired to be like them – to own my own businesses and one day become a millionaire.

At age 39, I haven’t become a millionaire yet, but I have started several small businesses over the years that have had varying degrees of success.  Someday, I’ll tell you more about the ones I wish I had started, the ones I started and quit, and the ones I’m still engaged in – and why.

When I was a teen, most of the books I read were by or about people who were older, and who owned companies that required huge amounts of capital investments – like manufacturers, retailers, and airlines, to name a few. Today, even with the struggles we’ve had in the economy lately, I think there’s never been a better time to start a business.  The Internet Age has changed everything, and a new breed of young entrepreneurs are creating wealth quicker, cheaper and earlier than every before.

Lautman, himself a young entrepreneur, set out to interview 50 successful entrepreneurs, CEOs, millionaires and mentors.  His goal:  to hunt down specific strategies of the super-successful that anyone – regardless of background, age, experience, or financial backing, can implement. Specifically, he wanted to know:

  • What was their inspiration?
  • Why did they take action?
  • How did they finance their venture?
  • Where did they begin implementation?

I absolutely love how the movie was produced.  It is very much like the documentaries you see on the CNBC cable network which feature stories of successful businesses like McDonalds, WalMart, Coca-Cola, etc.  The music, and the way in which the interviews were shot, also reminded me a lot of The Apprentice, which I loved.  You can click to view the movie trailer and see what I mean.

The YES Movie, which runs 80 minutes, features Lautman’s interviews with over 35 successful entrepreneurs, CEOs, millionaires and mentors.  I was already very familiar with many of the mentors that were featured, including Jim Rohn, Les Brown, and T. Harv Eker, just to name a few.  Here’s Part 2 of my review of The YES Movie, along with the list all of the mentors and entrepreneurs who are featured in the film.

I was not familiar with many of the young entrepreneurs that were featured.  One thing that surprised me was that many of these entrepreneurs, both black and white, started their first businesses when they were children or teens.  And some even became millionaires in their teens!

This video is a great introduction to entrepreneurship.  In fact, it is kinda like having your own mini-MBA course.  By telling the stories of successful entrepreneurs, it shows that truly anyone can be, do and have anything they want in life.  It covers topics like:

  • Where do you get ideas, and how do you turn them into a money-making business?
  • How do you take action and turn your dream into reality?
  • How do you take risks and overcome failure?
  • How do you go from having a job (even a dead-end job) to running your own business?
  • How do you finance your enterprise, especially if you have no money yourself.
  • Where can you find mentors who can help?

Who is The YES Movie for?

This video is for anyone who has ever dreamed of starting their own business, but didn’t think they really could do it (for whatever reason).  No matter your age or stage in life, you’ll definitely be inspired and motivated to finally take action and realize your dreams.  You’ll discover that there are simple steps you can take today to more forward, and short-cuts that will help you accelerate the achievement of your goals.

One interview, with Delatorro McNeal II, is worth way more than the cost of the video, in my opinion, for anyone who is, as he says, “caught between a dream and a job.”  He shared some powerful insights on how to move from a dead-end job to a stepping-stone job, and from a stepping-stone job to your dream job, and from your dream job to the fulfillment of your dream.  Every 9-5′er in the world ought to hear his message.

If you have young people in your life (teens, college students, or young adults) who have an interest in entrepreneurship (or you’d like to instill the desire in them), I think this inspirational and motivational video would make a great gift for them. And if you’re a teacher or home school family (like ours is), this video will serve as a great introduction to entrepreneurship for your teenage students.

The only potential negative I see is that one entrepreneur featured in the video, Dan Caldwell, goes by the nickname “Punk Ass”.  He’s a nice guy in the video – there is no foul language – but Lautman does refer to him by his nickname a few times.

As a father of five children ages 3-13, I think concerned parents or teachers should preview the movie to understand the context of the interview with “Punk Ass” (aside from his name, nothing else could be construed as offensive) and then simply give a disclaimer before showing it to your students.  They’ll probably just chuckle a little bit.  And who knows – it just might cause them to pay closer attention!

But I don’t think anyone will get bored watching this movie.  It will light an entrepreneurial fire in the belly of everyone who watches it.  It did for me. Order the The YES Movie online (DVD format) here for only $29.97.

f2cb6195c97ede21278f7c5f2429efb1 The YES Movie Review (Young Entrepreneur Society)

Here’s Part 2 of my review of The YES Movie, along with the list all of the mentors and entrepreneurs who are featured in the film.

How to Change Expectations During the Holidays or Anytime

“We’re going to have to cut back on Christmas this year.”

I heard that statement several times when I was growing up.  One instance I vividly remember is when my dad was out of work due to a strike at his factory.  I think I was maybe 10 or 11 years old.  Christmas was a bit slim that year.  And yet, somehow I survived!

Sadly, as an adult, I’ve known more than a few people who, even when times are tough, insist on giving their kids a “good Christmas,” whatever that means.  For them, it means spending as much (or maybe even more) on gifts for their kids this year as they would have in “good” years.

Maybe they thought it was important to do that so their kids wouldn’t feel deprived.  But what  happened?  They might have a nice Christmas morning, but then they don’t have the money to pay the rent or mortgage on January 1st, or they get that big credit card bill in the mail and have no way to pay it off.  Then, instead of Christmas joy, they’re faced with fear and stress.

I didn’t think much of it when I was a kid, but as an adult, I realized that my parents gave me an extra gift that year.  They changed my expectations.  And I believe that helped us all to have a “good” Christmas.

Because they told me that times were tight and that they couldn’t afford to buy many gifts that year, I was able to adjust my expectations, and also my wants and desires.  Instead of having a Christmas list with 20 big things on it, I narrowed it down to just a few inexpensive things that I would really appreciate and enjoy the most.

I also learned a real-life lesson:  sometimes, we have to make changes and choices.  I learned that I could participate in my family’s long-term financial success by being OK with simple gifts.

I’m writing about this as part of my “How to Survive the Holidays” series, but the principle works any time of the year  Whenever you want to make change in your life, you need to change both your expectations, and the expecations of all those who will be impacted.

Whether it is a decision to go back to school, get a second job, cut back on entertainment expenses, ask the kids to help out more, change your job to something more meaningful, changes need to be made.  It can’t be “business as usual” anymore.

So how do you help people change their expectations?

  • First, it is important thing you need to do is help them see the big picture – the long-term goal or reason you’re making the change.
  • Second, help them see how they can help contribute positively to the change – how they can make a difference.
  • Third, plan some kind of reward or way to celebrate once the goal has been achieved.

For some people, kids especially, it can be hard to accept that things need to change or be different.  But I think you’ll improve your chances of success by following these simple steps.  If you have any other ideas, or comments, please be sure to share them below.

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How to Survive the Holidays and Maintain Balance
How to Beat Holiday Stress and Busyness
How to Enjoy Holiday Food Without the Weight Gain
13 Ways to Save Money & Beat the Stress of Holiday Shopping & Gift Giving

13 Ways to Save Money and Beat the Stress of Holiday Shopping and Gift Giving

94f2bc1cec975588089bcebc610dcaa4 13 Ways to Save Money and Beat the Stress of Holiday Shopping and Gift Giving

You can beat the stress of holiday shopping this year!

Is it me, or is the Christmas season starting earlier every year?

Halloween was barely over before the Christmas decorations and the pre-Christmas sales started appearing in the stores in my community.  Santa arrived by horse-drawn carriage last Friday night (November 13) at one of our local malls, and was escorted to the place where he’ll sit from now until December 24, so kids can tell him what they want for Christmas.

Personally, I enjoy going out to the stores and malls to shop during the holidays. I even enjoy taking my five kids with me! I make it an event and have fun. I enjoy the music, the sights, the smells, the deals, and the people.

My wife, and millions of others, on the other hand, would prefer to never set foot in the mall again until all the Christmas decor has been packed away.

For many, Christmas shopping and gift giving adds a lot of stress to their lives. They hate the crowds in the stores, the pressure to find the “perfect” gift, and the expectation to spend a certain amount of money on each person on their list.

Here are 13 ways you can cut down the stress and simplify shopping and gift giving this holiday season:

  1. If you must shop at the mall or certain “big box” stores, shop at off-peak hours. You can call the store and ask them what time-frame they would recommend.
  2. Shop at arts and craft fairs. You’re sure to find unique (and maybe even custom-made and personalized) gifts for that special someone.
  3. Buy from stores or organizations that feature fair-trade gifts made by artisans in the developing world, like Ten Thousand Villages.  The artisans are paid a living wage and proceeds from sales go to help other would-be artisans get started.
  4. Instead of buying a gift, give a donation in that person’s honor to a charity or cause you or they care about.
  5. Instead of buying gifts for your family, plan a special trip, event or activity that the entire family will enjoy.  That’s what our family is doing this year!
  6. Shop online.  The Monday after American Thanksgiving is known as “Cyber Monday,” the biggest online shopping day of the year.  This is a great way to beat the crowds!  And you often get free shipping.  I’m continually amazed at how much stuff you can buy at Amazon.com 13 Ways to Save Money and Beat the Stress of Holiday Shopping and Gift Giving.  It’s not just for books anymore!
  7. Give gift certificates/gift cards 13 Ways to Save Money and Beat the Stress of Holiday Shopping and Gift Giving.  You never have to worry about picking the right size or color!  You can buy them at most any retailer, or online.
  8. Take advantage of pre-holiday sales now.  Seems like every major retailer is advertising “lowest prices of the season.”
  9. Be sure to set a budget. Decide in advance how much you are going to spend, and don’t go into debt!  Sadly, so much stress is created in January once those credit card bills start coming in.
  10. If you’re out of work, or don’t have as much to spend on Christmas gifts as you have in the past, don’t be afraid to let people know.  You would do yourself and them a favor if you adjusted their expectations in advance.
  11. If you typically buy gifts for your entire family – your kids, nephews and nieces, aunts and uncles, grandma and grandpa, etc. – ask if you can draw names this year instead.  My wife’s family decided to start doing this a few years ago, and it saved us all a lot of money and headache!  Each person’s name goes in a box or a hat.  Then each person draws a name and buys a gift for that person, instead of a gift for everyone.
  12. Give white elephant gifts at your family or company Christmas party.  This is a great (and no-cost) way to have fun and slough off something you’d love to get rid of.  And who knows, you just might get something you could actually use!
  13. Here’s a great gift-giving alternative for families and for companies:  Ask people to pitch in together to donate money to a charity or cause you care about, instead of buying gifts for each other.  I’ve known companies that matched whatever their employees donated.  And I’ve known families that have given to the same charity year after year.

Any of these options can help you save money and reduce the stress of holiday shopping this year.  Give one a try – it just might become one of your new holiday traditions!  And if you have any other ideas – please be sure to share them!

You might also like…
How to Survive the Holidays and Maintain Balance
How to Beat Holiday Stress and Busyness
How to Enjoy Holiday Food Without the Weight Gain
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Coping with Holiday Stress

Receiving the Day with Gratitude

On Sundays I write on Spirituality, Faith and Ethics.  I do it because I believe we’re all spiritual beings and have some sort of a moral compass in our lives.  You can learn more by clicking here.

How did you start your day today?

This morning, after my alarm sounded, I took a few moments to express gratitude to God for another day of life.  It’s a habit I learned several years ago.  I put it into practice every day.

Each morning, I also express thanks for the people in my life who mean the most to me – my family and friends – and also for the people who have impacted my life over the last few days.

I also take time to say thanks for other blessings in my life:  a good income, a comfortable home, a car to drive, clothes to wear, and food to eat.

I used to not be so thrilled to wake up and start my day.  But thanks to a book entitled Receiving the Day: Christian Practices for Opening the Gift of Time Receiving the Day with Gratitude by Dorothy C. Bass, I’ve learned to start each day by receiving it as a gift, being grateful for what I have, and deciding to make the most of the day for myself and others.

This practice of gratitude, called “receiving the day,” is an ancient Christian tradition, but anyone can practice it.  Whether you express thanks to God or to no one in particular, I believe the act of giving thanks does something to us and for us.

For me, it helps keep me positive, helps me realize the important contributions that others make in our lives, and inspires me to do all I can to help and bless others.

If you have a hard time waking up in the morning, or if you find yourself waking up on the “wrong” side of bed with an unhappy attitude, you might give “receiving the day” a try.  It’s made a difference in your life.  Maybe it will in yours too.

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Giving Thanks

How to Enjoy Holiday Food Without the Weight Gain

a5130876c6f675bbc6c5aef60814d12a How to Enjoy Holiday Food Without the Weight Gain

This year, enjoy holiday meals without the weight gain!

The holidays are one of my favorite times of the year.  And one reason is all the food!

From American Thanksgiving until New Years, there’s a steady stream of parties and special dinners.  Some are full meals with meat and all the trimmings, others are just hors d’ourves – but lots of them!  And of course, there’s all the desserts:  pies, cheesecakes, Christmas cookies, and more.

Many years, I’ve gained weight during the holidays, like so many people do.  But this year, I’m planning to maintain my weight.

Here’s how I’m going to do it:

  1. I’m going to increase my exercise regimen from now until New Years.
  2. I’m going to make trade-offs in what I eat.  On days when I have a holiday meal or special event planned, I’m going to lower my caloric intake for the other meals that day.
  3. I’m going to enjoy smaller samples of desserts instead of taking a whole piece.

What about you?  Do you often gain weight during the holidays?  If so, give some of these strategies a try and see if they’ll help you keep the extra weight off this year.  If you have any other ideas, please be sure to share them!

You might also like:
How to Survive the Holidays and Maintain Balance
How to Beat Holiday Stress and Busyness
13 Ways to Save Money & Beat the Stress of Holiday Shopping & Gift Giving
How to Change Expectations During the Holidays or Anytime
How to Cope with Holiday Stress