Where do I find the time to create?

 

    We have been taught this standard “8 hour” work day since birth. We are told to get a good “8 hours” of sleep each night. We go to school for “8 hours” (including transportation) a day. We get our first job and work our first “8 hour” shift. This concept of “8 hours” just permeates our lives. How did this come about, and should we really live our life by this standard? I tell you, as an entrepreneur, this concept can be very detrimental way to think. Back in the 1800’s, when many Northern and Western Europeans migrated to the U.S. in huge waves, their main goal was a better opportunity from famine, wars, and bad government. This wave brought a huge workforce to America and fueled the industrial revolution with workers averaging 100 hours per week! This is where we get this iconic picture of the steel workers eating. Happy as they can be in a better opportunity.

     I’m telling you, this is why the buildings in New York look like they do, the roads across the country look like they do, and many other amazing infrastructures in the U.S. exist because of this time. Also, there wasn’t much regulation. This became the origin of an the phrase, immigrant work ethic.  Flash forward to 1869, when President Grant finally limited the work day to 8 hours, but only for government employees. It wasn’t until over 50 years later when Henry Ford declared a 40 hour work week 5 days per week, when the rest of America followed. Companies even at that time took care of their employees with pensions, retirement funds, and the government even added the Social Security Act. Times were great for employees and dedicated the 40/40/40. People who would work 40 hours a week, for $40,000/year, for 40 years. This lifestyle has supported many families happily throughout history, but I believe it has also entrapped many creatives as well. Imagine if more people had time to pursue their passion how much happier they would be? How much happier would you be if you added 10 hours of time to dedicate to writing that book you have been visioning for the past 5 years? How much happier would your parents be if they could spend a full day to explore nature as a family. 

     This “8 hour” concept has been here way too long and I’m here to say challenge your “8-hour” and start thinking creatively to allow yourself time to explore your passions and gifts.  Many people make the excuse that they don’t have time or that time can be spend working to bring in more money. I say, spend a little less on others dreams such as designer clothes, expensive European shoes, and spend more time on pursuing your dream. As an entrepreneur, we do our best to navigate this world and it’s “8 hour” confines to create opportunities for ourselves.  As a society, we are now connected more than ever, and people are learning to take advantage of those connections. These “side hustles” have become a common place and I tell you I am a proponent of it. There’s a quote that says, "Your thoughts become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your character, and your character determines your destiny." I switch it to say, 

“Your gifts become your hobby, your hobbies become your hustle, your hustle becomes your business, and your business creates your freedom.” - Jon Kinnard

      I say forget about those 40 hour work weeks that just keep you in this rat race. Now that the new year is around the corner, use this as a time to re-establish your work week. There are more hours in a day and week that you can use and explore. Remember, you are the only one in control of your time. 

Key things to keep in mind as you plan out your new work week:

1. Time is the most valuable thing in the world. Once it is gone, it can never be replaced. Your            time is the most precious thing YOU own. 

2. There are 168 hours in a week. Do your math: 

•  7 hours  of sleep each night = 49 hours
• 40 hours of work each week = 40 hours
• 1 Hour to shower/get ready each day = 7 hours
• 30 mins prepare food/eat ( x 3 per day) = 10.5 hours

Still leaves you with over 60 hours in your week to create something!

3. Use an hour log to track what you do with your time for a week. It lets you truly see what        you are doing with all of your time. I like this tool for $18 on Amazon that has really become addiction for time management. Highly recommended for those who want to start their year off right.

4. Set time limits on your Iphone (sorry #teamandroid) for social media apps. It’s become one of my favorite features to monitor my usage. Many times we habitually waste time there and our goal next year is more productivity. 

5. Power naps are key. Anyone who knows me knows I am the king of a the power nap. I’m not a big fan of re-energizing myself unnaturally with supplements or energy drinks. I love a big cup of coffee in the morning and a nice power nap after lunch to let my mind and food settle. There is tons of research in support of this method and I tell you I have been doing in for over 10 years. It’s the best natural way to keep yourself energized and focused. 

     Let’s break free of this “8 hour” thinking and lets get creative to add more ways for you to explore your gifts and passions. This isn’t a short term solution, but one for the journey. I think that is one aspect that every entrepreneur enjoys the most. The journey and the stories of both success and failure that come with it. Hopefully these tips will help you gain more control of your most precious resource: time. 

Are you a part a system, or apart of the system?

Are you a part of the system, apart of the system?(7 min read)

          With the year coming to a close, its always a great time to pause and reflect on your year. Self-analysis is key to personal growth and I am a champion for it. Every year it goes without saying that everyone plans out their goals and visions for next year. I love this atmosphere of change and growth. However, many fail to create a system or lifestyle that will allow them to accomplish those goals. This is where the true committers to their visions differentiate from the ones who will be in the same situation again at the end of next year. Einstein once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” This same goes for your life. To accomplish greater things next year, it will take a shift in your lifestyle. What are you willing to sacrifice to achieve your goal? How many hours will you dedicate a week to building your business or dream? These are serious questions you must ask yourself. From there, you can create a new system for next year that will allow you to accomplish those goals. When you have a system to live on, it gives you a way to measure how well you did. Did you stay on the system you created for yourself at the beginning of the year? 

           The best part about being an entrepreneur is our ability to act when many choose not to. We are brave, we are talented, and we challenge the system. This is the beautiful part of engaging in business in the U.S., it is truly a land of opportunity. But this opportunity is only being realized by 8% of the population, even when over 50% of new business survive at least 5 years and 33% survive 10 years or more!  It’s not due to the lack of talent, so what must it be? I relate it to the number one thing adults fear: public speaking. Many people get serious anxiety and their stomach churns at the thought of giving a speech to an audience. Worried about all the wrong things that can happen, ending in embarrassment. You are literally on display to the world. That’s how I see entrepreneurship, except we talk through a different language and stage; presenting value to the world.  You are literally on display to the world. I say forget about those apprehensions and start small and who knows what the next five years can bring?

Here’s my process of planning out my year:

Questions to ask yourself 

1. Where do I want to be in 5 years? Often in our goal setting, we put limits on ourselves and think too small. This challenges my thinking and allows me to see a bigger vision so next year looks way more manageable. 
2. How many hours on average did I work per week last year? This is an objective way to measure the only input you have; time. It also gives you’re a benchmark for next year to see how many more hours you can add. Check out Gary V’s recommended schedule.
3. How much money did I bring to the table per month and the annual total? You can easily print your bank statements online. This lets you get a clear picture of your bottom line. Not knowing can be extremely dangerous. 
4. What were my monthly average expenses? I like to separate mine into fixed and variable expenses. It gives you a clear picture on what types of costs are associated with your lifestyle/system.
5. What percent of that money did I invest in my business(s)? It doesn’t matter where you start, you can double or triple that next year by changes in spending habits.
6. How much did I save each month and total? As an entrepreneur, when it rains, it pours, and you want a nice emergency cushion. My favorite online savings account is Ally. They are offering 2.00% interest which is crazy!!
7. What percent of the year did I stay on the system? My system is based using a bullet journal where I create a custom one, but you can use a planner, calendar, or this cool one designed by a fellow entrepreneur. 
8. How many times did you engage with your passion(s)?  For example, one of my passions is traveling so I would look back and see how many times I was able to take a trip. It gives you a benchmark for next year. 
9. How much time did I dedicate to my personal growth? I include things books I read, podcasts subscriptions, bible studies, and anything that you believe contributes to your personal growth. 
10. How much time did spend with family/friends? Balance is key, and family is only here for a while. This is an important part of me, so I measure this by how many times I spoke or visited key people in my life. 

         Now with these answers, I create my goals in each category for the year and I work backwards to plan out a weekly system that will propel me to accomplish all my goals. One of my tricks is to plan a system to accomplish my goals in 10 months, so that way I have a 2-month cushion for the randomness of life. Remember to include rest stops along the way to make analyze and adjust your form. Remember, the world will try to distract you and deter you from your goals. It’s a system designed for us to hustle to consume and not create. I say we hustle to create and live by our own system of creating things of value in the world. Are you a part of the system, or apart of the system?

Jon Kinnard

@Hustletocreate

Time to get your slice of the pie!

Tis' the season of holiday cheer and a whole lot of spending. Entrepreneurs everywhere are getting their piece of the pie. This holiday season, ecommerce, which is already a 340 Billion dollar industry, is expected to grow 16.8%. People are literally becoming millionaires between the month of November and December. Take Reynell Steward (a.ka. @Super_cent), who topped the records and became a millionaire in 90 seconds this recent Black Friday. There has never been a better time to start your business and its time to take that leap of faith.

In a 1997 interview with Jeff Besos explained that he started Amazon as an online book company because the internet was growing 2,300% that year. Now he eclipsed major wealth giants to become the richest man in the world at 160 Billion net worth. He saw a gap in value, took a leap of faith in a growing market, and look at him now. Stop waiting!

We are approaching the last days of 2018 and you can reflect on this year as the year dreaming about being a business owner, or you can start today. 2019 will be your year of increased income but that will be determined by how you end this one. As I've said before, entrepreneurship is a sprint to a marathon and you have been walking and dreaming this whole time.

I know it can be a scary thing to put yourself out there but that's the whole point....put yourself out there. Use your gifts and passions to bring value to the world. I learned a great lesson about business from my 12 year old niece.  She started a slime making company to sell it to kids in school. I remember when she stopped asking me for things like shoes or clothes one day and switched to a list filled with tons of Elmer's glue and other slime ingredients. This slime market was a viral trend among kids at the time and she capitalized on it. One day I was asking her how her slime business was going and she said she stopped and had a new business plan for homemade lip gloss. Apparently the trend was over and a new trend was here. She adapted to the market and continued to bring value. She didn't consider her slime business a failure, it was an opportunity.  If a 12 year old can do it, you can too.

Steps to starting a business: 

Step 1: File DBA
This is the first executive move you will make declaring to the state the name you will be "doing business as" whether it is your name for independent contract/service work or a fictitious business name. This can be done at your local county Registrar's office and allows you to go to step 2. Please save your money and do not pay a company to do this for you. It's really simple.

Step 2: Open a business bank account
It is extremely important to keep your personal and business finances separate from the start. I recommend Chase bank if its near you. They are the premier bank for small businesses right now. This keeps doing taxes in April very easy.

Step 3: Create a gateway for consumers
Gateways are websites, store fronts, your garage, farmer's market, and any place consumers can find you. If you have a product to sell, you can g sales through a website such as Shopify. It doesn't cost you much and has easy templates for you to use if you're not familiar with web development. However, 74% of small businesses don't even have a website.

Step 4: Market your product/service
People don't know if you don't spread the word! Creating social media pages relevant to your market is a great way to generate traffic to your site. Also, don't neglect guerrilla methods of literally handing out flyers on a corner. Humble yourself and put yourself in front of as many people as possible. The more you invest your time and money in marketing your business, the faster it will grow.

Step 5: Transfer consistent value.
One of the most crucial pieces to your business flourishing. You have to be consistent. Let your consumers know what they are to expect from your business and deliver that above and beyond. 88% of consumers read reviews before they purchase. Think Chick-fil-a.


Often times the fear we feel from starting a business comes from the attachment to the business. All businesses have an open date and a close date. How value is presented to the world changes and those that adapt are often greeted with success. What are you waiting for? 

Jon Kinnard
@hustletocreate

Is Your Family Your Rock or Stone?

Family, a term that for some can mean the biggest support system in their life or the exact opposite. As an entrepreneur, our lifestyle and freedom can be difficult to understand and embrace. Now that we just had one of the major holidays with family, did you come away feeling more empowered or more discouraged? If you left feeling more empowered, then use these tips to turn that love meter up. If you left feeling more discouraged, then these tips might change you and your families life positively.

Our mentality is what fuels us and you have to do everything you can to create an atmosphere that is positive, faith-filled, loving, and authentic. We do not chose who our family is, but it is important to be around them no matter if they support you or not. You just have to learn how to protect your mentality and be that beacon of change and financial liberation. We are very fortunate to be an entrepreneur and we have influence whether it is acknowledged positively or not. I know it can be very frustrating at times but we are in a very fortunate position and its our job inspire and share our journey to success. 

It's definitely going to take some practice, but here are my five tips to inspire your family. 

1. Show unconditional love. Love and happiness go hand and hand. That's a common denominator in some of the most creative geniuses in the world. There is so much hate in the world and the last thing you want your family to remember is the hatred they felt after your acts.

2. Find opportunities to admire each person. We all are special in our own way and posses certain gifts. When those gifts are acknowledged by our family, its a feeling that often brings encouragement to explore that gift more.  Who knows, your may end up like Peyton and Eli, Michael and Janet, or Juicy J and Project Pat. 

3.  Be present. When you're with your family, give them your full attention. Avoid being on your phone. If you want to post on Instagram, take the pictures that day and upload on the next day. 

4. When discouraging words arise, use it as a time to share more about your experience through your small wins so they can learn and share your success. Pictures and videos work great too! Often times they simply don't understand or know and may just assume negative things. Or, it could be a case of them not acknowledging your growth and change. In any case, sharing more knowledge about you is what cures the ignorance. 

5.  Be the first one to take out the trash/wash dishes. Leadership is servitude and if your family doesn't see you serve, they may not see you as a leader. Actions speak louder than words and being humble is still one of the greatest traits a leader can have. Be the rock in your family and they'll be discouraged to throw stones. 

These are things that I have been doing and it has truly helped. If you don't feel comfortable doing this, try with your coworkers or friends and see how things change. Mental health is a big part of being and entrepreneur and family can affect it. The countdown to Christmas has begun so you have plenty of time to practice and be ready for the next family gathering.

Holiday Hustle

As we approach the first holiday of the "Holiday" season, this is the time to buckle down and focus more than you ever have. As an entrepreneur, one of greatest challenges to our schedule is that typically it is nothing like the regular "9 to 5". We don't get off on all U.S. holidays, and there is no such thing as vacation time. We do what we have to do and use whatever time we have leftover to go on vacation (which is rare). Then when we do take that trip, many times this leaves us feeling with guilt and our mind wandering of all the things you could be doing right now for your business. This is a sure sign that your business owns you and you don't own it. In this age where mental health is crucial, creating a healthy entrepreneurial lifestyle is key.

Many of us entrepreneurs are your typical A type who have the will and follow through to get the job done. We fail to think about some of the many pleasures in life due to that drive for success. You have to remember as the hustlers we are, our days are typically 12 hours or more. This can feel like we operate at the speed of light and then next thing you know, five months have gone by.
Then we end up getting sick when our body finally shuts down and we become forced to take a "staycation". This is not the way to live. We became entrepreneurs to gain more freedom not captives to the grind. While others work 40 hours a week, we work 60 or more so taking time to review, reflect, and relax is key to continual balance and happiness.

In my experience, what helped me best achieve that healthy balance is to treat your life like you are forever a business. There is a reason why businesses have quarterly reviews. How do you know whether you getting closer to failure or success if you never pause and analyze. Every year, I plan out my schedule starting with all of the pauses and times to relax and reflect on everything I have going on. This has allowed me to work at my optimal level and consistent motivation. Entrepreneurship is a sprint to a marathon. You have to be healthy, happy, and motivated to compete. Success will not come overnight or maybe even over a the first 5 years in operation. Look at Elon's Tesla, Jeff's Amazon, and even Fred's Fedex. Nature has always been survival of the fittest and you need to understand you have to sprint until your business is profitable and stable. I am in my sprint phase now and I'm excited for my scheduled rest stop so I can come back more motivated and rejuvenated than ever. Happy Thanksgiving my fellow hustlers and thanks for stopping by. 

@hustletocreate

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My Journey into Entrepreneurship

Welcome to my blog for Hustle To Create!

My goal is to share my journey into entrepreneurship, what it takes to be an entrepreneur, and how you can turn your passions into a revenue stream. Let’s start with how I got this crazy idea to venture out on my own.

I’ve always had a passion for helping people and that has translated into many forms throughout my life. Ultimately my goal has always been to enter into public service but I always knew that I wanted to be financially independent before going that route. I knew corporate America wasn’t for me so my first career out in California was at a company in their management training program. The whole premise was that you work your tail off and eventually can open your own division (like a franchise). I tell you it was an amazing experience because it was very hands on and I could immediately apply all the skills I had learned in business school. The downside was definitely that it lacked that corporate salary.

I’m an opportunist so I always looked for ways to add value to increase my pay. I eventually solved a major issue affecting the overall performance of the division and this was the first time I realized I truly did have a unique perspective perfect for consulting. This success led to the owner sending me on various trips to other territories as an internal consultant. I jumped at the opportunity for a minimal pay raise. I truly enjoyed analyzing a situation and all the factors and creating a solution and executing it. This experience gave me the confidence I needed so I started to seek out other opportunities.

I eventually found this insurance company that was owned by Torchmark, one of the most stable stocks in Warren Buffet’s portfolio. It was a franchise deal where you could eventually have your own location and become a partner. I remember in my interview the guy said, “The hardest thing I will have to do is take the employee mentality out of you”. I immediately responded with, “Sir, I have never been an employee a day in my life.” He simply smiled and thus began my journey with this new company.

If you have never been an independent contractor before, it is basically like freedom on a leash. You can work as much as you want and do what you want as long as you hit certain benchmarks. I took this as an opportunity to take off the gloves and give it all I had. I remember my first year working six or seven days every week trying to learn as much as I could to get ahead. As I was learning, I started to observe many things about the company that I believed could be improved. Of course, the consultant spirit in me, I started to take copious notes and conduct research on how these changes could be made. I even compiled a research report and sent it to all the executives in the company. They loved the research but wanted to see its success on a small scale before they implemented it company-wide. I was so excited and was also given the permission to implement these changes at the division I was soon to be responsible for.

I spent hours on hours perfecting the materials that would soon become the company standard for their hiring practice. This process also taught me a valuable lesson. Always protect your work. The company decided to rollout the changes and new materials I had created company wide and didn’t give me any credit. Even when I confronted the Vice President of Sales he simply said, “Well I know you did this.” From then on, I knew my work was more valuable than I thought.

Fast forward to working for that company for four years, I was the regional manager for all of Orange County. Our office was recognized as the 5th best Workplace by the OC Register and I was making the most money I had ever made in my life. We’re talking over $12,000 per month. I was living the life….or so I thought.

On my four year anniversary I took some time off to reflect on my happiness and I had to face the honest truth. If I could work those 60 -70 hours a week to build someone else’s company, why couldn’t I do it for myself? Of course like anyone else, I had fears and thoughts of failure but I figured I’m young and can fail 20 more times before I turned forty so it was worth it.

I made the biggest decision of my life up to this point and left that job and began to work full time to pursue my passion for coffee. Because this was such a passion of mine, I had already been doing research the 3 years prior which included: roasting school in Izmir, Turkey, visiting a coffee farm in El Salvador, and attending industry events like CoffeeFest. I remember the day I had the conference call with two executives and my manager. They were in disbelief because I was leaving right after I had been ranked number six out of hundreds of managers across U.S and Canada. When it’s your time to go, follow your heart.

I took that leap of faith and left Orange County and moved to South LA where I now currently work on my new business venture set to launch in January.  Working full time for yourself is truly a liberating experience and it is my goal of to help as many people get to individual prosperity