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