Today, let’s shed some light on a few lies society tells us about starting – and running – your own business. When you learn how to break down these barriers, YOU WILL:

• Unlock your own massive earning potential
• Explode your monthly income
• Achieve high levels of success
• Enjoy the life YOU want to live

If you already run a business, or still want to get started, DON’T let these commonly-held misconceptions hold you back from the success you are capable of achieving.

So, let’s go through each of these myths together. And, along the way, I’ll give you a specific action step for each myth… so you can overcome ANYTHING holding you back right now.

1. Starting Your Own Business Costs Way Too Much Money.

Listen, when I was flat broke and homeless, I started a business out of the trunk of my car. I had NOTHING. I didn’t even have a product! You don’t need huge – or, in some cases, ANY – capital to start your business.

I hear people use this excuse out of their own fear or anxiety. They’re afraid of failing, so they don’t even get started. No matter how good or creative, ideas don’t make money. Fear and anxiety do not make money. Execution makes money. Turn every obstacle into a question… then find the answer!

“I don’t have a computer.” Then, who has a computer you can borrow? How can you save money to buy one? (Check out these 21 easy ways to save money right now).

“I don’t have a workspace.” Is a workspace really necessary for your business? Hello… I was living in my CAR! I didn’t even have an address or phone. You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on an office space, to run a successful business. So many highly-profitable businesses today are home-based businesses.

Clear out an area in your house for your workspace. Now, guess what? You can write-off part of your residence on your taxes. Same with your landline or cell phone. Ditto your internet. You can live inside your EXISTING overhead and avoid the hassle, headache and expense of renting a place to work.

“I need capital.” Ask yourself, where can you find it? Do you need an investor? Do you need a business partner? Can you borrow it? Take out a loan? Can you use the training here at DaniJohnson.com to save more money?

Literally, THOUSANDS of businesses can be launched with the barest minimums in start-up costs. I had $2.03 to my name and a $35,000 debt hanging over my head when I got started selling a product… that didn’t even work for me. I wasn’t “passionate” about this product; I was passionate about not being homeless. And that business allowed me to leverage my time and resources, to become very profitable.

I made each obstacle an action step. Don’t make excuses about why you can’t do something… adopt the “I WILL do this” mindset, then go out there and take the next step.

Hey, this might not be your dream business, producing six figures, tomorrow. In fact, I can promise you it won’t be. But you can take steps toward that goal TODAY, by eliminating that mindset you can’t start because you don’t have “enough money.”

YOUR Action Step: Find a solution to at least ONE of the objections holding you back from moving forward in your business.

2. I’m not good at… *fill in the blank*

Everything you need to succeed in business is a skill – and you can LEARN any of these skills. Did you hear me? ANY of these skills, you can learn. Investing in your skill set will always lead to business success.

Decide right now, nothing is impossible for YOU. DaniJohnson.com actually exists to equip you with the skills you need to create success in EVERY area of life. And if you keep believing you’re not good enough, you will continue making excuses, instead of getting started.

I don’t have an MBA. I was a broke, homeless cocktail waitress without a college degree. Huge companies like Dell, Whole Foods and Apple, were all started by people without college degrees. College students start businesses. High school students start businesses. Even 10-year-old kids start businesses.

“I’m not good at talking to people.” Practice makes perfect! You can’t get better if you never try. And I’ll give you a secret: just ask people to talk about themselves! Ask about their family, what they do for work, what they like to do for fun, and what they are passionate about.

You’ll be amazed how easy it is to talk to people when you are genuinely interested in getting to know them.

You can also download this free Personality Starter Kit. This handy personality “cheat sheet” will teach you more about yourself – and also help you to understand and relate better to others. Once you learn what motivates people, it’s easy to connect with them more effectively.

“There’s too much to learn.” Everyone has to start somewhere, and if you’re committed, you will want to learn. Ask questions. Talk to people who are successful in your field. Follow the example of people who have what you want.

We all have strengths and weaknesses, but anyone can overcome their perceived shortcomings.

“I’m not high-tech enough.” This, too, is a skill set. If you want to learn how to do things like build and manage your website, great. Training is readily available. But remember, you also don’t have to wear every hat in your business.

Outsourcing to experts leverages your time wisely. In fact, building a highly-skilled team is crucial to the success of your business. Find people who are good at whatever may NOT be your strength. Then, continue to develop your professional skills.

I failed miserably in business UNTIL I invested in my skills. When you increase your skills, you increase your value in the marketplace. That’s how you raise your income.

The only difference between an amateur and a professional? Skill. That’s it! That’s why a neurosurgeon makes the big bucks. It’s a highly-skilled and, therefore, highly-valuable service.

When I started my first business at 19 years old, I went for six months with absolutely no money coming in. Then, I found someone who was a rock star in the same business and asked him to show me how to do what HE was doing.

He told me about a training seminar, and said until I invested in that training, he would not work with me. He said if I gave him any excuses about why I couldn’t go, he would not work with me.

It was a $1,500 investment. You better believe I found the money. I made it happen. I got myself to that weekend, and in the next eight days I made $4,000 and brought 25 people onto my team.

It was amazing. Six months of hard work, seeing no fruit, and then… BAM! After that two-day training, I had the conviction and skills to create results. My next check was $11,000. The next, $15,000. The one after that? $20,000!

You have to stop living with an “I’m not good enough” mindset. Instead, find someone who has what you want, and copy them.

YOUR Action Step: Download my free E-book, First Steps To Wealth. In this book, I hand you all the tools you need to succeed in business. And when you put those tools to work, you will see results.

3. Home Business People Are So Annoying…And I Don’t Want To Be One Of “Those” People

You KNOW what I’m talking about…

We all know that person (or people) on Facebook who post day and night about their business. Whether it’s a service or a product, they flood your Newsfeed with endless posts about how awesome this product or that service is. You hear all about why it works, why you need it, and how many lives it’s changed.

How many of us “unfriend” that person? How many of us block that person’s posts? How many of us look at the posts and then never – EVER – want to run into them at the grocery store?

How many of us don’t want to be “that person?”

Sadly, “those people” don’t have any training, or got substandard, watered-down sales training. In the 21st Century, people are pretty savvy and don’t like to be hounded or “sold to.” But, don’t let those people scare you off from starting a home-based business… especially an interpersonal marketing or direct sales business. I made MILLIONS of dollars in this industry.

There are SECRETS to closing sales without “selling,” and I’m sharing with you today.
Let me ask you, where does money come from? It doesn’t grow on trees. It isn’t waiting at the end of a rainbow. It doesn’t fall out of the sky. Money comes from PEOPLE! So if you don’t put people first, you will not get their money.

When you lead with a product or service – whether in person, on the phone, or on social media, you’re positively screaming “I want your money!” They know you’re only after one thing, and they will avoid
you like the plague. They won’t trust you. They will pretend not to see you in the store.

People are loyal to people… not products, companies or websites. And they build trust through personal relationships. If you help people get what THEY want, you will get what YOU want.

Now, I’m not talking about manipulating people into liking you or your product. You want to create mutually-beneficial relationships, and you start by showing a genuine interest in them. Make people feel special and important. Ask them about themselves and listen when they speak. Smile and use their name.

Focus on their strengths, interests, goals, passions and needs. People get excited about whatever motivates them! Ask yourself: “How can I help this person succeed today?” – then do it. When you become a resource center pointing people toward a path leading to them what they want, you get what you want. And what they want may not be your product!

If your prospect talks about how stressed she is over her kids’ behavior, don’t try to sell her your weight loss product. Number one, you’ll probably insult her. And number two, you haven’t listened to or honored her needs.

Instead, point her to a resource that will help her with her immediate needs and guess what happens? When she puts those strategies into action and sees results, who will she seek out when she does want to lose weight? Who will come to mind, when her three friends want to lose weight?
Our digital world has left a giant gaping hole when it comes to personal relationships. Business follows relationship. The formula is that simple. If you focus your business around helping other people, your profits will sky-rocket.

Doing business with a “people first” mindset enhances your value and expands your influence. When you build relationships based on honor, integrity, honesty and authenticity, those things come back to you. Your business gets more referrals and builds a more loyal client base.

YOUR Action Step: Ask how you can help one person succeed today…then do it.

4. Fire Your Boss

You see it all over Facebook. Headlines like “Fire Your Boss”… “Tired of Feeling Trapped in your 9-5 Prison?”… “Reclaim Your Life!” 

This idea of business versus career damages your success – and the success of people around you. Time after time I hear from clients, building a new business on the side, who struggle to find motivation in their current 9-5. They find it a challenge just to get out of bed and give their best in their “day job.”

My first question… what’s wrong with having TWO income streams? And, secondly, how can you hate your job, hate your boss, hate the work you do, then suddenly turn around and become a PERFECT entrepreneur? Not gonna happen! Negativity and frustration and complaining WILL inevitably spill over into:

• Your business
• Your marriage
• Your relationships with your kids
• Your health

Our culture tells us if we aren’t happy, we should move on and do something else. Fox Business and “Forbes” have both published articles encouraging workers to leave “boring” or “dead-end” jobs. But listen, finding job satisfaction is not about the job, it’s about your mindset.

Your perception defines your reality. If you always focus on complaining, all you will see are more problems. If you look for satisfaction, you will find satisfaction. The same habits you practice working for another company will follow you into your own business.

The “perfect” job does not exist. Starting a business is not the answer or end for all your problems. Practice being the kind of employee you want working for you. Think and act as though you own the company you work for. Raise your value by finding needs and filling them. Work with diligence and excellence. Adopt an employee-preneur mindset!

[RELATED: Ditch The “Monday Blues” & Start Truly Enjoying Your Work!]

And, if you do pursue entrepreneurship full-time, leave your company honorably:

• Give plenty of notice
• Ask how you can ease the transition
• Don’t leave any loose ends; find out exactly what you need to wrap-up before you go
• Offer to work part-time or train the next employee
• Talk to your boss and make sure there are no hard feelings

Your current place of employment is not the “enemy”… holding you hostage from your entrepreneurial dreams. It’s a blessing, providing you with an income stream. When you “fire your boss,” you burn bridges and destroy relationships. Be mindful – you reap what you sow. What you invest into any company you work for, will come back to you in your business… so invest WISELY!

YOUR Action Step: (This applies whether you’re an employee, a business owner, a stay-at-home-mom or anyone who interacts with other people). Find a positive attribute in something or someone you commonly complain about. Now, say it. Go tell your boss what he or she does well and how much you appreciate his/her leadership. Encourage your husband or wife. Talk to your friends about the positive impact your company has in the community. THAT’S how you sow honor and change your mindset.

5. When You’re The Boss, You Can Do Whatever You Want

This is one of the BIGGEST mistakes new bosses make. In the previous point, we talked about how damaging the idea of “firing your boss” can be.

Don’t be the boss people WANT to fire.

People go into business for themselves, thinking it will solve all their problems. They don’t want to work for someone else. They want to do everything their OWN way. They want all the perks, like coming in late and delegating tedious tasks, without any of the hard work.

Long-term success is not in their future. As a leader, your attitude and performance sets the tone for your entire organization. So, if your priorities are:

• “My way or the highway”
• Raking in lots of money – with little or no effort
• Piling all the hard stuff you don’t want to do, on others
• Taking advantage of your position…

guess what the priorities of your people will be?!

YOU create the culture in your business. Your number one priority needs to be “How do I help people succeed?” That’s true for your clients AND your employees. So, what does that actually look like?

1. Set the example. If you aren’t willing to do something yourself, don’t ask someone else to do it. If you aren’t willing to work hard, don’t expect someone else to work hard for you. The way you speak and act will determine how the people around you speak and act.

2. Be an advocate. Stand behind your people and continue to sell them the vision, so they remain focused on the goal. When THEY succeed, you succeed. Speak positively and with encouragement… edify your team to bring out their best.

3. Stay teachable. As a leader, you must be willing to listen – with an open mind. If you always need to be “right” or get in the last word, you’re brewing conflict in your workplace. Instead of focusing on what annoys you about your employees, figure out what you can change to inspire them.

When you go the extra mile, work diligently and with excellence, and cultivate genuine relationships, you create a culture with high morale and harmony.

If you want to be a great leader, you have to develop great people skills… and KEEP developing them. Take classes, read books, get to a First Steps To Success™ – and fully equip yourself with those skills.

YOUR Action Step: Take initiative, by asking what you can do for someone else. Can you take a task off their plate? Get them lunch? Listen to their big presentation?

Bonus: If you’ve ALREADY shown initiative as a leader and taken all the action steps, then you’ve already gotten my book, First Steps To Wealth that is free, just pay shipping. 

If you want to get on the fast track to success, get registered for the next First Steps To Success™. And if you’re ready to dig DEEPER and develop your leadership skills, bring your whole team. The outcome is better teamwork, higher morale, more understanding and cooperation, and outrageous growth in your company. Honestly, what do you have to lose?!