Forget whatever you think you are, truth will always remain truth no matter how you may view it and in the part one (I) of this article I will expose you to the basic secrets to a successful business.

Ambition

The first indisputable secret to any successful venture has always been traced to ambition. To succeed in business there MUST be a high degree of ambition inside of you in order to achieve the level of success you so desire. I am yet to see anyone who has succeeded without ambition!

Some claims has portrayed the word “ambition” in bad light but I dare challenge any of these claimants to justify the reason why the average person on earth wants to live a better and quality life!

Ambition being a mind thing can be channeled either positively or negatively depending on the type of quest being embarked on. Desire which is a product of ambition which what inspires us to strive to become somebody in life is yet to be denied by anyone who have ever succeeded in business.

Except you are ambitious you can never exhibit the strong desire to do or achieve the level of success you so crave in your business. It takes guts, zests and zeal to get to the top and ONLY a strong determination inspired by ambition can help you attain this! Neglect ambition to your own peril!!!

Dependence

Are you dependable? Can people trust your word? Is your word your bond? Can you be vouched for? Do you give what you promised to deliver? Are you the type that cuts corners?  Do you know that even the Devil needs a dependable ally? How often do you think people will leave their hard earned money to someone who is not dependable?

Integrity

Many people will surely frown at this but the basic truth is any business that MUST succeed and have its own dominance and relevance in any given market will have to imbibe the principle of INTEGRITY!

Take for example, the president of the United States comes out and declares openly that a particular person (say Austine Iroegbu) is a very intelligent young man. Of course, you will agree with me that nearly all Americans will subscribe to such a statement of fact just because the President (a man occupying the MOST respected seat in US) said so.

Irrespective of what you may think, the majority of Americans may even end-up asking Austine Iroegbu to do their thinking for them at any cost! Now, that is the power or call it “THE FORCE OF INTEGRITY”

Integrity is not an option in any business it is an obligation and responsibility for any business to succeed and keep succeeding over and over again!!!!!

Resourcefulness

Every business that has ever succeeded has proved that the major key players in decision making and managing of the business never took a complacent position on key in every area of the business.

Resourcefulness embraces both your talent and skills and also trainings. Since ability plus training equals success it proves that a successful business is vibrant and dynamic. A business devoid of resourceful people, ideas, skills, trainings, counsels and wisdom is bound to fail and sooner or later ground to a halt! It is to the detriment of any business when a single person or a group of persons with the same IQ levels become the ALMIGHTY THINK TANK  of any business neglecting the humble opinions of junior staffs, customers and good friends. Definitely the business will fade as others that were before it.

Business Plan

Many businesses has failed or partially attained success because of either they had a poor business plan or failed to regularly update their business plan as new ideas and innovations came into play.

It is abundantly advisable (ask a professional) that before you venture into any business you must have a thorough and well organized business plan in content and in form. Life is always created into a business through a business plan. After thinking and fantasizing your thoughts of a brighter future the next good step to take is to draw up a plan for it. No matter how scanty your business plan maybe or look like initially, as you progress endeavor to make allowance or provisions for continuous update  as more visions will surely come in the future.

Financial Discipline

Most times why many people venture into business is driven by the major factor FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. A majority of people who so desire to become financially free take a leap into business in order to make ends meet or probably to augment other source(s) of income. For this reason such people who have ventured into business with such passion have always discovered that succeeding in business far much outweighs the initial enthusiasm that inspired them!

Financial discipline helps anyone to draw the line between being a spendthrift and being an investor. Since without financial discipline one may end up running in circles.

Mum once told me sometime ago, “Son whosoever that cannot make do with little can never make do with much.” In other words she meant, “if your salary cannot help you neither will your overtime!” to succeed in business you MUST realize that little is much; your ability to be financially prudent (being prude in money matter) will go a long way in influencing the growth of your business!

Moral Discipline

Though this isn’t a moral class yet it is important to know that your business’ success depends largely on your personal moral discipline. The level of your moral character invariably affects your reputation and directly determines your customer!

A good moral discipline helps to assert your standards and also helps to tame inordinate ambitions helping you to dignify modesty.

This by no means refers to religious piety but connotes that in all that you do learn to have self-control!

Personality

Never underestimate the power of personality and corporate image in any business venture! Although the word personality maybe used in a great variety of applications (both literally and figuratively) here it is used bearing in mind both usages. The way you package you person and your business matters a lot. The face and appearance your business carries is a direct reflection of your mentality and will definitely affect your market and class of patronage.

It is necessary to note that it is corporate personality that has led to product branding and packaging in business.

Vision

Succeeding in business needs you to train your senses to see further. You must have a vision of what and how you desire your business to be and become. If you observe history you will discover that those who have most powerfully and permanently influenced their generation have been the “seers”- people who have seen more farther than others!

Any businessman must have insight into things that will improve his business.

Vision includes foresight as well as it includes insight. A good businessman should be able to put his ear to the ground and listen for things that are yet to come!

Wisdom

"Wisdom is the faculty of making the use of knowledge, a combination of discernment, judgment, sagacity and similar powers… In scripture, right judgment concerning spiritual and moral truth” (Webster).

Wisdom in business is more than knowledge, which is the accumulation of facts. It has a personal connection and implies sagacity. It is more than human acumen and intelligence; It is a divine gift!

Wisdom is the skill to discern intently with high degree of accuracy into the heart of things and intricacies of the human mind. It is higher, far higher, than knowledge! A man without formal education but gifted with wisdom in business will go farther than a professor in the same field.

True and pure wisdom, undefiled, comes from God-Almighty!

Decision

When the facts are in, swift and clear decision is the mark of a true businessman. The man who possesses vision must do something about taking business decisions, or else he will remain a visionary, not a businessman! Although good and successful businessmen are quick to reach good decisions, however, such decision must be based on sound premises.

Once a businessman is sure of the facts and has been able to separate the truth from falsehood he should go into immediate action, regardless of the consequences. In pursuing his goal, he will have the courage to burn his bridges behind him!

What is Mystery Shopping?

Mystery shopping is a test of sorts; you visit an establishment and rate the things you are asked to rate. Sometimes you are required to rate customer service, signage, ad sets, parking lot cleanliness, outside appearance of the building, inside appearance, checkout time, or salesmanship. Often you are asked to do it secretly, but occasionally you are asked to reveal who you are and what you are doing. You are then compensated for the completing the shop, and for purchases you were asked to make.

No Boss and No Schedule, Wow!

Before you get too excited, it's not what you are thinking. You don't necessarily have a boss, but you do have to answer to someone. You are given a set of guidelines to follow for each shop; if they are not followed you are not paid. You are not paid until you report the information, and you are not paid if the shop is completed or reported late. You do have a certain day you have to shop on, or a certain timeframe to complete the task. You do have to give proof you were there, and your receipt will show the time and all the information the company needs. No receipt, no money! You really have to have an eye for details; if you miss one thing you may not be paid.

Financial Freedom and Independence

No, you will not be rich and free of all financial worries. Being the bearer of bad news is never good. You will not get rich, you will not make loads of money, and you will not be able to quit your job. So what do you get being a mystery shopper, if you don't get rich? It is more of a hobby or past time, than a job. You get paid maybe $7-$10 to complete the shop, and you get reimbursed for purchases that are made, up to a certain amount. Usually purchase requirements are under $20, depending on what kind of shop you are doing. If you are already shopping at that specific store, why not get reimbursed for your purchases there? Sometimes you are asked to shop a gas station; it's nice to get gas for free every now and then.

Go Ahead, Sign-up

You still want to do it, after all the dream shattering of a financially worry-free life? Your persistence is to be admired, kudos to you! The MSPA is the place to go to find work in nearly any country. You can become certified there too; however certification does not increase your chances of getting a job. You can sign up there for free, and search for companies near you. No sense wasting your time with a company that doesn't have work where you live.

Summary

Okay, here is what you absolutely need to know. You won't be rich and you still have a boss, just not in the traditional sense. You must read everything before you accept a job; otherwise you risk not being paid. You may be required to have certain tools, do not accept jobs that you will not be able to complete according to the guidelines. Save your receipts! For heaven's sake, never pay for mystery shopping information! Visit the MSPA for information on companies that provide shops in your area.

How the Trick has been Altered

Next time you see a commercial, or a trailer for a movie at a movie theater, or anything else that may want your attention, watch for a small flash of light or something like that in it. Someone that may be casually sitting on the couch, not really watching TV, will see this flash and temporarily look at the screen again. This trick is not as frequently used on computer advertisements, because of the fact that most computer users, when playing games, are actively participating and paying attention.

However…

Next time you make a movie or advertisement, use this little trick. Start the movie with a slow flash of light or something. Something to get their attention. It grabs their attention and gives you a better chance of getting good views.