I am sure you also love it when someone says “We have being playing telephone ping pong” or whatever the expression is. Hang on … playing? It is not fun chasing anyone – yes, we are trying to contact someone and some people are just very difficult to get a hold of. And, what’s the deal with that person who calls you, and you miss their call by 15 seconds, and then you try call them back right away and it just rings.

We all got to keep cool heads in these wired times, and a sense of humour helps too.

What I can never quite grasp is when someone goes “Why didn’t you call me back?” Is that the rule – if someone calls you and you missed their call, then, it is expected that you call them back? I get a lot of calls in a day and I don’t monitor my phone like RoboPhoneCop, so if someone leaves me a message then I listen and call them back. But if that same someone then says “Did not see the missed call?” then I never actually know how to respond. Saying something like “I did see it” is not what they want to hear. Yup, these mobile machines are great and all, but they sure do make life more interesting.

We must always be polite and professional – what I would say is “I have been crazy busy and was going to try you later when I had time to think straight and can listen to you properly.” But I am sincere about it, and I do call them later, when I have time.

Nothing is worse than that brush-off call from the car, where you can’t hear much and most of the conversation goes like this “Hello … hello … can you hear me … hello … hello”, I’d better be off listening to Adele – she’s got a good voice and the music. Actually there are worse things, like death and taxes, but you get the point we are sharing.

Hang on. Isn’t the missed call akin to sending someone a blank e-mail and then saying, I never got a reply. Just saying.

http://coolfidence.com/5-golden-rules-of-the-missed-call-solution-20037

There is no such thing as a part-time entrepreneur. Yes, it sounds like so much fun to start a business. Some people will say it means that you are free and the world is your oyster. But it is all about hard work. Sure, it can be exciting, and often there are some amazing moments, but don’t expect to get much sleep. Sleeping late is fun. Being an entrepreneur is not constant fun. It is a full-time journey. Passion is the word you always hear when people talk of start-ups and entrepreneurial ventures. But it is not enough. Just like talent is not enough. It is all about your attitude. Selling is also a fundamental part of an entrepreneur’s journey. We are all selling, all the time. Internally and externally. Inspiring, motivating, sharing … we love what we do, and we do what we love. It doesn’t always love us back though. And this is where character comes into it. Being an entrepreneur requires strength, and grace.

As long as I can remember I loved to tell stories. And also, I am always captivated by a good tale. I make notes of all the compelling and colourful adventures that people share with me. I have found that entrepreneurs accumulate many many stories. Each chapter is another story: the chance taken, the moments of tension, the celebration that never ended, the pain that never lets go, the lessons learned, the ground covered, the mistakes we made, the people that we got close to, and the folk that are no longer there. Entrepreneurs are natural storytellers. Yes, not every entrepreneur is going to stand-up and make a speech to rival Barak Obama (that man sure can talk) but they all have loads of stories to share.

I have been working since I was 16 years old. At the big Hyperama in Sandton, representing Frank & Hirsch, punting Atari computers, during my last couple of high school years. Every Friday afternoon and every Saturday morning. To my 7 years of being a waiter, and the adventure of selling ties, caps and t-shirts, at the flea market on the weekends, when I got a driver’s license and realized that a car can be filled with stuff that one could take to the market and sell. Then there was contract software development when I was a Masters student at university, and of course, at the end of it all, was the start of IS. I was still waitering and working in the flea market when IS began, but stopped shortly afterwards. And through it all, the one thing remains constant: sell, sell sell, That and storytelling. All underpinned by hard work.

http://coolfidence.com/7-secrets-of-being-an-entrepreneur-solution-20036

With many millions of meetings happening daily, there are two certainties: Someone is looking for a phone charger, and someone’s running late.

Okay, so you genuinely got stuck in traffic even though you left mega-early… but you got stopped in a roadblock that took forever.

Five minutes probably won’t register. Half an hour, not cool. An hour late is a no show.

Do you call ahead and be proactive? Do you text from the road (from a stationary car)? Do you pretend like nothing happened and immediately butt into the meeting discussion on arrival?

If it’s a first meeting then should have your homework done. Do you know where you are going and how to get there? Don’t type the address into Google Maps on your way, when you’ll unexpectedly have no Internet connectivity. And don’t make matters worse by appearing unprepared for what’s being discussed.

http://coolfidence.com/5-tips-in-case-you-arrive-late-for-a-meeting-solution-20034

We all make mistakes, er, typos. And sometimes the playful auto-correct feature turns a typo into a word that we did not intend. Yes, this is a common source of embarrassment. Sending a friend or colleague a typo is one thing, but when your company sends out a mail shot and there is a typo in it, it never feels good.

If you do send out an e-mail or a text to someone with a typo then you can always message them again and say “oops, there was a typo”, etc. But, when you are doing a mass mailer, you can’t really do that.

I have been involved in quite a few online ventures and we have had our fair share of typos. It looks amateurish when it happens and you feel stupid, but you survive.

Typos come in different shapes and sizes. Big mistakes are when you send the right mail to the wrong person. And small typos are like this won, er, this one. Ok, that was on people, er, on purpose.

Of course, if it is big typo, like you got the date wrong for the start of the big sale, then you have to send out a new mailer with an apology and a correction.

Typos are not cool, but they are part of this new world. We obviously try our best to make sure that they don’t happen.

The bottom line about a typo in a mass mail shot is this: Nothing. You do nothing. It’s too late. Don’t forget the Streisand effect. So just leave it.

If you do have a typo then life will go on. Thank those that helped you by bringing it to your attention, and put more measures in place to make sure this does not happen again.

http://coolfidence.com/what-do-you-do-when-you-see-a-typo-in-a-mass-mail-shot-solution-20033

I once lent my best friend money. My mother and my father told me that I will lose my money and my friend. I told them that would never happen. My mom and dad got it right. They have been there. The more I listen the more I see that this happens to almost everyone. The amounts may differ, but the sad endings are all the same.

We all have that one friend that conveniently leaves their wallet at home when the bill arrives in a restaurant at the end of a meal. You know, that guy that searches in his pockets frantically and then has that coy look on his face, and lands up having no money on him, again. Yes, some people are simply tight when it comes to the dosh. But we take it on the chin.

What happens though when someone asks you to lend them money. This is never an easy situation. Perhaps you can’t afford to help them. Or perhaps you are dealing with your own pressures and just can’t handle anything more at the present time. Whatever the reason it is something one can’t just dismiss. Friends are there for each other, but, as we all have learned, when it comes to money and friends, it very rarely ends well. Yes, we all wish we could help everyone who needs it, but in reality we can’t.

Friends in business most often land up fighting. Perhaps because friends expect more from each other. When a bank loans a person money they are not doing it out of friendship. There is paperwork and checks and balances. And there is a business reason. That is how the bank generates its revenues. And if something goes wrong it could get serious and litigious. But, when a friend makes a mistake it generally gets emotional, and that never solves anything.

I have lost a few friends because of money. The money can be earned again, but the friendship is gone. If money was no object and you wanted to help everyone around you, then go wild. But, if you dealing with your own challenges and a friend asks you to give them some financial help then what do you do? Sometimes you do help, and sometimes you just don’t know how to respond.

A mentor friend told me once that the next time someone asks me to help them financially that I should do the following: Offer them 10% of the required amount as a gift. That way you don’t expect it back, and your trust and your friendship will be preserved. And if 9 other friends now help that person too, then everything will be in harmony. This sage life guidance has been put into practice a few times, and I have lost no further friends.

http://coolfidence.com/what-to-do-when-someone-asks-you-to-lend-them-money-solution-20031

Here is a leading question: are you motivated by money? Most people would say yes. But the truth is, money does not motivate anyone. Money moves people. Motivation comes from the fact that you believe in what you are doing. It is something that you feel, like when you are fulfilled about the work you do. Motivation comes from inspiration, passion and a sense of purpose. Many people do things they don’t enjoy simply to earn money. Doing what you love and loving what you do is all about motivation.

When you are into something you get excited. You sometimes struggle to sleep at night and you shoot out of bed the next day as soon as the sun is up. This is what a motivated person does. It is an emotional response to the possibility of doing something amazing in the world.

Let’s have a look at a colourful example. Ok, picture in your mind a cold winter’s period. We need you to come clean our offices early in the morning tomorrow, before everyone gets to work that day. We want to give the cleaning crew a day off and we need someone to pitch in. We need you. Now, is there anything we could say that would inspire you to help us? Would you feel fulfilled about doing this? No. But if we offered you a big pile of cash you would be there in a flash. Money moves people. But it does not motivate them. A very simple example, but you get the point. Now if we asked you to come in and clean up as part of a team effort to get the office ready for an important pitch that could benefit everyone? That’s motivating without money – it’s motivating with purpose.

The hard truth in this world we live in is that many people do things without any motivation. They do these things because they need the money to survive, and they do them without necessarily any chance for personal growth. This does not mean however that they are not enthusiastic or happy. For from it. But their work is about earning a living to provide for their families. And perhaps they are passionate and inspired. The point is that when you are motivated to do something it is not about money – it is because you have a dream and you will work around the clock to try make it happen.

http://coolfidence.com/money-does-not-motivate-you-it-moves-you-there-is-a-difference-solution-20029

Malcolm Gladwell: Major success stories, whether in music, business or life, have much in common. They usually share a path of extended trial and error; overcoming severe adversity; continuous experimentation; and perseverance. Those behind the successes require a modest level of ability to get into the game. But once you possess that base, the only differentiator is what you put in, not apparent genius.

Selling is a fundamental part of an entrepreneur’s journey. We are all selling, all the time. Internally and externally. Inspiring, motivating, sharing. We love what we do, and we do what we love. It doesn’t always love us back though. And this is where character comes into it. Being an entrepreneur requires strength, and grace.

When you sell something you love you are just doing what comes naturally. It is a labour of love. It is not a hustle. Hustling is when you have to sell something for money — not for love.

Selling, selling, selling and more selling. That is what it means to be an entrepreneur. Knocking on doors, breaking the ice, winning friends, and influencing people. These are all part of the package.

That is what entrepreneurs do – they take risks. And in my view, it is not only about money. As my one mentor often reminds me, “Risk everything in life but your reputation”. Yes, the stakes extend far beyond hard cash. When we try something our confidence is gambled. Also, our credibility may be on the line. And if we win then everyone wants a part of it, but if we lose, well, then we are on our own. One has to be strong.

Taking risks – that is the path. Entrepreneurs would always rather ask for forgiveness than for permission. Yes, entrepreneurs take chances.

http://coolfidence.com/entrepreneurs-take-risks-solution-20025

Your behaviour is fundamental. Be professional. Say what you mean, and mean what you say, and never say it in a mean way.

Leadership is not about strategy as much as it is about character. Sometimes you will be required to make hard decisions. It is one thing to be tough minded, but never be hard hearted. And never forget, that leadership is not a popularity contest.

Personality opens doors but character keeps them open. Keep your promises. Walk your talk.

Leadership is about being responsible for other people. You can’t fake this – you need to care. It is about having respect for all people. It is about team work, and it is about growing people.

http://coolfidence.com/leadership-is-no-popularity-contest-solution-20023