The first iteration of Back to Work! in multimedia is done. Let me know if you’d like a copy. I’ll also try to post one that’s clickable here.

Good golly, there were a lot of attractive opportunities (see yesterday’s “Franchise Me”). But because of who I am, I have to go with:

Ta da. Senior Magazine.

Is that what you guessed? Franchises are available right in my own back yard, and magazines are what I know. It’s in my existing set of core competencies. Negotiations have begun.

I don’t know for sure that this will happen. The devil, they say, is in the details. Getting financing will be, of course, the greatest hurdle. But if I can make it work, I will.

Nor am I saying that the other four options are off the table. They’re not mutually exclusive. The magazine gig apparently doesn’t approach fulltime status until you’re in five or six markets. You’re mainly selling advertising and soliciting some editorial content for an existing publication. So, it may be feasible to do one or two of these other ventures at the same time.

Stay tuned. While I might prefer to keep my own business to myself, the main reason I even got involved in the first place was for the educational value: For you.

Neurogenesis

Have you always believed (like me) that the human brain is endowed with only a set number of neurons (brain cells) from birth–and it’s all downhill from there? Hence the jokes about lowering our IQ every time we take a drink. (Which might be true, but not for that reason.)

The good news is that’s apparently not true. It seems that the inability to regenerate brain cells (neurogenesis) was more a function of the test animals themselves–caged primates. More recent research reportedly shows that uncaged primates do have the ability to regenerate brain cells.

The application for primates of the homo sapiens persuasi0n? Work cubicles = brain death. Or as Pamela Slim says, “(H)umans may not be meant to work in large groups. … You may not be cut out for corporate life, and didn’t realize it.”

Boy, do I, for one, relate to that. In days to come we’ll be exploring a few other thoughts from Pamela’s groundbreaking book, Escape from Cublicle Nation.

The envelope, please.

Following are the five business franchises that Stefan Silverman (see yesterday’s post “Start Your Own Business 101″) picked for me on the basis of my profile toward the poor man’s end of the food chain (under $100,000 investment):

1. Mark 5 Inc. — A costume jewelry distributorship via racks in retail stores. A $12,950 investment buys placement in 30 retail outlets for 2,100 pairs of earrings (retailing around $10-15 apiece) on c0nsignment basis. Really a part-time business that’s as close to risk-free as it gets. Technically a “business opportunity” rather than an actual franchise.
2. Discount Sport Nutrition — All of those vitanutrients and diet supplements for workout enthusiasts, like a discount GNC. Initial franchising fee of $25,000 plus inventory investment of between $40,000 to $70,000.
3. The Alternative Board — Executive roundtable coaching for local business owners and entrepreneurs. Investment can range from $17k to $52k depending on size.
4. Senior Magazine — Growing new publication for 50-plusers. Lucrative advertising arrangements primarily with health care providers. Investment of $40,000 to $50,o00 (including $30,000 initial franchise fee) per metro area.
5. Aussie Pet Mobile — Top-rated franchise opportunity by Entrepreneur magazine. Vans with licensed groomers provide curbside grooming service. Slightly more expensive, but your pet doesn’t have to cool his heels in a cage. Very popular & very trendy. Investment ranges from $65,000 to $90,o00 because of equipment.

No, you don’t have to put down cash on the barrelhead. Start-up business loans are available, partly underwritten by the Small Business Administration. So, lenders are m0re amenable to these proposals.

Now, these particular opportunities are just me. Your profile probably would suggest completely different options. The point is I never would have come up with even one of these on my own. But I am actively pursuing one of them.

Can you guess which one? Oh, come on. Try. If you know anything about me, you can figure it out.

There are many other franchise consultants out there. But for further info, I highly recommend contacting Stefan Silverman:

Cell: 651.263.6996 | www.thisismydreamjob.com
Office: 952-303-3820
“Helping You Find Your Dream Business”

Yesterday we noted that there are three primary ways to become self-employed: (1) Start your own business (2) buy an existing business (3) get a franchise. Today we’re going to focus on No. 3.

Trick question: You’ve probably heard the shock statistic about 80 percent of start-up businesses failing in the first five years. Now, on the other hand, what business model produces at a 94 percent success rate?

Trick answer: The franchise. That’s according to my friend, Stefan Silverman, a.k.a. “Franchise Jones.” Stefan says this success rate makes a properly selected franchise “a truly low-risk investment as well as a career that won’t disappear. Industry experience isn’t an issue because most franchisors prefer owners with no prior experience so they can teach them their methods.”

I’ve had my entrepreneurial eyes opened, thanks to Stefan. Franchising removes the guesswork to where it becomes more like falling off the proverbial log. Stefan, wh0 has owned seven different businesses, now works as a “franchise consultant” for Thisismydreamjob.com.

It’s a great business model: For those of us using his expertise, it’s free. But when someone buys, he gets a commission from the franchisor. That works for me.

I asked him to put me through the paces, just like a real client, so I could tell others how it works. I wasn’t really going to buy anything, of course.

So, Stefan has me fill out a confidential financial questionnaire that basically establishes my net worth, among other things. (If it’s less than about $300,000, that might be a problem.) Then there’s an hour follow-up on the phone, where he asks lots of questions about my professional experiences and personal preferences to get a feel for my business “fit.”

About a week later, Stefan comes back with five business recommendations for me to consider. That was the real game changer. From the little I knew about franchising, I really didn’t believe there’d be anything there for the likes of me–a freelance writer/editor who’s always admired entrepreneurs from a distance, even written extensively about them. But never did I really believe I could be one of them.

Guess what? All five of them turned out to be winners–things I could definitely believe in doing.

Clarification: Normally, Stefan would be recommending just tw0 or three business opportunities for a real client. In my case, he doubled it for the educational value. Nor is the p0int here to promote the business of Stefan Silverman or Thisismydreamjob.com.

But I will say this: As much or more than the picks themselves, I appreciated Stefan’s warmth, personableness, professionalism and sensitivity. He made it a real growth experience. You can check out his blog at http://franchisejones.blogspot.com/.

Tomorrow: The five picks. Which one will it be?

Considering the opportunities, being out of a job in 2010 just might be the most enviable place to be…

A personal note

For me, the beginning of 2010 is looking so much more positive than this time a year ago. Today I counted up six promising opportunities I have now, any one of which could potentially replace the income I lost 13 months ago when I lost my job. That includes my new book–”Back to Work!”–which certainly is the right idea at the right time–plus five other new business opportunities I’m working on. So, the odds are definitely in my favor.

Did you get a chance to visit Back to Work’s new LinkedIn networking/discussion group yet? If not, please do. (You’ll find it under Groups by the name of “Reinvent Your Work”–http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2618519&trk=hb_side_g). We’re at 26 members in the first week, most of whom are contacts from my personal network who are still gainfully employed in traditional jobs. So, the burden of this discussion is really on the rest of you, who are blazing trails outside the formal boundaries of the brick-and-mortar employment model. We need your input.

I’m also excited by some new material I’ve come across recently that I didn’t know existed. There’s a wonderful new book, for example, by Pamela Slim called “Escape from Cubicle Nation” that I’m halfway through and I’ll be discussing here. I’ve also been finding some great resources for starting your own business that I’m dying to share.

Speaking of business opportunities

A couple of weeks ago we featured the resource-rich–and free!–eBook by Jill Konrath, Get Back to Work Faster. See http://www.getbacktoworkfaster.com/. This thing is resources within resources that I’m still discovering. On page 172 is a link for another eBook by Amy Janecek called “Is Business Ownership Right for You in Today’s Economy?”

There are three primary ways to become self-employed: (1) Start your own business, including the various permutations of being an independent contractor/freelancer (2) Buy an existing business (3) Franchising. Janecek’s short book focuses on No. 3, including a particuarly valuable section, “Seven Myths of Franchising.”

I’m drawn to things I don’t know enough about, and I found this helpful. Take, for example, Myth No. 3: “There is no way for me to get financing, especially in today’s economy.” Not quite. There are nine ways: (1) Small Business Administration (SBA) loans (2) home equity loans (3) other lines of credit (4) 401K financing (5) family and friends (6) venture capitalists (7) investors (8) franchisor financing (9) leasing.

That should set some wheels turning. It did for me. In fact, the research I’ve been doing on the subject for this forum has set me on a new personal adventure. I’ll be sharing about some of that, too, in days ahead as events unfold. Stay tuned.

A gnawing feeling that you’ve done something wrong is a commonly reported experience of those who have lost their jobs during this Great Recession. We know it’s nothing we did, but it still feels wrong.

I clearly remember my first experience with joblessness 15 years ago: I felt naked, stripped of a garment I was supposed to be wearing. It eventually led me to question the basic rationality of traditional employment.

Having a traditional job, a regular paycheck and fringe benefits can breed a kind of security-mindedness that crushes the spirit and rots the bones when it’s withheld. For generations, Americans have assumed that such security is our birthright, and we do not handle it well when that security is withdrawn.

Bardwick

Judith M. Bardwick, a management consultant and psychologist, says entitlement results when people “don’t have to earn what they get” and soon “take for granted that they receive.” In Danger in the Comfort Zone (Amacom, 1991), she says this danger is greatest when “life is too safe”:

By protecting people from risk, we destroy their self-esteem. We rob them of the opportunity to become strong, competent people. Facing risk is the only way we gain confidence, because confidence is the result of mastering challenge. Confidence is an internal state. It cannot be given; it can only be earned. The only way to get genuinely confident is to be familiar with fear and then conquer it.

Bardwick wrote those words at a time when “re-engineering” the corporation–and flattening the organization’s employee ranks–was still a novel concept. Today it’s the name of the game. Organizations have had to make a lot of radical changes to survive–change product lines, re-brand their very identity and, yes, put quite a few people on the street.

Individuals today have to do much the same thing in terms of reinventing their careers. The old ways will no longer do. For many of us, making a living will no longer equate to “permanent” employment in a fulltime job.

That might be self-employment as a professional independent contractor or entrepreneuring a business from scratch. It might be a succession of temporary positions or what’s sometimes called the “composite career,” like my relative by marriage who delivers newspapers, sells Melaleuca, does home improvements and works weekends as a part-time associate pastor. It’s a living.

These days there’s not a lot you can really call “permanent,” anyway, is there? Unfortunately, we don’t get to choose the reality we have to deal with. We just have to deal.

Can’t find a job? Invent one. It’s what I call Working Outside the Box.

And it’s what Jill Konrath has done. (See last two days’ posts.) Go to her Web site http://www.getbacktoworkfaster.com/and hear her story of talking an employer into hiring her for a position that didn’t actually exist and for which no funds had been budgeted. She simply sold them on the value that she could bring to them in the sales area:

I think the current job-hunting system is hopelessly outdated, terribly degrading and fatally flawed. The truth is, companies create new positions all the time. Why? Because they face new challenges, because they set new goals, or even because they need someone who they think can make a big difference. Did you hear what I said? They create jobs, and sometimes they create projects before they create jobs.

That’s where we come in–creative freelancers who sell our services for projects that in many cases could turn into fulltime jobs.

What to look for? “Triggering events.” Jill’s definition:

A triggering event is a change within a company or external to it, that impacts an organization’s priorities. They can create urgent and compelling needs, ones that were nonexistent prior to the event.

That’s from her e-book, “Get Back to Work Faster” (which is available free on her Web site). She uses the example of a wholly owned subsidiary that has just been spun off and the CEO is now under tremendous pressure to show strong sales and profitabililty.

How often does that kind of thing happen? Probably a lot more than you think. In fact, just this week AOL was spun off from Time Warner and is in the throes of reinventing itself for the future. According to one account:

Since the summer, Aol has beefed up considerably its staff of “content creators,” like writers and journalists, so that it now has about 3,500 of them, he said, adding that more than 80 percent of the content on Aol sites is now original. ['Aol Becomes Independent, Counts on Content for Success,' http://www.pcworld.com/article/184203/aol_becomes_independent_counts_on_content_for_success.html]

Think there might be opportunities at AOL right now for people with Jill Konrath’s attitude? You bet. And that’s just one example right under our noses.

Need a job? Be daring and creative. Go make one.

Yes, “Back to Work!” advocates self-employment as one answer to the unemployment crisis today. But let’s face it: It ain’t that easy. If anybody could do it, most of us would. (Think here of your last Boss from Hell.)

There’s definitely something to be said for the security of a regular situation–especially the regular paycheck part. My late father, an electrical contractor, once said, “Son, you never get rich working for someone else.” But at least you don’t starve, either. It’s a known quantity.

In self-employment, both the upside and the downside are delimited. You can go broke as easily as you can get rich. Or at least fail to become profitable in a reasonable time frame. Think of the mortality rate for small-business start-ups, and you’ll see the kind of odds you’re up against.

Oftentimes it’s best to think of self-employment as a stepping stone in the stream, a temporary stop en route to the other side. That’s another reason I like Jill Konrath’s approach in “Get Back to Work Faster,” a free e-book available at www.getbacktoworkfaster.com. She suggests practical ways to do that.

Besides keeping your financial head above water, being an independent contractor can give you a significant leg up over other job applicants because you’re seen as someone who’s already making a living in this vocational field, not just another wannabe. (While it’s also generally understood that most freelancers don’t exactly have it made in the shade–and certainly no shame there.)

Here’s Jill’s prescription for breaking free from the traditional job-hunting strategies and exploiting your natural advantage:

● Clarify your value proposition [see yesterday's post here]
● Identify companies you’d like to work for based on criteria you established
● Determine potential needs based on your expertise
● Craft proactive campaigns to connect and meet with decision-makers [LinkedIn can be invaluable here]
● Direct to your professional website, which highlights your expertise and approach to business problems
● Share ideas on how you can help; have business-focused conversations where you’re seen as an intelligent person, not a desperate job seeker.
● Continue to keep in touch; share more ideas that can help your targeted contact with key business objectives
● Get invited in to work on a special “project” or to talk about newly emerged opportunity
● Job offer extended to you with no competition

Honestly, my first reaction to this? Come on, get real. Are employers really going to invite you in to “share ideas”? Then I remembered just how much my own freelance work had made the difference in landing my last two jobs. I’ve never actually gone to work for an employer for whom I’ve done freelance work, but others have.

The worst that can happen from employing this strategy? They don’t hire you. You “only” get more freelance work from the organization. Well, I could live with that. Couldn’t you?

I’ve never met Jill Konrath, but I really like and admire her. She’s a living example of what we’ve been preaching here–taking charge of your future because when we weren’t looking, somebody stole the safety net. Many of us are now going to have to learn to make it without a job.

Jill says:

I’ve been unemployed for over 21 years. And, I even tell people today that I am ‘functionally unemployable,’ meaning I’m not sure if I could ever work for anyone else again. But I haven’t been on Skid Row. Nor have I been destitute. Instead, I’ve been creating opportunities for me to use my best skills and to get paid well to do it.

Jill is what she calls a “sales stategist,” but she’s written (along with Jeff Ogden) a very helpful book for people like us called “Get Back to Work Faster: The Ultimate Job Seekers’ Guide for Professionals.” And here’s the best part: It’s a totally free e-book.

You can get it right here: www.getbacktoworkfaster.com

Or you can just keep your dial set right here as we share a few things in the next couple of days that we’ve gleaned from this resource. (Heck, this might become Resources Week.)

For example, do you know what a “value proposition” is? More importantly, do you have one of your own? You need to. Here’s Jill’s definition: “A value proposition is a clear statement of the tangible results a customer gets from using your products or services.”

It’s like the difference between features and benefits. Features tell you what the widget is made of. Benefits tell you what it can do for you. Unfortunately, too many people present themselves like widget features, when they really need to be marketing their benefits–i.e., their value proposition. This applies to resumes as well as capabilities brochures, Web sites and marketing materials.

Did you know that LinkedIn has a toolbar that you can download to your browser and identify contacts at Company XYZ you didn’t know you had? No lie. I was vaguely aware of such a feature, but didn’t know how to employ it until I read that chapter in Jill’s book.

We’ll have more to say about that–once I’m done experimenting with it. (I discovered I have some indirect White House contacts, though none with the CIA.) This is just too much fun right now.

Thanks, Jill.

And if that’s not enough to entice you, here’s her Table of Contents:

Chapter 1: Stop Playing the Old Game
Chapter 2: Sharpen Your Personal Value Proposition
Chapter 3: Develop a Strong Online Presence
Chapter 4: Target and Research Prospective Employers
Chapter 5: Pursue Known Opportunities
Chapter 6: Job Creation: How to Make New Opportunities
Chapter 7: Use a Targeted Direct Mail Approach
Chapter 8: Conversations and Connections
Chapter 9: A Time of Growth
Appendix: Fresh Resources & Tools You Can Use

OK, we’ve been harping on the new reality some call the “de-jobbing” of America. That is, making a living outside the formal relationship of a regular job. And we’ve been extolling the virtues of self-employment, independent contracting, etc.

So, it’s only appropriate that this installment of Resources Monday be devoted to four books devoted to that topic. In fact, I’m going to look into that fourth one myself, about starting a non-profit organization. I’m feeling a call to start a non-profit to raise funds from churches to provide tuition-free job counseling services to those who are unemployed and can’t otherwise afford it.

The envelope, please:

No More Mondays: Fire Yourself and Other Revolutionary Ways to Discover Your True Calling at Work by Dan Miller, Currency/Doubleday, NY, London, Toronto, Sydney, Auckland, 2008. Miller’s premise is simple: “To build the life you want, create the work you love.” Build up both your life and work priorities around values. Miller dismisses the commonly perceived high start-up costs of many new businesses, citing surveys that show 60 percent of such businesses require less than $5,000—and 69 percent less than $10,000. He delves into freeing the reader from the “paycheck mentality” in favor of results. Miller also provides a helpful chart distinguishing the new “eaglepreneur” from entrepreneurs, and provides helpful Web sites for those seeking “revolutionary work.”

Moonlighting on the Internet: Five World-Class ‘Experts’ Reveal Proven Ways to Make an Extra Paycheck Online Each Month by Yanik Silver with Robert Olie, EP Press, Madison, WI 2008. The authors specialize in providing solid step-by-step procedures and recommendations for launching Web sites both for commercial gain as well as other purposes such as blogging. The guide provides practical Web links and advice for bumping your Web site higher among “hits” by search-engine users.

The Weekend Small Business Start-Up Kit w/CD-Rom: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Get Your Business Up and Running Fast and to Start Making Money by Mark Warda, attorney at law, Sphinx Publishing, Naperville, IL, 2007. This author of more than 70 self-help legal guides provides information on contracts, insurance, Internet marketing, employment issues, bookkeeping and taxes.

The Non-Profit Handbook: Everything You Need to Know to Start and Run Your Non-Profit Organization by Gary M. Grobman, White Hat Communications, Harrisburg, PA, 2008, 5th edition. Grobman spent 13 years as an executive director for a non-profit organization and provides a breadth and depth of what to anticipate within the mega-details of jump-starting a non-profit organization. He covers details including managing volunteers, staying fiscally accountable and structuring board involvement, as well as offering tips on communications, marketing, fund-raising and developing a strategic plan.