amp,#39,Success,Stories,Doers, DIY 'Success Stories - 12 Doers Share Their Secrets&

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in When starting a new work at home business it is very easy to become consumed by it. We spend so much time trying to get the business up and running that we may end up becoming burned out and lose our motivation. There is so much to learn and

This week's interview takes us all the way toAustralia. Quentin Brown is 49 and lives in Brisbane.His ultimate aim is to become a fully paid missionaryworking with children around the world by using hisInternet business to support orphanages, mobile medicalcenters and schools. At present he works for anAustralian-based international aid organization as anetwork and administration manager.BizE-zine: Quentin, when did you first get involvedwith the Internet?QB: In 1996 I moved to Brisbane from Sydney after afailed business venture. Australia experienced arecession where interest rates topped 24% and thisdevastated me. I was nearly broke so I used theInternet to investigate different ways of making money.The skills I gained doing this helped me in my new joband I started to build their web site. I found that somany people were interested I spent endless nightsbuilding web sites for free and learning all I could.In 1999 I purchase my first .com called MSIncome.comand have used it ever since. http://www.msincome.comBizE-zine: What does the MS stand for?QB: MS stands for Multiple Stream. I learnt very earlyin my time on the Internet that selling one productwill never get you the income you need. I guess thesecret is to find a good product mix to cater to awide variety of people. You don't find many traditionalbusinesses just selling one product.BizE-zine: Your site is very good, but how has itdeveloped since you started out?QB: Initially, it was very simple. I borrowed ideasfrom here and there. It was what we call a homepage.Not very specific and advertised pretty well everythingI could find. I learnt fairly quickly that you don'tmake money from these sites. They are good for the egobut not the pocket.I spent time learning how to make my own graphics anddevelop my web site into a selling machine by lookingat the professionals. A selling web site needs to besimple and load quickly.There are some great tutorials around to teach you thebasics and then it is just a matter of trial and error.One of the greatest problems is that we spend so muchtime on our sites that we get sick of them. Or toofamiliar. Then it's a good idea to get your peers toevaluate it for you. My wife is also a great critic.She is not very computer literate and if she canunderstand and navigate through my latest creation, I'mhappy.The biggest change in the site is not so much inpresentation, but in specifics. I don't build so muchto please myself now, but to sell. My backend is myplace to play. Once a person joins our program throughthe subscription they enter a realm where I can playand do all the stuff I love. We have time to try newtechnology and bounce ideas off one another. It is acommunity and everything is far more relaxed.BizE-zine: What was the spark that pushed you intostarting up online?QB: My first experience was with a program calledAlladvantage which was an advertising bar you ran onyour computer. My first check was $53 and took me threemonths to get. It was so exciting because I hadn't paidout anything to get it. It was particularly sweetbecause a few years ago I had lost over half a millionon a traditional business and here I was making moneywith virtually no investment.In 1999 I was becoming more and more frustrated becauseI wanted to be more involved in helping people withtheir web sites, but my job with Global Care and anInternational magazine was taking up all my time. Idecided that if I could write a book and teach peoplehow to do it themselves than I could be a lot moreefficient.After looking at how much it costs to publish atraditional book I became very disheartened till Ifound Allen Says's Internet Warriors site.http://www.thewarriorgroup.com/cgi-bin/a.pl?warriors&11898Here I was able to talk to so many different people andI was introduced to Ebooks. I met Jimmy Brown whoproduced an ebook compiling program for a price I couldafford. Then I started to develop "My Website".I also developed a number of other programs in the samevein such as "My Ebook" and "My Templates" which goesthrough the whole process from writing to cover designand marketing.BizE-zine: You really went for it! Was there a definingmoment for you that put everything into place?QB: I guess that happened when I met Robert Kiyosaki. Ihad just read his book "Rich Dad Poor Dad" and had achance to have a very exclusive luncheon with himthrough the magazine I was involved in. I was able tosit and listen to him talk about the whole concept andasked all sorts of questions. I started to apply theprinciples he taught.BizE-zine: I have read, and been impressed with hisbook. Which principles of his have you specificallyfound useful in Internet marketing?QB: The concept of Robert's that I like the most is theidea of financial intelligence."50% of financial intelligence is what you learn. It isthe so-called technical knowledge about money,accounting, finance, investing and business. The other50% of financial intelligence is knowing when you arethinking rationally and when you are thinkingemotionally. To simply say, 'Play it safe.' is not arational thought because it is a thought that isgenerated out of emotion. To say, 'Play it smart.' is athought coming from the rational brain."I am continually amazed that when many people get onthe Internet they believe everything they are told.$10,000 a month with nothing down and nothing a monthand people belive it. This goes against all commonsense but I have seen it happen over and over again.Develop your skills and then work smart.This was and still is great advice.BizE-zine: Is your site earning well?QB: It accounts for about 20% of my income at present.BizE-zine: Has being outside America posed you anyproblems?QB: Living outside the US presented a number ofproblems. At first it was really difficult because inAustralia there was no way to really sell digitalproducts on line.The next problem that Internet non-US marketers faceis the simple conversion of all those sales into thecurrency of your particular country. Here, the bankscharge $10 a check and take 30 days to clear. If youare in a good affiliate program you can put a limit onyour account so you won't get paid until you reach acertain amount. This buffers the expense a little.I sell a lot of my own products so I have invested inWorldpay which allows me to sell in a number ofcurrencies. They deposit directly into my bank account.It is a more expensive route but has proven a valuabletool over the last few months.Paypal also let you have funds deposited directly intoyour account. I have used them for about two years andfound them very helpful.Another problem is trying to allow for the differencesin language and culture. I try to Americanize myspellings, but sometimes words and phrases creep inthat cause problems.I remember I was talking about a boot in one of mypages in reference to a car and I got quite a fewcomments. A car boot in Australia is what Americanscall the trunk.The secret is to see problems as opportunities forsuccess. If you can overcome them then you have a greattool to sell to people in your specific country. I amstarting to do a lot more consulting because of what Ihave learnt. I think it is important to remember thatyour Internet business will build skills in you thatare very saleable.BizE-zine: I notice that your site is geared stronglyfor the Australian market, with pricing in AU$. Doesthis, do you think, restrict you, or is it a successfulniche?QB: Although we are now an International business, withthe introduction of Worldpay, I am still trying to keepan Australian feel and culture to the business as lotsof people seem to like the more relaxed atmosphere. Wehave a lot to offer.BizE-zine: How long did it take you to start making aprofit?QB: Because I developed my own products and web sites Iwas in profit almost straight away. You see I have hada shift in my thinking. I was bought up to believe thatyou needed real estate and lots of money to make money.Since I started working on the Internet this whole wayof thinking has changed.BizE-zine: I'm certain that like most of us you are anavid reader of ebooks and courses. Which have been themost helpful to you?QB: I'm almost embarrassed at how much I have bought. Iwas reading your interview with Jim Wilson and like himI have almost two hard drives full of ebooks andcourses.In the early days I believed any email that told me Icould make thousands from nothing down and nothing amonth. Unfortunately this has not proved to be the caseand in most instances these companies are not aroundany more.One company I joined back in those early days wascalled LEAP, run by Janet Wilson. It is now revampedand called Empowerism. It probably taught me more aboutonline business than any other program.Running a close second would have to be The Warriorsite. One other business that has influenced me a lotis Sixfigureincome.com. I have been an affiliate fornearly two years. They have consistently sent meinformation when others have dropped off.Finally I guess Eva Almeida of www.ebooksnbytes.com hasbeen a real inspiration. As I have mainly been involvedin digital publication I appreciate her site andsupport.BizE-zine: What has been your most successful tacticfor generating traffic?QB: Traffic generation is a tricky topic. My experienceis that you need a balanced approach. If you make sureyou control and track your marketing and try outeverything, you learn what works for you. Then you cantarget your efforts.I try anything to generate traffic. Lately, I have beenadvertising in local papers. There are so many newpeople looking for an Internet business at present, whodo not get emails, that you need to target them in adifferent way. I give away a free ebook on disk inpetrol stations and libraries, I have developed a freeebook all about Brisbane and give it to localrestaurants and tourist centers.The secret is to be different and develop your ownunique way of driving traffic to your site. Yourreaders may like to look at our book on Brisbane. Itreally is a very simple concept anyone can do for theirspecific area. Just go online and find all the localbusinesses and services that are online and offer thema copy. Make it as generic as possible and offer tocustomize it for them. Download your copy fromhttp://www.msincome.com/books/brisbane.exeBizE-zine: What has been your biggest mistake?QB: The biggest mistake I have made is not believing inmyself enough when I started out.BizE-zine: Which software packages do you use to helpyou run your business?QB: One I couldn't do without is Front Page 2000. I canmake changes and update my site in a matter of minutesand then just click a button and it instantly becomeslive.I also use an old version of Paint Shop Pro which iseasy to use. For my covers I use Compactdraw and mymailings I use Aurate.BizE-zine: Do you have any plans to expand your onlinebusiness, and if so, how?QB: Always! My desire has always been to helpAustralians to develop local work. I am releasing asubscription site early this year to help themaccomplish this and share my experiences and skills.Later in the year we will open this up to theInternational market. There are more and morebusinesses looking at developing new strategies thatthere is almost an unlimited potential to start abusiness in any field you are interested in.We have some local Aborigines that have a site thatsell didgeridoos. These are unique Australian nativemusical instruments and we have been using theiraffiliate program to sell to the Japanese. There reallyis no telling what will be available in the next fewyears.I am always developing new ebooks and spend most of mytime writing and developing new products or helpingpeople with their dreams.BizE-zine: What one piece of advice would you give tosomeone who is just planning to start out?QB: The most important advice I can give to someonejust starting out, no matter where you live, ispassion. When everything is falling in around you andyou are so frustrated because nothing seems to behappening you need something inside to keep you goingand this is passion.It's got to the stage now that if I never made anotherdime I would keep doing what I am doing because I havegrown to love meeting new people and seeing all thedifferent ideas that are being generated every day. Somany of the home based businesses have much more goingfor them than the large corporate sites. The service isbetter and you can actually talk to someone and getadvice.To misquote the advertising campaign for Australia'sNorthern Territory: "You'll never never know if younever never (have a) go!"