There’s a great story about a young man who goes to a very prosperous older man to ask for advice:

“What’s the most important thing in life?” the young man asks.

“Good judgment,” replies the older man.

“And how do I get that?” the young man continues.

“Experience,” replies the old man.

“But how do I get that?” persists the young man.

“Bad judgment,” concludes the old man.

To say I’m on cloud 9 is an understatement. Last February, I created for myself a dream business. I launched my homemade site with huge hopes and dreams.

Only 3 months after launching, I was in North Carolina with my buddy Ryan, as he was helping me take my site to the next level. Quickly after that, I realized that if I really wanted to go for it, I was going to have to invest serious money into my business.

I believed (and continue to!) believe in what I’m doing so my quest for a designer/developer began. Finally, I found a fully equipped professional design/development firm with amazing talent located right here in NYC.

It was very important to me to be able to meet with the team so they understood me, my business and also because I’m slightly a perfectionist (which I have always insisted was a good thing!).

Well, after many months I’ve realized it’s just not working out as much as I want it to. We were really close to launching the new site but ultimately, I just can’t risk waiting any longer. Enough is enough. I rather not get into the details but for all of my loyal readers who were curious to know the deal – I thank you.

The main reason it didn’t work out was a major difference in attitudes. Their attitude was ‘will it matter in 3 years if the site is done tomorrow or in 4 months?’ Their CEO said that to me on numerous occasions.

That was back in January when I was fuming that the site wasn’t ready for the New Year. His mantra for me was ‘patience, Adam, patience.’ And although there’s some validity to that, I really don’t have patience for certain things, especially in business with things that ARE (and should be) in my control.

I don’t know one successful person who has a ‘will it matter in 3 years from now if this is done tomorrow or in 4 months’ attitude. I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have liked it if I said, “Will it matter if I pay you today or in 4 months from now?”

We’re coming back stronger than ever. I’ve already hired a firm that was highly recommended by Seth.

And as much as my blood is boiling, it is what it is…and as they say, “It could always be worse!”

I recently wrote about how I’m ready to invest a lot of money into my business.

Why invest in someone else when you can invest in yourself?

I used to be really into the stock market. Actually, I still am. But after a while, I realized that as much as I may think I know what’s going on with a company, I have no idea.

I much rather invest in myself. (I’m not saying investing in the market is a bad idea but unless you are going to dedicate the time you should, you are far better off investing in an index fund as opposed to a single company.)

Anyway, investing in myself is scary. I have absolutely no one to blame but me. Am I really going to invest in myself over Sergey Brin or Howard Schultz?

Absolutely! As scary as it is, I am in complete control of what I do with my company. But it takes a lot for me to actually cough up some real money.

I need to be 1000% convinced. I need proof of concept. Anyone who knows me fairly well has heard me say something like, “If I believe in something with all of my heart, the sky is the limit, there is no stopping me!”

I can honestly say that I believe in what I’m doing as much as Howard Schultz believed in his little idea. Words do no justice to express how I feel about what I’m doing and where I intend to take MyBodyTutor.

But it took me a long time to get to where I am today in terms of belief.

So many people are so eager to throw money at anything without even testing it. How do you even know your idea works? I’ve been testing my idea since I first started and I now believe (and am fully convinced) I have something that is ready to be taken to the next level.

I believe the reason why there is a lot of bullshit walking in the business world is because when push comes to shove people don’t truly believe deep down in what they are doing or offering.

Why would you continue to do something you don’t fully believe in?!?!

They say that, “Money talks…

Literally just got this email that I was CC’ed on:

Hey Adam and Marissa,

Adam, thanks for the vacation wishes! Marissa, here’s Adam’s info. Adam, Marissa is my roommate and has a friend (Linda) who may be interested in working with you - I just wanted to give you the heads up. Marissa has been witness to my “life transformations” and is now talking you up as well.

I swear to God, no matter how big this company gets, emails like this NEVER, EVER get old. And if they do, I will stop doing this immediately because that means I have my head so far up my ass.

And just this past Monday I got this email:

Dear Adam,

I know I have been MIA lately. My apologies up front about that. Since starting your program I have learned to handle situations that come along day to day not only with food, but with simple everyday things that can take away from our motivation and add to our stress. I know I do and feel my best when I eat right and exercise to my heart’s content. However, a few weeks ago, you said something to me that changed my life.

“Don’t do things that make me feel bad. Or if something is making me feel bad, change it.”

At that point, I had been drowning for weeks. Going to the studio everyday and singing nonstop is what I love to do best but I had huge bills as a result of it and it was all piling up before me. Getting home late, not seeing my family. I wasn’t happy. I wasn’t feeling like I was making a difference. Not only in my own life, but more importantly in other people’s lives. It was time to change it.

I am about to ask you a favor. I know what I am capable of and I want to do for others what you have done for me. Being a Body Tutor would give me the greatest sense of pride because I feel that I can do it. I have reached so many personal milestones while on your program, I just wish I could help someone else do the same.

Again, emails and comments like this never, ever get old. In fact, I have every nice thing a client has said to me saved on my computer. Whenever, I need some inspiration I spend some time reading through them.

Changing lives and helping people is what it’s all about. This IS why I started this business.

I’ve talked a lot about making a difference and having meaning in my life. When I was working at E&Y, I just didn’t feel like I was making a difference or doing anything meaningful.

And it was killing me because I felt like a waste of space. I had ambition up to the sky, a ton of confidence in myself having started successful businesses in college yet not enough courage to quit my job because I was getting sucked into the system. Until I finally did. And it was the BEST thing I have ever done for myself!

I understand how writing blog posts like this might come across as arrogant. But you also have to understand my point of view.

I know what I offer works. There is not a question or doubt in my mind. (And that’s why I offer a 100% money back guarantee.)

I truly feel an internal pressure to help more people. I feel I have solved an enormous problem. And I want to offer my solution to as many people as possible.

The amazing thing is I have countless emails like this. To tell you the truth, as I’m working on my new website (I’ll tell you more about this next week and why it’s taking so long) one of the parts that is taking so long is organizing the testimonials. I have so many testimonials and emails like this that I feel are very important to share.

Again though, I am in business TO help people. TO help change people’s lives, TO get emails like this. That’s why I left E&Y.

Because when you feel good, you do good. And that’s what I help people do. I help people feel freaking amazing.

And that feels freaking amazing!

I saw Third Eye Blind last night at this bar type place called Mulcahy’s in Wantagh, Long Island. I’m a big fan of Third Eye Blind and I’ll go see them whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Whenever I listen to 3eb it makes me think of kickin’ it by the pool and lounging on the beach and barbequing and driving with the windows wide open and playing sports. All things I love to do during the summer.

It could be torrentially pouring, snowing or hailing and I can instantly escape to the beach with sand between my toes.

For me, Third Eye Blind = Things I love doing during the summer; the beach, the pool, driving, barbequing, sports = Fun!

What does your company = to people when they think about your company?

In my case, I want MyBodyTutor to = extreme trust, extreme reliability and consistency.

Anyone who has ever had any sort of interaction with my company would have to agree. I don’t give them any other choice.

What do you want people to think about your company? Are you giving them any reason to think otherwise?

Does it involve making boat loads of money? Does it mean you’ll help millions of people change their life? Will you be famous? Are you considered successful once you have a helicopter and a Gulfstream Jet? Does it mean you’ll have ridiculously huge homes?

Or maybe it involves public service and giving back? Will you be very well respected in your field? Will people look up to you? Will you have a Ferrari 360 Modena and a few other gems in your garage? Maybe, just changing one life forever is good enough for you. Will your kids be proud to have you as a parent? Will you have every toy imaginable? Or does it mean you’ve truly made the world a better place?

What does success really mean to you?

My definition of success is to be truly, sincerely and deeply happy. But that means; I’m wildly successful NOW!?

So that means success has nothing to do with money and everything to do with happiness?! So wouldn’t that mean all you need to do is figure out ways to make yourself as happy as possible and to stop doing things that make you unhappy?

But what does happy and unhappy really mean? I think they are such overused terms these days.

For example, when I reflect back on my days of working in public accounting I say I was miserable. But I wasn’t really miserable. I just wasn’t excited. I also learned that how I made money was really important to me.

So not only do I want to make a lot of money, but I want to do something meaningful and exciting.

But what’s meaningful to me, might not be fulfilling for you. If it’s meaningful to me then it’s going to automatically be exciting. Actually, changing people’s lives for the better is thrilling.

Excitement is the new happiness. And I believe that’s what we’re all really after…an exciting life.

At least, that’s what I’m after.

“I’m a journalist based in Washington, D.C. and I am really impressed with MyBodyTutor and your blogging. I was hoping that I could interview you for my blog, The Schiff Report.”

Sure!

I really liked the thoughtful questions that Jaclyn asked me; especially the one about my dreams for MyBodyTutor.

Check it out here. Thanks, Jaclyn!

Oh and while I’m on the self-promotion train, I’m very excited that I was invited to be a part of the highly influential blogger Penelope Trunk’s new Brazen Careerist website. It’s a network of 50 young bloggers among many other things. You can check that out here.

Choo Choo!

So there’s been a lot of talk on the blogosphere of a particular post written by Jason Calacanis. He wrote a great blog post about how to save money running a start up.

On the list he wrote, “Fire people who are not workaholics. Come on folks, this is startup life, it’s not a game. Don’t work at a startup if you’re not into it–go work at the post office or Starbucks if you want balance in your life.”

Then TechCrunch, wrote a blog post entitled, Calacanis fires people who have a life, which caused an unbelievable uproar.

Calacanis later renamed his post, Fire people who don’t love their work, which I couldn’t agree more with.

Here is what I believe:

I’m working. In fact, if I’m conscious, I’m working. That’s largely because it doesn’t seem like ‘work’.

If I’m doing this for fun (and I am) then I might as well be doing something remarkable/great/worth doing/worth talking about.

Otherwise, why bother? And if you’re going to join MyBodyTutor, why bother unless, you want to be part of a company that is doing something remarkable/great/worth doing?

Then TechCrunch editor and founder Michael Arrington, wrote a follow up post that I happen to love.

Arrington writes, “Startups that hire incorrectly fail. They don’t probably fail, or maybe fail. They just plain fail. You must hire the right people. In particular, the early employees must be perfect. This is more important than anything else, including the product or business idea.”

I couldn’t agree more!

Then he writes, “The most important part of hiring correctly is to not hire the wrong people. The second most important part of hiring correctly is to hire the right people. What that means is that it is better to not hire anyone at all if you can’t find the right person. And if your startup fails, all the perks, time off and general coddling isn’t all that useful.”

“So who are the right people and who are the wrong people? It’s not that hard to tell. The right people are the ones that really, really want to work with you. You can tell they’re excited to be a part of the team.”

“I’ll take the fired up warrior any day over the more experienced but otherwise meek alternative. Skills can be learned quickly on the job. But if you aren’t already the kind of person who’ll just get the job done no matter what, you’ll likely never be.

Warning signs to look out for during an interview: people who care about status symbols like titles, people who resent the success of others, people who act like they’re doing you a favor by talking to you. And people who want to negotiate salary endlessly but couldn’t care less about the stock options.”

Again, this is all so true. I want you to be thrilled to be a part of the MyBodyTutor team. I want you to be so excited you can hardly contain yourself. And I really, truly, mean that. This isn’t a game. It’s my life. (And yours too!) I’m not looking to build another me-too company. I have a vested interest in seeing my company succeed and so will you.

I have spent countless hours and dollars on my company. Hours I can’t get back. Hours I could’ve been building something else. But I chose to do this. I want to build something worth building. Something that will go down in business books.

(more…)

In an effort to help as many people as I can, I’m always looking for ways to spread the word!

On Saturday, I’ll be doing a radio interview on Newstalk 1220 at 3:32 P.M. (Got to love the attention to detail!) in Sarasota, Florida.

Interesting. I wonder if my Grandma will be able to listen?

Anyway, if you’d like to listen, you can check it out via their website. It’ll be streaming live. Just click on the ‘Listen Live’ link.

Oprah - We’re on our way, we’re on our way!

“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.” - Vincent Van Gogh

I started searching for a web design and development company in June. I felt it was (and has been) time to redo my website and make it look like the company it is thankfully becoming. My number one rule in business is to only work with people who are extremely passionate about what they do.

I only want to work with the best. And of course, the best are very passionate. When you are the best, you are also able to command a premium for your services. And I have no problem paying a premium for tremendous work.

So, I began my quest.

In mid-June I thought I had met my guys: Two brilliant kids that go to NYU. One was an amazing designer and the other was an even better programmer. They both oozed passion. It was lust at first sight. They gave the most perfect response to every question I asked. And they asked me questions about my vision, strategy, etc. I appreciated that because, in a sense, they were interviewing me as much as I was interviewing them.

At the end of our 3 hour meeting we shook hands and I agreed to pay the premium they wanted. That same night, I received an email from them basically stating that they didn’t want any money at all, they just wanted equity in my company. They told me they’ve never met anyone with so much passion, energy, enthusiasm, drive, belief, conviction, determination and that they fully believed I could and would make this the company I spoke of.

One of them wound up getting an offer he couldn’t refuse and moved to London. The love affair was, unfortunately, over as quickly as it started.

I met with 3 other great firms this past summer and early fall that I was seriously considering. The same thing happened with both of these firms! They said it was something about the way I spoke and how my eyes lit up. I was amazed at what was going on. I was just being me. In the end, I just didn’t think it was a good match.

I just got off the phone after a 1 hour conversation with what could be a big win for MyBodyTutor if it pans out the way I hope it does. Again, the same type of awesome feedback. “I have no doubt in my mind that you will take your company to where you want it go. You convinced me within the first 30 seconds, Adam. I truly believe in you, etc., etc., etc…”

I’m trying to figure out what is going on and I think I figured it out.

There are two great days in a person’s life – the day we are born and the day we discover why.

I live for business, I live for health and fitness and I live to help and inspire people. The day I came up with the concept for MyBodyTutor is the day I discovered why I was born.

Oh, and the site…it’s coming boy!

MyBodyTutor is growing and we’re getting ready to take the company to the next level.

For the right person, this might be the perfect part time job. No meetings, no hassles, and people who respect you and your work. Read on for details.

JOB DESCRIPTION: Body Tutor (nutritionist/personal trainer)

You’re an expert in the fields of nutrition and/or exercise. You will handle your own clients and help them reach their health and fitness goals by using our revolutionary Daily Feedback system all from the comfort of your own home.

Who Are You (which is even more important than what you know)

If you’re looking for a part time job, look elsewhere.

We want someone who is passionate about the work, about pushing the envelope and most importantly helping our clients reach their goals and potential.

We want people who are hungry, loyal and dedicated to our vision and goal.

We are looking for people who care about making a difference in the World and want to be a part of something very special. You also must be able to commit 2 hours every morning.

How Much Will You Make

If you’re in this solely for the money - go elsewhere.

You will earn between $1000 - $2000 per month and also receive great options packages.

What if you don’t have internet access during the day

Every tutor, whether you have internet access or not, will get a Blackberry that we pay for…call it a perk, if you will.

The bounty and other details

After 3 months of successful work, we’ll pay the person who referred the hire $300 in cash. If you refer yourself, we’ll pay you.

If you know the perfect person, send them over and have them email me at adam at mybodytutor dotter com, please. Thanks!