The Potential Pitfalls of Writing a Business Plan

I recently read an article on entrepreneur.com that discussed some of the negative aspects of writing a business plan. It's an interesting find because we always hear of all the good reasons why you should write one; clarity of business goals, competitor analysis, market segmentation, etc. We don't always hear of the negative things that could result from it.

Here are the 6 potential risks of writing a business plan:

1) The possible disclosure of confidential information

The sharing and exchange of business plans is common, however, entrepreneur's need to be cautious before losing their hard work due to theft or replication.

2) Leading yourself astray

Sometimes entrepreneur's get too consumed with projects within their business plan and they lose focus of the end goal.

3) Ruining your reputation

If your business plan is over optimistic with its projections and inflated to the point of extreme returns, then you may be doing yourself a disservice.

4) Too much effort planning 

Some entrepreneurs fail to ever actually do business if they are enveloped in their plan.

5) Diluting the effectiveness of your plan

Make it readable in one sitting. Too many plans are over complicated so thy overwhelm readers.

6) Expediting your plan

Every entrepreneur needs a business plan because it acts as the structure for your business. The trick is to remember that simply planning is not enough, entrepreneur's need to DO. Get out and try things out. Figure out what makes money and what doesn't.


Read the full-length article here!

Top Companies to work for in 2014

I recently read an article on entrepreneur.com that highlighted the top 10 companies to work for in 2014. No surprise that Google tops the list again this year. With over a 1000 employees and over the top perks, Google and non Tech Giants are dominating the work place. Here's a list of the top ten places to work:

1. Google
2. Bain & Company
3. Nestle Purina Petcare
4. F5 Networks
5. Boston Consulting Group
6. Chevron
7. H-E-B
8. In-N-Out Burger
9. McKinsey & Company
10. Mayo Clinic

A solid company culture is imperative to increase retention rates, which then offers better services and solutions to your customers. It should be interesting to see who makes the top ten list next year, but one things for certain: "Culture eats strategy for breakfast"

15 Time Wasters Successful People Avoid

Wasting time is every entrepreneur's fear. Time is of the essence and when you're managing people, paying payroll and meeting with clients, you don't have much to lose.

I stumbled across this cool looking info graphic and I thought it would be beneficial to share. It highlights 15 Time Wasters that Successful People Avoid.

I love #2 Not Finishing and #13 Unproductive Meetings. Take a look for yourself.

I found it interesting that the internet and software industry was among the top time wasting sectors alongside Insurance and Education. Also, interesting to see Indiana and Kentucky among the top time wasting states.

Whether you suffer from lack of focus or working too late, avoid these 15 Time Wasters and become a more involved, more productive entrepreneur!

Entrepreneurship

Sometimes the hardest thing for us to do is to let go of everything we know and take a risk into the unknown. We often get some comfortable in our lives that we lose that inner spark and curiosity inside of us that questions everything we know. We almost have to stay childlike, meaning, we have to stay imaginative and not force ourselves to see through through the lens of our peers, but to look at what makes us tick and strive to be the best at it. 

I think people fail to take their leap into entrepreneurship or any adventure for that matter because they are scared of how they will "fly" once jumping off the rock. The best thing we can do is to just dive in and we'll wake up in a week or a month later and say, "Hey, I was so scared, but look where I am now! I accomplished something I value."

Embracing the journey is what makes life special. 

Goal Setting

I found this post on Pinterest this morning and for some reason it jumped out at me. I think a lot of people struggle with failure. I know I have, but my greatest accomplishments have shown through in times of extreme uncertainty. I think our natural tendency is to shy away fro challenges or the uncomfortable, when we really should be embracing them. 

The best piece of advice I ever received was to stick to the course and trust your path. There are going to be hard times and there may be some lows, but that's when you are building yourself stronger. One small setback for a huge comeback, that's how I see it. Let's enjoy this week :)

Opportunities in Obstacles

I get asked often what it is that drives me to be successful. Is it my family or friends? Is it the competitive desire to beat others? Is it a battle with myself? A short answer would be yes, to all of these questions. I get the fuel to "grind" from many sources of my life, but I picked up one quality that has helped me more than all others. And that's perseverance. 

I have failed many times and through my failures is when I rebuilt and came back stronger. I try to rely on that Michael Jordan quote:

"I've failed many times in my life, and that is why I'm successful." Well put, MJ.

Failure is difficult to deal with, but more often than not, it's a second chance to take a different route that you weren't expecting to take. It provides an opportunity for growth and the outcome is far greater than what we expected. It's all about perception and perseverance. Here's a quote I found that I thought tied this concept together nicely...

Life is going to continually dish out failure and rejection, but that's okay. It's a rebuilding tactic that can be utilized to become a better human. Edison felt that he did not fail over a thousand times when designing the lightbulb, but he merely found a thousand ways to not do it. He persevered and he became successful.

Perception and perseverance are key. Never stop grinding. Don't shy away from opportunity because of the fear of failure. There are always greater things ahead.

Tuesday Morning Motivation

Hello all! I hope everyone had a grand weekend. It was sure filled with epic sports and upsets. For football, Mississippi State beat Texas A&M, Arizona State beat USC, and the Seahawks handled the Redskins to cap off another great weekend in sports. 

As I brewed my coffee this morning, I began thinking of the work ethic it takes to be a top level athlete. I then noticed some similarities that athletes and entrepreneurs both have. They both hate losing. Entrepreneurs like athletes, also want to be the best in their particular field. They both embrace competition and look at challenges as opportunities. Here's a great quote that can be applied to any line of work on this fine Tuesday!

I've never been the most talented or the smartest, but I continued to work hard each and every day. That's what set me apart. Work ethic and determination go a long way. 

Life Now

It's funny. As we grow older the world seems to change our perception of ourselves. We are constantly told that we can't do things. We are constantly told that we aren't smart enough for this or that. We aren't strong enough to handle X, Y, and Z. But in fact, we are. We are all capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for. 

- Wise Words from John Lennon -

Ask a class of kindergartners who's an artist and the whole class raises their hand. Ask a group of 30 year olds the same question and maybe 1 raises their hand. Problem? We begin to believe what we are told when in reality, we control our destiny. Don't lose that inner child inside of you that wants to create and build something significant. Don't ignore that trait because everyone has it hidden deep inside of them, most of us are just too scared to set it free.

Each Day is filled with New Opportunities

It's easy to get caught in the grind of the 9 - 5 workday, but I always like to remind myself that there are always opportunities behind every challenge. Each new day is a chance to reinvent oneself and attempt to make the world a better place. Sometimes opportunities are just waiting to be found and we all need to do is change our perception of the task at hand and a solution will appear. Check out these daily motivators on this fine Tuesday! 

We all get to choose the kind of day we're going to have. We could let the obstacles and challenges set us back or we can grow from them, look to conquer them and celebrate the small victories in each and every day.

Saturday Morning Inspiration

As I sit and enjoy my morning coffee, I stumbled across some inspirational words of wisdom. I often talk about success, but we all measure success in various ways. Success to you could mean money and power, or it could be moral goodness. The quote below sums it up nicely...

"The only person you should try to be better than, is the person you were yesterday" - Unknown

Bruce Lee is one of my childhood favorites, and being a karate kid myself, I often looked to him as a role model. #2 is one of my personal favorites.

"If you truly love life, don;t waste time; because time is what life is made of" - Bruce Lee

Hope you enjoyed :) 

Vince Lombardi Quotes

I’ve compiled a list of quotes from one of the greatest coaches of all time – Vince Lombardi. His vision and leadership led teams to championships that coaches today often envy. Take a look at these while you grab your morning coffee. Carpe diem!

Words of Wisdom from Vince Lombardi:

1) “People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problems of modern society.”

2) “Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”

3) “Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don’t do things right once in a while…you do them right all the time.”

4) “Unless a man believes in himself and makes a total commitment to his career and puts everything he has into it – his mind, his body, his heart – what’s life worth to him?”

5) “Once a man has made a commitment to a way of life, he puts the greatest strength in the world behind him. It’s something we call heart power. Once a man has made this commitment, nothing will stop him short of success.”

-Bronson Quon

Vince Lombardi Quotes

Habits Cultivate Success

Habitual tendencies can formulate prosperous outcomes. You are a product of your input and if you can create positive habits early, you will be successful. Proper work flow habits are the backbone and a source of reliance when your workload becomes hectic and crazy (and trust me, it will). Take a gander at these inspirational quotes.

Your career is an adventure. You need to be able to thrive in uncertainty. Proper habits can aid with this and be a framework you continually rely on.

- Bronson Quon 

Inspirational Sport Quotes

I look to athletes as role models, not only for myself, but for kids around the world. I like to look at athletes work ethic and embody that in my everyday work. They wake up at 5 Am for workouts, have practice, then watch film on the work they just put in. I respect that! Here are a few sport related quotes that you can implement into your personal philosophy.

Well said, Erin!

“Michael knows best”

The path of least resistance isn’t always the best. Sometimes you have to stick it out, fail, get up, and try again to become successful. Athletes have figured that out. Keep grinding and good things will come.

-Bronson Quon

 

Inspirational Sport Quotes

CPA vs CMA

CPA vs CMA

The Path to Career Success

One of the biggest false tales that mentors teach their followers is that the road to success is paved along a straight forward arch. In reality, the opposite is true. Success comes from chaotic development and spontaneity. People who are successful are fully adaptable and can pivot when they must. They can reroute their plan to find a better solution.

One must be able to embody as many skills as they can to be successful but they also must be able to pivot from one strength to another when times get tough. There's a balance in life and there are many paths to achieving your goals.

- Bronson Quon

Athletes and Domestic Abuse

There has been a lot of Buzz around athletes this week (and not in a good way). They just can’t seem to do the little things right. I mean how hard is it to not physically harm another human being? I may be biased, but as a father, I feel like a line is crossed is when children need to be rushed to the hospital.

I’m an avid sports fan and have been for many years. I routinely follow the Lakers and my main man Kobe. I get my popcorn and “huddle” the family around our tv in the living room all day on Sundays. So, I’m not writing from an executive opinion but from a fan standpoint myself.

As fans, we want one thing. For our teams to win. Everything else in an athletes life that distracts the team from accomplishing this goal is a franchise problem. Businesses in in Baltimore have been PAYING fans to turn in their Ray Rice jersey. That’s right PAYING fans.

It’s time for change and to refocus on what we love – the purity of sports. No more distractions. Let’s just play ball.

-Bronson Quon


Athletes and Domestic Abuse

Words of Advice from Walt Disney

I often look to the leaders and innovators of our generation to model my roles in business and in life. There are none greater than Walt Disney himself. He built an empire off of pure creativity and will power. He never gave up and that's what I try to emulate as I develop myself as a man and as a professional. Here are a few words of wisdom from Mr. Disney

I often worry about the minute details; I don't need to. 

Well said Walt, well said.

- Bronson Quon 

The Return of the Black Mamba

With the NBA season right around the corner, I felt that it was appropriate to highlight one of the greatest of all time! Kobe will be looking to dish the ball around the court and utilize his young talent. Playoff bound? Time will tell, for now, lets just embrace the return of the Black Mamba – Kobe Bryant!

Kobe looking for a lane!

 

 

The Return of the Black Mamba

Career Advice and The Importance of Passion

Many people often have career advice for the up and coming youth of America. My philosophy is simple: If you work hard and respect others, everything will fall into place. Here are my Tuesday morning words of wisdom.

I stumbled across my passion through my roommate in college who was taking an accounting course. I'm happy to say the move was a great personal choice for me and every day I get to go to work on something I love. 

The best motivators in life and health always falls back to loving what you do. If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life.

- Bronson Quon 

Technology

We live in a technology driven world

Everything we touch has some sort of technological system. From iPhones to padlocks, tech is everywhere. What will be the next big innovation? Time can only tell, but for now, here's a few I found.

This is how I start my car, turn on the A/C and lock my dogs kennel. Not really, but maybe one day! 

- Some iWatch competition - 

- No longer will my coffee spill and destroy my work. I can simply just wipe it off. How ingenious! -

- Bronson Quon 

Technology Humor

Tech. Tech. Tech.

Are you a technology guru? In this day and age, technology is imperative to success. Enjoy these funny technology posts I stumbled across on Pinterest!

-Nothing but style -

- My daily password agony -

- The dying breed -

- Bronson Quon 

Follow me on Social

Have you seen all my social accounts? 

I'm constantly meeting with clients and run a very tight ship at home, but that doesn't mean I don't get social. I often post business and accounting tips, world travel, and general humor that I come across everyday. Let's have a conversation and get social! 

Follow me on:

Twitter

About.me

Pinterest

Tumblr

- Bronson Quon 

World Destinations

Have you ever been to Rio?

What about Paris or Germany? I found these gems while surfing the web. It's crazy to think of how big the world is and all of its amazing features, yet so few get to go out and explore any of it. Setting pictures up like this in my office is a constant reminder that I'm only one small cog a universal wide system. These places are incredible.

- Rio de Janiero, Brazil -

-Paris, France -

- Abandoned railroad tracks in Germany -

- Bronson Quon 

World Travel

Places to Visit

The amazing thing about Earth is that it always constantly changing and adapting. Similar to our business lives, Earth becomes molded by its surrounding but the beauty comes from the deeper peace it brings cultures all over the world. I need to get out of LA and check these places out!

- Bronson Quon 

Places to Visit

Bucket List Adventures

The best thing about the internet is the array of information and awesome pics that come through my laptop everyday. These photos are definitely "must visit places" to see before I die. I hope you like them as much as I did!

- The canals of Amsterdam -

- The beauty of color -

- Tahiti at its finest -

Now go Explore! - Bronson Quon 

Inspiration | Bronson Quon

Positive thoughts. Positive Life.

Many people struggle to find happiness. I think that's a real problem because there is so much joy and love to be shared. If I find myself in a rut, I always try to remain positive. It's crazy how far you can go with the right kind of attitude. Enjoy these positive, motivational quotes! 

Positive World | Positive Vibes | Positive Mind | Positive Life | Positive Forever

"Get out and try something new today!" 

- Bronson Quon 

Inspirational Quotes

Daily Inspiration

I often read daily quotes for inspiration. There's nothing that starts my day better than a cup of Joe and a meaningful quote. Here's a couple of my favorites. I hope you enjoy. 

- Life depends on your perception of it -

- People will have set backs. Overcoming them makes you stronger -

- Bronson Quon

Los Angeles Lakers | Bronson Quon

LA LAKERS

I was recently reminded that the strength of the wolf lies within the pack. I think this is so true and that teamwork is often undervalued. I've built great things, but I couldn't have done it without my awesome team. Here's to the best team in the Nation. Go Lakers!!!

- Bronson Quon