Way back in 2007, we entered the Marketing Pilgrim’s SEM contest and made it all the way to the top five with a final overall placement of 4th! Even though we didn’t win the crown, we we’re recognized for recording the highest amount of traffic out all of all of the contestants- combined. We did this by researching and compiling the article, ‘The 7 Deadly Sins That Hurt you as an SEO or an SEM.”

This year, we’re attempting to take the crown and all of the goodies that come with it! Our entry will take place between June 24th and the 26th. For more information on this contest or to follow its progress, go here. (or just follow our blog!)

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The “Entrepreneurial Myth” is a very common misconception that someone who has an outstanding technical skill can then, in turn, manage a business that earns its profit by performing that technical skill. If you find yourself in this boat, you’ve got to read E-Myth.

The e-myth theory suggests that the founders of the organization remain “technicians” working inside their business instead of working on their business. They usually lack the growth and management skills needed to increase revenue and keep down costs.

During the E-Myth Mastery Book, Michael Gerber suggests what he feels are the “seven essential disciplines” to master in the process of developing a world-class organization.

1. The Enterprise Leader
2. The Marketing Leader
3. The Financial Leader
4. The Management Leader
5. The Client Fulfillment Leader
6. The Lead Conversion Leader
7. The Lead Generation Leader

Before I started applying the principles outlined in e-myth to my business, my thoughts remained unclear and a source of frustration for me as to how to properly develop and execute them. A specific quote in the book helped me channel my frustration into productive business decisions that have only increased the bottom line and customer satisfaction. These seven disciplines are the “means through which you articulate your vision” for your organization. For me, that quote changed my prospective forever about what I do as a business owner and leader.

After embarking on the journey to fully embrace, understand and execute the techniques developed by Michael Gerber and his e-myth staff, I have had multiple programs developed to help automate and further organize the processes that we’re impeding our growth. In my mind, efficiency is one key to optimizing costs. If a specific task is taking 10 minutes to complete but with the aid of technology, could take 3 minutes, then you need to assess the cost in producing that technology to reduce the time to complete that task.

However, if you have an in-house programmer like myself, the said cost is less than if were to have it developed externally. The result? Hours of saved time, thousands of saved dollars and absolutely no need to hire additional employees. The biggest gain is the ability to complete ten times the amount of work we could have without the implemented system.

The ability to derive and create technology to assist in my business has helped us phenomenally. Even if your business isn’t mostly centered around technology, there is a way to integrate it throughout your business to help optimize your operations and expand margins in places you thought we’re completely needed in the beginning.

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