Chris Ducker

Expert Business Growth, Virtual Staffing & Personal Branding

Want Success…? Say ‘Thank You’ More! (Plus, a Public Message to My Wife!)

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Today’s post is a short one. It’s about as simple of a message as you can get.

Say ‘thank you’ more often.

I’ve found that since I’ve been in business for myself, my success has become more and more apparent and I have been able to develop more and more meaningful relationships – both business and personal – by simply saying two little words more often than I have done in the past.

When you feel as if you should thank someone for a job well done, do it. When you believe someone needs a pat on the back, pat them on the back. The simple gratitude that the words ‘thank you’ bring to someones day is by far one of the most success-driving activities you can get involved with.

Here’s MY ‘Thank You’ for Today!

To my beautiful, loving wife, Ercille…

You have given me so much to strive for. Your ability to continuously encourage and support me and to help me always see things in a good light, no matter what, is something that I am thankful for every day. Your love and affection is something that I cherish.

And the way you love all three of our children, even though you personally only helped me make one of them, is nothing short of heroic! You are my hero. My best friend… I love you.

Thank you, darling…

Now, stop reading blog posts and go say ‘thank you’ to someone!

How to go from a ‘Working Class’ to an ‘Entrepreneurial Class’ Mindset!

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Financial Mindset

I’m much more a podcaster than a blogger, so I thought I’d whip up a little audio segment that you can either listen to right here, by clicking the ‘play’ button below, or take on the road with you. I hope if you have any questions or feedback you’ll swing back to the blog and give me a shout in the comment section, below:

Dan Andrews – VBL Audio #1

I believe that becoming an entrepreneur is a gradual process. Without a doubt, the #1 thing that holds people back from being a success in business is poor personal financial mindset. It’s odd to me – most people are much better at business finances that personal ones (as an entrepreneur, of course, they’ll be the same thing). That’s probably because there is a huge element of self control involved.

In the included audio, I’ll point to three main mindset shifts you can make that will jump-start your journey into the entrepreneurial class, plus you’ll find out:

  • The thought experiment that inspired me to quit my job.
  • The only thing you need to know about personal finances (and why you shouldn’t take my advice)
  • Some of the key mindset traps that keep people in jobs.

Mentioned in Today’s Audio: Dave Ramsey

Enjoy and leave your thoughts below 🙂

Capturing Entrepreneurial Ideas to Boost Productivity… and Sleep!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6MnDz2Gr2c

It’s been a while since I recorded one of these quick videos. It’s not because I havent had the questions – believe me, I’ve HAD the questions, but mainly because I’ve been getting back to people a lot more via the VBL Facebook page – the community there is really starting to grow – thanks to everyone who has ‘Liked’ us, and if you haven’t – what are you waiting for, seriously…?!

Today’s Question

So today I answer a question from Michael in New Zealand on the subject of capturing entrepreneurial ideas so he can, amongst other things, get a better nights sleep..! I actually went into this a little a while back in a post, but the question pops up quite regularly, so I figured a little video might not hurt…

It’s tough being an entrepreneur – but, stick with it Mike, and the rest of you – it’s one of the  the only way to create a great ‘New Rules’ of Lifestyle Design, as I discussed on Monday.

I’ll be doing more of these in the future, and might not necessarily put them all on the blog, so be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel, VirtualCEO.tv (which is now also available in the sidebar of the blog, too!).

Please leave your own ideas on the subject below, as we can all learn a little from each other! See you Monday.

Lifestyle Design: The NEW Rules!

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Lifestyle Design: The New Rules!

Before Tim Ferriss authored his first bestselling book (I’m not even going to quote the title, everyone knows what book I’m talking about!), the term ‘Lifestyle Design’ was barely searched for on Google. Even though the concept of designing a lifestyle against the ‘norm’, one that gave it’s exponents the ability to live life on their own terms, was being practiced by a select few, it wasn’t until Tim started promoting and marketing his book online, and it’s subsequent launch, that the term itself became one of the most searched for phrases online.

However, a lot has changed since the release of the book, and the concept of Lifestyle Design isn’t so foreign to the masses anymore. Its mainstream. It’s ‘out there’ and there are hundreds of blogs you can read that give you all the info you need to start designing your own dream life.

What actually is Lifestyle Design, anyway..?

Lifestyle Design is fundamentally working towards designing a life that is against the norm. Its about sticking it to ‘the man’, being your boss, and living life on your terms.

This can mean different things for different people, of course. But, ultimately, I strongly believe that the most important factor of designing your dream lifestyle is to be your own boss, first and foremost. Some might disagree with this, and thats okay – it’s just my opinion, I’m sure you have yours.

The reason behind this is that by becoming your own boss you are the master of your own universe. You call the shots. You make the decisions. Worked 14 hours today, been crazy productive and want to take a day off tomorrow to spend more time relaxing and decompressing – do it. Want to travel to the other side of the country to spend more time with your number one client – do it. And all on your own terms, and at the speed that makes you happy.

New Rule #1 – What if you have lots of employees..? Delegate.

Fast forward. Let’s say you have your own business, and it’s got to the point where you have several people ( or several hundred people, like myself!) working for you. The idea of leaving the office, and becoming a mobile entrepreneur might scare the crap out of you. But, that’s what Lifestyle design is all about.

The first step to freeing yourself of the responsibility of not having to ‘be there’ all the time for your staff is to start delegating. Fast. The more delegating you do, the less ‘work’ you’ll be doing, and more strategizing, marketing and planning you’re going to be able to focus on. Which is exactly what every business owner should be working on… Not packaging the orders to customers. And certainly not answering the phone, sending invoices to clients, or other admin related tasks.

You’ll find that the more you delegate to your staff, the better they will become at what they’re doing for you, and the more they will enjoy their jobs because of it. People get bored, and stagnant in their roles as employees. Mix things up a little, and give them some more responsibility. The act of delegation alone plays a big role in the design of your overall preferred lifestyle.

And if employees put up resistance, and prefer for you to not delegate task to them, replace them ASAP. These types of employees will bring your business down eventually, not help you grow it.

New Rule #2 – What if you have kids…? Plan.

Having children is probably the best feeling in the world. For me, it doesn’t get any better than being woken up in the morning to the word… ‘Daddy!’.

Some parents that practice their own lifestyle design concepts will travel seamlessly around the world, home schooling their kids. If that works for them, then that’s great. For me, however, because of my other responsibilities, both personal and business related, that is not a possibility. And I’m not the only one in that boat, too.

The fact is that you can still design an awesome lifestyle with kids in tow. First things first, the kids should always be the most important factor in your lifestyle design equation. If you don’t agree with me on that one, as a fellow parent, I’d prefer it if you go read another blog. Seriously.

The great thing about being a kid is the school holidays. They are huge, compared to what they used to be! And by being a self employed parent you can enjoy those holidays and the immanent travel that comes with them. All schools will give you a calendar at the beginning of the school year, listing all the holiday dates. So, start planning your travel and trips immediately.

Book your flights and hotels/resorts early, and then start planning what the mice will be doing in the office (see New Rule #1, above!), when the cat is away on vacation, living the lifestyle he/she is designing for their family.

New Rule #3 – Laptops on Beaches is soooo yesterday! Get Mobile.

Right, first up… I’ve never been able to figure this one out. Who wants to actually WORK on a beach in the first place…? Seriously! Firstly, going to the beach is supposed to get you away from the office and work, and computers, so you can de-stress and switch off. Secondly, getting sand inside your laptop isn’t ideal..!

But, seriously… The idea of working on the beach is very much the ‘yesteryear’ of lifestyle design. That’s your down time. That’s your rebooting time. Use it properly.

Now, that doesn’t mean that you can’t escape to a beach resort, or go stay at a beach location, or apartment for a period of time, and work whilst you’re there. It simply means – leave your laptop in your room whilst enjoying yourself on the beach!

Last year, I spent a whole week at a beach resort in amazing Boracay. I worked an average of 5 hours a day, inside my air-conditioned apartment, shot a great series of VA video tips and enjoyed the rest of my time with my wife, as we decompressed, relaxed, enjoyed happy hour cocktails, and generally created lots of fond memories.

I conversed with my management team via Skype and email, and things flowed nicely. Not only this, but the entire time I was away, I was speaking with clients consistently and none of them figured out I was not in the office. Now, THAT is what I call the Virtual Business Lifestyle!

The new rules of lifestyle design are not black and white. They are not for everyone. Some of you might agree with these rules, some might not. The most important thing is that you recognize that the concept of designing a life that you and your family will really enjoy and appreciate living, is ‘out there’ for you all to discover.

I have, and continue to. And you can, too.

Some of you might have your OWN new rules of lifestyle design, and I would love to hear them from you. Please feel free to comment below, at will, so we can ALL learn from each other on our relentless journey’s to creating lifestyles we love to live!

36 Things I’ve Never Mentioned Online Before! (My ‘Getting to Know Me’ Post)

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That’s me, enjoying a light snack whilst on a mini-vacation last year, in Boracay.

Most blog posts I write are on the subject of business, location independence, outsourcing and the like. Today, I thought I would kick off this week with a slightly different, lighter approach to things. So, here are a butt load of facts you never knew about your favorite (I am your favorite, right!??) Virtual CEO that you’ll probably laugh at a little, cry at a little, and no doubt forget pretty quickly!

Enjoy…

1. I’m seriously lazy when it comes to exercise. I know I have to do it, but my wife practically has to kick my ass through the gym doors!

2. I used to publish my own magazine in the UK years ago, on the subject of hong kong cinema.

3. I’m a sucker for kids. They can wrap me round their little fingers in a heart beat.

4. Although I got close a few times, I never dunked a basketball. Terribly frustrating! Guess white men really can’t jump…!

5. I never drank alcohol until I was 25. I’ve made up for it since, mind you!

6. Working out of coffee shops is my thing. I love the aroma of coffee when I’m working, plus the jazzy music.

7. My favorite kids TV show is Postman Pat (BBC show). I watched it as a kid and my 2 year-old watches it now. The stories are great.

8. I saw Michael Jackson in concert 4 times. Of all of the live shows I’ve been to (and there’s been a ton!), they were easily the best four of the lot.

9. I used to skate board everywhere as a kid, until I discovered basketball and girls in my mid-teens… Soon forgot about that board then!

10. By the time I was 30 years of age I had lost both of my parents. It made me realize just how short and precious life really is.

11. I was left naked in the woods, by a river, on my first stag night (bachelor party, for my American visitors). It was in October. In London. It was bloody cold!!!

12. I swore off getting married again until I met my second (current) wife. She changed that self-promise in a heart beat.

13. I would never skydive. Are you mad? Jumping out of a plane with nothing but an over-sized hanky chief between the rest of your life, or your certain death!!?

14. Although I’ve lived in the Philippines 10-years, although I can understand a certain amount, I can’t actually speak the language fluently. Why? Sheer laziness.

15. I’m a great host. Parties and get-togethers at my house (or elsewhere) are always memorable.

16. My 15 year-old son dunked on me this past Christmas. It was embarrassing.

17. I cried when I heard of Ray Charles’ passing. He is easily my biggest musical influence.

18. I’m allergic to cats. Which is a great shame, as they are awesome and would love to have one as a pet.

19. I drink too much Diet Coke (gotta stop this, I know!).

20. Like most fathers, I would have no problems killing another human being if they were to try and harm any of my children.

21. I had my first kiss when I was 12 years old. It was, er… Sloppy.

22. I truly love being my own boss. I could never work for someone else again. Ever.

23. I’ve watched Bruce Lee in “Enter the Dragon” so many times I can literally recite the entire script off by heart… Best line in the movie? “Boards don’t hit back!”.

24. The buzz I get out of helping other business owners grow their companies is very real, and very rewarding.

25. I moan way too much about traffic jams. Way too much.

26. My daughter Is ‘Daddy’s Little Girl’ in every way, shape and form. And she knows it, and takes advantage of it. I am powerless…

27. I once got completely lost in Slovenia. Took me 3 hours to get back to my hotel… From a market place literally 3 miles away!

28. I love Vegas. I don’t gamble. But the ambience, the parties, the lights and the awesome shows just get me pumped up!

29. I’ve been wanting to start writing a book for over two years now. The notes are there, the chapter list is there (but is changing frequently!) and I know I have the ‘smarts’ to write it and have people enjoy the read. I just have to start now…! – Would you buy it?

30. Although I like to hang out and socialize, I’m most comfortable and happy when I’m at home, watching TV with my family.

31. People consistently say I look like actor Jason Statham. Other than the fact that we are both from London and bald, I can’t see the resemblance, myself.

32. I read at least one non-fiction book a week. Usually business related.

33. I’ve secretly always wanted to star in a Hollywood movie. Preferably a comedy, like Ace Ventura… Something for all the family.

34. This year I plan on starting 3 new businesses, all within the service industry and who’s marketing is focused entirely online.

35. Writing this blog keeps me incredibly motivated in both personal and business ways. If you’re not blogging yourself, start. You’ll see what I mean.

36. Family means everything to me. There is simply nothing in the world more important to me, than my family.

So, there you have it – the all-baring ‘personal’ post that every blogger should publish, but many rarely do.

Obviously, this list could have been a lot longer (or shorter!), but I figure its long enough, or short enough to give you all a little bit more of an idea of the guy behind the blog.

Now, if you’re a blogger and you haven’t written a post like this yet – do it. Then send me a link. Firstly, because I’d love to check it out, and secondly because I will put all the links I get together into a future post. So, get writing!

How to KILL Yourself Blogging (And How NOT To..!) – Reality Check Time!

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Noose

It’s time for a reality check. When I relaunched the VBL Blog on January 5th, I mentioned that I would be attempting to post daily, Monday – Friday, and after just 12 days, I quit!

I’ve always said that I’m a Businessman First, a Blogger Second. This is a statement I still feel very attached, too, even as a Virtual CEO. Although I love blogging, and will sincerely continue to focus on creating an awesome blog in Virtual Business Lifestyle, a resource, so to speak for all buddy entrepreneurs, digital nomads and location independent professionals – I have to be realistic and sensible about things.

Last week I posted five times (including one guest post). Couple that together with working on client proposals, teleconferences, additional online projects, two different websites my company is launching, management meetings, being a Dad, being a Husband an out of town guest and a few other things… by Saturday I was BEAT!

Being Consumed Is Not Productive!

Even my wife mentioned that I had been a little consumed by the blog this past couple of weeks. That statement alone got me to sit down and really LOOK at what I had been doing since the beginning of the year. She was right.

Its not that I hadn’t been taking care of my other, regular (business), responsibilities. I had. It was simply that I had spent way too much time on the blog, planning for the blog, scheduling for the blog, etc. Time that I could have been spending on other, more productive things, such as working on other projects that would either make me more money now, or in the future.

And so I smacked myself round the head and reshuffled things a little. It was simple, if I wanted to do everything I had on my ‘to do’ list this year (its a pretty big list!), I was going to have to throw the whole ‘blog daily’ idea out the window. At least for the time being, anyway.

Why KILL Myself…?

If you think about it logically, if I felt this way, and ignored it, continuing to knock out five posts a week, a couple of things would happen here on the blog – and probably pretty quickly.

  • The content would start to get sucky, to say the least. Which just wouldn’t be cool.
  • I would begin to look at the VBL Blog, and blogging in general, as more like ‘work’, than the fun that it is right now for me.

Blogging for me is a way to be able to express myself and help people along the way. I know that I have a lot of experience in business, and have been called a thought leader on a few occasions – especially in the outsourcing (10 years into this market sector now!), branding and marketing industries. I enjoy being able to impart some of that knowledge onto people, so they can take it and use it to their benefit.

This, along with the fact that I have some pretty ambitious growth strategies in place for the Live2Sell Group, my virtual assistant match-making business, Virtual Staff Finder and a few other related projects this year, I sat down and refocused a little. And I am super glad that it happend so early on in January – not just the year!

My New Blogging Schedule

So, the decision to cut back to my usual three posts a week has been made, and actually with a few changes to the line-up, too. You’ll see here a finalized schedule that I put in place on one of my little whiteboards in my home office.

I have a couple of these up on the walls to help me maintain focus whilst working and for general brainstorming, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I am VERY techie nowadays with ideas, and schedules, etc., but every now and then a good old fashioned PEN just works better!

Allow me to explain it in a little more detail:

Monday – ‘Major’ Post. This is my more in-depth post each week. I always try and pick a really interesting topic that I know will grab peoples interest and then look at ways where I can help people, or suggest ways to be able to make changes at how they are doing things, etc. This is usually a written post.

Wednesday – Ask Chris / Podcast. Quite simple really… I started the ‘Ask Chris’ series last week, intending for it to be weekly, but will now be doing it bi-weekly (although Edition #002 will go live this Wednesday), along with the VBL Podcast in the same way. So, two ‘Ask Chris’ editions and two Podcast episodes every month, from now on.

Friday – VBL Discussion / Guest Post. I absolutely LOVE doing the discussion posts here on the blog. Not only are they always lots of fun, but its the feedback and, er, discussions that ensue (usually!) with them that I enjoy the most! So, they are staying. I also enjoy having some of the VBL Followers contribute to the blog, too. So, a bit like Wednesday’s I will be switching between the two to bring you guys a little of everything. On the off chance that there is no guest post, I will simply post another high quality written post, or an additional video post.

Sometimes You Have to Re-Shuffle

Just by spending some time, and re-organizing my blogging schedule the way I have, I already feel immensely empowered. Its amazing how getting things ‘striaght’ can make someone feel – especially a busy, passionate and ambitious entrepreneur!

I’ve also decided to remodel my home office, too. I have my company’s contractors coming by tomorrow to measure everything up, and come up with a cool workspace for me. Doing this will enable me to get even more switched on each day. Now that I am fundamentally working at home 80% of my time, I want to feel very comfortable and set myself up to be as productive as possible. I’ve not been happy with my current ‘thrown together’ set-up for some time, so I’m looking forward to changing things. I’ll keep you up to date on the design, etc., if you guys are interested..?

Thank You, Again!

I know I have been saying ‘thank you’ a lot to you guys recently. However, I feel that its warranted. Again. So, thank you… A huge amount of renewed interest and support has come my way since I relaunched the blog, and I look forward to working on finalizing the second part of that, for the end of this month, as projected.

Even though I have abandoned the idea of posting every day on the blog, my promise to create the Number One ass-kicking resource for mobile entrepreneurs that want to create a lifestyle they’ll love to live is still very much intact. That, I can promise.

Have a killer week, everyone – I’ll see you Wednesday!