When I first started blogging…

I had absolutely NO idea of what I needed to do. Basically, I just jumped around aimlessly for weeks on end asking anyone I could find questions. I had no clue where to get started. I knew what a website was, but I had no clue how to make one… let alone how to make money from it!

Luckily, after months of searching, I found a few mentors that were able to point me in the right direction. I am grateful to this day for all their help.

But looking back…

I really wish that I would’ve an easy step-by-step guide to blogging for money. Preferably on how to make a blog for someone just starting out, like I was. Now that I have some experience thanks to my mentors, I felt that giving back to the community was something that I needed to do. I feel that this guide will help you skip the grueling task of searching endlessly for information. My goal is for you to read this guide and hit the ground running. I hope this will end up saving you many days and weeks of tedious research and work!

Let’s get started.

How Much Does A Blog Cost?

The old adage of “you have to spend a little money to make money” applies even in blogging. While setting up a blog is not free, it’s still relatively inexpensive. You should look at your blog as a business. A small investment in this industry can go a LONG way.

Free examples

Now, there are some free options. All 4 of the options listed below are free. The first three options are the easiest, but those are very limited. If you are just looking to make an extra couple hundred dollars from your blog, these choices might work. However, if you are truly serious about trying to make good money from your blog, I recommend using self hosting (which we talk about in the next section…).

Tumblr.com – This is probably the most straightforward blog to use, but it also is the probably the least customizable. This means it could be something good to start with, but it would be more challenging to generate income with it.

Blogger.com – Blogger is also good, relatively easy to set up, owned by Google, you can customize the theme, and the domain name includes “.blogspot.com” (in some people’s opinion a little less professional). Blogger continues to have more options and now has a lot more options than they did a few years ago.

WordPress.com – I like wordpress.com they are completely free, easy to set up, you can customize the theme, but other options are limited, domain name includes “.wordpress.com”.

WordPress.org – Hold on, how is wordpress.com different from wordpress.org? Well… to put it simply WordPress.com is where you will go to set up a basic, easy blog with limited features. WordPress.org is where you will go to get a self-hosted blog. If you get to the point where you become serious about blogging and really want to make some money with it, you need to self-host your blog.

Setting Up Your Blog

If you are going to be using one of the first three options above, you can skip this section.

If you are serious about setting up a blog and are looking for the best way to customize your blog’s look and other features, then I recommend getting a self-hosted blog from WordPress.org as the best way to go. It is currently the most popular choice for many bloggers. It does require some work up front and does has a few small costs associated with it: buying a domain name ($10 per year) and hosting your blog ($10 per month).

One major advantage is that you can choose your own domain name (i.e. yoursite.com). While this might not seem like a big deal, it is a lot easier for people to remember yoursite.com rather than yoursite.blogspot.com which is what you will be given if you use a free service. It also makes your blog look more professional.

I will warn you, this took me a bit of time figuring out how to get my self-hosted site set up. WordPress.org has great step-by-step instructions for getting your blog set up. While it requires some work on the front end, I am really glad I got good advice and did this from the start, instead of having to do it now.

Setting Up Your Hosting

To set up this wordpress blog, you must set up a hosting account.

There are numerous options when it comes to hosting. When I was starting out, the choices were a bit overwhelming. I was originally recommended to go with GoDaddy and their hosting service has been great. Recently, I started up a second website with Host Gator. Host Gator has a great cPanel feature which makes installing a WordPress blog quick and easy. I’ll discuss the cPanel set-up more in the next section.

Buy a Domain

A domain is the address your site will point to. When you decide on a name for your site, you can if the domain name is available. I personally buy all my domains at GoDaddy for $12.99. It’s simple and easy. I also have quite a few friends that always use NameCheap. I have never used them, so I can’t give too many details, but all my friends said they are very helpful. I would recommend getting a .com domain as it is easiest to rank in Google search results. If you really want a particular name, .net or .org should work fine as well. However, I would not recommend .info, .co, or any other domain extension. Last I checked, GoDaddy had a great deal on their .COM domains for $7.49.

Set up a FREE WordPress Blog

If you used Hostgator to set up your account, it comes with CPanel and Fantastico tools to make installing WordPress on your site extremely easy. Just go to the Fantastico tool and create a WordPress blog where the steps are clearly laid out for you.

Make a post

By now, you should have a good idea about what you want to write about. If your having trouble getting started, I recommend writing a list of 7, 10, or 15 tips or facts about your topic. It’s pretty effective at getting people to visit your page. I mean, it got you reading this post didn’t it? I recommended writing about 1 to 2 pages in Microsoft Word per post. I usually make a post 2-3 times a week. Sometimes I will write 2 or 3 blog posts in one sitting, and then save them to be posted later in the week. I recommend just getting a feel for what works best for you, and make it a routine.

In my next blog I will go into details about Monetizing Your Blog.

Airbnb is the perfect place for people to list living spaces for rent to view online or through their iPhone. The living spaces range from renting out a spare bedroom of a house for a night, to renting a castle to stay in for a couple weeks. Founded in 2008, the company currently has over 100,000 listings in over 15,000 cities and 180 countries. Airbnb handles the booking and financial transactions, making the process simple and efficient between hosts and guests. Very cool.

The funding is led by Andreessen Horowitz, a very successful venture capital firm created by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz. They have a track record of investing in successful companies including FourSquare, Groupon, and Skype. Definitely great investors to have on your side.

AirBnB has perfect timing. Technology is currently at a place where anyone can take professional looking photos and easily upload them to the web. People are also becoming more comfortable with listing personal information including pictures of their homes online. With the ability to quickly view and rent out rooms on a cell phone, finding a place to stay has never been easier.

So is AirBnB a company with great market timing, or just a company lucky enough to find the perfect time to execute their idea, or both?

His message in one of his recent podcasts (shown above at 3:50) calls out Generation-Y, anyone born in the mid 80’s and beyond (which includes myself), saying that we as a whole are lazy and expect everything to be handed to us. He says that 20% have it right, but 80% are just going through the motions and don’t have that drive. We are the 20%. We’re able to take the blinders that were put on us off and turn this country around. It’s about being a true entrepreneur. It’s about creating value for society. Let’s work hard and not sit back and wait for things to get handed to us. Let’s be invaluable.

Everything you do in the company revolves around Cash Flow. Just because your company is profitable on paper, doesn’t always mean that everything is fine. There are countless examples of companies that have failed even though they were making a profit! The reason for this is their Cash Flow. They didn’t have enough cash to pay employees, pay bills, etc. and they had to close down. All their cash was tied up in credit sales that took 90 days to arrive. It is always important to make sure you have cash to handle your expenses because the utility companies don’t care if your turning a profit, they want their payment NOW. Especially with the availability of credit in this current economy, understanding your Cash Flow comes first.

2. Solve a Problem, Profitably

This is essentially the backbone of every business. If this isn’t what your company is committed to and focused on doing, it won’t last very long. A business should always be about making something easier for someone. You must also be aware and be able to gather alls cost that the business will entail (i.e. insurance, rent, product cost, employees, professional services, etc.). Revenue minus expenses equals profit.

3. Creating Value for the Customer

The customer comes first. This seems obvious, but some people can get so focused on how much money the product can make that they get lost in the shuffle of forgetting that it has to be something the customer actually wants. There are many different ways to create value. You can make their life easier in some way (i.e. creating a hands off vacuum) or you can give them an experience that makes them feel good (Dippin’ Dots Ice Cream).

4. Sustainable Competitive Advantage

What makes you better than your competitors? If someone was about to launch a company today and copy you, what would make you stand out? You should try and set yourself up in a market where there are some barriers for entry. Maybe you thrive because of your secret recipe in your food, or you have incredible customer service like Zappos that can’t be easily replicated. Whatever it is, make sure you have something that can not be easily copied. Groupon is a company having trouble with this exact problem. Their business model is easily copied and they have a slew of new copycat competitors.

5. Find A Partner That Compliments Your Skills

In life, most people like to hang out with people similar to them because they are the easiest to get along with. While having a partner that thinks the same as you is helpful in reinforcing your feelings and opinions, it not necessarily the most effective strategy. You should find someone that sees the world slightly different than you. If you are spontaneous and always finding new opportunities, it is useful to pair yourself with someone who may be a bit more organized. If you are the type that is very good at bringing everything together and setting up an effective system, it would be wise to find someone that is possibly a little less organized but may be more into future possibilities and may have the ability to take your company in new directions that you might have not considered before.

6. Surrounding Yourself with Supportive People

You have enough stress going on at this time, you can’t have people around you bringing you down and doubting your ability to succeed. It is really helpful to have a few close people you can talk to in these times, whether it’s a close friend or an encouraging spouse. It is also good to connect with a support group of people going through the same thing. Try and find a local entrepreneurs club in your area or try to get involved with a local business incubator . It’s helpful to talk with people dealing with the same amount of stress as you are and you can develop some good relationships there.

7. Anticipating Problems (Creative Problem Solving)

Problems come up. It’s all part of business. I have found the best solution to solving them is to try and anticipate what they will be. When I was starting my vending business, I already had a 2 week vacation to Florida planned. I knew that not being in town could create some problems. Instead of deciding to put off my business until after I came back, I worked out a deal with my best friend to check the machines. He agreed, and all I had to do was compensate him with a couple bags of Ruby Red Grapefruit and the problem was solved 3 weeks ahead of time. There will always be problems that come up and most can be solved. I encourage you to be open minded and creative and you will find a good solution.

8. Handling the Tiny Details

This is the one part of the business that can cause you to get restless. Most entrepreneurs thrive on the challenge of tackling a new task, and minor paperwork and small errands seem to be way too boring and monotonous. The best advice for this when starting up is just: buckle down and get it done! You probably don’t have the luxury right now of hiring employees to take care of small details. Always keep in mind that these tasks are helping you complete the big picture. If you don’t do the little things right, big things won’t happen.

9. Have Resources For Knowledge and Expertise

It is always useful to have knowledgeable people around you. Three minds are better than one. While some of your peers may have some not so useful advice about your business, teaming and working with people that have experience is a great strategy. This can be your lawyer, your accountant, or someone in the same field that isn’t a competitor. Whether the people are working with you, or just coming in as consultants, it’s always useful to get some outside input to keep your company on the right track.

10. Networking!

The single most important part of you business is getting out there and networking with people. Meeting people is the number one way to get your business to grow. Networking allows people to get to know what you do, plus it can also help provide you with resources to help you improve your business. When I first started getting into business, I wanted to do everything on my own, but I quickly found out that was a terrible strategy. I switched my game plan around and started networking at every chance I got. I met and developed relationships with so many interesting people along the way, and it also led me to finding both my current lawyer and great accountant.

Okay, there’s what you need to know. Now get out there! Make things happen!

I really can’t think of a better way to get some motivation or inspiration than by listening to Steve Jobs’ Stanford speech. If you haven’t ever seen the video, I strongly urge you to watch it. His message is right on point. While Jobs may not be the greatest public speaker on the planet (see 8:11), he is without a doubt an extremely wise person with great advice.

His whole speech is filled with nuggets. “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.” Don’t let society hold you down. Don’t become mediocre like everyone else. We can achieve so much more in life when we don’t look to be told what to do and we accomplish our own goals, however unrealistic our peers may believe them to be.

My favorite part of the whole speech starts at (9:05):

“When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: ‘If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.’ It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”

Steve Jobs would be considered a typical failure in 2011 if he was out ‘starting a company’ right now instead of going to school. And the doubter’s suspicions would have been confirmed when he was fired from his own company. “That’s the problem. Now he doesn’t have a degree. Nobody is going to hire him,” they might say.

Steve didn’t listen to them. Neither should we. After being labeled a ‘failure’ in the eyes of many he is faced with two options. He could just give up and fall back in line with the crowd, or he could do the exact opposite. He chose the latter. Jobs instead takes his ‘defeat’ and considers it to be a learning experience. Through his experience and hard work ethic, he forms a new company, Pixar Studios, and turns it into one of the most successful companies in the film industry. His company is later sold to Disney, and he is finally recognized as the success he always knew he was.

Everyone’s path to success is like a ball we have to roll up a hill. It takes some pushing and struggling to get to the top, and as we get closer, we can feel gravity kicking in and everything starts to get heavier. But we need to keep fighting through and eventually all that pushing will send us over the top and it all starts to roll downhill.

If you feel on the verge of greatness but you sense people trying to tug you back down, don’t listen. Stay focused and keep pushing. You’ll soon be on the top and it will all be worth it.

As Steve Jobs says: “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.”

Let’s say you have a vending business, and a customer drops their quarter in front of the machine and bends down to pick it up. As they are bending down, they bump the machine and suddenly the sharp edge of the metal lid falls over and smacks against a customer’s head and crushes their skull, causing the customer to bleed extensively. They are rushed to the hospital in an ambulance for emergency surgery. Thankfully the customer fully recovers 3 days later. Unfortunately, they decide to sue you. The good news in all of this is that if you formed an LLC. This means they can’t sue you as an individual for all your money, they can only sue the company. Congrats! You get to keep your Wave Runner.

An LLC is formed by filing papers with your state. The process is fairly quick and easy and costs between $125 and $300 depending on your state. Many states allow you to fill everything out online. You can find what your state requires here.

Once you fill out your papers and pay the fee, you are officially a legal Limited Liability Corporation!

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DISCLAIMER: The graphic nature of the story was used to convey a point and is not based on true events. I do not intend to offend anyone or make and individuals feel uncomfortable. I only intend to educate. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

There has never been a time in NBA history where one player’s free agency has gotten more publicity than the actual NBA Finals. LeBron had more people interested in his decision than the outcome of the actual Championship! The self-proclaimed ‘Chosen One’ is now a larger than life icon that has a huge decision to make that will affect his legacy forever. That decision is choosing the right team.

I really think LeBron should take this time to sit down and think about this decision the way a smart entrepreneur should.

A smart entrepreneur wants to leave a legacy. He wants to do something that will impact the world and help society. The end goal of an entrepreneur should never be which decision will make the most money. It’s about staying true to the overall goal and vision. When you create a consistent vision within your startup, you create a customer base that is loyal and is excited about your new products, because they share the same goals. Apple is very effective at doing this. They promote a vision that encourages people to challenge the status quo, and this is reflected and consistent with everything they do.

What I’m trying to say is that LeBron’s main goal should be to impact society in a positive way and to leave the best legacy possible. I personally believe that the best place for him to do that is Cleveland. Cleveland is a city that’s starving for a championship. It hasn’t won one since 1964 despite having 3 professional teams all striving for a title. The city is plagued with memories of many failed attempts (the Drive, the Fumble, the Shot, Jose Mesa blowing the World Series, etc.), but that hasn’t stopped fans from coming out and being one of the most dedicated fan bases in the United States. Don’t believe me? Just look at these guys.

LeBron choosing to stay in Cleveland will be great for his legacy. He will have his own niche in Cleveland where he will likely be remembered as the greatest individual the city has ever had after he brings them a championship or two. His impact will never be forgotten. However, if LeBron moves to a bigger city like New York or Chicago, everything he does will be overshadowed or compared to someone else. His decision, like in business, should NOT be about what city will give him the most endorsement opportunities or has the brightest lights. It should be about staying true to your own vision.

New York is filled with celebrities and superstars. Anything LeBron does there will become old news once the season is over. New York is filled with teams that have won championships every single decade of its existence, including the Giants in 2007 and the Yankees last year. LeBron winning a title in the Big Apple is of minimal impact because the market is already saturated. And Chicago already has a basketball legend. MJ has the first mover advantage in the city and anything LeBron does will constantly be compared to His Airness. At best, he will be remembered as just as good.

From a true entrepreneurial perspective, LeBron should continue to make an impact on society in the most effective way possible. The best way is by filling a need and giving the city of Cleveland a championship and becoming an unforgettable hero in the process.