Posts by Mark Morgan Ford
Kilimanjaro
I never wanted to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. In fact, I never wanted to climb anything. Still, I couldn’t say no to Dr. Al Sears again. He is a good friend and an important client. And I’d been demurring on all sorts of hiking and climbing invitations from him for about two years. Besides, since the…
Read MoreThe Four-Legged Stool
Years ago, I was given a challenge by a client of mine. They asked me to help them create stronger direct-mail advertising packages than those being used by their main competitor. Problem was, there didn’t seem to be anything wrong with the packages my client was using. They had good products. And they were well…
Read MoreHow to Write Well: The Big Idea and Clarity
I spend at least half of my time teaching writers how to write better. I’m speaking of writers who work for the information-publishing companies I consult for and for other publishers who pay me to help them make more money. Over the 30 odd years I’ve been doing this, I’ve developed many complicated theories about…
Read MoreYour Business Is Selling Your Business
I recently received a letter from a nice lady I’ll call “Lynn” that reminded me of something very important. It is something that can thwart your efforts to start your own business. It is probably the main reason why smart and talented people never enjoy financial independence. It is big. It is bad. But it…
Read MoreNobody Owes You Anything: From Gardener to Entrepreneur
The average Nicaraguan is born in a shack with a dirt floor. He earns less than $15 a week. “E,” my gardener in Nicaragua, does much better than that. But he is still, by U.S. standards, poor. Since I am in daily contact with E when I’m there, I often think about how I can…
Read MoreA Quick-Start Guide for the Internet Entrepreneur
I recently got an e-mail from a man I’ll call Jim, a longtime ETR reader. His question is probably the most common one I get. If you are interested in breaking into the Internet, pay attention. What I have to say to Jim might give you the information you need to get started. Jim writes:…
Read MoreBusiness in Booms and Busts
A Question for Michael Masterson: “Are you approaching business any differently in today’s economic climate? Baby boomers never experienced a severe depression or hyperinflation –therefore, I think their worldview of business is skewed.” D.M. Plano, TX Michael’s Answer: Yes, D.M., I am approaching business differently these days.
Read MoreSpringing Yourself From the Trap of Financial Dependence
Are you a doctor, lawyer, or other professional? How about a salaried employee? If so, you’re in a trap. And you’ll never get out unless you listen to me today. In my book Automatic Wealth, I talked about this “trap.” Here’s what I said… “At the end of the day, you are charging for your…
Read MoreThe Power of Trust
My friend “Roy” is a talented businessman and — in most respects — a natural-born entrepreneur. He’s made several fortunes in his life, but he’s lost them too. As I write this, he is starting over again — for the fourth time. “My life has been a roller coaster,” he said to me over a…
Read MoreStealing the Thunder
I’ve been working with our copywriters on a daily basis for about six months now. I have noticed that many of them make a lot of the same mistakes. Today, I will focus on one of them. I call it “Stealing the Thunder.” Here’s an example. The following is a lift note that was meant…
Read MoreA Question for Michael Masterson
“We sell fresh seafood to 4- and 5-star chefs, primarily in central North America. We have seen a reduction of 20 to 30 percent in our sales over the past 16 months. Can you recommend anything to help us ‘ramp up’ sales without necessarily ramping up marketing expenses?” T.L. Apple Valley MN
Read MoreHow Natural Born Multimillionaires Feel About Change
In the Jan. 16 issue of the Michael Masterson Journal, I said that the average person is resistant to change, whereas the natural-born multimillionaire (NBMM) embraces it. That was simplistic. In fact, most people — intelligent or otherwise — are resistant to change. That’s because the instinct to distrust change is encoded deep in our…
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