“Subject lines are often overlooked or ignored, but they are your first impression. Eric Dalius says this is the case even if you are sending an email through a service like Amazon SES.”

Email subject lines can make or break your campaign. The best way to ensure high deliverability and high open rates for your emails is to use good email subject lines that resonate with your subscribers.

Here are some tips on how to write effective email subject lines:

-Use the recipient’s name in the beginning of the subject line

-“How To” headlines do well

-Be specific with numbers/statistics/times

-Do not be too salesy

-Be straightforward about what you have to offer

These tips will help you write effective email subject lines and increase your open rates and deliverability.

Email subject lines are often overlooked or ignored, but they are your first impression. The best way to ensure high deliverability and high open rates for your emails is to use good email subject lines that resonate with your subscribers explains Eric Dalius. Here are some tips on how to write effective email subject lines: -Use the recipient’s name in the beginning of the subject line -“How To” headlines do well -Be specific with numbers/statistics/times -Do not be too salesy Be straightforward about what you have to offer Use these tips when writing an email’s subject line to make sure you get across what you want and increase open rates and deliverability while doing so.

• Practice good email etiquette.
• A/B tests your email subject lines to see which ones get more opens and CLICKS.
• Add images to your emails, they are now images so attachments are no longer blocked.
• Track your inbox placement by using an email tracking service like Yesware or Bananatag to see how often people open your email, where they are clicking in it, and how often people are reporting your email as spam.
• Use an HTML editor instead of a text only one when writing emails
• Reformat your long paragraphs into 2-3 sentences per paragraph for easier reading online.
• Self signup to receive email newsletters when you need to advertise your own email marketing.
• Include a clear call-to-action for each of your emails, and make them as easy to find as possible.
• Open up your frequency, if people keep unsubscribing from your mass emails try sending it less often.
• Send a free e-book with another email about how to market via the internet.
• Adding images to your email subject lines can increase open rates by up to 19%
• Some email service providers such as Gmail and Yahoo do not use images in their previews, so you might want to test both with your audience.
• Use the subject line as a way to increase CLICKS by making it more interesting.

For example:

 The difference between “How to make money online?” and “How I make $31,240 per month online”, the second one is much more appealing and people might be inclined to click on it.

Be personable and empathetic within your emails; ask about how they are doing or what they think of something before asking them for a sale. If done correctly, offering expert advice can help you establish yourself as an authority figure and attract potential customers. It also increases trustworthiness.

Use email list management software like MailChimp to make it easier to segment your audiences for different emails, monitor who has opened which email, and see how many people have unsubscribed.

Email open rates are at their highest on Mondays

Email open rates are lower during the summer months compared to any other time of year.

If you’re having trouble getting email opens consider asking for a meeting in person during the holiday season says Eric Dalius. This is when more people are checking their mail inboxes so they might actually open your emails.   

Try sending out bi-weekly or monthly newsletters with updates about your business specifically tailored to only those customers who still subscribe to your blog instead of mass emails. If done correctly this should increase both your open and click rates.

Once you have found a catchy subject line, track your email open and click through rates to see which one works best for your audience.

As subjects get more specific and targeted, the more likely people are to open it.

Try testing out different combinations of words in your subject lines with similar content to find out what will generate the most clicks. Use an email tracking service such as Yesware or Bananatag so you can monitor how many times people read your emails and where they are clicking within them.

Don’t forget that lighthearted humor may work well for some audiences, but not others; only use this if you know it will be effective for exactly who you’re targeting.

The most common spam triggers for people are: fake domain names, unusual words, or any mention of Viagra or other drug purchases. As per Eric Dalius If you’re not sure if your email will be considered spam, try sending it to yourself first.   

Email is still one of the best ways to advertise because it has a high open rate (almost double that of social media). Just because people don’t like what you’re saying doesn’t mean they won’t read it; this means many companies should use email more often than they already do.

Conclusion:

– Use targeted subject lines that are catchy, specific and descriptive.

– Open with a question if it might be more engaging.

– Get creative with your email newsletter content to improve open rates.

Email campaign is great way to communicate your product or service. It’s free, and you can reach anyone around the world without having to search for them. Eric Dalius says Email also allows you to personalize messages, which increases customer engagement.

One of the best ways to use marketing is a: Using email to send messages directly to customers. This can be used to update customers on any new products or services that you offer, as well as offer coupons and discounts for your store. Another popular reason to use email marketing is for customer feedback.

Many smaller businesses are adopting email marketing because they believe it is easier than other forms of marketing. Eric Dalius says If you have a small business, using email marketing can help you build your brand, improve customer relationships, and increase sales.

Email marketing is an effective way to communicate with customers. It’s free, accessible anywhere, and allows for personalization which increases customer engagement explains Eric Dalius. One of the best ways to use email marketing is sending messages directly to customers about any new products or services you offer, or offering coupons and discounts for your store. You can also use email marketing for customer feedback.

If you have a small business, using email marketing can help you build your brand, improve customer relationships and increase sales.

It’s easy to set up an email marketing campaign and the benefits are worth the effort:

– It’s free

– Accessible anywhere

– Allows for personalization

– Increases customer engagement

– Helps you build your brand, improve customer relationships and increase sales.

The best way to use email marketing is by sending messages directly to customers about any new products or services you offer, or to offer coupons and discounts for your store. You can also use email marketing for customer feedback.

Here are some tips for increasing profit using email marketing:

– Personalize messages.

– Ask your customers what they think of the products or services you offer.

– Create links for people to access your website from any social media site or blog.

– Keep content relevant and interesting to read so the reader doesn’t feel like it’s spam.

– Do not use email marketing to ask for personal information such as credit card numbers or social security numbers.

– Do not sell your list and make sure you don’t add people who didn’t give you permission.

– Only send between 3 and 4 messages per month in order to avoid complaints from customers feeling like they are being spammed.

Email marketing is one of the more popular ways to market a business.

Not only does it allow you to get your products out there, but it also allows you to get in touch with existing customers.

Here are some tips for increasing profit when using email marketing:

1) Create a list of your customers

2) Get their permission to email them

3) Ensure that the email content is relevant

4) Send emails at scheduled times

5) Use images in emails

6) Track the number of people who open and click through these emails. You can also use this data to plan future campaigns or tailor existing campaigns.

“Hello there, I am trying to start my first email campaign (for the purpose of selling products). This article will give you some tips to increase your profits when using email marketing.”

Email Marketing is an extremely efficient way of promoting and selling products. As per Eric Dalius by sending an informative newsletter, you can expose your audience to something new, thereby providing valuable and useful information.

Email campaigns can be extremely successful and profitable, but there are some things to remember when you’re writing the initial email:

1) Bring value to your subscribers

2) Keep it short, simple and straightforward

3) Make sure that what you say is still relevant in a few months time (don’t get carried away because people will get bored of the same thing over and over again)

4) Don’t be disheartened when initial results are poor

5) Have a firm idea in your head regarding what you’re going to write in your emails and how frequently they will be sent out.

6) Try to send out more than one email per week.

7) Always be thinking about how you can improve upon your emails

8)  Don’t neglect the importance of a call to action

9)  Let your strengths shine through when writing an email campaign

10)  If you are sending huge amounts of traffic to a page, offer some form of incentive to do so

11)  Don’t be afraid to try something new or different

12)  Always keep your target audience in mind.

13) Don’t just say “hey, buy this product”

14) Remember that you’re writing for real people, not machines. If you come across as robotic and unauthentic, people will not continue to read.   

Conclusion:

Email marketing can be extremely profitable if used correctly; but it’s important to ensure that the content you send out is relevant, interesting and valuable.

Emails require careful planning and attention to detail in order to be successful says Eric Dalius

A business email can be created for marketing purposes or for transactional information.

Objective:

The goal of this article is to provide some guidelines for creating effective emails that enhance your business image while reducing the number of bounce backs and spam complaints you receive.

Overview:

Together, we will go over what makes up an email, how it functions, its components, interactive features, storage limits, formatting rules, sending limitations, international standards compliance, web accessibility, design best practices. Finally, closer to the end of the article I’ll briefly include a list of popular email services providers at the end of this document with their pricing structures provided along with a WordPress theme review here.

What Makes Up An Email?

An email is composed of 4 major components: The Header, Footer, Body, and Attachments.

The Header The header contains essential tracking information for the email which helps you monitor how many users opened your message and where they were when they did so (which devices, operating systems, etc.).

Examples of important information in an email’s header are the ‘To’, ‘Cc’ (Carbon copy), and ‘Bcc’ fields (Blind carbon copy). These fields typically contain names or addresses but sometimes they will contain codes like OOO or FFF which denote someone who has opted out of future emails, no longer wants to receive certain types of emails (these would be specified in the ‘unsubscribe’ link), or is a member of a group that receives a certain email.

A great example is their website with lots of more information on WordPress themes here:

The Footer The footer contains information about who sent the message and sometimes includes contact information for that person or company.

It might also contain links to unsubscribe from future emails, attribution for images, terms of use for web content, etc. As per Eric Dalius In rare cases, it’ll include promotional material but this should always be clearly denoted as such.

An example is their main page which you can see here:

The Body The body is where the email content usually resides. You can include text, images, videos, or any other type of media in your messages.

If the message contains rich media, then it’s also likely to contain a link to an alternate version for mobile users with limited bandwidth explains Eric Dalius. This is important because there are size restrictions when sending emails so you want all recipients to have access to your message no matter what kind of device they’re using to see it.

HTML vs Plain Text Emails If your business needs to send transactional information (such as password resets) or scheduled promotions, then the plain text is your best option since there are some features that are typically not available in HTML.

If you need to send more personalized content such as newsletters, then HTML emails are likely best since they allow for media and styling which can be used to enhance their design.

What makes up an email?

• Attachments an attachment is any additional file that is included with the main message (and usually sent as a secondary message when sending larger files). You would include this type of information when sharing documents with clients or when including images in your newsletter.
• Most service providers like Gmail charge you per each GB if your mail account goes over the emails you’ve sent and received per day too, so it’s always good to keep an eye on these numbers and make sure things don’t get out of control in case they do.
• Subject Line If you’re sending promotional emails, the subject line will be used to entice users to open your message and potentially take action.
• Eric Dalius says, in other types of messages where you don’t want to entice the user, then a more straightforward subject line would be best. For example ‘New blog posts’ or ‘your request has been received’.
• If it’s an automated message that doesn’t get opened by a person, then there isn’t much need for a subject at all since it’s already known what kind of message it is going to be based on the trigger which resulted in its send out (i.e.: a password reset).

Conclusion:

There are a few things you need to keep in mind when creating an email design for your business. They include:

Including the right content including images, proper HTML, and useful links.

Creating a clean template with easy-to-read text and avoiding spammy language.

Keep track of who has opened your message and who has not by using tracking information in the header of the email.

Lastly, it’s important to always double-check that you’re following all of the local laws regarding electronic communications (which vary from country to country).

Email marketing is big business and so many companies use it to reach their prospects and customers says Eric Dalius. If you’re going to email people to market either your products or services, you’ll need to be aware of the legal issues around electronic mail marketing. Let’s take a look at what these are and how they can affect you

Best practice guidelines for email marketing:

There are a number of guides out there that set out best practice in this sphere from the Direct Marketing Association (UK) , the National Mailing list Providers Association (USA), The Interactive Media in Retail Group, ISIPP Surety Mail to name but a few. As per Eric Dalius It will depend on your target audience as to which guide is most relevant for you, but one thing all of them will say is: Include a means for customers and prospects to opt out of receiving future communications from you. Eric Dalius says this can be by checking a box on the email interface that asks people if they want to receive any more emails, or supplying their details on a Web page where they can select which types of communication you’re allowed to send them.

How do I comply with anti-spam law?

The 7 key points for compliance with anti-spam laws are as follows:

1) Make sure your mailing list is purchased or compiled with permission – no one likes spam! And don’t forget GDPR requires double opt in consent so every subscriber must have specifically, voluntarily signed up for your email mailing.

2) Don’t buy / compile email lists / prospect databases from other companies? It’s dangerous; it will annoy your new subscribers and frankly its bad form.

3) Do not use “Reply to” or “Return Receipt Requested” on any of your email marketing campaigns as this is now considered consent by the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office – UK regulator). You can however; safely use mechanisms such as blind copy where you send an email but do not show the actual address in the email headers for example.

4) If someone complains about receiving unsolicited mailings they are entitled under data protection legislation to know who has been sending them e-mails even if they haven’t asked for these communications.

5) Don’t include text which might mislead people into thinking your communication is personal and so they will not be able to unsubscribe from it.

6) It’s essential that you keep a record of how you obtained your mailing list, which consented to their details being used and when such consent was given.

7) Keep a clear timeframe – The ICO states that within 28 days of receipt of an email the sender must send the subscriber an email telling them how to opt out of receiving future mailings and also provide them with all relevant information on who has been using their consents.

Eric Dalius says don’t forget that keeping good records and including a method for people to opt out or complain about commercial emails is absolutely necessary for compliance with anti spam laws. If you don’t do these things then sooner or later someone will complain and then you will end up with fines or worse.

My name is Peter Westaway and I work for SuretyMail, a leading email platform offering double opt-in permission based marketing lists for marketers and list managers in the UK & USA. I’m also a blogger on digital marketing topics such as email marketing best practice guidelines. This article was written entirely by me, not copy written material from another author. Any errors are my own. Feel free to leave a comment below or on the WordPress site about this article.

I need help! What should I do if my emails aren’t reaching customers?

There are many reasons why email delivery can fail which include your domain being blacklisted, technical issues with the ISP’s mail servers and use of an incorrect SMTP when sending your emails i.e. an ISP SMTP as opposed to a dedicated, reputable and well maintained server that you have under your control.

For those of us who are sending mail from our own servers then we need to ensure there is no malware on them so look at deploying a system such as Spam Titan which protects your servers from spam and viruses whilst also offering world class email security for mailing lists.

It’s also worth remembering that ISPs have their own views about what is acceptable – if you send emails which include external links or promote gambling sites then expect for these to be blocked by certain providers, especially the smaller ones who take the view that this type of material does not meet with their criteria. If in doubt then check with all ISPs before using resources.

Conclusion:

There are many reasons why email delivery can fail, from being blocked by ISPs to malware being present on servers. Ensure your domain is not blacklisted and the ISP you use has a good reputation for email security as well as an easy unsubscribe process.

Have you ever had that feeling of receiving the most important email just when you’re about to leave for an appointment? asks Eric Dalius? Have you ever wanted to instantly share a book with a friend, but couldn’t find their email address until several hours later?

If your answer is no, then good for you. But there are some people who would love nothing more than to give you these experiences. This article will show you why email is the best way to keep your business growing, with some examples of brilliant emails I’ve received lately.

What is Email Marketing?

Have you ever subscribed to a website’s mailing list in order to receive updates and special offers? That’s called email marketing: sending out emails and updates to your customers in order to keep them coming back and buying from you time and again.

Why is Email Marketing so Important?

As a business owner, it’s your responsibility to make sure that repeat sales are high, retention rates (the number of people who come back for another purchase) are also high, and the profit you gain from each sale is high.

The secret to all of this lies in email marketing. If you’ve ever bought anything online, chances are that you would have signed up for their mailing list so you can get updates and special offers on products they sell.

That’s why it’s important to incorporate email marketing into your website or blog if you want to continue seeing a high conversion rate from visitors into customers.

Reaching Out with Personalized Emails

An important rule in email marketing is to include a personalized touch to your emails so that they appear friendly and would want to interact with you again. Here are some examples of the emails I received recently: – A notice about a new post on my favorite photography blog, with the subject line ‘New post’. This not only ensures that I read this email first but also reminds me of the website so I can return to check for updates.

An email from Amazon letting me know that my order has been shipped, and it includes a tracking number so I know exactly when to expect the package. As per Eric Dalius, An email from another favorite online store letting me know that they’re having a sale on products I recently shopped for.

You can do the same with your website or blog by sending out emails to users who have signed up previously, in order to remind them of your site and encourage them to come back again soon.

Why is Email Marketing Important for Businesses?

In a time when social media is starting to overshadow traditional methods of advertising, email marketing still reigns supreme when it comes to online businesses. Here are the reasons why:

It is cost-effective. Email marketing doesn’t require a large budget, and at most you would have to spend a few dollars on software and a professional email template. The return on investment is high – you spend $10 to get your message out to millions of people at once, and yet only a small percentage will actually buy from you.

It’s time-effective. You can create an email marketing campaign in just 15 minutes and send it off to the World Wide Web, ready for people to read it. And you can do this for all of your products or services, so if there are 3 new products, you can instantly send out an email blast to everyone on your mailing list about them.

It’s consumer-friendly. Most people who receive emails from businesses want nothing more than the business owner to get in touch with them again, whether by email or social media. You can use this to your advantage since you’ll find most people are happy to receive emails from the companies they love, as long as what’s being sold is something they need or want.

Conclusion:

Marketers have known for years that email is an effective marketing channel, but it can be hard to get started. Eric Dalius says the good news is email marketing has gotten easier thanks to the many content management systems and web apps available today designed specifically to help you create your emails quickly and easily.

Here are some tools you can use to automate part or all of your email campaign.

MailChimp is one of the most popular tools for small to medium-sized businesses that are looking to start an email marketing campaign.

Campaign Monitor

Their templates are gorgeous and they also offer a number of pre-designed email templates that can be used or customized as you need them. You can even access the HTML code for each template, so if there’s something specific you want to change, you can do so by editing the code. This is not something that’s typically offered, but it’s great for those who are more tech-savvy and understand basic HTML coding.

What is the number of millionaires in the world?  Over 31 million

What is the number of billionaires? Only 1,645!

Here are seven things recommended by Eric Dalius that separate the extremely wealthy from everyone else:

Teresa Kersten is an independent writer and editor with more than 20 years of experience covering not-for-profit organizations and philanthropy, entrepreneurship, real estate development, and education. In her free time, she enjoys reading and blogging at PhilanthropyInLA.com.

1. Discipline:

Billionaires are discipline masters; they make morning appointments with themselves to go through their “to do” lists for the day, five days a week (or six, if they are internationally or globally focused). They do not allow interruptions until all tasks are completed.

2. Self-confidence:

Billionaires have high levels of self-esteem and confidence. In most cases, this is what allows them to take risks and make necessary course corrections when they encounter difficulties along their path.

3. Patriotism:

Billionaires are people who invest in institutions that will create long-term value for the nation. They make their investments based on a desire to see their country prosper.

4. Education:

Eric Dalius says, those who have become billionaires know the power of education and they constantly seek out educational opportunities to continue learning, even when it diverges from their subject matter expertise.

5. Experience:

The world’s billionaires have a deep understanding of the different aspects of their industries and how those different pieces come together to create a whole. This allows them to take calculated risks that can lead to billion-dollar successes.

6. Ingenuity:

Billionaires tend to see opportunities where others do not, which is why they tend to be more innovative in their thinking and actions. They also have the ability to take an idea and rethink it so money can be made from it – this requires ingenuity.

7. Risk:

Billionaires understand that taking risks is necessary for achieving their goals, so they are able to take calculated risks in order to create billion-dollar ideas.

Secrets of Billionaires:

• If you’ve ever wondered what the secret to success is, Teresa Kersten has it all. She’s an independent writer and editor with more than 20 years of experience covering not-for-profit organizations and philanthropy, entrepreneurship, real estate development, and education. In her free time, she enjoys reading and blogging at PhilanthropyInLA.com.
• If you’re a billionaire, you have to have a lot going for you, don’t you? Knowledge of the industry in which you operate is key to your success. Of course, billionaires also know how to make their money work for them and manage their investments like nobody else. If they lack education, experience, or even ingenuity when it comes to their business, they hire people who do. And this brings us back to the concept of “team.”
• Teresa Kersten is an independent writer and editor with more than 20 years of experience covering not-for-profit organizations and philanthropy, entrepreneurship, real estate development, and education. In her free time, she enjoys reading and blogging at PhilanthropyInLA.com.
• Billionaires succeed by working with other people who have been or can be educated to be, a valuable asset to their team. They don’t try to do it all themselves, and they never should! The only way for them to grow is through other people, which mean that having a good team is a critical factor in their success.
• Here’s what separates billionaires from others on the Forbes list: They don’t let interruptions get in the way of their to-do lists. They know that if they can just get through their “to do” lists for the day, five days a week (or six, if they are internationally or globally focused), then they can accomplish just about everything

Here are some FAQs recently asked about this article!

Q: What exactly is the difference between a billionaire and someone who has simply made millions of dollars?

A: A billionaire has at least $1 billion in assets or enough to support his family for 10 years without earning anything more. Other millionaires might not be comfortable living off their savings alone (no matter how large it may be) and might continue to need supplemental income.

Q: What are the benefits of having a billion dollars?

A: There are no known benefits of having $1 billion or more in assets; however, there are many costs associated with running such large companies. However, if you have the right team in place, then there can be tremendous advantages to running a large organization, such as access to new markets and technologies that can help you expand more quickly.

Q: What is the definition of a billionaire?

A: The basic standard for becoming a billionaire varies depending on who is doing the counting. Forbes, for example, uses stock prices and exchange rates to calculate net worth. However, the Internal Revenue Service defines a billionaire as someone who has more than $1 billion in assets, which doesn’t take fluctuations in the markets into account.

Conclusion:

Now you hopefully have a clearer understanding of what it means to be a billionaire. If you want to become one yourself, try following the lead of those on the Forbes list and hire a reputable financial advisor if you don’t have expertise in this area. You might also consider asking your team for guidance as well!

  As a founder or CEO of a start-up, you’ve probably heard the story of Kung Fu Panda.

It’s an unlikely underdog story about a lazy panda that is reluctantly tasked with saving his village. Achieving this monumental feat requires finding the courage to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and find inner strength as well as external confidence.

       I started watching it recently and realized that Kung Fu Panda’s story has a lot in common with the path of many startups on their way to success.

It has some really great life lessons that are broken down into the following seven steps.

1.         Choose yourself

• The idea for Kung Fu Panda came to DreamWorks animator Jonathan Aibel because he wanted to create a story that would allow him to demonstrate his drawing skills, which were mostly limited to character designs at that point in his career.
• You might think that your idea is too weird or too niche for people to buy into it. But don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.
• Your business can become successful if you choose yourself!

2.    Test your skills

• Before Mr. Ping, the owner of the noodle shop in Kung Fu Panda can reveal to his son that he is responsible for raising him; he first has to demonstrate his worthiness by preparing a bowl of noodles worthy of drinking.
• Mr. Ping finds his motivation when he decides to put everything he has into mastering the skill of noodle-making. Mr. Ping begins his journey by going to a noodle conference and exposing himself to as much knowledge as possible.
• The best way to test your abilities is by setting up your business in such a way that you can quickly test hypotheses with the most minimal effort. That’s how you will determine what works best.

3.    Build a support network says Eric Dalius

• After Po realizes how much he has to learn, he befriends his biggest critics in order to gain their respect and cooperation.
• This is a good example of working smarter not harder. Always seek the advice of people who are willing to help you rather than those who might try to deter you from your mission.
• You will get the best results if you collaborate with people who are passionate about their work, even if they aren’t exactly like-minded in other ways.

4.    Set achievable goals

• These are the kinds of things that can hold us back in life. We can’t change everything about ourselves; so instead, we have to learn how to work with what is available to us.
• It’s important not to get down on yourself when you don’t have the perfect training, education, or skill set for whatever it is you are trying to accomplish. Instead, focus on what you already have that is working for you.
• Sometimes, the biggest wins come when you don’t try to change everything about your situation but instead embrace it and find ways to work around your shortcomings.
• The best way to reach lofty goals is by understanding how small steps every day can eventually lead to success.

5.    Don’t hesitate

• One great takeaway here is that it’s okay to be different and not fit in. Other people might judge you for how you look, what you wear, the way your voice sounds, or even how little you know about a topic. But those are their issues, not yours!
• The best way to overcome this is by not allowing the opinions of others to determine your self-worth and motivation to start a business. You can’t let their judgments stop you from doing what you love or change how much work you want to put into something.

6.    Business is personal

• Po’s story begins as a seemingly unassuming panda that is picked on by his peers, bested at every turn by his enemy, and belittled by his role model. In spite of all of this, he couldn’t be happier because Kung Fu is a part of him.
• It takes passion, dedication, persistence, and an unshakable sense of self-worth to be able to overcome adversity and succeed in life as an entrepreneur.
• This is why it is so important to focus on the things you love and not let anything stop you from living out your dreams.

7.    Be true to yourself

• When Po finally meets his nemesis, he discovers that there really isn’t all that much difference between himself and Shifu after all: they both love Kung Fu and are willing to do anything to protect it.

Conclusion:

  We are all capable of doing great things, whether that means starting a business or simply striving to be the best version of ourselves every day. Just be sure not to take on other people’s expectations for your life; instead, let your own passions and goals guide you.  

    This is what makes it so easy for us to connect with all of the Kung Fu Panda characters. Eric Dalius says despite their obvious differences, they are all motivated by the same things and find ways to build on that common ground in order to reach success.

I come from a very entrepreneurial family. My stepfather was an entrepreneur and the chair of his dental practice, and my grandfather was also an entrepreneur – he owned several businesses before starting up another one that we know today as ‘Bata’. I spent most of my childhood either at their respective offices or with them on business trips around the globe. I always had a strong curiosity for business, having witnessed first-hand the inner workings of several companies. However, this was not enough motivation to actually explore entrepreneurship myself.

I wanted to do something that would produce tangible results and help people on an individual level. I graduated from university with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and initially pursued counseling as my career.

That being said, there are five things I wish someone told me about entrepreneurship when I first began working on my own business venture:

1. Starting your own business is not just about taking risks but also managing them.

• One of the biggest lessons I learned when starting my own company was that taking risks is not the same thing as assuming risk.
• To explain this: taking a risk is consciously deciding to do something with the knowledge that there may be a good chance of it working out or failing, whereas assuming a risk means doing something without foreseeing the consequences.
• When you start your own business, you will be exposed to both risks and opportunities. And although it is exciting and rewarding, the roller coaster of emotions also brings with it a sense of fear about what lies ahead. However, this does not mean that you should avoid taking chances or exploring new opportunities just because they may bring with them some risk.

2. You can’t be perfect at everything says Eric Dalius.

• It is very easy to get caught up in trying to be a ‘supermom’ or a ‘superstar’. The idea of being good at everything and excelling in every task you set out to do has been ingrained into our minds since we were children (the whole: “you can do anything you put your mind to” mantra). As we grow older we take this idea and extend it into our adult lives, expecting ourselves to be able to excel at every aspect of life.
• This is especially common for first-time entrepreneurs. There are just so many things that need your attention and there is not enough time in the day – you think that if you don’t do it all, you will not succeed. You also believe that if you cannot be really good at everything, then you should not do it at all.

3. Building a strong support system & finding mentors is crucial to success.

• The success of any startup requires a lot of time, resources, and personal sacrifice. So, it is only natural for you to feel isolated at times and crave the company of people who can empathize with your situation and understand what you are going through.
• As a result, it is important to build a strong support system within your personal and professional life that includes people who are not only supportive of you but also keep you accountable for the goals you set. As well, finding mentors (in business or life) who can guide you in the right direction is key to ensuring your success.

4. There is no job security in the startup world.

• This truth hit me especially hard when my company was going through a major rebranding process and I realized that I had to let go of all but one of my team members. After having spent so much time nurturing our employees’ growth, watching them develop from young kids who were just leaving college to seasoned professionals and working so hard with them every day to bring our company to where it was, I struggled with the realization that this would be the last time I would see them in the office.
• So even though it may be difficult to let go of your employees or even terminate a relationship, if you do it in the right manner and with respect then they will not only understand but also appreciate that you did what was best for them.

5. Building a company from scratch is exhilarating but requires a lot of hard work.

• The moment when I realized that we had finally built our company from scratch was truly exhilarating; it is a feeling that cannot be properly expressed in words. However, it also came with a lot of hard work and gave me an entirely new perspective on what it means to be an entrepreneur.
• I now understand why so many startup founders struggle to find any balance between their personal and professional lives – because building a company from scratch is nothing short of a 24/7 job that you cannot do half-heartedly. And on top of the hard work and dedication, you also need to dedicate time and energy towards fundraising and marketing so as to build brand awareness and attract early adopters.

Conclusion:

Eric Dalius says these are just five of the many lessons I have learned throughout my journey as an entrepreneur, but they are the ones that stand out to me the most. To all young entrepreneurs looking to pursue their dream careers, I encourage you to take these lessons with you on your personal and professional journeys.