Daredevil. Opportunist. Entrepreneur.

"Everything that can be invented has been invented." 

-Charles H. Duell, 1899, U.S. Commissioner of Patents

Don't you always think that everything that can be invented, has been? I find myself thinking of this on the regular. It seems that Charles and I are similar in this aspect. But boy, was Charles H. Duell wrong. He probably couldn't've been more wrong. The Model T wasn't even a thought in 1899. Cars, computers, medical science advances... 

I sat in on a presentation on Entrepreneurship today, given by Jeff Greenspoon, CEO of Spoke Agency in Toronto. At the age of 25, he has already successfully started 13 ventures. His presentation focused on the things he's learned along the way, and I'm here to provide you with his knowledge. This is what I took away from his presentation.

1. Surround yourself with great people, and know when something isn't right. 

• If you hire someone and you feel that they aren't a great fit with your company, address the situation when it occurs. Don't let someone in your organization work for you that isn't what you had imagined them to be. Being an entrepreneur isn't about coping, but getting things done the way you had envisioned. 

 2. Lead ideas with business logic.

• You may have a great idea, but is it feasible? Meatcards.com had a great idea, but it wasn't feasible. Use business logic to guide your strategies.

3. Say yes to every opportunity you get. 

• Participating in whatever you can will only enhance your knowledge and experience, making you a well-rounded individual.

4. Know your numbers inside and out. 

• Is this client making us money? What about that client? Or that client?

5. The final two percent means the most.

• The end of the project is where you can really shine through as an entrepreneur. 

6. Passion and energy.

• Show passion and energy in everything that you do. 

7. Businesses may come and go, but your network and insights last forever.

• Leverage your network to the best of your ability. Take in as much wisdom as you can from those around you. 

Entrepreneurs are constantly developing great ideas, but it's the execution that makes an entrepreneur successful. Without great execution, great ideas cease to exist. I hope that you can learn from Jeff Greenspoon as I have, and apply his key learning points to your business. 

Your Brand.

"Your premium brand had better be delivering something special,

 or it's not going to get the business." - Warren Buffet

It's difficult to make your product stand out in a crowded marketplace. I'm dealing with a different battle- my personal brand. It's difficult to make myself stand out from other highly intelligent students fighting for top jobs. First impressions are everything, but what good are they if you're not remembered? I'm not here to tell you how you can make yourself stand out. That's impossible. But you can use a unique and innovative business card that will make you remembered with recruiters. Try something different, something innovative, and you're more likely to leave a lasting impression. 

Unique Business Card #1- The Peanut business card.

A Japanese company named Arigatou is using laser engraving technology to print logos, names and telephone numbers on organic materials like beans, rice and peanuts. Although this is very creative, I'm not sure how well this would be received in North America. With a large number of peanut allergies, handing this out at a networking event when the top executive has a serious nut allergy may not go over too well. Nonetheless, this is really cool.

Unique Business Card #2- The Meat business card. 

Just like Arigatou, a company called Meatcards uses high powered lasers. These high powered lasers burn your contact information into a dried piece of meat. 

Unique Business Card #3- The Scratch business card. 

Just like a lotto ticket, scratch the card to unveil your contact information. 

From my research, those were the three business cards that I found to be the most unique. Imagine yourself handing a recruiter a piece of meat instead of a traditional business card. Don't you think you'd stand out? Obviously a unique business card is just the first step in brand building. A business card really has nothing to do with building your brand, it has to do with gaining the attention of others so you can show them what your brand is. Otherwise, you may not have the opportunity to show them what you've got.