ball and chain...

"The longer we worked on the idea, it became very obvious that we were no longer playing to our strengths. Once that happens, it's pretty much a death sentence. In retrospect, it was sort of our own ball and chain.  We slowed down and would only swing for the grand slam.  It was evolve or die.  So, we simplified everything to a point where it almost became too basic. Five years ago, basic wasn't cool enough.  We wanted to be cool, which made it all way too complicated.  But, what we realized was being cool only had to do with being successful.  Base hits could actually win the game and only swinging for the fence will limit your success.  A living, tangible product that people could touch, and benefit from, was what we needed. 

So that is what we did.  We created a real product and sold it.  And it worked.  I was 29 years old and realized that being cool had nothing to do with a brand name, a company vision, a wicked video, a sweet slogan, and awesome colors. 

The only thing that matters is : Is it profitable?

If it isn't, it will be forgotten.  "







-Mike Fallat's answer to a question in regards to the future of the company on November 8th, 2013

Can't wait for Christmas...

 

In reference to a question I received this past weekend on the future of the company.

"It took us 5 years..."

"It took us 5 years of pure hell to realize that its so much easier to get what you want when you stop fighting the current."

 

Happy Halloween

Being scared is a feeling that causes your heart to beat a little harder.
It's what causes that fight or flight feeling that is instilled in all of us.
That feeling is what gives you the adrenaline rush.
The adrenaline rush is what gives you that increased strength, power, heightened senses and intuition.

increased strength, power, heightened senses and intuition - See more at: http://www.queendom.com/advices/advice.htm?advice=482#sthash.5fvo5cYz.dpuf

we have increased strength, power, heightened senses and intuition - See more at: http://www.queendom.com/advices/advice.htm?advice=482#sthash.5fvo5cYz.dpuf

That feeling is addictive.


For as long as I can remember, I have always loved watching old horror movies.  I have always loved hearing old ghost stories.  I have always loved Halloween.

Once a year when I was very young, my mom, brother and I would go into town (always in October) and visit all of the department stores.

There was one store that I really looked forward to.  It was an unknown store, run by a man from India whom barely spoke English.  I don't even know the name of the store, but it was a tiny, old building away from all of the mainstream stores.   

When we would visit, nobody else was every in there shopping.  It was a dead little store.  However, they had the ultimate halloween masks.  In order to get to the halloween stuff, you had to ask the man to visit the upstairs attic.  He would lead you up a dark stairway into another level where all the really cool stuff was hiding.  Where there were things that other people didn't know was there.  Things that others could not have.  He had masks imported from another country that were truly movie-esque.  And yes, they were masks that you couldn't find at the Hills, Kmarts, Gabriels, and Phar-mors.

It was as if nobody else knew it was all there.  It was all to ourselves.  Every year we were able to buy 1 mask (because they were not cheap).  Those masks are brought out and used as decorations every year on Halloween. 


I used to love Halloween because it was a time to be scared with all of the haunted houses and scary Roseanne episodes.  And I, like you, love that feeling of being scared. 

But, I think I love it for a different reason now.


You see, what scared me back then, doesnt scare me now.  And what scares me now, never scared me then.


Nowadays, I love what Halloween stands for:

 - - doing something out of the ordinary - - anticipation mixed with fear - going into those dark places and finding something that nobody else can ever have - - a reminder of the old days.


It's all so addictive.



Happy Halloween,

-Mike

you don't darken my door...

On one of my first Halloweens (approximately 5 years old), my parents gave me the choice to be  anything that I wanted (on a budget of course).

So...

I wore a Ghostbuster jump suit, a rabbit mask, and carried a machine gun.

From then on out, I was hooked on the holiday.   

The week leading up to October 31 is always special.  Better movies, better shows, and Halloween stores seem to fill in those abandoned warehouses that used to be Value City Furniture at one time or another.

However, this week is a little extra special.  We, as a company, have welcomed in a new branch that will take our vision into more lucrative areas.  

GoNextWorld, LLC  will begin to invest heavily into a direct-to-consumer service division:  TMA

So, Welcome to the family TMA.. and Happy Halloween - a day that we can do anything that we want..(on a budget of course).

3 things i learned in the past 5 years...

3 things that I learned in the past 5 years:



1) Zombies can become trendy. 

2) Corey Haim is not invincible.

3) Thinking way too emotional about something (especially in the beginning) will only hurt you in the end.




Our biggest mistake was our emotional attachment to something that we thought was a major piece to the company and the brand.

It isn't .  At least not for now.  So, it will take a back seat for while. 

What matters in the business world is:  Clarity, ease of use, and fulfilling a DEMAND.

After all of these meet..... then, and only then can you become emotional.

The day after we removed it, it was as if a fog disappeared, a ball and chain was cut free, and we were back on track.

I've said it before and I will say it again - Getting too creative can cost you your life. 

Fulfill a demand, then you can get creative.

Get emotional in the end.. not in the beginning.




until then...

stay curious,

Mike

anything less is just unacceptable...

Two nights ago, I had the opportunity to visit and speak at Duquesne University's Business Fraternity known as Pi Sigma Epsilon.

The main discussion was guided towards sales, in general.  So, I talked about my experiences and what I learned through much trial and error.

As I stepped back into one of my old classrooms, I had a weird feeling come over me.

I was thinking "The last time I stepped into that room 6 years ago, I was completely lost, wearing ripped up jeans, smelling of the night before, no care of learning, and had no sense of identity, belonging or certainty in my decisions.  And that was acceptable to me.


So, I started the discussion with a few questions: "Why do they want to be in sales, marketing, and management, or what do you want to do in your life outside of college?"

And like me when I was 21, most did not have an answer.

6 years can do a lot to someone.  Mistakes can make a man and a company bleed.

But, the 6 years can teach you a few things.

The discussion allowed me to tell some of the stories (both good and bad) that taught me a lot.

No scripted notes, no projectors, no magic show. 

Hopefully, they were able to take something away from it.

Whether they did or not, I am not sure, But I sure had a take away from it----


 I have an answer now.
And anything less, is just unacceptable.

how soon is now...

Never bite the hand that feeds.  Bite the hand that tries to take it away.

Throughout this entire journey of starting a business, it is easy to be lead down paths that may not exactly pan out immediately.

Paths there have no arrows/directions to your final destination.
Paths that have no "rest stops" to stop and refuel.
Paths that have no other souls to ask for advice. 
Paths that have no sales...no revenue, or shall I say "FOOD".


You see, in the beginning, we offered a service that took much reliance on small businesses to implement and use it.  That takes an unbelievable amount of time and money.  Time and money that startup businesses simply do not have.
The return on investment was poor.   It was almost like we were putting our future in the hands of small businesses that did not care. 

So, we had to work smarter... if we wanted to eat.


For approximately 5 years, we nearly starved to death.  Until 1 day, we found a bowl of food on the side of the path...and a way to keep it coming.

While one person kept an eye on the food, the others searched the other paths for more.

From here on out, the mentality remains the same - Never bite the hand that feeds.  Bite the ones that try and take it away.

the world needs a little...

If you know me at all, you know that October is my favorite month.  Not only is it the last month of the year that I have to cut my grass, the incessant sweating begins to fade, ...and it ultimately means Halloween is near.

It always makes me think of all of the haunted houses my parents took my brother and I to when we were younger.


Life is a hell of a lot more simple when you are younger.  Everyday thoughts consisted of:  "When is Peter going to finally accept Slimer as one of their own", ... and... "when are they going to actually make a hoverboard"... and.. "When will I have my chance at Vada Sultenfuss."

Simple... yet important.

 I've wrote a lot about the importance of keeping it simple.  
 The world tends to get a little more complicated as we get older.  How do I pay the bills,....and what decision should I make that will be for the greater good, ...and what do I spend our limited time on, are the everyday thoughts.  Life becomes objective oriented.

Sometimes, what you are trying to achieve is out of your hands.  Sometimes it requires a little help.

And as you make your way through all of the noise and pollution the world will throw at ya,  you keep uttering the same words Tommy said to the warden in Shawshank Redemption... "Just give me that chance".

When it arrives, you can't let it pass you by.


October ...(and the Halloween season).. has arrived.  

500 miles...

Throughout this blog, I've discussed many of the off the wall jobs i've taken in my life.  Like most, I would do just about anything in order to get by.

One i have not mentioned yet was a gig I was able to get back in college, setting up concerts at the Pittsburgh Post Gazette Pavilion (aka the First Niagra Pavillion) out in Burgettstown, Pa.

As a simple laborer, I moved all the equipment off of the truck, set up the stage, and put all of the equipment where the band's director wanted it.  (Yeah, I was basically a band roadie). It was pretty grueling, but it was cool to see all of the behind the scenes of what happens before/after a big show.

One day, I helped out with a Toby Keith concert.  Unloading instruments, speakers, cables and staging.  It took at least 4 hours just to unload the backup singer's glass stage off the truck and making sure it was all as clean as possible.

But, there was something that kinda caught me off guard during the sound check.

Ok, so we are setting a country concert, where most people are driving big red pickups, wearing flannel, and all have a can of copenhagen in their sleeves.  Its hours before the show and the band's director begins the equipment sound check.  The song that he plays over and over as loud as the speakers will go was the Proclaimer's "I would walk 500 miles".  Yes, over and over the song played.

To the rest of the crew it seemed very normal.  To me, it was something that reminded of an old high school party where the attendees would become angered by the fact 80s music was on loop.

I asked another stagehand what was the deal with the music.

He responded with "They just love to test things in unorthodox ways around here."

I told myself, "Damn, that quote is going in the book someday."






 
Here is a new article from one of our writers on the Health and Fitness division (seen in October...yes, October is near!)

Hard Core

By Alexandra Assaf

 

What the big deal about core strength? Take it from someone who learned the hard way- having a strong core is vital. Senior year of high school I blew out my back because I had focused way too much on strengthening my arms, legs, and agility and completely neglected my core. When you think about it, our core is what holds our body together!

The common misconception of core strengthening is that it’s all about getting a six pack. However, our core is a combination of our upper abdominals, lower abdominals, hips, glutes, and lower back. What core training does is help you look more sculpted and gain more support for your spine. Not only are you getting a flatter stomach, but you are also getting a stronger stomach. You’re targeting the front and backside of your body. Any movement that works your core is going to work multiple muscle groups, helping you see results quickly.

I’m not saying go cut out all crunches from your workout, just make sure you do some exercises that engage in your deeper core. Crunches are a great way to start out and build upon getting where you want to be. When you master the crunch on the matt, then you can try doing them on a Bosu. Pretty much any exercise you do on a Bosu will engage your core.

Here is a list of other core engaging exercises:

·         Russian Twists

·         Mountain climbers

·         Planks (both frontal, side, and back)

·         Squats

·         Scissor kicks

·         V-ups

·         Reverse crunches

Do each exercise twice for 1 minute, rest, and then repeat. Once you master them on the matt, try them on the Bosu!

it will haunt you forever...

I am one of those people that believe in burying the dead.  Not cremation. 

I am not against cremation at all (and those that decide in favor of it), I just believe a burial is much more ceremonial – the way a death should be.

I think it has something to do with the amount of effort required or closure or respect. 

And…it might just have something to do with what I’ve most commonly seen in my past 29 years.

I remember back in 2006 when we had to put our old dog down.  Buddy was a 15 year old mutt, that already had a few close calls in his long 105 year old life. 

One cold day in February, we all knew it was time.  Before the family could unite to take him to the vet for his last car ride, I went outside to get started on digging his grave.  It was 12 degrees outside, the ground was frozen, and there was 2 feet of snow. 

I dug as hard as I could.  I had to.   I owed it to the dog that was my friend since I was 7. I had to end it right.

The pain took away the pain. 

He deserved a good ending.

The way I see it, if you don’t end it right, it will haunt you forever.

Last week, I saw a face from my past that had an incredible impact on my life.  Many years ago, a mentor and I didn't see eye to eye, and it didn’t end right.

But luckily, life will sometimes give you another chance.   Last week, I had my chance.

I was finally able to bury it in the way it deserves.  

Whether it’s out of respect, or closure, or just downright effort… Remember, If you don’t end it right, it will haunt you forever.

know your brand...

The first big sale I closed was for $17,000.

The commission I made from that one sale (that took approximately 3 hours)  was more money than I made in any full week worth of work in my entire life.  

Before I walked in to that meeting, I made a decision.  I am not going to try and sell them anything.  I am going to just go and talk with them.  I am just going to be natural.  I am just going to be myself.

Doing what is "natural" is something I believe most people ignore, however, it is the most important ingredient.


A few weeks later I went back to visit my customer.  In a not-so-nonchalant manner,  I asked them a very direct question "So, why did you buy from me?"

Their answer sort of surprised me.  They replied "It was because you were not like the rest of them.  You didn't try to push a sale like the others.  Unlike the many others, we trusted you."

For the rest of my days, I will remember their words.  It was probably one of the greatest compliments I have ever received.  (Up there with that compliment from that Eat n Park waitress that said I resembled a character from the show "90210".  Well, I think that was a compliment).

You see, I believe everyone has their own brand.  And your brand will always outlast the paycheck.   Always.

The takeaway from the most financially successful day of my life "Know your brand and never sway from it.  If you do sway from it, it will be easily seen.  If you do sway from it, you will be "just like the others".



This winter, I will be putting together all of these little things I have learned from the many ups and downs we have gone through during our startup adventure and will put it in an e-book called "Keep Moving Forward:  The Startup Mentality".  

-TheStartupMentality.com  


(SEE MORE ABOUT THIS HERE)

laughing at the pain...

GoNextWorld would like to welcome a new writer to our team.  Her name is Justine Nagle and is also a Duquesne University student.

She has joined up with the Health and Fitness department of the company (which will debut online in a few weeks).

The first article I read from her is titled "The best curve you have" and I have included it below.


 It's amazing how you can see a person's passions, just by the way they write.  It's time for our "Keep Moving Forward" mentality to start crossing into our other passions...


Welcome to the team Justine!


 "Your smile is the best curve you have!

With that statement being said, your smile is the best curve you have,
 it is essential to

instill good habits to guarantee healthy teeth throughout your life. 
At a young age, good care and

maintenance will ensure the growth of healthy adult teeth. 
If you are of older age, it is not too

late. 

As dentists enforce the importance of brushing and flossing to 
keep white, clean, and strong teeth, a healthy diet is just as important!

Did you know that healthy teeth require the same nutrients as strong bones? 
This includes calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D. 
Not only should you take care of your teeth but gums as well. 

Foods that are rich in vitamin B, C, beta carotene, zinc, and folic 
acid will keep a white, clean, and even stronger smile! 
Something that also might be preventing that big bright smile is ulcers, 
leaving the mouth very uncomfortable and quite painful. 

Mouth ulcers are a sign that the body may be lacking essential nutrients.
 I myself notice ulcers when I eat a ton of junk food.

Sugar is in fact the biggest enemy of teeth causing tooth 
decay and many other things to our body. 

Cookies and soda are hard to resist but not only is sugar found within 
these but in

certain types of food. Things to avoid are fructose, 
sucrose, dextrose, fructose, syrup, lactose,and concentrated fruit juice. I recommend 
replacing snacks with vegetables, bread, and cheese.

Look for products such as milk, cheese, yogurt, broccoli, nuts, 
shrimp, and whole grains. A healthy smile is a healthy you"

If indeed we do cross paths...

When you do something that you want to do (like start a business) because you have the guts to go through it, most people watching from the outside get a sense that you're on your own schedule, you do ONLY what you want to do, and time management and money, in general, come easy.. or shall I say AS easy as when you get a job with a big company.

Let me tell you from experience, this is not so.

I, like most of America, have fallen in love with the show "Breaking Bad".  I missed the first few seasons because I did not have time and cable tv, but I have been able to watch this final season.

The basic outline I get from the show:  You do what you HAVE TO DO... not what you want to do.
   


When it comes down to doing what you love like starting a business... you sometimes must do what you NEED to do and not what you want to do.

Is it easy? Hell no.
Is a story that can maybe change a reader's life?  You bet.

And, 100 years from now, that is all that matters.

I have decided to not only document the startup adventure in my blog, but I will begin adding layers and other pieces of the puzzle in regards to what makes me tick, what i have learned, and what we believe is good advice to those that share our same interests.

Necessity is the mother of innovation.

We will do what it takes.

Will it be easy?  Hell no.
Will it be a story that can change a reader's life?  We hope.

top 5...

I'm a big fan of the movie "High Fidelity". It's a story about a record store owner that categorizes his top 5 moments in life in a similar fashion as he lists his top 5 albums.  With a dash of Jack Black and a few scenes of Catherine Zeta Jones, it's a movie worth watching when "Grosse Point Blank" or "Risky Business" isn't on.

I think most people can list their top 5 moments in life....  or their top 5 mistakes... or their top 5 best decisions they ever made  just as easy as they can list their top 5 movies, songs, and albums.


I feel that the meaning of the movie has to do with the importance of reliving a top 5 moment/experience just as you can relive a top 5 song at any time or any day.



Recently, at GoNextWorld, we made a few changes.
The five year adventure has made us realize one of our top 5 mistakes we made back in year 1...

the initial "If you build it, the money will come" mentality/vision is wrong.

The correct way to look at it now is "If you build it, and if you can sell it, then the vision will come."

Last week was the most profitable week we have had in 5 years.

It's something that we need to relive every day, every week, every year from here on out...just as we do with one of our favorite songs.


What's in your top 5 _______ ?

the greatest gift I've ever received...

Growing up, my all-time favorite hockey player was Jeremy Roenick, the captain of the Chicago Blackhawks from 1988 to 1996.

As a big hockey fan, I grew up playing video games like NHLPA and NHL 95 for Sega Genesis.  The red, white and black Chicago Blackhawks were my team, and Jeremy Roenick was my go to guy.

I collected all of his hockey cards idolized the way he played - hard hitting and a big goal scorer.

As years went by and he retired, he became a hockey analyst on NBC for all of the games.  It became apparent that he hates the Pittsburgh Penguins due to his constant negativity whenever their star players are mentioned.  The reason has to do with the fact of the Pittsburgh Penguins took away his dream of winning the Stanley Cup in 1992 Stanley Cup Finals.

I get it.  They took away his dream... and for that, he has a bad taste in his mouth.  He will always hate the Pittsburgh Penguins.  It hurts a little inside to see my boyhood hero trash talk my hometown team, but I get it.

I don't know how I would feel if someone took away my dream of creating an enterprise, something that lasts... so that is why I left a company in 2008 and went out and started our own.  


Jeremy Roenick will forever be my childhood hero. Him and Evel Knievel, of course.

My friend Rob, that I met at the Duquesne University hockey tryouts, shares the same outlook.  We both wore hockey numbers that spawned from Jeremy Roenick's.


For my 29th birthday on August 10th, Rob wrote an email to Jeremy Roenick himself and asked him to send a copy of his auto biographical book, signed and autographed, with a handwritten note saying "Mike, This mamushka is for you!  Keep Moving Forward and you'll change the world". 

It arrived last night and he delivered it to me at the Mount Washington bar called Summit.  I had to hold back my tears in front of the waitress, but I would have at least blamed it on the allergies if a tear ran down my cheek.   

(you might catch the "Addams family" reference in that message)
And,  Just like in the movie "A Christmas Story"... it is the greatest gift I have ever received... and all was right with the world.


"Keep Moving Forward and you'll change the world" - JR

This book will be in my office until the day I die.


Thanks Rob

10to1...

As I have stated in an another blog, starting a business is a fight to the end.  The further you want to take it, the more fight you will need to have inside.  And, the battles only seem to get tougher. 

You see, I have always felt very confident about my abilities if I needed to defend myself in a fight.
Of course, that is when the fight is one on one.

The struggle of a business is that its tough to get it down to one on one.  Usually, we are outnumbered.  Usually its at least 10 to 1.  If one doesn't hit ya, the other will.  For the first few years, the trick is to get used to it.  To be able to take it.


Payroll
Insurance
Attorney fee #1
Attorney fee #2
Attorney fee #3
Mortgage
Utility #1
Utility #2
Utility #3
Utility #4
Technical interruption
Sales
Change in how we run the system
additions
supplies
increased support
missing a piece of the puzzle and finding a way to afford it
accounting fees
miscellaneous expenses
Palzy's mood
Service fee #1
Service fee #2
Service fee #3
Rent
Day to day decisions


If one doesn't hit ya, the others will.  It's inevitable. We have the black eyes, scars, and cuts to prove it. 

(SEE MORE ABOUT THIS HERE)


But... I feel that the feeling of being outnumbered is only temporary.  Making it to year 5 has shown us that we were able to last the 10 to 1 beating.   That want to see if we can take it is gone.

We know we can.

We have earned the right to start making it a little easier on us.

 It took us a long time to A)learn what we need to learn.  B)  build it ....and C) have the confidence to look a person in the eye and say "Pay me money for this product that took years to make".

The way we see it... If we were able to survive the ten to 1 fight, how well could we do in a one on one fight.

If the dream I had recently comes true, that's what our year 5 will be.

each night...

Last night, as I sat down at a table to complete a sale for $1700, I realized a few things.

One of which, was the reason why I failed at a few potential sales the week prior - I was not 100% sure/clear of what I was selling.  You see, the first thing that anyone will see is the person.  Not the product.

That is sometimes easy to forget.


If the product is badass enough... and expectations are matched by the potential customer,...  then there is only one ingredient that can alter the outcome... The person selling it.

When you look at someone, you can almost immediately tell:

How comfortable are they?
How well do they know what they are selling?
Do they believe in what they are selling?
How much can you trust them?

Any confusion will lead to an outcome that you do not want.


My first gig out of college, I sold a startup service to businesses.  It was my first sales gig And I failed big time.

I was not comfortable with the product.. or myself.
I knew a little about the product, but did not believe in it.
As a young lad, I was still unsure of what I wanted to do with my life, so I doubted my want to succeed at that company.

All of that combined led to a whole hell of a lot of confusion.  The outcome was not pretty.  But it did teach me a lot.

(Fast forward 8 years)

This past weekend, we met with Alexandra to discuss GoNextWorld's next step into the Health and Fitness tracking.  The additions are just a few things that I have been thinking about for the past year.  During the next few months, we must not forget that simple, yet easily forgotten lesson:  the first thing that anyone will see is the person selling it. If the product is badass enough, there is only ingredient that can alter the outcome... the person.

How well do you know your product?

(SEE MORE ABOUT THIS HERE)

skate or die...

One of my favorite video games for Nintendo (almost 20 years ago) was called "Skate or die". It was a skateboarding game with the premise:  if you fail to win the competition, you are out.  Basically, DO or DIE.

I know what you're what your thinking..."ok, mike, how can you tie a skateboarding video game to a blog about the lessons learned from starting a business."


Well, I will try...


I think there comes a time in any man/woman's conquest where two words enter a person's vocabulary. 

"Do or die".

I love that phrase.  

Some people live by it.  Some people ignore it.


You see, nothing stands still.  Especially when time, energy, money, and the dream is fleeting.  And if you are ever going to see that finish line, there comes a moment where you only have 2 choices.  

While getting this company off the ground, there were many things we did not want to do.  And we still do.  

Whether it be: Extra side jobs, Changing Directions or Sacrificing the stuff we would have taken for granted, there are many things.



But it was all done to buy one more day.  Maybe that would be all we would need.

If we didn't, we would be out.

August 21st.  It's do or die.

back to balance...

I turned 29 on Saturday.  Twenty-nine.

A friend of mine told me he felt as if a timer went off the morning after his 29th birthday.  Because, its common knowledge that everything gets a little more serious when they hit 30.

And yes, I felt that same timer click in.

The way I see it, I have one year to get everything back to where it belongs.  Back to balance.


We spent our twenties trying new things, testing all of the waters, strengthening our weaknesses, making mistakes, and spending time and money on things that ultimately taught us where we need to spend our next ten years.



The twenties were about sacrificing what others could not - A normal home life, relationships, vacations, a healthy diet, healthy living, a car with air conditioning, air conditioning at home, safety nets, insurance, cable tv, etc.

Our twenties were about surviving.   

The fear of regret when we hit 40 is what drove us.  Because, what you learn in the darkest days of surviving allows you to get back all of those things you've given up in a fraction of the time. 

And thats what this final year of my twenties is all about.  To put it all back to balance.     It's reassured by the progress our programmers each day.

Learn in your 20's.  Execute in your 30's.

29 is gonna be fun...