I met Garrett at Summit Series and was so impressed by his success story launching his nonprofit (buoyed by advice from NEA!) that I asked him to contribute a blog. Audacity and the power of a great idea are the big drivers here. - KF

I was a college student when I co-founded SEE College Prep, a non-profit that has helped more than 1,300 low-income high school students improve their SAT scores an average of 200 points and become the first in their families to go on to college. At the time, I had no idea what it meant to raise large amounts of money, or the kinds of relationships I would need to build to do so.

Fortunately, a friend clued me in to Keith and Never Eat Alone and that wisdom has supported me ever since. It has been an extraordinary learning curve: in a short period of time, I went from not knowing a single person who could donate more than a few hundred dollars, to raising nearly $2 million in 18 months.

I followed my heart, risked embarrassment by asking simple questions, and found the courage to ask for people’s time and eventually money. I was empowered by the mission of what I was trying to achieve, and since I had a calling I knew that no request was too silly or too bold. I reached out to mentor after mentor—first professors, then non-profit leaders, then heavy hitters like Stanford University President John Hennessy and billionaires John Fisher, John Morgridge, and Laurene Powell Jobs. Not all of these conversations were successful, but I saw first-hand how little I knew and how much people were willing to help. Technology has helped people like me: many of the most impressive people I’ve met have agreed to meet following a cold e-mail; some of those people are my closest mentors and advisors today.

When I reached my senior year at Stanford, I faced a daunting task: raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to support my co-founder and I post-graduation and our fledgling organization, or move on. For much of the year, I had my doubts. I even applied to other jobs, and acknowledged defeat formally when I accepted an offer to join McKinsey & Company in Los Angeles. As bold as I had thought I’d been, Stanford Business School Professor Bill Meehan told me that I hadn’t been brave enough: “You need just one major supporter to fill the top of the pyramid,” he said. Bill’s advice reminded me of Keith’s “genius of audacity,” and I was revitalized: if we could just find one $100,000 donor, the rest would fall into place.

Not many people can write a six-figure check. Fortunately, at the time I was the student representative on Stanford’s Board of Trustees, a prominent group of people that includes household names like the founders of Yahoo! and TPG. Unfortunately, all of the Trustees I asked to support our cause said no. Undeterred, I ultimately wrote to hundreds of other people: most ignored my messages, and those who agreed to meet rejected my request. Then, John Kissick—a very kind Stanford alum in private equity—said yes for $25,000, a phenomenal, catalytic gift that gave us the momentum we needed. Eventually, we met Coleman Fung, who pledged over $500,000 so my co-founder and I could launch SEE College Prep professionally post-graduation. The many conversations I had throughout this process taught me to build relationships before I desperately needed them, to always follow up or risk being forgotten, and to never forget the difference that just one highly influential person can make. These principles, all of which are highlighted in Keith’s book, were instrumental in developing SEE College Prep and who I am today.

In a short time, I’ve come a long way. We have now raised nearly $2 million to support our activities, and SEE College Prep now serves over 1,500 students at 25 California high schools. I try to be a resource to others, and give as much as I possibly can—especially to students looking to start organizations or companies. I attend conferences with confidence, and find meaning in virtually every conversation I have. Most importantly, I have many great relationships with people from all walks of life who support, challenge, and inspire me. I know I have a long way to go, but am energized by the fact that mastery of Keith’s teachings are mostly certainly a lifelong pursuit.

I am grateful to have gotten the opportunity to get to know Keith—first through his books and later through his speeches and home-cooked dinners. Like me, Keith aims to make a positive impact on the world. I am proud to be part of a generation that is so inspired by Keith’s work, and is equally committed to making our world a better place.

Garrett Neiman is the Co-Founder of SEE College Prep. You can learn more by visiting www.seecollegeprep.org or contacting Garrett at garrett at seecollegeprep.org.

"Alex Banayan is one of the top pupils of relationship mastery. He is a former intern of Ferrazzi Greenlight and is now an author, as well as a student at USC's Marshall School of Business. Alex is using the lessons he's learned about relationships to make his ambitious and optimistic vision into a reality.”  –KF

Even the world’s most successful people had to start from somewhere—right?

I’ve always had an itching curiosity to understand how people like Bill Clinton and Oprah Winfrey started out. They’re both people like you and I, but they must have done something right early on to get to where they are today. On a more personal note, I’ve always struggled with the question of what my true calling in life is. I’ve always had a yearning to do something great, but how do I go from being just an intern to being the CEO? What steps do I have to take to go from being an entry-level employee to the next big thing? My ambition coupled with my ambivalence has kept me asking: What’s next?

Inspired by these questions, I’ve begun writing a book where I’m interviewing the world’s most successful people to answer the question: What did those people do to propel themselves to the top? I want to delve past the fluff and past the simple biographical information. What were the mindsets, the best practices-- and the actual steps-- that allowed those people to break through the confines of mediocrity and conquer their respective industries?

I’d like to share with the KeithFerrazzi.com community some of the jaw-dropping advice I’ve been hearing while conducting interviews for the book. From world champion athletes to corporate CEOs to national television personalities, the wisdom from the interviews acts as both a practical career guide and an inspirational compass.

A word of thanks: Keith Ferrazzi has been a mentor of mine for quite a while now, and it has been his guidance and wisdom that have allowed me to make this vision into a reality. For that, I am eternally grateful. Plus, I’ve been through the myGreenlight program, and I’m a living, breathing example that the lessons taught there really do work.

I invite you all to not just read these insights, but to participate and engage with the ideas. Talk back, challenge the ideas, and most importantly: pose your own questions. If someone in the community here has a compelling follow-up question (or a new question or a new interview idea), post it below and you could see it printed in my upcoming book!

Thank you to Keith, and to the entire KeithFerrazzi.com community, for the support. I’m humbled to act as your ambassador to uncover the raw and surprising answers to life’s most compelling questions.

Dreaming big,

Compared to big companies, many small businesses are adopting new technologies at both greater speed and lower cost. These represent two sources of a new competitive advantage for these nimble, agile companies. At the New Small, new technologies are enabling a completely different mindset and definition of work. Smaller outfits and startups are attracting top-flight talent because, to some extent, they allow work to be done anywhere: from home, on a beach, or in a coffee shop.

This tech-friendly ethos is allowing employees to work on their own terms, addressing the work-life imbalance from which many people suffer. In this vein, the New Small is using technology strategically to win the war for talent.

So, there’s good news for small businesses on several fronts. Emerging technologies are allowing progressive companies to leap ahead of others still struggling to figure things out.

But which technologies are making such a dramatic difference? There are five specific ones. I collectively refer to them as the Five Enablers. Here’s a primer:

Cloud Computing
Cloud computing is one hot technology, and for good reason. At a high level, cloud-based applications allow employees to access company information from wherever they are. Data and applications in the clouds are simply more accessible than those stored in a single location. Although there are security implications related to de-perimeterizing the enterprise, cloud applications are gaining momentum as organizations try to improve accessibility and information -- and reduce the cost of getting it.

SaaS
Software as a service (SaaS) is kind of a cousin to cloud computing. In fact, the latter enables the former. SaaS is a software distribution model in which applications are hosted by a vendor or service provider and made available to customers over a network, typically the Internet. SaaS is becoming an increasingly prevalent delivery model as underlying technologies that support Web services and service-oriented architecture mature and new development approaches become popular. Meanwhile, broadband service has become increasingly available to support user access from more areas around the world.

Free and Open Source Software (FOSS)
FOSS alternatives to traditional (read: paid) offerings have been gaining acceptance for years. For those who doubt the penetration of open source (OS) software in ordinary life, consider that it is now penetrating even the hallowed -- and traditionally conservative -- halls of academia.

Mobility
Mobile technologies extend the capabilities of certain applications, particularly in retail, manufacturing and inventory-related environments. The number and variety of consumer-oriented applications are absolutely astounding. The bottom line with mobility is this: People no longer need to be chained to desktops or laptops to access or receive information. The potential of mobility is simply massive. Collectively the New Small has embraced the use of smartphones and productivity-enhancing apps. Mobility is unquestionably useful. Unfortunately many companies are too scared to embrace a mobile world. Others are intrigued by its possibilities but, for whatever reason, cannot make any headway.

Social Technologies
Social networking and media are piping hot topics these days. Many people at least particularly understand how to use social networking tools on a personal level. However, fewer are sure about what -- if anything -- these tools can do at work. Many people wonder whether they should even be on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn while on company time.

Ignore these technologies at your peril. As Charles Darwin said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”

You've just read an excerpt from Phil Simon’s new book, The New Small: How a New Breed of Small Businesses is Harnessing the Power of Emerging Technologies, available for purchase from Motion Publishing LLC. To learn more about the book please visit thenewsmall.com and www.philsimonsystems.com.

So let’s talk today about wealth. Here’s the most common question I’m getting:

“How do I earn more money?”

Well, you know my broad answer: Success through relationships. Whatever it is you want to do, build the network of relationships that will make it happen, and success will be yours.

But I also want to introduce you to someone who’s more directly focused on how to generate new income. He’s a New York Times best-selling author, he writes for over 300,000 people every month, and I think he’s the sharpest mind on helping you earn more money -- ethically and using the skills you already have.

His name is Ramit Sethi and I asked him to put together something special for you -- including a 67-page e-book on earning more money in 2011, available through this link.

Now, here’s Ramit:

Earning more via freelancing isn’t just for writers and designers. And it’s not only about “trading your time for money.”

Begin by thinking of how your skills can solve other people’s problems right now.  Write down the top three skills you have that can solve other people’s real problems today.

I have a framework called the “Pay Certainty” technique, which helps you determine whether
people are willing and able to pay for the service you can offer with those skills.

Introducing The "Pay Certainty" Framework

The problem with having so many ideas is you're just not sure which one will pay off. And nobody wants to spend 9 months pursuing a futile idea -- only to discover you've made $0.46 in Adsense money -- so we get stuck before we even start.

When you apply the "Pay Certainty" Framework, you can quickly "score" ideas to see if they have any real possibility of ever paying off -- BEFORE you ever spend any time developing them.

To hear how it works, click through to the rest of the post on the blog. Or, click here to get Ramit’s great e-book, “Finding Your First Profitable Idea” and other free resources.

Take each of your ideas that you wrote on a piece of paper. Next to each idea, write down who would pay you for your service.

You should have a page that looks something like this:

Great. Now apply the "Pay Certainty" Framework.

For each person who would potentially pay you, ask yourself:

1. Do they have the ABILITY to pay? Do they actually have money?
2. Do they have the WILLINGNESS to pay? Do they want to pay?

This lets you instantly eliminate half of your ideas...that would not have earned you a dime.

Example: The "Pay Certainty" Framework in action
Social media consultant for law firms

• Does a law firm partner have the ABILITY to pay? Of course. Law firms have more money than god
• Does a law firm have the WILLINGNESS to pay for social media? Hell no. Law firms don't care about social media. They recruit and market through other means.
• VERDICT: ELIMINATE IDEA

Motivational consultant for 20-somethings looking for career change

• ABILITY to pay; No. Most 20-somethings don't have a ton of extra money to spend, especially on a motivational consultant. (Except for rare people like you, who are willing to invest in self development.)
• WILLINGNESS to pay: No. Even if they have money, when was the last time you had a 20-something friend say, "I really want to pay for a motivational consultant?" That's right, never.
• VERDICT: ELIMINATE IDEA

Music instructor for ambitious children -- client is mother

• ABILITY to pay: Yes. Parents of ambitious, successful children tend to be more affluent than those of average children
• WILLINGNESS to pay: Yes. Parents will spend virtually anything to ensure their child is successful, well-rounded, and gets into a top college
• VERDICT: GREAT IDEA. PURSUE!

The "Pay Certainty" Framework lets you rapidly eliminate bad ideas that would have never earned you a cent, and focus on the most promising ideas...ones that will almost certainly earn you significant amounts of money on the side.

This technique is powerful in helping you get control of your many ideas and escape "Analysis Paralysis." But it just scratches the surface of the advanced techniques I teach in my course called “Earn1k”.

Get Started Now
If you want to learn even more about finding your first profitable idea and finally starting a business on the side - I’ve put together something really special for you because Keith and I are good friends: a FREE 67-page “Finding Your First Profitable Idea” e-book.

In it you will learn:

• Very focused techniques for "mining" your skills to find 25-50 ideas you could use to earn money -- even if you think you have NO profitable skills
• How to use the "Pay Certainty" Test to instantly eliminate bad ideas and narrow down to a few ideas that will pay -- plus, in-depth examples of the Pay Certainty Test in action
• The BEST strategy to get clients to hire you if you have NO experience
• Actual tested emails and scripts we've used to pitch clients -- which you can rip off and use, right now
• Our top 5 strategies for getting your first client - as quickly as possible. No modules and complicated coursework - just real tactics that get you in front of clients, fast.

I’m also going to include a couple more bonuses to help you get started:

• 2 free "Whiteboard Sessions" packed with real life examples, ready-to-use scripts, and much more
• A clip of a session I did with Tim Ferriss where we talk all things time management and productivity
• PLUS: My Idea Generator Tool packed with over 50 successful ideas to choose from

You can download your free “Profitable Idea” material here.

- Ramit

[back to Keith]

Ramit has helped thousands of people start their own business using skills from personal organizing, business consulting, tutoring, all the way to personal cooking.  Get a head start: download your free 67-page “Finding Your First Profitable Idea” e-book and bonus material here.

Asking for testimonials – and getting great ones – makes a lot of people nervous, especially new business owners. And so they avoid it altogether. That’s a problem, because testimonials are one of the best ways to build trust in your brand, particularly online.

Here’s four tips so that you never miss an opportunity or get a vague, lukewarm testimonial again.

1.    Don’t be afraid to ask. All they can do is say no! No matter what, the more you ask, the more you’ll get. And if over time you have trouble finding people their name behind a positive experience of your brand, you may need to take a hard look at your product or service delivery.

2.    Build a personal relationship. Some clients may have built-in resistance to using their name in any kind of marketing context. But the more they care about you and your success, the more likely they will be to get over that initial inhibition – especially if you make it clear that their testimonial will truly make a difference. Be transparent about where you are with your business and ask for their support.

3.   Build feedback into your process. If you build regular requests for feedback into your process with clients, you’ll build confidence and build the relationship at the same time. Make asking for a testimonial at the end of an engagement a regularly scheduled practice, so that you won’t forget.

4.    Guide them. Even if your customer had a great experience, that doesn’t mean she or he knows how to communicate it to someone else. Help her out by giving her some sample quotes to work with – but make very clear that you want her to be honest. You might say something like, “I know you’re busy, so to make it easy, I’d be glad to give you some sample testimonials – the stuff I dream of my clients saying. Then you can adapt it as you see fit. Please be absolutely candid.”

5.    Know your value props. If you’re shaky about how to craft those brilliant sample testimonials, make a list of the key value props of your product. You want testimonials to speak to concrete, compelling results fulfilling each of those value props.

Go ahead – ask someone for a testimonial today!

And tell me: What's the best testimonial you ever got and why?

Sy Sperling, Hair Club for Men

“I’m not just the president of the Hair Club for Men, I’m also a member.”

That’s got to be one of history’s most famous – and successful – slogans. OK, also one of its most mocked slogans, but mocked or not, it’s sold a lot of hair.

So why is it so effective?

Clearly, using your own product is the strongest endorsement you can give it. But I think it’s more than that. It’s a winning slogan because it’s also a brave act of vulnerability. It’s Sy saying, “I’m here and I’m bald!”

Here are three specific benefits of vulnerability that you can see at work in the Hair Club slogan:

1.    Safety: By showing your cards, you create trust. Trust means safety, and safety is a place where you’ll get the best from others – their best ideas, their best (ie most honest) feedback, their fullest expression of themselves.

2.    Empowerment: When you put it all out there, you’ve got the power of having nothing to hide.

3.    Commonality: People see that you’ve walked the walk – and your willingness to share confidently also shows them that you’ve faced challenges and won.

So remember: Vulnerability isn’t a weakness. It’s the most profound kind of courage there is: The courage to be who you are.

Alan Webber, FastCo Founder and Author of Rules of Thumb

Alan Webber, the co-founder of Fast Company and a friend, had a book out just a couple months ago, Rules of Thumb: 52 Rules for Winning at Business Without Losing Your Self.  These are honest, practical rules -- and earnest. Webber learned them all firsthand.

One of my favorites: Rule #22, Learn to see the world through the eyes of your customer.

Alan writes about learning that lesson when he was looking for a backer to launch Fast Company. He and his partner pitched everywhere, passionately telling everyone how cool, how hip, how evolved their new business magazine would be. No one was buying. Finally they gave the same pitch to Fred Drasner and Mort Zuckerman, the owners of The Atlantic Monthly and US News & World Report. The gentlemen stopped them short:

"Fred and Mort weren't interested in our idea. They had a problem and we were a potential solution. Their problem was excess capacity: They had built a big pipe -- ad sales staff, paper and printing contracts, relationships with advertisers, distribution contracts -- and they needed another magazine to use up that excess capacity. It could be Fast Company, it could be Senior Golfer, it could be any publication that interested them and had a decent chance of succeeding.

"That's when I realized that, like many entrepreneurs, I'd been looking at the situation through the wrong end of the telescope. Absorbed as I was in the brilliance of my own idea, I'd overlooked the other end of the telescope: I'd neglected to consider how the world looked to the people I was trying to sell on my idea....I realized that the other magazine companies had passed on Fast Company not because it was or wasn't a good idea but because we weren't a solution for a problem they had. Now it I wanted to sell Fred and Mort on my magazine, I first had to buy into my responsibility to help them solve their own problem."

How to get better at "flipping the telescope"? Alan's great advice:

1. Talk less, listen more.
2. Make few claims; ask more questions.
3. Focus less on output, more on feedback.
4. Buy fewer ads; collect more data.

From today's NYT article about Vice magazine, inseperable from its in-house advertising agency, Virtue. Virtue pays the bills to keep the definitely "irreverent," arguably "risk-taking" Vice content coming.

For those who don't feel like watching, the basic point:

"Free works as a promotion...all marketing is generosity. You are trying to build a relationship with the consumer. If you lead with free, you get permission to actually have a conversation to follow it up.

We have got to get reconnected with the consumer."