Six Keys to Success

1) Information: Become known as a trustworthy subject matter expert in your field.

2) Image: Go out into the world every day and look, speak and act the way you want to be treated.

3) Initiative: Always act on the basis of sound planning and good research, which leads to the pursuit of effective strategy.

4) Confidence: Through dedicating your self to winning small victories, you will be emboldened with the confidence that you've done your best; this will be the basis of the momentum that propels you to success. 

5) Capital: The greatest source of future revenue and profits for your business will be determined by the purchasing and cost decisions you make today.

6) Contacts: You must assemble a winning team. You alone will never possess all of the skills and abilities required for perfection, nor will you ever be able to earn every certification or degree needed to answer every question.

Vince Rogers & Associates

www.vincerogers.biz

Pantheon of Pioneers: Travers J. Bell, Jr.

Founder of First Black Firm on the New York Stock Exchange

With only $175,000 in capital, Mr. Bell formed Daniels & Bell Inc., a securities firm on Wall Street, in 1971

The late Travers J. Bell Jr. co-founded investment bank Daniels & Bell, which in 1971 became the first black-owned investment bank on the New York Stock Exchange. In addition, Bell structured the first leveraged buyout completed by an African American when his DanBell subsidiary acquired Cocoline Chocolate, which was included among the nation’s largest black-owned companies.

Mr. Bell grew up in a housing development on the South Side of Chicago. His father worked in the operations department of the Chicago office of Dempsey Tegler & Company, and was able to get his son a messenger's job. Mr. Bell, who obtained degrees from Washington University in St. Louis and from the New York Institute of Finance, ascended quickly, eventually to vice-president of the firm.

In the Black: A History of African Americans on Wall Street

The Big Fundamentals

Success Planning

"In order to convert passion into positive achievement, it is necessary to have an organized strategy for transforming that passion into purposeful action"~  Vincent L. Rogers

Success Planning Fundamentals

Good Research leads to > > > > 

Sound Planning leads to >>>> 

 Effective Strategy leads to >>>>

Branding Fundamentals

Build Identity

Maintain Consistency

Focus Outreach

Marketing Fundamentals

 

Grab Attention

Build Interest

Stimulate Desire

Take Action

www.vincerogers.biz

Success Planning Fundamentals

 Good Research leads to > > > > 

Sound Planning leads to >>>> 

 Effective Strategy leads to >>>>

 The Very Best of Disguised Limits

Success Planning

"In order to convert passion into positive achievement, it is necessary to have an organized strategy for transforming that passion into purposeful action"~  Vincent L. Rogers

Write Here, Write Now

I would like to invite you to listen to my interview on the Write Here, Write Now radio program on BusinessRadioX.com in Atlanta. 

I would appreciate your company by having you tune in to listen live at  
10:00amET on Tuesday, September 13. 

Log onto:

writeherewritenow.businessradiox.com  

then make sure the Listen Live icon is set to ROAM Atlanta then click “On” 

If you can’t join us for the live broadcast, tune in later to download the MP3 file of the interview.

Continued Success, 

Vince Rogers

Author

"The Very Best of Disguised Limits"

www.lulu.com/product/16215088? 

Press Release - "The Very Best of Disguised Limits"

From Blog to Book: Blog Made Popular By Facebook Users Becomes Published Book

Atlanta business consultant Vince Rogers’ popular blog Disguised Limits is now an inspirational paperback book – “The Very Best of Disguised Limits”.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) - Aug 29, 2011 - Atlanta business consultant Vince Rogers’ popular blog Disguised Limits is now an inspirational paperback book – “The Very Best of Disguised Limits”. The blog, which is #2 on Facebook’s Networked Blogs directory, has received thousands of pageviews by U.S. readers. The highly inspirational blog is also popular in Germany, the United Kingdom and Nigeria. Because of the success of the blog, Rogers decided to make the very best of the Disguised Limits blog entries available to download free or purchase in book form. 

Mr. Rogers was inspired by the success of the blog, to make the information available to read as a book. Readers can now access the information more efficiently and utilize it more effectively in this hard copy format.

The book has been given high praise by readers such as professional writer and blogger Angela Lane Woods. Woods pronounces that the book is "....a wealth of information, resources, and tools that you can use to “Discover Life's Unlimited Opportunities!!!!" This collection is a dazzling potpourri of diverse guideposts to success written from varying perspectives. Clearly, the author's goal was to inspire, motivate, and educate, and he does so without question.”

The Disguised Limits blog www.disguisedlimits.blogspot.com regularly provides readers with special updates about networking opportunities, offers and discounts, business and sales leads, plus an abundance of useful tools that they can use to improve every aspect of their life. Rogers uses his “Six Keys to Success” as the foundation of the highly valuable information presented in the book. The writing is entertaining and easily accessible to readers. It is presented in 3 sections: short essays on the Keys to Success; unique quotes that provide Insights into key success concepts; and Profiles of vitally important professionals and services that readers can utilize to implement their personal and professional success plans.

Mr. Rogers says about the process of transitioning from blogger to author: “The experience of seeing my words on the printed page has been very exciting. I am thrilled that a wider audience will be able to access the success principles found in this book.”
 
"The Very Best of Disguised Limits" book is available to buy or download free 

@ http://www.lulu.com/product/16215088

Disguised Limits is the #2 Opportunities Blog @ NetworkedBlogs.com              
To Follow Disguised Limits, visit http://networkedblogs.com/blog/disguised_limits

# # #

Vince Rogers and Associates works with businesses and non-profits to formulate winning "Success Plans" for reaching their desired destinations. Please contact us to formulate a winning "Success Plan" for your business of non-profit organization.

--- end --- 

http://www.prlog.org/11640184-from-blog-to-book-blog-made-popular-by-facebook-users-becomes-published-book.html

Take an Extra 15% Off "The Very Best of Disguised Limits"

Purchase The Very Best of Disguised Limits with 15% off with coupon code MYBOOK305.

Offer ends August 15, 2011.

www.lulu.com/product/16215088

Disclaimer: Use coupon code MYBOOK305 at checkout and receive 15% off The Very Best of Disguised Limits. Maximum savings with this promotion is $100. You can only use the code once per account, and you can't use this coupon in combination with other coupon codes. This great offer ends on August 15, 2011 at 11:59 PM so try not to procrastinate! While very unlikely we do reserve the right to change or revoke this offer at anytime, and of course we cannot offer this coupon where it is against the law to do so. Finally, Lulu incurs the cost of this discount, so it does not impact the Author's proceeds of the book.

From Blog to Book: The Easy Road to “Infopreneurship”

by Vince Rogers

It is often said that content is king when it comes to building an online presence for your brand. One of the most cost effective and high impact ways to generate and distribute the high quality content that you produce is through publishing a blog.  As a subject matter expert in your field, it should not be very difficult to regularly produce high-quality content in order to generate a very informative, well followed blog. The content that you generate and a place to publish it are all that you need to get started on the easy road to “Infopreneurship”.

If you are not already blogging, the process for getting started is fairly simple.  There are quite a few popular blog publishing services that can be used to create your own high quality blog. Some of the more popular outlets are TypePad, Blogger (which is owned by Google.com) and WordPress. You can easily determine which of these (or the many other) sites will fit your particular needs. The most common approach to making that decision is through either utilizing trial and error, researching comparisons online or by soliciting referrals from other bloggers.

Personally, I use the Blogger platform to publish my highly popular blog Disguised Limits (www.disguisedlimits.blogspot.com) Disguised Limits provides readers with useful articles and special updates about local networking opportunities, offers and discounts, business and sales leads, plus an abundance of other useful business and life enhancing information. When I started to blog, going with the service that had the word blog in the name just made sense to me. You might choose to go with a more scientific approach.

Disguised Limits is the #2 blog in the Opportunities category on NetwokedBlogs.com. NetworkedBlogs.com is a blog directory that is maintained by Facebook.com. Blog directories are services that list popular blogs, much like an on-line index or card catalog to assist blog followers. Using blog directories enables your blog to gain greater exposure to a wider audience than just relying on being followed by random users of your chosen blog publishing service.

There are also local blogging professionals that can provide you with their expertise to help you build your dynamic blog-based branding machine. Atlanta social media maven Judi Knight of New Tricks (www.newtricks.me) is one of the most sought after and well respected website and blog design experts around town. Knight is a passionate proponent of using social media along with blogging to empower entrepreneurs to “….capture their “essence” in order to build their brand and grow their businesses….”


The most well designed and highly informative blog on the internet is nothing without followers. I cannot emphasize strongly enough that the best way to gain a large captive audience of loyal followers is by regularly generating high quality content that is relevant to your target audience. To promote this content and increase their blog’s following; most bloggers utilize their existing networks on the most popular social media platforms Twitter, FaceBook, LinkedIn etc. Some other useful tips to growing your blog’s readership and fan base are to:

1)      Use the blog traffic analytics provided by your blog publishing service to determine the readership patterns of your existing followers.

2)      Make widgets or gadgets (apps that link your blog to other websites) available for readers to place on their social media pages, personal websites and personal blogs.

3)      Interact with your blog followers by being responsive to their comments on your blog.

4)      Follow as many other blogs as you can and regularly interact with other bloggers.

Now that you’re the publisher of a successful blog with an avid following, what’s next? You are the owner of your blog content and therefore free to publish your articles in any other online and print publications. For most bloggers utilizing their blog to grow their business is more than enough payoff for their effort and ingenuity. However, some savvy bloggers may want to take it a step further by using their blog content to enter the realm of information marketing.  

Information marketing is the business of selling Books, e-Books, CDs, DVDs, Webinars Podcasts, etc.  to consumers seeking essential knowledge that they can use to enhance their business or professional lives. The most fundamental information products are “inspirational“ “motivational” “self-help” or “how-to” books. Turning your blog content into a book provides you with the perfect opportunity to enter the domain of legendary “Infopreneurs” such as Robert Kyosaki, Jim Rohn, Les Brown and Atlanta resident Dennis Kimbro.

The traditional route to getting a book publishing deal is one that you might consider. However, self publishing is the easiest route to bringing your book and or e-book to the public. As with the process of publishing your blog, several easy to use print-on-demand, self publishing sites exist on the internet. Some of the notable names in the game are Lulu, AuthorHouse, xLibris and iUniverse. These sites provide users with easy to use tools that allow authors to download simple text documents and images from their own computers to create actual hardcover or paperback books. Within a matter of minutes, you can produce a bookstore quality publication or e-Book that customers can purchase or download from their own computer.

I recently made the great leap into the information marketing space by turning my own blog into a book. "The Very Best of Disguised Limits" book is now available to buy or download free at www.lulu.com  To market and promote your book; you will utilize many of the same tools that are used to market and promote your blog. The book has allowed me to create new business opportunities, expand my number of blog followers and make a few dollars from selling the book as well. The positive response to the book has been more than I ever expected.  By following the steps I have outlined, I am sure that in no time flat you can also make the successful conversion from mere mortal blogger to successful Infopreneur “rock star” as well.

"The Very Best of Disguised Limits"

Recommended Reading: The Very Best of Disguised Limits....

....book is now available to buy or download free @ www.lulu.com

Disguised Limits is the #2 Opportunities Blog @ NetworkedBlogs.com 

Follow Disguised Limits @ http://networkedblogs.com/blog/disguised_limits

Discover life's Unlimited Opportunities!!!!

The Very Best of Disguised Limits

Capital: Optimizing Purchase and Cost Decisions

by Vincent L. Rogers

It has been said that the number one reason for business failure is under-capitalization. Yet stories abound of legendary business successes that lacked adequate resources in their formative stages. Conversely, well capitalized businesses often fail miserably. What ultimately proves to be the key reason for the success of most businesses is passionate entrepreneurial leadership and visionary strategic planning.

Yet when it comes to business success, money certainly matters. However, in many cases it isn’t how much cash you have access to that determines viable cash flow. More importantly, spending the cash that you have efficiently has the greater impact on long-term business success or failure. The greatest source of future revenue and profits for your business will be determined by the purchasing and cost decisions you make today.

In fact, many well capitalized businesses tend to purchase things outright with their cash rather than pursue other more optimal ways of acquiring the things they need. Some well capitalized businesses often tend to try to find a reason to buy everything; instead of finding a way to avoid buying anything. In many instances, having the money to buy something often creates the false perception that the company can “afford” acquisitions that are often ill-advised or more appropriate at a later date. Should the business ultimately fail, they are then stuck with a lot of illiquid assets on their balance sheet and defaulted loans or angry investors.

It is important that you look at each cost and purchase decision you make as a link in your “value-chain”. In other words, does the associated cost and terms of making this acquisition add long term value to my business? Does making this expenditure enable me to offer a higher quality product or service to my customer? Making purchasing and cost decisions in this way also puts you in the habit of thinking about your business strategically at all times.

Making good purchase decisions doesn’t always mean getting the lowest price. Spending a few dollars more for a higher quality product or with a better established supplier can often lead to more satisfied customers, quicker delivery times and even gaining referral business from the supplier. Also, it may be possible through negotiation to convert a prospective vendor into a business partner instead. Sometimes this can be done without having to pay anything.

For instance, it may be worth more to the local sandwich shop to cater your roundtable meeting of local Executives for free or reduced costs in order to market their business to the purchasing managers and decision-makers attending the conference. You should always be looking to cut deals that benefit your bottom line, rather than being a free spender of your company’s scarce resources. Other ways to cut costs may be to share office space with strategic companies, bartering your goods and services in exchange for the things you need and buying used office equipment and furniture rather than buying these things new.

It may not always be easy to weigh every factor of each individual purchase. However, failing to examine the key factors of buying may prove to be disastrous. As the fictional character Gordon Gekko stated in “Wall Street”, the classic Hollywood film “A fool and his money are lucky enough to get together in the first place." As difficult as it is to find the money to start and grow a successful business, surely the last thing you want to do is make the avoidable cost and purchasing decisions that often lead to ultimate business failure.

Vince Rogers is a highly skilled resource manager and communications consultant; trained in economics, marketing, project management and commercial real estate management. He possesses many years of successful experience in financial asset and real estate wealth building. He is the Principal Change Agent at Vince Rogers & Associates @ www.vincerogers.biz

Contact us to help you to formulate a winning Success Plan for reaching your desired personal and professional destination. Please continue to visit this blog Disguised Limits @ http://disguisedlimits.blogspot.com to find more information you can use to Discover Life's Unlimited Opportunities!!!!

Please follow Disguised Limits @ http://networkedblogs.com/blog/disguised_limits

Branding Fundamentals

Build Identity


Maintain Consistency


Focus Outreach

 









 


Impress Communications

Pantheon of Pioneers: A.G. Gaston (1892-1996)

Arthur George "A.G." Gaston was born in a log cabin in Demopolis, Ala., in 1892.  He defied the social climate of the times to become one of the most successful African American business owners in America, and later, a behind-the-scenes political leader at a critical time in civil rights history
















"Find a need and fill it. Successful businesses are founded on the needs of people." ~ A.G. Gaston

Featured Follower - Dr. Greg Streib

Dr. Greg Streib - Government Efficiency Expert

Greg Streib is a professor in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University. 

His work to date has focused on various aspects of public management and policy implementation, including policy analysis and evaluation; the skill needs of public managers and professionalism in public service; leadership and collaboration; the implementation of public management reforms; city manager roles and responsibilities; the development of knowledge in public administration; governance issues such as health care benefits for local government employees and reinventing government; and the development of e-government, including the value of new technologies, citizen needs and privacy. 

He has worked with a range of governments and non-profits addressing issues such as welfare reform, homelessness, the development and assessment of leadership and advocacy skills, and performance measurement. 

Professor Streib regularly teaches classes in the areas of budgeting and finance, e-government and research methods.

Education
Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (1984) from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, with an emphasis on public administration theory, policy analysis and American government.

Master of Arts in Public Administration (1981) from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, with an emphasis on pubic management, budgeting and finance, and program evaluation.

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (1978) from Southern Illinois University.

Interests

Public Management, Public Budgeting and Finance, State and Local Governance, Policy Analysis and Evaluation and E-government.

Dr. Greg Streib — Andrew Young School of Policy Studies — Georgia State University

The Final Four: Health; Wealth; Fame; and Family

by Vincent L. Rogers 

In the Christian Bible, there are numerous useful prescriptions for living a meaningful life. Most of them are also relevant in the areas of success planning and personal branding. One of, if not the most important of these Biblical maxims can be found in the Book of Proverbs. Proverbs 20:10 states that “…Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right....” Simply stated, a person shall be known by what they do with the bountiful gifts and talents that they have possessed since they were a child.  

However, many of us remain acutely focused on the superficial goals of a child, instead of the loftier pursuits of our higher selves. We set a goal to become thin instead of becoming healthy, in order to change our childhood perception of being the "fat kid". We set a goal to earn extreme financial wealth because we grew up “poor” of worldly possessions, even if we grew up in a family that enjoyed vast moral and spiritual abundance. Most importantly, we set a goal to achieve fame based on hollow achievements, rather than being renowned because of a well earned reputation for excellence.

Fame and Wealth are the most outwardly visible manifestations of success. Yet celebrity and fortune can be achieved just as easily by a drug dealer as it can be by a heart surgeon. Achieving your place of distinction in the world by doing things the right way will enable you to truly enjoy the prosperity that it brings. Doing things the right way means doing things in a way that allows you to maintain your health and sanity as well as your family and friendships.

The importance of balancing your quest for fame and fortune with good physical and mental health habits, along with nurturing your family and friendships is inestimable. Focusing on these things in turn will also contribute greatly to the pursuit of the goals that will lead you to fame and fortune. It is inconceivable that you can achieve the success you desire weighed down by physical illness and besieged by emotional anxiety. Conversely, a person who neglects his friendships and family is unlikely to have success at building the necessary network that will help them to achieve the fame and wealth that they so greatly desire.

Health; Wealth; Fame; and Family are the four pillars of living a successful and balanced life. Good health and strong family alone are the essential measures of a live well lived. Yet many people strive to leave some legacy of their life’s work as well. Achieving a measure of material wealth and a level of high esteem associated with your name can also benefit your family. Acquiring these things gives you and your loved one’s a better chance of living a long healthy life filled with joy and abundance.

Vince Rogers is a highly skilled resource manager and communications consultant; trained in economics, marketing, project management and commercial real estate management. He possesses many years of successful experience in financial asset and real estate wealth building. He is the Principal Change Agent at Vince Rogers & Associates @ www.vincerogers.biz Contact us to help you to formulate a winning Success Plan for reaching your desired personal and professional destination.

Please continue to visit this blog Disguised Limits @ http://disguisedlimits.blogspot.com to find more information you can use to Discover Life's Unlimited Opportunities!!!!

 

Using Professional Photography to Build Your Brand

by Vince Rogers

There is an old adage that says “A picture is worth a thousand words.” To state it another way, a bad picture makes zero impact. These days it may be possible to take good pictures and create effective headshots yourself. However, you may want to consider using a professional photographer to gain the maximum impact for your brand.

Cost effective and easy to use digital cameras have given the masses access to tools that were once only accessible to professionals. While technology has somewhat leveled the playing field, the techniques employed by a professional photographer may be what your branding efforts really require. The strategic usage of the right photo of you receiving a big award, making an important public appearance or achieving a significant career milestone can pay big dividends. You may not want to trust the responsibility of capturing that big moment to your significant other or next door neighbor.

According to Atlanta native and noted celebrity photographer Quinn Hood of Global Images, “Celebrities and high profile people continue to utilize professional photographers because of the expertise they bring in the way of composition, lighting and other key technical aspects of taking a great photo.” Hood has photographed such celebrities as U2 front man Bono, baseball legend Hank Aaron, pioneering music producer Dallas Austin and over the years has built a vital relationship with movie star Chris Tucker. The world famous comedian has found his services so essential to building his brand that he has flown him to Africa on several occasions to capture his many photo ops with foreign dignitaries and world leaders.

Even though a photo is just a still image, it should tell a great story. The background, foreground, subject placement and framing of a photo are the elements of a shoot that good professional photographers are paid to combine to make a winning photograph. According to Hood, “The subject is just one element of a good shot, my job is to make the subject into a verb – then the person looking at it turns it into a complete sentence.” The story that sentence tells to your audience will determine how they will remember your brand.

To reach Quinn Hood Global Images call 404-895-1394or by e-mail @ qhood@bellsouth.net

Disguised Limits: Confidence – Winning Small Victories

by Vince Rogers

The musician Michelle Shocked once lamented that “I'm a perfectionist, which I think is a mistake.” When it comes to achieving ultimate success, the devil may indeed be in the details. However, when it comes to successfully launching, establishing and furthering your enterprise, agonizing over every aspect of your project will make it a heck of a lot tougher to complete. In many instances the paralysis of perfectionism has scuttled the most ambitious enterprises before they were ever launched.

Most entrepreneurs, leaders and high achievers tend to be “Big Picture” people. They can visualize a bustling metropolis with behemoth skyscrapers and even the forthcoming bicentennial celebration of the town. However, buying the perfect paper to draw the preliminary plans can bring about a state of mental paralysis. This type of fastidious intellectual exertion will bring on eventual “burn-out”. The overwhelming angst of getting every detail just right often causes us to get nothing done at all.

When faced with a bout of “amateurcrastination” brought about by “perfectionist panic”, it is helpful to dedicate yourself to winning small victories. Winning small victories means continuously completing some part of the project that you are working on right now. It may not always be possible to complete the part of the project that you planned to in the order that you envisioned it. Nevertheless, the surest way to get yourself “unstuck” is to achieve the personal victory of accomplishing something that leads to ultimate project completion. You must vow to accomplish – meaning complete – some part of your project every single day.

The simple wisdom of the great leadership strategist Sun Tzu should be the daily mantra of all burgeoning entrepreneurs, aspiring leaders and everyone seeking to Discover Life's Unlimited Opportunities!!!! As he pronounced millennia ago, it is true indeed that “A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” By winning small victories every day, you will be emboldened with the confidence that you've done your very best. This will be the catalyst that propels you to ultimate success.

Vince Rogers is a highly skilled resource manager and communications consultant; trained in economics, marketing, project management and commercial real estate management. He possesses many years of successful experience in financial asset and real estate wealth building. He is the Principal Change Agent at Vince Rogers & Associates @ www.vincerogers.biz

Contact us to help you to formulate a winning Success Plan for reaching your desired personal and professional destination. Please continue to visit this blog Disguised Limits @ http://disguisedlimits.blogspot.com

to find more information you can use to Discover Life's Unlimited Opportunities!!!!