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Up-Starts
Featured Entrepreneur - Mark Anastasi.
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Mark
Anastasi is a walking, talking, self improvement dynamo
and his entrepreneurial journey has been a fascinating
one.
He is the kind of guy that is only too willing to
share his knowledge and experience for the benefit
of those around him.
He shares much of this experience through his financial
freedom seminars. He also has a separate company that
promotes other personal development speakers called
Inspired Events... |
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| Profile: |
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| Name:
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Mark
Anastasi |
| Company: |
Inspired
Events |
| Location:
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Surrey,
United Kingdom |
| Websites:
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www.mark-anastasi.com
www.inspired-event.com
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The
Interview
Damien
Senn: What inspired you to set up the Life Quest Partnership?
Mark
Anastasi: All the good I have in my life I owe
to the considerable investment I have made in my 'personal
development', through books, CDs, DVDs, and seminars I have
attended.
The LifeQuest Partnership, Inspired Events, or The Online
Marketing Group are ways for me to share these tools, strategies,
and insights that have made such a difference in my life.
Damien
Senn: Did you have any help setting up the company or were
you going it alone?
Mark
Anastasi: I have always set up my companies on
my own, though I have been blessed in having attracted extraordinary
and invaluable mentors, as well as staff of the highest
calibre.
At the end of the day, your success as an entrepreneur will
depend on your TEAM.
Damien
Senn: What was the biggest challenge you faced
in bringing your idea to fruition? How was it overcome?
Mark
Anastasi: Lack of adequate funding in the initial
stages was frustrating, though we pulled through in the
end without the need of external investors.
Damien
Senn: What makes you
most proud about your achievements with the
Life Quest Partnership?
Mark
Anastasi: Hearing the testimonials of our Success
Partners or of attendees of our events fills me with joy
every time, and also, I am proud and grateful for the amazing
people that selflessly devote their time to this business.
Damien
Senn: How
did you actually fund your business to get it off the ground?
Mark
Anastasi: I funded all my businesses - at least
initially - from the sale of my ebooks on the Internet.
I am currently looking for £250,000 in capital, from
investors, to take The LifeQuest Partnership to the next
level, in view of a stockmarket floatation in 2008.
Damien
Senn: What attributes make a successful entrepreneur?
Mark
Anastasi: Passion, Drive, Vision, Total Self-Belief,
Courage, a desire to help people & solve problems, great
people skills, and a solid grounding in Marketing.
Damien
Senn: What
do you believe are the necessary elements for a business
venture to succeed?
Mark
Anastasi: Marketing, marketing, and then more marketing.
Spend 90% of your time on the marketing. Other than that,
making sure there truly IS a market for your product or
service in the first place.
Damien
Senn: How
essential do you see a University education in achieving
success as an entrepreneur?
Mark
Anastasi: Not at all. Zilch. Nada. Niet. Nuh-huh.
If you are at Uni at the moment... leave.
Damien
Senn: What
are the three most important lessons you have learned about
business and entrepreneurship?
Mark
Anastasi:
(1)
The Entrepreneur's Golden Question: "How Can I Serve/Help
More People?"
Business and entrepreneurship is about adding value to people's
lives.
(2) Absolute integrity is a MUST.
(3) Having a grand vision is great, but you still must take
care of the details!
Damien
Senn:
What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur?
Mark Anastasi: Start.
Damien
Senn: What's the number one book you would recommend to
aspiring entrepreneurs?
Mark
Anastasi: Study Robert Kiyosaki's "Choose
To Be Rich" (CD), Michael Gerber's "The
e-Myth Revisited", and Richard Parkes Cordock's
"The
Millionaire MBA" (CD)
Damien
Senn: What memorable mistakes, if any, have you made in
business? What did you learn from them and how can they
be avoided?
Mark
Anastasi: Not keeping an eye on cash flow was definitely
a mistake I learned the hard way!
Good book-keeping & accountants... vital.
"In order to Think Big... you've got to 'Think Small'"
- Robert Kiyosaki
Damien
Senn: What are the best and worst things about being an
entrepreneur?
Mark
Anastasi:
The Best: Freedom. Creativity. Self-Expression. Unlimited
Wealth Potential.
The
Worst: You carry the awesome responsibility of being accountable
for the livelihood of other people. The buck stops with
YOU.
Damien
Senn: Are
there any other thoughts, insights, or advice for aspiring
entrepreneurs that you'd like to add?
Mark
Anastasi: We live in the age of the entrepreneur.
It is much safer than being at the mercy of an employer!
There is nothing to fear. You can never fail - only LEARN.
Being an entrepreneur is synonymous to being ALIVE! Just
Do It!
Money Is Nothing But The Measure Of The Value You Create
For Other People, and you go about adding value to people's
lives BY BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR!"At the end of your
life, you won't wish you'd spent more time at the office..."