Tag: entrepreneurs

Set Boundaries to Eliminate Distractions for Entrepreneurs

Don’t Let Unimportant Interruptions Hijack Your Entrepreneurial Flow in 2025

There’s a stubborn myth floating around that entrepreneurs—especially Black entrepreneurs—just kick back all day, waiting for money to magically appear. Spoiler alert: that’s dead wrong. We’re hustling hard, often juggling AI tools, creator economy projects, and automation workflows, yet somehow still getting hit with unimportant interruptions that wreck our momentum.

Whether it’s a family member calling with drama or a random text popping up mid-focus session, these distractions can obliterate your productivity rhythm for hours. In today’s hyper-connected world, where AI chatbots and automation can handle many routine tasks, your real enemy is unplanned human interruptions that pull you away from deep work.

Here’s the no-nonsense strategy for 2025: set hard boundaries around your work hours. Tell everyone—family, friends, even your most persistent contacts—that you’re offline for calls and texts during your peak productivity blocks, which should be protected like gold. Use your calendar and AI scheduling assistants to reinforce this. If someone breaks the rule, send them straight to voicemail or auto-reply with a polite but firm message asking them to text if it’s urgent.

Remember, you’re not being rude; you’re being strategic. Your time is your most valuable asset, and in the creator economy and AI-driven business landscape, uninterrupted focus is what fuels growth. Keep repeating “I’m busy, I’m busy” until it finally sinks in—yes, it might take years, but your future self will thank you.

Bonus tip: leverage AI-powered tools to filter and prioritize communications. Smart inboxes and virtual assistants can screen calls and messages, so you only get alerted for what truly matters. This way, you protect your workflow without missing emergencies.

Ready to stop sabotaging your own success? Lock down your schedule, automate what you can, and guard your time fiercely. Your business—and your sanity—depend on it.

For more no-fluff entrepreneur hacks and AI-powered productivity tips, follow me on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Here’s to your best year in business yet.

October 17, 2017
Common Problems for Entrepreneurs WITH Solution Ideas

Quite often, as entrepreneurs, we find ourselves operating in a vacuum. We have SO many jobs that it’s often difficult, even impossible at times to find good help. There are some mistakes that we often make that could make our lives so much easier. First and foremost, we must adapt to today’s market and digital resources. We can still win but we must be willing to adapt and change our previous concepts. For example, there is no need to hire full-time or even part-time employees for many jobs anymore. You will save a ton of time, money and agony hiring someone per project, the benefit is you can test people out now and if they do well keep hiring them or let them work their way into full-time. Here are a few tips to make work life easier for you.

Finding Good Help

PROBLEM: This has got to be one of the absolute greatest challenges for MOST entrepreneurs. From my own personal experience, many of today’s younger workers are all about instant gratification and they have agendas, thanks to social media, to build their own brands. They couldn’t care less about paying dues or climbing the ladder because they don’t have to. Unfortunately for them, they don’t understand that nothing will ever replace “relationships” and you never develop them by walking over people. On the other end of the spectrum, from my experience, older workers tend to be very stern and stuck in their ways, they can come to the table expecting to be well paid and treated with the utmost respect based on their previous tenure but they have not worked in years. At times BOTH can present themselves as if they are doing YOU a favor.

SOLUTION: Go against the grain and seek help in the gray areas. Hire people who DON’T have excellent social media likes and numbers because they are going to need the job the most and they will be the most hungry. There are also MANY job services for former people who have been caught up in the system and have been challenged and have a great desire to get into the workforce. Also, let’s face it, times have changed, if you are looking for someone with a great social media following, instead of hiring them to work for you, why not hire them to specifically get YOU great social media numbers as a consultant? I hire people who may not have the best social media stats to cover events that I am not able to go to who post images on Instagram, which is automatically connected to Twitter and Facebook and it looks like my brand is everywhere. Not to mention it goes a long way with clients and potential clients but I specifically hire these people to ONLY do social networking. I suggest getting someone with so-so social media numbers so that they represent your brand instead of themselves. In addition, they get an added bonus by meeting people in my industry. Make sure you have specifics in writing before they do an assignment. No posting of badges and passes, no posting on their own social media outlets without hashtagging your brand link, no plus ones, you want them focused on doing YOUR brand the favor not impressing one of their friends or a date.

Balancing Time

PROBLEM: Whoever said “To whom much is given, much is expected” was right on point. As you read this, I am in Buffalo, New York right now taking care of some much-needed family business and I had to literally move my business via laptop to Buffalo for several weeks and uproot my life from LA. (which is not that hard to do. I am not a big fan of Los Angeles). You will get hit with some of the most unexpected things from time to time. Before I left LA I did a magazine that was mailed late via the post office and there was nothing that I could do about it but learn from the experience and not make the same mistake again. There are times as entrepreneurs that we feel that ALL that we DO is work and I know MANY entrepreneurs who are single because the demand to be dedicated to a successful business can outweigh a romantic relationship that takes up even more time.

SOLUTION: Start by taking one day off. What is your absolute slowest day? Perhaps you should consider using that day to pamper yourself. I LOVE the fact that I can go in stores, drive around and go to the museum or even sell real estate in the middle of the day when everybody else is working. Treat yourself to lunch or even a weekend vacation but don’t just WORK …. LIVE

Collecting Money

PROBLEM: This USED to be a problem for me until I came up with several solutions. Look at doing business like a date: It is painstaking to watch bills come in and not have the cash flow to pay them because. If you let them, a client is will use your business like a one night stand, they get what they want then leave you stranded. Why not get wined and dined first then you BOTH get what you want. Stop GIVING your valuable experience and tenure away, make them pay upfront instead of whoring out your business. Stop bending over backward and treating them like gold so that they will come back because the more that you respect your business they more they respect YOU.

SOLUTION: First, ask your repeat clients if they can do direct deposits. It would benefit you to have a PayPal or Quickbooks account to accomplish this or if it’s a corporation ask how you can set it up. This will kill a TON of wasted time. Next offer a discount for an up front payment. Realize the most important thing: THEY CAME TO YOU! When this is the case the ball is in your court. Don’t sell yourself short by extending them credit, doing the work then having to chase them for months for the money. At the end fo the day, they will get pissed at YOU for bugging them and will probably not do business with you again as if YOU are the bad guy for getting on their nerves. All of this could have been avoided by respecting yourself and your business from gate and asking for your money up front.

Paying Employees

PROBLEM: People want to be paid instantly for their work even if it means you depositing money in their bank accounts.

SOLUTION: NO! I know another entrepreneur who doesn’t see the problems with this but I do. First of all, your business is not a money tree or a welfare agency. This is the problem when people can talk directly to the person who holds the purse strings. I have heard every sob story you can imagine but I have found two things to be true: When you pay people too soon the quality of the work is diminished because their focus is more on getting paid, second, if you have to leave your computer to pay someone by going to your bank then their bank, standing in line and depositing money that is NOT your job. Designate two paydays, for example, the first and the 15th and let them know that they will be receiving a check or a payment via PayPal or Quickbooks on those dates. If they have Paypal, while it’s up to you, you should NOT pay the fees. Getting paid via PayPay is to the contractors benefit NOT YOURS. It’s an option for convenience, they can avoid the fees by getting a check in the mail. You do not have time to hear sob stories or to help other people with their financial problems you are running a business. It will hurt the esteem of your business and your ability to grow taking on that added and unnecessary burden. Remember, growth is the key NOT stagnation.

October 20, 2016
Struggling with Employees who don’t work out?

I consult a few businesses each week. I was talking to a client about his business in California where he sells health products. He is outrageously passionate about what he sells. His customers love him and he is very dedicated. He is successful, but he is also exhausted. He has hired two employees to work under him who he states do not have the same passion that he does and he is frustrated by that. He has complained about paying them great money and not getting the results. I have heard other entrepreneurs complain about the same thing.

I explained to him that employees will never be as passionate about your business as you are and you can’t get mad at them for not having that same passion. They have their own lives, problems and passions. I suggested to him, as I do the other clients in this situation, to get a manager to duplicate themselves instead of hiring employees. This way you kill two birds with one stone. When you repeatedly hire employees and you train them and they don’t work out you are wasting valuable time over and over again. Why not get one person by taking the two salaries from the employees and pay the one employee 70% of the 100% you are paying those two employees and teach him or her how to duplicate you. Let them follow you around for a week or two and watch how you operate. In other words, hire them as a manager instead of an employee, considering they are qualified. Someone that you hire as a manager is prone to take the job more seriously and it will free you up to figure out ways to make more money for the company, which in turn will generate more revenue to hire those two employees down the road. It is better to have one person you can depend on instead of two people who have no interest.

One of the other important suggestions that I have for clients in the situation is to write down what you are teaching new employees. This is rarely done which is what causes frustration. What you are doing is creating a manual that you can give them to read and they can refer to it first before they come to you if they have questions. This will also help prevent you from having to do the exact same thing repeatedly when employees or managers don’t work out. Ask them to go over the manual when you first hire them and to ask any questions they may have off the bat.

This client also complained to me that he was exhausted from working 16 hour days. But instead of finding a way to cut his hours down he opened an additional store which actually increased his hours I often see this mistake as well. We think that by changing the environment or making additions instead of subtractions it will make us like what we do more instead of understanding that it may be time to make some drastic changes instead. He has taken my advice and is now training a new manager. Thus far he is happy with the results and he has put the employees on notice, he states they are working much harder and paying more attention.

June 24, 2015
Overcoming Paralysis: Business Strategies for 2025

Updated for 2025: Practical AI & Business Moves

Ever get that sinking feeling that disaster is barreling down the tracks and you’re just frozen there, helpless? Yeah, I’ve been there. Life and business constantly throw us warning signs, but the real question is: do we act before the train hits or do we stay paralyzed, waiting for the inevitable?

A friend recently told me she’s moving back to a city she left seven months ago, hoping to salvage her life and career. No grand plan, just reacting to circumstances she didn’t see coming. She’s caught in that classic trap many entrepreneurs face—clinging to a past version of success that’s vanished, especially in industries like music where AI and automation have radically reshaped the landscape. She won’t admit it, but the game has changed, and she’s standing still on the tracks.

Not everyone has the grit or stamina to pivot, especially in the creator economy where side hustles and AI tools can either be lifelines or distractions. I tell people all the time: take any job to keep cash flowing—clean toilets, deliver groceries, whatever it takes. Survival is the baseline. But she’s struggling, paralyzed by fear and uncertainty. With a kid to support and no steady income for nearly two years, she finally applied for welfare last week. Her ex is unemployed too. The warning signs were there, flashing bright, but she hesitated.

Here’s what I know after years in business: motivation has to come from within. The hustle never stops. You need a product or service that’s not just good but undeniable—something AI can’t easily replicate or automate away. And you can’t be a one-trick pony anymore. If I weren’t a black entrepreneur right now, I’d still be doing something, anything. Giving up or waiting for the “slow times” to pass is a luxury no one can afford. Turn off the nightly news and ditch the “everyone’s hurting” excuse. Newsflash: not everyone is hurting. There’s opportunity in that disparity.

I just had a killer week—unexpected clients, new projects, the kind of momentum that feels like a shot of adrenaline. Don’t beat yourself up if things aren’t working. Try something different. Experiment with AI tools that can automate tedious tasks or help you create content faster. Explore niches others overlook. If you feel truly stuck, it might be time for a drastic change: a new city, a new career path, or cutting out the toxic stressors dragging you down.

Business in 2025 isn’t just about grit; it’s about adaptability. The market moves fast, tech evolves faster, and the creator economy rewards those who innovate relentlessly. So, get off those tracks before the train hits. Your future self will thank you.

Good luck,
Kevin

February 24, 2012
Entrepreneurs: Shut up and Listen When you Get the Chance
Entrepreneurs: We Don’t Know Everything But Can Learn More When we Listen. Small Business Advice Can Come from Anywhere

I don’t care what kind of business you have if you don’t present it, yourself and/or your documents right, you are almost destined to fail. I learned my greatest lessons from doing business with people in New York. I like to call it “Being NYP” that stands for “New York Prepared.” That means whatever you present, it better be undeniable. In New York, most business people will not give you a 2nd chance if you submit something sub-par.

Small Business Advice Can Come from Anywhere

They will toss it and not respond to you, for the most part, EVER AGAIN. The first line of presentation is your idea. Even if it’s a good one and you are lucky enough to get a pro to advise you for free, TAKE THE ADVICE and don’t make excuses. I prefer to get advice from currently working pros. It just seems they have their finger on the pulse and they are not teaching because they cannot actually DO. This is the reason that many companies don’t like to hire older workers. Many of us are insulted when someone younger (or otherwise) tells us that we are doing something (that we have been doing for years) wrong. Or that there is a new way to do it.

Just the other day a gentleman called me with an idea he had for a magazine. He was all over the place. I kept asking him if he had a business plan, you really don’t nee a FULL plan, something I will talk about later but I asked him if he had mapped out anything. Before he could answer that question he was making excuses telling me why he didn’t need one. Mind you, he’s calling ME for advice. I also asked him about startup capital. He kept skirting around the questions. I asked him about investors and he didn’t trust anyone. As he went on and on about how he was going to get his business off the ground and getting his team in place, I lost interest and unbeknownst to him, I knew he had already failed.

Small Business Advice Can Come from Anywhere

It sounded like he was confused…. and if he sounds that way to me, how will he handle the business and how will he sound to anyone else that he presents this idea to? He made several common mistakes potential business owners make. They are as follows:
- Refused to listen to or even act like he was interested in hearing the advice of a pro based on my experience in already DOING what he is trying to do.
- Shot down every idea I had for him to get his venture off the ground because he already has it all mapped out. (Why is he talking to me?)
- Expressed his lack of trust for everyone which makes me wonder if he trusts me OR can HE be trusted.
- He already knows it all so I already know this is going to be a difficult situation to work in and usually the way you start out is the best indicator of how you will end up. If he won’t listen to me now, he never will.
This is his idea, he doesn’t trust anyone, he wants it done a certain way, he needs my help and/or advice FOR FREE and he has no money? This, mind you, for something that it has taken me almost 15 years to learn. If you put yourself in my shoes, even for two minutes, you can see how this is not going to work for me. What is the chance that you think I will advise someone like this? If you guessed never, you are the winner! What are the chances of me taking his call again? Slim to none. This is just a waste of my time.

Another example: I asked a good friend to write a couple of paragraphs for me for a story. He’s been writing for about 3 decades so he feels, and rightfully so, that he is a professional, HOWEVER, in the entertainment industry, we are driven by yout so someone who may have been a great writer 15 years ago ~~might be~~ IS considered dated today. As an older actor once told me when I was looking for a house to buy and I was looking at his home… “fame is fleeting.” He was right, especially in this industry, but all is not lost if you are an older vet if you are trying to run a young-end business. You have to be willing to depend on the insight of the younger team. At any rate, this gentleman is in his late 50s and I asked him to write a couple of paragraphs about a rap group. I told him I would pay him $150.00. Truth is, I was wrong, I was really doing him a favor and I knew he needed the money. I could have easily gotten a younger person to write it for free.

Small Business Advice Can Come from Anywhere

He was absolutely INSULTED. He and his wife felt I should double the pay. Then he went down his list of previous accomplishments and read me the riot act. I told him never mind and got an intern to do it. I will take some responsibility for that because I should have never approached him about it. Nevertheless, I continued to hear about it for months to come. Finally, one day he called me and told me he was working with a rap producer on some songs. I had to pause and look at my cell phone. Did I just hear this right? I am not one to crush a person’s dreams but I’m thinking, you are almost 60 and you are trying to produce rap songs? I knew that he was having a mid-life (industry) crisis. He knew the industry was done with him and he was desperate. I could only imagine the 30 to 40-year-old record execs laughing their heads off when he called meetings with them to hear what he was working on. I told him to go in as the manager and not as a producer and he didn’t listen to me. He used his industry tenure to call meetings and they were granted based on his experience. Needless to say, he dug himself in a very deep hole as the same record execs refuse to take his calls now. He called me to complain about it and I said nothing.

To make matters worse….He told me that he needed some “beats” from this 18-year-old kid and he offered him $50.00 for it and the kid laughed. This “kid” is already established and my friend didn’t’ understand why the kid refused to accept his offer when I explained to him this kid was getting thousands from the labels and artists he admitted it was all he could afford and he felt it was all the gig was worth. I then reminded him of our exchange months before and told him that he did the same thing to this LEGITIMATE kid that he said I did to him. He agreed and the issue was never brought up again.

Bottom line, there are those times when we should simply shut up and listen as black entrepreneurs. As we are managing so many tasks it’s easy for us to actually believe that we have all the answers… but we don’t.

Wishing you the Best in your business

Kevin Ross

blogwallet.com/
February 24, 2012