Monday, December 19, 2011

WOW, SHOCK and AWE!

WOW!

It is Monday and I am still in shock and awe of what the Info Renegades, Jeff Vacek and Ken Preuss did for us here in Charlotte this past weekend.

I will tell you now what I told them after the class.

I have spent tens of thousands of dollars attending training events all over the US.  Of all those expensive, 3 day classes this was the best one for teaching both the principles behind what needed to be done and the practice of how to make it happen.

There are no teasers here.

I have gone to three-day events, where I paid thousands of dollars and found that what I was taught was either just enough to whet my appetite for the real meat (for which I would have to pay for a follow-up class), or that what I was taught was working several years ago, but not today.


Jeff and Ken teach what they are doing in their business today. 

If you were invited and didn't show up, you missed out on an amazing class.  If you want to learn how to tap into the power of the internet for your marketing efforts, these guys are the real deal.

They taught us four different models we can use to make money with digital products and they taught us how to make them a reality.  They didn't just give us warm and fuzzy ideas with unbelievable promises, instead they gave us practical, actionable instruction with realistic expectations.

I am so excited to apply what I have learned from them.  Like so many others, I have heard the promises of how I can use the internet to get paid for what I know.  Others have told me to do this or that, but they never told me how exactly I could accomplish what they told me and more, how I could set it up right so that I could actually make money doing it.

Only recently was I able to get my ecommerce site, www.APlusResults.com up and running correctly after several years of bumbling around, and I was able to do that after spending about an hour going through materials that Jef and Ken gave me on a thumb-drive when I first met them earlier this year.

Now, thanks to their instruction, I can sell some of the digital products I developed over the years while helping people learn to Get and Keep the Job You Want (TM). I created them and delivered them by hand to my coaching clients.  Other than that, they weren't available to anyone except my coaching clients who were paying me hundreds of dollars for each session with me.  Now, I can make them available to a everyone without having to charge them hundreds of dollars for my time or run myself ragged with printing and distributing them.

Of course, after this weekend, I realize I will need to revise a lot of what is happening in my storefront, but it will be all to the good.

I was so impressed with the value and integrity that Jeff and Ken deliver that I told them I would promote them whenever and whatever they do.  I admit it...

I have become a Raving Fan of the Info Renegades.

And, as if giving us amazing content wasn't good enough, they WOWed us by bringing in JT Foxx and Dr. Nido Qubein to speak with us.  Admitedly, JT Foxx wasn't at the top of his game.  He was too ill to catch his flight to LA and was trying to recover in his hotel room.  But his mentor, Dr. Qubein threw down a challenge to him to see if he could still deliver high quality, high content, high value instruction even when he was feeling terrible.  So, instead of just trying to recover and recuperate in his room, he came down and gave us about two hours of high octane material that he hasn't put in front of the room before.

Of course, I cannot say enough about Dr. Qubein. He is currently the President of High Point University in High Point, North Carolina and the Chairman of Great Harvest Bread Company.  On top of that he is on the board of directors of several major corporations (Dots, LazEBoy, BB&T, and others).  If you have never had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Qubein speak, then you have missed one of the wonderful experiences this life has to offer.  I can say that I have been able to sit with him for hours in several different settings and I cannot hear him without coming away transformed and inspired to go from success to significance.

While he was there, I was pleased to have the opportunity to present Dr. Qubein with a copy of my new book, "Fire Yourself: Get the Job You Want, A No BS Guide."  He read an advance copy and allowed me to publish his comments on the back cover of the book.  He said,



“If everyone applied these principles consistently, it could affect dramatic change in the workplace yielding greater results and productivity. Results rule, and this book proves that.”
It still stuns me that this entire, three day class was mine for just a $100 seat reservation fee, which they refunded to me, just as they promised! What really kills me though is how many people I know right here in the Charlotte area who could have really benefitted from this and they didn't take action. There was a couple there who flew all the way from Australia just for this class!
I will say it again, if you have a business that does any kind of internet marketing and you have a chance to attend one of these events with Jeff Vacek and Ken Preuss (The Info Renegades), you definitely need to make the investment of time and money even if you have to go Australia to do it.

Ken and Jeff do regular webinars where you can learn some valuable information from them and learn how you can attend one of their upcoming classes.  They were kind enough to allow me to post a link here to their site where you can register for their next webinar.  If you click it, it will take you to their site.

Enjoy,
Tom S.


Tom Sheppard has been successfully investing in real estate since 2001 while working part time. In 2008 he left a six-figure job as an enterprise project manager with a major national bank to manage his real estate business full-time. His goal is to help 100,000 people find peace of mind by finding quality, affordable homes.   If you would like to know more about how you can do well by doing good, contact him at Tom@CharlotteWealthPartners.com or go to www.CharlotteWealthPartners.com

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Info Renegades Are Coming to Town

One of the great things about working with JT Foxx is that I get to meet his mentors and coaches.  Two of the people that he pays to coach him are coming to Charlotte December 16-18.  I am very excited to attend their three day class (If you want know how to attend for FREE use my link NOW!).

I first met Jeff Vacek and Ken Pruess when I was in LA meeting with JT Foxx and Bruce Buffer (see the video I made with Bruce). Jeff and Ken had recently agreed to coach JT on how to develop the internet side of his business.

I was standing in the back of the room waiting for their event to begin and hoping to catch some of it between sessions with Bruce and JT.  Because I listen to my coach, JT, I was dressed in a nice suit. Several people asked me if I was one of the presenters.  I was flattered, but had to tell them "No."  When Jeff and Ken came in and saw me dressed so nicely they introduced themselves and we chatted for a few minutes.  Then, they asked me to introduce them to the crowd.

I would love to say that I rocked the house with my intro, but frankly I think it was pretty weak.  I was Soooo unprepared and caught off guard by their request.  When the come to Charlotte, I hope to get a second chance to introduce them and if I do get the chance I will do a much better job this time.

Since then, I have met with them on a number of occasions and been able to learn from them.  Here is some of what they will be teaching when they come to Charlotte later this month.


Exactly How To Choose an Online Market That is GUARANTEED To Be Massively Profitable To Your Bank Account
The Absolute EASIEST and Cheapest Way To Build an Online Product That Your Market Will Pay TOP Dollar For - Plus You Need ZERO Tech Skills To Make It Happen
The TOP Online Information Model That Has Collectively Generated Multiple 7 Figures in Revenue For Us Over The Past Six Years (We Only Teach This To Our Highest-Paying Private Clients - But You'll Get The Entire Blueprint)
How To Get The Most Successful Marketers In Your Market Literally Swarming To Promote Your Product To THEIR List - Also Known As "The Best Kept Secret" of Information Marketing A-Listers
Bullet-Proof Method For Building a 5-figure Monthly Info Business In Less Than a Few HoursPer Week
The #1 SECRET For Building an Online Business That Feeds You Consistently Every Single Month - You'll Wish You Had Learned This LONG Ago


And much more!!

When these guys say they will teach you everything you need to know, they aren't kidding.  This three day class will give you everything you need to start or improve your online business.  The class usually costs $2,997.  However, they are letting me reach out to folks who know me to give you the chance to attend for FREE.  But, you have to act NOW.  The event in nearly sold out and when that happens, I can't give away any more freebies. 

How FREE is FREE?  Well, you do have to pay a $100 fee up front to reserve your seat.  BUT YOU GET  IT BACK - when you show up.  Seriously!

If you use MY LINK NOW!  You can sign up for a $3k class with just a $100 commitment, that comes back to you when you show up.

If you think that is a trick, it isn't.  It costs them money to host an event like this.  It costs them for every chair in the room and for every cup of water at the back of the room.  I know, I have booked events like this myself and the hotels charge for everything they provide.  And, that isn't counting the materials that Jeff and Ken provide - which also cost them money.  So, if they have the hotel set up a chair for you, it cost them.  If they bring materials for you, it cost them.  But they are happy to do it if you will just show up and make it worth their time.

I have enjoyed their materials and am using them to build my own business.  They really work and they really tell you everything you need to know.  At times, when Jeff is going step by step over something I am familiar with already I find myself wanting to say "Yeah Jeff, lets just skip ahead to the parts I don't know"  and then he throws in something I didn't know.  Something other people wouldn't think to tell you.

For instance?  "You can use service A for free or you can use service B for $19.95 per month.  When you are getting started, you may want to use service A.  Then, when the money starts coming in, you can move over to service B.  And you will want to do that then because..."  you get the idea.

And Ken and Jeff really have a commitment to giving their students everything they deserve and more.  When Jeff taught us at Mega Partnering in Chicago last October JT cut him off before he could show us his last four slides.  He kept trying to get JT to let him show us those last four slides the rest of the event.  And that was after he had already given us more than an hour of really great content.

If you have a limited budget for training but want to expand your knowledge of how to leverage the internet, this event is for YOU!  How much cheaper can you get training than FREE!  And, if you live in Charlotte like I do, you don't even have to get a hotel room.  How GREAT is that?!

However, there are only a handful of spots available.  That means if you want to attend the event and only pay the $100 deposit instead of the normal $3000.00 training fee, then you literally need to sign up immediately or else it will be sold out. CLICK HERE

I know that this post has seemed more like a sales pitch than an article, but the reality is that I am super-excited that Ken and Jeff are coming here and I want everyone I know who can take advantage of this to do so.  It is going to be well worth your time and effort, and if you use MY LINK, you can attend for FREE.

As always, I will put in a plug for myself here in my column.  If you want to be added to my regular mailing list and get updates on events like this and other valuable information I reserve for my closest friends, then you can use the sign up below.

Thanks for Being a Good Friend to me.  Let me Give something back to you!




Tom Sheppard has been successfully investing in real estate since 2001 while working part time. In 2008 he left a six-figure job as an enterprise project manager with a major national bank to manage his real estate business full-time. His goal is to help 100,000 people find peace of mind by finding quality, affordable homes. Why pay retail when you can buy a home at below market prices? www.buybelowmarket.com. He is currently looking to expand his network of funding partners who are helping him achieve this goal. If you would like to know more about how you can do well by doing good, contact Tom at TSheppard@CharlotteWealthPartners.com

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Acres of Diamonds in Your Back Yard

Are there diamonds in your backyard?

Dr. Robert Conwell introduced the world to the tragic story of Ali Hafed back in the 19th century, during a time of significant economic distress.  Dr. Conwell frequently found himself addressing audiences of opportunity seekers who were convinced that they needed to go to New York or Los Angeles, or someplace else far from where they were at, in order to find opportunities to provide for themselves and their families.

He responded by telling them the story of Ali Hafed.

Ali managed to eke out a living for his family on a rocky farm.  Their needs were met, but he wanted a better life for his children.  When a visitor told him how people were finding diamonds and how a single large diamond could make their fortune and secure their future, for the good of his family Ali decided he needed to sell his hard scrabble farm and go in search of diamonds so that he could provide for his family and secure their future.

To make a long story short, Ali traveled far and failed.  He died far from home and impoverished, unable to locate the diamonds he so desperately sought to make his dreams for himself and his family come true.

One day, the visitor who told Ali about the diamonds came back to the farm and chatting with the new owner observed that Ali must have realized his dream.

"Why do you say that?"  the new owner of the farm asked.

"Because I see you have a diamond on your fireplace mantle."

The new farm owner picked up the rock.  "This?  I found it by the stream in the field behind the house.  The field is full of them.  I have been piling them into a fence, but I liked how this one reflected the light and brought it inside."

It seems that Ali Hafed had searched the world over looking for a fortune that all the time was scattered across his own back yard.  The very stones that made it hard for him to grow a crop were actually priceless jewels.

Today, we are in a time of significant economic distress.  As a real estate entrepreneur I can tell you from first-hand experience that many today are telling people that to make money in real estate they need to go buy in California, Arizona, Florida, or New York, anywhere but where you are.

Just like then, the truth is that we all have acres of diamonds right in our own backyards.

Dr. Conwell taught his audience that if they would survey people within one square mile of where they live, determine what they want most and deliver it to them at a fair price, they could make their own fortune without ever leaving their home town.

As a real estate entrepreneur I have talked with many folks all across the country who are looking to make money in real estate.  Many of them have been convinced that to get really good deals they need to invest in properties far away from where they live.  Even I have succumbed to this notion.

Looking far from home for opportunities at the least is a waste of time and at the worst is an opportunity to be defrauded.

While I believe the Charlotte, North Carolina has some of the greatest real estate opportunities in North America, I don't believe that there are no good deals elsewhere.  While I will be happy to work with anyone who wants to invest in this area, I won't for a minute pretend that you can't find good deals closer to home.

Thanks for Being a Good Friend to me.  Let me Give something back to you!





Tom Sheppard has been successfully investing in real estate since 2001 while working part time. In 2008 he left a six-figure job as an enterprise project manager and risk manager with a major national bank to manage his real estate business full-time. His goal is to help 100,000 people find peace of mind by finding quality, affordable homes.  He is currently looking to expand his network of funding partners who are helping him achieve this goal. If you would like to know more about how you can Do Well By Doing Good (TM), contact Tom at TSheppard@CharlotteWealthPartners.com

Friday, November 4, 2011

My Mega Partners
In October of this year I was privileged to attend JT Foxx's premier partnering event Mega Partners IV in Chicago.  It was unquestionably the highlight event of the year and well worth the time and money I spent to be there.  JT pioneered this unique event for business people.  The three days (four for VIP ticket buyers) were packed from 7 or 8 am each day to 7 or 8 pm or later.

He brought in entrepreneurs from as far away as Germany and Australia and gave us an unrelenting barrage of extremely valuable information on ways to build our business, without subjecting us to an onslaught of pitchmen offering us a get rich quick solution along with a set of ginzu knives if we buy right now.

He succeeded in getting Jay Abraham, a renown marketing genius and partner of JT, to spend a total of about four hours over two days educating us on the power of relational capital and strategic alliances.  Because of my work with JT and Jay in launching their AbrahamFoxx brand, I was among a small group of people who got to meet privately with Jay and JT.


While at the event, I realized I had not taken good care of my relational capital.  I resolved to mend my ways.  So, you will see in this post a window where you can put yourself on my list.  I am sending out emails to everyone on my private email list and directing them to this blog post.

I don't believe in using private emails to do business.  So, I am giving all of my friends, family, and associates the opportunity to add themselves to my business mailing list.  Once on the main list, I will give them a chance to get periodic email updates from me or to get on smaller lists that are focused on specific businesses I am engaged in.

Thanks for Being a Good Friend to me.  Let me Give something back to you!


For instance, I have published several ebooks recently and am about to publish a hardcopy book with XLibris Press called "Fire Yourself: Get the Job You Want."  Those who want to keep tabs on what I am doing to help people manage their careers toward stable employment can get on a list where they will be notified of my work in that area.

I am also in the midst of doing a real estate for 18 houses valued at $1.2mm.  Those who would like to learn about investing in real estate and learn how to get their money working for them instead of spending all their time working for their money can opt to participate in that smaller list.

I hope you will take the time to add your name to my list of friends, family and associates.  I promise I won't abuse your trust in putting your name on my list.

Thanks for Being a Good Friend to me.  Let me Give something back to you!


  • I won't sell or rent your information to anyone else
  • I won't send irrelevant emails
  • I won't SPAM you with tons of emails 

While at Mega Partnering, I met Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor of New York City, the man who was foremost in leadership when the World Trade Center was destroyed by terrorists on 9/11.  He shared with us his secrets of leadership.  For those of us in the VIP dinner we got a second, more informal, dose of his wonderful spirit during the VIP dinner.


Another headliner at the event is a man I have had the honor and pleasure of meeting on several occassions, Dr. Nido Qubein (http://www.nidoqubein.com/).  Nido is currently the President of High Point University (http://www2.highpoint.edu/) in High Point, North Carolina, he is the Chairman of Great Harvest Bread Company and sits on the Board of Directors of BB&T, La-Z-Boy, and other companies.  He wrote a very kind remark for the cover of my book "Fire Yourself: Get the Job You Want."

Nido is always a compelling and entertaining speaker.  In the VIP Dinner everyone got to see a side of him that most audiences miss as he and JT verbally sparred.  In Nido, JT has more than met his match when it comes to exchanging witticisms.


Of course, aside from instruction by some of the most successful people in business today, the biggest benefit of Mega Partnering was all the wonderful people I met and either renewed connections or made new connections with.  I am certain that I will be doing business with many of these people over the course of the next year and beyond.  This is the real power of Mega Partnering, learning how to network with people and then networking with them and collaborating to lift each other to new heights of success and abundance.  If I didn't do a single deal as a result of Mega Partnering, I would still be a much richer man from all the relationships I established with high quality people at this event.

I was so much in awe of the power of the event that I signed up for the next one without waiting to hear who would be attending or where it will be held or even how much it cost. I know it will be worth the investment.

Thanks for Being a Good Friend to me.  Let me Give something back to you!


One of the things JT learned from Nido and which he prides himself on doing is WOWing people.  You know what a WOW is?  That is when something unexpectedly nice happens and you automatically say "Wow!"  JT literally got a "Wow" from me at Mega Partnering when Joe Gnapp, his VP of Mentoring slipped me a piece of paper announcing that we would soon have a visit from Stedman Graham (http://stedmangraham.com/) and I was invited to have my picture taken with him after he was done speaking (actually it was to be done before, but Chicago traffic delayed his arrival and we did the photos after he spoke).


His talk was very powerful as he taught us not to be captives to the past, but rather to live in the future we create.  I had heard of Stedman before because of his association with Oprah Winfrey, but I really didn't know much about him.  After hearing him speak, I am impressed and want to learn more about what he has to say and what he is doing.  I know JT worked really hard to make a connection with Mr. Graham and Nido helped make it happen for him.  I guess that is what friends are for.

And to Leasha and Torrance who I met for the first time at Mega Partnering and to Oz who I met again - Semper Fidelis.

And if you want to know how you can attend the next Mega Partnering for free, contact me.  Because of my insider status, I can often get free General Admission for a limited number of people.  But act quickly, this opportunity will likely go away soon.

Thanks for Being a Good Friend to me.  Let me Give something back to you!

Tom Sheppard has been successfully investing in real estate since 2001 while working part time. In 2008 he left a six-figure job as an enterprise project manager with a major national bank to manage his real estate business full-time. His goal is to help 100,000 people find peace of mind by finding quality, affordable homes.   He is currently looking to expand his network of funding partners who are helping him achieve this goal. If you would like to know more about how you can Do Well By Doing Good (TM), contact Tom at TSheppard@CharlotteWealthPartners.com

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Surviving and Thriving in Good Times and Bad

Why is it some businesses thrive in good times and bad while others can't seem to catch a break?  One good reason is something called strategic planning.  Many people don't know what it is, many others don't know what it can do for them.  I know both.
What's In It For You?
  • Would you like to figure out what your customers are going to do before they do it?
  • Would you like to see how you stack up to your competitors?
  • Would you like to understand how you can adapt to changes in the marketplace and legal environment?
Strategic Planning can help you with these problems and more.  At the heart of strategic planning are two things, learing what is happening or about to happen that affects your business (or job) and learning how you can use your strengths to take advantage of opportunities and protect yourself from threats and your weaknesses.

If you can understand what is going on with your customers, competitors, market, business, and the legal environment, you can have a pretty good handle on what is affecting your success or failure in business.  Add to that, an in depth understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of your own business, you can then clearly see the opportunities and threats that will make or break your business.
By doing this periodically, you can make sure your business is prepared for what is coming and what is happening, assuring that you can survive and thrive in good times and bad.

For several years I provided strategic planning services for a division of a Fortune 500 company. During that time I adapted those tools to use on my own small business. In my book, I give you the tools I use.

I have taught other entrepreneurs all over the country how to successfully use these same tools in their own business and in their careers.

I recently published my first Kindle book, Strategic Planning for Very Small Businesses, on Amazon.com.  In my book, I give you the opportunity to invest less than $10 in your business that could pay you thousands or tens of thousands of dollars in return.

Although Strategic Planning for Very Small Businesses is written from the perspective of my business of investing in real estate, it is applicable to any small or one-person business.
By the way, part of my strategic planning revealed and opportunity to capitalize on some of my specialized knowledge by publishing it.  I could have opted to create a $500 training course or hold seminars for $199 a head.  Unfortunately for a one-person business $500 is a lot of money.  And paying $199 isn't so bad, but you have to spend a whole day away from the business.  So instead, I opted to put this information into a book and sell it at a price anyone can afford.

UPDATE:  I have made this book on Simplified Strategic Planning for Very Small Businesses available on both Amazon.com as  a Kindle book and ebay as a downloadable pdf.  Here are the direct links:

Amazon.com: http://tinyurl.com/simplifiedstrategicplanAmazon


E-Bay: http://tinyurl.com/simplifiedstrategicplan

I learned that e-bay doesn't accommodate selling ebooks.  Fortunately, I have been able to get my book loaded to to an ecommerce site with A+ Results.  You can buy my book as a pdf at http://tinyurl.com/simplifiedstrategicplanning

PS: tinyurl provides a great service that allows anyone to convert a long and awkward url into a much shorter, usable url to help people find what they want.


The Kindle and the pdf are each priced at $9.97.

You Can Benefit If
  • You own your own small or one-person business
  • You are self-employed
  • You work for a small business
You can even use these same principles to help you manage your career, but if you can't quite make that mental leap to understand the relationship between your career and a small business, never fear.  Soon, I will be publishing another book, "Your Career ~ Your Business."

It too will be modestly priced and available via Amazon.com

Tom Sheppard has been successfully investing in real estate since 2001 while working part time. In 2008 he left a six-figure job as an enterprise project manager with a major national bank to manage his real estate business full-time. His goal is to help 100,000 people find peace of mind by finding quality, affordable homes. Why pay retail when you can buy a home at below market prices? www.buybelowmarket.com. He is currently looking to expand his network of funding partners who are helping him achieve this goal. If you would like to know more about how you can do well by doing good, contact Tom at Tom@CharlotteWealthPartners.com.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Can't Get Hired - 8 Reasons to Hire Yourself

Anyone who has read my book or taken my home study course, or heard me speak about job seeking, knows that I am a big fan of self-employment.

Recently on a LinkedIn exchange in a jobs forum I participated in the following exchange:



  • Gary Fortune, PMP • It took me some time to learn that US companies have switched from a 90%+ employees to contractors to a new configuration of 40% to 60% employees and the balance in W2, 1099, and C to C Contractors. Once I stopped seeking a job and sought a contract I got one with a Fortune 50 company. When I finished there I got an even better long term contract with a new Fortune 50 company. You simply need to 'break the code' apparently.



You can see from Gary's comment that he figured out how to get what he wants in this economy by giving employers what they want.


I responded by noting several reasons why this is a great course to follow:


Tom Sheppard • @Gary, You are exactly correct and for more than one reason.

  1. Many here (or in other forums) have pointed out age discrimination issues as a roadblock to getting hired. When you create your own company (Inc Yourself), you take the responsibility for your retirement and benefits off the employer and you own it. This allows employers to avoid that cost.
  2. A consultant is expected to be more expensive and bring more to the table than their own personnel, so you take the higher pay issue off the table.
  3. You win by being able to convert many of your ordinary expenses into business expenses and they become tax deductible.
  4. You win by not being tied to any company that might suddenly become a sinking ship. You can jump to another without prejudice because that is the nature of contractors.
  5. You win because you have finally found the only kind of real job security that exists, building your own company and working for yourself.
  6. You win because even if your boss is an idiot, you can call him that to his face and he still can't fire you (I do it with some frequency and I still can't fire me :-D)
  7. The employer wins because if they have to trim expenses they can cut lose a contractor on a moment's notice without severance and all sorts of other expensive or prolonged HR laws coming into play.
  8. You win because when you start acting like a small business (even if you are doing a W2 gig) you will typically deliver better value and be more focused on making sure that your company gets their money's worth and that your performance helps lift the bottom line whenever possible.
I look forward to hearing from you.

Feel free to post your comments.
Subscribe to this blog to get timely notifications when I post new content.


Tom Sheppard has recently written a book, "Promote Yourself to the Life You Want: A No BS Guide to Help You Get and Keep the Job You Want"  If you would like take advantage of a pre-publication special price, send an email to TSheppard@APlusResults.com.


Tom has been successfully investing in real estate since 2001 while working part time. In 2008 he left a six-figure job as an enterprise project manager with a major national bank to manage his real estate business full-time. His goal is to help 100,000 people find peace of mind by finding quality, affordable homes. Why pay retail when you can buy a home at below market prices? www.buybelowmarket.com. He is currently looking to expand his network of funding partners who are helping him achieve this goal. If you would like to know more about how you can do well by doing good, contact Tom at TSheppard@ADBProperties.com