Because I’m always hunting down the best deals, easiest technology for beginners to use and my inbox is full of “”which phone/computer/internet plan/printer is right for me, Trent?” I have both an Android Smartphone and an iPhone AND a basic mobile for testing phone and mobile Internet coverage in certain areas (I’m a very hands-on guy – no lab tests here!)

The one thing I have to say is if you are in Sydney, Vodafone is hard to beat!

Optus has had too many connection issues in all of my tests, so until someone else knocks them off their throne, Vodafone is my pick for small business phone access with internet for Facebook and email use that just works.

Here is some news about what they have been doing with their network; which explains why I’ve been seeing such dramatic improvements in coverage and Internet speeds compared to Optus and Telstra.

Vodafone have been upgrading its existing network and adding new sites to bring customers better call quality, improved coverage and faster data speeds, as well as building a new 850MHz network to improve performance for compatible smartphones and mobile broadband devices. This is obviously great for mobile phone and broadband users.

In addition to this, there is also a lot of work being done behind the scenes to improve the activation rate of placed orders, which reduces the time to getting your phone up and running ( saw this in person at the local store when I activated my iPhone earlier this year).

[source - Vodafone Australia, cut down and edited for the important bits by yours truly]

First of all, sorry to all my subscribers! I have been very quiet this last year because, in between working on the new book with Shannon, I have been working on a book that I was almost bullied into writing – but in a nice way of course.

Helping people starting a business – the SIMPLE way – has been something I’ve done unconsciously for 15 years.

… and during that time I’ve had business people say ‘You should write a book about how you solve problems’ I’d always smiled politely, assuming that they were gushing becuase I’d helped them overcome business challenges they hadn’t been able to before, etc.

I mean, come on! How could li’l ol’ me be an expert on solving problems that hasn’t already been published by some Ecoomics whiz?

It wasn’t until two friends suggested I write a book that I realised I couldn’t dismiss the idea without giving it a shot.
If it were just friends and family saying ‘write it’? I might never have written this book.
If it were only customers telling me ‘write a book’ amidst their excitement of getting their busines started or becoming profitable again? I also might never have  decided to take this journey…

…And what a journey it has been!

I started with the idea to find common solutions that stand the test of time in both business and personal situations. A list of fix-it guides to problems we often feel are too big to handle ourselves and work out WHY we think we are unable to do it alone. A bit like Spotless for general problem solving hehe
(Spotless was written by Shannon and Jennifer and you can buy it by clicking here or at your local ABC bookshop… right next to the book I wrote with Shannon hint hint)

Writing Stainless with Shannon was probably only possible due to problem solving – we started writing the book when I was still in Adelaide, I flew over for some of the writing, but found that a system of talking and writing in a fluid way was the best way for both of us and I think it shows in the book.
The new book with Shannon involves more specific solutions, so it was more research based and not as quick to write (I can’t say more at this stage, but watch this space for more news)

BUT the upside of this is that when it was Shannon’s turn to work on the manuscript after I’d passed it back to her, I was able to work on my solo work.

My book contains some simple truths that have held true in the last 15 years of coaching, consulting, project managing for SMEs, charities and start-up businesses… but my “Eureka moment” (that point of amazing serendipity writers get when they have ‘penned’ a great narrative or a chapter that has truly leapt off the page) was when I realised that I had been using a single guideline, unconsciously, each and every time I was problem-solving those challenges that both customers and friends had been putting in front of me…

The guideline was more concise than one of my favourite adages;
Keep It Simple, Stupid!

It was more universal than identifying the reason many people were having problems in a relationship;
Contempt prior to investigation impedes all growth

And it was far more elegant in its simplicity than the barrier we put before ourselves;
Can’t see the wood for the trees…

This guideline is also my working title for the book.

Start at the End

Trent Hayes and Shannon Lush May 2010 at Orange City Library

We are at it again!

Stay tuned for a new book tour dates for Christmas.

Thank you to everyone who asked us to return, Shannon and myself are looking forward to seeing you again.

For anyone who wants us to attend a function, we are especially interested in supporting ecological causes and events, so please use the contact form below or contact our wonderful agent, Elizabeth Troyeur for urgnet details of our availability on (02) 9387 1917

Thank you again for all your support, without you wonderful readers and your stories we wouldn’t have books to write!

[dekoboko]

If you want to know how to make money on the internet, don’t click on another one of those pages promising money-back guarantees!

They are SCAMS! Don’t click on them and if you already have leave the site straight away! Don’t give them your email address!
(Click here for a list of special offer sites I’ve had complaints about)

I receive so many emails each week about which of these are real and “Do these Gurus really make millions on the internet, Trent?” is the most common question.

The answer is, YES! They are making money, but they are doing so in a way similar to Pyramid scams that are illegal in the real world.

How do they SCAM you out of your money?

Imagine 4 people get together, hire someone to recycle some information from around the internet, make it into a document and then sell it as “The latest way to make money on the internet!” then sell this valuable information for $30.

But wait! There is MORE! As soon as you try and either complete the purchase or (heaven forbid) leave the site, you are told of an exclusive offer worth THOUSANDS for only $300.

Oh you thought it had stopped? Oh no! As soon as you have signed up for THAT offer (or again make the silly attempt to leave their website) you are told of a consolation prize that is free (BUT you will pay each month when you forget to cancel your subscription)

So the answer is YES, you can make money like this – but whether you will sleep at night depends on whether you have the morals of a thief or not 

Not sure who to vote for?

Maybe this will help.

Australian Author

I think there is something that set Aussie Authors in a league of their own. So how does it all begin?

Spotless was a publishing phenomenon in Australia

But was it because it was a flawless piece of literature? No – it’s like anything, you need to have a message that is worth telling and, more importantly, worth READING.

A piece of literature for the sake of itself, is an ego trip! It just won’t sell!

But if you have something that helps people, or a piece of fiction that touches them deep inside? That’s why there will always be books (even if they all end up being electronic ebooks )

Spotless came about after my sister, Shannon Lush, turned her unexpected fame on ABC Radio into a book with the help of Jen Fleming and ABC Books (now part of the Harper Collins umbrella)

I recall when she first told me she was turning the questions and answers into a book and I told her it was going to be amazing!

But how could I know this before it had been written? Easy! Because Shannon, like me, loves simple remedies for complex problems. More importantly, I was never able to get through to her on radio to tease my Big Sis for being on radio – the phones were always ringing off the hook! She was getting the message out there and people were listening.

For anyone familiar with my 1choice website, I have always followed the KISS method (Keep it Simple, Stupid) and Shannon has the same drive; to help people make sense of common things that perplex us all. But don’t you go thinking that Shannon Lush is just a CLEANING LADY! That is like saying a horse is only made for racing in the Melbourne Cup and my sisers is NO HORSE! We grew up in a household where you fixed problems, you didn’t just throw things away! You fixed them! So you can imagine how my sister and I view the throw-away-society!

So what you will see in the next books by Shannon and myself will be books to help people, books to help YOU make your life easier! We both believe that most people are time poor because they are overwhelmed by the world around them, NOT because they are actually incapable of living. We will teach you to work smart, NOT hard and enjoy life. You have to enjoy life, because it’s a ride you only get to go on once and there are no refunds or rewinds. You owe it to yourself to get the most out of it and leave the world better than when you came in… pretty simple really

There I was updating my travel log of the seven-week-long-book-tour (don’t worry it’s coming soon, really!) and we change PMs… over night.

When is a change in Australian Prime Minister, no change at all?

When the debacle that is the  ALP’s decision making process overturns the public’s decision of Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister. That’s when!

Don’t get me wrong, Kevin, or the people behind Kevin, really stuffed up on a number of topics… but my favourite sound bites last night (23rd July, 2010) and this morning really hit home how this has nothing to do with looking after the interests of the Australian people.

Here is what I mean.

So let’s recap….

We lose a Prime Minister because the ALP feel the public has no confidence in him in relation to certain issues; i.e. dragging the chain on emissions trading, the mining super-tax and our mounting debt.

So in the ALP’s wisdom, we receive a new PM who is to stand for something different, something better, BUT in the sentiments of her party members, won’t change anything in relation to policy…
Yeah, read that sentence again, it’s worth the laugh! We are getting a change in PM who won’t make any changes…. Riiiight – try explaining THAT gem of logic to your kids!

It gets better, because the smug (did you see his grin as he walked beside the new PM?) Mr Swan is now the Deputy PM!
This is the treasurer, arguably the architect behind putting Australia’s budget 100+ BILLION in the red (that’s $100 000 000 000) after inheriting a budget that was in the BLACK before he got his hands on OUR purse strings.

All I can say is thank goodness the ALP were thinking of the country – I feel soooo relieved now, don’t you?

The most annoying part? We finally have a woman PM, which should be a step forward because I’ve always felt that we need a greater female representation to balance out politics so it truly represents the population… A shame that instead of thunderous celebrations, there is the stale pop of back room flatulence (the politest way I can think of describing this back stabbing garbage).

I was previously talking about the formula to become a full-time author and I mentioned Sean Williams’ Blog post (which I still recommend you take a look at)

This time I’d like to talk about some things that work and some pitfalls to avoid:

1. To become a full-time author you need to write.
It might seem self-evident, but I’ve seen people become full-time students instead of full-time authors because they keep chasing credentials rather than writing.

This isn’t to say that professional writing courses are bad, anything but, however I am saying that they do not replace writing for an audience as the best means of learning your craft.

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2. To become a full-time author you will need to sacrifice.
From picnics to birthday parties, once you start writing for competitions, ghost writing, or writing your first manuscript, you will need to set your priority on writing.

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3. To become a full-time author you are going to have to grow thick skin.
When someone critiques your work (whether it’s a professional editor or a reader) do not argue with them. Don’t correct them. If you have to explain what you were trying to do after they have read it, then you failed to get the message across in your writing.

Just thank them for the time they gave you and think about how you can improve. This will also help when you finally publish a book and someone hates it -someone will, trust me!- and I can’t emphasise this enough.**

It follows the message I repeat often: The only obstacles you face are those you build yourself. And it’s easy to remember.

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4. To become a full-time author you are going to have to learn the business of publishing.
Publishing is a business. If you are thinking about your work as being a piece of your soul or precious artwork and won’t compromise based on an editor’s feedback, stop now. Write for yourself, there’s nothing wrong with writing for your own self-satisfaction, in fact it’s very rewarding.

But if you want to become a professional author (full-time author) you need to understand that this is a very different discipline to writing for yourself. So go and start learning about the publishing industry and, in particular, what they like to see in a manuscript submission.

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5. To become a full-time author your writing needs to look the part.
Publishers have style guides which they publish on their websites. Go and check out some publishers you want to submit to and read their style guide and apply it to your documents. Pay particular attention to font size, line spacing and margin sizes.

—

I will add to this guide in further 5 point add-ons to make it easier to digest so stay tuned for more

P.S. Don’t forget the formula to become a full-time author:

Dreams + (Dogged) Determination = Success!

or perhaps:

Dreams + (Dogged) Determination + Don’t listen to the Doubters = Success!

*For those of you who aren’t Science Fiction readers, Sean is a New York Bestselling Author who has written for George Lucas to create many of the Star Wars books, amongst a legion of his own works and co-authored works with Shane Dix. Not bad for a local boy, eh?

**This also works for business people – Click here for other business tips.

1. Whether you are searching for a partner or answers, don’t be overwhelmed by poor examples. Think like a new driver trying to get onto the motorway for the first time… If you look for cars, you will always find one. You really need to be looking for gaps.

2. Imagine if you can take pleasure while adding to lives around you?
Stop imagining.

3. If you feel you can’t change the way you think?
Remember your brain never exists exactly the same way twice.

I was looking at the Blog of an Adelaide author, Sean Williams* and came across this post, which is gold for two reasons:

1. He’s telling it like it is. From the real world. His own experience.

2. I’ve seen the same ‘formula’ work in both writing and business.

It follows the message I repeat often: The only obstacles you face are those you build yourself. And it’s easy to remember.

Dreams + (Dogged) Determination = Success!

or perhaps:

Dreams + (Dogged) Determination + Don’t listen to the Doubters = Success!

I know – Too many D’s

*For those of you who aren’t Science Fiction readers, Sean is a New York Bestselling Author who has written for George Lucas to create many of the Star Wars books, amongst a legion of his own works and co-authored works with Shane Dix. Not bad for a local boy, eh?