Several weeks ago I taught a course called “Show Me the Money” with FAA co-founder Chuck Bowen. It was a powerful class…much more than I even thought as I was preparing to do it.

Two days later I listened to the call again and took 10 pages of notes. Those notes were the basis of a new 80 page e-book.

I want to give it to you. Free. No charge at all!

“Show Me the Money” is a practical financial strategy for starting, growing and sustaining your business. In it we discuss what you need to be doing with your money as you go from struggling to earn that first dollar to making enough to launch full time and eventually truly thriving financially.

To get the e-book (PDF download), just sign up for my newsletter.

UPDATE: The audio version of “Show Me the Money” is now available for just $10 (a 50% savings) — CLICK HERE TO ORDER NOW

Enjoy it! Check out the links at the end to see how you can contribute to the book.

But recently I’ve had unexpected attention in the world. First, a very cool and fun interview with Barak Strickland. Now, I’m gracing the pages of the Success Magazine (which I highly recommend):

Success Magazine, May 2011, Page 12

Sure, it’s just a tweet that made the cut.

But I’ll take it!

I’ll run with it!

And I’ll let it fuel me for greater successes to come!

Just imagine what I’ll accomplish when I put my mind to it… :)

Follow me on Twitter @jameswoosley to see what happens next!

PS – Do good things come in three? Who’s next? Who wants me?

UPDATE: The event has passed but the replay is available below…be sure to sign up for the newsletter to receive notifications of future seminars and events!

What is it going to take to make 2011 a stellar year for you? Surely you have dreams and goals for the coming year…but do you have a plan?

I want to help you “Build a Better Plan for 2011″.

Join me for a FREE tele-seminar designed to help you get a great kickstart to 2011! This is going to be 30-40 minutes of solid information you can use to make a workable plan for the coming year.

I’ll be covering:

• The Importance of Knowing What You Want
• Goals, and a Project-based Approach to Accomplishing Them
• Breakdown to Breakthrough!
• Why and How the Tenants of Journalism Apply to Your Projects
• The Key to Success

I’ll also speak for a few minutes at the end about my Man vs. Plan Coaching Mastermind Program (it’s a free seminar so there’s a brief commercial at the end…no pressure, just some info).

• When: Wednesday, December 15th at 7 pm Central
• Dial-in Number: 1-712-432-3100
• Access Code: 563498
• Presentation Slides: Click Here to Download
• Replay Info: Click Here to Listen or Download

BONUS: Sign up for my free newsletter and the details for the live event and replay will be sent directly to your inbox, along with a special bonus! You can unsubscribe at anytime.

One of the things I enjoy most about teaching and coaching is helping create something tangible out of the intangible! Knowledge is great and teaching lets me see those “light bulb” moments of understanding. And as a coach, I get to help my clients take an idea or a goal, turn it into an actionable plan and then get real results.

I enjoy doing one-on-one coaching with my clients, but unless the situation calls for it or the personality fit is just right I prefer groups. Why? Because I feed off of the energy of the group and believe the group interaction brings a deeper, richer experience.

As the Professor of the Roadmap Group in Free Agent Academy, I lead classes and offer advice about planning and execution to our members seeking self-employed success.

And while FAA and the Roadmap group are helping people become the solopreneurs and business owners they dream of becoming, there’s a need for a deeper, more personal, hands-on approach. And with more than 130 group members and growing fast, I just can’t serve them all with that level of attention.

I want to do more for those who are serious about advancing forward and realizing their dreams, goals and ideas. I believe I can do that best in a small group setting where I can really take the time to make a profound investment.

So, are you serious about realizing your dreams, goals and ideas? If you want this sort of coaching, support, and accountability, then I want to help make this happen for you.

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

Two questions to think about (answers below):

• 1) Does your life matter?
• 2) What and who have you served?

I cannot remember the first time I saw Frank Capra’s Christmas classic from 1946, It’s a Wonderful Life. It was probably when I was in high school. But I loved it from that first time, and I’ve watched it countless times since.

Tears well up in my eyes throughout the movie—I can’t help it. Jimmy Stewart’s portrayal of George Bailey is endearing and realistic. In fact, I don’t know of many movies there the character is quite as realistic as George is.

He’s got all of the great characteristics of a movie hero: he’s honest, willing to sacrifice, loves his family, dreams big, and stands up for what’s right.

But he isn’t perfect. He longs for something more in his life; he becomes frustrated, angry and even desperate.

He rides a roller-coaster of emotions just as any real person does in any real life.

And in his darkest hour, when all seems lost, he gets two gifts. First he sees what the world would be like had he never been born, showing him the impact of his life. Next, the man who was always sacrificing for others had others sacrifice for him.

Two answers to think about:

• 1) Yes, it does! Every life touches every others’ life, for good or bad. Your life matters more than you will ever know! [Go watch Andy Andrews talking about the butterfly effect.]
• 2) Sorry, but I can’t answer this one for you. A hint: “If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.” – Zig Ziglar

Now go watch It’s a Wonderful Life again or for the first time. And may you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Note: This article will appear in the December 2010 issue of the Tri-City Review.

PS – Here’s a little bonus they can’t print in the paper…another fond memory of MTV’s Liquid Television (SPOILER–Don’t watch if you haven’t seen the movie!):

This month I’ve decided to say thanks to the people who have fed my hunger for knowledge and personal development this year. The order will be random…and likely incomplete!

A few years ago I heard about a little book by John G. Miller called QBQ!: The Question Behind the Question. I had heard Dave Ramsey talk about it and even listened to John on his show, so when I saw the book at a fire sale (literally) I bought two. That means John didn’t actually make any money off of my purchase. (Nor did he last year when I found the audio CD for the book for a dollar!)

Anyway, I didn’t get very far in the book before I was hooked. If you’ve read it, you know the Diet Pepsi story…and probably feel the same (though I’m a Coke Classic guy myself).

QBQ! is a great book on personal accountability and taking responsibility for what happens in our lives, especially in relation with others. John followed that book up with Flipping the Switch, and most recently with Outstanding!: 47 Ways to Make Your Organization Exceptional.

Earlier this year John and I connected on Twitter (he’s @QBQGuy). I already knew he had great books, but he’s also a great guy! He sent me a box full of books for me to review and share. Again, I paid nothing to John! Instead, I repaid his generosity by having them sit on my shelf for a few months…my bad!

I finally got off my rear-end and read Outstanding! in June. I loved it, but I didn’t write about it right away. I had something else in mind…a great idea that was un-executed until last month.

I wanted a visual reminder of the 47 ways he outlined in the book. I needed to see them in front of me all of the time so that hopefully, I could remember the lessons and apply them better. So I made a poster!

After having them printed and sent to John, he blessed me again by finding a typo (I hate typos!)…but now the final product is ready and he’s allowing me to share it with my audience (which is much smaller than his!).

Download the PDF for the Outstanding! Poster and share it with your friends. And go buy the book if you want to get deeper into each topic. It’s worth the investment and John could use a buck or two from all my freeloading!

But not to worry, I’ll be referring and giving away a lot of his books in the years to come, and if our schedules ever work out, I’ll be buying him lunch when I’m in Colorado next year for a Free Agent Academy event…

PS – To my knowledge Dan Miller (of 48days.com) and John G. Miller (of QBQ.com) are not related. I just dig guys named Miller, and even have nephew named Miller. :)

This month I’ve decided to say thanks to the people who have fed my hunger for knowledge and personal development this year. The order will be random…and likely incomplete!

Short and sweet with this post…

Go read Andy Stanley’s books and listen to Andy Stanley’s podcasts.

Done.

Okay, I’ll give you a bit more…

This year I’ve spent a lot of time listening to Andy Stanley. Andy is the senior pastor of North Point Community Church (and its satellite campuses) in Atlanta, Georgia. I first discovered Andy through the Catalyst podcast (another favorite), which I found through Dave Ramsey.

Andy’s church has a weekly podcast of his sermons, which are excellent. He has a way of engaging his audience with the truth of the Gospel, yet in a welcoming/non-judgmental way. It’s not that his faith isn’t founded on the same bedrock as many other preachers out there. It’s that he presents grace in his approach. He exemplifies grace better than most (though I’m all for a good fire and brimstone sermon on occasion, too!).

Andy is also a phenomenal leader. The son of well known pastor Dr. Charles Stanley, Andy grew up witnessing excellent church leadership. He applies those lessons and his own experiences to lead North Point into what it has become…one of the most influential churches in America today. To that end, Andy also produces a monthly leadership podcast. This is one podcast I never miss! Subscribe now and get all of the back episodes. It’s golden stuff, no matter what kind of organization you’re leading (church, business, military…).

And while he doesn’t walk on water, I have to also mention he’s an excellent writer. I’ve just finished reading one of his earlier (and one of his personal favorite) books called Choosing to Cheat. (This book’s title, along with C. S. Lewis’s The Great Divorce had to be explained to my wife lest I be in big trouble!)

Choosing to Cheat outlines the struggle between work and family, and how to make the hard choices to be successful at both. You can’t serve two masters, and of course one really is more important than the other. The message here is not new, but the way he frames it is. And then he offers realistic strategies once you’ve realized the choice you have to make. Read this book if you have a family or are married or are even thinking about getting married or having kids! Oh, and if you’re a pastor or have some other divine calling through your work…it should be mandatory.

Okay, I stretched that out long enough. Now go and check out Andy’s stuff!

This month I’ve decided to say thanks to the people who have fed my hunger for knowledge and personal development this year. The order will be random…and likely incomplete!

Last month, while in Colorado for a Free Agent Academy event, I was honored to be the chauffeur for El Presidente, Saddleback Leather Company, Dave Munson. Okay, so I picked him up at the airport. Still, my name is James…a good driver name, right?

Dave and I with the wounded backpack from Africa (click for more detail..video below)

Dave Munson is a modern day Earnest Hemingway (the adventurous part, not the mentally unstable part). He’s also an inspiration to anyone wanting to take their passion and turn it into a business.

You’ll have to visit his website to see the best version of his story (and his amazing products), but the short version is that he went from teaching English in Mexico to owning a multi-million dollar company in just a few short years. It started when he wanted a cool leather bag (think Indiana Jones) to carry his books. Soon everyone he met wanted one, so he made more, sold them on eBay and the back of his Land Cruiser and eventually married his hot wife that he met on MySpace. Like I said, he can tell the story better!

What I love about Dave (besides the bags) is his passion. Sure, he loves making the coolest bags on the planet, but he’s also a committed Christian and family man. He’s a hilarious marketing genius, too (the SBL tag-line is “They’ll Fight Over It When You’re Dead”)! Just read his website!

Dave lives a life all men would love to live. The worlds most interesting man isn’t a pitchman in beer commercials…but he might be the owner of a leather bag company.

Dave recently spent more than 50 days touring Europe and Africa. Yes, he unplugged from his business that long and everything went just fine. He has an incredible team behind him, and his adventures automatically qualify as a business deduction! But it wasn’t all business. Dave was also serving children in Rwanda (everyone’s favorite vacation destination, right?) and is a big supporter of Africa New Life Ministries.

And while in Africa, he made a little video mash-up between his leather backpack and the spear of a Masai Warrior (and the source of the scar in the photo above:

I’ve known adventurous and outgoing people like Dave before. I liked them and been friends with them, but they were missing something.

I’ve also known amazing men of Godly character, and while they sometimes had adventure they didn’t always have a cool factor.

Dave Munson pulls off “adventurous cool Christian” better than anyone I’ve ever met. I’m honored to be a fan and a friend. I’m proud to have made some minor contributions coaching with SBL. And I’m stoked about my cool leather bags!

Now YOU need to go buy a cool leather bag for Christmas! You’ll want to have it safe and secure so the Mythbusters can’t blow it up a la Valkyrie!

[11/29/10 Update: Mythbusters Meets Saddleback plus a Contest]

(Yes, there are affiliate links for SBL throughout this article and my site…because I believe in them!)

Photo of me with Dave courtesy of my good friend Alan Jackson.

This month I’ve decided to say thanks to the people who have fed my hunger for knowledge and personal development this year. The order will be random…and likely incomplete!

Remember the old “Bo knows…” ads featuring Bo Jackson? Well, I don’t know Bo, but I do know Justin. And Justin knows coaching!

Justin Lukasavige (owner of Lukas Coaching) is a friend of mine and fellow professor from Free Agent Academy. He’s also a pretty neat guy.

He left a job being an airline captain to become a financial coach. And now he’s helping other people learn how to be successful in coaching, business and social media (he’s everywhere!).

Hanging with Justin Lukasavige in Colorado

Justin wrote an excellent book, Become a Coach (I was honored to read an early print version and use my nerd talents to help eliminate some typos!).

But even better than the book is his online radio show, CoachRadio.tv. In this online production/podcast, he goes through all the ups and downs of running his business and teaches anyone willing to listen and learn what they can do to make their business grow.

He also frequently shares the microphone with other coaches and business owners in his Your Story series. Some are very successful and some are just starting out. But there’s inspiration in all of the stories. It’s fun to listen to and I always gain a few golden nuggets I can use to help make my business better.

Thanks Justin for being so open and sharing so much helpful info!

This month I’ve decided to say thanks to the people who have fed my hunger for knowledge and personal development this year. The order will be random…and likely incomplete!

I’m having a bit of Dave Ramsey overload this weekend. On Friday, I hosted and attended his EntreLeadership simulcast event from Orlando, FL. Today, I spent two hours presenting an overview of his material and why it’s important to get control of your money.

Meeting with Dave in Birmingham, 2006

I owe Dave Ramsey a huge debt of gratitude. Better than the financial kind, eh?

But what Dave gave me is more than just solid financial guidance. True, my finances are in much better shape because of his well-packaged common sense advice. That’s not the most important thing he gave me.

I’ve led his Financial Peace University program 13 times in the last four years. I love doing it. FPU helped me tap into my passion for teaching and helping people. FPU gave me an audience to go along with material I believe in.

I’m energized when I teach. I love seeing people get it…those light bulb moments! Beyond that, I love seeing people change their lives. I’ve had people become debt free, pay off their mortgages, and even get their first $1000 in the bank. Don’t scoff at that…Baby Step 1 can be harder than the others!

FPU also introduced me to many other people that have had an impact on my life (and will be featured in more Thank You posts soon).

Our lives are full of pivotal moments. Most of the time we don’t recognize their significance. I know now that when my father mentioned a crazy radio guy to me in 2005, everything changed. Everything!

Thanks, Dave!

If you haven’t checked him out yet, you owe it to yourself to do so. Maybe everything will change for you too!