The Great American Road Trip

Posted on 2011-09-05 by

I’ve been called a road warrior, logging over half a million miles in the air and many hundred thousand driving as well. Flying is quicker in most cases, but for me there’s nothing like hitting the open road and seeing America the way our forefathers saw it…well, at least my father!

Today I set off for Colorado from my home near Mobile, Alabama. It’s nearly 1500 miles one way. About 24 hours of drive time (breaking around Springfield, Missouri to visit family).

Where am I going? To help lead an event for the Free Agent Academy. Check it out at http://woosleycoaching.com/faa. If you’ve ever wanted to be self-employed, or just find a better sense of your calling and gifts, FAA is the place to figure it out.

In fact, I’m the Roadmap Professor at FAA. Maybe now I’ll earn that nickname of Roadmap Warrior!

What will happen along the way? Who knows! But it’ll be fun and I’ll post along the way. Follow my Twitter stream: http://www.twitter.com/jameswoosley (@jameswoosley).

Posted in Roadmap | Leave a comment

Steve Jobs’ Biggest Mistake?

Posted on 2011-08-29 by

There’s no denying that the most powerful force behind Apple is Steve Jobs. It’s his company. He’s built it and rescued it and made it the most influential company on the planet today.

I’m an Apple fan myself, from starting out on Macintosh computers in high school more than twenty years ago. And while it’s been fifteen years since my primary computer was a Mac, I still have my Classic II (black and white screen with a whopping 80MB hard drive!) at home, waiting for the time when I can display it in my office as a conversation starter.

It’s a shame that Steve is ill, and I sincerely hope he gets well again. But the world is wondering if Apple will be the same now that he’s not at the helm any longer.

The financial pundits are quick to tell us that Apple’s product pipeline is all about Steve for the next 18-24 months. Assuming that’s true, does that mean that Apple won’t start falling apart until then?

I hope not. Yet I wonder if Apple, the company Steve loves, has his DNA in it or not. In spite of all of his innovation, will Apple be the same company post-Steve?

I certainly hope both Steve and Apple survive. I know for sure that one day (a long time from now I hope) Steve won’t. The question is, how long will Apple survive without Steve?

There will always be superstar CEOs. Sometimes they just have what it takes to run a company while wooing the world. But is that the best business strategy?

Should CEOs be such a vital part of a company that their companies cannot exist without them? At what point is the line crossed?

Posted in STRATEGY | Leave a comment

Show Me the Money – a Free e-book

Posted on 2011-07-15 by

As many of you know, I’m the Roadmap Professor for the Free Agent Academy. I help our members build a viable plan of attack–a roadmap–for their entrepreneurial endeavors.

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.

Posted in Books & Resources | 7 Comments

One of Those (Awesome) Weeks!

Posted on 2011-05-28 by

If you don’t like reading about me, then you’ll hate this update. But I have some cool stuff to share with those who don’t mind a personal post… :) Also, it’s much longer than I like them to be, but if you read you’ll see the need!

This past week has been incredible. I haven’t been writing here as much as I had hoped this year. I’ve been working on some new ideas and new initiatives in the background, plus taking care of some family things that needed my attention. Then all of a sudden everything seemed to hit this week.

MONDAY — 23 MAY 2011

Monday was pretty normal for me, though I did end my work day early after my wife was in a minor car accident (rear-ended and shook up, but no major damage and no injuries). I ended the day leading a Roadmap Group call and one-on-one session for Free Agent Academy. As my head hit the pillow my mind was racing about Tuesday morning.

TUESDAY — 24 MAY 2011

First thing Tuesday, I was back in Elementary School. Anna, my soon to be 11 year old daughter, was graduating from the 5th grade. The room was packed with students and proud parents, including my wife Heather and I. My son Ian just finished the 1st grade, and he was also attending in his wheelchair (he walked on some hot coals last weekend and was limping a bit…the chair was easier than crutches or carrying him around!).

As soon as the ceremony was over, I rushed back to my office to prepare for the Free Agent Underground show/podcast. I was helping Kevin Miller host the show and interview NASCAR racer Kenny Wallace. In spite of all the technological problems that could have happened with me in Alabama, Kenny in North Carolina and Kevin in Colorado, the show was perfectly produced. But even if we’d had a glitch, I don’t think it would have made a dent in the awesomeness of the interview.

Not only did I get to talk to one of my favorite drivers, but he shared things with us that he’d never shared before (early jobs, business and life advice, the importance of loving your spouse). If you want to hear it, go to the FAU blog or subscribe to the show in iTunes.

[As a side note, I also signed up to sponsor Kenny's race car at the Charlotte Nationwide race in October. You too can have your name on his car for just $20. Details at http://www.KennyWallace.com.]

WEDNESDAY — 25 MAY 2011

Wednesday night I had a big interview of my own. In April the small town I live (Satsuma, AL) in decided to break away from the county school district, and I applied to become a school board member. I made the cut from 21 applicants to 10 finalists after last week’s interview. So on Wednesday I rushed home (after fixing a flat tire on the highway NASCAR-style 50 miles away) and spent 20+ minutes answering questions from our city council and mayor. I gave it my all, and felt good about the interview.

THURSDAY — 26 MAY 2011

Thursday was Ian’s 7th birthday. School’s out but he hasn’t gotten over waking up early, so he beat me up…or maybe I should say he woke up before me! After working all day, I met him at his Cub Scout meeting where we all celebrated with cake. Exhausted from the week so far, I headed home to get a late dinner and two seconds before starting to cook, the phone rang.

It was the mayor of Satsuma, Bill Stewart, calling to congratulate me on having been selected to be a member of the Satsuma Board of Education! I felt that my chances were good based on my interviews, and I would have been disappointed if I hadn’t been chosen. But I was surprised at how surprised I felt! My exhaustion faded in a wave of adrenaline.

After calling my Heather (she was out with a friend who had just moved into her new Habitat for Humanity home that day), her mom and my parents, I posted the good news on Facebook and Twitter. My iPhone buzzed for the next two hours with congratulatory messages and encouragement. It was amazing!

Then I crashed for the night and woke up renewed to face the day Friday.

FRIDAY — 27 MAY 2011

Heather spent the day running the kids to the doctor (plague again!), preparing for a birthday party for Ian, though it was interrupted by George, our 14 year old Golden Retriever who had some intestinal issues on our carpet and had to see the vet (censored enough?).

The kids were a bit better by Friday night so we went to see the Mobile BayBears with Heather’s mom (who got free tickets for being a teacher!). Ian won a slice of pizza in a dance contest between innings (the song was Cotton Eye Joe, Rednex version), we watched the fireworks after the BayBears lost to the Generals 4-2, and trudged home once again exhausted.

SATURDAY — 28 MAY 2011

This morning we got up and had ourselves a family birthday party in the park, followed by most of us taking much needed naps!

So it’s been quite a week. Lots of good stuff happening, which is the way I like it! Still, I’m hoping for a quiet Sunday so I can vegetate (recuperate) in front of the TV watching Formula One from Monaco, the Indy 500 and the Coke 600 from Charlotte. Lots and lots of laps…and a Memorial Day Monday to recover from my recovery day!

More news to come…June could be very interesting indeed!

Posted in Family, Inspiration, Interview, Roadmap | 2 Comments

Free Agency at 200 MPH!

Posted on 2011-05-23 by

On December 31st, 1999, I launched a website called PerfectParanoia.com. It quickly became one of the most popular NASCAR websites on the internet and had a good run for several years before I shut it down. So why is it gone? Because I didn’t have a clue how to monetize it and become self-employed!

Oh how I wish Free Agent Academy had existed ten years ago!

But it does exist today, and I’m not only a member but a professor. I’m teaching people how to build simple but strategic plans to accomplish their free agent dreams.

I’m still a big racing fan and tomorrow I get to mix the chocolate (NASCAR) with the peanut butter (free agency)!

Tomorrow on the Free Agent Underground show, I’ll be interviewing NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace with my friend/FAA founder Kevin Miller.

What do NASCAR and free agency have to do with each other? Find out on the show!

Join us live at 1 PM ET/12 PM CT or listen to the replay (which I’ll link to soon after the interview). Learn more by clicking here!

Who is Kenny Wallace? Kenny is a veteran driver of all three of NASCAR’s top series. A nine time winner in the Nationwide Series, Kenny recently make his 500th start in the series (2nd all time). Kenny also races his own dirt car at tracks across the country and is a host on Speed TV. Always entertaining on TV, Kenny is a race car driver who is serious behind the wheel. He’s also a dedicated husband and father.

A special thanks for my friend Dale Johnson for making the interview happen. Dale runs KennyWallace.com, and we became friends back in my PP.com days. Note: Photo is from Kenny’s Facebook Fan Page.

Posted in Inspiration, Interview, Roadmap | Leave a comment