You Need Only One Strange Idea To Become A Successful Entrepreneur

Being An Entrepreneur With A Strange Idea

When we think of successful entrepreneurs, we think of Richard Branson and Bill Gates, two people who made huge companies out of nothing, making things people need. However, being an entrepreneur also means taking an idea no one has, and turning it into something people will want, even though they do not need what you are selling. Case in point, the pet rock, possibly one of the greatest entrepreneur stories of all time.

Gary Dahl was just an advertising executive from Los Gatos, California, when he hit upon a strange idea. He was sitting in a bar in 1975, listening to friends complain about their pets. From this, he hit upon the idea of creating the perfect pet, which led to the idea of selling rocks to people, complete with instructions. The manual stated that a rock did not need to be fed, walked, bathed, groomed, would not die, become sick or disobey you. He drafted the manual that night at home for the pet rock, filling it with gags and puns and making it seem as though the pet rock was an actual pet.

Dahl then went to a building supply store and bought a bunch of rocks, which he put in cardboard boxes with straw in them and breathing holes. In 1975, Dahl created Rock Bottom Productions, which sold rocks for $3.95. The manual was 32 pages long and was called The Care And Training Of Your Pet Rock, and had everything for caring for your pet rock including feeding and bathing it. It also showed how to teach the rock to sit and stay and even how to roll over, come and stand with help from the owner.  The expenses for this venture were minimal, with the biggest expense being the die cutting and manufacture of the boxes. The boxes themselves cost one penny, while the straw was free. Dahl also had a printing job for a client and had the manuals printed as part of it, meaning he had nearly no expenses for the pet rock.

The pet rock fad lasted for six months in total, but during that short run, which hit the Christmas season, millions of pet rocks were sold. From getting the idea for a pet rock in April 1975, to December 1975 when the fad ended, Dahl became a millionaire based on an idea most would have thought of as completely insane and doomed to failure.

The point of this story is to show that strange ideas can make a lot of money if you know how to market it properly. Selling rocks to people may seem stupid, but it made one man millions of dollars and it has served as an example of how being an entrepreneur can mean following your dreams and ideas and seeing them pay off for yourself. Sure, it only lasted six months but Dahl has more money than he needs now because he took a risk, which is what being an entrepreneur is all about.
First Published: EntrepreneurJourney.com Oct 3, 2010

RBC Visa Infinite Avion Travel Rewards Credit Card Review

RBC Visa Infinite Avion Travel Rewards Card Review

Disclosure: Information provided here may not be accurate and no longer valid. The mentioned card provider is not related to AhmedDawn.com and neither monitor this site nor responsible for any inaccurate information. Contact the card company directly for accurate and updated information. AhmedDawn.com or my YouTube Channel are not compensated by or affiliated with any credit card companies. All credit card articles are 100% unbiased and honest.

The RBC Visa Infinite Avion Travel Rewards Card is a travel rewards credit card that lets you earn hybrid rewards points for everyday purchases that can be used for travel, transfer to airline points, merchandise, gift cards, etc.

The Cost

Annual Fee = $120. Additional cards = $50

Minimum annual income required = $60,000 (personal) or $100,000 (household)

Rewards Points Snapshot

– Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all credit card purchases

- Earn 1.25 for every $1 spent on eligible travel purchases

First Time Bonus

15,000 RBC Rewards Points

Anniversary Bonus

None

Features & Benefits

– Complimentary 24/7 Visa Infinite Concierge.

– Emergency Medical Insurance (15 days<65, 3 days>65, Amount: Possibly unlimited as RBC website has no limit mention. Please check with RBC to to make sure).

– Travel Accident Insurance (up to $500,000 CAD).

– Auto Rental Theft and Collision/Loss Damage Insurance (Up to 48 days)

– Trip Cancellation Insurance ($1,500 each/$5,000 trip).

– Trip Interruption Insurance ($5,000 each/$25,000 trip).

– Flight Delay Insurance ($250 each/$500 trip, 4+ Hr Delay).

– Lost and Delayed Luggage ($550 each/$2,500 trip, 4+ Hr Delay).

– Extended Warranty Insurance (1 additional year, $50,000 lifetime limit).

– Purchase Security (90 days, $50,000 lifetime limit).

– Hotel/Motel Burglary Insurance ($2,500 per occurrence)

What’s Missing

– Price Protection Insurance

My Take

The main two things I like about the RBC Visa Infinite Avion are its insurance provider and flexible points options that provide hybrid points.

Unlike some other cards where the 3rd party insurance providers (see my Scotia Amex Gold Review) make it almost impossible to approve claims, here you are dealing with RBC Insurance directly and have a better chance of getting your claims filled when you need it.

Also, redeeming RBC Avion points offer more flexibility because they are hybrid points. You can convert to airline + other transfer partners (British Airways, American Airlines, Asia Miles, WestJet, etc.) or redeem directly from RBC as proprietary points. Keep in mind that you get the most value out of your points when you wait for a promotional transfer bonus (usually 30% to 50% more) and transfer to British Airways Avios and use them for business class flight redemption. However, you need to be knowledgeable about Avios to get the maximum value out of your points.

For those who do not want to convert to airline points, you will lose value redeeming points for merchandise, gift cards, direct flight redemptions, etc. But if you are redeeming for direct flights from RBC, doing it during the high season will give you more value for your points.

RBC waives the annual fee on this card if you hold certain types of accounts with RBC or spend a lot of money on the card. I don’t hold any other RBC products, but I was able to get my annual fee waived based on my spending patterns.

RBC Visa Infinite shines when it comes to insurance, as its backbone is a giant, reputable Canadian insurer. In terms of earning rewards, it’s not the top earner, but not bad either. This card makes more sense for those who know the ins and outs of Avios and AAdvantage (they are part of the same Oneworld alliance) and can take advantage of that.

Watch This on YouTube: RBC Visa Infinite Avion Travel Rewards Credit Card

Georgian Bay, The Blue Mountains, Collingwood, and Wasaga Beach

The World's Longest Freshwater Beach

First Published: ADawnJournal.com Aug 14, 2008

I am going on a mini vacation. I will be staying at Mountain Springs Resort, starting August 15 to August 17. Mountain Springs Resort is located in The Town of The Blue Mountains in Collingwood, The Blue Mountains and Area.

Collingwood, The Blue Mountains and Area is only 90 minutes north of Toronto and part of Georgian Bay. Georgian Bay is a large bay of Lake Huron. It is about 320 kilometres long and 80 kilometres wide. Georgian Bay features 30,000 + islands and 20,000 kilometres of shoreline. Two UNESCO World Heritage Sites are part of Georgian Bay. It's beauty is indescribable and serene. Endless beaches with crystal blue pristine water, majestic towering cliffs, windswept pines, spectacular shoreline are just a few to mention. Few regions in the world are as visually striking as this region.

Wasaga Beach – the world's longest freshwater beach is also a part of Georgian Bay. Wasaga Beach offers 14 kilometres white sand beach, panoramic lush mountain views across the bay, clean pristine waters, and much more.

During my stay, I will try to update ADJ with video clips, pictures, short posts etc. However, due to circumstances beyond my control, I may not be able to update ADJ. I am apologizing in advance if such should happen. I will be leaving Toronto tomorrow at around 6.00 PM and I am hoping to post at least one video clip showing the resort. I hope to see you soon. Cheers.

Identify Today's Trends to Make Better Future Decisions

Internet Shopping Is On The Rise – Entrepreneurs Take Note

Statistics Canada says in a report that Canadians are shopping more online these days than ever before. Let’s look at some important highlights of the report:

- Canadians ordered $15.1 billion worth goods and services in 2009 (was 12.8 billion in 2007)

-39 per cent of Canadians (aged 16 and over) placed 95 million orders (was 32 per cent and 70 million orders in 2007)

- Average value per order stands at $158 (was $183 in 2007)

- Most common types of orders are: travel services and entertainment products such as books, clothing, magazines, accessories etc.

- 52 per cent Canadians went to research their products before buying at stores (43 per cent in 2007)

Now, here is what these highlights translate into in a broader sense:

- Although these stats represent Canada, the world’s one if the top developed countries – situations are no different in other developed countries and developing countries will soon follow.

- More and more people will be accessing the Internet.

- Online retailers will be seeing increased demand for their products and services

- Advertisement opportunities (for blogs and websites) will increase representing online retailers and stores.

- As people are spending more time on the Internet, researching before buying at physical stores and shopping online, content base websites or blogs will see a huge spike in traffic.

So, if you are an Internet entrepreneur, you should pay attention to these trends – people’s changing habits. The Internet will always provide money making opportunities for those who are able to identify, analyze, and utilize today’s trends to make better strategic decisions in the future.

First Published on: Sep 27, 2010 EntrepreneurJourney.com

Freakonomics – A. Dawn Journal Book Review

Freakonomics – A. Dawn Journal Book Review

First Published:  Aug 12, 2008 ADawnJournal.com

Recently, I wrote an article about Freakonomics and mentioned that I would write a short review on Freakonomics. Today, I am going to jot down my thoughts briefly on this book. As you may have noticed, my book reviews consist of both recently published and not-so-recently published books, and I keep my reviews simple so my readers can make the most out of it.

Freakonomics is a collection of empirical data to show that things are not the way they appear on the surface. The authors question many of the general views that we have on lots of things we come across in everyday life and present them differently by analyzing data and drawing distinct conclusions from it. The authors' goal is to piece together human behaviors and look inside the hidden parts of everything. Here are some of the interesting views presented in Freakonomics:

- What do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common?

They both cheat in their own way and the authors use economic data and analysis to catch them.

- How is the Ku Klux Klan like a group of real estate agents?

This is all about abusing information. If you control information, you control everything. The authors try to connect the KKK and real estate agents by showing how individuals or groups can commit sins of information by hiding real information or promoting false information.

- Why do drug dealers still live with their mom?

Not all drug dealers are created equally; some of them can't even earn enough to live on their own. The authors present statistics to back this up.

Freakonomics is full of intriguing facts and information; however, I do find it boring at times. If you read the beginning and the end of each chapter, you will find it riveting; in the middle, it feels far too overloaded with statistical facts and economic data. I am unable to rate this book as "A Must Read." I give it a "Worth Reading."

NB: My ratings are very straightforward and simple. I go by only three different ratings: A Must Read, Worth Reading, and Do Not Read. I hope these are self explanatory