Are you wasting 90% of your time?

For the last few years people have asked me this question: “Mike – how do you get so much done. You seem to be everywhere.”

I never thought too much about it until the last six months, where I have been working on some really big projects. So here is what I have learnt:

Most people spend 90% of their time doing the 90% of stuff that just doesn’t matter

What you should be doing?

You see it’s pretty simple really. Take Richard Branson, he has no choice – you do. SRB (Sir Richard Branson) has over 300 business interests. If he works ten hours a day that is 600 minutes (an average of two minutes per business). What could you do if you only worked two minutes a day on your business? One things for sure you wouldn’t waste much. You would get straight to the point.

Look there are much better books out there than I could write on the subject. The one I got a lot of value from was Tim Ferriss‘ ‘the four hour work week.’ Poor Tim, ever since he wrote that I doubt he has been busier. Funny isn’t it, most of the lifestylers – me included are some of the busiest people I know… busy creating our lifestyle.

Here is a simple way forward to stop wasting your time getting crappy results.

Feeling Cluttered are YOU?

1. Write down a list of everything you do. Move it into catagories (i.e.. Sales, Marketing, Personal Time, Admin, Training etc)

2. Then study where you put your time for the next month. Break your day into 15 min blocks and record each blocks activities.

3. Look at where you waste time and simply cut out or delegate or outsource that activity.

If you just spent 30% of the time doing the 10% that actually mattered then your business would double, even triple or more.

That’s all for today. I have to go. I have a meeting with my admin and finance person. It’s my first meeting this year with her so it could take 45 minutes, oh and I’ll be away for 6 months now, so we better get stuff done – maybe I’ll allow an hour.

Get it!

Anyway quickly before I go…

• I have tried to get myself totally paperless and Im about 6 printouts a year from doing so
• I have trained my audience to never ring me. I hardly ever get a phone call
• I have invested in some very cool apps to organise my stuff. Everything you want is there – google it
• I don’t do anything i dislike or am not good at. Some one will always love it – better they do it
• I try and simplify everything. Complexity adds chaos

Women Entrepreneurs “Rock” Entrepreneur X Factor

from a Press Release

Three competitions so far, three women entrepreneurs emerge victorious in the first three legs of the global competition called Entrepreneur X Factor.

Kim Davey, a former barrister turned female entrepreneur won the
Napier leg this past week in New Zealand with a charismatic,
energetic, and electro magnetic “one minute pitch” for her big plans
for a global dancing business business.

Demonstrating Entrepreneurial X Factor, which is a combination of charisma, competence, enthusiasm, and inspiration, Ms. Davey won the closely contested vote in the Hawkes Bay , beating out competitors in mobile application development, structural engineering, wine making, farming services, photography, and health & wellness. She commented with a big grin that  ”yes being a women” did help in the vote.

Entrepreneur X Factor is the brainchild of Auckland based Mike
Handcock and is a global competition that brings entrepreneurs
together face to face with mentors, potential investors and like
minded people who are either aspiring or experienced entrepreneurs.
The one day program includes Handcock and his Singapore based business
partner Dave Rogers along with guest experts and multi millionaire
local businesspeople who join in to share the latest technology,
current best practises in global business, and a network that spans
over 30 countries.

In Auckland, inspiring “book keeping and accounting services” entrepreneur Stephanie Crawford wowed the audience with a charismatic, fun and professional one minute pitch that garnered her more than 80% of the votes. Ms Crawford’s excitement for book keeping , not only demonstrated the importance of “outsourcing” , she was able to show entrepreneurs how she can be a key support team members in building and growing your business and team. In the one day event, Handcock and Rogers illustrate the importance of leadership, collaboration, and connection in building sustainable, profitable , and FUN enterprises that think global and act local. They share cutting edge technology from their vast experience in working with successful entrepreneurs globally.

Entrepreneur X Factor is its second year after a successful first yeafeaturing fifteen events throughout SE Asia, Australia, Africa, India the UK and even Eastern Europe. The first event of Season Two , Entrepreneur X Factor was held in Singapore and was won by Heather Hanson, an expat entrepreneur from Denmark. The mother of two young children, Heather captured more than 75% of the voters with her passion, joy, and beautifully articulated story about teaching and imparting practical and fun approaches to teaching english as a second language. A professional speaker and trainer, Hanson’s poise and expertise in communication saw her through to winning the Singapore leg of Entrepreneur X Factor.

Entrepreneur X Factor is the perfect place to trial your idea,
business or see if you can gain attraction or even win your local
heat. Heat winners will compete in a global final in November 2013,
and an Entrepreneur X Factor campaign that attracted over 2,000,000
reach, involved over 100 media and affiliate partners and saw
literally over 10,000 voters voting on the final.

It’s applicable for any industry, any length of term in business and
even career minded people as the technology learnt during the day
around the competition will greatly assist and fast track results.

To learn more about Entrepreneur X Factor check out
www.entrepreneurxfactor. com

How to become the ROCKSTAR of your industry

In the past few years we have seen a lot of speakers and programs basing content around being a Rockstar. This is cool, because that’s what we are all about and in 2003 when Asia started calling me the Rockstar speaker (probably because of my 12 years actually playing in bands and 11 CD’s) I thought: ‘Why fight this… everyone deserves to become a rockstar in their world.’

But what are the keys to becoming a Rockstar in your industry? In this little blog you will find out the 5 top DO’s and also the top 3 DON’T's. Plus I will give you a little insight into Rockstars and how they really do act differently.

Mike Handcock

The DO’s of being the Rockstar of your industry:

1. You must truly define your personal brand. What do you look like? What is a one sentence statement that people attribute to you? What do you wear? What are you known for? When someone thinks of ? Do they think of you first?
2. You need to become an author. Author comes from the word authority and if you want to be seen as the authority in your area of expertise you need to become the author. Write the book about it. If you are in the Milkshake business, then write the book on Milkshake making.
3. Be a first choice minor celebrity. When anything happens in your field of expertise you need to be the first person the papers, journalists and radio shows think of calling. Become the minor celebrity in your niche and you will become an industry name.
4. PR, PR, PR – Create press releases and statements on items that are topical and release them regularly to industry magazines, blogsites, tweeters and to any media that surrounds your industry. Some of them will be published.
5. Learn to speak. Being a good or even great speaker will get you on platforms in your industry. If you cant speak or don’t have confidence join Toastmasters, or if you can already speak become great at it by doing our SAGE Program

The Don’ts of being a Rockstar:

1. Don’t be a general practitioner. Drive your niche deep and keep it really finite. Clarity of purpose and what you stand for is power.
2. Never compromise your value. You won’t see Slash in a suit with his hair cut doing opera, or Mick Jagger fronting a boy band. You have immense value and you need to believe in it, not morph to what one person wants. I once knocked back a $6000 fee because they wanted me to wear a suit. In the end I was hired, no suit and stood out even more.
3. Don’t be a boring know it all. It’s Edu-tainment. Rockstars are not just brilliant players, they are unusual, intriguing, fun and off the wall. To be the rockstar of your industry you need to understand that people associate with Edu-tainment (the cross between education and entertainment) and that’s your position. Simply being the font of all knowledge is only half of it.

Finally here is a little inside information to a number of the true Rockstars I have worked with. They are:

• A little off the wall and highly obsessed with what they do
• Unusually creative and weirdly different in a loving way
• Believers in their message and where they sit in the world

Making a decision, and it is a decision, to be an industry Rockstar is a commitment of six months plus to begin to see decent results and approximately two years to really own your space. You must live and breath it with a passion.

Customer Service – Why do we pay banks fees?

In the last twelve months we have been moving some of our businesses to different parts of the world. This is to align with our growing global business and enable our customers more ease with payments. I started realising what we were paying in bank fees, most of it totally unrealised by us the average business. But what do we get for that money?

First of all, there is all the currency issues. Today my currency calculator, the global industry standard says the $900 bill I am paying to an Australian affiliate (yes we pay Affiliate fees) should cost me $1,122NZD, yet my bank decides to charge me $1,171 plus another $20 for the transfer. That’s a total of $69 more than whats quoted or 6.14% fees (for what?)

Secondly if you run a merchant account for every $1m of business you do with the bank your fees equate to approximately one full time junior employee. Why can’t they work for you?

We signed up at OCBC bank in Singapore (yes I am mentioning you) and after 8 months still could not get the bank account to work. this included 4 trips by myself to the bank, at least 7 by my business partner and over 10 phone calls. In our final visit even the bank employee couldn’t access our account and after promising sorting it in one hour, after 4 attempts over the remainder of the day, everyone finally gave up, so there we were over $700 in fees withdrawn and an account we can’t deposit into. Their excuse is that they are the safest bank in the world. Of course they are…you can’t deposit into them… unless you have a cheque and they love the fact that you get a free chequebook. I like free stuff as much as anyone, but upon checking, the last cheque I wrote was in 2004. Hello…this is the 21st century. I guess not considering the problem we were told is that we use Apple computers. Their customers obviously do not. There goes 60% of the worlds computer users. Oh well…NEXT

Now this one was fun because my business partners 12 year old had been given an international cheque from his grandparents amounting to $50. The issue for this bank DBS, is that they accepted the cheque then realised the name was different that the account. Now my accounts in NZ are in my full name Michael David Handcock, as were my business partners sons, yet the non thinking grandparents foolishly only put his first name and surname on the cheque. The result of this mistake was 30 mins in the bank, numerous guarantees signed stating that if the cheque didn’t clear he would indemnify it (hmmn if it doesnt clear it doesnt clear-right?) and finally their request to have the 12 year old fingerprinted just in case he was wanted by Interpol I guess. Finally sanity prevailed and they acquiesced and charged $16 (a fee of 32%) for the pleasure.

Problem solved it was on to ANZ to enquire about opening a business account. Now in Cambodia the week before we opened an account in 45 mins with the ANZ, no issue…nothing was too much trouble but in Singapore the Entrepreneurial hub of the world we expected joy. Not to be. The business consultant told us we needed to deposit and hold a minimum of $25,000 in our cheque account ($50,000 would be better), so we got the 0.18%pa interest (yes that is $45) on our money. My enquiry of why we would do that was smiled politely at, of course we need the bank, so we have to indemnify them again. It seems their $9B recorded profit isn’t enough. By the way, if they start making a loss – what happens to our money on account. Not sure eh! Better check that one. Finally considering investing in our future we continued. On enquiring about a merchant account so we can process credit cards in a non retail environment (ie on line sales) our consultant had never heard of such a thing and had no idea how that worked. Finally the banks software doesn’t talk to our universal standard accounting software – but its ok, we can hire a full time accounts person to do all that which is normally automated for $30 a month.

Ahhh the joys of banking in Singapore.

As we leave it starts raining…oh oh… all Singapores cabs stop when it’s raining and the most entrepreneurial city in the world grinds to a halt… no it stops…hmmmn 5pm… now all the cabs are on shift change and dont pick up customers. Of course thats the time they should change. No one needs a cab at 5pm.

So here’s the thing.

If you want to do business across the globe, relax and enjoy the joys of different cultures and watch those bank fees. Yay for banks!

What are you doing for the end of the world?

I guess when Jose Arguiiles brought the work of Pacal Votan, the Mayan priest who died in 632AD to the forefront of modern humanity, he had no idea what all this would become. When you read his works, even he was shocked by the 200,000 + people that turned up in New Mexico for the Harmonic Convergence in August 1987. No internet and just word of mouth. This kicked off everything – all the end of the world stuff and much more.

Pacal Votan

Let me explain the end of the world if you are reading about this for the first time. There is a great cycle, which is based around the precession of the equinoxes. I have written about it in ‘What if you were GOD?’ This cycle is where our sun revolves around Alcyone, which is where many of us get out Pleadian roots. This circulation takes 25,920 years. On 21 Dec this year we finish one cycle and start a new one. We also shift into 2,000 years of photon activity – or enlightenment. 

Since 1987, many of us have become enlightened. I was in Price Waterhouse Cafe and people were talking about spirituality and past lives. This never would have happened when I was in finance in the 1990′s. 1987, 1994, 2000 and 2006 seem to be key trigger times for people to become more spiritually aware. This means that they are more aware of energy work, bio energy, past lives, the law of attraction and consciousness, that we are all part of one big system and are all connected.

So will the earth actually end? Well the problem was that the earth herself got way out of balance. Our greed, manipulation, ruining the environment and other things were causing it, but since the 80′s there have been many people, who like to call themselves ‘Lightworkers’ who have been working on the Grid (see Becker Hedges) to rebalance this big thing we all sit on. The polar shifts have occured about a dozen times in the last 5 million years. A 1 – 2% shift in the wobble of the earth would basically put New York inland and my little country New Zealand about 200 metres under water. So there is good work these people have been doing. Critical mass is 144,000 people doing this work and it must be getting close.

Dave Rogers welcomes the sun – Sept 2012

Over the last five years Dave Rogers and I have been leading groups around the world and each of these people (as our friend Hilary Carter mentions in her new book) had part of their destiny linked to some of the healing exercises we or our co – leaders have led. Dean Liprini in South Africa led some major work on the SA grid that all of our group had a wonderful time being part of in September 2012. It may sound fruity if you are listening to this for the first time, but I am telling you these ‘Lightworkers’ are Accountants, Psychologists, Electricians, Mums, IT Specialists and Real Estate Investors. In fact – just like I said at the end of our 2010 film – Dreamcatchers – ‘This is the time when all the factory workers and cocktail waitresses step into their priest and priestess pasts and help the shift’

So 21.12.2012 is when. 11.11am Eastern Standard Time. Where will you be? I have been invited to many places but for some reason – of which will become obvious – I decided to do a personal soul journey to Uluru, the Crystal Rock in the middle of Australia. I am catching the train and that takes 26 hrs so lots of reflection and preparation time. I was expecting to be by myself. I thought no one would want to come for what is effectively a 2 hr ceremony. Yet about a dozen are joining me, making our group 13 in total (or it may be 11). 

Wherever you are, be it your swimming pool in Singapore or a bar in Dublin, stop, say a prayer, give thanks to mother earth, Gaea, and for your life. Give a little blessing in any way you know how. The method is not important and be aware that the future and there is one, will be an incredible journey of opening and connection that you may never have believed… if you are open for it.

For me 2013 already holds three of the biggest projects we have ever done. Yet I am approaching them like I would approach a coffee with friends. be a human being, not a human trying…

 

Life Changing Events – still cant be beaten

We embrace the digital age as much as anyone. But as far as Mike Handcock and Dave Rogers go – there is no compensation for incredible live events. If you look back at moments in your life that have defined who you are, they often come from life changing events and at Rock Your Life – we are not reducing them, we are increasing them in 2013. Why? Because we know that it’s in an environment away from your normal life and stresses that you open, are prepared to change and shift your vision to what you truly want. A book can open your mind, an MP3 give you insights, a video can engage you but a live event with humans energising your heart through their truth is inspiring, amazing and life changing.

For the past 4 years we have been running Rock Your Business – a 3 day event that focusses on entrepreneurship and YOU. It has outstanding results, has been run in numerous countries and now has a life of it’s own. In fact the last few have been sold out and the upcoming New Zealand one is sold out as well. We bring you amazing, insightful heart centred individuals (Global SAGES) to be part of the event and work one on one with you for three days. Justin Herald, Entrepreneur of the Year 2005 in Australia, Matthias Gelber the 2009 Greenest Man on the Planet, Billy Selekane an African Entrepreneur who went from no shoes to Crocodile Boots – there are regular guests and extra special ones like Glen Levy the star of Auckland Daze and the ‘most dangerous man on the planet’. In 2012 we have even enticed a few Billionaires to give up their time and come to address our audiences.

Justin Herald, Mike Handcock, Lisa Dudson, Dave Rogers and Alan Butcher (seated) Global SAGE’s Rock Your Business

In 2012 we did the global Entrepreneur X Factor Tour and in 2013 we are doing it bigger and better than before. New York, Portland, Paris, Edinburgh, Oslo, Amsterdam are just some of the wonderful places we will be running these events. So whay shuld you come to any event that we run – why do we do this? – why when most other speakers are going digital and removing themselves from direct contact with their audiences are we doing the opposite? Are we totally nuts?

1. We often do small rooms so we can get one to one with people. In the last twelve months we have invested time, and money in several of our audiences ventures. We have hired people in our audience to do graphics for us, radio shows, tours, coach us, do our social media and partnered with numerous. We don’t do this to make money – we make money so we can do this.
2. We believe in the power of the human spirit, nurtured in the right way, which can only go so far by internet means this is the way we connect with people and inspire their hearts to do great things and be the best they can be
3. We want to be different. With so many speakers its’ ALL about the money. Sure we have to live, and we want to be able to live reasonably well, but we don’t need Ferrari’s and private resorts to have everything we ever want. That’s why we spend so much money flying all around the world to see YOU.
4. We believe in what Gandhi said – we are the change that we have been waiting for – all of us, you me and everyone. But sometimes you need to be reminded.

Manchester UK May 2012

Let me just share a few emails that make me want to jump back on a plane and keep doing live events – because they are the catalysts for all of this.

“I had been trying to find two salespeople for months and I found them at your event, because I got to showcase what I do.”

“Because you came someone donated 4 acres of land for our project – that wouldn’t have happened without you being there.”

“I am now working on huge projects and the phone rings all of the time. I got 6 months of work doing what I love from your seminar.”

We have dozens of these stories every year, and goodness knows how many others we never hear about. So here is what we do. We keep it real, yes we sell stuff back of room but we give you the option to engage or not. We bring in great guests. Our content is always a combination of what is tried and tested and totally new. We research and test content all the time. We don’t regurgitate Tony Robbins or anyone else’s stuff like many do. We engage you as a participant. You participate and you get value. We are accessible, even though it takes hours of our time, often for nothing we are there and we socialise with you. There is always a few drinks at the bar. This is how we do it. This is our secret. Any speakers or events companies can copy it but they don’t. For most it’s simply too much effort and costs too much.

So in 2013 we are adding another new event. Many of you attended the original Rock Your Life one day event, this is now a 3 day event with great guests, amazing new content on life mastery and stunning gamification that engages everyone.

So get off your chair and come along to something we have in 2013, make sure you are at X factor or join us for a 3 day event in Africa, NZ, Asia or Australia. Life changing events – still cant be beaten. www.rockyourlife.net has all the details up to date.

Expect special guests like Hollywood star Glen Levy

Pre Production started on Dreamcatchers 2 – The Reluctant Heroes

The Rock Your Life team has this week been in Mumbai working on pre production for our next film. So what does that mean?

Essentially the budget for this film is over 40 times that of the previous movie. So we need to secure finance, choose A list stars and crew and seek out stunning locations for the film. So what’s this second instalment of Dreamcatchers all about I hear you ask?

In the first film we took 9 ordinary people who were living extraordinary lives and put them on film. The subsequent film Dreamcatchers (2010) has now been seen in over 40 countries. The message was to awaken people for 2012 and the coming of the new cycle on 21 December. There has been a lot of rumour of the world ending but what if it does not, what do we do then?

In the 2nd film we deal with the path of the reluctant heroes who are stepping up all over the world to make this world a far better place than it has ever been before. But again we are doing it in a unique, different and in fact first time way. We are even creating a new genre called Action/Documentary so expect a fast paced young film with heaps of action and twists as this is life. Our new website says this about the film.

With Yash Birla Billionaire Industrialist

The film was inspired by wealthy industrialist Yash Birla in a conversation he had with Dreamcatchers creator Mike Handcocck at the launch of the first film. Yash said: ‘It’s a beautiful movie. Everyone should see it. Next time you should base the movie on the Bhagavd Gita.’

The Bhagavad Gita is sacred to the Hindu people. Set 5,000 years ago the film picks up the dilema or Arjuna, the greatest warrior of his time, played by Glen Levy (Posiedon, Lord of the Rings, Guardian of the Realm) as he realises to win the war he will have to fight his friends, family and mentors. Arjuna seeks the advice of Lord Krishna, his charioteer. Krishna talks Arjuna through many of the golden universal laws and helps him understand the world and his role in it.

We view the film from the perspective of 2049 and 85 year old Dave Rogers (star of Dramcatchers 1) as he talks about a golden age of transformation around 2012 and how the people at that time were reluctant heroes, yet they stood up for transformation and because of tehir stand, the world became a better place. We meet the various real life heroes as the film progresses and the story line constantly intertwines with the sacred 5,000 year old texts.

The film will star action hero and Auckland Daze star Glen Levy as Arjuna. We are yet to cast Lord Krishna but have been chatting with some big names. Tukkaa Fitt producer Premal Goragandhi has been approached to assist us to co produce the film as it will be a collaboration between Bollywood and the west.

Glen Levy will star as Arjuna

So what have I learnt that I can share with you to help your life:

1. We are looking for investors, some extras, and experienced crew that may wish to work on this international project.
2. I learnt that I can get a meeting with some of the biggest names in the business and they listen, ask great questions and share insights freely. When was the last time you really shot high?
3. I learned that I know things about filmmaking others do not, so I will never underestimate my abilities even though I am not formally trained.
4. The success of this project is all about the team, not one individual. So is life.

Rebirthing Humanity in South Africa

It’s 2012 – the end of the world… well ever since Jose Arguilles found the Mayan Prophecies on the tomb of Pacal Votan a Mayan priest who died in 632. In 2009 we tour our Soul Journeys group to Mexico. It was the middle of swine flu – thank goodness – or else the sacred sites may have been busy. Instead they cleared beautifully and made way for us to do some great clearing and film the final scenes of the Dreamcatchers Movie.

So with 2012 looming we though we would take people to South Africa – where humanity started, because where there is an end there is a beginning, so we were rebirthing humanity.

Sacred Circle

Around 20 of us – plus some ad ons did ceremonial work at various sacred sites in Southern Africa. Bushmans Kloof, Cathedral Rock, Ascension Cave, Table Mountain and Haupt Bay were among them. We prayed, did sacred tonings to realign the earth, even joined thousands of others in a co ordinated service at the moment of the dawn on the spring equinox…. but did it ‘do anything’

There was no doubt for me that many in our group experienced rebirth, even the most travelled of them. Breakthroughs and distinctions from even our most experienced soul journeyers Carrie Eden Smith and Rino Bibbo were popping. What was abounding though was clearing rain, wind and storms that seemed to happen the day after each of these ceremonies. Dolphins came and played at appropriate times as did whales, even the lion and elephant greeting us seemed to be on cue.

Mike with Crystal Skulls

I wonder if this could be put down to our 3 day journey with one of the keepers of the crystal skulls. This amazing septuagenerian was a joy and her work is boundless with these amazing skulls. Many of the group connected around this time.

Co – Leader Dean Liprini sent me this note after the group had disbanded at Port Elizabeth airport. The note is not so much about us… but its about the spirit of rebirth. So many of us feel alone in the world and we simply should not. Rebirth and have joy in your life. Dean makes an incredible difference as the founder of the Sacred Site Foundation in South Africa and his work will be recognised way past his passing from this life. Here is a man that will truly leave a legacy.

I was still in overwhelm at the airport and still on a high from the great Love that was shared at the end of our journey.
I am especially moved and SOOO grateful to you both for the Love, Energy and Support you have and are giving me and my works, I feel a connection with you both on a deep level that I am still integrating, I have been “man alone” so to speak for a long time and feel blessed to have found real friends I can share LIFE and TIME with!

Thanks Guys may your journey be FULL of nurturance and abundance, on all levels and dimensions!

The group is returning home to all over the world as I write this. Some will change the way they live, some will integrate their learnings here but all have become transformational leaders, dreamcatchers of the future.

Next year we are visiting the Templar Knights in France and Scotland – but alas it’s all sold out, only 1 week after launch. You can go to www.souljourneystravel.com and get on the waiting list. We already have a small list for 2014, when we will be uncovering all the Viking myths and legends.

This SA tour was so popular we have asked Dean to put together a smaller version – contact Soul Journeys and get on the list. In the mean time here are 3 actions you can take to be part of the transformation.

1. Become a leader by coaching others to focus on the positive and wipe all negative thoughts
2. Become a social and spiritual entrepreneur. Don’t wait til 65 to give back. Do it now.
3. Go on a journey of the soul and return to self. This is a sacred place to truly work on you.

Neil Armstrong – Walking on the Moon

In 1990, I had the pleasure of meeting with Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon in his hotel room at the Hyatt in Melbourne. He had been a speaker at a conference and whilst at the bar later one of my buddies came up with the bright idea of inviting him down. Instead he told us to come up his suite where we sat and listened to the most amazing adventures for well over an hour.

So did Neil Armstrong walk on the moon? My belief is that he did, and the whole conspiracy theory of it not happening, including the footprint, flag blowing in the wind etc has been proven by the TV show ‘Mythbusters’ that it actually was possible and did occur. In fact they proved every one of the actions the theorists said as being fake as actually being real.

More so that ‘Mythbusters’ was the stories Neil told us – of how they calculated the speed of the landing module using a graph drawn on the window in a china-graph pencil and logarithm  tables, or how those first words ‘One small step for man – one giant leap for mankind’ just came to him as he felt he should say something.

Mythbusters prove the landing happened

You see Neil was originally a fighter pilot having been addicted to planes since he was 7 years old. Then after flying over 70 missions in Korea he became a test pilot, then one of the first pilots accepted into the NASA program as an an Astronaut. It makes me ask you and I these questions:

1. Where have we been pioneers in our field?
2. What will we be known for?
3. What risks have we taken to get where we are?
4. Do we constantly keep challenging ourselves or are we comfortably numb?

Neil’s life wasn’t always great. He mentioned he was head of NASA when Discovery blew up killing all aboard. IT was with deep sorrow he remembered that. With great power comes great responsibility. When you do something awesome, remember you are human.

Kate McPherson – Entrepreneur ‘X’ Factor Global Winner

What was just an idea on 16 February took us to 15 countries by June 9, engaged over 2,000,000 people, had 107 partners and nearly 10,000 votes in the final – became the stepping stone for one amazing individual who stood out from some simply awesome entrepreneurs.

The Entrepreneur ‘X’ Factor was a very special tour. We were joined by several Billionaires, Multi Millionaires and brilliant Global SAGE’s sharing information on entrepreneurship from Perth to Prague. Yet in the final which you can listen to here:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rockyourliferadio/2012/07/13/entrepreneur-x-factor-global-final-masterclass

we uncovered the secrets to what did and didn’t create X factor around the world… and one entrepreneur was voted the number one in the world in 2012. After a strong competition from David Kirs (a simply brilliant internet marketer from Prague) and Siddhartha Rajsekar (an amazingly gifted musician who runs a social media business in Bangalore) the stand out winner was Kate McPherson the owner of Belicious from Singapore.

Kate McPherson X Factor Winner 2012

Reared on the beaches of Sydney, but a global citizen from the age of 19, when she first upped-sticks and moved to London, Kate McPherson became a global citizen. Kate first started cutting hair and modelling in London, eventually returning to work in one of Sydney’s most prestigious salons. During this time she also mentored and taught tertiary students and designed her first range of clothing – it was the 90s, so she has conveniently lost those patterns…

It was an international role in a large corporate company that brought Kate to Singapore in 1999.  Here, she met her amazing and supportive husband, John and has had the privilege to become a Mother to Alexander (11) and Olivia (9).  Singapore is where the family now call home.

In 2008 she decided to pursue her passion of fashion (and visiting some of the best resorts in the world…) and started Belicious Swimwear. Kate believes that “Being Belicious is about celebrating the beautiful curves of today’s modern women. I’m driven by the belief that women can feel sexy and confident when they often feel their most vulnerable – at the beach or pool – with amazing swimwear that fits, flatters and allows you to flaunt is an important first step.”

What inspires Kate to design….?

“We always start by imagining a Belicious woman on vacation.  Where is she going? What is she going to do?  From here we join her on her journey.  We lay beside the pool, run on the beach, chase the kids, laugh, and love, drink a cocktail, marvel at a sunset & travel to see the amazing sights around her.

The journey is always filled with amazing colours and textures – they surround her – the sand, sea, vivid flora and fauna and the incredible sights and sounds as she is overcome by a new culture.  These experiences inspire us to create bikinis, tankinis and amazing resortwear that make her glow as she progresses through her journey.”

Belicious Swimwear (www.Belicious.Me) is defined by its progressive cut, styling & the use of the very best fabrics. Sizes 8-18

The singular design goal is to give every woman that feeling of being totally Belicious!

“My belief is ‘style is not a number, it’s an attitude.”

Congratulations to all who joined us on the tour in 2012. To see a full list of the winners go to: http://entrepreneurxfactor.com

X Factor Prague