I decide where I want to be, and I do whatever it takes to get there.
Jo Han Mok

Brought to you in partnership with Rod Beckwith - http://mrjv.com

Education: Master's of Business

Year Started Business: 2001

Type Of Business: Information products

Target Market: Home-based entrepreneurs

Number Of Employees: "Currently I have three full-time staff. A Web programmer, a staff writer, and a operations director. I also have a partner who is a hotshot Internet marketer, Ewen Chia."

Best Month (Gross Revenues): $86,535.15

Hours Worked Per Week During Startup: "I think a more appropriate question is how many hours I managed to sleep. *lol* I would say I spent about 10 to 16 hours a day, so that would be a minimum of 70 hours a week."

Hours Worked Per Week Now: Under 30 hours a week

Favorite Business Magazines: "Actually, I don’t read business magazines. Maybe it’s because I’m greedy, and I want to know everything there is to know about business, so I much prefer courses, manuals, and how-to books. If I do read magazines, they usually have nothing to do with business. I like magazines on electronic gadgets, health and fitness, and magic (my hobby)."

Favorite Business Books Or Authors:

• How To Succeed In Business By Breaking All The Rules, by Dan S. Kennedy
  
• 13 Secrets of Power Performers, by Roger Dawson
  
• How To Get Rich, by Donald Trump

Relaxes By: Clubbing, going to restaurants, and taking short trips to beach resorts

Keeps In Shape By: Swimming and practicing yoga

Favorite Part Of The Job: "Helping other people increase their wealth and financial well-being from using my methods. While some might beg to differ, I’ll be up front and let you know that if you’re in any business just for the money, you won’t be a very happy person, and because you do not have a greater objective that drives you in your business, business longevity will become an issue."

Least Favorite Part Of Your Job: "Answering e-mails. It’s tedious and time consuming because there are WAY too many e-mails. Then again it is part and parcel of an Internet business. A spam filtering service like Spam Arrest helps a lot in cutting e-mail load."

Companies Admired: Nightingale Conant, Group M Publising, and SFI

The Person Who Most Influenced His Life: Dan Kennedy - "I’ve methodically modeled his approach to marketing, and it has paid dividends."

Heroes:

• Joe Vitale - "He turned me into a Hypnotic Writer."
  
• Ted Ciuba – "He was responsible for giving me my first break by not only consenting to joint venture with me, but also inviting me as a guest speaker to his bootcamp."
  
• Mark Joyner – "The godfather of Internet marketing. His marketing shops are quantum leaps above anyone else on the Internet."
  

Special Business Achievements/Honors: "My Killer Web Copy software, co-created with Ted Ciuba, achieved a four out of four stars rating in the Pierce Safe Report. Terry Dean declares it the best copywriting software that’s out there. I’m also the copywriter behind the infamous Joe Kumar’s 30 Days To Online Success, which generated over six figures in four weeks. As a speaker, I’ve also shared the stage with illuminaries like Ted Ciuba, Joe Vitale, Armand Morin, Peter Sun, Randy Charach, Carl Galleti, Kirt Christensen, Alex Mandossian, Frank Garon, Jeff Gardner, Michael Penland, David Garfinkel, Mike Stewart, Bill Harrris, Brad Antin, Mal Emery, Brett Mcfall, Tom Hua, Paul Barrs, David Cavanagh, and way too many others to list here. What did I do to deserve these achievements?I guess I can boil it down to one word: Work (smart)."

Months Before Achieving A Profit: "It took me six months to make a whopping $34.95." : - )

Books/Tapes/Reports Authored: Check out the following Websites:

• http://www.SuperFastProfit.com
  
• http://www.PowerAffiliateMarketing.com
  
• http://www.InstantVisitorSurge.com
  
• http://www.MasterWordsmith.com
  
• http://www.KillerWebCopy.com
  
• http://www.CopywritingSecret.com
  
• http://www.7DaysToProfits.com

Contact Jo Han Mok At: Phone - (+65) 6836 6636 (Singapore); Fax - (+65) 6836 6636; E-mail - johan@superfastprofit.com

GETTING STARTED TIPS:

I'm starting a home business next month. I have a maximum of $3,000 in start-up capital. Where should I invest it?

Here’s what I’d do. I’d take $500 and use THAT to set up a business and keep the $2,500 for a rainy day. In fact $500 is MORE than enough to start a successful home business. It’s the kind of leverage the Internet provides. Let’s take a look at how I’d spend that money:

1. I’ll get a domain name as well as dedicated hosting for $34.95, and this includes an all inclusive automation station that allows you to run your own affiliate program, have unlimited autoresponders, and basically all you need to run your entire Web business.
   
   
2. I’ll set up a blogger.com account (free).
   
   
3. I’ll use $27 to join an article submission service.
   
   
4. I’ll use $200 to buy a nice bunch of co-registrations, and start funneling them into my autoresponders.
   
   
5. I’ll use the remaining $200 to buy run Google Adwords pay-per-click campaigns.
   
   
6. I’ll use my profits to re-invest in advertising and do it on a larger scale.
   

So to conclude, $3,000 is WAY TOO MUCH to run a successful business. : - )

I've just started a home business. My spouse has given me six months to make it work. Any advice?

It’s important to define what it means when a business is "working." I would use profits as a gauge to measure what’s working, because it’s the ultimate proof of whether your business is‘working. If you’re constantly raising the bar for profits levels during the time frame, then your business is definitely working.

They say it takes money to make money. Should I try to get a small-business loan for my startup capital or just try to get by with my own limited finances?

Well, the reverse might be more true. If you can’t make money without money, what makes you think you can make money with money?
I believe the element of uncertainty, the possibility of failure, the absence of a safety net is a VERY POWERFUL motivator for success. You have no choice but to make your business work. So while I think a small-business loan might make life more comfortable, I think discomfort will make you better at business.

TECHNOLOGY & TOOLS:

How quickly do you adopt new technology for your business?

Very quickly. But I go about it with caution. I want to make sure that I can leverage new technology and make my business better. If there’s a steep learning curve and if it’s gonna create more problems than benefits, then I’ll pass.

Do you use a fax machine with a dedicated line?

Yeah. I use it for basic fax needs. Nothing fancy.

Do you use autoresponders?

Yes. I use autoresponders to:

• Follow up with prospects.
  
• Encourage consumption. (Refer to Alex Mandossian’s "Consumption Theory.")
  
• Increase customer retention by delivering unannounced bonuses.
  
• Promote affiliate programs on autopilot.
  

If you use voicemail, what is your primary use for it?

Voicemail to me is a very important time management tool. I use voicemail to filter out the important calls to return, and I can do that at my time, rather than allow phone calls to distract me in my primetime.

What software do you consider in the "must-have" category?

• Microsoft Frontpage
  
• Eudora
  
• Cute FTP
  
• Word Tracker
  
• 1ShoppingCart
  
• Audio Generator
  

What other technology do you use in your business?

I use a smart phone, Portable Mp3 player, portable hard disk drive, digicam, and a Thumb Drive.

Name up to five personal favorite business URL's our readers can benefit from:

Here are my top 5 business URLs:

• http://www.TheGaryHalbertLetter.com
  
• http://www.MrFire.com
  
• http://www.DanKennedy.com
  
• http://www.MarketingRebelRant.com
  
• http://www.BencivengaBullets.com
  

Of all the technology you use, rank the top three.

My portable MP3 player, my portable hard disk, and my smart phone. The MP3 player allows me to listen to educational audios, the hard disk allows me to back up all my important data (an important habit I picked up through painful experience), and my smart phone allows me to stay connected constantly.

MARKETING/ADVERTISING:

How do you market on the Internet?

I use a very basic process:

Step #1: I generate leads, either through paid or free methods.

Step #2: I put them through a funnel that warms these leads up and I shoot for a low ticket front end sale.

Step #3: The customers are then segmented from the leads, and are put into a separate funnel altogether.

Step #4: I backend my new customers, and I follow up with my existing ones.

Approximately what percentage of your sales originate from Internet marketing?

I’d say a good 80%. The rest is through speaking engagements.

How do you market through direct mail?

While I have a very strong background in D.M. I have not officially used my offline shovel, although my new company gives me the perfect excuse to start using my offline D.M chops again. Primarily, we’ll use a multistep marketing process after the lead is generated.
It’s a basic system, but I know from experience that this ‘basic’ stuff works like a charm, as I’ve tested it.

How do you market in the print media?

I just started a company that will be dealing in offline advertising, so we’ll be running lead generation ads in periodicals and newspapers. Our ads are only for lead generation, strictly speaking. This will enable the prospects to be sifted out from the suspects.

Approximately what percentage of your sales originate from broadcast advertising?

No, but I’m looking into that. I’m gonna try Yanik Silver’s method and see what kind of results it’ll pull. I’ve not tried fax broadcasting, and I’m generally skeptical about “ad-agencies,” so all I can say is, we’ll wait and see.

What other kinds of marketing do you utilize?

We’re exploring the possibility of using PR as well as joint venturing with offline event companies.

Where do you market? (locally, nationally, internationally, all three?)

I market internationally. This is the beauty of the Internet.

THE HOME OFFICE:

How should someone set up his/her home office to maximize its effectiveness?

While I would theoretically advocate having a nice neat desk with your fax machine and gizmos close to you, in reality, I work pretty differently from other people. All I need is my laptop and I’m all set. I can do work in front of the TV, talk on the phone, and probably be doing tons of other stuff at the same time. Maybe it’s because I suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder. “Focused Work” seems too much like college stuff and tedious essay writing. I much prefer to do it in small bits and pieces and have fun while working, so that it doesn’t seem like work at all.

What, if any, ground rules have you established for yourself and family in order to operate a successful home business?

Well, I’m currently single, and I don’t live with my parents, so I guess there are no ground rules for my family. For myself personally, I just make sure I accomplish my daily goals. I don’t always succeed because I like to play far too much, but at least I try.

What are some of the advantages to working at home? What are some of the disadvantages?

If you work at home, you can wear boxers. An office environment, though, sorta forces you to "work," and is generally more conducive. Even though I LIKE working from home, sometimes I don’t think it’s a good idea to let your place of rest be your place of work. The best solution is one that I devised for myself. I’ll work in an office, but I can work from home, or anywhere else if I choose to. My business is mobile, and as my mentor Joe Vitale likes to say: “I could be anywhere.”: - )

MANAGEMENT STYLE:

What part(s) of your work do you farm out?

I usually farm out technical stuff like Web mastering, programming, or scripting. Support is also farmed out.

What part(s) do you feel should never be farmed out?

I feel that marketing and joint venturing should never be farmed out. These are the actual 20% of my efforts that account for 80% of the results I achieve.

Do you encourage or discourage partnerships?

I encourage partnerships. I am of the firm opinion that no man is an island. If you can find the right partner and foster mutual host-beneficiary relationships, then that can do wonders for your business.

Do you encourage or discourage hiring family members?

I discourage hiring family members. There are pros and cons, like the trust you have, but generally, I feel that business being a war zone could affect your family ties. If your business has issues, at least it doesn’t affect your family life if none of your family members are involved. Imagine screwing up both your business and family life? Now that’s seriously hazardous to one’s mental health.

When legal issues arise, what’s your usual response?

One call that’s all. To my lawyer that is. : - )

MONEY & INVESTMENTS:

What are the advantages of earning a lot of money. What are some disadvantages?

Advantages? Well, you can buy whatever money can buy, and you can pay people to do all the things you don’t like, and you can help whomever you wish to help. As for disadvantages…Geez. I can’t think of any… but if you do have that problem, that’s a pretty darn good problem. HAHA

Best general tax advice?

Invest in some software or courses that teach you how to save on your taxes. I’m really not an expert on taxes, so I’m not in the best position to dispense solid advice. Suffice to say, I’ll pay whatever money is necessary to keep the government from finding an excuse to put me behind bars or interfering in my business.

Best general investment advice?

Invest in YOURSELF. You can’t go wrong. After that, invest in ASSETS, like REAL Estate.

You're in business already, and you've just received a windfall of $20,000. What would you do with it?

I’ll take $3,000 out of it to go for a short trip. While I’m enjoying myself, I’ll figure out what to do with the remaining $17K. But generally, I’ll stash the $17K away, and only take $500 and pump it into my business. I’m not a cheapskate, but I don’t really need that much money to make a business profitable. Hosting beneficiary relationships are more than adequate to be "in the money." It really all boils down to the nature of your business, and as an Internet marketer, it’s not about how much money you have to invest in a business, it’s the know-how. After all, it’s now the ‘knowledge-based’ economy.

THE ROAD AHEAD:

In five years I'll be...

Retired.

In 10 years I'll be...

35 years old, and still retired.

POWERFUL IDEAS:

What was the motivating factor that drove you to start your own business?

I guess the greatest appeal to me was the prospect of being to live life on my own terms. I’ve always been pretty rebellious as a kid, and I don’t take too well to authority, so taking responsibility for myself both from a personal and financial standpoint seemed to be a pretty logical move.

What role, if any, did your family play when you were getting your business off the ground?

Well, I listened to my parents’ well-meaning advice, and then proceeded to do the exact opposite. : -)

What’s the best thing about being self-employed?

You get to write your own paycheck. A pretty fat one that you ordinarily will not get by being employed by others.

How often do you read books and/or listen to or watch tapes for improving your business skills or knowledge?

Every single day. I strive to include AT LEAST one hour so self-education.

The most underrated activity in business is…

Copywriting.

The most overrated activity in business is…

Advertising.

What was the biggest obstacle you had to face when you were launching your own business? What’s your biggest obstacle now?

The biggest obstacle that faced me was really a lack of credibility. My biggest obstacle now is being unable to decide where to go for lunch. OK, so that wasn’t THAT funny. Actually, my biggest obstacle now is fighting with being able to abdicate my position of power because I’m pretty much a control freak and there are some things I don’t exactly feel very comfortable outsourcing, but I don’t exactly have a choice. But I believe in life, you have to learn to trust others, so I’m trying to battle the skeptic in me and give other people the benefit of doubt.

If you had to start your business all over again, what would you do differently?

I would have NOT wasted so much time ‘thinking’ about doing it, and actually doing it.

What was your worst business decision?

My worst business decision was really to have my girlfriend work for me. So when I dumped her (or rather, when she left me), I felt at a loss because she was almost indispensable. I’ve learned not to make any employee or partner indispensable because no matter how much you think that things will never screw up, O' Toole’s law sets in. (O' Toole’s law states that Murphy was an optimist.)

What was your best business decision?

My best business decision was to finally give up trying to learn HTML, and concentrate on what I do best. Understanding the fact that you DON’T have to wear all the hats in business was a real breakthrough for me. As Mark Victor Hansen said in his excellent book, The Power Of Focus, if you try to work on your weaknesses, you end up having many strong weaknesses. Learning to concentrate my efforts and streamlining my business model to let me focus on revenue-generating activities only has been hands down the best business decision I’ve ever made, and I have not turned back ever since.

What do you consider to be the main keys of your success?

I’d say the keys to my success are namely:

• A never-say-die attitude.
  
• Knowing how to apply leverage.
  
• Being able to think accurately and objectively.
  
• Being able to say "next."
  
• Being able to recognize opportunities, and taking massive action when I spot one.
  

I don’t think I know any entrepreneur worth his salt who does not possess these qualities.

What's your success philosophy?

Whatever your parents and school teachers tell you to do, just do the exact opposite and I guarantee you’ll be a success. : - )

What about you has changed the most since finding success in business?

I’ve realized that there is much more to life than just money.

What is the legacy you hope to leave?

Selfishly, I want to be the greatest Asian Copywriter who has ever walked the face of this planet. I also want to be known as one of the most "entertaining" marketers.