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Here’s a recent Google ad that promises great returns on your money…

BANK OF 7%
Fixed monthly profit rate (7%). Minimum investment limit (100 USD)
www.bankof7.com

If only it were true. If you hit the link, you’ll find lots of promises, so just for fun, I wrote to the “bank” asking for the CV’s of the officers and founders, their law and accounting firm. They told me “we don’t give out that information” and also told me they were “an investment firm”, not a bank. Hmmm. let’s see, no disclosure and a lie about representing themselves in their Google ad as a bank. I definitely want to do business with this firm-NOT.

As the economy worsens, you will see many ads like this one. In fact, if you go to their site, you may find ads for other similar schemes. All promise large returns. One had the audacity to say you might make 788% in one day. It would be laughable except that they had raised millions according to their promo material.

Anyway, a word to the wise. Don’t even think about it. This is classic ponzi with new money paying off the first people in so they spread the word and at some point, they are gone with the money.

Always err on the side of caution and you will never get hurt financially. A little friendly advice from someone who spent many years in the investment world and has seen it all.

In his little treasure of a book. Allan Holender, the father of Zenpreneurism, shares his lessons on living a soulful and integrated business and personal life. There are many great business books, but few pack in as much wisdom in 45 pages.

Allan supports readers in redefining what real success means from the accumulation of more and more money to identifying and sharing our authentic soul’s calling as well as our love, compassion and gratitude, attracting and welcoming our experiences, and leaving an honorable footprint on the planet.

As Buddha said “Deeds done in harmony with one’s path of life are those which bring clarity, peace and harmony to the doer”.
He did not say to others. For in doing the work we came to do, we give our gift to the world and those who are waiting for them are deeply satisfied and encouraged to do the same thing and so authenticity can spread its wings through each act of being ourselves.

Allan proposes that a life well lived is one filled with purpose, passion and destiny.

“If you don’t access your gift, it will wither away. People actually die from not using their gifts – you can see the sadness, depression and constriction of life force energy from not using their gifts. But, if you are tapped into your gift(s) using and sharing it consistently with others, and, in fact, making it your life’s work, you will attract all the ‘right’ things that you want and need to keep sharing it and having a great life.”

How do you find your passion? What is right livelihood? What do Buddhism and the Buddha have to tell us about a fulfilling business life? What is a Life Map and how can you use one to move toward your passion? How do you live from your soul and what are the benefits? Can you create a business and a life? What does it take to wake up from the trance of business as struggle, competition, envy, anger, frustration and the pursuit of more. How did we become a generation of instant gratification junkies and what can you do to free yourself from this external focus to being guided by your soul’s inner compass? Is it really possible to exit the orbit of the twisted and distorted world of greed, power, ego, deceit embellishment, and manipulation that typifies capitalism today? Is it really possible to live a life of continued expansion of happiness and the realization of worthy goals with ease?

Thankfully the answer to all these questions is a resounding yes and Allan shares both his own and others experiences in living authentic lives every day. If you or anyone you know have ever felt trapped and drained by the dysfunctional world of business as usual, you’ll want to download Zenpreneurism 3.0 immediately and begin putting its ideas into practice.

Allan’s wise and empowering guide to a sane, elevated and spiritually guided way of doing business will leave you feeling more hopeful about your personal journey as well as leading the way to a business world that benefits all of life with purposeful alignment.

Zentrepreneurism 3.0 is now available on Amazon. You can download your copy at:
http://www.amazon.com/kindle/dp/B0071EPMDI
 
Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com , spoke at Princeton University’s 2010 graduation and he asked some probing questions that reflect some of the core principles of Zentrepreneurism.

Speaking to his alma mater (having graduated from Princeton in 1986 with a degree in computer science and electrical engineering), Mr. Bezos made the case that our character is reflected not in the gifts we’re endowed with at birth, but by the choices we make over the course of a lifetime.
He shared some reflective questions about the choices we make, not only applied to recent graduation students, but also to us as Zentrepreneurs.

Consider what these questions bring forward for you as a message about your own life and business choices. 

1. Will inertia be your guide, or will you follow your passion? Will you follow dogma or will you be original?

2. Will you choose a life of ease or a life of service and adventure? Will you wilt under criticism or will you follow your convictions?

3. Will you bluff it out when you’re wrong or will you apologize? Will you guard your heart against refection or will you act when you fall in love?

4. Will you play it safe or will you be a little bit swashbuckling? When it’s tough, will you give up or will you be relentless?

5. Will you be a cynic or will you be a builder? Will you be clever at the expense of others or will you be kind?

6. Are you going to leave a legacy – a virtual dent in the Universe and make a real difference?

Simon Mainwaring is the founder of WeFirst, a social media consulting firm, and offers this overview of the way business should be conducted going forward. This resonates with yesterday’s post. We are in the midst of re-creating the world so it works for everyone and as the largest institution on the planet, business has the ability and responsibility to lead the way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WeFirst believes the following principles should guide our business practices:

* We believe companies have a right to innovation, entrepreneurship and profit making while consumers have a right to a healthy society and planet to live on.

* We recognize an interdependent, global community requires an expanded definition of self-interest that acknowledges the needs of all inhabitants of the planet.

* We define success through prosperity that means the well being of many, not the wealth of a few.

* We believe that future of profit is purpose.

* We believe that the interests of companies and consumers are best served through a sustainable practice of capitalism – economically, morally, ethically, environmentally, and socially.

* We believe that corporations and consumers owe each other an equal duty of transparency, authenticity, and accountability.

* We believe that social technology, business, and shopping have the potential to change our world through new modes of engagement, collaboration, and contribution.

* We believe the values that inform our daily practice of capitalism include: sustainability, fairness of rewards, fiscal responsibility, accountability, purposefulness, engagement, and global citizenship.

* We believe that corporations and consumers are duty-bound to serve as custodians of global well being for this and future generations.

* We believe that the private sector must cooperate, collaborate and coordinate with governments and NGOs to create a unified force for social good.

 

To read the We First Manifesto and learn more about it’s book and services, click here.