Many of us are infatuated with the idea of being an entrepreneur and the potential to be your own boss, pursue your passions, and achieve financial freedom. Most people don't want to take the huge risk that is involved with starting a business or they don't know where to begin. Others take the plunge and invest their time, money, and energy into their dreams. Some of these people achieve success, others are lucky to breakeven, and even more crash and burn because of one or more of a number of reasons.

One of these risk-taking individuals is a great friend of mine, Travis Lubinsky, and I have seen him have his fair share of ups and downs on his entrepreneurial journey. Travis and I studied Business Management in college together, but Travis has been a business owner since before we even hit upper division classes. I have been fortunate to not only call Travis a friend, but also a business partner in multiple ventures. Working with him personally for years, there are few other people I know that have his level of experience and perseverance to boot in the world of business startup.

Travis has owned businesses in industries that range from apparel design and manufacturing to event production and promotion to marketing and consulting to watches and accessories. I have either worked with him directly or watched firsthand as he dreamed, launched, and grew these businesses. In some cases, there were failures (read: critical learning experiences) and in other cases, there were massive triumphs. Travis is still only on the beginning of his entrepreneurial journey, but his wide ranging background as a business owner already outweighs many others with decades more experience.

Just a few of the brands that Travis has worked with

Travis recently approached me about his idea to write a book sharing his experiences and insights into starting and owning a business. Being someone that has had their life positively impacted by the magic of books and also being passionate about helping other people, I was immediately on board to help him make this book a reality. Travis sent me what he was working on and I gave him my feedback and suggestions. Ultimately, I ended up editing Just Startup while adding many of my own insights to the book.

I would recommend getting a copy of Travis' book if you're considering starting your own business, are new to the world of entrepreneurship, or are curious about how a guy boot-strapped multiple companies while in college. The lessons Travis shares are universal to all businesses and industries, but his unique perception based on his experiences are what make this a valuable and quick read. The world needs more people who are willing to take risks to positively change the world, or at least their lives. Hopefully this will give you the information and motivation you need to Just Startup.

Favorite New Discoveries (Spring '18 edition)

Over the past couple years, I’ve consumed a pretty insane amount of information related to tech, nutrition, and fitness. However, I am fairly selective over what I add to my life. Inside are a few of my favorite discoveries from recent memory and a brief explanation of why they’re a part of my regular life now...

Sleeping Better than Ever (a 'Sleep Better Now' update)

About three years ago, I wrote a series of articles called Sleep Better Now that described how to get the best night's sleep possible. I just re-read these articles and almost every detail and habit I've explained is still being practiced by me to this day. Over three years, I have made some minor tweaks and improvements from trying new recommendations and based on what I've learned from my data. Those upgrades (new tools, tactics, and habits) are divulged here...

Favorite Books of 2017

Here are Erik's favorite books read in 2017...

23andMe: A Look Into My Past and Our Future

23andMe is a glimpse into the future - the future of our society and each of us as individuals. We are nearing a time where everyone will have a comprehensive understanding of their DNA and be able to influence genetic expression (epigenetics) by using this knowledge to make certain lifestyle choices. This will lead to people living longer, healthier, and more comfortable lives. The time is not far off where we will be able to screen and prevent babies from being born with certain genetic variants that lead to disabilities, chronic diseases, and death, all before they're even conceived. Not long after, parents will be able to select particular traits they want their "designer" baby to be born with. If you think that sounds like science-fiction, try to imagine a world where we are altering our own DNA to extend our lives to hundreds of years and beyond, essentially taking evolution into our own hands and accelerating its progress exponentially - a world that many experts at the cutting-edge of this research believe is just a few decades away...

AlphaNerd Book Club - The Foundation

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step; likewise, the limitless knowledge that can be obtained from books starts with a single page. There are vast amounts of great books in the world, old and new, spanning every subject imaginable. Whether your interests lie in starting a business, increasing your wealth, improving your golf swing, or getting a six-pack, there are likely hundreds, if not thousands of books on each of these topics. I believe that in order to increase motivation, maximize the amount of knowledge one can consume, and have an upgraded mindset for success, there are certain books that should be consumed first to accelerate learning. You may consider these to be personal development, motivation, or self-help books. However, I view them as the Foundation to my journey as a reader.

Change Your Life and the World with a Book (AlphaNerd Book Club Introduction)

Increasing the amount I read has had an incredibly profound impact on virtually every aspect of my life. From entrepreneurship and leadership to motivation and personal development to health and science, I have gained invaluable knowledge and years worth of wisdom through a relatively small investment of my time in these books. Furthermore, works of fiction and biographies stimulate the imagination and expand creativity and problem-solving skills. I wrote in my article on Implementing Small Habits to Create Big Change that the habit of reading daily has added more to my life and moved me closer towards reaching my goals than any other of the habits and routines I have. I generally strive to make the most out of my time by eliminating bad habits, minimizing frivolous activities, and maximizing the number of productive events in my schedule. Consuming books - either through reading or listening to an audiobook - is an extremely productive and rewarding activity that I find myself making more and more time for and continue to reap the benefits. I want to share this with you by not only providing motivation and strategies to read more, but also by distilling the information I have learned from my favorite, most life-changing books in a new series of AlphaNerd Book Club articles

Implementing Small Habits to Create Big Change

I’ve learned and grown more in 2015 than in any year prior and am truly grateful for all the experiences I've had. In some ways, I feel like I've evolved as a person more in this year than all prior years combined. I spent a lot of time on myself - reflecting, meditating, reading, writing, dreaming, planning, and executing. The year went by incredibly fast, but at the same time, I feel like I put so much into it and was able to get even more out of it. This is, without a doubt, the direct result of the habits I created based on the goals I set at the beginning of the year.

Upgrade Your Health and Happiness with Gratitude

Skimming through your social media feeds during the holiday season, especially the week of Thanksgiving, you might think that every one of your peers is constantly brimming with joy and thankfulness due to their countless blessings. But, let’s be honest, this is only a once-annual occurrence for most people. Thanks to the obligatory status updates and bombardment of turkey day marketing, we’re all reminded that it’s time to express our gratitude.

Over-commercialism and Hallmark-ism aside, I think it’s great to have a national holiday in which we are encouraged to be thankful for what we have and those around us. The tradition of sharing this day with family over a large meal is one I truly enjoy (in particular, the socially acceptable binge eating), and I’m sure I’m not the only one that really looks forward to it. However, there is mounting evidence showing that expressing gratitude regularly has a profound impact on overall health and happiness. Perhaps giving thanks should be a daily ritual as opposed to a yearly tradition (minus the food coma).

The Winter Reboot: Deload, Detox, and Indulge

It’s again that time of year where the days are overcast and short while the nights are frigid and seem to begin even earlier than years past. Many people look forward to the winters for the “cuddle weather” (Netflix and chill weather?), while others increase their calorie intake with reckless abandon in the name of “bulking season”. The holidays bring more gatherings of family and friends, which in turn bring plenty of opportunities to binge eat (and drink), and it’s generally not on the healthiest of foods. This could result in feelings of guilt, shame, and certainly bloatedness. Long-term, it could also lead to breaking many good habits you formed over the year, sabotaging your nutrition, and derailing your path to any fitness goals previously set. However, I use this time of year to allow my body to rest and recover while giving my mind a chance to relax and reset all the while enjoying the indulgences of the holidays (without feeling guilty about it), and being more ready than before to take my fitness to the next level come the new year.

Hacking Your Hangover: A How-To Guide for Prevention and Recovery that Works

Brace yourselves... The holidays are coming. All those upcoming celebrations and gatherings - Halloween (the entire weekend for many people), Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Years, and more - bring with them many opportunities to consume copious amounts of alcohol with friends and family. It's true that drinking alcohol, especially on a regular basis, can sabotage your health, performance, and longevity goals. However, enjoying yourself on the infrequent special occasion won't completely derail your ambitions, especially when done right. Inevitably, after an evening of enjoying alcohol, hangovers ensue sapping us of our energy, health, cognitive performance, and holiday spirits. Follow my advice, and you will minimize your headache, hangover, and regrets while still having fun.

It's Time to Cut the Cord on Cable

Did you know that the average American spends over 4 hours per day watching television?! That sounds crazy, but it's true - and what's more disturbing is that in a 65-year life (probably won't live much longer than that if you're sitting on your ass this much) that average person will have spent 9 solid years in front of their idiot box! To someone who spends an average of 4 hours per month watching TV (me), it's insanity...but there is some hope (kind of). Trends are showing that people are shifting their TV time to other forms of electronic devices and media (Facebook, YouTube, Hulu on iPhones, tablets, etc.), and this is especially true with younger audiences, according to Nielsen studies. There is more good news - we have more options than ever before with the rise of Netflix, HBO Go, and more. Are you ready (and able) to pull the plug on cable?

Life Upgrade: Shopping at the Farmers Market

If you're regularly buying groceries and preparing your own meals already, congratulations. You're already well ahead of the curve and most likely a lot healthier than the fast-food eating, microwavable meal munching majority. Most shoppers prefer to purchase their groceries from the nearby supermarket because it is more accessible and convenient. If this is your preferred method, then I would like to issue a challenge to you, because you have no idea just how much you are missing by skipping your local farmer’s market. Find out when and where your nearest farmer's market is taking place (here's a good place to start) and mark it on your calendar. This is a weekly habit that will benefit you and your community. Offering a healthy, fun social experience and unique benefits, shopping in the farmer's market is more than just buying what you need for the week.

Film

AQUAMAN Review

After decades of getting treated like a pop culture punchline, thanks almost entirely to “Super Friends” (with a little help from “HBO’s Entourage”), Aquaman finally has his own feature film. It’s a weird and at times trippy superhero adventure that strives — and almost succeeds — to be the most epic superhero movie ever made…

Venom Review

“Good” and “bad” are certainly relative terms when it comes to Ruben Fleischer’s Marvel-based film, which focuses on an evil alien life form known as a “symbiote” that was originally conceived back in 1984 as an adversary for Spider-Man…

Articles by Category

Featured Articles