THE ROAD TO SUCCESS IS NEVER A STRAIGHT LINE
"The Zig Zag Principle is founded
upon rock solid principles so simple
that you will read this book
wondering how you could have
missed seeing truths that are so
obvious."
Stephen R. Covey, author, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and The Leader in Me
Overview
The Zig Zag Principle confronts most business books head-on. Where most books give you a straight, rigid path to follow; this one permits you to squirrel chase. It’s like no business book you’ve ever read–and the principle works. Zigzagging is a unique way to set goals, rewards, and boundaries. One of the most unique skills Rich teaches in the book is how to fail. “Failing efficiently is vital. If you’re going to fail, why drag it out? Recognize it, admit it, lick your wounds, and move onto your next venture.” Richard J. Christiansen is a thought leader, educator, mentor, parallel entrepreneur, and humanitarian. He has founded or co-founded 51 businesses, of which 16 have become multimillion-dollar successes. Each was capitalized with $10,000 or less. His businesses have ranged from technology, import/export, SEO, lead generation, online sales, innovative products, real estate, worm poop, and most recently a gift and grief registry. This experience and his passion for business provides Rich with the material for The ZigZag Principle. Thousands have purchased the book. Don’t delay and order now.Who is Zig Zag For?
Rich wrote The Zig Zag Principle for everyone from entrepreneurs and small business owners to corporate managers who dream of moving on. No matter where you are on your journey, The Zig Zag Principle will help you navigate the road to success. The book also complements the Zig Zag events we offer.
You’ll know that The Zig Zag Principle is for you if you:
• Work in the corporate world and want control of your life by creating a side venture
• Want to create an exit strategy from corporate America by carefully growing a business
• Can bring a few thousand dollars to realizing your goal
• Already ran a business and need additional help to realize its (and your) potential
• Want to break the cycle of living paycheck-to-paycheck
• Have caught the entrepreneurial bug but need structure and direction to pursue your dreams
• Looking for a business plan model that works
The principles in the book can guide you, inspire you, and demonstrate some of the things that the business schools seem to overlook. Most importantly this book teaches that you don’t have to charge at your goal, you can get to it one step at a time.
These Principles Are for Everyone
Anyone with a bit of determination (well, a lot of determination) can take The ZigZag Principle and run with it. Or, to put it more realistically—readers can zig and zag to success. You can apply these concepts to create value in any kind of business, new or already running. No matter what field you work in: it’s sales, technology, manufacturing, service industries, etc—The ZigZag Principle can serve as your business plan model. Watch this in-depth lecture where Rich explains the details of The ZigZag Principle in an easy to understand and friendly fashion.
First-Timers Can Save Stacks of Money
The Zig Zag Principle gives you a business plan model to follow. It gives you the insight into how to avoid the big mistakes. This book shows you how to live according to the laws of nature and how to deliberately detour and increase your chance of success. This is the stable way to live your life, to build your business, and to succeed.
Experienced Business Owners Will Learn Principles and Practices They May Be Missing
A huge number of small business owners will benefit from the insights, practical tips, and wisdom of The ZigZag Principle. We initially developed the book for start-up entrepreneurs, but we’ve found that small business owners have been most vocal in asking about it! The ZigZag Principle addresses the kinds of rough terrain small business owners must navigate on a daily basis. This includes skills such as how to scale a business, how to compete with larger companies, and how to manage cash flow.
Seasoned Entrepreneurs Can Benefit Too
Experienced entrepreneurs will embrace this book because it helps build upon the fundamental concepts entrepreneurs experience. The Zig Zag Principle provides a structure and framework (a business plan model, of sorts) upon which entrepreneurs can build future endeavors.
The book and the principles behind it can guide you, inspire you, and demonstrate that you don’t have to charge at your goal, you can get to it step by step.
Excerpts
The purpose of The Zig Zag Principle is to share a rock solid approach to traveling down the road to success. The twists and turns and the zigs and zags are laid out to help inspire and motivate others to zig zag their way to success. For this reason, we’re making the book available to anyone by publishing it online, bit by bit. Enjoy reading the excerpts and learning a revolutionary way of traveling down the road to your success.Summary
The Zig Zag Principle is a field guide to entrepreneurship, plain and simple. It brings you out into the world of business and shows what you should look for as you climb. This book will give you the steps, in clear and jargon-free language, for entrepreneurial success. Here’s a detailed outline of what Rich discusses in the book.
Introduction — Living Contrary to the Laws of Nature. This may not seem like a natural process to you. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll see.
Deliberate Detours — The Magical Zig Zag Zig. That is to say, you’ll discover why this works like a charm once you’re in the process. Also why a detour is a straighter approach to success than a direct route.
The Beacon In The Fog — Where To Start — Big, Hairy Audacious Goals & Catalyzing Statements. Ah yes, how do you put your big idea into words? We’re not talking mission statements here. (Those useless corporate goals that say more to the board of directors than to the customers of a company.) We’re talking how to phrase what you’re doing and how to examine what your motivations are.
Zig #1 — Drive to Profitability. Here is where you learn the very first zig: it is important that you concentrate on making money. Your business isn’t any good if your profits are too far down the pike.
Zag #2 — Add Resources. This is all about making sure you’ve got the talent on hand, the equipment and the supplies. You never want to be caught short, because that would mean you can get stalled on your way to success.
Zag #3 — Scale. Scale as in scalability, or how large do you want to grow? How can you replicate what you’re doing, build a team to implement, and how big is too big for your own personal ambition (or that of your company’s effectiveness)?
Stay Out of the Weeds — Sometimes Called Diverting — How to avoid some of the pitfalls that entrepreneurs fall into, be able to recognize them before you get too close.
Finding Hidden Treasures — Feeding with Rewards. You’re bound to recognize other ideas as you implement yours, and your team is likely to be built of creative folks who will be capturing ideas as if they were fireflies on a summer night. Here’s what you do to keep everyone happy, creative — and moving forward.
A Time to Zig, a Time to Zag — Just Really Fun Zig Zag Short Stories. Who doesn’t like to hear some of the background stories about success (or failure).
Firm Foundations — Resources To Help you Zig and Zag. A bit about what’s helped me and what can help you, including products and services.
Avoiding the All or Nothing Trap — See you at the Big, Hairy Audacious Goal. As always, a continuing assessment of your progress is important. As any entrepreneur knows, it’s not necessarily the goal, but the process that’s important because this isn’t a once-in-a-lifetime thing—it’s your life.
Praise and Reviews
“The Zig Zag Principle is founded upon rock-solid principles so simple that you will read this book wondering how you could have missed seeing truths that are so obvious.”
Stephen R. Covey
Author, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and The Leader in Me
“Our economy will be saved and grow again through the industry of focused entrepreneurs who will hire thousands of employees to meet the needs of customers. This thoughtful and inspired book will guide creative and energized business men and women to accomplish their loftiest dreams and restore America’s prosperity once again.”
Alan E. Hall
Entrepreneur, Angel Investor, Venture Capitalist, co-founder of Mercato Partners
“Rich Christiansen is one of the most insightful, practical and cost-conscious entrepreneurs in the world today. Listen to Rich. He won’t steer you wrong.”
Roy H. Williams
Author, New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling Wizard of Ads trilogy
“I don’t believe entrepreneurship is something you can truly learn from a book. Everyone has to make their own mistakes. Nevertheless, if you’ve already made some mistakes then you’ll find The Zig Zag Principle to be a no-b.s. guide to starting, nurturing, and succeeding at entrepreneurship.”
Jeffrey Eisenberg
Author, New York Times and Wall Street Journal marketing bestselling Call to Action & Waiting For Your Cat To Bark?
“Entrepreneurs, you need NOT fear failure anymore! With The Zig Zag Principle in hand, you will have all the tools you need to increase your probability of success the instant you apply the concepts in this book.”
Rick Sapio
Founder and CEO of Mutual Capital Alliance, Inc. in Dallas, Texas