Do You Keep a Procrastination List?

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It’s a pretty standard practice at most supermarkets and grocery stores. I think the only place where I haven’t seen it (yet) is Costco. You mosey your way through the aisles to pick up a carton of milk, a box of cereal, a pack of chicken thighs and a loaf of bread. These are all pretty typical items on the shopping list for most families. No big deal.

The Cheap Temptations

You make your way over to the checkout and you’re immediately hit by a variety of celebrity gossip magazines. There’s a bit of a lineup, so you catch yourself skimming through the headlines for some of the latest scandalous dealings. The line moves a little bit and you’re hit with fully stocked shelves of candy, chocolate bars and chewing gum, along with more magazines. There may be some cold beverages in little fridges there too, sold for at least double the price (on a per unit basis) of the larger packs you found back in the regular (non-refrigerated) aisles.

And I don’t know about your local supermarkets, but the Real Canadian Superstore here in Vancouver always has a deal of the day or a deal of the week. The cashier is obligated to offer this to you — it could be anything from cough lozenges to dish soap — or else you get one for free.

Why? Why do all supermarkets stock up their cashier lines with these relatively small items? Because they’re all impulse buys, designed to tempt you after you’ve already gone through all your regular shopping in the main part of the store. You see, there’s this concept in psychology called ego depletion and the idea is that your self-control is a limited resource that gets depleted the more you use it.

Enter the Procrastination List

So, what does picking up a sleazy tabloid and a bottle of fizzy drink have to do with Internet marketing and making money online? The very same mechanism at play at the checkout stand before you’re greeted by the cashier is equally applicable to how you go about approaching your day-to-day life as a self-employed professional.

When you set your own schedule and when you don’t have a traditional “boss” to answer to, the opportunities for distraction and procrastination are limitless. And after you exhaust your self-control trying to avoid Facebook and YouTube for a couple hours, it becomes so much easier to give in to your temptation to dive into some forum or fall into a bottomless pit of Google searches, and these end up being a tremendous waste of time.

Perhaps with a healthy dose of irony, I came across an interesting strategy as I was meandering my way through the Internet one day. It’s called the procrastination list, but you can call it whatever you want. Basically, you maintain a list of tasks that you are “allowed” to do when you feel the urge to procrastinate. The key is that when you want to procrastinate, these are the ONLY things you’re allowed to do.

This is a little different from the scheduled breaks you would allow yourself under the Pomodoro technique, as those 5 to 15 minute breaks should be spent away from the computer anyhow. Instead, pull in some items from your Kanban boards or your other to-do lists, items that are lighter and “fun” and could serve as a pleasant escape or “break” from what you’re normally working on.

If you write a lot, as you probably should as a blogger, then perhaps one of your permissible procrastination list items is to take pictures for a product review or shoot a video for your YouTube channel. Maybe it’s to dive into a helpful book that you’ve been meaning to read. The main thing is that when you feel like you want to procrastinate, you must pick something from your procrastination list. If you don’t want to do anything from the list, then you have no choice but to return to whatever it is that you’re currently working on.

Do Better Work

Now while some researchers have evidence that may debunk the notion of ego depletion, the lessons we can learn from the concept can still be applied to our everyday lives, both personally and professionally. Stack the odds in your favor of actually getting important work done. Always keep a procrastination list.

Click Here To Download John Chow’s New eBook, and Live The Dot Com Lifestyle!

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Use These Growth Strategies to Build a 6-Figure Business

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Step one is knowing what's possible. It's a lot.

July 2, 2018

4 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

I built my first business to multiple six figures fairly quickly in 1999. It was a service business that filled a major need for a select industry. It's a business that many entrepreneurs can still start and build successful today. I sold that business and started a lifestyle business in 2011. I heard good things about generating income online and doing it passively, so I figured I could get to six figures or more quicker. I was wrong. 

For the first year, I made less than $10,000. I did everything the industry leaders advised to do. Yet, no forward progress. It was frustrating. I chased leads, I worked hard every day, and I felt like giving up more times than I can count.

In 2012, I did "crack the code." I focused and understood four important growth strategies. They've helped me build a six-figure business that gives me freedom and financial security and that pays me to travel to 25 countries a year. These strategies can apply to any type of business. Use them.

Related: You Can Start This 6-Figure Service Business Tomorrow Morning for Under $100

Build your audience with more than posting on social media.

The major social media platforms get billions of users daily. The opportunity to reach them and tell them about your business is exciting. While this has opened many doors for us as entrepreneurs, it's also created a crutch. It's not uncommon for entrepreneurs to build their entire marketing strategy around posting on social media organically. You've probably seen a fellow entrepreneur posting constantly about their business. It repels potential leads.

The major social media platforms are publicly traded companies that have to make a profit for their shareholders. The way they do this is by always changing. If you build your foundation on their platforms, your business will suffer when they decide to make a change that benefits their bottom line.

Social media marketing should only be one part of a diverse and ever-evolving marketing plan for your business. Email marketing still works well. Media exposure grows businesses. Webinars, joint ventures, public speaking and many others ways help you market and grow your business. Don't put all your eggs in the social media marketing basket.

Related: 6 Income Streams You Can Create in the Corporate Consulting Space

Understand and execute consistent lead generation tactics. 

The way any business grows is by getting new customers. But more than that, you need a system that brings in fresh leads on a consistent basis. Too many businesses don't succeed because they're dependent on the few customers that they already have, or worse, on one major customer. Both of these scenarios can be a scary place to be. You're one decision away from having no income. 

To grow a six-figure business, your lead generation should be stellar. We live in the digital age. You can generate leads through your blog, podcast, videos, on social media, through webinars, training in large groups, local business chambers, media exposure, getting articles published online and many other ways.

While you generate consistent leads, you'll build multiple revenue streams and passive income along the way. Doing these two things helps you build a stable foundation and creates financial security. You can build a business that's more than just you.

Related: Serious Entrepreneurs Have 2 Goals: Passive Income and Multiple Revenue Streams

Understand your value and don't give it away. 

Self-limiting beliefs can be the kryptonite of any entrepreneur. It could be a few negative words from haters or even someone you like. It could be a comment left on your content or customers that want refunds. There are situations that take a knock at your confidence and those instances lead to you undervaluing your knowledge and expertise. Don't do it!

You give away enough of you through your free content and the ways you pay it forward. You should charge more because there are customers who would gladly pay because they understand the value you provide. Charge based off of value and raise your prices as necessary. Don't hop on calls or answer messages when your gut is telling you to ignore the requests. Do what makes sense for you.

Related: You Are an Entrepreneur. Customers Will Pay What You're Worth.

You can build a six-figure business this year by understanding and by implementing these strategies that have withstood the test of time and change. Start by adjusting your mindset to what's possible and put in the work daily.

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Learn This Skill to Advance Your Career as a Writer

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There are writers. And then there are professional writers.

Over my career as a writer and editor, I’ve noticed one key factor that enables writers to perform their craft professionally.

I’ve said it before, so you won’t be surprised to hear:

It’s the ability to self-edit.

A strong self-editor doesn’t just show up to work; they show up with a seemingly counterintuitive balance of compassion and criticism that allows them to write prolifically and precisely.

That combination is exactly what companies and publishers look for when they hire writers.

Self-sufficient writers know they’re going to:

• Choose the wrong words.


• Add distracting tangents.


• Repeat information.

But since they are aware of their mistakes and disciplined, they produce more sophisticated content than writers who don’t rigorously examine their own work.

Here are three practices that strengthen your self-editing skills.

1. Form your structure

Readers quickly navigate away from articles that don’t flow smoothly.

However, your first draft is almost certainly going to be a mess that no one other than you will understand.

To tackle this obstacle, assign yourself deadlines for each phase of your writing process.

Plan time to:

• Explore your ideas.


• Shape them into a presentation.


• Fine-tune your message until a reader can effortlessly follow along.

And when you think your final draft is ready to publish, review it one more time. The “secret sauce” I reveal at the end of this post helps ensure you clearly guide your reader through your content.

2. Encourage a transformation

What will a reader get out of your writing? How will they think or feel differently?

Once you’ve established a solid structure, add details that enrich your writing voice and remove the parts that don’t serve your readers.

Your writing has to be personal, but not self-indulgent.

As you review each sentence, ask yourself:

“Does this text contribute to the transformation my reader wants?”

You’ll establish a connection with your reader faster when you succinctly make your point in a believable way that inspires action.

3. Value accuracy

Content managers and editors want to make writers look great. They’re less enthused about correcting sloppiness.

When they find factual errors, inconsistencies, and excessive typos, they wish the writer took the time to review their final draft as if it would be published without any further editing.

Use this simple checklist to spot and correct five of the most preventable content mistakes.

1. Names: Google the names of people, places, products, and companies to verify they are spelled correctly.


2. Days/Dates/Years: Every day of the week should correspond to the correct date and year.


3. Times: Start times of events should be double-checked.


4. Hyperlinks: Any hyperlinks should go to the intended web pages that enhance your content.


5. Templates: If you use a template, don’t leave any sections blank or republish outdated information.

The secret sauce

Proofreading is typically an undervalued (and half-assed) part of the writing process.

It doesn’t feel fun or creative, so it’s treated like an afterthought.

But it’s a mandatory step for self-sufficient writers.

My favorite way to catch mistakes in everything I write and edit is to proofread from the end of a document to the beginning. You can learn how to implement that technique here.

Be the artist who treats their craft with the utmost thought and care. It leads to better relationships and more opportunities for creative work.

Professional writers know that attention to detail is never a waste of time.

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Helpful Mindset Hacks for a Greater Life

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Many times people don't realize the impact their thoughts and words have on their lives.

July 1, 2018

1 min read

This story originally appeared on Lewis Howes

Your mindset is one of the most important tools you have in life. It can make or break you. Many times people don’t realize the impact their thoughts and words have on their lives. They tell themselves stories, whether it’s about their work, their finances or even their health. These stories become real. They dictate your future. 

Unfortunately, it’s not so simple to change the narrative you are giving yourself. A lot of times it takes a major life event to make you realize the problem. By then, it can feel too late.

I wanted to share this episode with you to show you six of the common misconceptions people have that care holding them back. 

If you take the time to open your eyes to these mindset problems, you can start changing your life now instead of waiting to hit rock bottom.

Learn more about my mindset hacks on Episode 658.

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Google Play or TuneIn.

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9 Princess Diana Quotes to Inspire You to Be a Better Person

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The 'People's Princess' used her power and popularity to help others.

July 1, 2018

2 min read

Through empathy, compassion and kindness, Princess Diana won the hearts of people around the world. That’s why the Princess of Wales was often recognized as the “People’s Princess.”

Related: 50 Inspirational Quotes to Motivate You

However, the British royalty was more than just a princess. Dedicating most of her life’s work to helping others, Diana was a humanitarian, a role model and a loving mother. Highly recognized for her work helping AIDS victims and her involvement to ban landmines, she went above and beyond when it came to raising awareness and helping others.

Related: 10 Inspirational Quotes from Successful Actress-Turned-Entrepreneur Jessica Alba

While the passionate leader’s presence is missed, her legacy continues to live on, and there are many lessons to learn from the caring human being. From kindness to courage and fulfillment, here are nine Princess Diana quotes that will make you a better person.

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What Type of Learner Are You? (Infographic)

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From 'visual learners' to 'kinesthetic learners,' figure out what learning style best suits you.

July 1, 2018

2 min read

Everyone has their own way of doing things, especially when it comes to absorbing new information. What might work for you won't for the person next to you. That’s why it’s important to understand your needs and what works best for you so you can take in new information quicker.

Related: The 4 Key Learning Styles and How You Can Use Them to Learn, Teach and Grow Your Business

Some people are “visual learners,” meaning they learn best when some sort of imagery such as maps, flow charts and diagrams is used. When there’s too much text on a page, a visual learner is likely to lose interest quickly. To the contrary, others might learn best when there are more words than images. These people are categorized as “read/write learners,” and more words on a page is beneficial to these individuals. Other types of learners include aural/auditory learners, multimodal learners and kinesthetic learners, or people who need a hands-on experience and put theory into practice.

Related: I Started Saying 'No' to These 6 Things. My Life and My Business Got a Lot Better.

To figure out what type of learner you are, check out Pound Place’s infographic below.  

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Beware the 'Weed Apocalypse'

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California pot entrepreneurs brace for the dreaded day, while consumers quite like it.

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Eating Giant Snails and Shrimps at OC & Lau Restaurant

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For this episode of the Dot Com Lifestyle Vlog, I head to Garden Grove in Orange County to eat giant snails and hot pot lunch at OC & Lau. They also serve the biggest shrimps I’ve ever seen.

This episode of the Dot Com Lifestyle Vlog was filmed using the new Sony A7III with 16-35 F/2.8 super wide angle lens. Let me know what you think of of the setup.

Click Here To Download John Chow’s New eBook, The Ultimate Online Profit Model!

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Best Tips for Increasing Your Networking Effectiveness

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Networking is a learned skill. Here are some tips to help you.

June 30, 2018

3 min read

This story originally appeared on Personal Branding Blog

Becoming unemployed is often a sudden, unexpected event, and most people do not have the networking skills needed to immediately switch gears and begin efficiently developing job leads. There could be many reasons: feeling uncomfortable with the networking process, not knowing the process, being shy by nature or never having needed to network in the past. Unfortunately, people in transition need to resort to networking, because it has been found that 60 to 80 percent of people are getting their next jobs via networking.

Related: How to Use LinkedIn to Find Your Next Job

The purpose of job search networking is to cultivate relationships to lean on for getting advice, information, leads and, ideally, referrals. The objective is to expand your sphere of personal connections. Certainly, whom you know is important, but in this instance, equally or possibly even more important is who knows you. After all, you’re the one looking for a next job.

Related: 9 Things to Consider Before Accepting a New Job

Networking is a learned skill. And it’s not necessary to be Mr. or Ms. Personality in order to be successful at it. Networking also involves consulting people who can list the search tools and strategies that have worked for them in past; people like sharing their own success stories. Involve people in building your own search tools. Try to unfold the hidden job market -- the positions that have not yet been advertised or that won’t ever be. That’s the reason they’re called hidden.

Related: 6 Logical Tips to Finding a Job

While networking, be considerate, genuine and timely so that people will be willing to lend a hand. Smiling -- smiling a lot -- is very effective when networking. Genial body language conveys that you are friendly and are enjoying your communication with the other person. Who wants to be associated with a Sorrowful Sue or a Negative Ned? It’s a big enough burden just to be in transition, and others usually don’t want to hear about someone else’s problems. You need to project a friendly and helpful image of yourself: Let the other person talk. Don’t monopolize the conversation. Exchange contact information and agree to follow up within a day or two. Keep the momentum going. By being a good networker, you increase your chances of getting a job several fold.

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How to Know If You Have the Entrepreneur Gene (If it Even Exists)

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Is entrepreneurship caused by nature or nurture? Not that it makes much difference once the bug bites.

June 30, 2018

5 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Scientists have been studying the potential role genes plays in a person’s aptitude for entrepreneurship. I’d certainly be interested in their conclusions given my own background and career.

Both my father and grandfather owned small businesses, which makes me a third-generation entrepreneur. Does that mean I have the entrepreneur gene? I didn’t really think so -- until recently.

Until about six years ago, I had absolutely no intention of following in the footsteps of my father and grandfather. The risky life of the entrepreneur did not appeal to me. I liked everything to be predictable and safe. I earned my MBA from the prestigious University of Chicago Booth School of Business and joined established, brand-name companies -- Texas Instruments, McKinsey & Company, Greylock IL.

I never made risky career moves.

By my mid-thirties, I was on a comfortable career track as an investor for a top VC firm making judgments about entrepreneurs and deciding which startup deserved to get funding. But something gradually changed. I felt myself increasingly drawn to the challenge of launching and building my own company. The death of my grandmother convinced me that life is short. I recognized the time had come to take bigger risks.

Did I make that decision because I have a genetic predisposition to entrepreneurship? I don’t know, but five years into my new life as a  startup founder I have a clearer sense of the traits required to be an entrepreneur.

Related: Passion Is What Unlocks Your Hustler's Work Ethic

A whole lotta passion and grit.

For an entrepreneur, starting and building a business is an obsession, not just a job. It consumes you. That’s how it’s been for me.

I was passionate about my previous jobs, of course. But it’s different when you’re building something from scratch -- when it’s your “baby.” I’ve had to constantly visualize a different reality. That’s another important trait of an entrepreneur: being a dreamer.

Another is grit. Things will go wrong even if you have the most carefully-crafted plans. Things were the hardest in the beginning. Investors told us no. Engineers and executives declined to join us. Potential partners were uninterested in speaking with us. Today isn't easy, just different types of challenges. Everyday is a new day in the trenches. What keeps us entrepreneurs going is passion for what we love.

You often hear about bankers and investors on Wall Street who make a ton of money but who hate their job. You definitely would not survive as an entrepreneur with that attitude. You have to wake up every morning prepared for the next setback…or the next success.

Related: It's Never Too Late to Pursue Your Passion

2. A little bit crazy.

There’s really something inherently irrational about quitting a solid job to start a company. The odds are stacked up against you. Many businesses go under, most entrepreneurs fail. You’re confronted by these facts when you launch your career as an entrepreneur.

You’ve got to be a bit crazy to want to become an entrepreneur. I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night thinking obsessively about an issue involving my company. Some nights I can’t sleep.

The potential to hit it big financially is one incentive for starting a company, but it is not always what moves one to become an entrepreneur. It certainly wasn’t what led me to start a business. I took a significant pay cut when I gave up my career as a VC investor to start my own company. For me and many entrepreneurs I know, launching a business is more than just about the monetary upside. It’s about making an impact, leaving a mark, doing something bold -- no matter how crazy it might seem.

Related: 25 Quotes About Making Money and Keeping Perspective

3. Laser focus on the future … and the next day.

How I viewed and approached the future changed when I became an entrepreneur. Like many overachievers, I used to meticulously plan the next years in my career. I knew where I wanted to be professionally in two, five and even 10 years. But when I started building a company, the medium-term plans somehow became less important.

Now I am mainly thinking about our long-term goals and focusing on the very next day. I wrestle with the same day-to-day concerns as many small business owners: Do we have enough funds to cover operations for the next quarter? Are we spending too much or too little on marketing? Do we have enough staff to keep up with growth?

The middle sort of goes away.

In the past, you probably thought about becoming a manager next year or reaching some milestone in the next two years. As an entrepreneur your thinking becomes "I’m building this massive thing, but let me get through tomorrow."

Related: Multimillionaires Share 7 Steps to Structure Your Day for Success

4. Best and worst job in the world.

I was asked recently if I ever had doubts or regrets about becoming an entrepreneur. My answer: Yes, of course. They come at least once a month. It’s like a rollercoaster ride. The highs thrill you in ways you’ve never experienced. The lows make you want to crawl under the sheets and cry.

As I always tell friends and colleagues: This is the job I’ve loved the most, and it’s the job I’ve hated the most. But I would do it all over again.

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How to Beat Stress and Boost Happiness (Infographic)

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Here are some ways to get a grip on your stress levels.

June 30, 2018

1 min read

Too much stress can lead to decreased productivity, poor health and burnout. The truth is, however, we usually stress about things that never actually happen. Or, if they do, we end up handling these situations much better than we’d imagined.

Related: 9 Ways High-Performing Entrepreneurs Handle Stress

Research conducted by Happify discovered that a whopping 85 percent of people admit that the things we worry about never actually happen. Not only that, but when our worries do become a reality, 80 percent of people say they handle these situations better than they thought they would. Still, seven out of 10 people say they experience stress and anxiety every day.

So what exactly are people stressing about? The top stressor is money, followed by work and the economy. In the workplace, people admit that workload was the most overwhelming aspect (46 percent), followed by people issues (28 percent), work-life balance (20 percent) and lack of job security (6 percent).

Related: A Brain Surgeon's Tips for Handling Stress Head-On

The best way to beat these stressors are getting outside, cultivating relationships with loved ones and exercising. To learn more, check out Happify’s infographic below.

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5 Female-Focused Accounts Blowing Up Instagram

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Cannabis-inspired accounts with a feminist touch.

June 30, 2018

4 min read

Brought to you by Celia Gold

The modern cannabis community boasts an outspoken intersectional feminist presence. All manner of cannabis advocacy and lifestyle brands are sprouting up IRL and on social media every day, providing new streams of content to like and share (or puff and pass, whichever). In classic Instagram fashion, some accounts are run by influencers and models/accountants and some are tagging that hash to spur on social change.

Here are five female-operated cannabis accounts not to be missed. 

You know those accounts that instantly turn you into the real-life heart eyes emoji? This heavy hitter perfectly combines mesmerizing, cannabis-inspired aesthetics with the civil rights elements inherent in cannabis advocacy. Prepare to be equally enthralled and galvanized when their posts cross your feed. Here you’ll discover smart and skilled artists like @_lauraberger_and @broobs.psd, while learning about various actions to take from scores of boss babes in the fullest seat of their cannabis-loving power. Bonus: their bio links! One recently led to Students for Sensible Drug Policy’s website, which you can visit to sign up for various Jeff Sessions-squashing action alerts and transcripts for calling representatives to advocate for cannabis legalization, accessibility, and retroactive justice efforts. 

Related: Some Universities Offer Classes On Marijuana. LSU Plans to Grow It.

 A relatively recent addition to the cannabis feminist archives itself, The Future Is Flower playfully riffs on the recently revived feminist slogan “The Future is Female” (you’ve seen it on T-shirts). These airy and atmospheric pics (including the main image up top) will leave you floaty and feeling up, up, up… and likely a more accountable cannabis supporter as well. A wonderland of rosy palettes, rainbow-colored smoke and floral crystal grids, this is the luscious and informative indica equivalent of high-femme grams.

I considered whether I should include this one because it’s directly connected to a company (as opposed to covertly linked, like so much of Instagram), but I’m consistently impressed by the way these purveyors of THC- and cannabinoid-rich lube run their feed. Foria's account is brimming with body-positive, sex-positive posts that routinely empower viewers by gently elucidating and denying consent to systems that try to usurp that power. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve checked the handle and been surprised to see that it was a brand talking this level of feminist gold—which is every bit as much of a turn-on as the irresistibly tactile skin pics (not that I mind those, either). 

Related: How One Mom Is Empowering Women Through Shoes

Ok, this one’s not technically a cannabis gram, but hear me out. The Hoodwitch’s account, created by domina of various healing modalities Bri Luna, will not disappoint friends of ganja. This feed will have you swimming in the witchy, sardonic, self-caring ether for daze. Whether you’re coming around to astrology for self-reflection or to lose yourself in the incredible mysteries of our planetary movements—or you just like looking at pics of dentures with opals for teeth—this compelling trifecta of wit, psychedelia and bruja wisdom will leave you spellbound in all the best ways. You’re welcome.

 A self-described “drug-induced exploration of divine femininity,” this account uses vintage aesthetics to hint at a future that will have you thanking God(dess) for this newcomer. Expertly curated and awash in acid neons, these kaleidoscopic pics invoke the mind-melting, soul-expanding mantras of another time through memes created yesterday. 

Related: 9 Business Ideas for People Looking to Cash in on the Marijuana Boom

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The Major Challenges Faced by Women in the Commercial Real-Estate Industry

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According to a recent study, 87 percent of women in commercial real-estate say equal pay is their largest obstacle.

June 29, 2018

3 min read

A whopping 87.2 percent of women say that the biggest challenge in the commercial real-estate industry is equal pay, according to a recent study by commercial real-estate recruitment and staffing firm RETS Associates.

Related: This Single Mom Turned Tech Entrepreneur Shares How She Rose Above Self-Doubt

The study is based on a survey of 618 women in entry- to senior-level positions about their feelings towards gender equality in the industry in 2018. Sixty-five percent of survey participants said they were made aware of being paid less than a male counterpart at some point in their career, and furthermore, 75 percent of these women said it happened two or more times. Following equal pay, a lack of promotion opportunities (79.2 percent) and feelings that their opinions are not as valued as their male counterparts (79.1 percent) were the other top concerns of women in this industry. But there is a sense of optimism throughout the commercial real estate field.

Related: Jessica Alba on Being Brave, Dealing With Self-Doubt and Overcoming Major Breakdowns

“The days of commercial real estate being an ‘old boys club’ are over,” said Jana Turn, principal at RETS Associates, in a press release. “Women are more empowered than ever before to stand up to discrimination, but change must come from the top and currently there aren’t enough women in leadership positions.”

When it comes to getting a new job or being promoted, 61 percent of participants said they felt they were passed over for a new job, assignment or listing because of their gender -- and 82 percent said it happened more than once. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to speak up when facing tough challenges such as these, and a majority of women don’t. According to the study, nearly two-thirds did not take action after being bypassed for a job due to fears of losing future opportunities, poor treatment from leadership and damage to their reputations. Of the remaining women who did try to take action, only 28 percent actually brought up the issue with HR while others just looked for other jobs or even resigned.

Whether unconscious or conscious, gender biases must be brought to the forefront and that’s especially true for a major industry such as commercial real estate. In 2017 alone, commercial real estate accounted for 7.6 million jobs in the U.S., contributing $935 billion to the economy, according to RETS.

Related: 98 Percent of VC Funding Goes to Men. Can Women Entrepreneurs Change a Sexist System?

“What leaders in commercial real estate and all industries need to understand is that gender equality means economic growth,” Turner says. “The way in which we treat women in the workplace is a key component to boosting not only our own industry’s success, but our entire economy. When women do well, we all do well.”

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How to Eliminate Excess Inventory

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Overstocking inventory just because you 'think' it's going to sell is a gamble that can easily lead to losses.

June 29, 2018

5 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

If you think your closet at home is disorganized, you don’t want to see what’s lying around H&M’s closet. The Swedish fashion giant is sitting on $4.3 billion in unsold inventory.

The company says its massive stockpile is due to new store openings and expanded ecommerce operations, but analysts blame poor inventory management and underwhelming product offerings.

Whatever the reason, it’s clear that H&M has a problem on its hands. Overstocking inventory is a gamble that can easily lead to losses. Inventory is necessary to make sales, but having too much of it means you’re binding capital. Even worse, what happens if nobody wants to buy the goods? H&M can spin this however it likes, but the reality is that a surplus of inventory is bad for any business.

A business-school lesson on inventory

The most basic mantra is: "Money in is better than money out." Or, in reference to what I'm writing about here: "Money in is better than money sitting around gathering dust."

Students of entrepreneurship learn that the best startup model involves getting paid earlier and paying their bills later. Producing an influx of inventory only to have it wait in storage will not set a company up for success. The key is to minimize inventory -- to have as close to zero inventory as possible -- while still having enough in stock to take advantage of any sudden increase in demand.

New businesses will always need a learning curve to figure out how to properly align production with demand; they haven’t been in business long enough to know what customers want. But even established and large companies such as H&M face uncertainty. Look at Microsoft’s original Surface. The Surface RT tablet computer (like the Zune before it) was a massive flop and caused a write-off of almost a billion dollars for the tech giant.

Related: Remembering Microsoft's Zune: 4 Product-Planning Lessons for Entrepreneurs

These flops hurt big businesses but are even more detrimental to cash-strapped startups that might be pinning all of their future production or growth goals on wasted inventory. Even if a startup can sell its products, scaling up makes inventory strategy that much more complicated.

Optimize your inventory strategy.

It’s easy to accumulate expenses by producing and storing inventory and hard to make things up with sales. Prudent entrepreneurs will pay very close attention to inventory policy and formulate a strategy based on four key points:

1. Minimize inventory.

The best inventory from a cash point of view is an empty inventory, meaning the goods have been sold and the money is in the bank. If your business can produce on demand, it might get paid before production even commences. But even merchandise-heavy companies can find ways to keep inventory slim without sacrificing sales opportunities.

H&M isn’t the only company struggling to survive with inventory surplus. Nike has more supply than demand, too. Its excess inventory problem is so bad that Goldman Sachs lowered its rating from "buy" to "neutral," as the company struggles with its Asian markets.

If your business expects growing demand for its goods, it should keep inventory to meet those increased sales. But don’t overdo it. If those sales don’t materialize, that inventory could spell death.

Kohl's, for example, is midway through a five-year plan to improve its inventory management. The retailer has strategized its inventory overload by localizing merchandise according to each store's preferences and climate, which reduces the amount of leftover stock at the end of each season. With more reactive technology, the company has also been able to pivot major brands and online sales faster, to reduce inventory pileup. Kohl's attributes this inventory strategy to much higher margins.

Related: The Best Way to Move Your Excess Inventory

2. Produce on demand

Instead of producing and storing goods, which binds cash, push that cost onto suppliers. Write a contract that allows you flexibility while expecting suppliers to produce for you on demand. It’s called just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing.

JIT costs more, but it is a better solution for improving cash flow than sitting on unsold inventory. Harley-Davidson recently implemented this process to avoid wasteful overproduction. In doing so, the company dropped inventory levels by 75 percent and eliminated inefficiencies in its productivity.

3. Plan your inventory for targeted sales.

Entrepreneurs are often too optimistic about their business's potential. To maintain realistic expectations, target inventory to meet the needs of your prioritized customers in your beachhead market.

The No. 1 reason businesses fail? Failure occurs because they don’t serve a specific market need, according to CB Insights. Other segments might want to buy your goods, but that doesn’t mean you need to have enough products on hand to satisfy them all. Supply your most important customers first, and think about the rest when you're more stable.

Related: Do You Have a 'Cash-Flow Conundrum'? If Yes, Remind Yourself That Cash Is King (and Queen).

Inventory management is one of the most important aspects for businesses of any size in any market. You might think stockpiling for the future is a smart move, but it only ties up capital into potentially unlovable products. H&M is just the latest in a long line of businesses dying because of a surplus of unsold inventory. Don’t fall into the same trap -- make inventory management your business’s top priority.

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19 Examples in Different Niche Markets

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Expert roundups are getting a lot of attention lately. If you haven’t participated in one, I’m sure you’ve at least seen them being passed around through social media or even found on your favorite site. The main reason why expert roundups are such a hot content creation method these days is that not only are you creating new content and value for your audience, your site is also getting a ton of social media shares, expert exposure, and authority in the process.

This is also one of the main reasons why I decided to launch my Rise of the Entrepreneur podcast, with the focus on interviewing experts within our industry.

Here’s a typical 5-step formula for how to create and find success with an expert roundup.

1. Choose a hot topic or question relevant to your niche


2. Email/outreach experts the question within your space


3. Once you get enough answers, publish them all to your site


4. Send outreach again to your experts and ask them to share your post


5. Repeat the process and continue to promote previous roundups on your site

The formula works extremely well and it one of the best ways to get expert names within your niche on your site. Since the experts who contribute content back to your site are getting free exposure and a link back to their site, it’s no problem for them to spend a few minutes answering your question and getting back to you.

If you are currently in need of an expert round-up for your own brand or blog, contact me and let’s make it happen! We’ll put together an action plan and outreach strategy that works best for your niche and target audience.

Examples of Expert Roundups in Different Markets

What’s even more exciting about this type of content creation, is that it works in really any niche market. Sports, business, entertainment, finance… they all have hot topics and talking points that can easily be covered.

Let’s take a look at several examples of different successful expert roundups in various industries today.

21 Branding Experts Love Using Infographics

The actual value in expert roundups is always a big question. Sure, you will likely get a lot of engagement, backlinks and social shares to your article, but how are you generating new business or money from it? In this infographic roundup, the question asked was how to use infographics within your outreach and marketing. This is perfect for the site, as they are an infographic design service. No matter what type of roundup you are creating, always try to have a monetization play in effect as well.

80 Blogging Experts Share their Tips on How to Start a Blog

Expert round ups are all about creating content for your existing audience, while also helping you reach new audiences and further establish yourself as an authority. Below you will find a perfect example of this in motion, through my how to start a blog expert round up. As with most expert round ups, the concept was simple… as a bunch of site owners one question that they could provide a great answer for. The end result was over 80 different ways to find success with blogging — all from proven experts who already put their recommended tip into action.

22 Nutrition Experts Want to Keep You Healthy

The health and weight loss space is flourishing with content that is read, shared and viewed millions of times daily. In short, there is a never ending need for creating new content in this space. An excellent way to accomplish this, while bringing a new feeling into this mix, is through expert roundups. In this nutrition expert roundup post, Nutrition Fox was able to share numerous tips with their audiences, while creating an effective new way to increase backlinks, views and social activity in the process.

75 Relationship Experts Share their Advice

When you think about expert roundups, you probably don’t think about some of the best niche markets and industries that they could be used in. This relationship roundup is a perfect example. What makes it even more exciting is that over 75 different experts were able to contribute to it!

How 27 PR Experts Handle A Media Crisis

Something like reputation management and PR is huge for any existing personal brand, business or organization on the internet today. We all know that once something goes online, not only is it there forever… it also has the potential to go viral and cause problems quick! So what would some of the smartest minds in PR do to protect themselves? You will just have to check out this expert roundup to find out.

12 Foodie Expert Share their #1 Tip for Health Eating

No matter what type of blogger or expert you might be, healthy eating is something everyone can relate with. While most bloggers are focusing on creating roundups that are extremely niche focused, bringing together a collection of food bloggers to contribute to a great generic topic like healthy eating is a perfect way to reach new audiences around the world. Wondering what these food bloggers recommend for cooking fast and easy healthy meals? You’ll just have to check out each of their answers in the foodie roundup.

30 Expert Opinions on Why Men Cheat in Relationships

If you want to have one of the most read and well-respected relationship sites on the internet, you are going to need to have some expert advice for your audience as well. That is exactly what you will find at Marriage.com. Not only does their site have thousands of articles on relationship, love, and dating, they also have expert roundups as well. One of the more popular ones on the site focuses on why men cheat and highlights the opinion of thirty different relationships experts and their own unique reasoning.

Gardening Experts Trying to Save Your Garden

If you have a question about your home garden or even how to grow one… where do you go? For most people, it’s probably the local Home Dept or Lowes. Instead of trekking out to the store, why not search online and see what you can find. An excellent way to provide a useful resource to your audience while also answering commonly asked questions is through gardening roundups like the one featured below. Not only is this roundup niche specific, it’s also evergreen content — as it will be useful year after year whenever gardening is in season.

25 Experts Discuss the Future of SEO

In the world of online marketing and branding, expert roundups seem to take place on a daily basis. A few of the most common reasons for this is that so many people in our industry are willing to help each other out with information, while there also being a wide range of sites and resources always looking to create valuable content through such roundups. A perfect example of this can be seen at RankWatch, where they compiled answers from 25 different marketing experts to help us all better understand how to rank in Google and what the future of SEO might hold.

16 Cycling Bloggers Want You To Go Biking

When it comes to creating content for a niche focus blog, it’s all about knowing what your audience is looking for. For example… if you had a biking blog, how much could you possibly write about on biking? I’m sure there is plenty if you are in expert in this space. Another option is to simply interview other biking experts within your industry as well. Here’s a perfect example of a roundup in the cycling space.

10 SEO Experts Want to Expand Your Site Reach

Yes, I’ve even featured a few expert roundups of my own on a few of my sites. Some people like to go with super long roundups and will try to get as many people as they can to contribute. On this one, I simply went with 10 and it worked out extremely well. All it took was a few minutes to send out emails to a few SEO experts, send them a question and then compile all of the answers into a nice looking roundup post.

90 SEO Experts Discuss Effective Link Building

When being in a competitive niche industry like SEO or online marketing, associating big name experts with your site can be a huge deal. Tim Soulo did a great job with in this in his ahrefs roundup which featured 90 different SEO experts within the industry. Not only did this result in massive shares and branding for the site, it was also hitting their target audience as well — people wanting to do more with their SEO.

Beauty Experts Discuss Personal Looks

If you search around Google long enough, you will probably find expert roundups on just about anything. I was able to come across this one on a lesser known beauty blog, but it was still enough to grab my attention. The goal of this site is to review hair straightening products. Through the use of this personal looks roundup, I’m sure they were about to creep their way higher in the search results and move passed a lot of their competition.

48 Experts Share their Preferred eCommerce Platform

In the world of online marketing and business, it’s always important to choose the right hosting, advertising, and ecommerce platforms. With so many different solutions to choose from, what better way to get an idea of what’s working best, than through the use of asking experts what they are using. That is exactly what you will find in this ecommerce software round up. This round up was yet another one, completed by Minuca Elena.

16 Experts Look into the Future of Virtual Reality

When you have access to a lot of experts (which is something we all have), sometimes you just need to get creative. Don’t feel that you need to always ask the same SEO or marketing questions. Some of the best roundups or conversations happen when you step away and get more personal. A great example of this is seen in the virtual reality roundup with experts in the mobile application space. Let’s check back on this post in a few years and see how many of them were on the right track!

17 Marketing Experts Share Their Favorite Logo

When you see a logo design from the likes of McDonalds, Starbucks or Disney… how does it make you feel? Some of the most famous logo designs in the world today don’t even have names associated with them, yet people know who/what they are. Some people will a lot of money just to have a brand name logo on something, versus getting a generic version. Logos make people feel differently about brands around the world and this logo design expert roundup is a perfect example of why and how. Not only is this roundup focused on the thought process of different marketers and why logos make us think the way they do, it’s also a great promotion tactic for the site to push their logo design services.

50+ Internet Security Tips from the Experts

The more focused your expert roundup is to the core of your business, the more likely you are to find success. Internet security probably isn’t one of the most exciting topics to read or write about, but when you bring in a lot of expert opinions, it instantly becomes more interesting. This is also a great example of how to create content that helps with backlinking and social activity.

28 Parenting Bloggers Share their Buying Mistakes

Mommy and parenting bloggers are some of the most powerful people on the internet. While most of them won’t have a massive reach or following, the following that they do have is usually quite loyal. The same holds true for many of the shopping and coupon bloggers out there as well. When they aren’t saving money or dishing the dirt on the latest parenting tips, you might just find some of them on parenting expert roundups like this one.

25+ Industry Veterans Reflect Back on Affiliate Summit

To bring this “expert” expert roundup series to a close, I wanted to bring us back to one of my best and most favorite roundups on the internet — which also happens to be right on this very blog. This round up is from Affiliate Summit attendees (mainly industry veterans), who were all asked what their favorite / most memorable story or event was over the past 15 years of Affiliate Summit events. This round up was perfect for many reasons, but mainly because they were all genuine stories that related not only with other Affiliate Summit attendees but also the person telling the story.

As mentioned in one of the earlier roundup examples… don’t feel obligated to always just ask a single question. Feel free to make it more open ended to bring more conversation and engagement to the table.

Creating Your Own Expert Roundups

Now that you’ve seen what’s possible with expert roundups, it’s time to start creating one of your own. The most time-consuming part of this whole process is the outreach process, as you will need to individually email each of the experts you would like to include within your roundup. What takes even longer is the process of actually finding the contact information for each person. To help with this process, I highly recommend using a solution like Outreach Ninja (14 day free trial).

Once the outreach process has taken place, then it’s a waiting game to see who is getting back to you. Again, a tool like Outreach Ninja can help with this, as you can build contact lists and see how is getting back to you — which is useful for future roundups. After going live with your roundup, be sure to then contact everyone who contributed, to let them know it’s live. Tell them you will be promoting it through social media and you’d appreciate if they could do the same.

Follow the example expert roundups above and the quick action guide above to start creating similar high-quality posts for your own site!

Don’t forget — If you are currently in need of an expert round-up for your own brand or blog, contact me and let’s make it happen! We’ll put together an action plan and outreach strategy that works best for your niche and target audience.

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The Woman CEO Who Changed My Life -- and the Lessons She Taught Me About Business Success

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I was lucky enough to meet one of the women founders who most inspired me.

June 29, 2018

6 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Have you ever crossed paths with a person at just the right moment, after which your life would never be the same?

I have. The year was 1992. I was in the darkest period of my life. Three years before, I was at the height of my financial and business success when everything came crashing down. Battling a life-threatening illness, unable to work for over five years, forced to liquidate all my assets, I went into serious debt to keep a roof over my head and pay medical expenses.

Related: 6 Globally Successful Female Entrepreneurs Who Started Out Late in Life

The deepest pain of all was realizing that I had sold my soul for the trappings of external success. Success left me feeling empty. I didn't know who I was anymore.

Then, a trailblazing woman entrepreneur/activist came into my life. Little did I realize, my life and business would never be the same.

That woman was Anita Roddick, founder and CEO of The Body Shop. I was first introduced to Roddick through her book, Body and Soul: Profits with Principles. At the same time, I was writing my own book about other powerful businesswomen also defying the odds. As synchronicity would have it, I learned that Roddick would be making a rare speaking appearance at a business women's conference in Los Angeles.

Without hesitation, I booked a flight to L.A. for the sole purpose of asking Roddick to write the forward of my book. Not only did she agree, but I got to hug and thank the very person who still inspires me today to build a business grounded in purpose, passion and principles. Here's why.

The start of a new entrepreneurial era

In Brighton, England, in 1976, Roddick opened a small shop to pay the bills and to support her young family. Building an empire was never part of her dream at that time. What was front and center in her business were the causes and principles she believed in. She built a business uniting social and human rights with environmental protection and animal welfare.

With such principles as the driving force of the company, The Body Shop became the first business ever to utilize a conscious capitalism strategy -- that is, "doing well by doing good." She proved a business committed to a better world could also make a profit.

These concepts were groundbreaking in the 1970s, often ridiculed by corporations. Forty years later, mainstream businesses globally are following in Roddick's footsteps.

Related: The First Black Woman to Own and Run a Billion-Dollar Company Says That Trusting Yourself Is Key to Success

What Roddick taught me about business success

While the list of lessons one can learn from Roddick's example are endless, below are the ones most pivotal in my life.

1. Never sell my soul for financial ambition. Never compromise my values for external success.

When I started my business in 1985, I was addicted to achieving higher levels of success. Yes, such an addiction exists. It fed my ego and gave me a false sense of importance.

I had to lose everything to find myself and the ideals that mattered most to me. That Roddick could build a business on her personal values and beliefs inspired me to recommit to my true path and once again embark on my own "road less traveled."

Does your business embody the beliefs for which you stand? Do your achievements feed or compromise your soul?

2. Define my own yardstick of business success and the bottom line.

Traditional "measurements" of success -- even today -- are tailored to a male worldview. As a former mathematician, numbers still have a place in my business, just not as the fundamental yardstick.

Roddick helped me to see the bigger questions concerning the concept of profits and to challenge a redefinition. As Roddick articulated in an interview with BBC journalist Martyn Lewis for his book, Reflections on Success: "When one talks about profit, one has to ask, 'Profit for whom?' How do my employees profit? How do the customers profit? Why do we only define profit as a financial profit?"

For the past 30 years, my definition of business profitability is guided by one question: What is for the highest and best good of everyone? Bottom line, if I can honestly say "everyone profits" from every decision and step I take, then my business is a success.

Does your yardstick of success serve the greater good?

Related: 'Keep Moving Forward' Urges ClassPass Founder Payal Kadakia, Who Means It Both Figuratively and Literally

3. Own and leverage my emotions as the driving force in my business.

When I started my career in the mid 1970s, I was one of the few women in a male-dominated environment. Women were ingrained to believe that we had to walk, talk and act like men to achieve success.

It was a taboo to show any emotions. You were labeled as weak, unable to handle the pressure and inferior to men if you did.

Roddick taught me the polar opposite -- how my emotions are strengths, not weaknesses, in the business world. Her passion, burning enthusiasm and authentic caring were the secret sauce that drove her company to dizzying heights.

Contrary to the times, Roddick's leadership style was personal, empowering and nurturing. Here again, Roddick was ahead of her time: "Business practices would improve immeasurably if they were guided by "feminine" principles -- qualities like love, care and intuition." 

To what extent is caring a way of business for you?

4. Let my business be a catalyst for change -- no matter how controversial.

Even though Roddick sold The Body Shop to L'Oréal in 2006 and passed away in 2007, her legacy is much bigger than her natural products, her company and even her achievements.

Her mission was to make business a powerful force for good at a time when companies' primary reason for existence was to make money. Her company was the conduit for the change she wanted to see in the world. And she succeeded in epic proportions.

Like Roddick, I have built my business for over 30 years to do my part to change the leadership consciousness in the business world. Yet, the greatest gift of all was the courage she gave me to live my truth at a time when I had lost my way.

I wish I could tell her, "Anita, for the impact you made on my life when I needed it the most, I thank you from my heart. For the mark you made on the world, I am deeply grateful."

Who inspires you in your business? What will be your legacy for generations to come?

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South OC Cars & Coffee San Clemente

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This week’s South Orange County Cars and Coffee was full of supercars, especially Ferraris and McLarens. There was also a VW Bug (also known as a Punch Buggy) that was powered by a 427 cubic inch (that’s 7 liters) big block Chevy motor! That’s way too much motor for a bug, but it’s one way to pack a big punch into a punch buggy!

This episode of the Dot Com Lifestyle Vlog was filmed using the new Sony A7III and 16-35 F/2.8 super wide angle lens equipped with a Tiffen 82mm Variable ND Filter. Let me know what you think of of the setup.

Click Here To Download John Chow’s New eBook, The Ultimate Online Profit Model!

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Shooting at Annapolis Newspaper Leaves 5 Dead. Its Journalists Have Been Courageously Covering the Attack Ever Since.

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Journalists at The Capital Gazette worked out of a makeshift office in a pickup truck to put out Friday's paper as scheduled.

June 29, 2018

3 min read

Just before 2:40 p.m. on Thursday, a gunman shot through the glassdoor of the Capital Gazette newsroom in Annapolis, Md. Journalists hid underneath desks as a gunman used a long-arm shotgun to open fire on newspaper employees, killing five and injuring two.

Authorities said they responded within one minute of the attack and later confirmed the victims to be assistant editor and columnist Rob Hiaasen, 59; community correspondent and special publications head Wendi Winters, 65; editorial page editor Gerald Fischman, 61; staff writer John McNamara, 56; and sales assistant Rebecca Smith, 34.

Journalists initially reported the experience on Twitter. A summer intern at the paper, Anthony Messenger, tweeted, “Please help us,” along with the office address.

“There is nothing more terrifying than hearing multiple people get shot while you're under your desk and then hear the gunman reload,” wrote Phil Davis, a staff reporter covering courts and crime.

The attack marked the 154th mass shooting in 2018, according to the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive. That’s nearly one per day so far this year. 

Reporters, photographers and editors came together after the attack to form a makeshift office in a pickup truck, working out of a local mall parking garage. They successfully put out Friday’s paper with in-depth biographies for each slain colleague. The Capital Gazette’s staff has been covering developments firsthand ever since on the newspaper’s website.

“I don’t know what else to do except this,” said staff reporter Chase Cook in a piece written by his colleagues.

A Washington journalist started a GoFundMe campaign for the Capital Gazette and staff victims that, at time of writing, had raised almost $123,000 in 19 hours.

“Gerald, Rob, Wendi, John and Rebecca will never be forgotten,” said Trif Alatzas, publisher and editor-in-chief of The Capital Gazette’s parent company, The Baltimore Sun Media Group, in a statement on Friday. “They were not only our colleagues but also our friends.” Alatzas said the publications will continue to honor the victims’ memories by supporting staff and continuing their mission to deliver the news.

At a Friday news conference, officials called the shooting a coordinated attack and mentioned the rear door of the building had been barricaded.

“The fellow was there to kill as many people as he could kill,” said Timothy Altomare, police chief for Maryland’s Anne Arundel County.

The Anne Arundel County police department did not respond to a request for comment. 

Alleged shooter Jarrod Warren Ramos, 38, who had for years tried to unsuccessfully sue the paper for defamation, hid under a desk as police entered the newsroom. He allegedly did not cooperate with police in custody, but authorities were able to use facial recognition technology to identify him. On Friday morning, he was charged with five counts of first-degree murder, and he will be held without bail until his trial date.

On Friday, Maryland’s flags were lowered to half-staff.

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The U.S. Senate Voted to Legalize Hemp. And Hemp Won.

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The Farm Bill legalizes the cultivation, processing, and sale of industrial hemp.

June 29, 2018

2 min read

Hemp might not be the first thing you think about when you hear the name Mitch McConnell, but the Senate Majority Leader has championed legislation to make it legal to grow industrial hemp in the U.S. Yesterday, the Farm Bill passed by a vote of 86-11, with rare bi-partisan support. 

“I’m most excited about a provision in this bill that will clear the way for the legal farming of industrial hemp by removing current roadblocks that prevent farmers in Kentucky and around the country from capitalizing on this promising crop,” said Senator McConnell

Not the Psycho-Active Drug

The United States is the only developed country which still bans the growth of industrial hemp. This is mostly due to bad PR for the plant, which many falsely associate with reefer. 

But McConnell and others were quick to point out that hemp is the non-psychoactive strain of cannabis, unlike "its illicit cousin" marijuana. Indeed, hemp contains the double whammy of low levels of THC, the chemical that causes you to get high, and CBD that blocks the effectiveness of the THC.

According to a Congressional Research Service report released last week, industrial hemp is "used in the production of a wide range of products, including foods and beverages, cosmetics and personal care products, nutritional supplements, fabrics and textiles, yarns and spun fibers, paper, construction and insulation materials, and other manufactured goods."

Related: Hemp Is the Multibillion-Dollar Cannabis Opportunity Few Have Heard About 

What's Next?

The Farm bill would remove hemp from the federal list of controlled substances, allowing it to be sold as an agricultural commodity. States would be allowed to regulate hemp, and hemp researchers could apply for grants from the Agriculture Department.

But don't hold your breath— the Senate's bill still needs the approval of the House, which is working on its own version of hemp legalization, before it can land on the President's desk for his signature. 

Related: Will President Trump Really Support States' Rights On Marijuana?

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