Visit our online shop for your left-handed productsDo left handers do business differently?
ALH owners Keith and Lauren (both left-handers of course!) have found over the years that left-handers in business do think differently and tackle problems in different ways. Our own surveys and the results of various research projects do seem to indicate that there are more successful left-handed entrepreneurs and business people than the percentage of lefthanders in the population would suggest.
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We think that people like Henry Ford and Bill Gates succeeded as entrepreneurs in part because being left handed encouraged them to challenge convention and think differently to come up with creative solutions to problems. |  |
Keith was contacted recently by best selling left handed business author Robert Ashton to see if we had any common interests and if we could be of any help to fellow left-handed business people. We arranged a meeting and were amazed at how fast we got on the same wavelength – we even both use mind maps to record our ideas and plans.
After an hour of putting the world to rights (well, lefts actually) we had come up with enough great ideas to last us for years and we agreed to explore the possibility of setting up a Left Handed Business Club. It would provide networking, support, training and resources plus a general sounding board for ideas and a place to get feedback and help from fellow lefties around the world
Interested? We think you will be!
We are floating the idea here initially to get some feedback and see both what resources we have available already within our networks and what people would want from this if we can set it up.
What resources can we make available?
Both Keith and Robert have been actively involved in helping other businesses, both offline and online, for many years and already have a big library of useful resources available:
- Robert Ashton has written nine business books, has a TV series, is a popular conference speaker and trainer and has written many articles on starting and developing businesses while staying happy and fulfilled at the same time! You can find out more about Robert on his website www.robertashton.co.uk
- Keith Milsom has a business consultancy and corporate finance background, has owned and run Anything Left-Handed for many years and for the past ten years has been working full-time online. As a way to get information and help with online business development to the people who ask for it, he has developed an internet marketing resource site at www.MyWebMarketingExpert.com (you can join free and get access to his 2 reports on getting started with an online business as well as lots of other reports and manuals on a wide range of online business issues).
How many other left-handers out there have business expertise and resources that they are willing to share with fellow lefties in business? Do you have experience or expertise that could help other lefthanders and would you be able to answer questions from others in a private forum?
If you fit that category, please use the form below to contact Keith with details and we will pull it all together and see what we come up with.
To test the water, here’s a unique offer we think you’ll find appealing.
What do left-handed business people want?
We are also very interested to know what you would like us to provide for you and any other ideas you have related to this concept. You can either add a comment to this page (use the form at the bottom) or use the form above to contact Keith directly.
An offer from Robert
Robert has worked for several years with Australian entrepreneur Brad Sugars who set up the ActionCOACH franchise from scratch. Over fifteen years it has grown to be one of the world’s top 50 franchise businesses. During October 2009, he is speaking at five events around the UK, telling his story and sharing his top tips for business success. He’s not left handed, but the man who took Brad’s philosophy and made it into a winning methodology is! Robert has heard him speak before and recommends him highly. Robert says:
Brad’s philosophy is painfully simple. When I heard him speak, I noted five things to do:
1. Only do yourself the stuff others can’t do for you
2. Don’t sell anything once – lease, seek royalities etc but retain the rights
3. Invest in the ‘winter’ so you’re ready in the ‘spring’ (training/marketing/tooling)
4. Cashflow is everything – neglect it at your peril
5. Avoid debt
Telling quotes:
‘JOB = just over broke’
Never argue with an idiot – it just makes two idiots
In a nutshell, he’s a bloody good presenter who will leave you more aware than before of how you’re neglecting the basics!
Here’s the deal:You can find out more and book your place here www.ukbusinessisbooming.com Tickets cost just £49+vat and if you add the promotion code OT40 when you book, we’ll send you a signed copy of Robert Ashton’s ‘The Entrepreneur’s Book of Checklists’ worth £12.99 for free! Click here to see more details on Robert’s book, the contents list and some sample pages |
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Let us know what you think
Either add your comments below or use the from above to contact Keith direct and we will give you some feedback in our next Left Handers Club newsletter (Join free here if you are not already a member)
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Thank you for putting this together. I can’t wait to see what emerges from this blog. I am left-handed and I’m curious to know what careers/jobs there are out there that might be beneficial to be left-handed. For instance, when I was young I was hired to work as a waitress in a local restaurant, but was quickly promoted to a bartender when they realized that I was left-handed, because right-handed people could only work on the left side of the bar, and when it was busy, needing 2 bartenders, they couldn’t find people who could work on the right side of the bar which was set up for left-handed bartenders. I’m wondering what other jobs or careers are out there that businesses would benefit from having left-handed staff.
This is really interesting, You’re an excessively professional blogger. I have joined your rss feed and look forward to seeking more of your great post. Additionally, I’ve shared your website in my social networks
MI primer idioma es el español no soy muy bueno escribiendo en inglés.
Ok.
Desde muy pequeño he tenido ideas sobre avances tecnológicos ideas que algunas las he visto desarrolladas por otros pero desde otros puntos de vista que no es el mío. Puedo decir que el ser izquierdo me ha sido en un 30% de estorbo y un 70% de ventaja. Me gustaría compartir mis ideas pero me tomaría mucho tiempo pero gracias por permitirme exponer brevemente mi caso.
Gracias:
Raúl.
I’m not a leftie, but I always wanted to be… I even tried to learn to write with my left hand. Except for that, I’m a Lefty in every way. After plunging into the world of business three years ago, I’ve come to realize that I process things differently, and have a rough time following directions if I don’t know why I’m doing them. I need the big picture first in order to stay motivated. Staying on task when it requires repetitive action is nearly excruciating, and I’ve had to fight my desire to put a creative touch on everything I do. (That’s my favorite form of procrastination.) Now that I’ve experienced the frustrations and rewards of developing a marketing business on the right side of my brain, I’m using that experience to help other people with left-handed tendencies to market their business from the perspective that works for them. I’ve named my website “Marketing For Lefties” so folks with an artistic mindset or who do things “differently” might find it. It’s frustrating when the rest of the world expects you to think the way they do. I’m glad to find other people who recognize that we lefties approach “non creative” areas, like business development, in a different way than the majority. Thanks for the opportunity to share!
I was very interested to read about the possibility of a leftie business forum. I run a craft design business and myself and my partner are both left handed! I ave never thought about it having any sort of effect on the way I run my business but reading through other peoples coments I realise that it does! I would be very interested in a forum where I could receive and possibly even give advice to other business owners.
Anice
I’m proud being a leftie ( I wasn’t that proud when I went to school and my communist teacher punished me) and it always made me feel special.I’m from Romania,Transilvania and I run a bridal shop which is not just a business it became a passion even if this year things didn’t work as I expected.I ignored some signals from the market and at the end of this season I feel like I need to learn more about business ( I started my business in 2001).
Emanuela
I am a direct marketing business owner. I have no idea about the number or success of lefties in this area, but would like to be kept informed.
I also work in child-care and have had to make many, many right handers aware of the specific problems faced by leftie children. Maybe someone out there would like to collaborate on a project to bring our issues to rightie teachers/childcarers?
Thanks to everyone for the comments that have been sent to me direct using the contact form. I have pasted some of them here to give you a flavour of the interest we are getting in this idea.
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I think that you’re on to something. I’m a proud left-hander and have been a Quality Engineering and Change Management consultant for several years. I have noticed that a large number of my left-handed clients do indeed think differently (or correctly).
This basis often dictates the methods needed for training and may explain why some of the more “traditional” consultants fail to achieve results.
I would be more than willing to help others with process improvement via an online forum if such a forum existed
Philip
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I’m from Montenegro, I run a travel agency for 1 years. I am left handed, as well as my sister, my daughter, my nephew, my sister in law, and also my late grandmother was also one of us. If I can help anyway, please let me know.
Regards from Montenegro, Stanka
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Cannot wait to see what you come up with!
Amy, Mississippi
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Yes we do think differently. I am looking forward to talking to a group of people that think like I do.
Rita
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Business consulting, economic development,energy efficiency. I like the idea of a left-handed business network.
Bill
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Hello, I too believe thinking outside the box is what has gotten me ahead. I have published my own local newspaper, taught myself computer graphics and made a business from it. I also do freelance writing and own an online business consulting site as well as an online gift shop. I would be happy to help fellow lefties to maximize their business and give advice.
Toni
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I would be interested in joining this club. I own a medical transcription company in New York, USA.
Linda
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I found your article very interesting, and personally I feel very strongly that lefties have a very creative side to them that is an asset in the changing world of business. I am currently CEO of a management consultancy, and I personally specialise in change management, business redesign & turnaround, and the people side of mergers & acquisitions. I am also a specialist in international Reward & Finance. I would be interested in assisting in any way that I can. I have studied at Harvard Business School, Fairfax and the OU.
I am an active member of the Academy of International Business and have published two books to date on Change Management. Do let me know if you need any other details.
Dr Rosalind
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A good friend, also a leftie and a member of the LHC, and I are currently starting a small partnership business of our own (teaching folk dance in primary schools) and are both steaming into uncharted waters as neither of us have any business experience whatsoever!
However, having studied the strengths and weaknesses of left-handers for many years I hopefully am aware of ways in which we might run aground (e.g. strengths = seeing the big picture,solving problems creatively: weaknesses = missing important details, easily becoming distracted!) so hopefully will make a success of our venture. If I have time I will record some of the high and low points of our journey which might be of value to others. One that springs immediately to mind is my frustration at becoming swamped in the minutiae of regulations whist all I wanted to do was teach folk dance to kids (big picture).
Any thoughts?
Paul
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We will be putting all your ideas together and adding more of our own and will do an update for the next newsletter.
Keith