What a wild few months it’s been since moving from PAW over to PAP. As with any major life change or career move, it has been quite hectic. So far in 2008 I feel like I have worked more hours than most people will all year.

This is one of the most exciting times I have experienced in my professional life so far. I am very thankful for what I have and where I have been in the past. Throughout my career I have always seen various business moves as “going to the next level”. I feel as if I am about to take another one of these steps in the coming six months. Not nessecarily with the consulting company I am going to write about in the next paragraph, but just life and business in general.

Sometimes poker players and professional athletes will talk about being on the top of their game. With my 29th 32nd birthday coming up in a week, I feel as if now is the time to make big things happen, and I’m mentally ready to put in the effort.

So, in regards to the title of this post. I have done a fair amount of private consulting over the past few years, much of it has been with some of the big online poker affiliate programs or companies. Throughout 2008 though I have been so busy I have not been accepting any consulting opportunities.

Amazingly though I have an affiliate consulting tab on this site that still generates consistent leads each month. All year I have felt like there has been a ton of money left on the table by not pursuing more consulting work. With my new partners at Affiliate Programs Inc. I now have the resources to launch a proper and professional consulting company. We already have a handful leads, however to be honest we are only looking to work with first class companies. The company has been established as ChipStackMedia.com.

As much as I’d love to bring on tons of clients, I’d rather only bring on really good clients who I am confident we can take them to the next level.

Ideally I’d love to work with a few start-up poker sites, as well as a few established poker sites. Our goal with the consulting company is to take good affiliate programs to great. Not only will Greg and I be managing the consulting company, I imagine we will be growing our overall staff quite a bit over the next 12 months as well.

Either way I am strapping my seatbelt on for a fun ride throughout the rest of the year!

Ever since 2004 when I started writing and mentoring people, there has been a common theme people have heard me say; “Think outside the box”. I agree the term is very cliché in the business world. In my life and career though it has proved to be a very successful mindset.

Like anybody else, there have been times in my career when I have gotten frustrated, or busted my ass on something only to make no head way. When you find yourself in a situation like this, it is imperative that you change your way of thinking.

I remember when I first started in affiliate marketing, it was as simple as putting up a website, buying some PPC, and doing a little SEO. Next thing you know, you were making money. Unfortunately the internet marketing business has become much more competitive and difficult, regardless of what vertical you are in.

I’ll use the poker affiliate market as an example since many of the readers here are poker affiliates. If you are starting a new poker affiliate site in 2008, you are not going to be successful unless you do something that is “outside the box”. For example, you can build a pretty site, review all the rooms, buys some links, and do some SEO. Guess what though? 1000 other affiliates are going to do this exact same thing in the next 12 months.

When I say “outside the box”, I also don’t mean some crazy viral idea either (although that would help). However you have to do something original that no one else is doing. Whether it be something original within your SEO strategy, or you overall site idea, think originality.

Lately my favorite magazine has become Fast Company. I love this magazine because every month you can read about entrepreneurs who basically started with an original idea, and in many cases minimal funding. Many of these entrepreneurs have built multi-million dollar business empires from scratch inside of 24 months.

That brings me to the next point. Think Big, and get out of your comfort zone. If you want to make hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars; the odds are you are going to have to do more than just be a poker affiliate or one man affiliate marketer.

Life is to damn short to not go out and make big things happen. My suggesstion to anyone reading this that may be in a situation where things are not happening fast enough, or you feel like you have hit a wall is the following.

Take a day or two to relax, and most importantly forget about your frustrations. During this time reflect on where you’ve been and where you want to get to in the coming years. Get your thought process to an elevated level, and think with a clear head forgetting about anything negative in your life.

You surely know how to write a business plan, right? How about writing a “life plan” on where you want to be and what goals you want to accomplish. If you have a clear vision of these goals, it will make the business part much easier.

If you have a clear vision of your life’s goals and dreams, when you think outside the box, it’s not impossible to see the rest will magically fall into place. Make it a great week!

Those of you that know me realize I work a ton of hours and that I’m very dedicated to my career and success. For me I don’t consider what I do “work” as I truly enjoy every minute of it…….well, almost every minute of it. There is one thing however that I have always put in front of my career and money, and that is my family.

My daughter came home from pre-school the other day with this poem and her footprints on the paper. She is only 5 years old so she really doesn’t even understand what the poem means.

After I read this poem she had brought home, it somewhat touched me and got me thinking. Lately I have been traveling a ton and working very late hours. Unfortunately there is just not enough time in the day! One of the perks however of working out of a home office is that you can take short breaks during the day, or even go in the house and have lunch with the kids.

I really don’t want to wake up someday and say wow, my girls are all grown up! When I do get time with them I try to make it as quality as possible. If I am not working and my kids are awake, you better believe I am playing with them and not being a lazy ass on the couch watching T.V.

Anyhow, I just wanted to share this poem on the blog for any of you guys or gals that also have kids. For me it helped bring things back into perspective and realize why I work so hard.

Walk A Little Slower Daddy

“Walk a Little slower, Daddy.” said a little child so small.
I’m following in your footsteps and I don’t want to fall.

Sometimes your steps are very fast, sometimes they’re hard to see;
So walk a little slower Daddy, for you are leading me.

Someday when I’m all grown up, You’re what I want to be.
Then I will have a little child who’ll want to follow me.

And I would want to lead just right, and know that I was true;
So, walk a little slower, Daddy, for I must follow you!!

~author unknown