The thing about a million dollar idea is you have to put it into action.

I’m lucky to have had great success with my business, Breakaway Solutions, by having the knowledge, skills and experience to help other businesses with their needs in web design, development and Internet marketing. Since we are an award-winning company that is thriving, I like to think about this as my own “million dollar idea.”

But the success I have achieved is something anyone can attain. I was ruminating on this recently after reading an article about Tony Robbins, probably the most influential motivational speaker and life coach in the world. As an entrepreneur, I really relate to what Robbins has to say about everyone’s potential and I believe his words should resonate with anyone who might be thinking of starting their own business.

Here’s just one of the things Robbins has to say:

“The truth of the matter is that there’s nothing you can’t accomplish if: (1) You clearly decide what it is that you’re absolutely committed to achieving, (2) You’re willing to take massive action, (3) You notice what’s working or not, and (4) You continue to change your approach until you achieve what you want, using whatever life gives you along the way.”

Oprah Winfrey has expressed the same philosophy more succinctly:

“Every time you state what you want or believe, you’re the first to hear it. It’s a message to both you and others about what you think is possible. Don’t put a ceiling on yourself.”

Those are words worth remembering whether you’re considering opening your own business, or you have some other goal in mind.

I read about another “million dollar idea” recently that I found remarkable and it relates to the words of Robbins and Winfrey. If you’re like me, you can remember running with a couple of quarters in your hand as a kid every time you heard the sound of an ice cream truck. That carnival-style music would set your mouth watering for a Fudgsicle or Rocket Popsicle.

Tony Lamb sure remembered it. When he heard the sound of one of those trucks in his neighborhood one summer afternoon, he went running along with his 3-year-old daughter and the rest of his family. But this was not the kind of truck he remembered as a boy. It was a barely running 1970 Chevy van spitting blue smoke. The music was blaring. The driver was bare-chested, tattooed and pierced. And while his daughter was intrigued, she was also hesitant to embrace an experience that should have been fun for a child. This wasn’t exactly the Good Humor man.

Lamb remembers looking at his wife and saying, “They’ve completely destroyed that business model.”

He set about reinventing an American icon — the ice cream truck — and his business, Kona Ice, was named the No. 1 new franchise for this year by Entrepreneur magazine.

The company not only entered Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500 list, but was also No. 27 among the fastest growing in the country. The first truck hit the road in 2007 and today there are more than 300 Kona Ice trucks in communities across the country in more than 40 states.

But what I really like about Lamb’s story is a fundraising component he built into his business model that allows his franchise partners to not only make a profit, but also raise money for charities and worthy groups by giving back to their community while they do business. The company has raised more than $10 million since its start for various organizations, particularly schools.

To me, that is a “a billion dollar idea” that might even prompt Robbins to amend his advice that when you’re motivated to do something that’s helping others as well as yourself, your impetus to succeed is that much stronger.

 
My company Breakaway Solutions has helped hundreds of companies and organizations harness the power of the Internet for various reasons. It’s a powerful tool for communication, commerce, education and hundreds of other uses.

But the relative anonymity it can provide to a user means the Internet can be manipulated for devious purposes by users who live on the dark side of the web. And just as a computer has become a modern-age tool for instruction, used by children from a very young age, it can also be used as a tool for destruction by predators looking to connect with vulnerable and innocent children.

Startling Statistics

To illustrate the dangers, let me share some of the statistics I found while writing my book:

■ 48 percent of K-1st graders reported viewing online content that made them feel uncomfortable.

■ 71 percent of teens receive messages from strangers online and 30 percent contemplate meeting them face-to-face.

■ About half of young people have experienced some form of online harassment; one in five children regularly experience cyberbullying.

■ 39 percent of teenagers send or post sexually suggestive messages and 48 percent say they have received such messages.

■ 20 percent of teens have engaged in cyberbullying behaviors.

Learn How to Safeguard

After hearing many horrible stories about children falling victim to online predators, I decided to write a simple book to provide parents with solutions that they can use to empower their children. You don’t have to be a computer expert to safeguard your child against unwanted advances by strangers on the Internet or from peers using social media as a forum for bullying.

I share practical tips, many of which include talking to your children about using the computer responsibly and being aware of risks. Communicating with your child is really the key to making most of these online safeguards work. On the technical side, I recommend installing software that provides parental controls that block certain websites and content, such as pornography. Establish a family email address, rather than allowing your child to have his or her own address. Create strong passwords and change them regularly.

In some cases, the tips I dispense will help protect your computer as well as your child. For example, blocking viruses can keep your computer working properly and by securing your Wi-Fi connection with a password and firewall, you can block unwanted users.

Sites Specifically for Children

I have tried to introduce information that can make computer usage easier and more fun for your child—more kid-friendly, if you will. Several companies have created browsers specifically for younger users. Such browsers use filtering to protect young eyes from unwanted and explicit material. Try using browsers such as Glubble and Buddy Browser, which disable external chat and encourage media sharing and social interaction with family and other people the child already knows.

Facebook has become so pervasive in our society, but leave that to the grownups and introduce your child to social networking sites specifically designed for kids, such as Webkinz or Club Penguin. They offer gaming and a social atmosphere in a kids-only environment with built-in privacy features, like use of an avatar instead of a photo.

These are just a few of the 100 tips that comprise “100 Ways to Keep Your Children Safe Online: The Guide for Parenting in a Digital World.”

Purchase Helps Save the Children

The book is available for purchase on my website, www.johnromano.com/books/ for $9.95. The best part is that by purchasing it you will be helping other children. I am donating 100 percent of the proceeds to the Save the Children organization, which is dedicated to helping children in need.

In writing this book I have tried to impart invaluable information to be used along with a rule of thumb I believe goes along with any parenting task: be involved. Know why, when and how your children are using their computer. Make it a family activity. Know who they are communicating with. All of those things will help you provide online safety for your child and shield him or her from danger.

1)  Don’t worry about giving “small” – “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”  ―    Desmond Tutu

2)  Give!  Give what you can, when you can.  As Anne Frank said in The Diary of Anne Frank, “No one has ever become poor by giving.” There is always something you can give.

3)  Do consider using your skills, experience and talents to help out as an alternative to giving money.

4)  Clean your closet and donate career attire to Dress for Success for women or Career Gear for men. Your donation will provide professional clothing to low-income people seeking employment.

5)  Surf for the earth. Powered by Google, Ecosearch.org returns search results with an environmental kick: The site donates 100 percent of search revenues to nonprofits, such as Rainforest Alliance and the Sierra Club.

6)  Tutor. Whether you’re helping a student understand Macbeth or teaching an adult the basics of reading, literacy tutoring can be a fun–and important–way to donate your time. Log on to LiteracyDirectory.org to learn more.

7)  Invite a solo friend or acquaintance to your holiday meal.

8)  Give Blood. One pint of blood can save up to three lives.  Donate blood at your local Red Cross. Community drives happen regularly and many large communities have places where you can donate throughout the year.

9)  Volunteer a few hours at a local food bank, community kitchen, hospital, elderly home or charity drive.  Your time is one of the greatest gifts you can give!

10)  Make it simple, make kindness your religion. The spirit of Christmas is all about giving.  It’s about  gratitude for your blessings and sharing with others. Express gratitude this holiday season with graciousness and gratitude.  And don’t forget — be kind to yourself too!  You deserve it.

Most people want to help those in need. If you look around, though, there is a horde of worthy causes competing for your charitable dollar. How do you choose the right charity? By finding one that has personal meaning.

When you spend money, value matters. That’s just as true with charitable donations as it is with buying a new car or a pound of coffee. If you donate to a nonprofit organization that you connect with in some way, then you get more value for your money. You get a greater feeling of satisfaction than if you just drop a dollar in some random bucket at the grocery store checkout.

Each of us has different concerns. One person could have a brother struggling with substance abuse or a parent lost to lung cancer or a child with cerebral palsy. A musician might be upset at the loss of the local school’s music program while a biologist worries about species extinction. All of these concerns are important but these individuals will gain greater satisfaction from donating their time and money to organizations supporting their personal causes than to any other charity.

My charity of choice is Save the Children, a nonprofit organization committed to improving the lives of children around the world who face starvation, abuse and disease. This is a great cause and these children need your help, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the ideal charity for you.

You shouldn’t feel obligated to give to a charity some random guy on the internet supports or to an organization a reality TV star brings up on a talk show or to the cause your friend is involved in. You may care about these organizations but you may not be so passionate about them. Of course you may care about starving children and breast cancer and abused animals and protecting the rainforest and war refugees and landmines… but to feel extremely great about supporting a particular cause, you must support something you are truly passionate about.

Find your focus. Find your passion. You will do more good zeroing in on a single cause, a single organization that matches your outlook in life, than you will tossing pocket change at every person who approaches you with a hand out.