How much baggage are you carrying? Have you created a business that looks just like the corporate world that you escaped from? When I was dreaming of going out on my own, I envisioned having time and freedom to do whatever I wanted. It may seem silly now, but I didn't consider how much money I wanted to make. All I really wanted was to have time for myself. You see, I was in IT for over 15 years and during that time I worked weekends, nights and holidays. I was one of those people who could be relied on to drop everything and give her all for the team.
As the years passed, I realized that though I was giving my all, my paycheck wasn't reflecting it. Not mention that I was frequently sick and had little or no social life - other than the occasional Happy Hour. Not that drinking cheap drinks at a chain restaurant is such a happy event.
What I never considered was that I would end up recreating my work life in my business - long hours, low pay and the occasional Happy Hour. Most of my friends in business do the same thing, so why would I think it anything was wrong?
Yes, when you get started it does require work and often much longer hours than the regular 9-to-5. But sitting at a desk all day and all night is not productive if it does not bring you any income. Back in my job, I was used to just spending hours at the desk, whether my work was productive or not. So, I simply recreated that world. It took me the longest time to feel okay about running errands or doing chores during "work hours." However, I couldn't blame my work environment for keeping me confined - I'd done it to myself.
Recently my coach asked me what I'd really rather be focusing on in my business. I answered, "If it was up to me..." She said, "It IS up to you!" That really hit me.
It was up to me to decide - but in my mind I was still the employee waiting to be told what to do next. I've often heard that starting a business will bring up all sorts of issues inside of a person. You will discover things about yourself that you never realized was there. I totally agree. It does bring up stuff. Though some of it can be hard to look at, it's necessary. If you're struggling to find that freedom you thought you'd have in your business, drop that baggage and free your mind first.
About the Author:
Transition coach and radio host Deborah A. Bailey is a sought after expert to discuss today's most pressing workplace issues. Deborah helps her clients transition from employees to entrepreneurs as they eliminate limiting beliefs and connect with their passion.
After several years with various companies such as AT&T, Lucent and Johnson & Johnson, Deborah Bailey successfully transitioned to career consultant and coach by founding her company Deb Bailey Coaching (a division of DBC Communications, LLC). Her extensive experience in the employee to entrepreneur transition has made her the partner of choice for many successful entrepreneurs and career professionals. Deborah is the host of the internet radio show, "Women Entrepreneurs - The Secrets of Success"
For more information about Deborah, visit her website http://www.dbaileycoach.com
Continuing business model innovation is the most valuable activity that any enterprise an engage in. But it's a problem for most leaders to take on this task. Why? They've never see anyone do it, and they have no personal experience.
To help overcome that problem, this article describes the key elements that such a process requires. With this template in mind, some leaders will be able to design and engage in the appropriate activities.
Here are the four elements in continuing business model innovation:
1. Understand and follow the current business model well. -- Employ the optimum way that goods and services should be supplied now, by informing all stakeholders about what needs to be done to deliver the most benefits.
2. Understand and install the next business model. -- Specify the next innovation to provide more stakeholder benefits through goods and services and how the transition will occur.
3. Understand and use a business model innovation vision. -- The ideal benefits to deliver to stakeholders in your industry, which is used to test the appropriateness of developing future generations of potential business model innovations.
4. Ongoing design and testing of business model innovations. -- Vision-defined probes and tests to elicit reactions to providing new benefits and various ways of supplying them.
A more valuable approach to continuing business model innovation also describes more than one future generation of innovations in terms of the second element.
For each of the first three elements of continuing business model innovations, you need to identify seven key elements -- the who, what, when, where, why, how, and how much -- viewed from the perspective of all direct and indirect stakeholders. Their combination defines either a business model or a business model innovation vision:
1. "Who?" defines all the stakeholders you are serving or affecting.
2. "What?" describes the offerings and their benefits and negative influences that affect each stakeholder.
3. "When?" captures the timing of offerings' effects on stakeholders.
4. "Where?" identifies the location for delivering the benefits and other impacts.
5. "Why?" gives the rationale for providing the stakeholder benefits you deliver.
6. "How?" explains your method of providing your offerings and being compensated for them.
7. "How much?" states the price customers and users pay and incur.
Why is it important to know what these seven elements are? By examining these areas, organizations will be able to focus on places where important benefits may be added.
About the Author:
Donald Mitchell is chairman of Mitchell and Company, a strategy and financial consulting firm in Weston, MA. He is coauthor of seven books including Adventures of an Optimist, The Irresistible Growth Enterprise, and The Ultimate Competitive Advantage. You can find free tips for accomplishing 20 times more by registering at: http://www.2000percentsolution.com.
You know I have a lot of musician friends (meaning I've sat thur a lot of sound checks) Anyway, I've notice that as they are warming up for a show, they always tell the sound person what they need (ie more vocals,can't hear the bass player, there's to much sound or not enough sound) Eventually, everything is just right and my friends start to play.
The same thing can apply to whatever goal or task you're trying to accomplish. You work at something and tweek it (which comes from feedback) and tweek it some more till it's just the way you want it
As managers and business leaders we all have faced the age old dilemma of whether to hire or not to hire new staff. Indeed, this question presents a weighty set of issues. On one side of the scale are all of the benefits a company hopes to gain by hiring more staff. On the other side of the scale are all of the concerns that either prevent hiring or result in limited training time for new employees.
This article will show managers that training new employees does not drain time and resources and that with a little effort they can tip the scales in favor of business growth.
A thorough hiring process prevents unforeseen costs of training new employees. Spending time and resources upfront on vetting potential candidates insures that the individuals you hire fit the mold of your organization. In the long run, the initial costs of hiring will pay for themselves because an employee who quickly becomes a seamless part of the infrastructure requires less training and yields productivity more rapidly.
Once you have hired a new employee, you do not need to complete all aspects of their training immediately. Keep in mind that business development occurs over time not overnight. Managers who avoid the rush to train employees give themselves the time to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the employee. Moreover, managers can then develop a training program specific to that employee's needs. As such, your company avoids excess expenditures on unnecessary training. At the same time, you are putting the money where it counts: in training designed to improve upon an employee's weaknesses.
Every expenditure made towards training a new employee does not translate into a cost for your company. On the job training, where new hires shadow their managers, permits managers to teach good business practices simply by performing their daily tasks. For example, good listening skills are critical to maintaining clientele. Permit your new hires to watch you engage in meetings with clients and have a discussion over lunch with your employee about what the employee took away from the meeting. Then at the next client meeting, let your new hire take the lead on engaging the client. A short feedback session following the client meeting should put your employee on the right track. This on the job training permits the employee to learn from actual experience rather than costly off site training programs. A little time investment was the only calculable cost.
Employees also can assume an active role in their own training. A system that requires employees to check in with their supervisors is more efficient than one that relies on managers to do the checking in. The former permits employees more flexibility to expand upon their interests in the company and more room for innovation. An employee driven system also relieves managers of the burden of overseeing every assignment managers give to their employees. Ultimately, the employee-driven system means that companies avoid unnecessary redirection of managerial time and resources.
Mentor programs provide a vehicle for teamwork and afford new employees a constant avenue for help. A mentor is a senior or mid-level employee who assumes the work of acclimating new employees. Without mentor programs, managers and supervisors will spend inordinate amounts of time training new employees and showing new employees the ropes. A mentor program, however, allows managers to pass off the task of training to a mentor who is equally as capable of indoctrinating the new employee. In fact, mentors often are in a better position to provide the necessary structure and guidance for new employees because mentors are still a part of the employee cadre. As such, new employees can learn by shadowing mentors and mentors can teach without interfering with their own work. Managers, by contrast, are more distanced from the daily grind and would have to distract themselves from managerial responsibilities to train new hires.
Training new employees need not deplete critical company resources. By following any or all of the above suggestions, companies simultaneously can conserve time, save money, and yield production. Just watch the scale tip in your favor.
About the Author:
Linda Finkle is a leading expert on organizational communication strategies and human potential development. As CEO of her executive coaching firm, Incedo Group, Linda has helped countless leaders build internal communication and conflict resolution strategies. She brings about changes in attitude and leadership style that yield dramatic results. Company profitability is an inevitable side effect. Learn more at http://www.IncedoGroup.com
Joint ventures are an excellent strategy for increasing your market reach and overall revenues. However, the question is, how can you entice a prospective partner to join you in a lucrative joint venture? Not everyone can see the big picture quite as vividly as you can ' and therefore, it is important to employ strategies to make sure you both are on the same page of excitement.
Increasing the value of the partnership
There is only one bottom line to attracting a joint venture partner: provide significant benefits. Of course, this is easier said than done, and therefore, there are several strategies you can take to enhance the lure of your joint venture proposal.
- Craft your proposal with only the partner's perspective in mind. You already know what the joint venture will bring to your benefit, so there is no need to re-hash this information in your offer. Instead, your proposal should truly focus on how your potential partner can benefit significantly from this joint venture.
- Clearly outline all of the benefits. What seems obvious to you may not be apparent to your potential partner. Being too clear is never a flaw, but vagueness is always a fallacy. Make sure that you specifically highlight all of the benefits to your potential partner, whether tangible or intangible. Of course, the partner will gain additional sales and revenues, but what about the intangibles, such as increased branding, new market segments, and free exposure to a target audience? The revenue benefits may not be seen immediately, but certainly offer long-term benefits.
- Make your offer standout from the competitors. Chances are that if you are approaching a potentially lucrative partner for joint venture purposes, then other companies are doing the same thing too. Making your joint venture enticing means standing out from the crowd. If you are willing to provide your potential partner with a higher commission than the industry standard, then make sure to mention that first. This will attract their attention, motivating them to read through your entire proposal and absorb the benefits.
- Be exclusive. If you have joint ventures with anyone and everyone, then the most lucrative potential partners will not be enticed. Why would they want to joint venture with you when your partnerships are already saturated? Make sure that your joint venture proposal feels exclusive, and you can discuss the reasons why this proposal is unlike the others already out on the table.
- Demonstrate your understanding of both lists. When you show your potential partner that you have a full understanding of both your customer bases, this demonstrates that you fully understanding the prospects of the joint venture. Point out both why and how your customer list benefits the joint venture's endeavors. The more specific you can get, the more enticing the offer is.
Joint ventures go above and beyond the standard affiliate marketing. Typically, joint ventures can offer significant rewards for both parties that supersede the affiliate relationship. Subsequently, the work you put into enticing your ideal partner will be worth the payoff in the end.
About the Author:
Christian Fea is CEO of Synertegic, Inc. A Strategic Collaboration Marketing consulting firm. He empowers business owners to discover and implement Integration, Alliance, and Joint Venture marketing tactics to solve specific business challenges. He demonstrates how to create your own Collaboration Marketing Strategy to increase your sales, conversation rates, and repeat business. Contact: christian@christianfea.com or http://www.christianfea.com
While you might already know that your customer is always right, and make steps to ensure that they know this too, did you realize that your customer can also be your best advertisement? It's easy to forget that customers interact with our businesses more personally than we ever will. And while we think we know our business inside and out, it's actually the customer that sees whether or not our business is doing the job it says it can do. Here are three reasons why your customer is your best advertisement ' and why you need to make sure they're always satisfied.
They Will Share Their Good Experiences
Nearly everyone has a story about a good customer service experience they've had with a business. Whether there was a problem that got quickly addressed or perhaps the business simply went above and beyond what was expected, nearly everyone has had one moment in which they wanted to sing the praises of their business transaction. So, if you had this experience, you told people and then they went to the business you did and then they told others of their experiences, etc. When something good happens, people are going to talk about it, letting you get more positive advertising than you could ever get on your own.
But at the same time, you need to remember that if there is a bad experience; customers are more than likely going to share that too. When things go wrong and you don't take the time to fix them, you are going to start a conversation between your customer and their friends ' one that ends up in you getting less business. Each experience that your customer has with your website or with your business should be as positive as possible. While you don't have to go out of your way each and every time, it's better to be more than they need than to be less than they deserve.
They are More Believable Than You Are
So, what makes these customer experiences so important to your advertising? Customers who talk to their friends and to their family are more believable than you will be. This isn't to say that you're not trustworthy, but people tend to believe things they hear from their friends more than they will trust things that come from a business that wants to make money.
Again, this is why treating the customer well is so important. Because whatever they share with their friends is going to be taken as the absolute truth, you aren't going to get a second chance to change their minds.
They Can Give Testimonials
When a customer does have a good experience with you, you might want to talk to them about writing a testimonial. This is simply a summary of the compliments they have about your business that can be posted on your marketing literature or on your website. In exchange, you might want to offer them a discount on future purchases, but many people will simply be excited to see their name and their picture on your business site. These testimonials should be verbatim of what your customer says, along with a release that says you can use the statement for your business. If you receive a testimonial that isn't written as well as you might like, as the customer if you can edit it and then show them the changes you made. If they agree to the final copy, then you have another marketing tool at your disposal.
Your customers are the best advertisements for your business and you need to make sure they are advertising well.
About the Author:
Scott Oliver offers free video coaching to help you build a profitable home business FAST. Get an hour of "Website Traffic Secrets" and "Minisite Creation Tactics" for FREE -- immediate access here: http://www.InstantWebsiteBusiness.com
Want to get more butts into your seminar seats? Let prospective attendees sample the content before they decide whether or not to register.
This powerful sales trick is not new. After all, when you visit a bookstore, you get to flip through books before deciding to buy. When you visit a car dealer, you get to test drive a car before deciding to buy. Heck, when you go an ice cream shop, you can even sample the goods before deciding which flavor you want to buy that day.
So why not offer the same courtesy to your attendees?
Here are 4 ways you can let prospects take your event for a test drive:
* Offer a free preview event, ranging anywhere from 90 minutes to a full day
* Give them a free CD with 45 to 70 minutes of free content
* Post a 10- to 20- minute video clip of your material on your website
* And my personal favorite…offer a free or low-cost preview teleseminar
You know your seminar is chock full of valuable content, so pique the palate of your prospective seminar attendees with a taste of what they'd be missing out on.
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Jenny Hamby is a Certified Guerrilla Marketer and direct-response copywriter who helps speakers, coaches and consultants fill seminar seats and make more money from their own seminars and workshops. Her on-and-offline direct marketing campaigns have netted response rates as high as 84 percent -- on budgets as small as $125. For more free seminar marketing secrets, visit http://www.SeminarPromotionTips.com
Business networking is a valuable tool for everyone, in particular for those who are actively looking for a job or to gain business from new clients. Networking is a way of reaching out and increasing your visibility by letting people know who you are and what you do.
By effective networking, you can make it so that people remember you and what you do. As they go about their business they may find that they or someone they know may need someone of your particular talents. If you have successfully made an impression, they'll seek you out.
Some people believe that you must know the right people in order to be successful at networking, but this is simply not true. Networking can be done anywhere and with anyone. Never rule anyone out as not having the ability to be useful. You never know who they may know or possibly run into at some time in the future. Take a genuine interest in people around you.
Find out what they do and where they work. Don't be shy; ask if there are openings and if it would be possible for you to get in for an interview. Tell people what you do and what you hope for. Make up some business cards and hand them out liberally. Some of them may end up getting tossed into the trash but just having your name, occupation and phone number out in circulation gives you more of a chance of getting a contact.
When networking, always be courteous and professional when dealing with anyone. This gives a good impression of you and people remember this.
It would be a good idea to build some kind of filing system of all the people you come in contact with. If you were to receive a call from someone out of the blue as a result of previous contact, it leaves a lasting impression on them if you are able to remember exactly who they are and the circumstances of your initial meeting. This makes people feel special and they are more likely to want to help you.
A simple way of doing this would be to file their business card, if you received one, with a simple notation of whom the person is and where you met. If you didn't receive a card then simply note the person's name and occupation along with a brief description. People feel special when they're remembered.
Remember always, networking isn't just about you. Listen to the people you meet and keep their information on file so that if you were to hear of an opportunity you can let them know also. If someone you know has helped you by getting you in the door then take some time to thank them for their help.
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For more information on networking from Sharon Alexander, and to get a free job hunting report, visit Claim That Job at http://www.claimthatjob.com. Claim That Job is the ultimate Career Management and Job Hunting guide. You will be taken through the strategies and tips required to be a success in today's competitive job market.
To improve a team's effectiveness, it is first necessary to understand the factors that impact its performance. Once you understand these factors you can determine when and what team development is needed.
In order for teams to function effectively they must manage how they work together and how they interact with the rest of the organization. As a result of his studies, Richard Beckhard ("Optimising Team Building Efforts", Journal of Contemporary Business, Summer 1972) states that for teams to be effective they must manage four areas internal to the team: goals, roles, processes and relationships. Further research has identified a fifth factor impacting performance: how the team manages its interaction with the organizational environment. Within these factors is a hierarchy with some factors affecting all of the others. These five factors become the focus of attention for the manager who wants to raise team performance, because teams that effectively manage these areas function more effectively than teams that do not.
Environmental Influences - the impact of the organization and the outside world on team performance.
The organization creates the context within which the team functions. The policies, procedures and systems within an organization can either support or hinder a team's effectiveness. An excellent example is the impact an organization’s reward system has on teamwork. Organizations typically reward only individual contribution. Few organizations have found ways to reward teams.
Signs to look for: The team is physically distant, not given enough resources to do the job, individuals are not recognized for team effort.
Goals - What The Team Is To Accomplish
A team exists when members have responsibility for accomplishing a common goal. An effective team is aware of and manages:
1. The extent to which goals are clear, understood and communicated to all members 2. The amount of ownership of team goals 3. The extent to which goals are defined, quantified and deliverable 4. The extent to which goals are shared or congruent 5. The extent of goal conflict or divergence
Signs to look for: The goals are unclear or not communicated, everyone is doing their own thing and not participating in goal setting.
Roles - Who Does What On The Team
Do all members understand what they and others are to do to accomplish the task? Do they know their individual responsibilities and limits of authority? In new teams time should be spent discussing and defining roles and responsibilities. As the team develops it is typical for individuals to build expectations and assumptions of others which are seldom recorded anywhere. These should be discussed and agreed upon.
Conflict may occur as a result of differing expectations among team members. Overlapping roles can create conflict, especially when two or more team members see themselves as responsible for the same task.
Signs to look for: Responsibilities are poorly defined, there is a power vacuum, members act independently and avoid responsibility.
Work Processes - How Members Work Together
Once team members know what they are to do and who is to do it, they must determine how they will work together. Typical considerations are:
Decision making - how will each of the team members participate in decision making. Communication - what should be communicated within the team, to whom, by what method, when and how frequently? Meetings - what is the team trying to accomplish, what subjects are to be covered, who is responsible for the subject, how will the meeting be conducted, who should attend? Leadership style - the leader and the team need to agree the best style to meet the situation and the leader should be open to receiving feedback on their style.
Signs to look for: Meetings are unproductive or poorly attended, decision making is dominated by one or two people, actions taken without planning or communication is one way.
Relationships - The Quality Of Interaction Among Team Members
As team members work together, relationships often become strained. Members need ways to resolve problems and to assure that a good working relationship continues. Sometimes relationship problems occur because of a difference in values or a personality or management style clash. Managers may need to take an active role in soothing relationships during times of conflict. The more energy that is siphoned off because of bad feelings, attitudes or strong emotions, the less energy is available for the team's task.
Signs to look for: Personality conflicts, or members are defensive or competitive.
Team development is a process aimed at improving team performance in any one or all of the five factors in the team hierarchy. After examining your team's performance in these areas, your role as a manager is to identify where your focus for team development needs to be.
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About the Author:
Pam Kennett is Founder and Director of Chiswick Consulting Limited, a management consultancy which provides advice and direction to clients in marketing and human resources. Pam has more than 20 years experience working with teams and leadership groups to raise performance. Contact her at pam@chiswickconsulting.com or visit http://www.chiswickconsulting.com.
Welcome to my new blog. This is where I will chronicle the next phase of mis-adventures of my life. Thank you for staying on the ride, and for you newcomers to the inside of my mental mania, I will do my best to make sure the trip is both entertaining and educational.
Life In Fast Forward: The Blog is still a bit of a work in progress. Keep checking in for new posts and site updates.
About Blog
This blog supports some of the thoughts and interjections from the folks at Fast Forward Business Properties. Our ideas, things we test, and a few random thoughts will show up here.
Name: J. Cleveland Payne
Home: Little Rock, Arkansas, United States
About Me: News is my profession, so it only fits that I am a news junkie. I'm a radio show/segment producer for a news/talk radio station in Little Rock, Arkansas.
