I've hestitated from writing my first post of 2010 - i wanted to write something really meaningful - not about business lessons learned (and god knows there have been a lot of those), not about new years resolutions as such and then .... I was sorting through my emails and found this one that a friend sent to me - no idea who the original author is so can't acknowledge but...
A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly,even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.
As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window. I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
'Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait.'
'That doesn't have anything to do with it,' he replied. Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it.
'It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away.. Just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in..
Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.
Happy New year - Happy New Decade - may it be your best so far !!
Showing posts with label Thoughts and quotes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thoughts and quotes. Show all posts
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Dealing with an underperforming VA
I'll tell you straight off the bat - I don't have the answer. But I hope one or some of my readers do.
You hire a VA to accomplish specific tasks that you have set out in a document and discussed on the phone. Then they don't deliver - they make excuses - everything else in their business seems to be a priority but the work they have accepted payment to accomplish for you; when they do deliver it is riddled with mistakes. You tell them how you feel, they admit they are not performing well and then nothing changes. What can you do ? Fire them yes, but they have almost 1000 of your hard-earned dollars. At the same time you are spending as much time chasing and cajoling as if you had done the work yourself almost 8 weeks ago (their deadline was six weeks ago !!!).
With 3 000 friends on Facebook and access to thousands of others via my groups as well as hundreds of followers on Twitter, I could potentially crucify the person and their business in an instant were I to choose to do so. And here is another point - I know of other people who have had the same issues with this person and their team but have kept quiet rather than going public because if any of us did ..... we risk being seen as not nice and lose potential clients and partners.
Feels like a lose whatever you do situation.
Does anyone have any similar experiences ? any helpful suggestions ?
You hire a VA to accomplish specific tasks that you have set out in a document and discussed on the phone. Then they don't deliver - they make excuses - everything else in their business seems to be a priority but the work they have accepted payment to accomplish for you; when they do deliver it is riddled with mistakes. You tell them how you feel, they admit they are not performing well and then nothing changes. What can you do ? Fire them yes, but they have almost 1000 of your hard-earned dollars. At the same time you are spending as much time chasing and cajoling as if you had done the work yourself almost 8 weeks ago (their deadline was six weeks ago !!!).
With 3 000 friends on Facebook and access to thousands of others via my groups as well as hundreds of followers on Twitter, I could potentially crucify the person and their business in an instant were I to choose to do so. And here is another point - I know of other people who have had the same issues with this person and their team but have kept quiet rather than going public because if any of us did ..... we risk being seen as not nice and lose potential clients and partners.
Feels like a lose whatever you do situation.
Does anyone have any similar experiences ? any helpful suggestions ?
Monday, April 20, 2009
What Susan Boyle can teach us
Last Saturday I had not heard of Susan Boyle. I had been to the Greek Orthodox church with a friend and we were eating a late meal - like at 1.30am - accompanied by a couple of Ouzos. The waitress asks if I am from England and tells me about Susan Boyle who had amazed the judges on a talent show in the UK.
I checked her out on YouTube when I got home - and wow - she has an amazing voice. It truly brought tears to my eyes.
Lessons for people starting out in business ?
- believe in your dream
- take steps to make your dream come true
- don't be put off by what other people might think or say
And lessons for anyone : don't pre-judge and be humble enough to admit that you had prejudiced or just plain wrong.
Watch the video clip of Susan Boyle - not just to enjoy her voice but to see how the faces of the judges change as they realise they had erroneous, pre-conceived ideas about her and how they are humbled by her.
So what is your dream ? What would it take to make your dream come true ?
Friday, April 3, 2009
It's been a year
Yep, its a year since I started to build friends on Facebook. Today I went up to 2,800 friends. This has been achieved by selectively inviting people who make interesting, intelligent comments on walls, people who have a similar business to mine (business coaching & consulting and information products) or accepting some of the numerous requests that I get with as much discernment as is possible.
So what have I gained from Facebook ?
A great transcriptionist, Cynthia Bull who was recommended to me by Diane Conklin
Laurie Hayes (the Home Based Business Source)with whom I have shared information and bounced ideas
Andrea Stenberg (Babyboomer Entrepreneur) who I met when she was up in Montreal last Summer and who I am going to be sharing some ideas and plans and schemes with
Valerie Young and her wonderful Changing Course programme (which I bought)
the fantastic Lorraine Cohen whose programme Insider Tips to Shine as a Radio Guest; is awesome - I can't recommend it highly enough
Lisa Hartwell who is going to interview me later this year
Rodney Waters who has asked if he can quote from an article I co-authored "The Universality of Music and Human Rights." in connection with a concert at the Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas
The list goes on.
Plus I can see what my real friends are up ! And my lovely dentist can tell me off for eating maple syrup on a stick when unbeknown to me she was checking what I was up to.
So... tell me... what have YOU got from being on Facebook ? Tell us all - the good, the bad and the ugly !!
So what have I gained from Facebook ?
A great transcriptionist, Cynthia Bull who was recommended to me by Diane Conklin
Laurie Hayes (the Home Based Business Source)with whom I have shared information and bounced ideas
Andrea Stenberg (Babyboomer Entrepreneur) who I met when she was up in Montreal last Summer and who I am going to be sharing some ideas and plans and schemes with
Valerie Young and her wonderful Changing Course programme (which I bought)
the fantastic Lorraine Cohen whose programme Insider Tips to Shine as a Radio Guest; is awesome - I can't recommend it highly enough
Lisa Hartwell who is going to interview me later this year
Rodney Waters who has asked if he can quote from an article I co-authored "The Universality of Music and Human Rights." in connection with a concert at the Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas
The list goes on.
Plus I can see what my real friends are up ! And my lovely dentist can tell me off for eating maple syrup on a stick when unbeknown to me she was checking what I was up to.
So... tell me... what have YOU got from being on Facebook ? Tell us all - the good, the bad and the ugly !!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
The Power of a smile
Check out this awesome 15 minute film about the power of smiling. Try smiling at everyone and even those miserable faced people you see everyday will smile. Smile at potential clients rather than straight faced telling them about your business services.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Empowerment
Back in the days when we were in the corporate world empowerment was all about the company empowering its employees and managers empowering their staff; then you become self-employed/run your own business. Suddenly its just you so is empowerment relevant anymore ? You bet your life it is.
Think about it...
When did YOU last empower yourself to not open an email from an ex-client who was bound to be writing to hassle about something ?
When did YOU last empower yourself to not accept a mandate even though you needed the $$ because you knew the client would cause you grief ?
Have you empowered yourself to not do everything but to outsource a few things ? - like setting up the website in Wordpress, or doing your tax returns.. sure you can do it but you'll probably do it slower than someone else and while you are doing that who is getting in the clients ?
Go on - make a list of things that annoy or irritate you; the things you do not like doing; the things you are slow at and then empower yourself to make changes.
Feeling empowered makes you feel great and utlimately it will make you great.
Don't you agree ?
Think about it...
When did YOU last empower yourself to not open an email from an ex-client who was bound to be writing to hassle about something ?
When did YOU last empower yourself to not accept a mandate even though you needed the $$ because you knew the client would cause you grief ?
Have you empowered yourself to not do everything but to outsource a few things ? - like setting up the website in Wordpress, or doing your tax returns.. sure you can do it but you'll probably do it slower than someone else and while you are doing that who is getting in the clients ?
Go on - make a list of things that annoy or irritate you; the things you do not like doing; the things you are slow at and then empower yourself to make changes.
Feeling empowered makes you feel great and utlimately it will make you great.
Don't you agree ?
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
A kick in the butt from IttyBIz
Some kick in the butt advice from Naomi Dunford of IttyBiz (yep, another Facebook friend of mine but since she's moving to the UK soon may become a real friend). I have taken a chunk verbatim from her latest blog post:
If you run a service business — and in service I include coaching and consulting — and to a degree if you run any other kind of business, here’s the best piece of advice I’ve got.
Spend 4 times more time on MARKETING than you do on DOING.
I could give you the list and litany of people who are the worst at this, but basically everybody is the worst at this. Except maybe life coaches. They’re the REAL worst.
You bust your ass creating this wonderful business that is going to change lives. You get the certification and you spend the money on the website and you give the free sessions to get the testimonials. You create something that will quite honestly make it so people will not even remember what their life was like before they worked with you. And then what do you do?
You sit around and wait for people to find you.
Unless any of the other aspects of your business are absolutely tragic, you should not be spending your work time:
- tweaking your website
- responding to comments
- reorganizing your accounting methods
- taking skills upgrade courses, including mine
- reading ebooks
- chatting on IM
- telling people what you ate for breakfast on Twitter
There is nothing wrong with any of the above activities, but those are the things to do in your SPARE time. And if you’re not getting clients right now, you don’t have spare time during the workday. The time that you THINK is spare should be spent getting your name out there, all over the place.
If you are not getting enough clients, your only priority is getting clients.
That is all. Now stop reading blogs and get back to work.
Original post at IttyBiz
If you run a service business — and in service I include coaching and consulting — and to a degree if you run any other kind of business, here’s the best piece of advice I’ve got.
Spend 4 times more time on MARKETING than you do on DOING.
I could give you the list and litany of people who are the worst at this, but basically everybody is the worst at this. Except maybe life coaches. They’re the REAL worst.
You bust your ass creating this wonderful business that is going to change lives. You get the certification and you spend the money on the website and you give the free sessions to get the testimonials. You create something that will quite honestly make it so people will not even remember what their life was like before they worked with you. And then what do you do?
You sit around and wait for people to find you.
Unless any of the other aspects of your business are absolutely tragic, you should not be spending your work time:
- tweaking your website
- responding to comments
- reorganizing your accounting methods
- taking skills upgrade courses, including mine
- reading ebooks
- chatting on IM
- telling people what you ate for breakfast on Twitter
There is nothing wrong with any of the above activities, but those are the things to do in your SPARE time. And if you’re not getting clients right now, you don’t have spare time during the workday. The time that you THINK is spare should be spent getting your name out there, all over the place.
If you are not getting enough clients, your only priority is getting clients.
That is all. Now stop reading blogs and get back to work.
Original post at IttyBiz
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Trust, but verify
Seth Godin (marketing expert and one of my Facebook friends) wrote this in his blog today. I have reproduced his blog post verbatim as they are very very wise words:
If you think that's a friend of yours on twitter, don't be so sure.
If you wonder why your boss sent such an insane email to you, don't be so sure.
If you get a chance to invest online, think twice.
Don't buy anything from an inbound phone call.
That email you sent in confidence... probably won't be read that way. And that photo, yes, it's going to show up in the digital world where you least want to see it...
In your little village, where you see your neighbor every day for ten years and the person in the next car might be the local constable, the rules are very simple and obeyed by all. In an electronic world, it's trivial to impersonate, hack and otherwise annoy.
Online, rely on direct, personal interactions to be sure you're seeing what you think you're seeing. Trust, but verify.
If you think that's a friend of yours on twitter, don't be so sure.
If you wonder why your boss sent such an insane email to you, don't be so sure.
If you get a chance to invest online, think twice.
Don't buy anything from an inbound phone call.
That email you sent in confidence... probably won't be read that way. And that photo, yes, it's going to show up in the digital world where you least want to see it...
In your little village, where you see your neighbor every day for ten years and the person in the next car might be the local constable, the rules are very simple and obeyed by all. In an electronic world, it's trivial to impersonate, hack and otherwise annoy.
Online, rely on direct, personal interactions to be sure you're seeing what you think you're seeing. Trust, but verify.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Networking - make the effort
Tonight as I walked through the cold deserted streets of Old Montreal towards a networking event I was tempted at one point to turn round and go home ! I was cold and I was thinking that it would probably be a waste of time.... Well, I carried on walking and here's what I got from the evening:
- The first person to greet me opened with "I gave your name to the Haitian Young Chamber of Commerce - they need someone to give a talk on business plans and I immediately thought of you"
- I met up with someone I am working on a new business project with (CanEuropa - helping Canadian companies move into Europe and European companies move into Canada)
- someone working for an organisation representing the Rhône-Alpes region in France needed exactly the kind of services I can provide for their clients
- a fellow lecturer from HEC Montréal (we both teach Sector Analysis)enabled me to catch up with what is happening next year
- I got talking to someone who like me loves hiking and skiing so finally this Winter I may well have someone to go with
- a former coachee who months ago told me about Michael Port, who in turn was instrumental in me getting onto Facebook (where I now have 2,300 friends by the way)and working on teleseminars and information products, was there so I was able to thank her for launching me onto a path I had not expected to travel
The reason for mentioning all of this is to make the point:
- even if you're tired, it's cold, it's a long walk don't turn back when you have set out to a networking event - you never know who who you will meet nor what exciting avenues it might open up for you - personally and/or professionally
And you know what, every time without fail when I go to a networking event and wonder whether I might just not bother and head home .... these are always the ones that bring me the most value, the most interesting conversations. It's like a little guardian angel has driven me there.
- The first person to greet me opened with "I gave your name to the Haitian Young Chamber of Commerce - they need someone to give a talk on business plans and I immediately thought of you"
- I met up with someone I am working on a new business project with (CanEuropa - helping Canadian companies move into Europe and European companies move into Canada)
- someone working for an organisation representing the Rhône-Alpes region in France needed exactly the kind of services I can provide for their clients
- a fellow lecturer from HEC Montréal (we both teach Sector Analysis)enabled me to catch up with what is happening next year
- I got talking to someone who like me loves hiking and skiing so finally this Winter I may well have someone to go with
- a former coachee who months ago told me about Michael Port, who in turn was instrumental in me getting onto Facebook (where I now have 2,300 friends by the way)and working on teleseminars and information products, was there so I was able to thank her for launching me onto a path I had not expected to travel
The reason for mentioning all of this is to make the point:
- even if you're tired, it's cold, it's a long walk don't turn back when you have set out to a networking event - you never know who who you will meet nor what exciting avenues it might open up for you - personally and/or professionally
And you know what, every time without fail when I go to a networking event and wonder whether I might just not bother and head home .... these are always the ones that bring me the most value, the most interesting conversations. It's like a little guardian angel has driven me there.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Marketing lessons from the street
Today I lined up to buy one of the new plastic cards for the Metro in Montreal and then I lined up a second time to use the machine to actually load my monthly pass onto the card. Pain in the butt system or what ?!!!
In the time all this took I had the opportunity to observe one of the people who regularly beg in the subway here (underground to readers in the UK !!). Then I started to compare him to someone else who begs in the same Metro station (Sherbrooke for those of you who live in Montreal).
I would argue that begging for money isn't a million miles different to getting business from a potential client. Here’s what I learnt from my observations:
THE FIRST BEGGER
•Pick the right moment – begging for money is not going to be successful when you solicit people rushing to go to work. I wondered why the guy didn’t pitch to those of us lined up – we were a captive audience, bored, fed up and possibly receptive to a good story.
In business ensure that the client is undistracted and ready to listen to what you would like to say.
•Close off objections – dirty, in tatty clothes and telling me you’re hungry … maybe you are but maybe you want money for drugs. Good idea to think about what I might be thinking and then close off that objection before I even make it.
Same applies with a potential business client. If you think the person might be wondering if you have the right experience, could harness the right resources, whatever.. then cover that off when you are speaking to them.
•Address the “what’s in it for me” – what should the guy in the Metro be doing so that we get someting? just imposing the odours of his unwashed body so that we give him some money to make him go away? Maybe. But, suppose he appealed to our more generous side: "You’re buying your monthly pass I would like to be able to buy some food" (guilt trip); "While you are waiting in line think about people like me who have ended up on the streets" (compassion with a bit of guilt).
In business think what the person’s pain might be, actively listen and ask questions to make this discovery before pitching in for their business.
THE OTHER BEGGER
•Let them come to you – Now the other guy who begs at the same Metro station just stands there and smiles at you. That’s it. He smiles. he ackowledges you as you hurry by. The only person who does. Soon you find he smiles at you each day so you start to say "Bonjour". Then you don’t see him for a while and you ask where he’s been, how he’s been. You learn a bit about his life, his story. Then you find he's quite a conversationalist. Quite smart in a street-wise kind of way. You start to warm to him. From time to time you give him some coins or something. He always remembers you and asks how you are and, in my case, how my mum is. He becomes part of your life.
I bet you he gets way more money than the other guy.
And in business… build yourself a good reputation; strong visibility; be seen in the right places talking to the right people; earn credibility. Then they will come to you.
In the time all this took I had the opportunity to observe one of the people who regularly beg in the subway here (underground to readers in the UK !!). Then I started to compare him to someone else who begs in the same Metro station (Sherbrooke for those of you who live in Montreal).
I would argue that begging for money isn't a million miles different to getting business from a potential client. Here’s what I learnt from my observations:
THE FIRST BEGGER
•Pick the right moment – begging for money is not going to be successful when you solicit people rushing to go to work. I wondered why the guy didn’t pitch to those of us lined up – we were a captive audience, bored, fed up and possibly receptive to a good story.
In business ensure that the client is undistracted and ready to listen to what you would like to say.
•Close off objections – dirty, in tatty clothes and telling me you’re hungry … maybe you are but maybe you want money for drugs. Good idea to think about what I might be thinking and then close off that objection before I even make it.
Same applies with a potential business client. If you think the person might be wondering if you have the right experience, could harness the right resources, whatever.. then cover that off when you are speaking to them.
•Address the “what’s in it for me” – what should the guy in the Metro be doing so that we get someting? just imposing the odours of his unwashed body so that we give him some money to make him go away? Maybe. But, suppose he appealed to our more generous side: "You’re buying your monthly pass I would like to be able to buy some food" (guilt trip); "While you are waiting in line think about people like me who have ended up on the streets" (compassion with a bit of guilt).
In business think what the person’s pain might be, actively listen and ask questions to make this discovery before pitching in for their business.
THE OTHER BEGGER
•Let them come to you – Now the other guy who begs at the same Metro station just stands there and smiles at you. That’s it. He smiles. he ackowledges you as you hurry by. The only person who does. Soon you find he smiles at you each day so you start to say "Bonjour". Then you don’t see him for a while and you ask where he’s been, how he’s been. You learn a bit about his life, his story. Then you find he's quite a conversationalist. Quite smart in a street-wise kind of way. You start to warm to him. From time to time you give him some coins or something. He always remembers you and asks how you are and, in my case, how my mum is. He becomes part of your life.
I bet you he gets way more money than the other guy.
And in business… build yourself a good reputation; strong visibility; be seen in the right places talking to the right people; earn credibility. Then they will come to you.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Be in business mode when working from home.
I was browsing through Betty McCray's blog and found a post about setting yourself an appointment at 9am each and every day if you work from home so that you don't let the start time for your day slide. Whether its a meeting with a client or a telephone appointment it ensures that you get your day started in a businesslike way.
I would also add the importance of dressing for business - not only does it put your mind in work mode but it also means that if you get a call from a potential client who wants to meet up almost straight away you're not rushing off to the bathroom to shower and dress and slap make-up on. (OK I'm sitting here typing this in my pj's but it is 5am and my excuse is I am jetlagged and heading back to bed for a couple of hours.!!)
Betty McCrays blogpost
I would also add the importance of dressing for business - not only does it put your mind in work mode but it also means that if you get a call from a potential client who wants to meet up almost straight away you're not rushing off to the bathroom to shower and dress and slap make-up on. (OK I'm sitting here typing this in my pj's but it is 5am and my excuse is I am jetlagged and heading back to bed for a couple of hours.!!)
Betty McCrays blogpost
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Canadian citizen (not by birth ) - be careful at Heathrow airport
Be warned - if you fly out of Heathrow with Air Canada and are resident in Canada you risk getting serious hassle and even being refused the right to fly if you do not have a Canadian passport OR a foreign passport and Permanent Resident card. I have been a proud Canadian citizen for almost 4 years. I do not have a Canadian passport as I don't need one, they're expensive and the waiting list to get one is horrendous. It is quite legal for me to fly into Canada with my British passport and a Canadian citizenship card. Permanent Resident and a Citizen of Canada are two distinct status and once a Citizen you do not need, and indeed cannot have, a Permanent Resident card.I pointed this out to the Air Canada check-in person but she decided to get an 'immigration expert'.
The 'immigration expert' had serious 'attitude' and claimed that the citizenship card is honorific and has no value as an ID document - it was just for people like me who had emigrated to Canada and gone through the process of becoming a citizen - an honorary document. This was said in a tone that was méprisant and by someone who seemed to not like immigrants. I was so upset I could have cried.
I told the immigration officer at Montreal airport about all this and he was disgusted that this had happened to me BUT warned me to be careful as these people who, even though they are totally wrong, have POWER, the power to refuse someone the right to board an Air Canada flight to travel back home to Canada.
Sorry to rant but I am so upset by this and want to go public on it to warn other people.
The 'immigration expert' had serious 'attitude' and claimed that the citizenship card is honorific and has no value as an ID document - it was just for people like me who had emigrated to Canada and gone through the process of becoming a citizen - an honorary document. This was said in a tone that was méprisant and by someone who seemed to not like immigrants. I was so upset I could have cried.
I told the immigration officer at Montreal airport about all this and he was disgusted that this had happened to me BUT warned me to be careful as these people who, even though they are totally wrong, have POWER, the power to refuse someone the right to board an Air Canada flight to travel back home to Canada.
Sorry to rant but I am so upset by this and want to go public on it to warn other people.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Maybe you should have lunch
By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try. The world is beyond the winning. (Lao Tzu)
Think about it...today think about it in the context of lunch. Yes, lunch. How many of you skip lunch or eat something at your desk so that you can 'save time' ? Are you really saving time ? Maybe you would still get everything done even if you have a proper lunch break.
When I worked in Paris (in the days of the corporate career) I went out for lunch every day and yes often had a glass of wine (maybe two even) but I sure as heck worked harder and more productively in the afternoon than when I worked in London or Toronto and ate a boring sandwich at my desk and carried on working.
How many of you are taking a real break at lunchtime ? Eating a nice lunch rather than some boring old thing in a food court ? or at least going and eating the boring thing in the sunshine or with friends (no not co-workers - that is great for team building but not every day - you need a break from your work environment). And for readers who work at home... what are you up to ?? Bet you skip lunch or eat at your desk .. go on admit it.
So change it. Things will still get done even if you have a good lunch break.
Think about it...today think about it in the context of lunch. Yes, lunch. How many of you skip lunch or eat something at your desk so that you can 'save time' ? Are you really saving time ? Maybe you would still get everything done even if you have a proper lunch break.
When I worked in Paris (in the days of the corporate career) I went out for lunch every day and yes often had a glass of wine (maybe two even) but I sure as heck worked harder and more productively in the afternoon than when I worked in London or Toronto and ate a boring sandwich at my desk and carried on working.
How many of you are taking a real break at lunchtime ? Eating a nice lunch rather than some boring old thing in a food court ? or at least going and eating the boring thing in the sunshine or with friends (no not co-workers - that is great for team building but not every day - you need a break from your work environment). And for readers who work at home... what are you up to ?? Bet you skip lunch or eat at your desk .. go on admit it.
So change it. Things will still get done even if you have a good lunch break.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Culture Cuts in Canada
This is too funny - albeit a serious matter - culture is such an important part of our heritage.
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=UrATQeLLKX0
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=UrATQeLLKX0
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Mindset is so important
I read a great blog post today that set me thinking: launching and/or growing a business is not just about feasiblity studies, biz plans, road maps and marketing strategies it's also mindset - in fact one could perhaps argue that mindset is more important than all the others.
The blogpost is about walking on water (in a metaphoric way)and starts with a joke about three Buddhist monks - two of whom walk across the lake to the monastery and the third one keeps sinking into the lake each time he tries to walk across. Eventually the first monk says to the second one "Do you think we should we tell him where the stones are ?". The blog post takes the idea of stones which enable us to 'walk on water' - stones that are vital to the success of any business venture. These include:
Walk With Open Arms
Walk with Unwavering Faith
Walking Starts With A Single Purposeful Step
Walk With Courage
Walk With Awareness
Gain Speed With The Flow
Go read the entire article (Walk on Water) - its thought-provoking.
The blogpost is about walking on water (in a metaphoric way)and starts with a joke about three Buddhist monks - two of whom walk across the lake to the monastery and the third one keeps sinking into the lake each time he tries to walk across. Eventually the first monk says to the second one "Do you think we should we tell him where the stones are ?". The blog post takes the idea of stones which enable us to 'walk on water' - stones that are vital to the success of any business venture. These include:
Walk With Open Arms
Walk with Unwavering Faith
Walking Starts With A Single Purposeful Step
Walk With Courage
Walk With Awareness
Gain Speed With The Flow
Go read the entire article (Walk on Water) - its thought-provoking.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
How to protect your work
I was just reading an interesting post on Mari Smith's blog - How not to do business on Facebook or anywhere about someone who plagiarised all her work. This prompted me to make the following comment on her post:
A variation on a similar theme - I used to do a lot of feasiblility studies and business plans.I once found that a client had revised the 3 year financial projections I had prepared to make the project profitable (and therefore eligible for a grant) when it was destined to be a major loss maker ... fortunately the person reviewing the document knew me and knew that I would never have produced some optimisitic figures. This scared the heck out of me though ... naively perhaps but it had never occurred to me that someone would take my work and then change it and present as my professional judgement in order to raise financing. I also experienced someone using my CV and adding me as a consultant adviser in order to win a contract without my knowledge or consent. I have not figured out how to avoid this - short of restricting my work to business coaching.
Does anyone have suggestions ?
A variation on a similar theme - I used to do a lot of feasiblility studies and business plans.I once found that a client had revised the 3 year financial projections I had prepared to make the project profitable (and therefore eligible for a grant) when it was destined to be a major loss maker ... fortunately the person reviewing the document knew me and knew that I would never have produced some optimisitic figures. This scared the heck out of me though ... naively perhaps but it had never occurred to me that someone would take my work and then change it and present as my professional judgement in order to raise financing. I also experienced someone using my CV and adding me as a consultant adviser in order to win a contract without my knowledge or consent. I have not figured out how to avoid this - short of restricting my work to business coaching.
Does anyone have suggestions ?
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Honesty is not lucrative...
... or is it ?
I bumped into a former colleague in town today and in response to his question about what I was up to I said not a lot as I had exited a mandate where there was a conflict of interest. He commented: "I admire your honesty but its not exactly lucrative is it ?". No but.... three buts.... as someone once said "My reputation is all I have and I must not damage it" and as the maxim goes "Honesty pays" - this client will come back to me and indeed has just hired me for a totally different mandate - Why ? because I was so honest. And the third but... I find that when one door closes another one opens and reveals a path that is very often a far better one to travel.
I would say honesty can be potentially lucrative....
I bumped into a former colleague in town today and in response to his question about what I was up to I said not a lot as I had exited a mandate where there was a conflict of interest. He commented: "I admire your honesty but its not exactly lucrative is it ?". No but.... three buts.... as someone once said "My reputation is all I have and I must not damage it" and as the maxim goes "Honesty pays" - this client will come back to me and indeed has just hired me for a totally different mandate - Why ? because I was so honest. And the third but... I find that when one door closes another one opens and reveals a path that is very often a far better one to travel.
I would say honesty can be potentially lucrative....
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Capturing good ideas
I keep a folder to hold good ideas - whether a good idea for marketing collateral, a print advertisement, a company that might be interested in my business offering.
When I attend conferences I always have a pad to take notes but I draw a line down the page reserving a thrid for jotting down ideas as they pop into my head while listening to the speakers.
I periodically go through the folder to sling out those ideas that a few weeks later are not quite so relevant or which don't seem so good BUT I also take out one or two items to action. There is no point in having good ideas if you lose track of them and there is also no point in a good idea if it lies buried in a folder going nowhere fast.
When I attend conferences I always have a pad to take notes but I draw a line down the page reserving a thrid for jotting down ideas as they pop into my head while listening to the speakers.
I periodically go through the folder to sling out those ideas that a few weeks later are not quite so relevant or which don't seem so good BUT I also take out one or two items to action. There is no point in having good ideas if you lose track of them and there is also no point in a good idea if it lies buried in a folder going nowhere fast.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Firing a Client - but...
A while ago I wrote about having the courage to fire a client. Today i was reading through the blog of one of my Facebook friends (Andrea J. Stenberg) and she too had written about firing a client. BUT.... the thrust of her argument was not to have the courage to fire a client but to know when NOT to. Here is a sobering thought taken verbatim from her blog post:
However, there are times when someone looks like a client from hell, acts like a client from hell and sounds like a client from hell. But isn’t. The trick is to know the difference.
Many years ago, in a different lifetime, my husband and I ran a computer store.(...)
We’d only been in business for about six months when we had our first Christmas. Two days before Christmas, right at closing time we got a call from a customer who had just purchased a computer. The computer was crap, it wouldn’t work, we were awful people and we’d better get over there right away and fix it.
Our policy was that we didn’t do house calls, unless you paid for it. If you had a problem with a computer, you had to bring it in. That said, we could usually talk a customer through a problem over the phone; the most frequent computer defect usually turned out to be a disconnected cable.
My husband’s first inclination was to blow this guy off. He had started the phone call with guns blazing and had set my husband’s back up. Add to the mix that we had our own family Christmas to prepare for plus lots of customers we were still dealing with. He was ready to write this guy off as a client from hell.
But something told me not to let this go. I calmed my husband down and persuaded him to go to the guy’s house even though it was against our policy. After all, it was Christmas.
Less than an hour later he returned a very subdued man. It turns out this irate customer had purchased the computer with his wife as a Christmas present for their grandchildren. Since ordering the computer, his wife had died. This was going to be her last present to the grandkids. He wanted them to be able to wake up Christmas morning and have a working computer waiting for them from Grandma.
There wasn’t anything wrong with the computer. This man just didn’t have anything left in him to wrestle with setting up the computer. His rage at my husband and nothing to do with the computer and everything to do with the curveball life had thrown him.
By taking an hour out of his day, my husband helped this man get through an emotional event without his wife. He made what was going to be a sad Christmas a little happier for some kids. And in the process he created one of our biggest supporters.
I don’t know how I knew that this man wasn’t a client from hell. But I’m glad I listened to my intuition that day.
Andrea J. Stenberg
Worth thinking about.....
However, there are times when someone looks like a client from hell, acts like a client from hell and sounds like a client from hell. But isn’t. The trick is to know the difference.
Many years ago, in a different lifetime, my husband and I ran a computer store.(...)
We’d only been in business for about six months when we had our first Christmas. Two days before Christmas, right at closing time we got a call from a customer who had just purchased a computer. The computer was crap, it wouldn’t work, we were awful people and we’d better get over there right away and fix it.
Our policy was that we didn’t do house calls, unless you paid for it. If you had a problem with a computer, you had to bring it in. That said, we could usually talk a customer through a problem over the phone; the most frequent computer defect usually turned out to be a disconnected cable.
My husband’s first inclination was to blow this guy off. He had started the phone call with guns blazing and had set my husband’s back up. Add to the mix that we had our own family Christmas to prepare for plus lots of customers we were still dealing with. He was ready to write this guy off as a client from hell.
But something told me not to let this go. I calmed my husband down and persuaded him to go to the guy’s house even though it was against our policy. After all, it was Christmas.
Less than an hour later he returned a very subdued man. It turns out this irate customer had purchased the computer with his wife as a Christmas present for their grandchildren. Since ordering the computer, his wife had died. This was going to be her last present to the grandkids. He wanted them to be able to wake up Christmas morning and have a working computer waiting for them from Grandma.
There wasn’t anything wrong with the computer. This man just didn’t have anything left in him to wrestle with setting up the computer. His rage at my husband and nothing to do with the computer and everything to do with the curveball life had thrown him.
By taking an hour out of his day, my husband helped this man get through an emotional event without his wife. He made what was going to be a sad Christmas a little happier for some kids. And in the process he created one of our biggest supporters.
I don’t know how I knew that this man wasn’t a client from hell. But I’m glad I listened to my intuition that day.
Andrea J. Stenberg
Worth thinking about.....
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Marketing - a new twist to your message
Michael Port published this excellent story in his eZine recently.
One day, there was a blind man sitting on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet and a sign that read: 'I am blind, please help.'
A marketer was walking by and stopped to observe. He saw that the blind man had only a few coins in his hat. He dropped in more coins and, without asking for permission, took the sign and rewrote it. He returned the sign to the blind man and left.
That afternoon the marketer returned to the blind man and noticed that his hat was full of bills and coins. The blind man recognized his footsteps and asked if it was he who had rewritten his sign and wanted to know what he had written on it. The marketer responded: "Nothing that was not true. I just wrote the message a little differently." He smiled and went on his way.
The new sign read: Today is Spring and I cannot see it.
Moral of the story ? Sometimes we need to change our strategy. If we always do what we've always done, we'll always get the same thing (which is fine if this is what you want !). Be innovative - change your world and the world of those around you !
One day, there was a blind man sitting on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet and a sign that read: 'I am blind, please help.'
A marketer was walking by and stopped to observe. He saw that the blind man had only a few coins in his hat. He dropped in more coins and, without asking for permission, took the sign and rewrote it. He returned the sign to the blind man and left.
That afternoon the marketer returned to the blind man and noticed that his hat was full of bills and coins. The blind man recognized his footsteps and asked if it was he who had rewritten his sign and wanted to know what he had written on it. The marketer responded: "Nothing that was not true. I just wrote the message a little differently." He smiled and went on his way.
The new sign read: Today is Spring and I cannot see it.
Moral of the story ? Sometimes we need to change our strategy. If we always do what we've always done, we'll always get the same thing (which is fine if this is what you want !). Be innovative - change your world and the world of those around you !
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