Aepiphanni!! Small Business HEADS UP!!

Value Added: Did you get What you Came For?

2009-07-14T10:03:00.001-04:00

Can you define, specifically, what value your activities bring to yourself and to others? Can you answer the question of why you do certain things, who it will benefit and what you expect the results to be? Are you conscious enough to walk away from a time investment or project that detracts from the value you bring?

I?ve interviewed numerous business owners and business leaders about their activities: how they spend their time, how much time they spend doing this or that, and what they expect to gain from it. I was expecting to hear answers such as, ?I spend about 3 hours per day doing business development, which might include activities such as calls, working on my internet strategy, blogging or micro-blogging.?

Instead, the answers received were quite vague, with responses such as ?oh, some time in the evening? or ?it varies? or ?well, I don?t really know??

While this might be a common thread for some businesses or business owners, operating this way limits your ability to measure the value of the activity. Examples of measureable activities include:

Miles per gallon ? how far you can go on a single gallon of gas
Price per pound ? allows you to comparison shop, often at a grocery store
Call ratio ? number of calls versus number of connections made

These ratios allow you to determine the value of your purchases.

Your time is no less valuable. Some may say that it is more valuable; you can always make more money, but you can never make more time. There will be things you do in order to receive something so that you can accomplish your goals. There are things that you will do that are totally altruistically ? you NEED to do those types of things as well. As with anything, understand WHY you are participating and attempt to achieve maximum value for your invested time. That means have a plan and have a goal.

Think Value Added.

Aepiphanni Business Solutions is a Strategy Consulting Firm dedicated to serving the needs of business leaders and executives. We specialize in helping people get into business, and stay there. We welcome clients in the personal and professional services industries, including restaurants, catering and event planning. As always, we welcome your comments, thoughts, questions and suggestions. If you are seeking a business assessment, or have further questions about creating your strategy or developing your vision, please give me, Rick Meekins, a call at 678-265-3908, or email us at info@aepiphanni.com.

Technorati Tags: Value,Management & Leadership,Startegic Thinking,Business Development

Podcast: Leading the Organization that Survives: Part 1

2009-07-13T06:12:00.001-04:00

Presented at ACIBN Luncheon: Atlanta, GA July 8, 2009

Leading the organization that survives requires leaders with a passion for possibilities, an understanding of priorities, information and the courage to take on risk. Please listen as Rick Meekins, Principal Strategist at Aepiphanni describes the first two components of Leadership decision making before an audience at the Atlanta Christians in Business Network luncheon.: Possibilities and an overview of the 6s Priorities Model.

Mr.. Meekins welcomes opportunity to speak at your next event. You may contact his office, directly, at info@aepiphanni.com or at 678-265-3908. For more podcasts, please visit www.aepiphanni.com/podcasts.

Technorati Tags: Leadership,Management,Decision making,Planning,Vision,Priority,6s Model

It's Time to Fire the Chief Bottle Washer!!!

2009-07-10T06:26:00.001-04:00

I come from years and years in the small business end of the restaurant industry, where owners tout the title:

"Chef,Owner and Chief Bottle Washer."

I decided after very little thought and planning, that I would follow in the tradition as a restaurateur and serial entrepreneur, and don the illustrious title when I opened, in succession, a private catering company, then a larger, full-service catering company, and finally, a full.-service casual fine-dining restaurant. I am sure I schmoozed (Pennsylvania Dutch for mashed, smashed, crammed, etc) 20 years of work hours into about eight years. 80 hour work weeks were not uncommon (at least at work!) but a social life was VERY uncommon (outside of work!)

Sure, I have a notch in my hat, memories and a following and being a local celebrity, a bunch of newspaper clippings and a legacy, but not much else to show from it. There is nothing to brag about. There are no additional revenues coming by direction from it. While the sign for the restaurant is still in place, another restaurant is doing just fine in the location. But for all of the hard work, I have to ask myself: was it worth it?

I actually took away a great deal of knowledge and experience, some of which I have included in my (not) five or so things you'll want to avoid as a business owner:

I went into the business by myself. Even Frank Sinatra - "Old Blue Eyes" as they called him, had the Rat Pack. While partnership is like a marriage, going at it alone is quite like riding a tandem bike from the back seat by yourself. You just can't make out too well doing it by yourself - and there is only so far you can go.

("Frank Sinatra's "I did it my Way.")

I wanted to have the best food at the lowest price! Yeah!! I wanted to be the Wal-Mart or Target of the Restaurant Industry. While it seems to make some sense: if I offer a great product or service at an extremely low price, everyone will want to buy it. I promise you, in most cases, this doesn't work. Instead, focus on offering a good or great product at an APPROPRIATE price. Everyone cannot be the cost leader!

I didn't know myself! What? Even though I had a great skill as a chef (per my clientele!), that knowledge and experience did not make me a great restaurant owner! Even as a good restaurant owner, and could not run the restaurant and prepare all the meals. I couldn't even do a great job running the kitchen and preparing all of the meals! I hadn't considered that! I hadn't planned for that! I thought I could run a 300 seat restaurant with off site catering and two banquet rooms with one restaurant manager! I am a strategist: I come up with innovative systems, strategies and processes. That doesn't make me an ADMINISTRAIVE PROFESSIONAL!! Go ask my friend, Walter Akana, at Threshold Consulting, where he talks about identifying strengths in one of his blog posts!
I didn't identify the resources around me that would have helped to fill some of the holes in the business, such as an ACCOUNTANT!! While I had bankers, lawyers and insurance people, I didn't leverage their great skill and experience. I didn't take the time to identify potential investors and start the organization with more cash in the bank. I didn't connect with a great marketer or have a marketing plan for that matter. I thought that my product was so unique that everybody would just come!! Nine times out of ten, it will never happen.
I decided to save some money and be the "Chef, Owner and Chief Bottle Washer!" It ended up costing me a lot more this way; I couldn't adequately monitor the restaurant, I worked long, long hours, I micro-managed the managers that I did hire and frankly, at times I got so tired that I could not produce, and had no backup plan. What would have happened if I'd gotten sick for a couple of weeks??

It all comes down to this. Think about it: when you are planning your business, you want to plan it for success. This means that you need to put the time into the planning stages and get a good understanding, not only of who YOU are and what YOU bring to the table, but what DEFICITS you bring to the table and how to address them. One of the biggest challenges I see for the serial entrepreneur is bookkeeping and payroll. Another challenge I've seen with those really smart consultants is the inability to sell their product! If you are a public speaker, you may need to hire an admin person to keep you organized.

My friend and strategic partner, Nicole Greer, gave me a great deal of insight on understanding not only myself, but also, other people. She uses a PEP analysis, which takes about 15 minutes to do, and comes with a brief coaching on individual strengths and weaknesses. From there, you can begin to apply your new knowledge, and find out where you fit into your organization. Don't you think it's about time to "FIRE THE CHIEF BOTTLE WASHER?!?!"

Technorati Tags: Leadership,direction,startups,restaurants,management,decision-making,planning

Measuring Possibilities: Innovation and Strategic Planning

2009-07-06T08:37:00.001-04:00

When we talk about strategic planning or innovation in an organization, we are essentially talking about possibilities, or something that can happen. Some people might suggest that these are dreams and passing fantasies to mulled and others might suggest that one should pursue every possibility with vigor, regardless of the risk and consequences.

Either route could prove to be distasteful; on one hand, doing nothing is safe, but unfulfilling for most people. On the other hand, chasing every possibility tends to end badly. So, as an entrepreneur, what does one do? It seems that there should be some method of weighing and measuring possibilities to try to determine what makes sense. In other words, how do we determine what is truly possible versus what might be impossible?

Every possibility begins with an idea. How do we measure the strength of an idea?

The answer is often in the way that we look at the organization. If we have an understanding of the organization ? why it exists and what it hopes to accomplish, we can evaluate a possibility from the onset: does this possibility serve the company?s mission and will it help to reach the vision? If yes, then it?s got a leg to stand on. If not, you might consider weighing out some other ideas.

Another question to ask is whether you have the resources to support the idea. This might be a typical scenario:

Company ABC has a sales force automation tool that happens to be outstanding. However, there are a million of them on the market, and they recognize this. They feel that their real advantage in the marketplace is that their on-demand solution offers XXX, a cutting-edge technology. The problem with the technology is that it is so new to the marketplace that they have to educate people on how to use it, and what the benefits of it are. This will require extensive cold calling, event development, etc.. They are running out of money and time. What do they do? What is possible? Can they do whatever they do, and do it in a way that will continue developing their brand, rather than taking away from it?

We?ve seen the results of companies launch products or services prematurely, and the damage it causes a brand or organization. Ensure the resources at hand are appropriate for the task will most likely mean the difference between success and failure. This is more than just capital, this includes manpower, the ability to fully develop it, test it, package it, price it appropriately, market it, launch it and continue to develop and tweak it as different scenarios are uncovered. While doing something is better than doing nothing at all, doing it poorly can result in drastic consequences.

This is a first in a series on the topic of measuring possibilities. As always, we welcome your comments and questions

Technorati Tags: Possibilities,business,strategy,leadership,decision making,idea,measure

Keepin' it Movin'!: Motivation to Continue to Strive

2009-06-30T09:43:00.001-04:00

I believe in always looking forward.

I believe in sharing goodwill.

I believe that community starts with me.

I believe that my company is here to serve.

I believe.

What do you believe? What are you doing about it?

Where ever we start out, we start out with an idea or a dream. We want to do something to serve some purpose.be it open a company or companies to make as much money as possible, or to reach the top of the jungle gym. It all starts with a dream.

Here's a video from a dreamer - a dreamer that failed again and again and again.until he became the best:

Technorati Tags: motivation,focus,vision,goals

Now.keep it movin'!

What?s the Process??

2009-06-24T11:53:00.001-04:00

Do you ever find yourself completely overwhelmed with certain tasks?

Do you find yourself almost re-inventing the wheel every time a certain thing is due ? maybe getting your bookkeeping in order right before tax time or order office supplies for the company?

Have you gotten to the point in your business where you realize you need to start handing things off to other people, then realize that you?ve simply been operating on auto-pilot, making training much more complicated than it needs to be?

What?s missing in your business is process. Peggy Duncan, productivity expert, says that if you are going to do something more than once, you need to create a process. Additionally, if the process isn?t working, you need to adjust it!

When creating processes for your business, it?s often a case of working backwards from your goal. You look at what you want to have done, say, mailing an envelope to someone.

Write the letter
Fold it to fit into the envelope
Get an envelope
Put the letter in the envelope
Get a stamp
Get the address
Put the stamp on the envelope
Write the address and return address on the envelope
Get the envelope to the post office

Rather obvious set of steps.

But what if there are no stamps, or no envelopes? Where is the letter? What post office should I use, or is there a local mailbox?

Many times, when processes are created, certain basic steps are skipped ? simply because they are taken for granted.

So, reviewing the process, we might want to add some of the details

Write the letter a letter about a specific topic to a certain person that contains the following information. They font we use is Arial, font size is 12 points, color is black. Ensure that the letter is properly formatted using the template we?ve created
Have the letter edited by your supervisor. This is important since very communication we make in the company is part of our branding.
Make any necessary corrections from the supervisor
Print the letter out on a specific type of paper. If we are out of paper, please check the supply closet for extra paper. If you notice that the supply of paper is low, please let your supervisor know
Go to the mail room, where you will find envelopes, a postage scale with postage rate information and stamps, among a number of other items.
Get a standard letter envelope and the proper amount of postage out of the supply closet. If you are not sure what the amount is, you will find postage rates on the form next to the scale. If the scale is not in the post room, please alert your super.
Fold it to fit into the envelope in a c-fold format so all ends fit together ? (see diagram)
Put the letter in the envelope with the addressee?s information facing up, but still behind the fold (see diagram)
Write the address at the center of the envelope, the return address on the upper left corner of the envelope and the stamp on the upper right corner of the envelope(see diagram)
Place the letter in the mail bin on the table in the mail room.

?or something to that effect. Videos might work even better, if you?ve got the resources.

Building your processes DOES take time. However it gives you some basis to make improvements in your business. Seeing how things are done ? writing it out ? often makes you ask the questions, ?why do we do that?? or ?There?s got to be a better way.

Review your processes, periodically, to see what works and what makes sense. Maybe there is a way to reduce the cost of the process. Maybe certain parts of a process need to be handed off to other people who might be better or cost less. Maybe there are certain steps you need to add or omit, or maybe there is a way of redesigning your office to make it work better.

Processes are essential to efficiency in business. One precautionary thought ? don?t get so tied up in process that your business comes to a standstill. You?ve always, always, always got to keep moving forward.

At Aepiphanni Business Solutions, we are a Small Business Consulting Firm dedicated to serving the needs of small business owners. We specialize in helping business leaders and executives organize, plan and develop strategies for their organizations. We are committed to our clients' success.

If you have further questions about creating your strategy or developing your vision, please give me, Rick Meekins, a call at 678-265-3908, or email us at info@aepiphanni.com.

Technorati Tags: Process Development,Efficiency,small business,strategy,planning,employees

Great Strategy Video from Tony Galliano

2009-06-23T09:22:00.001-04:00

Tony Galliano ? the Sixty Second Strategist, posts this video on his website titled ?Strategic Planning Through Analysis & Forecasting. In it, he discusses the idea that strategic planning doesn?t just happen, and just because you?ve come up with some things you would like to do, there is a process for your strategic planning that has to make sense.

For more info on Tony and his work, check him and his book out at www.60secondstrategist.com. Take the quiz ? see what your Strategic Quotient is.

If you have further questions about creating your strategy or developing your vision, please give me, Rick Meekins, a call at 678-265-3908, or email us at info@aepiphanni.com.

Technorati Tags: Strategic Planning,Strategic Thinking,Video,60 Second Strategist

A Penny Saved?: Recession Busting

2009-06-17T08:16:00.001-04:00

My 16-year-old son said something interesting to me the other day that sort of stuck with me. He said, ?Dad, now that the drought is over, can we go back to longer showers??

I responded - ?Of course not. We don?t waste water just because we have it.? While without the results he had expected, he triggered a very wise thought.

A long gone saying I remember from my childhood was, ?a penny saved is a penny earned.? I suppose it took me about 35 years to figure out what it meant. But it embraced the concept of saving money, or in essence, preserving our resources, no matter how small or insignificant they seem to be.

The extension of that thought is with your business: as a result of the changes you?ve had to go through in order to operate your business, how many of the new habits or practices will you continue once the economy begins to prosper. Some recession busting practices that might make sense to carry forward include:

Having virtual meetings
Working virtually
Outsourcing non core activities
Holding webinars in lieu of short training sessions
Using the internet as an effective advertising medium
Building strong referral networks
Demonstrating value
Doing what you do - better

I suppose that if there are some good outcomes to a recession, ?cleaning out the junk? has got to be one thing on my list. What I mean by that is getting rid of all of the expenses ? reducing costs ? of things that weren?t core to the business, or part of your organization?s brand. That might mean selling extra equipment, getting rid of company cars and other non-essential benefits and going out and buying your own coffee.

Now, ask yourself ? that is, if you intend to keep your business thriving through the recession, ?where can I find my pennies?? What are the small things you can do that will add up over time? There are lots of them. Here are a few:

Use both sides of the paper (recycle)
Don?t print documents that you can read and save on your computer
Turn your non-essential computers off at night
Have a company like cBeyond do a free evaluation of your phone system ? they might be able to save you tons of money
Manage your employees? hours. If you let half of your team go and are paying the other half overtime most of the time, was that really the best option? Can you bring some back as contractors?
Use your team to help steer the company. You be the leader, have them provide the ?go!?

Happy collecting!

Technorati Tags: Resources,decision making,excellence,small business,saving,cBeyond,cutting costs,recession buster

As always, we welcome your thoughts and feedback.

If you have further questions about creating your strategy or developing your vision, please give me, Rick Meekins, a call at 678-265-3908, or email us at info@aepiphanni.com.

Small Business can Apply for ARC Loans Beginning Today

2009-06-15T19:35:00.001-04:00

***********************************************
U.S. Small Business Administration

-- News Release --

***********************************************

Release Date: June 15, 2009 Contact: David J. Hall (202) 205-6697
Release Number: 09-41 Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news

Small Business can Apply for ARC Loans Beginning Today

WASHINGTON ? Starting today, June 15, SBA will begin accepting loans for a temporary new program called America?s Recovery Capital. ?ARC? loans of up to $35,000 are designed to provide a ?bridge? for viable small businesses with immediate financial hardship ? to keep their doors open until they get back on track.

?These ARC loans are another tool in the SBA toolkit which will provide critical support to small businesses struggling to make it through these tough economic times,? said Administrator Karen G. Mills.

ARC loans are deferred-payment loans of up to $35,000, available to established, viable, for-profit small businesses that need short-term help to make their principal and interest payments on existing and qualifying business debt. ARC loans are 100 percent guaranteed by the SBA and have no SBA fees associated with them.

ARC loans will be disbursed over a period of up to six months and will provide funds to be used for payments of principal and interest for existing, qualifying small business debt including mortgages, term and revolving lines of credit, capital leases, credit card obligations and notes payable to vendors, suppliers and utilities. SBA will pay the interest on ARC loans to the lenders at the
variable rate of Prime plus two percent.

Repayment will not begin until 12 months after the final disbursement. After the 12-month deferral period, borrowers will pay back the loan principal over a period of five years.

ARC loans will be made by commercial lenders, not SBA directly. For more information on ARC loans, visit www.sba.gov

For more information about all of the SBA?s programs for small businesses, call the SBA Answer Desk at 1-800 U ASK SBA or TDD 704-344-6640, or visit the SBA?s Web site at http://www.sba.gov.

# # #

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To unsubscribe from the list, send an email to LISTSERV@NEWGANGES.SBA.GOV The body of the message should read SIGNOFF PRESSOFFICE A subject is not required.
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If you have further questions about creating your strategy or developing your vision, please give me, Rick Meekins, a call at 678-265-3908, or email us at info@aepiphanni.com.

Trusted Partner

2009-06-15T09:28:00.001-04:00

In our evolving, highly networked, interconnected world, it is easier to connect with people than ever before. Working with peer groups and mastermind groups from all over the world is not unheard of. Many of us have social network contacts that span the globe.

While there are a number of advantages to being highly networked, there are many disadvantages as well, such as id compromise, incredible amounts of spam, less privacy ? as a person and as a business and difficulty in verifying information about a product or service, just to name a few

One challenge I have seen, and have heard other businesses talk about is finding an employee, partner or alley that is ?exactly what we had in mind.? It seems like finding the right person to provide the right support is the exception to the rule.

Donald Trump once said something to the effect of, ?Be slow to hire and quick to fire,? which seems to be the opposite of the mindset that many of us have these days. We tend to hire people when we are in a crunch, and, if we like them, their qualifications are roughly what we are looking for, and they will accept our offer, we hire them, usually over the course of a few weeks without really understanding the person we are getting involved with.

If you are going to invest tons of money into one person, it would be wise to take your time.

Be in a position where you are always collecting resumes.
Instead of copying job descriptions from Monster.com, work with your team, peer group or advisor to identify deficits in the organization that need to be met.
Unless the job specifically requires the understanding of an advanced degree ? and be clear about that ? don?t throw out a candidate strictly on the basis of their education
Because a person moves around a lot, don?t assume that they are unstable ? they may simply have not found the right fit
Do the work ? check the references
Interview everyone that seems to be qualified. You may start with phone interviews or a group interview.
Find a personality study that works for you and use it on your top candidates. Having a team of fairly similar personalities might seem nice, but in most respects, it simply doesn?t work
Look them up on the internet. While I wouldn?t suggest that Facebook and all of the characters people ?befriend? is all-telling, a LinkedIn or Qalias profile might be more revealing.

When identifying a partner or alley for your organization, the ?due diligence? is just as important, if not more so. How a person presents him or herself is one thing. However, how they produce the products or services and with what consistency is something else, altogether. Remember ? you are in business to make money- first. A few things to keep in mind:

You need to have a clear understand of what the alley expects, and they need to clearly understand what you expect. This includes things such as timeliness, quality of work, payment, payment terms, arbitration, communication, who on your team they will be working with and responsible to, referrals, role, availability, etc.
Put it in writing. I cannot emphasize it enough. Not having expectations in writing will leave feelings of mistrust and could ultimately harm what could have been a good partnership
Keep in mind ? someone that does what they do part-time does whatever they do part time. While a lot of people do (and probably should!) start their business this way, you have to make sure that this is right for YOUR business and the number of hours you need fulfilled. If you settle, you and your clients will most likely end up unsatisfied
Develop some standard of regular communication, outside of the work that they are doing for your you are doing for each other. Keep each other ?in the loop? with respect to anything that would be appropriate
Don?t bring in a partner just because they are cheap. People that agree to come in low for a time that end up staying low won?t stay with you. Those that do stay with you may be worth what you are paying them. Find the right person or company for the job, then pay them what they are worth.
Don?t betray your partner?s trust. It is the beginning of the end. If you aren?t satisfied with something a partner is doing ? or not doing ? say it. Don?t simply go behind their back and do something different. Don?t burn the bridge

Finding and keeping a good partner will definitely take some work on your part, but the payoff will immeasurable. Take your time. Enjoy the process. Don?t wait until you are desperate. And treat them well.

If you have further questions about creating your strategy or developing your vision, please give me, Rick Meekins, a call at 678-265-3908, or email us at info@aepiphanni.com.

Had an Aepiphanni, Lately? June 2009

2009-06-03T10:07:00.001-04:00

YOU MESSED UP!! Now Keep it Movin?!

2009-05-27T09:58:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite clients has a saying she is known for: "Keep it movin'! referring to the fact that once something is done, it's not like when we were kids playing kickball, and we could just shout, "do-over" and everything was good to go. British writer Victoria Holt echoes this sentiment in her statement,

"Never regret. If it's good, it's wonderful. If it's bad, it's experience."

In business, as in life, you will make mistakes. Some might suggest that if you haven't made any mistakes, you probably haven't done much! If you look at many of the people who have accomplished the most in life, you will probably find that they've made mistakes - lots of them. Some may even be bold enough to tell you that half of the decisions they made were WRONG. Dead WRONG.

Well, you have to ask yourself : what made them successful. The answer is quite simple - there nothing new here.

They accepted the mistake as being a mistake

They found out why it was a mistake

They learned from the mistake

They determined how to avoid the mistake, again

They kept their attitude in check

They tried again

What needs to be new or different is how we handle the inevitable mistakes, and, for that matter, the way that we approach each others' mistakes. We all make them, quite often, in an attempt to do something that is very right. Sometimes, there will be penalties for the mistakes that we make. Since mistakes come in all shapes and sizes, from buying the wrong paper, to opening the wrong business at the wrong time, it seems that the major factor, is how we handle it, and how we treat others who have made those mistakes.

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." - Luke 6:31, NIV

Assuming you would rather not be drawn and quartered for every mistake you make, this might be a very simple rule by which you respond to others' mistakes. Just imagine if everyone took that attitude. Just imagine if everyone would simply "KEEP IT MOVIN'!"

If you have further questions about creating your strategy or developing your vision, please give me, Rick Meekins, a call at 678-265-3908, or email us at info@aepiphanni.com.

The New New Economy: More Startups, Fewer Giants, Infinite Opportunity

2009-05-26T11:30:00.000-04:00

The New New Economy: More Startups, Fewer Giants, Infinite Opportunity

At Aepiphanni Business Solutions, we are dedicated to serving the needs of small business owners. We specialize in helping you develop strategies for your organization, and are committed to your success. If you have further questions about creating your strategy or developing your vision, please give me, Rick Meekins, a call at 678-265-3908, or email us at info@aepiphanni.com.

Hoodwinked! The Value of the Truth

2009-05-26T11:17:00.001-04:00

It is interesting, when looking at my Twitter account, how many solutions for everything under the sun I get. I can?t help but wonder how many people respond to these. It makes me think of the days when people would sell love potions and such on the side of the road. One of my favorites was from the ?I Love Lucy Show,? here performed by Hazel Nutz.

How much time is wasted every day creating, sending, viewing and researching these offers? It seems to me that it dilutes the truth so much that the value of marketing has been greatly diminished by what seems to be a ?get rich quick scheme.? It reminds me of a lottery ticket, that has very little cost with a promise to streets paved with gold.

Character and integrity tell us that positive, long-term results come from hard, focused, consistent work over a time period. They come from having a clearly stated purpose and a vision of what results we are looking for.

Take a lesson from the restaurant industry: an aged, marbled, medium grilled 8 oz porterhouse steak had better be exactly that. If not, the consumer will not be satisfied and will a) send it back, b) have lowered their expectations of the establishment and c) tell a BUNCH of people.

Being truthful in messaging demonstrates to your community that you are someone that they can trust and turn to. This includes your beliefs and values. Providing a clear message about what you are offering and/or how you can serve your customers and clients is worth its weight in gold. Then, the key is getting the RIGHT message to the right people ? consistently and clearly.

If you have further questions about creating your strategy or developing your vision, please give me, Rick Meekins, a call at 678-265-3908, or email us at info@aepiphanni.com.

Great Posts from Across the Web ? 5/19/09

2009-05-19T10:59:00.001-04:00

Three Rules for These Times
Harvard Business.org, MA

The first question business schools should teach their students to ask is my Rule #3: Ask the last question first. The last question is, what's the point of the exercise? Jack Welch famously said it was to maximize shareholder value--a terrible answer [more?]

Only the Optimists Survive

Business Week
By Warren Bennis

"Only the paranoid survive" was the famous call to action by Intel pioneer Andy Grove, and that hyper-vigilant motto undeniably has worked wonders during his illustrious career. For leaders in today's and tomorrow's business climate [more?]

What Really Triggers a Referral?

From: Duct Tape Marketing

Referrals most naturally happen when two people are talking and one of the parties expresses a pain in the neck. If the other party just had her pain in the neck fixed, she may very well say something like, ?ooh, you just gotta call Bob, he?s the best pain in the neck fixer on the planet.? [more?]

How Do You Define Greatness? - BNET

The 7 Cs of Success

For the most deeply satisfying and sustainable forms of success, we need to bring into any challenge, opportunity, endeavor, or relationship: [more...]

Finding a Business Partner

WA today, Australia
Take Steve Jobs and Stephen Wozniak, the founding partners of Apple. While the tech juggernaut is now worth $US135 billion, the original partnership between the founders famously fell apart. A big reason: The two men simply didn't share the same career [more...]

Workplace Must Change to Meet Gen F Needs

By John McFerran ? Winnipeg Free Press

Growing up online should work in the favour of Gen F - Generation Facebook, the under-25 group for whom technology is second nature. In fact, a new survey of 16-to-18-year-olds commissioned by software company FileMaker reports that respondents are more confident in their IT skills (82 per cent) than they are in their interpersonal skills (64 per cent) as they prepare to join the workforce. [more...]

If you have further questions about creating your strategy or developing your vision, please give me, Rick Meekins, a call at 678-265-3908, or email us at info@aepiphanni.com.

Seeing the Light

2009-05-14T10:41:00.001-04:00

Have you ever met someone who had a belief about something that just seemed to be stuck on that belief. A friend of mine has that obstacle in her life. She's told me time and time again that she cannot have what she wants in life because she cannot afford to go to school, it's too late in life for her and she is stuck in a life and lifestyle that she hates. Even after showing her how student loans work and that sort of thing, she still insisted that being able to get what she wanted out of life was completely beyond her. She refuses to see the light.

Many business owners tend to have the same mentality - what they see, they believe is true, no matter what anyone else tells them. It is interesting when I speak to people about any number of topics, such as business plans or marketing or getting capital for their business, or even improving their brands. While are their authority on what it is that they do best, as a friend of mine put it, "they don't know what they don't know." If it was a sure thing, I am certain they would have ventured out. However, there was some risk that kept them from seeing the light.

It is like Christopher Columbus when he set out to find a faster route to the West Indies. He would find this route by sailing out past the horizon, or what most people of that day, thought was the end of the world. You see, they thought that the world was flat. From their perspective, it was completely flat.

Chris didn't believe the world was flat, and , so he set out toward the horizon. By opening his eyes to what might be possible, by seeking the light, he found not a new spice route, but an entire continent that the Europeans could never have imagined existing. He wasn't certain that it was going to work out exactly the way he hoped, but he was willing to take a risk. By taking some risk, Chris saw the light.

Thinking about your own business, are there opportunities that you have been holding back from? Is there an investment that you are hesitating to make? Instead of focusing on "what if it fails," what if you focus on, "what if it succeeds?" Succeeding in business has to do with risk, measuring it and making good decisions. Just like in the stock market, there is no such thing as a sure thing, and like the stock market, if you don't invest, you cannot reap the benefits.

Take the steps. Take the risk. See the light.

It Was Just a...Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing

2009-05-13T11:57:00.002-04:00

I have two very sharp teenagers at home who tend to, shall we say, do the things that teenagers do. Of course, since they are boys, I get stuck having to "manage their behaviors," which must be done. As a consultant, my goal is a) to get to the root of the problem, b) figure out what we could do differently and c) correct the problem while keeping the relationship in tact.

My teenagers, of course, have an agenda of their own, which pretty much goes a) No matter what, take no responsibility, b) find some way to blame dad for whatever the infraction is and, if all else fails, diverge, meaning, find a way to shift the topic away from the main point to something off topic that really keeps any sort of progress from being made.

I think that, sometimes, in business, we do the same thing: there are those important things that we need to do for our business that we tend to avoid, like business development, marketing, advertising, updating the accounting and the like, and focusing on the things that are right in front of us. I always refer to those things as, "the new shiny" - referring to the way a little child will instantly be in love with the shiny thing you will give them - until someone else gives them something else that is new and shiny.

What happens, though, when you avoid those things that you know are important to your business? Well, the same thing that would happen if you didn't keep up with the maintenance on your vehicle or bicycle or even yourself: it would break down.

What does this have to do with keeping the main thing the main thing? Well, like my boys, when running a business, we can get off track performing activities that are outside of our core responsibilities (or what needs to be our core responsibilities!), which, for most business owners, is keeping the business moving toward the company vision, or where the business is headed.

Aepiphanni, for instance, has a vision of providing a suite of products and services for small businesses that will help to create strong, stable, lasting organizations. Therefore, I put all of my energy into keeping the organization moving in that direction. Anything that gets in the way of that, or slows the progress, has to be removed.

Do I get off track? Yes! absolutely! but I know what the main thing is, so that I KNOW WHEN I AM OFF TRACK, and can get myself back on target.

Is it easy to stay on track? No! There are lots of "new shinies" that come across my desk and email every day. Can you say Twitter? Facebook? LinkedIn? Skype? You can't get much newer or shinier than those.

How do I avoid this and try to stay on track? EAT THAT FROG!!

Take a look at the 1:28 video from Simpletruths.com.

Remember: keep the main thing the main thing. It is vital to the success of your business.

At Aepiphanni Business Solutions, we are a Small Business Strategy Firm dedicated to serving the needs of small business owners. We specialize in helping business leaders and executives organize, plan and develop strategies for their organizations. We are committed to our clients' success.

If you have further questions about creating your strategy or developing your vision, please give me, Rick Meekins, a call at 678-265-3908, or email us at info@aepiphanni.com.

Eleven Easy Steps to Creating an Excellent White Paper

2009-05-06T13:12:00.001-04:00

Great article from Steve Hoffman at Hoffman Marketing Communications, Inc. Enjoy!!

By Steve Hoffman, Senior Writer
Hoffman Marketing Communications, Inc.

An interesting and informative white paper requires hard work but is not an impossible task. It does, however, require some up-front planning and a solid interview with a knowledgeable content expert. If you consider the following questions before you sit down with a writer, your white paper briefing will be off to an excellent start.
1. Who is your target audience?

Who will read your white paper? What companies will find this interesting and which job titles within these organizations are you targeting? Which industry are you appealing to? Decide who you are talking to before you consider the following questions.

2. What is the desired length of the paper?

At Hoffman Marketing Communications, most white papers we create are between eight and ten pages in length. Some clients, however, request a more concise, five-page, white paper brief and others require 15 to 20 pages to truly explore a complex topic. The length of the paper depends upon how much information you need to convey. Just make sure you include enough content to adequately cover your topic--but not so much that your readers are buried in unnecessary details.

3. What is the white paper's objective?

This may sound like a no-brainer...but it's not. Surprisingly, many people say they need a white paper without a clear idea of what the white paper will accomplish. Will the paper be used to create sales leads or to send to prospects who request more information? Will you distribute the white paper to press and analysts to create buzz or will you use it internally to educate salespeople about a new product? Define a clear objective to guide the content interview and act as a foundation for your white paper.

4. What is the white paper's primary topic?

What is the focus of your white paper? Are you subtly plugging a new solution or service? Are you sharing best practices about how your customers can build revenue, save money, or weather the recession? What information will you provide to educate readers and deliver valuable insights?

5. What tone will the paper adopt?
How do you want to approach your readers? Will the paper be informational, using a credible third person tone (recommended), or will it adopt a more familiar, "friendly" tone using first or second person?
6. What challenges will resonate with your reader?

What business or technical challenges do you want to address in the paper? These are the problems that your products or solutions help solve. Do you have any current statistics, relevant data, industry stories, or customer examples to underscore the difficulty of these challenges?

7. What primary messages will the white paper share?

What are the top three to five primary messages you want to leave with your reader after they read this paper? What information do you want to stick with them? What memorable lessons can you share?

8. What supporting information can you provide?

What supporting documents and illustrations can you send to your writer that will augment the interview and help round out the white paper? Assemble sales presentations, marketing collateral, videos, previously written papers, news articles--anything to quickly bring the writer up-to-speed.

9. What is the schedule for completion?

What is your deadline for completion? Do you need it ready to coincide with a new product launch? Do you want to take the white paper to a trade show or do you need it for a scheduled press campaign? Work with your writer to establish important milestones during the kickoff call such as the date you will receive an outline, a first draft, and a revised draft. Also, allow enough time for design, layout, and printing--if appropriate.

10. What is the writer's scope of work?

Will your writer provide writing services only or are design, illustration, and layout needed? If you are using different vendors for writing and design, make sure all parties are aware of the schedule for completion.

11. Who are the key contacts within your organization?

During your initial white paper planning meeting, provide your writer with the names, titles, email addresses, and phone numbers of key personnel involved in the project. Define the primary subject matter expert(s) and state who will need to review and approve the paper. Also, establish a contact for financial questions, such as the person at your organization who will handle contracts, purchase orders, and invoices.

The best white papers result from well planned, informative interviews. Sit down beforehand, make notes, and answer the questions above. Preparing ahead of time will shorten the interview time and will ensure your project starts off on the right foot.

Next month, read about "Green White Papers," which will explore the benefits of digital distribution.

Want to use this article in your e-zine or Web site? You can! (as long as you include this complete blurb with it): Hoffman Marketing Communications, Inc., specializes in writing white papers for leading technology companies around the world. Since 1985, Hoffman has developed persuasive marketing collateral for more than 100 clients, including Symantec, SAP, HP, Adobe, and Sprint. Visit http://www.hoffmanmarcom.com.

Business Threats: Swine Flu

2009-05-04T11:55:00.001-04:00

Swine Flu is a very real threat to your organization. If we were evaluating your company's SWOT, this would be an environmental THREAT - one that could do your business a great deal of harm. The goal, of course, in any SWOT is to minimize the impact it has on your operations.

Evaluating the impact Swine Flu will have on your operations will have to be done on every level: operations, employees, vendors, competitors and customers.

Operations: what will happen if someone on your team contracts the disease? What if that person is a key person? What if that person is you? How will it effect your company's abilities to get products to market? Do you have the infrastructure to allow for non-traditional work, such as working from home? How will you alert your client base to the precautions your organization is taking? What additional cleaning measures do you need to take?
Employees: What if your employee has school-aged children that catch the disease, or someone in their school contracts it and the school is shut down? Can they work virtually? Do they have health insurance or some means of getting treated? Is there another way to keep your employees productive? What is the policy if someone begins to show signs of sickness? Are you training your employees Swine Flu, it's symptoms and what to do in case they feel like they might catch something? What assurances can you give them?
Vendors: What will happen if your vendor's business is interrupted? Do you have another source? How will this impact your business? How will this impact your customers?
Customers: Are there precautions your need to offer your customers? Do you need to invest in some sanitizing wipes or additional masks? How can you assure your customers that they are safe, or at least that every precaution is being taken?
Competitors: Are your competitors taking action? What are they doing? Will you be able to help their customers if their business is interrupted? Will you need to consider working with them for a short time if both businesses are impacted negatively?

One can not put a dollar value on preparedness, but we have seen time and time again, the costs of various disasters. Being prepared is the key. Be ready. Be vigilant. Take action.

Knuckle Up! Anti Me-ism

2009-04-30T09:52:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite movies is "The Matrix," the sci-fi film where robot battle with mankind and eventually take over the planet, leaving mankind in a vegetable state, plugged into a computer mainframe known as The Matrix. In the movie, people begin to escape from the Matrix, and form a literally underground colony known as Zion. These people eventually form a large enough, equipped army to form a resistance to stand against "the machines," creators of the Matrix.

In the final movie in the trilogy, the machines have discovered where Zion is, and have located the tunnel and tunneled down to the city, where they plan to have an onslaught of killer machines wipe out all of the inhabitants of Zion. Zion's forces, however, are determined to stand against the machines, and thus, are using their own war machines- essentially one man fighting tanks equipped with armor piercing bullets, designed to mimic the actions of the operator, to fight against enemy.

At the point of the movie where enemy breached the dock, as they call it, the commander of Zion's forces ordered "KNUCKLE UP!!" At that point, each soldier locked and loaded their weapons, and focused on a single target - the entry point where the dock had been breached. There was one clear focus - to stop the invading forces. There was one clear vision: to exist without the threat of the machines coming to destroy them.

Each soldier had to put "me-ism" as in "it's all about me" in order to be a strong, fighting, contributing member of their unit. All of the soldiers talked to each other, looked out for each other and defended each other. Each soldier put themselves last in defense of the unit.

You and your team are a unit or a fighting force. Each member of the team must perform to the best of their ability - and you must learn about and leverage their abilities in order to get the most from them and from your organization. Having a shared mission and vision for the organization can make the difference between achievement and high achievement. Leading the way and providing clear direction will be the difference between success and failure. Embracing anti Me-ism can make the difference between a "flash in the pan" - a business that does well for a little while - and a business that is a cornerstone in the community.

Focus & Framework: Getting Things Done

2009-04-16T17:48:00.001-04:00

According to some reports, the economy is finally beginning to stabilize. Job losses are slowing, and some companies are beginning to hire, again. Most businesses have been hurt, some are closed. Still others are starting. Why? People are seeing opportunity. They identified a need and are willing to fill it.

The Problem:

Starting a new business is relatively easy. Have a product or service and get people to buy it.
Staying in business for the long haul, however, takes focus
Growing a business significantly takes even more focus.

The common denominator, of course, is FOCUS - the ability to concentrate on one thing, despite what is going on around you.

Learning to focus on what is important is key to getting anything substantial done in your business in a reasonable amount of time. Multi-tasking is not focusing. Getting to it when you can - is not focusing. Focusing requires laser-like attention on the goal, whatever that might be.

The way I teach people to focus is by helping them understand seven components of focusing, which will help both in business and in personal lives. They are:

Who are you? As in What makes you special or UNIQUE?
What do you do? What are your COMPETENCIES?
Why do you exist? You could call it PURPOSE or MISSION
What do you hope to accomplish? What is your VISION
What do you stand for? or What are your VALUES?
Who do you serve or Who is your MARKET?
What roadblocks or OBSTACLES do you face?

Answering these seven questions will provide you with a framework you will want to have in place before taking the next steps.

Yes, they do take time, and no, they don't make you any money right now. However, it will pay off, substantially, as you move forward. They are the first step in the process. Keep in mind that many people who start this exercise aren't completely sure of what the answers are the first or second or third time around. Many people start off with general statements. However, as time goes by, the answers are further refined.

For example, when Aepiphanni started, we served small businesses. All small businesses. And we did everything possible under the sun. We learned, over time, that although we were able to do a lot of things and serve a lot of people, there were certain professions with which we resonated very well. Additionally, we found there were certain types of contributions (organizational planning & structure) that we do really well. Therefore, the markets we served changed, and were refined.

Keep in mind that while this exercise does take time, this will be the foundation and framework for whatever it is you are doing. When building anything that will last, you must have a solid foundation. A good foundation and complementary framework is what makes anything survive.

What is a framework, you ask? A framework is like your body's skeleton, or the framing on a house or a building. They provide the structure for everything else you will do. Think about it: if it doesn't fit within the framework, it doesn't belong there. Alternatively, if what you want to add will damage the framework, you need to find another solution. When we talk about framework, we begin talking about what will keep you in place or on task once you have gotten the foundation down. Consider this - once the framework is in place, you can begin adding all kinds of accoutrements - walls, floors and ceilings, in the case of a building. It also provides support for any wires and pipes, windows and doorways. Keep in mind - it will not be strong without the foundation!

When we discuss the framework for your goal or business, we are talking about identifying anything that could potentially strengthen or weaken the business or goal. In business, we use a SWOT analysis to identify them. These refer to internal Strengths, Weaknesses and external Opportunities and Threats.

For example: Say we were building a high-speed rail system that runs from Boca Raton to the Grand Bahamas Island. We have an understanding of our seven focus questions. Now we are going to look at the SWOT:

Strengths:

We like the idea
We believe in the idea

Weaknesses:

We need money - but we can raise it - lemonade stand?
We have no idea how to do it - but we can find people that do!

Opportunities

Other people will think it's cool, too

Who wouldn't want to go the the Bahamas for the weekend?

Threats

Hurricanes and other natural occurrences could slow the building process

If we don't build the tunnel right, it could flood

While this is an over-simplified version of the SWOT, we can see areas that we need to put our efforts into, and areas we need to work around. Without having an understanding of what we can go really wrong, or what we can take advantage of, we could miss the boat, altogether. We refer to this step as ensuring we are aware of our safety needs and can make good decisions with respect to how to address them.

Using the principals of focus and framework will help you not only set mission-oriented goals for your organization, but also, to push the boundaries of what you may have previously thought were reasonable. Have a strong foundation and framework does take some time and effort, but if done properly the rewards will far outweigh the costs.

? 2009 Aepiphanni Business Solutions

Chin Up!!

2009-04-15T10:13:00.001-04:00

Sam Parker at Smile & Move (http://www.smileandmove.com/) put this great video together.thought I would share it with you. By the way, if your ego is too big, you might not be able to handle it. You've been warned. :)

Smile & Move.

Now GOT OUT AND HAVE A GREAT DAY!!

Don't forget to PASS IT FORWARD!!

Have a great day!

Rick

Great Posts from Across the Web

2009-04-01T11:50:00.001-04:00

The New Era Of Purpose
Huffington Post, NY
... article on March 12th, even Jack Welch declared the obsession with short-term profits and share-price gains as "a dumb idea." At best, it acknowledges the critical role that profitability and strong performance plays in making a business viable. ...

There'sa big difference between the Great Depression and Economic ...
Valley Bugler Newspaper, WA
Business advisor Jack Welch predicts that when the downturn ceases, the American economy will be stronger and sounder than ever. Welch urges business people to talk about reasons for confidence. America is loaded with energy and creativity, he says. ...

Lean and Green
Redmond Channel Partner, CA
Spurred at least in part by former Vice President Al Gore's Nobel Prize-winning campaign to raise awareness about global warming, organizations worldwide have taken a hard look at reducing their "environmental footprints" in the past decade. ...

Building a Scaffold for Social Change
Whole Life Times, CA
We are experiencing a termination of capitalism as we have known it, a shutdown recently dubbed "The Great Disruption" by Thomas Friedman, in The New York Times. Until recently a leading cheerleader for Neoliberal globalization, Friedman has come to ...

Human Potential Untangled
T+D, VA
At the other extreme from the three traditional, methodical approaches to development was Peter Senge's vision of a "learning organization," in which people are continually enhancing their capabilities to create the results they truly desire. ...

The Changing Role of the CMO
BusinessWeek
By Marshall Goldsmith Marketing is everywhere, but with the ubiquity of slogans and ads, it's easy to forget that there's more to marketing than meets the eye. As a result, it is often one of the first budgets to be cut in economic downturns. ...

Jim Collins: How to Thrive in 2009
Inc.com, NY
In other words, it's not a bad time to be an entrepreneur You would be hard pressed to find two individuals more determined to uncover the secrets of business success than Jim Collins and Bo Burlingham. Collins is the author of the best-selling ...

21st Century Business Networking By: Alan Rae, Lisa Harris, and ...
Healthy Wealthy n Wise, WV
Some are essentially salesmen, some just like connecting people, and some are subject experts - 'mavens' in the terminology used by Malcolm Gladwell in his book, The Tipping Point. So you need to be clear what you're doing in the network - are you ...

Tim Ferriss and Kevin Rose Discuss Angel Investing and Naming Companies from Glen McElhose on Vimeo

Tim and Kevin from Glenn McElhose on Vimeo.

In this video, Kevin Rose - founder of Digg and others - and I talk about how we invest in other companies as "angels" and how we choose names for companies. Topics include:

-How to test company or product names using Google AdWords
-Kevin's criteria for both good site names and good angel investments
-The role of start-up "advisors" and investors
-How I choose companies to work with: overlap, PR options, UI design.

It's an Oprah-style conversation, so if watching isn't an option, you can also opt to let the audio play in the background while you're doing other things. Let us know if you'd like to see more of these brainstorming sessions.

Special thanks to Glenn McElhose for the great video shooting and editing!

Opportunity

2009-03-20T20:39:00.000-04:00

So, since this economic recession is going to last forever, we should sit back and make it the new status quo. Hmmm...doesn't make much sense, does it. So what are you doing to prepare for your emergence?

While it is set in our minds that we are in a recession, and we are dealing with the fact that we must do business differently, looking down the road, we must remain cognizant of the fact that things will change. People will begin buying homes, again, restaurants will be packed Wednesday through Sunday and events will be booked months in advance.

However, some things will be different. Your clients will think differently. New products will be available. New technologies will be prevalent. Spending habits will change and demands will be greater. How will you prepare your business for this?

Careful observation and planning can help you prepare your organization for its emergence. This may mean that you will begin looking at a larger pool of leads, embrace a different or expanded product selection, or be prepared to approach your market in some non traditional way. Strategic planning is the key.

Strategic planning is a method of watching the environment and making plans based on your findings. This can be a short term view, with very specific goals, or long term, with looser, more aggressive goals. Those who put the time and resources into their strategic planning today will benefit from opportunities that will present themselves tomorrow.

At Aepiphanni Business Solutions, we are a Small Business Consulting Firm dedicated to serving the needs of successful businesses. We specialize in helping business leaders and executives organize, plan and develop strategies for their organizations. We are committed to our clients' success.

If you have further questions about creating your strategy or developing your vision, please give me, Rick Meekins, a call at 678-265-3908, or email us at info@aepiphanni.com.

Strategic Planning

2009-03-18T15:16:00.000-04:00

What is strategic planning? It seems like another one of those business terms that is thrown around haphazardly as though everyone has a clear understanding of what it is and how it is used.

Well, it is actually one of those things that you might label as, "if it was that simple, everyone would be doing it." To a certain extent, it is. However, the problem some people run into with strategic planning who do strategic planning is about the quality of the plan.

For example: if you were planning to go on a trip that was going to end up being a couple hundred miles away, and you were going to stay for a few days to enjoy the weather, relax on the beach and enjoy lovely sunsets, the first question you would have is "Where should I go?"

Doing a little qualitative research - getting other people's opinions about where to go might give you some direction. So you might get answers such as Panama City Florida, Hilton Head North Carolina, Wildwood, New Jersey, etc.

While these might be good answers, these aren't the only questions you want to ask. Based on these answers you still need understanding of more quantitative questions, such as:

How much will it cost?
How do I get there?
What is the best method of travel?
What can I do when I get there?
What is the best overall solution for me to achieve my goal of relaxing by the beach and enjoying lovely sunsets?

Like your trip, in your business, you have an end goal, such as expanding products and services, getting a larger building, increasing customer awareness, etc. While you could simply take the plunge and move forward, hoping for the best, strategic planning will help to discover some of the unknowns, such as

How are people spending right now?
What government regulations will impact my business?
What other market entrants are preparing to take part of my market share?
What competitive products and services exist that will create a challenge for me?
How much will it actually cost me to develop this product or service, including marketing, testing and other ancillary costs?
What technologies are on the horizon that you could a) take advantage of or b) would make your product or services obsolete?
What will I do if the market shifts, or my plans do go wrong?

Strategic planning, as a tool, is a tool that you can use to help your business plan for the future in order to reach the goals you have for your organization. Surviving in the marketplace requires the ability to make good decisions, based not only on your instincts and experiences, but also on available information and some creativity. It is never done in a bubble, but within the marketplace system, whose only goal is to continue matching buyers to sellers.

If you have further questions about creating your strategy or developing your vision, please give me, Rick Meekins, a call at 678-265-3908, or email us at info@aepiphanni.com.