Business Strategy | Business Plans

Business Strategy and Planning

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:54:00 +0000

Exposure to strategy concepts alters the way one looks at businesses. Strategic thinking involves a comprehensive analysis of a business in relation to its industry, its competitors and the business environment in both the short and the long term.

Ultimately, strategy is a company's plan to achieve its goals.

Corporate managements often do not know clearly what they want or how they'll get there. For example, if the question posed is which way do I go from here and the answer is it depends on where you want to go, then if the resulting answer is I don't really care then the ultimate conversation finisher could be then it does not matter which way you go.

Corporations need carefully thought-out plans strategic plans or inevitably they will become victims of the market-place as opposed to the victors who shape it.

Strategic plans cannot be formed in a vacuum; they must fit organisations just as marketing plans must be suited to products.

Strategic planning is essentially characterised by two separate stages -- formation and implementation.

This is the optimum point at which to introduce the seven S model:

Structure

Systems

Skills

Staff

Strategy

Statement of Mission

An organisation's ability to change can be measured and each of the "S" factors should be able to complement each of the others in a perfect organisation.

This is essentially no different from a marketing plan, which should be internally consistent and mutually supportive.

The seven "S" models is a helpful tool to organise one's thoughts in order to define and effectively attack complicated problems.

Structure

A corporation's structure affects its strategic planning and its ability to change.
A company's structure may have a customer or a geographic focus. For example. if a company decides to alter its strategy to become more responsive to its customers it may need to adopt a customer structure, which will channel all the skills of a company to meet customer's specific needs.

Systems

The procedures, both formal and informal, by which a company operates, are known as the systems of a company.
When a company confronts a major challenge in the market place, management must have detailed data about its operations, customers, and competition to determine the gravity of the situation. Market research and sales tracking systems give information about the customers while competitive intelligence systems give an insight into what other companies are up to.

Skills

The skills imparted by the employees into the business have to be judged by the employer at the point of the interview so that the necessary improvements can be made to the business.

Staff

With no people, there's no company .The human resources system, which includes appraisals, training, wages, and intangibles such as employee motivation, morale and attitude. With a motivated workforce, companies are able to adapt and compete. This is an essential factor however, because without employee co-operation a company will not have the ability to succeed.

Strategy

This refers to the actions that a company plans in response to or in anticipation of changes in its external environment, its customers and its competitors.

Style

Culture or style is the aggregate of behaviours, thoughts, beliefs and symbols that are conveyed to people throughout an organisation over time.

Mission Statements

These are often mentioned when companies speak about their goals. A mission statement should be a short and concise statement of goals and priorities and not long, bland and tedious documents.

In summary, properly followed the seven "S" formulae could mean the difference between a business being successful or not. Use this as a checklist from time to time to keep the business on a true path.

Naz Daud is the founder of CityLocal. This Business Franchise Opportunity is for people who would like to work from home and be their own boss.

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Strategy and Planning in Small Business

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:51:00 +0000

I guess the first thing you may be thinking is that you don't need fancy strategies in your business, because it's so small, so why should you bother with this article. Surely you just keep working hard and you'll make more money without going through pointless navel-gazing exercises to come up with strategies!? Well, I'd kind of agree with you that you don't need FANCY strategies, but in reality every business has strategies whether it consciously acknowledges them or not. So wouldn't it be better to choose those strategies intentionally than to drift into them?

It's all because the word "strategy" sounds a bit technical, something that generals do in wars when they have to organise lots of soldiers. It has connotations that sound big. But that need not be the case. Really a strategy is just a specified approach to overcome a problem or achieve an aspiration. And each strategy can have a number of activities within it that can be planned specifically.

So if you have a problem you want to overcome or an aspiration you want to achieve, then your approach to doing that will be your strategy. So you see that we all have strategies, even if your strategy to date has been to "wing it"!

One of my philosophies is that if you want to get anywhere with anything you have to be intentional and analytical. Being intentional is my point for now. For example, when I am trying to coach my son in how to get better at playing football I often tell him to be "intentional". In other words, don't just stand around on the pitch waiting for the ball to come your way, and when it does come your way don't just swing your foot at it and hope for the best! You must have a reason for being where you are, to gain an advantage for your team, and when you kick the ball you must know where you want it to go.

It's exactly the same with business strategy. You have to be intentional. And it doesn't have to be fancy and complex. Just have an intention. Because if you have an intention, it means you must have thought about it and have a reason for it.

Hopefully I've persuaded you that even if you have a small business you still need strategies. In the remaining space let's have a look at what you need to develop good strategies.

First, you need a "vision". A vision is simply a statement of where you want the business to get to. What's your dream for the business? How much profit? How much turnover? How big a valuation? Market share? Being number one? Even a one-man business has a dream. I know I do. But if you are going to be intentional you need to be specific about all the things you want the business to achieve.

Second, you need to know what the "strategic issues" are. Strategic issues are the barriers and challenges to be overcome or met in trying to achieve the vision. And to know what these are you have to be analytical. You have to gather facts and be honest about the market, the competition, your customers, your suppliers, the economy, and many other things. I know that small businesses often don't have the time and resources to gather all the information they would like, but mark my words, the more information you have the better equipped you will be.

Third, you need "strategies" to address the strategic issues. And to decide on strategies you may have several options to consider. Being clear about your vision and the strategic issues enables you to weigh up each option on its merits. Does this particular option address the issues completely or partially or not at all? Does it help with more than one strategic issue?

Fourth, each strategy needs a "plan". In order to successfully carry out a strategy you need to plan it, so that you know what needs to be done.

Last point - write it down and make a record of your vision and strategy. I wish I could remember where I heard this, but there was some research done on some graduates and whether they achieved their dreams. A much higher percentage of those who wrote down what they wanted to achieve did achieve their dreams. They had something to go back to and remind them what they were supposed to be focussing on, something to measure their performance against.

If you haven't ever thought of any of these things, why not have a go at jotting something down? Sure, there are coaches that can help you and courses, seminars and workshops that can give you more guidance and depth (and I would definitely recommend these things if you can afford them), but in my opinion you can get a long way by simply being intentional and analytical and ensuring that all your plans link through strategies to your vision.

All the best!

About the Author
Andrew Burrows is owner and director of Charis FD. He is a senior finance professional with 15 years experience working with a variety of businesses, large and small, in a range of industries including telecoms, software, marketing services, maintenance, foreign exchange, banking and retail. He is a qualified chartered accountant and a member of the Institute of Directors. He lives with his wife, Heidi, four pre-teen children and several pets, in North Hampshire, England.

About Charis FD
Charis FD works with owners, investors and CEOs of small and medium-sized businesses in the South of England, that don't yet have the benefit of a senior experienced finance professional on their team. They may be finding it tiring and tedious to manage the finances at the same time as managing the business. Maybe they have a particular problem with cashflow or profitability, management information or control. Or it may just be they feel that they spend too much time getting nowhere on finance matters when they should be maximizing business opportunities. We work with them in a flexible way to generate more cash, improve profitability, implement change and strengthen controls.

To find out more about Charis FD, visit our website: http://www.charisfd.com There you will find out more about our clients, our service and about us. And you can sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Burrows

Business - Strategy and Execution

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:48:00 +0000

Every company aims to formulate good strategy and execute that strategy well. But many times it is found that it was either good strategy, bad execution or bad strategy and good execution. Why and how to avoid this?

Let us begin with what is a strategy? In simple terms, it means the plan to achieve the desired goals or results. If any organization has well defined goals, and can develop a strategy to achieve them, it should be half the battle won. But it is seen that execution fails. Why should that be so? It may be the fault of the team that executes the strategy, or certain unknown factors that unexpectedly or unknowingly creep in while executing the plan.

What should be done? Ideally the team that forms the strategies should consider the factors such as who are the people who will execute, does the company have the capacity to execute, what if any unexpected change or event occurs while executing, what are the risks involved, and so on. No strategy can be created without taking into account the ability of the people who will be executing it. One may create a great marketing plan but if the field marketing staff fails to understand and execute the game, it is bound to fail and then the blame game begins.

Can a company make a single team that not only creates the strategy but is also responsible to execute it? This will eliminate many such hiccups on the way. The problem is expertise. I am a good strategist and not a good executor. You are a bad strategist but a good executor on the ground. What if such arguments are presented by the team under formation? All right, how about creating a strategy and keep the execution team in the loop throughout the process of creating strategy? This creates another set of problems. The views of both the teams may be so different that no positive outcome will ever result.

I have discussed in brief about these factors above. In real life, more complications arise and especially in large organizations, the complexities increase. The only solution for the top management is to set goals and discuss them with every one. After getting every one in confidence, create strategies and let every one participate in the strategy formation. Decide about what is totally achievable and why may be achievable. Let the team that will execute commit itself to achieve what is totally achievable and promise them with rewards if they manage to achieve the other part also. The synergy between the strategy makers and the executors will ultimately decide the final outcome.

CD Mohatta writes for ecards and online greetings, screensavers and desktop wallpapers. The topics of his writings include love, inspiration, holidays, birthdays, nature, religion and spirituality, success etc. You can have his writings on your desktop with free desktop wallpapers. These are static wallpapers which can be your computer desktop background all the time. Read the messages and get inspired all day. Also try out some of the free ecards at ecarduniverse.com. You will find lovely video animated ecards in all topics like expressions, celebrations, family, friends and many more. The third site in which he writes are love ecards at cupidecards.com. Here, you can send love notes to your beloved and grow your love for each together.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=CD_Mohatta

Business Strategies and Tips That Are Essential But Often Missed

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:45:00 +0000

Many new entrepreneurs have good intentions, great ideas, and strong goals. Coming from a job to starting a business, however, introduces new concepts that many new business owners are not aware of or familiar with. Some of these are legal, most are financial. These few tips will keep our businesses running smoothly and increase cash flow.

1. Have a dedicated business budget. After we have calculated total business costs such as fees or dues, we set aside a dedicated amount to spend on products, educational materials, and advertising. If there is an expensive item we want to purchase we average those funds if needed and add them to our monthly budget, cutting back on something else. If we stay within budget we will develop a good habit that will save us money and increase cash flow. As our business grows more profitable we can expand spending accordingly on advertising and other essentials.

2. We make sure that everything we are doing is legal and the companies and organizations we work with are also legal. If we are in doubt we consult an attorney. This is important for two reasons: illegal companies will rarely pay us, no matter how hard we work, and our reputations can be severely damaged by promoting illegal or illegitimate products and services.

3. We plan for taxes and remember to file a schedule C every year. We can claim a business loss, deduct business expenses, and recoup much of what we spend on our businesses. We make sure we are following the tax laws as well. Review the IRS guidelines for home businesses. In a recent Webinar only about 10% of the people in the business had filed a schedule C. Most did not know the tax laws also. Not following the laws can cost us money and also get us in legal trouble. Tax issues can be very costly.

4. We pay attention to proper and acceptable marketing techniques. We don't spam, we don't blast ads inappropriately, and we don't spam social media sites. We provide value and position ourselves as leaders who truly want to assist others. This is the method the leaders use to build and maintain their lists. It is much more effective than spam and ad-blasting.

5. We keep organized lists of actions to take, results we have achieved, and places to improve. This includes tracking ads, tracking responses to article and video posts, and tweaking our efforts as necessary. Being organized in this way maximizes results and reduces effort accordingly. I personally am not well organized so keeping track of everything is really important for me and makes life much easier.

Simple organization and tracking will make running our businesses simpler and more enjoyable. Paying attention to legal issues and taxes will reduce liability risks and increase cash flow. Budgets help us develop good habits and control our expenditures. Simple efforts can produce massive results in many areas and will improve the quality of our businesses. More important is that a good foundation in these areas when our business is small will pave the way for our business to grow huge with few complications.

Hello my friends, I'm Dave Cleinman. Network marketing can be fun and rewarding, but it is also hard work. For information on how to make the process easier, including tips, methods, and valuable life-changing information, visit my blog Steps to Success and sign up for my newsletter, Step by Step.

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Be careful not to leave too early

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:08:00 +0000

After a really good networking meeting you will often see people still engrossed in conversations. Many of them will have their diaries to hand arranging meetings. It is this follow up activity in between networking meetings that really make the difference. If you are always rushing off right on time you might be missing out.

We noticed this happening after our NRG group meetings so we now set aside time in the meetings so everyone can be engaged in this activity. Next time you put a networking meeting in your diary try and leave some space beyond the formal end so you don't have to rush off.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke

Jim Lucas & Anna Maria Tarano: Shopper Marketing - Blog Business Success Radio

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 06:37:00 +0000

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio

Director of the shopper marketing group at Draftfcb, Jim Lucas, and executive director of MCAworks, Anna Maria Tarano, are contributors to the comprehensive and retail marketing changing collection Shopper Marketing: How to Increase Purchase Decisions at the Point of Sale. They share their ideas and experience in the rapidly growing field of shopper marketing. They describe what shopper marketing is and why it's important in the retail marketing arena. They provide thoughts on branding, the latest research, and how shopper marketing affects not only in store purchasing decisions, but those made online as well.

Jim Lucas and Anna Maria Tarano are my internet radio show guests on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Thursday, July 22, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Director of the shopper marketing group at Draftfcb, Jim Lucas, and executive director of MCAworks, Anna Maria Tarano, are contributors to the comprehensive and retail marketing changing collection Shopper Marketing: How to Increase Purchase Decisions at the Point of Sale. You will learn:

* What shopper marketing is and why it's important

* How shopper marketing builds cooperation from manufacturer to point of sale

* Why people make the buying decisions they make and how they make them

* Why shopper marketing is growing so rapidly in retail

Anna Maria Tarano (photo left) leads client engagements across a diverse set of industries including financial services, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, software, and consumer packaged goods. She has helped companies develop and roll-out strong customer value propositions and strategic plans as well as identify market expansion opportunities via new products, new targets, new geographies, and new processes.

AnnaMaria is co-author, with John Rosen, of Stopwatch Marketing – Take Charge of the Time When Your Customer Decides to Buy, which was published by Viking Penguin group in January 2008. AnnaMaria is also a featured contributing author to Shopper Marketing: How to Increase Purchase Decisions at the Point of Sale, which was published by Kogan Page in February 2010. AnnaMaria has taught marketing as an Adjunct Professor at NYU’s Stern School of Business.

Prior to consulting, AnnaMaria managed leading brands at Reckitt Benckiser and MasterLock.

AnnaMaria holds both an M.B.A. in Marketing and Business Policy and a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Chicago.

Jim Lucas (photo left) is director of Shopper Marketing at Draftfcb. Jim Lucas helps retailers, manufacturers, and service providers to motivate shoppers through value-added experiences. The acknowledged founder of the science of retail ecology, he is internationally recognized as an experienced marketer and leading retail expert. Jim brings more than two decades of experience to today’s changing retail landscape. He is one of the industry’s foremost practitioners and known as a leading authority on the science of understanding how consumers interact with brands and how they behave in retail environments.

During his more than 20 years in the marketing industry, Jim has served as director of strategic planning and research at Draft Chicago, director of planning and research at Frankel in Chicago, and director of analytics and modeling at Krumm & Associates LLC. His clients have included, among others, Burger King, Del Monte, Kellogg, Kmart, Kraft, Kroger, McDonald’s, Mervyns, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Quaker Oats, SC Johnson, Sears, Target, USPS, and Walgreens.

Lucas has served as an adjunct faculty member at the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management and University of Chicago. He received his PhD in sociology from the University of Chicago and his MA from Loyola University in Chicago. He is a frequent speaker at leading industry forums including the Cannes Int’l Advertising Festival, Cosmeceuticals Conferences, In-Store Marketing Institute and POPAI.

My book review of Shopper Marketing: How to Increase Purchase Decisions at the Point of Sale edited by Markus Stahlberg and Ville Maila.

Listen live on Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.

If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.

To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with Director of the shopper marketing group at Draftfcb, Jim Lucas, and executive director of MCAworks, Anna Maria Tarano, are contributors to the comprehensive and retail marketing changing collection Shopper Marketing: How to Increase Purchase Decisions at the Point of Sale. They share their ideas and experience in the rapidly growing field of shopper marketing. They describe what shopper marketing is and why it's important in the retail marketing arena. They provide thoughts on branding, the latest research, and how shopper marketing affects not only in store purchasing decisions, but those made online as well on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Shopper Marketing: How to Increase Purchase Decisions at the Point of Sale, Jim Lucas, Anna Maria Tarano, point of sale marketing, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

Shopper Marketing eds: Markus Stahlberg & Ville Maila - Book review

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 01:43:00 +0000

Shopper Marketing

How to Increase Purchase Decisions at the Point of Sale

Edited by: Markus Stahlberg, Ville Maila

Published: December 28, 2009
Format: Hardcover, 240 pages
ISBN-13: 9780749457020
ISBN-10: 0749457023
Publisher: Kogan Page

"This is a book about shopper marketing - about affecting shopper behaviour to generate purchase decisions", write editors and executives at European shopper marketing company Phenomena Group, Markus Stahlberg and Ville Maila in their comprehensive and retail marketing changing collection Shopper Marketing: How to Increase Purchase Decisions at the Point of Sale. Through a collection of essays, written by thirty-five leading global experts in shopper marketing, the book describes how critical in store buying decisions are for retail success.

Markus Stahlberg and Ville Maila present articles that pull together the various aspects of shopper marketing and its influence on store purchasing choices. Far from being a single marketing channel, shopper marketing includes involvement from retailers, manufacturers, advertisers, branders, and packagers. This holistic approach to in store marketing is essential, as the stakes are high, and the decisions are made by shoppers in an instant. With at least 70% of brand choices made within the store, and 68% of those purchases not being planned in advance, the book points to an entirely new science that turns traditional marketing ideas upside down. With only 5% of shoppers demonstrating brand loyalty, attention must be paid to gaining the attention of the shopper at the very point of purchase.

Markus Stahlberg and Ville Maila recognize that shopper marketing is one of the fastest growing trends in marketing today. With that knowledge and insight in hand, the book contains articles that cover the many aspects of shopper marketing. One of the areas where shopper marketing is gaining inroads into traditional retail marketing is the increasing cooperation between manufacturers and retailers. Manufacturers are now portioning part of their marketing budget toward specific retailers and retail marketing environments, and those budgets are continuing to rise. The changes in the entire marketing process from manufacturer to point of sale has resulted in the growing importance of shopper marketing.

For me, the power of the book is how the editors, Markus Stahlberg and Ville Maila, provide a wide ranging series of articles by thirty-five internationally recognized marketing specialists, sharing their ideas on the various aspects of shopper marketing. The concepts presented in the book are backed by extensive research into shopper decision making and marketing effectiveness. The book is divided into three general sections, with each section sub-divided into the many issues surrounding shopper marketing.

The book's three shopper marketing sections are:

* Definition: what is shopper marketing?
* Strategy: how to approach shopper marketing?
* Execution: What is shopper marketing in action?

Through these intensives studies into the rapidly growing field of shopper marketing - growing even faster than internet marketing - the book is the definitive textbook on the topic.

I highly recommend the groundbreaking and landmark book Shopper Marketing: How to Increase Purchase Decisions at the Point of Sale edited by Markus Stahlberg and Ville Maila, to anyone serious about examining the rapidly growing phenomenon of shopper marketing and its effect on point of sale purchasing decisions. The entire field of shopper marketing examines buying decisions from the purchaser's point of view. The writers in this book provide that perspective on the ever changing face of retail marketing.

Read the important and essential book Shopper Marketing: How to Increase Purchase Decisions at the Point of Sale edited by Markus Stahlberg and Ville Maila, and discover this fresh and insightful marketing concept for yourself. Every chapter contains valuable information, and it can be read in any order, making searching for specific information easy and a pleasure to read. With the power of shopper marketing ideas as part of your business, your company will pull ahead of the competition.

Tags: Shopper Marketing: How to Increase Purchase Decisions at the Point of Sale, Markus Stahlberg, Ville Maila, point of sale marketing, business book reviews.

Tim Tosta: #DEATHtweet - Blog Business Success Radio

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 07:36:00 +0000

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio

Attorney, Partner at Luce Forward, cancer survivor, hospice volunteer, lecturer, and author of the inspirational and life affirming book #DEATHtweet, Tim Tosta, shares his profound ideas on living life to the fullest. He describes how life is bookended by the mysteries of birth and death, and how understanding death helps us appreciate the gift of life itself. Tim guides us through the gauze surrounding death, toward living a life full of meaning and purpose, where we experience the best in ourselves and in our abundant world. Discover how to find meaning, balance, and happiness in our lives through understanding all of life's mysteries.

Tim Tosta is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Tuesday, July 20, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Attorney, Partner at Luce Forward, cancer survivor, hospice volunteer, lecturer, and author of the inspirational and life affirming book #DEATHtweet, Tim Tosta, shares his profound ideas on living life to the fullest. You will learn:

* How understanding death enhances our appreciation of life

* How to live a happier and more balanced life with meaning and purpose

* Why so many people lack purpose in their lives

* Learn the five lessons from death for life

Tim Tosta (photo left) is a partner at Luce Forward, and is recognized as one of California’s leading land use and environmental attorneys. He also is a cancer survivor, a seasoned hospice volunteer, an evocative lecturer and writer, and a certified Integral Coach, guiding executives in the legal profession and the business community to live purposeful, balanced, thriving lives.

Tim is the author of the highly acclaimed lecture series, “Lessons for the Living,” and the emotionally compelling hospice writings, ‘Putting Things in Perspective – Stories from a Hospice Volunteer.’ Tim has a JD from UC Berkeley School of Law and a BA from Princeton University.

His Twitter handle is @TTosta.

Listen live on Tuesday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.

If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.

To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with attorney, Partner at Luce Forward, cancer survivor, hospice volunteer, lecturer, and author of the inspirational and life affirming book #DEATHtweet, Tim Tosta, as he shares his profound ideas on living life to the fullest. He describes how life is bookended by the mysteries of birth and death, and how understanding death helps us appreciate the gift of life itself. Tim guides us through the gauze surrounding death, toward living a life full of meaning and purpose, where we experience the best in ourselves and in our abundant world. Discover how to find meaning, balance, and happiness in our lives through understanding all of life's mysteries on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Tim Tosta, #DEATHtweet, life meaning and purpose, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

Bob Burg: Go-Givers Sell More - Blog Business Success Radio

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 11:40:00 +0000

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio

Consultant, keynote speaker, former sales professional, and co-author of the revolutionary and sales mindset altering book Go-Givers Sell More, Bob Burg, describes how traditional sales techniques and ideas have it all wrong. Bob Burg turns those ideas upside down, and presents the Go-Giver concept of giving is more effective, as well as more rewarding for both the sales representative and the customer. For too long, sales people have been thinking in terms of getting, as opposed to giving and helping others. In his counter-intuitive message, Bob Burg describes the five laws of real, effective, and lasting sales success.

Bob Burg is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Thursday, July 15, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Speaker, former sales professional, and co-author of the revolutionary and sales mindset altering book Go-Givers Sell More, Bob Burg, describes how traditional sales techniques and ideas have it all wrong. You will learn:

* Where traditional sales techniques fail both salespeople and customers

* Why so many sales representatives are frustrated at lack of sales success

* Why giving is the true heart of sales

* How the five laws of sales success create lasting sales success

Bob Burg (photo left) shares information on topics vital to the success of today’s business person. He speaks for corporations and associations internationally, including fortune 500 companies, franchises, and numerous direct sales organizations.

Sharing the principles contained in his bestselling books, Bob has addressed audiences ranging in size from 50 to 16,000, sharing the platform with notables including today’s top thought leaders, broadcast personalities athletes and political leaders including cabinet secretaries and a former United States President.

His critically acclaimed book, Endless Referrals: Network Your Everyday Contacts Into Sales has sold over 200,000 copies and continues to be used as a training manual for top sales organizations throughout the world. His national bestseller, The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea has been heralded as a new business classic. It’s been translated into 18 languages and is his fourth book to top the 100,000 copies sold mark.

He and his coauthor, John David Mann recently released their newest book, Go-Givers Sell More, which takes the Five Laws contained in their previous book and relates them specifically to the selling process.

Bob is an advocate, supporter and defender of the free enterprise system and seeks to empower individuals and organizations to thrive and grow by putting its principles to work.

He also puts his networking and go-giver abilities to use for charities, being a former Palm Beach County/Brooks Brothers Leukemia Society Man of the Year for his fundraising efforts on their behalf. A lover of animals, he is a former member of the Board of Directors of Safe Harbor, which is the Humane Society of Jupiter, Florida.

My book review of Go-Givers Sell More by Bob Burg and John David Mann.

My book review of The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea by Bob Burg and John David Mann.

Listen live on Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.

If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.

To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with consultant, keynote speaker, former sales professional, and co-author of the revolutionary and sales mindset altering book Go-Givers Sell More, Bob Burg, describes how traditional sales techniques and ideas have it all wrong. Bob Burg turns those ideas upside down, and presents the Go-Giver concept of giving is more effective, as well as more rewarding for both the sales representative and the customer. For too long, sales people have been thinking in terms of getting, as opposed to giving and helping others. In his counter-intuitive message, Bob Burg describes the five laws of real, effective, and lasting sales success on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Go-Givers Sell More, Bob Burg, John David Mann, business and sales success, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

Go-Givers Sell More by Bob Burg & John David Mann - Book review

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:26:00 +0000

Go-Givers Sell More

By: Bob Burg, John David Mann

Published: February 18, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 208 pages
ISBN: 9781591843085
Publisher: Penguin/Portfolio

"Selling is giving: giving time, attention, counsel, education, empathy, and value", write co-authors Bob Burg and John David Mann in their revolutionary and sales mindset altering book Go-Givers Sell More. The authors build on their message of giving first articulated in their now classic business fable The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea, and apply it successfully to improving the sales experience for both the sales representative and for the buyer.

Bob Burg (photo left) and John David Mann point out that most people believe they would never be successful in sales. They also make the startling revelation that many current members of the sales profession harbor that secret belief themselves. The authors recognize the problem as sales people having the entire idea of sales backwards. For the authors, this backwards approach considers sales as getting people to do something almost against their will, through convincing sales pitches and manipulation. Because this concept is based on taking advantage of others, it fails. The authors provide the paradigm changing idea that sales is about giving advantage to others. Sales at its best and its most effective, according to the authors, is all about giving.

Bob Burg and John David Mann (photo left) understand that the almost universal approach to sales training is about such things as prospecting dialogue, qualifying questions, overcoming objections, and closing the sale. That standard theory of what leads to sales success is very wrong, according to the authors. In truth, those same sales people experience great difficulty in every step of the sales process, leaving the entire concept very suspect in the end. The authors begin at the other end of the sales discussion by adding value from the very beginning, by giving. Instead of the close, the authors prefer the open, and they also believe in listening and learning from the other person. Instead of the traditional idea of controlling the sales conversation, the authors recommend shifting the focus away from control and getting, and concentrate on giving and helping others succeed.

For me, the power of the book is how John David Mann and Bob Burg apply the Go-Giver concept to the world of sales so seamlessly and successfully. Their idea of giving value from the very beginning builds positive, trusting relationships that not only increase sales, but build long term customers who also share in the giving process. The old adversarial, zero sum game mentality that has been part of sales thinking for much too long gets a thorough rebuilding in this fine book. Along with creating value, the giving process touches people's lives in a positive and beneficial way that leads to their greater happiness. Creating these deeper trusting relationships builds networks that help everyone to focus on helping the needs of others. By being real and authentic, the giving sales person generates trust and helps other people feel more comfortable. At the same time, the authors recognize that the sales person must remain open to being on the receiving end of the giving relationship, with grace and a sense of shared giving.

I highly recommend the insightful and must read book Go-Givers Sell More by Bob Burg and John David Mann, to anyone seeking a deeper and richer understanding as to why traditional sales mindsets and techniques fail so often. In their place, the authors turn the previous sales thought upside down, and inside out, replacing the previous mode of thinking with the spirit of giving. Through a greater understanding of how the giving paradox works, the sales representative will not only make more sales, but feel happier and will have stronger relationships with the customers receiving the help.

Read the essential sales changing book Go-Givers Sell More by John David Mann and Bob Burg, and change not only the way that you approach the sales profession, but also enhance the relationships in your own life. This book is ostensibly about sales, but is really about how one lives one's own life, through changing their way of thinking and acting, to becoming a Go-Giver.

Tags: Go-Givers Sell More, Bob Burg, John David Mann, business and sales success, business book reviews.

The BIG Mistake That Means Networking Doesn’t Work

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:08:00 +0000

Andy Lopata asked me recently to write an article on the mistakes that people make in business networking. This article is now published in Andy's newsletter at Fresh Business Thinking. As I researched the topic with my network and reflected on my experiences I realised there was one BIG mistake.

Business people often turn to networking at different times. Start ups will often network like crazy early on and established businesses will often start when traditional routes to market dry up. The thing they very often have in common is the idea that networking is the answer to their problem. This first and BIG mistake that many people make is they dive headlong into the activity of networking with a complete misunderstanding of what networking really is.

This activity often involves looking for opportunities to ‘network’ with lots of people. They attend group meetings (once) swapping business cards with everyone they can, broadcasting their message, chasing immediate transactions and moving on. They join online networks, put together a profile and broadcast some more. After a while this doesn’t work and many conclude that networking doesn’t work.

Some think they may need to do something differently and they may get some training into how to work the room and how to craft the perfect elevator pitch. They do the rounds again and wait for the avalanche of new clients to contact them by email, phone, twitter, linkedin, facebook et al. Again this doesn’t work and a few more conclude that networking doesn’t work.

It doesn’t have to be that way! There are plenty of networking groups out there with experienced business people that will help you avoid the mistakes and make sure networking does work for you and your business. For 10 tips on learning from the mistakes others have made go the to full article on The BIG Mistake That Means Networking Doesn’t Work.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke

Meaghan Johnson & Larry Johnson: Generations, Inc. - Author interview

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 06:42:00 +0000

Generational employment experts, owners of the Johnson Training Group, Meagan Johnson and her father Larry Johnson, were kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions about their practical and insightful book Generations, Inc.: From Boomers to Linksters--Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work. The authors describe how the same generational signposts that influence a person's outlook on life, also has a deep impact on a person's ideas about company loyalty, workplace ethics, and what constitutes a job well done.

Thanks to Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson for their time and for their interesting, informative, and very comprehensive responses. They are greatly appreciated.

What was the background to writing this book Generations, Inc.: From Boomers to Linksters--Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work? 

Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson: After graduating with a degree in marketing in 1993, Meagan worked as a sales representative for three different major American corporations where she discovered that many older workers perceived her cohort of Gen Xers to be Beavis and Butthead-like slackers who demanded too high salaries, wanted instant promotions, and were not willing to working for either. Knowing this not to be the case for herself, she began interviewing and researching Gen Xers, discovering what her own intuition had told her that Gen Xers were pretty typical of any new generation entering the workplace. That is, they were young and inexperienced, but unusual in that they were equipped with a set of values and ambitions unique to their upbringing during the 1970s. Meagan’s interest in generational issues has stuck with her ever since.

She left corporate America in 1998 to join her father, Larry Johnson (co-author of Absolute Honesty: Building a Corporate Culture That Values Straight Talk And Rewards Integrity) as a partner in his management development firm, the Johnson Training Group where she specializes in teaching organizations how to deal with generational differences in the workplace. In 2009, Meagan and Larry decided to write Generations Inc. – From Boomers To Linksters – Managing the Friction Between Generations together in order to offer insights into this vital topic from an Xer and a Boomer’s different points of view.

Is it common in many organizations today to have employees working together that cross all age groups from senior citizens all the way to teenagers, and every other age group in between? 

Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson: It is not as common as it should be. Baby Boomers may not believe it, blame it on the economy or their refusal to believe they will actually get older but there will come a time when Baby Boomers will retire … or die. Either way the Baby Boomers will be leaving the workforce or begin taking on smaller and smaller roles in the day-to-day operations.

Neglecting to create a productive multi-generational team that can learn from one-another before it is too late is a costly mistake. Beginning this year, 2010 there will be an unprecedented age shift in the workforce. For the first time, according to the Social Security Administration the number of workers older than 65 will grow faster than the number of workers in the 20-65 year range. The U.S. workforce is aging and more than a quarter of companies have done nothing to plan for this dramatic aging shift.2

The benefits of having a multi-generational group go beyond learning from each other. During our research we spoke with many members of the Baby Boomer and Traditional Generation that enjoyed working with younger people. They felt the candid enthusiasm of generation Y was refreshing and as one Baby Boomer put it “The younger generation keep work interesting and make everyday something to look forward to.”

In a study by the almighty fast food giant, McDonalds it was found that stores that employed 1 or more workers over 60 years old had higher customer service rating and higher sales when compared to stores that had zero people over 60. The consensus was that the older employees helped foster supportive relationships and created a sense of unity within the group.3

Many companies do not consider the lasting economic impact of generational diversity. At no time do we encourage age discrimination but just like having a culturally rich team brings a variety of viewpoints a generationally diverse group brings a multitude of levels of experience and perspectives.

You describe how different generations view the world and their work differently. How do generational signposts differ from generation to generation?

Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson: With the minds and experiences of three generations from which to draw, it seems that all businesses and organizations should move ahead at warp speed, taking advantage of the wisdom of embattled baby boomers, tapping into the creativity and ambition of Generation Xers, and basking in the youthful exuberance of Generation Y. In reality, this mixture of age groups often causes conflict, disagreement, and dysfunction.

One study found that 60 percent of employers report tension between the generations. Seventy percent of older employees are dismissive of younger employees’ talents, and 50 percent of younger employees don’t value what older employees bring to the table.

When there is generational conflict in the workplace, it affects everything: productivity, energy levels, morale, and problem solving. Well-known business consultant and author of Million Dollar Consulting, Alan Weiss, puts it this way, “In my experience, the best organizations spend about 75 percent or more of their energy and talent on the customer, product, and service, and 25 percent or less on internal affairs, politics, and sniping. Anything worse begins to suck the life right out of the enterprise.”4 In today’s highly competitive and unpredictable business environment, companies can ill afford to waste time and energy on inter-generational conflict that can be avoided.

Likewise, spending enormous amounts of effort resolving disagreements, miscommunication, and petty differences can put stress on friendships and sap a family of its vitality. Much of this conflict can be traced to differences in generational signposts.

Since people from different generations hold differing worldviews, do these different values cause clashes and conflict at work?

Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson: In our work as organizational consultants, we often hear managers complain that young people today have little or no work ethic. There may be some truth to this, but to tar an entire generation with one descriptor misses the tremendous value young people can contribute. Like them or not, young workers are the future of our companies, our communities, and our world. We call this tarring of one generation by another generational myopia.

According to Webster’s Dictionary, Myopia means “a lack of foresight or discernment: a narrow view of something.5 When one generation judges the merits and faults of another through its generational lens, it often takes a narrow view of how that generation thinks.

Let’s suppose you are a baby boomer raised to believe that doing a good job means taking responsibility for seeing that your work is complete before you go home. It’s likely you will take offense if you see a young person walk out the door at 5:00 p.m. when some task critical to a project is still undone. First of all, he’s violating your generational signpost that says “Grown-ups take responsibility.” Second, he’s violating a generational signpost common to baby boomers that we call kumbyaism, (Kumbaya is a song many Boomers remember singing around campfires, hands held and eyes bright with the spirit of brotherly love.) To a Boomer, being a good team player is an absolute must.

Meanwhile, the young person in question, a Generation Yer, may have been raised to believe that if something needs to be done, you or someone else in charge will tell him to do it. Until then, it’s not even on his radar. So while you are projecting your ire at him, and by proxy, all young people, he interprets your bristling as the typical weird behavior of old guys. It’s generational myopia raging on both sides.

We often see very young managers with staff members who are Baby Boomers and even senior citizens. How can a young manager gain respect from their often much more experienced elders?
 
Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson: As young stars rise in organizations, this phenomenon is becoming more common. Additionally, the research shows that many Baby Boomers plan to delay retirement, or work part time in lieu of full retirement. Consequently, there will be more and more of them who will be managed by up and coming Gen Xers and Gen Yers. We suggest a three-pronged strategy for these young managers.

1. Do a great job. There is no way to fake your way into gaining respect. Veterans will begin to respect you when they see that you know what your doing, that your willing to work hard, and you’re not out to upstage them but, rather to make them look good.

2. Arrange for recognition and credit. The late, great Alabama football coach Bear Bryant was once asked what he thought was the secret to his success. He replied, “If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, then we did it. If anything goes real good, then you did it. That's all it takes to get people to win football games.”

Like any generation, baby boomers like to be recognized for their achievements. To the degree you can make that happen, you will reap the rewards of their loyalty. You must be careful, however, not to sound fawning. The chances of this happening are directly proportional to the difference in your ages. If you are more than 10 years younger than the baby boomer you are praising, see if you can enlist the help of another boomer from whom the praise will carry more meaning.

For example, during a team meeting, Judy, the Gen Y team leader, commented that Jack, the baby boomer, had really gone the extra mile to resolve a customer problem. She said, “And it’s not the first time. Bill was telling me about what you did on the Anderson account, right Bill?” At that point, Bill made a comment supporting Jack’s abilities. It gave Jack a double dose of praise and it built Judy’s credibility because she: (1) did her homework and (2) proved she’s willing to give credit where credit is due.

3. Find your veteran sergeants. We have a friend who survived three tours in Vietnam as a Marine officer. He went over as a Second Lieutenant and left as a Major. He said the most important lesson he learned was to hook up with each platoon sergeant assigned to him, and ask what he needed from him to be successful. He did this when he arrived in Vietnam and the first veteran said, “Watch our backs and don’t get us killed.” Not knowing quite how to do that yet, our friend said, “OK, if you’ll give me a straight answer when I ask you for help.” They shook hands on the deal.

The next night they went on their first patrol. Our friend took the veteran aside and said, “You know this country better than anyone, especially me. How do you think we ought to approach this patrol?” The veteran gave him the advice he sought and the patrol went without incident. The next morning, he said to the veteran, “In the future, if you think I’m wrong or I’m making a mistake, I want you to take me aside and tell me. I can’t promise I’ll always do what you suggest, but I want to hear what you have to say.” It was the beginning of a three-tour partnership and a lifelong friendship.

All great leaders surround themselves with advisors who may have wisdom in areas they lack. Making an ally of a baby boomer who holds the respect of the team will do the same for you. It will enhance your credibility with the entire team and give you support when things get rough. Best of all, the baby boomer with whom you build this advisor/advisee relationship will tend to feel more vested in your success and in the success of the group.

Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson (both shown in photo left)

Reverse mentoring has become very in vogue recently. How can Millenials and Baby Boomers and Traditionals develop a productive reverse mentoring program where all groups can benefit each other and the organization?  

Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson: General Electric CEO Jack Welch is widely credited with originating the idea of reverse mentoring in the late-1990s when he ordered hundreds of his managers to pair up with younger workers who could teach them how to use the Internet.6 Many companies have adopted the brilliant strategy because it harvests the best and brightest training from those who know most about the subject, and it exposes the young experts to the wisdom and experience of their older students. It’s a win/win.

For the most part, over the past thirty years, Boomers have made the transition from using paper to computerization, use of e-mail, mastery of closed systems like SAS, and even texting. But in today’s world of social networking and YouTube viral marketing, many just don’t get it. So Unilever began the “Trendslator'' program, designed to help older managers to understand trends in the latest internet-based trends in marketing. Older managers are paired with Gen Yers who get them immersed in Facebook, YouTube, and MySpace.com. The idea is to not only teach them how to use these services but to inculcate them with a way of thinking about communication and marketing that is already part of most Gen Yers’ DNA.6

In the past few years, Nokia has expanded from a company that manufactures and sells telephone handsets into a company that offers user solutions like Nokia Life Tools, a range of services including agriculture, education and entertainment services designed specially for the consumers in small towns and rural areas of the emerging markets. To make this happen, Nokia has hired a host of subject matter experts as well as marketing and sales experts. Many of these folks are young and have the knowledge and orientation to create the new services far beyond the senior managers who hired them. So Nokia has set up formal mentoring relationships where these younger gurus help the older managers understand what the older managers wanted to do in the first place – offer services and solutions beyond “just a handset.”7

Office politics a given in any organization. How can experienced Baby Boomers help Gen X and Millennial employees avoid the pitfalls of office politics?

Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson: Unlike operational procedures, which are usually logical and scientific in nature, office politics are more an art form, following the whims and idiosyncracies of human nature. You may be able to teach political principles in a class room, but to master the art requires more of an apprenticeship approach under the watchful eye of a master.

Many Japanese companies have formalized this process called sempai/kohai. A promising young manager, the kohai, (which means student,) is assigned to an older, more experienced manager, the sempai (which means mentor.) The sempai is usually outside the kohai’s chain of command and functions much like a “godfather” to him or her. In addition to his normal managerial duties, the sempai helps the kohai succeed in all areas of work from technical know-how to operational issues to organizational politics.

There’s a wonderful scene in the movie Tampopo in which a group of Japanese businessmen go to lunch at a fancy French restaurant. As is the custom in Japanese culture, everyone waits for the CEO to order, and then they all order the same thing. When the waiter gets to the youngest member of the group, however, he grills the waiter about all the options on the menu, asking which wines go with which entrées, and finally orders a meal three times more expensive than that of the CEO. As he does this, his sempai is kicking him under the table, trying to keep him from killing his career.

You may wonder why you wouldn’t just have the young person’s manager be the sempai. Isn’t it the manager’s job to mentor her people? To a degree, that’s true, but the manager must often make decisions that adversely affect the kohai. She may have to pass him over for a promotion or place him on an assignment that is necessary but won’t contribute to his growth. Her first responsibility is not to the kohai but to the work unit.

On the other hand, because the sempai has no responsibility for the success of the kohai’s work unit, but is only accountable for the success of the kohai, he or she can focus on helping the kohai do well. It’s a matter of incentive. The manager is rewarded when the group is successful. The sempai is rewarded when the kohai is successful. If the manager has to fire the kohai, it becomes a black mark on the sempai’s career.

Consequently, the subordinate is rewarded because he can be more open with someone who is not part of the chain of command. The sempai can get at the real reasons an employee is flailing, not just the politically correct, pat answers one might give to the boss. Together, they can address the real issues. Wouldn’t you have loved to have had a mentor with that level of interest in your success early in your career?

Because different generations are often very different in their ideas of what is appropriate clothing for work, how can dress codes be developed that work for everyone?

Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson: I absolutely love the dress code dilemma! When I was kid I pushed the dress code limits at school and in my 20s beginning my career the worst thing I could do in my own mind was work for a company that did not let me wear whatever I chose. Ironically my first job out of college was for an extremely conservative, fuddy-duddy food manufacturer that did not look kindly on dressing “creatively.” Consequently I was reprimanded and written up in regards to my, attire, jewelry and hair. As a young 20 something I took these admonishments with pride.

Today’s mangers are dealing with more than big hair and Madonna style bracelets. Supervisors have to deal with tattoos, piercings, even more colorful hair colors, underwear as outerwear and all types of cleavage on both men and women.

First off, decide if dress code should even be an issue. There are some environments it just does not matter. Obviously in retail situations, the sales staff should be able to dress like their customers or wear the type of clothing they are selling. In a more corporate environment you may discover that dress code is not as important as you think it is. Ask yourself why is dress code an issue? If none of your answers have to do with safety/quality, customer service or cost I suggest that dress code is a non-issue or make the dress code casual.

There is nothing wrong with having different types of dress code for the different roles people occupy in the office. A manufacturing firm we interviewed has an extremely casual (shorts, jeans, t-shirts and flip-flops) dress code for all office personnel and the sales reps as long as the rep is not calling on a customer. If a rep is calling on a customer, however, they are expected to dress in a manner that reflects the customer’s corporate culture. The warehouse staff has a much stricter dress code because there are safety issues. They must wear closed toed shoes and protective eyewear while working in the warehouse.

Providing a uniform is another option. It creates a level playing field for everyone and guarantees what you will see on your employees everyday. Word of caution: make the uniform attractive. If you would not want to be seen walking down the street in the uniform, chances are your employees will not wear it with a sense of pride while working for you.

There are some organizations, that because of the nature of the business, need to have a strict dress code. That dress code can include limiting the number of piercings, insisting that tattoos be covered, no jeans, t-shirts and no cleavage on men or women. Whatever the expectation, it’s important it be clarified beyond explaining the policy in the HR handbook.

Show pictures of the expected dress code, show pictures of what is not acceptable and tell your new employees where they can purchase some of the proper work attire. Remember some new employees are just starting out so they may not have a lot of money to spend. If you can arrange with local retailers to get your employees a discount on their first purchase, it goes a long way with their buy-in regarding the dress code.

One of the best ideas in action I saw was at the annual meeting of the Idaho Prosecuting Attorneys Association. The association’s board had several retailers come in and give a fashion show. The entire show lasted 30 minutes and demonstrated appropriate business attire and some Office Fashion Don’ts. The members were given discounts and gift cards to use with the retailers that participated.

Most importantly, don’t assume all employees have the same definition of casual Friday or proper attire. What may be Dockers and a golf shirt to you may mean barbed wire and duct tape to someone else.

Younger twenty something employees are often perceived as having a sense of entitlement. Why is that and how can this issue be addressed effectively for everyone?

  Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson: Younger employees have been accustomed all of their lives to having their opinions heard.

We put this one squarely on the shoulders of the parents. Generation Y was raised by Baby Boomers who, with the invention of the birth control pill and the rise of the women’s movement, were able to postpone having children until they had sown their wild oats, got their educations, and established themselves financially and socially. In our book, we describe Shap and Dyan, Boomer friends of ours who fit this model to a tee.

They were ex-hippies in their mid-thirties who had gone on to professional lives—he a social science researcher for the university and she a city personnel officer. They had become firmly ensconced in the Yuppie lifestyle—owning their own home, driving nice cars, and eating at good restaurants—but they still described themselves as “free spirits” and never missed a Grateful Dead concert. After 13 years of marriage, they decided it was time to have a child. When they announced Dyan’s pregnancy, they told us that they were determined to do this kid thing right.

And they did. Dyan breast-fed Kelsey from the start and gave her only organic baby food. They read to her, held her, coddled her, and rocked her constantly. They bought her only educational toys. They converted their living room into a replica of Romper Room. They took her to Gymboree regularly and enrolled her in an experimental preschool run by Shap’s university. Later, they got her into a magnet school for the arts. They arranged play dates with her schoolmates. They equipped their house and car with all the latest child safety features, including a car seat that would protect her if they happened to drive over Niagara Falls. And, of course, they had a BABY ON BOARD sticker in their car’s back window. In retrospect, Dyan and Shap were typical of baby boomer parents of the time.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with this kind of dedication to good parenting, but for many Boomers, it nurtured a sense in their Gen Y children that they were entitled to everything they got and a lot more.

Managing these folks doesn’t mean you must mimic the indulgence showered on them by their parents, but it probably doesn’t hurt to show them the kind of respect for their opinions to which they’ve become accustomed. In fact, it probably doesn’t hurt to show everyone that kind of respect. Which was Robert Townsend’s point in the first place.

How can other generations gain from the input of ideas from younger workers?

Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson: When it comes to the younger generation being your technology guide you have to swallow your pride and ask for their help. Many Gen Yers are so accustomed to technology it does not occur to them you do not know what they know.

Ask them to help with the company’s web site, or enlist their help making YouTube videos that promote the company or company’s products. I was on a panel discussion at a credit-union conference when a Gen Y panel member told the group to recruit their Gen Y employees to make How To videos to put on the credit union website. She told the group, “You do not know how many Young Gen Yers do not know how to keep their finances straight or balance a checkbook. If you make a How To Video and put it on your company website it will attract more Gen Y customers.”

The younger generation has been lauded for their technological prowess but they do have more than high-tech know how to share. Make it a point to spend time with younger employees. I suggest you do this even if they are not your employees; you will be surprised at what you may learn.

The CEO of Netflix makes it a point to have lunch with all new employees once a month. At these luncheons he answers employee questions but also listens to their suggestions. It was at one of these luncheons when a new young employee challenged the vacation policy. The employee argued that as long as he got his job done, and did it exceptionally well, the amount of vacation time he took should not matter. To the credit of the CEO of Netflix there are certain positions that have unlimited vacation time.

The key to learning from the younger generation is not turning off the spout. Sometimes it may seem their ideas are not thought out or well planned and we want to turn off the faucet. Generation Y has input in their family structure from an early age, they influence 81% of the families apparel purchases and 52% of car choices. It is only natural they want to share their thoughts with you. Listen to what they have to say and if their ideas truly are improbable take the time to explain why. Much like technology, what seems obvious to them is foreign to you it is vice-versa in the work world. What is plain as the nose on your face to you is totally alien to them.

Gen X employees very often prefer to work independently, while Millennials prefer teams. How can a Baby Boomer manager help both groups achieve success without conflict?

Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson: Although Gen Xers tend to seek individual recognition, it doesn’t mean they can’t or won’t work well in teams. They tend to look for support among small groups within their teams or coworkers. Their relationships tend to be based more on professional, mutual respect than on the fact that they’re all on the same team.

For example, we spoke with Sam, who is a Gen X chemist for a genetics research company. Since he graduated in 1993, Sam has worked in seven different labs for seven different companies. He has been with his current employer for about three years. Sam says what he likes most about his job are the other technicians with whom he works.

“There were other labs that had better technology, and some had a better salary schedule, but there was always something missing” said Sam. “I never really felt connected with the other researchers. Part of the problem was age. I was younger and didn’t feel like I had anything in common with older scientists. Looking back, I probably should have tried harder to understand where they were coming from.”

“The group I am with now is terrific,” Sam said. “We have a good time, get important work done, and are always learning from each other. The fact that I feel like I am working with a group of allies is especially refreshing when deadlines are approaching and stress levels are high.”

Rather than a melting pot of people, to a Gen Xer, a successful team is a group of individual, driven people, each with a talent that contributes to achieving the goal. The team decides on the plan and the members complete the tasks. Team members have the freedom and the space to go about getting the job done as they see fit, as long as the desired results are achieved.

They communicate with each other as needed by email, Twitter, videoconferencing, or discussion over the cubicle wall. At the end, they come together and put the pieces of their project together like a jigsaw puzzle. It is this web-like structure that creates a satisfactory team experience for the Gen Xer. No group hugs or singing Kumbaya, just individuals working with each other to accomplish a goal.

How can the right type of management be created and implemented to work effectively for all generations?

Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson: Since each generation requires a different approach - flexibility is the key. In our book, we devote an entire chapter to what we call “Mode Management.” It’s a formal model where a manager can pick her approach with an employee based on five factors:

1. The tasks and procedures at hand
2. The need for speed
3. The need for coordination with others
4. The generation from which the employee comes
5. The proven competence of the employee in question

Managers who have mastered this kind of formalized flexibility should find managing multiple generations to be easier than those who take a one-size-fits-all approach.

What is the future for mutli-generational workplaces, and will we see more of them?
  
Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson: History is in the making. Never before have five generations occupied the workplace as they do now. The three main groups are:

• Baby Boomers, aka the Woodstock Generation, born between 1946 and 1964
• Generation X, aka Latchkey Kids, born between 1965 and 1980
• Generation Y, aka the Entitled Ones, born between 1981 and 1995

A few members of the Traditional generation are also still working (aka
Depression Babies, born before 1945), and we’re beginning to see the first of the Linkster Generation appearing on the job site (aka the Facebook Crowd, born after 1995). In reality then, five generations are now present in the workforce. This is rapidly changing as more and more Traditionals exit and more of the Linked-In Generation enter, creating a four-part milieu that will be with us until all the Baby Boomers retire. And, according to a host of studies, many Baby Boomers plan to continue working long past the age of 65, so this four-part milieu is likely to be the state of business for many years to come.

What is the first step an employer should take toward creating a conflict free workplace that included members of many generations and sub-generations?

Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson: I’ll answer that one. After college, and before I returned to graduate school, I worked as an apprentice carpenter, assigned to a tough old journeyman who was my father’s age. One day he sent me to cut some pieces that were part of the form for a large concrete beam. I cut them too short, so the material and my time was wasted. I was sure I’d be fired. When I told him we had a problem, he replied, “Son, we don’t have a problem unless we can’t fix it.” We did, and I kept the job, but I’ve never forgotten that lesson in life. So we recommend the first step in creating a conflict free workplace that includes members of many generations is to partner them in to teaching pairs where they can learn from one another, whether it be a traditional apprentice/journeyman set up like I had with the old carpenter, or a reverse mentoring arrangement like Jack Welsh envisioned at GE.

What is next for Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson?

Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson: “I’m writing a book about the journey my wife CJ has traveled through the healthcare system since an accident in 2003 left her with a severe brain injury.
Larry Johnson

“I’m going to Disneyland!” Meagan Johnson.

Meanwhile, we are giving thought to our next boo spending time on the road, speaking to audiences on how they can create organizational cultures where different generations can flourish.

__________________

 James J. L'Allier, Ph. D. & Kenneth Kolosh, “Preparing for Baby Boomer Retirement,” June 2005,

2 Tamara Schweitzer, “Report: Retiring Baby Boomers Expected to Hurt U.S. Companies,” Inc., Mar 23, 2007,

3 Stefan Stern, “The kids are alright but they need help,” Financial Times, February 22 2010,

4 Alan Weiss, author, Million Dollar Consulting. Quoted in an e-mail interview March 26, 2009. Permission to print this interview given.

5 Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary,

6 Proudfoot, Shannon, “Mentoring takes on a new twist,” Winnipeg Free Press, July 2, 2008,

6 Rupal Parekh, “Unilever youth teach vets the ABCs of digital; TALENTWORKS: Reverse mentoring aims to keep older execs up to date.(News)(Unilever North America)(education on digital marketing for advertising executives),” Advertising Age, October 8, 2008,

7 Saumya Bhattacharya, “Young mentors at Nokia,” Business Today, February 3, 2010,

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

My book review of Generations, Inc.: From Boomers to Linksters--Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work by Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson

Tags: Generations, Inc.: From Boomers to Linksters--Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work, Meagan Johnson, Larry Johnson, inter-generational personnel management, business book reviews.

Generations, Inc. by Meagan Johnson & Larry Johnson - Book review

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 06:08:00 +0000

Generations, Inc.

From Boomers to Linksters--Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work

By: Meagan Johnson, Larry Johnson

Published: May 2010
Format: Paperback, 272pp
ISBN-13: 9780814415733
ISBN-10: 0814415733
Publisher: AMACOM

"A generational signpost is an event or cultural phenomenon that is specific to one generation. Generational signposts shape, influence, and drive our expectations, actions, and mind-sets about the products we buy, the companies for which we work, and the expectations we have about life in general," write generational employment experts, owners of the Johnson Training Group, Meagan Johnson and her father Larry Johnson, in their practical and insightful book Generations, Inc.: From Boomers to Linksters--Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work. The authors describe how the same generational signposts that influence a person's outlook on life, also has a deep impact on a person's ideas about company loyalty, workplace ethics, and what constitutes a job well done.

Larry Johnson and Meagan Johnson describe how in today's workplace, members of what they classify as up to five different generations may be on the job at the same time. While precise definitions of generational age boundaries vary between experts, as well as the terminology used to designate each group, the authors point out that their cutoff dates are not the be all and end all of generational dynamics. What is important, and forms the heart of the book, is that each of the five generations that Meagan and Larry Johnson define, has very different life signposts. These signposts can be critical to the worldview or life laws of one generation, but hold little or no meaning to another younger or older generation. In this book, the authors define the following five generations as:

* Traditionals born prior to 1945
* Baby Boomers born from 1946 to 1964
* Generation X born from 1965 to 1980
* Generation Y born from 1981 to 1995
* Linksters born 1996 and later

Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson (both shown in photo left) recognize that because each generation's signposts and life laws are different, they have entirely different attitudes toward work, and require different management techniques. The authors provide intriguing insights into how to manage members of different generational cohorts. What works well for Baby Boomers may fail completely with members of Generation X. The authors also point out how various management styles of one generation may be entirely different from that of an older or younger cohort. At the same time, each generation brings different strengths to the work environment, creating a potentially powerful cross-generational idea exchange. The diversity brought to the workplace by different generations working together provides a tremendous opportunity for organizations to tap into many different strengths, and this book teaches managers how to utilize those differences to best advantage.

For me, the power of the book is the positive approach taken by Larry and Meagan Johnson as they describe the generational differences in the workplace. They understand that without guidance in recognizing generational differences in outlook, many managers will fail to utilize the incredible synergy that results from these widely diverse worldviews. Each generation is given its own management section in the book, complete with a description of their generational signposts, and why they are important to that group. The authors approach each generation with respect, and even with their own differences outlined as Larry Johnson is a Baby Boomer and Meagan Johnson is a member of Generation X. The authors' own generational differences and understandings helps them to realize that other age groups have different attitudes toward work, ethics, job completion, career change, and job satisfaction. They do a fine job of conveying that information to the reader.

I highly recommend the essential and must read book Generations, Inc.: From Boomers to Linksters--Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work by Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson, to any manager or employee seeking to understand their own managers, subordinates, or co-workers from different generations. Instead of putting up with or mistakenly creating inter-generational disputes and misunderstandings in the workplace, this book will steer anyone along the right path to utilizing the strengths, ideas, and wisdom of each generation for the benefit of all employees and for the organization as a whole.

Read the straightforward and no nonsense book Generations, Inc.: From Boomers to Linksters--Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work by Meagan Johnson and Larry Johnson, and put an end to mis-communication and inter-generational conflict at work. In its place, discover how to turn what was a difficult or seemingly impossible task, into an outcome that is rewarding to everyone in the company.

Tags: Generations, Inc.: From Boomers to Linksters--Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work, Meagan Johnson, Larry Johnson, inter-generational personnel management, business book reviews.

Sick of Doctors? A Prescription For Patient Empowerment by Lorene Burkhart - Book review

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 05:31:00 +0000

Sick of Doctors?

A Prescription for Patient Empowerment

By: Lorene M. Burkhart

Published: June 1, 2010
Format: Perfect Paperback, 204 pages
ISBN-10: 0984180605
ISBN-13: 978-0984180608
Publisher: Burkhart Network, LLC

"In today's medical world, it is up to each of us to maintain health on a daily basis and not be dependent on an all-powerful Doctor God to do it for us. The old days are over". writes teacher, broadcaster, and corporate executive Lorene M. Burkhart, in her landmark book Sick of Doctors? A Prescription for Patient Empowerment. The author describes the history of medicine and how it has evolved into the modern system, as well as problems with doctors and the medical environment in which they operate.

Lorene Burkhart recognizes that part of the problem surrounding doctors and healthcare is that people think that the old system still exists today. For the author, nothing could be further from the truth. She wisely opens the book by describing the evolution of both the medical system itself, and the changes surrounding the doctors who work within that system. In place of the previous medical paradigm, where control was handed over to an all powerful doctor, Lorene Burkhart supports an outcomes based approach to medicine. By taking control of one's own body back from the hands of the medical community, they doctor patient relationship is improved and better health of the patient is the result.

Lorene M. Burkhart (photo left) advocates patients taking more personal control of both their daily health, and their care when in the hands of the medical community. According to the author, the status accorded to doctors that she describes as Doctor God, should be among the first concepts questioned and discarded by everyone. She describes how not only the doctor and patient relationship has deteriorated over the decades, but also how the relationships between doctors and nurses is also very problematic and occasionally abusive. For Lorene Burkhart, patient empowerment includes giving up the deeply ingrained idea that the doctor is always right. The book includes numerous case studies where incompetence among doctors is so commonplace that it may even be the norm.

For me, the power of the book is how Lorene Burkhart empowers the reader as both personal health advocate and to become more assertive in any doctor and patient relationship. For Lorene Burkhart, patients must seek out their own medical knowledge and actively question and demand answers from doctors. The internet has lifted the veil of omnipotence from the medical community, changing the reputation of doctors forever, just as the medical system of a previous era is gone as well. The author understands that many people are either unaware of the deeper, underlying changes in the medical system, or ignore them willfully. This book provides a powerful service to the general public by making people aware of the changing role of the medical profession, and of doctors' evolving opinion of themselves as all-powerful as well.

I highly recommend the essential and must read book Sick of Doctors? A Prescription for Patient Empowerment by Lorene M. Burkhart, to anyone serious about their own healthcare, and how doctors and the medical community really work in today's society. The book should also be required reading for every doctor, medical student, intern, and nurse working within the medical field. The author's ideas about outcomes based medicine and personal empowerment are simply too important to ignore.

Read the paradigm shattering book Sick of Doctors? A Prescription for Patient Empowerment by Lorene M. Burkhart, and take back control of your own healthcare and remove that power from the hands of doctors. Reading this book will improve your health, and perhaps have a deep and lasting impact on the way that medicine is practiced today and tomorrow as well.

Tags: Sick of Doctors? A Prescription for Patient Empowerment, Lorene M. Burkhart, personal health empowerment, business book reviews.

Catherine Jewell: New Resume New Career - Author interview

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 06:49:00 +0000

Career coach, and founder and owner of The Career Passion™ Coach, Catherine Jewell, was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions about her very practical and action oriented book New Resume New Career: Get the Job You Want with the Skills and Experience You Already Have. The author describes how to create a resume that will land an interview and a job in the same industry, or even in a different industry entirely.

Thanks to Catherine Jewell for her time and for her very informative and comprehensive responses. They are greatly appreciated.

What was the background to writing this book New Resume New Career?

Catherine Jewell: The downturn in the economy has left many job seekers high and dry. Manufacturing jobs have been off-shored for good. Many positions have simply been eliminated—and may never come back in their former state. Very few job seekers have the time or the funds to retrain for new careers. Many job applicants are also feeling they want a new challenge, and a fresh start with a different career. This book is designed to help people find jobs they love with the skills and experience they already have. The economy provided the perfect storm; my work with clients provided the 50 case studies in the book to bring hope to today’s career changers.

With the economic downturn, and a tough job market, how important is career flexibility to moving to a new industry?

Catherine Jewell: The days of the 40-year career with one company are long gone. Instead of a gold watch, today’s workers can expect a pink slip—even if they are model employees. We all have to be flexible and realize we are free agents. We don’t work for companies anymore—we need to work for ourselves, trimming our sails and going where the winds of business are blowing. The easiest career switch is to a new industry—it simply means putting your functional skills to work in a new environment.

The good news is that most businesses have similar functions—marketing, product or service delivery, customer service, human resources, sales, accounting, etc. My book, New Resume New Career, discusses the challenges of switching industries, switching functions, or switching both. (Yikes.) My experience with more than 600 career changers is that people generally fall into those categories—one-third, one-third, one-third. The more seasoned the worker, the more likely they are to make a more dramatic switch.

Many people are afraid that if they change careers that that their overall career path will be derailed. Is this the case any longer?

Catherine Jewell: Hardly. If you stay in the same functional area (sales, marketing, customer service, HR, accounting) you can show a consistent career path in your area of expertise. Some employers are welcoming workers from other industries because they have “new” ideas to share. For example, one of my clients switched from international consulting in the High Tech industry to marketing in the Healthcare Industry. The hospital executives who interviewed her were fascinated with her “fresh” approach to marketing to physicians. She was simply bringing the lessons learned in consulting to a new environment.

That said, there can be a short “adjustment” time when career changers have to accept slightly lower pay until they can prove themselves in the new environment. I advise my clients to go for a lateral (same pay scale) move when changing careers. If they have to take 10-20% less in a career change, that is generally an acceptable trade-off because the new career is exciting, energizing, and usually more satisfying. That kind of a financial hit can easily be made up in a year or two of great performance.

Is it really possible to transition successfully from one industry to another completely unrelated industry?

Catherine Jewell: It’s been done — that’s why I featured 50 real-life career changers in my book. I wanted people to see that the leap makes sense when you understand the person and their experiences, skills, and desires. Look for shifts that are logical for you. Computer Chip manufacturing and Solar Panels use some of the same technology, so that’s a natural change. A change to Healthcare might require Medical Terminology courses, but those are often available at community colleges and for a fairly low investment of dollars and time. Of course, it’s best to keep the change as small as possible – it’s easier to go from a hospital to a nursing home than it is to go from a retail store to a nursing home. But, hey, if people want that kind of change, it’s possible and even invigorating.

One client went from software to calendar publishing, and from sales to training. He found his new function was a life-long dream—to train and mentor. His new role made him so happy that learning the calendar business was a breeze. He accepted a decrease in pay initially, but he was glad to take it to keep the family going. Just one year later, he was promoted to a management position and had nearly recaptured his “old” salary. He went from demoralized salesperson to energized manager in just 24 months. Not a bad story for 2008-2010.

Is it also possible to make a career change within the same industry from one job function to another?

Catherine Jewell: The functional switch is generally harder to do. Many people do this when they finish an MBA program or other educational goals. I have seen people move from customer service into finance when they finished their accounting bachelor’s degree. Another example is moving from a technical role such as engineering to project management. Most of the job creation in the last few years has been in the 2-year degree job arena, and in jobs that require certificates (such as Human Resource Professional and Project Management Professional). Job seekers who want to switch functions should seriously look into retraining dollars—grants and loans—that might be available from the Federal government or state workforce agencies.

Catherine Jewell (photo left)

How critical is creating the right resume to ensure a smooth and successful transition to another industry or job function?

Catherine Jewell: Like it or not, the resume is your calling card — it is the document that gets you the interview. The resume has to sell your skills and experience as they relate to the job you are seeking. You must have a resume that speaks to the job requirements. That’s why it so important to completely rewrite your resume if you expect to change careers. Many job seekers have two or three versions, depending on the job they are seeking.

In the book, you suggest separating the job from work. What do you mean by that?

Catherine Jewell: People who have lost jobs through no fault of their own often feel bitter and demoralized. They tell themselves, “I’ll NEVER do that job again.” It’s important to think about the work you did, and what activities you really enjoyed. That’s what you take with you to your next career. Mostly, people are demoralized by the job conditions, not the work itself. So, instead of throwing all of it out—take a look at the work and what you enjoyed about it.

For example, a mortgage originator found that she hated the corporate bureaucracy, her unavailable boss, the picky and difficult mortgage processor, the low commissions, the long work hours, and the bank politics. Those were all job conditions. She loved meeting with prospects, solving difficult problems, researching details, creating special deals, and helping people buy homes. She didn’t need new work, she needed a new job!

How can a person assess their transferable skills and place them in resume form effectively?

Catherine Jewell: A great place to start is your former job description. That document is filled with –ing verbs – Writing, Managing, Budgeting, Supervising, Creating, Presenting, Selling, Negotiating, Developing, etc. Those are the job skills that you have picked up and honed as a part of your career. Those 10-15 skills will serve you well in another job. I often put a table at the top of a resume that says “Core Competencies.” This is a quick and easy way to communicate your strengths. My book, New Resume New Career includes an appendix of the 400+ transferable skills mentioned in the book’s 50 resume makeovers.

How can a resume sell the job applicant to get that all important interview?

Catherine Jewell: The ONLY thing that will sell the applicant is proof that you are a match for the job. The resume has to show that you have what it takes. The closer the match, the more highly you will be regarded as a potential employee.

Is there any one right type of resume or should the job seeker be flexible as to resume format?

Catherine Jewell: There are so many great formats out there. Pick and choose elements that tell your story in the best way. I do recommend what I call the Resume Billboard™ on all resumes. This is a special section at the top of the first page that summarizes your key skills and achievements. It’s the most important 100 words of your resume—a mini billboard selling you.

Many people will offer advice to the employment seeker that may be intended to help but may not be useful. How should a person react to this advice?

Catherine Jewell: My mother always told us, “Consider the source.” If your aunt Ellen is an English professor and notices a wrong word choice, pay attention. If she knows nothing about business and starts to tell you how to describe your achievements, think again. Seek out opinions from hiring managers, or at least professionals in the same line of business. Listen, thank people for their help, use what’s helpful, and discard the rest. Constant tinkering with your resume will make you nuts.

What one piece of advice should every job seeker remember?

Catherine Jewell: Networking will generate job leads. A great resume will get you the interview. A great interview will generate an offer. It’s not rocket science, but you have to be consistently professional in your job search.

What is next for Catherine Jewell?

Catherine Jewell: I’m likely to be the keynote speaker at your next professional association meeting or convention. Everyone — employed or seeking — needs to become a master at managing their own career. We are all free agents. Our career growth and development is up to us. Finding and expressing your Career Passion® is everyone’s job 1. Just when we least expect it, any one of us could need a New Resume and a New Career.

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

My book review of New Resume New Career: Get the Job You Want with the Skills and Experience You Already Have by Catherine Jewell.

Catherine Jewell is on a personal quest to help everyone find perfect work. She is the Career Passion® Coach and author of New Resume New Career, a resume makeover book featuring 50 real-life career changers. For more than 25 years, she has studied the phenomena of career planning and has coached more than 600 adults through mid-life career changes. Catherine speaks at conferences about Career Passion® and provides resume writing, career testing, group tele-classes, and coaching for job seekers around the nation. Her new book is available on Amazon.com and in book stores now. For more information, check out www.CareerPassionCoach.com or contact her at cj@careerpassioncoach.com.

Tags: New Resume New Career: Get the Job You Want with the Skills and Experience You Already Have, Catherine Jewell, career changes, resumes, business author interviews.

New Resume New Career by Catherine Jewell - Book review

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 06:03:00 +0000

New Resume New Career

Get the Job You Want with the Skills and Experience You Already Have

By: Catherine Jewell

Published: March 2, 2010
Format: Paperback, 272 pages
ISBN: 9781592579754
Publisher: Alpha Books/Penguin

"Today career changing is normal. Because of our tumultuous job climate, many people not only want to change careers but are also required to change careers", writes career coach, and founder and owner of The Career Passion™ Coach, Catherine Jewell, in her very practical and action oriented book New Resume New Career: Get the Job You Want with the Skills and Experience You Already Have. The author describes how to create a resume that will land an interview and a job in the same industry, or even in a different industry entirely.

Catherine Jewell understands that today's job market is different from that of the past decades. Instead of a long term career, today's career path can include not only several different companies, but also a number of very different industries. As a result, there is much less concern about career or industry changes than in the past. Catherine Jewell points out that:

* Career changing is logical
* Career changing is accepted
* Career changing is more urgent
* Getting a new job often involves changing careers

Catherine Jewell (photo left) recognizes that the changing job market also demands new and different formats of resumes. The author outlines three types of career change. They include changing from one industry to another, changing to a new job function, and a combination of changing both the industry and the function. In order to make a successful transition in any of these three areas, the author recommends taking note of one's transferable skills, that are applicable in any career situation. Catherine Jewell describes, step by step, how to develop and write a resume that will market the job applicant best, and will win that all important interview. She describes in detail how to select the right resume format - chronological, functional, or blended resume - to have the best opportunity to win the interview.

For me, the power of the book is how Catherine Jewell takes a no nonsense approach to writing a winning resume regardless of the person's career goal. The author breaks each component part of the resume down into easy to understand and follow chapters. To underline her advice, Catherine Jewell includes several examples of different resume types, within each chapter. These very illustrative models of successful resumes help the job seeker develop each section of the resume with the end goal in mind. The book doesn't disappoint with its promise of building a resume that works for career, function, and industry changes. Each of these transitions is covered in a special section, including the unique challenges faced by job applicants in writing the appropriate resume. As always in the book, strong illustrative resumes are used to guide the career changer toward writing a resume that will win the desired interview. The author even provides tips for tweaking the resume in the event it fails to get results.

I highly recommend the very useful and timely book New Resume New Career: Get the Job You Want with the Skills and Experience You Already Have by Catherine Jewell, to anyone serious about creating an effective resume that will lead to real world interviews. For anyone seeking to change industries, job functions, or even both, this is the book for you.

Read the essential guide New Resume New Career: Get the Job You Want with the Skills and Experience You Already Have by Catherine Jewell, and write that knockout resume that will help you get noticed, and land an interview for a new career. Regardless of your current career status, or career goal, this book will steer you on the right path toward an exciting new career.

Tags: New Resume New Career: Get the Job You Want with the Skills and Experience You Already Have, Catherine Jewell, career changes, resumes, business book reviews.

Peggy McColl: Viral Explosion! - Blog Business Success Radio

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 06:12:00 +0000

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio

Internet marketing expert, entrepreneur, and bestselling author of the practical and real world experience based book Viral Explosions! Proven Techniques to Expand, Explode, or Ignite Your Business or Brand Online, Peggy McColl, shares her proven techniques for building a successful internet business. Peggy describes tactics that don't require large amounts of technical knowledge, and can be applied to any product or service. Learn how the 3P's of Passion, Prosperity consciousness, and Partners can grow your business. Peggy shows you how to create successful information products, and how to develop a strong brand reputation.

Peggy McColl is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Thursday, July 8, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Internet marketing expert, entrepreneur, and bestselling author of the practical and real world experience based book Viral Explosions! Proven Techniques to Expand, Explode, or Ignite Your Business or Brand Online, Peggy McColl, shares her proven techniques for building a successful internet business. You will learn:

* How to create your own internet viral explosion

* How to create marketable information products

* How to build your brand reputation online

* The 3 P's: Passion, Prosperity consciousness, Partners

Peggy McColl (photo left) is a New York Times Best Selling Author and an internationally recognized Speaker/Author/Mentor and an expert in the area of goal achievement

She is a Speaker/ Author/Mentor and an expert in helping Authors, Entrepreneurs and Experts create valuable products; build their brand worldwide; make money online and create international "best sellers"!

Her innovative and laser-focused work has been endorsed by some of the most renowned experts in the personal development field, including Neale Donald Walsch, Bob Proctor, Jack Canfield, Jim Rohn, Mark Victor Hansen, Caroline Myss, Gregg Braden, Debbie Ford, and many others.

Her intensive classes, speaking engagements, goal achievement seminars, and best-selling books have inspired individuals, professional athletes, authors and organizations to reach their maximum potential. Her personal goal is to make a positive contribution to the lives of millions and she is passionate about helping others to achieve their goals.

Peggy is the President and Founder of Dynamic Destinies, Inc., an organization that trains individuals, authors, entrepreneurs, corporate leaders and employees in some of the most compelling and strategic goal-setting technologies of our times.

She has worked hard and has earned a reputation for being the gold standard in on-line book promotion. Her marketing strategies and successful campaigns, have been praised by authors and publishers alike, are on the cutting-edge of direct-to-consumer book promotion, and have resulted in book sales of tens of thousands of copies. She thrilled to say that her e-marketing campaigns have driven dozens of books to the top of the best-seller lists. Her deep passion is to help others achieve their goals.

My book review of Viral Explosions! Proven Techniques to Expand, Explode, or Ignite Your Business or Brand Online by Peggy McColl.

My book review of Be a Dog With a Bone: Always Go for Your Dreams by Peggy McColl.

Listen live on Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.

If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.

To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with internet marketing expert, entrepreneur, and bestselling author of the practical and real world experience based book Viral Explosions! Proven Techniques to Expand, Explode, or Ignite Your Business or Brand Online, Peggy McColl, as she shares her proven techniques for building a successful internet business. Peggy describes tactics that don't require large amounts of technical knowledge, and can be applied to any product or service. Learn how the 3P's of Passion, Prosperity consciousness, and Partners can grow your business. Peggy shows you how to create successful information products, and how to develop a strong brand reputation on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Viral Explosions! Proven Techniques to Expand, Explode, or Ignite Your Business or Brand Online, Peggy McColl, internet viral marketing, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

Viral Explosions! by Peggy McColl - Book review

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 05:57:00 +0000

Viral Explosions!

Proven Techniques to Expand, Explode, or Ignite Your Business or Brand Online

By: Peggy McColl

Published: April 2010
Format: Hardcover, 224pp
ISBN-13: 9781601631190
ISBN-10: 1601631197
Publisher: Career Press

"By working with the program outlined in this book, you can use the Web to create-information based products and services and market them effectively so they reach an extraordinary number of people and build your brand and business", writes internet marketing expert and best selling author of the practical and real world experience based book Viral Explosions! Proven Techniques to Expand, Explode, or Ignite Your Business or Brand Online. The author shares her successful techniques for boosting internet based sales of any product or service through the power of creating and utilizing an online strategy.

Peggy McColl understands the frustration experienced by many would be internet marketers. She learned from marketing her first book that without a workable internet plan, that any product or service will fail to sell. Armed with the knowledge that her books wouldn't sell themselves, she applied her Passion, Prosperity consciousness, and Partners concept to selling her inventory. The results were even better than she had hoped, and her sales were phenomenal. Peggy McColl shares those same internet marketing plans with the reader in an easy to follow and apply format that has achieved proven results for real people. She describes her method as creating a viral explosion.

Peggy McColl (photo left) recognizes that many potentially successful internet marketers are not entirely experts in the use of internet technology. As a result, she provides her information in non-technical, how-to language, while avoiding loading the reader down with unnecessary jargon. More important then the technical skills is understanding how to increase the number of visitors to a website and the number of people who pass along the information. To achieve this viral success, Peggy McColl points out it requires:

* A strong emotional appeal
* Is fresh and new to the reader
* Asks the person to take immediate action
* Recognition that people want to share with others

For me, the power of the book is how Peggy McColl removes the mystery and the guesswork from the world of internet marketing. Instead of jargon and vague promises, the book is packed with actionable ideas that can be applied to any sort of online of offline business, regardless of the offered product or service. Unlike many books, Peggy McColl shares very useful ideas on creating the information based products to sell. Instead ow writing about how great it is to sell them, the author also describes how to write, market, and get partners to build the viral explosion aspect. At the same time, important information is provided about the pro's and con's of the various information products, and how to determine if they are right for the business. Another really valuable chapter provides easy to use methods of building an online and offline brand and reputation. Overall, the information in the book is practical and useful for any online or offline marketer.

I highly recommend the straightforward business building book Viral Explosions! Proven Techniques to Expand, Explode, or Ignite Your Business or Brand Online by Peggy McColl, to anyone serious about utilizing the viral marketing power of the internet to create and grow a successful business. Not only does the author share her proven marketing tactics, but also describes in detail how to create high demand information products to offer to potential customers.

Read the easy to apply and very readable book Viral Explosions! Proven Techniques to Expand, Explode, or Ignite Your Business or Brand Online by Peggy McColl, and build a worldwide customer base, generate additional income, boost your brand reputation, develop a loyal clientele through through strong relationships. This book will cut through the noise, and give your business a successful viral explosion.

Tags: Viral Explosions! Proven Techniques to Expand, Explode, or Ignite Your Business or Brand Online, Peggy McColl, internet viral marketing, business book reviews.

Something to do with those business cards you collected

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 10:00:00 +0000

I was interrupted last week at a networking group meeting by someone who wanted to commend something to the group. Positive interruptions that enhance your message are always very welcome! He said it had been a really useful exercise to go through all the business cards he had collected over a couple years after reading the NRG workbook on developing your business networking plan.

He had separated these cards into the four categories suggested in the workbook. He uses Outlook to manage his contacts so he then created these categories in Outlook. He entered the details of any new contacts into his Outlook Address Book and then put all his contacts into those categories. This means he can now manage the interactions he has with his network more effectively. He can also see, at a glance, who he needs to focus his networking activity with.

The four categories of contacts are your Outer Network, your Resource Network, your Inner Network and your Advocate Network.

Your Outer Network is made up of the people that you have met, but have no real connection with. You don't know what you could do for them, but it is useful to have a record of where and when you met. You paths may well cross again and you make that connection.

Your Resource Network is made up of the people that you have met and you know them well enough to recognise they have a particular skill or offer a valuable service. You don’t want to spend more time in developing a relationship with them, but they are useful to introduce to other contacts when appropriate.

Your Inner Network is made up of the people that you have met, have had some sort of follow up and are building a relationship. They share a similar target market to you and probably provide a service that is complementary to yours. We will call them your Inner Network & it is spending time with these people that starts to make networking really work. One really efficient way of doing this is to ensure you belong to the same networking groups.

Your Advocate Network is the small group of people you would go out of your way to find introductions and referrals for. The people you advocate are the people you have already developed a relationship with and you know, like, rate and trust them. It is spending time doing things for these people where you get the highest networking returns.

Successful networkers have up to 30 people in their Inner Network & about 6 Advocates. Do you know who these people are for you?

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke

Kathleen Gage: Membership Marketing Success - Blog Business Success Radio

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 06:01:00 +0000

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio

Internet marketing expert, best selling author, and entrepreneur Kathleen Gage takes the mystery out membership marketing. She introduces business people to the concept of membership marketing, removes the misconceptions, and explains how the technique benefits both the business and the members. She describes how to add more members, and how to help the members succeed. She shares tips for increasing membership and leveraging the power of the internet and social media. She also points out some of the most common mistakes made in utilizing the membership marketing concept.

Kathleen Gage is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Tuesday, July 6, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Internet marketing expert, best selling author, and entrepreneur Kathleen Gage takes the mystery out membership marketing. You will learn:

* What is membership marketing and how it works

* How to help the members succeed and grow with the company

* How to increase the membership effectively

* How to use the internet and social media the right way

Kathleen Gage (photo left) aka The Street Smarts Marketer™, is CEO and founder of Turning Point, Inc. and Maxwell Publishing. Kathleen is a globally recognized Internet Marketing expert is a frequent featured expert on radio, teleseminars, live conferences and more. She is an Amazon.com bestselling author; an Internet marketing and publicity advisor; and an award-winning keynote speaker.

Kathleen is a highly results oriented business advisor who works with spiritually-aware speakers, trainers, consultants, entrepreneurs and authors who ready to turn their expertise into money-making products and services. Her unique Street Smarts Marketing™ Series programs are designed to help you achieve the business results you desire in the most efficient, cost-effective way possible.

Listen live on Tuesday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.

If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.

To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with internet marketing expert, best selling author, and entrepreneur Kathleen Gage takes the mystery out membership marketing. She introduces business people to the concept of membership marketing, removes the misconceptions, and explains how the technique benefits both the business and the members. She describes how to add more members, and how to help the members succeed. She shares tips for increasing membership and leveraging the power of the internet and social media. She also points out some of the most common mistakes made in utilizing the membership marketing concept on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Kathleen Gage, membership marketing, internet marketing business, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

The War Lovers by Evan Thomas - Book review

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 07:31:00 +0000

The War Lovers

Roosevelt, Lodge, Hearst, and the Rush to Empire, 1898

By: Evan Thomas

Published: April 27, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 471pp
ISBN-13: 9780316004091
ISBN-10: 031600409X
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

"The Spanish-American War is little remembered now. But more than the Civil War or World War II, it was a harbinger, if not the model, of modern American Wars", writes editor-at-large at Newsweek and bestselling historian Evan Thomas, in his brilliant and revealing book The War Lovers: Roosevelt, Lodge, Hearst, and the Rush to Empire, 1898. The author, through a narrative involving several of the towering personalities of the day, describes how that almost forgotten 1898 conflict bears striking parallels with modern wars, journalism, and politics.

Evan Thomas brings to life the extraordinary people and events that turned America on an unexpected path toward a global empire. The Spanish-American War, according to the author, was seen as an opportunity for the upper classes of America to prove themselves in war. Through the writings and words of future President Theodore Roosevelt, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, and news baron William Randolph Hearst, the feeling that members of the elites lacked vigor, became common thought. A war was the tonic, in their eyes, for this perceived malaise. When the American ship USS Maine exploded in Havana Harbor, the supporters of war rejoiced and began preparations for combat. While the ship explosion was an accident as the result of a design flaw, the official report presented an explanation of sabotage. The march to war was on.

Evan Thomas (photo left) points out that the Spanish-American War began with great enthusiasm. William Randolph Hearst provided non-stop stories, both real and exaggerated, to promote the war. The politicians voted in favor of declaring war, even though President McKinley was somewhat lukewarm to the idea. Like the modern day Iraq War, the reasons for entry were considered suspicious, if not outright fabrications, by opponents of the war. At the same time, like the Iraq War, there were few if any solid objectives, exit strategies, and little more than vague human rights concerns. Indeed, according to Evan Thomas, even the torture tactic of "waterboarding" was used in the Philippines against suspected rebel leaders and sympathizers.

The author describes the concerns of two doves as well. They were the renowned philosopher William James and the powerful Speaker of the House, Thomas Reed. Their voices were little heard in the headlong plunge into war. They were overwhelmed by a popular sentiment to fight a war, any war at all, and the hawks were in the ascendancy. Evan Thomas describes, through letters and writings, how Theodore Roosevelt worked tirelessly to get America into the Spanish-American War. Roosevelt craved the experience of battle, and used his success at the charge up Kettle Hill and the occupation of San Juan Hill to establish his legend. William Randolph Hearst newspaper reporters and artists portrayed the war and Roosevelt as conquering heroes. Heart himself even sailed to Cuba to be in on the action. The end result of the war was America as a global power, the problem of Cuban independence remained unsettled, and Theodore Roosevelt won the Presidency.

I highly recommend the enthralling and triumphant history The War Lovers: Roosevelt, Lodge, Hearst, and the Rush to Empire, 1898 by Evan Thomas, to anyone seeking a book that brings the people and times of the Spanish-American War to life. Not only does the author share a masterful portrait of the personalities and events of the era, but provides critical parallels and lessons for our own time. In that sense, the author demonstrates that history is not something in the past, but is part of our current lives and world.

Read the important and remarkable book The War Lovers: Roosevelt, Lodge, Hearst, and the Rush to Empire, 1898 by Evan Thomas, and discover how the past affects the present, and how decisions and choices made a century ago, still resonate in our world today. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the shaping of public opinion and global events, and how they have changed little in one hundred years.

Tags: The War Lovers: Roosevelt, Lodge, Hearst, and the Rush to Empire, 1898, Evan Thomas, Spanish-American War, history book reviews.

Cathy M. Rubin: The Real Alice In Wonderland - Author interview

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 06:14:00 +0000

Author Cathy M. Rubin was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions about her (co-authored with Gabriella Rose Rubin) gorgeous, lavishly illustrated tribute to Alice Liddell, The Real Alice in Wonderland: A Role Model for the Ages.

Creating much more than a coffee table book, the authors explore the real life and Victorian world in which their relative Alice Liddell lived her extraordinary life.

Thanks to Cathy M. Rubin for her time and for her comprehensive responses about both the book and the fascinating life of Alice Liddell.

What do American Independence Day and Alice In Wonderland have in common?

Cathy M. Rubin: American Independence Day and Alice in Wonderland share the same birthday i.e. July 4. Friday July 4, 1862 is credited with the first time Lewis Carroll told Alice Liddell and her sisters the story of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. It was shortly after the first telling of Carroll’s story that Alice began to urge the author to write it down for her.

What was the background to writing this book The Real Alice in Wonderland: A Role Model for the Ages?

Cathy M. Rubin: In 2007, my daughter’s school selected Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland for Book Day. My daughter Gabriella remembered we had a connection to the Liddell family. Alice Liddell inspired Charles Dodgson (aka Lewis Carroll) to write the original story. At this point I knew very little about Alice Liddell’s story other than what my grandmother and my great aunt Phil Liddell had told me about her when I was a child. Gabriella bugged me to help her research the story. You could say we jumped down the rabbit hole together.

It took us several months to research the content for our Book Day workshop which we called The Real Alice In Wonderland. After we presented the workshop to Gabriella’s school and other groups we were encouraged by educators, friends and family to turn our story into a film or book. The book as you can see came first!

Many people are unaware that Lewis Carroll wrote about a real Alice. What can you tell us about Alice Liddell as a real person?

Cathy M. Rubin: Alice Liddell was born into a privileged, academic family on May 4, 1852. She was the fourth child of Henry and Lorina Liddell. Her father, one of the most prominent educators of his day, was the Dean of Christ Church College, Oxford University. Alice was home schooled by some of Oxford University’s finest tutors. She was a bright child with significant artistic talents. Alice was also known to be free-spirited (largely due to her never-ending curiousity about everything).

She grew up to become a beautiful and cultured young woman. Her beauty inspired many distinguished photographers and artists such as Charles Dodgson, Julia Margaret Cameron and Sir William Blake Richmond. She also inspired the devotion of many suitors including Prince Leopold, Queen Victoria’s youngest son. In 1880, she married a wealthy landowner, Reginald Hargreaves, with whom she had three sons.

It seems like Alice was even more intriguing in life, than she was in the famous novels, if that is possible. What is the legacy of the real Alice beyond what Lewis Carroll wrote?

Cathy M. Rubin: We know from the fan mail our book has been receiving that people believe Alice Liddell’s real life was even more fascinating than the fictional character she inspired. It is a rich story of a very creative, curious and magnetic young girl who grew up to become a cultural icon and one of the most celebrated women of the last 100 years. It is a story of love, tragedy, duty, courage and loyalty to family and country. Her story has particularly touched people because throughout it all, Alice (a woman living in very conservative age of Victorian England) showed tremendous courage and determination to overcome the many obstacles she faced – not unlike the fictional Alice in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – in real life.

In many ways, Alice Liddell was ahead of her time as she broke down barriers for women. What were a few of her groundbreaking achievements?

Cathy M. Rubin: Alice was President of the Emery Down Women’s Institute. The WI worked tirelessly to break down the social barriers between the rich and the poor in local communities. Once women over 30 were allowed to vote, the WI leadership focused on urging women to acquire new skills and to actively engage in issues that mattered to them and to their communities.

Later in her life, as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland the book became an international best seller, people discovered there was a real Alice. It didn’t take long for the real Alice to become a celebrity too. Alice used this platform to give back to her community. She became a spokesperson in England and the United States for a number of children’s charities at a time when women were rarely seen up front in the spotlight. We cover Alice’s many achievements as a role model in our book.

Cathy Rubin and Gabriella Rubin (both in photo left)

What areas of the Alice books did Lewis Carroll draw from that were real places and events in Alice's life and upper class world?

Cathy M. Rubin: Lewis Carroll was inspired by many of the real places, events and people in Alice’s life when he wrote Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Here are some examples: Alice’s sisters, Lorina and Edith, are believed to have inspired the Lory and the Eaglet in the Pool of Tears. Lewis Carroll often took the real Alice to see the Dodo bird at the Natural History Museum in Oxford. The Dodo bird appears in Alice in Wonderland. Lewis Carroll’s own adopted character was the Dodo. Alice’s father, Dean Henry Liddell, is believed to have inspired the White Rabbit. He was often running late for his appointments and so had to make quick escapes out of a secret door in the Dining Hall at Christ Church College. Alice’s governess, Ms. Prickett, is believed to have inspired the Queen of Hearts.

There are two small gardens behind Alice’s home in Oxford. It was here that Lewis Carroll taught Alice and her sisters to play Castle Croquet, a game that appears in Alice in Wonderland. There is also a tree that still stands today in the garden which is believed to have inspired the real Cheshire Cat tree. The old sheep shop (Alice through the Looking Glass) in Oxford was based on a store located in Oxford where Carroll took Alice and her sisters to buy sweets. The woman who ran the store sounded like a sheep. The store still exists today and it is called Alice’s Shop.T

The breakup between Alice's family and Lewis Carroll is well known as an event, but the details are often lacking. What caused these two remarkable people to drift apart?

Cathy M. Rubin: A break-up occurred between Dodgson and Alice’s mother Lorina around the time Dodgson presented Alice with her special gift, i.e. his handcrafted work Alice’s Adventures Underground. Lorina stopped all outings between Dodgson and Alice. Alice was at an age when Victorian parents started looking for suitable husbands for their daughters. While there are many theories as to why the break up occurred, we believe that Carroll’s beautiful gift triggered concerns for Lorina. Dodgson was a poor, undistinguished professor whom Lorina would never have considered eligible. Although Alice’s mother caused the break up when Alice was a young teen, Carroll’s book connected him to Alice for the rest of their respective lives.

Alice married and had children, but her story was tinged with sadness. What happened with her sons and her family?

Cathy M. Rubin: All three of Alice’s sons served their country in World War 1. Alice and her husband Reginald Hargreaves tragically lost two of their three sons in this brutal war. Reginald never recovered from the deaths of his children. Alice, while grieving herself, supported him through a long slow decline in his health to his eventual death. This was a tough time in Alice’s life, a time during which she illustrates incredible courage.

Alice Liddell - The real Alice in Wonderland (photo left)

The many drawings and illustrations in the book are wonderful as well. How were these photographs selected? What aspects of Alice's life were they portraying?

Cathy M. Rubin: We spent years collecting the visual materials for our book. Ultimately we couldn’t use all the materials we had and cuts had to be made during the editorial process. Despite the treasures left out, we are happy to say that there are approximately 500 photographs, artifacts and illustrations in our book. We believe that collectively they portray Alice Liddell’s entire life in a very compelling way.

Many images come from Alice’s personal effects (auctioned in 2001) which at one time were considered to be the largest Alice In Wonderland collection in the world. Others come from museums and libraries all around the world. Some of the artworks were created by world famous artists during Alice’s lifetime while others were created during the last few years. Our vision for our book was a collector’s item.

We wanted readers to feel a part of the 19th/early 20th century wonderland in which Alice Liddell lived. Deborah Frano, our designer, and I worked 18 hours a day for several months to present each spread as if it were a multi media frame in a movie, i.e. rich storytelling combined with stunning graphics along with lots of little surprises you might miss on the first viewing. Nancy Rosin’s Victoriana collection really helped us to make things look more authentic and ultimately realize our grand vision for the project.

What was your favorite part of researching and collecting the photographs and art work surrounding Alice Liddell and her life?

Cathy M. Rubin: Without a doubt the favorite part of this project was meeting all the incredible people -- fans of Alice from around the world that we worked with on our book. We got the sense that they were trusting us to do a great job with the materials they let us use. They wanted Alice’s story told and they were so generous with their time and their perspectives because they were so excited to be a part of The Real Alice In Wonderland.

What is the one lesson from Alice's life that inspired you most?

Cathy M. Rubin: I believe the many lessons we learn from Alice’s life story make her an excellent role model for young women of today. The major lesson from Alice’s life that inspired us most……..Life’s adventures will throw you plenty of curve balls. There is always a way to get out of the rabbit hole but first you must have the courage and conviction to believe you will prevail. Once you believe in yourself you’ll find a way to create wonderland on your own terms.

What is next for Cathy M. Rubin?

Cathy M. Rubin: I have another famous relative, George Ernest Morrison (aka Morrison of Peking and Chinese Morrison). I am researching material on his life currently with a view to producing a documentary.

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

My book review of The Real Alice in Wonderland: A Role Model for the Ages by Cathy M. Rubin and Gabriella Rubin.

Cathy M. Rubin and Gabriella Rose Rubin are the co-authors of The Real Alice in Wonderland: A Role Model for the Ages.

C.M. Rubin was born in South America, and as a child, lived in many cities throughout the United States, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. She has more than two decades experience in development, marketing, and art direction for a diverse range of media businesses. She is the author of two best-selling, award winning books for children, Eleanor, Ellatony, Ellencake and Me, and its sequel, Ellie The Perfect Dress For Me. She is currently working on a third book in the Ellie series.

Gabriella Rubin is a student at the Horace Mann School in New York. Aside from reading and writing, her passion is music composition. The Real Alice in Wonderland is the first of what she hopes will be many collaborations with her Mom.

Tags: , Cathy M. Rubin, Gabriella Rubin, Alice Liddell, author intereviews.

The Real Alice in Wonderland by Cathy M. Rubin & Gabriella Rubin - Book review

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 05:14:00 +0000

The Real Alice in Wonderland

A Role Model for the Ages

By: Cathy M. Rubin, Gabriella Rose Rubin

Published: March 2010
Format: Hardcover, 144pp
ISBN-13: 9781449081317
ISBN-10: 1449081312
Publisher: AuthorHouse

"Most of all we connected with Alice - Alice who did not seek fame, but when the world thrust it upon her, did her duty and triumphed", write co-authors Cathy M. Rubin and Gabriella Rubin, in their gorgeous, lavishly illustrated tribute to Alice Liddell, The Real Alice in Wonderland: A Role Model for the Ages. Creating much more than a coffee table book, the authors explore the real life and Victorian world in which their relative Alice Liddell lived her extraordinary life.

Cathy M. Rubin and Gabriella Rubin recognize that Alice Liddell's life was transformed by her family's association with author Charles Dodgson, better known to the world as Lewis Carroll. Through his two literary masterpieces, Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, Lewis Carroll presented the topsy-turvy, and brilliant world encountered by Alice as she explored the inner world of Wonderland. What many people don't know, but the authors lovingly make clear, is that Alice was indeed a real girl, and that many of the events in the Wonderland books were drawn from the life and world of Alice Liddell. Cathy M. Rubin and Gabriella Rubin present the life and times of Alice, and in their view, Lewis Carroll couldn't have selected a better role model.

Cathy Rubin and Gabriella Rubin (both in photo left) understand that while Alice Liddell was very much a woman of her time, she also transcended her era and time in more ways than through literature. For the authors, Alice Liddell was a true role model for her time, for our time, and for future generations. Alice was a celebrity who maintained her best qualities, and utilized her influence to help further the rights of women, and of all people. Alice was a product of the Victorian upper classes, and had relationships with the elites and even with members of the royal family. Because of her connections, and her growing influence, she was able to work toward breaking down barriers for women in an era when such progressive societal advances were very difficult to achieve.

For me, the power of the book is how Cathy M. Rubin and Gabriella Rubin bring the real Alice to life. For the authors, this beautiful book, packed with photographs and drawings of Alice Liddell and her world wide influence, was obviously a labor of love. The photographs were selected with care, and their placement throughout the book, enhances the narrative and brings Alice Liddell to life for our time. While the book is a coffee table edition, the text within the book is more than sufficient to provide background and context for the many illustrations. The authors avoid the photograph and illustration book problem of too little context for the visual aids, through well worded, concise paragraphs and with carefully chosen literary selections.

I highly recommend the beautiful book The Real Alice in Wonderland: A Role Model for the Ages by Cathy M. Rubin and Gabriella Rubin, to anyone seeking a delightful visual introduction to the real girl and woman who was Alice Liddell. Much more than merely a character in some of the best loved books of all time, Alice was an important and influential person in her own right. The book displays Alice's loves, despair, courage and duty for all to see, in all her marvelous glory.

Read the landmark book The Real Alice in Wonderland: A Role Model for the Ages by Cathy M. Rubin and Gabriella Rubin, and discover for yourself the life and times of one of history's most extraordinary women. Alice Liddell was indeed a remarkable woman, and a wonderful choice as a role model for this or any age.

Tags: The Real Alice in Wonderland: A Role Model for the Ages, Cathy M. Rubin, Gabriella Rubin, Alice Liddell, history book reviews.

Nancy Trejos: Hot (broke) Messes - Author interview

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 07:11:00 +0000

Washington Post personal finance and travel columnist Nancy Trejos, was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions about her honest and self revealing book about personal finances Hot (broke) Messes: How to Have Your Latte and Drink It Too.

The author describes candidly her descent into debt, and how she created and executed a plan to become debt free, without living a life lacking completely in pleasures and treats. She also shares some handy tips for living and shopping on budget, as well as saving for major purchases and for retirement.

Thanks to Nancy Trejos for her interesting and informative responses. They are greatly appreciated.

What was the background to writing this book Hot (broke) Messes: How to Have Your Latte and Drink It Too?

Nancy Trejos: I became a financial mess early on--in college. But I was able to get by, mostly by making minimum payments on my credit cards. I got into the habit of just sweeping aside my problems, and not actually fixing them. I started working at the Post 11 years ago. I covered all sorts of beats: county government, education, even the war in Iraq briefly. And then I became a financial writer.

I remember an editor asking me to be the personal finance writer and I said "Are you kidding me? I'm a personal finance disaster." But he thought I would come up with some good story ideas, which I did. But the longer I covered personal finance, the more it became impossible to keep living in denial about my own finances.

I was constantly interviewing people on the verge of bankruptcy or unable to pay their mortgages, and I realized I was not all that much different. They would always seem embarrassed talking to me and I would tell them "Hey, I know exactly how you feel." I wanted to write this book because I know there are so many people out there who are in financial trouble. They're not bad people, they're not dumb people, they've just made mistakes. I wanted to show those people that they're not alone.

The book is about your experiences with getting into and out debt. How did you find yourself in such serious financial difficulty?

Nancy Trejos: It started early on. I grew up in Queens, N.Y. My parents were immigrants. My dad is from Colombia. My mother is from Ecuador. My dad worked in a hospital cafeteria. My mom cleaned offices. They were frugal. We never splurged on anything. But we had everything we needed. I left my parents' home when I was 17 and never went back. I went to Georgetown University, where many students came from wealthy families. I started trying to keep up with the Jane and Joe Hoyas, as we called them.

I wanted to dress better and go on Spring Break, and I was able to do so because I got a credit card. Card companies were willing to give cards to any college student. I figured I could charge my lifestyle and get a better-paying job and deal with it later. It became a vicious cycle. I didn't have a strong financial foundation when I struck out on my own. Financial literacy isn't really something that is taught in schools, or even in many households.

Mancy Trejos (photo left)

Why do so many people have problems with money management and debt?

Nancy Trejos: As I said, I think people don't get taught enough about finances. We get taught more about sex than we do about how to balance our checkbooks. But also, I think part of the problem is psychological. Personal finance is called personal for a reason. Many people are emotional spenders. You have a bad day at work and you spend too much on cocktails after work. You break up with someone and you go buy a new wardrobe to make yourself feel better. We have to learn how to make more rational decisions about money.

One of the major problems facing people today is credit card debt. How does it get out of control?

Nancy Trejos: For a long time, when real estate values were soaring, people could mortgage their way out of debt--that is, they could get home equity lines of credit and pay off their credit cards. We went through a period of so much prosperity--the stock market was at a high, real estate values were soaring--and people got caught up in wanting the bigger house and the bigger car. They were able to finance these unrealistic lifestyles because banks were willing to extend credit to just about anyone. Those days are over.

How can credit card debt be repaid without causing other financial problems?

Nancy Trejos: For one thing, don't withdraw money from your 401k or other retirement savings accounts to pay off your credit cards. So many people do that and it hurts them later on in life. There are other ways to get out of credit card debt. Get on a budget. Cut back on things you don't need. Look at all your expenses and eliminate the cable if you don't watch it, or that magazine subscription you don't need, or whatever the case may be. Those are little things but they add up. And pay off the credit card with the highest interest first. People often attack the card with the highest balance but that's not necessarily the one with the highest rate.

Should people consider creating a spending budget and how can they stick to that spending plan when it's formulated?

Nancy Trejos: Of course! Everyone needs a budget. You have to know how you are spending your money. You have to know what your fixed and variable costs are. You have to know what your assets are. And from there, you can come up with a spending plan. It's not easy. You're going to screw up every once in a while. But you'll get better at it.

One of the greatest fears people have when creating a budget is they will never have fun again, and are faced with a lifetime of macaroni and cheese washed down with tap water. Does that have to be the case?

Nancy Trejos: Of course not! You can still have fun. You just have to set your priorities. Give yourself an entertainment budget. And make tradeoffs when you have to. Sometimes that dinner with friends means you'll have to wait for that pair of shoes you really wanted. It's all about prioritizing. Also, there are ways to have fun without dropping a lot of money. I still go out to eat, but more often than not, my friends and I will cook together, and it's so much fun.

People require good clothes to go to work in the modern world. Is it possible to dress well on a tight budget?

Nancy Trejos: Yes, you can find great deals at thrift stores and consignment shops. And conversely, when you have clothes you are done with, you can try selling them, sometimes even at a profit. And there are so many web sites that will help you find deals, like Shopittome.com. I get regular email alerts from them letting me know when items go on sale at my favorite stores.

Buying a car is a major purchase for people. What are some of the biggest mistakes that people make when they go shopping for a car?

Nancy Trejos: They don't do their research. And they give in to the car salesman too easily. That's why it's so important to take someone along with you. You shouldn't be afraid to walk away if a salesman is not willing to budge, especially when it's towards the end of the month and they're under pressure to show results. You are likely to get a call back if you walk away. And if you don't, there are plenty of cars for sale out there.

Is there a difference between good debt and bad debt, and how can a person tell the difference?

Nancy Trejos: I believe so. I don't consider my student loan a bad debt. I got a good education, and a job, out of it. Mortgages are usually considered to be good debt, though that has not been the case for many in recent years. If you are paying an exorbitant amount in interest or fees for your debt, it's not a good debt.

How can a retirement plan be created when there is only so much money to go around?

Nancy Trejos: Many employers will match your 401k contribution, so why not accept that? It's free money. I know it's hard to think about the future, but you must. You don't want to end up destitute in your retirement, or having to work many more years than you want to.

What is next for Nancy Trejos?

Nancy Trejos: I'm a work in progress. I'm doing much better financially, but there are times when I am tempted to buy something I shouldn't buy. I just have to keep reminding myself that being in debt is no fun. It kept me up many nights. I don't want to go back there.

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

My book review of Hot (broke) Messes: How to Have Your Latte and Drink It Too by Nancy Trejos.

Tags: Hot (broke) Messes: How to Have Your Latte and Drink It Too, Nancy Trejos, personal finance, business author interviews.

Hot (broke) Messes by Nancy Trejos - Book review

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 06:17:00 +0000

Hot (broke) Messes

How to Have Your Latte and Drink It Too

By: Nancy Trejos

Published: May 20, 2010
Format: Trade Paperback, 320 pages
ISBN: 9780446555425
Publisher: Business Plus/Hachette

"We all have relationships with money, good or bad. And those relationships start when we are young, living in our parents' homes", writes Washington Post personal finance columnist Nancy Trejos, in her honest and self revealing book about personal finances Hot (broke) Messes: How to Have Your Latte and Drink It Too. The author describes candidly her descent into debt, and how she created and executed a plan to become debt free, without living a life lacking completely in pleasures and treats.

Nancy Trejos, as an adviser on personal finance, seems an unusual person to lose track of her money and plunge deeply into debt. On the other hand, the scenario of a young person living in a major city, losing control of her finances gives the author a powerful perspective as an advice columnist. As Nancy Trejos describes in the book, anyone can find themselves in debt over their heads at any time. She fell into the debt trap herself, and as a result is able to share her own story, giving her advice more immediacy. After all, she understands how easy it is to get into debt, and how difficult it is to relieve oneself of that financial burden. Because of her empathy with others, the author is able to delve more deeply into her own monetary dilemma, and offer her experience to others.

Mancy Trejos (photo left) starts with the concept that people have a relationship with their money that can be very dysfunctional in nature. For the author, how people interact with money is learned at home, with many lessons not being learned, or the wrong ones absorbed. For Nancy Trejos, keeping up with others was part of her money problem. Her family background didn't provide the information for buying what is essential and ignoring the rest. As a result, during her college years and her early employment years, found her spending money in the same way as her more financially secure friends and colleagues. Nancy found herself deeply in debt and facing painful spending decisions, often forced by bill collectors. In the end, Nancy developed a solid debt reduction and wealth building plan that she shares with her readers.

For me, the power of the book is the complete honesty with which Nancy Trejos describes her accumulation of debt, its effect on her life, and her plan to become debt free while saving for major purchases and her retirement. Instead of preaching complete austerity and a spartan bread and water existence, Nancy presents a spending budget that reduces debt, creates savings, and allows for certain luxury spending too. The book is a great financial primer for twenty something people, as the author not only writes authentically from experience, but understands that her readership will want the opportunity to splurge on something special from time to time. The author's spending advice, which includes important chapters on buying great clothing on the cheap and buying a car the right way, creates ways to eat out with friends and for buying a special pair of shoes. At the same time, Nancy Trejos demystifies IRA's, 401k's and other retirement savings vehicles in a way that will appeal to her target readers.

I highly recommend the very readable and often very funny book Hot (broke) Messes: How to Have Your Latte and Drink It Too by Nancy Trejos, to anyone seeking real world spending and debt reduction advice from someone who has been there, done that, and even put the t-shirt on her credit card. While the book is geared toward members of the Millennial generation, the advice is equally good for anyone of any age. Learning how to have a healthy and happy relationship with your money is important for everyone.

Read the inspirational and informative book Hot (broke) Messes: How to Have Your Latte and Drink It Too by Nancy Trejos, and discover how to get out of debt, save for retirement, and make wiser purchases without living a life of deprivation. The book is a fine primer on building a healthy and lasting relationship with your money, and for avoiding the financial pitfalls that await the unwary.

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