Confessions from a Grassroots Entrepreneur

The Top 10 Things a Good CEO Should Be Doing

2009-07-08T16:29:00.003-04:00

Every year, our company Next Step Publishing (www.nextSTEPmag.com) goes through an employee review exercise. As most companies do, every employee gets reviewed by their manager but we add a few twists.

We have a huge place in the review for the employee to give feedback. Our goal is to see what we can do to help each person be the best they can be. And what better way to see how we can help than to ask?!

Another thing we do is allow each employee to offer feedback comments on each person in the company. These are pre-framed with questions to allow for constructive feedback and not pot-shots.

Since I don’t have a boss, I ask my managers to review me every year. And the entire staff is encouraged to offer anonymous constructive feedback.

So last year I got a comment that went a little something like this: “I really like Dave and love the company, but I am not sure what Dave does.”

At first this struck me as odd because I know I work my butt off and was surprised this person didn’t have a clear picture of what I do.

Then suddenly it all made sense and I felt good about it. In my thinking, a good CEO is not involved in the day to day details and the team may wonder what the heck he/she does.

A good leader is working from a higher altitude, making sure everything is moving forward. As Michael Gerber says in the E-Myth (http://www.e-myth.com/), a good CEO/Entrepreneur should be working ON the business not IN the business.

I learned from friend and entrepreneur Cameron Herold (www.backpocketCOO.com), success is determined by how well the CEO hires “how” (how to get things done) people while he/she focuses on “where” (where is the company going).

A good metaphor for an effective CEO/Entrepreneur is a duck. You see, a duck's head and body above the pond look calm and graceful; but if you look under the water, the legs and feet paddling like crazy! So a good CEO appears to be a calming, confident force but under the surface, he/she is kicking like crazy!

So to get back to that employee’s comment about not knowing what I do. I started to think about what I do and/or what I should be doing.

Here is the list I came up with.

1) Inspire. A fish rots from the head down. If the leader (the head) of a company doesn’t inspire the team, passion, creativity and loyalty will be non-existent.

2) Coach. A good leader doesn’t solve problems; he coaches his team to solve problems. Many CEOs think they need to play God and solve all the problems so they look good. Baloney. The leader will have more time to inspire, create and do more meaningful activities if he doesn’t have to solve every problem.

3) Watch over the finances like a hawk. This really should be #1, because no cash flow, no business. Nuff’ said?

4) Liberate Passion. A good leader natures, encourages and liberates passion. A bad leader squashes it by once again, trying to play God and thinking that all ideas must come from him.

5) Grow Leaders. A good CEO is not afraid to pass on the knowledge and plant seeds for future leaders. He is a teacher. The only way a company will grow is if there are future leaders with common vision and values.

6) Drives the Vision. As mentioned above, a good leader is the “where guy/gal.” She lays the blueprint of where the company is going. She does not necessarily describe how the company will achieve the vision; rather she sets the vision and leads the dream. Remember Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “I have a dream!” He did not say, “I have a plan.”

7) Communicate. What good is it having a vision and a dream if nobody knows about it? An effective CEO cascades her vision to the rest of the company on a regular basis. She develops a rhythm where the vision is discussed and communicated often. When the team starts to recite it back to the CEO, it’s starting to take shape!

8) Disrupt Comfort. My old friend and consultant John Engels (http://www.leadershipcoachinginc.com/) warns CEOs of company harmony. Many harmonious companies are about a hair away from bankruptcy. Why? Because when there is harmony, there is often passive aggressive behavior; meaning that nobody wants to rock the boat and discuss uncomfortable issues in the workplace. A good leader will poke and prod at harmony and make sure that it not a cover for discomfort.

9) Listen. Many CEOs love the sound of their own voice. Effective CEOs remember that God gave us two ears and one mouth; and that we should use them in that proportion. A CEO that does not listen to his team will have to be content with only getting a small portion of the complete picture.

10) Set the Culture. If a CEO takes short cuts, he will attract like-minded souls. If he guides the organization with morality, integrity, love, fun, creativity, loyalty and the ability to give candid, yet tactful feedback, he will create a company that produces super-uber cool products all while being an incredibly satisfying and ethical place to work.

So there you go. That is my ultimate job description. As with everything, it’s a work in progress but certainly is a great roadmap for success!

Responding to Discomfort

2009-06-12T15:22:00.001-04:00

This is a guest post from my friend John Engels. For more on John, go to: http://www.leadershipcoachinginc.com/

Responding to Discomfort-June, 2009

A client I will call Zach confided in me the other day that the most difficult relationship for him is the relationship with his boss.

“Have you told him that?” I asked.

“No I have not. That’s not comfortable for me.”

Another client, whom I will call Joan, related to me that her teenage daughter, an inexperienced driver, insists she should be given
permission to drive friends to social events on weekend evenings.

“I don’t want her to drive with friends in the car, especially on weekend nights,” her mother told me.

“Does Joan know what your position is on this?”

“No, if I told her she would go ballistic, “said the mom.

Have you noticed how often you avoid uncomfortable conversations and encounters?

For leaders, the consequences of side-stepping difficult yet important discussions can be particularly dire.

Dr. Murray Bowen, the eminent psychiatrist whose clinical research and ground-breaking ideas anchor our approach to leadership development, made the following observation:

“Less well-differentiated bosses are more inclined to make decisions based on the feeling of the moment than on principle and reality.”

Dr. Bowen’s term, “well-differentiated” refers to any individual’s degree of emotional maturity.

More mature leaders tend to operate from thoughtful positions rather than from automatic reactions.

We all fall prey to the knee-jerk impulse to avoid whatever feels uncomfortable.

This is an area of immaturity that each of us can work on.

The automatic reaction to duck discomfort can be countered by the following high-maturity strategies:

CALMNESS – when leaders can maintain a non-anxious presence, they are less susceptible to impulsive avoidance.

What routines help you stay calm? Do you go for walks, pray or meditate, vigorously exercise, take short breaks away from work?

A long-time client shared with me that talking with close friends helps him calm down.

Another gets up early and takes a half hour bike ride a few mornings a week.

Whatever works for you is what to do.

PERSPECTIVE – leaders who see with a wider viewing lens tend to be less threatened by discomfort.

Individuals who have observed or experienced real suffering will be better able to take garden-variety discomfort in stride.

The vastness of the universe, the fleeting nature of a single lifetime, the awe of the natural world, one’s gratitude for deep love – all these experiences keep leaders grounded and less fearful.

Leaders who are well-connected within their nuclear and extended families have a solid emotional base from which they approach the world. They are more likely to believe that an uncomfortable conversation is not a federal case.

CLEAR THINKING – from a place of calmness, the first thing leaders notice is a capacity to think more clearly.

Clear thinking produces questions and strategies that lead to better decisions.

Instead of automatically avoiding, thoughtful leaders ask:

“What’s in the best interest of the organization?”

“How can I engage this person I am uncomfortable with?”

“What tone of voice would be most productive?”

“What outcomes do I want?”

“What’s the worst that could happen if I initiate a tough message?”

Instead of hoping problems go away, leaders think to themselves:

“This is something I can handle.”

“I’m not going to let my discomfort stop me from doing what makes sense.”

“I’m going to give this person a chance to grow.”

“I remember past experiences with this - I always feel nervous going in and relieved coming out.”

“If I act with courage in this situation, I am teaching my employees and my own children to do the same. That alone makes it worthwhile.”

Discomfort has been called the necessary companion of progress.

The best leaders move towards and through discomfort instead of nervously looking for ways around it.

Copyright 2009 Leadership Coaching, Inc. All rights reserved.

What do Entrepreneurs and Grasshoppers have in common?

2009-06-03T06:24:00.003-04:00

My new entrepreneurial hero is David Hauser, founder of Grasshopper (formerly GotVMail). I just completed an executive education class with him at MIT as part of an EO-Entrepreneurs Organization program.

He gave a presentation on how he just re-branded his company and yes, it involved Grasshoppers. Chocolate covered ones...

So they changed the name of their company and needed a big splash. Their company services entrepreneurs on the go who need phone service, voicemail and call forwarding, etc... on the go.

David also has a goal of having people associate the word "entrepreneur" with "grasshopper." What better way to do that than to send 25,000 chocolate covered grasshoppers to influential business and media people around the country?

Yes, that's what he did. 5000 bags of five grasshoppers a piece smothered in chocolate. YUM!

It worked. He was on CNN, FOX, tons of newspapers, blogs and much more.... I am sure it added up to hundreds of thousands of dollars of advertising for his company.

Could it get any cooler than that?

But what, there's more!

The campaign was also a push to David's new video that supports the cause of entrepreneurs. This video is so amazing that it actually moves me to tears (almost). Whether you're an entrepreneur or not, please take a moment to watch his two minute video. It will give you hope for our country! And also make you wonder why the bailout money is going to paralyzed goliath elephant companies rather than innovative, nimble entrepreneurs...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6MhAwQ64c0

Way to go David. You are my new entrepreneurial hero!

Top 10 Reasons Print Should Remain a Vital Part of Your Marketer's Mix

2009-05-28T22:43:00.000-04:00

Considering that my company publishes a national magazine for college-bound teenagers, you might think the title of this article paints me as self-serving.

Maybe you think I am trying to preserve print because it’s our company’s core product. But even though our printed magazine brings in the lion’s share of our revenue, it’s not why I’m trying to convince you that print is still tremendously relevant.

Actually, our company is much more than print. We are a Web site, an online community, an e-mail marketer, an online newsletter. We have a social media presence, we instant message with our readers, and oh, we print a magazine, too.

But here’s something that may surprise you.

Besides delivering great content to our readers, branding opportunities and leads for our advertisers, our magazine is also an amazing traffic generator. In fact, our magazine is the number-one driver of traffic to our Web site. It’s like buying keywords, only better!

The magazine also drives traffic for our advertisers. Third-party research shows that 60 percent of our readers visit an advertiser’s Web site after viewing their ad in Next Step!

I am going to pitch this list to David Letterman for his show. But just in case he doesn’t pick it up, I’ll share with you my “Top 10 Reasons Print Should Remain a Vital Part of your Marketing Mix.”

10. Print provides differentiation. How many of the millions of Web sites out there have a print magazine to drive traffic to it? The vast minority, I assure you. Print vehicles provide a unique strategy to drive traffic to your online marketing.

9. Print offers incredible branding. Nothing makes a brand more recognized than a beautiful ad in a glossy magazine. A well-designed ad is an engaging experience for readers. And by the way, according to a recent MRI/Next Step poll, 55 percent of teens say they pay a lot of attention to print ads.

8. Print makes introductions. Print is a great party host because of the talent it has introducing readers to your brand. An effective print ad stands in the crossroads between readers and advertisers. And your keyword purchases become more effective if customers have already been introduced to your brand.

7. Print readers are focused. It’s hard to engage in other media when you’re reading a magazine. In the world of multitasking—where people are texting, e-mailing and listening to their iPod while watching TV—it’s hard to get noticed. But it’s hard to do anything else when you’re reading a magazine! In fact, according a survey done by Ball State University, magazines are the exclusive or primary medium 85 percent of the time they are used by consumers.

6. Print travels. A magazine is your companion wherever you go: your favorite chair, your bed, an airplane—even your bathroom. A laptop on the porcelain throne just does not offer the same experience.

5. Print sways trendsetters. “Influentials” (those who sway other consumers) are themselves influenced by print. Check out this influence ranking, from the MRI Survey of the American Consumer:

1. Magazines: 61 percent
2. In-store: 58 percent
3. TV: 55 percent
4. Newspaper: 53 percent
5. Radio: 44 percent
6. Free samples: 39 percent
7. E-mail: 26 percent

4. Print drives users to other platforms. According to the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association, 47.2 percent of shoppers are most likely to start an online search after viewing a magazine ad. Our own research shows that more than 75 percent of nextSTEPmag.com users type in the URL directly—which they likely got from reading the magazine.

3. Readers are receptive to print. Fact: People remember effective print ads. In fact, magazine ads have the second highest receptivity of any media, second only to TV. But try to “TiVo” a magazine ad!

2. You can pass along print, and it has longevity. Magazines get shared and passed on in households and among friends. And they stick around. Check out your own coffee table. Any magazines there that have been hanging around a few years? Have you ever tried to share a Web site in a dentist office?

1. Print is a lead-generation tool! Used correctly, print drives leads to your prospect funnel. Good print vehicles have a mechanism to deliver targeted leads to their advertisers. (Yep, we have one too.) So at the very least, consider print a unique, effective lead generation tool!

So there you have it, the top 10 reasons why print should remain in your marketers’ media mix! The world is changing fast, and you have to keep up. Your ability to combine the new with the proven will determine your success.

America’s schools need a Ctrl, Alt, Delete. (Reset)

2009-05-06T06:36:00.003-04:00

Last month, I wrote about how basic life and financial skills are not required to be taught in our schools. We continue to teach the same core subjects that were taught in the 1940’s. The world has changed tremendously but our street smarts have not kept up.

Here are some facts of how America has changed since the year 2000 (as reported in the January/February 2009 issue of The Atlantic Magazine).

Hours of video game per person/per year: 2000: 65 2008: 80
Personal Savings (% of income): 2000: 2.3% 2008: 0.6%
Consumer Credit Card Debt: 2000: $684 billion 2008: $966 billion
Gross federal debt as % of GDP: 2000: 58% 2008: 67.5%
Family Health Care premiums (average): 2000: $6438 2008: $12,680
States with obesity rates below 20%: 2000: 28 2008: 1
People without life insurance: 2000: 39.8 million 2008: 45.7 million
People in Poverty: 2000: 31 million 2008: 37 million
Inmates in custody: 2000: 1.9 million 2008: 2.3 million
Street Price/gram of Meth: 2000: $180 2008: $365
Hours of TV per person: 2000: 1502 2008: 1704
Market cap of GM (General Motors): 2000: $28 billion 2008: $3 billion
Market cap of Apple Computer: 2000: $5.5 billion 2008: $88 billion
* We love our iPods!

I see some trends.

Albert Einstein once said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

I am not saying we need to remove science or math courses; we definitely need to produce more scientists and mathematicians from our country. But not everyone is going to be a scientist. But everyone needs basic financial and life skills in order to be a well functioning adult.

So why are we teaching courses that only a few will need and not teaching courses that everyone will need? I think it’s a good question that deserves an answer.

Our schools have basically been doing the same thing over and over again for a long time. It’s time for an overhaul so that our youth will be prepared for life; a life without credit card debt and health problems due to poor eating/lifestyle choices; a life where a person has the skills in order to implement a life strategy that involves saving money, proactive planning and a basic understanding of finance, accounting and life skills.

Here is my dream. At the age of 18, upon high school graduation, the average American knows:

The basics of money – Interest, compound interest and understands the destructive forces of personal debt. Money is a tool to be used.

The power of a good career – Taking the time to access one’s natural strengths and matching a career path to it. A secret to a fulfilling life is finding a purpose and a good career can often be a big part of this.

Banking – Being able to manage one’s finances, manage a checkbook, read a basic financial statement (most people will have a 401K/IRA but can they read and understand the where and how their money is doing?).

Ethics – Understanding integrity and the power of compound honesty. Knowing that there are no long term short cuts.

Budgeting – Creating one and living on a budget. Having a pro forma for life. Knowing what a pro forma is! Establishing credit and then using credit properly. Understanding that you can’t buy a $500K house on a $50K salary.

Food – Knowing the basics of good eating. Being able to cook some meals. Knowing the destruction that take place in one’s body over the long haul with bad food choices.

Overall health – Having an exercise strategy that becomes a daily/weekly habit.

Investing – Knowing about stocks, bonds, mutual funds and the risks that come with it. CDs and Money Market accounts. Planning for retirement.

Insurance basics – Understanding of health, car, home, disability and life insurance.

Imagine if your average American teen graduated high school with an understanding of these skills. How much better would you feel about our future?

Now imagine if today your average American had these skills. Maybe we’d be in a different place today?

I am not just venting here. I am actually going to do something about it. Stay tuned and/or e-mail me if you want to help. I can be reached at: David@nextSTEPmag.com

7 Stress-Busting Strategies Every Entrepreneur Needs Now

2009-04-20T21:58:00.003-04:00

This is a guest post from my entrepreneurial friend Maria Pascucci. She is a recovering stressaholic, founder of CampusCalm.com and author of Campus Calm University: The College Student’s 10-Step Blueprint to Stop Stressing & Create a Happy, Purposeful Life.

7 Stress-Busting Strategies Every Entrepreneur Needs Now

Why would entrepreneurs need stress relief? Between our golf outings and yacht parties, 2-5 pm Happy Hours and all those other fun things that the rest of the world envisions us doing on a Tuesday afternoon, aren’t we [cue the yawn] above stress? Well, any business owner working on deadline with 76 “urgent” emails in her inbox can safely say that entrepreneurs are not exempt from stress, or the havoc it wreaks on our lives.

Let me state upfront that stress isn’t bad. We all need a healthy amount of stress in our lives because it keeps us motivated and challenged as we try new things. But, when stress becomes overwhelming and we don’t know how to deal with it in healthy ways, that’s when it starts to interfere with our lives.

According to the American Institute of Stress, workplace stress costs more than $300 billion each year in health care, missed work and stress-reduction. April is National Stress Awareness Month. Today is the day to take charge over your stress. Here are seven strategies to help you out:

1. Surround yourself with positive people.
Entrepreneurs need a support network of positive people who understand the challenges involved in running a business. When I decided I wanted to launch a business, a few family members attempted to be supportive. My husband and parents were great, but many others didn't even try to get it. A former friend actually said to me, "Oh, you're just playing all day." A relative commented to my husband, "Everyone hates their jobs. Why can't Maria just go to work like the rest of us and deal with it?" Truly positive people are brave enough to be honest with entrepreneurs, while still being supportive and having a positive attitude.

2. Invest in a mentor.
In times of stress, turn to your mentors for inspiration, encouragement and wisdom. A mentor can inspire you to think bigger because she has been there and done that. A mentor wants to see you succeed and she's going to hold you accountable to your goals. A mentor will also help you get out of your own way to achieve success and happiness by helping you learn how to ignore your inner critic. Sometimes we sabotage our own success without even realizing we're doing it. You can find mentors everywhere. Look at your colleagues, community leaders (thanks Dave!) and professional organizations; read writers you admire. The possibilities are endless!

3. Avoid catastrophic thinking.
"Oh my God, sales are down for the month, my business is going under, I'm ruined, I'm going to have to uproot my family to my parents' basement and listen to my father tell me for the umpteenth time in between bites of mac ‘n’ cheese and hotdogs, "I told you that you should have gotten a real job." Sound familiar? Stop! 

4. Correct with rational thoughts.
"Okay, sales are down for the month. BREATHE! I'm going to gather my team together to discuss why this happened and brainstorm how we can boost sales for the coming months. Let's survey our customers and have them tell us exactly what they need from us. Then we'll find creative ways to deliver it. I'm going to see this temporary setback as an opportunity to develop resilience as an entrepreneur."

5. Develop resilience.
Successful entrepreneurs recognize that "positivity" is a personal choice. They realize that when they choose to see the gems life has to offer instead of the grime, they will be happier, healthier and more satisfied for it. Successful entrepreneurs choose to be resilient and then learn how to craft the tools that will allow them to build the businesses and lives they desire.

Suggestions: read books like The Resiliency Advantage and The Power of Failure

6. Love yourself.

Truly successful entrepreneurs recognize that self-love is the key to success. No, that doesn't mean posing in front of your bedroom mirror for hours and basking in the glow of your own vanity. It does mean making your body a priority. Like taking the time to nourish it with healthy food, getting adequate sleep and exercising. Practicing relaxation. Understanding that "me time" is a necessity, not a luxury that’s earned.

Be honest. Are you experiencing any of the following stress overload warning signs? :

1. Change in sleep patterns: too much or too little sleep
2. Change in eating habits: either too much or too little
3. Becoming angry over nothing or crying very easily
4. Frequent stomachaches, headaches or skin breaking out (yes, adult acne does exist, it sucks and chronic stress is the number one culprit)
5. Constant negative self-thoughts and anxiety over everyday things
6. Withdrawing from friends and loved ones.

If you’re really struggling to get your life and business under control, consider reaching out to a counselor or a life coach. Invest in your business by investing in yourself. From one high-achieving entrepreneur to another, I can tell you that good health is an achievement to be VERY proud of!

7. Practice gratitude.
We entrepreneurs work hard to invest our time, passions and strengths into our own businesses, those enterprises designed to help others while teaching us (thankfully) that we are so much larger than ourselves. I don't know about you but I remain grateful, awe-inspired in fact, for that realization every single day of my life!

**Check out Maria's site at: http://www.campuscalm.com/

I'm on TV!

2009-04-10T09:00:00.001-04:00

EOtv that is... Stands for Entrepreneur's Organization TV
http://www.eonetwork.org/eotv/Pages/EOtv.aspx
Skip to 5:57 for the good stuff :-)

Cool Entrepreneurial Tools

2009-04-07T06:12:00.003-04:00

A friend, Cameron Herold, the former COO of 1-800-Got-Junk, now helps entrepreneurs with his company called BackPocket COO. He has some helpful learning tools for entrepreneurs at http://www.backpocketcoo.com/. He is offering a 20% discount on his Leadership CDs to all my readers. Use this promo code: HSDC2009.

Business courses not relevant in high school? PART 2

2009-04-02T06:47:00.000-04:00

It seems like I uncovered an emotional issue two days ago when I wrote about the superintendent of Holley, NY wanting to get rid of the business department and its classes (see 3/31 blog entry).

I heard from business teachers and the regular folks alike, all with a similar message; how could this happen?

Well, I have learned more. The superintendent of Holley, NY is not the source of the blame. It's the New York State Board of regents. They make the graduation requirements and business is not one of them. The problem is that they would have to cut something else to fit in business class requirements.

Once again, not to knock today's (and 1940's) core curriculum; the world definitely needs scientists, mathematicians, history buffs and masters of the English language, but how much of these courses are relevant for ALL students? I mean when was the last time my knowledge of an endoplasmic reticulum (biology reference) came in handy? (I think just now, for this article).

Here's my point: Today's core curriculum serves as a base for some people but not all. A class in understanding how basic financial principles work like how to read a financial statement, the power of compound interest, how banks work, creating a budget, understanding credit cards, tax basics and insurance basics would be valuable for ALL students! Who doesn't need to know that stuff? Why isn't this stuff mandatory in school? People really need those skills in life! We're teaching our kids a bunch of stuff they will never use while the core life stuff goes astray.

And you know what; kids love learning about this stuff! Whenever I am guest speaking in a school and talk about business skills, even the trouble maker kids' eyes light up!

Below is a course that is an elective in a local high school. It's beyond me why a course like this isn't mandatory. It's also beyond me why the superintendent of Holley, NY or The NYS Board of Regents doesn't think a course like this should be mandatory. If you look at the general publics' lack of basic financial and business knowledge, it's no wonder we're in a complete mess today.

Please take a look at this course below. Which would you rather have our high school learning about; these business/financial skills or endoplasmic reticulums? If you think this business class would be better for our kids, please contact the superintendent of Holley, NY and or The NYS Board of Regents.

MONEY BASICS
• Interest Basics
• Simple Interest
• The Power of Compound Interest
• The Time Value of Money
• Living With Inflation

CAREER PATHS
• Job Basics
• Career Exploration
• The Effects of Job Location
• Applying For a Job

TAXES & PARYOLL DEDUCTIONS
• Tax Basics
• Income Taxes
• Sales & Hidden Taxes
• Payroll Deductions

THE WORLD OF BANKING
• Banking Basics
• Keeping Banks Safe
• Banking Services
• Selecting a Bank
• Fringe Banking

LIVING ON A BUDGET
• Budget Basics
• Creating a Budget
• Maintaining a Budget

SPENDING DECISIONS
• Spending, Debt, & Credit
• Managing Debt
• Establishing Credit
• The World of Credit Cards
• Identity Theft

INVESTING FOR THE FUTURE
• Investment Basics
• Investment Risks
• Low-Risk Investments
• Stocks, Bonds & Mutual Funds
• Investment Taxes
• Starting to Invest

AUTOMOBILES
• Automobile Basics
• Purchasing a Vehicle
• True Cost of Owning a Vehicle

HOUSES AND HOMES
• Home Basics
• Preparing to Buy
• Closing the Deal
• Home Mortgages
• True Cost of Owning a Home

INSURANCE
• Insurance Basics
• Health Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Auto Insurance
• Home Insurance

RETIREMENT PLANNING
• Retirement Basics
• Social Security
• Retirement Plans
• 401K
• IRA and Roth IRA
• Retirement and Taxes

Business courses not relevant in high school?

2009-03-31T06:38:00.001-04:00

Now, I am officially worried about the future of our country.

The superintendent of the Holley, New York school district has proposed elimination of the business department. He did not replace the retiring department chair two years ago and now is firing the remaining two teachers. It appears that he feels that business is not a relevant enough field for the high school students of Holley, so he moving to eliminate it.

If I lived in that district, I would move.

Business skills not relevant in today’s world? What?! Is this guy living in some sort of fairytale bubble? Or does he just have an ax to grind? Maybe he failed Business 101 in college and is now getting even? I really can’t understand his thinking; and I am a pretty empathetic guy! While many high schools and colleges are adding more business/entrepreneurial courses, This superintendent has decided to move Holley’s core curriculum back to the 1950’s.

Don’t get me wrong, science, math, English and social studies certainly still have their place in today’s high school line-up, but so does businesses! Business and entrepreneursism are among America’s last unique competitive advantages. We certainly don’t make much anymore in our country. But at least we can still run the company and then work with the rest of the world to create the product.

I don’t know about you but I haven’t used too many of my high school trigonometry skills lately, nor have I dissected any frogs. What I have used is my public speaking skills, business writing and other business skills that I learned in high school and college.

Even if a student doesn’t enter directly into the business world, the thought process that business classes can create is extremely valuable. For instance, scientists are at an advantage if they can figure out how to bring their research to benefit the masses. This is usually done through a…..come on, say it with me….. A BUSINESS!

This superintendent is putting Holley, NY high school students at a great disadvantage to compete in the real world. I am surprised the parents in the district are not revolting. In my opinion, the school board should remove him and put in place a superintendent who is forward thinking and cares more about the skills that Holley, NY graduates will bring forth to the world.

TOP 10 Tips To Make Money In A Recession

2009-03-23T06:33:00.001-04:00

Tips from friend and former COO of 1-800-Got-Junk Cameron Herold:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1F9u3sPep4

Ultimate Customer Service

2009-03-18T21:04:00.001-04:00

We lease our company laptops from Dell Computer and have been very happy with them; as of until last week. Jan Resch, Next Step’s VP of Finance and HR got a semi-harassing call from a Dell customer service about our monthly lease bill.

He asked why it hadn’t been paid yet and wanted her to pay it over the phone to avoid collections. Collections?!

Here’s the rub; it wasn’t even due yet! The rep called on the 11th and the bill was due on the 15th. Also keep in mind; we have never been late with Dell. Our credit is perfect with them. Jan told the pit bull that the check was in the mail and she would not make the payment over the phone.

You would think that was the end of the story, right? Wrong. He called again this Monday, the 16th. Apparently, the check did not arrive yet. Maybe the Rochester to Austin route is slow lately?

This type of behavior led me to believe that either Dell is desperate for money or they have a really bad customer service rep. My hunch was the latter.

I am friends with Verne Harnish, the founder of EO – Entrepreneurs Organization (http://www.eonetwork.org/) and he now runs Gazelles (http://www.gazelles.com/). Michael Dell was one of the first EO members and Verne has remained friends with him.

Verne has always talked about how Michael is obsessive about customer service so I thought I would share this story with him. I encouraged him to pass on the experience to Michael himself because I thought he’d like to know. Most good entrepreneurs want to know about the good, bad and the ugly.

This type of feedback is always good to hear because a company can spend all the marketing dollars in the world, but it only takes one bad service experience to wipe out millions dollars worth of advertising.

So I shared my story with Verne yesterday. Guess what? This afternoon, I got a call from a woman named Carrie Perkins. She told me that Michael Dell heard my story and wanted her to call me as soon as possible.

*tear*

Ok, I’ll continue. Yes, I was touched, amazed, thrilled and many, many other awesome adjectives.

Carrie was a true pro. She has my account pulled up on her computer and could see that I have been a good customer for years. She could also see who this “harassing” rep was.

I had Jan come in and re-tell the experience. Carrie listened intently, made no excuses and apologized many times. She explained that this was not their policy and that this will be a “training experience” for the customer service rep in question. I hope “training experience” is not internal lingo for a firing because I believe everyone deserves a second chance!

Carrie continued to wow us and left us with her e-mail address and direct phone line. She said we can call her anytime about anything and she’ll get right back to us.

Talk about turning a negative into a positive.

Carrie, please know that I love you.

And I am love with Dell Computers again too.

Ten Thoughts For Business Leaders in 2009

2009-03-11T10:34:00.001-04:00

Ten Thoughts For Business Leaders in 2009
by Jack Smith (WPO St. Louis) of Collaborative Strategies, Inc.

1. Face, understand, and share the brutal facts (including the realistic worse case).

2. Be bold, (i.e., wake up every morning and ask: What is the boldest, most aggressive action and/or decision I could make today?).

3. Focus, protect, and plan around your strengths (e.g., key people, capabilities, and customers).

4. Prune everything that is weak, marginal, or unprofitable.

5. Have a six month supply of cash on hand or in clear view (at a minimum).

6. Raise and/or reset your expectations of employees and suppliers (e.g., hours worked, breadth/depth of responsibility, performance metrics, terms, etc.). Note: Use these difficult times to re-orientate your thinking and make your business stronger.

7. Communicate with and inspire/energize your people and your customers (e.g., positive recognition costs nothing and your ability to help absorb anxiety is greater than you think). Note: Get out of your office and on the phone!

8. Don’t think you have to go through it all alone. Most of the very successful CEO’s I know place considerable importance on having people outside of the firm that they can confide in.

9. Know that the years 2011, 2012, and beyond are likely to be some of the best years yet for your business in terms of growth and profitability (if you manage effectively in 2009).

10. Money has never been and will never determine who you are. You are…how you treat your family, friends, employees, business relationships, and what you do for charity, community, and our country.

Listen to WHAM Saturday at 10am!

2009-03-06T05:38:00.001-05:00

Tune in every Saturday morning at 10 am -- on WHAM 1180 AM-- for Eyes on the Future, a live, hour-long call-in show about working together to strengthen the area's economy and keep local business growing.

This Saturday (3/7), the show should be especially entertaining. That's right, I'll be on the show!

We'll be discussing how to start/maintain a business and what an entrepreneur should be thinking about during tough economic times.

The show will also stream live on WHAM's website, www.wham1180.com.

What’s Important for an Entrepreneur NOT to do.

2009-02-26T06:51:00.002-05:00

Often, entrepreneurs are so over-functioning that they feel the need to stick their nose in everything. It makes them feel good but is not necessarily what’s best for the company or its employees. They think that if their fingerprint is not on every little thing that comes out of the company, they are not being a good business owner.

The result is usually that the entrepreneur loses focus, becomes very fragmented and moves away from using his/her core strengths.

What’s worse is that he stands like a big tree over his employees and creates a shadow over them. And nothing grows well in a shadow. So, he stunts the growth of his biggest assets and therefore the company’s potential is never realized.

My dad’s cousin used to own a hair salon. He would spend about 10 minutes on my dad’s hair and charge him $20. This was with the “cousin discount.” This price used to bother my dad and one day he got the nerve to complain about it.

My dad said, “Fred, for $20 bucks you spend 10 minutes and barely cut anything off!”

Fred’s answer was classic. He said, “Sam, it’s not what I take off, it’s what I leave on.”

Nice answer I thought. And he was right. Fred could have cut my dad’s hair entirely off for the $20 but he would have looked terrible. Instead, he shaped it nicely and my dad had a handsome look!

I have learned to work this lesson in to my own business. I try to not “cut” too much into the responsibilities that belong to the talented people I have hired and work so hard to keep at my company.

It’s not about what I do all the time, it's about what I DON’T do.

It’s important to simply let my employees do their jobs. And they do them well! Especially when I give them the breathing room to do so…

My job is two-fold: To hire people much smarter than me in their respective fields and then get the hell out of their way so they can reach their potential.

It’s a win-win-win. The employee wins, I win and the company wins! Who can argue with that?

So, here’s a message to all those over-functioning entrepreneurs who think they have God standing on their shoulder guiding every move: Get the hell out of the way of your employees’ and company’s potential!

Remember, it’s not always what you do that counts; it’s often what you do NOT do that counts even more.

Facebook. A Roledex on Steriods?

2009-02-04T06:29:00.002-05:00

Are you on Facebook yet? If not, think again. It's not just for college students anymore.

I currently have 321 “really close” Facebook friends. And most of them are above 30 years of age! I have reconnected with a ton of friends from high school, college, post college, plus current friends and business associates. I have even met new friends on Facebook!

A lot of it is just fun stuff; reconnecting through photos, posts and writing on each other’s “walls.”

But there is some real value too. I now have a fair amount of my contacts all in one place and can reach them anytime and anywhere. I don’t even have to remember their email addresses!

It literally is a modern day rolodex. For all of you Gen Y’ers, people born before 1980 used to have this thing called a rolodex. It was a funny card catalogue type of contraption where you handwrote and stored your contact’s name, address and phone number. We would actually put it in alphabetical order and flip instantly in seconds to the person we needed to call! It was a modern marvel in its day…

Facebook is a modern day rolodex; on steroids.

This modern day rolodex actually has more than just names, addresses and phone numbers. It has the person’s profile, religious views, political stance, marital status, favorite music, photos, updates and much more!

I bet that if you were stranded in a city due to a cancelled flight, you could update you Facebook status to let people know and an old friend on Facebook from that city would see your update and let you sleep over. Who knows?

I have to admit it; Facebook is fun and useful. I love connecting with old and new friends on it. Not to taint it, but I have even done business on it. I couldn’t connect with a business contact through phone or email, so I “Facebooked” him.

You know what? He responded. Maybe there is such a thing as Facebook guilt?

Entrepreneurial Manic Depression

2009-01-11T12:30:00.000-05:00

I just read a post on the Tim Ferris blog by a friend of mine, Cameron Herold, former COO of 800-Got-Junk. It's one of the best descriptions I've ever read about the roller coaster ride journey of most entrepeneurs. He actually found a pattern for us crazies...

Here is his worthy attempt:

* Stage 1: The first stage of the concept is called “Uninformed Optimism”. At this stage on a rollercoaster, just getting to the top of the rollercoaster, you experience feelings of an adrenalin rush, characterized by excitement and nervous energy.

* Stage 2: The second stage is called “Informed Pessimism”. As you ride over the top of the curve you now have a bit more information. Feelings of fear, nervousness, and frustration begin to set in. Perhaps you even want to get off of it.

* Stage 3 – The third stage is called “Crisis of Meaning”. You’re past scared. You feel despair. It’s as if you’re standing on the edge of a cliff ready to jump, and you begin to think “Today the rollercoaster’s going off the bottom of the track for the very first time.” You feel helpless and you’re both terrified and frozen.

* At this point, you face a critical juncture. You can come off the bottom of the curve and crash and burn, which is when your business goes bankrupt, you lose your marriage, you start drinking, or you end up in a doctor’s office because of stress. Or you can come around the corner because you’re getting support at “Crisis of Meaning” and you can enter an upward swing call “Informed Optimism”.

* Stage 4 – Informed Optimism. You’re calm. You’re informed. You might even say you are cautiously optimistic.

And there are other insightful comments in the post too, like:

Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Netscape, once wrote:

“First and foremost, a start-up puts you on an emotional rollercoaster unlike anything you have ever experienced. You flip rapidly from day-to-day – one where you are euphorically convinced you are going to own the world, to a day in which doom seems only weeks away and you feel completely ruined, and back again. Over and over and over. And I’m talking about what happens to stable entrepreneurs. There is so much uncertainty and so much risk around practically everything you are doing. The level of stress that you’re under generally will magnify things incredible highs and unbelievable lows at whiplash speed and huge magnitude. Sound like fun?”

To read the full post, go to:

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog and search for Cameron. Click on the title 'Harnessing Entrepreneurial Manic-Depression: Making the Rollercoaster Work for You."

You can also try here:

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/10/03/harnessing-entrepreneurial-manic-depression-making-the-rollercoaster-work-for-you/

Learn more about Cameron at:

http://www.backpocketcoo.com/

Enjoy!!!

Real Resolutions = Steady Progress

2009-01-06T07:09:00.002-05:00

As an entrepreneur, I am always setting goals. Some of them are created when I am wearing my rose colored glasses and I later have to admit that the goal was unrealistic.

Other goals end up in disappointment because, although I made progress towards it, I didn’t reach it. So I would give up.

Some I actually make and I celebrate!

In my quest for goal making, I think I have discovered the key to never being disappointed – measure progress, not the end result. It could be slow progress but at least celebrate some forward movement.

Here’s an example, some of you may have read in September that I committed to losing weight. I even spelled out my plan of eating and exercise. My weight was 203 and I wanted to be 180 by January 1st, 2009.

Well, I didn’t make it. So should I be sad? Guess what? I am not. You know why? I am 190! I lost 13 pounds and am pumped!

So there are two things to celebrate: 1) I didn’t gain anymore weight 2) I lost 13 pounds! I feel more energetic and I’ll bet my cholesterol went down. I still want to get to 180 and I will. But I’ll enjoy the rest of the journey instead of giving up because I didn’t make my goal, which was probably over-ambitious anyway.

Slow, steady, consistent progress is the way baby…

Remember the story of the hare and the tortoise?

Speaking of books, I had set another goal that I was going to read 100 books by 2009. I also promised to report to you what books I read and let you know my thoughts about them. I am counting books that I read the old fashioned way and also audio books. I figure that if the information gets in my head one way or another, it counts!

So two things - I have altered the goal. I changed it to 100 books by the end of 2010 (I took my rose colored glasses off and reset the goal). And, below are the books I have read.

1) The Knack: By Norm Brodsky and Bo Burlingham. I reported on this book on an earlier post and I highly recommended it.
2) YOU: The Owner's Manual: An Insider's Guide to the Body that Will Make You Healthier and Younger: Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet Oz. This book is awesome. I really enjoyed it because it gave dozens of incredible tips of things I could easily change in my life to be more healthy. I have implemented many of them and some of the tips are responsible for my weight loss.
3) Truman: by David McCullough. One of the best books I have ever read. Truman was an amazing man who never veered from his principles. His story is quite the inspiration and lesson of how to live an honorable life. Plus McCullough tells a story like few others could. He wrote “1776” which I read last year and I plan to read more of his books.
4) The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: By Dr. John C. Maxwell. This was an audio book that I listened to a few years ago and just re-listened to last month. This book is the must for any leader that wants to continue leading and growing. Maxwell, while a very religious man, did not make this book overly spiritual, but rather more business based mixed with some good humor.

I am currently re-reading Victor Frankl’s “Mans Search for Meaning,” and also listening in my car to Stephen Covey’s “Principle Centered Leadership.”

I’ll report back soon on these!

Happy goals and remember, slow steady progress makes for long lasting habits and RESULTS!

Business with Integrity, Bernie Madoff vs. Arkadi Kuhlman

2008-12-22T05:32:00.003-05:00

After the scandals at Enron, WorldCom, Tyco and Adelphi Cable, I was hoping business leaders couldn’t stoop any lower. And, I was wrong.

Bernie Madoff has certainly taken the cake. And that cake cost $50 Billion Dollars. That’s a lot of cake! Think of one million. Then times that by one hundred. Then times that by 10. Then times that by fifty! And then by infinity!!!

At what point did he say to himself…..”Wow, this is getting out of control…” Maybe at 10 billion? Sounds like no.

I am not sure how people get to this point? I am guessing that most don’t start out that way. My guess is that Bernie probably started out a hard working guy with principals and integrity. But then something happened. Maybe he left integrity once and got away with it. Nobody noticed. Then he went for a little more, and a little more. Before he knew it, he started feeling comfortable out of integrity and became numb to the things that would make most people feel uncomfortable.

However, instead of dwelling on a scandal, I am going to tout the coolness of one of my new favorite business leaders - Arkadi Kuhlman.

He is the CEO of ING Direct. If you haven’t heard of it, check it out and find out why they are signing up 100,000 customers per month.

Besides being massively cool (he rides a Harley to work), he has founded an online bank with no fees, an awesome interest rate (2.75% on checking currently!), and the best mojo around.

This guy seems like the real thing and I have high hopes for him.

Arkadi recently irked many retailers and credit card companies by taking out an ad campaign urging people NOT to spend their money this season but rather save it. He wants Americans to get back their original old fashion values of saving responsibly. Wow, imagine that…

This guy has so much integrity that he actually turns customers away. If a customer doesn’t have the ING Direct values of financial responsibly, he will get fired. The customer gets fired!

Imagine that…. Having the courage to stand up for your integrity in the face of losing business. I am sure a business is much better off anyway when it can deal with customers that share its values; as long as the values are good!

So Bernie Madoff, shame on you for walking away from integrity and never returning.

Arkadi Kuhlman, hats off for being an example of what business leaders should be. Please don’t change?

For a cool video of Arkadi talking about saving go to:

http://home.ingdirect.com/about/about.asp

Santa Claus, St. Nick and Kris Kringle

2008-12-10T06:19:00.003-05:00

Ok, this has nothing to do with being an entrepreneur but I've often wondered why Santa Claus is also called St. Nicholas AND Kris Kringle. I have investigated...

St. Nicholas was a Bishop who lived in the fourth century AD in a place called Myra in Asia Minor (now called Turkey). He was a very rich man because his parents died when he was young and left him a lot of money. He was also a very kind man and had a reputation for helping the poor and giving secret gifts to people who needed it.

The most famous story about St. Nicholas tells how the custom of hanging up stockings to get presents in first started! It goes like this...

There was a poor man who had three daughters. He was so poor, he did not have enough money for a dowry, so his daughters couldn't get married. One night, Nicholas secretly dropped a bag of gold down the chimney and into the house. The bag fell into a stocking that had been hung by the fire to dry! This was repeated later with the second daughter. Finally, determined to discover the person who had given him the money, the father secretly hid by the fire every evening until he caught Nicholas dropping in a bag of gold. Nicholas begged the man to not tell anyone what he had done, because he did not want to bring attention to himself. But soon the news got out and when anyone received a secret gift, it was thought that maybe it was from Nicholas.

Because of his kindness Nicholas was made a Saint. St. Nicholas is not only the saint of children but also of sailors! One story tells of him helping some sailors that were caught in a dreadful storm off the coast of Turkey. The storm was raging around them and all the men were terrified that their ship would sink beneath the giant waves. They prayed to St. Nicholas to help them. Suddenly, he was standing on the deck before them. He ordered the sea to be calm, the storm died away, and they were able to sail their ship safely to port.

St. Nicholas was exiled from Myra and later put in prison during the persecution by the Emperor Diocletian. No one is really knows when he died, but it was on 6th December in either 345 or 352 AD. In 1807, his bones were stolen from Turkey by some Italian merchant sailors. The bones are now kept in the Church named after him in the Italian port of Bari. On St. Nicholas feast day (6th December), the sailors of Bari still carry his statue from the Cathedral out to sea, so that he can bless the waters and so give them safe voyages throughout the year.

How did St. Nicholas Became Santa Claus?

In the 16th Century in Europe, the stories and traditions about St. Nicholas became very unpopular.

But someone had to deliver presents to children at Christmas, so in the U.K., he became 'Father Christmas', a character from old childrens stories; in France, he was then known as 'Père Nöel'; in Germany, the Christ Child or 'Christ Kind. In the early U.S.A. his name was 'Kris Kringle'. Later, Dutch settlers in the USA took the old stories of St. Nicholas with them and Kris Kringle became 'Sinterklass' or as we now say 'Santa Claus'!

Many countries, especially ones in Europe, celebrate St. Nicholas Day on 6th December.

St. Nicholas became popular again in the Victorian era when writers, poets and artists rediscovered the old stories. In the new stories and pictures about him, his Bishops robes soon became the hat and coat that he wears today.

So, there you have it! Now you can sleep at night...

Merry Christmas!

Interview with an Entrepreneur

2008-12-02T16:46:00.001-05:00

At The Next Step Magazine, I get to interview some cool people. Here is a recent interview I did with Paychex founder, Tom Golisano that shares some advice for young people thinking about getting into business.

Who: Tom Golisano, founder of Paychex
What he’s done: Golisano founded Paychex, which provides payroll and human resource services to small businesses. He ran for New York state governor, and he owns the Buffalo Sabres hockey team.

Next Step Magazine: Why did you decide to become an entrepreneur?
Tom Golisano: One, I thought I was capable of running my own business. I thought I could do it better than a lot of other people.

Second, I thought it was a much more secure situation than working for a large company. You work for a large company, and you could do a really good job, and your boss could do a lousy job, and you suffer the negatives of that.

Plus, the other thing about having your own business versus working for somebody is you can sell your business or you can pass it on to an heir. You can’t do that with a job. Or if you become physically or mentally disabled, you’re probably better off owning the business than working for somebody. So in many ways, it’s much more of a secure situation.

NSM: What are some traits of successful people?
Golisano: They look for people that have a problem or an issue, and a way to solve it and make money at the same time. That’s what entrepreneurs are: problem solvers.

NSM: What advice would you give to teens looking to pursue a career as an entrepreneur?
Golisano: Get a good foundation academically. Be an accountant. You’ve got to be able to read and understand financial stats. Get a good understanding of the world of sales and marketing. And I hesitate to say this, but sooner or later you’re going to need a lawyer. So find a decent one, one that knows what they’re doing and will charge you reasonable rates.

Most successful entrepreneurs come out of an industry that they’re in, and find a better way to do something within that industry. I think you have a far better chance of being successful if you are in an industry you know something about and have some experience in.

NSM: What are the pros and cons of owning your own business?
Golisano: For the pros, it’s probably the obvious: self-destiny, unlimited earnings, tremendous satisfaction and gratification that comes with doing it successfully.

The cons are you could lose perspective on your family, you work too hard and you run the risk of not being successful. You also run the risk of having a financial disaster, and that’s definitely a negative. It’s a little bit of a high-stakes game. Do I think it’s worth it? If you’ve got a good idea and you’ve got the gumption and the perseverance to make it work, go for it.

The Future of Print Media

2008-11-29T14:04:00.001-05:00

The world is changing because of the Internet. The businesses that will make the cut will adapt or die quickly. Print media is one of the most affected. Being a magazine founder, I really need to be on top of what a magazine is today. Is it just a printed medium?

Rupert Murdoch says it all in this speech captured below....

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24652174-664,00.html

Book Report - The Knack

2008-11-19T06:35:00.000-05:00

I have challenged myself to read 50 books by the end of 2010. That's about two books a month between now and then. I am counting books on tape (or iPod while I work out).

This willl benefit you because I will share my thoguhts about each book with you!

The first book on my journey was The Knack, How Street-Smart Entrepreneurs Learn to Handle Whatever Comes Up by Norm Brodsky and Bo Burlingham. I read the hard copy on a plane in about two hours. It's hard to put down!

I have been in business for almost 14 years and still learned a ton. It's a very practical, grassroots learning tool. Brodsky shares his real-world experiences to help entrepreneurs think differently. He went bankrupt in the 1980's and learned a ton about what to do, and what not to do. Norms writes that you can either learn from your own experiences, or his!

Save some time and learn from his.

The Knack should be taught as a course in every business college. Instead of academia, it's the real thing, based on a real entrepeneur's experience.

On a scale of 1-10, (1 being "use to start a fire" and 10 being "a "MUST READ"), I give The Knack a 10. It's very informative and a fun read. Burlingham really works well with Norm to extract his experienes and own writings into compelling learning experience stories.

How Great Leaders Thrive in Tough Times

2008-11-17T06:07:00.000-05:00

Chester Arthur, who served as President of the United States from 1881 to 1885, will never be regarded as one our great leaders. In fact, many Americans would be hard pressed to identify him as one of our presidents.

Arthur, who served after President Garfield was assassinated, may well have possessed the basic qualities of a great leader. But the time of his presidency was fairly stable, so he was never called upon to step up.

Tough times, on the other hand, are when great leaders show their stuff. If you look at many of the famous leaders throughout history, you'll notice they became famous because they navigated through seemingly impossible times. They held the flashlight at the end of the tunnel.

Legendary leaders such as Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and, more recently, Rudy Giuliani come to mind. All were faced with incredibly complex or catastrophic situations. Instead of cowering in indecision, they reacted boldly and aggressively. They threw conventional wisdom out the window and developed their own playbooks on the spot.

So what does this have to do with entrepreneurs? In short, it's time to step up as leaders of your enterprises. Extremely difficult economic times are here and may be here to stay. You're time to shine is here.

So what is a business leader to do? The reflexive action is to take a hatchet to the budget, impose layoffs and halt all plans for growth. These steps are relatively easy to take, so leadership skills rarely come into play. And often, they are exactly the wrong things to do.

But great leaders know that only dead fish swim with the current. So they work harder to get through trying times, searching for more creative solutions and inspiring their coworkers to stay engaged. They also take some time to pause and think because they know they shouldn't react impusively. Only then do they act.
So how am I trying to live up to this leadership ideal? After pausing to think, I'm taking the following steps:

1) I asked my coworkers to help me look at our expenses and figure out where we can cut. Engaging the staff in this process is crucial. They need to understand that it's a time for sacrifice, and they'll be happy to be part of the process if you let them.

2) I'm looking for new opportunities that arise from the economic problems we're facing—new trends or market needs that will rise up because of the hard times.
3) I'm enhancing customer service to make sure the people who already love what we do don't slip away. It might be hard to find a lot of new business during a recession, so we need to work even harder to convince our current customers to sit tight?

4) I'm doing more marketing, not less. Many companies reflexively shut off their advertising efforts during tough times. I'd rather shut off the water supply than my marketing. With fewer customers in the market, we need to fight even harder for those that remain! Plus, if my competitors stop advertising, I'll get more bang for my buck in the ad market. And if the market is less cluttered, our marketing efforts stand a better chance of getting noticed.

Bottom line: Don't be depressed about the tough times ahead. Get excited and view it as an opportunity to test your skills as a great leader!

Chester Arthur would have relished the opportunity.

Blog issues...

2008-11-12T06:32:00.004-05:00

There have been some problems with the blogging software we use and they have not been sending out (if you are a subscriber).

So, you may have missed a blog entry or two...

But don't fret, click below to see what you missed!
And thanks to Next Step superstar Shelly Stuart for recognizing and fixing the problem!

http://www.nextstepmag.com/dave