by Greg McAfee
Dreams? Not really a polite or common topic of conversation at association meetings. That’s too bad, as dreams create powerful and motivating stories. Without a dream, nothing happens.
Here’s a great story about one man’s dream: Michael Dell. While growing up in Houston, Dell said that he would look at the modern, shiny buildings going up along the I-610 Loop, and dreamed that one day, his business would occupy one of them. Michael Dell went on to found Dell Computers, at the age of 19. "I've never imagined myself not doing something significant", said Dell. So if you want to achieve your goals, you must create a mindset made of beliefs and dreams-that support the truth you want to realize in your future.
Go Ahead. Put Your Head in the Clouds.
Our dreams must be quantifiable, yet contain an element of risk. Does your dream incorporate risk? If you're working on a no-risk dream, not many will follow you, and your dream won't last beyond your own participation. Real and grand dreams involve risk.
Real and grand dreams are inspiring enough to catch your team up in the excitement.
Real and grand dreams result in your team adopting your dream, as their own.
My Dreams, Then and Now
In my upcoming book “It’s Your Dream”, I recount looking out from my kitchen window, and visualizing a bigger garage to work from. After being in the garage for many years, I bought 3 acres of business property. I regularly sat in front of it, visualizing a new professional building to operate from. Three years later, I was in that building. Now, I visualize dominating my market and moving into bigger and better places.
To see how Jackson Systems has grown from dream to reality, check out our website at jacksonsystems.com.
By Seth Godin
The first is when you talk about yourself. Directly to people who care to hear you out.
The second is when you pay someone to carry your message. Media for hire, we call it advertising.
The third is when you cajole the 'editorial' side to talk about you, with authority. Publicity is often worth more than advertising, but it's pesky in that it doesn't perform on demand.
The fourth, the fourth is all the rage right now. That's when unanointed kings of tiny media, when bloggers and tweeters and others talk about you.
Why do we persist in believing that these four have much in common? They don't. Being confused about which is which is expensive, or worse.
You know you're in trouble if someone on your team says anything like, "But how do we do this quickly? And at scale? Is there a way interns can churn through names? We have money to spend, hurry!"
There are some that would be delighted if PR and social media would just own up and start playing by the rules of advertising. In other words, you ought to be able to buy this sort of buzz. It's more efficient, more convenient and more predictable.
Of course, it doesn't work that way. Buying your way into the fourth horseman doesn't work. Professionalizing it doesn't work so well either. What works is making something worth talking about.
As it should be.
If you're hoping that this now important form of media is going to sit there and promote your average stuff for average people made in bulk but pretty cheap product merely because you're used to paying media companies to run ads... I think you're wasting a lot of time and money.
This goes deeper than that. You'll need to take that money and change the product and the service instead.
Take a look at how Jackson Systems is using social media by following the links below.
Jackson Systems' Facebook Page
From ACCA News
According to conservative estimates, there are now more than 20 million iPads in the marketplace, only one year after the tablet was first introduced by Apple. These convenient devices have already captured a hold among home service companies like HVACR contractors.
And the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) has been keeping pace with its members. This week, ACCA announced the launch of ACCA DuctWheel, the association's first software application developed exclusively for the iPad. It is available for purchase in Apple's iTunes store.
ACCA DuctWheel is a new mobile version of ACCA's popular Duct Sizing Slide Rule, which is used by contractors nationwide to determine proper sizing of residential duct systems in accordance with Manual D, the national accredited standard for residential duct design. Using the DuctWheel app instead of the standard duct slide rule, contractors and designers can lock the wheel in place, zoom in for easier reading, flip between two wheels for different calculations, or take a screenshot of the wheel in position.
Contractors can use the app to: size metal ducts, lined metal ducts duct board airways, and wire helix flexible ducts; convert round shapes to equivalent rectangles; correlate available pressure with total effective length and friction rate (Manual D sizing calculations); convert velocity into velocity pressure and vice versa; and correct for altitude and temperature. An instruction guide is included with the app purchase.
"DuctWheel features the same, easy-to-use wheel interface that technicians and contractors have been using for years. They already know how to use it to get accurate results," said Kevin W. Holland, ACCA Senior Vice President for Business Operations & Membership. "But DuctWheel never wears out, and it's even easier to use than a standard slide rule -- since you can lock it in place, zoom in, even take a screenshot. It's the only mobile duct measurement app that is powered by Manual D, and it's the only duct sizing app created exclusively for the iPad -- taking full advantage of native iPad graphic and screen capabilities."
The ACCA DuctWheel app works exclusively on iPads using iOs version 4.2 or higher, and costs $19.99 in the Apple iTunes store.
Jackson Systems is proud to be a 2011 ACCA Corporate Partner. For more information about Jackson Systems products, please visit our website, www.jacksonsystems.com, or call us at 888-652-9663.
You can learn more about the new app at www.acca.org/mobile.
From Charlie McCrudden, ACCA VP, Government Relations
Yesterday, America’s small businesses got a reprieve from a looming paperwork nightmare as President Obama signed H.R. 4, the “Comprehensive 1099 Taxpayer Protection and Repayment of Exchange Subsidy Overpayments Act of 2011” into law.
H.R. 4 repeals the provision of last year’s health care reform law that would require all businesses to file 1099 forms to the Internal Revenue Service on payments for goods of $600 or more annually to other businesses. Repealing the 1099 form filing requirement before it took effect on January 1, 2012, was a top legislative priority for ACCA.
President Obama made the following statement upon signing the bill into law: “I was pleased to take another step to relieve unnecessary burdens on small businesses by signing H.R. 4 into law. Small business owners are the engine of our economy and because Democrats and Republicans worked together, we can ensure they spend their time and resources creating jobs and growing their business, not filling out more paperwork. I look forward to continuing to work with Congress to improve the tax credit policy in this legislation and I am eager to work with anyone with ideas about how we can make health care better or more affordable.”
Paul Stalknecht, ACCA president and CEO, said, “ACCA was one of the first small business trade associations to recognize and denounce the 1099 requirement when Congress debated the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Over the last year, ACCA's small business contractors have sent thousands of messages to Capitol Hill urging Congress to repeal of this onerous provision. ACCA applauds Congress and President Obama for listening to the concerns of small businesses and repealing this mandate.”
ACCA thanks all of the contractors who took the time to contact Congress and let them know that the 1099 provision was detrimental to their small businesses. The repeal of the 1099 filing requirement is a major victory for ACCA members.
Article provided by AHRI
Spring is the perfect time for homeowners to check and prepare their cooling equipment, making sure it operates at maximum efficiency before we reach the hot summer months. AHRI offers the following tips to help save you money on your cooling costs this summer.
AHRI also suggests hiring a professional to service your air conditioner who will be able to find and fix problems in the system. Be aware that not all service technicians are trained equally; look for a technician certified by North American Technician Excellence (NATE). NATE-certified technicians can be found online at www.natex.org. Be sure to insist that the technician:
Steve Yurek, president and CEO of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute, advises, "Heating and cooling is the single biggest energy consumer in a home, and accounts for about 40 percent of all the energy used by homeowners." He also says central air conditioning units should last at least 12 to 15 years with proper maintenance, and that regular service will keep the system running smoothly. Making sure your system is running at its highest efficiency will help keep you cool
this summer and save on energy costs.
To read the full article, click here.