Sure, I could have rescheduled certain tasks to “make” a four-hour block of time available.  But in reality, rescheduling would have made my week even more complex and created more headaches.  So, I decided to do the only logical thing; I scheduled four one-hour blocks.

However, as the proposal due date drew near, I still hadn’t spent a single hour on it.  The issue wasn’t that I hadn’t scheduled the time; it was that I had procrastinated.  I simply hadn’t started.

Have you ever noticed that the hard part isn’t doing the work?  I had written dozens of proposals for our Ultimate Marketing System in the past, so writing the proposal wasn’t going to be difficult.  Writing it was actually the easy part – getting started was the difficult part.

During this time I was reading The War of Art by Steven Pressfield (which I highly recommend), and it was a combination of this book and this looming proposal that led me to create the 12 Minutes That Matter.

It’s not the writing part that’s hard.  What’s hard is sitting down to write.   Steven Pressfield

That was exactly my problem.  Every time I was scheduled to sit down and write that proposal, something else more pressing came up.  It was as if the universe was plotting against me to try to prevent me from completing the proposal.

The problem for me wasn’t scheduling.  I had scheduled four one-hour blocks to write the proposal.  I was very accustomed to living and operating my day straight from my calendar.  The issue was plain and simple – I never got started.

The Illusion of Low Priority 

At the time this request for a proposal came in, we were already busy working with dozens of other clients on their projects.  The clients we were already working with at that time were under contract, so in my mind they took first priority.  So, each and every little client request was a perfect excuse not to work on the proposal.  After all it was only a proposal, so there was no guarantee that it would result in business.

Although that line of logic seems legitimate, it can be detrimental to your success.  If you’re so consumed with only what’s happening directly in front of you, you will eventually get blindsided by something that is approaching from your peripheral vision (like this proposal was about to do to me).

The most common approach to making a daily to-do list is to sort tasks by some form of priority ranking, beginning with the highest priorities first.  The flaw with this approach is that priority, and how you assign it, can be very deceptive.  For me, writing the proposal wasn’t a high priority because we were already completely booked and didn’t need any new work (at that moment in time).

The Negative Impact of Prioritizing Tasks

Have you ever noticed how many start-ups (particularly those that are bootstrapped) experience dramatic rises and falls in revenues?  I believe this revenue roller-coaster is the result of priority deception.  Here’s what I mean: when revenues are down the entrepreneur devotes a lot of time, attention, and effort (they place their priority) on generating more business, but when revenues are up their priorities shift to “running the business” and keeping clients happy.  Unfortunately, most don’t realign priorities until it is too late – and revenues have already again begun their downward spiral.

The revenue roller-coaster is only one (minor) way that the priority problem manifests itself.  You know that personal project you’ve really been “meaning” to do?  You know, the one that could radically reshape your future?  Why don’t you spend more time working on it?  The reason has everything to do with priorities.

At this point, you have other things that are of higher priority.  Now for the challenging question: If this personal project could have such a profound effect on your life, then why do all the mundane daily tasks take higher priority?

Solving the Priority Problem

I believe the solution to the priority problem is a proper use of visioning.  Having a proper vision for your business and life will provide you with a very vivid (and detailed) road map leading to your future.  Having a written, clearly defined vision allows you to stay calm in the midst of turmoil.  Having a vision enables you to keep a proper balance with your priorities.  A clearly defined vision serves as a reminder of where you are heading, and it gives you the confidence you need to focus and invest in your personal projects.

If you’re going to keep a good balance with your priorities, you have to keep your long-term objectives in front of you.  If you don’t, you’ll easily find ways to fill your days with the “high” priority tasks that arise each day.  You can find this balance, and kill procrastination, by only working 12 minutes each hour.

The 12 Minutes That Matter

Now back to that proposal that I just couldn’t seem to sit down and write.  Thanks to The War of Art I knew my problem was simple to solve.  I just needed to get started.  Blocking out an hour per day simply wasn’t working for me.  So, I made a commitment to myself that I would only have to spend 12 minutes working on the proposal.  However, for those 12 minutes I would do nothing but write the proposal.  No thinking.  No research. No distractions. Just writing.

I’ll admit, during those initial 12 minutes I had to use every ounce of self-control that I had to keep writing  and not allow myself to be distracted.  But to my amazement, those 12 minutes turned into just over 40 minutes of writing.  I was in the zone and didn’t want to stop after those initial 12 minutes.  It was almost as if the proposal was actually flowing out of me.  After the 12 minutes, the writing process was easy.

I decided that scheduling these 12 minutes worked so well, I’d give it another try.  So, I scheduled 12 more minutes for the proposal the next day.  Following the same routine, I removed all distractions, set my timer for 12 minutes and started writing.  On this second day those 12 minutes turned into almost an hour and a half of writing.

I continued scheduling these 12 minutes a day for the next couple of days until the proposal was complete.  Although the proposal was finished, I began scheduling tasks each day in 12 minute increments – which I began referring to as the 12 Minutes That Matter.

Conclusion

Do your long-term project goals seem to always take the back burner to seemingly more important daily tasks?  Try scheduling 12 minutes a day for that project that you can’t seem to ever get around to.  During those 12 minutes, do nothing but work on your project. Don’t allow any distractions or exceptions.  You’ll be amazed at how quickly those 12 minutes turn into 30 minutes or an hour.  But more importantly, you’ll start making serious progress on your project.

What prevents you from working on that project that could change your life?  Share your challenges in the comments below.

Unfortunately, this dream in all of its glory can quickly and easily fade into a nightmare.  All the paper work.  All the options.  All the obligations.  All the stress.  Often the dream dies.  And with it, the passion and hope.

Much of this stress is brought on by our own doing.  We tend to complicate more than we should.  I’m often guilty of over-complicating and over-analyzing each and every decision.  What should be clear-cut decisions eat precious time and mental energy.

Having a clear vision (link to visioning) has drastically helped me make decisions.  With a clear vision, I’m able to ask, “Does this bring me closer to, or further from, my vision?”  Asking this helps a LOT.  But often, it’s still not enough, and that’s why I love reading books like Who Owns the Ice House.

Who Owns the Ice House does an amazing job of boiling business down to eight core principles for success.  For me, this book served as a reminder to not complicate my business and the decisions (even the strategic ones) that are involved. 

Here are a few of my favorite excerpts from the book:

“Opportunities do not always come with identifying signs screaming: I AM AN OPPORTUNITY. COME GET ME!”  - pg. xvii

“For some people, the most difficult thing to do is to change or to think differently about their lives, to think differently about their futures.  They have become accustomed to sameness.”  pg. xxx

“We all want to succeed in life, to thrive and prosper, and yet we often make inaccurate assumptions about what it really takes to succeed.  We presume that success requires us to possess rare talent or have access to money, power, and privilege.  We assign success to a unique personality, to luck, or to happenstance – all of which are beyond our control.  And by assuming that this is how it works, we inadvertently blind ourselves to opportunities as well as to our own untapped potential.”  pg. 55

“It is the willingness to challenge assumption and reexamine old ideas that enables entrepreneurs to recognize opportunities that others overlook.  It requires a subtle shift in our perspective, one that begins when we ask “what if?” rather than simply mirroring or declaring “what is.”  It is a tiny shift that enables us to focus on solutions rather than dwelling on problems.”  pg. 56

“…it is the choices we make that ultimately determine the outcome of our lives.”  pg. 57

“Some unconsciously accept their circumstances as something they cannot change.  They get stuck on the problem rather than on overcoming it.”  pg. 71

“Others have an inside-out perspective. Rather than identifying problems and finding solutions for other people, they set out to solve a problem for themselves and hope that others will buy in to their solutions.  They mistakenly believe that “if you do what you love, the money will follow,” and they strike out on their own.  They mistakenly believe that entrepreneurs are gamblers, so they often take unnecessary risks that lead to financial disaster.”  pg. 72

“Like an invisible fence, many of us have invisible barriers, self-imposed limitations that are buried deep within our minds.  We make assumptions about the world around us, about who we are and what we’re capable of.  By making these assumptions and accepting them to be true, we shut ourselves off from a world of possibilities.  Sadly, we never know what we are capable of simply because we never try.”  pg. 87

“Once we accept that it is our knowledge combined with effort that ultimately determines the outcome of our lives, we become internally driven and accept responsibility for where our lives are headed.”  pg. 103

“It’s been said that if we were to amass all of the world’s wealth in one place and then redistribute that wealth evenly among the entire population, that wealth would find its way back into the hands of its original owners.”  pg. 119

“Mentors play a vital role in nearly every entrepreneurial success story.  They provide valuable knowledge and insight that can guide us through the challenges and uncertainties that we all must face.”  pg. 154

“Entrepreneurship is a mindset.  It is a mindset that can empower ordinary people to create extraordinary lives.  It is a mindset that exposes opportunity and ignites ambition.  It is a mindset that fosters innovation and initiative, curiosity and lifelong learning, as well as the self-reliance and resourcefulness of which we are all capable.”  pg. 164

What is Who Owns The Ice House like?

If you’re wondering what you can compare this book to – I’d say it’s a mixture of Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Growing a Business by Paul Hawken.  The storyline is compelling and easy to follow.  The business lessons are simple, yet profoundly inspiring.

Who’s it for?

So will you enjoy the book?  Well, if you’re looking for a book full of hypothetical formulas, or a lot of detailed case studies, then this isn’t the book for you.  However, if you’re looking for a book that will encourage you that regardless of your background, education, or experience that you can succeed – then I highly recommend this book.

If you’re considering starting a business, or if you’re already a well-established, successful entrepreneur in need of some inspiration (and a reminder that business doesn’t have to be complex or complicated), you’ll enjoy this book.

What the Time Management “Gurus” Teach

Dan explains that most time management experts begin by looking at how much your time is worth per hour.  And although there is nothing wrong with beginning by determining how much your time is worth per hour, there is something wrong with assuming that you’re productive a full eight hours a day.  Dan points out that it’s completely unrealistic to be productive that many hours on any given day.

Here’s what most time management gurus start with:

“How much do you want to make next year?  $200,000?  Okay, great!

Now most people work an average of 220 days each year (by the time you subtract weekends, holidays, and vacations), so let’s divide $200,000 by 220.  That gives us just over $909.00 each day.  Now let’s divide that by eight hours of work each day – and that means we only need to bill/make $113.63 per hour.  Seems doable – right?”

Why the Time Management “Gurus” are Wrong

Think for a minute about your average work day.  If you’re completely honest with yourself, how many productive hours do you get out of each day?  Don’t ignore all the distractions, interruptions, and plain ol’ lack of focus.  For me, I’m only left with a small fraction of my eight hours.

Dan says that it’s best to assume that you’re productive 1/3 of the time.  That means you can only bill clients for approximately 1/3 of the time you’re working.  If we use Dan’s formula, we’ll need to multiply our hourly rate by 3, to account for the 2/3 of the hour for which we can’t bill.

So, our $113.63 now becomes $340.92 per hour.  And that figure needs to become your billable hourly rate if you’re going to hit your target income of $200,000.  This was an eyeopener for me!  I’ll admit, I was guilty of using the “guru” formula – and was wondering why I was never able to hit my income target.

But What If I’m Just Starting Out?

When you’re bootstrapping your business, the first couple of years can be harsh when it comes to your personal income.  I remember far too many weeks wondering if we would have enough money to pay our personal bills.  It was an extremely stressful time.  Like most entrepreneurs, I would pay myself what was left once all my business expenses were paid – and often this wasn’t much. Here’s what Dan says about this approach:

“Since you are your own boss, you write your own paycheck, and you decide how much that paycheck is going to be.  For most entrepreneurs, that number is – whatever’s left!  This is a huge mistake, for two reasons: it indicates zero planning, and it means you pay yourself last, the number one reason entrepreneurs wind up broke.  So, let’s reverse all that, and start with the planning.  You’ve got to decide how much money you’re going to take out of your business or businesses this year, in salary, perks, contributions to retirement plans, and so on.  What is that number?   I’ll tell you, eight out of ten entrepreneurs I ask cannot come up with this number.“

Talk about convicting!  For the past 10 years I’ve been diligent about setting income goals each year.  But I’ll admit, just coming up with a good sounding number was the extent of setting my income goal each year.  I gave no thought or consideration for perks, contributions to retirement plans, etc.  This lack of planning has cost me and my family greatly.

“If you don’t know what your time is worth, you can’t expect the world to know it either.” – Dan Kennedy

Notes from No B.S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs

If you’re guilty of wasting time and you’re ready to get paid far more for your time, then you need to grab a copy of Dan’s book.  Here are a few excerpts/notes from the book.

Leadership is not about outworking everybody. – pg. 21

You cannot reasonably hope to have others treat your time with respect if you show little or no respect for theirs. – pg. 38

I think this is a secret true of a lot of very successful people.  I think they are secretly lazy and become exceptionally self-disciplined out of necessity. – pg. 52

 

In business, there are good strategies poorly executed, poor strategies executed well, but rarely is there a truly new, revolutionary strategy. – pg. 55

 

… if you are not achieving what you feel you should in life, it is because your goals are not defined well enough. – pg. 61

 

Ideally, you should schedule your day by the half-hour, from beginning to end. – pg. 66

 

… if you can’t control your thoughts and manage your mind, you can’t control or manage your time. – pg. 128

 

This is one reason why a person fails to advance much from one year to the next: he is so busy whining about how unfair everything is and feeling sorry for himself that he has no time left to make anything happen. – pg. 136

 

Conclusion

If you’re an entrepreneur looking for a great book that won’t take too much time to read, then you should grab a copy of Dan Kennedy’s No BS Time Management for Entrepreneurs.  It will challenge your assumptions and give you a solid foundation for making each moment count.

Invariably what happens when we’re faced with too many choices is that we don’t choose anything.   Then we’re left with the exact same challenge, no solution, and a lot less time than when we started.

Here are six ways to help you make better decisions – faster:

Step 1: Define the Problem.

What is the problem you are trying to solve?  If you’re considering advertising, then the problem you’re trying to solve is attracting new clients.  What is the problem?

Step 2: Set a Timeframe.

When do you want and need the problem solved?  No, be more specific.  Exactly what day and time will you make a decision?  If a client’s birthday is in two weeks and you want to send her a gift, generally speaking it’s a good idea to send the gift before her birthday.  Select the date and time you’ll have made a decision to send the gift.

Step 3: List the Solutions.

What options are you considering?  List them.  But only list options that meet your criteria.  For example: it doesn’t do any good to list a $10,000 Rolex watch as a potential solution if your budget is only $1,000.

Step 4: Create a 3 x 3.

List the top 3 benefits and the top 3 drawbacks to each potential solution.  Specifically, list both the benefits and drawbacks as they relate to the problem you’re trying to solve.

Step 5:  Make a Choice.

Now, isn’t that easy?  

Step 6: Don’t Look Back.

Don’t question your decision.  You can’t change it.  (Even if you can –don’t.) Move forward.  Analyze the results.  Did the solution solve your problem?  If so, move on to the next decision.  If not, go through the process again.  

Try this simple 6-step process for 30 days and you’ll amaze yourself.  One thing you will discover is you’re spending a lot less time contemplating decisions – giving you more time to focus on things that matter.

What tricks have you developed to help you make decisions?  I’d love to hear.  Leave a comment below.

During those stressful start-up days, time was never much of an issue.  We didn’t have an abundance of clients – so that left me with plenty of time to use visioning and organize tactics for how we would grow into a leader in our market.  And grow we did – both annual revenues and profits have increased by 300% annually for the past two years.

How We Fixed the Financial Problem

In all honesty, the financial problem was relatively easy to fix, although at the time, the problem seemed insurmountable.  We overcame the financial problem by repeating a few basic fundamentals over and over again.  Here’s what we did:

• Verified that our products/services met a true need in the marketplace.  (they did)
• Identified our Unique Selling Proposition (USP), and ensured we didn’t lose focus of it.
• Identified who our Ideal Prospects were.
• Identified the message that resonated with them.
• Identified the best method of reaching them.
• Review, Revise, and Repeat.

Despite how emotional and stressful the financial problem was, fixing it really boiled down to those six steps.  Sure there were sleepless nights, and a lot of self-doubt surrounding my decision to start Ugly Mug Marketing – but the solution to the problem truly was simple.  Although the solution was simple, it required discipline.  I’m not referring to once a month, or once a week reviewing these six steps.  Nope, I’m referring to daily discipline.  Taking small steps each and every day.

The Most Important Business Growth Questions

Although time was plentiful back then, I still didn’t have time to go through all six steps every single day.  I knew I needed a quick and simple way to ensure that I was staying on track, and focused on the solutions to my financial problems.  By boiling the six simple steps above to their essence, I wrote out two simple questions that became my mission to successfully answer each day.  I wrote these two questions on everything. Sticky notes, my journals, my client folders, note cards, the back of business cards, on everything.

1. What have I done today to keep my clients?
2. What have I done today to attract new clients?

Simple right?  But don’t be deceived by their simplicity.  It was these two questions that transformed my business, and ultimately resulted in BIGGER problems.

As I discovered the dreaded statement was right – our smaller problems (finances) are no longer a problem.  We’ve traded those problems for bigger problems.  I’m going to spare you the expense of me listing all our “problems”, but I do want to talk about one that we are currently facing, and the solutions we are using to alleviate it.

Not Enough Time

The problem we’re facing now is the result of such rapid growth – time.  Well it’s actually the lack of time that’s the problem.  Before our big problem was lack of revenue and profits.  This was caused by a lack of good clients.  Our problem now is much more complex, and the direct opposite of our initial problem – we have far too many good prospects that want to work with us.

Depending on the type of project, some prospects are having to wait 2 – 3 months before we can get started on their project.  We’re literally having to turn away good prospects because we simply don’t have enough time.  People are calling, and emailing virtually with money in hand, and we’re having to turn them away.

Trust me, a couple of years ago I was begging for clients, so turning prospects isn’t something I enjoy doing.  We’re working diligently to find ways to maintain solid growth, and not sacrifice service or quality in the process.

The first step for us in resolving this issue is to become very efficient and effective managers of our time.  All business are given the same 24 hours a day to invest.  Yet, some produce amazing results with their 24 hours, while others seem to be going around in circles chasing their own tail.

I’ll be the first to admit, during this rapid growth in at Ugly Mug Marketing, I’ve been guilty of squandering time.  Not deliberately.  Nope, I’ve been busy working with clients, developing some great campaigns, writing a manifesto, writing for this blog, and creating a new product, but I haven’t been as focused as I should have been.

Have you been there?  Have you ever worked tirelessly through a day, only to reach its end and still feel completely overwhelmed by how much you still have left to do?  I have!  That’s what put me on this quest to become a more effective manager of the time I’ve been given.  I’m not only referring to getting more done at work.  I’m referring to being effective (and completely present) regardless of what you’re doing.  It could be spending time with your family, hanging out with friends, or volunteering at your favorite charity.  Being able to not worry about other things while you’re there.  Being able to truly enjoy each moment you’ve been given.

The theme this month here on Marketing Confessions is going to be focused on Time Management – making the most of each moment.  I’ll share tips, ideas and tools all designed to help you make the most of your time.  The month was kicked off with the release of Confessions of a Dying Man.  If you haven’t already, go ahead and download your copy.  I hope it will become the catalyst you need to make the most of each moment you’ve been given.

What do you struggle with?  What is your biggest stumbling block when it comes to making the most of your time? Leave a comment and let me know.

After wasting countless dollars on underwhelming books, I decided to attempt a new approach.  When I found a book that I really enjoyed I would write the author and tell them how much I liked their book, and ask them for additional reading recommendations.  Surprisingly, this approach actually worked (and still works)!

So here are some book recommendations from some of top business gurus to help you make the most of 2012.

Seth Godin Recommends:

Seth is a New York Times bestseller and successful business owner. He has fourteen international bestsellers, and has even been dubbed “America’s Greatest Marketer.” His blog may very well be the most popular marketing blog in the world, you can read it here. Here are his suggestions:

 The Republic of Tea – Mel Ziegler, Patricia Ziegler, & Bill Rosenweig

“Almost all of us have at some point dreamed of  starting our own business but have not been able to  get past our fear, anxiety, and uncertainty about  pursuing those dreams. Through a 20-month  exchange of faxes, The Republic Of Tea  chronicles the feelings and emotions of three  partners as they confront their fears and dreams to  create an enormously successful start-up company.  The book shows the budding entrepreneur how to  start a successful business that embodies his or her  own soul and economic realities. The insightful  correspondence between Mel Ziegler and Patricia  Ziegler, co-founders of The Banana Republic chain, and  their new partner Bill Rosenzweig provides a map  for the entrepreneur. It tells of the day-to-day  breakthroughs and breakdowns of the creative  process–inventing a product, developing a plan, and  structuring a business partnership–and even provides  the actual business plan used to raise money for  the venture.”

 See You at the Top – Zig Ziglar

“The 25th anniversary edition of the classic motivational and self-improvement book that has sold more than 1.6 million copies in hardcover. For more than three decades, Zig Ziglar, one of the great motivators of our age, has traveled the world, encouraging, uplifting, and inspiring audiences. His groundbreaking best-seller, See You at the Top, remains an authentic American classic. This revised and updated edition stresses the importance of honesty, loyalty, faith, integrity, and strong personal character.”

 The Bootstrapper’s Bible – Seth Godin

“Seth Godin offers inspiration, ideas, and roadmaps to those starting their own business. To encourage bootstrappers, he shares his own story and covers other bootstrappers (from Dell Computer to Haagen Dazs) who have parlayed a great idea into a sizable fortune, using the smart strategies and cash-stretching tactics revealed in this book. In The Bootstrapper’s Bible: How to Start and Build a Business with a Great Idea and (Almost) No Money, Godin shows precisely how his own venture, and a slew of others like Dell Computer, Burton Snowboards, Bose Corporation, Starbucks, and many lesser-known companies, ultimately managed to turn that nothing into something quite substantial. “Bootstrappers built this country, and they continue to make it great,” he writes.”

You can also download the FREE eBook version of Bootstrapper’s Bible.

Ari Weinzweig Recommends:

Ari is the co-founder of Zingerman’s Delicatessen, a community of businesses that employs over 500 people  and includes a bakery, creamery, sit-down restaurant, training company,  coffee roaster, and mail order service. Ari is also the author of the  best-selling Zingerman’s Guide to Good Eating and the forthcoming Zingerman’s Guide to Better Bacon.

 Growing a Business – Paul Hawken

 The Great Game of Business – Jack Stack

“In the early 1980s, Springfield Remanufacturing Corporation (SRC) in Springfield, Missouri, was a near bankrupt division of International Harvester. That’s when a green young manager, Jack Stack, took over and turned it around. He didn’t know how to “manage” a company, but he did know about the principal, of athletic competition and democracy: keeping score, having fun, playing fair, providing choice, and having a voice. With these principals he created his own style of management — open-book management. The key is to let everyone in on financial decisions. At SRC, everyone learns how to read a P&L — even those without a high school education know how much the toilet paper they use cuts into profits. SRC people have a piece of the action and a vote in company matters. Imagine having a vote on your bonus and on what businesses the company should be in. SRC restored the dignity of economic freedom to its people. Stack’s “open-book management” is the key — a system which, as he describes it here, is literally a game, and one so simple anyone can use it.”

 Servant Leadership – Robert Greenleaf

Neil Patel Recommends:

Neil Patel is the co-founder of 2 Internet companies: Crazy Egg and KISSmetrics. Through his entrepreneurial career he has helped large corporations such as Amazon, AOL, GM, HP and Viacom make more money from the web.  You can follow him on his popular blog QuickSprout.com.  Here are Neil’s recommendations:

 The Art of the Start – Guy Kawaski

 The Dip – Seth Godin

 The Lean Startup – Eric Ries

Demian Farnworth Recommends:

Demian Farnworth is the CopyBot–a St. Louis-based freelance web copywriter.  His main gig is writing clear, concise and compelling web copy that demands attention, creates desire and compels action.  You can learn more about Demian over on his blog TheCopyBot.com.  Demian recommends:

Influence - Robert Cialdini

“Every entrepreneur, especially the bootstrapping type, needs to persuade people. Cialdini explains the 6 reasons why people say “yes” and then teaches you how to use and defend against them. A classic.” -Demian Farnworth

“Written in a narrative style combined with scholarly research, Cialdini combines evidence from experimental work with the techniques and strategies he gathered while working as a salesperson, fundraiser, advertiser, and in other positions inside organizations that commonly use compliance tactics to get us to say “yes.” Widely used in classes, as well as sold to people operating successfully in the business world, the eagerly awaited revision of Influence reminds the reader of the power of persuasion.

Cialdini organizes compliance techniques into six categories based on psychological principles that direct human behavior: reciprocation, consistency, social proof, liking, authority, and scarcity.”

 

 

Coaching for Improved Work Performance - Ferdinand Fournies

“This is the classic management coaching “bible” that shows you proven ways to get workers to perform at the highest level while eliminating the self-destructive kinds of behaviors that have become increasingly prevalent in recent years.” -Demian Farnworth

 ”Coaching has proven to be one of the most powerful one-on-one management techniques for getting the best out of every employee. And Coaching for Improved Work Performance stands as one of the most practical guides for effectively coaching all levels of employees in any workplace situation. For decades, managers around the world have turned to best-selling author Ferdinand Fournies for solutions to their toughest coaching problems. Now, this classic has been fully updated to help managers face the challenges of today’s rapidly changing workplace, from absenteeism, high turnover, and teams to flextime, job sharing, telecommuting, and keeping employees up to speed on new technologies.

With brand new case studies and all new face-to-face interventions, this guide is the one must-have coaching reference all managers need on their desks to help them keep their employees more productive and more focused, as well as more satisfied and happier at work!”

 

 

Good to Great – Jim Collins

” Every page of this book is ripe with lessons for entrepreneurs, from level 5 leadership to the Hedgehog Concept, that will take his or her company to long-term, sustainable results.”

                                                                 -Demian Farnworth

 ”Making the transition from good to great doesn’t require a high-profile CEO, the latest technology, innovative change management, or even a fine-tuned business strategy. At the heart of those rare and truly great companies was a corporate culture that rigorously found and promoted disciplined people to think and act in a disciplined manner. Peppered with dozens of stories and examples from the great and not so great, the book offers a well-reasoned road map to excellence that any organization would do well to consider. Like Built to Last, Good to Great is one of those books that managers and CEOs will be reading and rereading for years to come. –Harry C. Edwards”

 

What Say You?

What book(s) do you believe are must reads for entrepreneurs?  Leave a comment an let me know.

Have you ever wondered what it will be like when death comes calling for you?

I hadn’t… that  is, until I was told….

“YOU ARE DYING!”

Those three words will completely change your life.  I don’t want you to wait until you hear those words to change your life.  I hope you’ll embrace the life you’ve been given, and make the most of each moment.

I wrote a short manifesto (just under a 1,000 words) that I hope will encourage you to truly live the life you’ve been given.

Grab your copy of Confessions of a Dying Man.

If it the manifesto helps you..I have two simple requests:

1. Share your feedback in the comments below, or write me directly.

2. Share it with others.  If you believe this manifesto will encourage your friends and family to live their life to the fullest, please share it with them.

In this post, I have the privilege of giving you a glimpse inside the life of someone who has successfully used visioning to completely change his life’s direction.  Now he is using his passion to help others do the same.  I’d like to introduce you to Tito Philips, Jr.

——–

Q – Who is Tito Philips, Jr.? And what is Naijapreneur?

I’m an unusual Nigerian that is passionately MAD – Making A Difference! A People, Business & Life developer. I write, speak, coach, train & consult on how people, businesses & lives can be SIGNIFICANT – different [unique] & making a difference [useful]. The CEO of MADphilips, an unusual company dedicated to the development of people, businesses and lives. Naijapreneur is my blog where I write about business and entrepreneurship to help unusual entrepreneurs learn how to build SIGNIFICANT, or extra-ordinary, businesses that profit from purpose by changing the world!

Q-What is visioning?

Vision is a picture of a preferable future. It is a thing you create with your imagination and then make visible plans on how to achieve it. Vision involves the painting of a better life for yourself and deciding to do all that you can to bring it to pass. Vision is of your own making; your role is that of a manufacturer creating a finished product; in this case, a preferable future, a better tomorrow. It’s not by force; it’s a choice. It entails making a choice to pursue the preferred life of your choice. It’s not the same as purpose.

Purpose is not a picture that you paint; it’s a call that must be obeyed or answered. It’s not a thing you create; it’s a thing created for you and deposited in you. Purpose is not within your power to create; it’s a thing you discover by asking your Maker.  Purpose is your destiny; it is a matter of intention.  And intention is not a matter of choice, but a matter of source. The intention of a thing is not in the hand of the invention (the thing), but in the hand of the inventor (the maker of the thing). You cannot know the purpose (intention) of a thing by asking the thing (invention), but rather by asking the maker of the thing (inventor).

God is our Creator and thus the only source of our purpose or intention. It’s only the inventor of a thing that can accurately define and explain the intended use, or purpose, of that thing. Purpose lies in our source and not in our choice. What does this mean? Purpose is something hidden deep within us by the Creator from our very beginning. It is a treasure that is to be discovered. You don’t alter it or choose it; it’s discovered and thus chooses you. We must therefore make a choice to follow or submit to what we have discovered about ourselves. Since we never made ourselves, we can only search within ourselves to discover what the Maker hid in us. Hence, our task as humans is to discover what it is that we carry within us individually.

Purpose is not the same as a vision, for it’s bigger than a vision. Vision is only an instrument of fulfilling purpose. If purpose is the spirit, vision is the body. Purpose is the end, and vision a means to an end. Purpose is seeing life from God’s perspective; vision is seeing life from man’s perspective. We as humans have visions; God as our Maker gives us purpose. Why? So that our vision (picture of a preferred future) can be in alignment with our purpose (what we were originally created to do).  Purpose is how the Creator (inventor) sees the life of the creature (invention), while vision is how the creature sees its own life.

Purpose is the reason why the creature exists – the essence of existence. Vision is the dream of the creature – the quest for fulfillment. Purpose is designed from above but discovered here on earth; vision is designed here by man from inside. Purpose is your intended life; vision is your preferred life. One was ordained long before you were made; the other you strive to attain after you are made. Purpose is what you are here to do, your destiny; vision is how badly you want to do what you are here to do, your legacy.  Purpose is the essence of existence; vision the extent of your existence.  Purpose is what brought you to existence. You don’t exist to choose your purpose; you exist for a purpose. It’s because there was a need that you were created, as a solution to that need. You are a solution to an existing problem. You don’t question purpose; you submit to and obey purpose. No creature questions the intentions of the Creator. Your job on earth is to find and follow your purpose. Conclusively, purpose is the intent of the Creator, and it is to be obeyed and followed.

However, choosing your vision is totally up to you. It’s your responsibility to align your vision with your purpose. Vision has to do with how far you want to carry out your purpose. Vision is a question of size – to what extent do you want to follow and carry out your purpose? How far do you want to go in the direction of your purpose? Vision is painting a picture of how you want to fulfill your purpose. It’s how you see yourself fulfilling your purpose. If purpose is destiny – the end, then vision is legacy – the means to the end. Your vision should lead you to fulfill your purpose. The secret and balance of the two is using your life according to God’s perspective and creating a vision that conforms to that perspective.

Q-How has visioning impacted your life?

Vision has impacted my life greatly as it has helped me to aspire for more from life. Without my vision of becoming the greatest living authority on SIGNIFICANCE –the art of being different [unusual uniqueness] and making a difference [unusual usefulness] – by 2020, my life would have traveled a different path.

Here’s my story – the origin of MADphilips.

My unusual journey into the world of entrepreneurship began in 2005 when in my quest for survival I almost sabotaged my purpose in life. I was heading down a destructive path very quickly. What was this path? I was once an online scam artist! In my country, Nigeria, this is popularly known as “Yahoo! – Yahoo!.” How does this work? Through the internet, relationships are initiated and built between a man and a woman over a certain period of time with the intention of being together as lovers in the near future. One person out of both parties, usually the one being scammed [the maga] is completely honest, innocent and ignorant of the nefarious intentions of the other person [the scammer]. The whole objective of the scam artist [scammer] is to siphon as much money as possible from the one being scammed all the while leveraging on the emotions of love, romance and sex. The real identity of the scammer is usually hidden because a phony name, gender, nationality, location, story and even pictures are being used all through the period of interaction.  The scammer can assume any gender, male or female, depending on the availability of pictures.

Meeting Victoria

Precisely on July 2, 2005 I met a 40-year-old woman via a Yahoo chat room.  Her name is Victoria S. Jaime. She is an American who lived in Sacramento, California with three kids; Saulomon [male, 13 years old then], Petrapilar [Petra for short, female, 7 years old then] and Enereo [a special needs child; he was 4 years old then]. At that time she was working with Silicon Graphics International [SGI]. I was using the phony name “Timmy Thomas,” a phony age of 31 years, a phony location South Africa and using a phony Yahoo ID “teeblackstone” while in reality I was only just turning 21 years on the 25th of that same month of July we met. We became friends, very close friends from the moment we got to talking and it didn’t take us long to bond eventually as lovers. Just for the record, what I felt for her was absolutely real.  If you asked me, I would say everything about us was just so darn unusual.

To cut the long story short, our love for each other grew so strong that she sent me $1500 in August for a computer engineering course I previously had in mind to enroll for but couldn’t due to lack of funds. She called it an investment. We planned to see each other physically in September during my so-called visit from South Africa to see my mother who was living in Nigeria. This was when I couldn’t take it anymore. Meeting physically was against the rules of the game. There wasn’t supposed to be any physical meeting between the two parties involved, because one party was real [the maga] while the other wasn’t [the scammer]. Normally, following the rules of the game, this was supposed to be my exit point. But I did the unusual.

I quit the game!

I came clean and told her the whole truth. During one of our phone conversations, she made a statement that she was always fond of saying, “Tim, you always sound so much older and talk so much wiser than your age. You sound like you are 60!” Right there and then, I seized the opportunity and told her my real age, name, and everything else there was to confess. For about 3 hours, we were both on the phone crying and asking ourselves, why? She was so brokenhearted. I had to tell her the whole truth because I couldn’t stand not meeting her in person. Deep down inside me, I desperately wanted to meet her in person; even now, I still do!

Her impact on my life!

In case you are wondering why I was so keen on meeting her, here’s the truth; this woman Victoria S. Jaime literally changed my life! She is responsible for my rebirth, because she pointed out to me my role here on earth [my purpose]. In her very own words, she said to me,

“Tim, in all of my years, experience and education on earth, I have never had anyone, not even my teachers at the Dale Carnegie Institute, speak to me like you do. Their words never had as much impact on me as yours. Tim, your words are your wealth. That is all you need to be everything you dream in life!”

Those words gave my life a new meaning. They made me realize that I didn’t have to continue with being a scam artist anymore since I had something SIGNIFICANT to offer the world. Why go ahead with a false identity when my real identity still spoke out loudly from beneath the false identity? There was no need to be someone else when I could do the world a greater good being myself. I made a promise to myself to give this new life she had pointed out to me a chance. With the money she sent me, I refused to go for the computer engineering course she had given me the money for. Rather, I asked her permission to go for a 3- week leadership development program I had recently seen advertised at my church. She agreed and so I began the program in September. During the course of the program, I bought as many personal and business development books as possible. I also paid for and attended as many personal and business development seminars, workshops and conferences as possible. I have never stopped, nor looked back ever since.

That’s how I became who I am today – MADphilips. To always remember and commit to my just-found purpose in life, I added the acronym ‘MAD’ which stands for Making A Difference to my surname ‘Philips’ and registered it as my company name. The name stands as a reminder to me all the time of how I escaped the trap of survival and how I must help as many people and businesses as I can do the same. Today, MADphilips is fast becoming a Nigerian brand with a global appeal that is helping people and businesses become dissatisfied with SURVIVAL and showing them how to make the crucial, life-changing transition from survival to significance. I started the blog “naijapreneur!” to teach businesses and entrepreneurs how to be SIGNIFICANT because I have also seen how businesses that focus on survival [making a living] end up as mediocre. Having witnessed personally what focusing on survival can do to destroy one’s destiny in life, I am currently working on another blog iLIVE4CHANGE that will teach people how to say “No” to the trap of survival and make the transition to live a life of significance.  And finally, to help more lives become SIGNIFICANT, I intend to build a humanitarian organization called Helpers Of Destiny [HOD] to give hope to many less privileged kids of underdeveloped nations. She knows about this; we even planned on building it together.

The End and another Beginning…

Today, 6 years later, I am still online, but no longer as a scammer [teeblackstone], but as a blogger [MADphilips]. I’m no longer using my gift with words for deception but for inspiration. Today when I speak at events, I still get the same feedback I got from Victoria, “Your words are powerful; how do you know all  this and talk so deep at such a young age?” My answer is usually the same – PURPOSE. We are all but instruments in the hands of the Almighty. If, as a scammer, my gift with words was recognized in spite of all the deception, then I leave you with the greatest truth on earth -

“Your purpose can never be HIDDEN, no matter how far astray you might have gone!”

To read the full story, click here….

Q-How has visioning impacted your business?

For me, the greatest impact of visioning on my business is the clear sense of purpose it gives to our entire operation. These days as entrepreneurs, it has become increasingly difficult to really explain with clarity what our business is about, as there are many ‘me too’ businesses out there. But through visioning, I have been able to set my company apart and stand for something very tangible in the minds of my target customers. Visioning is how we chose an unusual business name – MADphilips. It is the single most distinguishing factor of our business. It is the philosophy that drives all that we do.  Our business is SIGNIFICANCE – being different and making a difference. Visioning helped us define our business.

Q-With all the tasks and responsibilities entrepreneurs face, should they invest their time in visioning?

Absolutely!

-Why?

As an entrepreneur, you are never too busy to look into the future. If you do not deliberately create the time to look into the future by creating a compelling vision for yourself and your company, there is no way you will survive long. You see, the business world is very competitive and the companies that don’t have a clear vision of where they are headed are easily eaten up alive by those competitors who do. When you don’t have a vision, every destination becomes your bus stop. Every customer becomes a prospect. Every project becomes a sale. Every applicant becomes an employee. In short, without vision, your company, product or services will be just like that of others, with no differentiation.

Q-What’s your process for visioning?

Like I said in my definition of vision, it is critical you first find a sense of purpose for your life. Purpose is your greater reason for living beyond survival. Passion, that thing which you enjoy doing and naturally excel at, is the source of your purpose. Because it comes with you from birth, your purpose was defined by the Creator. You cannot choose your passion either; no one says to himself/herself, “This is what I want to enjoy doing.” We all must submit to our passion; it is a force that consumes and inspires our life work. Once you can tell what your passion is, purpose is the contribution you want to make on earth using that passion.

Vision becomes clearer when you have found purpose. It becomes the extent to which you want to fulfill purpose. Vision is how far you want to go in the direction of your purpose.

So here it is:

Passion -> Purpose -> Vision

Q-Would you mind sharing your vision for your business and life?

My life’s vision:
“To be the greatest living authority on SIGNIFICANCE – the art of being different [unusual uniqueness] and making a difference [unusual usefulness].”   

My business vision:
“To be the global leader and authority on SIGNIFICANCE.”

Q-Anything else we should know about visioning and/or Tito Philips, Jr.?

I have written a FREE manifesto titled “The Entrepreneur’s Journey.” It is an ebook on how entrepreneurs can build SIGNIFICANT companies that change the world and profit from purpose. Click here to get your own copy FREE.

Lamborghini has Ferrari.

Batman has the Joker.

Democrats have the Republicans.

Coke has Pepsi.

Whom do you have?

You need a nemesis!  Sure, you may be just starting out.  Sure, you may have plenty of battles to fight without having to worry about a nemesis. BUT… a nemesis can catapult you towards success (yep, even if you lose the battle).  There are five reasons you need to find a nemesis:

Having a Nemesis – Forces You To Stand For Something

Mac stands for clean, simple design.  Mac stands for easy user interface.  Mac stands for artists, designers, musicians, and creative folks.  Sure, I could go into more specifics but you get the point… they stand for things that other competitors don’t.

Standing for something gives people an idea of whether or not they should be “on your side.”  The problem is that it’s easy to stand for a lot of different things, which makes it difficult for people to determine if they should join your side.  And this is why it’s also important to stand against something.

Having a Nemesis – Forces You To Stand In Opposition To Something

The Republican Party stands in opposition to abortion.  The Democratic Party is Pro-Choice.  On the other hand, the Democratic party is in opposition to tax cuts for the wealthiest, while the Republicans support lower taxes across the board. Each of these stances makes it easier for you to decide if you’re a Democrat or a Republican.

Regardless of your business (or your niche) you’re going to face a fierce battle from your competition.  As you become more successful, the battles waged by your competitors will become more fierce, and they’ll start accusing you of things that may not be true.  So go ahead, be brave and draw your line in the sand and take a stand against something (or maybe many things).

Having a Nemesis – Gives Your Critics Permission (and something specific) To Criticize

Once you draw your line in the sand it gives your critics permission to criticize you.  They’re going to criticize you anyway, but by taking a stand both for and against certain things, you’re forcing your critics to focus on the things you stand for and the things you stand against.

Having a Nemesis – Allows Your Followers To Defend You

Which do you like better, Lamborghini or Ferrari?  For me, I’ve always been infatuated with Lamborghinis. When I was a child I had a huge poster of a Lamborghini Countach hanging on my wall, and ever since I’ve been a defender of Lamborghini.  When someone says Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin, or any other brand is better than Lamborghini, I will defend and argue on behalf of Lamborghini.  The funny thing is, I’ve never driven or even ridden in a Lamborghini, but yet, I’m convinced they make the best supercars in the world.

To me, Lamborghini stands for speed, style, passion, and success.  Sure, the others stand for certain things, but they’re not as good as Lamborghini.  When you stand for certain things (whether real or perceived) you give your followers something to defend.

Having a Nemesis – Allows You To Engage Your Audience

What good would Batman be if it weren’t for The Joker?  What good would Robin Hood be if it weren’t for the Sheriff of Nottingham?  What good is your business if you don’t have something to fight for, and something to fight against? Sure, you can exist without the fight, but the fight is what people enjoy watching and participating in.

In our world of ever-shrinking attention spans, it’s more important than ever to engage your audience.  To give them something to talk about, and to participate in.  Think about Tom’s Shoes.  Did the world really need another shoe company?  Nope, the world would have kept on spinning just fine without Tom’s.

Blake Mycoskie, founder of Tom’s Shoes, took a stand.  He made a commitment that for every pair of shoes he sold, he would donate an identical pair to needy children in Africa (and elsewhere).  His “line in the sand” revolutionized the shoe industry and made him very wealthy.  His “giving” approach has drawn its fair share of critics… but has also catapulted him toward success.

Conclusion

If you’re gonna succeed, you’re gonna need a nemesis.  If you don’t already have one, decide exactly what you’re going to stand for and what you’re going to stand against, and your nemesis will appear.

“You know you have arrived when your critics do.”  – Unknown

Prior to reading Ari’s book, A Lapsed Anarchist’s Approach to Building a Great Business, I thought visioning was some “crazy” new-age meditation technique.  Boy was I wrong!

Over the past 18 months, my life and business have drastically improved thanks to Ari’s strategic approach to visioning.

In this post I was going to attempt to explain the specific steps required for creating your own vision, but couldn’t seem to do the process justice.  So, I contacted Ari and asked if I could use an excerpt from his book on the specific steps, to which he graciously agreed.

So, here is Ari:

————-

In a previous article, Why and How Visioning Works, I wrote about how the process of visioning which, as we define it at Zingerman’s, is a picture of the success of a project at a particular time in the future. I noted that a vision isn’t a strategic plan—which is the map to where we want to go. A vision is the actual destination. It’s a vivid description of what “success” looks and feels like for us—what we are able to achieve, and the effect it has on our staff. The results of practicing visioning for many years have been remarkable on both a professional and personal level. It’s helped us create a success that may not have been possible without the vision.

If you haven’t read about this concept before I strongly recommend you read the the previous article to understand the benefits of this process. This article focuses on the actual writing of the vision with steps for getting it down quickly and effectively.

Step 1: Pick Your Topic

Visioning is appropriate for projects of all sizes and every budget. We use it for creating goals for a project that will be done in five months, a dinner special that will be on the menu at 5 p.m. or big business changes that we want to achieve in five years.

Step 2: Pick the Time Frame

Most organizational visions will be somewhere between two and ten years out. Five is a fairly typical place to start. But if you are wanting to start with a smaller project, the time frame can be one week or six months.

Step 3: Quickly List Achievements

Think about the work you’re embarking on and quickly list past, positive achievements that seem related to it. Don’t spend more than ten minutes on this, you can always add more. The idea is to create a base of positive energy on which you can build success. The more people put their energy into the positive, the more likely we are to attain greatness in the visions of the future we’re engaged in creating.

Step 4: Rules for Writing the Vision

Give yourself somewhere between 15 and 30 minutes to complete the first draft. While writing a vision is hugely important, don’t let its perceived weight work against you. The results will be great regardless.

You can compose your vision in any style you like, but I want to emphasize the importance of putting the word “draft” on your document. Unless you’re writing a vision for a shift that starts in a few minutes, what you’re working on is going to get revised as you gather input from others. That said, there are a few rules to follow that really do work. If you find yourself rolling your eyes at them, I can relate because I did the same once upon a time. But I’ve done this so many times now that I can tell you flat out—if you use these, the whole thing works way better.

A) Go for something great.

The work here is about writing visions of greatness—if we don’t describe something special in the first draft, it’s not likely to get more inspiring later. Put something wild out there—I like to think about John Kennedy’s call to go to the moon; that was out there. If the early draft isn’t kind of scaring you a bit (or at least won’t scare the practical minded amongst your peer group) then you probably haven’t pushed yourself or let out your true desires.

B) Write from the heart.

A vision of greatness is about your passion and hopes for the future. If you’re the one writing it, it’s about what you believe in, what gets you excited. Even if it includes things that others have said you couldn’t or shouldn’t do.

C) Send yourself to the future.

This may sound silly, but from having done visioning work a few thousand times, I can tell you that it’s essential—write as if you’ve achieved your goal already. For example, if you’re writing a vision of a wedding you’re catering this Saturday, you might start out with: “It’s a few minutes before midnight on Saturday night. The bride and groom just headed for home, the rest of the family members are lingering. Everyone is tired, but feeling really good about the event . . .” Again, this may seem strange, but it is critical. You are always writing “we have” or &l>dquo;we are,” not “we will.”

D) Write very quickly.

In my experience, the visions that we’ve written quickly have turned out the best. So start writing. Don’t wait until the stars are perfectly aligned.

E) Use the “hot pen” technique.

Once you start writing, keep writing for 15 minutes regardless of what you’re saying or how silly or smart it might seem. Keep the pen or keys on the keyboard moving and don’t stop to self-edit. My own experience is that sometimes the most important/insightful elements of the vision are the ones that I almost didn’t write down.

F) Don’t be afraid to get personal.

Blend both personal and professional goals so that you arrive at one holistic vision or two visions (one personal and one for the organization) that are compatible and mutually supportive. If you’re running the business it makes sense that you build your passions into what you write. If you want to teach, put that in the vision. Weave in what you want to do, what gets you excited, motivated.

Step 5: Write the First Draft of the Vision

With all of those rules in mind, put down a vision draft. (See an example of a small project vision in the sidebar.) We usually start by writing: “It’s (fill in the date you’ve chosen above). I’m about to head out for the evening. There are so many great things that are going on that make it clear that our long-term vision has come to be the reality that we hoped and believed it would back when we wrote it.” Start listing what they are and just keep going until your time is up. Then put the draft aside for several days. (Obviously if you have to get it done sooner, adjust the time frame appropriately.)

Step 6: Review and Redraft

Read the statement from start to finish. My experience is that 80 or 90 percent of what I put down in that first scary rendition is right on track, but I can still work on both the content and the language. As you read through it, keep in the back of your mind: Does it sound inspiring? Do you get more excited when you’re reading it? Note that in this context, “excited” does not preclude anxiety about how to actually implement it. For some of us, the two almost always go together!

How specific should you get in your writing? Very. Don’t just say, “I want to be wealthy,” give an actual salary number or savings amount. Use a sales number that’s meaningful rather than just saying, “I want high profits.” If it is a personal goal, say, “I’m spending two weeks traveling with my kids,” rather than, “I’m spending more time with my children.” If necessary you can have up to four redrafts, but that’s the most I’d recommend.

If you aren’t the sole decision-maker, it is critical to make sure that all of the key people are on board with the vision. Without that alignment, it’s almost impossible to move forward effectively. One technique we use is to set a topic and time frame for the vision and then have each of the partners in the group draft their own vision. Once that is done, we compare the written vision drafts, combine common themes and move forward.

Step 7: Get Input from Advisors

This is when you ask people whose opinion you value to review the draft. The idea is to keep improving it and get clarity on what you mean and what it says. You can start by asking more supportive readers and then later move to more challenging ones. Remember, at this stage, most input can be helpful although you aren’t obligated to use everything that is offered up.

Step 8: Get Going!

It’s time to move forward and share the vision with everyone that will be involved in implementing it. Having a vision of greatness in writing certainly doesn’t guarantee success, nor does not having a written vision mean you’re doomed to failure. But a vision sets us up to work together toward a shared, inspiring, attainable (if also challenging) positive picture of the future.

Take it from someone who came at this all with a fair degree of skepticism and uncertainty, and resisted doing it for many years—in the end, it’s worth the effort. It’s a way more inspiring way to do business and it’s a heck of a lot more fun.

———————–

I too was skeptical at first.  But since beginning the visioning process our business revenues have increased by over 340%.  And I attribute the vast majority of that growth to the visioning process.

Visioning isn’t a complicated, or difficult process.  It just requires some time and commitment from you.  Give it a try.  Your life and business will thank you!