So Now What?

So you have taken the leap, started to market your business or venture and have laid all the ground work to move ahead.  So now what?  This is one of the most crucial stages.  I have been there where I have laid out all the plans, printed material, developed marketing and financial plans, set sales goals and started to tell everyone about my venture.  Then I stopped dead.  Did not move.  Did not do anything.  The whole thing died on the vine and I packed everything away and convinced myself it was for the best, something better, a really great idea will present itself....but nothing.
This is the time when it can take up to 80% of your effort to move over this hump.  I remember a great analogy that I was told 20 years ago.  A rocket uses 85% of its fuel to lift off, the rest is an easy coast, but the lift off is the part of the trip that needs almost all of the fuel.  I have no idea if this is scientifically accurate, but the analogy is true.  We need that huge push to start, don't let your venture die on the launch pad!

You might not hit a home run with your first business...

When I was about 10 or 11 I started my first business.  It was not wildly successful and it did not make me thousands of dollars in profit, however it did teach me a few things.  As well it was the start of a life long journey to entrepreneurship.
My "business" was selling sandwiches and snacks I made in my parents kitchen to my brothers friends who seemed to be always hungry!  Keep in mind this was in the late 60's early 70's so you can use your imagination.  They would buy most anything, they were always hungry!  Wink Wink, nudge, nudge.
This "business" only lasted a few months, but I learned a few things, the problem was at the time I did not understand what I was learning.  So even though I was learning about finding a customer who wanted or needed what you sold, sales strategy, marketing, ROI and keeping a low overhead, I did learn some lessons that are still valid today.
So your first entry into a business or an artistic venture might be a little more organised and professional than my first venture it is still your first move and you can't grow or evolve until you take that first step.
After all if my first venture was selling sandwiches to hippies when I was 10, your first move is sure to have more going for it than that.  Right?

Thanks to South Park for image!

What are you trying to start?

If you have been putting off starting or expanding your business or venture, if you have been stalling on releasing your art to the world or your town, if you have been procrastinating on doing something meaningful....Hit the Button and get started!
You can't succeed or fail or learn and move on without starting.  Ideas in your mind or even in a notebook do not count.
Push the button, start....NOW

Goals and a New Year Part 4

OK, so now is the stage of getting all of your stuff together and package it up in a simple plan for the upcoming year.
It can seem daunting if you have a list of goals and milestones and objectives.....suddenly this becomes the point where a lot of us put the notes in a drawer and wing it.  Don't stop know, this is too important to leave to chance.
You should make 3 lists.  They are: 1) Short term goals, 2) Mid Term Goals, 3) Long Term Goals.
Still with me?  Take the information you gathered from determining what worked for you and what did not over the past year, what is important to you and what are your biggest concerns.  As well write down what you decided upon as your "Big One."  This is the one goal which if accomplished would lead to an easy path to many of your other goals.  Your other goals Short, Mid and Long Term should all be helping you reach the Big One.  You might have other small goals not directly related and that is fine, but the key is to keep it simple.
On your list of short term goals list the items you want to accomplish in the next 3 months Mid Term over the next 6 months and Long Term over the next Year.
  These should all be very specific and measurable.  In other words don't list as one of your goals to have a lot of extra money, you need to be specific and state that you want to have $1000.00 in a certain account.  That is something that is specific and measurable.  As well they need to be personal goals.  You cant want to accomplish a goal for someone else.  Goals need to be personal and for you or your business.  You can't have a goal of no rain for 2 months, that is out of your control and not personal.

So list 3-5 goals in the short term. List 3-5 in the mid term and 2-4 Long Term Goals. 

These are numbers you can work with.
You should now have 3 lists with time lines and something to measure.  As well you should have your one Big Goal.  Now this is the most important part.  You have to write this down.  If you do not write the goals out you are fooling yourself into thinking you are doing anything.  Just letting them float around in your head does not work! 
I carry a small note book wherever I go.  My goals are written out in that book and I review them all the time.  When I am needing to remind myself why I am doing something or sacrificing something I use my written goals as a reminder to keep me on track.
Don't go through this whole exercise and not write them down and keep track of them.  Goals are a tool for business and personal growth and a tool needs to be used to be useful.

Goals and a New Year Part 3

You should have had some time to reflect on the items mentioned in the previous post.  What worked in the last year, what did not work, what is important to you and what are your biggest concerns.
There is one very important point you need to consider before putting the package together.
What is your Big One?
Everyone has or needs to have that one big goal, that one that when you think about it makes you a little nervous or scares you just a bit.  This is your major definite purpose, to steal a line from Brian Tracey.
This is the big one that pushes you along to all your other gaols.
Think about this one and tomorrow we will look at packaging everything up into a plan you can actually use for the next 12 months.

Goals and a New Year Part 2

In yesterdays notes I spoke about how I have learned to look at goals and reviewing where you have been.
Recently I have been looking for a more effective method and one of the ways I have found is by using the four questions I put down yesterday as a starting point.
Just to review they are:
1- What is important to you?
2- What are you biggest concerns?
3- What went well for you this past year?
4- What did not go so well for you this year?
Before we get into the nut and bolts of goals and planning a year ahead that will help bring you closer to your objectives, I will give you my thoughts on what these four questions mean to me.

1- What is important to you?  For me this question asks what are you willing to sacrifice and work and sweat for?  If you don't know the answer to this question, and it does not have to be one thing it can be a list of up to six, anything more than six and you will find yourself overwhelmed, then if you don't have an answer take the time to think about what matters most to you.  It could be getting published, or having financial security in a certain amount of cash, or being a better parent, whatever your list of life important items you need to identify them so you are moving in that direction with your goals or you will have conflict that keeps you from accomplishing your important goals.

2- What are you biggest concerns?  I have always found that my biggest concerns or worries are the inverse of my most important goals.  Sometimes identifying your biggest concerns helps you identify your most important goals.  For example if my biggest concern is always about financial security, one of my most important goals is very likely to resolve this situation.  Thinking about this can really help you identify your most important goals.

3- What went well for you this past year?  This helps to define what worked and what you can feel good about.  These are the things that help build your belief in yourself and your goals.

4- What did not go so well for you this year?  This can seem a little like a downer, but it will help you to identify what needs work and perhaps what needs to be stroked off the list.  If I keep finding myself  doing poorly in say finances, then I need to examine this more closely.  I don't need to beat myself up about it, but I do need to realise that perhaps I need help from an expert, or I need to make a stronger commitment to that goal.  These are not meant as a list for you to have a pity party or to be beating yourself  up with this list, it is meant to make sure you have your eyes wide open to what is working and what is not.

In tomorrows blog I will take this to the next step in starting to pull everything together.

Goals and a New Year..Part 1 of a series

The very first item that needs some consideration is this: How can you possibly expect to achieve a target if don't know what you are aiming for?
I am always amazed when someone tells me they can't seem to hit their business or personal goals and I ask to review them with them and they tell me " oh I don't have specific hard goals or anything written down, I just have them in my head where I want to be."  WHAT!!!!!
That is like playing a game of hockey without the nets and you just sort of shoot the puck around and hope you win the game.
Life does not work like this, without a clear, written plan and goals you might achieve success, you might do okay, you might even have a great life.  However the odds are stacked against you, when you realise that the businesses, ventures, and people who are most successful are the ones who set goals, work towards them and monitor the progress.
So here is the very first part of this series, before you start planning what you want in 2012 and where you want to be in the future, you need to take a minute or 30 and start making some notes on the following items:
1- What is important to you?
2- What are you biggest concerns?
3- What went well for you this past year?
4- What did not go so well for you this year?
Ask yourself these questions, in writing, and you will have started to lay the foundation for accomplishing your goals in the coming months and years.
In the next session we will review what these answers mean and how they can help you direct your energy in the future.
To be continued.........

Time to reflect

We are approaching that time of the year where the days wind down of the present year and the promise of a brand new shiny year is on the horizon.  I have always been conflicted with New Years and resolutions and evaluating the past 365 days.  However I feel that I have a few ideas now as to how to do this in a painless and honest way that will leave you with something more on January 1st than a bad hangover.
I will share a couple ideas a day for the next few days starting tomorrow, and this time next year we can evaluate how well they worked together.
I hope you will at least give them a shot, it might be the push you need to get to the next level.

Where do your best ideas come from?

Some of my best ideas have come to me from other people!  Yes I hear what someone is talking about and bam!  I have an idea based on what information someone else has told me or what I have read.  I am not shy about admitting that I get a lot of good ideas from other folks.  I add some fertilizer, water and nurture and I have something that turns out to work quite well.
I am not afraid to say thanks or give credit, I find in most cases the people who give me the seeds I start with are quite surprised that I have turned what they said or wrote into a productive idea.  However they are always happy that they shared something with me that clicked.
So why do some folks just refuse to accept anther's idea because they feel it has to come from inside themselves to be any good?
This puzzles me when someone will flat out reject a colleagues ideas just due to ego.  Or is it something else.  I see things in a different way.  If a business or venture gets some help from someone outside the ownership or artist, and that help moves it ahead even a little bit, who cares who's idea it was?   Success finds its way to the venture or business that is open to the universe.  I would rather get 100 ideas from other people and prosper than come up with one on my own and flounder.

So you made a mistake...

Back when I was in my early twenties, I was managing an automotive store and garage for Goodyear when they leased the space in Woolco Department Stores.  If you remember that name, you realise I am not in my twenties anymore!
As a manager I was responsible for the staff, the garage, the inventory and some of the promotional ideas.
Every two weeks I had to place a tire order to Goodyear for our stock to cover sales and events.
One of these times I screwed up and placed the same order 3 times in the same day.
A week later the truck came, I was expecting around 100 tires.  They kept coming and coming until there were over 300 tires plus the 100 or so I already had.
I could not send them back and the store which had to carry the inventory until it sold was at a high "freak-out" level.
I needed to move at least 250 tires in 2 weeks.  I did not panic, at least not on the outside, I led them to believe I wanted that order and we would clear them out.
I called in all the staff, I made a couple of posters that I put up in the back rooms and office announcing a contest.
The staff member who could sell the most tires would win a bucket of cold hard cash, beer and chicken wings and a date with Tanya Tucker, most of the guys were country fans and she was a hot prospect at the time!
We pushed promoted and gave "special deals" until we cleared out the stock.
Everyone was happy, the inventory was gone, we had sold it all at good margins and had gained a lot of new customers.
The young guy who was one of the assistant managers won the contest.  No one knew what to expect, but I took all of the staff out for beer and chicken wings, I gave the winner a bucket of frozen coins, about $30.00 in cold,hard,cash, and everyone had such a blast that they forgave me for not bringing them Tanya Tucker, although I tried to pass off a few other girls I introduced them to as her, we all had a great time and everyone came out feeling good about the whole experience.

I tell this story as this was not my first big mistake, but it was the first one that I was going to be held feet to the fire for so it was one that sticks with me, and it all worked out.
There were several side benefits to the screw-up.
1- We all started to work better together after that bit of bonding.
2- We gained some new customers as the promoting we did helped bring in people who might not have come our way.
3- We all had some fun that gave us something to talk about for some time to come.
So you make a mistake, ask where can you take that mistake to turn it into a positive.  You might surprise yourself if you relax for a minute and think just in solutions, you will be surprised.

So what is the worst that could happen?

No matter what decision you make regarding your venture or business, it is very unlikely this will be the outcome!
I keep talking to people who are on the edge, the verge of doing something meaningful, but they can't quite make it over the "What if" hump.  This is the stumbling block that keeps us locked away in our version of security doing something that is less than art.  I struggled with this myself, and still need to fight this demon on a regular basis, as that little voice keeps whispering to me to find something secure with a pay cheque and stay there in the safety of the corporate cocoon.  I find the demon easier to fight now that I accept it as part of me, let it speak and then move forward.
It takes courage for the first leap, but everyone afterwards gets a little easier.
Ask yourself what is the worst that could happen and if you are honest you will find the answer rather amusing and not very scary at all.

Who are you partners with?

If you are in a small business or venture, you need to ask yourself who your partners are.  If you are truly trying to be  successful are you working with businesses that are like minded?
We often talk about wanting to be part of the small business and local venture, but we look for goods and services from the faceless corporation with one hand and with the other we wave the flag of  small independent ventures.  We want to be part of a successful venture but we spend time with the equivalent of empty calories by spending our time with people or businesses that don't help our growth.
So decide where you spend your time and energy and how you use your resources from your venture.

It does not cost anything to be extraordinary

If your business or venture is something you love to do, being extraordinary and standing out does not cost, however it does take the commitment to want to be extraordinary.
There are a lot of average and below average businesses out there so it does not take you giving away the world to stand out. 
When you are willing to give yourself to your venture or business it shows through in being better than the majority.  That's the great thing about the small business or single person venture, you do not need to get every ones approval and buy in to stand out, you just have to decide to do it.
If you are truly doing your art, being extraordinary is a simple decision.

Forgive my indulgence today!

This is one of the few times I will allow myself to personally indulge myself on here.
Today is my son Kyle's 17 birthday.  I can't believe how fast 17 years has gone by, and I have been blessed by every minute of them!
It is times like these that make you realize that time is that one commodity that we can't hoard, save, tuck away or bargain for more of.  We all get 24 hours a day and that is it.  How you spend them is your only choice. 
The last 17 years have flown by for me and they have been filled with adventure thanks to Kyle.  I have played, watched movies and shows I might never have seen, was exposed to sports I had no understanding of prior to this, learned about new music and came to love some great bands in the process thanks to Kyle's eclectic taste in music!  I have made friends I may not have met and saw places I might not have gone if not for sharing them with him. 
So 17 years gone by like the wind but full of adventures and stories.  I can't wait to see what the next 30 years will be like.  I have a feeling I better hold on because my son is full of adventure and life and love of seeing new people and places.  He has taught me more than I could ever teach him.
Happy Birthday Pal!

How do you decide what is important?

So which task is the most important, which project should get your attention, which team needs to be looked after today?
These are only a few of the questions that people in business or ventures ask themselves several times a day.
The difficult part is not deciding but the real challenge is in taking the action rather then spending valuable time sweating it out over which direction to take.
It can be difficult to decide when you are in the small business or venture and you have no one to delegate to but your cat, but actually this makes the decisions easier.
On the other side of the coin, if you are in a large company and you need to decide where to focus this day or this hour it is harder, as you have a litany of processes and procedures to follow that tell you that your department is to support this and that and you are to ensure sales are up and paperwork is complete and you are doing everything while following the policy book...
IF you are on your own and you need to decide which path to follow today, what tasks need to get the attention this hour it is a little simpler.  You ask your self the same question over and over: "Why am I doing what I am doing?"
If you keep asking this and answer honestly your path becomes clear.
If you are doing this to make as many sales as possible every month, then your focus has to move to the sales function, you spend your time out shaking hands, if your reason is to express your art in a manner that does not compromise than your path is to work on your art and make it available to those that can appreciate it, if your reason to be in this business or venture is to leave a lasting legacy, then you have a path to follow that will lead you to longevity and a product or service that will not compromise in quality.
Knowing why you are in business or working a venture is the greatest way to forge a clear path in your daily life.
It does not always work that simply there will be days of tax returns, writing code to update your website or figuring out how to use new software.  However the path becomes so much clearer when you have an honest answer to the question "Why am doing what I do?"

So how about that local sports team?....

We have all been there, those awkward moments when we are getting ready to start a business meeting or presentation and we are looking at our shoes for something clever to say to keep the conversation going.  Nothing comes out.  We have all experienced it, and we all have marvelled at the folks who seem to just get in and start a conversation with anyone.  What is their secret?  Are they born with some great talent for conversation?
I struggled with this early on in my business life and I have never become some great conversation master, however I have found a few things that help.
Keep in mind I have gone through times when I felt as awkward as a 12 year old on his first date and have gone through waves of meeting that I thought afterwards "hey I should host my own late night talk show!"
The best has been the steady middle where I have been able to start and hold those great conversations that lead to a real successful meeting.  What helped?  These are a few of my thoughts:
1- Practice, like jumping into a cold pond, at first you shake and shiver, but after a while you wonder what all the fuss was about.  By practice I mean start conversations every chance you get.  Waiting for the elevator, in a slow checkout line, walking by someone out raking the leaves.  These are all low risk situations.  You are not going to blow a business relationship or wreck a good venture by having a bad conversation in these situations.  They will however, give you practice, and confidence.  Eventually you will become someone who easily starts conversations.

2- Remember that everyone has that one favorite topic: Themselves!  We all love to talk about us, our experiences, our business, how we got started in selling brake parts in New York, our kids, our dogs, etc.  We all need someone who will listen to us in earnest.  If you can do this and listen to people with real interest you have broken through the biggest barrier.

3-Work on remembering little points of interest about people you meet.  You will be surprised how many people are amazed that we remember that they collect old beer bottles, or they have 8 cats or they are a big fan of professional cricket.  I think we are amazed and impressed by this trait as so few people take the real time to listen and absorb what someone is saying.  We tend to be thinking of our response while the other person is talking so we can get our 2 cents in and there is no way you can absorb and really listen when you are doing this.  Try listening as if you can't respond, your lips are sewn shut you can only listen.

Simply put the best way to get good at these conversations is to keep having them, be a good listener and remember what someone says.  The greatest conversationalists are the ones who say the least and get the other person talking.

Cape Fear

I love horror and thriller movies, hence the title I choose for this post.  But this is about a different kind of fear.
There is that built in protection that we all have called "FEAR."  Fear will keep you on the sidelines, will get you to spend years planning and scheming but the minute you try to take that first step, fear will tell you to go have another coffee, watch some more TV and that you will feel better if you do some more planning.  Fear will keep you tightly wrapped in your comfort zone until it is certain you have surrendered any ideas of venturing outside of that tight, warm little cocoon.
Why do you think so many great successes you read about had $1.00 a week to live on, got kicked out of school in grade 4, lived in a shoebox in a cold dark alley, and so on.  OK some exaggeration, however, how many great lives have you read about where someone overcame great hardship and difficulty only to become wildly successful?  You remember those stories, you don't remember the ones where the nice rich lady who had all the advantages in life went on to become the President and CEO of XYZ company.
You remember the ones where it seemed like it would have been easier for them to quit after all they had a lot of real fears to face.  You like and remember these stories because they resonate with that part of you that says " stop giving into the fear, go and take that first step."
Fear is overcome by action, take the step and move toward what you most want to deliver.
Fear will keep you on the couch and in the cubicle, fear will keep you from accomplishing your goals.  Fear is easy to give into but terrible to live with especially when you know you want to put your art out there.   Fear can be overcome by action.  Fear is that scary monster.  Fear keeps you from even trying. 
The good news is that you can overcome the fear and slay the monster, just get in the habit of taking the next step.  Action is like turning the light on after watching the horror movie, suddenly it's not so scary.

What are you Waiting For?

It is not going to get started itself.
I can empathize with the procrastination and the folks who put off making a difference in their lives by doing whatever their art is.  By art I am using a term from Seth Godin, art meaning not just painting or writing but running a business, publishing yourself, selling homemade cat boots, consulting to sales people, teaching mountain climbing or whatever it is that you use to express yourself in your truest self.
The list of possibilities are endless, but the list for each individual is those few ways that are really, really meaningful. 
We each need to find that and we each need to put it out there.
In the case of a business or venture, which is what I speak to mostly, it will not start itself.
If anything if you leave it to the fates and the wind to pick up your venture and send it out to the masses, you will be disappointed.
Watch the first step it's a doozy!  But after that taking the next and the next step gets easier.
You need to start somewhere, start now right where you are, what are you waiting for?

What I wish I had learned in school...

I wish that I had realized in school that getting the highest mark did not matter, I wish I had learned that standing up and making a mistake or being wrong would have been a better lesson than sitting quietly in my seat and letting everyone think I was right, I wish I learned that looking for the art I loved to do would have been better than listening to the well meaning guidance counsellor and their thoughts of what would be a good future.
I had to go through a lot of crap and hard learning to realize that doing my true art was what would make me happy and what would allow me to make a real contribution to my world.
I guess I had to learn some things the long hard way, and perhaps that was helpful in my being able to do what I really love, however if I could offer school age me some advice it would have been to look inside, try and find how I can express my art and don't be afraid to screw up once and a while, or even quite often as that is where you will discover what form and message your art can take.
If you are listening mistakes and screw ups are not the end of the world for a history paper or a book report or an algebra test.  You can make these mistakes, you can stretch your limits and walk outside your comfort zone.  Later in life when you are looking to get your art delivered, it's not the "A" in math or History that will make the difference, but the fact that you have the courage to try something new or push yourself definitely will!

Where do you get your inspiration from?

What is the source of your inspiration?  Whether it is for your business or your art or your life, where do you find your inspiration?
Some of us find it in nature, some of us in history others find it in music. 
I think of where my inspiration comes from and one of the best sources of inspiration for my and my business/art is from the stories of others.

When I hear the true life stories of how others made it from nothing and with nothing but a desire and the dream to do something great, that inspires me.
I was listening to some stories on the radio this morning of how bands like Pearl Jam and The Clash came to be something great with a mix of chance meetings, love of music and a desire to get their art out to the world.
These stories inspire me, when I realize that if I truly have this desire to get my word out I can, with just the right mix of chance, determination and inspiration.
So if you are on the edge and trying to get your art in the hands of the world you need to find your source of inspiration that will keep you moving towards your desires, your inspiration is out there and it might just be that little push that will get you over the hump.

Lose the rear view mirror

Why do we keep looking back at what we think was great.  We keep wanting to look back at what worked 1 year ago or 5 years ago or even 20 years ago.
So much has changed in the way consumers and businesses decide what to buy and where to buy it.  The notion that what worked before should work now is not always the best one to follow.  Sure there are exceptions, but they are few.  I find it frustrating when people and business groups keep looking in that rear view mirror and insisting that they want that again.  If you do your going in the wrong direction.  Either turn around and go back in time or stop using the rear view mirror as a crutch.  The view is much more spectacular out the windshield then it is in the small rear view mirror!

Are you working hard to avoid starting?

So you have the great idea, the great artistic venture but you are stuck in planning mode.
It is easy to get lost in planning and scheming, to spend countless hours working on the plan, but never executing.
Yes a good plan is important but the reason you have this desire to express yourself in a business or artistic venture is not to keep planning but to ship.
Stop planning and ship,  You need to start somewhere and you need to get away from the trap of perfection.
It is never going to be perfect it is never going to be without flaws.

Once you can accept that your venture has it holes and it is without perfection you can start working on what really matters.  What really matters is your product or service or art, not perfection but letting it go as is and growing from there.  Time will still go by, but it is what you do with it that counts.
Get it out there in all it's flaws and holes and missing pieces and work on improving as you go.  It is far More important to launch and learn than to keep holding back because you feel you can do just a little better.

Bad Chicken and a Chance to be Better!

OK so my chicken wasn't that bad but still.
I recently went to one of my favorite take out restaurants for chicken at lunch time while in the office.
I took it back to the office, it was a 10 minute drive away, and I was ticked when I opened it.  The sauce was all water there were perhaps 10 french fries and the chicken was hard as a rock.
I did not have time to go back as I had an afternoon of meetings.
When I was caught up I drove back to the restaurant at around 4:00 and brought in the lunch and my receipt.
I calmly explained the problems and the manager said, "lets get you a fresh lunch."  At this point I was not interested in eating lunch and I had to get back for one more meeting before 5:00.  I explained that to him and said "how about just a refund?"
This is where he had a chance to shine.
Instead he mumbled something opened the register and gave me my $9.47, and said in a most insincere way "sorry."
I have been in those shoes and I know from experience that this is when you make a life time customer or you lose one.  Instead of really trying to  empathise with me and my wasted trips to and from the restaurant and having no lunch he simply wanted me to go away so he would not have a problem to look at.
Now he does not have me as a customer anymore, and in the grand scheme of things that is not a big deal, one little disillusioned customer, or is it?
I always tell clients I work with and employers as well, it is a lot easier and a lot less costly to keep a client then it is to keep replacing ones you lose.
What's one bad chicken between friends!

When will schools start teaching what is needed?

OK, to start I am not putting down teachers or schools.  Most of the teachers I have come across really do want to make a difference in the lives of students.  The real problem lies with the fact that we are teaching kids how to get good grades, how to get an A, how to pass a test and how to write down information from a book or the Internet in a nice neat package.
I have come to realize that what we really need in the workforce and in life is the complete opposite of what they teach in school.
I am working with people who are afraid to make a mistake because they still think they need to get an "A", when what they need is to take a chance and maybe get a "C" but at least try something new.
The best work is the stuff that lets you stretch, forces you to grow and take chances.
The school system wants kids to write neat, answer the question the exact way in the book, memorize the answers so you can spit them out.  We need people who scribble and guess and take a chance with the outcome in order to really produce something great.  It seems like an impossible dream.
Perhaps we need an antischool before joining the workforce or the artist way?

Small is Big

I keep hearing people talking down about being small.
Small business, small ventures, small projects, these are the ones that will move our cities, towns and our country.
I won't quote the stats but they all tell the same story: small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy and they will continue to be our saving grace.
The days of Ford, IBM, Bethlehem Steel, General Dynamics and the such ruling the roost of our economy are over.
Yes big business still controls a large portion of the economy and the trade, but small business is what will keep the wheels turning.
Small business has the ability to turn the sharp corners and adjust and grow with freedom and ease compared to the large corporations of the day.
Embrace your small venture and nurture it.  It is not only a true economic growth, it is one of the only ways that we as individuals can express our art, our talent and our essence.  The small venture will allow you to be free in ways being part of a large corporation will never do.  If you are in a small venture or business, let go of your need to feel big.  Being small has infinite potential for expression and enjoyment and satisfaction.

Wait, what did you say?

I was blown away today by a sign in a local Starbucks.
It is in a strip plaza across the road from 2 high schools.
It said: " Students of xxxx and xxxx schools.  Welcome to our Starbucks location and please ask for your 10% discount off any lunch sandwich or snacks served during the hours of 11:00 am and 2:00 pm.
We value your business and welcome you to our store."
I could not believe it.
I had been reading signs in stores and restaurants all around the province for years that basically said, hey high school students get stuffed, we don't trust you and don't like you hanging around our establishment.  OK I paraphrased slightly, but that was the gist of most of these signs.
Kudos to Starbucks.  The kids are alright after all!

Take the first step......

It sounds corny but there is that quote by Lao Tzu "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
Every successful person or business or venture starts with that first step, that first conscious decision to move ahead to the next step and the next.
Many of the people who take these first steps do not continue past the first few the successful are the ones who take the first step the second and the the third.  Even if someone falls then the next step and the next are what moves past the ordinary to the great.
I have taken many first steps, but only in a few cases have I taken the next and the next.
It is no coincidence that those occasions were the ones that brought me success.
Don't underestimate the first step, and then take another one each day.  The cumulative result of many steps will be a great journey.

Why are you so afraid to laugh?

I know we live in serious times, life is full of uncertainty, there are a lot of things going on to worry about.  Not just in your business or your workplace but in the world in general.  I hear it so often, "I need to convey a professional image, I can't go around with a smile on my face".  WHAT???????????
Since when does being surly compute to success?  I come across a lot of folks in business who are afraid to laugh, smile, tell a joke or spread some happiness all in the name of being professional.
I grew up with the idea that having a good sense of humour and being able to laugh at yourself is one of the greatest virtues. 
Do you really think you are serving your clients and your employees better by being serious all the time?  Some of the most successful and enjoyable companies I have been associated with are the ones where the leaders lead with humour and a smile.  I am not saying that you need to go around laughing all day long, however you do need to lighten up if you are guilty of being serious all the time.
I know people who work in some grim businesses such as Funeral Homes and with people who are dying and they have the greatest senses of humour.  They have learned that there success and survival depends on them being able to find humour in life's toughest jobs.  If these folks can have a laugh can't you?  Are you dealing in such a grim business that you can't lighten up a bit?
There is an old saying, not sure where it came from, "If you are light in your life it is easy for others to lift you up and help you along the way!"
Go ahead smile, make your day. 

It's Classic Rock

A lot of people in my age group enjoy classic rock.  We hear the songs of our youth and it takes us back to a time of good memories, good times and we smile. 

Those old sounds make us happy as they help us remember the good times we had in "those days."
What is it about those days that bring us pleasure and a feeling of delight.  There was something special about those days.
If we enjoy classic rock, think of how much we might enjoy "classic service" or "classic product quality."
These are some of the classics we should try to bring back.  I feel disappointed a lot of the time especially in restaurants, the service and quality is not there in many cases.
I have worked with some restaurant owners in the past and some who have aspired to start one and they seemed to have a common thread: "there are already dozens of places in my town or city that have a similar menu as I do, how do I stand out?"
A lot of the time the answer is pretty simple, stand out from the crowd by offering service and quality that no one has seen in a long time, some classic rock!
Yes the music is a metaphor for service and quality gone by, but when was the last time you had a really good burger, homemade, fresh toppings or a really great sandwich or homemade soup?
It is not so much of a time of years gone by, however it is an example of how many businesses start off with great service, high quality, you get that amazing sandwich and homemade soup and you tell all your friends about it and they love it then one day it became mediocre.  The service is so-so, the sandwich is blah and you wonder what happened.  They became complacent in the success and cut corners and became like one of the many offering something less than memorable.
They sure could do with some Classic Rock, and a return to what made them different in the first place.
Does your business need to get back to the classics?

Feeling Overwhelmed?

That feeling like there is no way you can get done the mountain of paperwork, or write another 20 chapters, or paint 4 more commissions......
We have all been there, under that mountain of work and commitments with no way out.
I have been feeling that myself lately. 
Yesterday I was feeling the pity party coming and I was looking for someone to tell how bad it was and listen to me whine because I had too much to take care of.   One problem, no one was around to attend my party and listen to my excuses, when I realized "wait a minute, I did this myself, no one forced me to take on all of this." 
That's when it hit me that I had invited all of this work and challenge.  That's when it hit me that I needed the challenge and I needed to find a way through this.  I started to take everything apart and put it into order and worked through the stacks.
This was an eye opener for me into my own ways and means.
I really started to examine all areas of my life and I started to see the pattern.  I always pushed myself and got myself in situations because I felt I had to be up against the wall to accomplish anything.  I have come to realize that I don't need to live like this, I can take control of my business and my finances and my creative endeavours without letting myself get backed into a corner every month with something new pushing me to me limits.
I have taken the first step, I realized I don't want nor need to live this way. 
You don't need to live that way or run your business that way either.  I took the first step, now I am moving on to the next and the next.  But first I have to clean up this mess once and for all, then I can stop living this way, and I am looking forward to not having this stress, and guess what you do not need it!

Oh What a Ride Life can be!

I have never been on a real big roller coaster, I was once on a old wooden one back in 1980 and have always been afraid of them.
This weekend someone close to me who has never been on a roller coaster before took the leap and spent hours with his friends riding roller coasters that I knew would have freaked me out and I always thought he had a phobia about these roller coasters and heights in general.
But he rode them and loved them and can't wait to do it again.

This made me think of many areas of my life, where I held back from taking the rides in life and instead just walked around the park and watched others ride the rides of life, metaphorically speaking,  have the fun and the adventure.
It is funny how some of the simple things in life can inspire you.  After witnessing the thrill he had from his adventure, I thought about how many times I held back in life.  So I am feeling inspired today.  I may not ride any roller coasters, however I am going to take the leap in some other areas of my life including my business.  I encourage you all to take a look at what you have been holding back from doing, what are your "roller coasters" in your life and business?  Go ahead, take the ride, you just might get hooked!

My continued rant on the negative...

So I started on this rant about avoiding the negative people who are trying to bring you down.  I would like to clarify that a lot of time the people in your life who might try to discourage you from your venture are not doing it to be mean or for spite.  In most cases these folks mean well but may not have found their passion.  This can keep them from seeing how much your passion means to you.  You need to vaccinate yourself against this.  One of the ways is to find sources of inspiration.  There will be someone in your life who will encourage you and you need to find a bond with them.
Also you have at your fingertips in the Internet a world full of people who found their passion and built their life around it.  That's why I am giving you links to some of the best ones to read and emulate.  After all if you are going to emulate anyone why not someone who is successful and believes others can be as well.
Here are a few of my favourites:

Gappingvoid by Hugh McLeod

Seth Godin

It's a tough time to be an optimist!

I can't help but notice that there are a lot of people telling us how bad everything is, how the economy sucks, the earth is going to explode, everyone is at war, it is a really terrible time!

If you listen to all the negative stuff floating around you might feel like curling up in a ball in your basement waiting for the end of the world. 
Just remember that ever since the invention of the printing press, it is the bad news that sells.  How many people rush out to grab a copy of the newspaper with a nice headline on the top of the page or who rushes to turn up CNN when they are running a story of some great success?  Does not happen.
Negative sensationalism is what sells, unfortunately.
It makes it tough to be an optimist, especially if you are trying to grow a business or an artistic venture.
But it is times like this that let the real gems blossom and grow.  You need to keep your focus off the negative.
That is one of the reasons I don't watch much of the reality shows where some obnoxious chef or pompous business person yells and barks at people telling them how horrible they are.  Who needs this?
If you are starting out don't be caught up by the naysayers and the people who will tell you how hard it is and how likely you are to fail.  Some of these folks might even be your family and they are trying to tell you this under the guise of they are concerned about you and don't want you to be disappointed.
Hogwash! When anyone tries to express themselves artistically or in a business they are passionate about, there will be more than enough experts and concerned family and friends to bring you back to reality.  What we are short on is people telling us to go for it.
So you need to seek out the positive, the successful and the happy.  It is not to say that thinking positive thoughts will make it all rainbows and bags of cash, it is hard work to do something you love, but the rewards are worth it.
I would rather get scraped and bruised making my way to my goals than to sit comfortably living a life that is safe but not my life.  The encouragement is out there, look for it, embrace it and welcome it in your life.
That way when Aunt Mamie or your brother-in-law Tom says you can't do that, at least you have some defenses built in to encourage you to smile and nod and keep doing it anyway.
This is an important topic, so over the next few days I am going to share some site to blogs and books of the people who will encourage you and who have helped keep me going.

So what do we do next?

One of my favorite cartoons growing up was Bugs Bunny.  There was something about Bugs.  He always knew what to do next.  Someone trying to evict him out of his hole?  No problem.  A hunter pointing a shotgun at him? No problem.  Sent to Mars with no way home?  No problem.   Bugs always knew what to do next.

This really should not be a complicated question.  What do we do next?  Well if you just made a great sale what you do next is make another one.  If you just landed a new client, what you do next is make sure you do everything you can to wow them at every interaction with your organization.  If you just lost a client, what you do next is try to work them back as a client if possible.   If you just really ticked off a customer, what you do next is pull out all the stops to make it right.  You always need to be asking the question " So what do I do next?"  This will keep you moving no matter the circumstances or situation, always asking what do I do next will help make sure you keep moving whether you are hit with a roadblock or celebrating an achievement you always need to keep moving and asking what do I do next.
You could have worse role models than Bugs Bunny, he always knew what to do next.

There are a lot more people after that same piece of pie..

A few years ago there were a lot less people chasing your slice of the pie, meaning your clients.
Now with a slower economy and less clients, less new prospects, there is a lot of competition coming out of the woodwork looking for business.  Some of these businesses may not even come close to competing with yours but they are getting in the mix and chasing your clients and making it more difficult for you to provide your best for your clients.

 You need to decide if you are going to try and compete down in the dirt and amongst the trunk slammers who are trying to get your piece of pie, or are you going to focus on providing the best for your clients and make them yours.  You will need to chose on where you put your efforts, on delivering WOW to your clients and not compromising or putting all your energy into trying to get an extra sliver of pie from the wolves.  The choice is yours, choose wisely.

I'm Not Crazy!

Albert Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.  So many of the people I meet on a daily basis must be a little crazy, perhaps myself included.

My concern is more with the folks who own and operate small businesses.  I see a lot of them making the same mistakes over and over and scratching their heads when they kept getting the same lame results.  So where do we go from here.
It is not as complicated as it might seem.   If you keep doing the same thing and you want the same results you are getting well good for you bunky, keep on trucking.  If you keep doing the same thing and you want different results then change what you are doing.  You might have to admit you were wrong, you might have to make some mistakes and learn a little along the way but if that's what it takes to get the results you want that sure beats walking around talking to yourself in the dark and insisting your way must be right.
So who is crazy now?

What is it you do?

I was attending an event recently when I was listening in on some conversations.  I witnessed a couple of conversations that confused me.  I always believe that if you are a small business owner or you have an artistic venture, you owe it to yourself to tell others what you do just in case they can help you spread the word or even do business with you. 

A couple of the people there I know had recently started businesses and I listened to them meet new people and not once did they take 30 seconds to tell them about their business.  I know it sounds like schmaltzy sales talk but you need to spread the word, and even if you are not that comfortable in this role having a easy, well rehearsed commercial about your business or venture helps.
You need to tell people what you are doing and why.  Who knows who that new person will introduce you to or tell about your venture.  The word will spread but only if you start the ball rolling.

Back to Basics

So I have been trying to move a sales department ahead and it hit me I was trying to get them swimming before we even made it to the beach!

I realized that they had got so far off course we needed to make a path to the water before we started swimming.  When you reach this point you need to get back to basics and plan and set goals and identify where you are and where you want to be.
So we are going to get back to basics, identify our strengths, set some targets and determine the best way to get there. 
Once we have moved on these ideas we can get to swimming and even surfing.
There is no shame in getting back to basics as long as you keep moving forward.
See you on the beach!

Take a note...

If I could offer one piece of advice to anyone trying to grow a business or a push a venture to the next level it would be a very simple one.  Forget your American Express Card, don't leave home without your notebook.

It is simple advice but advice I was given many years ago.  I never go anywhere without my little notebook.  I think of an idea, see something that I want to research later, have a quick thought about a project and I make a note.  If you wait until you are back home or in your office, chances are you will forget the important parts and struggle to express your thoughts that seemed so clear when they first hit.
So don't leave home without your notebook, but more important use it!

Just one more thing...

I grew up in the days of the really good cop and detective shows, Starsky & Hutch, Baretta, Manix, Man from U.N.C.L.E., Harry O and one of my favorites Columbo!

Lt.Columbo, played by Peter Falk, was an awesome show.  Columbo was a homicide cop who wandered around with a cigar, a rumpled overcoat and this unkempt look of  a bit of a bumbling but pleasant guy.  But he hid a genius.  The genius was that he was always asking that one more question, he had this loose thread that he kept pulling at until it all came together.
In  sales this is sometimes the perseverance and curiosity that makes the difference.  I did a study of contacts for a sales force and determined that it took an average of seven touches to get an opportunity to quote.  We showed this data to the sales force to help them understand that even though you might feel frustrated after getting nowhere 3 or 4 times you had to pull a Columbo.  If you felt that there was something there you had to keep going back for the "Just one more thing."

You need to keep showing up!

Woody Allen once said " 90% of Success is showing up."  This is simple but in a certain way it is true. 
Anyone can pull off something great once or twice, but it takes showing up everyday to get the continuous results.  This often means that for the first while of showing up everyday your results might stink.  I know I have experienced times when what I was doing seemed pathetic, but I loved it so I showed up each day and without warning or fanfare I was suddenly "good" at it. 
I have never heard yet of anyone who became successful in their chosen field who said " eh, it just happened.  I didn't practice or work at getting better or try to learn something, it just happened and here I am a great success."

It just does not work that way.  Success is showing up every day, delivering something even if it stinks, and working at getting better, learning and growing. 
Then it just happens.

Thanks Steve!

So we lost a man of vision and inspiration.  Steve Jobs showed the world what we could do, and provided a remarkable way to share it.
When someone like Steve Jobs dies we can't do anything about it but we can do something with it.  If nothing else be inspired to be great!  So Thank You Steve from every wild eyed believer working in their garage or basement or a corner of their apartment on their dream.  Thanks.
Rest Easy Mr. Jobs.

You Can't Do It All

I have often wondered why some business owners feel they need to be the expert at every part of their business.  Why do you feel you need to have your hand in everything?

I understand the feeling of a venture started by one person and at times it feels like a child, however we trust our children to other professionals for aspects of their lives, right?  We send them to teachers, doctors, dentists, music teachers and other experts.  If we can trust our children to experts in areas that we are not qualified to deal with, should we not be able to turn over certain areas of our business venture to experts?  Let your business be an expression of yourself and it will grow, don't be afraid to put your efforts into your passion and accept help from the experts in areas that you lack experience or passion.

Driving with my eyes closed......

When I was young I had an uncle who used to drive with his eyes closed.  I am sure looking back he was just squinting, a lot, but back then it seemed he was driving down the back roads with his eyes shut.  It used to scare the hell out of me and my brothers and sister.  We thought he was going to get us killed driving and talking and spinning his head around with his eyes shut.  I imagine that it must be a similar feeling for the folks who work at companies, especially smaller ones, where the "leaders" are driving the business down the road with their eyes closed.
We are in a world that changes so fast that it is nearly impossible for one person to have all the answers.

  If it is your venture, your business, your baby, you need to do the driving, I get that, but you need to keep your eyes and ears open to what is happening around you and that includes looking and listening for input of the people you have decided to surround yourself with and the opportunities that it brings.  The world moves too fast to drive with your eyes closed.

So Where Do I start? Part 2

In the first part of this message yesterday I was talking about past experiences, both mine and others, in trying to break free of the inertia.  Taking the first steps of really doing something is scary, and stepping back into the safety of more planning or waiting on the timing to improve makes you feel a little better in the short term.  The problem is the long term.  When we keep backtracking or procrastinating we are not moving closer to our goal whatever it is.  The problem is all of a sudden another year has gone by and we have not moved closer to doing what it is that we feel the need to do.  This can be anything from  starting a new blog, writing a book, launching a new business or selling your art work.  When you are called to do something, when you feel that intense need to express yourself in whatever manner that is, procrastinating feels very painful in the long term.
So what do you do?
These are a few very simple ideas I have used and some of my associates have used to move ahead:

1- Do something everyday.  This seems simple enough and it is, but that's what makes it work.  Write one page everyday, design one part of your website, write a paragraph in a blog, just commit to doing something everyday that moves you closer.  These small steps have a way of adding up over time. 

2- Find one person somewhere who will support your passion.  I do not mean financially or even in a practical sense, but in a philosophical sense if you like.  One person who will not let you off the hook for your passion and goals.  When I was starting a venture I was fortunate to have a good friend who I could count on.  When we would get together for lunch or coffee, we would get past the catching up on family and other bits of information, but his first serious question to me was always the same; "Where are you on your project?"  He would not give me a free pass because he knew how important it was to me.  Find that person.

3- Go ahead and be not so great at first.  Sometime we feel we have only one chance to do something and if we screw it up or don't put out a perfect product or the greatest piece of writing on our first shot, well that is it, it's over!  In most cases this is far from true.  Sure if you are skydiving and your chute does not open the first time that is pretty final most of the time, however in cases of writing or art or a business that allows you to express your passion you get lots of chances to screw up, write poorly and burn the soup.  Just learn from it and move on, as long as you are still taking another step and another and another you are moving forward.

So go ahead and do something.  It will be a lot easier for you to live with yourself if you are moving ahead in small steps and making mistakes then it is to live with yourself when you are spending all your time making grandiose plans and perfecting every step.  Planning is important but doing is living!
Go, Now, Go!

So where do I start? Part 1

The question that seems to appear regularly in discussions about a new business is; "where do I start?"
It seems like a simple enough question but the truth is it's the biggest stumbling block to moving ahead.  So many times we can get caught up in trying to find the perfect start we spend months and even years standing at the starting gate.
So where do you start?   Not to simplify this too much but start where you are.  Do not wait for the perfect timing in your family life, or finances to come together or the economy to improve.  Any of these situations will likely never occur if you are waiting for them to move on your idea, business or expand your market.  The greatest obstacle to your success is inertia.  I know some very smart people who have been stuck in the planning stage for years.  Planning and strategy is a poor substitution for action, but it creates the illusion of doing something.  There are some steps to take to move out of the inertia and into action.  We will explore a couple of these ideas in the next post.

Tom Petty has it right...

This could be a difficult time in history to be the dreamer, the creator, the girl walking on the edge of a new concept or the wild eyed optimist that has that new idea.  There are too many people trying to put the obstacles in your path "just because."  There are hoards of folks on the news telling you that this is a bad time to break out and try something new as money is tight and no one is spending.
Just remember Tom Petty and one of my favorite tunes..."I Won't Back Down."
Let it be the theme song in your mind and play it loud.  If you have something you need to try, don't back down!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKqO0FeaCFQ

Where did the time go?

I had a frightening realization today....somehow 20 years slipped by and I hardly noticed.
Time is the one great equalizer it does not matter if you are Bill Gates or Bill Clinton, George Clooney or George Jefferson we all still get 24 hours a day.  What you do with it makes all the difference in the world.
Make the most of it, don't save your best work for someday later, give your best right now and again tomorrow and in 20 years you will feel a lot better about life.

Fresh Start!

I hear this term used and overused.  We all want that feeling of a fresh start, the Fall, the New Year, the start of a new financial year...it all gives us that sense of a fresh start.  The key is not to waste that fresh start, it is easy to have the meetings, everyone walks away feeling reinvigorated and ready for a big push and a week later we are all back to the same bad habits. 
If you need the feeling of a fresh start, have the meeting, cut the cake and start at page one, however you will feel a lot better about your plans 6 months from now if instead you simply start doing those hard chores, those annoying tasks, and turn them into habits.
As someone once said "Bad habits are easy to make but hard to live with while good habits are hard to make but easy to live with."
So go ahead and start NOW!

Back to School

Well I had taken a couple weeks away from writing, but I was still deep in thought everyday the past month.
I have a lot of pent up thoughts to get out this fall so I thought of how this time of year has a lot of parallels between back to school and back to business.
I have found over the past 20 years that July and August were always tough times to get a deal closed or have a truly productive meeting with a prospect or client.  I guess we all have the summer time mentality  of trying to relax for those two precious months.
September always seems to bring a renewed focus and commitment to make the big final push to the year end in December.
So even though I tried to stay on top of my writing this summer, I found the break of a few weeks was refreshing.
I also found that some of my clients and peers who took a break have commented about feeling guilty for letting things slide for a short spell.
That is a sad commentary on our North American lifestyle, we can't seem to take a earned and needed break without the guilt afterwards.
Perhaps we should keep in mind why the schools take the summer off, the students in most cases after a summer of no classes, are ready to get back and connect with friends and although they don't admit it, they welcome the return to routine.  I have yet to meet anyone from Grade 1 to Grade 11 who tells me they feel guilty about having the summer off.
Recharge those batteries, refresh the creative juices and refocus in September.  But don't beat yourself up for doing what we all need to do to get restarted and recharged again.  It is worth it!

Why do you do what you do?

I have had a couple discussions recently and read some articles that resonated with what I want to do with my business, Whiteoak Business Development.
I realized the name and the blog and the website really miss out on telling the important story: Why do I do it.
I am guessing that a lot of the small and medium businesses I know and deal with don't tell their story either.  So why do I do what I do?  For me it is very simple, I have a real desire to help small businesses grow and find the best way to get their story out to the public.  I want to see them succeed as I believe in small business, I believe that it is the backbone of our economy and I believe it is going to play an even bigger part in our economic recovery across North America than it ever has!
That's why I do what I do.  Yes I want to make a living and I feel my service is worthwhile and has a real value, but I could make a living doing any number of tasks, jobs, sidelines, etc, however I believe in this as a worthwhile cause.  How about you?  Why do you do what you do?  Why not tell your story as loud as possible, you might be surprised at the results.

Road Trip!

When I was younger, a few years ago, I had a good friend who always liked to take the crazy unplanned road trip.  We would throw a few things in the back of my 1975 Datsun and just drive.  We ended up in NYC, Boston, Albany, Peterborough and many other places in between.  We had the rational that because we did not plan it and just flew by the seat of our pants, that was why we had fun and they were all good trips.  This might have been good logic for getting away for a couple days and hitting the road, however I have found it is lousy logic for my day to day life now.  Serendipity and going with the flow still has its place but if you are running a business of 1,000 people or just yourself, planning and knowing where you want to end up is pretty important to make sure you get there.
Some days I long for that freedom of our road trips and the adventures we had, but when it comes to my business and other peoples I prefer the road map, planned stops, budgets and knowing where you want to end up.
A little non-script fun still fits into business but it would not be a great way to run the whole show!
Enjoy your road trip!

It is OK to be Small!

I was analysing a couple businesses recently for potential partners for a client.  They are both small businesses that serve a very specific niche.  One of them had insulated themselves so much from their customers by trying to appear bigger than they are.  These layers are hurting them not helping.
It is OK to be small.  As long as you are providing the best at something you care about, small is great!  Small is agile and Small can be quite profitable.

Make up Your Mind

Decide what you want to be great at, what product or service you care enough about to deliver the best results.  What is that thing that drives you, makes you want to stay up late and get in early?  Decide and you are half way.  Only half way because the whole way is deciding what and the second and most important part is to deliver, ship, do it.  Because in the end it is what you deliver that counts.

What can you recover?

A lot of people and businesses get caught up in a lost customer because they don't  fit into their niche or lost money due to making a bad decision.  But the fact is you can recover from lost money, make changes,  improve business practices, recover more clients by changing your focus and improving marketing.  The one thing you can't recover is time.  Once the minute ticks away or another hour is wasted watching reruns rather than productive time, it is gone.  Time is the one commodity that once gone it is gone.  All other commodities can be recovered, money, clients, market share.  Guard your time there are too many hidden thieves waiting to steal your time.