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.