Business Adviser magazine Issue 2 by Amartec

John Amour David Armstrong Dr. Arturo Lopez Albert Lopez Danny Smith Alonzo Cantu Alfonso Cavazos Janet Cavazos Marco Garza Enrique Garza Javier Hinojosa Shavi Mahtani Carol Schmitt Dr. Teofilo Ozuna Maggie Yoo Andrew Yoo

Finding a job can be a painful experience. Here are three things that you can do to increase your chances of success.

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Many people are not aware of the many changes and complexities of the new changes in 2013 due to ObamaCare and the fiscal cliff tax law changes. This article will discuss some of those changes that can affect a taxpayer in 2013.

Let’s start by comparing the tax rates between the 2 years of 2012 and 2013:

As you can see from the table, there is very little difference between the 2012 and 2013 tax amounts until you get to a taxable income level of over $400,000 for “single” or $450,000 for “married”. That is when the NEW 39.6% bracket starts. This is an additional tax of 4.6% over the previous 35% tax rate. Also you should be aware of the marriage penalty that exists in both years. If you take the “single” amount in 2013 and double it, you would expect to get that amount under “married” for the same year. This is true in the 10% bracket ($8,925 x 2 = $17,850) and the 15% bracket ($36,250 x 2 = $72,500). Up to the 15% tax bracket having no marriage penalty was made permanent in 2013. The 25% bracket is where the marriage penalty starts. There is a small penalty in the 25% bracket, but the 28% bracket is where the large penalty starts ($183,250 x 2 = $366,500), but the “married” amount is only to $223,050, a difference of only about $40,000 for the spouse. At the 33% bracket, there is no difference between “single” and “married” ranges. The spouse gets no benefit. There is a $50,000 difference in the 35% bracket for the spouse.

3.8% Medicare Tax

Starting in 2013, there is an additional tax that is not included in the tax tables. This is a 3.8% Medicare tax that will apply to individuals with taxable income over $200,000 or married couples over $250,000. The way this tax will be paid in for income from wages is through a payroll deduction. Through payroll withholding, there is currently a withholding of 1.45% from the employee wages for Medicare and the employer matches that when they pay in their Form 941 payroll taxes. This totals 2.9% (1.45% x 2) Medicare tax that is already being paid in. Starting in 2013, when an employee reaches $200,000 in wages, the additional .9% (3.8% - 2.9%) tax will start being withheld from the employee’s wages. A self-employed person will have the additional tax calculated in their self-employment tax when they file their federal income tax return. The 3.8% tax will be calculated on unearned income (from interest, dividends, annuities, royalties, rents, and gains on the sale of investments) when the tax return is filed.

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Personal Exemption and Itemized Deductions

For tax returns that included Schedule A for itemized deductions, the phase out of the itemized deduction is reinstated in 2013. The limitation for 2013 will kick in on AGI levels that exceed $300,000 for joint filers and $250,000 for individuals. Income over the applicable amount will trigger an itemized deduction limitation that is the lesser of (a) 3% of the adjusted gross income above the applicable amount, or (b) 80% of the amount of the itemized deductions otherwise allowable for the taxable year. The limitation does not apply to medical expense deductions, the investment interest deduction, casualty, theft, or gambling loss deductions. For 2013 the medical expense deduction has changed. Previously, medical expenses were allowed for amounts over 7.5% of “adjusted gross income” or AGI. For 2013, that amount has increased to 10% of AGI. For 2013, personal exemptions will be reduced by 2% for each $2,500 (or portion thereof) of AGI above $300,000 for joint and $250,000 for singles.

Capital Gains Tax Rate

The new law permanently extends the 0% tax rate on capital gains and qualified dividends for taxpayers below the regular 25% bracket. If you are in the 25% to 35% tax brackets, your long-term capital gains tax rate will be 15%. If you are in the new 39.6% tax bracket, you will pay the new 20% long-term capital gains tax rate. These are some of the changes you can expect in 2013 on your individual income tax return. Because of the complexities in the law and other changes which can affect an individual in a particular circumstance, we suggest you discuss your taxes with a tax professional to plan for your future.

The Surprising Truth About

Cold Calling sales pitch approach. When we focus on relationship rather than salesmanship, we’re calling with the anticipation of meeting someone new. We’re looking forward to a pleasant conversation to find out whether we can be of service. When all you know is the traditional way of cold calling, selling is indeed a numbers game. Yes, you can call people over and over. You can also chase them until they listen just so that you go away Have you ever wondered how someone came up with the “numbers game concept?” It was really about the rejection we constantly experience when making cold calls. The boss just said to call someone else, and so we did. The idea is that if we call a hundred people a day, then we should squeeze out at least a few good leads. However, there’s a better and easier way of getting your product or service message across -- all on one call. If you simply change your cold calling approach, you’ll make fewer calls and more sales. How? By engaging in conversations. Yes, that’s right. Just talk to people...in your normal tone of voice, and without the usual

The other person subtly but powerfully feels this mindset. You’re no longer meeting with defense and resistance right from the start. That will dramatically change the way people respond to your cold calls.

People can tell when you’re reading from a script, even if you think you’re pretty good at it. There’s just nothing personal about a sales script, and people pick up on that. Being artificial immediately tags you as a typical salesperson. Therefore, if you can learn to get your message across in a different way, then you’ll eliminate the negative triggers that can lose your sale within seconds. So once again, the best way is to begin with a conversation. Anticipate a dialogue, not a monologue. People will respond much more positively. When you allow a conversation be natural and to “breathe,” they know you’re present and listening. T hat feels good to someone who is having to “fend off” salespeople who are really just talking billboards.

Are you “going in for the kill” with your closing sale technique? If you are, you could end up killing your deal instead. Old cold calling sales techniques do nothing more than pressure potential clients. They feel like they’re being chased. What do most people do when they feel chased? They run! They naturally want to retreat away from that pressure -- and that pressure is you. So learn to avoid the “push-pull” dynamic between you and the potential client. You’ll actually find the sales process moving forward much more naturally (and more often) than when you’re forcing things. In this old myth, the idea is that if a sale is lost, it’s usually at the end

of the sales process. The truth is that it’s often lost at the beginning of the cold call. When all you’re doing is going for a sale, the other person can sense it, no matter how well you think it’s camouflaged. When someone senses this sales pressure, “The Wall” goes up and the defenses come out. So stay away from focusing on making the sale. Rather, your goal is always to discover whether you and your potential clients are a good fit. We can’t tell you how useful these new ideas have been in our own life, and in the lives of hundreds of others who have tried it. It’s not always easy to shed the old cold calling myths. Nevertheless, it’s worth it. With a little practice, you’ll come to a place of actually enjoying your cold calls and getting better results.

Franchising

Pros And Cons Last month we had a question from one of our readers on how to choose the franchise that would best fulfill his life-long dream of owning his business. This sparked the idea of writing an article to provide our two cents on the subject.

ntrepreneurs often ask us on how to choose the franchise that would best fulfill their life-long dream of owning their own business. This sparked us to review the pros and cons of franchising. We wanted to take a closer look at a few of the things you should look for when considering a franchise opportunity in this article. Keep in mind that there are thousands of franchise opportunities that range from the low-end opportunities available for a few thousand dollars to the high-end franchises that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. The difference in price is reflected in many ways: the viability of the opportunity, the level of training and support offered to the franchisee, the track record and financial stability of the franchisor, the success rate of the franchisees, and a dozen other factors. All a lower end franchisor might offer is a training manual and the right to use their company name. Many also have very little interest in weeding out potential franchisees. The truth is many are in business just to collect franchise fees. They have little interest in whether or not a franchisee actually succeeds. If you have a pulse and a checkbook, you can become their franchisee. And your pulse does not have to be that strong. The higher end franchisors have very strict franchisee requirements and will not allow just anyone to become a part of their

franchise system. They also go to much greater lengths to ensure the success of their franchisees. They offer complete hand holding from start to finish and remain heavily involved in the business even after the doors open. Yes, you do pay dearly for their assistance, but as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for.

here are a few things to look for in a franchise opportunity: Turnkey operation This is the most appealing feature of many franchise systems. Many of the top franchisors will scout the best location for the business, build and equip the facility, hire and train employees, put you through an extensive management training system, then toss you the keys. Furthermore, they will work closely with you for the first few months to help make certain that you know what to do with the keys once they’ve been tossed to you. The majority of franchises don’t offer such complete turnkey packages, so be prepared to do much of the upfront work yourself. Often it is up to you to find a location, negotiate the lease, build out the space or erect a building, install the equipment, hire and train a staff etc.

Proven track record and management system As mentioned earlier, many of the lesser-known franchise systems offer you a training manual,

maybe a training video, and a few hours of telephone support. Not the best way to learn how to run a business. A good franchisor will provide you with thorough management training, either at their facility or onsite at yours. Since one of the reasons for buying into a franchise system is to tap into their expertise and know-how, thorough training should be a foremost consideration.

Customers waiting for the door to open We don’t have the statistics in our pockets to back this up, of course, but we’d bet the farm that every time a new McDonald’s opens its door, it’s a mere matter of minutes before the first Happy Meal is sold. Many franchisors spend hundreds of millions of dollars on national ad campaigns to promote brand awareness. This works great for the franchisee who can literally have customers waiting for the doors to open on the first day of business.

Always consider the downsides There are downsides to franchising. Foremost is the high cost of entry. The top franchise opportunities require considerable investment on the front end, usually more of an investment than if the entrepreneur started a similar venture on his own. You could open an independent hamburger fast food restaurant for a fraction of the McDonald’s franchise fee, but you probably won’t sell as many hamburg-

ers. What you’re buying from McDonald’s is not just a fast food restaurant that sells hamburgers. What you’re buying is a brand, a reputation, and a proven business system with ready to eat customers. Be prepared to pay a premium for it. Another downside is that when you buy into a franchise system you often have to pay a percentage of your revenues back to the franchisor. You might also be required to buy supplies from the franchisor, including inventory, paperwork, software, computer systems, and anything else the franchisor decides that they should supply to you. And there in lies the biggest downside of all. When you buy into a franchise system you don’t control your business, the franchisor does. You have very little say-so in running the business. You must follow their processes and procedures without variation. And should you decide to get out of the business you may not even be allowed to sell the franchise to just anyone. The new owner would have to be approved by the franchisor before a deal could be made final. The bottom-line is to do your homework and make sure the franchise you choose fits your personality, your lifestyle, and your pocket book.

Keeping Customers Loyal

You need to be in contact with your regular customers as much as you can, always understanding their needs and when they might need you again.

t’s a well-known fact that it costs many times more to acquire a new customer than to keep doing business with your existing ones. For this reason, the best way to become profitable is to have loyal customers who keep coming back again and again. It’s all about relationship building. So what can you do?

Customers Aren’t as Loyal as They Used to Be.

It used to be that customers would find one service that met their needs and stay with it for absolutely years. Now, though, customers are fickle, and can all-too-easily be tempted away by a competitor’s offer if they feel that it sounds cheaper or better than yours. So-called ‘loyalty management’ has become more of a science than it ever used to be, and it’s one that you need to make use of if you don’t want to be constantly failing to retain your customers.

Offer Discounts for Repeat Business.

You will see some businesses who give people a ‘first-time’ discount, as a hook to get people to try their services. This is entirely the wrong way to do it. What you should be trying to do is reward loyalty by giving people a discount each time they use your services. Over time, this makes it so that moving to the competition looks like a ridiculous proposition for them -- why would they when they get a 20% discount from you every time?

Keep Mailing Lists.

You should have at least two mailing lists: one for your prospects (people who might buy from you), and one for your customers (people who have bought from you). You should lavish attention on both lists, but especially on the existing customer one -- and really lay it on thick for anyone who’s bought from you more than once. You need to be in contact with your regular customers as much as you can, always understanding their needs and when they might need you again. Don’t worry about this costing a lot in direct mail, as you can always do it by email. The secret is this: contact, contact, contact. Send your regulars Christmas cards, invite them to meet with you for lunch -- anything you can think of. A good tip is to always use the techniques that your competitors are neglecting.

Be Crazy About Feedback.

You need to phone up as many customers as you can to get their feedback after they deal with you. Make sure they were satisfied with what you provided, offer to fix anything that they’re not happy with, and ask them if they can think of any way you could improve. Customers will appreciate this -- and they’ll like it even more if you actually implement their suggestions.

Provide a Personal Service.

Go the extra mile to make your customer feel like they’re your friend, and not just a tracking number in your database. Tailor everything you do to their needs, and make everything easy for them -- don’t leave them to do legwork that you could be doing. After all, they’re the customer. Finally, cheesy as it might sound, customers really appreciate a little thank you note when you’ve received their payment. For an extra personal touch, you could handwrite it.

LLC’s: They don’t have to be so confusing!

he Limited Liability Company, or LLC, is a new concept for businesspeople in the United States. Internationally, LLC’s are fairly common. However, investors, employees, and lawmakers aren’t always quick to warm up to such a structure in America. Let’s clear up some of the misunderstandings and confusion about LLC’s and hopefully we can figure out what an LLC is all about in the process! Here are frequently asked questions about the topic; chances are you’ve stumbled upon the same ones in your own thought process.

Q: How does an LLC differ from a corporation? A: LLC’s resemble partnerships or sole proprietorships in that they feature advantageous pass-through taxation. Economically, they make a lot more sense! But they also have the benefit of limited liability for their members, just like a corporation. Basically: the LLC is not a separate entity from its owners but its owners are still protected from personal liability. No double taxation and no liability, LLC’s are hybrids of a partnership and a corporation.

Q: If LLC’s are so great, why would you not structure your business in such a way? A: Simply put that LLC’s are like the new neighbors; a lot of people don’t trust them. Shareholders aren’t as eager to invest in them. Members get confused about what LLC means for them (they aren’t forced by the state to be organized in any standard way). More importantly, in many states, an LLC becomes almost a corporation by default. Franchise taxes and other restrictions haunt many LLC’s because lawmakers aren’t as willing to give them more freedom and tax benefits than typical corporations.

Q: Do you need more than one owner to form an LLC? A: Nope, you only need one member!

Q: Is it hard to form an LLC? A: It’s quite easy to form an LLC. In most states, you simply have to fill out an “articles of organization” form and pay a fee. If you already own a partnership or sole proprietorship, it’s easy to switch over to an LLC. Some states have further requirements, however, and you’ll want to research this on your own.

Q: Can an LLC be taxed like a corporation? A: If you so choose, the LLC can be taxed as if it were a corporation. This benefits LLC owners who want to keep more of their profits.

Q: Is an LLC in Texas the same as an LLC in Maryland? A: Not at all. LLC’s in some states will thrive, while in other states, they might die. Local laws regarding LLC’s, especially when it comes to the issues of taxes, are highly variable. As the years pass, LLC’s might become more and more appealing. The reverse situation could occur, however, if legislatures only become more and more restrictive and consequently make the LLC structure meaningless, as fees and regulations will offset all its advantages. However, if shareholders and businesspeople can wise up to the benefits of LLC’s, they’ll probably just grow in popularity. You’ve taken a step in the right direction by reading this article. Your next step will be toward a corporation or an LLC; it’s a very personal decision that depends entirely on the unique character of or your company and your state’s laws.

By: JAVIER HINOJOSA

lmost everyone is familiar with video conferencing today, and for good reason. Video conferencing is convenient. Video conferencing saves money. Video conferencing makes money. And it is so much easier than it used to be. I know because I installed one of the first video conferencing systems for a former employer when I ran the information systems department of a large company. In those days that meant a very substantial investment in equipment and installing a dedicated ISDN line (that was when 56kpbs was considered blindingly fast!). At first it wasn’t easy to convince people to sit in front of a 25-inch TV for a 30-minute video conference instead of traveling and giving up those nice travel reimbursements, but soon they realized the many benefits. The rest is history. Today, of course, video conferencing has become part of doing business. There is no longer a need to waste time and money traveling, and the technology has advanced to a point where there is a solution for every conferencing need. Audio, web and video all combine to provide cutting edge conferencing solutions tailored to anything from one-on-one to large conferences with Q&A sessions and private chat. There are even solutions specific to industries such as accounting, banking, insurance or legal. Why is video conferencing so successful when other technologies have come and gone? Because it is convenient and cost-effective. At a time of skyrocketing costs for gas, air travel and hotel accommodations, conducting video conference meetings makes more sense than ever. And in addition to saving time and money, video

conferencing from one’s office or board room is a lot less stressful than a meeting after a day of hassling with cabs, airport security, delayed flights and bungled hotel reservations. But cutting edge conferencing has grown beyond mere time and cost savings; it has become a business opportunity and strategic advantage. Conferences can be recorded and made available for call-in playback. Moderation tools allow for large conferences with operator services, toll-free audio call-in and unique PINs to track attendance. For especially important calls, conferencing companies and service providers can assist for a professional touch, making sure that everything goes right. The sky’s the limit when it comes to new and exciting uses for web casting and video conferencing. We’ve seen new product announcements using the technology, reaching far more potential customers than conventional press conferences. Webinars provide new ways of training people or making sales presentations. And today’s office tools can easily be integrated into a conference. Sharing PowerPoint presentations, documents and even applications is easy, as are multiparty video and virtual whiteboards. Best of all, video conferencing no longer requires a large capital investment. Web, video and audio conferencing service providers can quickly get you up and running, often without setup fees, steep per minute charges or pesky contracts. With all that’s available today, the question is no longer if a business can afford professional, cutting edge video conferencing, but whether it can afford not to use it.

rates while providing down payment and closing cost assistance of 5% of the mortgage loan. The TDHCA also has the Texas Mortgage Credit Certificate Program which was created for residents of Texas to help make ownership of new and existing homes more affordable for individuals and families of low and moderate income, especially for the first time home buyers.

By: Edgar J Hernandez

ello and welcome back!!!...This time I would like to write about the Down Payment Assistance Programs available in our area. Since the first signs of economic deterioration, many of us developed a preconceived notion that our dream of home ownership must be put on hold because the current economic conditions are preventing us from moving forward. That we must forego that American dream and succumb to the hopelessness the world media feeds us in its reports of the economic state. The truth is, home ownership in Texas has risen substantially despite the economic condition. According to the United States Census Bureau in its release of the 2010 Census brief, HYPERLINK “http://www. census.gov/prod/cen2010/

briefs/c2010br-07.pdf” Housing Characteristics: 2010, Texas is among the states listed having had the largest increase in housing units (up 22.3 percent), since the 2000 Census. Many may see this as a sign of hope, and rightfully so. More often than not, homebuyers need to finance the home’s purchase price through a mortgage. The amount one put down upfront factors into determining the size their mortgage will ultimately be. However, for many therein lies part of the problem. The larger the amount one must put down, the longer it takes to save, consequently prolonging the amount of time it takes to get into your dream home. Fortunately, help is always right around the corner. Down

payment assistance programs are readily available for qualifying borrowers. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA), provides assistance to borrowers through programs such as the My First Texas Home’s “Taxable Mortgage Program” (TMP-79) which offers competitive fixed interest and annual percentage

The Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (TSAHC), also offers The Homes for Texas Heroes and Home Sweet Home Loan Programs for those with professions such as teachers, firefighters, peace offices, veterans, and low and moderate income homebuyers. These programs not only offer low interest rates, but also provide down payment and closing cost assistance via grants to those who meet the requirements.

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EXCEPTIONAL GROUP

What do the rich and powerful people in business have in common? They live life with a strategy and exhibit characteristics that not all that different from other not-sosuccessful businesspeople. What’s their secret? They train themselves to keep these characteristics in mind.

n May 2005, Forbes magazine reported that there were 691 billionaires in the world. 1400 people across the world turn into millionaires every day. Want to become one of them? Of course you do. Everyone wants the freedom to do business in the way they choose. There is so much power in running your own business and having a business that runs itself, which for many people is the ultimate goal. Making money is not the only goal of becoming a millionaire, it’s about freedom. Many people across the world are gifted with experiencing this freedom everyday. How can you become one of these people? What kind of life, and business, do you want to run? Would you like to be able to check your email from your private plane? These are the kinds of goals many people have in mind when they begin to forge ahead with their business ideas. But the truth is that the rich and the successful all have about nine characteristics in common, not that different from a lot of people we all know. Most of them exhibit some or all of these. The truth is that we all have the potential for greatness if we can train ourselves to keep this in mind as we go about our business day.

They don’t blame.

Successful businesspeople don’t blame others. Instead of making excuses for bad outcomes, or reassigning responsibility to others, they take time to learn from their own mistakes.

They are decisive.

Millionaire-types have a vision. They take quick, decisive action aligned with that vision. They’re action oriented, always pushing forward toward their goals.

They trust their intuition.

If something seems like it’s not quite right, they trust that instinct. If an opportunity excites them and sounds like a great idea, they go for it.

They are singly focused on their CORE business.

Successful entrepreneurs may be inspired by ideas, but they always remain true to their vision. They focus on opportunities that are aligned with their business’s purpose. If you sell retail products on eBay, don’t try real estate investing the next day. They don’t lose focus. They may sell their products on eBay, write articles, focus on joint ventures, and go to marketing seminars, but all of their efforts, and FOCUS, help them move toward their main goals.

They are marketing focused.

Millionaires, including such giants as Bill Gates, understand the importance of building on their core business. They hire people with specialties in marketing. They work hard at building their email lists, gaining exposure, and are constantly looking for ways to reaching a wider audience. If you want to build a decent income, you sell products and services. If you want to be insanely rich, then you create and control markets. The key to your business, and creating phenomenal success, is marketing.

They understand the importance of continuing education.

Successful businesspeople are always learning and drawing from other people’s experiences. They listen to how other people have achieved their success, especially if these

people have expertise in another industry. They are constantly learning about new approaches and strategies, and thinking about how they can apply it to their own business.

They are not afraid of making mistakes.

Any big company online will tell you that they’ve had their share of downfalls, even such giants as eBay or Craig’s List. Mistakes are building blocks for success. By making mistakes, you learn what works, and what doesn’t. You don’t have to get it right, you just have to get it going. We all make mistakes, and one of the most powerful things you can do is glean feedback from them.

They model their business for success.

Millionaires model other people, strategies, and systems. They constantly look for models of success in everyday life and think about how to incorporate these lessons into their own strategy. They even look at their competition for answers. Whatever niche you’re in, subscribe to some industry newsletters, buy their products, and learn HOW they create success.

They build a team to rely on.

No matter what stage you are in with your business, you’ve got to realize that you simply cannot do it all. You can’t be an expert in everything. You want to create a great team of people. How can you find them? Go to seminars and workshops. Hone your networking skills. You’ll often find that like minded people that are out there constantly learning and attending, seminars and workshops. Getting rich is a team sport. You have to have people that are cheering you on, encouraging your success.

We’ve spent a lifetime committed to helping others. It’s what gives us the greatest joy, fulfillment and satisfaction in life. We’re also a true believer in the old adage – “What goes around comes around.”

his is reinforced on many occasions when we encounter an old co-worker, friend or acquaintance who reminds us of how we inspired them, gave them guidance or helped them through a difficult time. These kinds of experiences always motivate us to keep putting good things out into the world. We never know in advance what good may come from the gestures we put out there. Maybe it will inspire, encourage, educate, motivate or actually change someone’s life. In any event, people will always come away knowing that they matter to you. In business, as in life, it all comes down to people. People are your customers, co-workers, employees, leaders, managers, investors and vendors. Success in your business depends on the people you encounter. How you treat those people will have a significant impact on your bottom line.

Here are some ways to help people in your business and show them that they matter: 1. Deliver incredible customer service. 2. Give a single parent the afternoon off. 3. Pay someone more than you need to. 4. Send a hand-written note to an employee acknowledging a job well done. 5. Loan a subordinate a book that you’ve found to be helpful. 6. Tell someone struggling “I want to help you succeed”, and mean it. 7. Stop by and talk, without an agenda. 8. Share a resource that you’ve found useful. 9. Create a safe space for openness and honesty. 10. Let people tell you how they feel, and listen without interrupting. We encourage you to think about the people that you impact, the lives that you touch and the positive changes that you can make. These are the true signs of leadership and in our opinion are more important than the money that you make, the position that you hold or the size of your office. You can do good while you’re doing well. It may require you to think of new ways to do it, but when you focus on helping others, you’ll succeed in ways beyond measure.

Some business owners struggle with the idea of starting a business website. Why do you really need a website? Well, there are several solid reasons why every business, small or large, should have a website. It does not matter if you sell tangible products, or you offer a service, your business will benefit from having a website. Here are a few reasons why:

Finding a good business to provide the service or product you need has never been easier for the customer. Today, it is as simple as looking up local businesses online. If you do not have a website, then you are missing out on a big piece of the marketing pie.

Since the Internet is available to everyone worldwide, you will no longer be limited to local business. Anyone can search for your product or service. Now, face to face meetings are not required in order to gain business, and you do not have to rely on customers driving by your business, or hearing a radio commercial.

Potential customers will be able to inquire about your business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, no matter if your business is open, or not. If a potential customer is interested in your service, they will be able to send you an email, and then you can get back to them during the business day.

You will save time by only getting inquires from customers that are genuinely interested in your business. You will no longer have to answer customer phone calls and meet with customers, only to find out that they are no interested in what you provide. Instead, they are able to read about your business online, and then decide whether or not they are interested in doing business with you.

You can post so much more information about your business then you ever could in print ads, brochures, or on air commercials. You literally have unlimited space to work with.

Print ads, and commercials can become very expensive, and often cost each time they are ran. A website usually cost a one time setup fee, and then a minimal hosting fee per month. In fact, the majority of small businesses only pay about 30-100 dollars a month for their website after the initial cost.

ou may not realize that one of these tendencies may be affecting you until we show you the details. If you realize that there is a problem, we will also give you the solution so you can fix it. We will explain and compare now the most common negative tendencies among people with their corresponding opposite virtues. You may not realize that one of these tendencies may be affecting you until I show you the details. If you realize that there is a problem, I will also give you the solution so you can fix it. I will explain and compare now the most common negative tendencies among people with their corresponding opposite virtues. Before we start, we need to tell you something . . . i. most sins arise from: fear. ii. most virtues arise from: love. iii. sins, vices and negative tendencies demonstrate weakness, while virtues demonstrate strength. This is a series of articles about this subject. The whole series contain the following articles . . .

1. pride 2. envy 3. gluttony 4. lust 5. wrath 6. greed 7. sloth

PRIDE

Some people simply have too much pride. They are the best. They know everything. They do everything right. Everybody else is wrong. Nobody seems to know anything, but them. Other people are ignorant, lazy, and inferior. They feel they are surrounded by idiots. They do not understand why they are not rich already. After all they deserve to be rich. They believe that it is unfair for them to live as common people, like a poor or middle class person, because they know that they are wealthy, they just don’t have the money. They have class, style, intelligence, everything. They are not just like other inferior human beings. Proud individuals suffer a lot when they cannot live up to their expectations. They feel it is unfair. They deserve to be on top of the world. They deserve to have. It is all about them, them, and them again. That’s how they think. They compare themselves to other people. If other people have more than they do, they feel bad about it. They don’t necessarily hate (feel envy for) others, but they compete to win, to be the best, in everything, always, with everyone. Pride is competitive. You want to be better than others. You want to have more than oth-

ers. You want to seem smarter, more attractive, wealthier, healthier, stronger, etc., etc.; because after all, you are the best and you want others to tell you so and recognize it. You want to be worshiped in some way for one, many or all of your qualities. You want everyone to notice that you are different, that you are better, because it is true. You feel better than others and other people should notice it and accept it, otherwise you will get disappointed. They must honor you and respect you because you are superior. You have a position, an education, a career, a business, a financial position, a body, etc. You are, you are, you are, very proud of yourself. The jealous person may be resented because of other people’s sudden prosperity. You don’t have to do anything for them to feel bad about it. Now, if on top of that you excessively show to the world what you are, what you have and you even tell them in their face “I am better than you”, imagine how you would make them feel. On the other hand, many people that have too much pride don’t care about that. In fact

they enjoy it. Some proud people enjoy the envy that others could feel for them. They want to flaunt it and make others suffer for it. Understand that you could be the most miserable person on Earth and still have too much pride. Even poor people if they are too proud of whatever they are or whatever they think they are or deserve, will seek ways to receive the worship, honor and rewards that they think they deserve. Pride is associated with vanity. You want people to look at you, your skills, your material goods (house, car, clothes, etc.) and say “Wow, I want to be him/her. The proud person cares a lot about what other people think and say about them. They are always right. They do not care to change because they are always right and other people are always wrong. They care about what others say to correct their mistake. They want to know who is making negative comments to convince them and show them that they are wrong. Proud people suffer a lot when they cannot live up to their standards and their standards are usually quiet high. They exert a lot of energy into, again: themselves. Even if they feel empty inside, it doesn’t matter, what matters is the appearance. Right? Wrong! The proud people are the hardest to convince that they are wrong, because they feel that they are always right. They have a too elevated opinion about themselves. They cannot look themselves in the mirror and see their real image. Sometimes the image they see is far superior to the real one. Understand something, we can very easily see other people’s defects, but it is not always easy to discover our own defects. This is specially true for proud people, who think that they are always right and they don’t need to change. They don’t need to listen to anybody else. They are right and others are wrong. If other people don’t do what they say, then they have a problem or something. Proud people do not accept negative feedback. They hate negative feedback. They take it like an offense. No one has to tell them what to do or how to do it. They feel that they know everything. Just a simple suggestion and you could start a discussion with them. Proud people try to hide their difficulties.

imize, or otherwise suffer for your mistakes. Again you accept that you are not perfect and you don’t struggle to be perfect, because no one is perfect after all. You always try to make no mistakes, but when a mistake happens, you don’t suffer because of it, you learn from it and move on.

They minimize their problems and maximize their success. They don’t leave space for mistakes. They are not honest with themselves and live a life of “looks”. This is dangerous. Pride has been considered one of the root sins from which all others arise. Pride is blind. You cannot convince a proud person that he/she is wrong. They won’t listen to you. They will pretend that they do, but they won’t, unless they recognize that they have too much pride and decide to change. Now, let’s stop talking about pride and let’s talk about the virtue it opposes: Humility. The humble person does not compare himself/ herself to others. They will want to have some things, for their own pleasure and to fulfill their needs, but not to be better than others. The humble person listens to what others tell them. He/she sees feedback (positive or negative) as suggestions. They know that some people may feel envy for them. So, they scrutinize the feedback to find out if the person talking has reason or not. Smart humble people know that feedback is one of the most important parts of running a business. They want to know any suggestions that their clients or employees have for them. Humble people do not expect to be on top of everybody else. They do not seek to be in a high position just for the pleasure of being on top. They do not seek the envy of others. They do not care much about what others think about them, except for the purpose of seeing how they can improve themselves based on the feedback they receive. Humble people do not believe that they know everything. They do not think that they can do everything on their own. They seek the advice of others. They do not believe that they deserve it; they just believe that they can earn it. To be humble doesn’t mean to have low self-esteem. You know you can do it, but you accept that you are not perfect. Something else, you do not try to hide, min-

How can you apply all this to your business? You can do it in many ways. First you can be the business owner with a lot of pride and you may not realize how much that could be damaging your profits. Life is not about receiving, it is about giving. If everything is about me, my product, my service, my corporation, my profits, my business, me, mine, myself, myself alone, I did it, I know and I can; people will stay at a distance. Trust us, with such attitude most people won’t like you. For example, if you are selling a product, do not focus on describing the features that much. Other individuals do not care about you, your product, nor anything else but this: “What’s in it for me?” Whenever you see a customer, understand that he/she will be asking you that question even if he/she doesn’t speak. How useful is your stuff? Where is my gain in here? Those are the questions they will have in mind when they come to purchase something. So, instead of saying: “This product is a diamond! It took years to be made. A lot of research have been put into it” Say something like: “This product is useful for 7 different things.”. Give all the details and then say: “It will also save you time and money”. Explain why. Then something like: “This product can improve your life in at least 5 ways.” Explain how it can improve your customers’ life. That’s more or less the idea. Another way to apply this concept is that if you are too proud, you may not consider some important data that your employees or clients are submitting to you regularly. This could come to you through ideas, comments, suggestions and even negative feedback. Humble people listen and change if necessary. If you read the other articles on this series, you will realize that the common characteristic behind this negative tendency is: selfishness. If you are absolved with yourself, you will show one or more of these tendencies on your daily actions. The solution is to live a less selfish lifestyle. By changing your attitude, you may change the outcome of your actions. You may be amazed at the results and you will feel happier and successful.

hat experienced people do is shield themselves from risk at every opportunity, to make sure that they can keep a business going for months on the brink of disaster, and wind it down gracefully if it really has to go under. You need to have a plan for what you’re going to do if your business looks like it’s going bankrupt. Are you going to borrow more money, if you can? Sell your car? Raise prices? Get rid of staff? Done right, you should have a good package of ‘rescue measures’ that really do have a chance of rescuing the business.

Borrowing.

If you need to borrow more to keep your business afloat, take great pains to avoid looking desperate. Act like your business is moderately successful but needs more investment, and you’re far more likely to succeed in getting more funding.

Bye-Bye Staff.

This is a bad idea, but not always a terrible one. In a home business, you presumably only take on staff because you have enough business to cover it, don’t you? So it makes perfect sense to get rid of the staff when things start to go wrong and go back to doing it all yourself.

Price Hike.

When your business is in trouble, there are few things guaranteed to destroy it faster than a price rise. Just don’t do it, however tempting it might be – cut costs instead. If you absolutely must raise prices, do it by scaling back what you get for your money in each of your price ranges, without actually raising the prices. I know of a struggling bus company that kept its fares the same for years but gradually started to run fewer buses and send them all over town, making journeys take longer. People reacted a little badly to the longer journeys, but it was nowhere near the scandal that there would have been if prices had risen.

Keep Staff Pay Aside.

Whatever you do, make sure to keep staff pay separate from the other business finances, and pay it out immediately if the business looks to be heading for trouble with its creditors. It is far better to be paying your staff on the last day than to be giving all that money to the creditors. Leaving staff unpaid will destroy your reputation, not to mention hurting a lot of innocent people.

The ‘Closing Down’ Sale.

If you plan it well, your last day in business might not be so bad. Just make sure everyone knows that you’re closing down for real, but still price everything ever-so-slightly above cost. In this way, you can avoid the drastic loss-making ‘Everything Must Go!’ mentality, and come out of your business the same way as you would if you’d decided to shut it down that day for some other reason.

Selling Your Business On.

If you’re shrewd about it, you might be able to keep your business going long enough to sell it to someone who could turn it around. There’s nothing dishonest about this route – it’s the one most big companies take if things start to go wrong. You might even find that one of your competitors is willing to buy, even if only for your established customer base.

It’s Up to You.

Disaster plans are very personal, and they depend a lot on how much risk you’re willing to put on yourself. If you do things the sensible way, then you’ll go as far as you can to avoid selling or borrowing against any of your own assets just to keep a business afloat. On the other hand, if you’re really determined and a bit of a risk-taker, putting some things of your own at stake might buy you enough time to recover from whatever hit your business. It’s a little like playing poker: are you going to be the guy who walks away and leaves his money on the table, or are you going to throw your car or house keys onto the table and raise the stakes? That’s risk management for you.

: One of my key employees is giving me trouble. He has started showing up late for work and has developed a bad attitude in general. The rest of my employees are complaining since they are having to take up his slack. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve tried talking to him, but he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to listen. To make matters worse, he has become one of my best friends since I hired him five years ago, so firing him is out of the question. What can I do?

-- Anonymous.

: One reason we are so qualified to dispense sage business advise is that we have made just about every business blunder you can imagine. We am like the Evel Knievel of the small business world.

ne of the more unpleasant things we’ve had to do is fire a good friend who was not doing the job we hired him to do. He needed a job, we needed an employee, so we thought we would give him a shot. It turned out to be a match made in business hell. He took advantage of our friendship by showing up late for work, spending time goofing off instead of working, and making a joke out of our complaints about his behavior. Because of our friendship we defended his actions to our other employees, but after a few weeks we knew we had to show him the door. We’re still friends, but certainly not like we were before. The blunder we made was hiring a friend in the first place. We let emotion, i.e. the desire to help my friend gain employment, get in the way of our business sense. That’s what you are doing now, and we hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you are going to have to deal with this situation soon or your entire operation may be affected by the actions of this one person. The blunder you have made is that you have befriended an employee, which is something you should never do. I’m not saying you can’t be friendly with your employees, but you have attached a considerable amount of emotional baggage to the employer/employee relationship and the result is the situation you are faced with today. Friends expect preferential treatment simply because they are your friends. The workplace, however, must be a level playing field for all your employees, friends or not. While employees deserve your respect (if it is earned), giving one employee preferential treatment over another is never a good idea. This is a problem experienced by many business owners and managers who allow themselves to become too close to their employees.

We understand that he has become your friend over the years and you’d rather eat rocks than fire him, but you have to consider how his behavior is impacting your business over all. What effect is he having on employee morale, on work schedules, on customer relations, on time spent fixing his mistakes, and most importantly, the bottom line? You have two options: get him back on track or get him off the payroll, period. That may sound cold and politically incorrect, but those are your only choices. Either way, you must be his employer first and friend second. He may have personal reasons for his performance, but as his employer you are legally limited as to how much prying you can do into his home life. As his friend, however, we expect that you already have a good idea what the problem is. If you can help him return to being a productive member of the team, then do so. If not, wish him well, let him go, and move on. Here are a few suggestions to help you establish and enforce the boundaries of the employer/employee relationship. Define the relationship. The employer/employee relationship should be well-defined from the outset and the parameters understood by all parties. Some call it “defining the pecking order” or “establishing the food chain.” Whatever colorful term you use it all boils down to this: You can be their boss or you can be their buddy. You cannot be both. Don’t hire friends or relatives. This rule is certainly bendable if you are the owner of the business and you hire your children to work for you. Chances are your offspring already accept you as the ultimate authority figure and managing them in a business environment is second nature. However, even this situation could have a negative impact on your business as non-related employees

often expect the boss’ son, daughter, or best buddy to work less, make more money, and be treated better than everyone else. Whether that’s true or not, nepotism and cronyism can create an underlying tension among the ranks. Establish and adhere to company policies. It’s a good idea to have published policies concerning every aspect of your business, including employee behavior and performance expectations. By it’s very nature the employer/employee relationship is prone to favoritism. Managers can’t help but favor those employees who work harder, longer, and faster, but when it comes to adhering to company policies, there should be no preferential treatment of favored employees. Every employee should receive a copy of your published company policies and sign a form stating that they have read, understand, and agree with the same. The Bottom Line: treat everyone the same. It does not matter if the employee is a vice president or a janitor; everyone in your company should be treated the same when it comes to adhering to published company policies and performance expectations. While it is true that a vice president may be of more value to the company than a janitor, it is also true that a vice president who is running amok can do far more damage to your company than a janitor who lets a toilet back up every once in awhile. It’s not personal, it’s just business. This is what the movie bad guys say to one another right before the shooting starts. “Hey, Paulie, it’s not personal. It’s just business.” BLAM! BLAM! This is the dating equivalent of saying, “It’s not you, it’s me.” These kinds of statements are not going to make anyone feel better when they are getting dumped or fired. Just ask any former employee or old girlfriend you’ve used this line on. If you have to fire an employee - even a friend - do it by the book in a professional manner. It won’t be easy, but you have to remove the emotion and do what’s best for your business.

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Are You A Work Slave? How to know if you are becoming a slave of your work? How to find out if work is taking more attention than needed? How to know that your life is suffering because of excessive work and thoughts of work? For any work slave his/her enjoyment is in work. Ask a work slave to get away from work for a short time and he/she will read out a list of what all work is still pending. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s test if you are a work slave. Take a typical day. Find out how many hours you spend working, traveling, with family, watching television, and other activities. Except on the holidays, how much percentage of your time is spent on work? Is it more than seventy percent? Are you giving enough quality time to your friends and family during weekdays or they get to talk to you only on holidays? Please ask them and find out. Non-stop work also decreases our efficiency. Is that happening to you? Here is a small test. Suppose you leave your worktable for some time, do you feel like going back to it as soon as possible?

Find out from a few friends who are happy and are successful. Talk to them about their work style and time devoted to work. List out your life goals and decide about how much time, energy and attention you should give to work. A balanced proportion between work, entertainment, time to be spent with friends and family, hobbies, social work and other activities has to be maintained. Concentrating only on one activity creates unhappiness in life. A balanced time division will feel you satisfied in all the areas of your life and lead to growth and better quality of living.

A balanced time division will feel you satisfied in all the areas of your life and lead to growth and better quality of living.

Caught in a paycheck-to-paycheck cycle. Learn how to save money and stop living check to check.

hat would happen if you lost your job today? What if you needed money for a medical emergency? Most people would be in trouble. Living paycheck to paycheck has become a way of life for most Americans. You do not have to live this way. Saving money is easy if you just follow a few simple steps.

List Your Expenses

If you do not know where your money is going, you are in big trouble. It is impossible to save until you write out your monthly expenses. Look at your past months bills to see where your money went. Chances are that you will find that you wasted much of your money on unneeded expenses. Did you really need to buy those movies for $20 each when you could have rented them for $5? How many days a week do you eat out? If you do not have receipts for all of your expenses, estimate what you spent.

Write a Budget

List your necessary monthly bills and budget a set amount for variable expenses like entertainment. Be sure to include savings into your budget. One or two hundred

dollars a month will add up over time. If you have credit card debt, budget higher than your minimum payment. If you only pay the minimums, you will never get out of debt.

Set Goals

Set a series of savings goals. Make them realistic; do not make your first goal to save a million dollars. Set a goal to save $2000 dollars, then to save $5000, etc., etc. You will soon see that saving is addictive and you will enjoy watching your savings account grow.

Automate Your Savings

You cannot spend what you do not see. If your company offers it, have them deduct money from your check and put it into savings. If they offer a 401K program, take full advantage of their matching contribution.

Put Unexpected Money Into Savings

If you get a bonus from work, inherit money or make any unbudgeted cash, put it into savings. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need it to pay your bills so put it up for a time when you do need it.

Put Away The Credit Cards

Pay cash for purchases. If you cannot afford to pay cash for something, do not buy it. Credit card fees will eat you alive. You could very well end up paying for that pizza for 5 years.

Know How Much Money You Have

Balance your checkbook daily. When you think you have more money in your account, you tend to spend more. Be careful with debit card purchases. It is easy to forget to record them and they do not always show up on your online banking statement immediately.

By following the steps above anyone is capable of breaking the paycheck-to-paycheck routine. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter if you can save $500 a month or $50 a month. Eventually you will get there. All you need is a little patience and a bit of discipline.

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Doing business with clean conscience is doing business with good night sleeps. It is also doing business with gladness of your heart and soul.

or most people, money makes the world go round and business bears that money. Businessmen will perhaps do anything just to achieve the ultimate goal of having a business, and that is to earn income. Net profit or income financially means a surplus of sales or revenues after deducting costs and expenses. Whether you are engaged in a profession, occupation, work or trade, you are in business and you speak income. When you earn an income you suffer taxes, the worst nightmare for every income earners. Income tax is your punishment of doing well in business. This sounds ridiculous but this is the reality, you pay when you earn. Because tax is legislative, noncompliance to this would results to crimes. This thing called income tax had already made billions of liars around the world. Some governments imposed taxes, which are already too much to burden the flow of business. Others make tax laws that are already beyond the ability of taxpayers. However these facts must not result in the existence of enormous number of dishonest people in the world. Ethics in business rarely exists nowadays. Perhaps it is because for most people, profit will come without the need of business ethics. This, we don’t agree with. The word ethics is derived from the Greek word ethos, which means “character,” and from the Latin word mores, which means “customs.” According to the encyclopedia ethics is the branch of philosophy that defines what is good for the individual and for society and establishes the nature of obligations, or duties, that people owe themselves and one another. Maybe ethics is not needed to earn profit if you define profit or income as money. But deeply speaking, business is not just for money. Yes it is definitely for profit, but profit is not just financial profit. We need profit that will not just sustain our pocket or our stomach. Significantly, we also need profits that will feed our hearts and soul. Considering that we are great businessmen, we should extend our minds to this principle. We need business ethics to earn these high valued profits. We must be concerned to the virtue of our character and to the common good. Your business is not just for the survival of your life on Earth but it can also be your road to the sur-

vival of your soul. If you’re in business and had a company, you can help your employees by providing them enough salaries and other benefits that will make their lives better. You can be honest and pay your exact tax for the government who will eventually use it for your country’s development. (Assuming your government is straight and not corrupt) But don’t mind them; be honest even when others are not. We are talking here your soul survival and not theirs. You can also serve your customers by providing them their needs and giving them convenience. Customer care is so important for your customers as also important for your business to earn public trust and loyalty. If you build infrastructures for your company, you contribute to the development of your place in terms of buildings and infrastructures.

Doing business with clean conscience is doing business with good night sleeps. It is also doing business with gladness of your heart and soul. Gratitude will come to you and you will become a stress free businessman if you do business with ethics. These and other spiritual profits will straightly come to you and the good thing on this is you are not taxed on this kind of profits. As an extraordinary businessman, you do not only set your long-term goals for 10 years or for a lifetime. You must also consider eternity and set goals to achieve profits that will benefit your soul. You need profits that last forever, profits that will give us everlasting life and happiness, and profits that will earn us the key to heaven. These profits will benefits us in the short run, midterm run, long run and eternal run. Let us be kind and grateful to our employees, as they are our best assets. Let’s give them bread and they will give us a ham sandwich. Let us have huge care to our customers, as they are our best revenue generators. Let’s give them a good price, high quality products and the best services and they will give us their respect and loyalty. Let us be fair to our competitors as they are our great motivators. Let us give them fair game and they will give us the true meaning of winning.

A recent iLogos Research study revealed 94% of Fortune 500 companies now hire employees online, a stark contrast from 1998, when only 29% of them were doing the same.

f you own or manage a small business, that means the vast majority of your fiercest competitors are now spending less time and less effort on recruitment. And that leaves them with more time to, simply put, get a leg up on you. Sure, it sounds like a threat. But isn’t lack of technology an inevitable drawback for most small businesses? Absolutely not. Maybe 10, even 5 years ago. But not today. Every time we do market research with small businesses, we hear three top reasons why the business has not yet implemented an online hiring solution, in which job candidates apply online: The cost is too high.

Small Business Administration (SBA), small businesses drive the U.S. economy, representing 99.7 percent of all employer firms. In Canada, according to Statistics Canada, businesses with less that 100 employees account for 98% of all employer businesses. Business software developers are now recognizing the importance of SMBs and designing employee recruitment software that caters to the specific budgetary and technological needs of small business. It’s important to do your research and find the technology that’s the best fit for your company. When shopping around for a recruitment manager program, make sure to ask yourself the following questions:

They lack the technological knowhow.

1. Cost: Is the advertised price of this

They believe setting up a recruitment software would take longer than just doing it the old-fashioned way.

Beware of offers that are full of limitations. For example, will you have to pay more if a lot of people apply for your job? Is there a hosting charge for filing all the applicants’ resumes? Is there a time-limit for your job posting, after which you have to pay extra charges?

Those are all valid concerns, considering most small businesses operate on a tight budget and without an in-house IT department. The good news is small businesses are fundamental to the North-American economy. In fact, according to the U.S.

product the actual price my company is going to pay?

2. Ease of technology: Is the technology really easy-to-use, even if I’m a computer novice?

The best way to find this out is by trying the product yourself. Most companies offer free trials of their products, which are a great idea, as long they are risk free. Keeping in mind question 1, make sure the trial has no hidden charges. Also try out the front-end application process to make sure it’s really going to be easy when your job candidates apply online.

3. Setup: How long will it take to get up and running?

You don’t want to get stuck with a product that takes so long to setup, that by the time you’re done, you could have done everything the old-fashioned way. It’s a good idea to talk to a sales representative and ask him/her to explain to you the exact steps you’ll need to take to setup for a job.

4. The product: What’s included? What does this product do? What doesn’t it do?

Some programs offer only the online job posting functionality. Others focus on the back-end, like collecting resumes, organizing, filtering and searching employees, scheduling interviews, etc. When looking for a program that takes care of the backend, make sure the company will also be able to help you with the posting functionality, whether you’re putting up a poster

on your store window, running an ad in the local paper or posting on job websites. 5. Service: Will I get a helping hand? Since most small businesses do not have an IT department, one of the most important questions to ask here is what kind of service will you get. Will you get email support? Phone support? Online Live Help? Will you be speaking to a real business person who knows about the specific challenges you’re facing, or to someone who only knows the tech aspects of the program?

Remember it’s your company’s efficiency that’s at stake here, so don’t be afraid to ask questions or request a free trial. Hiring online may sound like something only fit for the big guys, but remember this is the 21st century, which means technology and small business are the most important aspects of our economy.

2 1 In general. Keep them short. Most staff meetings should last less than an hour. You want your staff to spend their time working on things that earn money for your business, not sitting in meetings. Keep them positive. Negative meetings contain insults, ridicule, and attacks. These activities create caution and resentment, which always costs your company money. Keep them interactive. Your staff consists of intelligent people. Put them to work in your meetings to advance the effectiveness of your organization.

Share news. Give the members of your group one minute to report on progress made in their area of responsibility. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find that this results in bullet point reports of essential information. It also prevents people from philosophizing, explaining, justifying, criticizing, and engaging in other unproductive activities. Plan a time budget: 8 to 10 minutes.

Teach something. Invite a guest expert to give a 10 minute presentation on some skill or technology that benefits your group. Tell the expert that you want a logical explanation of practical ideas. You can also ask members of your group to take turns delivering brief tutorials on topics that benefit the others. Plan a time budget: 10 to 15 minutes

how to Hold Effective Staff Meetings 4 Practice skills. Create team learning activities that sharpen or teach skills needed in your business. For example, you could role play job skills (especially useful for sales teams), solve puzzles (useful for high tech groups), or take quizzes (useful for everyone). Ask group members to take turns bringing an activity that reviews or teaches a valuable skill. Follow this activity with a brief recap of key ideas. Then ask the group members to give a fifteen second report on how these ideas can be applied to improve their work. Plan a time budget: 10 to 20 minutes.

6 Use a facilitator. A facilitator will help you

Solve problems. Give each group member a minute to describe a challenge that hinders work on a current project and then let everyone propose solutions. Suggestions should be brief and free of self aggrandizing explanations or motivational sermons. This process also requires a positive, supportive environment to succeed. If this is used to ridicule, insult, or criticize the individual, then people will be reluctant to reveal issues that need attention. Plan a time budget: 3 to 6 minutes per person.

conduct meetings where the results matter. That way, you can participate, rather than spend your time managing the meeting. A good facilitator will know group decision making processes that move your meeting toward results everyone supports.

This article helps you think about the question – to team or not to team… and provides you with some illuminating, and perhaps surprising answers.

veryone thinks teams are a good thing. Leaders like to form teams. People, for the most part believe in the value and purpose of teams . . .

All of us are smarter than each of us.

1+1=3

. . . are just two common phrases that reinforce and prove how pervasive our belief in teams is. And that belief is justified. Sometimes. There are many times in our civic or church groups, and in our businesses and professional associations that we need teams of people to work on an issue or a project. And sometimes we would be better off without a team - with individuals contributing as individuals. What? No team? You got it. At least not the type of team you probably think of, when you think of a team. Two Basic Types of Teams To keep things simple, I believe there are two basic types of teams. There are basketball teams and there are track and field teams. Basketball Teams Basketball teams (or soccer or hockey) are teams that require, by the nature of their task, that everyone play as one unit. On teams in these sports the players are interdependent. At any moment of any game, in order to be successful, the entire team needs to be working in harmony. The role of each player is designated by their position (which takes into account their innate strengths and acquired

skills). However, the situation at any moment during the flow of the game, may require any player to take any role. And on good teams of this sort, all players are willing to be flexible, to assist, to change roles, to “do what it takes”. Because they know that without working together, they can’t achieve their team goals of victory. The nature of the game forces interdependency among the team members.

process flow or project where the outputs of one person directly affect the work of the next – where the work and the people are highly interdependent. We also have teams that look more like the track and field team. In these situations people are working toward a common mission and goal, but their work doesn’t intersect in nearly the same ways as for the highly interdependent teams.

Track and Field Teams Players on track and field teams on the other hand (except in a few relay events) are not interdependent, they are independent. Shot putters have a skill set that is largely unrelated to the sprinters. And the high jumpers can be personally skilled and successful without any tangible help or support from the distance runners. At the end of the day (or meet), the team can win if enough of the individuals do well. In other words if enough individuals win, the team will win. The most successful of these teams will have highly talented individual contributors, supporting each other to reach their common goal of winning. In this way they are definitely a team. They may feel allegiance to the group. They certainly can have pride in being a part of the group. They want each other to be successful. They know that they can all be more successful when each individual is more successful. They can have a common goal (to win the meet or championship). But the fundamental relationship between the players isn’t the same as it is on a basketball team.

Fair enough you say. But in my experience, we tend to want all teams to think they are basketball teams. If the work or project dictates that focus, great. But if you have a track and field (independent) team, you don’t need the same focus on interdependence and traditional “team building” activities.

What This Means to Us In our organizations we most likely have both sorts of teams. We have teams that work in a

What Do We Do Now? If you lead a team or form teams or are just a member of a team, you need to think about and talk about this distinction. Determine across the team (or future team) what type of team you are. Once there is agreement on the type of team you are, you can begin to set the right kinds of expectations for each other and for yourself. You can build more appropriate plans for training, development and team building. Knowing which type of team your work or project dictates is the first step towards helping that group of people be more successful and the work being done successfully. So maybe it isn’t really, “to team or not to team?”, but “which type of team?” . . . that is the question. Answer that one first. And, using the answer as a guide, watch all of your teams be more successful.

Preparedness Apps and Other Tools Bring American Red Cross Safety Information to Businesses

io Grande Valley. October 2013. Disasters can happen anytime. The American Red Cross wants to help prepare your employees and business for disasters and other emergencies with free preparedness information and tools. Investing in an emergency plan for your employees is critical. Whether it’s a hurricane, tornado or fire that threatens—all businesses need an emergency preparedness plan and the American Red Cross can help by providing the following information for your workplace, at no cost:

Red Cross Mobile Preparedness Apps

Be ready for severe weather with our preparedness apps. We’ll teach you how to use these safety tools to protect yourself and your loved ones. We have a Hurricane app with the “I’m Safe” feature, First Aid app, Tornado app, Shelter Finder app, Wildfire app, Earthquake app and Team Red Cross app to sign up as a volunteer. These apps can be downloaded from the Apple iTunes Store and the Google Play Store for Android free of charge by searching American Red Cross.

Be Red Cross Ready

We’ll come to your workplace to teach your employees how to plan and prepare for emergencies. Presentations include free preparedness materials (emergency contact cards, build a kit checklists, hurricane and fire safety checklists, etc.) for employees. We can also provide you with materials that can be sent to your employees electronically.

Ready Rating

Is your business prepared for an emergency? American Red Cross created this free self-paced program to help businesses measure their level of preparedness and improve their readiness score. We can meet with you to provide a detailed overview of this valuable program. For more information go to http://www.readyrating.org/ In preparation for hurricane season, Red Cross volunteers and staff have been training and participating in Shelter Exercises and partnering with local, county and state agencies. Collaborating with these agencies can help ensure the safety of Rio Grande Valley residents in case of a disaster. For more information call Cynthia Guerra, Executive Director at 956-423-0523 ext. 100 or email at Cynthia.guerra@redcross. org or visit us at redcross.org/tx/harlingen.