BOSSMENTOR® Renaissance Magazine - January Issue

January 2009

RENAISSANCE MAGAZINE

Strategy Does your business enable you or tether you?

Personal Power How a child changed a community

Life’s Toolbox Meditation is a life skill

Success Mindset Harness your inner power

Entrepreneurial Insights Live by your core values

Spotlight on Noeux les Mines, France

Richard Branson ‘It’s all life!’

DREAM, BELIEVE, CREATE

Hello!

Business success, mindset and lifestyle are all interwoven. BOSSMENTOR®

Welcome to our first issue of

Renaissance Magazine™ is going

BOSSMENTOR® Renaissance

a step beyond the business advice

Magazine™!

presented in our e-news, to start giving more focus on insights into the beliefs

It’s been designed for you to take your

and thinking of the people we profile,

time over, dive in and out of, and keep

and how your thoughts can change

as a reference.

the outcomes you get in your life. New thinking, new levels of awareness of the

Jenny Stilwell

Reading, writing, exploring new

personal power that we each hold inside

thoughts and ideas, creating stories and

ourselves, and a new attitude to your

forever putting pen to paper, is part

business as leverage for a bigger future,

of my life blood. I wrote my first book

rather than an end in itself – that’s

at the age of nine, instructively titled

what BOSSMENTOR® Renaissance

“How to be a Teen Teenager” (alas, now

Magazine™ is all about.

out of print!).

The theme of this first issue is ‘enable’, Business strategy, management practices

and we explore ways that you can

and stories of the great business mas-

enable greater possibility in your life,

ters, has inspired me along my path and

through your own personal power and

continues to do so.

through your business.

The driver behind the great success

I hope the stories, advice and insights

stories throughout history is the power

challenge and inspire you to dream,

of the human mind to achieve great

believe and create your bigger future!

things. Sometimes it is easy to dismiss the amazing stories we hear of personal

Enjoy!

courage, human strength, of overcoming huge obstacles to change the course

Jenny Stilwell

and outcomes of lives, and of course stories of incredible foresight and vision of inspirational entrepreneurs to take quantum leaps forward in progress. We can dismiss these stories and place them at arm’s length, as ‘I could never do that’.

But we are all capable of doing that! It is the focus and perspective of the human mind that will drive success and results in our personal and business lives, which in turn will determine our lifestyle and the ultimate legacy we leave during our lifetime.

2

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

‘If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves’ Thomas Edison.

Table of contents Success Mindset

4 Life’s Toolbox 6 Harness Your Inner Power

Strategy

9 Does Your Business Enable You Or Tether You?

How-To

12 What To Do With A Strategic SWOT 14 Set Up Your Website To Generate Leads

Entrepreneurial Insights

16 Gord Hotchkiss - CEO Enquiro, British Columbia, Canada

19 Best Info

Leadership & Legacy

20 Richard Branson’s Philosophy

Spotlight

22 Noeux Les Mines, France

Personal Power

23 How A Child Changed A Community; What Could We Do?

Business Growth, Mentoring & Coaching

24 Programs 25 Other Ressources And Products

26 About BOSSMENTOR®

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

3

Success Mindset

Life’s Toolbox T

we want to open up to clarity, ideas and inspiration - we need to regularly toss out the junk.

Today our lives seem increasingly frantic and distracted .. demands on our time, demands on our attention and demands for optimal performance across everything we do – family, career, relationships, exercise – mean that we are always ‘on’.

At the same time we are also constantly interrupted, beeped and buzzed; so our ability to maintain attention for

his past week I have had

anything longer than a few minutes is

two lively conversations

always being tested.

which highlighted an increasingly common theme.

By Sarah Fletcher

When stretched and spread so thinly,

One girlfriend was feeling totally over-

demands become increasingly difficult

whelmed and unable to cope with all

to meet and stress levels begin to build.

the competing demands in her life; she

As we start to feel disconnected and

spoke of feeling fearful and scattered,

overwhelmed, we find we are suddenly

and in fact openly wondered if she was

unable to cope with all the noise and

losing her ‘mind’. Another girlfriend

uncertainty in our world .. resulting in

was facing a major life change, the

health issues (dis-ease) and turmoil – we

culmination of years of hard and highly

have lost our balance.

focussed work, but instead of stepping up to take the prize she found herself

The antidote I suggested to my girl-

frozen and unsure - like a rabbit caught

friends is quite simple .. to just .. stop

in the spotlight, unable to move.

.. and be still.

Meditation is the tool needed in our toolbox Meditation long ago came down from the mountain tops, and while it is an ancient practice that has been around for more than 4000 years, it is also a quite

4

To both my friends I shared the same

natural human experience. Stilling the

advice .. like a cluttered house that has

mind, taking time to be quiet and re-

no room left; our minds too are often

flect, can be experienced when you are

overcrowded with noise and clutter. If

totally immersed in a favourite activity,

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

or thought; it may be gardening, your favourite music or a walk in the forest.

The word “meditation” literally comes from two Latin words: ‘medio’ meaning center and ‘sto’ meaning to stand. So meditation is ‘to stand in the centre’.

When you are still, and in your centre, you have the opportunity to clear the noise and truly listen to the softest and most subtle sound of your inner voice.

Taking the time to meditate (whether that is a ‘spot’ meditation before an

It is really fundamental that we realise it is our inner world that creates our outer world.

important meeting; or a more formal sit-

that you become more aware of the

ting practice) allows the mind to settle

‘you’ that exists beneath the layers of

into a calmness and peace that is there

random cross-fire thoughts, emotions,

all the time, but hidden behind all the

and judging; the ‘you’ that understands

chatter and internal dialogue.

where you are and what your purpose

Meditation makes for a handsome return

is in life.

on investment – it’s the tool we all need in our toolbox.

When we rest the mind, we renew and reconnect with the quiet spaces and

Learning to focus the mind and con-

places inside. When our mind is calm,

centrate our attention in the present

our life finds balance and ease.

moment, also improves the efficiency and understanding of our thinking. So

Meditation: the art of mindful stillness

meditation therefore not only encour-

When we meditate we let go of all the

All you need do is be silent, tune in and listen

worries, the problems of the past and

ages a healthier and more resilient frame of mind, but the resulting clarity and

Sarah Fletcher teaches simple and practical meditation, and believes meditation is an important life skill. She also writes a meditation blog at www.quietmindmeditation.blogspot.com.

spaciousness puts us in a better position to tap into the magical flow of opportunity and synchronicity.

the concerns for the future, and start to listen and understand at a really deep

Meditation is the simple act of slowing

and profound level .. we begin to feel

down and rediscovering who we truly

what we truly feel, and know what we

are; it is also an enjoyable and life af-

really know. As the mind slows down

firming wellness practice. Studies con-

and focuses we then start to see more

tinue to support the substantial health

clearly things as they really are; the

benefits of a regular meditation practice

habitual responses that we have, see and

– reduced levels of stress and anxiety,

do, our way of hearing and relating to

improved immune system and building

others, and our inner roadblocks.

a healthier heart and mind. Meditation also makes us more keenly aware of our

Meditation provides the stillness so

intuition, fosters greater creativity, and it feels good!

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

5

Success Mindset

Harness Your Inner Power

By Rebecca Ryan

“I have a headache, Mummy” my

tential at the expense of our humanity?

tions and complexities of our human

daughter said as she laid down and put

My imagined potential is the carrot I’m

experience to show us who we really are

her head in my lap. While I brushed

told to focus on. I must focus… REALLY

and the resources we already have.

her hair off her face, my head went into

focus… on all the things I want to be - I

overdrive. Do I commiserate - kiss her

picture what I’ll look like and feel like…

or give her magic water? Do I tell her

as I hear the roar of the crowds. And, in

she’ll be fine and send her off to school?

all this focus, I wonder…. Am I doomed

Here are some ways to recognise what

Is she fine? Or, will the sick bay call

to deny my true nature for the promise

you actually have:

me with a stern request to come and

of a better one?

get her? Do I juggle my meetings to keep her home? Do I trust that her little

The inner world

Appreciate your mixed emotions; allow yourself to celebrate your wins; explore the criticisms that bother you, and the

brother won’t do the same thing tomorrow? Do I put her back to bed with the

I am full of ambiguity and inconsis-

way you try to put distance between

promise of no TV? Or, do I drag her

tency. Every decision I make is chock-

your imagined self and your real one.

suddenly-cheery self around to a cafe

full of complexity and mixed emotions.

• Appreciate how you don’t fit; how

with me and ignore the nagging feeling

Everything I do oozes my own human-

you don’t live up to your expecta-

that I’ve been played?

ity. Like it or not, I cannot escape my

tions and how you have let yourself

history: the dramatic turns; the good

(and others) down. Step into your

ideas gone cold, and the sheer madness

own shoes to see how you manage

of falling in love with dangerous people.

the changing circumstances, the

Focus… What focus?

This story illustrates to me what it is to be human. It highlights the enormous

My humanity is my power

wisdom we use every day to navigate

6

You’re standing in it

double crosses and the disappointments of being you.

• Appreciate the other sides of the

our complex interactions. It brings me

I wonder if freedom is to stop looking

story; judge not from an outsider’s

to the question: Does the modern hu-

for our elusive potential, Narcissus-like?

context; hang out with yourself

man potential movement target our po-

We could instead allow the contradic-

until you can honestly say “I accept

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

(maybe even appreciate) that about

full expression. I crave being accepted

myself”.

and loved for who I am - warts and all

• And if appreciating yourself is an uphill slog, here are 3 quick and

- not with an apology but with the mad exhilaration of being free to be me.

easy ways to feel good about yourself and bolster your courage:

As William Blake said, “Rise and drink

1. Gratitude – this can be a very

your bliss, for all that lives is holy.”

small gesture of thanks.

2. Generosity – this can be a very small favour for someone.

By Rebecca Ryan, aged 36 and a half x

3. Gob-smacked awe – this can be looking at a blade of grass and thinking how amazingly it is made.

If we can accept and appreciate ourselves we needn’t abandon who we are for the promise of who we might be able

Rebecca is the Director of Living Dreams, a specialist coaching & training company with a vision to think differently. She can be contacted via mobile URL betterfuturenow.mobi or email ylangroup@optusnet.com.au.

to be. I am human and my inconsistencies and my ambiguity are part of my

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

7

Strategy

Does your business enable you or tether you?

By Jenny Stilwell

Fortunately there seems to be a growing trend, certainly among the clients I work with, to create a business that is an enabler of the owner’s lifestyle. People want to build a business they enjoy, but more importantly, build a business that actually encompasses life goals and passions as well.

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

9

Strategy

people and dealing with the day to day operations of a business, you will most likely start to either resent being tethered by your business or you will lose your passion for what you do and lose your momentum.

However, if you recognize that architectural design is essential to you being passionate about what you do and making a contribution, then you must structure your business to run ‘handsfree’ (without your hands, that is).

This is a real leap of faith for many

F

or example, I have a client who loves travel, and the thought of building a business that only has a domestic

scope just isn’t on the cards! Opportunities, contacts, projects – they must have a global focus.

business owners, but this leap is a true enabling step.

that you love so much you’d do it for free? If I left you alone for the day, uninterrupted, and came back to find you immersed in that activity completely unaware that a day had gone by, what would you have been doing?

Where and how do you ideally like to work?

Do you need to be flexible? Do you prefer to work in a slick modern office?

Have you always wanted to work in a converted warehouse? Would you rather

Another client prefers to work alone.

For some, there may be no work going

For this person, a growing business

on but they’re surrounded by people,

with an expanding team of people need-

talking, laughing and having a great

Being able to design where and how

ing mentoring and management is not

time!

you work is an essential part of creating

work at the beach, or at home?

your business in such a way as to enable

enabling a lifestyle. It’s tethering the business owner to a place he doesn’t

For others, they may be doing some-

want to be.

thing completely unrelated to work, like

you to live how you really want.

entertaining children, cooking, singing,

Do you like to spend the day with

As business owners we are so fortunate

playing golf or developing ideas on a

clients, colleagues, members of your

in that we can create whatever we want

white board. It doesn’t mean you would

team, in meetings, out having lunch,

our business and our lifestyle to be,

do this all the time, but it’s something

in discussion? Would you rather be

whether the business is a startup or

you do that immerses you.

more solitary in how you work? Do you like to work at night or early in the

established, the ‘enabling principles’ apply.

The following enabling principles will help you to determine how well your business enables you to create the

Do you have a chance to do that through your business, or is the business structured in such a way that it enables you to leave it and pursue your ‘immersion’ activity?

morning, or like a friend of mine, right

If you’re an architect, and you love to

A lot of business owners would like

design buildings, you need to be able to

a little more free time, but when the

do that. If you get caught up managing

opportunity arises, some of them don’t

around the clock?

Would you like more free time and if so, how would you spend it?

future of your dreams, or how much it tethers you:

What activity would you be doing

10

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

really know what to do with it. I’ve

double the business turnover next year,

seen people who retreat to their busi-

why do you want to do that, and will it

ness rather than unleash themselves on

enable you to live more like the way you

themselves! I’ve also seen workaholics

really want to be living?

who eschew free time, but once the concept and the opportunity become more

Set your business goals because they are

obvious, they start to embrace it with

in alignment with what you really want

great enthusiasm.

We only get our time once, so make the most of it while you have it.

What needs to change in your business to enable you to live and work with more enjoyment, satisfaction and better personal results?

It has to start with you – it’s your business and your life.

Do you need to change the structure of your business?

Do you need to change your role in it?

Do you need to change how you work?

Do you need to change or build your team?

to do, and enable you to live a great life.

Don’t set goals simply because you can, and be tethered by them as a result.

Do you need to change your schedule so you spend more time doing

Think of the lines in the INXS song:

what you love?

‘we all have wings, but some of us don’t

Do you need to enlist help to keep

know why’. Make sure your business

you on track and accountable?

enables you to use your wings and fly!

Do you need to sell your business and do something new – start a new chapter?

Do you need to loosen the control and focus on what inspires and motivates you?

Finally, is the vision for your business based on your personal goals? Are they in alignment?

Are the financial goals for the company driven by your own personal financial goals? For example, if you want to

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

11

How to

What to Do With a Strategic SWOT

By Jenny Stilwell

Often people conduct a SWOT Analysis

ment in which you operate or plan to

nal environments, encourage discussion

for their business and after having filled

operate.

(always!), and lay a solid foundation for

in the points under each heading, they don’t do any more with it. I think most people know what it is, but few people seem to know what to do with it and how to use it strategically in their planning. Here’s the low-down.

the strategic direction for the business.

When you do an objective SWOT, you’ll be able to match your resources more efficiently and effectively to your environment, for greater success.

Here are some typical examples that could fall under each of the categories:

Strengths • Capable Team (make sure it’s in all

Internal factors

External factors

Strengths

Opportunities

Weaknesses

Threats

It is a strategic tool used in planning,

areas of the business, because if

such as marketing plans and business

it isn’t, then you have a weakness

plans. You could also do a SWOT on

somewhere – eg: Product Devel-

yourself, a product, a project, a business

opment and Sales are strong, but

unit, as well as on your overall business.

Customer Service is weak) • Intellectual property, such as:

What Is A SWOT Analysis?

Strengths and weaknesses are internal

1. Trademarks, Patents

factors that reside or exist within your

2. Brand recognition

business. Opportunities and threats ex-

• Client base

ist outside your business, and are sepa-

• Marketing system

rate from your business but can impact

• Office facilities

your business.

• Low cost base • Technology

How Does It Work?

• Production capacity (available for growth) Often when doing this exercise I receive responses like “everyone gets on well”.

The person who develops the strategic

This is a good thing, but not necessarily

plan for your business will usually do

a strength.

the SWOT analysis, which others may then comment on or add to.

It’s an objective look at the internal and external factors affecting your business,

A really useful approach is to combine

summarized into strengths, weaknesses,

feedback from a few key people within

opportunities and threats.

the organisation, and compare their perspectives of what the business’ SWOT

12

As a litmus test, ask yourself, ‘does having this make us more competitive/more profitable and more attractive to our target market?’

The purpose of conducting a SWOT

analysis is. If you run this as a work-

Weaknesses

analysis is to enable you to perform

shop-type session, it will cover off a lot

• Lack of specialist resources

more competitively within the environ-

of information about internal and exter-

• Limited IP (Intellectual Property)

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

Strengths & Opportunities (S-O Strategies)

Weaknesses & Opportunities (W-O Strategies)

• Low profile within target market

Use your inherent strengths to capital-

Develop a strategy to overcome or

• Poor accounting system, ie: can’t ac-

ize on available opportunities that fit

remove the weaknesses in your business

curately measure & track KPIs (Key

with your overall business purpose and

in order to take advantage of the oppor-

Performance Indicators)

goals

tunities that exist for growth/increased

• For example, you may have a very

profit/market share etc

• Incomplete & out of date customer database • Small distribution network

• Production capacity (unused –

large customer base as a strength,

wasted resources & costs)

• For example, if you have a lack of

and also have the opportunity to

specialist resources but have an op-

take on new technology that would

portunity to partner with another

enable you to deliver superior ser-

company to take on their products/

partner (eg: expand distribution

vice to your clients/ deliver more/

services, you could make it a prior-

network)

deliver faster/deliver more cheaply

ity to bring specialist resources

– all of which could increase sales,

into your business to enable you to

improve margins, and ultimately

quickly take advantage of that op-

increase your profitability

portunity

Opportunities • alliance with a potential business

• new technology (to reduce costs, improve processes) • new market expansion (increase sales) • emerging customer needs (new products/services & sales) • legislation (eg: may introduce new

Weaknesses & Threats (W-T Strategies)

opportunities)

The bottom line is this: you want to be ready to take advantage of the best opportunities for your business, and

Threats • entry of strong competitors to this market from other markets

Develop a strategy to protect the busi-

well prepared to ward off any threats

ness from the weaknesses that make

that could significantly impact your

it highly vulnerable to the most likely

business.

threats

• new technology renders your products/services redundant • new legislation restricts business

How Do I Use It?

• For example, if a weakness is lim-

You don’t want to adopt strategies that

ited IP and a threat is entry into

further highlight a weakness in your

your market by strong competitors,

business, add more pressure to already

then your defensive strategy could

strained resources, or place you in a

be to develop or acquire IP that

market where you are unable to compete

makes you more competitive and

effectively.

gives you a point of difference in Strengths

Opportunities

Threats

Strength/ Opportunity Strats

Weaknesses Weakness/ Opportunity Strats

Capitalise

Overcome & capitalise

Strength/ Threats Strats

Weakness/ Threats Strats

Minimise

Defend

Strengths & Threats (S-T Strategies)

A SWOT Analysis is a sorting tool – it helps you sort the best strategies form a list of options, and provides a decision-making framework.

Use your strengths to minimise the most

If you only do part of this mix without

likely threats to your business

the full mix of strategies, you’re leaving

• For example, if a strong distribution

yourself open to risk and/or lost oppor-

the market

network is a strength, you may de-

tunities. If you do the SWOT analysis

cide to channel more products into

objectively and use the resulting matrix

Now that you’ve done the SWOT, you

that distribution network to gain

of strategies as they’re set out above,

need to apply what it’s uncovered to

more market share, minimizing the

you’ll have the foundation of a sound

your strategy.

potential market share for any new

strategy.

competitor Partner your SWOT factors like this:

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

13

How to

Set Up Your Website to Generate Leads

By Bart Smith, TheMarketingMan.com

L

eads are the lifeblood of

you wish to create and add to your

With www.MyMarketingCart.com in

every business! Without

web site for visitors (i.e., leads) to

place, you now have all the right tools

them, you can’t grow your

fill in.

and all the right software in place you

business and your income.

• You’ll need the ability to commu-

So, not like you needed to be reminded

nicate to your list through eMail

required to build your own list of pros-

to generate them, but HOW is the big

without being labeled a spammer by

pects, clients and affiliates! Here’s how

question! Specifically, let’s focus on gen-

your local Internet service pro-

you build your list of future wealth!

erating leads from your web site!

vider. To do this, you will need to

• Create an “opt-in” box (a.k.a. sub-

use a third party, commercial eMail

scription form) for your Web site.

If you don’t have a list of prospects to

broadcasting service with a variety

This simple form will generate the

sell and market to yet, or your current

of functions. This online marketing

most leads for you! MyMarketing-

list is not as large as you like, don’t

service should allow you to commu-

Cart will help you do this.

worry. We’re going to show you how to

nicate to your list through a variety

build a huge list right here, right now!

of eMail communications such as

“opt-in” box in the top-right corner

eZines, online newsletters, special

of every web site. For most people,

First, let’s get the “tools you need” in

eMail announcements and autore-

the mouse is stationed on their

place to build your list!

sponders.

right-hand side of the keyboard;

• You’ll need the ability to create an

14

need to perform all the essential tasks

• Make it easy to subscribe! Put the

which means, their cursor is more

“opt-in box” (i.e., an online form)

The most sophisticated and cost-effec-

likely to start from the far right and

that collect specific information

tive software system that tracks and

move to the left; which means, the

(i.e., first name and primary eMail

manages all of this and provides other

sooner people can put their cursor

address) from those who visit your

essential eCommerce tools for selling

in the opt-in box, the faster they

web site, express an interest in your

and marketing your business online

might signup for your eZine, or

eZine/newsletter, free information

(i.e., shopping carts, recurring billing,

other compelling offer.

giveaway; your products, services

ad tracking software, custom forms, af-

and even your affiliate program.

filiate program/marketing software and

page within your web site. Make

• You’ll need the ability to sort, track,

• Put the “opt-in” box on every web

more!) is www.MyMarketingCart.com,

sure, again, it’s positioned in the

add and edit the names of people in

the same company BOSS Management

top-right corner of your home page.

your ever-growing database of new

Group uses to collect leads, product

Having it on every page allows

contacts, prospects, clients and af-

sales, tracks its affiliate program, data-

people, surfing around your web

filiates. You can do this by assigning

base management, eMail broadcasting,

site to “opt-in” at any time!

specific autoresponders to the forms

autoresponders… The list goes on!

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

• Put the “opt-in” box at the top and

Bart Smith, TheMarketingMan.com is the

founder of www.MyTrainingCenter.com, an online learning resource offering extensive written, audio and video tutorials for computers, business, marketing, speaking, web design and information product creation. Bart is also the founder of www.MyMarketingCart.com, which offers shopping carts, autoresponders, eMail marketing, Internet marketing tools, and other eCommerce services to businesses; and co-author of www.RichCoachBrokeCoach.com, which helps coaches make more money coaching, while coaching fewer clients! Bart also authored four self-help books, totaling over 1,500 pages.

bottom of every web page within your web site. What if someone read all the way to the bottom of your web site and wanted to signup right then and there? They could, if you had your “opt-in” box also positioned at the bottom of your web site.

• Put the “opt-in” box in your eZine! If you encourage your eZine subscribers to forward your eZine on to their friends and associates, wouldn’t it be super-convenient to have the “opt-in” box inside your eZine? Make it easy for people to sign up!

• Be specific, yet, in the beginning, just ask for people’s “first name” and “primary eMail address.” All you need is their first name when starting out. You can get their last name LATER. And, with so many people today having more than one address, ask for their “primary address” (i.e., the one they check the most).

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

15

Entrepreneurial Insights

Gord Hotchkiss:

‘Live By Your Core Values’ lation is about 125,000 people, which

Name

is perfect. I’m not a big city type of

Gord Hotchkiss

person. It’s good for a family – I have

JS: I imagine with the service that you

Position

two daughters, 15 and 13.

provide that you could have clients

Founder & CEO

pretty much anywhere in the world…?

Location

JS: So why did you want to run your

British Columbia, Canada

own business, and what led you to start

Gord: Our clients are mostly spread

Company

Enquiro?

around the US; Canada was slower to

Enquiro, a search engine marketing company

Gord: It seems like the company has

clients in Europe and we’ve got a pro-

Website

always been part of my life. It started

posal in now with a national company

www.enquiro.com

in a different format in 1988. I was a

in Australia.

Size

copywriter for local radio stations and

27 people

then started doing more creative work

JS: How did you get your first clients in

around advertising for my clients. Dur-

the US?

embrace the internet. We also have some

ing the ‘90s was when the web started JS: Hi Gord, thanks so much for

to grow, and in 96/97 we were one of

allowing us to interview you for

the few people offering interactive mar-

BOSSMENTOR® Renaissance

keting using the internet. I found the

Magazine™.

internet intriguing as well, to be able to

Before we start talking

about you and your business, could you

go beyond local radio stations and work

tell us a little bit about Kelowna?

with other clients in other markets, beyond a small town.

Gord: When I started the business I wanted to live in a small city that I love

JS: Did you have other people working

and be able to earn a living. Kelowna is

with you at that stage?

in British Columbia – it’s inland, wine

16

keting and we had one part-timer.

country. There’s a 170km long lake,

Gord: I started the company on my

mountains, skiing, it has a relatively

own but then brought in a partner, Bill,

mild climate for Canada, and the popu-

when we started doing interactive mar-

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

Gord: We wanted to be a ‘beacon’ and

The opportunity we saw has had major

they understand. So, search may not be

be known for something, which we

players move in [to the market] so we

a primary strategy for some businesses

decided was search engine marketing

retreated.

– there must be a mix of marketing tools

(SEM) as few people were doing it. We

in their arsenal. If you are in a niche

also decided to do one thing really well,

Our focus is now B2B search. Businesses

market, your marketing needs to create

so we launched a new website on June

selling to businesses have more com-

more awareness of this product/service

1st, 1999, and had our first two clients

plexity and more players in the process

category in order to increase the search

by the end of the day! One of those was

than consumer marketing. We got into

on that category.

in new England and the other was a

the research side to understand why

lawyer in Montreal.

people do what they do to interact with

Search isn’t a channel, it’s something

the search engines, and we span that out

people do – it has to be connected to

to a new business division.

other activities.

We’ve done research projects in the

JS: What’s your approach to moving

last two years with all the major search

into new markets?

engines such as Google and Yahoo and established ourselves as leaders in how

Gord: We don’t take on anything un-

people interact with search engines.

less we do it really well. We’re thinking globally but we want to do it well. We

We had about 12 accounts by the end of

JS: In my experience a lot of SEM

use research in new markets. It gets our

the month, most of them in the US. We

companies focus on keywords, and have

foot in the door. We’ve done a lot of

did the Happy Dance every time we got

their clients come up with their key-

research now into the European market

a new client on board! It was a fun time

words, and then they do the search and

and how people interact with search.

to be exploring doing business online.

page rank optimization bit. But SEM is

We’ve done eye tracking research in to

part of the whole marketing mix, and

how the Chinese interact with search.

JS: How would you describe your over-

I think people need a lot more direc-

all growth strategy?

tion than they currently get from many

You have to understand cultures too

search engine optimization companies.

before you go in to global markets, and

Gord: The question implies we had a

that’s a challenge. You have to be sensi-

strategy [laughs]! We were riding the

Gord: We try to get our clients to talk

wave of the internet and at one point

to their customers or read books on why

were on of the fastest growing com-

people do what they do – why people

JS: Could you tell me about the Enquiro

panies in North America. After things

go online to find you. A high page rank-

Earth program you’ve developed?

settled down, after the boom/bust, there

ing is only a small part of the marketing

were far more SEM companies.

picture and clients need to take a holis-

Gord: We developed it internally. Inno-

tic view of marketing and why people

vation in our company tends to bubble

do what they do.

up and the team takes ownership of it.

We started thinking more strategically in 2002 – some strategies were more successful than others…

tive to cultural realities.

Enquiro Earth completely came from How do people move through your

the team. We’re really proud of our

marketing points? For example, they

culture and core values. Everyone lives

Our focus was to be an organic optimi-

see an ad in a magazine – will they then

by them.

zation specialist. We didn’t see spon-

search for you online, and how will they

sored search taking off but made the

do it? Companies shouldn’t be defin-

mistake of getting into that too late. In

ing their own keywords – how can you

2003 we decided to develop software

define your own keywords when the

Gord: Leave the world a better place

in the search engine business, without

prospect doesn’t even know you exist?

than when you came into it – that value

experience in software development.

People search on a category or keyword

gave rise to the Earth program.

JS: Could you give me an example?

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

17

Entrepreneurial Insights

We also donate a lot to charities. In 2008

now – the company pays me to think

we donated $1000 per employee to dif-

and to be an academic of sorts. It’s

ferent community programs and chari-

enabled me to talk to interesting people

ties. Here’s an example of something

and explore some things I want to do.

that came from the team. They wanted

The internet has enabled me to con-

to do our own version of The Appren-

nect with some amazing people that

tice as a fund raiser.

I wouldn’t have been able to do had I followed a different path.

They got twenty tickets to a game from the local hockey team and each team

JS: I believe that thinking and taking

had ten tickets to use to raise money for

time out to learn is underrated by many

charity. They were given an afternoon

people. So many people are consumed

to do this exercise. The face value of

with ‘doing the doing’ and don’t take

the tickets was about $20 each, and I

time out to smell the roses, reflect, learn,

thought if we raised $1000 that would

think about what’s going on or what

be really good. Each team picked a char-

they want…

ity – one had the local hospital, and the

holding on to. I want to continue that

other chose a charity that got bikes for

Gord: I now have macro level discus-

kids.

sions with the team, way up from the

journey.

detail. If you look at what’s happening

Psychology, neuro-science, the conver-

They came back 5 hours later and had

in the world now – with the US and

gence of academic disciplines; under-

raised almost $13,000!

the rest of the world – it makes sense.

standing more about humans and what

Most of the world has been driven by

drives us – the economic story is only

JS: It sounds like you have an amazing

greed and now it’s evening out and it

a small part of it – step more into a role

culture.

means we have to give up something. If

to help other people understand it as

you take the time to think about these

well. It’s the theme in my writing. How

Gord: I encourage the team to inno-

things and read and explore ideas, none

organizations evolve and the dynamics

vate and take risks, and make sure it’s

of these things are really surprising. We

in them, and what’s happened in the

aligned with our core values. I’m an

get too tied up in today and tomor-

twentieth century where a lot of forces

avid student of what makes companies

row and don’t see the trends. What’s

changed our society dramatically; the

remarkable. We use Enquiro as our

happening now has been building for

twenty first century promises to see

sand box to see what works and what

decades. When you understand it, it

even more dramatic changes for us. How

doesn’t. We don’t always get it right but

explains what’s happening around us.

fast can we adapt is the question.

JS: Do you have a vision for your bigger

JS: Is there a book in the wings?

great companies don’t happen overnight, they evolve.

future?

JS: Would you say your business is an enabler for you to create a bigger life, or

Gord: I plan to have an outline by the Gord: Personally?

end of the year.

JS: Yes

JS: I’ll keep my eyes open for it next

a dis-abler?

Gord: An enabler! The last two years

year! Thanks Gord – it’s been great get-

have been very interesting; I have more

Gord: I’m a tremendously curious stu-

time now to think and to learn more

dent of human nature and what drives

about behaviours, and to do some more

us. I’m more in tune with why we

writing around that.

evolved the way we did – it involved re-shuffling my beliefs and putting

I’m doing more work with academics

18

some of my beliefs aside that I’ve been

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

ting to know you!

Best info

increased joy and more harmonious

familiar to you then the principles will

relationships.

be too. What’s interesting is how John makes them work for him.

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BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

19

Leadership & Legacy

Richard Branson’s Philosophy: It’s All Life!

R

ichard Branson is an

came to pack up the cars and head for

amazing example of a

home, and his Aunty Joyce said ‘never

person who absolutely

mind, Ricky, there’s always next year’.

engages 101% in every

But of course, the young Branson didn’t

aspect of his life. To him, there is no

want to wait that long!

delineation between business and life, and once when interviewed about how

They packed up the car, and headed off

he fitted his business empire in with the

on the 12-hour trip home. On the way,

rest of his life, he replied: “It’s all life!”

the traffic came to a virtual standstill, and running alongside the road was

Undoubtedly, his lack of fear and

a river. The young Richard asked his

complete confidence and belief that he

father if he’d pull over so he could

will achieve his dreams was fostered

scramble down to the bank of the river

very much by his family when he was

for one last attempt to win 10 shillings

a child. In his autobiography, ‘Losing

from his aunty.

My Virginity’, he recounts a story about learning to swim when he was only five

Just before he jumped into the flowing

or six years old.

stream of the river, he looked up and saw his aunties and his sisters, standing

One summer holiday in Devon with his

with his mother who was smiling and

family and his father’s sisters, his Aunty

his father who was nonchalantly light-

Joyce made a bet with him. She bet

ing his pipe.

him 10 shillings that he couldn’t learn to swim by the end of their two-week

What ensued from this point was that

holiday. His version of swimming at

he struggled enormously with the cur-

that stage, was to hop along the sand on

rent and the rapid swirling of the river,

one foot, while splashing around and

and was swept downstream some way.

going through the motions with the rest

As much as he tried he still was un-

of his body (remember doing that?). The

able to swim properly, and with much

sea in Devon is not particularly warm,

thrashing around and struggling he

or easy to swim in, at the best of times,

was pulled under. He swallowed water

and even harder for a learner!

and could hardly breathe. Just then his foot found a rock that gave him leverage

20

One last swim at the beach confirmed

to push himself up to the surface and

that his new skill wouldn’t be acquired

take in a huge breath. He then settled,

on that particular holiday. The time

and with one last surge of determina-

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

Believe in yourself above all else It’s all life, so enjoy it all Do whatever it takes to make your dreams happen Richard Branson says that his life threatening balloon flights and the series of Virgin companies he’s set up, have all been part of a seamless series of challenges since his childhood. He creates and follows his dreams and his driver is his passion. ‘Screw it, let’s do it’ reduces everything to passion and possibility.

In 1993 he was forced to sell Virgin Music. In that same year, Virgin Atlantic and Richard Branson turned the corner in their long-standing battles with British Airways after winning a high profile court battle. Other airlines had been beaten by BA, but Virgin never gave in. In Richard’s words, ‘1993 was a watershed for Virgin. From that moment onward, and for the first time, we had the luxury of money (£500 Million in the bank); and in ‘Virgin’ we had a strong brand name, which could be lent to a wide variety of businesses. We tion started to kick with both feet and

dripping wet. He’d lost his nonchalant

faced uncharted territory, but at last

spread his arms. It was more floating

façade of encouragement and dived in

we could afford to follow our instincts,

than swimming but he’d done it. He

after him. His father gave him a big hug.

rather than spend all our time persuad-

experimented for a few minutes before

ing others to do so.’

climbing out of the water and up onto

Although some may view his parents’

the river bank. Yards away, back near

attitude as rather relaxed, the absence of

He refers to the 43 years in his life up to

the car, he heard his family clapping

fear from his parents meant that young

that point as ‘survival mode’. The rest

and cheering his efforts, and saw his

Richard had no fear for what he was

you know.

aunty reach into her bag for his 10 shil-

doing, only determination. His parents

lings.

clearly loved him, but felt strongly about instilling in their children a belief

As he raced back up the river bank

that anything is possible, and to em-

toward his family, triumphant, he re-

brace opportunities and life in general.

ceived a 10 shilling note from his aunty.

He thought it was a fortune. Only

A true belief in oneself does not enter-

then, did he notice that his father was

tain fear.

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

21

Limelight

Noeux les Mines

France here I was thinking I’d left the old west

large staged reunion room, virtual office

behind!

spaces and other resources. One of the old coal hills was turned into an artificial

My name is Melanie Borowczyk and

ski slope overlooking ‘Loisinord’ lake,

I am one of those 2 Americans. Before

which brings in a lot of British tourists.

moving to France, we lived in a fairly

This article contribution is from my fabulous American Virtual Assistant, Melanie Borowczyk, who lives in a beautiful little village in France.

big city with plenty of conveniences.

For weekend travelers, I would suggest

Let’s just say I don’t take things for

a stay at Les Tourterelles Hotel and din-

granted as much as I did in the past.

ing at Le Carrefour des Saveurs restaurant. A visit here wouldn’t be complete

For my part in this fair village, I do

without going to the piste de ski to en-

enjoy the polish soirees, the local ch’ti

joy a warm drink and watch the young

cuisine with friends and absolutely

skiers, or even rent some gear and have

come alive in the magically beautiful

a go of it! After that, off to visit Lake

spring time.

Loisinord for a nice stroll, picnic lunch or a game of mini golf.

T

I run Provirtua, a virtual assistant

and Brussels and the English Channel.

Australian and a growing number of

up like a post card. Then you can come

It’s home to about 12,000 French and

French clientele. The concept of a vir-

back to Noeux-les-Mines and dance the

Polish sons, daughters, grandchildren

tual assistant is not always understood

night away at one of our famous clubs.

and great-grandchildren of coal miners,

or accepted here, but there are more and

textile workers and farmers. Oh, and

more entrepreneurs in our department

The all new Louvre-Lens art museum is

two transplanted Americans!

every year. Yes, that means more busi-

scheduled to opens in 2012. Just one of

ness owners struggling to make their

the many things that makes Nord-Pas de

La ville de Nœux-les-Mines has two

dream a reality and in most cases doing

Calais a growing cultural region.

beautiful Catholic churches, a very nice

it all alone. So, I’m happy when I can

hotel, and as all French villages we have

meet the needs of small businesses here

In three words, Noeux-les-Mines is

no shortage of butchers, bakers, and

in our little piece of the world.

small, friendly and charming.

slang, drink beer, attend polish soirees,

This may be an old mining town, but

Our best kept secret is that the bou-

and believe it or not they have a passion

it certainly isn’t a ghost town. We have

langerie on the corner by our apartment

for country & western dancing. And

a new business center equipped with a

has a house bread that is to die for!

here is a small village

business, out of my home, helping solo-

Another must is a short train ride to

in the North of France

preneurs and small businesses imple-

historical Béthune to do some bourgeois

(région du Nord-Pas de

ment their online marketing plans along

shopping and visit the cathedral. Stick

Calais) just a few hours’

with administrative duties. Most of my

around until dark to see the beautiful

drive from big beautiful cities like Paris

clients are Americans, with a few being

bell tower and the rest of the square lit

friendly pubs. The locals love to speak

22

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

Personal Power

How A Child Changed A Community

What could we do?

When Ryan Hreljac was 7 years old he

His hard work paid off and when he was

Jimmy now lives with Ryan’s family in

made a decision. He decided that every

able to earn the money and send it to his

Canada, having been adopted by them.

person on the planet deserves clean wa-

friend’s village (with a little help from

ter, and that he could make a difference

his parents), the well was duly built and

There are currently Ryan’s Well projects

by helping that happen.

Ryan was invited to visit.

taking place in many parts of the world.

community, and became committed to

He had a hero’s welcome and met

The Foundation’s mission is primarily

his vision of clean drinking water for

his pen-pal for the first time. As he

underpinned by empowering youth on

everybody.

absorbed everything about his visit he

a global scale to make a difference in the

Ryan is now 17, and the Ryans’ Well Foundation has provided wells, and clean water, to nearly 600,000 people in 16 countries.

At the start of the story ten years ago, Ryan became pen-pals with a young African boy called Jimmy who lived in a village in Uganda. He learned more about his village and how he lived, and particularly, about their water crisis.

Ryan was deeply moved to learn that so many people in the world are not blessed with clean drinking water that the rest of the world takes for granted.

An amazingly compassionate and intuitive child, Ryan cared very deeply about the welfare of his friend and his friend’s

became more determined to spread the

world and provide clean drinking water

He enlisted his parents to help and set

cause and enable more wells to deliver

for every person.

about earning pocket money to help raise

clean drinking water to more African

funds to build a well for Jimmy’s village.

villages. It became his quest.

To make a donation or to learn more about this amazing boy and Ryan’s Well Foundation, visit www.ryanswell.ca

He gave a speech to his school to tell the

Fast forward to today. During the amaz-

other students and teachers about the

ing life of Ryan Hreljac and his seven-

water plight in a far-away part of the

teen years, he has so far met an amazing

Ask yourself this: if a child of seven

world. Soon, through determination and

collection of people from around the

can make this sort of difference in the

incredible clarity of his vision, he was

world, including royalty, dignitaries,

world, in just 10 short years, what could

giving talks at other local schools to raise

United Nations officials, environmental-

you do?

awareness and funds to build the very

ists, sports stars and leaders in com-

first well.

merce.

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

23

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24

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

to: www.bossgroup.com.au.

About Jenny Stilwell

Professional

Finalist in the Telstra Businesswoman of

that a taste test is coming – you know

the Year Awards.

who you are… ), good red wine, travel, writing, listening to my fave music on

Jenny Stilwell is the Managing Direc-

Jenny has a Bachelor of Commerce with

high volume, the Northern Hemisphere

tor of BOSS Management Group. She

a Commercial Law major, and a Bach-

in Winter, luxury resorts, the colour

has helped many clients to significantly

elor of Arts with majors in French and

of Autumn, laughing until I cry, and

grow their businesses, and build more

German, both from the University of

of course, my family and my fabulous

successful companies.

Melbourne. She is also a Certified NLP

friends.

Practitioner.

Prior to establishing BMG, Jenny was

That’s just a start… there’s so many

Chief Executive of a publicly listed com-

things

pany (one of only a handful of women heading up listed companies in Australia at the time). Previous positions included general management within both large and medium sized organisations, as well as establishing a marketing practice in the mid 1990s with a diverse client base of small and mid-sized and corporate clients.

Very early in her career Jenny advanced to a senior management position at Nortel Networks, being one of only three women at the time in senior manregion.

Personal

Jenny Chaired the Marketing Women

Some of the things I love

agement roles within the Asia Pacific

network for two years, and has also mentored several women in careers and

The beach, peaceful islands, big cities,

in business as a way of ‘giving back’ to

London, New York, Paris, Golden Re-

the business community and to career

trievers, Hudson (my Golden Retriever),

women in particular. She has also been a

Vegemite (my American friends know

BossMentor Renaissance Magazine • www.bossgroup.com.au

25

PUBLISHER BOSSMENTORÂŽ Magazine is published by Hanby Park Publishing, a Division of BOSS Management Group Pty Ltd ACN 062 571 171

Disclaimer The publisher takes due care in the preparation of this publication and takes all reasonable precautions and makes all reasonable effort to ensure the accuracy of the material contained in this publication, but is not liable for any mistake, misprint or omission. The publisher does not assume any responsibility or liability for any loss or damage which may result from any inaccuracy or omission in this publication, or from the use of information contained herein. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied with respect to any of the material contained herein.

The contents of this magazine may not be reproduced in any form in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. Š 2009 BOSS Management Group Pty Ltd