d-mars.com Business Journal 74

Business Journal September 2013

Inspire, Inform & Educate

The Business of Influence

INSIDE

74th Edition It is better to hang out with people better than you… you’ll drift in that direction.

-Warren Buffett

3 Steps to Raising Capital for Your Startup in Less than 90 Days

By Cynthia Nevels There are new vitamin supplements, frozen and fresh health foods, and health products launched every day. If you are looking to make a lifestyle change you know how challenging...

PAGE 6

Blueprint for Career Success: Building Your Online Brand

By Christina R Grochett In the 24/7 world in which we now live, social networks are playing an increasingly larger role in a person’s job search. Today, it’s now possible for recruiters and ...

PAGE 6

Solid Tips To Boost Your Social Media Marketing Campaign

Interactive College of Technology Institute: Houston’s Best Kept Secret Mike Power, JoAnn Koch, Jennifer Durovchic, MR. D-MARS, Cynthia Bryson and Greg Weaver

PAGE 4

By Casie Fuchs A lot of people are realizing that social media marketing provides them with a very rewarding form of marketing to get into these days.

PAGE 30

The Four Types of Insurance You Might Not Need!

By Lonnie Mathews Most people agree that having insurance is a good idea. My personal belief is that insurance serves a specific purpose and is used for a...

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ARK Engineer & Consultants Prepares for Growth in Houston Area

Top 25 Prime Contractors for Diversity and Supplier Diversity Champions Directory Unveiling Reception

September 2013

Journal Behind The

SR. PUBLISHER Keith J. Davis, Sr.

3.

Publisher’s Message

Keith J. Davis, Sr.

Warren Buffett stated “It is better to hang out with people better than you… you’ll drift in that direction.” In this month’s journal, our focus is on being a business owner of influence and a catalyst for positive change in your industry and in the community where your business is located. Enjoy the reflections of some of the major thought leaders in the Greater Houston Area.

As always again, thank you for your continued support of d-mars.com. When you support d-mars.com, you are supporting more than just our company; you are supporting the communities in which we live and work. Working together, we can succeed in making positive things happen.

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Kevin Davis VICE PRESIDENT Kim Floyd CONSULTING EDITOR Sharon Jenkins ACCOUNTING MANAGER Eugenie Doualla

CONTENTS

Administrative Assistant Angelle Gillum

3-Steps to Raising Capital for Your Startup in Less than 90-Days.................................................................6

Interactive College of Technology Institute: Houston’s Best Kept Secret......................................................4

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Johnny Ray Davis, Jr. C.T. Foster Eric D. Goodwine VIDEOGRAPHY Tony Mitchell PHOTOGRAPHY L.C. Poullard Grady Carter Tony Gaines MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Andrea Hennekes LAYOUT & GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kevin Wright DISTRIBUTION Booker T. Davis, Jr. Rockie Hayden CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Valerie Jones Bridgett Joe Cynthia Nevels Chrstina R. Grochett Trudy Murphy E’brandia L. Perry Alvin E. Terry Rod “Storyteller” White Hellen Callier Tom Northup Christine Gallagher Lonnie Mathews Casie Fuchs Maura Schreier-Fleming Dr. D. Ivan Young Noel Pinnock Liz Uram Ian Lauder Elizabeth Alton Dori Soukup Zipporjah Erby Kevin Eikenberry

Blueprint for Career Success: Building Your Online Brand............................................................................6 The 7 Deadly Business Sins...........................................................................................................................8 Roadmap to “Leaderville”............................................................................................................................10 Evaluate Your Options Mediation vs. Litigation............................................................................................10 The Purest Water on the Planet: Three Reasons to go with Ultra Pure Solutions Water System.................12 D.B.A...........................................................................................................................................................14 The Five Biggest Mistakes Small and Minority Firms Make in Government Contracting Part 1..................16 Practice: A Personal Success Trait..............................................................................................................18 d-mars.com Hosts Business Connection NW Houston...............................................................................20 Top 25 Prime Contractors for Diversity and Supplier Diversity Champions Directory Unveiling Reception.21 Three Questions to Answer for a Happier Retirement..................................................................................22 How to Partner with Big “Players” in Your Business in 4 Easy Steps..........................................................24 The Four Types of Insurance You Might Not Need!......................................................................................24 Mobile Marketing Ideas and Inspiration for Your Business..........................................................................26 Tools of the Trade........................................................................................................................................27 Where Are You.............................................................................................................................................28 I See De@d People (Pt.1).............................................................................................................................28 Solid Tips to Boost your Social Media Marketing Campaign.......................................................................30 The 4 Way Test for Decision Making............................................................................................................30 How to Price Your Services to Make a Profit...............................................................................................31 Are You Famous or Are You a Leader..........................................................................................................32 Ark Engineer & Consultants Prepares for Growth in Houston Area..............................................................34 Building T.R.U.S.T........................................................................................................................................35 8 Startup Insights From A Legal Perspective...............................................................................................36 The Biggest Myth in Sales...........................................................................................................................38 In Business? Why You Need a Mailing List..................................................................................................38 Warnings For Leaders..................................................................................................................................39

MR. D-MARS Tip of the Month “We are what we are, because of the vibrations of thought which we pick up and register, through the stimuli of our daily environment.”

-Napoleon Hill

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September 2013

Interactive College of Technology Institute: Houston’s Best Kept Secret

“Our objective is to take students within a year armed with a diploma or two years with an Associate’s Degree and get them job ready with specific skills.” -Gregory Weaver

By Bridgett Joe Contributing Writer

H

aving the right skills is key to opening the door to many career opportunities which is what students receive at the Interactive College of Technology Institute (ICT): one of Houston’s best kept secrets! With three area locations, students have the flexibility to continue their education upon graduating from high school, pursue a career change or return to school after many years.

ICT first opened its doors in 1985 with a campus located in Houston on Richmond Ave. Today, ICT offers a complete program for students to get their diploma or associate degrees in technology, accounting, business information management or administrative support, greatly enhancing opportunities for career placement. With three campus locations: Pasadena, the Hillcroft Branch and the North Houston Branch, ICT offers a seamless transition for students if a class is offered at a campus than the one they’re attending or if a student moves from one side of town to another.

ICT’s biggest priority is the progress of the student. Though attendance is important, it’s not the main focus. The school

also takes into account a student’s life experience, giving them credit for work experience or being a veteran.

“Our objective is to take students within a year armed with a diploma or two years with an associate degree and get them job ready with specific skills,” said Gregory Weaver, Campus Director at the Pasadena campus. “All of our courses are technology-based in a targeted skill set, meaning when a student graduates from IC T, they qualify for an entry-level position and can start their career in the world of technology rather than just having a job.”

As a partner and National Testing Center for Microsoft, students are educated, tested and receive their certifications from ICT, minimizing the trouble of them having to go elsewhere to be tested.

“We are proud to be a Microsoft-certified partner which is a big deal,” Weaver said. “When a student leaves ICT, they leave not only with their diploma or degree but they also get their national certification in Word, Excel, Access, Outlook and PowerPoint for Microsoft.”

The Microsoft National Exam is also ICT’s final exam for those certifications.

This keeps them market relevant and on pace with what Microsoft wants their stu-

dents to learn. This certification plays a pivotal role in ICT’s curriculum, giving its students an upper hand during the interview process.

“When our students go to employers and are asked the ‘question what qualifies them to use these programs,’ they can confidently say, ‘Microsoft says I am certified as a professional user,’” Weaver said.

Additionally, ICT has an in-house placement coordinator that solely concentrates on supplying every student with

an externship upon graduation. Students are provided hands-on experience in their career field as well as an opportunity to decide if this is really their choice of career, work experience to add to their resume and vital feedback from their employer.

ICT expresses the importance of ‘soft skills’ being a critical component in the curriculum, especially important in today’s society.

“People aren’t really trained in ‘soft skills’ anymore. At ICT, we teach our students how to handle themselves in an office environment – what’s office etiquette, what’s professional work attire, and how to talk and deal with different situations,” Weaver said. “We incorporate those ‘soft skills’ in a class called Career Development. All those skills are culminated and utilized before each student goes out on a job search.”

In addition to the certifications and training ICT offers students, the school also provides them with their first professional outfit from Dress for Success or other places that provide professional clothing. They set up interviews and continue to monitor each student until they find a job in their career field.

“The vision at ICT is to strive to deliver products and services that help each student to realize his/her individual potential and make a positive change or impact in his or her life,” said Cynthia Bryson, campus president of the Hillcroft location.

“The invaluable asset gained from being an ICT graduate is the continued support our students receive from our college.

Our staff truly cares for the well being of our students and their success both inside and beyond the classroom setting. We offer continued job assistance as long as they need and we offer lifetime refresher courses to ensure our graduates are always up to date on current technology.”

Another unique feature of ICT is its teaching flexibility which is a traditional

Experience Our World of Marketing, Media and Communication

September 2013 stylized setting. Every student receives individualized attention, which caters to people who are disciplined as well.

“One student may be ahead of another and no one will ever know,” said JoAnn Koch, vice president of campus operations in Chamblee, Ga. “The good thing is that everyone graduates at the same time. It doesn’t matter who’s sitting to your left or to your right. It’s not a competition. They are only worried about themselves and are moving through the program at an individualized pace.”

All instructors are trained in the ICT process and have to hold state credentials, be degreed professionals, and certified in Microsoft. There is a 50/50 ratio between instructors who have master’s and/ or bachelor’s degrees.

“In my mind, what makes ICT faculty exceptional is their concern and connection with each individual student,” said Jennifer Durovchic, campus president of the North Houston branch. “In many college atmospheres, students don’t know their professors and the professors don’t know them. We take pride in the personal connection each instructor makes with his or her students. Instructors are invested in each student and want to know what the student brings to the college and his/her learning experience. We are a family and a community: each member is valuable and important.”

Classes are offered Monday through Thursday morning and evening, allowing flexibility for students who need to schedule around their work and family life. Students can schedule classes however they want to manage their course load and have access to the campus and computer lab from 9am to 10pm.

Like other colleges, ICT offers some classes online; however, there is always an instructor physically available to help students with any questions, comments or concerns they may have. Another element ICT offers its students is hybrid courses through Atlanta, referred to as Oral Presentation via video conferencing, which is ‘student-driven and instructorled.’

“Oral Presentation is when all of the students from all the campuses including Kentucky, the three in Georgia and in Houston can be online at one time,” said Weaver. “This is a new and innovative class we just incorporated into our curriculum for our degree students.”

Each student sits in the classroom facing a large screen. When the video conferencing begins, each student can see the instructor and each other as well as interact with one another by pressing a button provided as if they were all in the same classroom. ICT plans on starting this for their Anatomy & Physiology classes, chemistry, math, etc.

Ranked in the Top 15 by the Department of Education for the best value in their industry, ICT holds its school and academic reputation in high regard. After each class, surveys are given out about the class and the instructor to be completed by every student. They are also given a curriculum review every year and have an Advisory Board meeting twice a year.

All city advisory board meetings include

all campuses getting together and then each campus having an individual advisory board meeting because each location has a different dynamic. They are also governed by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), which requires them to go through the accreditation process, in which they will receive a pass/fail rating.

ICT’s doors have been open for almost 30 years, and that speaks volumes!

This checks and balances system gained ICT accreditation from the Texas School Board, which is not an easy task to fulfill. The college is accredited by the Commission of the Council on Occupational Education and is licensed and regulated through the Texas Workforce Commission to insure gainful employment.

ICT has on onsite financial aid department ready to help students customize a personal plan by applying for various types of resources to fund their education.

So no matter what their economic background is, ICT will do everything they can to help make education a reality for a positive change.

“We try to make sure students don’t

take out more money than they need, so when they finish, repayment is as little as possible,” Weaver said. “Our goal is for each student to be debt-free by the time they are finished with their diploma or degree.”

ICT has definitely become the best

5.

kept secret in Houston and a school that has a lot to offer the students of today!

For more information on The Interactive College of Technology Institute or to sign up for classes please visit www.ict. edu.

Visit ICT.EDU Pasadena Main Campus

Hillcroft Branch

North Houston Branch

213 W. Southmore, Suite 101 6200 Hillcroft, Suite 200 4473 North Freeway (Airline Plaza) Pasadena, TX 77502 Houston, TX 77081 Houston, TX 77022 713.920.1120 713.771.5336 281.931.7717 Experience Our World of Marketing, Media and Communication

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September 2013

3 Steps to Raising Capital for Your Startup in Less than 90 Days

Online Health and Nutrition Company Raises $550,000 in Capital

By Cynthia Nevels Contributing Writer

T

here are new vitamin supplements, frozen and fresh health foods, and health products launched every day. If you are looking to make a lifestyle change you know how challenging it is to keep up with what is on the market. It is even harder to find samples of these products to find out for yourself what works for your body and what doesn’t before you invest your hard-earned money.

In 2012, Paul and Stephanie Jarrett had just finished running the San Francisco half marathon. They were given a bunch of different samples of healthy products.

“It was fun to receive them, but it got us thinking about how none of the companies were at the event gathering market data – and how difficult it must be for those companies supplying the samples to measure the return on their investment (ROI),” shares Paul.

Stephanie Jarrett worked in the nutrition industry and knew how difficult it can be to determine the ROI of distributing samples, and the industry spends billions doing it.

An idea sparked and in 2012 they launched Bulu Box. Bulu Box is a fun and easy way for people to discover vitamins, nutrition or other health products.

You just sign-up for a monthly or annual subscription, and Bulu Box will send you a box filled with different premium sample products based on your health needs.

You share what you think about the products by completing online surveys and engaging in social media promotion. In exchange, you receive points that convert into cash which you can then use to buy the full-size version of the products you like.

They are raising capital to invest in hiring more talent, investing in marketing and boosting their advertising. The company is growing and has already secured $550,000.00 in capital and is working day and night to close their next round of $1 million for their startup. Jarrett shared he grew up in a trailer park; he didn’t have connections to the venture capital world. Yet, he and his wife learned to rely on friends, LinkedIn and Google to help them find the connections they needed.

They utilized LivePlan to prepare their plan, LivePlan’s Scoreboard to monitor and manage their metrics and utilized the pitch tool to develop their pitch deck to use during their pitch to investors.

Tips for preparing yourself for your pitch to investors: Move “EGO” Out of the Way – you will learn something you didn’t know each day if you allow yourself to be open and transparent with investors .

Find a Mentor and Don’t Ask for Money – learn to ask for business advice instead of money, it will help you increase your connections and allow investors the opportunity to get to know you and your business first .

Make the Call – you do not have to be connected to venture or angel capitalists to make an initial connection, just hop on Google, create a list of targets that fit your industry and start making the calls to get a meeting.

“We have found people want functional foods, foods that serve a purpose,” states Jarrett. We look forward to seeing how this company fares in combining health, nutrition and purpose on Main Street. To learn more about Bulu Box visit www.bulubox.com. To listen to Paul’s latest interview and hear more details on what made them successful visit on DisruptRadio.com.

Blueprint for Career Success: Building Your Online Brand

are looking for a job unless you tell them.

That way these people can keep an eye out for you and if something in their network arises, they will pass it along and potentially advocate for you to get the position.

Be prepared

By Christina R Grochett Contributing Writer

I

n the 24/7 world in which we now live, social networks are playing an increasingly larger role in a person’s job search. Today, it’s now possible for recruiters and employers alike to get to know you through a few simple clicks of the mouse. Should any red flags arise in your online profiles, you could lose the opportunity to be considered for a job prior to ever being contacted by human resources. So, is the solution to not use social media? Probably not. Lack of participation in social networks can have just as big an impact on your career search.

With this in mind, career seekers should develop their professional online brand to ensure they are set up for success in the long run. Following are some tips that will ensure recruiters and employers are finding the information you want them to know about you.

Claim your online identities One of the first things employers can do is a quick Google search of your name to see what pops up. Most likely this brings up social network profiles such as LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter. To make sure the right profiles show up and that your ranking is high, set up your Google Profile to be searchable.

Become an expert Now that you have control over your own social channels, it’s a good idea to create or post information related to your industry, making sure that none of your posts on your personal pages are offensive, negative or derogatory. By presenting yourself as an expert in your field, you are providing a potential employer information that, otherwise, wouldn’t be found on an application or resume.

Utilize your personal and professional networks If you are seeking a job, let others in your networking circle know you are looking. Many times, your friends and professional network will not know you

Even with online tools and career search engines, the final decision comes down to the face-to-face interview. Potential employers like to see that you will be a good fit within the current departments and have the skills and qualifications necessary to succeed and add value to the business. Prepare yourself for standard interview questions and make things convenient for the interviewer when scheduling a time to meet with you. Bring a copy of your current resume and be prepared with questions to ask them at the end of the interview.

Each of these tips will help create your blueprint for career success. At University of Phoenix, we understand the digital world impacts the way we operate on a daily basis. The university is leveraging technology to make education more personal, social, accessible and aligned with the dynamics in the workplace. It’s important to manage your online brand today to ensure that tomorrow is a brighter day for your career search. So create your career blueprint and take control of your career search today!

Christina Robinson Grochett is the Campus Director of University of Phoenix Houston Campus. An accomplished leader and champion of higher learning, she was selected as one of the 2010 Women of Influence by Houston Woman Magazine, one of the Top 10 business women by the American Business Women’s Association in 2008 and a Cambridge Who’s Who 2011 VIP for the Education Industry. Under her leadership, the Houston Campus was selected as a 2009, 2010 and 2011 Best Place to Work by The Houston Business Journal and was awarded with the 2008, 2009 and 2010 Alfred P. Sloan Awards from the City of Houston for Workplace Flexibility and Innovation.

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September 2013

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September 2013

The 7 Deadly Business Sins

By Trudy Murphy

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heologically speaking, a mortal or deadly sin is believed to destroy the life of grace and charity within a person and thus creates the threat of eternal damnation.

That all sounds pretty heavy to me. But when I started to think about how reliant a business is on people, it made sense that the seven deadly sins could reflect our worst entrepreneurial mistakes. What do you think?

1. Lust - Constantly chasing new ideas.

Some say pride is the deadliest of all sins, but in my experience, idea lust is the most detrimental trait of entrepreneurs.

The ability to dream big and envision bold and inspiring ideas is a true gift.

But it's completely useless if you lack the focus and resourcefulness to implement anything. Practice the heavenly virtue of work chastity and teach yourself the ability to refrain from being distracted and tempted by new shiny things.

If you lead many people or departments, don't fool yourself into believing idea lust is a requirement of your job.

Chances are, you're spinning your staff in circles and never allowing them to complete anything. Take a good hard look at how many projects your staff finished last year. Is it as high as you expected or did you have them constantly switching between priority projects? Are most projects sitting on the backburner until you bring them into focus again?

2. Gluttony - Adding overhead and expanding too quickly. When times are good, it's tempting to simply run with it and add overhead, higher credit limits and blindly accept all customers, regardless of our capacity to deliver. While we all hope that rapid growth will continue indefinitely, it rarely does.

Before expanding your cost base in line with (or greater than) your increase in revenue, take a look at what's driving sales and determine if the growth is sustainable or cyclical. If it's sustainable growth, take planned strategic steps to expand the company's infrastructure. If it's cyclical, design a nimble delivery system that scales quickly with demand. A prudent, analytical approach to operational expansion will mean profitability is likely to increase also, rather than just revenue.

3. Greed - Focusing solely on generating revenue pocketing cash. Yes, you're in business to make money, but there's more to building a sustainable company than just bringing in sales. As your business grows, invest in designing and implementing long-term scalable systems and sound infrastructure. Reward your people and be mindful of paying your suppliers on time. You never know when you may need a little goodwill to get you through a rough patch. And make paying your taxes a priority! No one likes to pay the taxman, but paying him interest and penalties is even worse. Also, if you ever need credit, the bank will check if your taxes are in arrears, so it's better to be proactive and stay on top of it.

4. Sloth - Failure to channel one's talents appropriately. The Internet has made it relatively easy for millions of people to become entrepreneurs with little to no startup costs. But, in my opinion, there's too many people looking for the easy path to success, who aren't willing to work for it. If you want to build a company, there are a million things to do and no one to motivate you. There's no time to rest on your laurels or wait for someone to hold your hand. You must work diligently with an unwavering belief in yourself and your mission. You must channel all of your talents and resourcefulness to make big things happen.

5. Wrath - Letting emotions blind your judgment. From an emotional standpoint, owning a business is akin to riding a rollercoaster. You never know if today will bring great news or a huge blow. But you should never let emotions guide your business decisions. If a project is failing and you've done everything you can to make it work, cut your losses and move on. If you hang in there until the bitter end, you'll erode all your resources and make it much harder on yourself to turn things around. Deciding to shut down a project that isn't working does not equal failure. It's the most bold, brave and smart move you can make. Congratulate yourself, and then move on to bigger things.

6. Envy - Failing to differentiate and create a unique market position. In Dante's Purgatory, the punishment for the envious is to have their eyes sewn shut with wire. I'd say that's a bit harsh, but any entrepreneur who's following their competitor's moves, rather than carving out a differentiated market position, will certainly be punished in some way. Challenge yourself and your staff to constantly engage in innovative thinking. This is simply bringing together analytical and emotional intelligence to know and feel where your customer's needs are not being met, then solving those needs by being resourceful and open to fresh ideas.

7. Pride - Believing you are the only one who can do an amazing job. When there are a million things to do and you don't have time to fix mistakes, or when the re-

sult of a mistake is the loss of revenue you literally cannot afford to lose, it's easy to fall into the trap of believing you are the only one that can do a job well. But if that were true, no business would ever grow beyond the size of a "Mom & Pop" shop.

The harsh reality is that you have not taken the time to build scalable systems and processes and train your staff properly.

Remember, humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less. There are people out there that can

manage aspects of your business as well as you do. In some areas, they may even be better at it than you, if given half a chance to touch the reins.

About the Author Trudy Murphy is a business consultant, author and speaker. Having successfully owned and sold businesses herself, she is acutely aware of the challenges facing entrepreneurs. For online training and free daily business tips, visit Trudy's website at http://www.trudymurphy.com

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10.

September 2013

Roadmap to

“LEADERVILLE”

By E’brandia L. Perry Contributing Writer

I

n an ideal world, a leader’s preference is to foster a constructive environment to lead. Those under their administration come to work exhibiting the qualities that benefit the organization and its leaders. Every leader wants happy, energetic, and willing workers that follow instructions and complete assignments. The desire is for those being led to have a willingness to act in harmony with an organization’s mission and vision. Reality; however, offers a different set of provisions.

Successful leaders are consistent, striving for accuracy, and quality. They provide clear instructions and work very hard to give clear directions to those they lead.

Success doesn’t just come under the strict restraint that many people regard when they think of those in leadership positions. My opinion is that successful leaders are successful because they lead AND they follow. They are not restricted

to the judge and jury mentality. True leaders are risk-takers, adventuresome, decisive, competitive, self-assured, inquisitive, and quick. They agree to disagree while maintaining the utmost professionalism.

Leadership requires a watchful lens, especially in the midst of change. True leaders should never perpetuate chaos but instead promote and respond to thriving performances. These are traits that offer a positive leadership style. When a leader spends time with personal reflections, they practice self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skill. It’s not always about delegation.

Far too often, individuals with so much talent fall through the cracks because they are not given the feedback that could develop their potential. True leaders not only want to succeed, but they wanted to see others thrive as well. Leaders who have creative ability with conscientiousness for others increase their likelihood for success. Distinguishing the needs of followers can facilitate and build cohesiveness.

Nothing is more important than having a passion to lead people and your leadership style respected. In order to lead, you first have to try. Henry Ford says it best “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success”. Where will you find yourself on the totem pole of leadership?

EVALUATE YOUR OPTIONS

Mediation vs. Litigation

By Alvin E. Terry, MBA Contributing Writer

A

fter being certified as a “Professional Mediator” for Alternative Dispute Resolution, Accredited by the State Bar of Texas, I know that it was befitting of me to pass on to the readers the basic principles that can help all businesses understand that there is an alternative to litigation. There are over 75,000 court case filings in Harris County, Texas alone. Other counties in close proximity are Ft. Bend, Brazoria, Galveston, and Montgomery County.

As a historical perspective, mediation has been used over thousands of years to settle disputes. As a trained mediator you understand different cultures and their approach in settling disputes as an alternative to fighting or adversarial approaches to problem solving. It should be noted that mediation is a flexible process that has evolved over a period of time, partly influenced by its’ flexible process.

Mediation was used in China and Japan as a primary means of conflict resolution. This was the first choice for those documented cultures to live in peace and harmony as they knew it. Today China resolves over 7.2 million disputes per year.

Even though they have over a billion people, this process is alive and well. These resolutions were based on morals rather than coercion. A win or lose approach was not acceptable means of resolution.

Meditation is based on the conciliatory approach to conflict. It all started with a community approach that evolved to resolve in more than 80% of all civil disputes.

Informal dispute resolution has been used in many other cultures as well. In the past, Congress reacted in 1913 by creating the Department of Labor, and provided that the Secretary of Labor act as a mediator. Mediation was used so that disputes could be settled expeditiously, and strikes could be avoided.

The current history of mediation use in the United States has two distinct paths, neither of which is within the formal legal system. One course by which formal mediation developed was a method of providing community justice. Disputes in the labor arena contributed to other historical developments. It is only very recently that the courts have considered the use of mediation as an alternative course of dispute resolution as opposed to full blown litigation.

Today there are over 400 Dispute Resolution Centers throughout the country.

There is at least one in every state, and many states have a systemwide network of centers.

The work of these centers led to the development of ADR use in the court system. There are a number of reasons which account for this transition. First, many of the centers were located in or near the courthouse. Second, since the programs were often sponsored by bar associations, many of the individuals who worked as center volunteers were attorneys or judges. These judges and lawyers observed firsthand the benefits of mediation and recognized that ADR processes were successful in resolving many problems.

Trained volunteers serve as mediators, and in some instances the services are offered at a minimal cost or no cost to the disputants. Many centers have expanded to handle “minor” matters and are not located in neighborhoods. Some of the centers have expanded to other services such as domestic conflicts, Veterans’ issues with family and spouses, labor disputes, corporate disputes, business disputes and community disputes.

There are over 20 Texas Dispute Resolution Centers currently in operation.

Each dispute has its own set of circumstances. Some of the disputes may be settled through resolution, others may have to be decided by a judge or a court of law and others may be settled out of court.

There is so much information on this subject that it could not be covered in this article. Most importantly, it is imperative that before your situation results in litigation that you excuse yourself from the emotional side of the argument and focus on the facts if you can. Litigation is very expensive and time consuming. If you have deep pockets, time to afford the process, which could take a year or two, and are unwilling to concede to a meeting of the minds then litigation may be your only alternative. A lot of million dollar cases have been solved through mediation, which includes corporate cases, domestic cases, labor cases, minor neighbor disputes and consumer cases.

The most important message from this article is that you have alternatives. Please explore them. This is your right.

If would like to contact me for information on Business or Real Estate, I may be reached at alvin.terry@rocketmail.com and by cell @ 713-392-9107.

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September 2013

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September 2013

THE PUREST WATER ON THE PLANET: THREE REASONS TO GO WITH ULTRA PURE SOLUTIONS WATER SYSTEM

By Zipporjah Erby Contributing Writer

C

had Cossey, CEO of Ultra Pure Solutions is the water man for the Houston and Atlanta markets. Water is the elixir of life; there is nothing that is more important to the body than water.

“The body is made of 70% water so it’s important that we have access to ample amounts of quality water that’s free of toxins, bacteria, slime and other additives,” Cossey said.

Cossey is proud to be part of an industry that is mandatory to the entire community. He and his team are deeply committed to supplying water, especially to African American businesses, small and large, for the last decade. A native Houstonian, Cossey was in his early 20s when he noted that Coca-Cola was making projections for their prospective water project Dasani. At that time, which was about ten years ago, statisticians declared that bottled water sales would supersede the sales of soft drink beverages. “Taking their lead, I researched and found a system that would deliver great water as well as being great for the environment,” he said. In addition, Ultra Pure Solutions beats seven out of 10 of the bottle water products on the market, according to research.

There are a number of things that can pose a substantial inconvenience to businesses obtaining water. The main reasons

are: lifting heavy bottles of water, security risk, and the threat of bacteria.

Ultra Pure Solutions is a proactive filtering system for businesses to have a superior water product for three key reasons: 1. Eliminates the need for anyone to be at risk by lifting heavy water bottles.

In many offices, the staff of professionals that maintains the office is generally female. It is often an issue as the lifting of 5-gallon jugs of water is stressful and may cause accidents and injury. Ultra Pure Solutions is a POU or point-of-use product.

In other words, the water is made at the point that you use it. Any product that’s made on-site is always a better product.

The machine filters the water and we use a UV light sterilization process that rivals and exceeds other products in the market place.

2. The environment is of utmost importance and Ultra Pure Solutions is a GREEN PRODUCT. There are no bottles or other items that create additional garbage or the challenge of recycling.

3. Security risk can also present a challenge for businesses obtaining water, especially banks. With the Ultra Pure Solutions water system, there is no need for a delivery person to bring water into a secure area, which affects the workflow and security. As the system instantly filters water as used, the water never runs out.

Once the system is put into place and installed, you will not have deliveries com-

ing in and out of your business.

A unique problem solver and compassionate giver to the community, Cossey has donated his water system to several churches and nonprofit organizations including Windsor Village, which uses Ultra Pure Solutions in the coffee area of the church. “Prior to obtaining Ultra Pure Solutions, the church was challenged to have enough water on hand to prepare coffee properly,” he said. “We were pleased and honored to be able to save the church a substantial amount of money by donating a system to them.”

The Ultra Pure Solutions staff has also donated time and water to Ivy Hillard’s Church for the women’s rehabilitation program as well as feeding and serving at the senior center.

Additionally, team Ultra Pure Solutions is devoted to working with honesty and integrity. Cossey said, “My slogan is Work Smart, Work Fast, and Work Hard. If there is ever any problem with the machinery, we will troubleshoot or provide a brand-new system. We stand by our product 110%.”

For a worry-free superior quality water product, go Ultra Pure Solutions.

Ultra Pure Solutions is

Houston’s #1 Resource for bottleless water coolers!

Water Purification Process Ultra Pure bottleless water cooler uses the highly efficient reverse osmosis purification technology to remove nearly every impurity from the water.

Why Choose Ultra Pure Solutions • Reverse osmosis ice

• Alkaline Water

• No more high cost bottle water

• Unlimited ice and water at a flat rate

• Eliminate hassle of lifting 42lb water jugs • We also have RENT-TO-OWN options

Iguassu Series from Ultra Pure Solutions

Wine Cellar

Super Iguassu Ice

Iguassu 700

Iguassu Mini

Iguassu II

Iguassu Cold

Ultra Pure Solutions Guarantee In every situation, we promise to deliver excellence. We personally guarantee it. *Residential and Commercial Solutions

7322 Southwest Freeway Suite 1100 - Houston, TX 77074 | Phone 713.222.7300 | Fax 713.574.2368

www.ultrapuresolutions.com

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September 2013

City CityofofHouston Houston

City CityofofHouston Houston

Notice Notice of of Proposed Proposed Goal Goal forfor thethe Participation Participation of of Disadvantaged Disadvantaged Business Business Enterprises Enterprises in in Department Department of of Transportation Transportation Assisted Assisted Contracts Contracts October October 1, 2013 1, 2013 through through September September 30,30, 2016 2016

Notice Notice of Proposed of Proposed Goal Goal ForFor thethe Participation Participation of of Disadvantaged Disadvantaged Business Business Enterprises Enterprises in in Department Department of Transportation of Transportation Assisted Assisted Contracts Contracts

As As required required byby Section Section 4949 Code Code of of Federal Federal Regulation Regulation Part Part 26,26, thethe Houston Houston Airport Airport System System (HAS) (HAS) has has deterdetermined mined a proposed a proposed anan overall overall goal goal of of 29% 29% forfor thethe parparticipation ticipation of of Disadvantaged Disadvantaged Business Business Enterprises Enterprises (DBE) (DBE) in its in its contracts contracts which which thethe US US Department Department of of TransportaTransportation tion (DOT) (DOT) provides provides financial financial assistance. assistance.

As As required required byby Section Section 4949 Code Code of of Federal Federal RegulaRegulations tions Part Part 26,26, thethe Houston Houston Airport Airport System System (HAS) (HAS) has has determined determined a proposed a proposed overall overall goal goal of of 29% 29% forfor thethe participation participation of of Disadvantaged Disadvantaged Business Business Enterprises Enterprises (DBE) (DBE) in its in its contracts contracts which which thethe US US Department Department of of TransTransportation portation (DOT) (DOT) provides provides financial financial assistance. assistance.

TheThe proposed proposed goal goal and and its its rational rational areare available available forfor inspection inspection during during normal normal business business hours hours forfor 3030 days days following following thethe initial initial date date of of thisthis notice notice at:at: City City Secretary’s Secretary’s Office Office City City Hall Hall Annex Annex 900 900 Bagby Bagby Houston, Houston, TX TX 77002 77002

TheThe proposed proposed goal goal and and its its rational rational areare available available forfor inspection inspection during during normal normal business business hours hours at at thethe City City Secretary’s Secretary’s Office, Office, City City Hall Hall Annex, Annex, Public Public Level, Level, 900 900 Bagby, Bagby, Houston, Houston, TX TX 77002; 77002; at at thethe Office Office of of Business Business Opportunity, Opportunity, 611 611 Walker, Walker, 7th7th Floor, Floor, Houston, Houston, TX TX 77002; 77002; Houston Houston Airport Airport System System 16930 16930 John John F. Kennedy F. Kennedy Blvd.

Blvd.

Houston Houston TX TX 77032; 77032; Houston Houston Airport Airport System’s System’s Office Office OfOf Business Business Opportunity Opportunity 18600 18600 Lee Lee Road Road Humble, Humble, TX TX 77338.

77338.

TheThe City City (through (through thethe Office Office of of Business Business OpporOpportunity tunity and and thethe Houston Houston Airport Airport System) System) and and thethe DepartDepartment ment of of Transportation Transportation (through (through thethe Federal Federal Aviation Aviation Administration) Administration) willwill accept accept written written comments comments onon thethe goals goals through through October October 11,11, 2013.

2013.

Office Office of of Business Business Opportunity Opportunity 611 611 Walker, Walker, 7th7th Floor Floor Houston, Houston, TX TX 77002 77002 Houston Houston Airport Airport System System 16930 16930 John John F. Kennedy F. Kennedy Blvd Blvd Houston, Houston, TX TX 77032 77032

TheThe City City (through (through thethe Office Office of of Business Business Opportunity Opportunity and and thethe Houston Houston Airport Airport System) System) and and thethe Department Department of of Transportation Transportation (through (through thethe Federal Federal Aviation Aviation AdminAdministration) istration) willwill accept accept written written comments comments onon thethe goals goals forfor 4545 days days from from thethe initial initial date date of of thethe notice. notice.

Written Written comments comments may may bebe directed directed to:to: City City of of Houston Houston Office Office of of Business Business Opportunity Opportunity Attention: Attention: Carlecia Carlecia Wright, Wright, Director Director 611 611 Walker, Walker, 7th7th Floor Floor Houston, Houston, Tx Tx 77002 77002 City City of of Houston Houston Houston Houston Airport Airport System System Attention: Attention: Jason Jason McLemore, McLemore, Deputy Deputy Assistant Assistant Director Director 18600 18600 Lee Lee Road Road Humble, Humble, TX TX 77338 77338

Written Written comments comments may may bebe directed directed to:to: City City of of HousHouston, ton, Office Office of of Business Business Opportunity, Opportunity, Carlecia Carlecia Wright, Wright, Director, Director, 611 611 Walker Walker Street, Street, 7th7th Floor, Floor, Houston, Houston, Texas Texas 77002 77002 or or thethe Federal Federal Aviation Aviation Administration; Administration; Office Office of of Civil Civil Rights Rights – AWP-9, – AWP-9, Dolores Dolores P. Leyva, P. Leyva, 15000 15000 Aviation Aviation Blvd., Blvd., Lawndale, Lawndale, CACA 90261.

90261.

Federal Federal Aviation Aviation Administration Administration Attention: Attention: Dolores Dolores Leyva, Leyva, Compliance Compliance Specialist Specialist 15000 15000 Aviation Aviation Blvd.

Blvd.

Lawndale, Lawndale, CACA 90261 90261

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September 2013

D.B.A.

DREAM BELIEVE ACTION

By Rod “Storyteller” White Contributing Writer

L

ooking at the title of this editorial makes it easy to say, “I know what that means! It stands for Doing Business As…” Of course, you would be correct in your assumption. However, for the purposes of this blog, I would like you to consider the following meaning for this well-know acronym.

D

ream – When I graduated from college, my mom gave me a “congratulations son” card that helped shape most of my adult life. The card contained a quote from Henry David Thoreau that said, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams…” I not only followed my dreams but I created new ones along the way and my journey has been one of fulfillment and fun! Today I am still going in the direction of my dreams as I am in my second career of Motivational Speaking.

I cannot think of any better advice to pass on to you than the advice on that

card that I received so many years ago…

Go toward your dreams and never let anything stand in your way!

Thanks Mom! Show me a person who has given up on their dream and I will show you a person that has lost hope for the promise of their future...

RSTW

B

elieve – I have a plaque sitting on the bookshelf in my office that reads BELIEVE. We can take all of the clichés in the world and still come up with the best, which is, If you can conceive and BELIEVE then you can achieve. There have been many in American history that have proven this point.

My dad would always ask, “If you do not believe in yourself, how can anyone

else believe in you?” I took that to heart and lived the mantra my whole life. I am not speaking of blind faith, I am talking about putting in the work and believing that if anyone can make it happen, I can!

To each of you I implore you BELIEVE even when others may not.

Show me a person that believes when others do not and I will show a person that can move mountains…

RTSW

A

ction – Dreams and Beliefs mean nothing until we take action! How many times have you watched or heard the results of the Academy Awards and the Best Picture of the year? Usually the winner is well deserved and we appreciate how well written and well performed the roles were.

Ladies and Gents, even in this day of technological advances, the directors in Hollywood still yell the three most known words in the movie circle. That is right, “lights, cameras, action!” No great movie is completed without those three words.

Achieving our dreams is like that, our director… (Personal Coach) will yell out Goals, Plans and Action! Moreover, if everyone plays his or her role, every reward we can image will be available to us!

Nothing good ever happens until we take ACTION! RTSW You can continue with the traditional definition of D.B.A. or… you can follow my lead and Dream big, Believe in the beauty of those dreams and most importantly, take Action!

2013 DIRECTORY & AWARD’S CEREMONY NOMINATE UP & COMING HMWP YOUR 2013 TOP HMWP Under 5 years experience

TOP

5-20 years experience

SUPER HMWP 20+ years experience

TRAILBLAZER

A HMWP Pioneer in their field or industry

COMMUNITY HERO

A HMWP who makes a tremendous contribution to the community

LIVING LEGEND

Health, Medical & Wellness Professional

A HMWP is selected by their peers for showing significant achievement in their specialties

Send your nominations to OPERATIONS@D-MARS.COM For general questions about the directory or the event, please call

(713) 272-9511

To purchase 2012 Top 50 Black HMWP Directory please go to www.topblackhmwp.com

AWARD’S CEREMONY SEPTEMBER 26, 2013 FOUNDED BY

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September 2013

w

VOTE NOVEMBER 5th Striving for Safer Communities

Economic Development Improving & Maintaining Quality of Life for Seniors Implementing & Improving After School Programs

One Leader

One Voice

Affiliations • Operation Food Basket • A. Philip Randolph Institute • Member of the Saint James Lodge 429 • Member Coalition of Black Trade Unionists • Member Transport Workers union Local 261 •Member of the NAACP Houston Chapter •Fly By Biker Club

In the Community

One Community

Contribute to Our Campaign www.keithcaldwellfordistrictd.com Your donation of $10, $25, or $50 will help Keith spread the word in District D.

Follow Keith Caldwell @fordistrictD

Keith Caldwell Campaign

Moving District D Forward

Pol Ad paid for from the Keith Caldwell campaign. James Nauls Treasurer.

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September 2013

THE FIVE BIGGEST MISTAKES SMALL AND MINORITY FIRMS MAKE IN GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING (Part One of a Two-Part Series)

Mistake #1: Being in the government market – local, state, federal requires a proactive plan to win

By Helen Callier Contributing Writer

T

he Unites States federal government is the world’s largest single buyer of products and services spending billions of dollars annually. And when the federal market procurement dollars are combined with State and local government agencies procurements then the overall government market is an ideal market for minority businesses to generate revenue and grow. This is especially the case with our tax dollars involved and given the goals that government agencies have in making contract awards to minority

businesses.

Many minority firms have enjoyed eating at the government procurement trough, but based on government agency data from all levels, a substantial number of minority firms are unsuccessful in government procurement and miss in winning contract awards. There are many cited causes for this contract award gap, but from my many years of being successful in winning government contracts and from my observations, here are the five biggest mistakes that minority firms make in government contracting.

Not conducting research and learning about how to do business with a targeted government agency A government agency will not give you a contract because your firm is special. Government agencies follow strict procurement processes and adhere to guidelines and regulations stipulated through formal policies. And gaining an understanding of your targeted agency’s) procurement process (i.e. how to propose on contracts and do business with agency is a key first step in government contracting.

In addition, doing your homework can save time and lots of dollars by determining if your targeted agency procures your type of products or services. If they do not then continue with your research to identify that ideal client – government agency – that does use your products or services.

Mistake #2: Failing to attend pre-bid and pre-proposal meetings to build relationships Those minority and small business firms that are successful in winning government contracts consistently attend pre-bid or pre-proposal meetings to learn specific information about the advertised solicitation and equally important, to introduce their company to potential teaming partners, large primes, and to the agency decision-makers. Participating in pre-proposal meeting also provides your firm with market intelligence such as other firms vying for project and which firms already have established relationships at target agency.

In addition, many agencies sometimes will provide small and minority businesses an opportunity to introduce their firms to large primes and agency project managers plus participate in matchmaking sessions. Taking advantage of this free marketing and relationship building opportunity only happens if you show up and attend pre-bid / pre-proposal meetings.

Mistake #3: Not consistently marketing and staying top of mind with agency procurement staff Key sales and marketing data show that people buy from people (firms) that they know, like, trust and that are at the top of mind. This top of mind awareness known as TOMA is important to gain a foothold in target agency accounts. When your minority business is out of sight, then it is not top of mind to a government agency’s Procurement Officer or Project Manager when a certain project opportunity comes up that is a match to your products or services. This results in a missed opportunity and potential hit to generating revenue.

In Summary Being in the government market – local, state, federal requires a proactive plan to win; and successful small and minority businesses take specific actions that the unsuccessful small businesses have selected not to do. This article provides insights on the first three dangerous mistakes that minority businesses are making in government contracting.

For more the remaining two dangerous mistakes minority and small businesses are making in landing government contracts, make sure to read Part Two of this series in the October issue of D-Mars Business Journal at www.dmars.com or pick up a copy at a location near you. Also, in Part two of this series, helpful resources will be provided to assist your minority business toward success in the government market that represents hundreds of billions of dollars.

Helen Callier, President of Bradlink LLC, a Technical Services Firm, bestselling author of “Your Money is in the Follow-up”, radio show host and speaker. Tel: 281.312.9981, www.yourmoneyisinthefollowup.com

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September 2013

Practice: A Personal Success Trait

By Tom Northup

W

e all want personal successes from our jobs, such as reaching a certain sales level or getting that major promotion. We work toward these successes by regularly practicing skills, behaviors and traits that lead to higher effectiveness.

When we concentrate on fulfillment of our goals, we give ourselves a reason to do more and do it better every day. Because we concentrate, we regularly reach higher plateaus and develop a can do attitude.

Success breeds more success, leading to our becoming the successful person we envision.

Effective executives build a culture where employees can develop personal successes because they understand that successful people build successful organizations.

Why Practice Successful people always acquire knowledge that will make them more effective.

Knowledge is key. Without it nobody can go to the next level.

However, we must use the knowledge we gain for it to become valuable. My favorite saying, “No great manager/leader ever fell from heaven. It is a learned skill, not inherited.” To enhance our success we must practice regularly to internalize the knowledge we’ve gained.

Personal development doesn’t come without sustained effort and commitment. It takes about six weeks of regular practice to master even simple new skills.

Top professional golfers hit a thousand practice shots for every tournament shot they take. They practice regularly and perform periodically. We in the business world are just the opposite. We perform every day but rarely practice.

We hear about a new technique and try to use it immediately, failing to realize that it may take thousands of hours of practice, practice, practice and substantial effort to become comfortable with it. Before we implement a technique in key areas of our business, we must devote time to becoming experts in its use.

When we don’t practice we fall prey to

the insanity trap: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. We recycle our problems!

Attitudes Affect Growth Our attitudes about personal growth greatly impact our lives. Successful people understand that we actually work for ourselves. Our jobs are not drudgery but personally rewarding ways to improve our capabilities, skills and behaviors.

When we experience the pure joy of work, we discover that success comes not at the end of the battle, but as the culmination of a game. Every day we work towards achieving our long range goals. To those who know the pure joy of work, the satisfaction, the daily enthusiasm and the thrill of the chase are benefits not found anywhere else.

As we meet our personal and organizational objectives, we experience a dramatic benefit: improved effectiveness and more success. Of course this effort needs to be integrated into our lifestyle and busy schedule. If we view our jobs as a chore, we will never accomplish what we desire.

A great attitude is to make a personal commitment to improve ourselves just 1% per month, a tiny amount. Through the miracle of compounding we will double our effectiveness in about five years.

How many years are you planning to work? Think of the massive potential you have ahead of you!

Tiger Woods expresses his success attitude well: “The greatest thing about tomorrow is I can be better than I am today.”

Steps to Effective Learning Here is a proven, effective four-step method of self-directed learning. When you complete these steps, your new actions and attitudes become permanent.

You don’t regress back to old habits.

Step One: Define the gap between your current reality and the behaviors, skills and traits you want to develop.

Step Two: Write an action plan detailing the improvements you want to make.

Writing crystallizes your thoughts and helps you focus.

Step Three: Start taking action. Using the steps in your action plan, practice the skills, behaviors and traits you want to develop.

Step Four: Most importantly, hold

yourself accountable. “Inspect what you expect.”

We must learn from professional athletes who use coaches to help them develop strengths which they know they need for their success. Too often we in the business world act alone. We can increase our success by building alliances with experts who can assist us in our development. Ask a friend, mentor or coach to work with you, show you how to do it, and hold you accountable.

Your Personal Plan Let’s personalize this discussion. Take a few moments to write the behaviors, skills or traits you would like to improve or strengthen. These four common examples will get you started: 1. Many of us could become more effective communicators. Effective communication is a competitive advantage in most areas of our lives.

2. Feeling appreciated is a basic human need. How many of us regularly compliment our co-workers or employees? Are we so focused on our problems and initiatives that we fail to notice the efforts of others?

3. Naturally reserved people could become more effective if they could develop the capability to be more at ease when the situation warranted.

4. Many managers lack the ability to effectively delegate routine tasks. We end up doing them instead of important work that will generate higher success.

Using these suggestions as a basis, determine those traits you want to strengthen and develop an action plan to work on them.

Summary Many of us recycle our problems because we always perform and never practice.

Successful people understand that we work for ourselves. Our job offers the opportunity to advance our personal success.

With the 1% philosophy we understand that regular small changes in our effectiveness will create much greater personal success.

We need to make a personal commitment to the effort necessary to increase our success and follow proven steps. The key to developing new behaviors and habits lies in practice, practice and more practice to the point of mastery.

Aristotle said it well, “We are what we repeatedly do; excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

About the Author Tom Northup is a recognized management expert, consultant, speaker and coach. As a former CEO a Tom understands the complexities faced by today’s executives. He is the author of the book, The Five Hidden Mistakes CEOs Make.

How to Unlock the Secrets and Drive Growth and Profitability. Go now to lmgsuccess.com.

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d-mars.com Hosts Business Connection NW Houston To inspire, inform and educate. That’s the continuing mission of the d-mars.com business connection and networking series. Recently, d-mars hosted its second signature business connection in Northwest Houston to fill a void expressed by entrepreneurs and executives in the Northwest business community. Attendees were able to network in a professional environment that nurtured and catered to the entrepreneurial experience in that part of the city.

For more information on the upcoming d-mars business connection series, please email contact@d-mars.com or call 713.272.9511.

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September 2013

Top 25 Prime Contractors for Diversity and Supplier Diversity Champions Directory Unveiling Reception

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September 2013

Three Questions to Answer for a Happier Retirement Step #1 — What does retirement mean to you?

Many people think of retirement as a time in your life where you can work if you want to, but not because you have to. In other words, how would you feel if you could work for fun and/or pursue your passions without worrying about money?

This requires financial independence, or having enough money to: Cover your needs and basic wants After taxes After inflation For some period of time (usually you and your beloved's lifetime) The amount of money necessary for financial independence is called "Critical Capital".

This is a pile of money that can sustain all your retirement expenses with inflation and after taxes for the requisite time period. This may be in an assortment of piles of money such as funds in your 401(k), Roth IRAs, and taxable money. Retirement could mean reaching a point where you have enough Critical Capital to spend your money making a life versus being forced to spend your life making money. Now that's exciting!

Step #2 — What is the role of mortgage planning?

Your mortgage is most likely your single largest debt, and your house is most likely your single largest asset. Your mortgage and home equity situation impact your: Cash flow Tax deductions (or lack thereof) Net worth and wealth position Liquidity (access to your money) Estate and legacy planning It's important to ask yourself whether your mortgage or real estate equity strategy is helping or hurting your chances of acquiring the right amount of Critical Capital. Does it make more sense to use a smaller mortgage and invest more cash flow into your Critical Capital fund? Does it make more sense to use a bigger mortgage and invest more upfront cash into your Critical Capital fund? What about using or planning to use reverse mortgage now or at some point in the future? Mortgage planning asks and answers all these questions to help you avoid missing your mark and not having enough Critical Capital. Your mortgage, housing, and cash flow strategy play a large role in helping you achieve financial independence.

Standardizing the mortgage planning process through participation with the CMPS community of experts.

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September 2013

How to Partner With Big "Players" in Your Business in 4 Easy Steps

By Christine Gallagher

A

question I receive often goes something like this: "How do I get connected with X wellknown person so that I can partner with them in my business?"

Partnering with big "players" is a hot topic and it simply means connecting with influential people you admire to create a win-win relationship. This relationship can lead to a big boost in credibility as well as an incredible amount of exposure, plus more access to opportunities and resources.

You already know you want to make more of these connections. The question is, where to start?

Here are four simple steps you can follow to get you there, starting now:

1. Shift your mindset.

It all starts here. These influential people usually have a good-sized list and a lot of clout, and it can sometimes be intimidating for business owners to approach them, as the playing field just doesn't seem level. This is where an important mindset shift comes into play: you must begin thinking of yourself as an equal. If

you have a tendency to undervalue your skills, abilities, and what you bring to the table, now is the time to kick the habit!

One of the most important things to know is that this is a strategy that's meant to be long-term--it's NOT something you can rush. It's also something that requires another type of mindset shift: don't go into it thinking about how they can help YOU, but how you can help THEM.

2. Make a wish list.

Making a list of people you'd love to work with is the first step toward making these relationships a reality. Writing it down sets the intention, and gives you a lot more clarity when it comes time to set your strategy in motion.

3. Show up where they show up.

Time and again I've experienced the power of attending live events when it comes to planting the seeds of collaboration with the people on my "wish list."

There's nothing like a little bit of facetime.

A simple icebreaker once you're there?

"Hi, my name is ____. I don't think we've met yet." (And please remember

that it's JUST as important to follow-up afterward as it is to show up in the first place.)

High-touch in our high-tech world can be the most effective way to create these connections, but don't forget social media and email as well. Follow them on Twitter. Re-tweet their content. Create a "wish list" group in Hootsuite. Connect with them on Facebook and comment regularly on what they share. Comment on their blogs.

If you have your eye on a particular person, be sure to express to them why you appreciate what they do and how they've helped change your life or business for the better. If you're sending an email, keep it succinct and to the point. Offer to help them first, perhaps by connecting them to someone you know who would be a great person for them to know.

4. Win them over with class.

Persistence is important, but be cool about it. Pursue them "gently." Compliment without gushing, and come from a place of giving and service. People are smart and can sense a hard sell.

Remember, it's not about what YOU

can get out of it. Give first, then get. If you don't receive a response, understand that people are busy and take it in stride.

There's no reason you can't still support them, so don't take it personally.

And when you do finally score that awesome partnering opportunity? Keep in mind it's not about hogging their spotlight. The power of association is enough to make your connection MORE than worthwhile.

It's simple, right? Follow these four steps and you'll be rocking your own circle of influence in no time.

About the Author Christine Gallagher is founder of ShesGotClients.com, teaching women entrepreneurs worldwide to use authentic relationship marketing and online strategies to attract fans, enroll clients, and enjoy more income and freedom in business, while sharing their message in a much bigger way. To get your FREE CD "The Top 10 Secrets to More Clients, Credibility and Cash Flow Online," visit http://ShesGotClients.com

The Four Types of Insurance You Might Not Need! are not worth it in the long run.

The cost of insuring an asset depends on the cost of insurance versus the price of the item being insured and the likelihood of something happening to that item. The following are four types of insurances that you might not need to purchase.

By Lonnie Mathews Contributing Writer

M

ost people agree that having insurance is a good idea. My personal belief is that insurance serves a specific purpose and is used for a specific need; however, purchasing insurance that you don’t need is a bad financial move.

Buying certain types of insurance is a no brainer. For instance, it is wise to insure costly items that would require a lot of resources and money to replace. For example, I couldn’t imagine a homeowner not having a homeowner’s insurance policy in place, because the financial impact of having to replace your home could be devastating.

On the other hand, in today’s society there appears to be an insurance policy to cover just about everything imaginable. It is important to remember that when you purchase an insurance policy, you are paying an insurance company to assume the financial risk of replacing an asset should something happen to it. In many cases, the high costs of insuring certain items

1. Mortgage Life Insurance – Most insurance agents will convince you that you need this type of insurance to protect your family by paying off your mortgage if something were to happen to you.

However, a regular insurance policy will accomplish the same thing and in most cases will be less expensive.

2. Credit Card Payment Protection – This type of coverage will pay the minimum payment on your credit card debt as a result of death, illness, or job loss. Nevertheless, you should also know that this type of coverage can be a bit pricey since your premiums are based on the amount of credit card debt you have. Instead, you should build up an emergency fund to cover your expenses when there is an interruption in your income.

3. Identity Theft Insurance – Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes causing concern for many people. Truthfully, identity theft insurance doesn’t prevent the theft from happening. The coverage only helps when your identity is actually stolen. You could save money on unnecessary coverage by being more proactive about protecting your identity.

Recent laws have made it possible for you to place blocks on your credit for little or no money. You can also access your credit report once every twelve months for free. Basically, paying for this type of coverage does little to protect your identity.

4. Home Shield Protection – As far as I am concerned, the jury is still out on this type of coverage. Homeowners understand that home repairs are part of ownership, and replacing an A/C unit could be very costly. Home shield protection coverage is designed to cover the cost of replacing or repairing household appliances such as the dishwasher, washer/ dryer, etc.

Depending on whether you have the resources available or not, having this type of coverage could be a great benefit. Yet, what about the years when you don’t need to have anything replaced? According to my estimate, if a homeowner were to pay $660 per year for coverage then in a 10 year period you would have spent $6,600 on insurance.

Imagine if you had just saved that same $6,600 in a home escrow account. You could have taken care of any repairs during the 10 year period and had money left over, thus questioning the need for this insurance.

In conclusion, deciding to purchase any type of insurance is a very personal decision. When making the decision to purchase insurance, be sure to compare

rates and read the fine print in the policy to make sure you know what you are getting.

Whether or not insurance is worth the cost is based on your specific situation.

For most people, having insurance means having peace of mind that they will be taken care of in the event that something beyond their control should happen.

Lonnie R. Mathews wrote this article for the Who’s Minding Your Money blog.

Lonnie is an author and speaker in the area of personal finance. To learn more about Lonnie or to contact him visit http://www.lonniemathews.com

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September 2013

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September 2013

Mobile Marketing Ideas And Inspiration For Your Business

By Casie Fuchs

I

n the world of mobile marketing, there are plenty of great resources available to both new and experienced marketing alike. There are many websites, programs, e-guides, books, videos, and other resources available. This set of tips contains some of the best advice for helping a good marketer become a great marketer.

Do not send irrelevant texts to your customers. Respect your customers' attention by always giving them useful content when you send out messages.

Random messages can annoy people and reflect poorly on your business. You will actually lose customers if your messages aren't advantageous to them. Customers demand information in the marketing texts they receive.

A well composed mission statement can help you to stay on course with your mobile marketing campaign. Maintaining your principles is key to you being successful in your business plans.

Mobile marketing is a great new way to market that's very effective. More people than ever use their phones to check social media sites and to download appli-

cations. The two options mentioned are both great ways to market your business.

In order to be successful, you must bring marketing directly to the customers.

Create a mission statement to keep yourself on track and to let customers know what you intend to accomplish through mobile marketing. Maintaining your principles is key to you being successful in your business plans.

While many people do want to hear about the sales you have to offer, they do not want to hear about it when they are sleeping. Make sure not to annoy your customers with early/ late messages. Even your very best customer will be irritated by receiving a text message in the early morning or late at night, no matter what the message says.

Expert mobile marketers deploy various aspects of their marketing strategies in sequence. Emulate them. You can start with a text messaging campaign, expand into using mobile websites, then incorporate mobile apps and eventually deliver videos to mobile devices. Keep progressing and improving your overall mobile marketing campaign. Use everything you have available to you.

Before starting any new mobile market-

ing campaign, be sure your first campaign is successful. To calculate the success you are getting, you should check your campaign longevity and not the sales numbers. The use of this formula will help you create a successful campaign with longterm effectiveness.

Implement an A/B testing routine to

find the most user-friendly mobile page.

Test every aspect of each page. Figure out which page has the highest success rate among the various browsers and go with that option. By creating two different landing pages, called A and B, you can monitor which version has the most conversions. Choose the better performing option from the two of them.

Your web site should contain links to any social networking pages that are linked to your business. You can almost guarantee that your customers will not take the time to search for you, but if they know you are on a site, they probably will take the time to check you out.

If you decide to incorporate SMS messaging as part of your mobile marketing campaign, you should clearly state how frequently messages will be sent when customers opt-in, and have an easy way to opt-out. If SMS is used irresponsibly, it can be detrimental because of the integrated ties that mobile device release systems use. Using this type of marketing can feel intrusive to your customers if you are not careful. So make sure you opt customers into receiving your SMS marketing and stand by a maximum amount of texts you will ever send in a month. Staying honest is the best way to improve your customers' faith in your brand.

As you discovered, mobile marketing is a very promising approach and carries a great deal of potential. With that in mind, it is easy to see why it is so important for your business to explore its options. This will make it easy for you to know which one would fit your business needs perfectly. Follow this advice and you'll have a head-start on the competition.

About the Author For more information about Digital Publishing Blueprint Review, check out Ed Dale and digital publishing blueprint.

I'm sure it will help you get your business magazine on an ipad or iphone.

Experience Our World of Marketing, Media and Communication

September 2013

Tools of the Trade

By Maura Schreier-Fleming

D

uring every sales call the challenge is to send a message that will grab a customer’s attention, create awareness, and satisfy a need. You’ve got your work cut out for you. Now you need tools to do the job. Just as every craftsman works with tools, the salesperson works with words. Here are some words to consider that will build your sale.

No buts. When a customer voices a concern some salespeople hear ‘objection’.

A concern can quickly become an objection and stall the sale when you make a poor word choice. Some salespeople first acknowledge the concern and follow with the word ‘but.’ The word ‘but’ effectively negates everything said before it. What your customer hears is the disagreement that precedes an argument. Instead, first acknowledge the concern and follow with ‘and.’ For example, your customer might comment that the process you recommend sounds complicated. You would respond “Yes, it is complicated and with our technical assistance…”

No problem. We are always delighted when our customers show their appreciation for special results and express their gratitude. Some salespeople reply with “No problem.” They’ve just lost an opportunity to generate some customer satisfaction points. Instead they left their customer associating their hard work with

the word ‘problem.’ Every time your customer says “Thank you” the only response should be “My pleasure. I am always happy to help you.” Let your customer know that you look forward to helping. They will seek you out to serve them when they have problems instead of looking to your competition.

We write, too. The written word should also help us sell. Wordy language can put off your customers. You should avoid legal sounding words and phrases like: • Enclosed please find • Contained herein • Thank you in advance for your cooperation • Herewith • Pursuant to your request • Under separate cover Creating images. Understanding is everything. Selling involves listening as well as speaking. The salesperson listens while the customer speaks. Your customer has to listen while you are speaking so the sale can take place. You can choose words that make it easier for your customer to hear your selling message. Metaphors and similes are easy to listen to because they are word pictures that increase understanding. A metaphor is when we lend qualities to something that it normally doesn’t have. An example is “Lubri-

cation is the lifeline of your operation” to describe how critical your product is to a plant’s productivity. A simile is a comparison of dissimilar things using like or as.

An example is “Predictive maintenance is essential to production. It’s like heat is to coffee.” Look for ways to describe your products and services using metaphors and similes that create images. You will make it easier for your customers to listen and to hear your selling message.

As Mark Twain said, ”The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between light-

27.

ning and the lightning bug.” By carefully selecting the best words for selling, you will enlighten your customers and avoid giving them some unexpected jolts.

Maura Schreier-Fleming is president of Best@Selling (http://www.bestatselling. com/). She works with business and sales professionals at company and trade association meetings to make selling easier and more productive. She is the author of the book Real-World Selling for Outof-this-World Results. She can be reached at 972 380 0200 or info@BestatSelling. com.

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September 2013

Where Are You?

By Dr. D Ivan Young Contributing Writer

I

in your life?

• Are you counting on other people to make your dreams come true?

If any of the first five aforementioned questions are answered with a no, you need to reassess your priorities. Chances are what ever is attached to your answer is the biggest part of your blockage. If the answer to the last question is yes, no wonder you are stuck. The key to your destiny is in your hands, not someone else's.

Head into the greater unknown. Trust me, it beats the hell out of recycling the familiar. After all, only a fool continues to do the same things while expecting different results. As you begin taking steps toward your future, expect the next few days to be somewhat intimidating, but don't sweat it. God’s grace is sufficient.

The closer you get to the land of new opportunities, the more likely you are to experience astonishment and wonder, but know that intimidation, and even a bit of anxiety come with it. Nonetheless, you will be okay. That’s a sign you’re making progress. The new territory comes with change. Rest in the knowledge that God's power is made perfect in weakness. Your top priority is to continue operating with a spirit of integrity while maintaining an attitude of expectancy. Believe me, no man's eyes have seen, nor any woman's ear heard, nor did anyone’s heart ever

imagine all of the wonderful things that God has prepared for you. The moment you get off your butt and take dominion over your life, good things will begin to come your way. Success is a rewarder of those who diligently seek evolution.

Inasmuch, before you get up and start running like they called your name on The Price is Right, be mindful of this: To whom much is given, of them, much is required; and of those to whom men entrust much, they will require and demand all the more. Put another way, it costs to be the boss.

You cannot do what God has chosen you to do alone. You will need help. A select group of people have been foreordained to help you along the way; some of them you will not like, but that's where wisdom comes in. I caution you to be as wise as a serpent and as harmless as a dove. Being meek and humble will take you a long way. Without these select individuals, you would needlessly struggle.

As a matter of fact, some of these very folk have been divinely sent to create resistance and drama in your life in order to refine your character. So, don't trip, God put them there for a reason. Think about it like this - Where would Jesus be without Judas' betrayal with a kiss? As crazy as it sounds, just remember, no matter how it feels or looks, everything is working for your good.

Lastly, leave no stone unturned. Pay close attention to everything and everyone in your mix. Nothing is insignificant.

Embrace the re-routes, appreciate the delays and be thankful when God says "No." From this moment forth, your moves are being divinely orchestrated.

Moment-by-moment seek the guidance of The Holy Spirit. Without it, you will be putting yourself needlessly at risk. Take comfort in knowing that the footsteps of a good man, or woman, are ordered by God. From God, to you, through me, Dr. D Ivan Young.

I SEE DE@D PEOPLE (Pt. 1)

ing somewhere, and they’re able to persuade others to go with them in the spirit of humility and compassion. Notice, I didn’t say, passion…compassion involves one having a heart and a plan to accomplish a predetermined goal or objective.

As you look at the people around you, consider the following: •Who influences them? You can tell a lot about whom they will influence and how they will go about doing it by knowing who their heroes and mentors are.

•Whom do they influence? You’ll be able to judge their current level of leadership effectiveness by whom they influence.

•Is their influence increasing or decreasing? You can tell whether a person is a past leader or a potential leader by examining which direction the level of influence is going.

To be a good judge of potential leaders or to expose the de@d people around you, don’t just see the person, see all the people that person is influencing. The greater the influence, the greater the leadership potential and the ability to get others to work with you to accomplish your dream, goal, or objective. In the last stanza of William Ernest Henley’s Poem, Invictus, it reads:

f you’re tired of settling for less than you deserve, it's time for your “A” game. In order to accomplish what you are capable of, you must renew your mind and get focused. Heading in a new direction requires putting on the brakes and assessing where you are now.

How can you be successful in unfamiliar territory without first gaining clarity about your current circumstances? To do that mandates being honest about where you are in your current predicament.

Here are a few things to ponder: • Is your lifestyle conducive to your objectives?

• Do you have habits and behaviors that are productive?

• Are the people with whom you associate headed in the same direction you’re going?

• Is your personal relationship helping you?

• Are you sowing what you want to reap

By Noel Pinnock Contributing Writer

I

f your dream is big and will require the collective work of a group of people, then any potential people you select to go with you on the journey will need to be people of influence. Influence is defined as the power that somebody has to affect other people's thinking or actions by means of argument, example, or force of personality.

It gave me cause for pause when I was enlightened by this compelling definition, partly, because I began to understand that influence is not a cause but an effect and but even more importantly, it is vital to success and the continuity of progress.

Those that we invite in our space, without fail, have an influence in our and over our lives. We, oftentimes, fail to realize this until it is too late. My momma used to say, “Watch those you hang around, son, and those who hang around you.” It wasn’t until I began to examine the osmosis effect of influence more forensically, as I grew older, that I realized that I see a lot of de@d people. Dead, not in the final-

ity sense of the word, but certainly de@d as it pertains to their ability to effectively influence those needing influence.

You see, over the course of 50 years, we have become a people that turn blind eyes and cold shoulders rather than pull up those who could really benefit socially, culturally, economically, politically, psychologically, demographically, or tech-

nologically from the influence we have developed through the aggregation of our life’s experiences, relationships, or opportunities. You see, leadership has nothing to do with holding your head high, banging your chest, or walking in front. However, leadership is more about influence, and when you think about it; all leaders have two things in common: they’re go-

“It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.”

Experience Our World of Marketing, Media and Communication

September 2013

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30.

September 2013

Solid Tips To Boost Your Social Media Marketing Campaign

By Casie Fuchs

A

lot of people are realizing that social media marketing provides them with a very rewarding form of marketing to get into these days. It is actually easier than you may initially believe, particularly if you do a bit of research in advance. Read the tips that follow carefully so that you get the most out of them.

Be careful if you decide you want to look into hiring a marketing company for social media. Many of these types of companies are fraudulent and scam business owners that are inexperienced in Internet marketing. Some of these companies use fake YouTube, Facebook and Twitter accounts by using proxy servers with automated registration bots. You will not have customers seeing your marketing though you are shown high view counts. Basically, the only thing you will be doing is spending money for false results.

Do you want to have an actual relationship with the customers? If you want social media to simply be a sales channel,

then just buy some advertising on social media sites to simplify things. If you desire to have your customers to purchase your products every now and then, start off by saying “Hello.” Pay attention to you customer’s responses, and you will know how to proceed.

Provide a way for people to sign up for email alerts when you post new blog posts. Whether you’re just putting up a post rehashing a previous topic or writing about a new product, giving followers a way to stay connected works, even if this type of social media marketing is more recognized as older way to utilize Internet marketing.

It takes time and patience to put together a social media marketing strategy.

It is not likely that you will wake up tomorrow morning with a few thousand new followers. It can happen, but it is not very likely your profiles will get attention that fast. Take your time and be patient, and you will attract followers before long.

Make sure all of your posts and articles have a Facebook button at the top. This

button makes it easy for your readers to share your content on Facebook. Most people will not wish to share your content on Facebook if they have to go through copying and pasting a link.

The velocity of the social media marketing campaigns can be frustrating. Successful campaigns do not happen overnight and their results are hard to measure. It is nothing like placing an advertisement on television with immediate results. The slow, steady approach is the only way to have successful marketing on social media.

In your social media marketing, give prizes to your milestone likers or followers. Give away gift certificates or interesting things related to your product to your hundredth, thousandth and millionth followers. Not only will this encourage people to subscribe to your content, the winner will rave for a lifetime about how great your particular widget is.

Put your blogs on your personal LinkedIn page with the application for blog feeding. This allows your post to appear

as an update on your LinkedIn page. In addition to saving you time, this will also get you known to both LinkedIn and blogging friends.

You can have your LinkedIn updates include what you post on Twitter by adding the Twitter application to your profile.

Even if Twitter posts are generally shorter than LinkedIn updates, you will be able to reach out to a larger number of people and encourage your LinkedIn friends to find you on Twitter.

You can measure the success of your social media marketing by the sentiment and number of comments you receive about your posts. You need to pay attention to the comments because your followers will tell you if you are posting relevant information. If they are mostly positive, then keep up the good work. If they are negative, try tweaking your posts for a more positive sentiment.

Now that you have gained a better understanding of social media marketing, you can begin to implement it into your business plans. These suggestions are certain to aid you in developing the next step as you diagram your marketing needs.

Treat yourself and your customers to the fabulous world of social media.

About the Author Solid Tips To Boost Your Social Media Marketing Campaign. Check here social advertising or http://esocialmediamarketingplan.com/comparison-of-socialmedia-management-tools

The 4 Way Test For Decision Making

By Liz Uram

A

man named Herbert J. Taylor came up with the Four-Way Test during the Great Depression when he was trying to save a troubled manufacturing plant in Chicago. Mr. Taylor's company began embracing these principles and went from failing to thriving. These questions, as all timeless wisdom, were culled from Scripture and they have been adopted worldwide as principles to guide your actions in every situation in life.

We all have decisions to face in our business and personal lives and it isn't always easy to know which direction to take. These four questions can help guide your way…

1.Is it the truth? Two things come to mind - excuses and false advertising.

When you make a commitment do you sometimes find excuses to get out of it?

Excuses are not truth. They are a way of dealing with buyers-remorse or not wanting to be held accountable. Whose truth do we have? Only our own. If someone tells us something we have to take them at face value. If a client says they are ready to work with me and then cancels the appointment am I going to get in their face and call them a liar? No. It's on them, not me. How about the truth about our products and services? Are we telling the truth about what they do? Can we back

up our claims? Try offering a money-back guarantee. Does it make you nervous or can confidently offer it knowing that you have nothing to be afraid of? If you hesitate, you might want to look at your truth a little closer.

2.Is it fair to all concerned? In our dealings with other people we need to ask ourselves if we are being fair. This is particularly true when it comes to negotiating and setting price. There seem to be two extremes to this. One is about overpricing and one is about undervaluing. Some people are just really good at convincing and charge really high prices but have nothing of substance to deliver.

That's not fair. Some people undervalue their skills and have a great deal to offer but don't charge enough. That isn't fair either. Unfortunately, those people can get taken advantage of by others who can see their value and exploit them for their

own gain. Not fair.

3.Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Business, as in life, requires interaction with others. We can't operate a business in a vacuum. At the very least we need people who will be customers.

But there's so much more to it than that.

I've only just begun to see the power of collaborating with others to work toward a bigger cause. A self-employed individual only has so big of a voice but a group of people working together towards the same goal becomes very big. I've been reaching out to other professionals to invite them to participate in telesummits and other collaborative efforts and I've been making some great connections that I didn't anticipate but I'm pleasantly surprised by.

By offering to do something for them I'm building goodwill and friendships. Are you only looking for the sale or are you trying to build partnerships too?

4.Does it benefit all concerned? Situations that result in a win-win for everyone are best. This is especially true when it comes to keeping customer. It's really a lot harder to get new customers than it is to keep existing ones. This is also a great question to ask yourself when you're working on your business strategy. Look at the big picture and ask yourself how a change will impact the business, if it fits in with the overall plan, and if it is good for everyone involved.

One big takeaway from all this - stay on your side of the street. It is so easy to fall into the trap of what 'everyone else' is doing. Let your conscience be your guide and let other people do what they want to do. Don't believe that you can only be successful by trying to outwit the other guy. That kind of stuff doesn't last. Am I naïve? Maybe, but I'd rather be naïve and live with a clear conscience than constantly be trying to figure out how to get the better of people. My job is to do the very best I can with what I've got and do it honestly, fairly, and with humility. I don't think I can go wrong with that attitude and neither can you. Remember, you can achieve whatever you believe as long as you are willing to work for it!

About the Author Request your free eBook, Boost Your Business!

Experience Our World of Marketing, Media and Communication

September 2013

31.

How to Price Your Services to Make a Profit

By Ian Lauder

E

xperienced marketers know there are all sorts of pricing strategies designed to lure in customers. But if you’re new to the sales game or if you are wondering whether or not you can afford to open your business, you may be wondering how to set a price for your services.

You could simply take a survey of your competitors and then try to undercut their prices, but not accounting for all your costs can quickly lead to financial disaster. Most businesses fail because their expenses exceed their income and they don’t manage their cash flow.

There is a basic formula for setting appropriate prices. It’s sometimes called a “cost plus” formula, and here it is: Cost of Services + Overhead Costs + Buffer + Desired Profit The Cost of Services should be easy enough to figure. That should take into account the hourly rate of the worker(s) who will perform the services, plus the cost of any goods consumed or delivered by the service.

Overhead Costs get a bit trickier, because those are the ongoing costs of running your business. In this category, you need to include a percentage of expenses such as leasing or purchasing buildings and equipment, maintenance and utilities, salaries of support staff, taxes and insurance, and so forth. After you know your annual or monthly cost for overhead, then you should divide this total cost into an hourly cost and assign that to each hour of service to fill in the Overhead Costs in the formula above.

So now you have your basic costs defined: Cost of Services + Overhead Costs.

What’s the Buffer? A buffer is a percentage of the total expenses, added as “padding” or “insurance” to account for unplanned problems that even the most experienced businesses encounter. These might include scheduling issues, unexpected component price increases, accidents, illness, and so forth. The percentage you choose for a buffer is up to you and depends on the type of business you’re in. Some businesses add a buffer of 20%; others add 100%.

And finally, you need to determine your Desired Profit percentage. In other words, how much profit do you need or want to stay in business? Now, adding all these figures together, you should arrive at a price for your services.

After you have worked out a price that guarantees you will not lose money, it’s time to compare that price against the local competition. Is your price much lower than the competition? Then you may want to examine your costs again to be sure you’ve included everything. Many new business owners forget to include the costs of processing the paperwork for a job, for example, or they haven’t made the buffer percentage big enough to cover unanticipated events.

If your price came out higher than the average, don’t panic. Keep in mind that customers may not always choose the lowest price. Compare your services to your competitors. Do you offer additional services, have more experience or industry awards, or offer a guarantee or a warranty that your competitors don’t? If yes, then these may serve as “value added” components to justify a higher price, but then you need to highlight these benefits in your service proposal to inform your potential customer about why you are the best pick for the job.

However, if your price calculation came out with a total that is significantly higher than your competition, you may need to consider where you can cut costs. You may be able to balance the below-cost sale of one service by combining it with a profitable additional service. (The product or service sold below cost in this way is known as a “loss leader.”) There are all sorts of strategies for expanding markets and attracting customers, but it’s crucial to always keep your eye on the bottom line. Knowing your financials inside and out is one of the keys to running a successful and sustainable business.

If this all sounds a bit overwhelming, you should know that you don’t have to start from scratch. Use a pre-designed proposal kit that can help you determine prices and create proposals and other materials to market your services to your customers. A proposal writing kit, like the name implies, is designed for writing business proposals of all kinds. You can use it to fire off simple job descriptions and estimates, or to plan and bid on complex projects with multiple deadlines and subcontractors and such. A proposal writing kit contains multiple checklists and spreadsheets you can use to help capture all the fine details that sap your profits, such as hidden overhead costs you might not think of adding.

Found in a good proposal kit are worksheets including a Bid/No-Bid Checklist, a Proposal Development Checklist, and a Task Assignment Progress Report, just to name a few helpful ones. And here are just a few of the dozens of spreadsheets contained as well: Price Structure Calculator, Fee Structure Calculator, Quote Calculator, Estimate Calculator, Purchase Order

Calculator, Services Cost Calculator, and Project Cost Summary Calculator.

There are also calculator spreadsheets you can use to project cash flow, to figure profit and loss, to analyze return on investment, to create invoices, and so forth.

Each financially oriented template in a proposal kit has an associated spreadsheet for you to fill in.

Good proposal writing kits will have over a thousand topic templates so you can include all the information you should to convince a prospective customer. For example, there’s a template for a Warranty and one for a Guarantee, and

templates for Company History, Testimonials, Referrals, and almost any other topic you can imagine. Each template contains suggestions and examples to help you efficiently describe that topic in your proposal.

Kits not only helps you create a complete business document, but they help you assemble an attractive one, too, because the template pages are professionally laid out and come in various design themes, so you can choose the perfect style to represent your business, or use your own logo.

As well as offering you hundreds of templates and spreadsheets, A proposal kit also contains dozens of sample proposals, so you can see what a proposal for your type of business might look like. You’ll find that a lot of thinking and planning has already been done for you--all you need to do is supply the specific facts and figures for your business and your project.

It’s a great tool to help you not only figure out the right prices for your services, but to ensure your business success.

About the Author Ian Lauder has been helping businesses and freelancers write their proposals and contracts since 1999. => For more tips and best practices when writing your business proposals and legal contracts visit http://www.proposalkit.com

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32.

September 2013

Are You Famous or Are You a Leader?

By Elizabeth Alton

I

t seems like everyone is talking about branding these days. "What's your niche?" has replaced "What's your sign?" The funny thing is, even with all this focus on branding, we're not quite sure what branding really is. We know we need it, we think it might help us grow our business, but beyond that we wonder why does branding really matter?

In today's economy branding is more important than ever. No longer is it the case that big companies corner every market. It used to be if you were going to buy coffee, more than likely it was Folger's.

If you wanted to watch television, you would choose between the three major networks. Nowadays, you can buy everything from Starbucks to imported, organic African blend coffees at your local grocery store and the possibilities for viewing entertainment are virtually endless.

Our world has become a very diverse place indeed. It's a very exciting time, but all this wonderful diversification has also brought new challenges for the entrepreneur. More than ever, today's consumers are demanding and have become accustomed to a plethora of choices. So how, as small business owners, can we stand out and be heard above the noise?

This, my friends, is where branding takes center stage. Because consumers are more demanding, they expect more

customized products and services. If your brand is able to speak to the specific needs and desires of a specific group of people, you will be able to capture their attention. You will begin to attract a clients who enthusiastically resonates with your message. However, to create this kind of magnetism you must embrace specificity.

The problem most people make when thinking about their branding is going too wide. They think if they do or offer more, they will capture more of the market. What happens instead, however, is they water down their brand and brand recognition. They are no longer known for something specific and therefore, they lose the edge that can create buzz for their business and they fail to attract and retain more customers.

It is more important than ever to be unique. The marketplace is no longer one big mass, but is made up instead of many small, self-proclaimed niches or tribes.

These tribes are made up of like-minded individuals who share values and preferences and they also pride themselves on being unique. Just look at the cars on the road today and you'll see what I mean.

There are sleek BMW types and there are the VW bug owners how put flowers on their dashboard. Each tribe has its own unique personality.

If you want a successful brand, you need to figure out who your tribe is and what their needs are. Your aim should not be to make an internationally famous

brand, but rather to be a tribal leader, focusing on the needs and desires of the people a specific tribe. This also means understanding what kind of tribe you are uniquely qualified to serve and what kind of tribe matches your own personality and preferences.

• So how do you gain tribal leader status?

• Think narrow and deep instead vs. wide and shallow. Better to do a few things with excellence than many things that others do just as well.

• Be intensely yourself. People are drawn to authenticity. If you are truly authentic, you will draw more ideal clients who resonate with your message.

• Stand for something. Most people are afraid to put a stake in the ground.

However, having a distinct point of view makes you a leader.

• Be a loud mouth. You have to get your message out, so the right people will hear about you. You do not want to be your own best kept secret.

• Repeat yourself. Most people have short memories and attention spans.

You need to continually and consistently re-articulate your brand and brand message to create stickiness with your audience.

Just remember, if you are the queen of everything you will be known for nothing, however, if you are known for something specific which is of value to your tribe, they will become fanatic and loyal followers. And that my friends, is why branding matters.

It’s your moment.

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ARK Engineer & Consultants Prepares for Growth in Houston Area

By Valerie Jones Contributing Writer James Harvey has called Texas home for more than three decades. Harvey is a native of ‘the swamp,’ how he jokingly refers to his hometown 50 miles south of New Orleans. The president and owner of ARK Engineer and Consultants is a graduate of Southern University and A&M in Baton Rouge, lived in Fort Worth for 34 years, and now resides in and runs his business in the Houston area.

Harvey is the president and owner of ARK Engineer and Consultants, an engineering company that specializes in areas such as construction management, building code compliance, fire protection, lighting and electrical systems design, and HVAC systems design, to name a few. They provide services which include mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering and fire protection.

ARK was founded in 2002 and now Harvey is focused on expanding his business.

“Houston is really thriving when it comes to business,” Harvey said. “Word on the street in the professional circles is that local firms are going to have a difficult time completing all the demand for

work in the next five to 10 years. A lot of companies plan on opening a satellite office here in Houston in the next five years.”

Harvey hopes that projection is true and is excited about the opportunity for growth. He plans to hire more employees the beginning of the year.

“As a small company, we have the ability to help with commercial businesses,” Harvey said, “such as churches that may need their fire and sprinklers checked on a consistent basis, churches that plan on expanding, or even churches that want to save on their energy costs by performing energy audits.”

Owning a business can be both a blessing and a headache at times, especially when breaking into a new market.

“This is a little new to me because previously I was operating as a part-time business for a long time,” he said. “The most challenging part of my job is trying to break into a new market and identify your market niche as a smaller engineer.”

Harvey understands the importance of building relationships. Though he has five guys he works with on a regular basis, he’s been a one-man show for the most part, taking care of everything from operations

to marketing.

“One of the keys to operating a successful business is networking – being able to reach folks that can give you a good referral or opportunity to team with them on their projects,” he said. “I have strategically organized my firm so that I am involved on the professional services (engineering) side as well as on the construction (fire sprinkler and fire alarm design and installation) side, because when the design and construction is done and the building is occupied, the building will need annual testing, inspections, and maintenance.”

Harvey said what he enjoys most about his job is that it changes from day to day.

“There is no ‘typical day,’” he said. “Every day is different. Each day there are different challenges. The rewards are different, too. Satisfaction comes from rewards other than just financial. I enjoy the thrill of seeking new projects and building new relationships.”

Harvey has future plans of growth, growth, and more growth. The next phase for ARK is expanding the services provided, which include adding sprinkler design and installation as well as fire alarm installation.

Experience Our World of Marketing, Media and Communication

September 2013

Building T.R.U.S.T

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By Dori Soukup

I

t is not surprising that study after study shows a decline in the public's trust of business and political leaders, and in their personal lives. The Edelman Trust Study found that nearly two out of every three adults surveyed in 20 countries trust corporations and businesses less than in past studies.

Even though we are faced with a crisis in trust, and have ample examples of how a lack of trust can ruin relationships, I am a firm believer that we can work on trust and build lasting relationships with everyone around us by being trustworthy in someone's eyes. Trust is based on perceptions, and it needs to be earned through genuine and honest communication and behavior.

About a year ago we noticed a cat lurking around our house. She obviously did not have a home. We began to feed her, but every time we got near her, she would hiss at us and back up to protect herself and avoid harm. This continued for a couple of weeks and then she began to trust. She loved being around our house, and now she approaches us. Not once has she hissed at us again. You see, you have to earn trust from everyone, even animals.

Trust is very powerful, and it's one of the main pillars of any healthy relationship. When trust exists between husband and wife, family members, clients and your business, you and your team, you and your pet and so on‌ it results in lasting relationships. But, if trust is broken, the relationship is usually tarnished, and you have to work very hard to repair it, assuming it can be repaired.

In business we all work very hard to obtain new clients, and we do everything we can to retain them. Or we hire a new team member and pray that they will be good and stay with the company.

Sometimes we succeed and sometimes we don't. Let's face it; we all need to build lasting relationships to be more successful in all of our relationships. Here are some tips on how you can apply T.R.U.S.T. in your daily life.

T. Transparent Be Transparent. People will trust you more when they see and understand why you are making certain decisions.

The more transparent you are with information, the more your spa team will understand why you do what you do.

Communicate as openly as you can about decisions, processes and changes. Encourage your team to participate openly in as many decisions as possible. By allowing them to ask questions and offer you their ideas, you demonstrate that you care about their input. If your team feels you're not really hearing what they have to say, you'll find it hard to gain their trust.

R. Reputation "Build a strong reputation. You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do." -Henry Ford

Building a strong reputation and earning your team's and your client's respect, plays a large role in gaining trust. Focus on building a great brand image and reputation. Reputation is about what others believe to be true about your character, personality, skills, competencies and values. People develop an opinion of these things based on behavior. When you leave a positive impression, you open up many doors of opportunity. Don't let a bad reputation break trust and close doors or even alienate others.

U. Understanding "Seek first to understand and then to be understood," the 5th habit in the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey.

Communication is the most important skill in life. You spend years learning how to read and write, and years learning how to speak. What about listening? If you're like most people, you probably seek first to be understood and you want to get your point across. In doing so, you may ignore the other person completely, pretend that you're listening, selectively hear only certain parts of the conversation, or attentively focus on only the words being said and miss the meaning entirely. This behavior does not promote trust. If you focus on listening and understanding the other person's point of view first, this behavior will help you build trust and long lasting relationships.

S. Satisfaction Exceed your client's expectations.

Trust is related to client and team satisfaction. As a leader, it's your responsibility to ensure the satisfaction of both.

When you succeed, you establish trust.

Make customer satisfaction a strategic priority for your business. Communicate clear guest service expectations, and paint a picture of how great your guest will look and feel. Recognize and reward your team for their delivery of a great guest experience. Resolve client complaints quickly.

Measure guest and team satisfaction by how well internal and external customer needs are being met.

T. Training Continually participate in training.

It takes training to ensure that trust is

strong between your organization and your clients. Earn the trust of your clients by insisting that everyone observe the "Five Pillars of Trust": 1. Deliver on your promises.

2. Go out of your way to help 3. Anticipate and fulfill needs 4. Make it easy for guests to do business with you.

5. Be consistent Trust is power. It's the power to inspire and influence. It's the glue that bonds us together and strengthens our relation-

ships.

Build trust and you'll build a strong spa business!

About the Author Dori Soukup is a recognized spa consultant, expert, speaker, coach and author.

Dori is the founder and CEO of InSPAration Management, a business firm that specializes in providing business solutions to spa and salon leaders. The firm offers education via CDs, DVDs, Coaching Memberships, Seminars, and more. To learn more, visit http://www.InSPArationmanagement.com.

Experience Our World of Marketing, Media and Communication

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September 2013

Startup Insights From A Legal Perspective

By Elizabeth Alton

E

ntrepreneurship is as exciting as it is difficult. While working for yourself comes with a series of perks, there are also many challenges that entrepreneurs face along the way. Business owners work long hours, sacrifice time spent with their family and friends, and may be faced with some complex legal issues if they aren’t organized through the starting up process.

Here are eight start-up insights from a legal perspective that make getting started a little bit easier.

Which type of business do you want to be? Chances are if you are running a solopreneur operation, you probably aren’t going to want to register your business as a corporation. But maybe you do! It’s important to keep in mind that there are several different types of businesses, so you need to spend time researching which one is the best fit for yours. The different structures come with varying degrees of liability as well as different rules about taxes. Before you decide on your structure, meet with your team to discuss the different options.

What about protecting IP? As soon as you’ve registered your business, it’s time to start protecting your intellectual prop-

erty. This is especially true in the case of online businesses, as it is really easy for somebody on the web to steal your content. You can easily trademark and copyright your work. Patenting is a bit more complex, but it is an important process nonetheless. If you are patenting a new invention, it’s best to work with a lawyer that has knowledge of the process.

Can I start my new business while still at my old job? We get it. If you are starting up a new business, you probably have a limited budget to work with. But it is a good idea to leave your old job before beginning work on products and services for your own venture. The reason is simple. Whether you know it or not, you may have signed something when you were hired about intellectual property. So let’s say you develop an amazing new product while you’re still working for your former employer. You may have actually signed an IP agreement that gives them full licensing or a portion of ownership of your new product. So it is best to cut ties before you begin working on your new venture.

Where should I incorporate? It may seem logical to incorporate your business in your home state. But did you know that the majority of companies choose to incorporate in Delaware? While it may seem counter-intuitive, incorporating in Delaware has its benefits. The state’s court system and tax benefits are highly business-friendly. Many venture capitalists won’t even fund companies that aren’t incorporated there.

What types of paperwork do I need?

When you are starting out, it is a good idea to develop two types of business agreements. First, you’ll want to work with your partners to create a vesting agreement. The start-up process is at times stressful and emotional. You want to make sure you’re protecting your team financially in case one of your partners chooses to walk away early in the process.

And although the process of registering your business varies based on which type of entity you choose, chances are you will want to have a business agreement in place outlining roles and responsibilities, vesting information, and how partners would divide assets in case they decided to dissolve the company.

How about working with investors?

When it comes to working with investors for your company, there are a few considerations to keep in mind. First, you want to make sure that you are working with a reputable, honest person or firm.

So do your homework before you decide if working with them is the right choice for your business. It’s also important to keep in mind that different investors have different policies in place about how involved they are in your business. If being free to work in the way that you choose is a priority, you are going to want to work with an investor with a more hands-off approach.

Should you hire employees or contractors? There are benefits and drawbacks to hiring employees or working with contractors. Many business owners choose to

work with independent contractors when they are starting out. This route is typically less costly because you don’t have to provide benefits to a contractor, but finding someone that does good work can be challenging. Hiring employees may cost more, but a dependable employee will help your business thrive over the long term.

Should I hire a lawyer? If you have a limited budget, hiring a lawyer may seem out of your range. But the truth is that it’s a good way to make sure that you have a solid legal structure in place for your company. Hiring a lawyer will give you the peace of mind you need to move forward with your business confidently.

Entrepreneurship is exciting, but not without its challenges. It’s good practice to make sure that your business has a strong legal structure from the get go. Follow these eight steps to get your company on the road to success today!

About the Author Elizabeth Alton is a freelance business and technology writer. She covers trends related to small business, entrepreneurs, and the evolving digital landscape. Her work has been published by The Huffington Post, USA Today, The Daily Muse, Better Homes and Gardens, and PolicyMic. Secret tips for entrepreneurs at http://W3Boom.com

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The Biggest Myth in Sales In Business?

Why You Need a Mailing List

By Maura Scheier-Fleming

D

id you hear the one about great salespeople being great talkers? They have the gift of gab and they dazzle their customers into buying anything. Some salespeople even believe it. It's the biggest myth in sales. Here's how it got started and why it is a myth.

News travels fast. The poor salesman seems to leave a more lasting impression on the customer than the great salesperson, who makes selling look easy. Poor salespeople get remembered for their excessive talking and the word gets around.

The myth is born.

These poor salespeople start talking about all they know the moment the sales call begins. They want to impress the customer with all their knowledge, thinking that selling is one-sided. Selling starts when you learn what your customer knows. Only when you hear what your customer needs should you start talking about your product or service. To really give yourself enough to work with, you should hear 3 needs before you begin your presentation. The way to do this is to question and listen.

Looks like I'm not doing anything.

Some salespeople think they are selling and doing something only if they are talking. You are doing something when you actively listen. There are actual physiological changes in the body. Body temperature, heart rate and blood flow slightly increase with active listening.

A good listener focuses on the speaker and tries to determine what the speaker means. A good listener wants to gather clues about the speaker's message without judging. Try to gather clues about the speaker's feelings behind his message.

Paying attention to nonverbal communication will give you more clues that you can use.

Enter with an open mind, ready to hear what your customer has to say about his business and job. Even though we know what we want to say in our selling message, we have to be flexible and respond to what our customers tell us. Selling is not a random event. Have several alternatives ready to provide solutions that meet your customer's needs.

Your job as a listener continues with providing feedback to the customer to check your understanding of his message. The feedback shows the customer what you've heard. This gives you an opportunity to correct any misunderstandings. It's also an opportunity to build a stronger communication bond when the salesperson taps into the customer's correct emotions.

The salesman's job as a listener is to translate what we hear from our customers into how our products and services can help them. Selling starts with our customers, not with us. If we're talking and not listening, we'll miss the clues. The myth of the salesman being a great talker got started by poor salespeople. Unfortunately, the great salespeople have to deal with this myth. Maybe they can address this myth while they're off golfing. That's another great myth.

Maura Schreier-Fleming works with business and sales professionals on skills and strategies so they can sell more and be more productive at work. She is the author of Real-World Selling for Out-of-this-World Results which is available at www.BestatSelling.com. She founded her company Best@Selling in 1997. You can reach her at 972.380.0200.

By Jill Hart

L

ately I’ve had several people ask me WHY they need a mailing list. It’s true that in the marketplace today, we hear many things about newsletters and mailing lists. Most experts will tell you that if you’re in business – whether it be direct sales, writing, selling your own product or service – you NEED a mailing list. I agree and here’s why: Your Mailing List Is One of the Best Ways to Communicate with Your Audience One of the reasons I began a newsletter over a decade ago was to simply remind people – on a regular basis – that CWAHM exists. I didn’t start out with big plans for my newsletter (or quite honestly with ANY idea of what I was doing), I just knew that I needed constant reminders from websites I loved, so I assumed others were the same.

I try to fill my mailing list with interesting articles, tidbits from the website that may be of interest to readers as well as any special things that are happening at CWAHM like webinars, advertising specials and the like. Sending out special mailings to your audience is also a great way to let them know about product and book releases, special sales and other exciting things happening in your business Over the years, I’ve found that Wednesdays, the day my newsletter goes out, is the highest traffic day on my website. Why? Because people check out the newsletter and are directed to the website.

Plain and simple.

A Mailing List Makes It Easier For Others to Spread The Word Within the last month, several of my friends and colleagues have forwarded me newsletters of other authors and entrepreneurs. You see, forwarding a newsletter is one of the easiest ways to share content with others. When you put together a great newsletter, with content targeted right at your audience, they will get excited about it and want to share their findings with others.

This teaches us three things: When we put our newsletter together, we must make sure we know WHO our audience is and WHAT type of content

they are looking for. The larger our mailing list, the more people there are to share our content with others. It makes sense to include a “Share This” link or button in a prominent place in our newsletter to encourage our readers to send it on to a friend.

Your Mailing List Is A Great Place to Make Sales A few years ago, after the economy tanked, advertising sales on CWAHM went through a major slump. I knew the game had changed, but I wasn’t sure how to get people excited about advertising in the new economy we were facing.

I sought the counsel of a wise colleague who advised me to put together a monthly mailing full of advertising specials.

That’s much too simple to work, I thought. However, she was right and right away I saw a small climb in advertising sales.

One of the most important uses of our mailing lists is to make people aware of what we have to offer. We also need to make it easy for them to purchase right from the email using either PayPal buttons or direct links to the website page where purchases can be made. The easier it is for people to make that purchase, the more likely they are to do so.

So, you can see why mailing lists and newsletters are important to the success of any business. In the coming weeks, we’ll talk about how to get people to sign up for our mailing lists and what exactly to do with our list once it begins growing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jill Hart’s entrepreneurial career began in her teens when she spent a summer working with her father who ran his own business. When he put her in charge of a Coke machine and allowed her to keep the profits, she saw the benefits of being her own boss. She is the founder of Christian Work at Home Ministries (CWAHM.com) and the co-author of “So You Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom.” Jill has articles published in In Touch Magazine, P31 Woman magazine and Focus on the Family's™Thriving Family, as well as across the web on sites like DrLaura.com. She speaks to audiences around the country about faith and business topics.

Learn more about Jill at JillHart.com and connect with her on “http://www.facebook. com/SpeakerJillHart” “FB Jill Hart” and “http://twitter.com/cwahm.”

Experience Our World of Marketing, Media and Communication

September 2013

39.

Warnings For Leaders

By Kevin Eikenberry

M

uch like the warnings on cigarette packaging, this is my list of warnings for leaders - to consider in your own leadership style and habits – making sure you aren’t making a mistake that keeps you from leading most effectively.

The United States Congress passed the Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act in 1965, and in 1966 the first labels were placed on cigarette packaging – Caution: Cigarette Smoking May be Hazardous to Your Health. I sometimes wonder if leaders should have a warning that they have to read regularly, to remind them of some important things too. The Surgeon General wants us to remember his warning, and employees would like us as leaders to remember these warnings as well. Over the years the warnings on cigarette packages have become more urgent and direct, but I will write mine in the style of the first one written above. It isn’t a complete list, but it is a start . . .

Caution: Under-communication May be Hazardous to Productivity and Success Of all the concerns/complaints employees have about organizational life, the lack of communication is near the top of the list. As a leader, regardless of our level in the organization, we can communicate more. Share what is going on – more often. And remember that communication

isn’t just about talking – but about listening. Make this your new motto in meetings and one-on-one conversations – talk less and talk later, giving other people time to share and ask questions.

Caution: Too Busy isn’t a Good Reason to be Unavailable to Your Team Leaders at all levels in all organizations are busy. Projects, meetings, and fires are always clogging our calendar. As a leader you must make time for your team. Supporting them, encouraging them, listening to them and coaching them - these are perhaps the most important responsibilities you have as a leader. Remember that “the work” will overwhelm your calendar, leaving you unavailable (or perceived to be) by your team, unless you make space and time to be available for them.

Caution:Micromanagement May Cause Bigger Problems Than it Solves No one wants a leader who micromanages them – and yet many of us do it sometimes. While there are many reasons why we check on projects (or do it ourselves), the biggest reason is that we want the work product to be “right.” While “right” is important, it is also important to empower your team members and prove your trust in them. Why not coach and prepare them to do the job “right” (or allow them the freedom to find a better way) rather than micromanaging them?

Caution: Poor or No Relationships with Team Members Reduces Organizational Results Our job as a leader isn’t to make friends

with those we lead, nor is it to behave in ways with the goal of getting people to like us. On the other hand, we all want to have good relationships with our bosses – and one of the main reasons people leave a job is because of their boss. As a leader we must build strong, trusting working relationships with our team members if we want to maximize the results of the organization – and make work more enjoyable for everyone too.

Caution: Trying to be Perfect is a Recipe for Disaster.

Sometimes leaders think they are supposed to have all of the answers and be perfect. That is impossible and a bad plan anyway. Our followers want us to be real and authentic. It is OK to not have all of the answers. One of the most powerful statements you can make as a leader is: “I don’t know, let’s find out.”

Perhaps these cautions should be placed on all leadership job descriptions and also someplace they can be seen daily. While the warnings on packaging hasn’t stopped all smoking, since the start of the labeling, cigarette smoking in the United States has been cut in half. I hope in a similar way these reminders might help leaders be more effective.

Perhaps you might create different warning labels, and if you have them to share, I hope you will put them in the comments below. Even if you do , I encourage you to pick one of the warnings I’ve written and consider it in your own leadership style and habits – making sure you aren’t making a mistake that keeps you from leading most effectively.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory. com

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