Navigating the Battlefield of Business: Lessons Learned

By JR SPEAR

The element of surprise can be an invaluable weapon in military and business settings. When confronted with unexpected obstacles, it’s easy to feel helpless or disorientated. Yet, those effectively trained in combat arms know how to respond to these circumstances quickly and how to neutralize the threat at hand.

My military experiences have taught me how to successfully navigate war terrain and the field of entrepreneurship. My role as a civilian entrepreneur is to arm business owners with all the tools they need to be ready when unforeseen circumstances or obstacles arise. With my extensive knowledge in both arenas, I have developed survivor tactics that empower those that find themselves under attack.

While serving in Iraq, I went through various training scenarios that taught me how to respond efficiently when danger became a reality. Resilience and determination served me well when starting new businesses later in life.

On February 7th, 2007, I survived a suicide bombing at a walking checkpoint in Barwana, Iraq. When my unit was deployed, we had to stay focused on the mission and not allow distractions to get in the way. Lives depended on it. It was crucial for us to always remain alert and not get complacent.

Since my return from Iraq in 2007, I have established several successful businesses related to the fields of fitness, martial arts, marketing, advertising, and business consulting. Like most rooky entrepreneurs, I made mistakes early on and found myself ambushed from almost every angle.

I felt helpless. I didn’t know how I would pay bills and care for my family. I was lost with no compass to move forward. Eventually, I came to recognize an invaluable lesson: ambushes can occur anywhere and with any business at any time. They materialize without warning and often unexpectedly. These pitfalls can leave us scrambling for responses or lead us to make hasty decisions out of fear and worry.

By drawing parallels between military operations and entrepreneurial endeavors, I examined their similarities and created strategic preparations and planning as key components of a successful outcome.

By identifying potential threats and challenges, both military leaders and entrepreneurs can develop comprehensive plans to tackle various situations whilst remaining prepared for uncertainties along the way.

This proactive approach equips people with essential knowledge, strategies, and abilities required for successfully navigating complex environments while increasing effectiveness and likelihood of success.

Understanding one’s mission before going into combat provides individuals with clarity of purpose, direction, and focus. This enables effective decision-making, planning, and coordination during operations.

Leaders need to understand their mission so that all personnel understand their objectives and goals clearly. This helps eliminate confusion or miscommunication that could have dire repercussions during difficult situations.

Entrepreneurs know the value of having a clear mission This articulates a company’s purpose, values, and long-term objectives. A well-defined understanding of one’s mission also helps entrepreneurs prioritize the tasks and projects at hand. It equips them to conduct resource allocation successfully and accomplish overall objectives.

When employees understand the purpose and goals of a business, their teams and departments can work together more efficiently and without hindrance. Being mission-oriented and focused encourages a culture of teamwork, innovation, and problem-solving that ultimately results in enhanced business results.

By targeting specific issues or threats early in training and development, military training becomes more functional and practical. This leads to improved preparedness and performance on the battlefield. This principle applies to entrepreneurs in business as it emphasizes the significance of targeted training to address potential risk areas or obstacles within their environment.

When entrepreneurs employ similar strategies, It creates a space in which they can design and implement sustainable training programs. Such targeted training can enhance decision-making, problem-solving, and adaptability within an organization.

Identification of threats and problems related to training helps entrepreneurs focus their resources on areas with the greatest potential for development. Amid resource limitations, it is important to allocate both time and money towards meeting the most pressing challenges while prioritizing risks and opportunities with maximum potential for the growth of their business. Always have a plan. It ensures that personnel are well-equipped with the optimal skills and knowledge needed for the business battlefield. Not having a plan can have dire effects on all parties involved.

In conclusion, we illustrate the value of being prepared for an ambush and following the ICE method (Identify; Create; Execute). By taking a structured approach, entrepreneurs can effectively face any unexpected challenges that may emerge in their respective fields. The ICE method encourages adaptability and resilience as well as instills the confidence needed to navigate ever-evolving landscapes successfully. As we close this article I encourage you to, apply all you have learned as part of a pursuit for success and excellence.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Email: JR@BLNTeam.com

Facebook.com/jr.spear.coach

Facebook.com/groups/businessleadersnetworkcommunity

Linkedin.com/in/jr-spear-837632196 www.BLNCommunity.com

A Little Bit of Hustle and a Lot of Faith

By ANGEL TUCCY

The 5-year anniversary of what I like to call “My Pivot” happened recently. Before that, I was living “the dream,” at least, it looked like it to those around me. I was running a successful business network, I was the on-air talent for two daily radio talk shows, and my husband and I were empty nesters, going into that magical phase of rediscovering each other, and life was grand. On the inside, I was miserable. The radio station was suffocating me. The toxicity of human resource protocols, a really objectionable work contract, and an environment that was sucking the life right out of me had completely killed my joy in life. I felt trapped. I was scared at work, I was constantly arguing with my co-host, and I didn’t see any way out. Then, 5 minutes before I was scheduled to go on the air, I was called into my producer’s office and handed a cardboard box to fill with my personal items. The station had “made a change,” I was escorted out of the building, and in the next 24 hours, everything with my image, name, or voice was erased, as if I had never existed. My phone was ringing off the hook; people were sending messages, desperately trying to find out where I was and what happened. I had a regular following of my daily shows, and just like that, the radio dial couldn’t land on me. The next week was a flurry of activity, trying to rebound and figure out what to do next. I was told I couldn’t leave broadcasting and needed to stay on the air, that I wouldn’t be able to build any business without the exposure of media.

Despite what I was told, I knew that God had released me from my contract, and I was being given an opportunity to spread my wings and fly. I didn’t know HOW, but I knew that I was meant to be victorious. I had already been a successful businesswoman, hosted an award-winning radio show, was a bestselling author, and had connections that I could turn to for help. My husband was fully supportive of my dreams. I reached for the stars and contacted Bill Walsh, a top business coach who was hosting small business workshops around the country.“ Bill, do you think there is a need for someone to teach media skills to scale their businesses?

I was devastated by the dismissal but excited about the opportunity to reinvent myself. Colleagues told me that I would struggle to start a whole new career and business from scratch, let alone as a solopreneur, but I felt as if I had been given a gift from heaven to build up a brigade of business owners who needed a platform to share their voices in the saturated marketplace.

I was embarrassed to share my story, I had always projected an image of success and confidence. But I felt guided to help others who were experiencing the same pain of rejection. I refused to let it defeat me. I turned to my faith and to my husband to find the strength to process and rediscover what I was truly passionate about. My husband whisked me away to spend a weekend in the mountains writing out my business plan. In that one weekend, we walked through the woods, spent time enjoying the snowy scenery, and I recorded my first digital course, Media Mastery.

One weekend. Removed from the stress, the “what if’s,” and the deceptions I formed in my head. I turned on the kitchen timer, wrote out some bullet points, and recorded the first 12 sessions, having faith that “something was better than nothing.” I didn’t let my fears, or the need for perfection, hold me back. I was on a mission and determined to kick start my new career with an aggressive marketing plan of traveling and speaking to small businesses all over the country. Partnering with companies like Powerteam USA and The Small Business Expo, I spoke on over 100 stages that first year, building up a national network of clients, friends, and media connections.

Vedette Global Media was perfect for my company name, Vedette is French for “star of the show.” We help businesses and individuals gain media exposure through various platforms, including radio and TV shows, podcasts, press releases, and magazines, essentially becoming the celebrity in their industry.

Despite the challenges we faced, I was surrounded by people who helped me stay positive and focused. I traveled every week to a new city, accompanied by my husband, Jay. Our marriage had already been put to the test once, and I wasn’t optimistic that our relationship would survive with me traveling, so Jay came with me. We felt like honeymooners visiting new cities, trying new things, and relying on each other for strength and courage. Jay ended up selling his fire & security company so he could travel with me full-time. We traveled all across the country, living out of a suitcase, and refused to give in to despair as we figured out the world of public speaking and growing a virtual business from the road. Our hard work paid off, and after months of effort, I created one of the most comprehensive media courses, along with a 3-day boot camp, with clients and media connections all across America.

The experience inspired me to write another book, “Get Discovered, Using Media Interviews & PR TO Grow your Business, Book & Brand”. The book is a guide to help organizations leverage the distribution of media and publicity for sharing their message and stories. It’s an inspiring story of resilience, faith, and determination that I’m proud to know has touched the lives of many who have read it.

I never lost my positive attitude and the belief that I am meant to be victorious. I hope that my story inspires others who are struggling with their own challenges to keep going and let nothing hold them back.

Five years strong, and I continue to see new opportunities on the horizon as we poise to scale to the next level. We’ve added a new social media channel, one of the fasting-growing podcast networking groups, and we continue to collaborate with visionary partners to grow and serve our community in unique and exciting ways. Zondra Evans, CEO of Zondra TV Network, was my first client when I broke out on my own, and since then, she and I have walked together to build up our companies, face our challenges and growing pains, but most importantly, celebrate sweet success together! Zondra’s digital streaming platform is poised to be one of the top television networks across the globe, with partners in Southeast Asia, Australia, Canada, and America. Already, her distribution includes 300 channels. I’m so proud of the relationship we have together, and she is a shining example of the power of media distribution.

CONTACT INFORMATION: angel@vedetteglobal.com

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