JULY | 2016
Veteran Vein
Samantha Horwitz
Pushing Up Hope Clint Fuqua
Invite Healthy Conflict Candy Barone
Combat of PTSD
Veronica Sites
Off BeatBusiness Contents
6 Invite Healthy Conflict By Candy Barone
9 Combat of PTSD By Veronica Sites
12 Be Your own CHO By Claire Billingsley
15 Publishing: Getting a Good Deal?
21 Pushing Up Hope, Health & Habits By Clint Fuqua
24 Your Company Has a Voice Image By Melanie Murphy
27 Silent Fall 28 The Cure Is In the Cause
By Marshall Mitchell
By Taylor Stephens
18 Where the Rubber Meets the Road
29 Old File Boxes - And Memories
By Susan Hamilton
By Dorothy Skinner
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30 Build Alliances That Advance Common Interests By Susan Hamilton
ssMagazine offbeat Business
Show & Magazine
Susan Hamilton
susan@offbeatbusiness.com
editor’s Note Friends,
July marks our second Veteran Vein edition of 2016. We’re grateful, as you are, for our military and their families. Our goal 4x a year is to showcase successful veteran businesses, draw attention to veterans’ needs and bring you resources that meet that need head on. Our cover shot features Samantha Horwitz, Secret Service Agent turned author, speaker and Courage Consultant at CourageAboveAll.com. Her story is amazing, and our first interview of July! Find her interview now available in the OffBeat Business app. Her latest organization, Heroes 4 Healing, helps veterans and first responders get past PTS by removing the ‘disorder’ - a concept I quite like! There’s so much more …
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Editor
Susan Hamilton
Art Director
Jonathan Bodnar
Manager
Inside, Fitness Expert Clint Fuqua shares his initiative to bring more attention to 22Kill, a program that seeks out suicidal veterans to stop their demise. Members of 22Kill are recognized by a prominent black ring worn on their finger, and are initiated into the group through a public display of 22 push ups. The ring tells veterans the person wearing it is ready to talk with them, love them and support them through that dangerous emotion, and the goal is to stop the suicide right then and there. READ CLINT’S ARTICLE, he’s spot on about how to use social media to create ACTUAL awareness, and what that ultimately means to you.
Susan Hamilton
22 is the number of military veterans that are confirmed to take their life daily, but the number is actually much higher. We MUST address PTSD, and the mental and physical health of our warriors - these are OUR families, neighbors and friends. If you know a veteran who has needs of almost ANY sort, go to the back pages of our magazine for links to resources that avoid red tape. BattleBuddy.info offers much more than that, but we share 2 pages of their links in every issue.
Producer
Marketing
The OffBeat Business Media
Designer
Jonathan Bodnar
Publisher
Robin Roberson Roberson Squared
Inside, you’ll also find business tips by our top contributors that will help you stay on the cutting edge of business growth and development. As always, we urge you to send your comments and suggestions to Info@OffBeatBusiness.com so we can continue to bring you the very best resources available today. God bless the U.S.A! ~ Susan Hamilton
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Invite Healthy Conflict By Candy Barone In many organizations, human resource departments have training programs and classes around how to effectively manage conflict in the workplace. The overall objective, often times, is to mitigate any animosity among employees and to ensure that the overall environment is a “safe” zone. However, most of these programs are designed with the goal to eliminate conflict altogether and to keep the peace among the ranks.
the status quo. They don’t learn how to hear opposing opinions or to create real solutions that serve the collective whole of the organization.
They shut down, and meetings become increasingly unproductive and meaningless, as a result. Ever hear the phrase, “meetings for the sake of meetings”? Productivity, which is a direct result of the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization, suffers. The irony being that without some degree Hallway conversations end up happening of conflict, people are not given the space and issues are never fully resolved. or freedom to voice opinions or share new, creative and innovative ideas. Good When in reality, the only way a company communication only happens when a can grow is to invite and welcome healthy degree of healthy conflict exists within an conflict into the organization. Healthy conflict provides an environment where all voices and organization. opinions can be heard, a space where ideas By playing it “safe” and creating a culture of can be generated and encouraged. low conflict, the result is employees then Instead of trying to shut conflict down become afraid to speak up for fear that completely, leaders and employees need to they will be shut down, or fall victim to the be given the opportunity to learn effective infamous “crucial conversation” discussion communication tools and strategies. that inevitably happens when one shares a differing opinion or wants to challenge Strategies will help them pull their emotional 6
It only takes a leader with vision to acknowledge this opportunity and to blaze a new path.
It always baffles me when I hear executives say, “this is the way we have always done x, y, or z” … as if to say, “this way or the highway.” Language like that immediately shuts down the conduit of communications within in an organization and doesn’t open up any space for employees to feel valued or heard. Business is not stagnant, so why do companies insist of doing and staying just that?
All it takes it a leader with little vision, a little faith, and a little courage to make new, intentional investments to grow one’s business.
Because the landscape for business is constantly changing, leaders need to be open to that change. Change is the only constant! These days, change is happening faster and faster on a global scale. When we think about change, there are only two types of change that occur: 1) that which happens to us, and 2) that which happens within us. These principles apply both to individuals within the company, and to the organization itself.
Invest in the right kind of training to help create a culture that invites and implements healthy conflict and effective communication. Executive-level leadership buy-in and appropriate accountability measures can and will yield increased ROIs back to the business.
Because, remember … ROI is a return on investment, not a return on intention. Candy Barone, CEO & Founder, You Empowered Strong “Your PullNo-Punches Accountability Powerhouse” International Speaker, Business Strategist, Executive Coach & Trainer, Best-selling Author candybarone@youempoweredstrong.com www.youempoweredstrong.com (512) 693-9732
Today, an apparent lack of real, open, insightful and vulnerable communication exists, collectively across the board in business. It translates to gaps that could prove detrimental to the long-term health of most businesses. This creates a real opportunity to make a different level of investment in training, building stronger and more engaged cultures, and developing effective and instrumental communicators.
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attachment out of issues being addressed. Tools will help them come to the table with an open mind and desire for understanding. People need the ability to have the difficult conversation, play devil’s advocate and take risks within the organization. If they are too afraid to speak up - to present another way to look at a situation, problem, issue or idea - then an organization risks staying stagnant, or worse, becoming irrelevant.
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Combat of
PTSD By Veronica Sites
traumatic events and have come to realize the value of early intervention using a technique called Critical Incident Management. When it comes to prevention of extreme long term damage due to PTSD, early intervention does make a huge difference. Unfortunately, there is a perceived stigma associated at even the suggestion of PTSD. This has to stop!
Do we take the best steps in the proper order in the battle of Post Traumatic Stress (commonly known as PTSD)? The words hierarchy, protocol, chain of command are common verbiage among military, yet when it comes to integration from combat zone to civilian re-entry, there are some things civilians in business need to understand, too. After traumatic events, there are some normal expectations due to cognitive disruption. Admittedly, what the military provides in It is critically important that we educate code of honor, dignity, and respect for others ourselves in intervention and approach for - as well understanding rank (knowing your different results. We can, and should, be able lane) - civilians often lack in appreciation. It to recognize those at high risk of developing would behoove us as nation to get back to PTSD, and realize how it affects all of our lives, the basics of what made this nation strong; business and communities when we fail to do so. God and family. What if we considered what we can Working with veterans and being familiar learn from the value of a “chain of with how PTSD disrupts life, I can tell you that command�? a majority of my clients have struggled with the impact of PTSD and need a little help. I work with many immediately following We would realize that addressing PTSD after the fact is a failure to plan, prepare, and 9
perform for different result. Education would mean more intervention and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) immediately following traumatic events, so those most at risk could know that events do not define a person. There is no reason to embrace any stigma whatsoever. Caring for mental health is not a punishment; it is protocol for optimum performance. Reactive brain function demands attention. When a brain has been neglected, it needs what I call ‘verbal triage’ to disrupt what has become normal so that it can process in a healthy way. The sooner ‘verbal triage’ is introduced, the better off our soldiers will be upon discharge of service.
military has fought so hard attain. Let us facilitate healthy “new normals” concerning the battle of traumatic impact on mind, brain and thoughts. Incidentally, PTSD is not exclusive to military; 7-8% of the population is affected by PTSD. It is imperative that we educate everyone in our companies to plan, prepare and perform - aware that when left neglected, unhealed invisible wounds of PTSD impact us all. Let’s change mental health protocol to reflect the realities of successful recovery for everyone TODAY.
A brain in a state of survival needs permission to stop, purge, and process in such a way that it actively engages in receiving the “intel” Veronica Sites Conflict Resolution Speaker that the traumatic event has stopped. A new, ConflictResolutionSpeaker.com healthy normal can then be established so coping can begin, rather than suppression which is our natural tendency. Neglect of these basic needs leads to the “disorder” of post traumatic stress. Disorder is the result of ingrained patterns of “survival” that are highly reactive and activated by various triggers associated with any combination of the five senses that took in information at an “overload” capacity as the traumatic event unfolded. It’s time to assess how we approach this battle. The enemy in PTSD is not the need for care. What I have found is a need to implement a preventive protocol that includes training and prepares us to embrace what brings about freedom within ourselves - well before trauma - so we can live in the freedom our 10
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Be Your Own Ha
If you have followed my column for any amount of time, you know I have a tendency to be the Pollyanna … to always see things through the proverbial rose colored glasses. I know I can drive people crazy with my happiness quotes on Facebook. Some people would love to see me have a bad day and watch my head implode. Just because I choose to be happy doesn’t mean everything always goes my way. I have what one might call my ‘good’ and ‘bad’ days just like everyone else. I choose to look at things differently. You see, I believe we create our own experiences, based on how we handle ourselves. As Eleonore Roosevelt said so many wise years ago, “To handle yourself, use your head. To handle others, use your heart.” Let’s look at using our heads in creating happiness in the workplace. Google has an actual C-Suite employee called the Chief Happiness Officer. As much fun as that title sounds on the outside, do we really need someone else looking after our happiness? Do you really want someone figuring out what fun means to you? Or are you strong enough to figure out what makes 12
you tick and follow through with what you WANT to do that makes you happy? Who cares if it is tinkering on an old car in the garage? That wouldn’t make me happy, but it might work great for you!
When you really think about happiness, it’s undefinable and difficult to measure. It’s not scientifically broken down into parts and pieces, because we are human BEings … meaning we are meant to BE. Being is different depending upon who you are and what motivates you. However, I do think there are some commonalities we can begin to consider if it is in fact happiness we want to develop in our work places. If we do create our own experiences, then we have to take some responsibility. Here are some key things for you to consider as you take on a happiness quest for yourself. 1. Avoid judgement, of others and yourself. Take the emotion out of things that may upset you. Say your boss came in and was very short with you in words and actions. You can look at it several ways: a. This boss is a jerk. b. This boss hates me. c. This boss is having a bad day and I am glad my day is better than his. (This is almost a forgiveness
Claire Billingsley
appiness Officer path that actually makes you feel even better, as you are not absorbing the negative energy and you are “blessing” the other person which is always an endorphin boost).
2. Learn to recover quickly from adversity. Leave the guilt trip bags packed and out on the porch. Ok, you messed up. Welcome to showing up as a human BEing! Forgive yourself, bless yourself, and move forward. Easier said than done? Try this thought process “I did the best I could with what I had at that exact moment in time. I am glad for the redirection and better understanding of the expectation, and now I am happy I can make this right for the needs of the project.” See what we did there? We gave ourselves permission to be human, we thanked the additional information, and we picked ourselves up and got back on our feet. If you face adversity, and you are practicing no judgement (see number 1), you will recover more quickly automatically. 3. Let go of grudges and jealousy (looks a lot like judgement). Be happy for someone else’s accomplishments.
There truly is enough for everyone. Create your next opportunity, and enjoy it when others celebrate your win!
4. Find passion in YOU, not your job. Ok, so your job isn’t the most glamorous. You don’t have a corner office. Big deal. You don’t have the headaches they do either! BE a lifelong learner. Keep doing things you really enjoy. Figure out what you can do to make the entire situation even better. And then do it – without an expectation of anyone even noticing. You’ll get the intrinsic reward of doing it because it made you feel good. And maybe, just maybe, people will begin showing up differently because YOU are showing up differently. There is nothing that you have to “get” to be happy. Happiness is created by you doing things you love. Your Mom was right – make the most of whatever it is…because nothing lasts forever. Which takes me to number 5. 5. Picture yourself 10 years ago and 10 years from now. Are you still bothered by what kept you up at night 10 years ago? In 10 years, will what you are currently stressing out about even matter? Invest (enjoy) in the path 13
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you are taking, and don’t stress out about the outcome. We can’t control it anyway. Even scientists can’t control the outcome of experiments. There are too many variables. They know what they are striving to achieve, but sometimes the “mistakes” are actually the “brilliance” no one else thought of!
FOCUS. They are happy when they are “in the zone” and as a by-product, they can be champions!
6. Do one thing at a time, rather trying to multi-task. When we multi-task, we just end up doing more things badly, and take more time doing it. Focus!
Claire Billingsley is a professional speaker, published author, and edutrainer. She has been seen on CBS Channel 11 and recognized as one of the Top 25 Women to Watch by the Dallas Business Journal. You can reach Claire at 214.289.8802 , at www.billingsleyconsultinggroup.com, or at claire@billingsleyconsultinggroup.com.
When we are focused, we end up “in the zone”. We as human BEings don’t work hard when we are “happy”; we are happy when we are working hard and in our zone. Consider an athlete’s performance – they work HARD all the time. They basically have try outs every time they play. There is no way they can call in their game. They have to show up and
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Be your “CHO”. Start practicing creating your own experiences, and take responsibility for your own happiness. You will be smiling at your outcomes!
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Publishing Getting a Good Deal?
What Your Publisher Doesn’t Tell You About Author Book Copies
By Marshall Mitchell When I started a publishing house a few years they poured blood, sweat, and tears into. ago I realized there were common practices in the publishing industry that I would never It’s not wrong for an author to pay to have their book published, printed or distributed. do. Book publishing is, however, not exclusively It’s a common practice for publishers to about producing printed works. It’s about mark up the price of a book when the author producing books to sell books, and that means requests to buy copies from the publisher. selling books to readers, not authors. It’s so common that no one questions it. The author’s usual concern is whether or not “Because that’s how we do it.” they’ll order a higher number of books so that they can get more books for a cheaper I talked with a semi well-known speaker one day before he spoke. He wrote a book with price per book. one of the top 5 publishers and has to order The author is charged wholesale prices— his $40 (retail) book for $25 (wholesaler the prices that retailers like Barnes & Noble, discount) because that’s what his contract Amazon, and your local bookshop pay— says. He’s pushed for a paperback printing of in order to own copies for personal use, his book, but the publisher hasn’t budged. marketing or review purposes, sell them out It’s costly to stock his own book and it’s costly to the reader. A print-on-demand set up or a of the trunk of their car or on their website. short run of paperbacks would have increased sales for the publisher and decreased cost for Why do I have a problem with this? the reader. There’s a difference between a publisher who Your book is meant to change lives and makes money off of book sales and the one if you’re unable to bring it to market at a who makes money off of authors (and rarely, reasonable price then you won’t be able if ever, because of book sales). to touch as many lives. This isn’t about complimentary copies. This is about authors having to buy their books at So what if an author sells his book out of his wholesale to own copies of their own book— trunk, at a conference or after a talk? That’s the book they worked hard to write, the one kind of the point. The publisher makes money 15
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when the author does well, even if that means and the most rewarding for the author’s hard they “sacrifice” sales at the beginning while work. the author grows a platform. Are you an author? Spare your wallet and The Promise of Debt your garage. There’s no reason to go broke or go into debt to own copies of your book. You or someone you know has probably signed a contract with the promise to © Marshall Mitchell, 2016. All rights reserved. buy 2,000 to 25,000 copies of their book. Sometimes, it’s over the course of 10 years, Marshall Mitchell but more commonly it’s an immediate payout is the Publisher at by the author to the publisher. Write Now Publishing Sure, a print run of that size drives down the House, where unit cost per book for the publisher, but the perfect endings savings are not being passed down to the are just the author. The publisher is double-dipping. beginning. He develops books and brands A publisher produces books, then sells around intentional legacies. He enjoys thrifting them. Printers make money off printing the perfect mug and book, and currently lives books. When you confuse the two then in Springfield, MO with his wife and young at some point the author gets burned. daughter. The moment the publisher tries to mark up printing is the moment they treat the author as a customer instead of a partner.
You don’t expect an artist to buy prints of their own paintings from an art gallery, so why do you expect an author to buy their own book at a markup? How Should It Be? The author wrote it. It’s the author’s book. The publishing house’s job is to leverage the author’s content in order to make a profit for both the author and the publisher. The author should be able to buy their own book at cost. This means they just pay for the printing and shipping. No markups. No hoops. That’s the most equitable solution I’ve found 16
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rubber meets Where the
the Road
By Susan Hamilton
Ever want to just pack it in? I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had where that was the subject. Sixtyfive, seventy, some seventy-four years old - running a family business that after 50 years or so, is struggling to make enough money after overhead to pay the bills. No retirement, heavy commitment to lines of credit, and tired of the constant frustration that comes from herding cats. IS that scenario the American dream they bought into years ago? No, but often what they’ve accidentally created over the years is a parasitic relationship with their family member employees. Now, those relationships mean more than good business sense, and any random surge in revenue is such a relief, changing long-held bad habits and engaging in accountability practices is an effort pushed off again for ‘tomorrow’. This is happening far too often, and limiting American business influence. I want to encourage an exhausted base to see past Friday’s payroll. We have to change the way we see ourselves and view our companies. When I began in the marketing arena some 10 years ago, I marveled at how many business owners were basing their earning potential on word of mouth when the internet had become so useful. It was complicated to add that additional function into the workspace, but most people had a website and email - the big hurdle was social media and email marketing. The difference in revenue between competitors was chalked up to who could afford television or radio ads. Those were the ‘big guys’. Today, not much has changed. We all understand how important our website is, and most of us are willing to do some form of social media or email marketing. But we’re still ‘dabbling’ in them.
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Full on systems are rarely exercised, and that’s about as effective as spray painting in the wind. We still think television and radio ads are for the ‘big guys’ - and don’t give it a second thought!
Media ISN’T Just For The ‘Big Guys’ Anymore No, media alone won’t solve business issues rooted in poor management, but we can all agree that with a significant increase in revenue, we can afford to make better choices. Better choices might mean accountability coaching, process development and perks that inspire a lagging staff to explore new, more effective approaches. Largely, this is our struggle, America. When it comes to family businesses that have been around 10-50 years, changes in routine are easily dismissed by family employees who figure they know better. And maybe they don’t, and maybe they do. No, media won’t necessarily fix that. But today you can use mediums that exist inside of the space where people choose to entertain themselves, and it’s much more affordable. Digital media in the forms of articles, videos, internet radio, podcasts and television are the preferred method of information gathering for most of us, and because the delivery system is internet driven, you have the advantage of a stronger, more familiar brand and a reach that costs pennies in comparison to traditional television and radio ads or PR. On top of that, you can understand if your approach is working much faster, and that gives you options to pivot that are equally as cost effective. If the message isn’t resonating after a solid campaign with a solid digital footprint in place, it can be recognized quickly and improved without much expense.
Making The Connection More money can mean better systems, and betters systems can mean higher employee engagement and effectiveness, and higher engagement and effectiveness can mean higher morale and higher morale can mean more productivity, and more productivity can mean higher income - and for family and other staff on your team, all of this could equate to new trucks, better insurance coverage, employee benefits and even bonuses. THOSE types of rewards work to reduce a lagging staff that may be resistant to change - and offering those types of rewards makes it much easier for the patriarch or matriarch of the family business to levy accountability where appropriate. It’s not a carrot and stick approach; it’s an opportunity to improve the mission buy-in necessary to change the culture of the company. The risk is great. More revenue can also spell disaster for a team that is satisfied working at a nominal level. But there is no improvement without risk, and nothing great comes without risk.
A reputation is B.U.I.L.T. B - Bold Action U - Unwavering Determination I - Improved Constantly L - Leveraged For Success T - Tactical
started out on that road, swayed off of it due to health issues, addictions, or over-regulation that made it hard to incorporate a natural rhythm in the wake of trauma - get right back up the minute you see that. Life in business is not easy, but remembering that reputations are B.U.I.L.T will help you live a successful life in business and teach the next generation how important legacy truly is. Use media, make more money, improve your reach and make your mark. No matter what your age and revenue currently is, you are not limited to the mindset of your current staff. Take a deep breath, take the lead, and if necessary, hire a coach to help you over the hump. The investment will take you to the next level and elevate your team to standards you dream of. THIS is where the rubber meets the road, my friends - the only option you really have is whether or not you choose to drive the car or let the car drive you. Getting the boulder up to the cliff is the hardest part. Then all you have to do is push. Susan Hamilton is the owner, host and editor-inchief at OffBeat Business Media, a business for business digital media resource for strong brand development. Contact Susan at Susan@ OffBeatBusiness.com or call 214-714-0495 to discover how digital content can work for you.
Bold Actions are the ones that see the risk, but weigh the benefits over the fear of possible insufficiencies. Unwavering Determination turns a boss into a leader, recognizing the necessity to empower the entire team to succeed over the exhausting resistance it might be met with and an unwillingness to accept anything less than success. Improvement Constantly is a decision to evaluate regularly to see if milestones are being met and adjusting accordingly. Media, processes, reward and accountabilty expectations are the things that must be Leveraged For Success in ALL organizations for maximum profitability and strong, trustworthy brand reputations. All great brand reputations are Tactically engineered. Period. They are not accidents. Even if your company
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There is still an investment. Even free media doesn’t work well free. There is always an upgrade to expect, but if you surround yourself with good counsel, you can avoid the money traps and use products that offer clear strategy and reporting.
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Hope, Health & Habits By Clint Fuqua
If you have been following me online (and I really suggest you do) then you have seen a very long series of push-up videos. Several people have asked what they are about, and my return question is “Did you actually watch them and read the short message?” In the first 22 days almost no one did, and now in the second 22 days some have, and in the forthcoming 22 days the goal will be turning that some into most. You see, the push-ups are not for me, but rather for everyone to notice www.22Kill.com and the good they are doing in the world by ending military suicide. I point this out to express my frustration and to let you know that as in the last article, everything takes time to build and for others to take interest outside of the spectacle. My goal is to continue pushing up round after round to help ensure we put one less soldier in the ground due to a system, and partly a country, that has let them down. This is my challenge and I invite you to join me or pick up your own challenge. The goal is to find something that will both challenge you and challenge everyone in the world around you to improve. It can be for the military, for the homeless, for children, for animals, for
whatever makes you burn on the inside when you see or hear about it. The tough part is to ensure that it will bring light and positivity to the world, rather than create more problems. If you can’t find one that you like then start your own and get others to join in on your challenge. Start a daily, walk, run, exercise, breathing, healthy eating, meditating, or other health based program and tie it to a cause you feel passionately about. This is how we improve our own life, health, and that of the world at the same time. The frustration I expressed in the opening of this little article was put there because you too will go through it. The reason why is because people will test your commitment before they ever commit any energy (including reading a few hashtags) to joining any cause, especially if it requires anything more than giving a “like”. Video and images are powerful because of what people see in them rather than what you are doing in them. Make your commitment and share your commitment, and then keep on sharing your commitment, and then keep on sharing your commitment, and keep on sharing your commitment, and keep on 21
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Pushing Up
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sharing your commitment until one day you are committed to it rather than just doing it. This is when people will take notice and join in with commitment to do it. The spectacle of the activity is no longer the reason for the views. The message is what matters and that is the one thing that will keep you committed when no one cares or hopes you will complete the challenge.
commitment, especially if can’t hold yourself accountable, because everyone watching will.
3. Do it Daily. The things you do every day will determine your healthiness, your illness, your richness, your brokenness, and any other “ness” that you will be living the following day. Habits are the good or bad you will live in life, and they happen every day especially Breathing is one thing that keeps you alive when you aren’t thinking about it without ever having to think about it. Without this good habit life would end quickly or even Visit me at www. worse very slowly as you had to think about ClintFuqua.com every breath. Your daily actions work in the and contact same fashion as both good and bad habits me with any happen without thought. This will happen questions, with your challenge as it will cease to be a comments, challenge when you just do it every day as request, a part of your life and even feel like dying recommendation, when you can’t. So be careful in choosing a proposals, fan challenge that you can do every day for the mail, or hate mail at Clint@ClintFuqua.com. rest of your life and that others can do daily as well. The challenge itself should be easy to achieve, like breathing, or else people will either not join in, stop quickly, or worse - create health problems in an attempt to improve the world with only a limp for life to remember it by. Create a challenge that should be a habit due to the ease of action and daily commitment to make it happen. Action Steps: 1. Pick your Challenge. Find that thing that will make the world a better place by you doing it and in turn make you a better person for having done it. In other words, it must be bigger than you, your vanity, and your sense of pride for doing it. This will be a humbling experience. 2. Make your Commitment. “Pics or it didn’t happen” is very much a truth and the best way to commit to anything. Capture your 22
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Your Company Has a Voice Image By Melanie Murphy What if changing the way people perceive to assure your caller that “you’ve got this!” by your company was as easy as changing your having a confident message. voicemail? Perhaps it is! Voice Matters in Video, Too The voice someone is greeted with when they call your company affects the overall opinion The video on your website looks pretty slick. they may have of your company, and many Good job jumping into social media. You times it’s the first impression people have of look great, but the conviction of what you’re your brand. The sound associated with your saying just isn’t there. It’s not because you business, your voice image, whether it’s when don’t believe in what you’re offering. It’s not they call you, watch a video on your website unusual for cameras to make people nervous. or catch wind of your radio ad – leaves an Great news! You don’t have to compromise. impression. Your voice image is what people Trained voice actors know exactly how to make your brand sound excellent, attracting think of you based on what they hear. a higher paying customer base. Here’s how it could play out for your Training Could Be Much Easier business. A new prospect calls your business and gets your voicemail. You’re busy and can’t answer the phone live 24-7, which is completely understandable. They leave a message that sounds a bit uncertain, and doesn’t include the information you need to help them. If that happens to you, it’s time to check your outgoing message.
Congrats! Your family business is doing well! And it just so happens that you are in peak season, again. You need to hire more help, but who will train them? You and everyone in the business is busy getting the work done to keep everything going. Come to think of it, this scenario seems to happen every year about this time.
A strong voicemail with the right message empowers your caller and sets you up to know how to help them when you return the call. But if they’re not greeted with pleasant, clear-spoken instructions, they likely aren’t hanging up with a sense of confidence in your company. Don’t miss an opportunity
Here’s an idea, create videos to guide new hires through the basic steps and expedite the training process. The investment on the front side may be more than the man-hours it would take to train an individual, but after a few rounds of new-hires watching the videos, the time you didn’t take to repeat the same
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First Impressions
1. A professional voice talent is trained to use their voice so your message gets communicated in the right tone 2. A well trained voice actor is able to let your message stand out to engage your audience, while letting their voice enhance, not distract 3. A voice over professional uses quality equipment in a suitable environment so you don’t need to worry about a hiss, tinny reverb or hollow sounding recordings.
When someone calls your company – what is their first impression? Do videos representing your company on social media or on your website reflect the polished brand you’ve worked hard to establish? What about training videos and content used in-house for your company? Are employees seeing the consistent high quality image you want to portray? This is Sure you can choose Cousin Sally to record where hiring a voice over professional sets your phone greeting, and George in you apart. accounting reads well so he could do the training videos, but the question isn’t can Each of the three examples is an opportunity they read and talk? The question is does the to have your company’s voice image enhanced voice quality your clients and prospects interact by a professional voice actor. These are areas with represent your true brand? where a brand’s voice, your brand’s voice creates a tone, sets a standard and elevates Don’t leave your company’s voice image to how you are perceived. chance. Consult with a voice over professional to ensure your message stands out. A voice over professional, voice actor or Is the idea of hiring a professional voice over talent (titles used synonymously voice new to you? Have questions? most of the time) is someone trained in Melanie Murphy is a Dallas based how to speak clearly, capture the tone you voice actor who specializes in commercials, videos for media want to communicate and reflect the polish and apps, corporate narration, and brand of your company. By hiring a training modules, eLearning, professional voice actor to represent your phone messaging and more. Feel message, you are enhancing your voice image free to reach out to her through her website at http://www. and impacting your professional reputation melaniemurphyvo.com. across the board. No matter what area your company needs a voice in – radio ads, social media videos, training modules, phone mail messaging or anything else – a pro will add refinement to your brand and help your product stand out. So why hire someone when you can have your sister-in-law to record your project for you? Here are three reasons to hire a professional for your voice over:
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protocol again and again will have made the videos a brilliant investment.
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Off BeatBusinessMagazine
Silent Fall: A Secret Service Agent’s Story of Tragedy and Triumph After 9/11
From the moment you meet her, you know there’s something different about her. Behind the blonde hair and dark sunglasses is a former United States Secret Service Agent turned business woman and Courage Consultant, on a mission to help those with PTS (Post Traumatic Stress). 9/11 gave Sam her PTS stripes. She was in the elevator in 1 World Trade Center on 9/11 when American Airlines flight 11 struck it. Her goal is to remove the word ‘disorder’ from its common acronym, because post traumatic stress is something that happens TO us, NOT something that defines us or something that is impossible to overcome or something that one must ‘have’. On the contrary, with proper treatment, PTS can be overcome with success and dignity. Samantha now shares the process through her courage consultancy, taking hard lessons learned and providing solutions for people who are looking for life success strategies from the field to the boardroom. Her book, The Silent Fall: A Secret Service Agent’s Story of Tragedy and Triumph After 9/11, due out mid-July, chronicles that historic day, her personal struggle with PTS which almost took her life, and the lessons she learned on her road to recovery.
Sam, along with two business partners, one, a Vietnam Veteran, and the other an OEF/OIF Veteran (Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom) started Heroes 4 Healing, focusing exclusively on providing peer support to current and former members of the U.S. military, law enforcement, firefighters, and first responders. Their upcoming 501(C)(3) is pending with much anticipation.
Samantha (Sam) Horwitz is a former United States Secret Service Agent, worked for the Executive Protection Division of the Montgomery County Department of Police, is president and CEO of Heroes 4 Healing, DFW Chapter President of She Can Shoot, and is Founder and Principle Consultant at CourageAboveAll.com. Connect with Sam on her Facebook page, or email her at Sam@CourageAboveAll.com
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THE CURE IS IN THE CAUSE By Taylor Kay Stephens
T
didn’t serve me and take care of that, then I had fewer problems. If you have an existing oday we see and hear so much about problem, realize, there is something that finding a cure for almost any problem. caused the problem in the first place. Everything from health issues, lack of productivity, procrastination, lack of time, In the process of curing or eliminating a relationship problems, financial woes and problem, find out what caused it and don’t consumer debt - just to name a few. continue doing that at the same time you’re trying to get rid of it. For then the problem After spending years, repeatedly having either continues or if it goes away, it will to fix or cure so many of these issues, I return and the cycle starts all over again. started realizing that there was a cause. It made sense that if I figured out the root If you’re looking for the cure, find the cause and corrected that, then it wouldn’t cause. turn into an issue to stop, fix or cure, which would save me so much time, work and Taylor Kay frustration. Stephens, speaker, One area where this is so prevalent is in our health. There is a never-ending battle to cure cancer, diabetes, heart disease, sugar addiction, obesity, depression, etc. Our health affects every area of our life including business. For years, I struggled with a severe sugar addiction and tried everything I knew to stop eating sugar. I usually had no success or only short-term victories only to fall back into my addiction. I couldn’t understand why I couldn’t overcome this problem. What I didn’t realize is there were hidden causes for this never-ending fight that I was trying desperately to find a cure for. I wanted a solution and an answer. That’s when I found the root causes, which were Adrenal fatigue and Candida. Once I addressed the root causes, my craving for sugar stopped and didn’t return. I also found that if I would take the time to find the cause for any issue in my life that
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author and life coach, is no stranger to tragedy and adversity. She teaches people how to get out of overwhelm and change their selfdefeating behaviors. Taylor has developed her own easy, practical techniques, so simple a child can do them. You may contact her at resolutionspeaking@sbcglobal.net or discover more at www.taylorkaystephen.com
Off BeatBusinessMagazine
Old File Boxes - And Memories By Dorothy Skinner
This last week I decided it was time. Time to go into our storage area and move the older files out to make room for more recent. I don’t know if I am a closet hoarder or just a bit paranoid about audits, but I must admit I keep paper records in addition to my computer files- just in case. I have been audited a couple times and the outcomes have been to my good because I did have all the supporting records when needed. I decided that I was ready to move on and shred the contents of folders 8 years and older. Whew! That was a big job. First I had Amazon deliver a new shredder that had good reviews. I know my old faithful shredder would just say “NO” to that much work.
But he did come to live with us and we cared for him until he passed away. And all his paperwork was in the box. He served in the Army in 1941, the year I was born. He was wounded in active duty, and returned to duty after recovering. He received the Purple Heart and I found his thank you letter from the White House for his service. He worked as a welder in the shipyards until he retired.
It made me think again about our brave men and women, my husband and father-in-law included, and how they are willing to put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms, our families, and our futures. So I did need a tissue or two to dry my eyes My husband of 54 years passed away 2 years before putting the important papers into a ago. Some of the files are not ready to go yet. new file folder. Some things we keep forever. But I did come upon a box of all of his father’s stuff. This slowed me to a stop and I started Dorothy Skinner is the owner of Gary’s Quality Plumbing, going through records and pictures that have serving the north Dallas area, been packed away a long time. Wylie, McKinney, and Allen, I didn’t know him well before he came to live with us, and by that time he was quite feeble and pretty well lost in dementia due to many little strokes. He left his family when my husband was about 6 and his kid brother was 3 so we don’t know about his life after that.
Texas. Dorothy and her husband, Gary, raised six children in the plumbing service industry and have built their company of almost 50 years on customer service and fair pricing. Find their ad in The OffBeat Business Magazine.
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Off BeatBusinessMagazine
Susan Says
Build Alliances That Advance Common Interests By Susan Hamilton Strategic business alliances are necessary for extreme revenue and higher profits, but how many of us are building them? An alliance is more than a networking group, but it may start there because for 80% of small business America, networking groups are where some great business relationships are begun - and healthy relationships take time to grow. Many of us reach out in these arenas expecting new business or referral resources, but what would happen if we shifted our perspective just a bit?
time, actively participating as a catalyst for others, something great will come of it somewhere down the line. I want to learn how others view our current small business economy in light of the over-regulation in our personal and corporate lives, and I want to discover how our combined efforts advance the cause of profitability for the entire sector.
Here are 3 things to keep in mind if you live your life in business to serve your community, and understand that to do it well will require more than your company I get excited when I hear another person alone: sharing my vision and ideas from another 1. Position yourself to connect angle. I love to see how the cogs in the wheel fit together. When I meet you for with those already making some difference toward your goals. the first time, I’m either listening for our 2. Invest time in continued, open-eared common interests or deciding whether or conversations so you can be helpful not I would share you with my network. I when the time comes. know that if I’m in the right place at the right 30
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Off BeatBusinessMagazine
3. When the workload becomes connect with them frequently, and never unmanageable for whatever reason, underestimate the fresh perspective a eat bologna and get a coach. great business coach can help you unveil. May God continue to bless America, and YOU are the fabric of America, and make may we continue to be a Light to the rest no mistake, you WILL be in a position in of the world. the very near future when people will need to know who they can depend on in a very ~ Susan unfriendly economic climate. Change is Susan Hamilton is the owner, painful, good or bad - and change is most host and editor-in-chief at OffBeat Business Media, a business for definitely on the way. It takes at least two business digital media resource great combinations of ideas, products or for strong brand development. services to build an alliance, and much Contact Susan at effort to get that workflow to work properly. Susan@OffBeatBusiness.com or call 214-714-0495 to discover how digital content can But I believe that anyone can be profitable in work for you. any economy when they understand where their strength and wealth really come from, and the effort paid off for Henry Ford, Walt Disney and Oprah Winfrey - to name only a few. When times are tough, the tough become resources and get resourceful. Know your alliances, position yourself to
Off BeatBusinessMagazine
“Not having the information you need when you need it leaves you wanting. Not knowing where to look for that information leaves you powerless. In a society where information is king, none of us can afford that.” - Lois Horowitz Our nation’s veterans are dying by their own hand at a rate of 22 per day! One of the issues contributing to that factor is the inability to access resources available to assist our military and their families when they are facing a myriad of issues transitioning to civilian life. Our website began as a solution to the problem confronting transitioning military personnel, spouses, and caregivers. Our focus and goal is to “push” out the information on valid and valuable organizations, resources, peer support networks, both locally and nationally, to the community that needs to access them in quick and efficient manner.
What makes Battle-Buddy Info unique among Resource Directories: Battle-Buddy Info resources are prevetted for inclusion into the Directory. Our Users have accessed, and/or researched the organizations and many have received services from the listed providers and consider them to be viable sources providing assistance DIRECTLY to a service member or their families. We provide eligibility information as listed on the Resource’s website (i.e. Branch of Service, Disability level, seasonal, geographical, etc ). From Battle-Buddy Info, once the User has determined they meet the criteria for assistance, they can link
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to the Application Form from our site, eliminating the need to read through pages of content provided by an organization.
#22Kill
Movement 22
Movement 22 Instagram page is for Veterans in dark places. Call anyone listed on the site 24/7. Committed to being available for ALL before a permanent irreversible step is taken.
22Kill is a global movement bridging the gap between veterans and like-minded individuals to build a community of support and understanding. 22Kill works to raise awareness to the suicide epidemic that is plaguing our country, and educate the public on mental health issues such as PTS. The Virtual Veteran Advocate Map identifies committed individuals willing to talk to veterans in crisis.
www.instagram.com/movement22_
www.22kill.com
SUICIDE PREVENTION
Hidden Wounds advocates to help stop Veteran suicides. The mission of Hidden Wounds is to provide interim and emergency counseling services to ensure the psychological health and well-being to combat veterans and their families. Counseling services through Give an Hour. www.hiddenwounds.org
National Resources Hope for the Warrior
The mission of Hope for the Warriors is to enhance the quality of life for post9/11 service members, their families, and the families of the fallen who have sustained physical and psychological wounds in the line of duty. Hope for the Warriors is dedicated to restoring hope for our service members and military families. Offering a variety of programs of assistance including emergency financial help. www.hopeforthewarriors.org
IAVA
The mission of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) is to improve the lives of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans and their families. Rapid Response Referral Program assigns a case manager to help IAVA members navigate through a variety of resources available to them. The Career Pathfinder program includes resume builder, military skills translator and career mapping tool. www.iava.org
Military-Civilian
Connecting military veterans and their spouses looking for work with civilian companies looking to hire. We partner with hiring companies to promote their open jobs throughout our network in various ways. We list all jobs on the Careers page of military-
civilian.com, which is a free job board searchable by location, category/ industry, and keyword. We post the jobs to other external job boards such as the Wounded Warrior Project’s CareerBuilder site, the Marine Corps Executive Association board, etc www.military-civilian.com
Vets for Warriors
Our mission is to provide 24/7 confidential, stigma free peer support by veterans to Active Duty, National Guard and Reserve service members, Veterans, Retirees, and their families/ caregivers. Share lived experiences to create an environment of trust that demonstrates you are never alone, there is a caring, empathic voice ready to connect and follow up. www.vets4warriors.com
Veteran Artist Program (VAP)
VAP takes artists who are also veteran, and propels their works and careers into the mainstream creative arts community through networking, mentorships, collaborations with professional artists, and original productions. Weekly Podcast features veterans in the arts. www.veteranartistprogram.org
Team Rubicon
Team Rubicon Engages Veterans. Hundreds of US military veterans, many returning home after fighting ten years of war, find a renewed sense of purpose for their skills and experiences through TR. Team Rubicon sets itself apart in the nonprofit world. TR pioneered a new paradigm in disaster response while redefining the meaning of veteran reintegration into society. www.teamrubiconusa.org
The Mission Continues
The Mission Continues empowers veterans facing the challenge of adjusting to life at home to find new missions. We redeploy veterans in their communities, so that their shared legacy will be one of action and service. Service Platoons offer veterans the opportunity to find a new unit: members work together not only to solve tough challenges, but to also support one another in navigating reintegration into civilian life. www.missioncontinues.org
Team Red White and Blue (Team RWB)
Team Red, White & Blue (Team RWB) is a veteran support nonprofit organization whose vision is to increase the connectivity between America’s combat veterans and people in their communities. We use exercise as a medium to bring people together (running, triathlon, Crossfit, yoga, hiking, etc...) We also provide personal assistance/coaching for veterans who want to get back into shape. www.teamrwb.org
Scout Military Discounts
SCOUT is designed to have every military discount at your fingertips. It also provides useful features such as USO locations, charities that help the military community and much more. Please add any military discounts you know about today so they can be verified and shared with the SCOUT community. The mission is simple: make every military discount easily accessible to those who deserve them (all soldiers, veterans and their families). This awesome group of people should be able to know that they’re getting a discount beforehand...right from their phone. www.SCOUTMilitaryDiscounts.com
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Hidden Wounds
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