OffBeat Business Magazine September 2015 by OffBeat Business Magazine

PROMOTING AN ENERGETIC LIFESTYLE THEWAY OF A BAM BrendaWakefield -

Veterans In Business

Off BeatMagazine | SEPTEMBER 2015

ISSUE 10 | SEPTEMBER 2015

Off BeatMa CONTENTS

08-10 Promoting A Great, Energetic Lifestyle

26-27 John, Do Your BEST…

By Brenda Wakefield

By John Carroll

13-15 The Way of a BAM Seven Keys to Becoming an Attraction Magnet

28 Simplify Mealtime to Get Your Life Back!

By Dean Lindsay

By Kris DeFoer

17-18 The Surprisingly Small Difference Between Success And Failure

29 Is an LLC the Proper Entity for Your Business?

By Susan Hamilton

By Christi Rains

21 31 Great Customer Service Is Just Being A Helpful Hints & Recipes From The Chef Great Resource By Chef Bernard Charter By Dorothy Skinner

22-23 The Hardest Part of Change Is Taking the First Step By Monica Cornetti

24-25 ROI ReImagined: Vulnerablity By Candy Barone

32 Who’s The Matter With Me? By Taylor Kay Stephens

33 Susan Says By Susan Hamilton

agazine OFFBEAT BUSINESS

Susan Hamilton

susan@offbeatbusiness.com

SHOW & MAGAZINE

EDITOR’S NOTE Friends, The pages you’re about to read are going to change your perspective forever. We’re dedicated to making your life in business as successful as possible, and that includes everything from customer service, to sales and team building as well as easy to prepare healthy recipes and food choices. Air Force Veteran Brenda Wakefield is gracing this month’s cover, and when you read her article you’ll know why we chose to showcase her. She shares valuable insight on how tension relates to productivity and what to do about it. We ALL need this! Inside, you’ll find food prep tips, you’ll learn to be a Business Attraction Magnet, explore the advantages of having an LLC, and begin moving forward through challenges. You’ll discover how to be the very best YOU in business, as a leader, mentor, and community activist. Again, I want to draw your attention towards the 2-page spread in the back of our magazine where you can find vetted resources for military veteran needs since we’ve partnered with Battle-Buddy.info to keep you informed. The links are active, and the resources are ready to act quickly. We believe no veteran

should struggle to get the help they may require in any area of their lives, so be sure to share those pages in social media with the hashtags #veterans. Also, Operation Freedom kicks off September 11th, but they need your team to participate! Find the full page ad and again, share on social with the hashtag #veterans. The OffBeat Business Show & Magazine will be pitching in, so join us! Look for our ad for The 1st Annual OffBeat Business Bash this October, it’s going to be an exciting celebration with HUGE give-aways, tremendous speakers, vendors, music, dancing and Eddie Deen’s Signature BBQ! Can you tell I’m over the top excited about it!! Follow the links to discover everything you need to know to participate. Please send an email to Info@OffBeatBusiness.com with any questions, comments or suggestions for the show or magazine. If this project resonates with you, consider becoming a sponsor so we can continue to offer you the very best.

Off BeatMagazine Editor

Susan Hamilton

Art Director

Jonathan Bodnar

Graphic Designer Jonathan Bodnar

Manager

Susan Hamilton

Marketing

Dream Casters Marketing

Web Editor

Dream Casters Marketing

Publisher

Robin Roberson

Producer

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Look forward to hearing from you, ~ Susan Hamilton

Call us at 214-714-0495 to discover how digital marketing gets YOUR brand noticed.

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ENERGETIC LIFESTYLE By Brenda Wakefield Licensed Massage Therapist

ou are hired! A great phrase to hear for a new employee, but under the smile and the interview attire does the employer really get a healthy and well employee? Ideally, we want healthy and well employees who subscribe to the magic formula of sound nutrition, regular exercise, getting proper rest and taking time to relax. An individual achieves this ‘magic formula’ by means of a proactive lifestyle, however, human beings tend to be reactive. Only a minority of us are working to achieve optimal health and wellness, while the majority are just surviving. Many are just surviving because they fail to get the proper rest and take time to relax. This article focuses on touch therapy (craniosacral therapy, lymphatic drainage therapy, massage therapy) which is an integral part of the rest and relaxation component of the ‘magic formula.’ Day-to-day we experience stress, stress, and more stress. We wonder when will the stress relief come? Typically, we look towards vacation for stress relief time. Vacation time, however, doesn’t come frequently enough. What we should do is have a regular schedule of activities that help relieve stress. These activities must include some form of touch therapy. In other words, touch therapy must be a priority in proactively pursuing health and wellness, especially in relieving stress to help achieve the proper rest and relaxation. As a professional, I am very passionate about health and wellness. Moreover, I understand touch therapy’s tremendous impact on a person’s health and

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PROMOTING A GREAT,

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wellness. It’s not just about a relaxing massage, but also about the amazing healing and enhancement of various body functions that touch therapy provides. There is no question that employees that regularly experience craniosacral therapy or lymphatic release perform better at work and in their personal lives. The body is an awesome vessel. Health is wealth on so many levels: emotional, physical and spiritual. Every day the body must perform to get us where we are trying to go. We seek a life without, or at the very least, with minimal pain (back, head, neck, shoulders, etc.). We also hope to avoid allergies, gastrointestinal issues, inflammation, etc. Despite, how the body feels, we usually press on to exhaustion. Then we go to bed worn out only to get up and tear the body down the next day. This vicious cycle just goes on and on. Should this be the norm for life? No. You can feel better. Relief is available through touch therapy and the results are phenomenal.

What is touch therapy or therapeutic touch? “Therapeutic touch, or TT, is a noninvasive method of healing that was derived from an ancient laying-on of hands technique. In TT, the practitioner alters the patient’s energy field through an energy transfer that moves from the hands of the practitioner to the patient.” (http://medicaldic tionar y.thefreedic tionar y.com/ Therapeutic+Touch)

What are the benefits? “Experts estimate that upwards of ninety percent of disease is stress-related. And perhaps nothing ages us faster, internally and externally, than high stress. Touch Therapy can also help specifically address a number of health issues. Bodywork can: • Alleviate low-back pain and improve range of motion. • Assist with shorter, easier labor for expectant mothers and shorten maternity hospital stays. • Ease medication dependence.

TOUCH THERAPY IS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR MANAGING THIS STRESS, WHICH TRANSLATES INTO • • • • • • • • • • • • •

DECREASED ANXIETY

IMPROVED CONCENTRATION

Enhance immunity by stimulating lymph flow—the body’s natural defense system. Exercise and stretch weak, tight, or atrophied muscles. Help athletes of any level prepare for, and recover from, strenuous workouts. Improve the condition of the body’s largest organ—the skin. Increase joint flexibility. Lessen depression and anxiety. Promote tissue regeneration, reducing scar tissue and stretch marks. Pump oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs, improving circulation. Reduce post surgery adhesions and swelling. Reduce spasms and cramping. Relax and soften injured, tired, and overused muscles. Release endorphins—amino acids that work as the body’s natural painkiller. Relieve migraine pain.” (http://www. handsofchoice.abmp.com/benefitsmassage)

Therapeutic touch is performed in many different locations, including therapist office, healing centers, corporate sites, delivery rooms, hospitals, hospice settings, accident scenes, homes, and schools. The goal is to give the client an alternative to maintain an optimal lifestyle. Our society as a whole is reactive when it comes to body maintenance. I address the issues with touch therapy. Body maintenance is hands on therapy of craniosacral therapy, energy work, lymphatic drainage therapy and additional complementary alternative medicines targeting wellness.

ENHANCED SLEEP QUALITY

GREATER ENERGY

INCREASED CIRCULATION

REDUCED FATIGUE

Not only is the body in need of attention from the above issues, but often lacks proper fuel (nutrients) to keep pressing at peak performance. Something CAN be done on a day-to-day basis to ensure our functionality in life. Stop the belief “it hurts, just live with it” mentality and proactively seek the best life has to offer. Utilizing the magic formula of sound nutrition, regular exercise, rest and relaxation promotes a happy, healthy and well life. Make touch therapy a viable part of your body’s maintenance, you will be glad you did. Step-up and experience a complementary alternative way to soothe the mind, body, and spirit. Everyone deserves a great, energetic lifestyle! Start a body maintenance program today.

Hands of Choice is an alternative health and wellness service provider located in Dallas, Texas. Our focus is on Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, Attention Deficit Hypersensitive Disorder, and are generally geared toward moving all individuals to optimal relaxation, stress management, chronic pain reduction and reduction or elimination of muscle tightness or stiffness. Contact Brenda Wakefield, MS, SMT, LMTI, CEP at 214-380-9700. Scheduling is easy, go to www.handsofchoice.abmp.com to make your appointment today!

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“The art and science of asking questions is the source of all knowledge.” - Thomas Berger

THE WAY OF A SEVEN KEYS TO BECOMING BAM AN ATTRACTION MAGNET By Dean Lindsay

he business of sales is the business of attraction. We are attracted to products, services, ideas, and people that we trust can help us progress. Everyone profits when sales professionals focus on being progress, and being progress turns sales professionals into Business Attraction Magnets. The great Dottie Walters, one of the founders of the National Speakers Association, shared with me many years ago that the word sales comes from the Scandinavian root word meaning to serve. Soak that in…to serve.

If we just made that little shift in our own thinking about that word sales, think of how many more people we could serve with our products, services, ideas, and contacts. (Not to mention our smiles and solid listening skills.) To sell is to serve. To serve is to Be Progress.

to be involved, to connect, to attract. Those of us who make our careers selling are, by and large, outgoing, caring, and driven. We want to help others progress. We believe we can make a difference, that we can help. Being progress puts wind in our sails and in our sales.

The days of the “Surefire Closing Statement” and the “Glad-handing Slick Salesman” are long gone. Today it is imperative for Progress Agents to truly get to know their prospects and help prospects get to know them. Selling is therefore a state of mind more than a series of steps. It is a dance, a buzz, a willingness

Becoming a Business Attraction Magnet is about trust. The customer has a need, or a step they desire to take. They must trust we can meet that need and help them take that step. Customers and prospects need to trust our belief in ourselves, in our companies, and in our products and services.

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Seven Keys to Being a BAM 1. Become Buzz-worthy. Business Attraction Magnets provide so much value, so much heat, and so much enthusiasm that customers are inspired to talk about them. A BAM is worthy of attention, worthy of the spotlight, worthy of wattage, and worthy of referrals. As Progress Agents, we must not only show enthusiasm for our work – we must HAVE enthusiasm for our work. If we want prospects to get excited about our products and services, we need to have that excitement first. Likewise, if we want others to believe in our products and services, we must believe in our products and services first. To win the prize, we must be the prize. Enthusiasm shows in the way we hold ourselves and in the passion we have for our jobs and our lives. If we want loyal customers and referrals (and we do), then we need to feel worthy of loyal customers and referrals. I am sure you have sensed by now that, whenever possible, people do business with people they like. Passion for our lives and belief in our work make us attractive and likable. They draw people to us. In sales, we have got to be on. Have game. Bring heat. Same is true for customer-service professionals and those in leadership. Buzz. Buzz.

2. Ask Progress-Based, Open-Ended Questions. In the medical profession, it is known that prescription without diagnosis is malpractice. The same is true for Business Attraction Magnets. We must ask a variety of open-ended questions to diagnose the situation, so our recommendation (prescription) will meet the need. There is a classic story, told in sales circles, of the inept salesman trying to explain to his boss why he closed only one sale per month. “You know, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink,” the salesman says, shrugging his shoulders. “Make him drink?” the manager replies. “Your job is to make him thirsty.” That sounds good enough, but there’s a fundamental oversight

here: Clients and prospects are already “thirsty.” They are thirsty for peace of mind, pleasure, profit, prestige, pain avoidance, and power. They are thirsty for progress. We must uncover others’ particular parameters for progress if we hope to make them thirsty for the progress we offer. The most powerful way to uncover the prospect’s parameters for progress is to ask open-ended questions. These questions commonly include the basics of: • Who • What • Where • Why • When • How A BAM Dozen: 12 Solid Open-Ended Questions Please find your own voice when asking these questions. We must be truly interested in finding a way to help. • How did you get interested in your line of work? • If a journalist were to write about what’s been happening in your industry over the past six months, what might they write? • I connect with new people all the time; how would I know if someone qualified as a solid contact for you? • How would you define progress for you/your business? • What major shifts do you foresee in your industry? • Where do you see your greatest challenges? • Why do these challenges persist? • What difficulties will you face if you don’t meet these challenges? • What actions are you taking to overcome these challenges? • What results are you expecting? • Who is involved in the decisionmaking process? • If you could solve these challenges, what kind of progress would you make? Also, encourage prospects and clients to expand on their answers by asking: Would you tell me more about that? Could you please elaborate? Could you clarify…?w How so? What did you mean when you said…?

Do not ask too many questions or ask them at a rocket-fire clip. People should not feel they are being interrogated. Being interrogated is neither attractive nor enjoyable.

3. Listen as if your lifestyle depended on it… It Does! Solid listening goes hand in hand with asking powerful questions. I don’t mean “listen” as in taking in sounds and passively processing them. As BAMs, we must LISTEN with all we’ve got. This is a basic but sometimes challenging principle to consistently put into practice. It means that, for the duration of our contact, we step outside of ourselves – our own needs, our every preconception – and attend entirely to someone else. Everyone has a need to talk and be heard. Listening helps us treat others as if they were the most important people on the planet because – in their minds – they are. Many professionals forget to involve the prospect and drone on about how great their ideas or their company is, forgetting to ask probing questions and listening for ways to show how they can be progress for the other person. Sometimes our motivation to actively listen is not all that high. We think we can get by without really focusing. This is a huge mistake. The ability to understand and value what others say is critical to being a BAM. So be determined to focus on and understand completely what others are trying to communicate. It is close to impossible to uncover someone’s parameters of progress when you’re preoccupied with previous conversations, unfinished tasks, or the impression you’re making. Good listeners absorb and reflect on what they hear. They are active in the listening process. This requires energy and motivation, because listening is more than just hearing. We must become active listeners rather than passive hearers. Repeating back (as questions or tentative statements) what you think you’ve heard the other person say helps avoid mind-misreading errors. Good clarifying questions offer the person a chance to rephrase their thoughts and say precisely what they mean.

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4. Respect Time and Structure. Structure is vital for becoming a Business Attraction Magnet. Solid self-management leads to higher productivity and reduced stress. Our desks need to be workstations, not storage space. We must be able to quickly locate important information. Being well organized shows a respect for time (ours and our customers’). Looking sharp is also part of solid organization. If we can’t get ourselves together well enough to look presentable, how are we going to be able to help someone else see us as together enough to handle their challenges? Plus, how we present ourselves shouts volumes about how we feel about ourselves and our work. Becoming a Business Attraction Magnet takes preparation. Unfortunately, far too many of us invest more energy in planning our weekends, or even what we’ll have for dinner, than we do our opportunities to be progress for prospects and customers. Don’t believe anyone who says sales is “just a numbers game.” Sales is a Progress-based Impressions Game – a Proofof-Progress Game – The Ultimate Game of Trust. Sure, the more contacts you make the better your odds – but you may also be blowing your chances for many potential relationships, not to mention time (yours and the prospect’s), by rushing through the process half-cocked with an indifferent attitude. The worst time to think of what you’re going to say is as it’s coming out of your mouth. Ponder & Progress: Sales & Organization Consider your three most recent sales presentations or sales phone calls: 1. Did you check your attitude before making contact? 2. Did you have a specific objective for the contact? 3. Did you have some ideas to offer on how you could 4. Be Progress? 5. What was your plan? 6. Did you know what you were going to say? 7. Did you do enough research? 8. Did you set an appointment? 9. 8. Were your materials in order? 10. Were your questions relevant and helpful?

11. Was the person inspired to positive action? Bonus Question: Did you make a sale or start a progressbased relationship? Prepare, keep your enthusiasm, and be persistent. Eighty percent of new sales are made on the fifth contact, yet the majority of salespeople give up after the second contact. Give full attention to every relationship opportunity. Being well organized makes it easier to build trust and offer progress.

5. Build Priceless Business Relationships I wrote a whole book on building priceless business relationships so I’m not going to rewrite it here. But I will say this: Building priceless business relationships does NOT hinge on who we know, or even who knows us. The key to building priceless business relationships is to proactively use what we know about who we know so that we can position ourselves as progress in the minds of those we wish to build priceless business relationships with. I know I rolled through that rather quickly and wordily. For more information on building priceless business relationships, I strongly encourage you to check out Cracking the Networking CODE: 4 Steps to Priceless Business Relationships by Dean Lindsay. I could not recommend this gentleman’s work more highly (and he is so humble). But I digress…

6. Practice Empathy. Empathy is knowing and feeling where the other person is coming from, walking a mile in their shoes, seeing things from their point of view. Empathy involves understanding that people make decisions

for their own reasons, not ours. There are always reasons. Customers have reasons, prospects have reasons, employees have reasons, coworkers have reasons. They might not be our reasons. To enhance our level of empathy, it is paramount to focus on understanding others’ parameters for progress. We may never fully uncover where another person’s motivation, their “motives for actions,” are coming from, but those motives, along with their parameters for progress, are uniquely theirs. To be a Business Attraction Magnet, always think, and say: “What that means to you, Mrs./ Mr. Prospect, is…” Commit to doing what is best for the customer, ever striving to help provide the right product or service to meet their needs. Sure, we want to profit, but the customer’s profit is key to ours. Practicing empathy includes understanding that customers do not want our products and services – they want what they think our products and services can do for them. One of my client companies is among the largest trade show booth manufacturers in the USA. They design, build, and transport the huge trade show booths you see at the big conferences around the country and world. At the very beginning of a program I was conducting for their sales teams, I stated bluntly, “No one wants a trade booth.” The room went silent. The reps looked at the Vice President of Sales and each other as if to say, “What?” Finally, one of the sales managers in the back raised his hand and said, “No, Dean. They actually call us up and order trade show booths.” I said, “You bet. They order trade show booths, but a trade show booth is not really what they want.” Continued on page 32

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By Susan Hamilton

Difference Between Success And Failure Y

ou would think the difference between success and failure is obvious. After all, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to look at a project gone awry or a situation that fell victim to an unfortunate blow and know ‘that dog won’t hunt.’ Am I right? I needed to write this because of a conversation I recently had with a man I’ve been networking with for several months. His reputation is stellar, and he generates significant revenue from the packed meeting each month with BIG projects, no nickel and dime stuff. As a matter of fact, he is so respected that his referrals have him busy for months in advance with new work. The first time I went to this group he got my attention because he is a young United States Marine Corp Veteran. I routinely search out successful veterans in business to showcase in The OffBeat Business Magazine and on The OffBeat Business Show with heavy promotion during the four months of the year when

our nation focuses on patriotic activity May, July, September and November. The fact that he was a gi-normous success was evidenced when several in the room thanked him publicly for the work his company performed for them. That has become routine. He’s been too busy to pin down for an interview on The OffBeat Business Show, but I was able to get a 4 minute on-location interview with him that you can view on our Youtube channel. Here’s the story in a nutshell. In 2006, he almost lost the function of his left arm after a war injury. After a very long and unsuccessful bout at rehabilitation, he was introduced to an alternative treatment that was ultimately successful. Because of the nature of the treatment, he was told by his commanding officers to avoid controversy by never speaking of it. Who wants trouble with the government, right? But physical injuries often have

emotional and spiritual consequences that take longer to heal. It wasn’t long before he found himself with a gun in his mouth and a fired bullet that miraculously left him uninjured. From then on, he knew he was spared for a reason and he determined to walk out his faith in life, business and community. If that wasn’t amazing enough, what he decided to do for employment was to use those very same arms - one of which almost handicapped him for the rest of his life - for construction and remodeling! Not exactly a ‘soft’ skill! His attitude is one of servitude. He gets inspired and motivated by helping others look at a problem area in their home and turn it into a beautiful, functional, updated space they enjoy. But what if he had chosen to limp through his life, forever victimized by his unfortunate circumstance? How many people never get back up after trauma or

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The Surprisingly Small

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that a miracle just happened because no one was hurt or died.

mental illness? How many of us, no matter how many miracles have happened in our lives, consider it our ‘lot in life’ to struggle with finances, physical ability, and depression? Would that be considered failure? To most of us looking on, yes. To the victim of their circumstance, yes. And once that failure is embraced, how much harder is it to see yourself successful at anything at all? I think the key here is to remember those miracles. Miracles happen around us daily - by the moment. But most of us never see them or recognize them when they happen because we don’t expect that miracles happen today. But they do. I work with our prison ministry team as often as I can. Monthly, this group goes to the parking lot of the county jail and prays with the family and friends of incarcerated individuals for safety, mercy and the call of Jesus on their lives. We are rarely turned down, and most of the people we meet enjoy the encouragement. What could be a very painful visitation turns into an inspirational moment that has far-reaching effects when that person goes back home. We hear of miracles each time. One time, after I had missed several of our team outreaches, I was able to get back and join them. An older man I respect greatly was happy to see me, and as he sat on the back of an open SUV where we keep t-shirts to hand out, he said, “Susan, so good to see you! How can I pray for you?” Then his eyes became empty and he dropped his glasses on the ground. As he bent over to pick them up, and slowly return them to a pocket, they slipped out of his hands again and his face became eerily vacant. I went to his side and said, “Glen, I think YOU need prayer.”Then he went limp and fell into my chest. I got the attention of our other teammates and they surrounded him with hands and prayer as he continued an apparent demise. He wasn’t moving; I couldn’t make out a breath. One of our team had immediately called 911, and minutes passed like hours as we continued to pray and keep an ear out for emergency help.

People passed us like a flood of water. Most stopped and joined us in prayer. Many kept walking. Looking back, I always remember the ones who kept walking. Because as his consciousness returned among praises to our Lord, a miracle happened in a very public way that so many people witnessed, but never saw. To be that close to the very hand of God and not know it leaves me very concerned that we ALL do this ALL the time! By the time the ambulance got there, he had fully come to with no memory of anything but the prayers. He argued for an hour that we had made it up! But eventually he trusted the testimony of the entire group and sat in awe of what had just happened. Turns out, he had forgotten to eat anything for several hours and low blood sugar had become critical. Thing is, he didn’t eat anything until he came to. Food didn’t solve his problem, prayer did. And all of us who were there know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we witnessed a miracle. Those who passed by probably dismissed the whole thing as a bunch of converging radicals! Call me radical, but that was success. My veteran friend and owner of Nailed It Construction, Daniel Lawson, is experiencing success. And in both of those scenarios, the difference between success and failure was the focus point. What are we looking at? Are we noticing the miracles around us every moment of every day? Because our lives in business, family and community are truly miraculous - if we choose to seek out and recognize the amazing in each and every situation. Every moment, we can choose to lie down. To not show up. We can choose to not take a crazy chance for fear we might look ‘radical’ or fail to grasp an opportunity because of the risk. We can say to ourselves that we won’t ever ‘do that again’ or we can say ‘next time I will do it better.’ We can look around us and either complain that the idiot drivers next to us almost killed someone, or we can recognize

We can choose to ignore the man in the street asking for money because he might just spend it on drugs and alcohol, or we can choose to never turn down a request from a man who just may be hungry. We can look at national and personal tragedies with blame, and wash our hands of people who have let us down time and time again - or we can seek out the huge and tiny miracles that happened in spite of them with grace and compassion. We can say ‘my voice doesn’t matter’ or we can choose to find a way that it does. We can point our fingers at the problems someone else should fix but inevitably it will not be the people who CAN but the people who WILL fix them who get stuff done. And that bears asking the question, “Am I one who CAN or one who WILL?” Ask yourself this: Are you ready to take control of the way you look at things? Are you ready to STOP being a victim of your circumstance? Do you believe that where one voice might be insignificant, several voices become strong? Because the difference between success and failure is actually pretty small. It’s only tied up in what you choose to look at and how you choose to see it.

Susan Hamilton is the host and editor of The OffBeat Business Show & Magazine, a business to business platform for the 80% of American small business owners who are building their businesses while raising their children, caring for their parents, working with veterans and directly impacted by legislation that impairs good business sense. Does YOUR voice count? It could. Contact Susan at 214-714-0495 or Susan@ OffBeatBusiness.com to discover how to build authority around YOUR brand.

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Great Customer Service Is Just Being A Great Resource By Dorothy Skinner Our service company will be celebrating 45 years this coming October 2015. Many companies can’t say they’ve made it through the things we’ve seen, but those who have know what I’m about to share with you is so important for long-term success. Some people call it ‘going the extra mile;’ we’ve always called it customer service. Old school customer service means making it as easy as possible for customers to do business with you over and over again. From start to finish. For instance, our family owned plumbing company helps people remodel their kitchens and bathrooms. Homeowners can get online and look through several options of fixtures they might like. They might even read the specs to see if it will suit their needs. When they call us, we could tell them we’ll install it for a fee - and in fact, we do! But only if they still have the box so we can verify over the phone that all the contents necessary are included and the measurements work. The internet allows our customers to choose the details of a service call long before the phone rings. While that IS good business, it’s also too easy to take the personal touch for granted. A few considerations help customers enjoy the experience of working with you, and for us, that practice has been golden. We could ignore that, and figure mistakes mean more time on the job we could charge for, but great customer service considers everything the

customer has to go through. Keeping them from waiting unnecessarily is greatly appreciated, and we want them to come back. In our experience, the boxes occasionally have parts removed to supply the needs of another customer. That is never good to find out when the plumber is already there to install it! We’ve also come to realize we can use our blog to help customers resolve potentially damaging or expensive issues through some not-so-common information and instruction. At first, we thought we might lose business. Like most people, we thought, “Why would they call if they can get the answers without us?” When they find those kind of helpful resources, they call us right away because they trust us to help with the larger projects. For instance, on our blog people can find out how to turn off their water if a big leak starts to gush. Many companies, including ours, will provide a service call just to locate a valve that may be covered with landscaping to pre-empt just such an emergency. Sometimes the shut off valve is inaccessible - even to the plumber - so that knowledge, which we also share in our newsletter, helps our customer be prepared. They can get the city to turn off the water before we get there and reduce potential damage.

3 Ways Service Businesses Can Improve Customer Service 1. Take the time to ask detailed questions on the phone that could shorten the call. 2. Use your blog to help potential customers begin to solve problems before they call. 3. Keep your customers ‘in the loop’ with a regular newsletter.

Dorothy Skinner is the owner of Gary’s Quality Plumbing, serving the north Dallas area. Read the Ask The Plumber Blog to learn how to protect your home or place of business, and find beautiful fixture options for your next remodel. Contact Info@GarysQualityPlumbing.com or call 972-424-6479 for your gas or water plumbing needs.

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THE HARDEST PART OF CHANGE IS

TAKINGTHE

FIRST STEP By Monica Cornetti

trainer friend called me for some interactive training ideas which I gladly shared with him. He called me late the next afternoon after using my change activity – Life Line – in his seminar. His opening words to me were, “Do you

know they cry during this activity?” Oops! I had forgotten to warn him. The reason why the participants cry is explained in the book Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard, (http://amzn.to/1DGv240) the best seller by Chip and Dan Heath. In the book, the authors ask the question “Why is it so hard

to make lasting changes in our companies, in our communities, in our own lives?” As it turns out, the primary obstacle is a conflict built into your brain between two different systems that compete for control: the rational mind and the emotional mind. The rational mind wants a great beach body; the emotional mind wants that Oreo cookie. The rational mind wants to change something at work; the emotional mind loves the comfort of the existing routine. The book uses a metaphor to explain the tension between your rational mind and your emotional mind. Visualize a person riding a large elephant. Your rational side is the Rider and your emotional side is the Elephant. The Rider holds the reigns, but control is uncertain because the Rider is so small in relation to the Elephant. If the Elephant and the Rider disagree about which direction to go, the Rider is going to lose.

If you want to change things, you’ve got to appeal to both the Rider and the Elephant. We all know that change is hard. And quite often, the hardest part of change is taking the first step. How can you make the first step easier to take? Consider the example of a car wash that ran a promotion with loyalty cards. The promotion: “Get your car washed, get a stamp. Come 8 times, get a free car wash.” The carwash did an A/B test on the promotion – half the customers were given an empty card with 8 spots to fill in. The other half were given a card with 10 spots to fill in, but 2 stamps were already placed on the card. The same action was required (8 car washes), but one group was given a head start. After a few months into the promo-

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Direct the Rider – What looks like resistance is often a lack of clarity. So provide crystal-clear direction.

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Motivate the Elephant – What looks like laziness is often exhaustion. The Rider can’t get his or her way by force for very long. So it’s critical that you engage people’s emotional side – get their Elephants on the path and cooperate.

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Shape the Path – What looks like a people problem is often a situational problem, or the ‘Path.’ When you shape the Path, you make change more likely, no matter what’s happening with the Rider and the Elephant.

tion, the carwash discovered that 19% of the first group had earned the free wash, while 34% of the second group had earned the wash. Plus… the second group had earned it faster. Fascinating! As it turns out, participants found it more motivating to be given a head start on a longer journey than to be at the starting line for a shorter one. So the next time you need to motivate somebody towards a goal, make them feel that they are closer to the finish line than they previously might have thought – give them some kind of boost. Caution: They may cry when they begin the change (The Elephant), and they will also discover when the rational side (The Rider) kicks in that what they have done in the past when taking steps to change, whether good or bad, can help them shrink the change in the present and future. Make change easier by appealing to both the Elephant and the Rider.

And best of all, when your Elephant goes where your Rider wants, you eliminate conflict, experience effective change, and achieve your goals!

About the Author: Monica Cornetti www.monicacornetti.com www.sententiagames.com A gamification speaker and designer, Monica Cornetti is rated as the #1 Gamification Guru in the World by UK-Based Leaderboarded. She is the author of the book Totally Awesome Training Activity Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You, writes The Gamification Report blog, and host of the weekly Gamification Talk Radio program. She is a professional consultant and known for being one of the leading players in thinking differently to create different results. In fact, as an early adopter, she has

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Switch provides a three-part framework that can guide you in any situation where you want or need to change behavior. In any change situation you need to:

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arlier this evening before I sat down to put my thoughts together for this column, I was talking with a good friend of mine and former colleague from my corporate days and I was adamantly reminded of the stigma presented around ‘vulnerability’ that still seems to be so prevalent in business today. There exists this powerful notion that vulnerability is to be avoided, that by being vulnerable, it implies a leader is weak. This understanding claims that a leader must be formidable, unemotional and unaffected in order to be successful.

But, that couldn’t be further from the truth … You see, vulnerability is not a sign of weakness, but in fact, the very strength of a leader. Vulnerability is the greatest tool in a leader’s arsenal. For it is the mark of a leader’s authenticity, genuineness and humility. It’s the very thing that makes a leader approachable, relatable, and … well, human. We get so caught up in focusing on the bottom line, and the return on that investment - we lose

When leaders detach from the emotion of their organization’s culture, the employees and the clients are the ones that suffer. Business is lost and employees find themselves going through the motions and not being fully present and engaged. The result? Ineffectiveness and inefficiency. All of that equates to poor performance, lost revenue, and missed opportunities. Now, it becomes ‘just a job that pays the bills’ versus an environment in which they feel they bring value. And your clients feel this, too.

What ‘Investment’ Can A Leader Make For Better Returns? In order to be the most effective leader one can be, vulnerability becomes the most critical muscle to build and flex. Invest in personal development, a coach or formal mentor, different accountability systems and measures - all ways to help leaders connect and step into their own vulnerability. Then, it becomes a trickle down effect from there, and a way to enhance and lift the existing culture.

ROI RE-IMAGINED:

By Candy Barone

VULNERABILITY

sight, and leave many ‘untapped returns’ on the table. As we continue to dig further into all the aspects of ROI and where the returns for an organization really come from, you will find that a leader’s ability to walk further into their own vulnerability is an opportunity to capture greater returns. By being vulnerable, leaders demonstrate the walk for others. Employee engagement and retention increase as a result. People don’t leave jobs, they leave cultures and management (or lack thereof ). Many times employees seek other opportunities for lack of feeling heard, not being seen or feeling disconnected from something that truly matters for them.

I know this from personal experience, as I’ve led several high-performing teams over my career. I had a mentor who told me once, “you are a powerful leader, but you would be even more effective if you would let others see you vulnerable and be able to connect to your human side.” At first I balked at this … but, soon realized she was right. Once I stepped into my own vulnerability, I realized I gave my team permission to do that, too. Trust was deepened, relationships were strengthened and the need for perfection was released. My teams, though already high performing, rose to an entirely new level of performance. They were happier, more engaged, and less stressed.

They began to take greater risks, to challenge themselves and others on the team more, and they took greater personal responsibility and pride in the work they did. Accountability was no longer simply a buzzword, but something my team fully embraced.

Lines of communication opened and grew, and individuals stepped up as leaders themselves. I asked my team to push themselves in a way that really scared them, to push beyond their existing comfort zone … for if it doesn’t scare you, it is not big enough to grow you. I ask them to find ways to fail. Mind you, this freaked out my upper management a little (and my team at first). But, with the established trust I earned, they gave me room to conduct my ‘test.’

Off BeatMagazine And, man, did we get bloody in the beginning. Not only did we fall, but our newfound transparency and vulnerable had us feeling pretty uncomfortable and unsure But we held the course and we grew tremendously together and as individuals. It was thrilling and amazing to watch every person on my team reached a new best level. To see them stretch, to see them be fully present and engaged, to see them purposely seek out new challenges. And each person was ultimately promoted within less than 24 months from when we started. Now, that felt like leadership to me! When we choose to invest in our people, it starts with the investment we make in ourselves as leaders to demonstrate what’s truly possible, to walk the talk first.

If we are not willing to take that first step, to walk the talk, then how can we expect our employees and teams to do the same? How will they ever see their power and gifts, to tap into their full potential, capacity and capabilities? Being vulnerable is a leader’s ability to take that first step on that walk. This is a game-changing investment with a high rate of return! When we choose to invite vulnerability into the workplace, people feel emotionally connected to their work, to their passion and to their own WHY. When the WHY is clear, engagement is high. As a leader, you then can help your employees and your teams function as high-performers playing at their highest and best levels. And, it all starts with making an investment in

YOU as a leader first. Because, remember … ROI is a return on investment, not a return on intention.

Candy Barone, CEO & Founder, You Empowered Strong “Your Pull-No-Punches Accountability Powerhouse” International Speaker, Business Strategist, Certified Master Coach & Trainer, Best-selling Author. Contact CandyBarone@YouEmpoweredStrong.com, discover more on her website www.YouEmpoweredStrong.com, or call her at 512-693-9732.

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JOHN, DO YOUR BEST… By John Carroll “If you lean in the direction of success, you will make progress even when you fall.” - Grant M. Bright

o your BEST … that’s all you can do! This is my youngest son, Daniel’s, mantra and one that has served him very well in his early adult life. However, what if it isn’t enough?

determine what’s lacking, it’s hard to chart a new plan of action. •

Change the ground rules. This is particularly true in sales. If you are in a loss position, it is imperative that you work toward a more desirable outcome.

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Get help from others. Seek advice from a trusted advisor, hire a business or life coach, or secure the assistance from someone who possesses the skills, knowledge or expertise required to fill the void.

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Move in a new direction. If the situation you find yourself in is untenable, then it may be time to cut your losses, learn from the experience and move on.

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Never give up on yourself. Don’t allow your circumstances, a fear of failure (or success) keep you from reaching your goals or diminish your accomplishments.

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While your best may not be enough in every situation, successful people possess an unwavering belief in themselves and their capacity to make a difference. This holds true in business, sports, relationships or any other aspect of life.

What happens when your best just isn’t good enough? Throughout our lives we’re encouraged to do our best, try harder, keep pushing, don’t give up, etc. However, most of us already have or will encounter obstacles or challenges seemingly too difficult to overcome, despite our best efforts. What is the right course of action when your best is not enough? If we assume failure is not an acceptable outcome, then we have created an irresistible force paradox. The classic paradox formulated as “What happens when an unstoppable force (you) meets an immovable object (obstacle or challenge)?” This paradox arises because it rests on two premises - there exists such things as irresistible forces and immovable objects, which cannot both be true at once. The hardest thing for any of us to accept is failure. We have been conditioned to believe that failure is a catastrophic, ‘end of days’ type of an event. However, in the natural world there are no such things as irresistible forces or immovable objects. So, something has to give. How can we strive to do our best against all odds knowing the end result in some situations will not be favorable? To avoid the irresistible force paradox, a better question would be, “Why would you devote your best effort to any endeavor knowing in advance that the outcome would be unfavorable?” The simple answer -- you wouldn’t or shouldn’t. As I see it, there are several options to consider in determining what to do next in any situation when our best isn’t enough. •

Determine what is missing. Is the shortfall or gap a result of unrealistic expectations, a lack of resources, too little time, etc.? Unless you

So, in everything you choose to do, doing your best is always the right course of action.

John Carroll is a business and leadership strategist who works with business leaders to help them ‘achieve the results to move beyond their vision.’ He is a best-selling author, educator, blogger and speaker. Email John at john@trescoach.com or learn more at http://www.trescoach.com/.

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SIMPLIFY MEALTIME TO GET YOUR LIFE BACK! By Kris DeFoer

ummer is winding down, the kids are back to school, and we’re all getting back into our rest-of-the-year routines. Sometimes that structure can be tough to re-adjust to, and family meals become a chore. Here are some quick ideas to simplify your cooking. Planning is everything! Make a list of what you need and take it with you to the grocery store. Post a notepad in the kitchen that everyone can add to when they use the last of something, so that the list is already started for you. Plan some recipes that you want to make and check to see what ingredients you already have. Mobile apps from Whole Foods Market, Epicurious and AllRecipes.com have recipes, as well as functions like shopping lists and even options to choose recipes based on specific foods. If you prefer something on the web, try Supercook.com. It has a checklist of ingredients and shows recipes that you can make with ingredients that you have on hand. You can even specify dietary restrictions. Shop during off hours as much as possible. You’ll avoid the stress of the crowds, have a better selection and save time.

I like to shop on Saturday and do my food prep on Sunday. I clean and cut vegetables and store them in glass bowls with lids. In addition to simplifying meal preparation, this allows me to easily see the veggies so I don’t forget what I have and makes my refrigerator look so healthy and appealing! Save time by buying frozen vegetables, including pre-cut onions, sweet potatoes and pre-cut hard squash (be sure to check labels for brands without preservatives!). These are things that are particularly time-consuming to cut. With these simple tips, meal-time stress will be reduced almost to non-existence and you can spend time with your family instead of in the kitchen. Kris DeFoer is a certified Holistic Health Coach who works with women individually and in groups, to help them re-discover their natural health and vitality. She believes that healthy living should be fun, that healthy food should taste good and that good health is about much, much more than eating well and exercising – that how we live has an enormous impact on how we feel. Visit www.happybodyhealth.net for more information.

ENTITY FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

By Christi Rains

lot of people believe that because LLCs were created to combine some of the best features of Corporations and Sole Proprietorships, that they are a good middle ground. Like all of the other entities that we have discussed, LLCs are no different, you have to analyze your specific needs and wants to determine what fits your situation best.

Like corporations, an LLC is filed at the state level. If you are a single member LLC, then the filing is fairly straight forward and once it is done, you are ready to roll. Multi-member LLCs require the filing of Articles of Organization (similar to a partnership agreement) and will therefore be more complicated. The best advice in writing them is to have

someone else do it, hire a lawyer. Yes, this will make the filing more expensive, but it will also insure that it is right. Filing as a Limited Liability Company provides owners with a couple of distinct advantages over the other options. Unlike a corporation, an LLC has greater flexibility in its management and who can be members. It also avoids the double taxation that a C corporation suffers from and instead acts as a pass through entity like a sole proprietorship, allowing you to pay taxes as an individual. Unlike a sole proprietorship though, the members of an LLC are granted personal liability protection in case the company fails or is sued. The flexibility of an LLC on the one hand can also act as a disadvantage on the other. Whereas, corporate structure is well established and understood, LLC structure can be more confusing. The Articles of Organization are unique to each entity and if not well written, can result in confusion about duties and responsibilities. Financing is also more limited for an LLC, often relying on traditional loans or individual savings to get the company started. Your choice of entity ultimately comes down to your answers to a whole range of issues concerning liability, financing, taxes, structure, etc. If you are considering a change to the entity you operate business as, this discussion is arguably the most important.

Christi Rains, President Alpha Omega Consulting & Bookkeeping, LLC â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sensiblebusinessowner.com â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Email Christi@AOBookKeeping. com for more information.

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IS AN LLC THE PROPER

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By Chef Bernard Charter

Recipes From The Chef •

The process of boiling water is very simple, and you want to always start with room temperature water for this reason - the water will reach the desired heated temperature faster. This is the best technique for blanching and parboiling.

•

When cooking colored vegetables in boiling water you should not use a cover for the pot. Covering the pot will cause discoloring of the vegetables and hurt the presentation of the finished product.

•

When cooking white or light colored vegetables, use a cover for the pot because it will preserve the natural colors.

Nutrient Analysis:

Calories: 32 Protein: 1.5 grams Carbohydrate: 16 grams Fat: 1.2 grams

Method: • • • • • • • •

In the large stainless steel bowl combine all of the chopped ingredients Mix all the chopped ingredients, fresh frozen to incorporate them Add the Mrs. Dash T T, mix after Add the Rosemary , mix after Add fresh lemon juice Add your oil then mix thoroughly Taste the relish and adjust the seasoning Refrigerate and keep until ready for use

Bernard’s Yields 15 portions Ingredients / Tools Tofu firm vegetable protein, cut into small dice Plum tomatoes de-seeded and cut into small dice Garlic crushed, chopped Fresh frozen Black eyed peas Black olives pitted cut into quarters Fresh Rosemary herb de-stemmed, chopped Yellow or red onion small dice Mrs. Dash all-purpose seasoning Olive or Vegetable oil Lemon Juice Medium size bowl Rubber spatula Baguette French bread Olive oil or vegetable oil Pastry brushes

Amounts 1-2pkg =4oz 8ea. 4 cloves 16oz 1 small can 4-6 sprigs 1 medium size TT to coat or as needed 1-2 medium lemon 1ea. 1ea. 1 – 2 slice thin as needed 1 ea.

Bernard A. Charter is the owner of Bernard’s Fusion Cuisine. He uses his expertise as a military veteran and chef of 35 years to educate, providing safe, reliable heart healthy food concepts on the table that enhance mind, body and soul. Contact Chef Bernard A. Charter for fun, feel-good meals with a unique, resultsoriented approach at BernardCharter@Yahoo.com.

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HELPFUL HINTS &

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WHO’S THE MATTER WITH ME?

By Taylor Kay Stephens

recently had an “aha moment” when I finally got the answer I had been seeking, for so long. It was so clear to me at that moment and yet I wondered why I hadn’t figured this out before. My Mother said to me when I was a teenager, “Honey pay attention to your gut feeling, because it’s always right.” I was too young then to know what this meant. Once again, I had gone through a few years of extreme financial struggle, so I made a decision right then, that my life had to change. I wanted to know the truth about why my life wasn’t working very well, so I asked for the answer. As I looked back at all the times I had gone through financial struggles before, I also looked at the people who were very close to me in my life during those times and I could see a pattern - that was my ‘aha moment!” These people had shown me more than once, but I chose to ignore the little red flags and warning signs. My intuition told me in subtle ways that they weren’t good for me and I ignored it. It wasn’t only their behavior,

“People will tell you or show you who they really are and when they do, believe them the first time.” - Maya Angelou it was mostly the poor choices I made because of allowing myself to be influenced by them and those choices, had consequences. At first, these friendships and situations served me, but little by little, I allowed myself to get distracted and off course. I also ignored that little voice inside that kept telling me this wasn’t good for me. Not only was my life stressful, my income was also decreasing and I couldn’t figure out why. Each time these people were removed from my life either by my choice or theirs, not only did my life improve, my income practically doubled and tripled in a very short time. Mother was right!

Taylor Kay Stephens, speaker, author and transformational life coach, is no stranger to tragedy, adversity and obstacles. She teaches people how to get out of overwhelm, change their bad habits and stop self-defeating behaviors. She has developed her own easy and practical techniques and systems so simple a child can do them. Discover more at TaylorKayStephens.com

he BIG stuff is always going to make you shake a little bit. There’s no way to avoid the stretch when you’re taking big, calculated risks. It could all blow up in your face, or it could be the most exhilarating, rewarding experience that you imagine it will be. For some reason or another, you’ll find that not everyone embraces progress and potential quite like you’d think. I know plenty of people who talk and behave as though the lack in their business and financial life has become normal. Oh, they’d like it to improve, but take no steps or risks that move the dial. Even when it comes to challenging their team, they just don’t - believing no one will rise to it successfully. I call it the ‘comfort zone.’ For example, when you adjust the temperature in your house to 75 degrees, it doesn’t always stay 75 degrees, does it? Sometimes it will have to cool and other times it will have to not run to maintain that temperature. If you drew a line across all the high peaks and another line across the bottom of all the lowest peaks, you’d have the ‘zone’ it operates in. That’s a comfort zone. It’s not the 75 degrees, it’s the range between the highest highs and the lowest lows. We operate like that, too. The only way to exceed the highest highs, is to begin stretching past what we see is possible. For me, it takes faith to believe nothing is impossible. And it only takes a little doubt to take you off course of the trajectory you intend. Courage isn’t having the ability to do something scary, courage is doing it while your knees are knocking and all you can hear is your heart beat. Friends, there is no room for doubt in your life!! Here’s where I want to see you embrace your potential and turn it into positive motion, looking fear in the face and instead of saying, ‘what if I fail?’ ask ‘what if I succeed?’

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SUSANSAYS with your dreams and your words. Life isn’t just happening to you, it’s happening because of the control or lack thereof of your thought life and language. Determine to take authority over chaos and lack of organization. I know, we can only do so much in a day, but you’ll be surprised how adopting this perspective early in your day will help you to fill your day with the most important things first priority. Finally, ‘Ask and keep on asking and it will be given to you, that your joy would be full and complete.” ~ Jesus. He wasn’t limiting what we could ask for, and He LOVES it when you’re full of joy and lack nothing. Friends, that’s a sales message if I’ve ever heard one. Today, go ask that question you’ve been afraid will be shot down. Reach out to 3 more people today, offer a new spin on a service or share that product with the person you think will turn you down. These are business stretches. And they get you limber for the truly big stuff. They will grow your confidence and help you to see where you’re operating in self-imposed limitations. You might get a no, you might get laughed at, you might go in debt for a short time, and you might stir the hornet’s nest - sure. You might even damage your precious reputation. But the greater risk is that you could have done it, but spent your life in business afraid to try.

Susan Hamilton Susan Hamilton is the host and editor of The OffBeat Business Show & Magazine, a business to business platform for the 80% of American small business owners who are building their businesses while raising their children, caring for their parents, working with veterans and directly impacted by legislation that impairs good business sense. Does YOUR voice count? It could. Contact Susan at 214-714-0495 or Susan@OffBeatBusiness.com to discover how to build authority around YOUR brand.

“Above all else, guard your heart, for out of it flow the issues of life.” - Paul’s Epistles

Recognize that you’re creating your life

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Continued from page 15

Again more silence. Then the Vice President of Sales spoke. “You’re right, Dean. Our customers don’t want trade show booths – they want profit. We must be able to show them how investing in our trade show booths will help them to profit.” Business Attraction Magnets know it is not the goal of having the product or service itself that creates the momentum. It is the perceived benefits (feelings realized) behind having or utilizing the product or service that creates the momentum.

7. Focus on Value and Cost, Not Price. Sure, it is easy for prospects, as well as sales professionals, to focus on price because it’s right there in black and white. And true, our products and services do come with a price. But the price of a product or service isn’t what the product or service actually costs. We must show that every penny of the price is necessary, because it offers the best value and

avoids the cost of alternative purchases and situations. Cost and value are hard to nail down but are far more important figures to relate – because they include not only the price, but also the value-added service, technical support, our expertise, and all the other progress-based aspects that go along with a relationship with us and our company. There are often ramifications from purchasing-decisions that are eventually felt within other departments. True value shows itself over time. The challenge and responsibility of a sales professional is to relay the true costs of other choices upfront. Buyers must see that they profit by investing their time and money with us.

price is the best value option and therefore means progress. If prospects have a strong enough why, they will figure out the how. If employees have a strong enough why, they too will figure out the how. When things get tough, reminding coworkers, employees, and ourselves of the progress behind the desired actions is paramount. Become a Business Attraction Magnet. Be Progress.

“Our prices are too high” is often the excuse heard from sales professionals as they explain their less-than-stellar sales performance. Sometimes it’s true. Most of the time, however, the issue is not our price; it’s articulating the true cost, and how working with us and agreeing to our

Dean Lindsay can be reached at: Dean@DeanLindsay.com and 214-457-5656 and video clips of him in action are available at DeanLindsay.com and Linkedin.com/in/DeanLindsay

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What makes Battle-Buddy Info unique among Resource Directories: Battle-Buddy Info resources are pre-vetted for inclusion into the Directory. Our Users have accessed, and/or research 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 family. We provide eligibility information as listed on the Resource’s website (i.e. Branch of Service, Disability level, seasonal resource, Branch Specific, geographical, etc.) From Battle-Buddy Info, once the User has determined they meet the criteria for assistance, they can link to the Application Form from our site, eliminating the need to read through pages of content provided by an organization.

Equest

The Equest Hooves for Heroes program offers current service members, honorably-discharged veterans of the U.S.

Armed Forces, and adult military family members the Hooves for Heroes program free of charge.

Attitudes & Attire: Boots to Heels Program

A customized program designed exclusively for female veterans giving them the camaraderie of being with peers who understand the experiences and challenges they face when returning home. We provide a four part program to assist female veterans with their transition from military to civilian life. After participating in our workshops on self-esteem and interview skills, each veteran is invited to select professional attire and accessories from our upscale boutique.

Recovery Resource Council

Recovery Resource Council offers FREE and confidential counseling services through the Enduring Women and Enduring Families Veterans’ Services grant.

Enduring Women provides group counseling and peer support for various issues including, but not limited to, post traumatic stress, military sexual trauma, reintegration issues, substance abuse or parenting difficulties.

Allies in Service

Allies in Service’s mission is to identify and support Dallas area veterans who need assistance in the areas of employment, housing, education, and health care. We partner with veterans, employers, community and other veteran support organizations to educate and enhance the quality of life of our veterans.

Combat Faith

For all warriors needing healing there are some key factors that apply universally. Combat PTSD stems from dangerous situations where their or their comrades’ lives/ health were at stake. Most combat veterans with PTSD had multi-traumas rather

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than just one traumatic incident. The following information on PTSD anecdotes was provided to me by a fellow Vietnam veteran who was wounded in Vietnam as a Navy Corpsman assigned to the Marines. After the case study for each war, there will be suggestions for a spiritual approach to the issues affecting veterans.

Grace After Fire

Grace After Fire was created by women to provide an online resource for women veterans – women helping women. Here you can truly be yourself, laugh, cry, share – and safely gather to identify. You’ll find resources, experts, and fellow women vets around the world that understand where you’re coming from.

Honor Courage and Commitment

Honor Courage Commitment is a nonprofit organization that recruits, educates, mentors, and guides transitioning military veterans into becoming socially responsible entrepreneurs and community leaders.

K9s for Freedom and Independence

We specialize in PTSD and /or TBI Service Dogs. Our focus is on those persons that have served our country as a US Military Member, Law Enforcement Officer, Fire Fighter, EMS Worker.

Suicide Prevention 22tooMany

22toomany 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.

Logan’s 5

In December of 2013, a request was made by a retired Marine. “Give me five reasons to live each day.” Author and Battle-Buddy Info Founder, responded with a quick, “I can do that!” This is the chronicle of those encouragements, inspirations, and facts of friendship. We can all use a little remembrance and recounting of five reasons to fight, five reasons to stay alive, five reasons to make it through another day.

National Resources Hope for the Warriors

The mission of Hope For The Warriors® is to enhance the quality of life for post-9/11 service members, their fami-

lies, and families of the fallen who have sustained physical and psychological wounds in the line of duty. Hope For The Warriors® is dedicated to restoring a sense of self, restoring the family unit, and restoring hope for our service members and our military families.

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.

Veteran Artist Program (VAP) VAP, a 501c3 nonprofit, takes artists who are also veterans, 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.

THE OFFBEAT BUSINESS SHOW SEPTEMBER LINEUP Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re Showcasing Veterans All September! SEPTEMBER 1ST Eddie Deen, Idalee Cathcart, Gustavo Sanchez share their latest community outreach, The Cutting Horse Cafe & Bakery. Helping veterans learn the restaurant business! SEPTEMBER 8TH Listen in as I talk with Battle-Buddy founder, Charlynn Johns about our efforts to bridge the gaps in military veteran care with extraordinary resources! SEPTEMBER 15TH Our newest Military Veteran Sponsor and wellness expert, Brenda Wakefield, talks about her journey from a drill instructor to her understanding of the human body and how tension relates to overall health. SEPTEMBER 22ND John Bartell is incredibly knowledgeable about what it takes to establish healthy thinking patterns that ultimately help us relate to each other more effectively. SEPTEMBER 29TH Semper Fi Heating & HVAC is a veteran owned family business. Hear how Erik Castaneda grows his residential service company.

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