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March 4th, 2010
I believe one of the most dynamic business changes over the past decade has been in the area of marketing. We started the decade with traditional advertising medium being our focus and ended with a social media explosion. Some question whether this social media trend is real or a fake. I predict this decade will prove that social media will continue to expand at an alarming rate, opening up new opportunities to promote products and services.
How Can You Get In the Game?
First, don’t just jump in, make a plan. Jumping on the band wagon, without a plan, will do nothing for you. You have to evaluate everything you’re doing, from your website to your YouTube channel. It all has to be working together in concert, because if it isn’t, you won’t reap the benefits of someone finding you through a search on Google or other search engines. Today, your graphics, your message, the timeliness of your message, where it appears, and call to action can impact your business overnight. Equally important to making a plan, is building a database. If you are not finding ways to collect potential prospects and to communicate with them, you are behind the eight-ball already. You need to invest in ways that will grow your database so you can build new customers, and keep the ones you have now. If you need help trying to figure this one out, give me a call. It’s dependent on your business and who you are going after.
How Important is My Website?
Your website better rock their world. Websites have become your first line of offense and validation. Does your website articulate the vision and help achieve the goals of your organization? Websites today must do 2 things. They must give me something that is important that I might be interested in, and they must make me do something active. The active part is to make a call, sign-up, send a referral, let someone else know you exist, or buy something today. Most companies today have literally dozens or, in some cases, hundreds of sites to generate traffic. You can start creating your own feeder sites to generate traffic by developing a separate blog site that is only for marketing purposes. There are many templates using WordPress, and some are free. The purpose is to drive your message out in a number of ways that begins to grab the interest of potential prospects and clients.
Is there more?
Yes, there is a lot more, and my goal is to not overwhelm you. I’ve personally taken time to learn new strategies and source the right resources that can help any organization. Let me know if I can help.
Robert Van Arlen is a motivational speaker, business strategist and author of Focused Synergy – Orchestrating Your Purpose Path and Performance. You can learn more by visiting www.robertvanarlen.com.
Tags: advertising, marketing strategy, social media
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January 20th, 2010
Hello!
Some of the best lessons come from the most unlikely places. This month I share my insights learned from a very special person in my life who brings a wealth of experience we can all benefit from.
Thanks, Grandma, for reminding me of these important business and personal lessons.
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We just entered a new decade and I was thinking of the person in my life that inspired me the most during what Time Magazine called the “the decade from hell,” the first decade of 2000. There is only one person who really stands out, and she is the same person that has inspired me my entire life. Her name is Salvina Walls, and you won’t find her on Facebook or Twitter, nor does she have an e-mail address. It’s not because she could not figure It out, because believe me she continues driving, even as she turned 89 last month, and she loves her cell phone. The lessons I’ve learned over the past decades from her will undoubtedly carry me through this next decade, which I believe will be the decade of positive change. Here are a few.
Never Lose Faith
No matter how tough it gets or how difficult it seems, just keep believing it will get better, and it will. She is one of those people that truly understands that growth comes during difficult times. We seem to turn off our growth spurt when things are going good. I discovered enrollment is at an all time high for a lot of academic institutions as I spoke around the country at various colleges and universities the latter part of this past decade. As I begin this year, I’m thinking about ways I can retool and invest in my personal growth because I do believe opportunity comes to those that have skills and are prepared.
Always Help Others
We think about helping those in need around the holidays, but what can we do on a consistent basis? I was very fortunate growing up to see Grandma Walls open her home to feed the children and families in her neighborhood. She gave them an inspirational message of hope every time. That sounds like coaching to me! It’s awesome to meet the people whose life she impacted in a positive way. The pay-it-forward mentality is the inspiration I receive from hearing their stories.
Earn the Respect of Family and Friends
Grandma Walls is the nucleus of our family and her friends. She garners the utmost respect from everyone and is known to tell it like it is. I wonder what she would say to Mr. Tiger Woods. In some cases she doesn’t respond right away, but chooses to think and pray on the situation first. When she does decide to respond, it is meaningful and reveals a profound solution. I think about the opportunities I have to tell it like it is as I kick off this decade of change. I will take what I’ve learned from Grandma to earn the respect of my audiences, telling the truth of what will make a difference for each of them and their organizations.
Make a game plan and stick with it
Every year, Grandma Walls makes a commitment to her church. She determines what she wants to do in giving her support and makes a plan. She knows that there will be challenges along the way, but she stays committed and focused on what it will take to achieve her goal. I remember one year she committed to raise a certain amount and decided the best way was to bake her famous sweet potato pies. She established a price and knew in advance how many she had to sell to achieve her goal. Grandma was very confident she would achieve that goal. Having a plan combined with commitment and confidence are the winning ingredient for this upcoming year. I started mine in December and I’m happy to say it’s the most exciting plan I’ve ever developed. I’ve decided to dig deeper into new opportunities with new added strategies. The bottom line is I’ve expanded my global reach with innovative marketing approaches. Now all I have to do is commit, be confident and never give up.
I wish everyone a successful 2010 and please don’t forget the lessons from Grandma Walls.
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October 30th, 2009
Some of the best lessons come from the most unlikely places. This month I share my insights picked up from a fantastic service provider with an attitude we can all benefit from.
Thanks, Alma, for reminding me of these important business and personal lessons.
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Lessons From Alma
There are some people that come into your life for a reason and others for season. A few months ago I was blessed with the opportunity to move into my new home. Although it was built in 1950, the previous owner had remodeled the entire house keeping some of the old and adding new touches to make it the “homiest” residence I have ever lived in. The previous owner made one important demand: I must keep Alma on board. She stated Alma would change my life and attitude about living in general. I had no idea why she was so insistent, but I’m a smart man, so I know when a woman is persistent you just listen.
One afternoon I received a call from Alma stating she was coming to clean my house on the same schedule she had been on for the past 15 years. When I arrived home that evening I felt that I had entered a comfortable bed and breakfast that employed a full time service crew! My home was completely transformed, with pillows fluffed, origami tied into the tissues and the drawers complete organized. I felt like all my challenges disappeared, even if only briefly.
After the first couple of months, I would come home to an experience of service so over the top I decided it was time for me to meet Alma to learn where the dedication and work ethic derived from. Alma stated that to me if you’re doing a job, you should always do your best and give 100 percent. It does not matter what the job is, just give it your all. I also asked her why it appeared every time she came she would do something extra. She reminded me that she had been taking care of the house for over 15 years and you can only have retention by demonstrating you have the capacity to see the little things that make a difference. If you don’t, you begin to look just like everyone else and people see no differentiation. I asked her one final question–why is it I never have to tell her what to do. She responded by saying that initiative is everything. We all have an opportunity to take initiative, so if you know what to do, just do it. I believe I heard this before, from a certain shoe campaign slogan from the 80’s. How do we apply these lessons to business?
Applying Alma’s Techniques to Business
Give it your best ALL of the time. It may not be the perfect job, but giving your best is something you can’t turn on or off. You have to practice it, asking yourself what else you can do to make it even better. You never know who is watching, it may be someone that can offer you the perfect role you desire.
Secondly, it’s easier to retain a customer than to find a new one. All businesses have the opportunity to provide a WOW experience. It doesn’t have to be something that cost a lot, let it be something that demonstrates you’re listening.
Finally we learned from Alma taking initiative is an attitude. It sounds simple, but even in our challenging economy, it’s still hard to believe a lot of people will do only what they have to in order to get by. A “just do it” attitude today can literally save your job, or help you find a new one.
These lessons are nothing new, but they are timely and help us reflect on our ability to use our effort and creativity to provide a memorable experience for others. I can only guarantee one thing by doing so–someone will provide a memorable experience for you.
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September 10th, 2009
Each of us has our own unique way of dealing with stress. Some exercise, some argue and some turn to substances that help them feel more relaxed…or at least forget their troubles momentarily.
Substance abuse is a serious topic, and it’s one we should be serious about fixing.
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We all remember that person that had one too many during a corporate function or at a networking event. One thing for sure is that you don’t need to read a study to confirm that alcoholism and drug dependency are on the rise and becoming more visible. Although abuse is a common occurrence when the economy is down, it is not the answer to life’s problems. I’ve noticed more people drinking during the day and night, many to drown their sorrows from the pressure of declining and/or failed business.
From a professional standpoint, I know alcohol abuse deteriorates the workplace, families and personal productivity. Most professionals seem to believe a weekend binge has no effect on their personal or professional performance. Most happy hour participants seem to believe that drinking until you drop is acceptable in today’s society and has no bearing on personal and professional life. My goal is not to judge anyone, but to bring awareness to a problem that which can be solved-if people want to. I’m sure of one thing: all of the dots are connected.
I will admit that this economy caught me off guard, and I’ve been scrambling to find alternative sources for new business growth. I also realized that my personal consumption of alcohol was increasing both at home and in social situations. What was more dramatic was the fact that a number of friends also seemed to be indulging at an increased rate right along with me, some taking it to the point of no return, or what I deemed “the blackout,” a state of drunkenness where you simply pass out. Someone asked me the other day, “Are you stressed out with this down economy? You seem to be able to mask it well if you are.” My honest answer was yes, though there is nothing I can do about the economy; there is, however, a lot I can do about my own behavior. If I didn’t make some changes there, things would get worse. Most dependencies are progressive, and they can rapidly spin out of control.
The question, then, is how do you know if you have reached a point where you are out of control? How do you know whether or not you are functionally dependent? A chemical dependency exists when you drink or use a chemical substance to alter a state of mind and body to a point that you become both physically and psychologically dependent upon it. It is not based on the number of drinks or substances, it is based on honesty. The best way to understand whether or not problems exist is to focus in on the phrase “an altered state of being”. Stress, anxiety, insecurities, shame and guilt are sometimes factors in why people seek an altered state of being. Liquid courage is one of the best ways to describe the effects of alcohol. The reason we need courage is to overcome fear, my acronyms for which are: F**k Everything And Run, Face Everything And Recover and False Events Appearing Real. Alcohol and other substances can give you a false sense of courage by hiding any consequences for one’s actions.
What’s the Solution Besides Alcohol?
From a personal standpoint, I’ve decided to truly focus on what I can control. Yes, I will be real with you and admit I’m stressed and find fear creeping into my mental environment, but I choose not to participate in a fear-based mentality. I must be a bit strange because I have an appreciation for stress and pressure. It gives me the opportunity to grow and get stronger. I’ve learned that I can’t change yesterday, but I can handle what’s going on in the moment.
What can I do now? I highly recommend Eckhart Tolle’s book the Power of Now. My Now is my state of being in the present, which is accepting where I am and understanding I’m on a journey. My Now is being as healthy as possible by working out and eating right every moment I am able. My Now is helping those around me to feel good about themselves at every opportunity I get. My Now is to connect spiritually with my higher power at every moment. My Now is to realize that everything is as it needs to be in that moment. My Now is not to judge, but bring conscious awareness to a progressive problem that could be affecting someone you know.
We all have challenges and obstacles to overcome. That’s the journey of life. It builds strength, awareness, character, confidence and experience. In turn, that’s how we help and support one another. You deserve to live every aspect of your life in a whole and healthy and optimal way. The only thing you have to do is be honest with yourself. Look at your behavior. Do you need a change?
Please forward this message with love to anyone you believe can benefit from this knowledge.
* * *Next Issue* * *
In our next issue, I will bring to you the fundamentals of over-the-top service excellence, “Lessons from Alma – A Housekeeper for the Stars.”
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August 17th, 2009
Everybody in today’s world needs his or her photo taken, especially if they are utilizing social media for their business. Image is everything. Meeting the right photographer who can express who you really are is more difficult than you might imagine. I searched high and low for the perfect professional and decided to put Kelly Cappelli up to the challenge. The two-day shoot with Kelly taught me new lessons on the power of expression.
One of the most important points I’ve learned in marketing is image. My bookings for speaking and training are based on two factors. First, is my content applicable and beneficial to the audience? Next, can they feel my energy through my image? It’s critical that I convey, quickly and easily, what I stand for and what my energy is all about.
After a comprehensive interview, Kelly determined specific expressions that she wanted to achieve and how she wanted to set them up. She wanted to make sure she understood every medium the shots would be used for, so I would ultimately achieve the best results.
Day 1: She had me communicate the core essence of my message and how it helps transform individuals and organizations. Kelly told me to let go of any inhibitions I might have and trust her work. She captured these moments while I was sitting in velvet chair and brought out the energy of the moment. The sitting shots portray a level of relaxed confidence to my audience. She told me the feelings that I expressed were powerful and motivational. We continued to shoot close-ups, designed specifically for my social media pages. She wanted to illustrate a sense of relationship to audiences that would incite them to want to get to know my work.
Day 2: This day was all about the music. We used the studio as a backdrop to express my love for some of my favorite instruments and how they connect to my message. The creation of music is the central theme to my Vision and Values content. Music exemplifies change and flows with synergy. Kelly’s goal was to capture the energy of the moment, to demonstrate how the music moves through me to my audience. The experience was both fun and rewarding. We completed Day 2 with a special canvas backdrop Kelly designed as a background for my web designers. She had previously met with their creative team to discuss ideas that could make web pages pop. She decided on the glossy black brick wall, since the combination of texture in the wall and the predetermined wardrobe selection would provide the cornerstone of the new web design.
The overall experience was over-the-top for everyone involved. Clients continue to rave about the new image that is consistent with all of my collateral. The bottom line for me is the new business opportunities that are coming my way because of my newly designed image.
If you want to learn more about a Kelly Cappelli please visit www.studio5.net. She is simply amazing.
Many thanks to Kelly and my web design team who put it all together.
For more than 20 years, Kelly Cappelli has been a dominant presence in the world of art, photography and advertising. She now handles photography and design projects for some of the biggest names in music, including Megadeth, Fender guitars, and the Grammy-Award-winning jazz bassists Mel Browne. For more information on Kelly Cappelli visit www.studio5.net.
In two weeks I will share with you a timely topic, “Down Economy Ignites Abuse – The Truth Revealed.”
Tags: expression, image, photography
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April 8th, 2009
Habits form the impressions that direct our actions. Dr. Debbie Campbell provides valuable information to create the right habits for optimal performance.
Enjoy!
Seven Habits for Peak Performance
You can achieve Peak Performance.
No matter what your job, profession, hobby, or interest, you can achieve peak performance. Peak performance suggests that one is operating at an optimal capacity. There are seven habits to understand and practice in order to obtain peak performance.
1st Habit. Adequate Sleep/Rest
A prerequisite to all other habits involved in peak performance is a good night’s sleep. The importance of sufficient, high quality sleep is well documented. Studies suggest that most people need seven to eight hours of sleep a night. Many people get far less sleep and this can result in daytime drowsiness, decreased concentration, more accidents, and more illnesses. The body performs very important tasks while we are asleep including regulating gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and immune functions, and furthering cognitive processing (yes, those dreams are important and useful).
2nd Habit. Focused Concentration
Focused Concentration is essential for peak performance. Athletes refer to this state as being “in the zone”. A focus on the process rather than the outcome is also part of peak performance. Although it is best to have a vision and mission, it is then important to stay in the present and to be able to manage distractions. Distractions can be internal (such as disturbing or negative thoughts), or external factors such as noise, climate, etc.
3rd Habit. Energy Activation/Control
For peak performance, energy should be activated when necessary. This implies the ability to change your level of energy and to utilize the right amount of energy for the task at hand. There are times (such as managing conflict) when a quieter, calmer energy is most important. At other times, a leader might exhibit high energy as in presenting his vision to his/her direct reports. Energy needs to be successfully utilized and managed.
If someone is deficient in energy, actions should be taken to replenish this energy and rejuvenate body and mind. This is the topic of another article. It is also helpful to identify and utilize your usual hours of optimal functioning. Some people find they are sharper in the morning, others find themselves “coming into stride” in the afternoon (or evening) hours. Peak performers schedule more difficult and demanding tasks for peak hours.
4th Habit. Healthy Diet
It is well documented that many (usually six) small nutritious meals a day result in more steady blood sugar levels. Peak performers then will have more energy, and better performance under this regimen. Protein and complex carbohydrates, as well as minimal amounts of (good) fat, keep our bodies operating at peak performance. Remember also to drink plenty of water each day to stay hydrated. Water helps peak performers fight fatigue, lubricates muscles and joints, and even decreases wrinkles!
5th Habit. Exercise
Exercise is a powerful contributor to peak performance. Exercise helps us release (cortisol) stress hormones, boosts our metabolism, and gets oxygen flowing to the brain. It can be a great way to wake up and prepare for the day, or exercise can be done later in the day and utilized to “release” the stresses of the day. Exercise also stimulates the release of endorphins, “natural antidepressants” which elevate mood.
6th Habit. Positive Self Talk
Positive Self Talk is another factor in Peak Performance. We need to believe we can accomplish our goals, and possess self confidence. It is helpful to be cognizant of our strengths and to remember our successes. It is important to see mistakes as a means of learning and therefore not a terrible experience. Peak Performers can talk to themselves in ways that are nurturing, empowering, and motivating.
7th Habit. Imagery (Visioning)
Peak performers can imagine and envision their goals. They practice visioning, a mental rehearsal of future achievement. Peak performers have a sense of purpose and are usually grounded in a mission statement. They may utilize imagery, meditation, visualization, and journaling to channel creative processes. They may work with others (brainstorming) or “go within” to design their plan. They have the strategic ability to plan necessary steps and then implement these steps into effective action.
Practice these habits and aim high! You too can achieve peak performance.
© Debbie Campbell, Ph.D., 2006
Debbie Campbell, Ph.D. is an Executive Coach, Life Coach, and Psychologist. For more information or a Free coaching consultation, contact Debbie@lifecoachingbydrdebbie.com.
Next Issue
In my next issue, I’ll be back to writing about my own experiences and giving my own suggestions for living a life ignited with passion and purpose. See you next time!
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March 25th, 2009
Social Media can help any organization grow if there is a commitment, and if it is used effectively. Scott Deutsch, VP of Sales & Marketing at Orbius tells us how to get the wow moment with Social Media.
Enjoy!
Social Media: Getting to the Moment of Wow
The number one question I get when I talk to marketing people about social media and online communities is “what’s in it for me?” My response? You should care because soon it will be a standard component in your marketing mix. And it won’t be an option for you. Think of it as the next generation website. The key difference is that your next generation website will help you drive sales and create deeper customer loyalty and increased prospect stickiness. The era of brochureware is coming to an end. That’s what’s in it for you.
As soon as you help a marketer start to put a business context around social media and online communities, you begin to see the creative juices start to flow. It’s almost magical to see the transition to wow. The moment of wow is when the marketing possibilities around social media and online communities begin. It’s the moment they begin to appreciate how they can use the medium for building stronger business relationships.
Turning the moment of wow into marketing objectives and creating quantifiable business value begins by defining what you want to achieve. This is no different from any other part of your marketing mix.
Some of the objectives in a business-to-business marketing program might be:
- Create a trusted environment that fosters conversation and engagement. This is not a time for brochure copy.
- Create a way for our trusted members to help and share with each other.
- Offer content on a continuous basis that helps drive independent conversation.
- Create content that helps you learn how people use your product(s).
- Create a learning opportunity to learn what people want to do with your products and services.
- Create sticky value that provides a competitive advantage.
- Create micro-segmented communications opportunities to expand marketing foot print.
These aspirations will help you drive increased “relationships” to your brand and company. Robert Van Arlen thinks of this as a way to have your clients sing about you. Effectively, you are able to transfer the value of the “Wow” to customers and prospects at all levels.
The fastest growing segment of the social media market is around providing trusted business to business engagement. Social media is thriving because people have always engaged with each other. It’s a natural part of human communications. We naturally engage each and every day with our spouse, children, family, friends, neighbors, golfing friends and business associates. Although Facebook and MySpace get the coverage, they generally are not trusted by adults, unless of course you are looking for a date, want to check out your favorite band or have time to surf. For the majority of adults, they are not willing to “expose” themselves to everyone. I think that people like LinkedIn because they only share their resume or CV with the world. Unfortunately, we as adults have many sides of our life. And you want to be in control. Businesses are always looking for ways to extend their capabilities and engage their customers and prospects in ways that result in higher retention, lower risk, increased ROI, and greater operational capacity.
Social media and online communities will be standard parts of your next generation marketing mix. Off-the-shelf products are now available to help you get started and learn. It will not cost you an arm and leg to experiment. You’ll find that this is a world in which you will be operational in only weeks.
When will you have your moment of wow?
Scott Deutsch is the VP Sales & Marketing at Orbius, a social marketing platform that provides a set of tools for brands and organizations to engage, communicate and collaborate with their audiences within a safe environment.
Next Issue
Seven Habits For Peak Performance is what we need to survive in today’s economy. Dr. Debbie Campbell, Life Coach and Psychologist, will provide specific insight in my next issue.
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February 25th, 2009
Finding the tempo for your life is more important today than ever before. Micheal Lane’s article is near and dear to my heart because he uses music to illustrate how to stay focused on what is important.
Micheal Lane is the author of the award-winning book The Wisdom of Yawdy Rum. He is the principal of a speaking and consulting practice in Minneapolis, MN that specializes in helping others harness the power of paying attention. He can be reached at 612-747-2560 or www.LaneSpeaks.com.
Enjoy!
Dynamics & Tempo: Directions for Life
A conductor steps up to the platform and makes eye contact with the members of the orchestra. A few quick taps on the music stand brings the musicians to focus. He begins a silent count, merely mouthing the numbers while flexing the slender baton in mid-air, or his count may be at a soft, barely audible tone–just enough to break the silence. One, two, three, four–he sets the tempo for the arrangement, the orchestra picks up the beat and music fills the air.
Every musician knows his or her part. They have practiced the piece for months. It’s now a matter of following the conductor, stepping in time, and contributing to the cacophony of sound. The dynamics and tempo of facial expression, a snapping white baton blurring against brilliant overhead stage lights, and physical movement of the maestro leading the arrangement from coda to al fine.
But what happens when there is no conductor? What happens when we look around and we are the only musician on stage and everyone is watching us? What happens when we are in the business environment, leading an initiative, and we find ourselves exposed and alone? Where does the inspiration come from? Where does our sense of timing and movement begin? How can we find our pace, our voice and our sense of understanding? How do we find the guidance to move forward with confidence knowing we have a sense of the timing that’s needed to make meaningful progress? Where do we find the passion needed to move towards a goal, change directions, motivate others to follow, motivate others to lead, motivate others to make a difference? Or maybe, we are trying to make sense of a personal issue–something infinitely more internal and life-changing than anything that happens to us in our professional roles.
The guidance we need can come from deep within us. While a musical arrangement will have specific instructions in the form of dynamics and tempo to provide direction as to how loud or soft a particular piece is to be played, or the proper rate at which the song is to be performed, a significant degree of interpretation is given to the musician. Dynamics and tempo are the signposts in sheet music that tell us to play louder, softer, faster, or slower. Dynamics and tempo are like our five senses. Our senses act as signposts in our lives, but we have to listen them. We have to be paying attention. What are our senses telling us? Where’s the harmony and the disharmony? Paying attention to our senses and listening to what they are saying to us is critical.
Sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell, and sometimes something more. A feeling we get about how we’re doing, whether we’re making any progress or not. We receive all the information we need to be successful if we will only pay attention to the dynamics and tempo of our lives. Each one of the relationships in our lives has its own dynamics and tempo as well. To be successful, we have to pay attention to the information coming at us.
If we were to try to play “When the Saints Go Marching In” and we gave no attention to the dynamics and tempo, there certainly wouldn’t be any marching going on. If we want to be successful, if we want to be happy, if we want to live in harmony with others, we have to learn to listen to our senses: ignore them, and we’ll suffer the consequences. When we connect with the dynamics and tempo of our lives and sense the movement that comes from within our collective wisdom, we’ve found a constant well of inspiration ever ready to give us a sense of how loud or soft to play, how forceful or subtle to be in our actions, how quickly we should move and react or how slowly and thoughtfully we should contemplate the opportunities that intersect with our lives. And, when we find ourselves without a conductor to set the pace and direction for our lives, we can do it successfully ourselves by learning to rely on our own dynamics and tempo.
Next Issue
In 2 weeks we will hear from Laura Francis on the topic of Mentoring for the 21st Century. Laura is the Director of Triple Creek Associates, an organization that builds cultures of learning and development through web-based mentoring programs.
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February 11th, 2009
For the past 6 weeks, I have not sent out any newsletters, blogs or videos intentionally, so I could focus on my next reinvention. I also decided to reflect more on my reconnection with my father whom I had not seen for 40 years. Change is a good thing, and you can control your own changes.
I will return to my expert series next week, but I want to inject what I believe will be the most important message I can share with my audience at this time: Reinvent Yourself.
Reinvent Yourself!
Our economic challenges present a ripe oasis to create new opportunities for ourselves. You have to decide what is truly important and what you want to accomplish.
What is truly important these days is family. Once you learn this, then you need to figure out your own personal quest of what you want to accomplish while you’re on this earth. Now is the best time to take control and determine if what you are doing is what you truly want to do. You should have a clear understanding of this before someone or something else comes along and forces you to make a change.
Organizations today cannot afford to have slackers. The stakes are too high. If you work for an organization, you should think about your role and how valuable it is to the business. If you’re not enthusiastic about your job, you need to take a moment to figure out what type of work will get you excited. Value is everything, and it’s a two way street. You have to demonstrate your value to the organization, and you need to feel valuable to yourself.
Control your Transition
Don’t be afraid to transition–just stay cool and keep your mind on the prize. The best ideas, concepts and trends often develop during challenging times.
Difficulty can also bring people closer together. If you think your job is at risk, start networking now with individuals who are doing what you want to do. Unleash your creativity–you might be able to transition your creative skills into an income. If you know your job is on the line, make sure you can specifically quantify your value and worth in writing…because you may have to. Demonstrate how you help your company grow through the resources, skills and experience you provide.
Everybody is Selling
I thoroughly believe that everyone needs to look at him or herself as a commission-based sales person. If you’ve ever been on commission or owned a business, you know that if you don’t sell, you don’t eat. Confidence in selling your value will come in your ability to communicate your worth, and if you transition to a new career, you need to keep that sales attitude at all times. In challenging times, CEO, Directors and Managers must sell themselves and their organization to grow business. The bottom line is that if you want to be successful in today’s down market you need to demonstrate your commitment and accountability.
Take the Leap
If you’ve ever had the itch to go into business for yourself, now’s the time do it. There are multiple ways to earn an income from home with little investment. If you have the discipline and drive you can make it. Opportunity is everywhere. Just be sure you do your research in advance. There are innumerable work-at-home scammers that are waiting to take money from the naive and uninformed. Know the risks, research any opportunities thoroughly, prepare a plan and then go for it. (Some good places to research are www.ripoffreport.com, www.ftc.gov, www.ic3.gov plus your local BBB, and it’s always a good idea to research company names on Google).
Keep the Faith
No matter what happens, don’t digress into a fear-based mode. Stay tuned up and ready to receive any new opportunities that come your way. Remember attitude is everything and your music is playing every day. It’s your life’s song, and now could be the time to change your music.
Next Week
Next week Micheal Lane, author of the award-winning book, The Wisdom of Yawdy Rum, provides insight that is near and dear to my heart: “Dynamics and Tempo – Directions for Life.”
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December 10th, 2008
Robert Van Arlen Newsletter
Family & Friends: Avenues for Raising Capital
Need money to for your business? Gene King, managing partner of Sequence Investment Partners, explains how to get started.
Please enjoy!
Family & Friends: Avenues for Raising Capital for A Small Business
Raising capital for a small business can be an extremely difficult, complicated process. Often, the process is fraught with stress and confusion because the soon-to-be business owner simply has no idea where to turn when attempting to acquire money. You must know how to transform the vision you have into a reality–reality, however, can be expensive. Reality involves finding funding for your initial costs. This comes from four areas: your pocket, your bank’s pocket, your family’s pocket, a friend’s pocket and/or an outsider’s pocket.
1. Your Pocket
The obvious place to start when funding your new business would be your existing cash and/or credit. Cash would come from securities accounts, savings accounts and just plain cash on hand. Credit can be in the form of using credit cards, lines of credits in equity on homes or property, or borrowing from retirement plans such as 401k’s or IRA’s. Some consider cashing in retirement plans for ease of access to cash, but remember it is always much more cost effective to borrow from a retirement plan than to cash out the retirement plan. In almost all cases, a 10% penalty will be incurred from the IRS upon cash out and you will also have to pay income tax on all of the money (at your current income tax rate, i.e. an exorbitant percentage much higher than the interest you would pay on a loan). Instead, contact a bank and borrow against your retirement or possibly other securities you might own. (See # 2.)
2. Your Bank’s Pocket
Many start-up businesses receive loans from banks that serve as the majority of their initial capital. Unfortunately, the credit markets are currently tight and it’s very tough to obtain funding for start-up companies from banks unless you have excellent credit and extreme collateral. The Small Business Administration of the US Government (SBA) can be a source, but again, credit and collateral are a must. When you assess your collateral know that it can come from many sources such as your house, machinery (if you are starting a business that will have hard assets to be purchased or equipment you already own), land, and any property that has value. For many small business owners this is not an option-particularly if you are a service based company–so where should you go next?
3. Your Family’s and Friend’s Pockets
Once you have exhausted the first two options, you should turn to family and friends. Family and friends know you; they know your morals, character, ethics, and your ability to be successful; they understand your perseverance and determination to succeed better than anyone else.
Family and friends can provide funding in two manners: debt or equity. Debt is simply a loan that two parties agree to involving an amount, collateral (if any), and a repayment schedule. It is very simple and you can download loan documents from the internet. The equity/ownership piece is somewhat more difficult. The investor (friend or family member) will now be an owner of your company. You must first decide if you want other owners at this time as equity is the most cost effective way to start a business. It usually has no payments attached and helps tremendously with cash flow. It does, however, involve assessing the value, or equity, of your company.
What is your company worth? What’s your idea or service or product you will sell? Is it a service company? Is it a manufacturing company? How do you determine the value of your company? These are difficult and very tricky questions. There must be a value assigned to your company and there are hundreds of ways to determine the value. A good place to start is to make an assessment of what you think your first year’s revenues would be, and present that number as the worth of your company.
Once you have negotiated the worth (equity) of your company, you would issue the family member or friend membership shares with their capital contribution. This starts a capitalization table. Also, if you are using an LLC you will need an operating agreement so that the investor understands the rules of engagement with their new investment. If operating inside an LLC you will need to define the managing partner.
4. An Outsider’s Pocket
Selling interest to someone outside the realm of family and friends essentially entails the same process as ‘Family and Friends’ except you are selling interest in your company to individuals you do not know-often referred to as angel investors. Because you do not know these individuals this process will be much more formal and will entail using such investment devices as private placement memorandums (PPM). You may opt to have a friend or family member adhere to the same document so that when your family and friends run short of capital contributions you are ready for an outsider. A PPM type document is a document that outlines the terms of securities to be offered. Simply stated, a PPM is a formal description of the investment opportunity that includes certain federal securities regulations. It will usually contain the terms of sale, capital structure and historical financial statements, biographies of the management team, a description of the business, and potential risk factors associated with the business.
Gene King is a managing partner of Sequence Investment Partners in Charleston, SC. If you have questions or for media inquiries contact Mary Frash of Obviouslee Marketing at 843.225.5288 or mary@obviouslee.com.
Next Week
Next week Micheal Lane, author of the award-winning book, The Wisdom of Yawdy Rum, provides insight that is near and dear to my heart: “Dynamics and Tempo – Directions for Life.”
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