Posted by Chris Kauza on July 8, 2009 under Management | 
I just got back from vacationing this past month – WOW! Do I feel energized and eager to get back to work!
Until now, the longest vacation I took was 10 days in a row, in the end of 2001 when my wife and I went to Hawaii. Since then, I might have taken a day or two here and there, but I almost always put in several hours of work – stealing the time from my family.
I didn’t do that this time. I basically “unplugged” – I didn’t spend a lot of time on Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn, I only checked email now and then, and there were a few nights where I went to bed late, but most of the time I focused on creating memories with my kids; even simple things like swimming in the pool or going for ice cream. It might sound small to you, but it made a big difference to them. And that’s what counts.
The best parts of the vacation were free, or were a very small cost – I’ll never forget my youngest daughter swimming in the pool saying “Marco” for 15 minutes with a little smile on her face, while my son & I shouted “Polo” trying to avoid her!
I also developed some ideas for my businesses that I will be releasing in the next 27 days, so stay tuned for those.
Action Step:
Leaving Footprints – how indelible will your mark be?
Why are you working? You don’t need to do a deep psycho-analysis on yourself to come up with answers that really matter. Just keep it simple. At the end of the day, after I achieve my financial goals, the reason I am working is so that I can spend more time like I did this past month.
What about you? Why are you working? When was the last time you took a vacation, and what happened (good or bad) as a result? Post a short-version of why you do what you do, and what you are doing that will help you get there faster, and share it with the other readers.
Posted by Chris Kauza on April 29, 2009 under Management, Service, Training |
Every business needs employees who are competent in their fields and can be relied upon to reliably perform their job. This is even more important if your have outside partners you rely on to deliver your business.
One business owner has a reputation in their community for having the most competent employees in his region. Why? Because he trains them in their skills and to deliver great service – even if they are already have relevant experience.
They have a planned training program for each of their employees. They let them go to seminars, and they supplement this with their own in-house video training library. Learning progress is closely monitored so they only do work they are ready and qualified to perform. Bottom Line: his customers only get works whom the customers trusts and is very competent in what they do – which translates to better results for the company’s bottom line.
Action Step:
List three ways you can use this idea in your business?
When will you start implementing it?
What results do you want to get?
Feel free to post your answers below, for some “extra” accountability and leverage on yourself. Getting stuck or not seeing the results you’d like? Let us know…
Posted by Chris Kauza on April 22, 2009 under Management, Mid-Week Mindset, Service |
Straight and to-the-point, here are 10 things you can do right now to make sure you are on the path to a successful business – and if you’ve “heard it before”, then our question to you is, “Why aren’t you doing it?” Knowledge is not power. Knowledge is potential power. Here are 10 ways you can turn that knowledge into real power:
- Formulate, then write down, your goals and how you intend to achieve them. If you cannot state them clearly, you probably aren’t going to achieve them. “Clearly” means defining the metrics you will use to measure your progress. And be prepared to update and revise them as needed; unanticipated events may occur that will require you to change course.
- Learn to do as much as you can for yourself. It’s your business. One of the best ways to know how to manage an area is to have some first-hand experience in that area. You don’t have to master an area, but first-hand knowledge is irreplaceable, and will help you make better decisions when it does come time to hire someone or else outsource that to another partner. Just remember that there will come a day where you will need to have other people help you. But your first hand knowledge will give you greater awareness about what you are doing – and you might be able to help out in a pinch, too!
- Ask. Watch. Read. Think. Do. (…and usually in that order). Don’t substitute an “expert’s” opinion for your own good judgment. And don’t forget to regularly talk to your suppliers and partners; you will be surprised at what you will learn. And once you’ve learned it, be determined to creatively apply it to your own business (that’s what we help you do here, at AskABusinessGuy.com)
- Always keep some money in reserve. You never know where your next opportunity may come from, and it’s good to keep some cash in reserve to be able to take advantage of those opportunities. In many cases, it’s better to have “lost opportunity” than it is to have “lost Capital”.
- Any time is a good time to start a business. There is never a “good” or “right” time. There are always excellent reasons to NOT start a business.The time to start is when you are “ready-enough”. The time to start is NOW!
- It doesn’t take money to make money. It might “feel” a little easier, but don’t let that sidetrack you. Start from where you are with what you can afford, or feel comfortable risking. If you need something, can you partner with someone else to get it? Can you barter services for what you need? One of my clients has a 12-person company earning $1.5/yr, and they don’t pay for their accounting services. Instead, they trade some of their unused office space, and give them a deep discount (and in some cases – free) access to their services, in return.
- Don’t believe the naysayers who say you won’t be able to compete with the “big dogs”. Small companies are more flexible and nimble by nature, than the larger companies. Small companies are the creative and economic growth engines of virtually any economy. They make decisions, change directions, innovate, produce new products and services faster, and are better able to find and service the niche markets that tend to experience faster rates of growth. Find your niche and exploit it to the fullest!
- Be honest. With your customers. With your partners. With your employees. With those who support you. But most importantly, be honest with yourself.
- Don’t pass on spending money, if that purchase will improve your business. This might sound like the opposite of #4, but at some point you have to take your shot and move forward.
- Courage and perseverance, followed with humility and self-confidence, are very important traits for business owners. Using these to guide your decisions and relationships will establish a strong foundation upon which to build your business.
Anything we forgot? Let us know, below…
