Interview with Best-selling Entrepreneurial Authors Barbara Winters and Nick Williams

Ray Bradbury’s quote, “You’ve got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down” may sound extreme but, as anyone building a business knows, it has a lot of truth in it.

As a newly self-employed journalist / writer and life coach, I found Barbara Winter’s book, “Making a Living Without a Job” invaluable so when I got a chance to interview her and Nick Williams in London, I was delighted. Barbara advocates having Multiple Profit Centres so her approach is ideal for writers, coaches and other entrepreneurs as we often build our incomes by developing several strings for our bows.

Barbara co-founded the Dreambuilders Community with her friend Nick Williams. They are bringing entrepreneurs together so we can support and inspire each other. Between them, they have several decades of entrepreneurial experience.

Nick Williams has inspired countless entrepreneurs with his bestsellers including "The Work We Were Born To Do”. Nick is also founder of Heart at Work London and a trustee Director of Alternatives.

Barbara remembers first becoming self-employed, “I couldn’t find any kind of guidance for the sort of business I wanted so it was very trial and error. I didn’t know anybody else creating a one-person business so I was a real slow upstart.”

Nick says, “I always enjoyed working with people. I enjoyed helping people and being in service to people. So I began to think maybe that was what I was going to do but there was a lot of fear because I had to change my life and I didn’t know how I was going to do it. So I think a lot of my teaching comes out of my experience and compassion.”

Barbara wants to bring everyone together. She says, “I think we nag about that in the Dreambuilders Community, about building your own network of self-employed people. It’s incredibly important.”

Asked if he ever wanted to give up on his own dreams, Nick says, “I think, ‘What else would I do?’ Do I want to go work in a shop? No. Do I want to serve sandwiches? No. Really, I am totally committed to my life so any setback is just an obstacle to overcome. I get back on track by laughing about it.”

Barbara adds, “Even in the dark times, I never believed it was permanent. With all the challenges, there was always a part of me that knew it was going to work eventually. It was something I still had to discover but I knew I would. And like Nick, I’d think, ‘If I’m not doing this, what will I do?’ And there was nothing else I wanted to do.

Nick says, “Once you get on the path, it’s about committing. You have to just keep committing and saying ‘I’ll make this work.’ So my focus shifted to ‘How can I make this work?’”

From a coaching perspective, this makes complete sense. You decide on your goal, work towards it and check to see if you’re getting the results you want. If you’re not, work out what you can do differently to make sure you get the outcome you’re after.

Nick and Barbara have different versions about their meeting. Nick says, “She stalked me.”

Barbara says, “That’s his version. You know, sometimes you meet people in your life and it’s inevitable and that was it with him. I read his book and by the third chapter, I knew we had to work together. I’d never had that experience from reading a book before. I’d read books where I thought I’d love to meet the author but this was different. His email address was in there so we started emailing.”

They are great ambassadors for self-employment. Nick loves, “being self-motivated, being able to generate ideas for myself and follow them through. If I have an idea I just do it. No committees or having to write papers and ask for permission. I like that ability to think and do.”

Barbara struggled with loneliness but says, “In a way, that’s really been a gift because I’m able to talk about it and understand people who find themselves on their own and feel very, very isolated. I’ve become a bit of a nag about the importance of having self-employed friends because they’re the ones you call up and they understand exactly what you mean.”

She adds, “We were talking about inspired parenting today. I think when people are happily self-employed and they have children, they become an amazing role model for them. So many people grow up with bad messages about work. Their parents go away all day and come back cranky. The children don’t know what they did all day but it obviously didn’t make them happy.”

Nick says, “One of the things we can do with Dreambuilders is serve people by offering learning programmes. Someone who has an idea but doesn’t know how to make it happen could come to our programme. We are looking at ways to create this for people. There’s no course about it at university. People think you’re either born with it or not but we could help people learn.”

Nick and Barbara bubble with enthusiasm for all the embryonic businesses they want to support. They remind me of Mark Twain’s quote: “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that but the really great make you feel that you too can become great.”

Top Tips:

Barbara: “I don’t know how long it takes to do something I’ve never done before. Be gentle with yourself.”
Nick: “One of the ways through resistance is a sense of humour.”
Barbara: “Sometimes the people who are ahead of you are there because they were born before you.”
Nick: “How we deal with failure links with how we feel about fear. Most people are brought up to avoid fear or to defend themselves against it.”
Barbara: “When we see someone who’s really masterful, we forget how long it took them to get there because we didn’t see their failures.”
Nick: “I used to think, ‘If I could just face these fears and be clear of them, I’d be alright.’ The day I realised it was a daily activity, I was very disappointed.”

For more information about Barbara and Nick, see www.dreambuilderscommunity.com and www.alternatives.org.uk

Barbara Winter’s 1993 book “Making a Living Without a Job: Winning Ways for Creating Work that You Love” began as a seminar she created and taught for several years. It has become the US’s longest running adult education programme. Her most recent book, “Jump Start Your Entrepreneurial Spirit” is out now.

Nick Williams is the author of “The Work We Were Born to Do”, “Unconditional Success” and “Powerful Beyond Measure”. His most recent book, “How to Be Inspired” is also out now.

If you enjoyed this article and would like to order your FREE REPORT "Eight Common Business Goal Setting Mistakes and How to Avoid Them" or "Eight Easy Ways to Improve Your Written Marketing Materials", send an email (stating your report preference) to eve@applecoaching.com or phone 01277 632085.

Eve Menezes Cunningham is an accredited life coach specialising in coaching entrepreneurs and writers. See http://www.applecoaching.com for more information.

She is also a freelance journalist / writer and specialises in personal development, business and social issues.

Business Ownership – Just Like Working But With More Freedom - Isn't It

Well actually no it’s not usually but it can be far better if you know what to expect and how to manage your new business.

Every new business owner starts off, full of hope, excitement and enthusiasm. How do you make sure that you are not on of the 80% of small businesses that fails in the first few years?

1. Remember you won’t get a regular wage to start with. It takes some time for a new business to become profitable. Don’t panic, make sure that you have enough money in the bank to make your bills for the first 6 months. How do you do that? Make sure that you build this cash flow requirement into your initial planning, loan requirements and cash flow.

2. Your business takes a lot of planning. The 6 months before you start your business and the 6 months after the start really requires a great deal of organizing and planning. Plan what your business will look like, how it will operate, where your market is and what you should sell at what price. That should be in your business plan – you DO have a business plan right? As you start your business, revisit your plans and update them as necessary.

3. Become disciplined. Plan out your work day and produce a regular “To Do” list that you keep updated. Make sure that your plans are reflected in your work schedule. Ensure that you put in regular hours and that your “office” is manned when people want to contact you. Don’t procrastinate, do things when they need to be done.

4. Learn from others. Look at what other company owners do and work out your business strategy along these lines.

5. Become self sufficient. You won’t have the support of your work colleagues so build your own network.

6. Be professional. In your dealings with your customers, suppliers, staff and professional support team.

7. Establish your office. Ensure that you have your own office – home or away – where all your business tools and information are to hand. Explain to friends, family and children that this is where you work.

8. Persevere – if you do it right it will get better. Keep motivated by setting your own personal goals. Overcome temporary set backs and remember that the potential rewards will make it all worth well.

ฉ Copyright 2006 Biz Guru Services Ltd

Lee Lister writes as The Biz Guru, for a number of web sites including her http://www.clikks.com where she sells her informational products. With over 20 year’s management and business consultancy experience with businesses large and small as well as being a serial entrepreneur, she now helps others set up, develop and market their businesses.

If you would like a professionally designed business plan with success written all over it – which will include your strategic plan - then contact us at http://www.bizguru.us

This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.

Anatomy of a Product From an Idea to Reality

What does it take to turn an idea into a product? How can I realize financial gain from my idea? Where do I start? These and many other questions swirl around would-be inventors and entrepreneurs as they seek to bring new products and services to market. The process can seem daunting for anyone making a first attempt and confronting the typical hurdles and roadblocks the marketplace utilizes to cull the field.

I look at hundreds of products each year and have done so for almost 30 years. The ideas that succeed invariably consist of the same basic elements.

One, an entrepreneur with passion, a realistic view of the opportunity they have created and a flexible attitude to the inevitable critique and changes the original concept will undergo. The world is full of dreamers. Successful entrepreneurs work non-stop in pursuit of their well-designed goals.

Two, a new product or service concept that fills an identifiable market niche. The niche can be a completely new product category (think Windows, XM Radio, E-Bay) or a small piece of a vast, mature market segment (Sam Adams Beer, Coach, George Foreman Grille). The Unique Selling Proposition is the element that enables the product to be positioned as an advance, offering different, improved features and benefits. The world doesn’t need another mousetrap, unless, you can prove a method to catch more mice.

Three, before running off to a Patent Attorney, display or discuss the opportunity with family, friend’s, co-workers you trust. Would they buy if available? How much would they pay? What don’t they like about the widget? Any improvements they might suggest? This is a form of micro-test market. Also, search the inter-net, United States Patent and Trademark Office, visit stores and diligently study the competition. If you feel confident that the market is not offering anything like your concept then you potentially have a significant commercial opportunity and should seek copyright, patent and trademark advice.

There are many ways to proceed. You can attempt to self-market your idea. There are numerous reputable consulting firms that can offer comprehensive services. Many colleges and state and local governments offer small business incubators and can be an excellent resource. A caution, though. The late night infomercial selling patent services that will make you rich is always a fraud. Ask for references and products currently on the market as proof that you are dealing with professionals, not charlatans.

The hardest question for many inventors to confront: How to harvest financial benefits from their invention? Licensing, self-marketing the product, funding, partnership, strategic alliance or outright sale of the opportunity are among the options to be considered. Typically, the inventors background, experience, interest and financial realities make the choice more obvious. It is usually good to have professional guidance when weighing appropriate strategies for harvesting income from a project.

A working model or a production quality prototype of the piece will be essential in researching manufacturing, costing production and for presentations. Do not cut corners here. Be as professional and thorough as possible in displaying the unique performance benefits and features of the product. You only get one chance to make a strong first impression.

A customized Business Plan or Offering Document will be crucial in successfully presenting the product for consideration. Decision-makers typically see many, many products each year. You need to stand out and that requires an exciting plan. Do not buy a Business Plan template off of the inter-net and fill in the blanks. It will not be read. Make the document as exciting as your product.

The steps reviewed above typically result in a thinning of the new product herd. In order to successfully place a service or product in this very aggressive, cluttered marketplace no shortcuts are tolerated. Inventors, entrepreneurs and small businesses are an amazing breed and a valued national asset. The wealth created and generated by this group of idea pioneers is the American economic difference maker. There has never been a greater time or place to launch that needed new product, and the rewards have never been greater.

Geoff Ficke is President of Duquesa Marketing, Inc. An international consulting firm, with over 30 years experience in creating customized strategies and business plans, product development and funding opportunities for entrepreneurs, inventors and small business expansion. Mr. Ficke is also a Senior Fellow at the Page Center for Entrepreneurial Study at the Miami University Business School, Oxford Ohio. Geoff Ficke can be reached at 859-442-5834 or through the company website, http://www.duquesamarketing.com

Rise of Entrepreneurship

The word ‘entrepreneur’ was derived from French words ‘entre’, which stands for ‘between’ and ‘prendre’, which means ‘to take’. The word was originally tagged to people who take on risk between the buyers and sellers or start a new venture (Barringer and Ireland, 2006). However, in the contemporary business, the essence of the entrepreneurial behaviour is identifying opportunities and putting useful ideas into practice. Therefore entrepreneurship can be defined as the process by which individuals pursue opportunities without regards to resources they currently control (Barringer and Ireland, 2006, p5).

In recent times entrepreneurship has attracted a lot of attention and is seen as an attractive career path, which has resulted into a barrage of literature and research into the subject of entrepreneurial behaviour (Papers4you.com, 2006). This is evident in the fact that Amazon.com holds nearly 5,800 books that deal with one or the other aspect of entrepreneurial behaviour (Barringer and Ireland, 2006). However, most of the literature is repetitive in nature describing the same personal qualities of passion for business, tenacity despite failure, execution intelligence etc. This coupled with a flurry of women entrepreneurs like Anita Roddick of the Body shop sometimes ends in a debate about women being better equipped with the qualities of being an entrepreneur. On the other hand, it is increasingly becoming apparent that while opening a business is easy, the real challenge is to keep the business open. This is evident in recent statistics provided by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) suggesting that 20% of the new firms in the US failed in the first year itself (Barringer and Ireland, 2006).

However, the significance of entrepreneurial activities to economic development is immense as the fundamental requirement for an entrepreneurial start up is a new and innovative business idea (Papers4you.com, 2006). Schumpeter was the first one to recognise that new technologies and products developed by the entrepreneurs will over the time make current technologies obsolete, terming is as ‘creative destruction’ (Welsch, 2005). The whole entrepreneurial process goes through a few common steps vis-เ-vis deciding to become an entrepreneur, developing a successful business idea by doing a feasibility analysis, industry analysis and coming up with an effective business model. After a business model has been drafted the next step would be to move from an idea to an entrepreneurial firm, which would include assembling firms initial management team, get a sound financial back and writing a business plan which would help draw the finances. The last and the final step would be to manage the firm to ensure sustained growth (Barringer and Ireland, 2006).

Entrepreneurship is hence a long journey through the steps mentioned above and requires skill and qualities to execute them successfully. However the belief that ‘entrepreneurs are born, not made’ is a myth and a through knowledge of the field would enable a smoother journey.

References

Barringer, B and Ireland, R. (2006). ‘Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures’. Prentice Hall, New Jersey.

Welsch, H. (2005). ‘Entrepreneurship: the war ahead’. Routledge, London.

Papers For You (2006) " P/B/604. Theories on entrepreneurial behaviour", Available from http://www.coursework4you.co.uk/sprtbus34.htm [18/06/2006]

Papers For You (2006) " P/B/423. What are the origins of entrepreneurial behaviour?", Available from http://www.coursework4you.co.uk/sprtbus34.htm [17/06/2006]

Copyright 2006 Verena Veneeva. Professional Writer working for http://www.coursework4you.co.uk

How Solving a Common Problem Can Lead to Fame and Wealth

The late 19th century was a time of massive cultural, commercial and lifestyle change in the United States and Western Europe. Industrialization was in full swing. Railroads were fully formed and providing speedier movement of people, goods and foodstuffs to consumers and businesses. Men such as Thomas Edison, John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie and J.P. Morgan were transforming commerce and innovation. This was a golden age of consumer product invention.

The opportunity to innovate in the areas of personal hygiene, comfort and safety were being aggressively addressed for the first time in history. The evolvement of a mass consumer marketplace was nascent. The confluence of this new mass market and a slew of new products to address perceived needs created a unique confluence of opportunities.

The daily chore of a man shaving facial hair was just such an opportunity. Today, when viewing the pictures and images of this age; we are amused by the highly stylized, gloriously cultivated facial hair seen on many male faces. The clean-shaven face is rarely seen. It would seem as if 1890’s men were striving to grow works of individualized art on their faces.

The reason so many men cultivated beards, moustaches and goatees was the difficulty inherent, at the time, in the process of shaving. Water was not always readily available to soften facial hair and lather soap. Warm water was even rarer. Most men, of even limited means, used the barber to trim facial hair. When shaving ones own beard a sharp, steel straight razor was essential. Straight razors needed to be regularly sharpened using a strop, and they had to be very sharp. Many men cut and infected themselves performing this simple act of personal hygiene. Shaving while travelling on a moving train was down right dangerous. The need to address this task was ready to be successfully commercialized.

Into this gaping void stumbled a socialist utopian dreamer named King Gillette. Gillette was considered an under achiever by his family. His father was a successful innovator and his mother wrote a famous cookbook, “The White House Cook Book”, which remained in print for almost 100 years. King Gillette had received several patents but failed in his efforts to commercialize any of them. He earned his sustenance from work as a travelling salesman. His failures embittered him and he became immersed in socialism and preached a type of anti-industrialism.

This most unlikely of capitalists, however, while working as a salesman for the Crown Cork and Seal Company was encouraged by his boss to continue to attempt to invent new products. Specifically, Gillette was encouraged to invent products that required subsequent, regular replacement purchases. His passion became the development of a shaving system that was safe, portable, efficient, cost effective and required the buyer to replace the implement on a regular basis.

King Gillette took his concept for a shaving device, which required an amalgam of metals and metallurgical technology, to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Working with engineers at this honored school enabled Gillette to perfect the elements of the safety razor. His patents indicate an appliance of elegant simplicity.

Gillette formed the American Safety Razor Company to market his invention. Initially, owing to limited capital and a high cost of production, sales were slow. As he analyzed the product, sales potential and the virtual absence of competition, Gillette made an inspired decision: he would sell the razors at a loss to encourage sales, use of the portable implement and accelerate word of mouth about his amazing razor. Sales expanded exponentially almost immediately and the Gillette Safety Razor became one of history’s most revered brand names. The term “loss leader” or losing money on the first sale to cement subsequent profits was born.

Gillette quickly realized that his real business was not selling the razors, but selling the blades. Almost immediately he began to give the razors away. To this day, purchasing a new Gillette shaving system includes a free or deeply discounted razor, thus insuring years of consistent, highly profitable repeat purchases of the blades. Product loyalty was insured.

The term “planned obsolescence” classically fits products like Gillette blades. In the 1890’s people threw virtually nothing away. Everything was used until the useful life of a product was thoroughly exhausted. The concept of a product being used and discarded in favor of a replacement unit was novel. It also was key to the evolution of a dynamic consumer product market place. We owe much to King Gillette and the business model he created. It serves us well to this day.

King Gillette was an unlikely capitalist. Even after he had earned millions from his inventions he hypocritically preached a strange anti-capitalist philosophy. However, he possessed all of the essential characteristics so necessary to be a successful entrepreneur. He had vision, drive and courage. Failure did not deter him. He sought and found a need. He addressed that need, driving down costs and prices to make his razors and blades affordable to the masses. He provided a simple solution to a basic human problem: shaving.

King Gillette’s lesson for all striving entrepreneurs is obvious. Innovation that addresses everyday problems through simple product benefits will always be in demand. Look around your home, hobby or workplace. This is where you will find potentially lucrative and important commercial opportunities.

For assistance or consultation on commercializing your opportunity or invention contact the author, Geoff Ficke, Duquesa Marketing, Inc. at www.duquesamarketing.com or email gficke@msn.com

Geoff Ficke has been a serial entrepreneur for almost 50 years. As a small boy, earning his spending money doing odd jobs in the neighborhood, he learned the value of selling himself, offering service and value for money.

After putting himself through the University of Kentucky (B.A. Broadcast Journalism, 1969) and serving in the United States Marine Corp, Mr. Ficke commenced a career in the cosmetic industry. After rising to National Sales Manager for Vidal Sassoon Hair Care at age 28, he then launched a number of ventures, including Rubigo Cosmetics, Parfums Pierre Wulff Paris, Le Bain Couture and Fashion Fragrance.

Geoff Ficke and his consulting firm, Duquesa Marketing, Inc. (http://www.duquesamarketing.com) has assisted businesses large and small, domestic and international, entrepreneurs, inventors and students in new product development, capital formation, licensing, marketing, sales and business plans and successful implementation of his customized strategies. He is a Senior Fellow at the Page Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Business School, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.

Selling Skills What Does A Salesperson Do Anyway

A salesperson’s responsibility can best be summarized by the following large responsibilities each requiring separate competencies:

1. Prospecting – a salesperson must always be identifying future users of the product or service and determining how they can benefit from the company’s offerings. The phrase that salespeople use is to maintain a steady pipeline of prospects that potentially can blossom into customers. Just like a gardener has to nurture planted seeds to see them bloom into flowers at some future point, so too must a salesperson be vigilant to always developing new leads or potential customers. Part of the prospecting effort is to not only identify potential companies that can use one’s product or service, but to also target the right person within that company to approach to make the sale. Trying to sell to the wrong person is destined to result in no or low interest because there is little reason for the person to want to make a purchase. For instance, you may have a software application to sell that tracks the speed and accuracy between order placement and order shipping. Trying to sell that to the Vice President of Human Resources will not often lead to a sale. While the Human Resources function is aware of how important that is to the overall success of the company, they are not empowered to buy that software and would have little reason to even entertain its purchase. At best, they may pass you off to another department that they identify as being a possible match for your product’s capabilities, but just as often, you will be shown the door and not have an introduction to the true user and decision-maker for software applications that address shipping accuracy and costs.

2. Sales Cycle Management – Once the right person has been identified within the prospect, it is now incumbent upon the salesperson to manage the sales cycle to ensure that the prospect receives the appropriate information necessary to make a “buy” decision. Whether that means product demonstrations, presentations, creation of prototypes, responding to questions, providing references, or other proofs; the salesperson must lead the prospect through the various decision criteria needed in order to secure a sale.

3. Account Management – It is an often told comment amongst businesspeople and salespeople specifically, but it is easier to sell to someone who has already bought from you than it is to find a new customer. As such, it is also the salesperson’s job to ensure that contact is retained with the customer post purchase to identify other opportunities either with the original contact person within the customer’s business, or with others within the customer’s company.

4. Administrative Functions – a salesperson also needs to track payment terms (and in some instances, is responsible for collecting payment from customers), ideas for new products or services based on discussions with customers, and track expenses incurred to complete the sale.

Selling is both an art and a science and incorporates many skills that must appear seamless if the customer is ever going to make a purchase from your company.

David Zahn is a two-time author addressing the issues of entrepreneurship and consulting ("How To Succeed As An Independent Consultant, 4th Ed." and "The Quntessential Guide To Using Consultants") as well as being a frequent interviewee and contributor to articles in publications like, "BusinessWeekOnline, Entrepreneur, BrandWeek, Training & Development, CTPostOnline, and others. For a free "business readiness assessment," please click on http://www.startupbuilder.com.

Opportunity and Innovation - The Power of Weird Thinking

“The Big Idea” that will make an entrepreneur successful is not obtainable by filling in the blanks on a magic invention template. Where do ‘The Big Ideas” come from? Why are some people able to develop exciting concepts and others, though constantly scheming, achieve nothing of value? How do serial inventors repeat success, again and again?

Entrepreneurs are born, not made. Thomas Edison performed over 1000 experiments before perfecting the electric light bulb. Think of that fact, and apply it to people in general. He failed 1000 times to get it right. How many people do we know that will keep trying to succeed at a task if they fail three times, five times, 12 times? We all know the answer, not many. Business school can not teach this kind of drive, determination, and dedication to a task.

Entrepreneurs and inventors are different. Successful entrepreneurs excel at commercializing opportunities. Inventors excel at creating. Not every inventor is an entrepreneur. Nevertheless, creating exciting new products is an art that is essential to entrepreneurial success. Many inventors employ others to commercialize their creations. Some entrepreneurs also have the ability to develop exciting new projects. There is simply not one silver bullet answer that defines the requisites for success.

There are, however, several traits that all original thinkers have in some fair amount. Thinking outside the box, pride in weirdness, seeing problems others miss, acceptance of failure and the Natty Bumppo halo are a few of the qualities we see in successful original thinkers.

Thinking Outside the Box
This has become almost a clich้. We see the term used in advertising and executives trying to spur creativity always are exhorting the team to think outside the box. This is difficult, impossible for most people, to actually do. They live in the box. They are risk averse. They fear failure. They certainly do not want to present an idea that others might laugh at!

For these and other reasons thinking outside the box is almost impossible in mature organizations, certainly any organization with an entrenched bureaucracy is not readily open to new ideas. This is one reason there is so much opportunity for entrepreneurs and small business to succeed.

Wal-Mart has re-engineered the logistics of retailing by designing order flow technology superior to every other retailer in the mass-market space. W.T Grant, Montgomery Ward and Woolworth were huge businesses before Wal-Mart existed. They did not think outside the box and allowed Wal-Mart to carve them up with better prices, selection and service.

Southwest Airlines was created as a low cost, fun alternative to the big established carriers. They have remained profitable and grown while American, United, Delta, USAir and Northwest stuck with the old business model and all suffer bleak futures as going concerns. Southwest standardized fleet equipment, have stayed non-union, hedge fuel contracts and only fly from cities where they identify huge opportunity to succeed at the expense of the national carriers saddled with excess overhead.

Estee Lauder is the recognized queen of the cosmetic world. She started in the 1950’s making a moisturizer in her home. The product was not accepted by a single department store. Finally, she asked the buyer at Pogue’s Department Store in Cincinnati, “why won’t you give me a chance”? The answer: “We already have plenty of moisturizers. Give us something different”. Mrs. Lauder did not give up. She reckoned that the product performance would not open the sales doors necessary to be her salvation. She designed a new marketing feature: the gift with purchase. Today every cosmetic brand uses the gift with purchase as the most successful sales tool in the history of the beauty industry. The leading brands of the 1950’s (Elizabeth Arden, Germain Monteil, Helena Rubenstein, Max Factor and Revlon) are all either out of business or greatly diminished while Estee Lauder is the largest fine cosmetic house in the world.

Ms Lauder, Sam Walton at Wal-Mart and Herb Kelleher at Southwest Airlines did not invent cosmetics, retailing or air travel. They did think outside of the box and create marvelous successful businesses. Ray Kroc did not invent the hamburger: he only created McDonalds standardization of quality assurance and a franchise system to deliver that benefit. Michael Dell did not invent the computer. He invented a way to customize each unit and eliminate the need to carry expensive inventory by pre-selling each unit before a component was assembled.

Pride in Weirdness

Who wishes to be thought of as weird? A very small portion of any population hopes to stand out by being weird in dress, body markings or other appearance feature. For the most part, people work very hard at being accepted as normal, in sync with their surroundings.

Entrepreneurs are generally average, normal in the way they talk, dress, recreate and live their personal lives. It is their thinking that is different, and this can be weird. They see things differently. The entrepreneur may divine a problem that others do not see or does not yet exist. They see answers before the rest of see needs.

Who needed the TV dinner before introduced by the Swanson family in the early 1950's? Most homes did not yet have television. Dinner was an American ritual. And yet, as television intruded on American life, our habits changed. Speed and convenience replaced ritual as pre-eminent product features sought by consumers. The TV dinner was the perfect example of a bit of weird thinking addressing a need that did not yet exist.

Inventors and entrepreneurs tend to take great pride in their iconoclastic thought processes. The mad scientist analogy can be a stretch but the results are often so amazingly offbeat that we must conclude that weird thinking might be a benefit.

Seeing Things Others Don’t!

Henry Ford did not invent the automobile. The Germans Daimler and Benz had perfected and harnessed the internal combustion 10 years before Ford. In the first two decades of the 20th century there were over 200 companies producing horseless carriages in the United States alone. Who remembers the Hupp Mobile? Does anyone pine for the Lansing? What did Ford see that the others did not?

Simply, Henry Ford recognized that the automobile would not achieve it’s potential as a conveyance until most of the public could afford to own one. He had to drive prices down. His success was in the process he created, not in the automobile itself. Standardization, scale, motion production lines, integration of component production and assembly were concepts none of the competition were pursuing.
This vision thing can be applied to almost every successful enterprise. The originator sees opportunity others either miss, or do not recognize as significant. Howard Schultz realized that in Europe people treated the coffee drinking experience in a completely different way than Americans. He took the quality standards of the successful franchise operations he studied, crafted an upscale position for coffee (actually, now latte, frappe, etc.) and founded Starbucks. He saw an opportunity that had not been commercialized, branded an experience, just not the invention of coffee drinking.

Acceptance of Failure

We all fear failure. Successful entrepreneurs, however, know that taking risk does not come with guarantees of success. They do not like failure. Failure is just part of the game. They get up and try again. The risk taking precedes the rewards for success. Smart entrepreneurs attempt to mitigate potential losses and failures. Serial entrepreneurs have an amazing nose for sorting out potential hurdles and deal killing situations.

Do Not Respond to “Prove It”!

Most new ideas are met with a heap of skepticism. Inventors and entrepreneurs often are asked to “Prove it’! You can not prove something until you try it, produce it, test it, or verify performance. Denial of funding or other needed assistance can not be contingent on proving performance of a theory. This is why having working, production quality prototypes is so vital.

Natty Bumppo’s Halo

When I was a boy (many moons ago) we read all of the James Fenimore Cooper classic pioneer novels. These were stories set in the pre-Revolutionary War era and the hero was the Deerslayer, the Pathfinder: Natty Bumppo. Natty was amazing. He was always in dire straits, surrounded, outnumbered and betrayed. Just when the reader thought Natty was a goner, he improvised. Utilizing his immediate surroundings, sunlight, ground cover, knowledge of animal traits, or dozens of other frontier skills that he had acquired he escaped and put things right.

I always called this the “halo effect”. Natty Bumppo was the first great improviser I came upon as a boy and he is an excellent model for creative, improvisational thinking today. He was an 18th century James Bond. He found answers and created successful strategies out of the available elements of his environment.

The successful inventors we work with in our consulting business are normal people. However, they have been able to improvise in an area of their life and create an opportunity. I am always amazed by this ability. The level and amount of creativity in the world is stunning. I wish there were more entrepreneurs (doer’s) than dreamers fronting projects and inventions.

Look at every aspect of your life and consider this a fertile area for creative improvisation. Work, faith, recreation, hobbies, and family are a few of the areas where each of us has some life experience in many areas. Passion about an area (hunting, golf, fund raising, wellness, exercise, education, etc.) is the most likely source for an inspiration.

I have seen a woman, just having experienced delivery of her first baby, successfully patent, develop and market a pain monitor for very late term contraction charting. She looked everywhere for an answer to this need and found nothing available for home use. She saw a need and acted.

A passionate game hunter was losing too many shots while in the stealth portion of the hunt. He was a big man and a bit noisy in the field. He designed an over boot to minimize, distort and muffle sound as he made his approach. This breaks up sound patterns that animals have come to associate with man: edge to the hunter.

We have seen firemen invent an elegantly simple method for putting out grease fires, the largest cause of fires in the home. Board games often come from families shared interests. A teacher brought us a combination game, teaching tool to coach children in proper nutrition habits and combat childhood obesity. A social worker has designed a simple, individualized, inexpensive, modular homeless shelter kit. A Little League baseball coach created a tremendous trainer for perfecting throwing fundamentals. A Christian Ministry has created a prayer club featuring blessed anointing oils as described in the Bible.

In short, people get ideas, innovations, new concepts and creative inspiration from anywhere and everywhere. However, it is far more likely that your idea will come from some area of your life’s experiences. You will more easily be able to recognize an opportunity and place a value on the idea if it comes from your areas of knowledge and interest. We have seen gourmet cooks invent a unique cooking utensil. It is very rare though to encounter a complete field jump, such as a high school English teacher, creating a new style of writing software code for military logistics integration.

Geoff Ficke has been a serial entrepreneur for almost 50 years. As a small boy, earning his spending money doing odd jobs in the neighborhood, he learned the value of selling himself, offering service and value for money.

After putting himself through the University of Kentucky (B.A. Broadcast Journalism, 1969) and serving in the United States Marine Corp, Mr. Ficke commenced a career in the cosmetic industry. After rising to National Sales Manager for Vidal Sassoon Hair Care at age 28, he then launched a number of ventures, including Rubigo Cosmetics, Parfums Pierre Wulff Paris, Le Bain Couture and Fashion Fragrance.

Mr. Ficke and his consulting firm, Duquesa Marketing, Inc. (http://www.duquesamarketing.com) has assisted businesses large and small, domestic and international, entrepreneurs, inventors and students in new product development, capital formation, licensing, marketing, sales and business plans and successful implementation of his customized strategies. He is a Senior Fellow at the Page Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Business School, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.

Entrepreneurial Inspiration Milton S. Hershey

Entrepreneurs often experience extreme highs and extreme lows. It is not uncommon for an entrepreneur to be sitting on top of the world one minute, but then feel like the sky is falling the next as market conditions rapidly change. For these entrepreneurs, it is always important to keep the big picture in mind. Likewise, it never hurts to have the experiences of other successful entrepreneurs in their minds to inspire them to persevere. This article discusses one such entrepreneur: Milton S. Hershey.

For four of his teenage years, from 1872 to 1876, Milton Hershey served as an apprentice to a Lancaster, PA candy maker. After his apprenticeship, Hershey decided to start his own candy business. Armed with an in-depth knowledge of the business, he worked on building his business for six years. Unfortunately, despite his hard work, the business failed.

Undeterred, Hershey moved to Denver, CO and found a job with a candy maker who taught him how to make caramels. A year later, he returned to the East Coast and launched a second candy business, focusing on caramels, in New York City. This business also failed.

Despite two failures in the candy business and on the brink of bankruptcy, Hershey was convinced he would eventually succeed. As such, he returned to Lancaster, PA and started another caramel business. This business was successful. But rather than continuing with caramels, Hershey become interested in chocolates and dedicated himself to learning about and inventing ways to manufacture chocolate. As a result, he sold his caramel company and launched Hershey Chocolate Company. Just over a century after launching the company, Hershey’s firm (now called The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY)) generates annual revenues in excess of $4 billion.

Milton S. Hershey was raised in rural central Pennsylvania and lacked a formal education. Despite this, and despite failing twice at the same business, Hershey maintained entrepreneurial passion, drive and perseverance. As history has shown, these factors were enough to transform Hershey from a failure to one of the great entrepreneurs in history.

Since its inception, Growthink Professional Business Plans has developed over 200 business plans. Growthink clients have collectively raised over $750 million in financing, launched numerous new product and service lines and gained competitive advantage and market share. Growthink has become the firm of choice for venture capital firms, angel investors, corporations and entrepreneurs in the know. For more information please visit http://www.growthink.com or visit our venture capital placement site at Venture Capital Banking.

Entrepreneurs - 9 Top Mistakes to Avoid

1. Isolating Yourself

When setting up a business, you can get so overwhelmed with the administration that you don’t focus on building up your network. Networks can provide a way to catapult your business forward through referrals, joint ventures, or providing industry knowledge. Networking does not need to be through formal events but can come in many forms. Even using websites to become aware of who and what is out there is useful. Giving time for self development and training activities to grow your skills, can be one area that is given a lower priority which can often lead to unwise decisions.

How may you take more time to mix with people who you think can contribute to your business?

How may you increase the priority given to grow your skills?

2. Not Having an Overall Marketing Strategy

Instead of developing a comprehensive plan that has been thought through and well researched, many entrepreneurs just dive in with a few good ideas, using a try and see approach. Often these ideas are not suited to your niche or business type, or it is the wrong timing for the stage of growth you are at. Working from the start and considering what you offer and to whom, your branding, differentiation and positioning can all be crucial steps to work through for success.

Have you a comprehensive plan that is constantly reviewed and improved?

3. Not Sticking With a Marketing Strategy

Many entrepreneurs try a few marketing strategies and when these strategies don’t work in the first few weeks or months, it is assumed this is the wrong strategy and something else is tried. Often the strategies have not been tried for long enough to fully see the benefit, or for the entrepreneur to become skilled enough to make the strategy successful. Focusing on two key strategies to market your business can really test whether these are right for you. Another mistake is to focus too much on passive marketing, such as websites, articles, ads, etc, and not enough on active marketing, such as presentations, workshops, networking, and referrals.

What percentage of time are you spending on passive and active marketing?

4. Not Leveraging Your Time

The trap that all entrepreneurs are faced with, once a business starts to grow, is that they can’t do everything. Many will keep the business small rather than recruit help, outsource or delegate. Leveraging is one key to successful growth. This is a skill you need to learn to become comfortable with in order to grow your business.

Are there tasks that you need to delegate to successfully grow your business?

What sort of people do you need to turn to for assistance?

5. Not Generating a List of Leads

On beginning a business, you are constantly meeting people. If a database is not started in some form, many of these contacts can be lost and the opportunity to market to them is wasted. Providing an opportunity for people to sign up to a regular newsletter can be a valuable tool to develop a relationship with prospects that may eventually be interested in buying your products or services. To get you started, excellent free ideas on developing successful marketing emails, and other useful marketing ideas, are available from the Ezine Queen, Alexandria Brown.

Do you have some system to collect leads and contacts?

If not, what would be the most appropriate system for you?

6. Not Having a System to Follow

Developing a system that is repetitive, simple and that works, is crucial for success. Many entrepreneurs have a number of different ways of operating, and do not record information that can help them determine what is a successful marketing method; or do not develop a system that will keep their time commitment to a minimum.

Do you have systems that you know will work for you?

7. Lacking Confidence

Believing in yourself is crucial to successful marketing and gives you the ability to put yourself out of your comfort zone and grow. Confidence in your product and yourself is infectious and attracts clients. Most people who are successful do not wait for success before they feel confident. They have confidence in themselves and their ideas first; and then the success follows.

Have you decided you are worth something, even if you have yet to prove it?

8. Taking on Any Job

Distractions and following secondary goals are some of the main ways you can sabotage your behaviour and not concentrate your efforts to make a difference. Often called the "Shiny Light Syndrome", it is easy to be sidetracked into accepting many opportunities that come your way, just because you have been asked. Some of these may not fit your niche, experience, or passion. The end result can often be a poor, halfhearted job that reduces the amount of quality time you can put into projects that more closely match some of the above criteria. Being clear on your niche, your values, and your strengths can help you avoid "Shiny Light Syndrome".

What projects have you been involved in that were a distraction from your primary goals?

How can you avoid this trend?

9. Selling Only One Product

Having a product funnel can be a key to obtaining a regular source of income. Many prospects will be reluctant to purchase a highly priced product first, but may be willing to build up to this, by purchasing several lower priced items that give them confidence in who you are and the quality of what you do. For example, if a coach only sells coaching. Success is far more likely if a coach starts by having a free ezine, then some low priced ebooks, or a subscription website; followed by higher priced products such as a course, manual, or group coaching programme; as well as the highest priced items, such as private coaching.

How wide is your product funnel?

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This article may be reproduced in its current form provided the following credit is included.

Jane Johnson is one of Melbourne's leading Women's Performance Coaches. She has worked with many solo entrepreneurs, small business owners and executives, to enhance their success in their chosen career or business; and improve their income levels. She has also helped many clients find more fulfilling work. Jane is author of the home study course “Finding your Life Purpose” and several ebooks. She also runs teleclasses and workshops in these areas.

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Entrepreneurs Ask As a Novice Entrepreneur, How Can I Feel Less Overwhelmed

Great question! Overwhelm is very common even among the most
veteran entrepreneurs, so take solace in the fact that you are not alone.
With the ever-increasing numbers of new entrepreneurial endeavors,
and therefore new entrepreneurs, there are many who are experiencing
the very same feelings as you.

So, Tool 1 is to Join or start a business-focused support
group. Napoleon Hill’s MasterMind Principle* has profoundly and
positively impacted business life. Success breeds success and
surrounding yourself with colleagues who are also on the
entrepreneurial path will propel you to heights you cannot even
imagine.

Each participant makes a commitment to himself as well as to the group,
meeting on a regular and frequent basis. The group dynamic is powerful
and will surely increase your confidence and diminish, or completely
eliminate, your feelings of being overwhelmed by the daunting volume
of details that require your attention. You will learn practical techniques
from fellow professionals that can be implemented immediately! You will
also come to understand that you’re not as bad off as your runaway
mind would have you believe.

That brings me to Tool 2 – YOU ARE NOT your feelings. If you
realize that your entire experience doesn’t have to be dictated by what
you feel in this moment, you release your hold of being in, and
remaining in, the state of overwhelm. Allow yourself to fully embrace that
“this too shall pass” and that your feelings aren’t in control of you, but
rather, although you “feel” overwhelmed, you are in control of your
feelings. This is true no matter how incompetent or inadequate you feel!

FEELING (or believing) SOMETHING DOESN’T MAKE IT TRUE! Think
about it. If your client FEELS (or believes) that you are a lousy business
person because their order arrived late, does this make it true? Maybe
the courier made a mistake. Maybe you were caught in an unexpected
rush that didn’t allow you to call your client as soon as you might have
otherwise. Maybe your CLIENT was having a bad day and nothing
would appease him/her even if the order arrived as promised.

The point is this - You get to decide what these feelings of being
overwhelmed mean to you, e.g. “I am completely overwhelmed and that
must mean that I am a total loser who doesn’t belong in business
because I am too inept to ever succeed” or “Even though I feel
overwhelmed, I am confident in my abilities and will learn the skills
necessary to feel less overwhelmed in the future.”

Tool 3 – Consult with a Coach, Business Consultant, or Advisor.
You will be amazed at the peace of mind you feel after making this
investment in yourself and the life of your business. After all, what is it
worth to regain your confidence and stability and get back to producing?

You may ask “How can I take the time to meet with an advisor if I am
already short time and long on tasks?” The answer is this: Because
taking the time to learn a new way of approaching business can SAVE
YOU TIME in the long-run. Working smarter is smart work, so go ahead
and schedule a one hour consultation with an expert!

There are times I prefer to consult in person and you may as well. If this
is the case, it will take more time than the actual session due to getting
ready, travel time, parking, etc. However, if your meeting is conducted
over the telephone, it is truly a one hour investment well worth every
minute and every dollar.

As your business grows to depend on more sophisticated systems, this
evolutionary process will require a fresh perspective. However, the more
involved you are in the day-to-day operations, you will notice that it is
difficult to bring an objective attitude and viewpoint. This is the perfect
time, yet again, to consult with a professional for their expertise.

Tool 4 – Establish simple, yet effective, systems that work for YOU. This is important. If you need help establishing a new system or
refining an existing process, hire a professional Virtual Assistant (VA),
professional organizer, or enlist the help of a willing and trusted friend or
family member. Then see how practical these systems/processes are for
you and the way you work. Modify them as necessary to ensure that you
are working as efficiently as possible. Something that works for your
colleague may not work for you in the same way it works for them, but
that doesn’t mean it doesn’t work. Some ideas take only a minor
adjustment to make them an excellent fit for your working style.

Tool 5 – Allow creative resolve to find you. Always keep your
ears and eyes open for solutions to your yet-unresolved business
situations. (I don’t call them “problems” because assigning that label
sets up a scenario that requires me to find a solution based solely on my
own experience and this always drains me of precious energy. I prefer
to set my intent on allowing resolve to find me!) This has happened to
me more times than I can remember. Picture a business discussion
about something completely unrelated and all-of-a-sudden, your
thoughts go to how the information could be modified and applied to fix
your current situation!

Tool 6 – Prioritize daily tasks. A daily to-do list may seem like a
haunting reminder of everything that needs to get done, but if you make
this a part of your everyday routine, it makes prioritizing effortless. And
you don’t have to depend on your memory! Once a task has been
added to your list, you have just freed your mind-space for something
else.

The first 15 minutes of each day is spent creating a to-do list and
prioritizing each item based on the estimated time to complete,
importance, and the best investment of time and energy based on other
demands on time for that particular day (meetings, travel, long-term
projects, etc.). It feels great to cross off items as each is completed and
visually you will be reassured that you are indeed moving forward and
accomplishing!

Tool 7 – Delegate, delegate, delegate! Delegating tasks frees
you to focus your energy where it needs to be—on generating revenue
and growing your business!

As soon as you begin to feel overwhelmed, make a list of the jobs from
your daily task list that can be delegated to competent hands and
transfer ownership so you can focus on the aspects of business that truly
require your personal attention.

Getting to the place where you are deeply overwhelmed can cause
paralysis. Integrating these seven tools into your regular business
routine will prevent overwhelm, but if you find yourself in the midst of it
as many of us do on occasion, ASSESS IT and ADDRESS IT before
overwhelm gets the best of you and becomes a bigger issue!

* A MasterMind group is a unique group of people utilizing the
MasterMind principles for achieving business and personal goals.
MasterMind groups are held in-person and by telephone.

MasterMind Power

Power is essential for success and achievement of one's goals. Plans
are of no value without sufficient power to translate them into action.
Power refers to the organized effort sufficient to manifest one's desires;
Organized effort is created through the MasterMind.

MasterMind power is defined as follows: "No two minds ever come
together without, thereby, creating a third invisible, intangible force
which may be likened to a third mind." The human mind is a form of
energy, a part of it being spiritual in nature. When the minds of two
people are coordinated in a spirit of harmony, the spiritual units of
energy of each mind form an affinity, which constitutes the power of the
MasterMind.

MasterMind Process

The process of MasterMinding may be likened to the act of one who
connects many batteries to a single transmission wire, thereby 'stepping
up' the power flowing over that line. Each mind, through the principle of
mind chemistry, stimulates all the other minds in the group, until the
mind energy becomes so great that it penetrates to, and connects with,
the universal energy, which in turn, touches every atom of the entire
universe. A MasterMind may be created through the bringing together in
a spirit of perfect harmony, two or more minds. Out of this harmonious
blending of the chemistry of the minds creates a third mind, which may
be appropriated and used by one or all of the individual minds. This
MasterMind will remain available as long as the friendly, harmonious
alliance between the individual minds exists.

MasterMind Principles

We live in an awesome, wondrous, orderly universe; the laws of which
are carried out with exquisite precision. The MasterMind is the Power
Source that created and directs this incredible universe.

Every person is a personalized expression of the MasterMind, and
therefore has the innate ability to tap into its power, genius and wisdom.
The MasterMind steps are a scientific method of focusing the power of
thought for the specific purpose of establishing a direct connection with
the MasterMind. As a result, thousands of people have demonstrated
dramatic, positive changes in their lives, and have experienced happy,
successful lives.

Through the MasterMind process, you combine your own strength with
that of at least one other person, as well as that of the MasterMind. This
principle is based on the premise that the combined energies of two or
more like-minded individuals are many more times greater than the sum
of the individual energies involved. Happiness is found in lending,
doing, helping other members in your group achieve their goals, not
merely possessing the information about goal achieving. The "WIN-WIN"
attitude is key to a successful Master Mind group: If I help you win, I win,
too. The MasterMind principles also teach that other like-minded
individuals can believe for you, and accept as true for you, things you
may find difficult to conceive or believe for yourself.

Adapted from Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon

Muse works™ ฉ 2005 All rights reserved.

Charlon Bobo is a
Professional Virtual Assistant and the Founder and Creative Director of
Muse works™, a dynamic trend-setting Virtual Assistant enterprise in
Southern California that caters to the niche needs of entrepreneurs in
the handmade beauty industry.

To learn more about Muse works™,
please visit Muse works™ and
Muse works™ Blog.

You may contact Charlon at 805.405.4944 and via e-mail at
charlon@museworks.org.

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contained herein remains intact.

Case Study SmartPak's Smarter Team Improves Innovation and Sales

How did Paal Gisholt, a self-described “notable nonrider” of horses, create a business which, over the course of only seven years, reinvented how horses and other animals are given supplements? It helped that Gisholt studied business at Harvard and that he brought experience in running a successful enterprise from his time as a partner in a Boston-based venture capital firm. His secret weapon, though, was his wife, Becky Minard.

Also Harvard educated, Minard had been riding and caring for horses since she was 10 years old. In the late 1990s, she began researching through her network of horse-owning friends the triumphs and pitfalls of ensuring correct horse supplement feeding, and discovered there were many more pitfalls than triumphs. These included the sheer amount of time involved in dispensing as well as barn staff shift changes, which often complicated feedings. A personal interest drove Minard to find a better solution. “Becky was frustrated that her own horse was not getting the proper vitamin supplement he needed every day to keep a degenerative eye condition in check,” Gisholt says.

Then came the “light bulb” moment. “She said, ‘I wish somebody would create a custom TV dinner for my horse with the right nutrients and ingredients that he needs and ship it to me automatically each month,’” Gisholt recalls. With this thought a viable business plan was born. Gisholt and Minard raised the initial capital to start SmartPak Equine in 1999 with the help of friends and horse lovers and ran the business out of their home. By 2003, the company had relocated to a traditional office facility, it was shipping more than a million wells of supplements, known as SmartPaks, each month and it had attracted customers in all 50 states. By the time Gisholt was nominated as a 2006 Best Boss (he was one of 18 winners [link]), his staff had grown to 70 and revenues reached $23 million – a 50 percent increase over the previous year.

In the first few years of the business, the blessings of horse supplement manufacturers to repackage and sell their product, along with the endorsement of notable horse riders, helped change horse owners’ perceptions of supplement feeding and sell SmartPaks. However, it soon became clear to Gisholt that a properly trained staff would push sales over the top. “We give our employees extensive training in our products and the way our [order-fulfillment] systems work, as well as training in horse nutrition,” Gisholt says. This not only makes his staff more effective consultants when it comes to handling customer inquiries, it better equips them for careers in the equine industry.

This career-oriented focus on training is abundantly clear in the customer service area. Jessica Normand supervises a staff of 16 and raves about the insight her staff receives through a combination of in-house training and a yearly package of web seminars the company purchases from a local resource, The Call Center School. Yet, despite the fact that staff receives online assistance on topics like “First Class Phone Manners” and “Tyrant Turnaround,” problems can still occur. Normand says the most common one is employees not being as confident as they should be on the phone. Additional training on mock calls, where staff call into the call center, as well as quizzes and role playing help alleviate this and other issues. “We’re small enough that we can cater the situation to what a person is struggling with,” Normand says.

According to Gisholt, however, smallness may soon be a thing of the past. While SmartPak’s revenues have more than doubled in the past two years, the staff has also doubled, from 35 to 70. This led a group of employees who had been with the company from the start to come to Gisholt with the notion of putting together a program that would help retain the small-feeling work culture by recognizing employees quarterly for working above and beyond – for instance, taking on a task outside of their job responsibilities or department. This “by and for employees” recognition program was coined the SMARTER (Speed, Maniacal customer focus, Analysis, Risk-taking, Teamwork, Execution and Respect) Award.

Production Manager Kevin Wilson, who tracks SmartPak orders for fulfillment and shipping, is on the SMARTER Awards selection committee. “Anybody can nominate anybody,” he says. “They then have to back it up, either in an e-mail or in a written explanation.” What does he and the selection committee, which includes Gisholt, look for in nominated employees? “We love numbers and particular incidences,” he says. After a vote, which Wilson says is usually unanimous, the committee visits the winning employee in unannounced, Publisher’s Clearinghouse fashion, complete with balloons, a ribbon, a plaque that lists the nominating employee and why the winner was chosen and a monetary gift.

Wilson says the SMARTER Awards help improve the morale and productivity of not just the nominating and winning employees, but the whole staff. “People know that if they go outside of their area of responsibility or really rise to the occasion, it’s not going to be overlooked.” He says that even if someone isn’t honored in a particular quarter, Gisholt and the management team are still taking notes for future quarterly award ceremonies.

SmartPak the product was aptly named: The custom-delivered supplements represent the evolution of horse and small animal nutritional care. Yet, even though it was named after its innovative product, SmartPak the company’s title is also apt. Gisholt’s employees are given the training, resources and, most importantly, the leadership’s encouragement to work, more often than not, smarter instead of just harder.

Winning Workplaces' goal is to provide small and midsize employers with proven, practical, and affordable people practices. Too often, the information and resources needed to create a high-performance workplace are out of reach for all but the largest organizations. Winning Workplaces is changing that by offering employers affordable consulting, training and information. We help employers assess needs and develop strategies to improve their workplace practices.

For more information, please contact us at: http://www.winningworkplaces.org

Motivation and Commitment

Why do people start small businesses? The most frequently cited motivation for business start-ups is to allow the entrepreneur to achieve independence; money is secondary. Is this surprising? The other reasons named most often are that an opportunity presented itself, a person took over the family business, or the person simply wanted to be an entrepreneur. Identify your motivation.

For context, what reasons might people offer for joining a large corporation? For choosing a government career? A union job? Certainly, many people desire security, fringe benefits, and a predictable career “trajectory.”

What kinds of people start businesses? Their skills are seldom different from those of people who succeed at working for others. The more successful entrepreneurs tend to be proactive, assertive, and highly observant. They are efficient, quality-conscious, and good at planning and procedures. As business operators, they are committed to "partnership" with employees, customers, suppliers, and their community. Would these skills or personality traits lead to success at any professional pursuit?

Most entrepreneurs value control, freedom, flexibility; and self-reliance. They generally desire responsibility and personal fulfillment. Most entrepreneurs are not "gamblers;" they have a preference for moderate risk (What is the largest financial risk that you would consider moderate?). They are always searching for opportunities, and willing to pursue some.

These are merely general characteristics. How might we apply them to our own fitness for, and commitment to, the entrepreneurial lifestyle? We need to ask ourselves some tough questions:

Do I really want to start or own a business? What are my real reasons for considering going into business? The motivation must be strong enough to sustain you when the excitement of the startup has passed, and the everyday grind begins.

Is there a product or service that fits my talents or desires? How should I address the opportunity? About 65% of new businesses are startups, 30% purchases of existing businesses, with the remainder inherited, promoted or otherwise brought into ownership. About 11% of the businesses operate under a franchise name.

Am I ready yet? Why do you think so many new business founders are in their 30s? Perhaps it is because they have enough experience to be confident, yet are still flexible enough to take some risk. Do you think entrepreneurs are born (demanding parents, ethnic tradition) or made? Is it for you? If so, identify what additional skills or knowledge would increase your readiness.

For women and minorities, there are additional considerations relevant to their chances of success. Do they have to be "better" to make it, or is entrepreneurship the only true meritocracy? Is any disadvantage only at startup?

Do I have an adequate support structure? If you have a spouse, or are relying on some other form of family support, make sure that they understand the sacrifices involved and the pressures these will put on relationships.

Can I place developing this business over other interests and goals for the foreseeable future? Am I willing to take on the personal demands of entrepreneurship? For example, can I work a full day as an employee of another firm, then work at my coffee shop evenings and weekends until it can support me full-time? There is more to life than work, and maintaining a balanced and healthy lifestyle can be a challenge for the self-employed.

Can I muster the resources to make the venture a success? Do I respond well to continuous pressure? Once I make the venture a full-time pursuit, can I live without a regular paycheck, a predictable work schedule, and for a while without vacations and other benefits? Even after startup, business concerns seldom end when you lock the door at closing time. Am I prepared for the possibility that I might lose my money and property, and damage my health and self-respect?

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, only those that best reflect your feelings on these issues. Similarly, if your feelings indicate that you should not take the entrepreneurial path, it is certainly not a sign of weakness or any other sort of deficiency. It is more likely a decision that reflects the best life-work balance for you.

John B. Vinturella, Ph.D. has almost 40 years experience as a management and strategic consultant, entrepreneur, author, and college professor. For 20 of those years, Dr. Vinturella was owner/president of a distribution company that he founded. He is a principal in business opportunity sites jbv.com and muddledconcept.com, and maintains business and political blogs.

The First Step To Realizing Your Ebusiness Dream

Malcolm S. Forbes spoke directly to the entrepreneurial heart when he stated, "The biggest mistake people make in life is not
making a living at doing what they most enjoy." A passionate commitment to pursue one's interests builds the foundation of so many small businesses. No matter how resolute business owners are in achieving success, Forbes and many entrepreneurs have failed to realize that passion alone will not produce a thriving company. Many have turned to the Internet and e-businesses as their first step towards independence.

The Internet has matured since the 1990's. It has grown and evolved into a mecca of self-employment possibilities for anyone willing to add a little elbow grease. Along with all the positives of this new Internet era came a boat load of new business hopefuls. These newcomers wanted the opportunity to follow their passion with minimal financial risk. The downfall of most e-business entrepreneurs is, without a shadow of doubt, the infamous GRQ- Get Rich Quick scam.

Successful e-business owners quickly realized that buying a domain and seasoning it with flashy banners and products did not guarantee anything except the likelihood of failure. These business leaders learned that to build a solid e-business, they would need the support of a company that could understand their fragile positions. They needed a company that would provide all the necessary technical tools for Internet success, but without all the technical headaches.

"I never would have believed that I could create the Internet business that I did. I wake up every morning and pinch myself. I pursued my passions and was rewarded with more than money," states Lynn VanDyke, owner of strength-training-woman.com.

"I knew everything there was to know about my industry, but I was absolutely clueless about technology and building a net-business. I researched for years and finally decided to take the plunge with a company I felt could support my technical lack-of-experience."

VanDyke found the same secret sauce of self-employment that so many others had discovered. It is renowned for its tagline- "e-commerce for the rest of us."

SiteSell is the golden jewel of successful e-businesses. The company has produced more than thriving entrepreneurs. With its vast array of tools and resources, SiteSell has created a legion of raving fans.

VanDyke has devoted a page in her site for hopeful entrepreneurs. Any interested readers may visit http://strength-training-woman.com/sitesell-ebooks.html and pick up their very own copy of SiteSell's free ebooks.

Malcolm S. Forbes was a visionary. He was able to relate the primal human interests of leadership and self-direction with the need to fuel innate passions. Forbes and successful entrepreneurs realize that every powerful business owner utilizes the absolute best tools for the job.

Lynn VanDyke is the proud owner of http://strength-training-woman.com Her time is spent educating the public about fitness and operating a network of self-employed business owners.

From Astronauts to Entrepreneurs

What do you want to be when you grow up? This is a question that everyone has been asked at some point in their life. If you were asked as a child, you most likely responded with, “a fireman, astronaut, or cowboy.” After a few years, you realized there were not many companies looking to fill their cowboy position. You figured out that you had to be good at math to be an astronaut, and you were no longer crazy about the whole “fire thing.”

Then, along the way, you probably settled for a cubicle and a job that you did not even know existed when you were a kid. You might be a “yes-man.” You might play solitaire when no one is looking. You probably even punch a time clock when you walk in the door. Astronauts don’t have a time clock or a cubicle.

The point of this article is not to discuss the finer points of being an astronaut or a cowboy. However, many of us have given up our freedom and our dreams for a job that pays the bills. One compromise led to another, and finally where we are today, is nowhere near where we had envisioned. Millions of Americans have found a way out. No, there is not an overnight solution. You most likely will not become wealthy beyond your wildest dreams in a week. But for those who are willing to work and take a chance, there is another way.

An entrepreneur is defined as a person who undertakes and operates a new venture, and assumes some accountability for the inherent risks. Many people believe that being an entrepreneur requires a great deal of money from the beginning. This is a very large misconception. Many people believe that you have to have a new invention or idea to get started. “Everything has already been invented,” is a common attitude. You don’t have to be Bill Gates or Donald Trump to be an entrepreneur. There are multiple opportunities that present themselves to us everyday. Opportunities never go away, they simply go to somebody else.

A number of years ago, there was a man who ran a general store in a very rural community in Arkansas. Every few weeks, the man would drive his pickup to a neighboring town to visit a coal mine. Once he was there he would load up the back of his truck with bags of coal and drive back home. He did this for a few years and he sold the coal in his general store.

Then one day he pulled up to the coal mine and the foreman of the mine stopped him. “I’m sorry sir, we only sell to big companies now. You are too small to buy coal from us. It’s not worth our time.” The man got back in his truck and went home. A few years later, the man’s business had grown quite considerably. He received a letter from the foreman of the coal mine who had shunned him. It read,

“Dear Mr. Walton, would you please buy coal from us again?”
Sam Walton wrote back, “I’m sorry sir, we only buy from big companies now. You are too small to sell to us. It’s not worth our time.”
Have you ever thrown away a golden opportunity like the foreman? The chances are you pass by opportunities every day that could provide for you beyond your wildest dreams. The difference between Sam Walton and the foreman is that he could see things before they happen. The foreman was only concerned with the here and now. If he would only have positioned himself in the right way, he could have been extremely successful.



The only difference between successful and unsuccessful people is positioning. Hard work is not the only ingredient in becoming financially independent. Wealthy people saw a trend before it happened, and positioned themselves accordingly. They do not necessarily work harder, but they work smarter.



According to Robert Kiyosaki, 95% of Americans share 5% of the money. That leaves 5% of the population to split up 95% of the wealth! As an employee, you will never become financially independent. Trading time for money has never made someone wealthy. Yes there are jobs that pay extremely well, but even doctors and lawyers don’t make anything when they go on vacation. The key is to take a chance and do something out of the ordinary. Working for money is the best way to become broke. The only way to succeed is to have your money work for you.



Let’s say that one Friday after work, you can’t wait to get home. You walk out the front door of your office and in front of you sits a brand new $80,000 Mercedes. Your boss is sitting in the driver’s seat and says, “Hop in and I’ll take you for a spin.” So you jump in and your boss shows you how amazing the car is. He shows you the DVD player, the navigation system, and all the other bells and whistles. After a few minutes of driving, he pulls over to the side of the road in front of an amazing house. A mother and her kids are outside swimming in the pool. “Look at that house,” says your boss.
“Yeah, that’s pretty nice,” you say.
“See the big yard and tennis court in the back,” he says.
“Yeah, that’s great, so what?” you respond.
“Just look how big that house is, and see that concrete in the back? That’s a helicopter landing pad.”
“Yeah, so what?” you reply.
“If you will stay committed to my company and work extremely hard for the next 40 years, all these things that you see today…can be mine.”

Don’t get stuck in a 9 to 5 job for the rest of your life. Take a chance, and make something special. You might not succeed at first, but nothing good comes easily. There are many ways to achieve financial independence in this world, but whatever you do, don’t let an opportunity pass you by.

Luke Arthur has a bachelor of science in business and has been involved in several successful business ventures. To get out of the 9 to 5 rut in your life, contact Luke at lja_14@hotmail.com Or you can visit his website at http://www.fhtm.ws/lukearthur

Micro Entrepreneurs

Micro entrepreneurs are the owners of small businesses that have fewer than five employees and have startup costs of less than $35,000 and annual revenue of less than $100,000. There are nearly 21.5 million micro entrepreneurs in the U.S. Examples of micro entrepreneurs are owners of bakeries, beauty parlors, child care facilities, repair shops, arts and crafts shops, painting businesses, contracting businesses, family-owned shops, auto body shops, small-scale restaurants, and small-inventory trading businesses.

Micro entrepreneurs face many hurdles in getting startup financing, and they sometimes lack the skills necessary to manage the financial aspect of their business. As a result, many micro entrepreneurs cannot grow and develop their business beyond a micro enterprise. Various micro enterprise development programs have helped micro entrepreneurs achieve great success and growth. These micro enterprise development programs have immensely helped micro entrepreneurs who lack collateral needed to secure a loan or those who have low or no credit by providing them with training, support, help in developing a solid business plan, and assistance in building their businesses. Successful micro entrepreneurs have contributed much to society by creating wealth, economic assets, and jobs.

How To Become A Micro Entrepreneur

It is essential to study the market thoroughly and understand that market’s customers before deciding on the type and kind of product or service to be offered.

Here are some suggestions:

Work out a sound business plan by doing extensive research and seeking help from the various micro enterprise development programs.

Make arrangements for the startup capital by using savings, opting for a micro loan program, or applying for a grant.

Do extensive market research, get the necessary training and skills required, and learn how to use technology to help run your business easily.

Study the competition and analyze how you can better them.

Get a good retail space to run your business as well as decide on the price, making sure it is right and has a profit margin; decide how to utilize the profit, whether you want to save it or reinvest and expand your micro business.

Make sure that the quality of the product is never compromised and that your customers are happy, ensuring customer retention.

Assistance for Micro Entrepreneurs

Micro entrepreneurs in the U.S. are in need of training and skill development workshops as well as help in utilizing technology to help run their business. Some micro entrepreneurs need access to easily available funds for startup and growth. In order to encourage more people to become micro entrepreneurs, state, federal, and private sectors should make available ample funding for such enterprises.

With a little effort, you can find firms that sell their services as well as products to help run successful businesses. You can even seek professional help to arrange business credit for micro enterprises.

Alexander Gordon is a writer for http://www.smallbusinessconsulting.com - The Small Business Consulting Community. Sign-up for the free success steps newsletter and get our booklet valued at $24.95 for free as a special bonus. The newsletter provides daily strategies on starting and significantly growing a business.

Business Owners all across the country are joining "The Community of Small Business Owners” to receive and provide strategies, insight, tips, support and more on starting, managing, growing, and selling their businesses. As a member, you will have access to true Millionaire Business Owners who will provide strategies and tips from their real-life experiences.

Goal-Setting for Entrepreneurs - SMART Goals

Most entrepreneurs would not want to meet me at a party.

Here are just a few of the questions I'd hit you with:

What's your business? How are you different from your competitors? Where do you find your customers? Advertising, word-of-mouth, a referral system, joint ventures? Do you have a back-end? How much do you want to earn? By when? Are you making progress? How do you know? Is what you want to accomplish even possible?

Why am I grilling you with all these questions? Let me explain with an example.

Let's say your goal is to make more money. Okay, then here's how: Close your business today so you don't make any sales. Open your business tomorrow and make one sale for $1.

Goal achieved, right? Technically, yes. But that's not really what you meant by making more money, is it?

Before you can ever hope to accomplish your business goals, you must know in detail what those goals are in the first place.

S.M.A.R.T. Goals for Entrepreneurs

The S.M.A.R.T. goal-setting technique is popular because of its simplicity and power. Clarify your goals according to the following criteria:

Specific

Measurable

Achievable

Results-oriented

Time-bound

Let's give it a try with the goal of "making more money."

Specific: How much more? Do you mean revenue, profit, or net worth? From new customers or existing customers? At the initial point of purchase or on the back-end? In a windfall or over time?

Measurable: How will you track your progress? Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly? By dollar increase or percentage increase?

Achievable: How big is this challenge for you? Have you ever done anything like it before? Has anyone else? Yes, there's always someone who's first, and you may be that person, but make sure you know that's the kind of goal you're setting before you get started.

Results-oriented: Why do you want more money? Do you want to buy a new house? Expand your business? Go on vacation? Feel more peaceful and secure? Take more time off?

Time-bound: By what date?

Vague goal: Make more money.

SMART Goal: Increase revenue from consulting by 50% this quarter (compared to the same quarter last year). Do this by asking for 3 referrals from each customer at the point of sale, and contacting those referrals by phone within 2 business days.

It's important to note that with any goal, the details will change as you progress. Goal setting is not about stubbornness. It's about clarity. The more clarity you have from the very start, the more you can invite new opportunities into the process. Those opportunities can be measured against the original plan and explored (or not) as a conscious choice. And greater choice leads to a feeling of empowerment.

Entrepreneurs who learn to use the SMART goal-setting strategy will earn more money and grow their businesses faster than their competition.

Copyright 2006 Curtis G. Schmitt

About the Author:

Curtis G. Schmitt invites you to learn the 5 Master Keys to Effective Time Management and Planning in a teleclass people are calling a "life-saver," "powerful," and "inspirational"! When you apply these 5 master keys, you'll progress faster and feel more fulfilled in all areas of your life. Register for this teleclass today: www.TurnOnToLife.com

Making Lemonade Starting a Business After Ending a Career

What do you do when the money tree starts sprouting lemons?

It’s increasingly common these days to find middle-aged, mid-level managers suddenly faced with huge shifts of circumstance. Down-sizing, bubble-bursting, plant-closing, and consolidating are just some of the forces creating a class of sudden solo-preneurs.

At 50-something you face particularly difficult job-hunting challenges. Your salary range is high. Your network is decent after so many years, but jobs at your level are few. You’ve been there, done that, and thought you were finished with all that new trick-learning.

A big upset like job loss can provide a shift of perspective-- an opportunity to take stock. What is really important? What do you want to pursue at this point in your life? Is being your own boss the way to go?

I spoke with several silverbacks to share their wisdom gleaned from these life changes with a new member of the pack.

Dean turned 50 in January of 2005. In May he was fired from his position as marketing director of a high-tech firm. He’s angry at the ease with which an employer could let him go.

“Control is a big issue for me. Do I really want to have someone tell what, where, and how? It seems like I work a lot but don’t reap the benefits. If I were on my own I’d have all the benefits and all the risks.”

Dean is deciding whether to find another job with the security of a regular paycheck and benefits, or start his own business. He finds information on the internet helpful but wishes there was a Big Brother-like program pairing people and businesses to help him sort through the options.

Carl was 51 when the ordinance plant where he was safety manager closed its doors.

“I had a lot of friends in the business. I could have easily picked up another job but I would have had to relocate halfway across the country. I didn’t want to do that.”

Bob was an engineer whose position was eliminated after 23 years with the firm. This sent him into a deep depression that lasted for months.

“I couldn’t even drive.”

With the help of his psychiatrist, Bob recognized what was most important in his life—his wife, his son, and his lifelong hobby, bird-watching.

“My doctor told me to go bird-watching every day. While out there on the wetlands I had a vision. I couldn’t go back to the corporate life.”

It takes a lot of stamina and belief in yourself to move ahead with plans for a business. Carl spoke of his state of mind at the time:

“I wasn’t frightened. I’m a survivor. I screwed up when I was younger— went bankrupt, lost a lot of material things. One good thing about failing is that it gets you over that fear of failure. You learn from your mistakes.”

Both men did a lot of research, internal and external. Bob determined that he loved birds, kids, nature, education, photography, and the environment. Anything he pursued needed to involve those. Once he was clear on the essentials the how-to landed in Bob’s lap.

“I saw an ad in a magazine to call for franchise information. My mind immediately took off with the possibilities. I began looking at retail spaces thinking ‘I wonder how that location would work?’ I saw the ad on a Saturday. That Tuesday I called the company. On Thursday I had the package and on the following Tuesday they had it back.”

Carl was taking his time, looking at options. His values included a love of people and a desire to create a positive environment.
His plans started with casual conversation.

“My buddies owned this building. There had been a restaurant there years ago but it had been mismanaged. And somehow the idea of starting another one came up. At first we were clowning around, yucking it up over a few beers, but then we started getting more serious.

Bob made use of the infant, but still helpful internet of 1995. Carl used lower tech methods to estimate his market.

I spent 15 days from 4:00 am to 11:00 am counting cars at that intersection. I figured if we could get a big enough percentage of them to stop we’d be in business.

Bob used a book called, The Insider’s Guide to Franchising [Webster, B. 1986 Amacom, New York] to help him review his offer. Carl was mentored by a successful friend in the restaurant business who helped him think things through. They developed their business plans and opened their doors.

The first year was tough for both businesses. Miscalculations and errors sent both owners reeling.

At first Carl knew nothing about preparing and serving food.

“The restaurant was overstaffed and overpaid. I felt held hostage by the people who worked for me. Things were pretty shaky there for awhile. Some days I wondered if we could open the doors.”

Bob got overwhelmed with paperwork and screwed up his accounting records.

“Plus I went crazy at Vendormart. I bought four times as much inventory as I should have. Nowadays the franchise pairs successful stores and newbies so that doesn’t happen, but those safeguards weren’t in place back then.”

In September Bob’s store will celebrate its tenth anniversary. It has been recognized three times among the Top 30 Most-Improved stores. In February and June of this year his store was number 2 out of 320 in overall sales.

Carl was advised that he’d know if the restaurant would make it within four years. It was clear after three that they’d be fine. Today after seven years they’re looking to expand.

“We’re not getting rich but we’re self-supporting, and the relationships are priceless.”

What advice do they have in hindsight for Dean and others like him?

Bob says, “Find what you love and create your opportunity. Be willing to change—be retooled. Don’t get stuck in a rut. And you gotta have another source of income when you’re starting.”

Carl adds, “We grossly underestimated the working capital we’d need. And if I had it to do over I’d own the building. There are improvements I’d like to make but I’m restricted by the landlord.”

So back to Dean, who’s looking at buying an existing restaurant business, if he doesn’t decide to return to marketing. Where do you want to be in a year? What will you say when I check back with you?

“I made the right choice. I’m doing exactly what I should and I’m excited about it.

Liz Sumner, M.A., CPC, of Find Your Way Coaching specializes in mid-life reassessment. Are you happy with your direction? Do you feel good about yourself? Are you fearless? Joyful? Energized? You could be. Visit http://www.findyourwaycoaching.com or call 603-876-3956 for more information.

Marketing Events 7 Keys to Timing

Determining the "best" time to do a particular marketing event or run a promotion is a decision fraught with indecision, incomplete information, and a fair amount of hoping that the winds of fate don't conspire against you.

One easy way to tip the scales in your favor is to "calendarize" your marketing events against known holidays, events, celebrations, etc.

By taking the time to evaluate major events and activities, you can plan marketing activities to exploit these targets of opportunity. You can also prevent your marketing from conflicting with other activities that might compromise their efficacy. A good annual marketing calendar helps coordinate your overall marketing strategy. It helps you determine when to implement your advertising and other promotions and often helps you determine your marketing priorities. Understanding your annual calendar can be dynamite when planning media releases and media events.

What can happen if you don't do a calendar? You can bump against scenarios like having a reception on the night of the Academy Awards television show and have very few people attend, and of those that attend, a good portion may not be your real "target" audience. This is the type of conflict that can be avoided if you know your target audience, have factored in their interests and have scheduled events or advertising or other marketing efforts for a time and place where they will see it and be receptive to it.

It is highly advisable that you "block out" your annual calendar with dates, events, occasions that are either vital to be seen during, or times when you wish to avoid marketing efforts before you commit to your marketing strategy. Trying to market a new organic suntan lotion to Minneapolis residents in February would be an obvious mistake! By using a calendar and blocking out dates, it will allow you to generate a marketing plan that takes advantage of key events during the year.

What should you consider putting on your calendar:

1) Personal Schedule. Think about what is happening in your personal life that might impact your overall marketing and advertising strategy. Here are some examples:

Vacations

Medical procedures scheduled

Family commitments

2) External Events. There are lots of things going on in the world that could impact your business. There are many events that you can plan for or around (such as the Super Bowl, Academy Awards presentations, etc.) Here are some examples to consider:

Major elections

Major sporting events

Major TV events (e.g. Award shows)

Local community or city celebrations and events

Local expos, balls, social activities

3) Seasonal cycles. Many businesses are sensitive to seasonal or industry cycles. The sensitivity of the suntan lotion to the weather is a great example. Obviously, winter is a key season for ski resorts. Here are some other examples to consider for your calendar:
Seasonal variations that impact your business due to weather

Quarterly and annual financial reports

Tax season

Summer vacation

Winter vacation

School holidays

Government budget cycle (this is critical if you bid to the government or lobby to preserve funding)

Government procurement cycles

4) Major Industry Events. Most industries have major events that can impact businesses in that industry and many other businesses. Here are some examples:

Major tradeshows

Industry reports

Annual lobbying

Major corporate budget and procurement cycles

5) Major Holidays. You would be shocked at how many businesses fail to take into account the impact of holiday seasons on their business. Depending on what you do, holidays could mean more or less business. For example, business-to-business advertising is often ineffective during the Christmas holiday, but consumer advertising promoting Christmas gifts can be critical. Definitely consider the big holidays, but don't underrate the significance of some of the smaller holidays, particularly religious holidays.

For example, if you observe one religion, but have customers that observe another; you don't want to be insensitive to their religious observance calendar.

6) Major Competitor Activities. Understanding your competitor's key timing for their marketing efforts, or their strategic timing of events, it can help you create marketing to exploit their weaknesses and mitigate their strengths. For example, if you know your competitor will have a product release in March, you could advertise your new product in February and get first to market advantage (razor blade companies do this all the time. As soon as one announces a new item will come to market, the competition floods the market with "buy-one, get-one" offers or sends through direct mail samples, etc.). Anything that would be a major event to your business may also be a major event for your competitors. Here are some things to watch for:

Quarterly and annual financial reports

Major sales

Product releases

Major annual promotional events (if you know they will occur every year)

Major procurement activities

Major conferences and related events they will attend

7) Important Prospect and Customer Activities. This one is essential. If you understand the cyclical nature of your prospects' and customers' key annual events you can fine-tune how, when, and where to target your marketing to them. Here are things to watch for:

Preferred buying seasons

Times of the year when they won't purchase

Major events they would attend (conferences, trade shows, social events)

Holidays

If they are a business, their product cycles, financial reporting cycles, R&D cycles, budgeting cycles, vendor relations events, procurement cycles and events, and much more.

Not all of these things may apply to your industry or business. This is more of a prompt sheet to get you thinking about how the calendar can make the difference between success and failure when marketing. Look for conflicts with other events on your master calendar. How can you minimize the impact of these on your results? Look for synergies. How can you exploit these? Look for marketing opportunities you might have missed if you hadn't laid out the master calendar. Finally, based on the year's planned activities, anticipated return-on-investment and other factors, and prioritize your marketing.

If you haven't done an annual marketing calendar, take some time out before you start to execute any of your marketing plan and put one together. It can save you a lot of money and help you really optimize your marketing strategies.

David Zahn is a two-time author addressing the issues of entrepreneurship and consulting ("How To Succeed As An Independent Consultant, 4th Ed." and "The Quntessential Guide To Using Consultants") as well as being a frequent interviewee and contributor to articles in publications like, "BusinessWeekOnline, Entrepreneur, BrandWeek, Training & Development, CTPostOnline, and others. For a free "business readiness assessment," please click on http://www.startupbuilder.com