Going Into Business

You are thinking of going into business. This can have advantages and disadvantages.
As one frustrated entrepreneur (who had still kept their sense of humor in tact) was heard to quip – “The only thing more over-rated the natural childbirth is owning your own business.”

Running a business of your own will bring a sense of independence, and a sense of accomplishment. You will be the boss, and you can't be fired, though there may be days when you would welcome it. You will experience a pride in ownership - such as you experience if you own your own home. You can derive great satisfaction from offering a product or service that is valued in the market place. By being boss you can adopt new ideas quickly. Since your endeavor undoubtedly will be a small business - at least in the beginning - you will have no large, unwieldy organization to re-direct if a change is needed. This opportunity for flexibility is one of small businesses greatest assets.

These are some of the advantages and pleasures of operating your own business. Now take a look at the other side. As one small business owner attending a conference put it: "When I came here, my business lost the services of its chief executive, sales manager, controller, advertising department, personnel director, head bookkeeper, and janitor."

If you have employees, you must meet a payroll week after week. You must always have money to pay creditors - the man who sells you goods or materials, the dealer who furnishes fixtures and equipment, the landlord if you rent, the mortgage holder if you are buying your place of business, the publisher running your advertisements, the tax collector, and many others. All of these must be paid before you can pay yourself.

You must accept sole responsibility for all final decisions. A wrong judgment on your part can result in losses not only to yourself but, possibly, to your employees, creditors, and customers as well. Moreover, you must withstand, alone, adverse situations caused by circumstances frequently beyond your control, To overcome these business setbacks and keep your business profitable means long hours of hard work. It could very well not be the work you want to do. As someone else's employee you developed a skill. Now, starting a business of your own, you may expect to use that skill 40 or more hours a week. Instead, you must perform the management tasks as well. You must keep the books, analyze accounting records, sit back and do long range planning, jump and handle the expediting and, when everyone has gone home and you finally have caught up with the paper work, you may even have to sweep the floor.

As your business grows and you become more successful, you may not do some of these activities. As an owner-manager, however, you must - at least at first - give up the technical aspects you know and enjoy doing, and focus on the management aspects. To get your business off to a successful start, you must be a manager not an operator. As one small business owner attending a conference put it: "When I came here, my business lost the services of its chief executive, sales manager, controller, advertising department, personnel director, head bookkeeper, and janitor."

You will never be entirely your own boss.

No matter what you choose - manufacturing, wholesaling, retailing or service business - you must always satisfy your customers. If you don't give the customers what they want, they'll go somewhere else and you'll be out of business. So every customer, or even potential customer, is your boss. Your creditors will also dictate to you, and your competitors' actions may force you to make decisions you don't want to make. National and local government agencies will insist that you meet certain standards and follow certain regulations. The one thing you can decide yourself is how you will satisfy all of these bosses.

All these things considered more and more people are starting their own businesses everyday – many of these businesses will be the Microsoft’s of tomorrow!

Do You Need a CEO?

As a provider of insight, guidance and education to small business owners via our Local Business Assistance Program, we at OED couldn't help but notice this question posed on Entrepreneur.com.

How Can I Find a CEO for My Startup?

How can I find someone to lead the way for my startup healthcare website? The website is completed and has had great reviews in beta testing with family and friends. I need investment capital, business organization and someone with knowledge to secure an initial workforce. I have some initial funds to help start the process but not the experience or time to do it by myself. I’m stuck. Any ideas?

Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/answer/229769#ixzz2ruUzkG8A

Read the article for advice, and contact us to see what pro-bono, highly experienced support OED can make available to you!

Who needs a Plan?

Anyone who starts or runs a business. It’s as simple as that … no ifs, ands, or buts.

Don’t think that you or you business are any different. Successful companies all have plans … unsuccessful companies don’t.

Why do you need a business plan?
The main reason is you!

A good business plan will help you:
Writing a business plan is difficult or daunting as you might think and even if it were... it is something you must do!
There are a few things that you can do right now to get started.
1) Think about the background and history of your company. Write a general description of your business, how long you have been in operation, and some basic financial details.
2) Write a few paragraphs about the nature of the products or services you offer. Use language that a non-expert will understand. What do you sell? How is the product used? What need does it serve?
3) Think about your competitive position in the market. Write out answers these few basic questions: What are the advantages of your product (cheaper, better quality, unique features, etc.)? Are there any disadvantages? (be honest!) Who is your competition? Describe their products, advantages and disadvantages.
4) Next think about your customers. Write a description of your typical customer. Who are they? Where are they? Why do they buy? When do they buy? Who makes the decision to buy?
5) Write a clear statement of your business objectives. What are your goals, in terms of sales, profits, traffic to your website, etc.? Set some objectives for 3 months, 6 months, one year, and two years. Start by thinking about your one year goals, and then work backwards to formulate the benchmarks you need to reach at 6 months, and 3 months from now.

These are just a few of the considerations that need to go into a powerful business plan, but even these five points will get you started. Spend some time on your business plan; you owe it to yourself and your business.

Seven Ways to Kill a Perfect Pitch

The pitch is a crucial time for small businesses. It's stressful, sometimes adrenaline fueled, sometimes smooth. Make sure YOURS is with these great tips from Entrepreneur.com

Why do great startups fail to get funding? Often, it’s not because of a business shortcoming or how the entrepreneur presents the company. A wrinkled shirt or a poorly received joke make subliminal impressions. Sometimes, a minor flaw can derail the most well-rehearsed pitch.

To avoid killing your pitch and your growing enterprise, make sure you’re not committing these seven fatal errors:

Not Making Eye Contact. Most entrepreneurs spend a lot of time rehearsing what they’re going to say but don’t actually look at investors when they say it. Make direct eye contact to project confidence, openness, and credibility. When do you stop looking? When the investor acknowledges your gaze.

Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/230185#ixzz2mzoO6Tck

How to Balance Your Personal and Professional Presence Online

The following article is from Entrepreneur.com.  So many small business owners struggle over this. We wanted to pass along some great insight!

As Twitter has grown in influence as both a social platform and a communication channel for companies, I have recalibrated the way I interact with people there--and, by extension, any social network where I represent my brand. It has been a subtle shift, but an important one.

This was on my mind when a question came up at a marketing event where I spoke recently: How do you balance the personal and professional on social networks?

I advocated for a blending of the two. At its heart, that's the real opportunity of social media, isn't it? People do business with people--not faceless, soulless edifices. Don't you want your prospects and customers online to have an opportunity to get to know you, just as your contacts in real life do?

However, since that event, I've given the subtleties of the matter more thought. It's a delicate issue that needs to be handled deftly. So, what is the best way to balance these two sides of your online identity?

Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229376#ixzz2mzl5uXPh

12 Successful Entrepreneurs Share the Best Advice They Ever Got

From Entrepreneur.com-- some great advice to some of the current greats of business!

Being a successful entrepreneur frequently involves a series of missteps and mistakes before finally nailing the right idea or business. The difference, for many, between giving up and persisting through the toughest times can be getting advice from people who have done it before — and being smart enough to listen.
From investor Mark Cuban's dad telling him that there are no shortcuts to Lululemon founder Chip Wilson's realization that people actually enjoy helping others, we asked 12 successful entrepreneurs to share the best advice they ever got, discovering the lessons that stick with them to this day.

Follow the link here> http://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/230239#ixzz2mzluf7lQ

Small business advice to avoid the January slump

We all face the possibility of a December slump- so getting a jump on January is key. Thanks to CWA Studio for the wonderful tips from the U.K.:

It happens year after year.  Christmas, that is. It still comes on the same date every year and yet still manages to catch everyone off guard and distract small business owners. January is a difficult month for SME ’s.  Planning ahead for a potential decline in sales after Christmas is a smart way to secure a better start to January.  If you are an SME and are worried about the potential January slump, generating new enquiries and growing your client base is something you need to start planning now.
We’ve put together some helpful suggestions:

Existing Clients:
Now is an excellent time to talk to your existing clients/customers. For example, ask your clients what new products or services they would like your business to provide?  By communicating with your clients and addressing their needs you can forge a greater business relationship and become more valuable to them as a service provider.


Read the full article for all tips at: CWAStudio.com

Networking: Giving, Taking, and the Fine Balance of Both

Networking requires giving and taking to be mutually beneficial. It's common to see people who are more comfortable with either one aspect or the other, but good skills in both arenas are imperative for success.
"Giving" comes first or at least should. In building relationships, it's easier to break down barriers to trust, respect, and reciprocity by being the first one to extend help to a potential networking partner. "Giving" includes, but is not limited to:

1. The sharing of industry information that is helpful to the potential partner.
2. The sharing of resources and suppliers helpful to the partner.
3. The sharing of new technology with these partners.
4. The sharing of information about the potential partner's competitors.
5. After a level of comfort has been established based on your own business ethics and standards, the sharing of business leads.

At some point in time, you can reasonably expect some of the same type of help in return. You are entitled to get help, or the relationship isn't mutually-beneficial Many people find it uncomfortable to take the following steps when there is no information coming back to them after they have given more than their fair share.

What do you do when you aren't getting anything in return?

1. Make sure that you have made your needs clearly known. Is your 60-second introduction presentation precise enough? Have you asked for specific information that the potential partner would be likely to have access to and gotten no response?

2. Ask the potential partner WHY there has been nothing coming back from their side. This can be tough but doesn't have to be. I teach people to ask the following:
If there were something about my firm or me that would prevent you from feeling comfortable sharing information with me, would you tell me about it, or would you keep it to yourself?

This approach works MAGIC!

3. After exhausting the above options, it's time to walk away. Don't be discouraged. Start the process again and again and again. There are far more people looking to share than just to "take".For the very few people who are ONLY "takers", you can do nothing more than you have. The reality of it is- you are entitled to give and get. And any relationships that don't encompass both aspects, will never be mutually beneficial.

What Do Effective Leaders Have in Common?

"The best executive is one who has the sense to pick good people to do what they want done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.” – Teddy Roosevelt – US President

What characteristics do all leaders possess? Here are four to consider:
1. Commitment to a vision
2. A means to communicate that vision
3. Ability to build trust among associates
4. A positive self-image--leaders believe in themselves.

In addition to these four traits, a good leader also possess two vital people skills: communicating with and motivating employees.

Communication. To be a leader, a manager can't believe he or she is on a pedestal. One company limited the dividing walls in its building so there is easy access to every employee with no knocking required. This company also holds formal meetings weekly for a group of managers who try to identify problems in each department.

A telecommunications company holds a meeting of the entire company every six months and once a year holds a series of roundtables. This company also conducts employee attitude surveys in which employees anonymously ask questions of upper-level management.

Motivation. Can a leader best provide a sense of direction for his or her company by quantifying goals? There is mixed opinion on this.

One theory is that goals need to be specific for each individual. Target bonuses are seen as helpful.

The opposing view considers the adverse consequences of not meeting goals--if employees fall short of the goals, it can act as negative reinforcement. People have built-in insecurities, so goals must convince employees that they are incredible.

Some systems make everybody a winner. A goal system at IBM was mentioned as one illustration of positive reinforcement. IBM emphasizes respect for the individual by tilting the review system to the affirmative--70% of employees make the goals.

Ask People Why They Do Business With You

Testimonials are great, but successful companies do something more direct.

How often have you actually asked a person why they do business with you, and not your competition?

Have you ever?

Most people don't bring up the subject. They're afraid that the customer might start thinking about whether or not they should switch. Believe it that's not at all likely, unless they were on the verge of switching already. In that case, you'll find out now, when you have a chance to fix it, instead of later, after they're gone.

When the customer hears a sincere question from you that you genuinely want an answer for, you'll be surprised at how often you'll GET a direct answer. And you'll be surprised at some of the things you hear.

What you consider important might not be at all what the customer thinks matters. Ask them with a genuine interest (You DO want to know why people spend money with you, don't you?) and then listen. Ask for specifics. And when they've answered you, thank them.

When you see a pattern forming, use that in your advertising. Look for the things that are common to your most valued customers. Build on those strengths.

You'll also notice that, when your customers tell you out loud why they buy from you, they're also telling themselves. They reinforce the reasons that you are the one that they do business with. And that's the best advertising you can get.

Business Woes

Þ    out of 3 business startups will close the doors within 6 months.

Þ    out of 4 small to medium sized businesses will fail within 5 years.

Þ    out of 10 small to medium businesses will eventually close.

What can the entrepreneur lose?

Everything! Their savings, their family car and yes, even their home. But even worse than the material items, they can lose their  self' esteem. They can work hard again and recover from economic losses, but sometimes the loss of belief in ones self can be the worst to recover from.

Why the high failure rate?

Because they have to have knowledge of all of the activities in their business. They must be the CEO, Treasurer, production supervisor, marketing specialist, insurance expert, legal critic, etc.:. They may hire people to help them with these jobs but the buck stops on their desk.  They have to be responsible for all of the decisions made in their company. And if they drop any of the balls they are juggling, they could be one of the above statistics.

The Difference? Business Knowledge!

The difference between success and failure in small business is business knowledge!  They cannot fly by the seat of their pants anymore. That worked back in the days of "build a better mousetrap, " but not in the 90’s and beyond they must have business  knowledge to succeed.

OED strives to:

1.    Reach these small business owners in need of assistance.

2.    Make them aware of the training and support available.

3.    Show then the value of learning and implementing what they learn.

Regards,

Eric

Eric W. Leaman

Trustee

eleaman@oedglobal.org

http://twitter.com/oed4smallbiz

Organization for Entrepreneurial Development

Unleashing the entrepreneurial spirit.

Change your mind ... and EVERYTHING changes

From the Blogosphere: Social Media- Debunking Myths

We love the use of Social Media by small businesses. You can network, access vendors, touch prospects, and get answers to an amazing range of questions. There are also a slew of stats and over-hyped statements milling around to freak out the average small business owner.

Here's a post from Forbes.com that may help settle your nerves AND get you moving in the right social direction!

ps. Almost forgot... don't forget to follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn ; )

Balancing Family and Business Goals

When conflict occurs in the family business, it can be traced to a disparity in the goals of the individuals, the family or the business.

Perhaps a family member works in the business out of economic necessity, not because he or she wants to. Or perhaps the potential successor has plans for the business that differ from current management plans--different generations usually have different goals. Whatever the cause, the conflict must be addressed and resolved to avoid and prevent more serious problems later.

One way to define and align family and business goals is through business and family strategic planning. In these plans, you will create a mission statement for the business and for the family that allows each element to complement the other. Once you have completed this task, set goals for the family business that will allow the family and business to prosper. Next, develop a strategy to accomplish these goals and, finally, formulate policies and procedures that control the family's involvement in the business.

Business Strategic Planning

Strategic planning for family-owned businesses requires that you integrate family issues, such as:

q  What are the long-term personal and professional goals of family members?

q  What is the family mission?

q  Why are you committed to establishing and operating the business?

q  How do you envision the firm in the future?

q  Will family members be active in management or will they be passive members?

q  How will issues such as compensation, benefits and performance evaluation be handled?

The answers to these questions will affect the business strategy and should be resolved before strategic planning begins.

Strategic planning involves analyzing the business in its environment and devising a process for guiding its development and success in the future. This process involves assessing the internal operations and the current external environment (i.e., economic, technological, social and political forces) that affect the business. To begin this process, identify internal strengths and weaknesses that may constrain or support a strategy. Components of this assessment include (1) the organizational structure, (2) the culture and (3) the resources. Make a list of the opportunities available (growth, new markets, a change in regulations) and the threats (increased competition, shortage of raw materials, price-cutting) to your business. This should give you some insight into the current situation and provide a strategic direction.

Next, list the objectives of you and your family, identifying personal needs and risk orientation. Many of these objectives and goals (See Appendix for Forms) will be addressed in your family strategic plan. Also, you will find that your personal objectives will affect the strategy you choose. For example, if there is a great opportunity for growth in your market but you have a low risk orientation and a high personal need for security, you probably should not pursue high growth. It would be not only risky but also expensive. Growth consumes cash, and cash must be generated internally or financed externally. Your personal objectives should mesh with your strategy.

Once you have identified opportunities in the industry, assessed the strengths and weaknesses of the firm and listed your personal objectives, you can proceed with the strategic plan. This will involve:

ü developing a mission statement,

ü setting objectives,

ü developing strategies to meet objectives, and

ü developing action steps to implement the strategy.

Mission Statement

(See Appendix for Form)

The mission statement answers the question "What business are you in?" It defines your customers and explains why you are in business. The mission statement embodies the heart of the business and gives direction to every facet of the business. Effective mission statements

q include specifications that allow measurement,

q establish the individuality of the firm,

q define the business in which the firm wants to be involved,

q are relevant to all with a stake in the firm, and

q are exciting and inspiring.

Objectives and Goals

(See Appendix for Form)

You should set reasonable objectives for the firm, based on the mission statement, to ensure accomplishment of the firm's mission. Objectives should be clearly stated, realistic, measurable, time specific and challenging. Objectives can be created for:

q revenue growth,

q earnings growth,

q sales and market share growth,

q new plants or stores, and

q product/service quality or corporate image.

Strategies

Strategies are determined by your answer to the earlier question: "What will the firm be like in the future?" Your strategic options include the following:

1.      Stability--success is derived from little change (rare).

2.      Profit strategy--sacrifice future growth for profits today.

3.      Growth strategy--growth may be achieved through vertical integration (expansion from within), horizontal integration (buy a competitor), diversification, merger or retrenchment (turnaround or divestment).

Action Steps

Once the strategy is selected, action steps should be specified that will guide the firm's daily activities. An example of an action step is creating a budget to project the costs of a strategy. This process also is known as tactical planning. The steps in tactical planning should be practical and easy to implement and account for; their purpose is to convert goals into manageable, realistic steps that can be individually implemented.

Regards,

Eric

Eric W. Leaman

Trustee

eleaman@oedglobal.org

http://twitter.com/oed4smallbiz

Organization for Entrepreneurial Development

Unleashing the entrepreneurial spirit.

Change your mind ... and EVERYTHING changes

Is Your Company Ready for Growth?

Contributed by Jurgen Ringer. To reach Jurgen, please contact: jurgenringer@iib.ws

The beginning stages of any entrepreneurial concern are usually built around the product or service expertise (let’s call it the “PSE”) of the owners and organizers, which they offer to the market. They must be good at what they do, or the company will not survive at all. If it does survive and grow, though, more than this PSE is needed. Sooner or later, a transition point is reached, where the company must be transformed from primary emphasis on the PSE to the more structured format of a professionally managed concern. That is, management know how must be added to the PSE of the original owners.

The first challenge for the growing company comes when the owners must recognize that such a transition is necessary at all. Having survived the heavy demands and very hard work of the start-up phase (while watching others fail, perhaps), and being accustomed to constant striving to keep one’s PSE ahead of competitors, there is bound to be a tendency to believe that PSE is all that is really needed, that managing is just common sense.

But many of us have seen – and worked on – major turn arounds that happened solely because a strong team of management pros was brought on board a floundering concern, without any change in the PSE. There is just no  doubt about the need to add management expertise to the PSE to keep a good company healthy ands growing.

A company which does not pass this transition stage successfully, either because it does not recognize the need, or because it does not have access to the needed expertise, will not grow, or  will encounter more and more trouble trying to cope with greater volumes.

Some typical examples of such troubles, which are symptoms of greater problems: The CEO has to approve every little thing, is the only one with initiative, feels harrassed, and thinks he has to do everything himself; there are more and more errors, internal conflicts, morale problems; the most qualified employees leave and good people can not be attracted to replace them; there is poor or no cost control; unexpected cash shortages occur; some people exceed their authority, but most dodge responsibility; there is a general feeling of aimlessness and confusion; sales and profit performance are erratic; and so on and so on.

Eventually, the company must shrink back to a manageable size (“Mom and Pop”?),  be sold, or simply fails alltogether.

To determine if your company is in danger of reaching this stage, or is already there, see how many of these questions you  must answer ‘no” or “maybe”:

• Are there written descriptions that tell people what their job is, how to do it, relationships with other positions in the company? Such as an organization chart, job descriptions, statements of responsibility, delegated authority, measures of accountability? No, everybody does not know what their job is – I have seen confusion and conflict in companies with fewer than 15 employees!
• Does your compensation system recognize performance? Structured bonus programs (the discretionary Christmas bonus does not count!), properly designed individual or group incentives for hourly employees, gross profit based sales commissions, meaningful stock options or profit participation?
• Does your cost accounting system let you make aggressive pricing decisions if you need to? Variable and semi variable costs clearly identified so your incremental profit rate is accurate? How does your true gross profit compare to your competitors?
• Is cost control as tight as it needs to be? Monthly performance numbers? Detailed budgets and budget performance reports by department and areas of responsibility? Do department managers understand their budgets and how to control them?
• Do you have a written Business Plan, short and long term? Do your department managers understand it, and their part in it? Does your company have a Mission Statement, and longer term goals, which the management team understands and supports? 
• Is your management information system as good and as prompt as it needs to be for timely decision making by your managers? Have you and your managers identified your Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s), and are they being tracked routinely?
•  Is the company’s sales management program reasonably complete, including sales targets, gross profit based commission programs, specific programs to gain major accounts, analysis of lost sales, comparisons against competitors? Is there a clear understanding of what sales people are supposed to do, with training programs to help them do it? What is the difference between your top and your bottom performers in terms of skills, motivation, expertise, effort put forth?
• Do you know  your penetration  of your market segment, and whether it is growing or shrinking? An  approximation is fine if necessary, but be sure you are realistic, so you know what additional effort is needed for a strategy to make gains.
• Is there a program and strategy for protecting and improving your market position? Is it supported by your advertising, sales promotion, a functioning web site?
• Does the company have a program to develop a management team for the longer term? Top management succession? Supervisory training? Personnel appraisals aimed at improving supervision and personnel selection?

These questions are still far from a complete Management Audit; still, if you have to answer “no” to as many as half of them, your company is not only unready for growth, it has already outgrown its management expertise. You will need part time or permanent help to correct the problem. You might get a little of that help by keeping up with this blog.

ACTION

Thought and desires must lead to personal action.

Man must think but his thoughts must be supported by actions.

You must be doing what you need to so that what you want can come to you. Put your whole mind into present action.

Act in the NOW. You cannot change yesterday or tomorrow… you can only take action on today.

HOLD TO YOUR VISIONS AND ACT NOW. This will move you toward what you want.

Every success leads toward other successes.

Eric W. Leaman

Trustee
eleaman@oedglobal.org
http://twitter.com/oed4smallbiz

Organization for Entrepreneurial Development

Unleashing the entrepreneurial spirit.
Change your mind ... and EVERYTHING changes

 

7 Ways to Build Wealth Personally or In Your Business

Money is a valuable tool for all of us to have and use in our lives. It is there to be accumulated and used… but we must learn how to do both or we will never have wealth and what money we do have we will most likely not keep.

In 1926 George S Clason published The Richest Man in Babylon. In this systematic and entertaining book Clason presents and details the ways to accumulate and keep wealth that are when applied as certain as the law of gravity.

“Money is plentiful for those who understand the simple laws which govern its acquisition.” – George S Clason

In the book Clason introduces Arkad, the richest man in Babylon.  Early in the book Arkad is asked by the King to teach 100 men the secret to wealth. Here is a summary of what he taught them.

1. Begin paying yourself first.
2. Budget and control what you spend. Discipline yourself to live on far less then you earn.
3. Make your money work for you. Invest in safe enterprises or the highest rates of compound interest available.
4. Keep your savings safe. Do not speculate.
5. Buy a home for yourself and your family.
6. Insure you future income for your retirement and the estate you will leave your loved ones.
7. Increase your ability to earn. Be the best at what you do and learn to do more.

Regards,

Eric

Eric W. Leaman

Trustee

eleaman@oedglobal.org

http://twitter.com/oed4smallbiz

Organization for Entrepreneurial Development

Unleashing the entrepreneurial spirit.

Change your mind ... and EVERYTHING changes

A Win Win Business Philosophy

None of us operates in a vacuum.

Other people always play a vital role in our lives and in our businesses. We cannot fully succeed unless we manage our relationships in a way that helps us move toward our goals and the goals of those that we are dealing with.

Clearly, one of the keys to a productive relationship is learning how to create situations that benefit all parties. No one in today's world can or should attempt to become successful without enlisting the support and help of others.

The Law of Reciprocity says that Like generates Like. Win:Win is the highest form of reciprocity to which we can aspire.

A Win Win situation is essential when:
• you are building long-term relationships
• the results are likely to be public
• you want to take advantage of the synergy in a collaborative effort

In a world driven by information and knowledge, the traditional rules of hard-nosed business dealings and secrecy do not apply. Winning in today's marketplace means ensuring that everyone can achieve their necessary goals and outcomes. This in turn allows us to establish and maintain long term business relationships.

"The world's most successful people manage to live their lives in a state of optimism, enthusiasm and hope... They know that if they will just do certain things a certain way everyday they will be led to their chosen goals." Earl Nightingale

Life's Lessons

Life's Lessons

Money doesn't bring you happiness,
but it enables you to look for it in more places.

Your conscience may not keep you from doing wrong,
but it sure keeps you from enjoying it.

Misers aren't much fun to live with,
but they make great ancestors.

Be careful what rut you choose.
You may be in it the rest of your life.

Opportunities always look bigger going than coming.

A modern pioneer is a person who can get through a rainy
Saturday when the television's on the blink.

A true friend is one that lets his grass grow
as tall as his neighbor's.

Experience is a wonderful thing.
It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.

Instructions for Life

Instructions for Life

Excerpts from the “owners manual”.

1. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
2. Memorize your favorite poem.
3. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.
4. When you say, "I love you", mean it.
5. When you say, "I'm sorry", look the person in the eye.
6. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
7. Believe in love at first sight.
8. Never laugh at anyone's dreams.
9. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.
10. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name-calling.
11. Don't judge people by their relatives.
12. Talk slow but think quick.
13. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?".
14. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
15. Call your mom.
16. Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.
17. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
18. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; Responsibility for all your actions.
19. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
20. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
21. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.
22. Marry a man you love to talk to. As you get older, his conversational skills will be as important as any other.
23. Spend some time alone.
24. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
25. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
26. Read more books and watch less TV.
27. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll get to enjoy it a second time.
28. Trust in God but lock your car.
29. A loving atmosphere in your home is so important. Do all you can to create a tranquil harmonious home.
30. In disagreements with loved ones, deal with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.
31. Read between the lines.
32. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.
33. Be gentle with the earth.
34. Pray. There's immeasurable power in it.
35. Never interrupt when you are being flattered.
36. Mind your own business.
37. Don't trust a man who doesn't close his eyes when you kiss him.
38. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
39. If you make a lot of money, put it to use helping others while you are living. That is wealth's greatest satisfaction.
40. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a stroke of luck.
41. Learn the rules then break some.
42. Remember that the best relationship is one where your love for each other is greater than your need for each other.
43. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
44. Remember that your character is your destiny.
45. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon!

Life's Lessons

Life's Lessons

Success is learned!

Success is not built on convenience!

When you change your thinking, you change your beliefs;

When you change your beliefs, you change your expectations;


When you change your expectations, you change your attitude;

When you change your attitude, you change your behavior;

When you change your behavior, you change your performance;

When you change your performance, YOU CHANGE YOUR LIFE!!!!