The Three Things Companies Need to Thrive
I've had a slew of podcast interviews over the last few weeks, and virtually all of the hosts have asked me what I think is the necessary ingredient for continued business growth. I speak from a place of making mistakes, and from getting things right over the last 20 years.The three things I believe companies need to survive are a market niche, relevancy, and a mindset of greatness. I've named them in order of difficulty.
It's Not Personal; It's Our Values
Values dictate every major decision and action in an organization - from the clients that a company engages, to the people that a company hires, to seemingly simple behaviors such as leaving a door open or closed. Values determine our behavior when others are not around to watch us. They are the core of integrity - which manifests when values are integrated with our actions. Personally and professionally, they frame the most important aspects of who we are, and what matters to us.
Who Is the Best Sales Person in Your Company?
One of my coaching clients called me this week, asking for advice on where to find a great sales rep. She's launching a start-up that has been in the works for months, and is obviously anxious to get her product to the market. My advice to her was to look in the mirror. That's where she would find her best sales rep.
Leading From A Mindset of Abundance; Embracing Healthy Competition
There's no disputing the fact that business is cut-throat. One day your most important strategic partner is bringing you into a great business opportunity. The next day, they are submitting a proposal to win business from your client. To sustain the ups and downs of career development and business growth, you require a thick skin. So how do we stay tough and protect our interests, while maintaining a mindset of abundance and compassion?
Personal Development IS The Goal
Personal development is not a tool for reaching a bigger goal. Instead, becoming a “complete human being is already the biggest and most noble goal you can aspire to.” Most of us are on a quest of continuous self-improvement, with the goal of attaining greater success. “If I attend this school, if I obtain this certification, if I achieve this milestone, then I will be able to attain another level of achievement.” The personal development is often tied to a desired outcome that moves us from one level to another.
Starting 2014 Right With A Strong Marketing Strategy (That Won't Break The Bank)
I came across a compilation of 19 shoestring-budget strategies that will help you connect with your target audience without going broke - exactly what a small business needs to expand their presence and stay financially healthy.Here are my suggestions to move these ideas to implementation.1: Pick three out of the list and focus on them. If you try to tackle the entire list, you will do a mediocre or poor job for all of them. Then, once those are done, move to the next three. The greatest ideas fail at implementation because we bite off more than we chew.2: Determine what you can outsource, and what you need to manage yourself. For example, if you decide to join a Chamber, you personally need to cultivate those relationships, so ensure you have enough time to be present in the organization. If you decide to write a blog, you need to build your editorial calendar and write your blogs, but can outsource the mechanics of posting and sharing.As a small business owner, deciding how and where you will dedicate your very limited time is essential to your success.3: Finally, if an idea isn't working for you, pivot quickly. Drop the tactic and move on. It's all about figuring out what works best for you at this point in time.Here is the link to the complete presentation.Here are the tips:
Monday Mindfulness: Appreciating The Pause
As much of the country is blanketed in snow and ice, this is a perfect time to pause... to take a deep breath, notice the beauty of our surroundings, and slow down. Yes, the snow wreaks havoc on our well-assembled plans. School is canceled, day-care is closed, meetings and appointments are pushed aside, our travel plans are either rescheduled or delayed.Fortunately for most of us, however, the winter weather is nothing more than an inconvenience.Two of my favorite things about the snow (besides snow angels) are the way it falls in solitude, and the visual effect it has on our landscape. Both of these gifts are actually deceptive, for beneath the snow lies Spring. While we are in the moment of the winter solstice, we shift focus away from the fact that just beneath our feet, and also just above our heads is growing grass and budding trees & flowers. Even in the stillness and solitude of a snowstorm, Spring life continues to push forward.
Eight Lessons for Success (And Some Other Insights) by Barbara Corcoran
I had the privilege of speaking at the National Women Business Owners Corporation (NWBOC - www.nwboc.org) conference last week in Palm Beach, Florida. One of the highlights of the conference (where 200 women business owners came together to learn, share, and connect) was keynote Barbara Corcoran. Barbara is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the country. She took a $1,000 loan to start her real estate company, The Corcoran Group, which she grew into a $5 billion business. She sold the firm for $66 million in 2001.Barbara is also a host and investor on ABC's Shark Tank. During the last three seasons, she has bought 11 new businesses. She is also the author of three best-selling books, and is a regular small business and real estate contributor on all of the major networks.Like all great entrepreneurs, Barbara's journey to success has been filled with wonderful lessons. I have summarized them here for you.
Rejected by TED... No Problem! "No" Means "Not Yet"
February was a month of wins - and losses. Everyone talks about their wins, so I'm going to move right past those, and get to the topic that that leaders rarely glorify: the losses.I was rejected in February by TED. TED stands for Technology, Engineering and Design. There are TED events all over the world that feature speakers that have ideas worth spreading. The TED website (www.ted.com) is my all-time favorite site because it opens our minds to so many ways of thinking about things we've never even thought about! It spotlights our greatest potential in any topic you can imagine.
Accountability and Goal-Setting (Follow-up to WBR Segment 1/13/2013)
My January small business segment on ABC’s Washington Business Report with Rebecca Cooper-Dupin focused on accountability and goal-setting strategies to start 2013 strong. Accompanying me was my accountability partner and personal financial advisor, Anne McCabe Triana, owner of CAM Private Wealth (http://www.camprivatewealth.com). I've expanded on those strategies here, incorporating many great ideas from other small business owners.
Feeding Your 4 Food Groups in 2013: Mind, Body, Heart/Soul, Spirit
Forget the USDA Food Pyramid (at least for the next few minutes). The four food groups that truly nourish us are our Mind, Body, Heart/Soul, and Spirit. When we feed these every day, the rest of life takes care of itself.Here are specific ways you can feed these four food groups in 2013.
Growing Into the Title of CEO Starts Today - Four Reasons Why It Must.
As a small business owner, nothing communicates confidence to prospective customers, employees, and partners more than your title as CEO.In just three letters, the title communicates self-confidence, leadership, vision, strategy, and credibility.
As an Entrepreneur, 11 Things For Which I am Thankful
It's always the right time to live life from a place of gratitude. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, today I reflect on what it means to be thankful as an entrepreneur.
Are You a Colossal Entrepreneur?
At last week's Cadre event (http://www.cadredc.com/), I had the opportunity to hear best selling author Mike Michalowicz (http://mikemichalowicz.com/) speak about his theory of Colossal Entrepreneurship, which is the basis of his book, "The Pumpkin Plan." Just when I think I have finally mastered the whole entrepreneurship mindset, a new perspective comes along that makes me re-think my whole approach.This is what happened with Mike. His idea of "The Pumpkin Plan" came from observing pumpkin farmers that grow colossal pumpkins over the course of a year. Those pumpkins don't magically appear because of a healthy crop season and good luck. These farmers follow a systematic approach to pumpkin growth that differs from the strategies traditional farmers use to grow the maximum quantity of pumpkins possible.
Two Most Common Entrepreneurial Attributes - Not What You Think!
Entrepreneurs know that they require tremendous resilience and energy to recover from setbacks, move through challenges, and inspire others when situations are difficult. I'm often asked how I do have so much energy - especially since I live a caffeine-free/sugar-free life (no coffee, soda - or even chocolate as of October 1st).I never have an answer because I don't really understand what people are talking about. I only operate at this energy level. Anything else seems to be in slow motion.Most entrepreneurs have two common attributes:ADD/ADHDA high BS level (always well-intentioned of course.) This could also be known as eternal optimism or eternal positivity
Bracing for Sequestration - IF It Happens At All
n my meeting today with my customers at Defense Logistics Agency, one of the Directors asked me, "Marissa, how is Information Experts preparing for sequestration?" The question caught me off guard, but fortunately, I've attended so many events to learn about sequestration strategies that I was quick on my feet to answer.Here are the five strategies we've implemented to prepare for budget cuts:
The New World of Learning & Workforce Implications
Last month, I attended the quarterly Chief Learning Officers (CLO) breakfast led by CLO Media (www.clomedia.com). The panel and discussion centered around the changes occurring in the workforce, and the convergence of education, skills, and work. As someone who has a Master's Degree in Instructional Systems Design/Curriculum Development, and as CEO of a company (www.informationexperts.com) that provides education and training solutions to the market, I've always been interested in how social changes impact educational trends in the workforce.Much of my information is from one of the best resources I have encountered on this topic: The Apollo Research Institute (www.apolloresearchinstitute.org).
Verne Harnish's Pearls of Entrepreneurial Wisdom: A Global Perspective
The evening of Monday August 20th was a night to remember. Verne Harnish, who is Founder of Entrepreneurs Organization (EO), Founder and CEO of Gazelles, Venture Columnist for Fortune Magazine, and Author of the international bestseller "Mastering the Rockefeller Habits," spoke to the Washington DC Chapter 0f EO. His visit was especially meaningful because EO is celebrating its 25th year, and the DC chapter was the inaugural EO chapter.Harnish brings more than 30 years of entrepreneurship experience, a global perspective, and an unmatched understanding of what business owners require to build lasting companies. Fifty business owners gathered at the home of our chapter president for education and inspiration from the individual who was responsible for creating the world's largest entrepreneurial community.
When the CEO Must Become the CPO (Chief Process Officer)
Traditionally, the CEO is responsible for the "heart" of the organization... the vision, culture, mission, strategy, and values. They are the "Chief Evangelist Officer," or the "Chief Cultural Officer" or even the "Chief Emotions Officer" (yes I've seen that one too).Conversely, it's usually the COO that is responsible for the "blood and guts of the organization" - the person that ensures the operations within the organization can support the vision.Strategy & Process are InterdependentExperience - backed up by a lot of research and peer consultation - has taught me that strategy and process are two sides of the same coin, and that the CEO must take ownership for the creation of the core processes that enable a business to run. It doesn't matter how strong a vision is. Without the processes required to execute, the strategy will fall flat. And while I absolutely believe that "culture eats strategy for breakfast," the one essential element that organizations require for healthy strategies, cultures, and ultimately growth is process.
Your Greatest Success Lies Directly Behind Your Greatest Challenges
"Every adversity, every failure and every heartache carries with it the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit."This is just one of the golden nuggets of wisdom that stays with me from one of my all-time favorite business books, "Three Feet From Gold" by by Sharon L. Lechter and Greg S. Reid. (http://threefeetaway.com/). The book is a synopsis of Napoleon Hill's philosophies for success (http://www.naphill.org/).The title conveys that people often give up on their dreams because they believe they can't succeed, when in reality, their success is within their grasp - sometimes literally three feet away.Feeling discouragement or even despair when we've convinced ourselves that success isn't an option happens to everyone. So how can we push past the negative thinking? How can we find the strength and resolve to continue for three more feet to find our own pot of gold?