1. 1
Small Biz
Forward
Chatting with
the Experts
&
Who’stheNext
Big Thing?
VOL, 22 NO. 3
$4.95
We have new authors.
This month we are
bringing back BOTH
pg.20
2. 2
Executive Editor
Nancy Becher
Editor, Layout, Designer
Zachary Harker
Advertising Inquiries nancy@success4biz.biz
Subscriptions 701 N. Prairie Street, Sturgis, MI
269-651-3555
SmallBizForward.com
Success4Biz.biz
Twitter @ Smallbizjunkie
Facebook /bsucinnector
linkedIn /nancybecher
Resources
Whether you are starting out or already running
a small business, you will need to comply with
numerous federal and state small business
regulations and requirements. The website
at http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/
small-business-resources helps with questions
in these areas. However, I do caution that if you
really need to have legal questions answered,
you check with an attorney in your area as the
forms and advice on this page may not actually
pertain to your situation!
It is really important to keep up with things that
are going on in your industry, your competition,
and what people are saying about you. Have
you set up any Google alerts to help you stay up
on this information? Check out how to do this
here: https://www.google.com/alerts
Our third resource this month is http://
business.usa.gov/. Here you can find answers
to questions from the government point of view
and tips to help you as you move through from
startup to successful.
And finally, http://www.nfib.com/article/
bizhelp-small-business-resources-to-
bookmark-67566/?utm_campaign=BR&utm_
source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social. This is
a great resource to answer many questions you
may have with your business.
Good luck checking this out. It’s all good
research!!!!
Small Biz Forward
3. 3
BSU helps small business succeed through
mentoring projects, networking groups, and
entrepreneurial forums. From business know-
how to business networking, BSU has it all.
For more information about our one-on-one
consulting, business retreats or networking
forums contact me at:
701 Prairie Street, 2nd Floor, Sturgis, MI 49091
Phone: 269-651-3555
Email: nancy@success4biz.biz
CEO: Nancy K Becher A trusted and caring
service provider for the entrepreneur and
small business owner in need of
marketing and advertising advice, as well
as a large networking group of businesses.
5. 5
8
6 - Office to Office
8 - Creating Raving Fans
11 - Human Resources
Is it really a necessity?
12 - Being Connective
16 - Chatting with the Experts
19 - Time Management
20 - Michiana Shop and Greet
26- Who’s the next big thing?
30 - Think Through How You Say “Thank You”
32 - Is your Messy Workspace Bringing on Criticism from your
Colleagues?
34 - Mindful Messaging
36 - Leaveraging Your Entrepreneurial Strengths
40 - Critics! Everybody is a critic.
42 - Purple Cow
45 - What’s up at BSU
19
6. 6
I’m not a big sports follower. I kind of know when
it’s baseball season, or when hockey pucks are
flying around. I sometimes watch the Super Bowl
commercials, but I’m not quite sure what “March
Madness” is all about. I think it’s got something to do
with basketball right? What I do know is that hundreds
of thousands of dollars are spent on different sports
and that money is lost when things like March Madness
starts. According to Entrepreneur Magazine, there will
be “at least $134 million in “lost wages” over the first
two days of the tournament, as an estimated 3 million
employees spend one to three hours following the
basketball games instead of working.” My question: if
so many people are engaged in these activities, should
they be embraced or forced out of the workplace? I think
that’s up to the individual business to decide. There will
always be someone who thinks the opposite of whatever
the business decides.
However, this is a good time to think about this month’s
theme of Everybody’s a Critic. Like me, there are, I’m
sure, others who don’t get into sports. But obviously,
there are many who do. Should I complain if I overhear
someone talking about basketball this month? Or should
I say, hey, go for it. Hope you win the bets you’ve got
going. I know that when employees are happy and
content they are better workers, produce higher quality
goods and services, and get more enjoyment (and thus
loyalty) out of the work day.
As a customer service expert,
I also know that when
customers complain about
things, it generally means
that the business should
take a look at their operations and see if the complaint
is legitimate. At the very least, the customer should
be made as satisfied with an outcome as possible.
While “the customer is always right” may not be totally
accurate, it is generally in the best interest of the
business to do the very best it can to find a way to satisfy
the customer to the best of their ability.
The March issue of Small Biz Forward is all about
what to do when the business finds itself in the line of
criticism – whatever that may be. As humans we all get
flustered when criticized (even if well meant), but how
we deal with that criticism is what can make or break us.
Do we want to have loyal “Raving Fans” both in terms
of customers and employees? What do we have to do, in
line with our mission and vision, to make that happen?
Take a few minutes, sit back with a cup of coffee (or
beverage of choice), read this issue and then let us
know what you like (or don’t like) about the magazine.
For the past several months we’ve had a Letters to the
Editor feature that you are always welcome to send your
comments to. It’s at info@success4biz.biz and we look
forward to hearing from you.
Office to Office
March Madness
7. 7
Inspiring Change
You can tell who the strong women are. They’re the ones you see building
each other up instead of tearing each other down.
Women’s Business Bureau
Open a chapter near you!
269-389-0556
www.womensbusinessbureau.com
8. 8
Creating
Raving Fans
Just Give ‘Em a Pickle !!!!!
A customer is the most important visitor on our prem-
ises, he is not dependent on us. We are dependent on
him. He is not an
interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He
is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We
are not doing him a favor
by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an
opportunity to do so. Mahatma Gandhi
Do you start and end your day — every day — think-
ing about your customers in this way? All too often we
forget that the reason for our business is to support
our customers, for without them we have no business.
A cliché we’ve all heard many times is, “it’s not rocket
science”. But when talking about customer service
it really isn’t. In fact, theway to create raving fans
through customer service is really quite simple, but
for some reason we often forget how to do it. In
thenext few pages I’ll give you some examples of easy
things you can do that have a major impact on your
bottom line!!!!!
A satisfied customer is no longer good enough for a
business that wants to have raving fans. Instead,
it needs to provide EXCELLENT customer service and
the way to start that process is by asking
“How May I HelpYou?”When you understand what
your customer wants, and also understandwhat you
can do to provide that, then you’re on your way.
How do you do this?
Nancy Becher
9. 9
1. Customer Surveys
What better way to understand your customer than
to ask their opinions and their values. By creating
customer surveys and forms to get feedback from
your customers, you can learn about how you’re
doing. Remember, less than 25% of customers
will tell someone when they’re unhappy — they
simply walk away and spend their money with your
competitors. But, if they feel that you care, and are
listening to their concerns (i.e., creating ways to fix
issues, and make things better), they will support
you and keep coming back. When you acknowledge
your mistakes, and show that you really want your
customers to be happy, they will tell you when
they’re not as they know it will get better.
3. Listen and Respond Positively
When the employee (or you as the boss) actively
listen to your customer — and show them that you
ARE listening to them, they will respond positively.
But it takes more than just listening, for once you’ve
hear what they are saying it is time for you to start a
conversation. Use only positive words — even if you
have to tell them that they can’t have what they’re
asking for — say it without saying NO. Use words
like Thank You, Appreciate, Please, I Understand,
and so forth. Let’s see what we can do to work
something out, and I will do my best to find a way to
make this a win-win situation — these are all words
that are geared to support a relationship, not send
the customer running.
4. Give ’Em a Pickle
All of the things we’ve been talking about are ways
to give your customer just a little bit more than
they’re used to getting. And that’s what’s meant
by giving a pickle. A pickle is that something that
is just a little bit more, a little bit special, a little
bit unusual: geared at making your customer feel
pampered, appreciated and wanted instead of
being put up with. And that’s what it’s all about!
The pickle creates the raving fan. And while it’s
not difficult, it does take time, thought and active
pursuit to get it right.
2. Empower Employees — Attitude is #1
Employees need to be happy, act successfully, let
their customers know they’re excited to serve them,
and show those customers that they are King and
Queen of the business. All too often employees
aren’t trained to show this type of behavior. They
are trained to tell people, “No, we can’t do that”,
“We’re not allowed to” and “that’s not part of our
policy”. They have a bad day and they take it out
on those that they should be most protective of. As
the business owner consider rewarding excellent
service. Keep in mind that it is much more cost-
effective to keep employees than it is to constantly
hire and fire. By training and then rewarding good
service techniques, your employees become loyal
and in turn they create loyal customers. When
employees are empowered to do whatever they
can to help the customer -- that creates a win-
win situation. Companies such as Zappos, GE,
Southwest Airlines — these are three companies
that are known for their customer service. When
you have employees and policies that forge
relationships with your customers, then you find
yourself with raving fans!!!
YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!
10. 10
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11. 11
Ever hear the saying: “HR is a necessary evil” in your
organization? Well, as we know, everyone is a critic; everyone
has an opinion to share. Now is the time to turn this around
and show our organizations that HR is necessary and it’s not
an evil.
Did you know that HR can add to the bottom line? Did you
know that HR can help your company save money?
With the right Human Resources specialist you can do this in 4
easy steps!
1Hire The Right People – start asking your
managers who run their departments what the best
employee looks like. Start to look into more then
just a college degree or certifications they hold, but what
are there natural abilities that make them stand out
among the rest. Hire more people like this!
2 Build Retention – Most
people think you have to
do this with giving your
employees raises. Did you know in
the most recent study conducted
that 85% of people in organizations
want to be recognized by their
leader through verbal recognition
or a thank you note? SURPRISE!
They aren’t looking for raises –
they are looking for you to actually
notice they are doing a great job
and then tell others aboutvit.
Retention starts with building
a relationship with each of your
employees and showing them you
care. It’s so simple, but at times it
is something that is most forgotten
in the business world.
3Coach & Counsel – As you start to build
relationships with your employees, it’s important
to hold them accountable to their actions. You
must be consistent with each employee – treating
everyone equally in this process. If someone fails to
show up for work on time – be sure to let them know
you see this. Don’t let it fall by the wayside. Follow the
guidelines of your state for coaching and counseling
(this falls under unemployment). By making a quick call
to your unemployment agency you are able to find the
guidelines to counseling your employees the correct way
and helping you battle those unemployment cases – and
WIN! Which in the end saves you MONEY!
4Team Building – It’s
important to create a fun
environment for your
employees. Do outings, surprise
your team with donuts or pizza
when they go above and beyond
their work day, and be sure to do
team building activities that focus
on building relationships, creating
better communication and just
having FUN. There are hundreds
of websites available to view
team building activities for your
organization. Just Google It!
Susie Olivarez Owner & Senior
HR Consultant Iron Sharpens
Iron – Discovering Your X Factor
www.your-x-factor.com
Once you get these 4 basics steps down,
you are on your way to showing that
HR is a necessity and can add A LOT of
value to any organization.
12. 12
BEING CONNECTIVE—
Customer Service –
Delivering Satisfaction
Business owners today are
knocking themselves out to
connect to prospects and
customers in a meaningful way
and to provide the strongest
service satisfaction that they
are able. Whether it’s through
sales of a product, providing
a service, hosting an event
or educational seminar, the
entrepreneur today is certainly
doing far more than setting out
some items on a counter and
hanging an “Open” sign in the
window. The small business
person is stretched farther
today than ever, and though
doing his or her best to meet
customer expectations, from
time to time this goal is missed.
Sometimes the customer
was expecting higher quality
on the final delivery. It is
absolutely critical to follow up
with the customer, drill down
to find out exactly what they
believe to be the shortcoming
in the situation, and if it is
within the means of what
was intended to be provided,
make the improvement. At
the same time, if the customer
selected “Package B” that was
the average level product,
yet is expecting it to meet
the “Package A” standard,
gently, carefully, and patiently
describe to the individual the
difference in offerings. See
if they really meant to get
“Package A” and perhaps make
a discounted offer to take your
final delivery up to that level.
Giving a little to get satisfaction
at this point is worth it. Having
a satisfied customer is your
desired outcome.
We all get busy. From
time to time, though, over
commitment rears its ugly
head. When the entrepreneur
finds him or herself in this
situation, being there for their
clients and their staff suffers.
In the case of illness or family
emergency, it is a situation
that is unavoidable. When
it is a business situation,
however, likely it is simply a
matter of poor planning. It
is really important to have a
daily schedule that is adhered
to as much as possible.
Every day there needs to be
scheduled time for checking
and responding to email,
returning telephone calls,
and personally delivering or
hosting face-to-face interactive
deliveries and/or meetings.
When you must be away, at
a minimum set up an auto-
responder on your email that
clearly defines when you will
follow up and then honor that
promise. With mobile phones
and voice mail, you may update
your message to define to a
caller that you are unavailable
for a given time, but barring
that trip of a lifetime to Bora
Bora, return phone calls within
24 hours or refer the caller to
another person who can help
them on a timelier basis. The
goodwill earned by meeting
the customer’s need will keep
them attached to you in most
cases. When you find you
truly are over committed,
carefully consider all your
commitments, analyzing them
carefully for the best fit to your
overall goals—personal and
professional—and gracefully
step back from one to provide
more time to do a better job at
the rest
Marketing events, whether
an open house with barbecue
serving hot dogs and soda,
a workshop with an expert
speaker over lunch, or a 5:01
with refreshing beverages
can be a great way to build
rapport, educate prospects
and customers, and connect
to more people. These take
careful planning, promotion
and engagement. Consider
carefully what your goals
are for such an event. If it’s
a “thank you” for being a
customer, then just make it
13. 13
a big party and make it clear that your
customers are welcome to bring guests.
Those customers will be sharing the
great things you do and help them with.
If it’s an expert speaker presentation,
you definitely want your customers that
are using the product or service the
speaker will address, but you also want
to reach a slew of new people so they
attach to your business as the one that
can help them with their need. If you’re
having a casual business after hours
event, it’s something you’ll want to do
on a routine basis, say quarterly, and
you want to make it clear that everyone
is welcome. Attendees will have the
opportunity to make connections not
only with you and your staff, but with
experts in all the fields that you serve
and make new connections that make
their knowing you all the more valuable
Yet, sometimes you set up these events
and the people don’t come. Dig in deep
to discover what could be keeping them
away. Maybe the way the invitation was
worded is a little off-putting? Maybe
the event is the same day as the local
Homecoming parade? Maybe the
invited guests aren’t in the situation
that the can consider building on
what they are utilizing through your
business and rather than deflecting
at the conclusion of an event find not
attending a personally acceptable means
to say, “No?” Perhaps they have heard
the expert before and aren’t finding the
potential for new learning as a result of
the promotional materials? Maybe the
expectations of the guests, suppositional
as they may be, are not a match to
what is being provided at the event
(local expert when national expertise
expected, domestic beer served to a craft
brew crowd, etc.). These are situations
that can be assessed in advance to
ensure your efforts bring the very best
response that you are seeking.
As we all work daily to broaden and
strengthen our reach for our business,
it can be rewarding to take time
to examine and improve upon the
process by which we are marketing
and delivering. This self-examination
process will point up a few shortcomings
and in the long run provide you with the
means to become even more connective
to those you serve.
Gail M. Turluck is the President of Connective
Marketing of Richland, Michigan. Connective
Marketing offers communications services
including writing, e-newsletters, newsletters,
web site content writing and updating service,
editing, proofreading; Send Out Cards; and more
on a contract or consulting basis. She may be
contacted at gail@connectivemarketingllc.com or
by visiting www.connectivemarketingllc.com.
14. 14
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15. 15
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16. 16 JAN MURPHY
Sheri Welsh
We here at Small Biz Forward believe wholeheartedly that it is through
collaboration and working side by side, (those that are just starting
the journey and those that are well on their way), that all businesses
grow and prosper. With that in mind, we are bringing back the feature
“Chatting with the Experts” so that our readers know even if they are in
the beginning stages, others have been there before them and they can
take comfort in knowing that they too will get to the point where we call
them “the Experts”. Enjoy reading this interview with Sheri Welsh. She
has some great words of wisdom for us all.
17. 17
Q
Tell us about your company. When did
you start it? How many employees do
you have? What is your business about?
I started Welsh & Associates in 2002. We have
4 employees. We are in the executive search and
professional recruiting services business.
Welsh & Associates, Inc. 141 E. Michigan Ave. •
Suite 300 • Kalamazoo • MI • 49007 269.488.8836
ext. 201 (office) www.welshandassociates.net
Q
What advice do you have for women to
build sustainable businesses?
Know your market and keep on top of the trends
and changes in your industry. Have a business
plan. Surround yourself with people who have
more experience than you and are smarter than
you. Ask a lot of questions. Build partnerships and
collaborations. Don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Q
What do you think it takes to be a successful
business owner in this market area?
We are fortunate to live in a region that is diverse, very
supportive of entrepreneurs and has a strong economy
– key factors that make it much easier to succeed in
business than in many parts of the country.
Q
What do you believe attributed most to
your success?
Honestly, I don’t feel like I have attained “success”
yet. I’m not sure if I ever will. My career has been
a journey of continuous improvement, striving to
be the very best that I can be. In that journey I’ve
learned that there is always something more that I
can do, learn or improve upon.
Q
Do you think women have more
obstacles than men in their careers or in
building profitable businesses?
I don’t. I don’t even believe in the “glass
ceiling” concept. I actually blogged about this
in KzooConnect.com. I believe that many of the
obstacles women face in building a business or
charting a career path are the same as men face.
And when as women we begin to suggest that we
have some unique obstacles to face we just get in
our own way. Everyone, men and women alike, will
face obstacles in their career or in building their
business. The secret to beating them is in how you
respond to those obstacles. Do you allow them to
remain in your way and defeat you or do you view
them as simply roadblocks to overcome and find a
way to work around them or through them?
Q
Best advice career and business advice
that you want to share.
Career Advice – Never, ever, ever give up. Change
direction, alter your course, seek help – but never
give up.
Business Advice – Seek to be the best in class. Best
in the business. Best in the region. When you focus
your business on excellence, your clients win, your
employees win, your community wins and in the end
you win too.
Q
If you had the ability to do something over,
what would it be?
I don’t have enough time or space to list all of the things
that I should do over! I’ve made plenty of mistakes
throughout my life. But I’d like to think that those
mistakes are what shaped me into who I am today. I’ve
experienced grace and forgiveness and learned an awful
lot as a result of those mistakes. So I’m not sure I’d take
a “do over” on anything.
18. 18
Q
How did having children affect your
career?
Having a young family was ultimately what drove me
to consider a career in this business. When I started
in the business in 1998, I had a 1 year old and a 4 year
old daughter. Working for a large, national company
at the time I felt like I just couldn’t keep up the pace
that was necessary to achieve what they asked of me.
The more I delivered and the harder I worked, the
more they required of me. It felt a bit like being on a
treadmill where the speed kept going faster and faster
and finally I just spun off! The search business was
attractive to me because I could work it around my
life and set my own goals and expectations. I wasn’t
required to work 8-5 or overtime – just required to get
the job done. I was comfortable that I could achieve
their expectations and still maintain great work/life
balance. That career change ended up changing my
life in ways I never could have imagined!
Q
Do you struggle with work
and life balance?
I did – until I came to terms with what was really
important to me. Everyone is busy, overbooked and
overworked – it’s just how life is in the 21st century.
There are endless options for ways to spend the 24
hours you get every day. However, balance came
sharply into focus for me when I defined my top
priorities and began to stay committed to them. That’s
not to say that I’m never overworked or frazzled
– we all are at times – but generally those times
don’t last for long. When I find myself in that spot, I
work to rebalance my commitments and work load
and put things back into alignment. And one of the
most important words I’ve learned along the way of
achieving balance is the word “No”. If it doesn’t fit my
schedule or if it doesn’t allow me to keep my priorities
in order then it can’t be added into my life – period.
Q
What mistakes do you believe women
make today?
The biggest mistake I think women make today is
buying into the myth that they’re somehow “less than”.
I recently watched the “Like a Girl” commercial for the
second time and it brought tears to my eyes. Women
should never feel that they are less than men – they
are simply different. And those differences are what
make them strong. I’d like to see every woman adopt
the attitude that they can do whatever they want to
do and be whatever they want to be, refusing to let
societal stereotypes cripple their potential.
In sales and sales management for over twenty
years, Jan has trained people to successfully
market their products and services through
adaptive and consultative sales techniques.
A recent transplant from Atlanta, Jan is the
Founder of Women’s Business Bureau, a
women’s business organization in Kalamazoo.
Jan’s expertise lies in building ground floor
operations into fast-growing, profitable
businesses. Contact Jan:
Phone: (334)-560-6955 (cell)
Website: www.womensbusinessbureau.com
Jan Murphy
19. 19
TIME MANAGEMENT
A Learned Skill Jan Murphy
Ask some people about managing
time and a dreaded image appears in
their minds. They see a person with
a 20-item things-to-do list clutching
their day-timers or smart phones filled
with appointments.
Sometimes people who pride
themselves on efficiency are merely
busy. In their rush to check items off
their to-do lists, they may be fussing
over things that don’t matter—tasks
that create little or no value in the first
place. The point to managing time is
not to load ourselves down with extra
obligations. Instead, the aim is to get
the important things done and have a
life. An effective time manager is the
person who’s productive and relaxed
at the same time.
Personal style plays an important role
as well. Left-brained people thrive on
making lists, scheduling events, and
handling the details first. This may
not work for people who like to think
visually. There are as many different
styles for managing time as there are
people. The trick is to discover what
style works best for you. If you need
a daily routine to manage your time,
set a time schedule that will work best
for you and stick to it. Start your work
day the same each day and end it the
same each day. This will help you to
maintain a balance between work and
your personal life.
Try to avoid over-scheduling your day
and/or week. The point is to make
good use of your time, manage your
time wisely so that you are productive,
and schedule down time after normal
business hours. Business hours should
be spent on business, not on personal
time. If entrepreneurs disciplined
themselves as it was done for them for
years in the corporate world, I believe
they would achieve more success.
Your time for your family, friends and
personal activities should be planned
after normal business hours. After
work hours and weekends should be
used for errands, family time, and
relaxation and getting chores done
around the house.
Tips on how to manage your time:
Know your Limit
Begin managing time from a bigger
picture. Consider what that expanse
of time is all about. Write a short
mission statement for your life: a
paragraph that describes your values
and the kind of life that you want to
lead. Periodically, stop to think about
how what you’re doing is contributing
to that life you want.
Do Less
Managing time is as
much about dropping
worthless activities as
adding new ones. The
idea is to weed out
activities that deliver
little reward.
Remember People
Few people on their deathbeds ever
say, "I wish I’d spent more time at
the office.” They’re more likely to say,
“I wish I’d spent more time with my
family and friends.” The pace of daily
life can lead us to neglect the people
we cherish. Efficiency is a concept that
applies to things, not people.
Focus on Outcomes
You might feel guilty if you
spend two hours napping or
watching TV, but if you’re regularly
meeting your goals and leading a
fulfilled life, there’s no harm done.
When managing time, it’s the
overall goal of effectiveness that
counts more than the means you
use to get there.
Handle it Now
A backlog of unfinished tasks
can result from postponing
decisions or procrastinating.
An alternative is to handle the
task or decision immediately.
It’s better to graciously say no to
projects that you do not need to
take on. Be careful not to over
commit yourself.
Forget About Time
Schedule “down time” every
day—a period when you’re
accountable to no one and have
nothing to accomplish. This is the
time to feel no guilt. A few minutes
spent this way each day can yield a
sense of renewal.
20. 20
Michiana Shop & Greet
Fashion Show & Luncheon; 12:00pm –
2:00pm:
Michiana Shop & Greet begins at 12:00pm
at the Gillespie Conference Center on March
26, 2015 to celebrate Michiana! This event is
designed to empower, engage and enhance
community support throughout Southern
Michigan and Northern Indiana. Local business
owners, volunteers and non-profits have
gathered together in support of one another.
We encourage you to join in the festivities
beginning with the Roadshow Boutique,
fashion show and luncheon hosted by Your
Business Needs Fans, Kerri’s Avenue Salon
and Goodwill Industries of Michiana. Kerri
Spencer owner of Kerri’s Avenue Salon will
Emcee the fashion show with local news anchor
Steve DuVal from FOX28. “The fashion show
was added this year to enhance our business
community, the busy mom or student. This is
an opportunity to learn how to transition from
a busy work day to the comfort of knowing
you fit in where ever you go,” states Karen
Bachert, President of Your Business Needs
Fans. You will have the opportunity to learn
more about Hello Gorgeous, Dismas House
& Goodwill Industries of Michiana. Fashion
Show & Luncheon Tickets are available online
at www.YourBusinessNeedsFans.com or call
574.344.8895. Tickets are $35 which includes
the $10 Michiana “Shop & Greet Experience”
where you can shop the vendors with your
Michiana Experience Bucks at over 20 vendors
in your community!
Gillespie Conference Center, South Bend, IN March 26, 2015 (12:00pm – 8:30pm)
M i c h i a n a
Shop & GreetCommunity
21. 21
Michiana Shop & Greet Expo; 2:00pm –
8:30pm:
Michiana “Shop & Greet” Expo will begin promptly at
2:00pm with opportunities to shop the vendor booths
and Goodwill’s Roadshow Boutique. Browse, meet
and greet, and get to know Michiana a little better.
Join in the fun on March 26th by purchasing your
tickets today for the “everyone shops experience.”
Everyone attending will receive $10 in Michiana
Bucks to shop with their admission fee of $15. “This
is a perfect opportunity for community involvement!
Prior to attending this event I was a student looking
for new opportunities to give back, strengthen my
resume and network. Karen Bachert the President of
Your Business Needs Fans has given me the strength
to make a difference,” comments Katie Paceley
Public Relations Specialist of Goodwill Industries
of Michiana. This is a wonderful opportunity to
support your community by shopping, networking
and keeping businesses growing in our own backyard.
Attendees will receive all-day, come & go admission to
the expo plus $10 in Michiana Experience Bucks.
Door prize giveaways begin at 3:30pm, followed
by Kerri Spencer of Kerri’s Avenue Salon emceeing
the Business Builders Speed Networking at 5:30
with more than 20 business and networking groups
represented. LIVE Charity Auction at 7:00 and DJ
party package giveaway at 8:00pm will be emceed by
Karen Bachert, Community Outreach Coordinator
and Facilitator of Michiana Shop & Greet. Ann’s
Younique Products, is the Paddle Sponsor for the
LIVE Charity Auction and owner, Ann Hudson will be
our “Vanna”. Be sure to stop byour Auction Table and
check out the items that will be auctioned to benefit
each of our charities (Goodwill Industries, Dismas
House, Hello Gorgeous and the work of our honored
volunteer and Freedom Fighter, Margaret Matthews
from Better Way Imports).
Special thank you to all our sponsors: Business
Success Unlimited, WSMK Radio 99.1, WNIL Radio
1290am, ProForma Printhouse, Premier Women
of Michiana, Kerri’s Avenue Salon, IEntertain,
LLC. All are invited to join us for a pre-event After
Hours presented by Four Flags Area Chamber of
Commerce as Michiana “Shop & Greet, WSMK Radio
and WNIL Radio celebrate the launch of the all new
WNIL Radio Station and our third annual Michiana
“Shop & Greet. This Four Flags Area Chamber of
Commerce After Hours will be held 5-7:00pm, March
18 at the new WNIL Station, 210 S. Philip Rd., Niles,
MI. More information about the After Hours, please
contact the Four Flags Area Chamber of Commerce.
More info about the Fashion Show & Luncheon
and the Michiana “Shop & Greet” Expo, visit our
website www.YourBusinessNeedsFans.com, or call
574.344.8895
25. 25
LEARN, SHARE,
GROW
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over
and over and expecting different results – Albert Einstein
Do you feel like that’s what you’re doing with your business? Do
you really understand the unique value of what you do? How do
you share that value with your customers? Is everyone your
potential customer? What is the best way to let people know what
you do and sell? These are questions that we will look at, analyze
and discuss in a safe, professional atmosphere. Call for more info.
Are you searching
for ways to grow
your business and
increase your cash
flow?
The Business
Abundance Peer
Advisory Board
can help!
You will receive
training, advice
and strategies
from experts
8am to 9am
2nd
and 4th
Wednesday
online $95.00
BUSINESS SUCCESS
UNLIMITED
269‐651‐3555
www.success4biz.biz
Running NOW
26. 26
The mission of this magazine is to help
small business, whether they are just
starting out or have been around for
a while. One of the features that we
started out with was called “Who’s the
Next Big Thing?” and this month we’re
bringing back this column and will be
featuring several businesses.
Pink Zebra is a relatively new business,
and taken directly from their website,
this is what the owners Tom and Kelly
Gaines tell us about their business.
“Like most new business ventures, it
was not easy. The business began in
their home with no employees, a large
credit card debt, and a strong will
to succeed. Within eight years they,
along with the help of their incredible
family of employees, built a company
strong enough to purchase one of the
largest candle manufacturers in
the U.S. During the past eight years
Tom and Kelly’s mission has been to
connect with the consumer directly.
They are realizing their mission by
sharing Pink Zebra’s products and
business opportunities directly with
people all over the United States.” Now,
doesn’t that sound like the way a lot of
us started out?
And before I introduce you to one of
their fastest up and coming stars, I have
to give both Pink Zebra and Shannon
Stuart a shout out for both customer
service and for quality products. Let me
start with a little story … I’m asthmatic
and smells (good, bad or indifferent)
really set me off. I’m one of those
people that have to hold my breath
as I walk past stores in the mall that
have strong scents wafting out from
their stores. So, when Shannon started
talking to me about her candles, I was
dubious. They’re not for me, I told her.
I can’t do smells. She suggested that I
just try them and see what I thought.
She was not pushy or condescending,
but was truly focused on helping me
to see if I could do it (I love candles,
but have only ever been able to use
scentless ones). She gave me a small
package free of charge and just said, see
what you think. Within a week, I was
back saying, YES! I want them.
That shows from the standpoint
of Shannon, how she understands
good customer service, and from the
company’s point of view, what a great
product they make and sell. It’s no
wonder that they are rising in the ranks
of the direct sales industry so quickly.
Thank you Pink Zebra. I can now have
pretty candles that smell good but don’t
make me sick. WONDERFUL!
With that, let me introduce you to
Shannon Stuart and tell you her story.
When I was first getting to know her,
I was intrigued by this cute little pink
zebra pin she always wears and I asked
her, what the heck is that for and why
do you wear it?
27. 27
What is Pink Zebra?
Her answer to me was that Pink
Zebra is a home fragrance company
that allows you to personalize
the fragrance that welcomes you
home. Our Soy Sprinkles are 100%
American made: they are grown
in Berea, Kentucky by American
farmers and processed by American
workers. Well, that impressed me.
I’m all about local and American
made products and services. So,
one point for them.
My next question to her was:
How did you get started?
This opportunity literally fell into
my lap. I had a catalog tossed to me
while sitting at my son’s football
practice. I fell in love with the
products after trying them. It was
just 2 months before Christmas
when I started. Thought this
would be a great opportunity to
make some extra money before
Christmas. I never dreamed
it would turn out this big. The
company slogan is Change your
fragrance, Change Lives. It has
been life changing for my family.
I was able to go from stay at home
mother of 6 awesome children to
financial contributor. This has been
a blessing for us.
For those of you who say, well,
running a business is just too
time consuming, go back and read
Shannon’s last sentence again. A
stay-at-home mother of 6 children?
Now THAT’s time consuming , and
she’s still made it to the point where
she is in the top 1% in overall ranks
of consultants in the company. She
has drive and stick-to-it-tive-ness
I’d say. What about you?
Of course, learning about her
life led me to ask her this next
question:
What are the day to day
stresses that you encounter
with your business?
I’ve been fortunate enough to listen
to Belinda Elsworth (International
Direct Sales expert and owner
of Step Into Success) speak at 3
different conferences. One thing
I always take away from these
conferences is the need to remind
myself to do the Power Hour (a
program on time management
authored by Ms. Elsworth). This
helps me with managing my day.
It keeps me focused on the task
at hand. And it leads me to more
bookings which gets more sales and
a better paycheck.
In addition to that, I’m quite
motivated by incentives. Pink Zebra
offers a wonderful compensation
program, gifts for promotions in
the form of jewelry, and fabulous
vacations. In just a little over 2
years with the company, I’ve earned
a trip for 2 to Punta Cana where
we stayed at the Hard Rock Resort
(all inclusive), I’ve been promoted
3 times, and will be going on my
second trip in April to Jamaica --
again all inclusive for 2.
Those are certainly great incentives,
but also shows that there’s a lot
of hard work involved in moving
her business ahead, as Shannon
definitely sees this as being a
business venture for herself and not
just something to “make some extra
money.”
Of course there are also challenges
that come with the advent of any
business and so my next question
was:
28. 28
What challenges have you
faced?
The biggest challenge so far has been
getting the word out to people about
Pink Zebra. The company is just a
bit over 3 years old so many people
have never heard of us. Let’s face it,
we are creatures of habit. Change
can be scary. I’ve found that once I
get the customer to try Pink Zebra,
they realize that this is the superior
product on the market and they
come back. Repeat business has been
great. Getting them to initially try us
out was the hard part. Sound familiar
to anyone else? It sure does to me.
Finally, whenever any of us go into
business we find people and other
resources that help us along the way.
Shannon, too, had some words of
wisdom in that regard.
Are there any resources you
could recommend to Business
Owners?
Again, if you’ve never heard of
Belinda Elsworth, I strongly
recommend you check out her
website, Step Into Success. She’s also
on Facebook. She has changed the
way I do business. I look at people in
a different light now. Where I used
to think “how can people benefit me
and my business,” I now think “How
can my business benefit them?” The
Fortune is in the follow up is one
of her CDs. Seems so simple but
something that is so overlooked by
many. I’ve met many people who
are shocked to hear my voice on the
phone doing follow up calls. Don’t
be afraid of the phone. Pick it up and
connect with your customers!
I ended the interview with this
fascinating woman and the
discussion on her company by asking
her for any final thoughts. Her
answer?
I believe almost every successful
person begins with two beliefs…The
future can be better than the present,
and I have the power to make it so.
Zig Ziglar. Powerful words. Work
hard, play harder.
Thanks Shannon and thanks Pink
Zebra
If you’re interested in finding
out more about the products or
opportunities for you to get involved,
here’s her contact information:
Shannon Stuart Pzshannon.com
www.facebook.com/shannon.stuart.
574-298-5656
30. 30
Think Through
How You Say
“Thank You”
By Adam Fleming
We all know that there’s power in
saying thanks. It’s not November,
so this may not seem like a
seasonal
topic, but it’s all the more
important to remember as we hit
our stride in the year’s activities
(I’m writing this on February
2nd, wondering where January
went) to send those thanks all year
long. A recent lunch meeting with
an executive director of a local
non-profit raised an interesting
question about the nuts and bolts
of the thank you note. There are
two schools of thought on this
issue. Let’s look at the pros and
cons of both.
The “I’m Always Networking”
school of thought says that you
should end a thank you with a
reminder. That reminder might
say “I appreciate any referrals you
can send me” or even better, a
specific request for a referral. For
example, if you’re a roofer, “If you
have a neighbor whose shingles
are beginning to show [list signs of
wear], please encourage them to
give me a call.” And if you’re in the
non-profit world, the “I’m Always
Fundraising” school means that
you conclude your note of thanks
with a statement like “We’re
currently raising funds for [list no
more than two or three projects]
and would be grateful if you could
give towards this project as well.”
Ideally, this approach nets you a
new customer or donation. That’s
hard to argue against!
But there’s another school of
thought I’ll call the “Say Thanks
and Shut Up” school. The
friend I was talking to last week
commented that sometimes people
can feel annoyed by the “I’m
Always Networking” approach.
Particularly in the development
world, saying thanks and asking
for more in the same breath can
feel a little like having a college
student call home and say “Thanks
for sending money, Mom and Dad,
can you send some more next
week?” But even in the business
world this could feel like you’re
always trying to get something else
out of your client and customer,
and can put them off. The Tao Te
Ching says “there is no calamity
like not knowing what is enough.”
This mantra suggests that saying
a simple Thank You might be the
answer; there is value in saying
thanks and leaving it at that. It
may be subtle psychology, but I
suspect this version of the Thank
You note may leave a better
impression long term. This is the
style I’ve been using lately as I’ve
thanked contributors to my non-
profit work, and when my friend
pointed out that some non-profits
do otherwise, I was a little taken
aback. Say thanks and shut up can
include a reminder of how you’re
spending the money, if you’re
a charity, but that’s about it. If
your donor decides they want to
give more, they’ve proven they’re
capable of sending you money.
Of course, if you’re for-profit, it’s
nobody’s business how you spend
their money once you’ve earned it.
So how do you decide which one
works for you? First, consider
that good old Golden Rule – do
to others what you’d want them
to do to you. Does the extra ask
bother you? Then don’t do it to
others. Next, if you’re in for-profit
business, consider the lesson from
the non-profit world. If asking
for more in the non-profit thank
you note leaves the note sounding
insincere, then perhaps the same
principle applies in your for-profit
note. On the other hand, perhaps
it’s more expected and socially
acceptable in the for-profit thank
you. I don’t think there’s a one-
size-fits-all answer here, but I do
think it’s worth thinking about. It
is quite possible that sometimes
you should use one, and sometimes
the other, and that may depend
how well you know the person
you’re thanking. Be conscious
of the options. Finally, get your
system set up one way or another,
and do it. To paraphrase the Tao,
there’s no calamity like forgetting
to send a thank you note.
Adam Fleming
Adam G. Fleming
is a husband
and father of
four, teaches
active listening,
powerful
questions and
SMART goals
to non-profits
and churches. CEO at Evergreen
Leaders, Owner at Epic Life Studios,
international traveler, multicultural
thinker and author of the novel white
Buffalo Gold.
32. 32
Is Your Messy Workspace Bringing on
Criticism From Your Colleagues?
Close your eyes and picture an
office with every surface covered
with papers, books, magazines,
and all sorts of stuff – stacked on
top of file cabinets and bookcases,
in chairs, on the floor, and strewn
all over the desk. What’s that you
say? — You don’t have to close your
eyes. You see it right in front of
you?
If this sounds like your workspace,
you’ve probably gotten a few
critical comments from colleagues,
visitors, maybe even your spouse.
But should you listen to them?
Each of us has a different tolerance
level for clutter; at some point it
starts to bother you. Until then,
you’re resistant to anyone telling
you what to do about it.
Ask yourself: What does my
workspace say about me? That
I’m an organized, focused,
successful business owner who
gets things done? Or someone
scrambling to run a business;
someone who probably is late
for meetings, misses deadlines,
and doesn’t follow through? A
messy workspace can hurt your
reputation. Just as important, it
can hurt your productivity and
creativity.
Why is Clutter Bad?
• For many people, clutter is
distracting and makes it hard
to focus on your work.
• Clutter can drag you down,
stifle your energy.
• Papers get buried on your desk.
You may miss deadlines, forgot
about meetings, or can’t get
around to following up with
prospective clients.
• With papers scattered a few
inches deep on your desk and
thousands of messages in your
email inbox, you’re probably
always worried about what’s
under all that stuff and if it
needs to be addressed right
away
What’s the solution?
Simple as A, B, C. (Not necessarily
easy, but simple, and it does
become easy once you do “C.”)
A. Make decisions quickly about
things as they come into your life.
1. Delete/discard/destroy
– you don’t have to keep
everything.
2. Delegate – if you have
someone to delegate to, do it
now.
3. Do immediately – but only
if it takes a minute or two. The
reason – If you put off the task,
you’ve just wasted the time
it took to read that email or
paper, and, more important,
now you’re got to remember to
do it later.
4. File for reference or in
your project files. This
applies to paper, email and
computer documents.
a. Reference items, are those
you need to keep for tax,
legal, or historical purposes,
or for future projects way
down the road. If you don’t
file them immediately,
get them off your desk/
out of your inbox. Create a
zone in your office where
you put “reference papers
to file.” Create folders on
your computer and in your
33. 33
email program for “reference
items to file.” Never, never,
never mix reference papers
to file with action items on
your desk. You’ll spend hours
going through stacks of paper
looking for that important
paper that requires action.
b. Project files are critical.
Immediately file project
papers, email messages, and
computer documents in their
specific project folder. When
it’s time to work on that
project, you’ve got everything
at your fingertips. No need
to search for something you
remember getting but have no
idea where or what it is.
5. File for follow-up. Get the
task in your system to follow up on
it later.
a. Don’t yet have a system?
Select one. You may have to
try a few to find the best one
for you. Options include:
paper or computer lists;
smartphone apps; planning
calendars; Outlook tasks, flags,
pop-up reminders; an old-
fashioned tickler file (paper
or electronic). Search on the
Internet for “to do list,” “to
do system,” or “productivity
system” to get some ideas.
Then ask people whose
work style you admire what
options they use.
b. Put all your “to do” tasks
in your system, and review it
daily. c. For paper and email
items related to a task, note
your next step on that paper or
in the email subject line.
B. Create a place for everything
and put things away. Papers in file
folders stored in file drawers for
reference files, or in open top file
holders for project papers. Email
messages and computer documents
in folders. Books on a bookcase.
Seldom used items in another room.
C. Make a habit of A and B.
When you decide to change a habit,
such as organization, select one at a
time. Practice it constantly until you
get better at it, and have changed
your former routine. The more you
do it, the easier it becomes.
Susan Kousek
Certified Professional
Organizer® Susan
Kousek is the owner
of Balanced Spaces® in
Reston, Virginia. She
works with people who
want to increase their
productivity while still
having balance in their lives. Susan can be
reached at Susan@BalancedSpaces.com or
703-742-9179.
34. 34
Email is one of the most highly used
modes of communication in the
business world today. Some people
love it, some people hate it, but
everyone has to use it. In day-to-day
dealings, it can sometimes be easy
to forget about the person on the
other end of the email. Developing
the proper tone and familiarity
level, while keeping the message
short, sweet and to the point, takes
practice. Learning how to craft
emails that will benefit your business
and build powerful connections is
an invaluable skill. The effectiveness
of the message comes down to the
design.
Working on becoming a better and
more thoughtful writer will help
you get more out of your email
communications. Understanding
the person on the receiving end
of the email is one of the most
pivotal components to developing
lasting relationships. Let’s take a
look at some of the ways to build
relationship capital and use email to
your best advantage in business.
Mindful Messaging
Building Relationship Capital:
The best relationships, in
business or in life, are built on a
foundation of giving. Don’t only
email when you want something.
When cultivating a rapport with
someone, you must plant seeds
of good will before you expect to
harvest rewards. Whether you are
dealing with contacts, associates
or clients, it is important to
differentiate yourself from the
crowd by establishing the things
you can offer that give you an edge
– your distinctive value. In order
to learn how best to provide value,
you need to understand the other
person by getting to know them
personally.
In the beginning stages of a
business relationship you must
listen more than you talk. This
task can prove difficult for some
sales people, but it is essential.
Learning about their pain points
in business, the organizations they
belong to, and their interests and
hobbies is only possible by letting
the other person do most of the
talking. The valuable knowledge
gleaned from early conversations
will help you to incorporate
personal touches into your email
interactions. Understanding what
type of content would benefit the
other party is the key to building
valuable connections.
Providing someone with current
news, valuable knowledge or any
information that would be of
interest to them may seem like a
small gift, but will go a long way
towards building relationship
capital. Any time you send an
email of this nature to a contact,
you will be brought to the forefront
of the recipient’s mind. It will
also ensure they know you are
thinking about them and going
out of your way to provide value
to them. Adding value without
looking for something in return
will foster trust and encourage
your connections to look for an
opportunity to return the favor.
Orchestrating Thoughtful
Introductions:
Making introductions within
your network can put you in
35. 35
a position of influence and
help add value to your existing
relationships. However, it is
critically important to remember
that your connections all have one
thing in common. They are busy.
If the recipient needs to search
for additional information after
reading an email introduction,
they are left with a burden instead
of a gift. In turn, they will be more
likely to discard the email. Taking
the time to carefully construct an
introduction between two people
is essential to avoid making any of
the involved parties feel as though
their time is being wasted.
The introduction being made
should be chosen carefully to
benefit both parties and the email
itself should be thoughtfully
crafted to capture the reader’s
attention. Be sure to explain why
you believe the two people should
connect and how they might be
able to help one another. Also,
explain any relevant background
information about both parties.
Including details about job titles,
the companies they work for and
their location is a must, but taking
the time to brag a little about
them is also a great idea. This
extra touch of personalization will
warm up a basic introduction, and
will demonstrate how much you
admire each person.
When facilitating an introduction
between two parties, you should
think of yourself as a host. Prepare
a detailed yet succinct message,
and anticipate the needs or
questions the person receiving
the email might have in order to
ensure the introduction will be
well received. Include all of the
necessary information so they
want for nothing. Doing this will
make them feel taken care of and
appreciated. Taking advantage of
an opportunity to make someone
else’s life a little better is a great
feeling, and can yield positive
results in the long run.
As you cultivate your business
relationships, be sure that proper
thought and preparation goes
into every email you send to
your connections. Taking the
time to understand and look
out for the needs of all of your
business associates is the key to
building reciprocal relationships.
Incorporating these tips and tricks
for crafting valuable emails into
your daily business interactions
will make you stand out from
the crowd. Email is an extremely
powerful tool that, when wielded
correctly, can produce powerful
results.
Jerry Sarno is experienced in
Fortune 500 companies and small
enterprises. He specializes in
Project Management, ecommerce
and Account Management. He
managed high performance teams
in applications development, CRM
and ERP software deployments
and has worked in international
project teams
36. 36
Do you have what it takes to
be a successful entrepreneur?
What exactly does it take to
be a successful entrepreneur?
According to Jim Clifton,
Chairman of Gallop and author of
a new Entrepreneurial Assessment
called EP10, there are 10 specific
natural-born traits which drive
the world’s most successful
entrepreneurs. The EP10 measures
the intensity of these traits, giving
you access to knowledge and
self awareness that serves you
in building and growing your
business.
The author specifies that this
assessment is not a definitive
source for determining whether
you should or should not become
an entrepreneur. It does provide
awareness around your natural
aptitude which helps you
determine how and if you could
either outsource or create more
focus around certain areas.
When coaching entrepreneurs,
I always start by using this
assessment. It gives me valuable
insight into how best to support
them, and is an incredible tool
for the entrepreneur to begin to
understand their own natural
talents. It tends to explain a lot!
You may be wondering what the 10
traits are? Of course we all want to
“measure up” when it
comes to talent, and the danger
of this assessment is that once the
results are reviewed, it can
bring up some feelings of
inadequacy. You know exactly what
I mean, don’t you? We tend to
focus on what we don’t have more
than what we have.
If viewed with the proper
perspective, it serves as an amazing
tool for leveraging your natural
strengths and accommodating
those gaps in your skillset. If your
mission is to succeed, and you’re
willing to take an honest look at
your available resources, it’s an
amazing resource.
Here are the 10 talents:
1. Knowledge Seeker
2. Creative Thinker
3. Business Focus
4. Risk-Taker
5. Determination
6. Relationship-Builder
7. Independent Delegator
8. Confidence
9. Promoter
When I first looked at this list
of strengths, I formed an idea,
based on the one or two word
description, of which talents I
possess. Turns out there were a few
surprises for me, once I actually
took the assessment! When I read
the detailed description of where
my natural talent lined up in each
area, it made perfect sense. I was
personally well served by knowing
where my talent gaps were, and
where my genius lives.
My practice has always been to
focus on strengths; leveraging
that, rather than spending energy
attempting to improve weaknesses.
This is especially helpful when you
are an entrepreneur, and you are
potentially doing everything in
your business. You may be really
great at selling your product, and
not so great at organizing receipts.
Yet each function is important to
the success of your business.
The key is to see this, and to be
willing to consider the value
of outsourcing those tasks or
responsibilities rather than doing
them poorly. What is the impact of
having unorganized or inadequate
financial records to the overall
profitability and measurement
of your business? You, as the
entrepreneur, get to decide this.
As a business coach to
entrepreneurs, our first work
together is focused on creating
extreme clarity about the use of
one’s time. Time, it seems, is our
most valuable commodity. Many
of us actually enter business
ownership for the time freedom we
imagine it will bring to us. No more
boss, looking over our shoulder
telling us what to do, and when to
do it.
We want the kind of freedom we
imagined we’d have if we’re calling
the shots, and yet by not being
organized and intentional, we run
the risk of having even less time
freedom.
Entrepreneurs never punch
out. We don’t generally get time
away where we are not somehow
Leveraging Your
Entrepreneurial Strengths
37. 37
thinking about our business. It’s a
blessing and a curse
Things work best when we don’t
trade one brand of prison for
another. It’s essential to surround
yourself with various skillsets,
whether you beg, borrow, or trade,
or buy the right to use those talents.
Doing things you’re not good at will
not only put your business success
at risk, it will also suck the life out of
you, task by task.
Business is fun. Being an
entrepreneur is equally challenging
and rewarding. It’s not for people
who live in excuse-land. It’s only for
those that are brave enough to take
an honest look at themselves, and to
be willing to grow and change and
ask for help. It’s an adventure like
no other, and like any adventure, it’s
great to have the right resources in
your suitcase.
Using the EP-10 is wise, as is hiring a
business coach. Surrounding yourself
with talented people who offer
different perspectives is useful too.
Leveraging your natural born talent
is just one component for creating a
phenomenally successful business.
Arguably, it is vital to your success.
Charrise McCrorey is a leading business and leadership
consultant, life coach, writer, speaker, and
entrepreneur, who specializes in serving clients all over
the world. Her superpowers include a finely tuned sense
of intuition, mad courage to say what is true, and an
unremitting ability to inspire and light people up. She is
an endless source of optimism, in an ever-cynical world.
She’s the equivalent of Dorothy’s magic shoes, helping
the people see what’s always been inside them, so that
they use their natural talents to create a better future.
Her work is powered by her commitment to asking
provocative questions, which offers a productive space
for the answers to emerge. Through a commitment
to having conversations that matter, she encourages
leaders and entrepreneurs to get clear on what they
really want, while gently guiding them into bold action.
39. 39
March 2015
Business Success Unlimited
Just A Reminder…
The BSU Mastermind
Program has started back up
online the 2nd and 4th
Wednesday of March
Every Monday
Georgetown Plus Networking, Northeast
Innovation Center, Forth Worth, IN
• Meets every Monday at 11:30am
• Join us for FREE LUNCH and A new way of
networking
• $3 & 2 Business Cards gets you in!
• Bring promotional materials and be ready to
share about your business!
• SVP for a display table for $15 during the
group Call Randi: (260)-312-7862
• Come Early & Stay late & NETWORK
Every Wednesday
Exit 25 Networking, Agaves (Exit 25), Fort Worth,
IN
• Meets every Wednesday at 11:30am
• Join us for RELATIONAL Networking &
Promote each other to Success!
• $3 & 2 Business Cards gets you in!
• Bring promotional materials and be ready to
share about your busines
Premier Women’s Network
Michiana
Premier Fort Wayne, 1st Tuesday
Premier Niles, 1st Thursday
Premier Angola/Auburn, 3rd Tuesday
Premier Warsaw, 3rd Tuesday
Premier Mishawaka, last Tuesday
Call Mary Jo Smith @ (574)-514-5193
Women’s Business Bureau
• Kalamazoo Country Ckub, Kalamazoo,
MI 49006
• Contact Jan Murphy: (334)-560-6955
40. 40
Critics! Everybody is a critic.Ed Becher PPS
Center for Protection, Security and Personal Safety LLC
Having been in the security and
protection industry for many years
now, myself like many others have
been criticized, have been critics
of other’s actions and have even
sat back and Monday morning
quarterbacked other’s actions.
Just today as I write this there is
much debate in social media as
to how a member of a celebrity
protection team handled some
paparazzi. His actions go against
everything I teach in our 7 day
Personal Protection Specialist
class. He left his client’s side, he
scuffled with the paparazzi, he
pushed/they pushed. What did it
get anyone? Well, for the paparazzi
it got them some good photos and
video of him fighting with them
and for the client it got them some
bad press. There are times in this
industry when some people get
out of hand and we do everything
to keep our clients safe and help
them maintain some privacy. But
when dealing with celebrities this
becomes harder as many times
these same clients want all the
publicity they can get, whether
it be good or bad, as it gets their
name in the hands of the media.
But when it comes to us as
business owners we need to
use caution and be careful as to
how the media portrays us. This
especially comes true when an
employee or client gets injured
while on our company property.
This is when all those critics will
come out, questions will be asked,
i.e., things like whether you the
owner provided enough security
and precautions to avoid the
injury, assault or robbery.
A number of years ago, I worked
a very prestigious religious
convention in Washington DC,
handling both physical security for
the event and protective security
for some of the more esteemed
members of the clergy. One of the
attendees approached a member
of the security detail and stated
that a woman in attendance was
not who she claimed to be and was
in fact wearing his wife’s dress.
Upon investigation, it was learned
that this woman had stolen the
gentleman’s wife’s convention
ID, which also had her room key
in it. Wanting to be a part of the
convention and not having an
invite or even the proper attire,
she decided to ‘borrow’ some from
this conventioneer. What part of
41. 41
this convention do you think got
front page of the local paper: not
the money raised for the church
to continue its mission, not the
list of celebrities; including Jesse
Jackson; who were in attendance.
Nope, it was the theft of the dress
and this woman’s arrest. As much
security as we had on site, we
could not have prevented this
theft, as the wife left her ID in the
ladies room and never reported
it missing till after the theft had
occurred. But who do you think
was criticized for this? Both the
hotel and the security staff for the
event. Did it change anything?
No.
As business owners, we will be
criticized for our actions, and
our inactions by many who do
not know the full story behind
what transpired. We cannot
prevent every accident from
happening, we cannot prevent
every criminal from assaulting
or robbing someone, but we
can have measures in place
that help to prevent them from
occurring. Things like close circuit
television, panic alarms, meeting
in well-lit and highly patronized
locations, letting others know
where and when we will be
places. Practicing our situational
awareness and staying in
Condition Yellow when we are out
and about. We are responsible for
our own safety and security and
also that of our employees when
they are conducting business for
us.
As a business owner, we have
taken steps here at our office
to increase security with the
installation of a security camera
in our reception area. Why? The
security of our facility becomes
vital to maintaining the safety of
our clients, staff and visitors. If I
am conducting an interview of a
high threat client, I want to know
who enters, before something hits
the oscillator. Whether this be
the victim of a stalker or domestic
violence, or a high profile person
within our community who feels
threatened. When they are in our
office space they need to feel safe
and secure. When others our in
our office space they deserve the
same protection and feeling of
being safe.
So with this in mind, stay safe,
stay vigilant and keep aware!
Ed Becher, (Ret.) US Marine and Former Chief
Instructor, US Dept. of State, Uniformed Branch,
Diplomatic Security Service is the owner of Center
for Protection, Security and Personal Safety (The
Bodyguard Academy) which is a provider of training
and resources to keep you, your staff and clients safe.
He can be contacted at ed@thebodyguardacademy.
com or by phone at (269)651-3355.
42. 42
Purple Cow
by Seth Godin
This month I am excited to introduce you to who I
feel hands-down is my favorite author, Seth Godin,
and his 2002 book Purple Cow. Before you dismiss
this as a twelve-year-old stale book that can’t
possibly teach you anything, give it a try.
Seth Godin asks a simple, yet timeless question:
What do spectacular companies (I’m talking the ones
who hit records in growth and leave critics amazed
when they outstrip established, mature brands) all
have in common? They each have a purple cow. A
what? Yes. They have a purple cow.
They offer something really special. Sure, there are
something like 57 standard varieties of cows, but
if you saw a PURPLE cow in a field, you’d take a
closer look. You’d get excited, ask questions, and
get interested. You would talk about that cow…and
ignore all the other cows in the field.
THAT’s what companies like Apple and Starbucks
have done that other computer companies and coffee
houses have not. They are consistently amazing at
what they do, every day. This creates remarkable
buzz.
Think about it. If what you offer is truly outstanding,
it’s not hard to market…it practically sells itself. If
your company isn’t offering your customers purple
cows, maybe it’s time to take a hard look at your
business. Are you selling ho-hum products with
lackluster service? Or are you peddling lavender
llamas? Give Purple Cow a read and let me know
what you think.
Never stop learning, never stop growing your
business!
Kristi Pavlik,
Chief Visionary Officer at
Adonai Business Solutions, helps
entrepreneurs navigate their
business journeys to success! For
more than a decade, Kristi has been
teaching entrepreneurs and small
business owners how to transform
big ideas into business models that
support profit and growth!
Active in the business management
field for over 20 years, Kristi is a
skilled professional who helps entrepreneurs from beginners
to business leaders “get out of their own way”. She shows
them how to implement practical, real-world solutions to
their business speed-bumps, resulting in improved efficiency,
increased productivity and significant progress toward their
goals.
44. 44
The old saying is still very true today. We would like to celebrate that with you. If it
means going out hunting, fishing, sports, renaissance fairs, we want to see it! Send us
photos of you and even your co-workers playing hard. Then look forward to them in
future SBF issues. To kick it off here is the staff from Small Biz Forward. Email photos to
nancy@success4biz.biz
Zachary Harker aka Timber Gray Wolf
with some of his pirate Crew
Nancy & Ed Becher
45. 45
what’s upat BSU
Angola Connects – meets 2nd and 4th
Friday of the month in Angola, IN. Businesses
hold meetings in which they get to know
other members of the group, both personally
andprofessionally. Each meeting the focus is
on exploring a different member’s business
and learning networking/business strategies.
Through support and interaction, members
gainincreased confidence while building
relationships and referrals with other business
owners. You’re not alone, come share your
story with us! Cost is $35/year and goes to the
group for marketing purposes.
Success Roundtable- meets 11:30-1:30 the
third Wednesday of every month a t
F e t z e r C e n t e r , K a l a m a z o o. This
once a month meeting will give you theopportunity
to hear what the experts say and interact with
other business owners in a relaxedlearning
environment. Each month a new speaker will
share real world stories of how theirbusiness
has developed and how you can learn from their
experience. Members will gainvaluable insight
on what it means to be “in business”. Your
business education starts here, atthe next Success
Roundtable! Cost is $30 per event. (This takes
place in Kalamazoo, MI.)
Business Abundance Development
programs meet every Thursday from 7pm
to 8pm. This is an online program.
Members work together building key pieces of
their business with the help and support ofothers
in the group. An example is our latest 6-week
series on marketing plans. Fromestablishing
a target market, to identifying strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats(S.W.O.T.
analysis}, this group will help you apply the
fundamentals of business to your particular
situation. It’s hands-on, and it’s real world...
This group also focuses on the onething that
is common to all of our businesses....sales.
We discuss the issues that help us allfind more
clients. Topics such as “Networking 101, getting
to know each other’’, “Now thatyou’ve got all those
business cards, what do you do with them?”, and
“Social media dos anddon’ts” are examples of
recent discussions. Cost is $25 per session.
Mastermind Groups - meeting times vary;
apply now for the next available group. Some are
online, some are in person. Napoleon Hill coined
the term”mastermind” in the early 20th century
while working with individuals such as Henry
Ford,Andrew Carnegie and Franklin Roosevelt. The
idea is that when you have several peoplefocused
on one thought, question or idea, you find solutions
as a group that you would nothave found alone.
Business Success Unlimited believes the same...
it’s the power ofbrainstorming, accountability,
support and education all rolled into one...it’s your
very ownpersonal Board of Directors! Apply now-
groups are hand-picked based on length of time
inbusiness, type of business and your individual
personality style. You will thank us later....
Cost is $95 for 12 hours (over 3 monhs).
Success Roundtable – same time, NIIC Center, Fort Wayne, IN. Last Thursday of the month. See above.
Success Roundtable – same time, tbd, South Bend.
46. 46
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Member Values and Benefits Empowerment Circle
Listing on Web and in Small Biz Forward
Most Events Free
Member-to-Member Discounts
One FREE Business Card Listing in
Small Biz Forward Yearly
Listing on BSU Facebook Page
Private Facebook Chat Group
Subscription to Small Biz Forward FREE
Quarterly 1/4 Page Ad in Small Biz Forward FREE
Cost $49 Per MonthCost $75 Per Month
