June 2014 magazine final by Small Business Today Magazine

SBT Houston Staff JUNE 2014

PUBLISHER SCOLUMN

Chairman John Cruise President/Executive Publisher Steve Levine Associate Publisher/ Creative Director/Editor Barbara Davis-Levine

From the Publisher

Steve Levine

Business Development/PR Maria Deborah DuBose Bill Huff Aaron Kaplan Susan Repka Graphic Designer Lavinia Menchaca Photographers Gwen Juarez Chris Curry Contributing Writers Don Brown Terry Bruner Barbara Davis Dr. John Demartini Mila Golovine Ruben Gonzalez Lorraine Grubbs Birgit Zacher Hanson Dawn Haynes Bruce Hurta Jeff Jones

Aaron Kaplan Craig Klein Mahlia Mian Hank Moore Mayor Annise Parker Howard Partridge Donna K. Rooney Christi Ruiz Rita Santamaria Holly Uverity Aimee Woodall

Chief Advisor Hank Moore Publisher’s Advisory Board Shah Ardalan Roger Burks Helen Callier Sonia Clayton Donna Cole John Cruise Dirk Cummins April Day Dr. John Demartini Maya Durnovo Kathie Edwards Leonard Faucher Mila Golovine David Holt Richard Huebner Jeffrey Jones Darryl King Craig Klein Wea Lee

Hank Moore Lisa M. Morton Mike Muhney Leisa Holland Nelson Mayor Annise Parker Page Parkes Howard Partridge Susan Repka Maria Rios Grant Sadler Rita Santamaria Allen Shapiro William Sherrill Pam Terry Linda Toyota Jack Warkenthien Carlecia D. Wright Aaron Young

Phone: 832-419-2814 E-Mail: Steve.Levine@SBTMagazine.net Or Write: Small Business Today 5380 West 34th Street, Ste 230 Houston,TX 77092 See us on the web at www.SBTMagazine.net Free APP for Android & iPhone go to your APP Store and type in Small Business Today Magazine PUBLISHER: STEVE LEVINE SMALL BUSINESS MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY LEGACY PUBLISHING GROUP, LLC. 5380 WEST 34TH ST. STE. 230 HOUSTON, TX 77092 EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER: STEVE LEVINE PRESIDENT: JOHN CRUISE PHONE: 832-460-2020 www.SBTMagazine.net ADVERTISING RATES ON REQUEST. BULK THIRD CLASS MAIL PAID IN TUCSON, AZ. POSTMASTER: PLEASE SEND NOTICES ON FORM 3579 TO 5380 WEST 34TH ST. STE. 230 HOUSTON, TX 77092 ALTHOUGH EVERY PRECAUTION IS TAKEN TO ENSURE ACCURACY OF PUBLISHED MATERIALS, SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR OPINIONS EXPRESSED OR FACTS SUPPLIED BY ITS AUTHORS. COPYRIGHT 2012, LEGACY PUBLISHING GROUP, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

s a former Realtor®, the chant was always “Location, Location, Location” when it came to the value and desirability of a residential real estate purchase. Those same words apply to one of the main considerations when we work with a cover honoree in deciding the best place for their cover photo. Barbara, John, and I receive so many great compliments on our beautiful and unique covers. Connie Rankin’s cover photo last month (May 2014) was set on the Sabine Bridge which connects Memorial Drive and Allen Parkway. For a top commercial real estate agent selling all over the city of Houston, our beautiful city skyline made the perfect backdrop for her cover. The Sabine Bridge has always been one of our favorite views of our city. This month’s cover honoree, Ludmilla (Mila) Golovine of MasterWord Services has a truly international business that connects people across language and culture. For this reason, we chose to use the “Light Spikes” as our backdrop for her photo. For those of you who may not be aware of the origins of the “Light Spikes”, the “Light Spikes” were created for the 1990 Economic Summit of Industrial Nations by local artist Jay Baker and was originally installed in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center. The large abstracted flags represent the European Economic Community as well as the seven countries that participated in the Summit. The Light Spikes, as any traveler can tell you, are located at the airport near Terminal C and the Mickey Leland International Arrivals Building. The Light Spikes consist of eight flags that are individually wrapped around square columns. Each “spike” is supported by an aluminum grid structure and a ten foot concrete pier below the ground. The columns lean at a 10 degree angle toward a central point that represents Houston. The distance between each “spike” and this point is relative to the distance between Houston and the capital of the country that the flag represents. Once again, we (Mila, Barbara, and I) thought this was a perfect backdrop. Speaking of “Barbara”, because she is both the writer and the stager of the photos, the covers tell a story in themselves. This is a very unique combination that makes for very, very special covers! Many thanks to David Hebert and Katena Carvajales with the Bush Intercontinental Airport Administrative Office for being so kind in assisting us in being able to work through security at the airport to make this happen. It is time to let you get started with this month’s issue! Good Reading, Good Sales, and Great Success to You All!

Steve Levine

President/Executive Publisher, Small Business Today Magazine

[ MAY 2014 ] www.SBTMagazine.net 3

INSIDE JUNE 2014 EDITION HOUSTON

Publisher’s Column

Use Education to Boost Your Career

Avoid a Dangerous Sales Process That Could Kill Your Business

Adopt-A-Tree & NeighborWoods Programs – Caring for Houston’s Urban Forest

Differences Due to Globalization: Multiculturalism as a Goal for Life and an Aid to Business

Cut the Weeds – A Focus on Priorities and Strategy by Avoiding Time Zappers

Keeping Up With The Times

Problem Solving Technique: The 180 Rule

Understanding Employee Productivity

Getting Organized: Are “Organizing Myths” Stopping You?

Visualization - A Technique Every Champion Uses

Do You Sometimes Feel Like a SLAVE to Your Business?

Small Business Loan Renewal Risk

How to Lose a Follower in 7 Ways

Unexpected Questions

Gaining by Giving

Travel More Safely All Year Long

Financial Astrology for June 2014

Integrity is Your Personal Brand

Increase Your Business Revenue by Obtaining Federal Government Small Business Projects

Ludmila Golovine – MasterWord Services, Inc. Connecting People Across Language and Culture

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BACK COVER

[ MAY 2014 ] www.SBTMagazine.net 5

Ludmila Golovine

– MasterWord Services, Inc. Connecting People Across Language and Culture By Barbara R. Davis

“Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going.” -Rita Mae Brown

here are roughly 6,500 spoken languages in the world today. Each of us talks, listens, and thinks in his/her own special language that has been shaped by our culture, experiences, profession, personality, customs, and attitudes.The chance of us meeting someone else who “talks” the exact same language is pretty remote. Building effective communication skills and relationships within a single culture is often challenging. Bridging the gap between different cultures makes building communication skills and relationships even more difficult. How fortunate it is that MasterWord Services, Inc. is a company that exists with a mission to connect people across language and culture. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the world was going through many changes. Communism began to falter in Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia in 1988 and then suddenly, almost overnight, November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall came down. Also in 1989, a wave of revolutions began that led to the overthrow of all of the Communist regimes of Central and Eastern Europe. In August of 1991, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union lost control. This, in turn, led to the formal dissolution of the USSR in December of 1991 and the collapse of Communist regimes in other countries such as Mongolia, Cambodia, and South Yemen. As a result of these major events, many people who had known only Communism their entire life were going through changes as well that included opportunities to leave their homeland and freely explore other societies and their ideologies. Ludmila Golovine was one of those people. 6 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ JUNE 2014 ]

Growing up in Moscow, Russia, Ludmila (Mila) Rusakova Golovine was a very competitive student, always striving to be the best in her class. Even so, her education was limited to the subjects allowed in a Communist society. There were no words in her vocabulary for market economy, free enterprise, and democracy. Due to the fall of Communism, opportunities opened up for students to study in the United States. Graduating at the top of her class, Ludmila, who was 19 at the time, was offered a scholarship to attend the University of Houston. Excited with the opportunity to learn about a new culture, Ludmila planned to study in the United States and then return home with her newfound knowledge. After arriving in Houston, Ludmila began her studies and chose finance as her major because she was fascinated with international finance. Even though she was fluent in Russian, French, and English, a lot of the accounting and business terminology that Ludmila was learning in college was new to her. The words didn’t exist yet in the Russian vocabulary especially since the market economy was still a new concept in Russia. Needing one more elective to get her degree, Ms. Golovine chose the Entrepreneurship class only because it was offered at a time that conveniently fit in with her schedule. The funny thing is that she had no idea what the word “entrepreneur” really meant and little did she know that the class would change her life in such a major way! “It’s not what you tell them…it’s what they hear.” -Red Auerbach The Entrepreneurship class was brand new in1991 and being taught at the University of Houston’s C.T. Bauer College of Business by William “Bill” Sherrill who was not only the professor but

the founder and co-chairman of the Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship (WCE). A successful entrepreneur in his own right and alumnus of the University of Houston, Mr. Sherrill’s vision was to organize, expand, and promote the knowledge and practice of entrepreneurship. It was his desire to prepare students to assume leadership roles in the business world and teach them how to run their own business from the inception of an idea through its implementation Many people had scoffed at Bill Sherrill’s idea of offering a program in entrepreneurship but it was so well-received and successful that, in 1994, Mr. Sherrill won the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneurship Educator of the Year Award for his advancements in education and by 1995, the Texas State Committee for Higher Education established it as a Major in Entrepreneurship under the Bachelor of Business Administration Degree. One of the first assignments given to Ms. Golovine for her Entrepreneurship class was to write a business plan and figure out how to run a business. Trying to come up with an idea for a business, Ludmila knew languages so she wrote a business plan on starting a language company. She came up with the name MasterWord Services and completed her business paper for the class. “That business paper ended up being my life,” expounded Ludmila. Ultimately, not only did Ludmila take this class, she stayed for the entire program and graduated with a double major in Finance and Entrepreneurship. At the time of her first class, Ludmila had no idea of all of the diversity in Houston but the more she studied and discovered things about Houston, the more she became excited about her business idea. According to one recent Rice University study, the U.S. Census data shows that Houston has now surpassed New York City as the country’s most racially and ethnically diverse metropolis. More than 90 languages are spoken throughout the Houston area and 92 countries have consular offices in Houston. Ms. Golovine reflected, “What is interesting is that today, when we think about working internationally, it doesn’t necessarily mean going overseas. We can be working internationally when we are right here in the city. Not only are our domestic clients international, our domestic workforce is international as well. So it is extremely important for us to learn to embrace each other’s cultures and differences when we try to communicate with our customers both internationally and domestically.” “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, it goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, it goes to his heart.” -Nelson Mandela While still enrolled in the Entrepreneurship Program, Ludmila decided to take her idea and put it into action. So in 1993, MasterWord Services, Inc. was founded by Ms. Golovine where she took on the role of CEO and President. “The program was truly amazing because not only did we have the teachers but they invited entrepre-

neurs and business owners to come and talk about the issues and challenges of running a business, things to do, things not to do, etc.,” recalled Ms. Golovine. “The company was my project. At first, I was the only employee, and then the business grew little by little. We kept adding languages and, today, we support our clients in over 250 languages and we support clients based in over 50 countries. Ludmila didn’t start out with a marketing budget, so after reading the book, “Guerrilla Marketing” (about doing marketing without a budget), she learned that the best way to market is by doing an excellent job and always exceeding the clients’ expectations every step of the way. Ms. Golovine elaborated,“When you do an excellent job for your clients, they will spread the word and also return when they need your services again. My very first client was a geophysical company from Russia that hired me as an interpreter. I met them at a conference that was hosted at the University of Houston. The very first contract I signed was with the largest petroleum company in the world. Next, we worked with Pennzoil and NASA. After that, the rest is history.” “There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with the world.We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts: what we do, how we look, what we say, and how we say it.” -Dale Carnegie Little by little, MasterWord Services grew. Eventually, they started working with hospitals and doctors in the medical center. All the while, Ludmila did everything she could to make connections including attending professional conferences, networking events, and anything that had the word “international” in it. The challenge at the time was that she was a “one-woman-show” and was also running everywhere to do the interpretations. As a result, Ms. Golovine was working 18 to 20 hours a day. Initially, afraid to hire her first employee, when Ludmila did finally hire someone, the employee would come for her paycheck at the end of every workday because she had so little of confidence that they would still be in business the next day! As her business grew, Ms. Golovine partnered up with another small translation company but after a couple of years bought them out. Throughout the time that MasterWord Services was growing, Ms. Golovine continued being coached by the great people at the Entrepreneurship Center. She is most appreciative of mentors Bill Sherrill, founder and Co-Chairman of the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship; Frank W. Kelley, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies in the Bauer College of Business who at one point worked as the COO at MasterWord Services; Ken Jones, Associate Director of the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship at the C.T. Bauer College of Business; Dave Cook, Director of Mentoring Programs for the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship at the C.T. Bauer College of Business; and Linda McIngvale, owner of Westside Tennis & Fitness. It was Linda McIngvale who introduced Ludmila to the Deming Method that helped her to create and install the systems in her [ JUNE 2014 ] www.SBTMagazine.net 7

Ludmila is very proud to work with such a talented, multicultural and internationally diverse team of inspired professionals. Photo by Gwen Juarez Photography.

company. The works of Dr. W. Edwards Deming focuses on quality and continual improvement which lead to MasterWord Services seeking and obtaining ISO certification. Very few companies in the language services industry have ISO Certification. ISO stands for the International Organization for Standardization and MasterWord is ISO 9001:2008 Certified which meets all the requirements of a quality management system. This certification ensures that their products and services consistently meet their customer’s requirements and that quality is continually improved. One of the best words of advice that Ms. Golovine ever received was, “Try to get your line of credit when you don’t need it.” Actually starting with a line of credit when it wasn’t needed was very helpful. It was around $10,000. “I pledged everything we had and didn’t have in order to get it. It was based on receivables. From that point, the banking relationship grew. We were with the same banker until he retired. That long term continuity helped tremendously,” remarked Ms. Golovine, “I also learned from the Business Center that the banking relationship is one of the most important ones that you have besides your clients so one of the key points is that we are very open in the way we work with our bankers. We basically report to them every month, or every quarter, or as often as they want. We let them know what our plans are, how we are performing, what the upcoming challenges are, what our line of credit needs will be, etc.” At the time that Ludmila came up with her business plan after doing the market research, the industry was about $10 billion. Today, it’s about $35 billion. The largest company in the industry at that time was Berlitz and their annual revenue was around $100 to $150 million. Also, the industry was extremely fragmented which still holds true. There are a whole bunch of “mom and pop” shops but there are not that many companies in the mid-market or ones that are the real big players in the market. Even today, there are just a handful of really large companies while the rest are very small. 8 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ JUNE 2014 ]

When Ms. Golovine first drove to where the company is currently located, there were a lot of cow pastures around and the area was called “Grasshopper Square”. She shrewdly purchased the building for a very reasonable price. It wasn’t long thereafter that the area exploded and is now in the center of the “Energy Corridor”. MWS has 130 full time employees, 12,000 contractors with whom they work, and over 250 languages in which they work. By other industry standards, they would be considered a small business, but in their industry, they are one of the top ten in North America! The main focus has always been how they can do the absolutely best job for what the client needs. There has never been a limit of what they can customize or where they can go above and beyond to meet the clients’ needs. They always do the best they can to be very flexible and creative with the client who calls them with a tight deadline or needs something ‘yesterday’, even if they need an interpreter for a language that no one has ever heard of. “To have another language is to possess a second soul.” -Charlemagne For example, when they do work for the medical center, they provide interpreters for over 250 languages. These interpreters must first go through training and be Joint Commission compliant. Every detail is painstakingly researched in making sure all of the hospital requirements are fulfilled including background checks, trainings, flu shots, and vaccinations. They may even get a call for a very rare language like Dinka or Quiché (a Mayan language of Guatemala). MasterWord has four divisions. There is a division that focuses on interpreting (verbal communication) and works mostly domestically. They do a lot of work with the healthcare industry, schools, child protective services, and courts. This division provides interpreters for face-to-face, over the phone, and video remote interpreting. Another division is the translation department that deals with the written word. This group does a lot of international work

that includes the oil and gas industry, engineering firms, law firms, and banks. The next division is called on-site solutions. They staff teams of linguists on-site domestically and internationally on different projects. The final division is the training and assessments department that has arisen out of the need for evaluating the skills of interpreters and translators. This group provides comprehensive training programs including a 40 hour course for medical interpreters. In addition, MasterWord Services offers cross-cultural training that is country specific and a cross-cultural training competency toolkit for doctors and healthcare workers to help them interact with whomever may walk through their door. This training specifically teaches them how to build rapport and establish communication with each culture. MWS also provides American Sign Language interpreters and CART services. One MWS employee is the President of the Greater Houston Interpreters for the Deaf. Ms. Golovine elaborated on how important it is for translations to be very accurate, “When you are dealing with medical documents or highly technical engineering documents, one mistake can mean a loss of life or a huge technical problem. Your communication is only as good as your translator. You can be very prepared for that business meeting and presentation but if you didn’t take the time to accurately translate your PowerPoint slides and have a good interpreter, you won’t come across prepared. When your overseas counterparts are validating your business, validating you as a partner, and evaluating your technology and tools, it’s very important that you bring an interpreter with you who is good and knowledgeable. The same thing applies to medical and legal settings. You need to have an interpreter who knows the subject matter they are interpreting.” “One language sets you in a corridor for life.Two languages open every door along the way.” -Frank Smith Always a trendsetter in employee relations and how quality, integrity, and attention to details are reflected in everything they do, MasterWord Services has received countless awards and recognition including:

Ludmila recognizes and thanks the University of Houston and the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship at the C.T. Bauer College of Business who include her mentors and friends from left to right, Ken Jones (Associate Director of the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship at the C. T. Bauer College of Business), Mila Golovine, Bill Sherrill (founder and Co-Chairman of the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship at the C. T. Bauer College of Business), Dave Cook (Director of Mentoring Programs for the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship at the C. T. Bauer College of Business) Photography by Chris Curry.

ple working there from 20 different countries including Honduras, Madagascar, Russia, El Salvador, China, and Vietnam! Last year, the Houston Chronicle’s annual special report recognized MasterWord Services, Inc. as one of Houston’s top 150 workplaces based on employee surveys. Ludmila considers this the greatest of compliments and a testimony to how she always tries to create a fun, multi-cultural environment amongst her employees despite their work being fast-paced and stressful at times. Another reason that the employee morale is so high is because the company provides a lot of training for its employees. This year, they are teaming up with the Center for Entrepreneurship in training their management team on how to write a business plan because every division is pretty much its own business. They participate in a lot of different training to improve leadership skills and sales techniques including training with the Demartini Institute and neurolinguistic programming (NLP), a very interesting tool for building rapport and enhancing communication.

• Houston Chronicle Top Workplace (2013) • One of the “10 Largest Language Services Providers in North America” (Common Sense Advisory) • One of the “50 Largest Language Services Providers Worldwide” (Common Sense Advisory) • Top 100 Woman-owned business in Texas (DiversityBusiness. com) • Top 500 Woman-owned business in the United States (DiversityBusiness.com) • ISO 9001:2008 certification

They are also bringing in tools to the office in dealing with stress. They have “Mindful Mondays” which is a type of employee wellness program that provides tips on meditation, yoga, and relaxation techniques. Ludmila fully embraces this principle about bringing mindfulness to work in everything she does. She makes sure that they recognize employee’s birthdays, celebrate different holidays from around the world, have office parties with everyone bringing international foods, share cultural tidbits during their Friday staff meeting where they learn about different traditions and cultures, and continuously offering opportunities for the employees to learn something new.

The MWS Houston office is a wonderful example of how diverse cultures can work well together as a family. They have peo-

“For me, words are a form of action, capable of influencing change.” -Ingrid Bengis [ JUNE 2014 ] www.SBTMagazine.net 9

Two years after Ludmila arrived in Houston her mother came here as well. She is a scientist who deals with applied physics and works for the Texas Center for Superconductivity. In addition, Ludmila has three children who by choice are learning both Mandarin Chinese and Spanish in school. “It’s quite an interesting combination at home,” expressed Ms. Golovine. Actively involved in the community, Ms. Golovine is a member of many organizations that include: • Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Houston • Greater Houston Partnership • US-Russia Chamber of Commerce • American Translators Association • National Council on Interpreting in Healthcare • Houston Interpreters and Translators Association • Small Business Today Magazine Publisher’s Advisory Board • The Charter 100 • WBEA (Women Business Enterprise Alliance) • NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners)

• NAPW (National Association of Professional Women) • Friends of Integrative Medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center • The Rothko Chapel Ms. Golovine has no plans in slowing down. MasterWord Services is something she enjoys doing every moment. With the deepest sincerity in her voice, she said, “I don’t work a minute in my life because when you love what you do, it’s not work.” Ms. Golovine’s plans for the future are to continue to grow and because of the systems she has set in place and her world-embracing philosophy, she will be the yardstick by which others in her industry will be measured.This statement truly reflects Ludmila’s goals,“Our mission is to connect people across language and culture and we want to make sure that we are that connecting force that unites our global village here in Houston, throughout the United States, and around the world.”

Take Away Notes 1. Don’t let anything stop you from living your dream. 2. Ready, fire, aim. If you are always there aiming for business, you may never be in a place where you can fire. So in business, do the absolute best you can every step of the way and keep on moving and making progress. 3. It is very important to love what you do because then you will never work a day in your life. 4. Be grateful for the opportunities and freedoms that you have in this country; for the people who you work with; for your clients; and for your employees. 5. Make sure you are doing the best you could possibly be doing. 6. Always exceed your clients’ expectations. 7. Make sure you always have a business plan and update that business plan every year. The business plan is a roadmap and it sets the direction for your business. 8. Always surround yourself with people who are better than you are. If you do that, your business will be set for growth. Always try to Ludmila’s success is in direct proportion to the hire somebody who is better than you in the success she has brought others through her area for which you are hiring them. company and personally. This includes her team, 9. Try to hire people who will put their heart her clients, her students that she mentors at into their work and into what they do. U of H, and friends. Photo by Gwen Juarez Photography. 10. Make sure you embrace the differences. You don’t always want to have likeminded people 10 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ JUNE 2014 ]

in the same place because you will never have any progress. Part of the progress comes from being challenged. So you want to have people who are diverse and are independent thinkers. 11. Embrace challenges that come along the way. Try to look at the lessons that are allowing you to learn. With challenges come the opportunities and sometimes challenges are hidden blessings. They allow you to think; they allow you to improve; they allow you to create; and they allow you to grow both on your personal journey and in the services that you provide. Technological challenges allow us to get better at technology and provide a better service. People challenges allow us to evolve into better human beings. 12. It is very important for business owners to have good relationships with their bankers. 13. It is also important for business owners to have good relationships with their vendors; with their employees; and with their clients. It is one big family. 14. Try your best; learn from your mistakes; build on your strengths; and take the next step… one step at a time. 15. It’s not just about the destination; it’s about the journey.

EDITORIALFEATURE

Use Education to Boost Your Career By Rita Santamaria

our career is defined by you and your vision of success. When you think about your success and your future successes take a moment to list your current aha moments. What are the specifics you are most proud of? Always keep in mind you have successes in your personal world as well as your public or business world. Often, our personal successes with family, children, and friends help us overcome a disappointing business situation. Without question, when a baby accomplishes a milestone such as walk-

ing or talking, its parents bask in the joy of that moment and all their other negative thoughts disappear. When your child wins a sports tournament, makes cheerleading, or gets accepted to college, all other daily woes from business are temporarily taken away from your brain. These daily personal successes should get you motivated for the next day in your business career; however, if your career needs some re-creating or improvement, start with your own personal analysis of

12 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ JUNE 2014 ]

how committed you are to your business model. Do you get enthused about the prospect of another sale? If the answer is no, you need a career boost. If you are rewarded in your career with a sale and you are ho-hum about it, your career needs a boost. If the overall results of a good work day donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t give you the enthusiasm to go away from the day feeling satisfaction in yourself, you need a boost.

ÂťContinued on Page 35

EDITORIALFEATURE

Avoid a Dangerous Sales Process

That Could Kill Your Business By Craig Klein

ailure of your sales process doesn’t happen overnight. Instead, the insidious threat to your business sneaks up on you with declining sales leads conversion.

your company. Like we said earlier, pushing today’s buyers can easily push them away instead of converting them, so you must change your tactics.

With an increasing number of buyers not ready •Your first instinct is to believe your sales team for a sales conversation, companies benefit from is not doing their job. marketing automation that targets nurturing sales •Careful examination of sales staff may cause leads who are not yet ready. It is smart for salesyou to lay off the poorer producers. people to quickly disqualify the bulk of sales leads •Motivating salespeople becomes priority so they can focus on those ready to have a sales one…pressure intensifies. conversation. That way, the sales process be •Salespeople complain comes efficient and profitable. about the poor quality of the sales leads. Why nurture poor sales leads? Analyze lead •Analyze lead sources and Buyers want to be fully educatsources and make make some changes to ed and control the buying profind what produces high- some changes to find cess. They will welcome emails er quality sales leads. what produces higher from your company if your •Sometimes more monfocus is on good information quality sales leads. ey is spent on sales lead – not selling. While they only sources to find the eluwant you to educate them, with sive “good” sales leads. no commitment from them to •Conversions and sales continue to fall. ever purchase, you still benefit. •The company is in jeopardy.

What’s going on???

The tragic scenario outlined above is rather common these days. Most of the sales leads from the internet-empowered consumer are simply not ready to have a conversation with a sales person. When salespeople try harder to convert these poor quality sales leads, the skeptic consumer shrinks away from the sales pitch and is often totally lost as a prospective buyer. In a day when salespeople used sales tactics to close the uneducated prospect, it was all about closing techniques. While highly skilled sales reps still close the most transactions, a totally different set of skills is needed to bring in the closings.

Wasted money on sales leads.

The sales team is a very expensive part of your business. When you make the sales process as efficient as possible it strengthens every aspect of

Sales-ready buyers come back.

Before the recent changes in buyer behavior, the old saying “Be backs never come back” was pretty accurate. In today’s sales environment it is no longer true. Sure, a certain percentage of sales leads will never purchase and some will purchase from competitors. The effort you put into setting up a lead nurturing campaign in your integrated CRM and email automation will certainly provide increased sales. Lead nurturing enables the skeptic internet buyer to initiate contact with you when they become satisfied that they have enough information. When they do come back, you have an extremely well-qualified buyer. Your salespeople will easily close these educated and ready prospects. Craig Klein is the founder/CEO of SalesNexus.com which is a leading provider of CRM, email marketing, and lead generation solutions for business-2-business sales teams. [ JUNE 2014 ] www.SBTMagazine.net 13

EDITORIALFEATURE

Adopt-A-Tree & NeighborWoods Programs –

Caring for Houston’s Urban Forest By Mayor Annise D. Parker

rees provide immeasurable value to Houston’s landscape and the urban environment. They filter the air, provide much-needed shade, buffer sound and wind, offer animal habitats, and can greatly enhance the beauty and monetary value of property. Like so many Houstonians, one of the things I like the most about Houston is our Urban Forest. The trees that provide shade in our parks and greenspaces as well as the street trees that line our boulevards are part of this forest. In 2011, when the drought hit Houston and devastated so many of the trees in these parks and greenspaces, I think we all became more aware of the important role trees play in our quality of life. I see this dedication to protecting our forests every Arbor Day when volunteers come out by the thousands to replant Houston. Recently, a tree in the public right-of-way in front of my home died so I contacted our Parks and Recreation Department to see what options were available to replace that tree. I found out about two great initiatives called the NeighborWoods Program and the Adopt-A-Tree Program. Both programs began in 2002 and grew out of implementation of the city’s streettree inventory and the municipal streettree protection ordinance, a measure designed to protect particular species of trees planted on city rights-of-way including esplanades and the area between the curb and sidewalk. The NeighborWoods Program involves working with local civic groups to plant trees throughout an entire neighborhood; the Adopt-A-Tree Program involves working with just one individual. The ordinance prohibits removal of a tree 1½ inches in diameter or larger from

city property without permission. When developers do receive permission to remove trees from city property, they are required to reimburse the city for the value of the trees or provide replacements. In the case of a reimbursement, the money goes into the tree fund of the

The trees that provide shade in our parks and greenspaces as well as the street trees that line our boulevards are part of this forest. In 2011, when the drought hit Houston and devastated so many of the trees in these parks and greenspaces, I think we all became more aware of the important role trees play in our quality of life.

Parks Department’s Urban Forestry budget, which then provides trees for the NeighborWoods Program. This program targets specific areas in need of an increase in tree canopy. Once these areas are identified, representatives walk the neighborhood, determine appropriate species and planting sites, and along with the help of the local civic group, pass out information

14 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ JUNE 2014 ]

to residents interested in participating in the program. The Parks Department then delivers the trees for residents to plant. Under the Adopt-a-Tree program, if a developer makes a straight replacement, the trees are then available to any citizen for pick-up and planting on a first-come, first-served basis. The only conditions for involvement in this program are that the trees must be planted on city property in front of ones home; trees must be planted and maintained by the homeowner; and that newly planted trees will have a great start to grow tall and strong. Houston residents can sign up for the Adopt-A-Tree Program beginning in October of any given year. Trees are available on a first come, first served basis. Information and applications are available at www.houstonparks. org. By planting and caring for trees, you not only beautify your home and increase the value of your property - you help reduce pollution, lower energy costs, and improve the appearance of your community. Both the NeighborWoods Program and the Adopt-A-Tree Program give Houstonians the opportunity to put down some roots, so to speak, with a tree that will be a gift to our city that will last beyond our lifetime.

Serving since January 2, 2010, Annise D. Parker has been elected as the Mayor of Houston three times. She is Houston’s 61st Mayor and one of only two women to hold the City’s highest elected office. In 2010, Time Magazine named Mayor Parker one the 100 most influential people in the world. She is also on the advisory board of Small Business Today Magazine. For more information, go to www.houstontx.gov/ mayor/.

EDITORIALFEATURE

Differences Due to Globalization:

Multiculturalism as a Goal for Life and an Aid to Business By Ludmila (Mila) Rusakova Golovine

umankind has never lived in such a fast-paced, accessible world. A person can get on a plane and within 24 hours be anywhere around the globe. Similarly, access to information has never been as easy or as fast as it is today. The Internet allows people to communicate from various countries in real time and at a relatively low cost. Concurrently, governments have been breaking down trade barriers and reducing impediments to foreign investments for the last few decades. All of these factors have culminated in the phenomenon that is now commonly referred to as globalization. This phenomenon has dramatic implications not just for business but also for personal growth and well-being. In the past, when the Internet was non-existent and trade was more restricted by national interests, an individual did not have to worry about being multicultural. In fact, government and society stressed conformity. Bear in mind that for the last two hundred years the prevailing model of civilization has been the nation-state, a geographically delineated area inhabited by a group with a common language and culture. While nation-states are still the norm and the vast majority of countries stress official languages, the eased flow of communication has facilitated cross-cultural contact as well as international business opportunities. Nevertheless, in order to take full advantage of these new opportunities for contacts and business, the individual must step out of his or her comfort zone. The major impediment to becoming multicultural is ethnocentrism. This concept is an individual’s natural way of viewing the world from the point of view of his or her own culture. The obvious dilemma is: “How does one become multicultural having grown up in an ethnocentric environment?” While it does take hard work and patience, this goal is not that difficult to attain. All that is necessary is to have an open mind, a willingness to learn, and a desire to respect the differences between cultures. As mentioned previously, the Internet is an excellent source of information. That does not mean that there is not false information on the web; however there are reputable news sites on the Internet which are excellent sources of staying abreast of what is going on in the world. Sadly, most Americans do not keep up with world news or they sporadically catch bits and pieces of it. When encountering a person from a different culture, an individual can make quite an impression just by being informed on 16 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ JUNE 2014 ]

world affairs. While in American culture enthusiasm is respected, comprehension is appreciated much more in most other cultures. If you can demonstrate that you are informed about the world, you can gain great respect from your foreign peers. Taking a language class is another excellent way to become multicultural. Bear in mind that language is more than just words or ideas. It is an expression of mentality. Moreover, it reflects how the speaker views the world and how the language has been impacted by the culture’s history. In short, language is the ultimate key to unlocking the secrets of a culture. In addition, once an individual is able to say even a few words of another person’s language, the latter becomes extremely impressed and even grateful that the individual took the time to investigate their culture so deeply. Traveling is an excellent means of becoming multicultural. Nothing grants authenticity to a speaker like the words “I saw” or “When I was there.” It means so much more than simply “I heard” or “I read.” In addition, traveling to a different country can introduce an individual not just to the mentality but also to the way of life of another culture. Here again, people of another culture respect those who have been to their country and experienced their way of life. It is almost as though they think,“You are one of us now.” Also, do not forget that traveling is fun. Becoming multicultural is not supposed to be drudgery. The final question is:“How does something that is so seemingly personal aid in business?” The answer is: “Immeasurably”. For most of the world, personal relationships are more important in business decisions than the initial terms of a prospective venture. Consequently, in the beginning of a negotiation with a foreign delegation they will spend more time getting to know the person with whom they want to do business than actually talking about the details of a deal. It is at this point where an individual can truly demonstrate his or her cultural knowledge. The impression that is left not only reflects on the individual but the company as a whole. Therefore, if you can display that you are multicultural, your business will be perceived as multicultural as well. As a graduate of the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Houston, Ludmila (Mila) Rusakova Golovine, Founder, CEO, and President of MasterWord Services, Inc., started her company with a vision of seamlessly connecting people across any language, any time, and any culture. Mila can be reached by email at mgolovine@masterword.com, by phone at 281-589-0810, or visit her website at www.masterword.com.

EDITORIALFEATURE

Cut the Weeds –

A Focus on Priorities and Strategy by Avoiding Time Zappers By Hank Moore, Corporate Strategist™

ne of the by-products of being a high-pro- that I could not tell my “story” in one minute. I said file person is that you get hangers-on. Most that if he did not remember talking to me before of them mean well and just want to associ- then that was the problem. He challenged me ate with someone successful but there are that it was my obligation to “make a difference” others who are groupies and some who are just which he defined as me giving time and money to outright users. The art is to discern and margin- his pet causes. I suggested that they turn their atalize the weeds on your path (time zappers) by tentions elsewhere.The caller then got hyper and talked all over me. I stated that I wasn’t interested focusing on priorities and strategy. in his projects and needed to end the call. One well meaning person kept hounding me People who hound and use you in business are and wanted to introduce me to people that I out for whatever they could form “strategic partcan get from whomevnerships” with. Instead, it Then he shifted er they can get it. If you turned out that they were people who had their from one idea to another. resist, they will go on to the next warm body. This hands out and thought I patiently listened then is why I have a problem that somebody (anybody) tried to get away. with networking. Some would magically open This person had already are users and others are doors for them. I kept called me weeks before used by them while othtrying to set boundaries ers don’t know what they with that person but they but could not remember are doing. would not respect my pawho I was or what I was rameters. all about. This was a “dial One must be resolute and smile” sales call. It was in protecting their most One of his “strategic one-sided, self-focused, valuable and limited compartners” blindsided me modities: time, knowlwith an unscheduled conand all about him. edge, and resources. ference-call. Neither one Weeds (time zappers) asked if this was a good time to talk nor apologized for calling without any are everywhere crying, “Gimme”. One can never warning. In a rapid-fire sales delivery, he began by cut all of the weeds down because they re-grow trying to sell me stock in a venture.Then he shift- elsewhere. I’ve learned the hard way the value of ed from one idea to another. I patiently listened prioritizing time and focusing on the people and then tried to get away. This person had already projects that matter. called me weeks before but could not remember who I was or what I was all about.This was a “dial Questions to Ask About Weeds and Networking and smile” sales call. It was one-sided, self-focused, • Is the person making the request a true friend, and all about him. a business associate, or just an acquaintance? Who are they to you and what would you The caller then announced that he had a time like for them to be? commitment and that I had one minute to state • Will there be an outcome or payback for the my case. I explained that they had called me and other person? Will there be an outcome or

18 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ JUNE 2014 ]

EDITORIALFEATURE

•

• • •

•

payback for you? If there’s a discrepancy in these answers, how do you feel about it? Are there networking situations which are beneficial for all parties? If so, analyze and align with those situations rather than with the fruitless ones. What types of “wild goose chases” have you pursued in your networking career? Analyze them by category to see patterns. Is the person requesting something of you willing to offer something first? Are the people truly communicating when they network or are hidden agendas their reason for networking? Without communicating wants, it is tough to achieve outcomes. How much time away from business can you

take? How does it compare with the business you can or will generate? Cut the weeds by acknowledging that your time for networking and volunteering is a commodity. Budget it each year. Examine and benchmark the reasons and results. Set boundaries and offer your time on an “a la carte” basis. Associate with those who feel similarly. Show and demonstrate respect for each other’s time. Be careful not to pro bono yourself to death. Hank Moore has advised over 5,000 client organizations including public sector agencies, small businesses, non-profit organizations, and 100 of the Fortune 500. Contact Hank by phone at 713-668-0664, by email at hankmoore4218@sbcglobal. net, or visit his website at www.hankmoore.com.

EDITORIALFEATURE

Keeping Up With The Times By Aaron Kaplan

he environment where businesses operate is not particularly stable and every business or organization, no matter how established they are, must sometimes radically change. Thus, the motto: “Change or Die!” is an oft-repeated rallying cry. However, our egos are fragile and we often see change as threatening. A recent study showed that even when employees are shown data that suggests that they need to change they latch onto whatever data they can find that suggests that they are okay and don’t need to change. Those who have negative feelings about change cope by not thinking about it or even by resigning. Resistance to change can be positive if it leads to open discussion and debate. These responses are usually preferable to apathy or silence and can indicate that employees are engaged in the process. In addition, they provide change agents

an opportunity to explain the rationale. Change agents can also use the resistance to modify the change to fit the preferences of others. When resistance to change is regarded as a threat, organizational dysfunction may increase. It is important to note that not all change is good. Speed can lead to bad decisions and sometimes those initiating change fail to realize the full magnitude of the effects or their true costs. Rapid, transformational change is risky and some businesses have collapsed for this reason. Change agents need to carefully think through the full implications.

Here are six suggested tactics that can help deal with resistance to change:

Education & Communication: Communicating the logic of a change can reduce resistance in two ways. First, it fights the effects of misinformation and poor com-

munication. Second, communication can help “sell” the need for change by packaging it properly. Participation: It’s difficult to resist a change decision in which we’ve participated. Assuming participants have the expertise to make a meaningful contribution, their involvement can reduce resistance. Building Support & Commitment: When fear and anxiety are high, counseling, new skills training, or a short paid leave of absence may facilitate adjustment. When there is a low emotional commitment to change, the status quo is favored and change is resisted. Additionally, firing up employees can also aid in the emotional commitment. Develop Positive Relationships: People are more willing to accept changes if they trust those who are implementing them. Those who have a more positive relationship with the change agents take a more positive view of the process. Fairly Implement Change: Procedural fairness is important when employees perceive an outcome as negative. Thus it is crucial that employees see the reason for the change and perceive its implementation as fair. Selecting People Who Accept Change: Research suggests that the ability to accept and adapt to change is related to personality. Some people just have more positive attitudes about change than others. Such individuals are open to experience. take a positive attitude toward change, are willing to take risks, and are flexible in their behavior.

»Continued on Page 35 20 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ JUNE 2014 ]

EDITORIALFEATURE

Problem Solving Technique:

The 180 Rule By Lorraine Grubbs

recently discovered a new approach to problem solving. It is based upon a theory depicted in the book, “The 180 Rule: Using a Natural Phenomenon to Achieve Success” by Al Lucia.

The 180 Rule grew out of a concept studied since 1948 known as the Negativity Bias. It concludes that as human beings, we are more attuned to negative stimulus than to positive stimulus. According to neuropsychologist Rich Hanson, “Our brain is like Velcro to negative experiences and Teflon to positive ones.” When negative stimulus comes our way, we just cannot help ourselves because that negative stimulus produces a great deal more neural activity than it does positive stimulus. He clearly demonstrated that the brain strongly “lit up” and reacted to the negative much more than the positive. While most people would see the negative reaction as something that hinders progress, the 180 Rule brilliantly takes that negative, “natural” approach and turns it into a productive, problem-solving technique. If we are naturally attuned to go with the negative flow, then we should go with what we know and use that to our advantage. For example, let’s say you know that the level of engagement is not what it should be with your team. In this case, you might jump right to the “problem” and ask the team how to improve the engagement of employees.You’ll probably meet resistance as people defend their turf and deny anything is wrong. Will you get enthusiastic participation or a lot of groans and responses when asking the question? Using the 180 Rule creates an opportunity for you to do just the opposite of what the team expects. Rather than stating the goal and asking for solutions, which is a typical approach, grab that bias towards negativity and bring it to the forefront!

Creating Loyalty with the 180 Rule:

I was working with a company who was struggling with employees who had an “8 to 5” mentality.They felt that employees were at work to pass the time and were not truly engaged in their business. I met with the leaders and asked them to list the things that a company would do to NOT make employees feel engaged.Their responses were immediate:

Not being in the loop. Not knowing our business. Not being included in decisions that affected them. …Their list went on and on… “Okay”, I said, “because we don’t want to be the kind of company that would promote these thoughts, let’s take each of these issues one by one and figure out how to keep this from happening here: 1. Not being in the loop. - Have a good communication structure. Employees who understand the direction the company is going and the “why” behind the decisions that are made are much more apt to buy into company policy and embrace change. 2. Not knowing the business. - Just exactly what business are you in? “We answer phones” is a “job” answer. “We take care of people’s problems” or “We help people” is more of an “engaged” answer. What is your “one thing”? I have a customer who flies emergency helicopters. Their “one thing” is “I am the best part of the worst day of your life!” And, every employee knows it, whether they are the receptionist, flight nurse, or pilot. What is your “one thing”? And, do employees buy into it? 3. Not being included in decisions that affect them. - When an organization makes a change, it would be much better accepted if the employees being affected were given an opportunity to give their opinions ahead of time. Let them know their opinions count and THANK them for their input. So, if you want your company to be one where employees truly feel like owners of your organization, start with the 180 Rule. Determine what things you would never want to do, then craft a plan to ensure you never do them. After all, no one takes better care of a business than an engaged employee acting like an owner! Lorraine Grubbs is the president of Lessons in Loyalty. You can contact Lorraine by phone at 281-813-0305, by email at lorrainegrubbs@gmail.com, or visit her website at www.lessonsinloyalty.com. [ JUNE 2014 ] www.SBTMagazine.net 21

EDITORIALFEATURE

Understanding

Employee Productivity By Dr. John Demartini

ave you ever wondered what it costs businesses when employees are not productive? Every day that employees are uninspired, uncreative, and unproductive, they cost their companies millions or billions of dollars. This may surprise you but no employee is loyal to a company. They are only loyal to the fulfilment of their highest values and aspirations. By values I mean the aspects of life that they perceive as most valuable to them. That is why it’s vital to hire people who have a congruency between their highest values and their job description. When we live congruently according to our highest values, we are inspired from within and require no outside motivation to meet our objectives. But when we set goals or objectives that are more aligned with our lower values, things less or least important to us, we require outside motivation and reminding repeatedly to move us into action. If we are requiring outside motivation to get into action, then we are not being true to our highest, most meaningful priorities, values, or purpose in life. This also holds true for individuals in their work capacity. If workers can see how their job descriptions and goals are aligned with the things that are most important and meaningful to them, they are automatically self-reliant, inspired, and do not require outside motivation to get their jobs done. There are six areas of life in which people can be inspired: family, social, spiritual, financial, physical, and vocational.Whatever areas are highest on their list of priorities or values will determine what will most inspire them.

Here is a brief outline of them:

1. Family- Some people are dedicated

primarily to their families and secondarily to their jobs. For example, a woman who has a high value on her family and a low value on work and who is focused mostly on her children is likely to be less inspired and possibly less consistently productive in her job.The minute the children are ill, she may want to go home to them and let her work duties slide.

If we are requiring outside motivation to get into action, then we are not being true to our highest, most meaningful priorities, values, or purpose in life. 2. Social- Then you have people who are dedicated to meeting and interacting with people and desiring to travel. They will more likely shine and excel at work primarily when their job duties require social interaction. 3. Spiritual- In the case of someone with a spiritual focus, the person looks for spiritual rewards. They may feel isolated if there is no one else in their faith available to commune with at work or they may feel unfulfilled if their work doesn’t allow them to express their spirituality in some form that they perceive valuable. 4. Financial- Those with a money/financial focus will be inspired to work primarily because of the financial rewards or incentives. 5. Physical- People with a high value on physical activities are more likely to be

22 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ JUNE 2014 ]

inspired by a job in the health, healing, beauty, or sports industries depending on the form of physical activities they value and are able to incorporate into their job.

6. Vocational- Those with an entrepreneurial focus will want to help build the company if their job descriptions are aligned with their highest values. They may even desire to become partners or shareholders and will focus their energies at work. As I explained earlier, no one is loyal to a company.They are loyal to the fulfillment of their highest values. If their highest values are fulfilled by their job duties - they will be inspired to go to work and deliver an innovative service. Inspired employees will help their employers get what they want if they perceive they are getting what they want. When employees feel they can fulfill their highest values, they will see opportunities and act on them, retain learned information on that opportunity, and be more creative and self-initiated which leads to increased productivity. A tell-tale sign of the potential degree of congruency is when the employee asks, “What activities will I get to do in the position?” and “What services will I be able to provide?” versus “What are the benefits package of this job?” and “How many days leave do I get?” In addition to being an internationally published author, Dr. John Demartini is an educator and a human behavior specialist. Contact Dr. Demartini by email at info@DrDemartini.co.za or visit his website at www. DrDemartini.com. To download a free Value Determination Process Workbook, please visit www.DrDemartini.com/pm_determine_your_values.

EDITORIALFEATURE

Getting Organized:

Are “Organizing Myths” Stopping You? By Holly Uverity CPO®, Office Organizers

hat do you believe about organizing? What do you know about organizing? What’s your definition of an organized person? I’ve found that many business people believe in what I call “organizing myths” – beliefs they have which may or may not be true but are keeping them from becoming better organized. Here are a few of the most common myths along with the realities: • Myth: The tools are too sophisticated or the systems are too complicated. • Reality: Simple is often the best. While some paper and electronic systems can be pretty sophisticated and overwhelming, the truth is that the tools you choose don’t have to be complicated. Some people operate effectively using a planner and a pen. Getting organized is like learning any other new skill, so start easy. Buy only the simplest tools you think you will need and will actually USE. You may find that the simplest tools are the best. • Myth: Organization looks boring. • Reality: Not anymore. There has been an explosion of organizing tools in the marketplace over the last five years and there is no reason that your office has to look like a boring cube if you don’t want it to. Organizational products now come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. In addition, there are now products designed specifically for men and women. If you don’t like the tools you’re seeing, expand your view to look beyond office supply stores and look in the bathroom and kitchen departments of stores. Just because something is designed for a kitchen

doesn’t mean it can’t be used in an office. If you like how your tools look, you’ll be more inclined to use them. • Myth: I can only touch something once. • Reality: The number of times you touch something has nothing to do with organization.

There has been an explosion of organizing tools in the marketplace over the last five years and there is no reason that your office has to look like a boring cube if you don’t want it to. This myth can be debilitating because if you believe you can only touch something once, you won’t touch anything unless you absolutely know what you are going to do with it. You can touch things more than once but you have to move them through your system.You can’t simply shove papers around on your desk. When you touch/ move them, it has to be mindful and with a specific reason that you are moving something to a specific place. Eliminate mindless shuffling. • Myth: I’m a mess that no organizing system can fix. • Reality: There is a system for everyone. Organization exists on a spectrum. Some people are highly organized and live on one end of the spectrum while others

are less organized and live on the other end of the spectrum. Most people live in the middle. While you may consider yourself disorganized, that doesn’t mean that you can’t become better organized. Organization is very personal and looks different for everyone, so a success for you might be something as simple as keeping the top of your desk clear. The goal is for you to become more organized than you already are. You don’t have to be as organized as someone else. Organizing is a skill and while some of us are better at it than others, it can be taught to everyone who wants to learn. Anyone who wants to change can do so.There are tools and techniques for everyone. Clutter is the physical manifestation of indecision. Learn to make decisions on a daily basis about what your office looks like and how you spend your time. An organized person can find what they need when they need it. That’s it. There’s no magic formula to determine who is organized and who is not. It’s just a matter of being able to have what you need when you need it. Getting and staying organized doesn’t have to be boring, hard, or complicated. It’s only that way if you think it is.

Office Organizers, founded in 1993 by Holly Uverity, is The Entrepreneur’s Organizer. They work with business people to create solutions for their organizational challenges. You can contact them by phone at 281-655-5022 or visit them on the web at www.OfficeOrganizers.com. “Like” them on Facebook at www. fb.com/OfficeOrganizers. [ JUNE 2014 ] www.SBTMagazine.net 23

EDITORIALFEATURE

Visualization -

A Technique Every Champion Uses

By Four Time Olympian, Ruben Gonzalez

here is something that every professional I had imagined it to be…but ONE HUNDRED athlete, Olympian, professional golfer, astro- TIMES better! naut, and top achiever does to win more The mind cannot tell the difference between often. They use a technique called “visualization”.Visualization is just a fancy word for viv- something you are vividly imagining with all of idly imagining what it will be like when you reach your senses and something that is actually hapyour goal. What will it look like? What is it going pening. By regularly picturing what you intend to to sound like? What will it smell like? What will it do, you become like a guided missile that can’t miss its target. You rekindle the flame of belief taste like? What will it feel like? and literally become unstoppable. Visualization is your mind’s sneak preview of Visualization helps you develop the intense coming attractions. It’s a mental blueprint of belief in yourself that is your future. needed for you to take consistent and perEven before comThe mind cannot tell the action on your peting in my first difference between something sistent goals and aspirations. Olympics, I might you are vividly imagining with have been jogging, all of your senses and There are miracles lifting weights, eatwith your name on ing dinner, or simply something that is actually them. Miracles you walking in the mall happening. By regularly were designed to go but all the while I picturing what you intend out and make hapwas visualizing what to do, you become like a pen; miracles that are it was going to be guided missile that can’t miss just waiting for you to like when I went heed the call; miracles to the Olympics. its target. You rekindle the that are waiting for In my mind’s eye, flame of belief and literally you to dare to take I was walking into become unstoppable. the journey to achieve the Opening Cerethem. monies. The crowd was cheering wildly. By constantly seeing your miracles in your To my right I could see the Olympic Flag waving and behind me I could see the Olympic Torch. mind’s eye, you will strengthen the belief and the I could hear the orchestra playing the Olympic desire you need to make the journey. Do this Anthem - my favorite song in the whole wide and success will be just a matter of time. world! I was there high-fiving my teammates and shouting, “We made it guys! We made it! It was worth it! We’re Olympians!” I could feel the cold wind blowing, the snow hitting my face, the Ruben Gonzalez is an award-winning keynote speaker and author of the critically acclaimed book, “The Courage to tears of joy running down my cheeks, and the the Succeed.” His experiences as a four time Olympian and the goose bumps running up my neck. I was there! owner of two businesses give him a unique perspective on how to conquer the corporate struggles of today. For his free And four years later, when I was actually walk- 10-Part Success eCourse, visit www.StartWinningMore.com ing into the Opening Ceremonies, it was just like or contact him at 832-689-8282. 24 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ JUNE 2014 ]

EDITORIALFEATURE

Do You Sometimes Feel Like a

SLAVE to Your Business? By Howard Partridge

o you remember why you went into business for yourself? Was it to make a lot of money? Or was it to “be your own boss”... to “chart your own course”...to have a little more “free” time? Yeah right! The brutal reality of most small business owners’ lives is that you feel like a slave to the business.There’s very little family time; there’s major stress; there’s no real freedom, the business consumes your mind 24/7; and you feel like you have a job rather than a business. Your day is consumed “putting out brush fires”! Can you relate to that? I sure can. I’m originally from L.A. (Lower Alabama!). I grew up on welfare in Mobile, Alabama and there were 7 kids crammed in a little 600 square foot shack. The roof on that house was so bad that every time it rained, we had to get out all the pots and pans to catch the leaks. My mama somehow fed us on one hundred dollars a month she received from the welfare department. At eighteen, I became a rebellious teenager with hair down to my shoulders. I got kicked out of the house and climbed on a Greyhound Bus to Houston with 25 cents in my pocket. After a few odd jobs, I became a professional waiter wearing a tuxedo and working in high end restaurants where I did tableside cooking. During my years as a waiter, I learned a great deal about the customer service experience but I always wanted to own my own business. I’ve always been an entrepreneur at heart, but as a waiter, I made just enough to pay the rent. Then I got married to Denise who is an Italian American from New Jersey. When you marry into an Italian family, you don’t get wedding presents like dishes, toast-

ers, and blenders. Instead, you get CASH! We received $3,000 in wedding money and there was a friend of the family at the wedding who was my age (23 at the time) tooling around in a little red Mercedes convertible. I said to myself, “I want to know what THAT guy does and I want to know if it’s LEGAL!”

It was at that point I began studying everything I could in finding ways to unchain myself from my business. In doing so, the knowledge I garnered from small business guru Michael Gerber, leadership master John Maxwell, and legendary sales trainer Zig Ziglar provided me with two big secrets that changed my life forever. It turned out that he owned a carpet cleaning business. So as soon as I got back to Houston, I spent all of our wedding money to start my first business working out of the trunk of my car. My wife was really thrilled about that, let me tell you! Fast forward - After being in business for 13 years, I felt like a slave to it. Wherever I went, I took my appointment book and cell phone with me and whenever I traveled (something I love to do), most of my vacation was spent talking to customers and employees back home.

Two Secrets that Changed My Life Forever

It was at that point I began studying everything I could in finding ways to unchain myself from my business. In doing so, the knowledge I garnered from small business guru Michael Gerber, leadership master John Maxwell, and legendary sales trainer Zig Ziglar provided me with two big secrets that changed my life forever. The first secret I learned was that you have to have systems in your business. “You must work on the business, not just in it”, says Michael Gerber, author of the E-Myth books. So I set out to build systems in my business. As a result of those systems, I have gone from working out of the trunk of my car to living the “American Dream” by transforming my business into a predictable, profitable, and turnkey operation. This also set the platform for me to begin helping other small business owners improve their own businesses.

The Greatest Business Lesson that I Have Ever Learned

Next month, I’ll share the second secret I learned. I call it “the greatest business lesson that I have ever learned” and I suspect it will be the greatest business lesson you will ever learn, too. Most business owners never learn it, but you can…You just have to wait until next month to find out what it is!

Howard Partridge, President of Phenomenal Products, Inc., is the author of 7 Secrets of a Phenomenal L.I.F.E. and 5 Secrets of a Phenomenal Business.You can contact Howard by phone at 281-634-0404 or visit his website at www.HowardPartridge.com. [ JUNE 2014 ] www.SBTMagazine.net 25

EDITORIALFEATURE

Small Business

Loan Renewal Risk By Bruce Hurta

mall business owners are gamblers. They are continuously making decisions based upon weighing the risks involved in their choices. In general, the greater the risk assumed the more likelihood of increased profit (or loss). When taking on new debt or obligations for ones small business, the small business owner wants to balance their risk/reward ratio for a satisfactory result. Will the increased obligation increase the company’s success or will it become a burden? If interest rates are variable, which way will they move during the life of the loan? If the interest rate is fixed for the life of the loan, will it be too high in comparison to the variable rate option?

SBA vs. Conventional Bank Loans

The last question posed in the above paragraph is critical. The answer to that question is affected by the term of the loan and that leads to one of the greater benefits of SBA loans versus conventional bank loans for small business financing. The SBA government-guaranteed loan program provides longterm, permanent financing for the small business. SBA loans which are used to purchase, construct, remodel, expand, or refinance small business real estate have a repayment term of 25 years. SBA loans not used for small business real estate have a term of 10 years. Initially, it appears that conventional bank financing provides similar repay26 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ JUNE 2014 ]

ment terms. Banks, however, are short-term lenders.

The Long & Short of Loans

Bank loans with long-term amortizations are not longterm loans. The risks to the small business owner are short maturity dates combined with a long-term amortization payment program. This means the entire loan comes due in one year, three years, five years, or some other term shorter than the full amortization of payoff of the loan. If I am a small business borrower whose twenty-five year real estate loan comes due in five years prior to full repayment, my loan has what is known as a “balloon feature”. The balloon is the remaining loan balance which all comes due all at once. Usually, it is not a problem. Banks want loans for interest income and small businesses need the loan proceeds. Why not just renew the loan balance for another five years and move on? In many cases, the balloon balance is renewed and the bank and small business borrower do move on. There are, however, circumstances that create renewal risk and circumstances under which the bank will not renew the loan. The small business borrower who took the funds five years ago did not know at that time some of the following circumstances: • Who will own the bank or who will be in charge of

management of the bank and its loan decisions when the balloon feature comes due? • What will be the state of the economy and what will be the profitability of the business when the balloon balance comes due? The loan renewal process is like the new loan approval process. It requires a new credit and financial evaluation on the part of the bank to grant the renewal. Because of this, the small business borrower is faced with loan renewal risk. This is just one more gamble the small business owner encounters in their daily management of their business’ affairs. Sometimes it is a relatively safe bet to accept the bank’s offer of a short-term loan with a balloon balance in the short-term. This is usually in cases where the business is strong enough and has a sufficient track record to move the loan to another bank if necessary. If, however, the small business owner wants long-term, permanent financing without renewal risk, SBA loans are an excellent option! You can learn more about SBA lending and small business finance on Bruce’s blog at brucehurta.wordpress.com. For more information about SBA real estate loans for small businesses, contact Bruce Hurta, Business Lending Manager at Members Choice Credit Union, at 281384-2595 or by email at bhurta@mccu. com.

EDITORIALFEATURE

How to Lose a

Follower in 7 Ways By Aimee Woodall

he other day, a friend relayed a rather hilarious anecdote about a Twitter account they’d recently unfollowed. “Every tweet,” she laughed, “was punctuated with seven to ten exclamation marks - Every single tweet!!!!!!!!!!” While we chuckled about why anyone would want to waste 10 of their allotted 140 characters, I began to think — what makes someone tick? What makes someone click the “Unfollow” button on a person’s profile? What are the underlying reasons behind a decision that is usually made instantaneously? If you’ve ever wondered something along those lines, you’re in luck. Without further adieu, here are the seven ways you can lose a Twitter follower — and what you can do to prevent it.

1. Your Twitter feed is a repost after repost after repost.

Whether you’ve set up your Twitter account to automatically tweet your Facebook posts, or you share every single one of your Instagram photos to your Twitter feed — DON’T DO IT. It’s lazy and sloppy — and chances are your message is getting truncated (or worse, lost) beyond the point of recognition or clarity. You have 140 characters to work your magic, so do so.

2. Caps lock is your best friend.

NO, WAIT; IT’S YOUR ONLY FRIEND. I’m a big fan of the occasional word or turn of phrase in all caps. But an entire tweet? ...140 characters of nonstop screaming? I don’t think so.

Carefully consider what you’d like to emphasize, capitalize it accordingly, and BOOM!

3. You have the word “followback” in your Twitter bio.

I can’t help it — the word elicits a visceral reaction and sends shivers down my spine. “Followback,” and its evil twin, “#TeamFol-

lowback,” have no place on Twitter — a platform meant for fostering meaningful relationships of substance. Just because someone follows you, it doesn’t mean you have to follow them back.You should connect with accounts that can help you grow and learn — not because you to see your follower numbers grow. Connect with the right accounts and they will grow.

28 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ JUNE 2014 ]

4. Shortened URLs? What’s that?

Goo.gl and bit.ly and ow.ly were created for a reason. Use them to shorten unsightly, ridiculously long URL addresses.Your followers will thank you.

5. You only tweet about yourself…to yourself.

If, after scrolling through your feed, I see ZERO interaction, I slowly but surely begin to wonder if you are a human being. All those tweets and not one directed at another Twitter user? What are you even doing on Twitter? People don’t want to just read your tweets.They want to interact with you. Engagement is everything.

6. #Every #thing #is #a #hashtag.

Life isn’t an endless series of hashtags.Your Twitter feed shouldn’t be either. Hashtag keywords strategically and conscientiously. “#a” should never be a thing. EVER!

7. You’re a fan of subtweeting.

If you’re not familiar with subtweeting, it’s indirectly tweeting about someone without mentioning their name. Petty stuff, if you ask me and it truly has no place on the World Wide Web — or your Twitter feed. Now go ahead, clean up your act, and keep those Twitter followers you’ve worked so hard to amass.

Aimee Woodall is the owner of the Black Sheep Agency, a Houston-based creative agency specializing in non-traditional public relations, social media, and experiential marketing. Contact Amy by phone at 832-9717725, by email at aimee@theblacksheepagency.com, or visit the website at www.theblacksheepagency.com

EDITORIALFEATURE

Unexpected Questions By N.D. Brown

rying to open a hoped for dialogue with a question, especially in advertising, has always driven me nuts. If you see an ad with a question headline “Do you suffer from ....?” or “Do you care about ...?”, it is too easy to immediately answer “NO!” and move on. But surely there are ways to ask unexpected questions that intrigue and draw in a customer. An ad is a passive environment so it is easy to say “No”. Prospects flying through your interactive website (it is isn’t it?) or trying to slip past a cold call are different. One of the benefits of being in the small business world is that it should be easier to engage because there are fewer layers for a prospect to peel away. Make sure you go through your phone tree to discover for yourself what a prospect has to go through to be engaged. Often, it can be a painful process but answering questions can be the key to a successful conversation. Recently, best selling marketing author Seth Godin sent out a blog discussing how easily opening questions can incite conversations with the most reluctant potential customers. Like free-thinking author Malcolm Gladwell, Seth Godin’s mind runs against the wind, tacking toward the obvious angles most overlook. If you have not read either Godin’s or Gladwell’s books I highly recommend them and I suggest you sign up for Godin’s daily blog as well. You will get a very short comment that will make you think and even amuse you.Try it. It can’t hurt.The neat thing about the internet is unsubscribing really isn’t that hard. Mr. Godin explained that a very successful Girl Scout avoided the traditional sales opening which had been suggested by the national organization. The suggestions from headquarters were: Tell them who you are and tell them all the good things the Girl Scouts do in the neighborhood. Wait a minute! You have just been stopped on the street, are on the way in or out of the grocery store, or you have been pulled from the TV and opened your front door to a stranger. Hearing about the good deeds and value of the Girl Scouts is not what you wanted to be interrupted with. Now that you have the picture of the young girl in uniform stepping into your thought train, imagine your reaction to: “Hello, I’m Becky and I want to know what your favorite cookie is?”

You were all set to say “Thanks but no thanks” or some other brush off. But wait a minute, my favorite cookie? Hmmm, let me think. That stream of consciousness you were so engrossed in has now been pleasantly broken.The package in front of you is a young girl in a clean uniform depicting a known brand and she is asking about something we all like…cookies. Instead of trying to move her out of your important life, she has now shifted your brain to cookies. Admit it. Right now the portion of your brain that pops up images is scrolling through the cookies you like. Synapses are firing all over your brain pulling up images of cookies as you recall the fresh baked smell and first bite taste. Simultaneously, you have a young girl with pleading eyes waiting for the answer. How can you not answer the question? And BANG you are in a conversation and her chances of making a sale have just skyrocketed. So the trick to opening a dialogue is not asking a yes-no question but asking a question that has to be answered.The young girl was smart enough to know you probably didn’t care that much about the Girl Scouts and all the good they did for the local community. You cared about what was important to you, your favorite cookies. You are running a small business and you could not be more proud of what you do and how you do it. You can’t wait to tell prospects and remind customers how great it is, how less expensive it is than the big guys, how much more quality it has then they do, how dedicated to customer service you are, and on and on. Make sure you and your sales people learn to open by asking what the prospects favorite cookie is long before you say all of those other things.

N.D. (Don) Brown is a Principal of Brownchild Ltd., Inc. located at 3754 Sunset Blvd., Houston, TX 77005. You can reach him by phone at 713-807-9000-O or 713-822-8370-C. Email him at don.brown@brownchild.com or visit his website at www.brownchild.com. [ JUNE 2014 ] www.SBTMagazine.net 29

EDITORIALFEATURE

Gaining by Giving By Donna Rooney

ven after all these years, I can still remember my mom saying, “It’s always better to give than to receive.” In my youth, this was a concept that I struggled to understand but as I grew wiser with age, I learned to embrace it. This expression is now summarized by many in the networking world as “Givers Gain” which was coined by Ivan Misner, founder of BNI. Simply put, “Givers Gain” is a philosophy based on the law of reciprocity. In the context of networking, people who adopt this philosophy dedicate themselves to providing leads to others rather than making business for themselves their primary concern. The hope is that others treated in such a manner will naturally become eager to repay such kindness through reciprocation by providing business leads in return. Repaying kindness with kindness is a very basic human response which in turn fosters the spread of additional good deeds. Networking is something that most people do every day without even being aware of it. Sure, some are better at it than others; but as social animals, humans are natural networkers. Still, effective networking is a skill that must be learned and practiced. Really successful networkers never stop sharpening their skills but for some, networking can seem a daunting experience. Networking isn’t only for people with “Type A” personalities either.

Here are a few simple truths that everyone should keep in mind:

Always remember that people are just people who are filled with many of the same wants, desires, hopes, and fears. No matter what position a person holds in the business world, they all put their pants on

one leg at a time just like you do. If you can’t work past your fear of rejection and reach out to strangers, you will quite possibly miss making a friend or possibly a great business deal. Remember that when you attend networking events or are just networking in general, do not approach it as a sales call. Remember when you began to date, how difficult it was to not be too anxious on that first date? The same is true with networking. If you appear too eager, this can be seen by others as being shallow and make you seem more interested in a quick sale rather than a long term business relationship. Apply this principle to your networking skills. Networking should be taken in the long view and it needs to be engaged in slowly in order to create trust and credibility. So it’s best to not try to close deals after the initial meeting. Use your time intelligently by focusing on your core business prospects. Unless you just enjoy attending networking events, pare these down to those that will offer the best quality and number of individuals in businesses that will expand your customer-base. Request more business cards than you give out. Provide your card if someone requests it, but when you request someone else’s card, you’ve just placed yourself in control of the follow-up. Once you’ve determined whose cards represent those you need to follow up with, do so immediately while the memory of who you are is fresh in your prospect’s mind. Send follow-up communications right away, even if it’s just a short note reminding the person about your conversation.You’ll make a positive impression and perhaps a business

30 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ JUNE 2014 ]

contact or client as a result. At worst, it’ll widen your base of contacts which may prove to be useful later. As with anything else, a little introspection is good for us all. Being fully aware of your own strengths and weaknesses is important to success in networking. Each of us falls at a different place along the personality spectrum. So being honest with your self, which is always the best policy, allows you to more carefully plan what personal traits need to be accepted or improved upon if necessary. People who do incredibly well aren’t just trying to sell the service or the product; they offer service and value.That is a giving mentality and it works. We all want to help our friends and help people who are kind and generous. When we are focused on other people, our own problems are minimized. In general, people who give more tend to be happier. In closing, I’d like to share a story I’d read some time back that has a direct bearing on what I have shared: On his deathbed, an elderly gentleman was asked, “If given the chance to come back as anyone, who would he choose? He responded, “I’d come back as the man I could have been but never was. I’d act with more courage and I wouldn’t allow my fear to deny me opportunities that I was too afraid to grasp before.” Don’t let your fears prevent you from living the life you deserve. Donna Rooney is a Senior Manager with SendOutCards. Please feel free to send a personalized card from her website at www.sendoutcards.com/DRooney. To learn more, contact Donna by phone at 713-2020786 or by email at donnakrooney@gmail.com.

EDITORIALFEATURE

Travel More Safely

All Year Long By Dawn Haynes

ven if regular business travel is the nature of the beast for you, travel during the summer months seems to kick into high gear as a whole as many of us set aside special time during this season to vacation, attend conferences, or engage in other activities that we might not otherwise be able to enjoy any other time of year. The following are a few tips to help ensure a safer travel experience for you:

4. While you’re at the front desk, ask what phone number you should dial in case of emergency. Is there a direct line to the hotel security?

If You Are Traveling Abroad, Don’t Be Branded a Tourist

1. Do an image search on the Internet to see how people who live in your destination dress and follow suit. Avoid relying on the images found in tourist brochures of guideBefore You Leave books. 1. Make sure you have someone collect your 2. When in doubt, conmail and newspapers sider buying clothes at your for you while you are Make sure you destination (at a local store, gone or temporarily have someone collect not a gift or souvenir shop). suspend these services. 2. Inform at least one famyour mail and ily member or friend Protect Your Location on Social newspapers for you of your travel itinerary Media Sites while you are gone that includes hotel infor1. Sharing too much inmation, transportation or temporarily suspend formation about your location these services. on your social media accounts information, and phone may endanger your safety and numbers. Establish a invite a potential burglary in your absence. plan to check in regularly and follow through. 3. Make sure that they also have copies of all 2. Adjust your privacy settings and use discretion when checking in on social media sites. of your important documents (passport, visa, driver’s license, plane tickets, rental car license 3. Consider delaying posting all the photos and videos of your trip until you return. plate, etc.) 4. Also, forgo using mobile apps to check in at 4. Consider purchasing traveler’s insurance. various locations. Hotel Safety Using these simple strategies will not only en1. Reserve a room that’s above the 1st floor but below the 6th floor. First floor rooms are sure a safer travel experience but will also help easier to break into and rooms above the you avoid any unpleasant surprises upon your sixth floor are sometimes too high for fire return. Wishing you continued small business success—safely! ladders to reach. 2. If you’re staying in a motel where doors open directly to the outside (rather than a hallway), see if you can get a room overlooking an interior courtyard instead of a parking lot. 3. Don’t let the front desk attendant publicize Dawn Haynes, the Toolbox Diva ™, is the CEO (Chief EmpowOfficer) of 2EmpowerU, (formerly Fight or Flight Self your room number. If they announce it aloud erment Defense). You can contact Dawn by email at dawn@2emwhen giving you your key, ask for a different powerU.net, by phone at 713-298-6301, or visit her website at room. www.2empowerU.net [ JUNE 2014 ] www.SBTMagazine.net 31

EDITORIALFEATURE

Financial Astrology for

June 2014 By Christi Ruiz

ARIES (March 21 - April 20)

You will be able to use your personality to get what you desire in the workplace until the end of the month. This will be a good time for financial gain without too much effort.

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21)

Keep silent about financial negotiations until the deal is done or things may not turn out as you expect. Great aspects influence your communications zone and opportunities to increase your income will abound.Take advantage of these aspects.

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21)

Keep working hard; the rewards will come soon. Now is the time to create your money-making strategies for the future. Incorporate your creativity and imagination into your plans.

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22)

Think twice before making investments at this time.Venus is influencing your financial zone and can make many things seem quite appealing. Reality will bring a sobering look at fiscal expenditures. You may need some economic planning.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21)

Your finances have gotten out of control but Jupiter’s influences will bring luck to help you regain it. Now is a great time for a sensible refinancing plan that you can put into action. Do some debt consolidation and, if you are careful, you will be back in control.

CANCER (June22 - July 22) Now is the time to add to that savings account since there are no immediate aspects that are affecting you. Choose your investments wisely and make adjustments where needed.

CANCER (June22 - July 22)

Now is the time to add to that savings account since there are no immediate aspects that are affecting you. Choose your investments wisely and make adjustments where needed.

LEO (July 23 - August 22)

Now is the time to seek funds for all of the projects that have been on hold. Venus will make deals smoother and closings will happen much faster. Make sure you continue to create new business relationships.

VIRGO (August 23 - September 23)

Do not overspend right now as it can have long term effects on your finances. Reckless investments will cost you dearly in the future. Mars is influencing your ambitions and your ability to raise funds may create an illusion.

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23)

Venus is in your financial zone and you will have the urge for higher ticket items. Saturn’s influences will be noticeable on your credit cards, so be very careful. Be cautious of what other people promise you; it may not be as they say. 32 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ JUNE 2014 ]

CAPRICORN (December 22 January 20)

There are no outrageous aspects right now so it is time to get your finances in order. Make new business plans including planning new projects before the aspects change. Try to pay down credit cards and loan balances. Make sure you do your “due diligence” on new investments.

AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19)

Do not seek quick fixes. Instead, focus on those things that will pay off in the long run.Venus will mask things and make them appear easy. So do not fall prey to that illusion. Saturn will bring you into reality which will help you to make solid plans for your future.

PISCES (February 20 - March 20)

At this time, Mars gives you the feeling of great ambition but you need to follow that up with investment funds. Uranus aspects put you into a financial rut. Now is the time to seek new investments and new cash flow. Establish a solid financial foundation. Christi Ruiz is an expert in spiritual and intuitive sciences. She uses these skills to assist with one’s success in real estate, business, and personal matters. In addition, Christi’s many years of experience working for banks and mortgage companies gives her an extra edge in understanding the world of finance. You can contact Christi by phone at 713-773-0333-O or at 281-904-2658-C. Her website is www. christisportals.com and her email address is christiruizchristi@yahoo.com.

EDITORIALFEATURE

Integrity is Your

Personal Brand By Birgit Zacher Hanson

ou’re in the integrity business regardless of the industry you think you’re in and your success is determined by your reputation for making and keeping promises. Despite its importance, integrity is most likely a blind-spot for you, not because you’re a bad person but because you haven’t been trained for it. Most people admit they could be better at time management and organization but few will actually say that they lack integrity. We tend to think that other people lack integrity, not ourselves! Integrity has many dimensions but, to keep it simple, think of it as being true to your word or taking responsibility. How blind are people to integrity at work?

Consider these common utterances and then consider these alternative responses:

1. “I was going to write the draft but instead I had to fix my printer problem.” Sounds like a fact but is it really an excuse? Couldn’t you have found another computer to use? Alternative: “I am sorry I didn’t finish the draft.” 2. “I’m late because traffic was horrible.” Sounds like something out of your control but couldn’t you have planned to leave earlier? Alternative: “Sorry I am late.” 3. “It’s not my fault.” If the results you received were not what you expected, does it really matter whose fault it was? Alternative: “I am disappointed I/we fell short. What can I/we do to accomplish what was expected?”

Most adults don’t like to be disappointed nor do they like to disappoint others. Often, they avoid making promises out of fear that something unpredictable might come up and as a result is beyond their control. On the other hand, they may overcommit because they don’t know how to say “No”. Both avoidance tactics result in breakdowns in trust and performance. Lastly, always close the loop. Don’t be the kind of person who says “I will try” or “I will get back with you” and then not commit to a specific outcome or specific Most people admit they date. By leaving the loop open, you keep could be better at people hanging on. As a result, they can never develop confidence in knowing they time management and organization but few will can depend on you. actually say that In the end, we must accept that life has they lack integrity. a way of interfering with our plans and We tend to think that sometimes, regardless of how good our intentions are, we may not be able to fulother people lack fill a promise we made. However, we can integrity, not ourselves! always own up to our responsibilities and either make a new commitment or revoke a promise we made. mitments? Sure you would. If I gave you Acting with integrity and taking personal a million dollars to be on time, you would figure out a way to beat traffic. No doubt. responsibility isn’t always easy or comfortable. But if you desire success in your life Yet, as a result of our lack of foresight, and business, it is important to take a close we think we can get away with the excus- look at your integrity first then train your es when, in fact, other people see them team on doing the same. Your customers exactly for what they are. What’s even will thank you and send you referrals over worse, their esteem for us and trust in our and over again. word goes down. But not all is lost! Unlike the common belief that integrity is something you either have or don’t have, integrity happens by design. Anyone can live in integrity. The key is to honor your word at all times. If you make a commitment, Birgit Zacher Hanson, Master Certified Coach, is a speaker and the co-author of the best-selling follow through. If you are unable to do so, public book, Who Will Do What by When? You can contact let the person know as soon as you know, her at bzh@headsupperformance.com or visit her apologize, and renegotiate your promise. website at www.headsupperformance.com. Can you perceive the difference between valued self-defense over integrity? People commonly (and unconsciously) use excuses to defend their innocence or cover up a lack of commitment and follow-through. Our natural tendency is to see when others drop the ball but not see when we are out of integrity. Think about it. If you were really committed, wouldn’t you find a way to be on time, do what you say, or at least renegotiate your com-

[ JUNE 2014 ] www.SBTMagazine.net 33

EDITORIALFEATURE

Increase Your Business Revenue by Obtaining Federal Government

Small Business Projects By Maliha S. Mian, Attorney

he federal government spends billions of dollars each year purchasing a variety of goods and services and a significant amount of that is spent with owners and operators of small and medium sized businesses. Learning how to successfully sell to the U.S. government (the world’s largest buyer of goods and services) can be a daunting task. The solicitations (projects) can be extremely long, confusing, and inundated with regulations which can be quite overwhelming to small and medium sized businesses. Add to the massive information (or lack thereof) of these solicitations, the quick expected response time hinders the chance of many small businesses competing.

Moreover, the following frustrating questions may present themselves:

How do you find the projects? Does your business qualify? How does one price the goods/services? Once awarded, how does the business maintain compliance and not breach the contract?

Here are some suggested approaches:

1. Update your company’s business plan highlighting special skills and expertise that would be of interest to government agencies. • It’s important to identify your strengths. • How is your product/service different and is it more advantageous compared to competitors? 2. Review your company’s marketing strategy and goals. • Develop a marketing plan that identifies government agencies that buy small business products/services. • Set attainable goals. • Consider subcontracting opportunities. • Research the subcontracting opportunities and key players. • Engage in strategic networking. 3. Learn the federal procurement process and terms or team up with those who do. 34 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ JUNE 2014 ]

• Learn how to register or become certified. • Find a team that can assist you with registration, certification, searches for projects that match your capabilities, determining whether your business qualifies, and/or assist with bid preparation. • Practice reading through a few solicitations to see if you are able to handle the amount of administrative and legal legwork it entails. • Create a tracking system for projects you want, projects you submitted proposals, projects awarded to you, and projects not awarded to you with detailed information as to why it was not awarded to you and who it was awarded to. 4. Get a good idea of pricing/cost of your goods/ services. • Where can you cut costs to be more competitive? • Do you have reliable vendors that can supply you quickly? • Do you have more than one vendor for each component/part/supply that you may turn to in the event the preferred vendor is unavailable or changes the quote? • Do you have subcontracting options (i.e. can you subcontract out part of the supplies and/ or labor to third party)? 5. Keep in mind, the lowest bid may not be enough. Capabilities and quality of work are huge determining factors as well. • For each solicitation, the company’s background needs to be tailored to show off your business’s expertise and capabilities. • Do not forget items like timely communication, quick response time, etc. • Prepare a list of references and/or refer jobs completed that illustrate your business’s capabilities and quality of work.

»Continued on Page 35

EDITORIALFEATURE

»Continued From Page 12

Use Education to Boost Your Career What are the boosters? Boosters are more education. Volunteering in a different area or taking classes in everything, from specific career coaching to learning a new sport, can give you a boost. Many people start getting stale in their career and the new information they learn from a class gives them the best enhancement to their lethargy. If you try different directions per the above for changing the direction of your career and still nothing is different, you probably need a new career. Most people change careers three times in their lives. It is unusual to keep the same career forever. Go to seminars, attend career fairs, and ask questions about the different careers represented. Take a personality test to see what you inherently find more interesting and then move towards that direction which parallels your basic personality traits. It is important to keep your current job until you have the financial budget needed in making the change to your new career. Rita Santamaria is the owner of Champions School of Real Estate which was founded in 1983 and is a five time national award winning school.The Champions School of Professional Development was founded in 2012 and has grown in a short time to be a leading development venue for individuals and companies. For more information on taking the Champions School of Real Estate Professional Development Course to brush-up on your professional skills and also learn about your personality, how to communicate, how to prepare for a job interview, and many other areas of education that will only make you better, visit the website at www.ChampionsSchool.com.

»Continued From Page 34 Increase Your Business Revenue by Obtaining Federal Government Small Business Projects 6. Create a project plan/schedule. • When is the response date? • Is there a pre-conference meeting? • When is the submission of questions deadline? • When is the expected timeframe for awarding the project? • Once awarded, how long do you have to perform for deliverables? • When and how do you have to submit invoicing? All in all, to be successful at obtaining government projects, you need to know of opportunities; your strengths and capabilities; how to read, select and qualify for a project; and how to prepare a bid for a project. Furthermore, you have to understand that the procurement of a government project is essentially a process. That being said, there are strategic ways to minimize cost, compete for such projects, and increase your business revenue. You can always tailor a process and make it advantageous for you. Maliha S. Mian, Attorney is with the Mian Law Firm P.L.L.C. located at 10998 S. Wilcrest Drive, Suite 198, Houston, Texas 77099. You can reach her by email at Contact@MianLawFirm.com or visit the website at www.MianLawFirm.com.

»Continued From Page 20 Keeping Up With The Times Ultimately, successful implementation of change will depend on the leader’s ability to articulate a vision that is attractive enough to justify the sacrifices and hardships the change will require. This vision must provide a sense of continuity for followers by linking past events and present strategies to a vivid image of a better future for the organization. This vision also must provide hope as well as faith that it will eventually be attained. Such a vision will provide guidance, focus, and a steady anchor throughout the implementation process.

Aaron Kaplan, Founder/Director of the Kaplan Project LLC, can be reached by phone at 832-831-9451, by email at AKaplan@thekaplanproject.com, or visit his website at www.thekaplanproject.com. [ JUNE 2014 ] www.SBTMagazine.net 35

ADVERTISER S INDEX Aaron Kaplan-The Kaplan Project, LLC

Araya Clean Property Services

Champions School of Business Development

Champions School of Real Estate

Gwen Juarez Photography

Houston Minority Supplier Development Council MJWJ Talk Radio

INSIDE BACK COVER 15

Main Street Chamber of Commerce

MasterWord Services

My Body Restore

NAWBO

36 SMALL BUSINESS TODAY MAGAZINE [ JUNE 2014 ]

JUNE 2014 EDITION HOUSTON 27

Nerium Sales Nexus

Schneider Kitchens

11 BACK COVER

Small Business Today Magazine Radio Show Susan Farb Public Relations, Inc

Terry Bruner Law Firm

WBEA

Westpark Communications

INSIDE FRONT COVER