Advantage Magazine Fall 2011

Th e M a r k e t i n g M a g a z i n e F o r E n t r e p r e n e u r s , Bu s i n e s s L e a d e r s a n d I d e a - M a k e r s

F all

$4.99

2011

Bowden’s Way:

A new book examines a coaching legend’s lessons in leadership

Say it out loud:

How to make the most of the Talk Your Book™ interview experience

Getting the Edge:

Every speaker should keep an eye on the competition

Introducing

An in-depth look inside Advantage’s brand new corporate headquarters FA L L 2 0 1 1 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | 1

AdvantageFamily.com/Magazine A publication of

In this Issue...

8 Home Sweet Home

It began as a dream. Then it became a goal.

Before long, it was a project. Now it’s a reality. After six years of steady expansion, Advantage has moved into new corporate headquarters, ushering in the next era for the company. Story, p. 8. Map, p. 10.

6 Let's Talk About You

Advantage’s Talk Your Book™ program makes publishing easy, but preparation is still a must. By Brooke White

DEPARTMENTS

7 Cover Stories

A look at the post-press process: What are your options when it comes to printing? By George Stevens

7 Speaking Volumes

Adam’s Advantage: 4 When it comes to profits, no one is entitled. Offering value is what matters.

Advantage Activity: 5 New releases, best sellers.

Author Spotlight: Christos Efessiou

What’s New Online: 6

Originality is crucial to success, but the savvy speaker keeps the competition in sight. By Yolanda Harris

12 Bobby’s World

New feature highlights Advantage online.

Video services, contact page upgrades.

Advantage People: 14 Fighting Irish, fighting Irene, and fighting for media coverage.

When one of the winningest coaches in the history of college football talks leadership, people tend to listen.

In his new book, Bobby Bowden on Leadership, Pat Williams studied the Florida State coach’s approach to guidance, teaching, and leading a winning team.

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New episode every other Wednesday AuthorAdvantage.tv

Entrepreneurs’ Library

Authors On Books | Persistence is key...

™

“Books aren’t written–they’re rewritten. It’s one of the hardest things to accept,

New episode every other Wednesday EntrepreneursLibrary.tv

especially after the seventh rewrite hasn’t quite done it.” Michael Crichton

ADVANTAGE MEDIA GROUP

Publishers of Business, Motivation, and Self-Help Media

843.414.5600

CEO

Cr eative Director

Contributing Editor

M ark eti ng M anager

advantagefamily.com advantagefamily.com/magazine advantageravingfans.com

Adam Witty

Kim Hall

Yolanda Harris

Brooke White

Editor & Ar t Dir ector

Ad Director

Web Editor

Edi tori al Di rec tor

George Stevens

Alison Morse

Seth Rubenstein

Denis Boyles

Follow:

Advantage Magazine Issue 16 Fall 2011 © 2011 Advantage Media Group. All rights reserved. Trademarks used by permission.

FA L L 2 0 1 1 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | 3

Adam’sAdvantage The value of innovation | Creativity is key in preserving profit margins

I

had an interesting experience while flying recently. I was one of the first to board the plane. As soon as I got to my seat, I stowed my computer bag in the overhead bin above my seat, sat down, started reading a book, and paid no attention to anything else going on. One hour into the flight, I got up out of my seat to retrieve something from my computer bag. It was gone! Did someone actually steal it? The bag was nowhere to be found.

they forgot to think about the passenger experience and passenger attitude toward these new fees.

Here is the rub. Most passengers absolutely despise paying bag fees. When you ask passengers what they hate most about air travel, they routinely comment about being “nickel and dimed.” This includes bag fees, change fees, food for sale fees, headphone fees, and those countless other mystery fees that always seem to materialize. Because passengers hate these fees, they resentfully hand over their credit card.

Beads of sweat began to pour down my face. After continuing the search, I finally found my bag. When Fred Reichheld, in the plane was takhis best-selling book Entrepreneurs and ing off, my bag slid titled The Ultimate three (that’s right, Question, referred to business leaders must get count em, 3!) overthis as “bad profits.” head compartments creative in preserving profit Yes, all of these fees backward.

Because add to profits, but the bins were mostly your customers abmargins. Remember that empty, my computer solutely hate giving bag had an unobthem to you. Value is structed path to slide created in the marketduring takeoff. Before If you do that, your customers place when a product you guess that I was or service provider on a 5:30 a.m. flight will be happy to pull out their receives money in exto Gary, Indiana with change for value that no one else on board, is delivered. When wallet for you! you can think again. the customer comThe flight that I was pensates you for value on was 100% full. that they don’t feel they have received, it is The caveat is that it was a Southwest flight. bad revenue, and ultimately bad profits. Your

you must provide value.

You probably know that Southwest is the only major airline that does not charge extra to check a suitcase or bag. Because of this, passengers don’t feel the need to cram every living piece of their existence into one roller board that they will then try and wedge into the overhead bin above their seat.

While the legacy airline executives are high fiving one another for the new lucrative revenue stream they created out of thin air (charging $25 per bag X millions of people),

For

starters,

instead

of

now charging for things that you once before provided at no charge (i.e.

luggage

on airplanes), why not offer new premium options that didn’t exist before? Would you pay an extra $25 if it meant your bag was one of the first off the plane? You might be surprised how many would.

Delta finally understands this concept by creating their new “Economy Comfort” seating, which is a traditional coach seat with five extra inches of legroom. For a guy like me who is over six feet tall, you better believe I will gladly pay for it. In fact, on a recent flight from Chicago to Vancouver, I gladly paid an extra $80 to be upgraded from United’s Economy class to Economy Plus, which had five extra inches of legroom. The key word here is that I gladly paid the money.

In a down economy, savvy entrepreneurs and business leaders must get creative in preserving

customers resent you when this happens–not a good thing.

profit margins. Remember that you must pro-

As the cost of doing business rises, entrepreneurs must preserve profit margins. After all, net is the name of the game, not gross. My banker, Arthur Swanson, likes to say “Gross don’t mean shit.” The challenge that you, the entrepreneur, have is straightforward: How do you preserve and increase net, while not pissing off customers? The answer is simple: you must create more value for customers.

be happy to pull out their wallet for you!

4 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | W W W . A D V A N T A G E F A M I L Y . C O M / M A G A Z I N E

vide value. If you do that, your customers will

Adam D. Witty, Chief Executive Officer awitty@advantageww.com

AUTHOR S PO TL IGHT

AdvantageActivity Chief Daddy Officer Christos Efessiou

This book is a guide for any parent struggling to balance career and family. In a world of entitlement and increasing dependence, CDO Chief Daddy Officer demonstrates how to teach and inspire children to listen, understand, adapt, be accountable, self-sufficient and believe in themselves enough to know how to succeed by following their inner sense of integrity.

“Being professionally ambitious and a loving, emotionally available parent are not mutually exclusive, because one costs the other nothing!” emphasizes the author.

CDO Chief Daddy Officer clearly defines the fundamentals of solid leadership critical in both arenas.



New Releases

from Advantage Authors The Break Equation It’s Not What Life Deals You, It’s How You Deal With Life Mike Petriella

110 pp.; paperback; $12.99

Overcoming the Nevers

by Gardening Your Life and Nurturing the Seeds of Truth

Teri Johnson 182 pp.; paperback; $14.99

Use the lessons of this highly successful CEO who overcame significant obstacles with humor, integrity and confidence, and balanced his life by applying the principles that guided him at work to raising his daughter.

Advantage Best Seller List: September 2011 Title

Author

Price

Format

1

Bear Bryant on Leadership

Pat Williams

$16.99

Paperback

2

Warrior Sales Monk

Todd Zaugg

$24.99

Paperback

3

Enjoy the Ride

Steve Gilliland

$19.99

Hardcover

4

Fitness Model Diet

Jennifer Nicole Lee

$26.99

Hardcover

5

Lincoln Speaks to Leaders

Gene Griessman

$19.99

Paperback

6

Life...Don’t Miss It!

Gary Kunath

$14.99

Paperback

7

How David Beats Goliath

Michael J. Swanson

$14.99

Paperback

8

Jolt!

James Billmaier

$22.99

Hardcover

9

Engagement Is Not Enough

Keith Ayers

$24.99

Hardcover

10

Creating Trust

Matt Zagula

$15.99

Paperback

Bobby Bowden on Leadership

Life Lessons from a Two-Time National Champion Coach Pat Williams 208 pp.; paperback; $16.99

The Great Economic Train Wreck How the Nation’s Financial Crisis Looks from Main Street

Kevin Clark 284 pp.; paperback; $16.99

Big Contacts How Small Businesses Can Harness The Power of Technology to Attract and Retain More Customers

Bob Walton 156 pp.; paperback; $14.99

FA L L 2 0 1 1 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | 5

Let's Talk About You with Brooke White Speaking Your Mind | How to maximize the Talk Your Book™ Program

I

f you are one of the many authors who have decided to participate in Advantage’s proprietary Talk Your Book™ program, here are a few critical tips to maximize the experience. Our mission is to help you create the best possible book to enhance your business, your credibility and your status as an expert in your field.

The blueprint for a well balanced, informative book that represents you and your business is your approved outline. During your initial writing consultation, we will help you to identify the key concepts and themes for your book project and the best way to present them. Your appointed editor will then create an annotated chapter list and outline based on your editorial plan. This document serves as the roadmap for the entire Talk Your Book™ process.

You and your project editor will schedule the Talk Your Book™ calls according to your mutual availability. We recommend that you plan for one to two hour sessions and attempt to complete the calls within a three to four week time span. This ensures editor availability as well as sustained momentum and a cohesive flow.

Preparation is critical. Please make sure you are you ready to talk for the entire segment on your subject matter for that day. Your editor is responsible for the flow of the interview and will adhere directly to the approved outline, guiding you through each section, asking questions and seeking illustrative examples or personal anecdotes. It will be necessary for you to come to the call with your thoughts gathered for the day’s topic.

To ensure the best content quality, please give your full and undivided attention to the scheduled calls. We ask that you find a quiet room, without distractions. If possible please use a landline for the best audio quality. Do not schedule the calls while you are driving or otherwise occupied.

Each call is recorded and transcribed to create the first draft of your book. The busy professional will appreciate an edit that takes the manuscript as close to the final product as possible.

Your editor will deliver a document that reflects substantial structuring of the manuscript’s content and organization, as well as addresses issues of style and tone for consistency in adherence with the your message and voice.

online...

what’s new

New improvements abound at AdvantageFamily.com: • Our new video services page offers information and samples of Advantage video productions. www.advantagefamily.com/video-production/

• Our updated contact page allows interested parties to submit inquiries pertaining to specific Advantage services. Select a service from the drop down list, and the form will adjust accordingly. www.advantagefamily.com/contact-us/ 6 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | W W W . A D V A N T A G E F A M I L Y . C O M / M A G A Z I N E

The Advantage editorial process is a collaborative one, and your project editor may request further information on a given subject within the manuscript. Should your manuscript require significant additional information or elaboration from the perspective of the editor or the author, the work will need to go through a further edit to ensure cohesive flow and a balance of information.

Our editorial director, Denis Boyles, has assembled a team of seasoned professionals responsible for developing books and magazines like those you’ve enjoyed your entire life. Your editor is there when you need help, explanations or guidance. Want the editor to elaborate on his/her thinking? Need editorial advice? We are here to support and help you.

Feel free to reach out with questions. Now, start talking!

Brooke White is Advantage’s Senior Editor and Publicity Manager.

CoverStories with George Stevens

Pressing Issues |

A book’s journey from publisher to author makes a pitstop at the printer. That’s where there’s a fork in the road

M

ost authors agree: there’s nothing like holding their freshly-published book for the first time. Ink on paper, your own perfect bound baby, hot off the presses. Is that “New Book Smell” air freshener on the market yet?

Here’s a question: How does the book get from your designer’s desktop to your front door? Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as clicking “file, print.” As you’re probably aware, publishing houses work directly with printing companies that specialize in the physical production of books.

There are two major types of printing processes the modern publisher employs: offset printing and digital printing.

Offset printing is a broad term that refers to the process of embedding inked designs onto plates, which are then ultimately transferred onto the paper. For years, this has been the most common method of book printing. It allows for customization with high quality results, but this means higher baseline expenses.

Therefore, offset printing is usually reserved for larger print runs, because the volume lowers the per-unit cost.

The second process is the digital press. This is a revolutionary approach to book printing that directly prints digital files provided by the publisher. Think of the digital press as a supercharged version of your desktop printer.

This technology has reduced the number of barriers of entry for aspiring authors. The

SpeakingVolumes with Yolanda Harris

Size ‘em up! | Four ways to measure and surpass the competition

T

to hone in on exactly what makes them stand apart from competitors.

The first part of doing this is identifying the following:

hroughout the past decade, the number of professional speakers in our industry has persistently expanded and continues to do so. The impact of this business has gained substantial popularity, however, as a result of the economy many organizations have been forced to cut costs and in turn, cut out speaking events.

1. Know your competition: Do the research—it’s worth the time and effort to know who you’re up against. Do they have books? Products? What does their website look like? These are all imperative points to determine which will encourage you to stepup your game.

A huge part of being successful in this business is discovering your niche, examining your competition, and developing something different. What sets you aside from other leadership speakers, for example, is going to be the sole reason why you get hired and they don’t. At The Keynote Group we work with our clients

2. Know your similarities: Does your competition have a book or product similar to yours? Remember, it is not always about being the first at something; it’s about being the best. Check what you have in common to explore what you could be doing better and/ or what you are doing correctly.

reason is because digital printing maintains a consistent per-unit cost. Printing one copy of a book is practical because there’s no need to create plates and adjust other customizable factors involved with offset printing. By the way, this also means it’s much faster than offset.

Think of the

digital press as a

supercharged version of your desktop printer.

It’s also the reason why Amazon.com is viable, because the lack of inventory keeps overhead costs low. Despite its low cost and swift turnaround, the drawback of digital printing is that it doesn’t allow for customization in the way offset printing does.

If you’re uncertain which method is right for your book, talk to your production team.

They’ll help you weigh the factors and help decide which method is more advantageous for your project.

As staff designer at Advantage Media Group, George Stevens has designed dozens of successful books and other publications. He’s also the art director of Author Advantage magazine.

3. How is your competitor reaching the market? What did they do that you could have done better? How do they market their speaking? What did you do that blows the competition out of the water? Our marketing team is always looking for new strategies to promote and enhance our clients’ speaking business—you should too.

4. Think outside of the box: You do not just want to match up to your competitor, you want to surpass them with a well branded website, clear and concise message and different level of thinking. Remember, the speakers who are asked back are the ones who do something unexpected.

There will always be some sort of competition within your industry so why not learn from it. By studying like-minded speakers, you will learn more about yourself, your speaking business, and how to set yourself apart. Remember that every speaker has something unique about their topic—98% of it is how you are marketing yourself to stand out in the crowd.

Yolanda Harris is President of The Keynote Group (thekeynotegroup.com) and The Business of Speaking. We would like to hear from you! E-mail us your questions at speaking@thekeynotegroup.com.

FA L L 2 0 1 1 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | 7

A new building, a new chapter. Advantage Center is open for business, and it feels like home.

I

t began as a dream. Before long, it was a The Need goal. Then it became a project.

As with many major endeavors, Advantage Now, it’s a reality.

Center was borne out of necessity. Advantage After six years in an office suite on the east- was rapidly outgrowing its space. In 2005, the ern tip of the Charleston peninsula, Advantage company was formed in Adam Witty’s spare Media Group has opened its own state-of-the- bedroom. Soon after, we occupied a two-office art facility. The physical move covered less than suite in downtown Charleston, sharing hall two miles. The move it represents for Advan- space with a lawyer and two Federal bureaucrats. By 2008, Advantage occupied the four tage as a company? Immeasurable. adjacent offices and the hallway connecting A fully refurbished office building. Four times them. Last year, the company expanded even the floor space. Upgraded amenities. It’s a further, leasing space on the next floor for its modern space where business and creativity can upgraded television studios. thrive in concert. It’s the new ground zero for the innovative output for which Advantage has The Goal become known. It’s the company’s new face, At the pace Advantage was growing, occupying representing the same heart. Simply put: It’s a 200-year-old building in Charleston’s highAdvantage Center. traffic tourist district was becoming less and less 8 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | W W W . A D V A N T A G E F A M I L Y . C O M / M A G A Z I N E

pragmatic. Still, CEO Adam Witty and COO Ralph Crozier saw the value in a downtown location. They recognized the benefit of being associated with the vivacious charm and character of “The Holy City,” downtown Charleston.

The search began in April of 2010. The challenge was finding a location that didn’t present the same issues as 192 East Bay. Finding such a space in a 330-year-old town, fully expanded to its geographical boundaries, was no easy task.

Amidst the colonial sprawl, Witty and Crozier found a place with potential. Situated in the Harleston Village neighborhood–a largely residential district characterized by quiet streets under oak canopies–was a 10,000 square foot, twostory office building, and it was on the market.

The unoccupied ground floor was a catacomb of crumbling drywall and dust cover. But the

“The company wasn’t interested in a standard office building, all cubes and dull colors.

We wa n ted a wo rkspace t hat woul d wow t e am mem ber s, cl ient s, and v isit ors .”

12 34 team saw enormous potential in the understated building. After rigorous analysis, due diligence and scrutiny, Advantage determined it had found its new home.

The Project In March 2011, Advantage closed on 65 Gadsden Street. Demolition began in April of 2011, and continued throughout the spring and on into the boiling South Carolina summer. Crozier oversaw the project as it wore on, working closely with architects, contractors and crew to ensure that the building was taking shape in a way that reflected Advantage’s vision.

Scheduled to open in July 2011, a violent summer storm caused significant water damage that led to additional construction work. It was a setback, one that added nearly a month to the construction schedule. But it was hardly a deterrent. By the first week of August, the team was well into the packing process. The move was imminent.

As the official move-in day approached, another natural obstacle loomed. Hurricane Irene was bearing down on the Carolina coast, and early projections had Charleston in the center

of her path. But as the storm neared and began to track north, Advantage made the decision to go ahead with the move. On Friday, August 26, high wind and rainfall held steady as the team, working with professional movers, uprooted the company from one side of town to the other.

The Reality On the morning of August 29, 2011, the team reported to 65 Gadsden Street for the first official day of business at the new facility. The workspace upgrades are marked, but Advantage Center represents more than that.

It represents a metamorphosis of our in-house “Handshakes to Hugs” client experience. The building also tells the story of Advantage and introduces its company culture.

It’s designed to exhibit the process of working with Advantage. Visitors are guided through our executive wing, where our sales department and decision-makers are sewing the seeds of business innovation. Situated across the central corridor is the creative and technology suite. Graphic and web design stations are arranged to foster a creative, collaborative, and interactive environment that will be reflected

Time Lapse.

Where it was.

How it happened.

Where we are now.

1. April 15, 2011: Team Advantage takes hard hat tour of 65 Gadsden Street, still in its rawest state.

2. July 6, 2011: It’s still in the beginning stages, but the renovation is in full swing.

3. July 24, 2011: Drywall is up.

The new space is taking shape.

4. August 19, 2011: Carpet, paint, fixtures–it’s the final stretch!

5. NOW... in the work our team produces. Adjacent to the design suite is Advantage’s full-sized television studio, which features a green screen wall, versatile set scenery and a full editing bay.

In addition, the facility features several conference rooms, restrooms, a full kitchen for entertaining and feeding guests, and a private parking lot–a small miracle in and of itself in downtown Charleston.

The approach to creating Advantage Center was avoiding the norm. The company wasn’t interested in a standard office building, all cubes and dull colors. We wanted a workspace that would wow team members, clients, and visitors. In its conception, the emphasis was placed on innovation and interaction, and this is evident as soon as one sets foot in Advantage Center.

So to our partners, our clients, our team and all members of our Advantage family: Welcome.

For a video tour of Advantage Center lead by Advantage Media Group CEO Adam Witty, please visit : www.advantagefamily.com/advantagecenter FA L L 2 0 1 1 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | 9

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AD

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RY

CLIENT MAP

24 25

L E A R N & G R OW

20

VE TI C RA ME TE O IN LC ER E W NT E C

18

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COOPER CONFERENCE

23

2

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R O OM

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30

M E D I A WA L L

28

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3

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6 CEO’S OFFICE

5 COO’S OFFICE

27

7

Key:

Welcome t o

6

1. Front Entrance Access to elevator, stairs, and Advantage Media Group.

Offices and Conference Rooms 2. Gadsden Room Conference space, as well as seating, microphones and recording station for Talk Your Book™ sessions.

13

3. Sales Office 4. CEO’s Office 5. COO’s Office 6. Executive Wing Lobby 7. Administration Director’s Office 8. Sales Office 9. Marketing Rooms 10. Sales Office 11. Cooper Room Main conference room, including wide screen television with internet connection for interactive presentations.

16

12. Advantage Studios Editing Room 13. Advantage Studios Our brand new, 500 sq. ft. studio space allows for multiple sets, HD capture and green screen capability.

14. Creative and Production Director’s Office 15. Technology and Digital Suite 16. Graphic Station 17. Graphic Station 18. Senior Editor’s Office

Common Areas

Storage, Utility and Access 24. Elevator 25. Stairs

19. Main Lobby Access to elevator, stairs, and Advantage Media Group.

26. Maintenance

20. Advantage Lobby Lobby and Reception Area

28. Electrical

21. Kitchenette

30. Stairs

22. Women’s Restroom

31. Maintenance and Electrical

23. Men’s Restroom

32. HVAC/Storage

27. HVAC/Storage 29. Storage

Pat Williams, a man who knows how to lead winning teams, wrote Bobby Bowden on Leadership: Life Lessons from a Two-Time National Championship Coach.

A couple of the secrets Pat learned are shared with us in this excerpt, special to Advantage Magazine.

1 2 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | W W W . A D V A N T A G E F A M I L Y . C O M / M A G A Z I N E

A

great example of Bowden’s remarkable public speaking gifts occurred during the Seminoles trip to The White House to be honored as the 1999 College Football National Champions.

The mood during the tour was a little unsettled as the White House staff clearly was still distracted by the Monica Lewinsky affair. If the staff wasn’t distracted before the team arrived, they certainly were once they were there, as many whispered questions to the attending staff about what they knew and when they knew it. The

“The President suggested that Bobby Bowden got a bigger round of applause than he did.

Bowden stepped in and dead-panned...

‘Well, I had a better year than you did.’”

questions clearly weren’t unique to the FSU tour group.

President Clinton met alone with the Seminole football team without any staff, assistant coaches or White House aides who were all shuffled down to the East Room for the formal presentation. Coach Bowden spent private time with President Clinton in the Oval Office as the team was arranged in front of the group and key members of Senate and Congress began to fill the perimeters of the room.

All eyes turned to the hallway as Hail to the Chief was played and President Clinton and Bowden strolled in like two old friends and moved to the podium. After some preliminary remarks, the President paused and suggested that he thought Bobby Bowden got a bigger round of applause than he did when they were announced.

Bowden stepped in and dead-panned, “Well, I had a better year than you did.”

The room was up for grabs and no one was laughing harder than the President. He took some time to collect himself and even had to wipe away tears of laughter before he could go on.

Duke Coach David Cutcliff said, “Coach Bowden had a wonderful ability to communicate. Storytelling was one of his major strengths.

He was able to keep young and old alike on the edge of their seats listening to his stories. He was one of the best ever in that department.”

Travis Johnson was one of the nation’s most highly recruited defensive linemen coming out of high school and traveled all the way from Colorado to play for Bowden in Tallahassee.

Now a member of the NFL’s Houston Texans, Johnson had similar memories of his coach.

“We loved it when Coach would talk to us before practice,” he said. “We’d be under the shade trees and he’d start telling us stories. They were always funny. That’s when the ‘Bowdenisms’ would start rolling out of his mouth.”

As Bowden’s success at FSU grew so did his salary. In fact, he was one of the first college coaches in the country to crack the million dollars a year salary bracket. And once his “pay,” as he called it, became fairly well known he had a new line he would use at banquets, churches and award ceremonies. “I’m sorry my wife Ann couldn’t make it with me tonight,” he would

say. “We have always enjoyed (Montgomery, Miami, Michigan, you name it). She certainly would have been here, but she had a previous commitment.

She’s being inducted into the

Master Card Hall of Fame tonight.”

We will let our favorite State Trooper sum up the chapter.

“Football was not a life and death issue to Coach,” said Billy Smith. “He did his best and was proud of his accomplishments, but his great strength as a leader was that he cared about people. He didn’t try to force his opinions or beliefs on others, but he would thoroughly explain what might happen if you decided to do this or that. He’d explain the pluses and minuses and then help lay out a plan for you. Then he’d offer his guidance to help make that plan a reality.”

I contend that this is the essence of communication in leadership.

Pat Williams is the senior vice president of the Orlando Magic and author of more than 55 books. Bobby Bowden on Leadership: Life Lessons from a Two-Time National Championship Coach will be published in the Fall 2011.

FA L L 2 0 1 1 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | 1 3

AdvantagePeople

Moving and shaking

u

Advantage’s crosstown move was an all-consuming effort, but time and tide stop for no man. While we relocated, the Advantage family, as usual, was making waves.

1. Advantage CEO Adam Witty spent time in South Bend, Indiana visiting with Advantage author Michael Sprouse. Amidst talking business, they made time for a Fighting Irish football game.

2. We take a great deal of pride in our clients’ earned media coverage. Advantage author Tim Wambach and his Keep On Keepin’ On Foundation were featured on the front page of the Chicago Sun-Times, the country’s tenth-largest newspaper. The article documented Wambach’s story that centers around his friendship with Mike Berkson (left). 3. Witty poses with Jake Nickell, co-founder and CSO of online apparel store Threadless. 4. When it was time to move, the Advantage team wasn’t afraid to get its hands dirty. Team members Mike Eberly, Ali Goble, and George Stevens (l-r) move a desk into place. 5. Moving day coincided with the arrival of peripheral winds and rains caused by Hurricane Irene. Advantage COO Ralph Crozier grapples with one of the strong gusts that swept through the Charleston area that morning.

 1 4 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | W W W . A D V A N T A G E F A M I L Y . C O M / M A G A Z I N E





Don’t Stay in Bed‌

Unless You Can Make Money in Bed! Would you like to make money while you sleep? It is now easier than you think.

Learn how with a complimentary educational webinar from Advantage:

5 Ways to Turn Your Book or Content into an Online University: How to Create Passive Income without Having to Travel In this webinar, Online Education expert Adam Witty will teach you how to easily turn your book, keynote speech, seminar, product, or other information into self-paced online courses that sell for high dollars with no fulfillment on your end required.

If you are looking for ways to make more money without painful travel, more work, or constantly having to create new content, then you will love this webinar. You will leave this webinar with a blueprint and game plan to turn your offline content into an online university that will have clients coming back for more.

Attend this complimentary webinar at: www.OnlineEducationBlueprint.com/AdvMag

Advantage Media Group 65 Gadsden St. Charleston, SC 29401 advantagefamily.com

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Entrepreneurs’ Library

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New episode every other Wednesday EntrepreneursLibrary.tv

2011

Beach Vacation

2,500 Copies of Your Book

2012 Super Bowl for Two

Islands of the Caribbean Includes Roundtrip Airfare

Printed and Delivered to You Includes Shipping & Handling

In Indianapolis, IN Includes Roundtrip Airfare and Hotel

How does Advantage Client Get A Client work?

Do you have a family member, friend, or business associate that would benefit from working with us? Please pull the rabbit out of your hat and share the secret of being an Advantage client.

Client Get A Client is open to any client, vendor, partner, or friend of Advantage Media Group. There is no cost to participate.

Simply help us grow the Advantage Family with introductions to folks you know that would benefit from working with us. Every time that happens, you receive a ping-pong ball in the hopper with your name on it. If you make 1 introduction, you have 1 ping-pong ball in the hopper. If you make 5 introductions, you have 5 ping-pong balls in the hopper.

Questions? Want to make an introduction? Please contact:

Alison Morse

Vice President of Business Development

Tel 843.628.6970 amorse@advantageww.com

For a real-time summary of the ping-pong balls currently in the hopper, visit: www.AdvantageFamily.com/CGAC