Offbeat Business Magazine March 2016 by OffBeat Business Magazine

ISSUE 16 | MARCH 2016

8 Ways To Overcome A Major Setback

Spring Break Reality Check WHO Is Your Target Market & WHAT Are You Tracking?

Off BeatMa CONTENTS

06-10

23-24

WHO Is Your Target Market And WHAT Are You Tracking? Insight, Genius And Luck By Susan Hamilton

By Clint Fuqua

12-13

8 Ways To Overcome A Major Optimistic Forecast By Dorothy Skinner Setback By John Carroll

14-15

Your BEST First Impression

By Candy Baronel

28-29

Lose The Carrot AND The Stick

16-17

Care For The Skin Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re In By Claire Billingsley

18-19

Spring Your Body Into ACTION By Brenda Wakefield

21-22

Truth Or Dare - The Reality Of Tankless Water Heaters By Adam Proctor

By Deborah Ricci

Face Forward - What Cosmetic Treatments Can Do For Confidence By Kathryn E. White

30-31

How To Be A High Performing Board Member John Gilchrist

32-33

How To Overcome The Fear Of Specialization By Byron Ingraham

Spring Break Reality Check By Lisa Zahn

So WHAT? By Jeff Klein

Set Yourself FREE By Taylor Kay Stephens

Susan Says By Susan Hamilton

40-41

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SHOW & MAGAZINE

Susan Hamilton

susan@offbeatbusiness.com

EDITOR’S NOTE Friends,

Spring is in the air! And that means everything from health concerns to spring break custody issues. I’m excited to bring you the content inside. Our contributors care deeply for your successful life in business, and they’ve shared solutions to overcoming obstacles, getting along and looking and feeling awesome in just a few more pages. Do you truly know who your target market is? We have three articles inside covering this issue, it’s that important. Getting really clear on this will help you create a message that reaches and resonates with your preferred audience. Many of you will be doing home improvements this spring, so we’ve got some extra special advice on water heater comparisons, be sure to check that out. Also, if you’ve been looking for a way to support a nonprofit by serving on a board position, we go into great detail so you know what to expect. Don’t skip over our radio lineup - we’ve doubled our shows and focused our March programing on media, covering several stellar ways to use digital media for your strong brand. As always, please send an email to Info@OffBeatBusiness.com with your comments and suggestions so we can continue to be YOUR preferred resource for expert business owner advice! ~ Susan Hamilton

Off BeatMagazine Editor

Susan Hamilton

Art Director

Jonathan Bodnar

Manager

Susan Hamilton

Marketing

The OffBeat Business Show

Designer

Jonathan Bodnar

Publisher

Robin Roberson

Producer

Roberson Squared

March Lineup

Expert American Business Owners Share Their Tactics & Mindsets With YOU! March 1st - Kathy Brandon of Happiness T.V. discusses digital marketing strategies she’s using, including Google Hangout. (12 & 8 PM CST) March 8th - Jalynn West, owner and producer of Our Community Magazine shares her heart for local business and her approach to support them. (12 & 8 PM CST) March 15th - Dr. Luke Arnett, Chiropractor and Doctor of Functional Medicine, discusses his allergy solutions and the app he’s developing to engage the business community. (12 & 8 PM CST) March 22nd - The women of Tribute Magazine, Stacie Flowers and Teresa Howard share their approach to encourage women in business in east Texas. (12 & 8 PM CST) March 29th- Byron Ingraham, Media Marketing Strategist talks about his new podcast and how he’s built a strong brand known for supporting small business with excellence. (12 & 8 PM CST) Contact Info@OffBeatBusiness.com to build a strong brand, develop your skills for influence and get recognized for the expert you are through one of our sponsorship levels!

Sound advice, NEVER boring!

WHO IS YOUR TARGET MARKET

AND WHAT ARE YOU TRACKING? By Susan Hamilton Residential service companies, real estate agents, hair stylists and attorneys and others, all have the same answer when asked “Who is your target market?” Their response is the bane of marketers everywhere, “Everybody needs my services!” My friends, that answer is a sure way to spend excessively and get little return. No, we don’t want to turn anyone down, of course. But at the same time, keeping your finger on the pulse of the trends of your customer base combined with the energy and enthusiasm that comes from working in your ideal ‘zone’ is simply the smartest way to promote your business - and enjoy your life in the process. I prefer not to use the word ‘target’ once I’ve gotten your attention. The truth of the matter is we are all people, and to truly honor our customer base, we need to ALWAYS think of them as persons. I like the term ‘avatar’. Your avatar is the compilation of everything you know about the person who purchases your big ticket items or who purchases most frequently and participates in the upsell. Your ideal avatar is

NOT one of the people who call constantly, dig answers out of you and never call back, or who lowball you out of a profit. Unfortunately, I see way too many business owners limiting the potential of their business because they think their target market is who they are currently serving more frequently now. This is simply not true. It is entirely possible that your marketing approach is attracting the WRONG customer and keeping you from making the money you deserve.

Case in point: A plumbing company might bring in their largest dollars when someone calls with a slab leak. It’s a big job, and even though it takes every person in their small company to do it, they do a great job working their butts off, finding the source of the problem and solving it. Now, everyone who worked that physical job is suffering from back injury and more, and new work that comes in can’t be done. Ask the owner of the company what jobs they want more of, and you will probably hear, “More slab leaks.” Because that pays the bills. Ask any of the plumbers, they will tell you they love to help people with their bathroom or kitchen fixture installation, especially remodels. They love to help design and install outdoor kitchens. If that company had more of THIS type of work, they could do it regularly, reduce injury, and make much more money. Not only that, but they would benefit from the before and after images they could take from their phones for social media. On top of it all, the plumbers LOVE the work. It’s their shining glory.

So who is their ideal target market? Let’s take it one step further. If all they have is data on slab leaks because it has inadvertently been the focus of their company, can marketing help them turn the page and bring in more lucrative and less painful work? Yes. And that’s what I’m talking about. This avatar should be re-assessed to a clear picture of who needs the work that would be more profitable - and less costly in doctor visits and human downtime to heal. Many times the answer to the problem isn’t more customers. We’re already as busy as can be. More customers sounds like what we should want, but the reality is, we need more profitable sales. A marketing approach that includes video, images, article and blog post content guides the business owner to clearly and regularly be available in the formats that people can easily find when they’re looking - IF that content is getting shared on social media. All of this content should be geared towards solving the problems and answering the questions a high end consumer struggles with. EVERY business can do this.

Ask yourself: • • • • • • • •

What gender am I talking to? What is this person wearing? What is this person living with everyday? What frustrates this person? What does this person do for a living? How does this person view their situation? How do you BEST serve them? How will they be most likely to discover or learn about you?

If you answer, “My customers are referral based,” you are missing my point. Of course a percentage of your business will be made up of referrals. But to make it to the next level in your business you must fill your pipeline with predictable revenue generation. Your ideal customer should be scheduling work weeks in advance just to save an appointment with you! Another case in point: A local doctor expertly solves problems for his patients using alternative care therapies. Some time ago, they were approached by a marketing company that offered to build their website, post content to their ‘blog’ - listed as ‘Newsletter’ in the navigation - and post regularly to social media. Convinced this was the right approach and uninterested in learning social media for themselves, neither the doctor or his staff ever looked at the progress or assumed for a minute that they couldn’t be found by their potential patients. Problem was, even though the doctor and staff specialized in the most advanced, most sought after remedies in natural medicine, they did not have enough people coming through their doors or scheduling appointments. WHO is his target market, and how could they get them to call?

Isn’t EVERYONE in need of natural remedies and a personal approach to health care? Once again, the avatar must be re-assessed so it can be spoken with - not ‘to’ or ‘at’ - but spoken WITH. The voice of your brand speaks to your ideal client, not your most pervasive, unless your most pervasive customer is also purchasing your largest ticket items. See what I did there? Yes. It’s time to start identifying who we truly want to work with and target our marketing, advertising and social content towards engaging THEM. A marketing approach that brands the doctor as the regional expert is the only solution. To do this, digital media must be produced that incorporates search terms and hashtags that accurately reflect the therapies he offers and the patients he wants. Now, spending 5 minutes every day liking and sharing those people’s posts and responding to questions will gain traction. It won’t happen overnight, but over time, a very strong, recognizable and familiar brand will emerge - capable of attracting the type of patients who are most likely to respond to treatment and tell the whole world about it. Upon closer observation, the blog content was not attributed to the doctor at all, and didn’t give him any

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This doctor would begin to develop article, blog and digital content with authorship and copyright that would be professionally copywritten and produced to begin to familiarize the natural medicine market with the brand. These articles could then be posted on LinkedIn Pulse, Medium and many other article platforms - encouraging brand familiarity and strength with the not only the public, but with peers. Business to business referrals are KEY to growing your brand and filling the patient pipeline. In addition, during consultation we discovered that audio and digital were strong points, and much easier for the doctor to produce! In just a few short weeks, we were able

to set up engagement-rich social streams and a podcast that caused people to start asking, ‘Did you listen to the doctor’s show today?” We cannot improve what we refuse to engage in or track. One of the most important things to keep in mind when we’re not getting the business we want to get, is to look at how people are receiving or discovering information. Pay attention to your family, your social circles, your friends at church or even those you volunteer with, and ask your customers, “How do you look for the things you need?” More and more, they will tell you they learned about advice, a product or service online - and that usually, not always, but usually - means with their phones. It’s far too easy to be invisible in our digital world. The worst thing we can do is refuse to participate in it, but the second worse thing we can do is to ignore what it’s telling us OR ignore what we’re putting out there. We can improve if we know what we’re dealing with.

My tips for great tracking? • Realize your first year is simply drawing a baseline. • When you look at your social stream, pay attention to what is getting shared, liked or commented on. If your pages are only content posting, it’s not enough. Start sharing posts on your personal pages and see if you get some traction. • When something is shared, it just got more exposure. Drill in here. What got their attention? • Are you using hashtags for location, product or services directories? • Are you cross promoting? That means sharing your YouTube videos on Instagram, Facebook, and sharing third party content. (Like The OffBeat Business Magazine.)

Hire professionals to do Google, Facebook or YouTube marketing, but take regular time to find out what they’ve learned, where the focus was and where it is going. Have them describe your current audience so you understand where you are and can determine what, if anything, you want to change. Consider this: if you don’t know, your page can get filled with likes from underage kids, out of work people or people who don’t even speak your language. That means your numbers can be great, but your effectiveness is zero. Hey, you don’t have to settle for business as usual and wait for the government or the sky or the lottery to bring you wads of cash you can invest into your company.

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Every generation has had to deal with new marketing and advertising strategies - since the dawn of time! Don’t let digital marketing strategies get away from you just because they’re unfamiliar. Apply yourself to some coaching, seminars, webinars or business events that offer instruction in these areas and be determined to grow WITH your ‘target market.’ The alternative is to settle serving people who, in reality, needed to go to a newbie willing to work for that price. The higher you shoot, the greater the risk, but what are you really risking? Staying the same? Or growing beyond your wildest expectations …

Susan Hamilton is the founder, host and editor-in-chief for The OffBeat Business Show & Magazine. She believes the re-emergence of a strong American small business sector will result in an excess of much needed money and hands-on community support necessary to improve the American experience today. Susan is redefining business to business, and invites you to download The OffBeat Business Show app to stay connected with our efforts.

“

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copyright authority to cite his work. On top of that, those social posts were going nowhere because they were simply auto-posted and forgotten. The missing link was very apparent to me - only those who had direct contact were aware they were talking to an expert, and that had to change to include the public at large.

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8 Ways to Overcome a Major Setback One of the harsh realities we all must face, if we are fortunate enough to be on this earth for any length of time, is dealing with some form of adversity or a major setback in our lives. Adversity or setbacks represent a ‘reversal of progress’. This reversal of progress can take many forms – i.e. a job loss, divorce, financial hardship, major illness or injury, the death of a loved one, etc. How we respond to adversity or a reversal of fortune reveals a lot about our character and ultimately how successful we will be in dealing with life’s challenges. “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny” … C.S. Lewis How will you deal with a major setback when it comes? Will you be a better person as a result of the experience? Here are my suggested ways to overcome a major setback when it occurs and move forward in a positive way. Allow time for reflection. Take a step back before you respond or take any action. Allow yourself time to think through what has happened and the chain of events that brought you to this point. What is the recovery plan to move ahead?

- By John Carroll

Do take it personal. After all, this is your life and it is happening to you, right? So get mad, scream, throw things, whatever is required to purge all the negative energy and emotion (without doing harm to others). Now, re-focus on the positive. Keep things in perspective. Setbacks are a part of living. The good news is you are still here and this is not the end. Regardless of the magnitude, do not allow a major setback to overwhelm you or take control of your life. Seek advice and support. Find a wise sage or trusted confidant you can rely upon for advice and support. Someone with first-hand experience who has suffered through a similar setback or loss who can help you overcome this challenge. Learn from the experience. Things happen for a reason. Why did this happen? Was it controllable, or was it something beyond your control? If controllable, what will you do next time to avoid a similar outcome? Find a silver lining. A major setback is a ‘call-to-action’. For many people, a setback can be a transformative event. Use the experience to bring about the changes necessary to create a new beginning. Keep moving forward. “People don’t drown by falling in water, they drown by staying there.” In order to overcome

Help others by your example. Take the ‘high ground’ by your response to adversity. Be the better person for it and find ways to use this experience and the knowledge gained to help others who are dealing with similar challenges.

What I have learned over the years is that there are no shortcuts to success, in business or in life. The journey is hard and wrought with many obstacles, challenges and disappointments. However, successful people always find a way to rise above their circumstances. If you want an extraordinary destiny, be a person of strong character who refuses to allow adversity or setbacks to define them, or impede their progress.

“The greatest accomplishment is not never falling, but in rising again after you fall.” – Vince Lombardi

John Carroll is a business and leadership strategist who works with business leaders to help them ‘achieve the results to move beyond their vision.’ He is a best-selling author, educator, blogger and speaker. Email John at john@trescoach.com or learn more at http://www.trescoach.com/. Discover YOUR Formula for Success: https://www.udemy.com/discover-

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any major setback, you need to focus on the road ahead and not allow yourself to get stuck in the past. So keep paddling!

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ROI Re-Imagined: Lose the Carrot AND the Stick - By Candy Barone For decades, companies and organizations have been under the belief that in order to effectively motivate employees they must use “the carrot or the stick” approach to drive the behaviors they want most. And, while these tactics may have been somewhat effective, the question I want you to consider is at what cost? When you use a carrot or stick mentality to drive behaviors, they typically lead to short-term gains. Not to mention, the amount of front-loading of expenses and investment required on behalf of the organization to offer these incentives, spiffs, rewards or consequences to continually drive this approach forward. Because the behaviors, themselves, are not sustainable and often lead to a sense of “running to the tape” for every initiative and target set. That’s because these tactics only deal with the extrinsic side of the equation, and these external drivers are not getting to the root cause to effectively manage change needed to sustain forward motion. When you focus on extrinsic motivators, you leave the individual element out of the equation. You lose ability to fully engage employees, to give them something to truly strive for, and to help them feel connected to the outcomes. They are simply running to meet an objective or goal for a short-term win or result. When the shortterm gain no longer appeals to their core beliefs, values or motivators, the carrot and the stick no longer carry any weight. Which means, the organization finds themselves coming up with, yet another, carrot or stick to drive the desired behavior and results all over again. Each time costs the company dollars and resources; an investment each and every time. Instead, I want you to think about taking a different approach entirely. Seek to understand each person’s individual intrinsic motivators and drivers. Yes, this means

you will be taking time to develop each person on a very individual, personal, and purposeful level! And, if you have shared the mindset of most managers - that you don’t have time to develop your people, let me have you consider this. What will it cost you to not develop your people?

Do you realize that for non-management employees you leave at least $30K on the table when employees leave within the first year or two? And, do you realize those numbers for management employees increase even more than that? The number actually goes up to a minimum ballpark of $70K - $100K for each employee that decides to leave within two years of your investment bringing them into your organization and “on-boarding” them. So, multiply that by every employee that leaves within the first two years of hiring them, and imagine how quickly the dollars go up as to what you are really leaving on the table and why you are not getting the returns you want. There’s a lot of waste happening in companies using the carrot and the stick philosophy. I actually know of organizations that are leaving millions of dollars a year on the table due to turnovers as high as 40%-60% within their organizations. All this waste is occurring because managers “don’t have time to develop their people.” It’s all I can do to scream,

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What is it costing you to have: A culture with lack of engagement and trust from your team members, Inefficiencies and laziness due to employees not feeling connected or valued, or worse - Employee turnover?

“Then, make time!” As Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, says so eloquently: “Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees they will take care of the clients. Your employees are your best asset.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. Invest in YOUR people! So, the bottom line is this: lose the carrot AND the stick! Start developing your people on an individual basis. Help them connect to their intrinsic and internal motivators to create sustainable success and not simply and solely on short-term wins. Your people are your most valuable investment and will create the biggest returns. To quote Richard Branson once again, “Happy employees make for happy customers.” — And, the only way to ensure that your employees are happy is to ask, and to ask them on individual basis will help you better understand their internal drivers for success. Because, remember … ROI is a return on investment, not a return on intention. And, your biggest and best investment is in your people!

Candy Barone, CEO & Founder, You Empowered Strong “Your Pull-No-Punches Accountability Powerhouse” International Speaker, Business Strategist, Executive Coach & Trainer, Best-selling Author candybarone@youempoweredstrong.com www.youempoweredstrong.com (512) 693-9732

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Care For The Skin You’re In -By Claire Billingsley

As a speaker and consultant, I know I have less than three seconds to make a first impression. What I wear, my body language, my posture, my tone of voice…all of those things make a huge difference. And I take great care to make sure all is in place before I walk on stage. But what about the thing we tend to neglect that reflects how we live and how we respect ourselves - our skin? If you were like me, and grew up with the idea that a tan was “healthy”, you’ve probably matured into the realization that any suntan is damaging your skin. And if you are lucky enough to still have your parents alive, there is a really good chance one or both of them have had to have some type of skin cancer burned off. In fact, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime. Being blonde, blue eyed, and having a fair complexion, I know I have to apply sunscreen every day. Luckily I figured that out about 30 years ago, but not before having a few sunburns so deep that I blistered and peeled. And that is on my mind, as I know that on average, a person’s risk for melanoma doubles if he or she has had more than five sunburns. Tanning beds are no safer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, an affiliate of the World Health Organization, includes ultraviolet (UV) tanning devices in its Group 1, a list of the most cancer-causing substances. Group 1 also includes agents such as plutonium, cigarettes, and solar UV radiation. In fact, more people

develop skin cancer because of tanning than develop lung cancer by smoking. But, Claire … I have dark skin – I have never burned before – I am not at risk! Please don’t believe this mythit is completely false! Melanomas in African Americans, Asians, Filipinos, Indonesians, and native Hawaiians most often occur on non-exposed skin with less pigment, with up to 60 – 75 percent of tumors arising on the palms, soles, mucous membranes and nail regions. And late stage melanoma diagnoses are more prevalent among minority patients than Caucasian patients; 52 percent of non-Hispanic black patients and 26 percent of Hispanic patients receive an initial diagnosis of advanced stage melanoma, versus 16 percent of nonHispanic white patients. And, since they wait longer to go in for diagnosis, they are more likely to show up with an advanced case … and it’s frequently fatal for those populations. And besides all that, it ages your skin! More than 90 percent of the visible changes commonly attributed to skin aging are caused by the sun. And, contrary to the popular belief, 80 percent of a person’s lifetime sun exposure is not acquired before age 18; only about 23 percent of lifetime exposure occurs by age 18.

• Get your vitamin D before 10 or after 4 pm, when the sun is at its most intense. (in other words, avoid that time outside when possible). •

Seek the shade – whenever you can, stand under a tree or under an umbrella.

•

The Golden Rule – do not burn!

• Wide-brim hats – these are not only fashionable, but functional! Wear a hat with a brim extending three inches or more all the way around, shading your face, neck, ears and shoulder tops. Baseball hats don’t protect the back of the neck. Visors don’t protect the top of the head. • Clothing – Cover as much skin as possible with longer sleeves and pants (I know – really tough in this Texas heat). There are SPF rated clothing lines now that you can investigate that wick the moisture while keeping your skin protected. • UV Protective Sunglasses – Wear wraparound sunglasses that block 99 – 100 percent of UV radiation, protecting the eye, eyelid, and surrounding areas (think crows’ feet!) • Protection on Overcast Days – Remember to protect yourself on overcast days: Up to 80 percent of the sun’s UV radiation can penetrate clouds and harm your skin. • SPF 30+ Sunscreen – Apply a generous amount of water-resistant, broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with SPF 30+ before heading outside. If you are playing sports, like golf or tennis, look for a sport sunscreen formula that is designed to stay put if you sweat and won’t run into the eyes and sting. An SPF 30+ lip balm will help protect your lips. • Reapply Sunscreen – Carry sunscreen with you, and reapply every two hours, immediately after sweating heavily, or after the ninth hole. Don’t forget to apply sunscreen to frequently overlooked areas, such as your scalp, the back of the hands and neck, and the ears. Make the best of the biggest organ of your body – your skin. Help yourself age gracefully and in good health by taking some basic precautions that can easily turn into daily habits. Put your best face forward and shine!

Claire Billingsley is an Author, Speaker, Trainer and Life Coach. She is also an ambassador for Dr’s Katie Rodan and Kathy Fields, Dermatologists. To learn more about anti-aging and skin care protection, or to book Claire as a speaker for your group or organization, contact Claire directly at Billingsley.Consulting@gmail.com.

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So, what can we do?

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Spring Your Body into Action Brenda Wakefield, MS, LMT, LMTI, CEP March into spring at a pace to maintain the wealth of your health. ‘Your health is your wealth’ is no cliché, but fact to secure a deposit into your emotional, physical and financial bank account. Consider how it feels to not be well and reverse that feeling for good, better, and great. •

Take a closer look at your food choices,

•

Water the body: it’s important,

•

Exercise: movement is key, and

•

Be sure to incorporate bodywork: with touch therapy.

Touch can be anything from a relaxing massage to deep tissue massage, or the powerful modalities of craniosacral therapy or lymphatic drainage therapy reaching to the core. Don’t delay, make time and budget your finances to get the work done. It may be one of the best investment to make for yourself. It’s better to feel good than waking up with a headache, tummy ache, nausea or just an overall feeling of being out of sorts. Do we take it for granted, all systems go, regardless of how the body is treated? Get a handle on the source of the problem and deal with it. Be cognizant, treat your body as the most valuable player. Balance the components for good health. How many

So what does it take to maintain a high performance body engine? I take the stance of proper nutrients, exercise, hydration and of course bodywork. I suggest a Spring To Action Plan for body maintenance. Be proactive and keep your engine running smoothly.

people do you know who no longer work due to health related issues? No one plans to stop working due to their health, but who plans to stay healthy to work? Make it a priority. Work is a must, a key factor to move forward financially predicated on getting up and out the door. Perhaps to work from home is an option, yet, daily performance is a requirement for pay. Some may have the luxury to accrue sick pay to keep finances available during the times of ill-health. What happens when sickness takes a toll on the sick hour’s bank and is no longer available? Sickness compounds the situation and the stress level increases, which adds to the problem, so how long before the body bottoms out?

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You can be well, but not necessarily healthy. Questions to ponder, do you eat to live or live to eat? What’s in better condition, the body or the car? Time to reflect, three months into the New Year’s resolution: •

Purchase gym membership, check,

•

Eat healthy, check,

•

Drink water, check,

•

Bodywork, check,

•

Still on target, ________?

Discipline and dedication are critical to manifest change and maintain wellness. I remember on military active duty being sick meant a trip to early morning sick call dispensary. Military members do not call in sick, sickness required a confirmation from the doctor with an authorization for a duty excuse for 24, 48 or 72 hours at which time, if necessary, would be reevaluated. Too much sickness may lead to discharge, meaning not fit for duty. Being present was expected, not an option. I understood the importance of good health and chose to maintain and make choices to be fit. A consequence of ill-health may lead to financial, physical, mental and emotional problems that could be devastating. As an entrepreneur, sickness for many is not an option. No work, no pay! Body maintenance is necessary for inner healing and prevention. Bodywork is healing associated with delivery of benefits monumental to the body. Pain is an indicator of discomfort somewhere within the body. The various modalities available are numerous, and one can chose what best works for them. I am a huge proponent of light touch therapy which releases tensions and restrictions deep within the body. Subconsciously the body remembers every emotion experienced. The negative experiences may contribute to ill-health if left unaddressed, and through bodywork, healing is set in motion.

Healing is a process which may respond to one, two or three sessions over a period of time based on the recommendation of the therapist. I suggest a maintenance schedule, as a minimum, once a month. At the onset, it may be a sacrifice to do a couple of sessions over several weeks to give the body the best chance of recovery from life experiences and just everyday use of this vessel. The body and therapist will get you on the right track. Vehicles need maintenance for gas, oil changes, tires replaced - and the body is no different. It screams “maintenance!” and attention is required to heal from the core. Find your preferred bodywork niche and hold on tight. There are steps to being all you can be health wise and the approach is one day at a time. The process is set in motion from the first session and repetitive bodywork aids in healing. Be true to yourself and honest with the therapist to gain the most from desired therapy. Winter may have kept the need for change as a low priority but with the spring approaching step out with a radiant desire to feel better. It’s ideal to love oneself and be okay with it. Waking up refreshed and feeling good sets the tone for the day. Get that spring in your step! With the season of spring approaching, it gives rise to the emergence of new you. Peel the layers off and jump into spring with you at the center - so you can take care of all you take care of to the best of your ability. Take great care to eat right, exercise, hydrate and get plenty of BODYWORK. Your Health is Your Wealth!

Brenda Wakefield, MS, LMT, LMTI, CEP offers proactive massage and touch therapies and initiates the body’s natural healing ability after injury. Start feeling better today, call her office at 214-380-9700, or her mobile phone at 469-955-6530. Learn more about the therapies she provides at www.handsofchoice.abmp.com. Schedule an appointment in the DFW area at http://styleseat.com/brendawakefield

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Truth Or Dare - The Reality Of Tankless Water Heaters - By Adam Proctor There is a misconception about “instant” hot water, meaning not having to wait for it. People want ‘endless’ hot water, but that’s dependent on several things. Water temperatures, Gas and electrical demands and supplies, Distances to fixtures, Temperature loss between unit to fixture(s), etc. Costs and expectations vary. An average install on a traditional water heater (with permit) ranges from $1100$1400.00. If your water heater is upstairs, in an attic, or worse yet - a second floor attic - you can expect to pay more. Depending on the age of the unit, there may be necessary adjustments to agree with code. If your water heater is 20 years old you will probably need more than minor upgrades. The average install of a tankless unit is harder to predict because of unit variations and values. Cost for the tankless electric water heaters are $200-$2000 and the gas fired units range between $1000-$3000.00.

Vent piping (vent piping is often specialized, etc.) Gas piping systems in most homes in the Dallas area do not supply the demand needed for most single unit tankless systems. Gas work is often needed for a tankless gas unit and a subpanel is often required for electrical units. Life expectancy of a traditional water heater is 8-10 years, but usually have a standard warranty of 6 years. Generally speaking, it will not need a lot of maintenance. You could figure about $600 somewhere down the line. Tankless warranties vary - 5 years is average, 8 is best, lifetime on some models ($$$$$). Life expectancy on a tankless unit is 20-25 years. At 25 years it will be well past its prime and ready for boat anchor duty. They have computers and motors and stuff in them. They are generally not cheap to repair unless under warranty . Like a Jaguar, fun to drive but expensive to fix. This requires budget math.

Now apply labor.

Expectations of “endless” hot water need consideration also. Tankless units run on “endless” hot water under certain circumstances. Volume, gallons per minute. How many fixtures can really be provided a good flow with desired temperatures?

Removing the old water heater, Re-plumbing for water drains,

You know what you have with your traditional tank, well, a tankless unit typically supplies 7-11 gpm

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(gallons per minute), so: To shower head - 2 gpm, Kitchen faucet - 1 gpm, Washing machine - old 7 gpm, new 2 gpm, etc. Single, small or large family? Teenager that you can’t get out of the shower? More math. Every house and needs are different. In the end the real question is “Why?” Are you tired of wasting water waiting for hot water? Answer: Circulating pump(s)can be installed on traditional as well as tankless units. Are you afraid of the Poseidon in your attic or closet waiting to unleash its fury on your lovely home? Answer: While nothing is failsafe, there are products on the market that do provide some extra safeguards, such as proper safety pans with drains, automatic shut off devices that turn off the incoming water supply in the event of a leak. There are many labels but they all work the same way and can be installed at any new or existing tanked or tankless

water heater. These are not mandatory code in all areas, although I think they should be, especially in second floor applications. Costs vary $400.00800.00. Finally, With so many variables to think about the best thing to do is to learn and understand your family’s needs and wants. Research products, and consult with professionals. Get a gas load/ demand pipe size graphic of your home once, and use it as often as you need. Free eyeball estimates do not always work out. Call it exploratory surgery. Simple solutions or total overhaul, a few different views won’t hurt.

J. Adam Proctor, M38474, is a Registered Master Plumber by Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, offering 20 years of experience with Gary’s Quality Plumbing and serving the North Dallas, McKinney and outlying areas.

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Insight, Genius & Luck

The never ending ticking and strokes of the clock are a constant reminder that time marches on whether or not we are ready. Time waits for no man and health, much like wealth, must be earned and managed every day or it will be lost. In the game of life you only get so many strokes and just like any game too many missed chances will cause you to strike out. You miss every stroke to don’t take and it only takes one really bad stroke to end the game completely sending you into an early retirement or worse. Don’t strike out early in the game! Insight is seeing through all the random information to find true relevant knowledge. The world today is filled with monumental amounts of information that keeps growing by the day. The ability to sift through it with one broad stroke is getting tougher due to the sheer volume. Health “information” is passed around the internet in memes and infographics so witty and informative that every nutrient is either the cause or cure of every condition known to man. Insight is the very sword with which you can take broad strokes and separate the false from the true, as witty hype is easy to cut through and the solidity of documentation will stop your blade. Sharpen your insight with the stones of unbiased truth so your strokes will be swift and never dulled by cardboard cutouts - hope, change, despair, and fear used to deceive you. Genius is realizing the simple answer to a complex question or problem. Complex logic is the name of the game today as it can entangle even the most brilliant of minds. It is the labyrinth used to trap people in a system they are told they cannot and never will understand. The

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By Clint Fuqua

stroke of genius is as easy as standing up in the shallow end of the pool you have been told to lay in by the “experts” keeping your head afloat. Genius is found in the simplicities and joys of life that some find mundane or never take the time to enjoy. Genius is finding the answer you were looking for after you relaxed long enough to see in right in front of your face. Genius is the sword that slices through stress with calm relaxed ease. Reinforce your sword of genius with rest after times of trial by fire and ice in the complex mazes of the world so you never get frustrated and lost. Luck is just being prepared to take advantage of your current situation no matter how good or bad it may be. Life is all improv from the time you wake until you go back to sleep. The best at improv make it look scripted, or are said to be lucky things ended up going so well. The truth is that luck is just using the combination of insight and genius to make the best out of any situation. Luck is training every day to make the impossible one handed catch possible. Luck is having your mind, body, and spirit aligned so you can take advantage of the best opportunities as they arrive and snatch victory from the hands of defeat. Luck is the swordsman that knows his sword is only a tool and extension of himself. Luck is the millions strokes of practice inside that no one sees until the single swift stroke when life happens in the world outside. The more you practice and take action in life the luckier you will become every day of life.

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Action Steps: F ind the real reason hidden in each situation. Situations, like book covers, rarely convey the real meaning of what is just behind them. Look beyond the forest so you can see the trees that make it up so you never get lost in the woods of life. F ind the genius in even the most simple of things, tasks, and thoughts. It is the very simplicity of the most complex things that are viewed as genius rather than the complexities of simple things that it would take a genius to even see. Love the simplicity in life and everyday your genius will be celebrated. F ind the good in all things no matter how bad they look. The luckiest people and the leaders of men do this very thing. The ability to see the best outcomes of bad situations is the very ability that makes life worth living and living it well.

Visit me at www.ClintFuqua.com and contact me with any questions, comments, request, recommendation, proposals, fan mail, or hate mail at Clint@ClintFuqua.com.

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Optimistic Forecast By Dorothy Skinner

Can you believe we are about to finish our first quarter of this new year of 2016? First we all tiptoed in, not knowing what to expect. Many changes are coming up. A major presidential election. Daily news updates on terror attacks that seem to get closer and closer. Upset weather that claimed lives of neighbors in such a flash of time. So much has happened already just this quarter. It does make you pause and wonder what is coming next. What will affect your business? How has your business fared so far? It’s important to recognize the good in times like these. My plumbing service work has had a very good first quarter. I have the feeling that people are optimistic about the future. We are seeing lots of updating with new trim in bathrooms and kitchens. Usually we see this sprucing up before a holiday so getting this extra boost to business after the holidays is very welcome and appreciated. Interest rates have remained low and it could be that people want to get in on the low rates as we are starting to hear sound bites about rates rising soon.

We don’t ever know for sure what is coming next, but I think we should make our plans for this next quarter with a very positive attitude. Plan for growth and allow yourself some space for reflection. Do what you can to let your customers know you are wide open for business. if possible, give them options because they will appreciate being able to make the final decision on a purchase or repair. I enjoy getting good reviews and kind comments and I know you do too. Be sure to be generous with your reviews when someone does a good job for you as well. As small business owners we have an opportunity to help each other succeed. Let’s be a little bolder, maybe not just tiptoe, as we enter the next quarter. Dorothy Skinner is the owner of Gary’s Quality Plumbing, serving the north Dallas area, Wylie, McKinney, and Allen, Texas. Dorothy and her husband, Gary, raised six children in the plumbing service industry and have built their company of almost 50 years on customer service and fair pricing. Find their ad in The OffBeat Business Magazine.

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Your BEST First Impression By Deborah Ricci Can anyone guess how long it takes before we formulate a first impression? It’s between 3 and 5 seconds … if we’re lucky … However, a STRONG first impression that tells a story of confidence and competence happens in about 2! That’s why it’s so important to take advantage of this very short window of opportunity; we only get one chance to make it count. For more than 25 years, I have been educating people from a variety of industries about the connection between image and success. It IS undeniable. Since many of us are doing business in the biggest metropolitan areas of the country, it REALLY counts. The term “Dressing for Success” is pretty much a terminology that has been used over and over again and can be different for every industry. Unless you have been living under a rock, we have ALL heard this term. However, the difference between dressing for success and dressing WITH success is HUGE. Knowing what looks great on us, what a good fit is, and where to find the best choices for our lifestyle is the key to dressing WITH success.

Once we have these tools in our back pocket, we are able to both dress FOR success, and open the doors to endless possibilities for our lives. We must create our own ‘signature style’ through our mode of dressing. This sends out the message we want to convey, and ultimately conveys a very powerful statement to the world around us, “I am BOTH confident AND competent.” Before you leave to go shopping, take an inventory and decide what is missing from your wardrobe or needs updating (you know those black trousers that have been to the cleaners one too many times) and make a list. This way, you know exactly what you need and will not be tempted to buy anything on impulse. And, for goodness sakes, if this isn’t your strong suit, take a trusted friend along to keep you honest. You and your wallet will be very grateful!

Deborah Ricci is an award winning Fashion Stylist, talk radio host and freelance columnist living in McKinney, Texas with her husband, Wil. Available locally and nationally, contact her to learn more about ‘Dressing WITH Success’! TheClothesLines.com • 972-632-8925

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Face Forward - By Dr. Kathryn E. White Nothing says confidence like a youthful, radiant complexion and a warm, endearing smile. When it comes to business, we want to exude confidence that says, “I can help you, you can trust me, sign here.” Unfortunately, the older we get, we start to recognize gravity is not our friend! It starts to show on our faces, and men and women begin looking for solutions that will help them get their confidence back. Fortunately, there are a variety of non-surgical options that may erase several years in just a matter of minutes. Believe it or not, there is minimal discomfort associated with injectable treatments. Injectables both relax muscles to soften wrinkles and add volume (dermal fillers). Let’s talk about the ‘B’ word for a moment. Botox ™ is derived from botulinum toxin, but is extremely safe and commonly used to treat many medical conditions - including migraine headaches. Botox ™ can be used on those ‘11’s’ - frown lines between our brows, crow’s feet, forehead lines, fine lines around the mouth and other indications in the lower face. Wrinkles are often significantly softened or completely erased anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks and last about 3-4 months on

average. Regular treatments can be spaced out for 4-5 months at a time. Adverse effects are extremely uncommon and generally resolve quickly, and can range from bruising to asymmetry of the face or drooping of the eyelid. Dysport ™ and Xeomin ™ are also derived from botulinum toxin, and are very similar and often used interchangeably. Botox ™, Dysport ™ , and Xeomin ™ are used to treat wrinkles caused by facial movement, but there are also injectables called dermal fillers used to address wrinkles caused by loss of volume, a common consequence of aging. One class of fillers is made from hyaluronic acid, a normal component of our skin that attracts water. Juvederm™, Restylane™, Voluma ™ or Belotero™ maintain volume for several months by taking advantage of the water already in your system. Sculptra ™ or Radiesse ™ are fillers that stimulate your own collagen production for longer lasting results. None of these fillers require skin testing prior to injection, like they did years ago, and any type of allergic reaction is extremely rare. Lines from the nose to the mouth will respond to fillers, as will ‘smoker’s lines’, and fillers are also commonly used for lip augmentation. Not all fillers treat the same areas. For instance,

Off BeatMagazine some will correct volume loss around the cheeks and mid face because they are meant to be injected deeper. Some are more appropriate for around the temples, jaw line, marionette lines at the corners of the mouth and even the chin. You may bruise for several days using dermal fillers, but serious side effects are rare. The length of time this treatment lasts varies depending on the type of filler and where it was injected, but are known to last between 6-18 months.

The combination of dermal fillers and botulinum products can give very nice cosmetic results with minimal downtime - letting you get back to work right away and confidently giving that presentation or signing that deal. Talk to your practitioner to get the details of these options and discover what will work best for you.

Azure Med Spa is under the experienced direction of Kathryn E White MD. A leading physician in North Dallas since 1992, Dr. White specializes in gynecology, gynecological surgery, bio-identical hormone therapy, weight loss and aesthetic medicine. Get your life back, call 972-294-6992 today or email AzureMedSpa@Gmail.com to learn more. Look for her ad in The OffBeat Business Magazine.

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How To Be A High Performing Board Member By John Gilchrist

Most small business owners have involvement with nonprofit organizations. In fact, over 80% of Americans affiliate with nonprofits through direct giving, volunteer service, or governing board service. As you evaluate your options in serving your favorite nonprofit organization (NPO), consider the primary responsibilities of a board member holding one of these positions: Governance - Components of effective governance include Strategic planning – how can the Board best support the NPO over the course of time, reflecting the mission/ vision/values of the NPO Policy making – creating the avenues (i.e. gift acceptance policy, charitable gift annuity policy, etc.) to achieve the plan within the guidelines of the NPO Financial integrity – effective stewardship of existing resources (i.e. spending policy), and personal involvement to achieve funding objectives (i.e. specific projects) for the NPO Loyalty – showing ownership of and pride in the mission/ vision/values of the NPO, supporting the decisions made by the board, regardless of whether you personally agree with the decision

Confidentiality – never betraying the trust of donors and the relationships between board members, donors, and staff; keeping discussions at board meetings within the room. Advocacy - A truly unique opportunity and privilege to express your view on philanthropy and to educate about how support of the NPO’s mission positively impacts the community. A board member holding this position must educate, inform, and motivate others of the importance of philanthropy – it’s more than asking friends for support. Philanthropy embodies an environment where persons who are interested in an organization’s mission can support the mission in a number of ways:

Financial support,

Encouragement of others to become involved,

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Volunteer service – be it within Horizons to help with clients, at a NPO event, such as hosting a parlor event, executive briefing, etc. or some other way that meets the individual’s need to feel part of a cause. Philanthropy represents supporting a mission that is bigger than any individual. Understanding how the NPO fulfills a vital role in the community helps the board member become an ‘ambassador’ – one who can tell the story with sincerity and passion. When you answer ‘why are you involved with the NPO?’ you are the NPO’s best advertisement! Recruitment - Just as discharge planning begins upon patient admission to a hospital, so should the identification of like-minded persons who share a passion for the NPO’s mission. Affluence is nice, but a sincere interest in how the NPO affects the lives and health of a community is crucial to the long-term viability. The ideal board member is knowledgeable about local resources and is willing to introduce Horizons and the NPO to those resources. Giving - This board position should not be predicated on any specific expectations about giving a certain amount to the NPO. This person should be committed to giving time, talent, and treasure. Giving one’s treasure is a personal matter, dependent on the individual’s beliefs and financial situation, not on any requirement of the Foundation. Board members should express their belief in the NPO through whatever level of leadership giving is right for the

individual. Persons who give to the NPO because they believe in it are more likely to be successful in other areas, specifically recruitment and introducing the NPO to others. Fiduciary Responsibility – Serving on a nonprofit board carries specific legal responsibilities (duty of care, duty of loyalty, and duty of obedience) and fiduciary obligations to safeguard the assets of the Foundation. While some organizations place this goal within the governance section, it is separated here for emphasis to acknowledge the added scrutiny of nonprofit organizations by a variety of external sources (i.e. IRS, Guidestar, State Attorneys General, etc.) Serving on a nonprofit board represents a significant investment in time, talent, and treasure. Knowing the expectations as you consider this very special level of service can make the experience fulfilling and rewarding. After 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, both as a board member and executive, I look for ward to conversations about ideas for specific goals and board room effectiveness. If you think you can improve a situation, you’re right, you can! The more educated you are on the nuances of board membership, the more you can do.

John Gilchrist, FAHP, CFRE, is a leader in the nonprofit sector, guiding business owners with philanthropic outreaches to fill board positions, generate productive funding and create an overall rewarding scenario that impacts positively the community at large. Visit http://FundraiserStrategies.com to discover what John can do for YOUR nonprofit and contact John@PhilanthropyFocus.net or call 469-215-1651 today. Look for the Philanthropy Focus advertisement in The OffBeat Business Magazine.

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How To Overcome The Fear Of Specialization By Byron Ingraham

Are you focused on a niche audience in your business? Or are you afraid you will miss out on an opportunity? Depending on how you answered those questions, you might be experiencing the fear of missing out. The fear of missing out simply results from an underlying fear that customers will go somewhere else for goods and services because you don’t provide them. Have you ever heard of the expression, “Jack of all trades, but master of none”? I want you to think about the following comparison. Between the following individuals, who will earn more per hour, an electrician or a handyman? If you answered the electrician, you’ve chosen correctly.

So why is this? It’s because the electrician is a specialist in their trade, while the handyman is not. Let’s examine another analogy. A pizza restaurant that delivers. Does a pizza restaurant delivery all over the city, or to just a specified area? Obviously just a specific area that’s centered around their location. Why? Because it’s not profitable for them to deliver all over the city. Besides who would want a cold pizza delivered to them? When it comes to your specific business, there are a series of questions that will help you overcome this fear.

Am I losing money by servicing too large of an area?

Can I earn more per client by specializing in a single area?

Can I earn more by systematizing my operations?

Will people refer me more because of a specialty?

Will being a specialist result in speaking engagements to promote my business?

Will being a specialist result in being recognized as an industry expert?

Specializing in an area is a process, and you want

to ensure that you take the appropriate amount of time for this. You will want to utilize your answers to the above questions as a basis for determining what areas to consider specializing in.

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When you answer the above questions properly, you will come to the conclusion that specializing in your business will be financially rewarding.

When specializing in an area, here are a few key points to consider: 1.

How big is the target audience for your new specialty?

Are people already buying products or services in this area?

Are the companies in this niche profitable?

Are you passionate about this specialization?

These are critical thoughts to consider when working on specialization. If the target audience is too small, then you have to think bigger. If no one is buying products in your chosen niche, why go into it? If companies are not profitable, why become the next unprofitable company in the niche. Lastly, if you’re not passionate about it, you will dread going to work every day, so choose wisely. When you finally choose a specialty, it will be easier

to market your products and services to the masses. This is because most of the competition is afraid to specialize in an area. Because of their fear, you will stand out in the crowded marketplace and attract the clients you desire who will pay you what you are worth for your products and services! Always remember, no one calls a plumber for a toothache, so don’t try to be everything to everyone.

Byron Ingraham is a United States Marine Corps Veteran with a passion for physical health and wellness. An expert marketing strategist, Byron has a handle on what it takes to get your message in front of the people who buy. Discover more about YouTube and other digital marketing at ByronIngraham.com.

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Spring Break Reality Check By Lisa Zahn For many children, Spring Break is coming up. Whooo hoooo!

Are you at your breaking point hearing about his or her great new life after divorce?

If you are divorced, that means that your kids are out of school for a week. You might be taking a “staycation” with them if finances don’t allow you to travel this year, or even take off time from work.

It’s time you learned to bend.

It might also mean that your kids are with your ex all week. Will they be traveling to a fabulous destination with their mother or father which they have been talking about for weeks on end? Has your ex promised them things he or she never did for you when you were married? Perhaps you just know that he or she hid assets from you in the divorce and now your ex suddenly has buckets of money to entertain and impress your children. Your ex-husband may be a cheater, a liar, a lazy bum who never participated in your kids’ lives while you were still married. You did everything and now he is jetting about with his new, young girlfriend and masquerading as “Super Dad.” Your ex-wife never worked or even attempted to help support the family while you were married. After a hard day at work, you came home every night to a filthy house, no dinner prepared only to find that it was up to you to help your kids with their homework after soccer practice and dinner.

Take a look at the situation from your kids’ perspective. Your children have the right to love both of their parents. They want both of their parents to love them back. To be excited for them when their dad can take them to the Florida Keys for Spring Break. To share in their pride when their mother gets a new job. Whatever it is, take the time to look at life from your children’s eyes for a change. Rejoice each time their other parent wants to spend time with them, because that makes them feel valued. Celebrate with them when their relationships with your ex are going well because that lets them know that you support them having relationships. The thing is, kids don’t expect their parents to be perfect. They don’t really care if they are going on a staycation or a week-long cruise. They do care about how much T–I-M-E their parents spend with them. Make it safe for your kids to express love for both their parents, all the time.

Lisa Zahn is a family law attorney who protects your best interests and works hard to ensure you, your family, and your business are prepared for whatever journey lies ahead. A partner at Mackoy, Hernandez, Qualls, Brown & Zahn and Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Lisa is a recognized expert in the family law arena. If you need family law services in Denton, Dallas and Collin counties, wait no longer. Call 214-387-9056 today. http://www.hqattorneys.com/lisa-zahn. Look for her ad in The OffBeat Business Magazine.

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So What?? By Jeff Klein It’s Spring, the season of new growth, rebirth, and renewal. Maybe it’s time for a new way to tell the world about your business. A new way that is unique to YOUR solution. A new way so people will want to talk to you about how you solve their problems; how you make their world a better place. People will PAY YOU if you show them you can solve a problem they have in a way that improves their lives. Ultimately, that’s why we are in business, right? To solve our clients’ problems. So, ask yourself, out loud, “How do I make my customers’ lives better?” Thanks go out to my good friend and Trainer of Trainers, marketing genius Sherry Prindle (http://sherryprindle. com,) who reminded me in her talks to keep asking, “So What?” until you arrive at great answers. “We help people save money.” So what. “We help them keep more money in the bank.” SO what. “We give them peace of mind.” SO WHAT! “We help them drive the car they want.” Tell me more. “We help them go on vacation.” Sounds good. “We help them send their kids to college.” NOW You’re Talking!!! See how we went from some generic description that so very many businesses use to something that is concrete and solves a problem that keeps people awake at night? Try this at home. It’s perfectly safe and there are no disclaimers necessary. State a problem you solve from

your CUSTOMER’S point of view. Why should they care? Keep answering your statement with, “So what?” until you arrive at a clear statement of how you improve their lives in a way they will stand up and take notice. Imagine your final statement on a billboard along the highway with your phone number. Don’t stop until that billboard would be so compelling the prospect would have to pick up the phone and call you. I call this final statement (“We help them send their kids to college.”) your Product Statement. Your business category and everyone-else-says-that statements are Commodity Statements. Commodity Statements are not compelling and don’t help you stand out. Product Statements prompt people to ask for more information. Product Statements are Conversation Starters while Commodity Statements are Conversation Killers. Guess what else Product Statements are? They are the answer to that question everyone asks, “What do you do?” Can you see how your Product Statement will start a conversation? “How do you help people pay for college?” Now, you have the opportunity to share some stories about how you’ve changed your clients’ lives. Not your process! Their results. And please, even though everyone else is doing it, stop asked, “What do you do?” Stand out by asking better questions:

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“Who do you want to meet?” “Who is a good referral for you?” “Who is a good referral partner for you?” “What do you need next?” “Who’s your next, best customer?” And be prepared to offer real introductions when they answer your question. You’ll likely be amazed at how many more quality introductions you’ll get and how many more qualified prospect meetings you’ll have if you make these two changes:

Use your Product Statement to start conversations. Ask leading questions so you can help everyone you meet with introductions. Jeff Klein offers regular Business Networking Bootcamps and a website full of free and paid content to help those responsible for generating revenue at (www.Jeffs30Seconds.com/Education) and Jeff@JeffKleinSpeaker.com.

Learn To Convert

http://readyforhappiness.com/audioproductpage/

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“Set Yourself Free!” by Taylor Kay Stephens

For years my dad and I had a very contentious relationship - we fought like dogs and cats. I wanted him to change and I wanted an apology from him! Everything was overshadowed by all the things he’d done wrong. I’d written off our relationship, but I wanted peace. I prayed for an answer, but no answers came. Until I heard the story of how Wayne Dyer was able to forgive his dad after abandoning his family, leaving them in poverty. He was so angry and spent years looking for his father. Eventually he found his father’s grave and was able to miraculously forgive him which changed his life. His story touched my heart and I wanted to make peace with Daddy , but I kept reliving the past over and over. One day an image of Daddy came to me – he was very frail and thin. He was reaching out to me with both arms saying, “Help me.” It really touched me.

explosion. Last July, when he had a heart attack, I went to see him and when I got ready to go, I waved goodbye. He said, “Are you leaving?” Then he motioned for me to come in, so I went in and stood by his bed. He was so frail, thin and weak. He reached up with both arms and wanted a hug. When I hugged him, he said, “I love you.” I said, “I love you too Daddy.” There was complete forgiveness and it no longer mattered what had happened in the past. Before he died, we had a very loving relationship - love had built a bridge between our hearts. There were no longer words of hurt and anger, only kindness and love. Think about someone who you need to forgive. Are you willing to make peace and set yourself free?

Finally I reached out to him by email and we were able to have a civilized relationship until, there was another

Taylor Kay Stephens, speaker, author and transformational life coach, is no stranger to tragedy, adversity and obstacles. She teaches people how to get out of overwhelm, change their bad habits and stop self-defeating behaviors. What makes Taylor different? She challenges the status quo and thinks outside the box. She’s developed her own easy, practical techniques and systems so simple a child can do them. You may contact her at resolutionspeaking@sbcglobal.net and discover more at taylorkaystephens.com

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SUSANSAYS The Problem With Popularity By Susan Hamilton Who doesn’t want to feel like everyone loves them? Social media and traditional media and peer groups and social groups - all can provide us with a comfort zone and a short-term feeling of acceptance and popularity. Wanting to be included and approved of is a natural part of living in community, in my opinion, and I have no problem with that whatsoever. Here’s where it get’s a little weird. We’re living in an age when people are either rash and outspoken or have their heads in the sand and like it that way. Having a responsible, well-conveyed opinion on highly controversial subject matter is pretty rare, largely because of the fear of criticism or public scrutiny or government abuse. If you back a candidate, you’ll hear the ‘head-inthe-sand-ers’ scream, “I’m unfriending people with political posts!” or you’ll get a psycho on a rampage insulting everyone who might agree with you. If you have an opinion about refugees, climate change, health, Jesus - all are likely to draw both ends of the spectrum. It’s no wonder so many of us are uninformed about how the majority feels about ANYTHING,

because truly - we really don’t want to know. We’d rather move around in stealthy ignorance than try to have an open discussion and get slayed.

Mainstream media knows this, and knows they can easily sway public opinion by drawing what appears to be general consensus. Most people who are getting a deeper level of education are seeking it out in podcasts and magazines that are found online and easy to access mobily - word is, they trust those mediums far more than CBS, ABC, FOX, MSNBC, KERA, NPR or others. If those of us with a responsible opinion are afraid to stand up and say so, the rest of the timids will never vocalize their support unless they’re at their own kitchen table. It’s this type of popularity coma that is so dangerous, because someone out there is listening and needs to know they are part of the majority. People pleasing is good business, sure, but is it wise in a day of such chaos? I want to see you take a risk for a better America. If you’re an American with an understanding of the American constitution and our Bill of Rights, I invite you to join The OffBeat Business Alliance - which is much

more than a membership directory of business resources, though it is that. We are also a voice - very interested in YOURS - for policy that is pro-family, pro-business, pro-veterans and common sense when it comes to criminal justice, health care, taxation and veteran causes. You can be popular, or you can be productive. Popularity can propel productivity, but until business owners understand that small, family business is not the exception - but the rule - our 80% will not band together to make a difference, and more likely, will fade to black while they never knew they had a word to say about policy. I’m betting this whole ‘popularity’ thing ends when we realize we can stop the infringement on our lives by big government by being willing to spend a few unpopular months becoming the popular voice. What do you say? Join The Offbeat Business Alliance here. (And tell your friends to join, too.) *We’re not taking a particular policy stand until we know what YOURS is. The OffBeat Business Show & Magazine represent YOU, American business owners. Highly profitable business is much harder to push around, let’s get strong.

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What makes Battle-Buddy Info unique among Resource Directories: Battle-Buddy Info resources are pre-vetted for inclusion into the Directory. Our Users have accessed, and/or research the organizations and many have received services from the listed providers and consider them to be viable sources providing assistance DIRECTLY to a service member or their family. We provide eligibility information as listed on the Resource’s website (i.e. Branch of Service, Disability level, seasonal resource, Branch Specific, geographical, etc.) From Battle-Buddy Info, once the User has determined they meet the criteria for assistance, they can link to the Application Form from our site, eliminating the need to read through pages of content provided by an organization.

Equest

The Equest Hooves for Heroes program offers current service members, honorably-discharged veterans of the U.S.

Armed Forces, and adult military family members the Hooves for Heroes program free of charge.

Attitudes & Attire: Boots to Heels Program

A customized program designed exclusively for female veterans giving them the camaraderie of being with peers who understand the experiences and challenges they face when returning home. We provide a four part program to assist female veterans with their transition from military to civilian life. After participating in our workshops on self-esteem and interview skills, each veteran is invited to select professional attire and accessories from our upscale boutique.

Recovery Resource Council

Recovery Resource Council offers FREE and confidential counseling services through the Enduring Women and Enduring Families Veterans’ Services grant.

Enduring Women provides group counseling and peer support for various issues including, but not limited to, post traumatic stress, military sexual trauma, reintegration issues, substance abuse or parenting difficulties.

Allies in Service

Allies in Service’s mission is to identify and support Dallas area veterans who need assistance in the areas of employment, housing, education, and health care. We partner with veterans, employers, community and other veteran support organizations to educate and enhance the quality of life of our veterans.

Combat Faith

For all warriors needing healing there are some key factors that apply universally. Combat PTSD stems from dangerous situations where their or their comrades’ lives/ health were at stake. Most combat veterans with PTSD had multi-traumas rather

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than just one traumatic incident. The following information on PTSD anecdotes was provided to me by a fellow Vietnam veteran who was wounded in Vietnam as a Navy Corpsman assigned to the Marines. After the case study for each war, there will be suggestions for a spiritual approach to the issues affecting veterans.

Grace After Fire

Grace After Fire was created by women to provide an online resource for women veterans – women helping women. Here you can truly be yourself, laugh, cry, share – and safely gather to identify. You’ll find resources, experts, and fellow women vets around the world that understand where you’re coming from.

Honor Courage and Commitment

Honor Courage Commitment is a nonprofit organization that recruits, educates, mentors, and guides transitioning military veterans into becoming socially responsible entrepreneurs and community leaders.

K9s for Freedom and Independence

We specialize in PTSD and /or TBI Service Dogs. Our focus is on those persons that have served our country as a US Military Member, Law Enforcement Officer, Fire Fighter, EMS Worker.

Suicide Prevention 22tooMany

22toomany Instagram page is for Veterans in dark places. Call anyone listed on the site 24/7. Committed to being available for ALL before a permanent irreversible step is taken.

Logan’s 5

In December of 2013, a request was made by a retired Marine. “Give me five reasons to live each day.” Author and Battle-Buddy Info Founder, responded with a quick, “I can do that!” This is the chronicle of those encouragements, inspirations, and facts of friendship. We can all use a little remembrance and recounting of five reasons to fight, five reasons to stay alive, five reasons to make it through another day.

National Resources Hope for the Warriors

The mission of Hope For The Warriors® is to enhance the quality of life for post-9/11 service members, their fami-

lies, and families of the fallen who have sustained physical and psychological wounds in the line of duty. Hope For The Warriors® is dedicated to restoring a sense of self, restoring the family unit, and restoring hope for our service members and our military families.

IAVA The mission of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) is to improve the lives of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans and their families. Rapid Response Referral Program, assigns a case manager to help IAVA members navigate through a variety of resources available to them. The Career Pathfinder program includes resume builder, military skills translator, and career mapping tool.

Veteran Artist Program (VAP) VAP, a 501c3 nonprofit, takes artists who are also veterans, and propels their works and careers into the mainstream creative arts community through networking, mentorships, collaborations with professional artists, and original productions. Weekly Podcast features veterans in the Arts.

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