EVERY BUSINESS NEEDS A CEO!

I was recently asked by a local business network organization to sit on a panel for a discussion about small business growth issues. On the panel were a couple of small business owners, an entrepreneur; a sole proprietor business owner; a large business owner and I filled the position of the resident business coach and business growth advisor.

The discussion turned to the topic of the importance of titles in a business. I’ve never cared much for titles but I do understand their significance as a business strategy. However I have a new attitude toward titles and I explained it to my audience. You see I just finished a great book. It’s called, The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon. Mr. Gordon has written a number of bestselling books on the subject of personal energy and the effect that enhanced energy can reduce your stress, transform your life and your business.

So how do the lessons from this book tie to this story? I once had a mentor that taught me what I believe is one of the most valuable and important lessons about owning a business and being a manager that I have and for that matter probably ever will learn. As I’ve found in life, the most profound lessons are usually the simplest and sometimes most obvious. My advisor long ago said, “Remember my friend that SOMEONE is always watching…and never forget it!”

As the owner or lead representative of your business, no matter where it’s at or what size it is, someone IS always watching. A partner is always watching; a board member; your banker; your attorney; your vendors or suppliers; Chamber of Commerce members; the press; your customers; and most importantly your employees ARE always watching. As your attitude and demeanor goes so goes your employees AND your business! If you’re a jerk or a positive light house, guess what? That’s right dear readers, someone IS always watching!

So back to titles! I believe that every business should have a CEO! That’s right, a CEO, but not the CEO of traditional definition. Back on The Energy Bus, Jon Gordon defines a CEO as the Chief Energy Officer. As the CEO or Chief Energy Officer of your business you become the driving force of your business. The one person that believes that you WILL be successful, that nothing can stand in your way. Not competition; not a bad economy; not bad attitudes, nothing can or is standing in our way of moving forward with a positive and winning attitude, every hour, every day, every week of every month. Then instead of just surviving your business will be transformed and it will thrive! The Chief Energy Officer is a title that I can support and understand and actually believe is necessary. At some point the title can be and should be transferred to a manager or even a group of employees, but in todays market and business world this new age CEO is a necessity. Its’ all about creating a positive perceived value, that begins with you the business owner. It is a value that will be seen by employees and anyone else that is or will be important to the growth of your business. So remember that a simple truth will always remain….. Someone IS ALWAYS watching!

If you need help building on this or other concepts, call me or write,  I can help! And as always…

BE GREAT!

Coach Dan

TIME, TIME, TIME …IS NOT ON MY SIDE!

Many say the WORLDS GREATEST ROCK N’ ROLL BAND is the Rolling Stones! Mick Jagger and the boys once had a big hit whose lyrics went, “Time, Time, Time, is on my side, Yes it is….”

With all due respect to the wisdom of Rock N’ Roll, I believe that the Stones were dead wrong! If they were right then why do so  many of my business coaching customers say that they never have enough time to get everything done that they need done. Why do they say that life would be so much better if they just had 25 hours in a day?

The fact is, once time passes, IT IS GONE, over and non-recoverable. It’s highly and completely perishable. And yet, so much time is wasted by business people on a day to day, hour by hour, minute by minute basis.

As a professional business coach, I see businesses FAIL or THRIVE simply due to the owners’ ability or lack of ability and skill, or lack of,  at managing the time that they do have and the ability and skill to prioritize the tasks that are required of them.

Some can. Most can’t!

Management and prioritization of time is a skill (a learned skill) and a necessary one, yet I doubt it’s within the curriculum of most top business schools. But that’s another conversation. I believe that it’s such a powerful issue that I’ve made time management and task prioritization skills an essential part of my business coaching curriculum.  And, if learned as a skill that I believe is as essential to business survival and success as oxygen is to breathing, then the business person who learns this skill and practices it daily both in their business and personally can dramatically alter their future.

One of my great business coaching customers is a young entrepreneur we’ll call Jack. He works hard in a franchise that he purchased two years ago. He has business training, he has a great product, he has a big investment, and he has a family. Jacks’ issue is that he tries to do everything and there is simply not enough time to do everything.

So we quickly embarked on a time management and task prioritization “system” of managing the available time that Jack had by learning a task prioritization process. The first rule of this process is: “Never let the most important thing be sacrificed by doing the least important thing!”

In just three weeks of total focus on this system, Jack reported an improvement on time and energy savings of nearly six and a half (6 ½) hours PER DAY or 32 ½ hours a week or 1560 hours per year. Together we found Jack nearly a full month per year to now use and more importantly we found Jack an improved life. Looking back, we realized that he did not understand the difference between ACTIVITY and PRODUCTIVITY. In other words he had been going through his day being very active and busy but accomplishing nothing. Now he does the things that are the most important first.  Now he has a new outlook on business and life and both are improving quite dramatically.

Lost time can never be reclaimed so get control and start doing what’s important and enjoy the time that you do have.

If I can help you master your time and improve your task prioritization, give me a call or write today! And, as always,

BE GREAT!

Coach Dan

Listening Skills by Tom Hopkins

Many salespeople who haven’t yet reached the professional stage think professional selling is exactly the opposite of what it really is. When you entered the selling field, you may have thought, “Now my job is to talk and talk and talk.” Right? Wrong! My years of experience with millions of salespeople have proven to me that the top people have one very important characteristic in common: they are great listeners. They listen not only with their ears, but with their eyes. They watch key body language signs like the ones we covered in last month’s issue, and they use the knowledge they gain from listening to their advantage.

So instead of sending your mouth off in an unimpressive, “Here it is, folks. Won’t ravel, rust or rip. Can’t blister, break or drip. Oh, you’re going to love it. You better buy right now…” presentation, turn your ears on to listening to what your prospective clients are really looking for.

The professional salesperson, the true champion, realizes that people have two ears and one mouth. To be good at persuading or selling, you must learn to use those natural devices in proportion. Listen twice as much as you talk and you’ll succeed in persuading others nearly every time. This means that, after talking 10 seconds, you switch your mouth off, switch your ears on, and listen for 20 seconds. So instead of overwhelming your prospects with words, you encourage them to talk.

People love to feel that what they are saying is important to someone else. By questioning and encouraging others, you are in essence telling them that you’re interested in them and their needs. You’re actually doing the opposite of what the stereotypical salesperson does. You’re not being pushy by telling them things. Instead, what happens when you ask someone a question is that you are pulling answers out of them; there’s no pushing about it. Top-producing salespeople and extremely successful people in life in general know this and benefit tremendously from the strategy. It’s very low-key and works great in building personal relationships as well.

Here are three examples of a salesperson pushing, instead of pulling:
1. “This is the best there is. Nothing on the market can touch it. We’ve got the best products because we’re miles ahead of the competition. You better get it.”
2. “This insurance will do more for you than anything else you can find. You really better hurry and get it.”
3. “These items are on sale. Why waste your time shopping around? You can’t get them for less.”

Do you see what I mean when I say they are pushing? In fact, you could even say the above examples are almost argumentative. The salesperson is telling people things before he or she has learned what he or she wants to hear. They’re trying to ram obviously self-serving statements down their prospects’ throats. In effect they are saying, “I’m out to make you buy something. The only reason I’m doing that is to put money in my pocket, and I don’t care whether what you buy helps you or not.”

Such tactics quickly drive off everyone except the few who love to argue.

Professional salespeople, on the other hand, never give anyone the impression that they’re pushing them—for the simple reason that they never push. But they do lead.

By not talking all the time, by listening instead, by asking artful questions, the champion leads his or her prospects from the initial contact to happy involvement in owning the product or service. In all this alert and pointed questioning, the true professional maintains a friendly attitude of interest and understanding that encourages the prospect to open up and give the desired information freely.

Have you ever been surprised at how freely you’ve talked to certain salespeople before buying from them? They were alert and interested. You felt comfortable with them. Recalling those conversations, you may think you were leading and the salesperson was following. Superficially, that was true—at first. In a deeper sense, however, that professional salesperson was leading all the way and you were following all the way.

How did that happen? Having a variety of products or services to offer you, the pro encourages you to start off. Once you set your direction, he or she gets smoothly in front and begins to lead you toward any of several open paths to purchase. When artful questioning reveals which of the several paths is best, the pro guides you smoothly and warmly to it. The halter goes over your head so softly that you never think about bucking. Instead you buy.

(Reproduced with permission from Your Achievement Ezine.  Aug. 11, 2010)

WHY WORK?

I was recently accused by a friend of a heinous crime. The colleague referred to me as a “WORKAHOLIC”. And, yes as a professional Business Coach I occasionally do log in quite a few hours in a week. But my argument (and I’m sticking with it) to this accusation was surprisingly easy. I told him with some emotion and honest conviction that “I AM NOT A WORKAHOLIC!”

Here’s how I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that my friend was wrong. You see I believe that a workaholic should be defined as someone who works excessively at a job that they do not enjoy and many times hate doing! And, in fact, even though I put in a lot of hours, I absolutely have a great and fulfilling time doing what I do! I look forward to getting up every morning and going to work! Really!

I love being a hard working business coach, helping and advising the many business people, entrepreneurs and sole proprietor business owners from around the world that I work with. I think that all of my previous life experiences were a dress rehearsal for being a successful business coach. I love my job!

I was raised in an environment where my step father went to work every day (until he was past 70) to a job he hated. He would say that we were not supposed to like what we did. We went to work… worked… then came home and that was it.

We’ll today I tell you he was absolutely wrong! Life is much too short to force that kind of attitude upon yourself and your family. We get one and only one shot at life! So I believe that we need to make that one shot worth the effort.

If you’re stuck in a job that you don’t enjoy or don’t get a sense of accomplishment out of; or just don’t like, do yourself a favor and figure out a way to turn that around, or get out of it now. Do something you enjoy and your life will change! I see it every day in my business coaching practice where a business owner or executive is struggling with their business and it’s tearing their business and their personal life apart. And, in many ways the struggle comes in a large part due to their lost hope, passion or desire for the job or challenge.

I have a quote on my office wall from 83 year old Mavis Leyrer that you may have seen before. Mavis says:

“Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely, in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting, “Holy Cow, WHAT A RIDE!” Right on Mavis, Right On!

Remember, it’s only really WORK if you allow it to be!

Give me a call if I can help, and as always….

BE GREAT!

Coach Dan

Eight Ways to Get Your Web Site Seen

I probably need to clarify something before I get much farther, particularly for those of you who know me. I am, for the most part, technologically feeble even though I’ve spent most of my life working in and with technology in some form. However, I’ve always surrounded myself with people far more qualified than myself in the technology. Then I focused on the sales and marketing side. And that, my dear friends is what we’re doing today.

I’m not here to tell you how to improve your web site and get it seen based on the technical stuff. I have some friends and business coaching clients that are virtual experts in that side of the equation. What I want you to do is to look at your web site and forget about the technical stuff (stuff is such a nice technical word)! Today we’re discussing the other things that make a web site great. These things include the look and feel, the marketing and sales elements. These are the things that will keep your internet based customers on your site once they get there. Although experts can take you through an entire litany of different strategies and applications I want to focus on just eight of what I believe are among the most important. These are a few of the key elements that we would discuss in a business coaching session. So here we go;

1. GENERIC is NOT ALLOWED:  If you’re in business and you have a web site for your business GENERIC is not a word that should exist in your vocabulary. You cannot afford to spend a dime today on generic advertising or marketing and that includes your web site. You had better be using it to generate more traffic, help current customers and build future customers by providing specific benefits; specific solutions; specific value and specific offers and opportunities.
2. USE HEADLINES: Remember the newspaper? How did or do you read the newspaper? Everyone reads the paper pretty much the same way, anywhere in the world. And just like they read the newspaper, research is showing they read internet news sites and newsletters the same way…..They read the headlines first! Always! So be sure that your web site isn’t full of a lot of words. Break it down into big headlines and smaller headlines to attract interest then keep them reading.
3. USE WHITE SPACE: Another technique from the newspaper industry. A great ad in the paper if you talk with the pros is not one that just a page or a space with wall-to-wall words. Leave some open or white space. Give the headlines room to work. The exercise of creating white space is a good one in that it challenges you to only include the information that really makes a difference to attracting and transforming a casual reader into a customer.
4. ALWAYS HAVE A SPECIFIC CALL TO ACTION:  Always, always, always ask your web customers to do or respond to something, anything worthwhile. Have them click to go to a page to fill in their information and request a White Paper; Research; offer an on-line coupon: Sign up for a free class; Sign up for a newsletter…. ASK THEM TO DO SOMETHING! If they’re there its your responsibility to capture their email, phone number and anything else you can in order to build a powerful data base. But always; always; always have a call to action throughout your site.
5. ANSWER THE TWO KEY QUESTIONS OF MARKETING: This is one of the biggest mistakes I see when working with my business coaching customers. The two key questions of marketing are not very scientific, but they are universal…..SO WHAT? and WII-FM or What’s In It For Me? Just remember to ask yourself those two questions on every paragraph you write or every offer you make to your readers. Why? Because those two questions are asked by every single one of your readers, prospects and customers as they read every paragraph or offer you have. They’re saying, SO WHAT?….What does this have to do with me and my business and how can it help? If you don’t answer those two questions, every time, then you’re sunk. So practice it and the effectiveness of your articles and your offers should double overnight.
6. IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU! Many business owners will build their website and when it’s complete it looks like a shrine to the business owner. There is a place of a bio and some achievements but the great business web site is designed to promote your business and answer the SO WHAT and WII-FM Question for the reader. So be sure your site is full of benefits and features and successes of the business.
7. BECOME FRIENDS WITH A FONT: Gads, this one really gripes me. Don’t get caught up in trying to be cute with your look and feel. Find a nice businesslike font that you like and use it consistently throughout your site. It makes a huge difference in readability.
8. DITTO WITH COLORS: The same rules apply as in point 7…..Be sure you find colors that look good; aren’t too garish and make sense for your business. Again many people try to be cute with bright colors and cute 3-D type background colors and what you end up with is a color scheme that you simple cannot read the content in. AND, you’ve got to be able to read your content. So, try, test and ask a pro but find a color or combination and stick with it. Color is a great tool for creating an impression and image.

Well gang, I hope this helps. Just remember that there is more to the success of a business web site than paying for the backend technology which makes it run, that’s just half the equation. The presentation is what makes you money so be sure to get it right and put it to work for you now! If I can help you be sure to give me a call! And as always,

BE GREAT!

Coach Dan

Franchising looks to minority owners for growth in key population areas by Diane Pleuss

{Diane Pleuss is a franchise consultant with FranChoice Inc. and a good friend of FocalPoint Business Coaching of Arizona. FocalPoint is always looking for new franchisees that would be great coaches and has always been a supporter of all minority groups. If you’re interested in seeing if Business coaching is right for call Coach and FocalPoint Area Developer (for Arizona/New Mexico/Nevada)  Dan Creed at 602-697-5949 or write at dcreed@focalpointcoaching.com}

Mary Forte is an African American woman who wanted to make a difference in her community. She opened a franchised coffee house, It’s A Grind, in a part of downtown Oakland that is being revitalized and worked with the Oakland Business Development Center to secure two loans. She also receives tax credits because the business is located in the Oakland Enterprise Zone and because 75 percent of her employees live in that zone. After 30 years of working in corporate America, Forte is now living her dream of having her own business and, at the same time, giving back to her community.

Nellie Salinas, an Hispanic woman who earned a degree in business but could not find a job, took an administrative position at Molly Maids, a franchised residential cleaning business. She moved up the ranks, and six years later is the co-owner of a $1.7 million business and ready to either buy out the founding partner or open up her own Molly Maids franchise. Franchised businesses run the gamut of human needs – everything from blinds and bagels to transmissions and tacos. With this kind of diversity, you would expect franchise owners to mirror the ethnic diversity of the population. In reality, Forte and Salinas are rare in the franchising world, where minorities

are vastly underrepresented. According to Sonya Brathwaite, educational foundation director of diversity and emerging markets for the International Franchise Association (IFA), minority groups lack knowledge about franchise opportunities  and do not have an understanding of how franchising works. But franchisors are waking up to their needs. With the population of blacks, Hispanic Americans and Asian Americans expected to increase dramatically in the United States in the coming years, franchise companies are becoming acutely interested in attracting minority owners in order to win consumers in these emerging markets. Franchising organizations are helping, too. In February 2006 the IFA implemented an initiative called MinorityFran. Its Web site, www.franchise.org/minorityfran, showcases franchise offerings from companies actively looking to recruit minorities. With more than 100 companies already participating, the IFA hopes to increase interest in franchising among minority Populations.

Why franchising?

For anyone interested in business ownership, franchising provides a unique entry. When you purchase a franchise you get the use of the brand and logo, operating system and the method of delivering the product or service, along with training and marketing help. The franchisor makes money from royalties, usually based on sales. The better you do, the more the franchisor makes, giving them an incentive to help you. Because of group buying power, a franchisee often saves money on products and supplies. National marketing program participation, which many franchisors require, ensures that consumers gain awareness of the brand. For all of these reasons, franchising is a wonderful way to be in business for yourself.

Qualifying for a franchise

Like any business, franchise companies want to populate their system with great people. Since franchising has as its foundation a strong, consistent brand, a franchisor looks for franchisees who will present the brand in the most positive light. They consider both finances and aptitude. Franchise prospects must have the financial wherewithal to purchase and run the business. Startup costs include the initial franchise fee (which can run from less than $10,000 to more than $50,000); the costs to buy or lease a location and build out the site, if needed; inventory and supplies; office equipment; and working capital – the money necessary to keep the doors open and pay living expenses until you start making a profit.

Financing a franchise

The good news is there are a variety of ways to finance a franchise purchase. Using a home equity line of credit is one way. Retirement account funds can also be used. In addition, the SBA (Small Business Association) offers The Minority Prequalification Pilot Loan Program, which uses intermediaries to assist prospective minority business owners in developing a loan application package and securing loans. The SBA will guarantee up to 80 percent of the loan, making it attractive to the lender. You can find more information at http://www.sba.gov/business_finances/prequal/.

Traits of a successful franchisee

Franchise prospects also must possess skills needed to be successful in the business. Most franchise companies ask that their franchisees have some type of sales or marketing experience along with general business knowledge. Good interpersonal skills also will be an advantage, but few franchisors require the franchisee to have previous experience in the specific industry. Having a strong desire to succeed is the most common attribute desired in a franchise candidate. Franchising provides a win-win-win situation for all parties. It gives the franchisor a way to expand a business beyond a local market without huge capital investment. It gives the franchisee a way to own a business without a lengthy and expensive period of trial and error. And it provides the consumer with less expensive and more consistent and reliable products and services. By attracting more minority entrepreneurs, the franchise industry is hoping to reach more customers in emerging markets while, at the same time, providing more minorities with an opportunity to achieve their dream of business ownership.

(Reprinted with permission from Diane Pleuss and the East Bay Business Times

Seven Rules to Thrive

I am privileged to currently work with Business coaching clients from all over the world. And, I am blessed with the success that my coaching clients have experienced. But I’ll let you in on a little secret; I learn as much from my business coaching clients as they learn from me!

The most recent and major reality that I’ve come to understand is that the issues, needs, challenges and concerns that business people experience, no matter where they are at in the world, are all basically the same! These issues always seem to revolve around three things: Productivity; Profitability: and struggling to improve the quality of their life. However today, with the ongoing international economic issues and changing consumer attitudes…the RULES ARE CHANGING!

As a professional business coach I work with many types of business and business owners and I’ve come to the conclusion that there are only two types of business strategies that business owners and managers employ. Probably 80% or more work from the strategy based simply on SURVIVAL. I recently was working with a new customer whom I asked if they had a daily goal that they were striving to achieve. The customer looked at me and with a very straight face said, “Absolutely I start every day, hoping and praying, with the singular goal of…..breaking even!” The battle is already lost unless we can make a quick and profound change in their thinking. The other half or more work on a strategy based on THRIVING. They were striving to take advantage of every opportunity and every situation.

I have created a list of seven of the rules that have changed. Here is the SEVEN RULES TO THRIVE!

1. If you conduct business the way you’ve always done business…you WILL be out of business! You must adapt, adjust and change to the changing market and your changing customers attitudes. You must meet their needs from THEIR point of view not what you think they want. Many researchers say that everything we know today will be obsolete in less than two years. Things are changing and changing fast so you must to. You cannot afford to be stuck in “The way we’ve always done it…” syndrome.
2. You must run your business like you did when you started it….every day! In other words, no matter how long you’ve been in business you must run it like a “bootstrap” start up, every day. That means, you must get back to watching your expenses every day. You must have effective marketing and if it isn’t STOP it! Everything you do; every penny that you spend MUST BE EFFECTIVE. This is really the number 1 response that I’ve gotten from business development experts when asked about the single most effective trait of successful business people, in ANY economy wherever they’re at in the world.
3. You must be disciplined! Brian Tracy told me once that he defines discipline as Doing what you have to do….When you have to do it…..Whether you want to or not! You must be disciplined in all that you do. You must plan and prioritize your time…every day! You must read your goals…..every day! Be disciplined and do what you need to do, when you need to do it….whether you want to or not. It will make a difference!
4. Your strategies must be based on…WHAT IS vs. WHAT IF.  Understand the reality of the business situations and challenges that you face and base your true strategies on that. I was working with a client that was particularly frantic about her perception of the state of the U.S. economy. I asked her to give me one and only one specific way that the economy has seriously affected her. She thought for a moment and then said, “Well I guess it hasn’t…..but it could!” She was basing all of her reactions on WHAT IF. So slow down, calm down and understand what’s real and what isn’t then plan based on the facts.
5. You must be passionate about what you’re doing! You must enjoy what you’re doing even when times are tough and challenging. If you don’t life is quite a bit harder. And you just as well quit and put yourself out of your present misery. Love what you’re doing and your attitude changes and really everything changes for the better. You find yourself looking for opportunity rather than problems.
6. You must work, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY hard! Sometimes the answer is so simple that you talk yourself out of it. You can plan for weeks and months; you can worry till you’re sick….but nothing happens until you go to work. Right or wrong the only way to find out is go to work. Go to work with a plan; with goals; with enthusiasm and passion. If you can be one of the few that can do this, you cannot fail.
7. REPEAT RULE 6. Got it? Good!

No Market for Bad Attitudes!

People with negative attitudes wear me out! I just don’t get it! If you’re in business and you want to stay in business, there is simply no room for a negative outlook in today’s market. A business owner simply cannot afford it. I have seen a bad attitude as the single reason that someone lost their business. It permeates and set a tone to a business, good or bad; your customers WILL feel the vibe. Your attitude directly effects your staff, the atmosphere of your office/or business and your customers. And, your customers and prospects simply won’t stand for it! Why? They don’t have to! There are far too many alternative choices today for them, so they’ll just go somewhere else! They don’t have to put up with a bad attitude that they can avoid just by going somewhere else or as easily as simply accessing the internet.

In my business coaching practice I see it every day and it can be fatal for a business owner and their business. So, it’s time for some “mental triage”! As a business coach, I look for a few key symptoms of what is sometimes called “Stinkin’ Thinkin”.

The business person is;

1. Always tired and worn out
2. There is ALWAYS problems
3. They blame everyone else for everything that’s wrong instead of taking personal responsibility.
4. They blame the economy for all of their collective woes
5. They are overtly emotional
6. They are working from a business strategy of survival only. (This is a true statement! I work with a customer whose initial goal in life for their business was to, “Get up in the morning, go to work and do everything possible to break even!”

If you find yourself checking off these items here are a few solutions that I offer my business coaching customers;

1. Force yourself to take some quiet time every day to just meditate and relax.
2. Get your time under control and prioritize your tasks. Only do those things with the highest consequences,
3. Start taking responsibility for mistakes, shortcomings, failures and yes, your successes as well.
4. Set written goals! Understand what is really important and what you’re working for, Every successful business person today has very clear and written goals.
5. Plan a strategy of THRIVING, versus just surviving. It’s a completely different mindset.
6. Get new friends and associates. If everyone you hang with is always bitching and moaning then you will too. Surround yourself with positive input.
7. Get some coaching! There is a reason why all top level professional athletes have a coach! So it just makes sense that businesses should as well.
8. Plan you business and your life basing all strategies on WHAT IS versus WHAT IF.  Don’t worry; don’t ruin your life because you’re in a panic about what might happen. Understand the situation and how it is exactly affecting you at this very moment and plan your strategies on that reality.

As Henry Ford said a long time ago, “If you think you can or you can’t….you’re right!” Think positive…life is more fun that way.

Be Great,

Coach Dan

Franchising takes your career beyond the traditional

(I believe that there are those of you out there that are tired of battling the corporate world. So stop it. Many of you are uniquely qualified to be a professional business coach. It has been a incredibly gratifying career decision for myself. So stop the turmoil and go into business for yourself with the help of franchising. Franchising may provide the vehicle to get out on your own, where you can stop creating wealth for others and start building equity for yourself. The article below was written by a good friend of mine, Diane Pleuss who is a top franchise consultant for the FranChoice organization. Her article my help you make some sense from franchising…..and I am a professional business coach as well as the Area Developer for FocalPoint Business Coaching International, powered by Brian Tracy. Call me for a free consultation!)

BUSINESSTIMES E A S T BAY

Franchising takes your career beyond the traditional

By Diane Pleuss, franchise consultant, FranChoice

Reprinted with permission from the East Bay Business Times

Have you been downsized or laid-off? Is the number of employees around you steadily shrinking and you fear it is only a matter of time before your head is the next to roll? Are you no longer willing to work endless hours, travel wherever and whenever needed? Or, are you just tired of the corporate politics and want to have control over what you do?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you may be part of a growing trend of people switching from

the traditional workplace to franchising. In a franchised business, you are self employed but license the right to operate a branded business concept. Franchising is the “middle ground “between working in the corporate world

and starting a business from scratch. Franchising can be the best of both worlds. It can provide the independence

you’ve longed for but offer the guidance and structure of a proven system. Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of making a career change into a franchised business.

Franchchising’s upside

The advantages are:

• The experience of the franchisor –The franchise company has spent years and a lot of money to develop a proven

Operating system. You can benefit from their experience and be up and running faster and with fewer glitches even

though you may have no experience in that particular industry.

• Training – This is where many franchise companies excel. By the time you’ve finished training, you’ve probably

bonded with your classmates and have learned all facets of the business. Good franchisors make sure you have excellent manuals, both hard copy and online, for ready reference when you’re out on your own.

• Group buying power – Most franchisors leverage the buying power of the group for better pricing on both products

and advertising and pass on the savings to their franchisees. Plus franchisees in the same area can cooperatively advertise together, reducing costs further.

• Ongoing support, research and development – Franchisors don’t make money until the franchisee makes money. This symbiotic relationship works in your favor. The franchisor has a vested interest in your success and will provide ongoing support, both through field personnel and home office staff, to help you excel. It’s a competitive marketplace so they’re also going to invest in R&D to bring new products and services to you.

• Synergy – It comes as a pleasant surprise to many that there is a wonderful synergy between franchisees. There is a

whole network of people out there who are more than willing to help their fellow franchisees. Just like kids talk

among themselves, franchisees also talk with each other. You will want to join a network of active, participatory franchisees. It’s almost like gaining a second family. Regional meetings and national conventions of franchisees can feel a lot like family reunions.

Consider the downside

Of course, franchising isn’t for everyone. The challenges include:

• Working within a system – If you have difficulty following directions or working within a system, then franchising

could be very frustrating for you. The secret of successful franchising is presenting a consistent experience to the

consumer. That means each operator must conform to prescribed methods and operations. You really need to have

an “executable mentality.” What do I mean by that? If I give you a hammer, for example, and you look at it and suggest changing the angle of the claw and lengthening the handle, then you probably have more of a “creative mentality” and will bristle under the guidelines. But if I give another person that same hammer, and they say, “This is a great hammer, where are the nails?” that’s an executable mentality.

• Risk – Although purchasing a franchise has less risk than starting an independent business, there is still risk

involved. You have to be comfortable with a certain amount of risk and responsibility. Even though you’ve

bought the right to use the brand name and the operating system, you’re still ultimately responsible for the success of the venture.

• The franchisor – Buying a franchise business is frequently compared to getting married, except that most franchise

relationships last longer. Both are legally binding and the franchise agreements are generally last for 10 to 20 years, with options to renew.

• False expectations – If you think that just because you’re getting a proven operating system, everything is going to be easy, think again. Don’t be fooled by how easy some long-timer franchisees have it. Their success didn’t come overnight. If you are tired of battling the corporate world, franchising may provide the vehicle to get out on your own, where you can stop creating wealth for others and start building equity for yourself.

The Secret to Business Success in Tough Times

Will we ever get free of the mental and emotional shackles of this economy? If you think it is near, think again. Although there are many positive signs, over the next few coming years, people will continue to lose their homes and their wealth.  But it doesn’t have to be you!

However (and this is BIG) as a professional business coach I want to tell you what I tell all of my clients; Just because things are tough does not mean that you should put your goals, your dreams, or the success of your business on hold. Quite the contrary! As a matter of fact there is enough research to fill the Arizona desert to prove that in every tough economy there is always….I repeat, Always major opportunities for those who chose to seek them out. In fact, Brian Tracy refers to it in his Financial Success newsletter as (and I quote) “In nasty recessions like this one, they always provide once in a lifetime opportunities to get rich!”

There is not enough room or time to refer to all of the research or strategies that we could employ here, so let’s keep it simple. The secret of people who get rich in a tough economy is that they have physically and mentally created a personal and business GROWTH STRATEGY versus a SURVIVAL strategy.  Think about it. How do you go about your day, simply surviving or are you taking advantage of the opportunities with a mentality of growth and a watchful eye for opportunity?

Test it yourself. Think about words you use; how you process issues and challenges. In my business coaching practice I see many business owners who have allowed their “perception” of the economy to cloud their entire life with a veil of doom and gloom. The glass is always half empty! Others have a growth plan or are at least open to creating one, finding and building on the available opportunities.

It’s all about attitude, my friend, so open your eyes and look for opportunity, think every day about winning above all odds. Mold your life around how to take advantage of your competitions bad attitudes and wait and see vision. Stop looking for an excuse or crutch to lean. Stop using the economy to blame for all that’s seemingly wrong. It’s not only thinking about potential, the potential is real. All you have to do is open your eyes and ears to see and hear the success stories coming out of these times. So stick your chin out and let’s start moving forward. Proclaim that you’re sick and tired of worrying. Take charge of your business and your life with a positive strategy of GROWTH rather than just survival!

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