2013 New Year, New Opportunity And A New Life Resolution

I want to start by wishing you a fantastic 2013.  I hope you make it great!

In 2013, I expect to have a very different year than I did in 2012.  Why? Because when I look back at most of my life it has been a long slow road of the same ol, same ol.  Each year was pretty much like the last.  There were a couple of major events, but no major changes.  In 2012, things changed.  I made goals that I achieved, like losing 30 pounds without drugs, surgery or major caffeine doses. 

Until 2012, my life wasn't like that though.  When I left home to join the military, I went from my mother telling me what to do to my drill sergeant telling me what to do.  As I got promoted and finished schools, I slowly migrated away from being told what do to, but no major leaps or risks were taken.  I followed the safe path.

When I became a pilot in the Air Force Reserves, it was a transition from one form of military life to another.  No major change, still the safe path.  When I retired from the Air Force Reserves, I was flying for American Airlines, still no major change. No real risk, no real rewards, just the safe path.

I have had the opportunity to build several businesses, sell a couple and then waste all the money building a business I should have avoided.   At the end of the day though, the reality has always been that I had my fallback “job” in the Air Force Reserves, or as a Pilot with American.  The flying has been fantastic, but the job didn’t live up the promises that were made to me and my family when I took the job.  It was just a safe path.

It has been difficult for me to say why the airline industry has frustrated me until this holiday season.  I realize that I let the Airline Industry make a promise to me and to my wife about our future and then do nothing to help me achieve what they promised.  My frustration has been with the fact that they made the offer and promise, and I got stuck with the responsibility for it.  To make matters worse, I wasn’t given any avenue to improve my situation.  Maybe this is what a mouse feels like on his little cage wheel, running no where.   

My wife had accepted a similar promise when she became a teacher.  Between the two of us it was a pretty boring life of work vacation and more work.  There had to be more, but we didn’t have a reason to go get more for the first ten or so years.  We moved into comfortable town, the most dangerous place you can be.  Each pay cut or increase in work requirements that was handed to us was accepted without a fight.   We just adjusted and moved on.

In 2009 my wife was diagnosed with cancer, a form that is only treatable by surgical removal.  If they miss any of it, she moves on without me.  Our comfort was shattered in a matter of minutes.  We found out on a Friday, she was in surgery by Monday.  48 hours isn’t much time to talk about anything.  Given that we had been married 14 years  you would think we had already said it all.  We realized we hadn’t said anything.  I lost the business I was running and all the money I put into it from the last two companies I built.

The diagnosis in 2009 led to several changes in our lives.  One of those changes was a commitment to live differently, no more same ol same ol.  We wouldn’t be our parents taking the “safe” route and accepting what we were given any longer.

At the end of 2010, we looked back and it was the same ol, same ol.

At the end of 2011, we looked back and it was the same ol, same ol.

In 2012, we didn’t give up and we didn’t crawl back to our comfort zone, and finally it wasn't the same ol, same ol.

As we reach the end of 2012, I can say that we made a couple of leaps of faith and so far both have worked out very nicely.  A major change in our lives happened, and a couple of pretty big minor ones too.  As we move into 2013, we are looking at making more major changes, since 2012 worked out so well.  I can also say that my wife has been cleared with no new cancer, she is officially “in remission”. 

As you go forward into 2013, look forward with the dreams you once lost, and don’t look back at the fear of what “might” happen. Commit to making a major change and doing whatever it takes to do it.  Stop watching the bad news on TV and spend that time fulfilling at least one of your dreams.

Next year I want to hear about it.  Please don’t post your goals here.  You can post your name so I will know to look for you next year here.  Don’t tell the world what you are going to do, go do it, and tell us what you did next year.  

In fact, a better idea, write down your one or two resolutions, put them in an envelope, seal them, have someone sign and date the envelope.  Celebrate next year as you open the envelope and share your success.  More fun needed?  Make it a bet with the other person, and have them do the same.   Encourage each other during the year and look forward to both of you achieving new success.

Happy New Year.

How To Make New Years Resolutions That Work.

A friend of mine once said if you want a New Years Resolution that you will stick to, it is easy, don't make one.  Every year we make new years resolutions that stick like a post it note on your windshield going through a car wash.  We all know it and yet studies indicate that we continue to make resolutions and fail to keep them.

Have you ever wondered why?  Do you even really care? Why do so many resolutions end up broken and forgotten?

Psychologists tell us that unachieved goals are more dangerous than no goals at all.  When it comes to running a business I couldn't agree more.  I have seen parts of my business life that quite frankly have been a complete failure.  After I messed a few goals, I came to expect that I would miss more.  It is like a cancer to the positive thought  and energy that entrepreneurs need to have every day. 

Entrepreneurs are a different breed.  Most of them that I meet have an addiction to running their own show.  They have an enthusiasm for whatever it is they do and love to see their customers enjoy the fruits of their labor. The underlying reasons are a little different for each of us.  Liberty, Freedom and Happiness rank up there for a few of us.  Some have something to prove, which is perfectly fine.  In fact Bill Bartmann believes that having something to prove and someone to prove it too can be a great motivator.

Watching my chef friend and neighbor work is amazing.  She is up at 3am or so baking so her clients get the best baked goods she can deliver.  When she has a new flavor she yells across the street for me to go to the store and try it.

So how do all the pieces of our minds come together and create New Years Resolutions that work?  Isn't that what we really want?

While doing a little research on the subject, I found a study about exercise and weight loss.  Having lost over 30 pounds this year it was very interesting.  The study said that our spouses/partners are not good enough as motivation to lose weight or exercise.  It is easier to put off exercise if we are only doing it for us, or our spouse or partner.  Why?  Because we know that they will love us anyway.  I think that is true of our businesses too.  If I don't make my next goal, my wife won't leave me or love me less will she?

My weight loss success came from a bet with my friend and business partner, not my desire to impress my wife.  As wrong as that sounds it isa reality.  By making it a challenge, I didn’t want to lose (the bet that is) and so I made the effort and stuck to it.  Suddenly switching from Ice Cream to Yogurt was easy.  Cutting out all grains, not that difficult, eating less became tolerable and finally I got off my chair and hit the treadmill or the road for a good run.

At first the run was literally a couple of blocks, this morning it was an easy three miles in 24 minutes followed by a quick upper body strength session.

I have to wonder if having a partner that keeps the other person engaged isn't the reason behind such great companies as Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and Apple, all of which started out as partnerships of two very different minded people. 

New Years resolutions have all of the same challenges as losing weight.  More so if they are business related challenges.  

No matter what you choose to do, make sure you find a way to make it important enough to you to actually do it.  If you want to lose weight, you have to want to lose weight more than you want to eat, avoid exercise and watch TV.  If you want to grow your business, you have to want to grow your business more than the alternatives.

The holidays are especially tough on entrepreneurs.  Many of us have a narrow window of opportunity to take advantage and make some big changes to set our businesses up for 2013.  At the same time, our families are almost demanding more of our time because “it’s the holidays”.

Being an entrepreneur is complicated by our social desire to please everyone.  After all we solve problems don’t we.  The holidays are simply a problem we can solve or are they?  It has taken years for my family to understand that I work when others play, and I play when others work.

When they do get a glimpse into my life, they are amazed at how much more this allows me to do.  Less standing in line at both ends of the deal.  Quieter and less expensive vacations, shorter lines at the Orlando attractions and shorter lines at the airport are just a few of the benefits of working this way.   I don’t feel like I am making progress in the areas of Freedom, Happiness or Liberty when I stand in line for three hours anywhere.

As you look to 2013, before you make those resolutions, think about what is really important to you first.  Instead of making resolutions, how about making a road map of your perfect life?

A few years ago a family health issue made me take a long hard look at my life.  I realized that I was missing a lot of my “goals” because they really weren’t my goals or didn’t fit the image of my life.  Those missed goals were creating stress and anxiety while preventing me from achieving other goals.  I realized the psychologists were right about goals and resolutions.

After a spending two days in front of a white board I mapped out everything I really wanted and didn’t want.  The next step was getting my wife to sign off on.  Of course that happened after a couple of changes from her input.  Today I live a very different life than I did just three years ago.

Instead of making a resolution this year, make a change.  Whatever you decide to do, find a reason to do it, and a reason not to avoid it.  Figure out how the obstacles you might encounter first, and how you are going to get around them before you try and make a change in your life.  Make the decision that what you get is worth whatever it is you have to give up and get other people in your life to agree to let you do it.

Write out the changes that you want to make, remind yourself every day what you are willing to give up to get there, and you will be there before you know it.  

Happy New Year

Internet Presence = Internet Marketing + Social Media ++

What is your Internet Presence?  Do you know?  Do you even know what it means?

Every business in the US, and for the most part, every business in the world has an "Internet Presence" whether they know it or not.  If one customer stops by your business and posts information about you on their Facebook page, that is your Internet Presence.

At the end of the day, your Internet Presence is the sum total of all of the information about you that is published online.  If you don't add to that information, then you have zero control over your Internet Presence.  The more information you add, the more you control.  At least that is the idea.

All told you actually can control a lot more or a lot less of the information based on how you deal with your customers.  You can actively seek reviews on Yelp! or Google+.  You can also ignore them.  It is your choice.

As part of your complete marketing plan, you should have a plan and a direction for Online Marketing, Social Media and digital PR so that you can at least influence the Internet Presence of your business.

If you feel like all of this is overwhelming, and you just don't know what to do about your online marketing, you can of course hire an online marketing business like the Bourquin Group, and for a fee, we'll be glad to go to work for you.

If you want to watch your budget, another option is to get a copy of The Easy Guide To Internet Marketing, and follow the step by step guide to build your Internet Presence on your own.  It is something that any business owner can do in just a few hours each week.  You don't have to give up your life to monitor Facebook and Yelp!.

Even if you are going to hire someone to take over your online marketing and help you improve your internet presence, getting a copy of The Easy Guide To Internet Marketing will help you understand how to hire better and how to decide if your marketing and internet presence plan are going in the right direction.

Don't ignore your customers on the internet, engage them and win them over today so your business can grow tomorrow and you can enjoy the freedom that you were looking for when you started your business.  Get your copy of The Easy Guide To Internet Marketing today.

Checklists for Success

As a pilot, we need to get a check ride every year if you want to keep flying.  The bigger the plane the more difficult the check ride is the rule of thumb. The truth is a lot easier than that.

There is a saying in aviation, when something happens either "wind your watch" or "sit on your hands".  The reason is simple. The knee jerk or impulse reaction is usually the wrong reaction.  I see it in aviation and I see it in business every day.

Would You Like A Little Freedom With Your Business?

It is almost an irony of the jet age and the information age that going faster isn't always the best method.  Big jets get places fast, but don't change trajectory quickly.  Business is much the same.  When an engine catches fire in an airplane, specifically a big airplane there is an impulse reaction to shut the engine down and use the fire extinguisher.

While those two steps are on the checklist there are other things to check first.  For instance, you want to make sure it is a real fire, not a false alarm.  Shutting down an engine that really isn't on fire makes things worse when you are halfway between New York and London or Los Angeles and Honolulu.  We call this a self induced emergency.

In business the same thing can happen.  I see it in my office and I see it in my clients offices.  The big difference between flying and business, is pilots have a checklist.  Our "checkride" is really a reminder to use the checklist.  Unfortunately, business owners don't get to practice emergency procedures and test out their checklists.  Many big name franchises have excellent training manuals that include these checklists.  If you are a small business, and didn't work for a competitor and "borrow" the checklists, you have to build yours by trial and error.  That can be an expensive checklist.

A business coach can be like the flight instructor on a check ride.  The business coach can ask you questions about scenarios that are likely to happen and you haven't seen yet.  Then you can build the checklist for your staff before the business is actually on fire.  Teachers even have a checklist for fire drills and yet most business owners don't.

Many things that you as the owner do every day can be handed off to your staff very effectively by just building a simple checklist and training your staff to use it.  The key to success here is followup.

When you hire a really good business coach what you are really hiring is someone to hold you accountable for achieving your stated goals and reaching that next level of freedom and success in your business.  Your mission is to find tasks that you can shed to your staff and hold them accountable in the same way.

As you build your checklists and your staff begins to take over your tasks, you can focus on your business instead of working in your business.  Need help?  For $297, I'll send you a copy of the "Easy Guide to Internet Marketing", and for the first ten people, I'll add a $100 Google adwords coupon if you don't already have an account and we'll spend an hour going over how to create the right ads and create a checklist so you don't have to do it.  That is a $1,675 value for $297.

Not convinced. I'll do one better.  How about a money back guarantee.  If you don't think you got a deal, I'll refund your money, you keep the book.  email me at scott@ownersplay.com and I'll send you the questionairre and a paypal invoice so when we get on the phone we can get you started right away.