Sharon Holbrook

America. Enjoy!

My Escape from a Paycheck

I’m a prisoner….there seems to be no escape.  I can’t leave, I make too much money.  I can’t stay I’m going out of my mind – what to do?  The entrepreneurial world is calling me, pleading with me, “Come away from the dark side – come to light side where life is good, flexibility is everlasting, money is waiting for you just to be plucked off the trees.  The work is hard but valued.  Remember how you loved it last time you tried it?”

“I’m scared”, I say.  “It’s too risky and my spouse doesn’t support it and I need the paycheck and the insurance, and it’s probably not all true anyway and…. and… and…..”

And the arguments between me and myself continue until I truly, truly cannot stay another day in a world of constant corporate reorganizations (7 in 14 years), cost reductions to the point of non-operational status, executives being heralded as “true mentors” who bash you just because they can, and a commute that would kill an MBA graduate just out of college with no experience but a whirlwind of energy (2.5 hours each way).

So the search begins: I plot my strategy to exit the madhouse three years before it actually happens.  I research, research, and research some more: which industries? Franchise or start my own? What’s best??  What do I like to do most, what am I so good at I can sell, produce it or whatever with it and make money, how will I pay for it, how will I survive until it’s flourishing?  These are just a few of the questions that flow through the mind like lava down a mountain. I visited several franchises, dragging my resistant spouse along to try to engage him in the process.  I narrow it down to two franchises that I like because they are artistic industries and I have a great wonderful feeling about them.  The spouse says (and he was right….#$$%^) that the economy was slowing and they wouldn’t survive.  Then he says “these are just hobby businesses anyway…”  Them’s fighten’ words!! Now I want this more than ever.  But, I’m still afraid…his words about the economy slow me down and his lack of support stops me in my tracks.

I put my dreams on hold but I do leave THAT corporate world (after 14+years of the entire above trauma) and enter another world: that of retail books.  Books are one of my very first loves so I thought I could flourish in a bookstore: managing people (I hated that part in the corporate world – what made me think I would like it in retail??), managing a business (loved that!) and touching, reading and buying discounted books all day (I’m orgasmic now!)  That lasted a year – the downward economy spiraled, the digital world impacted hard copy books with a vengeance, and retail hours truly suck!!

Now, I’m back on the entrepreneur train again – it’s been calling me all year, so now I really listen.  I had researched being a “project manager” in my earlier attempts at finding the right business and had discovered the term “virtual assistant”.  Here I thought I was being quite original and I find out there are thousands of people already doing this!  Well, ok – it’s still a good option and timing seemed phenomenal with the condition of the economy.  So, I Google “virtual assistant” again and the name “Cybertary” comes up as third listing on the first page.  “Hmmm…hey, it’s inRoseville, just a few miles up the road.  This has got to be an easy business to start on your own, but why don’t I meet with the owner and pick her brain a bit to see how it’s done?”  Um, yeah a few more things to think about than I thought!  Here’s a quote that still sticks with me:  “The mechanics of running a business are really not very complicated: You have to make some stuff and sell it to somebody for more than it cost you.  That’s about all there is to it, except for a few million details.” ~ James L. McCaffrey

My visit with Patricia Beckman, founder of Cybertary, illustrated to me just how much I didn’t think about – even after all of my research and brain dumping.  But I am so enthralled with her and the business model, I walk out of there ready to write the check.  I make myself go home and think it through just so I can rationalize that I’m not being impulsive, and a couple weeks later (maybe sooner, can’t remember now) I make the call and I’m on my way.  Just in time – the book store lays me off a week after I do this.  Kismet…?

I’m an entrepreneur! Yay….oh no, what have I done??

Well, there’s no turning back now, I can only go forward, so onward we go! Training is included in the franchise purchase and that of course is paramount with any franchise you might be considering.  As I was the fifth franchise in this grass roots national franchise, training was still under construction but the subject matter was well done and as complete as feasible.  The after training support was (and still continues to be) responsive and always available, even though it has grown to 26+ franchises in a few short years.  The manuals were (and still continue to be) limitless resources and life savers.

Although my business has not grown to the business plan I had projected, it is growing – it is moving in the right direction.  It is a challenge to keep up my business plan – and yes, you really need a business plan and you need to look at it frequently, modifying to fit new rules and information you’ve uncovered.  Mind share with others, both in your industry and out – you never know what you’ll learn.  If you keep that muscle exercised, it will keep working for you.  There are times – just today in fact – I feel like the most uneducated entrepreneur in the industry.  I am attending a conference that my franchise is putting on and learning so much from the brand NEW franchises!

One of my biggest challenges is educating prospective clients of the model and how it can provide value for them.  People tend to first think of us as “secretaries that answer the phone” and that’s so not what we do.  It’s a treasure hunt with each prospect, uncovering what their roadblocks are, what is their “pile of ugly” on the desk that they can’t find time, skills or staff to get to, and finding that key to unlock “I can’t afford you”.

Other challenges include finding the right networking group, marketing strategy and oddly, the right team members to provide the skill sets for the client needs.  I get tons of resumes and offers to come to work with us, but “executive assistant” can cover a wide variety of skills, usually including “answering and directing calls” and again, not what we do.   If I had to do this over again – would I?  In a blurryNew Yorksecond!  I love the work, the people, the flexibility – and hope to love the money very soon!

What would I do differently? Hire a business coach immediately, possibly a marketing firm immediately, and spend more on marketing than the expected amount suggested by the franchise.  Still, even doing that, new businesses take 12-36 months to begin to grab hold – so with that statistic I’m right on track.  Deep in debt….but on track and loving every second of my life.  And…..I’m not riding a train to and from work every day for 5 hours! Instead, I’m walking down my stairs, grabbing my pre-perked coffee and heading to my beautiful red-walled office/library.  Now that’s what I call “Escaping the Paycheck”.

Lessons Learned:

• Do Not Take No for an Answer from your spouse/partner if you truly feel in your gut it’s the right thing to do.  They can be dream killers or dream makers and you alone have to decide.
• Know that you will be scared out of your mind for months but if you believe you will make it, you will.  Visualization is key.
• Cash flow and marketing; cash flow and marketing; cash flow and marketing…need I say more?

Author Bio:

I am a baby-boomer.  There, I said it..I fit the profile of escapee from the corporate environment and today so richly love my life and my business.  I have long wanted to be a business owner, again, and finally am able to do so.  I cherish that I have such a flexible schedule that I can help my daughter with my 3 beautiful grandkids (twin 6 year old girls and a fiery 3 year old boy), take a weekday off and go hiking or golfing, and be available to my parents as they gracefully head to “old age” (heck, what am I talking about…they’re in better shape than me!)

What I also love is providing solutions and problem solving to so many small businesses.  Cybertary Elk Grove is a “business solution center” for all things administrative (and not!) – so if you have a problem task, event or project you can’t solve, give us a shout and we’ll help you figure it out (hey that rhymed…new slogan?)

Business Name:

Website URL:
www.nads.com

Year Founded:
1992

Number of Employees:
50 worldwide

What does your company do?
Sue Ismiel is the creator of world famous hair removal brand Nad’s. Sue first created Nad’s for her daughter, Natalie when she was unable to find a naturtal hair removal product that doesn’t affect her sensitive skin.

Was there a specific turning point when you realized your business was moving to the next level?

Initially a product Sue sold through friends and family and the local markets. However, Sue experienced phenominal success when she started selling the products on informercial. Sue launched the product in the US through informecial and that’s when the companies success skyrockited.

What processes or procedures have you implemented that have helped grow your company?
Company growth has happened through diversification of products and through growth in other markets.

What is most rewarding about running your business?
Sue prides herself on the success she has created from very little.

What challenges have you faced and how have you overcome them?
Sue has experienced many challenges. In 2005, she took a sabatical away from the business and returned to her home country Syria for a year. Whilst Sue was away she appointed a close friend and collegue to run the business. However, after the year Sue returned the company on the brink of bankrupcy. Sue had to rebuild the company and borrow from the bank for the first time in her life.

What is something that people might be surprised to learn about you?
Sue is a keen yoga practicer, she feels that it is her sanctuary. Sue will not miss a session regardless of meetings etc.

This essay is part of a series we developed where entrepreneurs share their stories about life after corporate America. Enjoy!

What I Would Do Differently If I Were Starting my Business Today

I’ve been self-employed more than 10 years. My initiation was very rough. I had some misconceptions that everybody was either a competitor or a customer. I’ve learned recently that most of my “competitors” are really a support system. Here’s how.

I am Not Alone

I’m not the only self-employed person out there. In theUnited States, 9.3 million people are full-time self-employed.  Another one million do it on the side. People become self-employed for a variety of reasons. Perhaps they’re tired of their current occupation. Perhaps they want to be their own boss. I wanted more $$ and freedom. I am self-employed and life has never been better.

Find others who do what you want to do. I realize I am not the only computer network consultant in Sacramento and that is why I meet with my peers every month. I am not the only author in Sacramento. I meet with others every month. I am not the only self-employed person in Sacramento and that is why I meet with others almost every week. For whatever profession you choose, you need to find others in the same line of work. View them as teammates. Remember that if you are offering a professional service and not a commodity, they are not your competitors.

Four years ago, I found a group of computer network consultants that meets once a month in Sacramento. The organizers are very successful and volunteer their time to this group. They feel a need to help others in their profession make better decisions. They have nothing to gain. They give and they give and they give. They expect nothing in return. I have presented various topics at this group’s meetings. I do it for the same reason…to help my peers. We attend these meetings because we know we can share successes and also brutal lessons. By sharing brutal lessons, we can help others identify and avoid similar situations. You need a support system like this. It is a place to share knowledge with others in the same profession.

I also attend monthly meetings of authors and speakers in Sacramento. We have guest speakers who share advice on their niche. We invite members to present an issue to the group and then group members give them advice. I consistently report that this group’s meetings are the most nutritious meetings I attend. This group is growing by leaps and bounds. The hotel that rents us our meeting room has moved us to rooms that are larger than the previous month’s room four months in a row. Although not as technical as my first group, this group has high energy meetings with very valuable content. When I first started attending, I said the members enjoyed a status I was pursuing. You need to find a group where the members enjoy a status you are pursuing.

I found another organization in early 2010. They meet once a week and share ideas to help its small business owner membership get through the week. I call this a support group for solopreneurs, people who are self-employed and have no employees. Members volunteer their thoughts and present valuable information to the group. I have shared social networking strategies and SWOT analyses with the group. I am the only member of my chapter who is a computer network consultant. Other members have their own walk of life. We all however are self-employed. You should find a support group too.

The more you contribute the more you receive. I see people attend these meetings and say nothing. They sit in their chairs as if they were at home and watching TV. Sometimes they take notes and sometimes they don’t. I wonder what they gain by attending these meetings. I used to do that too. That changed one day. I presented online backups and reasons why you should back up your data offsite. I discussed disasters such as the September 11 attacks, Hurricane Katrina and the San Diego fires. I created a good presentation and earned more credibility from everyone attending.  I’ve presented additional topics since then and find my stock consistently increasing. I made a higher time and energy commitment to the group. I get more out of it. I’m sure you will see the same benefits.

Members provide professional services. Members are not selling commodities and therefore do not have competitors. You should find groups of small business owners you can view as teammates also enjoy a status that you are pursuing. It is not easy out there. You need a support system.

Here are some support systems.
• Almost every city, town and village has a Chamber of Commerce. You can Google your town and the phrase “Chamber of Commerce.” I’m sure you will find one for your town or at least your area. You can attend mixers for no cost, but membership will have a price tag.
• Do you want success? Two of my friends launched an organization they call Successful Thinkers and have grown it by nourishing and spawning local chapters. I regularly attend the Cameron Park chapter and have given speeches at the Arden (Sacramento),Auburn, Cameron Park, El Dorado Hills andJacksonchapters. I understand Successful Thinkers is growing outsideCaliforniaand has found recent success in Indianapolis. Successful Thinkers provides an environment where businesspeople can share ideas and meet other business owners. You can Google “Successful Thinkers” or search for them on Facebook. They may have a chapter near you. The name “Successful Thinkers” is very accurate. These meetings have no charge.
• Say hello to Rotary. Almost every community has a Rotary club. Rotarians practice service over self by helping improve their communities. Rotary, International and its 1.2 Million member volunteers work to combat hunger, improve health and eradicate polio. My local Rotary club has the “movers and shakers” of the community. The folks whose names end up in the newspaper (for good reasons) are also active in the local Rotary. This is a very attractive place for networking. I understand different Rotary Clubs have different financial commitments…visit www.rotary.org to learn more about the Rotary Club closest to you.
• Others exist. You can find more networking groups at www.meetup.com or www.linkedin.com. I’ve found networking groups that cover almost every niche. You should determine your niche and then go looking for a group. Some are very specific. I’ve been invited to women’s networking groups. I haven’t attended for the obvious reason. They may work for you.

Regardless, remember that you are not alone. Finding a support system will help you run your business better, meet high-quality people and gain credibility.

Say Hello to the Mastermind

Go one step further. You can find or create a group of small business owners who openly share valuable insights. The members are successful in their fields. Everybody feels they gain by participating in this group. These are called Masterminds.

The Mastermind was not my idea. Our great nation was formed by a Mastermind. John Hancock, Samuel Adams and Richard Henry Lee became disgruntled with British rule and organized a Correspondence Committee “for the purpose of friendly cooperation for the Betterment of the Colonies of British America.”

A Mastermind is a coordination of knowledge and effort, in a positive manner, to help achieve a definite purpose.” A Mastermind has two characteristics:
• Economic. People want to make money and gain advice on how to do that. Napoleon Hill says most of history’s richest men had utilized Masterminds.
• Psychic. When two or more people get together and think about something, they generate an energy which is greater than the sum of its parts. The solution is stronger than what the members could have thought of individually. Napoleon Hill says: “No two minds ever come together without thereby creating a third, invisible, intangible force which may be likened to a third mind.”   I’ve seen this happen in good staff meetings and on successful sports teams. Perhaps you have witnessed this too.

Stack your Mastermind with valuable people. Consider your desired profession and find others in complimentary professions. I am a computer network consultant. If I were creating a Mastermind today, I would choose an accountant, realtor, insurance broker, lawyer, coach and financial advisor who I already consider as friends. I’m sure each could contribute something valuable to the group. I know they would expect the same from me. Masterminds work when members share valuable time and information. They fail when members expect to receive without giving

If you cannot find a Mastermind, create one. You can find attractive candidates at Chamber of Commerce events, Successful Thinkers meetings, Rotary clubs and other networking organizations. Remember, the support systems you find will probably be the best places to find attractive candidates. You can also review your list of vendors, business partners and customers. Some of them may be thinking of a Mastermind group too.

Lessons Learned From My Journey

1. I need to surround myself with other entrepreneurs. We share war stories and successes.
2. Most people are not competitors. Rather, they are teammates.
3. When people get together and think about a problem, they create solutions that are much stronger than if they had thought about the problem privately.

Author Bio:

Mark Anthony Germanos is a business author and speaker. His second book, Escape the Cubicle…how to leave your corporate or government job for something better, is for those who want to quit an unfulfilling job and for those who need help running their businesses. He helps you identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. He demystifies social media and presents it as a valuable tool. He shows you how to keep your business in business.

Mark has been going into businesses since 1992. His clients are saving thousands because Mark asks the right questions and deploys solutions that work.

Mark started his first business in 1997 and admits that business ownership is not for wimps. He moved from Chicago to California in 2000 and restarted his business with a cell phone and a Honda Civic. Mark is a 1989 graduate of Michigan State University. Mark believes we are always learning. An active triathlete, he has a life, a dream wife and a dog. Mark is available at www.markanthonygermanos.com  or 530-677-8864.

Nope. It was the fourth anniversary of the invention of the #hashtag!

What the heck is a hashtag you ask? Well, that is what we will explore in this column. Accomplished social media gurus, techies and geeks can stop reading now. #YouAlreadyKnow  But for the rest of you, as if all these social networks aren’t confusing enough, the hashtag can add yet another layer of complexity to using them.

Actually, the notion of a hashtag is quite simple. In SQL database parlance they would be called descriptors. It is an additional “tag,” a descriptive word or phrase that will enable people to group similar or related things together. For example, take a Twitter tweet or blog entry about football, baseball, basketball, tennis or hockey. We could add the hashtag “Sports” to all of them. All but hockey might include #PlayedWithBalls . All but tennis might get #TeamSports. You get the idea.

Tags have been around for a while. They are used in database applications and variety of other places. Look back at previous View from the Bridge columns and you will see they all contain tags. These make it easy to find all the columns that deal with specific topics such as “mobile” or “social” networks. Notice some will have more than one tag. Library science would refer to this as cross referencing.

The use of hashtags originated with Twitter where the convention of leading with the # symbol was established.  There is an interesting bit of history HERE. The idea was Tweets could have these additional keywords allowing people to group Tweets by hashtag independent of author. In Twitter you “follow” people which means you choose to receive their Tweets. You only get Tweets from the people you follow and conversely, only people who follow you see your Tweets.

But hang a hashtag on the end and anyone can find your Tweet by looking for all Tweets with that tag. For example, if you attend a conference, concerts or other major event there is often a hashtag assigned by the organizers or one that emerges as the tag to tie everyone’s comments together. You don’t have to be following everyone in the audience to see what they Tweet about the event. You can show all Tweets for that specific hashtag.

There is no taxonomy of hashtags. In other words, you don’t have to look up the right tag to use. There is no correct tag, you make them up. Unless provided, as in the cases described above, it is up to you to create a tag or tags that would make sense and help interested parties find your contribution. Comment on the HBO series #Entourage or mention a candidate in #Election2012. Listen to a great song on #Pandora or #Spotify.

Accomplished Twitterati also use hashtags in very clever ways. It can introduce humor or sarcasm to a Tweet and is even the basis for word games. The hashtag #StarWarsTVShows was invented to evoke humorous titles based on real TV shows and the movies. A search returns dozens of titles like the ones you see above.

Now all you amateur tweeters and bloggers understand hashtags. #SoGetToIt #ThanksForReading.

Captain Joe

Author Bio:
Mr. Puglisi is a senior business and technology professional with extensive experience managing complex business and technical environments across several industries. He has repeatedly maximized the effectiveness of existing staff and improved relationships with business leaders. Mr. Puglisi is adept at building and leading teams and creating cross functional partnerships to deliver on business initiatives. He has particular strengths in leadership, strategic vision, innovation and communication.

Most recently Mr. Puglisi was Vice President and Chief Information Officer for EMCOR Group Inc., the world’s leader in specialty construction, facilities services and energy infrastructure for over ten years.  Mr. Puglisi was responsible for technology strategy and direction for over 75 operating companies throughout the US, Canada and the UK.

Prior to joining EMCOR in 2000, Mr. Puglisi served as Vice President and CIO at Chartwell Re, a major insurance and reinsurance company where he managed both technology and administration for the company.

Before that, he was Corporate Director of IT for Lehrer McGover Bovis, one of the largest Construction Management firms in the world. While there, he advanced the use of technology at the New York headquarters and regional offices, from disparate word processing and spreadsheet applications on disjointed computers to a unified systems structure. The standards were adopted by the parent company in London and later imposed on the other Bovis companies in the US and around the globe.

Mr. Puglisi started his business career as a partner of a small marketing consulting company. While there for over 14 years, his responsibilities ranged from cold calls to presentation, contract negotiation, product development and installation, as well as training, support and consulting.

Mr. Puglisi received a BS and MBA from the Stern School of Business at NYU where he has served as Adjunct Professor in Information Systems at the Graduate level.  He also serves on several advisory Boards, is President of the local chapter of SIM and sits on the Executive Counsel of the Cloud Computing Consortium at Stevens Institute.

I’m a huge fan of history. I’m also a student of leadership. I love history because it can teach us so much about business and how to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. I learn all I can about leadership versus management. Why? Leadership is teaching and showing. Management is telling and watching.

One of my favorite historical mentors is George Washington. It was no accident that the Continental Congress selected Washington to guide the Colonial Army against the British. Washington was a very accomplished civic and military leader long before The Revolutionary War. His accomplishments included:

• Elected Surveyor of Culpepper County – 1749-1751
• Appointed Adjutant General of Virginia militia – 1752. (An adjutant general is the chief administrative officer of the militia. This made Washington a Major at the age of 20)
• Appointed Lieutenant and Colonel of Virginia Regiment – 1754
• Commander of Virginia Military – 1755-1758
• Elected to Virginia House of Burgesses – 1759-1774
• Justice of the Peace – Fairfax County, Virginia – 1760-1774
• Delegate to Continental Congress – 1774-1775

Washington was respected by almost all people with whom he came in contact. This is made clear from the terms “elected” and “appointed” used in the list above. Inspiring Respect is the first key principle of Dead Horse Leadership.

Washington’s personal motto was “Deeds, Not Words.” He didn’t talk about doing things. He made things happen. The following quotes bear this out:

“His personal bravery, and the desire he has of animating his troops by example, make him fearless of danger. This occasions us much uneasiness. But Heaven, which has hitherto been his shield, I hope will still continue to guard so valuable a life.” – An anonymous soldier, 1777

“As I have heard since my arrival at this place [Fort Cumberland], a circumstantial account of my death and dying speech, I take this early opportunity of contradicting the first, and of assuring you that I have not as yet composed the latter. But, by the all-powerful dispensations of Providence, I have been protected beyond all human probability or expectation; for I had four bullets through my coat, and two horses shot from under me, yet escaped unhurt, although death was leveling my companions on every side of me!” -George Washington in a letter to his brother John A. Washington

Eighty years later a metal seal of Washington’s (it had his initials on it) was found on that battlefield. The seal had been knocked from his body by a bullet.

There is only one way these facts could have happened. Washington was out in front, under fire, leading his troops. Leading by example and from the front is the second key principle of Dead Horse Leadership.

George Washington was the first President of the United States and voluntarily left office after two terms. Many Americans at the time wanted to make Washington a king. However, Washington declined and made it clear he wanted a country based on the rule of law, not the rule of a king. Washington had an army at his disposal, as well as the will of the people for him to be king. Despite the temptation to take power, Washington thought of the people and not himself. Humility is the third key principle of Dead Horse Leadership.

George Washington had the respect of those he was elected to lead. He led by example and from in front and he did so humbly. Today’s business and political leaders would do well to adopt his commitment to Dead Horse Leadership.

I’ll close with a poem entitled “Sermons We See” by the poet Edgar Guest:

I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day;
I’d rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way.
The eye’s a better pupil and more willing than the ear,
Fine counsel is confusing, but example’s always clear;
And the best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds,
For to see good put in action is what everybody needs.

I soon can learn to do it if you’ll let me see it done;
I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run.
And the lecture you deliver may be very wise and true,
But I’d rather get my lessons by observing what you do;
For I might misunderstand you and the high advice you give,
But there’s no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.

When I see a deed of kindness, I am eager to be kind.
When a weaker brother stumbles and a strong man stays behind
Just to see if he can help him, then the wish grows strong in me
To become as big and thoughtful as I know that friend to be.
And all travelers can witness that the best of guides today
Is not the one who tells them, but the one who shows the way.

One good man teaches many, men believe what they behold;
One deed of kindness noticed is worth forty that are told.
Who stands with men of honor learns to hold his honor dear,
For right living speaks a language which to every one is clear.
Though an able speaker charms me with his eloquence, I say,
I’d rather see a sermon than to hear one, any day.

Author Bio:
Gene Lambert has 30+ years balanced executive experience with large corporations. Gene has held Director positions with NEC, Zenith Data Systems and Avid Technology. He has been with a very successful small business, LexJet Corporation, since 2003.

What job did you have before you became an entrepreneur?  I was a Sales & Marketing Director at a Retirement & Assisted Living Community.

Why did you decide to leave your job?  Because it was time to start my own business, I always knew I would be an entrepreneur.

What was it like when you quit your job?  Actually it was very exciting and liberating.  My boss at the time was such a hypocrite, he would say one thing and do the other so he was in corporate’s good graces at all times.  He promised support and resources but we never saw them and going over his head didn’t work.  I was able to tell him off in a big way when I left and it felt really good.

How did you decide what business to start?   About 6 months prior to quitting I started seeing a local business coach who helped me determine the best business path and model for me at that time.

How did you prepare to start your business?  There was no preparation, one day I was working, the next I was an entrepreneur.  I did have contacts from a previous advertising sales job however that I started calling on plus I did a lot of networking and follow up!

What were some of the challenges you faced in your early years as an entrepreneur?  Figuring out how to charge for my services, how to sell them and I also had challenges with getting it all done, wearing so many hats.

What do you most like about what you’re doing today?  I absolutely LOVE what I do now.  I get to inspire, educate and motivate so many women entrepreneurs (and a few men!) to really go after what they want, charge what they’re worth and how to attract 100% of the right clients.  Hearing my client’s success stories and watching their confidence increase is what I thrive on.

Would you ever return to a corporate job?  No, No, Never with a Hell No in there!  I have NO PLAN B.

If you were starting over today, is there anything you would do differently?  Well the online technology and marketing opportunities are quite different now than they were then so I would invest more in my online presence and systems for one.  I would also hire more appropriate and effective assistants right off the bat so I could get more done faster, reaching more people faster, therefore making more sales faster.

What advice do you have for others who may be considering leaving their jobs behind and starting a business?  Besides the obvious advice of ‘You can do anything you want’, you just need to learn how to set up, build and market the business the right way from the start so you don’t waste time or money.  I also have some clients in this position now and I typically recommend that unless they have a good savings for 6 months or so, to stay in their job until they can consistently bring in at least half of the amount of money they bring in each month from their business, take home money, not gross paycheck amount.

Is there anything else you would like to add?  The three things that I can see now that helped to get me where I am today which is a multiple six-figure entrepreneur, are:

1. Believe – You’ve got to believe and have faith in yourself and what you’re doing 100% no matter what in order to be completely successful.
2. Invest – You want to continually invest in yourself, your learning, self-development, business training, mentors and more to stay ahead of the pack.
3. Give – You want to give freely of your advice, resources, knowledge and more as the more you give, the more you receive.

That’s become my motto in a way for many of my programs on how to Live B.I.G.

Additionally, some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way include:

• Failure is eminent without faith in self – For success to come to you, you have to have complete faith and confidence in yourself, your abilities, products, services and everything you’re meant to do.
• Go with your gut – This is about taking inspired action and listening to your intuition, gut or calling of whatever source you listen to and acting on those feelings instead of pushing them aside or ignoring them.
• Cultivating relationships is the only way to be known – Never being too busy to connect one-on-one in one way or another can keep you grounded to your inner authenticity and it will show, attracting others to you.
• Leap first, then ask questions – I’ve found that too much planning leads to failure to launch so I tend to build the plane while I’m flying it for most things I do.
• Give first, share always – This is the main motto of an organization I belong to that I really enjoy, eWomenNetwork.com.
• Love is the key to complete happiness – You don’t want to only focus on making money in your business, often times you want to spend time cultivating your love relationships, the love for yourself, love for what you’re doing and having a loving environment will support you along your journey.
• Leverage is the key to freedom – Having systems and a good, dependable, knowledgeable team is the only way to getting more done and achieving your goals.
• Power of the mastermind can catapult your success by leaps and bounds – I would have never gotten to this level in my business without the guidance and support of the mastermind leaders and my peers along the way, they helped me think and play bigger, have more confidence in myself and more.

Bio:

Katrina Sawa is known as The JumpStart Your Biz Coach, working with women entrepreneurs to work smarter, not harder at developing their own passionate and profitable business.  She’s been featured on the Oprah Radio Network and her new book “Love Yourself Successful” is due out July, 2011.  Katrina has a radio show, video tips on YouTube and she speaks all over the U.S. at business conferences. For more information on Katrina and to get her 3 free gifts, go to www.JumpStartYourMarketing.com. 

These are the nominees for the Chevy Nova Award. This is given out in honor of the GM’s fiasco in trying to market this car in Central and South America. “No va” means, of course, in Spanish, “it doesn’t go”.
1. The Dairy Association’s huge success with the campaign “Got Milk?” prompted them to expand advertising to Mexico. It was soon brought to their attention the Spanish translation read “Are you lactating?”
2. Coors put its slogan, “Turn It Loose,” into Spanish, where it was read as “Suffer From Diarrhea.”
3. Scandinavian vacuum manufacturer Electrolux used the following in an American campaign: ”Nothing sucks like an Electrolux.”
4. Clairol introduced the “Mist Stick,” a curling iron, into Germany only to find out that “mist” is slang for manure. Not too many people had use for the “Manure Stick.”
5. When Gerber started selling baby food in Africa, they used the same packaging as in the US, with the smiling baby on the label. Later they learned that in Africa, companies routinely put pictures on the labels of what’s inside, since many people can’t read.
6. Colgate introduced a toothpaste in France called Cue, the name of a notorious porno magazine.
7. An American T-shirt maker in Miami printed shirts for the Spanish market which promoted the Pope’s visit. Instead of “I saw the Pope” (el Papa), the shirts read “I Saw the Potato” (la papa).
8. Pepsi’s “Come Alive With the Pepsi Generation” translated into “Pepsi Brings Your Ancestors Back From the Grave” in Chinese.
9. The Coca-Cola name in China was first read as “Kekoukela”, meaning “Bite the wax tadpole” or ”female horse stuffed with wax”, depending on the dialect. Coke then researched 40,000 characters to find a phonetic equivalent “kokou kole”, translating into “happiness in the mouth.”
10. Frank Perdue’s chicken slogan, “It takes a strong man to make a tender chicken” was translated into Spanish as “it takes an aroused man to make a chicken affectionate.”
11. When Parker Pen marketed a ball-point pen in Mexico, its ads were supposed to have read, “It won’t leak in your pocket and embarrass you.” The company thought that the word “embarazar” (to impregnate) meant to embarrass, so the ad read: “It won’t leak in your pocket and make you pregnant!”
12. When American Airlines wanted to advertise its new leather first class seats in the Mexican market, it translated its “Fly In Leather” campaign literally, which meant “Fly Naked” (vuela en cuero) in Spanish!

Author Bio:

Dori was born and raised in Havana, Cuba and is completely bilingual in Spanish, and fluent in French. In Cuba, she went to a bilingual school through her freshman year in high school and cannot remember whether she learned English or Spanish first. She holds an MA from Columbia University, NY in Early Childhood Education, and an AB from Vassar College, NY, Magna Cum Laude in Spanish Literature and spent her Junior Year abroad at University of Madrid. Dori lives in Northern California and is an accomplished equestrian and potter. www.DoriKaplan.com

1.     Vision

One of the first attributes of all successful entrepreneurs is having a clear vision.  The evidence of that is easy to see from the most successful companies – Microsoft, Berkshire Hathaway, Johnson and Johnson, and so it goes on.  If you’re an existing entrepreneur, what made you start the journey of being a business owner?  Make sure you haven’t moved away from that.  If you have, find it again and re-focus your long term goals.

2.     Plan

When was the last time you revisited your business plan, sales and marketing plan, communication plan and productivity plan.  Too many plans?  Most businesses take seven to 10 years to be “successful.”  Success is not an overnight event.  It may arrive quickly but it may arrive quickly because of the blood, sweat and tears it took to get there.

3.     Keep it real

… and in perspective.  It’s not your imagination that sales are down, customers don’t seem as happy as they used to be, employees are worried but as an entrepreneur “keep it real” till the dust settles and you can get back to it.

4.     People

I would suggest that no entrepreneur has been successful on their own.  It would be equally true, that all successful entrepreneurs developed to a very high degree, the ability to communicate and inspire a team that they led.  I would suggest this is even truer today because of the many layers to running a successful business.  The many layers of legal, accounting, sales, marketing and technology prevent one person from doing them all.  However, they do not prevent one person from hiring the brightest and best and building them into a powerful team.

5.     No is a word – not a destination

Keep looking for people to buy your product or service.  In a challenged economy they will be less and you are going to have to ask more people to get a yes.  That’s what sales is all about so keep selling.

And probably the one trait you will see on all the lists is – never give up.

Andrew Rogerson is a 5 time business owner and principal of Rogerson Business Services.  He specializes in consulting with those who want to buy and/or sell a business.   He is the author of four books on business ownership.  The titles are: Successfully Start Your Business, Successfully Buy Your Business, Successfully Buy Your Franchise and Successfully Sell Your Business.  For more information about Andrew, to sign up for his free monthly newsletter and to immediately download any of his books visit www.RogersonBusinessServices.com

What job did you have before you became an entrepreneur?

I was a director in the corporate world, running data modeling teams including statisticians, computer programmers and business analysts.

Why did you decide to leave your job?

I had plans to move to South America and I knew the company wasn’t going to keep me on when I am thousands of miles away for headquarters.  Additionally, I felt that the company was not making good use of my potential but they treated their employees very well and were willing to invest in training me.

What was it like when you quit your job?

The transition was gradual.  I started building my business on the side about a year before I left my company.  I had small contracts in non-competing industries but enough to start developing a client base.  By the time I left the corporate world, I had a few small contracts, some people who could vouch for my work, the details of running a business worked out and was on a plane to South America to live.  I gave my company a month’s notice so they had plenty of time and prepared a very detailed transition plan.  They were so pleased with how I handled the exit that they left the door open for me to return.

How did you decide what business to start?

My decision was constrained to my main skill set.  I knew I wanted to do something involving data analysis but didn’t know what industry.  I started networking with alum from my graduate school.   They had suggested I look into the pharmaceutical industry, where I could combine many of my skills (data analysis, health, finance).  From there I contacted as many people as possible in the industry until someone opened the door to a small contract.  Later I expanded into different industries and eventually to work in development.

How did you prepare to start your business?

I didn’t do enough preparation!  I should have read books about the key issues but instead I simply jumped in.  Over time, I acquired a good accountant, licenses by LLC, tracked my business expenses separately, got a URL, created nice business cards, went to conferences, obtained legal advice, etc.  At the beginning, I was just making phone calls out of my apartment and working on my home computer with no formal business arrangements to support my activities.

What were some of the challenges you faced in your early years as an entrepreneur?

At first, I struggled with the downtime.  When I was busy with a client, I was full on and they greatly appreciated the attention and turnaround time.  When I didn’t have active clients, it took some time to become comfortable with simply doing other things.  Eventually I learned to love that I could bike ride, go to museums, movies or spend time in cafes in the middle of the day…though I began wondering what were all those other people in the café doing to pay their bills?

What do you most like about what you’re doing today?

These days I have a hybrid life, with a full time position at a development organization and teaching at a top university.  The diversity of work is fantastic and continues to stimulate me intellectually, but I do miss those days of being able to relax and enjoy a book in the middle of the day.

Would ever return to a corporate job?

While not quite the corporate world, I did return to full-time employment 4 years ago.  I now work at a development organization full-time.  Eventually I will probably return to working for myself full-time.  As for working in a corporate setting, I would consider it if the opportunity was the right fit.  I love being my own boss but I very much missed the social aspect of being in an office setting – humans are social beings!

If you were starting over today, is there anything you would do differently?

I would have gone about the process of setting up the business much more systematically, starting with reading some entrepreneur books about key steps to take.  I gradually moved from someone who was informally working on the side to someone who was living off their own business and along the way probably was less professional than I should have been.  Creating a formal company, legal documents, business email address, website, business cards, etc. would all have been good things to have earlier in my business.  On the positive, I ran into a wonderful piece of good fortune in that sometime in my second year of business a huge client said to me, “we love your work and were wondering if we could get at least 50% of your time going forward.”  For the next four years, that client gave me a steady stream of interesting work which enabled me to earn twice what I had in the corporate world while working far less hours.  Because my work was almost entirely on my laptop, I could do all that while traveling around the world!

What advice do you have for others who may be considering leaving their jobs behind and starting a business?

Don’t be afraid to pursue your dreams but also don’t burn bridges.  I never imagined that I could double my earnings while working about half the number of hours, but that’s exactly what happened within two years of starting on my own.  If you leave the corporate world in the right way, they will welcome you back if you want to return.

Howard S. Friedman is a leading statistician and health economist for the United Nations. He serves as a scientist for the interagency collaboration among UNICEF, World Bank, World Health Organization, UNFPA, UNAIDS and UNDP for the development of the Unified Health Model, a project sponsored by the International Health Partnership. Friedman is also an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s School of Internationaland Public Affairs and the author of Competitive Intelligence (Prometheus Books, 2012). A world traveler, Friedman has trekked and lectured his way around over 50 countries. He speaks Chinese (Mandarin), Spanish and French and is often called upon to use both his language and public speaking skills in UN-sponsored and private consultations in Asia, Africa and in Europe. Friedman can also be found on Twitter, Facebook and his Huffington Post blog. 

After thirty years in sales, management and leadership, I’ve come to regard professional salespeople much like I do thoroughbred horses. They are magnificent, powerful and live to win. They can also be temperamental, high-strung and behave like prima donnas. Professional horse trainers have learned how to harness the full potential of their athletes:

• Constantly train them so they are ready to race and win.
• Develop a one on one relationship with them based on trust.
• Guide them to ever greater accomplishments.
• Reward them for superior performance.
• Give them focused attention and tender loving care to keep them on top of their game.

As a sales leader, I’ve found these same principles should be applied when helping my sales thoroughbreds. Note the key words in the bullets above. Training, development, guidance, rewards and focused attention are critical when helping sales professionals achieve their maximum career potential and personal happiness. However, those same words require a commitment of time and attention to your people. Is it even possible in today’s hyper-paced, ADD world? Yes it is. In fact, it has to be!

Giving your prime ponies what they need doesn’t require a huge investment of time. What it does require is 100% focus on each person, one at a time. You need to love the one you’re with, when you’re with them. Here are some methods I’ve found effective:

Dedicated personal time every day – Take 10 minutes of focused private time every day with each person on your team. Make this time sacred and ensure that everyone knows it’s sacred. No phones, no interruptions and no exceptions. I give my folks a code that has to be used when they break this rule. The first words out of their mouth must be “the house is on fire!”, or they better get the hell out of my office and leave us alone. They know I’ll commit to the same personal attention when I’m helping them.
This code means there is an emergency customer issue needing to be addressed. In this game, customer always trumps salesperson. No customers, no sales. If the salesperson is out in the field, do it on the phone and keep it as focused as if the person were in the room with you.

Ask how you can help them stay focused on sales today – I’ve always viewed the leadership role as me working for them, not vice versa. They are running a race. My job is to remove obstacles from the track so they can stay focused and win that race. They generate revenue. I’m overhead. I commit to take at least one non-revenue generating activity off their plate every day. It builds mutual respect and trust. Try it, it works!

The Top Five – ADD makes it difficult to concentrate and separate critical tasks from those that can wait. Help your people stay focused by identifying the top five things they need to get done today. Guide them toward the actions they’ll need to take to make good things happen. Will they get more than five things done per day? Of course they will. However, the top five will get them in the habit of “first things first.”

We entrust our salespeople with our greatest business asset, the customer. Happy, focused and loyal sales professionals create happy, focused and loyal customers. Therefore, when it comes to your thoroughbreds, be sure to always love the one you’re with right now.

Author Bio:
Gene Lambert is Director of Major Accounts for LexJet Corporation (www.lexjet.com).

Gene has 30+ years balanced executive experience with large corporations. Gene has held Director positions with NEC, Zenith Data Systems and Avid Technology. He has been a very successful small business, LexJet, since 2003.

Gene is currently working on his first book.