Year End Podcast: New Years Resolutions and Knowing When to Quit and When to Persevere
December 31, 2006
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The BizPlanHacks Podcast
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Greg Balanko-Dickson is an author, business performance coach, and entrepreneur who publishes the following podcasts and blogs:
- Business Performance Coaching: http://www.sbishere.com/
- March to Impact a Million Entrepreneurs (Greg’s Personal Blog): http://web.mac.com/gregbd/iWeb/MindOverBusinessSite/Home.html
- Small Business Unplugged: http://www.smallbizunplugged.ca/
- Biz Plan Hacks: http://bizplanhacks.com/
- Podcast: Buying a Business Podcast: http://www.sbishere.com/buyingabusiness/
- Podcast: Daily Thoughts for Business: http://www.dailythoughtsforbusiness.com/
Global Entrepreneurship Study by Mastercard
December 29, 2006
This is a pretty darn interesting study from MasterCard, titled the “Worldwide Annual Global Small Business Survey” (press release here) shows that:
Small business owners in the USA find the business climate more favourable and are more optimistic than average. They are also more optimistic than other nationalities about meeting their financial goals and the future outlook for their business. Views on globalization are similar to the global findings, as are motivations for running their own business. They are particularly likely to find running their own business fulfilling. They work an average of 52 hours a week but only 9 of these hours are spent doing administrative tasks. Cost increases are seen to be the key challenge for the coming year. Via page 29 Worldwide Annual Global Small Business Survey
Countries Included
The survey was conducted in the United States, United Kingdom, Mexico, France, Brazil, China, Hong Kong and Australia and has a pretty accurate statistical accuracy. You can download the full report (PDF) by clicking here.
Opportunity
Looks like there is an opportunity among growing small businesses with 10 or more employees for software companies, services, and tools that can help business owners reduce the amount of time they spend on small business administration.
There is a direct correlation between the number of hours small business owners spend on administration and the number of employees they manage. Sole business owners spend 7 hours on administrative tasks weekly, while those with 2 – 9 employees spend an average of 18 hours a week on administration. Owners with 10 or more employees spend and average of 31 hours on administration each week.
Pursuit of Happyness Fails to Adequately Portray a Lifetime of Achievement
December 28, 2006
Today, I saw the movie The Pursuit of Happiness, the movie stars Will Smith and his son. It chronicles the story of Chris Gardner, a single father, working to rise above his circumstances and homelessness to build a life and a future for his him and his son.
I had high expectations for this hollywood movie, Will Smith did an excellent job in the role and as Executive Producer of the film. I have to admit to being somewhat disappointed in the films ending. See, the film ends with Chris Gardner being selected as the lone candidate to become a stock broker at Dean Witter. Then text appears at the end of the movie stating that Chris sold a minority stake in Gardner Rich in a multimillion dollar deal.
My disappointment has nothing to do with Chris Gardner or his achievement which is inspiring, noteworthy, and the story a real father struggling to find a better way.
I am disappointed in the writers and producers missing the opportunity to give us insights into the mental discipline, challenge, and sheer will it took for Gardner to keep moving forward despite significant obstacles.
Certainly the struggle is portrayed in Will Smith’s portrayal on the big screen, but there is so much more that could have been portrayed. I guess for those observations and lessons we will have to read Chris Gardners’ book or listen to his audio book “The Pursuit of Happyness”.
Success Is a Long Road
The challenge in the retelling of any story, especially this one, is the 26 years it took Chris Gardner to reach the level of success he now enjoys.
The movie is a great in that it recognizes what it takes to overcome the limitations that society and others can place on us. Success is a long road marked by sleepless nights, hard work, and the courage to get up every morning.
To will oneself to persist and in Chris Gardners’ case, making the decision to keep facing rejection in every “cold” call.
Five Percent
Just a five-percent chance, those were the odds that Chris Gardner could become a stock broker. See, Gardner had just a 1 in 20 shot - since they only selected one of the 20 interns - had to overcome numerous obstacles and challenges over a six month period to win the opportunity to become a stock broker.
I just downloaded the “The Pursuit of Happyness” audio book and can say that having listened to the first 40 minutes - can tell you that the book is superior to the movie and much more worthy of your time and money.
For example, in the book Chris Gardner talks about a life-changing conversation with his Mother at age 16 which is not revealed in the movie story line.
Passion: I am still listening to the audio book, I imagine that Chris Gardner had an intense desire to succeed.
“Long life is indeed a blessing, but maybe we overdo our concern for the length of our lives and give insufficient attention to the passion we bring to whatever time we have.” - Thomas Moore
Drive: Having the innate determination and ambition is something Chris Gardner had in bushels.
“There are certain emotions that will kill your drive; frustration and confusion. You can change these to a positive force. Frustration means you are on the verge of a breakthrough. Confusion can mean you are about to learn something. Expect the breakthrough and expect to learn.” - Kathleen Spike
Character: I sense that Gardner had unusual moral strength, integrity, and fortitude to have attained the level of success he had in an ultra-competitive industry.
“You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one.” - James A. Froude
Questions To Focus Your Passion, Drive, and Character
- Why are you in business?
- What do you care about and why do you care?
- What are you passionate about?
- What have you learned and how are you applying what you have learned?
- How can you control your emotions of frustration and confusion today and protect your drive?
I Prefer Chris Gardner’s Audio Book
If you want to glean Chris Gardner’s life lessons and background that influenced him do yourself a favor, buy the audio book. For example, a big lesson Chris learned was something he names as “stillness” in the face of scary forces facing him. A fascinating story you just have to hear.
The Z-List Meme Grows Again
December 24, 2006
I have been noticing this meme and spotted myself included from Phil Gerbyshak’s blog, Make It Great! So I took his list and added to it with people that have linked to me that were not on the list.
Bottom line, here are a bunch of blogs worthy of a visit and if I included your blog take my list and add to it with people who are linking to your blog but are not on my list. You will pass around the link love and we will get a chance to meet some people we do not yet know. 
Make It Great! with Phil Gerbyshak
Passion for Good Customer Experience
Ramblings from a Glass Half Full
Ajay - On The Road Called Life
Liz Strauss at Successful Bloggers
Small Business Branding and Marketing
Ramblings from a Glass Half Full
Thoughts Philosophies
Creative Think
Soloride
Movie Marketing Madness
Blog Till You Drop!
Get Shouty!
One Reader at a Time
100 Bloggers
Critical Fluff
The New PR
Own Your Brand!
OTOInsights
bizandbuzz
Work, in Plain English
Buzz Canuck
New Millenium PR
Pardon My French
The Instigator Blog
AENDirect
Diva Marketing
Marketing Hipster
The Marketing Minute
Funny Business
The Frager Factor
Mindblob
OrbitNow!
Open The Dialogue
Word Sell
Note to CMO:
That’s Great Marketing!
Shotgun Marketing Blog
BrandSizzle
bizsolutionsplus
Customers Rock!
Being Peter Kim
Andy Nulman
Billions With Zero Knowledge
Working at Home on the Internet
MapleLeaf 2.0
Darren Barefoot Two Hat Marketing
The Engaging Brand
The Branding Blog
CrapHammer
Drew’s Marketing Minute
Golden Practices
Viaspire
Tell Ten Friends
Flooring the Consumer
Kinetic Ideas
Unconventional Thinking
Buzzoodle
Conversation Agent
The Copywriting Maven
Hee-Haw Marketing
Scott Burkett’s Pothole on the Infobahn
Multi-Cult Classics
Logic + Emotion
Branding & Marketing
Carpe Factum
Steve’s 2 Cents
Simplicity
Popcorn n Roses
On Influence & Automation
Servant of Chaos
converstations
eSoup
Presentation Zen
Dmitry Linkov
aialone
Urban Jacksonville
John Wagner
Nick Rice
CKs Blog
Design Sojourn
Frozen Puck
The Sartorialist
Small Surfaces
Africa Unchained
Perspective
gDiapers
Marketing Nirvana
Bob Sutton
¡Hola! Oi! Hi!
Shut Up and Drink the Kool-Aid!
Women, Art, Life: Weaving It All Together
Community Guy
Social Media on the fly
Jeremy Latham’s Blog
SMogger Social Media Blog
Masey.com
Many Nuggets of Wisdom In Pursuit of Happyness
December 23, 2006
I know I said I would be taking a break from blogging over the holidays, but I was playing around on youtube and found this video that I just had to share. See my favorite quotes from this clip below the movie.
If you only see one movie this holiday season, make it The Pursuit of Happyness.
My favorite quote from this interview:
“What is so amazing about this film, that I connect strongly to and have this in common, the idea that we both believe that our desires and our commitment to the ideas of our future are all that matter.” - Will Smith
My second favorite quote from this interview:
“Being realistic is the most commonly traveled road to mediocrity.
There is no Plan ‘B’” - Will Smith
What do you want? Have you made up your mind?
A Trailer from the Movie
“You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can’t do something themselves, they want to tell you can’t do it. You want something, go get it, period.” from the Movie “The Pursuit of Happyness”
Year End and Holiday Break
December 22, 2006
I will begin podcasting again January 8, 2007, stay subscribed, I have many things planned for the New Year that you will not want to miss.
Five questions for your year end review:
Where have I grown?
What's wqorked for me this year and been something I need to continue to do?
What do I need to stop doing because it is not working?
What have I learned that I need to start doing?
What do I want to focus on for 2007?
MP3 File
Generational Values Shift Spells Workplace Change
December 19, 2006
View All Posts Tagged: Demographics
Demographics trends impact our society and business and we are living in a very unique time in history with 66% of baby boomer business owners stating that they plan to retire in the next 10 years. (Source: CICA) which in itself is a significant shift in the workplace. In addition, the baby boomers kids hold diferent values and expectations from their work. Take a look at these three articles:
Gen Y: These Young People Know What They Want
Struggling to hire 17-29 year olds (echo boomers)? Business owners and entrepreneurs better wake up and smell the coffee, times have changed and the youth of today do not think like you would expect. Via Gen Y: These Young People Know What They Want
Hiring Best Practice: Why Should I Work For You?
I think that an enlightened perspective on employing people is viewing them more as partners in success than employees you hired to do a job for you. Dave Rothacker asked the question, “Why should I work for you?” and his answers reveal an enlightened perspective, that I think is a sign of Workplace Relations 3.0. Via Hiring Best Practice: Why Should I Work For You?
Generational Expectations In the Workplace
It was just yesterday that I wrote “Gen Y: These Young People Know What They Want” and Jeff Cornwall comes out with a great post that contrasts the Baby Boomers and Echo Boomers (baby boomers kids) expectations, values, and ethics. VIA Generational Differences in Expectations Of The Workplace
What is your company doing to adjust to these changes in your workforce?
Article Series - Hiring Great Employees
- Recruiting & Interview Techniques
- The Secret To Hiring Sales People!
- 15 Performance Evaluation Tips & Interview Questions
- Avoid Bad Hiring Decisions
- How Incentives Become the Lightning Bolt to Performance
- Keeping your top employees - create a captivating corporate culture!
- Generational Values Shift Spells Workplace Change
- Gen Y Asking: Why Bother with Corporate America?
- Majority of Small Businesses Recruiting Older More Experienced Workers
What Business Can Learn From The Music Industry
December 19, 2006
I saw this story and just had to write about it. We really need to start doing a better job of mentoring and encouraging young entrepreneurs…
A great story in the Ottawa Citizen titled “Taking care of business: Rock icon takes teen under wing” cites the story of Randy Bachman mentoring and co-producing the first album of 17-year-old Lindsay Ell of Calgary. Via Why doesn’t this happen in the business world?
How can we be more creative helping young entrepreneurs to get started?
Success on Shoestring Wayne Hurlbert Interviews Anita Campbell
December 19, 2006
Wayne Hurlbert, of Blog Business World is a longtime blogger who has started a podcast titled Blog Business Success. He recently interviewed Anita Campbell about “Success on Shoestring”.
Useful Information Shared
Anita shared some useful information including:
- Become Authoritative Voice: Anita commented on Technorati data that said that the Authoritative blogs posted an average of twice daily. This is a tough goal to come by consistently especially if you are going to follow Anita’s advice listed next, original posts.
- Be Original: Write mostly original posts.
- Build a House Email List: reuse your most popular posts and email them to subscribers to build community and bring them back.
On the podcast Anita mentioned that the more you try to sell the less persuasive you will be. Give people information and something of value and use a soft sell approach to selling yourself on your blog. She also suggested using a commercial email marketing service like Constant Contact and I agree. There is no reason to maintain your own email server system when a company like Constant Contact has such an affordable solution.
Room for Improvement
Wayne has strong interview skills which makes it easy to be a good and informative guest. I would like to see the dead air cleaned up prior to making the podcast public and hear a bit more of Wayne’s personality come through in the show. Moving from blogging to podcasting is not easy and I know how hard it was for me to be more expressive and natural on my podcasts.
Overall, Wayne is off to a great start.
Discipline: The Lesser Known Business Skill
December 18, 2006
"The great end of education is to discipline rather than to furnish the mind; to train it to the use of its own powers, rather than fill it with the accumulation of others." - Tyron Edwards
Make It Great! Book: http://www.makeitgreat.org/
Business Pundit: http://www.businesspundit.com/50226711/selfdiscipline_matters_more_than_iq.php
MP3 File
Discipline The Lesser Known Business Skill
December 18, 2006
“The great end of education is to discipline rather than to furnish the mind; to train it to the use of its own powers, rather than fill it with the accumulation of others.” - Tyron EdwardsWhile searching for article ideas I came across an interesting post at The Path to Abundance where Benjamin states “Freedom is being able to get yourself to do what you need to do when you need to do it.” Via SmallBizUnplugged.ca
Success Is A Long Road
December 18, 2006
In the entertainment world of TV, movies, and some professional speakers, success seems as simple as applying their list of ‘distinctions’ and you are all set.
Rarely does it actually work that way, in fact, when you look deeply at people who have seemed to sprung up from nowhere to somewhere success has been a long road. The title of a post at BizInformer caught my eye “The Pursuit of Happyness”:
Well today a movie based on a true story opens up called The Pursuit of Happyness. The story of one man who has a dream and a list of seemingly insurmountable obstacles in his way.
No matter what challenges the main character, played by Will Smith, encounters, he faces them head on and with a calm, positive demeanor. Via BizInformer
This movie has been well publicized but few know that they story behind “The Pursuit of Happyness” is based on the real life story of Chris Gardner. This is a movie that I want to take my son to because of the fact that it is based on a true story and provides a more realistic perspective of what it takes to achieve ones dreams (I hope) because it is based on the real life story of a man who never quit. [Learn more about Chris Gardner at Fortune.com]
People are responding to his story. A table in Gardner’s office is piled six inches high with letters - offers to speak, requests for political donations, and pleas for help from people who feel they can relate to Gardner’s past. On occasion, Gardner will pick up the phone and call someone who has written in about a personal crisis.
“I find myself saying over and over: ‘Baby steps count. But you’ve always got to be moving forward,’ ” says Gardner, who usually limits his assistance to phone calls because he says hope is sometimes all another person needs.
I love that quote:
“Baby steps count. But you’ve always got to be moving forward.” Chris Gardner
What baby steps are you taking today? How can we raise our awareness to make sure that we are always moving forward?
Share your thoughts and ideas. How will you make 2007 different than 2006?
Software for Your Brain
December 15, 2006
"You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you." - James Allen
MP3 File
Software for Your Brain
December 15, 2006
This post has been moved to ceoRadar.com
Does your business accomodate your life?
December 15, 2006
Thanks to Success from the Nest I have a new blog that I have added to my RSS reading list, Escape from Cubicle Nation.
It is possible to have a great business and not spend all your time working. It is up to you to design it that way, then have the willpower to stick to your plans, despite temptation. Via Escape from Cubicle Nation
What I like about Pamela’s “Avoid becoming the stressed-out, overworked entrepreneur” post, is the effort she made in writing a complete article, for example:
“There is a difference between working hard to build your business and running yourself into the ground… here are some things that may help pull you back out (or avoid altogether, if you haven’t started up yet)”
I especially like her first two points 1. Price your services appropriately. 2. Schedule in time to work on your business.
Over on my Biz Plan Hacks blog I wrote an article, “How Do I Set A Profitable Hourly Rate To Charge For My Services?” so you know why I like the point Pamela makes. Plus the “Eleven Traits & Attributes Of Entrepreneurs” and point number ten states that “[entrepreneurs]…know they cannot do it all themselves.”
Many entrepreneurs are already doing those things and are tired and weary despite their best efforts. What are they to do? Here is my list:
- Time Audit: conduct a time audit to see where you are spending your time and energy and look for ways to improve.
- Develop New Habits: developing new habits that will help you move forward. Pick something that bugs you about the way you operate the business and change it. Pick an area that will require a change in your schedule, process, or method. Then turn it into a new habit.
- Reward Yourself: when was the last time you took a holiday? If you think you cannot afford to take a holiday then you likely really need one. Get a fellow entrepreneur or friend to look in on your business or manage it for you when you are away. Then you can reciprocate for him/her.
- Renew Your Vision: when you started your business you were excited and passionate about what you were going to do and how you were going to do it. Building a new vision for your business will invigorate and refocus your staff and yourself.
5 Things You Do Not Know About Me and Tag Your It!
December 13, 2006
Remember playing tag when you were a kid? Now we got a blogging version of tag. Thanks to Success from the Nest for tagging me (cool shaman story). First, I tell you 5 things you did not know about me and then I tag 5 others. Here goes:
- First Full-Time Job: Had it not been for a severe allergy to petroleum products I might have been a mechanic. I signed my apprenticeship in Grade 12 with L & G Auto, I was pretty good, used to fix my friends cars.
- Bill Collector: For a short period I was a bill collector. We had so much turnover that I was collection supervisor within 6 months, so much for the benefits of being the last man standing. I sure learned a lot about the money side of business.
- Wedding Photographer: I had a hobby business doing wedding photos. Hard work it is.
- I Was Retired at 32: For about two years. When they say that retirement is like a week full of Saturdays to shop till you drop, they are right. I found it boring but eventually got involved with charity work to keep busy.
- Honors in Shop -Grade 7: I was an honors student in shop in Grade 7, it changed my life and this is where I learned how to learn.
I am tagging (check them out) Jennifer Koretsky, Ben Yoskovitz, Anita Campbell, and George Ambler.
How to Overcome the Firefighter Syndrome
December 12, 2006
"If we allow our emotions to deplete our energy, we have no energy to change our life or to give to others." Don Miguel Ruiz
MP3 File
Book Review Incentives & Book Hooking
December 12, 2006
I was reading over at my buddy Phil Gerbyshak’s blog about the new Duct Tape book. Phil always has the best of intentions so I am not critical of Phil’s mention of Jantsch’s book. But it got me thinking and I put two and two together and found a bug in my soup.
What bugs me is how some publishers require their authors to endorse each others books. I call that “Book Hooking”.
How It Works
As you know when a book is published it contains endorsements and “testimonials” but did you know that some publishers force their authors to write testimonials and endorsements?
Next time you are in a book store look at the major authors, note the publisher and look for another book by the same company and I bet you will find the same authors endorsing each others books or at least the same authors doing a bunch of endorsements.
It is an amazing coincidence that you find the same people endorsing others books and products. Hmm… in the Internet Marketing world the relationships can be quite a bit more incestuous in that one marketer promotes someones work and reciprocation is expected. Is it just me or does this seem just a bit untoward and inappropriate?
For example, whenever I see Michael Gerber endorse a book, I see red flags instantly. IMO his original book The E-Myth was basically a giant brochure that did a great job of defining the problem but lacked any real solutions to these very real problems. The newest printing of Gerber’s book is better but still lacks the details you need to solve your problems.
I will admit that the problems Gerber outlines in his book are complex. I guess to get his solutions you have to buy one of his other programs or enroll in his classes or coaching.
Instead of trying to write an all encompassing encyclopedia on a broad business topic, why not focus on one specific issue, provide the information, tools and resources so that small business owners can get down to business and fix things?
Do you think there is a market for those types of books?
How to Overcome the Firefighter Syndrome
December 11, 2006
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“If we allow our emotions to deplete our energy, we have no energy to change our life or to give to others.” - Don Miguel Ruiz
Listen To The Podcast
How many times have you heard this phrase? “Don’t work in the business, work on it.”
I bet you have heard that phrase more than you care to remember. I am also pretty confident that when you hear that phrase you roll your eyes, flinch or groan in frustration, because you know you should be working on the business and yet it is still a challenge.
So why it is such a challenge for to do something we know we ought to do? I have discovered a factor that might explain why it is such a struggle for some entrepreneurs.
Before I get into that, I want to make an important point.
While it is true that we need to be working on the business, the truth is that in order to be able to do so the effectiveness of the business has to increase so you can pay someone to do your work while paying yourself to work on the business.
Back to the challenge of working on your business.
When I see business owners who are unable to work on their business it is typically due to one or more factors:
1) Emotional Energy Drain: When we are feeling a lot of stress we use various tactics to cope with the source of the stress by ignoring it, working harder, or we ‘feel’ just let the stress run amuck which which drains us of our energy, enthusiasm and eventually wears us out until we have nothing left to give.
2) Anger, Anxiety & Frustration: Indulge in these emotions is like poking your life raft with a sharp stick over and over again. The more you indulge these emotions the more energy leaks out. Anxiety is a sign that you have something you may be trying to hide from, you left something important incomplete, or you are hoping some unresolved problem just goes away.
3) Exhausted from Putting Out Fires: you are a one man fire fighting team. You have perfectionist tendencies sometimes getting in the middle of an employees task to “show them how to do it the right way.” You run and run and run until you are all pooped out.
When we allow things to escalate or continue without resolving them we deplete our energy and our will is simply not strong enough to stir us into action. We are trying to draw water from an empty vessel.
As Don Miguel Ruiz said in our quote: “If we allow our emotions to deplete our energy, we have no energy to change our life or to give to others.”
Here is a do-it-yourself idea that will help clear the decks and stop the energy leaks.
Mind over Matter Overhaul (Thoughts and Feelings)
Create a list of your values, beliefs, morals, ethics, and principles that you hold as true for you.
Make a list of at least three items for each of the five elements, focus on those that empower and invigorate you. When you experience stinkin’ thinkin’ review your lists and think about them until you run across one that contradicts your stinkin’ thinkin’ and replace it with the empowering one.
I suggest that you read this list every morning and you will find over time that your stinkin’ thinkin’ will disappear and be replaced with positive, empowering, and supportive thoughts that move you toward your goals, objectives, and dreams.
Coaching Available
If this describes your situation, job one is to eliminate the energy drain or plug the leak using the Mind Over Matter Overhaul technique. This approach is not a quick fix and takes persistence, repetition, and practice to be totally free of the emotional baggage that affects your performance. Keep at it and if you would like some support or coaching just let me know.
I can say that once you become aware of the energy drain and begin to deal with it you will begin to make the transformation from feeling drained to feeling invigorated and balanced.
Articles by Greg Balanko-Dickson Elsewhere This Week
December 9, 2006
Here are 10 articles I wrote on my other blogs this week.
From my blog SmallBizUnplugged.com
- SME’s Increase Sales & Productivity With Technology
- Canadian Accountants Say Two-Thirds SME Business Owners Retire Next Decade: I Say Buy a Business!
- Resource: Startup Business Registration Process
- CFIB Partners to Create Online Management Course
- 12 Steps to Starting a Business
From my Blog BizPlanHacks.com
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Getting the Price Right
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My Books on Amazon
