Redefining Yourself Through Entrepreneurship

By Aaron Kaplan                             

 

When we find ourselves experiencing a calamity such as a job loss that immediately changes the landscape of our life, we are often told that “everything happens for a reason, and something positive will ultimately come from this.”  As well-meaning and well-intentioned others may be in attempting to offer sympathetic gestures of support and ways to attach a more empowering and positive meaning to our present circumstances, the reality is that statements like those I just mentioned are the last thing one wants to hear in the midst of a life-altering crisis.  I know because I’ve been there myself.  But after surviving an unexpected job loss followed by an even unexpected divorce just a few short weeks later that ultimately brought me to Houston about a year ago, I am living proof that a lot of really great lemonade can be made from what may seem like not many quality lemons.

 

The reality is that losing a job, regardless of whatever stage one might be experiencing in their professional life, can truly be an opportunity of a lifetime to reconnect with their core authenticity and, thus, redefine themselves and their environment.  Entrepreneurship provides the process in which to accomplish that.

 

The path toward entrepreneurial success begins with an honest and forthright examination and clarification of your authentic values and needs.  Focusing on our values helps us recognize and apply our attention towards what matters most.  We can avoid getting hijacked by the things that happened in our past by setting the necessary boundaries and that focus generates positive energy necessary for the creative process.  Once we recognize what our authentic values and needs are, we can then align both our internal and external environments to reflect those values.

 

Have realistic expectations for how long it will take you to redefine yourself and achieve entrepreneurial success.  In all likelihood, it will take much longer than you initially thought and the process will also likely be more difficult than expected.  You will encounter yourself getting distracted by all of your other life responsibilities.  There will be moments when you will feel as though you are doing all of the necessary work but not receiving the expected reward.  These challenges are normal, so continue hanging in there and discover new and exciting ways to remain resilient.

 

Apply the GROW Model which stands for Goals, Reality, Options, and Willingness.  Ask yourself, “What is ultimately most important to you?  What is your current state of mind?  What will happen if you decide to do nothing?  What are the options you are considering, and what other options COULD you consider?”  And finally, “What are you willing to do?  What will your next actions be, and when specifically will you take those actions?”

 

Finally, as you embark upon your entrepreneurial endeavors that will ultimately redefine you and enable your true authenticity to manifest itself, always remember, regardless of what you may encounter, to always trust the process, trust your clients, and most importantly, trust yourself.  If you do, you will quickly discover that there is genuine truth behind the lyric from the song “Closing Time” which states “every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end”.

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Aaron Kaplan, Founder/Director of the Kaplan Project LLC, can be reached by phone at 832-831-9451, by email at AKaplan@thekaplanproject.com, or visit his website at www.thekaplanproject.com.

 

More at www.sbtmagazine.net

 

Converting Contacts to Customers:  Part 1

By Gail Stolzenburg

Like most entrepreneurs, I went to my first networking event with the idea that I would collect a lot of business cards of prospects for my business.  I approached the attendees with information on my products, my company, and myself, thinking that they would be excited about an opportunity to purchase my products or services.  What a rude awakening when I found that most people were just turned off.

It was a paradigm shift learning to begin by giving referrals or other gifts rather than asking for them.  I heard Zig Ziglar say, “You can get anything you want in this life if you just help enough other people get what they want”, but I was unaware that it applied to me.  One of the top sales trainers in the world, Brian Tracy, used to focus on the best closing techniques.  Now, he focuses on building trust and rapport.

There is a story about two radio stations.  The first is KIAAM and it stands for “Keep it all about me”, one of the biggest mistakes made in networking.  The other station is WIIFM which stands for “What’s in it for me”, what the person you’re talking with is thinking.  A good practice is to write out your anticipated conversation before networking then count the number of times you write “I” and “We” and change them to “You”.

One of my mentors, Dr. Ivan Misner, founder of BNI, says we should be listening 70% of the time and only talking 30% of the time.  And, the 30% of the time should be spent asking questions.  Some of the questions I ask are:  “What got you started in that line of work?  What do you enjoy best about it?  What is your greatest challenge?   Where else do you network? Is there someone here who you would like to meet?  What would be a good referral for you?  How do you market your business?  Would you like to attend other networking events?  I publish a list of networking events; would you like for me to send you that list?  I subscribe to an e-newsletter with valuable business building tips at no cost; would you like for me to send you the link?”

After learning something about each other, we can decide if we want to continue the conversation by setting up a meeting.  The cardinal rule of networking is to never try to sell someone, just share information and see if there’s a reason to continue the conversation later.

After saying hello, the most asked question is, “What do you do?”  Most people say they are a banker, realtor®, insurance agent, salesman, etc. and the conversation stops.  That is what they are rather than what they do.  To keep the conversation going, I use these magic words from best-selling author and networking trainer Tom “Big Al” Schreiter:  “Do you know how…most busy entrepreneurs have little time for optimum health?  Well what I do is…show them three ways to get and stay healthy in 15 minutes a day.”  You can develop your own answer by just filling in the blanks.

Would you join me in committing to never “upchuck” on someone while networking?  In our next article, we will cover what you can do and say at your first one-to-one meeting to begin converting your contact to a customer.

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Gail Stolzenburg, Chief People Connector, can be contacted by email at Gail@GailStolzenburg.com, by phone at 281-493-1955, or visit his website at www.GailStolzenburg.com.

For More of these columns and tips go to http://sbtmagazine.net/

Giving Back:  An Expectation, Not an Option

By Aimee Woodall, Owner of the Black Sheep Agency

Including a substantial giving component into your branding strategy is no longer an option — it is an expectation.  Just look at the success of brands like TOMS, Warby Parker, and FEED, all of which incorporate giving into nearly everything they do.  Consumers are increasingly more conscious about issues that are important to them and they want to know the products and services they use are making a difference.

I encourage everyone to not view giving back as something a brand should do but something a brand must do.  And companies should not only take note­, they should take ACTION, because it’s good business and it’s also good for the world.

Here are five tips for incorporating a giving strategy into a brand:

1. Look to your community.

To incorporate a giving portion into any strategy, you should first take a look around you at those who are already doing good in your community.  What are the local organizations, clubs, and institutions that are serving the area and how can you get involved?  We are ALL stronger and can do more when we collaborate.

2. Devote substantial time to focus on giving back.

For any giving strategy to REALLY make a difference, you should build in enough time to think critically about your approach and what you want to ultimately accomplish.  Sponsoring a little league team, writing a check, or donating a silent auction item isn’t enough.  An effective giving strategy needs to have targeted, well thought out goals.

3. Keep your giving strategy consistent with brand voice.

Let’s say, for example, your client owns a restaurant that serves delicious, fried, artery-clogging treats.  Should they be giving money to help eradicate heart disease?  Well, probably not.  That looks kind of funny.  Instead, identify a cause that is connected to your brand or one that your client is passionate about.  This will help consumers understand WHY the brand is investing time into giving back to a cause.

4. Consider creating a standardized giving program.

If you LOVE to give back to the community, it may be hard at times for you to say no to worthy causes that come knocking at your door.  Creating an organized system that will allow you to filter through requests and find those that are most appropriate for your organization is critical.  Not only will it help you avoid wasting time on opportunities that don’t “fit” with your company, it will also help you maintain a positive relationship with the requestor by clearly defining your decision-making criteria. 

5. Don’t fake it.

Consumers are smart.  They can pick out a brand that isn’t fully invested in a giving strategy or is doing it solely for recognition.  The best way to avoid coming across as fake is to choose a mission you sincerely care about.  There are no one-size-fits-all plans for giving back.  Make it work the best way you can.

Giving back is no longer an option.  I intend for my business to be on the forefront of what marketing agencies are doing to foster this movement.  That is why I made the commitment to require a substantial giving component as a part of every marketing strategy my company develops and I encourage every company to do the same.

Aimee Woodall is the owner of the Black Sheep Agency, a Houston-based creative agency specializing in non-traditional public relations, social media, and experiential marketing. Whether the client is a nonprofit already doing amazing work in the community, a small business that has a cause-driven mission, or a larger company that wants to connect with consumers by giving back, the Black Sheep Agency has a commitment to propel positive change through the work they do with their clients.  Contact Amy by phone at 832-971-7725, by email at aimee@theblacksheepagency.com, or visit the website at www.theblacksheepagency.com.

From the Publisher

Steve Levine

Who Is In Your Corner?

Anyone who is familiar with me knows that one of my favorite movie series is “Rocky” (I, II, III, IV, & V) which starred Sylvester Stallone as Rocky, Talia Shire as Adrian, Burgess Meredith as Mickey, Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed, and Burt Young as Paulie.

Small-time boxer Rocky Balboa gets a rare chance to take on the heavyweight champions of the world.  From the beginning as an unknown fighter, Rocky (literally) “fights” his way to become a champion with the help of his manager/trainer Mickey, the prayers from his priest Father Carmine (played by Paul Micale), the encouragement from his friend Paulie, and the inspiration from his girlfriend Adrian (Paulie’s younger sister who later becomes Rocky’s wife in “Rocky II”).

All of these characters were “in Rocky’s corner” and helped him achieve greatness. In “Rocky III”, Mickey suffers a heart attack and Rocky’s opponent from “Rocky I & II”, Apollo Creed, steps in to take over as his coach, trainer, mentor, and friend.  There were other characters that were ringside during the fights and each had a role to play in Rocky’s success and bringing him back from defeat.

Where I am going with all of this has to do with what I have learned from our cover honorees: 

1. No one accomplishes greatness on their own.
2. There is always a team of people that encourage us to achieve our goals and dreams.

For me, they are my partners Barbara Davis-Levine and John Cruise, our Publisher’s Advisory Board members, my many friends and mentors (like Marshall Haas, Ruben Gonzalez, and John Duffy), and my new coach and mentor who is this month’s cover honoree, Howard Partridge of Phenomenal Products and Howard Partridge Roundtables.

I met Howard at a Women’s Council of Realtors® Luncheon in 2005.  I had the opportunity to share his story and the story of his (now) multimillion dollar “turnkey” business, “Clean as a Whistle” in a November 2006 issue of “REAL ESTATE EXECUTIVE”.

When my partner John Cruise came to me with the idea of us producing a publication for and about aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners, Howard was the first person who came to my mind as a potential cover honoree.

Howard is one of the most positive, motivating, and knowledgeable people I know who also shares the same passion that we do for empowering small business owners to achieve their dreams of big business success.  It made sense to not only have Howard nominated for a cover honor but also added to the Publisher’s Advisory Board and included as a monthly columnist.  He truly understands our mission and shares our passion. You will enjoy his story!

Speaking about “teams”, I am very proud to announce the newest members of the SBT “TEAM”, Maria Deborah DuBose/Business Development, Jim Johnson/Business Development, and our new intern from the University of Houston, (Advertising Major) Jesus Gonzalez.

With these new members of the team, I know that we are bound for greatness!

“Yo, Adrian!”

Good Reading, Good Sales, & Success to You!

Warm Regards,

Steve Levine

SBT President/Executive Publisher