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

Your Brand Is Your Business

By Terry C. Bruner, Attorney at Law

People often ask me about the importance of trademarking business or trade names. More than a few of them express the sentiment that protecting names, slogans, and logos is really “much ado about nothing”. I hear every excuse from “It is unlikely that anyone would steal a logo” to “Even if that did occur, the harm for doing so would really be minimal”. As both a lawyer and entrepreneur, I doth protest, and rather vehemently so!

The truth is that for a relatively small cost, business owners can protect their hard work, brand name, reputation, and creativity through the federal trademarking process. Small businesses comprise the vast majority of trademark infringement victims. Most infringers take the calculated risk of targeting innovative smaller companies because they believe the victims will either a) not take the time to register their names and logos, or b) not affirmatively fight for their rights should an infringement occur. Either scenario is disturbing since it need not be the case. The cost and process for protecting your brand pales in comparison to the injury to your intellectual property when an infringer appropriates your hard work and essentially commits business identity theft.

According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO), the two primary types of marks that can be registered are:

·        Trademarks - Used by their owners to identify goods (physical commodities) which may be natural, manufactured, or produced, and which are sold or otherwise transported or distributed via interstate commerce.

·        Service Marks - Used by their owners to identify services (intangible activities) which are performed by one person for the benefit of a person or persons other than himself, either for pay or otherwise.

A federal trademark gives you the broadest protection for your name, slogans, or logos, as a federal registration supersedes any state trademark registration.

Among some of the benefits of having a registered federal mark are:

1.      Constructive notice nationwide of the owner’s trademark.

2.      Exclusive right to use the mark on or in connection with the goods or services designated in the registration.

3.      Access to a formal administrative process for relief against infringers, including monetary damage awards.

4.      Solid basis for obtaining international registration to be used in other countries. 

If, however, your business has a limited geographic scope with no serious intentions of doing business across multiple states, a state trademark registration might provide suitable protection. Businesses in large states like Texas or California can, after all, make a healthy profit just by doing work in those states alone. Whichever path you choose – federal or state – it is wise to obtain some formal registration. Not registering leaves you needlessly vulnerable.

A federal trademark generally costs a few hundred dollars for each registered mark but the trademark application is both technical and legal. Successful applicants usually spend a fair amount of time researching other marks before submitting an application of their own. Outside of the smallest mistakes, most errors in the application will be automatic grounds for rejection and, most importantly, any fees paid to the government will not be refunded. The only cure for an inaccurate application is to resubmit your application with another fee.

The application is considered a part of the trademark “examination” process that will be reviewed by an examining attorney from the USPTO. So while hiring an attorney is not necessary, it is common for entrepreneurs to secure an attorney with experience in trademark representations to prepare their applications. Whether you obtain representation or go it alone, please take the steps necessary to protect your brand. Not doing so could be injurious both to your business reputation and your pocketbook.

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Terry C. Bruner, Attorney at Law, is the Principal and Founder of the Terry Bruner Law Office, a Houston-based law firm that focuses on intellectual property, business law, and multifamily housing transactions. Terry advises clients on comprehensive brand protection strategies as well as trademark and copyright issues. Contact him by phone at 713-242-1661 (direct line), 713-834-1175 (office), or 713-478-1647 (mobile). You can also email him at tbruner@terrybrunerlaw.com or visit his website at www.terrybrunerlaw.com

Go to http://sbtmagazine.net/ for more amazing information.

Getting Organized: Are “Organizing Myths” Stopping You?

By Holly Uverity CPO®, Office Organizers

What do you believe about organizing? What do you know about organizing?

What’s your definition of an organized person? I’ve found that many business people believe in what I call “organizing myths” – beliefs they have which may or may not be true but are keeping them from becoming better organized.

Here are a few of the most common myths along with the realities:

• Myth: The tools are too sophisticated or the systems are too complicated.
• Reality: Simple is often the best.

While some paper and electronic systems can be pretty sophisticated and overwhelming, the truth is that the tools you choose don’t have to be complicated. Some people operate effectively using a planner and a pen. Getting organized is like learning any other new skill, so start easy. Buy only the simplest tools you think you will need and will actually USE. You may find that the simplest tools are the best.

• Myth: Organization looks boring. 
• Reality: Not anymore.

There has been an explosion of organizing tools in the marketplace over the last five years and there is no reason that your office has to look like a boring cube if you don’t want it to. Organizational products now come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. In addition, there are now products designed specifically for men and women. If you don’t like the tools you’re seeing, expand your view to look beyond office supply stores and look in the bathroom and kitchen departments of stores. Just because something is designed for a kitchen doesn’t mean it can’t be used in an office. If you like how your tools look, you’ll be more inclined to use them.

• Myth: I can only touch something once.
• Reality: The number of times you touch something has nothing to do with organization.

This myth can be debilitating because if you believe you can only touch something once, you won’t touch anything unless you absolutely know what you are going to do with it. You can touch things more than once but you have to move them through your system. You can’t simply shove papers around on your desk. When you touch/move them, it has to be mindful and with a specific reason that you are moving something to a specific place. Eliminate mindless shuffling.

• Myth: I’m a mess that no organizing system can fix.
• Reality: There is a system for everyone.

Organization exists on a spectrum. Some people are highly organized and live on one end of the spectrum while others are less organized and live on the other end of the spectrum. Most people live in the middle. While you may consider yourself disorganized, that doesn’t mean that you can’t become better organized. Organization is very personal and looks different for everyone, so a success for you might be something as simple as keeping the top of your desk clear. The goal is for you to become more organized than you already are. You don’t have to be as organized as someone else. 

Organizing is a skill and while some of us are better at it than others, it can be taught to everyone who wants to learn. Anyone who wants to change can do so. There are tools and techniques for everyone.

Clutter is the physical manifestation of indecision. Learn to make decisions on a daily basis about what your office looks like and how you spend your time.

An organized person can find what they need when they need it.  That’s it.  There’s no magic formula to determine who is organized and who is not. It’s just a matter of being able to have what you need when you need it.

Getting and staying organized doesn’t have to be boring, hard, or complicated. It’s only that way if you think it is.

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Office Organizers, founded in 1993 by Holly Uverity, is The Entrepreneur’s Organizer.  They work with business people to create solutions for their organizational challenges.  You can contact them by phone at 281-655-5022 or visit them on the web at www.OfficeOrganizers.com. “Like” them on Facebook at www.fb.com/OfficeOrganizers.

For more information go to http://sbtmagazine.net/

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

As a former Realtor®, the chant was always “Location, Location, Location” when it came to the value and desirability of a residential real estate purchase.

Those same words apply to one of the main considerations when we work with a cover honoree in deciding the best place for their cover photo. Barbara, John, and I receive so many great compliments on our beautiful and unique covers.

Connie Rankin’s cover photo last month (May 2014) was set on the Sabine Bridge which connects Memorial Drive and Allen Parkway. For a top commercial real estate agent selling all over the city of Houston, our beautiful city skyline made the perfect backdrop for her cover. The Sabine Bridge has always been one of our favorite views of our city.

This month’s cover honoree, Ludmilla (Mila) Golovine of MasterWord Services has a truly international business that connects people across language and culture. For this reason, we chose to use the “Light Spikes” as our backdrop for her photo.

For those of you who may not be aware of the origins of the “Light Spikes”, the “Light Spikes” were created for the 1990 Economic Summit of Industrial Nations by local artist Jay Baker and was originally installed in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center.

The large abstracted flags represent the European Economic Community as well as the seven countries that participated in the Summit. The Light Spikes, as any traveler can tell you, are located at the airport near Terminal C and the Mickey Leland International Arrivals Building. The Light Spikes consist of eight flags that are individually wrapped around square columns. Each “spike” is supported by an aluminum grid structure and a ten foot concrete pier below the ground. The columns lean at a 10 degree angle toward a central point that represents Houston. The distance between each “spike” and this point is relative to the distance between Houston and the capital of the country that the flag represents. Once again, we (Mila, Barbara, and I) thought this was a perfect backdrop.

Speaking of “Barbara”, because she is both the writer and the stager of the photos, the covers tell a story in themselves. This is a very unique combination that makes for very, very special covers!

Many thanks to David Hebert and Katena Carvajales with the Bush Intercontinental Airport Administrative Office for being so kind in assisting us in being able to work through security at the airport to make this happen.

It is time to let you get started with this month’s issue!

Good Reading, Good Sales, & Success to You,

Steve Levine

President & Executive Publisher

For more info go to http://sbtmagazine.net/