The Emerging Work World

Participate and Share

In the early 2000's, I read a riveting blog post by a young guy who talked about having to leave himself in the car every day as he went into work. It ended with, "And in the evenings I always hope I'll get off in time to come back out and reunite with myself... before I'm gone."

We are living at the intersection of two opposing work worlds, The Industrial Age, which is still strangely dominant in the front office of most companies. And the Participation Age, which is emerging as the new standard for how we work.

In the production area, we have replaced Industrial Age assembly lines and smokestacks with things like nanotechnology and clean rooms. But the front office looks pretty much the same way it did a hundred years ago, with managers in ties making all the decisions. These Industrial Age management practices, which recreated humans as extensions of machines, are colliding with the emerging Participation Age workforce that wants to Make Meaning at work, not just money.

The hallmarks of the Participation Age are simple, participation and sharing.

Companies are discovering that if they invite everyone to participate in the building of a great company, and to share in the rewards, both the company and the people, profit more. The Participation Age is also creating workplaces with a soul. This isn't woo-woo crap; these are hard-core success strategies. And it isn't a fringe idea. Those who embrace the Participation Age will thrive; those who don't will be left behind.

What does a Participation Age company look like?

Imagine a company with no departments, no corporate ladder or promotions, no HR department, and no written policies--just a few written beliefs. And with no managers, just a very few leaders, who lead because people are following them, not because they have a title on their door. Could you imagine a company with no office hours, even in manufacturing, with self-managed work teams who own the decisions they will have to carry out? Or unlimited vacation, and profit sharing for everyone? Is it possible this way of doing business would work better, for both the company and the people who work there?

Well the good news is this isn't something we have to imagine. Participation Age companies are springing up all around us, in every size, and in every industry. We have worked with many and have identified thousands that have either fully transitioned, or are racing to embrace the Participation Age as fast as they can.

To that end, managers (those who embrace authority and control) are disappearing in favor of exponentially fewer leaders (those who embrace participation and sharing).

And employees, who are treated like children, herded into Office Day Care Centers, and supervised, are being replaced with Stakeholders; self-motivated adults who are able to make decisions and don't need to be managed, just led.

To the leaders of some companies this may all sound like sappy HR stuff to placate the workforce. But in future posts we'll show how Participation Age companies outperform the overwhelming majority of companies still hostage to Industrial Age front-office management.

They grow faster, are more stable, have higher profits and higher productivity, and have exponentially lower employee turnover.

In future posts we'll look at many successful Participation Age companies, and we'll talk about how to find one to work for, or how to build one yourself. There are a few dozen giant corporations, hundreds of big ones, and tens of thousands of small to medium sized companies racing to embrace the Participation Age, or who are already there. Don't settle--find one you can join as a Stakeholder; or build one yourself.

The emerging work world is waiting for you. Come join us in The Participation Age!

Article as seen on Inc.com

www.ChuckBlakeman.com

The Music of Collaboration

Few things represent collaboration better than music. Whether it's an orchestra playing hundreds of instruments for one composition, or simply a singer and his guitar... music is about combining sounds to create more than is there physically. It's the same with Connect & Collaborate with ICOSA. Our focus is on collaboration with the intent of combining everyone's talents and strengths to accomplish more than we can do alone.

This week, our guests are Jim Salestrom, an internationally known, Emmy Award-winning musician who uses his gifts to bring people together, share talents and motivate everyone to be their best - and - Jeff Wasden, a Denver businessman and President of the Colorado Business Roundtable. Jeff has an incredible talent for gathering people together, identifying their strengths and encouraging everyone to work together. Each of them will be contributing editors here on ICOSAMedia.com. Jim Salestrom will contribute stories about music and entertainment and Jeff Wasden will share stories related to business and politics. Look for their stories here weekly.

Additionally, Jim and Jeff are working together to further the mission of the Colorado Business Roundtable, to bring business leaders together to accomplish more for the state of Colorado and for business enterprise.

Just as Jim's musical talent brings people together, and provides a shared experience, the Colorado Business Roundtable seeks to bring people together for a shared purpose and to enrich each person's, each business, each enterprises experience.

Tune in Saturday at 10:00 AM on KNUS 710 - to learn more about the Colorado Business Roundtable.

Please let us know what you think of our program, either by commenting here or on Facebook at Connect & Collaborate with ICOSA or join the discussion on Twitter @ICOSAMagazine.

How Chess Represents Business: The King

“The great mobility of the King forms one of the chief characteristics of all endgame strategy. In the middlegame the King is a mere 'super,' in the endgame on the other hand—one of the 'principals.' We must therefore develop him; bring him nearer to the fighting line.” —Aaron Nimzowitsch I like to use metaphors to articulate broad concepts. These metaphors (from previous issues of ICOSA) can be used to describe the processes of running a successful business. In my opinion, business is not much different from many board games—particularly chess. The infrastructure in this case is a board with 64 squares arranged eight by eight and alternating black and white. I often use the strategy of chess in everyday business life, and in this case, I use metaphors to describe the power of each chess piece.

The chess piece of the king represents the leader. The king is the figurehead but not necessarily the most influential player on the board. His presence is vital for the game to continue. The king sets the course and leadership toward the achievement of the organization’s vision, mission, philosophy, strategy and annual goals and objectives. The king—otherwise known as the chief executive officer—sets the direction by deciding which markets the company will enter, what companies are considered competitors, and what product lines will address the most needs of the market.

My job as a CEO is primarily six things: create a vision, align resources to accomplish the vision, transform the vision, develop the infrastructure that allows the vision to happen, and maintain continuity throughout. In this case, I recommend John C. Maxwell’s book The 5 Levels of Leadership: Proven Steps to Maximize Your Potential. Maxwell believes the five levels of leadership include 1) position; 2) permission; 3) production; 4) people development; and 5) pinnacle. In the position level, people follow because they have to. In the permission level, people follow because they want to. In the production level, people follow because of what you have done for the organization. In the people development level, people follow because of what you have done for them. In the pinnacle level, people follow because of who you are and what you represent.

Leadership, therefore, consists of taking action to clarify the vision. Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers; they can cut through an argument or debate to offer a solution everyone can understand.[1] They also know how to stimulate and contain the forces of invention and change and to shift the process from one stage to the next.[2] The task of a leader is ingenuity, resources and energy to change various circumstances. An assessment of strengths, weaknesses, skills, blind spots and a state of mind regularly occurs. Failing to assess these areas creates the possibility of hindering rather than assisting progress. This occurs when your existing bias does not match the reality of the current situation. In the ever-changing environment in which we find ourselves, the need for frequent assessment is even more critical to success.[3]

The result? Clarity of purpose, credibility leadership and integrity.

Throughout previous issues of ICOSA, we have discussed the importance of infrastructure, resources, vision, transformation, continuity and the 4 I’s (information, ideas, intelligence and innovation)—all collaborative principles I believe have driven the success of our company. I also believe that applying collaborative principles to leadership allows for better direction. A leader must provide structure and infrastructure; coordinate resources by assembling and aligning the necessary resources; provide vision and inspire by looking at the past, the present and the future; take that strategy and execute it; continue to do the right things effectively; and finally empower and motivate various stakeholder groups.

The role of leadership is to imagine an enhanced future and become the transformation that makes the forthcoming conceivable. This is true of a business, a community or our personal life. Leaders work to get the best out of people. Therefore, all stakeholders are like chess pieces. Even though each person has different skills, authority, power, responsibility, strengths, weaknesses and potential, he or she each has a place to add value. If you, the king/leader, put the correct team member in the right place, everyone benefits from the talent and potential. They are the ones looking to the future by knowing the next move!

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Photo Caption: Copyright 2013 The John Maxwell Company. Articles accessed via http://www.johnmaxwell.com may not be reprinted or reproduced without written permission from The John Maxwell Company, except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles.

Planning for a Better Company: Changing Company Culture

You could almost taste the hostility in the room. Finally someone spoke. “Let me tell you what happened last year. One of our developers’ wives was scheduled for a cesarean section. His manager insisted that he attend a client meeting in the morning because the operation wasn’t scheduled until the afternoon.”  

This story was almost identical to other stories we had been hearing for over two months. A telecommunications client asked us to identify the current company culture, help change it to one that would help improve employee retention, and create a place where people would want to work. Identifying the current culture was pretty easy because we heard stories such as this one in just about every meeting and individual conversation. Changing it, on the other hand, was a little more difficult.

Poisonous cultures such as these will affect everything from your company’s performance (how well do you think the employee who attended the client meeting represented the company that day or days that followed?) to the way your brand is perceived, such as the tell-all op-ed pieces of Goldman Sachs’s Greg Smith.

Changing the culture is not an impossible task—hard—but not impossible. Cultures are identified by the way people treat one another and the stories that circulate throughout the company. The job of the company’s leadership is to change the stories that are being told, replacing the old ones with ones that reflect what you want it to feel like to work at the company.

I will share what we did with the telecommunications client that changed the stories employees told one another and the stories they shared with others outside the company. (How many people do you think the employee and his colleagues told about the cesarean section?) The following are the seven steps we followed, although some were done consecutively with others.

Step 1: Leadership Team Buy In

The first thing we did was ensure that the leadership team was aware of the need for the change. We did this by presenting turnover rates and sharing some of the stories we heard during the cultural assessment interviews. Finally, we asked a simple question: “Is this a place that you would want to work?” Responses from the leaders varied from shock to embarrassment.

During these touchy conversations, we dispelled defensiveness and assured ownership of the results by the leadership team by making sure that no specific division or leader was singled out. We met with the CEO and senior vice president (SVP) of human resources privately before the larger debrief with the senior team to discuss areas of concern, ensure that there were no surprises for them, and gauge their support of the findings and suggestions.

Step 2: Mirror, Mirror

Because company culture is defined by its leadership, the leadership team was open to seeing what their role in the culture was. We conducted customized 360 reviews for the leadership team that focused on the behaviors we wanted to change, as well as those that we wanted to incorporate throughout the organization, such as honest, respectful communication. Only the individuals received their results; we did not share the 360s with the larger group, or even with the CEO. However, we did create an analysis and recommendations based on previous employee discussions and the 360s. Similar to the results of the cultural assessment we discussed in Step 1, we met with the CEO and SVP of human resources ahead of time to discuss areas of concern, ensure that there were no surprises for them, and gauge their support of the findings and suggestions.

The results were full of impact and immediate, with noticeable behavior changes by the leadership team. This step is critical because executives must lead the change by transforming their own behavior.

Step 3: Values and Vision

In conjunction with the 360 reviews, we took a hard look at the stated values and vision of the organization. Not surprisingly, the values and vision were aligned with the old culture of revenue at all costs. We created new values with specific behaviors. For example, the value of profitability changed to customer focus, and we pushed even further and created specific behaviors to support a customer-focused environment. These facilitated team sessions were then conducted throughout the rest of the organization. During this process, the operations team created the following action for a customer-focused company by saying, “We are customer focused by listening intently to our internal and external customers.” (We will create formalized organizational competencies in 2013 that align with the values.)

Within two weeks of the 360 debriefs and leadership team value session, the CEO and all members of the leadership team conducted employee road shows to discuss the results. Senior leaders looking employees in the eye and being accountable for the findings was a powerful experience for both the leaders and employees, and one that immediately changed the vibe of the organization.

Step 4: Policies

Collaborating with the human resources lead, we examined policies that related to employee selection, retention, pay practices, and talent management. We were able to identify areas that conflicted with the new culture, and modified the policies and procedures to ensure that they met both business needs and the new culture.

Step 5: Redesign Rewards, Recognition, and Work Systems

The rewards and recognition programs were examined and refined to encourage the behaviors vital to the desired organizational culture. We took a close look at all programs to ensure that teamwork as well as individual work was rewarded. We changed executive compensation so that bonuses were dependent upon how the executive worked with teammates, not just the accomplishment of their department’s goals. We also changed a key metric for the call centers from average handle time to one-call resolution and development flexibility for incentives, with the employees determining how they would be rewarded when possible (i.e., monetary, time off, etc.).

Step 6: Training and Development

Culture change depends on behavior change. Therefore, all employees must clearly understand what is expected of them, and they must know how to perform the new behaviors. Training can be very useful in both communicating expectations and teaching new behaviors.

Previously, the organization’s training focus had been on technical areas, with professional and leadership development being offered to only a few senior leaders. We developed a five-year training plan that included a supervisor and manager leadership program; an executive coaching program; an emerging leader program for high-potential senior managers and directors; formalized job shadowing; general business acumen training; the Jump Start Program—a new leader assimilation program; and team effectiveness sessions to build trust, starting with the leadership team.

Step 7: Overcommunicate

The communications plan we developed ensured that employees were constantly kept informed of the culture change process, its goals, and actions, and was an imperative step to changing the stories in the company.

Even though changing company culture is surely a journey, it can be done successfully. Some may buy in and some may not, but if you allow for various opportunities for everyone to participate, the results are oftentimes more meaningful.

Anna Conrad, JD, is an expert in organizational effectiveness and leadership development and is president of Impact Leadership Solutions. She has more than a decade of experience in executive and leadership coaching, group facilitation, leadership development and training. Conrad has been a trusted confidante to leaders in numerous Fortune 500 companies, including the financial, telecommunications, legal and health care sectors, as well as in academia, government and nonprofits. To learn more, visit www.impactleadershipsolutions.com.

Continuous Improvement with a Future Focus: 25 Years of Focus on the Future

This is the 25^th year of Strategic Programs, Inc.’s incorporation. In the field of human capital and organizational assessments, development, and solutions, we have outlasted many competitors through major economic upheavals, and as a result, we are stronger and wiser. Our three-year strategic plan builds on strengths that have helped us survive in lean years and thrive in good ones; adds value to the company; and leverages our differentiators to benefit our owners, employees, and client partners.   So … what foundational strengths have served us well for twenty-five years and will take us into the future?

Strategic Programs designs client-specific employee and organizational assessments that provide actionable data. Our data-driven solutions are then monitored, measured, and adjusted to support the client’s business objectives.

“In God we trust.  All others bring data,” said W. Edward Deming.  With limited time, financial and human resources, businesses can ill-afford to base decisions on anecdotal data.  Even if they correctly identify needs and know what to do about issues, a baseline helps to prioritize the issues.  It also gives it a foundation against which they can measure the impact of interventions, and tracks the extent to which the interventions are effective or need to be adjusted.  If the data shows that they have achieved their objective, they can change their focus, and reallocate their limited resources on another low score.   What could be more cost-effective?

Research is only as good as the assessment questions it asks, its implementation process, and the way that results are reported. To get actionable, easily understandable quality data, and to optimize the quantity of it, questions must be specific, reliable, valid, aligned with the organization’s culture, and easily communicated in their terminology. The process by which research is conducted must also use these guidelines, and respondents must be trained to provide candid, quality answers.  Respondent anonymity and confidentiality of the results must be ensured, and options for data collection (i.e., paper, internet, phone interview) must be provided.

Another foundational strength is the broad range of our flexible human, technology, and research capabilities and processes in addressing clients’ needs.

INSERRT GRAPHIC: The Employee Lifecycle

We are client-centric - Our assessments are designed to help our clients get the highest quail

At each point in the Employee Lifecycle—from selection to onboarding, through engagement and professional development, to disengagement, exiting and re-recruiting top talent—we address people management and leadership issues that are linked to achieving business objectives, with a measurable ROI.

Strategic Programs retained 94 percent of its clients through the recent recession. The majority of the 6 percent who did not renew contracts said, “We’ll be back.”  Mid-2012 saw the return of those in industries that are leading economic indicators. Clients tell us that they stay with us for years because we exceed their expectations in being:

• Client-centric. Our research department designs each job to provide the highest quality and quantity of data.
• High-touch.  Our committed, engaged staff is values-aligned, and knows inherently how to meet their needs. They see the impact of their work on organizations, which is the non-financial part of their compensation. Our service level sets us apart.
• High-tech. Strategic Insight                          is a web-based portal that allows clients who prefer to be hands-off to see their data in real time, as surveys are completed, while maintaining respondent anonymity. They can produce their own reports. Strategic Insight  was developed through client collaboration, and is improved with client feedback in order to help us meet their ever-evolving needs. Clients helped us with the competitive analysis to design this dashboard that surpasses what they have seen elsewhere for ease of use.
• Data-driven solution providers.  Our research has no value unless clients understand the data in depth, outline cost-effective solutions—usually, best practices that we provide—and implement them to get measurable results.
• Results-focused.  We help clients hold people accountable for following the plan, remind them of the follow-up measurement when the results are reviewed, and expect to see an upward trend.

Our vision statement summarizes the root of our success since 1988: “To improve the human ecosystems of organizations, in which the development of individuals expands to improve their families, their communities … and the world.”

For the future, how do we plan to leverage our differentiators to grow Strategic Programs?

Listen and deliver. Of our assessments at each point of The Employee Lifecycle, only two existed when Strategic Programs incorporated. The rest were developed at our clients’ requests.  Our staff will continue to listen for changing needs, as we have for a quarter of a century, to measure new people problems, and develop solutions for those challenges – with an ROI.

(SIDEBAR: “Most organizations customize, but within limits. Instead, you…have opened your arms to developing new and continually more creative ways, unique to Johns Manville, to meet our changing product and service needs.”  -- Manager, Leadership and Organization Development, Johns Manville)

Doing so in the mid-1990s, helped us develop the Strategic TurnOver Program™, which is now just over 72% of our business. When Frito-Lay, a hospital system, and one Bureau of Reclamation region were losing good employees, they could not get candid, actionable responses from internal exit interviews to tell them why people were leaving. Nor could they find information on how anyone anywhere was getting good exit data.

At the time, Strategic Programs offered only the Strategic360® assessment for individuals and employee satisfaction surveys.  Our CEO, Rim Yurkus, however, knew that, as an external third party, we could collect much higher quality employee satisfaction survey data than human resources professionals could collect internally.  If we could do that with current employees, how could we successfully collect data from former employees?

First, we changed present tense employee satisfaction survey questions – e.g., I have good friends at work –  to the past tense for exit interviews –  e.g., I had good friends at work.  Next, we developed proprietary processes to engage exited employees to complete surveys or telephone interviews.

The Strategic TurnOver Program™ (STOP) now provides unequalled, high quality and quantity of actionable exit data, with proven client-specific reporting and data-driven retention solutions. We conduct thousands of interviews each month, and have graduated decades-long clients from focusing on turnover to strategically managing turnover. By retaining and rewarding high potentials and cycling out disengaged employees, our clients evolve their organizations to higher levels of performance on a continual basis, and the Strategic TurnOver Program™.

(GRAPHIC: See chart “The Real Reasons for Leaving” in M:Products/Multi-Products/External Sales Collateral/Sales Presentations/Permanent Changes in Slide Deck -- Slide 3.)

Earn a contract with a magnet in an industry. This business development strategy has served us well in entering new industries. When we earn a contract with one of the most successful, highly respected businesses in a well qualified target market, and establish visibility in that industry through marketing, other major players in that market have become interested in what we offer.  We have entered at the highest level of those companies, shortened the sales cycle, and won big contracts in industries such as:

Transportation. Our contract for driver exit interviews with Schneider Transportation, an early adopter and one of three top U.S. transportation firms, earned us an audience with Swift Transportation and JB Hunt – both of whom soon became clients.  Within a year, we were doing driver exit interviews for most of the top ten trucking businesses.  Of the current Top 100 from Transport Topics we have worked with 24.

Healthcare. After we won our first healthcare system in 1997, Catholic Health Initiatives, with some 70 locations, led us to two other large Catholic healthcare systems.  Two years later, most of our clients were large Catholic hospital systems.  They came to us largely through referrals.  Today, we work with 8% of all hospitals in the U.S.

Senior Living, Long Term Care. We recently earned a contract with the largest Senior Living business in the U.S., a company with more than 600 locations.  We plan for this magnet to pave the way for other major players in this growing sector.

We have used this strategy for business development in industries that employ specific professions – most notably, engineers, and client services personnel. For the latter, we conduct exit interviews in 8 languages in some 30 countries, and are Safe Harbor Certified.  We continue to leverage our foreign language abilities to work with more global companies.

Also, we are expanding into markets where our clients do business. For example, many of our hospital clients have long-term care facilities, and can connect us to the sector that is not owned by hospitals.  This will also take us into high-end continuing care residential communities that offer the full range of care for the elderly – from independent living, to assisted living, to memory care, and hospice.

How is our Strategic Plan adding value to the company for our second quarter century? We can offer hands off solutions yet we excel at maintaining high levels of trust with our clients.

Planning. We build value through scalability and sustainability, knowing that inevitably, there will be an unforeseen global, economic or industry crisis.

Reviewing Business Plans. When Annual Business Plans are retained over the years, they comprise a chronicle of annual performance against the plan, how and why plans were adjusted, and to what extent goals and projections were achieved annually.

Goal-Setting.  Our Executive level goals cascade to departments where managers align their own goals for consistent quality performance. Individual goal setting help us with career paths and succession planning.

Reducing Client Concentration. Diversifying our client concentration will help us to thrive in challenging economic times.  Where we have had less experience outside of our major industries, we will expand in order to acquire specific clients in those sectors.  Because most of our business is outside of Colorado where we are headquartered, we can use Colorado as our laboratory for diversifying our client base.

Developing second level management.  Having laid off a level of management in the middle of the recession, we are now replacing them.  We have hired an Executive Vice President of Business Development and our CEO and Co-founder has stepped back and brought on a President.  This will free up our CEO for more client interface, and research and development of new capabilities.

Along with succession planning, we are strengthening our critical functions back-up as a safety net in case valuable talent leaves for voluntary or involuntary termination.

Maximizing Curb Appeal.  First impressions of individuals and of businesses are important and lasting. They communicate what the owners value, what clients expect, and where the company is going.  Our offices in Cherry Creek are inviting and reflect the West that is so appealing to our clients in the rainy Northwest or stark Central time zones.  They are delighted to be invited to Denver for their quarterly research report deliveries in a conference room with a view of the snow-capped Front Range.

Documentation.   The important and not urgent documents that were not updated during the recession are in our sights for editing this year – e.g., our Employee Handbook, Policies and Procedures manual, Marketing Style Guide, etc.  Our legal document templates will also be reviewed for possible updates.

Technology upgrades.  Across the board, we have improved our CRM for Sales and Marketing, acquired prospect tracking and lead generation software, and developed our state -of- the-art Strategic Insight   client portal for real-time access by clients to their data.  Updating our proprietary software for data collection and report generation will continue to reduce labor costs, and be cost-effective and time efficient.

As we begin our second quarter of a century in business, we revisit the inscription below the cowboy boot that is the Still Kickin’ Award given to the owners at the 2009 Annual Holiday Awards Dinner by our loyal, committed employees.  The inscription reads:

Awarded to the owners for their dedication, flexibility, and commitment to their employees and to their company, enabling Strategic Programs to persevere through even the greatest of challenges.

Diane Irvin is the senior vice president and co-founder of Strategic Programs, Inc. For more information, visit www.strategicprogramsinc.com, or call 1.800.800.5476.

A Very Special Starto Holiday Special... It's Special!

It's our 1st Annual StartoTV Holiday Spectacular!  

Today, Joel Wishkovsky, co-founder and CEO of CardGnome.com joins Chris Franks & Sandy Grason in the Starto studios to talk about the latest news start-ups need to know this holiday season.

[youtube width="610" height="343" video_id="n07Kz_E97bY?rel=0"]

Special Thanks to:

Joel Wishkovsky- he is the co-founder and CEO of CardGnome.com, a startup in Boulder, Colo. that offers thousands of independently designed greeting cards for any occasion. Joel blogs about startups, (http://joelwish.com/), builds businesses, solves problems, and thinks creatively about the world around him. He loves mountaineering and traveling off the beaten track. Reach Joel via email [email protected] or on twitter via @JoelWish.

** Aksels.com - for Chris Franks' awesome wardrobe **

Here are the links to the stories we covered on this episode:

Are You Ready for the Digital Holiday Shopping Rush? (Infographic) http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/225046#

Fast Company- 20 Tech Trends that will define 2013 http://www.fastcodesign.com/1671397/20-tech-trends-that-will-define-2013-selected-by-frog#1

Google's Top Search Terms of 2012: What's in It for Business Owners http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/225278

Forbes- 7 Tech Gifts from Rising Startups http://www.forbes.com/sites/caroltice/2012/12/13/the-entrepreneurs-holiday-shopping-guide-7-tech-gifts-from-rising-startups/

3 Tips for Safe Holiday Shopping Over Mobile Devices http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/225229

Gift Simple http://www.dailydealmedia.com/976new-group-buying-start-ups-for-holiday-shoppers-giftsimple-presentify-me-barkbox/

Don’t forget to check out our Facebook page “StartoTV” and follow us on Twitter @startotv-

Happy Holidays from the entire StartoTV Family!

Gary Vaynerchuk Headlines Denver StartUp Week

This week Gary Vaynerchuck a.k.a. "GaryVee" descends upon Denver Start Up Week.  If you haven't had the pleasure of meeting Gary, he's been called an over-the-top personality (an understatement-fer sure!), he loves the hustle, the NY Jets, family, business and he loves life. Gary was a guest on my radio show a few years back, right before his book "Crush It" hit the shelves. I actually had a huge "a-ha" during my interview with Gary, you'll hear it around the 20 minute mark, when he tells me "people aren't paying attention to what they are good at".  I realized when Gary told me the defining characteristics that he looks for in his business partners, that I'm NOT a true entrepreneur at heart. (at least not in the way Gary describes it) Check it out:

Gary's theory is that if you weren't selling lollipops or crushing it at your lemonade stand before the age of twelve, you're probably not going to be the world's greatest entrepreneur, because you have to be really, really excited & passionate about selling your sh#$*.  All I really wanted to be when I was twelve years old was -- a Rockette!

I guess I have GaryVee to thank for my hosting gig at Starto TV. He put me on my true path. :-D

Here are some of the other fascinating things Gary reveals in this interview:

• Gary 'calls me out' on a line I used in my radio show opener
• Why he's so friggin' passionate about ..... everything
• Why Gary did not think he could write a good book (and how he crushed it in the book-writing department)
• The question YOU need to answer in order to work with Gary
• The exact steps you need to take in order to make money doing what you love
• What Gary says to people that claim what he does isn't "scaleable"
• How to Love the Process
• Gary reveals his not-so-secret, evil plan to buy the Jets & exactly how he's going to do it
• Why the big Zero still feels a little sexy

Here are Gary's Top 5 Tips for growing your business:

1. Care about your customer.
2. Don't spend money on anything you can get "away" with.
3. Recognize that NOW is the biggest opportunity for you to make cash (when times are tough; creativity & hustle are the differentiators).
4. Make sure what you are doing is what you LOVE. It's the only way to work as hard as you need to.
5. "Edu-micate" yourself on all technologies you don't understand. :-)

Gary's top tip for getting the most out of Twitter:  LISTEN

Gary walks you through EXACTLY what to do when you get on Twitter to build your following.

Here are my favorite quotes from Gary:

"If you don't care, you lose."

"What do you really, really want out of life.  Work backwards."

"I don't want to hear about golfing & tennis & John Madden football & the Wii, when you're crying about your financial situation. Stop watching friggin' LOST  and start hustling and building your business."

"It's about conversation, not just plugging what you want to accomplish."

"Word is bond."

You might also like: 

How Comfortable Are You Being Uncomfortable?

How Do You Start the Next Great American Company?

How Comfortable Are You Being Uncomfortable? Todd Vernon-Lijit

Todd Vernon, Founder & CEO of Lijit talks to Sandy Grason about:

• being acquired in one of the most significant transactions in Colorado's last decade
• becoming an entrepreneur "you have to become obsessed about something"
• how long it takes to build a successful business
• hiring people smarter than you
• having Plan B & C
• the ability to delay gratification & drinking your own kool-aid

Some of my favorite quotes from Todd are:

"I believe humility is the best tool you have as a CEO"

"Are you really just a cowboy that wants to get paid a lot and likes saying you work at a start-up because it's sexy?"

"How comfortable are you being uncomfortable?" Disclaimer: Todd may have stolen this quote from Brad Feld, and Brad may have stolen it from Sandy Grason :-)

Here's a link to the article in Inc magazine with Todd's great advice for finding great people for your company:  "Ask These 5 Questions Before You Hire".

U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

 

Johann Winks is the Assistant Port Director of Trade with U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Area Port of Denver at Denver International Airport.  Winks recently meet with ICOSA and shared the following information and resources.

The department is responsible for guarding nearly 7000 miles of land border shared with Canada and Mexico.  Along with guarding nearly 2000 miles of coastal waters, as well as 9500 miles of maritime border in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard.  They also secure and facilitate trade and travel.

Import specialists at customs can assist companies with understanding laws, regulations, quota restrictions and reduced rates of duty.  The U.S. Customs and Border Protection daily ensure U.S. regulations and laws.  The following list of four services/resources they offer is worth consideration.

The Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) classifies everything that comes into the United States.  HTC is a global classification system that is able to describe most comedies across the world.  It applies tariff rates and specific statistical categories to all merchandise coming into the United States.  More detailed information is provided at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s website; http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/trade_programs/duty_rates/.

The Generalized System of Preferences is a U.S. trade program designed to promote economic growth in the developing world by providing duty free entry.  It covers 4800 products and benefits 129 countries and territories.  A list of these products can be found at; http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/trade_programs/international_agreements/special_trade_programs/gsp_gen_system/.

Formal entry forms must be filed if merchandise coming into the U.S. is valued over $2,000 and a customs agent or airline should fill it out.  This form and several others can be found at; http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/forms/.

Go to the local Customs and Border Protection office to find out what items are restricted to bring into the U.S. such as animals, animal bi-products, firearms, plants and embargoed items including artifacts from other countries, toys and children items.  Contact information can be found at; http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/.

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Western Energy Alliance

 

Western Energy Alliance is a non-profit trade association representing more than 400 companies across the West connected by the similar interest of environmentally responsible exploration and production of oil and natural gas.

Companies within the intermountain west are represented six ways. 

1. Regionally and nationally represented in the areas of government access to lands for exploration and production, federal agency permitting, air and water quality, reform of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and Endangered Species Act (ESA), wildlife conservation, health and safety, taxation, and other issues.
2. Western Energy Alliance has established relationships with lawmakers in Washington, D.C. enabling meetings with Congress and the Administration.
3. Western Energy Alliance is viewed as a valuable resource by policymakers on oil and natural gas.
4. Current issues are addressed with speaking events
5. They publish the Wildcatter Weekly focusing on natural gas and oil.
6. They provide networking opportunities.

Technology and geologic improvements have increased the locations natural gas can be drilled from making it a clean and secure energy source.  It reduces pollution by 50 percent in comparison to traditional energy sources.  This is measured in the reduced amount of mercury burned and the absence of sulfur dioxide emission.

One-third of all natural gas is produced in the west said, Kathleen Sgamma, vice president of Western Energy Alliance.  Sgamma also said a conservative estimate is that six states can produce an equal amount of all oil imported however the areas are oil drilling restricted.

Natural gas is highly regulated.  Sgamma and Kelly de la Torre seemingly agree that regulatory agencies overlap in regulations and are inconsistent.  Kelly de la Torre is an attorney at the Anton Law Group and practices environmental law.  Current regulations implemented by the E.P.A. have little environmental benefit compared to the cost it takes to abide the regulation.

Western Energy Alliance advocates for balance between environmental safety and production of natural gas and oil.  To contact the Western Energy Alliance visit their website at; www.westernenergyalliance.org.

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ACCION

 

Accion brings small business loans to micro-entrepreneurs.  The loan model they use is profitable, expanding and viable.  Small loans range from $200 to $10,000.  Most $200 loans are for small inventory build-up or to build credit.  Accion has been a micro-financing firm for about 17 years.  Forty-five percent of their funding comes from revenue they bring in from interest rates and the remainder comes from donations, government and bank entities.

Accion also provides mentors, workshops and community networks.  Accion is a micro-lender that can work with FICO scores of 500 and above.  International micro loans are much smaller, based on trust and range from $20 to $500.  Accion has a 92 percent international micro-finance loans repayment rate.

The collateral is 100 percent due to the risk involved with low credit scores.  Several items can be used as collateral such as car titles and manufacturing equipment.

The mentorship program provides networking for similar industry companies.  Workshops are a more formal and traditional method of increasing business acumen.

Social capital is a way to offer loans to international businesses with no collateral.  For example a group of people may apply for a loan and each must pay back their share in order to take out another loan.  The group shares in the responsibility.

Any small business can apply from trucking companies, service providers or janitorial.

Entrepreneurs who come in with an idea they have wanted to do for some time are better than those with several ideas.  Passion and character piece play a role into lending.

To start the process contact Accion at www.accionusa,org.

Accion is also looking for workshop leaders, volunteer hours, mentors, donations and can be contacted at www.accionusa.org or Jesse Golland through, www.accionnm.org.

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Smart Trust [Leadership Book Release]

SMART TRUST: Creating Prosperity, Energy, and Joy in a Low-Trust World, a highly anticipated new book on business leadership, is being released today.   Written by Stephen M. R. Covey & Greg Link, co-founders of CoveyLink, this book project stems from their significant experiences in leadership training and influencing influencers.

This book comes out at a crucial time- attendees at the World Economic Forum have identified the #1 challenge to economic growth as the loss of confidence and trust. With a forward written by Indra Nooyi, Chairman & CEO of PepsiCo, and advance praise from many leaders within their industries, this release is sure to be received by an interested audience.

“Smart Trust is without doubt one of the most powerful and seminal books of our age.” --Warren Bennis, Professor USC author of Still Surprised: A Memoir of a Life in Leadership

"Smart Trust persuasively demonstrates that trust is the key to our new global reality. This powerful book shows how to regain trust, prosper, and experience more energy and joy in the process." - Muhammad Yunus, 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Winner

"Smart Trust is an insightful and actionable guidebook for creating high trust teams and cultures that spark innovation and growth. It teaches how to analyze both people and situations to make 'smart' decisions by managing risk and optimizing possibilities.  Those aspiring to influence people, enhance performance, and increase innovation will want to read to read this insightful book and master its principles." -Clayton M. Christensen, Professor, Harvard Business School, author of The Innovator's Dilemma

...and many more such accolades from leaders of companies including DirecTV, Frito-Lay, Eli Lilly, AT&T, Procter & Gamble, Lenovo, and Deloitte.

In the context of the global crisis, 'trust' is an important concept to master.  With untrustworthy governments, corporations, and financial institutions, the world seems to be a low-trust environment. It has been shown that high-trust environments are more productive and satisfying. Higher trust increases energy and joy and therefore prosperity, argue Covey and Link.  The book creates a framework for viewing trust and goes in depth on the judgement required  for 'Smart Trust'.

“Trust is like the air we breathe- when it’s present, nobody really notices; when it’s absent, everybody notices.” --Warren Buffett

Learn more & buy a copy at http://smarttrustbook.com/

Spherical Phil Lawson

 

Phil Lawson is the founder and CEO of Spherit Inc. Spherit is a company that looks at the whole of a complex issue and makes sense of it.   Through an online questioner system a chart is created that reports the shape and pattern of a company.  One element the chart produces is staff ability for example is an employee ability being fully used.   The application that does this is called Sphere and it has countless applications.  It can also be used in the areas of health, personal relationships and individual career goals.  The purpose of the application is to assist in navigating to the best possible outcome.

Lawson is also the author.  Being Spherical — Reshaping Our Lives and Our World for the 21st Century is a book about navigating through change.  Lawson co-authored, It's Going to be OK (but not like we thought), “A story about absolute certainty, confounding bewilderment and an inescapable transformation,” says Lawson.

For more information, visit; www.engagesphere.com

World Smart Energy Week in Tokyo, Japan

Martha Butwin is the senior international trade specialist at the Denver Export Assistance Center, (DEAC).  Some of the programs offered by DEAC are the Trade Fair Certification and Buyers programs.  DEAC’s two types of trade shows are certified and international buyer trade shows.  Each trade show is usually industry specific.  If the trade show has certification the U.S. Commercial Service and U.S. Embassy will support U.S companies in attending the trade show which increases the comfort level of partnerships. To contact the state of Colorado about exporting and trade show opportunities contact Thomas Binet at 303-892-3813 or [email protected].  To contact Martha Butwin email her at [email protected] or call 303-844-6623 ext. 221 Each trade show is a cooperative partnership arrangement between private sector show organizers and the U.S. government.  The International Business Center within each trade shows offers both foreign and domestic industry networking with potential partners.

Wayne Kakos and Christina Alonge from Reed Exhibitions, which is the premier company in trade shows, help companies increase profits through international trade shows.  International trade shows are similar to domestic trade shows due to Reed Exhibitions pre-set-up and organization.  Reed Exhibitions holds over 500 trade shows both domestic and international.  They offer turn-key service options where everything is ready and set-up, a company only has to set-up graphics and the small stuff.

One of Reed Exhibition’s certified trade shows is the World Smart Energy Week in Tokyo, Japan, held on February 29^th, 2012.  They will be in the U.S. pavilion during that trade show.  This trade show focuses on renewable energy in Japan.  The trade show is separated into seven different expos, presented in one location as one trade show.  Each of the seven specifically focuses on one type of clean energy.  If you are green you are there in Tokyo.  The trade show ends March 2^nd 2012.  20,000 exhibitors and 120 attendees are expected to be in attendance since the isles are jam-packed last year.

Now is the time to enter this market as Japan moves to reach their future energy goals.   For U.S. companies at show the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialists in the Asian clean energy market will assist companies with the regions clean energy sector.

For more information call Wayne Kakos at 203-840-5875 or email him at, [email protected].

Also check out Reed Exhibitions at, www.reedexpo.com

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National District Export Council and Export University

 

Daniel Ogden is chair of both the National District Export Council (DEC), and the National DEC Trade Policy Committee. He is a former vice-chair of the North Texas DEC and has been involved in DEC since 2005.  He is an attorney specializing in international exporting which includes intellectual property and export compliance.

The National District Export Council is comprised of 16 DEC members who are elected from individual DECs to the National Steering Committee.  The National Steering Committee supports DEC in mentoring, educating and legislative affairs.  Their bottom line is creating U.S. exports.

Companies first starting out in exports to medium sized enterprises use DEC to increase profits through exporting.

With the vitalization of Export University, DEC’s will play a part in developing a premiere, quality export curriculum with uniformity available across the U.S.  Export University will teach financing, logistics, sales and marketing, etc.

Currently Export University is looking for sponsors, visit http://www.exporttexas.com/ds/become.asp for more information.

To learn more about the District Export Council visit, www.districtexportcouncil.com.

Export University will have a new website late January 2012, and currently has a basic site at; http://www.exportuniversity.com.

To contact Daniel Ogden visit; www.internationaltradeattorney.com or email him at [email protected]

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Kelly de la Torre―Commercial and Residential Energy Use

Conserving energy residentially and at your business saves money.  Small business owners are impacted by energy use both at home and at work so it is important to have a basic understanding of utilities.  Businesses can work back and forth with their utilities to figure out the best energy savings strategy.   Here are the basics of energy use. An energy rate consists of operating costs, recovery costs, actual cost of energy and return on investment to investors.

Factors that influence the energy rate are energy cost, price changes due to weather, economic forecast, general maintenance and time of day.  Time of day is used determine the energy rate.  Peak hours are defined by each utility company.  Typically peak hours are 8am to 8pm.  Peak hour energy rates cost more than off peak.

Commercial rates for energy can be lowered by allowing devices to be cycled during peak hours.  Utility companies and businesses can collaborate to determine when the cycling happens.

Every degree the thermostat is turned down saves three percent which can be $80 to $100 saved per year.

To save on energy power strips can be used on appliances that continually draw phantom energy such as cable boxes, computers and printers, etc.  Anything that is plugged into the wall can be put onto a power strip and shutting that power strip off saves money.

Purchase energy star appliance both at work and home.

For more information, visit: rmenergyblog.blogspot.com.

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Export University

The Export University program in Hawaii gets small businesses up and going out of their comfort zone and home bias.  Home bias is only doing business with people in your market area or next door.  Export University takes a business into new markets by diversifying customers and making businesses more competitive.  Export University is open to mainland companies. The courses offered at Export University are beginning exporting 101, yet well-established exporters still find relevance in taking the course so any beginning, intermediate or experienced exporter has only to gain for attending a course.  The courses are instructed by John Holman and Steve Green.  Businesses who have taken part in Export University are in agriculture to law―a gamut of exporting good are covered.  Courses are taught by skillful experts in in exporting.  Resources such as experts in shipping such as FedEx and lawyers answer FAQ’s about exporting.

Courses range from $70.00-$150.00 and typically are two-four days.  Exporting workbooks and a basic guide to exporting are included.  Scholarships are available to those who qualify.  Portions of the cost are paid by the attendee with the remainder being paid by the department of agriculture and other companies invested in the exporting business.

Lesley Harvey is the Project Director for the Hawaii Pacific Export Council, Export University Program and holds a master’s degree in Economics, specializing in International Economics. Having helped to secure grant funding for this program, she also helped to develop the materials and construct the curriculum for the HPEC Export University.

Steve Craven is an international business consultant in Honolulu known for his former radio show, now a blog, called “Business Beyond The Reef.”  Some may know him from his days with the U.S. Commercial Service in places like Washington, DC, Taiwan, Germany, Singapore, Austria, Slovakia - and exotic Denver. He currently chairs the Hawaii Pacific Export Council (HPEC), an expert advisory committee appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce.

For more information, visit;

Website: www.globalexportsupport.com,

Blog: www.kekepana.com/blog,

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/groups/Hawaii-Pacific-Export-Council-3995575,

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Hawaii-Pacific-Export-Council/121212024630310.

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FSG, A Social Enterprise Organization

 

FSG is a global social enterprise organization.  Social enterprises are organizations that apply business methods to achieving philanthropic goals.  One benefit in social entrepreneurship is both the donor and receipt win.  Winning!  FSG is also a nonprofit consulting firm specializing in strategy, evaluation and research.  They work with companies to develop corporate social responsibility strategies.

John Kania is the managing director of FSG.  Kania’s expertise is in social entrepreneurship emphasizing in strategy, leadership and organizational development.  Kania’s expertise has resulted in him writing a book called, “Do More Than Give,” along with Leslie R. Crutchfield and Mark R. Kramer.  The book is inspired by the bestselling book, “Forces for Good.”  “Do More Than Give,” tells the six practices of donors who change the world.  Within the book new terms are defined such as catalytic philanthropy.  Catalytic philanthropy is empowering all involved and going beyond giving a financial donation.   As Kania is a consultant at heart he is available to work with all sizes of companies and can be reached by email at; [email protected].

Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate social responsibility is engaging in and advocating for what is needed in a community.  When done properly a strategy is developed with FSG to determine a project where all involved benefit.  Any size business can develop a corporate social responsibility program by offering nonprofits services.  For example an IT company can offer nonprofits beta versions, and later fully developed software and in return the IT company receives the nonprofits user data from the beta version.

Innovation

The innovation in FSG’s social impact consulting firm starts with corporate social responsibility methods and how to apply best practices to be successful.  Collective impact is about moving beyond isolated impact and collaborating with several partners to create a scalable change.  Using a company’s expertise rather than only financial donations can make more of an impact.  Corporate social responsibility has developed into collaborating with businesses and other non-profits and using all types of company resources to benefit donors and recipients.

For more information on the book “Do More Than Give,” visit; www.domorethangive.com.

To contact FSG, Foundations Strategy Group, visit; www.fsg.org.

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The #1 Financial Risk in Importing and Exporting

Knowing the risks associated with importing and exporting can ultimately lower those risks.  Finding the right partnership produces profits and there are resources to finding legitimate overseas partners.

Roy Becker of Roy Becker seminars has 30 years of experience in importing and exporting.  Becker is an expert in letters of credit and the International Chamber of Commerce INCOTERMS.

The #1 risk is of course, getting paid.  Risks falls under three categories.

1. Commercial risk.  The payment arrangement must be forethought and agreed upon by the seller and buyer.  Cash advance payments, letters of credit and bank intermediaries can be methods for determining risk.  A letter of credit is not a bank guarantee of payment and is document intensive.
2. Country risk.  A specific country may have risk due to business methods, economics and political issues which can result in unexpected investment losses.
3. Currency risk. The exchange rate must be determined.  A bank can guarantee exchange rates on a specific day to elevate the risk and solidify final costs.

INCOTERMS determine seller and buyer delivery issues like cost, risk and responsibilities/duties.  The most misunderstood issue is at what time the title passes meaning possession and ownership are two different terms.

Roy Becker Seminars give in depth use and definition of importing and exporting.  To contact Roy Becker Seminars, visit; www.roybeckerseminars.com.

To learn more about INCOTERMS visit; www.iccbooksusa.net.

Time is a Resource

 

Time is the invisible resource and to harness the most of it you can follow the following surviving time management tips.

1. Concentrate on producing results.  Some like the “good ol’fun” of procrastination but that is not managing time effectively.
2. Ask for help by first creating a list of rankings with ABC priorities; A being the most important.  Angel Tuccy of The Experience Pros uses this system and to manage her time assigns items ranked B or C to other people.
3. Create a routine to limit the impact of unexpected events.
4. Read and follow the recommendations of “Lists That Saved My Life,” by Angel Tuccy.  “Lists That Saved My Life,” insightfully shares tips on turning everyday trials to manageable lists.
5. Overcome productivity low-lay zones by working your lists.
6. Ask yourself this question; what would I do with two more hours a day?  Your answers should be ranked A on your list of priorities and if they are not add them to that list.

Franklin Covey is always recommended as a provider for planners and time resource tools, please visit: www.store.franklinplanner.com/store.

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