THE PROFIT PRINCIPLES

THE PROFIT PRINCIPLES: THE POWER OF APATHY

2011-11-15T01:49:00.000-08:00

THE PROFIT PRINCIPLES: THE POWER OF APATHY: My 9 year old son came home from school with some pretty tough questions just before Remembrance Day. He wanted to know from me as someone w...

THE POWER OF APATHY

2011-11-15T01:45:00.000-08:00

My 9 year old son came home from school with some pretty tough questions just before Remembrance Day. He wanted to know from me as someone with a German background, how it had been possible for Hitler to do the terrible things he did. My son was looking to me for an explanation that has been troubling the world for generations.

After consideration, I looked at him and said:” Because people were too scared to stand up to a bully, hoping if only they‘d turn a blind eye, it would not effect them!” “Therefore”, was my conclusion, “we can not ignore the bullies but must stand up to them!” How little did I know, that I would have to lead by example not long thereafter:

Within the last week there have been terrible developments at a local organization that in the past has been very dear to me. Much of my charitable support time had been dedicated to it and it’s members over the past few years and many friendships were forged. This was before a new regime had taken hold. A regime, that is not transparent but inwardly focused. With that, the feel of the organization changed. Suddenly the gap to the previous, positive and results orientated Board of Directors was very evident.

The increasing distance of the organization to it’s members was at first only a little disappointing, because life and work simply carried on. Until an incident caused for attention and questioning. Suddenly the stark truth of wrong doing and cover-ups became blatantly obvious. So what does one do?

This week, a highly regarded Executive Director was compromised by the current Board of Directors with neglect to observe the by-laws developed for the proper and ethical regulation of actions.

I had to recall my conversation with my son and in addition was jolted into action by a very powerful Remembrance Day Memorial Service. It suddenly became clear listing to the speaker:” Each time a person stands up for an idea, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, they send forth a tiny ripple of hope!”

At the time my son was holding my hand and gave it a little squeeze:” See mum, that’s why we have to stand up to bullies.” Suddenly I realized I had to do something. Immediately on our return home from the Service, I finally took action and started to pose the question to other members inquiring if they experienced the same issues with the organization and if they were aware of the recent events.

Within the shortest period of time I received a flood of responses! It was as if someone had released the pressure in a valve, ready to burst. Members reached out and shared their concerns with me, willing to consider actions necessary to see some drastic changes in the management of the organization.

So, I was not alone in thinking there were some serious questions that needed to be put to the Board requesting full accountability and transparency for the expulsion of the Director.

And you know? This situation is far from being resolved and may or may not have a satisfactory outcome for the members.

However, that night after the Service I took my son to bed, knowing that I said ‘to hell’ with apathy, proving that I was willing to walk my talk whilst leading by example on the virtues I try to instill in my children.

So I want to call upon you: Find it within yourself to take the first step and you will be surprised how many people will gladly join you in unity.

Be the Change! (and a credible leader of your own virtues)
Conny

THE PROFIT PRINCIPLES: THE POWER OF OTHERS

2011-09-26T17:18:00.000-07:00

THE PROFIT PRINCIPLES: THE POWER OF OTHERS: Just returning from a very successful trip to Europe, it is amazing how a little distance can offer so much perspective. And with perspectiv...

THE POWER OF OTHERS

2011-09-26T17:11:00.000-07:00

Just returning from a very successful trip to Europe, it is amazing how a little distance can offer so much perspective. And with perspective comes lighthearted opportunity, endless possibility and vision. So why do I want to talk to you about ‘others’?

Well, it is because of them that we lose sight of ourselves and our own wishes and get caught up in things we did not set out to do. It is our need to please, fit and impress that others hold so much power over us. ENOUGH, I say!

Firstly let me share a very brief story of a very good friend of mine. She was approached with an incredible opportunity however it was not something that was going to serve her or her family. Of course she was flattered and knew she could probably do an outstanding job. Yet she had other plans for the future which simply did not align. When she came to me, she was still torn. Her emotional turmoil did not let her think objectively. She wanted to proof to the people who supported her, she could do it and to the people who didn’t, even more so!

Have you ever been in such a situation? Where you did something you felt others expected you to, even though you knew somehow that it wasn’t right for you? People can have a big influence on our judgment, opinions and actions. Throw in your own ego and emotions and together it all becomes a tricky, murky muddle, led by the wrong intentions and in the wrong direction. What a terrible waste! It is time to put a stop to this!

The following 5 Decision Mantras will save you from falling into this usual trap:

1.) Know what you want - If you have a plan mapped out for yourself and your family, it is easier to sync your activities based on what is supportive and cut out what isn't!

2.) Take time before committing to anything - For big decisions you might even want to take a short trip to take yourself out of the emotionally overcast circumstances. It will do wonders to your objective perspective!

3.) Do ONLY what serves YOU - Everything else delegate, cancel or delete :)

4.) Don’t take things so damn personally - We all know we are replaceable and dispensable. And what’s more, we are not responsible for others but ourselves and our families!

5.) Detach from the outcome! - If you start by considering all the ‘what ifs’, chances are you don’t ground your decision on what you want but merely on conditioned emotions.

So for those of you who struggle with wasting precious time on pleasing others typically with little in it for yourselves, it’s time to put your foot down. Commit these decision mantras to memory and learn to make decisions that serve you, not others!

All the best,
Conny

THE POWER OF ASKING

2011-08-22T15:32:00.000-07:00

It is fascinating how children will not stop asking for the things that they want. Relentlessly, they will pose a question over and over or try a slightly different approach to get the much desired ‘Yes’.
When they realize they can’t have something, they will come up with the next best thing and start the process all over again. In adulthood they will have ‘finally’ been worn down and ‘learnt’ not to be so demanding. HOW TRAGIC!

My youngest son is 9 years old and still possesses the art of asking. He is a very fine example of the relentlessly hopeful with seemingly never ending persistence. As you can imagine as a parent that is pretty wearing but boy, does he get results! Let me share a couple of examples.

Recently at a market he approaches a vendor and asks:” Can I have this skateboard for free?” The vendor is perplexed and of course declines. So my son tries again, this time with another object of desire:” Can I have this T-shirt for free?” Now the vendor starts to smile but again, gently but firmly declines. After the third question for something else, the vendor declines once more but finally gives in and offers him a brand spanking new wallet!? My son is over the moon, says a heartfelt thank you and gives the vendor the biggest smile.

The other day we went into a bike store. Again my son starts his magic and says:” Can I have this BMX for free?” Of course the vendors tells him - no way! A few minutes later, he requests:” Can I have this bike shirt for free?” “NO!” Then:” Can I have this pump for free?” “I am sorry but I can’t give you any of this stuff for free. Oh, but wait, I have some stickers and a key ring you can have!”

RESULT!

The pattern seems to be always the same. Three attempts of asking and finally he gets at least something in return for his perseverance. Typically it is not exactly what he wanted, however he is always better off and relishes the reward for his relentlessness. When he first started this, I was a little embarrassed and tried to discourage him from asking people to give him something for free.

To this he said:” But mum, if I don’t ask, then how can I get?” There it was - the truth, the only reality that really makes sense. As kids we all did the same. We kept on asking until we got. Now that we have been reconditioned, we find it tough to ask - FOR ANYTHING! Help, support, the things we really want.....

So I put it to you. Learn from our kids and get back to the pre-conditioned state of kindly asking. Not just the once but three times! If you are in negotiations, try to ask for the business even if you have to change approach or tweak the proposal until it suits.

Never be scared again to pose the question or take “No” for an answer. You know that if you don’t ask, you certainly won’t get anything! And if you don’t ask often enough, you might just be one ‘No’ away from a ‘Yes”!

May your summer be as educational as mine :)
See you soon,
Conny

THE POWER OF NATURAL

2011-07-29T12:47:00.000-07:00

I recently had my quarterly make-over with my much trusted hairdresser. After mixing the colours she came back and asked:” Can I ask you a very personal question?” I really wasn’t sure what might come next but of course I said:” Go ahead!” And out she bursts with her question:” Have you had Botox recently? Your skin looks incredible!” Well, I was expecting everything but that. Once I had recovered from the pleasant shock, I let her in on my secret.

I had recently done some research for an article on a super impressive Mompreneur who has built a business in all organic care products for women. She had the ‘balls’ to tackle a multi billion dollar market, undeterred by the big players and created products for the concerned consumer with clinically proven results exceeding 90% in overall skin improvement including fine lines and wrinkles!

At the time of my research, I was hugely impressed by this woman who at the age of 40 and expecting her first child, started a company from scratch that would provide what she had identified as a gap in the market - healthy, highly effective care products.

She assembled a team of executive investors who shared her vision and build a mission driven business that today provides skin and hair care products based on 100% powerful organic ingredients that offer proven results.

What impressed me the most was her bold approach to the idea. She understood that it would take an entire team, pots of cash to get it of the ground and experts in each field to make the success happen. She decided not to play SMALL but to go LARGE.

Today she heads up a business that she feels passionate about and offers products that make a difference in peoples lives.

After my research, I decided to put her products to the test! Well and the result - if even my own hairdresser who has known me for years thinks that I have invested 100’s of dollars in Botox, I simply rest my case.

So what can we learn from this story? If you have a dream, be undeterred. Put it into action even if at the beginning the odds look like they are staked up against you. Get a team behind you. You will not be able to go it alone. Get some cash behind you. It is imperative to have the money to pull it all off. Don’t compromise on quality - results will speak for itself!

And? Ask the question (my hairdresser will appreciate this) even if it means putting yourself out there. You will get information that could save you money and change your life!

With that I wish you a Happy Summer!
(Botox-free) Conny

PS: And if you want to know the Power Cure that I discovered to keep the wrinkles at bay and save you $650, I am happy to share my secret, if you email info@mcbusiness.com with your three ideas on how to keep business natural!

THE POWER OF A CONSCIOUS vs A HURRIED LIFE

2011-05-25T10:57:00.000-07:00

I want to share with you a very special email that I have just received from a valued client:

”As we’ve worked together for the past few months, I can’t help but notice what a “firecracker” you are – dynamic, strong and smart. This is not a life “coaching” conversation. Trust me.

One thing that I promised myself (or a gift to myself) two years ago, was a conscious decision to try to not lead a hurried life. Not that I’m successful all the time, but with kids, work, family, etc. so much is happening and hurried.

You seem to lead a hurried life. And I want and hope for you that it’s not a matter of “slowing down” but a matter of keeping a conscious effort to schedule less and do more, if you know what I mean. You are too good of a business woman and person to live life without enjoying the moments. And I want that for you, cause you deserve it.

Okay, I’ll get off my soapbox and hope dearly that I haven’t offended but more shared my own personal failures and aspirations with you to lead a less hurried life. J

Have a wonderful day, my coach.”

As I am sharing this with you there are so many hidden messages I would like to derive from this and point out to you.

Firstly that it is easy for all of us to get lost in day to day busyness, completely loosing sight of the priorities that entrepreneurs have to set and set, and set again.

Secondly that even with the best will, beware that YOU can easily get buried in responsibilities and commitment to excellence, neglecting yourself, personal relationships and the focus for what is truly serving you best.

Thirdly, that it takes objective perspective from trusted confidants who have your best interest at heart and are not afraid to point out the obvious so you can stop, listen and make better choices.

And lastly and most importantly that by making a conscious effort to schedule less, we can endeavor to do more!

A tribute to clients & people who help us develop, grow and move forward with every meeting, conversation and much valued feedback.

THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, PY!

Conny

THE POWER OF THE SUIT

2011-04-19T14:49:00.000-07:00

Here I am as an uptight European runaway who is lucky enough to call the gorgeous West Coast her home. Many things run differently in these parts and it does include the business environment.

So I had to learn to adjust to new cultures including how companies are run and operated. However, there is one differentiation I have to seriously question. The importance of the Power Suit. In Europe - a must; on the West Coast - an option. So if you are the stiff from Europe or the chill from Canada, lets look at the importance of the business attire.

During my corporate career I was responsible for sales & marketing management of three different countries in a highly competitive, male dominated environment, closing on average $500k-$1m in new business through one deal. Presentations at CEO and board level, meeting with large key accounts and industry giants, it kind of set the tone of importance for representing my company as a reliable and professional provider worthy of partnerships worth millions with even the biggest of leaders.

These connections never visited my office or our manufacturing plant. They bought on carefully build trust and confidence developed through a relationship with individual representatives of our organization, me included.

You can already see where this is leading. If I had turned up in corduroy comfies and a favorite t-shirt, somehow I can’t see that they would have entrusted me with their business. Although I would have still been the same individual representing the same high quality product. My appearance had a huge impact on their ability to trust our company to take the business relationship seriously and to deliver on a promise they could depend on. In fact I became part of that promise.

In addition by dressing in a professional business attire, in my case a two piece suit with a carefully pressed shirt, I felt empowered and positive, knowing that I made an impeccable first impression, understanding the importance of professional representation and setting of expectations.

Let’s put this on the map! As a Sales Director for a corporate organization you would naturally dress accordingly. So as a Company Owner and main representative of your business, isn’t it even more crucial to stand out by making the best impression and create trust with new prospects, oozing competence simply by wearing a suit? Remember, you are creating first impressions, building a reputation, representing a reliable brand and wooing new connections with an impeccable professional aura.

Imagine yourself dressed in that suit, feeling empowered during any size deal negotiations, commanding respect and knowing your connections feel instantaneously assured that you can deliver.

Maybe I still am an uptight European that needs to learn to chill but when it comes to setting a powerful expectation and a reliable lasting impression, the same rules apply across the nations. So don’t leave anything to chance and dress 4 success.

Let the competition be comfy and you be rich!
Power to you & the suit :)
Conny

THE POWER OF FEAR

2011-03-31T21:26:00.000-07:00

I am not sure if I should even write about the ‘F’ word this week as it might lower the tone and won’t give you the same upbeat feeling like my usual blog posts do. However I think we are among like minded individuals and should be able to be frank and honest about important things that have a high impact on our success. So taking a closer look at the Entrepreneurial Fear is essential to identify it, acknowledge it and then GIVE IT NO MORE FURTHER ATTENTION! Do you sometimes share the uneasy feeling in the pit of your tummy? Then read on!

How often are you experiencing situations where you would like to act or apply yourself simply to find that fear is holding you back? Or maybe you are on the brink of great success but don’t want to take the next step, in fear of loosing or jeopardizing what you’ve already got?

There are many reasons why entrepreneurs might be enduring the churning feeling in their tummy due to some form of fear that they are possibly:

Not doing enough
Not knowing enough
Not keeping up with the competition
Not making enough money
Not managing to balance life & work properly

Any of these thoughts create anxiety and might even be paralyzing for a concerned entrepreneur. This can have devastating consequences, like not moving forward, not capitalizing on obvious opportunities and frustration with oneself, possibly with looming self defeat. Gives you a knotted feeling just reading it, doesn’t it?

Fact is, all of this is in your own mind, only! And should any of the above be true, well guess what? You can do something about it. If you really feel that you aren’t doing enough, look at how you can take control of your time management to get more goal orientated actions done. Or if you are not making enough money, well firstly define what is enough and if you do see a shortfall, create extra revenue streams, cut out inflated expenses and get hunting for some more business.

It is exciting to think that if you stop paying attention to the “F” word and start actioning, you will feel a whole lot better.

Now we have only touched on fear as a negative. There is a positive to it as well (see, you knew I would get to this part)! Fear can be a powerful motivator to drive you above and beyond anything you ever dreamt possible. Typically this is pretty serious in the beginning because it is generated through a desperate situation.

To highlight let me briefly share the story of female client who had been running a message therapist clinic. She had her business for a number of years but didn’t really make the money that she could. She was too scared to go out and find new clients! When her little son got critically ill and she did not have enough financial resources to take time out to be with her little boy, it jolted her into a whole new level of action. She overcame her fear of selling, as the fear of not having the financial freedom in the future superseded, accelerating her to one of the top massage therapist clinics in her region.

I want you to know that it does not take something as core shaking as that, to finally commit to overcoming your fears. It is as simple as a shift in mind! Next time the tummy starts churning, acknowledge & do it anyway! Let’s stop paying attention to the entrepreneurial “F” word and make it a thing of the past!

He can, she can, YOU can!
And you know it :)
Conny

THE POWER OF EASY

2011-03-14T17:29:00.000-07:00

Interestingly you can see things objectively for others but when it comes to your own path, the best way does not seem quite so clear. You find yourself with the right level of ambition, committed to wanting to do really well, but have lost sight of how to take the quickest and easiest route there. So I have to ask you: “Why are you still going it the hard way instead of asking for directions?”

I have recently met with a young and ambitious entrepreneur who has all the skills and drive to really make his mark in the world of business. He had requested a strategy session to help him consolidate his business plan and wanted some pointers to ensure he would secure the cash injection of $100k that he needed to get his new business venture off the ground. As a new connection I needed to understand his motivations and intentions.

With plenty of probing, I firstly wanted to test his commitment level to the venture. If you are going to get financing, you’d better be in the new business with both feet firmly planted within and total commitment to your creditors.

We went through his anticipated revenue projections which he wasn’t sure off. And whilst we discussed markets, operations and HR needs, I think he started to grasp the magnitude of what he was about to commit to and how little he really knew. He hoped that his passion was going to guide him through.

In my practice I look for the easiest, most quickest route to profits and with that in mind we took another look at the business model and came up with an ingenious idea that will allow him to make up to $150k in the first year and then add his new business idea as a second revenue stream rather than setting up an entire new business around it. This way he can heavily leverage what is already there without having to refinance, cash-in on existing easy money which in turn will be partially invested into developing the new idea alongside it.

By the time we finished strategizing, he could not believe that he had not thought of this himself and had not been able to see what was so ‘clearly’ the easy route with minimal risk and optimal financial returns.

Now do you sometimes feel that easy does not come easy? Are your spinning your wheels not really getting where you want? Or only with the most tremendous effort? Business should not feel this way and if it does, chances are that you are potentially overcomplicating instead of taking the easy route.

If this is you, it’s time to change what you are doing. Of course you could just continue as has been and get more and more frustrated always on the brink of questioning why you are doing what you do. Or you can just simply decide it is time to get directions to save you from doing more than you need and receiving all that you want.

Take it from the man, who has now seen the Power of Easy. When YOU are ready to cut out the diversions, I look forward to having the conversation!

Yours in Business & Life,
Conny

THE POWER OF THE NETWORK

2011-02-22T15:41:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard of the saying:” You become the company that you keep”? Thinking back to our parents, they understood the importance of surrounding their children with the right friends for the right influence and were determined to watch over us ensuring we made the right choices. Strange how what was important then, is also most crucial now. For business entrepreneurs this is especially true!

As entrepreneurs creating a powerful network of like minded individuals who can help excel prosperity, is one of the most key parts of creating success. Many of us have read about it or have watched people with same abilities and knowledge greatly surpass others of a similar composition, wondering how they have managed to get that much further ahead than the others. Yes, I know. It’s starting to dawn on you now, isn’t it?! That’s right. It is because they are the ones with the more powerful network that gives them the leverage to grow much, much faster.

I think in one of my more recent blogs I mentioned how your network equals your net-worth. It is just not enough to be a self believing, motivated, ambitious, educated and knowledgable individual who is the very best in their field. Without top quality people and a top quality network, your business will at best ever only be mediocre.

When considering where and how to invest your time most effectively, concentrating on the development of a sterling professional network has to be your number one tactic of business development. This is not an easy task and will not easily be met by simply running from networking event to networking event.

Be strategic about your attendance at the right events only. Consider splashing out regularly on a $125 ticket to a gala event with top business people and high quality guest speakers as a better investment of your time and money with potentially greater returns, then cheaper alternatives. The connections you will make in those circles may just be the ticket to the successful company you are striving to build.

Now sticking with the theme of old sayings, I would like to finish off with one of my dad’s favorites:” It is not about what you know but who you know!”. As an entrepreneur himself, he handed down his knowledge about the importance of a powerful professional network to get where you want to be, and fast.

Now I am happy to share my ‘heirloom’ and remind you of this simple truth. So look around you. If you still do not have the opportunities you know you are able and willing to embrace, maybe it’s time to expand your network. Just make sure it is with the right people with the right influence!

Yours in business & life,

Conny

THE POWER OF ZEN

2011-02-09T15:40:00.000-08:00

Busy, busy, busy - aren’t we all always busy? In fact we are so busy, we literally can’t hear ourselves think anymore! Then how can we try to determine a professional path based on our goals reflecting our most deeply founded needs? Without the ability to listen to ourselves because life has become overwhelmingly noisy, there is only one place to go. Nowhere!

But wait. There is hope. Let me share:

Every time I start working with a new client, within a very short period of time, they start to make sense of their business model, gaining clarity around exactly what they want and how they are going to get it. Powerful stuff! For them, I am a miracle worker and although granted, I bring a lot of experience to the table, it is they who discover what they are truly meant to be doing.

For all the wisdom is already right there, locked up inside of them, buried under responsibilities, expectations and outside demands. By working together, it allows them to stop in their daily routine and take some time to seriously focus on their intentions. This unlocks the deeper knowledge they hold within themselves. By having an objective and experienced professional alongside, they quickly turn into reality, what they want once identified under the mental ‘clutter’.

I call this the Business of Zen. In the dictionary Zen is described as a meditative state for emphasis of experiential wisdom that assists in the attainment of enlightenment. In other words by carefully listening to the inner self, one will find the answer.

I expect many of you who are reading this will sympathize with the difficulty of clearly identifying a straight forward path for their business or even the target of what you are aiming for. It does not have to be this way. You can very easily determine the next steps, if you take some quiet, reflective time. This can be with or without a mentor to help you get guided through.

Take as little as 10 minutes each day, to take time out for asking, listening and receiving. In business terms this is also known as planning! This may only allow you to plan out the day or maybe even the week however it will certainly allow you to ‘turn the eye inward’ for a strong connection with the wants and the why’s. If you need help with the how’s, you know where I am.

So if you have started another year with not moving forward and getting nowhere, regularly stop the busyness and listening to the inner you. I welcome you to practice the Business of Zen starting today. For it will bring you focus, happiness and abundant prosperity.

Yours in business & life,
Conny

THE POWER OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

2011-01-31T16:51:00.000-08:00

It’s time to unroot the truth about entrepreneurial failure - Lack of Financial Responsibility! After many years in working with business owners from all walks of life, in all kinds of industries, of all ages and nationalities, I can finally and safely pinpoint the #1 reason why small businesses don’t sustain. The failure rate of all business start up’s is directly linked to the common theme of financial avoiders. This year I want to urge you all to become an excellent money manager. This will be your insurance to success!

I have the ultimate pleasure of meeting hundreds if not thousands of business owners every year from a diversified range of industries and with little similarity of their demographical profile. Yet they have a couple of things in common:

Firstly they are truly passionate about what they do. Typically they share very high work ethics with an undeterred commitment of trying to be the very best they can, hoping to turn their passion into profits. And that is where it gets tricky! Profits! I would say 9 times out of 10 when asked, entrepreneurs have no definite figure of the amount of money they made last year, last month, last week or even today. We are talking only in terms of revenue. I have not even asked about profits, yet.

Lots of business owners are trying very hard to create a financial goal for the year because they have heard so many times the importance of goal setting. So now they have a target but they have no means of measuring against it. I want you all to know, this is true for most business owners. Everyone is so busy with worrying about attracting a client, acquiring a client, retaining a client as well as the day to day operation and administration, that they feel they can’t take on the worries about the financials as well.

Reading this I truly hope, you are currently having an AHA moment. Because when you look at the order of importance of running a sustainable business, finances are right up there with clients acquisition and retention! So why don’t they pay more attention or give some focus to it? Well, I have asked many and some of them are scared that the financial rewards do not reflect the hard work they are putting in, some of them think there is not enough money yet to manage, and some of them simply don’t know where to start.

So for those of you who are scared, let me tell you it is much more stressful not knowing rather than having the control. And if you really are not making enough money to warrant the amount of time you are investing, you will want to know about it, so you can make changes to your business model.

For those of you who think there is not enough money yet to manage, that is a terrible excuse! Get into good money management habits from the start. You still need to know all the aspects of the financial situation at all times so you can measure, learn and adjust as necessary.

And for those of you who simply don’t know where to start, there are tons of resources and professionals who will support you as much or as little as you need and can afford. But ignoring it altogether, will come and bite you big if left undiscovered.

Now that you know the importance of managing your company’s money, you clearly have two choices, ignore it and become part of the statistics or control it and become successful in your business.

Get in touch if you need help with finding the right professional connection or resources to make you an excellent money manager. It’s all about the profits because profits equals money and time to do what you want to do and not what you have to!

Yours in business & life,
Conny

THE POWER OF BACK-UP

2011-01-13T22:42:00.000-08:00

As entrepreneurs there seems to be a common misconception that you have to prove that you can do it all by yourself. Asking for help seems either like a sign of weakness or an expense, you’d rather do without! Even while I am writing this, it seems ludicrous. So make 2011 the year you leverage the power of a team to get ahead faster, more lucratively!

I am not sure about you but I am a true believer that you will get out, what you are prepared to put in. Now there are only so many hours in a day and days in a week that will restrict this equation for you. By doubling the effort, you will double the results, right? Right! By quadrupling, you will get 4 times as much back. True? True! So why are you still trying to be all things to all departments?

No doubt you are talented, passionate and knowledgeable in your industry and there are areas within your business that are not your strength or lay outside your capabilities. So doesn’t it make sense that you cover those areas with additional professionals before you run into trouble or get stifled in moving forward because you are trying to figure things out by yourself instead of asking for help?

Let me highlight by sharing a recent true story: A new client in the data services industry had been doing well in establishing and growing her business. She put in long hours and lots of energy to provide the very best service to her clients. Over 3 years she spent endless hours of delivering incredible value and was consistently improving on her services.
One day her computer played up. She had never backed up and realized she had no IT support. @#^*! She had no maintenance package and could not get anyone to come out for days to see what the problem was. When after THREE days she finally managed to get someone out to take a look.

Now imagine the same client signing up from the start for a $50 monthly IT maintenance package which offers data back-up services, telephone support and training. Do you think the ongoing investment of $600 per year would have been a better strategy than playing Russian Roulette with her data? Not only did she loose three days of earnings, all of the clients data and in turn her entire client base due to neglect? In fact, she can count herself lucky not to have been prosecuted because of her negligence!

If she had invested in IT support from the start, the problem would have never developed or at the very least she would have had her data backed up with a mirror image of her computer at regular intervals saving her from loss of earnings, loss of clients and loss of reputation?

Don’t leave yourself open to this type of vulnerability and do start looking to fill the weak areas in your business with additional professionals, either employed or subcontracted. Strengthening your internal and external team will put you ahead of the game and save you from devastation when you could have had the back-up!

Lets work smarter in 2011!
Happy New Year,
Conny

THE POWER OF COMMUNICATION

2010-12-21T12:30:00.000-08:00

Despite a wide array of books and courses on the subject of good communications, people are still struggling to communicate well within their personal and professional lives.

With the festive season fast approaching, this time of year can prove to be challenging if high expectations of spending quality time with loved ones are not met due to miscommunication which can lead to possible arguments.
Maybe higher stress levels due to increased workloads and fast approaching deadlines at the office have caused a break-down in communications among colleagues. Sounds all far too familiar?

Many books and courses have been created around the subject that one should think we are all masters in effective communication by now. Yet so much more work needs to be done. We all find ourselves daily in the midst of written and verbal conversations, trying to read and understand situations and then respond appropriately.

Sometimes these conversations start out harmlessly and seemingly basic in content. Suddenly one thing happens and a situation can escalate to the extreme. No more! We all want to get along nicely and put our energies into the things that really matter. So how can you avoid disappointments or misunderstandings caused by communicating with others?

A really crucial part is to think before you speak and double think before you put something in writing. So much damage could be prevented if more people gave proper consideration to the power of the word. Therefore start with yourself and stop, consider and then speak with the right intent. A point can be made in many ways, but it is your choice of HOW you are going to make it.

Avoid to assume anything. Ensure you ask and check instead of making false assumptions. I am sure you can remember a situation that you have ‘misread’ due to not properly investigating but simply assuming. This can have a detrimental effect on you and your relationships with others. Therefore make it your mission to ALWAYS get the facts before reacting.

And last but certainly not least, never take anything personally. This is a tough request that will save you from much unnecessary heartache. Situations and people’s actions are self conditioned and not due to anything to do with you. So stop searching for a self defined reason, accept the situation for what it is and move on. If you ALLOW yourself not to take anything personally, you will be free.

Take those key lessons with you into the festive season and practice them on your loved ones. I trust you will find that this year, misunderstandings will simply not develop because you are practicing the mastery of good communication. Then take this with you into the New Year as you go back to work. If you think before you speak, assume nothing and don’t take anything personally, your 2011 will be blessed.

A peaceful Christmas & a prosperous New Year,
See you then,
Conny

THE POWER OF EXPECTATIONS

2010-11-30T13:22:00.000-08:00

Recent events have led me to want to share this true story with you. Do enjoy the content but this time, your feedback is much needed. So read on and participate:

It happens from time to time that as an Angel Business Consultant to savvy female entrepreneurs I open my much cherished Rolodex to make an introduction to third party providers. In my practice, I focus on my area of expertise in sales and marketing but bring on other professionals for services such as HR Consulting, Finance or IT. In order to provide a fully supportive environment for existing clients, these providers are offered the opportunity to complement and work within a strategic framework whilst assisting to stabilize and grow an existing business venture.

For me as the main supporter and long term partner to my clients, making those connections is huge. A lot of trust and preconceived expectations precede the first introduction. Like any other business, my clients are much cherished and carefully looked after. Therefore placing them in front of another provider, the expectation of professionalism, top service and ongoing communication should be very basic requirements. Well and of course, a thank you is always kindly received and the reciprocal notion of offering something in return even more so.

One of my longest standing clients who have enjoyed a very rapid growth phase, needed financial control services and assistance with budgeting strategy. When your business grows at such a speed, getting the right professional assistance is most important and whilst we recognized this need, I introduced a person who I thought would fit the bill.

In the beginning it was agreed that the provider would get caught up on the financial details and make up of the business before any analysis and planning could be done. However after three months we still did not have the necessary financial information, essential for the strategic planning for the next quarter. When connecting with the service provider, there was reluctance and defiance with no intention of putting things right.

I was shocked! How could this be happening? Maybe I needed to properly intervene to get the promised results that had already loyally been paid for by my client? I decided to put in a firm but nice phone call to get to the bottom of it. Instead of an explanation or a desire to put things right, the provider refused point blank to assist or cooperate. They deflected all responsibility, had cashed in the $4,500 and failed to provide the service they had agreed to deliver.

Now what? I felt guilty for having made the intro in the first place and this third party provider let my client down and me as an alliance partner. What do I do?

Do I contact BBB to advise them of the situation?
Do I encourage my client to take legal action against this provider?
Do I stop making future introductions?
Do I from now on have to manage the relationships with third party providers?
Do I need to adjust my expectations?

I am at a loss and need your objectivity! What are your thoughts? Email me cmillard@mcgbusiness.com. You may even have a similar story to share. Either way I would love to hear from you.

Connect and share,
Thank you in advance.
Conny

THE POWER OF CLARITY

2010-10-25T15:39:00.000-07:00

A very common challenge among business entrepreneurs is the ability to have a very clear focus on what they are specializing in. Many times I have met with business owners who run a company alongside seemingly unrelated sideline offerings.

For example, a personal coach providing budgeting services, a child toy retailer offering hosting & design services for e-commerce sites, a HR consultant offering social media training and so the list goes on.

It is almost as if the entrepreneur is not fully convinced of their own ability to make the one business model work, therefore wanting to keep other options of potential revenue streams open. Or having to choose and then commit to just one model, they might be concerned of missing out on opportunities, they know they could also deliver and get paid for.

Whatever the reasons, running with a number of unconnected options simultaneously will put an entrepreneur into a tailspin, weakening their power to succeed by not focusing all their attention and impact on one business model.

The companies that grow rapidly and reap the most rewards are the ones with a very clear understanding of their core products and services, knowing exactly which markets they are specializing in.
Once they have created significant market share, they then consider expanding their offerings into existing channels with complementary solutions to the core or broaden the markets they are targeting. Either way it is always with a very clear focus on just the one business model.

For moms in business this is even more important as the demands on your time are already divided between family and business commitments. Therefore trust my recommendation of choosing just one business model that you love and want to grow. Target a minimum of two markets and a maximum of three at a time. Ensure you stick to a specialist selection of core products and services until you have created the market share you need and want.

And then..., watch how your clarity turns into prosperity!

With this wishing you all the best until next time,
Conny Millard

THE POWER OF RESEARCH

2010-10-01T11:12:00.000-07:00

How often do you take the time to really research products or services you are about to chose for yourself, your family or your business? Are you typically led by a) gut feeling, b) someone’s recommendation or c) by marketing messages?

And does the significance of the purchase impact the thoroughness or the time you spend, to look into your options in greater depth? Have I got you thinking yet?

I have just conducted a search for my very own business adviser knowing how powerful and driven objectivity, strategy and accountability can be! Everyone who is determined to really achieve great things, will need a mentor or adviser by their side, me included.

In the past, I have had a couple of different coaches who came to me through recommendations. I respected the people who connected me up with them and therefore felt that it had to work. Big mistake!

Not only is each individual ‘business’, or ‘life’, or ‘both’ coach fundamentally different in terms of experience, expertise and market knowledge but also their methodologies differ greatly. So going by someone else's recommendation might not work out very well as they are dealing with their own challenges, looking for a great fit that suits them.

Considering to rely on marketing messages is equally difficult. Business advisers are like great school teachers. Depending on your learning style and personality preferences, you will like a certain PERSON rather then the entire establishment. Therefore the marketing materials promoting certain methodologies or tools are irrelevant as it really comes down to the individual who delivers the content.

This leaves going by gut feeling! Now the only way you are going to be able to make the right decision on the best partner to create your financial and personal wealth, is if you are happy to be very thorough in your research of the options that are open to you. There is no quick fix or make do attitude that will find you the perfect individual with the right tools, the most relevant expertise and a nicely gelling personality.

If you have decided that you really want to achieve great things and you are committed to investing into the necessary indulgence of an adviser, then you can not cut any corners!

Be very clear from the outset what you need and what you are looking for, then take your time to thoroughly research your options and give many advisers the opportunity of introducing themselves and their practices. And then....listen to your heart! It will tell you instinctively what will be the best fit for you.

So, GET CLEAR, RESEARCH WELL and then, GET GOING! See you at the start line.

Conny

THE POWER OF DISCOVERY

2010-09-22T14:38:00.000-07:00

When was the last time you took some time out and indulged on a quiet, self finding journey all by yourself, very peaceful with the purpose of carefully discovering the inner you? Perfectly identifying your next steps, your own strengths and your personal and professional goals?

Well if you are like most people, you will not get much of a chance to claim this special time. Yet, without it, you continue on being very busy, emerged in day to day stuff and every now and then stopping to come up for a quick breath and realizing:” This is not the life I had envisioned for myself!” or “I feel stuck and unsure of my needs and wants!”

I know I am digging a little deep, here but I have just undergone the most self indulgent journey in the past three months. In the midst of my commitments, I had this AHA moment, that if I did not take the time to regroup, I could not identify or get to the place, I want to be!

I have now learnt that the only way we can deliver the results that we want, is by taking ourselves on that journey of discovery. However long and through whatever means, once you have taken it - you will be overwhelmed by the deep realization, clear vision and incredible energy that will be unleashed!

What does your intuition tell you? Do you have it all figured out? Or are you sharing the pain of fuzzy, even muddy vision? Then do something about it!

Let me share a quick story to highlight:
A very good and young friend of mine has been in business by herself for over two years. Although struggling with typical entrepreneurship, she decided to open a facility. Something she had always dreamt off even as a little girl. The first time I visited her, she had broken down! She felt, that she had taken on more than she could handle and felt trapped by her own decision.

Eventually the only think for her to do, was to take a trip away, by herself, to get some objectivity and clarity back into her life. When I went to see her again, she was simply radiant. Her order book was brimming, she had taken on 2 new members of staff and introduced three new profit models, making her money hand over fist.

She now takes off two days in the week. When speaking with her about this unbelievable transformation, she just responded:” The time I took out was a true journey of discovery. Once I encouraged myself to listen to the inner me and become quiet enough that I could finally hear that low inner voice, it all became so very clear!”

Now, this is your permission slip for yourself to do the same. The most powerful transformation and deepest clarity will come by allowing yourself the journey of discovery!

After that you will be ready to give me a call so we can build your business together!
GO, INDULGE!

THE POWER OF PROFITS

2010-09-09T16:43:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know what you are going to say... Of course profits are powerful, why would you want to write about the obvious? Because the obvious isn’t the ordinary!

Great people with great business ideas, passion and commitment does not equal profits. It is shocking yet true that most entrepreneurs are having difficulty making money with their business ventures.

Within the past two years I must have met at least 400 businesses of small to medium size with only 48% making any money. Out of the 48% only a handful are generating profits. A gloomy reality and not in the least linked to lack of skill or capability.

So if this is the reality of entrepreneurs, how can you be one of the lucky handful of businesses actually seeing profitable returns on their efforts? Or better yet, how can the ratio be changed as a whole?

First, let me share the top 10 reasons why businesses are not making any profits:

    1.) Not knowing their own value
    2.) Not understanding their unique selling points
    3.) Not being clear on their target markets
    4.) Not managing staff effectively
    5.) Not managing their finances closely
    6.) Not having a plan
    7.) Not measuring anything
    8.) Not collaborating
    9.) Not outsourcing
    10.) Not making profits their #1 priority

Sometimes it only takes a little bit of tweaking here and there which can make all the difference in a business model. However, how do entrepreneurs know what they don’t know, until they know what they didn’t know? Because once they know, they can implement the vital changes to make their business profitable.

The only way to find out the essential tweaks for positive cash flow, is professional, knowledgeable, objective advice from a credible source. There you have it!

So if you are in business simply to kill time with no need of financial success, perfect! Continue with your hobby. But if you are really keen on making some good cash, don’t waste time on trying to work it out on your own, get professional advice!

What would YOU do with YOUR profits?

THE POWER OF REFERRALS

2010-08-27T15:42:00.000-07:00

Imagine this, you get a card through the door as an advertisement for a new cleaning company in town. You have been contemplating getting a cleaner because of all those other commitments that are taking up all of your time. Getting some help with your home has been one of your priorities to sort out.

Would you pick up the card, dial the number and make the connection? Maybe.

Now imagine this scenario. You are sitting together with friends, telling them how you are so busy and that there is just not enough time in the day to take care of everything. You mention that you have been contemplating getting a cleaner. One of your friends mentions a company they have been using in the past and were very happy with.

Would you get in touch with that company rather than the other one who sent you some promotional materials?

The answer is pretty simple. Of course you are going to go with your friends suggestion! She has already had some experience and you fully trust her judgment.

The Power of a Referral is more than just the simple fact of first choice however. It typically becomes a win/ win situation for both, the customer and the business. Let me explain!

The customer will be referred to a company that has already proven it’s reliability and standard of products and services. The company does not need to compete on price anymore and because of the referral, the customer will probably be a pretty good fit, making it a pleasure to do business with.

If you are savvy, you will introduce a strong and compelling referral system for your business to get your GOOD customers not only refer MORE business but also the RIGHT business.

A Referral is The Biggest Complement and should be awarded!
Happy Weekend,

Conny

THE POWER OF PLANNING

2010-08-06T16:24:00.000-07:00

With less than 5 months left in the year I have been meeting with a lot of people recently who have been reviewing their progress on their ambitions for the year, only to find that they haven’t even really got started yet. In fact most could not even remember exactly what they had set out to do.

This means of course some are shrugging their shoulders with an ‘Oh, well...’ attitude while others are fueled to make the remaining months count. They have been asking for my input on where to start to get things moving in a coherent and focused direction.

I thought this would be the perfect place to share my advice to them as well as the broader audience. Here is what will get you on track for the rest of the year:

        1.) Don’t get hang up on what you SHOULD have done
        2.) Get clear on what you are going to do
        3.) Write it down
        4.) Set realistic deadlines
        5.) Get going
        6.) If you have a tendency to procrastinate, suffer with self doubt or have difficulty with being consistent - GET HELP!

It is very simple. If you are feeling that the year has been passing you by and you have not achieved anything tangible in your business or even personally, it is not too late to turn things around.

Professionally, get writing your short and simplified business/ career plan to figure out where you would like to be at the end of 2010. It only really needs to have 5 key goals with an action plan attached. Then start scheduling each action point into your calendar and stick to those ‘appointments’. Print your plan and stick it up on your wall or carry it with you. Every time you are stuck for the next steps, take a look at the plan and move forward.

Personally, not dissimilar to the above but perhaps not quite as formal. Take a nice blank sheet of paper, a cup of tea and pin point 5 key things you would like to accomplish or have in place on a personal level. For me things such as:

    1.) Book in pottery lessons - start end of September
    2.) Get back into my weekly swim routine - start now
    3.) Spend one weekend with each boy to do what they like - third weekend Sept/ Oct.
    4.) Have a 4 day romantic break away with my lovely husband - begin Sept.
    5.) Manage to ski a green run ;-) - by 31st Dec
(But psht.... these are personal)
We all know planning is essential but it is so much more than that - it is downright powerful and liberating. Especially when you look back and feel the pride in your accomplishment.

If you want, you can email me your business plan & personal list and I will check in with you at the end of the year to ensure you got onto it!

Happy Businessing!
Conny

DO YOU NEED A SHORT STRATEGY PLAN? EMAIL ME CMILLARD@MCGBUSINESS.COM FOR A COPY TO GET YOU STARTED!

THE POWER OF PERSEVERANCE

2010-07-29T14:54:00.000-07:00

You are going to love this true, little story that highlights so well, how perseverance gets results. So read on and enjoy:

We went on a camping trip with a bunch of friends last weekend including all of our kids. Among us where 5 teenagers around 15 and 16 years old - very tough crowd! My 7 year old son wanted to play a game of ‘hide-and-seek-tag’ and approached the youths who had gathered around the fire pit, bored out of their minds, to entice them of joining him to play.

Standing in front of the first boy he asked:” Cam, do you want to play a game of h-a-s-t?” With the reply of ‘no thanks’ from Cam. So my son moved on to the next boy, standing in front of him, he again posed the question. He got another straight ‘No’. Moving on to the third guy, my son asked again:” Do you fancy playing a game of h-a-s-t?”

And yes, you guessed right. He had the next ‘No, not now.” answer. Anyone in their right mind would have given up by now, but my son was relentless:” Hey Jordie, lets play a game of h-a-s-t!” Unfortunately Jordie did not want to play, either. So with only Mitch to go, he went and stood in front of him and pleased:” Come on, Mitch. Are you up for playing h-a-s-t?” and there....finally! Mitch replied:” OK, but only if the others will play!”

So my little guy started from the beginning:” Hey, Cam! Do you want to play, Mitch will, if you do?” And so Cam was on board. Then the others were also persuaded one by one, until all of them joined in!

I watched this little scene unfold and could not help but smile to myself. What a great result. First none, then all! What I really loved was the fact that my son was undeterred by the ‘no’s’ he got, never dropping his enthusiastic, unshakable belief that if only he asked often enough, he would finally get a ‘yes’. Focussing on getting to the answer he wanted, rather than worrying about the ones he received!

To me this is the best parable to bring into our working world! Keep on searching for the ‘yes’s’ because you know, they are out there. You just have to stay positive, committed and believing enough to find them.

Happy Businessing!
Conny

DO YOU HAVE A STORY WHERE PERSEVERANCE HAS PAID OFF?
EMAIL ME YOUR PERSONAL OR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE TO SHARE.

MAKING MONEY

2010-07-07T00:48:00.000-07:00

One of the key reasons why new clients come to me for advice is their lack of financial return from their business ventures.

This could be due to a number of challenges:

They don't know their markets
Insecure about their value
Difficulty of finding opportunities
Difficulty of closing opportunities
Lack of clarity & consistency

One should think that bringing in the money would be pretty straight forward. You've got or created a great product or service, you put the word out a little and people 'break your door down' to experience what you have to offer.

These new customers are now so delighted that they gladly pay you straight away and even leave you with a little extra to show their appreciation.

But by now you had to realize that this is more the making of a modern day fairy tale rather then reality! In your desperation you buy a business book to get some ideas. Or you are thinking that you must be missing a crucial piece of the puzzle. Maybe if you had a better website or you invested more time into getting on with a well devised Social Media Strategy, this will be the missing ingredient.

I can assure you that those are not the primary reasons why the cash isn't flowing. Working harder isn't it either!

I want you to consider these questions:

1.) Who will benefit the most from your offering and I mean, truly, really needs it?

2.) How are you going about engaging with those markets?

3.) How are you making it compelling for them to buy?

4.) Do you understand your strengths in the sales cycle?

5.) How are you addressing any weak points?

6.) How consistent are you in engaing with your markets?

7.) Does your financial expectations match your effort?

8.) Are you recogninzing the current achievements or are you continuously focused on chasing the next big deal?

A lot can be identified and clarified in a few simple steps that will finally help you start to get the cash flow going. And once it flows, you will amazed how it just keeps on coming!

Happy businessing!

Conny

NAUGHTY BUT NECESSARY - TIME OUT 4 CLARITY

2010-06-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have just suggested it. The unthinkable, the irresponsible suggestion to take a break. Properly. Not just a tea break. Or a run! But some time out, away from the family and maybe even for a few days.

Not with a friend or a relative. Just you. Away from it all.

As women in business we are supposed to have very clear goals, the ultimate path to eternal happiness, health and success. Knowing exactly what we want, when we should have it and how to obtain it.

This applies of course to our professional as well as our personal lives. Many clients come to me with the same challenge: How do I know what goals I should set for myself that are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic & Timely) and run a smooth family life with household, husband and happy kids?

There is one very obvious response to this. STOP! Just for a while. So that you may sit down with a calm and empty mind, no chores or appointments to worry about and no improvised emergencies to attend to. Quietness, to listen inside of yourself.

As the new generation of SuperWomen, the only way you can get clear on who you truly want to be and what you want to create in your lifetime, is by allowing yourself time to figure things out.

And this can not be done as you are rushing to a meeting or putting on a quick load of laundry before picking up the kids from school. Therefore a trip away, just you, yourself and maybe a nice new notebook is necessary.

I can already hear your reply:

“Whatever is Conny thinking? This is completely unrealistic and impossible to even suggest! I have a family who wouldn’t be able to cope without me or even have the funds to go away anywhere. Besides there is just too much to do and I am not making enough money right now to afford any time off!”

Rubbish! If you can spend $500 in a weekend on home improvements or ‘essential’ entertainment equipment, you can easily justify spending this money on you. Claiming some much deserved YOU time, resting, re-energizing and planning.

By the time you come back, you'll be ready to implement the goals you have now been able to hear slumbering inside of you because you took the time to listen!
To us!
Conny

COACHING THE COACH

2010-05-28T14:25:00.000-07:00

I have just had the experience of a life coaching session with a new connection in Geneva. And it is funny how, when the tables are turned, one can get a feeling first hand of what it is like to receive rather than to share.

Strangely I was really kind of nervous to start with and found myself a little uneasy and unsure of what to expect. Once we dived into it, I felt indulgent to spend the time on myself and to be speaking to a stranger about my thoughts, successes and challenges. To a stranger?!

Whilst we were going through her routine, I realized how daunting my prospects must feel, when they meet me for the very first time; excited and curious, yet a little dubious about what they should be preparing perhaps and what they might get out of it at the end. A little anxious even about what may be uncovered...

I had entered the conversation with an open mind and eventually was blown away by the impact it had on my emotions as well as the realization of true clarity for my personal and professional ambitions.

We set some homework to get going on next steps after a blissful hour of someone’s undivided attention to hash out a plan of how I can best go about achieving my goals. No judgments or expectations on her part.

Since the coaching session, I feel energized and ready to roll with nothing that can possibly stand in my way. So here I am, fully fueled and ready to rock!

Being able to put yourself in your customer’s position, will certainly help you to feel their desire and needs and maybe their insecurities about buying from you. With this insight, you can ensure you tailor your approach and service, to reflect your customer’s expectations and deliver peace of mind from the start.

Take the time and do the exercise. Replicate a customer experience to truly get to the bottom of what they want and then give it to them. Why would they ever want to shop anywhere else?

Thank you, Vanessa (http://simplyzest.com/sz/) for giving me the customer’s perspective. I will hold this true in my heart and make sure, this lesson will be a valuable learning experience to better serve my clients.

Happy Weekend ;-)
Conny

THE POWER OF OBJECTIVITY

2010-05-14T13:26:00.000-07:00

Can you remember the last time you received some form of communication from either a personal or professional connection maybe even via email and you thought to yourself: “What is that suppose to mean? I am not sure, I like the tone or content and don’t know what to do with this...?”

Or maybe you have an unhappy client that you are trying to dodge because you are unsure of how to diffuse the situation and make them happy again? Or a prospect that you don’t know how to proceed to successfully close?

Lots of different type of scenarios all with the same underlying current. What is the best way to move forward and what should you be doing next?

So where do you go for enlightenment? Do you talk to your partner/ spouse or maybe a friend or family member? Or even a potential business connection? And what kind of feedback are you thinking you might get from a person that is either very close to you or knows little about you and your circumstances?

Being an entrepreneur one of the toughest things is figuring out every step of the way without anyone else in the same boat! Whilst in a corporate environment, you have plenty of relevant people to help you identify the next best move when it comes to business strategy.

Unfortunately this ‘luxury’ does not apply, once you start out on your own.

Retaining an objective vision of the facts can be tricky when it is you and only your own interpretation of circumstances and best next actions.

I have seen people acting emotionally, leaving themselves open to substantial damage that could have been prevented if only they had requested some objective, qualified third party input prior to reacting without considering all aspects of the wider effects.

Get savvy and save yourself from potentially initiating wrong measures or missed opportunities due to lack of objectivity or emotional interpretation. We know, we all need it and better have the right person by our side to provide us with the second sober thought.

Happy Businessing!
Yours, Conny

QUIT PLAYING SMALL

2010-04-19T11:42:00.000-07:00

In a recent survey, business women were identified as powerful individuals that could wipe the floor with their male counterparts if only they stopped trying to improve their own efficiencies as a way to improve their business success.

Women will continuously streamline their own processes, get trained and educated on whatever subject they are not very confident in, in order to increase the growth of their business.

As women, mothers and partners we have always had to be very resourceful within ourselves. This has been elementary in providing for and fulfilling all tasks demanded by our personal stakeholders. Naturally we are trying to replicate this mind set into our professional environments and this is where our male counterparts outsmart us.

They in turn have been ‘trained’ to use other people’s resouces and are happy to pass on all or any part of their workload if it helps them get rid of pile-on work tasks that keep them from focusing on immediate results.

This is the main reason why men are getting ahead in business quicker then women. Men are naturally inclined to let others take care of areas they don’t enjoy or have no competency in. All the important tasks are taken care off while they can focus on their own areas of strength and passion.

So my fellow women preneurs, it is time to break the mold! Passing on part of your business processes to a qualified third party will free yourself, to bring in the BIG money. When it comes to business, you need to be selflessly selfish! Concentrate on your strength and fill the voids by collaborating with professionals who will get the job done in half the time, leaving you to do what you are great at.

This is the true meaning of efficiency!

Letting go isn’t a sign of weakness but proof of clever, savvy business sense. So go on girls, it’s time to quit playing small and start acting big.

Happy Businessing!
Conny

WHAT BLOODY RECESSION?

2010-04-02T16:50:00.000-07:00

It drives me insane when I listen to business owners complaining how sales are down and how the bad economy makes it impossible to stay profitable. Yet I continue to witness cringingly how tens of thousands of dollars in revenue potential are passed by due to pure negligence, lack of training and/ or urgency by the sales force!

I want to share with you three real life examples of ‘The Sudden Business Death Syndrome’ that I have experienced only in the last two weeks. Bad salesmanship, no follow up, terrible listening skills and massive waste of company marketing dollars have been the cause for major loss of business opportunities.

Example 1.)
Lack of Motivation
A customer visited a new Toyota showroom in town to purchase a $25,000 truck. With an immediate need to purchase a vehicle, he met the sales person who referred him to their website instead. The sales person did not take any details from the customer or spend adequate time to understand the exact needs, budget and timeframe the customer was looking for.

Well guess what? The customer went to Ford the following weekend and purchased a $30,000 truck because there the sales guy was helpful, considered and found what the customer needed. Toyota’s loss of an easy $30,000 revenue!

Example 2.)
Bad Training
At a trade show, a customer visits a potential supplier booth to explore the possible expansion of their services. The sales person at the booth launches into a fully fledged 20 minute spiel on products and company overview without once asking the visitor what her business is, what she is looking for or see how their portfolio would match to suit.

Again the sales person did not take down details or make arrangements to meet again. Instead he alienated the customer, wasted her time and lost massive revenue potential for a possible new sales channel. Order value approx. $15,000 per month!

Example 3.)
No Follow-up
A company looking to find the perfect promotional item, finally sees exactly what they have been searching for. Handmade ware from Italy that could be personalized with the company logo and details.

The shop assistant takes the business card and does a great job selling the concept and design to the customer. Two weeks after the meeting, the customer still has not been contacted to finalize their order and have now found an alternative due to the lack of follow up by the shop assistant. Initial order value approximately $5000!

It is not bad economic times that are causing businesses to hurt financially but the inability and complacency to close each sales opportunity as it presents itself. Therefore read & learn and get a tight handle on your sales process, regardless if you are a big company or a sole proprietor. With the right attitude there is tons of money to be made.

Happy Businessing!
Conny

MY V8 MOMENT

2010-03-19T03:13:00.000-07:00

Do you sympathize when I tell you, that every once in a while I have a V8 moment? This is what I call it, when I did not do the obvious and it comes to bite me in the butt.

To give you an example, whenever I have a new connection and I arrange to meet with them, their contact details go directly into my Blackberry. Makes perfect sense, right? And every so often, I get busy or distracted and forget to update my phone with people that I am scheduled to meet.

Guess what happens when I urgently need to get hold of them to change our arrangements due to unforeseen circumstances? That’s right, I scramble! Now I am late and flustered and giving the wrong impression! It already puts me at a disadvantage which could have been so easily prevented if only I had done the right thing which would have taken no time at all.

This is when I have to hit my forehead as they do on the advert! How could I be so careless and not even check before I left the office?

It comes to show that having processes and systems in place and sticking to them religiously, will eliminate those horrible V8 situations! So why do we do it? Why do we set ourselves up for the self instigated sabotage?

It seems pretty silly that we know what works best, it has been proven, yet we are still not compeletely committed sticking to the process?

So I put it to you - lets reveal our V8 moments publically so that we may never default but stick to the things we know work so well! No more sabotage, no more excuses!

I want you to come forward with your V8 moment! Email me cmillard@mcgbusiness.com and I will provide you with the absolution to let go of past examples of bad behavior and promote the new and reformed YOU!

Jointly lets eliminate V8’s for a stress free better business future!

Happy Businessing!
Conny

PREPARE OR FAIL

2010-03-01T18:08:00.000-08:00

In my career I have the opportunity to attend lots of events with a variety of speakers. It is always most surprising to observe, how few presenters are truly messmerizing and how even the most exciting topic gets boring, when it is badly prepared and never rehearsed.

Typically people pay good money to hear a specialist talk on a topic in order to educate themselves and deepen their knowledge on a subject matter. Courses, seminars, webinars and workshops, there are plenty of well paid speakers trying to deliver content, to expand the horizon of professionals.

So how come that the quality of the delivery is so often very questionable and frustrating to the audience? I suppose this is a two folded answer:
1.) The presenter is highly qualified and technically minded but lacks the ability to speak at a normal level
or
2.) The presentation has been badly prepared, without a clearly defined path or objective and possibly never rehearsed. And yes, it shows! It can be annoying to the audience and discredits the individual almost immediately.

In the first instance, you somehow can’t blame the speaker. However perhaps the question should be raised to the organizer for ensuring good quality content and delivery beforehand.

In the second instance I can think of a number of reasons why the presentation was not adequately prepared - lack of time, procrastination, maybe even due to lack of self confidence and/or lack of topic knowledge. Whatever the reason the speaker will allianate their audience and potentially damage their reputation.

The lesson to be learned here is simple. Get prepared! And this does not just apply to public speakers or lecturers but to all entrepreneurs as well.

Don’t leave it up to chance to deliver a strong message. Think well in advance about what you want to get across and than rehearse this with objective professionals to get it just right. Practice until it becomes embedded into your mind and feels like the powerful reality that you deliver. Now, enjoy how your audience will hang on your every word.

Suddenly your value can not be measured in dollars!

NOTHING BUT EXCUSES

2010-02-15T13:43:00.000-08:00

Meeting so many business entrepreneurs all of the time, one commonality is becoming very apparent, perceived challenges or events are used as justified reasons why business cannot be done.

Some claim the bad economic times are to blame for slow or no business. Others declare that the Olympics have caused pretty much all business activities to stop. The next find that summer holidays are a tricky time to do business because everyone is away on vacation. A different group thinks that winter is too cold and dark for people to want to do business and autumn is a time when many seek sanity in warmer climates. And as for moms in business, lets not even get started on school holidays, children's sick days and ProD days.

Yes, lots of reasons why business development could be a challenge. So how about looking at creating a more sustainable business model whereby you will not be heavily affected by seasonal changes or perceived downturns. Impossible you say? Then it is time to find yourself a professional adviser who can show you how you can be sustainable in any market at any time of year.

So stop making excuses and start taking control of your business!

INSPIRED TO LEAD

2010-02-06T11:31:00.000-08:00

In the past 24 hours, the much anticipated Olympics made itself felt in our town. We have celebrated the arrival of the torch on Thursday night with some great entertainment, Loggers show and stunning fireworks.

Lots was on offer and the family had the opportunity of free photos with the torch through an initiative by Coca Cola, short personal recordings which will be shown in the background all the way through the Games and of course not to forget the lighting of the cauldron!

The following day, we cheered on the torch bearers which were within arms length coming through our neighbourhood and all the school kids, parents, teachers and neighbours came out, to see the spectacle unfold.

The craziest thing was, that we met one of the torch bearers in person as she was waiting to be handed the flame. She was a young girl from Pemberton who had won a competition and there she stood quite alone, nervous and excited, ready to write history, wondering why she should be one of the chosen ones. She confessed that she didn’t feel ready for such an important and monumental task.

And that’s when it struck me that many of the women that I meet in business have the same feeling. Professional moms who after a successful career and some time out to become a mom, they find it hard to recognize their own worth when trying to re-enter the work force. Female entrepreneurs wondering if they are taking the right step into running their own businesses, because they don’t feel quite ready or not well enough prepared.

The truth is simple for the torch bearer as for my fellow women in business. Take leadership without questioning your worthiness. We have all been created equal and it is the ones who, in spite of their fears are prepared to leap forward and make things happen. There is no failure in trying and be assured in the know that you are as ready today as you will ever be.

Be inspired as I am, love life and have faith in yourself!

Until next time,

Conny

DO OR DIE - BETTER REPLY!

2010-02-01T17:00:00.000-08:00

One of my pet hates in business is, when people don’t get back to you. You send nice emails following some great conversations and then.......nothing!
You have meetings with people at their request, you follow up and then.......yes, you guessed right, nothing!

You are ready to place a large order or want to make an inquiry on behalf of a client, or have a small question following a purchase you have made and then.........nothing!

I come across this time and time again and so do lots of my clients and friends.

So initially one can’t help but thinking, that it must be a personal thing. Maybe a business cultural thing, I must have missed during my immigration! Because where I come from, businesses will always (!) respond to you, it is not just good manners but plain decent business ethics.

What gets me the most is, that everyone talks about business slowing down, or not enough opportunities or not sure how to continue to grow. Well guess what, if you ever bothered looking into your Inbox and dealt with all the people within, you would be surprised about the value that is locked up right there!

So here is some food for thought for people who have come across this strange phenomenon that has taken hold of business on the West Coast, if this irritates you as much as it does me, lets make a pact! Lets set a new standard of good communication!

Because you never know; the person who is trying to communicate with you, could hold the key to something great, exciting and valuable and if not right away, then certainly in the future.

A HEAD OF THE GAME

2010-01-26T16:59:00.000-08:00

I have just completed my certification as a Donald Trump Associate and I must say it was intense! It has been a steep learning curve and I have met a number of incredible people on the way.

The interesting thing was, that in an audience of about 80 people, one of our tasks was to stand up and briefly introduce ourselves. Everyone had about 30 seconds to state who they are, what they do and what their goals are. How do you think that went? One would imagine that 80 professional and educated people have got this simple task right down to a ‘T’. Likely that they would need to do this on a regular basis in their chosen fields.

Interestingly the majority had to write their introduction down and read it straight from a piece of paper. Others tried it without and failed to deliver a powerful or even coherent message. This really surprised me. However I could see that lots of my clients are challenged with the same apprehension, struggling to clearly state the introduction about their businesses and benefits.

If this rings true with you, consider how important the first impression is and how you can set yourself apart from the rest of the competition with a carefully orchestrated and practiced introduction. Take the time and understand who you are targeting, what your unique benefits are and why you are the perfect and only choice to new prospects.

This sounds an easy task however most people find it incredibly difficult. So if you are one of those people, take control now and if necessary get professional to prepare a strong and powerful message.

The first impression is everything!

Kicking it to you!

2010-01-08T12:12:00.000-08:00

Wow, first week of the New Year already behind us and I am sure you, have been busy getting back into the swing of things. The time to put New Years resolutions into action, making things better, working smarter, living healthier, being more present, spending more quality time with loved ones, achieving, creating and enjoying. Phew!

Why do we think, we have to be able to do it all, and all at once? Who has been given us the impression that we must have the first million in the next 12 months? Life coaches and counsellors have never been more busy trying to patch people up, when they are not coping well, with all the pressure that they are either putting themselves under or feel from outside sources.

Being the best at everything, well that is just plain impossible! Being the best mom, wife, cook, hostess, business entrepreneur with the highest standards of a healthy, loving, intellectual lifestyle with a twist of perfection.

I ask you, how is this all going to be achieved without a huge pre-programmed f*** up?

So here is the cure for my clients this year: We are carefully looking at the Must Have’s first. Setting priorities in the beginning and writing them down together, is the first step. How much time will you be spending on yourself, your family and your business?

Divide it up and then set realistic financial goals and business milestones. Make them timely and together review at regular intervals. With those identified, we then break down objectives on how to get there, how much of that we can do together and what external resources and relationships we need to put in place.

With accountability thrown in, support & objective advice, my clients will have a professional advisor to keep them on track as well as sane!

Make your business manageable and therefore enjoyable in 2010!
Kindest,
Conny

VALUE VS VOLUME

2009-12-31T15:17:00.000-08:00

With 2009 coming to a close, you will receive plenty of advice from business advisors around the province to reflect on your business performance over the past year and plan ahead for the next 12 months.

I want to send a more concrete message to my readers to finish of the year and prepare for the forthcoming months.

As a business owner, consider one thing most of all, do you want your business to deliver real value to your customers or are you in the game for the numbers only?

This will be the most important factor when going into the New Year. If you are all about increasing volume only, you will loose the number one key ingredient for loyal, long-term customer relationships. If you think your clients don’t feel the ‘conveyor belt philosophy’ that some businesses offer, think again. Each customer is highly informed and has more choice then ever to take their business elsewhere.

So the pressure is on, to offer high quality deliverables such as your products and services AS WELL AS outstanding value and customer care. Only then will you stand a chance to retain your good clients and build a solid foundation with a first class business methodology.

To all your customers out there: Do not put up with half hearted efforts, poor service and time pressured delivery! If you have doubts about the value of a certain service, ditch the unsatisfactory expense and replace it with the value you deserve. You are worth it!

Happy Prosperous New Year to you all!

Conny Millard

The Godfather Mentality

2009-12-22T14:21:00.000-08:00

Business relationships can quickly change in a blink of an eye! From employers to associates to suppliers, something happens that can turn a favorable connection into a bad one.

This may be caused by a change in professional compatibility, conflicting aspirations or even personal circumstances that lead to one or both parties wanting to part.

How do you deal with your top performing employee or associate leaving your business? Do you wish them a heartfelt good luck in their future endeavors? Looking at what you could have done differently to retain such key people and to make sure you understand what made them go in the first place so you can improve for others? Or do you take it personally, turning the cold shoulder and maybe even looking to destroy their reputation?

The latter sounds pretty childish and unnessecary and not terribly professional. Maybe that was the reason for the person to leave in the first place?!

There are indeed business owners who take the loss of their star top performer or clients very personally and feel they can only get past this by actively sabotaging the ‘deserter’ either by misrepresenting the actual facts of this person leaving or even worse, spreading negative and maybe even untrue gossip within the business and industry to get back at them.

I have come across such people over and over during my career and am tired of witnessing such Godfather like behavior, where you have to be afraid they may come after you and ‘kneecap’ your business in order to seek revenge.

So to all of those terrible losers and bullies - your unprofessional, shortsighted and immature behavior will trip you up in the long run. It will cost you your reputation within a potentially powerful network and might cut you out of valuable business opportunities in the future.

Godfathers beware - top performers will always come out on top!

Entrepreneurism - Not for Everyone

2009-12-15T14:57:00.001-08:00

I have just learned that one of my former clients has decided to give up on her quest to battle through entrepreneurism. She contacted me to apologize for not being able to ‘stick it out’ and for thanking me to help her try to give it a proper shot.

This made me think that people who try themselves at setting up their own business, perceive their retreat back to the security of the corporate world as some kind of defeat or failure. I want to take this opportunity to put the record straight!

Firstly, it takes a whole lot of guts to take the step into the unknown, leaving a steady pay check, benefits and the support network of an existing company to try and go it alone. Finding the determination and the drive to continuously press on with little or no guidance or outside help, is not only daunting but can be very weary on the most passionate individual.

Add to that the pressure of competition, negative outside influences or connections and maybe even active saboteurs who do not wish to see you become successful, the task to stay on track and find the positive focus to remain optimistic about the success of your business, can become insurmountable!

A whole number of key elements are at play to ensure, you stand the chance to persevere through hurdles and challenges. You will need an indestructible self belief, unshakable persistence, a very thick skin and most of all unconditional support.

The support needs to be in the form of professional help with tasks that do not play to your strength or require expert advice. A further prerequisite is ongoing accountability to ensure steady progress and growth but most importantly support from your family and loved ones. Physically would be great, financially could certainly help and emotionally to keep you believing in your abilities and chance of success.

A great big CHEERS to all of you trying to realize your dreams. You’ll never know the possibilities until you have thoroughly checked out the options!

XXI - The Upside of the Move

2009-12-02T22:53:00.000-08:00

Lots of things have been happening since I last posted my blog contribution. A personal tragedy caused me to put things on hold for a while. This has led me to ponder over the facts of life and business for a little.

There are two camps when it comes to personal circumstances impacting your business - one side says:" The show must go on regardless of personal situations!" whilst the other side thinks, there are things larger in life than business. I chose to join the latter and take some time to re-group and reconsider my priorities.

Interesting things happen when you allow yourself to stop for a bit and take stock on what has happened, what is presently going on and what you want your future to look like! E. Tolle in his book 'The Power of Now" made for an interesting and educating read during my time of reflection and contemplation.

Now I have cut out what did not work, focussing on what I want to do and not what I think other people expect me to do and replacing some connections that were more draining then beneficial.

So for the mompreneurs out there who feel they need to be super women to fulfill all the expectations of all key stakeholders in life and business - STOP! and take the time to carefully consider your priorities and how they will evolve in the future. Only then can you set yourself personal and professional goals in line with YOUR order of importance.

Part XX - Challenges of Living the Dream

2009-08-05T11:59:00.000-07:00

On arrival in Canada in September 2006 we were full of good intentions and bursting with anticipation of the adventure we declared. Arriving in Vancouver on a warm late summers night was wonderful and we thoroughly enjoyed exploring our new home in the first couple of weeks of arrival.

We could not believe everyone’s positive attitude and open nature to connecting with us. I have travelled a lot during my professional career and have met some incredible people however the warm welcome and genuine interest of the Canadian people as well as their willingness to help is really something else!

Soon we would realize however the magnitude of our move and the challenges that we would have to overcome in order to settle into a ‘normal’ life.

Although we had spent thousands on engaging an immigration consultant to help us with our paperwork prior to leaving our homeland, we had also hoped for ongoing guidance on next steps to prepare ourselves adequately, eliminating any potential unwellcome surprises on the way.

Unfortunately we had to overcome a number of very crucial issues that could have very well been avoided if only we had known in advance. Things like:

Retaking our driving tests (theory and practical) within 90 days of arriving in the country nearly put us into serious jeopardy,
Not having the right paperwork from our car insurance company from the UK, which meant ‘no-claims’ could not be accepted costing us thousands in unnecessary car insurance costs
No credit history causing huge problems to set up utilities, cell phone and bank accounts (credit report from Equifax UK was not accepted)
Threatened to privately pay for schooling for our children by not having the right landing status on arrival in the country

These are just to name but a few to give you a flavor of what enormous challenges we had to overcome in order to be able to live in Canada.

Things you take for granted when you live in your own home or somewhere within the European Union. Suddenly you are a second class citizen having to proove yourself all over again. Not easy when you come from a nice home, well paid jobs and certain social status not to mention the fact that you are missing your family and friends like crazy!

Part XIX - Living the Dream

2009-07-13T20:48:00.000-07:00

I know of lots and lots of couples that have been thinking and talking about escaping the rut, trying something new, packing up everything and starting a new life in search of the perfect set up.

So right now I am not sure if I should continue to write or leave them in the belief, that the grass is so much greener on the other side?! Recent TV shows have been around ‘Escape to the Country’ or ‘Starting a New Life Down Under’ as fly-on-the-wall documentaries, on how families up sticks and take to new opportunities, facing probably the most trialing challenges as couples, parents and professionals.

Well, let me tell you a little about the trials first and then I will give you the advantages afterwards. As you can see, for us the benefits far outweighed the challenges.

However, since we have arrived in Canada three years ago, we have met a ton of families that would return back home within months and sometimes even a year or two later. And I have the greatest respect for those people because they have taken a chance on an opportunity, explored it, considered it and then changed direction based on what they learned.

It takes a lot of guts and vision to even attempt to follow your dreams and trying to see if it is worth turning them into reality. And it takes commitment, persistance and a strong belief not to be swayed by an easy way out.

So for us, we arrived with two small children, a two year work visa and a promise of a better life...

Part XVIII - Whatever Next

2009-07-09T00:04:00.000-07:00

As truly entrepreneurial spirits who love to discover and explore, an opportunity presented itself in 2006 for us to try life in Canada for a couple of years.

Making the most of the skill shortage experienced nation wide, we decided to put our idyllic life to the test by challenging everything we knew and seeking the adventure to come to the West Coast.

Initially we decided to go for a little break, leaving behind anything we new and getting prepared to venture into some unchartered territories for us. At that time we both enjoyed great careers, a wonderful home and lots of friends and family around us.

However realizing that opportunities are there to be grabbed with both hands, we sold our house and made off to the self proclaimed most Beautiful Place on Earth.

It can not be underestimated the impact such a move would have on everyone’s life! By now, back home we had both grown to be the go to expert in our chosen fields whilst financial freedom was within easy reach.

Having said that, we knew, that the more we were prepared to venture out and stretch our comfort zone, the more we would grow and enrich our knowledge and expertise even further.

So by coming to Canada, we had not only found the adventure and thrill of the unknown but soon we would realize, that now we were in the land of endless opportunities!

Part XVII - Preaching What I Practiced

2009-06-23T00:02:00.000-07:00

All my experiences in business have been very varied and I have had masses of exposure to so many different business models and industries coupled with the first taste of entrepreneurism, that now was the time, to put some of my practice into a structured support network for small businesses.

My first consulting client was a printing and promotions company and although the Managing Director running it had himself come from a corporate background, he used to be in charge of operations and knew very little about sales and marketing - an ideal first client!

The company had been in existence for 4 years at this point but was still not making a half way decent income for the owner. He was making just enough to cover his overheads with a little left over for building and equipment maintenance. Luckily this guy had a number of shares in his previous company and drew sizable dividends to contribute to the household income.

I was surprised that this was an ‘established’ business with clients and everything, employing 4 people but no business development plans or activities of any sort. Still yet, somehow the business managed to pick up the odd client but even then the opportunities within were never maximized.

Initially the MD wanted my help to establish a telesales department seeing that that was something I had successfully implemented in the past on an international basis.

So of course I went through a serious phase of analysis to really get a handle on where the immediate opportunities lay without any additional overheads to the company. We devised a strategic three months plan focussing entirely on the creation of cash flow through low hanging fruit.

As I said, looking back, this was the most exciting first client I could have ever wished for.

We created internal business policies for the employees and customers, made sure sales were maxed with existing clients whilst implementing a strict payment policy. By the end of the three month, not only was my client feeling really enthusiastic about his business again but he was also able to draw a decent income for the first time in 4 years!

I had found my absolute passion in life - building businesses internal and external market opportunities with minimum investment and maximum returns!

Part XVI - The Upside

2009-06-17T17:39:00.000-07:00

As we established last week, running your own business takes a ton of hard work, commitment, perseverance, patience and self belief.

Sounds daunting? Well, maybe a little but all the things you get in turn will make more than up for it but of course only if you place a great emphasis on these benefits for yourself and your family.
You will get total freedom of strategy, direction and implementation as well as an enormous amount of flexibility. You can create your own schedule, decide the priorities of the things that are most important to you, both professionally as well as personally.

Your dedication and quality standards will be the brand that you create for yourself. You can take enormous pride in everything that is achieved because it is based on your own hard work. The passion you have for your product or service will make a huge difference and of course the earning potential is exponentially higher if you focus on your model and belief in your success!

Perseverance and patience are the key to making it past the 1, 3 or 5 year mark but for us moms the flexibility should far outweigh anything else.

So in our case when we managed to make it into our third year, we were really starting to see some great results with money coming in all over the place. The only thing was that as a husband and wife team, we found it very stressful to work together. Financial aspects especially in the early days were tough. The fact that we were continuously thinking about business 24/7, considering different elements and over thinking some more, was not very healthy but I suppose inevitable.

So at the three year mark we decided to re-think how we could go back to just being a couple without having to be business partners.

Part XV - Small Business Needs

2009-06-08T18:37:00.000-07:00

Here I was with a background of a large, corporate expense accounts, size-able marketing budgets and a team of experts in each department taking care off - well I didn’t really know all so well what it was they were taking care off every day!

It seems less significant when you are part of a massive machine, that has been well oiled and is fitted with it’s own GPS system telling you exactly which turns to take next and the direction it is heading.

Now as the maker and creator of your own destiny, well quite another story altogether!

So how does one get the word out about your product or service if you don’t have much money to spend? And how do you build a thriving business on a shoestring? By the time everything else had been purchased for the business such as tools, a complete office set up with computer, all in one printer, fax machine, business stationery, office supplies, oh and did I mention the new business mini van (company car had of course gone back...), insurances, there was no more money in the kitty!

So yes, maybe the corporate world had prepared us both very well in our various professions on big scale projects, but running a small business however was really quite on a different scale and magnitude. Everything starts and stops with you - no safety net, no emergency funds.

All of this and we haven’t even spoken about the actual work. Trying to figure out exactly HOW you want to do business. Your policies and rules on any aspect of how the company should feel, act and progress.

My marketing planning used to be based on fitting into the corporate business plan with extensive macro and micro environment research (Exactly!!!), the right marketing mix of communication tools such as print, PR and radio or TV with maybe a trade show thrown in!

And my husband? Well he is the very best money can buy when it came to actually doing the work, but customer consultation, design, quoting and quantity surveying - well these are all very specialist things that take a lot of time to define, practice and refine!

So when we weren’t busy looking for work, creating supporting documentation, planning, strategizing and learning accountancy - we fell into bed, exhausted, with two small children wondering if maybe tomorrow would be a day when they could ask for that play date they had been longing for so long!

And on the upside...................

Part XV - Going It Alone - Almost

2009-06-01T12:03:00.000-07:00

During my time as a political candidate, one thing really stuck out at me and that was the entrepreneurship of local small business owners.

I had the opportunity to speak to a number of different industries and sizes of companies during my campaigning. The passion and determination was incredible and fueled by what I experienced coupled with my husbands vision to own his own construction business, it was sealed - husband and wife team setting out to going it alone!

With his technical expertise and my background in sales and marketing, we figured to stand a pretty good chance of success. We knew little about the finer details of running our own business. The accounting side was a new challenge that I had to master and it is today that I wonder why we went about it in such a painful and long winded way!

I was determined to learn a Sage Accounting System to ensure our financial wealth was well managed and carefully controlled. It took hours upon days if not weeks and many very late nights to educate myself in the art of accounting. Something that easily takes years to perfect and should be left to the experts!

Hindsight is a wonderful thing however when you are very close to your own business model, sometimes you just can’t see the obvious solution to more efficient and profitable processes.

The dream of being your own boss, running the business the way you think it is best and getting the opportunity to do things your way, come with an inevitable trade-off:

No-one holding you accountable to the objectives that you set
Full responsibility for every aspect of running a business, even the tasks you may not enjoy or are no good at
Working with a partner who holds equal shares, trying to agree on the most simplest of things
Managing your cash flow to survive as a business and as an individual with bills to pay
Getting out and drumming up opportunities

As you well know my fellow entrepreneurs - the list is endless!

To be continued.......

Part XIV - Look Behind the Scenes

2009-05-25T12:39:00.000-07:00

When I started out as a young adult, I was full of idealism on how life should be and I was very firm on the rights and the wrongs! I suppose that this is no different to the younger generation who shares their opinions quite vocally.

Then, as you get older you start to realize that things are not always as cut and dry or black and white! So my idealistic views were replaced by more realistic alternatives and I started to understand the importance of choices, opportunities and circumstances.

Now looking behind the scenes of the political world, I was having one of those epiphanies where I experienced first hand the process of decision making and the real driving factors for some political entities.

My motto throughout my campaign was to serve the greater good of others, be honest and dependable and offer a channel for voices of the community to be heard.

I know now what it is like to have your own press officer, to run a political campaign, the endless PR activities and public debates with the opposition. Canvassing door to door was something that was very scary at first!

I suppose not unlike trying to do some prospecting in a business sense. You know your target market and you go and engage in a dialog to see if you can close the deal or win the vote in this case!

This experience has given me a lot of understanding and training in many aspects that can be translated into the business world.

One thing is for sure, stay true to yourself and focus on your model! The rest will come!

Part XIII - Family Bliss

2009-05-18T13:26:00.000-07:00

The break from corporate life initially did me the world of good. And allowed for the opportunity to review our family ambitions. We decided that we would really like to try for another baby and soon enough I fell pregnant with my second son!

We somehow managed to live on one wage and strangely it wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be. By making a few changes and getting better control of our finances, it appeared that we had been dwindling away the second income on needless and lavish extras that we could quite easily do without.

Phew, one less thing to worry about!

Being a busy body, I threw myself into a whole lot of exciting alternatives such as my oldest son’s school community. Soon I became Vice Chair of the Parents Advisory Council, was elected as parent member of the School Board of Trustees and started a book club.

I rallied around campaigning for speed restrictions in the school zone and fought the amalgamation of two Elementary Schools in the district.

This raised serious awareness of current hot issues as well as the outstanding capabilities of Conny Millard. Soon one certain political party asked me to become their new candidate for election as MLA for our area.

And of course, my ego was flattered and my full resources required, so next thing I knew, there were posters all over the region saying “Vote Conny Millard” - “Conny Millard for Council”?!

To be continued....

Part XII - The Next Step

2009-04-14T14:08:00.000-07:00

This one really wasn’t easy! By now I had become an integral part of the company, had a gorgeous company car, laptop, expense account and made a massive financial contribution to the family income but yet, the position was swallowing all my time and energy. However this time I was determined not to let it get in the way of my family life.

When I approached my boss to discuss how I could cut back on my working hours so I could create a better balance, well lets just say the conversation did not go as I had hoped. I was practically laughed out of his office?!!! My working colleagues thought I was weak and couldn’t handle the internal competition! There was nothing else for me to do but tell them what they could do with all their perks! That’s right, find a replacement who cared more for that stuff than me.

That night I drove home worrying how to break the news to my husband. I had quit my job without another offer on the table or the faintest idea what I should be doing instead. After many years of being responsible and dedicated to my work, I just left all that I knew for the complete unknown.

I felt very guilty and stupid but also unbelievably free and exhilarated. I knew there had to be a better way of doing this. Being a mom and a business woman had to be something that can be achieved without needing to give up anything. But first I had to try one more thing - becoming the ‘mom at the gate’.

Maybe that was my true calling and I should be a stay at home mom, looking after the families needs, getting involved in the local community, prepare home cooked meals and wait by the front door for my husband to come home.

Needless to say that he was thrilled by the time I got back that day. Me? I was not sure if I should be celebrating or calling my boss to ask for my job back. What had I done?

Part XI – Corporate vs Entrepreneur

2009-03-30T01:56:00.000-07:00

Here are some questions you need to ask yourself before you consider taking the plunge to become an entrepreneur.

Having done exceptionally well in the corporate world, does that automatically qualify you for success? Are you able to live with the trait offs? Do you have the courage to set it up and then hang on in there against all adversities?

Are you a visionary? Do you seek solutions rather than worry about the challenges? Are you committed to see it through and work hard even in tough times? Do you know where to start and who to turn to for help? Do you have a plan all mapped out to help you stay focused on what the next logical steps will be?

All these questions should give you some food for thought! We will take a look at other start up stories before I continue to share my own. So lets hear it from the field and leave us with your comments!

There is a great German saying for people who are self-employed: Translated it is ‘selbststaendig’ also understood as ‘staendig selbst’, which means ‘constantly, by oneself’!

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Conny

Part X – Growth Is Challenging

2009-03-24T21:50:00.000-07:00

Working for a small family run business certainly had a completely different feel than being part of a multi national, large organization. Decisions can be made quicker and the ability to react to change is much faster. Certainly the dynamics of a small company seem to be more adaptable and vibrant.

The individual employee really matters to the contributions in terms of skill set and expertise as well as any deals closed. You become part of a close knit team where everyone’s effort counts every day.

Another great aspect of working for a smaller concern is that your vote counts whilst your strategy and vision can make a real difference as long as it fits with the overall company plan.

I loved working for the software house! It was very cutting edge with a whole bunch of opportunities to expand and grow. This was certainly recognized by capital investors in London and once the company had raised vast amounts of money, it exploded with new members of staff, marketing events, PR activities as well as new layers of middle management to cope with all the new arrivals.

A new operation in Chicago was set up and whilst all of this created huge excitement making for an amazing sales pitch to my key accounts, it also meant that lots had changed at a dizzying speed. In this situation communication is the most important factor to make sure, everyone is still on board and is up to date with all the changes.

My role became a key component to the sustainable growth strategy and I was therefore very much under pressure to deliver significant results. So I was back in the same position as I had been in my previous company. Lots of traveling, participation at major trade events and my own targets ensured that I was working flat out. In addition due to the major expansion there was some pretty significant internal competition among staff to carve out their own positions - a tough environment if you are seeking the work/ life balance to reconcile your families happiness!

Part IX – Success to Follow

2009-03-16T11:51:00.000-07:00

Family life is a wonderful thing as long as everything is working smoothly, the financials are not a worry, everyone is healthy, mum and dad get a lot of quality time together, jobs are good, the children behave well, the in-laws are good friends, living accommodation is acceptable, the relationship with the spouse is just right. Can you see where this is leading?

Exactly, this is not life! This is an ideal set up that most of us strive to achieve and no doubt do we have many things in place that are just the way we want them to be. However it is the other things that throw us off track, make us grumpy and stressed and in turn, cause trouble with the people around us.

If I have learned anything in my time than it is that everything comes with a compromise. In our personal and professional lives we have to be prepared to accept the challenges that come with every opportunity.

In my position as Sales & Marketing Manager for 3 countries in the previous company, I had been working for, I enjoyed financial freedom, a certain status within the company and among colleagues whilst reaching professional development goals. The downside was the divide it caused in my family.

Now, in the new position as Partner Manager, I had to start from scratch. The technology, the company had developed was in depth and new. Really something to get your head around. New colleagues to gel with, management to impress, new relationships to build with key stakeholders internally as well as externally and a much longer and more complex sales cycle.

Still working everyday and with the added stresses outlined above, it took some time before I could settle down a little better into the new job and in turn be more chilled at home.

So, finally! Surely now was the time to kick back and enjoy work and family.

I had left behind the flat out stress from the previous company and could now start over. Well lets just say, you can take the woman out of a company but you can't take the company out of a woman! Meaning that history started to repeat itself far too quickly.....

Part VIII – A New Beginning

2009-03-09T19:59:00.000-07:00

With new priorities clearly set for our family, it was time for me to consider other options within my career. The most logical step was to look for a more local position in a new company.

I started to spread the word among my network and it was not long until I had a phone call from a head hunting company for a Partner Manager position in a software company based in Bristol, UK. The job description suited me down to the ground with an emphasis on major key account acquisition and management. I was responsible for creating new sales channels by partnering with IBM, Hewlett Packard, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young and Equifax.

The software, the company had designed, was a powerful data mining tool for Customer Relationship Management applications. Build on lasting partnership agreements; I was further trained in Miller Heiman techniques specifically designed for large and complex decision making processes within giant companies.

As employee number sixteen, I was working very closely with our management team to implement company strategies and I had an insight into the mechanics of running a business that was gearing up for a major venture capital investment. When the company finally floated, it had raised $74.000.000!

My personal life had settled back into a more manageable routine. Because I started very early in the morning, I was home at 5pm every afternoon which meant plenty of quality time for our family. Quickly the turbulences of the past had been forgotten about and we were looking into a much brighter and happier future….

Part VII – Crunch Time

2009-03-02T12:13:00.000-08:00

There are couples that stay together for all sorts of reasons other than undying love; some because of their children, others because of financial implications and many because they don’t want to be alone.

In our case we decided that following many attempts to mend the relationship, the only way to move forward was by separating! Not many people could understand how we could give up on each other so easily but really what we saw was that we were young and not prepared to just make do with something that wasn’t working anymore.

This was really a tough time for all of us, emotionally as well as financially. However we knew this was the only way to determine our priorities and what was really important to us. The minute our separation appeared to be final, something wonderful happened! We took notice of one another again and re-evaluated where our hearts truly lay. Now that we put some objectivity into our discussions, we could clearly see where things went wrong.

We started ‘dating’ again and within two months had moved back into the family home together! How wonderful!

From now on things were going to drastically change around here…..

Part VI – Sweet Success & Bitter Truths

2009-02-25T10:59:00.000-08:00

Sales Manager for three European countries – I made it! My hard work and loyalty finally paid off.

I had turned around a critically underperforming division and grew profit margins by over 500%, won major key accounts and trained a team of sales people to assist with the growing demand.

If I had thought that I had achieved the ultimate goal and now I could find some balance my lifestyle, I was sadly mistaken.
Of course it only got more busy yet again and now that I was part of the management, I was invited to global events such as sales meetings in San Diego, training events in Dallas, Texas whilst the pressure to keep increasing revenue and profits was ever more paramount.

A part of me loved the ‘high flying’ career, the recognition and financial remuneration not to mention the five star hotels I had become accustomed to. Flying business class and taking clients out for lavish treats was part of my ‘scorching dessert’.

But the affect it had on my family was detrimental. My husband and I had completely grown apart. We didn’t seem to have anything in common anymore. When trying to figure things out by going on a family vacation, I was shocked how far removed I had become from my son as well. I did not know what he liked for breakfast???!!!

My husband and son had a very close relationship due to them spending so much time together and whilst on holiday, it felt that I was no part of it anymore.

What had happened? When did it all go wrong? And why did my attempt for a better life for us all backfire so badly?

To be continued…

Gender Equality

2009-02-17T06:57:00.000-08:00

Do you think you would find a man and a father ever reflecting on his career and consider the impact it had on his family? That's right - not at all possible. He would believe, he had done the very best for his wife and kids and no-one would question his motives otherwise.

Then why do we feel we have to justify ourselves for doing well? Explain, why we have given our career equal focus to our families and sometimes even more? Thinking that we have to make it up to everyone around us!

Are we still fighting the battle of gender equality? Is it society? Or is it our own expectations and perceptions? We certainly feel responsible to our children and spouses and want to ensure that home and life is running smoothly for everyone. Don't forget, we are really the first generation who is striving to have it all!

Part IV – Juggle is a Struggle

2009-02-09T21:13:00.000-08:00

Professional success can be a funny thing for a mother. Now, that I had carved out my career and had my first promotion, somehow there seemed to be a division from other moms in my son’s class. It is one thing of having to work full time to support the family however it seemed to be quite another to be a woman with ambition!

As much as I would have liked to be involved in my child’s environment, I was always rushing off to some important meeting. Once promoted into a field sales position to continue building strong relationships with customers I had acquired through my telesales activities, I would now have to spend days and weeks travelling around Germany to visit clients.

At this point 50% of my time was invested into travel and soon this would be getting more and more difficult to manage without any outside help.

I would continue to compensate for lack of quality time through amazing presents and lavish outings.

Anyone who has worked in the corporate world will know that you do get recognized for the amount of time you are prepared to invest. If you are there before your boss and leave hours after he has gone, well, you are considered potential for a management position. Strangely, productivity is measured in man hours more so than results.

Of course, it is wrong to assume that you must work at least 12 hours per day to be considered a committed employee. But I didn’t make the rules, I just followed them same as everyone who wants to get ahead in business.

So I continued to do my very best and was rewarded with more responsibility and expensive training courses in London in preparation for my promotion to Sales Manager for Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

To be continued…

Part III – The Cracks Start To Appear!

2009-01-27T11:05:00.000-08:00

At the time I did not get the bigger corporate picture of what the company was trying to achieve. They had created this new telesales department to see if they could improve profit margins by lowering their overhead costs and by drastically improving conversion rates from prospect to clients.

Their new business model worked! Soon the department grew and within a year I was in charge of three more telesales people for the German speaking countries, involved in recruiting, training and motivating my own team of specialists.

Now the pressure was on with my own cost centre, budgets, concerns for targets and profit margins as well as staffing issues.

The 9 – 5 didn’t seem to be feasible anymore. There was always so much to do and as a perfectionist, I could not rest until everything was done, and was done, just right!

My superiors loved my enthusiasm and commitment and the more I was prepared to take on, the more they would throw at me. The incentives were becoming more enticing and soon I was completely sucked in.

Although I wasn’t home every night to tuck my little guy into bed, I told myself:” That’s o.k., I am there for him all weekend! And when we are together, we can now afford great outings to special places!” Thing is, did my three year old care about any of the fancy stuff?

I can tell you that my husband cared a great deal about having to take care of things especially now that my job had turned into a career.

To be continued…

Part II - Balance? But of course!

2009-01-19T19:47:00.000-08:00

So there I was on my first day, enthusiastic, devoted and completely green to the corporate world!

Looking back it still surprises me how I persevered, overcoming language barriers and coping with new terminologies, complex software and services propositions and the sheer difficulty of learning the skills of telemarketing.

After my initial training week which was spent in all various departments including the manufacturing facilities, I was let loose on potential clients.
The company provided me with a phone, pen and paper and a telephone directory, wished me good luck and sent me on my merry ways!

In those days, a computer was a luxury and the internet was not really readily available, yet.
I was taught that cold calling is a numbers game! The more times you try, the greater the chance that you will speak to someone who is interested. And although I heard a whole lot of: “Not today, thank you!”, I was determined to keep this job.
It wasn’t long before I sharpened my ‘spiel’, refined my closing techniques and enjoyed my first taste of success. My first order was for 20 media cartridges and the value could have been not more than $240 but it felt as if I had just landed the biggest deal possible. I had made it!

That afternoon I went home celebrating with my family, treating us all to a special dinner – so far for any commission earned?!

While work was moving along and more little successes started to trickle in, my world primarily evolved around life at home. I worked to live and my husband and son always came first. That’s how it will always be, won’t it?

To be continued…..

Starting Out

2009-01-12T06:43:00.000-08:00

I will never forget my first corporate appointment for a global IT company. My son Louis was only two years old when my husband, who had until that time served in the British Armed Forces, given me the opportunity to be a ‘stay at home mum’, spending the first two precious years with my little baby.

Now, that we were leaving the army there was no choice but to find a job that paid the mortgage. Initially working as a hotel receptionist, I soon found that the work/ pay/ life balance didn’t add up and when a position in ‘telesales’ with a normal 9-5, Monday to Friday opportunity came along, of course I did not hesitate. Ideal! Because at least I could spend the important bedtimes with Louis, cook a healthy meal and even read him a story. Perfect!

The IT company was looking to fill an international telesales position for the German market based out of Wales, UK and as a German National I was delighted to be able to utilize my mother tongue.

A minor detail was that I had no idea what ‘telesales’ actually meant. I knew it had something to do with sales. Well, and that was ok! But the only ‘tele’ I had ever heard of, was the television set in our home! I thought, “it’s regular hours and that is all I care about.”

Can you imagine my shock when I realized, I had gotten myself into a highly technical, totally male dominated industry?! And little did I know that this would be the beginning of an immense career, questioning the serene family life as I knew it.

To be continued….