Learning from LeBron: What are You Willing to Do to Win?

July 9, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment

Unless you’ve been living in a cave somewhere with Osama Bin Laden, chances are you’ve heard the buzz about LeBron James.

James is the NBA basketball star and free agent that has captured attention and headlines across the country as we anxiously awaited his decision as to where he would continue his NBA career this fall.

Having grown up in the Cleveland area, you can imagine how I feel about his choice. As I sat and watched what amounted to little more than a LeBron infomercial on ESPN, I felt both saddened and angered by the self-proclaimed “King’s” decision to leave the Cavaliers.

His choice wasn’t about the money — it was about winning. And, despite my growing feelings of resentment for being abandoned by our hometown hero, I managed to find a blog post among the headlines. Indulge me a moment, and I promise I’ll drive it home.

James feels that his chances of claiming a championship will be better if he jumps ship and heads to South Beach. Of course, his fans and teammates sorely disagree. In an open letter to Cavaliers fans, owner Dan Gilbert summarized this nicely — “Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.”

The sentiment really got me thinking — over the years I’ve known and worked with business owners who had a similar approach to success. They wanted to start a business and magically be able to quit their day job overnight.

Sorry to be the voice of reality here, but it just isn’t going to happen that way.

Eddie Cantor once said, “It takes 20 years to become an overnight success.” The path to success is paved with hard work, determination and sacrifice. True, James has put in the requisite ingredients in his seven years with the Cavs; however, the fact that the championship eluded them this year shouldn’t be the impetus to jump ship. Historically, basketball greats just don’t do that — and even this die-hard hockey fan can rattle off a few names without thinking too hard.

All this to say perhaps that’s why those who previously supported James both on and off the court are now turning his jersey into briquettes.

But I promised you I’d get back on point.

As a startup business, the odds are stacked against you. A full 50% of new businesses fail within the first five years. Knowing this, it would be easy to throw in the towel and head for the showers. Or worse yet, perhaps these figures would keep you on the bench, without ever even giving it a fair shot.

Nothing worth having is easy. If starting and operating a business were easy, everyone would be doing it. It takes a special kind of person to take on the task of becoming an entrepreneur. Ask a successful business owner to share their recipe for success, and you’re likely to hear about long days, sleepless nights, and determination in the face of failure.

Business isn’t all that different from basketball — and many of the same rules apply.

Look for the Assist:
Whether you are on or off the court, no man is an island. Look for a teammate to help share the load. Consider seeking out a mentor like SCORE or your local chamber of commerce to help you address areas in which you may be unfamiliar.

Maintain Court Vision:
Don’t lose sight of what’s going on around you. You’ll have a clearer view of your teammates, as well as the threats around you, and you’ll be able to make better decisions based on this information.

Know When to Call a Timeout:
Even the best playbooks have to be amended. Whether you are updating your business plan or changing your promotional vehicles, you should be flexible enough to make changes when necessary.

They Don’t all Have to be Slam Dunks:
Take heart in the little victories. Dribbling can get you to the basket just as surely as a fast break. Know when to take chances, and when to play it safe.

I hope that small business owners that may be watching the LeBron James story don’t follow in his footsteps. True, sometimes you can find a shortcut in life that gets you where you want to go faster. But ultimately, those goals that we work hardest for are the ones that offer the sweetest rewards.

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Filed under COFFEE BREAK, SMALL BUSINESS NEWS · Tagged with cavaliers, cleveland, lebron james, miami heat, small business, south beach, working toward goals

Quik Tip Tuesday: Avoiding Fake Check Scams

June 23, 2009 by admin · 1 Comment

It’s an unfortunate fact — some checks just aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. And how’s this for a sobering statistic — millions of Americans fall victim to fake checks every year and lose between $3,000 and $4,000 each.

In tough economic times such as these, small business owners don’t want to get stuck for $4.00 — let alone adding a few zeros to that amount. Fortunately, there are some precautions that you can take in order to insure you aren’t left holding the bag.

While this first one should be obvious, it certainly bears repeating — be cautious about accepting checks (even cashier’s checks) from people you don’t know.

When selling goods or services on the Internet, consider online payment systems or escrow services rather than accepting checks. In the past, you could configure your account settings with Paypal in order to prevent buyers from using online checks; however, I have received several this year despite those settings. I phoned Paypal’s customer service department to gain some clarification on this, and was told the following:

Users CAN specify they wish to block e-checks for payments accepted through their own websites, as well as through eBay. However, if the buyer is sending you money from an electronic invoice, or via the “SEND MONEY” tab of their account, they may send you an e-check despite your payment preferences. The only way around this if you were to have a purchase link or “remit a payment” link on your site that would bypass this glitch.

Call or visit the bank on which the check is written to determine its authenticity before accepting or depositing the check.

Avoid using funds before a check clears. Banks may be required to make funds available before a check has cleared, but it can take up to several weeks before a check actually clears.

Never accept a cashier’s check for more than your selling price to pay the excess to a third party identified by your customer. Despite the fact that this is an often-used tactic that has been given lots of coverage in the media, consumers still fall prey to this scam even today. Don’t let it happen to you!

The Consumer Federation of America’s Fake Check Task Force provides additional online resources at www.fakechecks.org and at www.consumerfed.org/fakecheckscams.

Fighting Fake Checks
If you think you’ve received a counterfeit cashier’s check, official check or money order, contact the issuing bank to report receipt of the check and to verify authenticity. Look up the bank contact information because the information on the check is probably fake.

To look up a bank’s official Web site or address, visit www2.fdic.gov/idasp/main_bank find.asp. In addition to contacting the appropriate bank, contact the following authorities:

General scams-Call the Federal Trade Commission at (877) FTC-HELP or file a complaint at www.ftc.gov.

Internet-based scams-Submit a complaint with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.

Mail-based scams-Call the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at (888) 877-7644 or file a complaint at postalinspectors.uspis.gov.

If your complaint involves a national bank and you cannot resolve the problem with the bank, visit HelpWithMyBank.gov to submit a complaint.

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Filed under MARKETING ESPRESSO, SMALL BUSINESS NEWS · Tagged with avoid frauds, avoiding check scams, internet scams, QUIK TIPS

Word to Your Momma…and You, Too

June 2, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment

I don’t know about you, but the headlines in the news don’t exactly give me a warm, fuzzy feeling. Here in the Midwest, many towns have been hit hard by the fallout from the automotive industry. Many businesses in our area are direct subcontractors — and their recently announced closings have left literally thousands of people without a job.

These days, it isn’t enough just to have a degree, or years of experience under your belt. The bottom can drop out of a market — any market – at any time, and you could be left picking up the pieces.

Just about every day I receive emails from folks who are looking for a way to support themselves on the web. It’s times like these that spawn a whole new breed of internet entrepreneurs — ones that are determined to never let themselves, or their families, be vulnerable again.

Unlike many starry-eyed newbies that head to the web in the modern-day equivalent of the gold rush, you know that there are no real shortcuts.

There are, however, some opportunities that far exceed others. And I’d like to highlight one that you may simply be overlooking.

Do You Have a Way With Words?
If you answered “yes” to that question, keep reading.

What you may not know is that there is a little-known, yet highly-lucrative market for those with a talent for the written word. The direct-response industry represents $2.3 trillion dollars annually — and writers are being handsomely paid to create the same letters that land in your inbox each and every day. I’m talking about letters that persuade you to donate to charities, take out trial magazine subscriptions, and purchase all manner of products and services.

These letters earn millions of dollars for the companies that send them – and
anywhere from $40,000 to $200,000+ per year for the people who write them.

How do I know? Because I’ve written some of them.

Freedom to Set Your Own Hours & Rates
There is something incredibly liberating about knowing that you no longer have to
punch a time clock. You can work as much or as little as you wish — and still enjoy the financial freedom that others can only dream about.

If you don’t consider yourself “a writer,” don’t worry — you can still take advantage of these unprecedented opportunities. If you are able to write in a simple, conversational style, and follow some simple techniques, you can claim your share of the lucrative freelance writing niche — a niche that can eliminate the stresses of the daily headlines for good.

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Filed under MARKETING ESPRESSO, SMALL BUSINESS NEWS · Tagged with direct response writing, freelance opportunities, help for writers, QUIK TIPS, writing careers

Quik Tip Tuesday: “Be Careful Out There”

May 19, 2009 by admin · 1 Comment

At the risk of dating myself, I’m going to use an 80s reference from Hill Street Blues — “be careful out there.”

Why, you ask? Because anyone looking for a job needs to be aware that there are employment scams out there that could cost them plenty of money.

The Internet is prime territory for scammers, and online job seekers fall victim to them every day. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) says there are several common types of scams to be watching for, many of them offering work-at home opportunities.

Reselling or Re-Shipping
Web-based international companies advertise for affiliates, giving individuals the chance to sell high-end electronics at reduced prices. Affiliates are told to offer the merchandise on well-known Internet auction sites. They will accept payment, then pay the company, typically through a wire transfer. The company is supposed to ship the merchandise directly to the buyer. But the merchandise never ships. Defrauded buyers often seek legal action against the affiliates.

Fund Transfers
Potential employees are asked to give personal information, as well as copies of driver’s license, birth certificate or social security card. They are told that their salary will be paid by check from a U.S. company that is supposed to be a creditor of the employer. The amount of the check is significantly more than what the employee is owed, so the employee is told to deposit the check into their own account, then wire the overpayment to the employer’s bank (usually located in Eastern Europe). The checks are fraudulent and the victim has sent his or her own money to the scammer.

The IC3 offers these tips to protect yourself against employment scams:

Be wary of inflated claims of product effectiveness.
Be cautious of exaggerated claims of possible earnings or profits.
Beware when money is required up front for instructions or products.
Be leery when the job posting claims “no experience necessary.”
Do not give your social security number when first interacting with your prospective employer.
Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of your own country.
Be wary when replying to unsolicited emails for work-at-home employment.
If you feel you have been the victim of an Internet job scam, report it to ic3.gov.

No companies should be asking for your mother’s maiden name, passwords or social security number in the application process. And no legitimate organization will ask for money up front in exchange for a job. Also, be wary of firms promoting “previously undisclosed” federal government jobs. All federal positions are announced to the public.

Checking with the Better Business Bureau can let you know if a business is legitimate or if there have been complaints filed against it.

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Filed under SMALL BUSINESS NEWS · Tagged with biz opps, business opportunities, internet business schemes, work at home scams

Quik Tip Tuesday: Tips to Make Every Day Earth Day

April 21, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment

There are things you can do year-round to help save the environment. It is common knowledge that reducing the amount of paper used and the amount of time we spend in our cars is important, but many don’t know how easy and inexpensive these steps can be.

According to http://www.TheDailyGreen.com, Americans consume about 700 pounds of paper per person per year-everything from napkins and take-out boxes to gift wrapping and cardboard. So how can we reduce our impact on the environment? One way is through technology.

Although some people go so far as to advocate e-mailing wedding invitations or Christmas cards instead of sending paper ones, there are some more subtle ways you can help reduce your environmental impact and still save time and money. Here are a few ways technology can help:

Help your team go paperless. Many companies use expensive technology to manage the amount of paper they use but there are free options available for everyone. Free online storage sites like Microsoft Office Live Workspace can help your team go paperless. They provide an easy way to keep track of your Little League schedule or the car-pool rotation and give you the ability to update items in real time. There is no need to print out schedules, because everyone can log on to see if there are updates.

Online research saves time and money. In today’s economy, everyone is looking for a deal, and getting the most out of your money often requires research. With the prevalence of retail Web sites, you can now research online instead of driving around town to compare prices. Researching online saves you time and money and reduces the amount of time you spend in your car.

Download software instead of buying a box. Advances in technology and improved Internet speed have made it easier to download software for your computer than to drive to a store to buy the same thing in a box. This helps reduce packaging waste.

One popular software download is Microsoft Office 2007 (www.store.microsoft.com). According to research, one digital download of Microsoft Office is equivalent to saving the emissions from one gallon of gas; 10 million digital downloads are equivalent to 13,008 cars not driven for one year.

Use your computer’s power management tools. Use the power management tools in your computer’s control panel to select energy-reducing settings. If you and nine of your friends do this, it becomes the equivalent of taking one car off the road. Another way to reduce your computer’s energy consumption is to stop using screen savers and instead blank your screen. This will save energy and extend the life of your monitor.

These are just some of the ways technology can help reduce your impact on the environment. If we all do our part, together, we can make every day Earth Day.

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Filed under HOW-TO, SMALL BUSINESS NEWS, TECHNOLOGY · Tagged with going green, going green in the office, save money, using technology

Remote Working is Becoming Mainstream

April 21, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment

Change has become America’s motto for dealing with a turbulent economy, and few things are changing more rapidly than our attitudes toward commuting to the office every day.

Not long ago, workers usually had to receive special permission from management to work from home for a day or two. Now, according to a new survey, managers often support “remote working” even more strongly than employees do.

The study, from Microsoft, was designed to assess which small-to-midsized U.S. cities are leading the trend toward remote working. In the markets surveyed, San Diego led the way, followed by West Palm Beach; Buffalo; Salt Lake City; Raleigh; Oklahoma City; Nashville; Charleston, S.C.; Greensboro, N.C.; and Hartford-New Haven.

The cities were measured on several criteria:

• Number of companies with remote-working policies
• Level of managerial support reported by workers
• Level of co-worker/peer support reported by workers
• Percentage of workers believing their job can be completed from home
• Percentage of workers using remote-working programs.

Employers, it seems, are becoming fans of remote working for a number of reasons. For one, working from home frequently increases productivity. At home, workers often have fewer distractions and do not lose minutes-or hours-tied up in traffic jams on the way to work.

Moreover, the costs for a company to maintain employees in an office have been increasing-everything from air-conditioning expenses to leasing rates.

With more people working remotely and using the office only periodically, office space can be shared and expansion needs are often reduced.

Technology is also contributing to the growth in the number of remote workers. Solutions from companies such as Microsoft now allow businesses to set up remote-working operations efficiently and safely.

Systems such as Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista and Microsoft Unified Communications are designed to enable workers to connect to the office from home and have access to all the same applications that they would have in the office.

Also, Windows Vista BitLocker Drive Encryption is said to thwart any attempt to hack into information on a laptop computer that is stolen or lost. BitLocker prevents a thief from removing and booting up the hard drive and locks up the system’s information if someone tampers with it.

Using technology to work from home is no longer a luxury. It’s a strategy that is helping many companies make employees happier and lower costs. For more information, visit http://www.microsoft.com/midsizebusiness/gameplan/.