A Winning Game Plan For A Rough Economy

Between higher gas prices, a media that has conducted a rather lengthy campaign to convince us "the sky is falling" and a natural correction in the markets due to government agencies and large finance companies artificially bolstering the housing sector for several years, mass consumer fears appear to have taken hold. The result, of course, is that even those who have been minimally impacted are pinching their pennies and not spending anything they don't feel they have to. Since over 70% of our economy is based on U.S. consumer spending, if the overall public mood remains negative, it is possible this will devolve into a more long-lasting slump.

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That, of course, is the GENERAL economic outlook. However, that does not have to be your PERSONAL economic outlook. The facts are irrefutable; in times of economic shift, there are massive opportunities that accompany adversities. In fact, while millions get fearful and sell off their stock market holdings at a loss, the calm and focused few make money by shorting the market or picking up deals that will soon rebound. In my neighborhood, someone recently picked up a home that had been sold 2 years ago for $1.2 million dollars - for a greatly discounted $475,000. They are now renting it back to the original owners for a monthly profit! And, in the general business arena, while some are losing customers, others are making tremendous market share and revenue gains!

"Are You Playing To Win? Or, Are You Playing To Not Lose?

So, what makes the difference between those who gain and those who lose? I would suggest that it is the quality of their questions and expectations. In short, are you playing to win? Or, are you playing to not lose? We see it in professional athletics all the time. Oftentimes in a championship game we will see an underdog up against a team who has proven themselves to be superior throughout the balance of the season. They are dominant, scary and clearly have the momentum on their side. In other words, like today's economic outlook, the challenge is very real.

If the underdog looks at their situation with any intellectual honesty, they will conclude that, barring their rising above their current comparative limitations, they will lose. However, not all underdogs respond the same way. Some will play with a mindset and game plan that is set on not losing. They strive and toil and fall all over themselves to try to keep the superior team from trouncing them. They inevitably lose and often, they lose by blowout margins. Other underdogs, however, play to win. They may intellectually recognize that the other team has some very dominant forces and on an average day, would be headed toward victory. So, they decide that it is not going to be an average day. They decide to "leave it all on the field" and play to win. The result - either a spectacular victory or at worst, a highly respectable loss where they held the dominant team to a fraction of their usual margin of victory.

As you can tell, I'm not one who embraces the general population's negative views and attitudes about market conditions. But for now, let's dispense with our positive vernacular and take a cold, hard look at what have become facts. The negativism in the economy has become the opposing team. It is big, It is scary and It is winning. And, whether or not you are playing on the front lines that have already been negatively impacted, or whether you are in the backfield, it is going to change your circumstances.

Separate Yourself From The Millions Who Will Lose In This Economy

So, the question is, "What is YOUR Winning Game Plan?" Do you have a strategy and tactical plan to grow during this time? Or, are you like the masses - cowering and fearful and attempting to hunker down till the storm passes? There is no status quo in business. Short of a salaried job, the numbers on your monthly income statements are not stagnant. They are going up or going down. And, just like a Karate student who is attempting to break a board, if your focus is on the board, you will fail. Your focus instead needs to be beyond the board! So, ask yourself ... What opportunities does this economy present me with that I didn't have before? How can I use this opportunity to grow and win? How can I help those around me come out winners as well? By asking yourself these questions, you will separate yourself from the millions who will lose in this economy. You will have responsibility versus being a victim of circumstance. And, whether you win or lose, you will be FAR better off than you would have been.

The World is Officially Upside Down

Okay... not my usual post, but I had to comment on a "news" item that I just came across on DrudgeReport.com. Apparently, there is this rapper, "Rick Ross" who has recently been caught in a lie and lost his "cred" (credibility for those of us who still speak some form of English). Why is his audience up in arms? Was he caught in some perversion or illegal activity? No, apparently, "Rick" (real name - William Roberts) once made the unforgivable mistake of working an honest and worthwhile job as a correctional officer for 18 months.

Sad but true my friends. There is a subculture that values rebellion, anarchy and lawlessness. They are preaching their message of hate and destruction through their music. Many parents may not even be aware of the messages their kids are exposed to or they may not be concerned because little "Sally" or "Johnny" still gets A's and doesn't have any tattoos. It's a slippery slope though.  You and I both know that what we fill our minds with WILL eventually manifest itself in attitude and action.

For me, not only is this a "wake up call" to examine what I'm exposing my kids to, but myself as well. No, I'm not a closet rapper, but am I reading too much "news" and not enough of The Bible or other inspirational works? Am I spending more time with "go-nowhere complainers" or with friends who will challenge me to live up to my potential? The actions we take tomorrow are a result of the things we fill our minds with today.  Let's all choose wisely!

You're the best,

Thom

Kudos to Sprint

It's not often that I compliment big companies on their advertising, but I have to give Kudos to Sprint. In my opinion, their new campaign for its Instinct phone is nothing short of brilliant. First check it out and then I'll let you know why I believe it will be successful.

Pretty funny huh? It manages to successfully deliver on the AIDA formula:

1) It grabs ATTENTION whether viewed online or on TV.

2) For those with iPhone envy, it develops INTEREST by showing the screen of the phone with similar touch type controls.

3) By using an "edgy" style and fun, hip tie-in to the internet and social media, it creates DESIRE in those looking for an iPhone alternative other than the Blackberry.

4) AND, will wonders never cease? An actual call to ACTION in a mass media television commercial? Be still my heart!

Seriously, I'm an iPhone guy so they have no chance at my business. However, there are tons of people out there who are on a Sprint contract that want an iPhone-like solution. There are also a ton of people who won't get an iPhone even if they secretly want to - just because they don't identify with the brand. This approach and message will resonate with both these groups and increase overall awareness of and acceptance of this phone in the market - so people who buy the Instinct will gain the social status of having one of the latest and greatest phones.

And, of course, their integration of offline and online advertising with new media and social networking is an unbelievably powerful combination. The only thing that would make it better in my mind is to set up a video station with Flip recorders at every Sprint store so that someone who buys an Instinct can immediately record their own "blatant product placement" or testimonial commercials and upload to YouTube on the spot.

That's it for now.

Be Blessed,

Thom

Time to Adjust the Sails

I'm back from North Carolina with the family... totally charged up and ready to plough through the rest of 2008 with a joyful fury!  ;-)

During my two weeks away, and the subsequent few days I've been home, I've noticed a dramatic shift in the mood of even my most optimistic friends and a generally dour outlook from strangers I've met. Between the erratic economic indicators, some very real issues in the banking/mortgage sector and the culmination of an almost endless multi-year campaign by the media to assure us that we're heading into economic crisis, it appears that the mass psychosis has taken hold. So now, what has been conceived in the minds of the masses is actually manifesting in very real situations. Even those of us who haven't had to sell real estate or stocks feel the pinch at the gas station and grocery store and many businesses are getting into survival mode.

If you're feeling a bit anxious about the economy and how it will effect you, I'll offer these simple thoughts.

1st - Remember - our journey in business and in life is NOT a like a train on a track. I've never seen a business fully execute according to plan. They often hit or surpass their goals, but seldom, if ever, in the neat and tidy way they were envisioned in the plan. No, our journey is much more like an oceanic sailing adventure. 

We determine the destination we are wanting to reach and the timeframe in which we want to reach it. We chart the course and we set sail. Then, all bets are off. Winds change direction and storms unexpectedly roll in. Our job is simply to control our own responses and adjust the sails and steer the ship to compensate for the outside forces that come our way. As the Bible puts it .. "In his heart a man plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps."

In a time of shifting economic conditions, it's time for us to remember that we have no control over the outside forces. So, we can either waste our time cursing the winds or we can adjust to take advantage of them in a way that we perhaps hadn't thought of before.

The Chinese symbol for Danger is the same as the one for Opportunity. You will only be able to recognize and take advantage of the current opportunities that are emerging if you are asking yourself quality questions like "Who is making money now that might not have been a few months ago?" and "What can I do right now to profit while others are living in fear?" In a time of dramatic shift, those who keep their heads on straight and their focus on their goals, will adjust the sails instead of dropping anchor. They will use the same force that grounds other vessels to propel further and faster along their course of success.

2nd - Don't lose your joy and zest for life! The Bible says, "The joy of the Lord is my strength." So, no joy, no strength to overcome ... to be buoyant and rise above situations.

Even if you've taken a big hit, put it all in perspective and remember what and who you value ... what really makes your life rich and rewarding. Money most definitely makes life easier, but nothing and no one can take away the true richness and rewards that reside in the heart of someone who is "living out loud" the way God has wired them to be and according to the values that they have in their hearts.

Times like these offer a fresh start. They cause us to get out our maps and dust off our compasses and evaluate where we're at and make the adjustments necessary to stay on course, or in many cases, get back on course... in all areas of our lives ... spiritual, relational and professional.

If you're one that perhaps has drifted way off course take heart. Thank God for the threatening storms that made you take notice. Be at peace with where you're at (it is what it is and you can't change it) and use the knowledge you've gained from experiences that landed you where you are to propel you forward.

I'll end with a few You Tube music videos. For me, music can touch my heart and lift and direct my spirits in a way that mere words cannot. So, hopefully, these clips will resonate with you as well.

This one is by Point of Grace - great song to remember to play full out!

Here's Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield to remind you that you are writing your story every day and you can make it what you want it to be.

Finally, Vivere (Dare to Live) by Andrea Bocelli and Laura Pausini



Hope you enjoy them and experience renewal.

Be buoyant and get excited about what lies ahead.  I believe in you!

All the Best,

Thom

Could I be replaced by a machine?

So my parents are all moved into their new apartment at an assisted living facility in Hendersonville, NC. Jody and the kids and I came up to spend some time with them and my siblings, brother-in-law and nieces.

Beyond all the emotional challenges that this move has presented to my folks, there are also some very practical challenges of moving from a large, 2 story home into a more manageable 3 bedroom apartment ... the biggest of which is storage.

My brother David and I decided to take advantage of my being there by installing some shelving in their closets to help them maximize the space. So, off we went to the local Lowes to pick up supplies where we experienced what my business partner, Bob Burg, and I have termed "Anti-Wow' customer service.

First, though we were passed by MANY Lowes employees as we combed the aisles in search of the shelving units, not a single one even acknowledged our presence, let alone asked us if we were finding everything we needed.

Then, when we did find the particular set of modular shelving units that we were seeking, they were out of stock on the shelves we could reach (certainly not their fault), but fortunately, there were more boxes of them available on the top shelf of the  warehouse-like aisle. Immediately, I attempted to flag down an employee who could help us locate the person who could retrieve the product we needed only to be literally waived off as if I were attempting to hail a cab in front of Carnegie Hall after a show. This rather odd customer service technique was displayed by not just one, but two employees who, by all indications, were on duty and fully capable of speech (though perhaps not rational thought).

Okay, so I'm certainly not going to let a little customer service glitch foil my efforts to help my parents out. Next step ... I'm off to the Customer Service desk where, after over a minute of waiting with no one else in line, the customer service representative was nice enough to break off her conversation with a fellow employee about the concoctions they drank at their 4th of July party, so I could ask her to please send someone to our aisle to retrieve the boxes from the top shelf. She immediately hopped on the PA system to send the message. So, I returned to the aisle to wait ... and wait .... and wait ... for OVER 20 minutes - with still no sign of anyone who was going to help us and with employees passing us by right and left.

If I were there alone, I would have driven to the Home Depot 2 blocks away after only about 10 minutes of waiting. However, I did have my older brother there so we were able to take advantage of the time and catch up on the happenings in each others' lives (though both of us would probably have preferred the conversation over a glass of wine back home or a Cider and darts at a local watering hole.)

But alas, here we are still waiting and wondering if anyone even heard the announcement that the customer service representative had made. Back again I went to the customer service counter as I asked her once again to help me. Put out, our once-friendly representative reminded me that she had already honored my request once before. But, since I was still without the product I was so desperately attempting to purchase, she reluctantly agreed to issue the dictum one more time.

9 minutes and 22 seconds later (I'm now very conscious of the time), an employee comes to retrieve the boxes from the top shelf (which took him 37 seconds total).

Ahhhh, now it's off to the checkout where we are faced with the decision of going to a checkout line with a real live cashier and only one person in line before us, or go to the self-checkout station where there are 2 people at each of the 4 machines. You guessed it - we went for the machine. It was quicker and in my imagination (based on my experience there that day) probably friendlier as well. 

My point? Well, it comes down to the value-added benefit of service. Those employees at that particular Lowes store added virtually nothing to the sales experience and when they did actually perform their job, it was with great reluctance and poor attitude. Rather than be driven to deliver such a high level of customer service that they could not possibly be replaced by a machine, they seemed almost hell-bent on hastening the process of their demise.

After experiencing the let down of their real customer service that day, I opted to checkout with a machine. And, you'd better believe that if I heard of a store that had mechanically rotating shelves so that I could move the top shelf down myself, I'd be bringing my business there... bing, bang, boom - I'm empowered and former employees are looking for work (and likely blaming the big "heartless corporations" for putting profits above people).

However, don't take this as a rant against certain parts of the retail sector. Frankly, there are some companies as a whole and individual employees that are so good at delivering service which does in fact add value, that I wouldn't consider going to their competitor - even for a lower price.

So the question we all need to pose ourselves is this ... Are there any areas of our customer service where we are resting on our laurels ... that we take advantage of the competitive benefits of our primary service or our products and are falling short on cultivating relationships where people LIKE doing business with us?

If you sell nutritional supplements, could the customer just as easily buy them through the company directly and not miss a thing with you removed from the equation? If you're a CPA, could a hot new computer program with super new fuzzy logic (like a "Quicken on steroids") make you look replace-able? For me, if someone developed a fuzzy logic marketing plan builder that reveals hidden assets and provides a plan to maximize them, is there anything I bring to the table above and beyond the pure and simple intellectual output that would compel someone to do business with me? Could I be replaced by a machine?

Food for thought .... 

All the Best,

Thom

End of June already???

It's the end of the month already and I've been so swamped that I have neglected to post much of anything. Sorry about that!

The Extreme Business Makeovers event was a smashing success on the 19th-21st. Over a week later now and I'm still getting people sending me emails and cards to thank me for putting it all together. I've got to say, it was an incredible lineup of speakers and each one not only delivered different expertise, but they have the same deep care for our participants that I have!

So, now that 2008 is half over, it seems an appropriate time to measure where I'm at for the year ... what's working, what's not and how to maximize the strengths and workaround the weaknesses.

Which leads me to the topics of balance and structure - not something that a typical "creative" type like myself excels in. I tend to bounce back and forth between juggling 50 projects at once or getting ultra picky and ultra focused on a particular project. The end result is the same ... a lot of busyness and much less fruitfulness. And, I've also done a lousy job at consistently taking care of myself by getting enough sleep and eating regular small meals versus my feast or famine pattern. Do you ever feel challenged in that area?

Well here's how I'm handling it for myself. First, I've created a block schedule, as per my friend, Stephanie Frank's advice. In it, I account for Focus Time (for projects), Flex time (general office stuff/communications, etc...), Family Time and Free Time. By making sure I have that Focus time when the door is shut, the phone is off and I'm not checking emails, it's much harder to get sidetracked or distracted by the tyranny of the daily urgent stuff and neglect the big projects that have huge payoffs.

Also, starting tomorrow, I'm taking a couple weeks for a working vacation - first to go to Hendersonville, NC to visit with my Mom and Dad, my sister and brother-in-law and their kids and another of my brothers. Then, after that, we head to the Outer Banks of North Carolina for a mini reunion with my In-Laws and my wife's sisters and their husbands and children. With 13 grandchildren and 8 adults all staying in the same house, that should be a fun time. And, of course, the time out-of-pocket will give me the time to come back to the office ready to implement my new schedule versus if I didn't have that transition time for my mind.

On the positive side, I'm working on a book and should have a really large chunk of it done by the time I return! I'll save the details about that for another day.

If I don't post before then, have a super and safe 4th of July holiday! Be sure to take time to be grateful for this incredible country we live in!

All the Best,
Thom

Down to the wire

Extreme Business Makeovers 2008 kicks off tomorrow at 8:30 am at the Caribe Royale in Orlando. Which means ... I haven't had more than 2 hours of sleep a night for the past week.

It always amazes me just how many details there are in events like this. There are lots of parts that I don't mind letting someone else handle. But, there's a lot of it that I feel the need to be involved in from a quality standpoint. I'm not talking about if the food is good or the coffee is hot. That's not my focus at this event. It's things like ... Do we have the best video clip to use to set the mood and mindset for the next speaker? ... Do we have the right music to play during breaks so that we fill the atmosphere with positive attitudes and energy without trying to become a pep rally? ... Are the workbook materials going to help our participants walk out the door ready to apply what they've learned immediately?

But, I have to say ... it is very easy to get hung up on decisions concerning food and beverages, signs, name badges, graphics, etc... and lose track of the only really important item - making sure the "deliverable" of information and motivation surpasses all expectations.

Hey, look for another post tomorrow morning. I'm thinking about letting those who couldn't make it have a few sneak peeks throughout the day with a live stream from the event. If I decide to do this, I'll go ahead and post the times here.

Meanwhile, be blessed. I'll let you know afterwards how it all went.

Thom

Reaching New Summits of Success

Out of the hundreds of clients that I've worked with as a legacy architectTM and marketing coach, I have to say, there are only a handful that I can remember who have been truly consistent in their personal and business growth. They are the types like my friend Christopher Guerriero, one of the experts on the Extreme Business Makeovers 2008 training team, who continually discover and practice daily habits and seemingly small distinctions which pay off in huge dividends over time. I love them and can appreciate them for what they do, but I have a really hard time identifying with them. I'm just not naturally wired that way.

It may be because the majority of my clients have been typical creative, passionate and somewhat scattered entrepreneur types, but in my experience, most growth is not so methodically planned and consistently executed. It's more like an alternating pattern of growth spurts and plateaus. From my experience, most growth takes a catalyst to inspire it and help us change our actions so we can change our outcomes.

These catalysts can vary greatly from individual to individual, but they can pretty much be grouped in one of these three categories: negative, positive and planned events.

The negative catalyst is characterized by taking new direction and action to avoid an undesirable outcome. For instance, someone starts working out and eating better because they are diagnosed with high blood pressure ... a man agrees to marriage counseling when his wife threatens to leave ... a business owner will revamp their marketing because sales keep eroding. While this is by far the most prevalent catalyst for growth, it is also the least effective at maximizing one's potential as it doesn't bring one from success summit to success summit. Instead, the one who seeks growth in order to avoid the negatives merely avoids the valleys, but too often makes their base camp at the foot of the mountain.

The positive catalyst is characterized by taking new direction and action due to a positive event of sorts. This would be the bride or groom who starts shedding unwanted pounds in anticipation of their wedding day... the couple who start going to church to inspire new spiritual depth because they've just had their first child ... the business owner who improves the product line for the company's twentieth anniversary in business. While the positive catalysts can, at times, be effective, it is difficult, in situations when the positive events pass, to maintain the same level of motivation and momentum.

In working with entrepreneurs, I have found that the catalysts which tend to produce the most consistent and long-lasting results are planned events. With this catalyst, an individual may not know the path they need to take, but they have a destination in mind and periodically they evaluate where they are with where they would like to be. When they come up short in any area, they seek out information and take quick, decisive action to get to a new level. This is like the fit individual who may have hit a plateau and hires a personal trainer to have a full day session help them change their workouts and eating plans, or attending a fitness retreat. In business, this could be hiring a coach or consultant for an intense planning day or attending a seminar.

Out of all the possible planned event catalysts, I like attending seminars. Here's why:

1) Even though I prefer to be rather hermit-like and just read a book or watch seminar videos on DVDs, there's enormous energy and power that comes from being at a live event. The information is more dynamic in that the specific information I need to apply personally seems to leap out at me. When I read a book, I feel like I need to apply it all and often come away with a mile long to-do list that never gets done. There is also a great deal of energy, motivation and perspective that comes from the other attendees. I find myself learning from their situations and feeling a certain amount of camaraderie and accountability for making new changes.

2) It's an automatically "NOW" kind of a setting. Unlike a book or DVD which could easily be set aside for another day, week or month, a seminar is date specific. The line in the sand is drawn and by participating you are deciding that you will not be the same person leaving that event as you were going to it.

3) Seminars are incredibly cost-effective. You will wind up investing a very small fraction of what you would typically have paid to have the speaker(s) consult with you individually. You can literally walk away with a world-class education for less than the cost of a typical vacation.

4) Of course, there is also the X-Factor of seminars. We may participate with our particular agenda for growth, but our "Creator" often has something even better in mind. I can't even remember the last seminar or conference I attended where I didn't walk away with a new relationship that ended up being a source of referrals, a joint venture partner or other such person of increase. While I definitely walk away with the growth that I was seeking, the financial increase that has come from this X-Factor has often added 10%, 20%, even 40% to my bottom line - quickly and with zero effort on my part.

There are many other reasons to attend seminars and conferences, but suffice it to say, I recommend that everyone plan to participate in two or more annually to keep your self-development muscles growing.

My only word of caution is to concentrate on seminars that impart unchanging principles and that focus on application, not just information. Short-term tactics come and go and can be easily learned, as needed, through books. True principles are timeless and often need a seminar or other planned event setting to be successfully applied. By focusing on developing principle based skills and character traits, you will continually climb from summit to summit in your personal success journey.

_______________

Hey ... just 16 days till Extreme Business Makeovers 2008. I hope to see you there!

All the Best,
Thom

The Entrepreneurial (and independent sales pro's) Trap

Happy Friday!

One of the experts who will be training the participants (AND me) at
our upcoming Extreme Business Makeovers event in Orlando wrote
a great article that I thought would be well worth your time. Though
I'm still a "work in progress," I can say personally that Stephanie's
simple systems have helped me improve and be much more conscious
about working ON my business, not IN it.

Remember - if you want to save over 50% on your tickets to Extreme
Business Makeovers 2008, you must type the word - SUCCESS - in the
coupon code box on the online Check Out page after you click to
reserve your seats and select the one or two ticket option. The web
address, once again, is http://www.extremebusinessmakeovers.com

Here's the article ... Enjoy!
Thom

______________________________________________________
The Entrepreneurial (and independent sales pro's) Trap
By Stephanie Frank


by Stephanie Frank

You're a smart, hardworking entrepreneur, and you're moving fast.
You are highly educated in your field and your business is growing
and getting busier each day. But somehow, you find yourself stuck.
You're doing more tasks that take you away from your core business,
you are working more and earning less. You need help. Wouldn't it
be great if there was someone, anyone out there who could help you
take away some of the daily tasks so you could focus on the things
you really love?

Maybe you've looked, tried to work with or even hired people to
help you manage your business. But somehow, every time, things just
didn't go right, and there you were, left again with the mounds of
paperwork, details and projects to manage. Alone.

"No problem," you tell yourself. "I can do it faster myself anyway."

In that one statement, you just fell into the biggest trap of your
entrepreneurial career.

Growing and leading your business is by far the biggest challenge a
business owner faces. After all, you are highly specialized in your
field - which is not business management. Unfortunately for most
business owners, when a new employee or contractor comes into the
business, one of two things usually happens.

1. The business owner and new hire spend hours, days, weeks and
sometimes months working side by side, with the business owner
explaining all of the intricacies of the job. When the employee or
contractor gets good at the job, the business owner begins to
panic, wondering if the person will stay. When the person leaves
the company, the process repeats. Frustration, fear and doubt
plague the business owner.

2. The new person is hired and told briefly what is expected of
him/her. The big picture is provided and the person is left up to
his or her own judgment as to how the job gets done. The person
does the job in a different manner than the owner and is
reprimanded for doing things a new way. The employee feels
disempowered, afraid, and leaves. Frustration, fear and doubt
plague the business owner once again.

It doesn't have to be that way.

You can have the freedom, focus and results you want in business.
Solving this problem is simple. You probably weren't trained in
school as a business manager, so you must first understand that
business operations management is a required skill for a success in
business. Most people make it too hard, by hoping for a single
person to show up on their doorstep, smart, focused, creative and
able to take away the tasks that lay before them with hardly a
second thought. I'm about to burst your bubble, because that person
is probably already in business for themselves. It's up to you to
create the environment where other people can be empowered to
assist you. Here are four simple steps to get you started on the
road to turn-key success.

1. Create total focus.

Get out a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. Title the
page Total Focus. On the left side, write down all of the tasks you
do in a week, from answering the phone to shipping to providing
service and creating new products. On the right side, write down
the three things you love doing. Compare the lists.

2. Group tasks for easy delegation.

Next to each task, label it with one of the three major business
areas:

- Administrative (office paperwork)

- Sales/Marketing (attracting customers or making the sale)

- Production (producing/shipping and delivery of products or
services)

3. Start Documenting.

For each task, write down the steps to completion. You might start
with “Here's How We _____________” to prompt you. Use whatever
method is simplest for you - a screenshot, written or typed steps,
diagrams - just get it down on paper and put it in a binder called
Procedure Manual.

4. Get Help.

Begin looking for people to work on tasks that are not in your
"love to do" column. Start small. The right person works only a few
hours per week on the things that take you days.

There is no magic person who can do all business tasks (except you,
of course!). With your Procedure Manual in hand, you can delegate
properly, relax and enjoy building your business, the simple way.

Stephanie Frank is an internationally known author and speaker.
Take the free quiz "Do You Have What It Takes To Be The Next
Accidental Millionaire?" and receive $1,574 of business building
tools and resources at http://www.AccidentalMillionaire.com

Learning Entrepreneurship from a Billionaire!

How Many BILLIONAIRE Entrepreneurs Have You Been Able to Meet AND Learn From IN-PERSON?

(Note: Click above for Audio - The sound is clearer after first 40 seconds)

Bill Bartmann, who Inc. Magazine describes as "The Billionaire Nobody Knows," is one of the incredible experts who will be teaching us at Extreme Business Makeovers 2008!

Bill didn't take one million or even one hundred thousand and make his Billions. In fact, he and his wife Kathy borrowed $13,000 and grew it into a company that produced over $1 Billion in annual revenues. He's going to share with each of us how to navigate the waters of entrepreneurship to maximize our individual strengths and become the most successful entrepreneurs or intrapreneurs that we can be!

Describing himself as the "poster boy for failure," Bill is very down-to-earth and teaches in a way that we can all relate and apply.

Check out the brief, 10 minute preview call I conducted with Bill. (The sound quality leaves much to be desired, but you can certainly hear Bill's heart and experience loud and clear).

After that, GET REGISTERED for Extreme Business Makeovers 2008 by visiting http://www.ExtremeBusinessMakeovers.com and click to reserve your seat. Something Special: for my readers only, if you enter the word SUCCESS in the Coupon Code box at the Check Out, it will automatically deduct $100 from the advanced ticket price!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me directly at thom@burg.com.

I look forward to seeing you in Orlando!

All the Best,

Thom

It was MY idea

The victories won by a master of war gain him neither reputation for wisdom nor merit for courage. How subtle and insubstantial, that the expert leaves no trace. How divinely mysterious, that he is inaudible. Thus, he is master of his enemy's fate. -- Sun Tzu, The Art of War

It's almost comical how many times I've been in a meeting where I sold an idea or solution in such a way that I almost left no fingerprint on it. In fact, in most of the situations that I'm referring to, the owner, CEO or biggest VIP in the room believed THEY came up with the idea.

I gotta say, as much as I enjoy the outcome of actually getting what I was wanting, there's something in me at those times that just wants to jump up on the conference table and shout ... "DIDN'T YOU PEOPLE JUST HEAR ME LEAD HIM TO SAY THAT?"

However, I'm reminded of the quote above from The Art of War by Sun Tzu. And, although business isn't war, anytime you are presenting a concept or solution that involves change, there is great potential for conflict and therefore many of the same principles apply. Basically, Sun Tzu is saying that we can be masterful and be more effective if we don't worry about being recognized for it.

It's amazing how well this works in numerous scenarios - selling products/services ... gaining support for your new initiatives with staff, partners or vendors ... leading volunteers in a ministry or non-profit organization ... EVEN helping your teens to make wise choices and feel it was their idea!

So, despite my ego crying out to be recognized for my "brilliance," I'll keep choosing to swallow my pride and walk away getting everything I was looking to accomplish. But, between you and me - It was my idea ;-)

Going with the Flow

Well, Mother's Day turned out to be very nice - though not exactly what was expected. Here we showed up at the restaurant where we had reservations for over a month ... and they were CLOSED!!!! In addition, we were greeted by a police officer who told us that they would not be opening again anytime soon. (Of course, I "googled" it all right away on the ole iPhone, but apparently, there's no news about it and we still don't know what happened ... but, I bet there's a pretty long list of disgruntled ex-patrons out there now.)

Obviously at noon on Mother's Day Sunday, we weren't going to have any luck getting into another A list restaurant. Argghhh! Fortunately, I had been to a restaurant almost across the street with my two oldest boys one day, so I knew that the food was solid and that they didn't take reservations. Off we went to the new choice and made it in just in time to beat the later church crowd ("Thanks" Discovery Church for an earlier church time ;-)  ) We wound up having a nice time, the food was solid and the kids, especially, thoroughly enjoyed it. AND, since we saved a ton of money on what we would have spent as a family at the original restaurant choice, I told Jody that we could go out to one of her very favorite Japanese steakhouses - Mikado at the Marriott World Center - for a date night. So, she wound up getting her Mother's Day with no dishes and good and plentiful food AND another relaxing, higher-end date to boot! ;-)

If you're like me... these types of things happen all the time in business as well. Whether it's a marketing promotion or plans for a public program that we're putting on, it seems like there is often a fair amount of difference between what was planned and how those plans play out in reality. 

There are definitely some times when initial feedback you get seems negative and you just have to stay the course and fight on through to get to the goal you have established.

Other times ... perhaps too many times ... I find myself fixated on the MEANS and not the END. So, instead of adjusting the sail to capture the wind as it is really blowing, I figuratively shake my fist in the air and curse the wind for not blowing the way I want it to blow. In those times, I fall short of where I want to be, versus surpassing what even I had in mind.

Anyone else ever have experiences like that?

Be Blessed,

Thom

Happy Mother's Day

I was out shopping with my kids for my wife Jody for Mother's Day and ran across one of my neighbors and his child shopping for a card for his wife. He seemed almost surprised that we put the same effort into shopping for Mother's Day as we do Christmas and Mommy's Birthday.

I guess that between having 1 child and he and his wife both working and sharing a good bit of the childcare and household stuff (he cooks, cleans and is a very involved father), they had reduced Mother's Day to a "card holiday." Too bad. In my mind, that doesn't reduce the importance of Mother's Day, it just gives a little more depth to the celebration of Father's Day since he really does do more than most fathers I know.

Any way, in our house, with 6 kids (all home schooled by my stay-at-home wife), Mother's Day is pretty much one of the sacred holidays of the year ;-) It's off to church, then a brunch at one of her favorites - The Captain and The Cowboy in nearby Apopka - then home for a relaxing afternoon/evening.

Of course, I'm always reminded of something my buddy and former pastor, Dan Plourde used to always say on Mother's Day to his wife... "Honey, it's Mother's Day. You don't touch the dirty dishes or pans! They'll be there in the morning for you ;-)" (kidding of course ... he is a happily married man with 7 kids).

Well, off to shower and get Caleb (our 2 year old) ready for church. It's nice that the others can all dress themselves appropriately at  this point.

Have a super Mother's Day everyone!

All the Best,

Thom

Too Much Truth in Advertising?

Okay, so you know by now that we've got this event coming up June 19-21 in Orlando. I've been so fixated on making sure the event will be incredibly dynamic and life-changing, that I've been my own worst marketer and am off schedule by almost 3 weeks ... YIKES! (I know, I know... the plumber with leaky pipes)

But, at least I CAN say that the event itself is going to be AWESOME! I've got 14 truly amazing experts including Billionaire entrepreneur, Bill Bartmann. And, best of all -- beyond having great information and giving me their solid pledge that they will be sharing solid, immediately applicable content, they ALSO all have the right heart. These ladies and gentlemen truly want to help others learn from their successes and  challenges to break through to new levels of success.

My goal is that we don't just help our participants improve profits, but that we also help them envision and begin building a real legacy! To me, that's the really important stuff - the things we build, the people we touch and the example we leave. Those things last whether or not anyone 2 generations from now even remembers our names. That is truly leaving your thumbprint on the world!

Sorry for the rambling ... Can you tell I'm excited about this?

In any case, while I still consider myself a marketer, I've really taken my marketing hat off for this event. I'm not even going to be one of the expert speakers at my own event. And, the letter I wrote for the web site is probably the most frank, non-salesy thing I've ever written in business. 

It is my deep desire to present the unvarnished truth about this event and not come off like some "hucksters" that hype seminars which wind up being "pitchfests."  Of course, that leaves me feeling a little nervous. I KNOW what to expect when I write a standard sales letter for a client. Though I would NEVER lie in a sales letter or ad copy, I most definitely use techniques (just like sales professionals often do) to guide the audience and take action.

I have no clue whether a completely honest and open discussion about Extreme Business Makeovers and what people can realistically expect is going to be effective in making sure there is a full audience there to benefit from it. My secret fear (I guess not so secret NOW) is that I removed so much of the sizzle that people who visit the site won't see just how incredible the steak itself is. I gotta say ... I DO feel good about it though.  I know that people who show up are going to get EXACTLY what they expect and possibly more, instead of wondering whether or not we overhyped and attracted people who have get rich quick (and without effort) mentality.

I'd definitely like to know what you think! If you visit http://www.ExtremeBusinessMakeovers.com you can read my letter and all about the event and see what I'm talking about concerning the unvarnished truth.

Oh.. and since you've taken the time to read my posting, I'll even give you a little gift if you want to come to Extreme Business Makeovers yourself. If you put in the coupon code SUCCESS in the Coupon Code box on the Checkout page, you'll get $100 off the ticket price - EVEN off the Advanced ticket price.

Okay that's it ... sorry for the long posting again. I think I'm getting the hang of this whole sharing from the heart thing, but still working on keeping it brief! ;-)

All the Best,

Thom

Tricked By God

Have you ever had one of those times when God used circumstances to trick you into something that you might not have done if you were given the choice up front?

That happened to me last week. Here, I had gone with Jody to see a counselor at church about our oldest kids ... no major issues, just thinking they may benefit from being able to blow some steam about parents, life, etc... with an impartial outsider ... and, wanting to make sure we're striking the right balance between grace-filled and authoritarian parenting.

Well, it started off weird as the counselor looked at the waiting area and was a bit surprised because they don't usually take two people at once. Jody had heard that the counselor wanted us both there - when really what was said was that they wanted to see both of us as well (not meaning at the same time).

However, it turned out to be a God thing since our time there together revealed some mutual resentments and hurts that had been shoved under the carpet years ago and not dealt with. 

And, then another God thing ... apparently, the person in the slot right after us was finishing up their counseling THAT week, so that slot would now be available.

So... you guessed it. For the next several weeks, Jody and I will have back to back counseling sessions - first apart dealing with the muck in our own closets and then together, tuning up our communications and conflict resolution skills... a pretty cool thing to do before our 19th Anniversary which is coming up in August!

My point? If someone had suggested that I go in for counseling and that Jody and I have a little marriage counseling, I probably would have rebuffed saying that this isn't the right time with our annual Extreme Business Makeovers event coming up and that Jody and I are fine since we're not having any major issues and no one is running for the escape hatch. I guess I still could have said "no," but I've learned my lesson from other times God re-ordered my steps. Nope, God had to trick me on this one and I'm glad He did.

I think of the verse in Proverbs (16:9) where it says, "In his heart a man plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps."

How cool is that? He allows us to be the big goal setters for our lives ... what's the way we want to go? (ie... I want a lifelong and healthy marriage) But, since His ways our higher than our ways, He often changes the path that we take to get there. If we fight the circumstances that He allows to come our way that change our path, we tend to muck things up. But, when we start to see those things as coming from Him and look for how they fit in with our big goals, everything falls into place without strain and striving.

Has God ever tricked you? Are you open to it when He tries?

All the Best,

Thom

(Note: I promised more open and heartfelt postings ... hope this helps you when I share openly like this. It's not the most comfortable thing in the world to share the "behind closed doors" world with a ton of other people. But, there are plenty of places you can go for expert type articles. I'm no expert ... just a fellow "pilgrim" in business and in life!)

Extreme Business Makeovers 2008 - June 19-21 in Orlando

Okay, I'm officially psyched!

We've got all the pieces together for our Extreme Business Makeovers 2008 event that we're having at the Caribe Royale in Orlando on June 19-21! So, now we're just finishing up the promotional materials so we can start getting the word out about it on Monday!

I'm SUPER EXCITED about this group of speakers that has come together for this. I can honestly say that there are no "B" level players in the bunch. These were all my top choices for 2 reasons ... (1) They have an expertise in a specific arena that entrepreneurs and independent sales professionals need (And, their content is authentic and proven).... (2) They have the right heart - they're top desire is to see their successes and failures help others transform their lives!

Here's the line-up: (You can go to their web sites and read all the standard promo stuff and all the great things that others say about them... but this is my "from the heart" take on each of them!)

Michael Angier - Creating A Mastermind Group - www.michaelangier.com
A new friend of mine that I met originally a couple years ago at Vic Johnson's conference in Atlanta - I recently reconnected with him at Ken McArthur's JV Alert Live in Orlando. This guy is as honest and dependable as the day is long...and a very wise businessperson as well. He's a great guy to know and learn from.

Simon T. Bailey - Discovering and Releasing Your Brilliance - www.simontbailey.com
If you lack any passion for what you're doing, Simon will help you find it. He's an ex Disney big whig and is amazingly good at helping people discovering what makes them tick and tapping into it to turbocharge their success trajectory.

Bill Bartmann - Becoming an Extraordinary Entrepreneur - www.billbartmann.com
How many conferences have you been to when you've had the opportunity to learn from a BILLIONAIRE entrepreneur (yes... that Billion with a B). This guy is not only amazingly astute, but his success extends beyond his wallet to his 32 year marriage, family and friends as well. I met him through Charlie Jones - need I say more?

Bob Burg - Go-Give Your Way To Never-Ending Prospects - www.thegogiver.com
Even if he wasn't my business partner, I'd still want him speaking at this event. NO ONE does a better job helping entrepreneurs and sales pros, who may not naturally be the best networkers, learn and apply a simple system to help them meet and cultivate relationships that deliver massive gains to their businesses - all in a fun and non-threatening way. It's all based on the incredible principles that he taught in his National Bestseller - The Go-Giver. He's also a totally honorable and "stand up" kinda guy!

Stephanie Frank - Win in Business Without Losing Your Mind - www.stephaniefrank.com
When she first looked at me and asked me why I was driving myself crazy and killing myself, I could tell that this was one of the very few people who understood me. In fact, she understands entrepreneurs and independent sales pros inside and out and is AWESOME at giving us easy systems to keep us focused on what we do best and eliminate our headaches!

Christopher Guerriero - Becoming An Instant Authority - www.automaticbestseller.com
Have you ever met one of those guys who just did the right thing because it was the right thing... the type that everything they touch seems to turn to gold? You kinda don't know whether to love em or hate em right? Well, Christopher is one of those guys, but because he's so darn humble and nice, you can't help but love him! And, he brings an incredible skill set to the table - helping entrepreneurs and sales pros stand out from the crowd and become authorities virtually overnight! This guy is GOOD!

Josh Hinds - Great Seminar - Now What? - www.getmotivation.com
Josh is someone who has been in the self-development industry for years - usually behind the scenes bringing great speakers and teachers to his audience. He is one of the nicest guys you could ever meet and has a great message and system for actually applying what you learn from seminars and conferences - instead of just walking away pumped up only to go back to your same old ways of doing things.

Dr. Don Kennedy - 5 am And Already Behind - www.bahbits.com
An amazing and passionate man - Dr. Kennedy is a physician who heard time and time again from his 70 year old and above patients how they would have done things differently if they had to do it over again. Since then, he's been on a mission to help people do it right the first time... to tap into what they should be doing instead of doing what others expect of them. And, his information and system for overcoming the one key bad habits that is holding you back is nothing short of life-changing!

Donna Krech - Never Ending Motivation - www.donnakrech.com
If there was ever a person who had an excuse for failing in life, it would be Donna. But, Donna didn't fail. In fact, she went from totally penniless to creating a fortune in the fitness arena. And, she's going to help our attendees learn how to tap into the motivation that's inside of them ... the type of motivation that overcomes challenges that inevitably come up. To me, she's that kid sister with the wise old heart that helps you remember why you're alive!

Dave Lakhani - Beat Low-Price Competitors ... In Any Economy - www.boldapproach.com
There are 2 people in my life that I've been intellectually intimidated by. One is my brother-in-law Len - a true genius - Psychiatrist by the time most graduate college and MBA. The man can converse with great understanding on ANY topic! The other is Dave Lakhani - whose insights and business building solutions never fail to blow me away. If I have a business problem I can't get my head around, Dave would be the one I want to call. A true scholar and gentleman!

Greg Rice - Overcoming Challenges by Thinking Big - http://pctonline.com/articles/printer.asp?ID=3045&IssueID=235&Source=back
Greg and his twin brother John (who tragically passed away in 2005) overcame the incredible obstacles of being abandoned at birth and, as dwarfs, standing at only 2'10". While still in high school, they purposed themselves to hone their sales skills and eventually went on to make quite a mark for themselves in Palm Beach County , Florida real estate. They also became famous pitchmen for Hulett Pest Control - helping them become one of the most recognizable and successful pest control companies in the south. He's a personal friend of Bob's and from everything I hear, a great guy!


Bo Short - Extreme Leadership Makeovers - www.boshortonline.com
One of my favorite people, Bo Short is one of those rare individuals that almost seems born out of time... like you could easily picture him right along with Thomas Jefferson and our other Founding Fathers as they birthed this great nation. Along with his experiences building several multi-million dollar companies and working with others as a turnaround expert, Bo has developed a principle-based system of leadership that has earned him accolades from many of our nation's top executives, athletes and elected officials.


Jimmy Vee and Travis Miller - Gravitational Marketing - www.gravitationalmarketing.com
You know that marketing is VERY near and dear to my heart. I've got some definite opinions on the subject and have met very few marketers that I feel totally "get it." So, if I'm letting someone else teach my audience how to build real-world, highly effective, attraction marketing system, it MUST be someone I believe in. In the case of Jimmy and Travis, I absolutely do! I actually met Jimmy at an event at my church where Charlie Jones was speaking. I wound up meeting with him and his partner Travis for a lunch and we became instant friends. They are not only excellent marketers with expertise in both the art and science of persuasion and marketing for entrepreneurs, but they're also really honest and caring guys as well!

Is it just me ... or is this a really incredible line-up? Not only will they all do a great job teaching their particular topics and systems, but can you imagine the hot seat sessions? It's so cool to see people with totally different expertise from one another, all tackling the challenges of our entrepreneur participants.

This year, I'm able to back off from the marketing expert role since I have Jimmy and Travis to fill (make that overfill) my shoes. Instead, I'm just going to be the host who gets to introduce my friends (who happen to be world class experts in their own arenas) to my guests in the audience. And, of course, I'll be facilitating the Hot Seat Sessions as well.

This is going to be soooooo much fun and is going to help a ton of business owners and sales pros who are at the place where they are ready to ratchet up to the next level and really transform how they are doing business and life!

More to come....

Best Laid Plans, etc...

Well ... It's been a crazy couple weeks. First, I wound up getting knocked down by the Flu (a totally new experience for me since I'm used to getting an annual sniffles type of thing that slows me down, but nothing like this with aches and pains and making it tough to think clearly and work). In fact, I got it, along with 5 of my children - compliments of my oldest, Josiah, picking it up at a "camp in" event at church. Thankfully, Jody and Charity survived it all unscathed.

Then, last Friday night (actually Saturday morning at 2:30am) we all piled into our "less than environmentally friendly" conversion van and drove up to Hendersonville, NC to visit with my parents (who are now in their 80's), my sister and brother-in-law and their two children and my closest brother. My oldest brother and his wife also travelled to be there with his son and one of their grandchildren. Great visit! All the kids got along really well - not just with their cousins, but with the own siblings too (sometimes a challenge)  ;-)

Of course, I managed to get myself in a little hot water by checking my emails and phone messages far too often and consulting with my brother-in-law on a new business venture while I was there.  He is an amazing guy - a Psychiatrist AND MBA and a fellow A.D.D. type like myself ... so as co-dependents, we went off "chasing rabbits" and a quick breakfast out turned into a 3 hour consult which made for a less than warm reception upon our arrival back at my sister's house. Whoops! I guess that's the telltale sign that you're doing what you're meant to do ... that you'd do it for hours on end for free ... just for fun!

So, we got back late Wednesday night and now I'm headed for the airport in about a half hour to go to Mannatech's big Mannefest convention in Dallas. They're expecting about 5,000 people and my business partner, Bob is speaking there, along with Robert Kiyosaki, throughout the weekend. It should be a fantastic time ... the Manntech associates I've met are all really wonderful, giving people who seem to be in the business for all the right reasons.

I'd better dash for now, but I wanted to update you as to why it's been quiet on the blog for a couple weeks. I get back home on Sunday and sometime early next week, I'll post a video review for Gravitational Marketing (I did post a written review on Amazon.com if you want to check it out). I hope you're able to spend the majority of your time doing what you're created for today!

All The Best,

Thom

Great meeting the other day ...

Hey, I'm actually getting out of my comfort zone and trying some new things this year. I figured since my business partner, Bob is the maven of networking and referrals, I should actually try to cultivate relationships with the many people I already meet online and in person every day.

Well, a few weeks ago, I met Jimmy Vee at a Charlie Jones (LOVE that man) event here at my church here in Orlando. Wonders never cease - I actually made it a point to follow-up by contacting him and Tuesday, I met with him and his business partner, Travis Miller (another cool cat) at PF Changs.

Okay... first, the food was AWESOME (not  to fixate on food, but PFs is really good and I'm not treating myself too much lately as I've resolved to shed 100lbs this year). More importantly, the company was PHENOMENAL. 

Before our meeting, I had discovered that they were marketers right here in my neck of the woods. I never know what to make of info like that unless I know what type of marketing philosophies and practices are employed. It turns out that these guys are marketing pros (the real kind based on solid, proven and measurable direct marketing principles not general advertising garbage). On top of that, they are actually passionate, honest and mission-driven guys. Wow... 3 honest marketers in the same city ... let alone at the same table at a restaurant ... that's like alternate universe kinda stuff ;-)

At the end of our meal, they gave me their new book, Gravitational Marketing which was just published by Wiley. Tonight, I've got to read a galley copy (not out yet) of David Bach's Go Green, Live Rich. But, I'll crank through Gravitational Marketing this weekend (there's a lot of meat there to get through) and let you know how it is on Monday. (sidebar - Don't go out and buy Gravitational Marketing yet ... though I have a feeling it's fantastic ... Jimmy and Travis are putting together a special campaign for March 19th, so "keep your powder dry" till then.)

Meanwhile... I hope you like my new free flow dialogue. It feels really awkward to someone who's more used to writing articles. But, my wife tells me she prefers the peek into my rather warped mind more than my prose and "faux heady" thoughts. I'll let you be the judge.

Blessings to ya!

Heralding The Age of Authenticity

Okay... starting AFTER this post, expect less lengthy articles like this and much more commentary and questions concerning the things we all deal with every day as entrepreneurs, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, children, etc... I've got a renewed vision to see this blog be more spontaneous and a dialogue versus monologues from me. That having been said, here's an article that explains the origins of this renewed vision ...

_________________________________________
Heralding The Age of Authenticity
by Thom Scott

Recently, I was blessed with the opportunity to be part of the phenomenal Strategic Profits "Live" Conference. My hats off to Rich Schefren and his team who did a fantastic job of designing and hosting the event, as well as assembling a top-shelf team of experts including my original marketing mentor, Jay Abraham (www.abraham.com), as well as my new friend and Web 2.0 master, Gary Vaynerchuk (www.winelibrary.com).

During the entire 7 days of intense training, whether the topic was leadership, product launches, direct mail or personal branding, one theme rang supreme ... "Growing Beyond Me-Too."

Of course, this was tremendous validation of my "Marketing From The Heart" System which actually leads my clients through the process of becoming authentic and attractive. It was also validation of The Law of Authenticity as expressed by my business partner, Bob Burg and his co-author, John David Mann in their national bestseller, The Go-Giver.

As with any true principle, The Law of Authenticity has ALWAYS been effective. However, the fact that it is included in The Go-Giver as well as my "Marketing From The Heart" System and that every speaker at this conference addressed it is, I believe, indicative of an emerging trend in business. I'll call it, "The Age of Authenticity."

The more I have studied this theory of mine, the more I see past examples of "packaged" and somewhat inauthentic messages that were made possible by one-way media. Even the first generation of businesses on the web utilized static, brochure-like web pages that enabled small, start-up companies to appear as big and impressive as established mid-to-large size concerns. In fact, many rushed to establish a presence on the web in order to take advantage of that “benefit.”

However, 2 changes have occurred that I believe are putting an end to the "Age of Packaging" and ushering in "The Age of Authenticity." The first is that we have become collectively sick and tired of over-hyped advertising. We're weary of people who are different before and after the sale. In short, we're weary of inauthenticity. From politics to television to the business arena, we have begun to see that reality (or at least messages closer to reality) sell better than their overly-packaged counterparts.

Why did this shift in thinking occur? Well, as my dad used to say, "nothing kills a bad product faster than good advertising." Not that all of the products or services were bad ... but by and large they simply didn't deliver on the "magic bullet" messages that were used to sell them. And, even though these hype-filled approaches can still be very effective in the short-term, they inevitably leave clients feeling somewhat ambivalent.

(Parenthetically, many also have a product or service that truly is good and unique and they seek to add value, BUT mimicking others’ approaches, they haven't stood out from the competition. These true value-providers have become increasingly frustrated by their lack of market penetration. In their search to find a tactic that will work, they have stumbled upon a rare and powerful force in communications - the truth!)

The second big change that ushers in this new age of authenticity is the introduction of web 2.0 which facilitates and has popularized two-way communications on the internet. Ask any reality tv contestant... with the camera rolling 24/7, the real you is bound to show up at some point. The same is true on the web ... blogs, video podcasts and other popular mediums eventually betray their authors’ true selves if they are in any way inauthentic. Also, because of the wealth of available information and cool services like Google maps, it's no longer possible to "fake it till you make it," as anyone can quickly pull up an aerial view of my house, among other things, to verify whether or not I really have that Ferrari parked in front of my golf course mansion.

Okay, so we have this new "Age of Authenticity" thing happening. So what? What does it mean to us and how do we put the power of the Law of Authenticity to work for us? Glad you asked - since you may know that I am big on application! Well, believe it or not, so many of us have been conditioned, at a very early age, to become or act like something we're not in order to gain approval, that it often makes being truly authentic more difficult than wearing a "mask." Real authenticity takes the courage to willingly experience the polarization of relationships with those that love you and rejection from those who do not.

While the path to authenticity is often a progressive and evolving journey, one that takes my clients several weeks to navigate, I would advise that if you feel that this is something you need, you can begin your journey to true authenticity with the following questions:

Does the image that I portray to others really express who I am or the essence of my company? Do I like the people I am attracting as clients? Would I hang out with them if I didn't do business with them? Do I try to cover up my past mistakes and setbacks, or do I share these with others to reveal my inner motivations and help them grow through my experiences? Do I attempt to show great proficiency at every facet of my business or personal life, or do I clearly express my giftedness and challenges and seek to find others who can compensate for my weaknesses? How can I embrace the positive side of my quirks and allow others to see them? How can I live my life in such a way that when I am gone, I have left my thumbprint on the world and the lives of those in my sphere of influence? You get the idea.

While I tend to address topics like this through the lens of business, authenticity is obviously a message that reaches into every facet of our lives. It is vital to both our personal happiness and our success and something that I need to grapple with every morning as I face the man in the mirror.

How Brilliant Are You?

If you know me at all by now, you know that I am very passionate
about information and tools that can help improve our businesses and lives.

I get particularly excited by resources that not only contain
solid, proven principles, but also a real action plan for how
to apply the information and experience the benefits.

So, I absolutely had to let you know about a great new book
that a my friend, Simon T. Bailey just came out with, titled
"Release Your Brilliance: The 4 Steps to Transforming Your
Life and Revealing Your Genius to the World."

Simon says, “Each of us is born brilliant. Then we spend
the rest of our lives having our brilliance buried by
people, circumstances, and experiences. Eventually, we
forget that we ever had genius and special talents, and our
brilliance is locked away in a vault deep within. So we
settle for who we are, instead of striving for who we were
meant to be.” Powerful stuff!

What I really love is that this book – complete with interactive
tools, personal assessments and more – actually guides
you on a path to overcoming setbacks, finding purpose, and
unlocking the potential that resides within you.

To celebrate the book launch and encourage you to buy
copies TODAY, Simon has set up a special page where you can
order the book at a discount and receive a TON of free bonus
gifts. As usual, I don't make a dime on this. I'm just
committed to referring you to great resources!

To check out the book and his offer, go to
http://www.ReleaseYourBrillianceBook.com

All The Best,
Thom