Find NEW Cheese!

When I was in Grad School we were required to read the book, "Who Moved My Cheese?"  by Spenser Johnson, MD. It had any ugly cover and I always hated assigned reading.  Of course, I wanted to pass the class, so I cracked the book open and read it.

After a few pages in it was clear that this is not a boring business book.  This book was different. It was a really short story about two mice, Sniff and Scurry, and two humans, Hem and Haw, a maze and some cheese.  

It took all about  an hour to read (if that). The story was simple, but the lesson was big:  If someone moves your cheese, you can keep going back to where it used to be, hoping it will come back.  Or you can plan ahead, anticipate change and find more cheese.

You can apply this book to your business, your career and to your life.  Things change.  They always do. You have to decide how to deal with this change.

A few years ago, I bought copies for my staff  and we spent a few hours talking about how it applied to our team, the industry we were working in, and our own development. (they were not happy about assigned reading either...but they enjoyed the exercise.).   I got the books for $2.00 each on Alibris, but you can also read it for free online.

Today, I open the book once in a while to remind me that I always have to be planning ahead. Each time I read it, I apply it to something different in my life.  Today I have a good situation at Elastic, but I am pretty sure it won't last forever.  Numbers are down...cuts will be made. Will my cheese be moved?  What will I do to find more cheese?  What can I do to prepare for change?

These are questions I need to ask before the change happens.  This book helps you see how important it is to do this.

Barb's Top 5 quotes about change (inspired by Spencer Johnson, author of Who Moved My Cheese?):

• “What would you do if you weren't afraid?”― Spencer Johnson
• “Change happens when the pain of holding on becomes greater than the fear of letting go.”― Spencer Johnson
• “Noticing small changes early helps you adapt to the bigger change that are to come”― Spencer Johnson
• "What you are afraid of is never as bad as what you imagine. The fear you let build up in your mind is worse than the situation that actually exists.”― Spencer Johnson
• "When you are afraid things are going to get worse if you don't do something, it can prompt you into action. But it is not good when you are afraid that it keeps you from doing anything.”― Spencer Johnson

Social Media is not Set up and Forget it!

You have a website, or maybe you don't.  You decided you are going to create a Facebook and Twitter page for your business because everyone is telling you that you need to have one.   Well that's not necessarily true. 

In my opinion, if you are just going to set up the page and just leave it there, don't bother.  You need a social media strategy.   Here are some questions you should ask yourself when setting up your social media page.

1) Can I keep my page fresh?  You MUST make a commitment to post at least once a week.  Decide what you can post on the page on a regular basis to let your fans know that there is a living body on the page.  

Remember, social media is a CONVERSATION with the fans.  Its not just telling them that there is a "Sale" or you are promoting an event.  You can post about your business anniversaries, ask for opinions, welcome new staff members, post an article of interest, or let them know something about your industry.  If you are linking to another page, try to keep things mysterious so that they are intrigued enough to click on the link.

I suggest creating at least 25 "evergreen" posts in advance.  This way if you don't have time to think of something, you have a back-up post to let them know the "lights are still on" on your social media page.

When you get a response to a post, you must be ready to respond, with a thank you, or advice or a follow up with better customer service. Otherwise the conversation is one sided and that's boring for everyone.

2) How am I going to drive traffic to this page?  You can have the best page in the world, but if nobody knows about it, you won't get many fans.  It won't happen "Virally" at first (maybe ever).

Evaluate all your current communication with your customers.  If you have a website, make sure there is a link to facebook, if you are sending emails, the links should be included there too.  In addition, business cards,  stationary, advertisements and even the signature on your emails, should include a "follow us" link.

Once you covered the basics, then try a few grassroots ways to up the "Fans" to your page.  Ask your friends to help you increase your fan base and ask their friends to fan your page.

Create a promotion for "Fans" of the page.  A quick and easy way to get fans is always a sweepstakes.  Make sure you promote the sweeps as much as possible.

3) What are my goals for Social Media?  If you don't set goals, you won't be able to measure success or evaluate if social media is right for your business.

I suggest setting a goal for your page. For example, in the first month your goal is to get 100 fans through grass roots, followed by 1000 by promoting the sweepstakes in month 2.

If you are struggling to hit these goals, you have to either re-evaluate your strategy or decide if you want to dedicate resources to building your social media presence.  But if you are going to keep the page up,  I strongly suggest you stick with your weekly postings.

Barb's Top 10 Quotes about Social Media:

1. “New marketing is about the relationships, not the medium.” – Ben Grossman, founder of BiGMarK
2. “You can be professional while also ‘keeping it real’ with your customers. By interacting with customers in a less formal way, you’ll build a strong human connection that helps build brand loyalty.” David Hauser, co-founder of Grasshopper
3. “If your social strategy relies on advertising in social media, it’s probably better to hang on to your money.” – Taddy Hall, chief operating officer of Meteor Solutions
4.  “Social networks aren’t about Web sites. They’re about experiences.” – Mike DiLorenzo, NHL social media marketing director
5. “To utilize social media tools effectively and properly, you must absolutely generate spontaneous communications in direct response to what others are saying or to what is happening in that moment. Be yourself. Be conversational. Be engaged.” – Aliza Sherman, co-owner of social marketing firm Conversify
6. "Quit counting fans, followers and blog subscribers like bottle caps. Think, instead, about what you’re hoping to achieve with and through the community that actually cares about what you’re doing.” – Amber Naslund, Social Media Today
7. 
   “Engage rather than sell … Work as a co-creator, not a marketer.” – Tom H. C. Anderson, market researcher
8. "The most successful marketer becomes part of the lives of their followers. They follow back. They wish happy birthday. They handle problems their customers have with products or service. They grow their businesses and brands by involving themselves in their own communities.” – Marsha Collier, speaker and business author
9. “Ask yourself this question CONSTANTLY: where can I add the most value to what matters most to me and the people who care about me?” – Chris Brogan, author of “Trust Agents”
10. “Think like a publisher, not a marketer.” – David Meerman Scott, DavidMeermanScott.com

 

   

Websites 101

If you have a small business, you need a website.  It doesn't have to be fancy or have a lot of bells and whistles.  It just has to work and be up to date.

The first step seemes to be the hardest.  You have to buy the hosting and url.  Once that's done, the rest is "easy."

Your website should have the following basic information:

1. Business Name, and or logo.
2. Brief decription about your business.
3. Contact information for your business.

That's it.  If that is all you have that's enough.  But if you want to add more here are some other suggestions.

• About your business - Why you started it, what you do for your customers, and why you do what you do.
• Description of your products/services - What are the different services you offer to your customers.  You may "need" your help and how you are are different than other vendors.  If you have set pricing, you can also include this there.
• Links to resources that may be helpful for people who visit your site, or other businesses you recommend. 
• Frequently Asked Questions -  Provide a list of questions customers typically ask, and explain how you can help them.  
• Testimonials from customers - Share letters from customers, case studies, or a simple customer list as a reference.

Start pulling this info together.  Then build the website yourself, or bring it to a web designer to bring your vision to life!

If you need help with your website, I also provide these services.  My business website is http://www.linkwizards.com/.

Mental Health Day

I'm not going to lie. Tough days at Elastic.  Its our busy season...so its been very crazy. I've been stressed and super grumpy even though I just got back from vacation.

ANYWAY, this week was tough for me. I was very very sad.  I think it was 9/11, I don't  know.  But  I decided to take a day off to get out of the office.  Mom and I went to AC.  It was a nice drive, we won a little money and I went to work today, much calmer.

The day cost me, but I believe with all my heart that you have to always remember to take care of yourself.  Your body and your mind.  You are no good to ANYONE if you stress yourself sick.


Barb's Top 5 Stress Free Life Quotes:

On the keyboard of life, always keep one finger on the Escape key. Meaning – take a vacation, learn to relax sometimes.


The time to relax is when you don't have time for it. ~ Sydney J. Harris


For fast-acting relief, try slowing down. ~Lily Tomlin


Sometimes it's important to work for that pot of gold. But other times it's essential to take time off and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow. ~Douglas Pagels, These Are the Gifts I'd Like to Give to You


Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths. ~Etty Hillesum

Have you read Ayn Rand???

  

I just discovered Ayn Rand.   I bought her book Atlas Shrugged while ago.  I think I saw it on a list of books I should read in my lifetime.  Its had been sitting on my bookshelf for some time...if I only knew.

Atlas Shrugged was a big book, so I brought it with me on my 23 hour flight to Australia.  Someone on the plane saw me reading it, and asked me how I liked the book.  He  commented that it was a great read and particularly interesting in these times.  I agreed with him, but I hadn't gotten to the point that that was obvious.  I think I finished about 100 pages on the trip.

Halfway through the book (400 pages), one of my co-workers saw it on my desk and asked me how old I was.  Apparently, I was supposed to read this books in my 20s.   Sooo...I'm a little late.

Another co-worker commented that it was disgusting. I asked her why, and she said I would find out for myself. 

Anyway, after 3 months I finally finished the 800 page book.   The scary thing is...this novel was written over 50 years ago, but  the story is very applicable to today's world.   In a nutshell, there are people in the government and in big business that have an incredible impact on the rest of the world.  While some people are fighting to hold things together, there are others trying to push forward their own agendas.

Reading this story, you see how much today's unemployment, financial crisis, failing business are all related to greed...This book tells what happens when society fights back (Actually, its probabaly deeper than that...but that's as deep as I get.)  I loved every page.

Anyway. If you haven't read the book.  You should have already.  But it is not too late.   :)

Barb's Top 5 Ayn Rand Quotes

• Achievement of your happiness is the only moral purpose of your life, and that happiness, not pain or mindless self-indulgence, is the proof of your moral integrity, since it is the proof and the result of your loyalty to the achievement of your values.   Ayn Rand
   
• I swear, by my life and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.  Ayn Rand
   
• Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.  Ayn Rand
• When I die, I hope to go to Heaven, whatever the Hell that is. Ayn Rand
• A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others.  Ayn Rand

Remembering 9/11

Today was the 10 year Anniversary of 9/11.  It was surprisingly a tough day for me.  Thankfully, I didn't lose anyone close to me on that day, but I will never forget the fear and anxiety of that day.

The morning of Sept 11, 2001 I was late for work because I had been looking at a condo I wanted to buy.  It was a BEAUTIFUL September day.   I was on the bus and headed to Manhattan when the first plane hit.  I called my boss to tell him that I was going to be late for work, because a "small aircraft" hit the twin towers.  He told me not to worry about being late and thanked me for calling him to let him know.

I called my cousin John and asked him if his dad was still working at the Trade Center.  He told me no, he had retired a while ago.  He turned on the TV and and said "Holy Shit."   

We were headed on the BQE. I could see the smoke coming from the tower when the second plane hit.  The girl next to me started hysterical crying.  I tried to calm her, but she was getting to me.  Someone yelled, "It is a terrorist attack."  My phone didn't work anymore.   The bus started moving.  People were shouting at the bus driver to stop...not to take us to the city.  He bus driver yelled to stop telling him what to do.  The girl next to me was still hysterical. Her boyfriend worked on the 13th floor. 

Finally, the bus got off the BQE.  The driver said anyone who wanted to go into the city could grab the subway.  I got off.  I couldn't take the girl next to me anymore.  My old boss Ginny was on the bus too.  She said to me, "Barbara, don't go to the city."  I told her I wasn't.  It was the truth. I wasn't going anywhere.  I just wanted to get off that bus.  I wanted to control where I was going and how I was going to get there.  I didn't want to be on that bus. 

I walked down to the water to where the warehouses are in Brooklyn. I think around 59th street.  I could see the towers burning.  People were on the streets watching.  One man said, "Those people are not going to be rescued up there..."  I  remember him laughing, not like he thought it was funny, but like he knew something everyone else didn't know and how stupid everyone around him was. I stood there for a while, and then went to find a way to get back home. 

I went back to where the bus left me, and got onto another express bus headed to Staten Island.  My friend from the neighborhood Derek was there.  We talked about how crazy the day was and how we couldn't believe everything that had happened. 

The bus driver was getting reports from his wife on his phone. He was waiting to hear word back from his daughter.  Someone else had a radio and gave it to the bus driver to put on the microphone for everyone to hear.  That's how we learned about the Pentagon and  the plane in Philadelphia.

The bus driver was older, this apparently was his second career.  He explained to us that he was a steelworker and worked on the towers.  Then we heard the report that the first tower fell.  The driver said he couldn't believe that the towers came down as he knew how they were built. He was concerned about all of us and did as much as he could to reassure us.  Then the second tower came down.    It was unreal. 

The bridges were all closed and so we couldn't get back into Staten Island.  The driver pulled into Bay Ridge into the parking lot of the Nathans.  Derek and I waited in Nathans until they told us to go back to the bus. 

We drove through the side streets of Brooklyn.  From the bus, I saw a woman in her car with a rosary bead in her hands.  It took us hours to get out of Brooklyn and get over the bridge.  I think it was about 3:00.  I saw a black man in a full suit carrying a business case covered with dust walking on the side of the Staten Island Expressway as we came over the bridge.  My guess is he walked all the way from Wall Street to Staten Island.

Derek and I got home around 5:00.  It was the longest day of my life.  And I we didn't know if there was more coming. 

Then at home we got a call from my Aunt. She had been in Manhattan with my Aunt Aida.  They got evacuated to Jersey. They were at my cousin's in Union City.  She didn't have her medication.   My dad and I went to go get her. The tank was on "E" and we were stuck in traffic.  We finally got off the Turnpike on on a side street somewhere for gas.  We got to my cousin's house (usually a 45 minute drive) at around 10 pm.   We learned that bridges were closed back into NYC (which included Staten Island). 

That night I slept on an air mattress on the floor of my cousin's house.  We ended up staying until around 1pm the next day. 

In the days that passed we were on constant alert for other attacks.  There were reports of vans being stopped, or bomb threats and everything else were on the nightly news.   I wasn't leaving my house until I felt it was safe.  I sat on my parent's couch and watched the news non-stop that entire week.

There were reports of all the stories of the people who were in the building that day.  Some survived because they were late for work, others died because they were there that day for a random meeting.   There were stories about the local businesses who gave out water to people who were running out of the area, and others that were charging ridiculous prices to take advantage of the situation.  There were reports of people cheering that the towers went down and those of people who were beat up for being Arab or anything that even looked Middle Eastern.

I remember the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald crying...he lost most of his company employees in the attack.  The Fire Department lost over 300 of their men.  The death toll numbers changed daily. 

Many of the people who died were from Staten Island.  Many were from the Fire Department as well as people who worked in the towers.  I didn't know many of them personally, but one was my classmate from OLQP, Shuan Bowman  he was 28, had a small son and his wife was pregnant with his second child.  He worked at Cantor.  The other one was Sal Lopes, a travel agent that I used to call at AAA Travel.  Sal had just left AAA offices in Long Island, to work for his new job. I remember him telling me he was leaving and  he was very excited about his new job in the city.  I don't think he was working there more than a few months. 

I remember stories of  volunteers coming out to being turned away because they wanted to control the rescue and recovery efforts.  There  were questions about the dust and if it was safe.  The EPA said it was.  There were family members waiting outside the rescue area with pictures of their loved ones.  Waiting for ANY word if they may have survived.   The stories went on for weeks...good and bad.  Bad and good.

Ten years ago feels like just yesterday.  I will never forget that day.  I pray for the families of those who lost someone. I pray for those who were part of the rescue/recovery who are now suffering from the dust that was not safe.  I pray that those with troubling memories of this day (many much worse than mine) find peace in their minds. 

I pray that we never experience a day like that again.

God Bless America.

FREE Stuff for your Start-up

As you all know, right now I am temping at "Elastic," but I do web design and other odd jobs on the side.  What I have learned from my experience is that you don't need a ton on money to get your business going.   Here's some FREE advice for you:

1) Business Cards

Its your calling card. You should always have a few on you, whether you are going to a networking event or to the supermarket.  You never know when or where a business opportunity may arise.  Be prepared.

You can professional looking business cards from Vistaprint.com for FREE!

In fact you can get LOTS of good stuff from Vistaprint, like magnets, pens, postcards, lawn signs and banners for FREE.  Sign up for their emails, and you'll start receiving great deals right away.

2) Facebook Page
You really should have a website, but if you are not able to design one for yourself, you can at least set up a Facebook Page for your business for FREE.  Ask your friends to help you get started by becoming a fan of the page.  Make sure you write a good description for your business and come up with a posting strategy to keep your page current. Try to do one post a week.

3) Business Plan This should really be the FIRST thing you do.  It helps you map out the strategy of your business and define who you are and what you want to do.  It helps you prepare for talking to investors, or potential clients.   A good business plan takes time and research.  You can find Business Plan templates for FREE on the internet.  Bplans.com has some great samples to get you started.

4) Business Phone Number
I suggest getting a phone number which is seperate from your personal cell phone.  Google.com/voice  offers a FREE phone number, with Voice mail, call forwarding, texting and more.  If you have a phone with internet, you can use this service to send and receive calls from your business.

5) Internet
I made it a mission to take my home office, outside of a home.  If you have a laptop, or Ipad, this is easy to do.  You can find FREE Internet at Starbucks, Barnes and Noble and Panera.  Check out my list of other free NYC locations here.


Barb's Top Quotes on FREE Stuff:
“The best things in life are free.” -American Proverb

“Smile, it's free therapy.” - Doug Horton

“Dreams are free.”

“Living on Earth may be expensive, but it includes an annual free trip around the Sun.”

“Ask yourself, "If all jobs paid $2 an hour, what job would I want to do?" When you answer that question, start doing it, even if you have to do it for free at first” Greg Aldrik

Top 5 Invoicing Tips

For someone running your own business, one of the most important things you need to create is an invoice. Its how you get paid.  Creating an invoice is not a big deal, but if you've never done it before, it can be overwhelming. 

Here are a few tips:

1)  Find a template you like.  Microsoft Word offers a invoices as a template you can modify for your use.   Every invoice should include the following information:

• Your business name, address, phone, fax and email.
• Date of invoice and date payment is due.
• Name and address of the person and company you are billing
• A unique invoice number.  I like to use a three letter code to represent the business and a date.  (ex. LWZ-20110906)
• A description of the work your are charging for and the amount.
• Any warranty for the work you did should also be outlined within the description.

2) Keep record of all the work you have done and time spent, especially if you are billing by the hour.  This will be important in the cases when someone questions you on the total hours you are billing for.   I recommend http://www.paymo.biz/.  This tool  is free.  It allows you track your time and has tools to help you create your invoice.

3) Invoice immediately after the work is done.  Do not hesitate. If there is any issue with the work you did, it needs to be addressed immediately, not after your client has time to reflect on what they should have asked you to do.

4) Keep records of invoices and which ones are still unpaid.  You have to stay on top of this to make sure you get the money you are due.

5) Keep a spreadsheet of all your invoices.  This will be useful when you prepare your taxes or review your strategy for the following year.


Top five quotes about Invoicing:

You don't get paid for the hour. You get paid for the value you bring to the hour.   --Jim Rohn

I get satisfaction of three kinds. One is creating something, one is being paid for it and one is the feeling that I haven't just been sitting on my ass all afternoon. --William F. Buckley, Jr.

What more can you ask for - getting paid for doing what you love. --Tiger Woods

 

Deliver more than you are getting paid to do. The victory of success will be half won when you learn the secret of putting out more than is expected in all that you do. Make yourself so valuable in your work that eventually you will become indispensable. --Mandino, Og

Every day I get up and look through the Forbes list of the richest people in America. If I'm not there, I go to work. ~Robert Orben

Happy Labor Day, Dammit!

Labor Day was a creation of the labor movement to celebrate the social and economic achievements of American workers.  In these times, these achievements should include keeping your head above water.

We've had hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, wars, market slides, and hitting our country harder than ever. Businesses are closing, people are defaulting on bills, losing their homes, and hope.   Some people try to fight the good fight, while others concede that they can't win for trying. 

According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, "...the unemployment  rate held at 9.1 percent this year...  Employment in most major industries changed little over the month"  That's scary.  Obama is out there trying to rally the country, but he's been trying to do that for 3 years...its not working.  In fact, looking back to one of my first posts in 2009, the rate is up from 8.6%!!!

This Labor Day, like many Americans, I celebrated on the beach.  But unlike every other Labor Day that I can remember, I am 100% thankful for the opportunities I have been given in the past year to contribute to the Labor Force...and after a nice relaxing weekend, I am looking forward to another day at "Elastic."

I pray for all my friends fighting the good fight in these tough times.  I know we will all  make it...we have to keep on. 


Barb's Top 5 Labor Day Quotes

Work isn't to make money; you work to justify life. ~Marc Chagall


A mind always employed is always happy. This is the true secret, the grand recipe, for felicity. ~Thomas Jefferson


A bad day at work is better than a good day in hell. - Scott Johnson


One machine can do the work of 50 ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man. -- Elbert Hubbard

I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.-- Thomas Jefferson

Being your own Boss is TOUGH!

Working at "Elastic" has a lot of perks.  For one, I have a steady paycheck, and for that I am always thankful.  Secondly, even though I am still a temp, they try their best to treat me like an employee of company, and that the most I can ask for.  And it is a really nice company with a great mission, and that makes me feel good.

But at the end of the day, I am my own boss and I have a business to run. By that I mean I have to pay my own taxes, get my own insurance, stay on top of keeping records and receipts. I know for a fact, I'm not good at this.




My strong suit is marketing, coming up with great ideas and helping businesses make money, not administrative tasks.   Prior to being being my own boss, the only bill I was worried about staying on top of was my mortgage.


Last week, I almost lost my medical insurance, due to the fact that I didn't pay my bill.  Its not that I didn't have the money. It was that I MISSED the bill. 

Last year, I actually lost my Cobra benefits for a similar reason.  Due to the lapse of insurance (which I was unaware of), I had to do a lot of legwork to prove that I had no pre-exisiting conditions. And then, I had to wait another 30 days for the new insurance to kick in.

Had I lost medical insurance this time, it would have been 9 months before I could apply with them again.  So not only would I be without insurance, I would have to research another carrier.  I seriously don't have time for this.   Who does?

But as my own boss, I have to keep my "business" running.   I have to come up with a plan to stay organized.   I MUST make myself better at administrative duties.  I cannot afford to make a mistake.

Here are some of the things I put in place to help the process:
1) Taxes - My accountant made me a nice schedule of paying quarterly taxes.  I have updated my calendar with these dates and have a folder on my desk, which I check on a regular basis.

2) Medical Insurance - I now have this bill set as as an automatic withdrawal from my account.  I don't like to do this with my bills, I like to control the payments, but I already messed up 2x with insurance. I don't want it to happen again.

3)  Invoices and Receipts - Most of my expenses are recorded on my Credit Card bill.  I only have one credit card, to keep things simple.  I have a  box that I store all my receipts, and when it comes to taxes at the end of the year, I use that box to inform my accountant of my deductions.  My invoices are stored on my computer and sent via email, and I also record them in a spreadsheet.

 Barb's Top 5 Quotes about Getting Organized:

• "Don't find fault, find a remedy." - Henry Ford
• "Organization is not an option, it is a fundamental survival skill and distinct competitive advantage" - Pam Woods
• "Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up. " -A. A. Milne
• “Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” - Roman Catholic Saint Francis of Assisi
• “Life is too complicated not to be orderly.”- Martha Stewart