NBA Superstar LeBron James

LeBron James, NBA superstar, Cleveland hero athlete and family man had a big decision to make last night regarding which team he would play for this upcoming NBA season. His eventual decision to play for the city of Miami this Fall affected not only his ability to win a championship, but also the National Basketball Association, his family members and the entire city of Cleveland.  How many decisions do you make in a day that affect not just yourself but many other people?

This morning, like every morning is the beginning of decision day for me. As a person growing a small business, there are many options for work. I say “options” with a little laugh because they don’t feel like options at 8 in the morning -they feel like 20 hours of required work, all due today. Is today the day I update my website? Work on my newsletter? Call on my former clients? Reach out to new clients? Update my Accounting? Or check my post office box? How about write that blog posting? Well, you know which one I chose. Does any of this sound familiar to you?

Fortunately there is a way to choose from the “required work” that is constantly laid out in front of you. Last night LeBron James mentioned that he was making the best decision for himself. What’s different about running a business is that though you may have started for your own satisfaction, but you continue because your success will impact your family and clients you serve (your community). This is how you decide what to do:

1. Start the day, every day, making a list of every stressor in your mind
2. Take a hard look at that list and identify the things you CAN do
3. Take those ‘can do’ items and separate them by long term strategic goal vs simple task

Emptying your head in the morning, of all of the scary demands on your time, will be a relief.  Making note of the things you can do will give you purpose.  Separating the short term versus long term tasks will give you a plan.

Start each day like this every time you start the day confused about what to do first.  At the end of the day when you are sorrounded by your loved ones and thoughts of things that really matter, you will be at peace.
 

Jason Howell is the author of AMERICA: Still the Land of Opportunity, Always a Home for the Brave.\” For more insights on success in business and in life, pick up your copy today.

Carl Schramm, CEO, Kauffman Foundation

Entrepreneurial innovation drives the American economy. Well, you knew that.  Did you know that the economies of China and India are thriving because of our example?   They are merely “copy cat” economies says Carl Scramm HERE. 

Jason Howell is the author of AMERICA: Still the Land of Opportunity, Always a Home for the Brave.\” For more insights on success in business and in life, pick up your copy today.

This is the first time I have ever heard of such a “week” but maybe the reason is that now, coming upon my first full year in this business, I am a fully invested entrepreneur.  Entrepreneur magazine called 2010 the “Year of the Entrepreneur” in their December 2009 issue and I agree.  It is always a good time to start a business and contribute to our local economy but there is no better time than when our economy is facing a challenge of growth and ingenuity.  In short, there is no better time than now.

Last week I had the opportunity to visit the Arlington, VA office HQ of the Washington Business Journal.  There I met a group of people curious about how to better serve the Washington, DC business community.  They were literally asking “how?”  In celebration of this special week they supplemented the weekly paper with a feature magazine entitled: From Beginners to Bigshots.   Featuring a group of successful entrepreneurs, I was struck by how many of them used the Small Business Administration (SBA) as a resource for their success and how many small business people I know that do not (including myself).

To commemorate the week I am going to reaquint myself with the SBA beginning with the Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) which are designed to provide management assistance to businesses of my size. 

What do you plan to do?
 

Jason Howell is the author of AMERICA: Still the Land of Opportunity, Always a Home for the Brave.\” For more insights on success in business and in life, pick up your copy today.

Imagine being able to maintain your current standard of living without having to work.  Imagine just eating and drinking with no where you have to go and the whole household at your disposal…all day.  What does that sound like?  It sounds like the snow days we had during the first few weeks of February.  For those of you who are employees and got paid to stay home, you were living the lifestyles of the rich.  Even for those of us who are entrepreneurs who were  forced for the first time to just enjoy our loved ones -we too were living richly.  Being rich has little to do with money and usually a lot more to do with how you live. 

Here are a few steps to help you live that rich lifestyle:

1. Start choosing what you do with your time (even if it is how you do what you do)
2. Use your planner for all tasks (work and play)
3. Take steps towards improving your health

That last one sticks out for me.  During the first week of February I injured my neck and for an entire afternoon and evening was nearly immobile.  Even laying down hurt unless I was turned the right way.  It didn’t take me long to realize that during those moments, everything that I enjoyed was impossible to accomplish without my neck getting better.  If you mess up your neck, you’re in trouble.  Maintaining your health is more than just avoiding injury: it can include improving your cardiovascular capacity, physical strength and mental strength.  Treat your body with respect and it will reward you by lasting a while. 

Taking the time to plan for the things you enjoy of course is also rewarding.  I enjoy curling up with a good business book or reading a great article on-line.  These things are free but can only be done effectively if I plan them into my day.  If I don’t plan them and just do them, those activities ruin my work tasks and then I end up feeling guilty -and that defeats the purpose of planning fun. 

I gave myself an important present when I realized that all of the time in the day is mine to do whatever I want with.  There will be cause and effect sure, but it is all my choice.  Now I want to share that gift with you.  Whether you are an entrepreneur or an employee you have the choice to do anything you want, any way that you want.

Today is Monday, just another day for you to do whatever you want.  Congratulations, you are rich.

Jason Howell is the author of AMERICA: Still the Land of Opportunity, Always a Home for the Brave.\” For more insights on success in business and in life, pick up your copy today.

Jason Howell is the author of AMERICA: Still the Land of Opportunity, Always a Home for the Brave.\” For more insights on success in business and in life, pick up your copy today.

As a designer, I can’t tell you how many times I have heard this right before a brilliant idea. Creativity is not exclusive to sensitive artistes and jazz musicians. In any industry you will find innovators challenging the status-quo and problem-solvers trying anything to find a solution. Sometimes it’s a matter of finding the most creative way to fail, dusting yourself off, and trying again.

Even if you don’t consider yourself a ‘creative’ person, you will know what I mean when I describe the following feeling; that euphoric moment where everything just clicks, when you’ve been working for hours, but feel energized. When you’re making terrific headway with minimal exertion – this is called creative flow. Recognize it and respect it, and don’t let multitasking disrupt the flow.

Occasionally we have interruptions that can’t be ignored or feel overwhelmed and find it hard to get back into flow. Creative flow is elusive and short-lived, but below are a few tips to help tempt it back into your work-week (or your life) as a reoccurring guest-star:

• Think positively and remember that mistakes are just part of the process
• We do our best work when we feel our best. Regular exercise is terrific, but even just stepping away from the computer to stretch and pace can open new thoughts.
• Most of us sit all day, try to find ways to stand and work when possible, like a painter at an easel.
• Confronting a blank ‘canvas’. Whether it is an empty page, PowerPoint presentation, or calendar – just make a mark. Any gibberish will do. Once the mark is made anxiety will be diminished…leaving you to create.
• There are multiple solutions to every problem and a variety of ways to take on new tasks. Challenge yourself to brainstorm at least two or three possibilities before running with your first idea.
• Recognize there are times to work slowly and times to work rapidly. It is natural for refinement to take longer than the initial burst of energy involved in writing, designing, building, etc.
• If you’ve lost work and have to go back and recreate, don’t lose hope – you will find that it is faster and easier the second time around, and that improvements were made along the way.

Other posts by Frankie Bailey

On a typical Friday night I might not be up this late writing a blog posting however something about watching my late Father’s favorite team has inspired me. Kobe Bryant’s 23 point performance in the first half – and especially the look in his eyes – reminded me what the power of focus can do for my business.

Focus is what separates the great athletes from the greatest; and it’s the same for entrepreneurs. Focus means doing a few things well:

• Identifying your major targets, (true goals) and concentrating on those (and nothing else)
• Eliminating distractions before they become distractions
• Treating days “off” from your typical schedule as opportunities

For the next few days, those of us who live in the northeast are going to have our typical schedules adjusted by the second “snowpocolypse” of the season.   Here’s how I am going to maximize my focus as stated above:

1. Spend some extra time with my loved ones (that’s why I’m an entrepreneur anyway)
2. When my loved ones get a little tired of me, respond to those e-mails I’ve been flagging
3. Take some time to improve my weakest revenue source

These “off days” are the best to catch up on the above and some of us may have a few of them coming up this weekend.   At least that’s what I think and the above is what I plan to do.  How about you?
 

Jason Howell is the author of AMERICA: Still the Land of Opportunity, Always a Home for the Brave.\” For more insights on success in business and in life, pick up your copy today.

Have you ever thought about how many ways there are to network both direct and indirect? Here are a few:

• Join a network of peers (same profession) and exchange best practices
• Take a leadership role in a professional development network and meet people from various professions
• Become a member of a direct referral network like a Chamber or (www.BNI.com).
• Socially network (Blog, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedInNewsletter, Podcast, etc.)

Don’t underestimate the meaning of #4 by the way. It’s more than just setting up some accounts and checking in once in a while. Unlike your personal profiles on say, Facebook, these professional accounts will require regular participation; as regular as follow up phone calls to potential customers always are. #1 and #3 are likely more familiar but people have varying success with these kind of networking opportunities for the same reasons that success may elude you in non-professional relationships. For you, these meetings must be more than just a handshake and exchange of business cards. Getting to know people you meet on a “text your cell phone” level is key to gaining their trust…and their referrals.

I didn’t save #2 for last on purpose but it’s a good one to end on. Taking a leadership role in a professional development group (like www.Toastmasters.org) gives you many benefits that will increase your business:

1. You’ll learn or improve a professional skill; i.e. speaking publically (which helps to generate customers)
2. You will find people open to new things (like your business)
3. People will look up to you in your leadership role (and people buy from leaders)
4. You will practice serving a group and that practice of service will help you better serve your customers

If you’d like more details on any of this let me know. Some of this used to be just conceptual to me but now that I am literally running my own business it’s become proven reality.
 

Jason Howell is the author of AMERICA: Still the Land of Opportunity, Always a Home for the Brave.\” For more insights on success in business and in life, pick up your copy today.

“Unfortunately too many of our citizens have lost faith in our biggest institutions,” said President Obama.  Well, the inability to rely on big insitutions births an opportunity for entrepreneurs in a world where customers and employees are seeking relationships with meaning and value (for each stakeholder).  “Trust” is one of the words of the year.  The President stated in his speech, “We face more than a deficit of dollars, we face a deficit of trust.”  Who do you trust?  

• The Doctor who spends 4 mintues with you or the receptionist who sat with you in the waiting room?
• The CEO of the large company you’ve invested in or the woman who attends your BNI meetings?
• Your “financial advisor” or your babysitter (whom you’ve known since birth)?

If you are in the fortunate position of creating something of value for the marketplace than you are providing more to your community than products or services.  What you actually provide is a person to trust and a leader to follow (and real leaders are hard to come by).   How can you maximize this opportunity to contribute to society in a way that stretches beyond your products and services?

1. Be visible.  Visibility is more than just buying ads in newspapers and cable tv.  It is being there when your community needs your service.  I met an IT entrepreneur this week who is donating his services to his community in Arlington, VA so they could put on a fitness expo.  He is helping to make that wellness event happen and he will be rewarded for the leadership he provides.  Cost to the taxpayer?  $0.  Value?  Health and wellness.  Value to the entrepreneur?  Hours of free publicity.
2. Be relevant.  If your business is T-shirts in the Winter, you’re probably a little slow.  Just like “..it’s 5′o clock somewhere,” it’s also 75 degrees somewhere.  Partner with a West Coast or Southern state by offering your products to their communities.   Maybe there’s a sweater guy there who could serve your customers in January around here.  You’ll both expand your businesses and consistently be serving your community. 
3. Expand -now.  Most small business folks wait until there’s an extra $50,000 before they start hiring.  Like tomorrow, that “extra $50K” never comes.  Great leaders take calculated risks; especially on good people.  In the metropolitan DC area alone there are thousands of talented, underemployed workers who would be happy to offer their service at a reduced rate initially to prove their value.  Find them, train them and help one more family to succeed.

The smallest businesses have the potential to do what our government can only hope to “provide the environment” for:  job creation.   You, my fellow entrepreneur are the saviors your underemployed neighbors are hoping for.  Your ambition, your ideas and your willingness to champion the ideals of personal courage and innovation are the hope of the world -no matter what your product or service.  As your businesses grow, you create the opportunity to lead in other areas of the community.  Are you ready for this next level of responsibility?  Are you ready to manifest that trust?
 

Jason Howell is the author of AMERICA: Still the Land of Opportunity, Always a Home for the Brave.\” For more insights on success in business and in life, pick up your copy today.