Don't Forget... I'm Speaking in #NYC

Free Business Tips

Many business owners go from idea to funding easily. They have it in their blood. That good old entrepreneurial spirit is there and ready to materialize products and concepts, but what about the administrative software to get you from concept to profit? That's why I am listing the top five software products that can help you go from concept and funding to streamlining your business and growing your profit margins!

** Note, I am NOT paid by any of these companies

1. ZenDesk.com is a great tool for maintaining your online reputation through a customer service platform!

2. Google Analytics is awesome because it is FREE! With this application you can find out how long people are staying on your site and see which pages are getting the most traction.

3. Microsoft Corporation This is great if you work from home and use Microsoft for your business, personal, and even the kid's homework needs.

4. SalesForce.com This is a great sales application and has everything you need to "grow revenue, boost productivity, and get visibility into your business."

5. AME Payroll This payroll software is great because you can use it for an unlimited number of businesses and it has an auto-setup wizard.

Until next time,

Twyla N. Garrett

Small Fish, Big Pond....

I was recently asked how you compete as a small fish in a big pond. This person owns a retail business within a mall. While he has amazing products (and an even better location), he feels that the other bigger, brighter retail signs are stealing from his business. He asked me how does one compete as a small fish in a big pond. I put a lot of thought into this. Here are my top 3 ideas;

Step 1: Make sure customers can see you and your best-selling products through the retail space's front window. If your cashier is all the way at the back, people will be less likely to shop at your store. They want to see your product, buy it, and then easily get out of the store. It is a statistically proven fact that retailers with a cash register placed at the front of the store do better. Why do you think you can buy perfume as you arrive inside a Macy's store?

Step 2: Tone down the blaring music. Some mall retailers do this to "attract attention". If you are selling to a demographic of 13-20 years of age, this is OK. If not, the music becomes overwhelming and no one wants to stay in your store. Many people shop with a friend or while on the phone. Blaring music can interrupt their conversation and they will leave your store because of this.

Step 3: Offer something unique. More and more nail salons are offering champagne with their pedicures. Other stores provide dog treats. Figure out a way to offer something free that will be memorable to your customers- something the major retails simply couldn't do.

I hope this information is helpful.

Until Tuesday,

Twyla N. Garrett

When Opportunity Knocks…

One of the biggest mistakes I see new business owners make is not knowing when opportunity is knocking. This fundamental cornerstone of business isn’t often taught in business school, but often talked about. You have to know when and where to look for opportunities in order to expand.

The best way to create your own business opportunity is by offering an upgraded version of your products or services. Yes, create your own opportunity. If sales are starting to flat line then take a page out of Apple’s tech book and create a newer, better version of your old products or sales.

You also want to seek out a narrowcast of options. This is a TV term but it applies to business. Don’t try to market your product or services to all of the people, all of the time. Instead, be precise about the group you want to capture and then start seeking out opportunities to network, introduce or promote your product at.

Don’t think advertising alone will create opportunities, either. Long term publicity campaigns are needed in order to layer your brand’s identity in a credible manner. Ads don’t produce credibility, longevity or a huge push in ROI.

Remember, creating your own opportunities are the best ones to take advantage of!

Until next time,

Twyla N. Garrett

Dr. Twyla Garrett Speaking At The United Nations in New York City on July 16th

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) - Jul. 15, 2014 - MANHATTAN, N.Y. -- Twyla Garrett has spoken at renowned events, including The White House, across the country for the past five years. As a two-time author, serial entrepreneur and owner of the homeland security company IME, Garrett is scheduled to speak on the topic of innovation this Wednesday, July 16th, in New York.

“I can’t wait to participate at the New York Impact event. The early bird tickets are already sold-out. I know I can offer attendees a lot of great insight on innovation. I encourage a collaborative process. I want people to interact at this event and follow me on Twitter for an after-event Q&A session,” said Garrett.

The IMPACT Summer Academy for Emerging Global Leaders will take place at the Church Center of the United Nations in New York (777 United Nations Plaza 2nd Floor) on Wednesday, July 16th. The event starts at 9am and runs until 6:30 pm. Tickets start at $35 dollars and range up to $115 dollars. Tickets can be purchased online using any major credit card or PayPal. For more information, or to purchase tickets, click here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/impact-summer-academy-for-em...

Twyla Garrett will be speaking between 10am and 11:30 and is co-hosting the discussion with Dr. John P. Fernandez, Ph.D. President, ARMC Global; Author, Leading in a Diverse and Conflicted World and 9 other books on Race, Gender, Diversity and Inclusion in corporate and business setting. Other speakers include Ambassador Edita Hrda, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the UN, Dr. Meredith L. Sadin, Ph.D. Princeton University, and more.

Members of the media are invited to request an interview with Twyla Garrett prior to, during or after the IMPACT at The United Nations event by contacting her media manager.

About: Twyla Garrett, CBM, CHS III is an extraordinary serial entrepreneur, corporate speaker, and compelling author who has been personally invited to speak at The White House on the issues of creating jobs, economic growth, and the controversial fiscal cliff of 2012. Garrett is known for her notable (sometimes 100% self-funded) business deals as much as she is for providing excellent opportunities to individuals facing immense challenges.

Ms. Garrett is an executive consultant to federal, state and local emergency management and homeland security programs nationwide. Her operational experience dates from response operations in 2003 and has continued for 10 years in direct or indirect support as a consultant to government.

MEDIA MANAGER: Helene Vece of HireAProWriter.com

Manhattan Office: (917) 410-7938

244 Madison Ave, Suite 2550. New York, NY 10016

The Successful Business Day!

I receive many questions on the subject of what people should be doing. While this is a broad question, I thought about it and came up with some consistent steps for daily success.

First, start with breakfast. Don’t skip it. Breakfast is not a Starbucks and a pastry, either. You want oatmeal and a protein and then coffee. Breakfast gives you fuel and focus needed to hectic days. This sounds simple, but many busy business people skip it.

Second, have the courage to say no. You do not have to accept each and every meeting and invite that comes your way. Same goes for clients. So, make sure you put priority on the meetings, clients, etc. that you say ‘yes’ to and respectfully decline opportunities that will impede your focus and schedule.

Third, and last, clear your desk at the end of the day. Sounds odd, right? It’s not. If you clean up your office space at the end of the day- the you of tomorrow will thank you. Walking into an office that is neat and clean and not cluttered is a psychological cue for success, not defeat. Even if this mean stacking files and paper neatly, do it! Ten minutes of cleaning your office each day will set yourself up for double the productivity on the following day.

Try these tips out and get back to me on your results.

Until next time,
Twyla Garrett

Um...........................................

”Um” is an unfortunate part of the English language. There is no purpose for it. It should be replaced with either “I don’t know” or “I’ll find out and get back with you”, however we stall instead of admitting we don’t know everything and use “um”. Well, stop. It makes you look incompetent.

Start forgetting the “um” by allowing yourself to pause. Typically, people tend to use “um” because they either don’t want to admit they don’t know something or they need a second to rethink their response. There is no rule stating you can’t pause to think. So, pause to think and refrain from the use of “um”.

Another way to start forgetting the “um” is to tape yourself speaking about yourself. The trick is to speak for two and a half minutes. So, set up a timer and your webcamera. Speak for two and a half minutes straight and speak only about your personal life, not your professional life. Elevator pitches are practiced. Act as if you are on a late night talk show and you have to share something specifically about your personal life. When you finish filming, don’t watch the video. Instead, walk away.

Watch the video you recorded a week later. Count the “ums”, the “likes” and other words that are not needed in your speech. Then, make a weekly video where you consciously try to either pause or select other words when speaking about yourself. Repeat the same process (waiting a week to watch) and note your progress. This method does help correct the “um” problem.

Until Monday,

Twyla N. Garrett

Train Your Brain for Success

It is possible to train your brain for success. There is a difference in thinking between being successful and wanting to be successful. Besides taking actionable steps towards your goal, it is imperative to follow these three steps to train your brain to accept success.

First, do any creative work on your ‘to do’ list first. If you wait to work on creative tasks, you will find yourself blocked- especially if you wait until the end of the day. If you need to work on a creative project, get to it right away and make this a habit. Procrastination is not a key to success.

Next, eliminate the need to multi-task. Contrary to popular belief, multi-tasking is ineffective and lowers quality and productivity. Focus on one thing and only one thing at time. Focusing on too many things means you are missing something, which isn’t a key to success.

Finally, value your time. Don’t be afraid to decline a lunch meeting here and there or to say ‘no’ to a requested meeting. Prioritize your schedule first and you are already on the right track.

Until next time,

Twyla N. Garrett

Gifts to Your Employees

You may be thinking the title of this blog surely means giving your employees a cash bonus or a physical gift. Well, I’m talking about educational and support tools as gifts within the office. It is a win-win for you and your employees.

Most people do not understand the value of providing employees with tools and education as a gift. One of the biggest “gifts” you can give your employees is the gift of independence. Let them do their jobs. Sure, management is needed but you shouldn’t be over their shoulder every second of the day.

Employees are typically hired because the employer believes they have the skillset, or they can learn the skillset, to do the job. Peering over the shoulder of employees stresses them out and puts them on the defense. Unless they give you a reason to do this, give your employees the gift of independence.

Employees love independence more than they value a raise or a gift certificate to the movies (which is a lame appreciation gift BTW). So, as we head into Friday – consider what educational and growth “gifts” you can reward your employees with on Monday.

Until Monday,

Twyla Garrett

Employee Turnover - Why!

I recently read that forty percent of employees who left their jobs voluntarily in 2013 did so within six months of starting in the position, according to data recorded and processed by the work-force insights arm of credit-reporting agency Equifax. I was horrified by this statistic. People are having massive issues finding work. Why in the world would they quit their jobs after trying for so long to gain employment. Well, the issue is simple – company culture.

Company culture is the unsaid, yet most important, element for employees staying happy and staying hired. Poor company culture causes mass turnover. Yet companies today don’t care if an employee stays or leaves a company because of the culture simply because there are too many fish looking for work in the employment sea.

My best advice to an employee is to make it work. If you don’t fit into a company’s culture, try. It truly is the difference between your next paycheck or a stint in the unemployment line.

Until next time,

Twyla Garrett

Monday is S-Corp Time.

Business taxes are normally due on March 15th. Since this date falls on a Saturday, the IRS extended the filing deadline to Monday, March 17th! Here are a few tax tips if it is crunch time for your business taxes. I’m not a professional so make sure to check my tips against your personal situation with your CPA.

TIPS:

1. S corporations generally don't pay taxes. Their owners pay taxes on their share of the corporations’ net income. To enable owners to figure their personal taxes, S corporations must issue these schedules to shareholders. Schedule K-1 tells shareholders their share of income, deductions, credits, and other items.

2. There are some changes related to Form 1120S to consider. S corporations may need to complete a new Schedule B accompanying their Form 1120S.

3.New on this year’s Schedule K-1 is code U of box 17 for reporting information related to the net investment income, or NII, tax. This is an additional Medicare tax of 3.8 percent on the lesser of net investment income or the shareholder’s modified adjusted gross income over his or her threshold amount that depends on tax-filing status.

Happy tax filing,

Twyla N. Garrett

Yahoo! Says No More Working From Home!

Yahoo!'s CEO Marissa Mayer sent a memo to her employees this week stating there is going to be a ban on working from home. Yahoo! , which always allowed employees to work from home or from the office, made the move stating "more productivity" as the main reason. Angry workers leaked the company memo to the media.

This can be a tough situation for Mayer. I understand her thought process but there are several companies now running their offices from the CEOs home. For example, this article specifically cites the benefits of hiring companies run out of a person's home or keeping employees at home as having many benefits. But, Mayer strongly disagrees. She cited “what is right for Yahoo right now,” The New York Times reports.

There are benefits and negatives to every situation in life, including Yahoo!'s decision to recall employees back into the office. Employees can be watched more closely, especially if they are hourly. And, being in the office allows workers to become closer and brainstorm. But, the negatives can be costly. Having employees too close can lead to unwanted advances and potential legal situations. Also, office gossip is a huge distraction and so is requesting and approving PTO time.

I can see both sides of the argument. I am interested in what you, as a business owner or employee, have to say about this subject. Send me a DM on Twitter!

Twyla