3 Things You Need To Do Right Now

If you want to know how to succeed in business, stop overthinking everything. We tend to overthink and not listen, which can be problematic for many business owners. We have this need to pitch, to sell- not to listen. Well, the truth is that we have to get out of our own head-space and consider the customer’s needs. To help you do this, I have created a list of 3 Things You Need To Do Right Now in order to get out of your head and into that of your customers…..

1. Stop focusing on what your competition is doing right. Who cares! You need to focus on what your customers need from you. Yes, it really is this simple. If you spend too much time looking at your competition then you’re not spending enough time looking at your customer…..

2. Focus on customer service. We forget this. We look at how we can be innovative or how we can spend more time “connecting” on social media. Be personal. Make phone calls. Send cards. Say “thank you” more often. Be involved, outside of social media, with your customers. Yes, this will pay off.

3. If your heart is not in it, neither are you. If you’re feeling like you need a mental health day to shut your phone off and regroup, do it. Nothing is worse than painfully working with a client when you are mentally somewhere else. If you’re truly in a funk, work your way out of it without working alongside the client. If this means refunding money and cancelling a session or service- do it. Your worst performance can be reviewed online and there is no fixing it.

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

The One Thing To Know Before Starting A Business

Here is the secret to becoming successful before even opening your business.. Pay talent in equity if you can’t afford to pay them right away. It’s very hard to attract talent w to help you grow your business when you’re strapped for cash. I learned, early on that is, that if you pay individuals with a percentage of ownership of the company then they will be actually invested in your company and not simply invested in a paycheck – plus you’re saving money.

Some people like to hire interns. This action could be a win-win for both parties but it also comes with a risk. At some point the intern is going to leave for a paying job or -worst yet- will start his or her own company. You have to be aware that if this happens that the intern can take anything you may have taught him or her… including clients… can move forward with a bigger, better plan and possibly more money than you have. If you are considering getting an intern, understand that you should also have an NDA and other legal documents in place to protect you and your ideas.

Paying talent in equity is one of the best and most affordable options for people seeking to start-up any type of business. They get to buy into a business without coming up with cash and you gain someone who truly cares about the growth of your company without having to pay cash. Sure, you’re giving away a percentage of equity, but isn’t this a good thing if they can make your company grow?

That’s my food for thought tonight!

Twyla Garrett

Positive Security Services..... Yes, It's Possible

People ask my all the time about business. After all, it is what I do best. I've been invited to The White House to talk about it. I've self-funded a million dollar project. I've failed and succeeded many times over. So what is the key?

DON'T BE POSITIVE!

Did I not sugar coat the truth just then? Well, i'm not sorry. People in business tend to see failure and make excuses for it. Don't. Accept the failure and either make improvements or make an exit strategy. Don't be blind and go down with the ship. There is no honor in it. There is honor in moving on or moving up- well, they really can be the same thing.

Have a sales person who isn't pulling his/her weight? Don't feel bad, feel lucky. Catch the problem and find a better sales person. Don't make excuses and try to remain positive. If sales have been lagging then the sales person isn't the right person for that job. Being too positive can hurt you in business. Be a realist. Be productive. Be honest with yourself and your employees!

Now, go be successful!

Twyla

The Save Time Cure

Someone recently asked me how they can cure themselves of being stretched too thin. Easy! Stop multi-tasking. There isn’t a single shred of evidence that shows this is productive. In fact, multi-tasking is based on the sole concept of spreading yourself thin over a variety of tasks. Why do this to yourself? You will only become frustrated when you are producing a bunch of mediocre products / services!

The key to curing yourself of over extensions is to realistically schedule time for certain products and then refrain from checking your phone or answering the phone when you are working on them.

As you head into the weekend try to stop overcommitting or multi-tasking. I promise you will find the quality of your work goes up.

Until Monday,

Twyla Garrett

Homeland Security; Rain Forecasts Smuggling in Arizona.

I recently read an article in Homeland Security magazine discussing how raining weather resulted in an increase of smuggling attempts in the state of Arizona. This brought me to the topic of the basic issues at hand always should be addressed first. Something as simple as a weather event can create a national security concern for our country. Why? Because people tend to slow down and not do as good of a job outdoors when the weather is compromised.

The Homeland Security magazine says "“Narcotics traffickers use any means to move their products, including strapping the drugs to their backs, cloning vehicles and even trying to use the weather to their advantage." So, how prepared are we really when it comes to weather events and security? This article implies, and I agree, that bad weather puts our security efforts in more of a relaxed state of mind. Think about it. You're less likely to be pulled over for speeding during a rain storm because the officer, naturally, doesn't want to stand in the rain and write a ticket. This is a fact. And, now, it seems the same is going on with our border patrol agents and those in the position to watch over this country during a weather event. Luckily, we are now aware of the considered advantage by those trying to trespass into this country and can prepare and respond accordingly.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this finding. Please leave a comment below.

Until next time,

Twyla Garrett of IME