Working with the Enemy....

We’ve all heard of the movie ‘Sleeping with the Enemy’, right? Well, what if you have to work with the enemy. There is always going to be someone within the office (or your company) whom you dread working with. From personality differences to professional differences, no one gets along with everyone all of the time. However, you do have to overcome differences in order to keep your job or your business. Hey, if you're the boss, you still have to work alongside people you may not like. This is a part of life.

My best advice is to gently exploit your arch enemy if kindness fails. This doesn’t mean go after him or her or their job, it simply means make it noticeable, nicely, to your boss or other employees what this person is doing wrong. If it is a client, you're going to have to help him or her realize they are wrong. This can be touchy since they are the one signing your paycheck!

For example, if the person constantly forgets to put in a proper computer code- you may want to send out an email stating “I know Tasha keeps entering “z” into the “y” spaces. Don’t worry, I had some free time to go in and correct all these mistakes as I am sure Tasha didn’t realize the error and I wanted to be a team player.”

If someone truly is becoming a rival, it has to be addressed. Sometimes a face-to-face can make it worse so polite exploitation may be the right way to go. Use your best judgment but also play fair. Don’t look for trouble unless you are pushed.

Yes, we have to learn to get along with others but there are some times when we're going to have to speak up and take charge.....

Until Monday,
Twyla N. Garrett

Making God A Business Guide

As a woman, who runs a business revolving around Homeland Security, it is important for me to be reminded of the presence of God in my daily life. With any business that I run the bottom line isn't about money, it is about helping others.

Sure, like anyone, I like to get paid. But is that enough? And how much is enough? With the money I make in any of my businesses I have always tried to give back through employment and/or community programs. And, I am convinced that giving back and involving God, or your higher power, is the key to success.

I believe God provides everyone with a special gift, mine was ambition. I came from a place of hell before arriving in a place of heaven. I know it is hard to devote 100% of yourself to your business and also be deeply involved with a gospel community. Serve God by serving others. Bring God into your business by helping others through promotion, fair wage, employment, community donations and more. You will see your business prosper and inspire others to explore their gifts too.

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

Is Your Brand Failing?

Just because you built a brand doesn’t mean you can sustain a brand. Going into the weekend, you want to ask yourself if you have any of these three signs related to danger. If so, your brand is failing and you need to regroup.

Sign number one: The phone isn’t ringing. If your business used to have tons of phone calls, inquiries, and flat out business and now the phone isn’t ringing- your brand is in trouble.

Sign number two: You are inconsistent. What do I mean by this? Well, either you are spread too thin to focus on your brand or your trying to accomplish too many things at once.

Sign number three: Your social media accounts don’t reflect your company’s message. Yes, I mean your personal accounts. If you own a company understand people will look YOU up and not just your company. Don’t have a professional website and then photos of you in the club on your Facebook page. It scares investors and possible customers.

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

Common Business Myths

I've been receiving a lot of business legal questions as of late and via Twitter. If you have a question about a legal issue, ask an attorney or send in the topic. I would be happy to provide you with a generic answer and you can take that information further with a legal review of your specific circumstances.

#1. An LLC will always protect your assets. Forming a corporation or an LLC does provide some protection, but it’s far more limited than you realize. In most cases, if someone really wants to go after your personal assets, not only can they pierce your business entity, they will.

#2. You’re liable for damages due to injuries on your property. This couldn't be further from the truth! You’re not responsible for the negligence, clumsiness, stupidity, or criminal acts of others- period! I don't care if this happens on your property, you're not responsible for it.

#3. A contract has to be complicated. A great contract is to simply communicate the terms and intent the parties agree to. That’s what minimizes disputes and litigation after the fact. You don’t even need an attorney to negotiate and draft a legal agreement. If you note all the facts, costs and a cancellation policy- you should be good. When contracts build in loopholes, you should be concerned.

Business is complex enough. Knowing what is a myth and what is fact will help you navigate your way to success!

Until tomorrow,

Twyla Garrett

Governor Jay Nixon Has No Choice....

Here's some breaking news, Governor Jay Nixon of Missouri has declared a state of emergency. An hour ago he told the press, "People need to feel safe and to achieve those goals, we need to be prepared." But is this the real reason behind his actions?

From a Homeland Security perspective, Mr. Nixon has no choice but to do this and the people's safety is just ONE of the many reasons why. You see, if Mr. Nixon doesn't act quick enough when it comes to preparation for the highly publicized verdict (should the grand jury decide not to criminally charge Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown), then he can be criticized for NOT handling things smoothly and with safety as a priority. The state can be civilly liable too.

ABC News reported that an FBI bulletin sent to police forces across the United States warned that the grand jury's decision "will likely" lead to some violence. An FBI spokesman declined to comment on the report. Schools are also on alert. The state of emergency status is to free up resources and funds to prepare for the worst while hoping for the best. While I am sitting here writing this, the news commentators are stating that violence is going to happen either way, which is almost feeding on the energy of what is happening in Missouri right now. Some people are even stating the added resources via Nixon's decision to call a state of emergency are wasteful.

Again, from a Homeland Security perspective- the Governor has no choice but to be prepared and to help protect everyone within the city. People's emotions can get heated and that blocks their decision making. I know that regardless of what the verdict is, people are going to be upset and given the incidents over the summer- violence is a very real possibility. So no, I don't agree with people stating this is over-zealous or a waste of resources. I believe it is better to be over prepared and not have to take action vs. not being prepared and having civilians take a bad situation and make it worse- causing the loss of life.

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

1 Valuable Life Lesson for Business

Someone recently asked me if I had a valuable life lesson that translated to business growth. I do! I wanted to share it on the blog today to help many people understand why I brand my company, IME, as "the company that cares."

My mantra and life lesson is to take everything personally. I hate when people say, "it's not personal, it's business." You are your business as an entrepreneur, therefore everything is personal. If you don't treat everything you do in life and business with a personal investment, what good is it? It you are personally invested in something, you tend to take it more serious. Business means money. Business means your reputation. So, why wouldn't you take it serious?

The most valuable life lesson I have that can translate to business is not taking one specific business deal personally. I had viewed a deal as not "good enough" for my standards. It was just business, not an opportunity. So, I didn't take it personally. I missed out on a great opportunity because I treated the pitch as business. Had I treated it like a personal investment, I probably would have gave it more consideration and would be reaping those rewards today.

My point here is to take everything personally and act from the heart- even in business!

Until next time,

Twyla N. Garrett

Are You Shy? How to Network.

If you are shy, don’t fret. People who are introverts tend to hate networking events and not because they don’t like people- they just are not comfortable with communicating in-person. Well, I’ve decided to put together a few networking tips to help shy people network.

The first thing you need to know is how to plan. Don’t show up to a networking even ill-prepared. Have an idea of how you are going to introduce yourself and be armed with a politically correct joke to help fill up any awkward silences.

Go to the event with a time limit. If the event is an hour, plan on only staying twenty minutes. You can use the time limit as an excuse to merge slowly into networking events. For example, state “I have to leave in a few. I’m meeting a client, but it was nice meeting you and I will email you later.”

Finally, bring goodies. Nothing serves as a better ice-breaker if you show up with gifts. I use to buy a hundred dollars worth of Starbucks gift cards in five dollar increments. I would go up to someone I would like to meet, hand them the gift card and introduce myself. Trust me, you can not talk at all and still make a great impression with this trick. The downside is this tactic can get expensive.

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

Tips to creating a successful crowdfunding campaign.

If you're thinking about starting a crowdfunding campaign consider the following tips to help elevate beyond your fundraising goals. More important than the copy you create for your campaign is the brand recognition you want to stimulate through the fundraising campaign.

Creating brand recognition means you have to have a quality marketing campaign as a component for your fundraising campaign. This is typically hard to do for new business owners are entrepreneurs looking to grab money for their ideas. You also have to make sure you have the capability to deliver what you promise as incentives for your fundraising campaign, otherwise the long-term branding impact story your business.

The campaign also has to focus on visual, audio, video and creative imagery. It is worth the investment to hire a professional company to create an intro video about your campaign and your brand. Using stock photography for unprofessional photos will harm the campaign. You want people to relate to your brand and your cause and buy into your vision. Furthermore, ensuring you have flawless copywriting and informative graphics will help.

If you are seeking more information on crowdfunding, and how it can help your company, send a question or comment at the end of this blog.