Helping Clients Truly Understand.....

Clients new to the area you service or provide products for are often the most difficult. I say this in a positive way.They haven't learned the power of your brand yet, so it is understandable when they have trust issues in what we, as professionals people, actually do. Some new clients want the world immediately and without any real time or significant financial investment. Sadly, if you don't deliver- the trust they don't already have with you turns into resentment and more distrust.

There are ways to help build trust among new clients. In fact, below are three ways you can help promote trust between yourself and another party. I’ve tried and tested all of these steps and they do work!

1. Eliminate the cell phone check at a meeting. No one can trust another person who isn’t present at a meeting. If you are going to lunch or a meeting with someone, leave the cell phone in the car. I’m serious. If you have someone’s attention for a whole hour without showing them there is something better on the end of your phone- you will easily gain their trust.

2. Truly listen. This is hard for many people to do as we all want to share experiences and speak about ourselves. Listening and then repeating what we hear to others is a cue that we are trustworthy because we are interested. Paraphrase what you heard at any meeting back to the key people involved to ensure that you are a listener and you are willing to communicate. This practice builds trust!

3. Close the door. Yes, close the door for every meeting you have with a person if you have an office. This shows that you are putting them first and setting the outside world apart. I even like to say “I know this meeting isn’t going to address confidential information but I like to keep my conversations private. It helps me confide in important people, like yourself, should a situation arise.”

Learning to trust and learning to be trustworthy are two different things. As a business owner, you have to be trustworthy in a world that doesn’t reflect this message. Start implementing the three tips above and you will be on your way.

Twyla Garrett, IME
"The Federal Business Lady!"

Visa Rules Are Being Tightened

I'm not sure that you can say a rule is being "tightened", but this is the phrase being tossed all over Washington D.C. right now. What really is happening, in my opinion, is the rules are actually going to be fully enforced. This leads me , and many other Americans, to a question of impact. Why are we not fully enforcing Visa rules on a continued basis?


Homeland Security officials said Monday that they will immediately begin demanding more information from visitors from countries with visa-free entry, bowing to growing fears that jihadists from Iraq or Syria could use a loophole to bring their battle to the U.S. mainland. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson did not suspend the Visa Waiver Program despite pressure from some key lawmakers on Capitol Hill, but he said the government will order travelers from visa-waiver countries to report more information such as parents’ names, city of birth and aliases. This is a concern for me!

We should always be demanding more information from travelers into our country. Period. In my book, Homeland Security; A Comprehensive Guide for All , I discuss why some of the reigns may be tightened or loosened due to financial restrictions. We don't plan on money running out to sustain ongoing issues, which is a problem. But now, we have to spend more money that we don't have to sustain what we should have been doing all along. Does anyone else notice the irony here?

So, where is the fine line? There isn't one. Nothing with Homeland Security matters is cut and dry nor black or white. We need to tighten the rules around the clock. We need to put more money into sustaining our current efforts and look at what it may cost to utilize new media tools in the future. We need to prepare better in order to stay safer.

Until next time,

Twyla N. Garrett of IME

Twyla Garrett Named Keynote Speaker for the WILDE Leadership and Service Awards Philanthropy Gala

Twyla Garrett is the owner of IME (HireIme.com) and the author of Homeland Security; A Comprehensive Guide for All. Garrett, who recently spoke at The United Nations, has been invited by The Women in Leadership Development and Empowerment Inc. (WILDE) team to act as the keynote speaker at their annual awards and philanthropy gala this October in Atlanta, Georgia. http://wildeawardsgala.org/

Ms. Garrett will speak to an audience of professional women who have made strides within their own careers, and who have also had a substantial impact on today’s business society. This year WILDE is honoring six women for the following categories; Woman of Valor, Philanthropist of the Year, Executive of the Year, Under 30 Entrepreneur of the Year, Health and Fitness Woman of the Year, and Community Builder of the Year.

“It is an honor to be able to speak at such a notable event that promotes other women. I don’t have the list of this year’s current nominees, but amazing women were honored last year and I know WILDE will “one up” that event,” said Ms. Garrett. “I’m going to speak about my story and how other women helped me find my entrepreneurial voice. It is imperative that we support one another through the good times and through the failures. WILDE shares my sentiment, which makes this opportunity even more special!”

Twyla Garrett is an emotional, physical, and sexual abuse survivor. She is an Ohio native who sought to climb her way out of despair, family trauma, and financial disadvantages by following her entrepreneurial spirit to San Diego, California and, eventually, Washington, D.C. Ms. Garrett attended John Marshall High School, Ursuline College (BA), University of Phoenix (MA), and Dartmouth University Tuck Business School (Executive Management Program). She has spoken at The White House and is an executive consultant to federal, state and local emergency management and homeland security programs nationwide. In addition to IME and other businesses, Twyla self-funded a 1.5 million dollar entertainment complex in Cleveland, Ohio. Her efforts single-handily added to the improvement of Cleveland’s economic culture by hiring formally homeless individuals.

Members of the media are invited to attend the event with Ms. Garrett upon request. Interviews are available by submitting a story request to Helene Vece at 702-749-5925, ext. 210.

The WILDE Leadership and Service Awards Philanthropy Gala will take place on October 11, 2014 at Future Vision - 1212 Fowler Street, NW. Atlanta. GA. The event runs from 7:00pm - 11:00pm.

The Best Time Management Tip EVER!

Yes, I am bold enough to say it. I have the best time management tip ever. Keep reading because this tip will solve all of your time management problems and you will never, ever have to study up on the topic again. What is it?

Alright, here it is- the big, big- big secret to managing your time effectively. Say goodbye to your ‘to do’ list. No, I am not crazy. I swear this works. You see, the lists we create for ourselves put pressure on ourselves and we fill them up with tasks that aren’t immediate. We have items on these lists that read like a shopping list. You need to create your own schedule and block of times for certain areas of business, but not for specific items.

Example, if you book your own meetings- and you should- only schedule two hours a day to fit in all your meetings. Call this block “meetings” but don’t write anything further down. Only schedule meetings during this block of time. If it doesn’t work for someone else, let them move their day around. So, every day you walk into your office- let’s say from 11 to 1 – you know you have meetings. You may have one meeting, you may have four meetings. However, the meetings don’t start any sooner than 11 and go no later than 1pm. This gets the meeting elements into a concise block of time and you can move on to the next block of action items right away without worrying about a long list of tasks.

Try removing yourself from a ‘to do’ list business formula. Try my formula for a week and I swear you will be hooked because it simply is effective!

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

Do You Tattoo?

Here's a hot topic: tattoos. Today's work culture is becoming more laid back. More people work from home, don't wear full garb (jeans and t-shirts are becoming ok- even encouraged at companies like Zappos), and the strict dress codes of years past are almost obsolete. But, what about tattoos?

Well, allowing someone to work and show their tattoos is really left up to the individual employer. As an employee, you can be overlooked for a position because of a tattoo. There is no black and white answer right now. But, there seems to be a general rule about tattoos at work.... "If I see them, you're not hired- maybe in fired," said on HR Director.

The artwork associated with many tattoos is subjective, making the verbiage or image a liability for many companies. A customer can be offended by a tattoo and sue your company since your ambassador is wearing the artwork. In reality, not too many people would hire a woman with a tattoo around her chest to watch children, make coffee, or present at marketing meeting. The woman may be bright, kind, and far away from any stereo types that surround chest tattoos- but, she is still likely to not get a job because of the artwork.

If you have a tattoo- hide it. Unless a boss tells you otherwise, or indicates otherwise, showing your artwork at work is a bad idea.

Until next time,
Twyla