2 Ways To Become A Millionaire

So here’s the thing… we all want to become millionaires, right? Yes, for the most part. But most of us haven’t reached this goal yet or we believe (our inside voices) that we probably can’t or won’t. Well, think positive. There are two ways that you can put yourself on the path to becoming a millionaire, but you have to work hard and you have to remain steadfast.

First, write down 3-5 of the best people in the world who do what you do. Yes, there are others… if there wasn’t, you’d already be a millionaire. So, write down the names and then write down one step you know each person took to get to where they are at. Now, you have a road map and you just have to develop your very own plan that can mirror it.

Second, show up. I know people who want to strike it rich. They create a product or service, they launch it, they walk away and head to their latest and greatest idea. Well, where is the investment? It takes more than money to make something work for you. You have to invest time and effort and energy and love and so forth. Anyone can invest in creating a product or service, but not everyone is willing to show up to promote it and sell it and really go to bat for it. Create a routine and move your life forward by showing up for what it is that you work on. Think about it in book terms. If you hire a ghostwriter to create a book for you, it’s done. There is no love. You can sell it but are you really showing up for it? Now, let’s say you work on the book yourself for a year. You believe in it. You’ve loved it. You’ve hated it. You are more likely to really believe in it and pitch it and see it through to your earned success.

If you take my advice, and I hope you will, these two steps will put you on the right path to becoming a millionaire.

Twyla N. Garrett

What Not To Put Up With In Business

New business owners, and even seasoned ones, are always learning from mistake and wins. However, there are three things that you, a business owner, should never tolerate within your company – no matter how big or how small your current company is.

1. Clutter and disorganization. Clutter and disorder cause stress and affect your emotional and mental well-being. The same goes for employees who tend to be disorganized, the can impact your business and your clients. Keep a tidy and well organized “you” space or office. It does make a difference.

2. Distrust. If you don’t trust an employee, why is he or she working for you? The same goes for your clients. You can fire them and if you feel they are not being honest with you, there is no point in working with or for them. Your wealth depends on your ability to trust employees, vendors, etc. After all, no business works well because of one person. If someone is not trustworthy, leave them where they are and move on.

3. Mediocrity. Since when did “good enough” become a standard? If you are only going to do something half-way, why do it at all? It makes you look like you have no pride or don’t care. Make sure you are really giving everything you do 300%. Period. Oh, and if you have employees that don’t follow this rule- fire them.

Until Monday,

Twyla N. Garrett

An Overview of Branding vs. Ads

There is a difference between branding and advertising. While most people would think these two efforts are one-in-the-same, they’re not. Branding is how people emotionally connect to your products / services within 5 seconds of seeing your logo. They come to know what you do, stand for, etc. all through branding via a multi-layered approach of media and publicity placement alongside content and visual positioning.

Advertising, however, is the campaign vessel to help communicate your branding message. It is a paid effort and it compliments how you develop your branding. It is not a part of your branding. Think about GoDaddy. Their advertising spots are known for being fun, quirky, and to the point when it comes to easy-to-use web-based services. The company’s branding is not who is in the advertising spots. The advertising is a tool to get people to pay attention to the brand so they can further explore it.

Don’t build all your advertising efforts around one single platform. That would be a poor branding choice. Instead, build all of your advertising efforts- on any level or price-point- around what your brand stands for.

Until next time,

Twyla n. Garrett

How to Rule the World!

I recently overheard a woman talking about how she could rule the world if she only knew how to feel more energetic. Huh? Ruling the world shouldn’t be a goal. Ruling YOUR world should! I always say that everyone is capable of anything- you just have to try!

You can rule your world if you do the following;

1. Know that you can’t control everything. You can, however, control how your respond.

2. Know that you have to have an exit plan. Things happen.

3. Understand that you have to fail before you can rule. As long as you get back up and seek to better yourself, you can take control over your destiny.

Don’t spend time wishing for things to happen or making excuses as to why they are not. You can be better. You can rule your own world.

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

Seeking Capital - Yes.

IME is a minority and female owned company that started as a bootstrap idea and has since grown into a multi-million dollar Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness company that frequently contracts with the US Government. IME is currently seeking investment capital for expansion by opening up 30% stake to attract private equity investors. The expansion will include escalating our already competitive and aggressive sales team, the purchase a commercial building, and it will facilitate the purchase of a security product – along with similar services firms - to complement our subsidiary services, which include; Management Consulting Services, Life Cycle Acquisition Support, Information Technology (IT) Support Services, Cyber Security & Computer Forensics, and Construction Program Management.

Since IME’s inception over a decade ago, the company has undergone significant growth clearing 2 million in generated revenue last year alone. IME has become a brand within the Homeland Security and Government Servicing landscape. Twyla Garrett, CEO, has been invited to showcase her business experience running IME at The White House, The United Nations, and The New York Urban League- to name only a few.

The challenges IME is currently facing deal with comfortable growth and a need to secure future technology products that will help both the company and its clients advance into a forward-thinking market run by the next generation of global entrepreneurs. By opening up 30% of the company’s stake, IME will be able to seek out complimentary opportunities that will not only create jobs while boosting profit margins, but will further secure the nation by matching our talented staff and future leaders with the right tools and resources to create and implement new technologies.
We’re seeking not to fund the expansion, but to seed the future of our industry by positioning IME as the cornerstone leader with capability to cherry-pick talent based on ability, drive, creativity, and deliverability. The equity stake money will promote the company’s capacity to challenge the boundaries that exist within our market today by properly utilizing capital to navigate potential talent and then reconnoiter it with our signature training methodologies.

IME is known as “the company with a heart.” We’re pursuing a progressive tomorrow that is truly sustainable as technologies and client demands continue to evolve and grow. By utilizing capital appropriately, our company’s ecosystem will add value and open up forthcoming opportunities for partnering businesses, the U.S. Government, contracted employees, undiscovered talent, and our stakeholders.
IME is currently an American Board for Information Security & Computer Forensics Board Member. The company’s founder and CEO, Twyla Garrett, is also an author on the topic of Homeland Security and has won numerous accolades on behalf of IME - including a 2015 Top Woman Entrepreneur nod.

Twyla N. Garrett

IME's Photos

Today we launched the photo album portion of IME's website, http://www.hireime.com/ I will updated it often with photos of our team at events and my speaking appearances. I've teased some photos below, but click the link above to view all the photos so far.

Twyla

Testing Business Ideas

I recently received a request to write about testing business ideas. While we can prepare for and plan our businesses around concepts and data, there is no real way to test if we're going to be successful or not.
There are some ways to double check if you are or are not on the right path when it comes to business. Here are my top three tips to see if you are on the right path to projected success;

#1. Focus on goals, don't just have them.

I know many people who write goals down. They have a goal for every part of their life. What they're missing is a plan. You need to have a goal followed by a plan and work at it daily.

#2. Be reasonable with your time frames. Don't plan to be a millionaire at the end of two years. If only life were this easy. Make sure you have a realistic timeline to compliment your goals and your plans.

#3. Make profit your number one goal. Don't think about expansion, second offices, etc. until you actually have a solid profit coming in. You can't just think big, you have to grow a profit to get big.

I hope this week's tips and topics have helped you developed your business plans. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Until Tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

Disaster Planning, A Refresher Course

Many businesses don't have a viable Emergency Plan. But why not? People who were prepared are doing a lot better than those who ignored warnings and didn't plan. But, have you thought about your business? Below are my top three tips for business preparedness during a natural disaster.

# 1 - Make copies of your important records and store them in a secure place far enough away in case a widespread disaster hits, yet close enough to have quick access to those documents when needed. Don't rely on computer back-ups like cloud files or jump drives. Chances are if a natural disaster hits- there is no electricity!

#2 - Keep an up-to-date list of e-mail addresses, financial account numbers, and phone numbers for family members, employees, co-workers, and insurance company contacts. This list should be kept with the copies of important records (noted above) as well as within your wallet at all times.

#3 Put together an emergency kit that includes one gallon of water per person per day, a three-day supply of non-perishable food, a battery-powered radio, solar-powered phone chargers, a flashlight with extra batteries, a first aid kit and a cooler to keep refrigerated food cold in case of a power outage.

Want to learn more? Subscribe to my blog! I will be discussing this issue, and more, in the coming days.

Twyla N. Garrett

Working with Clients 101

I overheard two businesses owners complaining about their clientele the other day. It can be frustrating, just like you- clients aren't alike. You will have clients who require extra hand holding and you will have clients who you never hear from, refuse to give you direction and then expect the world from you. Regardless, your clients pay your bills and you have to honor their work style just as you want them to honor yours.

To get a sense of the type of client you will soon be working for, and how to approach him or her, ask these questions:

1. What are your priorities and goals and what are your timelines.

Asking this question will help you understand what is important to your client and how fast the client expects you to work. This question series eliminates a lot of guess work.

2. What is your preferred form of contact.

I knew a lady who hated phone calls. Every week, on Friday, her servicing contractor would call her. He told me she always seemed annoyed but would insist on finishing the call. Finally, after this went on for months, the client asked him why he always found time to call her in the middle of her pedicure. The contractor assumed the client wanted phone calls and he assumed the date and time of the phone calls. Don't assume anything with clients. If you don't know, ask.

If you implement these two questions when starting to work with a new client, you will have a more positive working relationship.

Twyla Garrett

Are You Mentally Strong Enough For Business?

Are you mentally strong? Much like your body has to be worked out to become strong, the brain does too. Many of the most celebrated CEOs and business leaders around the world are know for being "tough as nails", but this didn't happen overnight. In fact, most CEOs have to practice being mentally strong. Here are the top five habits of mentally strong people.

#1. They don't attend pitty parties. That's right, the mentally strong don't feel sorry for themselves when things don't happen as planned. They don't blame others or dwell on things, either. So, if you want to be great, brush off something that didn't work out and move on without holding a grudge.

#2. They refuse to be complacent, even when the money is good. Yes, complacent only means you will one day be outdated. Embrace change and learn new things daily.

#3. They refuse to please others. Mentally strong people have a job to do. Worrying about pleasing others or how others will react is a distraction that will cut off money and success. Don't worry about people, worry about the task at hand.

#4. Don't give up after a venture fails. Most of the known CEOs have had failures. But they're out there, spinning a new business and looking at other opportunities. If you let failure stop you, then you really do fail!

5. Don't rely on the world for anything, including breaks. The world owes you nothing, regardless of how tough you had it as a kid or so on. If you know the world isn't going to give you a break, then you realize you have to try harder than everyone else to be successful.

Until Tuesday,

Twyla N. Garrett

Business Trends in 2015

I received an interesting question this past week. Someone wanted to know what business trends I've noticed for 2015 thus far. Well, I have noticed a few. I've listed them below.

#1 - The death of traditional advertising. -
Why pay thousands on a print ad when you can pay hundreds and reach a bigger audience?

#2 -E-commerce!
Social media sites are now allowing more embed codes to drive E-commerce sales. See a product topic on Twitter? You are able to view,link and buy too. Talk about impulse buying!

#3 - Online Video replaces SEO content.
You heard it here first! More videos are replacing the all-powerful SEO game. So, make those videos now and know how and when to release them in 2015.

#4- Engage customers through gaming
That's right. You are going to be able to use Farmville to promote your brand through gamification.

#5- Google search will not be as trendy as it is now.
For a second in 2012 it looked as if content writers were out of work and luck. Not so fast. In 2015 content producers will be back at work as it has been proven that user paid content makes more of an impact when it comes to brand association and loyalty!


Until Monday,

Twyla N. Garrett

Your Business, Your Path

There are some ways to double check if you are or are not on the right path when it comes to business. Here are my top three tips to see if you are on the right path to projected success;

#1. Focus on goals, don't just have them.

I know many people who write goals down. They have a goal for every part of their life. What they're missing is a plan. You need to have a goal followed by a plan and work at it daily.

#2. Be reasonable with your time frames. Don't plan to be a millionaire at the end of two years. If only life were this easy. Make sure you have a realistic timeline to compliment your goals and your plans.

#3. Make profit your number one goal. Don't think about expansion, second offices, etc. until you actually have a solid profit coming in. You can't just think big, you have to grow a profit to get big.

I hope this week's tips and topics have helped you developed your business plans. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Until tomorrow,

Twyla Garrett

Hey DC, I Need YOU!

Are You Hosting A New Year’s Eve Party This Year? If so, you need to consider keeping your guests safe while they are drinking- and in general. Many parties can go wrong with heated emotions and liquor involved. While I work in Homeland Security, I wanted to provide everyone and anyone who reads my blog with some free tips to staying safe (and keeping your guests safe) during a New Year’s Eve celebration.

If you are hosting a New Year's Eve party, following my simple steps for keep everyone happy, healthy and safe;

First, plan ahead by naming a "designated driver." As the host of the party, you should be checking in groups who arrive together. Ask who the DD is and confiscate the car keys until the same group is ready to go home. This way, you can check to ensure the DD is sober and prepared to drive the group home. If your DD falls off “the wagon” or you have singles without a DD, make sure you have someone else you can trust available to drive people home or be prepared to front taxi fares and worry about being paid back later.

Another great way to keep people safe (and avoid conflict) at a party this New Year’s eve is to limit the amount of alcohol that you serve. You should offer many mocktails and limit the amount of beer and wine you have on hand. This will help control over the urge to over indulge by many guests.

If you are going to serve liquor, stop serving it at least 90 minutes before people will be headed home. Simply shut down the bar and offer coffee or flavored waters (to push urination) along with some greasy foods to help people sober up.

Finally, don’t invite two sets of families / friends, etc. that you know have active drama going on between them. Unfortunately, a lot of gun violence (well, violence period) happens between two people who know each other. The holidays can bring out the worse in people and public gatherings can make people want to air grievances. If you know two groups don’t get along, don’t invite either group.

Until Monday,

Twyla N. Garrett

IME Wins Bid for CATS of Montgomery County, Maryland.

IME has been awarded, along with its partnering co-chairs, a Consulting and Technical Services (CATS) contract with the Department of Technology Services within Montgomery County, Maryland.

For Immediate Release

IME (HireIME.com) has been the partial recipient of a contract award with Montgomery County, Maryland. The company will service the Department of Technology Services for the county as part of its CATS program. The bid award announcement came in early December with a 2015 service date.

“My team is thrilled to be a part of this bid win. We are going to co-chair it with some of our peers which is always fun and a tremendous collaborative experience for the client,” said IME’s President Twyla Garrett. “IME is invested in providing solutions to our clients with challenges and I’m pleased to help drive this project forward with cost-effective results in mind.”

IME is an innovative leader within the technology services industry- among others. The company has spent the greater part of a decade dedicated to solving complex problems in support of its clients. IME was also recently featured on America Now, Politically Incorrect, and in Business Journals DC Edition. IME also provides government agencies, private sector organizations, and commercial business with IT support services and IT solutions to maximize resources and efficiencies.

“My team and I are proactive. We like to fully engage our clients with options and ideas, as well as explanations as to why some strategies work or will be setting a scenario up for failure. It is our goal to provide a full picture of risk versus results and then implement unique solutions that really solve problems and provides a great service and or product,” finished Garrett.

IME recently launched its new multi-media capable website with amplified service and capability options. Members of the media are invited to speak with Twyla Garrett about this opportunity and IME’s other capabilities.

Media Contact for IME:
Helene Vece
702-749-5925, Ext. 210
HVece@HireAProWriter.com

The Interview... Con't

Should I write about what a waste of resources and money "The Interview" movie is costing the Department of Homeland Security. Nevermind the fact that since 8am this morning CNN has done nothing but cover the story. I understand the threat that was made. I'm not downplaying its seriousness at all. I just can't believe that a movie has now turned into an international incident.

In case you've been hiding in a cave, "The Interview" was scheduled to open Christmas Day, but Sony canceled its debut following a threat from a group that claims it hacked the studio. Despite speculation the comedy might be released digitally after this whole series of nonsense and threats of been put into motion, studio Sony Pictures said in a statement that it "has no further release plans for the film."
Variety calls "The Interview" an "alleged satire that's about as funny as a communist food shortage, and just as protracted." Yet this "comedy" about two TV guys tasked with assassinating North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has sparked a cyberterror campaign that amounts to extortion.

So where do we go from here? Well, I'm not sure. The DHS and the FBI have to handle things on there end. The DHS did state there was a credible threat and so they are moving in accordance to policy to seek out who made the cyber attacks, etc. I do agree that this country shouldn't put anyone in danger over a silly James Franco / Seth Rogan movie but what kind of message are we sending to the world by pulling the movie? We teach our kids to stand up to bullies and the minute the big bully pushed us as a country, we fell. Sure, the movie is silly and probably not that funny- but I think we are missing the principle. We shouldn't back down from bullies- period. Our country exists on the premise of freedom of speech. We just showed how much we, as a country, are willing to retract that freedom because of a threat. I think that is a real shame.

Share your thoughts with me on Twitter of Facebook.

Twyla N. Garrett

Holiday Shopping and Security

It happens every year. People line up for Black Friday deals days, if not a week, in advance. The doors open and people flood inside, running for the deals. At least once a year, as a result of the deals, someone gets killed or injured because of the sale madness. Every year retailers have giant payouts as a result of being ill-prepared when it comes to holiday havoc sales and security issues. And yet every year retailers don't change policies. They fail to protect themselves from lawsuits and bad press by avoiding the cost of hiring a company, like mine, that can offer pre-event training and comprehensive plans to keep store employees and customers safe.

I don't get it. Prevention is key. If we are having a major social function, security is increased. Policies in and out of the venue where the event is being held change for a reason. We meet the demands of the added people, time crunch, and potential security issues for that event. And yet, every year someone dies because retailers fail to pay for prevention security training. The loss of life and money is preventable with some aggressive planning, which should have started back in August. This said, if you are a company with a holiday sale happening this Black Friday- take notice. Below are some preventative tips that may help you avoid serious security issues and breaches.

1. Have a "first-in" lottery. Allow people to make a donation, say a dollar, to a local homeless shelter in exchange for a raffle ticket for the Black Friday events. Pull 50 names that can enter the store an hour before the sale and pick out up to $1,000 dollars worth of deals. After the limit, they can re-enter the store like everyone else.

2. Station security outside and assign numbers. Make sure security is disallowing backpacks and screening people with metal dectecting wands - one by one- before anyone can enter the store.

3. Have enough security allocated to implement step two.

These simple and obvious steps can prevent people from dying or becoming injured during any Black Friday event.

Still have questions? Contact me at IME directly. We still have time to help put together a plan for your retail needs.

Twyla N. Garrett

Homeland Security Orders Increased Security for Government Buildings!

"The precise actions we are taking and the precise locations at which we will enhance security is law-enforcement sensitive, will vary and shift from location to location, and will be continually re-evaluated," Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said today.

Yes, the Government has issued a security watch increase upon itself today. Why? Well, there are several reasons. First, you should know that the The Federal Protective Service is responsible for the protection of more than 9,500 federal facilities owned or leased by the General Services Administration, through which 1.4 million visitors and occupants pass daily. Now, the reasons cited by Mr. Johnson are due to the recent lone wolf attacks that are slightly related to ISIS, but can be contributed to mental health issues to. The exact affiliations seem to be more claims than official links at this point.

So, are you more at risk if you work in a Government building? Yes and no. Government employees are always more at risk for something tragic happening in the workplace because of where they work and who they work for. However, if a threat is detected, the employees are more protected because of the Department of Homeland Security taking notice of lone wolfs and actual terrorist-related threats.

My advice is to stay calm and ask questions. Know what the emergency evacuation plans are for your specific building and ask your HR Manager if you need to do anything, or be on the look out for anything, in relation to any obvious step-ups in security efforts at your workplace.

The move today is purely precautionary, but we should take notice.

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

9 Million People to Receive 'Green' Cards.

Here's some Homeland Security news for you, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is bracing for a couple of busy weeks- to say the least. The DHS is going to be reviewing work applications from an estimated 9 million immigrant workers thanks to an Executive Order that President Barak Obama is expected to implement later this year. So, what? Well, that is the million dollar question.

This information is relevant because US Citizenship and Immigration Services has published a draft contract proposal to buy the card stock needed to make work permits and Permanent Resident Cards, more commonly known as green cards. The proposal also calls for providing material for at least 5 million cards a year, with as many as 9 million “during the initial period … to support possible future immigration reform initiative requirements.” The contract calls for as many as 34 million cards over five years.

Basically, non-violent illegal immigrants will be protected and granted legal work status if they have children here in the USA. While many people may not like this concept- or may think it put the country at a disadvantage- there are more benefits to this action than not. These now legal workers have to pay into the tax system, which is a big plus. They will contribute to our medical system and they are trackable. Plus, they can't be taken advantage of in so many ways. It seems to be a win-win for both parties.

The DHS is going to spearhead this effort because it the president can authorize protection from deportation for immigrants on a case-by-case basis, such as with the DACA program, and issue work permits. If someone doesn't look like they working intent, but something more sinister in mind when it comes to being within the USA, we can get a heads up on the scenario (and handle it) through the DHS. This issue is something to think about for sure this weekend before forming an opinion if this effort is good for the country or not.

Until Monday,

Twyla N. Garrett

Hypocritical Encouragement From the Government?

On September 30th of this year, FEMA asked local communities to prepare for disasters as a practice. In fact, here is what their press release say;
"Today, the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) encourages individuals, families, workplaces, schools and organizations across the nation to take part in America’s PrepareAthon!, a national day of action that will take place September 30. America’s PrepareAthon! is a community-based campaign to increase emergency preparedness and resilience through participation in hazard-specific drills, group discussions and exercises every fall and spring. To register, individuals and organizations can visit www.ready.gov/prepare."

So, why is this a bit hypocritical in my opinion? Well, how would we possibly expect to prepare using FEMA's recommendations when they not only forgot to include important items on their "disaster readiness kit", but when security and preparation incompetency hit the White House recently? Not sure what I'm referencing? Here's a great article, via The Wall Street Journal, showcasing issues of security flaws within our current system: http://online.wsj.com/articles/incompetence-hits-home-1412194748

My point is, we can't depend on the government for 100% of our safety as citizens. It has to be a collaborative experience because humans make mistakes and even put together PSA documents containing content oversights! While I doubt the hypocritical recommendations were deliberate, they weren't utilized by the same people telling us to be prepared for emergencies and disasters. Do this mean we throw everything to the wind and buy into the media hype that we, as a country, aren't generally safe? Not at all. We are better protected now than we were on 09/10/2001. This said, if a recommended disaster kit says to pack two weeks of canned food- do so, just make sure you include a manual can opener (yes, FEMA forgot to include one on its list).

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett