I realized while I was filling out my invoice for last month that I’ve been working freelance for Wasabi Ventures for nearly a year now.  It’s been an education experience to say the least, and I thought I’d jot down a few things that I’ve learned from my boss during that time.  Not all of them will work for everybody (see numbers four and five), but hopefully you’ll find a few of them helpful.  Oh, and they’re in no particular order, for the record.

1.) Never be late to anything.  This usually means showing up early by as much as 15 minutes, as travel times can be unpredictable.  But lateness can ruin a first impression, or erode a long-standing one.

2.) Keep up with your email and your personal network.  It reflects very poorly on you when you can’t be bothered to answer a simple email — so no matter how many emails you get and how many people you have to connect with, do your best.

3.) Take short breaks/vacations.  Regularly scheduled time off is all well and good, but try to stay on top of emails and small projects in your spare time during these anyway, and don’t plan very many long trips that will keep you out of the loop for too long.

4.) Don’t sleep too much.  It seems like no matter what time I send my boss an email, day or night, I get a quick response.  This includes 4 am on a Sunday.

5.) Don’t go to bed when you travel.  I’ll admit I’m not sure exactly how he does this, but my understanding is you schedule as many meetings as possible during the day and keep up with the rest of your work at night.

6.) Enjoy life while you work.  Even though my boss seems like a workaholic robot sent back in time from the future to work way too hard, I frequently hear about short trips he’s taken with his family or quality time he’s spent at home.  Find some balance.  I guess the way he does this is by working hard at odd hours.  Scheduling is key.

7.) Make mistakes.  This is how you learn.  I can’t tell you how many times he has said this to me.  It’s both empowering and nerve-wracking, but it helps.

8.) Do stuff right away.  If you have a moment and identify something that needs to be done, do it right then and there or send a quick message to the appropriate agent.  This avoids too many things falling through the cracks.

9.) Stay up on the news.  Read quick articles and send them around to your coworkers to keep people in the loop and promote conversation.

10.) Know when to be formal and when to be informal.  Adopt the appropriate style for dealing with each scenario and individual to get the type of outcome you desire.  Different people like to deal with things differently.  If you go the distance for someone that will put them at ease.

11.) Go in a lot of directions at once.  Not every project will pan out, so don’t put all your eggs in one basket.  Test the waters, do your research, and don’t be afraid to try new things (see number seven).

So there you have it.  Eleven quick (and random) rules that you may or may not be able to easily integrate into your own work life.  I’m sure there are plenty more, but those are the ones that stuck out to me as I was mulling over my past year’s employment.  Best of luck folding them into your daily routine.

About the Author:

I recently spent an extended period of time in a small Montana town with a surprising selection of gastronomic offerings; Mexican, Thai, Italian, Greek, wonderful bakeries and at least two creperies.

During a conversation with a local grad student she summarized her reluctance to visit one of the creperies by commenting “I prefer food without the anger, thank you very much.”   Her comment referenced an employee who worked for one of the creperies and practiced the consistent habit of taking an order without even the glint of a smile (more likely one of annoyance).  Pouring the batter on the griddle, this employee would proceed to slap the customer’s chosen ingredients on the crepe with an attitude of anger and unrest.  Extra cheese??? (heavy sigh), Ham…Ka-whack!  Detaching the delicate creation from the griddle this employee would slap it on the plate and shove it towards the intended recipient before proceeding to delight yet another customer…..yes, this was consistent, predictable behavior, not just one bad day.

Wow, what a story and what a poignant end result: a non-raving fan.  Looking for the learning in this story?   If you own a business where you and/or your employees interface with the public, be mindful of the attitude you portray to your customers.  Sure, all of us have challenging moments (a recent Jet Blue flight attendant comes to mind) and times when we are not at our best, but in this case the behavior was so predictable that the patron opted to no longer frequent the business.

I believe every business with a public/consumer interface will experience invaluable benefit (and ROI) from integrating personality profiling into their hiring practices. A simple profile can provide accurate information about an individual’s skills and temperament, enabling you to place them in a position where they and your business will thrive.  Well known profiles include DISC, The Keirsey Temperament Sorter, Meyers-Briggs and my personal favorite, the PREP Profile, which can be customized to job position and existing management personalities.  In Jim Collin’s phraseology: It’s about “getting the right people in the right seats on the bus.”

About the Author:

Do you handle an upset with confrontation or with relationship building that gets results?

Last month, I registered for a two-day intensive coaching session. I was a bit surprised to receive neither thank you note nor recognition of my registration. Even more surprising: the details weren’t forthcoming. I became concerned because hotel and flight arrangements were necessary and the date was the beginning of a national holiday.

The situation grew worse. I called the office several times on several different days and explained that I would cancel my payment if I did not hear from anybody. Not only did I not hear from anyone, I was treated as an annoyance. The coaching for which I registered was not inexpensive. The coach himself receives praises wherever he goes, so I couldn’t understand why he would allow such poor customer service. I arranged to cancel payment.

Wondering if this gentleman knew what was happening back at the office, I wrote Brian, the coach, a factual and detailed email describing what took place. I advised poor customer service will sink a thriving company faster than almost any other criteria. For final measure, I added, “I’m writing this as a friend because I admire what you stand for and do not wish to see you hurt.”

Within minutes of receiving my email, Brian returned my call.

Brian executed his response perfectly:
1. He first apologized
2. Brain then shared, “Never employ family; you try to help but it becomes tricky.”
3. In gratitude that I held a helping hand rather than expressing 4 letter words, Brian told me he would be my mentor for the entire year!

Brian turned an almost lost prospect into a repeat and returning client, who has already begun communicating how terrific he is.  When you strive to help people turn lemons into lemonade you get what you wish for!

It becomes a win-win for all concerned and a very Smooth Sale!

I ran across the 100 Thing Challenge not too long ago and since then the idea has intrigued me.  My father had a colleague that strived to never own more stuff than he could fit into the back of his Honda CRX, which I guess is a personal variant on the idea of whittling your possessions down to a nice, round 100.  But are such goals merely artificial ways to achieve happiness through less attachment to physical things?  What about just a general goal of decluttering your life?

Regular Wasabi Ventures blog contributor Barbara Hemphill has written a couple good posts for us about the importance of simplifying ones workplace.  It’s amazing how good organization and self-management can help you get richer.  But where do you go from there?  What’s the point of being rich, besides providing for your loved ones and buying more toys?  Why did we get into this game?

J.D. Roth, the patient-yet-effective blogger behind Get Rich Slowly, asks these exact questions in an excellent article about the third stage of personal finance.  His answer, in a nutshell?  We all seek to get rich so that we can have the kind of life we want — not so we can have the kind of stuff we want.  Stuff may factor into that (I certainly wouldn’t mind having a garage full of well-polished cars and fancy motorcycles) but we need to remember that stuff can become a source of stress just as easily as a source of satisfaction.

The entrepreneurial game — and it is a game — has the potential to be far more satisfying than working your standard nine-to-five.  We get to be our own bosses; call the shots in our work lives as well as our personal lives.  That’s a big deal.  But it comes at the price of constant competition and frequent stress.  We need to know that we’re working towards something that really matters to us or else we’ll find ourselves wondering what the point of it all was when our own, personal sun begins to set.

Bill Gates and Warren Buffet recently announced that 38 other wealthy individuals (of which 30 are billionaires) have signed the Giving Pledge to give away half their fortunes.  Most of us will never be billionaires, but that doesn’t mean our gifts would be insignificant.  A lot of good can be done in this world with far less than a billion dollars.

My personal interest in the power of a few committed individuals started when I read Mountains Beyond Mountains, a book that chronicles the efforts of Dr. Paul Farmer and his quest to bring modern medical care to the impoverished nation of Haiti.  His incredible work (which has since spread to other poor countries such as Russia, Rwanda, Lesotho, Malawi, and Peru), was funded largely by one man — a wealthy business owner looking to do something worthwhile with his fortune.

If that isn’t a reason to play the entrepreneurial game then I don’t know what is.  Follow your bliss, start your own business, create some jobs, live like you want to along the way, and then find something truly meaningful to do with the proceeds when you’re finished.  Something great from something small.  Inspiring.

Have you ever found a lead on a scrap of paper after the prospect purchased from your competition?   Are you spending time recreating proposals because you can’t find a similar one you wrote a few months ago?  Do you run out of the door for an appointment at the last minute because you couldn’t find the brochures you really wanted to take?  Are you feeling overwhelmed?  If so, here are six simple steps to help you increase sales and decrease stress:

Make a date with yourself for getting your act together: Plan a minimum of three hours when there will be no interruptions.  Decide on a reward for yourself when you’re finished. Do anything you can to reduce your stress during the process – put on music, grab your favorite beverage, and get plenty of trash bags and recycling bins.

Take everything off your desk except what you must have or do: (A photograph or memento that reminds you of the reason you work is definitely OK!) Practice The Art of Wastebasketry. Research shows that 80 percent of what you keep you never use! Tossing or keeping is not a moral issue, but it is a practical one.  So how do you decide what to keep? Ask, “What’s the worst thing that could happen if I didn’t have this piece of paper?” If you can live with the results of your answer, toss it or recycle it.

Get the right tools for your business: Half of any job is using the right tool!  Put three trays on your desk: (1) In (2) Out (3) File. “In” is for new mail – papers you have not yet looked at.  “Out” is for items that need to go elsewhere, such as the post office, or to another room. “File” is for papers you need to file outside the reach of where you sit. Eliminate paper whenever you can!

Implement The File-Act-Toss System: Clutter is postponed decisions.  The good news? There are only three decisions you can make about what to do with any piece of paper or electronic file.  (1) File it in a Reference File in case you need it in the future. (2) Act on it immediately or choose a date when you will. (3) Toss, recycle, or delete it.

Create an Action Filing System: If you say, “I have to do that,” follow up with “When?”  If there isn’t an actual date, creating an artificial one will eliminate items falling through the cracks.  When you continually postpone doing something, ask yourself, “What’s the worst possible thing that would happen if I didn’t do this?” or “Is there an easier way to do this?” or “Could someone else help me with this?” Create a system for retrieving the information you need when you are ready to take action.  (There are many possibilities. If you’re not sure how to do it, an hour phone consultation with an expert could change your world forever!)

Create a Reference Filing System: If your existing filing system (paper or electronic) isn’t working, start over!  In this day and age, fewer and fewer people are keeping paper reference files – it’s costly and not very productive. But don’t feel overwhelmed at the thought of having to scan all those old papers. Instead, create an electronic filing structure for the new information, and add the old only as you need it.  (If you have both physical and electronic resources, and you want a way to collaborate, check out iPEP (www.iPEPonline.com)

Will this system turn you into a perennially “clean desk” person? Unlikely! Messy desks are the natural outcome of a hectic pace. A place for everything and everything in its place? Forget that, but it is half right. A place for everything means than when you want to clean up your office to meet a client, or just because you’re just sick of the mess yourself, recovering is no big deal. Some quick decision-making will clean off your desk in a matter of minutes and bring back a sense of control.

I’ll admit: I don’t have too much managerial experience.  I am new to the entrepreneurial game; new even to the “real world” of working “real jobs” to pay the bills (I only graduated college a little over a year ago).  Yet sometimes it is appalling to me how little other people, specifically those in charge, seem to know about their own jobs.

The conventional wisdom among managers, from what I hear, is that you never discipline an employee in front of anyone else unless absolutely necessary.  What can become a simple corrective measure may turn into an ugly scene as people get defensive, fearing what the criticism may do to their reputation or to their pride.  The chances that the employee will acknowledge their mistake and learn from it are significantly diminished if they are required to do so publicly.  There’s just really no upside to it, but there is a large potential for a downside.

Consider a case study from my own experience.  I arrived to work on Wednesday and was immediately called into the sales office by the manager of the fitness club where I work one day a week (mostly to have a reason to get out of the house, as working from home can get rather lonely).  When I walked in I was immediately taken to task for a “snarky” email that I had sent earlier that day to the sales staff in response to our latest promotion.

On the one hand, I had to agree with him.  I probably shouldn’t have sent an email that jokingly criticized the corporate marketing program without offering a useful suggestion or two.  On the other hand, I took immediate offense to the fact that he brought this up in front of two other employees, both of whom took turns looking rather uncomfortable during the entire 15 minute conversation.   They had no business being there and they both knew it.  So why didn’t the manager, and why didn’t he consider it worth his time to walk over to his office and shut the door before talking to me?

The fact that I agreed with him about my comments being slightly inappropriate mattered much less than the fact that I was annoyed that he chose to talk about right then and there.  In the end, I decided not to walk out on the job only because, in general, he’s a good boss and there are a lot of other good people there that I like seeing there every week.  But it was a tough decision, and one that I wouldn’t have faced at all if the issue had been handled properly.

They need me working there about as much as I need the job (which is to say, not at all).  They have extra people that could fill the weekly shift I cover just as I have other sources of income to replace what I would lose from quitting.  But why rock the boat unnecessarily?

The whole situation was a quite illustrative example of how important even simple interactions can be in the business world — and one I won’t soon forget as I move up in it.

About the Author:

Are you suffering from being at the bottom of the pyramid with no one taking you seriously? Well here’s how to overcome the “pyramid syndrome.”

Step One: Simply stated, when you are at ground level, learn as much as you can by asking appropriate questions. Recognize what works and what does not work and only implement the best advice that is consistent with your personality.

Step Two: Once you have the information you need, take the unusual leadership stance by going it alone for a while to experiment with what you believe will work best. Avoid nay-sayers. Trial and error as well as persistence will get you moving to the top.  Continual education will help you leap-frog over where you began.

Step Three: Do a return check to the original group to see if you still belong. Most likely you will be in, near, or at the top of the pyramid — able to offer a helping hand.  Distinguish yourself by offering to help!

As the economy tumbled last year, I knew I had to change my business model. So with a leap of faith, I joined WhisperingEnergy.com, (two of us at the time), which grew into an international online collaboration and social media university. I learned how to collaborate. Soon Sharon Hooper and I joined forces to bring a complete author program to the public, WEeBooks4U.com. My part is teaching authors how to write a book and sell more copies online while Sharon helps the author secure the right graphic design, format the book for digital readers, and upload the finalized book to Amazon and our site. We foresee our site becoming the go-to-site for buying and selling ebooks given the power of our collaboration and knowledge of social media!

After a long quiet period, I returned to a group convention where I was once at the bottom level. We soon recognized I was the only one who is conversant with social media! Many of the highly paid business coaches were not familiar with the basics. It appears I have a new opportunity for business where none previously existed.

My motto: “Believe in yourself, envision what you want and pursue it.”

Believing helps you to communicate with clarity and confidence.  When you listen to your intuition and heart, you will attract more prospects, clients and sales, and enjoy the Smooth Sale!

I recently passed a personal milestone: my first real vacation since I began working “from home.”  Sure, there was the occasional weekend getaway that predated this past week, but I had never been away for more than a few days at a time, or without an internet connection for this long.

Unfortunately, I was not technically on vacation.  I was away from home, but I was still responsible for my normal workload for both my jobs, which turned my trip, at moments, into a bit of a balancing act.  I say with some pride that I managed rather well, although I did learn a few things that I will share to help you stay in the loop on your next vacation without ruining it for yourself.

Tools of the Trade

• This stuff is easy.  At a bare minimum you need a cell phone capable of accessing the internet and answering emails.  Luckily, nearly everyone who is self-employed already has that.  I also recommend a getting a tiny computer like my Acer Aspire One. Optimally, you can outfit this with a 3G internet card or tether it to your cell, but there are generally plenty of wi-fi signals to poach if you look.
• If you’re going to be away from civilization for very long you’ll need to invest in some travel chargers or some bigger batteries.  I have a 9-cell battery for my computer that gives it approximately 9 hours of life between charges, something I highly recommend.  I also carry chargers for my phone and my computer with me whenever I travel.

Timing is Everything

• Get used to turning things off for a few hours to preserve battery life and then turning them back on only when you will have time to pay attention to the emails or messages that have accumulated.  This will make sure you have some juice left to take care of business, but also that you won’t constantly be thinking about work when you’re supposed to be taking time to yourself and your family/friends.
• Try to work during down time.  I was traveling with a group of people, so I didn’t want to hold everyone up while I did my work.  Instead, I would try to wake up a bit earlier than everyone else so I could knock some stuff out before things got going.  I also would take advantage of the times when everyone was taking a break between activities to catch up a little bit.  It may mean a little less time to you, but it will reduce the inevitable crunch when you come back.

Location, Location, Location

• When you get right down to it, you can do a surprising amount of work far away from your desk.  I’ve conducted phone interviews in my car in a Wal-Mart parking lot with my laptop perched on my knees between my stomach and the steering wheel; I’ve written articles on the ground in a tent at a biker campground.  Learn to work whenever is convenient, wherever is convenient, and you will find that you need to interrupt your vacation very little to keep up.
• If you need access to the internet for part of your work then things might get tricky.  My recommendation is to decide in advance when you will need it and for how long.  This way you can plan on being somewhere with a wi-fi connection when the time is right, and you won’t driving around looking for a Dunkin Donuts at the last minute trying to submit your work on time.  Do as much in advance as possible so that when you finally get a chance to log on it won’t take any longer than it has to.

Those are the highlights of what I learned on this past trip.  I’m sure much of it may seem like common sense, but you’d be amazed how quickly some of this stuff goes out the window when you’re on the road.  My final piece of advice is this: if at all possible, prepare in advance to take a real vacation and truly let yourself unplug.  I find it’s much better for one’s sanity.

After more than 30 years as an entrepreneur, I have had the opportunity to watch the careers of many other entrepreneurs come and go. It’s not an easy feat; there have been several times in my career when mine nearly died — or killed me!  Today, I’m happier personally and professionally than I’ve ever been, so I’ve been thinking about what it is that separates those that are successful over the long term from those that are not.

I’ve concluded that long-term entrepreneurial success requires being able to answer “Yes” to three key questions:

1)  Are you passionate about your target market?

Identifying a target market with whom you LOVE to spend your time is critical. For me, at this point in time, it is individuals and organizations that want to create a “productive environment”™ so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives.

I’m particularly interested in those who want to move toward Almost Paperless™ — ESPECIALLY those that are physically moving and can save thousands of dollars by getting rid of clutter rather than moving it!  I’ve always had a passion for helping people be more productive and get rid of clutter. I simply can’t help it, so whether I’m in a social setting or a business setting, I’m having fun and finding clients. It doesn’t get any better!

2)  Are you willing to be in the business of “marketing?”

Regardless of the products and/or services your business offers, you must accept that you are in the business of marketing FIRST and then in your respective business. No matter how good your product or service is, if people don’t know about it, you can’t be a successful business.  I’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars on marketing experts in the past, but it wasn’t until I owned the marketing that I was successful.  That doesn’t mean you have to do it physically — you just have to own the message and the process.

3)  Do you totally believe in yourself and the value of the services you offer?

If you don’t, how can you expect anyone else to?  Often I’ve heard entrepreneurs talk about a prospect who “can’t afford what I have to offer.”  The reality is that people buy what they believe has value to them. Just look at the satellite dishes in the low-income housing areas.  There were times in my career I went without buying food and clothes I normally would purchase because I preferred to invest in my business.

Through the years I have known people who were in a business simply to make money — and they were highly successful from a financial standpoint, but there’s far more to life than money, as anyone who has made money but lost their family can tell you.

With that in mind here are 4 quick do’s and don’ts for the summer:

1. Don’t take 2 and 3 week vacations. Running a start-up is not like being a privileged European employee.   You have to be available all of the time and you have to be constantly working.  If you want a vacation take a 3-day-weekend, and have your laptop with you.  If you want a three week vacation, go get a job.
2. Do be on the lookout for summer help. In a down economy lots of college students are struggling to find paying work.  Get a smart one to come do some part time work at your start-up.    This is a great way to test run for future employment.
3. Do expect delays in sales. If your company relies on other business people as customers, know that a lot of people take vacations and will not be around to complete contracts.  Plan into your business for these delays.
4. Do reward your team. If you have a team that works for you, make sure you give them a chance to relax a little.  Lots of people need small breaks in the summer.  With their friends and family taking vacations, make sure you give them a little time to also relax.  If you can combine this with company meetings that are offsite and fun, this can be a double win.

Enjoy the summer and make your business grow!