December 5, 2011
By Wayne Mates
Last week I wrote a post, When is the Best Time to Start a Business?, about some of the factors in today’s economy that you should consider in deciding when to start a business. We considered consumer spending, economic growth, the Euro crisis, unemployment and the housing market.
. A year ago, I wrote a post about why you should start a business. In this week’s post, I submit now is a great time to start a business. Here is why the timing is right to do it now!
- People with Great Skills that You Need are Available – Even with the unemployment rate at 8.6%, there are 13.3 million people looking for work. You can add a couple million more that are underemployed and eager to use all their skills. I’d be willing to bet you can find wonderful enthusiastic folks to hire for every position you want to fill.
- Money is Readily Available – Need money? Banks are willing to lend if you have a great business plan and collateral. No collateral? Angel investors are flush with cash and willing to back a venture with a solid plan and a superb staff. Brush up on your presentation skills and hit the road. It’s out there if you know where to look. Each business niche has its own set of angels.
- It’s All About the Economy -As the U.S. economy slowly begins to grow, businesses and consumers are loosening up, spending more and making it easier to sell your products or services. The recession and slow growth has eliminated some competitors, opening markets for you. Buyers are very picky looking for value. If you sell to business, you need to not only show value, but also be able to demonstrate how your product or service will save them real bucks. A slow economy will also allow you to grow your business a little slower giving you the opportunity to work out any quirks in your business plan.
So, there you have it! Not only is this a good time to start a business, but the same factors dictate that it is also perfect timing to expand an existing business. It will never be easier. Now, get to work!! Your market waits!
Filed under Finance, News, Start Up by on Dec 5th, 2011. Comment. 
December 12, 2011
Guest post by Patricia Woloch
Whether in the workplace or on the football field, or even amongst members of a community, effective teamwork can produce incredible results. However, working successfully as a team is not as easy as it may seem. Effective teamwork certainly does not just happen automatically; it takes a great deal of hard work and compromise. There are a number of factors that must be in place to cohere together as a team and work seamlessly.
• Good leadership: Effective leadership is one of the most important components of good teamwork. The team’s leader should possess the skills to create and maintain a positive working environment and motivate and inspire the team members to take a positive approach to work and be highly committed. An effective team leader will promote a high level of morale and make them feel supported and valued.
• Clear communication: Communication is a vital factor of all interpersonal interaction and especially that of a team. Team members must be able to articulate their feelings, express plans and goals, share ideas and see each other’s viewpoints.
• Establishing roles: It is absolutely necessary for team members to understand what their role on the team is, what he/she is responsible for. The team leader can enable this by defining the purpose in a clear-cut manner in the beginning of the formation of the team.
• Conflict Resolution: Conflicts will arise no matter how well a team functions together. The best way to counter conflict is to have structured methods of conflict resolution. Team members should be able to voice their concerns without fear of offending others. Instead of avoiding conflict issues, a hands-on approach that resolves them quickly is much better. It is often advised that the team leader sit with the conflicting parties and help work out their differences without taking sides and trying to remain objective if possible.
• Set a good example: The team leader must set a good example for good teamwork to come about. In order to keep team members positive and committed and motivated, the team leader herself/himself needs to exhibit these qualities. The team looks to the leader for support and guidance so any negativity on the leader’s part can be disastrous.
Regardless of what type of sales you are in, you may one day be asked to be part of a team sales effort, and knowing how to effectively work on and with a team is going to be crucial to your success and that of your team.
Patricia Woloch is the author of over 900 articles on a variety of topics and published on the internet.
Filed under News, Sales and Marketing by on Dec 12th, 2011. Comment.
December 19, 2011
By Wayne Mates
If your business sells services or products to other businesses, this can be an unusually quiet time of year. Your clients and prospective clients are distracted by the holidays. Mentally they have checked out. They are about ready to check out physically as well to enjoy a few days off before the new year starts.
Generally, businesses are pretty dormant the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day unless you sell to the consumer. Rather than join your clients on vacation, take this down time to reorganize and assess the upcoming year by doing the following:
- Clean out your prospect list – Take a hard look at all the prospects you or your sales staff have been calling on. You know the ones…. the ones that constantly demand new proposals, lower prices, special deals, but never buy. Be realistic. Will they ever buy? Are they really just suspects? Time to move on!
- Generate a list of prospective new clients – Now that you have cleaned out your prospect list, add some new names. Add only those that could really use your products and services. Again, be realistic as to where you or your sales staff should devote time. Where is the biggest return? Your sales staff should have lots of input in this step.
- Organize your desk and computer – Yep! Clean out old files. Those that may be needed in the future, archive. Those not needed, just get rid of. Clean off your desk, too. If nothing else, it will give you a sense of accomplishment. And, don’t forget email! For me, this triggers my creative side.
- Figure out what you could have done better in the past year – What could you or your company have done better? Where could you have made processes more efficient? What products should you add? You get the idea. Time for a little free thinking to make your business more efficient and more competitive. Use lots of “what if” thinking here.
OK, so when you get this all done, fake your own quick break. Enjoy the fruits of your labor over the past year, re-energize and get ready to start your year with a burst of energy that can carry you through the rest of the year!
There are many more things you could add to this list, but this should get you started. Got your own ideas? Send them on to me or write a comment!
Filed under News by on Dec 19th, 2011. 1 Comment.
December 26, 2011
By Wayne Mates
It’s that time of year when many people resolve to change something about them. Overweight people resolve to diet. Some resolve to stop smoking. Others make resolutions to exercise.
Most people don’t keep the resolutions they make. I see it at the gym where I go. I dread the first few weeks of January. It will be difficult to train properly. Equipment won’t be available and I will need to wait to use it. Fortunately, by mid February the crowds will have mysteriously disappeared. The people left will be those that I see almost every day, the overweight business people, the housewives or moms who come after their hubs get home from work, the high school kids, the cute gym flirt, those who exercise under doctors orders. Only the regulars will be there. We all know each other and encourage each other. It’s a fun, if sweaty group!
So what has happened to the others? Chances are they made too many resolutions. There is a high probability they made the same or similar resolutions last year. The resolutions were broken a year ago, so it is easier to break them again. Next year, the same resolutions will be made and broken.
Why does this happen? It’s a lack of focus. They have made too many resolutions and committed to none of them. It is difficult enough to go on a diet or to exercise more, or stop smoking. When you combine all together and set a date of January 1 to start, you are going to fail. It is just too much to ask of the human body and mind to be successful.
Instead, create your own revolution. Pick one thing you can commit to. Make it a personal, business or life changing item. Got something that bothers you about your business, change it. Something that bothers you about your life, change it. Something you want to do to make the world a better place, change it. Yes, I know it’s not quite that easy. It takes time, effort and a plan, a roadmap you will follow to complete your revolutionary goal. Use your seasonal downtime to think big.
Be thoughtful about how you will accomplish your goal. How will being successful change you, your business or the world? Who do you need to get involved to help complete your task? What steps need to be taken and in what order? How will you know you are successful?
Don’t be greedy! Just pick one idea to pursue. There will be next year to accomplish something else! For now, just create your own revolution and commit to making it happen. You will surprise yourself as you move forward how things will change for you. It can change how you feel about yourself and increase your self-worth.
Remember, just one thing and commit to it! Go for it now!
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Filed under News by on Dec 26th, 2011. Comment.
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