Is your business relevant in this age of social media?

December 1, 2011   /   by Collaboration   /   in Social Media, Technology in Business
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If I’d asked you five years ago if you were tweeting, facebooking or blogging, you would’ve looked at me like I was a little off my rocker, or maybe thought I’d overdone a wine tasting. But that same question today wouldn’t seem odd at all. So how do you keep up with what is relevant and necessary for your business, and maintain a competitive edge into the future?

In my opinion, these so called ‘fads’ are becoming a necessary component of everyday business life. If your business isn’t strategically integrating all the various social media components into your marketing plan, you will be left behind in the coming years.

This transformation of information and technology reminds me of the internet in the late 1990’s and the initial drive for businesses to use it to grow and market through websites. It’s hard to believe that just 15 years ago websites and the internet were just beginning to gain traction in the mainstream business community. Who could forget the dot.com bubble and bust of the late 1990’s or early 2000’s?

At that time, I was a member of a team running a web development firm, and businesses fit into one of three categories:

1. The Early Adopters: Companies who immediately saw the value of the internet and assigned the necessary resources within their organization to begin to grow their internet presence.
2. The “Follow the Crowd” Folk: They understood that they needed to begin investing into their internet presence as they began to lose a competitive edge with their clients.
3. The “Hold Outs”: Those who resisted the thought of investing in the internet because they felt it was not relevant to their business. These businesses lost market share and did not understand the value of the internet in connecting to a whole new audience.

The reality is that every business today must use the internet as a necessary tool.

Let’s fast forward to 2011. I feel that we’re in another transformational trend for businesses called the age of social media. Integrated into this business transforming trend is the technological evolution due to the emergence of smartphones, tablets, etc. and the desire for a whole new personal level of connectedness between customers and businesses.

Customers want to be involved in your business like never before, whether you want their involvement or not. In the previous decade of technological growth, individuals had begun to feel disconnected to the brands and the communities of people who supported those brands. Enter the age of social media that allows communities to support their favorite brands, concepts and ideas with ‘like-minded’ people around the globe – and it’s mobile!

In addition, if you don’t perform well, transparency is the new reality. A negative customer experience can be uploaded to Facebook or YouTube in a matter of seconds and can go viral before you realize what’s actually transpired. Also, Yelp and Google reviews provide another outlet for customers who have both positive and negative experiences with your firm, which can make the difference for potential customers considering your business over a competitor’s business.

Bottom Line

Where are you in implementing a solid social media strategy for your business? If you have not embraced this trend, I encourage you to wake up to the fact that just because you may not understand it doesn’t mean it’s not relevant.

To maintain a strong and growing business you must be integrating social media into your business – ranging from marketing to customer service to recruiting.

Shake it up – what are you doing to shake up your business model to embrace social media. The old public relations or marketing campaigns have to evolve into a multidisciplinary approach which includes a solid social media strategy. A strategy aimed at creating and building client based communities who will be your best advocates for your product or service.

Oh, by the way, you can now follow me on Twitter @mgcollaboration

This is another article in a series on Michael’s entrepreneurial story and how being raised in a large family has influenced his career. To read the previous articles in this series, visit his blog at www.Collaboration-llc.com.

Michael Gunther is Founder and President of Collaboration LLC, a team of highly skilled business professionals who are dedicated to assisting proactive business owners to build profitable, sustainable businesses through results-oriented education and consulting services. Learn more at www.Collaboration-llc.com.

What traditions are hindering your business’ growth?

November 17, 2011   /   by Collaboration   /   in Growing Your Business, Overcoming Challenges in Business
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By Michael Gunther

The other day I was having a glass of wine with my friend Debbie, who’s a bookkeeper, and she began to tell me a story about one of her clients who’d been performing these laborious accounting processes. She said they were completing multiple forms to even write checks, which only worsened an already time consuming task.

When she asked the business owner why this system was necessary, he looked puzzled and replied that he wasn’t sure except that years ago a former employee had instituted the process. She then asked if he ever referred back to any of the information on the forms, and he said no. That’s all it took for him to realize that there really was no purpose for the forms, and he ended the process on the spot. It was one of those systems that they had kept simply because they had always been doing it that way.

This reminded me of the story of a family’s turkey tradition at Thanksgiving. A little girl was watching her mom cut off the turkey legs and wings prior to putting the turkey in the oven to cook. The little girl asked her mom why she cut off the wings and legs, and the mom replied that it was a family tradition and it was the way her mother had always cooked the turkey.

The curious little girl then asked her grandma about this family tradition. “Why do we cut off the turkey’s legs and wings before we cook it?” The grandma told her it was a family tradition that her mother had started many years ago.

Still not satisfied with these answers, the little girl approached her frail great grandma to ask her about this mysterious turkey carving tradition. As the family matriarch listened to the child’s question, a wide smile spread on her face and she began to giggle. “There wasn’t really much meaning to this tradition,” she told the little girl. “It started because many years ago, my oven wasn’t large enough to hold the turkey, so I had to cut off the legs and wings in order to make it fit in my tiny oven.”

This story makes me ponder all the ‘turkey carving’ traditions or processes that we may have within our businesses – those that were created out of necessity years ago, but may no longer be relevant or needed today.

You should encourage your team to question the ‘why’ of the processes and systems you have in place at your organization. Are they all really needed? Are they relevant to completing a task? Is there a more efficient or effective method that could be deployed instead? If the process was put in place to remedy an issue, does that issue still exist?

I’m willing to bet you’ll be amazed at what tools, processes, systems or reports within your organization may no longer be relevant or needed. We tend to do things that have always been done without considering why we’re even doing them.

Bottom Line

Don’t follow the ‘turkey carving’ traditions methodology in your business. Encourage your team to ask the ‘why’ question with everything they do. You and your team will discover processes and systems that might need to end or be refined, or new more efficient ways of getting things done.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving! And think about asking questions of the origins of your own family traditions – you may find some interesting answers.

This is another article in a series on Michael’s entrepreneurial story and how being raised in a large family has influenced his career. To read the previous articles in this series, visit his blog at www.Collaboration-llc.com.

Michael Gunther is Founder and President of Collaboration LLC, a team of highly skilled business professionals who are dedicated to assisting proactive business owners to build profitable, sustainable businesses through results-oriented education and consulting services. Learn more at www.Collaboration-llc.com.

How to Leverage Social Media and Track Your Results

November 4, 2011   /   by Collaboration   /   in Communication, Marketing, Networking for your Business, Sales Growth and Tracking, Social Media
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“We don’t have a choice on whether we do social media, it’s how well we do it.” – Erik Qualman

Social media is a hot topic, and for good reason. Trends shift constantly in business, generally influenced by economic, political or technological factors – but social media is a result of the trifecta. Business owners now know they must incorporate social media into their marketing strategies, but most don’t know what that entails.

There are a number of people who can give you the “How To” in terms of creating a business page on Facebook, posting a video on YouTube or creating a LinkedIn profile – but simply having a presence online isn’t enough. You need to know how to engage on different platforms, and you must measure your results to determine if you’re getting any ROI.

The 3 keys to successful social media in business:

1.    Define your Goals

What do you want to achieve through social media? If you’re just doing it because you think you have to, well, you need to stop and examine your business development strategy.

Identify your Ideal Client Profile:

- Where are they?
- What are their interests?

Now, what do you want to gain by engaging in social media?

- Increased website traffic?
- Immediate e-commerce results?
- Expanding your brand’s geographic reach?

2.    Outline your Strategy

Once you have clear goals you can create a solid strategy. It’s important to remember that social media is only a piece of marketing, and it shouldn’t be your entire plan. Depending on your business, industry and location, you can separate your plan into 2 segments: Brand Communication and Face to Face (or Relationships). Keep in mind, it takes 6-8 “touches” to close a sale, meaning, a potential client interacts with you nearly 10 times before they do business with you. Social media is a fantastic way to close the gap between these “touches.”

Brand Communication

- Emails, newsletters, greeting and holiday cards, advertising, PR, online tools and resources – these are all ways to increase brand awareness. It must be consistent, not intrusive.

Face to Face

- Relationships are critical. Don’t forget about the “social” part of “social media.”
- Attending events and trade shows, networking, being active in your community – these are all ways to engage on the Face to Face level.

Incorporate Social Media

- Now you’re going to pull from all of those efforts to create content for your social media outlets – but first, you have to know your platform and your audience (because they’re all different!)

Facebook
Think of it as the personal side of your business. Share pictures from community events to illustrate your involvement and the causes you support. Invite your “fans” to join you for happy hour and tag the watering hole (if the venue is managing their social media the way they should be, they’ll prepare for your visit and your post becomes an example of “social-media-in-action full circle”).

Twitter
Here you can follow thought leaders and share insights – you can choose who to follow, rather than being totally dependent upon someone choosing to “like” you. Although your goal will be to build “followers,” by following those who interest you and interacting with them, your audience will grow organically.
An example of this is seeing a post from Forbes about Marc Benioff (Salesforce CEO) and his incredible leadership. Now you can share this with your followers, giving them an awesome resource, as well as connecting with Marc Benioff and Forbes!

YouTube
Only 6 years old and named the 2nd largest search engine (behind Google, of course). It’s your chance to show people what you have going on – because it’s used as a search engine, your video (if properly optimized with keywords) will begin appearing in the results of these searches.
There is a fantastic example of this by Central Coast Surfboards. They were moving to a new location several blocks down the street and instead of loading all the surfboards into trucks and hauling them, they called upon their clients and employees to carry the boards in a long procession through town (which ended up being about 200 yards long). They put a clip on YouTube and have more than 450 views. What an awesome example of old school guerrilla marketing mixed with the new capabilities of social media!

Linked In
Think of it similar to Facebook, but professional, not personal. Build connections, share your blog, join “groups” relevant to your business – and participate in them – make yourself known. You’ll exhibit your expertise, build your following, and have a new source of referrals!

3.    Measure your Results

Last, but certainly not least, you have to track your efforts. Are you meeting your goals? Is your website traffic increasing and from where are your visitors coming?

Utilize available online tools

- Google Analytics and email services like MailChimp provide accurate and critical data. There are many tools out there – Facebook has “Insights” for pages and Hubspot has a Twitter grader. Just implementing these tools gives you a place to start. (And speaking of awesome tools, if you’re not familiar with Hubspot, you should be.)

Create a tracking document

- This allows you to capture the big picture of your efforts and results on a monthly basis (you should be watching it daily based on a “past 30 days” segment, but record your figures monthly). Now you can see the fluctuation of website traffic, Facebook fans, Twitter followers, event attendees, YouTube video views, and mailing list and blog subscribers. You should be utilizing your strategy and setting your goals to continually improve these results.

Download the Collaboration Marketing Metrics Tool Here

Identify lead sources!

- You should have manageable categories to classify all of your marketing activities, including online / social media segment.
For example
Face to Face: Event
Face to Face: Volunteer / Community
Face to Face: Networking Group
Brand Communication: Email / Newsletter
Brand Communication: Advertisement
Brand Communication: Social Media
- With a CRM such as Salesforce, you can indicate the “Lead Source” for every opportunity and create a report to show you which marketing efforts are paying off – literally. If you don’t have a system to help you, simply make it part of your routine to record the source of each customer and make it part of your tracking sheet. You might be surprised at the results!

Finally, review and revamp

- If you see that something is working, you may want to consider how you can improve it or take it to the next level. If you are putting efforts into something that isn’t providing value, move on.

Once you have this system in place, you will begin to fully realize all of the marketing activities you have in motion, and which ones are the most valuable. You will streamline your business development, concentrating your time and money where it yields the highest ROI — and you’ll have the measurements to prove it!

Beware of the ‘bling’ in your business

November 3, 2011   /   by Collaboration   /   in Leadership, Overcoming Challenges in Business, Time Management
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By Michael Gunther, Founder & Managing Partner

Okay, I‘m not the hippest guy around. In fact, I’m sure it’s safe to say my friends wouldn’t associate me with the word ‘hip’ at all (except maybe my friend EJ, but then again he isn’t hip either). But I’m going to use the word ‘bling’ to describe all the ideas, opportunities, paths, etc. that distract us from the items we should be focused on in our businesses.

Not only have I seen many business owners trying to chase ‘bling’ when they should be focused on the basics of their business or projects they already have underway, but I’ve experienced this quite often myself as a business owner.

You’re working hard trying to build your business and you’re looking for answers to help you take your business to the next level. You think there must be an easier way to get the job done; there must be a simpler way to grow your business. You figure, it just can’t be this hard. Then, the bling appears – you jump head first into a new strategy and forgo all the work you’ve already accomplished because this new bling is so shiny and exciting.

So where does the bling come from?

• You’ve just read the latest management book and discovered some great new ideas or theories on ways you need to shift your business. You get your management team to read this book and begin implementing the new concept or ideas that you are confident will solve your business challenges… Until the next management book comes out and you shift direction once again. We call this the “book of the month club” management style.
• You’re attending a seminar and the keynote speaker runs a very well-known successful company. He or she is sharing strategies and ideas and telling you what made the company great – even as specific as the top 5 things you need to know to build your business. You leave this seminar wondering how your business can implement these basic strategies. You once again go to your team with a new direction. This dance is called the “keynote shuffle”.
• You’re in a CEO round table and another business owner describes a new strategy or direction that makes so much sense that you just have to try it in your business. You immediately go to your team and begin to implement these changes, but after a short time you realize you don’t achieve much success. You’ve just committed the crime of the “cookie-cutter CEO”.

I could go on and on with more examples of bling. I know I’m constantly seeing new opportunities for our business – reading how technology is changing so rapidly and considering how we need to innovate our service offerings. I swear I have 10 new ideas every week for how we need to do things differently, how we need to grow and what services or products we could be offering, and ways we should be improving our operation.

I’ve come to realize that there is no ‘magic bullet’ – no one idea or strategy that will transform our business. In addition, these authors, keynote speakers and CEOs are only sharing a piece of the picture. They’re not sharing the trials and tribulations of the implementation process. They’re not sharing how laser focus and persistent behavior have to be integrated into any approach. And rarely is there overnight success. Typically the people we read about or listen to at seminars have been building upon a consistent theme.

I’ve also discovered how challenging it is for a team to be constantly shifting in new directions. If someone on your team asks “what are we doing now?” it should be a clue that you may be a bling chaser.

I’ve learned that having a strong strategic plan in place is critical. A plan that is evaluated semi-annually to make sure you’re heading in the right direction. The plan allows you to evaluate new strategies and opportunities against where you want to go. I know my team keeps a ‘bling list’ so that when I read, hear or see a new opportunity that I don’t want to lose I have them put it on the list and we can come back to it during a strategic planning session.

Bottom Line

I’m not suggesting you stop reading or looking for opportunities or ideas to improve yourself and your business. I don’t want to eliminate your creativity or exploration of pushing your performance.

I’m suggesting that you put those new ideas and concepts into perspective and introduce them to your team when it seems appropriate. Make sure these new strategies are fitting into your team’s strategic plan for moving forward in creating the business of your dreams.

This is another article in a series on Michael’s entrepreneurial story and how being raised in a large family has influenced his career. To read the previous articles in this series, visit his blog at www.Collaboration-llc.com.

Michael Gunther is Founder and President of Collaboration LLC, a team of highly skilled business professionals who are dedicated to assisting proactive business owners to build profitable, sustainable businesses through results-oriented education and consulting services. Learn more at www.Collaboration-llc.com.

3 Keys to Business Development

October 26, 2011   /   by Collaboration   /   in Being a Business Owner, Leadership, Relationships in Business, Sales Growth and Tracking
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As a business owner, you are the leader of your sales efforts, whether you like it or not. Much like the act of purchasing an Apple product conveys the feeling of being connected to Steve Jobs, it’s your reputation, innovation and expertise to which clients and employees are attracted.

Collaboration’s Business Development expert, Christin Frederick, shares her 3 Keys to Success for business owners to drive their sales:

1.    Connect to Your Ideal Client Profile
“It takes some time to narrow down what that profile looks like, and then to learn where they network and figure out how to connect. But if a business owner can make a shift from thinking they need to be salesy in promoting their business to just reaching out authentically and wanting to have a conversation with someone, then it’s a natural step.”

2.    Create a Strategy to Build Relationships
“Business owners will mistake a short term or inconsistent advertising campaign for their marketing or business development plan. It’s only a piece of it. Advertising can’t replace relationship building, and that’s where a lot of business owners will stumble.

“Relationship building begins with a conversation, with listening and trying to understand someone’s story. You need to connect them with the value you provide. For example, I do that by sharing articles I discover that address specific issues a potential client has expressed, or by inviting them to attend a particular function I think would benefit them. I’m aware of their needs and of how I can help.”

3.    Be Fearless
“Don’t be afraid to ask for a meeting – or whatever the next step in your sales process is. It’s the act of building the bridge between the general public and your company. One of the keys of a really strong business development plan is to know what the appropriate next step is for that potential client, and if they are your ideal client profile and you’ve built a relationship with them, you will know. Sometimes opportunities are missed because you expect a potential client to make the next move, but it doesn’t happen that way. You have to be proactive.”

Bottom Line
Don’t make it harder than it actually is. Get active and make your business known. The more you connect with people, the more present you will be in their minds when they do need your product or service and the easier your sales process will become.

Are your employees giving your business a bad reputation?

October 20, 2011   /   by Collaboration   /   in Being a Business Owner, Customer Service, Overcoming Challenges in Business
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By Michael Gunther

I recently was on a flight from Oakland to Kauai and had an odd experience with one of the flight attendants – ok, odd isn’t quite accurate, she was blatantly disrespectful and intentionally rude.

Before you’re welcomed to the Hawaiian Islands, the state of Hawaii requires a completed Agricultural Declaration form to identify any foreign animals or plants that might come into their contained environment. This is standard and very similar to a customs form which is required in order to enter a foreign country. As an annual visitor to Hawaii, I’ve completed this form many times. It’s simply routine now, especially since my mind was focused on the much needed week of R & R that was just beginning.

As the flight attendant came to our row with the forms, I said I only needed one since we (I pointed to Steve, my life partner) were together. She immediately began to argue with me, asking if we had the same last name and insinuating we didn’t count as the same party. I assured her that we were together – for the past 18 years to be exact – but she insisted we were not.

I had to literally debate her and state that we are a ‘legal domestic partnership and registered in the state of California,’ at which time she tossed the form at us and angrily walked away. She proceeded to the front of the plane and relayed this story to another flight attendant, who replied and then continued with her work. There was no apology and no hint of customer service or awareness of the severity of the situation.

I was thoroughly embarrassed; other passengers were staring at us. I was angry that we’d had to endure her lack of training and her ignorance, and because of her actions I will never fly that airline again – no matter the cost of alternate travel arrangements. I realize there are more extreme cases of poor service that happen regularly, but this truly was the first time that I have felt deliberately disrespected because of who I am.

I then began to read the form, and right in the beginning it clearly stated that only one form was required per party – in fact, your party could be six different people as long as you lived in the same household! Wow. I really started to fume. Was this her first flight? Did this company not train their employees? Did the company deem it acceptable to discriminate against their customers?

The story continued to unfold as I learned that she was actually a senior flight attendant. How could she not understand her role? She had made a conscious decision to treat a passenger with disrespect and for what reason? Was she even aware of the damage her actions could have on her job and ultimately her employer?

Organizations that don’t value their customers and provide poor service – much less display discriminatory attitudes and behaviors – do not deserve my business. In addition, in this economy where businesses are struggling to survive, especially within the airline industry, how can they possibly afford to treat customers as if they don’t matter?

The Bottom Line

Businesses must be aware of how their employees are representing their organizations, and issues of bad customer service need to be addressed immediately. Especially in the age of social media, your reputation for bad service will spread rapidly and damage your image and your brand permanently.

So, Alaska Airlines, you should consider how you’re training your employees and spend some significant time focusing on creating a culture of inclusivity and a reputation of exceptional service. This will be the last time I fly your airline. Good luck in the friendly skies – wait, that’s the other airline I do like to fly.

This is another article in a series on Michael’s entrepreneurial story and how being raised in a large family has influenced his career. To read the previous articles in this series, visit his blog at www.Collaboration-llc.com.

Michael Gunther is Founder and President of Collaboration LLC, a team of highly skilled business professionals who are dedicated to assisting proactive business owners to build profitable, sustainable businesses through results-oriented education and consulting services. Learn more at www.Collaboration-llc.com.

Are you a 9 to 5 leader?

October 11, 2011   /   by Collaboration   /   in Being a Business Owner, Leadership, Professional and Personal Life Balance, Time Management
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By Michael Gunther

Recently I had a conversation with Kaitlin, one of my team members, about leadership as it relates to building and growing a business. We were discussing a few of the various leaders we know and identifying some key similarities between them. She thought that the strongest ones were those who were active leaders beyond the 9 to 5 work week, as opposed to what my friend Lee calls “Levi’s leaders” – the ones who leave every day at 5:01, just like the blue jeans.

As I pondered these ideas and concepts, I wondered if what we were concluding was that leaders needed to be workaholics versus living a balanced life. Is there a perception that working longer hours makes you a better leader? With this in mind, I asked some other leaders and business owners what they thought about the concept, in hopes of gaining a wider perspective on the 9 to 5 leader.

What I discovered was that the strongest leaders worked smarter at their day-to-day tasks in order to have time to focus on developing their leadership knowledge and skills, which in turn made them better leaders and more successful at building high performing teams and organizations.

In fact, they were not only developing their leadership knowledge and skills related to their professions, but they were also focused on personal interests. It was actually quite intriguing – the individuals I spoke to had very distinct activities including flying, wine/food aficionado, surfing, photography, teaching fitness classes, and so on. These extra-curricular activities were driving them to excel as leaders, providing an outlet away from work to stretch their skills and abilities in different ways.

It appeared that the leaders with solid activities outside of work tended to be less stressed about their companies and more focused on getting the things done every day at work in order to enjoy their outside activities even more. Another characteristic I identified was that these individuals were avid readers. They didn’t just read business books and literature, but they read historical novels, biographies and current news periodicals. These leaders had a thirst for knowledge and were constantly expanding their views and outlooks on the world and how it related to their lives.

They were also able to respond to the day to day challenges at work quickly and were good problem solvers. I have to believe that these traits are again related to their constant quest for learning and improving their personal and professional skills.

Lastly, these leaders were all stimulating conversationalists – people who you want to enjoy an evening with discussing a wealth of topics and ideas. They have diverse life experiences and are knowledgeable in many interesting areas.

Bringing it back full circle to the work environment – no wonder they tend to be strong leaders. Their lives don’t revolve around their jobs, but their work is an element of their lives. They understand in order to achieve their personal goals, they have to learn how to work effectively through others. And isn’t that part of the definition of a good leader – one who helps others achieve their goals and outcomes?

Bottom Line

This concept made me think of a proverb by James Howell from over four hundred years ago – All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy (1659).

Don’t be a dull boy like Jack – hone your work skills, develop outside interests and become a better leader. Your leadership skills will grow stronger the more you try to excel in activities both at work and in your personal life. Don’t just be a specialist in your profession. Become a specialist at something about which you’re personally passionate.

This is another article in a series on Michael’s entrepreneurial story and how being raised in a large family has influenced his career. To read the previous articles in this series, visit his blog at www.Collaboration-llc.com.

Michael Gunther is Founder and President of Collaboration LLC, a team of highly skilled business professionals who are dedicated to assisting proactive business owners to build profitable, sustainable businesses through results-oriented education and consulting services. Learn more at www.Collaboration-llc.com.

Don’t Get Trapped in the Fog

September 22, 2011   /   by Collaboration   /   in Creating a Business that Thrives!
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By Michael Gunther

It was extremely foggy and chilly this morning as I began to walk my two dogs on the beach. The fog was so thick I could barely see 40 feet in front of us. In fact, it felt almost like a movie set: contained, controlled and safe. But in reality, the roaring ocean was just a few feet away, as well as the unknown of what was further ahead.

In contrast, just a few short miles up the shore it was clear and much warmer. The sun was rising over the mountains, and it was going to be a beautiful day. Anything seemed possible as I looked across the waking city that was slowing coming alive.

This contrast had me reflecting on how many businesses are currently operating in the fog when they need to be operating in a clear and sunny environment. They’re focused on only what they see directly in front of them instead of being open to the possibilities that may be just ahead. They need to pay attention to their environment and their business.

I had a clear (no pun intended) example of this last week when I met with a potential client. They’ve been in business for more than 20 years – in fact, they have changed their business offerings three times in order to try to make it work. The recession hit them hard. They’ve increased their debt, laid off employees, and are nearing the point of closing their doors. As I explored where they were in their business, we discovered some interesting behaviors and attitudes that were holding them back (this is what I might call the ‘fog’).

The first issue was their attitudes – they kept hoping the economy was going to get better. As most are now aware, things are not necessarily changing, nor are they going to truly turn around for the positive for at least another three to four years. We all have to adjust in order to operate in this economic storm, as it’s the new reality. I’m all for hoping and having faith that things will improve, but I’m also aware of the reality of what’s happening right now.

The second issue we found holding this company back was their belief that their client profile and market for their services hadn’t changed. They had not adjusted their pricing, marketing tactics or sales process. The fact is every business has had to redefine their client profile as well as their products or services and pricing structures. Consumers are not on the old ‘spend before they have’ mentality. They’re becoming more frugal as well as making financial decisions much more carefully. Affordability is the new norm.

As I explained how these issues were holding them back, they began to understand and realize the business they had lost over the last few years because they hadn’t been willing to change. They realized that they must clear the fog from their heads in order to truly start growing their business again.

The truth is that once you understand the realities of your business and what’s happening in the economic marketplace, you can create a plan of action and change to allow you to thrive and enjoy the sunny and clear skies. Otherwise, you’re living in a state of denial and it can lead to the slow death of your business.

The Bottom Line

Are you assessing your business and the economic forces around you with the proper perspective? I encourage you to do this at least on a quarterly basis. The economy in which we’re living is fragile at best and only through consistent adjustments of our businesses and attitudes will the strong not just survive but thrive.

This is another article in a series on Michael’s entrepreneurial story and how being raised in a large family has influenced his career. To read the previous articles in this series, visit his blog at www.Collaboration-llc.com.

Michael Gunther is Founder and President of Collaboration LLC, a team of highly skilled business professionals who are dedicated to assisting proactive business owners to build profitable, sustainable businesses through results-oriented education and consulting services. Learn more at www.Collaboration-llc.com.

Stop Putting Out Fires

September 16, 2011   /   by Collaboration   /   in Entrepreneurship, Growing Your Business, Sales Growth and Tracking
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“We thought we were trying as hard as we could,” said Lacey Utter.

It was 1997, and Micah Utter had been bussing tables at a restaurant when he was recruited to work for a customer who owned a concrete business. “I learned from the ground up. I was a laborer apprentice for a couple years, then moved up to being like a journeyman, and then went right into foreman. I ran the company for him for a while as far as installation and operation.”

A natural hard-worker who was always looking for growth opportunities, Micah excelled quickly and began to build a reputation among family and friends. His weekends became so full with side work that he had to hire a crew just to get all of it done.

After six years, he and his wife Lacey decided it was finally time to start their own company, and Advanced Concrete and Construction was born. Micah’s days were spent out in the field working with his crew, and at night he was home surrounded by paperwork and billing. Lacey maintained her full time job as a legal secretary in addition to working in their business.

“He’s always been an entrepreneur,” said Lacey. “But he was just ‘putting out fires’ all the time.”

“I had really good people working for me, but there wasn’t accountability,” explained Micah. “If they didn’t get something done, I’d pick up the slack. They never really knew what I expected from them.”

Several years passed and they kept talking about growing the business. They had a skilled foreman in place who provided much needed support, but they couldn’t maintain consistency.

“I’d stay in the office and bring in all of this work, then the operations couldn’t accomplish it all so I’d go out in the field and we’d get all that work done,” explained Micah.

“It was up and down, up and down, like a roller coaster,” added Lacey.

“I knew what I needed to do, but I didn’t know how to implement it and get there,” said Micah. “In 2008 I started getting a lot of cold calls from national consulting companies. I had one come talk to me – it was really hardcore, super invasive and very expensive.”

“We were skeptical because we didn’t have a lot of money – in our minds – to put towards it,” Lacey added. “And we didn’t know any other way we could work harder or any better. We thought we were trying as hard as we could.”

“In my mind I knew that I needed it, but I didn’t feel at that moment and with that company it was the right fit,” said Micah. “A couple more companies called and then Collaboration came along. I like working with local people, the numbers scared me, but I looked at the customer list. I know them all, and they are all successful. People we did business with had worked with Collaboration so we called them and they said ‘don’t even think about the money portion because you’ll get that back, that’s easy, but it’s the amount of work that you’re going to have to do. Don’t do it if you’re not committed.’ We’ve never been scared of work, so we did it.”

“It’s a lot different than what we thought it would be. We’ve learned a lot more than what we anticipated,” Lacey said.

“I don’t know that we thought we would be held accountable as much as we are, and that’s what’s made us successful,” added Micah. “We’ve grown from three crews to five and it’s good. We now have the tools to do the growth. The work is there. The sales are there now. The whole system works. If you do it every day, it works. There are some days when I get off track, but I know if I’m not on top of my pipeline, I’m short on leads, then I’ll be short on sales,” said Micah, summing it up.

They were pushed out of their comfort zone, discovered new ways to work harder, and are experiencing results beyond their expectations. Micah and Lacey Utter are true entrepreneurs with unwavering drive, determination and the belief to make it happen.

Do you spend enough time with yourself?

September 8, 2011   /   by Collaboration   /   in Being a Business Owner, Professional and Personal Life Balance, Time Management
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By Michael Gunther

I guess the above question could be seen as rhetorical considering you never spend a minute without yourself. What I’m actually referring to is taking the time to think, contemplate and evaluate where you are in your business and your life and where you are going; scheduling ‘quiet’ time to slow down and just be with your own thoughts.

I feel very fortunate that at a young age I was exposed to this concept from numerous fronts. First, my dad – he would encourage us to not only feed the body and the mind but to make sure we were feeding our soul. Slow down and appreciate what is happening around you and recognize all the gifts you have in your life.

Second was my 6th grade teacher, Mrs. Olivia, a quirky, funky dressed woman with a clear purpose of getting her students to explore their dreams and daily activities to gain a better understanding of themselves. She required us to write in a journal on a daily basis and to take alone time to discover our thoughts, feelings and challenges. This class exercise has had a lasting and significant impact on my life. I still write in my journal to this day, and find it fascinating to go back through the last 35 years of my life and see some clear paths, behaviors and patterns that have shaped my life and business. Some issues have been conquered and yet, some issues still prevail today.

My third influence with this concept was my boss and mentor from more than 20 years ago, Mike Rowe. Mike encouraged me, as a manager, to take time each week to “work on my business.” This time was to review my goals, team and plan in terms of where we were and what needed to change. My entire team knew I could not be disturbed during this time (it was a little easier back then because we didn’t have mobile phones, email or texting capabilities yet). It provided me the opportunity to get out of the day-to-day operations and activities and really focus on whether we were headed in the right direction.

So, how often are you taking time to “work on yourself” or “work on your business”?

If you’re not doing this weekly, you’re not doing it enough. I encourage all of our clients and their managers to take time each week for themselves. To focus on their goals and projects and assess their companies from a 35,000 foot view — considering where they are, what’s working and what’s not. This time should be scheduled each week and treated as if you were with your best client — that means no interruptions, not taking telephone calls, responding to email or texts; solely focusing on the client and his or her needs (the client being you).

If you’re not sure how to spend this time, begin by recognizing your current frustrations or challenges within your business. You can also start the process by identifying all the opportunities you’ve wanted to work on for your business but haven’t yet started. Just the process of writing down your thoughts will allow you to begin exploring these issues or opportunities from a different perspective.

Bottom Line

It’s critical to have thinking time. Slow down and schedule it in order to process what’s happening around you. The sooner you start, the sooner you will reap the rewards of taking the time to truly be with yourself. By implementing this simple process, you can be on the path to achieve the next level of personal or professional performance.

This is another article in a series on Michael’s entrepreneurial story and how being raised in a large family has influenced his career. To read the previous articles in this series, visit his blog at www.Collaboration-llc.com.

Michael Gunther is Founder and President of Collaboration LLC, a team of highly skilled business professionals who are dedicated to assisting proactive business owners to build profitable, sustainable businesses through results-oriented education and consulting services. Learn more at www.Collaboration-llc.com.