Five Resolutions Worth Making for the New Year
December 31, 2008 by Mary Ellen · Leave a Comment
The New Year marks a favored time for to start over and create something new, better and bigger than before. New Year’s resolutions, always a dime a dozen, seem a bit pointless after dozens of years.
When I read the following, I felt compelled to share. Enjoy. Happy New Year!
As some of you may know, I am not a big fan of traditional New Year’s resolutions. Traditional resolutions tend to fail quickly, and usually aren’t expressions of the deep reflection and soul-searching needed to instigate change. And, I love this time of year and the stimulus it provides to recommit to what matters most.
Here, then, are five resolutions that call you to step up into the magnificence of using your words and your work as a powerful force for good in the world.
I, ____ (your name here), do hereby resolve to:
- Nurture my faith that the world has an urgent need to hear what I am called to say, and to act in alignment with that belief even when loud voices say I should follow the crowd.
- Seize every opportunity to share my deepest message – my most passionate, deeply cherished insights and beliefs – each time I write and talk about my work.
- Risk being vulnerable by revealing myself when I write and speak about my work – knowing that the thing I am most afraid to say is probably the very thing my audience would find most compelling.
- Accept and enjoy the work of creating the market for my services, rather than assuming that people will automatically know what I am offering and why it’s important.
- Step out willingly to share my message and story, realizing that the goal is not to communicate perfectly but to create the opportunities to share my message with increasingly larger audiences who are yearning to hear what I have to share.
Isabel Parlett is a business communication expert who helps innovative professionals create the market for their services by tapping into the emotional power of their words.
What’s Your Excuse?
December 17, 2008 by Mary Ellen · Leave a Comment
Fourteen days to the end of the year. The countdown is steeped in excuses.
“Why should I do anything? Nobody else is.”
“I hate this weather. You can’t plan anything because bad weather interferes.”
“There’s no sense trying to get everyone together; people are out for the Holidays.”
“People don’t want to make decisions now. They’re into the Holidays.”
“Nobody will call back. They’ve got a Holiday party scheduled today.”
“Go ahead and have a couple of cookies. You can’t actually lose weight during the Holidays.”
“Let’s discuss that/meet/take action after the first of the Year.”
Discipline, always a challenge, seems to waiver more now than ever. Truthfully, I find myself distracted more easily. The amount of work hasn’t changed. My focus is different. After a deadline-driven November, maybe this is all one can expect.
I discussed the matter with a business coach. She suggested changing my environment and I lost hours organizing my workspace. I emptied files, created labels and made lists, finally realizing I’d fallen victim to another type of distraction.
As I looked for inspiration, a keynote by Michael Masterson, self-made millionaire and author of “Ready, Fire, Aim” caught my ear. He discussed getting over inertia. “You’ve got to find some part of the project you can move forward. Get just a little motion and things will start taking care of themselves.”
I quickly outlined the items on my to-do list and picked up the phone to schedule a meeting. There. I’ve begun a different countdown of my own.
Holiday Cards and Letters – Welcome Greeting Ritual or Superfluous Task?
December 15, 2008 by Mary Ellen · Leave a Comment
I cherish the Holiday card ritual. Like many people, I complain about writing my cards except I don’t hand-address them. A few years ago I decided that nicely printed labels could suffice so I write the recipient’s name, a simple greeting and sign the card. Then I include the traditional letter, my annual connection to out-of-state friends.
The U.S. Post Office will process 960 million cards and letters today – nearly double the usual total. Yet, volume is 15% down. In a non-scientific survey (I’ve asked) I determined the people I know are receiving less cards. Maybe it’s the rising cost of mail or the cost of cards themselves. Cutting the greeting card is economically prudent.
I suspect the shortened shopping season (fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas) contributes to the problem. There aren’t enough days in the week and hours in each day. Ah, so we get to the busyness excuse. Truly, time is precious. It’s difficult to find the time to write a Christmas letter. I remember my Mother emphasizing the letter took full advantage of the stamp. In these days of self-publishing and color prints, many opt out of cards and send a colorful newsletter, instead.
No question, I enjoy sending and receiving cards and letters. One year I waited too long to begin the process and so I intentionally sent New Year’s cards. As a ritual it failed. The following year I was right back in the scramble to get my cards addressed. And as for letters, I’ve experimented with stories, poems and general news flashes, and continue to change my mind, but the card wins every time.
In fact, I have cards waiting to go now. I’m considering eliminating the Holiday letter and shortening the list of card recipients. In view of the trend, I’m questioning everything. I suspect the ritual will win in the end. It doesn’t seem right to write on a Facebook wall or to tweet everyone!
Mary Schmidt and the Certain Trumpet
December 4, 2008 by Mary Ellen · 7 Comments
The Board of Directors for the Albuquerque Independent Business Alliance, AIBA, conducted its combination November/December meeting yesterday and sent 2008 President Mary Schmidt on her way with a round of applause.
Unbelievable? Yes. Unforgivable? Hopefully, not! On a small board (eight people) spontaneity typically wins over agendas. Without a formalized ceremony, no one thought to prepare a thank you event; after all, the leader (Mary) usually set the agenda for the meeting.
All volunteer organizations have the challenge of acknowledgment, a challenge made even more difficult on a small budget. How do you say thank you? What gift heralds the unsung heroine? How do you express appreciation for a job well done, for countless hours willingly committed and seldom recognized?
Answer? You make sure as many people as possible know the story. Here’s the Mary Schmidt story.
Mary joined the AIBA Board in Fall 2007 and agreed to serve as President because of her passion for small, independent business. In January 2008 she purchased i-Contact software for the organization to facilitate regular communication with the membership. During the past year, Mary has produced countless newsletters and e-letter updates for AIBA. Thanks to i-Contact, the organization now tracks opens and forwards and understands the value of e-mail.
Her vision for an organization serving the needs of independent business owners brought strong promotions like “Success Loves Company” to life. At a time when small business owners tightened their belts, Mary managed to eek out double digit increases in membership, heading for the point she called critical mass. She never missed an opportunity to talk about AIBA. When her car broke down, she recruited the shop as members. When she bought a vacuum cleaner, she invited the owner to join AIBA, etc. When her Rotary Club needed a speaker, she got a fellow AIBA member to talk about Independent Business.
During her one-year term, all manner of initiatives took hold and began to thrive: the lunch ‘n learns offered no-cost education for small business owners; Mary organized, attended and even presented one of those workshops. She encouraged new members to take on the task of developing networking think tanks with a plan to host one in each quadrant of the city.
Under her leadership, the sponsorship matrix took form and a structure began to emerge. She wrote countless brochures, proposals and summary reports and did other things too numerous to mention.
Someone described Mary as fearless. I know that to be true. She tackled big problems and met doubters head-on. From sponsor involvement to board and member recruitment, Mary never backed away; she suggested improvements, challenged assumptions and clarified expectations. All that and she even agreed to head another long-term project as immediate past president. That’s commitment. That’s dedication. That’s Mary.
A BIG thank you and congratulations to Mary Schmidt. In the words of Theodore M. Hesburgh:
The Certain Trumpet
The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.
Mary Schmidt has a certain trumpet and for that we’re grateful. Grateful and just a tad scared. Those are big shoes to fill.
Action Plan 101: Sign up now!
December 3, 2008 by Mary Ellen · Leave a Comment
I see you. With only 28 days left in the year I see you teetering. You’re shifting from one foot to the other, starting to head in one direction and then bringing yourself up short to listen to the cacophony of excuses playing in your brain:
There’s not enough time for that.
No one will care about this.
Why bother starting a project when, after all, the year is nearly over?
Don’t call on them; it’s too late in the year to start something new.
How do I know? I get the same messages. Even 28 days is time enough to make an impact, effect a change, develop a habit.
MARKETLINK participants just completed week 11 of a 12 week series. I asked them to list three actions steps they would take as a result of our time together. Here are their comments, sorted by broad categories:
Internet
- Plan new website
- Implement ez-SEO recommendations
- Send a bi-monthly e-letter to customers showcasing new work
- Start a media section on my company’s website to include a blog during Q-1 2009
- Oversee developing of a website that is highly visible and user-friendly for the Institute
- Establish website
- Reorganize my website and take WESST’s Internet class with my web developer
- Copyright my website
- Meet with WESST and our web designer to plan SEO and e-commerce website positioning
- Plan and implement an e-marketing program
- Meet with WESST enhance my website and target customers
- Start the process of revising my website
Financials
- Talk to the Loan Fund people
- Complete cash flow sheets
- Organize my financial portfolio
- Work to “crunch the numbers” and work out viable financials for the coffee shop
- Make an appointment with WESST to discuss pricing and a loan
Operations
- Develop a business plan
- Develop a business plan for the coffee shop, possibly an integrated plan that includes the institute
- Finish the manual by fine-tuning position descriptions
- Interview for assistant
- Remodel my office
- Finalize business plan
- Write my license agreement and call at least five possible licensees
Marketing
- Get brochures in realtor’s office
- Develop a public relations and advertising plan
- Advertise weekly in NM Business Weekly during Q-1 2009
- Get a press release published in either Business Outlook, NM Business Weekly or a combination of two-plus other combinations
- Create a budget for marketing, PR and advertising in 2009
- Develop a press release for opening
- Expand marketing and public relations program to my target audience
- Get copyright submissions up to date
- Attend more networking functions by re-joining NMACC and NAWBO
- Solidify relationship with a lead who has an “in” with horse shows
If you looked at the past 90-days, what is outstanding on your list?. Quick. List three action items to take your business to the next level during the next 90 days.
NOTE: MARKETLINK, uses Perfect Pitch, a proprietary training program developed for entrepreneurs by WESST, a nonprofit helping people start and grow their businesses. I am a certified trainer and author of the Perfect Pitch Instructor’s Manual for the MARKETLINK program.
Happy Thanksgiving!
November 26, 2008 by Mary Ellen · Leave a Comment
…Too many people in the kitchen, a mummer of conversation and laughter, football in the background…
…Crisp autumn air, piles of fallen leaves in the yard, a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood…
…The smell of turkey, a wood fire in the fireplace, and Aunt Pat’s favorite perfume…
…The farm, my brother’s house, Ann’s, Margie’s…the places we congregate for get-togethers…
Pieces of many Thanksgiving come to mind. From the turkey feast to football fest, Thanksgiving traditions make this Holiday special and a personal favorite.
“The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.” Eric Hoffer
My favorite relaxation activity, needlepoint, gave me an opportunity to craft a Thanksgiving memento, finished to perfection with ribbons and beads by Petra Dennis, The Needlewoman. It’s comprised of thousands of stitches, each representing people I’m blessed to know and connections we share.
Although the list could go on and on, here are a few items of note:
Those who follow my blog know about the migration from Blogger to WordPress and Joomla to WordPress. Thanks goes to Maria Nozza, My Graphics Notebook for making it happen. Instead of a destination, I got a process and the real work now begins.
MARKETLINK, an intensive course for entrepreneurs, which I’ve been facilitating, completes in the next two weeks. I’m grateful to each of the 13 participants for their participation and dedication. And, I’m reminded of that saying: “You never learn as much as when you teach.” I’m grateful too to WESST for giving me the opportunity to lead the group. Thank you.
AIBA – Albuquerque Independent Business Alliance – concludes another great year with a Board meeting this Wednesday. My hat is off to my fellow Board members. Thanks for your commitment and loyalty and continued service in 2009 as I move into Mary Schmidt’s big presidential shoes.
Without a doubt, I couldn’t have accomplished nearly as much without the support of my mastermind, Coach Karen Van Cleve and Coach Rachelle Disbennett-Lee. Ladies, I’m grateful for your support.
Thank you to each client. It’s been a pleasure to work with you during the past year. I appreciate your confidence in me and I’m excited about the promotions we’ve created together.
To my readers: thank you as well. Your loyalty means a lot. I look forward to our continued association.
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” William Arthur Ward
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Business Incubation: Celebrating a Decade of Success in Santa Fe
November 20, 2008 by Mary Ellen · Leave a Comment
A gala event at the historic La Fonda Hotel in Santa Fe capped the 10th Anniversary year for the Santa Fe Business Incubator. Congratulations to SFBI CEO Marie Longserre for championing an event highlighting good things within the community.
A crowd of politicos, including Former Santa Fe Mayor Debbie Jaramillo, New Mexico Cabinet Secretary for Economic Development Fred Mondragon and many others celebrated with clients, graduates and staff. Debbie Jaramillo presented her speech which launched the project in 1995. She emphasized synergistic collaboration and positive solutions to an economy dependent on tourism in that presentation; a decade later, the Incubator can trace client revenues in excess of $100 million, more than 600 jobs created and over 66 businesses served.
I was lucky enough to join a table with partners from Elemetrics Instruments, developers of a patented, breakthrough technology to detect hazardous element monitoring, 20th Century West Art Appraisal, an art appraisal business and Spa Enrichment Strategies, a retail, consulting and private label resource for spas and salons. These diverse businesses capture the essence of an incubator.
The hit of the night was a video in which Incubator clients talked about their experience. From the heartfelt story of Kokopelli Landscaping’s David and Deborah Martinez to Daryl Ehrmantraut’s prediction of Elemetrics as a $40 million company within five years, the audience was spellbound with real time stories of successful operations, collaborations, and commitments to building business the Incubator way.
Each place setting also featured a 16-page overview of Incubator history, client success and partner participation; this insert will run as a statewide supplement to the New Mexico Business Weekly newspaper later this month. Special thanks to Nancy Salem, publisher, Rebecca Lynch and Brent Woodard from NMBW for their part in the publication.
SFBI represents a reason to believe in community, a modern cache of good news and optimism in a volatile economic climate. I for one am excited to celebrate the inspiration. Congratulations to everyone involved.
Disclosure: I worked on behalf of SFBI coordinating the 10th Anniversary Project.
Hello? Anybody there? Hello? Can you hear me?
November 18, 2008 by Mary Ellen · Leave a Comment
Customer communication intrigues me. Sometimes it raises more questions.
- A tight deadline requires work over a weekend. After moving the project forward as far as possible you leave a cell message requesting follow up and get no call from the customer. What’s the next step?
- A talented, competent vendor suddenly doesn’t return phone calls or answer emails. Additional business is at stake. You’re the customer – forgotten, ignored, holding money that is apparently unwanted. Do you continue to reach out to make contact?
- An enthusiastic committee member volunteers for your organization and then always has an excuse for not attending meetings. As a volunteer, a customer, you feel a sense of tolerance and yet you’d like to address the situation and re-engage the person. What do you say?
It takes two people to communicate. In a selling situation, does the seller have more responsibility?
When communication has been interrupted, is it important to discuss the incident or simply pick up where you left off?
How do you establish communication boundaries?
How’s your communication working for you?
Art Business: Marketing for Creatives
November 13, 2008 by Mary Ellen · Leave a Comment
I’m meeting Art Business Coach Alyson Stanfield who wrote I’d Rather Be in the Studio this morning. I put her in the category of “Walk your talk.” We agreed to meet at Albuquerque’s Flying Star Downtown. Alyson plans to tour art galleries later today and there are dozens in the Downtown, Old Town and Nob Hill area.
Alyson’s book tour is in full swing – virtually and physically. She’ll be autographing copies of “I’d Rather Be in the Studio” this evening in Albuquerque. Meanwhile, she encourages bloggers to post reviews and questions and engage their own audience.
Check out the ArtBiz blog for marketing secrets, resources and motivation. Today is “Deep Thought Thursday” and Alyson’s challenge is about goals. This challenge combines a question with a six-minute podcast, part of Alyson’s action-oriented theme. While Alyson is all about artists, her info applies to any number of industries.
She’s a great model: boundless energy, new ideas, upbeat approach to life and the business of art. Kudos, Alyson!
Buy Local Rather than Bye, Local!
November 11, 2008 by Mary Ellen · Leave a Comment
Networking events and big celebrations run the risk of being boring. Happily, that wasn’t the case at last week’s annual “Keep it Querque” gala presented by the Albuquerque Independent Business Alliance.
This year’s event at Albuquerque’s Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Cultural Center had little of the ambiance of stodgy meetings. For one thing, the food, catered by Los Poblanos, was a far cry from those rubber chicken events I long to miss; I highly recommend the mini cupcakes from Slate Street Café.
The program emphasized Home Grown Marketing for Indie Businesses and two speakers addressed the theme. Steve Wedeen, owner and president at Vaughn Wedeen Creative, discussed three big words that make a difference in business: positioning, differentiation and value proposition. He managed to weave in a few stories and specific examples to showcase the benefits of “Buy Lcl.” Monte Skarsgard, better known as Farmer Monte of Los Poblanos Organics, spoke passionately about community supported agriculture and its impact on the local market. Local restaurateur and emcee, Myra Ghatis of Slate Street tied both presentations together with tales of organic eggs delivered in 200-dozen increments from Taos.
Supporting local business makes sense (dollars and cents, too) for any number of reasons, not the least of which can be that it’s fun. By way of disclosure, I’m prejudiced in favor of the organization as one of its Board members and the incoming president. I’m excited to be a part of AIBA. Here’s to vibrancy, authenticity, and independence! Look for these kind of characteristics when you look to expand your networking.
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