Successful Blog

Forget About Your Ship Coming In – Think about the Captain

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For @ChrisCree , @SheilaS , and @BeckyMcCray

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about how often we end up looking and caring in the wrong direction.

A friend is going for a job or a contract and does everything she can to be all that person wants. Then hears “I’m sorry, but you’re just not a great fit for this job.” She’s so involved in that one position that she’s crushed and any other option is a loss.

Another person so needs a sponsor to move his project forward. He puts together what is a most compelling argument. The potential partner, unfortunately, doesn’t have the resources to help. He sees time lost and his inability to convince someone.

Both are waiting for their ship to come in.

Every day I talk to someone who’s got a grand plan for how things will lay out or how things should be, will be, if only that ship comes in. Listening to them talk you can almost see that ship in the distance on the horizon. The hidden assumption is that the ship will come in and pick them up.

That’s the problem, even if that is a ship in the distance, you don’t own it. Who knows where it’s going? Even if it comes in, where it goes is up to the captain.

What if we slightly shift our vision — stop looking at that one ship and starting thinking about a world full of captains?

Sometimes the harbor is filled with ships waiting to take on working staff and paying passengers. Sometimes is not. But one thing’s sure more than most. Some of people who run the ships have gotten to know each other.

It’s the person, not the job or the sponsorship, that my two friends should be tracking … care about the “captain,” not the ship. Lots of folks have reasons to want to ride along with them for some reason. You can’t negotiate your way on board if the right person doesn’t care about you.

If you want a chance at the real opportunity …

Get the “captain” to fall in love with your vision and to believe in its reality. Move the “captain” to feel like a hero and smart for helping you.

You see …

Even if the captain’s ship isn’t going where we’re going, that person still knows a whole network of other “captains.” If we communicate the value of what we’re doing, chances are most captains will start looking for a ship going in our direction.

Care about the captain and not the ship.

How can you shift your vision to the people who can get you where you’re going?

Liz's Signature

Social Media Book List: Interview with Author Joe Heuer aka The Rock and Roll Guru

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A Weekly Series by Teresa Morrow

I’m Teresa Morrow, Founder of Key Business Partners, LLC and I work with authors and writers by managing their online promotion. As part of my job I read a lot of books (and I love to read anyway!). I am here to offer a weekly post about one book I am working with and one book I have put on my reading list. This week I decided to doing something a little different…an interview with one of the authors I have highlighted on my weekly series. The books will cover topics such as social media (Facebook and Twitter), organization, career building, networking, writing and self development and inspiration.

#DreamTweet

joeheuers


Please share with the readers a bit more about you and your background?
I’ve been fortunate to do some really groovy things in my life, from coaching college basketball to writing books and speaking. I’ve always chosen projects to work on and books to write by order of deliciousness…in other words, I base the vast majority of my decisions on what I think will be the most fun. I believe if you always do fun things, there will always be plenty of fun things to do. That’s my personal mantra, as well as my business plan.

It is true, even though you have an immense love for rock and roll, you have never been in a rock band?
I don’t play an instrument and I’ve never been in a band. However, I have been to hundreds of concerts by my favorite rockers.

With your book, #Dream Tweet, it is all about inspiration. What does inspiration mean to you at its core?
According to my rock & roll philosophy, inspiration is a synonym for fun and joy and passion and appreciation. When we’re inspired we’re groovin’ on what we’re doing all the way down to our toes. It’s when we feel most alive and in tune with the universe.

How did you become interested in the rock and roll so much that you made a living out of it?

Rock & Roll has been my muse and my passion since I was a small child. My older brother swears I could sing entire Beatles albums by the time I was four years old, which was in 1965. I also remember him bringing home the early Dylan stuff and between that and the Beatles, the die was cast and I was a rocker. It’s been my constant companion ever since.

Share with the readers about your book, #DreamTweet.
I’m blessed to be living my dream as the Rock and Roll Guru. Seriously, is there a cooler job title in the world? I wanted to share my thought process for living my dream, because it’s not at all complicated. The book is about creating a dream, taking inspired action, having a ton of fun and detaching from the outcome while groovin’ on the journey (the journey of life, not the band Journey).

For those wishing to live their dreams but don’t know where to start, what is your advice?

Focus on what you love to do, and make time to do more of it. Do what you love in the spirit of service with all the joy & passion you can summon. Live in appreciation and be open to opportunity, knowing you can design your life around your passion and dreams, whether that means making it your career or business or hobby or whatever floats your boat.

You are a speaker as well as an author. What advice do you have for those who are beginning a speaking career?

Speak as often as possible and get really good before you start asking to be paid.

What is next for the Rock and Roll Guru?

I’m totally stoked about another book I have coming out next month titled The Rock and Roll Guide to Customer Loyalty. I’m probably the first person to interpret customer service/customer loyalty in terms of rock & roll. We’re making the ebook available for free at RockandRollGuru.com, and that will be up on the site within the next week. No strings attached. You don’t have to register or give us your email address. Just download the pdf. Of course, if people like it they can also buy a copy of the printed version…or many copies to give as gifts.

My other hugely fun project right now is the Rock & Roll Dictionary. It has been an absolute blast working on this, as I use my Daffynitions approach to explain my favorite rock stars. I’m thinking I might finish it this summer…or not, as the spirit moves me.

Here is a fun question just for fun sake. What is your favorite album?

My favorite album is whatever is on my turntable right now…or what’s in the car stereo…or what I’m listening to on my iPod as I go walking.
How can people stay in touch with you and purchase copies of your book, #DreamTweet?
My Rock & Roll headquarters is RockandRollGuru.com. You can find all my books here or at your favorite online bookstore. For a daily dose of fun you can also follow me at both twitter.com/rockandrollguru and twitter.com/daffynitions

Have the BIG Idea for the Next Twitter? What’s that Worth?

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A Guest Post by Carol Roth

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What if you had the BIG IDEA that trumps Twitter — the one that could get everyone to leave the Fail Whale for your newly imagined super-site? Or maybe your idea is for the next VitaminWater or Under Armour – what would that be worth?

You may know someone who came up with a great idea, or maybe you came up with one yourself – an idea that someone else pursued and made major money from. If you could just find a way to get paid for thinking of the next big business idea, you would be set for life. .

The problem is, you can’t.

The biggest bummer about business is that the ideas behind them aren’t worth anything. As Chris Brogan says, “I could totally do that doesn’t mean anything if you don’t.”

A penny for your thoughts … if you’re lucky

Nobody whose head is screwed on straight will buy a business idea from you (or anyone else) because any value related to a business idea is in its implementation. Maybe if you give someone a business idea they will one day send you a coupon for a free product, but that is about it.

The further something gets away from an idea, the more value that exists. Things like

  • customers
  • profits
  • innovative technology
  • competitive barriers to entry

create value.

The reality of the lack of value in business ideas is a shock and a disappointment to many people who want to get compensated for thinking of “the next big thing.”

Sure, the idea kicks off setting the business in motion, but coming up with an idea is a one-time thing that isn’t particularly difficult, doesn’t require much risk and doesn’t take a lot of work. Even if you laid in your bed fine-tuning the idea every night before you went to sleep for six months, this work pales in comparison to the amount of work required to get the business started and to make it successful. The more action you take and the greater the results that you achieve from that action, the more value you will create.

That BIG Idea for the next Twitter, Vitamin Water or Under Armour really isn’t worth anything at all.

All of the other facets of starting and running the business, of which there are many, are quite difficult to do. They require a lot of risk to do and to do well. They aren’t done once, but have to be attended to on pretty much a daily basis. They take a lot of hard work. So, in looking at this whole thing we call a business, would you place a lot of value on a one-time idea that took no risk to produce, or on the other myriad tasks that have to be done indefinitely, day-in and day-out, that take a ton of risk and hard work?

Bottom line: It’s not the idea; it’s the execution over time that counts.

Are you ready to put the work into that BIG Idea of yours?

—–
Carol Roth writes Unsolicited Business Advice (TM) or aspiring entrepreneurs, solopreneurs and other small business owners, at CarolRoth.com You can find her on Twitter as @CaroJSRoth

Thanks, Carol. Ideas are everywhere. Execution is not.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
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“Is your personal Web site an embarrassing entrance to your online house?”

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A Post on Web Identity by Sheila Scarborough

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If someone wants to know more about you before deciding to do business with you, they do not want to have to sort out your all-over-the-place lifestreaming babble on Twitter or Facebook or your 3 different blogs (at least no one probably wants to dig through mine!)

They want to be able to go to one place and quickly figure out what you’re all about.

The question is, in the fragmented social Web, which is the one site where people can go to find out what they need to know about you and your talents….and is that site an accurate representation of your various talents, skills and current interests?

I’ll bet that place is not your personal Web site.

You know the URL I mean: www.YourName.com that you bought years ago, stuck into a basic site design template with a few links and a photo – WooHoo 2005! – and then ignored because you went off to start a blog (which was vastly more entertaining and malleable than a dumb old static Web site.)

Here’s the problem….if you Google yourself, where does that website show up in the search engine results? If you’re like me, it’s at the very top, sometimes even above the blogs, LinkedIn profile, etc.

Your most disheveled online self is the first one that many strangers see. It’s not only your digital bra strap showing, it’s your pants on the ground!

Google my name, and the first thing that pops up is my clunky, unloved, ignored Web site that I set up to be a freelance print writer’s portfolio exactly 9-12 months before I realized that I didn’t want to be just a print writer. Since I’ve lost interest in the original purpose, I’ve lost interest in the site.

Sure, it is one-stop shopping for all of my projects and I do keep it updated, but it is a visual wasteland and I’m too cheap to spend any money on it. I’m embarrassed to include the URL on my business cards even though it would be easier for my customers to find me there. I have the URL in my standard email signature, but I often erase it before I hit “Send” because the blog URLs that are also in my signature are much more reflective of my best work “here and now.”

This is absurd, but what can one do with the blasted things? There’s probably a solid place for that site in your online portfolio, but you and I both need to figure out how it fits who we are and where we’re going. The answer is to either suck it up and spend time/money on a redesign, or do something now to make it less embarrassing.

One possibility: why not turn it into a nice jumping-off point for your many endeavors? If people are going to show up at that URL, give them something nice to look at and then get them the heck out of there.

Steal this idea – and I probably will, too – a “business card” landing page on your personal name site that only exists to send visitors over to the real party. For example, look at Becky McCray’s site. She has a (professionally made) welcoming photo on one page, with links to all of the other sandboxes where she works and plays. People can scroll down, pick one and launch.

Obviously, control your own domain name on the Web when it is possible to do so, then put a site there that is worthy of you. You’ve worked hard to have a respected name and reputation; ensure that your personal site reflects that as much as the rest of your online “house.”

Is your personal Web site an embarrassing entrance to your online house?

—–
Sheila Scarborough writes at Sheila’s Guide to Good Stuff , for Family Travel Guide and the Perceptive Travel Blog. She also covers drag racing for Fast Machines. Tourism Currents is what she’ll be talking about at SOBCon this year. You’ll find her on Twitter as @sheilas

As always, Sheila, I loved every word of it!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz on your business!!

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Social Media Book List: Get Upbeat and do some Savvy Business Promoting

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A Weekly Series by Teresa Morrow

I’m Teresa Morrow, Founder of Key Business Partners, LLC and I work with authors and writers by managing their online promotion. As part of my job I read a lot of books (and I love to read anyway!). I am here to offer a weekly post about one author I am working with and one book I have put on my reading list. The books will cover topics such as social media (Facebook and Twitter), organization, career building, networking, writing and self development and inspiration.

Upbeat by Rajesh Setty

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This week I would like to start off with a book I have read and have worked with entitled Upbeat by Rajesh Setty.

This compact book is filled with wonderful ideas and strategies to help any business owner or entrepreneur get out of the “jam” they may be filling at the time.

Here are a few tips from Upbeat I would like to share with you:

1) Be Accountable to Yourself – “Recession time is hard on everyone but that does not mean that you should go into a state of inertia, waiting for the times to pass.”—>The time is now. Take inspired action to do something today to get to where you want to be. Sitting down and doing nothing will get you just that…nothing.

2) Be Grateful – “Yes, you are frustrated, things are not going well, and most of it is not your fault. However, do remember that in the general scheme of things you are lucky enough to have the opportunity to think and do something about it.” –> Take some time to embrace the blessings in your life. Write them down even and you will be amazed at how many things you have in your life to be grateful for. When you are grateful, the positive energy comes out of you and into other people’s lives.

3) The Discipline – “Like any good idea, discipline is very easy to grasp an an idea but has no value unless it is implemented–and well. Quote by Jim Rohn “Every disciplined effort has multiple rewards”. –>things take time to come together and become successful. However, if you don’t start creating action to make those things happen, it won’t.

See, and those are just a few golden nuggets from Rajesh’s book, Upbeat.

About the Author:
Rajesh’s mission in life is to bring good ideas to life. With love!

Rajesh is involved in a few companies in some combination as a founder, operating executive, board member and/or an investor. Apart from that, he has written a few books and is working on a number of them. His first book was published at the age of thirteen. While he is not building companies or writing, he enjoys speaking at conferences and company events.

You can read his latest thoughts on his blog Life Beyond Code or on Twitter at UpbeatNow. If you are really curious to know the events that shaped his thinking, you can read his story so far here.

Rajesh lives in the Silicon Valley with his wife Kavitha and son Sumukh.

You can pick up your copy of Upbeat at Amazon.

Masters of Sales

Secrets from Top Sales Professionals that will transform you into a World Class Salesperson

Now is time for me to showcase a book I have not read but it is on my reading list. This week my choice is Masters of Sales by Ivan R. Misner, Ph.D and Don Morgan, M.A.

Bursting with valuable advice from Jack Canfield, Anthony Robbins, Keith Ferrazzi, Tom Hopkins, Al Lautenslager and more than 70 other masters of the art of selling, this exclusive compilation of the best sales strategies ever known puts you on the fast track to sales success.

Just a short but poignant business lesson of what I read by just picking up the book once:
This is a excerpt about Janet Attwood (speaker, trainer,author)–
“A persistent attitude is mandatory for success in any endeavor, including sales. You may need to stop banging your head against the wall and change directions, but don’t stop too early–you might be closer to success than you realize! Listen to your intuitions, and you can make a lot of money!

About the Authors:
Dr. Ivan Misner is the Founder & Chairman of BNI, the world’s largest business networking organization . BNI was founded in 1985. The organization has thousands of chapters throughout every populated continent of the world. Each year, BNI generates millions referrals resulting in billions dollars worth of business for its members.

Dr. Misner’s Ph.D. is from the University of Southern California. He has written nine books, including his New York Times best seller, Masters of Networking and his #1 bestsellers, Truth or Delusion, and Masters of Success.

You can pick up your copy of Masters of Sales on Amazon.

What Makes a Great Working Relationship Actually Work?

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Who Does the Work? Who Benefits?

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I’ve been a freelance writer, an online publisher, and a strategic consultant. I’ve handled a multi-state whole sale consumer products accounts, selling to big chains and to mom and pop stores. I’ve presented huge educational programs to state boards of education and made deals with publishers on four continents. I’ve built a successful conference and convinced big brand sponsors to partner with us. I led the strategy that turned around a failing company. Most of what I know about getting folks to work with me I’ve learned the hard way, by doing things wrong and adjusting out when those things didn’t work.

But I pay attention … especially to one question that makes a working relationship actually work.

Working relationships work because an exchange of value occurs. Value can be currency, time, resources, risk, or sharing a network. Somehow in the best working relationships a balance seems to keep itself, without any party too closely monitoring the score.

So if you’re looking to start a new working relationship, you might want to do a little more work before you event start.

  • Know what you offer to the partnership. What can you bring that I don’t have, but would help me to my goals?
  • Know what you ask of it. What could I offer in return that would do the same for you?
  • Make sure the two are balanced, aligned, defined, and limited in scope. “I”ll do X. What I ask is you do Y. Those two things should move us both forward. Would that work for you? We could try it once as a proof of concept to see whether it works.”
  • Then consider that a promise, a pact, a contract made in your words so that you work your butt off to keep to it.

Investors call that “share risk, share the benefit.”
Working partnership might think of it as “share the workload, share the win.”

It’s a great way to get everyone working at what we do well and still get everything done. It’s also a great way to make an offer to a new client.

What makes your great working relationships work?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!