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| Snafus Make Better Companies | It’s Valentine’s Day 2007. There is a terrible storm plaguing the Northeast with ice and snow. Most airlines have canceled flights. But JetBlue, a newer, innovative, popular airline, is betting the weather would clear up enough for a few flights. Well, the bet didn’t pay off. The decision not to cancel flights created the largest […] | | 5/12/2009 3:01:37 PM |
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| 5 Ways to Say “No” to Being Predictable | Small business owners need to refuse to be predictable and average in this economic climate. A review of Pete Carroll's approach to life and coaching as a way to be unpredictable. | | 3/2/2009 3:06:51 PM |
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| Creative Freedom of a Restrictive Economy | The latest issue of Wired has a special feature on design. The subject that they hit upon is one that is close to my heart. Here is the article. They are designing in a medium that predates embedded video and infographics. It is a blank white rectangle. “At Wired, our design team sees this as […] | | 2/24/2009 9:14:00 PM |
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| How to make sure no one will read your blog (or listen to your ideas) | After only a few months at this blogging thing, I think that I have found something that I can truly say I have incredible perspective on: being a terrible blogger. The blogging world has a set of values and ideas. I am certain that this phenomenon will make for the kind of stuff that fine […] | | 1/31/2009 4:02:35 AM |
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| What Does Success Look Like? | Is your company a success?
This is a question I've received from time to time since I became a business owner in 2007. My response? "What's your definition of success?"
It's a tough question to answer because success could mean a variety of things. Is it 10% profits? Low turnover? Extra time with your children? Not living paycheck to paycheck? Survival? Large paycheck?
The definition of success is different for everyone. The problem is that we often let others define success for us. We see other businesses that have more employees or more offerings or bigger offices and we all the sudden shift our definition of success.
Is that wise? Not in my opinion.
Social media has exasperated this issue when each post becomes a competition to see who is more valuable, reliable, wonderful, etc. It's like little league parents on steroids.
Bottom line: You can't judge yourself (or base your idea of success) on someone else. Not in business or in life. We all come from different backgrounds and experiences. For example, I can't judge my small firm based on a much larger, nationwide company I'll never measure up. I can only judge my company on where it was 10 years ago or 5 years ago. We can only judge ourselves based on where we came from.
In this pursuit of success (mainly defined by others), many businesses loose site of their focus and the vision they built their company on in the first place.
Define your own success and focus on your vision. Don't try and measure up based on what others are accomplishing.
So, what is my definition of success: profitable company at the end of each year, eagerness to come to work each morning, and having fun each day. Today, my company is a success.
-Ron Ameln, SBM | | 4/4/2013 12:15:00 PM |
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| Are You Meeting Employee Needs? | I had a great conversation today with Dr. David "Doc" Vik, former culture coach at Zappos. Vik, who is now an author (He has a new book out, "The Culture Secret: How to Empower People and Companies No Matter What You Sell.")
We talked for an upcoming culture article that will highlight some of Vik's views on building a successful culture (see that article soon in SBM). I did, however, want to share some of Vik's ideas on what employees need. I have highlighted the three things he believes employees need. See how your company stacks up:
1. Purpose. Employees today don't want to waste time. They've seen their parents, family, friends, etc. work like dogs and then get let go in an instance. So, today's employees don't want to waste their time. They are looking for value. They want to know that what they do matters.
2. Autonomy. They want some freedom to solve problems and help the company succeed. They don't want to be micro-managed.
3. Compensation. They want to make a decent living. This certainly hasn't changed over the years.
Hit all three of these and your company won't have a problem attracting and retaining the best employees. "If leaders don't think they have to focus on attracting and retaining the best employees in today's hyper competitive war for talent, they are living in the past," Vik said. "The employees and customers of today have a choice and a voice. Take care of your people, never stop innovating and leave customers wowed."
-Ron Ameln, SBM | | 4/2/2013 9:57:00 PM |
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| Advertising Basics For Growing Businesses | Bruce Kupper, founding partner of Black Twig Communications, gave a great presentation on marketing and advertising at a recent Commerce Bank Small Business Network meeting.
One of his key points focused on building a strong customer database. "Businesses always seem to be searching for new clients and ignoring their current clients," Kupper said. "Build on the customers you have."
He also talked about some basic advertising strategies most growing businesses are ignoring today. For example:
Retailers, low frequency/high recency. Retailers never know when the time is right for a prospect to need their services. So, it doesn't make sense to do heavy advertising all at once, according to Kupper. That's why he believes, for retailers, in smaller positions (spots, ads) that extend over a longer period of time.
B-to-B, surveys, tests, trials (trial offers), new products, new executions. B-to-B marketers need to secure access. These types of campaigns help marketers locate those who might utilize their products and services.
B-to-C, product benefits, uniqueness, production/development story. Testimonials are big with this group and ads that tell consumers this product or service is something they need to buy.
All in all, Kupper believes 3rd party endorsements are the keys to building confidence and trust. Testimonials, case studies and success stories will help businesses accomplish this feat.
--Ron Ameln, SBM | | 3/28/2013 10:46:00 AM |
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| How Are You Perceived? | How are people viewing you? Do you know?
This week SBM brought in Peter Strople for our Top 100 People To Know Award luncheon. Peter, better known as the Most Connected Man In America, asked the audience these questions.
They are great questions. As business owners, we spend so much time and energy trying to satisfy our current clients and woo new clients, we never really step back and discover how we are being perceived in the marketplace.
And perception is reality.
Peter challenged everyone in the audience to sit their customers and prospects down and ask them. You might be surprised at the response.
--Ron Ameln, SBM | | 3/22/2013 10:52:00 PM |
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| Foundation For Growth: People Helping Others Succeed | There is always a lot of talk around town on what the region can do to create a better environment for entrepreneurial success.
Do we need a China hub? Do we need more incubators? More venture capital? More angel investors? More universities? You get the point.
All of those things are important. No question.
However, what we really need is more people helping others. We need more people stepping up to unselfishly help others succeed.
This means we need more larger companies taking smaller, younger firms under their wing to incubate them, helping them grow and introducing them to possible contacts.
This means we need more smaller companies doing the same things with even smaller companies.
This means we need all of them to encourage our children to think about entrepreneurship.
If we want to be known as a community for entrepreneurs, we first need to be a community that is willing to reach out and help others succeed. Not for any personal or financial gain, just to help others succeed.
If we can accomplish this feat, every entrepreneur will find us.
-Ron Ameln, SBM | | 3/18/2013 10:09:00 PM |
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