Archives for July 2010

Doh – My Company Is Boring !!!

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Have you thought about what the culture of your company should be?  Do you open up to your staff so they know the real you?  Why not?  Perhaps you should.

As a CEO coach, I believe that if you do open up to your staff, and share your dreams, fears, frustrations, passions, and even a bit of your silly self, they’ll attach themselves even closer to you and your company.  When CEOs show more of their ‘real’ self, employees want to help you grow.

I was at Clint Greenleafs company the other day in Austin, Texas and this life size statue of his idol showed me a bit of the real Clint.  It also was a great indication as to why his company culture is as great as it is.

For more information on this topic, check out: Building a World Class Culture.

If The Rate Of Change…

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If the rate of change outside your business, is greater than the rate of change inside your business, you’re out of business.

I was in Austin, TX this week at an EO Member’s company.  At lunch we went for a drive and they showed me a HOT trend in Austin.  Food Trailers.  And these are not your dad’s hot dog stands either.

Some of the hottest, trendiest restaurants & chefs in Austin are setting up remote restaurants in food trailers.  This is upscale fast food.  Upscale food trailers.

Think NO overhead. LOW cost. CLOSE to your customers.  And great expansion strategy that’s way out of the box.

How is your industry changing ?  I’d love to hear…

Putting Words into Practice

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Where you are with your business and where you want to be are two entirely different things for most organizations.

Most CEOs I mentor at one stage had companies that were struggling to grow.

So don’t be put off by the process of identifying strengths and weaknesses. It’s not easy.

One of the best tools for getting started with crafting your Vivid Vision (formerly Painted Picture) is to begin with an inventory of your company or business areas as they stand today. One of my favorite ways to do this is through a SWOT Analysis, which will determine your ‘Current State’.

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.

Sitting down to analyze each of these terms as it relates to your company can be extremely eye-opening.

Before you begin creating your Vivid Vision, do a SWOT Analysis. I advise CEO’s that I coach to give all of the key people in your company or leadership team a stack of Post-It Notes (or any small pieces of paper).  Give them ten minutes at most to write down one idea per note pertaining to of the four areas represented by SWOT.  When time is up, have each person read each of their notes out loud and post them up on a wall by category (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats).

After everyone does this, start taking stock of the current state of your company, and where you want to be headed in the future. This will give shape to the key projects you need to complete in order to make the future happen the way you want it to.  Those projects will serve as the basis for your Vivid Vision, and the starting point for your own process of reverse engineering.

What have you learned in any recent SWOTs you’ve done.

Who’s Dressing You?

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53bFor the last couple of months Robert Graham Designs has been dressing me for all my speaking events, and social engagements where I’m around other CEOs and business people.

Yesterday while attending a charity event in the city filled with Vancouver business elite I was asked 5 times where I got the shirt I was wearing. a) Made me feel great cuz no one asked when I was wearing a boring button down and b) Robert Graham Designs got more word of mouth and buzz being generated.

You’ll see me for the rest of 2010 & 2011 wearing Robert Graham clothing. The brand’s Credo “Knowledge Wisdom Truth” is embroidered on every shirt. As a business coach and mentor, I always want to look my best when I talk to CEO’s all over the world. Who’s dressing you?

For more information on this topic, check out: Generating Free PR.

When to Measure Company Metrics

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Once you know what key numbers to measure in your company you then need to decide who will be responsible for them and how often the data will be reviewed, whether it’s daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly.

The key to making these metrics work is having a good single point accountable or “SPA” person that can really dig into the different areas, rather than you simply “playing businessman” and watching the reports instead of proactively growing the business. With regular attention to metrics, you’ll be able to notice important patterns, some of which may service as warning signs or opportunities for growth.

Measurement doesn’t have to be too sophisticated; one simple thing I do to help decide what metrics to even measure is build a simple spreadsheet with columns showing the metric in question, who is responsible for it, when it will be reviewed, its status, and so forth.

Once a year I have the CEOs I mentor look and examine the frequency of the metrics they are measuring.  It’s key to adjust how often you’ll review each one going forward.  Did you have enough data at your fingertips this past year?  Would more or less frequency for each have helped you? Make sure you answer these questions.

Remember: don’t turn this into a paper-pushing exercise or “analysis paralysis,” either. Keep it simple.

What Would Grandma Do??

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Grandmothers are chock full of wisdom. As a business coach and mentor, I suggest that when you’re thinking about running your business, think about the simplicity of grandmother’s rules, and make sure they’re incorporated into the way you run your business.

Simple, handwritten thank you notes go miles. Nothing beats a handwritten thank you note.  It’s even more powerful today in our fleeting, electronic world. Getting a handwritten note means you took the time to say thank you the right way.

Jack Daly takes the handwritten thank you note one step further. Jack takes photos of himself with people, often in fun situations.  He then uploads those photos to Shutterfly.com, SendOutCards.com or a similar website where he can quickly type up a personal note.  Then presto, Shutterfly mails the card to the person’s address for Jack. Those cards don’t get thrown away.  Instead, they stay as little marketing reminders to his friends.

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Meetings Suck: Turning One Of The Most Loathed Elements Of Business Into One Of The Most Valuable

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We all know that meetings suck, right?

You hear it all the time. It’s the one thing that almost everyone in business can agree on.

Except it’s not actually true… 

Meetings don’t suck.

We just suck at running meetings.   

When done right, meetings not only work, they make people and companies better.

In Meetings Suck, world renowned business expert and growth guru Cameron Herold teaches you how to use focused, time effective meetings to help you and your company soar.

This book shows you immediately actionable, step-by-step systems that ensure that you and everyone in your organization improves your meetings, right away.

In the process, you’ll turn meetings that suck into meetings that work. 

In life, we always hear about people who’ve made huge decisions from their gut – without data.Today, I want you to make a decision, not only from your gut, but also from some data.  A decision that is only $12 per employee but will be priceless for your business.

Right now, your gut is telling you something is wrong with your company’s meetings.  You KNOW everyone complains about meetings.

People HATE going to them, they HATE running them, and they really have NO idea which meetings are truly necessary but they hold meetings simply because they think that is what they SHOULD do.

Even some of the smartest CEOs in the world complain about meetings – Elon Musk publicly told employees at Tesla & SpaceX to walk out of meetings if they weren’t being run properly.

I sent Elon a message saying that wasn’t going to fix anything – the key is to fix the root of the problem – NOT continue to ignore why meetings suck.

A Meeting is – Any phone call, video call or occasion where 2 or more people meet to discuss or work-through office topics.

Most employees on average spend 1-2 hours per day in meetings.

And likely, none of those employees – front-line staff or leaders – have had any training on how to attend meetings or participate in them, LET ALONE How to RUN THEM.

Consider this…

If the Average employee spends just 1 Hour per day in meetings – that’s 1/8th of their time.

If the Average employee earns $50,000 per year.

And they’re spending 1/8th of their time in meetings, that means you’re paying $6,250 dollars per year for just ONE employee to attend meetings.

The reality is, employees spend 1/8th of their time – and 1/8th of your company’s payroll – doing something they have literally NO idea how to do.

The Reality is…

95% of employees are booking & leading meetings – and they have NEVER been trained on how to run them.

95% of employees have had NO training on how to show up and participate in the meetings they attend daily.

And 95% of employees and companies have no idea what meetings are even necessary to hold.

Meetings CAN be hugely effective – IF you know how to run them

Meetings don’t SUCK, we just SUCK at running meetings. 

Investing $15 per employee – to help ensure the $50,000 a year you spend on them is an obvious and easy choice.

This could be the most impactful $15 you’ll ever spend and will save the company’s money, time and resources instantly.

Buying a copy of Meetings Suck for 100% of your employees and having them read it this month will have a huge impact on your company’s success.

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Free PR: How To Get Chased By The Press Without Hiring A PR Firm

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Public relations has always been an essential part of doing business which is probably why you’re shelling out big money to an outside PR firm. But the truth is that you don’t need them. You already have all the necessary tools in-house to do as good a job as the so-called experts. 

Cameron Herold and Adrian Salamunovic have taught thousands of company execs how to exploit free media coverage and ditch these expensive, often ineffective outsiders. 

Cameron & Adrian have also built in-house PR teams, spent decades learning how to generate Free PR and how to leverage public relations to complement their sales and marketing strategy. 

In Free PR, you’ll learn how the media world operates while you gain invaluable insider knowledge and actionable advice on how to: 

  • Build your own in-house PR team
  • Provide effective interviews
  • Score great media coverage for free with just a few easy steps 

Landing public relations coverage for yourself and your company is a powerful tool to help elevate your personal brand. PR is easier to generate than marketing, PR is easier to leverage than marketing and PR is more cost effective than marketing. In other words, Public Relations is more critical than ever in growing your brand and your business. 

You’ve got more passion, commitment, a larger stake, and a deeper understanding of your business than any outside PR firm could ever have. So stop wasting money and take the reins yourself.  Learn the secrets to landing TONS of Free PR for your company.

What they’re saying:

“I think PR is the core for promoting any business. Public relations acquires customers! That’s what’s cool about this book.”

– Kevin O’Leary,  Shark on ABC’s Shark Tank

“The ultimate guidebook for those looking to get press, grow their brand, and get in front of the masses. Free PR is the roadmap you’ve been looking for.”

– Peter Shankman, Founder, Help a Reporter Out (HARO)

“Adrian and Cameron will show you the secrets of getting massive exposure for your business. This book is packed with actionable insights from two guys that actually know how to to do it.”

– Dan Martell,  Serial Entrepreneur & Investor (Intercom.io, Unbounce)

“I told Cameron to write the book on generating free PR. I’m excited to see that he’s finally sharing his secrets with the world. This is a must read for any entrepreneurial company and marketing team.”

– Verne Harnish, Founder of Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) and author of Scaling Up (Rockefeller Habits 2.0)

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Vivid Vision: A Remarkable Tool For Aligning Your Business Around a Shared Vision of the Future

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Many corporations have slick, flashy mission statements that ultimately do little to motivate employees and less to impress customers, investors, and partners. 

But there is a way to share your excitement for the future of your company in a clear, compelling, and powerful way and entrepreneur and business growth expert Cameron Herold can show you how. 

Vivid Vision is a revolutionary tool that will help owners, CEOs, and senior managers create inspirational, detailed, and actionable three-year mission statements for their companies. In this easy-to-follow guide, Herold walks organization leaders through the simple steps to creating their own Vivid Vision, from brainstorming to sharing the ideas to using the document to drive progress in the years to come. 

By focusing on mapping out how you see your company looking and feeling in every category of business, without getting bogged down by data and numbers or how it will happen, Vivid Vision creates a holistic road map to success that will get all of your teammates passionate about the big picture. 

Your company is your dream, one that you want to share with your staff, clients, and stakeholders. Vivid Vision is the tool you need to make that dream a reality.

miracle-morning

The Miracle Morning for
Entrepreneurs: Elevate Your SELF to
Elevate Your BUSINESS

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READY FOR EXPLOSIVE GROWTH AS AN ENTREPRENEUR AND ACCELERATED SUCCESS IN THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?

A step-by-step guide to enjoying the roller-coaster ride of growth — while getting the most out of life as an entrepreneur. A growth-focused approach: The book is divided into three sections, which cover planning for fast growth, building a company for fast growth, and leading for fast growth. Each topic the author covers — from creating a vision for the company’s future to learning how to generate free PR for a developing company — is squarely focused on the end goal: doubling the size of the entrepreneur’s company in three years or less. A down-to-earth action plan: Herold’s experienced-based advice never gets bogged down in generalities or theory. Instead, he offers a wealth of practical tips, including: How to design meetings for maximum efficiency; How to hire top-quality talent; How to grow in particularly tough markets; How to put together a board of advisors — even for a smaller company; How even the busy entrepreneur can achieve a work/life balance.

READY FOR EXPLOSIVE GROWTH AS AN ENTREPRENEUR AND ACCELERATED SUCCESS IN THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?

Hal Elrod’sThe Miracle Morning has helped redefine the mornings and the lives of millions of readers since 2012. Since then, careers have been launched, goals have been met, and dreams have been realized, all through the power of the Miracle Morning’s six Life S.A.V.E.R.S.

THESE SIX DAILY PRACTICES WILL FUEL YOUR EFFORTS TO CREATE AND SUSTAIN POSITIVE CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE.

Now The Miracle Morning for Entrepreneurs brings you these principles in a whole new light—alongside the Entrepreneurial Elevation Principles and the Entrepreneur’s Elevation Skills. These are essential skills that you need to create a successful business and personal life. Cameron Herold— Bestselling Author and a widely-respected expert on entrepreneurial mindset—brings his wisdom and insight to you using Hal Elrod’s powerful Miracle Morning framework.

DEVELOP A VISION FOR YOUR BUSINESS, AND BECOME THE INFLUENTIAL AND INSPIRING LEADER YOU WERE ALWAYS MEANT TO BE.

The principles and skills you’ll find in this book will help you to channel your passion and achieve balance in a remarkable new way. – Learn why mornings matter more than you think – Learn how to master your own self-leadership and accelerate your personal development – Learn how to manage your energy—physical, mental, and emotional – Learn how to implement Hal Elrod’s invaluable Life S.A.V.E.R.S. in your daily routine – And much more… You’re already an entrepreneur. Now discover how to take your success to the next level by first taking yourself to the next level. The Miracle Morning for Entrepreneurs is your roadmap to masterfully building an empire with a powerful vision, utilizing your areas of personal genius, with the right team at your side.

Start giving your business and your life the very best opportunities for success, right now.

double-double

Double Double: How To Double Your Revenue And Profit In 3 Years Or Less​

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A step-by-step guide to enjoying the roller-coaster ride of growth — while getting the most out of life as an entrepreneur. A growth-focused approach: The book is divided into three sections, which cover planning for fast growth, building a company for fast growth, and leading for fast growth. Each topic the author covers — from creating a vision for the company’s future to learning how to generate free PR for a developing company — is squarely focused on the end goal: doubling the size of the entrepreneur’s company in three years or less. A down-to-earth action plan: Herold’s experienced-based advice never gets bogged down in generalities or theory. Instead, he offers a wealth of practical tips, including: How to design meetings for maximum efficiency; How to hire top-quality talent; How to grow in particularly tough markets; How to put together a board of advisors — even for a smaller company; How even the busy entrepreneur can achieve a work/life balance.