Archives for July 2013

An Inquisition to Call Your Own

The entrepreneurs I know possess a dazzling list of skills. They’re good at math, have incredible vision, boundless energy and positivity.

But conducting job interviews?  Not so much.

Most of them kinda suck at it aren’t very good at it.

Maybe it’s because as self-made businesspeople, they’ve been through so few interviews themselves. Or, without proper HR training, perhaps they’re afraid they’ll break any of the plethora of privacy laws that loom over the process.

Whatever the reason, it’s been my experience that most young entrepreneurs would have more luck picking an A-level candidate out of a police line up then they would from an interview.

But I’m here to tell you to skip the HR night classes and to hold off contracting that expensive recruiting firm. It’s been my experience that you find out just about anything you need to know about potential employees during a semi-formal group interview.

I’m a firm believer in the power of the group interview. Obviously, it cuts back on the amount of time have to spend in interviews. But more importantly, it gives you instant insight into the leadership skills and culture fit of the candidates.

Ask the group any question (I’ve even used “What’s your favorite movie?”) and look to see who steps up to answer first (usually a good indicator of leadership) or look to see who interrupts or monopolizes time (a massive, glowing, neon red flag).

And since I suggest, that if you want to hire A Players, you need at least 200 resumes for each position you’re looking to fill, the group interview helps you weed out a lot of duds quickly. Remember, you aren’t necessarily trying to pinpoint the most suitable candidate in this portion of the process, just screening for cultural fit.

Of course, just hiring based on how well a candidate fits into your company’s culture is a surefire way to give yourself migraines. In today’s speed-of-light-paced business world, the old adage “hire for attitude, train for skills” no longer applies.

Once you cull your list in the group interview, you’ll need to get down to some serious, gritty, old-fashioned one-on-one interviewing to really determine who can best fill your role.

Forget all the fluffy, HR-centric scenario questions. These almost always just result in the interviewee saying what they think needs to be said.

Instead, focus on specific questions that relate to your company and the candidate’s potential role within it.

And remember, there’s a certain amount of… embellishment that goes on in any interview. Be sure to ask for proven past experience, and don’t be afraid to keep pressing if your gut tells you something is amiss.

Always remember, an interview is a two way street; you are screen potential employees as much as they are screen you as a prospective place to work. But keep it professional, organized and on point and you’ll undoubtedly find the perfect fit.

Slay The Dragon Today – I Dare You to Do This…

 

 

I dare you .  Today.  Write down the TOP 1 thing that you NEED to get done.

Then do it. Now.

Get out of FaceBook.  Get off Twitter & LinkedIn & Pintrest.  Stop replying to random emails.

You’ll never get everything on your list done.  However, IF you write down your Top 1 – 5 things you need to get done, each day.  And If you start working on item one, you’ll get a lot more of the important stuff done than you do normally.

I dare you.  Focus.  Just for one task even.

Try it today.  Prove me wrong 😉

Or waste your time in the email vortex of hell, doing random busy work.  You can’t get more time.  You can get more focused.

It’s about doing the critical few things, not the important many.

More great tips on Focus here – in chapters 9 & 13.

If You Build It, They Will Come…

 

Any time I do keynote speaking
events in a city that isn’t New York or London, a lot of leaders complain to me that their metro area lacks top-tier talent. This always makes me laugh. “There is plenty of talent out there,” I say, “they just don’t want to work for you!”

I am a firm believer that if you become a great company, you’ll have your pick of great employees.

Google is arguably the best company to work for in the world. Their offices are renowned for their funky design and cutting edge amenities. The level of autonomy and focus on innovation are legendary. And yes, their above-average compensation and stock options don’t hurt either.

By creating this outstanding reputation, Google gets to pick and chose from the cream of the crop when recruiting. And as these innovative new hires inject new ideas and create new revenue streams, the company is able to sweeten their recruitment package even more in a self-sustaining spiral of success.

Maybe you don’t have $400 stocks or sushi bars to lure great employees, so what can you do?

Start by laying out a clear vision for your company and build it on values that your ideal candidates will relate to.

Then, use everything in your arsenal to get word out (PR, networking, social media, cripes, fly a banner behind a plane if you have to). If you are building something new, innovative and exciting, people will seek you out.

I’ve always felt that A-level talent attracts A-level talent. So you also have to be cognizant of every hire you make. Compromise, settle or scramble and soon enough you’ll have a team of misfits. Good luck getting any A-level candidate to hop on board with that motley crew.

Don’t be afraid to go out and get the talent you want, either. Most, if not all of the great employees out there aren’t looking for work, they’re already working! So go out and poach them. It’s not immoral or bad business, it’s just the way it’s done. In fact, I’ve had only two job interviews in my 30 years as a professional. The rest of the time, I’ve been headhunted.

And in a time of cost-cutting, you’d be wise to keep your eyes and ears open for layoffs at companies you respect. As soon as I heard of US hedge fund Fortress buying Intrawest (a Vancouver-based resort operator), I hopped on the phone and spoke to everyone I knew there to spread the word I was hiring.

Intrawest was a profitable, fast-paced company that shared a lot of the same values I did (work/life balance, focus on growth) and I had always had success with folks who had worked there. Job cuts were inevitable, and I wanted to absorb as many of their top people as possible.

Some say it’s a chicken or the egg kind of thing; you need great employees to make your company great, but your company has to already be great to attract employees. But mark my words, put in the hard work to make your company great, and the great employees will follow.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.