Balance

I’m Stopping The Insanity…

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In 2012, I’m taking some time back for me.65b

I’ve been on overdrive again for the last 18 months. Largely, I poured myself into working full bore again, because I was avoiding some personal issues I wasn’t happy with. Now that I’m working through those, I’m taking back some time for me again.

Time to reconnect with what matters. My kids. My friends. Myself. My family. My girlfriend.

Time to remain interested in my hobbies. Tennis, reading, skiing, golf, and cooking. Time to start hiking…

Time to stop working around the clock. Time to start saying NO to speaking events I don’t want to do. And only say yes to the ones that inspire me. Time to say NO to coaching clients that aren’t a great fit for me. And time to stop working Fridays.  I’m finally hiring an assistant too.  Yes it will cost me some money – but I’d rather have the free time.

I’ve just blocked off EVERY Friday in 2012 as Free Time. Time to not work. So if you want to go for a hike, a run, play golf, tennis, etc. drop me a note – as long as we don’t talk biz – I’m in.  What are you doing to keep balanced ?

What My Friends Say

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76bI went out to my vast network on Twitter, Facebook, my blog subscribers and LinkedIn to get ideas on living a more productive and balanced life..

Here are some of their answers. I think I like the last one the best. 🙂

· It’s not about balancing work and life. It’s about paying respect to the individual relationships we cultivate: the relationship with self, the one with work and (hopefully) with the person you get to put your cold feet up against at night.

· I turn my radio off and my cell phone off so I’m 100% present and in the moment with the kids for the 15-minute drive or walk to school.

· I not only get ‘me time’— I also work to get one-on-one time with each of the kids. Even an overnight trip somewhere with each of the kids.

· If you’ve got job flexibility, avoid rush hour traffic to and from work and travel off–peak hours. Use that saved time for time with the kids before they go to school or when they come home or for exercise.

· Whatever you choose to make a priority, you will make happen!  You also lead by example as your kids will watch and learn. For example, choose stairs over escalators; choose walking over moving walkways like at the airport. When I take an elevator I play a game where I do a squat (only when no one else is in the elevator with me!) and have to stay in that position till I get to whatever floor I’ve pressed.

· Travel with a skipping rope and tubing so you can exercise in your hotel room. In 15 minutes, between those very light weight easy to pack items and push ups, ab crunches and dips you can get a very good workout without leaving your room. No need to travel with runners or worry about finding a gym or taking the time to go to they gym. Watch your CNN and exercise.

· First, I realize that balance is an illusion. Life is never in balance, so I work to manage the imbalances to ensure that first, critical issues are always taken care of (first things first) and then I work to optimize.

· I book vacations before we even know where we are going.

· Write out your priorities and think about which ones you are neglecting. Like recently my kids got very annoyed that I was constantly checking my BlackBerry so I looked at my list and reminded myself that they are top priority…so I decided that off work times and in their presence I would not look at emails.

· Start the year by booking your holidays/time-off in advance.

· I have a weekly half-day volunteer commitment. Forces me to have some mid-week time not working.

· At work, I pretend I have no personal life. At home, I pretend I’m jobless. *Grin*  Doing both forces me to be 100% present on what ever I’m doing or supposed to be doing.

· Pretend that your iPhone only works when the sun is up and not at all on weekends.  Kids and spouses need to believe they are most important things in your life.

· The iPhone is like a huge “presence” condom. It numbs the feeling.

· Do a Vivid Vision for your company as well as your business.  Focus on it like you do your business one too.  Company’s come and go – family is forever, paint the family future together and enjoy the journey.

· I realized email & cell calls are never urgent.  It dawned on me that nobody has ever called me to buy $1M of stuff… I only sell when I am doing the calling…so why am I thinking their emails or calls are so urgent?

· Ask women what they’re doing – and do that.  Women tend to really get balance a lot more than men do.  Learn from them.  They get it.  And they live it a lot better – or they sure try to.

Work Out Harder and Hire Fit People

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If you’re not currently setting goals to be in better shape, you know what you need to do.

Trust me – your back problems and evolving double chin will disappear faster than you think.

“Ya I just don’t have time to work out.” Neither does Barack Obama, but he’s hard in the gym for an hour in the morning, 6 days a week.

Don’t you hate it when I’m right?

Also, when recruiting, look for athletes and hire people who play sports actively.

Look for team players.  Look for those with athletic goals as adults.  Those who wake up working out hard will work hard in their jobs.  Those who sit on the couch watching TV that makes them dumber will produce similar results at work.

pic Eden Prairie News

Be Yourself, Everyone Else Is Already Taken

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I must admit I always struggled with writing down what the core values for my company BackPocket COO would be.  In fact, I found it easier to put them in place for companies I’ve built in the past because I had teams of people.  Now my company is me, and some awesome virtual people doing design, research, assistance, SEM, writing, etc.

A few months ago after helping a client’s company nail their core values I was on a flight home, and I realized the core values for my company were already inside me, I just had to close my eyes, and feel them.  Then in a rush, they came out:

Do What You Love – Be Authentic – Deliver What You Promise – Balance Is Key

Once I scribbled them down, I knew they were right.  They were values I already lived by and felt energized by.  They fit like my Saturday comfy hangover jeans and sweatshirt do.

Do What You Love – is based on the concept of Unique Ability by Dan Sullivan.  Coaching, Mentoring & Speaking are fun for me.  I’m great at them.  I get energized doing them.  And others get energy watching me.  I love em.  And I’d do them for free – but my kids like to eat.

Be Authentic – It drives me nuts when people put on a game face, or a professional voice etc. I’ve always found that when people are REALLY themselves, they resonate with everyone around them.  My energy vibrates when I’m being me.  I become a magnet, and I know it.  When I wear what I want, say what I mean, and let my vulnerabilities out, others are attracted to me – and I am to them.  It feels great being me.  Besides, I might as well be myself, everyone else is taken.

Deliver What You Promise – Period.  Nuff said.  If I need to explain this one – ummm, we can’t be friends.

Balance Is Key – I get one life.  And I’m not going to live it working 65 hour weeks any more.  I once did 117 hours in a week and wore it like a badge of honor.  What an ass I was back then.  Now I try to live by a couple mantras:  1) Remain Interested to Remain Interesting (thanks Jillian Dixon Boxer) and 2) The Lazy Entrepreneur (thanks Dave Feller).  I know ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ but damn it, I do too…

What are your core values ?

Tennis anyone ?

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

Force Your Staff to Rest!

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One of my favorite lines at the office used to be, “great day—take the rest of it off.’  I used to tease people with that and say it at 6pm.  I’d also say it to people at 10:30 am and blow them away.

Tell people to go home and relax once in a while.

We all know that as entrepreneurs we duck out of the office for our little stress breaks.  Let your team take some once in a while, too.

And if you really like your employees as much as you say you do, let them take the same amount of vacations, as you’d want.  Most employees feel that five weeks’ paid vacation (including their sick days) in addition to the statutory government holidays is about right.

Let them take it.

They won’t quit.  They won’t come into work sick.  And we all know the most productive time at the office is the day before vacation.

So give people time off.

To be sure they take this time off, force them to or they lose it.  The idea is to recharge your batteries regularly and not stockpile the time and have a meltdown.  As a business coach and mentor, I advise CEO’s to give their employees five weeks’ time, however, make them take all five weeks of time during the calendar year.

For more information on this topic, check out: Building a World Class Culture and Leadership at 100MPH.

Schedule Family Time

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Put family time in your calendar first and schedule everything else around it.

I’ve always wanted to walk my kids to school. So I do. Every day I have a standing appointment from 8:45am – 9:15am when I can walk them to school. I book breakfasts, meetings and calls around that time.

Sometimes I need to use that spot, but I bet I walk my kids to school more often than you do. And I’ll remember that more than the meeting I could have had.

Ask for your kid’s school calendar from September through June like I do.  Book off time on all the dates your kids are available.  Those ‘professional development days’ that teachers get off are so random, but they make great days to play with the kids. This is way better bonding time than some school play we watch them in once and try so hard to attend.

I just got the school calendar today for the 2010/2011 school year.  I’ll be blocking off ALL the dates they are off school in this week so I’m off work on those days to play with them and make more memories.  I’m already looking forward to September.  What do you do to have more balance & time with your kids?

pic Chris Lopez

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book-4

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)

book-3-1

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.