We Have Lift-off!?

Entrepreneurial experts around the world continue to debate over why small businesses fail, however they do agree on one thing; now more than ever entrepreneurs need to differentiate themselves in the marketplace.***

We have all heard the buzzwords:

“Branding”

“Point of Difference” (POD)

“Unique Selling Proposition” (USP)

“Secret Recipe” (from yours truly)

Think about this; every Fortune 500 company has a brand, a trademark and a tagline. Did you ever ask yourself, why?... Yes!...we all know the answer!
Because it is a fundamental business strategy!

So why do millions of entrepreneurs fail to create a “Secret Recipe”?

David F. D’Alessandro (best selling author ) says it best:

~ A business based on brand is, very simply, a business primed for success. ~

***Sources: Small Business Administration, Entrepeneurship.org, Personalbrandingblog.com
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Back to (Leadership) School

Leaders: Take the Test

1= rarely or never

2= once in a while

3= sometimes

4= fairly often

5= very frequently or always

1. I seek out challenging opportunities that test my skills and abilities                           

2. I appeal to others to share my dream of the future as their own.

3. I involve others in planning the actions we will take.

4. I let others know my beliefs on how to best run the organization I lead.

5. I find ways to celebrate accomplishments.

6. I am consistent in practicing the values I espouse.

7. I get others to feel a sense of ownership for the projects they work on.

8. I look ahead and forecast what I expect the future to be like.

9. I look for innovative ways we can improve what we do in this organization.

10. I praise people for a job well done.

Add them up!

If your score is less than 42...its time to go back to school!

Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order!
"A must read!" Ivan Misner New York Times Bestselling author
BY IT NOW on AMAZON.COM  click on link below
Click here to purchase Bob's Book

“Copyright (8-28-12) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”
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Don't Give Me that Work/Life Balance Cop-Out.

A few weeks back I went to a party with a friend. The host had a rule: no one was allowed to talk about their work.

 Really?!

I'm a business owner, my work is my life and I love it.
I actually don't want to be around people who don't love what they do...boring!
It's a fact that 67% of people working for someone else hates his or her job...I feel sorry for them.

Life is too short to hate your job. Its 50% of our waking hours!

And when it come to business owners...We must love what we do,  or we will fail!

Three tactics for battling the "lets not talk about work" crowd.
1. Tell them,  I love my job and enjoy talking about it with others who love their jobs.
2. If you are wasting your life in a job that you don't like to talk about, then I'm not sure being around you is a positive thing.
3. Don't give me that work/life balance cop-out...if you love your job its all about work/life harmony. Blending the love of your job with the love of your family, friends and personal activities is a Win-Win for life.
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3 Steps for Successful Change

Frank A. , God rest his soul, was the best "back-room" manager and the best leader when it came to changing the culture.

I first met Frank in the early '70s working third shift at my first Giant Eagle.

He was often transferred around from store to store to train and motivate the night stocking crews.
One of the first things he did when he went to a new store was to clean, scrub and wax, and paint the backroom.
" You got to show them that you have arrived." Frank would always say. "Physical changes first, something they can see... then after you get their attention, things will start happening."
It worked! I saw it for myself. After Frank arrived in our store, production dramatically improved.

Are you looking to make a changes in your business? Continuous Improvements?

Whether you have employees or are an army of one. Home office or brick and mortar.
Implement the following three steps for successful "change".

1. Change your appearance: new hairstyle, new clothes, loose weight, etc..

2. Change your work environment: start meeting at a different location, redecorate / remodel your office.

3. Never ever use the word "change". Call what your doing "continuous improvement". (Only leaders like the word change.)

In the words of my old friend Frank... " You don't have to ever say we are changing things around here... just show them that the improvements work and change will follow."

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Food for Thought

---Some of my favorites "Life" quotes---

"There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle."
Albert Einstein


"Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry."
Mark Twain


"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."
Mohandas Gandhi


"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."
Martin Luther King, Jr.


"Work as if you were to live a hundred years. Pray as if you were to die tomorrow."
Benjamin Franklin


"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."
John F. Kennedy


"It’s not what life makes of you; it's what you make of life."
Unknown

Read more "Pecans of Wisdom" from Bob Gambone in his book:
PECAN PIE!-Click here for a preview! 

"The Secret to Success...It's in the Recipe! 

Copyright (12-10-2011) by Robert V. Gambone Sr.
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Do You Need a Business Coach? Take the Test.

This is collection of one-liners from business owners or potential business owners. All statements were shared with me during a free consultation session. Some of the participants quoted below became clients and I have helped them. Others did not become clients... I hope they found help somewhere else.

Here we go:

"Do I really need a logo and branding, I thought only big businesses had that."

"Well, I want to make more money but I don't trust people."

"Do I have a vision and mission statement for my business? Not at all, do I need one?"

"I really don't plan too much or even have a strategic plan...I kinda just see how things happen."

"I want to open a restaurant because I love to cook, I'm a hard worker, and I have the support of my family...isn't that enough?"

"No, I have never worked in retail, but this new franchise opportunity this guy was talking about sounds great!"

" ...not sure if my business is up or down from last year, but I do know my bills are getting paid."

"What's a target market?"

"My point of difference? I offer great service."

"There is enough free help out there...I don't need to pay for it."

"What measurements do I have in place?...they are all right here (as he pointed to his head)."

"What is horizontal growth?"

"I have more clients then I can handle...I don't need any help."

I have so many more I can share, but you get the point. Now I admit, when I started my own business six years ago I said some of the same things...that is why I hired a coach...enough said.

Big Al

Al started in retail when he was thirteen and fifty years later died in action.

Al was an old school retail manager who believed that no one could be trusted and everyone should put his or her career first before family.

Al worked 80 hours a week, was a master micro-manager and believed that his day was not over until he fired someone or at least made an employee cry.

Okay, so you ask, WHY did I love this guy? Not for any of the above reasons, that is why I hated him and feared him. I loved him because I was able to translate his prehistoric management style into lessons that I still utilize today.

Three Lessons from Big Al

1). Al used to say, “The best and easiest recognition program is to have NO recognition program at all.”

            Translation: Employee recognition programs must be managed,  be fair and be consistent or your results could actually weaken employee morale.

2). When Al said, “Just because I’m pissed off at you, doesn’t mean you can walk around here with your tail between your legs.”

            Translation: Wear a smile and have a positive attitude; no one wants to work for a “Debbie-Downer” manager.

3). One day Al looked me right in the eyes and said, “I’m too old to change now Gambone, what you see is what you get…”

             Translation: I always knew where I stood with Al. Al taught me that leaders need to be right up front with people by providing balanced,  fair and concise feedback.

My 18 months as Al’s co-manager was very stressful, yet very rewarding.

Take a few moments to reflect on your old boss, teacher or coach…dig deep and I am sure you will find a few sunny days somewhere in that storm.
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