Build Your Brand

What's Google Got to do With "It?"

If you are Silva Vaidhyanathan, Google has everything to do with "it."  "It" being everything on the internet (rather a tall and intimidating order).  Vaidyanathan's book: The Googlization of Everything, should probably be on your reading list. 

I'm not sure if it's fair to review a book that I've only just started to read.  However, I'm not going to rush through this one;  it's different reading than the crime fiction novels I burrow into every other day and breeze through. 

The fact that I'm on my second go-round, reading the introduction should tell you something!

Here are just a few phrases and sentences that have given me a lot to think about.

One way to begin is by realizing that we are not Google's customers:  we are its product.  (Intro, pg 3).

Googlization affects three large areas of human concern and conduct:  us,  the world and knowledge.  (Intro, pg 2).

I left out the scarey text in that last quote, so be sure you go back and read the entire paragraph.  

 

Vaidhyanathan's point is that we should be concerned about our own complacency in allowing Google to take over.  He uses phrases like:  the pursuit of global civic responsibility and the public good.  He calls for a reimagination of what we might build to preserve  quality of information and deliver it to everyone. (Intro, pg 4.)

I hope  I've lit a fire under your butt so that you find this book and take the time to s-l-o-w-l-y read it and then pass it forward and then start a conversation about it among your friends and colleagues. 

Complacency,  I'm thinking, is not a good place to be.

Find Ways to Re-ignite Your Spirit

Those of us who live in parts of the country where we don't see the sun on a regular basis during the winter (in my world, that would be from early November - March) work really hard to keep our inner spirits focused on positive energy.  

We swear that we won't sucumb to the bleak drizzle of a two-five day stretch where 7AM looks exactly like 4PM looks exactly like 7PM:  grey, grey, and more grey. 

For my friends who are avid skiiers,  grey days can mean good days on the ski slopes.  For my friends who aren't real thrilled about skiing (it's cold out there),  too many grey days pile up. 

We constantly talk to ourselves (and to each other) about not letting those grey days smother our spirits.  And, for the most part,  we get ourselves over that yawning chasm between winter-to-spring.  We find ways to celebrate each day's gifts so that we can honestly say that we're not wasting a day.

Sometimes, it's hard. 

Sometimes we get derailed because life throws us a curve ball that takes us completely unawares.  And,  before we know it,  we're floundering.  Not moving forward in the direction we were originally going.  Not moving anywhere.  Just stuck. 

That "life thing" can be pretty scary.  I was talking with my niece last night about all of the horrific aftermath of the tsunami that wiped out so much of Japan;  anything that I've been dealing with given the magnitude of that destruction pales in signifcance. 

How do we place ourselves in the larger context of what is a catastrophic  global disaster?  Which is a very huge place of being stuck.   How do we get unstuck from this?

If we live a life of genuine purpose,  that spirit of being genuine pushes out positive energy into the universe that will eventually circle back to us.   For those times when we're stuck. 

For those times when the world truly is a scary place.

As our reward for understanding that each day is a gift that should be celebrated.  Even those grey,  bleak, drizzle days. 

When that positive energy cirlces back,  it can manifest itself in something as mundane as an unexpected phone call from a friend.  A friend who has a new job with a not-for-profit organization that identifies and works with inner-city kids at risk. 

The conversation that follows sparks even more positive energy that spirals outward as those two friends talk about the importance of programs that can be safety nets for some kids whose lives need to get "unstuck".

"I may not be able to save the kids a world away from where I live,"  he explained.  "But.  Maybe I can save the lives of kids in my own backyard." 

And, suddenly, look where we are.  We've moved from our own "inertia" - that place of "stucked-ness"  to a place of possibility.   We are outside of ourselve trying to figure out how we can help someone else.

When that desire to help someone else becomes a genuine feeling,  we're back to that place of unselfishness where energy flows outward in positive spirals.  And, sometimes, this is enough of a spark to re-ignite our own spirits. 

 

 

 

 

 

What's So Great About Network Marketing Anyways?

What's so Great About Network Marketing Anyways?

If you are unclear what network marketing is or have only heard about it from others, we invite you to stick around for a while and get to know us and the industry.

If you are already a network marketer, this is a great little reminder of why our industry is ideal for so many.

Network Marketing is a perfect vehicle:

• For people who desire a financial change in their lives. It doesn't matter if it's a little change or big change.
• For people who want to grow and know themselves better.
• For people who want to work in a cooperative environment.
• For people who want to have something of their own, something they create that affords them a better life.
• For people who currently have limited funds to start a business.
• For people who currently have limited time to start a business.
• People who want to build a residual income recognizing it takes work but not total sacrifice.

I would like to share with you Willo's personal story

Willo came into Sunrider in 1987 and for three years she used the products and told some family members about them.  No huge growth in her business there.  Then in August 1993 Willo went to her first Sunrider convention and made a decision – key ingredient to her success, a decision – that she was going to do Sunrider full time by Jan 1994.  By August 1996 (only 18 months of solid business building) Willo was a Group Director.  And then because of a number of things in Willo’s life she was pulled from her Sunrider business.  She didn’t work it at all for the next six years. But in that six year period Willo earned an average of $2567.00 per month in residual income.  Yes, residual income.  That means she didn’t do anything in her business except cash the checks

This story is, to me, a perfect illustration of why network marketing is so great. Because she had already set such a strong foundation for her business, Willo was able to focus elsewhere in her life and still make a living. It doesn't get much better than that does it? :)

 

Sounds a lot like  network marketing, doesn't it?   Well, at first glance, it is.

But not in the way that you might think.

All of those words that describe network marketing were written by Jillian Middleton.  They comprised one of the many handouts she provided as part of the material for her six month coaching program created for mlm distibutors.  

That's how I met her.  Way back in 2004,  I participated in one of Jillian's very first six month coaching programs.  That program literally changed my life.  Seven years later,  I'm still using everything that I learned from Jillian in ways that I never imagined I would ... back in 2004.

When I started writing this blog and knew that I wanted to provide valuable resources  for women who might be looking for information about how they could change their lives,  I knew that (at some point) I'd be including at least one post about Jillian. 

Jillian Middleton does for network marketing what Oprah Winfrey does for published authors with her  book club. 

In my opinion. 

If you are already a distributor in the network marketing field,  and you are still trying to wrap your brain around what you're "supposed" to be doing,  Jillian's got some fabulous free stuff you can download from her web site.   She's also got some paid stuff that you would be smart to invest in.  

I did.

If you're a seasoned network marketer and your challenge is to marshall your team into a cohesive organization that relies on systems for future growth and sustainability,  Jillian will be an excellent resource for you. 

If you're shopping around for a network marketing company to join,  and you're looking for some objective information about what to look for,  Jillian Middleton will be an honest, thoughtful voice.   Seek her out. 

And, what, you may be wondering, do I get out of this? 

I get a lot.

But, not what you might think of as a lot.

One of my goals is to offer stellar, impeccable resources for you for wherever you are in your life.   I recommend indivuduals I have personally worked with and/or products that I've personally used ... and benefited from. 

Jillian Middleton is a master of unparalled experience.   She will give you the tools and systems to run your business and show you how to change your mind set so that you become a consummate player in the direct sale, network marketing arena - if you do the work.  If that's what you want.

What you will really be participating in is a  "leadership mastermind training camp" with one of the most ethical supporters of our industry.  This.  Is.  Priceless.

Now.  What you do with this information is entirely up to you.

 

Gentle disclaimer:  As an affiliate  for Savvy Sponsoring,  I will be compensated monetarily if you sign up for any of the programs that Jillian offers from this post.   That's not a bad thing when what you stand to gain is one of the best investments of your time and money for your own success.

Please, don't forget to tell Jillan that Mrs BizWhiz sent you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steps to Building a Prosperous Business

Steps are different than rules.   Steps are actions that you can take that cause something to happen.  They are fluid, which means that they can change their shape to fit your plan.  If you take a step and it doesn't quite work out the way you'd intended,  you can tweak it and try again. 

Rules, on the other hand,  are not fluid.  They're not meant to be.  If they're good rules,  they set a standard of excellence - of exemplary behavior - that we can strive for.   For example,  "thou shalt not steal"  is a good rule.  It doesn't mean that it's okay to steal sometimes.   It means "not"  Never.

It is never okay to steal.

Lest we end up in a wild and crazy philosophical discussion here,  let's get back to the heart of this post, which is a light-hearted (but serious)  distillation (mine)  of what I've learned in the 20-plus years  I've been working. 

Okay.

Back to "steps".  

What three steps can you take to become successful in ANY profession?

1)  Brand yourself

2)  Become a raving fan

3)  Re-connect with your community and build networks

Rules To Building a Prosperous Business

"A fool with a plan can outsmart a genius with no plan."   -  T. Boon Pickens

 

When I was growing up, my mom had two rules she expected all of her kids to live by.  Be honest and call home if you're going to be late.  Short and to the point.  And, for the most part, easy to follow.

After college and living at home for two years,  I relocated to upstate New York,  got married and started a family.  I didn't feel the need to add anything to this list of rules until after becoming a mother myself.  Then I added Rule Number Three:  no biting.  That didn't just mean my kid couldn't bite.  Grown-ups couldn't bite either!

Years passed.  My professional life kept reinventing itself around the needs of my family and my own lively sense of adventure.   Just as my mom was able to ground her family in a few, savvy guidelines that would keep all of us from killing each other,  I came up with a list of guidelines that would see me through all of my career changes.

Without further ado,  here they are.

Arrive early, never late.

Keep your word.

Read.

Find your passion.

Make other people happy.

Have a plan.

Stay healthy.

Have a back-up plan.

Do No Harm.

Call ... if you're going to be late.

And  (no matter how tempted you are),  no biting!

 

Guest Post: Ethics Matter

Making money and gaining prestige too often drive business decisions and are the enemy of “doing the right thing”. The solution? Leaders and business owners must create an ‘ethical compass’ that provides direction for both strategic and day to day decision making.

What makes business ethics so important? Without them three behaviors result: people feel follow their own preferences without concern for the impact on others.  Second, individuals lose their sense of purpose and fall victim to other’s motives. Most importantly, one cannot set the right priorities for dealing with day to day demands and stresses. 

Small businesses can develop a strong competitive advantage with a deliberate focus on ethics. Setting ethical priorities requires deliberate thinking and open debate about choices and outcomes. This intentional process is essential to a business culture of decisions based doing the right thing. It provides employees a shared ethical compass.

A business owner focused on ethics will have passionate stories to tell about the difference they are trying to make through their product or service. That passion and meeting a customer’s need is what drives every decision in a business focused on ethics.

On the other hand, a business focused on hard selling or managing exclusively by the numbers will tend to deemphasize ethics. The result – a self-centered passion becomes very obvious. A sale may be closed, but is unlikely to generate repeat business or lasting customer relationships. And as a result, these businesses often rely on constant advertising to attract one time customers in order to stay in business.

In the long term, ethics do matter! It’s what drives repeat business, customer loyalty, and sleeping well at night!

Jerry Elman is the owner of Schoen Place Auto in East Rochester. Schoen Place Auto is the 2010 recipient of the Rochester Business Ethics Award, in the small business category. Jerry can be reached at 585-381-1970 or elmjer@gmail.com.

 

MacKenzie-Childs - How I Connect the Dots

 

I'll bet you thought that today's post would be all about what A and I saw when we climbed the stairs to the attic floor of the farm house.   I thought so too.  And then I started thinking about some of the people I'd met this past week  - it's eight days after our day-trip to MacKenzie-Childs - and it seemed to me that it was time to bring the larger focus of what I do into play here.

The genius of what I do is  to "connect the dots".    And, I am very good at this. 

Sometimes,  it starts with a seemingly black-and-white  idea.  This time,  the idea was to take a day-trip:  to get out of Dodge (so to speak) and have a mini-adventure,  just A and me.

MacKenzie-Childs as the destination was a deliberate choice.   I've been a longtime admirer of the designs and as Grossman's Nursery - a mere 10 minute drive from where I live - has been carrying some of the products for quite some time now - each time I visited Grossman's, my desire to make the longer trip down to Aurora, New York  grew stronger. 

I'd been poking around the MacKenzie-Childs web site and knew that as a business model, the company had reached some remarkable benchmarks.   They have stores in Manhattan and in Palm Beach,  an extensive online shopping catalog, a bridal registry and a corporate gift program. 

They got their start (literally)  deep in the Finger Lakes region of New York state, surrounded by rolling hills and farm country.  

This is not the MacKenzie-Childs story.   They do that very well as you'll find out when you explore their web site and take your own day-trip to emerse yourself in "all things MacKenzie-Childs".    (Disclaimer:  I receive no monetary "embellishments" about MacKenzie-Childs.  I am, however, a "raving fan" and that, my friends, is priceless!)

This is about having genuine conversations with people (absolutely NO hidden agendas),  listening more than talking and remembering what was said. 

Listening more than talking.

As A and I followed our tour guide from room to room in the farm house,  our conversation with her was as much a ramble as the tour itself.  During the just-over-an-hour tour, we learned quite a bit about how MacKenzie-Childs got started,  who the several owners of the company had been,  style and design changes over the years,   some of the farm house history,  the names of some of the decorative pieces in each of the rooms and their creative stories;  some of the local history of Aurora, NY and some of our tour guide's own personal story - how she came to be an employee of MacKenzie-Childs and then we talked about  her own family:  how many kids (six or seven) and what they were all doing. 

Everyone does have a story and stories are powerful.

We talked about color -  especially it's affect on mood.  Our tour guide grinned and confessed that when she was having a bad day, she might come over to the farm house, pick a room and just sit for a while.   It's hard to feel gloomy when you're surrounded by such eye-popping colors.   

Color was definitely on my mind.  Over the next six to eight days, there  would be this lovely spill-over from the MacKenzie-Childs road trip onto everything else that happened. 

One of my friends was preparing for a women's event coming up in another six days.  Interestingly enough, her business,  A New Hue,  is all about color.  She and I had been talking about women and color - women's perceptions of themselves and how they use color or their lack of understanding how to correctly choose colors that work to their advantage.  "It's almost as if," Julie surmised,  "some women are afraid of color."

On a similar theme,  I've been having on-going conversations with my direct sale team about the use of color in decorative accessories;  how women gravitate towards certain colors (and scents) and what that means for developing a color-play home decor party theme. 

And, to keep my own level of energy upbeat,  I would find myself coming back to the photos that A had taken when we were visiting MacKenzie-Childs, marveling at the connection between mood and color.

These are not brand new concepts.  But. They are bullet points for what happens next.

The day of the women's event I set aside a few hours to stop by to be supportive of Julie - she was a vendor - and to satisfy my curiosity.  I''m nosey and this was too much too good of an opportunity to meet new people and have another  mini-adventure. 

So, off I went to the Burgundy Basin Inn.   The place was packed.  The parking lot was filled to almost capacity -- and -- stepping inside the lobby,  it looked to be standing room only... with good crowd control. 

Lots of give-away raffle baskets, lots of women standing, sitting,  milling around,  greeting friends and taking a moment before plunging into the open doorways leading to the event itself. 

Taking a moment for my glasses to unfog (it was 6 degrees outside),  I wandered over to the coat check place,  bought a few raffle tickets and went up the steps, then through the doorway where it looked like things were happening.

As I reached the last step, immediately to my left was a colorful display for the SHEN YUN Performing Arts.

As  I stood in front of this display,  I caught the eye of one of the women standing nearby.  She was beautifully dressed in a richly tailored, ceremonial gown.  She smiled. I smiled back.  She stepped towards me and we began to talk about this performance that's coming to the Rochester Auditorium Theatre on February 19th.  

As she described how different audiences had been responding to the performance, she mentioned that when the show played in NYC,   what delighted several  members of the fashion industry - who came up afterwards to talk with the performers - was the use of color:  the costumes and the staging. 

Color.  (That triggered my MacKenzie-Childs day trip and I immediately started filtering all of what I'd listened to when A and I were touring the farm house.) 

When the conversation moved to what I did,  I looked this lovely person in the eye, and said,  "If you and I were meeting at a networking event,  I'd tell you that you should be sure to give me your business card because if there was someone you were looking to meet - someone that you wanted to get in front of - I might be able to make that introduction." 

Her eyes lit up and she scurried behind the table display and came back with one of her business cards.  "Can I give this to you now?"  

During the next five minutes, we talked about her role as a volunteer with this performance group and the kinds of people she wanted to meet - people who might want to support the continued success of this talented organization.   I thought back  to everything that the MaKenzie-Childs tour guide had told me and was able to pull one or two names out of that conversation into the conversation I now found myself having. 

Later, after I'd wandered around and found out where Julie's table was located,  I brought Julie around to meet this woman and Julie was able to add to the short list of people who might be good contacts -- good connections -- for her.

Sometimes,  everything is about how well you remember to ask questions so that later you can connect the dots between what you've learned and what someone else is looking for. 

 

 

 

 

Is Your Net Working?

Ever notice who seems to draw the most attention in a crowded room?  Is it the man slouched up against the far wall inspecting his shoes or is it the woman who catches your eye because she radiates an energy that you can almost feel? 

Posture straight, shoulders back; impeccably dressed in colors that are bright and vibrant.  Great eye contact.  At the moment, she's listening intently to two other people, hands clasped loosely in front of her.

 Several minutes go by. You witness an exchange of business cards. She shakes hands and moves purposefully through the crowd over to the far corner, where you watch, as she offers her hand to someone and begins another conversation.

This is a woman whose net is most definitely "working."

We all have a net.  Some of us are more aware of 1) having it and 2) know what it takes to fine tune it and make it work for us all the time. 

What about you.  Is your net working?

Basically, your net is the sum total of everything that you are.  Your physical well being, your emotional outlook, your command of language,  your ability to listen, support others, and problem solve; your life experiences, the expectations you have;  what you've learned from your past jobs and what you are learning from the job you currently have, and, the balance that you've been able to achieve between your professional and your personal lives -- all of this is the sum of your net.

When it's working, you are at the top of your game.  You get into a zen field where there is no wasted effort and everything you do is easy.  Underlying that ease is a lot of hard work.  Did you know that all of the components that go into that hard work can be separated out into a check list?

There's no right or wrong check list.  There is the check list that works for you.

What follows is my personal check list.  I'll bet it is similar to other check lists that are out there.  With that in mind, you're welcome to take from my list the things that will work for you because your goal should be to build the best possible net you can. 

In no particular order, then, here is my list:

Join a gym.

If you can't or won't join a gym:  work up a sweat! Walk.  Ride a bike.  Jump in place.

Be a student of self-development:  work on your inner dialogue (your self-talk,  be a better listener than you are speaker, and study and then implement leadership principles.)

Have a library:  collect and read books, CDs, magazines on all of the topics that interest you, not just self-development books. 

Do random acts of kindness.

Attend to the details.

Be a good friend.

Strive for balance in your personal and professional lives.

Be honest and kind.

Look for the humor in all things.  Have fun.  (Really.)

Find yourself a hobby or go back to an "old" hobby that you used to enjoy.

Put your business on the back burner and focus on how you can support the person you've just met at a networking event.

Lead with a servant's heart.

Keep your options open.

Have a life's purpose that's bigger than your job.

Do no harm.

 It can take years to build a successful net.  When you least expect it, yours may become torn and need to be re-built.  We are none of us perfect all of the time.  But.  We do have the potential for moments of greatness.  I live for these moments, and so will always be working my net.  The good that I can do in this world is only as strong as that. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Business Ethics

Business ethics.  After 20-plus years working in a variety of fields,  one of the most fascinating topics for me is  ethics.  What I've come to believe is that there isn't much difference between having personal and business ethics.  If you "do the right thing" in your personal life, shouldn't it naturally spill over into your professional life too?

You would think so.

What I'd like to explore, in a series of posts,  are my own random thoughts on this topic.  Given my background in education and business,  I can promise that there will be a w-i-d-e  range of things that rise to the surface.  Certainly feel free to chime in with your own comments  if something I write stikes a chord with you.

Along these lines, I'll begin where I almost always seem to start:  with a book.  I've  just started reading The Power of Many - Values For Success in Business And In Life, by Meg Whitman.

Whitman,  if you didn't know,  spent a decade as the CEO of eBay.

Early in her book, she describes what she calls "a myth"  about how success is measured.

"There is a myth...that great success demands that we give up or at least fudge, our relationship to what most of us recognise as decent, commonsense values.  Honesty.  Family.  Community.  Integrity.  Generosity.  Empathy.  As we climb the corporate ladder, the myth tells us, we have to step on people,  stretch the truth where it fits our agenda, and make heartless decisions based only on the bottom line.   We are not supposed to ask  what is the right thing to do, but rather what is best for our careers or to burnish our reputation."  pg 5 

She goes on to say that she never bought into this myth although clearly,  like many of us,  she's not naive about what goes on.  Certainly, we've had more than our share of greedy pin heads, across the board in all industries,  who have robbed from their companies and ultimately, from the general public. 

"More recently, we've seen self-dealing and fraud undermine our entire economy.  I've seen sef-absorbed strivers trample colleagues to get ahead."  - Whitman, pg. 5.

Not a pretty picture. 

When Whitman interviews for the CEO spot with eBay, she's quite taken with the company founder, Pierre Omidyar.  "Not long after I joined eBay...Pierre...said something that hit me like a two-ton truck.  He said, "We don't have to invent values.  This community already has values. We need to align ourselves with their values or it's not going to work."  pg. 5

Omidyar was referring to the eBay community: the buyers and sellers who were determining the core values of how business was done in this internet community.   The foundation was a belief "...that people are basically good":

 - that everyone is unique as an individual and is respected for that

- that everyone has something to contribute

That said, eBay would encourage people to treat others the same way they want to be treated, and, finally:

"We believe that an honest, open environment can bring out the best in people."

(Above section found on page 6.)

Imagine that.  Treat others the way that you yourself would like to be treated. Even better:  do no harm.

Is this a value-utopia that only works on eBay?  No.  There are other communites where these values are celebrated and become the measuring stick for growth. 

So, why is it that we get tangled up in the not-so-good parts; the down and dirty, nasty side of business that can be  rooted in a company's bottom line or an entrepeneur's greed?

And, how is it that eBay was able to foster a community that engendered such uniform good will toward mankind?

When I finish the book,  I'll be able to answer that question.  In the meantime,  it's an interesting puzzle to play with.   Can you be a good friend and a bastard in business?   Flip the coin.  Can you be a real bastard as a friend,  lover or spouse  but be a reputable business person?

 

 

 

 

Before You "Copy And Paste," Ask

Copy and paste is the quick and easy way to move text around from one site to another on the internet.  Once you've figured out the mechanics of how to do this,  it's an easy one-two-three finger-step action to move a lot or a little from here to there.

If you're a serious writer in any genre:  essays,  short stories,  poetry, chapters from your book, articles, press releases, lyrics,  blog posts - I'm sure I've left some things out, but, you get the idea - writing anything online is scarey ... because of copy and paste.

It's way to easy for other people to steal your stuff.

And, sadly, other people do.  Steal stuff.

Two things that are intolerable to me are lying and stealing.  I'd like to think that everyone in the world felt this way. 

But they don't.

Words on a page are like a siren song to me.   They speak to my soul when they're arranged in a pleasing fashion.  They take me outside of myself.  Make me think.  Laugh out loud.  Cry.  And, if they're powerfully written,  they can and do, change my life.

Other peoples' words.

So.  When I read something on the internet that speaks to my soul,  I contact the writer and ask permission to post what they've written on my blog.   I make sure that I have the correct spelling of their first and last name.  I ask what they'd like to have included in their signature file. 

I never just copy and paste.  It's rude. 

It's stealing.

In my world,  it's completely intolerable. 

All of this is to say that I'll be posting other peoples' words here on my blog from time to time.  Mostly for my own enjoyment.   And because it's a way that I can acknowledge and celebrate another writer's creativity. 

And because I can.  

But before I copy and paste,  I always ask.  

If you read something here that speaks to your soul,  there will always be  a word trail taking you back to the writer,  so that you too, can ask permission.  

How wonderful it would be to live in a world where we were all so well-behaved and well-mannered.   Do your part and perhaps we'll get there in our respective lifetimes.

Ask.