Archive for the ‘Business & Careers’ Category
Feedback on the 9-7-10 issue of Work Is Not for Sissies
Tuesday, September 7th, 2010Feedback on the 8-31-10 issue of Work Is Not for Sissies
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010The World’s Greatest Book Title
Thursday, August 26th, 2010
Feedback on the 8-24-10 issue of Work Is Not for Sissies
Tuesday, August 24th, 2010Feedback on the 8-17-10 issue of Work Is Not for Sissies
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010The Heart of a Teacher
Wednesday, August 11th, 2010A special thank you goes out today to Nick Coury at Dury’s photo supply house in Nashville. Instead of just directing me to the blue and orange color gels I asked for when I was in his store, he took time to ask what I was shooting. When I explained that we were setting up a new video studio to replace the one destroyed by the flood, and I needed to warm up the flesh tones, he took time to explain the technicalities of how ½ Blue CTB color correction lighting filters convert tungsten to daylight, ¼ CTO Orange, and many other terms new to me.
I would have bought anything he recommended, because he’s such a great salesman. Not because of his selling skills, but because he has what Dave Ramsey calls the greatest asset for any sales professional – the heart of a teacher.
No surprise, he had just finished a similar conversation with Ray Stevens’ videographer.
Feedback on the 8-10-10 issue of Work Is Not for Sissies
Tuesday, August 10th, 2010Feedback on the 8-3-10 issue of Work Is Not for Sissies
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010Cheri Bartz says:
You are right about the value of time. I spend my days, as HR Director, watching the criminal waste of valuable time around the office. The gossiping, rumor-mongering, fooling around and excuses for mistakes made. On the other hand, and in fairness, I also watch at least one employee who double tasks by singing while she works. For her first few weeks here, it really annoyed me. Now I find that her singing (she makes everything into some song or other) actually lightens the load and makes the time more enoyable while performing otherwise mundane tasks. And it wastes no time. She is just as productive while she sings as while she doesn’t and I have, on more than one occasion, found myself humming along with her. It gives time a little more value and makes the work much more pleasurable – even if her tonolgy leaves much to be desired.
Through this I have learned that time is like ice cream. You have to make the most of it before it melts away and it’s much better with just a little chocolate sauce of singing. Maybe if we all did just a little more singing while we work – quietly, of course – the passing of time wouldn’t pressure us quite so badly and the problems of the day would take on a more palatable opportunity.
On Mondays I greet several of our employees with the phrase “This is the first of five days of opportunity!” By Thursday I’m saying “Only one (or two) days of opportunity remaining this week!” On Friday I say “Good time to start planning next week’s opportunities!” A couple of the employees have picked up on it and greet me before I speak to them with the same phrases. While they may not really believe it, maybe in time they will and it sure makes Mondays a whole lot better – oh, that AND the singing!
Aftermath of the Nashville Flood, 8/2/10: “The Printers Are Coming”
Monday, August 2nd, 2010Most people assume that all being a professional speaker requires is practicing a speech. But 70% of my time and resources go into marketing. For example, I spend anywhere from $400,000 to $1,000,000 a year on direct mail, in order to get people to attend my seminars. We print, fold, label, and mail millions of brochures in my warehouse every year, and the flood wiped out six of our printing presses. Because of the ongoing re-construction of the building, we’ve been using an outside printer and mailing service since May 2nd, which has cost a fortune. This week, we’ll finally be receiving two new printing presses, and will be back to printing our own brochures. Next comes getting a new conveyor system and addressing machine.
How to Turn a $5 Investment into a $100,000 a Year Job
Thursday, July 29th, 2010Speaking of opportunity, I heard Dan Miller, author of 48 Days to the Work You Love and No More Mondays on Dave Ramsey’s show today. He told the story of a woman whose husband left her with four kids. Even though she had few marketable job skills, she had the only two things she really needed to put food on the table – motivation and willingness to work.
At Dan’s suggestion, she bought a squeegee and bucket at WalMart, and then began walking up and down Nolensville Road here in Nashville, offering to wash storefront windows. She is now making $40 – $50 an hour, and has two of her kids working with her.
It’s not what most people would want to do for a living, especially in this 95-degree heat, but that’s exactly why she’s doing so well – no competition.