One of our Gold Inner Circle members who’s a 27-year-old business owner in Illinois, told me yesterday that she’s concerned that some of her 8 employees who are out and about on company trucks are going places and doing things they’re not supposed to do. While most people deny that it happens, she had a very realistic view on it, and explained it this way. “When I was 24 and selling medical supplies (for another company), I was making $60,000 a year and knew no one would question my whereabouts as long as I was producing. So I stopped and got my nails done and went to the mall while I was supposed to be out and about selling oxygen”.
Archive for April, 2010
Goofing Off on Company Time
Friday, April 30th, 2010Opportunity Only Knocks Once
Thursday, April 29th, 2010Here’s a great example of why Suze Orman was right when she said money likes speed (i.e. “You snooze, you loose”). I just received this message from Mr. Z, the most successful and dynamic speaker I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing. He’s bigger than life, but humbly ends each phone call with “My friend, know that your are loved and appreciated”.
“I am thinking about starting a personal group of as many as 20 people. It would be called my Brain Trust. The vision is this group will meet quarterly and communicate regularly tuning up each others businesses. I am hand-picking the invitees with complimentary skills and business models, NOT competitors. Not finalized, still in the chrysalis stages. Interested? “
Now while it sounds great to be invited to hang out with some of the most powerful and influential people in my industry, it will likely require me to travel out of state four times a year for the meetings, and I have been limiting my travel lately. So how long did I think about this? Not for second. You’re known by - and shaped by – the company that you keep. Here’s how I responded:
Yes, Yes, Yes!
It would be an honor and privilege to be involved in anything that you’re spearheading. Ironically, anyone who wouldn’t jump at a chance to be involved in something like this would be proving why they aren’t worthy of being included to begin with.
BTW, each year I coach a group of people in the speaking business to help them master a specific area of our industry (something you got me into to doing when you came to Nashville three years ago). This year, it’s online business, Google Adwords, and continuity programs. One of the members of that group is the president of a speaker’s bureau, who’s booked guys like Mark Victor Hansen, Marcus Buckingham, Magic Johnson. etc., and is a straight shooter (unlike many of the people in our business).
If you’re interested in having someone from a speaker’s bureau in the group, let me know and I’ll forward his info as well.
Gratefully,
Glenn Shepard
Your Friend and Biggest Fan in Tennessee
And in Mr. Z’s classic fashion of making everyone who looks up to him feel like an equal, his response was:
… and I’m the number one fan of the man from Tennessee.
Job Opening
Wednesday, April 28th, 2010One of our Gold inner Circle members in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has an opening at his company.
This guy is kind of a younger version of Donald Trump – a REAL mover and shaker who owns a very dynamic business that just moved to a larger location to accommodate their growth.
Now this job is tough, and it’s definitely not for sissies.
In addition to basic filing, answering the phone, and serving as “Director of First Impressions”, the position also requires the ability to deal with tenants who are sometimes angry, and then be pleasant with the next customer.
It starts at $12 an hour, and includes $2,400 a year paid into a cafeteria plan, 80 hours a year of PTO (Paid Time Off), plus 6 paid holidays, and membership at Sam’s Club.
If you know someone that might qualify, have them send their contact information in the comments section of this blog post (it’s private and no one else will see it) and we’ll forward it.
- Glenn
Feedback on 4-27-10 Issue of Glenn Shepard’s “Work Is Not for Sissies!”
Tuesday, April 27th, 2010Kindle
Monday, April 26th, 2010
If anyone reading this owns a Kindle, I’d appreciate your opinion on it, and specifically which model you’d recommend. I wasn’t too keen on the idea of Kindle when it first came out. As the author of six books, I just prefer traditional paperbacks. Plus, the idea of carrying yet another electronic device with my extensive travel schedule was not appealing.
But the hassle of carrying multiple books in my in my briefcase is also not so practical, and it finally dawned on me that one advantage of Kindle is that it would allow me to carry multiple books in one device.
Thanks in advance for your input.
Identity Theft
Sunday, April 25th, 2010Here’s an email that made me quite happy to receive. I am so hyper vigilant about safeguarding my self and everyone I can against identity theft, that I recorded a CD on it. But I felt funny about selling it outright, so we began giving them away as a Free bonus to members of my Gold Inner Circle. I’m glad people are taking this as seriously as I do.
= = = = =
Dear Rebecca,
Just wanted to say I appreciated Glenn’s CD on how to protect ourselves from identity theft, and hope he will produce more recordings like it. While I’m familiar with common sales scams, about half that stuff was new to me. His factual discussions are useful.
Thanks….
Sara Davies
Kovalenko Hale Architects
Seattle, WA
Country Music Marathon Day
Saturday, April 24th, 2010
Last week, I mistakenly wrote that my beautiful bride is running in her 14th half-marathon (13.1 miles) today, but it’s her 15th. The weather looks like it may not be cooperative for this one, with thunderstorms and tornadic activity in the forecast.
They have 30,000 people running it, so we’re reeeeeeeeally hoping the weatherman got this one wrong.
Thank You Wisconsin!
Friday, April 23rd, 2010
- CheesecakeHeaven.com
A very special thanks to the folks in the great state of Wisconsin. Today was our fourth consecutive sellout seminar in Sheboygan, with organizations from The Salvation Army to The United Way to Starbucks to Sargento Cheese to my personal favorite - Cheesecake Heaven -attending, and many of them driving all the way from Green Bay.
We appreciate each and every one of you.
The Continuing House Saga
Thursday, April 22nd, 2010I got a phone call at my hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at 5:00 o’clock today. The realtors needed me to sign an addendum that confirms we raised our purchase price by the $2k the seller’s second mortgage holder in California needed to make the deal work. I ran down to the front desk so fast to get the fax and send it back, that I didn’t realize I had on no shoes (but I did have on socks). The seller’s real estate agent has been calling the seller’s second mortgage holder every day, so I guess they finally decided they would do something. Fingers are crossed. 
Love Letters to My Beautiful Bride
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010Dear Mrs. Shepard,
For some reason, being away from you this week seems harder than most. Perhaps it’s the heartbreak of the new house deal falling through at the last minute. At least I’ll be home for the Country Music Marathon Saturday. As I drove around Chicago today, I heard this Faith Hill song that summed up my thoughts and feelings so well:
Damn these old wheels,
Rolling too slow.
I stare down this white line,
With so far to go.
Headlights keep coming,
Loneliness humming along.
Who poured this rain?
Who made these clouds?
I stare through this windshield,
Thinking out loud.
Time keeps on crawling,
Love keeps on calling me home.
I’d jump all these mountains and take to the skies,
Sail through the heavens with stars in my eyes.
If my heart had wings,
I would fly to you and lie
Beside you as you dream,
If my heart had wings.
We both committed,
We both agreed.
You do what you have to, to get what you need.
Feeling you near me with so many miles in between
Lord, it ain’t easy out here in the dark,
To keep us together so far apart.
If my heart had wings,
I would fly to you and lie
Beside you as you dream,
If my heart had wings.
Stuck on this circle,
Spinning around,
Cut loose from this road
That’s tying me down.
If my heart had wings,
I would fly to you and lie
Beside you as you dream,
If my heart had wings.