Livin' The Dream Blog

Build your Own Coaching Practice

2010-01-07T15:40:00.001-06:00

If you are in transition and looking for a new direction, you may want to consider this FREE seminar:

Build your Own Coaching Practice
Friday, January 15, 2009 12 PM noon -- 2 PM
Hampton Inn (Chicago/Lombard -- Oak Brook area)
222 E. 22nd St. Lombard, IL 60148
Hosted by The Entrepreneur’s Source
Pizza and soft drinks will be served

Learn about an exciting Associate Coaching Program that will allow you the Autonomy, Flexibility and Limitless Potential that you desire. Consider the opportunity provided
by the nations leading coaching and consulting firm.

The Entrepreneur's Source Associate Program could be the answer!!
Don’t miss this FREE SEMINAR to learn more.
Seating is limited, please contact us to register: 888-264-6667
RSVP by January 13, 2010

Leo - Guest on Strait Talk

2009-07-24T10:45:00.003-05:00

Leo is going to be a guest on Strait Talk - here is a link to their web site - Strait Talk.
The show will be aired on Sunday 8/2/09 at 5:30 to 6:30 PM Central Time.
You can call in with your own questions by calling 609-447-0236.
The topic of the show is Second Careers so Leo will be talking about his own personal transition from a corporate career to life as an entrepreneur.
Be sure to check it out - if you miss the live show, he will post the archive after the live airing of the show.

Seminar for Seasoned Workers

2009-05-08T13:10:00.004-05:00

If you are thinking it might be time to change the direction of your career - check out this video. We are Livin The Dream can help!
Get in touch with Leo, Lauren or John to assist you in your search - click here for our contact information.

Breakfast & Cards - Networking Event

2009-04-07T08:15:00.001-05:00

You are invited to come to an informative casual breakfast about SendOutCards.

Do you ever feel like you never have time to follow up with clients and friends?
Are you receiving the amount of referrals you desire from family, friends, and clients?
Let us talk to you about Relationship Marketing
Learn creative ideas to stay in touch
Network with other professionals
Marcey Miller will be the Presenter
Please RSVP to Marcey Miller
847-323-3808 OR MARCEYEMILLER@ATT.NET
April 18th Breakfast & Cards
Nest Café
(cost of breakfast not included)
800 S. Route 59 -
Bartlett, Illinois
(Just North Of Stearns Road)
Saturday 10:00AM - 12:00AM
Come network and learn about SendOutCards & Relationship Marketing!

2009-04-04T12:59:00.001-05:00

Back from awesome vacation in Mexico. Weather was great as usual. Trying to get caught up!

Franchising offers laid-off workers options

2009-03-30T16:58:00.001-05:00

Many workers who are laid off from corporate jobs are embracing entrepreneurship through franchising, which remains a popular option for laid-off workers who can use severance pay for start-up costs. A 2005 International Franchise Association report found franchises provide 21 million jobs to the U.S. economy. This article explores the benefits and wealth of options franchising provides. American City Business Journals/Louisville, Ky./Wichita, Kan. (3/30/09)

Left Behind After a Layoff

2009-03-26T10:14:00.000-05:00

More Work, Less Pay
by Anthony Balderrama, PrimeCB.com writer

Everyone is feeling the pinch of the current economic situation, both on a personal and professional level. At home, we’re making fewer impulse buys and postponing vacations. At work, executives are cutting back on company perks and having to let some employees go.
All in all, life feels tough.

Another layer to add to your stress is what happens when you’re one of the fortunate workers who still have a job. Fewer people working means more work is piling up, and ultimately it lands in your to-do stack. But with budgets frozen right now, how do you deal with the fact that you have more to do and no extra pay to compensate?

“As an employee, you want to make sure that work is delegated fairly and that you get paid for the work you do,” says Lauren Milligan, host of the business radio show Livin’ the Dream. “Your employer, on the other hand, needs all the work to get done and doesn’t want complaining and negative attitudes. Is this a constant push [and] pull relationship? It doesn’t have to be.”

Read More

LTD Radio - "On The Road" - Calling for Venues

2009-03-26T09:10:00.004-05:00

John, Lauren and Leo are taking their Livin' The Dream radio show on the road!
The economy got you down - we are here to help with some practical advice about:
- Business Ownership
- Financial Management
- Career Advancement
Date: 4/29/09 - pencil in this date on your calendar (its still subject to change)
Location: That is where you come in - if you know of a venue that would like to get 30 - 50 NEW customers into their business, have them get in touch with us at LTD@MyDreamBiz.net.
More details coming in the next few weeks!

Connect with others online to expand business

2009-03-25T15:04:00.001-05:00

The only thing worse than having no Web site, columnist Steve Strauss writes, is having a bad one. Strauss shows how social interactions have helped some small businesses expand. USA TODAY (3/22/09)

Franchise Show Chicago

2009-03-25T07:14:00.003-05:00

Aspiring entrepreneurs, corporate ship-jumpers, career transitioners – anyone who wants to take control of their future should not miss this event.
Many of the nation's most successful franchises will be on hand to answer your questions, offering you the opportunity to learn about and compare a wide selection of business models. Some of the participating franchisors are well known brands that have been around for decades, and others are truly ground floor opportunities.
Come and meet people just like you who have taken control of their future. Learn about how they got started and how they found the right opportunity.
In addition, a variety of business professionals such as lenders, financial advisors, attorneys and accountants will be available to discuss other aspects of self-employment with you. All this under one roof!
Discover why there is no better time than now to own a business. Attend Franchise Show Chicago to explore whether business ownership is right for you.
WBBM Newsradio AM 780 – Live Remote
Two Hours of News & The WBBM Noon Business Hour
Anchored by Kris Kridel & Sherman Kaplan
Broadcasting from Franchise Show Chicago
Friday, March 27th from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Friday, March 27 – 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM and Saturday, March 28 – 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
The UIC Forum
725 W. Roosevelt Rd, Chicago, IL 60608
Mention Livin' The Dream radio or Leo Wisniewski for Free Admission
Register before March 27, 2008 to qualify to win a Free Riviera Maya Getaway
Visit www.FranchiseShowChicago.com to register and for more information
You may also contact us Toll Free 888-264-6667
E-mail inquiries to esource@valinet.com

Social Media is Here!

2009-03-24T07:03:00.002-05:00

If you have a business looking to get more visibility and you have not gotten on the social media bandwagon - Facebook and Twitter - you better get going.
Last night I was on a webinar with Mari smith (http://whyfacebook.com/). Lots of great information.
Facebook - 200 million users, 1 million new users added each week, 5th most popular web site on the internet.
Twitter - 8 million members and some estimate they will grow to 100 million by the end of 2009. 11 million web views to www.Twitter.com each month.

Laid-off professionals find time may be right to buy their own company

2009-03-17T07:46:00.000-05:00

Massive layoffs put buyer inquiries up 200 percent in '08

By Ann Meyer
Special to the Tribune

March 16 2009

Linda Zager was ready to put her 28-year corporate career behind her.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-mon-minding_0316mar16,0,1236079.story

Visit chicagotribune.com at http://www.chicagotribune.com

Chicago Networking Event

2009-03-10T16:28:00.001-05:00

BNC (Business Network Chicago) wants to do what it can in these challenging times to help you find that next great opportunity and advance your career. Given the overwhelming favorable response from our events the last 2 weeks, we have decided to host our 3rd networking seminar this Thursday evening, March 12, from 6 to 9 p.m.

Join us as we discuss how to establish rapport and use networking strategies to develop meaningful relationships that will enrich our lives; both personally and professionally. Whether you are looking for a job, talent, clients, capital, strategic business alliances, or a significant other, this seminar is for you!

The evening will be divided into 4 sections:

1. Judith Wright, best-selling author and founder of the Wright Leadership Institute, will speak on How To Use A One Decision To Build Rapport and Develop Genuine Relationships
2. David Carman, President & CEO of BNC, will lead a brief discussion on Networking Etiquette
3. Structured Speed networking
4. Open Networking

If you are interested in attending, please R.S.V.P. to: dcarman@BNChicago.org. Admission is free. The location for the seminar is 445 E. Ohio , Suite 340. (4 blocks east of Michigan Ave. and a few blocks north of the Loop. Arrive 5 to 10 minutes before 6 p.m. to find metered parking at $2 per hour, quarters only!) Feel free to invite friends, business associates, etc. And bring plenty of business cards!

 Recession could be a good time for a new business

2009-03-07T16:42:00.000-06:00

Not only could a new small business benefit from below-market commercial space, but it could also stimulate the economy by creating jobs, a chamber of commerce official in Oregon writes. New owners could also benefit from weakened competition. The Sandy Post (Ore.) (3/3/09)

Choice Hotels on track to exceed unit growth forecasts

2009-03-07T16:41:00.000-06:00

Choice Hotels International says it should exceed analysts' expectations for growth in the economy to midscale segment by reaching its target of a 3% increase in its number of franchised hotels this year. Smith Travel Research forecast 2.4% unit growth in the segment. Choice now holds about 9.4% of the U.S. hotel market, with economy and midscale brands including Comfort Inn and EconoLodge. Reuters (3/4/09)

Lauren Milligan - Back on WGN Radio

2009-02-10T07:08:00.000-06:00

I was invited back to WGN radio (720 AM in Chicago) for this Saturday at 3:00 PM CST. For about 20 minutes, they're opening up the phone lines for listeners to call in with their job-search and resume questions. If you know of anyone who would like to ask a question on-air, kindly send this to them. The show streams online at www.wgnradio.com/

The host of the show is Bill Moller, a staple of Chicago radio and tv. He's a fun and high-energy host; we had a great time together in December.

Lauren Milligan

Stimulus Package - Money Well Spent?

2009-02-08T07:50:00.004-06:00

While I was out biking yesterday and joined the 50° weather here in Chicago, I was listening to the 2/6/09 episode of the Dave Ramsey show. In that show, he suggested an alternative approach to stimulating the economy versus the $900 billion current stimulus package being debated in Congress.
I have had some concerns about the size of the stimulus package and more importantly concerned that all of this spending will not really stimulate the economy. However, I don't think it's productive just to express concerns about something without bringing forward an alternative plan. What I heard today on the Dave Ramsey show seems like it has a lot of potential as a more creative starting point.
First of all, let's review the current stimulus package. As of today, the stimulus package is running about $900 billion. One of the key objectives of this plan is to create 3 million new jobs.
If you do some simple math, $900 billion divided by 3 million jobs that comes out to $300,000 per job created. As a business owner, I can tell you that is extremely excessive.
One of the arguments I'm hearing for why the bill needs to be passed is because it's not just about creating jobs, it's also about stimulating the economy by government spending.
Therefore, let's assume that 50% of the bill is just spending to get the economy moving and 50% is to create jobs.
As I mentioned in a previous blog, all of the government spending is only a small portion of the economy. 70% of the GDP is made up of consumer spending, not government spending. Therefore, how much stimulation can really come from government spending when it is really only a small portion of the total economy. Nevertheless, let's assume for now that the "spending" (and not job creation) portion of the bill will achieve its objectives.
If only half of the $900 billion bill will be used to create 3 million jobs, that still $150,000 per job created. Given that a lot of the jobs created will be manual labor or trade jobs, I find it hard to believe that these will be $150,000 per year salary jobs.
What is the alternative? The alternative that Dave Ramsey proposed was provide businesses with a $20,000 tax credit for each job created. At 3 million jobs, this would cost the government $60 billion which is less than one 10th of the current stimulus package.
As a business owner, if I knew that I was going to get it $20,000 tax credit to hire people I know that I would hire at least 5 people within the next week.
One of the main advantages of this plan is become leverage our current infrastructure to implement it immediately. No new government agency has to be created. We don't need to ramp up anything. The IRS is already in place and we would just need to change some tax laws.
Obviously a number of things would need to be worked out so that unscrupulous business owners don't play games like firing everyone to just rehire them or are people for a few months and then fire them. However, I think these issues could be ironed out a lot quicker than the weeks of debate that have gone on in Congress to date.
I would welcome any constructive criticism of this alternative plan as I believe debate on such a critical issue is important for the future of our country and important to make sure that our children are not unduly burdened with huge additions to our federal deficit.

How will the new administration affect the job market?

2009-02-05T15:15:00.000-06:00

I was recently selected as a contributing writer for the Chicago edition of Examiner.com. Here's a link to my section: http://www.examiner.com/x-2951-Chicago-Jobs-Examiner
The first article was posted the other day and has a lot of great insights, thanks to many of my networking buddies. I'll always be on the lookout for interesting topics and hope to get many more brilliant quotes from all of you.
Feel free to leave your comments. The way I see it, it's a free plug for your business!

Lauren Milligan

Will Facebook become a friend to marketers?

2009-02-02T14:14:00.001-06:00

Facebook, which is collecting the first set of results from its engagement-ads trials, faces two challenges in trying to expand the program, according to MediaVest Vice President Mohan Renganathan. Many marketers are trimming their outlays for experimental marketing, and they are choosing to focus on ads to address short-term needs rather than long-term brand building. Advertising Age (2/2/09)

2009 Stimulus Plan Size

2009-01-30T08:59:00.006-06:00

The Wall Street Journal reports that the size of the proposed almost $1 trillion spending plan is now:
- Larger then the entire cost of the Iraq war
- Larger then the cost of every war in which the US has fought - except for WWII
- Larger then the cost of the annual federal discretionary budget excluding social security
- Its roughly doubling the size of the federal government
- The amount of new debt will be roughly equal to the size of the full debt from WWII

Some of the items included in the stimulus plan include:
- New programs to help prevent sexually transmitted diseases
- $50 million additional spending for the national endowment of the arts
- $70 million for a new supercomputer at the national oceanic and atmospheric administration
- $75 million for smoking cessation programs
- Money for the South Florida yaht repair industry
- Money for support California wine makers

We need to be careful about our decisions as we will leave this mess for our kids!

The Truth About Working at Home

2009-01-26T17:24:00.000-06:00

Working at home is such a hot topic these days. But with any hot topic, there ’s always two sides of the story.
Is working at home a great way to save on daycare costs? Do people who work from home have it easy because they can slack off? Does working at home make you less professional because you don’t have to get dressed and shower? Or are these all silly assumptions with no base in truth?
To read the rest of the article - click here

U.S. mayors see franchising as key to jobs, economic development

2009-01-26T16:52:00.000-06:00

The job creation and economic development importance of franchise businesses is getting a closer look by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, which recently created a task force to view ways the industry could help boost local economies. International Franchise Association Pres. and CEO Matthew Shay said the formation is an indication that mayors "value the economic output that franchise business contribute to local economies." Trenton, N.J., Mayor Doug Palmer was named chairman of the Franchising and Small Business in Cities Task Force. AmericanCityAndCounty.com (1/23/09)

Markus May - MBBI Speaker - 1/28/09

2009-01-23T08:16:00.003-06:00

Markus May, one of our previous guests on Livin' The Dream will be speaking on January 28, 2008 at the Midwest Business Brokers and Intermediaries annual conference on Best Practices in Tough Markets: Getting the Deal Done.
He will be speaking on a panel of experts discussing "navigating speed bumps" in transactions. There are a number of other interesting panels dealing with various topics related to selling or buying a business as well as CPE classes, a private equity connection event and networking.
There will be over $2,500 in raffle prizes.
For more information contact Markus May or check out his his LTD interview at the following link - Markus May Interview.

Advertise During a Recession!

2009-01-21T07:06:00.002-06:00

One of the topics we talk about on Livin' The Dream radio is the economy and what it means for your business. We are obviously in a recession - we read about layoffs and cutbacks every day. Therefore, if you have your business or are thinking about starting your own business, what should you do with your expenses - especially advertising?
I recently found an article that helps reinforce the advice I have been advocating on our show - now - during this recession is a GREAT time to GROW YOUR MARKET SHARE! While most competitors are cutting back on advertising, now is your chance to grab more market share thru more advertising!
Here is the link to the article called appropriately "Advertising in a Recession". Be sure to check it out for some interesting insights!

Your Nine-Step Job-Search

2009-01-20T21:08:00.002-06:00

1. Choose a direction!
Before you lose your job, think about your next career direction. If you were laid-off tomorrow, would you want to find the same job you have now, or would you want to do something different? All too often, I talk with job seekers who lost their job…need a job…but don’t know what they want to do. Don’t spend the first 2 or 3 months trying to decide, “What do I want to be, now?" If you think a career change is in order, reach out to those in your network and ask them where they see you. You might get some really eye-opening insights! Think about what you love to do, what things you do well and what type of jobs the market has to offer. Your answer should be a good blend of all three!

2. Write it up!
Your resume has to stand out by focusing on the results and accomplishments of your work. Get rid of all the boilerplate language (Finished projects on-time and under-budget…A team-player who can work independently…). Focus on one or two areas that identify you as an expert. Provide specific, unique and brief examples about your accomplishments.

3. Let the Internet work for you!
The perfect time to build your online profile is before you need it. Just keep it professional! Think of these online profiles as addendums to your resume. Utilize the space you’re given in these profiles to create an eye-catching profile that will stand out from the rest. How will you know? Look up 20 of your friends’ profiles and read their headline. Now write one that’s better.

4. Start connecting!
While you’re still on the job, reach out to colleagues, managers, vendors and clients via your sharp and engaging LinkedIn or Facebook profile. Now that you’ve got it, make it work for you! Invite people to connect with you. These sites have easy-to-follow search functions that make finding former classmates or colleagues easy to find.

5. Don’t hide behind your computer!
In addition to online networking, make sure to make as many personal connections as possible. Take a colleague out to coffee or sign up for those industry networking events. Try to schedule at least one a week. Doing this will strengthen your connections and open yourself to unforeseen opportunities.

6. Seek out those who will sing your praises!
It’s now time to build up your references list. You’ll need anywhere between four and six folks who are knowledgeable and positive about your work ethic and skills. One or two bosses, a co-worker and a long-term client would make a great list.

7. Know the numbers!
Research competitive salary information on sites such as Salary.com, Payscale.com, or Indeed.com.

8. Get professional help!
Establishing a long-term relationship with a Recruiters is a really smart idea. An even smarter idea is establishing relationships with two or three recruiters. Never agree to work exclusively with a recruiter – and don’t work with any that would ask. Find good recruiters by asking your colleagues for references, or find them on LinkedIn (and pay attention to how many of their clients have endorsed them!).

9. Stay in the loop!
If you had to start looking for a job tomorrow, do you know what companies are hiring? Pay attention to what happens in your industry (and your community) so that you’ll be able to quickly come up with seven or eight companies who can use someone with your particular skills.

That’s it! Put these 9 steps into practice if you think you’ll be starting a job-search soon. Trust me, you’ll be ahead of the pack!

Lauren Milligan

Letter From The Boss

2009-01-16T18:25:00.003-06:00

I recently got the below as one of those "gag" emails I get from others. I usually delete them immediately. This one caught my eye. You might not agree with everything in the below "letter from the boss" but I believe there is a lot of good insights in this "letter" - Leo

To All My Valued Employees,

There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn't pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country.

However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interests.

First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a back story. This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You've seen my big home at last years Christmas party. I'm sure; all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life.

However, what you don't see is the back story.

I started this company 28 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living apartment was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you.

My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn't have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting the Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the discount store extracting any clothing item that didn't look like it was birthed in the 70's. My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.

So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5pm, I don't. There is no "off" button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to my hip like a 1 year old special-needs child. You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden -- the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations... you never realize the back story and the sacrifices I've made.

Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail-out all the people who didn't. The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for.

Yes, business ownership has is benefits but the price I've paid is steep and not without wounds.

Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:

I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero. Nada. Zilch.

The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check? Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country.

The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you'd quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy.

Here is what many of you don't understand ... to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries. But you can forget it now.

When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? Or, do you defibrillate his heart? Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the poor of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine. Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep.

So where am I going with all this?

It's quite simple.

If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple. I fire you. I fire your co-workers. You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's future. Frankly, it isn't my problem any more.

Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire. You see, I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.

So, if you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled the constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever. If that happens, you can find me sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about....

Signed, Your boss

Search For Security

2009-01-11T10:06:00.002-06:00

Almost every week I talk with prospective clients who are searching for different options to get their life on track.
As you know, my specialty is helping people prepare for successfully starting their own business.
What continually amazes me is how people tell me that it's too risky to have their own business. Instead, they are looking for a more "secure" option like a corporate job.
I am always baffled by this response because of the lack of corporate loyalty as well as the number of people that get laid off each month.
In an article in the Wall Street Journal on 1/10/09 called "Yearly Job Loss Worst since 1945", they noted that 2.5 million jobs have been lost in 2008. This is the highest number of jobs lost in industry since 1945!
If you think that corporate employment is "safer", think again.
I recently heard a great definition of "risk" which is any situation that is not in your control.
Compare for yourself corporate employment to having your own business. When you work for someone else, THEY decide if you will be promoted, if you will continue to be employed, etc.
If you have your own business, you have to step up and take responsibility because it's your money invested in the business. A number of people shy away from this but don't realize having your money invested in the business is the greatest motivator you can have. It's the thing that will get you out of bed in the morning - the fear of failure.
Your success will come from you and no one else. Take control of your life and live the life of your dreams!

Interview Deal Breakers

2008-12-14T09:24:00.000-06:00

Here are 5 things that reflect poorly on candidates during an interview, resulting in "Sorry, but we've decided to go with another applicant".

1) The candidate gets nervous and talks too much, turning every answer into a long ramble that doesn't answer the initial question.
2) The candidate can't validate their work and is not able to come up with solid ways they've done A, B and C in the past.
3) The candidate isn't able to come up with good answers to hypothetical questions on the fly, such as "If you were asked to give a speech in front of our executive team, which topic would you choose, and why?"
4) The candidate speaks poorly about former employers, supervisors, clients or colleagues.
5) The candidate doesn't know enough about the company. There are so many invaluable sources in addition to a company's website! Get to know the company's leaders, advertising campaigns, community relations, competitors and problems before going in to an interview and be prepared to speak intelligently about how you would fit in to the culture.

U.S. Sheds Over Half Million Jobs

2008-12-05T11:47:00.001-06:00

If you are still thinking that it's a "safer bet" to get a corporate job instead of starting your own business, check out the latest corporate employment results.
Nonfarm payrolls plunged a larger-than-expected 533,000 in November, the U.S. Labor Department said Friday. The unemployment rate, which is calculated using a separate survey of households, rose 0.2 percentage point to 6.7%, the highest since October 1993. (Wall Street Journal 12/5/2008) Full Article link

Is the bad economy a good thing for franchises?

2008-11-26T13:37:00.003-06:00

The uncertainty that currently hangs over the global economy could signal good times for franchises, according to this report. Several macro factors -- including a larger pool of potential franchisees and a reallocation of assets from the stock market into franchises and other small business -- bode well for franchisors. MSNBC/Entrepreneur.com (11/24/08)

PR Tips to Promote Your Business

2008-11-12T10:36:00.004-06:00

Hi everyone,
I'm posting a very cool article courtesy of Mike Michalowicz's entrepreneur site, the Toilet Paper Entrepreneur. Talk about someone who doesn't take things too seriously! Anyway, he asked a bunch of biz owners for free/low-cost tips to PR. Pay special attention to tip #40!
http://www.toiletpaperentrepreneur.com/blog/the-54-best-pr-tips-for-entrepreneurs

Lauren Milligan
Career Advancement Expert
ResuMAYDAY
www.ResuMAYDAY.com

For economy's casualties, franchises offer a brand to build on

2008-11-04T09:09:00.000-06:00

Economy's casualties look to franchising
When his employer, Delphi Corp., filed for bankruptcy, Bernie Howard switched gears and opened a BrightStar Healthcare franchise. As the economy continues to lose jobs, thousands of people like him are opening franchises. "When you buy a franchise, you are buying a proven system, marketing and advertising that you don't get when you are starting out on your own," the International Franchise Association's Alisa Harrison said. MLive.com (Mich.)/The Grand Rapids Press (free registration) (11/2/08)

Get Clients/Employers to Warm Up to You!

2008-10-29T17:32:00.003-05:00

I just read a really interesting article in the Los Angeles Times. A recent study was conducted that showed people warm up to you faster if you have warm hands. Likewise, you are more open and friendly with people when your hands are warm. So should you hold a cup of coffee in your hands for a few seconds before a client meeting or job interview, as the article suggests? It can't hurt! Here's a link to the article, written by Denise Gellene:
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-sci-hot24-2008oct24,0,2072016.story

Franchises take the guesswork out of starting a company

2008-10-23T06:07:00.000-05:00

Franchises offer many advantages over starting a business from scratch. Because the company wants you to succeed, it provides continuing advice and help. USA TODAY (10/22/08)

Severance packages used to start franchises

2008-10-12T11:59:00.001-05:00

More and more recently retired Michigan workers are using their severance packages to start franchises. "We would benefit from having more success stories from someone who strikes out on his or her own. I would definitely recommend [franchising] as something they should look at seriously," an economics professor said. The Detroit News (10/10/08)

Setting up franchisees for success in a challenging economy

2008-10-08T18:29:00.000-05:00

The challenging economy has prompted many franchisors to take proactive steps to combat the situation and help their franchisees. "Many franchise systems are finding that group-business coaching is the final missing link in the total support and development of helping franchisees become effective, focused and strategic owners of the franchise brand," writes The Growth Coach's Daniel M. Murphy in Franchising World magazine. (10/2008)

Americans Believe Entrepreneurs Will Revive Economy, According to Kauffman Foundation Survey

2008-10-02T18:31:00.002-05:00

Ignore the Doomsday Headlines
Continue to flex your networking muscles.

By Dr. Ivan Misner,
BNI Founder and Chairman

Today's news is full of economic soap operas. In the United States, Congress, the White House, and the pundits are debating the so-called bailout of yet another pillar of Corporate America. European nations and others around the globe are struggling with recessionary pressures. Voices everywhere seem to be spouting economic doom and gloom.

Now, please, lean in close and listen carefully. I'm going to ask you to do something difficult, yet very important: Ignore all those doom and gloom voices.

read more

Chicago area Franchisor Seeks VP of Development

2008-09-28T08:25:00.002-05:00

Livin' The Dream has been informed that a Chicago area franchisor is seeking a VP of development.
If you know of anyone that is interested, please contact Leo Wisniewski at LTD@MyDreamBiz.net or 877-389-0434.

Fixing customer issues is profitable strategy

2008-09-22T14:34:00.001-05:00

Most companies responding to customer-service complaints fail to fix systemic breakdowns, guaranteeing that the same kinds of problems will resurface. Efficiency and profits improve when a company addresses resolution of customer complaints, gets managers involved and pays attention to the employees who are on the line dealing with consumers. The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) (9/22/08)

Please Help OUR Business Owners

2008-09-12T14:07:00.002-05:00

What is one piece of advice you would give to new business owners to help them launch their business in the right direction?

Please tell us your views, we can all learn from each other, and may even share your ideas on the RADIO. Take a Moment, Join The Group, We appreciate you!

Entrepreneurs are different from small-business owners

2008-09-10T21:49:00.001-05:00

"Small-business owner" and "entrepreneur" are not interchangeable terms, says Bo Fishback, vice president of entrepreneurship at the Kauffman Foundation. Entrepreneurs are innovators who generate one new idea after another, Fishback says, while small-business owners tend to develop one idea and then stick with it. The Wall Street Journal/Independent Street blog (subscription required) (9/9/08)

But How Do You Pick Just One?!

2008-09-08T08:58:00.002-05:00

The upcoming topic for the radio show on 9/9 is 'The One Thing I Would Change In My Business is...'

I'm really intrigued to hear what my two co-hosts have to say about this topic and anyone else that wants to add their insights here as a comment. (Listen live on Tuesday, 9/9 at 12:00 CST at http://www.mydreambiz.net/ and click on the Listen Live box, or listen to the show archives anytime.)

What's interesting about this topic is how your perspective is shaped about what you would change if you are the business owner, or an employee.

I think that in answering this question, it's important for people to think about what things are within their control that affect their business, and what things are beyond their control.

What do you think?

Business Plan - the 'Great American Novel' or a cocktail napkin?

2008-09-04T08:16:00.004-05:00

Listeners to our show will have, no doubt, enjoyed the friendly banter between myself and John as we discussed the varying degrees that a business plan can have. As I mentioned, my 'business plan' was a few ideas scratched out on the back of a restaurant place mat, with a pen borrowed from our server. Here is a link to the show archive - give it a listen! http://mydreambizarchives.blogspot.com/

As someone who edits and proofreads business plans, I think this document can be a very useful tool, as long as the intention of writing your business plan is to actually USE it. Are you applying for a loan or other funding? Are you trying to attract new stakeholders to the company? Do you want a benchmark - something to help you track and measure your progress? Then, my friends, a business plan is the right thing for you.

If, however, you find that your business is stalled because you are spending your working hours fretting over the creation of your business plan...then I say scrap it! For goodness sake - get out there and close a client! You don't actually NEED a business plan to do business...particularly if it isn't going to do anything but sit in a drawer.

I certainly agree with John on a very important point: you have to have your goals and objectives written down somewhere and whatever the format, that becomes your business plan. Post-its stuck to a computer? Not ideal, but I'm more on that side of the fence. And guess what? It works for me.

I'm interested to hear from other small business owners about this topic. How crucial is your business plan, if it exists?

Health Insurance

2008-09-01T12:35:00.002-05:00

One of the biggest areas of concern for a business owner is health insurance
One of the web sites to get more information about this is at eHealth (www.ehealthinsurance.com).

Business Valiation

2008-09-01T12:30:00.002-05:00

When trying to determine the value of your business, one of the options is to hire a business appraiser.
You can find a listing of these appraisers at the The Institute of Business Appraisers.
Here is a link to their Directory of Business Appraisers.

Five tips for successful entrepreneurs

2008-08-27T13:58:00.000-05:00

Five entrepreneurial "life skills" are detailed in this article. The tips include: Stop being a control freak, consider a problem before going to bed so your subconscious works it out in your sleep, and expand a business incrementally to avoid wasting time and money on the wrong endeavors. Small Business Trends (8/25/08)

Franchisors boost incentives to encourage new owners

2008-08-27T13:57:00.001-05:00

Franchisors are getting creative in their effort to entice new franchisees to work with their brand. Some companies, such as Dwyer Group, provide incentives for workers to eventually buy their own franchise. Maaco Enterprises promises the company will buy back any new franchise that hasn't attained a certain sales level after the first year. The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) (8/26/08)

Revamped disclosure rules better for franchisees

2008-07-30T14:42:00.001-05:00

The FTC's revised disclosure rules for franchisors took effect on July 1. The rules require franchisors to disclose more information and simplifies franchise turnover, transfers and terminations. David French, vice president of government relations for the International Franchise Association, said the association is "pleased" with the changes. "The quality of presale disclosure has been strengthened." The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) (7/29)

Businesses can appeal to coupon-clippers

2008-07-08T14:54:00.000-05:00

Businesses may want to consider using coupons as a way to appeal to customers and increase sales. Businesses can take a number of approaches when creating coupons for today's consumer. Consider making a "gas-saver" coupon for free shipping, or flattering the customer by making a "savvy shopper" coupon. Los Angeles Times (free registration) (7/7)

Best service eliminates potential problems before they begin

2008-06-30T19:55:00.000-05:00

Late shipments, inaccurate invoices and confusing offers can bring complaining customers into the office. One way of addressing chronic customer complaints is taking on a "the best service is no service" strategy in which the solutions are found before problems occur. destinationCRM (6/24)

Benefits of Franchising

2008-06-11T20:03:00.001-05:00

A proven concept, a tried business model and centralized buying power are all benefits that franchises can offer entrepreneurs. When done well, franchising can help grow businesses quickly. Napa Valley Register (Calif.) (6/9)

Entrepreneurs need to plan retirement exit, funding

2008-06-04T21:46:00.000-05:00

Financial experts say entrepreneurs are not investing enough in retirement plans. "What we've found, and what I've found, is they're not spending a lot of time on a personal financial plan to see how their business fits into their long-range plans," said Eric Sheerin of Barber Financial Group in Kansas. "They don't have a clear exit strategy and, many times, they don't have the necessary insurance in case something happens to them." El Paso Times (Texas) (6/2)

Build relationship skills for better networking

2008-05-27T15:28:00.000-05:00

People typically fall into one of four categories when it comes to networking: loners, socializers, users and relationship builders. The goal for successful sales should be the latter. CRM Daily (5/16)

Business ownership can be a way out of poverty

2008-05-12T22:30:00.000-05:00

Entrepreneurship creates diversity through the marketplace that can turn the marginalized into established members of the community, says Mike Score, an agricultural innovation counselor for the Michigan State University Product Center. "An amazing truth about entrepreneurship is that the opportunity to plan and launch a new business is not limited to people with college business degrees," he says. MLive.com (Mich.)/The Ann Arbor News (free registration) (5/10)

Corporate layoffs create pool of skilled franchisees

2008-05-05T14:55:00.001-05:00

Rather than being a hindrance to entrepreneurship, the sagging U.S. economy seems to be spurring franchising. The downsizing of corporations has created a large number of skilled managers who can run any number of businesses. TMC Internet Telephony/St. Louis Post-Dispatch (5/4)

Offer extreme customer service to ride through slump

2008-05-03T09:55:00.003-05:00

I have received a lot of questions about the economy slowing down from clients who are thinking about getting into their own business. Check out the article below for some great advice for some no-cost ways to use this change in the economy to INCREASE the market share of your business!

Businesses can beat the economic slowdown by going the extra yard and offering extreme customer service. One entrepreneur's strategy for staying afloat included getting in tune with the community; showing customers that the business cares with a high staff-to-customer ratio; and using customer feedback to win new customers. CNNmoney.com/Fortune Small Business (4/29)

Promote value when customer spending declines

2008-04-28T14:39:00.001-05:00

When customers are cutting back on spending, business owners need to emphasize the value of products and services they are offering. One franchising expert recommends identifying the products that have the best profit margins and selling them aggressively. Los Angeles Times (free registration) (4/28)

Every contact is an opportunity to promote business

2008-04-26T08:22:00.000-05:00

Business owners can turn casual contacts into marketing opportunities, says Amy Stevens, co-founder of marketing firm Marketing Edge Ventures. She recommends preparing a 30-second pitch to be ready for impromptu meetings and writing a follow-up plan on every business card received. Entrepreneur (5/2008)

Customer experience is king

2008-04-23T18:26:00.000-05:00

While technology has to some extent leveled the playing field for marketers, companies can distinguish themselves by making an extra effort to create a positive customer experience. One expert says, "Every aspect of your business must reflect your company's DNA -- and what you have learned about the desires of your customer." BusinessWeek (4/11)

Expert offers ways to grow business in sour economy

2008-04-14T14:45:00.000-05:00

Small businesses are seeing opportunities for growth in today's economy, says columnist Rhonda Abrams. A recent survey shows nine of 10 small-business owners say they see opportunity and three-fourths of them expect their businesses will grow in the next year. Abrams suggests ways for companies to grow when the economy does not. Hartford Business Journal (Conn.) (4/14)

Midas purchases SpeeDee oil franchisor

2008-04-05T09:38:00.001-05:00

Midas has purchased the assets of G.C. & K.B. Investments, the company that franchises SpeeDee oil change centers, for $20.8 million. NOLA.com (New Orleans)/Associated Press (4/2)

Franchised service businesses offer port in economic storm

2008-03-31T15:46:00.003-05:00

With entry costs of as little as $20,000, franchised service businesses are a good choice in a tough economy. Former business executives who have been laid off from corporate jobs are excellent candidates for office-based franchises such as financial consulting and information technology. San Diego Business Journal (3/31)

Are You Ready for Change?

2007-08-02T06:56:00.000-05:00

Redefining Entrepreneurship for the 21st Century

Are you ready for change? Are you ready to think outside the box? Are you willing to at least explore other options for your future?

Those old notions of career growth and success we held so dear during the 20th century need an overhaul. We can't simply get a job at a corporation - work hard - and eventually advance to a lofty position, or even stay employed until we're ready to retire with a full pension. Pensions are reducing or disappearing. Benefit programs relating to health insurance are shrinking. And job security is a thing of the past.

So - wake up and board the train to change. Think opportunity. Think diversification. Think of new ways to build wealth so you can attain the lifestyle you want and deserve.

Leo and I will be introducing new ways to approach building wealth. Whatever your goals are, they usually require money to achieve them. For example, in the corporate world, if you were lucky, your employer offered a 401k, and they would contribute funds along with you. Many people were lucky enough to accumulate considerable amounts which they are reserving for the "future" - whatever that is. Some employees did not have the benefit of a 401k, but there are always IRAs. And some love to dabble in the stock market (not for the faint of heart). And some are just very conservative, and put money in their bank - but that's not very productive when interest rates are low.

So what else can you do?

What about starting a business - go on, you've always wanted to be your own boss. But conventional wisdom of the 20th century held you back. The path to wealth was as CEO of a company. But no more. Take control. Step out on your own. If you are too cautious for starting an independent business, think about a franchise opportunity where a system has already been formulated for you.

What about investing in real estate? Given the current real estate market, this may not be the ideal time to flip houses, but there are still options out there, if you know how to proceed. Maybe you need to learn from an expert how to do this.

If you are currently employed, but feel you are not meeting your true potential, what about working with an executive coach who will help you improve in your current position or help you find a better one?

Have you spoken to a really good financial advisor lately? Not one who is just looking to earn a percentage off your investments, but one who really understands options for safeguarding your investments and your financial future.

Now is the time to start making your own changes - otherwise, someone else, or something else, will make it for you.

Stay tuned to Livin' The Dream, where we will be undergoing change ourselves, expanding our perspective to help people reach their dreams. Business Ownership, Financial Management, Career Advancement, and Real Estate Investment are vehicles to wealth, which is your means to the end - livin' the lifestyle you want and deserve.

Stay tuned. Lots more to come.

Let us know your ideas

Feel free to post a response. Let us know what you want to hear about on Livin' The Dream.

Show Notes - 05/15/07

2007-05-18T08:06:00.004-05:00

Mission Critical - The Secrets of a Master Networker

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk with Michael Richmond again. Michael has been on the show previously to tell us about his Business Builders Forum, which is a networking organization.
Michael is a true master networker. He knows networking is a lot more that building your Rolodex, or even building relationships. And so we can all benefit from his wisdom and experience. He's just written a book called Mission Critical - The Secrets of a Master Networker. There are some real pearls of wisdom here.

For those of you who want to get the most out of you networking experience, this is a must read. It's extremely well written, and clearly describes what constitutes successful networking.

For example, Michael describes the difference between the basic networker, the skilled networker, and the master networker. Few of us who really get into networking achieve the final step, because it requires you to get into the head of the people you meet. You must truly understand their needs in order for you to provide them great referrals, which of course will in turn become reciprocal.

Michael also talks about the typical types of customer acquisition we do: 1) we utilize our circle of influence (friends and relatives), 2) we count on walk in traffic as a result of hanging out a sign, and 3) we advertise. There is a fourth, and more powerful, option: participate in networking - become a part of a networking group that is interested in building serious relationships, not just one that is a social club.

Michael shared his thoughts about increasing your business. Everyone wants to double there business, but if you think about doubling your business in a year, it can sound too daunting. So Michael offers the 6% solution. He says we should think of this in smaller increments: do you think you can increase your number of customers 6% in 1 month? That probably seems doable. And if you do that monthly, for 12 months, that 6% - compounded - yields 100% in 12 months.

Another thing Michael says a Master Networker will do is create a strong circle of professionals - each of whom are expert in what they, and who are willing to collaborate with respect to sharing referrals. He describes this as a cartel, and is not very different from what GM does with each of its business units. Each unit appeals to a particular market, and all participate in the same industry. But their reach is larger as a group than individually.
For more information on how to become an expert networker, get Michael's book. He's offering a special through Livin' The Dream radio. Visit his website and order the book, and you'll get $10 off it's standard $25 price!
Michael is now writing his second book called "Center of Influence" and that will be about those individuals that are the experts - the mavens, if you will - in their field.

Business of the Week

Craig Lowder - Action Coach Craig is a Livin' The Dream Sponsor. He has 30 years consulting experience, working with small to medium businesses. He became an Action Coach a year ago, and now has expanded his offering. Craig is also interested in helping business owners improve their life style. Learn more about his Profit Club and Growth Club opportunities for educational information as well as networking.

Other Topics of Interest

Dennis Tondryk of Order Now Systems Dennis has started yet another business that really seems to be taking off. He builds online (virtual) stores for businesses, and offers powerful ways for these businesses to reach their market. And, he has a unique way of charging for his services. He'll build your website and provide other marketing services at no cost. That's because he is so confident in his approach to draw in business through your new on-line store. His payment takes the form of a percentage of your sales. A great way to get visibility without the heavy upfront investment typical for this type of visibility and functionality.

Show Notes - 05/08/07

2007-05-10T07:31:00.000-05:00

Business Updates

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk with Brian Anderson of BA Search Group. Brian started BA Search group about 4 years ago, after spending 18 years in the corporate world. He now assists organizations in the selection and recruitment of personnel, using his extensive experience. Brian is also a registered corporate coach and a certified selection expert offering both executive and career coaching. He also does retail consulting (sales training, mystery shopping programs, and building visual management tools to enhance brand awareness).
We talked about Brian's approach to recruiting. He uses a process called KNS. The K stands for "Know yourself." It's critical to understand your strengths and weaknesses - how you are wired. To that end, Brian does a lot of profiling up front with his clients to help them understand themselves.
The N is for Networking, a critical part of business these days - whether you're looking for job opportunities OR potential referrals for your business. If you want to make inroads in your job search, you need to talk with lots of people, who know people, who can get you to meet key individuals who are hiring.
The S is for Selection. Hiring managers often don't understand how to identify what they want in an employee, and often have difficulty finding the right person. They don't necessarily ask enough questions or spend enough time during the interview process to really get an in depth perspective of the candidate. And this can apply to the job candidate as well. If you're looking for a job, you want to ask the right questions, not just to impress the interviewer, but to help you understand if the position will be a good fit for you.
Brian is incrediably well-connected. So if you need help getting your career on track, or if you need help in hiring people for your organization, contact Brian at www.basearchgroup.com. His profile is available on our website.

Business of the Week

Gail Sussman Miller of Inspired Choice. Gail has been a frequent guest on our program, and as she spoke today, we can see how she has grown her business. She has morphed her initial offering "How to Love Networking" into other variations. She's made inroads in making corporate connections, and she continues to augment the number and quality of her speaking engagements.

Other Topics of Interest

Jim Mill of Maui Wowi spoke with us about his franchise opportunity. Maui Wowi has been around since 1983. They initially offered a "movable" operation, where their early franchisees brought their all-natural smoothies to event locations. Then they started to offer Kona coffee from Hawaii as well as smoothies. Now, they are moving into fixed locations, like the one in St. Charles on Rte 64. Jim, who is responsible for expanding Maui Wowi in Illinois, is looking for people interested in becoming a franchisee. (Sybil's two cents: the smoothies are fabulous - you'll love them) For more information, contact us at LTD@mydreambiz, or visit http://www.mauiwowi.com/.

Show Notes - 05/01/07

2007-05-04T06:21:00.000-05:00

Business Updates

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk Jeff Thoreson of GSF Mortgage Corpration. Jeff's been with us before, giving us advice on real estate investing.
We talked a lot about the impact of the sub-prime market fallout. There are opportunities out there as a result. Lenders are willing to negotiate on the mortgage they are holding. Some are willing to offer the mortgage at 80% of its original value to avoid foreclosure. This bodes well for first time buyers. And the rates are good. Some lenders are still willing to lend money with no money down, but the trend is now towards fixed rates, rather than ARM (Adjustable Rate Mortgages) loans.
It may also be an opportunity for those individuals looking to do some rehabbing. Houses are available, and as mentioned before, lenders would prefer to avoid foreclosure.
Final note to sellers: get your house ready to sell. 1) price it right, 2) get a professional stager to help you understand what kind of changes you may want to make before you put the house on the market, 3) get your home inspected, and think about providing the inspection report to potential buyers, and 4) don't put money into things that won't contribute to the sale. Unless you intend to stay in your home for another 5 years, any work done below grade (like basement improvements) is not a sound investment. And if you need to make cosmetic changes (like new countertops), take care in your choice of materials and colors.
Contact Jeff at http://www.gsfbyhome.com/ in Burr Ridge, IL. He's proactively working with lenders and Realtors developing great opportunities for investors and individuals who want to own their own home.

Business of the Week

Becky Dzielinski of Arbonne International - Becky told us about some new products geared to the teenage market: drinkable and chewable vitamins, as well as face and body care FYI (For Young Individuals). The teen market is a real growth area for Arbonne. Becky said Arbonne is now opening territory in Australia, and has major coverage in national magazines, like Oprah.

Other Topics of Interest

Navis Pack and Ship - Lauren Johnson visited with us to explain this franchise opportunity. Navis has a real niche in the packing and shipping market. They handle items that are too bulky, too large, or too fragile for standard shipping through UPS or FedEx, but too small for trucking companies to handle. This is largely a business-to-business operation, and requires some warehouse space. Prime retail location is not required, keeping monthly rental space costs down. And you don't need a logistics background for this business. The franchisor will give you all the training you need. Also, there is a prime territory available right here in the Chicago area in Naperville. Contact us at LTD@mydreambiz.net for information, or visit http://www.navispackandship.com/.

Show Notes - 04/24/07

2007-04-29T12:44:00.000-05:00

Why Use a Franchise Financing Specialist?

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk with Brian Link of InSource Capital Services, Inc. Brian's company specializes in four areas: franchise financing, technology leasing and financing, working capital loans, and equipment leasing.
We had Brian on to help us understand why getting franchise financing through a company that specializes in this type of lending may work better for some people than going to your neighborhood bank.
Brian understands that when a new franchisee opens a new franchise locations, it is NOT the same as a "start-up business" for several reasons.
First, the franchisor provides a lot of information about the business in their Uniform Franchise Offering Circular, a disclosure document that the FTC requires all franchisors to issue to potential franchisees interested in the business opportunity. Brian reviews this document because it provides a wealth of information.
Second, there is much less guess work about what the business will be like when other franchise locations already exist. There is a track record.
And because Brian takes the time to understand the business, he will be flexible on payment terms. For example, if the business is seasonal, he might work out a deal with you where your payments are lower during your off season.
Brian offers several types of loans to suit the situation. You might need a collateral-free loan for a short period of time - like a bridge loan - and you can use your existing credit as the basis for that. The lender just needs to be sure you have excellent credit and can pay the loan back. This might work well for a couple where one person will start the business and the other will continue working for some time, ensuring a continuous income stream.
He offers standard commercial loans and SBA guaranteed loans for other situations, where collateral is required.
InSource Capital Services offers a variety of franchise credit programs, not just for a new franchisee, but also for existing franchisees who are opening another location or remodeling their existing location. Brian also works with individuals who have purchased an existing franchise from another franchisee. He'll help you refinance your existing stores, or help you expand through multi-unit development.
So, if you need franchise financing, you should call Brian to find out about his programs first, before you invest a lot of time in putting together a business plan for your local banks.

Business of the Week

Collin Gaffney of Lawn Doctor

Other Topics of Interest

Think and Grow Rich, by Napolean Hill. An old book with some great ideas that are still very relevant.

Show Notes - 04/17/07

2007-04-22T15:14:00.000-05:00

Financial Planning for Career Transition

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk with John Navin of Financial Designs, Inc. John's company's focus is helping people create the life they want to live, and deals with a lot of people who are facing retirement.
The most pressing issues for people facing retirement are income and health care, and until they feel they have that under control, they remain fearful about their future. That's where John comes in. He takes his clients through a process called Destiny By Design. The first step is the Clarity Filter, where he has a discussion with them to help them set some goals. You have to know where you're going first, and then develop a strategy to get there.
Once you're able to get comfortable with how to satisfy your top requirements for retirement, then you can look beyond, and consider other opportunities to enrich your life.
John says people facing retirement these days are not interested in "stuff" anymore. They are looking ways to give back, ways to spend time with family.
John says he focuses on building long term relationships with his clients. He encourages them to meet with him at least annually, if not more frequently. He describes his business as a financial model with a coaching component.
And he's not actually looking to work with everyone. Rather, he's looking to work with those who are truly serious about making a difference in their life.

Business of the Week

Jim Kendall of 121 Marketing

Other Topics of Interest

Confederation Log Homes, with Napier Simpson. 1867 Confederation Log Homes manufactures highly engineered log and timber frame homes, and is looking for distributors throughout the US. If you are interested, listen to this week's show.

Show Notes - 04/10/07

2007-04-15T09:25:00.000-05:00

New Concept Business Funding

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk with Joanne Carlin of Maranatha Mortgage about her experience in the mortgage and banking industry. While she has been involved in helping people get residential mortgages, Joanne now concentrates exclusively on commercial loans.
Joanne's commercial experience is very diverse. She can help people find funding for businesses of all sizes - from the very small to the very large. And she is often called upon to help get business loans after a prior turn-down by a bank. Sometimes she works on loan packages that are so large, a single banker doesn't even want to get involved.
She's able to help borrowers who have unique businesses or special challenges in getting bankers to approve a loan. She says people who prepare business plans for presentation to lenders sometimes focus too much on the operational activities of the business. Joanne says investors need to see the bigger picture, and get a better idea of the longer term strategy and P&L potential.
So, she helps in two ways. First, she gets the borrower to restructure the business plan to appeal to investors. Then, because she has a very wide range of contacts in the investor community throughout the US - some of which are private investors with specialized interests - she taps those mostly likely to be interested in the specific business opportunity.
Regardless of your needs - no matter how simple or complex, or how large or small, you'll find Joanne very easy to talk to, and very knowledgable about business loans. She prides herself on the support and assistance she gives her clients. To reach her, contact her at Maranatha Mortgage.

Business of the Week

Brian Marshall of Alliance for Strategic Advantage (ASA) - Brian was able to join us on air briefly to let us know about the free monthly seminars related to strategic planning and other topics that he and his partner Gene Rosendale are offering. Visit Livin' The Dream's Upcoming Events page for more information.

Increase in Minority Business Ownership

2007-04-14T11:05:00.000-05:00

Increases in Minority Business Ownership

Jeff Cornwall who authors the blog called The Entrepreneurial Mind noted some significant increases in minority business ownership. Some of the key statistics include:
As of 2002, of the 23 million US businesses, 18% were owned by minorities.
The largest ownership group were Hispanics who owns 6.6% of all US businesses.
The fastest growth rate was with Black owners which had an increase of 45.4% in ownership in the period between 1997 and 2002.
Asians experienced the second largest growth rate of 12.6% between 1997 and 2002.
If you are interested in checking out the full study, here is the link.

Free Zip Code Map

2007-04-09T08:28:00.000-05:00

Free Zip Code Map

Over the weekend I was working on an update to the marketing plans for my Great Clips business. We are going to be opening two new salons this year. I find that its always a challenge to learn about the area when we open a new salon.
One of my marketing options allows me to target mailings by zip code. However, I realized that I was not sure where the zip code boundaries where in these two new areas. Therefore, I set out to find a web site to plot zip code zones. I ended up finding a FREE zip code mapping facility - here is the link - Free Zip Code Map.
This facility is provide free of charge by a company called US Naviguide. This is a new company to me but they seem to provide a wide number of mapping tools - check out the US Naviguide home page at http://www.usnaviguide.com/index.htm.

Show Notes - 04/03/07

2007-04-05T06:58:00.000-05:00

Barriers to Success / Emotional Intelligence

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk with Michael Thompson of Interlude Coaching. Michael works with business owners and business leaders to help them figure out what they need to do next. He works with businesses looking to move to the next level in their industry but are stuck in the development of their new mission and vision. He focuses on the use of Emotional Intelligence (EI) Skills in the workplace through coaching and assessments.
EI refers to the capacity to deal effectively with one’s own and other's emotions to achieve results. When applied to the workplace, emotional intelligence is about thinking intelligently with emotions: perceiving, expressing, understanding and managing emotions in a professional and effective manner at work.
EI can have a profound affect on an individual's ability to attain his or her professional and personal goals. For example, research has shown that EI accounts for as much as 36% of the variance in leadership success.
The skills that need to be honed in order to utilize EI effectively are: self-awareness, emotional reasoning, self-control, self-management, understanding others, appropriate emotional expression, and emotional management of others.
Stifling your emotions can be as detrimental as exposing your emotions in the workplace. Repressing what you are feeling can set a tone that is confusing to employees. Likewise, showing excessive enthusiasm - which would seem like a positive thing - can cloud judgment or keep you from seeing the real picture.
We talked a little bit about the way men and women display emotion. It has been socially accepted for women to show emotion, but much less so for men. In fact, woman have sometimes been accused of being "too emotional." Michael stressed that there has to be a balance, for both men and women.
Michael's techniques work - statistics have shown that managers can become much more productive. Sales people can sell better. Using EI effectively can reduce stress, reduce absenteeism.
Bottom line, if you want to get to the next level - whether it is in your own business or in an executive position in a large corporation - you should learn more about harnessing your emotions through "Emotional Intelligence." Contact Michael Thompson at M.Thompson@InterludeCoaching.com. His website is www.InterludeCoaching.com.

Business of the Week

Kim Swanson of Young Rembrandts - Kim talks about her company - a franchise that provide art enrichment programs to children - and the availability of three great territories for purchase in the Chicagoland area.

Show Notes - 03/27/07

2007-03-27T14:21:00.000-05:00

Retirement Funds to Start Your Business

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk with David Nilssen, CEO of Guidant Financial Group. We are constantly being asked about ways to fund a start-up business, and Guidant offers some alternatives to commercial loans and equity lines of credit.
Today we talk about two specific products: Guidant's Audeo and their Signature Loan.
The Audeo program is a self-directed retirement structure that permits an individual to actively invest in a business without taking a taxable distribution or incurring penalties.
There are four simple steps: First, you need to establish a C-corp for your new business. Guidant can help you, or you can have your attorney draw up the papers. Next, the new corporation sets up a new Guidant 401k plan. Then Guidant will help you move your retirement funds from your previous employer or IRA into the new Guidant 401k plan. Last, your new 401k plan purchases stock in your new corporation. The business is debt-free and cash-rich from the sale of the stock. Now you can use the funds to invest in your business or franchise.
If you are still working, and want to invest in a business, maybe Guidant's Signature Loan would work for you. The Signature Loan is a Line of Credit. It's for people with a really good credit rating (over 680) and the ability to pay it back. Not all banks are willing to offer unsecured loans, so Guidant will find the lender that is best for you.
So, if you are looking for alternative ways to fund a business investment, be sure to listen to David on the archive, and visit their website (http://www.guidantfinancial.com/).

Business of the Week

Victoria Larson of Allstate Insurance in S. Elgin, IL

Other Topics of Interest

Check out our Events Page - there's a lot going on!

Show Notes - 03/20/07

2007-03-25T16:27:00.000-05:00

Visibility for Your Business

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk Steve Fuhrmann of ion Studio. Steve Fuhrmann has been involved in sign production and printing for about 10 years, and running ion studio for 7 years.
Steve offers are variety of signs - something for every business and every occasion. You really need to know your market, selecting something that is really appropriate for your business. Vehicle graphics are one of Steve's favorite. They're not very expensive, and they act as great moving bill boards. They're perfect for cars, trucks, and buses.
Steve will help the client who doesn't know what they want to create an image. They have software that shows exactly how the vehicle will look with the signage.
Punch cards are good for businesses that have a lot of repeat business - like a chocolatier or a car wash.
The have a banner that they put on a studio stand, allowing a business to use the "banner" is a variety ways - at a trade show or in the business. It's simple to assemble, unbreakable, and a low cost option.
Steve also described his three-dimensional cutter that allows him to create really great eye-catching signs, like a giant cork screw he made for a catering company. Any picture you can draw, he can make with this cutter. And it is really affordable. All sorts of materials are available, and they can be painted. He stressed you have to select the right materials for the location - if it's going to be outside, it has to withstand the elements.
We asked Steve about billboards - is that a good way to advertise. He feels that it's not for every business. People who drive the same roads day in and day out don't even notice them after awhile. They are more effective for tourists.
Some signs can have removable parts - something that works well for Realtors.
Advertising in trains and buses can be effective, but while the sign may not be very expensive, you have to pay the bus and train companies for displaying the signs, so it can be add up.
LED's will be the really big thing coming up. Also, life-size graphics are effective. Also, he's developed signs that are strapped to buildings.
Steve said, "if you can dream, we can get it done for you."

Business of the Week

Laura Stueland of Corporate Minutes, Inc.

Other Topics of Interest

The owner of Fox Valley Pet Foods talks about the recent pet food problems.

The Entrepreneural Mind - blog

2007-03-21T14:41:00.000-05:00

The Entrepreneural Mind - blog

As coaches for our clients Sybil and I are always looking for new sources of information. One that I ran across recently is a blog called The Entrepreneural Mind. Its written by Jeff Cornwall of Belmont University.
One of his newest posts is to a great article he write for Tennesian.com called "Getting business out of planning stage often hardest part" - here is the link to the article - you should definately check it out!

Show Notes - 03/13/07

2007-03-20T08:34:00.000-05:00

Home Based Businesses: Real-Life Experience

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk with two women who have recently started their own home-based businesses. Jen Hutson started Events by Jen about 5-6 months ago. And Heather Hein started Everything Virtual about 1 year ago.
Many people think a home-based business is hard to do because of the potential distractions. Home-based businesses won't work for everyone. But, both Jen and Heather have found a way to create an office environment in their home that allows them to get a great deal accomplished, without the usual interruptions many people experience in a corporate environment.
Also, both are very active in networking activities, so they are not isolated - one of the dangers that can negatively impact a home-based business. You have to get out there to let people know you exist. Also, referrals from prior customers will be critical. And you might have to find creative ways to reach people through your advertising program. Heather, for example, is taking advantage of the bulletin board of the Virtual Assistance program she went through. She's been reaching customers as far away as New Jersey.
Jen had a background in events planning, and decided it was something she loved to do. Events By Jen allows her to do all sorts of events, for all types of businesses as well as for individuals. Her tag line is "We plan the party - you take the credit," so she will not upstage the host or hostess - she'll only make them look good. And Jen is willing to take on any size event, from full orchestration and planning to just providing tips and hints to someone who wants an active role.
Heather has a corporate background, having 18 years experience in the legal and real estate industries. She can take on any type of administrative project that can be outsourced, like client billing, investor relations, database organization and maintenance, and coordinating marketing and promotional events. Because of her legal and real estate background, she is attracting projects in these areas too. If she's too busy, she has an extensive network of other virtual assistants that she can call upon to help her with projects.

Other Topics of Interest

Connecting people for business or job opportunities

Livin' The Dream - Search

2007-03-18T09:49:00.000-05:00

Livin' The Dream - Search

Have you ever been in the Livin' The Dream web site looking for something but can't remember where its located?
We now have a great answer. Bit and Byte (our IT guys) have been working with Google to come up with a custom search facility just for Livin' The Dream!
If you are looking for anything - just head to the Livin' The Dream Home Page and enter your search phrase!

Show Notes - 03/06/07

2007-03-10T15:39:00.000-06:00

Monitoring Your Business

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk with Ayaz Merchant of Business Management Solutions who is about to launch a brand new product designed to help business owners keep a pulse on their business. On his new website, www.monitormybiz.com, business owners will be able to easily and quickly key in daily operating statistics which will be saved and then made available for "slicing and dicing." The site supports standard business data - like Revenues, Expenses, Sales, Time Data per employee, as well as user-defined data, unique to each business, but key to understanding what's really going on.
Ayaz has had a lot of experience as a business owner and working with other business owners, so he knows how important it is to have key operating statistics at your finger tips. And the more businesses you are involved in, the more important it is to get a handle on how they are doing by themselves as well as in the aggregate.
You can't wait until the end of the month to run your reports to see how you're doing. By then, it may be too late to make the necessary adjustments that should be done on a more timely basis.
This is ideal for businesses that don't have elaborate POS systems that give you immediate and extensive reports. Or, if you have multiple businesses that are different, or if you have multiple units within the same franchise, you need to consolidate the information so you can see the "big picture." You will be able to compare data from different periods, or from different locations. Requesting reports is simple, and does not require a lot of technical expertise.
Ayaz has been very careful to design a simple-to-use product. It's very intuitive. If you have any questions, there will be 24/7 support to answer your questions.
And, the site is extremely secure. Ayaz has a deep background in Internet security, so he's taken strong measures to protect the information held on this site.
The cost to use the system varies based on the number of businesses you want to monitor. For a single unit, the service will cost just $29.99 per month. The more businesses you have, the more the per unit cost goes down. And for $500 per month, you can have unlimited access to the site.
Ayaz has made a special offer for Livin' the Dream listeners. Just let Ayaz know you are interested in using his site to monitor your business, and mention you heard about this on Livin' The Dream, and he'll let you use the site for three months at no charge. Just send him an email at Ayaz@monitormybiz.com and let him know how you heard about his product.

Business of the Week

Jeff Shaw with the Dry Cleaning Station

Show Notes - 02/27/07

2007-03-03T06:59:00.000-06:00

Wealth Without A Job

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk with Andy Fuehl who is the Founder and Managing Director of a fast growing Wealthy Entrepreneur Training company called Wealth Builders of America. Andy teaches people how to break free of the job trap and successfully transition to entrepreneurship in the business of their choice doing work they love. Andy has a best-selling book called: Wealth Without a Job: The Entrepreneurs Guide to Freedom and Security Beyond the 9 to 5 Lifestyle.
Andy was in the corporate world for 15 years, but he longed to become an entrepreneur. Initially, he was unsuccessful as an entrepreneur, but he underwent a dramatic change when he realized he was not making the progress he wanted because he wasn't thinking like a entrepreneur. He had to change his mindset. This was a real turning point for him.
He realised he was operating under his inherited ideas about a job, and he had applied those beliefs, but as an entrepreneur. But that didn't work. When he learned about Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), he realized he had been programmed from an early age that he needed to go to college, get a job, move up the corporate ladder, and become successful. This was limiting him, however, and he had to change his thinking, and think like an entrepreneur.
Usually, fear stops you from getting ahead. So you need to overcome your fears.
First, you need to decide what you want. And then you have to believe you can make it work. For example, people have been told that getting into business is too risky. If you believe that, it will be too risky for you.
So you need reframe how you think about getting into business, shedding old beliefs that are negative and inappropriate for entrepreneurship. You need to change your mindset so that you now believe staying in a corporate job is risky, and becoming an entrepreneur with lots of customers is the less risky path. When you lose your corporate job, you lose all income. But if you are an entrepreneur, losing one customer just means you've lost the revenue from that customer - there are plenty more customers out there!
There are many myths out there that get in your way: like, can you really become financially free by changing your thinking. Don't you need experience? But Andy used Donald Trump as an example. So, when Trump crashed and burned, he bounced right back because he viewed himself as the consummate entrepreneur, and the experience was not a failure, but just a learning experience. He Trump rose "like a Phoenix" and rebuilt his empire.
Another myth is that you need a college education to get ahead, but look at Bill Gates.
Here's another myth: you need money to get into business. But that's only true if you believe it. What you need to do is find a way to manufacture money - you need to think differently - for example, if you know a way to help people get a bigger return for their money than by putting it in the bank, don't you think people will be interested? The strategy to apply this is in Andy's new book Profiting in Turbulent Times and Revealed: Hidden Strategies of a Real Estate Tycoon which he wrote with co-author Dolf de Roos.
Andy went on to explain that not everyone is right for every career. What is successful for one person is not necessarily for everyone else. You need to first understand yourself - you need to find your true purpose, which gets you back to one of our primary tenets: know yourself.
Andy explained that you need to build the foundation for your business. This is based upon what you believe for your business. You need to recognize those limiting beliefs, and break away from them (a simple one is something most of us learned as a child from our parents - "don't talk to strangers." So if you believe that, won't it be difficult for you to do cold calls?)
To get in touch with Andy or to learn more about him and his seminars, visit his web site at www.WealthWithoutAJob.com. If you visit his website and buy his book, mention you heard Andy on Livin' The Dream. Andy will offer you a bonus: a $2,790 value - 2 tickets to attend his seminar on Wealth Without a Job. You just need to get to Phoenix.
You can also keep up with Andy by visiting his blog at Wealth Builders blog.

Business of the Week

Dennis Tondryk of InMotion-Interactive.

Other Topics of Interest

Career Change: If you are considering leaving the corporate world, and want to get into a business that will give you control of your destiny and your income, visit Livin' The Dream's Job Connections. Sybil is interested in expanding her ESource business, and is looking for an independent contractor to join her. To learn more about getting into the franchise business, visit this link on our website.

Show Notes - 02/20/07

2007-02-25T17:52:00.000-06:00

Can They Do That? Why People REALLY Get Fired

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk with Marti Sladek, an employment attorney, about getting fired from your job. Marti was herself downsized, and began a new career when she was in her late forties.
We asked her what was the most common question you get about legal rights at work. She responded that in most cases, it's a done deal - by the time they see her, the decision has already been made. The real questions is now what?
Most people get fired not for poor performance, but for intangibles like personality, attitude, or attendance.
People make assumptions about what their rights are. They don’t necessaily understand the concept called "employment at will" and assume that things like seniority have legal force. They also think the have the right to benefits, like insurance and severance.
"Employment at will" really means you don't need a reason to give notice or to fire someone.
But there are some exceptions, like discrimination, breach of contract, whistleblowers, retaliation. But exceptions are limited and can be hard to prove.
Marti went on to explain that employers are sometimes afraid of law suits when someone is fired. She further said that suits are really the result of the employer not understanding that to the employee this IS personal. This could be about failure to set, communicate and evenly apply performance standards. Or it could ber because the employee feels the employer was not being direct and honest. Really, it's about letting a bad relationship go on too long. It's not about what they do, but how they do it.
If someone has been fired, Marti tells her clients not to sign anything without checking with an attorney. Apply for Uemployment Compensation. And understand that career transition is a process, that it is normal to go through grieving like when any relationship is over. Take a little time to explore options. Use the time to learn something new, do some volunteer work while you reposition. Use community colleges, library job clubs, job. It's a good time to explore self-employment or franchise opportunities, and to get coaching. "In short, once you get out of denial and into moving forward, use it to live your dream."
Marti feels her role in this process is to help others make an informed decision on whether to pursue a suit if you have those rights, and do it fast due to short statues of limitations. It helps you get out of denial and get real, so you can move away from the sense of loss and on to a search for your future. You also need to assess what happened, so that you can aovid the same situation in the future. Also, it's a good time to weigh the pros and cons of pursuing a suit such as time, the cost, having “them” in you life, using vacation for legal stuff, keeping it from new employer, and of course, likelihood of getting enough out of it to make it worthwhile.

Business of the Week

Peter Birren of Birren Design We talked with Peter on air about Logo Design. He wanted to remind everyone that there is one small thing you can do to educate yourself on logo usage: Google "brand standard manual." This will give you access to multi-page documents from businesses and colleges on how and how not to use a logo, color pallets, design and application.

Or, of course, they can call contact Peter for a consultation, design and project management.

Show Notes - 02/13/07

2007-02-17T08:52:00.000-06:00

Our 1 Year Anniversary Show!

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil celebrate their one year anniversary co-hosting Livin’ The Dream. It’s been an evolutionary process. As they made adjustments to the programming during the year, it had interesting impacts on their businesses. They’ve expanded both their views and their offerings.
Here are the new services they've added for entrepreneurs in the last year:
-Education has always been a focus for Leo and Sybil, so they introduced Program Archives to their website http://www.mydreambiz.net/.
-They began blogging (also available as a link from their website) to provide more in-depth discussion about topics covered on the air.
-They’ve been very involved in speaking for various groups: conferences, chamber events, educational seminars, networking events, outplacement counseling seminars.
-Sybil has started a new business called Clear Guide Consulting. Her target market is small businesses that want to grow but are struggling. Using her 30 years experience in big business and her expertise in systems and business methodologies, she has developed a unique assessment tool that gauges how effective a business is in 36 functional areas. The resulting score, calculated on an objective basis and appropriate for the time in business, pinpoints problem areas. Sybil provides this assessment at a very reasonable cost, and the recommendations she provides are also targeted for the small business. Solutions are low cost, and in some cases, no cost. She has an extensive network of experts she works with who likewise are committed to servicing small businesses at a price they can afford. It’s called “affordable excellence.”
-Leo offers Franchise Validation Consulting as a way to help someone who has already identified the franchise option they would like to pursue. He’ll help his clients get independent guidance on how to get the information that you need to make an educated decision about the business.
-Leo is also focusing on helping his clients find existing franchise businesses that are available for sale. They now list over 400 franchise businesses located all across the United States on their website (under the Connections Corner).
-They now offer a franchise listing service on http://www.mydreambiz.net/. Agreements are non-exclusive, and there is no cost unless they find a qualified buyer and the deal is consummated.
-For anyone still searching for a job, check our their Job Connections on their website. Both Sybil and Leo have an extensive network, and they are always talking with people who are looking to hire someone. It’s worth a call to see if they know someone that can help you get a job.
Leo and Sybil have also identified some “Tips for Success”
-They first talked about The Entrepreneurial Mindset September 12, 2006. It's not about things outside of you that make you best position for success. It's actually your attitude that is one of the key factors in being successful with your new business. One of the key elements to your success is having an Abundance Mentality. People who have the Abundance Mentality give themselves permission to believe that they can be successful. And this attitude helps them to be successful. Unfortunately, many people seeking to get into business are fearful, and this can be a real road block. It creates a scarcity mentality. The glass is always half empty. You have to remember that is takes a while before your business starts to take off.
-Reaching Your Customer is another important focus in your business. Guerilla Marketing is very big lately – the concept is to do innovative, low cost activities in your community that are attention-getting and that build awareness for your company.
Networking is also critical to your business. In fact, Networking is BIG. Bigger than it’s ever been. By far, the most successful way to find new customers is by referral. This does not mean that you don't have to advertise your business. You do. Especially if you are a new business, you need to find ways to get the word out about your business. Remember, Networking is not just about going to meetings and passing out business cards. It's more about building relationships and adding value to those around you. Plan on giving first to others, and you will be paid back. But it takes time.
Finally, Internet Marketing has made a "seismic shift" in the advertising arena. If you are not leveraging the Internet to advertise your business, you are missing opportunities. The Internet offers a wide range of new and exciting ways to get the word out about your business. Check out the Livin’ The Dream Archives from January 30, 2007 for a great discussion on this topic.!

Business of the Week

Doug Hughes of The Dry Cleaning Station was on to tell us about the latest news in the Chicagoland. Be sure to listen to this week's show to learn about this opportunity.

Show Notes - 02/06/07

2007-02-08T06:51:00.000-06:00

A Business Model Based on Referrals

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk with Dennis Tondryk, an experienced entrepreneur who has started and managed several businesses throughout his career, and who has just initiated a new business called InMotion Interactive.
He has a long history in marketing, advertising, and the internet, and he realized that small and mid-sized businesses don't necessarily have access to affordable resources in these areas, though they need them. So he conceived of a way that he can provide small and medium sized businesses access to the talent and expertise of individuals who used to work in large, big name firms, or who provided services to very large, global corporations. He calls it "affordable excellence."
Sybil also described her new business - Clear Guide Consulting. She has developed a sophisticated proprietary assessment tool that examines 36 functional areas of a business and measures their maturity. The more mature a company is in each of these areas, the better able they will be able to grow and thrive. Many small businesses have too little time or money to evaluate their business as a whole and project where they should be going. So, they become near-sighted, and spend their time fighting fires and reacting to the symptoms they observe rather than getting at the root cause of their problems. Big corporations have learned that they need to bring in outside resources to help them. Small businesses need to do the same.
Dennis and Sybil met several months ago and realized the compatibility of their business model and the complementary services they provide. While Dennis focuses on marketing, advertising and the internet, Sybil provides the necessary evaluation of the whole business and provides workflow analysis and design, procedure development and documentation, and project management for implementation of outside services. Any other service InMotion Interactive or Clear Guide Consulting cannot provide directly will be outsourced to experts in their combined network who can provide what Dennis refers to as "affordable excellence."
Dennis has now made it a prerequisite for companies who want consulting services from him to start with the Clear Guide Assessment. The assessment will provided an understanding of the business culture, climate, and challenges (obvious or hidden) it faces.
Both Dennis and Sybil will use big corporate expertise and will apply that to small business scenarios by "thinking small." This involves providing world class services at pricing the small to mid-size business can afford.
Within InMotion Interactive he has a group called Lemonade. This is his web design and internet marketing group. All of the team have extensive credentials in the corporate environment. They have great experience and expertise. But, because they no longer work at the big agencies, they become affordable.
The number and types of services that InMotion Interactive and Clear Guide Consulting can collectively provide is vast. The Clear Guide Assessment tool is designed to map problem areas to a wide variety of defined consulting services, seminars, or workshops that can be offered through their relationships with other experts in their field who are similarly like-minded and will provide "world class" solutions at pricing that the small business can manage. Sybil also reminded us that Clear Guide also identifies self-help solutions for those who don't want to commit dollars, but are willing to invest "sweat equity."

Business of the Week

Jim Blaha - Author, Educator, and Entrepreneur

Other Topics of Interest

Super Bowl Monster.com Video

Super Bowl Monster.com Video

2007-02-04T15:31:00.000-06:00

Super Bowl Monster.com Video

With the Chicago Bears in the Super Bowl today its hard to concentrate on preparing for our weekly radio program. Therefore, I thought I would write about something on the lighter side.
One of my all time favorite television commercials is the Monster.com commercial called "When I Grow Up". This was a commercial that was first run during the 1999 Super Bowl.
So that I could share it with our radio audience I have added the video to our Videos page on www.MyDreamBiz.net. You can also get there directly by clicking on this When I Grow Up video link.
If you have not seen this video, its basically a number of kids talking sarcastically about what they want to be when they grow up. Some of the best quotes are - "when I grow up I want to be replaced on a whim" or another good one "when I grow up I want to be forced into early retirement".
You will definitely want to check out the video - its funny but has a important message for those of us in a corporate job or who may have left the corporate rate race.

Show Notes - 01/30/07

2007-01-31T09:45:00.000-06:00

Internet Marketing

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk with Ian Stevenson of Whoast, Inc. about internet marketing. Whoast is a Chicago search engine marketing firm. They offer a variety of services, including web site analysis and development, search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click solutions, and competitive intelligence.
Internet marketing is a hot new way to reach your market, and can be an especially effective tool for the small to medium sized business who needs to increase their market visibility. Smaller businesses should really think of using search engine optimization because they will be able to do "geo-targeting." This is where advertising is targeted to those that fit within specific geographic locations based upon the IP address of the person searching for services.
There are a variety ways to do internet marketing: search engine optimization, email marketing campaigns, banner advertising, pay-per-click, blogging.
At the core of internet marketing is a great website, one that has been designed to attract attention, one that is graphically and textually appealing. Ian says it should provide a "call to action." Great images, a great color scheme, and a unique user experience are important. And Ian says "content is king." Also, using key words that would be used typically in a search and making frequent changes to the website is also important for search engine optimization.
By the way, Ian's http://www.whoast.com/ website has a blog that offers lots of information about search engine marketing.
This may be very technical, but search engines cannot detect text within framed templates. So, if you are looking to build, or have someone else build, a website for you, you need to avoid framed templates if you want to build in key words for search engine marketing. Be aware that it is possible to use templates that are unframed.
Blogging is an excellent way to drive traffic to your website. The more links you can create in blogs to your website, the more the search engines will find your site.
Another emerging concept is interactive marketing - this is going to be the merging of video and internet and television.
Article marketing is also important. Think of publishing white papers, articles, or press releases. Optimizing press releases is also very effective. In layman's terms, this is where there is a density of key words within the document (without being obvious). This will create additional links back to your site.
Finally, you need to know if your internet marketing efforts are yielding results. This is the way to validate your marketing dollars are being invested properly.

Business of the Week

Christine Righeimer and Nancy Paluch Tassi of Righeimer and Tassi, P.C.

Other Topics of Interest

Business Card Scanner

Business Card Scanner

2007-01-29T08:25:00.000-06:00

Business Card Scanner

On Livin' The Dream we have spoken a lot about networking. One of the things that's an invariable outgrowth of that is coming back from a networking meeting with a stack of business cards.
One of the products that saves me a ton of time is a business card scanner from CardScan. Here is a link to all of the CardScan products on Amazon.com - CardScan link.
The particular scanner that I use is the model 700. It's extremely simple to use. All you do is plug it into a USB port on your computer, install some software and you are ready to go.
The CardScan software will allow you to scan a business card and it will pull out the text from the card and enter it into the CardScan software. From there, you can review the text that the CardScan software read to verify the information. One handy feature is that an image of the business card will appear below the text so you can read directly from the business card yourself.
Once you have verified the information, you can then transfer one or more scanned cards directly into any of the popular contact management software packages like Outlook or ACT! or a variety of other packages.

Show Notes - 01/23/07

2007-01-23T16:45:00.000-06:00

Selling vs. Helping Prospects Buy

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk with Mary Erlain of Samurai Business Group, a company that specializes in helping business owners and company executives lead their organizations towards significantly increased sales revenue.
Mary explained that traditional sales training methods focus on features and benefits. But their approach is all about helping the customer go through the sales process of making the purchase. Sales people will learn how to determine what is important to the customer and converse comfortably with him, rather than sell to him.
They begin their sales training by first understanding behaviors so that the sales force can better understand how to adapt to the prospect. They will then cover marketing and prospecting next, then sales, and finally customer retention.
Training is intense. It is usually a combination of workshops and one-on-one coaching. The workshops (called dojos) are a mix of case studies and role playing. If requested, Samurai Business Group can custom-design training classes for large organizations.
Each individual going through the training will set goals regarding what they want to achieve in sales (e.g., 50% increase over the prior year), and Samurai Business Group works with them to achieve those objectives. In fact, Samurai Business Group guarantees results, and receives a success bonus only when the customer meets the goal. It is a good incentive for everyone, because the sales goals their customers set are typically quite high.
Samurai Business Group also believes strongly in networking, and proves it. They have initiated their own networking forums comprised of Business to Business companies where the decision makers and C-level executives attend. The groups, called Samurai Executive Networking Groups (SENG), meet monthly for lunch. Membership is limited to allow ample time for each attendee to adequately explain their business. Each member brings a guest, ensuring the group will not become stale. There are nine SENG groups so far in the Chicagoland area, with another two launching soon.

Business of the Week

Gene Rosendale & Brian Marshall with ASA - Alliance for Strategic Advantage

Other Topics of Interest

Google's Free Technology Tools and Small Business

Google's Free Technology Tools and Small Business

2007-01-20T07:28:00.000-06:00

Google's Free Technology Tools and Small Business

With the announcement of Apple's iPhone recently, it got me thinking about how technology continues to be more and more important not only in our personal lives but in our business lives.
It seems like almost every month or so something new is announced. This week, I thought it would talk about the explosive growth of free technology tools that are available on the Internet.
Let's focus this week on the "300 pound gorilla" of the Internet - Google. If you are not aware, Google now offers a range of tools that are free to use in your business. Sybil and I are using several of these for Livin' The Dream.
To find these tools go to the Google More Products page. On this page you'll find a range of tools some of which you might find useful in your own business. Let's talk about a few.
Documents and Spreadsheets - Google now offers a free word processor as well as spreadsheet program available on the Internet. This is a great option if you don't happen to have Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel on your computer. It's an even better option if you are looking to collaborate with others. For example, Sybil and I maintain our list of upcoming guests and programs on a Google spreadsheet. This allows both Sybil and I as well as our executive and associate producers to all be in sync about or guest is going to appear on what show.
Calendar - this is a great facility if you don't have a calendaring program on your own computer. It's also a great facility to use if you want to coordinate calendars between employees and yourself or possibly even business partners and your own company.
Blogger - blogging is becoming more and more popular for a number of business owners. At Livin' The Dream we use Blogger to manage our blog for the show. It's a great facility and recently was upgraded to add a number of new features and tools. Just like the other tools, it's available for free.
Desktop - have you ever been trying to find a document on your PC and can't remember where it is or even if it's an e-mail message or a Word document or an Excel document? This happens to me all the time. One of the tools I added to my laptop is Google Desktop. Just like Google on the Internet, it's a search facility. The difference is that Google Desktop will search your own PC. It's a free program that you download from Google. Once you get it installed, it will work in the background to index every document on your PC. Then the next time you want to find something just clicked on Google desktop on your PC, enter in a unique phrase that is in the document you're looking for and Google Desktop will bring back a results list organized by e-mails, Word documents, Excel documents, etc.
Google Earth - the last tool I wanted to mention is Google Earth. This is a free piece of mapping software that you can use to see what a location looks like either as a two-dimensional map or a three dimensional satellite picture. For someone looking at a new location, this can be helpful to get a feel for what kind of businesses are in the area that you might look to build in.

Show Notes - 01/16/07

2007-01-17T07:04:00.000-06:00

Trends You Can't Afford to Ignore in 2007

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk with Anita Campbell of Small Business Trends. As a media expert, Anita focuses on the small business market and business trends affecting the market. She also hosts Small Business Trends Radio (http://www.smbtrendwire.com/) which is broadcast on WSRadio.com Internet Radio network.
We invited Anita to share with us her predictions for the most important trends we will see for small businesses in 2007. Here's what she thinks:
Small businesses will continue to work at strange hours and in non-traditional locations. Technology permits this, and small business owners love being able to work out of there home while still being very connected to the world outside.
In the developed world (like America), businesses will continue to be built around discretionary services, entertainment, and small productivity enhancers. It is our prosperity that allows us this.
It's a buyer's market in technology. Look for all the neat low cost and no cost tools available through the Internet. Google and Microsoft are offering fantastic options for off-the-shelf applications, enabling small businesses to keep their costs down.
In today's world, we all have to be part on-line "expert." There are a host of things available on the Internet that you need to be able to use to enhance your small business visibility and image: search engines, blogging, podcasts, forums, social networking sites to name a few.
Cuddling our customers is more important than ever. You must treat your customer very, very well. Customers have a choice - make sure it's you.
Get used to multi-tasking. Very small business owners (0 to 5 employees) will continue to be opportunistic, and will likely sprout multiple businesses.
Niche markets will continue to grow. The Internet has eliminated geographic boundaries. Small businesses will continue to take their niche products and services beyond local borders to reach a vast market.
Small Biz is in partnership with bigger entities. There is lots of assistance: Government websites, non-profits, vendors that produce small business websites and training resources.
Word of mouth is as important as ever. Guerrilla marketing is in. Get the word out, and keep paying attention to your customer. Be a networker extraordinaire.
Revisit your view of Baby Boomers as a demographic and market. This is a huge segment. Boomers are going to remain active, and not your typical retirees. In fact, they are not ready to retire.

Business of the Week

Jeff Thoreson of GSF Mortgage Corporation

Other Topics of Interest

Servpro - You're Judged by the Company You Keep

Servpro - You're Judged by the Company You Keep!

2007-01-13T12:23:00.000-06:00

Servpro - You're Judged by the Company You Keep

For our last vignette with Kevin Brown of Servpro, we wanted to cover a few key things. The first of these being, how does Servpro identify a good owner for the business. Kevin mentioned that one of the key things they look for is people who aligned with their values such as service to the client.
As a testament to the satisfaction of existing Servpro owners, Kevin mentioned that 60% of new franchisees are referrals from existing Servpro owners.
We asked Kevin what is the key to Servpro success at having so many existing owners be happy with the business. Kevin's response was simple - really care for the franchisees and service them well. Servpro is a people business. It's about franchisees servicing their customers well and building great relationships. That same thing goes for the franchisor in servicing their franchisees.
The other thing that is refreshing Kevin mentioned was that it's about being authentic. You can't fake good customer service and caring about others. That's one of the advantages that Servpro has - because it's family owned.
Lastly, we asked Kevin what is the common trait in "universal thread" that ties all of your franchisees together? Kevin's response was simple - the heart of service. As Ted Isaacson, the founder of Servpro said, "if you focus on serving others and helping others get what they want in life, and you will never want for anything yourself."

Show Notes - 01/09/07

2007-01-10T06:59:00.000-06:00

How to Franchise A Business

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk with Bob Pirtle of International Expansion Consultants who specializes in helping businesses expand through a variety of means: franchising, distributorships and dealerships, sales reps and agencies, licensing, and multi-level marketing. Because more and more businesses are looking at franchising as a means of expansion, we thought we'd dedicate a show to that topic.
To start, Bob described some of the pros and cons of franchising.
On the plus side, franchising provides a partnership relationship between the franchisor (representing the product maker) and the franchisee (representing product delivery). The franchisee will be more committed than an employee. It's also a way to get capital faster and easier (through the franchisee). And, there is the opportunity for the franchisee to find the right franchise, so they can live the lifestyle they want.
On the negative side, the franchisor gives up some of the profits. Actually, the franchisee gets a significantly larger share of the revenues. And not all businesses work well as a franchise. Things that are too faddish or that are highly technical are not good candidates for franchising. It has to be something that will have a long life and that is easily passed on to others.
Certain businesses are a better fit for franchisig than others. Service-based businesses are very susceptible to franchising. It must be something that can be replicated easily, and that can be easily understood by franchisees and their employees.
Bob uses a specific process to help businesses. Here are the steps he takes his clients through: 1) standardize your approach and document it; 2) brand everything and negotiate national suppliers; 3) protect your intellectual property and trade mark; 4) set up a new business as the franchisor; 5) prepare financial modeling - both the franchisor and the franchisee must make money; 6) develop the business format system (operations manual); 7) design how you, as the franchisor, will grow operationally; 8) develop your training program; and 9) address the legal issues.
We talked about the future of franchising with Bob. He feels states are responding to franchising as a way to protect its citizens. Franchising is also very compatible with the service industry, a significant part of the US economy. Franchising concepts will continue to favor the aging population, and he feels franchising will react to other things that greatly impact and change society, like environmental issues.

Business of the Week

Gretchen Blake of IRH Capital LLC

Other Topics of Interest

Working Smart, Not Hard.

Working Smart, Not Hard

2007-01-08T20:00:00.000-06:00

Working Smart, Not Hard

One of Leo's passions is to build relationship with others through networking. Therefore, some time ago Leo took over as president for the Bolingbrook BNI networking group. At one of the recent meetings Leo had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Marty Ramos who is the owner of SOMAR Construction and Remodeling located in Plainfield, Illinois.
At the end of our BNI meeting, Marty and Leo got a chance to talk more about Marty's business. He has been in business for almost 20 years. Along the way he's learned some very valuable lessons. One of the key lessons is it's more important to work smart then hard on your business. The example that Marty shared with Leo was how he would bid on jobs. Initially, his goal was to get every job that he bid on. This is how we started out his business. As a result, he and his men were constantly very busy. However, while he was making a good living his business was not overly profitable. One day, he ran across another business owner in the same line of business who gave Marty some great advice - adjust its pricing so that he only wins 2 out of 10 jobs and not all 10. This advice initially seem strange to Marty. However, over time he came to realize the wisdom of this advice. By focusing on only a few more profitable jobs it turned out to be a win-win for not only the customer but Marty and his employees. By focusing on a few jobs, Marty's employees did not have to work so hard and could improve the quality of the work they did for their customers, Marty can spend more time with the customers to make sure that they are satisfied with the work, and overall Marty could build a more successful business.
Marty went on to say that he is also learned that now his role in running the company has changed. Initially, Marty would do the work himself along with his employees. Marty is realize that his role is to manage, market and promote his business and not to be so involved in the day-to-day activities of the business.
At the end of our conversation, Marty made a very interesting comment. He said that it's "more important to work ON your business then IN your business". I asked Marty if he had ever read Michael Gerber's "The eMyth Revisited". To my surprise, he said no. Marty said that he had learned this the hard way over time. If you are looking to get to the same level of success that Marty has had, but take less than 20 years to get there, you may want to consider picking up a copy of Michael Gerber's "The eMyth Revisited".

Show Notes - 01/02/07

2007-01-03T08:02:00.000-06:00

Financing Your Business - Credit Scores and Home Equity

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk with Sue Williams of Geneva Financial Corporation about the importance of a good credit score. Sue has been in the mortgage business for 10 years, working first in retail. Now she's a mortgage broker and loan officer, working with many different lending institutions.
Sue says that keeping your credit rating healthy is very important if you want to borrow money to finance a home, a car, a business, or get a line of credit.
There are three repositories of credit information. Creditors regularly send your credit records to these repositories. Every month, your credit rating is updated. When you want to borrow money or apply for a credit card, your credit rating is checked.
The rating is calculated using a variety of factors: balances, late payments (30 days or more late), number of credit accounts, number of credit inquiries.
Sue said it's better to spread your balances out across a number of credit cards, rather than have a high balance on one credit card. By keeping the amounts due well below your credit limit, you are judged more responsible.
Credit ratings range from 300 to 900, but ratings over 800 are rare. The higher the rating, the more favorable the interest rates. Sue says 700 or over is "good to go." Over 660 is good. Below 620 is starting to become problematic. You can get financing starting at 580, but the lower the score the higher the interest rate.
Also, when your rating is over a particular level (740), you can qualify for a "No Doc" loan, which simply means your credit rating alone is the only qualifier you need. No further documentation describing your credit history or your net worth is necessary.
To improve your credit rating, you have to do just one or two things a month - don't try to do a lot at once. Gradually clean your record. Do NOT attempt to clean it up all it once, as it will have a detrimental effect.
Sue advised that you should check your credit once a year. Two no cost sources for this are: www.myfreecreditreport.com or www.fico.com. And when you pull your credit report, make sure it is accurate. It is not unusual for there to be errors.
We also discussed Home Equity loans. This is where you get a line of credit based on the appraised value of your house and credit score. When you get an equity line, you do not need to use the funds unless you need them. You can use your equity line of credit to finance your business, drawing funds as expenses arise. The interest rate for these loans are lower than standard commercial loans. Also, you get to decide how much you want to repay yourself every month, also very different from commercial loans. In some cases, you can get a line of credit that requires only monthly interest payments, but Sue recommends that you do include some payment towards the principal, as this will reduce the interest due.

Business of the Week

Ellen Huxtable of Advantage Business Concepts

Other Topics of Interest

SERVPRO - a 38 year old "start-up"

Servpro - A 38 Year Old "Start Up"

2006-12-30T09:23:00.000-06:00

Servpro - A 38 Year Old "Start Up"

Are you looking for unique franchise opportunity in the Chicagoland area? As Kevin Brown from Servpro mentioned to Leo and Sybil the opportunity for Servpro franchises in the Chicagoland area is HUGE!
Servpro has been around for 38 years and has around 1400 locations all across the United States. Surprisingly, there is more opportunity and available territory in the Chicagoland area than in any other part of the United States!
The history of Servpro is quite interesting. They actually started out as painting contractors based in Sacramento, California. The founder of the company, Ted Isaacson, is credited with seeing the need for this new business. Ted noticed that the insurance restoration business was highly fragmented and frankly saw that there was a lot of opportunity to improve the service to their customers. Before Servpro came along, the restoration business was handled as a "side job" in the construction business.
Since starting the business 38 years ago, the key to Servpro's success has been - in a word - FOCUS! Servpro continues to refine their business model in that niche that they serve best - insurance fire and water restoration. As a result, the Servpro executive management team has decided not to look at expanding internationally for looking at multi-branding opportunities. This focus has helped ensure continued record of success and growth for he Servpro brand as well as its franchisees.

Show Notes - 12/26/06

2006-12-27T06:43:00.000-06:00

Will County, IL - Growth Opportunities

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo's and Sybil's guest is Arthur "AJ" Wilhelmi, Illinois State Senator of the 43rd District. AJ is just finishing his first two years as a State Senator, having been appointed to his seat in January 2005 when there was a vacancy. He recently won election this past November.
AJ grew up in the Joliet area, and has always had a passion for politics and serving the public. The Senator shares his views and vision for Will County, a county southwest of Chicago that is just booming.
He explained that in 1990, there were 350,000 people in the County. Today there are over 600,00o, and there are likely to be 1 million people in Will County in another 10 years. This is a great opportunity for business development.
First, Elwood's location is critical to the transportation industry. It is a real crossroads, for trains coming from California and transfer of materials to trucks for further distribution. As many as 10,000 trucks will move through the center each day. It's also a mega distribution site for Walmart - a main hub for them in the midwest. And 10 million square feet of industrial space is being added to Wilmington, just south of the Elwood intermodal facility.
Second, Chicagoland's third airport is likely to be built in Peotone. While the control of the airport has been a political hot potato for years, AJ is certain that it will eventually be resolved. And the development around the airport will generate all kinds of jobs. More and more people will move to the county, which currently offers great property values. And this will spur business development to serve the people.
Third, there is a major mall planned for the area.
Fourth, there is the old Joliet Prison (made famous in the the Blues Brothers movie) built in the 1860's that will become an historical site. The Collins Street Task Force wants to convert the Joliet facility into a great tourist attraction, just like Alcatraz, which became a hot visitor's spot in San Francisco. The structure is just gorgeous. They hope to create a mega-mall within the prison, catering to visitors. There are also 100 acres across the way, which will also be developed for residential as well as retail. AJ expects this will cause a terrific renaissance for Joliet.
And, we shouldn't forget that Joliet is home to Riverboat Gambling and a NASCAR Track, and is home to an annual event that brings in 150,000 people per day. This is the only NASCAR facility in Illinois.
Joliet is simply re-inventing itself as an entertainment center, complete with the 80 year old Rialto Theater that brings in nationally known artists.
As you can tell, there will be tremendous opprotunities for small businesses in Will County. Any one thinking of starting a business should consider locating here.

Business of the Week

Catherine Magnuson of First Choice Bank

Other Topics of Interest

SERVPRO - Hurricanes or Hamburgers

Servpro - Hurricanes or Hamburgers

2006-12-26T14:01:00.000-06:00

Servpro - Hurricanes or Hamburgers

Are you looking for your "ideal" business? You are definitely not alone! As Kevin Brown from Servpro mentions in our interview with him, most of the people looking at Servpro fit that category. Kevin goes on to say that there really is a myth floating out there that if you "do what you love the money will follow". It's been Kevin's experience that people who follow this path just end up hating what they used to love!
Instead of trying to find the "ideal" business, Kevin suggests that people first start by writing down their ideal LIFESTYLE. Be very detailed with your ideal lifestyle - your ideal house, where you want to live, the cars you want to drive, the education you want to provide for your children, etc.
Once you've identified your ideal lifestyle, then you can start to look for a business that has the potential for getting you to that lifestyle. That is, don't focus so much initially on the product or service and then hope it will get you to the right lifestyle. Instead first look at each business opportunity to determine whether it has the potential to help you achieve the lifestyle of your dreams.
This does not mean that you need to give up your passion. If you have a passion for helping people, Servpro is your IDEAL solution.
Kevin makes a great point when thinking about Servpro - don't just focus on WHAT they do. Instead, focus on WHO they are! Servpro is a company that helps people at one of the most critical times of need in their lives - when they have had damage to their property, their possessions and their memories. It's people who have a passion for helping others, especially in their time of need, that are a great fit for the Servpro model.
So what is Servpro looking for in a potential franchisee? Kevin says, "people who align with our value system which is to serve other people". If you can follow a system, enjoy helping others, and can build relationships with other people - then you are a great fit for the Servpro model.
One of the great testaments to the value that the Servpro franchisor brings to their franchisees is the stated purpose that they have written on the walls of their corporate office - "to help entrepreneurs succeed".
Kevin was very candid that starting up your own business can be a challenge. Therefore, it's refreshing to have a company with a strong 38 year history of success and supporting their franchisees.
Servpro is based on five core values: 1) building relationships, 2) working toward your goals, 3) sharing the Servpro story, 4) being financially frugal and 5) following a business model that works.

Show Notes - 12/19/06

2006-12-20T10:59:00.000-06:00

Selling To Women

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Delia Passi from Medelia Communications is our guest. She has an extensive background in sales, and has written a book called "Winning the Toughest Customer, The Essential Guide to Selling to Women."
She explained that when she changed jobs and found herself selling to women almost exclusively, she realized that her approach to selling needed some adjustment.
Since then, she has developing training programs to help others improve in their marketing and selling efforts geared towards women.
Delia points out that 85% of all purchases are made by women, and many women do not necessarily respond well to the same approach that works well with many men. So, she began to analyze what the issues were in selling to women, and put the results of her findings in her new book.
While we didn't have time to cover all of the points in her book, we were able to touch on a few. For example, the sales cycle tends to be different - women tend to need more information, more time for the decisions, and stronger relationships. And it typically will take more effort to retain them.
Also, women are more attentive to their environment. They are sensitive to how they are treated by salespeople, and even to how the salesroom looks in a way that men are not. Even the way a man shakes hands with a women can be important. A woman will want a firm hand shake, just like a man. Any thing else may make her feel that the salesperson finds her less important than a man.
Woman also tend to talk more than men - maybe as much as three times more each day. Women will therefore tend to require more "talk time." Men may be more bottom line oriented and want to cut down on the "chit chat." So salespeople need to adjust to whom they are talking, and be aware of their style. And this applies not just to male-female interaction. Sales people in general must be sensitive to their customer, and service them in the way that inspires trust and confidence.
Likewise, women need to feel more empowered when they do their shopping. For example, many women (and Sybil concurred with this based on her own experience) don't feel comfortable negotiating, so they will not seek better pricing. But Delia pointed out that women negotiate all the time, especially in the way they manage the family and the household, but they just don't think of it as negotiating.
A good technique for women would be to prepare better for big purchases. Also, women should announce that they are the decision maker, if in fact they are. Women should be more direct in saying what they want. Women should be prepared to walk away from a deal if it's not what she wants - it puts her in a real position of power.
Delia pointed out that we all have male and female tendencies. So we shouldn't stereotype women and men. We just need to be more aware of some tendencies and be watchful for them so we can adapt to the situation, and end up winning the sale instead of losing it.
For lots more information, get a copy of Delia's book "Winning the Toughest Customer, The Essential Guide to Selling to Women." We have a link right on the archive.

Business of the Week

Sue Kramer of Peace of Mind Virtual Assistance

Other Topics of Interest

Job Connections

Job Connections

2006-12-17T10:31:00.000-06:00

Job Connections

It might surprise you to know that Sybil and I work with a large number of people who are job seekers and NOT currently looking for a business of their own.
If you are in transition between jobs, you'll definitely want to get in touch with us to let us know what kind of position you are seeking.
As you know, most jobs are found not by a recruiter or blasting out resumes. They have found by networking. Both Sybil and I have a number of connections all across the country and would be happy to help you get connected with the right folks to help you in your job search. At the least, we can update our private database to make a note of the kind of position you are looking for in your next job. A number of times we will get a call from a business owner who is looking to hire someone. It's a win-win and very satisfying to us to be able to get both the job seeker and the person hiring connected!
If you are looking for a new position, be prepared for a longer time to find a new position. This weekend I was listening to the Wall Street Journal's Your Money Matters in the podcast. In the podcast they were talking about how it's taking longer and longer for people to secure a position through a job interview. In fact, the podcast said that once you start the job interview process with a particular company they can drag on for months and months before the company finally makes a decision to hire you - or to not hire you.
There are a number of reasons the job interview process is dragging on longer and longer. These include more extensive background checks as well as more and more people within the company involved in the job interview process.
Therefore, if you are in transition looking for a new job - contact us! At the least, you will definitely want to let us know about the kind of job you are looking for so that we can get you connected the next time someone calls us looking to hire someone.

Show Notes - 12/12/06

2006-12-13T07:46:00.000-06:00

Direct Sales and Multi-Level Marketing

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk about Direct Selling and Multi-Level Marketing with Becky Dzielinski with Arbonne International.
Direct selling is defined as the sale of a consumer product or service, person-to-person, away from a fixed location. The selling method is person-to-person or party plan. There are hundreds of businesses that fall into this classification.
With an opportunity like Arbonne International, you have the option of becoming a consultant and selling Arbonne products direct to consumers, or you could also become a Business Builder by sponsoring others who become part of your team and who also sell Arbonne products to consumers.
Actually, you can invite consumers to become an Arbonne International member for a very small annual fee, and buy their products on-line for a reduced price.
You may also encourage members of your team to likewise build a business and grow their own team. People in your team are referred to as your "downline." In addition to the income you derive by selling products direct to consumers, you will also receive an "override check" - a percentage you earn through sales generated by others in your downline.
In multi-level marketing, you have opportunities for growth. There are four levels in Arbonne, each representing a level of revenue achieved. Becky is on the verge of breaking into the third level which will entitle her to a white Mercedes. What an incentive!
Becky works very hard at building her business and she's also passionate about the Arbonne products. Arbonne offers a variety of health and wellness based products that must be pure, safe, and beneficial. They include items for skin care, weight loss, personal care, aromatherapy, cosmetics, and nutritionals. All are botanically based with no animal by-products, minerals oil (which is derived from petroleum), artificial fragrances, or chemical dyes.

Business of the Week

Linda Swanson with Park National Bank

Other Topics of Interest

Will the real SERVPRO stand up?

Servpro - Will the Real Servpro Please Stand up

2006-12-10T07:46:00.000-06:00

Will the Real Servpro Please Stand up

The first question we asked Kevin this week was, "isn't the Servpro system built around servicing only major events like hurricanes?" You really need to listen to Kevin's insightful response where he helps everyone understand that Servpro really has a much broader reach. The reality is that Servpro is really here to service the needs of more "every day events". Things like a broken hose and a laundry room for a frozen plumbing pipe in your home.
The next thing we asked Kevin was about the availability of territory in Chicago. In Kevin's words, the opportunity "huge"! In fact, Kevin estimates that there is room for up to 100 additional territories to be awarded in the Chicagoland area.
As for the type of person who is a good candidate for Servpro, we estimate it's just limited to the "hands-on" kind of person. Kevin had some very insightful comments that this is really just a misperception about Servpro. It may look like a "hands-on" kind of opportunity. However, it's better to look at Servpro as having a range of roles and opportunities within the business model. Therefore, in a number of cases former executives coming out of corporate job can find satisfaction in the Servpro business taking a more hands-off role. In addition, people coming from a more "hands on" background can also find a satisfying role within the Servpro model.
So how does Servpro get its business? What's nice about the Servpro model is its mostly based on building relationships and NOT "cold calling" as you might find in some other businesses. Again, Servpro is really a people business who are interested in building relationships with others.
Overall, Servpro is about serving others. If you're looking for a great franchise business opportunity in the Chicagoland area, you will definitely want to include Servpro in your research. If you would like to find more information about Servpro, feel free to check out our website www.MyDreamBiz.net go to the People You Should Know section or click on this Servpro link.

Show Notes - 12/05/06

2006-12-06T07:37:00.000-06:00

Networking - Tips for Making it Payoff

On this week's Livin' The Dream show, Leo and Sybil talk with Tom Gosche of BNI (Business Networking International) about effective networking techniques. Every business owner needs to get out into the community to meet with other business people. You need to get the word out about your business. And one of the best ways to build your reputation is through networking. And good networking will yield referrals.
There are so many networking options out there. Tom, who is the Executive Director for BNI in Illinois, lives and breathes networking, as it is his business. Tom says what sets BNI apart from other networking groups is their attention to educating their membership about networking. They even assign mentors.
He has also established a Personal Brand System, a way to really understand yourself and develop effective mechanisms for portraying you and your business to others. His system is called B.R.A.N.D., where B = your Beliefs, R = how you Represent those beliefs to others, A = Autonomy, or the control of your brand, N = Networking, and D = how you Differentiate yourself when you are out there networking. [If you would like information on how to get your B.R.A.N.D. Workbook, contact us at LTD@myDreamBiz.net, or Tom Gosch (his contact information is available on his Archive Page).]
Some tips for effective networking: 1) During your 30-second promo about your business at a networking event, be very specific. The more specific you are, the more memorable you will be to others. 2) Come up with a few "Phrase That Pays" that will help others remind them of you when someone says them. 3) Look for Power Partners - others in business that serve the same clientele, and develop relationships with them. Look for opportunities to cross-promote with them - e.g., meet with them periodically, come up with joint marketing promotional items (like a refrigerator magnet), develop testimonial letters. 4) LISTEN first when you meet others, and ASK QUESTIONS to learn about them. 5) Don't let yourself be monopolized by someone who just wants to talk about him or herself. Remind them politely that you are there to network, and move on. 6) Have follow-up meetings with people, and connect them with others that can be helpful to them. This will demonstrate the value you can bring to them. 7) Be sure that a referral you pass on is someone that you can trust - after all, it's your reputation.

Business of the Week

Zoe Ingersoll or Ingersoll and Associates

Other Topics of Interest

According to SERVPRO, their people make the difference.