There once was a mechanic that belonged to his local BNI chapter.  Now this mechanic was very good at what he did, and even better he was business savvy, which really shows by how much networking he did.  Each and every week this wonderful mechanic would stand up and tell everyone that he was a mechanic and if the knew someone looking for auto repair that he was the man to do the job. For quite a while the...

Don’t panic. We spend hours at the drawing board, literally, crafting and creating our product. It doesn’t matter if your product is one that you hold or a service there was still countless hours put into the design. Now, couple that with all of the time spent thinking about ways to get the word out about your product and what it does. You may have envisioned commercials where your product is used and...

How many times have you ended a day and the first thought is – wow, that was a busy day. Have you ever followed that thought up with – but I didn’t get anything done! This is not uncommon. As a matter of fact busy does not equate to getting things done. In light of this being a problem for many busy business professionals I took a moment to analyze my own business. When doing such a task...

This idea really goes back to an article that Seth Godin wrote in December of 2008. He professed that during this down-turned economy it was much better to become the Vice-President of “No!” Which, simply put, instead of requiring a yes decision to travel all the way up the chain, it is much better for the company to require the no decisions to make that path. In light of everything that has happened...

If you have called a business lately and been asked to, “Press one for blah…blah…blah.” You have entered into press one hell. I have yet to witness a person that gets excited when they are faced with a myriad of menu choices, an endless stream of menus, followed by a voicemail box at the end. And yet business continue to create these mazes. Do they intend to irritate their customers?...

How many times have you ended a day and the first thought is – wow, that was a busy day. Have you ever followed that thought up with – but I didn’t get anything done! This is not uncommon. As a matter of fact busy does not equate to getting things done. In light of this being a problem for many busy business professionals I took a moment to analyze my own business. When doing such a task...

Is the phone ringing off-the-hook? Are emails piling in? Are customers just clamoring at the doors before they open for business? Solutions to Crickets The answer to these questions should always be a resounding, “YES!” If that is the case, I must congratulate you. If the answer is, “Sort of, ” then you definitely have something right. If your answer is, “Not really.” Have...

“I learned a valuable lesson this weekend – Nay! I was the valuable lesson this weekend.” Let me explain. This last weekend, my wife and decided that it was time to have one of those “Huge Yard Sales” that every urban community enjoys. It was really a lot of fun, and we met a lot of great people in the process. It turned out to be record-breaking heat, in excess of 100 degrees – 102 degrees...

Breaking free and creating your own path is the first start on the entrepreneurial road. I’m not going to kid you, this is not an easy path to take. There will be times when you feel like a complete outcast, times when you talk to friends you have had for years, and wonder when they changed so much. The transformation you will undergo is dramatic. There will come a point when you look at yourself and...

“What you think about, you bring about.”  Lisa Nichols    Back in January of 2008 I looked my spouse directly in the eyes and said, “This year I am going to meet Dr. Ivan Misner.”  A goal declared.  If you are in business, and serious about your success, you should know that Dr. Misner is the founder and Chairman of Business Network International (BNI).  It should also be said...