If you have been keeping up on my book that is featured in the Notes section of my Facebook profile, you know two of my friends own small businesses (though neither of them advertise on DiversePhilly - friends are the hardest to work with). Just the other day, I ran into one of my friends, let's call her Sue, at her business and she said I should stop speaking to her. I asked her "What is the problem?" She said, I was disloyal to her by taking my daughter to her ex-employee's competing business. She also said, "If I am her friend and she does not like someone, then I should not like someone."
There are a few problems with this scenario. As we move the company to the business owner stage, these are the lessons I take with me:
1) Employees are not your friends. Sue thought her employee was her friend and that is why she was upset when she no longer chose to work for her. You can be friendly with your employees but they are not your friends. The employees can become resentful if you hold a paycheck over their head. Always treat your employees with respect (they generate your profit margin) and create an environment conducive to friendly relations.
2) Loyalty - As a customer I am known to be hard to satisfy. Treat your customers as you want to be treated. I stopped going to Sue's business because they have been known to smoke inside of the business and use foul language. Instead of asking why I did not use her services and use that as a learning experience, she used the guilt tactic of loyalty.
My loyalty exists in servicing my clients to bring them information, relationships and success stories they can use to be inspired and grow their business. Though we are friends, loyalty will not keep me as a customer. I left my children's day care center (which is owned by another close friend) on three separate occasions (and I still manage to come back) because my philosophy has been yes, we are friends, but when it comes to exchanging money for services, it is strictly business. My friend who owns the day care center was able to take me back (after some begging) because she shares the same philosophy. Creating a business relationship should not enhance or deter a friendship. I recently found a LinkedIn profile that had 58 recommendations. That is my new goal to reach this year. I only have 50% of that number and am looking to find ways to add more value to my clients and garner more recommendations of a job well done. I want to create an environment where the standard is excellence (see success stories above). Though excellence is not obtainable, it can still be a goal. I am already planning what it takes to win the Greater Philadelphia Chamber's Excellence Awards. Will you join me?
Showing posts with label success. Show all posts
Showing posts with label success. Show all posts
Monday, March 16, 2009
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Attitude is everything
Success in life is determined mainly by your attitude. Network Marketing taught me that 80% of success is determined by attitude and only 20% is determined by skill. Attitude is what drives the underlying philosophy into behaviors. Applying these behaviors over time creates habits.
Business ownership offers the choice to live your passion. The philosophies that make your character will determine the success of your business. The philosophies that I hold in my heart are:
1) We are all connected. Newman Networks exists to build relationships and we do this by connecting people. If you view my profile on www.linkedin.com, I guarantee we know at least 1 person in common. On average every person knows 300 people. 300 people multiplied by the 300 people they know, multiplied by the 300 people they know equals 27 million people. As the Philadelphia community is a 5% fraction of that number, we can truly adhere to our tagline as the City of Brotherly Love.
2) People do business with people. The average business relationship takes 18-24 months with at least 5 separate exposures (that is why networking is critical). Knowing who knows who vastly shortens the relationship building timeline which means business can move at a faster pace. J.P Getty said “the wealthy build networks while everyone else looks for work”. We are now positioned to use technology tools like DiversePhilly, Facebook and LinkedIn to build and connect our networks.
3) Live life in the mindset of abundance. The current financial crisis on the country has had a negative affect on the bottom line but a positive effect on my approach. The nature of business is cyclical and I have learned to have the same attitude in a recession as I did in a surplus. The marketing budget and the church collection plate should not dry up in a recession. I learned a long time ago, that when we close our hand to hold onto our possessions, we also close our hand to the abundance that the Creator wishes to provide. Relationship building through marketing creates the momentum that will drive the success of your business.
Those philosophies allow us (Newman Networks, RSVP Me Inc, and Eatible Delights) to appreciate the supporters and clients who continue to give on November 23rd, 2008 from 3-6PM at The Gathering Place even in the face of a recession!
Business ownership offers the choice to live your passion. The philosophies that make your character will determine the success of your business. The philosophies that I hold in my heart are:
1) We are all connected. Newman Networks exists to build relationships and we do this by connecting people. If you view my profile on www.linkedin.com, I guarantee we know at least 1 person in common. On average every person knows 300 people. 300 people multiplied by the 300 people they know, multiplied by the 300 people they know equals 27 million people. As the Philadelphia community is a 5% fraction of that number, we can truly adhere to our tagline as the City of Brotherly Love.
2) People do business with people. The average business relationship takes 18-24 months with at least 5 separate exposures (that is why networking is critical). Knowing who knows who vastly shortens the relationship building timeline which means business can move at a faster pace. J.P Getty said “the wealthy build networks while everyone else looks for work”. We are now positioned to use technology tools like DiversePhilly, Facebook and LinkedIn to build and connect our networks.
3) Live life in the mindset of abundance. The current financial crisis on the country has had a negative affect on the bottom line but a positive effect on my approach. The nature of business is cyclical and I have learned to have the same attitude in a recession as I did in a surplus. The marketing budget and the church collection plate should not dry up in a recession. I learned a long time ago, that when we close our hand to hold onto our possessions, we also close our hand to the abundance that the Creator wishes to provide. Relationship building through marketing creates the momentum that will drive the success of your business.
Those philosophies allow us (Newman Networks, RSVP Me Inc, and Eatible Delights) to appreciate the supporters and clients who continue to give on November 23rd, 2008 from 3-6PM at The Gathering Place even in the face of a recession!
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