The weekend is just around the corner, and I would like to encourage you to take an hour or two to yourself sometime over the next two days to meditate upon what you want most out of life. Nothing is more important than deciding upon your aims and working out the best ways to achieve them. When you have determined your purpose and laid out a plan to bring it to life, your days will be more peaceful, vibrant, and meaningful. Every moment will be more enjoyable. When you know what you want and you go after it with determination, you are charged with a sense of lightness and happiness.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
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Thomas, a gentleman I have been advising on his career goals, told me that one of the main things that limits his productivity and quality of work is frequent distractions— interruptions by colleagues, requests from his supervisor to attend to matters that could usually wait a day or two. Thomas says he is constantly juggling five projects at once and feels he can’t do any of them justice. His frustration reminded me of an article on multi-tasking I read a while back.

“According to research compiled by David E. Meyer, a psychology professor at the University of Michigan, multitaskers actually hinder their productivity by trying to accomplish two things at once. Mr. Meyer has found that people who switch back and forth between two tasks, like exchanging e-mail and writing a report, may spend 50 percent more time on those tasks than if they work on them separately, completing one before starting the other.”

My advice to Thomas was to clear his desk entirely, have an in box on a separate desk, and shift any projects that are not truly urgent from his desk to the in box, arranging them in order of priority. He says that this has helped him get back to focusing on one thing at a time and has reduced the small errors that creep in as a result of distractions.

This strategy applies to the big picture as well. The more goals you have, the less likely you are to achieve any of them. If you have one overarching goal (or two or three), you will most likely find it easier to focus on it and do something to move closer to it every single day.

Filed under: Goals
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Earlier in the week, we talked about the demise of video giant Blockbuster. The Economist this month points out another towering superpower’s weak spots:

“The threat to Microsoft comes from online applications, which are changing how people use computers. Rather than relying on an operating system and its associated application software—bought in a box from Microsoft, and then loaded onto a PC—computer users are increasingly able to call up the software they need over the internet. Just as Amazon, Google, eBay and other firms provide services via the web, software companies are now selling software as a subscription service that can be accessed via a web-browser.”

This is just another example of why you shouldn’t fear competition of any size or at any scale. Opportunity for improvement and new ideas is ever present. Don’t fear anyone else’s strengths—exercise your own.

Filed under: First, Best or Different
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How are you feeling today? If you’re brimming with elation at the thought of the coming weekend, let me first congratulate you on making it through the work week. But then let me gently remind you that you’re probably doing the wrong job. Believe it or not, some people actually enjoy going to their jobs. Wouldn’t you like to get to that place?

Filed under: Career Intensity Challenge
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You can now search inside Career Intensity on Amazon.com.

Click here to check it out.

Filed under: Career Intensity - The Book
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Here’s an inspiring article about making a living doing what you love.

“‘A lot of would-be entrepreneurs have a passion but lack the courage to follow it through to a business,’ says Theresa M. Szczurek, a Boulder, Colorado-based technology and management consultant and author of Pursuit of Passionate Purpose. ‘There will always be people who want to rain on your parade and tell you all the reasons you can’t do something. If you want to turn your passion into a successful business, you have to have self-confidence.’”

She’s right. There will never be a shortage of naysayers who believe you can’t succeed or, more likely, are terrified that you will succeed and point out all the more where they fall short. Surround yourself with friends and business partners who believe in you and encourage you to take your life to the next level.

Filed under: Entrepreneurship - General
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What are the distractions in your life? What are you letting stand between you and your aspirations? This can be relationship troubles, too much television, fear, self-doubt, time-wasting errands. Eliminate these, and make room in your life for the real substance.

Someone I was talking to about her career goals recently, Allison, explained to me that she had taken big strides in overcoming shyness and social inhibition by making new friends and going out with them often. Then she realized that she was spending two or three nights a week with them and distracting herself from her core goals. Becoming more sociable was an intermediate goal that Allison believed would help her achieve her ultimate aim of earning a promotion to a position of more influence. She was right about that. Then she realized she had stepped up a level in confidence and would benefit just as much from seeing her friends once a week, or a few times a month, and leaving herself time to pursue other goals, such as physical fitness and career training.

Keep in mind that your time is your own and how you use it is up to you. Resist the distractions of everyday life, and stay focused on your larger purpose.

Filed under: Goals
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Here’s a little exercise to get you motivated:

Sit down with a pen and paper. For 15 to 30 minutes, write about your life. However, write not about your life as it is, but about your life as you wish it were, as you want it to be. Mentally address this to an old friend you haven’t seen in years. Imagine that he wrote to you, asking what you’ve been up to all this time. Give him all the details of your fabulous life.

Visualizing success in this way is a critical factor in bringing it to life. You will most likely see themes recur again and again throughout this picture of your dream life. At the heart of those is your true objective.

Filed under: Goals
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This Entrepreneur article on the seven personality types of entrepreneurs makes an excellent point:

“The most important factors that distinguish entrepreneurs who barely make it from those who make millions are personality and–sometimes more important–the ability to harness personality, use it and learn from it. The most successful entrepreneurs know that the greatest knowledge is self-knowledge. They understand how to make the best of their talents and manage or compensate for their weaknesses or potential limitations.”

All we really have is who and what we are. No one’s going to hand success to you. It’s not going to fall in your lap. You have to figure out what you excel at, what your Achilles Heel is, how you can make the most of your talents and get the help you need to fill in the weak spots, and how you’re going to live a life full of success and happiness.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
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1. State your goals in a positive way.

“Achieve and maintain a healthy weight, a good level of fitness, and an energetic sense of being” is far more desirable and motivating an undertaking than “Lose 50 pounds and stop eating junk food”. The former emphasizes the benefits of working toward the goal and achieving it—the latter points out flaws and mistakes.

2. Do something every day to work toward your goal.

What’s behind most goals is not a single target, but a desire for a different lifestyle altogether. The person who wants to lose 50 pounds wants to be healthy and feel good about himself. The one who wants a rewarding career is ultimately working toward more happiness and fulfillment. Those who want to rid themselves of debt are actually looking for financial freedom and balance. At the core of all these changes is a change in lifestyle and daily choices. Practice making smart choices that lead you to your ideal life daily.

3. Write your goal down and put it somewhere you can see it every day.

Even if you don’t read it, it will seep in. Merely glancing at it will reinforce it. The act of putting your goal in words, putting it down on paper, and placing it in plain view reminds you that the goal is there for a reason and it’s worth having.

Filed under: Goals
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Whatever you want to accomplish, you have to do it one step at a time. If you want to lose 50 pounds, you may be daunted by what you need to do to make that happen. You could go on a crash diet and starve yourself to lose a few of those pounds, but that’s not going to get you to your goal in a healthy, lasting way.

If you want to be 50 pounds lighter, you have to do the work one day at a time, drop the pounds one at a time, and exercise and eat well most of the time until the job is done. Then, to maintain the weight, you have to stick with the good habits. Being healthy has to become a permanent part of your lifestyle.

All this is true no matter what you want to accomplish. You have to make a lifestyle out of moving toward your goals. When you’re losing weight, you will sometimes go overboard with nachos and margaritas on Friday. When you’re moving toward a better career, you will have days when all you feel like doing is watching cheesy movies and vegetating on the couch. In neither case have you failed. “Growth is an erratic movement—two steps forward, one step back.” (Julia Cameron) Keep taking steps forward, and you will eventually succeed.

Filed under: Goals
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According to FORTUNE, those of you with messy desks might want to tidy them up!

“‘Your office is a reflection of your capabilities,’ Reiter says. ‘Even though a messy desk isn’t a sign of a character flaw, it does tend to give your managers and peers the impression that the job is too much for you to handle, you can’t make decisions, you are not doing the job, or all of the above.’”

For myself, I find that a clean work space fosters clear, focused thinking. Only matters of top and immediate priority occupy the space on my desk—everything else is sorted by priority level elsewhere. Just as having too many goals means you aren’t likely to accomplish any of that, having too many stacks of paper reduces the chances that any of them will grab enough of your attention to earn a quality treatment.

Filed under: Career Commonsense
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Olivier Blanchard studies one of the mighty who fell:

“…here’s what sealed Blockbuster’s fate: It never reached out to us, the old core of once loyal customers. It never made us feel at home there. It never worked on making the Blockbuster experience a great one… or even a half-way decent one, at that.”

Visit any online hangout community (like friendster.com or myspace.com) and take a look around. When it comes to renting movies, everyone’s talking about Netflix.

What this says to me is that there is always room in any market, no matter how glutted and monopolized it may seem, for improvement. There is always the opportunity for the little guy with the big idea to swoop in and save the day. We the people know what we want. We knew what Blockbuster wasn’t giving us.

If you are inspired to start your own business but fear the competition, don’t. Identify their weak spots and provide a product or service that solves the problem. If there’s anything that refreshes a jaded consumer and turns him into a little kid again, it’s having a long-unmet want finally met and exceeded.

Filed under: First, Best or Different
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Learning: “Read widely, and accumulate a diverse array of experiences.”

Everything you learn can contribute in some way to your career. Through improving sportsmanship, we learn to compete, be part of a team, lead, make quick decisions, and persist through fatigue. In studying ancient cultures, we see patterns that led to success or failure. By delving into science and the laws of nature, we learn about systems and their mechanisms. Successful people draw from a wide breadth of knowledge and experience and understand phenomena on myriad levels. Continue to educate yourself and open yourself to new possibilities.

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Deciding: “Familiarize yourself with common decision-making errors—such as going along with a group choice to maintain cohesion. Watch for tendencies within yourself to commit such errors.”

Leaders make bold decisions. They see them through, and if they aren’t working out, they make new decisions. The worst thing you can do for your career is make no choices or let your choices be made for you. Taking a passive approach to your goals is unlikely to result in success. Even if you make a bad decision, it’s better to mess up and learn from it than to remain stagnant. Failures are great opportunities to learn more about yourself and the world. Move ahead by choosing wisely and boldly.

Filed under: Self Awareness
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Challenging: “Questioning your organization’s assumptions and testing their validity.”

It takes someone who believes in herself and her ideas to challenge the status quo. These are the people who shake things up and change them for the better. You don’t have to be contentious to challenge. The best way to suggest changes is not to bash the old ways, but to offer new and positive ideas.

If you are part of a team working on a project that you believe could be going more smoothly, step up and present your ideas. Most likely, everyone will be excited to approach the work from a new angle. And you will begin to earn a reputation for innovation.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
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What is your top priority in your professional life? I encourage you to do something every day this week to move yourself closer to achieving it. Whether you spend five minutes or an hour on it, keep that forward momentum going. Knowing each day that you are even a bit closer to your goal builds motivation, confidence, and determination.

Filed under: Goals
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“Google encourages its engineers to spend one day a week, or 20 percent of their time, on projects that are unrelated to work. Called ‘20 percent time,’ the concept has been quite lucrative for Google, helping the company dramatically expand its offerings, some of which have become cash cows.

According to Debbie Jaffe, product marketing manager for Google, ‘The 20 percent program is important to keep engineers engaged and excited about working on new projects. It’s an opportunity for them to grow both professionally and personally.’”

I love this idea. No one enjoys being chained into a job where every minute of his time is controlled and slotted into one of a few tasks. Individual talents flourish when they are given time and room to do so.

Though you may not be able to convince your supervisor to adopt Google’s concept, you do have the power to implement it in your own life. In working toward your goals, give yourself a certain amount of time to doodle and meander. Some days you might want to sit and think. Others you may prefer to take a walk—personally, I get some of my best ideas on long walks around town. And now and then you may be seized with inspiration that applies directly to your work. Life is multi-faceted. Keep yourself open to a breadth of experiences. Doing so usually only points out all the more what is most important to you and how you want to spend your time.

Filed under: Accelerants
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Imagining: “Visualizing new possibilities for you company’s policies, practices, and products.”

In the famous words of Einstein, “Imagination is more important than knowledge”.

What separates the dazzling winners from everyone else is that they are able to envision a grand future. What turns them into winners is that they are able to leap into that future and do the hard work necessary to make it great.

Particularly for die-hard realists and people who have been trained (by parents, friends, or spouse) to be “responsible” and “stable”, indulging in imagination can be difficult. For every idea that’s even mildly revolutionary, a little voice chimes in, “Impossible. You can’t do that. That’s stupid. It’ll never work.” Quiet that voice and spend some time ruminating on your wild, far-out, fanciful ideas. Great leader do things that no one before them has done.

Filed under: First, Best or Different
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The March issue of Harvard Management Update outlines eight skills that great leaders possess: observing, reasoning, imagining, challenging, deciding, learning, enabling, and reflecting. I would like to spend today and tomorrow talking about some of these. Let’s start with observing.

“Actively look for warning signs that you business may be at risk, such as low inventory turns, high employee turnover, and repetitive customer complaints.”

The signs are everywhere—all you have to do is listen and observe. If you want to know how your supervisor, colleagues, or customers feel, just pay attention to their feedback. If someone complains about your work, don’t take it personally. Think of it as an opportunity to respond and make a favorable impression. Turning the experience around and giving business partners what they want earns you trust and respect. Be aware of patterns and recurring problems. Make it your job to solve them, one at a time.

Filed under: Mental Sharpness
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Career Intensity is in three carnivals that are up and running today.  Can you smell the popcorn?

The Carnival of the Capitalists over at Decker Marketing.

The Carnival of Personal Finance at Financial Baby Steps.

The Carnival of Marketing at A Shareware Life.

There is great stuff posted at each of these carnivals.  Please check them out.

Filed under: General Information
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In case you missed them, here are the most popular posts from The Career Intensity Blog last week:

How to Ask for a Raise – Get the money you deserve.

Don’t Fake it Till You Make It – Great marketers are ethical.

Your Work Computer is Not Private – Someone is always watching you at work.

Selling for Entrepreneurs – Everything starts when someone sells something.

Three Steps to a New Career – Get off the couch and get a new career.

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We just received word from our distributor about the amazing number of preorders of Career Intensity. 

Since we have not even ramped up a PR or marketing campaign yet the only conclusion we can draw is that the orders are being stimulated by this blog and its readers.

The book is scheduled to be released on May 17.  We going to do our best to get it rushed out ahead of schedule to meet the demand.

Thank you all very much for your support.  I am truly humbled.

Filed under: Career Intensity - The Book
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Bookstores and other retail outlets are beginning to place their orders for Career Intensity. The more books they order the better the discount will be when you go to purchase the book.  Please call your local bookstore and ask them to stock the book. 

Give them the ISBN number.  It is:   1-933683-00-7

To find a local bookstore click on the links below:

Barnes and Noble

Borders

Books-A-Million

Send me an e-mail and let me know what they say.  Thanks for your help.

Filed under: Career Intensity - The Book
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My five main areas of focus for this week were:

• Career
• Relationships
• Money
• Attitude
• Purpose

The most important point I can make is that each of these areas feeds into all the others. The better your relationships, attitude, and money management, the more promising your career prospects will be. If your purpose is clear in your mind, you are motivated to make smart decisions about your money, relationships, and career.

I like to keep my personal goals written down in a place where I can see them every day. I try to maintain a balance in all areas of my life and not neglect any one area so I can give and get more in all the others.

Filed under: Career Intensity Challenge
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Successful people dress the part. When they give presentations, they are usually the best-dressed in the room. Even if the dress code at the office is “business casual”, they kick it up a notch and stand out. For most of us, when we look better and our clothes are flattering, we feel better and project more confidence. Business Week gives a simple but very important piece of wardrobe advice:

“Men’s Wearhouse founder George Zimmer says most people make the mistake of wearing suits that don’t fit well—too loose, too tight, too long, too short. According to Zimmer and other wardrobe experts, a proper fit ranks as the single most important decision when buying and wearing a suit. If the store doesn’t offer expert tailoring, spend the money to get it done right.”

Just as you need the right fit in a career, you must have the right fit in clothing. Though this may seem trivial, these subtle matters of detail make a huge impact on perception.

Filed under: First, Best or Different
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Excellent advice from Buzzoodle Ron on how to make stronger connections in conversation:

1) Listen 50% more
2) Ask twice as many questions
3) Hold eye contact 50% more
4) Make slight contact, or hold contact slightly longer (Better hand shake, maybe)
5) Show sincere sympathy or enthusiasm for something they say
6) Ask them if there is anything you could help out with

People love to talk about themselves, and they trust someone who listens and understands. Strengthen your relationships by making each interaction a rewarding exchange.

Filed under: Networking
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“At a meeting of the South Florida chapter of the Entrepreneurs Organization, more than 100 small-business owners are gathered in the aisles of an auditorium at Nova Southeastern University. Half of the entrepreneurs stand with their eyes closed and their arms stretched out from their sides, each facing a partner.

The man onstage tells the folks with their eyes shut to think ‘bad thoughts’ as their arms are pressed down by their partners. The arms go down easily. Then the man tells them to repeat the process, this time thinking positive thoughts. No arms go down, even though some of the people pushing down have gotten on their toes to get more leverage. ‘Thoughts radiate physically,’ the man says. ‘Change your thoughts and you change your actions, your results, your destiny.’”

Make a list of the toughest problems you’re facing right now. Pick one that you really want to resolve. Commit to spending the next week (or two) approaching it with a strictly positive attitude. I guarantee you will make progress in resolving the matter. Even if you don’t, you won’t have lost a thing.

Filed under: Accelerants
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The Carnival of Entrepreneurship is up over at The Entrepreneurial Mind.

We have a post in this weeks carnival.  Click here to read the Career Intensity post as well as six other great entrepreneurial thoughts.

Filed under: General Information
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100-year-old Arthur Winston has retired from his 72-year-career with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of Los Angeles. During his service with MTA, he only took off one day of work, after his wife died.

On a video clip at CNN.com, Mr. Winston says his job was his “home away from home”.

“I haven’t planned too much yet,” he says of his retirement, “but I want to keep busy, keep active. I don’t want to go home and sit down.”

Filed under: Personal Productivity
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Think about what’s gone right and wrong lately. How was your attitude leading up to and following these episodes? Five people would react to and handle a problem five different ways. One of them might curse his fate, yell and scream, and waste a lot of time feeling bad about the situation. At the other extreme, one would let it sink in, remind himself that life is full of ups and downs, and get to work solving the problem.

When times are tough, work to maintain your positive attitude. It’s not the end of the world. If you need to, take a break; take a day off; recuperate from the stress. Then get right back on track and make great things happen.

Filed under: Self Awareness
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John Kwarsick makes a great point about attitude. To stay young at heart, he recommends:

“Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. ‘An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.’ And the devil’s name is Alzheimer’s.”

I agree completely, and I would like to apply this idea to your career. Whether you love, hate, or feel numb about your current job, never allow yourself to stagnate in it. Engage yourself in constant renewal and growth by learning something new every chance you get.

An acquaintance of mine, Ben, recently changed fields entirely, mid career. Though his experience in the new area of choice was limited, he dove into the work, took the relevant free training offered at his company, and quickly earned a promotion in his department. He was surrounded by workplace warriors who had been doing the same job for many years, none of whom had advanced.

Because Ben showed a keen interest in learning, applied his knowledge to the work, and took steps to advance, he was rewarded with new challenges and respect—not to mention a better salary and job title.

Filed under: Learning
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The most valuable asset your possess is your ability to earn a living.  You have invested time, money and a significant amount of effort into your career.  You have settled into a job that is, at best, comfortable.  You often wonder what else you could do.  You wonder how much more you could make.  You wonder how much earning potential you have.  You would love to have a career where you are energized by your work. 

Your annual review offers anxiety and confusion. After a brief conversation with your boss – one that is filled with phrases that seem to have come from some textbook – you receive your 3% increase.  In the year ahead of you (the time period before your next performance review) you can expect more of the same.  Sure, you have the potential to be a top performer in your organization.  If you work hard and go above and beyond the call of duty you will receive a top performance rating.  What does that get you?  An additional 1 –2% increase in next year’s performance review. 

It is time to take control of your career.  The perfect career is out there and waiting for you.  You owe yourself the opportunity to follow your passion, make the money you deserve and have the career of your dreams.  There are three big steps that superachievers take on their way to the perfect career.

Evaluate Yourself and Your Situation.  What are you passionate about?  What is your ultimate goal for your career?  Who is your competition?  What are the points of difference between you and your competition?  Your personal situational analysis helps you identify who you are and what you do best.

Create Value. The next step is to identify opportunities to create value.  If you work in a company, you must create value for the firm.  If you are an entrepreneur, you must create value for your customers. You must look for opportunities to do this each and every day.  If you current situation does not allow you to do this, you must leave.  You need to find an opportunity to be a valuable member of your work environment.

Demonstrate the Value that you Create.  People must know about your ability to create value.  You boss needs to know.  Your customers need to know.  You have to help them understand what you have done, what you are doing and what you will do. In essence you are doing your own performance review.  You are letting people know how valuable you are – rather than waiting for the once- a- year event where your boss reads off some key phrases. 

Managing your career is hard work.  It is probably the most important thing you can do.  If you do not take control of your career you will be subject to the never-ending cycle of unproductive performance reviews and less than thrilling salary increases. 

Take control of your future. Your career is too important to leave in the hands of someone else.

Filed under: Motivation
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“Where your talents and the needs of the world cross, there lies your vocation.” -Aristotle

Whatever you love to do most, there is a market for it—or at least for something close to it. Throw yourself into what you love, and opportunities will arise.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
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What’s holding you back from taking your career to the next level? Sometimes, small things restrict us from big opportunities. A gentleman I was working with last year, Nathan, was absolutely terrified of giving presentations. Though he could deliver dazzling speeches in front of the mirror or for an audience of one, his wife, he had a paralyzing case of stage fright when faced with a room full of people.

Public speaking is often rated people’s #1 fear. So if you share this problem, take comfort in the fact that you are most definitely not alone, and remember that the problem, like most others, is solvable.

Nathan took an informal public speaking class. He didn’t know anyone in the class, and he figured that if he fell flat on his face, he could simply drop it. He didn’t fall flat on his face, however. The instructor knew that most of the students probably shared the same debilitating fear, so she ramped up the intensity of the assignments very gradually. They started off practicing with one partner. Once they felt comfortable with that, they progressed to working in groups of three. And so on, until they were all able to present in front of the class.

Nathan conquered his fear, and he no longer has to invent stories to dodge speaking at company meetings. He sometimes still gets a mild case of the jitters before a presentation, but he has learned to manage the anxiety. He knows that he can do it, and when he does, he feels a great sense of accomplishment and makes a strong impression on the listeners.

Filed under: Motivation
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Here’s some great advice on getting out of a career rut.

Get out of your comfort zone

“I am always ready to tackle a new assignment, even if it means taking a risk. There was a new software program that the department purchased and no one knew how to work on it. I thought, what the heck, I might as well volunteer to be the guinea pig. Then another job came open in a different part of the country and I figured it was experience I didn’t have, so I applied for it. After zigzagging around the company, I am now a senior manager.”

If what you’ve been trying isn’t working, try something new. Even if you feel you’ve been stuck for ages, it’s never too late to make a positive change.

Get to know people

“…when HR was piloting a new company-wide program, I volunteered to get on the committee and then ended up running the committee. I had a chance to meet people I never would have met otherwise people from all different levels and in all different departments. That led to other projects inside my own department. I think my managers took notice when they started hearing good things about me from outside my department.”

When people from across the company have good things to say about you, people notice. And since the people you know are often the gateway to new opportunity, it always helps to be on friendly terms with as many of your colleagues as possible.

Filed under: Career Intensity Challenge
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If you feel immobilized on your path to a rewarding career because of money troubles, make a commitment to solve the problems (or at least make significant progress on them) in the next year, six months, or however long you need. This article on the top ten money issues for singles covers topics we all have to think about: debt, budgeting, insurance, home expenses.

The simplest approach to money management is:

1. Create a budget. Make a list of all your cost areas, including:

• Home: Rent/Mortgage, Phone, Cell Phone, Electricity/Gas, Internet, Cable, Groceries, Homeowner’s/Renter’s Insurance, House Nondurables
• Health: Health Insurance, Doctor/Dentist Visits, Medication, Gym Membership
• Auto: Auto Insurance, Gas, Parking
• Administrative: Postage, Office Supplies
• Personal: Clothing, Restaurants, Entertainment, Gifts
• Savings/Debt Payments

Allocate your income among all these areas and any additional ones you can think of. Put as much as you can toward debt reduction or into savings.

2. Track your spending. Keep all your receipts and bills, and record what you spend in each of these categories. Identify areas where you are overspending, and make adjustments. If you find that hard to do, withdraw a specified amount of cash at the beginning of each week or month for, say, dining out. Once that’s gone, don’t spend any more.

From there, you can make medium- or long-term financial goals and free yourself of something that’s holding you back from success.

Filed under: Career Commonsense
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An entrepreneur has many things to worry during the start-up process.  One of the most common requests I receive from people who are starting a new business is to teach them how to sell.  For many new entrepreneurs, this is the scarcest part of the process.  While this may be intimidating at first, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

Entrepreneurs sell themselves at every stage of the start-up process.  Entrepreneurs already know how to sell.  They sell their ideas to their family first.  Betting their future on a new business takes some convincing.  After the family comes the people who will finance the venture.  The business owner must make a compelling case in a charming way.  Next they sell to vendors.  A new business has to convince suppliers to extend credit to an unknown entity. Finally, even a small business will need to find some help.  Hiring employees into a start-up requires sales skills.  By the time the customer comes into the picture the entrepreneur has already sold to quite a few people. Ultimately, just about every entrepreneur has some sales experience.

Begin with the obvious targets. One of the most difficult aspects of selling is identifying the right customers to target.  If you don’t pick the right targets you will end up wasting valuable time trying to sell to people who are either not willing or not able to buy from you.  The obvious targets for your new business are people who are already purchasing similar products and services from your competition.  If they are working with the competition, they have a need for what you can provide.   If your price is competitive, you have an opportunity to take the business away from the competition.  To do this you need to show your prospective customers how you are different. 

Show them the benefits of working with you.  As you point out the differences between your business and your competition you should show how you will solve a problem for your customers. The key is to make the conversation about your customer.  It is all about them.  If you focus on how your customer will benefit from working with you, you will have a far better chance of making the sale. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes and answer the question “what’s in it for me?”.

One of the most powerful ways to demonstrate the benefits of your products and services is to attach financial benefits to the work you are proposing.  Show your prospect how much money he will save by working with you.  Use past experience with other customers as an example.

Ask for the business. This seems basic but many people don’t do it.  It is not pushy. It is smart.  One of the best ways to ask for business is to say something like “Just give it a try”.  You’ll be shocked by how many people will respond favorably to a non-threatening statement like this. I have closed deals for large consulting engagements by asking my customers to “Give me an opportunity to show you how much money I can save you.” 

Follow through. Immediately after someone agrees to work with you, you have an opportunity to expand the relationship. People have an innate need to have their behavior match the statements they make to others.  If your customer  makes a public statement about their relationship with you,  immediately offer them the opportunity to expand the relationship – even slightly.  They will often accept.

Selling is a natural activity for many entrepreneurs.  Getting started is often the most difficult part of the process.  Be yourself.  Let your passion come through and your customers will thank you.

Filed under: Entrepreneurship - General
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We have just released an excerpt of Chapter Three of Career Intensity: Business Strategy for Workplace Warriors and Entrepreneurs.  The book will not be released until May 17, 2006 but you can read some of the content by clicking on the links below.

Click Here for the Table of Contents

Click Here to Read the Book’s Introduction – Take Charge of Your Career

Click Here for an Excerpt from Chapter One – Compete in the Individual Economy

Click Here for an Excerpt from Chapter Two – Channel Your Passion

Click Here for an Excerpt from Chapter Three – Embrace Strategic Thinking

Filed under: Career Intensity - The Book
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US News and World Report points out the hottest jobs in the country today.  Here are the highlights:

Accountant

Key Point:  The government estimates that jobs for accountants will increase by between 18 and 26 percent through 2014.

Requirements: The vast majority of states require certified public accountants to be college graduates, but some substitute a number of years of public accounting experience for an advanced degree.

Money: The average accountant’s salary is $50,800.

Truck Driver

Key Point:  The government pegs the expected job growth in the trucking and warehousing industry at around 14 percent from now through 2014.

Requirements: A commercial driver’s license and a clean driving record.

Money: Median salaries range from $13.76 per hour for light service trucking to $21.93 per hour for more specialized and long-distance haulers.

Special-Education Teacher

Key Point:  The Labor Department forecasts that special-education positions will be the fastest-growing jobs in education, increasing by between 18 and 26 percent through 2014.

Requirements: Each state has its own requirements for licensing special-education teachers. Normally, this means a bachelor’s degree with a certain number of education credits and supervised classroom teaching experience. Most teachers must also pass a professional certification test.

Money: Average salaries for special-ed teachers vary by region, state, and school district but usually fall in the $35,000-to-$55,000 range.

Hazardous Materials Removal Specialist

Key Point:  The federal government foresees an increase of 27 percent or more in employment of hazardous materials removal workers through 2014.

Requirements: There are no formal education requirements beyond a high school diploma for landing a job as a hazardous waste removal worker, though certification ordinarily calls for a 32-to-40-hour course.

Money: Hazardous materials removal workers earned an average of $16 per hour in May 2004, the most recent statistics available. Workers with more advanced training can earn upwards of $27.25 per hour.

Filed under: Job Stats
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A young woman, Susan, was recently asking me for career advice. She felt moderately satisfied with her job, but she wasn’t thrilled with it and believed she could find something more in line with her passion and skills. The one big perk of her position was that it paid well, and she had been able to save quite a bit of money since she had started working there. I suggested to her that she use her savings to invest in herself and her career and pursue her passion.

A few days later, she called me and said that she had spoken to her supervisor about possibly terminating her employment. On the spot, she offered Susan a $15,000 (or 30%) raise. She told her she was so valuable to the company that they couldn’t bear to let her go.

The lesson here is not that threatening to leave is the way to get a great raise. The lesson is that you should never stay stuck because you believe nothing better is out there for you. You are a valuable person with unique talents. Use what you’ve got to shape a great life for yourself.

Filed under: First, Best or Different
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Here’s a collection of 89 tips for saving money from Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. Control your money—don’t let it control you. Keeping your finances in check is crucial to living a successful and happy life.

Filed under: Career Commonsense
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“Developing relationships (not just contacts) is key to having access to opportunities. Expecting people to be eager to listen to a ‘sales job’ about your value is decidedly different from developing a relationship based on mutual needs/interests. Contacts may be immediate, but a relationship can be established and built only over time.”

Make a habit of meeting new people, following up, and keeping in touch with them. A book full of contacts won’t do you much good unless you communicate with these people regularly. It’s actually pretty easy. Just send a quick e-mail asking how things are. Give a business associate a call and ask what he’s been doing lately. Chances are good that he needs your help or can point you in a direction that will help you.

Filed under: Networking
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What is your purpose in life? If you’re not sure, how in the world do you figure it out? The easiest way is to think about what brings you the most happiness and decide how that can best be translated to a way of life. Maybe your purpose is “to make the world a better place”. Perhaps what you really want to do is simply “enjoy life”. I suggest spending some time figuring out what your ultimate purpose is, so you can approach every area of life in a confident and goal-oriented way.

Relationships: How do your connections with people tie in to your purpose? How do they help you accomplish your goals?

Attitude: Is your attitude helping or hindering you on your path to success?

Money: Do you need a lot of money to see your plan through? Could you be saving and spending more effectively to realize your vision?

Career: What kind of occupation is aligned with your purpose? What do you want to do with your time?

Filed under: Goals
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This weeks Carnival of Personal Finance is up over at All Things Financial.  Career Intensity has a post in it. 

Click here to check it out.

Filed under: General Information
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While visiting a client’s office the other day I heard a story about an executive who was fired for inappropriate use of company property.  Specifically, this associate had been using his office computer to surf adult web sites.  When he was confronted by his boss about the issue he was presented with some amazing statistics.  Apparently, he spent an average of two hours and five minutes on adult sites daily.  The boss even had the specific sites and the amount of time spent at each URL. This was a direct violation of the company’s code of conduct – which the executive received (and acknowledged receipt of ) when he was hired. 

An employee should have no reasonable expectation of privacy while using the computer system at work.  According to the 2005 Electronic Monitoring & Surveillance Survey conducted by the American Management Association (AMA) and The ePolicy Institute, 76% of the companies surveyed monitor workers’ web site connections. Many companies use special software to block connections to inappropriate sites. In the latest survey 65% of companies reported blocking some sites. This is a 27% increase since 2001.  

The greatest concern for most employers is lost productivity.  Certainly a worker who spends an average of over two hours on adult web sites could find a more productive use for his time.  A close second to Internet monitoring is the monitoring of content in e-mail.  In the latest survey, 55% of the employers reported reviewing workers’ e-mail. While most businesses are less concerned with your note to your buddies about where to watch the big game, they are concerned that e-mail and instant messaging creates a permanent record of an interaction.  These records can be subpoenaed in the event of a lawsuit. In fact, 13% of the firms in the survey reported legal activity that was initiated as a result of an e-mail or instant message. 

Companies routinely archive e-mail for their own protection.  Many firms employ software that checks for key words such as the title of a secret project.  Some companies scan out-bound documents for words such as “resume” or phrases like “references” or “salary history”.  In some cases it may be difficult for a company to discipline an employee for sending such documents however it does provide some insight into their activity during the work-day.  It can also provide some clues into potential areas prone to key defections.

Your employer’s right to monitor your use of company equipment does not begin and end with the computer.  The number of employers who monitor the amount of time employees spend on the phone and track the numbers called has jumped to 51%, up from 9% in 2001. While improper use of the telephone is more difficult to prove, long phone calls to numbers that are obviously not work-related should be avoided at all costs.

The bottom line is that more employers are taking advantage of the technology that exists to track the use of company assets.  Make sure your read your companies policies on e-mail, Internet and telephone usage carefully.  Violation of these policy can be hazardous to your employment.

Filed under: Career Limiting Behavior
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Career Intensity is in the Carnival of the Capitalists which is up over at Casey Software.

Filed under: General Information
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Fake it ‘till you make it.

This is a tag line that one of my former bosses was quite fond of.  She would regularly represent our business as having capabilities that exceeded our ability to deliver.  She never outright lied in her marketing efforts.  She simply positioned us as a different kind of company – one that she thought our customers wanted to do business with.  In the end she was setting us up for failure. 

Your brand positioning should be based upon your capability to deliver. This is as true for your personal brand as it is for a business brand.  One of the key components in positioning yourself is determining who you want to attract as a customer.  Ultimately, your brand is the sum of your customers’ perceptions of you.  In order to influence the perception of your potential clients, you must achieve a high level of self-awareness.

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you develop your brand:

You are what you are. Anytime you represent yourself to be something that you are not, you run the risk of losing a customer forever. You need to position yourself as different and valuable. Those qualities must be your own. You must be honest with your customers – and with yourself.

Consistency is important. Regardless of the business you are in, your customers must be able to count on you. If you want to impress your customer, don’t complete an assignment early one time – beat your deadline every time. Your client will know that you are the firm to call if she must have a critical project completed on time.

Don’t count on getting a second chance.  First impressions are critical. You can’t take back something you said to a customer. Everything is on the record. You should be yourself, but always remember that your reputation takes a lifetime to build and just a few minutes to destroy. 

Be Clear and Concise. Too many people use complex language in order to appear intelligent and just wind up confusing people. Often, complexity makes the speaker seem pompous and condescending. Keep every interaction and every point of contact clear and simple. Be transparent. Communicate simply and directly.

Show, don’t tell. If you explain a concept to a customer, he may understand it intellectually. But, if you tell him a story, show him a picture, or perform a demonstration, he will make an emotional connection to the event, to the experience, and to you. The more of his senses you can involve, the stronger the impression you will make. The key word here is impression. Make an impact or you’ll fade like a distant memory.

Ultimately honesty wins out in marketing.  Powerful brands deliver on their brand promise every time.  “Faking it” is one way to seriously hurt your chances of “making it” in the real world.

Filed under: Personal Marketing
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Many people believe that the person hired for a job is always the best qualified for the position.

“‘Not so,’ says Hansen, associate professor of marketing at Stetson University. ‘More often than not, it comes down to interviewing skills and your rapport with your interviewers. Your qualifications, education, and experience will usually get you an interview, but then you need to prove why you are the best person to fill the job.’”

This comes back, once more, to attitude. The way you present and sell yourself and your skills are oftentimes most important. Radiate confidence and openness, and you will attract opportunity.

Filed under: Selling Yourself
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How are your relationships, personal and professional? If this area of your life needs a little work, here’s an easy idea for improving it:

Talk to people. This sounds so simple—actually, it is—but people tend to write off small talk as useless and superficial. However, making connections with people is crucial to success in life. What starts off as a light and low-commitment interaction always has the potential to evolve to something more substantial and rewarding for both parties. People love to talk about themselves, so ask questions. Once someone starts to feel comfortable with you in this way, she will trust you and depend on you to get things done.

Invite friends or colleagues out for lunch or coffee. Not only is this a relaxing way to take a break from work, it’s a great opportunity to exchange information and insights, expand your horizons, and work on your network of contacts. People who understand people have an edge in business and in life.

Filed under: Networking
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Do you want to start your own business but lament the fact that you don’t have much money to get started with? According to this article, lack of funds is no real excuse.

“‘People who have money aren’t any more likely to start businesses than those who don’t have it,’ says Erik Hurst, associate professor of economics at University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business. Put another way, people who have a compelling reason or drive to start a business will do so.”

Money: Personally, I know people who have started small businesses with as little as a couple of thousand dollars. You will likely have to cut some corners for a while till your business takes off. Isn’t it worth it, though?

Attitude: Someone with confidence, faith in his success, and unwavering determination to achieve his goal of starting his own business has a very strong chance of making it.

Purpose: Knowing what you hope to gain from running your own business, such as freedom, money, time, sense of accomplishment, skills, experience, gives you the drive to see it through.

Career: For some, charting their own career path is a thrilling prospect. Finding a need, offering a product or service to answer it, doing it well, and affording yourself a measure of control and freedom that are almost nonexistent in the corporate world—these advantages are deeply exciting career prospects.

Filed under: Entrepreneurship - General
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This week, I am going to focus on the theme of having a full life. I will talk about how to improve each of these areas individually and discuss ways in which improvements in one area can help in others. The elements I will cover are:

• Career
• Relationships
• Money
• Attitude
• Purpose

Successful people weave all these elements together to form one cohesive, fulfilling, happy life. Each of these elements complements all the others, so doing well with one usually helps improve the rest. For instance, a person who is great with people is more likely to progress in his career. Someone who is clear on her purpose will probably do a better job of managing her money, allocating portions of her income to different areas based on their level of importance to her. A great attitude will help you advance in all areas of life.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
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In case you missed them, here are the most popular posts from The Career Intensity Blog last week:

Your Money or Your Life – Three things you can do to help break your addiction to your horrible job and take back control of your life.

Re-arrange Your Way to Success – If I were forced to pick one quality that is indicative of success in business it would be the ability to find new uses for existing solutions. Read this post and learn how.

Consumerism Commentary Reviewed Career Intensity – Here is another review of Career Intensity: Business Strategy for Workplace Warriors and Entrepreneurs. 

Your Career is Your Business – Manage your career as if it were a business.  Read this post to learn how. 

Filed under: General Information
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In every office around the world there is a big bag of money just sitting in a closet.  That bag of money is the secret stash that the big shots give to people who provide value.  Your job is to get them to reach into that bag and give you the increase that you deserve. 

There is a good chance that your company doesn’t really have that bag of money in the closet.   But it is important that you keep that mental image with you as you seek a pay increase. There is almost always a way for a company to reward a star performer.  Sometimes this reward involves financial compensation.  Sometimes the compensation can come in the form of an added benefit.  Sometimes a company will only offer something as simple as a new place to sit or a larger office.  The goal of this article is to help you receive something additional from your employer.   

As you begin, you need to take a good hard look at your performance.  Have you created value for your company?  If so, can you quantify how much value you have created?  (If you are in sales, this is pretty easy.  You simply need to look at the amount of business you have brought into the firm. In other areas, look at money you have saved the company since your last pay increase.)  When you examine your performance, examine it as it compares to your peers within your organization.  If you are not near the top of the list, you probably do not have a viable argument for seeking an increase.  Next compare your performance to other people in your industry.  Are you above average?  Again, if you are not, you should probably improve your performance before you ask for a raise.

Now that you know how valuable you are to the company, and where you stand in the pecking order, you can begin to make a reasonable case for an increase.  Get your numbers together.  Make sure you can present some figures to the boss that show the value you have created.  DO NOT compare yourself to anyone in your current organization.  You boss will have access to these numbers.  She will know exactly where you stand in the firm.  At this stage you are just looking to put some figures on paper that will show that you have a good understanding of the value you create.

Picking the right opportunity for the “money conversation” is critical.  Timing is everything in business.  There are a few times that are ideal for having a conversation about a pay increase.  These times are:

• Right after you have received an award.  If your company (or better yet your industry) recognizes your value by giving you an award, you have some good momentum. Go for it.
• After you have closed a big deal, saved some big money for the firm or played a critical role on a project.  Once again you can capitalize on some positive momentum.
• If you have agreed to take on additional responsibility.  This is particularly true if you will be doing the jobs of multiple individuals.  A labor savings will often result in additional compensation for the remaining workers.
• After your boss has received an award.  If your boss is performing at a high level, she may want to share some of the recognition with you.
• After the company has announced a good financial period.  If the company is making more money, there might be some additional compensation available for key contributors.

When the “moment of truth” arrives for the conversation make sure you are dressed well and you have excellent personal hygiene.  (This sounds basic but there is nothing worse than sitting across from someone who is asking for money and smells like they slept in a dumpster). As you make your case, talk about the numbers.  Show the value you have provided.  Explain how you plan to continue to provide even more value in the future.  It is key that you appear rational and unemotional.  Approach this as a business transaction. 

Once the conversation is over give your boss time to process the information.  Don’t pester her every day for an answer.  She may have several people she needs to speak with to get authorization for your request.  After a week to ten days, follow up with a friendly e-mail asking if she has any information on your request.  If she does not, it is appropriate to ask her to estimate when she will have an answer. 

There are a few things that you should definitely NOT do when asking for a raise.  

• DON’T talk about the reason you need the money. This will not be a consideration for most companies.  Your problems are not their problems.  Saying that you have personal financial difficulty only makes you appear weak.
• DON’T demand to be paid as much as a specific employee in your firm. Comparing yourself to other employees will only get ugly in the long run.  It’s OK to compare yourself to the average pay for your position or the average compensation in your industry, but don’t compare yourself to an individual. 
• DON’T threaten to leave. Your relationship with you boss will never recover from a threat.  If you are good at your job, your boss will know that you have options.  You don’t need to rub it in her face.

The bottom line in asking for a raise is that you must be a value-creator to deserve additional consideration.  Highlight the ways you create value. Talk about your value in financial terms. Time your conversation appropriately. Take a rational and business-like approach toward requesting more compensation.

Remember that most businesses try to obtain services as inexpensively as possible.  This includes labor. Chances are good that you will only receive more if you ask for it.

Filed under: Selling Yourself
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For many of us, our job is our primary source of income.  For some, it is the only source of income. We all invest time and effort and in return we receive a paycheck.  That paycheck (in theory) allows us to take care of our families.  It helps us buy food, clothing and shelter. If we work ha