Welcome to the Open for Success Blog: a virtual space where professionals and small business owners can bring their challenges and dilemmas and get ideas, strategies, and support.
Through the years I have come to realize a few things about work and life success. First, the tremendous value of having mentors and allies and then the impact that small changes have in our lives.
Each of us holds answers to somebody else’s questions and vice versa. In the course of living our lives we often become inspired by others and in turn others become inspired by us.
I hope the Open for Success Blog will be a valuable resource for those who visit. I invite you to participate with your questions and ideas and share your wisdom and experience.
If you would like to learn more about me and my coaching practice, visit www.openforsuccess.com
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Apr
30
On Meaningful Action
As we go about building our businesses and growing our careers we find that a strong vision can serve as the springboard for inspiration and right action.
To sustain and nurture our vision we need to pay attention to what is asked of us. It is through commitment and will power that we can tend to our vision and make the right choices.
Commitment and will power! These are big words. I have watched many people, including myself, professing commitment, only to realize that their commitment was to the ideas, people, and things that were there to divert them from their true purpose.
When I work with people, even on something like time management, I always ask them to answer the following question before they make a time commitment: “How will this action further my vision for my day or my business?”
You may have a vision for how your day will be, how a project needs to progress, or how a team meeting will develop.
I once worked with a group of people who had difficulty keeping on task during team meetings. People were becoming frustrated and felt that most meetings were a waste of time. We discussed the problem as a group and decided to approach meetings differently.
- We worked on setting a clear intention and agenda for each meeting.
- The agenda was circulated prior to each meeting, giving people the opportunity to make adjustments.
- We assigned the roles of meeting facilitator, note taker and time keeper. Team members took turns in fulfilling these roles. This way, they each came to appreciate the challenge of being responsible for the group’s performance as well as their own.
- We established a follow-up process for action points generated during each meeting.
As they adhered to the process, their meetings became productive, communication improved, and cooperation was strengthened. Read more
Apr
10
On Customer Service
I believe that when the “customer service” gurus coined the phrase “The customer is always right” they had good manners in mind. I don’t believe that the customer is always right. There are times when a customer is wrong. Dealing with a difficult customer is a test of one’s manners, flexibility, and vision.
Customer service is not about patronizing, manipulating, or repeating cliche phrases one learned in the latest customer service training.
Customer service is about understanding the needs of our customers, packaging our services or goods to satisfy these needs, and delivering the service in a courteous, respectful, and effective way.
I had an interesting experience as a customer, a couple of weeks ago, when I went to buy a lipstick. A simple item, right? I took my old lipstick with me to make sure I knew what color and formula to ask for. This one happens to be my favorite. Read more
Mar
20
Vision Value
Filed Under Building a Successful Business | Leave a Comment
Vision Value
Being in business is not for the weak at heart. Especially in times of great uncertainty and constant change. Certain factors, like the economy, are beyond our control. These are the things we must accept. As in every aspect of life, we can only act upon the areas we have some control over.
We may not be getting as many new clients as we would like to or the demand for our product is waning. Revenues are slowing down and the news from the economy front are not quite cheery. Competition is intense and our morale is getting low. We continue to do what we have always done, but it’s just not working as well anymore.
What then?
Where does one find the strength, stamina, and inspiration to keep going? How does a small business survive in times of adversity? What do we have control over? Read more
Mar
12
When The Shoe Fits
Filed Under Building a Successful Business | 1 Comment
When The Shoe Fits
In my work with small business owners, I sometimes come across the person who is in business for all the wrong reasons. It happened just the other day. I was visiting an art gallery with a friend who knew the gallery owner. We started talking and during the conversation, the owner explained that business was not great. He felt that the gallery was not well received or supported by the community. Read more
Mar
5
Building the Foundation: Planning for Success
“In dreams begin our possibilities” wrote William Shakespeare. Starting a business begins with a dream, a flush of inspiration. It is an act of creativity and deep desire for something different than what life and work have been so far. As you begin to get more and more excited about your idea, you become filled with creative energy and determination. You begin to talk about it to everyone you know. Some people become swept by your vision, others begin to ask practical questions, and some may even quote the latest statistics on the failure rate of new businesses and the grim prospects of the economy.
Right at this point and depending on who you are, you may begin to doubt yourself, give up altogether, or ignore the naysayers and move full speed ahead. Depending on your temperament, your personality, and the nature of your business, you may or may not seek for technical advice on how to go about starting a business. Writing a business plan, setting long and short term financial goals, and planning a marketing strategy, are not exactly concepts that dreams are made of. Just thinking of all this, can make someone want to stay under the covers all day. Read more
Feb
27
Your Home Office
Filed Under Working From Home | Leave a Comment
Your Home Office: Making It Work
Working from home can be a dream come true for most of us. The ability to make our own schedule and to work at our own pace, as well as not having to deal with the “politics” of an office environment, can be extremely attractive. Before we realize it though, distractions can undermine our effectiveness and we may find it difficult to focus on what needs to be done and see it through. It takes a different perspective and a slight adjustment in the way we do things to be effective while working from home. Read more
Feb
15
Launching a New Business
Filed Under Building a Successful Business | 1 Comment
“I am in the initial stages of starting my business. I will be making and selling chemical-free, handmade creams and scrubs. Since the creams contain no emulsifying agents, they are rather dense and have a waxy feel at first (bees wax).
I am looking for a way to communicate this to my customers without scaring them off - a label perhaps, a brochure explaining?? Do people really read the brochures??
Thanks
Claudia”
As you are preparing to launch a new product, it is important to anticipate the questions or concerns your future clients may have, and address them in a positive way. As you are setting up the foundation for your product placement and marketing, make sure you understand what the legalities are, regarding the launch of a new product in the country or state your business is based. There is certain information about your products that needs to be on the label before you can sell it. Read more