An Open Letter to Stephen Tebo

Dear Mr Tebo,

I wanted to thank you for your inspiration to young entrepreneurs and your contributions to the Boulder business community. I have heard your story told at so many functions from Boulder Chamber events, to award functions where you were being honored for a philanthropic effort or a general Boulder stimulus recognition. As a young professional looking forward to a career of growth and achievement your example has been one to study.

My question to you is concerning the current state of the Boulder business climate. In attending networking events and conversing with a variety of local Boulder business owners I have seen a disturbing number of people talk about how close to the line they are riding, even when producing a consistent and significant revenue stream. That the cost of their space is such an inordinately high percentage of their overhead they they are often barely breaking even. Many times they are not, evidenced by the more and more "Tebo Space for Lease" signs that we all see appearing around Boulder. I am wondering what your plans are to help with this situation? How many businesses need to close their doors for you to notice? After so much attention for your work in stimulating the Boulder economy, why not reduce your rates? Why not give some of the other businesses an opportunity to flourish as you have?

You have been honored and awarded for your work. You have accumulated an incredible amount of the commercial property in Boulder. When do you think you will have enough? When can the prices be made reasonable again so that small businesses trying to start with a new idea, or existing businesses that produce regular revenue are actually able to show a profit instead of closing their doors because of high rent. I plan to open a store, but will be looking in Louisville or Lafayette because the space in Boulder is just too costly to even consider. How many other businesses are driven away from Boulder because of this?

You have the power and the responsibility to help. Please do so. Thank you.

Unique presentation makes for memorable business

As if I needed one more reason to state that Southwest Airlines knows how to do business the video below is making the rounds on YouTube. I know it's just a silly video, and that rapping won't necessarily work for you in your office, just like the idea of throwing your office equipment wouldn't actually make for a fun environment in say, a Mikasa crystal store. But the tenant of bringing FUN into your space, in whatever way DOES work for you, is something that more companies should strive for. How do YOU have fun at your work? Tell me, I want to know.

Google Gives to Non-Profits

If you are Non-Profit, Not-For-Profit, or my favorite, For Impact, then I've got something cool to share with you today.

Google is giving you stuff for free.

Yes Free. They have created a specific Google Grants process for AdWords to give For Impact organizations the opportunity to reach more people. If you are a recipient of this benefit, then you also receive a number of other benefits and tools to increase your visibility and to take donations directly online through Google's tools.

There are great video's explaining how the ad ranking works, and a number of other tools to help with web design, tracking and donor communication.

Take a look at the video below which tells the story better than I.

Getting Sticky With It...

Why would people remember you? Really.

Are you one more well dressed business person at the networking event? Do you have a lovely card for people to lose amongst the rest of their cards? Is there anything about you, your business, or your presentation that separates you from every other Consultant, IT professional, Sales Rep, and Marketing specialist out there? What is it?

If you don't have that, you might have an easy answer to why you aren't getting as many calls as you would like. You've figured out how to fit in, not figure out how to stand out.
Be memorable and make a lasting impression.

When I bring my balloons to networking events I attract more attention than anything else I have tried. It does not matter that doing balloon art for events is not my main business. It is different and unique and people spend time talking with me about it, and how it evolved into the training I now do. We discuss environmental justice and diversity and how they all relate to balloons, and fun, and training.

Seth Godin, author of The Purple Cow, relates some absolutely amazing ideas on how to make your business STICK in the mind of your prospective clients.
Give him a read. You won't regret it.

"My target market is... Anyone." Yeah, Right.

Read just about any writing on marketing and promotion and they will tell you that finding your specific target market is paramount to crafting a successful marketing plan. You have to know specifically WHO it is you want to reach. Not "Anyone" or "Everyone." I have heard this repeated at networking education seminars, marketing blitzes, and even at my local Chamber of Commerce.

For some reason, this does not seem to prevent people I meet, who I know from these very same events, from repeatedly saying things like, "A good referral for me is...anyone." We are so afraid that we might lose a random client who is not even our ideal, that we don't give people any real information to actually help them think of a potential client.

We used to offer "training & consulting services for any program", we wanted to reach "anyone who did training in their office, or organization." That is a LOT of people, and thus we received very few referrals or direct leads. Once we focused our vision, things changed. We now offer "customized diversity & inclusion programs for non-profit organizations." Do we still offer other programs, of course, but we do not try to sell them. If people are interested in what our primary passion is, and they like it enough to ask if we do more, then we tell them. This shift has exponentially increased our leads and clients.

In our last program, "Planning to Fail: 100% of everything you will ever possibly need to know to see your business fail." We received a mixture of results. About half the people LOVED the funny, experiential, alternative approach to finding the barriers in their businesses. About 1/4 thought it was OK, and the other quarter were just confused, or said it wasn't their style.

Not everyone wants what we offer. For some people we are just too weird, risky, different, or odd. That's fine, we probably would be good business partners. But for those people interested in programs that push the envelope, make people uncomfortable and help them break through to a new level of understanding regarding their teammates and clients, we're the people to see.

So, quit trying to get your service and product into "everyone's" hands, and get it into the hands of the people who really want it. Those people will find you more business.

Service Comparison: HP vs. Dr. Jaime White DDS

So Hewlett-Packard is a corporate behemoth. Billion dollar company with vast resources and a global perspective on how things should be done.

The dental office of Dr Jaime White DDS is a local small town office who takes care of people's teeth and gums. They see a lot of kids and old people, cause honestly, that's who goes to the dentist most. Kids are made to go by their parents, and when you get older and your teeth are falling out, we all decide that perhaps we should go see the dentist again.

Let's look at HP to start. I go online and order a power cable for my daughter's laptop which has failed to work. I match the wattage on the "brick" to make my selection and they send me a power cord. When it arrives it is the wrong fitting and is useless. I call them to arrange an exchange for the correct model and I spend the next 4 HOURS being passed from person to person, department to department. I have to demand to speak to a supervisor so they don't make me pay for return shipping or any extra fees. I just want t right cable for my daughters computer. At the end I have my problem solved, but am unhappy, feel like my time was wasted and am fully aware that HP cares very little for my existence. I can easily call another computer company the next time I am in need of technology and I will.

In the dentist's office there are sodas and smiles. There is an elderly gentleman sitting in the waiting room when we arrive. We are filing out the paperwork required of us when the woman behind the counter comes out from behind it and said to the gentleman, "I am sorry for the delay, we had a bit of a scheduling overlap and it's taken a bit longer for us to get you in. We know you've been waiting 20-30 minutes longer than you expected, here's some movie tickets for you & your wife. We don't want to waste your time and we value you."

It took $20 and 5 minutes of their time to secure a customer and gain the loyalty of just about everyone sitting in that waiting room. Everyone looked around at each other amazed at the level of service. Existing customers smiled and felt re-connected to having chosen the right place. Us new clients were floored, which just told me how rare it is to see that level of service.

I want to see more of that. I no longer want to settle for poor or moderate service. I am going to do my best to give my business, all of it, to those companies who put out the effort to really take good care of their people. I think we all should.

How do you do it? A guide to being overcommitted!

So, I have a partner, kids, a day job, a business with my partner, friends, hobbies, and I volunteer for three organizations in the community. Writing it out makes it sound a little crazy, but mostly I love my life! People often ask, "how do you do it"? Here are some things that have worked for me!

1. I don't do everything well

No one can. But my biggest failure is not being prompt on returning calls and emails (sometimes losing track of correspondence all together). I don't strive for perfection on everything I do, anymore. Sometimes it's more important to get the job done, than give it 110%.

2. I am highly scheduled

My days are often broken out into tasks I expect to accomplish. I spend a lot of front end time planning and scheduling myself.

3. I rarely multi-task

Time and again studies have shown that people who multi-task are far less effective than those who simply focus on one activity at a time.

4. I set priorities
I do what needs to be done first. And my priorities reflect my values. So my children come first. Every time. It gives me a clear sense of perspective that balances out item #1. If I can't do it all well, I need to be sure I give my best to the most important things!

5. I take time off
Work hard. Play harder. I love to hike, camp, travel, sew, knit, dance, and so on. And I do all these things. If I have a huge event, I turn my phone off for a few days afterwards. I don't work when I am sick, unless it is a true emergency (of which there are far fewer than you might think). I don't check my email on my days off.

6. I am passionate about what I do

I truly believe the work I do makes a difference in people's lives. Both my day job, a for impact community center, and my work with A Simple Twist are less about what I do than why I do it. I am here because I have an incredible passion for the work we are doing. I have seen the impact this work has. And those moments of validation are beyond inspiring when it feels like there is too much to do and too little time to do it in!

Who we are and what we do...

A few months ago at the Open House for our webhost Goozmo, 42 Productions as also on site doing free videos for attendees. Here is the result. Thoughts?

My new favorite blog!

Maybe it's because I have kids, but I find myself delighted by random facts about science and brain puzzles. This site, the Encyclopedia Brittanica Blog, absolutely indulges me in that!

Knowledge vs Wisdom & what to keep

In a recent HR seminar I entered into a discussion about layoffs and making the decision between the senior employee who gets paid more, and the two interns who get paid little or nothing.

The decision usually comes down to dollars, and that with letting go of one person, the company saves a larger percentage of their labor budget, and keeps several more "flexible" employees.

This is an all too common situation and I understand some of the mentality. It looks good on paper, and the younger employees are also usually more adaptable to schedule changes, overtime, and being told what to do. So they cut the more experienced employee.

And in turn they cut out their knowledge base. Yes, I know that the college graduates have the "new" knowledge. And perhaps they work a bit faster and with less complaint but they also lack the ability to adapt to unknown situation by pulling from years of experience and resources.

I went to the hardware store to figure out how to reattach my daughter's door. It was falling off the hinges and the wood around the screw was so stripped that I could pull out the screws with my fingers. The first person I ran into at the store was no more than 28, maybe. The advice given to me was sound, get some wood filler, a bonding agent that will fill the hole and act like wood one it cures. Very good, so off I go down the aisles looking for wood filler.

In my journey I come across an old man. I am not saying this to be ageist, he was a classic old man with glasses on the end of his nose, a slow saunter to his step and very gray hair. He asked me what i was looking for and I sighed and re-explained my situation. He smiled and said, "Have you tried using a matchstick?"
Me - "Huh?"
"Wood filler might work, but most likely when you try to drive a screw through it, the filler will crack loose and just turn with the screw. Just jam a matchstick or two in the hole and when you put the screw in, the wood will expand and fill the hole."

I went home, jammed a matchstick in each hole and the door is as good as new. Saved me material, sticky mess, and curing time.

So when you are thinking about getting rid of that more senior employee in exchange for your two less expensive kids... Think about the holes you need filled that just need a matchstick.

Read More Here.

Where's the opportunity?

A couple of days ago I published a video that gives an overview of our current economic crisis. After viewing it, I felt more aware of what is going on, but also somewhat down. In the spirit of A Simple Twist, I really wanted to think more about what opportunities exist in this mess.

One of the more inspiring ones to me is the revamping of our values. For the past 20 years, the focus in America has been on over-consumption and over-accumulation. More. Cheaper. Now. It's a little overwhelming! And as the video showed, eventually more is unsupportable.

So let's embrace the value of enough. Let's make enough money to live our lives in comfort and fulfill most of our dream. Let's have enough food to eat, for everyone. Let's share our extra -- time, money, and food-- with others, so they can have enough too!

Tools don't work if you don't use them.

According to the Denver Post:

"Workplace-bias cases in Colorado grew at nearly triple the national rate over the past five years, according to statistics compiled by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission."

I find this to be astonishing. I suppose I shouldn't, we've only just now entered into a new administration where the value of people seem to be of importance, but I still find it remarkable that with all the resources available for workplace education, these occurances happen at this rate.

Gender studies, affirmative action, LGBT centers, employee resource groups, diversity specialists, and dozens of other ways to teach your managers about dealing with inclusion issues, and we still have these issues.

I'm certain I am idealistic in my dreams for a fully inclusive society, but can't we get just a little closer?

Crisis of Credit

Here's a 101 on the credit crisis!




and the final part:

Murphy Who?

There's never time to do it right, but there's always time to do it over ~~ Meskimen's Law

For the holidays my father sent me a calendar full of Murphy's laws and I have to admit, it tickles me each morning to pull off the sheet and see what new bit of "wisdom" will confront me. The chuckle I greet most of them with is often accompanied by the thought that they are funny because they are true. 

Working the in the For Impact community (or the start-up business community) funding is often a key issue. Frequently we find ourselves making tough decisions about resource allocation. And often, taking the time to plan our work and implement it effectively gets a lower priority than doing our work. Which often costs us more time (and money) in the long run.

So I offer these tips:

• Take your time. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well. 
• Do less. It's better to do 3 things well than 8 things poorly.
• Stop reading your email. Spend no more than 45 minutes per day on your email. There is very little as important as the ability to instantly communicate about it makes it feel. 
• Reward yourself with ice cream (I recommend Glacier or Bliss). 
• Take a walk in the afternoon to perk yourself up. The post lunch lull is a great time for errors to creep into your work world.

Send me your favorite errors!! 

Which way now?

When I was 16 and living in Europe, my friend received a day trip to Austria for her birthday. We happily boarded the train and headed for adventure, eager to see the city. Except we didn't. We spent the entire day within sight of the train station. Because I was terrified if we lost sight of it, we'd never find our way back. For 9 hours, we strayed no further than a few blocks from where we started. April was frustrated and angry. But she didn't leave me. She just kept trying to convince me to see the city with her. I offered a mild concession and we checked out some shops and a coffee place.

I haven't thought of that trip in years. But it came back to me last week. How convinced I was that leaving the safety of our starting point would be our doom. That we would lose our way and never find it again. I didn't even believe in bread crumbs, I guess. Certainly didn't trust maps. And that translated to my daily life. My fear of losing my way also kept me from finding my way for a long time.

In business, sometimes we want to stay in the safety of the train station. But if we do, then all we can find is what we started with. 

The Power of Hope

Yesterday I had the distinct privilege of speaking to a group of talented people searching for work here in the Boulder area. Most of them spoke multiple languages, English being the most recent addition to their skill set. Helping them navigate the cultural differences regarding confidence, deference and power was amazing. Inspiring hope is a great job to have.

Read the full article here.

Perspective.

Artists use it all the time to create visually entertaining experiences for the rest of us. I love the whimsy in someone painting the outside of transportation vehicle to look like a burned out wreck. There is constant tension in the business world between efficiency (look at the building practices in the 70s and the ugly, but efficient, schools and public buildings that came out of that) and expression.

The truth is, we need both. There comes a point when you are expressing yourself or having fun at the expense of accomplishing your tasks. But without the "spoonful of sugar" many jobs can feel overly tedious and eventually the paycheck isn't worth the personal cost.

Working in the For-Impact sector is about maximizing that tension. Especially for those of us on the ground, working to create a better world. We know we can't do business as usual, often times we simply don't have the funding to operate on the standard platform. But that challenge can often be our greatest gift. We find ourselves collaborating with diverse organizations and people. This often results in creative, unpredictable outcomes that have a stronger, more powerful impact, than "business as usual" ever could have had.

So in this time of dollar watching, everywhere, remember that funding challenges are just an opportunity to push the envelope for yourself and your company. You will be amazed at what you are able to accomplish!

As a Professional Latex Manipulator

I fully endorse this ad. Here is a company who doesn't hide what they do or why they do it. And to make it better, they have FUN doing it. And by all means, they should be having fun.

Be the change you want to see in your business.

Seconds after the 44th Presidential Inauguration Starbucks airs the video below to show their commitment to the change that has come. Have you committed to the change? What are you doing, with your business, in your community to make a difference?



You can advertise all you want, design brilliant tag-lines, network everyday, but none of that will have nearly the same impact and taking a risk, choosing a cause and putting your business dollars behind it.

Yesterday I donated to be a annual sponsor for the Boulder Women's Leadership Group. This is a organization that provides the Boulder community of business women with education, leadership, recognition and business opportunities through informative and professional programs. What are you doing?

Home buying....oh my

So we bought a home. Lovely place. That would be why you've not heard from us in a while. My apologies for my absence.

My sincere thanks to Debra Hensen of Real Estate of the Rockies for her efforts and success in finding us exactly what we were looking for, right where we wanted it, for just the right price. When she and I first met we talked about her business philosophy, and how she is a matchmaker, searching for just the right fit between buyer and property.
She truly does find homes, not sell houses.

Expect more updates from us more regularly. Be well.