These days business seems to be a sink or swim proposition. The shaky economy has naturally flushed out staggering businesses and it’s up to those who are left to stay afloat. If you are still in business, I’d like to extend you a grand kudos! You are obviously doing something right.
But if you are pouring personal funds into your dream or maxing out your lines of credit, you may wonder how you’ll continue to push through this difficult time.
This may be just the crossroads you need to make your next wise business decision. Have you considered engaging a professional to help you tighten up operations and trim the fat? Do you know exactly what a business coach can help you accomplish?
A credible business coach will assess your business to see if he can create solid and measureable improvements for you. He’ll add objectivity to your mix, scrutinizing your business plan and helping you trim excess costs by consolidating operational expenses, recommending internal adjustments, refining your resources, and helping you get rid of toxic practices. He’ll help you put systems in place that should instantly drive both your top and bottom lines, and, he’ll objectively help you work your way through decisions that should be dictated by your head, not your heart.
That last one is a biggie, folks. It’s akin to a parent who refuses to see something detrimental about their child. For most of the people I help, their business is their baby, built from their dreams, and forged from their blood, sweat, tears, and personal finances. It’s difficult to step back and take an objective approach when you’ve been growing your business since its infancy because you know you always give it your best intentions. Unfortunately, many business owners unwittingly undermine themselves in some way.
A business coach is often seen as a business counselor, we’re here to identify problems and create positive solutions so you and your business both serve each other well.
If you’re afraid your business will unravel if you step away for a week, if your business finances have a stronghold over you, or if work is eating up your personal life, it’s time to contact a business coach to restore that balance and get back to running your business instead of letting your business run you.
That’s the word for today. I’m Wayne Kurzen, your ActionCOACH. Call me up to get your business systems afloat. It’s the little known secret the business survivors and thrivers are taking to heart.
Keep your eyes out for the ActionCOACH’s next blog: Tips to Increase your Cash Flow.
For more information about me or to connect with me, feel free to respond below or give me a call directly at 678-362-7734.
by Scott Dunn
I just can’t escape myself! Even in my down time, I find myself avidly reading and researching business materials. As a Business Coach, I study the structure of businesses from multi-million dollar corporations to mom-and-pop shops. I don’t simply look at what makes them successful, I also look at their competitors who have failed and I study the reasons for their demise. That to me is leisure reading. I guess that’s why I’m in the business I’m in—it’s just a part of what makes me tick!
Throughout my continuous research, I often come across an author who seems to have captured many of the solid principles behind successful business leaders. He learned by trial and error and then combined his own experiences with practices he emulated from other successful business leaders.
This author, Brian Tracy, has written and published over a dozen books and launched a collegiate learning center and global training enterprise. His 21 Ways to Manage Time more Effectively really sum up the traits most highly successful business owners have in common.
While some of these are natural habits for people, for others it takes a little more time and practice. I believe these things can be learned and adopted into a person’s repertoire to increase his or her chance for success, and can be applied both personally and professionally.
Here’s a look at his 21 Ways. Many of my clients especially relate to number 20, creating a balance between work and life. That’s where a Business Coach can be vital. He can help business owners put systems in place that will allow a business to run fluidly in its owner’s absence.
Are you doing any of these things to increase your success? What do you find the most important tip or strategy to managing your time effectively? I’d love to hear from you.
21 Ways to Manage Time more Effectively
Excerpt from: Eat that Frog: 21 Ways to stop Procrastination and get More Done in Less Time, by Brian Tracy
“Using time effectively is one of the main keys to success. Remember the old saying… ‘If you need something done, ask a busy person to do it!’ Why is that? Well in many cases it’s simply because they are usually organized.”
Here are 21 ways to be more effective with your time, quoted from author Brian Tracy
1. Be decisive
2. Set clear goals and objectives (using SMART)
3. Set a daily work plan (the night before)
4. Prioritize tasks using A,B,C,D,E (consider the consequences in setting priorities). Reprioritize A tasks using 1,2,3 to identify the most important A tasks and so on
5. Separate the urgent from the important (what are the long term potential consequences of doing not doing tasks?)
6. Use the law of forced efficiency (what is the highest value use of your time, right now?)
7. Use the 80/20 rule to identify the 20% of tasks that will have the greatest benefit and just do those
8. Develop stamina and high energy through proper exercise, diet and rest
9. Develop single-handling skills to concentrate on one task at a time
10. Eat that Frog (do the hardest task of the day first – don’t sit and look at it or procrastinate – just DO IT!)
11. Organize your work workspace (don’t work in a mess). Use the acronym TRAF – Toss, Refer (delegate), Action, File to help you
12. Use travel time effectively (listen to CDs, prepare a work schedule during flights/rail journeys)
13. Develop expertise in key tasks through practice and repetition
14. Work in ‘real’ time (pick up the tempo, develop a sense of urgency, do it NOW!)
15. Learn to make decisions quickly; don’t carry ifs, buts, and maybes around
16. Reengineer work processes: map them out and identify what needs to be done to reduce the number of steps by 30% minimum
17. Reinvent yourself at least once a year: identify what you need to do to become more productive, because everything changes (90 day plan)
18. Ask yourself this on a regular basis: knowing what I know right now, would I be doing this/be in this relationship/working with this client, etc.
19. Identify what tasks to procrastinate on, i.e. the lower priorities that can wait, the 80% of tasks that have less value and only contribute 20% of the output
20. Decide to work to live, not live to work. This means working towards a balanced life. It’s the quantity of time on downtime and the quality of time at work to aim for.
21. Be Intensely Action Orientated. It’s acting and executing that generate results
Filed under: From Wayne, Time – How to Manage it | Tagged: action coach, atlanta, business coach, ga, georgia, wayne kurzen | Leave a Comment »
by Scott Dunn
All of this talk about the economy has become more than just talk to the majority of business owners. For many business owners and managers, it’s become a day-to-day battle they contend with at work, only to “escape” to home and face the same financial difficulties and pressures there.
If you are like many, your household may be running on caution–dining in more frequently, holding off on large purchases, and exercising more attention to detail on everyday spending habits. At work you may have had to lay off a loyal employee, find new ways to cut spending, increase the number of hours you spend at your business, or tap into retirement savings or family funds to sustain this slow period.
When the dust settles and America restores balance to its financial framework, there will be businesses left standing. How will they do it, and will yours be one of them?
Experts say recessionary conditions both flush unstable businesses and prompt new ones to grow. Are you feeling sucked down the drain or inspired to beat the odds and come out on top? There are proven principles that successful businesses adhere to, in good times and in bad. If your business hasn’t gone through a period like this before or doesn’t have the planning experts or advisory council in place to guide it through, where do you turn?
Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO, Google says, “The Best Advice I Ever Got – Hire a Coach.” (CNN-Money, July 13, 2009). I’d like to share with you a little bit about what a business coach does. Short of personal stakes or invested emotion, an ActionCOACH (a highly skilled business coach who receives rigorous training through the ActionCOACH corporation), can take a detailed look at current business practices and offer objective solutions for both short, intermediate, and long-term success. Through a detailed analysis, an ActionCOACH guides business owners through a gamut of successful business strategies from stabilization and growth, effective production planning, satisfying and growing their consumer base, and cost-effective operational decisions.
An ActionCOACH can not only restore profitability, but he can also work with business owners to reinstitute stability and that much needed peace of mind, replacing the constant sinking feeling in the pit of their stomachs with relief and a renewed sense of enthusiasm and purpose.
Doesn’t that sound like something we could all use? Please let me know if you are currently experiencing any of these problems and would like to discuss effective solution planning for your business.
What are you currently doing to keep your business afloat? I’d love to hear about your thoughts and methodologies
Filed under: From Wayne | Tagged: action coach, atlanta, business coach, ga, georgia, grow my business, sba, small business, small business help, wayne kurzen | 2 Comments »
by Scott Dunn
People often ask me why I chose to become an ActionCOACH.
I have to say, I didn’t choose my profession—it chose me. In answer to that question and others pertaining to what qualifies me to be a business coach, I thought I would take this opportunity to share my background with you.
I am a trained Pilot, Staff Officer and Commander, having commanded a unit with over 700 personnel and earned a promotion to Colonel within my first 20 years of service. Those titles likely call to mind certain attributes, and most of them are probably true. I am decisive, skilled, and execute a structured flow in business, allowing it to run like a well-oiled machine. I’ve relaxed a little since the military, but I have retained the principles that drove me and those in my command to success.
As a multi-time National Award Winning Business Coach, I have the privilege of not only coaching businesses, but also training the coaches within the ActionCOACH organization. In short, I’m a coach and a coach’s coach. I’ve developed many businesses throughout my career, contributing to major corporate trainings within Coca Cola and AT&T. But don’t worry; I don’t work exclusively with the big dogs. I developed a one-man show into a major supplier for Home Depot in less than 24 months and work with countless small to mid-sized businesses as well.
I use my strong discipline, keen sense of observation, and critical thinking skills to help direct people to their own successes. My job is to analyze and guide a business owner’s decisions to achieve optimum health for his or her business. I’ve studied and executed the principles of human behavior, economic and workforce conditions, and applied business methodologies—all crucial components to success, and all challenges my clients face in one form or another. I also follow my own advice and create a balance in my life, meeting my work goals and nurturing my mind and soul through workouts, avid reading, ballroom dancing, and playtime with my grandchildren.
Sometimes I see business owners who sense things are off kilter but don’t know what steps to take to restore profit, morale, or structure within their organization. I see them sacrificing more than ever with longer hours at work, cuts in pay, and pouring personal finances into their business just to sustain themselves. It doesn’t have to be that way. As a business coach, I help people work smarter, not longer or harder. I also help people untangle their financial, emotional, and personal stakes in their business, restoring balance, clarity, and focus.
I am interested in hearing about the current health of your business. I’d also like to invite your questions and answers. What challenges does your business need to overcome? And if you could paint an ideal picture of your business’ health, what would it look like?
Filed under: From Wayne | Tagged: action coach, atlanta, business coach, ga, georgia, grow my business, sba, small business, small business help, wayne kurzen | Leave a Comment »
There are definite ways to tighten up your expenses going into what for many businesses will be their busy season. The decisions you make today about how to implement your business practices as we close 2009 can make your P & L’s land in the black, or light up with red.
This September and October present a critical time for business owners to align their companies to come out on the side of high profitability, a good reputation for service and delivery, and an optimistic start to 2010.
As always, I would recommend carefully strategizing with a proven Business Coach, but if you are taking matters into your own hands for the time being, consider these crucial steps:
Create a Strategic Plan
“Plan your work and work your plan.” This may sound simple, but you would be surprised by how common it is for business owners to have a grand scheme in place with no break down of the necessary steps to achieve those business goals. Or, conversely, how many business owners plug away with no clear bench marks to define their deficiencies, progress, or successes.
A well-laid strategic plan avoids wasted action, reduces mistakes and idle time, and clearly communicates the company’s goals and expectations to its workforce.
Increase Customer Service
Have you ever painted a room? Then perhaps you have also found yourself mid-project only to learn you didn’t purchase enough paint, should have used a primer, or are going to run short on tray liners or trim brushes. If you had received good customer service at the store, the associate would have qualified your project and then suggested the add-ons you would need to complete your project.
Good customer service results in several values to the customer, saving time, mistakes, or unnecessary return trips, and in turn increases a stores sales, reputation, and profitability.
Consider operating your business in the same way, qualifying your customers and providing them with the necessary tools and education to accomplish their goals. Aren’t your customers coming to your business because you offer something they need? Many customers may not understand the full scope of your products or services and welcome a friendly education and appreciate add-on merchandise or services to make their lives easier.
Driving the top line often leads to the bottom line following suit. Driving add-on sales is considered a sales tool for companies because it adds to their profitability in the short term. But implementing the strategy correctly also builds your business’s reputation as the reliable go-to place in your customer’s world, positively affecting your long term success.
Renegotiate your Business’s Services
The bare bones of a business can cost a lot to operate. What would a 20% savings on operational costs mean to you each year? Just a few phone calls and some due diligence can result in a reduction of insurance premiums, equipment maintenance fees, and phone, internet and technical service costs. Make a point of shopping the competition every six months to make sure your business is receiving the best service at the most competitive prices available. There are a lot of merging and start-up service companies that are offering great deals right now, and assessing all areas of your business’s expenditure can really add up to big savings when combined over the long haul.
How about you? How often do you evaluate your business’s financial direction and ways to effectively trim costs?
Give me a call and join the conversation. I look forward to helping you!
Filed under: From Wayne | Tagged: action atlanta, action coach, action coach atlanta, alpharetta, atlanta, atlanta ga, business coach, business coaching, business growth, cash flow, coach, coaching, coaching atlanta, duluth, earn more, ga, georgia, grow my business, johns creek, sba, small business, small business help, time, wayne kurzen | Leave a Comment »
by Scott Dunn
How do you decide where to shop or whom to select as your service provider? If you are like most people, there are a variety of factors to consider from price, quality, location, convenience, reputation, and trust. Those factors also come into play when people decide whether or not they want to conduct business with your company.
As a business owner, it can be daunting to think that every single one of your employees represents the face of your business. Do the employees care about the company as much as you do? Will they do everything in their power to earn and retain a customer’s business? Will they safeguard the company’s best interests? Do they tie their own personal futures to the success of your company?
Customers know your business by the person who services them. Your front lines need to reverberate your set business principles and service standards through every action they take.
That’s where our first law of establishing and keeping Customers’ Loyalty comes in:
1. Build staff loyalty
It’s a fact: firms with high levels of customer loyalty have also earned high levels of staff loyalty. The key rule of loyalty: Establish trust, goodwill, and relevance with your employees so that they, in turn, serve the customers on your behalf.
2. Practice the 80/20 rule
Roughly speaking, 80% of your revenue is generated by 20% of your customers. A smart company segments customers by value and monitors activities closely to ensure high-value customers get their fair share of special offers and promotions.
3. Know your loyalty stages
There are seven stages of customer loyalty: suspect, prospect, shopper (first time buyer), customer (repeat buyer), member or client, advocate and raving fan. By understanding where your customers fall in that matrix, you can better determine what’s necessary to move that customer to the next level of loyalty.
4. Serve first, sell second
Today’s customers are inundated with a variety of both feeble and brilliantattempts at garnering their business. They have quickly developed an intolerance for “being sold” and instead prefer to do business with personable and knowledgeable professionals who stand behind their products and services and value their customers’ experience. Drive the value of your customer service and sales support as much as you do the value of your products.
I’d like to share five more imperative rules to help companies establish and keep customer loyalty, and I’ll reveal those in my next blog. In the meantime, what do you think they are? What keeps you frequenting selected businesses? And can you take a “customer’s view” of your business to see where it may be lacking in any of the aforementioned areas?
Stay tuned for the remaining five keys to successfully retaining your customers’ loyalty and let me know what you think will round out the final five. I look forward to your feedback!
Filed under: From Wayne | Tagged: action coach, wayne kurzen, atlanta, georgia, ga, business coach, small business, small business help, sba, grow my business, cash flow, business growth, earn more, johns creek, duluth, atlanta ga, business coaching, coach, coaching, coaching atlanta, action coach atlanta, action atlanta, Atlanta Chamber, Cobb Chamber, small business growth, small business in Atlanta, small business in Ga, coaching in atlanta, business coaching in atlanta, need help, help with my business | Leave a Comment »
I just started my website which is more of a hobby than a small business. I want to know what you think, and if a information site can be moderately successful. Mine is based on running – It is my hobby.
Take care – Coach Tief http://www.tips4running.com
Alpharetta Business Coach
Filed under Alpharetta Business Coach by .
i want to go london school of business which is located in 52 upper street islington
Alpharetta Business Coach
Filed under Alpharetta Business Coach by .
i am looking for a whole sale place to purchase louies viutten or coach purses to sell in my business legal purses replicas price range of 30.00 some people say new york but thats to far away anyone no or have a connection
Alpharetta Business Coach
Filed under Alpharetta Business Coach by .
So I am taking my first international flight very soon and I am flying to Germany, Czech Republic and to Spain. My question is in regards to services to expect. I know inflight movies are standard or am I wrong? Meals? Would I need to pay for one? Drinks? All for free except for alcohol beverages correct? What if I am sitting in Business Class? Would the services be any different than those in coach?
Thanks!
Alpharetta Business Coach
Filed under Alpharetta Business Coach by .
The business will be called SMS Coach. We live in Rockford, Illinois and want to provide the following services:
Travel to select Illinois jails; Shuttle service for people who live in Freeport, Illinois who need transportation to their jobs at the Belvidere Chrysler Plant; And weekend trips to Chicago to visit Navy Pier, The Adler Planetarium, The Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry. I value everyone’s input but encourage Rockford and Freeport residents to respond.
We are also going to give people the option to enjoy refreshments (bottled water, bags of chips, finger foods, sodas). Please tell me what you think.
Alpharetta Business Coach
Filed under Alpharetta Business Coach by .
People tell me I’m good at singing, and I even posted some videos on xanga and got alot of really positive comments from people I don’t even know! From people all over the US!
What should I do? I sometimes sing in my church and I’m getting a voice coach soon but I don’t know where to go from there… Can someone please give me advice!?
I’m almost 16 by the way, I was really into music when i was 12 then I started thinking I was bad at it. but now I’m getting alot of positive feedback so I really want to get into music. I absolutely love it. Its probably the only thing that makes me truly happy.
Alpharetta Business Coach
Filed under Alpharetta Business Coach by .
How is it? Coach? Business class? Tell me your experience…
I will be riding it for the first time in May.
Thanks!
xo
I’m flying into London heathrow, staying in London for 4 days and then to France for several days.
Alpharetta Business Coach
Filed under Alpharetta Business Coach by .
There are two dogs in my neighborhood that I know of that consistently bark at me and my family completely regardless of what we do. They’re behind fences in their own yard. I’ve and my family have had no history of bothering them in any way. They’re also coached by their owners to stop barking and show respect, but it only lasts temporarily until the next hour or day, so they’re not trained to be mean… They also bark at other innocent passerbys… This is so strange, it doesn’t seem like good instinct at all.
Alpharetta Business Coach
Filed under Alpharetta Business Coach by .
okay well i have this awesome coach who used to be the head coach of University of Texas cheer, and he is REALLY GOOD, i can do my backhand springs with him perfectly, and he said i can have my backhand spring on the cheese *wedge* by mid summer…. i am a really hard worker, and i have beastly muscles, how long do you think it will take to get my backhand spring and the ground by myself, i already do it on the ground with a spot…… also do you have any tips on getting it faster, or just any tips in general!?! how long do you think it would take to get my back tuck if i get my backhand spring by December, and which is easier, standing backhand spring, back tuck, or back hand back tuck?
OKAY well my allstar coach is great, i use to be able to wipe backhand springs with her like it was no body’s business, well ever since the coach from texas got here i haven’t been able to do them with her, i can only do them with him…. help… whats my problem?
i already am a highschool and all star cheerleader, and i got to tumbling 2ce a week but one of the times is with my all star coach so it doesnt help
Alpharetta Business Coach
Filed under Alpharetta Business Coach by .
I’m a former captain of my high school varsity team, and I also played AAU ball. I had the opportunity to play in college, but I decided that I was too burned out on basketball to put in another intense 4 years.
I’ve coached both recreational and AAU teams since graduation and I really enjoy helping players improve. So, I’ve been trying to figure out a way to make some money this summer without getting a regular summer job and I was thinking that I could put my talent in basketball to good use. I want to give private basketball lessons to girls…I don’t think boys would like being coached by a girl.
I really would like to help younger girls especially who need to develop in order to get to the next level. I wouldn’t mind older girls, like high school age, but it really has to start when they’re younger so that they’re ready to compete at the high school level.
So my question is…how do I get started? How do I get students, what will I need to be prepared for?
Alpharetta Business Coach
Filed under Alpharetta Business Coach by .
