Are You a Greek or a Roman?

I heard an intriguing comparison between the Greeks and the Romans. The Romans copied many ideas from the Greeks but the Roman Empire survived much longer than the Greek Empire. Perhaps the Romans learned from the Greek successes as well as their mistakes

The Greeks believed that it was honorable to die in battle. It meant that regardless of the conditions they must stand on the battle field and fight until they won or died.

The Romans wanted to win the war. That meant if they weren’t winning this battle they would withdraw, rethink and fight again another day.

Which are you and which would you rather be?

Perhaps you know some Greeks. They believe that they should honor their word at all costs. Being true to your word is a good thing. But what if you gave your promise while lacking important information, under duress or in a state of heightened emotion?

Many of us have made dumb promises. The most common one is “until death do us part”. Those promises were made in good faith at the time but things change. It’s not just marriage that can be a bad promise. There are many other promises that we make throughout life that might need to be revisited.

You can think like a Greek and stand fighting to death until one of you dies. Or you can be a Roman, retreat, rethink and fight a different battle. The Romans weren’t cowards. They were good strategists.

Sometimes we make impossible promises to a boss, customer or employee. We simply need to revisit reality, deal with the disappointment and move on. Some battles you can’t win today.

PS: This post isn’t meant to disparage people of Greek origin. The analogy seemed worth repeating. It’s ancient history and there might be a valid lesson in there.

PPS: Remember the 300 Spartans. They fought bravely and they all died.

George Torok Host of Business in Motion Business Speaker  
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Professional Service Provider: Pump up Your Self-Esteem

Although self esteem is important to all entrepreneurs, it’s more critical to professional service providers because the value you are selling is based on your skills, abilities and flaws

Alan Weiss delivered a full day workshop to a group of professional service providers – consultants, coaches, advisers, trainers and professional speakers. Weiss is a successful independent consultant. He earns a seven figure income from his home with no staff. He is the author of “Million Dollar Consulting” along with at least 40 other books.

He covered a variety of topics in the program. It’s curious how he emphasized the importance of self-esteem to the success of professional service providers. But perhaps he simply recognized the difficulties that many battle with this elusive trait.

To support the need for self-esteem some of the questions from the audience illustrated the doubts of those individuals. While listening to the questions and answers I was reminded of some of my own doubts both past and present.

This article is the result of my notes from that workshop and my own thoughts while connecting the dots.

Alan’s advice was to imagine waking up every morning with the attitude that you have a lot of value and wonder to whom you can provide that to. That’s a better way to start the day, rather than hoping you are going to make a sale today.

Competence alone doesn’t ensure high fees. It needs to be coupled with strong self esteem. Self-esteem rescues you from the “inputs trap” and would instead base your fee on outcomes. Successful people care about the results not the hours you put in.

Strong self-esteem breeds higher confidence levels. Higher confidence enables you to be in the moment. This allows you to listen and think better when talking with clients. Confidence gives you more control of the conversation and hence your success. Confidence enables you to ask better questions to gain more information and negotiating power.

Your self-confidence assures the client of their smart decision to hire you.  It also makes it easier for you to ask clients for testimonials that both boost your self-esteem and attract more clients.

Your high self confidence allows you to reframe a client’s perceived negative into a positive.

Where do you find confidence and self esteem?

First recognize your own worth. Review your achievements – especially the results you achieved for your clients. Perhaps you should review this list every morning.

Recognize and build upon your strengths. Minimize the attention and energy that can be wasted fumbling with weaknesses. Keep your eyes on the road you want to follow not the boulders or soft shoulders.

Develop your skills – your performance skills and your communication skills. You need the first set so you can deliver as promised. You need the second set to sell yourself and your value.

Get better organized. The simplest sign that you are organized is that you know where things are – both physical and intellectually. Knowing where things are will help you feel more in control. Coupled with locating things is the ability to understand, create and follow systems. Knowing what the next steps are boosts confidence.

Associate with people who make you feel better about yourself. Not sycophants but associates who you respect.

Most importantly don’t be afraid to fail. That might be tough because many of us were taught to avoid failure or that it was shameful. Failure is a natural part of the learning and growing process.

Here’s one more thing that Alan Weiss did that seemed to convey his tremendous self confidence. He revealed some past flaws and embarrassing moments. The willingness to openly admit to human frailty seems to exhibit more self confidence and hence competence to your listeners.

© George Torok helps entrepreneurs build their self-esteem and most importantly their business. If you want tips to help with your marketing visit www.PowerMarketingBlog.com  If you want to improve your presentation skills visit www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com  If you want motivational boosts visit http://motivationalspeaker1.wordpress.com/  If you want to talk directly to George Torok call 905-335-1997

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Frank O’Dea interview on Business in Motion

Interview with Frank O’Dea on Business in Motion

Frank O’Dea is a business builder, philanthropist, author and motivational speaker
http://www.frankodea.com/index.php
——————

Who is Frank O’Dea?

Former skid row panhandler

Founder of Second Cup – which became the largest chain of gourmet coffees and teas in Canada.
Co-Founder of ProShred Security – a company that pioneered the entire industry of on-site document destruction

Author of “When All You Have is Hope”

In 1985 he co-founded Street Kids International, an organization developed to help homeless children in third world countries, through education and self-reliance programs. A few years later, he became the founding Chair of War Child (Canada), an organization that provides assistance against suffering and abuse of children in war affected countries. In the same year, Frank co-founded the Canadian Landmine Foundation, an organization that raises funds for the dismantling of minefields around the world
Officer of the Order of Canada
———————–
Insights from this radio interview

Second Cup started in 1975 selling dry coffee in bags to take home. That was a disaster.
So it morphed into selling gourmet liquid coffee by the cup.
Secrets about creating a new industry:
Find a place where no one else is. It’s risky. People will call you foolish. You need to be courageous and have a vision.
Currently building houses in Brazil. Lots of opportunity there.
I made lots of mistakes. That’s how I learned.
The longest I stay at something is 10 years. Then I get bored and move on.

The formula for success?
Hope – Vision – Action

Frank O’Dea

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Bruce McDougall, The McDougall Group, interview

Radio interview with Bruce McDougall, on Business in Motion with host, George Torok.

Who is Bruce McDougall?

He is the founder and president of The McDougall Group, a financial planning company in Burlington, Ontario. A past president of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce he is a long time active Rotarian. He is a marathon runner, tri-athlete, a past competitive racquetball player and an avid golfer.

Insights from this interview

“Building wealth requires discipline and a plan. You don’t need a lot of money to start.”
“Biggest mistake that people make is starting too late.”
“Biggest myth is that you need to take big risks with your money.”
“The hardest thing in sales is the ability to get up off the floor and keep going. When hiring sales people – that’s difficult to test for.”
“As a financial planner you are really a sales person. You are running a business and every business needs sales.”
“When I was interviewing wait-staff for my restaurant I would try to intimidate them to test how easily they might be intimidated by customers.”
“How do you choose a financial planner? You have to like the person.”
“Most entrepreneurs have had three or four failures. Don’t dwell on it. Learn from the mistakes and move on.”
“Get inspiration from keeping people around you who are experiencing similar experiences.”

Radio interview with Bruce McDougall on Business in Motion with host, George Torok.

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Alan McLaren, Infinity Communications, interview

Alan McLaren

Interview with Alan McLaren, Co-CEO of Infinity Communications

Who is Infinity Communications?

Infinity is a full service communications agency specializing in public relations, branding and social media strategies.  We help our clients “Get Noticed and Stay Noticed”, through focused communication programs designed to build brand awareness and drive revenue growth.

One of the best ways to reach your target audiences is to use a combination of traditional public relations strategies offline, while leveraging social media and web strategies online.
We are living in a connected world and it is important to bridge the conversation both online and offline.
———————————————
Insights and excerpts from this interview with Alan McLaren of Infinity Communications

• Purpose of marketing is building the brand to be top of mind
• Common mistake on the web is not connecting the dots
• Key question is, does more traffic mean more business? That is the bottom line
• Marketing is not scientific. One plus one does not equal two
• Half the time, we turn prospective clients away because the fit is not right
• Red Flag Deals was one of our proud success stories
• I hate doing the numbers – but you need to do that
• As Co-CEOs we each have our strengths and defined roles

Interview on Business in Motion with radio show host George Torok

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What it Means to be an Entrepreneur in 2013

Gutenberg Printing Press

An entrepreneur is a visionary; someone who sees the world as it could be with the introduction of some new product or service. Gutenberg brought the printing press to spread information. Franklin brought electricity to light and power our homes. Bill Gates brought personal computers and Steve Jobs made them attractive, along with introducing us to the ipod, iphone and ipad. Each of these great entrepreneurs made life easier for the common citizen and very profitable for himself.

While the essential qualities possessed by an entrepreneur remain constant over time – ambition, above average risk tolerance, persistence and work ethic, to name a few – the landscape in which today’s entrepreneurs operate has changed significantly.  This change has important implications for what it means to start a new business. 

The internet has shrunk the world in a very real sense, bringing Marshall McLuhan’s notion of the global village to light. People are connecting and communities springing up across borders, oceans and continents. Facebook groups comprised of members from all over the world exist on interests ranging from knitting to bungee jumping (https://www.facebook.com/bungyhilmi).

Through the internet and social media, it’s less expensive to start a new business; new options exist to raise capital; and there are powerful, accessible platforms with which to communicate directly to potential consumers without paying a cent. 

The Reshaping of Business and Commerce

Starting a business doesn’t need to be expensive:

All you really need to get started is an idea, a plan and a website. Your web page is your storefront, and it’s a lot cheaper than renting or purchasing a bricks and mortar space. It’s where your customers come to shop, interact with your brand, and purchase whatever it is your selling. Luring customers onto your site is achieved through online promotion. This includes Search Engine Optimization (SEO), which can be done for free, social media, which can and should be used to interact with potential customers, and paid online advertisements.    

New options to raise capital:

Websites like Kickstarter allow entrepreneurs to raise capital to start their businesses without giving up ownership in the form of stock, or owing money on loans. If you have a good idea, present it well, and people believe in it, Kickstarter is a great option to look into (http://www.kickstarter.com/help/faq/kickstarter%20basics?ref=nav)

New platforms to promote:

Social media is a powerful way to promote online and it’s free. If you haven’t already, create an account on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Learning to harness these tools to yield results (i.e., pull customers into your website) will take some time, but is well worth the personal investment.

How to Take Advantage

The internet is a great thing for Entrepreneurs. It encourages creativity by reducing the risks and financial barriers involved in taking a chance on your visionary idea. Take advantage: go build a website, open a Twitter account, and start working on your new business today. 

Matthew Moses (info@biztoolz.ca) is an editor and regular contributor at www.biztoolz.ca, which provides tools and resources for Entrepreneurs. 

George Torok Host of Business in Motion Business Speaker  
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Top 10 Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

From Richard Branson and the folks at Virgin Media

Deciding to put your money where your mouth is can be daunting at the best of times but when you’re considering life as an entrepreneur, it can be even more so. That’s why we’ve put together our top 10 tips for aspiring entrepreneurs.

1. Get started

The difference between an entrepreneur and a would-be entrepreneur is daring. In lots of ways, becoming an entrepreneur and starting out on your own is a scary proposition but it doesn’t have to be so ‘either/or’. Lots of successful entrepreneurs started their own business whilst working another job to pay the bills. There’s no shame in starting slowly. Just start.

2. Admit you don’t know

When you’re first starting out, it may be tempting to pretend you know everything. There’ll always be an element of ‘fake it ‘til you make it’ when it comes to things like confidence but when it comes down to knowledge that’ll help you make the most of your business, you need to know for sure. Good entrepreneurs have enquiring minds and they never stop learning or asking questions. You’ll be amazed by how many people hide behind jargon to make something sound more complicated than it actually is.

3. Keep things simple

Once you know the jargon, it’s easy to forget that other people may not. Communicating in jargon works well in specialised environments and can earn you professional respect but you better be really sure that you know what you’re talking about. Misusing jargon can lead to confusion, frustration and costly mistakes. If in doubt, keep it simple. Don’t forget that even the most senior, influential people may be nodding their heads throughout your entire pitch whilst thinking that they could really do with a Google translation of what you’re saying.

Read the rest of these ten tips at Virgin Media Pioneers

All ten are solid tips. I believe that the most important ones are tip one and tip ten. In fact, tip ten is the real litmus test of an entpreneur.





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Time Management for Entrepreneurs

By Harold Taylor 

Time management for entrepreneurs involves more than simply trying to increase productivity through the better use of time. You must first determine what it is you want to accomplish, set specific goals, draw up guidelines, and avoid the countless temptations to stray from your original intent. To do this you will need a mission statement, annual goals and personal time policies.

Develop a mission statement.
A mission statement will give direction to your business and personal life. It will keep you focused on your reason for being in business and keep you from getting sidetracked by all the opportunities that are unrelated to your chosen profession. You can be good at a lot of things, but greatness requires focus. My advice is to choose an area of specialty, write a mission or vision statement, and set long-range and annual goals that are compatible with that mission.

Record your mission statement in the front of your planner where you will see it every time you open your planner to record an appointment or activity.  You might even put it on the front cover. It should be short and simple, such as “To help others succeed in business through better time management skills.”  

Set goals 
Limit your goals to five or six per year at any one time. This forces you to focus on the valuable few rather than jumping from one goal to another based on the whims of the moment. Too many goals are distracting.  You can always add new ones to the list as the others are completed. Write them in the front of your planner or in a special category of your To Do List on your Blackberry or other PDA.  They should be portable, so don’t limit them to a list on your desktop planner unless you spend your life in front of the computer. Assign deadline dates. One goal might be “To complete a book on Procrastination by July 30th.” Another might be “To have a fully operational website by October 15th.” Make sure these deadlines are realistic. Work backwards. If you want to complete a task by the end of the year, and it takes an estimated 100 hours to complete it, how many hours each week would you have to schedule in your planner in order to meet that deadline?  If the answer is 10 hours, based on your current level of activity that might be unrealistic. So change the deadline date. Once you have a workable plan, be sure to block off appointments with yourself to actually do the work. 

The goals that you write should all help to further your mission. In the example above, developing a time management workshop by April 30th would help; but purchasing a cabin cruiser by June 15th would not. However if your mission were to live in luxury for the rest of your life, the goal would be compatible.

Develop personal time policies
Personal time policies are guidelines that will help you make tough decisions regarding the budgeting of your time. Business policies are used in organizations to help employees make decisions on their own. Examples of business policies might be the customer is always right or we will not be undersold. Similarly, from a personal standpoint, it helps to have a set of personal time policies or value statements. These policies may be different for different individuals and may include statements such as:

• I will not compromise my beliefs, values or personal mission. 
• I will not become an activity packrat; for every new activity I take on, one of equal time-value must be subtracted. 
• I will have as much respect for my own time as I have for other peoples' time. 
• Decisions or choices affecting my family will be discussed in advance with my family. 
• I will not be coerced into changing my priorities; they will be changed only if my heart is in it. 

Policies such as these simply serve as guidelines when making decisions that affect your use of time. Personal time policies also help you to maintain balance in your life. You must also schedule personal and family activities into your planner as well.

Time planning for entrepreneurs involves a thoughtful consideration of why your company exists, what it is you want to accomplish through it, and how you plan to get there. Then any time efficiencies you practice will not be in vain. 

George Torok Host of Business in Motion Business Speaker
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Why Entrepreneurs Continue to Work

by WAYNE VANWYCK

In his book, Man’s Search For Meaning, Victor Frankl wrote about the importance of purpose and a goal in one’s life. An Austrian psychiatrist, he wrote from the perspective of having survived the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps. His life in Auschwitz and his subsequent research confirmed that people who lose their sense of purpose could will themselves to die.

We all need a purpose, and for many entrepreneurs it is working at their business that provides that purpose. We need something to strive for, to stretch ourselves until the day we die; thus we extend our lives. All your life, you’ve been living with gaps that you’ve tried to close. The difference between what is and what you would like it to be. You’ve had mortgages and loans to pay off, properties to buy, places to go, new product lines to develop, new ways of doing business, new markets to pursue, and competitors to beat. If you suddenly stop, and there is no work, no creative tension in your life, you’re in danger of losing your sense of purpose and your will to live.

When I was growing up, my family farmed next to a neighbour who always seemed ancient to me. In his seventies, he still farmed with a team of horses, worked hard every day and, frankly, was stronger than me - even when I was a teenager. At 80 he was still wiry and strong, and worked as hard as any of us. But, at last he agreed with those who pushed him to sell the farm, move into town, and take it easy. Within 18 months he was dead. All his outdoor activity, his exercise, his routines, his love for his horses, and his sense of purpose were gone. Although those who insisted he move from the farm had the best of intentions, tragically the move became his death sentence.

Many entrepreneurs don’t plan to retire. While it may not be a conscious decision or clearly articulated, they fear losing their sense of purpose. They continue working in order to live a meaningful life. Others, who do retire, find purpose in volunteering, coaching young entrepreneurs, investing in start-ups, being active grandparents, travelling or other avocations.

You have the choice to work or not through your retirement years. One isn’t better than the other. But to be healthy, we all need a purpose. If you choose to transition your business and retire, you must first transition yourself and identify new challenges, opportunities, and purpose to replace your need to work.

http://www.tac-focus.com/focus-areas/succession-transition-planning


George Torok Host of Business in Motion Business Speaker
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Best Ways to Prepare for Your Summer Vacation

Regardless of whether your summer travel plans call for camping in the wild, whitewater rafting down a raging river or taking a road trip, one objective should be to disconnect from the hustle and bustle back home and really get away from it all. If the very thought of unplugging from your workplace causes you to break out in a cold sweat, remember: Disconnection is key to full relaxation. Numerous scientific studies have shown that people who take vacations are less likely to suffer from depression and report higher levels of overall happiness than people who don't. The truth is, over time, our physical and mental health deteriorates if we don't take time to decompress and slow down. This hampers our ability to be effective players at work and can cramp our personal lives as well. So start by thinking of your vacation as an investment in your well-being, then follow these ten tips on how to prepare to go on vacation. 1. Don't leave important, must-get-done projects to the last minute. You risk not getting them finished and having them mentally weigh you down during your "off time" - or worse: working on them while you are supposed to be relaxing. 2. Select someone as your contact person who can address important issues and emergencies while you're gone. Brief her/him - and your boss - about any potential issues that may arise. 3. If you are closing your office and everyone will be leaving, let your key clients know how long you will be away. Provide the names and contact information of people your clients can reach out to if they need a resource. Leave your cell number on your email away message or cell phone voice mail saying that you can be reached if (and I mean only if) there is an emergency. I have done this fo r the last ten years and, so far, no one has called. 4. Never officially come back on a Monday. Make your re-entry easier by officially starting on a Tuesday. Use Monday for catch-up and prepare a cheat sheet ahead of time with a reminder list of to-do's to be completed immediately upon your return. 5. Once you have your work responsibilities covered, you can begin to get in the vacation frame of mind.Quietly ask yourself what you need to do to get the highest level of benefit from your vacation, and set realistic expectations for your time away. For example: It may take you a day or so to decompress. Don't try to force the relaxation; instead, ease into it. 6. Facilitate your decompression by pampering yourself a bit ahead of time. Indulge in a pre-vacation massage, golf game or long lunch - anything that helps you get into relaxation mode.  Invest in a haircut, manicure, pedicure, etc. so that you can feel confident and spoiled. 7. If you're taking a stay-at-home vacation, otherwise known as a "staycation", keep the vacation mode alive and well by keeping yourself from over-planning activities. For example: Don't make hard labor projects at home, like building a new kitchen, one of your staycation goals. Instead make your time at home unstructured. Watch that movie tha t's been sitting by the TV for weeks, sit back and read a book, spend hours pursuing your hobby. Do what you always want to do but never seem to have time for. 8. One of the easiest things to do, yet one of the most often forgotten, is to arrange for someone to check your mail and pick up newspapers while you are away. This prevents would-be thieves from knowing you're not home. 9. Pack smart by keeping the small details in mind, and make sure to take items that tend to be more expensive at vacation resorts, such as sunblock, toothpaste and aspirin.  10. Save money by booking a suite:An extra-large hotel room might seem pricey, but it's often the best deal for a big family. Ask about the availability of sleeper sofas and rollaways if you need additional beds.  11. Recent research shows that, to be the most satisfying, leisure time should resemble the best aspects of work: challenges, skills and important relationships. Do some research and identify the types of activities you might want to do on your trip such as golfing, sailing, biking or hiking. What family fun is available? If you think vegging out is a vacation, you may be sh ortchanging yourself. Oftentimes, keeping your mind occupied will be easier than just trying to instantly tune out. 12.  Lastly, when on the actual vacation itself, be sure to avoid multitasking. Being on the beach while texting does not make for a true vacation. And please don't rush throughyour plans. The idea is to enjoy your vacation in a leisurely ma nner and not race through it as if you were running a marathon. Instead, create a loose schedule whereby everyone gets to do what they want to do and ends up satisfied with the time off. You need and deserve to tune out once in a while.  This prevents you from hitting a wall in your job when there is no break. Remember, when you look back at your life, it's not going to be what you missed at work during your vacation you'll think about - but the memories made from quality time away. On that note, upon your return, keep your memories alive by framing photos of your vacation.  Let the joy of your vacation be remembered in special places in your home and office. Cheers Roz

Sign onto my new Remarkable Leader Blog http://remarkableleader.wordpress.com. Listen to my latest CD "How To Be Politically Savvy: Developing A Personal Brand For Success"                            http://www.usheroff.com/products_political_savvy_audio.html

George Torok Host of Business in Motion Business Speaker
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21 Tips in 21 Days to Get You Into Selling Shape for 2012

By Jim Domanski
Are your 2012 sales a little sluggish? Need a little momentum?

Here are 21 tips that you can apply one day at a time over the next 21 days to help kick start your sales for 2012. These tips are in addition to your normal everyday selling activities. Why 21? Because 21 is approximately the number of business days in a month and because it is roughly the amount of time it takes to create a habit. If you get into the good habit of doing something a little extra to improve your skills or enhance your productivity and effectiveness your sales are bound to grow.


The 21-Day Get Sales Fit Program

Day 1 - For the next five business days, arrive 15 minutes earlier and use the time to prospect. Sometimes earlier in the day is the best time to reach decision makers. Of course what it really does is translate into 75 minutes of business development. Focus exclusively on dialling. Don't get distracted.

Day 2- Send out 10 thank you cards to your top 10 clients. Simply tell them 'thank you' for all the business in the past. Tell them you don't take them for granted. Hand write the card and envelope. Use a real stamp. Go here for more information on this simple but highly effective task.

Day 3- Ask your manager to monitor five of your (completed) calls today and provide feedback on how you can enhance and improve your approach to a call. A good coach means good results.

Day 4 - Identify 15 inactive clients (a customer who has not bought something in the last 12 months) and give them a call. Ask them questions to get a feel for their current situation. Identify needs. Pay attention to them. Groom them. Reactivate them.

Day 5 - Today, implement a "passive referral" program i.e., a means of soliciting referrals from clients (and prospects) using a variety of methods (e.g., e-mail). For more information on this process go here.

Day 6 - For the next 5 business days, stay 15 minutes longer and make cold calls and develop new business opportunities. Sometimes later in the day is the best time to reach your decision makers. Try it and see for yourself.

Day 7- Today you want to get "some skin in the game" and invest in yourself. Go to a books store or visit Amazon and buy a book on selling. Find something to enhance your approach to selling. When you invest in a product you are more apt to read and apply the techniques in order to get an ROI. (See the Book recommendation following this article)

Day 8- For today, identify your top 5 selling products and list 2 add on sales for each these products. Jot them on a sheet of paper and when appropriate cross sell or up sell on these products. Do this today and for the rest of the 21 days. Watch the average value of your sale increase.Go here if you'd like more information.

Day 9- Swap five of your prospects who are not returning your calls with 5 prospects from a co-worker. Sometimes a new voice and new approach generates new sales.

Day 10 - Scan the internet and find an industry or product related article that you can send or e-mail to 25 clients. Add a little note that says, "I thought of you when I found this article. Enjoy!" This creates value. It positions you as a 'resource' and not just a 'source.'

Day 11 - Call 10 of your "B -level" customers and ask them if there are any projects / sales three to six months down the line. Not only are you scoping out long term opportunities, you are staying 'top of mind.'

Day 12 - Eat lunch at your desk and spend the time making cold calls - maybe to a different time zone. That'll give you an extra 50-60 minutes of business development opportunity. See what happens.

Day 13 - Call your top 10 clients (the same ones to whom you sent the thank you cards on Day 2 and who probably got your industry related article on Day 10.) Ask them for a referral.

Day 14- Today, create an e-prospecting letter and send them to 15 prospects. For tips on e-mails go here.

Day 15 - Make follow up calls to the 15 prospects who got your e-mail on Day 14. Timing is everything.

Day 16 - For the next five days, come in 10 minutes earlier and stay 10 minutes later. That means an additional 100 minutes of business development activity. Ten minutes on either end of the day? Heck, that's easy.

Day 17- Monitor 5 calls from three of your co-workers (15 calls in all). Get a feel for what they do. Maybe you'll get some fresh new ideas or approaches.

Day 18 - Call five clients and ask them for a testimonial quote that you could use in an e-mail or letter or presentation. When you get them, be sure to leverage them!

Day 19 - Call or e-mail those who have given you a referral and given them an update on the status of the referrals you received.

Day 20- Send a thank you card - not an e-mail- to those who have given you a testimonial quote.

Day 21 - Evaluate all that you have done over the past 21 days. What has been the net result? If you've missed anything implement it. Now, build your 'little extra' plan for the next 21 days. Keep the momentum going.


The above tips are easy to implement and take very little time. Do the extras. The extras will give you the edge and make things happen.


By Jim Domanski of Teleconcepts Consulting. Please visit Jim's web site at http://www.telesalesmaster.com/ for additional articles and resources for tele-sales professionals


George Torok Host of Business in Motion Business Speaker
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P T Barnum - Showman

Phineas Taylor Barnum (July 5, 1810 – April 7, 1891) was an American showman, businessman, scam artist and entertainer, remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and for founding the circus that became the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.


P T Barnum died more than 100 years ago and we still quote him and base many business practices on his advice. Many of us can learn much from his words.


Here are some lasting insights excerpted from his book, "The Art of Money-Getting" or "Golden Rules for Making Money".



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Those who really desire to attain an independence, have only to set their minds upon it, and adopt the proper means, as they do in regard to any other object which they wish to accomplish, and the thing is easily done.

But however easy it may be found to make money, I have no doubt many of my hearers will agree it is the most difficult thing in the world to keep it. The road to wealth is, as Dr. Franklin truly says, "as plain as the road to the mill." It consists simply in expending less than we earn; that seems to be a very simple problem.

Mr. Micawber, one of those happy creations of the genial Dickens, puts the case in a strong light when he says that to have annual income of twenty pounds per annum, and spend twenty pounds and sixpence, is to be the most miserable of men; whereas, to have an income of only twenty pounds, and spend but nineteen pounds and sixpence is to be the happiest of mortals.

Many of my readers may say, "we understand this: this is economy, and we know economy is wealth; we know we can't eat our cake and keep it also." Yet I beg to say that perhaps more cases of failure arise from mistakes on this point than almost any other. The fact is, many people think they understand economy when they really do not.

True economy consists in always making the income exceed the out-go. Wear the old clothes a little longer if necessary; dispense with the new pair of gloves; mend the old dress: live on plainer food if need be; so that, under all circumstances, unless some unforeseen accident occurs, there will be a margin in favor of the income.

A penny here, and a dollar there, placed at interest, goes on accumulating, and in this way the desired result is attained. It requires some training, perhaps, to accomplish this economy, but when once used to it, you will find there is more satisfaction in rational saving than in irrational spending.

Here is a recipe which I recommend: I have found it to work an excellent cure for extravagance, and especially for mistaken economy: When you find that you have no surplus at the end of the year, and yet have a good income, I advise you to take a few sheets of paper and form them into a book and mark down every item of expenditure.

Post it every day or week in two columns, one headed "necessaries" or even "comforts", and the other headed "luxuries," and you will find that the latter column will be double, treble, and frequently ten times greater than the former.

The real comforts of life cost but a small portion of what most of us can earn. Dr. Franklin says "it is the eyes of others and not our own eyes which ruin us. If all the world were blind except myself I should not care for fine clothes or furniture." It is the fear of what Mrs. Grundy may say that keeps the noses of many worthy families to the grindstone. In America many persons like to repeat "we are all free and equal," but it is a great mistake in more senses than one.
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Spend less than you make.


Powerful, simple and easy to understand - yet overlooked by too many today. That includes governments, corporations and individuals.

Funny how some things never change.





George Torok

Business Speaker

Business in Motion radio show

Business In Motion on Facebook

Wayne Vanwyck, Radio Interview

Interview with business owner and business author, Wayne Vanwyck.
Wayne Vanwyck is the owner of three businesses – a training company, a call centre and a franchise business.

He is also the author of “The Business Transition Crisis”
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Insights from this interview with Wayne Vanwyck

71% of business owners in Canada plan to retire in the next 10 years

This book is for baby boomers who own businesses and are or should be thinking about leaving the business.

Why would a successful business owner sabatage his own retirement?

Took a six month sabatical to travel around North America and research the book.

Your buisness is a product. One day you might want to sell it for a profit.

There are five million businesses in Canada. 98% of them employ less that 10 people.

Of the businesses that are for sale – only 1 in 5 will sell.

Your business is not you and you are not the business. It’s tough for an entrepreneur to separate the two.

Listen to this radio interview with Wayne Vanwyck


George Torok

Host of Business in Motion

Motivational Business Speaker

The Business Transition Crisis – Book Review

Who is this book for?

This book is a must read for entrepreneurs and business owners who are thinking about their succession plan or drafting an exit strategy. Every business owner must plan for that transition. Unfortunately not everyone does. If you don’t plan your business transition someone else will make the decisions for you.


What is the urgency?

This book sounds a timely warning to the baby boomers within that group. Many of those business owners will be forced into a fire sale. Baby boomers have affected so many aspects of our culture and economy as they’ve grown older.

If you are a boomer you might recall the mortgage rates of the eighties hitting the high teens. I felt lucky to lock in at 14% for five years. Prices skyrocketed when boomers were ready to buy – and they will plummet when they are ready to sell.

This book offers some startling statistics. One that might chill you is “71% of business owners plan to retire within the next 10 years, yet only 7% have a written plan for succession.”

Imagine the financial, emotional and health tolls on the unprepared business owners. Perhaps the most traumatic issue for entrepreneurs is to let go of the business they built. That’s the case at the best of times. Imagine the pandemic when the massive baby boomer crowd decides to exit en mass. That’s the crisis.


Why should you read it?

The Business Transition Crisis is a good read for any business owner even if the only thing it does for you is to help you recast your business as a product – not as your baby. That major perspective shift is necessary for you to begin and successfully complete your transition.

The book continues to offer perspective checks and guidelines for the successful business owner. You can follow this systematic approach to prepare yourself and your business for successful transition. Even if you think that it’s too early to start planning your transition it will be worthwhile to read the book, address the questions and start preparing yourself for the process.

The book is written in a business-owner-talking-to-business-owner candor. Wayne Vanwyck offers you insights from his experience as an owner of three businesses. That includes lessons from his mistakes and successes. He reveals his own painful wakeup call that forced him to address his business transition.

The author provides insights from the interviews that he conducted with hundreds of business owners across North America. The excerpts from some of these conversations are revealing. Some examples will make you cheer while others might sadden you. In every case the lessons are clear and simple. This is reflective experience speaking to you.

If you are thinking about your business transition then this book is a powerful yet clear and simple step-by-step guide to personal and financial success. You are presented with probing questions that must be addressed at each step of the process. There are checklists, action lists and tips.

There’s help on how to build your transition team and ensure that all the relevant players are working for your best interest. The book introduces the intriguing concept of working with a Business Transition Coach. This is a role that offers more comprehensive support than one would receive from a lawyer, banker, accountant or business broker.

The book lists and explores several options of retiring from your business. In each case there are important steps you must follow to ensure the success of your health, financial security and important relationships.

The Business Transition Crisis is a book that every business owner needs to read before they retire so they can retire successfully.


© George Torok is the host of the radio show Business in Motion. He has interviewed over 450 business leaders. You can listen to those interviews free at http://www.businessinmotion.ca/ You can also listen to those Podcasts on iTunes. George is a motivational business speaker. Arrange a speech or presentation at http://www.business-speaker.biz/ or call 905-335-1997



Book review by George Torok

Learn more about The Business Transition Crisis