The digital world has grown and transformed so rapidly, the law hasn’t kept up, which makes managing your digital afterlife challenging. Until there are more consistent laws and procedures governing this area, it’s best to plan ahead, leave clear instructions and be sure you have a list of accounts where your estate lawyer or a loved one can find it and access it. It will make a world of difference to your survivors.
http://www.waynemessick.com/famiy-business-strategies/plan-ahead-for-your-online-hereafterFriday, June 28, 2013
Leadership And Motivation, Is There A Legitimate Connection?
I think a lot of people misunderstand this. Sometimes people wanting to be seen as leaders spend a lot of time and effort trying to motivate their people. This is a mistake. Only self imposed motivation works over the long haul. Motivate yourself to do the hard job of trying to be a role model of leadership and your followers will motivate themselves to follow.
http://www.waynemessick.com/leadership-development/are-you-a-leader-motivatingThursday, June 27, 2013
Find A Pickup To Fit Your Lifestyle Online
The Chevy pickup has evolved over the years and there are now a range of styles and models available to suit just about any need. That's probably because they are so versatile and, of course, exceptionally durable. They can literally take almost anything you can dish out and more. No matter what type of vehicle you want, you can find a great deal online if you know where to look. From retailers to sites catering to collectors to local Chevy Pickups for sale sites like this one, there is something for everyone and all at an affordable price. Find a pickup to fit your lifestyle online.
http://www.conflictresolutionlive.com/Find-A-Pickup-To-Fit-Your-Lifestyle-Online.phpLeadership Strategies: 4 ‘Bad Leader Behaviors’ That Affect Productivity, Profits
Workplaces are filled with employees who lack direction because disorganized leaders don’t deliver and manage plans and strategies to guide their teams. What’s the chance of an unguided team maximizing its productivity to create competitively superior innovative widgets?
http://www.waynemessick.com/leadership-development/is-your-leadership-hurting-the-bottom-lineWatch This Video About A Fitness Franchise Business Opportunity
You may not know anything about the fitness industry or owning a franchise have never occurred to you. Even so, there are some real strategic planning lessons you can learn here. Franchise owners often choose this route to small business ownership because of the visible things the franchisor is providing. What is perhaps most important however is the hidden benefits of franchise ownership, reporting and strategic planning. This makes owning a business much simpler, sort of a turn-key deal. You spend your time operating it rather than figuring out all the details they have already figured out for you.
http://www.waynemessick.com/small-business/fitness-franchise-business-opportunityWednesday, June 26, 2013
What You Must Know Before Starting Your Event Planning Business
Event planning is, in legal terms, the same as any other business. Same tax laws, etc. In the context of employees vs independent contractors on the other hand there are substantive differences between an event planning business and a retail business such as a hardware store for example. Compared to the typical retail operation an event planning business is more of a service business - often with few if any tangible products on offer.
http://www.waynemessick.com/business-strategic-development/how-to-start-an-event-planning-business-4-things-you-must-know-before-starting-a-businessRelationship Conflict is Inevitable, Is That Wrong?
Whenever we are in long term interdependent relationships there is bound to be conflict. When the other person is different from us, we will have different solutions to the same problems. And of course if they are just like us while we may come to the same conclusions there is often even greater tension and relationship conflict around how they came to their conclusion vs the right way to reach it. The question then is how to make the most of these conflicts.
http://www.waynemessick.com/conflict-resolution/how-to-handle-conflict-in-a-relationshipTuesday, June 25, 2013
How To Develop Your Leadership Skills, a YouTube Video
Leadership skills, are you born with them or can they be instilled in you? Must you have leadership skills to be successful in business and in life? These are complicated questions that have many answers. In fact when you have met one leader, you've only met one leader because there are so many combinations of leadership elements and characteristics today as there have always been.
http://www.waynemessick.com/leadership-development/developing-leadership-skillsSaturday, June 22, 2013
Gideon Shalwick Shows Us Everything We Need To Know About Video Marketing
Video marketing is all the rage. Video marketing is popular among all the experts who are selling video marketing tips tools and strategies. So, what if you are not an Internet marketer, just a regular small business owner, can you learn something here? You bet you can. In fact most of the cost effective marketing going on today was created by the Internet marketing community - folks well known for getting great results for the efforts. Be smart, learn from the experts - then integrate these strategies into your business.
http://www.waynemessick.com/small-business/video-marketing-strategies-for-small-business-with-gideon-shalwickFriday, June 21, 2013
Farm Succession Planning Is Much Harder Than Family Business Succession
Farm succession is hard, for that matter all succession is hard. That's why 2/3 of all otherwise successful businesses fail to make it from one generation to the next. What makes farm succession so much harder is that the farm's assets are largely tied up in farm land. Farm land is notoriously over valued by the IRS for estate tax purposes. The successors sometimes have to sell some of it to raise the cash to pay the taxes and other transfer costs. Plus the non-farm heirs, folks who want and deserve their inheritance in cash, stand right behind the government to get their share as well.
http://www.waynemessick.com/succession-planning/farm-succession-planning-what-to-do-and-what-problems-to-avoidThursday, June 20, 2013
Use Online Resources For Your Best HVAC Prices
HVAC prices are a real bone of contention for most homeowners. Undeniably, installing or replacing a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system can be the biggest investment you'll make in your home. Because HVAC prices are so costly, it is extremely important that you proceed cautiously, doing everything you can to ensure top quality and keep prices down.
http://www.wdm.net/Use-Online-Resources-For-Your-HVAC-Prices-in-Los-Angeles.phpMarket Your Business At No Cost With These Five Strategies
Every business needs to market itself, every day and in every way possible for sustained success. In the real world that means finding ways to leverage any and all paid promotions with free ones. In many cases business owners with limited marketing budgets run out of money before they really know whether or not their marketing and promotion activities will work long term.
http://www.waynemessick.com/marketing/the-top-five-free-ways-to-market-your-businessImproving Your Leadership Skills By Example
There are many strategies for improving your leadership skills. And because every organization, regardless of size, if it is to succeed over the long haul it needs effective leaders - there are videos from far outside your industry that can still bring home the message loud and clear. In fact we often understand leadership strategies more quickly when we see them in a new content. Seeing how leadership matters in the military makes the point clearly and often emotionally. At the same time, leadership skills demonstrated in sports can provide us with clear images of its importance long after the details have faded from our memory.
http://www.waynemessick.com/leadership-development/improve-your-leadership-skillsWednesday, June 19, 2013
Makita Cordless Power Tools Can Be a Remodeler's Best Friend
Whether you are a professional craftsman or a weekend handyman, especially if you’re working in a cramped location where using standard tools with power cords is difficult. In fact, having the ability to move freely and get at the materials you're using from literally any angle is the advantage you get with cordless tools and now you can find the tools you need at prices you can afford online. Whether you’re looking for a complete set of cordless tools or simply looking for a cordless drill, power screwdriver, or impact driver, you can find great deals on all the top brands at a variety of online retailers or lists of locally available used Makita cordless power tools on our web site.
http://www.familybusinessadvisors.biz/D-I-Y-Homeowners-Know-That-Cordless-Power-Tools-Can-Be-Their-Best-Friend.phpYou'd Better Start Developing Your Succession Planning Talent Today
If you have a fabulous succession plan, one that ticks all the boxes for your lawyer and account, but the people you are hoping will run the place in the next generation aren't up to the task, you have wasted your money. Not only that but you have created something that is guaranteed to fail, not only fail to achieve the financial security you seek, it also causes the unprepared successors to fail at running the business and fail as people. Unless you have people in place who have the talent, the motivation, and the commitment right now, well today would not be too soon preparing them for the challenge they'll be facing.
http://www.waynemessick.com/succession-planning/best-practice-succession-planning-develop-internal-talent-poolsTuesday, June 18, 2013
Small Business Plan Overview: Legal Shield
A business plan is not optional. A small business plan must be honest. A small business plan must be written for the business, not for the bankers. Most importantly the business plan for a small business should be simple, regularly updated, and created through collaboration with your internal colleagues, your industry peers, and your business advisors.
http://www.waynemessick.com/small-business/legal-shield-small-business-plan-overviewMonday, June 17, 2013
Used Restaurant Equipment Is The Ideal Solution
Two scenarios same results. You are opening a new restaurant and need kitchen equiptment or you have an established place and feel you need to upgrade your food preparation tools. In both situations the smart business owner will opt for used restaurant equiptment. That's because most of the time it outlasted the restaurant that bought it new. It has lots more productive life left in it. In fact you can replace used restaurant equiptment three or more times over the years - for less than the cost of the new shiny stuff.
http://www.usedrestaurantequiptment.biz/Used-Restaurant-Equipment-A-Real-Life-Saver.phpSunday, June 16, 2013
Is Becoming An Insurance Sales Person The Right Career For You?
Really, is that your question? There is nothing more rewarding than a profession that allows you to do good, help others at the times of their greatest crisis, and make money doing it. Perhaps the real question should be, do I have what it takes to become a true insurance sales professional? Can I help people make the often difficult decisions between what they want to do with their money and what they should be doing? Do you have what it takes or not?
http://www.familybusinessprofessionals.com/Insurance-Agent-Jobs-Becoming-an-Insurance-Agent.phpFriday, June 14, 2013
Turn Your Standing Hobart Mixer Into A Utility Tool With The Right Attachments
One of the many reasons to buy a Hobart mixer for your commercial kitchen is the quality. They just last and last. Whenever I am in a restaurant and get a chance to do so, I take a peek in the kitchen. Usually I see a lot of shiny kitchen equiptment, right along side a grey beat up looking Hobart mixer. I know, as do the restaurant owners, that this mixer will be there long after the shiny stuff is gone. And another overlooked benefit of owning a Hobart stand alone mixer is the amazing array of attachments that just snap on - tools that extend the functionality of the mixer far beyond what they would have ever thought.
http://www.usedhobartmixer.com/Turn-Standing-Hobart-Mixer-Into-A-Utility-Tool-With-The-Right-Hobart-Mixer-Attachments.phpEffective Niche Marketing Means Finding Prospects Already Looking For You
The term niche marketing seems to be mis-understood today. Generally, especially with those who market their products on the Internet, the term implies where the seller wants to sell. The conventional wisdom is to dominate YOUR niche - forcefully, usually through clever SEO strategies, rule the area where you want to sell. The smart niche marketers know that their first objective is to discover the intersection of where the products they offer and the location of the people who want to buy what they're selling. Then it's a simple process of being there, being where people are already looking.
http://www.waynemessick.com/marketing/niche-marketing-a-major-component-of-21st-century-business-accomplishmentThursday, June 13, 2013
Does Effective Business Management Require Leadership Development Strategies?
The difference between leadership, the ability to get people to buy into your ideas and follow you, and management - knowing what to do that works, have never been distinct. That's because the two are interconnected elements of business development strategies employed by organizations of all kinds and sizes. For example...
http://www.waynemessick.com/leadership-development/management-skills-vs-leadership-skillsEffective Social Media Marketing In One Hour Per Week Or Less
As the internet and Social Media evolve, one thing is clear - Facebook is king. The great news is that this huge source of leads is right at your fingertips. The good news is that developing a social media marketing strategy using Facebook can be done quickly - with a simple commitment of a little time each week dedicated to the execution of your social media marketing strategy. The bad news is that most people are doing it all wrong and not capitalizing on its massive potential. That mean most of you will fail to achieve anything like your potential, just because you are too lazy or too timid to do what little is actually required to succeed.
http://www.waynemessick.com/strategic-planning/social-media-marketing-plan-one-hour-per-week-2012-small-business-editionExit Strategy, Selling Your Small Business FAST!
Here is a video describing one of the exit strategies successful business owners dream of. Selling your business and selling it fast, while still getting as much or more than you thought possible. Most successful businesses fail in the end, because they either could not sell the company or they didn't have someone in the family or close by who could continue it successfully after they were out of the picture. For many seeing the business continue to live on in the lives of their family is their ultimate objective - and that is invariably the way to get the maximum return from their lifetime of effort. When that isn't possible, desirable, or for that matter practical - selling the company becomes their goal. Unfortunately that isn't always possible - watch the video and see how one person did it.
http://www.waynemessick.com/small-business/selling-your-small-business-exit-strategy-my-business-sold-and-fastYou'd Better Be Using Your Website To Promote Your Business Like Your Competitors Are!
For some people their business IS their web site. For the rest of us our web site is an asset of our business. No matter which, you must promote your web site if it is to be of any value to your company whatsoever. It does not matter whether you sell products or services online or if you simply use your web site as a PR vehicle, a customer service tool, or merely a place where folks can find directions to your business - you have to promote it. When someone is looking for you directly or for something in your industry or niche, they need to see your web site front and center all each of the major search engines. If that's not happening, why did you invest in the web site in the first place?
http://www.waynemessick.com/marketing/how-to-promote-your-business-websiteWednesday, June 12, 2013
Hanging Wine Racks Are The Perfect Wine Storage Solution
Hanging wine racks come in many shapes, sizes, and materials and offer one of many options for storing your wine. You can find anything from small racks that hold just a couple of bottles to larger racks for more diverse collections, depending on your individual needs. And there are many different retailers offering racks at affordable prices if you do some careful online comparison shopping.
http://www.selfdirectedpeergroups.com/Hanging-Wine-Racks-Are-The-Perfect-Wine-Storage-Solution.phpExcellent Leaders Know That Appreciation Is A Key Leadership Skill
There are no leaders until there are followers. People have to identify with those who seek to lead them in ways that cause the behavior of the leader to be considered valid. As long as they consider the insights, input, directions, and attitude to be one that causes them to follow their lead, there will be leaders and their required followers. Leaders have several characteristics in common - and one of the most enduring is appreciation. As a follower knowing that you are appreciated builds another key ingredient, loyalty. Believing that your opinions are appreciated keeps followers looking for new ideas with the willingness to bring them to their leader's attention.
http://www.waynemessick.com/leadership-development/effective-leadership-skills-the-power-of-appreciationTuesday, June 11, 2013
Find A Career In Financial Services in Los Angeles Online
Whether you want to enter the world of banking or become a financial advisor, financial services in Los Angeles, crunch numbers as an accountant or deal with mutual fund sales, there is an opening for you. And with the use of online job sites, you can help to whittle away at your choices and find the perfect opportunity to match your skills and education.
http://www.diystrategicplanning.com/Find-A-Career-In-Financial-Services-in-Los-Angeles-Online.phpWatch UC Davis Business Plan Competition
Business plan competition has great value, but to whom? Watch this YouTube video about the business plan competition at UC Davis for a glimpse at the process of creating a business plan. Naturally some of these MBA students are better at presenting their business plan than others. Some win prizes and most don't. But the real value in business plan competition is what the students do with what they learned in grad school, once they get out into the real world. And you can learn from what they've put together. Maybe you'll see your situation more clearly and you'll conclude that if these college kids can do it, make it all up based on a set of manufactured facts, then you can do it when your entire financial life depends on it.
http://www.waynemessick.com/business-strategic-development/big-bang-business-plan-competition-at-uc-davis-graduate-school-of-managementWhere Professional Firms Can Find Lost Money
Here are three places where professional firms can identify lost dollars. When it comes to marketing professional services having more money available is a good thing. When it comes to providing those services to their clients, professional firms with a greater margin, all things being equal, can provide more and better service for less money - if they are in control of their own finances.
http://www.waynemessick.com/business-strategic-development/3-problem-areas-where-professional-firms-can-find-lost-moneyWednesday, June 5, 2013
How to Resolve Conflict: 10 Best Kept Secrets
I know it seems so obvious, but apparently it isn't. The first step in resolving relationship conflicts - long term interdependent relationships at home and at work for example, is simply finding a time and place to talk. Someplace where you can establish the context of the interaction in advance. In this video Andrea Cairella covers how to resolve conflict in relationships. She offers 5 strategies on how you can resolve conflict with less pain, less drama, and greater long term success.
http://www.waynemessick.com/conflict-resolution/how-to-resolve-conflict-10-best-kept-secretsSmall Business Succession Planning Fails 67% Of The Time!
There are growing concerns that small and medium businesses are failing to plan for the future, which is putting them at risk of insolvency. That's because virtually all small business owners have virtually all their financial resources tied up directly or indirectly in their small business. So if the succession planning fails - usually because it is never implemented - the business fails and so does everyone who is looking to it as their financial security.
http://www.waynemessick.com/succession-planning/small-business-failing-on-succession-planningTuesday, June 4, 2013
Is Your Marketing Strategic Or Are You Just Throwing It Against The Wall?
Strategic marketing is rarely defined and not often attempted. That's because you first must focus on who exactly you want to get your message in front of and how you are going to do it. Then you have to execute your strategic marketing plan in a way that returns more in new business than it costs to do the promotion. Not easy, so losers do what is easy and get more and more of what they already have. Why bother?
http://www.waynemessick.com/marketing/three-keys-to-strategic-business-marketingTreat Your Organization’s Most Valuable Resource with Care
Excellent companies of all sizes and from every industry know that focusing on employee well-being is critical and serves as the conduit to increasing innovation, emotional loyalty, natural productivity and overall profitability, but they have exhausted the traditional vehicles inside their companies to do this, so they are focusing on impacting their employees lives ‘outside’ of the company. Employee well-being is very smart business and everyone wins, it’s the key to elevating associate engagement.
http://www.waynemessick.com/leadership-development/how-top-companies-are-elevating-loyalty-productivity-and-innovation-in-their-workforceMonday, June 3, 2013
21st. Century Business Owners Harness Essential Leadership Skills
What do successful business owners all have in common - no matter their industry, the age of their business, or the economy? They are excellent leaders. Leaders are not necessary when things are going great - if business is easy, anyone can be successful. But in the real world only those business owners who embrace essential leadership skills when things are good, so they will have loyal followers when the tide turns - and the tide always turns when you least expect it. Hopefully your leaders expect it!
http://www.waynemessick.com/leadership-development/essential-leadership-skillsWriting a Risk Management Business Plan
The expression 'risk management' is most often used when considering specific risks - such as fire, theft, investment, etc. However risk management actually applies to every decision you make and every action you take, or don't take, in your business. For that reason a risk management plan or perhaps the risk management element of your business plan is critical for sustained success. When it comes to risk management it's not going to be the things you don't know that will wreak havoc on your business, it's the things you know for sure - that are wrong. A well considered business plan that addresses the risk management element of things will keep you focused of doing the right things right.
http://www.waynemessick.com/business-strategic-development/business-plans-writing-a-risk-management-planSunday, June 2, 2013
YouTube Video: How To Resolve Conflict
Probably the most overlooked element of workplace conflict resolution is simply the willingness to mediate the issues. That requires the parties to at least be willing to step back from the battle and consider the possibility of a solution that benefits the individuals themselves, their 'fans', and the organization. Needless to say this is the first step toward a workable solution and should be taken on before the people with the conflict have recruited followers to their side f=of the story. The more people who have bought in to the problem the harder it will be to solve it.
http://www.waynemessick.com/conflict-resolution/how-to-resolve-conflict-2Is HR Involved In Your Succession Planning? Should It be?
You may or may not have an HR department in your organization. And if you do it may be simply a rubber stamp from on high that is legally required. Watch this video about the role of HR in the all-important area of succession planning now. You just might change how you look at their role in the process.
http://www.waynemessick.com/succession-planning/succession-planning-hr-strategSaturday, June 1, 2013
Innovation Partners International Provides A Strength Based High Engagement Approach To Strategic Planning
A truly unique consulting firm has developed a revolutionary approach for Rapid Strategy Development and Implementation, with a foundation in Appreciative Inquiry and other whole-system change models provides a focus on strengths and broad stakeholder engagement, which is sure to rev up your strategic planning efforts. It is a holistic approach that engages people at all levels to identify and leverage the organizations unique strengths, resources, leading practices, and opportunities, ensuring faster AND better results than other conventional methods. In this video, we see a short demonstration of the proposition in action as Tony Silbert focuses on the possibilities offered by a strengths-based, high engagement approach to strategic planning, development, and implementation.
http://www.waynemessick.com/business-strategic-development/rapid-strategy-development-and-implementation-get-engagement-and-results-quicker-2An Example Of HR Saving The Day When It Comes To Succession Planning
Traditionally we think of lawyers, accountants, estate planners, and life insurance when we think about the folks who make up the succession planning team. Sometimes however the folks in HR can be the ones who save the day. Not because they are experts at the details or the legal issues involved in the process, rather because they understand the people. And the people part of the succession planning equation is critical. Because if people can't work together before, during, and after the completion of the succession planning process - the whole thing has just been a very costly waste of time.
http://www.waynemessick.com/succession-planning/nakisa-succession-planning-the-case-of-the-runaway-talentWill Your Business Survive Its Own Success To The Next Generation?
There is no shortage of succession related articles around. In the two areas below you’ll find some. Those in the top group are here on our web site while those below are some we found for you elsewhere.
http://www.waynemessick.com/succession-planning/business-transition-planning-is-almost-certainly-strategic-planningMeasure Twice, Cut Once Applies to Article Writing Too
Article marketing research doesn't have to be complicated. It starts with a clear understanding of your target audience and what you want them to do after reading what you're writing. Next is the language and the context - which is to say that you must speak the way they speak and describe the problems they already want a solution for, in their terms not expert-speak. And always the call to action must be reasonable - so they will see it as the next most logical step to take.
http://www.waynemessick.com/marketing/article015When It Comes To Sustainable Success, Marketing & Promotion Are The Straws That Stir The Drink
While it's true that noting happens until a sale is made you first have to get people to listen to your sales message. Before you can get people to listen to your sales message you have to craft a well considered marketing plan. And, oh yeah, you have to get that well developed message in front of the RIGHT people - folks who may actually want what you're selling.
http://www.waynemessick.com/small-business/exactly-what-is-the-relationship-between-online-business-promotion-and-fly-fishing